Accurate mortality forecasting is crucial for actuarial pricing, reserving, and capital planning, yet the traditional Lee-Carter model struggles with non-linear age and cohort patterns, coherent multi-population forecasting, and quantifying prediction uncertainties. Recent advances in deep learning provide a range of tools that can address these limitations, but actuarial surveys have not kept pace. This paper provides the first concise view of deep learning in mortality forecasting. We cover six deep network architectures, namely Recurrent Neural Networks, Convolutional Neural Networks, Transformers, Autoencoders, Locally Connected Networks, and Multi-Task Feed-Forward Networks. We discuss how these architectures tackle cohort effects, population coherence, interpretability, and uncertainty in mortality forecasting. Evidence from the literature shows that carefully calibrated deep learning models can consistently outperform the Lee-Carter baselines; however, no single architecture resolves every challenge, and open issues remain with data scarcity, interpretability, uncertainty quantification, and keeping pace with the advances of deep learning. This review is also intended to provide actuaries with a practical roadmap for adopting deep learning models in mortality forecasting.

The mandible is crucial for human physiological functions, as well as facial esthetics and expressions. The mandibular reconstruction surgery has dual challenges of restoration of both facial form and physiological function, which demands high precision in positioning and orientation of the bone graft. The traditional manual surgery heavily relies on surgeon’s experience. Although the computer image-guided surgery improves the positioning accuracy, the manual manipulation is still difficult to achieve precise spatial orientation of objects, resulting in unsatisfactory intraoperative execution of preoperative surgical design. This paper integrates computer image navigation and robotic technology to assist mandible reconstruction surgery, which empowers surgeons to achieve precise spatial localization and orientation adjustment of bone grafts. The kinematic analysis is conducted, and an improved Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm is proposed for spatial registration. A novel hand-eye calibration method for multi-arm robot and spatial registration of free bone blocks are proposed. The precision experiment of the image-guided navigation and the animal experiments are carried out. The impact of registration point numbers on spatial registration accuracy is analyzed. The results show the feasibility of the robot-assisted navigation for mandibular reconstruction surgery. The robotic system can improve the orientation accuracy of bone blocks to enhance the effectiveness of surgery.

The current study aims to assess associations between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels and mortality and to investigate modification effects of genetics. A total of 500 participants from a family-based cohort study were enrolled from 2005 to 2017 and followed up until 2020 in Fangshan District, Beijing, China. Serum TMAO levels were measured using the ELISA kit. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and deaths from CVD and stroke. During a median follow-up time of 7·38 years, thirty-eight deaths were recorded, including twenty deaths due to CVD and nineteen deaths due to stroke. Compared with the lowest TMAO quartile group, the HR for all-cause mortality was 1·35 (95 % CI: 0·44, 4·15), 1·65 (95 % CI: 0·58, 4·64) and 2·45 (95 % CI: 0·91, 6·57), respectively, in higher groups. No association was observed between TMAO and CVD mortality. However, compared with the lowest TMAO concentration group, the HR for stroke mortality was 1·93 (95 % CI: 0·40, 9·39), 1·91 (95 % CI: 0·41, 8·96) and 4·16 (95 % CI: 0·94, 18·52), respectively, in higher groups (Pfor trend = 0·046). Furthermore, polygenic risk score (PRS) for longevity modified the association of TMAO with all-cause mortality (Pfor interaction = 0·008). The risk of mortality (HR = 2·20, 95 % CI: 1·06, 4·57) was higher among participants with lower PRS compared with higher PRS (HR = 1·00, 95 % CI: 0·71, 1·40). The study indicates that elevated serum TMAO levels are potentially associated with long-term mortality risk in rural areas of northern China, especially for stroke deaths. Additionally, it provides novel evidence that genetic variations might modify the association.

Germplasm resources are the foundation for improving crop varieties and a strategic asset for global food security. They also advance plant breeding, agricultural biotechnology and the production of essential agricultural goods. To assess the distribution, diversity and conservation status of food crop germplasm in the Hainan Province, China, we conducted a detailed survey of the Hainan Island. Between 2017 and 2022, we collected 330 food crop germplasm resources, encompassing 16 cereal crops, including rice, maize, sweet potato. The collected germplasm resources exhibited traits of high resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses, including common diseases and drought stress, as well as superior quality and adaptability to poor soil conditions such as sandy land. However, challenges such as low productivity and hybrid degradation were identified. These resources were primarily found in Haikou City, Baisha County, Danzhou City, Wuzhishan City and Sanya City. Additionally, we collected several ancient local varieties and endangered germplasm resources such as ‘Jiezi rice’ and ‘Wuzhishan maize’. This study serves as a reference for the conservation, development and utilization of local food crop germplasm resources in Hainan Province and lays the foundation for breeding and developing new varieties.

Manganese (Mn) is a crucial trace element that actively participates in a diverse array of physiological processes. Mn is maintained at appropriate levels in the body by absorption and excretion by the body. Dysregulation of Mn homeostasis can lead to a variety of diseases, especially the accumulation of Mn in the brain, resulting in toxic side effects. We reviewed the metabolism and distribution of Mn at multiple levels, including organ, cellular and sub-cell levels. Mitochondria are the main sites of Mn metabolism and energy conversion in cells. Enhanced Mn superoxide dismutase activity reduces mitochondrial oxidative stress and inhibits cancer development. In addition, Mn enhances anti-cancer immune responses through the cGAS–STING pathway. We introduced various delivery vectors for Mn delivery to cancer sites for Mn supplementation and anti-cancer immunity. This review aims to provide new research perspectives for the application of Mn in the prevention and treatment of human diseases, especially by enhancing anti-cancer immune responses to inhibit cancer progression.

The scatter in global atomic hydrogen (Hi) scaling relations is partly attributed to differences in how Hi and stellar properties are measured, with Hi reservoirs typically extending beyond the inner regions of galaxies where star formation occurs. Using pilot observations from the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind Survey (WALLABY), we present the first measurements of Hi mass enclosed within the stellar-dominated regions of galaxies for a statistical sample of 995 local gas-rich systems, investigating the factors driving its variation. We examine how global Hi scaling relations change when measurements are restricted to $R_{\text{25}}$ and $R_{\text{24}}$ – the isophotal radii at 25 and 24 mag arcsec$^{-2}$ in the i-band – and explore how the fraction of Hi mass and Hi surface density within these radii correlate with other galaxy properties. On average, 68% of the total Hi mass is enclosed within $R_{\text{25}}$ and 54% within $R_{\text{24}}$, though significant variation exists between galaxies, ranging from $\sim$20% to 100%. The fraction of Hi mass within $R_{\text{25}}$ shows a mild correlation with stellar properties, with galaxies of higher stellar mass, greater stellar surface density, or redder colours enclosing a larger fraction of their Hi reservoirs. These correlations do not significantly strengthen when considering $R_{\text{24}}$. Conversely, global Hi surface densities show no significant correlation with stellar mass or stellar surface density, but trends start emerging when these are measured within the inner regions of galaxies. The strongest correlation is observed with optical colour, with bluer galaxies having higher average Hi surface densities within $R_{\text{25}}$. This trend of the average Hi surface density with optical colour strengthens when we restrict from $R_{\text{25}}$ to $R_{\text{24}}$, suggesting a closer connection between inner Hi reservoirs and star formation. This study underscores the value of (at least marginally) resolved Hi surveys of statistical samples for advancing our understanding of the gas-star formation cycle in galaxies.

This paper examines the impact of financially constrained intermediate inputs on within-industry total factor productivity loss. Utilizing exogenous tax reforms in China as a natural experiment, our difference-in-difference analysis reveals that reduced tax burdens lead to increased firm-level intermediate inputs, particularly among financially constrained firms. We incorporate financially constrained intermediate inputs into a partial equilibrium model of firm dynamics. Our calibration suggests that financially constrained intermediate inputs play a quantitatively more important role in accounting for misallocation than financially constrained capital. The presence of financially constrained intermediate inputs introduces a downward bias in the measurement of value-added productivity, especially for firms in the top decile of gross-output productivity. As a result, the average “efficient” levels of capital and labor for the top decile firms in the standard Hsieh and Klenow (2009) exercise are lower than what is truly efficient.

Machine learning has already shown promising potential in tiled-aperture coherent beam combining (CBC) to achieve versatile advanced applications. By sampling the spatially separated laser array before the combiner and detuning the optical path delays, deep learning techniques are incorporated into filled-aperture CBC to achieve single-step phase control. The neural network is trained with far-field diffractive patterns at the defocus plane to establish one-to-one phase-intensity mapping, and the phase prediction accuracy is significantly enhanced thanks to the strategies of sin-cos loss function and two-layer output of the phase vector that are adopted to resolve the phase discontinuity issue. The results indicate that the trained network can predict phases with improved accuracy, and phase-locking of nine-channel filled-aperture CBC has been numerically demonstrated in a single step with a residual phase of λ/70. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that machine learning has been made feasible in filled-aperture CBC laser systems.

The recent expansion of cross-cultural research in the social sciences has led to increased discourse on methodological issues involved when studying culturally diverse populations. However, discussions have largely overlooked the challenges of construct validity – ensuring instruments are measuring what they are intended to – in diverse cultural contexts, particularly in developmental research. We contend that cross-cultural developmental research poses distinct problems for ensuring high construct validity owing to the nuances of working with children, and that the standard approach of transporting protocols designed and validated in one population to another risks low construct validity. Drawing upon our own and others’ work, we highlight several challenges to construct validity in the field of cross-cultural developmental research, including (1) lack of cultural and contextual knowledge, (2) dissociating developmental and cultural theory and methods, (3) lack of causal frameworks, (4) superficial and short-term partnerships and collaborations, and (5) culturally inappropriate tools and tests. We provide guidelines for addressing these challenges, including (1) using ethnographic and observational approaches, (2) developing evidence-based causal frameworks, (3) conducting community-engaged and collaborative research, and (4) the application of culture-specific refinements and training. We discuss the need to balance methodological consistency with culture-specific refinements to improve construct validity in cross-cultural developmental research.

Western Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1046–771 BC) was established soon after conquering the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1600–1046 BC) and brought about the earliest enfeoffment system in Chinese history. Yan was one of the vassal states of the same clan as Zhou. According to historical records, the capital of Yan state was located near Yan mountain, which is now known as the Liulihe site in the Fangshan District, Beijing. This study carries out the high-precision dating of two newly discovered Western Zhou Dynasty noble tombs at the Liulihe site. The man in tomb M1902 participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of Yan’s capital according to inscriptions on the bronze vessel found in this tomb. Samples of different materials, especially different parts of human skeletons from the tombs, were selected to form a sample series in chronological order. Wiggle-matching models were established in OxCal program based on the growth and development time of different teeth and bones of human skeletons. More accurate ages were acquired for the death of the individuals. The results indicate that the most probable distribution range of the death date of the individual in M1902 is about 1045–1010 BC. The radiocarbon dates of M1902 give important chronological information about the founding of Yan state, and they are very close to those of the year in which King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang Dynasty.

Direct numerical simulations of temporally developing compressible mixing layers have been performed to investigate the effects of large-scale structures (LSSs) on turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budgets at convective Mach numbers ranging from $M_c=0.2$ to $1.8$ and at Taylor Reynolds numbers up to 290. In the core region of mixing layers, the volume fraction of low-speed LSSs decreases linearly with respect to the vertical distance at a Mach-number-independent rate. The contributions of low-speed LSSs to TKE, and its budget, including production, dissipation, pressure-strain and spatial diffusion terms, are primarily concentrated in the upper region of mixing layer. The streamwise and vertical mass flux coupling terms mainly transport TKE downwards in low-speed LSSs, and their magnitudes are comparable to the other dominant terms. Near the edges of LSSs, the sources and losses of all three components of TKE are completely different to each other, and dominated by turbulent diffusion, pressure diffusion, pressure-strain and dissipation terms. The TKE, their total variation and dissipation are significantly amplified at edges of low-speed LSSs, especially at the upper edge. This observation supports the existence of amplitude modulation exerted by the LSSs onto the near-edge small-scale structures in mixing layers. The level of amplitude modulation is strongest for the vertical velocity, followed by the streamwise velocity, and weakest for the spanwise velocity. Additionally, the amplitude modulation effect decreases significantly with increasing convective Mach number. The results on the amplitude modulation effect is helpful for developing predictive models of budget terms of TKE in mixing layers.

The multi-colour complete light curves and low-resolution spectra of two short period eclipsing Am binaries V404 Aur and GW Gem are presented. The stellar atmospheric parameters of the primary stars were derived through the spectra fitting. The observed and TESS-based light curves of them were analysed by using the Wilson-Devinney code. The photometric solutions suggest that both V404 Aur and GW Gem are semi-detached systems with the secondary component filling its critical Roche Lobe, while the former should be a marginal contact binary. The $O-C$ analysis found that the period of V404 Aur is decreasing at a rate of $dP/dt=-1.06(\pm0.01)\times 10^{-7}\,\mathrm{d}\,\mathrm{ yr}^{-1}$, while the period of GW Gem is increasing at $dP/dt=+2.41(\pm0.01)\times 10^{-8} \mathrm{d}\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$. The period decrease of V404 Aur may mainly be caused by the combined effects of the angular momentum loss (AML) via an enhanced stellar wind of the more evolved secondary star and mass transfer between two components. The period increase of GW Gem supports the mass transfer from the secondary to the primary. Both targets may be in the broken contact stage predicted by the thermal relaxation oscillations theory and will eventually evolve to the contact stage. We have collected about 54 well-known eclipsing Am binaries with absolute parameters from the literature. The relations of these parameters are summarised. There are some components that have a higher degree of evolution. The majority of their hydrogen shell may have been stripped away and the stellar internal layer exposed. The accretion processes from such evolved components may be very important for the formation of Am peculiarity in binaries.