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Shanlan upland rice, as a unique local rice germplasm resource in Hainan comprises abundant genetic diversity. One hundred and sixty two Shanlan upland rice accessions collected from diverse ecological regions in Hainan were systematically characterized based on 11 agronomic traits. The rich genetic diversity was confirmed by phenotypic data from two consecutive years (2023 and 2024). Coefficient of variation ranged from 14.11% to 46.04% in 2023 and from 11.45% to 44.82% in 2024, with panicle-related traits (number of primary branches, grain number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, grain number of secondary branches and grain number per main panicle) exhibiting particularly high variation. Correlation analysis revealed highly significant synergistic effects among yield-related traits. Cluster analysis of the 162 accessions consistently classified them into five major groups across both growing seasons. Through grain number per main panicle and seed setting rate investigation, three excellent resources were selected that demonstrated stable and superior performance in both seasons. Notably, Line 69 exhibited outstanding “large panicles with high seed-setting rate,” producing 261.4 and 305 grains per main panicle in 2023 and 2024, respectively, with seed-setting rates reaching 93.79% and 90.07%. This study presents phenotypic data for Shanlan upland rice, offers high-quality breeding materials for subsequent research, and lays a theoretical groundwork for conserving and exploiting Hainan’s rice resources.
The challenge of addressing contentious and repressive histories in authoritarian regimes that have undergone post-totalitarian transitions presents precious opportunities for historical justice, as the representation of history and the production of historiography are decentralized from the central state. Using the production of Chinese local gazetteers in post-Mao China as a case and drawing upon a combination of historiographical, archival, and field methods, we investigate three critical negotiation fields where gazetteer compilers, who also held government ranks, interacted with central leaders and other local bureaucracies to exert discretionary control over local historical production within their jurisdictions. This decentralized negotiation over historiography illuminates the intricate interplay between ideology, agency, and tradition in the production process of the Chinese county gazetteers, offering nuanced insights into modern Chinese history and the complexities of historiographical writing under authoritarian governance. Overall, our article shows that knowledge production under authoritarian rule is more interactive and horizontal than thought, and that historiographical writing can adapt to and challenge authority in pursuit of historical justice.
Biomechanical intervention on lower limb joints using exoskeletons to reduce joint loads and provide walking assistance has become a research hotspot in the fields of rehabilitation and elderly care. To address the challenges of human-exoskeleton (H-E) kinematic compatibility and knee joint unloading demands, this study proposes a novel rhombus linkage exoskeleton mechanism capable of adaptive knee motion without requiring precise alignment with the human knee axis. The exoskeleton is driven by a Bowden cable system to provide thigh support, thereby achieving effective knee joint unloading. Based on the screw theory, the degrees of freedom (DOF) of the exoskeleton mechanism (DOF = 3) and the H-E closed-loop mechanism (DOF = 1) were analyzed, and the kinematic model of the exoskeleton and the H-E closed-loop kinematic model were established, respectively. A mechanical model of the driving system was developed, and a simulation was conducted to validate the accuracy of the model. The output characteristics of the cable-driven system were investigated under varying bending angles and bending times. A prototype was fabricated and tested in wearable scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate that the exoskeleton system exhibits excellent biocompatibility and weight-bearing support capability. Compatibility tests confirm that the exoskeleton does not interfere with human motion. Through human-in-the-loop optimization, the optimal Bowden cable output force profile was obtained, which minimizes gait impact while achieving a peak support force of 195.8 N. Further validation from wear trials with five subjects confirms the system’s low interference with natural human motion (maximum lower-limb joint angle deviation of only $8^\circ$).
Diabetes is increasingly recognized as a serious, worldwide public health concern. In this paper, an extreme learning machine (ELM) based on time-domain pulses was introduced to obtain noninvasive glucose detection. To validate the method, time-domain signals from different concentrations of glucose solutions were detected in the model. Considering that the glucose levels of diabetic patients range from 30 to 500 mg/dL, the glucose solution concentration was set to 10−500 mg/dL, with an interval of 10 mg/dL. The received signals were trained using the ELM algorithm, which was able to accurately predict solutions of unknown concentration with an average relative error of 1.45%. The proposed method is rapid to process, simple to operate, and highly accurate for noninvasive glucose detection. The results demonstrated that microwave detection technology combined with the ELM algorithm has the potential to become a valuable tool for noninvasive glucose monitoring in clinical settings.
Studies highlight the thalamus as a key region distinguishing early- from late-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While structural thalamic correlates with OCD onset age are well-studied, resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) remains largely unexplored. This study examines thalamic subregional rsFC to elucidate pathophysiological differences in OCD based on different onset times.
Methods
The study comprised 85 early-onset OCD (EO-OCD) patients, 94 late-onset OCD (LO-OCD) patients, and 94 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). rsFC analysis was conducted to assess thalamic connectivity across seven subdivisions among the groups.
Results
Both EO-OCD and LO-OCD patients exhibited increased rsFC between the primary motor thalamus and the posterior central gyrus and between the thalamic premotor and the supplementary motor areas. EO-OCD patients showed significantly stronger rsFC between the prefrontal thalamus (Ptha) and the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) compared to both LO-OCD patients and HCs. In contrast, LO-OCD patients demonstrated reduced rsFC between the Ptha and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) compared to EO-OCD patients and HCs. Additionally, the rsFC between the Ptha and both the MFG and IPL was negatively correlated with age of onset, with earlier onset linked to stronger connectivity.
Conclusion
These findings reveal both shared and distinct thalamic connectivity patterns in EO-OCD and LO-OCD patients. Sensory-motor networks exhibiting thalamic hyperconnectivity are critical for the manifestation of OCD, regardless of age of onset. The frontal–parietal network and thalamic hyperconnectivity may present a compensatory mechanism in EO-OCD patients, while hypoconnectivity with the frontoparietal network may reflect a neural mechanism underlying LO-OCD.
Let $\mu _{M,D}$ be the self-similar measure generated by $M=RN^q$ and the product-form digit set $D=\{0,1,\ldots ,N-1\}\oplus N^{p_1}\{0,1,\ldots ,N-1\}\oplus \cdots \oplus N^{p_s}\{0,1,\ldots ,N-1\}$, where $R\geq 2$, $N\geq 2$, q, $p_i(1\leq i\leq s)$ are integers with $\gcd (R,N)=1$ and $1\leq p_1<p_2<\cdots <p_s<q$. In this paper, we first show that $\mu _{M,D}$ is a spectral measure with a model spectrum $\Lambda $. Then, we completely settle two types of spectral eigenvalue problems for $\mu _{M,D}$. In the first case, for a real t, we give a necessary and sufficient condition under which $t\Lambda $ is also a spectrum of $\mu _{M,D}$. In the second case, we characterize all possible real numbers t such that $\Lambda '\subset \mathbb {R}$ and $t\Lambda '$ are both spectra of $\mu _{M,D}$.
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.
A reduced dispersion relation for multibeam laser–plasma instability is derived. The dispersion relation includes the combined effects of self-coupling and interaction with other beams by sharing a common scattered light (SL modes) and by sharing a common plasma wave (SP modes). The latter two have the most prominent collective effects of all. We have solved the dispersion relation numerically for stimulated Raman scattering, and set different beam configurations and polarizations to discuss the spatial distributions of the temporal growth rate. The instability in the beam overlapping region is complicated, but there are still a few simple rules that govern the system, such as the dominancy of SL modes and subdominancy of backscattering and SP modes. The maximum growth rate always occurs at these special modes, or a new mode formed by combining two or three of the special modes. The reduced model provides us with the ability to understand the underlying physics of multibeam instabilities under general laser and plasma conditions.
Cargo carrying by a spring connected chiral micro-swimmer in a square channel is numerical studied by the three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method and a chiral squirmer model. The effects of the driving type (β), swimming Reynolds number (Rep), spin coefficient (ξ) and diameter ratio (S) on the changes of the cargo-carrying velocity, spring length and motion modes are investigated, respectively. Four kinds of interesting motion modes are observed. When the chirality is not considered, the optimal combination for maximising swimming velocity are the pusher–cargo and cargo–puller configurations when Rep = 0.1 ∼ 1. When Rep is enhanced, the swimming velocities of the pusher–cargo, puller–cargo and cargo–pusher are increased, while the velocity of the cargo–puller is gradually decreased. When considering the chirality, only the swimming velocity of cargo–pusher and cargo–puller keep an interesting increment, and the reverse motion mode for the pusher-cargo and puller-cargo is firstly found in the present work when ξ exceeds a certain value. The impact of S on the cargo-carrying behaviour is complex, three kinds of oscillatory trajectories will appear under different ξ and S. The swimming velocity is reduced and even zero velocity will be observed when S is large. This work reveals key factors on the movement of microorganisms, offering guidance for improving cargo-carrying capabilities.
Patients with chronic insomnia are characterized by alterations in default mode network and alpha oscillations, for which the medial parietal cortex (MPC) is a key node and thus a potential target for interventions.
Methods
Fifty-six adults with chronic insomnia were randomly assigned to 2 mA, alpha-frequency (10 Hz), 30 min active or sham transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) applied over the MPC for 10 sessions completed within two weeks, followed by 4- and 6-week visits. The connectivity of the dorsal and ventral posterior cingulate cortex (vPCC) was calculated based on resting functional MRI.
Results
For the primary outcome, the active group showed a higher response rate (≥ 50% reduction in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)) at week 6 than that of the sham group (71.4% versus 3.6%) (risk ratio 20.0, 95% confidence interval 2.9 to 139.0, p = 0.0025). For the secondary outcomes, the active therapy induced greater and sustained improvements (versus sham) in the PSQI, depression (17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), and cognitive deficits (Perceived Deficits Questionnaire-Depression) scores. The response rates in the active group decreased at weeks 8–14 (42.9%–57.1%). Improvement in sleep was associated with connectivity between the vPCC and the superior frontal gyrus and the inferior parietal lobe, whereas vPCC-to-middle frontal gyrus connectivity was associated with cognitive benefits and vPCC-to-ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity was associated with alleviation in rumination.
Conclusions
Targeting the MPC with alpha-tACS appears to be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia, and vPCC connectivity represents a prognostic marker of treatment outcome.
Optical fibers offer convenient access to a variety of nonlinear phenomena. However, due to their inversion symmetry, second-order nonlinear effects, such as second-harmonic generation (SHG), are challenging to achieve. Here, all-fiber in-core SHG with high beam quality is achieved in a random fiber laser (RFL). The fundamental wave (FW) is generated in the same RFL. The phase-matching condition is mainly achieved through an induced periodic electric field and the gain is enhanced through the passive spatiotemporal gain modulation and the extended fiber. The conversion needs no pretreatment and the average second-harmonic (SH) power reaches up to 10.06 mW, with a corresponding conversion efficiency greater than 0.04%. Moreover, a theoretical model is constructed to explain the mechanism and simulate the evolution of the SH and FW. Our work offers a simple method to generate higher brightness for in-fiber SHs, and may further provide new directions for research on all-fiber χ(2)-based nonlinear fiber optics and RFLs.
In this study, we use a novel design to test for directional behavioral spillover and cognitive load effects in a set of multiple repeated games. Specifically, in our experiment, each subject plays a common historical game with two different matches for 100 rounds. After 100 rounds, the subject switches to a new game with one match and continues playing the historical game with the other match. This design allows us to identify the direction of any behavioral spillover. Our results show that participants exhibit both behavioral spillover and cognitive load effects. First, for pairs of Prisoners’ Dilemma and Alternation games, we find that subjects apply strategies from the historical game when playing the new game. Second, we find that those who participate in a Self Interest game as either their historical or new game achieve Pareto efficient outcomes more often in the Prisoners’ Dilemma and Alternation games compared to their control counterparts. Overall, our results show that, when faced with a new game, participants use strategies that reflect both behavioral spillover and cognitive load effects.
Inclisiran is approved in Singapore as an add-on to maximally tolerated statins for the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia. This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of inclisiran compared with standard care (SC), evolocumab, or alirocumab to treat primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia.
Methods
A lifetime Markov model was used to evaluate the cost effectiveness of inclisiran as an add-on to SC (inclisiran+SC) versus SC alone, evolocumab+SC, or alirocumab+SC in four subpopulations: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), secondary prevention of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), primary prevention of HeFH, and primary prevention in patients with an elevated risk of ASCVD Baseline cardiovascular event risks were estimated from databases and published literature from the Netherlands and the UK. Efficacy data were obtained from the ORION trials and other comparative trials. Costs were obtained from public healthcare institutions and local publications. A willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of SGD45,000 (USD33,280) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) was selected, and a one-way deterministic sensitivity analysis (DSA) was performed.
Results
Inclisiran+SC resulted in higher QALYs and higher total costs than SC alone in all four subpopulations, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) ranging from SGD34,654 to SGD163,158 (USD25,630 to USD120,673) per QALY gained. At the selected WTP threshold, inclisiran+SC was cost effective, compared with SC, in patients with ASCVD and for secondary prevention of HeFH. Compared with evolocumab+SC and alirocumab+SC, inclisiran+SC achieved higher total QALYs at a lower total cost in all four subpopulations. The ICER was most sensitive to the price and efficacy of inclisiran and the rate ratios translating reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels to the risk of cardiovascular death.
Conclusions
Inclisiran+SC resulted in greater QALYs and higher costs, compared with SC alone, and higher QALYs at lower costs, compared with evolocumab+SC and alirocumab+SC, in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia. At the selected WTP threshold, inclisiran+SC was cost effective, compared with SC alone, in patients with ASCVD and for secondary prevention of HeFH. These findings can help inform future funding decisions in Singapore.
The immediate priorities for high-power delivery employing solid-core fibers are balancing the nonlinear effect and beam deterioration. Here, the scheme of tapered multimode fiber is experimentally realized. The tapered multimode fiber, featuring a 15 m (24/200 μm)–10 m (tapered region)–80 m (48/400 μm) profile, guides the laser with a weakly coupled condition. With the input power of 1035 W, the maximum output power over the 105 m delivery is 962 W, corresponding to a high efficiency of over 93% and a nonlinear suppression ratio of over 50 dB. Mode resolving results show high-order-mode contents of less than –30 dB in the whole delivery path, resulting in a high-fidelity delivery with M2 factors of 1.20 and 1.23 for the input and output lasers, respectively. Furthermore, the ultimate limits of delivery lengths for solid-core weakly coupled fibers are discussed. This work provides a valuable reference to reconsider the future boom of high-power laser delivery based on solid-core fibers.
A high-energy pulsed vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) solid-state laser at 177 nm with high peak power by the sixth harmonic of a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) amplifier in a KBe2BO3F2 prism-coupled device was demonstrated. The ultraviolet (UV) pump laser is a 352 ps pulsed, spatial top-hat super-Gaussian beam at 355 nm. A high energy of a 7.12 mJ VUV laser at 177 nm is obtained with a pulse width of 255 ps, indicating a peak power of 28 MW, and the conversion efficiency is 9.42% from 355 to 177 nm. The measured results fitted well with the theoretical prediction. It is the highest pulse energy and highest peak power ever reported in the VUV range for any solid-state lasers. The high-energy, high-peak-power, and high-spatial-uniformity VUV laser is of great interest for ultra-fine machining and particle-size measurements using UV in-line Fraunhofer holography diagnostics.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of esketamine (Esk) combined with dexmedetomidine (Dex) on postoperative delirium (POD) and quality of recovery (QoR) in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical lung cancer surgery.
Methods
In this prospective, randomized, and controlled study, 172 elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical lung cancer surgery were divided into two groups: the Esk + Dex group (n = 86) and the Dex group a (n = 86). The primary outcome was the incidence of POD within 7 days after surgery and the overall Quality of Recovery−15 (QoR − 15) scores within 3 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative adverse reactions, extubation time, PACU stay, and hospitalization time. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, S100β protein, NSE, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ were detected from T0 to T5.
Results
Compared with the Dex group, the incidence of POD in the Esk + Dex group was significantly lower at 7 days after surgery (14.6% vs 30.9%; P = 0.013). The QoR − 15 score was significantly increased 3 days after surgery (P < 0.01). Levels of IL-6 and CD8+ were significantly decreased, and IL − 10 levels were significantly increased at T1-T2 (P < 0.05). At T1-T4, NSE levels were significantly decreased, while CD3+ and CD4+/CD8+ values were significantly increased (P < 0.01). At T1-T5, serum S100β protein concentration decreased significantly, and CD4+ value increased significantly (P < 0.01). The incidence of nausea/vomiting and hyperalgesia decreased significantly 48 hours after surgery (P < 0.01). The duration of extubation, PACU stay, and postoperative hospitalization were significantly shortened.
Conclusions
Esketamine combined with dexmedetomidine can significantly reduce the POD incidence and improve the QoR in patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical lung cancer surgery, which may be related to the improvement of cellular immune function.
EXOSC10 is an exosome-associated ribonuclease that degrades and processes a wide range of transcripts in the nucleus. The initial segment (IS) of the epididymis is crucial for sperm transport and maturation in mice by affecting the absorption and secretion that is required for male fertility. However, the role of EXOSC10 ribonuclease-mediated RNA metabolism within the IS in the regulation of gene expression and sperm maturation remains unknown. Herein, we established an Exosc10 conditional knockout (Exosc10 cKO) mouse model by crossing Exosc10F/F mice with Lcn9-Cre mice which expressed recombinase in the principal cells of IS as early as post-natal day 17. Morphological and histological analyses revealed that Exosc10 cKO males had normal spermatogenesis and development of IS. Moreover, the sperm concentration, morphology, motility, and frequency of acrosome reactions in the cauda epididymides of Exosc10 cKO mice were comparable with those of control mice. Thus, Exosc10 cKO males had normal fertility. Collectively, our genetic mouse model and findings demonstrate that loss of EXOSC10 in the IS of epididymis is dispensable for sperm maturation and male fertility.
This article presents a dual-band planar microwave sensor to characterize the permittivity of liquid samples. The sensor utilizes a splitter–combiner microstrip segment loaded with two pairs of triangular-shaped complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs). By integrating a meander slot into the CSRRs and incorporating inter-resonator coupling between the CSRRs, the proposed sensor achieves enhanced frequency shifts, resulting in improved sensitivity. An adulteration detection experiment is conducted to validate the sensor’s performance by mixing mineral oil into castor oil with a polydimethylsiloxane container placed on the sensing area. The variations in resonant frequency and peak attenuation are employed to extract the permittivity of the loaded liquid sample. The peak sensitivities in determining the real permittivity are measured to be 6.34% and 5.7% for the first and second frequency bands, respectively. The measured errors for extracting the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity are approximately 3.95% and 7.47% for the first frequency band and 3.67% and 6.28% for the second frequency band, respectively. The proposed dual-band microwave sensor, with its high sensitivity, compact size, small sample volume, and low cost, demonstrates great potential for applications in the quality monitoring of agricultural and industrial products.