A dual-band dual-polarized wearable antenna that applies to two different operating modes of wireless body area networks is proposed in this letter. The antenna radiates simultaneously in the ISM band at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz. It consists of a rigid button-like radiator and a flexible fabric radiator. At 2.45 GHz, an omnidirectional circularly polarized pattern is radiated by the flexible radiator, which is suitable for the on-body communication. At the same time, a linearly polarized broadside pattern for off-body communication is generated by button radiator at 5.8 GHz. The antenna has been validated in free space and human body environments. The impedance bandwidth at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz are 5% and 35%, and the gain is measured to be 0.15 and 5.95 dBi, respectively. Furthermore, the specific absorption rates are simulated. At 2.45 and 5.8 GHz, the results averaged over 1 g of body tissue are 0.128 and 0.055 W/kg. The maximum value at both bands is below the IEEE C95.3 standard of 1.6 W/kg.

Design-by-analogy (DbA) is a powerful method for product innovation design, leveraging multidomain design knowledge to generate new ideas. Previous studies have relied heavily on designers’ experiences to retrieve analogical knowledge from other domains, lacking a structured method to organize and understand multidomain analogical knowledge. This presents a significant challenge in recommending high-quality analogical sources, which needs to be addressed. To tackle these issues, a knowledge graph-assisted DbA approach via structured analogical knowledge retrieval is proposed. First, an improved function-effect-structure ontology model is constructed to extract functions and effects as potential analogical sources, and six semantic matching rules are established to output entity triplets, and the DbA knowledge graph (DbAKG) is developed. Second, based on the knowledge of semantic relationships in DbAKG, the domain distance and similarity between the design target and the analogical sources are introduced to establish an analogical value model, ensuring the novelty and feasibility of analogical sources. After that, with function as the design target, analogical sources transfer strategy is formed to support innovative solution solving, and TRIZ theory is used to solve design conflicts. Finally, a pipeline inspection robot case study is further employed to verify the proposed approach. Additionally, a knowledge graph-assisted analogical design system has been developed to assist in managing multidomain knowledge and the analogical process, facilitate the adoption of innovative design strategies, and assist companies in providing more competitive products to seize the market.

The incorporation of trace metals into land snail shells may record the ambient environmental conditions, yet this potential remains largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed modern snail shells (Cathaica sp.) collected from 16 sites across the Chinese Loess Plateau to investigate their trace metal compositions. Our results show that both the Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios exhibit minimal intra-shell variability and small inter-shell variability at individual sites. A significant positive correlation is observed between the shell Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios across the plateau, with higher values being recorded in the northwestern sites where less monsoonal rainfall is received. We propose that shell Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios, which record the composition of soil solution, may be controlled by the Rayleigh distillation in response to prior calcite precipitation. Higher rainfall amounts may lead to a lower degree of Rayleigh distillation and thus lower shell Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios. This is supported by the distinct negative correlation between summer precipitation and shell Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios, enabling us to reconstruct summer precipitation amounts using the Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios of Cathaica sp. shells. The potential application of these novel proxies may also be promising for other terrestrial mollusks living in the loess deposits globally.

Multi-loop coupling mechanisms (MCMs) are extensively utilized in the aerospace and aviation industries. This paper analyzes the mobility, singularity, and optimal actuation selection of a 3RR-3RRR MCM on the basis of geometric algebra (GA), where R denotes revolute joint. First, the principle of the shortest path is employed to identify the basic limbs and ascertain the type of coupling limbs. The analytical expression for the twist space and mobility characteristics of the mechanism is obtained by calculating the intersection of the limb’s twist space. The blade of limb constraint is subsequently employed to construct the singular polynomials of the mechanism. The singular configurations of the 3RR-3RRR MCM are analyzed in accordance with the properties of the outer product, resulting in the identification of two distinct types of boundary singularities. Next, the local transmission index is employed to evaluate the motion/force transmission performance of the two actuation schemes and finalize the selection of the superior actuation scheme for the mechanism. Finally, a prototype is developed to evaluate the energy loss resulting from the two actuation schemes, which verifies the correctness of the actuation selection scheme.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity, accompanied by deficits in executive function (EF). However, how the two core symptoms of ADHD are affected by EF deficits remains unclear. 649 children with ADHD were recruited. Data were collected from ADHD rating scales, the Behavior Rating Inventory of EF (BRIEF), and other demographic questionnaires. Regression and path analyses were conducted to explore how deficits in cool and hot EF influence different ADHD core symptoms. Latent class analysis and logistic regression were employed to further examine whether classification of ADHD subtypes is associated with specific EF deficits. EF deficits significantly predicted the severity of ADHD core symptoms, with cool EF being a greater predictor of inattention and hot EF having a more significant effect on hyperactivity/impulsivity. Moreover, person-centered analyses revealed higher EF deficits in subtypes of ADHD with more severe symptoms, and both cool and hot EF deficits could predict the classification of ADHD subtypes. Our findings identify distinct roles for cool and hot EF deficits in the two core symptoms of ADHD, which provide scientific support for the development of ADHD diagnostic tools and personalized intervention from the perspective of specific EF deficits.

An actively controllable cascaded proton acceleration driven by a separate 0.8 picosecond (ps) laser is demonstrated in proof-of-principle experiments. MeV protons, initially driven by a femtosecond laser, are further accelerated and focused into a dot structure by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on the solenoid, which can be tuned into a ring structure by increasing the ps laser energy. An electrodynamics model is carried out to explain the experimental results and show that the dot-structured proton beam is formed when the outer part of the incident proton beam is optimally focused by the EMP force on the solenoid; otherwise, it is overfocused into a ring structure by a larger EMP. Such a separately controlled mechanism allows precise tuning of the proton beam structures for various applications, such as edge-enhanced proton radiography, proton therapy and pre-injection in traditional accelerators.

After right ventricular outflow tract obstruction reconstruction for CHD, surgical pulmonary valve replacement, or transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement may be performed if complicated by moderately severe or severe right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction. However, for patients whose anatomy is not suitable for transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement, surgical pulmonary valve replacement is the only option, but it has a higher rate of perioperative complications and longer hospitalisation for patients. In two cases of severe transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in which percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation could not be performed directly due to the presence of a large right ventricle, a significant decrease in right ventricular function, and significant widening of the pulmonary arteries, we used a new hybridisation procedure to partially fold and reduce the diameter of the significantly widened pulmonary artery trunk without cardiopulmonary bypass by surgically opening the thorax in a median way, and then successfully implanted a percutaneous self-expanding pulmonary valve valve, with good immediate results in the postoperative period. The postoperative recovery was rapid and the recent results were excellent.

Deformation occurs in a thin liquid film when it is subjected to a non-uniform electric field, which is referred to as the electrohydrodynamic patterning. Due to the development of a non-uniform electrical force along the surface, the film would evolve into microstructures/nanostructures. In this work, a linear and a nonlinear model are proposed to thoroughly investigate the steady state (i.e. equilibrium state) of the electrohydrodynamic deformation of thin liquid film. It is found that the deformation is closely dependent on the electric Bond number BoE. Interestingly, when BoE is larger than a critical value, the film would be deformed remarkably and get in contact with the top template. To model the ‘contact’ between the liquid film and the solid template, the disjoining pressure is incorporated into the numerical model. From the nonlinear numerical model, a hysteresis deformation is revealed, i.e. the film may have different equilibrium states depending on whether the voltage is increased or decreased. To analyse the stability of these multiple equilibrium states, the Lyapunov functional is employed to characterise the system’s free energy. According to the Lyapunov functional analysis, at most three equilibrium states can be formed. Among them, one is stable, another is metastable and the third one is unstable. Finally, the model is extended to study the three-dimensional deformation of the electrohydrodynamic patterning.

The robot manipulator is commonly employed in the space station experiment cabinet for the disinfection task. The challenge lies in devising a motion trajectory for the robot manipulator that satisfies both performance criteria and constraints within the confined space of an experimental cabinet. To address this issue, this paper proposes a trajectory planning method in joint space. This method constructs the optimal trajectory by transforming the original problem into a constrained multi-objective optimization problem. This is then solved and integrated with the seventh-degree B-spline curve. The optimization algorithm utilizes an indicator-based adaptive differential evolution algorithm, enhanced with improved Tent chaotic mapping and opposition-based learning for population initialization. The method employed the Fréchet distance to design a trajectory selection strategy based on the Pareto solutions to ensure that the planned trajectory complies with Cartesian space requirements. This allows the robot manipulator end-effector to approximate the desired path in Cartesian space closely. The findings indicate that the proposed method can effectively design the robot manipulator trajectory, considering both joint motion performance and end-effector motion constraints. This ensures that the robot manipulator operates efficiently and safely within the experimental cabinet.

With the widespread use of high-fat diets (HFD) in aquaculture, the adverse effects of HFD on farmed fish are becoming increasingly apparent. Creatine has shown potential as a green feed additive in farmed fish; however, the potential of dietary creatine to attenuate adverse effects caused by high-fat diets remains poorly understood. To address such gaps, this study was conducted to investigate the mitigating effect of dietary creatine on HFD-induced disturbance on growth performance, hepatic lipid metabolism, intestinal health and muscle quality of juvenile largemouth bass. Three diets were formulated: a control diet (10·20 % lipid), a high-fat diet (HFD, 18·31 % lipid) and HFD with 2 % creatine (HFD + creatine). Juvenile largemouth bass (3·73 (sem 0·01) g) were randomly assigned to three diets for 10 weeks. The key findings were as follows: (1) the expression of muscle growth-related genes and proteins was stimulated by dietary creatine, which contributes to ameliorate the adverse effects of HFD on growth performance; (2) dietary creatine alleviates HFD-induced adverse effects on intestinal health by improving intestinal health, which also enhances feed utilisation efficiency; (3) dietary creatine causes excessive lipid deposition, mainly via lipolysis and β-oxidation. Notably, this study also reveals a previously undisclosed effect of creatine supplementation on improving muscle quality. Together, for the first time from a comprehensive multiorgan or tissue perspective, our study provides a feasible approach for developing appropriate nutritional strategies to alleviate the adverse effects of HFD on farmed fish, based on creatine supplementation.

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), is a highly migratory pest known for its sudden larval outbreaks, which result in severe crop losses. These unpredictable surges pose significant challenges for timely and accurate monitoring, as conventional methods are labour-intensive and prone to errors. To address these limitations, this study investigates the use of machine learning for automated and precise identification of M. separata larval instars. A total of 1577 larval images representing different instar were analysed for geometric, colour, and texture features. Additionally, larval weight was predicted using 13 regression models. Instar identification was conducted using Support Vector Classifier (SVC), Random Forest, and Multi-Layer Perceptron. Key feature contributing to classification accuracy were subsequently identified through permutation feature importance analysis. The results demonstrated the potential of machine learning for automating instar identification with high efficiency and accuracy. Predicted larval weight emerged as a key feature, significantly enhancing the performance of all identification models. Among the tested approaches, BaggingRegressor exhibited the best performance for larval weight prediction (R2 = 98.20%, RMSE = 0.2313), while SVC achieved the highest instar identification accuracy (94%). Overall, the integration of larval weight with other image-derived features proved to be a highly effective strategy. This study demonstrates the efficacy of machine learning in enhancing pest monitoring systems by providing a scalable and reliable framework for precise pest management. The proposed methodology significantly improves larval instar identification accuracy and efficiency, offering actionable insights for implementing targeted biological and chemical control strategies.

Perceived intergenerational mobility profoundly influences individual attitudes and behaviour, carrying important implications for social stability and development. How do Chinese citizens perceive the intergenerational persistence of family advantages, and how do these perceptions compare with reality? This study conducts multiple randomized vignette experiments across two online surveys to assess public perceptions of correlations between various socio-economic indicators of parents and their children. Respondents estimate moderate to moderately strong correlations across generations. By leveraging the comparability of perceptions and objective estimates made possible by our novel measurement instrument, we find that respondents often overestimate the likelihood of equal opportunities for children from families with differing educational backgrounds. Alongside these largely optimistic perceptions, we also uncover signs of emerging pessimism. These results offer a nuanced snapshot of perceived social mobility in China, highlighting its multidimensional manifestations and divergence from reality, while also providing methodological insights for future research on its evolving dynamics.

Rogue waves (RWs) can form on the ocean surface due to the well-known quasi-four-wave resonant interaction or superposition principle. The first is known as the nonlinear focusing mechanism and leads to an increased probability of RWs when unidirectionality and narrowband energy of the wave field are satisfied. This work delves into the dynamics of extreme wave focusing in crossing seas, revealing a distinct type of nonlinear RWs, characterised by a decisive longevity compared with those generated by the dispersive focusing (superposition) mechanism. In fact, through fully nonlinear hydrodynamic numerical simulations, we show that the interactions between two crossing unidirectional wave beams can trigger fully localised and robust development of RWs. These coherent structures, characterised by a typical spectral broadening then spreading in the form of dual bimodality and recurrent wave group focusing, not only defy the weakening expectation of quasi-four-wave resonant interaction in directionally spreading wave fields, but also differ from classical focusing mechanisms already mentioned. This has been determined following a rigorous lifespan-based statistical analysis of extreme wave events in our fully nonlinear simulations. Utilising the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger framework, we also show that such intrinsic focusing dynamics can be captured by weakly nonlinear wave evolution equations. This opens new research avenues for further explorations of these complex and intriguing wave phenomena in hydrodynamics as well as other nonlinear and dispersive multi-wave systems.

This paper provides an overview of the current status of ultrafast and ultra-intense lasers with peak powers exceeding 100 TW and examines the research activities in high-energy-density physics within China. Currently, 10 high-intensity lasers with powers over 100 TW are operational, and about 10 additional lasers are being constructed at various institutes and universities. These facilities operate either independently or are combined with one another, thereby offering substantial support for both Chinese and international research and development efforts in high-energy-density physics.