A novel entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species, Steinernema tarimense n. sp., was isolated from soil samples collected in a Populus euphratica forest located in Yuli County within the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, China. Integrated morphological and molecular analyses consistently place S. tarimense n. sp. within the ‘kushidai-clade’. The infective juvenile (IJ) of new species is characterized by a body length of 674–1010 μm, excretory pore located 53–80 μm from anterior end, nerve ring positioned 85–131 μm from anterior end, pharynx base situated 111–162 μm from anterior end, a tail length of 41–56 μm, and the ratios D% = 42.0–66.6, E% = 116.2–184.4, and H% = 25.5–45.1. The first-generation male of the new species is characterized by a curved spicule length of 61–89 μm, gubernaculum length of 41–58 μm, and ratios D% = 36.8–66.2, SW% = 117.0–206.1, and GS% = 54.8–82.0. Additionally, the tail of first-generation female is conoid with a minute mucron. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS, 28S, and mt12S sequences demonstrated that the three isolates of S. tarimense n. sp. are conspecific and form a sister clade to members of the ‘kushidai-clade’ including S. akhursti, S. anantnagense, S. kushidai, and S. populi. Notably, the IJs of the new species exhibited faster development at 25°C compared to other Steinernema species. This represents the first described of an indigenous EPN species from Xinjiang, suggesting its potential as a novel biocontrol agent against local pests.

Background: Intracranial extension of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) lesions is uncommon and may lead to radiological misinterpretation. This review aimed to identify clinical and radiological features of these lesions and whether radiological misinterpretation contributed to delayed or incorrect intervention. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Embase identified 2,256 records. Studies with clinical and imaging details of TMJ lesions extending intracranially were included. Reviews and non-English studies were excluded. After screening, 113 studies involving 132 patients were included. Results: Patients had an average symptom duration of 32 months until diagnosis (47% female, mean age 50±15 years). The most common diagnoses were pigmented villonodular synovitis/tenosynovial giant cell tumor (46%) and synovial chondromatosis (24%). Neurological symptoms were reported in 48% of cases, most frequently hearing loss (35%). Diagnostic accuracy increased from 38% to 62% when both CT and MRI were used. Most lesions were non-enhancing on CT (85%) and MRI (74%), and demonstrated no edema (96%). In one case, a ganglion cyst was misdiagnosed as a cystic brain tumor, leading to neurosurgical resection. Conclusions: TMJ lesions extending intracranially have neurological symptoms in less than half of cases and demonstrate no enhancement or edema. Familiarity with these characteristics is essential to avoiding misdiagnoses and ensuring timely management.

The obesity prevalence among the Chinese population has increased more than three-fold over the last twenty years.(1) A cross-sectional study involving 15.8 million Chinese adults revealed that in 2023 one in every two Chinese adults was categorised as overweight or obese.(2) Chinese individuals face a higher health risk of developing chronic disease at comparable Body Mass Index levels to Caucasians.(3) Thus, it is urgent to address the increasing obesity prevalence in this population. People’ s perception towards obesity is likely to play an important role in influencing their weight management behaviour.(4) For Chinese people, the unique Confucianism ideology, collectivist society, and modern mass media information exposure may have a profound influence on how Chinese people develop their perceptions about weight issues. It is therefore valuable to understand Chinese people’s obesity-related perceptions as this may inform more culturally appropriate interventions for weight management. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bilingual systematic review which aimed to synthesise published literature exploring the perceptions of Chinese adults towards overweight and obesity. Four English databases and two Chinese databases (Medline, APA PsycINFO, Social Science Premium Collection, Scopus, Wanfang Chinese Journal Database, and Chinese Electronic Periodical Services) were searched from inception to 17 Jun 2023. Studies were included if they were published in English or Chinese, investigated perceptions towards overweight and obesity, and focused on Chinese adults living in or outside of Mainland China. All retrieved citations were screened by two reviewers independently. A narrative synthesis method was employed. Forty-eight studies (n = 20 in English, n = 21 in simplified Chinese, n = 7 in Traditional Chinese) were included, involving n= 73910 participants. Females were more often researched. Also, the overall sample consisted more younger and more highly educated people, with 22 studies including solely university students. The collective quality or risk of bias of the studies was suboptimal. Three overarching themes emerged from this review: (i) Chinese adults tend to misperceive their weight status, largely stemming from limited awareness of BMI and societal norms idealizing thinness, leading to high dissatisfaction with body weight and high motivation to pursue weight loss. Females perceived a stricter weight ideal than males; (ii) Despite a pronounced motivation for weight management, study participants lacked practical knowledge regarding sustainable strategies. Non-scientific weight-loss methods and unproductive perceptions were prevalent among this population; (iii) Chinese adults perceived dealing with obesity as a lonely journey, influenced by the pervasive negative societal attitude towards obesity and the prevailing mindset emphasizing personal responsibility for weight-related issues. This review provides a comprehensive profile of perceptions towards obesity among Chinese adults over the last two decades and discusses methodology implications and future research directions.

In response to the requirements for assessing the impact safety of aero-engines, a high-fidelity numerical simulation method based on overset mesh technology for six-degree-of-freedom rigid body motion is proposed. A gas-solid two-phase flow model is established, coupling two types of ice-debris (externally ingested ice and internally delaminated ice) with air, to analyse their behaviour in a dorsal S-shaped inlet with a diffusion ratio of 1.3. Results indicate that the ice-debris entering from the upper region of the entrance section exerts the most significant distortion on the total-pressure at the engine inlet. Additionally, the behaviour of ice-debris is determined by its angle with respect to the incoming flow direction and the shape of ice. Furthermore, although the ice-debris detached from the entrance section poses no immediate threat to the engine, the prolonged acceleration by high-speed airflow, with velocity increments exceeding 45 m/s, results in a higher kinetic energy carried upon impact with the inlet walls. Regarding externally ingested ice-debris, a smaller initial velocity corresponds to a higher probability of impacting the engine, accompanied by a significant increase in velocity. For instance, the irregular ice-debris ingested at an initial velocity of 6 m/s can experience velocity amplification exceeding 590%.

For binary plug nozzle, the plug cone is exposed to high-temperature mainstream flow, making it one of the nozzle’s high-temperature components. This paper uses the Realizable k-ε turbulence model and the reverse Monte Carlo method to numerically investigate the aerodynamic and infrared radiation characteristics of the plug nozzle. Various slot cooling configurations were adopted to study the nozzle’s infrared radiation in detail. Results indicate that compared to the baseline nozzle, the plug nozzle’s performance is slightly reduced due to the decrease in effective area of flow over the plug cone. Introducing slot cooling at the rear edge provides significant infrared suppression benefits at low detection angles and notably reduces infrared radiation discrepancy with baseline nozzle at high detection angles. The cooling air from slots causes the nozzle jet to exhibit a ‘thermal layered’ feature. With the same total coolant mass flow, the ‘leading edge + trailing edge’ cooling configuration can lower the area-averaged wall temperature of the plug cone by 5.5% – 12.3%. However, its infrared radiation intensity at each detection angle on the pitch detection plane is higher than that of the ‘trailing edge’ configuration. The significance of leading-edge cooling is focused more on thermal protection for the plug. Thus, it is essential to balance coolant mass flow distribution between infrared radiation suppression and thermal protection.

To investigate the flame acceleration to detonation in 2.0 and 0.5 mm planar glass combustion chambers, the experiments have been conducted utilising ethylene/oxygen mixtures at atmospheric pressure and temperature. The high-speed camera has been used to record the revolution of flame front and pressure inside the combustion chamber. Different equivalence ratios and ignition locations have been considered in the experiments. The results show that the detonation pressure in the 2 mm thick chamber is nearly three times of Chapman-Jouguet pressure, while detonation pressure in the 0.5 mm thick chamber is only 45.7% of the Chapman-Jouguet value at the stoichiometric mixture. This phenomenon is attributed to the larger pressure loss in the thinner chamber during the detonation propagation. As the value of equivalence ratio is 2.2, the detonation cannot be produced in the 2 mm thick chamber, while the detonation can be generated successfully in the 0.5 mm thick chamber. This phenomenon indicates that the deflagration is easily to be accelerated and transformed into the detonation, due to a larger wall friction and reflection. Besides, the micro-obstacle has been added into the combustor can shorten the detonation transition time and reduces the distance of the detonation transition.

Objectives: This work was aimed at characterizing the experiences of discrimination, and report initial psychometric properties of a new tool to capture these experiences, among a global sample of people living with dementia.

Methods: Data from 704 people living with dementia who took part in a global survey from 33 different countries and territories were analysed. Psychometric properties were examined, including internal consistency and construct validity.

Results: A total of 83% of participants reported discrimination in one or more areas of life, and this was similar across WHO Regions. The exploratory factor analysis factor loadings and scree plot supported a unidimensional structure for the Discrimination and Stigma Scale Ultra Short for People Living with Dementia (DISCUS-Dementia). The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with most of the construct validity hypotheses being confirmed and qualitative responses demonstrating face validity.

Conclusions: The DISCUS-Dementia performs well with a global sample of people living with dementia. This scale can be integrated into large-scale studies to understand factors associated with stigma and discrimination. It can also provide an opportunity for a structured Discussion around stigma and discrimination experiences important to people living with dementia, as well as planning psychosocial services and initiatives to reduce stigma and discrimination.

During the investigation of parasitic pathogens of Mytilus coruscus, infection of a Perkinsus-like protozoan parasite was detected by alternative Ray's Fluid Thioglycolate Medium (ARFTM). The diameter of hypnospores or prezoosporangia was 8–27 (15.6 ± 4.0, n = 111) μm. The prevalence of the Perkinsus-like species in M. coruscus was 25 and 12.5% using ARFTM and PCR, respectively. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragments amplified by PCR assay had 100% homology to that of P. beihaiensis, suggesting that the protozoan parasite was P. beihaisensis and M. coruscus was its new host in East China Sea (ECS). Histological analysis showed the presence of trophozoites of P. beihaiensis in gill, mantle and visceral mass, and the schizonts only found in visceral mass. Perkinsus beihaiensis infection led to inflammatory reaction of hemocyte and the destruction of digestive tubules in visceral mass, which had negative effect on health of the farmed M. coruscus and it deserves more attention.

The cyst nematodes, subfamily Heteroderinae, are plant pathogens of worldwide economic significance. A new cyst nematode of the genus Cactodera within the Heteroderinae, Cactodera xinanensis n. sp., was isolated from rhizospheres of crops in the Guizhou and Sichuan provinces of southwest China. The new species was characterized by having the cyst with a length/width = 1.3 ± 0.1 (1.1–1.6), a fenestral diameter of 28.1 ± 4.3 (21.3–38.7) μm, vulval denticles present; second-stage juvenile with stylet 21.5 ± 0.5 (20.3–22.6) μm long, tail 59.4 ± 2.0 (55.9–63.8) μm long and hyaline region 28.7 ± 2.7 (25.0–36.3) μm long, lateral field with four incisures; the eggshell with punctations. The new species can be differentiated from other species of Cactodera by a longer tail and hyaline region of second-stage juveniles. Phylogenetic relationships within populations and species of Cactodera are given based on the analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-rRNA), the large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (28S-rRNA) D2-D3 region and the partial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences here. The ITS-rRNA, 28S-rRNA and COI gene sequences clearly differentiated Cactodera xinanensis n. sp. from other species of Cactodera. A key and a morphological identification characteristic table for the species of Cactodera are included in the study.

This study presents observations of coherent modes (CMs) in a spherical tokamak using a microwave interferometer near the midplane. The CMs within the 30–60 kHz frequency range were observed during electron cyclotron resonance heating only, and the frequency of the CMs increased proportionally with the square root of the electron temperature near $R = 0.7m$. Generally, these modes displayed bursting and chirping signatures with strong density rise and fall. Their appearance indicated an increase in the intensity of hard x rays, suggesting a deterioration in energetic electron confinement. Furthermore, the effect of CMs on the intensity of energetic electron-driven whistler waves was observed. They decreased when CMs were present and gradually increased with the decrease in CM intensity. The CMs may influence the intensity of whistler waves by affecting the energetic electron confinement.

With the development of overall design methodologies for hypersonic vehicles and their propulsion systems, nozzles should expand airflow in a short length and provide sufficient thrust. Therefore, the large expansion ratio single expansion ramp nozzle (LSERN) is widely used. The form of the overexpanded flow field in the nozzle is complex, under the conditions of nozzle start-up, low speed and low nozzle pressure ratio (NPR), thereby negatively influencing the entire propulsion system. Thus, the nozzle flow separation pattern and the key factors affecting the flow separation pattern also deserve considerable attention. In this study, the design of SERN is completed using the cubic curve design method, and the model is numerically simulated for specific operating conditions to study the flow separation patterns and the transition processes of different patterns. Furthermore, the key factors affecting the various flow separation patterns in the nozzle are investigated in detail. Results show that the LSERN in different NPRs appeared in two types of restricted shock separation (RSS) pattern and free shock separation (FSS) pattern, as well as their corresponding flow separation pattern transition processes. The initial expansion angle and the nozzle length affect the range of NPRs maintained by the FSS pattern. The initial expansion angle affects the pattern of flow separation, whereas the nozzle length remarkably influences the critical NPR during transition.

To accelerate high-intensity heavy-ion beams to high energy in the booster ring (BRing) at the High-Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) project, we take the typical reference particle 238U35+, which can be accelerated from an injection energy of 17 MeV/u to the maximal extraction energy of 830 MeV/u, as an example to study the basic processes of longitudinal beam dynamics, including beam capture, acceleration, and bunch merging. The voltage amplitude, the synchronous phase, and the frequency program of the RF system during the operational cycle were given, and the beam properties such as bunch length, momentum spread, longitudinal beam emittance, and beam loss were derived, firstly. Then, the beam properties under different voltage amplitude and synchronous phase errors were also studied, and the results were compared with the cases without any errors. Next, the beam properties with the injection energy fluctuation were also studied. The tolerances of the RF errors and injection energy fluctuation were dictated based on the CISP simulations. Finally, the effect of space charge at the low injection energy with different beam intensities on longitudinal emittance and beam loss was evaluated.

Hydrodynamic approaches that treat granular materials as a continuum via the homogenization of discrete flow properties have become viable options for efficient predictions of bulk flow behaviours. However, simplified boundary conditions in computational fluid dynamics are often adopted, which have difficulty in describing the complex stick–slip phenomenon at the boundaries. This paper extends the lattice Boltzmann method for granular flow simulations by incorporating a novel frictional boundary condition. The wall slip velocity is first calculated based on the shear rate limited by the Coulomb friction, followed by the reconstruction of unknown density distribution functions through a modified bounce-back scheme. Validation is performed against a unique plane Couette flow configuration, and the analytical solutions for the flow velocity profile and the wall slip velocity, as functions of the friction coefficient, are reproduced by the numerical model. The transition between no-slip and partial-slip regimes is captured well, but the convergence rate drops from second order to first order when slip occurs. The rheological parameters and the basal friction coefficient are calibrated further against the discrete element simulation of a square granular column collapsing over a horizontal bottom plane. It is found that the calibrated continuum model can predict other granular column collapses with different initial aspect ratios and slope inclination angles, including the basal slip and the complex internal flow structures, without any further adjustments to the model parameters. This highlights the generalization ability of the numerical model, which has a wide range of application in granular flow predictions and controls.

While numerous studies have examined how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected health care systems, supply chains, and economies, we do not understand how the pandemic has impacted the security of democratic and authoritarian states from a global standpoint. Thus, this study examines how COVID-19 has affected the security of democratic and authoritarian regimes. In conducting a historical, qualitative review of the security effects of the pandemic, we find that COVID-19 significantly affected domestic and international security for democratic and authoritarian states in both similar and varied ways. Additionally, the manner in which states responded to the pandemic was often conditioned by their regime type and by the nature of the governing leadership during the pandemic. These findings have important implications in considering how COVID-19 affected the security of democratic and authoritarian states, how regime type shapes government responses to infectious disease outbreaks, and how democratic and authoritarian states may respond to future pandemics.

Competition among the two-plasmon decay (TPD) of backscattered light of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), filamentation of the electron-plasma wave (EPW) and forward side SRS is investigated by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Our previous work [K. Q. Pan et al., Nucl. Fusion 58, 096035 (2018)] showed that in a plasma with the density near 1/10 of the critical density, the backscattered light would excite the TPD, which results in suppression of the backward SRS. However, this work further shows that when the laser intensity is so high ($>{10}^{16}$ W/cm2) that the backward SRS cannot be totally suppressed, filamentation of the EPW and forward side SRS will be excited. Then the TPD of the backscattered light only occurs in the early stage and is suppressed in the latter stage. Electron distribution functions further show that trapped-particle-modulation instability should be responsible for filamentation of the EPW. This research can promote the understanding of hot-electron generation and SRS saturation in inertial confinement fusion experiments.