This umbrella review synthesised evidence from 35 meta-analyses encompassing 154 randomised controlled trials (11 newly included) and 78,175 participants to evaluate the clinical effects of calcium (Ca) and calcium plus vitamin D (CaD) supplementation on cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes and metabolic parameters. Data extracted from Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library (inception to 31 January 2025) revealed divergent outcomes: Ca supplementation demonstrated reductions in diastolic blood pressure, body fat, total cholesterol, and total/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio but was associated with increased cardio-cerebrovascular disease risk, elevated inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α), two-hour postload glycemia, and waist-to-hip ratio. Conversely, CaD supplementation showed beneficial regulation of cardiovascular risk factors including decreased body fat, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, and improved lipid profiles (low-density lipoprotein, HDL, non-HDL, and total/HDL cholesterol ratios), whereas no significant effects were observed on cardio-cerebrovascular disease incidence. Limitations included exclusion of studies with an unspecified calcium source and suboptimal evidence quality. Taken together, these findings suggest that CaD supplementation may confer a more favourable cardiometabolic profile than Ca supplementation alone. Because several clinical event outcomes were supported by low-certainty evidence, the potential benefits and risks of calcium supplementation should be weighed carefully in individualised clinical decision-making.

Weaning pigs have increased iron requirements due to rapid growth and increased red blood cell production. Traditionally, iron is supplemented using inorganic sources, such as ferrous sulfate. However, a form of iron, SQM® iron, offers better bioavailability and may have benefits for growth and gut health and reduce pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to compare the effects of SQM® iron and ferrous sulfate on growth performance, gut health, and iron concentration in feces in nursery pigs. A total of 320 pigs weaned at 21 ± 2 days were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design by sanitation condition (clean or dirty) and iron source (SQM® iron or ferrous sulfate; 100 mg iron/kg diet). Results showed that pigs fed SQM® iron had greater BW on day 14 and day 28 than those fed ferrous sulfate (P < 0.05), while pigs raised under clean sanitary conditions had greater BW on day 28 than those raised under dirty conditions (P < 0.001). SQM® iron also improved average daily gain during the first 14 days and increased average daily feed intake throughout the 28-day period (P < 0.05). Additionally, pigs fed SQM® iron had higher fecal iron levels on day 21 and improved fecal scores by day 27 (P < 0.05). Under dirty conditions, SQM® iron reduced gut microbiota alpha diversity compared with ferrous sulfate under clean conditions (P < 0.05). However, this decrease in diversity did not indicate dysbiosis, as there were no significant changes in pathogenic and commensal bacteria. In conclusion, SQM® iron led to improved growth performance and fecal score in weaning pigs. While it reduced gut microbiota diversity under dirty conditions, this did not negatively affect the pigs’ gut health, suggesting that SQM® iron could be a promising alternative to traditional iron sources in pig diets.

Under the backdrop of rapid advancements in renewable energy technologies and increasingly urgent demands for performance enhancement in solar power generation manipulator, this study proposes a three-revolute-prismatic-spherical (3-RPS) parallel manipulator featuring similar isosceles triangular moving and fixed platforms with revolute joint axes perpendicular to the angular bisectors of each vertex. Based on this manipulator, a novel dish solar concentrator was designed. Taking this concentrator as the research subject, kinematic analysis was conducted to derive the inverse kinematics model and overall Jacobian matrix of the manipulator. Three performance indexes were established: workspace, global motion/force transmission performance, and global stiffness performance. The Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II genetic algorithm was applied for multi-objective optimization of the parallel manipulator, followed by TOPSIS decision-making based on the entropy weight method to select the optimal solution from the Pareto frontier. The distribution characteristics of these indexes within the achievable workspace before and after optimization were compared through performance atlas methodology. Static analyses were subsequently performed using finite element analysis to validate the manipulator’s performance. Results demonstrate that the workspace index and global performance stiffness index achieved varying degrees of improvement, while the global motion/force transmission performance exhibited a slight overall decline. Nevertheless, under specific operational conditions, the optimized manipulator shows enhanced performance compared to the original design while strictly satisfying all constraint requirements.

Previous studies claimed that the non-monotonic effects of wettability came mainly from the heterogeneity of geometries or flow conditions on multiphase displacements in porous media. For macroscopic homogeneous porous media, without permeability contrast or obvious preferential flow pathways, most pore-scale evidence showed a monotonic trend of the wettability effect. However, this work reports transitions from monotonic to non-monotonic wettability effects when the dimension of the model system rises from two-dimensional (2-D) to three-dimensional (3-D), validated by both the network modelling and the microfluidic experiments. The mechanisms linking the pore-scale events to macroscopic displacement patterns have been analysed through direct simulations. For 2-D porous media, the monotonic effect of wettability comes from the consistent transition pattern for the full range of capillary numbers $Ca$, where the capillary fingering mode transitions to the compact displacement mode as the contact angle $\theta$ decreases. Yet, it is indicated that the 3-D porous geometries, even though homogeneous without permeability contrast or obvious preferential flow pathways, introduce a different $Ca$–$\theta$ phase diagram with new pore-scale events, such as the coupling of capillary fingering with snap-off during strong drainage, and frequent snap-off events during strong imbibition. These events depend strongly on geometric confinements and capillary numbers, leading to the non-monotonicity of wettability effects. Our findings provide new insights into the multiphase displacement dependent on wettability in various natural porous media and offer design principles for engineering artificial porous media to achieve desired immiscible displacement behaviours.

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.

Experimental and numerical observations in turbulent shear flows point to the persistence of the anisotropy imprinted by the large-scale velocity gradient down to the smallest scales of turbulence. This is reminiscent of the strong anisotropy induced by a mean passive scalar gradient, which manifests itself by the ‘ramp–cliff’ structures. In the shear flow problem, the anisotropy can be characterised by the odd-order moments of $\partial _y u$, where $u$ is the fluctuating streamwise velocity component, and $y$ is the direction of mean shear. Here, we extend the approach proposed by Buaria et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., 126, 034504, 2021) for the passive scalar fields, and postulate that fronts of width $\delta \sim \eta Re_\lambda ^{1/4}$, where $\eta$ is the Kolmogorov length scale, and $Re_\lambda$ is the Taylor-based Reynolds number, explain the observed small-scale anisotropy for shear flows. This model is supported by the collapse of the positive tails of the probability density functions (PDFs) of $(\partial _y u)/(u^{\prime }/\delta )$ in turbulent homogeneous shear flows (THSF) when the PDFs are normalised by $\delta /L$, where $u^{\prime }$ is the root-mean-square of $u$ and $L$ is the integral length scale. The predictions of this model for the odd-order moments of $\partial _y u$ in THSF agree well with direct numerical simulation (DNS) and experimental results. Moreover, the extension of our analysis to the log-layer of turbulent channel flows (TCF) leads to the prediction that the odd-order moments of order $p (p \gt 1)$ of $\partial _y u$ have power-law dependencies on the wall distance $y^{+}$: $\langle (\partial _y u)^p \rangle /\langle (\partial _y u)^2 \rangle ^{p/2} \sim (y^{+})^{(p-5)/8}$, which is consistent with DNS results.

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 report experimental results on the dictator decision collected in two neighboring ethnic minority groups, the matrilineal Mosuo and the patriarchal Yi, in southwestern China. We follow the double-blind protocol as in Eckel and Grossman (in Handbook of experimental economics results, 1998), who find that women in the U.S. donate more than men. We find this pattern reversed in the Mosuo society and find no gender difference in the Yi society. This is highly suggestive that societal factors play an important role in shaping the gender differences in pro-social behavior such as dictator giving.

High-quality intergenerational relationships positively influence cognitive functioning in older parents. However, there is insufficient information on how they shape the trajectories of mothers’ and fathers’ cognitive functioning decline in multi-child families, owing to the complexity of intergenerational relationships, such as multi-dimensional and ambivalent natures and differences varying across children. Drawing on three waves of data (2014, 2016 and 2018) from a nationally representative survey – the China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey (N = 9,404) – we used the k-means clustering method to discern patterns of intergenerational relationships in multi-child Chinese families, as well as the growth curve models, to examine the associations between parent–child relationship types and the trajectories of older parents’ cognitive functioning. Five types of intergenerational relationship were identified: alienated, stressfully interacting, independent, beneficially interacting and tight-knit. We then investigated the associations between trajectories of cognitive functioning and the most distant type, the closest type, and the heterogeneity of parent–child relationships across multiple children. The most distant parent–child relationship was significantly related to cognitive functioning trajectories with the alienated (tight-knit) type associated with the lowest (highest) levels of cognitive functioning and the fastest (slowest) cognitive decline. However, the closest parent–child relationship was not significantly related to cognitive functioning trajectories. Moreover, greater variation in relationships with multiple children was correlated with lower levels of cognitive functioning and faster cognitive functioning decline. These associations were stronger among mothers than fathers. This study provides new insights into the potentially protective role of intergenerational relationships in older parents’ cognitive functioning and their gendered differences.

The spatio-temporal scales, as well as a comprehensive self-sustained mechanism of the reattachment unsteadiness in shock wave/boundary layer interaction, are investigated in this study. Direct numerical simulations reveal that the reattachment unsteadiness of a Mach 7.7 laminar inflow causes over $26\,\%$ variation in wall friction and up to $20\,\%$ fluctuation in heat flux at the reattachment of the separation bubble. A statistical approach, based on the local reattachment upstream movement, is proposed to identify the spanwise and temporal scales of reattachment unsteadiness. It is found that two different types, i.e. self-induced and random processes, dominate different regions of reattachment. A self-sustained mechanism is proposed to comprehend the reattachment unsteadiness in the self-induced region. The intrinsic instability of the separation bubble transports vorticity downstream, resulting in an inhomogeneous reattachment line, which gives rise to baroclinic production of quasi-streamwise vortices. The pairing of these vortices initiates high-speed streaks and shifts the reattachment line upstream. Ultimately, viscosity dissipates the vortices, triggering instability and a new cycle of reattachment unsteadiness. The temporal scale and maximum vorticity are estimated with the self-sustained mechanism via order-of-magnitude analysis of the enstrophy. The advection speed of friction, derived from the assumption of coherent structures advecting with a Blasius-type boundary layer, aligns with the numerical findings.

Utilizing the discrete element method and the pore network model, we numerically investigate the impact of compaction on the longitudinal dispersion coefficient of porous media. Notably, the dispersion coefficient exhibits a non-monotonic dependence on the degree of compaction, which is distinguished by the presence of three distinct regimes in the variation of dispersion coefficient. The non-monotonic variation of dispersion coefficient is attributed to the disparate effect of compaction on dispersion mechanisms. Specifically, the porous medium tightens with an increasing pressure load, reducing the effect of molecular diffusion that primarily governs at small Péclet numbers. On the other hand, heightened pressure loads enhance the heterogeneity of pore structures, resulting in increased disorder and a higher proportion of stagnant zones within porous media flow. These enhancements further strengthen mechanical dispersion and hold-up dispersion, respectively, both acting at higher Péclet numbers. It is crucial to highlight that hold-up dispersion is induced by the low-velocity regions in porous media flow, which differ fundamentally from zero-velocity regions (such as dead-ends or the interior of permeable grains) as described by the classical theory of dispersion. The competition between weakened molecular diffusion and enhanced hold-up dispersion and mechanical dispersion, together with the shift in the dominance of dispersion mechanisms across various Péclet numbers, results in multiple regimes in the variation of dispersion coefficients. Our study provides unique insights into structural design and modulation of the dispersion coefficient of porous materials.

Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black (Bgblack) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin. Sex-specific variation in the pigmentation pattern was apparent, with females exhibiting darker coloration on the abdomen and thorax than males. Bgblack knockdown also resulted in wing deformation and negatively impacted the contact sex pheromone-based courtship behaviour of males. This study provides evidence for black function in multiple aspects of B. germanica biology and opens new avenues of exploration for novel pest control strategies.

Accurately predicting neurosyphilis prior to a lumbar puncture (LP) is critical for the prompt management of neurosyphilis. However, a valid and reliable model for this purpose is still lacking. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for the accurate identification of neurosyphilis in patients with syphilis. The training cohort included 9,504 syphilis patients who underwent initial neurosyphilis evaluation between 2009 and 2020, while the validation cohort comprised 526 patients whose data were prospectively collected from January 2021 to September 2021. Neurosyphilis was observed in 35.8% (3,400/9,504) of the training cohort and 37.6% (198/526) of the validation cohort. The nomogram incorporated factors such as age, male gender, neurological and psychiatric symptoms, serum RPR, a mucous plaque of the larynx and nose, a history of other STD infections, and co-diabetes. The model exhibited good performance with concordance indexes of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.83–0.85) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78–0.86) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, along with well-fitted calibration curves. This study developed a precise nomogram to predict neurosyphilis risk in syphilis patients, with potential implications for early detection prior to an LP.

In order to establish a compact all-optical Thomson scattering source, experimental studies were conducted on the 45 TW Ti: sapphire laser facility. By including a steel wafer, mixed gas, and plasma mirror into a double-exit jet, several mechanisms, such as shock-assisted ionization injection, ionization injection, and driving laser reflection, were integrated into one source. So, the source of complexity was remarkably reduced. Electron bunches with central energy fluctuating from 90 to 160 MeV can be produced. Plasma mirrors were used to reflect the driving laser. The scattering of the reflected laser on the electron bunches led to the generation of X-ray photons. Through comparing the X-ray spots under different experimental conditions, it is confirmed that the X-ray photons are generated by Thomson scattering. For further application, the energy spectra and source size of the Thomson scattering source were measured. The unfolded spectrum contains a large amount of low-energy photons besides a peak near 67 keV. Through importing the electron energy spectrum into the Monte Carlo simulation code, the different contributions of the photons with small and large emitting angles can be used to explain the origin of the unfolded spectrum. The maximum photon energy extended to about 500 keV. The total photon production was 107/pulse. The FWHM source size was about 12 μm.