The firn layer in the upper part of the Antarctic ice sheet represents a crucial transitional zone during the transformation from snow to glacial ice, and its structural characteristics play an essential role in evaluating the surface mass balance of the ice sheet. Surface-wave inversion offers strong constraints on shallow subsurface stratification, and compared with conventional ambient noise, traffic-induced seismic vibrations provide higher-frequency signals that can significantly enhance near-surface imaging resolution. In this study, we identified traffic noise signatures within ambient seismic data recorded during the 40th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition in the Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica. Using these data, we performed high-resolution shear-wave velocity imaging of the firn layer through surface-wave inversion based on seismic interferometry and one-dimensional Monte Carlo inversion. The retrieved virtual shot gathers revealed clear surface-wave energy, and the inverted shear-wave velocity profiles were in good agreement with borehole data obtained at the center of the survey line. Vibrations generated by vehicles such as PB300 can serve as an effective, low-cost and environmentally friendly seismic source. This traffic-source-based approach provides a practical pathway for high-resolution firn imaging and offers valuable potential for future large-scale, long-term monitoring of ice-sheet structure and mass balance.

High-frequency mortality data have attracted growing attention, but their use has largely been confined to specific applications rather than general modeling and forecasting. Such data pose new challenges to traditional mortality models due to pronounced seasonal patterns and short-term fluctuations. To address these challenges and produce more accurate forecasts with the high-frequency mortality data, this paper introduces a novel integration of gradient boosting techniques into traditional stochastic mortality models under a multi-population setting. Our key innovation lies in using the Li and Lee model as the weak learner within the gradient boosting framework, replacing conventional decision trees. Empirical studies are conducted using weekly mortality data from 30 countries (Human Mortality Database, 2015–2019). Empirical evidence highlights that the proposed methodology not only enhances model fit by accurately capturing underlying mortality trends and seasonal patterns but also achieves superior forecast accuracy, compared to the benchmark models. We also investigate a key challenge in multi-population mortality modeling: how to select appropriate subpopulations with sufficiently similar mortality experiences. A comprehensive clustering exercise is conducted based on mortality improvement rates and seasonal strength. The empirical results demonstrate that our proposed model maintains strong forecast accuracy across different clustering configurations, thereby reducing the need for extensive data preprocessing.

The explosive dispersal of granular media, exemplified by the rapid radial expansion of a dense particle ring driven by internal pressurised gases, serves as a paradigmatic system for investigating multiphase blast dynamics. Despite the ubiquity of jetting and clustering phenomena in explosive dispersal scenarios, their governing mechanisms remain poorly resolved. In this work, we combine compressible computational fluid dynamics–discrete parcel method simulations, and theoretical modelling to elucidate the multiscale physics underlying explosion-induced particle jetting. We reveal a hierarchy of jetting structures, comprising non-jetting, suppressed jetting and prominent jetting, which are governed by the interplay between microscale particle force-chain evolution, mesoscale gas–particle coupling and macroscale ring dynamics. Jetting initiation emerges from the transient competition between shock-induced particle compaction and gas filtration during the early expansion phase, whereas sustained jet development requires subsequent ring implosion driven by adverse pressure gradients. By unifying this multiscale dynamics, we reduce the system’s complexity into two dimensionless parameters: one characterising mesoscale gas–particle interactions and another quantifying macroscale implosion intensity. A phase diagram for jetting morphology under weak-shock conditions is established in this dimensionless parameter space, delineating two necessary criteria for jet formation. Systems failing either criterion exhibit no jetting, resolving long-standing ambiguities in the prediction of explosive dispersal structures.

Overestimation of turnout has long been an issue in election surveys, with nonresponse bias or voter overrepresentation identified as major sources of bias. However, adjusting for nonignorable nonresponse bias is substantially challenging. Based on the ANES Non-Response Follow-Up study concerning the 2020 U.S. presidential election, we investigate the role of callback data, that is, records of contact attempts in the survey course, in adjusting for nonresponse bias in the estimation of turnout. We propose a stableness of resistance assumption to account for nonignorable missingness in the outcome, which states that the impact of the missing outcome on the response propensity is stable in the first two call attempts. Under this assumption and by integrating with covariate information from the census data, we establish identifiability and develop estimation methods for turnout. Our methods produce estimates very close to the official turnout and successfully capture the trend of declining willingness to vote as response reluctance increases. This work highlights the importance of adjusting for nonignorable nonresponse bias and demonstrates the potential of widely available callback data for political surveys.

To address the scarcity of data on compacted snow shear damage under complex conditions, unconfined shear tests were conducted in Northeast China. This study examined apparent shear strength variations with density (300–550 kg·m−3), temperature (−17.4°C to 0°C) and strain rate (1.3 × 10−5–3.8 × 10−2 s−1), complemented by discrete element method simulations of particle rearrangement and crack extension. The key findings include the following. (1) The apparent shear strength first increases but then decreases with increasing strain rate, increasing by 56% during ductile failure and decreasing by 97% during brittle failure. The form of damage transitions from ductile to brittle as deformation and crack expansion occur, with a critical strain rate of ∼10−4 s−1. (2) An increase in compacted snow density significantly enhances shear capacity and inhibits crack propagation; a density increase of 200 kg·m−3 can reduce transverse and longitudinal snow cracks by 10–20%. (3) Snow temperature influences bond strength, thereby affecting both the strength value and the size of deformation cracks. Snow temperature exhibits a negative correlation with apparent shear strength. This study is significant for understanding alpine snow layer shear damage mechanisms and useful for compacted snow pavement design.

Excellent products often contain profound cultural connotations. To improve the quality of cultural products, it is important to study how typical cultural carriers can be more promptly and efficiently identified and incorporated into products through a detailed and easy-to-use design process. In this article, we propose an approach from three different levels to assist designers in incorporating cultural features into products, including: (1) the integrated framework of the composition and division of cultural carriers, (2) the extraction and translation model from cultural carriers, cultural elements to cultural features and (3) the cultural product design process. The proposed approach was applied in a large and complex cultural product case, that is, inter-city train design. The evaluation of the recognition of culture features indicated that the approach contributed to conferring culture on products through thoughtful design and could ensure that the product schemes reflect cultural features as well as interesting cultural connotations.

Plant-based diets may improve mental health among older adults by alleviating depression and improving life satisfaction. This study aimed to explore the associations between plant-based dietary pattern trajectories (PDPT), depression and life satisfaction in Chinese older adults. Data of participants from the 2008–2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were analysed. We utilised group-based trajectory modelling to identify the PDPT. Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyse the associations between PDPT, depression and life satisfaction. In total, 1835 participants were divided into three groups based on plant-based dietary index (PDI), healthy plant-based dietary index (HPDI) or unhealthy plant-based dietary index (UPDI) trajectories, respectively, and the PDPT were maintained at stable levels. PDI trajectory was not significantly associated with depression or life satisfaction. HPDI trajectory had no significant association with depression. However, compared with low HPDI trajectory, participants in the high (β = 0·185, 95 % CI: 0·032, 0·337) HPDI trajectories had higher life satisfaction. Compared with the low UPDI trajectory, participants in the high UPDI trajectory groups were associated with a higher risk of depression (OR = 1·793, 95 % CI: 1·124, 2·861). Further, the medium (β = −0·145, 95 % CI: −0·273, −0·018) and high (β = −0·335, 95 % CI: −0·478, −0·191) UPDI trajectory were associated with poor life satisfaction. Dietary interventions should be prioritised to address the persistent unhealthy dietary habits among Chinese older adults, with particular emphasis on reducing UPDI to enhance mental health by promoting intake of healthy plant-based and animal-based foods while avoiding unhealthy plant-based foods.

Grounded in institutional theory, this study delves into the heterogeneous responses of politically connected top executives (PCTEs) to uniform institutional requirements for corporate environmental responsibility (CER). Specifically, we scrutinized the moderating role of organizational visibility in shaping the association between PCTEs and both environmentally responsible and irresponsible practices. Analyzing data from listed Chinese firms in heavily polluting industries spanning from 2010 to 2018, the findings indicate that PCTEs contribute to an increase in firms’ environmentally responsible activities and a decrease in their environmentally irresponsible activities. Notably, the impact on environmentally responsible activities is significant only for privately controlled PCTEs. Furthermore, the moderating influence of organizational visibility is validated. The implications of these findings for the broader research on political connections and CER are thoroughly discussed.

Objectives/Goals: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi during mechanical ventilation. We analyzed a cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit with respiratory failure with different VAP outcomes. We hypothesize that the multiomics data can help predict VAP development within this cohort. Methods/Study Population: We recruited participants from a cohort on a NYU IRB protocol (i22–00616), who had COVID19 respiratory failure, admitted to ICU, and required invasive mechanical ventilation (n = 245). We collected and analyzed research specimens (bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL, n = 213], tracheal aspirates [n = 246], background [n = 18]) and clinical cultures (sputum and BAL) for 245 participants. A panel of experts adjudicated VAP within the cohort, resulting in 92 VAP diagnoses. We annotated metatranscriptome (Illumina NovaSeq) using a Kraken/Bracken database, and KEGG for functional annotation of transcriptome data (Illumina HiSeq). We used edgeR (v.4.0.16) to analyze differential expression of metatranscriptome and transcriptome data. Results/Anticipated Results: We diagnosed VAP in n = 92 (38%) participants. We found significant differences in days of overall hospital stay (p Discussion/Significance of Impact: VAP is a serious complication of mechanical ventilation, and oral commensals alter the lung microbiome and host immunity. We identified a transcriptome-metatranscriptome signature that identifies those at VAP risk. VAP was associate with both pro- and anti-inflammatory gene expression resulting in increased risk for lower airway infection.

Cancel culture, a phenomenon where norm-transgressing individuals are named and ostracized on social media and elsewhere, receives both public approval and disdain. Recently, it manifested among Chinese fans of the danmei genre of homo-romantic literature. In the “227 Incident,” actions taken by fans of the actor-singer Xiao Zhan allegedly led to the banning of the free literary repository, Archive of Our Own (AO3), in early 2020. Enraged, AO3's other users retaliated by attempting to cancel Xiao both online and off. Both sides of the dispute exhibit what we term “cancel culture with Chinese characteristics.” While there is a lofty social justice behind the original intent of cancel culture, some Chinese fans advocate the cis-heteropatriarchy. Additionally, fan fervour has merged with cyber-nationalism, which complicates the region's geopolitics.

Explosive dispersal of granular media widely occurs in nature across various length scales, enabling engineering applications ranging from commercial or military explosive systems to the loss prevention industry. However, the correlation between the explosive dispersal behaviour and the structure of dispersal system is far from completely understood, thereby compromising the prediction of the explosive dispersal outcome resulting from a specific dispersal system. Here, we investigate the dispersal behaviours of densely packed particle rings driven by the enclosed pressurized gases using coarse-grained computational fluid dynamics–discrete parcel method. Distinct dispersal modes emerge from the dispersal systems with vastly varying sets of the macro- and micro-scale structural parameters in terms of the dispersal completeness and the spatial uniformity of the dispersed mass. Further investigation reveals the variation in the dispersal modes arises from the collective effects of multiscale gas–particle coupling relationships. Specifically, the macroscale coupling dictates the cyclic momentum/energy transfer between gases and particle ring as an entirety. The mesoscale coupling relates to the inter-pore gas filtration through the thickness of the particle ring, leading to the mass/energy reduction of the explosive source. The microscale coupling involves the individual particle dynamics influenced by the local flow parameters. A persistent macroscale coupling results in an incomplete dispersal which takes the form of an aggregated annular band, whereas the meso- and micro-scale couplings alter the macroscale coupling to a different extent. By incorporating the effects of the variety of structural parameters on the multiscale gas–particle coupling relationships, a non-dimensional parameter referred to as the modified mass ratio is constructed, which shows an explicit correlation with the dispersal mode. We proceed to establish a dispersal ring model in the continuum frame which accounts for the macro and meso-scale coupling effects. This model proves to be capable of successfully predicting the ideal and validated failed dispersal modes.

Tea can improve the progression of some metabolic diseases through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but its impact on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is still controversial. The aim of this paper is to identify the relationship between tea and NAFLD by Mendelian randomisation (MR) and complete clinical validation using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. MR used data from Genome Wide Association Study, with inverse-variance weighted (IVW) as principal analytical methods. The reliability of the results was verified by a series of sensitivity and heterogeneity tests. Subsequently, clinical validation was conducted using NHANES (2005–2018), involving 22 257 participants, grouped by the type of tea. Green tea drinkers were categorised into four groups (Q1–Q4) by quartiles of green tea intake, from lowest to highest (similar for black tea drinkers and other tea drinkers). Models were constructed by logistic regression to estimate the role of tea consumption (Q1–4) on NAFLD. Finally, using fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) to evaluate the severity of hepatic fibrosis, the effect of tea consumption (Q1–4) on the degree of hepatic fibrosis was investigated by linear regression. IVW method (OR = 0·43, 95 % CI: 0·21, 0·85, P = 0·01) and weighted median method (OR = 0·35, 95 % CI: 0·14, 0·91, P = 0·03) revealed there was a causal relationship between tea and NAFLD. An array of sensitivity analyses validated the reliability of results. Analysis of NHANES indicated tea drinker present a slightly lower prevalence of NAFLD than non-tea drinker (green tea drinkers: 47·6 %, black tea drinkers: 46·3 %, other tea drinker: 43·2 %, non-tea drinkers: 48·1 %, P < 0·05). After adjusting for confounders, compared with the lowest black tea consumption (Q1), the population with the highest black tea consumption (Q4) was independently related to lower presence of NAFLD (Q4: OR = 0·69, 95 % CI: 0·50, 0·93, P < 0·05), such association remained stable in the overweight subgroup. As further analysed, Q4 also displayed a significant negative correlation with the level of hepatic fibrosis in patients with NAFLD (β = –0·073, 95 % CI: –0·126, −0·020, P < 0·01).Tea reduces the morbidity of NAFLD and ameliorates hepatic fibrosis degree in those already suffering from the disease.

This study aimed to explore the potential causal association between PUFA and the risk of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) using Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis. A two-sample MR analysis was conducted utilising large-scale European-based genome-wide association studies summary databases. The primary MR analysis was carried out using the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method, complemented by other methods such as MR-egger, weighted-median and weighted mode. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to validate the robustness of the findings. Results indicated a 31 % reduced risk of ICP for every 1 standard deviation (sd) increase in n-3 fatty acids levels (OR = 0·69, 95 % CI: 0·54, 0·89, P = 0·004) and in the ratio of n-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids (OR = 0·69, 95 % CI: 0·53, 0·91, P = 0·008). Conversely, there was a 51 % increased risk of ICP for every 1 sd increase in the ratio of n-6 fatty acids to n-3 fatty acids (OR = 1·51, 95 % CI: 1·20, 1·91, P < 0·001) and a 138 % increased risk for every 1 sd increase in the ratio of linoleic fatty acids to total fatty acids (OR = 2·38, 95 % CI: 1·55, 3·66, P < 0·001). The findings suggest that n-3 fatty acids may have a protective effect against the risk of ICP, while n-6 fatty acids and linoleic fatty acids could be potential risk factors for ICP. The supplementation of n-3 fatty acids, as opposed to n-6 fatty acids, could be a promising strategy for the prevention and management of ICP.

Natural clays are often employed as substrates for heterogeneous catalysts. However, the direct use of raw clays as catalysts has received less research attention. The objective of the present study was to help fill this gap by investigating catalytic properties of raw pelagic clays (PC) collected from the Indian Ocean. The raw PC were discovered to be efficient catalysts in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the presence of NaBH4. The effects of parameters including pH values, dosages of PC, and initial concentration of 4-NP and NaBH4 on the conversion or degradation rate of 4-NP have been investigated. The 4-NP was observed to be completely degraded within 480 s under conditions of 0.10 mM 4-NP, 25.0 mM NaBH4, and 0.20 g/L PC at an initial pH value of 7.0. The apparent rate constant was evaluated to be 27.53 × 10–3 s–1. Unlike previous pseudo-first order kinetics experiments, the induction period and degradation stages were observed to occur simultaneously during the PC catalysis. The S-shaped kinetics for 4-NP conversion was found to be perfectly matched by Fermi's function, and the enzyme-like catalysis by PC was appointed to describe the kinetics. Species of Fe(III), Mn(IV), and Mn(III) in PC were found to be essential, and were partly reduced to Fe(0) and Mn(II) by NaBH4 in our reaction, contributing to rapid conversion of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). The raw PC was converted to magnetic PC (m-PC) particles, which made PC particles separate easily for cycling use. This discovery would also have applications in continuous flow-fluid catalysis.

Currently, most wheel-legged robots need to complete the switching of the wheel-and-leg modal in a stationary state, and the existing algorithms of statically switching the wheel-leg modal cannot meet the control requirements of multimodal switching dynamically for robots. In this paper, to achieve efficient switching of the wheel-and-leg modal for a quadruped robot, the novel transformable mechanism is designed. Then, a multimodal coordination operation control framework based on multiple algorithms is presented, incorporating the minimum foot force distribution method (algorithm No.1), the minimum joint torque distribution method (algorithm No.2), and the method of combining the single rigid body dynamic model with quadratic programming (algorithm No.3). In the process of switching wheel-leg modal dynamically, the existing algorithm No.3 is prone to produce the wrong optimal force due to the change of the whole-body rotational inertia. Therefore, an improved algorithm No.1 and algorithm No.2 are proposed, which do not consider the change in the body’s inertia. The control effects of the three algorithms are compared and analyzed by simulation. The results show that algorithm No.3 can maintain a small error in attitude angle and speed tracking regardless of whether the robot is under multilegged support or omnidirectional walking compared to the other two algorithms. However, proposed algorithms No.1 and No.2 can more accurately track the target speed when the robot is walking with wheels raising and falling. Finally, a multi-algorithm combination control scheme formulated based on the above control effects has been demonstrated to be effective for the dynamic switching of the wheel-and-leg modal.

Monads prove to be useful mathematical tools in theoretical computer science, notably in denoting different effects of programming languages. In this paper, we investigate a type of monads which arise naturally from Keimel and Lawson’s $\mathbf{K}$-ification.

A subcategory of $\mathbf{TOP}_{\mathbf{0}}$ is called of type $\mathrm{K}^{*}$ if it consists of monotone convergence spaces and is of type $\mathrm K$ in the sense of Keimel and Lawson. Each such category induces a canonical monad $\mathcal K$ on the category $\mathbf{DCPO}$ of dcpos and Scott-continuous maps, which is called the order-$\mathbf{K}$-ification monad in this paper. First, for each category of type $\mathrm{K}^{*}$, we characterize the algebras of the corresponding monad $\mathcal K$ as k-complete posets and algebraic homomorphisms as k-continuous maps, from which we obtain that the order-$\mathbf{K}$-ification monad gives the free k-complete poset construction over the category $\mathbf{POS}_{\mathbf{d}}$ of posets and Scott-continuous maps. In addition, we show that all k-complete posets and Scott-continuous maps form a Cartesian closed category. Moreover, we consider the strongness of the order-K-ification monad and conclude with the fact that each order-K-ification monad is always commutative.

Many rural youths in China receive a poor-quality, strict and exam-oriented education. In everyday and professional discourses, incorporating live-streaming technologies in rural schooling is tied to promises of improved educational quality and a narrowed urban‒rural education gap. Reflecting a dystopian ideology of meritocracy, this article investigates how live-streaming technologies transmit suzhi (human quality) education and downplay the exam-oriented education with which rural students and teachers are familiar. The authors argue that the two educational vehicles for meritocracy work together to channel students to a seemingly meritocratic pathway of social mobility but funnel rural students to an inferior educational track according to their rural registration and lower-class backgrounds. The online version of suzhi education complicates and even exacerbates the already fierce educational competition that rural students face. Rural students’ low aspirations and their teachers’ apathy towards live-streaming classes challenge the purportedly transformative effects of live-streaming technologies in China's rural schooling.