This work presents an integrated modelling study of fast-proton distributions generated by ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) minority heating in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Using a series of high-confinement (H-mode) discharges with increasing ICRF power levels from 0.8 to 2.4 MW, fast protons were produced via minority heating mechanisms and analysed through simulations using the ASCOT code. The results reveal that the fast protons are primarily concentrated near the fundamental cyclotron resonance layer and exhibit strong power-dependent behaviour in both real-space (R–Z) distribution and velocity space, where R is the major radius and Z is the vertical coordinate. As the ICRF power increases, the energetic proton population shows significant spatial broadening and energy enhancement, reaching up to 1 MeV. The fast-ion pitch-angle distribution becomes increasingly anisotropic, with high-energy ions concentrated around $|\textit{v}_{\|}/\textit{v}| \lt 0.5$, where $\nu$ is the magnitude (speed) of the full velocity vector of the particle. Furthermore, the energy density of fast ions aligns well with the ICRF power deposition profile, confirming efficient central-core heating. These findings, which provide insight into fast-ion behaviour and ICRF heating characteristics in EAST plasmas, also support future fast-ion diagnostics and performance control strategies in EAST and similar experimental conditions.

To identify associations between hemoglobin (Hb) concentration in different trimesters, Hb changes and Hb trajectories during pregnancy with risk of preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on 18,980 participants from Haidian District Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between January 2018 and December 2021. Maternal Hb concentrations were measured at first (0-12weeks), second (13-27weeks), and third trimesters (≥28weeks). Hb was categorized into four groups (<110, 110-119, 120-129, and ≥130 g/L), and Hb changes across different trimesters were calculated. The Latent class growth mixed model was employed to estimate Hb trajectories. Association assessment and dose-response relationship were estimated using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline. Compared with Hb 110-119 g/L, women with Hb ≥130 g/L significantly increased odds of PTB(OR:1.74,95%CI:1.29,2.31) and LBW(OR:2.31,95%CI:1.65,3.20) during the second trimester. In the third trimester, women with Hb 120-129 g/L showed 26% (OR:1.26,95%CI:1.04,1.51) increased odds of PTB and 72%(OR:1.72,95%CI:1.36, 2.17) increased odds of LBW, while the OR of Hb ≥130 g/L for PTB and LBW were 1.45(95%CI:1.12,1.86) and 2.60(95%CI:1.96,3.43), respectively. Furthermore, Hb changes across different trimesters exhibited a linear increase in odds of PTB and LBW. Women with a decline-sharp-rise trajectory during pregnancy had a 1.48-fold odds of PTB(OR:1.48,95%CI:1.26,1.75), compared to those with a decline-gradual-rise trajectory. In conclusion, elevated Hb (≥120 g/L) in mid-to-late gestation as well as insufficient Hb decline or abnormal Hb trajectory, were associated with increased odds of PTB and LBW. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring Hb during pregnancy.

Environmental insecticide residues are a growing concern in the management of disease-vector mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). While deltamethrin is extensively utilised in mosquito vector control, localised or intermittent sublethal exposure to this insecticide may influence mosquito population dynamics. To investigate the role of environmental residual deltamethrin in inducing transgenerational fitness costs in Ae. albopictus, this study established three different concentrations of deltamethrin solution based on its half-lethal concentration (0.002275 mg/L) for long-term exposure. And four consecutive generations were reared under these conditions. We monitored macroscopic growth and developmental data, reproductive capacity, and expression levels of yolk protein genes (vitellogenin) in each generation. Results showed that sublethal multigenerational deltamethrin exposure significantly prolonged the developmental period of Ae. albopictus; however, it did not have a significant impact on pupation or eclosion rates. In terms of fecundity, exposure to deltamethrin reduced the relative expression levels of vitellogenin-A1 and vitellogenin-C in Ae. albopictus, which was correlated with reduced reproductive output. Furthermore, there was a reduction observed in both single female oviposition rates and egg hatching success among exposed individuals. These findings highlight sublethal responses that may impact population dynamics and reproductive success in the field, underscoring the importance of considering chronic, low-dose insecticide effects in integrated vector management strategies.

Bees, as vital pollinators, are currently confronting numerous survival threats. Balanced amino acid nutrient have a positive impact on helping bees to resist pathogens and pesticides. This study aims to explore the interaction between leucine (Leu) and isoleucine (Ile) on key physiological parameters of Apis mellifera ligustica (Apidae: Hymenoptera) colony. The experiment was designed into four distinct dietary groups, including control diet (CK): 6.8 g/kg Leu + 3.9 g/kg Ile; high Ile diet: 6.8 g/kg Leu + 21.9 g/kg Ile; high Leu diet: 43.8 g/kg Leu + 3.9 g/kg Ile; diet with both high L-I: 43.8 g/kg Leu + 21.9 g/kg Ile. The results showed that Leu and Ile, to a considerable extent, promote the growth and vitality of the bee colony, with Ile mitigating Leu-induced absorption inhibition. Leu and Ile synergistically reduced haemolymph triglyceride via upregulated activities of fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and expression of Lipase 1 and adipokinetic hormone receptor compared with CK. Furthermore, L-I treatment increased key activities of immune enzymes like phenol oxidase, lysozyme, glucose oxidase, and altered expression of antimicrobial peptides (abaecin, apidaecin, and defensin 1), indicating coordinated immunomodulation. In conclusion, within the context of this study, 43.8 g/kg Leu and 21.9 g/kg Ile in the artificial pollen substitute feed prove to be beneficial for the nutrient deposition and immunity of individual bees. This work provides a framework for optimising artificial pollen diets, offering experimental guidance towards more effective strategies in sustainable beekeeping.

Body composition and fat distribution were found to display differential effects on the incidence and mortality of chronic disease. However, it remained unclear whether there is an interaction between lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibility on body composition and fat distribution. This study investigated the associations of lifestyle and genetic factors with body composition and fat distribution among 121 664 women from the UK Biobank cohort study. Women with a favourable lifestyle had lower BMI (BMI, –7·72 % (95 % CI: −7·93 %, −7·51 %)), fat mass index (FMI, −15·70 % (95 % CI: −16·09 %, −15·30 %)), fat-free mass index (FFMI, −2·86 % (95 % CI: −2·98 %, −2·74 %)), arm fat ratio (AFR, −5·19 %, (95 % CI: −5·38 %, −5·00 %)) and trunk fat ratio (TFR, −0·73 %, (95 % CI: −0·84 %, −0·62 %)) but higher leg fat ratio (LFR, 2·30 % (95 % CI: 2·16 %, 2·44 %)) than those with an unfavourable lifestyle. Significant interactions between lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibility on BMI, FMI and AFR were observed (Pinteraction < 0·05). Among women with a high genetic susceptibility to body composition or fat distribution, those with a healthy lifestyle still had a lower BMI, FMI, FFMI, AFR and TFR and higher LFR (Ptrend < 0·001). Women who adhere to a favourable lifestyle tend to have healthy body composition and fat distribution, and this association is consistent across all strata of genetic risk.

Eco-anxiety is an emerging mental health concern among adolescents, particularly in regions affected by climate-related disasters. Following the 2023 wildfires in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), this study examined associations between wildfire exposure severity, socio-ecological factors, and eco-anxiety among adolescents in the NWT. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 290 adolescents aged 13–18 years across NWT secondary schools during the 2023–2024 school year. Structural equation modelling examined pathways linking social factors (gender, sexual orientation, Indigenous identity), living conditions (rural residence, caregiver status), structural conditions (food insecurity, wildfire exposure severity) and eco-anxiety. Self-esteem was examined as a moderator. Participants had a mean age of 13.7 years; most identifyied as Indigenous and lived in rural communities. Greater wildfire exposure severity and food insecurity were associated with higher eco-anxiety. Girls, LGBQ+ youth and rural youth reported higher eco-anxiety. Indigenous identity was indirectly associated with eco-anxiety through food insecurity and wildfire exposure severity. Higher self-esteem was associated with lower eco-anxiety and buffered the relationship between wildfire exposure and eco-anxiety. Findings suggest that eco-anxiety among NWT adolescents is shaped by climate-related disruption and social conditions. Interventions can address psychosocial resources and material conditions to support NWT youth mental health following climate-related disasters such as wildfires.

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.

For regular reflection (RR) and Mach reflection (MR), the critical parameter of the trailing-edge height ($H_{R,min }$), at which the reflected shock grazes the trailing edge, is the critical condition for stable and unstable reflection. A proof of the statement that $H_{R,min }$ for MR is larger than $H_{R,min }$ for RR, within some region in the dual-solution domain, is important for confirming the existence of a dual-solution stability gap, within which RR is stable while MR is unstable. This proof is accomplished here by transitivity, with the intermediate value corresponding to the minimum height of the Mach stem. By establishing a bridge between the evaluation of $H_{R,min }$ for MR and that of the linear coefficients for Mach stem height variation with the trailing-edge height, we overcome the difficulty of quantifying $H_{R,min }$ exactly, and show that the difference between $H_{R,min }$ for MR and $H_{R,min }$ for RR is significant, meaning that there is a large enough dual-solution stability gap. The confirmation of this gap has further impact on shock transition, suggesting a new transition scenario: stable to unstable dynamic transition, i.e., within the dual-solution stability gap, a stable RR can undergo a dynamic transition to an unstable MR state (unstart flow) under suitable disturbance of the flow parameters. This dynamic transition is demonstrated here numerically. The time history of dynamic transitions displays (i) direct transitions from RR to MR to unstart flow, with complex flow structures such as hybrid MR–type VI shock interference and double MR–MR reflections, and (ii) inverted transitions, in which RR first shifts to MR and then returns back to RR.

The studies on the association between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in twin pregnancies are limited and inconsistent. There are no standardized guidelines for GWG in twin pregnancies in China. This retrospective cohort study included 1510 women who delivered living twins from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. The basic demographics and outcomes of mothers and neonates were listed, and logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between GWG and SPTB in the total population and different subgroups. In the overall population, 464 (30.7%) women had inadequate GWG, and 316 (20.9%) women had excess GWG. Compared to women with adequate GWG, women with inadequate GWG had a significantly higher risk of SPTB (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.46, 95% CI [1.92, 3.15]), while women with excess GWG also had a significantly higher risk of SPTB (aOR: 1.48, 95% CI [1.12, 1.95]). Both inadequate GWG and excess GWG had a significantly higher risk of SPTB in normal-weight women and women with dichorionic diamniotic twins. Only IGWG was significantly associated with SPTB in women with monochorionic diamniotic twins and underweight women. Our findings indicate that inadequate GWG and excess GWG were significantly associated with a higher risk of SPTB, providing an empirical basis for establishing weight gain guidelines for women with twin pregnancies in China.

A general asymptotic theory is established for sample cross moments of nonstationary time series, allowing for long-range dependence and local unit roots. The theory provides a substantial extension of earlier results on nonparametric regression that include near-cointegrated nonparametric regression as well as spurious nonparametric regression. Many new models are covered by the limit theory, among which are functional coefficient regressions in which both regressors and the functional covariate are nonstationary. Simulations show finite sample performance matching well with the asymptotic theory and having broad relevance to applications, while revealing how dual nonstationarity in regressors and covariates raises sensitivity to bandwidth choice and the impact of dimensionality in nonparametric regression. An empirical example is provided involving climate data regression to assess Earth’s climate sensitivity to CO$_2$, where nonstationarity is a prominent feature of both the regressors and covariates in the model. To our knowledge, this application is the first nonparametric empirical analysis to assess potential nonlinear impacts of CO$_2$ on Earth’s climate while allowing for nonstationarity in both the regressors and covariates.

Charitable assistance from nonprofits and charities plays an important role in helping vulnerable population relieve burdens, but current research provides limited evidence on the factors explaining the receipt of charitable assistance. This study constructs a conceptual framework and empirically tests three groups of factors—from the need, capital, and contextual perspectives—as the antecedents of charitable assistance using data from China. Multilevel logistic regression results show that having needs lays a foundation for charitable assistance, but capital and contextual factors are also important. Higher financial and social capital are associated with higher charitable assistance. Political and social capital strengthen the positive relationship between needs and charitable assistance. Economic development has a positive relationship with charitable assistance, while the relationship between government spending and charitable assistance is negative. This study suggests the inequality of receiving charitable assistance among the disadvantaged groups.