Relationship between Self-Perceived Age and Social Activity in Older Japanese Adults: The KAGUYA Study

Youthful feelings were shown to have a positive effect on the mental and physical conditions of the elderly. On the contrary, elderly people whose self-perceived age is older than their chronological age were shown to experience negative health outcomes. This study investigated whether the self-perceived age (younger or older) relative to chronological age promotes social activity. The baseline data acquired from 3094 older adults as part of the Keeping Active across Generations Uniting the Youth and the Aged study was used in the current study. The participants completed a questionnaire that solicits information pertaining to sociodemographic factors, felt age, self-rated health, physical activity, depression, disease burden, fall history, fear of falling, level of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and social activity. The discrepancy between felt age and chronological age was defined as the self-perceived age. Self-perceived age was calculated by subtracting the participant’s chronological age from the felt age, and the score for the difference was divided by the chronological age. The Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence was used to evaluate social activity. Regression analysis results revealed that a younger self-perceived age was associated with higher social activity after controlling for sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, depression, physical activity, disease burden, level of IADL, fall history and fear of falling. Fall history was significantly associated with higher social activity in young-old participants (65 - 74 years) (p = 0.014) but not in old-old participants (>75 years). This study suggests that a younger self-perceived age in older adults would lead to a high-level living function. This finding may provide useful information for interventions aimed at the promotion of health and/or the prevention of frailty.

Gut microbiota-astrocyte axis: new insights into age-related cognitive decline

With the rapidly aging human population,age-related cognitive decline and dementia are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide.Aging is considered the main risk factor for cognitive decline and acts through alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota,microbial metabolites,and the functions of astrocytes.The microbiota–gut–brain axis has been the focus of multiple studies and is closely associated with cognitive function.This article provides a comprehensive review of the specific changes that occur in the composition of the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in older individuals and discusses how the aging of astrocytes and reactive astrocytosis are closely related to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.This article also summarizes the gut microbiota components that affect astrocyte function,mainly through the vagus nerve,immune responses,circadian rhythms,and microbial metabolites.Finally,this article summarizes the mechanism by which the gut microbiota–astrocyte axis plays a role in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.Our findings have revealed the critical role of the microbiota–astrocyte axis in age-related cognitive decline,aiding in a deeper understanding of potential gut microbiome-based adjuvant therapy strategies for this condition.

Self-perceived burden and influencing factors in patients with cervical cancer administered with radiotherapy

BACKGROUND Cervical cancer is the fourth commonest malignancy in women around the world.It represents the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in South East Asian women,and an important cancer death cause in women of developing nations.Data collected in 2018 revealed 5690000 cervical cancer cases worldwide,85%of which occurred in developing countries.AIM To assess self-perceived burden(SPB)and related influencing factors in cervical cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.METHODS Patients were prospectively included by convenient sampling at The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University,China between March 2018 and March 2019.The survey was completed using a self-designed general information questionnaire,the SPB scale for cancer patients,and the self-care self-efficacy scale,Strategies Used by People to Promote Health,which were delivered to patients with cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy.Measurement data are expressed as the mean±SD.Enumeration data are expressed as frequencies or percentages.Caregivers were the spouse,offspring,and other in 46.4,40.9,and 12.7%,respectively,and the majority were male(59.1%).As for pathological type,90 and 20 cases had squamous and adenocarcinoma/adenosquamous carcinomas,respectively.Stage IV disease was found in 12(10.9%)patients.RESULTS A total of 115 questionnaires were released,and five patients were excluded for too long evaluation time(n=2)and the inability to confirm the questionnaire contents(n=3).Finally,a total of 110 questionnaires were collected.They were aged 31-79 years,with the 40-59 age group being most represented(65.4%of all cases).Most patients were married(91.8%)and an overwhelming number had no religion(92.7%).Total SPB score was 43.13±16.65.SPB was associated with the place of residence,monthly family income,payment method,transfer status,the presence of radiotherapy complications,and the presence of pain(P<0.05).The SPB and self-care self-efficacy were negatively correlated(P<0.01).In multivariate analysis,self-care self-efficacy,place of residence,monthly family income,payment method,degree of radiation dermatitis,and radiation proctitis were influencing factors of SPB(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Patients with cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy often have SPB.Self-care self-efficacy scale,place of residence,monthly family income,payment method,and radiation dermatitis and proctitis are factors independently influencing SPB.

Personality factors and self-perceived health in Chi-lean elderly population

Empirical evidence suggests that the stability of personality itself contributes to successful ageing and is associated with longer life. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between personality traits and the self-perceived health status, stratified by medical conditions in a representative sample of non-institutionalized elderly people in Chile. The data used for this study come from the fourth waves (2009) of the Chilean Social Protection Survey (SPS-2009). Included were a total of 2655 subjects aged 65 and over. The results showed that higher scores of all five personality factors were associated with good health. Those with the perception of poor health were more likely to be female, with lower education level and older than those with good health. With the exception of agreeableness, strong and significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated for extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness, among elderly with medical conditions. Among elderly without medical problems, significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated only for extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. This study has shown that there is a consistent association between personality factors and self-perceived health throughout the older population. Our results suggest that extraversion and openness traits could be acting as “protector” factors and agreeableness and conscientiousness traits as “resilient” factors, facing to the health problems among elderly people.

Analysis of the present situation and influencing factors of self-perceived burden in primary glaucoma patients

Objective:To explore the status of self-perceived burden(SPB)in primary glaucoma patients and to analyze its influencing factors.Subject and setting:A questionnaire survey was administered to 236 inpatients from a tertiary general hospital and a eye hospital in Tianjin.The investigation was conducted after obtaining informed consent from each participant.Instruments:They were investigated using general data questionnaire,Self-Perceived Burden Scale(SPBS),Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire(MCMQ).Design:A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to gather data in this study.Results:The total SPBS score of primary glaucoma patients was(31.10±9.34)was medium.Regression consults showed that avoidance and surrender coping style,medical burden and right eye vision were the influencing factors of patients’SPB(P<0.05).Conclusion:Patients with primary glaucoma have a relatively heavy SPB,so medical staff should encourage them to actively face it.Tailored strategies in line with the patient’s economic and visual conditions to reduce the SPB.

Age-specific differences in the association between prediabetes and cardiovascular diseases in China:A national cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease(CVD)is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide,the global burden of which is rising.It is still unclear the extent to which prediabetes contributes to the risk of CVD in various age brackets among adults.To develop a focused screening plan and treatment for Chinese adults with prediabetes,it is crucial to identify variations in the connection between prediabetes and the risk of CVD based on age.AIM To examine the clinical features of prediabetes and identify risk factors for CVD in different age groups in China.METHODS The cross-sectional study involved a total of 46239 participants from June 2007 through May 2008.A thorough evaluation was conducted.Individuals with prediabetes were categorized into two groups based on age.Chinese atherosclerotic CVD risk prediction model was employed to evaluate the risk of developing CVD over 10 years.Random forest was established in both age groups.SHapley Additive exPlanation method prioritized the importance of features from the perspective of assessment contribution.RESULTS In total,6948 people were diagnosed with prediabetes in this study.In prediabetes,prevalences of CVD were 5(0.29%)in the younger group and 148(2.85%)in the older group.Overall,11.11%of the younger group and 29.59% of the older group were intermediate/high-risk of CVD for prediabetes without CVD based on the Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China equation in ten years.In the younger age group,the 10-year risk of CVD was found to be more closely linked to family history of CVD rather than lifestyle,whereas in the older age group,resident status was more closely linked.CONCLUSION The susceptibility to CVD is age-specific in newly diagnosed prediabetes.It is necessary to develop targeted approaches for the prevention and management of CVD in adults across various age brackets.

Non-linear relationship between age and subfoveal choroidal thickness in Chinese patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

BACKGROUND No study has investigated the change regularity between age and subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT)in proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR).AIM To investigate the relationship between the SFCT and age in Chinese patients with PDR.METHODS This was a cross-sectional retrospective study.The participants were hospitalized individuals with type 2 diabetes who underwent vitrectomy for PDR.Contralateral eyes that met the criteria were included in the study.All necessary laboratory tests were performed at the time of admission.Central macular thickness(CMT)and SFCT were two quantitative assessments made using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.CMT was measured automatically and SFCT was measured manually with digital calipers provided by the Heidelberg Eye Explorer software.RESULTS The final analysis included a total of 234 individuals with PDR.The average age was 55.60 years old±10.03 years old,and 57.69%of the population was male.Univariate analysis revealed a significant negative connection between age and SFCT in patients with PDR[β=-2.44,95%confidence interval(95%CI):-3.46 to-1.42;P<0.0001].In the fully adjusted model,the correlation between SFCT and age remained steady(β=-1.68,95%CI:-2.97 to-0.39;P=0.0117).Spline smoothing showed that the relationship between SFCT and age in patients with PDR was non-linear,with an inflection point at 54 years of age.CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that age is a key determinant of choroidal thickness.The non-linear link between SFCT and age in PDR patients should be taken into account.

Objective and Self-Perceived Facial Skin Status Using Whitening Efficacy of Cosmetic Products on Taiwan Residents Women

Background: Tranexamic acid and vitamin C derivatives are important reagent used in cosmetic skin-whitening products. Recently, self-perceptions regarding improvement in facial skin status have been increasingly recognized as an important outcome of whitening cosmetic products intervention. Aims: The purpose of the study was to determine the receptiveness of objective and self-perceived facial skin status using whitening cosmetic products. Methods: A total of 40 volunteers were photographed using the Visia? machine and completed questionnaires at pre- and post-operation (8 weeks after receiving whitening cosmetic products). Visia? digital image analysis and questionnaires were used for assessment of facial skin status. The receptiveness of objective and self-perceived measures was assessed by paired t test and Effect Size (ES). Results: There were progresses with regard to the surface spot (ES = 0.22), wrinkles (ES = 0.24), texture (ES = 0.31) and pores (ES = 0.21) after using cosmetic products with tranexamic acid. For self-perceived measures, there were significant progresses in pigmented spots (ES = 0.75), rough complexion (ES = 0.76), red complexion (ES = 0.41), wrinkle (ES = 0.58) and obvious pores (ES = 0.75). Conclusions: This study suggests that the whitening cosmetic products are associated with improvement of objective and self-perceived facial skin status. The results could be provided as available information for cosmetic investigation.

Mental health is as important as physical health: The degree and influencing factors of self-perceived burden in elderly patients with essential hypertension

Objective: The purpose of the study is to investigate the degree and influencing factors of self-perceived burden in elderly patients with essential hypertension in China's Mainland. Methods:The study used the cross-sectional investigation method and the patients were recruited from six tertiary hospitals in Chengdu, China. A convenience sample of 451 elderly patients with essential hypertension was included in this study. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed as well. Results: Results showed that the score of elderly essential hypertension patients’self-perceived burden was 27.96 ± 6.04, which was at medium degree. According to Spearman's r test the anxiety, depression and medication compliance with Self-perceived burden (SPB) of elderly hypertension patients were statistically significant (r=0.372, 0.899,0.438,P=0.000,respectively). Single factor analysis showed that the difference of patients’ gender, place of residence, monthly per capita income, marital status, whether can afford medical expenses and number of complications in SPB scores was statistically significant (P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis also showed that anxiety, medication compliance, age and marital status were the main influencing factor of SPB of elderly hypertension patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our care workers should pay attention to the self-perceived burden of elderly patients with essential hypertension, and omnibearing, systematic nursing should be supplied to decrease the self-perceived burden of them.

Bowel preparation protocol for hospitalized patients ages 50 years or older:A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer progressively increase with age and become particularly prominent after the age of 50 years.Therefore,the population that is≥50 years in age requires long-term and regular colonoscopies.Uncomfortable bowel preparation is the main reason preventing patients from undergoing regular colonoscopies.The standard bowel preparation regimen of 4-L polyethylene glycol(PEG)is effective but poorly tolerated.AIM To investigate an effective and comfortable bowel preparation regimen for hospitalized patients≥50 years in age.METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to group 1(2-L PEG+30-mL lactulose+a lowresidue diet)or group 2(4-L PEG).Adequate bowel preparation was defined as a Boston bowel preparation scale(BBPS)score of≥6,with a score of≥2 for each segment.Non-inferiority was prespecified with a margin of 10%.Additionally,the degree of comfort was assessed based on the comfort questionnaire.RESULTS The proportion of patients with a BBPS score of≥6 in group 1 was not significantly different from that in group 2,as demonstrated by intention-to-treat(91.2%vs 91.0%,P=0.953)and per-protocol(91.8%vs 91.0%,P=0.802)analyses.Furthermore,in patients≥75 years in age,the proportion of BBPS scores of≥6 in group 1 was not significantly different from that in group 2(90.9%vs 97.0%,P=0.716).Group 1 had higher comfort scores(8.85±1.162 vs 7.59±1.735,P<0.001),longer sleep duration(6.86±1.204 h vs 5.80±1.730 h,P<0.001),and fewer awakenings(1.42±1.183 vs 2.04±1.835,P=0.026)than group 2.CONCLUSION For hospitalized patients≥50 years in age,the bowel preparation regimen comprising 2-L PEG+30-mL lactulose+a low-residue diet produced a cleanse that was as effective as the 4-L PEG regimen and even provided better comfort.

Age Identity and Elderly Job Participation in China

In the context of rising life expectancy,there is a significant discrepancy between Chinese seniors’self-perceptions of the start of old age and the expectations of society around this age.The traditional paradigm,which forecasts individual economic behavior and formulates economic policies based on societal standards of age,is put to the test by this disparity.This study,which draws from the China Longitudinal Aging Society Survey(CLASS),examines the factors,processes,and improvement strategies that affect how older people choose to work.The following are our conclusions:(i)Chinese elderly believe their old age starts from 70 years on average;delaying perceived old age is a denial of aging and raises the likelihood of finding work.Elders who are youthful at heart have a 2.4%higher chance of remaining employed than elders who are old at heart.(ii)In contrast to old-at-heart elders,young-at-heart elders are more likely to maintain their middle-age lifestyles,continue working,become motivated to engage in social activities,and gain the confidence to face challenges and continue in their career.(iii)If the perceived old age is above 70 years,the milestone event of aging is retirement from work,and there are external pressures,particularly pressures from family intergenerational support,the perception of old age will have a more proactive impact on older workers.(iv)Despite rising pension benefits,older people’s decision to remain in the workforce is still heavily influenced by their perception of their age.However,this effect is notably gender-specific,as older women’s decision to remain in the workforce is not greatly influenced by their own perception of their age.

Can serum immunoglobulin G4 levels and age serve as reliable predictors of relapse in autoimmune pancreatitis?

We are writing in response to the paper published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology by Zhou et al.The authors identified higher serum immunoglobulin(Ig)G4 levels and age over 55 years as independent risk factors for disease relapse.Despite notable strengths,it is crucial to address potential biases.Firstly,the cohort study included 189 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)type 1(with higher IgG4 seropositivity and higher relapse)and 24 with type 2(with lower IgG4 seropositivity and lower relapse).Consequently,most,if not all,AIP type 2 patients were assigned to the normal group,possibly inflating the association of higher serum IgG4 levels with relapse and potentially exaggerating the association of older age with relapse.Secondly,the authors did not provide sufficient details regarding AIP diagnosis,such as the ratio of definitive vs probable cases and the proportion of biopsies.In cases where histological evidence is unavailable or indeterminate,AIP type 2 may be misdiagnosed as definitive type 1,and type 1 may also be misdiagnosed as probable type 2,particularly in cases with normal or mildly elevated serum IgG4 levels.Lastly,in this retrospective study,approximately one-third of the consecutive patients initially collected were excluded for various reasons.Accordingly,the impact of nonrandom exclusion on relapse outcomes should be carefully considered.In conclusion,the paper by Zhou et al offers plausible,though not entirely compelling,evidence suggesting a predictive role of elevated serum IgG4 levels and advanced age in AIP relapse.The foundation for future investigations lies in ensuring a reliable diagnosis and accurate disease subtyping,heavily dependent on obtaining histological specimens.In this regard,endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy emerges as a pivotal component of the diagnostic process,contributing to mitigating biases in future explorations of the disease.

The intrinsic developmental age signal defines an age-dependent climbing behavior in cucumber

The tendril is a climbing organ in cucurbits and functions in physical support and to avoid shading by neighboring vegetation.However,how cucurbits produce tendrils to obtain climbing ability is largely unknown.In this study,tendril phenotypes were investigated during different developmental stages.Our results revealed that tendril growth exhibited an age-dependent pattern in cucurbits.Tendril growth was inhibited,and the tendril was formed as a short tendril[nonfunctional tendril(nonF-tendril),approximately 0.1 cm]during the seedling stage.In contrast,enhanced cell proliferation and cell expansion led to rapid elongation of the tendril during the climbing stage,and the tendril formed as a functional tendril(F-tendril,approximately 30 cm)to obtain climbing ability.RT-qPCR detection showed that age-dependent tendril growth correlated negatively with the abundance of the conserved age regulator CsmiR156.Defoliation induced CsmiR156 to inhibit CsSPLs,and F-tendril formation and climbing ability were delayed in defoliated cucumbers,which confirmed the role of CsmiR156 in regulating tendril growth in vivo.Additionally,exogenous gibberellin(GA)treatment showed that GA positively regulated tendril growth,and RT-qPCR detection showed that the GA bio-synthetic genes and metabolic genes were affected by age pathway,suggesting that the age pathway depended on GA bio-synthetic and metabolic pathway to regulate cell expansion to determine tendril growth.In summary,our work reveals that change in tendril type is an important marker of phase transition in cucumber,and tendril growth is regulated by an intrinsic developmental age signal,ensuring that the cucumber obtains climbing ability at a suitable age.

Age of Loop Information with Flexible Transmission Enabled Communication and Control Co-Design in Industrial IoT

Precise and low-latency information transmission through communication systems is essential in the Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT).However,in an industrial system,there is always a coupling relationship between the control and communication components.To improve the system's overall performance,exploring the co-design of communication and control systems is crucial.In this work,we propose a new metric±Age of Loop Information with Flexible Transmission(AoLI-FT),which dynamically adjusts the maximum number of uplink(UL)and downlink(DL)transmission rounds,thus enhancing reliability while ensuring timeliness.Our goal is to explore the relationship between AoLI-FT,reliability,and control convergence rate,and to design optimal blocklengths for UL and DL that achieve the desired control convergence rate.To address this issue,we first derive a closed-form expression for the upper bound of AoLI-FT.Subsequently,we establish a relationship between communication reliability and control convergence rates using a Lyapunov-like function.Finally,we introduce an iterative alternating algorithm to determine the optimal communication and control parameters.The numerical results demonstrate the significant performance advantages of our proposed communication and control co-design strategy in terms of latency and control cost.

Characteristics of different aged plantations of Ormosia hosiei with regards to soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activities

Stand age is an important indicator of tree growth and life cycle,and has implications for ecological and biological processes.This study examined changes in soil microbial biomass(SMB)as well as enzyme activities of different aged plantations and revealed their relationship to soil properties.SMB,microbial biomass carbon(MBC),microbial biomass nitrogen(MBN),microbial biomass phos-phorous(MBP)and enzyme activities(β-1,4-glucosidase(β-G),β-1,4-xylosidase(β-X),cellobiohydrolase(CBH),leucine aminopeptidase(LAP),β-1,4-n-acetylglucosamine(NAG)and acid phosphatase(ACP))were measured in Oro-mosia hosiei plantations of different ages.The soil qual-ity index(SQI)model assessed soil quality.SMB contents significantly decreased in young(7-year-old)and mature plantations(45-year-old)compared to middle-aged(20-year-old)plantations.Activity of soilβ-G,β-X,CBH and NAG in the 20-year-old plantations was markedly higher than in the other plantations except forβ-G,CBH and NAG in the 45-year-old plantations.Soil organic carbon(SOC),total potassium(TK),total porosity,dissolved organic carbon,nitrate nitrogen(NO_(3)--N)and non-capillary porosity were key factors affecting SMB,while soil bulk density,pH,SOC,NO_(3)--N,TK and forest litter(FL)were the main factors affecting soil enzyme activities.SQI decreased in the order:middle-aged>mature>young.The efficiency of soil organic matter conversion,the effect of nitrogen min-eralization and fixation by microorganisms,and the better efficiency of phosphorus utilization in mid-age plantations,which improves soil physical properties,better facilitates tree growth,and further improves the buffering of the soil against acidity and alkalinity.FL quality was the only soil biological factor affecting soil enzyme activity.Our findings demonstrate that different aged plantations affect soil micro-bial biomass,enzyme activity,and soil quality.

Afforestation with an age-sequence of Mongolian pine plantation promotes soil microbial residue accumulation in the Horqin Sandy Land, China

Land use change affects the balance of organic carbon(C)reserves and the global C cycle.Microbial residues are essential constituents of stable soil organic C(SOC).However,it remains unclear how microbial residue changes over time following afforestation.In this study,16-,23-,52-,and 62-year-old Mongolian pine stands and 16-year-old cropland were studied in the Horqin Sandy Land,China.We analyzed changes in SOC,amino sugar content,and microbial parameters to assess how microbial communities influence soil C transformation and preservation.The results showed that SOC storage increased with stand age in the early stage of afforestation but remained unchanged at about 1.27-1.29 kg/m2 after 52 a.Moreover,there were consistent increases in amino sugars and microbial residues with increasing stand age.As stand age increased from 16 to 62 a,soil pH decreased from 6.84 to 5.71,and the concentration of total amino sugars increased from 178.53 to 509.99 mg/kg.A significant negative correlation between soil pH and the concentration of specific and total amino sugars was observed,indicating that the effects of soil acidification promote amino sugar stabilization during afforestation.In contrast to the Mongolian pine plantation of the same age,the cropland accumulated more SOC and microbial residues because of fertilizer application.Across Mongolian pine plantation with different ages,there was no significant change in calculated contribution of bacterial or fungal residues to SOC,suggesting that fungi were consistently the dominant contributors to SOC with increasing time.Our results indicate that afforestation in the Horqin Sandy Land promotes efficient microbial growth and residue accumulation in SOC stocks and has a consistent positive impact on SOC persistence.

How forest age impacts on net primary productivity: Insights from future multi-scenarios

Forest net primary productivity(NPP)constitutes a key flux within the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle and serves as a significant indicator of the forests carbon sequestration capacity,which is closely related to forest age.Despite its significance,the impact of forest age on NPP is often ignored in future NPP projections.Here,we mapped forest age in Hunan Province at a 30-m resolution utilizing a combination of Landsat time series stack(LTSS),national forest inventory(NFI)data,and the relationships between height and age.Subsequently,NPP was derived from NFI data and the relationships between NPP and age was built for various forest types.Then forest NPP was predicted based on the NPP-age relationships under three future scenarios,assessing the impact of forest age on NPP.Our findings reveal substantial variations in forest NPP in Hunan Province under three future scenarios:under the age-only scenario,NPP peaks in 2041(133.56TgC·yr^(−1)),while NPP peaks three years later in 2044(141.14TgC·yr^(−1))under the natural development scenario.The maximum afforestation scenario exhibits the most rapid increase in NPP,with peaking in 2049(197.95TgC·yr^(−1)).However,with the aging of the forest,NPP is projected to then decrease by 7.54%,6.07%,and 7.47%in 2060,and 20.05%,19.74%,and 28.38%in 2100,respectively,compared to their peaks under the three scenarios.This indicates that forest NPP will continue to decline soon.Controlling the age structure of forests through selective logging,afforestation and reforestation,and encouraging natural regeneration after disturbance could mitigate this declining trend in forest NPP,but implications of these measures on the full forest carbon balance remain to be studied.Insights from the future multi-scenarios are expected to provide data to support sustainable forest management and national policy development,which will inform the achievement of carbon neutrality goals by 2060.

Age of Information for Short-Packet Covert Communication with Time Modulated Retrodirective Array

In this paper,the covert age of information(CAoI),which characterizes the timeliness and covertness performance of communication,is first investigated in the short-packet covert communication with time modulated retrodirective array(TMRDA).Specifically,the TMRDA is designed to maximize the antenna gain in the target direction while the side lobe is sufficiently suppressed.On this basis,the covertness constraint and CAoI are derived in closed form.To facilitate the covert transmission design,the transmit power and block-length are jointly optimized to minimize the CAoI,which demonstrates the trade-off between covertness and timelessness.Our results illustrate that there exists an optimal block-length that yields the minimum CAoI,and the presented optimization results can achieve enhanced performance compared with the fixed block-length case.Additionally,we observe that smaller beam pointing error at Bob leads to improvements in CAoI.

Characteristics of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic among People Aged≥50 Years in China during 2018–2021

Objective This study aimed to determine the current epidemiological status of PLWHA aged≥50 years in China from 2018 to 2021.It also aimed to recommend targeted interventions for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in elderly patients.Methods Data on newly reported cases of PLWHA,aged≥50 years in China from 2018 to 2021,were collected using the CRIMS.Trend tests and spatial analyses were also conducted.Results Between 2018 and 2021,237,724 HIV/AIDS cases were reported among patients aged≥50 years in China.The main transmission route was heterosexual transmission(91.24%).Commercial heterosexual transmission(CHC)was the primary mode of transmission among males,while non-marital non-CHC([NMNCHC];60.59%)was the prevalent route in women.The proportion of patients with CHC decreased over time(Z=67.716,P<0.01),while that of patients with NMNCHC increased(Z=153.05,P<0.01).The sex ratio varied among the different modes of infection,and it peaked at 17.65 for CHC.The spatial analysis indicated spatial clustering,and the high-high clustering areas were mainly distributed in the southwestern and central-southern provinces.Conclusion In China,PLWHA,aged≥50 years,were predominantly infected through heterosexual transmission.The primary modes of infection were CHC and NMNCHC.There were variations in the sex ratio among different age groups,infected through various sexual behaviors.HIV/AIDS cases exhibited spatial clustering.Based on these results,the expansion of HIV testing,treatment,and integrated behavioral interventions in high-risk populations is recommended to enhance disease detection in key regions.

Evaluation of Compatibilizers for Improving Compatibility between Waste Vegetable Oil and Aged Asphalt

Modifying agents 2,2-Bis(4-glycidyloxyphenyl)propane(2BPE)and dibutyl phthalate(DBP)were selected to enhance the compatibility.By using molecular simulation software(Materials Studio,MS),nine systems were constructed,including molecular models of aged asphalt and WVO monomers with 2BPE and/or DBP.The solubility parameters,Flory-Huggins parameters,and interaction energies of these systems were calculated to determine the impact of 2BPE and DBP on the compatibility of WVO and aged asphalt.Results showed that the addition of 2BPE and DBP reduced the difference in the solubility parameters between WVO and aged asphalt,thus improving the compatibility between WVO and aged asphalt.Additionally,using a combination of 2BPE and DBP in both aged asphalt and rejuvenator was found to be more effective than using either 2BPE or DBP alone.Finally,it was determined that evaluating the compatibility of WVO and aged asphalt using Van der Waals potential and non-bonding energy as evaluation indicators was more accurate than using electrostatic potential energy.