Numerical simulation for the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems

Numerical simulation is employed to investigate the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems.Nucleation and propagation processes are illustrated for pentadisperse and triadisperse particle systems,respectively.In these processes,particles involved in the avalanche grow slowly in the early stage and explosively in the later stage,which is clearly different from the continuous and steady growth trend in the monodisperse system.By examining the avalanche propagation,the number growth of particles involved in the avalanche and the slope of the number growth,the initial state can be divided into three stages:T1(nucleation stage),T2(propagation stage),T3(overall avalanche stage).We focus on the characteristics of the avalanche in the T2 stage,and find that propagation distances increase almost linearly in both axial and radial directions in polydisperse systems.We also consider the distribution characteristics of the average coordination number and average velocity for the moving particles.The results support that the polydisperse particle systems are more stable in the T2 stage.

Colorectal cancer’s burden attributable to a diet high in processed meat in the Belt and Road Initiative countries

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)plays a significant role in morbidity,mortality,and economic cost in the Belt and Road Initiative(“B and R”)countries.In addition,these countries have a substantial consumption of processed meat.However,the burden and trend of CRC in relation to the consumption of a diet high in processed meat(DHPM-CRC)in these“B and R”countries remain unknown.AIM To analyze the burden and trend of DHPM-CRC in the“B and R”countries from 1990 to 2019.METHODS We used the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study to collate information regarding the burden of DHPM-CRC.Numbers and age-standardized rates(ASRs)of deaths along with the disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)were determined among the“B and R”countries in 1990 and 2019.Using joinpoint regression analysis,the average annual percent change(AAPC)was used to analyze the temporal trends of age-standardized DALYs rate(ASDALR)from 1990 to 2019 and in the final decade(2010–2019).RESULTS We found geographical differences in the burden of DHPM-CRC among“B and R”countries,with the three highest-ranking countries being the Russian Federation,China,and Ukraine in 1990,and China,the Russian Federation,and Poland in 2019.The burden of DHPM-CRC generally increased in most member countries from 1990 to 2019(all P<0.05).The absolute number of deaths and DALYs in DHPM-CRC were 3151.15[95%uncertainty interval(UI)665.74-5696.64]and 83249.31(95%UI 15628.64-151956.31)in China in 2019.However,the number of deaths(2627.57-2528.51)and DALYs(65867.39-55378.65)for DHPM-CRC in the Russian Federation has declined.The fastest increase in ASDALR for DHPM-CRC was observed in Vietnam,Southeast Asia,with an AAPC value of 3.90%[95%confidence interval(CI):3.63%-4.16%],whereas the fastest decline was observed in Kyrgyzstan,Central Asia,with an AAPC value of-2.05%(95%CI:-2.37%to-1.73%).A substantial upward trend in ASR of mortality,years lived with disability,years of life lost,and DALYs from DHPM-CRC changes in 1990-2019 and the final decade(2010-2019)for most Maritime Silk Route members in East Asia,South Asia,Southeast Asia,North Africa,and the Middle East,as well as Central Europe,while those of the most Land Silk Route members in Central Asia and Eastern Europe have decreased markedly(all P<0.05).The ASDALR for DHPM-CRC increased more in males than in females(all P<0.05).For those aged 50-74 years,the ASDALR for DHPM-CRC in 40 members exhibited an increasing trend,except for 20 members,including 7 members in Central Asia,Maldives,and 12 high or high-middle social development index(SDI)members in other regions(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION The burden of DHPM-CRC varies substantially across“B and R”countries and threatens public health.Relevant evidence-based policies and interventions tailored to the different trends of countries in SDIs or Silk Routes should be adopted to reduce the future burden of CRC in“B and R”countries via extensive collaboration.

UNEP welcomes China to international decarbonization initiative

An official with the United Nations Environment Programme has welcomed China’s participation in an international initiative that aims to decarbonize the building sector,saying it offers the opportunity for China to share its valuable experiences and insight on promoting green buildings.Jonathan Duwyn,program officer of UNEP’s buildings and construction cities unit,made the remarks in a recent interview with China Daily,following the launch of the Buildings Breakthrough on Dec.6at COP28United Nations climate change conference in Dubai,the United Arab Emirates.

Drone systems for delivering defibrillators for sudden cardiac arrests

Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),or drones,that were initially developed for military use during World War I[1],have evolved into highly sophisticated aircraft that can be navigated remotely using global positioning systems.With constant improvements,drones have become more efficient,and cost-effective,with longer battery life and greater loading capacity.Today,UAVs have proven to be an effective and affordable solution for enhancing healthcare accessibility for patients who face geographical or infrastructural barriers.Using drone networks can greatly reduce the time transporting life-saving equipment,such as delivering automated external defibrillators(AEDs),to cardiac arrest victims,and can provide quick assistance to reduce travel time for the patients.

Enhancing Private Healthcare Effectiveness in Lagos State, Nigeria: An Overview of the Effect of Quality Improvement Initiatives and Implications for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery

Background: Nigeria, a nation grappling with rapid population growth, economic intricacies, and complex healthcare challenges, particularly in Lagos State, the economic hub and most populous state, faces the challenge of ensuring quality healthcare access. The overview of the effect of quality improvement initiatives in this paper focuses on private healthcare providers in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study assesses the impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects on these private healthcare facilities. It explores the level of participation, perceived support, and tangible effects of the initiatives on healthcare delivery within private healthcare facilities. It also examines how these initiatives influence patient inflow and facility ratings, and bring about additional benefits and improvements, provides insights into the challenges faced by private healthcare providers in implementing quality improvement projects and elicits recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such initiatives. Methods: Qualitative research design was employed for in-depth exploration, utilizing semi-structured interviews. Private healthcare providers in Lagos involved in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project were purposively sampled for diversity. Face-to-face interviews elicited insights into participation, perceived support, and project effects. Questions covered participation levels, support perception, changes observed, challenges faced, and recommendations. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes from interview transcripts. Adherence to ethical guidelines ensured participant confidentiality and informed consent. Results: Respondents affirmed active involvement in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project, echoing literature emphasizing private-sector collaboration with the public sector. While acknowledging positive influences on facility ratings, respondents highlighted challenges within the broader Nigerian healthcare landscape affecting patient numbers. Respondents cited tangible improvements, particularly in staff management and patient care processes, validating the positive influence of quality improvement projects. Financial constraints emerged as a significant challenge, aligning with existing literature emphasizing the pragmatic difficulties faced by private healthcare providers. Conclusions: This study illuminates the complex landscape of private healthcare provision in Lagos State, emphasizing the positive impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects. The findings provide nuanced insights, guiding policymakers, healthcare managers, and practitioners toward collaborative, sustainable improvements. As Nigeria progresses, these lessons will be crucial in shaping healthcare policies prioritizing population well-being.

Preliminary Study on Overseas Applicability of Chinese Architectural Design Standards:Taking China-Aided Construction Projects in Asia Since the Belt and Road Initiative as Examples

This research takes China-aided construction projects in Asia since the Belt and Road Initiative as examples to explore the applicability of Chinese architectural design standards in other Asian countries.So far,the standards demonstrated the highest applicability in South Asia is the best followed by Southeast Asia.Chinese architectural design standards for educational buildings showed the highest applicability,followed by office,medical,and sports buildings.This study puts forward some strategies to improve the applicability of Chinese architectural design standards.These strategies include integrating regionalism and local cultural traditions,optimizing energy efficiency,and aligning designs with local usage habits.This study serves as a reference for similar projects in the future.

Discourse Analysis of the Belt and Road Initiative From the Perspective of Central Asian Countries: A Case Study of the Republic of Kazakhstan

This study employs Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis(CDA)three-dimensional model,using the Republic of Kazakhstan as a case study,to delve into the discourse construction of China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)in Central Asian countries.Through detailed analysis of policy documents,media reports,and public discussions in Central Asian countries,this paper reveals how the BRI constructs specific social practices,discourse events,and textual meanings within these nations.The findings indicate that through this global development strategy,China has not only strengthened its economic ties with Central Asian countries but has also exerted profound influences on political,cultural,and social levels.

Environments favorable to healthy lifestyles:A systematic review of initiatives in Canada

Background: In recent years, a number of initiatives aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles in health-friendly environments have been implemented.The purpose of this review is to synthesize initiatives conducted in Canada and documented in publications for the period 1995–2015 in order to gain a better understanding of their objectives and impacts.Methods: A systematic review of Canadian initiatives published over the past 20 years was conducted from multiple databases(i.e., Scopus,SPORTDiscus, Pub Med, Academic search complete, Reseausante.com, Cairn, and Erudit). In total, 264 publications were identified and retained for the final analysis based on 5 criteria:(1) publication between 1995 and 2015,(2) online availability,(3) research conducted in Canada,(4) main topic related to environments favorable to healthy lifestyles(EFHL), and(5) publication in French or English.Results: A sharp increase in the number of studies on EFHL was observed between 2010 and 2015(57%). Two major lifestyle components—physical activity and nutrition—and 2 environmental aspects—neighborhood and built environment—were the elements most frequently examined regarding adults(48%), young people(34%), and seniors(9%), using quantitative(60%) and qualitative(18%) methods. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a greater focus on the municipal(53%) than the national or provincial levels(31%).Conclusion: This work is a first map of Canadian studies related to EFHL. It clarifies the definition of EFHL and classifies its components. As well,it documents the issues raised, the research methods employed, and the role of stakeholders, while outlining a new research agenda that includes dimensions of EFHL formerly neglected by researchers, namely, political and sociocultural spheres of action.? 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Shanghai University of Sport. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Initial-state dependence of phase behaviors in a dense active system

There are rich emergent phase behaviors in non-equilibrium active systems.Flocking and clustering are two representative dynamic phases.The relationship between both the phases is still unclear.Herein,we numerically investigate the evolution of flocking and clustering in a system consisting of self-propelled particles with active reorientation.We consider the interplay between flocking and clustering phases with different initial configurations,and observe a domain in steady state order parameter phase diagrams sensitive to the choice of initial configurations.Specifically,by tuning the initial degree of polar ordering,either a more ordered flocking or a disordered clustering state can be observed in the steady state.These results enlighten us to manipulate emergent behaviors and collective motions of an active system,and are qualitatively different from the emergence of a new bi-stable regime observed in aligned active particles due to an explicit attraction[New J.Phys.14073033(2012)].

A Study on Establishing a Cross-border E-commerce Logistics System for Agricultural Products in Sichuan Province in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative

The rapid development of cross-border e-commerce,especially since Chengdu was listed as an Integrated Pilot Zone for Cross-Border E-Commerce in 2016,has led to a rising trade value of agricultural products in the metropolis.This upward trend is also attributed to the China-Europe Railway Express and the Chengdu International Aviation Hub Integrated Functional Area,two infrastructure systems that have opened more international logistics channels for agricultural products in Sichuan province.However,the development of cross-border logistics has failed to respond to the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce for agricultural products.This problem has given rise to longer delivery cycles,higher costs,and reduced product quality,hindering the development of cross-border e-commerce for agricultural products.Currently,most research efforts are focused on selecting a logistics mode which has created an urgency is to establish a logistics system.To that end,we must utilize the opportunities and preferential policies brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative to advance the establishment of a cross-border logistics system for agricultural products,which will create more channels for selling Sichuan’s agricultural products overseas.This article analyzes the current situation of the cross-border logistics system for agricultural products produced by the province and studies the potential relationships between a logistics system and cross-border trade of agricultural products.It seeks to build a logistics system that meets the demands of cross-border transactions using economic theories focused on cross-border e-commerce and logistics.Such a logistic system will help shorten long delivery cycles,cut delivery costs,and guarantee the quality of agricultural products.Also,it can contribute to the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce of agricultural products and solve problems in developing the agricultural products logistics system of Sichuan province.

BeiDou System Backs The “Belt and Road” Initiative

China Satellite Navigation Conference,CSNC 2015 was held in Xi’an on May 13-15.During the conference the attendants mentioned frequently the strategic significance of integrating the Bei Dou system into the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21 Century Maritime Silk Road("Belt and Road")Initiative.

Interface Mechanical Behavior of Flexible Piles Under Lateral Loads in OWT Systems

This paper investigates the interface mechanical behavior of flexible piles with L_p/D>10 under lateral load and an overturning moment in monotonic loading conditions.To modify the beam-on-Winkler-foundation model of piles in offshore wind farms,the energy-based variational method is used.The soil is treated as a multi-layered elastic continuum with the assumption of three-dimensional displacements,the pile modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam.A series of cases using MATLAB programming was conducted to investigate the simplified equations of initial stiffness.The results indicated that the interaction between soil layers and the applied force position should be taken into account in calculating the horizontal soil resistance.Additionally,the distributed moment had a limiting effect on the lateral capacity of a flexible pile.Moreover,to account for the more realistic conditions of OWT systems,field data from the Donghai Bridge offshore wind farm were used.

Indian Solar Panel Initiatives in Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Environmental degradation and the emission of greenhouse gases particularly carbon dioxide have expanded problems to human wellness and to the atmosphere. The second-most populated country in the globe, India, is among the primary users of conventional resources, which leads to global warming. The growth rate is anticipated to raise more before 2050, which will cause the brisk industrial expansion and rising energy demand to both increases. In order to reduce carbon emissions and meet energy requirements, many countries use alternate usage of renewable energy particularly solar energy. In this review we aim to study solar panel schemes initiated by India, mainly focusing on National Solar Mission. This study also reviews the present solar installed capacity, solar panel scheme 2022, and initiatives and outcomes of solar panels in residences and offices. This study reviewed that by using solar panel resources, the (MNRE) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy hopes to help the Indian Government reach its purpose of 100 GW solar installed capacity by end of 2022. Despite having an amazing 40 GW of solar power installed capacity till December 2021, India is still far from reaching its own goal of 100 GW by March 2023 as per NSM. In essence, this means that India will need to change a few of its ongoing plans further.

Construction of University Librarian Team in the Context of Double First-Class Initiative

Data services,knowledge services,and information services are the core service elements of university libraries in the context of the Double First-Class Initiative.Combined with the current situation of insufficient overall service capacity of libraries,this paper proposed strategies and implementation paths for optimizing the service system from three aspects:the construction of the professional qualification system for librarians,the establishment of post institutions,and the construction of library culture.Long-term path:putting library human resource management into the legal track,taking the lead in local legislation,and promoting the construction of library legislation and professional qualification certification system;optimizing the personnel system,implementing hierarchical management and classified assessment for professional librarians and auxiliary librarians.Short-term path:intensive post allocation,namely,assigning the core strength in the core post,and tackling the temporary major work combining multiple forces in the form of a"working group";building an open knowledge service ecosystem,accelerate the cross-border integration of libraries and other organizations,and striving to build the core competitiveness of libraries.

Integration of the Historical Initiative Spirit into the Ideological and Political Course of Colleges and Universities : Value Implication, Main Contents and Practical Dimension

The value implication,main contents and practical dimension of integrating the historical initiative spirit into the ideological and political course of colleges and universities were studied.From the perspective of value implication,integrating the historical initiative spirit into the ideological and political course of colleges and universities is helpful to promoting the integrity and innovation of the ideological and political course in colleges and universities,deepening the historical cognition of students and building the cornerstone of students belief.From the perspective of main contents,teachers of ideological and political course should clarify the theoretical connotation of the historical initiative spirit,give a thorough exposition of the generation logic of the historical initiative spirit,and explain The Times value of the historical initiative spirit lively.From the perspective of practical dimension,it is necessary to give full play to the educational function of the historical initiative spirit by enriching the content of curriculum teaching,innovating the ways and methods of education and teaching,integrating theory and practice,and online and offline interaction.

Flight Behavioural Responses for African Ungulates across Species and Vegetation Covers in a Trophy Hunting Ecosystem: A Case Study from Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania

Trophy hunting has severe consequences on wild animals’ behaviors, which in return has implications for affecting wildlife populations. The Selous Game Reserve is a protected area in Tanzania that has been subjected to commercial trophy hunting for decades, and information about the effects of trophy hunting on animals’ welfare is still scarce. The Flight Initiating Distance (FID) can be a good measure to evaluate the welfare of animals and the level of risk perception towards anthropogenic disturbances, including trophy hunting. The study used linear mixed models to assess the flight responses of twelve commonly hunted species in the Selous game reserve (S.G.R.). The study compared animal vigilance between species, vegetation types, and group size. The FID varied between species, with which more vigilance was observed in zebras, elands, wildebeests, and sable antelopes. The study found a significant influence of vegetation cover on individual species’ FID. Further, the study found a significant influence of group size on animals’ vigilance (L. M. M., 95% CI = 0.590 - 4.762), in which there was a decrease in FID with an increase in group size for wildebeests. At the same time, other species, such as buffaloes, eland, hartebeests, and zebras, had their FIDs increasing with the increase in group size. We conclude that the impact of trophy hunting on savannah ungulates varies between species, vegetation covers, and group size of individual species. Regulatory authorities should consider minimum approach distances by trophy hunters in different vegetation cover to reduce animal biological disturbances.

Preliminary validation of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria in cancer patients:A cross-sectional study

Background:The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition(GLIM)has been used in China since 2019.This study aimed to test the use of the GLIM criteria in Chinese cancer patients and to compare the diagnostic performance of the GLIM criteria with the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA)and modified PG-SGA(mPG-SGA). Methods:A total of 2,000 cancer patients were consecutively screened using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 instrument on ad-mission.Patients at nutritional risk(Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score≥3)were enrolled to obtain the complete GLIM,PG-SGA,and mPG-SGA criteria.To evaluate the convergent validity,Spearman correlation analysis was used to compare the test-retest reliability of the GLIM criteria and its results with the scores of various nutritional tools and objective parameters.Kruskal-Wallis tests and χ2 tests were used to test the discriminant validity among groups with different nutritional status.We calculated the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value for the various tools. Results:There were 562 patients found to be at nutritional risk,accounting for 28.1%of all patients.One hundred seventy-four patients(8.7%)were diagnosed as moderately malnourished,and 333 patients(16.6%)were severely malnourished based on the PG-SGA.When assessed using the GLIM criteria,185 patients(9.3%)were diagnosed as moderately malnourished and 311 patients(15.5%)were severely malnourished.The content validity of the GLIM criteria was 95%,evaluated by 60 medical staff members.The test-retest reliability was good.For the diagnosis of malnutrition versus the PG-SGA,the sensitivity of the GLIM was"good"(90.5%;95%confidence interval[95%CI]=88.0%-93.1%),with a positive predictive value of 92.5%(95%CI=90.2%-94.9%),but the spec-ificity and negative predictive value were"poor."Similar results were obtained when the mPG-SGA was used as the criterion. Conclusions:Overall,this cross-sectional study suggests that the GLIM criteria comprise a valid and reliable tool to assess the nutri-tional status of Chinese cancer patients.

Current Situation and Discussion of “Going Abroad” in Higher Vocational Colleges Under the Background of the Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative has brought unprecedented development opportunities for domestic higher vocational colleges to“go abroad,”but it has also brought severe challenges.Driven by the Belt and Road Initiative,the development of higher vocational colleges“going abroad”has been confronted with a series of challenges,including the imperfect connection of policies,the lack of internal funds,as well as international standards,which are important factors affecting their development.Therefore,it is necessary to start from three aspects,which are policy guarantee,financing,and docking international standards.Through in-depth study of“going abroad”with tthe Belt and Road Initiative,we can effectively reduce the adverse impact of“going abroad”and provide a better and more innovative development environment for higher vocational colleges.

Preliminary discussion on the ignition mechanism of exploding foil initiators igniting boron potassium nitrate

Exploding foil initiator(EFI)is a kind of advanced device for initiating explosives,but its function is unstable when it comes to directly igniting pyrotechnics.To solve the problem,this research aims to reveal the ignition mechanism of EFIs directly igniting pyrotechnics.An oscilloscope,a photon Doppler velocimetry,and a plasma spectrum measurement system were employed to obtain information of electric characteristics,impact pressure,and plasma temperature.The results of the electric characteristics and the impact pressure were inconsistent with ignition results.The only thing that the ignition success tests had in common was that their plasma all had a relatively long period of high-temperature duration(HTD).It eventually concludes that the ignition mechanism in this research is the microconvection heat transfer rather than the shock initiation,which differs from that of exploding foil initiators detonating explosives.Furthermore,the methods for evaluating the ignition success of semiconductor bridge initiators are not entirely applicable to the tests mentioned in this paper.The HTD is the critical parameter for judging the ignition success,and it is influenced by two factors:the late time discharge and the energy of the electric explosion.The longer time of the late time discharge and the more energy of the electric explosion,the easier it is to expand the HTD,which improves the probability of the ignition success.

Effects of the initiation position on the damage and fracture characteristics of linear-charge blasting in rock

To study the effects of the initiation position on the damage and fracture characteristics of linear-charge blasting, blasting model experiments were conducted in this study using computed tomography scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction methods. The fractal damage theory was used to quantify the crack distribution and damage degree of sandstone specimens after blasting. The results showed that regardless of an inverse or top initiation, due to compression deformation and sliding frictional resistance, the plugging medium of the borehole is effective. The energy of the explosive gas near the top of the borehole is consumed. This affects the effective crushing of rocks near the top of the borehole, where the extent of damage to Sections Ⅰ and Ⅱ is less than that of Sections Ⅲ and Ⅳ. In addition, the analysis revealed that under conditions of top initiation, the reflected tensile damage of the rock at the free face of the top of the borehole and the compression deformation of the plug and friction consume more blasting energy, resulting in lower blasting energy efficiency for top initiation. As a result, the overall damage degree of the specimens in the top-initiation group was significantly smaller than that in the inverse-initiation group. Under conditions of inverse initiation, the blasting energy efficiency is greater, causing the specimen to experience greater damage. Therefore, in the engineering practice of rock tunnel cut blasting, to utilize blasting energy effectively and enhance the effects of rock fragmentation, using the inverse-initiation method is recommended. In addition, in three-dimensional(3D) rock blasting, the bottom of the borehole has obvious end effects under the conditions of inverse initiation, and the crack distribution at the bottom of the borehole is trumpet-shaped. The occurrence of an end effect in the 3D linear-charge blasting model experiment is related to the initiation position and the blocking condition.