The clutch size,incubation behavior of Reeves’s Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii) and their responses to ambient temperature and precipitation

Weather conditions play a pivotal role in embryo development and parental incubation costs,potentially impacting the clutch size and incubation behavior of birds.Understanding these effects is crucial for bird conservation.Reeves’ s Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii) is a threatened species endemic to China,which is characterized by female-only incubation.However,there is a lack of information regarding the impact of weather conditions on clutch size and incubation behavior in this species.Using satellite tracking,we tracked 27 wild female Reeves’ s Pheasants from 2020 to 2023 in Hubei Province,China.We explored their clutch size and incubation behavior,as well as their responses to ambient temperature and precipitation.Clutch size averaged 7.75 ±1.36,had an association with average ambient temperature and average daily precipitation during the egglaying period,and was potentially linked to female breeding attempts.Throughout the incubation period,females took an average of 0.73 ±0.46 recesses every 24 h,with an average recess duration of 100.80 ±73.37 min and an average nest attendance of 92.98 ±5.27%.They showed a unimodal recess pattern in which nest departures peaked primarily between 13:00 and 16:00.Furthermore,females rarely left nests when daily precipitation was high.Recess duration and nest attendance were influenced by the interaction between daily mean ambient temperature and daily precipitation,as well as day of incubation.Additionally,there was a positive correlation between clutch size and recess duration.These results contribute valuable insights into the lifehistory features of this endangered species.

Interconnected microstructure and flexural behavior of Ti_(2)C-Ti composites with superior Young’s modulus

To enhance the Young’s modulus(E)and strength of titanium alloys,we designed titanium matrix composites with intercon-nected microstructure based on the Hashin-Shtrikman theory.According to the results,the in-situ reaction yielded an interconnected microstructure composed of Ti_(2)C particles when the Ti_(2)C content reached 50vol%.With widths of 10 and 230 nm,the intraparticle Ti lamellae in the prepared composite exhibited a bimodal size distribution due to precipitation and the unreacted Ti phase within the grown Ti_(2)C particles.The composites with interconnected microstructure attained superior properties,including E of 174.3 GPa and ultimate flexural strength of 1014 GPa.Compared with that of pure Ti,the E of the composite was increased by 55% due to the high Ti_(2)C content and interconnected microstructure.The outstanding strength resulted from the strong interfacial bonding,load-bearing capacity of interconnected Ti_(2)C particles,and bimodal intraparticle Ti lamellae,which minimized the average crack driving force.Interrupted flexural tests revealed preferential crack initiation along the{001}cleavage plane and grain boundary of Ti_(2)C in the region with the highest tensile stress.In addition,the propagation can be efficiently inhibited by interparticle Ti grains,which prevented the brittle fracture of the composites.

Adsorption behavior of CO_(2)/H_(2)S mixtures in calcite slit nanopores for CO_(2) storage:An insight from molecular perspective

It is acknowledged that injecting CO_(2) into oil reservoirs and saline aquifers for storage is a practical and affordable method for CO_(2) sequestration.Most CO_(2) produced from industrial exhaust contains impurity gases such as H_(2)S that might impact CO_(2) sequestration due to competitive adsorption.This study makes a commendable effort to explore the adsorption behavior of CO_(2)/H_(2)S mixtures in calcite slit nanopores.Grand Canonical Monte Carlo(GCMC)simulation is employed to reveal the adsorption of CO_(2),H_(2)S as well as their binary mixtures in calcite nanopores.Results show that the increase in pressure and temperature can promote and inhibit the adsorption capacity of CO_(2) and H_(2)S in calcite nanopores,respectively.CO_(2)exhibits stronger adsorption on calcite surface than H_(2)S.Electrostatic energy plays the dominating role in the adsorption behavior.Electrostatic energy accounts for 97.11%of the CO_(2)-calcite interaction energy and 56.33%of the H_(2)S-calcite interaction energy at 10 MPa and 323.15 K.The presence of H_(2)S inhibits the CO_(2) adsorption in calcite nanopores due to competitive adsorption,and a higher mole fraction of H_(2)S leads to less CO_(2) adsorption.The quantity of CO_(2) adsorbed is lessened by approximately 33%when the mole fraction of H_(2)S reaches 0.25.CO_(2) molecules preferentially occupy the regions near the po re wall and H_(2)S molecules tend to reside at the center of nanopore even when the molar ratio of CO_(2) is low,indicating that CO_(2) has an adsorption priority on the calcite surface over H_(2)S.In addition,moisture can weaken the adsorption of both CO_(2) and H_(2)S,while CO_(2) is more affected.More interestingly,we find that pure CO_(2) is more suitable to be sequestrated in the shallower formations,i.e.,500-1500 m,whereas CO_(2)with H_(2)S impurity should be settled in the deeper reservoirs.

Research on the Influence of Family Education on Children’s Behavioral Habits

Under the background of the all-round deepening of quality education,the cultivation of comprehensive quality has become the main theme of contemporary education reform.Good behavior and habits are of great significance to children’s future learning,growth,and development.Through literature review and other methods,this paper analyzes the current situation of children’s family education and the influence of family education on the cultivation of children’s behavioral habits and provides some strategies for cultivating children’s good behavioral habits in family education.

Development of a Sports Safety Promotion Framework Based on KABP Theory and 4M Management

This study explores the significance,current research landscape,and conceptualization of sports safety promotion.Safety in sports is fundamental to youth physical activities,and an excessive focus on or neglect of safety is unwarranted.Globally,numerous countries have extensively researched sports safety promotion and implemented diverse strategies.Drawing from KABP(Knowledge,Attitude,Behavior,Practice)theory and 4M(Man,Machine,Medium,Management)management,this paper presents a conceptual framework for sports safety promotion.It integrates these theories to devise a comprehensive accident prevention model within a sports safety promotion system.The framework prioritizes enhancing students’safety literacy and underscores the practical application of safety knowledge and skills in simulated sports settings following structured safety education.It aims to enhance students’competency and proficiency in averting sports-related injuries.

Mobile Robot Combination Autonomous Behavior Strategy to Inspect Hazardous Gases in Relatively Narrow Man–Machine Environment

Selecting the optimal speed for dynamic obstacle avoidance in complex man–machine environments is a challenging problem for mobile robots inspecting hazardous gases.Consideration of personal space is important,especially in a relatively narrow man–machine dynamic environments such as warehouses and laboratories.In this study,human and robot behaviors in man–machine environments are analyzed,and a man–machine social force model is established to study the robot obstacle avoidance speed.Four typical man–machine behavior patterns are investigated to design the robot behavior strategy.Based on the social force model and man–machine behavior patterns,the fuzzy-PID trajectory tracking control method and the autonomous obstacle avoidance behavior strategy of the mobile robot in inspecting hazardous gases in a relatively narrow man–machine dynamic environment are proposed to determine the optimal robot speed for obstacle avoidance.The simulation analysis results show that compared with the traditional PID control method,the proposed controller has a position error of less than 0.098 m,an angle error of less than 0.088 rad,a smaller steady-state error,and a shorter convergence time.The crossing and encountering pattern experiment results show that the proposed behavior strategy ensures that the robot maintains a safe distance from humans while performing trajectory tracking.This research proposes a combination autonomous behavior strategy for mobile robots inspecting hazardous gases,ensuring that the robot maintains the optimal speed to achieve dynamic obstacle avoidance,reducing human anxiety and increasing comfort in a relatively narrow man–machine environment.

Effects of UV-B radiation on fitness related behaviors of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

Ozone depletion induced by anthropogenic gases has been increasing the transmission of solar ultraviolet-B radiation(UV-B, 280–315 nm) through the atmosphere, which may impact the fitness of marine invertebrates in intertidal and shallow waters. To our knowledge, however, the responses of fitness related behaviors to UV-B radiation at different intensities have been rarely studied in marine invertebrates. For the first time, the present study investigated the eff ects of exposure of one hour to UV-B radiation at different intensities on foraging behavior, Aristotle's lantern reflex and righting behavior of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. Exposure of one hour to UV-B radiation at 10 μW/cm^2 significantly reduced foraging behavior. An intensity dependent eff ect of exposure to UV-B radiation was found in the duration of the Aristotle's lantern reflex. Exposure to UV-B radiation at 20 μW/cm^2 for one hour significantly reduced the duration of the Aristotle's lantern reflex, but 10 μW/cm^2 did not. There was no significant diff erence of righting response time among sea urchins exposed to 0, 10 and 20 μW/cm^2 for one hour. To test potential carryover ef fects, the behavioral traits were re-measured three days later. We found significant carryover eff ects of UV-B radiation on foraging time and righting response time, but not on the duration of the Aristotle's lantern reflex. The present study indicates that a brief exposure of one hour to UV-B radiation can significantly aff ect the duration of Aristotle's lantern reflex, righting response time and foraging behavior of a sea urchin, although the immediate impacts and carryover eff ects were highly trait dependent. This study provides new information into the behavioral responses of marine invertebrates to exposure to UV-B radiation. Future studies should be carried out to investigate long-term carryover eff ects of UV-B radiation on behavioral and physiological fitness related traits.

Corrosion Behavior of the S136 Mold Steel Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

The selective laser melting(SLM) method has a great potential for fabricating injection mold with complex structure. However, the microstructure and performance of the SLM molds show significantly di erent from those manufac?tured by traditional technologies. In this study, the microstructure, hardness and especially corrosion behavior of the samples fabricated by SLM and casting were investigated. The XRD results exhibit that the γ?Fe phase is only obtained in the SLM parts, and the α?Fe peak slightly moves to low di raction angle compared with casting counterparts. Due to the rapid cooling rate, the SLM samples have fine cellular microstructures while the casting ones have coarse grains with obvious elements segregation. Besides, the SLM samples show anisotropy, hardness of side view and top view are 48.73 and 50.31 HRC respectively, which are 20% higher than that of casting ones. Corrosion results show that the SLM samples have the better anti?corrosion resistance(in a 6% FeCl3 solution for 48 h) but the deeper corrosion pits than casting ones. Finally, the performance of the SLM molds could meet the requirement of injecting production. Moreover, the molds especially present a significant decrease(20%) of cooling time and increases of cooling uniform?ity due to the customized conformal cooling channels.

Combined acupuncture and HuangDiSan treatment affects behavior and synaptophysin levels in the hippocampus of senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 after neural stem cell transplantation

Sanjiao acupuncture and HuangDiSan can promote the proliferation, migration and differentiation of exogenous neural stem cells in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 （SAMP8） mice and can improve learning and memory impairment and behavioral function in dementia-model mice. Thus, we sought to determine whether Sanjiao acupuncture and HuangDiSan can elevate the effect of neural stem cell transplantation in Alzheimer’s disease model mice. Sanjiao acupuncture was used to stimulate Danzhong （CV17）, Zhongwan （CV12）,Qihai （CV6）, bilateral Xuehai （SP10） and bilateral Zusanli （ST36） 15 days before and after implantation of neural stem cells （5 × 10^5） into the hippocampal dentate gyrus of SAMP8 mice. Simultaneously, 0.2 mL HuangDiSan, containing Rehmannia Root and Chinese Angelica,was intragastrically administered. Our results demonstrated that compared with mice undergoing neural stem cell transplantation alone,learning ability was significantly improved and synaptophysin mRNA and protein levels were greatly increased in the hippocampus of mice undergoing both Sanjiao acupuncture and intragastric administration of HuangDiSan. We conclude that the combination of Sanjiao acupuncture and HuangDiSan can effectively improve dementia symptoms in mice, and the mechanism of this action might be related to the regulation of synaptophysin expression.

Effects of trace Ca/Sn addition on corrosion behaviors of biodegradable Mg-4Zn-0.2Mn alloy

The effects of alloying elements of Ca/Sn on corrosion behaviors of the as-cast Mg-4Zn-0.2Mn alloy were investigated by immersion tests and electrochemical methods.The results indicated that the average corrosion rate value of the Mg-4Zn-0.2Mn-Ca alloy was∼0.31 mm/year in Hank’s physiological solution for 40 days,and corrosion resistance increased for the specimens containing Ca element rather than that containing Sn because of the higher breakdown potential value,lower current density and deactivated corrosion rate,which was ascribed to a formation of the uniformly distributed Mg-Zn-Ca ternary phase.

Adaptive Proportional-Derivative Sliding Mode Control Law With Improved Transient Performance for Underactuated Overhead Crane Systems

In this paper, an adaptive proportional-derivative sliding mode control(APD-SMC) law, is proposed for 2D underactuated overhead crane systems. The proposed controller has the advantages of simple structure, easy to implement of PD control, strong robustness of SMC with respect to external disturbances and uncertain system parameters, and adaptation for unknown system dynamics associated with the feedforward parts. In the proposed APD-SMC law, the PD control part is used to stabilize the controlled system, the SMC part is used to compensate the external disturbances and system uncertainties,and the adaptive control part is utilized to estimate the unknown system parameters. The coupling behavior between the trolley movement and the payload swing is enhanced and, therefore, the transient performance of the proposed controller is improved.The Lyapunov techniques and the La Salle's invariance theorem are employed in to support the theoretical derivations. Experimental results are provided to validate the superior performance of the proposed control law.

Influence of heat treatment on microstructure and electrochemical behaviors of Mg-Zn binary alloys prepared by gas-phase alloying technique

Mg-Zn binary alloys fabricated by the gas-phase alloying technique under vacuum condition were investigated in the state of initial state and after heat treatment for the microstructure and electrochemical behaviors.Different from the traditional Mg-Zn alloys preparation methods,alloys prepared by gas-phase alloying have a large number of intermetallic compounds,such as MgZn,Mg7Zn3 and MgZn2.After solution treatment,the boundary of the eutectic disappeared and the size ofα-Mg increased from 100μm to 150μm.At the same time,the value of the resistance of charge transfer increased,which indicates that the resistance of the charge transfer and the corrosion resistance of the alloys increased.After artificial aging treatment,the distribution ofα-Mg was more uniform and its size was reduced to about 50μm,and there was new eutectic structure formed.The newly formed eutectic structure forms galvanic cells with the alloy matrix,which makes the corrosion resistance of the alloy weaken.

Hydraulic model with roughness coefficient updating method based on Kalman filter for channel flood forecast

A real-time channel flood forecast model was developed to simulate channel flow in plain rivers based on the dynamic wave theory. Taking into consideration channel shape differences along the channel, a roughness updating technique was developed using the Kalman filter method to update Manning＇s roughness coefficient at each time step of the calculation processes. Channel shapes were simplified as rectangles, triangles, and parabolas, and the relationships between hydraulic radius and water depth were developed for plain rivers. Based on the relationship between the Froude number and the inertia terms of the momentum equation in the Saint-Venant equations, the relationship between Manning＇s roughness coefficient and water depth was obtained. Using the channel of the Huaihe River from Wangjiaba to Lutaizi stations as a case, to test the performance and rationality of the present flood routing model, the original hydraulic model was compared with the developed model. Results show that the stage hydrographs calculated by the developed flood routing model with the updated Manning＇s roughness coefficient have a good agreement with the observed stage hydrographs. This model performs better than the original hydraulic model.

Role of P,S and B on Creep Behavior of Alloy 718

The doping of phosphorus, sulfur and boron in IN718 superalloy can remarkably influence the creep behavior. The modifications of the minor elements seem not to vary the stress exponent and the influences primarily concentrate on the effective diffusion coefficient. A pronounced beneficial interaction between P and B and a weaker detrimental interaction between P and S have been obtained. The preexponential frequency constant is proved to be strongly related with the creep activation energy because of the so-called compensation effect. The compensation temperature has been determined to be about 1080 K, which corresponds to the transformation temperature from rapidly coarsened γ'' phase to δ phase. It has been proposed that trace elements can influence the effective diffusion coefficient individually or cooperatively, which in turn either retard or speed the creep process.

A novel wavy non-uniform ligament chiral stent with J-shaped stress-strain behavior to mimic the native trachea

Tracheal stents are an important form of treatment for benign or malignant central airway obstruction.However,the mechanical behavior of current tracheal stents is significantly different from that of the native trachea,which leads to a variety of serious complications.In this study,inspired by the structure of the native trachea,a wavy non-uniform ligament chiral tracheal stent is proposed,in which J-shaped stress-strain behavior and negative Poisson's ratio response are achieved by replacing the tangential ligament of tetrachiral and anti-tetrachiral hybrid structure with a wavy non-uniform ligament.Through the combination of theoretical analysis,finite element analysis and experimental tests,a wide range of desired J-shaped stress-strain curves are explored to mimic the native porcine trachea by tailoring the stent geometry.Besides,the negative Poisson’s ratio and auxetic diameter curves versus axial strain of the stent are also studied in detail,thus contributing to the enhancement of cross-section ventilation and reducing the migration of the stent.This novel tracheal stent with a unique microstructure shows a potential to perfectly match the physiological activities of the native trachea and thereby reduce potential complications.

Assessing gray matter volume in patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder

Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder(iRBD) is often a precursor to neurodegenerative disease. However, voxel-based morphological studies evaluating structural abnormalities in the brains of iRBD patients are relatively rare. This study aimed to explore cerebral structural alterations using magnetic resonance imaging and to determine their association with clinical parameters in iRBD patients. Brain structural T1-weighted MRI scans were acquired from 19 polysomnogram-confirmed iRBD patients(male:female 16:3; mean age 66.6 ± 7.0 years) and 20 age-matched healthy controls(male:female 5:15; mean age 63.7 ± 5.9 years). Gray matter volume(GMV) data were analyzed based on Statistical Parametric Mapping 8, using a voxel-based morphometry method and two-sample t-test and multiple regression analysis. Compared with controls, iRBD patients had increased GMV in the middle temporal gyrus and cerebellar posterior lobe, but decreased GMV in the Rolandic operculum, postcentral gyrus, insular lobe, cingulate gyrus, precuneus, rectus gyrus, and superior frontal gyrus. iRBD duration was positively correlated with GMV in the precuneus, cuneus, superior parietal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, lingual gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and cerebellum posterior lobe. Furthermore, phasic chin electromyographic activity was positively correlated with GMV in the hippocampus, precuneus, fusiform gyrus, precentral gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, cuneus, inferior parietal lobule, angular gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, paracentral lobule, and cerebellar posterior lobe. There were no significant negative correlations of brain GMV with disease duration or electromyographic activity in iRBD patients. These findings expand the spectrum of known gray matter modifications in iRBD patients and provide evidence of a correlation between brain dysfunction and clinical manifestations in such patients. The protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Huashan Hospital(approval No. KY2013-336) on January 6, 2014. This trial was registered in the ISRCTN registry(ISRCTN18238599).

Stability constants of Sb^5+with Cl−and thermodynamics of Sb−S−Cl−H2O system involving complex behavior of Sb with Cl

The stability constants of Sb^5+with Cl−as well as thermodynamics of the Sb−S−Cl−H2O system were calculated.The stability constants of Sb5+with Cl−were obtained by theoretical calculations of the absorbance of a Sb5+-containing solution at different Cl^−concentrations,which was detected by spectrophotometric analysis at certain wavelengths of light(380 nm).The logarithmic values versus 10 of stability constants of Sb^5+with Cl−were 1.795,3.150,4.191,4.955,5.427 and 5.511,respectively,and partly filled the data gaps in the hydrometallurgy of antimony.The presence and distribution of pentavalent antimony compounds under different conditions were analyzed based on equilibrium calculations.Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were performed for Sb−S−Cl−H2O system,which included the complex behavior of Sb with Cl,and the equilibrium equations of related reactions in this system were integrated into the potential−pH diagram.

The Efficacy and Safety of Yokukansankachimpihange for Treating Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: An Open-Label Pilot Study

Previous clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of yokukansan, a traditional Japanese medicine, for the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). However, less evidence is available for the treatment of BPSD with yokukansankachimpihange (YKSCH), which consists of yokukansan and two additional herbal ingredients. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of YKSCH for treating BPSD in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We enrolled outpatients with mild-to-moderate AD who exhibited BPSD and obtained a Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) score of >3 including subscale scores for “agitation”, “anxiety”, “irritability”, and “sleep and night-time behavior change”. A daily YKSCH dose of 7.5 g was administered for 12 weeks with concomitant administration of anti-dementia medication. BPSD was evaluated using the NPI at baseline and every 4 weeks during the intervention. We also examined apathy using the Japanese translation of the Apathy Scale, the short version of the Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview, and the Modified Crichton Rating Scale for Predicting Activities of Daily Living. Cognitive dysfunction was evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination and the AD Assessment Scale-Cognitive (Japanese version). Five participants were enrolled. The NPI total score tended to decrease between the baseline and 8-week evaluations during the YKSCH intervention (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P = 0.063). In terms of the NPI subscale scores, “apathy”, “agitation”, “delusions”, and “sleep and night-time behavior change” decreased after the intervention in those who exhibited each symptom at baseline. There were no significant differences in the other scores examined. No serious adverse events were observed. YKSCH could ameliorate BPSD in patients with mild-to-moderate AD with agitation, anxiety, irritability, and sleep and night-time behavior change, and it was well-tolerated.

Assessment of self- and cross-absorbed SAF values for HDRK-man using GEANT4 code: internal photon and electron emitters

The ultimate need to account for the partial amount of energy deposited in target tissue/organ resulting from internal inhalation,ingestion,and injection intakes of radionuclides,defined by the Medical Internal Radiation Dosimetry committee as the specific absorbed fraction(SAF),has become obvious.In this study,we assessed the SAF values for self-and cross-absorption,which were calculated for a uniform distribution of monoenergetic photon and electron emitters with energies ranging from 15 keV to 3 MeV.The voxelized human phantom‘‘High-Definition Reference Korean-man’’(HDRK-man),which was implemented using the Monte Carlo simulation code GEANT4(version 10.1),was used for several combinations of target–source organs.The results were compared to those of the International Commission on Radiological Protection Reference(ICRP133)and Zubal phantoms.It was found that the SAF values of the three models have a similar trend.However,the SAF values for the HDRK-man phantom were higher than those of the other two models,with a relatively good agreement with those for the ICRP133 phantom(differences of 13.9±2.8 and 12.1±3.2 for photon and electron emitters,respectively).To analyze the differences in SAF values,we calculated the chord length distributions(CLDs)for selected target–source combinations.The parameters of organ mass(or volume)and CLDs,in addition to the adopted computational procedures,mainly cause such discrepancies.For realistic radionuclide emission spectra,an overall overestimation was observed when computing the S values for three radiopharmaceuticals studied(I-131,In-111,and Lu-177)and for liver–spleen intra-and inter-organ absorption when compared with published data.The new arrangement of S and SAF values is expected to add value for multidisciplinary research and clinical communities.

ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE DATING FOR THE AGE OF PEKING-MAN, LOC.1, ZHOUKOUDIAN, BEIJING

In this paper, we used ESR dating method to measure the accumulative dose of the fossil teeth samples, which are contemporaneous with the Peking-Man. The internal annual dose rate of samples are got by neutron activation analysis and the environmental annual dose rate by highly sensitive TL dosimeters to be embedded in cave deposits in the site. The results of ESR dating are corresponded with the dating results obtained by U-series, FT, TL and paleomagnetic stratigraphical methods on the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 10th layers. Calculation of using different models, the close-equilibrium model, the linear uranium accumulation model and radon loss-linear uranium accumulation model, for travertine, deer teeth and rhinoceros tooth, we obtained the age of the First Peking- Man in the nth layer is 578 ka and gave ages of other layers, from the 1st to the 13th layer in Peking- Man site.