A comprehensive look at the psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology of spinal cord injury and its progression: mechanisms and clinical opportunities

Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a devastating and disabling medical condition generally caused by a traumatic event(primary injury).This initial trauma is accompanied by a set of biological mechanisms directed to ameliorate neural damage but also exacerbate initial damage(secondary injury).The alterations that occur in the spinal cord have not only local but also systemic consequences and virtually all organs and tissues of the body incur important changes after SCI,explaining the progression and detrimental consequences related to this condition.Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology(PNIE)is a growing area of research aiming to integrate and explore the interactions among the different systems that compose the human organism,considering the mind and the body as a whole.The initial traumatic event and the consequent neurological disruption trigger immune,endocrine,and multisystem dysfunction,which in turn affect the patient's psyche and well-being.In the present review,we will explore the most important local and systemic consequences of SCI from a PNIE perspective,defining the changes occurring in each system and how all these mechanisms are interconnected.Finally,potential clinical approaches derived from this knowledge will also be collectively presented with the aim to develop integrative therapies to maximize the clinical management of these patients.

Overview of the Third Global Forum

Computer science continues to grow at a rapid pace,raising the issue of how universities can best adapt to this trend.At the third Global Forum on the Development of Computer Science(GFDCS),five heads of departments of computer science from Asia,Europe,and North America came together to exchange ideas under the theme Challenges and Opportunities of Computer Science in the New Era.Through the discussions,a number of new challenges were explored,including how to meet the growing demand for computer science education,how to manage increased teaching loads,how to foster collaboration between computer science and other disciplines,how to raise ethical awareness,and how to support new“transdisciplinary”modes of education and research.At the same time,there was a consensus on the need to strengthen the role of computer science in other departments,the importance of industrial collaboration,and the need for more scalable approaches to teaching.The evolving role of computer science within the context of broader science was also discussed.

The Opportunities,Dilemmas,and Paths for the Development of Adult Higher Education in the New Era

This paper comprehensively analyzes the development opportunities and realistic dilemmas faced by adult higher education in China in the new era,and puts forward corresponding strategies as solutions.With the construction of a learning society,the development of digital technology,and the popularization of the concept of lifelong learning,adult higher education has unprecedented development opportunities.At the same time,these forms of education are facing a series of dilemmas due to challenges such as unsound guarantee mechanisms and traditional enrollment competition.Through the establishment of perfect legal and policy guarantees,transformation of school running mode,meeting the diversified needs of learners,and other multi-faceted measures,the development of adult higher education can be effectively promoted to meet the needs of individual and social development.

Research on the Impact and Opportunities of the Digital Economy Promoting the Development of Real Economy

The digital economy has infused vitality into the transformation and development of the real economy,urging enterprises to break through core technological barriers,address bottleneck issues,and improve their core competitiveness.It fosters the comprehensive digital transformation of agriculture,manufacturing,and service sectors,improving the dynamism of the real economy and fostering more consumption hotspots.Efforts are underway to enhance industrial supply chains and innovation chains,optimize regional resource allocation,and promote a virtuous cycle within the real economy.Initiatives are being undertaken to standardize the development of digital economic platforms,promote the high-quality development of regional economies,and leverage the advantages of the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics.

A Polity That Works For People

China’s Two Sessions that take place in March provide an opportunity for the world to observe the country’s unique democracy–the whole-process people’s democracy.It is a concept that is misunderstood and wrongly criticised by most Western politicians as it differs from the Western notion of democracy.As Zhang Weiwei,dean of the China Institute of Fudan University in Shanghai,said,China’s political system does not claim to be universal.Unlike Western democracy,it does not seek to impose itself on the rest of the world.

Opportunities and Challenges of College Mental Health Education from the Perspective of Big Data

This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of college mental health education from the perspective of big data.Firstly,through literature review,the importance of mental health education and the current issues are elucidated.Then,from the perspective of big data,the potential opportunities of big data in college mental health education are analyzed,including data-driven personalized education,real-time monitoring and warning systems,and interdisciplinary research and collaboration.At the same time,the challenges faced by college mental health education under the perspective of big data are also pointed out,such as data privacy and security issues,insufficient data analysis and interpretation capabilities,and inadequate technical facilities and talent support.Lastly,the research content of this paper is summarized,and directions and suggestions for future research are proposed.

Opportunities, Challenges, and Countermeasures of China Myanmar Economic and Trade Cooperation under the Background of RCEP

China and Myanmar are geographically adjacent and have close economic and trade cooperation. China has been Myanmar’s largest trading partner and largest source of investment for many consecutive years. With the official entry into force of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) for Myanmar on May 1, 2022, the reduction of trade tariffs on goods and flexible rules of origin between China and Myanmar will undoubtedly bring more practical results to China Myanmar economic and trade cooperation. However, the implementation of RCEP in Myanmar may face a series of challenges such as poor business environment, weak human resource management, and outdated infrastructure construction. Finally, the article provides countermeasures for China Myanmar economic and trade cooperation from three aspects: optimizing the business environment to attract Chinese investment, increasing investment in education and training to improve labor quality, strengthening infrastructure construction to enhance economic support.

Strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis of supercapacitors:A review

The development of clean and sustainable energy sources has received widespread interest in the past few decades due to the rolling energy demands while extenuating the rising tiers of greenhouse gases and environmental pollution.Due to their intermittent nature,these green and sustainable sources require appropriate energy storage systems.Amongst different energy storage technologies,electrochemical energy storage devices,particularly supercapacitors(SCs),have fascinated global attention for their utilization in electric vehicles,power supports,portable electronics,and many others application requiring electric energy devices for their operation.Thus,the growth of SCs in the commercial market has squeezed requirements,and further developments are obligatory for their effective industrialization.In the meantime,SCs also face technical complications and contests for their introduction in industrial settings because of their low energy density and high Levelized cost.The present study combines core strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis of SCs with new perspectives and recent ideas.The challenges and the future progressive prospects of SCs are also presented in detail.This review will afford consistent direction and new superhighways for the further development of SCs as standalone and complementary energy storage systems.

Towards a business model for second-life batteries: Barriers,opportunities, uncertainties, and technologies

Electric vehicles(EVs) and the recent pandemic outbreak give cities a new trend to primarily private and shared mobility with low noise and less air pollution.Crucial factors for the widespread of EVs are the electrical charging infrastructure,driving range,and the reduction of the cost of battery packets.For this reason,there is a massive effort from manufacturers,governments,and the scientific community to reduce battery costs and boost sustainable electrical production and distribution.Battery reuse is an alternative to reduce batteries’ costs and environmental impacts.Second-life batteries can be used in a wide variety of secondary applications.Second-life batteries can be connected with off-grid or on-grid photovoltaic and wind systems,vehicle charging stations,forklifts,and frequency control.The present work aims to analyze the main challenges imposed on the reuse of batteries,the leading technologies for their reuse,and the different types of batteries in terms of their feasibility for second-life use.The main novelty of this work is the discussion about the barriers,opportunities,uncertainties,and technologies for the second life market.Here we summarize the present state of the art in reusing lithium-ion batteries discussing technical and economic feasibility,environmental impacts,and perspectives.The results show five business models that have been proposed in the literature,three types of markets for trading second-life batteries,and the main opportunities and barriers for each actor in the battery supply chain.

Deep Learning-Based Swot Analysis in Construction and Demolition Waste Management

Researchers worldwide have employed a varied array of sources to cal-culate the successful management of Construction and Demolition(C&DW).Limited research has been undertaken in the domain of Construction and Demoli-tion Waste Management(C&DWM)and consequently leaving a large gap in the availability of effective management techniques.Due to the limited time available for building removal and materials collection,preparing for building materials reuse at the end of life is frequently a challenging task.In this research work Con-volutional Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory(CNN-LSTM)is proposed to predict the number of waste materials that are obtained from a building at the end of its useful life.As a result,an effective Waste Management(WM)plan has been established through SWOT analysis.The results of the study reveal that,given fundamental building characteristics,it is possible to predict the number of materials that would be collected with high precision from a building after demolition.The proposed deep learning models achieved an average R-squared value of 0.98 and a Mean Absolute Error of 18.1 and 20.14 better than existing methods such as random forest,CNN,and DBN(Data Bus Network).

Expert elicitations of smallholder agroforestry practices in Seychelles:A SWOT-AHP analysis

Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.

世界进入新的动荡变革期与新时代的中国

The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century.As the changes are accelerating,their impact is intensifying.International politics is experiencing a return to realism,and the rise of hegemonic power is antagonizing global relations.Globalization has encountered setbacks,and world economic growth is contracting.The international order is tumbling and is facing reconstruction.Nontraditional security threats have become more diverse.Great power conflicts are looming large.The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has drawn a magnificent blueprint for constructing Chinese-style modernization.China,a responsible power in its historic rise,will be a stabilizing force in a turbulent world and a constructive force for global transformation.China provides stability,positive energy,great global peace,and development opportunities.

Small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan

This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.

Analysis of Young Girls’Eagerness to Spend for Disney Virtual Characters Based on Marketing Mix Theory

A virtual character is a design of a fictitious creature with distinctive characteristics created by people,and Disney virtual characters are those Intellectual Property(IP)images that appeared in Disneyland and Disney movies.This investigation aimed to explore why many younger females are keen to spend money on Disney virtual characters.This paper adopted the Marketing Mix Theory strategy(product,price,placement,and promotion(4P)),and the SWOT analysis method has been utilized.This paper investigated the relationship between the 4Ps and consumers’purchasing intentions,and it turned out that unique design and effective promotion in this Disney case would promote consumers’purchase intention,while the higher price and less accessible placements affected their purchase intentions.Thus,the high price and limited places somewhat inhibit customers’desire to buy;due to the attractiveness of the product itself and the promotion on the internet,the target consumers are still willing to consume.

Time is Not Money!——It Is a Providence of Opportunities

The essay discusses the interrelations between Time and Money and the right ways for managing them.Additionally it discusses other aspects of life and time,such as:definition of time,smart use of time,use of time as distincting between men and animals,time,age and responsibility,time and the“meaning of life”,quality and quantity of lifetime,social aspects of time and science,technology and time.The author clearly expresses his opinion,that Time is a neutral abstract entity,exists in free democratic regimes and in less-liberatated autocracies.It is the explicit responsibility of every man and woman,anywhere,and everywhere,to prepare and train themselves for a smart use of the time awarded to them.On the other hand,Time is available for everyone and everything.The busy diligent hard-working person always seeks more challenging missions,while the less-energetic idle person,is always busy and tire of doing nothing.The author also claims that Time is an opportunity.It is available and inviting every active person,a thinker,a doer,and an entrepreneur to use and have it to achieve their goals.The author advises:Do not complain I have no time-dare to make the first step and“the other will come,tumbling after”.Active individuals have time for every challenging initiative;passive ones have no time for anything.

Aging Experiences among Older People in Conakry/Guinea: Towards an Age-Friendly City and Community

Older people are a demographically significant group, who represent a vulnerable layer within conditions for active and healthy aging that may be lacking in both urban and rural areas. Objective: To identify the main barriers and opportunities for the establishment of age-friendly cities and communities in a low-income country. Methods: This was a qualitative study that involved focus group discussions with older people, and service providers (health and social services) in the city of Conakry. The older people were purposively selected with the support of older people associations, and men and women were equally represented in the sample. Results: The analysis focused on the experience of old age as well as the barriers and opportunities for active healthy aging specific to the sub-Saharan context. The results indicate that a good quality of life for older adults boils down to the acquisition of good health and decent housing. Other concerns frequently reported were food and education problems for their children and security. Conclusion: This study contributes to strengthening the understanding of the age-friendly cities and communities’ approach in the context of sub-Saharan African countries.

A review of challenges and opportunities in micropillar compression studies in Mg alloys

This review paper provides an overview of the micropillar compression technique as applied to magnesium(Mg) and its alloys. It explores the influence of various factors, such as pillar size, shape, temperature, and strain rate on the mechanical properties of Mg.Additionally, the impact of alloying elements, aging, and precipitates in Mg alloys has been extensively examined, revealing their significant influence on mechanical performance. The study highlights the strength and strain hardening improvements in Mg with decreasing pillar size in micropillar compression. Furthermore, the role of precipitates as strengthening agents, affecting deformation mechanisms and overall mechanical response, is explored. These valuable insights are crucial for designing Mg-based materials with enhanced mechanical properties for advanced engineering applications.

Get Connected and Engaged

China continues to be an opportunity and part of the solution for major challenges the world is facing,which makes the narrow-minded decoupling idea untenable.

Missed Opportunities for Diagnosing Bacilliferous Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Optical Microscopy versus GeneXpert MTB/RIF in Endemic Areas

Objective: To assess the missed opportunities from the diagnosis of bacilliferous pulmonary tuberculosis by optical microscopy compared to GeneXpert MTB/RIF between 2015 and 2019. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of the diagnostic results of bacilliferous pulmonary tuberculosis in patients suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis at their first episode during the period. GeneXpert MTB/RIF (GeneXpert) and optical microscopy (OM) after Ziehl-Neelsen stained smear were performed on each patient’s sputum or gastric tubing fluid sample. Results: Among 341 patients suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis, 229 patients were declared bacilliferous tuberculosis by the two tests (67%), 220 patients by GeneXpert and 95 patients by OM, i.e. 64.5% versus 28% (p i.e. 58.5% of the positive cases detected by the two tests (134/229 patients) and 39.3% of the patients suspected of tuberculosis (134/341 patients). On the other hand, among 95 patients declared positive by OM, the GeneXpert ignored 9 (9.5%), i.e. 4% of all the positive cases detected by the two diagnostic tests (9/229 patients) and 3% of the patients suspected of tuberculosis (9/341 patients). The differences observed between the results of the two tests were statistically significant at the 5% threshold (p Conclusion: This study reveals missed diagnostic opportunities for bacilliferous pulmonary mycobacteriosis, statistically significant with optical microscopy than GeneXpert. The GeneXpert/optical microscopy couple could be a good contribution to the strategies for the elimination of pulmonary tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa.