The New Trend of EU Economic Protectionism and Its Prospects for Development

There is a deep historical foundation of economic protectionism in Europe, which runs through its capitalist development and regional integration process. Over the past two years, the EU's economic protectionism has risen again. Both its official statements and policies show some new trends and characteristics. The basic cause of these latest trends is the relative decline in the overall strength of the EU, especially in regard to the ongoing impact of the financial and debt crisis on its economic, political and social fields. In general, the EU is likely to become more radical in its foreign economic relations, but its protectionism will not solve the fundamental problems it faces. China and Europe still need to further strengthen risk control and management in their economic and trade relations.

Mercantilist Origin of United States’ Trade Protectionism

During its rise as a world power, the United States(U.S.) adopted a traditional form of mercantilism, and most US politicians followed a protectionist approach. From the end of the Civil War to the eve of World War I, the United States blazed a new trail of industrial development and implemented protective policies such as high tariffs. This historical tradition has had a profound influence on some current US politicians. After the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the United States developed a new form of mercantilism, as manifested in the emergence of nontariff barriers instead of tariff barriers to restrict imports and protect domestic industries and employment. Although export regulations have avoided affecting the technology industry, they have led to hefty trade deficits for the United States. National interests have prevailed in U.S. decision-making and have influenced its choices to accede to or walk away from international organizations or treaties. The dollar's hegemony has played a pivotal role in U.S. economic policymaking. These factors have led to the twin deficits in the U.S. economy, i.e. a trade deficit and a fiscal deficit. The real intention of the United States in waging a trade war against China is to maintain and even strengthen the dollar's hegemony and the U.S.' international predominance.

Samuelson’s Concern, Kindleberger Trap and U.S. Trade Protectionism

"Samuelson's Concern" and "Kindleberger Trap" are cited as justifications for trade protectionism under the Trump administration. After reviewing Samuelson's and Kindleberger's trade theories, this paper finds that both Samuelson and Kindleberger are actually proponents of free trade, and that their common concern is falling US competitiveness due to its economic model, domestic institutional rules, and unilateralism. Both the "Samuelson's Concern" and "Kindleberger Trap" are distortions of Samuelson's and Kindleberger's original theories and the arguments' defense of protectionism cannot overcome the challenges confronting the U.S. and will destabilize international economic order.

Trade Protectionism is Short-sighted

Both COFCO and SINOCHEM participate in trading business with Australian enterprises,such as the import of barley,wheat,diary and meat products,or chemical products and coal.Free trade has always been the foundation of Sino-Australia relations.In the B20 trade and investment working group discussion,I want to emphasize the

Protectionism on the Surge

With the textile export to EU growing at a pace faster than anticipated, the joint efforts to slow down Chinese shipment to this market in a predetermined arrangement known as "bilateral check" seem to be abortive, more and more producers there seem to grow out of their patience with EU’s past deal with China. A new wave of trade protectionism is coming on the surge…

The future of artificial hibernation medicine:protection of nerves and organs after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a serious disease of the central nervous system involving irreversible nerve injury and various organ system injuries.At present,no effective clinical treatment exists.As one of the artificial hibernation techniques,mild hypothermia has preliminarily confirmed its clinical effect on spinal cord injury.However,its technical defects and barriers,along with serious clinical side effects,restrict its clinical application for spinal cord injury.Artificial hibernation is a futureoriented disruptive technology for human life support.It involves endogenous hibernation inducers and hibernation-related central neuromodulation that activate particular neurons,reduce the central constant temperature setting point,disrupt the normal constant body temperature,make the body adapt"to the external cold environment,and reduce the physiological resistance to cold stimulation.Thus,studying the artificial hibernation mechanism may help develop new treatment strategies more suitable for clinical use than the cooling method of mild hypothermia technology.This review introduces artificial hibernation technologies,including mild hypothermia technology,hibernation inducers,and hibernation-related central neuromodulation technology.It summarizes the relevant research on hypothermia and hibernation for organ and nerve protection.These studies show that artificial hibernation technologies have therapeutic significance on nerve injury after spinal co rd injury through inflammatory inhibition,immunosuppression,oxidative defense,and possible central protection.It also promotes the repair and protection of res pirato ry and digestive,cardiovascular,locomoto r,urinary,and endocrine systems.This review provides new insights for the clinical treatment of nerve and multiple organ protection after spinal cord injury thanks to artificial hibernation.At present,artificial hibernation technology is not mature,and research fa ces various challenges.Neve rtheless,the effort is wo rthwhile for the future development of medicine.

Polymer engineering for electrodes of aqueous zinc ion batteries

With the increasing demand for scalable and cost-effective electrochemical energy storage,aqueous zinc ion batteries(AZIBs)have a broad application prospect as an inexpensive,efficient,and naturally secure energy storage device.However,the limitations suffered by AZIBs,including volume expansion and active materials dissolution of the cathode,electrochemical corrosion,irreversible side reactions,zinc dendrites of the anode,have seriously decelerated the civilianization process of AZIBs.Currently,polymers have tremendous superiority for application in AZIBs attributed to their exceptional chemical stability,tunable structure,high energy density and outstanding mechanical properties.Considering the expanding applications of AZIBs and the superiority of polymers,this comprehensive paper meticulously reviews the benefits of utilizing polymeric applied to cathodes and anodes,respectively.To begin with,with adjustable structure as an entry point,the correlation between polymer structure and the function of energy storage as well as optimization is deeply investigated in respect to the mechanism.Then,depending on the diversity of properties and structures,the development of polymers in AZIBs is summarized,including conductive polymers,redox polymers as well as carbon composite polymers for cathode and polyvinylidene fluoride-,carbonyl-,amino-,nitrile-based polymers for anode,and a comprehensive evaluation of the shortcomings of these strategies is provided.Finally,an outlook highlights some of the challenges posed by the application of polymers and offers insights into the potential future direction of polymers in AZIBs.It is designed to provide a thorough reference for researchers and developers working on polymer for AZIBs.

Fine mapping and characterization of stripe rust resistance gene YrAYH in near-isogenic lines derived from a cross involving wheat landrace Anyuehong

Stripe rust,caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici(Pst),is a devastating disease in wheat worldwide.Discovering and characterizing new resistance genes/QTL is crucial for wheat breeding programs.In this study,we fine-mapped and characterized a stripe rust resistance gene,YRAYH,on chromosome arm 5BL in the Chinese wheat landrace Anyuehong(AYH).Evaluations of stripe rust response to prevalent Chinese Pst races in near-isogenic lines derived from a cross of Anyuehong and Taichung 29 showed that YrAYH conferred a high level of resistance at all growth stages.Fine mapping using a large segregating population of 9748 plants,narrowed the YRAYH locus to a 3.7 Mb interval on chromosome arm 5BL that included 61 annotated genes.Transcriptome analysis of two NIL pairs identified 64 upregulated differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in the resistant NILs(NILs-R).Annotations indicated that many of these genes have roles in plant disease resistance pathways.Through a combined approach of fine-mapping and transcriptome sequencing,we identified a serine/threonine-protein kinase SRPK as a candidate gene underlying YrAYH.A unique 25 bp insertion was identified in the NILs-R compared to the NILs-S and previously published wheat genomes.An InDel marker was developed and co-segregated with YrAYH.Agronomic trait evaluation of the NILs suggested that YrAYH not only reduces the impact of stripe rust but was also associated with a gene that increases plant height and spike length.

Problem identification and revitalization strategies for the recovery and reconstruction of traditional villages in the Ms 6.8 Luding Earthquake

Post-disaster reconstruction is a topic of global concern,and traditional villages have special heritage attributes and need to face more requirements and obstacles in post-disaster reconstruction.This paper summarizes four concepts based on the research on post-disaster reconstruction both domestically and internationally,as well as the recovery and reconstruction of cultural heritage.Through a field survey of traditional villages in the Ms 6.8 Luding earthquake-stricken area,it is found that there are problems such as insufficient awareness of heritage value,misalignment of scientific reconstruction technology,and insufficient protection of reconstruction elements during the reconstruction process.Traditional villages face the risk of declining or even loss of heritage value.In order to effectively protect traditional villages and inherit the carrier of regional culture,four targeted reconstruction response strategies are proposed,i.e.,to"establish special planning for traditional village preservation","emphasize recovery of the authenticity of village heritage","ensure elements for village heritage recovery"and"promote the activation and utilization of village heritage",based on the problems discovered during the survey and the four concepts summarized in the research on post-disaster reconstruction of traditional villages.The research results hope to provide useful reference for ancient cultural areas affected by earthquakes on how to protect cultural heritage during the post-disaster reconstruction process.

Flow field, sedimentation, and erosion characteristics around folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence: Numerical simulation study

Wind and sand hazards are serious in the Milan Gobi area of the Xinjiang section of the Korla Railway. In order to ensure the safe operation of railroads, there is a need for wind and sand protection in heavily sandy areas. The wind and sand flow in the region is notably bi-directional. To shield railroads from sand, a unique sand fence made of folded linear high-density polyethylene(HDPE) is used, aligning with the principle that the dominant wind direction is perpendicular to the fence. This study employed field observations and numerical simulations to investigate the effectiveness of these HDPE sand fences in altering flow field distribution and offering protection. It also explored how these fences affect the deposition and erosion of sand particles. Findings revealed a significant reduction in wind speed near the fence corner;the minimum horizontal wind speed on the leeward side of the first sand fence(LSF) decreased dramatically from 3 m/s to 0.64 m/s. The vortex area on the LSF markedly impacted horizontal wind speeds. Within the LSF, sand deposition was a primary occurrence. As wind speeds increased, the deposition zone shrank, whereas the positive erosion zone expanded. Close to the folded corners of the HDPE sand fence, there was a notable shift from the positive erosion zone to a deposition zone. Field tests and numerical simulations confirmed the high windproof efficiency(WE) and sand resistance efficiency(SE) in the HDPE sand fence. Folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence can effectively slow down the incoming flow and reduce the sand content, thus achieving good wind and sand protection. This study provides essential theoretical guidance for the design and improvement of wind and sand protection systems in railroad engineering.

Efficient unequal error protection for online fountain codes

In this paper,an efficient unequal error protection(UEP)scheme for online fountain codes is proposed.In the buildup phase,the traversing-selection strategy is proposed to select the most important symbols(MIS).Then,in the completion phase,the weighted-selection strategy is applied to provide low overhead.The performance of the proposed scheme is analyzed and compared with the existing UEP online fountain scheme.Simulation results show that in terms of MIS and the least important symbols(LIS),when the bit error ratio is 10-4,the proposed scheme can achieve 85%and 31.58%overhead reduction,respectively.

Network pharmacology and subsequent experimental validation reveal the synergistic myocardial protection mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.and Carthamus tinctorius L.

Objective:To reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the compatibility of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge(S.miltiorrhiza,Dan Shen)and C.tinctorius L.(C.tinctorius,Hong Hua)as an herb pair through network pharmacology and subsequent experimental validation.Methods:Network pharmacology was applied to construct an active ingredient-efficacy target-disease protein network to reveal the unique regulation pattern of s.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius as herb pair.Molecular docking was used to verify the binding of the components of these herbs and their potential targets.An H9c2 glucose hypoxia model was used to evaluate the efficacy of the components and their synergistic effects,which were evaluated using the combination index.Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of these targets.Results:Network pharmacology analysis revealed 5 pathways and 8 core targets of s.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius in myocardial protection.Five of the core targets were enriched in the hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1)signaling pathway.S.miltiorrhiza-C.tinctorius achieved vascular tone mainly by regulating the target genes of the HIF-1 pathway.As an upstream gene of the HIF-1 pathway,STAT3 can be activated by the active ingredients cryptotanshinone(Ctan),salvianolic acid B(Sal.B),and myricetin(Myric).Cell experiments revealed that Myric,Sal.B,and Ctan also exhibited synergistic myocardial protective activity.Molecular docking verified the strong binding of Myric,Sal.B,and Ctan to STAT3.Western blot further showed that the active ingredients synergistically upregulated the protein expressionof STAT3.Conclusion:The pharmacodynamic transmission analysis revealed that the active ingredients of S.miltiorrhiza and C.tinctorius can synergistically resist ischemia through various targets and pathways.This study provides a methodological reference for interpreting traditional Chinese medicine compatibility.

Composite armor philosophy(CAP):Holistic design methodology of multi-layered composite protection systems for armored vehicles

A philosophy for the design of novel,lightweight,multi-layered armor,referred to as Composite Armor Philosophy(CAP),which can adapt to the passive protection of light-,medium-,and heavy-armored vehicles,is presented in this study.CAP can serve as a guiding principle to assist designers in comprehending the distinct roles fulfilled by each component.The CAP proposal comprises four functional layers,organized in a suggested hierarchy of materials.Particularly notable is the inclusion of a ceramic-composite principle,representing an advanced and innovative solution in the field of armor design.This paper showcases real-world defense industry applications,offering case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of this advanced approach.CAP represents a significant milestone in the history of passive protection,marking an evolutionary leap in the field.This philosophical approach provides designers with a powerful toolset with which to enhance the protection capabilities of military vehicles,making them more resilient and better equipped to meet the challenges of modern warfare.

Self-actuating protection mechanisms for safer lithium-ion batteries

Safety issue is still a problem nowadays for the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)in electric vehicles and energy storage stations.The unsafe behaviors of LIBs arise from the thermal run-away,which is intrinsically triggered by the overcharging and overheating.To improve the safety of LIBs,various protection strategies based on self-actuating reaction control mechanisms(SRCMs)have been proposed,including redox shuttle,polymerizable monomer additive,potential-sensitive separator,thermal shutdown separator,positive-temperature-coefficient electrode,thermally polymerizable addi-tive,and reversible thermal phase transition electrolyte.As build-in protection mechanisms,these meth-ods can sensitively detect either the temperature change inside battery or the potential change of the electrode,and spontaneously shut down the electrode reaction at risky conditions,thus preventing the battery from going into thermal runaway.Given their advantages in enhancing the intrinsic safety of LIBs,this paper overviews the research progresses of SRCMs after a brief introduction of thermal runaway mechanism and limitations of conventional thermal runaway mitigating measures.More importantly,the current states and issues,key challenges,and future developing trends of SRCTs are also discussed and outlined from the viewpoint of practical application,aiming at providing insights and guidance for developing more effective SRCMs for LIBs.

Anti-skin aging effects and bioavailability of collagen tripeptide and elastin peptide formulations in young and middle-aged women

Background:Collagen peptides(CP),including tripeptides and elastin peptides(EP),are known for their in vitro and in vivo anti-skin aging effects.Despite positive results in animal models,the combination effects of CP and EP and the bioavailability of CP in human studies,particularly in young and middle-aged women,remain underexplored.Objective:To evaluate the effects of an orally administered collagen drink combining CP and EP on the skin health of young and middle-aged women.Materials and Methods:A single-center,randomized,double-blind,parallel-controlled trial was conducted,utilizing the WONDERLABR fish collagen tripeptide beverage.Participants consumed the drink over an 8-week period.Results:Compared to the placebo group,the collagen drink group showed significant improvements in skin hydration(39.19%increase),transepidermal water loss(33.45%decrease),skin elasticity(25.37%increase),dermal collagen content(21.64%increase),pore size(7.94%decrease),wrinkle length(18.09%decrease),skin smoothness(2.85%improvement),and skin roughness(15.32%decrease).Overall pore volume decreased by 60%,and visual assessments indicated a decrease in skin luminosity by 15.20%and smoothness index by 22.55%.Mass spectrometry demonstrated a significant increase in collagen efficacy components,including blood pH and GPH levels(P<0.05).Conclusion:The study confirmed the combination nourishing and anti-skin aging effects of EP and CP on the skin of young and middle-aged women,demonstrating significant improvements in various skin parameters and good bioavailability of collagen peptides.

Ballistic design and testing of a composite armour reinforced by CNTs suitable for armoured vehicles

This paper is investigating the use of composite armour reinforced by nanomaterials, for the protection of light armoured(LAV) and medium armoured military vehicles(MAV), and the interaction between the composite materials and high-performance ballistic projectiles. Four armour materials, consisted of front hybrid fibre reinforced polymer cover layer, ceramic strike-face, fibre reinforced polymer intermediate layer and the metal matrix composite reinforced backplate, were manufactured and assembled by adhesive technology. The proposed laminated protection system is suitable for armoured ground vehicles;however, it could be used as armour on ground, air and naval platforms. The design of the protection system, including material selection and thickness, was elaborated depending on the performance requirements of Level 4 + STANAG 4569 military standard(projectile 14.5 mm × 114 mm API B32) and especially on a design philosophy which is analysed with the specifications. The backplate of this new composite is a hybrid material of Metal Matrix Composite(MMC) reinforced with carbon nanotubes(CNTs), manufactured with the use of powder metallurgy technique. The composite backplate material was morphologically, mechanically and chemically analysed. Results show that all plates are presenting high mechanical properties and ballistic characteristics, compared to commonly used armour plates. Real military ballistic tests according to AEP-STANAG 4569 were carried out for the total composite armour systems. After the ballistic tests, AA2024-CNT3 showed the best protection results, compared with the other plates(AA2024-CNT1 and AA2024-CNT2), with the projectile being unable to fully penetrate the composite plate.

A novel live attenuated vaccine candidate protects chickens against subtype B avian metapneumovirus

Avian metapneumovirus(aMPV) is a highly contagious pathogen that causes acute upper respiratory tract diseases in chickens and turkeys, resulting in serious economic losses. Subtype B aMPV has recently become the dominant epidemic strain in China. We developed an attenuated aMPV subtype B strain by serial passaging in Vero cells and evaluated its safety and efficacy as a vaccine candidate. The safety test showed that after the 30th passage, the LN16-A strain was fully attenuated, as clinical signs of infection and histological lesions were absent after inoculation.The LN16-A strain did not revert to a virulent strain after five serial passages in chickens. The genomic sequence of LN16-A differed from that of the parent wild-type LN16(wtLN16) strain and had nine amino acid mutations. In chickens, a single immunization with LN16-A induced robust humoral and cellular immune responses, including the abundant production of neutralizing antibodies, CD4^(+) T lymphocytes, and the Th1(IFN-γ) and Th2(IL-4 and IL-6)cytokines. We also confirmed that LN16-A provided 100% protection against subtype B aMPV and significantly reduced viral shedding and turbinate inflammation. Our findings suggest that the LN16-A strain is a promising live attenuated vaccine candidate that can prevent infection with subtype B aMPV.

从H1N1血凝素序列提取的沙门氏菌传递的COBRA-HA1抗原对甲型流感亚型产生广谱保护作用

A universal vaccine is in high demand to address the uncertainties of antigenic drift and the reduced effectiveness of current influenza vaccines.In this study,a strategy called computationally optimized broadly reactive antigen(COBRA)was used to generate a consensus sequence of the hemagglutinin globular head portion(HA1)of influenza virus samples collected from 1918 to 2021 to trace evolutionary changes and incorporate them into the designed constructs.Constructs carrying different HA1regions were delivered into eukaryotic cells by Salmonella-mediated bactofection using a Semliki Forest virus RNA-dependent RNApolymerase(RdRp)-based eukaryotic expression system,pJHL204.Recombinant protein expression was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence assays.Mice immunized with the designed constructs produced a humoral response,with a significant increase in immunoglobulin G(IgG)levels,and a cell-mediated immune response,including a 1.5-fold increase in CD4^(+) and CD8^(+)T cells.Specifically,constructs #1 and #5 increased the production of interferon-γ(IFN-γ)producing CD4^(+)and CD8^(+)T cells,skewing the response toward the T helper type 1 cell(Th1)pathway.Additionally,interleukin-4(IL-4)-producing T cells were upregulated 4-fold.Protective efficacy was demonstrated,with up to 4-fold higher production of neutralizing antibodies and a hemagglutination inhibition titer>40 against the selected viral strains.The designed constructs conferred a broadly protective immune response,resulting in a notable reduction in viral titer and minimal inflammation in the lungs of mice challenged with the influenza A/PR8/34,A/Brisbane/59/2007,A/California/07/2009,KBPV VR-92,and NCCP 43021 strains.This discovery revolutionizes influenza vaccine design and delivery;Salmonella-mediated COBRA-HA1 is a highly effective in vivo antigen presentation strategy.This approach can effectively combat seasonal H1N1 influenza strains and potential pandemic outbreaks.

Experimental and numerical study on protective effect of RC blast wall against air shock wave

Prototype experiments were carried out on the explosion-proof performance of the RC blast wall.The mass of TNT detonated in the experiments is 5 kg and 20 kg respectively.The shock wave overpressure was tested in different regions.The above experiments were numerically simulated,and the simulated shock wave overpressure waveforms were compared with that tested and given by CONWEP program.The results show that the numerically simulated waveform is slightly different from the test waveform,but similar to CONWEP waveform.Through dimensional analysis and numerical simulation under different working conditions,the equation for the attenuation rate of the diffraction overpressure behind the blast wall was obtained.According to the corresponding standards,the degree of casualties and the damage degree of the brick concrete building at a certain distance behind the wall can be determined when parameters are set.The above results can provide a reference for the design and construction of the reinforced concrete blast wall.