Understanding the Relationship Between Shrinking Cities and Land Prices:Spatial Pattern,Effectiveness,and Policy Implications

Urban shrinkage has emerged as a widespread phenomenon globally and has a significant impact on land,particularly in terms of land use and price.This study focuses on 2851 county-level cities in China in 2005–2018(excluding Hong Kong,Macao,Taiwan,and‘no data’areas in Qinhai-Tibet Plateau)as the fundamental units of analysis.By employing nighttime light(NTL)data to identify shrinking cities,the propensity score matching(PSM)model was used to quantitatively examine the impact of shrinking cities on land prices,and evaluate the magnitude of this influence.The findings demonstrate the following:1)there were 613 shrinking cities in China,with moderate shrinkage being the most prevalent and severe shrinkage being the least.2)Regional disparities are evident in the spatial distribution of shrinking cities,especially in areas with diverse terrain.3)The spatial pattern of land price exhibits a significant correlated to the economic and administrative levels.4)Shrinking cities significantly negatively impact on the overall land price(ATT=–0.1241,P<0.05).However,the extent of the effect varies significantly among different spatial regions.This study contributes novel insights into the investigation of land prices and shrinking cities,ultimately serving as a foundation for government efforts to promote the sustainable development of urban areas.

THE EARLY RELATIVE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF SINGLE DOSE OF FAST NEUTRONS（35MeV_（p→Be）） FOR BONE MARROW IN MICE

The early RBE of the bone marrow in mice after studied irradiation with fast neutrons(35 MeVp→Be) was studied.60Co-γ ray was used for referent beams.Using the dos.making 50% loss of the nucleated cells of bone marrow in mice relative to control group mice to calculated the RBE value which was 2.13±0.18.Meanwhile,the relationship of the RBE values and the dose of neutrons was noted.On log-log plot the RBE values decrease with increasing dose of fast neutrons and it is consistent with a slope of -0.39± 0.10.The α/β ratios were estimated from linear-quadratic model of cell survival,they are 14.4±1.30 Gy for fast neutrons and 0.83±0.10 Gy for γ-ray,respectively.

The Experimental Measurement of the Relative Biological Effectiveness of Carbon Ions with Different Qualities

The relative biological effectiveness （RBE） of carbon ions with linear energy transfer （LET） of 172 keV/μm and 13.7 keV/μm were determined in this study. The clonogenic survival and premature terminal differentiation were measured on normal human fibroblasts AG01522C and NHDF after exposure of the cells to 250 kV X-rays and carbon ions with different qualities. RBE was determined for these two biological end points. The results showed that the measured RBE10 with a survival fraction of 10% was 3.2 for LET 172 keV/μm, and 1.33 for LET 13.7 keV/μm carbon ions. RBE for a doubling of post-mitotic fibroblasts （PMF） in the population was 2.8 for LET 172 keV/μm, and 1 for LET 13.7 keV/μm carbon ions. For the carbon ion therapy, a high RBE value on the Bragg peak results in a high biological dose on the tumour. The tumour cells can be killed effectively. At the same time, the dose on healthy tissue would be reduced accordingly. This will lighten the late effect such as fibrosis on normal tissue.

Tuning Martensitic Phase Transition by Non-Magnetic Atom Vacancy in MnCoGe Alloys and Related Giant Magnetocaloric Effect

The effects of non-magnetic atom vacancy on structural, martensitic phase transitions and the corresponding magnetocMoric effect in MnCoGel-x alloys are investigated using x-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. The introduction of non-magnetic atom vacancy leads to the decrease of the martensitic transition temperature and realizes a temperature window where magnetic and martensitic phase transitions can be tuned together. Moreover, the giant magnetocaloric effect accompanied with the coupled magnetic-structural transition is ob- tained. It is observed that the peak values of magnetic entropy change of MnCoGeo.97 are about -13.9, -35.1 and -47.4J.kg-1K-1 for △H = 2, 5, 7T, respectively.

Dependence of epoch-wise two-way nested ANOVA estimates of variances of unmodeled effects present in relative GPS positioning on satellite elevation cutoff angle and PDOP mask

Impact of satellite elevation cutoff angle and position dilution of precision(PDOP)mask change on epoch-wise variance components of unmodeled effects that accompany relative Global Positioning System(GPS)positioning is presented herein.Data used for this study refer to the winter and summer periods of the years with minimal(2008)and maximal(2013)solar activity.These data were collected every 30 s in static mode,at two permanent GPS stations located in Montenegro,establishing a mediumdistance(116-km-long)baseline with a height difference of approximately 760 m between its endpoints.The study showed that changing satellite elevation cutoff angle,with a fixed PDOP mask,affects epochwise two-way nested ANOVA estimates of variances related to the‘far-field’multipath(considered as the nested factor herein)and the combined unmodeled effect of tropospheric and ionospheric refraction(considered as the nesting factor herein).However,changing of PDOP mask,with a fixed satellite elevation cutoff angle,doesn’t affect epoch-wise two-way nested ANOVA estimate of variance of the combined unmodeled effect of tropospheric and ionospheric refraction,but,generally,affects the estimate of variance of the‘far-field’multipath(possibly mixed with a part of a‘shorter-term’ionospheric refraction),which is especially pronounced for the summer period.It should also be noted that there is a significant influence of satellite elevation cutoff angle change on both epoch-wise horizontal and vertical position accuracy,only for the summer period,especially in the presence of maximal solar activity,while there is no significant impact of PDOP mask change on epoch-wise positional accuracy.

Community Needs Assessment in Relation to Urban Heat Effects: A Study in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Urban areas usually experience higher temperatures compared with their rural surroundings; this is characterized as urban heat islands （UHIs）, which are the result of environmental overheating due to anthropic activities. Urban areas,which are characterised by massive construction that reduce local vegetation coverage, are subject to the absorption of a large amount of solar radiation,which is only partially released into the atmosphere by radiation in the thermal infrared.

Blood and Histopathological Biomarkers of Immune-related Adverse Effects of Treatment with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been a recent major breakthrough in the management of tumors.They have broadened the scope of management in medical oncology,which has been heavily dependent on chemotherapy.Immune checkpoint inhibitors have renewed the hope of many patients for a more effective treatment.However,Immune checkpoint inhibitors are also associated with a variety of adverse effects,most commonly immunerelated adverse events,and these are often different from the known chemotherapy-induced toxicities.Hence,there is a need to identify specific biomarkers which are able to predict or diagnose these immune-related adverse events.

Sintilimab-induced autoimmune diabetes:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND With the widespread application of immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI)therapy,the number of immune-related adverse effects(irAEs)has increased over the years.Autoimmune diabetes mellitus(DM)is a rare irAEs of ICIs and can be troublesome and life threatening.CASE SUMMARY We report a 78-year-old woman with no history of diabetes who presented with hyperglycemia up to 23.4 mmol/L(random blood glucose level)after 14 courses of sintilimab.Hemoglobin A1c was 8.2%,fasting insulin was 0.29 mIU/mL,and fasting C-peptide was decreased to a level with negative autoantibodies.Combing her medical history and laboratory examination,she was diagnosed with programmed cell death(PD)-1-inhibitor-induced,new-onset autoimmune DM.After controlling her blood glucose,she was treated with daily insulin by subcutaneous injection.She was allowed to continue anti-PD-1 therapy and she still obtained some therapeutic efficacy.We also reviewed some published cases(n=36)of PD-1/PD-ligand 1(PD-L1)inhibitor-induced DM.We also discuss potential pathogenic mechanisms,clinical features,prognostic markers(βcell antibodies,human leukocyte antigen type,PD-L1 Level)of this rare adverse effect.CONCLUSION It is important for all clinicians to be aware of DM as an irAEs of ICIs.

Response of HD-V2 radiochromic film to argon ions

A two-dimensional dose detector for ion beam is required in many high energy density physics experiments.As a solid detector,the GAFChromic film offers a good spatial resolution and dosimetric accuracy.For an absolute dose measurement,the relative effectiveness,which represents the darkening efficiency of the film to a radiation source,needs to be taken into consideration.In this contribution,the dose-response of HD-V2 to argon ions is presented for the first time.The calibration was taken over the dose range of 65 Gy-660 Gy with 8-keV argon ions.The response of net optical density is from 0.01 to 0.05.Triple-color dose-response functions are derived.The relative effectiveness for the argon ion beams is about 5%,much lower than that of protons and carbon ions.To explain this effect,the inactivation probability based on track theory of ion bombardment is proposed.Furthermore,a theoretical prediction of the relative effectiveness for single ion is presented,showing the dependence of the darkening efficiency on the atomic number and the incident energy of ions.

Complex Effective Relative Permittivity of Soil Samples from the Taunus Region (Germany)

The most important parameter affecting ground-penetrating radar （GPR） measurements is the complex effective relative permittivity εr^＊,eff because it controls the propagation velocity and the reflection of GPR pulses. Knowing εr^＊,eff of soils passed through by electromagnetic waves increases accuracy in soil thickness and interface identification. Complex effective relative permittivity εr^＊,eff= εr^＊,eff - jεr^＊,effof 25 soil samples with textures ranging from loamy sand to silty clay was measured using the two-electrode parallelplate method. The measurements were conducted at defined water contents for frequencies from 1 MHz to 3 GHz. The results confirm the frequency dependence of εr^＊,eff and show that the dielectric behavior of soil-water mixtures is a function of water content. Applying the experimental data of this study with predictions based on the empirical model by Toppet aL （1980）, we find that Topp et aL＇s curve tends to underestimate the real part of εr^＊,eff measured. Along with frequency and water content, soil texture and organic matter affect soil permittivity. Moreover, the real part of εr^＊,eff increases at higher dry bulk densities. Output from our calibration model enables us to predict εr^＊,eff for the soil samples which were tested under the actual in situ soil water content. This results in high accuracy of soil thickness prediction.

Effect of Ag substitution on structural,magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr_(0.6)Sr_(0.4–x)Ag_xMnO_3 manganites

A systematic investigation on the structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr_（0.6）Sr_（0.4-x）Ag_xMnO_3（x=0.05 and 0.1） manganites was reported. Rietveld refinements of the X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed that all samples were single phase and crystallized in the orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. Magnetic measurements in a magnetic applied field of 0.01T revealed that the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition temperature T_C decreased from about 293 to 290 K with increasing silver content from x=0.05 to 0.1. The reported magnetocaloric entropy change and relative cooling power for both samples were considerably remarkable with a △S_（max） value of 1.9 J/（kg·K）and maximum RCP values of 100 J/kg, under a magnetic field change（？μ0H） equal to 1.8T. The analysis of the universal curves gave an evidence of a second order magnetic transition for the studied samples. The magnetic field influence on both the magnetic entropy change and the relative cooling power was also studied and discussed.

INVERSE SCATTERING PROBLEM FOR ONE-DIMENSIONAL SCHRDINGER OPERATORS RELATED TO THE GENERAL STARK EFFECT

This paper disccusses the inverse scattering problem for one-dimensional Schrodinger operatorsrelated to the general Stark effect. We provide a ganeral framework which can be applied both to theStark-effect operator and the ordinary Schrodinger operator.

Toward a data analytics -based approach for computing and predicting context- sensitive teaching effectiveness

The traditional student-oriented course evaluation has been the major assessment method on teaching effectiveness worldwide.Useful as it is,it has been widely and continuously criticized for not being a fair,accurate,and reliable measurement.In search of a more objective assessment method on teaching effectiveness that also reflects the impacts of context-based learning,we propose a theoretical approach from a unique perspective that recognizes teaching effectiveness as a result of the interplays between teacher,student,and context.The approach can be used to compute as well as to predict teaching effectiveness using machine and deep learning technologies,which brings strategical benefits to institutional management.In addition,we install into the approach a mechanism using tokens as incentives to assure the quality of subjective data input.The application framework for the approach is proposed leveraging blockchain.Each implementation of the framework by an establishment is a decentralized application that runs on its chosen blockchain.It is envisioned that the implementations together will form a collective ecology on context-based relative teaching effectiveness,which has the potential to fundamentally impact other academic practices besides teaching effectiveness measurement.The theoretical approach provides a common language to delineate teaching effectiveness from the context-based relative perspective and is customizable during implementation.The teaching effectiveness assessment using the approach downplays the roles played by bias(subjectity)and hence is more objective than that by traditional student-oriented course evaluation.

Patient reported outcome of tyrosine kinase inhibitor related side effects and their impact on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase

Objective To explore the impact of patient reported outcome of tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI)related side effects on daily life in Chinese patients with chronic myceloid leukemia(CML)in the chronic phase(CP).Methods From May to November in 2014。

Heterogeneous uptake of NO_2 on soils under variable temperature and relative humidity conditions

Heterogeneous reactions of nitrogen dioxide （NO2） on soils collected from Dalian （S 1） and Changsha （S2） were investigated over the relative humidity （RH） range of 5%-80% and temperature range of 278-328 K using a horizontal coated-wall flow tube. The initial uptake coefficients of NO2 on S2 exhibited a decreasing trend from （10 ± 1.3） × 10-8 to （3.1 ± 0.5） x 10-8 with the relative humidity increasing from 5% to 80%. In the temperature effect studies, the initial uptake coefficients of S1 and S2 decreased from （10± 1.2） × 10-8 to （3.8 ± 0.5） × 10-8 and from （16± 2.2） × 10-8 to （3.8 ±0.4） × 10-8 when temperature increased from 278 to 288 K for S1 and from 278 to 308 K for S2, respectively. As the temperature continued to increase, the initial uptake coefficients of S1 and S2 returned to （7.9 ± 1.1）× 10-8 and （20 ± 3.1） × 10-8 at 313 and 328 K, respectively. This study shows that relative humidity could influence the uptake kinetics of NO2 on soil and temperature would impact the heterogeneous chemistry of NO2.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls in surface soil from the Tibetan Plateau

Concentrations of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans（PCDD/Fs） and polychlorinated biphenyls（PCBs） in soil samples from Tibetan Plateau were determined. The average concentration of total 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs was（2.30 ± 1.02） pg/g, and World Health Organization Toxicity Equivalency（WHO-TEQ） average concentration was（0.013 ± 0.010）pg WHO-TEQ/g. The average concentration of ∑PCBs（7 indicator PCB and 12 dioxin like-PCB congeners） was（16.2 ± 9.25） pg/g, and WHO-TEQ average concentration was 0.043 ±0.049 pg WHO-TEQ/g. Comparing to previous studies in similar environmental conditions,PCDD/Fs and PCBs in this study showed a relatively lower concentration. The altitude dependences of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were also studied. Total organic carbon（TOC） normalized concentrations presented a quadratic relation with the altitudes, and an inflection could be found on the parabola of the total concentrations and some congeners of high concentration.The concentrations decreased with altitudes below about 4500 m above sea level（a.s.l.）, while they increased with altitudes above it. These phenomena indicate that cold condensation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs would happen above 4500 m a.s.l, on the Tibetan Plateau.

Sensitivity of MCF-7 mammosphere CSCs to neutron radiation

Aim:Cancer stem cells(CSCs)are highly resistant to chemotherapy andγ-irradiation.Neutrons have a high linear energy transfer,which can lead to extensive damage to the DNA of tumor cells and CSCs.The aim of this work was to compare the sensitivity of MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells and CSCs toγ-andγ,n-irradiation.Methods:To increase the number of CSCs,MCF-7 cells were cultured as mammospheres.γ-irradiation was carried out in a GUT-200M device(^(60)Co source)in the dose range of 1-8 Gy at a dose rate of 0.75 Gy/min.γ,n-irradiation was carried out in an IR-8 reactor in the dose range of 0.05-2 Gy at a dose rate of 0.06 Gy/min.DNA DSB formation was assessed by the level ofγH2AX foci using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.CSCs were identified by flow cytometry as CD44^(+)/CD24^(-/low) cells.Results:We showed thatγ,n-irradiation induced the formation ofγH2AX foci of a larger size than didγ-irradiation and led to more severe DNA damage per 1 Gy.Moreover,γ,n-radiation was found to have a high relative biological effectiveness(RBE)as assessed by the cell survival rate,the number of CSCs in culture,and the ability of CSCs to repopulate.The highest RBE of neutron radiation was observed at low doses,when cell survival rate decreased by only 5%-10%.With an increase in the radiation dose,the RBE value decreased for all studied parameters,but it remained as high as 5.Conclusion:γ,n-radiation is highly effective against CSCs.Our results explain the efficacy of neutron therapy for resistant forms of breast cancer.

Mass production of magnetocaloric LaFeMnSiB alloys with hydrogenation

LaFe_（11.39）Mn_（0.35）Si_（1.26）B_（0.1）Hxalloys were prepared by hydrogenation.Samples were annealed at 1343Kfor30-90 hto form the NaZn13 phase.La-rich andα-Fe secondary phases were also detected.Saturated hydrogenation at 553 Kand 0.15 MPa of H_2 pressure for 5hwas employed to improve the Curie temperature of the alloys to 279 K.The maximum magnetic entropy change,relative cooling power,and adiabatic temperature change of LaFe_（11.39）Mn_（0.35）Si_（1.26）B_（0.1）H_x annealed at 1343 Kfor 90hafter hydrogen absorption are 6.38J/（kg·K）（magnetic changesμ0ΔH =1.65T）,100.1J/kg（μ0ΔH =1.65T）,and 2.2 K（μ0ΔH =1.48T）,respectively.Although the maximum magnetic entropy change of the LaFe_（11.39）Mn_（0.35）Si_（1.26）B_（0.1）H_x alloys is lower than those of similar alloys with high purity raw materials,the relative cooling power is nearly the same.The effect of impurities of the raw materials used was also discussed.It is assumed that the impurity of 0.2wt.% Al is responsible for the reduced entropy change of the resulted alloys.The LaFe_（11.39）Mn_（0.35）Si_（1.26）B_（0.1）H_x alloys prepared by this method could be a low cost alternative material for room temperature magnetic cooling applications.