Systematic analysis and modeling of the FLASH sparing effect as a function of dose and dose rate

Ultrahigh-dose-rate radiotherapy(FLASH-RT)is a revolutionary radiotherapy technology that can spare normal tissues without compromising tumor control.Although qualitative experimental results have been reported,quantitative and systematic analysis of data is necessary.Particularly,the FLASH effect response model to the dose or dose rate is still unclear.This study investigated the relationships between the FLASH effect and experimental parameters,such as dose,dose rate,and other factors by analyzing published in vivo experimental data from animal models.The data were modeled based on logistic regression analysis using the sigmoid function.The model was evaluated using prediction accuracy,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,and area under the ROC curve.Results showed that the FLASH effect was closely related to the dose,mean dose rate,tissue type,and corresponding biological endpoints.The dose rate corresponding to a 50% probability of triggering cognitive protection in the brain was 45 Gy s^(-1).The dose rate corresponding to a 50% probability of triggering intestinal crypt survival and regeneration was 140 Gy s^(-1).For the skin toxicity effect,the dose corresponding to a 50% probability of triggering the FLASH effect was 24 Gy.This study helps to characterize the conditions underlying the FLASH effect and provides important information for optimizing experiments.

Decoupling of temporal/spatial broadening effects in Doppler wind LiDAR by 2D spectral analysis

Pulse echo accumulation is commonly employed in coherent Doppler wind LiDAR(light detection and ranging)under the assumption of steady wind.Here,the measured spectral data are analyzed in the time dimension and frequency dimension to cope with the temporal wind shear and achieve the optimal accumulation time.A hardware-efficient algorithm combining the interpolation and cross-correlation is used to enhance the wind retrieval accuracy by reducing the frequency sampling interval and then reduce the spectral width calculation error.Moreover,the temporal broadening effect and spatial broadening effect are decoupled according to the strategy we developed.

Effect of boundary conditions on shakedown analysis of heterogeneous materials

The determination of the ultimate load-bearing capacity of structures made of elastoplastic heterogeneous materials under varying loads is of great importance for engineering analysis and design. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately predict the shakedown domains of these materials. The static shakedown theorem, also known as Melan's theorem, is a fundamental method used to predict the shakedown domains of structures and materials. Within this method, a key aspect lies in the construction and application of an appropriate self-equilibrium stress field(SSF). In the structural shakedown analysis, the SSF is typically constructed by governing equations that satisfy no external force(NEF) boundary conditions. However, we discover that directly applying these governing equations is not suitable for the shakedown analysis of heterogeneous materials. Researchers must consider the requirements imposed by the Hill-Mandel condition for boundary conditions and the physical significance of representative volume elements(RVEs). This paper addresses this issue and demonstrates that the sizes of SSFs vary under different boundary conditions, such as uniform displacement boundary conditions(DBCs), uniform traction boundary conditions(TBCs), and periodic boundary conditions(PBCs). As a result, significant discrepancies arise in the predicted shakedown domain sizes of heterogeneous materials. Built on the demonstrated relationship between SSFs under different boundary conditions, this study explores the conservative relationships among different shakedown domains, and provides proof of the relationship between the elastic limit(EL) factors and the shakedown loading factors under the loading domain of two load vertices. By utilizing numerical examples, we highlight the conservatism present in certain results reported in the existing literature. Among the investigated boundary conditions, the obtained shakedown domain is the most conservative under TBCs.Conversely, utilizing PBCs to construct an SSF for the shakedown analysis leads to less conservative lower bounds, indicating that PBCs should be employed as the preferred boundary conditions for the shakedown analysis of heterogeneous materials.

A Study of the Teaching Effects of Case Analysis in Cross-Cultural Communication Class-Taking Individualism-Collectivism Cultural Dimension Class as an Example

This study introduces the individualism-collectivism dimension of the cultural dimension of cross-cultural communication initiated by Geert Hofstede.Different cultures must develop a way of correlating that strikes a balance between caring for themselves and showing concern for others.Individualist culture encourages uniqueness and independence while collectivist culture emphasizes conformity and mutual assistance.This article introduces how to use case analysis method to effectively carry out classroom teaching in this cultural dimension.

Geospatial Analysis of Urban Heat Island Effects and Tree Equity

In recent decades, Urban Heat Island Effects have become more pronounced and more widely examined. Despite great technological advances, our current societies still experience great spatial disparity in urban forest access. Urban Heat Island Effects are measurable phenomenon that are being experienced by the world’s most urbanized areas, including increased summer high temperatures and lower evapotranspiration from having impervious surfaces instead of vegetation and trees. Tree canopy cover is our natural mitigation tool that absorbs sunlight for photosynthesis, protects humans from incoming radiation, and releases cooling moisture into the air. Unfortunately, urban areas typically have low levels of vegetation. Vulnerable urban communities are lower-income areas of inner cities with less access to heat protection like air conditioners. This study uses mean evapotranspiration levels to assess the variability of urban heat island effects across the state of Tennessee. Results show that increased developed land surface cover in Tennessee creates measurable changes in atmospheric evapotranspiration. As a result, the mean evapotranspiration levels in areas with less tree vegetation are significantly lower than the surrounding forested areas. Central areas of urban cities in Tennessee had lower mean evapotranspiration recordings than surrounding areas with less development. This work demonstrates the need for increased tree canopy coverage.

Analysis of the Effect of Humanistic Care in the Process of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of humanistic care in pre-hospital emergency care.Methods:From April 2020 to January 2021,80 pre-hospital emergency patients were studied.The patients were randomly divided into two groups:a control group(n=40),which received conventional care,and an experimental group(n=40),which received humanistic care.The effects of nursing care and psychological state were compared between the two groups.Results:The experimental group showed better nursing outcomes and a more positive psychological state compared to the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Humanistic care in pre-hospital emergency settings is more effective in reducing patients’anxiety and depression,enhancing the operational abilities and service attitudes of nursing staff,and increasing the emergency success rate.

Dynamic Analysis of Kineto-Elastic Beam System with Second-order Effect

Dynamic equations of motional flexible beam elements were derived considering second-order effect. Non-linear finite element method and three-node Euler-Bernoulli beam elements were used. Because accuracy is higher in non-linear structural analysis,three-node beam elements are used to deduce shape functions and stiffness matrices in dynamic equations of flexible elements. Static condensation method was used to obtain the finial dynamic equations of three-node beam elements. According to geometrical relations of nodal displacements in concomitant and global coordinate system,dynamic equations of elements can be transformed to global coordinate system by concomitant coordinate method in order to build the global dynamic equations. Analyzed amplitude condition of flexible arm support of a port crane,the results show that second-order effect should be considered in kinetic-elastic analysis for heavy load machinery of big flexibility.

Causal Analysis Between Rice Growth and Cadmium Accumulation and Transfer under Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation

Cadmium(Cd)contamination in rice has been a serious threat to human health.To investigate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)on the Cd translocation in rice,a controlled pot experiment was conducted.The results indicated that AMF significantly increased rice biomass,with an increase of up to 40.0%,particularly in root biomass by up to 68.4%.Notably,the number of prominent rice individuals also increased,and their plasticity was enhanced following AMF inoculation.AMF led to an increase in the net photosynthetic rate and antioxidant enzyme activity of rice.In the AMF treatment group,the Cd concentration in the rice roots was significantly higher(19.1%‒68.0%)compared with that in the control group.Conversely,the Cd concentration in the rice seeds was lower in the AMF treatment group,indicating that AMF facilitated the sequestration of Cd in rice roots and reduced Cd accumulation in the seeds.Path coefficients varied across different treatments,suggesting that AMF inoculation reduced the direct impact of soil Cd concentration on the total Cd accumulation in seeds.The translocation of Cd was consistently associated with simultaneous growth dilution and compensatory accumulation as a result of mycorrhizal effects.Our study quantitatively analyzed this process through path analysis and clarified the causal relationship between rice growth and Cd transfer under the influence of AMF.

Semi-analytical solution for drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils

The expansion of a thick-walled hollow cylinder in soil is of non-self-similar nature that the stress/deformation paths are not the same for different soil material points.As a result,this problem cannot be solved by the common self-similar-based similarity techniques.This paper proposes a novel,exact solution for rigorous drained expansion analysis of a hollow cylinder of critical state soils.Considering stress-dependent elastic moduli of soils,new analytical stress and displacement solutions for the nonself-similar problem are developed taking the small strain assumption in the elastic zone.In the plastic zone,the cavity expansion response is formulated into a set of first-order partial differential equations(PDEs)with the combination use of Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions,and a novel solution algorithm is developed to efficiently solve this complex boundary value problem.The solution is presented in a general form and thus can be useful for a wide range of soils.With the new solution,the non-self-similar nature induced by the finite outer boundary is clearly demonstrated and highlighted,which is found to be greatly different to the behaviour of cavity expansion in infinite soil mass.The present solution may serve as a benchmark for verifying the performance of advanced numerical techniques with critical state soil models and be used to capture the finite boundary effect for pressuremeter tests in small-sized calibration chambers.

Enhancing wood efficiency through comprehensive wood flow analysis:Methodology and strategic insights

Wood,an essential natural resource in human civilization,remains widely used despite advances in technology and material substitution.The surge in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental concerns accentuates the need for optimizing wood utilization.Material flow analysis is a powerful tool for tracking material flows and stocks,aiding resource management and environmental decision-making.However,the full extent of its methodological dimensions,particularly within the context of the wood supply chain,remains relatively unexplored.In this study,we delve into the existing literature on wood flow analysis,discussing its primary objectives,materials involved,temporal and spatial scales,data sources,units,and conversion factors.Additionally,data uncertainty,data reconciliation and crucial assumptions in material flow analysis are highlighted in this paper.Key findings reveal the significance of wood cascading and substitution effects by replacing non-wood materials,where they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than the natural carbon sink of forests and wood products.The immediate impact of short-term wood cascading might not be as robust as the substitution effect,with energy substitution showcasing better results than material substitution.However,it's crucial to note that these conclusions could experience significant reversal from a long-term and global perspective.Strategies for improving wood efficiency involve maximizing material use,advancing construction technologies,extending product lifespans,promoting cascade use,and optimizing energy recovery processes.The study underscores the need for standardized approaches in wood flow analysis and emphasizes the potential of wood efficiency strategies in addressing environmental challenges.

Modeling Analysis of Factors Influencing Wind-Borne Seed Dispersal: A Case Study on Dandelion

A weed is a plant that thrives in areas of human disturbance, such as gardens, fields, pastures, waysides, and waste places where it is not intentionally cultivated. Dispersal affects community dynamics and vegetation response to global change. The process of seed disposal is influenced by wind, which plays a crucial role in determining the distance and probability of seed dispersal. Existing models of seed dispersal consider wind direction but fail to incorporate wind intensity. In this paper, a novel seed disposal model was proposed in this paper, incorporating wind intensity based on relevant references. According to various climatic conditions, including temperate, arid, and tropical regions, three specific regions were selected to establish a wind dispersal model that accurately reflects the density function distribution of dispersal distance. Additionally, dandelions growth is influenced by a multitude of factors, encompassing temperature, humidity, climate, and various environmental variables that necessitate meticulous consideration. Based on Factor Analysis model, which completely considers temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind, and land carrying capacity, a conclusion is presented, indicating that the growth of seeds is primarily influenced by plant attributes and climate conditions, with the former exerting a relatively stronger impact. Subsequently, the remaining two plants were chosen based on seed weight, yielding consistent conclusion.

Quantitative Analysis of Seeing with Height and Time at Muztagh-Ata Site Based on ERA5 Database

Seeing is an important index to evaluate the quality of an astronomical site.To estimate seeing at the Muztagh-Ata site with height and time quantitatively,the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis database(ERA5)is used.Seeing calculated from ERA5 is compared consistently with the Differential Image Motion Monitor seeing at the height of 12 m.Results show that seeing decays exponentially with height at the Muztagh-Ata site.Seeing decays the fastest in fall in 2021 and most slowly with height in summer.The seeing condition is better in fall than in summer.The median value of seeing at 12 m is 0.89 arcsec,the maximum value is1.21 arcsec in August and the minimum is 0.66 arcsec in October.The median value of seeing at 12 m is 0.72arcsec in the nighttime and 1.08 arcsec in the daytime.Seeing is a combination of annual and about biannual variations with the same phase as temperature and wind speed indicating that seeing variation with time is influenced by temperature and wind speed.The Richardson number Ri is used to analyze the atmospheric stability and the variations of seeing are consistent with Ri between layers.These quantitative results can provide an important reference for a telescopic observation strategy.

Stability analysis of loose accumulation slopes under rainfall:case study of a high‑speed railway in Southwest China

The high and steep slopes along a high-speed railway in the mountainous area of Southwest China are mostly composed of loose accumulations of debris with large internal pores and poor stability,which can easily induce adverse geological disasters under rainfall conditions.To ensure the smooth construction of the high-speed railway and the subsequent safe operation,it is necessary to master the stability evolution process of the loose accumulation slope under rainfall.This article simulates rainfall using the finite element analysis software’s hydromechanical coupling module.The slope stability under various rainfall situations is calculated and analysed based on the strength reduction method.To validate the simulation results,a field monitoring system is established to study the deformation characteristics of the slope under rainfall.The results show that rainfall duration is the key factor affecting slope stability.Given a constant amount of rainfall,the stability of the slope decreases with increasing duration of rainfall.Moreover,when the amount and duration of rainfall are constant,continuous rainfall has a greater impact on slope stability than intermittent rainfall.The setting of the field retaining structures has a significant role in improving slope stability.The field monitoring data show that the slope is in the initial deformation stage and has good stability,which verifies the rationality of the numerical simulation method.The research results can provide some references for understanding the influence of rainfall on the stability of loose accumulation slopes along high-speed railways and establishing a monitoring system.

Analysis and Innovative Strategies of Tax Preferential Policies to Promote the Sustainable Development of Small-Scale Individual Businesses

This study conducted an in-depth analysis of the current tax preferential policies for small-scale individual businesses and compared them with similar policies both domestically and internationally,aiming to reveal the advantages and disadvantages of the current system.After examining the impact of these tax preferential policies on the economic status of individual business owners and the broader social economy,this article proposes a set of innovative tax preferential strategies based on theoretical foundations.By developing these innovative strategies and clarifying their implementation paths,the aim is to promote the sustainable and healthy development of small-scale individual businesses,thereby fostering comprehensive socio-economic progress.The conclusion of this study not only summarizes policy recommendations with practical significance but also provides theoretical support for the optimization and innovation of future related systems.

Histological Assessment and Transcriptome Analysis Provide Insights into the Toxic Effects of Perfluorooctanoic Acid to Juvenile Half Smooth Tongue Sole Cynoglossus semilaevis

Perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA)is a widespread synthetic persistent organic pollutant that may enrich along the food chain and affect the growth,development,reproduction,and lipid metabolism of aquatic organisms,particularly the benthic organisms.How-ever,the toxic effects of PFOA on the half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis,a commercial benthic fish in China,have rarely been reported.Because juvenile fish are sensitive to environmental pollutants,in the present study,histological assessment and tran-scriptome sequencing were performed to determine the short-term impact of PFOA on juvenile half-smooth tongue soles.Histologi-cal analysis showed that PFOA exposure caused hepatocyte rupture,intestinal villi breakage,increased goblet cell count,and brain ab-normal.Transcriptome results showed that some interesting signaling pathways,such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,PPAR signaling pathway and GABAergic synapse signaling pathway,were enriched after PFOA exposure.In addition,some metabolic,immune and neural genes were differentially expressed,which including ependymin,hbb1-like and gad 1,and they were up-regulated after 14 days of exposure.Transcriptome results also indicated that half-smooth tongue sole might improve energy metabolism in response to PFOA toxicity after 7 days of exposure.These findings provide a basis for studying the ecological effects of PFOA on marine benthic fishes.

Neighborhood Effects and Political Trust: A Multi-level Analysis of Chinese Rural-to-Urban Migrants’ Trust in County Government

Massive rural-to-urban migration in China is consequential for political trust: rural-to-urban migrants have been found to hold lower levels of trust in local government than their rural peers who choose to stay in the countryside (mean 4.92 and 6.34 out of 10, respectively, p < 0.001). This article explores why migrants have a certain level of political trust in their county-level government. Using data of rural-to-urban migrants from the China Family Panel Survey, this study performs a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to unpack the multi-level explanatory factors of rural-to-urban migrants’ political trust. Findings show that the individual-level socio-economic characteristics and perceptions of government performance (Level-1), the neighborhood-level characteristics-the physical and social status and environment of neighborhoods (Level-2), and the objective macroeconomic performance of county-level government (Level-3), work together to explain migrants’ trust levels. These results suggest that considering the effects of neighborhood-level factors on rural-to-urban migrants’ political trust merits policy and public management attention in rapidly urbanizing countries.

Stability analysis for a second-order continuous finite-time control system subject to a disturbance

In this paper, using finite-time control method, we consider the disturbance analysis of a second-order system with unknown but bounded disturbance. We show that the states of the second-order system will be stabilized to a region containing the origin. The radius of this region is determined by the control parameters and can be rendered as small as desired. The rigorous stability analysis is also given. Compared with the conventional PD control law, the finite-time control law yields a better disturbance rejection performance. Numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of the method.

Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Computing Exactly Response Sensitivities to Uncertain Parameters and Boundaries of Linear Systems: Mathematical Framework

This work presents the “Second-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (2nd-CASAM)” for the efficient and exact computation of 1st- and 2nd-order response sensitivities to uncertain parameters and domain boundaries of linear systems. The model’s response (i.e., model result of interest) is a generic nonlinear function of the model’s forward and adjoint state functions, and also depends on the imprecisely known boundaries and model parameters. In the practically important particular case when the response is a scalar-valued functional of the forward and adjoint state functions characterizing a model comprising N parameters, the 2nd-CASAM requires a single large-scale computation using the First-Level Adjoint Sensitivity System (1st-LASS) for obtaining all of the first-order response sensitivities, and at most N large-scale computations using the Second-Level Adjoint Sensitivity System (2nd-LASS) for obtaining exactly all of the second-order response sensitivities. In contradistinction, forward other methods would require (N2/2 + 3 N/2) large-scale computations for obtaining all of the first- and second-order sensitivities. This work also shows that constructing and solving the 2nd-LASS requires very little additional effort beyond the construction of the 1st-LASS needed for computing the first-order sensitivities. Solving the equations underlying the 1st-LASS and 2nd-LASS requires the same computational solvers as needed for solving (i.e., “inverting”) either the forward or the adjoint linear operators underlying the initial model. Therefore, the same computer software and “solvers” used for solving the original system of equations can also be used for solving the 1st-LASS and the 2nd-LASS. Since neither the 1st-LASS nor the 2nd-LASS involves any differentials of the operators underlying the original system, the 1st-LASS is designated as a “first-level” (as opposed to a “first-order”) adjoint sensitivity system, while the 2nd-LASS is designated as a “second-level” (rather than a “second-order”) adjoint sensitivity system. Mixed second-order response sensitivities involving boundary parameters may arise from all source terms of the 2nd-LASS that involve the imprecisely known boundary parameters. Notably, the 2nd-LASS encompasses an automatic, inherent, and independent “solution verification” mechanism of the correctness and accuracy of the 2nd-level adjoint functions needed for the efficient and exact computation of the second-order sensitivities.

Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Four Bioactive Iridoid and Secoiridoid Glycoside Components of Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae and Their Synergistic Excretion by HPLC-DAD Combined with Second-Order Calibration

An HPLC-DAD method combined with second-order calibration based on the alternating trilinear decomposition(ATLD)algorithm with the aid of region selection was developed to simultaneously and quantitatively characterize the synergistic relationships and cumulative excretion of the four bioactive ingredients of Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae in vivo.Although the analytes spectra substantially overlapped with that of the biological matrix,the overlapping profiles between analytes and co-eluting interferences can be successfully separated and accurately quantified by the ATLD method on the basis of the strength of region selection.The proposed approach not only determined the content change but also revealed the synergistic relationships and the cumulative excretion in vivo of the four ingredients in urine and feces samples collected at different excretion time intervals.In addition,several statistical parameters were employed to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the method.Quantitative results were confirmed by HPLC-mass spectrometry.Satisfactory results indicated that the proposed approach can be utilized to investigate the pharmacokinetics of Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae excretion in vivo.

Molecular Tagging and Effect Analysis of a New Small Grain Dwarf Gene in Rice

Plant height is one of the important agronomic traits of rice. Over higher plant would easily result in plant lodging and output reducing. On the other hand, the dwarf varieties with proper plant height had higher lodging resistance and a greater harvest index, allowing for the increased use of nitrogen fertilizer. Dwarf breeding had made a great breakthrough in the rice breeding. The breeding and extension of excellent dwarf varieties remarkably improved the yield potential of rice. Therefore, the plant height is still one of the focuses in rice genetic research.