Proper interpretation of sectional analysis results

Displacement control algorithms commonly used to evaluate axial force-bending moment(PM)diagrams may lead to incorrect interpretations of the strength envelopes for asymmetric sections.This paper aims to offer valuable insights by comparing existing displacement control algorithms with a newly proposed force control algorithm.The main focus is on the PM diagrams of three example sections that exhibit varying degrees of asymmetry.The comparative study indicates that conventional displacement control algorithms inevitably introduce non-zero out-of-plane bending moments.The reported PM diagram in such cases erroneously neglects the out-of-plane moment and fails to represent the strength envelope accurately.This oversight results in significant and unconservative errors when verifying the strength of asymmetric sections.

Infuences of Different Admixtures on the Drying Shrinkage Characteristics of Metakaolin-based Geopolymer Mortar

To investigate the influences of different admixtures on the drying shrinkage of polymer mortar in a metakaolin base,the experiments of VAE(vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer),APAM(anionic polyacrylamide)and CPAM(cationic polyacrylamide)on the drying shrinkage properties of geopolymer mortar were designed under normal temperature curing conditions.An SP-175 mortar shrinkage dilatometer was introduced to measure the dry shrinkage of geopolymer mortar.Meanwhile,the drying shrinkage properties of geopolymer mortar are exhibited by the parameters of water loss rate,drying shrinkage rate,drying shrinkage strain and drying shrinkage coefficient.The experimental data are further fitted to obtain the prediction model of dry shrinkage of geopolymer mortar,which can better reflect the relationship between dry shrinkage rate and time.Finally,the experimental results demonstrate that the dry shrinkage of geopolymer mortar can be significantly increased by adding 4%VAE admixture,meanwhile under the condition that the polymer film formed by VAE reaction can strengthen and toughen the mortar.2.5%APAM admixture and 1.5%CPAM admixture can enhance the dry shrinkage performance of geopolymer mortar in a certain range.

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Agent and Steel Fiber on the Fluidity and Cracking Performance of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Due to the low water-cement ratio of ultra-high-performance concrete(UHPC),fluidity and shrinkage cracking are key aspects determining the performance and durability of this type of concrete.In this study,the effects of different types of cementitious materials,chemical shrinkage-reducing agents(SRA)and steel fiber(SF)were assessed.Compared with M2-UHPC and M3-UHPC,M1-UHPC was found to have better fluidity and shrinkage cracking performance.Moreover,different SRA incorporation methods,dosage and different SF types and aspect ratios were implemented.The incorporation of SRA and SF led to a decrease in the fluidity of UHPC.SRA internal content of 1%(NSRA-1%),SRA external content of 1%(WSRA-1%),STS-0.22 and STE-0.7 decreased the fluidity of UHPC by 3.3%,8.3%,9.2%and 25%,respectively.However,SRA and SF improved the UHPC shrinkage cracking performance.NSRA-1%and STE-0.7 reduced the shrinkage value of UHPC by 40%and 60%,respectively,and increased the crack resistance by 338%and 175%,respectively.In addition,the addition of SF was observed to make the microstructure of UHPC more compact,and the compressive strength and flexural strength of 28 d were increased by 26.9%and 19.9%,respectively.

Associations of Perchlorate,Nitrate,and Thiocyanate with Sex Hormones among Children:A Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Study in U.S.

Nitrates,thiocyanates,and perchlorates are ubiquitous in the environment and can be introduced to the public through various dietary and environmental sources.Nitrates,thiocyanates,and perchlorates mainly affect health via the same mechanism.These toxins may act as endocrine disrupters and can result in decreased levels of thyroid hormones^([1]).

Effect of Lightweight Aggregates Incorporation on the Mechanical Properties and Shrinkage Compensation of a Cement-Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag-Phosphogypsum Ternary System

Shrinkage-induced cracking is a common issue in concrete structures,where the formation of cracks not only affects the aesthetic appearance of concrete but also potentially reduces its durability and strength.In this study,the effect of ceramsite sand addition on the properties of a ternary system of cement-ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBFS)-phosphogypsum(PG)is investigated.In particular,the fluidity,rheology,hydration heat,compressive strength,autogenous shrinkage,and drying shrinkage of the considered mortar specimens are analyzed.The results indicate that an increase in PG content leads to a decrease in fluidity,higher viscosity,lower exothermic peak,and lower compressive strength.However,the shrinkage of the mortar specimens is effectively compensated.The incorporation of internal curing water from ceramsite sand improves fluidity,decreases both yield stress and viscosity,enhances the degree of hydration,and induces mortar expansion.However,the inferior mechanical properties of the ceramsite sand generally produce a decrease in the compressive strength.

Isotropic sintering shrinkage of 3D glass-ceramic nanolattices:backbone preforming and mechanical enhancement

There is a perpetual pursuit for free-form glasses and ceramics featuring outstanding mechanical properties as well as chemical and thermal resistance.It is a promising idea to shape inorganic materials in three-dimensional(3D)forms to reduce their weight while maintaining high mechanical properties.A popular strategy for the preparation of 3D inorganic materials is to mold the organic–inorganic hybrid photoresists into 3D micro-and nano-structures and remove the organic components by subsequent sintering.However,due to the discrete arrangement of inorganic components in the organic-inorganic hybrid photoresists,it remains a huge challenge to attain isotropic shrinkage during sintering.Herein,we demonstrate the isotropic sintering shrinkage by forming the consecutive–Si–O–Si–O–Zr–O–inorganic backbone in photoresists and fabricating 3D glass–ceramic nanolattices with enhanced mechanical properties.The femtosecond(fs)laser is used in two-photon polymerization(TPP)to fabricate 3D green body structures.After subsequent sintering at 1000℃,high-quality 3D glass–ceramic microstructures can be obtained with perfectly intact and smooth morphology.In-suit compression experiments and finite-element simulations reveal that octahedral-truss(oct-truss)lattices possess remarkable adeptness in bearing stress concentration and maintain the structural integrity to resist rod bending,indicating that this structure is a candidate for preparing lightweight and high stiffness glass–ceramic nanolattices.3D printing of such glasses and ceramics has significant implications in a number of industrial applications,including metamaterials,microelectromechanical systems,photonic crystals,and damage-tolerant lightweight materials.

Attention-Based Residual Dense Shrinkage Network for ECG Denoising

Electrocardiogram(ECG)signal is one of the noninvasive physiological measurement techniques commonly usedin cardiac diagnosis.However,in real scenarios,the ECGsignal is susceptible to various noise erosion,which affectsthe subsequent pathological analysis.Therefore,the effective removal of the noise from ECG signals has becomea top priority in cardiac diagnostic research.Aiming at the problem of incomplete signal shape retention andlow signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)after denoising,a novel ECG denoising network,named attention-based residualdense shrinkage network(ARDSN),is proposed in this paper.Firstly,the shallow ECG characteristics are extractedby a shallow feature extraction network(SFEN).Then,the residual dense shrinkage attention block(RDSAB)isused for adaptive noise suppression.Finally,feature fusion representation(FFR)is performed on the hierarchicalfeatures extracted by a series of RDSABs to reconstruct the de-noised ECG signal.Experiments on the MIT-BIHarrhythmia database and MIT-BIH noise stress test database indicate that the proposed scheme can effectively resistthe interference of different sources of noise on the ECG signal.

How Does Urban Shrinkage Affect Land Use Efficiency?A Case Study of Shrinking Cities in Northeast China

The effect of urban shrinkage has gradually become a new topic.Theoretically,urban shrinkage may exert great influence on land use efficiency(LUE)through various urban subsystems,but there is currently limited research examining these pathways.Using the Super-SBM-Undesirable model and the Structural Equation Model(SEM),this study calculates the LUE of shrinking cities in Northeast China and simulates the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE.To quantify the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,three mediation variables,namely the economy,public services,and innovation,are used as latent variables to apply SEM.The results show that urban shrinkage will affect LUE through a direct path and indirect paths.In the direct path,urban shrinkage leads to an improvement in LUE.In the indirect paths,the economy and innovation will transmit the negative effect of urban shrinkage on LUE,while public services will reverse this effect.An important contribution of this study is that it quantifies the paths of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,thereby expanding the understanding of urban shrinkage effect and laying a foundation for the sustainable development of shrinking cities.

THE LOGARITHMIC SOBOLEV INEQUALITY FOR A SUBMANIFOLD IN MANIFOLDS WITH ASYMPTOTICALLY NONNEGATIVE SECTIONAL CURVATURE

In this note,we prove a logarithmic Sobolev inequality which holds for compact submanifolds without a boundary in manifolds with asymptotically nonnegative sectional curvature.Like the Michale-Simon Sobolev inequality,this inequality contains a term involving the mean curvature.

Correlation between psychological resilience and burnout among female employees in a shopping mall in Xi Xian new area,China:A cross-sectional survey-Retraction

In the article titled“Correlation between psychological resilience and burnout among female employees in a shopping mall in Xi Xian New Area,China:A cross-sectional survey”by Zhang Q and Liu L(J Integr Nurs 2021;3(3):117-121.doi:10.4103/jin.jin_14_21),[1]the content and results data of this article was questioned by International database(Web of Science)institution.This article was then investigated by the publisher and Journal of Integrative Nursing(JIN).

Analysis and Prediction Model Reinforced UHPC Shrinkage Property

This paper explores the shrinkage of reinforced UHPC under high-temperature steam curing and natural curing conditions.The results are compared with the existing shrinkage prediction models.The results show that the maximum shrinkage strain of reinforced UHPC after steam curing is 164μεand gradually becomes zero.As for natural curing,the maximum shrinkage strain is 173μεand the value stabilizes on the 10th day after pouring.This indicated that steam curing can significantly reduce shrinkage time.Compared with the plain UHPC tested in the previous literature,the structural reinforcement can significantly inhibit the UHPC shrinkage and greatly reduce the risk of cracking due to shrinkage.By comparing the results in this paper with the existing models for predicting the shrinkage strain development,it is found that the formula recommended in the French UHPC structural and technical specification is suitable for the shrinkage curve in the present paper.

基于截断p-shrinkage范数的航空发动机数据重构

针对航空发动机传感器的数据缺失问题,提出基于张量奇异值阈值(TSVT)的张量重构模型LRTC-PTNN,对航空发动机的传感器数据进行重构。LRTC-PTNN模型运用截断pshrinkage范数的方式代替原始张量迹范数作为张量秩的凸包络,并根据TSVT的特性,计算了传感器之间的相关性,选取传感器截面作为重构精度最佳的数据输入方向,使用交替乘子法实现LRTCPTNN算法。选取NASA提供的PHM2008数据集进行实验,对数据集进行标准化,并在重构后进行恢复,将多个时间序列个数相近的发动机传感器数据构建为高维张量的形式,设置2种传感器的数据缺失场景进行实验,结果表明:重构后数据的均方根误差和平均绝对百分比误差范围分别为2.10~13.13和0.32~1.49,LRTC-PTNN模型优于现有的基线模型,且在极端情况下有较强的鲁棒性。

Dyslipidemia in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in a Rural Community in Ganadougou, Mali: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dyslipidemia is a disorder where abnormally lipid concentrations circulate in the bloodstream. The disorder is common in type 2 diabetics (T2D) and is linked with T2D comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia in T2D is typically characterized by elevated plasma triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. There is a significant gap in the literature regarding dyslipidemia in rural parts of Africa, where lipid profiles may not be captured through routine surveillance. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and demo-graphic profile of dyslipidemia in T2D in the rural community of Ganadougou, Mali. We performed a cross-sectional study of 104 subjects with T2D in Ganadougou between November 2021 and March 2022. Demographic and lipid profiles were collected through cross-sectional surveys and serological analyses. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia in T2D patients was 87.5% (91/104), which did not differ by sex (P = .368). High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was the most common lipid abnormality (78.9%, [82/104]). Dyslipidemia was associated with age and hypertension status (P = .013 and.036, respectively). High total and high LDL-C parameters were significantly associated with hypertension (P = .029 and .006, respectively). In low-resource settings such as rural Mali, there is a critical need to improve infrastructure for routine dyslipidemia screening to guide its prevention and intervention approaches. The high rates of dyslipidemia observed in Gandadougou, consistent with concomitant increases in cardiovascular diseases in Africa suggest that lipid profile assessments should be incorporated into routine medical care for T2D patients in African rural settings.

Patterns of Infertility and Abortion in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Infertility and abortion are significant reproductive health concerns globally, impacting individuals' well-being and healthcare systems. In Saudi Arabia, cultural, social, and religious factors influence perceptions and management of these issues, necessitating research to understand the patterns and associated factors. Study Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the patterns of infertility and abortion among 458 women in Saudi Arabia, focusing on demographic profiles, reproductive histories, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors. Methodology: Participants were recruited from healthcare facilities, and data on age, BMI, reproductive history, medical conditions, assisted reproduction methods, and lifestyle behaviors were collected. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were conducted to examine associations between variables. Results: The majority of participants were aged 30 - 39 years (47.4%), with 76.9% experiencing secondary infertility. Among those with offspring (76.9%), 31% reported using assisted reproduction methods, primarily ovarian stimulators (54.2%). Abortion history was reported by 39.5% of participants. Significant associations were found between age and infertility type (X2 = 5.8, p = 0.054), having offspring and infertility type (X2 = 458.0, p = 0.001), menstrual irregularity and infertility type (X2 = 11.4, p = 0.001), and abortion history and delayed fertility (X2 = 10.4, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our study reveals significant associations between demographic, medical, and lifestyle factors with infertility patterns and abortion history among Saudi women. These findings emphasize the need for tailored interventions addressing medical conditions, age-related factors, and access to reproductive healthcare services.

Newly self-administered two-step tool for screening cognitive function in an ageing Chinese population:an exploratory cross-sectional study

Background Early screening of cognitive function is critical to dementia treatment and care.However,traditional tests require face-to-face administration and are often limited by implementation costs and biases.Aims This study aimed to assess whether the Thoven Cognitive Self-Assessment(TCSA),a novel,innovative two-step touchscreen-based cognition assessment tool,could identify early cognitive impairment due to dementia in older adults.Methods The TCSA was administered to 61 healthy controls(HCs),46 participants with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)and 44 participants diagnosed with dementia recruited from Shanghai.Two outcome measures were generated from the TCSA test:the TCSA_(primary task)score and the TCSA_(secondary task)score.Results The total average scores in the control group for the TCSA_(primary task)and TCSA_(secondary task)were significantly higher than those in the MCI and dementia groups(TCSA_(primary task):HCs vs MCI group vs dementia group,8.58±1.76 vs 5.40±2.67 vs 2.74±2.11,F=75.40,p<0.001;TCSA_(secondary task):HCs vs MCI group vs dementia group,23.02±3.31 vs 17.95±4.93 vs 11.93±5.50,F=76.46,p<0.001).Moreover,receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that a score below 7.5 for the TCSA_(primary task)and a score below 22.5 for the TCSA_(secondary task)were indicators of MCI.Conclusions The TCSA appears to be efficacious for the detection of cognitive impairment in older adults.It demonstrates the potential for large-scale cognition screening in community service settings.

Adverse childhood experiences from family and society contribute to increased risk of depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment:a cross-sectional study

Background Family environments can shape children’s personalities and social networks,rendering distinguishing adverse childhood experiences(ACEs)from family and society essential,but related evidence remains limited.Aims This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the correlations between intrafamilial and social ACEs,their associations with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment and the(education-moderated)mediating role of social ACEs.Methods Data for this cross-sectional study were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.Nine intrafamilial(0,1,2,3,and 4 or more)and three social(0,1,and 2 or more)ACEs were identified.Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.Global cognition,including episodic memory and mental intactness,was calculated as z scores.Binary and ordered logistic regressions,generalised linear models with Gaussian family and identity link,and mediation analysis were used.Results 13435 participants aged 59.0(51.0–66.0)were included.Compared with participants with no intrafamilial ACEs,those with 1,2,3,and 4 or more intrafamilial ACEs tended to develop more social ACEs,with odds ratios(ORs)of 1.55(95%confidence interval(CI):1.36 to 1.76),2.36(95%CI:2.08 to 2.68),3.46(95%CI:3.02 to 3.96)and 6.10(95%CI:5.30 to 7.02),respectively.Both intrafamilial and social ACEs were associated with depressive symptoms(OR>3 for four or more intrafamilial ACEs and two or more social ACEs)and global cognition(β=−0.26 for four or more intrafamilial ACEs andβ=−0.29 for two or more social ACEs).Social ACEs mediated the associations of intrafamilial ACEs with depressive symptoms and global cognition by 12.3%and 13.1%,respectively.Furthermore,as education levels increased,the impact of intrafamilial ACEs on depressive symptoms was increasingly mediated through social ACEs,while the mediating role of social ACEs between intrafamilial ACEs and cognitive impairment gradually diminished.Conclusions Improving children’s social environments and elevating general education can prevent later-life depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment attributed to ACEs in China.

Correlation analysis between the Aral Sea shrinkage and the Amu Darya River

The shrinkage of the Aral Sea,which is closely related to the Amu Darya River,strongly affects the sustainability of the local natural ecosystem,agricultural production,and human well-being.In this study,we used the Bayesian Estimator of Abrupt change,Seasonal change,and Trend(BEAST)model to detect the historical change points in the variation of the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya River and analyse the causes of the Aral Sea shrinkage during the 1950–2016 period.Further,we applied multifractal detrend cross-correlation analysis(MF-DCCA)and quantitative analysis to investigate the responses of the Aral Sea to the runoff in the Amu Darya River,which is the main source of recharge to the Aral Sea.Our results showed that two significant trend change points in the water volume change of the Aral Sea occurred,in 1961 and 1974.Before 1961,the water volume in the Aral Sea was stable,after which it began to shrink,with a shrinkage rate fluctuating around 15.21 km3/a.After 1974,the water volume of the Aral Sea decreased substantially at a rate of up to 48.97 km3/a,which was the highest value recorded in this study.In addition,although the response of the Aral Sea's water volume to its recharge runoff demonstrated a complex non-linear relationship,the replenishment of the Aral Sea by the runoff in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River was identified as the dominant factor affecting the Aral Sea shrinkage.Based on the scenario analyses,we concluded that it is possible to slow down the retreat of the Aral Sea and restore its ecosystem by increasing the efficiency of agricultural water use,decreasing agricultural water use in the middle and lower reaches,reducing ineffective evaporation from reservoirs and wetlands,and increasing the water coming from the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River to the 1961–1973 level.These measures would maintain and stabilise the water area and water volume of the Aral Sea in a state of ecological restoration.Therefore,this study focuses on how human consumption of recharge runoff affects the Aral Sea and provides scientific perspective on its ecological conservation and sustainable development.

Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Urban Shrinkage from the Perspective of Factor Flow - A Case Study of National Urban Agglomerations

This paper examines national urban agglomerations by taking factor flows as the focal point as the research subject.By dividing the stages of urban agglomeration development,a comprehensive framework of urban shrinkage is constructed,encompassing economic,population,and social shrinkage.The study explores the spatial distribution characteristics of urban shrinkage during different stages of urban agglomeration and investigates the influencing factors using a geographic detector model.The findings reveal that urban shrinkage within urban agglomerations is widely spread,predominantly in peripheral areas.During the diffusion stage,urban shrinkage is scattered,with population shrinkage concentrated in peripheral regions,economic shrinkage concentrated on old industrial cities,and social shrinkage concentrated on the northeast.The outcomes of the geographic detector model indicate that traffic flow,capital flow,information flow,node importance,network connectivity,government investment,openness,and environmental regulations all play significant roles in shaping the spatial distribution of urban shrinkage.

Barriers to Physical Activity among Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: A Cross-sectional Study

Regular physical activity (PA) has numerous advantages in improving the physical and mental health of children and adolescents^([1]).However,the PA status quo for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) is dismal.Children and adolescents with ID frequently exhibit sedentary behaviors because their physical,sensory,and/or cognitive impairments make it difficult to participate in sports and games with their peers^([2]).They have higher rates of mental illness,obesity,type 2diabetes,and other health problems than peers with typical development (TD).

Arterial stiffness expressed as brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity and gait assessment independent of lower extremity strength:a cross-sectional study in the older men population

BACKGROUND Older men are more vulnerable to fatal falls than women,and gait disturbances contribute to the risk of falls.Studies have assessed the association between arterial stiffness and gait dysfunction,but the results have been inconclusive.This study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate the association between brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity(baPWV)and gait assessment in older men.METHODS Data from the 2014–2015 Korea Institute of Sport Science Fitness Standards project were used for the analysis.The inclusion criteria were men aged>65 years with gait assessment[the 30-s chair stand test(30s-CST),the timed up and go(TUG)test,the figure-of-8 walk(F8W)test,the 2-min step test(2MST),and the 6-min walk test(6MWT)]and baPWV measurement data.Generalized linear regression analysis was conducted with multiple confounding factor adjustments,including lower extremity isometric strength.RESULTS A total of 291 participants were included in the analysis.The mean age was 71.38±4.40 years.The mean values were as follows:(1)30s-CST,17.48±5.00;(2)TUG test,6.01±1.10 s;(3)F8W test,25.65±4.71 s;(4)2MST,102.40±18.83 per 2 min;and(5)6MWT,500.02±85.65 m.After multivariable adjustment,baPWV was associated with the 6MWT(β=−0.037,95%CI:−0.072–−0.002),TUG test(β=0,95%CI:0.000–0.001),and F8W test(β=0.002,95%CI:0.000–0.004).baPWV was not associated with the 30s-CST and 2MST.CONCLUSIONS The current study showed a statistically significant association between gait assessments and arterial stiffness,independent of lower extremity strength.However,this association was modest.Future prospective studies are needed to elucidate the complex relationship between arterial stiffness and gait dysfunction.