Synchronization of Unified Chaotic System Using Occasional Driving

The synchronization of the unified chaotic systems using occasional driving technique is studied. The relation among interim period T , sampling interval 2 ε , feedback gain r and the parameter α of the system is thoroughly investigated. Numerical results show that smaller interim period T and properly larger sampling interval 2 ε can accelerate the synchronizing pace. Furthermore, for a unified chaotic system in which α is given, we can achieve satisfying synchronizing results as long as T,ε and r are appropriately chosen. As we adopt the occasional driving method, we greatly reduce the control cost. Therefore with this method we can obtain the expecting goals with little control cost.

Polyethylene glycol 3350 in occasional constipation: A one-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial

AIM:to evaluate the efficacy and safety of polyethylene glycol(PEG)3350 in subjects with self-reported occasional constipation.METHODS:Eligible subjects≥17 years of age were randomized to receive either placebo or PEG 335017 g once daily in this multicenter,double-blind trial.Evaluations were conducted before(baseline)and after a 7-d treatment period.The primary efficacy variable was the proportion of subjects reporting complete resolution of straining and hard or lumpy stools.Secondary efficacy variables assessed the severity of the subjects’daily bowel movement(BM)symptoms,and preference of laxatives based on diary entries,visual analog scale scores,and questionnaires.RESULTS:Of the 203 subjects enrolled in the study,11had major protocol violations.Complete resolution was noted by 36/98(36.7%)subjects in the PEG 3350 group and 23/94(24.5%)in the placebo group(P=0.0595).The number of complete BMs without straining or lumpy stools was similar between both groups.Subjects receiving PEG 3350 experienced significant relief in straining and reduction in hardness of stools over a7-d period(P<0.0001).Subjects reported that PEG3350 had a better effect on their daily lives,provided better control over a BM,better relief from constipation,cramping,and bloating,and was their preferred laxative.Adverse events(AEs)were balanced between the PEG3350 and the placebo groups.No deaths,serious AEs,or discontinuations due to AEs were reported.This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00770432.CONCLUSION:Oral administration of 17 g PEG3350 once daily for a week is effective,safe,and well tolerated in subjects with occasional constipation.

Predictors of Daily and Occasional Smoking and Quitting in Irish University Students

Knowledge of student smoking behaviors and attitudes was sought to inform a proposal to implement a smoke-free university campus. This study assessed prevalence of student smoking and quitting behaviors and associated demographic, contextual and attitudinal factors. A cross-sectional design using a convenience sample on a single university site was utilized. Data were collected by anonymous self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using bivariate and multivariable logistic models comparing smokers and non-smokers (Model 1) and daily with occasional smokers Model 2. Of 739 respondents, 19% of students smoked;12% occasional (non-daily) and 7% daily smokers. Smokers were more likely to be ≥22 years and to allow smoking inside their accommodation (Model 1). They were less likely to agree that tobacco was addictive and to consider those who smoked at parties and weekends to be regular smokers. In Model 2, daily smokers were older and nine times more likely to report increased difficulty in handling stress if they quit smoking. Forty-four percent of all smokers had attempted to quit in the past year, 35% of smokers intended to quit in the next 30 days and 53% in the next six months. Forty percent did not use quitting supports. Occasional rather than daily smoking was more prevalent in university students. Smokers differed from non-smokers in their perception of smoking-related health risks. Increasing age was the best predictor of regular and occasional smoking. Intentions to quit smoking and quit attempts were high among all smokers although use of on-site cessation supports was less than the optimal. These combined factors indicate a need for better targeting of our prevention strategies and the need to promote greater awareness of cessation supports for successful implementation of a smoke-free campus.

Occasional Forces and Displacements of Longitudinally Coupled Ballastless Jointless Turnout on Bridges

For the longitudinally coupled baUastless turnout on Leida bridge on Wuhan-Guangzhou passenger dedicated line （PDL） in China, a turnout （cross over）-track slab-bridge deck-pier integrated finite element model was established, in which two No. 18 jointless turnouts with movable frogs in form of crossover, longitudinally coupled ballastless track, bridges and piers were regarded as one system. Based on this model, the additional forces and displacement regularities of turnouts, track slab, bridges and piers under occasional loading were analyzed, and the effect of occasional loading position was researched. The results show that slab breaking is more influential on the longitudinal force and deformation of the whole system than rail breaking, that slab breaking on one line could deteriorate both the slab force on another line and the forces exerted on the piers and fastener components, and that a great slab force at the left end of the continuous bridge expansion joint should be particularly avoided in design.

Common Fixed Point Results for Occasionally Weakly Compatible Maps in G-Symmetric Spaces

The notion of a G-symmetric space is introduced and the common fixed points for some pairs of occasionally weakly compatible maps satisfying some contractive conditions in a G-symmetric space are proved. The results extend and improve some results in literature.

Limited impacts of occasional tillage on dry aggregate size distribution and soil carbon and nitrogen fractions in semi-arid drylands

Tillage management that minimizes the frequency and intensity of soil disturbance can increase soil carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)sequestration and improve the resilience of dryland cropping systems,yet the impact of occasional disturbance on soil aggregate formation and the soil organic carbon(SOC)storage within aggregates has not been studied well.We evaluated the effect of four tillage management practices on soil dry aggregate size distribution,aggregate-protected C and N,mineral-associated organic matter carbon(MAOM-C),particulate organic matter carbon(POM-C),and corn(Zea mays L.)and sorghum(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Moench)yields in a semi-arid dryland cropping system.Treatments included conventional tillage(CT),strip-tillage(ST),no-tillage(NT),and occasional tillage(OT)management in a corn-sorghum rotation.Soil macro-aggregates were 51-54%greater under ST,NT,and OT,while small and micro-aggregates were greater in CT.Conventional tillage reduced soil aggregate-associated C by 28-31%in macro-aggregates and 47-53%in small aggregates at 26 months(M)sampling compared to ST,NT,and OT.In clay+silt fraction,CT had 14-16%,21-26%,and 36-43%less SOC at 7,14,and 26M samplings,respectively,than ST,NT,and OT.Aggregate associated N was generally similar under ST,NT,and OT,which was greater on average than CT.Soil MOAM-C and POM-C under ST,NT,and OT were generally greater than respective SOC fractions under CT at 19 and 26 M after OT implementation.Corn and sorghum yields were similar among tillage systems in 2020,but greater under ST,NT,and OT than CT in 2021.Our results suggest that while frequent intensive tillage can lower SOC and N storage,a single stubble mulch occasional tillage after several years of NT does not lead to soil C and N losses and soil structural instability in semi-arid drylands.

THOUGHTS FOR A NEW ERA

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games came to an end on 11 August.As an avid sports fan,Chinese President Xi Jinping has cheered for China’s sports cause on many occasions and pointed the direction for building a leading sports nation.

Zhao Feng,Early Chinese Textiles from the Lloyd Cotsen Collection.Los Angeles:Cotsen Occasional Press,2015

This lavish publication presents Lloyd Cotsen’s sizable collection of early textiles from the Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) in Central Asia. Sixty excellent color photographs of Chinese silk fabrics and a few Central Asian wool textiles are housed in a beautiful red box.

Instructions for Authors

International Journal of Minerals,Metallurgy and Materials is dedicated to the publication and the dissemination of original research articles(and occasional invited reviews)in the field s of Minerals,Metallurgy and Materials.It is covered by EI Compendex,SCI Expanded,Chemical Abstract,etc.

TEAR DROP PATTERN " POTASH DEPOSITS IN LACUSTRINE FACIES

It is well known that there are two patterns of potash deposition in lacustrine fades: " tear drop pattern " (the Dabsan saline lake is a typical example)and " bull’s eye pattern " . Potash-forming in tear drop pattern is still continuing.The 2,678 m A . S. L . lake in the middle of the Qarhan playa in the Qaidam Basin covers an area of 210 km2 , and has an average depth of 0.39 m. Its MgCh type surface brine is 280-340 g/1 in salinity and mainly consists of Na, K, Mg and Cl. As a rule, the potash deposits occur as evaporite distributed in tear drop pattern at the northern and northeastern lakeshore zones. They mostly consist of carnallite and halite, occasionally sylvite.The deposition is very unstable and controlled principally by the varying supply of deposit materials from the Golmud River in the south.The potash deposits were formed when concentration of the surface brine reached a certain degree in the main evaporating season. Their forming process followed some crystalization paths in the phase

Diversity and production in an Afromontane Forest

Background：This contribution evaluates the effect of forest structure and tree species diversity on plot productivity and individual tree growth in the unique Knysna forests in Southern Africa using mapped tree data from an observational study that has been re-measured over a period of 40 years.Methods：The effects of tree species diversity and forest structure on tree growth and forest production are evaluated on three levels of resolution：a） the forest community（canopy,sub-canopy species）,b） the subplots（number of trees per ha,skewness of the diameter distribution,diameter coefficient of variation） and c） the immediate neighborhood of selected reference trees（＂Mingling＂,＂Dominance＂,Aggregation＂ and ＂Size Variation＂）.Results：An analysis of the community level identified two distinct clusters,one including dominant/canopy species with the highest growth rates and a greater variation of growth,and another cluster which includes the remaining subcanopy species which have a smaller maximum size and lower rates of growth.The area-based structure variables on plot level have a highly significant effect on total basal area growth.However,the effects of forest density and species richness on productivity were not straight forward.Maximum basal area production of about 0.75 m^2/ha/year is achieved at medium levels of richness（around 20 species per ha） and medium levels of density（around 30 m^2/ha basal area） using percentile regression estimates.The relative ＂Dominance＂ of a selected reference tree had a highly significant effect on individual tree growth on all investigated species.Other neighbourhood structure variables were only occasionally significant or not significant at all.Conclusion：This contribution presents a new theoretical framework for analysing natural forests that includes community,plot and neighborhood variables of forest structure and diversity,and a first specific analysis of the structure and dynamics of the Knysna Afromontane Forest,based on a unique set of longterm observations.The species-area（SAR） model developed in this study,represents a new general approach that can be used to derive a common standard of tree species diversity for different plot sizes,the species richness per hectare.

One-dimensional PT-symmetric acoustic heterostructure

The explorations of parity-time(PT)-symmetric acoustics have resided at the frontier in physics,and the pre-existing accessing of exceptional points typically depends on Fabry-Perot resonances of the coupling interlayer sandwiched between balanced gain and loss components.Nevertheless,the concise PT-symmetric acoustic heterostructure,eliminating extra interactions caused by the interlayer,has not been researched in depth.Here we derive the generalized unitary relation for one-dimensional(1D)PT-symmetric heterostructure of arbitrary complexity,and demonstrate four disparate patterns of anisotropic transmission resonances(ATRs)accompanied by corresponding spontaneous phase transitions.As a special case of ATR,the occasional bidirectional transmission resonance reconsolidates the ATR frequencies that split when waves incident from opposite directions,whose spatial profiles distinguish from a unitary structure.The derived theoretical relation can serve as a predominant signature for the presence of PT symmetry and PT-symmetry-breaking transition,which may provide substantial support for the development of prototype devices with asymmetric acoustic responses.

Case report of unilateral electric cataract with transmission electron microscopy image

Dear Sir,We hereby report a case of unilateral electric cataract with transmission electron microscopy（TEM）image.Ocular injuries induced by electricity can occur simultaneously or sequentially with the electric event,and occasionally occur later than the initial event.There are many ocular manifestations,with the most common one being

Age-related habitat selection by brown forest skinks(Sphenomorphus indicus)

In reptiles, habitat selection is the process whereby suitable habitat is selected that optimizes physiological functions and behavioral performance. Here, we used the brown forest skink（Sphenomorphus indicus） as a model animal and examined whether the frequency of active individuals, environmental temperature, illumination of activity area, and habitat type vary with different age classes. We surveyed the number of active individuals and measured environmental variables at Baiyunshan Mountain in Lishui, Zhejiang, China. We found no difference in the activity frequency of adult and juvenile S. indicus; the activity pattern of active individuals was bimodal. The mean environmental temperature selected by adults was higher than that selected by juveniles. The environmental temperature of active areas measured at 0900-1000 h and 1100-1200 h was higher than at 1400-1500h; illumination of the active area at 1000-1200 h was also higher than at 1400h-1600 h. The number of active individuals, the environmental temperature and illumination of activity areas showed pairwise positive correlation. There was a difference in habitat type between juveniles and adults whereby juveniles prefer rock habitats. We predict that active S. indicus select optimal habitats with different environmental temperatures and types to reach the physiological needs particular to their age classes.

Instructions for Authors

International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials is dedicated to the publication and the dissemination of original research articles (and occasional invited reviews) in the fields of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials. It is covered by EI Compendex, SCI Expanded, Chemical Abstract, etc. The following components are required for a complete manuscript: Title, Author(s), Author affiliation(s), Abstract, Keywords,Main text, Acknowledgements and References.

Service Information

Aims and Scope Journal of Geriatric Cardiology (JGC) is a biomedical quarterly published by the Institute of Geriatric Cardiology, China.The purpose of JGC is to provide a forum for the exchange of information,ideas and opinions between physicians and researchers in the East and in the West.JGC publishes peer-reviewed articles that are relevant to the care of older persons with cardiovascular disease,especially those with concomitant disease of other major organ-systems,such as the lungs,the kidneys,liver,central nervous system,gastrointestinal tract or endocrines,etc.JGC also occasionally republishes, with permission,articles of scientific or clinical excellence that have appeared in Chinese-language journals.Regular features of the Journal include:clinical research,laboratory research,review article,case report and letter to the editor.

MECHANISM OF ACUPUNCTURE IN SUPPRESSING EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

Suppression of epileptic seizure byacupuncture was described early in the an-cient medical literature,and now this treat-ment is occasionally seen reported.The chiefadvantage of the acupuncture treatment isabsence of side-effects which antiepilepticdrugs usually have.Patients showing no re-sponse to drugs have been reported curedwhen treated by acupuncture.

TREATMENT OF SENILE HYPERTENSION BASED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF SYNDROMES

Senile hypertension is a common disor-der frequently seen in senile persons, its in-cidence being 7.73% in the general popula-tion and 20.6% in persons aged over 60years in China. In Beijing, hypertensionheads the list of senile diseases. In Europeand America, one third of the

INTRAVENOUS PRIMAXIN(Imipenem-Cilastation Sodium/MSD)

Contraindications: PRIMAXIN is contraindicated in patients who have shown hypersensitivity to any component of this product. Warnings: Serious and occasionally fatal hypersensitivity(anaphylactic) reactions have been reported in patients teceiving therapy withbeta lactams. These reactions are more apt to occut in persons with a history of sensitivity to multiple allergens.