The gut-brain connection is a bidirectional communication system that links the gut microbiome to the central nervous system (CNS). The gut-brain axis communicates through a variety of mechanisms, including the releas...The gut-brain connection is a bidirectional communication system that links the gut microbiome to the central nervous system (CNS). The gut-brain axis communicates through a variety of mechanisms, including the release of hormones, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. These signaling molecules can travel from the gut to the brain and vice versa, influencing various physiological and cognitive functions. Emerging therapeutic strategies targeting the gut-brain connection include probiotics, prebiotics, and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Probiotics are live microorganisms that are similar to the beneficial bacteria that are naturally found in the gut. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. FMT is a procedure in which faecal matter from a healthy donor is transplanted into the gut of a person with a diseased microbiome. Probiotics, prebiotics, and FMT have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, and there is growing evidence that they may also be effective in treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. This review explores the emerging field of the gut-brain connection, focusing on the communication pathways between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system. We summarize the potential roles of gut dysbiosis in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies, research limitations, and future directions in this exciting area of research. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the gut-brain connection and to develop safe and effective therapies that target this pathway. However, the findings to date are promising, and there is the potential to revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.展开更多
The joint-bolt-African Vulture optimization algorithm(AVOA)model is proposed for the design of building connections to improve the stability of steel beam-to-column connections.For this algorithm,the type of steel is ...The joint-bolt-African Vulture optimization algorithm(AVOA)model is proposed for the design of building connections to improve the stability of steel beam-to-column connections.For this algorithm,the type of steel is first determined,and the number of bolts needed by the corresponding steel type is referenced in Eurocode 3.Then,the bearing capacity of the joint can be calculated.The joint-bolt-AVOA model is established by substituting the bolt number required by the steel into the algorithm to obtain the optimal bolt number required while ensuring joint stability.The results show that the number of bolts required by the joint-bolt-AVOA model based on the stability of steel is lower than that calculated by Eurocode 3.Therefore,AVOA can effectively optimize the number of bolts needed in building connections and save resources.展开更多
Topological indices(TIs)have been practiced for distinct wide-ranging physicochemical applications,especially used to characterize and model the chemical structures of various molecular compounds such as dendrimers,na...Topological indices(TIs)have been practiced for distinct wide-ranging physicochemical applications,especially used to characterize and model the chemical structures of various molecular compounds such as dendrimers,nanotubes and neural networks with respect to their certain properties such as solubility,chemical stability and low cytotoxicity.Dendrimers are prolonged artificially synthesized or amalgamated natural macromolecules with a sequential layer of branches enclosing a central core.A present-day trend in mathematical and computational chemistry is the characterization of molecular structure by applying topological approaches,including numerical graph invariants.Among topological descriptors,Zagreb connection indices(ZCIs)have much importance.This manuscript involves the establishment of general results to calculate ZCIs,namely first ZCI(FZCI),second ZCI(SZCI),third ZCI(TZCI),modified FZCI,modified SZCI and modified TZCI of two special types of dendrimers nanostars,namely,poly propylene imine octamin(PPIO)dendrimer and poly(propyl)ether imine(PPEtIm)dendrimer.Furthermore,we provide the numerical and graphical comparative analysis of our calculated results for both types of dendrimers with each other.展开更多
Based on the background of structural protection and Disaster Reduction Engineering, the dynamic behaviour and failure mechanism of restrained beams in portal steel frames in localised fire are investigated via experi...Based on the background of structural protection and Disaster Reduction Engineering, the dynamic behaviour and failure mechanism of restrained beams in portal steel frames in localised fire are investigated via experimental measurement and numerical simulation techniques. Comprehensive parametric studies are carried out to discuss the influence of end connection types, temperature, impact velocity,impact mass and span-to-depth ratio(SDR) on the dynamic response of the beams. The characteristics of deformation, internal force and energy distribution about the restrained beams and its joints are investigated. A temperature dependent criterion for evaluating the frame joint performance is proposed to measure the degree of performance degradation and impact resistance of the joint. The dynamic displacement amplification factor in different temperature environments are proposed for the different beam end constraint types and SDRs. Results of the experimental and numerical analysis show that the welded connection(WC) of three typical joint types is the strongest, and the extended endplate connection(EEC) is the weakest in terms of the impact resistance performance. With regard to the failure mode of the joint, the failure positions of the WC and the welded-bolted connection are located in the inner web of the column. Meanwhile, the EEC is located in the connection position between the beam and the endplate. Three different internal force stages and two obvious critical temperature boundaries of the restrained beams emerge with the increase in temperature, and they have significant characteristics in terms of deformation trend, internal force transfer and energy distribution. During the impact, a phenomenon known as “compression arch action” develops into “catenary action” with the increase in deflection in the frame beam mechanism.展开更多
Islands and the mainland are separated by seas,and the distances between them might be so long that the height on the mainland cannot be exactly translated to the islands,resulting in different height systems on the m...Islands and the mainland are separated by seas,and the distances between them might be so long that the height on the mainland cannot be exactly translated to the islands,resulting in different height systems on the mainland and the islands.In this study,we used astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical and ellipsoidal heights of points on the mainland and island near their coastlines to implement height connection across sea areas.First,the modeled gravity and modeled astrogeodetic vertical deflections of segmentation points along connecting routes over the sea between the mainland and the island were determined by Earth Gravity Model(EGM),and the ellipsoidal heights of segmentation points were determined by the satellite altimetry data sets.Second,we used a linear interpolation model to increase the precision of the vertical deflections of segmentation points.Third,we computed the geopotential difference of points between the mainland and the island using a method derived from geopotential theory and the astronomical leveling principle.Finally,we estimated the normal height of the point on the island using the geopotential-difference iterative computation approach.Using observed data of normal heights,ellipsoidal heights,and astrogeodetic vertical deflections referring to height sites in Qingdao,Shandong Province,we conducted a numerical experiment involving the normal height connection across sea regions.We determined the data of the ellipsoidal heights and gravity of segmentation points along the connecting route across the water in the numerical experiment using DTU10.The distance of the height connection across the sea was approximately 10.5 km.According to China's official leveling specifications,the experimental results met the criterion of third-class leveling precision.展开更多
Efficient flow simulation and optimization methods of hydraulic fracture morphology in unconventional reservoirs are effective ways to enhance oil/gas recovery.Based on the connection element method(CEM)and distributi...Efficient flow simulation and optimization methods of hydraulic fracture morphology in unconventional reservoirs are effective ways to enhance oil/gas recovery.Based on the connection element method(CEM)and distribution of stimulated reservoir volume,the complex hydraulic fracture morphology was accurately described using heterogeneous node connection system.Then a new fracture connection element method(FCEM)for fluid flow in stimulated unconventional reservoirs with complex hydraulic fracture morphology was proposed.In the proposed FCEM,the arrangement of dense nodes in the stimulated area and sparse nodes in the unstimulated area ensures the calculation accuracy and efficiency.The key parameter,transmissibility,was also modified according to the strong heterogeneity of stimulated reservoirs.The finite difference and semi-analytical tracking were used to accurately solve the pressure and saturation distribution between nodes.The FCEM is validated by comparing with traditional numerical simulation method,and the results show that the bottom hole pressure simulated by the FCEM is consistent with the results from traditional numerical simulation method,and the matching rate is larger than 95%.The proposed FCEM was also used in the optimization of fracturing parameters by coupling the hydraulic fracture propagation method and intelligent optimization algorithm.The integrated intelligent optimization approach for multi-parameters,such as perforation number,perforation location,and displacement in hydraulic fracturing is proposed.The proposed approach was applied in a shale gas reservoir,and the result shows that the optimized perforation location and morphology distribution are related to the distribution of porosity/permeability.When the perforation location and displacement are optimized with the same fracture number,NPV increases by 70.58%,which greatly improves the economic benefits of unconventional reservoirs.This work provides a new way for flow simulation and optimization of hydraulic fracture morphology of multi-fractured horizontal wells in unconventional reservoirs.展开更多
Increasing attention has been focused on the extent to which corporate political connections influence the growing pollution due to the rapid growth in the popularity of firm pollution in developing countries.We adopt...Increasing attention has been focused on the extent to which corporate political connections influence the growing pollution due to the rapid growth in the popularity of firm pollution in developing countries.We adopt a static threshold regression model to investigate the effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on political connections and firm pollution based on the panel data from China’s A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2019.The empirical results show a non-linear relationship between the degree of political connection of listed company executives and the level of firm pollution.And the relationship between the two roughly presents a U-shaped relationship under the action of the marketincentive environmental regulation threshold.However,it roughly presents an inverted N-shaped relationship under the action of the command-control environmental regulation threshold.Additionally,the group test results show that the existence of regional and ownership heterogeneity causes certain differences in the environmental behaviour of politically connected enterprises.These findings indicate that diverse environmental regulations are needed to promote sustainable green development and to further expand the theoretical and practical exploration of political connections on firm pollution.展开更多
Considering the glulam beam-column connection form and the number of bolts,monotonic loading test and finite element analysis was carried out on 9 connection specimens in 3 groups to study the rotational performance a...Considering the glulam beam-column connection form and the number of bolts,monotonic loading test and finite element analysis was carried out on 9 connection specimens in 3 groups to study the rotational performance and failure mode of the connection.The test results revealed that compared with U-shaped connectors,T-shaped connectors can effectively improve the ductility of connections,and the increase in the number of bolts can reduce the initial stiffness and ductility of connections.By theoretical analysis,formulas for calculating the initial stiffness and ultimate moment of connections were deduced.Subsequently,the moment-rotation theoretical model of connections was established based on the formulas,which were validated according to the test data and simulation results.The proposed model can not only improve the current theoretical system of heavy-duty glulam beam-column structure but also provide a theoretical basis for calculating the mechanical properties of the glulam beam-column connection.展开更多
To promote the development of timber-concrete composite(TCC)structures,it is necessary to propose the assembly-type connections with high assembly efficiency and shear performances.This article presented the experimen...To promote the development of timber-concrete composite(TCC)structures,it is necessary to propose the assembly-type connections with high assembly efficiency and shear performances.This article presented the experimental results of the innovative steel-plate connections for TCC beams using prefabricated concrete slabs.The steel-plate connections consisted of the screws and the steel-plates.The steel-plates were partly embedded in the concrete slabs.The concrete slabs and the timber beams were connected by screws through the steel-plates.The parameters researched in this article included screw number,angle steel as the reinforcement for anchoring,and shallow notches on the timber surface to restrict the slip of the steel-plates.Experimental results were discussed in terms of failure modes,ultimate bearing capacities,and slip moduli.It was found that increasing the number of screws could lead to the obvious improvement on the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli at the ultimate state;and the angle steel as the reinforcement showed the slight influence on the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli.The application of the shallow notch can greatly improve the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli.The calculation models for the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli of the steel-plate connections with and without shallow notches were proposed,which showed good accuracy compared with the experimental results.展开更多
Tetralogy of Fallot(TOF)with total anomalous pulmonary vein connections(TAPVC)is a rare type of complex congenital heart disease among all TOF cases.Co-presentation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries(MAPCAs)c...Tetralogy of Fallot(TOF)with total anomalous pulmonary vein connections(TAPVC)is a rare type of complex congenital heart disease among all TOF cases.Co-presentation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries(MAPCAs)compensates for the lack of central pulmonary bloodflow and decreases the severity of right-to-left shunting in TOF.We present a case of a 2-year-old child with complex diagnoses of TOF,TAPVC,a large secun-dum atrial septal defect(ASD),and intraoperatively identified MAPCAs.She underwent surgery to repair the TAPVC,valve-sparing reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract,interventricular defect closure,and the creation of patent foramen ovale(PFO).After the operation,hemodynamic instability happened along with sudden blood pressure drop,desaturation,and increased central venous pressure,which subsided after adminis-tering inhalational nitric oxide(NO).A postoperative pulmonary hypertension crisis was suggested when the patient experienced recurrent symptoms after the termination of NO.Echocardiographicfindings of a D-shaped left ventricle(LV),right-to-left PFO shunt and high tricuspid valve gradientfirmly established the diagnosis.It was subsequently managed with continuous NO inhalation and sildenafil,which rendered a satisfactory outcome.Repaired TOF and TAPVC could be at particular risk of developing pulmonary hypertension crisis,especially in the presence of MAPCAs due to possible remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature.Furthermore,a relatively non-compliant LV function and small left atrial size may exacerbate the risk of developing postcapillary pulmonary hypertension after TAPVC repair.A successful postoperative outcome calls for a meticulous preoperative analysis of the anatomical lesions,as well as careful monitoring.展开更多
Moso bamboos have attracted excessive attention as a renewable green building material to the concept of sustainable development.In this paper,the 20 bolted Moso bamboo connection specimens with embedded steel plates ...Moso bamboos have attracted excessive attention as a renewable green building material to the concept of sustainable development.In this paper,the 20 bolted Moso bamboo connection specimens with embedded steel plates and grouting materials were designed according to connection configurations with different bolt diameters and end distance of bolt holes,and their bearing capacities and failure modes were analyzed by static tension tests.According to the test results of all connectors,the failure modes of the specimens are divided into four categories,and the effects of bolt diameter and bolt hole end distance on the connection bearing capacity and failure mode are analyzed.The test results show that the deformation and failure process can be divided into four stages.The main influence factor of connector bearing capacity is bolt diameter.Connectors can be divided into four failure modes,and brittle failure can be avoided by adopting certain structural measures.Filling with grouting material can improve the bearing capacity of joints.Due to the large variability of bamboo,further experiments are needed.展开更多
Corrosion is a primary cause of the slippage of friction⁃type high⁃strength bolted(FHSB)T⁃stub connections.This paper attempts to quantify the residual capacity of FHSB T⁃stub connections with corroded nuts.Firstly,co...Corrosion is a primary cause of the slippage of friction⁃type high⁃strength bolted(FHSB)T⁃stub connections.This paper attempts to quantify the residual capacity of FHSB T⁃stub connections with corroded nuts.Firstly,corrosion simulation tests were conducted on 48 manually cut nuts to find out the relationship between the damage degree of nut section and the residual clamping force(RCF)of bolt.Then,static load tests were carried out on 24 FHSB T⁃stub connections with nuts of different degrees of damage to obtain the failure modes.By finite⁃element(FE)models,a comparative analysis was performed on the initial friction load(IFL)and ultimate strength(US)of each connection with corroded nuts.Finally,the parameters of 96 FE models for FHSB T⁃stub connections were analyzed and used to derive the calculation formulas for the degree of damage for each nut and the IFL and US of each connection.The results show that the RCF decay of a bolt is a quadratic function of the equivalent radius loss ratio and the shear failure after nut corrosion;the IFL of each connection had a clear linear correlation with the RCF of the corresponding bolts,and the correlation depends on the applied load and static friction on connecting plate interface induced by the clamping force;the static friction had little impact on the US of the connection;the proposed IFL and US formulas can effectively derive the residual anti⁃slip capacity of FHSB T⁃stub connections from the degree of damage of the corroded nut section.The research results provide a scientific basis for the replacement and maintenance of corroded bolts of FHSB T⁃stub connections.展开更多
Because of factors such as energy and time one invests in an object,the stronger the connection,value,and reluc-tance to lose said object individual will have.Hoarding behavior arises when individuals incorporate a st...Because of factors such as energy and time one invests in an object,the stronger the connection,value,and reluc-tance to lose said object individual will have.Hoarding behavior arises when individuals incorporate a strong attachment with themselves to an object.The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-investment on hoarding tendency and the roles of possession-self link and liking level in this connection.A hypothetical model of the relationship between self-investment,possession-self link,liking level,and hoarding tendency was tested.A convenience sampling method was used to survey 450 college students in Yunnan Province on either a paper-based or online self-report scale.The data were collected using self-investment,possession-self link,and liking level questionnaires,as well as the Saving Inventory Revised.Results showed positive relationship between the study variables,ranging from 0.37 to 0.87.College students’self-investment had a direct positive pre-dictive effect on hoarding tendency;self-investment,in turn,indirectly predicted hoarding tendency through the mediating effect of possession-self link;and individual liking level of items had a moderating effect for self-invest-ment on the possession-self link.This study shows how self-investment affects the hoarding tendency of college students,and the results of this study also help demonstrate the value of self-investment and possession-self link in optimizing students’hoarding tendency and thus promoting good psychological status.展开更多
Recurrent Neural Networks(RNNs)have been widely applied to deal with temporal problems,such as flood forecasting and financial data processing.On the one hand,traditional RNNs models amplify the gradient issue due to ...Recurrent Neural Networks(RNNs)have been widely applied to deal with temporal problems,such as flood forecasting and financial data processing.On the one hand,traditional RNNs models amplify the gradient issue due to the strict time serial dependency,making it difficult to realize a long-term memory function.On the other hand,RNNs cells are highly complex,which will signifi-cantly increase computational complexity and cause waste of computational resources during model training.In this paper,an improved Time Feedforward Connections Recurrent Neural Networks(TFC-RNNs)model was first proposed to address the gradient issue.A parallel branch was introduced for the hidden state at time t−2 to be directly transferred to time t without the nonlinear transforma-tion at time t−1.This is effective in improving the long-term dependence of RNNs.Then,a novel cell structure named Single Gate Recurrent Unit(SGRU)was presented.This cell structure can reduce the number of parameters for RNNs cell,consequently reducing the computational complexity.Next,applying SGRU to TFC-RNNs as a new TFC-SGRU model solves the above two difficulties.Finally,the performance of our proposed TFC-SGRU was verified through sev-eral experiments in terms of long-term memory and anti-interference capabilities.Experimental results demonstrated that our proposed TFC-SGRU model can cap-ture helpful information with time step 1500 and effectively filter out the noise.The TFC-SGRU model accuracy is better than the LSTM and GRU models regarding language processing ability.展开更多
Practically,the load currents in three phases are asymmetric in the power system.It means that the impedances are different in all three phases.If the consumer’s transformer neutral cut off and/or was disconnected fr...Practically,the load currents in three phases are asymmetric in the power system.It means that the impedances are different in all three phases.If the consumer’s transformer neutral cut off and/or was disconnected from the neutral of power supply source,then there will be some trouble and failure occurred.The current in the neutral wire drops down to zero when the neutral wire is cut off and the phase currents of all three-phase equal to each other since there was no return wire.The currents are equal but the voltages at the phase consumers are different.Especially for residential single-phase consumers,the voltage at the consumers of the phase varies differently for three phase systems when the neutral wire was disconnected at consumer side and even the voltage at the consumers one or two of those three phases becomes over nominal voltage or reaches nearly line voltage.In this case,the electronic appliances in that phase will be fed by high voltage than the rated value and they can be broken down.In the power system of UB(Ulaanbaatar)city,there are some occasional such kind of failures every year.Obviously,many electronic appliances were broken down due to high voltage and the electricity utility companies respond for service charge of damaged parts.展开更多
The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of lightweight structures and connections in the DfD(design for disassembly)framework.The construction sector is facing pressure to reduce its environmental impact,whic...The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of lightweight structures and connections in the DfD(design for disassembly)framework.The construction sector is facing pressure to reduce its environmental impact,which has led to heightened interest in DfD as a strategy for transitioning from a linear“Cradle to Grave”economic model to a circular“Cradle to Cradle”model.At the social level,DfD’s technological and spatial flexibility provides opportunities for self-build and self-maintenance processes,which can decrease land consumption and reduce costs for both owners and tenants.In this context,lightweight structures and connections are crucial for enabling these processes.The methodology used for analysis involves breaking down three technological elements chosen from three different projects to evaluate ease of disassembly,flexibility,potential for reuse,and recyclability.As a result,this paper aims to promote the development of an abacus of existing technological solutions,to provide designers with a tool that can help them pursue DfD strategies.展开更多
Feeling butterflies in your stomach when nervous?There may be more science behind the saying than we realized.In a new study published in Nature Metabolism on August 17,a research team led by Dr.ZHANG Zhi from the Uni...Feeling butterflies in your stomach when nervous?There may be more science behind the saying than we realized.In a new study published in Nature Metabolism on August 17,a research team led by Dr.ZHANG Zhi from the University of Science and Technology of China(USTC)and Dr.TAO Wenjuan from the Anhui Medical University in China have mapped a direct line of communication from the brain to the stomach that helps explain how stress can induce gastrointestinal issues.展开更多
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune visited China on 17-21 July at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping,receiving a warm welcome from the Chinese government and people.The Chinese people often describe t...Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune visited China on 17-21 July at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping,receiving a warm welcome from the Chinese government and people.The Chinese people often describe the China-Algeria bond as an enduring friendship deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.展开更多
Patients with age-related hearing loss face hearing difficulties in daily life.The causes of age-related hearing loss are complex and include changes in peripheral hearing,central processing,and cognitive-related abil...Patients with age-related hearing loss face hearing difficulties in daily life.The causes of age-related hearing loss are complex and include changes in peripheral hearing,central processing,and cognitive-related abilities.Furthermore,the factors by which aging relates to hearing loss via changes in audito ry processing ability are still unclear.In this cross-sectional study,we evaluated 27 older adults(over 60 years old) with age-related hearing loss,21 older adults(over 60years old) with normal hearing,and 30 younger subjects(18-30 years old) with normal hearing.We used the outcome of the uppe r-threshold test,including the time-compressed thres h old and the speech recognition threshold in noisy conditions,as a behavioral indicator of auditory processing ability.We also used electroencephalogra p hy to identify presbycusis-related abnormalities in the brain while the participants were in a spontaneous resting state.The timecompressed threshold and speech recognition threshold data indicated significant diffe rences among the groups.In patients with age-related hearing loss,information masking(babble noise) had a greater effect than energy masking(speech-shaped noise) on processing difficulties.In terms of resting-state electroencephalography signals,we observed enhanced fro ntal lobe(Brodmann’s area,BA11) activation in the older adults with normal hearing compared with the younger participants with normal hearing,and greater activation in the parietal(BA7) and occipital(BA19) lobes in the individuals with age-related hearing loss compared with the younger adults.Our functional connection analysis suggested that compared with younger people,the older adults with normal hearing exhibited enhanced connections among networks,including the default mode network,sensorimotor network,cingulo-opercular network,occipital network,and frontoparietal network.These results suggest that both normal aging and the development of age-related hearing loss have a negative effect on advanced audito ry processing capabilities and that hearing loss accele rates the decline in speech comprehension,especially in speech competition situations.Older adults with normal hearing may have increased compensatory attentional resource recruitment represented by the to p-down active listening mechanism,while those with age-related hearing loss exhibit decompensation of network connections involving multisensory integration.展开更多
On October 18,the High-level Forum on Connectivity,as one of the three high-level forums of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,opened.This forum aims at rallying the consensus of all parties,f...On October 18,the High-level Forum on Connectivity,as one of the three high-level forums of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,opened.This forum aims at rallying the consensus of all parties,forming a joint development force,and promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation.Guests from at home and abroad spoke and exchanged views on topics such as“the‘physical connectivity’of deepening infrastructure and the‘institutional connectivity’of technology,standards。展开更多
文摘The gut-brain connection is a bidirectional communication system that links the gut microbiome to the central nervous system (CNS). The gut-brain axis communicates through a variety of mechanisms, including the release of hormones, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. These signaling molecules can travel from the gut to the brain and vice versa, influencing various physiological and cognitive functions. Emerging therapeutic strategies targeting the gut-brain connection include probiotics, prebiotics, and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Probiotics are live microorganisms that are similar to the beneficial bacteria that are naturally found in the gut. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. FMT is a procedure in which faecal matter from a healthy donor is transplanted into the gut of a person with a diseased microbiome. Probiotics, prebiotics, and FMT have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, and there is growing evidence that they may also be effective in treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. This review explores the emerging field of the gut-brain connection, focusing on the communication pathways between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system. We summarize the potential roles of gut dysbiosis in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies, research limitations, and future directions in this exciting area of research. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the gut-brain connection and to develop safe and effective therapies that target this pathway. However, the findings to date are promising, and there is the potential to revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
文摘The joint-bolt-African Vulture optimization algorithm(AVOA)model is proposed for the design of building connections to improve the stability of steel beam-to-column connections.For this algorithm,the type of steel is first determined,and the number of bolts needed by the corresponding steel type is referenced in Eurocode 3.Then,the bearing capacity of the joint can be calculated.The joint-bolt-AVOA model is established by substituting the bolt number required by the steel into the algorithm to obtain the optimal bolt number required while ensuring joint stability.The results show that the number of bolts required by the joint-bolt-AVOA model based on the stability of steel is lower than that calculated by Eurocode 3.Therefore,AVOA can effectively optimize the number of bolts needed in building connections and save resources.
文摘Topological indices(TIs)have been practiced for distinct wide-ranging physicochemical applications,especially used to characterize and model the chemical structures of various molecular compounds such as dendrimers,nanotubes and neural networks with respect to their certain properties such as solubility,chemical stability and low cytotoxicity.Dendrimers are prolonged artificially synthesized or amalgamated natural macromolecules with a sequential layer of branches enclosing a central core.A present-day trend in mathematical and computational chemistry is the characterization of molecular structure by applying topological approaches,including numerical graph invariants.Among topological descriptors,Zagreb connection indices(ZCIs)have much importance.This manuscript involves the establishment of general results to calculate ZCIs,namely first ZCI(FZCI),second ZCI(SZCI),third ZCI(TZCI),modified FZCI,modified SZCI and modified TZCI of two special types of dendrimers nanostars,namely,poly propylene imine octamin(PPIO)dendrimer and poly(propyl)ether imine(PPEtIm)dendrimer.Furthermore,we provide the numerical and graphical comparative analysis of our calculated results for both types of dendrimers with each other.
基金supported by the National natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 12172198, 11272189 and 52078283]Youth Innovation Technology Project of Higher School in Shandong Province [grant number 2019KJG015]。
文摘Based on the background of structural protection and Disaster Reduction Engineering, the dynamic behaviour and failure mechanism of restrained beams in portal steel frames in localised fire are investigated via experimental measurement and numerical simulation techniques. Comprehensive parametric studies are carried out to discuss the influence of end connection types, temperature, impact velocity,impact mass and span-to-depth ratio(SDR) on the dynamic response of the beams. The characteristics of deformation, internal force and energy distribution about the restrained beams and its joints are investigated. A temperature dependent criterion for evaluating the frame joint performance is proposed to measure the degree of performance degradation and impact resistance of the joint. The dynamic displacement amplification factor in different temperature environments are proposed for the different beam end constraint types and SDRs. Results of the experimental and numerical analysis show that the welded connection(WC) of three typical joint types is the strongest, and the extended endplate connection(EEC) is the weakest in terms of the impact resistance performance. With regard to the failure mode of the joint, the failure positions of the WC and the welded-bolted connection are located in the inner web of the column. Meanwhile, the EEC is located in the connection position between the beam and the endplate. Three different internal force stages and two obvious critical temperature boundaries of the restrained beams emerge with the increase in temperature, and they have significant characteristics in terms of deformation trend, internal force transfer and energy distribution. During the impact, a phenomenon known as “compression arch action” develops into “catenary action” with the increase in deflection in the frame beam mechanism.
基金financially supported by the foundation of the Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Survey Technology and Application,Ministry of Natural Resources,China (No. MESTA-2020-B006)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.41774001)
文摘Islands and the mainland are separated by seas,and the distances between them might be so long that the height on the mainland cannot be exactly translated to the islands,resulting in different height systems on the mainland and the islands.In this study,we used astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical and ellipsoidal heights of points on the mainland and island near their coastlines to implement height connection across sea areas.First,the modeled gravity and modeled astrogeodetic vertical deflections of segmentation points along connecting routes over the sea between the mainland and the island were determined by Earth Gravity Model(EGM),and the ellipsoidal heights of segmentation points were determined by the satellite altimetry data sets.Second,we used a linear interpolation model to increase the precision of the vertical deflections of segmentation points.Third,we computed the geopotential difference of points between the mainland and the island using a method derived from geopotential theory and the astronomical leveling principle.Finally,we estimated the normal height of the point on the island using the geopotential-difference iterative computation approach.Using observed data of normal heights,ellipsoidal heights,and astrogeodetic vertical deflections referring to height sites in Qingdao,Shandong Province,we conducted a numerical experiment involving the normal height connection across sea regions.We determined the data of the ellipsoidal heights and gravity of segmentation points along the connecting route across the water in the numerical experiment using DTU10.The distance of the height connection across the sea was approximately 10.5 km.According to China's official leveling specifications,the experimental results met the criterion of third-class leveling precision.
基金supported the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52004033,51922007,and 51874044).
文摘Efficient flow simulation and optimization methods of hydraulic fracture morphology in unconventional reservoirs are effective ways to enhance oil/gas recovery.Based on the connection element method(CEM)and distribution of stimulated reservoir volume,the complex hydraulic fracture morphology was accurately described using heterogeneous node connection system.Then a new fracture connection element method(FCEM)for fluid flow in stimulated unconventional reservoirs with complex hydraulic fracture morphology was proposed.In the proposed FCEM,the arrangement of dense nodes in the stimulated area and sparse nodes in the unstimulated area ensures the calculation accuracy and efficiency.The key parameter,transmissibility,was also modified according to the strong heterogeneity of stimulated reservoirs.The finite difference and semi-analytical tracking were used to accurately solve the pressure and saturation distribution between nodes.The FCEM is validated by comparing with traditional numerical simulation method,and the results show that the bottom hole pressure simulated by the FCEM is consistent with the results from traditional numerical simulation method,and the matching rate is larger than 95%.The proposed FCEM was also used in the optimization of fracturing parameters by coupling the hydraulic fracture propagation method and intelligent optimization algorithm.The integrated intelligent optimization approach for multi-parameters,such as perforation number,perforation location,and displacement in hydraulic fracturing is proposed.The proposed approach was applied in a shale gas reservoir,and the result shows that the optimized perforation location and morphology distribution are related to the distribution of porosity/permeability.When the perforation location and displacement are optimized with the same fracture number,NPV increases by 70.58%,which greatly improves the economic benefits of unconventional reservoirs.This work provides a new way for flow simulation and optimization of hydraulic fracture morphology of multi-fractured horizontal wells in unconventional reservoirs.
基金This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China[No.72091515]the Natural Science Fund of Hunan Province(2022JJ40647).
文摘Increasing attention has been focused on the extent to which corporate political connections influence the growing pollution due to the rapid growth in the popularity of firm pollution in developing countries.We adopt a static threshold regression model to investigate the effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on political connections and firm pollution based on the panel data from China’s A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2019.The empirical results show a non-linear relationship between the degree of political connection of listed company executives and the level of firm pollution.And the relationship between the two roughly presents a U-shaped relationship under the action of the marketincentive environmental regulation threshold.However,it roughly presents an inverted N-shaped relationship under the action of the command-control environmental regulation threshold.Additionally,the group test results show that the existence of regional and ownership heterogeneity causes certain differences in the environmental behaviour of politically connected enterprises.These findings indicate that diverse environmental regulations are needed to promote sustainable green development and to further expand the theoretical and practical exploration of political connections on firm pollution.
基金funded by the National First-class Disciplines(PNFD)High Level Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province of China(Grant No.2019RC055)Project Supported by the Education Department of Hainan Province(Project No.hnjg2021-13).
文摘Considering the glulam beam-column connection form and the number of bolts,monotonic loading test and finite element analysis was carried out on 9 connection specimens in 3 groups to study the rotational performance and failure mode of the connection.The test results revealed that compared with U-shaped connectors,T-shaped connectors can effectively improve the ductility of connections,and the increase in the number of bolts can reduce the initial stiffness and ductility of connections.By theoretical analysis,formulas for calculating the initial stiffness and ultimate moment of connections were deduced.Subsequently,the moment-rotation theoretical model of connections was established based on the formulas,which were validated according to the test data and simulation results.The proposed model can not only improve the current theoretical system of heavy-duty glulam beam-column structure but also provide a theoretical basis for calculating the mechanical properties of the glulam beam-column connection.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51878344)the Postdoctoral Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.2021K128B).
文摘To promote the development of timber-concrete composite(TCC)structures,it is necessary to propose the assembly-type connections with high assembly efficiency and shear performances.This article presented the experimental results of the innovative steel-plate connections for TCC beams using prefabricated concrete slabs.The steel-plate connections consisted of the screws and the steel-plates.The steel-plates were partly embedded in the concrete slabs.The concrete slabs and the timber beams were connected by screws through the steel-plates.The parameters researched in this article included screw number,angle steel as the reinforcement for anchoring,and shallow notches on the timber surface to restrict the slip of the steel-plates.Experimental results were discussed in terms of failure modes,ultimate bearing capacities,and slip moduli.It was found that increasing the number of screws could lead to the obvious improvement on the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli at the ultimate state;and the angle steel as the reinforcement showed the slight influence on the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli.The application of the shallow notch can greatly improve the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli.The calculation models for the ultimate bearing capacities and the slip moduli of the steel-plate connections with and without shallow notches were proposed,which showed good accuracy compared with the experimental results.
基金The report was conducted in accordance with the Nuremberg Code and Declaration of Helsinki,and the protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita(No.LB.02.01/VII/037/KEP037/2022).
文摘Tetralogy of Fallot(TOF)with total anomalous pulmonary vein connections(TAPVC)is a rare type of complex congenital heart disease among all TOF cases.Co-presentation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries(MAPCAs)compensates for the lack of central pulmonary bloodflow and decreases the severity of right-to-left shunting in TOF.We present a case of a 2-year-old child with complex diagnoses of TOF,TAPVC,a large secun-dum atrial septal defect(ASD),and intraoperatively identified MAPCAs.She underwent surgery to repair the TAPVC,valve-sparing reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract,interventricular defect closure,and the creation of patent foramen ovale(PFO).After the operation,hemodynamic instability happened along with sudden blood pressure drop,desaturation,and increased central venous pressure,which subsided after adminis-tering inhalational nitric oxide(NO).A postoperative pulmonary hypertension crisis was suggested when the patient experienced recurrent symptoms after the termination of NO.Echocardiographicfindings of a D-shaped left ventricle(LV),right-to-left PFO shunt and high tricuspid valve gradientfirmly established the diagnosis.It was subsequently managed with continuous NO inhalation and sildenafil,which rendered a satisfactory outcome.Repaired TOF and TAPVC could be at particular risk of developing pulmonary hypertension crisis,especially in the presence of MAPCAs due to possible remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature.Furthermore,a relatively non-compliant LV function and small left atrial size may exacerbate the risk of developing postcapillary pulmonary hypertension after TAPVC repair.A successful postoperative outcome calls for a meticulous preoperative analysis of the anatomical lesions,as well as careful monitoring.
基金support from 111 Project(Grant No.B18062)the Graduate Research and Innovation Foundation of Chongqing in China(Grant No.CYS20026)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2017YFC0703504).
文摘Moso bamboos have attracted excessive attention as a renewable green building material to the concept of sustainable development.In this paper,the 20 bolted Moso bamboo connection specimens with embedded steel plates and grouting materials were designed according to connection configurations with different bolt diameters and end distance of bolt holes,and their bearing capacities and failure modes were analyzed by static tension tests.According to the test results of all connectors,the failure modes of the specimens are divided into four categories,and the effects of bolt diameter and bolt hole end distance on the connection bearing capacity and failure mode are analyzed.The test results show that the deformation and failure process can be divided into four stages.The main influence factor of connector bearing capacity is bolt diameter.Connectors can be divided into four failure modes,and brittle failure can be avoided by adopting certain structural measures.Filling with grouting material can improve the bearing capacity of joints.Due to the large variability of bamboo,further experiments are needed.
文摘Corrosion is a primary cause of the slippage of friction⁃type high⁃strength bolted(FHSB)T⁃stub connections.This paper attempts to quantify the residual capacity of FHSB T⁃stub connections with corroded nuts.Firstly,corrosion simulation tests were conducted on 48 manually cut nuts to find out the relationship between the damage degree of nut section and the residual clamping force(RCF)of bolt.Then,static load tests were carried out on 24 FHSB T⁃stub connections with nuts of different degrees of damage to obtain the failure modes.By finite⁃element(FE)models,a comparative analysis was performed on the initial friction load(IFL)and ultimate strength(US)of each connection with corroded nuts.Finally,the parameters of 96 FE models for FHSB T⁃stub connections were analyzed and used to derive the calculation formulas for the degree of damage for each nut and the IFL and US of each connection.The results show that the RCF decay of a bolt is a quadratic function of the equivalent radius loss ratio and the shear failure after nut corrosion;the IFL of each connection had a clear linear correlation with the RCF of the corresponding bolts,and the correlation depends on the applied load and static friction on connecting plate interface induced by the clamping force;the static friction had little impact on the US of the connection;the proposed IFL and US formulas can effectively derive the residual anti⁃slip capacity of FHSB T⁃stub connections from the degree of damage of the corroded nut section.The research results provide a scientific basis for the replacement and maintenance of corroded bolts of FHSB T⁃stub connections.
基金supported by Yunnan Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Planning Youth Project under Grant No.QN2018055.
文摘Because of factors such as energy and time one invests in an object,the stronger the connection,value,and reluc-tance to lose said object individual will have.Hoarding behavior arises when individuals incorporate a strong attachment with themselves to an object.The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-investment on hoarding tendency and the roles of possession-self link and liking level in this connection.A hypothetical model of the relationship between self-investment,possession-self link,liking level,and hoarding tendency was tested.A convenience sampling method was used to survey 450 college students in Yunnan Province on either a paper-based or online self-report scale.The data were collected using self-investment,possession-self link,and liking level questionnaires,as well as the Saving Inventory Revised.Results showed positive relationship between the study variables,ranging from 0.37 to 0.87.College students’self-investment had a direct positive pre-dictive effect on hoarding tendency;self-investment,in turn,indirectly predicted hoarding tendency through the mediating effect of possession-self link;and individual liking level of items had a moderating effect for self-invest-ment on the possession-self link.This study shows how self-investment affects the hoarding tendency of college students,and the results of this study also help demonstrate the value of self-investment and possession-self link in optimizing students’hoarding tendency and thus promoting good psychological status.
基金This work was funded by the National Science Foundation of Hunan Province(2020JJ2029)。
文摘Recurrent Neural Networks(RNNs)have been widely applied to deal with temporal problems,such as flood forecasting and financial data processing.On the one hand,traditional RNNs models amplify the gradient issue due to the strict time serial dependency,making it difficult to realize a long-term memory function.On the other hand,RNNs cells are highly complex,which will signifi-cantly increase computational complexity and cause waste of computational resources during model training.In this paper,an improved Time Feedforward Connections Recurrent Neural Networks(TFC-RNNs)model was first proposed to address the gradient issue.A parallel branch was introduced for the hidden state at time t−2 to be directly transferred to time t without the nonlinear transforma-tion at time t−1.This is effective in improving the long-term dependence of RNNs.Then,a novel cell structure named Single Gate Recurrent Unit(SGRU)was presented.This cell structure can reduce the number of parameters for RNNs cell,consequently reducing the computational complexity.Next,applying SGRU to TFC-RNNs as a new TFC-SGRU model solves the above two difficulties.Finally,the performance of our proposed TFC-SGRU was verified through sev-eral experiments in terms of long-term memory and anti-interference capabilities.Experimental results demonstrated that our proposed TFC-SGRU model can cap-ture helpful information with time step 1500 and effectively filter out the noise.The TFC-SGRU model accuracy is better than the LSTM and GRU models regarding language processing ability.
文摘Practically,the load currents in three phases are asymmetric in the power system.It means that the impedances are different in all three phases.If the consumer’s transformer neutral cut off and/or was disconnected from the neutral of power supply source,then there will be some trouble and failure occurred.The current in the neutral wire drops down to zero when the neutral wire is cut off and the phase currents of all three-phase equal to each other since there was no return wire.The currents are equal but the voltages at the phase consumers are different.Especially for residential single-phase consumers,the voltage at the consumers of the phase varies differently for three phase systems when the neutral wire was disconnected at consumer side and even the voltage at the consumers one or two of those three phases becomes over nominal voltage or reaches nearly line voltage.In this case,the electronic appliances in that phase will be fed by high voltage than the rated value and they can be broken down.In the power system of UB(Ulaanbaatar)city,there are some occasional such kind of failures every year.Obviously,many electronic appliances were broken down due to high voltage and the electricity utility companies respond for service charge of damaged parts.
文摘The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of lightweight structures and connections in the DfD(design for disassembly)framework.The construction sector is facing pressure to reduce its environmental impact,which has led to heightened interest in DfD as a strategy for transitioning from a linear“Cradle to Grave”economic model to a circular“Cradle to Cradle”model.At the social level,DfD’s technological and spatial flexibility provides opportunities for self-build and self-maintenance processes,which can decrease land consumption and reduce costs for both owners and tenants.In this context,lightweight structures and connections are crucial for enabling these processes.The methodology used for analysis involves breaking down three technological elements chosen from three different projects to evaluate ease of disassembly,flexibility,potential for reuse,and recyclability.As a result,this paper aims to promote the development of an abacus of existing technological solutions,to provide designers with a tool that can help them pursue DfD strategies.
文摘Feeling butterflies in your stomach when nervous?There may be more science behind the saying than we realized.In a new study published in Nature Metabolism on August 17,a research team led by Dr.ZHANG Zhi from the University of Science and Technology of China(USTC)and Dr.TAO Wenjuan from the Anhui Medical University in China have mapped a direct line of communication from the brain to the stomach that helps explain how stress can induce gastrointestinal issues.
文摘Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune visited China on 17-21 July at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping,receiving a warm welcome from the Chinese government and people.The Chinese people often describe the China-Algeria bond as an enduring friendship deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82171138 (to YQZ),82071 062 (to YXC)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No.2021A1515012038 (to YXC)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.20ykpy91 (to YXC)the Sun Yat-Sen Clinical Research Cultivating Program,No.SYS-Q-201903 (to YXC)。
文摘Patients with age-related hearing loss face hearing difficulties in daily life.The causes of age-related hearing loss are complex and include changes in peripheral hearing,central processing,and cognitive-related abilities.Furthermore,the factors by which aging relates to hearing loss via changes in audito ry processing ability are still unclear.In this cross-sectional study,we evaluated 27 older adults(over 60 years old) with age-related hearing loss,21 older adults(over 60years old) with normal hearing,and 30 younger subjects(18-30 years old) with normal hearing.We used the outcome of the uppe r-threshold test,including the time-compressed thres h old and the speech recognition threshold in noisy conditions,as a behavioral indicator of auditory processing ability.We also used electroencephalogra p hy to identify presbycusis-related abnormalities in the brain while the participants were in a spontaneous resting state.The timecompressed threshold and speech recognition threshold data indicated significant diffe rences among the groups.In patients with age-related hearing loss,information masking(babble noise) had a greater effect than energy masking(speech-shaped noise) on processing difficulties.In terms of resting-state electroencephalography signals,we observed enhanced fro ntal lobe(Brodmann’s area,BA11) activation in the older adults with normal hearing compared with the younger participants with normal hearing,and greater activation in the parietal(BA7) and occipital(BA19) lobes in the individuals with age-related hearing loss compared with the younger adults.Our functional connection analysis suggested that compared with younger people,the older adults with normal hearing exhibited enhanced connections among networks,including the default mode network,sensorimotor network,cingulo-opercular network,occipital network,and frontoparietal network.These results suggest that both normal aging and the development of age-related hearing loss have a negative effect on advanced audito ry processing capabilities and that hearing loss accele rates the decline in speech comprehension,especially in speech competition situations.Older adults with normal hearing may have increased compensatory attentional resource recruitment represented by the to p-down active listening mechanism,while those with age-related hearing loss exhibit decompensation of network connections involving multisensory integration.
文摘On October 18,the High-level Forum on Connectivity,as one of the three high-level forums of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,opened.This forum aims at rallying the consensus of all parties,forming a joint development force,and promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation.Guests from at home and abroad spoke and exchanged views on topics such as“the‘physical connectivity’of deepening infrastructure and the‘institutional connectivity’of technology,standards。
