This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the paediatric population during the outbreak of the Omicron variant in Shanghai. We retrospectively analysed the population-based epidemiological characteristics and clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in children in Minhang District, Shanghai, based on the citywide surveillance system during the outbreak period in 2022 (March to May). During this time, a total of 63,969 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were notified in Minhang District, out of which 4,652 (7.3%) were children and adolescents <18 years. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children was 153 per 10,000. Of all paediatric cases, 50% reported to be clinically symptomatic within 1–3 days after PCR confirmation by parents or themselves, with 36.3% and 18.9% of paediatric cases reporting fever and cough. Also, 58.4% of paediatric cases had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 52.1% had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. Our findings are informative for the implementation of appropriate measures to protect children from the threat of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Alkali barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli var. zelayensis (Kunth) Hitchc] and junglerice [Echinochloa colona (L.) Link] are problematic annual weeds in direct-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in China. The emergence ecology of the two weed species may differ in response to environmental factors. Laboratory and screenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of light, burial depth, mulching with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residue, and time and depth of flooding on the emergence of the two weed species collected from Nanjing, China. Light strongly increased seed germination. Under dark conditions, E. crus-galli seed germination (85%) was higher than that of E. colona (70%). The seeds of both species exhibited the greatest germination (90% for E. crus-galli and 80% for E. colona) when sown on the soil surface, and emergence decreased with increasing soil burial depth. Burial depths of 2.2 and 1.4 cm reduced seedling emergence by 50% for E. crus-galli and E. colona, respectively. No emergence was found at a depth of 6 cm. The seedling emergence for E. colona was lower than for E. crus-galli at the same soil burial depth. Mulching with wheat residue considerably reduced the seedling emergence and aboveground biomass of both species. The inhibitory effect of mulching with wheat residue on E. colona was more notable than on E. crus-galli. Early and deep flooding significantly suppressed the emergence, height, and biomass of E. crus-galli and E. colona, especially E. colona. The results gained from this study could provide fundamental ecological knowledge for managing Echinochloa species in direct-seeded rice systems.

Two prevailing trends in livestock production include increasing farm sizes and higher recycling rates of manure. Using beef cattle farms in China as a case study, we examine the impact of farm size on farmers' choice of manure disposal modes. Three forms of manure disposal modes are identified: (1) selling to neighboring farmers, (2) giving away to neighboring farmers and (3) self-use. Based on primary data from a field survey of beef cattle farmers in China, we estimate the choice of the above-mentioned three disposal modes using the constrained singular Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) model. We find a significant and nonlinear impact of farm size on farmers' choice of manure disposal modes. Specifically, there is a significant and inversed U-shaped relationship between farm size and manure giving away, and a significant U-shaped relationship between farm size and manure selling or self-use. We additionally find several other factors that affect farmers' choice of manure disposal: the educational level of a farmer has a positive impact on manure selling; the better a farmer's physical health condition, the more likely the farmer self uses manure and less likely gives it away; land acquisition, as well as engagement in crop farming, increases manure self-use and reduces manure giving away and selling; the availability of manure treatment facilities reduces manure self-use; and the willingness of nearby crop growers to accept manure significantly decreases manure self-use and increases manure selling and giving away. Policy implications are also discussed.

A kind of tapered segmented cladding fiber (T-SCF) with large mode area (LMA) is proposed, and the mode and amplification characteristics of T-SCFs with concave, linear, and convex tapered structures are investigated based on finite-element method (FEM) and few-mode steady-state rate equation. Simulation results indicate that the concave tapered structure can introduce high loss for high-order modes (HOMs) that is advantageous to achieve single-mode operation, whereas the convex tapered structure provides large effective mode area that can help to mitigate nonlinear effects. Meanwhile, the small-to-large amplification scheme shows further advantages on stripping off HOMs, and the large-to-small amplification scheme decreases the heat load density induced by the high-power pump. Moreover, single-mode propagation performance, effective mode area, and heat load density of the T-SCF are superior to those of tapered step index fiber (T-SIF). These theoretical model and numerical results can provide instructive suggestions for designing high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers.

The influence of technological learning on industry-level catch-up has long drawn substantial attention in the catch-up research field. However, the underlying mechanisms of technological learning and the unique catch-up context in large emerging economies are much less explored. To explain the technological learning processes of latecomers that face the technology gap and strive to build differentiated competitive advantage, this study builds on the absorptive capacity perspective and deconstructs technological learning processes into two mechanisms: technology decomposition and technology recombination. The former entails decomposing advanced technologies into pieces, parts, or modules, while the latter entails the process of capturing market opportunities through recombining knowledge from diverse sources into commercial products through localized innovations and adaptations. Then, we propose a unique ‘ladder-like’ catch-up context (i.e., technology ladder and market ladder) and investigate how the technological learning process and the unique catch-up context jointly affect industrial catch-up performance in China. Using seven-year panel data from Chinese manufacturing industries, the results indicate that only technology recombination has a significantly positive relationship with industrial catch-up performance. In addition, the market ladder strengthens the positive impact of technology recombination on industrial catch-up, while the technology ladder weakens the positive impact of technology decomposition on catch-up.

N-3 long-chain (≥C20) PUFA (LC-PUFA) are vital fatty acids for fish and humans. As a main source of n-3 LC-PUFA for human consumers, the n-3 LC-PUFA content of farmed fish is important. Previously, we identified fatty acid-binding protein (fabp)-4 as a candidate gene for regulating the n-3 LC-PUFA content. Herein, we further assessed the role of fabp4 in this process. First, a 2059 bp promoter sequence of fabp4 in Trachinotus ovatus was cloned and, using progressive deletion, determined −2006 bp to −1521 bp to be the core promoter sequence. The PPAR-γ binding sites were predicted to occur in this region. A luciferase reporter assay showed that the promoter activity of fabp4 decreased following mutation of the PPARγ binding site and that PPARγ increased the fabp4 promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner, implying that T. ovatus fabp4 is a target of PPARγ. The overexpression of fabp4 or PPARγ increased the DHA content in hepatocytes, whereas suppression of their expression diminished this effect, suggesting that both fabp4 and PPARγ play an active role in regulating DHA content. Moreover, the inhibition of fabp4 attenuated the increase in PPARγ-mediated DHA content, and the overexpression of fabp4 alleviated this effect. Collectively, our findings indicated that fabp4, which is controlled by PPARγ, plays an important role in DHA content regulation. The new regulation axis can be considered a promising novel target for increasing the n-3 LC-PUFA content in T. ovatus.

In this article, I explore how we can expand the project of Buddhist feminism by drawing on Chinese Yogācāra philosophy. With a focus on the writings of Xuanzang (c. 602–664) and his disciple Kuiji (632–682), I investigate how the Yogācāra theory of consciousness can be read as a gendered account of non-duality. The term ‘Yogācāra dialectics’ is thus coined to describe this theory of non-duality that highlights fluidity and transformability. As I will argue, Chinese Yogācārins developed the dialectics of gender by means of which they were able to subtly erode sexism in premodern times.

Emerging evidence has been revealed that high fat diet (HFD) correlate with insulin resistance (IR) which could be induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Recently, obesity or HFD induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) could promote alteration of iron metabolism. Disorder of iron metabolism have been linked to unnormal metabolism of glucose and lipid. Herein, we investigated the effect of impaired iron homeostasis on hepatic IR, focusing on ferritinophagy. Male C57/6J mice were administered with HFD (60% energy from fat) or LFD (10% energy from fat) for 10 weeks (n = 10), and Palmitic acid (PA)-insulin treated HepG2 cells were also established. Hepatic IR as evidenced by increased hepatic steatosis and decreased of p-AKT (48%, p < 0.0005), p-GSK-3β (34%, p < 0.05) in the liver of HFD mice. In addition, decreased iron level and expression NCOA4, as well as increased up-regulation of IRE1α and EIF2α were observed in HFD liver. By using desferrioxamine (DFO) and ferric ammonium citrate (FAC), we examined iron level on IRE1α and EIF2α. And glucose uptake assay shown that FAC supplementation, and ERS inhibitors of 4-PBA and STF could improve the glucose uptake of HepG2 cells in the presence of PA. Furthermore, we evaluated the glucose uptake of HepG2 cells incubated with adenovirus which mediated overexpression of NCOA4, FAC, 4-PBA (ERS inhibitor) or STF (IRE1 inhibitor). Taken together, deficiency of iron induced by impaired ferritinophagy induced hepatic IR, partly by aggravating hepatic ERS, especially IRE1 signal pathway in vivo and vitro. These findings provide evidence and new insight for therapeutic strategy of iron deficiency in NAFLD.

This paper investigates the volatility in regime-switching models formulated based on the geometric Brownian motion with its drift and volatility factors randomized with Markov chains. By developing explicit formulas about occupation time of Markov chains, we analysis the difference between global volatility of this model and the volatility caused by Brownian randomness, in order to measure the volatility caused by regime-switching after justifying its existence. Utilizing this structure of volatility, we optimize the methods of volatility parameters estimation.

We aimed to evaluate the relationship of plasma Mg with the risk of new-onset hyperuricaemia and examine any possible effect modifiers in hypertensive patients. This is a post hoc analysis of the Uric acid (UA) Sub-study of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT). A total of 1685 participants were included in the present study. The main outcome was new-onset hyperuricaemia defined as a UA concentration ≥417 μmol/l in men or ≥357 μmol/l in women. The secondary outcome was a change in UA concentration defined as UA at the exit visit minus that at baseline. During a median follow-up duration of 4·3 years, new-onset hyperuricaemia occurred in 290 (17·2 %) participants. There was a significantly inverse relation of plasma Mg with the risk of new-onset hyperuricaemia (per sd increment; OR 0·85; 95 % CI 0·74, 0·99) and change in UA levels (per sd increment; β −3·96 μmol/l; 95 % CI −7·14, −0·79). Consistently, when plasma Mg was analysed as tertiles, a significantly lower risk of new-onset hyperuricaemia (OR 0·67; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·95) and less increase in UA levels (β −8·35 μmol/l; 95 % CI −16·12, −0·58) were found among participants in tertile 3 (≥885·5 μmol/l) compared with those in tertile 1 (<818·9 μmol/l). Similar trends were found in males and females. Higher plasma Mg levels were associated with a decreased risk of new-onset hyperuricaemia in hypertensive adults.

This paper presents a neural network-based four-direction search scheme of path planning for mobile agents, given a known environmental map with stationary obstacles. Firstly, the map collision energy is modeled for all the obstacles based on neural network. Secondly, for the shorted path-search purpose, the path energy is considered. Thirdly, to decrease the path-search time, a variable step-length is designed with respect to collision energy of the previous iteration path. Simulation results demonstrate that the variable step-length is effective and can decrease the iteration time substantially. Lastly, experimental results show that the mobile agent tracks the generated path well. Both the simulation and experiment results substantiate the feasibility and realizability of the presented scheme.

We study a free boundary problem of the form: ut = uxx + f(t, u) (g(t) < x < h(t)) with free boundary conditions h′(t) = −ux(t, h(t)) – α(t) and g′(t) = −ux(t, g(t)) + β(t), where β(t) and α(t) are positive T-periodic functions, f(t, u) is a Fisher–KPP type of nonlinearity and T-periodic in t. This problem can be used to describe the spreading of a biological or chemical species in time-periodic environment, where free boundaries represent the spreading fronts of the species. We study the asymptotic behaviour of bounded solutions. There are two T-periodic functions α0(t) and α*(t; β) with 0 < α0 < α* which play key roles in the dynamics. More precisely, (i) in case 0 < β< α0 and 0 < α < α*, we obtain a trichotomy result: (i-1) spreading, that is, h(t) – g(t) → +∞ and u(t, ⋅ + ct) → 1 with $c\in (-\overline{l},\overline{r})$, where $ \overline{l}:=\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}l(s)ds$, $\overline{r}:=\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}r(s)ds$, the T-periodic functions −l(t) and r(t) are the asymptotic spreading speeds of g(t) and h(t) respectively (furthermore, r(t) > 0 > −l(t) when 0 < β < α < α0; r(t) = 0 > −l(t) when 0 < β < α = α0; $0 \gt \overline{r} \gt -\overline{l}$ when 0 < β < α0 < α < α*); (i-2) vanishing, that is, $\lim\limits_{t \to \mathcal {T}}h(t) = \lim\limits_{t \to \mathcal {T}}g(t)$ and $\lim\limits_{t \to \mathcal {T}}\max\limits_{g(t)\leq x\leq h(t)} u(t,x)=0$, where $\mathcal {T}$ is some positive constant; (i-3) transition, that is, g(t) → −∞, h(t) → −∞, $0<\lim\limits_{t \to \infty}[h(t)-g(t)] \lt +\infty$ and u(t, ⋅) → V(t, ⋅), where V is a T-periodic solution with compact support. (ii) in case β ≥ α0 or α ≥ α*, vanishing happens for any solution.

We present an extension of vendor-managed inventory (VMI) problems by considering advertising and pricing policies. Unlike the results available in the literature, the demand is supposed to depend on the retail price and advertising investment policies of the manufacturer and retailers, and is a random variable. Thus, the constructed optimization model for VMI supply chain management is a stochastic bi-level programming problem, where the manufacturer is the upper level decision-maker and the retailers are the lower-level ones. By the expectation method, we first convert the stochastic model into a deterministic mathematical program with complementarity constraints (MPCC). Then, using the partially smoothing technique, the MPCC is transformed into a series of standard smooth optimization subproblems. An algorithm based on gradient information is developed to solve the original model. A sensitivity analysis has been employed to reveal the managerial implications of the constructed model and algorithm: (1) the market parameters of the model generate significant effects on the decision-making of the manufacturer and the retailers, (2) in the VMI mode, much attention should be paid to the holding and shortage costs in the decision-making.

Eclipta, widespread in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions, is one of the main malignant broadleaf weeds and thrives in moist and dryland fields. Field rates of acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have failed to control eclipta in some farmlands in China. One ALS inhibitor–resistant population (R) collected from Jiangsu province in China was confirmed in the greenhouse in our preliminary work. Whole-plant assays revealed that this R population was highly resistant to four sulfonylureas (pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, 134-fold; bensulfuron-methyl, 172-fold; metsulfuron-methyl, 30-fold; and tribenuron-methyl, 195-fold), two triazolopyrimidines (pyroxsulam, 98-fold; penoxsulam, 30-fold), and one pyrimidinylthio-benzoate (bispyribac-sodium, 166-fold) and was moderately resistant to two imidazolinones (imazethapyr, 10-fold; imazapic, 19-fold). ALS enzyme-activity assays showed insensitivity of the ALS from the R population (resistance index values ranged from 12 to 293) to all of the above ALS inhibitors in vitro. Chromatograms from ALS gene sequence analysis detected a homozygous Pro-197-Ser amino acid substitution in the R population. These results confirmed that the Pro-197-Ser substitution results in broad-spectrum cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors in the eclipta R population. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report broad cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors in eclipta and to obtain the full-length ALS gene sequence.