In this paper, the feasibility of a high laser damage threshold liquid crystal spatial light modulator based on gallium nitride (GaN) transparent conductive electrodes is proved. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) is measured, and a high LIDT reflective optically addressed liquid crystal light valve (OALCLV) based on GaN is designed and fabricated. The proper work mode of the OALCLV is determined; the OALCLV obtained a maximum reflectivity of about 55% and an on–off ratio of 55:1, and an image response is demonstrated.

Routine coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) screening found 1 asymptomatic COVID-19 patient. An emergency sampling team was organized consisting of 1200 health-care workers, and a total of 3.2228 million COVID-19 samples had been collected and detected. This study summarizes the on-site management experience in large-scale COVID-19 nucleic acid testing from various aspects: staff preparation, materials preparation, site layout, logistics support, and information system support. Suggestions are put forward for the deficiencies and parts needing improvement. Such deficiencies included some sampling sites were not properly chosen, different areas were unclearly marked off from each other, and some site moving lines were confounding; how to communicate with the street service workers who had little professional knowledge on the epidemic spread or the working principles of the workflow and site layout; and the way to resolve conflicts on site.

We investigated the drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, and those diagnosed with only TB in Sichuan, China. TB isolates were obtained from January 2018 to December 2020 and subjected to drug susceptibility testing (DST) to 11 anti-TB drugs and to GeneXpert MTB/RIF testing. The overall proportion of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) isolates was 32.1% (n = 10 946). HIV testing was not universally available for outpatient TB cases, only 29.5% (3227/10 946) cases had HIV testing results. The observed proportion of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) isolates was almost double than that of the national level, with approximately 1.5% and 0.1% of the isolates being extensively drug resistant and universally drug resistant, respectively. The proportions of resistant isolates were generally higher in 2018 and 2019 than in 2020. Furthermore, the sensitivities of GeneXpert during 2018–2020 demonstrated a downward trend (80.9, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 76.8–85.0; 80.2, 95% CI 76.4–84.1 and 75.4, 95% CI 70.7–80.2, respectively). Approximately 69.0% (7557/10 946) of the TB cases with DST results were subjected to GeneXpert detection. Overall, the DR-TB status and the use of GeneXpert in Sichuan have improved, but DR-TB challenges remain. HIV testing for all TB cases is recommended.

In this paper, we propose an effective method to compensate for the performance degradation of optically addressed spatial light modulators (OASLMs). The thermal deposition problem usually leads to the on-off ratio reduction of amplitude OASLM, so it is difficult to achieve better results in high-power laser systems. Through the analysis of the laser-induced temperature rise model and the liquid crystal layer voltage model, it is found that reducing the driving voltage of the liquid crystal light valve and increasing the driving current of the optical writing module can compensate for the decrease of on–off ratio caused by temperature rise. This is the result of effectively utilizing the photoconductive effect of Bi12SiO20 (BSO) crystal. The experimental results verify the feasibility of the proposed method and increase the laser withstand power of amplitude-only OASLM by about a factor of 2.5.

Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) might be an alternative valuable target in obesity treatment. We aimed to assess whether alternative Mediterranean (aMED) diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet were favourably associated with obesity and MHO phenotype in a Chinese multi-ethnic population. We conducted this cross-sectional analysis using the baseline data of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort study that enrolled 99 556 participants from seven diverse ethnic groups. Participants with self-reported cardiometabolic diseases were excluded to eliminate possible reverse causality. Marginal structural logistic models were used to estimate the associations, with confounders determined by directed acyclic graph (DAG). Among 65 699 included participants, 11·2 % were with obesity. MHO phenotype was present in 5·7 % of total population and 52·7 % of population with obesity. Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of DASH diet score had 23 % decreased odds of obesity (OR = 0·77, 95 % CI 0·71, 0·83, P trend < 0·001) and 27 % increased odds of MHO (OR = 1·27, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·48, P trend = 0·001) in population with obesity. However, aMED diet showed no obvious favourable associations. Further adjusting for BMI did not change the associations between diet scores and MHO. Results were robust to various sensitivity analyses. In conclusion, DASH diet rather than aMED diet is associated with reduced risk of obesity and presents BMI-independent metabolic benefits in this large population-based study. Recommendation for adhering to DASH diet may benefit the prevention of obesity and related metabolic disorders in Chinese population.

From 24 January 2020 to 18 May 2020, Chaoshan took measures to limit the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), such as restricting public gatherings, wearing masks and suspending classes. We explored the effects of these measures on the pathogen spectrum of paediatric respiratory tract infections in Chaoshan. Pharyngeal swab samples were collected from 4075 children hospitalised for respiratory tract infection before (May–December 2019) and after (January–August 2020) the COVID-19 outbreak. We used liquid chip technology to analyse 14 respiratory pathogens. The data were used to explore between-group differences, age-related differences and seasonal variations in respiratory pathogens. The number of cases in the outbreak group (1222) was 42.8% of that in the pre-outbreak group (2853). Virus-detection rates were similar in the outbreak (48.3%, 590/1222) and pre-outbreak groups (51.5%, 1468/2853; χ2 = 3.446, P = 0.065), while the bacteria-detection rate was significantly lower in the outbreak group (26.2%, 320/1222) than in the pre-outbreak group (44.1%, 1258/2853; χ2 = 115.621, P < 0.05). With increasing age, the proportions of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections decreased, while those of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and adenovirus infections increased. Streptococcus pneumoniae, CMV and rhinovirus infections peaked in autumn and winter, while RSV infections peaked in summer and winter. We found that the proportion of virus-only detection decreased with age, while the proportion of bacteria-only detection increased with age (Table 2). Anti-COVID-19 measures significantly reduced the number of paediatric hospitalisations for respiratory tract infections, significantly altered the pathogen spectrum of such infections and decreased the overall detection rates of 14 common respiratory pathogens. The proportion of bacterial, but not viral, infections decreased.

In this paper, we study inertial and gravity wave transmissions near radiative–convective boundaries on the f-plane. Two configurations have been considered: waves propagate from the convective layer to the radiative stratified stable layer, or the other way around. It has been found that waves prefer to survive at low latitudes when the stable layer is strongly stratified ($N^2/(2\varOmega )^2>1$). When the stable layer is weakly stratified ($N^2/(2\varOmega )^2 < 1$), however, waves can survive at any latitude if the meridional wavenumber is large. Then we have discussed transmission ratios for two buoyancy frequency structures: the uniform stratification and the continuously varying stratification. For the uniform stratification, we have found that the transmission is efficient when the rotation is rapid, or when the wave is near the critical colatitude. For the continuously varying stratification, we have discussed the transmission ratio when the square of buoyancy frequency is an algebraic function $N^2\propto z^{\nu } (\nu >0)$. We have found that the transmission can be efficient when the rotation is rapid, or when the wave is near the critical colatitude, or when the thickness of the stratification layer is far greater than the horizontal wavelength. The transmission ratio does not depend on the configurations (radiative layer sits above convective layer, or vice versa; wave propagates outward or inward), but only on characteristics of the wave (frequency and wavenumber) and the fluid (degree of stratification).

In this paper, we study wave transmission in a rotating fluid with multiple alternating convectively stable and unstable layers. We have discussed wave transmissions in two different circumstances: cases where the wave is propagative in each layer and cases where wave tunnelling occurs. We find that efficient wave transmission can be achieved by ‘resonant propagation’ or ‘resonant tunnelling’, even when stable layers are strongly stratified, and we call this phenomenon ‘enhanced wave transmission’. Enhanced wave transmission only occurs when the total number of layers is odd (embedding stable layers are alternatingly embedded within clamping convective layers, or vice versa). For wave propagation, the occurrence of enhanced wave transmission requires that the clamping layers have similar properties, the thickness of each clamping layer is close to a multiple of the half-wavelength of the corresponding propagative wave and the total thickness of the embedded layers is close to a multiple of the half-wavelength of the corresponding propagating wave (resonant propagation). For wave tunnelling, we have considered two cases: tunnelling of gravity waves and tunnelling of inertial waves. In both cases, efficient tunnelling requires that the clamping layers have similar properties, the thickness of each embedded layer is much smaller than the corresponding e-folding decay distance and the thickness of each clamping layer is close to a multiple-and-a-half of the half-wavelength (resonant tunnelling).

This article investigates the optimal hedging problem of the European contingent claims written on non-tradable assets. We assume that the risky assets satisfy jump diffusion models with a common jump process which reflects the correlated jump risk. The non-tradable asset and jump risk lead to an incomplete financial market. Hence, the cross-hedging method will be used to reduce the potential risk of the contingent claims seller. First, we obtain an explicit closed-form solution for the locally risk-minimizing hedging strategies of the European contingent claims by using the Föllmer–Schweizer decomposition. Then, we consider the hedging for a European call option as a special case. The value of the European call option under the minimal martingale measure is derived by the Fourier transform method. Next, some semi-closed solution formulae of the locally risk-minimizing hedging strategies for the European call option are obtained. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the sensitivities of the optimal hedging strategies. By comparing the optimal hedging strategies when the underlying asset is a non-tradable asset or a tradable asset, we find that the liquidity risk has a significant impact on the optimal hedging strategies.

Renal fibrosis is common especially in the elderly population. Recently, we found that vitamin D deficiency caused prostatic hyperplasia. This study aimed to investigate whether vitamin D deficiency promotes renal fibrosis and functional impairment. All mice except controls were fed with vitamin D-deficient (VDD) diets, beginning from their early life. The absolute and relative kidney weights on postnatal week 20 were decreased in VDD diet-fed male pups but not in female pups. A mild pathological damage was observed in VDD diet-fed male pups but not in females. Further analysis showed that VDD-induced pathological damage was aggravated, accompanied by renal dysfunction in 40-week-old male pups. An obvious collagen deposition was observed in VDD diet-fed 40-week-old male pups. Moreover, renal α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and Tgf-β mRNA were up-regulated. The in vitro experiment showed that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 alleviated transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-mediated down-regulation of E-cadherin and inhibited TGF-β1-evoked up-regulation of N-cadherin, vimentin and α-SMA in renal epithelial HK-2 cells. Moreover, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 suppressed TGF-β1-evoked Smad2/3 phosphorylation in HK-2 cells. These results provide experimental evidence that long-term vitamin D deficiency promotes renal fibrosis and functional impairment, at least partially, through aggravating TGF-β/Smad2/3-mediated EMT in middle-aged male mice.

In this study, Mg-substituted tricalcium phosphate (Mg-TCP) nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal reactions of Mg-calcite mesocrystals from echinoderm skeletons. Following the biomineralization of echinoderms, Mg-calcite powder was synthesized via the solid-state transition of Mg-amorphous calcium carbonate prepared by a wet-chemical precipitation method, which can also be used to fabricate Mg-TCP. We illustrated that Mg-calcite with a certain level of Mg substitution led to the formation of Mg-TCP through the ion-exchange reactions in the hydrothermal system. Therefore, this study provides a new pathway for the synthesis of Mg-TCP nanoparticles.

Direct determination of barrier height (ΦBH) value between Ir and single crystal (001) hydrogen-terminated diamond with lightly boron doped has been performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique. 70 nm Ir islands were formed on hydrogen-terminated diamond surface using anodic aluminum oxide. The ΦBH value for Ir/hydrogen-terminated diamond was −0.43 ± 0.14 eV, indicating that Ir was a suitable metal for ohmic contact with hydrogen-terminated diamond. The band diagram of Ir/hydrogen-terminated diamond was obtained. The experimental ΦBH was compared with the theoretical ΦBH in this work.

Insurance companies often follow highly correlated investment strategies. As major investors in corporate bonds, their investment commonalities subject investors to fire sale risk when regulatory restrictions prompt widespread divestment of a bond following a rating downgrade. Reflective of fire sale risk, the clustering of insurance companies in a bond has significant explanatory power for yield spreads, controlling for liquidity, credit risk, and other factors. The effect of insurer clustering on bond yield spreads is more evident for bonds held to a greater extent by capital-constrained insurance companies, those with ratings closer to National Association of Insurance Commissioners risk categories with larger capital requirements, and during the financial crisis.

High-entropy ceramic (HEC) films refer to the carbide, boride, oxide, or nitride films of the high-entropy alloy, which have potential applications under high temperatures. In this study, we fabricated the HEC NbTiAlSiZrNx films using magnetron sputtering under various deposition atmospheres. The phase structure evolution and the mechanical properties of three HEC films under high temperatures were investigated. The HEC films demonstrated good thermal stability as well as high hardness. After annealing for 24 h at 700 °C, the films remained in an amorphous phase without obvious crystallization, and the hardness of the films declined. Nanocrystallizations occurred in films deposited at a nitrogen flow rate of 4 sccm and 8 sccm after annealing for 30 min at 900 °C and exhibited an face-centered cubic structure. HEC NbTiAlSiZrNx films have potential applications as protective coatings under high temperatures.

The phase stability, equilibrium lattice parameters, mechanical properties, and chemical bonding of M2B and M2B0.75C0.25 (M = Fe, Cr, W, Mo, Mn) were studied using first-principles calculations within density functional theory. These compounds are thermodynamic stability structures, and the M2B0.75C0.25 stability is worse than that of M2B. The equilibrium lattice parameters are consistent with other available experimental and theoretical data. Stress–strain and Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximations were used to estimate the elastic constants (Cij) and moduli (B, G, E), respectively. The bulk modulus and the ductility increased by adding an appropriate amount of C to the M2B. The compound hardness was studied using a theoretical method based on the work of Tian. The chemical bonding of these compounds was estimated using the Mulliken population analysis and density of states, and the results indicate that the bonding behaviors of these compounds are combinations of metallic and covalent bonds.

Introduction: To investigate the effects of paroxetine (PAR) on motor and cognitive function recovery in patients with non-depressed ischemic stroke (nD-AIS).

Methods: One hundred sixty-seven patients hospitalized for non-depressed acute ischemic stroke were selected and divided into treatment (T) and control (C) groups using a random number table. All patients received conventional secondary ischemic stroke prevention and rehabilitation training; patients in Group T additionally received treatment with PAR (10 mg/day during week 1 and 20 mg/day thereafter) for 3 months. The follow-up observation lasted 6 months. The Fugl–Meyer motor scale (FMMS), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) were used on D0, D15, D90, and D180 (T0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively; D180 = 90 days after treatment cessation) after study initiation, and scores were compared between the groups.

Results: The FMMS and MoCA scores differed significantly between Groups T and C at T2 and T3 (p < .05); by contrast, these scores did not differ significantly between the groups at T1 (p > .05). Furthermore, the HAMD scores differed significantly between the two groups at T3 (p < .05), but not at T1 and T2 (p > .05).

Conclusions: PAR treatment may improve motor and cognitive function recovery in patients with nD-AIS. Moreover, PAR may reduce the occurrence of depression after stroke.