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"Tu, Hua"
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Prometheus in the Guise of Pessimism: The Tinder of Hope that Thomas Hardy Brought to his Audience at the End of the 19th Century
This paper is devoted to the substantive significance of Hardy's pessimism, mainly based on Thomas Hardy's poems and novels written in the late 19th century. Although pessimism has been recognized as an essential feature of Thomas Hardy's literary career as a novelist and poet, he refuses to admit to being a pessimist, instead enabling the use of pessimism as the first step in exploring reality and improving the soul and body of human beings. Through a dialectical reading of Hardy's works, this paper will further analyze the specific audience groups targeted by Hardy's pessimism and the extraordinary positive impact it brought to this group at the turn of the century and during the period of social change; compare it with the literature of other culture to deconstruct the contradictions of this pessimism and extract its unique value. In addition, this paper will introduce Hardy’s precise prediction of the future movement, which can demonstrate the unique value of literature compared to political and quasi-scientific discourse.
Journal Article
Crested two-dimensional transistors
Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials, albeit promising candidates for applications in electronics and optoelectronics1–3, are still limited by their low electrical mobility under ambient conditions. Efforts to improve device performance through a variety of routes, such as modification of contact metals4 and gate dielectrics5–9 or encapsulation in hexagonal boron nitride10, have yielded limited success at room temperature. Here, we report a large increase in the performance of TMD field-effect transistors operating under ambient conditions, achieved by engineering the substrate’s surface morphology. For MoS2 transistors fabricated on crested substrates, we observed an almost two orders of magnitude increase in carrier mobility compared to standard devices, as well as very high saturation currents. The mechanical strain in TMDs has been predicted to boost carrier mobility11, and has been shown to influence the local bandgap12,13 and quantum emission properties14 of TMDs. With comprehensive investigation of different dielectric environments and morphologies, we demonstrate that the substrate’s increased corrugation, with its resulting strain field, is the dominant factor driving performance enhancement. This strategy is universally valid for other semiconducting TMD materials, either p-doped or n-doped, opening them up for applications in heterogeneous integrated electronics.A significant mobility increase in TMD-based field-effect transistors is achieved via engineering of nanometre-scale corrugations and crests in the dielectric substrate.
Journal Article
Handling Multi-Source Uncertainty in Accelerated Degradation Through a Wiener-Based Robust Modeling Scheme
Uncertainty from heterogeneous degradation paths, limited experimental samples, and exogenous perturbations often complicates accelerated lifetime modeling and prediction. To confront these intertwined challenges, a Wiener process-based robust framework is developed. The proposed approach incorporates random-effect structures to capture unit-to-unit variability, adopts interval-based inference to reflect sampling limitations, and employs a hybrid estimator, combining Huber-type loss with a Metropolis–Hastings algorithm, to suppress the influence of external disturbances. In addition, a quantitative stress–parameter linkage is established under the accelerated factor principle, supporting consistent transfer from accelerated testing to normal conditions. Validation on contact stress relaxation data of connectors confirms that this methodology achieves more stable parameter inference and improves the reliability of lifetime predictions.
Journal Article
Single-cell sequencing highlights heterogeneity and malignant progression in actinic keratosis and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most frequent of the keratinocyte-derived malignancies with actinic keratosis (AK) as a precancerous lesion. To comprehensively delineate the underlying mechanisms for the whole progression from normal skin to AK to invasive cSCC, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to acquire the transcriptomes of 138,982 cells from 13 samples of six patients including AK, squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS), cSCC, and their matched normal tissues, covering comprehensive clinical courses of cSCC. We identified diverse cell types, including important subtypes with different gene expression profiles and functions in major keratinocytes. In SCCIS, we discovered the malignant subtypes of basal cells with differential proliferative and migration potential. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis screened out multiple key driver genes including transcription factors along AK to cSCC progression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC)/immunofluorescence (IF) experiments and single-cell ATAC sequencing (scATAC-seq) data verified the expression changes of these genes. The functional experiments confirmed the important roles of these genes in regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in cSCC tumor. Furthermore, we comprehensively described the tumor microenvironment (TME) landscape and potential keratinocyte-TME crosstalk in cSCC providing theoretical basis for immunotherapy. Together, our findings provide a valuable resource for deciphering the progression from AK to cSCC and identifying potential targets for anticancer treatment of cSCC.
Journal Article
Can perceived coolness enhance memorable customer experience? The role of customer engagement
Purpose
Memorable customer experience (MCE) is a key factor affecting customer loyalty and revisit intention. Hospitality managers must identify factors that create MCEs. This study aims to investigate relationships among perceived coolness, customer engagement and MCE and examine the mediation effect of customer engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
Two samples of 434 restaurant customers and 372 hotel customers in Taiwan returned questionnaires. Hypotheses were examined by structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results demonstrated that perceived coolness positively affected customer engagement and MCE and that customer engagement positively affected MCE. Furthermore, customer engagement mediated the relationship between perceived coolness and MCE.
Research limitations/implications
This study is cross-sectional, which limits causal inference. Furthermore, this study only investigated customers of Taiwanese restaurants and hotels, and the findings may not be generalizable to other industries and countries.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the MCE knowledge in hospitality by elucidating the association among perceived coolness, customer engagement and MCE. The findings can aid hospitality managers in developing marketing strategies, fostering customer engagement and creating MCEs.
Journal Article
A PGC1-α-dependent myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis
Exercise benefits a variety of organ systems in mammals, and some of the best-recognized effects of exercise on muscle are mediated by the transcriptional co-activator PPAR-γ co-activator-1 α (PGC1-α). Here we show in mouse that PGC1-α expression in muscle stimulates an increase in expression of FNDC5, a membrane protein that is cleaved and secreted as a newly identified hormone, irisin. Irisin acts on white adipose cells in culture and
in vivo
to stimulate UCP1 expression and a broad program of brown-fat-like development. Irisin is induced with exercise in mice and humans, and mildly increased irisin levels in the blood cause an increase in energy expenditure in mice with no changes in movement or food intake. This results in improvements in obesity and glucose homeostasis. Irisin could be therapeutic for human metabolic disease and other disorders that are improved with exercise.
In mice, expression of PGC1-α in muscles is shown to stimulate expression of FNDC5, which is cleaved and secreted in the circulation as the newly identified hormone irisin; on exercise, this hormone stimulates browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Irisin counters diabetes and obesity
Exercise is an effective therapy for obesity and type II diabetes. The transcriptional coactivator PGC1-α has been shown to mediate many of the effects of exercise in skeletal muscle, and here it is shown that PGC1-α expression in muscle stimulates the expression of the membrane protein FNDC5 in mice. FNDC5 is cleaved and secreted in the circulation as a previously unrecognized hormone, dubbed irisin, after Iris, the Greek messenger goddess. Irisin is elevated in the blood of humans and mice on exercising. It is a very powerful activator of a thermogenic program in primary white fat cells and causes a 'browning' of this cell type, including increased expression of UCP1 and enhanced respiration. These data identify irisin as a possible novel therapeutic for metabolic disorders.
Journal Article
Thymic macrophages consist of two populations with distinct localization and origin
Tissue-resident macrophages are essential to protect from pathogen invasion and maintain organ homeostasis. The ability of thymic macrophages to engulf apoptotic thymocytes is well appreciated, but little is known about their ontogeny, maintenance, and diversity. Here, we characterized the surface phenotype and transcriptional profile of these cells and defined their expression signature. Thymic macrophages were most closely related to spleen red pulp macrophages and Kupffer cells and shared the expression of the transcription factor (TF) SpiC with these cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) showed that the macrophages in the adult thymus are composed of two populations distinguished by the expression of Timd4 and Cx3cr1 . Remarkably, Timd4 + cells were located in the cortex, while Cx3cr1 + macrophages were restricted to the medulla and the cortico-medullary junction. Using shield chimeras, transplantation of embryonic thymuses, and genetic fate mapping, we found that the two populations have distinct origins. Timd4 + thymic macrophages are of embryonic origin, while Cx3cr1 + macrophages are derived from adult hematopoietic stem cells. Aging has a profound effect on the macrophages in the thymus. Timd4 + cells underwent gradual attrition, while Cx3cr1 + cells slowly accumulated with age and, in older mice, were the dominant macrophage population in the thymus. Altogether, our work defines the phenotype, origin, and diversity of thymic macrophages.
Journal Article
Nitrogen additions reduce rhizospheric and heterotrophic respiration in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest
Background and aims Increasing global atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has a considerable impact on soil respiration. Due to different carbon dioxide (CO2) resources of different components of soil respiration, there may be different mechanisms by which soils respond to N additions. The aims of this study are to investigate the effects of N additions on total soil respiration (RST), rhizospheric respiration (RSR) and heterotrophic respiration (RSH), and to elucidate the potential causal mechanisms. Methods An artificial N addition experiment was conducted in an evergreen broad-leaved forest at the westem edge of the Sichuan Basin in China. The effects of three N treatment levels (+0, +50, +150 kg N ha−1 yr.−1) were measured, with the N application initiated in April 2013. Trenching method was used for partitioning RST into RST and RSR. The values of RST and its components were measured monthly from May 2015 to April 2016. Results The mean annual RST was 1.92 ±0.18 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, with RSH and RSR contributing 75 ± 1% and 25 ± 1 % to RST, respectively. Nitrogen addition significantly reduced RST and its two components, as well as the contribution of RSR to RST. Microbial biomass carbon (C) and pH in bulk soil decreased significantly after N application. Nitrogen addition had no effect on rhizospheric soil biochemical properties. RSR was significantly positively correlated with root biomass of Castanopsis platyacantha, while RSH was significantly positively correlated with the concentrations of microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) for bulk soil. Conclusions The positive correlation between RSR and root biomass indicates that N application reduced RSR by reducing belowground C allocation and thus C inputs to the rhizosphere. The value of RSH decreased primarily due to a reduction in microbial activity and soil organic matter decomposition in root-free soil after N was added. The presence of plant roots may mitigate the effect of N inputs to the rhizosphere via alteration of root morphology and exudates.
Journal Article