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The separation and investigation of plastic dissipation energy and damage dissipation energy, and the exploration of the association between energy dissipation and crack development, contribute to revealing the essence of rock failure. In this study, triaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests were performed on porous siltstone widely distributed in mining areas in western China. According to the characteristic stresses and energy evolution characteristics, the failure process of siltstone was divided into five stages. The cumulative energy dissipation ratio shows a spoon-shaped evolution characterized by a significant decline, slight decline, slow increase, significant increase, and stable trend. Importantly, a method for separating plastic dissipation energy and damage dissipation energy was proposed and applied to investigate the evolution characteristics of plastic dissipation energy and damage dissipation energy. Corresponding to the energy characteristics, the acoustic emission activity exhibits significant phased characteristics in five stages. Furthermore, the analysis of crack evolution based on acoustic emission parameters reveals that the proportion of tensile cracks increased significantly near peak failure, and the development of tensile cracks substantially contributed to the damage of load-bearing structures. In particular, the evolution of shear cracks exhibited a strong correlation with the cumulative plastic dissipation energy, while the evolution of tensile cracks showed a strong correlation with the cumulative damage dissipation energy. Finally, the energy dissipation mechanisms of tensile cracks and shear cracks were revealed.Highlight HighlightsA characteristic stress determination method based on evolution characteristics of multiphase volumetric strainSpoon-shaped evolution characteristics of the cumulative energy dissipation ratioA determination method of plastic energy dissipation and damage energy dissipationAssociation mechanism between the development of shear and tensile cracks and the evolution of plastic and damage dissipation energy

As the global population ages, enhancing community outdoor public spaces to accommodate the needs of senior citizens has emerged as a critical challenge. This research delves into the intricate relationship between community outdoor public spaces and the behavioral patterns of the elderly, seeking to inform strategies for optimizing these spaces. The complexity and diversity of the mechanisms linking elderly behaviors with the characteristics of their outdoor environments pose challenges in identifying clear guidelines for improvement. Traditional methods of collecting behavioral data, such as questionnaires and manual observations, are time-consuming and limit the scope and detail of data captured. In contrast, computer vision technologies offer an efficient alternative for gathering behavioral data. However, the application of computer vision to specifically identify various behaviors of the elderly population presents certain challenges. This study addresses two key issues: improving the use of computer vision to recognize diverse behaviors of the elderly; and elucidating how community outdoor public spaces shape the outdoor activities of seniors and identifying crucial influencing factors. The research proceeds by initially categorizing elderly behavior characteristics and typologies of outdoor public spaces based on the physiological and psychological needs of seniors. The spatial elements are classified into four metrics: spatial, greenness, functional facilities, and accessibility. A computer vision-based behavior detection algorithm is then constructed to effectively identify six typical activities of the elderly: exercising, jogging, sitting, standing, walking, and playing chess or cards. Subsequently, a set of quantifiable indicators for community outdoor public spaces is established, and nonlinear machine learning models (Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting) are employed to reveal the association mechanisms between these six behaviors and the four categories of spatial metrics. The findings highlight 16 major characteristics that have a significant impact on elderly behavior, such as area size, form, green enclosure, and types of workout equipment.

Background Rehabilitation is a critical method for preventing and controlling disabilities. However, the majority of the global demand for rehabilitation services remains unmet, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aims to explore the complex and concealed stratified relationships between socioeconomic status and the utilization of rehabilitation services among older persons with physical disabilities (PD) from gender and age perspectives. Methods A total of 19,782 observations of older persons with PD were included from the 2007–2013 China National Disabled Persons Condition Monitoring data. This study employs a multiplicative interaction effect model based on logistic regression to analyze the differential association between individual socioeconomic status and the utilization of rehabilitation services, considering gender and age. Results From a gender perspective, the positive correlations between high income, high education and the utilization of rehabilitation services are smaller in males (high income: OR = 0.801, 95% CI 0.653–0.983; high education: OR = 0.679, 95% CI 0.433–1.066). From an age perspective, the positive correlation between high income and the utilization of rehabilitation services is greater among middle- to oldest-old individuals with PD (OR = 1.310, 95% CI 1.077–1.593). Conclusion There are structural gender and age differences in the relationship between the socioeconomic status of older persons with PD and their utilization of rehabilitation services. It is recommended to enhance financial subsidies for rehabilitation services and implement tiered payment structures for low-income groups to alleviate their financial burden. To mitigate gender disparities in healthcare, efforts should focus on increasing awareness of rehabilitation services within health education programs, with community health workers playing a more active role in identifying and assisting those in need. Furthermore, strengthening support for family caregiving and integrating medical and nursing services within the framework of long-term care insurance are essential. Additionally, efforts should be made to the development of preventive rehabilitation programs and the establishment of a multi-tiered integrated rehabilitation system that ensures access to basic services for low-income populations and provides premium options to accommodate diverse needs.

Catalytic MATα1 subunits associate into kinetically distinct homo-dimers (MAT III) and homo-tetramers (MAT I) that synthesize S-adenosylmethionine in the adult liver. Pathological reductions in S-adenosylmethionine levels correlate with MAT III accumulation; thus, it is important to know the determinants of dimer–dimer associations. Here, polar interactions (<3.5 Å) at the rat MAT I dimer–dimer interface were disrupted by site-directed mutagenesis. Heterologous expression rendered decreased soluble mutant MATα1 levels that appeared mostly as dimers. Substitutions at the B1–B2 or B3–C1 β-strand loops, or changes in charge on helix α2 located behind, induced either MAT III or MAT I accumulation. Notably, double mutants combining neutral changes on helix α2 with substitutions at either β-strand loop further increased MAT III content. Mutations had negligible impact on secondary or tertiary protein structure, but induced changes of 5–10 °C in thermal stability. All mutants preserved tripolyphosphatase activity, although AdoMet synthesis was only detected in single mutants. Kinetic parameters were altered in all purified proteins, their AdoMet synthesis Vmax and methionine affinities correlating with the association state induced by the corresponding mutations. In conclusion, polar interactions control MATα1 tetramerization and kinetics, diverse effects being induced by changes on opposite β-sheet loops putatively leading to subtle variations in central domain β-sheet orientation.

Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality and is the second leading cause of death. Diabetes mellitus is a serious and growing problem worldwide, and its prevalence continues to grow; it is the 12th leading cause of death. An association between diabetes mellitus and cancer has been suggested for more than 100 years. Diabetes is a common disease diagnosed among patients with cancer, and evidence indicates that approximately 8–18% of patients with cancer have diabetes, with investigations suggesting an association between diabetes and some particular cancers, increasing the risk for developing cancers such as pancreatic, liver, colon, breast, stomach, and a few others. Breast and colorectal cancers have increased from 20% to 30% and there is a 97% increased risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or endometrial cancer. On the other hand, a number of cancers and cancer therapies increase the risk of diabetes mellitus. Complications due to diabetes in patients with cancer may influence the choice of cancer therapy. Unfortunately, the mechanisms of the associations between diabetes mellitus and cancer are still unknown. The aim of this review is to summarize the association of diabetes mellitus with selected cancers and update the evidence on the underlying mechanisms of this association.

Although the theory of ecosystem services (ESs) is important for guiding land-use planning, knowledge of ESs trade-offs and supply–demand mechanisms is still lacking, and the characteristics of the correlation between the size of trade-offs and the balance between supply and demand along the precipitation gradient have not yet been clarified. In order to supplement this area of knowledge of ESs, we selected 30 small watersheds in high-, medium- and low-precipitation areas as study units. A biophysical model and socio-economic data were used to calculate supply and demand for carbon sequestration, soil conservation and water yield. Redundancy analysis and regression analysis were used to study the ESs trade-offs, the supply–demand dynamics, and the characteristics of their correlation. The results were as follows. (1) The supply and balance between supply and demand of the three ESs, the trade-off between carbon sequestration and water yield and the trade-off between soil conservation and water yield trended downwards from the high-precipitation area to the medium-precipitation area to the low-precipitation area. (2) The primary factors influencing balance between supply and demand with regard to carbon sequestration in high-, medium- and low-precipitation areas were population density and soil organic-matter content, and the size of the conditional effects were greater than 53%. The dominant factor affecting the balance between supply and demand with regard to soil conservation in the three precipitation areas was slope gradient, and the conditional effect was greater than 40%. The most significant determinants of balance between supply and demand with regard to water yield in the three precipitation areas were grassland area, forest area and precipitation, and the conditional effects were greater than 22%. (3) The most significant determinants of the trade-off between carbon sequestration and water yield in high-, medium- and low-precipitation areas were forest, soil organic-matter content and population density, and the conditional effects were all greater than 45%; the primary factors affecting the trade-off between soil conservation and water yield in high-, medium- and low-precipitation areas were grassland and slope gradient, and the conditional effects were all greater than 24%. (4) The relationship between the balance between supply and demand and trade-off size often followed a quadratic function; the next-most-common relationship was a monotonous nonlinear response, and a linear response relationship was relatively rare. This study revealed the factors influencing balance between supply and demand and trade-offs with regard to ESs and the characteristics of their correlations in areas with different degrees of precipitation, which provided a new idea for the synchronous regulation of ESs in the context of conflicts and supply–demand imbalance.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the medium and large arteries, characterized by lipid accumulation within the arterial wall and a sustained inflammatory milieu, and it remains a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Glycolysis and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are both involved in the initiation and progression of AS in part through effects on endothelial function, platelet activation, lipid metabolism, and the inflammatory microenvironment. This article reviews the roles of NETs and glycolysis in AS, elucidates the mechanisms underlying NETosis, and discusses the association between glycolysis and NETosis. Finally, the article discusses the potential value of glycolytic inhibitors in the treatment of AS, with the aim of providing new perspectives for the diagnosis and treatment of AS and related cardiovascular diseases.

We propose models for longitudinal, or otherwise clustered, ordinal data. The association between subunit responses is characterized by dependence ratios (Ekholm, Smith, and McDonald, 1995, Biometrika 82, 847-854), which are extended from the binary to the multicategory case. The joint probabilities of the subunit responses are expressed as explicit functions of the marginal means and the dependence ratios of all orders, obtaining a computational advantage for likelihood-based inference. Equal emphasis is put on finding regression models for the univariate cumulative probabilities, and on deriving the dependence ratios from meaningful association-generating mechanisms. A data set on the effects of treatment with Fluvoxamine, which has been analyzed in parts before (Molenberghs, Kenward, and Lesaffre, 1997, Biometrika 84, 33-44), is analyzed in its entirety. Selection models are used for studying the sensitivity of the results to drop-out.

Complex formation of the glutathione peroxidase mimics 2,2¢-ditelluro-bridged b-cyclodextrin (1) and 2,2¢-diseleno-bridged b-cyclodextrin (2), with S-substituted dinitrophenyl glutathione (3) were determined by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Molecular mechanics (MM2) modeling calculations were used to deduce a three-dimensional model for each complex. The dinitrophenyl (DNP) group of 3 appears to penetrate the cavity of b-cyclodextrin (b-CD) or 1, but it is located between the two secondary rims of 2. The complexes’ stability constants (Ks) from 19 to 37 °C, Gibbs free energy changes (DG° ), DH° and TDS° for 1:1 complexes of b-CD, 1 and 2 with ligand 3 as obtained from UV-Vis spectra were compared. The binding of 3 by the three cyclodextrin hosts generally decreased in the order of 1>2>b-CD. The binding ability of 3 by b-CD, 1 and 2 was discussed with regard to the size/shape-fit concept, the induced-fit interaction, and the cooperative interaction of the dual hydrophobic cavities. The binding ability of 1>2indicated that the length of linkage between two cyclodextrin units plays a crucial role in the interaction with 3.

Complex formation of the glutathione peroxidase mimics 2,2′-ditelluro-bridged β-cyclodextrin (1) and 2,2′-diseleno-bridged β-cyclodextrin (2), with S-substituted dinitrophenyl glutathione (3) were determined by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Molecular mechanics (MM2) modeling calculations were used to deduce a three-dimensional model for each complex. The dinitrophenyl (DNP) group of 3 appears to penetrate the cavity of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) or 1, but it is located between the two secondary rims of 2. The complexes’ stability constants (Ks) from 19 to 37 °C, Gibbs free energy changes (ΔG°), ΔH° and TΔS° for 1:1 complexes of β-CD, 1 and 2 with ligand 3 as obtained from UV-Vis spectra were compared. The binding of 3 by the three cyclodextrin hosts generally decreased in the order of 1>2>β-CD. The binding ability of 3 by β-CD, 1 and 2 was discussed with regard to the size/shape-fit concept, the induced-fit interaction, and the cooperative interaction of the dual hydrophobic cavities. The binding ability of 1>2 indicated that the length of linkage between two cyclodextrin units plays a crucial role in the interaction with 3.