Study on Flexural Properties of Reinforced Spontaneous Combustion Gangue Concrete Beams

In this paper, the flexural properties of three kinds of reinforced spontaneous combustion gangue concrete (RSCG) beams and one group of reinforced normal concrete (RNC) beam are investigated experimentally by comparison. Three kinds of RSCG beams are constructed with 100% spontaneous combustion gangue fine aggregate, coarse aggregate or both of them and one group conventional concrete beam is constructed with natural aggregates. Effects of different combinations of aggregates on flexural properties of reinforced concrete structural elements are studied under the same conditions, including longitudinal reinforcement ratio, concrete strength grade and section size of member. The experimental cracking moment, ultimate moment and deflection under normal service state of the beams are analyzed according to theories and methods of the present code to evaluate the applicability of present code for RSCG beams. In addition, through ANSYS finite element simulation, flexural properties of the RSCG beams are analyzed. And comparing experimental results with calculated and simulated results, respectively. The results show that flexural features of RSCG beams are similar with RNC beams, and flexural property formulas for conventional concrete beams are also suitable for RSCG beams. Furthermore, simulating results also agree well with test results. It is feasible to use spontaneous combustion gangue aggregate in reinforced concrete structures under the proper design as well as within the proper limit of application

The Effect of Blended Instruction on Student Performance: A Meta-Analysis of 106 Empirical Studies from China and Abroad

Blended instruction integrating off-line and on-line teaching has become an important instrument for promoting educational reform and innovation. However, the results of current empirical studies diverge on the effect of blended instruction on student performance, which necessitates further research on the effectiveness of blended instruction and related factors. This study, using an evidence-based meta-analytical approach, conducts a quantitative analysis of 106 experimental and quasi- experimental studies published from January 2000 to September 2021 in China and abroad, and systematically examines the effectiveness of blended instruction. The research finds that: i) The summary effect size (ES) of the included sample is 0.669 (n=142), indicating that blended instruction has above-moderate positive effects on student performance, especially on student learning motivation and academic emotions and attitude; ii) In terms of education levels, experimental periods and class sizes, blended instruction has the most significant positive effect on junior and senior secondary school students, on a teaching period from one to three months, and on a class size of 51 to 100 students; iii) Regarding the proportion and interactive patterns of online teaching, 50% composition of online teaching and synchronous or synchronous + asynchronous interaction exert the most significant positive effects on student learning. iv) Teaching methods including task-driven learning, role-playing, inquiry-based teaching, and case-based teaching have greater positive effects on student performance than other methods. Group study yields a greater effect on promoting student learning compared to individual study. Based on the findings, the present study also makes suggestions for the effective practice of blended instruction

Editorial: CO 2 -based energy systems for cooling, heating, and power

© 2022 Li, Su, Xu, Dai, Li and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Peer reviewe

Altered Nuclear Functions in Progeroid Syndromes: a Paradigm for Aging Research

Syndromes of accelerated aging could provide an entry point for identifying and dissecting the cellular pathways that are involved in the development of age-related pathologies in the general population. However, their usefulness for aging research has been controversial, as it has been argued that these diseases do not faithfully reflect the process of natural aging. Here we review recent findings on the molecular basis of two progeroid diseases, Werner syndrome (WS) and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), and highlight functional connections to cellular processes that may contribute to normal aging

A conserved and species-specific functional interaction between the Werner syndrome-like exonuclease atWEX and the Ku heterodimer in Arabidopsis

Werner syndrome is associated with mutations in the DNA helicase RecQ3 [a.k.a. Homo sapiens (hs)WRN]. The function of hsWRN is unknown although biochemical studies suggest a role in DNA ends stability and repair. Unlike other RecQ family members, hsWRN possesses an N-terminal domain with exonuclease activity, which is stimulated by interaction with the Ku heterodimer. While this interaction is intriguing, we do not know whether it is important for hsWRN function. Although flies, worms, fungi and plants do not have RecQ-like (RQL) helicases with an intrinsic exonuclease activity, they possess proteins having domains homologous to the hsWRN exonuclease. The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana (at) encodes multiple RQL and a single protein with homology to the WRN exonuclease domain, atWEX (Werner-like Exonuclease). Here we show that atWEX has properties that are similar to hsWRN. atWEX binds to and is stimulated by atKu. Interestingly, stimulation by Ku is species-specific, as hsKu does not stimulate atWEX exonuclease activity. Likewise, atKu fails to enhance the exonuclease activity of hsWRN. Thus, in spite of the differences in structural organization, the functional interaction between WRN-like exonucleases and Ku has been preserved through evolutionary radiation of species, emphasizing the importance of this interaction in cell function

Multi-Fields Modulation of Physical Properties of Oxide Thin Films

Oxide thin films exhibit versatile physical properties such as magnetism, ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, metal-insulator transition (MIT), multiferroicity, colossal magnetoresistivity, switchable resistivity, etc. More importantly, the exhibited multifunctionality could be tuned by various external fields, which has enabled demonstration of novel electronic devices. In this article, recent studies of the multi-fields modulation of physical properties in oxide thin films have been reviewed. Some of the key issues and prospects about this field are also addressed.Comment: review article, 56 pages, 18 figure

Analysis of factors influencing the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children and prediction model for efficacy evaluation

ObjectiveVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been widely used in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in children. We aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of VNS, focusing on factors that can influence the efficacy of VNS, and construct a prediction model for the efficacy of VNS in the treatment of DRE children.MethodsRetrospectively analyzed 45 DRE children who underwent VNS at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from June 2016 to November 2022. A ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency was defined as responder, logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze factors affecting the efficacy of VNS, and a predictive model was constructed. The predictive model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curves, and decision curve analyses (DCA).ResultsA total of 45 DRE children were included in this study, and the frequency of seizures was significantly reduced after VNS treatment, with 25 responders (55.6%), of whom 6 (13.3%) achieved seizure freedom. There was a significant improvement in the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (15.5%) and Seizure Severity Score (46.2%). 16 potential factors affecting the efficacy of VNS were included, and three statistically significant positive predictors were ultimately screened: shorter seizure duration, focal seizure, and absence of intellectual disability. We developed a nomogram for predicting the efficacy of VNS in the treatment of DRE children. The ROC curve confirmed that the predictive model has good diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.864, P < 0.05), and the nomogram can be further validated by bootstrapping for 1,000 repetitions, with a C-index of 0.837. Besides, this model showed good fitting and calibration and positive net benefits in decision curve analysis.ConclusionVNS is a safe and effective treatment for DRE children. We developed a predictive nomogram for the efficacy of VNS, which provides a basis for more accurate selection of VNS patients

Linkage between surface energy balance non‐closure and horizontal asymmetric turbulent transport

A number of studies have reported that the traditional eddy covariance (EC) method generally underestimated vertical turbulent fluxes, leading to an outstanding non-closure problem of the surface energy balance (SEB). Although it is recognized that the enlarged surface energy imbalance frequently coincides with the increasing wind shear, the role of large eddies in affecting the SEB remains unclear. On analyzing data collected by an EC array, considerable horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux is observed. The results show that the combined EC method that incorporates the spatial flux contribution increases the kinematic heat flux by 21% relative to the traditional EC method, improving the SEB closure. Additionally, spectral analysis indicates that large eddies with scales ranging from 0.0005 to 0.01 (in the normalized frequency) mainly account for the horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux. Under unstable conditions, this process is operating upon large eddies characterized by enlarged asymmetric turbulent flux transport. With enhanced wind shear, the increment of flux contribution associated with sweeps and ejections becomes disproportionate, contributing to the horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux, and thus may explain the increased SEB non-closure