Advancing Open Science

Marine vertical centrifugal pump vibration severely impacts equipment reliability and ship structural integrity, with low-frequency vibration being a key challenge for traditional passive isolation systems. To address this, this study aims to optimize the pump base’s vibration isolation performance by integrating symmetrically distributed acoustic black holes (ABHs) and locally resonant metamaterials. A combined numerical and experimental approach was adopted: an H-shaped ABH-coupling plate dynamic model was established and validated, followed by parametric evaluation of base structures, ABH parameters (length, l_ABH), damping layer configurations, and metamaterial arrays. Experimental tests were conducted using simulated pump excitation on the optimal prototype. The results show the optimal configuration—symmetrical ABH (l_ABH= 100 mm) with a full damping layer and 3 × 3 metamaterial array—achieves 11.97 dB low-frequency and 22.01 dB high-frequency vibration suppression, forming a 24.8–27.6 Hz bandgap and 7.43 dB isolation at characteristic frequencies, with an overall 13% performance improvement. This work verifies the feasibility of the symmetrical ABH–metamaterial hybrid system, providing a novel technical solution for high-performance vibration-noise reduction in marine power equipment.

The application of steel–concrete composite structures in the pylons of long-span cable-stayed bridges can effectively address the issue of insufficient structural stiffness. Shear connectors are critical load-transfer components in steel–concrete composite segments, where they are typically arranged to ensure coordinated force transmission between steel and concrete. The stud–PBL composite shear connector, as a novel type of connector, has been implemented in engineering practice. However, the collaborative load-bearing performance between studs and PBL connectors remains unclear. Most shear connectors operate within the elastic stage during service, making their elastic stiffness a key evaluation metric. Based on the Winkler elastic foundation beam theory, plane strain theory, and the spring series–parallel model, this study derives the elastic stiffness calculation formulas for stud shear connectors and PBL shear connectors, respectively. The primary focus of this study was the single-layer stud–PBL composite shear connector within the steel–concrete composite section of bridge pylons. Embedded push-out tests were designed and conducted, comprising three main categories and eight subcategories. The load–slip curves for the three types of shear connectors were generated, and the stiffness calculation formula for the stud–PBL composite shear connector was verified through finite element analysis. The comparative push-out tests and finite element simulations demonstrate that the theoretical formula proposed in this study can effectively analyze the elastic stiffness of three types of shear connectors. The elastic stiffness of composite shear connectors can be regarded as the superposition of the elastic stiffness of studs and PBL shear connectors. Compared with single shear connectors, composite shear connectors exhibit superior elastic stiffness and shear resistance, meeting the application requirements of steel–concrete composite bridge pylons. The research findings provide a theoretical basis for the optimal design of shear connectors in large-span cable-stayed bridge composite pylons. Furthermore, the established formula has broad applicability.

This paper compares higher-order co-moment functionals (co-skewness and co-kurtosis) with conditional tail-risk measures, namely Co-Expected Shortfall (CoES) and Co-Value at Risk (CoVaR), within a unified coherence-based framework. On the theoretical side, we present explicit counterexamples showing that co-skewness violates subadditivity and co-kurtosis violates monotonicity, confirming that higher-order co-moments are descriptive diagnostics rather than admissible risk measures. By contrast, CoES inherits the coherence of Expected Shortfall in a conditional joint-tail setting, while CoVaR remains non-coherent and captures tail events only at a quantile level without accounting for loss severity. Empirically, we adopt a predictive, single-index, lagged-conditioning design to examine temporal conditional tail dependence in S&P 500 daily losses from 2007 to 2023. This framework measures the persistence and amplification of market-wide tail risk rather than cross-sectional contagion across institutions. Conditional tail-risk estimates are reported only when the joint tail is sufficiently populated to ensure reliable identification. When these conditions are met, CoES delivers stable and economically interpretable signals of conditional tail fragility, with pronounced elevations during prolonged stress episodes such as the Lehman collapse and the COVID-19 crisis. Robustness analysis at a less extreme tail level confirms that the qualitative ordering of stress regimes is preserved. CoVaR captures sharp conditional stress episodes but exhibits greater sensitivity to sample size, while higher-order co-moments, both raw and standardized, remain sign-unstable and weakly informative. Overall, the results support a clear hierarchy: co-moments as descriptive supplements, CoVaR as a scenario-based stress indicator, and CoES as the coherent benchmark for conditional tail-risk measurement.

While scholarship has predominantly focused on the “harmony” of Confucian ethics or the functional and generative “harmony” of pre-Qin Lao-Zhuang Daoism, this study identifies a unique conceptual system of “harmony” in Han Dynasty Daoism through a textual excavation of Yan Zun’s Laozi zhigui. Yan Zun transcends the relatively abstract generative narratives of pre-Qin Daoism by creatively substantializing “harmony” into “supreme harmony”, positioning it as a pivotal stage in the four-tiered cosmogonic schema of “Dao–De–Shenming–supreme harmony”. By regarding “supreme harmony” as the “ancestor of Heaven and Earth” and the ontological foundation for the nature and life of all things, Yan Zun endows “harmony” with a definitive ontological status. This cosmological and ontological category further permeates the domains of self-cultivation and state governance. In the realm of self-cultivation, Yan Zun advocates for “valuing the body and nourishing the spirit”, promoting the practice of spirit and qi embracing and tranquil non-action to achieve the existential realization and transcendence of individual life; in the realm of state governance, he criticizes rites and laws for harming natural harmony, proposing that the ruler should “embody the Dao and tread upon harmony”. This approach establishes a governance of non-action that aligns with the “utmost softness” of supreme harmony, thereby reconstructing an ideal political order where “harmonious qi flows freely.” The concept of “supreme harmony” advocated by Yan Zun not only marks the maturation of Han Daoist qi-cosmology, but also offers a new theoretical horizon for re-understanding the transformation of the concept of “harmony” from ethics to ontology in Chinese philosophy.

Both let-7a and miR-34a have been repeatedly studied as pivotal suppressors for Hepatocellular carcinoma; however, their combined regulations remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we performed a comprehensive in silico analysis for let-7a and miR-34a using a wealth of updated tools: miRWalk, Genetrail and miRnet. In addition, our study is the first to quantify both miRs and their three predicted yet not experimentally validated oncogenic targets: FNDC3B, IGF2 and SOX4. This was assessed in HepG2 cell model following treatment by PEGP-vector expressing the miRs by MTT assay, florescence microscopy, qPCR and immune-florescence. Our bioinformatics analysis revealed a pool of common predicted hepatocarcinogenic targets shared by both let-7a and miR-34a. Importantly, three targets were identified as co-regulated through multiple canonical binding sites for each miR, and these had not been experimentally validated before. Furthermore, functional enrichment of these putative targets demonstrated their significant involvement in major and emerging HCC hallmarks, such as reprogramming of energy metabolism and evading immune destruction. These findings support our concept of simultaneous co-regulation of these oncogenes through the signaling networks and GO terms associated with both miRs. Consistently, our experimental results verified the significant overexpression of both miRs in HepG2 cells, leading to reduced tumor cell proliferation and decreased levels of the three oncogenic transcripts. Interestingly, miR-34a exhibited a superior suppression effect, reaching 38.7%, and SOX4 was identified as the most significantly downregulated target at both transcriptional and translational levels. Our findings provide new insights into the interconnected anti-HCC effects of let-7a and miR-34a and highlight the potential of applying their combined use to achieve the best therapeutic outcomes for this invasive tumor.

Background: Motor imagery (MI) and mirror therapy (MT) are widely used neurorehabilitation strategies to enhance motor recovery after stroke and are commonly applied as adjuncts to conventional rehabilitation therapy (CRT). However, direct comparative evidence between these interventions remains limited. This systematic review compared the effects of MI and MT on motor function, functional performance, spasticity, and gait-related outcomes in adults after stroke. Methods: A systematic comparative review with narrative synthesis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251274308). PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched up to July 2025. Clinical trials directly comparing MI and MT in adults with stroke were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Results: Six clinical trials involving 206 participants were included. Both MI and MT were associated with significant pre–post improvements across motor function, functional performance, spasticity, and gait-related outcomes. Between-group comparisons yielded heterogeneous findings, with no consistent evidence supporting the superiority of either intervention. Isolated advantages of MI were reported for specific upper-limb subdomains, but these effects were not consistently replicated. Overall methodological quality ranged from low to moderate, and all included studies were judged to be at high risk of bias according to the RoB 2 tool. Conclusions: MI and MT appear to provide comparable benefits for motor and functional recovery after stroke when used as adjuncts to CRT. Current evidence does not support the preferential use of one intervention, highlighting the need for well-designed trials with improved methodological rigor.

In this work, bimetallic TiO₂-ZnO nanoparticles were phytosynthesized in molar ratios of 1Ti:1Zn, 2Ti:1Zn, and 1Ti:2Zn, using plant extract of Ruta graveolens leaves as reductant agent. The TiO₂-ZnO nanoparticles were supported on chitosan films at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2% (w/v). The resulting films were characterized by FTIR, TGA-DT and DSC analysis, confirming an adequate impregnation of the nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix and stability against temperature variations, while swelling tests revealed good structural strength without appreciable deformation. The antimicrobial activity of the membranes was evaluated by the disk diffusion method (Kirby–Bauer) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. It was observed that the membranes having nanoparticles of stoichiometric ratios 1Ti:1Zn and 2Ti:1Zn presented higher microbicidal activity, especially against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. The microbicidal effect of TiO₂-ZnO nanoparticles varies with each strain. The inhibition halo of the 2Ti:1Zn sample grow up to 14% in most tests, while the 1Ti:2Zn sample produces the smallest halo for E. coli and C. albicans; however, for S. aureus, the halo improves by up to 33%. This phenomenon is attributed to the stoichiometric arrangement capable of inducing oxidative stress. The results show the potential of chitosan films impregnated with TiO₂-ZnO NPs as functional materials for biomedical applications, especially in the development of dressings with enhanced antimicrobial properties.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) remain underused in routine practice, particularly among women. Aim: This study evaluated gender differences in mortality among patients with T2DM and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and examined whether disparities in SGLT2i and GLP-1RA dispensing contribute to mortality. Methods: The CARDIAB cohort included 138,397 patients with T2DM and established ASCVD, categorized by gender into male and female groups. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was the dispensing rates of SGLT2i and GLP-1RA. Results: Of the 138,397 patients, 40.3% were women and 59.7% were men. The overall dispensing rates of SGLT2i and GLP-1RA were 37.1% and 23.4%, respectively, and were significantly lower among women compared with men for both SGLT2i (27.8% vs. 43.3%; p < 0.001) and GLP-1RA (21.3% vs. 24.9%; p < 0.001). Women exhibited higher mortality rates, as reflected by deaths per 10,000 patient-years (9724 vs. 7744; p < 0.001). However, in multivariable analysis, gender was not an independent predictor of mortality. Notably, the use of cardioprotective medications was strongly associated with reduced mortality, with the greatest benefit observed for SGLT2i (HR 0.307; 95% CI 0.299–0.316; p < 0.001) and GLP-1RA (HR 0.466; 95% CI 0.451–0.482; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Women with T2DM and ASCVD were treated less often with SGLT2i and GLP-1RA, therapies strongly associated with lower mortality. Their higher unadjusted mortality appears to reflect undertreatment rather than sex-related risk. Action is needed to improve the use of these cardioprotective medications, especially in women.