Purpose This study aims to examine the mechanism by which the public’s sense of gain (SG) from campus biodiversity is shaped and to establish an evaluative model thereof. Design/methodology/approach A total of 932 samples were collected from Chinese universities. Structural equation modeling was used to verify the proposed influence paths among the four constructs. A fuzzy synthetic evaluation model was then developed to assess the current status and identify directions for improvement. Findings The social governance system (GOV), the content of gain (CG) and the way of gain (WG) significantly influence the SG. Although a strong SG was reported (grade = 5.014 on a seven-point scale), several areas require improvement. The most concerning GOV (weight = 0.429) needs strengthening in dedicated organization/personnel and biodiversity campus planning and design. The highly rated CG (grade = 5.220) requires improvements to the water environment. The underperforming yet highly concerning WG (weight = 0.338; grade = 4.922) calls for more diverse biodiversity-related practices by universities. Research limitations/implications By conceptualizing the public’s SG of biodiversity and empirically exploring its generating mechanisms, these findings contribute to the literature on management and environmental theories. Practical implications To enhance the public’s SG of biodiversity, university managers may draw on the results to pinpoint priority areas for improvement across material, spiritual and institutional domains. Originality/value An original, user-centered perspective on motivations for biodiversity conservation is provided, along with a useful tool for assessing current status and identifying directions for improvement.

PurposeIt is a complex and dynamic process to provide high-quality rural infrastructure. However, there lacks a holistic performance evaluation method for rural infrastructure provision that reflects changing rural social needs and takes a village as a whole. This study aims to develop a holistic and dynamic performance evaluation model for rural infrastructure in Mainland China.Design/methodology/approachThis study established an evaluation index system by combining the lifecycle theory and the economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity (4E) theory. This study developed an evaluation model by using the analytic network process (ANP) and matter-element analysis theory (MEAT). The model was validated by two representative villages in Mainland China.FindingsThe developed model can reflect dynamic social needs and effectively evaluate the overall infrastructure provision performance of a village. The weight of indicators reflects the changes in Mainland China’s contemporary rural social needs, with particular emphasis on the impact and output performance. The evaluation result shows that the overall performance of the representative villages was excellent but had a tendency toward good. Although the output performance was excellent, different input, process and impact performances resulted in different downgrade trends.Originality/valueThis study provides a theoretical basis for disaggregating the complex issue of the performance of rural infrastructure provision. The results can be used by relevant authorities to make a holistic and dynamic evaluation of the performance of rural infrastructure provision and timely revise planning and management policies.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of electroacupuncture stimulation (EAS) of the vagus nerve on the inflammatory response in rat models of spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS:The T10 SCI model in adult male Sprague Dawley rats was established using the modified Allen's method. The EAS group was treated with the therapy on the vagus nerve of rat ear nails, while the SCI group did not receive any EAS treatment. The degree of inflammatory infiltration was reflected by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The inflammatory cytokines in spinal cord tissues, cerebrospinal fluid inflammation, and peripheral blood were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Changes in astrocytes and microglia were assessed using an immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS:Electroacupuncture stimulation treatment inhibited inflammatory infiltration, as well as the concentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, astrocytes, and microglia at 1, 6, and 24 hours after 1 EAS treatment. Multiple EAS treatments had an obvious effect on SCI inflammation. CONCLUSION:A single EAS treatment had a limited effect on inflammation, but multiple treatments had a significant inhibitory effect on inflammation.

To investigate potential risk factors for osteoporotic vertebral compression re-fractures (OVCRFs) following percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). Patients who underwent PKP from January 2012 to January 2020 were included in this study within the same institution. Cases were defined as patients who experienced OVCRFs, while controls were matched based on corresponding clinical characteristics from those patients without OVCRFs. The lumbar localized fat distribution parameters, including the fat infiltration ratio (FIR) in muscles [multifidus (MF), erector spinae (ES), paravertebral muscles (PVM), and psoas major (PS)] and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), were compared between the two groups through radiological data. And other clinical data that may be relevant were also compared. Independent risk factors for OVCRFs after PKP were identified through a binary logistic regression analysis. A total of 1391 patients who underwent PKP were included in this study. 51 patients were categorized into the re-fracture group, and 102 patients were selected as matched controls from the remaining cohort. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in metrics including MF-FIR, ES-FIR, PVM-FIR, PS-FIR, bone mineral density (BMD), body-mass index (BMI), SFT, hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and triglycerides (TG) (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that PVM-FIR (P = 0.003), SFT (P < 0.001), BMD (P = 0.011), and ALP (P = 0.005) were independent predictors for the occurrence of OVCRFs. This study discovered that lumbar localized fat distribution parameters including PVM-FIR and SFT are independent predictors of OVCRFs. Additionally, BMD and ALP were found to be independent predictors of OVCRFs.

Study Design A retrospective study.Objective To investigate the risk of adjacent segment disease (ASD) after L4-5 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a prediction model for ASD is established and validated.Methods A retrospective study was carried out on a sample of 290 patients who underwent L4-5 TLIF at Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, from January 2015 to January 2021. The study collected baseline data and preoperative radiographic features of L3-4 and L5-S1. The determination of the outcome variable was based on X-ray results spanning over 24 months and JOA scores. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors in constructing a nomogram.Results Independent risk factors for L3-4 degeneration after TLIF included osteoarthritis of L3-4 facet joints, L3-4 foraminal stenosis, L4 upper endplate osteochondritis, L3-4 local lordosis angle, and L3-4 spinal stenosis. Independent risk factors for L5-S1 degeneration after TLIF included osteoarthritis of L5-S1 facet joints, L5-S1 intervertebral disc degeneration, L5-S1 spinal stenosis, L5-S1 coronal imbalance, and S1 upper endplate osteochondritis. A predictive model was developed. The AUC for the prediction models at L3-4 and L5-S1 were .945 and .956. The calibration curve demonstrated good consistency between the predicted and actual probabilities. The DCA curve indicated the clinical benefit and practical value of this predictive model.Conclusion This study established nomograms for postoperative degeneration at L3-4 and L5-S1 based on selected preoperative radiographic features. These models provide a valuable auxiliary decision-making system for clinicians and aid in early surgical decisions.

In the event of emergencies, inadequate emergency management in large-scale building construction projects can result in significant losses and adverse social impacts. Currently, there are still numerous problems in emergency management for these projects, and related research is insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the current state and improvement demands of emergency organization and resource management for large-scale building construction projects during the construction phase when handling unexpected emergencies. To achieve this aim, this study first identified potential problems and improvement demands in emergency organization and resource management for large-scale building construction projects through theoretical analysis and expert interviews. Then, this study developed a survey questionnaire and collected responses from 30 construction professionals in China who have participated in large-scale building construction projects. The analysis of the research results finalized the current state and notable improvement demands of emergency organization and resource management for large-scale building construction projects. The results first indicated that: (1) in terms of emergency organization management, work coordination among relevant parties and the quality of information communication have significant improvement demand; (2) in terms of emergency resource management, forecasting of emergency resource demand, acquisition channels, and reserve mechanisms show improvement demand. To address these demands, emergency organization management requires optimization from the perspectives of internal and external coordination mechanisms and information communication mechanisms; Emergency resource management requires improvement in both forecasting methods and reserve models. The results of this study first provide a foundation and direction for future research on emergency organization and resource management in large-scale building construction projects. Moreover, stakeholders in these projects can refer to the results of this study to identify their weaknesses in emergency organization and resource management and propose optimization strategies in a targeted manner.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a dramatic change from face-to-face learning environments to intensive learning environments. This study aimed to identify and quantify the determinants of student learning effects and their conduction mechanism in intensive online environments. Using a structural equation model and a questionnaire survey, this study proposed and validated the relationships among six constructs including student engagement, perceived learning, satisfaction, instructor behaviours, student characteristics, and the state of health, well-being, and sense of community-related (HWC) issues. 306 valid responses from civil engineering students in 19 universities in China were used to validate the proposed relationships. The measurement and structural model evaluation indicated that the model fit of the fitted model is acceptable with x(2)/df = 2.548, RMSEA = 0.071, AGFI =0.78, and CFI = 0.93. The results first showed the key factors for student learning effects from the instructor, the student, and the HWC issues with a factor loading greater than 0.8. This study further inferred from the different path coefficients in the fitted model and the mediating model that instructor behaviours greatly influence student perceived learning and satisfaction through student engagement with a contribution of 100% and 58%, respectively; student characteristics have a decisive impact on student perceived learning with a path coefficient of 0.59; HWC issues negatively impact student satisfaction with a path coefficient of -0.11. The findings enrich online education theories in an intensive online environment by clarifying and quantifying the influencing mechanism of the determinants. The findings also advance education practices for students, instructors, and educational administrators by helping them find out their contribution to learning effectiveness and the key factors to improve future online teaching levels.

The problems of interim payment in civil engineering projects are still very prominent. However, the current research on the problems is insufficient. In addition, Chinese enterprises rarely use interim payment but mostly use completion settlement, resulting in poor contract performance, more disputes, and low control of the construction payment process. Once China fulfills allWTOcommitments in the future, the scope of open contracting of civil engineering projects will be expanded shortly, and the payment problems in China will have an impact on enterprisesworldwide. Thus the payment problems should be paid attention to and solved as soon as possible. The Chinese government has issued policy documents to comprehensively implement the interim payment. This study aims to measure the industry acceptance of interim payment and to identify the critical reasons that hinder its implementation. This study first established an acceptance model based on the technology acceptance model. Then this study identified 25 factors influencing the acceptance of the interim payment through literature review and expert interviews. By using a structural equation model and conducting a questionnaire survey, this study validated the hypotheses with 131 valid responses. The results showed that private investment projects have a higher acceptance of the interim payment than government investment projects. However, the overall acceptance is not high. The critical reasons that hinder the implementation of the interim payment are that it is not easy to learn and use, and the newbenefit distribution mechanism has not been formed. Therefore, government authorities should enhance policy support, promote training, and promote the formation of a new benefit distribution mechanism. The results contribute to the body of knowledge on cost control and provide practical suggestions for improving the acceptance of the interim payment.

In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, online live teaching becomes the main teaching method rather than a choice. Considering the immediate habit change in education, this study aims to identify the critical factors influencing students' engagement and satisfaction with the online live courses using a structural equation model and an online questionnaire survey. Through a comprehensive literature review, four critical factors influencing students' engagement and satisfaction which are instructor behaviors, student characteristics, course organization, the state of health, wellbeing, and sense of community-related (HWC) issues were identified and their relationships as well as measurement indicators for each factor were proposed. Through a survey, 306 valid responses were collected from civil engineering students in China in 2020. The results showed that instructor behaviors and student characteristics have the highest impact on student engagement and perceived learning, respectively. Moreover, the mediating effects of student engagement between instructor behaviors and student characteristics and perceived learning and satisfaction are statistically significant. Furthermore, the state of HWC issues caused by intensive online learning does have a significant negative impact on student satisfaction. Besides, the relative importance of practices affecting student online learning effects was prioritized. The findings contribute to the body of knowledge of online teaching theories and strategies. Moreover, the instructor and the education manager can improve their online live arrangement by referencing the findings of this study.

In the process of marketization, the lack of redundancy evaluation of the MSW incineration treatment capacity leads to the regional imbalance of treatment capacity and waste of resources. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a spatial–temporal redundancy evaluation method for the MSW incineration treatment capacity based on the accurate MSW generation prediction using artificial intelligence. To achieve this aim, this study first proposed and finalized a prediction model of the provincial MSW generation by applying the artificial neuron network (ANN) technology and using the statistical data of Jiangsu Province of China from 1990 to 2020. In the finalized model, the input variables consist of three demographic variables, three social variables, and five economic variables; the model structure that includes four hidden layers and 16 neurons in each hidden layer performed best with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.995 on the training samples and an R2 of 0.974 on the test set, respectively. Using the finalized model and statistical data of all provinces in China, this study proposed a redundancy evaluation method for the MSW incineration treatment capacity and evaluated the spatial and temporal redundancy status of China. The results first confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method to model and quantify the redundancy problem. Second, according to the evaluation results, even if no new treatment plant will be built before 2025, 10 of China’s 31 provinces still have redundancy problems, indicating the severity of this problem. This study first contributes to the body of knowledge by modeling the redundancy problem of the MSW incineration treatment capacity. Moreover, this study provides a tool to quantify temporal and spatial redundancy using advanced technology and publicly available data. Furthermore, the results can help waste-related authorities and organizations make optimal strategies and actions to better match MSW treatment capacity and MSW generation volume.

An increasing trend in late payment and nonpayment of construction projects would hinder the sustainable development of projects by impeding progress or causing disputes. Although the interim payment method is a good practice to solve payment-related problems of construction projects, its acceptance rate is low, and studies on it are few. Therefore, this research aims to extend the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to understand practitioners’ acceptance behavior toward the interim payment method. By adopting TAM, this study established an acceptance model of the interim payment method, which consists of four constructs and 25 indicators, and validated it through 131 survey data collected in Jiangsu Province, China. The results showed that the adoption rate for public projects (17%) was much lower than that of private projects (44.8%). The results revealed that environmental factors, perceived usefulness, and attitude increase practitioners’ acceptance, while the perceived ease of use impedes practitioners’ acceptance. In addition, the settlement process and pricing method impact the ease of use the most and could be breakthrough points for improvement in the future. Moreover, the perceived usefulness significantly affects practitioners’ attitudes but does not affect behavioral intention. This study contributes to the body of knowledge of project management by identifying the key causes of the low acceptance of the interim payment method and provides strategies for further improvement. The findings would help to inform the decision-making in policies, strategies, and incentive schemes to increase practitioners’ acceptance in China and worldwide.

Pyroptosis, a newly discovered pro-inflammatory programmed necrosis of cells, serves as an initiating and promoting event that leads to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD). Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and autophagy are vital regulatory mechanisms of cellular homeostasis, which is also closely related to IDD. However, the role and relationship of ERS and autophagy in the pyroptosis of nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) are not well understood. In this research, we aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of ERS-C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cell pyroptosis and determine its interaction with autophagy. ERS and autophagy inducers or inhibitors were used or not in the preconditioning of rat NPCs. Cell viability, pyroptosis-related protein expression, caspase-1 activity assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to observe rat NPC pyroptosis after the treatment of LPS. Activation of the ERS pathway and autophagy were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses, and immunofluorescence staining assay to classify the molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that LPS stimulation induced NPC pyroptosis with concomitant activation of the ERS-CHOP pathway and initiated autophagy. Activation of the ERS-CHOP pathway exacerbated rat NPC pyroptosis, whereas autophagy inhibited cell pyroptosis. LPS-induced cell pyroptosis and CHOP upregulation were negatively regulated by autophagy. LPS-induced autophagy was depressed by the ERS inhibitor but aggravated by the ERS inducer. Taken together, our findings suggested that LPS induced NPC pyroptosis by activating ERS-CHOP signaling and ERS mediated LPS-induced autophagy, which in turn alleviated NPC pyroptosis by inhibiting CHOP signaling.

The wide distribution of data centers and the delay tolerance of computing tasks endow data center loads with adjustable characteristics in both temporal and spatial dimensions. Due to the characteristics of abundant spatiotemporal flexibility, data centers can participate in the optimization of power system operation and regulation. To quantify this flexibility, this paper proposes a spatiotemporal load migration potential evaluation model. Meanwhile, a data center energy management strategy is combined with the characteristics of spatiotemporal load migration, which deeply exploits the migration potential through the spatiotemporal redistribution of delay-tolerant tasks, as well as server ON/OFF scheduling and CPU operating frequency scaling across different spatial locations. A case study demonstrates that adopting the proposed approach considering an energy management strategy can effectively improve the load migration potential of data centers. The migration characteristics of data centers have great application prospects in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing operational flexibility.

Bike sharing offers a usable form of feeder transportation for connecting to public transportation and effectively meets unmet travel demands, alleviating the pressure on public transportation systems by diverting urban commuters. To advance the comprehension of how the built environment shapes the relationship between bike-sharing systems and public transport modes, we implement a categorization framework that divides bike-sharing data into three distinct patterns: competition, integration, and complementation, based on their coordination with public transportation. The SLM model is employed to investigate the complex correlations between the relationship patterns and four key groups of environmental factors encompassing land use, transportation systems, urban design, and social economy. We find a strong correlation between four groups of environmental factors and three relationship patterns. Furthermore, the built environment variables exhibit significant variations across the three patterns. Users in the competitive mode prefer the flexibility of shared bikes and place a higher value on the sightseeing and leisure benefits. Instead, users in the integration and complementation modes tend to prefer shared bikes to supplement unmet travel demand and place a higher value on commuting benefits. These findings can benefit urban planners seeking to encourage greater diversity in transportation modes and incentivize more commuting.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the indirect puncture method using a novel arc puncture-guided device in percutaneous transforaminal puncture to improve puncture accuracy and reduce the fluoroscopy, puncture, and oper-ation times.METHODS: We have designed a novel arc puncture-guided device consisting of a 90 degrees arc block and a 30(degrees) arc block. Punctures were performed on 8 fresh goat lumbar spine specimens. A senior doctor performed indirect punctures on the left side of the L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5 levels using the novel device (group A) and on the right side of the L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5 levels using the con-ventional method (group B). We recorded the fluoroscopy, puncture, and operation times.Results: In group A, the first puncture could successfully reach the target after 1-3 punctures, and the one-time success rate of the second needle puncture was 91.67%. The total fluoroscopy time was 14.88 +/- 0.99 minutes in group A and 16.08 +/- 2.22 minutes in group B (P = 0.027). The puncture times were 3.00 +/- 0.66 minutes in group A and 6.04 +/- 2.13 minutes in group B (P < 0.01). The operation time was 273.75 +/- 30.19 minutes in group A and 361.25 +/- 69.57 minutes in group B (P < 0.01). The differences in fluoroscopy times, puncture times, and operation times between the 2 groups were statistically significantly (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Indirect puncture using the novel arc puncture-guided device for percutaneous transforaminal puncture can significantly improve puncture accuracy and reduce the fluoroscopy, puncture, and operation times. In-direct puncture using the novel device in percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy is a potential and practical puncture method.

The idea of curriculum-based ideological and political education points out the direction of talent cultivation for universities in the new era. It offers an effective approach to facilitate the reform and improve the quality of education. As the basic carrier of curriculum-based ideological and political education, professional courses should not only impart knowledge and train abilities, but also play an important role in leading the value in an imperceptible way. Taking the course of Conceptual and Aesthetic Design of Bridges as an example, this study explores the method of ideological and political education construction in professional courses of civil engineering. Specific ideological and political targets are designed for each chapter according to the detailed contents.The mapping approaches between the ideological and political elements and professional contents are optimized in order to achieve the imperceptible education effect. It provides a valuable reference for curriculum-based ideological and political education in science and engineering courses of universities.

During the rapid development of rural infrastructure in China, there are many important issues that have been overlooked, such as the real wishes of farmers and the management of the infrastructure, resulting in the farmers’ weak sense of gain. However, there is still a lack of research on the influence mechanism of the farmer’s sense of gain in the infrastructure development. To propose effective improvement strategies, this research aimed to explore the influence mechanism of the farmer’s sense of gain in the construction and operation of the rural infrastructure. To achieve the above aim, this study (1) proposed hypotheses for the influence mechanism from four perspectives which include the governance of the infrastructure, content of gain, way of gain, and sense of gain through theoretical analysis; (2) developed an evaluation index system for the above four constructs through a comprehensive literature review and rural field investigations; (3) conducted a questionnaire survey and received 107 effective responses from 7 tourism-oriented rural areas in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; (4) used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and the software of AMOS to verify the proposed hypotheses. The results showed that content of gain and the way of gain directly affect the farmers’ sense of gain, and the governance indirectly affects the farmers’ sense of gain. And the way of gain has the greatest impact on the sense of gain, followed by access to the governance, and the content of gain has the least impact. The findings of this study first enriched the relevant theories of farmers’ sense of gain in the construction and operation of rural infrastructure. Moreover, the findings provided the theoretical supports for the government authorities to put forward effective governance strategies for the rural infrastructure from the perspective of the farmers’ sense of gain. Finally, the findings helped to identify the key points of the sustainable development of the infrastructure.

Acid-induced cellular senescence is a critical underlying mechanism of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD). Acid stimulation activates a variety of biological changes including autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and related unfolded protein response (UPR), which are important regulators of cellular senescence. However, the precise mechanism of acid-mediated UPR and autophagy in nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) senescence has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used acid to mimic the acidic microenvironment of IVD, and rat NPCs were cultured with or without autophagy or UPR signaling small-interfering RNAs. The related proteins and genes were assessed by immunofluorescence staining assay, Western blot analyses, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to monitor the activation of these signals and classify the molecular mechanisms underlying the correlation between autophagy and UPR pathway. Cell cycle analyses, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, gene expression, and immunoblotting analyses were performed to observe NPC senescence. Results showed that acid stimulation not only induced NPC senescence, but also initiated UPR and autophagy. Silencing the binding immunoglobulin protein signaling of UPR or autophagy signaling promoted rat NPC senescence. Knock-down of the UPR also blocked NPC autophagy. Taken together, UPR inhibits NPC senescence under acidic condition by activating autophagy. Hence, UPR-dependent autophagy could be an effective biologic target for the treatment of IDD in the future.

2020年上半年,各大高校积极响应国家教育部"停课不停学"的号召,纷纷开展集中在线教学.集中在线教学虽然实现了教育的连续性,但也存在一些明显的问题.为更好地应对未来不可预知的各种危机,需要考虑教学模式的韧性问题.本研究旨在探索在线学习周制度在中国建立的合理性,并对制度建立提出合理化建议,为提升中国高校应对疫情的韧性提供理论支撑及策略建议.

During the rapid development of rural infrastructures in China, many important issues such as the real wishes of farmers and the proper management of the infrastructure have been overlooked, resulting in a weak sense of gain among farmers. To propose effective improvement strategies, this research aimed to explore the influence mechanism of the farmers' sense of gain and to build a comprehensive evaluation model of farmers' sense of gain in the provision of rural infrastructure. To achieve the above aims, we first proposed hypotheses among four constructs and selected an evaluation index for each construct. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and a questionnaire survey, we then verified the proposed hypotheses and developed a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of the farmers' sense of gain in the provision of rural infrastructure. The results first showed that the content of gain and the way of gain directly affect the farmers' sense of gain, and the governance indirectly affects the farmers' sense of gain. Moreover, the way of gain has the greatest impact on the sense of gain, followed by the governance and the content of gain. Furthermore, the analysis results demonstrate that the developed fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is feasible and effective in evaluating farmers' sense of gain in the provision of rural infrastructures. The findings of this study first enrich the relevant theories of farmers' sense of gain in the provision of rural infrastructure. The findings also provide theoretical support for the government authorities to put forward effective governance strategies for rural infrastructure from the perspective of farmers' sense of gain.