Geographical patterns and determinants of insect biodiversity in China

Insects play important roles in the maintenance of ecosystem functioning and the provision of livelihoods for millions of people. However, compared with terrestrial vertebrates and angiosperms, such as the giant panda, crested ibis, and the metasequoia, insect conservation has not attracted enough attention, and a basic understanding of the geographical biodiversity patterns for major components of insects in China is lacking. Herein, we investigated the geographical distribution of insect biodiversity across multiple dimensions (taxonomic, genetic, and phylogenetic diversity) based on the spatial distribution and molecular DNA sequencing data of insects. Our analysis included 18 orders, 360 families, 5,275 genera, and 14,115 species of insects. The results revealed that Southwestern and Southeastern China harbored higher insect biodiversity and numerous older lineages, representing a museum, whereas regions located in Northwestern China harbored lower insect biodiversity and younger lineages, serving as an evolutionary cradle. We also observed that mean annual temperature and precipitation had significantly positive effects, whereas altitude had significantly negative effects on insect biodiversity in most cases. Moreover, cultivated vegetation harbored the highest insect taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, and needleleaf and broadleaf mixed forests harbored the highest insect genetic diversity. These results indicated that human activities may positively contribute to insect spatial diversity on a regional scale. Our study fills a knowledge gap in insect spatial diversity in China. These findings could help guide national-level conservation plans and the post-2020 biodiversity conservation framework.

OSC-CO2: coattention and cosegmentation framework for plant state change with multiple features

Cosegmentation and coattention are extensions of traditional segmentation methods aimed at detecting a common object (or objects) in a group of images. Current cosegmentation and coattention methods are ineffective for objects, such as plants, that change their morphological state while being captured in different modalities and views. The Object State Change using Coattention-Cosegmentation (OSC-CO2) is an end-to-end unsupervised deep-learning framework that enhances traditional segmentation techniques, processing, analyzing, selecting, and combining suitable segmentation results that may contain most of our target object's pixels, and then displaying a final segmented image. The framework leverages coattention-based convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and cosegmentation-based dense Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) to address segmentation accuracy in high-dimensional plant imagery with evolving plant objects. The efficacy of OSC-CO2 is demonstrated using plant growth sequences imaged with infrared, visible, and fluorescence cameras in multiple views using a remote sensing, high-throughput phenotyping platform, and is evaluated using Jaccard index and precision measures. We also introduce CosegPP+, a dataset that is structured and can provide quantitative information on the efficacy of our framework. Results show that OSC-CO2 out performed state-of-the art segmentation and cosegmentation methods by improving segementation accuracy by 3% to 45%.

The Association Between Pregnancy-Related Factors and Health Status Before and After Childbirth With Satisfaction With Skilled Delivery in Multiple Dimensions Among Postpartum Mothers in the Akatsi South District, Ghana

Background

Skilled delivery has been a pronounced concern and has been investigated over the years in developing countries. An inclusive understanding of the satisfaction of postpartum mothers is vital in improving the quality of skilled delivery, which is beneath the standard in some parts of developing countries. This study assessed the association between pregnancy-related factors and health status before and after childbirth with satisfaction with skilled delivery in multiple dimensions among postpartum mothers in the Akatsi South District, Ghana.

Methods

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 538 postpartum mothers who participated through the systematic sampling method. Data collection was performed through a pretested and structured questionnaire developed from the WHO responsiveness concept and other prior studies. Questions on satisfaction were categorized into six dimensions. The associations were determined using bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

The overall satisfaction of postpartum mothers with skilled delivery was 80.7%. The highest (89.6%) and the lowest (12.8%) satisfaction with skilled delivery were found in technical quality and financial dimensions. Analysis revealed that autonomously age and delivery procedure were significantly associated with the dimensions of communication and responsiveness. Postpartum mothers who delivered at private healthcare facilities [crude odds ratio (COR) = 1.70; (95% CI 1.00–2.90); p = 0.049] had preterm pregnancy before delivery [COR = 2.08; (95% CI 1.02–4.21); p = 0.043], had cesarean section [COR = 2.73; (95% CI 1.05–7.12); p = 0.040], and presented with complications after childbirth [COR = 2.63; (95% CI 1.09–6.35); p = 0.032] were more likely to be satisfied in the dimension of communication only compared to their counterparts. Regarding responsiveness, multiparous mothers [COR = 1.63; (95% CI 1.06–2.51); p = 0.007] were more likely to be satisfied than primiparous mothers. Overall satisfaction was significantly and positively correlated with the various dimensions of skilled delivery.

Conclusions

The majority were satisfied with five dimensions of satisfaction with skilled delivery except for the financial dimension. The District Health Directorate of Akatsi South should take into consideration these findings in their policy development for forward-looking skilled delivery.

Decision-Making under Risk: Conditions Affecting the Risk Preferences of Politicians in Digitalization

Public officials are constantly facing decisions under risk, particularly in digitalization policies, the consequences of which are hard to predict given their multiple dimensional nature. Since scholarly research has not yet addressed this phenomenon, we do not know what influences the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization policies. Prospect theory—widely used to explain political decisions—can help us describe politicians’ potential risk references and the conditions affecting their decisions. Accordingly, this paper aims to answer the following question: what are the conditions affecting the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization policies? I address this question by employing two important assumptions of prospect theory: the value function and the probability weighting function. Particularly, I discuss the effects of loss/gain frames and probability weighting on the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization with outcomes in multiple dimensions (e.g., data privacy and economy). I argue that whether an outcome is perceived as a gain or as a loss depends on how the situation is framed and how the probabilities are weighted. I conclude with a brief discussion of how prospect theory can leverage our understanding of political decisions in highly complex policy environments.

Preselectable Optical Fingerprints of Heterogeneous Upconversion Nanoparticles

The control in optical uniformity of single nanoparticles and tuning their diversity in multiple dimensions, dot to dot, holds the key to unlocking nanoscale applications. Here we report that the entire lifetime profile of the single upconversion nanoparticle (τ² profile) can be resolved by confocal, wide-field, and super-resolution microscopy techniques. The advances in both spatial and temporal resolutions push the limit of optical multiplexing from microscale to nanoscale. We further demonstrate that the time-domain optical fingerprints can be created by utilizing nanophotonic upconversion schemes, including interfacial energy migration, concentration dependency, energy transfer, and isolation of surface quenchers. We exemplify that three multiple dimensions, including the excitation wavelength, emission color, and τ² profile, can be built into the nanoscale derivative τ²-dots. Creating a vast library of individually preselectable nanotags opens up a new horizon for diverse applications, spanning from sub-diffraction-limit data storage to high-throughput single-molecule digital assays and super-resolution imaging.

Rational Fabrication of Multiple Dimensional Assemblies from Tryptophan-Based Racemate

Fabricating structural complex assemblies from simple amino acid-based derivatives is attracting great research interests due to their easy accessibility and preparation. However, the morphological regulation of racemates (an equimolar mixture of enantiomers) were largely overlooked. In this work, through rational modulation of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, we achieved multiple dimensional architectures employing tryptophan-based racemate (RPWM). Upon assembling, 1D bundled nanofibers, 2D lamellar nanostructure and 3D urchin-like microflowers could be obtained depending on the solvents used. The corresponding morphology evolutions were successfully illustrated by changing the enantiomeric excess (ee) value. Moreover, for RPWM, uniform 0D nanospheres were formed in H 2 O under 4 ℃, which could spontaneously convert into lamella under ambient temperature. Taking advantages of its temperature-responsive phase change behavior, RPWM assemblies exhibited excellent removal efficiency for organic dye RhB, and could be reused for several consecutive cycles without significant changes in its removal performance. Taken together, it's rational to envision that the engineering of racemates assembly pathways can greatly increase the robustness in a wide variety of supramolecular materials and further lead to their blooming versatile applications.

Laser-Assisted Multiscale Fabrication of Configuration-Editable Supercapacitors with High Energy Density

The construction of multidimensional, diversified microsupercapacitors (MSC) is urgently needed for fast-changing flexible and wearable microelectronics, which still meets the challenges of tedious construction and difficult integration. Herein, a laser direct writing strategy has been developed for the one-step preparation of multiscale MSCs from editable macro-supercapacitors. The microstructured supercapacitors with predefined multiscale shapes not only maintain the high capacitance performance and stability but also display the tensile properties in arbitrary direction. The heat-treated ion liquid-modified reduced graphene oxide guarantees the thermal stability of an electrode material during laser cutting, and its high ion-accessible surface area improves the capacitance performance of the supercapacitor. The as-fabricated MSC demonstrates a wide voltage window (0-3 V), high areal specific capacitance (27.4 mF cm^-2), and high energy density (32.1 μW h cm^-2), which are far higher than those of most reported articles. Notably, the editable supercapacitors can imitate the stereo paper cutting to achieve an arbitrary one-dimensional to three-dimensional configuration, promising for various portable, stretchable, and wearable devices.