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Articles by Zhao Yang
Britain's economy faces multiple headwinds: report
LONDON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The British economy faces lower growth, inflation and interest rate pressures, and uncertainty over investment and productivity, an economic forecast published Monday by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said. The economic backdrop to the upcoming autumn budget is more difficult than expected in spring, the report said.
I turned my grandmother's voice messages into a family cookbook (open Vietnamese speech model + local LLM)
This is a submission for the Build for a Friend challenge: ship something with open-source AI that solves a real problem for someone you love. Grandma's Kitchen turns my grandmother's voice messages into a printed family cookbook. She talks, the way she always has. An open speech model fine-tuned for Vietnamese transcribes her recordings on my laptop. A small local LLM turns each rambling, wonderful memo into a structured recipe: ingredients, steps, and her tips kept in her own words.
Temperature-stable high- κ oxides for miniaturized capacitors
Abstract The miniaturization of capacitive components in advanced electronics requires dielectric materials that simultaneously have a high permittivity, low loss tangent and near-zero temperature coefficient of capacitance. However, improving one property typically negatively affects the others, and the design of new dielectrics is challenging due to the vast compositional space that could be searched.
Britain's services PMI at 52.1 in September
LONDON, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) of Britain's services sector fell to 52.1 in September, but posted a sustained rebound in business conditions during the third quarter of 2026, data from S&P Global showed Monday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Services PMI Business Activity Index went down from the four-month high of 52.5 in August, and stayed flat from July's 52.1, according to the company.
Thresholdanalysis: an R package for detecting and visualizing threshold effects in logistic regression, linear regression, and cox proportional hazards models
Abstract When a dependent variable exceeds a certain threshold, a significant change in its magnitude and/or direction is called a threshold effect. As a statistical tool, threshold effect analysis can predict the occurrence, development, and prognosis of a disease, which is highly important. However, there is currently a lack of open-source, free, simple, and effective tools to implement threshold effect analysis.
PAK4-targeting PROTAC inhibits bladder cancer cell proliferation
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Citation: Xu S, Xie H, Yang Z, Ma Z, Bai X, Feng X, et al. (2026) PAK4-targeting PROTAC inhibits bladder cancer cell proliferation. PLoS One 21(9): e0358561. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358561 Editor: Kota V. Ramana, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Received: November 7, 2025; Accepted: August 20, 2026; Published: September 21, 2026 Copyright: © 2026 Xu et al.
Britain's retail sales up 0.9 pct in summer
LONDON, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales volumes went up by 0.9 percent in the three months to August compared with the three months to May, boosted by hot weather, the World Cup and promotions, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed Friday. Non-store retailers' sales volumes rose following a particularly strong June period, while food stores did well across the three months in summer, according to the ONS.
Feature: Air traffic chaos at Heathrow Airport lingering in memory
LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two days after the four-hour air traffic outage caused by the flight processing system of UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS), some tired passengers were still dragging heavy luggage on their delayed journey at London Heathrow Airport. At Terminal 5 of UK's largest airport and one of the busiest airports in the world, Tracey Miller was waiting to board a connecting flight to get her home in Scotland, together with her husband, son and toddler grandson.
Britain's retail sales growth slows in August: BRC
LONDON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales growth slowed in August as non-food sales declined and household cost pressures weighed on consumer spending, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday. The country's total retail sales increased 0.7 percent year on year, down from 3.1 percent growth a year earlier and below the 12-month average of 1.6 percent, according to the BRC.
Britain's retail footfall falls in August despite modest improvement
LONDON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail footfall went down 1.7 percent year on year in August, according to data jointly released on Friday by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and retail analytics company Sensormatic Solutions. The figure registered a slower fall compared with the 2.1-percent decline in July.
Apple faces 2-bln-pound lawsuit in Britain on application tracking rules
LONDON, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- A 2-billion-pound (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars) lawsuit against Apple was filed in Britain on Thursday over its application tracking rules that impose great restrictions on third parties, local media reported. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of application developers over Apple's application tracking transparency framework implemented in 2021.
Britain's services PMI reaches 4-month high in August
LONDON, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) of Britain's services sector climbed to a four-month high in August, data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Services PMI Business Activity Index came in at 52.5 in August, up from 52.1 in July, with service providers recording a further expansion of business activity and incoming new work, according to the company.
Britain's shop price inflation hits two-year high in August: BRC
LONDON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Britain's shop price inflation rose to a two-year high in August as higher energy, input and commodity costs fed through prices, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday. Shop prices rose 1.5 percent year-on-year in August, accelerating from 0.9 percent in July, according to the BRC. Food inflation accelerated to 2.8 percent from 2.2 percent in July, while non-food rose to 0.9 percent from 0.2 percent.
Britain's manufacturing PMI falls to 5-month low in August
LONDON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Britain's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to a five-month low in August as growth in both output and new orders lost momentum, data from the S&P Global showed on Tuesday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI stood at 51.7 in August, down from 51.9 in July but above the earlier flash estimate of 51.5, according to the company.
Nearly 1 mln young Britons not in education, employment or training
LONDON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the United Kingdom were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the second quarter of 2026, official data showed on Thursday. The number stood at 981,000 in the April-June period, or 13 percent of the age group, down by about 30,000 from the previous quarter but up by 30,000 from a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
UK energy price cap to rise 4 pct from October: Ofgem
LONDON, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- British household energy price cap will rise 4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2026, the country's energy regulator Ofgem said on Wednesday. From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, the price cap will rise by 60 pounds (about 82 U.S. dollars) per year to 1,723 pounds (about 2,343 dollars) for the average household using both electricity and gas, according to Ofgem.
Preview–repetitive control method for vehicle platoon under constant-speed cruise based on information fusion
Abstract To address the vulnerability of vehicle platoons to complex external disturbances during cooperative lane-changing, this paper proposes an information-fusion-based preview-repetitive control (PRC) method. First, a two-degree-of-freedom lateral dynamic model and a discrete state-space representation with communication topology are constructed. On this basis, preview control and repetitive control are synergistically integrated.
Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence
Reasoning language models trained with reinforcement learning typically operate under a fixed token budget rather than an explicitly adaptive one, which can lead to over-computation on easy problems and insufficient computation on difficult ones.
Temporal dynamics of the human blood proteome in ageing and disease
Abstract Understanding whether blood markers maintain stable, individual-specific levels over time is central to systemic homeostasis and precision medicine. While the stability of routine biomarkers is well-established, the long-term dynamics of the broader circulating proteome remain poorly defined. Here we present a 20-year longitudinal cohort study of 1,298 individuals from middle-to-later adulthood to older age.
N-linked glycosylation of the EP3α receptor is essential for the regulation of platelet homeostasis
Abstract Platelet activation and aggregation represent pivotal events in hemostasis and thrombosis. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor subtype 3 (EP3), the most abundantly expressed PGE2 receptor in platelets, regulates platelet activation. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Glycosylation, one of the most common post-translational modifications, plays a crucial role in maintaining platelet function.
Large language model driven multicenter prediction and explainable risk attribution of acute kidney injury
Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a life-threatening condition among hospitalized patients, where early prediction enables prevention. Despite advances in existing models, clinical implementation remains hindered by excessive false positive rates (70%-94%) and lack of actionable clinical insights.
Britain's retail sales up 1.9 pct in June: BRC
LONDON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales increased by 1.9 percent year-on-year in June, boosted by the heatwave, easing of food price inflation and the World Cup games, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday. The growth was slower than the 3.1-percent rise recorded in June 2025, and was flat against the 12-month average growth, according to the BRC. Specifically, food sales rose by 2.8 percent while non-food sales went up 1.2 percent.
Most of Britain's SMEs struggle to recruit new staff: BCC
LONDON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Most of Britain's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face persistent challenges in hiring new staff as their investment in training employees lags, according to a report published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) on Monday. In its quarterly recruitment outlook, the BCC said that 73 percent of the nearly 4,700 businesses surveyed - 92 percent of them SMEs - reported difficulties in finding new staff.
Inhibiting CXCL12/CXCR4 axis enhances T cell activity in gastric cancer
Abstract This study aimed to investigate how the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis facilitates immune evasion in gastric cancer (GC) by enhancing cellular communication between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) using single-cell transcriptome sequencing.
Climate change adaptation offers huge economic opportunities for Britain: report
LONDON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Increasing demand for goods and services to adapt to global climate change and manage climate risks offers significant market opportunities for Britain, a report released by the Government Office for Science showed Thursday. The report forecast that the global climate change adaptation market would reach around 3.5 trillion pounds (4.7 trillion U.S. dollars) in the 2026-2035 period.
Britain's new car market records strongest June since 2019
LONDON, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Britain's new car market recorded its strongest June since 2019, with registrations rising 11.4 percent year on year to 213,166 units, driven by continued growth in electric-vehicle sales, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said on Monday.
Obesity and cryptorchidism across development: an integrated endocrine and metabolic life course framework
Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is a major endocrine and metabolic disorder that extends beyond cardiometabolic risk and may affect male reproductive development. Cryptorchidism (undescended testis, UDT) is a common congenital anomaly associated with hypogonadism, subfertility, and testicular cancer. However, endocrine and metabolic links between obesity and impaired testicular descent remain incompletely integrated.
Optimizing nitrogen and maize plant density to improve competitive advantage and fertilizer use efficiency in maize soybean intercropping in Northwest China
Abstract Maize-soybean intercropping is a critical ecological planting technique that embodies the essence of China’s intercropping agricultural practices, enhancing farmland productivity while preserving soil health and ensuring sustainable production.
Britain's shop price inflation stable in June: BRC
LONDON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Britain's shop price inflation stood at 1.2 percent year-on-year in June, unchanged from that in May amid retailers' summer discounting activities, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday. Specifically, food inflation decreased to 2.4 percent year-on-year, against a growth of 2.7 percent in May, and also below the three-month average of 2.7 percent, according to the BRC.
Britain's growth forecast downgraded for 2026, 2027: CBI
LONDON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) downgraded its expectations for economic growth in its latest forecast on Tuesday, warning that geopolitical tensions and higher energy costs are set to weigh on British households and businesses through 2027. The CBI expected Britain's GDP to grow at 1.1 percent in 2026 and 0.9 percent in 2027, down from the previous projections of 1.3 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively, issued in December last year.
Britain's retail sales up in May, but outlook uncertain: BRC
LONDON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales grew in May as warm weather and the late May bank holiday boosted consumer spending. However, retailers cautioned that rising costs and pressure on household finances continue to cloud the outlook.
British economy faces slower growth due to Mideast conflict: BCC
LONDON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Britain's economic growth is expected to remain subdued through 2026 and 2027 due to the fallout from the Middle East conflict, according to the latest economic forecast released Tuesday by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The BCC revised its forecast for gross domestic product growth in 2026 to 0.9 percent from 1 percent in the previous forecast, and predicted the economy to expand 1 percent in 2027 and 1.3 percent in 2028.
Britain's shop prices grow by 1.2 pct in May amid rising costs: BRC
LONDON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Britain's shop price inflation increased to 1.2 percent year on year in May, with non-food inflation logging rapid growth due to higher costs triggered by the Middle East conflict, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday. The growth outpaced the 1.0-percent increase recorded in April. And non-food inflation increased to 0.5 percent year on year in May, against a decline of 0.1 percent in April, the data showed.
PFAS exposure induces hearing loss by targeting cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons
Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental pollutants linked to adverse health effects. Recent epidemiological data suggest an association between PFAS exposure and hearing loss, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined PFAS-induced auditory dysfunction in mice exposed to a mixture of five PFAS compounds (2 mg/L each) in drinking water for seven weeks.
Recent advances in applications and biosynthetic production of
Food and Fermentation Industries ›› 2026, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (9) : 359-368. DOI: 10.13995/j.cnki.11-1802/ts.044011 Recent advances in applications and biosynthetic production of myo-inositol:A review {{javascript:window.custom_author_en_index=0;}} {{article.zuoZhe_EN}} Author information History Download Citations {{article.zuoZheEn_L}}. {{article.title_en}}[J].
Naringin alleviates periodontitis via direct AMPK/Nrf2 activation and NLRP3 inhibition, amplified by gut microbiota/Arg-Gln modulation
Abstract Periodontitis, driven by oral-gut microbiota dysbiosis and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, lacks effective natural therapeutic strategies. This study investigated naringin (Nar), a grapefruit peel flavonoid, using ligature-induced periodontitis in rats and LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.
Roundup: Chinese traditional craftsmanship showcased at London Craft Week
LONDON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The China Pavilion at London Craft Week 2026 showcased wedding costumes, weaving and embroidery traditions from multiple Chinese ethnic groups, as well as contemporary innovations in craftsmanship. The exhibition highlighted the richness and diversity of Chinese craftsmanship through auspicious decorative motifs symbolizing blessings and prosperity, alongside modern interpretations of traditional techniques.
Tempio del Cielo e Grande sala del Popolo, il simbolismo dietro i luoghi scelti da Xi per ricevere Trump
AGI - Il presidente americano, Donald Trump, sarà in visita di Stato a Pechino da oggi a venerdì. Non sarà accolto in pompa magna come fu nel 2017, ma al capo di Stato Usa il suo omologo cinese ha riservato una location carica di simbologia: il Tempio del Cielo.
Britain's construction output logs steep decline in April
LONDON, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Britain's construction sector recorded subdued performance in April, with the output logging the steepest decline since November 2025, data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) came in at 39.7 in April, plummeting from 45.6 in March and indicating a sharp fall in overall business activity, according to S&P Global.
Feasibility and safety of endoscopic retrograde appendiceal foreign body removal in children
Abstract Objective: Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT), developed for acute appendicitis, enables minimally invasive access to the appendix for diagnosis and therapy. Based on the ERAT technique, endoscopic retrograde appendiceal foreign body removal has emerged as a logical yet technically advanced extension, offering a potential minimally invasive alternative to surgical appendectomy.
Natural killer T cells in intracerebral hemorrhage: phase-dependent immune responses and therapeutic implications
Abstract Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most lethal subtype of stroke, yet effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited. Beyond the primary mechanical insult, dysregulated neuroinflammation is thought to be a major contributor to hematoma expansion, perihematomal edema, and secondary neuronal injury.
Britain's April services PMI edges up from 11-month low
LONDON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Britain's services performance saw a slight improvement in April from March's 11-month low, but input cost inflation continued to accelerate due to surging fuel prices, data from S&P Global showed on Wednesday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) Business Activity Index stood at 52.7 in April, up from 50.5 in March, signaling a slower rate of growth than at the start of the year.
Britain's new car market up 24 pct in April: industry body
LONDON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain's new car market recorded an expansion of 24 percent year on year in April, with electrified cars accounting for more than half of all sales, according to data released Tuesday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A total of 149,247 new cars were registered last month. Although April is usually a month with lower volume, this was the strongest April performance since 2019, when registration reached 161,064.
Britain's manufacturing PMI hits new high but supply pressure mounts
LONDON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Britain's seasonally adjusted manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to a 47-month high in April, but supply chain and price pressures continued to grow, data from S&P Global showed on Friday. The PMI index stood at 53.7 in April, its best level since May 2022, and posted above its neutral 50.0 mark for six successive months, the data showed. Specifically, output, new orders and employment all showed signs of improvement last month.
Economic Watch: Eurozone teeters on stagflation in Q1 as Mideast conflict bites
BRUSSELS, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Latest Eurostat data released on Thursday suggests the eurozone may be sliding into stagflation, with first-quarter economic growth at a marginal 0.1 percent quarter-on-quarter, rising inflation, limited improvement in the labor market, and soaring energy costs amid the protracted Middle East conflict. The European Central Bank (ECB) faces a policy trap, warned Dejan Soskic, professor of economics at the University of Belgrade.
Britain's exports to Middle East plummet amid conflict: BCC
LONDON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Britain's export activity to the Middle East dropped by 20 percent year-on-year in March due to the conflict in the region, data from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) showed on Wednesday. Based on the number of certificates of origin, a key customs document required for exporting British goods, BCC found that the total number of British certificates issued by chambers of commerce to exporters fell by 10 percent year-on-year in March.
Britain's healthcare expenditure up 3.9 pct in 2025
LONDON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Britain's healthcare spending went up 3.9 percent in 2025 after adjusting for inflation, accounting for a higher share of gross domestic product (GDP) than the previous year, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday. The increase was faster than 3.8 percent in 2024, according to the ONS.
Britain's retail sales rise in March on fuel demand, outlook remains gloomy
LONDON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales volumes rose by 0.7 percent in March, rebounding from a fall of 0.6 percent in February, as fuel sales surged amid the Middle East conflict, according to data released Friday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The increase was largely driven by stronger fuel sales as motorists stocked up amid soaring prices, the ONS estimates showed.
Britain's monthly GDP up 0.5 pct in February
LONDON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Britain's real gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.5 percent in February 2026 from the previous month, ahead of the shocks triggered by the conflict in the Middle East, data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Thursday. The figure marks an increase from the 0.1 percent monthly growth registered both in January 2026 and December 2025, according to the ONS.
UK business activity slows in March amid rising costs, mideast tenstions
LONDON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Britain's business activity growth slowed sharply in March, edging close to stagnation as rising costs and delayed investment linked to the Middle East conflict weighed on the economy, according to the latest surveys from S&P Global.
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