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Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have beneficial roles in a variety of human pathologies and disorders. Owing to the limited source of PUFAs in animals and plants, microorganisms, especially fungi, have become a new source of PUFAs. In fungi, fatty acid desaturases (F-FADS) are the main enzymes that convert saturated fatty acids (SFAs) into PUFAs. Their catalytic activities and substrate specificities, which are directly dependent on the structure of the FADS proteins, determine their efficiency to convert SFAs to PUFAs. Catalytic mechanisms underlying F-FADS activities can be determined from the findings of the relationship between their structure and function. In this review, the advances made in the past decade in terms of catalytic activities and substrate specificities of the fungal FADS cluster are summarized. The relationship between the key domain(s) and site(s) in F-FADS proteins and their catalytic activity is highlighted, and the FADS cluster is analyzed phylogenetically. In addition, subcellular localization of F-FADS is discussed. Finally, we provide prospective crystal structures of F-FADSs. The findings may provide a reference for the resolution of the crystal structures of F-FADS proteins and facilitate the increase in fungal PUFA production for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric composites with the hybrid filler network for high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding brought increasing interest. Herein, UHMWPE/ground tire rubber (GTR)/conductive carbon black (CCB) (UGC) composites with a hybrid segregated structural CCB-GTR were constructed by solid-phase shear milling (S3M), mechanical blending, and compacted molding processes. The percolation behavior of electrical conductivity and EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of composites was described using Sigmoidal/Growth models, and its EMI shielding mechanism was discussed. Results showed that the EMI SE of U30G70C20, U50G50C20, and U70G30C20 composites were found to be 37.5, 41.7, and 43.8 dB, respectively, due to constructing a hybrid network. The attenuation rate of microwave radiation is above 99.99%, and the shielding mechanism is mainly electrical loss. Moreover, the relationship between electrical conductivity and EMI SE is consistent with Sigmoidal/Growth models, indicating that Sigmoidal/Growth models can successfully predict the percolation threshold of the EMI SE of UGC composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms are abundant in cheese and play a crucial role in regulating its flavor and quality. Although single-omics have revealed the microbial communities and metabolites that are present in cheese, the complex interactions between microorganisms and the mechanisms that are involved are difficult to fully understand and analyze. However, comprehensive and multi-dimensional multi-omics approaches can be used to gain a more complete understanding of the microbial community structure and function in cheese. This review describes the (meta)genomics, (meta)transcriptomics, (meta)proteomics, and metabolomic approaches that have recently been applied to elucidate the influence of microbial communities on cheese flavor and quality. Further, we analyze the mechanisms underlying microbial interactions in cheese as described using these multi-omics approaches. The findings presented in this review could facilitate future applications of multi-omics in industrial cheese production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the oil adsorption performance and application of yak hair felt when it is used as oil-adsorbing felt. The yak hair felt and the wool adsorbent felt were used as the comparative test objects to test the adsorption capacity and reusability of the two felts for engine oil, rapeseed oil, silicone oil, diesel oil and gasoline under the same conditions. Taking yak hair felt and polypropylene (PP) oil-adsorbing felt as the comparative test object, the adsorption capacity of the two felts to oil products was tested under the simulated seawater conditions of different temperature, salinity, pH and oscillation frequency. Through experiments, it can be seen that compared with wool adsorbent felt, the adsorption capacity of yak hair felt to oil products is better than that of wool adsorbent felt; compared with PP adsorbent felt, PP adsorbent felt has better adsorption capacity for oil products. Therefore, yak hair felt is more suitable as a new type of oil-adsorbing felt to deal with oil spill accidents on land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether directors' and officers' liability insurance (D&O insurance) plays a governance role in the Chinese capital market. We hypothesize and find that D&O insurance restrains corporate misconduct and that this phenomenon is much more significant in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) than in non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs). We think purchasing of D&O insurance can import supervisors to mitigate agency costs caused by owner absence. When agency costs are high, SOEs with D&O insurance experience less corporate misconduct. Our study also finds that when the agency problem caused by owner absence is more serious in SOEs, the role of D&O insurance in corporate governance becomes increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has contributed significantly to the adaptability of bacteria, yeast and mold in fermented foods, whose evidence has been found in several fermented foods. Although not every HGT has biological significance, it plays an important role in improving the quality of fermented foods. In this review, how HGT facilitated microbial domestication and adaptive evolution in fermented foods was discussed. HGT can assist in the industrial innovation of fermented foods, and this adaptive evolution strategy can improve the quality of fermented foods. Additionally, the mechanism underlying HGT in fermented foods were analyzed. Furthermore, the critical bottlenecks involved in optimizing HGT during the production of fermented foods and strategies for optimizing HGT were proposed. Finally, the prospect of HGT for promoting the industrial innovation of fermented foods was highlighted. The comprehensive report on HGT in fermented foods provides a new trend for domesticating preferable starters for food fermentation, thus optimizing the quality and improving the industrial production of fermented foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper delves into the flocking behavior of a class of multi-agent systems with symmetrical and asymmetrical delays under hierarchical leadership. First, we present the two corresponding models. Then, mainly using mathematical induction and considering the nature of differential and quadratic functions, we prove that the group can realize flocking with the two types of delays under certain conditions. Finally, we validate the conclusions via numerical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptoms and medication use in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) affect the quality of life of patients and caregivers, yet prior research seldom focused on their experiences with medications. This study explored comprehensive living and medication experience from patients with PD and their caregivers. Patients diagnosed with PD for ≥2 years, with or without their caregivers, were recruited from an outpatient clinic in Taiwan. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted based on the Common Sense Model. A qualitative content analysis was used to identify salient themes from verbatim transcripts. In total, 15 patients and eight caregivers were interviewed. Five themes were derived: (1) symptoms and help-seeking behaviours before a diagnosis, (2) emotional impacts and life adaptations after a PD diagnosis, (3) life affected by medications, (4) experiences of caregivers in taking care of PD patients, and (5) communication between doctors and patients. Patients frequently adjusted their daily schedules to live with PD and the medication side effects. Caregivers struggle to overcome caring burdens and to stay positive to support patients. More attention on providing medication information, mental support, and communication between stakeholders is needed to improve the quality of life of patients and caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group package tour (GPT) is more popular among Asia than in other regions. To visit multiple attractions with a group of people within limited time at low costs, GPT is associated with some potential health hazards, including restricted meal time and long periods of time on ground transportation. Tour leaders are a good target for assessing the associated health outcomes, and we conducted a questionnaire survey on tour leaders in Taiwan. In addition to 152 tour leaders, we recruited office staff of tour agencies as references. Tour leaders were more likely to have peptic ulcer/gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and lower back pain. The risks of these conditions increased as working on the job longer, indicating a causal relationship. The results suggest that restricted meal time and long periods of time travelling on ground transportation vehicles are potential health hazards associated with GPT and may lead to certain health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has contributed significantly to the adaptability of bacteria, yeast and mold in fermented foods, whose evidence has been found in several fermented foods. Although not every HGT has biological significance, it plays an important role in improving the quality of fermented foods. In this review, how HGT facilitated microbial domestication and adaptive evolution in fermented foods was discussed. HGT can assist in the industrial innovation of fermented foods, and this adaptive evolution strategy can improve the quality of fermented foods. Additionally, the mechanism underlying HGT in fermented foods were analyzed. Furthermore, the critical bottlenecks involved in optimizing HGT during the production of fermented foods and strategies for optimizing HGT were proposed. Finally, the prospect of HGT for promoting the industrial innovation of fermented foods was highlighted. The comprehensive report on HGT in fermented foods provides a new trend for domesticating preferable starters for food fermentation, thus optimizing the quality and improving the industrial production of fermented foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting cracks in steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) frame nodes is crucial for ensuring structural safety. This study employs acoustic emission (AE) technology to monitor the growth of concrete structural defects in real time. The aim is to establish a sensitive assessment method based on AE parameters to accurately assess the damage stages of SRC frame nodes by considering the complex crack extension mechanism in SRC structures. An experimental study of the AE characteristics of SRC frame nodes under low-cycle loading was performed. The crack evolution process of SRC frame nodes was monitored and analysed using the AE parameters. The results showed that ringing count is the AE parameter more sensitive to the damage of the SRC frame node. The damage evaluation method was established based on the variation coefficient analysis of the AE parameters. Considering the sudden change in the growth rate of the damage index, the damage evolution process of the SRC frame nodes can be accurately divided into three stages: initial crack compaction, rapid crack expansion, and crack penetration. These stages are consistent with the mechanical properties of SRC frame nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractInformed by a positive youth development perspective, the current study develops and validates a brief social capital scale for adolescents and emerging adults from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. We first detail the development of the scale and examine its factor structure using exploratory factor analysis. Second, using a new and independent sample, we use confirmatory factor analysis to replicate and confirm the factor structure of the scale. Finally, we conduct measurement invariance by gender, age, and race-ethnicity to determine if the scale held similar meaning for participants from different groups. Findings support a multidimensional scale of youth social capital that captures three important elements: network strength, network diversity, and network mobilization. The creation of this scale expands possibilities for researchers and practitioners by providing a comprehensive and actionable measure for empirically assessing youth social capital, which can be leveraged to support positive youth development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-articular corrective osteotomy can be used to restore the anatomic position of knee surfaces for tibial plateau malunion (TPM) but precise restoration is not easy. The personalized surgical guide (PSG) might improve the TMP outcomes. This study developed a two-staged PSG method to provide registration and drill the bone for subsequent osteotomy. The tests were performed to compare the accuracy the proposed PSG and the conventional guide (Anterior cruciate ligament guide, ACLG). The results showed that the PSG provides better accuracy (0.50 ± 0.19 mm) than the ACLG (1.58 ± 0.67 mm). The results show the PSG method is a feasible alternative to the conventional ACLG procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to explore the effect of illustrations on young readers' comprehension of science passages, including how they decode specific symbols such as arrows when viewing illustrations. We investigated reading behaviours and interpretation of arrow symbols of 64 sixth-graders in three illustrated science passages using an eye tracker and by conducting tests and interviews. Results showed no significant difference between the illustrated and text-only groups on reading comprehension, total fixation duration for the text section, and FD/P ratio (the total fixation duration for each paragraph divided by their area [numbers of pixels]) of the paragraphs with spatial structure information. Furthermore, the average duration of the illustrated group's fixation upon illustrations was less than ten seconds. Regarding reading sequence, the illustrated group's referencing behaviour between text and illustrations were limited and had inappropriate timing. Participants could be aware of the semantic roles of the arrows in major categories but had difficulty distinguishing subcategories. Furthermore, their use of the semantic role of 'labelling' was overextended and that of 'vector' was underextended. The words that young readers use most frequently to refer to the subcategories signified by the arrow symbols were identified. The implications of instructions for understanding diagram conventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallic acid or its alkyl ester was added in combination with α-tocopherol in the oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion to investigate their interaction in emulsions. Results showed that all the tested gallate esters (propyl, octyl and dodecyl gallate) showed synergistic antioxidant activities with α-tocopherol, and propyl gallate with the shortest alkyl chain length possessed the highest synergistic ability. The interaction efficiency was consistent with the order of their apparent static quenching constants obtained from fluorescence quenching studies. This suggested that the antioxidant synergy could be due to their molecular interactions. With further confirmation by antioxidant decomposition studies, the mechanism for such antioxidant synergy in O/W emulsions was proposed to begin with the initial quick oxidation of α-tocopherol into α-tocopherol quinine, resulting in its oriented exposure to the interfacial membrane of O/W emulsion and, subsequently, being reduced by propyl gallate esters in the interfacial layer to regenerate α-tocopherol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal question addressed by this study is: is broadband network penetration a robust determinant of economic growth? We employ a dynamic panel data threshold model with fixed effects to allow for variation in the parameters by income groups to investigate the impact of broadband speed and its interaction with penetration on growth. We find that penetration is statistically insignificant with speed (positively) and its interaction with penetration (negatively) significantly impacting on growth. An additional insight is that for a generic shock experienced by LIC, on average, 40% of the total impact is accomplished immediately, with about 80% occurring within four quarters. The results are intended to inform governments that increased speed is more important for countries with lower penetation, the returns expected from these ambitious targets are neither immediate nor universally assured; and critically the magnitude of the benefit relies on the initial level of national economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let p,x be real numbers, and s be a complex number, with R(s) > 1 - r, p ≥ 1, and x+1>0. The zeta function Zαp (s; x) is defined by ..., where α = (α1, ..., αr) is a r-tuple positive integers, and Liα(z) is the one-variable multiple polylogarithms. Since Zα1 (s; 0) = ξ(α; s), we call this function as a generalized Arakawa-Kaneko zeta function. In this paper, we investigate the properties and values of Zαp (s; x) with different values s, x, and p. We then give some applications on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Competitive duplication" is widespread in China's broadcasting market due to fierce competition. To address this issue, the National Radio and Television Administration instituted the "Limited Entertainment Order" (LEO) in 2011 with the purpose of increasing the diversity of television programs. This study employs a Panel Threshold Model and data on 32 provincial TV stations between 2009 and 2014 to examine the effectiveness of the LEO on program diversity. The descriptive statistics reveal a temporary increase in program diversity immediately following implementation of the LEO, which drops quickly thereafter. The empirical findings suggest the policy has been ineffective in promoting the genres of programs offered by provincial broadcasters. In contrast, the individual fixed effects, rating share, and advertisement dependence of TV stations have significant effects on the level of program diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air-water mixing flows are commonly formed in pressurized water supply pipes due to dissolved air from the water under low pressure conditions, and air injected through system controls and associated valves and pumps. This paper investigates transient behaviours of air-water mixing flows in viscoelastic pipes through laboratory experimental tests, numerical modelling and theoretical analysis. Two numerical schemes - the discrete vaporous cavity model (DVCM) and the discrete gas cavity model (DGCM), which are firstly calibrated and validated by the experimental data gained in this study, are adopted for comparative study for their validity and accuracy for modelling transient air-water mixing flows in viscoelastic pipes. With the validated model, the results of systematic analysis show that the effect of pipe-wall viscoelasticity on transient amplitude damping decreases with the increase of air content, and the frequency shifting rate of viscoelastic effect is negligible in comparison with that of air content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We undertake zircon U-Pb dating, Hf isotopes, and geochemical analyses of the Houtoumiao pluton in the Xilinhot microcontinent (XLMC) in the central Inner Mongolia with an aim of determining their ages, petrogenesis, and sources, which are important for understanding the late Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the Xing’an-Mongolia Orogenic Belt. The Houtoumiao pluton consists of medium-grained granodiorite, coarse- and medium-grained syenogranite. Mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) are common in the Houtoumiao pluton. Zircon U-Pb dating has yielded ages of 303 ± 2 and 301 ± 2 Ma for the granodiorite, 295 ± 2 Ma for the syenogranite, and 292 ± 1 Ma for the MMEs. The granodiorite and syenogranite have features of high-K high silica content, rich in Rb, U, and Th, but low content of HFSE, belong to calc-alkaline series. The P2O5 concentration decreases with the increasing SiO2 content, suggesting I-type affinity. The MMEs, which are characterized by low SiO2, relatively high and variable TiO2, Al2O3, FeOT, MgO, CaO, Ni, and Cr contents, also have much higher total rare earth element concentrations that the REE patterns are subparallel to those of the host rocks. Zircons from the host rocks have εHf(t) values from +3.91 to +7.73 and TDM2 values of 820-1067 Ma, suggesting that the granitoids were probably dominated by remelting of juvenile crust materials. The MMEs are of εHf(t) value ranging from +6.23 to +11.04 and TDM1 values from 490 to 693 Ma, suggesting that the primary magma probably was derived from partial melting of a depleted lithospheric mantle, the mafic mineral fractional crystallization and crustal contamination occurred during the magma evolution. Combined with previous studies on the contemporaneous magma-tectonic activities in the Uliastai Continental Margin and XLMC, we suggest that the Houtoumiao pluton formed in a post-orogenic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the spatio-temporal structure of the urban thermal environment (UTE) is important for determining the formation mechanism of the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) was applied in this study to analyse the spatio-temporal characteristics and trends of the UTE in summer in the Beijing metropolitan area using temperature data obtained from meteorological observatories between 1978 and 2010. The overall summer temperature had a three-step distribution from southwest to northeast cross the Beijing metropolitan area, with a dual-core high-temperature region in the central city and the Capital International Airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes how transboundary pollution caused by the pursuit of economic growth in developing countries affects the environmental conditions and life expectancy in these countries and in neighboring developed countries. We develop an overlapping generations (OLGs) model, which considers the environmental interactions between two regions representing the developed and developing countries. We consider two models that differ in their environmental interactions: one in which the two regions share an environment and the other in which they do not. By comparing the environmental qualities of the two models’ steady states, we show that the two regions sharing an environment may enter a trap characterized by both lower environmental quality and shorter life expectancy due to a free rider problem. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a novel observer/controller identification method for identifying the minimally realised equivalent (reduced-order) mathematical models in the block observer/controller-canonical forms of the unknown (i) open-loop system, (ii) existing feedback/feedforward controllers and/or (iii) observer, based on available measurements of the operating closed-loop system. By skipping the singular value decomposition procedure and without involving the model conversion of the identified model from the general coordinate into the block observer/controller-canonical forms during the identification process, the proposed method is able to directly realise the identified parameters in the minimally realised block observer/controller-canonical forms. This simplifies the system identification process. The new procedures enable us to enhance the computational aspects of designing self-tuning controllers for online adaptive control of (a class of) multivariable systems and to improve the tracking performance considerably. As a result, the newly proposed compensation improvement approach is able to compensate the undesirable operating controller. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article, the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity (ρ-T) of Bi20Sb80alloy was investigated by DC four-probe method. The results showed that there were two kinds of liquid–liquid structure transition (L-LST) in liquid Bi20Sb80alloy, one was irreversible at high temperature above the liquids (815–1069°C) and the other was reversible near the melting point (600–720°C). The anomalous points on differential scanning calorimetry curve matched well with that on ρ-T curve which verified the effectiveness of the resistivity experiment. L-LST of high temperature refined the solidification organisation of Bi20Sb80alloy to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:Aneurysms that recur after coiling treatment are difficult to manage. The microsurgical technique in these cases differs significantly from that in regular aneurysm clipping. We present our experience in surgical management of aneurysms that recurred more than 1 month after coiling in a series of 19 patients. Materials and methods:Between January 2004 and December 2014, 1437 patients were treated surgically for intracranial aneurysms in our institution. We performed a retrospective review of the clinical records, operation videos, and cerebral angiograms. We focused on patients in whom the initial aneurysm was treated by coiling, but the results were incomplete or the aneurysm recurred. Results:Nineteen patients underwent surgical clipping for recurrent aneurysm more than 1 month after initial coiling treatment. The sex ratio (male:female) was 0.9, and the average age was 51.3 years (range 35–72 years). One aneurysm was classified as giant (≥ 25 mm), two as large (10–25 mm), and 18 as small (≤ 10 mm). A good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale 4 or 5) was observed in 16 of 19 patients (84.2%). Conclusion:Microsurgical clipping can be safe and effective in the management of previously coiled residual and recurrent aneurysms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the rapid development of 3D Digital City, the focus of research has shifted from 3D city modeling and geo-database construction to 3D geo-database service and maintenance. The frequent modifications on geometry, texture, attribute, and topology present a great challenge to the 3D geo-database updating. This article proposes an event-driven spatiotemporal database model (ESDM) that combines the historical and present 3D city models with the semantic classification and state expression, triggered by changing events predefined. In addition, a corresponding dynamic updating method based on adaptive matching algorithm is presented to perform the dynamic updating operation for the complex 3D city models automatically, according to the compound matching of semantics, attributes, and spatial locations. Finally, the validity and feasibility of the proposed ESDM and its updating method are demonstrated through a 3D geo-database with more than 1.5 million 3D city models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of simvastatin on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the substantia nigra in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat model of Parkinson disease (PD), and to study the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin in PD.Methods: The LPS-PD model was established by injection of LPS (5 mg/mL, 2.0 μL) into the right substantia nigra compacta (SNC). Rats in the sham-operated group received saline. The simvastatin treatment group was intraperitoneally administered simvastatin (5 mg/kg, 2.0 μL) at 1 h before, and daily for 14 days after surgery, while the sham-operated and LPS-model groups received saline. Iba-1-positive cells and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), as well as iNOS and BDNF in the SNC were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, respectively. The effect of simvastatin in the PD model was also examined in behavioral tests.Results: The LPS-model group exhibited typical animal PD behaviors. Compared with the control group, the LPS-model group exhibited a decreased number of DA neurons (p< 0.01) in the SNC, as well as increases in the Iba-1-positive cell number and iNOS expression (p< 0.05), while BDNF expression was downregulated (p< 0.01). These effects were inhibited by simvastatin treatment (p< 0.05).Conclusion: Simvastatin mediates a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in the SNC in the LPS-PD model, possibly by promoting neuronal repair and regeneration, and by inhibiting oxidative stress, thus improving substantia nigra function. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Our fast-paced, constantly changing world produces massive amounts of data in the 4V categories (volume, velocity, variety and value), which present significant challenges in geo-referenced data management. Virtual geographic environment (VGE), being a human-centred environment, plays a significant role in geographical analysis and simulation. Because of the complexity of geo-processing, time constraints and the large volume of real-time data access, linking calculations and storage has become an effective solution for combining the steps of real-time access and real-time geo-processing in VGE. However, traditional GIS database engines, such as Static GIS or Temporal GIS, that offer an offline interface for managing static geographic features or time-varying geospatial data typically have difficulty in storing streaming data and querying updated information concurrently, due to the ‘store first, and then calculate’ mode. This paper proposed a novel real-time geo-processing database engine that combines a Disk Resident Database (DRDB) and a Main Memory Database (MMDB) to ensure the efficiency of real-time storage, querying, calculation and updating. The proposed engine consists of three modules that respectively satisfy the need of real-time access, complex calculation and ample storage. To illustrate the proposed engine and its implications, a typical real-time geo-processing application, suspect tracking based on video surveillance in a public security setting is studied in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to understand the developmental experiences that unfold in youth development contexts, and why they matter for character development. Drawing on pre- and post-program data provided by 846 adolescents (47% female, 63% youth of color), this paper empirically investigated the role of three developmental experiences―developmental relationships, critical reflection, and intrinsic program engagement―in promoting civic, moral, intellectual, and performance character strengths in a conservation context in the United States. Results provide robust evidence of the pervasive power of all three developmental experiences, and especially youth-adult developmental relationships and critical reflection, in promoting key elements of character. Specific suggestions are described for organizational action to invest strategically and systematically in these program features to support young people’s character development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yili porphyry-type molybdenum deposit is located in the Northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China. Mineralization occurs mainly as veins, lenses, and layers within the host porphyry. In order to better understand the link between mineralization and host igneous rocks, we studied samples from underground workings. We report new Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe II (SHRIMP II) zircon U–Pb and Re–Os molybdenite ages and geochemical data from the Yili granitoids. Five molybdenite samples yield a Re–Os isochron weighted mean age of 131.1 ± 3.4 Ma, while two Early Cretaceous adakitic porphyry granite samples yielded crystallization ages of 128.1 ± 1.6 Ma and 129.0 ± 3.5 Ma. The U–Pb and Re–Os ages are analytically indistinguishable, suggesting that mineralization was genetically related to Early Cretaceous magmatism in northeastern China. δ34SV-CDTvalues of the sulphide vary from 0.3‰ to 3.8‰. We obtained two weighted mean U–Pb zircon ages of 287.7 ± 1.8 Ma for early Permian fine-grained granite and 349.8 ± 2.3 Ma for Early Carboniferous monzogranite in Yili area, respectively. A synthesis of geochronological and geological data reveals that porphyry emplacement and Mo mineralization in the Yili deposit occurred at the same time as Early Cretaceous lithospheric thinning, which was caused by the delamination and subsequent upwelling of the asthenosphere under the intra-continental extension in northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We reviewed a series of 30 cases of posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysms to examine the outcomes of microsurgical techniques, which is an important alternative to endovascular interventions in localities where access to the latter renders practical difficulty. We also aimed to introduce the initial experience about the clinical application of intraoperative computed tomography (CT) in treatment of PCA aneurysm. Methods. Thirty patients with PCA aneurysm treated using microsurgery in our department between January 1996 and July 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Results. The case series included 13 females and 17 males with a mean age of 44 years, ranging from 8 to 78 years. Eighteen aneurysms were ruptured, five aneurysms caused a direct mass effect, and the remaining seven aneurysms were found incidentally. Most aneurysms were located in the P1 segment or the P1-P2 junction of the PCA (63%). Eighteen aneurysms (60%) were large or giant in size (≥10 mm). Seventeen aneurysms were directly clipped, six trapped, one wrapped, one electrocoagulated and resected, and five trapped or proximal clipped with a bypass. Intraoperative perfusion CT (PCT) and CT angiography (CTA) were applied to provide immediate information regarding cerebral hemodynamics and anatomy of vessels in six patients. Twenty-six patients (87%) showed good clinical outcomes according to the modified Rankin Scale score (≤2) at the mean clinical follow-up period of 34 (range: 1-78) months, including the patients using intraoperative CT, and one (3%) patient was dead. Conclusion. Microsurgical therapy for patients with PCA aneurysms can have a positive outcome with correctly selected techniques. Personalized microsurgical treatment paradigms are determined by the anatomical location, shape and size of the PCA aneurysm, and the clinical features of the patient. Intraoperative PCT and CTA can improve the efficacy of the surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well recognized that to thoroughly evaluate a firm's performance, the evaluator must assess not only its past and present records but also future potential. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no data envelopment analysis (DEA)-type models proposed in the literature that simultaneously take past, present and, especially, future performance indicators into account. Hence, this research aims at developing a new type of DEA model referred to as Intertemporal DEA models that can be used to fully measure a firm's efficiency by explicitly considering its key inputs and outputs involving the past-present-future time span. In this research, the proposed Intertemporal DEA models are applied to the performance evaluation of high-tech Integrated Circuit design companies in Taiwan to demonstrate their advantages over other DEA models that ignore intertemporal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jiazishan porphyry-type molybdenum deposit is located in the eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China. Mineralization occurs mainly as veins, lenses, and layers within the host porphyry. To better understand the link between mineralization and host igneous rocks, we studied samples from underground workings and report new SHRIMP II zircon U–Pb and Re–Os molybdenite ages, and geochemical data from both the molybdenites and the porphyry granites. Seven molybdenite samples yield a Re–Os isochron weighted mean age of 135.4 ± 2.1 Ma, whereas the porphyry granite samples yield crystallization ages of 139 ± 1.5 Ma (Jiazishan deposit) and 133 ± 1 Ma (Taolaituo deposit). The U–Pb and Re–Os ages are similar, suggesting that the mineralization is genetically related to Early Cretaceous porphyry emplacement. Re contents of the molybdenite range from 21.74 ppm to 52.08 ppm, with an average of 35.92 ppm, whereas δ34 S values of the sulphide vary from 1.3‰ to 4.2‰. The ores have206Pb/204Pb,207Pb/204Pb, and208Pb/204Pb ratios of 18.178–18.385, 15.503–15.613, and 37.979–38.382, respectively. We also obtained a weighted mean U–Pb zircon age of 294.2 ± 2.1 Ma for the oldest granite in Jiazishan area. All granites are A-type granites. These observations indicate that the molybdenites and the porphyry granites were derived from a mixed source involving young accretionary materials and enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle. A synthesis of geochronological and geological data reveals that porphyry emplacement and Mo mineralization in the Jiazishan deposit occurred contemporaneously with Early Cretaceous tectonothermal events associated with lithospheric thinning, which was caused by delamination and subsequent upwelling of the asthenosphere associated with intra-continental extension in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The relationship between obesity and allergic respiratory diseases in childhood is still controversial. Furthermore, significant debate on the issue of whether or not gender modifies this association also exists due to inconsistent findings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between obesity and respiratory health in children, and to investigate the modifications of gender on this association. Methods: 30 056 children (aged 2-14 years) were randomly selected from 25 districts within 7 cities in Northeastern China in 2009. A standard questionnaire from the American Thoracic Society was used to characterize the childrens' histories of respiratory symptoms and illnesses. Child weight and height were measured, and obesity was calculated with an age and sex-specific body mass index. Results: The overall prevalence rates of obesity and overweightness were 14.08% and 12.32%, respectively. Compared to the children with normal body weights, asthma and asthma-related symptoms were more prevalent in overweight and obese children. Analysis stratified by gender showed that obesity was associated with more respiratory symptoms and diseases in females than in males. A significant association between obesity and diagnosed asthma [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.60], as well as current wheezing (aOR = 1.46; 95%CI: 1.20-1.79) was found in females but not in males. Conclusions: There is an association between asthma symptoms and obesity in these Chinese children, and obesity had a significantly larger effect on females than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilinguals need control mechanisms in order to switch between languages in different communication contexts (Green, 1998, Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, /; Price, Green, & von Studnitz, 1999, Brain, 122). There has been neural evidence showing competition to control output in L2 vs. LI in both cortical and sub-cortical areas, when language selection is carried out (Abutalebi & Green, 2007, Journal of Neurolinguistics, 20). Here we use intra-operative direct electrical stimulation to demonstrate that the head of the left caudate is critical not only in language switching tasks but other control tasks. A bilingual Chinese-English patient was instructed to perform both language switching and switching in color-shape naming tasks during awake glioma surgery. When stimulation was applied on the left caudate, failures or difficulties in both language switching and color-shape naming were observed, with the effects greater on language switching. Stimulation to neighboring brain regions either did not affect performance or generated mild problems specific to language switching. The results provide direct evidence of the necessary role of the left caudate in language control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the genusRichtersiaSteiner, 1916 from the northern Beibu Gulf, China are described:Richtersia beibuwanensissp. nov. is characterized by the presence of multispiral amphids with 3.5 turns in the male and unispiral amphids in the female, the numerous and irregular short spines in the cervical region, regular rows of spines in the mid-body region, and with the two unequal spicules.Richtersia coifsoasp. nov. is characterized by the regular arrangement of longitudinal rows with long spines, the six prominent horns in the cuticular collar, large flattened unispiral amphids in the male, 100% of corresponding head width, the presence of two unequal spicules, and the much smaller flattened unispiral amphids in the female.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:32C87AF7-9F3A-47A5-BFD8-4A6279562308 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constitutive NF-κB activation by proinflammatory cytokines plays a major role in cancer progression. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We report here that histone methyltransferase NSD2 (also known as MMSET or WHSC1), a target of bromodomain protein ANCCA/ATAD2, acts as a strong coactivator of NF-κB by directly interacting with NF-κB for activation of target genes, including those for interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), cyclin D, Bcl-2, and survivin, in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. NSD2 is recruited to the target gene promoters upon induction and mediates NF-κB activation-associated elevation of histone H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 marks at the promoter, which involves its methylase activity.nterestingly, we found that NSD2 is also critical for cytokine-induced recruitment of NF-κB and acetyltransferase p300 and histone hyperacetylation. Importantly, NSD2 is overexpressed in prostate cancer tumors, and its overexpression correlates with NF-κB activation. Furthermore, NSD2 expression is strongly induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and IL-6 via NF-κB and plays a crucial role in tumor growth. These results identify NSD2 to be a key chromatin regulator of NF-κB and mediator of the cytokine autocrine loop for constitutive NF-κB activation and emphasize the important roles played by NSD2 in cancer cell proliferation and survival and tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between mortality attributed to ovarian cancer and exposure to ambient air pollutants was examined using an ecological design. The study areas consisted of 61 municipalities in Taiwan. Air quality data for recorded concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from study municipalities for 2006–2009 were obtained as a marker of traffic emissions. These were used as a proxy for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) exposure. Age-standardized mortality rates for ovarian cancer were calculated for the study municipalities for the years 1999–2008. A weighted multiple regression model was employed to calculate the adjusted risk ratio (RR) in relation to PM2.5 levels. After adjusting for urbanization level and fertility rate, the adjusted RR values (95% confidence interval [CI]) for ovarian cancer were 1.2 (1.02–1.41) for the municipalities with PM2.5 levels between 30.48 μg/m3 and 39.41 μg/m3 and 1.2 (1.03–1.39) for the municipalities with PM2.5 levels between 39.48 μg/m3 and 51.1 μg/m3, compared to the municipalities with PM2.5 levels less than 30.39 μg/m3. Results showed that individuals who resided in municipalities with higher levels of PM2.5, a proxy measure of PAH, were at an increased risk of death from ovarian cancer compared to those subjects living in municipalities with the lowest PM2.5. The findings of this study warrant further investigation into the role of exposure to air pollutants in the etiology of ovarian cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this study is to compare the abilities of logistic, auto-logistic and artificial neural network (ANN) models for quantifying the relationships between land uses and their drivers. In addition, the application of the results obtained by the three techniques is tested in a dynamic land-use change model (CLUE-s) for the Paochiao watershed region in Taiwan. Relative operating characteristic curves (ROCs), kappa statistics, multiple resolution validation and landscape metrics were used to assess the ability of the three techniques in estimating the relationship between driving factors and land use and its subsequent application in land-use change models. The validation results illustrate that for this case study ANNs constitute a powerful alternative for the use of logistic regression in empirical modeling of spatial land-use change processes. ANNs provide in this case a better fit between driving factors and land-use pattern. In addition, auto-logistic regression performs better than logistic regression and nearly as well as ANNs. Auto-logistic regression and ANNs are considered especially useful when the performance of more conventional models is not satisfactory or the underlying data relationships are unknown. The results indicate that an evaluation of alternative techniques to specify relationships between driving factors and land use can improve the performance of land-use change models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone modifications are regarded as the carrier of epigenetic memory through cell divisions. How the marks facilitate cell cycle-dependent gene expression is poorly understood. The evolutionarily conserved AAA ATPase ANCCA (AAA nuclear coregulator cancer-associated protein)/ATAD2 was identified as a direct target of oncogene AIB1/ACTR/SRC-3 and a transcriptional coregulator for estrogen and androgen receptors and is strongly implicated in tumorigenesis. We report here that ANCCA directly interacts with E2F1 to E2F3 and that its N terminus interacts with both the N and C termini of E2F1. ANCCA preferentially associates via its bromodomain with H3 acetylated at lysine 14 (H3K14ac) and is required for key cell cycle gene expression and cancer cell proliferation. ANCCA associates with chromosomes at late mitosis, and its occupancy at E2F targets peaks at the G1-to-S transition. Strikingly, ANCCA is required for recruitment of specific E2Fs to their targets and chromatin assembly of the host cell factor 1 (HCF-1)-MLL histone methyltransferase complex. ANCCA depletion results in a marked decrease of the gene activation-linked H3K4me3 mark. Bromodomain mutations disable ANCCA function as an E2F coactivator and its ability to promote cancer cell proliferation, while ANCCA overexpression in tumors correlates with tumor growth. Together, these results suggest that ANCCA acts as a pioneer factor in E2F-dependent gene activation and that a novel mechanism involving ANCCA bromodomain may contribute to cancer cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maps have been used for many centuries. In the age of mobile technology, maps are still very useful in a wide range of mobile applications such as logistic fleet management, navigation, tourist guide and so on. The traditional map design, however, is not suitable for display in mobile devices due to the restricted capability such as low processing power, limited storage, limited input capability and the small display area. Therefore, this research aims to design a map for effective display on mobile devices. In this study, a number of cartographic and technical constraints of mobile maps are considered. Cartographically, the map content has to be simplified vertically between different map scales and horizontally in each map scale according to users' cognition so as to make maps appropriate for small-screen display. Content zooming has been employed as a key technique. This is developed from the notion of how map users obtain the information in a textual address (i.e. separating the information piece by piece from general to detailed). On the other hand, progressive map visualisation, such as that deployed by Google Maps, is also applied to further increase the readability after content simplification. A prototype has been developed and an evaluation of the system has also been conducted. Results show that this system is very effective for production of mobile-based mapping products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of round jet arrays impinging orthogonally on a flat-plate with confined walls at different crossflow orientations. A computational fluid dynamic technique based on a control volume method is used to compute the detailed Nusselt number distributions on the flat plate. This is achieved by solving the steady-state three-dimensional incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stoke's equations. The Reynolds stress turbulence quantities are determined by a realizable κ-ε turbulence model with an enhancement near-wall treatment. Numerical computations are performed for two types of arrangements in round jet arrays, both inline and staggered, and three different crossflow directions, parallel, hybrid, and counter. The jet Reynolds numbers ranging from 2,440 to 14,640 and three different jet-to-plate spacing ratios (Zn/dj) of 1, 3, and 6 are investigated in this study. Results show that the flow exit crossflow direction would significantly affect the developing jet flow fields and Nusselt number distributions on the target flat-plate. Area-averaged Nusselt number increases with an increase of jet Reynolds number. Of all the cases tested, the highest average Nusselt numbers were obtained for the case with inline jets and hybrid crossflow orientation. The thermal performance of impingement multiple jets is enhanced when the value of Zn/dj decreases from 6 to 3. Results show that further reducing the value of Zn/dj to 1 creates a significant nonuniform distribution in local Nusselt number over the target plate regardless of the crossflow orientations. This study also provides a correlation of the area-averaged Nusselt number with the jet Reynolds number for both inline and staggered jet arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Positioning System (GPS)-based vehicle navigation systems have been rapidly developed over recent years. In urban areas, due to the problems of satellite signal blockage and severe multipath effects, GPS may not be available for a long period of time. Integrated GPS/Dead Reckoning (DR) systems are commonly used to bridge GPS position gaps. Moreover, map-matching (MM) techniques can be implemented to improve positioning accuracy by locating an estimated vehicle position (from GPS/DR) on road; however, the reliability of map-matching methods is still a problem because vehicle position may be located to an incorrect road section (mismatch) due to large vehicle positioning errors from GPS/DR and complexity of road network, which is a typical environment in urban areas. In this article, we present a tightly integrated vehicle navigation system to overcome these problems. Performance of any MM algorithms is closely linked with position data quality. In our approach, we integrate MM results with GPS/DR output at the sensor level for data quality control and optimal estimation of sensor errors and vehicle position. Thus quality of position input to MM unit is significantly improved. Furthermore, GPS/DR output, together with road network, is used to detect and to automatically correct any mismatches occurred. We have implemented this integrated approach to a prototype vehicle navigation system and extensive tests have been carried out in Hong Kong urban areas. Testing results demonstrate that the performance of the new system is significantly improved in terms of accuracy, coverage, and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabilization problem is considered in this study for a nonlinear system. It is shown that the stability analysis of nonlinear systems can be reduced into linear matrix inequality (LMI) problems. First, the neural-network (NN) model is employed to approximate a nonlinear system via the backpropagation algorithm. Then, a linear differential inclusion (LDI) state-space representation is established for the dynamics of the NN model. In terms of Lyapunov's direct method, a sufficient condition is provided to guarantee the stability of nonlinear systems. Based on this criterion, a model-based fuzzy controller is then designed to stabilize the nonlinear system and the H 8 control performance is achieved at the same time. Finally, two examples with numerical simulations are given to illustrate the control methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overexpression or amplification of ACTR (also named AIB1, RAC3, p/CIP, TRAM-1, and SRC-3), a member of the p160 family of coactivators for nuclear hormone receptors, has been frequently detected in multiple types of human tumors, including breast cancer. However, its role in cancer cell proliferation and the underlying mechanism are unclear. Here, we show that overexpression of ACTR not only enhances estrogen-stimulated cell proliferation but also, more strikingly, completely negates the cell cycle arrest effect by tamoxifen and pure antiestrogens. Unexpectedly, we found that ACTR directly interacts, through its N-terminal domain, with E2F1 and is recruited to E2F target gene promoters. Elevation of ACTR in quiescent cells strongly stimulates the transcription of a subset of E2F-responsive genes that are associated with the G1/S transition. We also demonstrated, by adenovirus vector-mediated RNA interference, that ACTR is required for E2F1-mediated gene expression and the proliferation of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cells. Moreover, the ability of elevated ACTR to promote estrogen-independent cell proliferation depends on the function of E2F1 and the association between ACTR and E2F1, but not ER. Thus, our results reveal an essential role of ACTR in control of breast cancer cell proliferation and implicate the ACTR-E2F1 pathway as a novel mechanism in antiestrogen resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]