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This study investigated the improvement effect of the addition of exogenous calcium ions on the nitrogen removal efficiency of activated sludge in laboratory scale bioreactors fed various Ca concentrations. The long-term nitrogen removal performance was significantly greater in bioreactors supplemented with 150 mg/L extra Ca than in the no-addition control. The characteristics of the bacterial communities and the abundances of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria and genes related to nitrogen cycling were different between bioreactors with 150 mg/L Ca and those with other Ca concentrations (0, 30, 50 and 200 mg/L). Ca addition caused variations in the microbial abundance and distribution of nitrifiers and denitrifiers and in the synergistic effects of nitrogen functional genes in the activated sludge system, which ultimately affected the removal of nitrogen in the bioreactors. Obviously, adding an appropriate amount of Ca to activated sludge systems modifies the microbial community, which creates a beneficial environment for enhancing the removal of nitrogen from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring hit positions of recorded events can help to understand and suppress backgrounds in rare event searches. We propose a pulse shape analysis method to discriminate single-site events (SSEs) in the inner and outer layer of a small contact P-type germanium detector (HPGe). SSEs in the inner and outer layer have different pulse shape features, of which the rise time of the (T Q) and current pulse (T I) are selected for discrimination. A 500 Bq Thorium-228 (Th-228) source is used to determine the boundaries between the two layers. The double escape peak events from 2614.5 keV γ -ray are selected as typical SSEs, their numbers in the two layers are used to calculate the volumes and shapes of those layers. Considering the statistical and systematic uncertainties, the inner layer volume is evaluated to be 47.2% ± 0.26%(stat.) ± 0.18%(sys.) ± 0.22%(sys.) of the total sensitive volume. Selecting the inner layer as the analysis volume can reduce the external background in the signal region of Ge-76 neutrinoless double beta (0 ν β β) decay. We use the Th-228 data to validate the inner layer model and evaluate the background suppression power in the 0 ν β β signal region (Q β β = 2039 keV). The virtual segmentation further reduces the background from the external Th-228 source by about 10%. The virtual segmentation could be used to efficiently suppress surface background like electrons from Ar-42 decay in 0 ν β β experiments using germanium detectors immersed in liquid argon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium catenatum is a medicinal plant with rich pharmacological activity and wide economic value, and one of its main active components is flavonoids. However, the gene families of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of D. catenatum have not been systematically identified and analyzed, and their specific roles are still unclear. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of 11 gene families involved in D. catenatum flavonoid biosynthesis was performed. A total of 55 genes were identified and analyzed for their gene structure, subcellular localization, conserved motifs, phylogenetic relationships, number and location of cis-acting elements and expression at different tissues and ages using bioinformatics software. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the gene family members are evolutionarily conserved. Subcellular localization shows these genes were located in many important components in cell. Analysis of their cis-acting elements showed that a large number of elements responsive to light and MYB transcription factors were present in these genes. The expressions of different genes were significantly different in different tissues and ages of D. catenatum. In conclusion, the gene family members involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in D. catenatum are structurally and functionally diverse and are hypothesized to play different roles in different tissues and ages of D. catenatum. The results of this study provide valuable information for analyzing the biological functions and evolution of the relevant genes in the D. catenatum flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and lay the foundation for further exploring the regulatory mechanisms of these genes in D. catenatum flavonoid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an optical-to-radio study of the BL Lac object S4 0954+658 observations during 1998–2023. The measurements were obtained with the SAO RAS Zeiss-1000 and AS-500/2 0.5-m telescopes in 2003–2023, with the RATAN-600 radio telescope at 1.25 (0.96, 1.1), 2.3, 4.7 (3.7, 3.9), 8.2 (7.7), 11.2, 22.3 (21.7) GHz in 1998–2023, with the IAA RAS RT-32 Zelenchukskaya and Badary telescopes at 5.05 and 8.63 GHz in 2020–2023, and with the RT-22 single-dish telescope of CrAO RAS at 36.8 GHz in 2009–2023. In this period the blazar was showing extremely high broadband activity with the variability amplitude of the flux densities up to 70–100 both in the optical and radio domains. During the period of 2014–2023 the blazar displayed extremely high activity in the radio wavelengths, and we detected multiple radio flares of varying amplitude and duration. The large flares last on average from 0.3 to 1 year at 22–36.8 GHz and slightly longer at 5–11.2 GHz. The optical flares are shorter and last 7–50 days. The characteristic time scale of variation at 5–22 GHz is about 100 days in the most active epoch of 2014–2023 and about 1000 days for the state with lower activity in 2009–2014. We found a general correlation between the optical, radio, and -ray flux variations, which suggesting that we observe the same photon population from different emission regions. We estimated the linear size of this region as 0.5–2 pc for different conditions. A broadband radio spectrum with two components of the S4 0954+658 jet was modeled using both electrons and protons as emitting particles. The results suggest that the synchrotron radio waves in this AGN may be produced by relativistic protons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction integral is commonly utilized in numerical methods for evaluating the fracture parameter—stress intensity factor—and it can also be used in experiments. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of mesh density on the accuracy and convergence of the stress intensity factors evaluated in experiments using the interaction integral. The interaction integral is applied to the numerical displacement fields obtained by ABAQUS, and then the experimental displacement fields measured by digital image correlation are used to investigate the influence of mesh density on the stress intensity factor. The stress intensity factors estimated using the numerical displacement field and the experimental displacement field were compared at four mesh densities. The numerical results indicate that the higher the mesh density, the more accurate the stress intensity factor. However, there is a discrepancy between the experimental and numerical displacement fields. When using the interaction integration method to evaluate the stress intensity factor in experiments, too high a mesh density will reduce the accuracy and convergence of the stress intensity factor. This paper can provide a basic understanding for evaluating stress intensity factors using the interaction integral in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fat mass and obesity (FTO) gene is linked to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin sensitivity is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of GDM. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been linked to the susceptibility to the development of GDM, but the findings are contradictory. In order to reach a valid conclusion, we conducted a meta-analysis of previously published reports in the present study. Three SNPs (rs9939609, rs8050136, and rs1421085) have been extensively studied for their link to GDM susceptibility. The literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus. All relevant articles were reviewed, and eligible reports were identified using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Various data extracted from the eligible reports such as author information, year of publication, ethnicity, genotype and allele prevalence in cases and controls. The meta-analysis was carried out using the comprehensive meta-analysis software V3. The current meta-analysis considered ten studies with a total of 2278 GDM cases and 3952 healthy controls. All FTO polymorphisms studied (rs9939609, rs8050136, and rs1421085) failed to show a significant association with the development of GDM. The trial sequential analysis revealed that a sufficient number of studies were included for the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism and highlighted the need for additional research for the rs8050136 and rs1421085 polymorphisms to draw a definitive conclusion on the role of FTO in GDM. FTO polymorphisms (rs9939609, rs8050136, and rs1421085) are not associated with the development of GDM. However, further studies are required in different populations to draw a definitive conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we tested a new model of ankylosing spondylitis in order to determine its histological and radiological features needed to investigate peripheral arthritis, spondylitis, and formation of the new bone tissues. F1 hybrid male mice (BALB/c×DBA/1), a progeny of spondylitis-susceptible BALB/c male mice and rheumatoid arthritis-susceptible DBA/1 female mice, were immunized intraperitoneally with bovine type II collagen (CII) mixed with adjuvant dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide. Radiological and histological studies were performed at the peak of swelling, redness, and stiffness. The incidence of peripheral arthritis and spondylitis induced by CII in F1 hybrid mice were 66 and 62%, respectively. X-ray examination revealed bone erosion and spondylitis in the peripheral joints, as well as the formation of new bone tissues in the coccygeal vertebrae and between LIII and LIV vertebrae. The histological study showed lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltration, capillary dilation, congestion, and endochondral ossification of the lumbar vertebrae. This novel model of CII-induced spondylitis in F1 hybrid mice provoked axial and peripheral arthritides inducing chronic inflammation. In this model, the formation of new bone tissue in the stiff spine is characterized by endochondral ossification. The advanced model is an additional and valuable tool for investigation of the autoimmune reactions in spondylitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A good soil environment helps to ensure the healthy growth of flue-cured tobacco plants, and the nutrients therein profoundly affect the sustainable development of planted tobacco resources. In exploring the spatial variability characteristics of soil nutrients, visualization methods and the construction of a comprehensive soil fertility evaluation system can provide a scientific reference for determining the nutrient content of tobacco planting soil. Using a bibliometric approach, we collected 90 published papers from 2008 to 2022 from the Web of Science and CNKI databases on the spatial variation in soil nutrient characteristics of flue-cured tobacco planting soil, with a focus on the conditions found in China. The current situation and potential issues were analyzed according to the indicator selection frequency, spatial variation visualization method, and influencing factors. There were 20 indicators reflecting the soil nutrients of flue-cured tobacco planting soil. The frequency of available zinc was the highest at 42.86%, followed by phosphorus, organic matter, pH, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available potassium. Among the visualization methods, Kriging interpolation was the most widely used, with an application frequency of 68.80%. The influencing factors were divided into natural and human ones. Principal component analysis was commonly used to screen indicators and determine weights, and the soil fertility suitability index was used to evaluate the spatially integrated fertility of soil nutrients for flue-cured tobacco planting. Available zinc, available phosphorus, soil organic matter, soil pH, soil alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available potassium are important evaluation indices for determining the spatial variability of soil nutrients in flue-cured tobacco planting soil. The selection of indicators, the determination of their weights, and method selection all significantly affect the accuracy of soil nutrient evaluation; thus, future work should focus on the development of a comprehensive evaluation system for tobacco planting soil that also considers trends associated with natural and human factors and their effects on spatial variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TaTe4, a metallic charge-density wave (CDW) material discovered decades ago, has attracted renewed attention due to its rich interesting properties, such as pressure-induced superconductivity and candidate nontrivial topological phase. Here, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculation, we systematically investigate the electronic structure of TaTe4. At 26 K, we observe a CDW gap as large as 290 meV, which persists up to 500 K. The CDW-modulated band structure shows a complex reconstruction that closely correlates with the lattice distortion. Inside the CDW gap, there exist highly dispersive energy bands contributing to the remnant Fermi surface and metallic behavior in the CDW state. Interestingly, our ab initio calculation reveals that the large CDW gap mainly opens in the electronic states with out-of-plane orbital components, while the in-gap metallic states originate from in-plane orbitals, suggesting an orbital texture that couples with the CDW order. Our results shed light on the interplay between electron, lattice, and orbital in quasi-one-dimensional CDW materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a monoclonal antibody targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, Avastin® has shown promising efficacy in many cancers. This study compared the efficacy and safety of TAB008 with Avastin® sourced from the EU (bevacizumab-EU), in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsNSCLC). Method: In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase III similarity study, treatment naïve for metastatic lung cancer., EGFR wild-type, locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent non-squamous, non-small cell, lung cancer (nsNSCLC) patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1) into TAB008 or Avastin® groups. Patients received TAB008 or Avastin® 15 mg/kg intravenously plus paclitaxel/carboplatin for 4–6 cycles followed by TAB008 or Avastin® 7.5 mg/kg until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or death. The primary endpoint compared the objective response rate (ORR) within 6 cycles as read by an independent radiological review committee (IRRC). Secondary endpoints compared disease control rate (DCR) Within 6 cycles, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), a year overall survival rate (OSR), overall survival (OS), safety, immunogenicity, and steady-state pharmacokinetics. Results: A total of 549 nsNSCLC patients were enrolled (277 in TAB008 group and 272 in Avastin® group). In the full analysis set, ORRs were 55.957% for TAB008 and 55.720% for Avastin®, and the ORR ratio was 1 (90% CI 0.89–1.14), well within the predefined equivalence margin of 0.75–1.33. No significant differences were found in DCR within 6 cycles (95.703% vs 95.367%, p = 0.8536), DoR (8.17 vs 7.3 months, p = 0.3526), PFS (9.10 vs. 7.97 months, p = 0.9457), 1 year overall survival rate (66.2% vs 68%, p = 0.6793), or OS (20.4 vs 17.6 months, p = 0.6549). Serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 37.55% (104/277) of patients in the TAB008 group and 34.32% (93/271) in the Avastin® group. Anti-drug antibodies were reported in 3 of 277 (1.08%) TAB008 patients, and 5 of 271 (1.85%) Avastin® patients, neutralizing antibody (Nab) was positive in 1 patient on Avastin®, which became negative upon follow-up. The steady-state trough concentrations (Cssmin) were 106.13 μg/mL in TAB008 group and 96.03 μg/mL in Avastin® groups, with the treatment group ratio of LS geometric means fully contained within the bioequivalence limits of 80.00–125.00% (90% CI was 101.74–120.05%). Conclusions: TAB008 is similar to Avastin® in terms of efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic parameters, with comparable immunogenicity. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number; NCT05427305. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drop-weight impact sensitivity tests are carried out at room temperature generally, unable to obtain the impact sensitivity of explosives at wide range temperatures. In order to investigate the sensitivity of Cyclotetramethylenete-tranitramine (HMX) and Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) explosives under wide range temperatures, two kinds of drop-weight equipments suitable for low and high temperature are designed. Research focused on the sensitivity of HMX/RDX explosive at a wide range temperature from ‒125 to 100°C under drop weight impact. The results show that the H50 of HMX/RDX powder explosive decrease with the increase of ambient temperature at high temperature, but the H50 of HMX powder explosive decrease with the decrease of ambient temperature at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on women’s science fiction in China. A prevailing perception among readers and critics suggests that women’s sensibilities enable them to convey more nuanced emotions in their works. To examine this viewpoint within the realm of contemporary Chinese science fiction, a quantitative approach based on affective computing was employed. This approach allowed for a systematic evaluation of indicators such as emotional arc, emotional richness, and twistiness. The findings reveal that while individual writers may exhibit distinct emotional writing styles, overall, there is no significant disparity in emotional narratives between male and female science fiction writers.

Abstract Comprehending the complex interplay among urban mobility, human behavior, and the COVID-19 pandemic could deliver vital perspectives to steer forthcoming public health endeavors. In late 2022, China lifted its "Zero-COVID" policy and rapidly abandoned nearly all interventions. It provides a unique opportunity to observe spontaneous mobility changes without government restriction throughout such a pandemic with high infection. Based on 148 million travel data from the public bus, subway, and taxi systems in Shenzhen, China, our analysis reveals discernible spatial discrepancies within mobility patterns. This phenomenon can be ascribed to the heterogeneous responses of mobility behavior tailored to specific purposes and travel modes in reaction to the pandemic. Considering both the physiological effects of virus infection and subjective willingness to travel, a dynamic model is proposed and capable of fitting fine-grained urban mobility. The analysis and model can interpret mobility data and underlying population behavior to inform policymakers when evaluating public health strategies against future large-scale infectious diseases.

To improve the efficiency of the discrete unified gas kinetic scheme (DUGKS) in capturing cross-scale flow physics, an adaptive partitioning-based discrete unified gas kinetic scheme (ADUGKS) is developed in this work. The ADUGKS is designed from the discrete characteristic solution to the Boltzmann-BGK equation, which contains the initial distribution function and the local equilibrium state. The initial distribution function contributes to the calculation of free streaming fluxes and the local equilibrium state contributes to the calculation of equilibrium fluxes. When the contribution of the initial distribution function is negative, the local flow field can be regarded as the continuous flow and the Navier–Stokes (N-S) equations can be used to obtain the solution directly. Otherwise, the discrete distribution functions should be updated by the Boltzmann equation to capture the rarefaction effect. Given this, in the ADUGKS, the computational domain is divided into the DUGKS cell and the N-S cell based on the contribution of the initial distribution function to the calculation of free streaming fluxes. In the N-S cell, the local flow field is evolved by solving the N-S equations, while in the DUGKS cell, both the discrete velocity Boltzmann equation and the corresponding macroscopic governing equations are solved by a modified DUGKS. Since more and more cells turn into the N-S cell with the decrease of the Knudsen number, a significant acceleration can be achieved for the ADUGKS in the continuum flow regime as compared with the DUGKS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biominerals, such as nacreous bivalve shells, are important archives of environmental information. Most marine calcifiers form their shells from amorphous calcium carbonate, hypothesised to occur via particle attachment and stepwise crystallisation of metastable precursor phases. However, the mechanism of this transformation, including the incorporation of trace elements used for environmental reconstructions, are poorly constrained. Here, using shells of the Mediterranean mussel, we explore the formation of nacre from the meso- to the atomic scale. We use a combination of strontium pulse-chase labelling experiments in aquaculture and correlated micro- to sub-nanoscale analysis to show that nacre grows in a dynamic two-step process with extensional and space-filling growth components. Furthermore, we show that nacre crystallizes via localised dissolution and reprecipitation within nanogranules. Our findings elucidate how stepwise crystallization pathways affect trace element incorporation in natural biominerals, while preserving their intricate hierarchical ultrastructure. Biominerals contain trace elements that can give important environmental information, but the mechanism by which these are incorporated into the structure is not well understood. Here, the authors explore the crystallization pathways involved in the formation of nacre, and how these affect the incorporation of trace elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a combined experimental and theoretical work to obtain the energy loss function (ELF) or the excitation spectrum of samarium in the energy loss range between 3 and 200 eV. At low loss energies, the plasmon excitation is clearly identified and the surface and bulk contributions are distinguished. For the precise analysis the frequency-dependent energy loss function and the related optical constants (n and k) of samarium were extracted from the measured reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra by the reverse Monte Carlo method. The ps- and f-sum rules with final ELF fulfils the nominal values with 0.2% and 2.5% accuracy, respectively. It was found that a bulk mode locates at 14.2 eV with the peak width ~6 eV and the corresponding broaden surface plasmon mode locates at energies of 5-11 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel rational spectral collocation is presented in combination with singularity separation method for the second-order singularly perturbed boundary-value problems. The solution is presented in the form u = w + υ; where w is the solution of the corresponding third boundary-value problem and υ is a singular function with explicit expression. The auxiliary third boundary-value problem is solved by the rational spectral collocation method combined with the asymptotic theory (RSCAT). According to the asymptotic analysis, the parameters of the sinh-transformation can be determined according to the location and width of the boundary layers. The parameters in the singular correction can be determined by the boundary conditions of the original problem. The numerical experiments were carried out to demonstrate the computational efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Faculty supervisor profiles on the graduate school webpages of universities offer an explicit assertion of self-representation regarding the author’s academic identity, from which potential graduates can gain official information about their future faculty supervisors. Though scholars’ identity construction on blogs or homepages has drawn sufficient attention, supervisors’ identity construction on graduate school webpages across authors’ status, gender, and disciplines in the Chinese context has not been sufficient. Based on the analysis of moves and processes, this study explores academic identity construction across authors’ status, gender, and disciplines. Professor/Ph.D. faculty supervisors (PPSs) generally tend to use more moves than associate professors/master supervisors (APMs); different relational and material processes are used most frequently for scholars of different statuses. For gender, male academics use more words than females for move and process items. For disciplinary differences, art scholars pay close attention to education, achievement and community service, presenting more relational processes, while history and telecommunications scholars concentrate on their research directions and main publications. The results are further discussed with reference to status advantage, women’s dilemma, and disciplinary culture in the Chinese academic community.

Abstract As museums continue to play an increasingly significant role in the preservation, innovation, and dissemination of cultural heritages, the products sold in their souvenir shops have become a vital carrier of cultural and creative industries. The creativity of these products has drawn intensive attention from various industries. However, the evaluation of museum products’ creativity still lacks objectivity, scientific rigour, and systematisation. This study aims to construct a contextual and comprehensive measurement model to evaluate the creativity of products purchased in souvenir shops affiliated with urban historical museums in China. Based on the literature, ten related hypotheses were introduced, and a conceptual model was illustrated. Six relevant dimensions and 28 corresponding indicators were identified, and then a 7-point Likert-styled questionnaire was developed. An online survey was conducted, which invited 931 participants to take part. Among them, 708 responses are valid (rate 76.05%). The overall reliability of the survey is 0.96 (Cronbach’s α). Then, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and a structural equation modelling analysis using SPSS and SmartPLS were conducted. The results supported most hypotheses proposed by this study and confirmed the validity of the museum product creativity measurement (MPCM). The validated instrument comprises five dimensions: Affect, Usefulness, Aesthetics, Cultural Values and Novelty, with a total of 21 indicators. Additionally, the findings revealed that Aesthetics mediates Affect, and Cultural Values mediate Usefulness. Moreover, a negative moderating effect of Educational Level on the perception of Cultural Values was detected.

A new POM-based hybrid, [δ-H4PMoVMoVI11O40](L)5·5H2O (L = 4-methylpyridine-4-yl-1,8-naphthalene dicarboxylamide), was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This hybrid can acts as multifunctional fluorescent sensor to detect metal cation (Fe3+), anions (Cr2O72– and CrO42–), and antibiotics (NFT = nitrofurantoin, NIT = nitrofurazone, OXY = oxytetracycline) in aqueous environment. The detection limits of the POM-based hybrid were 8.9×10–5, 2.1×10–4, 2.2×10–4, 1.4×10–4, 6.9×10–4, and 6.1×10–4 mol/L for Fe3+, Cr2O72–, CrO42–, NIT, NFT, and OXY, respectively. Furthermore, the quenching mechanism between the POM-based hybrid and the different analytes can be regarded as energy competitive absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral changes in newborn 3-day-old rats (n=44) with modeled hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) were observed, and the expression of CDK8 in brain tissues was detected to clarify the significance of CDK8. In 30 min, 3 h, and 3 days after HIBI, the left (ischemic) hemisphere was taken for examination. In 3 days after HIBI, the rat pups were examined in the behavioral tests. In rat pups with HIBI, changes of CDK8 expression were detected by Western blotting and real-time PCR and changes in the righting reflex and forelimb grip strength test (p<0.05) were revealed in comparison with sham-operated animals. The expression of CDK8 increased 30 min after HIBI and decreased in 3 h and 3 days. Hypoxia and ischemia of the left brain may affect locomotion, but not sensation. Since CDK8 is involved in the immune response after cerebral hypoxia and ischemia, this kinase can be used as an early diagnostic index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether raised baseline plasma tHcy concentrations increased the risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause death outcomes in older patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Design: A multicenter, prospective, observational study. Setting: Beijing, Shandong Province, Gansu Province of China. Participants: A total of 1, 290 OSA patients aged 60 to 96 years from sleep centers of six hospitals in China consecutively recruited between January 2015 and October 2017. Measurements: Cox proportional models assessed the association between tHcy and the risk of new-onset all events among Chinese older OSA patients. Results: The final analysis (60.1% male; median age, 66 years) used data from 1, 100 subjects during a median follow-up of 42 months, a total of 105 (9.5%) patients developed MACE and 42 (3.8%) patients died. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed higher adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of MACE, myocardial infarction (MI), hospitalization for unstable angina, and composite of all events with tHcy levels in the 4th quartile (HR=5.93, 95% CI: 2.79–12.59; HR=4.72, 95% CI:1.36–4.61; HR=4.26, 95% CI:1.62–5.71; HR=4.17, 95% CI:2.23–7.81) and the 3rd quartile (HR=3.79, 95% CI:1.76–8.20; HR=3.65, 95% CI:1.04–2.98; HR=2.75, 95% CI:1.08–3.76; HR=2.51, 95% CI:1.31–4.83) compared to reference tHcy levels in quartile 1, respectively, while the aHRs (95% CIs) of all-cause death showed significantly higher only in the highest tHcy level quartile than in the lowest quartile (HR=3.20, 95% CI=1.16–8.84, P=0.025) with no significant differences in risks of cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for heart failure among groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: tHcy, a marker of prognosis for older OSA patients, was significantly associated with the increased risk of MACE and all-cause death in this population independent of BMI, smoking status, and other potential risk factors, but not all clinical components events of MACE. New therapeutic approaches for older patients with OSA should mitigate tHcy-associated risks of MACE, and even all-cause death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an initial pressure adjustable explosion vessel was developed, and the effect of negative pressure, positive pressure (0.2–1.8 atm) different initial ambient pressure on the explosive shock wave generated by the explosion of explosives was studied. The relationships between the specific impulse, shock wave velocity, the amount of explosive gas products and the ambient pressure were analyzed for different initial pressure environments. It was found that: the overpressure of the blast shock wave decreases with the initial ambient pressure of the explosion, and there exists a negative pressure environment with a dramatic pressure decrease near 0.6 atm, defined as the super-sensitive negative pressure Pcr. The propagation velocity of an explosive wave increases with a decrease in the ambient pressure, and the propagation velocity at a pressure of 1.8 atm is four times less than the velocity at a pressure of 0.2 atm. The production of explosive gas products did not change. The greater the initial pressure of the environment where the explosive is located, the smaller the ratio of the gas generated by the explosion to the initial force gas in the explosion vessel is, and the greater the impact on the propagation of shock waves is. The maximum attenuation of the first specific impulse i1 is 72.97% and the maximum attenuation of the second specific impulse i2 is 72.39%. The experiments provide reference data for high-altitude military confrontation, high-altitude weapons and ammunition development, and deep-earth protection engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk and thin samples of Cu75Ni25 (at. pct) alloy were solidified over a range of undercoolings. Unlike the bulk samples, in which grains were significantly refined at undercoolings between 45 K and 75 K, the thin samples solidified consistently into developed dendrites till the experimentally achieved largest undercooling of 150 K. The thin samples were subsequently rapidly reheated at a rate of 300 K/s to different target temperatures between the solidus and liquidus temperature interval. Letting the target temperature of heating equal to the highest recalescence temperature in the bulk sample, grain-refined microstructures were obtained in the thin sample that initially solidified at an undercooling between 45 K and 75 K. For the other thin samples, however, the dendritic morphology was still maintained. Raising the target temperature of heating to an enough high level, grain refinement also occurred in these thin samples. It is demonstrated grains are refined only when large-scale remelting occurs in the original dendrite stems with a critical remelted fraction of about 0.82 at the stem center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spreading behavior of liquid droplets bridged by filaments is theoretically studied in this work. In our model, the wetted droplets between the fibers can be in one of three different equilibrium morphologies: barrel, bridge, or liquid column. The results show that small-volume droplets undertake a reversible column-to-bridge transformation. However, two distinct transitions are observed for large-volume droplets: column-to-bridge transition in the case of separated fibers and bridge-to-barrel-to-column transition for closely spaced fibers. Particular attention is paid to a hysteretic behavior of large-volume droplets at various inter-fiber distances. It is found that the our results are in good agreement with available experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To limit the growth of oxides with low electrical conductivity and to suppress the inter-diffusion of elements between coating and substrate, an additional CrN sublayer is pre-deposited by arc ion plating. The Mn/Cu layers are electrodeposited in an aqueous solution. The results show that the CrN layer is about 2 µm and decomposes rapidly at 750 °C, and only Cr2N and Cr2O3 are detected after 1 h. The inner layer of Cr2N is not entirely decomposed after 100 h, and little Fe from the substrate diffuses into the CrN layer. When Mn/Cu-coated 430 stainless steel (SS) oxidized for 10 h, a mass of Fe-rich oxides are found in the oxide layer. For Mn/Cu/CrN-coated 430 SS, Cr2O3 and Cr2N bilayer structure and an internal oxidation zone containing some gaseous nitrogen are found near the interface. After oxidation for 10 h, area-specific resistance (ASR) of Mn/Cu-coated 430 SS is the smallest among the three oxide coatings. The ASR of the CrN layer and Mn/Cu/CrN layer oxidized for 10 h is very high. After 100 h, a part of Cr2N is oxidized into the Cr2O3 layer, and the ASR of the CrN layer decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

6-methyl-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl-4-O-methyl-β-D-glucopyranoside is a strong radical scavenger and antioxidant with potential utilization value, but the content in wild Beauveria amorpha is very low, therefore, we tried to clone the glycosidase to catalyze glycosidation of 6-methyl-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene in vitro. The methyl glucose was replaced with glucose in this study because glucose is cheaper and the methyl group is not necessarily related to its bioactivity. Firstly, we screened out a relative high yield of B. amorpha strain RCEF 3123 and 11 glycosidase genes were cloned from the strain. The genes were expressed in Escherichia coli, the enzymes were purified with Ni magnetic agarose beads and used for biosynthesis in vitro. High performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry analysis showed that β-glucosidase can catalyze glycosidation of 6-methyl-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene and formation of 6-methyl-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, meanwhile, 1,4-α-glucosidase can also catalyze glycosidation of 6-methyl-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene in vitro and probably synthesis of 6-methyl-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside which needs a further study. The strain B. amorpha RCEF 3123 and the synthesis methods of above compounds in vitro have strong utilization potential in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces, under various compatible mapping conditions, we propose a common fixed point theorem for four mappings and generalize it to a common fixed point theorem for four finite families of mappings. On the basis of that, we can further extend theorems to the common fixed point theorems of six finite families of mappings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract China’s labor costs have risen rapidly compared with other emerging market countries in recent years. Government investment is an essential factor pushing labor costs, a unique and exciting phenomenon in China. This paper explains why labor costs in China’s industrial manufacturing industry have rapidly increased from the local government investment perspective. First, the government’s preference for investment in infrastructure construction creates labor demand and drives up labor costs. Second, the improvement of infrastructure lowers the transaction costs of the enterprise sector, thus expanding the scale of production and triggering a rise in labor costs. The empirical results show that for every 1% increase in government investment, the unit labor cost increases by 0.0013 units, and the nominal labor cost increases by 1.443 units. A series of robustness tests support the results. China should rationally control the scale of government investment so that labor costs are in a moderate growth range and then promote the sustainable development of enterprises.

Aims: Soil nematodes, as key bioindicators, play crucial roles in soil ecological process. Management of grasslands, such as meadow steppes in northeast China, is often done by mowing, which has an impact on soil nematode communities. However, few studies have explored effects of mowing frequency on the community structure and biomass of soil nematodes. Methods: Routine field and laboratory methods concerning plant community, soil properties, and soil nematodes were applied in this study. Soil nematode community structure was analyzed by using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and principal component analysis (PCA). The relationships between nematode genus and biotic and abiotic factors were analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA). Results: High mowing frequency significantly reduced abundance, biomass, and functional or metabolic regimes of soil nematodes in this ecosystem, whereas moderate mowing frequency enhanced those indices and regimes. Conclusions: Our findings showed that changing patterns in nematode indices across the mowing frequency conformed with the intermediate disturbance theory. Variations in soil nematode community were related to changes in belowground biomass, aboveground litter, soil available nitrogen and acidity, and the effects of edaphic and vegetal traits appeared to be trophic or genus-specific. This study has potential benefits for grassland restoration in northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni75B25 alloy was solidified at various undercooling. The formation and subsequent transformation of metastable Ni23B6 phase were clearly identified. If undercooling prior to nucleation is less than a critical value of 240 K (240 °C), the alloy solidifies completely into Ni3B phase. At larger undercooling, metastable Ni23B6 phase primarily forms in the melt but then is decomposed into α-Ni and Ni3B through a eutectoid reaction. The decomposition simultaneously triggers the rapid solidification of residual liquid, due to which a second temperature recalescence occurs. The α-Ni/Ni3B eutectoid is partially remelted if temperature exceeds the eutectic temperature during the second recalescence. Then, residual Ni3B grows into coarse round grains while the remaining liquid re-solidifies into α-Ni/Ni3B eutectic structure in the remelted region. In the case that the eutectic temperature is not reached, the eutectoid product with dot α-Ni distributing in Ni3B matrix is retained in the solidification structure. A longer delay time between the two temperature recalescence events means less residual liquid, lower recalescence temperature and thus depressed remelting. The formation competition between Ni3B and Ni23B6 phases in the alloy melt is nucleation controlled. The heterogeneous site in Ni75B25 alloy melt is a better nucleation substrate for Ni23B6 phase than for Ni3B phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanometer-thick passive films, which impart superior corrosion resistance to metals, are degraded in long-term service; they are also susceptible to chloride-induced localized attack. Here we show, by engineering crystallographic configurations upon metal matrices adjacent to their passive films, we obtain great enhancement of corrosion resistance of FeCr15Ni15 single crystal in sulphuric acid, with activation time up to two orders of magnitude longer than that of the non-engineered counterparts. Meanwhile, engineering crystallography decreases the passive current density and shifts the pitting potential to noble values. Applying anodic polarizations under a transpassivation potential, we make the metal matrices underneath the transpassive films highly uneven with {111}-terminated configurations, which is responsible for the enhancement of corrosion resistance. The transpassivation strategy also works in the commercial stainless steels where both grain interior and grain boundaries are rebuilt into the low-energy configurations. Our results demonstrate a technological implication in the pretreatment process of anti-corrosion engineering. Passive films on metal surfaces provide better corrosion resistance, but they can degrade in long-term service. Here the authors demonstrate a strategy to engineer crystallographic configuration at the metal/film interface to further improve corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the lung-protective effect and mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of ultra-short-wave diathermy (USWD) in a rat model of LPS-induced acute lung injury. Histological examination of the lung tissues was performed and the levels of oxidative stress-related factors and inflammatory cytokines were measured. It was shown that the lung injury score, the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D), oxidative stress-related factors malondialdehyde and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), and inflammatory cytokines were increased after LPS administration, while USWD treatment reduced these parameters. In addition, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase 4 were decreased in rats with LPS-induced acute lung injury, while USWD therapy up-regulated the expression of these enzymes. Thus, USWD could antagonize lung injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response in rats with acute lung injury. USWD can be a promising adjunctive treatment to counter oxidative stress and inflammation and a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of patients with this pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin–orbit coupling (SOC) lifts the band degeneracy that plays a vital role in the search for different topological states, such as topological insulators (TIs) and topological semimetals (TSMs). In TSMs, the SOC can partially gap a degenerate nodal line, leading to the formation of Dirac/Weyl semimetals (DSMs/WSMs). However, such SOC-induced gap structure along the nodal line in TSMs has not yet been systematically investigated experimentally. Here, we report a direct observation of such gap structure in a magnetic WSM Co3Sn2S2 using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our results not only reveal the existence and importance of the strong SOC effect in the formation of the WSM phase in Co3Sn2S2, but also provide insights for the understanding of its exotic physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new refractory alloy, CrHfNbZrTa0.5, was prepared by a vacuum arc-melting, and its phase analysis, microstructures, and compressive properties in as-cast and annealed conditions were investigated. The phase components of the as-cast CrHfNbZrTa0.5 alloy were mainly composed of BCC + Laves phases, while an extra HCP phase emerged after annealing. The yield strength of the as-cast and annealed alloys were 1457 and 1517 MPa respectively, both which are significantly larger than 929 MPa of the most concerned HfNbTaTiZr. The relatively stable high-strength of the as-cast and annealed alloys might originate from the high ductility-brittle temperature and the intrinsic strength of the Cr-containing Laves phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 3d transition metal high-entropy alloys, AlCoCrVX (X= Fe/Ni/Cu), were prepared by a vacuum arc-melting, and their phase components, microstructures, and compressive properties were investigated. The phase components of the alloys with X = Fe and Ni belonged to the BCC phase, while that of the alloy with X = Cu was composed of a typical BCC + FCC dual phase. The added Cu mainly distributed in the interdendrites while the Fe and Ni distributed in the dendrites. Moreover, the alloy with X = Cu possesses a good synergy in strength and plasticity (ultimate strength: 2300 MPa, plastic strain: 5%) compared to the alloy with X = Fe, Ni, which might stem from the impingement role of netlike Cu-rich FCC interdendrites on crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase components, microstructure, and compressive properties of a novel Co21Cu16Fe21Ti21V21 high entropy alloy in as-cast and annealed conditions were investigated. The phase composition in both states was composed of FCC+BCC. The BCC phase was the primary phase, and the FCC phase corresponded to Cu-rich regions. Through an annealing treatment, the yield strength, σ0.2, decreased from 1950 ± 15 MPa to 1600 ±15 MPa, but the elongation of around 13% changed slightly. In this work, the solid solution strengthening in the Cu-rich regions was deteriorated due to the ejection of the rest of principal elements via annealing, while the number of microvoids seemed to be decreased against those in the as-cast alloy. The combination of both factors simultaneously takes responsibility for the decreased strength and the enhanced elongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3d transition metal high-entropy alloy (3d tm HEA), Al0.5CrCuFeV, was prepared by vacuum arc-melting. Its phase components, microstructure, and compressive properties in the as-cast and annealed states were investigated. The results indicated that the microstructure consisted of primary BCC dendrites with a volume fraction of 88% and minor FCC Cu-enriched regions that formed a net-like framework. In both the as-cast and annealed states, the alloy possessed a balance between its yield strength (1360 MPa) and ductility (9.1% elongation). Annealing modified the elemental distribution without changing the mechanical properties, implying that the microstructure morphology, not the elemental distribution, played a dominant role in determining the macro-mechanical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3d transition metal high-entropy alloy (3d TM HEA), Al0.5CoCrCuV, was designed through the substitution of Fe and Ni by V in the base alloy Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi, and then was fabricated by arc-melting. The phase components of the studied alloy in the as-cast and annealed conditions are the FCC + BCC dual phases, unlike the single FCC phase component of the precursory base alloy. In the currently studied alloy, the volume fraction of the BCC phase reaches 87% and it acts as the dendrites, while the FCC phase is secondary and is composed of Cu-rich phases associated with the net-like framework. The as-cast and annealed alloys both exhibit a relatively promising synergy in strength and ductility. Specifically, the yield strength of the as-cast alloy reaches as high as 1935 MPa with an elongation of 4.7%, while it decreased slightly to 1825 MPa after annealing with a negligible change in the elongation. In this work, phase constitution, phase morphology and solid solution strengthening were conducted to uncover the mechanical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Osteosarcopenia is defined as the concomitant occurrence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis/osteopenia. This study aimed to clarify whether osteosarcopenia implies a greater risk of fractures, mortality, and falls and to draw attention to osteosarcopenia. Introduction: Osteosarcopenia, which is characterized by the co-existence of osteoporosis/osteopenia and sarcopenia, is one of the most challenging geriatric syndromes. However, the association between osteosarcopenia and the risk of falls, fractures, disability, and mortality is controversial. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from their inception to March 18, 2021, for cohort studies on the relationship between osteosarcopenia and fractures, falls, and mortality. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. A pooled analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed or random-effects models. Results: Eight cohort studies including 19,836 participants showed that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fracture (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.83–3.30, Pheterogeneity = 0.006, I2 = 63.0%), three cohort studies involving 2601 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of mortality (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23–2.26, Pheterogeneity = 0.214, I2 = 35.2%), and three cohort studies involving 3144 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of falls (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.28–2.04, Pheterogeneity = 0.219, I2 = 34.1%). No publication bias existed among the studies regarding the association between osteosarcopenia and fractures. The findings were robust according to the subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: This pooled analysis demonstrated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fractures, falls, and mortality, thus highlighting its relevance in daily life. Therefore, we suggest that elderly persons should be aware of the risks associated with osteosarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is an important risk factor for esophageal cancer. Macrophages constitute a crucial immune medium for regulating HPV-related tumors; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, the purpose of our current study was to investigate the mechanism by which HPV16E6 regulates macrophages to promote the invasion and metastasis of esophageal cancer. Methods: HPV16E6 infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry was used to verify the distribution of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and MMP-9 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues (ESCCs), and cancer adjacent normal tissues (CANs) from Kazakh patients. ESCC cells were transfected with a plasmid over-expressing HPV16E6 and non-contact cocultured with macrophages. Results: The infection rate of HPV16E6 in Kazakh ESCCs was clearly higher than that in CANs (P < 0.05). The density of CD163-positive TAMs was significantly positively correlated with HPV16E6 infection in ESCCs (P < 0.05). After coculturing macrophages and EC9706 cells transfected with the HPV16E6 plasmid, the phenotype of macrophages transformed into M2 macrophages. The migration and invasion ability of ESCC cells were higher in the HPV16E6-transfected and coculture group than in the HPV16E6 empty vector-transfected and non-cocultured HPV16E6-transfected groups (all P < 0.05). The density of M2-like TAMs in ESCCs was positively correlated with the level of MMP-9 expression. MMP-9 expression in the HPV16E6-ESCC coculture macrophages group was substantially higher than that in controls (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: HPV16 infection mediates tumor-associated macrophages to promote ESCC invasion and migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and a large number of patients are diagnosed and die every year. Due to the lack of appropriate diagnosis, prediction and treatment, early diagnosis rate of CRC is low and the prognosis is poor. Studies have found that abnormally expressed non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) (including microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs),etc.) play an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of CRC. Some studies have shown that they are stable in the blood and can be detected repeatedly. They are expected to be non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis evaluation, and prediction of drug sensitivity of CRC, as well as potential applications in the treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Quasi-)one-dimensional systems exhibit various fascinating properties such as Luttinger liquid behavior, Peierls transition, novel topological phases, and the accommodation of unique quasiparticles (e.g., spinon, holon, and soliton, etc.). Here we study molybdenum blue bronze A0.3MoO3 (A = K, Rb), a canonical quasi-one-dimensional charge-density-wave material, using laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our experiment suggests that the normal phase of A0.3MoO3 is a prototypical Luttinger liquid, from which the charge-density-wave emerges with decreasing temperature. Prominently, we observe strong renormalizations of band dispersions, which are recognized as the spectral function of Holstein polaron derived from band-selective electron-phonon coupling in the system. We argue that the strong electron-phonon coupling plays an important role in electronic properties and the charge-density-wave transition in blue bronzes. Our results not only reconcile the long-standing heavy debates on the electronic properties of blue bronzes but also provide a rare platform to study interesting excitations in Luttinger liquid materials. The mechanism of the charge density wave transition in quasi one-dimensional blue bronzes is still debated. Here, the authors report evidence of a Luttinger liquid in the normal state of blue bronzes and Holstein polarons below the transition temperature, revealing the important role of electron-phonon coupling in the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multibody dynamics-based solution to the fluid dynamics problem is compared herein to two established Lagrangian-based techniques used by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) community. The multibody dynamics-based solution has two salient attributes: it enforces the incompressibility condition through bilateral kinematic constraints, and it treats the coupling with the solid phase via unilateral kinematic constraints. The multibody dynamics-based solution, called herein the Kinematically Constrained Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (KCSPH) method, is a Lagrangian approach to solving the CFD problem. It relies on the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method to discretize the spatial differential operators in the Navier–Stokes equations, and on the Newton–Euler equations of multibody dynamics to convect the SPH particles forward in time. We show that the multibody dynamics-based approach is efficient and accurate by comparing its performance with the two most commonly used SPH algorithms in the CFD community: the weakly compressible SPH (WCSPH), and the implicit SPH (ISPH) methods. The comparison is carried out in conjunction with four tests: an incompressibility benchmark test, dam break, floating cylinder, and sloshing tank. We conclude that KCSPH is a robust alternative to conventional CFD approaches for fluid–solid interaction (FSI) problems with complex/moving boundaries. The solvers and models used herein are publicly available in an open-source software called Chrono; the implementations use GPU (for WCSPH and ISPH), and multicore CPU (for KCSPH) parallel computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let n be a positive integer and R be a 2 and n ! -torsion free commutative ring with unity. Let X be a locally finite pre-ordered set. If any two directed edges in each connected component of the complete Hasse diagram (X , D) are contained in one cycle, then every n -commuting map on the incidence algebra I (X , R) is proper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During gene transformation, selection makers are important for efficient screening of the transgenic lines. The commonly used selection marker genes in plants such as neo, bar and hpt confer antibiotics resistance or herbicide resistance to the transgenic lines, which may have uncertain effects on environment and biosafety. Other selection marker genes with non-toxic products such as xylose isomerase, phosphomannose isomerase and β-glucuronidase are exogenous genes and may also have side effects on transgenic plants. Hence, endogenous and safe marker genes are desirable. Here, a new vector designated pCAMBIA2300-35S-OCS-AhFAD2B was constructed, in which the NeoR gene was replaced by AhFAD2B gene as a reporter gene. FAD2B catalyzes the formation of linoleic acid from oleic acid. High oleic acid peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) (oleic acid content is >70% of the total fatty acids) variety Kainong1715 was used for transformation by Agrobacteriumtumefaciens injection through peanut calyx tube. A total of 688 seeds were harvested, and the oleic acid content of each seed was measured using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). The oleic acid content of 93 seeds was found to be less than 70% indicating that these seeds had been transformed. Further validation by PCR amplification demonstrated that these seeds were true transgenic seeds. AhFAD2B as a reporter gene in peanut could greatly improve screening efficiency of transgenic seeds using NIRS. In addition, linoleic acid, the catalytic product of AhFAD2B, is the essential fatty acid for human health. This is the first report on the development of marker using endogenous gene in peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is a continuation of the recent papers [20-21]. In this paper, we deal with the uniqueness problems on the derivative of with its shift and give a new perspective on discussing the complex differential-difference equation . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]