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IntroductionBuildings that collapse or are damaged by earthquakes are responsible for the majority of earthquake-related casualties. High-precision building data are the key to improving the accuracy of risk assessments of earthquake disaster loss. Many countries and regions have also proposed varying regional building exposure models, but most of these models are still based on administrative-level (city or county) statistical data; furthermore, they cannot accurately reflect the differences among buildings in different towns or villages.MethodsAlthough field investigation-based “township to township” methods can obtain more accurate building inventory data, considering costs and timeliness, remote sensing and other diverse data should be combined to acquire building data. Based on the field survey data of three cities in shanxi Province, combined with Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) data, this study is conducted on building inventory data. Data regarding the proportion of each building type and corresponding lethality level in each township are obtained based on the classification of building height, and the overall lethality level at the building level and township level is calculated on this basis.ResultsThe fitting results between the calculated results and the field survey results are good, the error is within 0.15, and the fitting R2 values of Xian, Baoji and Ankang are 0.6552, 0.5788 and 0.5937, respectively. Therefore, an earthquake disaster loss risk assessment is conducted based on the building level.DiscussionThe findings indicate that the risk of casualties caused by the same building type can vary by city. Generally, the areas with high disaster loss risk in the three cities are distributed mainly in urban areas; the disaster loss risk in the newly built areas of each city is relatively low. According to the quantitative assessment results for each city, Xi’an has the highest loss risk, while Baoji and Ankang have the same loss risk. Based on the method constructed in this paper, we can realize the quantitative assessment of earthquake disaster loss risk at the building level to better target pre-earthquake emergency preparation and post-earthquake auxiliary decision-making.

Due to the influences of buildings, geographical and geomorphological environments, road conditions, etc., the probabilities and numbers of casualties in different areas after an earthquake are different. Accordingly, we propose the concept of the lethal level, which attains different grades representing the mortality rate of differing intensities. Different regions have unique lethal levels, and regional lethal levels are affected mainly by the proportion of each building type and the corresponding lethal level, as different types of buildings also have unique lethal levels. Based on data of 52 historical earthquake disasters, we constructed a lethal level calculation model and obtained the lethal level of each building type. The results reveal that the lethal level ranges of different building types are fixed and unequal; moreover, the ranges of different building types overlap each other. The lethal level range of adobe structures is 0.85–1, that of civil structures is 0.75–0.95, that of brick-wood structures is 0.6–0.9, that of brick-concrete structures is 0.33–0.6, that of wood structures is 0.2–0.35, and that of reinforced concrete structures is 0.1–0.25. Based on the lethal levels of these building types, the overall level of a region can be quantified and graded, and this classification does not depend on the geographical location or administrative boundaries. In pre-earthquake evaluation efforts, the lethal level of an area can be derived through field research. After an earthquake, the number of casualties can be quickly assessed based on the mortality rate corresponding to the intensity of the area. This approach can further provide scientific support for risk zoning and risk assessment research.

Earthquake disaster risk analyses provide significant scientific guidance for reducing earthquake disaster losses etc. The current commonly used method is based on the vulnerability of different types of buildings to evaluate, and may ignore the difference between the seismic resistance of the same type of buildings in different areas. The lethal level considers a series of reasons such as different types of buildings, resulting in different capacities for casualties, the lethal levels of the cities in the same subregion are considerably different and exhibit obvious distribution characteristics. In Yancheng and Suqian, the lethal levels in urban areas are lower than those in rural areas, but the lethal levels in Guangzhou show the opposite trend (the lethal levels are higher in urban areas than in other towns and rural areas). The average lethal level in Guangzhou is 0.3856, that in Suqian is 0.5844, and that in Yancheng is 0.5912. This study based on the lethal levels, conduct a comparative analysis of the earthquake disaster risk of cities throughout eastern China, and a map of the earthquake disaster risk in each city is obtained. The overall lethal level and risk in Guangzhou is much lower than those in Yancheng and Suqian. The main influencing factors in the different cities also diverge. One reason for the lower lethal levels and risk in Guangzhou is that most of the brick-concrete structures are equipped with ring beams and structural columns; conversely, Yancheng and Suqian exhibit higher lethal levels and risk because the brick-concrete structures have ring beams but no structural columns. These maps provide a technical reference and solid scientific and technological support for further earthquake disaster risk analyses and for disaster prevention, mitigation and disaster relief planning, and this method improves the accuracy of rapid postearthquake assessment.

Two new dimeric cinnamoyl lipids (CL) featuring with an unusual dearomatic carbon-bridge, named youssoufenes A2 (1) and A3 (2), were isolated from the ΔdtlA mutant strain of marine-derived Streptomyces youssoufiensis OUC6819. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on extensive MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses, and their absolute configurations were determined by combination of the long-range NOE-based 1H-1H distance measurements and ECD calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate growth inhibition against multi-drug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis CCARM 5172 with an MIC value of 22.2 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the booming development of evacuation simulation software, developing an extensive database in indoor scenarios for evacuation models is imperative. In this paper, we conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the collected videotapes and aim to provide a complete and unitary database of pedestrians’ earthquake emergency response behaviors in indoor scenarios, including human-environment interactions. Using the qualitative analysis method, we extract keyword groups and keywords that code the response modes of pedestrians and construct a general decision flowchart using chronological organization. Using the quantitative analysis method, we analyze data on the delay time, evacuation speed, evacuation route and emergency exit choices. Furthermore, we study the effect of classroom layout on emergency evacuation. The database for indoor scenarios provides reliable input parameters and allows the construction of real and effective constraints for use in software and mathematical models. The database can also be used to validate the accuracy of evacuation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NdgRyo, an IclR-like regulator, was selected as the target gene to activate new secondary metabolites in the marine-derived Streptomyces youssoufiensis OUC6819. Inactivation of the ndgRyo gene in S. youssoufiensis OUC6819 led to the accumulation of a new fatty acid amide (1), with an unusual 3-amino-butyl acid as the amine component. Moreover, its parent fatty acid (2) was also discovered both in the wild-type and ΔndgRyo mutant strains, which was for the first time isolated from a natural source. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by combination of LC-MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses. This study demonstrated that the ndgRyo homologs might serve as a target for new compound activation in Streptomyces strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polyene antibiotics are important as antifungal medicines albeit with serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity. Reedsmycin (RDM) A (1), produced by marine-derived Streptomyces youssoufiensis OUC6819, is a non-glycosylated polyene macrolide antibiotic with antifungal activity comparable to that of clinically used nystatin. To elucidate its biosynthetic machinery, herein, the rdm biosynthetic gene cluster was cloned and characterized. Results: The rdm cluster is located within a 104 kb DNA region harboring 21 open reading frames (ORFs), among which 15 ORFs were designated as rdm genes. The assembly line for RDM A is proposed on the basis of module and domain analysis of the polyketide synthetases (PKSs) RdmGHIJ, which catalyze 16 rounds of decarboxylative condensation using malonyl-CoA as the starter unit (loading module), two methylmalonyl-CoA (module 1 and 2), and fourteen malonyl-CoA (module 3–16) as extender units successively. However, the predicted substrate specificity of AT0 in the loading module is methylmalonyl-CoA instead of malonyl-CoA. Interestingly, the rdm cluster contains a five-gene regulation system RdmACDEF, which is different from other reported polyene gene clusters. In vivo experiments demonstrated the XRE family regulator RdmA and the PAS/LuxR family regulator RdmF function in negative and positive manner, respectively. Notably, inactivation of rdmA and overexpression of rdmF led to increased production of RDM A by ~ 2.0-fold and ~ 2.5-fold, reaching yields of 155.3 ± 1.89 and 184.8 ± 9.93 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions: Biosynthesis of RDM A is accomplished on a linear assembly line catalyzed by Rdm PKSs harboring a unique AT0 under the control of a complex regulatory system. These findings enable generation of new biologically active RDM derivatives at high yield and with improved properties by engineered biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NdgR yo , an IclR-like regulator, was selected as the target gene to activate new secondary metabolites in the marine-derived Streptomyces youssoufiensis OUC6819. Inactivation of the ndgR yo gene in S . youssoufiensis OUC6819 led to the accumulation of a new fatty acid amide ( 1 ), with an unusual 3-amino-butyl acid as the amine component. Moreover, its parent fatty acid ( 2 ) was also discovered both in the wild-type and ΔndgR yo mutant strains, which was for the first time isolated from a natural source. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by combination of LC-MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses. This study demonstrated that the ndgR yo homologs might serve as a target for new compound activation in Streptomyces strains.

This study was aimed (i) to develop an effective method for the purification of ginsenosides for industrial use and (ii) to compare the distribution of ginsenosides in cultured wild ginseng roots (adventitious root culture of Panax ginseng) with those of red ginseng (steamed ginseng) and white ginseng (air-dried ginseng). The crude extracts of cultured wild ginseng roots, red ginseng, and white ginseng were obtained by using a 75% ethanol extraction combined with ultrasonication. This was followed sequentially by AB-8 macroporous adsorption chromatography, Amberlite IRA 900 Cl anion-exchange chromatography, and Amberlite XAD16 adsorption chromatography for further purification. The contents of total ginsenosides were increased from 4.1%, 12.1%, and 11.3% in the crude extracts of cultured wild ginseng roots, red ginseng, and white ginseng to 79.4%, 71.7%, and 72.5% in the final products, respectively. HPLC analysis demonstrated that ginsenosides in cultured wild ginseng roots were distributed in a different ratio compared with red ginseng and white ginseng.