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The genomic components of multipartite viruses are encapsidated in separate virus particles, and the frequencies of genomic components represent one of the key genetic features. Many begomoviruses of economic significance are bipartite, and the details of the association between their genomic components remain largely unexplored. We first analyzed the temporal dynamics of the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B and the B/A ratio of the squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV) in plants and found that while the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B varied significantly during infection, the B/A ratio remained constant. We then found that changes in the B/A ratio in agrobacteria inoculum may significantly alter the B/A ratio in plants at 6 days post inoculation, but the differences disappeared shortly thereafter. We next showed that while the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B among plants infected by agrobacteria, sap transmission and whitefly-mediated transmission differed significantly, the B/A ratios were similar. Further analysis of gene expression revealed that the ratio of the expression of genes encoded by DNA-A and DNA-B varied significantly during infection. Finally, we monitored the temporal dynamics of the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B and the B/A ratio of another bipartite begomovirus, and a constant B/A ratio was similarly observed. Our findings highlight the maintenance of a constant ratio between the two genomic components of bipartite begomoviruses during infection and transmission, and provide new insights into the biology of begomoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jinhai Bridge (China) is a cable-stayed bridge with a single deck carrying a double rail track in the middle and three highway lanes on each side. The structural design combines a rigid frame with continuous spans, effectively improving the overall structural rigidity to meet the requirements for railway traffic and minimising the temperature effect from a long continuous structure. The deck girder is a steel box with large cantilever flanges, which is cost effective. The steel pylons are designed with four legs located on top of the deck instead of on the pile cap in order to minimise the size of the pile foundation. To improve construction efficiency, the main girder and pylons were prefabricated into large-scale components and erected using heavy equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genomic components of multipartite viruses are encapsidated in separate virus particles, and the frequencies of genomic components represent one of the key genetic features. Many begomoviruses of economic significance are bipartite, and the details of the association between their genomic components remain largely unexplored. We first analyzed the temporal dynamics of the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B and the B/A ratio of the squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV) in plants and found that while the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B varied significantly during infection, the B/A ratio remained constant. We then found that changes in the B/A ratio in agrobacteria inoculum may significantly alter the B/A ratio in plants at 6 days post inoculation, but the differences disappeared shortly thereafter. We next showed that while the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B among plants infected by agrobacteria, sap transmission and whitefly-mediated transmission differed significantly, the B/A ratios were similar. Further analysis of gene expression revealed that the ratio of the expression of genes encoded by DNA-A and DNA-B varied significantly during infection. Finally, we monitored the temporal dynamics of the quantities of DNA-A and DNA-B and the B/A ratio of another bipartite begomovirus, and a constant B/A ratio was similarly observed. Our findings highlight the maintenance of a constant ratio between the two genomic components of bipartite begomoviruses during infection and transmission, and provide new insights into the biology of begomoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock asphalt has been widely used to improve the performance of asphalt concrete, owing to its cost efficiency and beneficial modification effect. However, the moisture and high-temperature effects interdependently determine the degradation of fatigue resistance of rock asphalt concrete, owing to the unique climatic summer conditions in most high-temperature regions of China (e.g. southeastern coastal and south regions). Accordingly, the water absorption characteristics of rock asphalt concrete at different temperatures were analysed. Based on this analysis, 75 groups of modified three-point bending fatigue tests were implemented to investigate the combined effect of moisture, high-temperature, and stress level on the fatigue life of rock asphalt concrete. The moisture, temperature, and stress level conditions significantly influence the fatigue resistance of rock asphalt concrete. Finally, fatigue equations considering moisture and stress level were established to predict the fatigue life of rock asphalt concrete at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's steel industry has not yet implemented a carbon tax policy, and its benefits and impacts are still in the theoretical research stage. In addition, enterprises have an insufficient ability to respond to changes in production and sales, which seriously affects the market's stability. The government should simultaneously start from multiple perspectives, such as energy conservation, emission reduction, dynamic adjustments, and business decisions. Therefore, this research constructs a repeated dynamic game model including carbon tax policy and other mixed reduction policies, and studies the stability and related indicators of the market. The results are as follows: (1) the output adjustment policies that enterprises can implement will show an increasing trend under the single carbon tax policy. (2) The output adjustment policies that enterprises with larger output will also show an increasing trend under the mixed emission reduction policy when emission reduction targets continue to increase. (3) Smaller-output enterprises need to be more cautious in formulating their production plans, and their output adjustment policies will be restricted and affected by more factors. In summary, enterprises should comprehensively consider emission reduction policies, output adjustment policies and other enterprises' output changes, to ensure that the steel market will not fall into an imbalanced state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheric circulation over the mid-high latitudes in Asia has an important influence on regional climate, yet its long-term variation has not been fully explored. The main task of this study is to reveal the interdecadal variation features of summer atmospheric circulation over Asian mid-high latitudes in recent decades. The results show that the atmospheric circulation over mid-high latitudes of Asia has stronger interdecadal fluctuations than that over low latitudes and one significant change center appears near Lake Baikal. It is found that the atmospheric circulation near Lake Baikal has a significant interdecadal change around 1996 and a deep anomalous anticyclonic circulation has been controlling this region since then, which contributes to the significant increase in the surface temperature near Lake Baikal since 1997 and makes the region a remarkable warming center in Asia in recent 40 years. During 1997-2015, the pattern of less precipitation in the north and more precipitation in the south of east China is closely related to the anomalous anticyclonic circulation near Lake Baikal. Especially, this anomalous circulation near Lake Baikal has been found to contribute to the obvious interdecadal decrease of the precipitation in northeast China and north China near 1997. The sea surface temperature (SST) of northwestern Atlantic is an important influence factor to the interdecadal change in the atmospheric circulation near Lake Baikal around 1996. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The geophysical exploration research with the highest resolution in Qiabuqia. • Point out the fractures and hydraulic characteristics of the rock mass around the geothermal wells in Qiabuqia. • This study can provide a reference for the drilling and construction of EGS in the Qiabuqia. The Gonghe Basin in the Qinghai Province lies on the north-eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is rich in geothermal resources. Qiabuqia is one of the most promising places in China to establish an enhanced geothermal system and realize electricity generation from hot dry rocks. Although studies have identified the basic geological conditions of the Gonghe basin, the establishment of an enhanced geothermal system is still needed to clarify the characteristics of the rock mass and the distribution of groundwater. Thus, we developed a wide field electromagnetic method for detection of geological structure and groundwater around the target wells in Qiabuqia. The multiplicity of inversion was avoided through the direct conversion of frequency to depth, and the original data were preserved to the greatest extent. The results show that the stratum of Qiabuqia can be divided into two parts: a low-resistivity sedimentary layer and a high-resistivity granite basement; the depth of granite in the northeast is slightly shallower than that in the southwest. We can speculate that the top of the granite basement was relatively broken and the rock mass around well GH01 was more water-rich, whereas the rock masses around wells GR1 and GR2 were less water-rich. The rock mass in the northeast is shallow and more integral, with less water, which is more conducive to the hot dry rock development test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A comprehensive survey of water quality was performed in an urbanized river. • Significant spatial–temporal heterogeneity of water environment was detected. • Chrome and Cadmium affecting river water quality and algal structure. • Nutrients and metals intrinsically aggravate the water environment. The ecological environments of urban rivers are greatly affected by human activities, leading to serious water quality deterioration. We thus investigated urban aquatic environment and water pollution factors by collecting water samples over one year upstream, midstream and downstream of the Funan River in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Measured water quality indicators included total N/P ratio, ammonia N, chemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll a , biochemical oxygen demand, transparency, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH, as well as the heavy metal concentrations and algal communities in the river sediments. Additionally, a water pollution index (WPI) and trophic level index (TLI) were calculated and a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The WPI analysis indicated serious pollution in this river during the sampling year. Moreover, moderate eutrophication with high pollution was found in summer (TLI = 64.7), while mild eutrophication occurred in the other seasons. The number of Cyanobacteria species sharply increased from 6 to 23 in summer, indicating a high risk of blooms. Furthermore, the PCA also revealed that two metals, chromium and cadmium, affected the water quality, which may be because of the interaction of nutrients and metals due to the land use types, industrial activities and hydrodynamic conditions. In general, we have systematically discussed the influences of various factors on the water environment and the mechanisms of their interactions in urbanized rivers, which is very important for the protection and restoration of river ecology as China and the world become more urbanized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the clinical value on combined detection of serum carbohydrate antigen 724 (CA724), secreted protein dickkopf-1 (DKK1), and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) in the diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Methods. The clinical data of 63 GC patients (GC group) and 54 patients with benign gastric lesions (control group) admitted to Zhu Xianyi Memorial Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from June 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The levels of serum CA724, DKK1, and TK1 in the two groups were detected by electrochemiluminescence instrument, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and enhanced chemiluminescence. The diagnostic efficacy of single detection and combined detection was analyzed by drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results. Compared with the control group, the serological indexes of patients in GC group were markedly higher (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve of serum CA724, DKK1, TK1, and combined detection in the diagnosis of GC were 0.849, 0.754, 0.685, and 0.923, respectively; and the sensitivity and specificity of their combined detection were higher than those of separate detection. Conclusion. The levels of serum CA724, DKK1, and TK1 were highly expressed in GC patients, with a higher diagnostic value for GC in their combined detection, which can effectively screen and assist the diagnosis of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing origins of the late Paleozoic calc-alkaline magmatic rocks in the Bogda tectonic belt (BTB) during the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian bring new insights into the subduction-collision processes in the eastern Tianshan region. Based on the geochronological, geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data, a systematic study was conducted on the Late Carboniferous andesite and the Early Permian diabase dyke and MME-bearing granite porphyry from the Dalonggou area in the northern BTB. The ~310 Ma andesites are featured by low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios, positive ε Nd (t) (+4.4 to +5.3) and ε Hf (t) (+10.2 to +13.6) values, enrichment in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, and depletion in Nb and Ta. They are interpreted as the products of partial melting of a metasomatized depleted mantle wedge in an extensional arc environment. The ~290 Ma diabase dykes exhibit a nearly flat REE pattern, low Fe/Mn ratios (53–59), and high TiO 2 and Zr contents and mantle potential temperatures (1471–1480 °C). They were derived from a sub-slab asthenospheric mantle with the involvement of the lithospheric mantle. The MMEs were produced by fractional crystallization of the diabase magmas, and the host granite porphyries were formed by magma mixing between melts derived from the newly-formed lower crust and mantle. These results indicate that the BTB represented a backarc/intra-arc rift during the Late Carboniferous that was transitioned to a post-collisional rift in the Early Permian, witnessing a dynamic switch from rollback to detachment of the subducted North Tianshan oceanic slab. Combined with the variation of magma sources with time, we propose that the collision between the Dananhu-Harlik arc and the Central Tianshan arc and the closure of the North Tianshan Ocean occurred at ca. 310–302 Ma. Such a scenario agreed well with coeval tectonics in the Karamaili area, shedding light on the late Paleozoic spatio-temporal tectonic evolution in the eastern Tianshan. • Late Carboniferous and Early Permian magmatic rocks in the BTB display diverse origins. • Two stages of rift events were recognized in the BTB during the late Paleozoic. • The BTB underwent a tectonic switch from backarc/intra-arc to post-collisional setting. • The closure of the North Tianshan Ocean took place in the late Carboniferous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is a Chinese mega-science project to build the largest single dish radio telescope in the world. Its innovative engineering concept and design pave a new road to realize a huge single dish in the most effective way. FAST also represents Chinese contribution in the international efforts to build the square kilometer array (SKA). Being the most sensitive single dish radio telescope, FAST will enable astronomers to jump-start many science goals, such as surveying the neutral hydrogen in the Milky Way and other galaxies, detecting faint pulsars, looking for the first shining stars, hearing the possible signals from other civilizations, etc. The idea of sitting a large spherical dish in a karst depression is rooted in Arecibo telescope. FAST is an Arecibo-type antenna with three outstanding aspects: the karst depression used as the site, which is large to host the 500-meter telescope and deep to allow a zenith angle of 40 degrees; the active main reflector correcting for spherical aberration on the ground to achieve a full polarization and a wide band without involving complex feed systems; and the light-weight feed cabin driven by cables and servomechanism plus a parallel robot as a secondary adjustable system to move with high precision. The feasibility studies for FAST have been carried out for 14 years, supported by Chinese and world astronomical communities. Funding for FAST has been approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in July of 2007 with a capital budget ~ 700 million RMB. The project time is 5.5 years from the commencement of work in March of 2011 and the first light is expected to be in 2016. This review intends to introduce the project of FAST with emphasis on the recent progress since 2006. In this paper, the subsystems of FAST are described in modest details followed by discussions of the fundamental science goals and examples of early science projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Buqingshan ophiolite complex is a sector of the A''nyemaqen ophiolite belt in the East Kunlun southern marginal suture zone in the northern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The WNW-trending ophiolite complex consists of metaperidotite, gabbro, diabase, pillow basalt, massive basalt and pelagic sedimentary rocks including radiolarian chert. We have determined that Early Paleozoic and Early Carboniferous–Early Permian ophiolites are present in this ophiolite complex that were previously thought of Permian–Middle Triassic age. A zircon U–Pb age of 467.2±0.9 Ma for gabbro, and a Rb–Sr isochron age of 481±130 Ma for diabase and gabbro have been obtained from the Early Paleozoic ophiolite slice, and Middle–Late Ordovician acritarchs have been found in the mélange matrix that envelopes the sliver. We interpret the first two ages to represent the formation age of the ophiolite. Granodiorite–tonalite plutons with a zircon U–Pb age of 402±24 Ma intrude the slice. Early Carboniferous–Early Permian radiolarians have been discovered in cherts and argillaceous cherts in the second ophiolite slice. Geochemistry indicates that metaperidotites in the first slice represent a depleted ocean lithosphere mantle. Most mafic rocks in the Early Paleozoic ophiolite are of N-MORB type with small amount of T-MORB, and they resulted from the magma from the depleted oceanic lithosphere mantle with little crustal contamination. The basalts in the Early Carboniferous–Early Permian ophiolite have similar characteristics to the mafic rocks and also show DUPAL anomaly and a mixed source of DMM and EM II. The original formation environments of the two-stage ophiolites are both mid-ocean ridges. These lines of evidence suggest that a mature Early Paleozoic Kunlun–Qilian–Qinling ocean basin and a mature Paleotethyan ocean basin once existed in the study area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

LIGO-Virgo has observed the gravitational waves (GWs) from the coalescence of binary black hole (BBH) and binary neutron star (BNS) during O1 and O2, and the ones from NS-BH are expected to be hunted in the operating O3 run. The population properties and mass distribution of NS-BH mergers are poorly understood now, thus researchers simulated their chirp mass ( â„ł) distribution by a synthetic model, in which the BHs and NSs were inferred by LIGO-Virgo (O1/O2), and obtained the values in the range of 2.1 M ⊙ < â„ł < 7.3 M ⊙ . In this paper, we further simulate the GW frequency (f GW) distribution of NS-BH mergers by the above-stated synthetic model, with a basic binary system model through the Monte Carlo method. Our results predict that the median with 90% credible intervals is 165 âˆ' 64 + 475 Hz in the case of Schwarzschild BH when the system just before merger, and this GW frequency is expected to increase several times in the merger stage, which is lying in the frequency band of LIGO-Virgo, i.e., about 15 Hz to a few kHz. Our results provide an important reference for hunting the NS-BH mergers by the on-going O3 run of LIGO-Virgo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the dominant pattern of precipitation variability over the mid-high-latitude Asia during summer for the period 1981–2018 and associated precursory signals in the atmosphere. An in-phase co-variability is identified in July precipitation between the Kazakhstan-Xinjiang region and North China, which is the leading mode of precipitation variability. Geopotential height anomalies over the Mediterranean Sea and Kara Sea regions show persistence from June to July and contribute to July geopotential height and associated precipitation anomalies over the Kazakhstan-Xinjiang region through the dispersion of Rossby wave energy. The geopotential height anomalies over the Kara Sea also affect downstream geopotential height anomalies from the eastern coast of China to the Okhotsk Sea and related precipitation over North China through a Rossby wave from the Kara Sea to the Okhotsk Sea via the Lake Baikal. In addition, the Tibetan Plateau geopotential height anomaly during June may modulate downstream geopotential height anomalies around the Okhotsk Sea during the ensuing July through a slowly-varying northeastward shift and extension of atmospheric anomalies on intraseasonal timescale. The joint effect of geopotential height anomalies over the three regions during June leads to the co-variability of precipitation between the Kazakhstan-Xinjiang region and North China in July. Based on the above physical connection, we defined a June Kara-Mediterranean-Tibetan Plateau geopotential height index. This atmospheric precursory index shows a high skill in predicting the co-variability of July precipitation. • July precipitation over North China and Kazakhstan-Xinjiang shows a co-variability. • Atmospheric signals over the Kara and Mediterranean Sea and the Tibetan Plateau cause the co-variability. • June Kara-Mediterranean-Tibetan atmospheric index can predict July co-variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ediacaran (ca. 635–541 Ma) was a critical period in Earth history, which saw a dramatic transformation in global biological, chemical and climatic conditions, making it one of the most intensively investigated time intervals worldwide. As the first mixed clastic–carbonate succession deposited on the Upper Yangtze Craton, the Ediacaran succession overlies Neoproterozoic continental rifts, and records a complex basin infill history. In this study, we focus on the tectonostratigraphic environment and basin infill process, integrating multiple data sets, including boreholes, outcrops, well correlations, seismic data, isopach maps and the spatial distribution of sedimentary facies. The Ediacaran System includes the Doushantuo Formation and overlying Dengying Formation which can be subdivided into four lithostratigraphic members (D1–D4). The Doushantuo Formation and D3 Member consist of mixed clastic–carbonate sediments, while carbonates predominate in the D1, D2 and D4 members. Intracratonic depressions and continental margin rifts dominated the Upper Yangtze area during the Ediacaran. During deposition of the Doushantuo Formation, the Upper Yangtze area contained a variety of environments, including terrigenous shorefaces, mixed tidal flats, lagoons, shelves, slopes and bathyal seas. A rimmed carbonate platform developed during deposition of the D1 and D2 members. The Deyang–Anyue Trough, which is related to post-rift subsidence in the intracratonic basin, began to develop in this interval. A relatively intense extension during deposition of the D3 Member resulted in intensification of intracratonic and continental margin rifting, creating distinct tidal flat, deep-water shelf, slope and bathyal environments. With the expansion of the Deyang–Anyue Trough during deposition of the D4 Member, the rimmed carbonate platform was divided into two segments. We suggest that the Deyang–Anyue Trough was a structurally controlled intracratonic rift-sag and likely arose from multiple episodes of rifting in the cratonic basement, as well as differential uplifting and exposure caused by the ongoing Tongwan Movement. Our model highlights the role of basement heritage on the structure and evolution of intracratonic rift-sag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mindfulness has been garnering increased attention within the area of clinical psychology due to its theorized and empirical associations with psychological well-being. Using a sample of patients diagnosed with digestive tract cancer (N = 292), we examined the relationship between perceived stress and psychological symptoms at varying levels of dispositional mindfulness. Results showed significant associations between perceived stress and psychological symptoms. More importantly, the relationship between perceived stress and psychological symptoms was only significant for patients with low, but not high, levels of dispositional mindfulness. Implications and future research directions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze changes of hepatitis A antibody levels and immunization coverage of HAV vaccine among children before and after implementing the Expanded National Immunization Program in five counties of China, and to provide evidence for developing hepatitis A vaccine immunization strategies. 449 children born in 2001, 2005 and 2009 were selected from five counties for an immunization coverage and a sero-prevalence survey of hepatitis A. The chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassays (CMIA) were used to detect hepatitis A IgG antibody and analyzed the factors which influenced the immunization coverage and positive rates. Among 449 subjects of children born in 2001, 2005 and 2009, the immunization coverage were 53.02%, 78.52% and 99.34% (χ2 = 91.285, P < 0.001). The positivity rates of hepatitis A IgG antibody were 61.07%, 81.21%, 95.36% (χ2 = 54.198, P < 0.001), respectively. The immunization coverage and positivity rate significantly increased with the delay of birth year. Children accepting different doses of HA vaccines are significantly different in positive rates of HA antibody, while there are no significant differences of different genders, years of birth, residence types, or types of registered permanent residence in different regions. The positivity rate increased significantly with administration of hepatitis A vaccine and shorter intervals between sample collection and HAV immunization. After the Expanded National Immunization Program was implemented, hepatitis A antibody levels were significantly increased in five counties, which indicates a successful result of EPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the postoperative effects of sufentanil preemptive analgesia combined with psychological intervention on breast cancer patients undergoing radical surgery. Methods: 112 female breast cancer patients aged 18–80 years old who underwent radical surgery by the same surgeon were randomly divided into 4 groups, and there were 28 patients in each group. Patients in group A were given 10 µg sufentanil preemptive analgesia combined with perioperative psychological support therapy (PPST), group B had only 10 µg sufentanil preemptive analgesia, group C had only PPST, and group D were under general anesthesia with conventional intubation. Visual analogue scoring (VAS) was used for analgesic evaluation at 2, 12 and 24 h after surgery and compared among the four groups by ANOVA method. Results: The awakening time of patients in group A or B was significantly shorter than that in group C or D, and the awakening time in group C was significantly shorter than that in group D. Moreover, patients in group A had the shortest extubation time, while the group D had the longest extubation time. The VAS scores at different time points showed significant difference, and the VAS scores at 12 and 24 h were significantly lower than those at 2 h (P < 0.05). The VAS scores and the changing trend of VAS scores were varied among the four groups (P < 0.05). In addition, we also found that patients in group A had the longest time to use the first pain medication after surgery, while patients in group D had the shortest time. But the adverse reactions among the four groups showed no difference. Conclusions: Sufentanil preemptive analgesia combined with psychological intervention can effectively relieve the postoperative pain of breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ca. 900 Ma andesite was identified in the northwestern Tarim Craton. • The andesite was derived from partial melting of fluids-metasomatized mantle wedge. • The andesite formed in an active continental margin due to subduction. Abstract The Tarim Craton, one of the largest continental blocks in China, has been considered as a constituent block of the Rodinia supercontinent. However, the early Neoproterozoic tectonic evolution and the role of the Tarim Craton in the reconstruction of Rodinia remain controversial. Here, we present zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic and whole-rock geochemical data for the newly discovered andesitic rocks in the Aksu area of northwestern Tarim Craton. LA-ICP-MS zircon dating results show that they were formed at ca. 908–903 Ma. These andesites have arc-type geochemical features such as enrichment in LREEs with (La/Yb) N ratio of 4.4–6.9 and obviously negative Nb, Ta, Ti anomalies. The high positive zircon ε Hf (t) (+7.5 to +11.9) values, integrated with trace element signatures, indicate that the magma source of the andesitic rocks were derived from partial melting of mantle wedge that was metasomatized by the sediment/slab-derived fluids through subduction, with possibly insignificant contributions from crustal materials. These geochronological and geochemical data suggest that subduction-related arc magmatism occurred in the northwestern Tarim Craton as early as ca. 900 Ma. Combined with a compilation of previous published data, these results therefore indicate that active continental margin probably widely occurred along the northwestern and southeastern margins of the Tarim Craton and adjacent microcontinents during the early Neoproterozoic, which may be linked to the Neoproterozoic circum-Rodinia subduction-accretion system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper investigates the neglected potential of carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions reduction from highway maintenance projects. Conventional assessment (CA) on fuel combustion of off-road equipment during maintenance, and a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) on the materials production, fuel production, traffic delay and maintenance equipment were conducted for four typical maintenance schemes in a real highway project in China, through Microsoft spreadsheet models, VISSIM and CMEM model. The focus of the case study was to understand the magnitude and source of the gap of CO 2 emissions assessment results between LCA and CA. In this study, we also checked scenarios that apply a few mitigation options from several industrial sectors in four typical maintenance schemes to investigate how significant potential for decarbonization of the highway maintenance might be neglected without using LCA. Results suggest that there exists an obvious gap between the total CO 2 emissions per lane per kilometer of CA and that of LCA, and the gap is even up to 22 times of the CA results in this specific case study. Traffic delay caused by the lane closure has the largest contribution to the gap, while the shares of materials production and fuel production match. The scenarios analysis of mitigation strategies associated with the transport sector and other industrial sectors indicates that the LCA model could effectively identify the dominant inputs and CO 2 emissions outputs of individual maintenance process in the complicated transport system, while CA may neglect or underestimate the potential for adopting some mitigation strategies, especially for mitigation options from other industrial sectors. Highlights • The neglected potential for carbon dioxide emissions reduction from highway maintenance project in China are explored. • The gap of CO 2 emissions calculation results between LCA and Conventional assessment (CA) are examined. • The magnitude and sources of the above gap are analyzed. • The practicability of LCA in assessing mitigation options from industrial sectors on the transport systems are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Empty follicle syndrome (EFS) is a complex reproductive disorder characterized by the repeated failure to aspirate oocytes from mature ovarian follicles during in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition to some cases caused by iatrogenic problems and known genetic factors, there are still many unexplained aspects of EFS. Here, we aimed to assess the clinical and genetic characteristics of two EFS patients. Methods: We have characterized two primary infertility patients with EFS in a nonconsanguineous family from China. Both the patients presented similar clinical phenotypes, that is a few granulosa cells but no oocytes could be retrieved during repeated cycles with normal follicular development, E2 levels, and bioavailable hCG plasma levels. Abnormal oocytes were obtained once or twice between multiple IVF cycles. We performed Sanger sequencing of the LHCGR and ZP1~ZP4 genes in the patients, and further bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify pathogenic elements in the genes. Results: A novel mutation, c.181C>T (p.Arg61Cys), and a known mutation, c.1169_1176delTTTTCCCA (p.Ile390Thrfs*16), in the ZP1 gene were both identified in patient 2, but no mutations were identified in patient 1. The novel mutation inherited from her mother was absent in the control cohort and the ExAc database. The arginine residue is conserved at this position, and its replacement by cysteine was predicted to be deleterious. In another allele, a paternal frameshift mutation was predicted to introduce premature stop codons, resulting in the deletion of 234 amino acids from the C-terminus of the ZP1 protein. Conclusions: Our findings presented compound heterozygous mutations in ZP1 associated with EFS and abnormal oocytes and provided further new evidence for the genetic basis of EFS and support for the genetic diagnosis of infertile individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phortica okadai, a polyphagous pest, serves as a vector for Thelazia callipaeda in China. Currently, there are no effective control strategies for this vector. Agricultural pest control may cause P. okadai to become a threat due to the development of pesticide resistance. Cytochrome P450s (CYP450) plays a significant role in detoxifying xenobiotics in insects. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing of P. okadai exposed to β-cypermethrin for 0 and 1 h and then gene cloning of the five up-regulated CYP450 genes. Three CYP450 genes were successfully cloned, and their expression patterns in different developmental stages and in different tissues were analyzed by RT-qPCR. Pocyp4d2 was observed to have the highest expression in the midgut (fold change 2.82 for Pocyp4d2, 2.62 for Pocyp49a1, and 1.77 for Pocyp28d2). Functional analysis was carried out according to overexpression in S2 cells from the pfastbac1 vector and RNAi with siRNA. The results of the CCK8 assay indicated that the overexpression of the recombinant protein PoCYP4D2 suppressed the decrease in S2 cell viability due to β-cypermethrin. The expression levels of PoCYP4D2 decreased significantly, and the mortality rates increased from 6.25% to 15.0% at 3 h and from 15.0% to 27.5% at 6 h after Pocyp4d2-siRNA injection. These results suggest that Pocyp4d2 may be an essential key gene in the metabolism of β-cypermethrin in P. okadai. This study constitutes a foundation to explore further the functions of P. okadai CYP450 genes in insecticide metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shijiutuo Uplift within the Bohai Bay Basin(BBB)has experienced a complex evolutionary history since the Cenozoic. Studies of the Cenozoic evolution of the Shijiutuo Uplift are important for basin tectonics and petroleum geology. The formation of uplifts in rift basins is generally controlled by regional tectonic event and fault-block tilting. In this study, apatite fission track (AFT) data from fourteen samples and seismic data analysis were used to study the processes of regional uplift and fault-block tilting. We further investigated the Cenozoic evolution and formation mechanism of the Shijiutuo Uplift. The results indicated that the Shijiutuo Uplift experienced a two-phase differential tectonic uplift and erosion history (1) Widespread rapid uplift and erosion during the early Cenozoic (65–55 Ma) (2) Widespread uplift and erosion from 40 Ma to 16 Ma. The uplift and erosion substages of 40–38 Ma and 26–16 Ma were mainly caused by regional uplift, whereas those of 38–26 Ma resulted from fault-block tilting. Since the end of the third member from the Eocene Shahejie Formation, the Shijiutuo Uplift began to rise, causing the greater Bozhong Depression to be separated into the independent Qinnan and Bozhong Sags. These tectonic uplift and erosion events have a wide range of responses and regional dynamics in eastern China. The findings of this study will lead to a better understanding of the evolution and formation of uplifts within the BBB. [Display omitted] • The Shijiutuo Uplift underwent two stages of tectonic uplift and erosion events in the Cenozoic. • Formation of the Shijiutuo Uplift was associated with regional uplift and fault-block tilting. • The Shijiutuo Uplift did not exist before the end of the third member from the Eocene Shahejie Formation. • The tectonic uplift and erosion events had a wide response in eastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mesozoic Dabashan Foreland Basin, a result of the Mianlue Ocean closure, formed through the collision and amalgamation of the South China and North China blocks. As such, it contains an important record of the tectonic processes leading to the formation of the Qinling Orogenic Belt; however, the timing of transition from basin to mountainous terrains remains debated. Geochronological studies indicate continental collision occurred in the mid-Permian to early Triassic, while some paleomagnetic data suggest a Middle to Late Jurassic occurrence time. Utilizing detrital zircon geochronology and trace element data, in this paper, we examine Triassic-Jurassic sediment provenance patterns during the evolution of the Dabashan Foreland Basin. Results show that in the Middle Triassic, the north Yangtze Block received detrital input from the southern margin of the North China Block. In the Late Triassic, significant tectonic inversion occurred, with detrital sources from the southern margin of North China Block, North Qinling, South Qinling, and the north Yangtze Block. During the early and Middle Jurassic, detrital sources gradually shifted to a dominance from South Qinling, indicating a phased southward migration of collisional orogenic belt sources. Combining thermal events, crustal thickness variations, and paleomagnetic data, we propose a novel model explaining oblique compression along the north Yangtze Block during the early Mesozoic. This model suggests that the Dabashan Foreland Basin likely predates the Middle Triassic, and we contend that crustal deformation and lateral shortening during Mesozoic accretionary orogeny between North China Block and South China Block may explain the debate over collision timing. • Provenance analysis dates Dabashan Foreland Basin to the Middle Triassic or earlier. • Frontal orogenic belt migration alters sediment sources to the basin. • Divergent views on collision timing may stem from crustal deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Carboniferous volcanic reservoirs in Junggar Basin contain rich hydrocarbon resources, implying a great exploration potential, so that they have become a key replacement target for "three-dimensional exploration". The study on the Carboniferous volcanic reservoirs and their hydrocarbon accumulation elements is significant for clarifying the orientation for exploration. In this paper, based on 37 reserves reports and 3 200 reservoir test data, the Carboniferous volcanic reservoirs in Junggar Basin were discussed from the prospective of lithology and lithofacies, physical properties, reservoir types, main controls on hydrocarbon accumulation, and hydrocarbon accumulation patterns. It is found that the Carboniferous in the basin is mostly in the multi-island ocean-volcanic island arc structural-sedimentary environment, so it is geologically eligible for forming in-situ volcanic reservoirs. The volcanic rocks are: (1) mostly distributed along deep and large faults, with the lithology and lithofacies controlled by volcanic architectures; (2) dominantly lava, followed by volcaniclastic lava and volcaniclastic rock; (3) distributed in the periphery of hydrocarbon-generating sag and within the source rocks horizontally, and concentrated in the weathering crust at the top longitudinally, possibly leading to reworked weathering crust reservoir; and (4) liable to form inner reservoirs. The volcanic reservoirs can be concluded into four hydrocarbon accumulation patterns, i.e., self-generating & self-storing in paleo-uplift and vertical migration, self-generating & self-storing in paleo-uplift and lateral migration, young-generating & old-storing in fault zone and vertical migration, and young-generating & old-storing in paleo-uplift and lateral migration. Future exploration will focus on the effective source rock development and hydrocarbon supply zones and the self-generating & self-storing and young-generating & old-storing patterns. The exploration prospects are determined to be the Ludong-Wucaiwan-Baijiahai slope belt and the southern slope belt of the Shaqi uplift (self-generating & self-storing pattern) in eastern Junggar, and the fault and nasal arch zone at the northwestern margin and the nasal arch zone (deep and large structure) in the Luxi area (young-generating & old-storing pattern) in western Junggar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devonian cutinitic liptobiolith is a special cuticle-rich coal formed during the early stage of land plant evolution. In China, this special coal has previously only been reported in the Yangtze area, with the Luquan Devonian cutinitic liptobiolith of Yunnan Province being the most well-known. Recently, this type of coal was first discovered in the Bulonggoer Sag, to the northwest of the Junggar Basin, NW Xinjiang. Its geological age is regarded as the Givetian period of the late Middle Devonian, which is equivalent to the age of the Luquan Devonian coal. The cutinitic liptobiolith from NW Xinjiang has a distinct sheet-like texture resembling a stack of paper or leaf sheets in appearance, and so it is commonly called "paper coal" or "leaf coal". Ribbon-like cutinite (thick-walled type) is the most abundant maceral in the coal (>60% and up to 80%, on a mineral-free basis), followed by ribbon-like collotelinite. The NW Xinjiang and Luquan cutinitic liptobioliths share similar maceral compositions; while their coal-forming plants and depositional conditions are distinct. The NW Xinjiang cutinitic liptobiolith was deposited in a regional fluvial or flood plain condition, with lycopsids as the dominant coal-forming plants. In contrast, the Luquan cutinitic liptobiolith formed in a coastal-lagoon environment, with primitive ferns as the predominant coal-forming plants, followed by lycopsids. The saturated fractions of the NW Xinjiang and Luquan liptobioliths are mainly composed of tetracyclic diterpanes. However, the tetracyclic diterpane compositions in the NW Xinjiang cutinitic liptobiolith are distinct from those in the Luquan Devonian coal: The former is dominated by atisanes and the latter is mainly composed of phyllocladanes. Different coal-forming plants may have contributed to the distinct tetracyclic diterpane compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amoxicillin is used to treat various bacterial infections (eg, pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis) in infants. Despite its frequent use, there is a lack of population pharmacokinetic studies in infants, resulting in a substantial variability in dosing regimens used in clinical practice. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the population pharmacokinetics of intravenous amoxicillin in infants and suggest an optimal dosage regimen. Blood samples were collected for the determination of amoxicillin concentrations using an opportunistic sampling strategy. The amoxicillin plasma concentrations were determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using NONMEM. A total of 62 pharmacokinetic samples from 47 infants (age range, 0.09 to 2.0 years) were available for analysis. A 2‐compartment model with first‐order elimination was most suitable to describe the population pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin, and covariate analysis showed that only current body weight was a significant covariate. Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated that the currently used dosage regimen (25 mg/kg twice daily) resulted in only 22.4% of infants reaching their pharmacodynamic target, using a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) break point of 2 mg/L, whereas a dosage regimen (60 mg/kg thrice daily), as supported by the British National Formulary for Children, resulted in 80.9% of infants achieving their pharmacodynamic target. It is recommended to change antibiotics for infections caused by Escherichia coli (MIC = 8.0 mg/L) because only 27.9% of infants reached target using 60 mg/kg thrice daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, especially in China, with high metastasis and poor prognosis. Recently, as the core component of the polycomb repressive complexes 1 (PRC1), chromobox protein homolog 8 (CBX8) is considered as an oncogene and prognostic marker in HCC. Methods: A tissue microarray of 166 paired HCC and adjacent non-tumor samples were collected to identify the relationship between CBX8 and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) associated proteins by Spearman correlation analysis. Knock-down of CBX8 in HCC cells was conducted to detect the biologic functions of CBX8 in HCC metastasis. Results: We found out that CBX8 was over-expressed in HCC and its expression was closely related to the metastasis of HCC patients. In addition, knock-down of CBX8 was found to inhibit the invasion and migration ability of HCC cells. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between expression of CBX8 and EMT associated proteins both in HCC cells and tumor tissues. Conclusions: Our results indicate that CBX8 promotes metastasis of HCC by inducing EMT process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth mining can cause ecological problems as a result of soil erosion and water pollution in local areas. Thus assessing the development trends of ecological safety is crucial in formulating the environmental protection policies in rare earth area. Rare earth mining is a long and complicated process in which the state values of evaluation indicators for ecological safety are dynamic and continual interplay. Hence, conventionally measured indicators are inadequate in this context. An evaluation method based on the theory of quantitative scenario analysis was proposed in this study to analyze ecological safety development trends in rare earth mining areas. First, according to the PSR model framework, six indicators including "mining technology", "mining intensity", "water environment", "soil environment", "waste water, waste gas and waste residue management technologies" and "environmental protection policy", were selected to reveal the ecological safety in mining areas. Second, the crossover probability algorithm, Markov chain and nonlinear programming were utilized to construct a quantitative scenario analysis model for ecological safety development trends. Lastly, the model was verified using the data on Lingbei rare earth mining area located in Ganzhou City, China. Results showed that the quantitative scenario analysis model could be used to calculate the changes in various indicators, their cross impacts in the development process and the occurrence probability of scenario combinations for ecological safety development that were composed of the state changes of each indicator. These findings indicate that the proposed model can effectively and accurately forecast the ecological safety development trends in rare earth mining areas. The conclusions can provide a theoretical basis for environmental protection work in rare earth mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reported effective U-Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotope data of 438 and 408 detrital zircons from five Neoproterozoic sandstone samples. • The Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks in the Chengkou area formed in the Cryogenian. • The detrital zircons mainly derived from the adjacent regions of exhumed igneous rock in the South Qinling and Northern Yangtze blocks. • Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks were likely deposited in a continental rift setting related to the breakup of the Rodinia. The Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks exposed along the Dabashan fault zone are rich in pyroclastics and are thousands of meters thick. They provide key information for studying the tectonic location relationship between the Yangtze and Qinling blocks and the tectonic-sedimentary environment of the late Neoproterozoic continental margin. This study reports U–Pb and Lu-Hf isotope data of 438 and 408 detrital zircons from five samples of Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rock, collected in the Chengkou area, China. Combining the youngest detrital zircon U–Pb age for gravelly sandstone with data from previous studies, we constrained the maximum depositional time of the Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks in this area to ca. 650–635 Ma (i.e., Neoproterozoic Cryogenian). In the Chengkou area, the predominantly Neoproterozoic (1000–635 Ma) detrital zircons, with wide εHf(t) values ranging from −31.03 to 13.07 and an average of 2.00, were primarily derived from the adjacent regions of exhumed igneous rock in the South Qinling and Northern Yangtze blocks. Several minor age peaks at more than 1000 Ma indicate that this formation contains a small amount of recycled zircon. Further study indicates that the Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks were formed by near-source accumulation in a rift setting, located at the north margin of the Yangtze Block, during the breakup of Rodinia. As in previous studies, the retreat of the subducted slab may have led to continental rifting and extension of the Northern Yangtze Block, and the Yaolinghe Group sedimentary rocks in the Chengkou area recording the history of the last stage of Rodinia breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonic–sedimentary environment of the Upper Yangtze Basin in China underwent significant changes from the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian. The widely distributed shale formed during this interval has recorded key information about paleo-ocean conditions. Analysis of major, trace and rare earth elements was conducted on 135 shale samples collected from five wells in the study area. The covariation of the Mo U enrichment factors indicates that the Upper Yangtze Basin in the Wufeng stage was characterized by sedimentary differentiation. The southern basin was dominated by a reducing bottom water environment under euxinic conditions. The northern and central basins were dominated by a suboxic–anoxic environment. Up to the early Longmaxi stage, the Upper Yangtze Basin formed a relatively uniform sedimentary environment with gradually increasing oxygen content in the bottom water. The paleoproductivity index indicates that marine organisms flourished in the Wufeng to early Longmaxi stages, making an important contribution to the siliceous content in organic-rich shale; subsequently, terrestrial siliciclastics gradually dominated. Analysis of paleogeography, rare earth elements, and weathering indicates that Chuanzhong and Qianzhong uplifts in the Wufeng stage were the provenance area of the Upper Yangtze Basin, with a relatively high weathering degree. Weathering decreased in the beginning of the Longmaxi stage and then gradually increased, with the Xuefeng Uplift becoming the main provenance areas after the early Longmaxi stage. Controlled by stress transfer from the continuous syn–Caledonian Kwangsian Orogeny in eastern South China, the Upper Yangtze Basin and Xiangzhong Basin were squeezed and pushed up successively. The uplift separated the open shallow sea and formed a relatively limited deep-water shelf environment, resulting in a relatively euxinic bottom water environment, which was favorable for organic matter accumulation. The tectonic–sedimentary evolution of the Upper Yangtze Basin in the Late Ordovician to Early Silurian proposed in this study indicates that the formation of organic-enriched shale was not only related to glacio-eustatic change but also strongly controlled by tectonic activities in South China. • The uppermost Ordovician and lowermost Silurian shale were formed in different sedimentary environments. • The organic-enriched black shale was formed in a relatively euxinic bottom water environment. • The Xuefeng Uplift became the main provenance area for basin in the later Longmaxi stage. • The formation of shale were controlled by the global sea-level changes and tectonic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-criteria approach integrating demand for ecological and cultural services. • We quantified the consumption of green spaces using check-in data. • We applied the demand for ES to optimize the ecological security pattern in central Beijing. A growing number of studies have mapped the demand for ecosystem services (ES). Recently, demand for ES has been broadened to include cultural services in addition to ecological services, especially for urbanized areas. In this study, a multi-criteria approach is proposed that synthesizes the available ecological and cultural services to map the demand for ES: including 1) soil erosion sensitivity, 2) geological hazard sensitivity, 3) water management, 4) vegetation coverage, 5) permanent farmland, 6) accessibility, 7) population density, 8) direct use of green spaces, and 9) cultural heritage. The cultural services demand describes the desire or preference, and consumption or direct use of cultural services, e.g. recreation and cultural heritage. Most studies discussed only the desire or preference for cultural services because of the difficulty quantifying the actual consumption of these cultural services. This research gap was filled using the check-in data collected from WeChat (a major social network in China). Each criterion was assigned a weight so that the ecological services demand, the cultural services demand, and the overall ES demand could be quantified. The results suggest that in general, the mountainous areas, farmlands, and suburban areas have high demand for ecological services while public parks in urban areas show high demand for cultural services. However, the ES demand in the availability of some small green spaces in highly urbanized areas may be higher than that for large green spaces in suburban areas. This multi-criteria analysis is necessary to obtain a comprehensive assessment of ES demand, which will contribute to improving the applicability of ES in real-world decision making, e.g. green space planning and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bulonggoer paleo-oil reservoir (BPR) on the northwest Junggar Basin is the first Devonian paleo-oil reservoir discovered in North Xinjiang, China. Solid bitumens occur within sandstone pores and as veins filling fractures. Samples of both types were analyzed using stable carbon isotope and reflectance measurements, as well as molecular biomarker parameters. The extremely positive δ 13 C values and biomarker indicators of depositional environment/lithology, such as pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph), C 29 /C 30 hopane, diasteranes/regular steranes and dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene ratios, indicate a siliciclastic source for the BPR and their deposition in a highly reducing hypersaline environment. The presence of long chain n -alkanes and abundant tetracyclic diterpanes, C 20 –C 21 tricyclic terpanes and perylene are indicators of higher plant organic matter input. Moreover, the bimodal distribution of C 27 > C 28 < C 29 regular steranes and abundant methyltriaromatic steroids also support a contribution of microalgae as well as higher plants organic matter. The similar molecular composition and thermal maturity parameters indicate that the reservoir and veined solid bitumens were altered from a common paleo-petroleum, which originated from peak oil window matured source rocks. All solid bitumens from the BPR are characterized by relatively low bitumen reflectance values (Rb% < 0.7), suggesting that they were generated from low temperature processes rather than oil thermal cracking. Comparatively, the Rb% values for veined bitumens are higher than reservoir bitumens, indicating that the veined bitumens occurred earlier and experienced higher thermal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of future climate change on streamflow of the Dongliao River Watershed located in Jilin Province, China have been evaluated quantitatively by using a general circulation model (HadCM3) coupled with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. The model was calibrated and validated against the historical monitored data from 2005 to 2009. The streamflow was estimated by downscaling HadCM3 outputs to the daily mean temperature and precipitation series, derived for three 30-year time slices, 2020s, 2050s and 2080s. Results suggest that daily mean temperature increases with a changing rate of 0.435°C per decade, and precipitation decreases with a changing rate of 0.761 mm per decade. Compared with other seasons, the precipitation in summer shows significant downward trend, while a significant upward trend in autumn. The annual streamflow demonstrates a general downward trend with a decreasing rate of 0.405 m/s per decade. The streamflow shows significant downward and upward trends in summer and in autumn, respectively. The decreasing rate of streamflow in summer reaches 1.97 m/s per decade, which contributes primarily to the decrease of streamflow. The results of this work would be of great benifit to the design of economic and social development planning in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purposes To evaluate the effects of minimally invasive craniopuncture therapy compared with conservative treatment in treating intracerebral hemorrhage (25–40 ml) in the basal ganglion. Methods A multicenter, randomized control clinical trial comprised 465 cases of hemorrhage in the basal ganglion from 42 hospitals in China. Three hundred and seventy-seven patients with hemorrhage were randomly assigned to receive minimally invasive craniopuncture therapy ( n=195) or conservative control treatment ( n=182). The main indices of evaluation were the degree of neurological impairment at the 14th day after treatment, activities of daily living at the end of the 3rd month and the case fatality within 3 months. Results Improvement of neurological function in the minimally invasive craniopuncture group was significantly better than that in the control group at the 14th day ( χ2=7·93, P=0·02). At the end of the 3rd month, there was a significant difference between the two groups in activities of daily living score ( χ2=23·13, P<0·001). The proportion of dependent survival patients (modified Rankin scale >2) in the craniopuncture group (40·9%) was significantly lower than that in the conservative group (63·0%) at the end of the 3rd month ( χ2=16·95, P<0·01). There was no significant difference in the cumulative fatality rates within three months between the two groups [6·7% (13/195) in the craniopuncture group and 8·8% (16/182) in the conservative group]. Conclusions This minimally invasive craniopuncture technique can improve the independent survival of patients with small basal ganglion hemorrhage. It is a safe and practical technique in treating cerebral hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Formation of the Beidagang Uplift was associated with fault-block tilting and regional uplift. • The Beidagang Uplift has undergone two stages of tectonic uplift and exhumation events during the Cenozoic. • The two stages of tectonic uplift and exhumation events had a wide range of regional dynamic responses in eastern China. The formation of uplifts in rift basins is generally controlled by fault-block tilting and/or regional uplift. The Beidagang Uplift, located in the middle part of the Qikou Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin, is an important hydrocarbon accumulation zone that has experienced a complex evolutionary history since the Cenozoic. In this study, we conducted apatite fission track (AFT) analysis and structural analysis of seismic data to distinguish the processes of fault-block tilting and regional uplift, and unravel the uplifting history and formation mechanism of the Beidagang Uplift. The results show that the Beidagang Uplift experienced two stages of tectonic uplift and exhumation mainly in the early Cenozoic (65–45 Ma) and a late depositional stage of early Eocene to the early Miocene (40–18 Ma). The uplift and exhumation substages of 40–38 Ma, 26–24 Ma and 24–18 Ma were caused by regional uplift, whereas those of 38–32 Ma and 32–26 Ma were mainly due to fault-block tilting. These rapid tectonic uplift and exhumation events recorded by the AFT data were closely related to the regional dynamic background as evidenced by a wide range of responses in eastern China. This study provides a good case for distinguishing between the effects of tilting and regional uplift in the formation of uplifts within rift basins, and has profound implications for regional dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Arc-related magmatism in the northwestern Tarim margin during ca. 910–870 Ma. • Partially melted mantle wedge was metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. • Early Neoproterozoic continuous oceanic subduction in northern Tarim margin. The Tarim Block in NW China records the tectonic transition from compression to extension during the Neoproterozoic, and hence is regarded as a component of the Rodinia supercontinent. To unravel the role of the Tarim Block in the Rodinia assembly during the early Neoproterozoic, new geochronological and geochemical analyses were conducted on the gabbroic diorite, plagiogranite and andesite exposed in the Aksu area, northwestern Tarim. Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that these magmatic rocks were formed at ca. 900–870 Ma. Geochemically, these magmatic assemblages have typical features of arc-type rocks, showing enrichment of LILEs and depletion of HFSEs (such as Nb, Ta and Ti). They all have positive zircon ε Hf (t) values (+6.8 to +12.7), positive ε Nd (t) values (+3.6 to +6.0), and low and constant (87Sr/86Sr) i ratios (0.70252 to 0.70485). The gabbroic diorites display geochemical features of boninitic rocks such as high SiO 2 (53.4–56.3 wt%), MgO (5.79–9.15 wt%), low TiO 2 (0.29–0.41 wt%) contents, indicating that they were derived by partial melting of residual mantle. The plagiogranites are characterized by high SiO 2 (74.7–79.6 wt%), Na 2 O (3.87–4.74 wt%), moderate Al 2 O 3 (11.5–13.2 wt%), low K 2 O (0.15–0.22 wt%) contents, with very low TiO 2 (0.08–0.17 wt%) and total REEs (6.3–19.0 ppm) contents similar to oceanic plagiogranite, indicating a hydrous low-pressure melting of mafic protolith. The positive ε Nd (t) and zircon ε Hf (t) values and low (87Sr/86Sr) i ratios of the andesitic rocks in the Aksu area suggest a depleted mantle origin. The analysis of trace elements (e.g. Th, Zr, Nb) of these intrusive and volcanic rocks in the Aksu area indicates that their magma sources had been metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. Combined with trace element features, we infer that these early Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks in the Aksu area developed in an oceanic subduction setting with arc-back-arc system probably analogous to the Izu-Bonin (IB) subduction system in the western Pacific. These findings lead us to propose that continuous oceanic subduction beneath the northern margin of the Tarim Block occurred during ca. 910–870 Ma, corresponding to the Neoproterozoic circum-Rodinia subduction-accretion system, which provides new evidence for the accretionary process of the Tarim Block to Rodinia during the early Neoproterozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the synrift stage of the Liaodong Bay sub-basin, offshore the Bohai Bay Basin in China, strike-slip motion within the Tan-Lu Fault Zone (TLFZ) greatly affected the local structural evolution. This led to abundant strike-slip, extension, and transtensional structural deformations within the Liaodong Bay sub-basin. The role played by the TLFZ in the evolution of the Bohai Bay Basin, however, remains unclear. This study evaluates the geometry and kinematics of faults and related structural styles within the Liaodong Bay sub-basin. Results reveal that very different structural deformations occurred across this long and narrow rift sub-basin, and show a shift of fault activity over time from west to east, and from extension to strike-slip. These differences in structural deformation across the basin indicate that strike-slip movement along the TLFZ mainly played a secondary role within the eastern part of the sub-basin, and was not responsible for the opening of the whole basin. Furthermore, it also indicates that the extensional and strike-slip dominated deformations within this sub-basin were driven by different geodynamics. The driving mechanism for strike-slip reactivation of the Cenozoic TLFZ is the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the eastern margin of the Asia continent. Differential faulting has also exerted an obvious influence on basin filling and hydrocarbon accumulation of the Liaodong Bay sub-basin. • Structural deformations show fault activity shift over time from west to east. • Strike-slip movement along the TLFZ was not responsible for the opening of the whole basin. • The initiation of strike-slip motion along the TLFZ after about 40 Ma is the cause for fault activity shift from west to east. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seismic profile and well data reveal Late Permian tectono-sedimentary differentiation framework in the Upper Yangtze region. • Basin sedimentation pattern was controlled by the sea level changes and reef growth. • The thermal effects and crustal extension had strengthened the Late Permian basin subsidence. • Plutonic magmatic activities may have played a key role in the formation and evolution of an intra-cratonic basin. • The Late Permian intra-platform depression might be transformed from a pre-existing uplift. The Upper Yangtze region in the northwestern part of the South China Block was situated in a relatively active tectonic zone during the Late Permian. The expansion of the South Qinling and Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan oceans to the north and south, active mantle plumes, and related magma upwelling in the plate margins have significantly influenced the evolution of this area. The sediments of the Upper Permian Wujiaping Formation and Changxing Formation developed in the Upper Yangtze region are typical intracratonic basin sequences, which records the sedimentological and structural development during this period. To reconstruct the tectonic and paleogeographic framework of the Upper Yangtze region and to better understand the formation mechanism of intra-plate depressions, this study integrates drill core, well log, cross-sections and outcrop data to examine the lithological associations, stratigraphic thicknesses, and sedimentary facies, and further reconstruct the paleogeographic framework of the Late Permian sedimentary successions. Moreover, we integrate this data with 2D and 3D seismic data to describe the tectono-sedimentary framework of the intra-platform depressions. Based on the results, three primary tectono-sedimentary stages are delineated: (1) the Wujiaping Formation documents a rapid basalt eruption event on the southwestern edge of the Upper Yangtze region at the beginning of the Wuchiapingian stage, followed by a marine transgression which occurred from the northeast to the southwest with initial intra-platform depressions formed on the northern basin; (2) during the early Changsingian stage, the Upper Yangtze region comprised a variety of environments, including tidal flat-coast, mixed-platform, open-platform, slope, deep-water shelf, and platform margin reef and shoal, with a rapid sea-level rise and (3) the sea level reached its peak and then slowly dropped. The reefs developed along the intra-platform depressions during the late Changsingian stage. We suggest that the formation and evolution of the Late Permian basin sequences in the Upper Yangtze region were controlled by the plutonic magmatic activities and regional crustal extension. The proposed model has important implications for interpreting the rapid transformation of intra-platform depressions from uplift to depression, as well as the tectono-sedimentary differentiation framework in intracratonic basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coupling effects of high-temperature, water and BRA dosage on the rutting resistance. • Water saturated characteristics of rock asphalt mixture at high-temperatures. • Bayesian-based predictive model for rutting resistance of rock asphalt mixture. In recent years, the use of rock asphalt as modifier has attracted research interests because of the advantage in improving the thermal stability of asphalt mixture, which is conducive to the rutting resistance of asphalt pavement in high-temperature regions. However, due to a large rainfall in most of high-temperature regions (e.g., China southeastern coastal areas and south China areas), the high-temperature effects and water effects explain interdependently the rutting decay of rock asphalt mixture, which is neglected in existing studies. It is necessary to investigate the coupling effect of high-temperature and water on the rutting resistance of rock asphalt mixture. In response to the above questions, water saturated characteristics of rock asphalt mixture at high-temperature are investigated to determine the water absorption conditions via a new index, namely the water saturated ratio. Moreover, a total of sixty groups of modified wheel tracking tests for rock asphalt mixtures are implemented to reveal the coupling effect of water and high-temperature on the rutting resistance with the change of water conditions, temperatures and rock asphalt dosages. The temperature and water play an important role in the rutting resistance of rock asphalt mixture. Finally, a Bayesian approach for modelling the dynamic stability is also established to predict the rutting resistance of rock asphalt mixture and evaluate the effect degree of different factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravitational waves (GWs) from extra dimensions, very early universe, and some high-energy astrophysical processes might have at most six polarization states: tensor- and nontensor-mode gravitons. The peak regions or partial peak regions (of the amplitudes or energy densities) of some of such GWs are just distributed in the GHz or higher frequency band, which would be an optimal frequency band for the electromagnetic (EM) response to such high-frequency GWs (HFGWs). In this paper we investigate the EM response to the HFGWs, and for the first time we obtain the concrete form of analytic solutions of the perturbative EM fields caused by all six possible polarizations of the HFGWs in the background stable EM fields and in the proposed three dimensional synchro-resonance system (3DSR system), respectively. It is found that all such six polarizations may in principle show separability and detectability. Moreover, the detection frequency band ( ∼ 10 8 to 10 12 Hz or higher) of the signal photon fluxes by the 3DSR system and the observation frequency range ( ∼ 7 × 10 7 to 3 × 10 9 Hz) of the signals by the FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, China) have a certain overlapping property, and thus their coincidence experiments in the future for observations will have high complementarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SBG) is not just as a traditional herbal medicine but also a popular functional food in China and other Asian countries. A sensitive simple strategy was developed for the first time to analyze SBG from eight different geographical sources using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with multivariate chemometric methods. Two unsupervised pattern recognition models, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal components analysis (PCA), and a supervised pattern recognition model, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), were used to analyze the chemical compositions and physical traits of SBG. The important chemical markers baicalin, baicalein, and wogonoside were analyzed quantitatively and with PLS-DA. These methods distinguished rotten xylem (kuqin) and strip types (tiaoqin) of SBG and found that the thickness of the slice had a significant impact on the classification of SBG. Two classes of strip types were identified: one as the uncut pharmaceutical, which was sectioned with a thickness >3 mm; the other as a thin-sectioned strip type, with a thickness of <2 mm. This fingerprinting technique coupled to a chemometric analysis was used for the simultaneous quantitation of three components (chemical markers) of SBG, and greatly simplified the complicated identification of the multiple components of this plant relative to traditional methods. The strategy can clearly distinguish between kuqin and tiaoqin of SBG, and suggests that the thickness of the slice can be used as the basis for evaluation of SBG. These data provide a theoretical basis and scientific evidence for the development and utilization of SBG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]