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A time-delayed virus dynamic model is proposed with general monotonic incidence, different nonlinear CTL (cytotoxic T lymphocyte) responses [CTL elimination function p y g 1 (z) and CTL stimulation function c y g 2 (z) ], and immune impairment. Indeed, the different CTL responses pose challenges in obtaining the dissipativeness of the model. By constructing appropriate Lyapunov functionals with some detailed analysis techniques, the global stability results of all equilibria of the model are obtained. By the way, we point out that the partial derivative f v (x , 0) is increasing (but not necessarily strictly) in x > 0 for the general monotonic incidence f (x , v). However, some papers defaulted that the partial derivative was strictly increasing. Our main results show that if the basic reproduction number R 0 ≤ 1 , the infection-free equilibrium E 0 is globally asymptotically stable (GAS); if CTL stimulation function c y g 2 (z) = 0 for z = 0 and the CTL threshold parameter R 1 ≤ 1 < R 0 , then the immunity-inactivated infection equilibrium E 1 is GAS; if the immunity-activated infection equilibrium E + exists, then it is GAS. Two specific examples are provided to illustrate the applicability of the main results. The main results acquired in this paper improve or extend some of the existing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hydrogen is widely regarded as a sustainable energy carrier with tremendous potential for low-carbon energy transition. Solar photovoltaic-driven water electrolysis (PV-E) is a clean and sustainable approach of hydrogen production, but with major barriers of high hydrogen production costs and limited capacity. Steam methane reforming (SMR), the state-of-the-art means of hydrogen production, has yet to overcome key obstacles of high reaction temperature and CO 2 emission for sustainability. This work proposes a solar thermo-electrochemical SMR approach, in which solar-driven mid/low-temperature SMR is combined with electrochemical H 2 separation and in-situ CO 2 capture. The feasibility of this method is verified experimentally, achieving an average methane conversion of 96.8% at a dramatically reduced reforming temperature of 400–500 °C. The underlying mechanisms of this method are revealed by an experimentally calibrated model, which is further employed to predict its performance for thermo-electrochemical hydrogen production. Simulation results show that a net solar-to-H 2 efficiency of 26.25% could be obtained at 500 °C, which is over 11 percentage points higher than that of PV-E; the first-law thermodynamic efficiency reaches up to 63.27% correspondingly. The enhanced efficiency also leads to decreased fuel consumption and lower CO 2 emission of the proposed solar-driven SMR system. Such complementary conversion of solar PV electricity, solar thermal energy, and low-carbon fuel provides a synergistic and efficient means of sustainable H 2 production with potentially long-term solar energy storage on a vast scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper‐catalyzed α,β‐regioselective (2+4) cycloaddition of propargylic esters with o‐hydroxyphenyl substituted secondary phosphine oxides (SPOs) was established, which afforded a series of phosphorus‐containing six‐membered heterocycles in high yields. This reaction represents the first α,β‐regioselective (2+n) cycloaddition of propargylic esters via the intermediates of copper‐allenylidenes, which will enrich the chemistry of propargylic esters and copper‐allenylidenes. Moreover, this work also represents the first application of o‐hydroxyphenyl substituted SPOs as 1,4‐dinucleophiles in (2+4) cycloadditions, which provides a useful protocol for the synthesis of phosphorus‐containing six‐membered heterocycles with potential bioactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between GFR and unit renal volume in infants with congenital hydronephrosis measured by 99mTc-DMSA static renal imaging and ultrasonography. According to the classification of hydronephrosis, 38 infants aged 0–12 months with congenital hydronephrosis were divided into six groups: healthy kidney groups, mild hydronephrosis groups, and severe hydronephrosis groups. Within one week, all patients underwent ultrasound, diuretic dynamic renal imaging, static renal imaging and lateral imagings of both kidneys after static renal imaging respectively. Pediatric renal volume was calculated using the improved formula length × width × thickness × 0.674, and then the renal function in per unit volume (GFR/unit volume, ml/cm3) was obtained. All statistical analysis was done with SPSS Statistics version 24.0. The renal function in per unit volume was a minimum of 1.62 ml/cm3 in left healthy kidney in static renal imaging, but the renal function in per unit volume was a maximum value of 2.20 ml/cm3 in right healthy kidney in ultrasonography. There was a strong positive correlation observed between GFR and renal volume in left healthy kidney group and left and right kidneys with mild hydronephrosis groups (r = 0.865, r = 0.872, r = 0.822). A moderate positive correlation was found between GFR and renal volume in right healthy kidney group and left and right kidneys wih severe hydronephrosis groups (r = 0.783, r = 0.542, r = 0.798). GFR in per unit volume ranged from 1.62 to 2.20 ml/cm3 in healthy kidney, and was significantly higher in right kidney as compared to in left kidney, and also decreased with the progression of hydronephrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the existence of positive periodic solutions for a periodic predator-prey model with fear effect and general functional responses. The general functional responses can cover the Holling types II and III functional response, the Beddington–DeAngelis functional response, the Crowley–Martin functional response, the ratio-dependent type with Michaelis–Menten type functional response, etc. Some new sufficient conditions for the existence of positive periodic solutions of the model are obtained by employing the continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory and some ingenious estimation techniques for the upper and lower bounds of the a priori solutions of the corresponding operator equation. Our results considerably improve and extend some known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, China is at a critical stage of economic transformation and pollution control. The environmental pollution control efficiency (PCE) deserves more in-depth study. This paper adopts a three-stage global data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and a global Malmquist index model to measure the PCE and the sources of its changes in China from 1991 to 2019. Study shows that: (1) the overall level of PCE has remained low over the past 29 years, and it has a slowly fluctuating upward trend, with an average annual growth rate of only 0.92 %; (2) the lower pure technical efficiency hinders the effectiveness of environmental pollution control, which is mainly affected by the slow technological progress; and (3) at the provincial level, the overall efficiency of Shanghai and Guangxi has long been above 0.9, while the efficiency of other provinces has been below 0.9 for quite a long time. At the regional level, the Yangtze River Delta is the most effective area, while the Yellow River Basin is the most ineffective area. In consideration of this, we provide specific strategies for improving PCE of each province, from three aspects of increasing the capital input, optimizing the scale structure, and upgrading technology level. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic CO 2 reduction is an appealing strategy for mitigating the environmental effects of greenhouse gases while simultaneously producing valuable carbon-neutral fuels. Numerous attempts have been made to produce effective and efficient photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction. In contrast, the selection of competitive catalysts continues to be a substantial hindrance and a considerable difficulty in the development of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction. It is vital to emphasize different techniques for building effective photocatalysts to improve CO 2 reduction performance in order to achieve a long-term sustainability. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are recently emerging as a new type of photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction due to their excellent CO 2 adsorption capability and unique structural characteristics. This review examines the most recent breakthroughs in various techniques for modifying MOFs in order to improve their efficiency of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction. The advantages of MOFs using as photocatalysts are summarized, followed by different methods for enhancing their effectiveness for photocatalytic CO 2 reduction via partial ion exchange of metal clusters, design of bimetal clusters, the modification of organic linkers, and the embedding of metal complexes. For integrating MOFs with semiconductors, metallic nanoparticles (NPs), and other materials, a number of different approaches have been also reviewed. The final section of this review discusses the existing challenges and future prospects of MOFs as photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction. Hopefully, this review can stimulate intensive research on the rational design and development of more effective MOF-based photocatalysts for visible-light driven CO 2 conversion. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of periosteum on the treatment of buccal dehiscence defects comparing with collagen membrane in canine model. Bilateral dehiscence-type defects at the buccal side on the distal root of the lower 3rd/4th premolars were created in six beagle dogs with a total of 24 defects and assigned into three groups: Group A: blood clot in an untreated defect; Group B: deproteinized bovine bone material (DBBM) covered with an absorbable membrane; Group C: DBBM covered with the periosteum. The structural parameters for trabecular architecture and vertical bone regeneration were evaluated. Histological and histomorphometric evaluation were carried out to observe new bone formation and mineralization in the graft site. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to identify the expression of osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) at postoperative 3 months. Group C achieved greater vertical alveolar bone gain than that of group A and group B. The periosteum-covered group showed significantly greater new bone formation and accelerated mineralization. The greater immunolabeling for OPN and OCN was observed in group C than in group A. Periosteal coverage has explicit advantages over collagen membranes for the quality and quantity of new bone regeneration in dehiscence defects repairing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Development of a facile process for the construction of ultrathin PdAu nanorings. • Precise controllability in elements ratios and compositions of ultrathin 2D nanorings. • Enhanced electrocatalytic EOR performance owing to synergistically structural and compositional advantages of PdAu nanorings. Ultrathin nanoframes with more available electrocatalytic active sites on both internal and external surfaces have attracted great attention especially in the field of electrocatalysis. Herein, we report a facile process to prepare PdAu nanorings (NRs) in aqueous solution without adding any organic ligands. The growth mechanism of PdAu NRs was explored in detail. The Au precursors were reduced into Au clusters around the edges of Pd nanosheets (NSs) via galvanic replacement, then the center of Pd NSs was oxidatively etched by Cl−/O 2 , and finally the Pd and Au atoms on the edge sites were rearranged to form uniform PdAu alloy. PdAu NRs with different ratios and ternary PdAuPt NRs could be easily prepared using this strategy. Owing to the synergistically structural and compositional advantages, Pd 79 Au 21 NRs exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and stability, as well as low activation energy (E a) for the ethanol electrooxidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Development of a facile process for the construction of ultrathin PdAu nanorings. • Precise controllability in elements ratios and compositions of ultrathin 2D nanorings. • Enhanced electrocatalytic EOR performance owing to synergistically structural and compositional advantages of PdAu nanorings. Ultrathin nanoframes with more available electrocatalytic active sites on both internal and external surfaces have attracted great attention especially in the field of electrocatalysis. Herein, we report a facile process to prepare PdAu nanorings (NRs) in aqueous solution without adding any organic ligands. The growth mechanism of PdAu NRs was explored in detail. The Au precursors were reduced into Au clusters around the edges of Pd nanosheets (NSs) via galvanic replacement, then the center of Pd NSs was oxidatively etched by Cl−/O 2 , and finally the Pd and Au atoms on the edge sites were rearranged to form uniform PdAu alloy. PdAu NRs with different ratios and ternary PdAuPt NRs could be easily prepared using this strategy. Owing to the synergistically structural and compositional advantages, Pd 79 Au 21 NRs exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and stability, as well as low activation energy (E a) for the ethanol electrooxidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controllable synthesis of phosphorus (P) doped noble metal electrocatalysts with a well‐defined structure and composition has attracted sufficient attention in energy chemistry. In this study, atomic‐level P‐doped Pt nanodendrites (PtP NDs) with tunable composition and highly branched architecture are successfully prepared by post‐phosphating reaction of sodium hypophosphite monohydrate at room temperature. Due to its electrophilic properties, P effectively regulates the electronic structure of the d‐orbitals of Pt. The charge change induced by P on a local scale can effectively regulate the selective adsorption of electrocatalytic reaction intermediates. The electrocatalytic results show that the η10 value of PtP NDs in hydrogen evolution reaction is only 13.3 mV, and the mass activity of PtP NDs in methanol oxidation reaction is 4.2 A mg−1, which is 3.8 times larger than that of commercial Pt/C. Most importantly, the atomic‐level P doping greatly improves the stability of PtP NDs, which is crucial to facilitating the catalysts' commercialization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a hepatitis C virus (HCV) mathematical model considering host immune system which is studied by Blé et al. (2018), uniform persistence and global asymptotic stability of the endemic equilibrium of the model are considered, and a set of feasible sufficient conditions are obtained by constructing appropriate Lyapunov functions. Our results largely improved those in related works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Development of an effective one-pot surfactant-directing aqueous synthesis for the construction of ultrathin high-entropy PdPtCuAgAu nanowires. • Precise controllability in elemental ratios and compositions of ultrathin nanowires under the similar synthetic conditions. • Remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol (including ethylene glycol and methanol) oxidation reaction owning to synergistically structural and compositional advantages. High-entropy noble metals have attracted significant attention owning to their unique physicochemical characteristics. Here we report a simple method for the preparation of high-entropy PdPtCuAgAu nanowire networks using carboxyl-functionalized surfactants as soft templates. This PdPtCuAgAu alloy electrocatalysts possess synergetic compositional (e.g., high-entropy effect, sluggish diffusion effect, and lattice distortion effect) and structural (anisotropic and thin nanowires) advantages. The PdPtCuAgAu alloy electrocatalysts exhibit significantly enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation reaction, including high mass activity (7.7 A mg Pd+Pt −1), superior stability/durability, anti-poisoning ability, and fine electrocatalytic kinetics. Similar improvements in electrocatalytic performance are also seen in reactions involving other alcohols such as ethylene glycol and methanol. The high-entropy characteristics synergistically attributed to the enhanced electrocatalytic ability for different reaction process. This approach for the synthesis of high-entropy alloys will provide a new route to rationally design other high-entropy nanocatalysts with desired morphologies/structure and functions for a wide range of (electro)catalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pulp samples from 20 pulpitis cases together with 20 normal participants were analyzed with a serum metabolomics approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/Orbitrap mass spectrometry. • Determine the key metabolites of pulpitis and the pathways associated with pulpitis incidence, providing certain foundation for analyzing the relation of metabolites with pulpitis incidence. Pulpitis, a pulp disease caused by caries, trauma, and other factors, has a high clinical incidence. This study focused on identifying possible metabolic biomarkers of pulpitis cases and analyzing the related metabolic pathways for providing a theoretical foundation to diagnose and prevent pulpitis. Pulp samples from 20 pulpitis cases together with 20 normal participants were analyzed with a serum metabolomics approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Moreover, this work carried out multivariate statistical analysis for screening potential biomarkers of pulpitis. Through biomarker analysis and identification, such as partial least squares discrimination analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis model establishment, correlation analysis, and biomarker pathway analysis, 40 biomarkers associated with 20 metabolic pathways were identified, including 20 upregulated and 20 downregulated metabolites. Those major biomarkers included oxoglutaric acid, inosine, citric acid, and PA(14:1(9Z)/PGD1). Among them, oxoglutaric acid and inosine were most significantly downregulated and had the highest correlation with pulpitis. Among these metabolic pathways, GABAergic synapse and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were positively correlated with pulpitis. 4. These biomarkers as well as metabolic pathways may offer the theoretical foundation to understand pulpitis pathogenesis and develop preventive drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrathin RhCuAgPd/Pd nanowire heterostructures were prepared by a seed-mediated growth method. Due to the synergistic structural (including ultrathin NWs and interfaces) and compositional (Pd, Rh, Cu and Ag) advantages, the RhCuAgPd/Pd NWs exhibit superior electrocatalytic performance toward ethylene glycol oxidation under alkaline conditions, including high mass activity (6.63 A mgPd−1), fine stability/durability and resistance to CO poisoning, favourable electrocatalytic kinetics and low activation energy values (18.64 kJ mol−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and synthesis of metallic nanocatalysts with distinct nanostructures and composition is still a noteworthy topic in the electrochemistry field. In this work, we have realized the morphological evolution of PdIr nanostructures in aqueous solution through the synergistic effect of self‐assembled functional surfactants and different halide ions, and achieved precise control of the kinetic and thermodynamic crystalline growth due to the different reduction potential between PdCl42−, PdBr42−, and PdI42−. The actual precursors of PdCl42− resulted in ultrathin nanodendrites, PdClxBr(4−x)2− for nanosheets and fewer branched nanodendrites, PdClxI(4−x)2− for nanorings, nanoflowers and multiply concave nanocubes. Owing to the synergistic advantages of structure and composition (alloyed Ir), PdIr nanodendrites exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity, anti‐poisoning ability, and stability toward alcohols (including ethanol, methanol, and glycerol) electrooxidation reactions. The results would be helpful for thoroughly understanding how structure‐directing surfactants and halide ions synergistically determine the production of advanced metallic nanocrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the global dynamics of a delayed virus dynamics model with apoptosis and both virus-to-cell and cell-to-cell infections. When the basic reproduction number R 0 > 1 , we obtain the uniform persistence of the model, and give some explicit expressions of the ultimate upper and lower bounds of any positive solution of the model. In addition, by constructing the appropriate Lyapunov functionals, we obtain some sufficient conditions for the global attractivity of the disease-free equilibrium and the chronic infection equilibrium of the model. Our results extend existing related works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of polymer‐based composites are generally determined by the interfacial adhesion between the inorganic component and the polymer itself. In this work, high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were prepared with polydopamine(PDA)‐modified short basalt fibers (D‐BF) as an inorganic filler, in which the interface between HDPE and D‐BF was mediated by maleic anhydride‐grafted polyethylene (PE‐g‐MAH) and maleic anhydride‐grafted poly(ethylene‐co‐octene) elastomer (POE‐g‐MAH). The adding mass ratio of both the compatibilizers had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the prepared HDPE/D‐BF composites. When total 5 wt% of both PE‐g‐MAH and POE‐g‐MAH with a mass ratio of 1/3 was introduced, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the composite containing 2.5 wt% D‐BF reached 53.7 ± 0.8 MPa and 1174 ± 17%, respectively, about 73% and 157% higher than those of the pristine HDPE. Therefore, this work demonstrated a feasible way to prepare polymeric composites with high strength and high toughness via the dual‐compatibilizer and PDA modification of the fillers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causes of viral rebound leading to disease relapse in some chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients at the end of treatment with direct-acting antiviral drugs are still unclear, which poses a challenge to further improve the permanent cure rate of HCV-infected patients. In this paper, a stochastic within-host HCV model is studied in detail to gain insights into the phenomena of unexpected relapse and recovery in HCV-infected patients. Theoretically, the existence of an ergodic stationary distribution, which also reflects the long-term coexistence of uninfected hepatocytes and free viruses, is proved by constructing suitable stochastic Lyapunov functions at a threshold condition related to the basic reproduction number of the corresponding deterministic model. In addition, the sufficient conditions for the extinction of free viruses is also given, which implies that the viral load eventually drops to zero and HCV-infected patients are cured. In the numerical simulations, the phenomenon of unexpected relapse and recovery in HCV-infected patients is demonstrated by a few simple examples. By Monte Carlo method, under certain conditions, it is observed that the increase in noise intensities makes the phenomena of unexpected relapse and recovery in HCV-infected patients increase as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyoxometalate-based organic–inorganic hybrids have attracted considerable attention due to their fascinating structures and wide application prospects. In this work, using the same building blocks, ligands and metal ions (ZnW12O406−(ZnW12), 2,2′-bipyridine (2,2′-bipy), and Cu2+), we synthesized three new POM-based hybrids by controlling the pH values of the reaction systems. These three compounds {(Zn0.6(H2)0.4W12O40)[Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)2][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)3]}2·6H2O (1), (Me4N)2{ZnW12O40[Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)3]}·5H2O (2), and {(Zn0.5(H2)0.5W12O40)[Cu(2,2′-bipy)][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)2]}·5H2O (3) have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 appears as a dimeric cluster structure, while compounds 2 and 3 appear as a 1D chain structure and a 2D network, respectively. The semiconducting properties of compounds 1–3 are different, which was demonstrated by band gap (Eg) and photocurrent response measurements. Compound 3 can efficiently catalyze the photooxidation of toluene to benzaldehyde with high selectivity using molecular oxygen as the oxidant component. Moreover, compound 3 was recycled and reused three times without significant degradation in conversion and selectivity. In addition, the mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantitively characterize the morphology of cervical disc herniation (CDH) causing cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) and investigate whether the morphological features of CDH are associated with clinical outcomes in CSR patients treated by posterior percutaneous full‐endoscopic cervical discectomy (PPECD). Methods: This is a single‐center retrospective study. Eighty‐seven PPECD‐treated patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included between May 2017 and May 2019. Based on preoperative T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we designed and measured six morphological parameters of CDH for all patients to reflect its relative position to cervical spinal cord and protruding degree: DC‐SC distance from the center of disc (DC) and the center of spinal cord (SC); DC‐DP distance from the center of cervical disc (DC) to the peak of herniation (DP); internal diameter of the disc; axial length of CDH; central angle of CDH formed by central axes of CDH and spinal cord; the modified index of CDH. We recorded general information, neck disability index (NDI) scores, visual analog scale (VAS) scores of neck and arm of all patients preoperatively and postoperatively at 1‐year follow‐up. The association of preoperative general variables and morphological parameters with clinical outcomes were explored by utilizing logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results: The preoperative neck‐VAS, arm‐VAS, and NDI were significantly decreased after PPECD and remained at a low value at follow‐up. In regards to the morphological parameters of CDH, the mean value of DC‐SC distance, DC‐DP distance, internal diameter of the disc, axial length of CDH, central angle of CDH, and modified index of CDH were 1.61 ± 0.30 cm, 1.66 ± 0.32cm, 1.04 ± 0.21 cm, 0.63 ± 0.19cm, 39.38° ± 11.94°, and 0.39 ± 0.24, respectively. For patients grouped by difference in the recovery rate of NDI and arm‐VAS (excellent improved group, EI; and limited improved group, LI), there were no differences in the age, gender, surgical segments, and morphological parameters, except for the central angle of CDH. According to binary logistic regression analysis, only the preoperative central angle of CDH was significantly associated with postoperative NDI recovery (odds ratio: 0.873; 95% confidence interval: 0.819–0.931, P = 0.002). ROC analysis showed the optimal cut‐off value of the central angle of CDH for predicting the postoperative improvement of functional outcomes is 33.788°. Conclusion: Preoperative morphology of CDH is related to the outcomes of CSR patients after PPECD. Patients with a large central angle of CDH (>33.788°) have more likelihood of ameliorating neurological symptoms of CSR. There is the potential to select the central angle of CDH as a predictor for outcomes of PPECD in treating CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A POM-based one-dimensional (1D) chain compound, {BW12O40[Cu(2,2′-bipy)2]2[Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)]}{BW12O40[Cu(2,2′-bipy)2][Cu(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)2]}·7H2O, has been synthesized and structurally characterized, which represents an unprecedented 1D double chain structure with opposite charges. In contrast to common POMs, this compound exhibits a relatively high electrical conductivity of 1.17 × 10−9 S cm−1 at 25 °C. In addition, its semiconducting properties have also been investigated by application of photoelectrochemical sensing of H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The removal of NB could be notably improved in bio-SFe systems. • The interaction between SFe and microorganisms was a key factor for NB removal. • Bio-SFe could prompt the formation of Fe(II)/ROS and enrich certain core functional genera. • The partial reduction biodegradation of NB was the predominant pathway. Considering the high reactivity, cost-efficiency, environmental friendliness, the zero-valent iron-microbe (bio-ZVI) technology for refractory organic wastewater treatment has obtained worldwide attentions. This paper submerged sponge iron (SFe, a typical ZVI material) in activated sludge to form biological sponge iron (bio-SFe) systems, while the iron sludge and ordinary activated sludge systems were taken as blank control. To study the strengthening effect and degradation mechanism of bio-SFe systems, Nitrobenzene (NB) was chose as a target contaminant. The interaction between SFe and microorganisms improved the NB removal efficiency, prompted the formation of Fe(II)/ROS and facilitated the biodegradation process. Specifically, the Fenton-like effects for NB removal increased from 3.6 % in mono-SFe system to 11.79 % in SFe coupled with iron sludge system. This facilitated the production of OH could constantly attack and eventually mineralize NB. Additionally, biodegradation of NB was the predominant pathway (64.25 %), when iron sludge combined with SFe, the removal of NB could ascend to 92.11 %. SFe created a more favorable environment for certain core functional genera related to recalcitrant pollutants reduction and iron cycle. According to the accumulation of NH 4 +-N content and the identification of the degradation intermediates of NB in bio-SFe system, the partial reduction biodegradation of NB was finally confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile aqueous synthesis strategy was used (complete in 5 min at room temperature) to produce large‐size Pd, PdCu, and PdPtCu nanomeshes without additional organic ligands or solvent and the volume restriction of reaction solution. The obtained metallic nanomeshes possess graphene‐like morphology and a large size of dozens of microns. Abundant edges (coordinatively unsaturated sites, steps, and corners), defects (twins), and mesopores are seen in the metallic ultrathin structures. The formation mechanism for porous Pd nanomeshes disclosed that they undergo oriented attachment growth along the ⟨111⟩ direction. Owing to structural and compositional advantages, PdCu porous nanomeshes with certain elemental ratios (e. g. Pd87Cu13) presented enhanced electrocatalytic performance (larger mass activity, better CO tolerance and stability) toward ethanol oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the spatio-temporal variability of air quality data for six standard air pollutants (Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), Particulate Matter 10 (PM10), SO2, NO2, CO, and O3) in the Sichuan Basin (SCB), China from 2015 to 2018 in relation to the formation of haze using conventional meteorological data (temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity), satellite data (fire point data, vertical profiles of aerosol subtypes, and aerosol optical depth), planetary boundary layer height, and backward trajectories. The results indicated that the spatio-temporal evolution of the air quality index (AQI) had notable seasonality for the pollution severity in descending order: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Autumn and winter severe haze events occurred in November and January, respectively, and were caused by higher local pollution emissions under stagnant air conditions. Spring severe haze events occurred in May and were caused by dust from Northwest China and local regions. Severe summer haze events occurred in July and were caused by local burning. Therefore, the analyses showed that local burning, stagnant meteorological conditions, air mass transport and anthropogenic pollution emissions played a key role in haze in the SCB. This study provides scientific insights for fully analyzing heavy air pollution in SCB, China, and also provides a scientific basis for pollution research in regions of complex terrain as basins and mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We focus on a relaxed version of the classic forward–backward splitting method in the context of finding a zero point of the sum of two monotone operators, and derive its linear convergence rate. The proof is very short by using the recently proposed concept of negatively averaged operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw starch is commonly modified to enhance its functionality for industrial applications. There is increasing demand for 'green' modified starches from both end-consumers and producers. It is well known that environmental conditions are key factors that determine plant growth and yield. An increasing number of studies suggest growth conditions can expand affect starch structure and functionality. In this review, we summarized how water, heat, high nitrogen, salinity, shading, CO 2 stress affect starch biosynthesis and physicochemical properties. We define these treatments as a fifth type of starch modification method - agricultural modification - in addition to chemical, physical, enzymatic and genetic methods. In general, water stress decreases peak viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy of starch, and high temperature stress increases starch gelatinization enthalpy and temperature. High nitrogen increases total starch content and regulates starch viscosity. Salinity stress mainly regulates starch and amylose content, both of which are genotype-dependent. Shading stress and CO 2 stress can both increase starch granule size, but these have different effects on amylose content and amylopectin structure. Compared with other modification methods, agricultural modification has the advantage of operating at a large scale and a low cost and can help meet the ever-rising market of clean-label foods and ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nitrogen (N) influences the growth of sweet potato. However, it is unclear whether the different levels of N can affect starch physicochemical properties. In this study, 9 different colored-fleshed sweet potato varieties were planted in the same field with additional N fertilizer treatment of 0, 15 and 30 kg/ha. The physicochemical properties of starches from root tubers were measured. With increasing N level, the amylose content decreased in yellow-fleshed variety Sushu 16 and increased in white-fleshed variety Sushu 29 and purple-fleshed varieties Ningzishu 1 and 4, but did not significantly change in other varieties. The starch size decreased in purple-fleshed variety Ningzishu 1 and white-fleshed varieties Sushu 28 and Sushu 29 with increasing N treatment, but first increased then decreased in yellow-fleshed variety Sushu 16 and first decreased then increased in white-fleshed variety Sushu 24 and yellow-fleshed variety Sushu 25. The different levels of N treatment had no influence on protein content, crystalline structure, and gelatinization enthalpy of starch. The effects of N treatment on gelatinization temperatures and pasting viscosities of starches were determined by varieties and genotype backgrounds of sweet potato. The PLSR and PLS-DA were also carried out based on structural, thermal, and pasting parameters of starches. • Different colored-fleshed sweet potato varieties grew with different levels of N. • Amylose content and granule size of starch responded to N treatment differently. • N levels had no effects on protein content, crystallininity, and enthalpy of starch. • Thermal and pasting properties of starch were correlated with genotype backgrounds. • Structural and functional properties of starches were analyzed with PLSR and PLS-DA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase compensated proportional resonant (PR) controllers with phase leading angles embedded into resonant controllers, are used to improve the system stability, when the grid-connected inverter is connected to a weak grid with large grid impedance. However, an inappropriate phase leading angle will cause obvious anti-peak in the magnitude response of phase compensated PR controller. Thus, the phase leading angle should be selected carefully. The conventional phase compensation (CPC) method for selecting the phase leading angle can maximize the system phase margin, but at the expense of large peaks in the magnitude response of sensitivity transfer function. Meanwhile, the bandwidths of resonant controllers will be reduced. In the paper, an improved phase compensation (IPC) method is proposed, which does not cause peaks in the magnitude response of sensitivity transfer function while providing sufficient phase margin. Experimental tests were carried out on a single phase grid-connected inverter. The effectiveness of the proposed method is proved in terms of the steady-state and transient performances, as well as the performance under the grid frequency deviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a strictly contractive Peaceman–Rachford splitting method with logarithmic-quadratic proximal regularization (SPRSM-LQP) was proposed for solving two-block separable convex minimization model. In practical applications, however, the smaller step-size should be strongly avoided. So we actually have the desire of seeking larger step-size whenever possible in order to accelerate the numerical performance. In this paper, we combine Fortin and Glowinski's accelerating techniques with the SPRSM-LQP. Thus a new algorithm with larger step-size is proposed. Under the same assumptions as the SPRSM-LQP, we establish the global convergence of its larger step-size counterpart. Moreover, preliminary numerical results show that the proposed method on a traffic network equilibrium problem is reliable and more efficient with larger step-size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 6 very small granule starches (VSGSs) were isolated from endosperms of dicotyledon Amaranthus cruentus , Agriophyllum squarrosum , Chenopodium quinoa , Euryale ferox , Mirabilis jalapa , and Vaccaria hispanica. Their morphologies and physicochemical properties were investigated. Most VSGSs with granule size <3 μm were spherical or polygonal, and their apparent amylose contents ranged from 19.4 to 33.1% with A. cruentus starch the lowest and E. ferox starch the highest. All VSGSs had the same A-type crystalline structure with relative crystallinities from 23.3 to 29.6%. Though 6 VSGSs had slight differences in short-range ordered structure and lamellar repeat distance, their lamellar peak intensities exhibited significant differences. The gelatinization temperatures showed significant differences among 6 VSGSs with C. quinoa starch the lowest and M. jalapa starch the highest. The 6 VSGSs had significantly different pasting viscosities with peak viscosities from 1887 to 4579 mPa s, hot viscosities from 1704 to 3479 mPa s, breakdown viscosities from 56 to 1170 mPa s, final viscosities from 2419 to 4811 mPa s, and setback viscosities from 715 to 1821 mPa s. The digestion properties of starches were significantly different among 6 VSGSs. The above results could provide some references for applications of these VSGSs. • Very small granule starches (VSGSs) were isolated from dicotyledon endosperms. • Most VSGSs had spherical or polygonal shape with granule diameters <3 μm. • Six VSGSs had amylose contents from 19.4 to 33.1% and the same A-type crystallinity. • Six VSGSs had significantly different lamellar peak intensity and thermal properties. • Six VSGSs exhibited significantly different pasting and digestion properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2012, Censor et al. proposed the so-called two-subgradient extragradient method (TSEGM) in which both projections have an explicit-formula because the projections are just executed onto half-spaces. However, the convergence of the TSEGM was posted as an open question. In this paper, we answer this open question affirmatively for the case where the closed convex set can be represented as the lower level set of a continuously differentiable convex function. Censor's open question is thus partially answered. More precisely, we combine the inertial technique with the TSEGM and establish the weak convergence of the proposed method under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical proximal point algorithm (PPA) requires a metric proximal parameter, which is positive definite and symmetric, because it plays the role of the measurement matrix of a norm in the convergence proof. In this paper, our main goal is to show that the metric proximal parameter can be nonsymmetric if the proximal center is shifted appropriately. The resulting nonsymmetric PPA with moving proximal centers maintains the same implementation difficulty and convergence properties as the original PPA, while the nonsymmetry of the metric proximal parameter allows us to design highly customized algorithms that can effectively take advantage of the structures of the model under consideration. We present both the exact and inexact versions of the nonsymmetric PPA with moving proximal centers, and analyze their convergence including the estimate of their worst-case convergence rates measured by the iteration complexity under mild assumptions and their asymptotically linear convergence rates under stronger assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly branched ultrathin Pt–Ru nanodendrites (NDs) with an average thickness of ∼1.8 nm and controlled elemental ratios were prepared through nanoconfined and epitaxial growth inside lamellar micelles of designed surfactants. The elemental compositions could be easily extended to other metals (Pt–M, M = Rh, Co, Fe, Ag, etc.). Owing to their synergistically structural and compositional advantages, Pt–Ru NDs with a specific atomic ratio (specifically Pt90Ru10) showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) under alkaline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sweet potato is an important starch resource and has different colored root tubers due to different genotype backgrounds. However, it is unclear whether starch properties are related to the color of root tuber. In this study, 3 white, 3 yellow, and 3 purple sweet potato varieties were planted in the same environment. The dry root tubers of white varieties had the highest starch ranging from 61.5 to 67.5% and the lowest soluble sugar ranging from 13.1 to 18.0%, and those of yellow varieties had the lowest starch ranging from 45.8 to 53.1% and the highest soluble sugar ranging from 28.9 to 31.5%. Starches from different varieties had different granule sizes (D[4,3] 12.3–18.1 μm) and amylose contents (24.1–27.2%), but all exhibited C A -type crystalline structure. The relative crystallinity ranged from 22.3 to 25.5%, and the IR absorbance ratios of 1045/1022 and 1022/995 cm−1 ranged from 0.665 to 0.775 and from 0.846 to 0.944, respectively, among 9 varieties. The starches from the same or different colored varieties had differences in swelling power, water solubility, gelatinization temperature, pasting viscosity, and digestion properties. The cluster analysis based on starch property parameters indicated that starch properties of sweet potato had no relationship with the color of root tuber but were determined by the genotype background of variety. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Starch properties were measured in 3 white, 3 yellow and 3 purple sweet potatoes. • The white and yellow varieties contained the highest and lowest starch, respectively. • The starches from the same or different colored varieties had different properties. • The cluster analysis of different colored varieties was based on starch properties. • Characteristics of starch had no relationship with the color of root tuber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The extra-long chain (ELC) of amylopectin influences molecular compositions of starch. In this study, starches were isolated from 22 rice varieties with different ELCs. Molecular compositions of starch were determined, and their relationships with crystalline structure, gelatinization properties, pasting properties, and enzyme hydrolysis were analysed. The results showed that the starches with different ELCs had significantly different structural and functional properties. The ELC was significantly positively related to setback viscosity and negatively related to relative crystallinity, lamellar peak intensity, swelling power, gelatinization enthalpy, and rapidly digestible starch of retrograded starch. The true amylose content was significantly positively related to retrogradation and negatively related to peak viscosity and hydrolysis degree by α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. The short branch-chain of amylopectin was significantly positively related to lamellar peak intensity, swelling power, hydrolysis degree by α-amylase, and rapidly digestible starch of retrograded starch and negatively related to setback viscosity and resistant starch of retrograded starch. The ratio of short to long branch-chain of amylopectin was significantly positively related to swelling power and hydrolysis degree by α-amylase. The principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis demonstrated that the low-ELC starches were distinguished from the middle- and high-ELC starches, the middle-ELC starches basically clustered together, but the high-ELC starches were highly dispersed. The above results would provide some new information for rice quality breeding and starch applications by changing the ELC in starch. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Starches from 22 rice varieties had different extra-long chains (ELC) of amylopectin. • GPC profiles of debranched starch and amylopectin measured molecular compositions. • Gelatinization and pasting properties and enzyme hydrolysis of starch were measured. • PLSR showed interrelationship between molecular compositions and starch properties. • PCA and PLS-DA revealed the differences among rice varieties with different ELCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • In CCOS process with complex tool movement, residual ripples are easily generated on the workpiece surface. • A dynamical removal model has been proposed to understand the actual material removal process of the DAWP. • The proposed model can effectively predict the material removal profile which contains residual ripple characteristics. • When increasing the speed ratio, the ripples wavelength and amplitude, and the ratio of ripple amplitude to total removal depth increase. • The level of residual ripples can be effectively restrained by the appropriate setting of the speed ratio. Abstract CCOS (computer-controlled optical surfacing) approach is widely used in different optical polishing processes for making ultra-precision components with high surface form accuracy requirements. Under the polishing mode using complex tool motions, middle-spatial-frequency errors (MSF, i.e. , residual ripples) tend to be generated on the workpiece surface, which would deteriorate the functional performance of the parts. In this paper, a dynamical removal model (DRM) based on the spatial kinematic analysis and polishing material removal theory is proposed, to investigate the actual material removal characteristics in dual-axis wheel polishing (DAWP). The model is developed to calculate the overall material removal profile (low-spatial-frequency error, LSF) and the middle-spatial-frequency errors, simultaneously. The shape and the stability of the tool influence function (TIF) are firstly investigated. A series of straight line path polishing tests on BK7 glass are carried out to investigate the effects of process parameters on the generated MSF errors and also check the validity of the proposed DRM. Uniform polishing tests on 50 × 50 mm BK7 samples are conducted, under different polishing parameters, the power spectral density (PSD) characteristics of the surface are also analyzed. The results show that the proposed model can effectively predict the material removal profile and especially the ripple characteristics generated on the surface, which are not reflected when using the conventional convolution algorithm typically used in a CCOS process. When increasing the ratio of feed velocity to co-rotating speed, the wavelength and amplitude of the residual ripples increase, and the ratio of ripple amplitude to total material removal depth also increases. The level of residual ripples can be effectively restrained by the appropriate setting of the speed ratio (reducing the feed velocity or increasing the co-rotating speed). Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the quasispecies heterogeneity of a human astrovirus MLB2 (HAstV-MLB2-YJMGK) in immunocompromised patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and performed genetic and evolutionary analyses of HAstV isolates circulating worldwide. The result showed that the virus had diversified variants and a strong positive selection in the patient, indicating that such patients may be a reservoir for astrovirus. The time to the most recent common ancestor of MLB2 and classic HAstVs was around 1800 years, and it has a decline in effective population size of HAstVs in the late 100 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue that climatic change has great influence on species distribution is currently of great interest in field of biogeography. Six typical Kobresia species are selected from alpine grassland of Tibetan Plateau (TP) as research objects which are the high-quality forage for local husbandry, and their distribution changes are modeled in four periods by using MaxEnt model and GIS technology. The modeling results have shown that the distribution of these six typical Kobresia species in TP was strongly affected by two factors of "the annual precipitation" and "the precipitation in the wettest and driest quarters of the year". The modeling results have also shown that the most suitable habitats of K. pygmeae were located in the area around Qinghai Lake, the Hengduan-Himalayan mountain area, and the hinterland of TP. The most suitable habitats of K. humilis were mainly located in the area around Qinghai Lake and the hinterland of TP during the Last Interglacial period, and gradually merged into a bigger area; K. robusta and K. tibetica were located in the area around Qinghai Lake and the hinterland of TP, but they did not integrate into one area all the time, and K. capillifolia were located in the area around Qinghai Lake and extended to the southwest of the original distributing area, whereas K. macrantha were mainly distributed along the area of the Himalayan mountain chain, which had the smallest distribution area among them, and all these six Kobresia species can be divided into four types of "retreat/expansion" styles according to the changes of suitable habitat areas during the four periods; all these change styles are the result of long-term adaptations of the different species to the local climate changes in regions of TP and show the complexity of relationships between different species and climate. The research results have positive reference value to the protection of species diversity and sustainable development of the local husbandry in TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu coordiantion polymer, namely, [Cu3(ovph)(Py)2Cl2] (1) [H4ovph = N,N′-bis(o-vanillidene)pyridine-2,6-dicarbohydrazide]; Py = Pyridine], was synthesized by solvothermal reaction of copper acetate and diacylhydrazone ligand H4ovhp. It was characterized by element analysis, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis, PXRD and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis indicated that the N-N bonds of its ovph4− ligands bridge the Cu2+ ions to form quasi-linear [Cu3] cluster-based units, which were further linked together by in situ generated µ-Cl−, giving rise to a rare Cu chain structure containing two kinds of magnetic exchange pathways. Variable temperature magnetic measurements revealed that both N-N and Cl− bridges convey antiferromagnetic couplings, with the best fitting JN-N = − 99.95 cm−1, JCl = − 5.70 cm−1, zj = − 1.17 cm−1 and g = 2.00. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LTA-type aluminophosphate zeotype (AlPO-LTA) was ionothermally prepared with the assistance of several tetraalkylammonium hydroxides (TAAOH) containing alkyl chains of different lengths. The shape of the TAA+ cations had no determinant effect on the product structure selectivity, but had some influence on the crystallization kinetics, resulting in the formation of cubic and rhombohedral AlPO-LTA with different crystallinities. Combining the results of 1H →13C CP/MAS NMR and TG–DTA characterizations, it was demonstrated that tetramethylammonium (TMA+) was occluded in the LTA structure acting as co-template, whereas the other three TAA+ with longer alkyl chains were not occluded. The structure of AlPO-LTA after detemplation and hydration in moisture was carefully studied using XRD and 27Al MAS NMR characterizations, manifesting its high structural stability with reversible water-adsorption capability, irrespective of TAAOH used in the synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch was isolated from the kernels of jackfruit, longan, loquat, litchi, and mango fruits, which contained approximately 56, 59, 71, 53, and 64% starch, respectively, indicating that these fruit kernels are good starch sources. The structural and functional properties of these isolated starches were investigated and compared. The starches had irregular, truncated, spherical, and elliptical shapes with central hila and exhibited different sizes, with mango starch being the largest and jackfruit and longan starches being the smallest. The five starches had similar amylose contents but exhibited significantly different crystalline properties including crystalline type, relative crystallinity, short-range ordered structure, and lamellar intensity. Among the five starches, the jackfruit and loquat starches had the highest and lowest gelatinization temperature and enthalpy, respectively, and the litchi and mango starches had the highest and lowest pasting viscosity, respectively. The longan and loquat starches were more susceptible to enzyme hydrolysis than the other starches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral images (HSIs) contain abundant spectral and spatial structural information, but they are inevitably contaminated by a variety of noises during data reception and transmission, leading to image quality degradation and subsequent application hindrance. Hence, removing mixed noise from hyperspectral images is an important step in improving the performance of subsequent image processing. It is a well-established fact that the data information of hyperspectral images can be effectively represented by a global spectral low-rank subspace due to the high redundancy and correlation (RAC) in the spatial and spectral domains. Taking advantage of this property, a new algorithm based on subspace representation and nonlocal low-rank tensor decomposition is proposed to filter the mixed noise of hyperspectral images. The algorithm first obtains the subspace representation of the hyperspectral image by utilizing the spectral low-rank property and obtains the orthogonal basis and representation coefficient image (RCI). Then, the representation coefficient image is grouped and denoised using tensor decomposition and wavelet decomposition, respectively, according to the spatial nonlocal self-similarity. Afterward, the orthogonal basis and denoised representation coefficient image are optimized using the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Finally, iterative regularization is used to update the image to obtain the final denoised hyperspectral image. Experiments on both simulated and real datasets demonstrate that the algorithm proposed in this paper is superior to related mainstream methods in both quantitative metrics and intuitive vision. Because it is denoising for image subspace, the time complexity is greatly reduced and is lower than related denoising algorithms in terms of computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frictional grinding was evaluated to improve the selectivity of two magnetite samples A and B in the magnetic separation process. Sample A containing 64.42% Fe was a magnetite concentrate upgraded from a low grade magnetite Ore, Sample B, containing 46.63% Fe, through an upgrading process involving 1-stage ball milling and 3-stage wet magnetic separation in a beneficiation plant. Frictional grinding was found extremely efficient in dispersing the grains in the agglomerates and on the surface, consequently improving the selectivity of the sample. A magnetite concentrate containing 66.22% Fe was produced from Sample A at an iron recovery of 96.86% by introducing a simple dry frictional grinding step prior to the magnetic separation process. The results have demonstrated that Sample A can be further upgraded even though it was processed through 3-stage magnetic separation. Given its beneficial effects, frictional grinding was further adopted in a multiple-stage flowsheet to upgrade both Samples A and B. A magnetite concentrate containing 68.75% Fe was produced from Sample A at an iron recovery of 97.23% through the multiple-stage wet frictional grinding-magnetic separation flowsheet. When the same flowsheet was applied to process Sample B, a concentrate of 69.97% Fe, higher than Sample A obtained by ball milling, was produced at an iron recovery of 86.44%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese yam is an important edible starch plant and widely cultivated in China. Its rhizome and bulbil are starch storage tissues below and above ground, respectively. In this paper, starches were isolated from the rhizome and bulbil of Chinese yam, and their structural and functional properties were compared. Both starches had an oval shape with an eccentric hilum and a CA-type crystalline structure. Their short-range ordered structure and lamellar structure had no significant difference. However, the rhizome starch had a significantly bigger granule size and lower amylose content than the bulbil starch. The swelling power and water solubility were significantly lower in the rhizome starch than in the bulbil starch. The onset and peak gelatinization temperatures were significantly higher in the rhizome starch than in the bulbil starch. The rhizome starch had a significantly higher breakdown viscosity and a lower setback viscosity than the bulbil starch. The thermal stability was lower in the rhizome starch than in the bulbil starch. The rhizome starch had a significantly lower resistance to hydrolysis and in vitro digestion than the bulbil starch. The above results provide important information for the utilization of rhizome and bulbil starches of Chinese yam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, little is known about the interactions between microRNAs (miRNAs) and the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway in chordoma, and data discussing the role of the immune milieu in chordoma prognosis are limited. We aimed to analyze the relationship between PD-L1, miR-574-3p, microenvironmental tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and clinicopathological features of spinal chordoma patients. PD-L1 expression and TILs (including Foxp3+, CD8+, PD-1+ and PD-L1+) were assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor specimens of 54 spinal chordoma patients. MiRNAs microarray and bioinformatical analysis were used to identify miRNAs potentially regulating PD-L1 expression, which were further validated by quantitative RT-PCR. miR-574-3p was identified to potentially regulate PD-L1 expression in chordoma, which inversely correlated with PD-L1. Positive PD-L1 expression on tumor cells was associated with advanced stages (P = 0.041) and TILs infiltration (P = 0.005), whereas decreased miR-574-3p level correlated with higher muscle invasion (P = 0.012), more severe tumor necrosis (P = 0.022) and poor patient survival. Importantly, a patient subgroup with PD-L1+/miR-574-3plow chordoma phenotype was significantly associated with worse local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) (P = 0.026). PD-1+ TILs density was associated with surrounding muscle invasion (P = 0.014), and independently portended poor LRFS (P = 0.040), while PD-L1+ TILs showed tendencies of less aggressive clinical outcomes. Multivariate analysis of OS only found CD8+/Foxp3+ ratio to be independent prognostic factor (P = 0.022). These findings may be useful to stratify patients into prognostic groups and provide a rationale for the use of checkpoint blockade therapy, possibly by administering miR-574-3p mimics, in spinal chordoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For solving minimization problems whose objective function is the sum of two functions without coupled variables and the constrained function is linear, the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) has exhibited its efficiency and its convergence is well understood. When either the involved number of separable functions is more than two, or there is a nonconvex function, ADMM or its direct extended version may not converge. In this paper, we consider the multi-block separable optimization problems with linear constraints and absence of convexity of the involved component functions. Under the assumption that the associated function satisfies the Kurdyka- Lojasiewicz inequality, we prove that any cluster point of the iterative sequence generated by ADMM is a critical point, under the mild condition that the penalty parameter is sufficiently large. We also present some sufficient conditions guaranteeing the sublinear and linear rate of convergence of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journalism education in China can be traced back to the U.S. tradition of the 1920s and was influenced by the Soviet model in the 1950s. Although it has become very Chinese ever since, journalism education in China fluctuates between the two lines represented by the U.S. tradition and the Soviet model. This article hopes to expound upon the current status quo of journalism education in China, including scope of journalism programs, national education system, journalism curricula, and faculty structure. As is in other countries, in this digital age, journalism education in China is undergoing dramatic changes. The article assesses these changes as Chinese journalism education adapts to a new media environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the existence of positive periodic solutions for several types of important biological models with periodic coefficients, including the HIV model with multiple infection stages and general incidence, the epidemic models (such as the SIRS model, the SIRI model, the SEIRS model, etc.) with general incidence. By means of the continuation theorem in the coincidence degree, and the combination of analytical techniques such as constructing appropriate auxiliary functions, we give several classes of explicit sufficient conditions for the existence of positive periodic solutions for these biological models. When these models with periodic coefficients degenerate to the corresponding autonomous cases, our conditions all naturally degenerate to the basic reproduction number is greater than 1. Our results greatly improve and expand the studies in the existing literatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stipa zhadaensis L.Q. Zhao & K. Guo sp. nova and S. turkestanica Hack. var. diyaensis L.Q. Zhao & K. Guo var. nov. (Poaceae) from Tibet, China, are described and illustrated. Stipa zhadaensis appears to be most closely related to S. roborowskyi of Stipa sect. Barbatae. It can be distinguished by the lax panicle with inclined branches exserted from uppermost leaf sheath at maturity, 20-28 mm long glumes with a scarious apex that is acuminate into a fragile filiform extension, and a 6.0-9.0 cm long awn. The differences between S. turkestanica var. diyaensis and S. turkestanica var. turkestanica are that the former has a somewhat longer anthecium (11.0)12.0-13.0 mm vs. (9.5)10.8-12.1(13.5) mm), longer awn (17.0-20.0 cm vs. (8.8)11.8-15.8(18.4) cm), and a column that is to first bend hairy and to second bend plumose vs. glabrous or scabrous). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]