Search

Simple Summary: Insects have special receptors called RDL that regulate the effects of a neurotransmitter GABA in their nervous system. Interestingly, these receptors are also the main targets of many insecticides used to control pests. We used fruit flies with different variants of the Rdl gene and tested four new types of meta-diamide and isoxazoline insecticides. The results showed that some mutations made the flies less sensitive to certain insecticides, while another mutation made the flies super resistant to all of the insecticides tested. Using computer simulations, we explored how these mutations might be affecting the insecticides' ability to attach. We found that specific areas between parts of the receptor seem to be important for these new insecticides to work. This helps us understand how insects can resist these insecticides and might lead to better ways to control pests in the future. Ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in insects, specifically those composed of the RDL (resistant to dieldrin) subunit, serve as important targets for commonly used synthetic insecticides. These insecticides belong to various chemical classes, such as phenylpyrazoles, cyclodienes, meta-diamides, and isoxazolines, with the latter two potentially binding to the transmembrane inter-subunit pocket. However, the specific amino acid residues that contribute to the high sensitivity of insect RDL receptors to these novel insecticides remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility of seven distinct Drosophila melanogaster Rdl point mutants against four meta-diamide and isoxazoline insecticides: isocycloseram, fluxametamide, fluralaner, and broflanilide. Our findings indicate that, despite exhibiting increased sensitivity to fluralaner in vitro, the RdlI276C mutant showed resistance to isocycloseram and fluxametamide. Similarly, the double-points mutant RdlI276F+G279S also showed decreased sensitivity to the tested isoxazolines. On the other hand, the RdlG335M mutant displayed high levels of resistance to all tested insecticides. Molecular modeling and docking simulations further supported these findings, highlighting similar binding poses for these insecticides. In summary, our research provides robust in vivo evidence supporting the idea that the inter-subunit amino acids within transmembrane M1 and M3 domains form the binding site crucial for meta-diamide and isoxazoline insecticide interactions. This study highlights the complex interplay between mutations and insecticide susceptibility, paving the way for more targeted pest control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractChina’s rapid urbanization has been driven by large-scale internal migrants, and it is worth exploring the impact of internal migrants on local labor markets. Based on data from China’s population census, population sample survey and urban household survey, this study empirically tests the wage premium effect of internal migrants on local labor, and further investigates the mechanisms of wage premium from skill complementarity, as well as the policy adjustment effect of labor market reforms. The results show that: (1) The wage premium effect originating from migrants is significant, and gradually decreases over time and with the increase of local worker wages. (2) The wage premium effect is more prominent in large cities, mega and super-sized cities, which can be explained by economic agglomeration and division of labor induced by skill complementarities. (3) Labor market-oriented reforms contribute to enhancing the wage premium effect, with marginal effects of 3.71% and 3.64%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This has the effect of raising the visibility of urban China in the relevant disciplines and developing new theoretical perspectives to situate China in global urbanism. Undoubtedly Fulong Wu is among the most productive and influential scholars on issues related to Chinese urbanism, and his work thus far represents a more expansive agenda than that of many scholars of urban China, partly based on a premise of connected global urbanism. [Extracted from the article]

With the rapid rise in the number of people buying houses, the demand for interior space design has also increased accordingly. The diversification of existing room types and the diversity of the public's perception of fashion make interior designers in short supply. The future of computer science and technology in the field of automatic design of indoor areas will be immeasurable. This paper proposes an automatic layout method for spatial area design based on convolutional neural networks (CNN). CNN methods are a fast and efficient method. By mimicking the designer's design process, it proposes a two-stage algorithm that defines the room first and the wall later, and the algorithm also provides a large-scale dataset called RPLAN that contains more than 80,000 interior layout plans from real residential buildings. Starting from the prediction living room, the automatic layout of the indoor areas is completed by iteration. A large number of empirical results show that the interior area design effect of this method is comparable to the interior design floor plan of professional designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new 2D coordination polymer, namely{[Cd2(BDC)2(bmb)2]·H2O}n (1) (H2BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid and bmb = 1,4-bis(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane), has been prepared and full characterized. Coordination polymer 1 has 2D layer, which was further extended into 3D supramolecular motif through the π–π packing interactions. Coordination polymer 1 illustrated effectively photocatalytic performance to the disintegration of dyes Rhodamine B (Rh B), methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB). Coordination polymer 1 can remove the dye MB with 90.37% after 100 min under simulated UV light and its catalytic feature conforms to the first order kinetics model. In addition, the possible mechanism of the catalytic degradation toward MB was suggested through the trapping experiments and LC–MS methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the importance of incorporating different risk measures in the portfolio management model, this paper examines the dynamic mean-risk portfolio optimization problem using both variance and value at risk (VaR) as risk measures. By employing the martingale approach and integrating the quantile optimization technique, we provide a solution framework for this problem. We demonstrate that, under a general market setting, the optimal terminal wealth may exhibit different patterns. When the market parameters are deterministic, we derive the closed-form solution for this problem. Examples are provided to illustrate the solution procedure of our method and demonstrate the benefits of our dynamic portfolio model compared to its static counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's modernisation and urbanisation are transformative, for places and people. Recently, under agricultural land consolidation and resident resettlement, a large number of rural villagers have been thrust into a compressed process of rural-urban transition. How are resettled villagers integrating into urban society? Specifically, how do they build and rebuild social relations – an important dimension of integration – in the new living environment? In what ways do the new relations resemble and differ from pre-resettlement patterns and those seen among regular residents? To answer these questions, we focus on a community of resettled villagers in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, compared against a reference group of residents in a nearby commercial housing complex. Our analysis of residents' social interactions draws from data collected though a questionnaire survey, supplemented by in-depth interviews. We find that most of the resettled villagers' social relations are place bound both before and after resettlement, with less detectable changes as opposed to differences from their counterparts in the reference group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPublic health expenditures (PHEs) within a reasonable range are a subject of current research, with discussions centered on how PHEs affect population health outcomes (PHOs). Nevertheless, due to the narrow range of variables used to measure health outcomes and the inadequacy of conditional mean models in identifying distribution dependence, people have not yet come to a consensus. We build a composite index to measure the PHOs in a comprehensive way, and we use the quantile-on-quantile method to assess the impact of PHE by capturing the distribution dependence across variables. According to the findings, PHE encourages PHOs when its share of GDP is higher than 0.86% and lower than 6.63–6.82%. However, as PHOs are the outcome of a mix of other socioeconomic factors, spending within a fair range does not always have a favorable impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission network expansion planning (TNEP) is expected to cope with the power transmission inadequacy problem resulting from rapid growth of wind generation in power systems. However, due to significant uncertainties on the generation side, TNEP based solely on one snapshot or a limited number of scenarios cannot capture the time-variant characteristics of wind power and may be suboptimal. In this paper, a new heuristic methodology for TNEP based on chronological evaluation is presented. First, to assess the transmission adequacy, the multiperiod DC optimal power flow considering the generators’ ramping limits is employed for a system production simulation covering an entire year. Second, two sensitivity factors derived from Lagrange multipliers, i.e., the sensitivity factors of the branch capacity and the branch admittance, are applied to determine the initial set of the transmission network expansion plan (I-STNEP). Finally, the cost-benefit incremental relationship index and a degressive method are used to identify the best subset of the transmission network expansion plan within the I-STNEP. Simulation results based on a 3000-bus real-world network in northern China validate the effectiveness of the proposed TNEP method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resettled rural communities are a product of China’s rapid urbanisation and associated top-down planning. For local governments, relocating farmers from natural villages into new, concentrated residential neighbourhoods serves the dual purpose of implementing national directives on farmland conservation and integrated urban–rural planning. For resettled residents, however, the transition process is fraught with livelihood, social and cultural contest. This paper explores how such residents in a Chinese city, Zhenjiang, exercise agency to reconstruct community and public space in their new neighbourhood. Keeping alive patterns and practice of thoughts acquired during their rural lives, habitus, resettled residents have deployed their new spatial situation in creative ways. Pre-existing social fabric and mutual benefit-sharing provide the foundation for spatial adaptation and transformation, allowing residents to achieve a sense of normalcy or even to recreate village life. Theoretically, our analysis highlights the importance of situating spatial agency within the context of shifting regime of property rights and its effect on the maintenance of habitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though it has long been agreed that the interest rate is driven by a stochastic process, most of the existing studies on dynamic mean-downside risk portfolio optimization problem focuses on deterministic interest rates. This work investigates a continuous-time mean-downside risk portfolio optimization problem with a stochastic interest rate. More specifically, we introduce the Vasicek interest rate model and choose some common downside risk measures to model our risk measures, such as, the lower-partial moments(LPM), value-at-risk(VaR) and conditional value-at-risk(CVaR). By using the martingale method and the inverse Fourier Transformation, we successfully derive the semi-analytical optimal portfolio policies and the optimal wealth processes for the mean-downside risk measures with stochastic interest rate. Finally, we provide some illustrative examples to show how the stochastic interest rate affects the investment behavior of investors with mean-downside risk preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A greenhouse gas sensor has been developed to simultaneously detect multiple gas species within a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBF) structure entirely composed of fibers. To enhance sensitivity, the gas cell consists of HC-PBF enclosed between two single-mode fibers fused with a reflective end surface to double the absorption length. The incorporation of side holes for gas diffusion allows for analysis of the relationship between gas diffusion speed, number of drilled side holes, and energy loss. As the number of drilled holes increases, the response time decreases to less than 3 min at the expense of energy loss. Gas experiments demonstrated detection limits of 0.1 ppm for methane and 2 ppm for carbon dioxide, with an average time of 50 s. In-situ testing conducted in rice fields validates the effectiveness of the developed gas detection system using HC-PBF cells, establishing all-fiber sensors with high sensitivity and rapid response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A porous Zn(II) metal–organic framework (MOF) [Zn(H 2 L)(4,4′-bipy) 0.5 ] n ( 1 ) has been selected and its luminescence sensing for cations and anions as well as the photocatalytic property against methyl violet have been explored. Luminescence studies indicated that 1 could be an efficient multifunctional fluorescent material for highly sensitive detection of metal cation Cu 2+ and anions CrO 4 2− . The luminescence intensity of 1 was found to decrease proportionately with increase in the concentration of Cu 2+ and CrO 4 2− . Furthermore, the photocatalytic property of 1 for degradation of the methyl violet (MV) have been explored and a possible photocatalytic mechanism have been proposed using density of states (DOS) and partial DOS (pDOS) calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the banner of integrated urban-rural development in China, increasingly more rural population is being concentrated into large, new residential areas. For resettled residents, the rural-urban transition is rapid and affects multiple facets of their lives. This paper explores the effects of the transition on residents' social relations, drawing on the experience of resettled villagers in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province. It addresses three research questions. First, how are such effects manifested in residents' social interactions and sources of social support? Second, how are these effects vary by socioeconomic attributes of residents? Third, in what ways have residents deployed the spaces of social interaction to enhance their own wellbeing? We show that for resettled rural residents, both the scope and composition of social relations have widened. In particular, those with higher income, increased household assets, or workplace located within the neighborhood are experiencing larger scope of social relations and more diverse subjects of interaction. Our analysis also points to less desirable consequences, as reflected in limited social engagement by residents with fewer financial resources and employment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new metal–organic framework having formula {[Cd 3 (H 2 O)(L) 2 ][Cd(im) 3 (H 2 O) 2 ]·3 H 2 O} (H 4 L = 5-bis(4-carbonylbenzyl)aminoisophthalic acid and im = imidazole) ( 1 ) has been synthesized. X-ray investigation reveals that 1 is rare 4,4,8-connected (4 6 )(4 5 · 6)(4 11 · 6 15 · 8 2 ) topology. The present work indicates that 1 could be a prospective candidate for developing novel luminescence sensors for the selective sensing of nitrobenzene which can be used as a precursor for explosives. Furthermore, the luminescent property of 1 in different solvents analytes as well as nitrobenzene have been investigated and the observed quenching in fluorescence have been corroborated by theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrothermal reaction of Gd(III) salt with a new rigid dicarboxylate ligand, N , N′ ‑dioxide‑3,3′‑benzocinnoline dicarboxylic acid (H 2 L) give rise to a new metal-organic framework (MOF) {[Gd(L) 1.5 (H 2 O) 2 ]·2H 2 O} n ( 1 ). The MOF 1 shows 3D microporous framework with 1D parallelogram like channels which are constructed by single rod-shaped {Gd(CO 2 ) 2 } n chains. The thermal stability, UV/Vis diffuse-reflection spectra, magnetic properties of 1 in the temperature range 2–300 K have been explored. Also its photocatalytic property against the photo-degradation of aromatic dye Rhodamine B (Rh B) has been studied and the plausible photocatalytic mechanism has been addressed using density of states (DOS) calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents case report of a patient who suffered fracture-dislocation of the sacroiliac joint with severely unstable fractures of the pelvis and femur. The case shows that even very young children with pelvic fractures can be treated surgically. It is concluded that the risks of conservative management outweighed the risks of surgery in this patient.

• A new Zn(II) coordination polymer (CP) synthesized using mixed ligand strategy • The CP was characterized using different physico-chemical techniques • The CP used as luminescent sensor to detect antibiotics • The CP used as photocatalyst for photodegradation of dyes Coordination polymers (CPs) are assorted class of multidimensional materials that could be deployed as sensors and photocatalysts against the photodegradation of aromatic dyes existing in the waste-water discharge. Herein, a new Zn(II)-based coordination polymer (CP) [Zn(dsn)(4,4'-bipy) 0.5 ] (1) has been synthesized by reacting Schiff base ligand 3,5-dibromosalicylaldehyde nicotinoylhydrazone (dsn) and 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy) with Zn(NO 3) 2 ·6H 2 O and characterized using elemental analysis, FTIR, TGA, powder X-ray diffraction and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The single crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed tetragonal pyramidal geometry around Zn(II) and the architecture of 1 is stabilized by π···π interactions operating between pyridine ring of dsn and 4,4'-bipy. Also, other weak non-conventional weak interactions provide stability and engender supramolecular three dimensional framework in 1. The CP has been used as fluorescent sensor to detect antibiotics and exhibits selective sensing of secnidazole (SIZ) with limit of detection (LOD) 8.59 × 10−7 M. This showcase of 1 can act as an efficient and selective sensor for SIZ even in presence of other antibiotics. Also, the CP has been used as photocatalyst for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) and degrades 80% of Rh B in 100 min. The plausible mechanism employing which CP 1 executed sensing of secnidazole (SIZ) and photocatalysis of Rh B have been explained with aid of theoretical calculations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A new 1D coordination polymer, [Zn(dsn)(HO 2 CCH 3)] n (1), has been synthesized by reacting the Schiff base ligand 3,5-dibromosalicylaldehyde nicotinoylhydrazone (H 2 dsn) with Zn(O 2 CCH 3) 2 ·6H 2 O. The polymer has been characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that the immediate geometry around the Zn(II) ion is five-coordinate, that is satisfied by a pyridyl nitrogen atom of one dsn ligand, the imine-N, carbonyl-O and phenoxo-O atoms of the other dsn ligand, as well as the acetate oxygen atom, which generate a trigonal bipyramidal geometry. Furthermore, the dsn ligand coordinated by the pyridyl nitrogen atom also coordinates to another Zn(II) ion by its imine-N, carbonyl-O and phenoxo-O atoms to generate a zig-zag lD polymer chain. The 1D chain is held by weak non-conventional interactions in the solid state to engender a 2D supramolecular layer. The photoluminescent (PL) property of 1 has been investigated and the polymer has been exploited as a sensitive and selective fluorescent sensor to detect metronidazole (MDZ) with limit of detection (LOD) of 9.39 × 10−7 M amongst a variety of related antibiotics. Also, 1 has been used as a photocatalyst and displays excellent photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), decomposing 86.3% in 100 min under UV light irradiation. The plausible mechanisms which polymer 1 executed for the sensing of MDZ and photodegradation of MB have been explained with the aid of theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis is being actively investigated as a potential technology in utilizing processes of wastewater based on polyhedral metal-organic frameworks (PMOFs). Herein we tried to employ a porous NbO-type Cu(II)-based PMOF ( 1 ) with a rigid multicarboxylate ligand to photocatalytic degrade the methyl violet (MV) and Rhodamine B (RhB). The accelerated photocatalytic degradation of MV is revealed by the result that the degradation efficiency of MV in the 1 process reached almost 100% within 100 min as compared to only 55% under the identical experimental conditions for the RhB process. The findings of this work highlighted the great potential application of PMOFs as photocatalysts and elucidated a new opportunity for dyes remediation of contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a renewed understanding of migrants’ citizenship rights in urban China. Specifically, we look at how migrants fare in attaining homeownership and social benefits, in comparison with local residents. We also explore how migrant outcomes relate to both individual socioeconomic and institutional factors. The results are primarily based on the 2005 One Percent Population Survey in two of China’s largest cities—Beijing and Shanghai. Migrants have experienced improvement in homeownership and housing conditions, but there is marked heterogeneity in rights attainment among migrants, particularly by type of origin (urban vs. rural). Making the most gains are those from urban origins and with better education. Market-related factors, such as education, are increasingly important predictors of migrant outcomes in the cities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Foreign consumer goods and brands have proliferated in recent decades in Chinese cities, helping transform the urban landscape. The transformation is multifaceted. Aside from the economic bottom line, for instance, foreign fast food chains bring with them influences on people's diet, consumption preferences, and lifestyle choices. Focusing on two of the most popular chains in China, McDonald's and KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and their operation in the city of Nanjing, this paper addresses two research questions. First, how have foreign fast food chains configured into China's changing urban landscape? Second, how do these restaurants interact with local consumers and become their space of everyday life? Our analysis is based on data from multiple sources, including business establishment data from the municipal industrial and commercial registrar, location data from Baidu (a Chinese website) maps confirmed by field reconnaissance, and interviews with consumers at select locations. Clearly, there is plasticity of transnational practices, as our analysis shows. In shaping the local consumer culture and space, they themselves are refashioned, by forsaking some degree of standardization to be more versatile and agile, and through locational (re)configuration to capture consumers. Local consumers, on the other hand, have altered their perception and use of the chains from more visceral and elective to more rational and routine, eventually making their own space out of the restaurants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe has great influence on signal transmission and reception in NMR technology applications. In this paper, we present a design, fabrication, and test of an NMR probe comprised of a multilayer planar microcoil with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel. First, geometric parameters of the probe are determined through theoretical analysis. Second, based on a glass substrate, the multilayer planar microcoil is manufactured using repeated photolithography and electroplating processes. During the fabrication process, the polyimide layer is used to package the coil, and the PDMS interlayer is used to adjust the distance from centerlines between the coil and the sample chamber. Third, the resistance and the quality factor of the coil are found to be 1.2158 Ω and 7.217, respectively, at a Larmor frequency of 28.1 MHz. Finally, the NMR probe is tested in an NMR experiment. The transverse relaxation time T for the solid PDMS is 20.6 ± 0.4 ms, which is in agreement with 21.1 ± 0.2 ms obtained by a Bruker Minispec MQ60. Results show that the design and fabrication of this NMR probe are feasible for time-domain NMR applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Previous studies have proved that brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, a piercing–sucking herbivore, activates strong local defenses in rice. However, whether a BPH infestation elicits systemic responses in rice remains largely unknown. By detecting the change in transcript levels of 12 jasmonic acid (JA) and/or salicylic acid (SA) signaling-responsive marker genes in different tissues of rice plants upon a BPH attack, we demonstrate that an infestation of gravid BPH females systemically activates JA- and SA-dependent defenses in rice, which may in turn influence the composition and structure of the community in the rice ecosystem. It has been well documented that an infestation of the piercing–sucking herbivore, brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, activates strong local defenses in rice. However, whether a BPH infestation elicits systemic responses in rice remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated BPH-induced systemic defenses by detecting the change in expression levels of 12 JA- and/or SA-signaling-responsive marker genes in different rice tissues upon a BPH attack. We found that an infestation of gravid BPH females on rice leaf sheaths significantly increased the local transcript level of all 12 marker genes tested except OsVSP, whose expression was induced only weakly at a later stage of the BPH infestation. Moreover, an infestation of gravid BPH females also systemically up-regulated the transcription levels of three JA-signaling-responsive genes (OsJAZ8, OsJAMyb, and OsPR3), one SA-signaling-responsive gene (OsWRKY62), and two JA- and SA- signaling-responsive genes (OsPR1a and OsPR10a). Our results demonstrate that an infestation of gravid BPH females systemically activates JA- and SA-dependent defenses in rice, which may in turn influence the composition and structure of the community in the rice ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic intestinal infectious disease caused by Cryptosporidium spp., and its transmission is highly influenced by climate factors. In the present study, the potential spatial distribution of Cryptosporidium in China was predicted based on ecological niche models for cryptosporidiosis epidemic risk warning and prevention and control. Methods: The applicability of existing Cryptosporidium presence points in ENM analysis was investigated based on data from monitoring sites in 2011–2019. Cryptosporidium occurrence data for China and neighboring countries were extracted and used to construct the ENMs, namely Maxent, Bioclim, Domain, and Garp. Models were evaluated based on Receiver Operating Characteristic curve, Kappa, and True Skill Statistic coefficients. The best model was constructed using Cryptosporidium data and climate variables during 1986‒2010, and used to analyze the effects of climate factors on Cryptosporidium distribution. The climate variables for the period 2011‒2100 were projected to the simulation results to predict the ecological adaptability and potential distribution of Cryptosporidium in future in China. Results: The Maxent model (AUC = 0.95, maximum Kappa = 0.91, maximum TSS = 1.00) fit better than the other three models and was thus considered the best ENM for predicting Cryptosporidium habitat suitability. The major suitable habitats for human-derived Cryptosporidium in China were located in some high-population density areas, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the Huai and the Pearl River Basins (cloglog value of habitat suitability > 0.9). Under future climate change, non-suitable habitats for Cryptosporidium will shrink, while highly suitable habitats will expand significantly (χ2 = 76.641, P < 0.01; χ2 = 86.836, P < 0.01), and the main changes will likely be concentrated in the northeastern, southwestern, and northwestern regions. Conclusions: The Maxent model is applicable in prediction of Cryptosporidium habitat suitability and can achieve excellent simulation results. These results suggest a current high risk of transmission and significant pressure for cryptosporidiosis prevention and control in China. Against a future climate change background, Cryptosporidium may gain more suitable habitats within China. Constructing a national surveillance network could facilitate further elucidation of the epidemiological trends and transmission patterns of cryptosporidiosis, and mitigate the associated epidemic and outbreak risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The tectonic setting on both the northern and southern sides of the Dabie Mountains reveals that low-grade metamorphic rocks are important constituents produced by the subduction of the oceanic crust prior to collision between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons. The Zhangbaling Group/Mulanshan schist is a pre-Ordovician oceanic crust. The Sujiahe and Xinyang/Foziling Groups are trench sediments of the Ordovician-Devonian age, and constitute an accretionary prism associated with subduction. The Yangshan coal measures/Meishan Group was a forearc basin sediment of Carboniferous age, and was overthrust by the accretionary prism during collision. The Susong Group is composed of passive continental margin sediments of the Yangtze craton. Backarc basin sediments are postulated to be concealed by Mesozoic–Cenozoic sediments to the north of the Dabie Mountains. High-ultrahigh pressure terrains are exotic tectonic slices exhumed from depths, located between low-grade metamorphic rocks, and disturb the integrity of the earlier subduction orogen. Subduction occurred during the Ordovician to Devonian periods, and collision initiated at the beginning of the Permian. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Residential mobility patterns are an important indicator of the future socioeconomic standing of rural-urban migrants in the urban society. In Chinese cities there are significant barriers for migrants to settle permanently. Given this context and housing choices available to migrants, what types of housing career do they follow once in the city? Drawing from survey data from three large cities, this paper studies migrant intra-urban residential mobility through three lenses—temporal patterns, spatial trajectories and tenure shifts. The majority of migrants are renters and remain so despite a lengthy residence in the cities. They experience a high level of mobility over time, but the trajectories of their moves are spatially confined and involve few tenure shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incomplete recovery of function and neuropathic pain are common problems after peripheral nerve injury. To develop new treatment strategies for peripheral nerve injuries we investigated whether the neurotrophic factor artemin could improve outcome after sciatic nerve injuries in rats. Artemin is a member of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family and exerts neuroprotective effects on sensory neurons as well as influencing behavioural thermal sensitivity. We additionally evaluated if fibrin sealant, which is sometimes used as a nerve glue, had any effects on neuropathic pain-related behaviour. After the sciatic nerve had been transected, 30 animals were randomised to one of three groups: treatment with a fibrin sealant that contained artemin in conjunction with sutures; fibrin sealant with no artemin (sham) in conjunction with sutures; or sutures alone ( n=10 in each group). Motor function, sensory function, and autotomy were evaluated from 1 to 12 weeks after injury. Retrograde flourogold tracing 12 weeks after injury showed that the addition of artemin increased the number of regenerating motor neurons. However, it did not improve their performance, as measured by the Sciatic Function Index, compared with sham or suture alone. Animals treated with artemin had a non-significant increase in motor nerve conduction velocity compared with sham. However, artemin did not reverse nerve injury-induced pain behaviour such as cold or heat hypersensitivity. Fibrin sealant in itself did not ameliorate motor performance, or regeneration of motor neurons, or give rise to nerve injury-induced pain behaviour. The results indicate that artemin is of value as a treatment for peripheral nerve injuries, although the effects were limited. As the artemin high-affinity receptor GFRα-3 is present in Schwann cells and not in motor neurons, the effect on motor neuron axon regeneration may result from an indirect effect through Schwann cells in the injured nerve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective  In this study, we aim to investigate the clinical features and Mutations of sodium channel α-subunit (SCN4A) genes in Chinese patients with normokalemic periodic paralysis (normoKPP). Methods  Six unrelated Chinese families with normoKPP were analyzed in clinical features. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes and amplified with PCR. We screened all 24 exons of SCN4A gene with denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) technology, and then sequence analysis was performed in those who showed heteroduplex as compared with unaffected controls. Results  The laboratory tests were within normal ranges. Electromyograms and electrocardiograms were normal. One muscle biopsy was performed with the patient in family 4 after a brief attack of normoKPP. Examination of light microscopy showed no changes, but electronic microscopy showed occasionally degenerating myofibers. The mutations of SCN4A genes were as follows: ➀ Met1592Val occurred in family 1. ➁ Val-781-Ile occurred with the patient and her father in family 4. ➂ Both the patients had a novel mutation g2101a predicting the amino acid exchange Arg675Gln in family 5, which may be a disease-causing mutation. Conclusions  In addition to Val-781-Ile and Met1592Val, the mutation g2101a (Arg675Gln) may be the novel mutation of SCN4A genes in Chinese patients with normoKPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the persistence of China's migration trends since the early 1980s, migrants have begun to assert their influence on cities' spatial structure. This article attempts to understand the geography of migrant residence and how it relates to the overall spatial development in metropolitan Shanghai. It explores the key geographical factors underlying migrant spatial distribution. Results are based on spatial analyses and a regression model at the subdistrict level, with data drawn primarily from the 2000 Population Census, 1996 Basic Establishment Census, and a migrant housing survey completed in 1999. The article also shows how intra-urban migrant settlement and mobility patterns in China might be distinctive from those in other developing countries, given China's unique context and institutional factors. In general, migrant distribution in metropolitan Shanghai displayed a strong degree of centrality until the late 1990s when the inner suburb became the main receptor for new arrivals. The geography of migrant residence has shifted in tandem with deconcentration of the local population and, to a lesser degree, industrial relocation. Areas with a large number of manufacturing enterprises but a smaller state sector are likely to see a high share of migrants in total population. New arrivals also are attracted to areas already concentrated with migrants. Housing availability, however, proves to be an insignificant predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today rapidly growing economies depend more on the creation, acquisition, distribution, and use of knowledge. As such, strategies for enhancing research and innovation capabilities have come to occupy a more important position in many developing nations, including China. Already the leading production center, and often seen as China's economic locomotive, Shanghai is striving aggressively to retain its national preeminence and has launched concerted efforts to increase local innovative output. The primary purpose of this paper is to understand how state-led efforts have fared in promoting technology innovation. By situating the city in the national and global context, the paper shows that Shanghai has gained a substantial lead in developing an innovation environment with extensive global linkages and leading research institutions. Recent efforts in building up the research and innovation capacity of the enterprise sector have begun to show progress. Although firms are enthusiastic about its future as an innovation center, Shanghai continues to face challenges of inadequate protection of intellectual property, lack of venture capital investment, and the tightening supply of highly qualified knowledge workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Evidence in industrialized countries shows that universities can supply the crucial underpinnings of dynamic industrial clusters within metropolitan regions. A key component of China’s recent reforms in the national innovation system is the promotion of university-based research and technology transfer. The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between two elite universities in Shanghai (Fudan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University) and the metropolitan economy. In particular, it analyzes major institutional changes within the universities and policy changes at local and national levels that have allowed more business engagement. As the universities gain greater autonomy, they are adopting distinctive approaches to commercializing academic research and managing industrial linkages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Migrant housing and mobility patterns are affected by both the unique institutional factors related to migration and a common set of socio-economic characteristics shared by urban residents. China's unprecedented waves of internal migration are accompanied by long-standing rural–urban and local–nonlocal divides that have been institutionalized through the household registration system. This paper empirically assesses intra-urban migrant mobility in two of China's largest cities, Beijing and Shanghai. It examines the range and determinants of migrant mobility behaviour and rates, tenure and spatial patterns of migrant intra-urban mobility, and key sources of information and assistance in migrant residential moves. The main findings are based on data drawn from city-wide migrant housing surveys, supplemented by in-depth interviews. Demographic factors such as age and education prove to be significant predictors of both actual moves and prospective mobility. Migrants who rent public housing as their initial housing choice are much less likely to make moves subsequently and experience a lower average mobility rate. Longer-term migrants seem to gain some degree of residential stability, making duration of residence the single most influential factor for mobility rate. However, the high rate of mobility is not necessarily driven by the need for tenure or even amenity as few migrants make the transition from renters to owners after years of living in the cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the simultaneous occurrence of thrust-nappe structures and extensional structures in the northern part of the Dabie Mountains in China. Sharing of the same shear sense by the extensional structures along the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault and thrust-nappe structures that take the Jinzhai-Shucheng fault as their frontal thrust; Transformation of the extension and detachment of the low-grade metamorphic rocks along the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault.

In a globalising world, cities at or near the apex of the international urban hierarchy are among the favoured few—New York, London and Tokyo—that have acquired large economic, cultural and symbolic roles. Among a handful of regional aspirants, such as Hong Kong, Miami and São Paulo, Shanghai has reasonable long-term prospects. If the Chinese economy can sustain its growth rate, it will rival the US in a few decades. And if Shanghai is able to retain its pre-eminence in the Chinese context, then it is likely to be the East Asian city with the best prospect of becoming a global centre. This paper briefly explores the makings of a world city, identifies certain necessary ingredients, examines Shanghai's recent development, indicates national and municipal policies that may determine Shanghai's pathway to a global city and shows how such policies are being implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisits the dynamic MV portfolio selection problem with cone constraints in continuous-time. We first reformulate our constrained MV portfolio selection model into a special constrained LQ optimal control model and develop the optimal portfolio policy of our model. In addition, we provide an alternative method to resolve this dynamic MV portfolio selection problem with cone constraints. More specifically, instead of solving the correspondent HJB equation directly, we develop the optimal solution for this problem by using the special properties of value function induced from its model structure, such as the monotonicity and convexity of value function. Finally, we provide an example to illustrate how to use our solution in real application. The illustrative example demonstrates that our dynamic MV portfolio policy dominates the static MV portfolio policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Rapid urbanisation in the reform period has resulted in a very high demand for basic urban infrastructure in China. Improving its provision by the public sector is a challenge as problems persist in the form of unmet demand, deficiencies in cost recovery and inadequate maintenance. Institutional hurdles, particularly the lack of organisational and financial autonomy for the providers of urban infrastructure, are in part to blame. Urban construction authorities have yet to rid themselves of political interference and overlapping responsibilities. But measures have been taken to reform the institutional environment. Specifically, increasingly decentralised central-local fiscal relations are allowing municipalities an unprecedented degree of freedom for resource mobilisation through a wide range of mechanisms that greatly expand extra-budgetary revenue. A case study of Shanghai's reform efforts shows that results can be immediate and promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Documents the trends in private capital flows to developing countries since 1982. Flows and geographical distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI); Causes of sustained FDI flows; Policy implications.

Focuses on the four designated Special Economic Zones as part of China's domestic economic reform initiated in 1979. Identification of the four Special Economic Zones; Importance of advanced foreign technology in stimulating growth; Reasons for the SEZs design; Location of China's SEZs.

Discusses export processing zones in Asia. Defining characteristics of export processing zones; Why the export processing zone strategy is attractive to developing countries; Claimed objectives and effectiveness of export processing zones.

Spleen and lung are closely related physiologically as they are of mother-and-child relationship and can influence each other in pathology. According to this, Chinese medicine puts forward "nurture earth (spleen) to grow gold (lung) ", referring to the method of treating the spleen for lung diseases and treating the lung for spleen diseases, and great effects have been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent influx of migrants has altered the urban landscape in China. Compounding this has been the shifting geography of local population and jobs, consequential of the physical expansion of built-up areas and restructuring of the urban economy. Nowhere is more evident of such trends as in Shanghai, the country's premier metropolis and leading business hub. How has intra-urban residential geography of migrants and local population transformed over time? How are such patterns connected with changing economic and employment distribution? These are the driving questions of our research, rooted in our long-standing observations of the city's evolving urban structure. We present patterns of spatial restructuring at two different points of time: in 2000 and 2010, and the change during the decade. Here our primary purpose is to sort out important predictors affecting the residential locations of migrants and the local population, in the context of overall demographic and employment geography. While sharing a tendency to move outward and away from the urban core, they respond to distinctive calculus – residential amenities for the locals and job opportunities for migrants, a bifurcated trajectory emblematic of intensified stratification. • In spite of a historically compact urban form, Shanghai has experienced a continuous outward trajectory of expansion. • Residential dispersal is a byproduct of employment expansion in suburbs and a response to increasingly marketized land and housing sectors. • The presence of industrial establishments and provision of rental housing have a significant, positive influence on migrants' residential locations. • The locals are more sensitive to housing conditions, concentrating in areas with higher levers of amenities and circumventing those with industrial activities. • The bifurcation is emblematic of intensified stratification and indicative of additional risks for migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two different structural frameworks have been designed and synthesized. • Photocatalytic studies show both of them have efficient degradation activity of organic dye methyl violet. • The possible mechanism of the photocatalytic property has been suggested. Two new CoII-based coordination polymers tuned by the flexible "V"-shaped 3,3ˊ-(1,2-phenylenebis(methyleneoxy)) dibenzoic acid (H 2 L) and different N -donor spacers, namely, [Co(L)(bib)] n (1) and [Co 2 (L) 2 (phen) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ·H 2 O] n (2) (bib = 1,4-bis(1-imidazoly)benzene and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) have been prepared. In 1, the CoII centers are linked by L to form a Co–L chain, which is further extended into a 2D wave-like layer by bib linkers. In 2 , the L linker connected the adjacent Co(II) centers into 1D chain, which is joined into a 3D supramolecular structure through H-bonded and π–π stacking interactions. The diverse networks of 1–2 demonstrate that the steric hindrance effect may show significant effect on the final structures. In addition, the title complexes exhibit photocatalytic activity for dye methyl violet (MV) degradation under UV light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]