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With the rapid development of China's cultural innovation industry, enhancing brand equity and increasing brand value has become the only way for enterprises to achieve leapfrog development. Taking Chinese animation brand equity as an example, this paper constructs a brand equity driven model from the perspective of consumer cognition. Firstly, based on the brand resonance model, the theoretical model of animation brand equity is established. And then from the mass of product reviews, the focus of consumers on the brand is mined to form the latitude of brand equity. Finally, the theoretical model of brand equity is tested based on the Chinese consumer questionnaire data and structural equation model. This study provides a reference for the construction of Chinese animation brand equity, and also provides a new idea for the establishment of cultural brand equity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the new era, with the increase of users' demand for Internet content, Software and resources have been released and accessed as services. The service mode "IT resources should be treated as water and electricity" has put forward higher requirements for the data center construction, which determines that the traditional data center construction model and programs are no longer able to meet the needs of innovative applications of the new era. Therefore, the integration and innovation of new and old technologies is required. The high reliability, scalability, security, flexibility, greenness and resource customization of cloud computing technology enable more and more campuses to use cloud computing platforms to build campus networks. This paper mainly elaborates the use of virtualization technology and cloud computing technology to build campus cloud platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mesoporous PIPs was prepared by the copolymerization of DVB with ILs. • PDVB-[AlTMG]Br-0.2 showed excellent activities in cycloaddition of diluted CO 2. • Various epoxides were converted into cyclic carbonates with high yields. It is believed that porous heterogeneous materials with excellent properties are promising candidates for efficient fixation of diluted and waste CO 2. Herein, a family of mesoporous porous ionic copolymers (PIPs) was designed and prepared from the copolymerization of divinylbenzene (DVB) with vinyl-functionalized ionic liquids monomers through free radical copolymerization process. It was demonstrated that the heterogeneous PIP poly(divinylbenzene-1-allyl-tetramethylguanidinium bromide) PDVB-[AlTMG]Br-0.2 showed excellent activities in facile cycloaddition of CO 2 into cyclic carbonates without using any external co-catalysts or metal additives. The results of characterizations and quantum mechanical calculations further showed that the specic hierarchical meso-macroporous structure of PDVB-[AlTMG]Br-0.2 offered the strongest binding interaction with SO and besides had a relatively good CO 2 affinity, which results to the best cataltic activity for cycloaddition of CO 2. Moreover, PDVB-[AlTMG]Br-0.2 exhibited high activities and good reusability in cycloaddition of 15 % diluted CO 2 with various epoxides. It is believed that our work would have a great potential in energy-effective fixation of industrial combustion CO 2 into high-value organic carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a predictive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity score for ileocolonic Crohn disease activity based on both subjective and semiautomatic MRI features.Materials and Methods: An MRI activity score (the "virtual gastrointestinal tract [VIGOR]" score) was developed from 27 validated magnetic resonance enterography datasets, including subjective radiologist observation of mural T2 signal and semiautomatic measurements of bowel wall thickness, excess volume, and dynamic contrast enhancement (initial slope of increase). A second subjective score was developed based on only radiologist observations. For validation, two observers applied both scores and three existing scores to a prospective dataset of 106 patients (59 women, median age 33) with known Crohn disease, using the endoscopic Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) as a reference standard.Results: The VIGOR score (17.1 × initial slope of increase + 0.2 × excess volume + 2.3 × mural T2) and other activity scores all had comparable correlation to the CDEIS scores (observer 1: r = 0.58 and 0.59, and observer 2: r = 0.34-0.40 and 0.43-0.51, respectively). The VIGOR score, however, improved interobserver agreement compared to the other activity scores (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.81 vs 0.44-0.59). A diagnostic accuracy of 80%-81% was seen for the VIGOR score, similar to the other scores.Conclusions: The VIGOR score achieves comparable accuracy to conventional MRI activity scores, but with significantly improved reproducibility, favoring its use for disease monitoring and therapy evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BFO can protect the liver to maintain mice cholesterol homeostasis. • BFO can balance inflammatory response to protect the blood vessels. • Treatment with BFO inhibited the proliferation of foam cells induced by ox-LDL. • BFO can reduce the risk of the occurrence and development of hypercholesterolemia. Burdock fructooligosaccharide (BFO) is a type of linear inulin extracted from burdock root. In this study, we studied the effect of BFO in hypercholesterolemic mice model and found that BFO could decrease the total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and oxidized LDL (ox-LDL). BFO also reduce the hepatocyte damage, improve the antioxidant enzymes activity and regulate genes related to the cholesterol homeostasis in liver. Besides, we found that BFO protected the blood vessels by significantly balancing inflammatory cytokines and alleviating the up-regulation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in aorta. Furthermore, we established a foam cells model induced by ox-LDL in vitro and found that 500 and 1000 μg/mL BFO could effectively inhibit cell proliferation and reduce the production of intracellular lipids and inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, BFO can reduce the risk of hypercholesterolemia by maintaining cholesterol homeostasis, reducing vascular inflammation and alleviating macrophage foaming to prevent its further development into cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classification problem is an important research topic in machine learning and data mining. Feature selection can remove irrelevant and redundant features and improve classification accuracy. The traditional Grey Wolf algorithm (GWO) has the defects of low convergence efficiency and easy to falls into local extremes in solving the feature selection process, leading to ineffective removal of irrelevant and redundant features. This paper proposes a binary version of the local opposing learning golden sine grey wolf optimization algorithm (OGGWO). First, the OGGWO algorithm uses local opposing learning mapping to initialize the positions of individual grey wolves to enrich population diversity and improve convergence speed. Secondly, mix the golden sine algorithm and the grey wolf optimization algorithm to control the direction and distance of α wolves by using the golden mean coefficient to improve the autonomous search ability of individual grey wolves and avoid the algorithm from falling into the local optimum. Finally, the updated grey wolf position is binary converted by pre-setting the threshold value to reduce the feature subset's size and improve the classification effect. To verify the effectiveness of the OGGWO algorithm, 18 international standard datasets were selected, and compare the OGGWO algorithm with the improved Grey Wolf algorithm and the popular metaheuristic algorithm for the fitness value comparison test and the simulation comparison experiment for classification accuracy. The results show that: (1) the OGGWO algorithm has good convergence and high search accuracy on all 18 test data; (2) the improved strategy of the OGGWO algorithm can effectively improve the classification accuracy and reduce the number of selected features compared with the traditional GWO algorithm in the classification accuracy simulation. The experimental results show that the superiority and robustness of the OGGWO algorithm in feature selection are verified. [Display omitted] • A local opposition-learning method is proposed for population initialization. • Golden sine and the grey wolf optimization algorithm improve the global exploration and local exploitation. • Evaluation of proposed method on 18 benchmark datasets. • Proposed method outperforms other feature selection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the predictive factors for the spontaneous recanalization of occluded arteries in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods: A total of 139 patients with consecutive acute ischemic stroke were enrolled from June 2010 to June 2013. The clinical and biochemical parameters were measured in each participant. Occlusion and recanalization of the carotid artery, the middle cerebral artery, and the vertebral and basilar arteries were identified by using computed tomographic angiography or digital subtraction angiography.Results: Among the 139 patients, 23 showed spontaneous recanalization, whereas 116 did not. In the patients with spontaneous recanalization, the proportion of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower (0% versus 29.31%, P= .01), whereas the proportion of stage 3 hypertension was significantly higher (60.87% versus 32.76%, P= .01) than that of those without recanalization. Logistic regression analysis showed that the proportion of atrial fibrillation was negatively (odds ratio [OR]: .117, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .015-.918, P= .04) associated with spontaneous recanalization, whereas the proportion of stage 3 hypertension was positively (OR: 4.316, 95% CI: 1.533-12.154, P= .01) associated with it.Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation is associated with reduced spontaneous recanalization of the large and middle cerebral arteries in patients after acute ischemic stroke-induced occlusion, whereas stage 3 hypertension may contribute to the promotion of the recanalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: there is growing evidence that fathers also experience post partum depression (PPD). However, paternal PPD has been less studied than maternal PPD. Very few studies have investigated PPD in first-time fathers from northwestern China. Objective: the purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence and predictors of depressive symptoms in first-time fathers from northwestern China. Methods: a longitudinal study was conducted involving 180 couples who were assessed at three time periods: 3 days, 2 weeks and 6 weeks after childbirth. Self-reported questionnaires including Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC), and Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) were administered to all participants during each time period. Findings: after childbirth 35 (21.1%) of the fathers at 3 days, 32 (20.4%) at 2 weeks and 20 (13.6%) at 6 weeks, indicated that they suffered from PPD. Paternal parental sense of competence, paternal marital satisfaction, and maternal depressive symptoms were among the main predictors for paternal PPD. Conclusion: the study results suggest that paternal PPD is a significant public health concern. Health professionals should focus attention on the psychological health among new fathers during the post-partum period; and, the psychosocial predictors should be considered and incorporated into clinical assessment and intervention of paternal PPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An acidic polysaccharide (RBAPS) was gained from fermented burdock residue mediated by R. nigricans. • The structural characteristics of RBAPS were clarified. • RBAPS promoted cell viability and phagocytosis of macrophages. • RBAPS induced the macrophages polarization and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion. An acidic heteropolysaccharide (RBAPS) with a relative molecular weight of 140.9 kDa was extracted from Rhizopus nigricans mediated burdock residue fermentation. Structural analysis indicated that RBAPS was mainly composed of Rha, Ara, Gal, GalA, GlcA, Glc and Xyl in a molar ratio of 14.5: 14.3: 30.1: 31.0: 5.5: 0.8: 3.8. The dominant backbone of RBAPS consisted of α-Rha p , α-GalA p , and α-Gal p with the branched chains of β-Gal p and α-Ara f. In macrophage RAW264.7 cells, RBAPS promoted proliferation, enhanced phagocytosis, hindered apoptosis, and promoted cytokines (NO, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β) secretion. RBAPS also promoted M1 macrophage transformation and induced the secretion of NO and IL-6 in differentiated macrophages. The findings suggested that RBAPS has the potential immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects, giving it application prospect in the health and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background The free flap based on the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery (SPBRA) has been extensively reported. A reversed pedicled flap based on the SPBRA, harvested from the wrist crease area, can be a potential candidate for the reconstruction of the soft-tissue and artery defects in the thumb. Method Between January 2012 and October 2013, this flap was used in seven patients to reconstruct soft-tissue defects in the thumb. In three patients, blood circulation of the thumb was reestablished using flow-through flaps. The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire was used for patient self-evaluation. Results In one patient, the surgery was abandoned due to blood vessel variation. All the flaps and thumbs survived in the other six patients. The wounds healed primarily. All patients were followed up for a mean of 16.5 months (range, 12–26 months). At the last follow-up, the mean static two-point discrimination was 7.3 ± 0.9 mm on the affected side and 4.6 ± 0.7 on the contralateral side. The range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint and the interphalangeal joint were 66.8 ± 8.4° (contralateral, 85.2 ± 3.8°) and 67.0 ± 6.9° (contralateral, 80.5 ± 5.0°), respectively. Patient self-evaluations were good in five cases and fair in one case. Conclusion The reverse island flap based on the SPBRA is feasible for soft-tissue defects and establishing blood circulation in the thumb. The donor site can be closed primarily, and the scar is inconspicuous in the wrist crease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Pandrug-resistant (PDR) bacterial infections are associated with considerable prolongation of hospitalization and mortality in clinical practice. Method This case-series study was conducted during a 3-year period from 2011 to 2013. A total of 30 PDR patients consulted by clinical pharmacist were recorded to evaluate the anti-infection treatment. Results All isolates of PDR bacteria from patients were identified as pan-drug resistant acine-tobacter baumannii (63.3%), pan-drug resistant klebsiella pneumonia (20.0%), and pandrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.7%). Of the 30 patients, 96.7% therapeutic regimens supposed by clinical pharmacists were applied to treat the infectious patients up to 82.8% clinical cure rates. 30 patients completed the prescribed treatment, of which 19 underwent monotherapy that the clinical cure rate was 78.9%, and 10 underwent combination therapy that the clinical cure rate was 90.0%. In the following therapy, doxycycline, cefoperazone shubatan and amikacin have the certain effect on anti-infection therapy. Combination therapy combined with doxycycline was better treatment option for PDR infectious patients. Conclusion In a word, it appears to be effective for the successful therapy of PDR infections upon tetracyclines administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of using a distal ulnar artery perforator (DUAP)-based bilobed free flap (BFF) for the repair of complex digital defects in the hand. Methods We retrospectively studied 15 patients who sustained traumatic digital defects with complicating tendon and phalanx exposure and were hospitalized for repair using a DUAP-based BFF. Main outcome measures included patients’ self-assessed physical appearance, total active motion, and 2-point discrimination. Results The flaps survived and the wounds healed with primary intention in all patients except one who experienced partial flap necrosis of the distal margin and required treatment with a second skin graft. Patients were observed for a mean of 13 months. The physical appearance and texture of the repaired fingers were assessed as good with minimal scarring. Total active motion and 2-point discrimination were 113° to 255° (contralateral, 255° to 275°) and 6 to 11 mm (contralateral, 5 to 8 mm), respectively. Conclusions Use of the DUAP-based BFF is a feasible, effective, and safe treatment alternative for repairing complex digital defects with favorable aesthetic and sensorimotor outcomes. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism(s) of the total alkaloids (TA) from Mahonia bealei in treating pyloric ligation-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Animals were sacrificed after 19 h of the ligation. Gastric acid, peptic activities, mucin levels, H+/K+-ATPase activities and the gastrin level were analyzed. To improve the accuracy of the observations, IPP 6.0 software was introduced to measure the area of ulcer. TA (18.56 mg/kg/day, i.g.) showed an antiulcer effect by significantly decreasing the gastric ulcer areas (11.28 mm²) compared with model group (26.36 mm²). The TA ulcer inhibition ratio was 57.2%, compared with the effect of the positive control, omeprazole (62.96%). The results also showed that TA had a significant effect in inhibiting the release of H+/K+-ATPase, reducing the content of gastrin and decreasing gastric acidity on experimental animals. However, the TA had no significant effects on gastric mucus secretion and pepsin activity. Data indicated that TA had gastric ulcer protective effects by modulating the H+/K+-ATPase activity and gastrin level. TA has a potential to be developed as a pharmacological agent for the treatment of gastric ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angelica Sinensis Radix (roots of Angelica sinensis; ASR) is a popular herbal supplement in China for promoting blood circulation. Today, sulfur-fumigation is commonly used to treat ASR as a means of pest control; however, the studies of sulfur-fumigation on the safety and efficacy of ASR are very limited. Here, we elucidated the destructive roles of sulfur-fumigation on ASR by chemical and biological assessments. After sulfur-fumigation, the chemicals in ASR were significantly lost. The biological activities of anti-platelet aggregation, induction of NO production and estrogenic properties were compared between the water extracts of non-fumigated and sulfur-fumigated ASR. In all cases, the sulfur-fumigation significantly reduced the biological properties of ASR. In addition, application of water extract deriving from sulfur-fumigated ASR showed toxicity to cultured MCF-7 cells. In order to ensure the safety and to achieve the best therapeutic effect, it is recommended that sulfur-fumigation is an unacceptable approach for processing herbal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic aneurysm (AA) is a life-threatening vascular disease in defect of effective pharmaceutical therapy. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is implicated in the development of chronic vascular diseases including aneurysm, but the effective MMP-9 inhibitors are far from development. To develop new candidate for AA therapy, we evaluated the efficiency of salvianolic acid A (SalA), a novel MMP-9 inhibitor, on AA progression in a mouse model and characterized the mechanism of action. SalA is a water soluble compound of the herbal drug Rhizoma Salviae miltiorrhizae (Danshen) which in China is widely used for the treatment of hypertension, coronary artery diseases and myocardial infarction. MMPs activity was evaluated by enzyme kinetic analysis in vitro and in-gel gelatin zymography in vivo. SalA showed selectivity on gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) than on collagenase (MMP-8 and MMP-13) in vitro, and specificity on MMP-9 than MMP-2 in vivo. Aortic aneurysm was induced by angiotension II (AngII) in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice. Aortic structure was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin, picrosirius red, orein stain. Macrophage infiltration was detected by immunohistochemistry in vivo and transwell in vitro. Comparing with doxycycline (Dox), a well-known MMPs inhibitor, SalA showed similar efficiency against AA progression. SalA significantly decreased aortic diameter and aneurysm severity, ameliorated integrity of vascular structure, inhibited elastin fragmentation and macrophage infiltration. Furthermore, SalA showed greater safety than Dox based on hepatotoxicity evaluation. Our results demonstrated that SalA held great potential for AA therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the global warming is gradually increasing, the membrane gas absorption (MGA) method for CO2 separation has been intensively focused. This present study develops a 2D mass-transfer model and investigates the effect of membrane properties on the absorption performance. Chemical absorption of CO2 from flue gas in a gas-liquid hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) was firstly studied using a blend of MDEA/PZEA. The modeling predications are in good agreement with the literature results. Thus, this mass-transfer model could be reliable for predication of CO2 absorption in a HFMC. Also, the simulation results indicated that increasing the membrane length, number of fibers and porosity-to-tortuosity ratio had a positive effect on CO2 capture. On the other hand, the removal performance for CO2 enhanced with a decline in the membrane thickness, inner fiber radius and inner module radius. Furthermore, this work was helpful for the selection of suitable membrane properties applied in gas separation, and provided suggestions for the experimental and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining hydrothermal synthesis, electrodeposition with soaking process, we synthesized coaxial nanowire arrays consisting of Co3O4 nanowire as the core, polypyrrole (PPy) as the inner shell and MnO2 outer layer as the exodermis. The key to fabricate one-dimensional hierarchical architecture, Co3O4@PPy@MnO2 "core-shell-shell" nanowires, was to introduce a PPy intermediate layer on the surface of Co3O4 nanowire, which could enhance the conductivity of nanowire arrays and act as a reactive template to induce a coating of amorphous MnO2. The device based on the ternary composite Co3O4@PPy@MnO2 nanowire arrays exhibited prominent electrochemical performance with a high energy density of 34.3 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 80.0 W kg-1 and a remarkable long-term cycling stability. In addition, the performance of as-assembled asymmetrical supercapacitor was demonstrated using a DC motor. The results imply that ternary composite based electrode materials have enormous potential for energy storage devices and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PRKAG2 gene encodes the y2 regulatory subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that acts as a sensor of cellular energy status, and its germline mutations are responsible for PRKAG2 cardiac syndrome (PCS). The majority of missense mutations of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) domains found in PCS impair the binding activity of PRKAG2 to adenosine derivatives, and therefore lead to PRKAG2 function impairment and AMPK activity alteration, resulting in a familial syndrome of ventricular preexcitation, conduction defects, and cardiac hypertrophy. However, it is unclear about the PRKAG2 mutation in the non-CBS domain. Here, a Chinese family exhibiting the cardiac syndrome associated with a novel heterozygous PRKAG2 mutation (Gly100Ser) mapped to exon 3 encoding a non-CBS domain is described and the function of this novel mutation was investigated in vitro. Methods: The PRKAG2 G100S and R302Q mutations were constructed by a two-step polymerase chain reaction and then transfected into CCL13 cells by lentivirus vectors. Wild-type PRKAG2 gene transfection was used as a negative control. PRKAG2 expression was determined by Western blot. Immunofluorescence was used to localize the intracellular PRKAG2 proteins. MTT assay was performed to explore the effect of mutations on cell proliferation. Periodic acid-Schiff staining was used for detecting glycogen accumulation. AMPK concentration was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Our results showed neither intracellular localization of PRKAG2 nor cell growth was altered. In contrast, PRKAG2 protein expression levels were significantly reduced by this mutation. Furthermore, PRKAG2-mediated activity of AMPK was attenuated, resulting in glycogen metabolism dysregulation. These findings revealed that non-CBS domains of PRKAG2 were essential to the regulation of AMPK activity, similar to CBS. Conclusions: Our study ascribes a crucial regulatory role to the novel PRKAG2 G100S mutation, and reiterates that PCS occurs as a consequence of AMPK signaling abnormality caused by PRKAG2 gene mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study conducted by the authors to examine the strains of zoonosis Brucella suis through molecular typing. It mentions the collection of the sample of B. suis from China which were used in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) fingerprinting and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) to understand their molecular characteristics. It further reveals the results where the PFGE analysis showed genetic relatedness among the Brucella species.

Abstract: High specific surface area (SSA ∼2000m2/g) porous KOH-activated microwave exfoliated graphite oxide (‘a-MEGO’) electrodes have been tested in a eutectic mixture of ionic liquids (1:1 by weight or molar ratio N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (PIP13-FSI) and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (PYR14-FSI)) as electrolyte for supercapacitor applications. By optimizing the carbon/electrolyte system, outstanding capacitive performance has been achieved with high capacitance (up to 180F/g) and wide electrochemical window (up to 3.5V) over a wide temperature range from −50°C to 80°C. This is the first demonstration of a carbon–ionic liquid system capable of delivering capacitance in excess of 100F/g below room temperature. The excellent electrochemical response of the proposed couple shows that optimization of the carbon/electrolyte interface is of great importance for improving capacitive energy storage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on the statistical analyses of the attacked targets, bombing places, approximate time periods and attack modes as reported clearly in 191 Iraq bombing cases, the main factors constituting Iraq bombing risks shall include the attractiveness, exposure frequency and vulnerability of attacked targets. Therefore, Chinese enterprises can prevent from bombing risks by intensifying the approval procedures for employees’ travels and the management of travel safety to ensure the smoothly operation in Iraq and other foreign countries that have high security risks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a kind of poisonous and explosive gas which does harm to people and safety production. A infrared Carbon Monoxide monitoring system based on Least Squares Support Vector Machine is illustrated. Detected principle of infrared Carbon Monoxide is introduced. The mathematical model of infrared Carbon Monoxide based on Least Squares Support Vector Machine was built to dispel the influence of environment such as temperature and humidity. The hardware of the monitoring system is also introduced. The experimental results show that the infrared Carbon Monoxide monitoring system works well with a high precision and satisfies the demands of people. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Riparian ecosystems are an important transition zone between river ecosystem and the terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in the global carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. The study was carried out in littoral in XiangXi river, which was the larger tributary and nearest to the Three Gorges Dam. Gas exchange rates were measured to explore the main factors controlling the carbon flux of littoral in XiangXi river using chamber method during water discharge in 2011. The results showed that in the early of water discharge, net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of 165- 175m a.s.l. was 2.17±0.53μmol m-2s-1, which was markedly lower than that of over 175m a.s.l. (-1.04±0.62μmol m- 2s-1, P<0.05). Total ecosystem respiration (TER) of 165-175m a.s.l. was 3.21±0.52μmol m-2s-1, which was little lower than that of over 175m a.s.l. (3.79±0.94μmol m-2s-1), but there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The study indicated that being experienced flooding, the lower areas in littoral of the main stream of Xiangxi river might be a weak carbon source due to lower vegetation cover, higher soil water content and different soil microbial in the early of water discharge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: On the basis of the idea of the second multiplication curve fitting, the number and scale of Chinese E-commerce site is analyzed. A preventing increase model is introduced in this paper, and the model parameters are solved by the software of Matlab. The validity of the preventing increase model is confirmed though the numerical experiment. The experimental results show that the precision of preventing increase model is ideal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Energy-saving and emission-reduction are the major challenge to the development of countries in the world. When it comes to China, it refers to properly handle the regional issues. According to the common trends of the average industrial SO2 emission per square kilometer in three developed regions (Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Bohai Economic Circle) and the remaining regions in the east, the middle and the west, this paper conducts an empirical analysis on the issue of pollution emission spilled from the developed regions to the remaining provinces. The result shows that the pollution emission in developed regions significantly demonstrates the role-model effect to the remaining provinces, and the effect will be weaken as the distance from the remaining provinces to three developed regions increases, which somewhat interprets the common trend of pollution emission among regions. Meanwhile, the role-model effect gives us the policy recommendation that China shall pay full attention to the exemplary role played by the developed regions on the issue of energy-saving and emission-reduction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In view of the operation rule of retail loans and the characteristics of default factors affecting default behavior, the authors put forward non-linear proportional default model with time-dependent variables based on the Cox model. This model takes into account the non-linear relationship among variables and time-dependent variables while calculating the retail loan default probability in China''s commercial banks, which will make the model to be in line with its objective reality better. The result demonstrates this model is scientific and feasible in practical application in China''s commercial banks through empirical analysis and example analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Both of crop growth simulation models and remote sensing method have a high potential in crop growth monitoring and yield prediction. However, crop models have limitations in regional application and remote sensing in describing the growth process. Therefore, many researchers try to combine those two approaches for estimating the regional crop yields. In this paper, the WOFOST model was adjusted and regionalized for winter wheat in North China and coupled through the LAI to the SAIL–PROSPECT model in order to simulate soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI). Using the optimization software (FSEOPT), the crop model was then re-initialized by minimizing the differences between simulated and synthesized SAVI from remote sensing data to monitor winter wheat growth at the potential production level. Initial conditions, which strongly impact phenological development and growth, and which are hardly known at the regional scale (such as emergence date or biomass at turn-green stage), were chosen to be re-initialized. It was shown that re-initializing emergence date by using remote sensing data brought simulated anthesis and maturity date closer to measured values than without remote sensing data. Also the re-initialization of regional biomass weight at turn-green stage led that the spatial distribution of simulated weight of storage organ was more consistent to official yields. This approach has some potential to aid in scaling local simulation of crop phenological development and growth to the regional scale but requires further validation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study aimed to observe the therapeutical effect of a complex prescription of Tangxinkang on DC rats. The model rats, male Wistar rats, were established with multiple injections of low dose STZ and high calorie diet. Various kinds of examination methods were applied, including Affymetrix Co. US. Rat 2302.0 gene expression profiling chip and cluster analysis, to observe the effect of Tangxinkang on indicators. Then RT-PCR was applied for confirmatory experiment. Alox12 mRNA gene was one of the diabetic cardiomyopathy tissue differential expressions. The Alox12 mRNA genes were up-regulators in the DC model group and down-regulators in the Tangxinkang treatment group. The Alox12 mRNA was associated with diabetic cardiac muscle damage, and Tangxinkang had benign effect on Alox12 gene expression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Drosophila arginine methyl- transferase 4 (DART4) belongs to the type I class of arginine methyltransferases. It catalyzes the methylation of arginine residues to monomethylarginines and asymmetrical dimethylarginines. The DART4 sequence is highly similar to mammalian PRMT4/CARM1, and DART4 substrate specificity has been conserved, too. Recently it was suggested that DART4/Carmer functions in ecdysone receptor mediated apoptosis of the polytene larval salivary glands and an apparent up-regulation of DART4/ Carmer mRNA levels before tissue histolysis was reported. Here we show that in Drosophila larvae, DART4 is mainly expressed in the imaginal disks and in larval brains, and to a much lesser degree in the polytene larval tissue such as salivary glands. In glands, DART4 protein is present in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. The nuclear signal emanates from the extrachromosomal domain and gets progressively restricted to the region of the nuclear lamina upon pupariation. Surprisingly, DART4 levels do not increase in salivary glands during pupariation, and overexpression of DART4 does not cause precautious cell death in the glands. Furthermore, over- and misexpression of DART4 under the control of the α tubulin promoter do not lead to any major problem in the life of a fly. This suggests that DART4 activity is regulated at the posttranslational level and/or that it acts as a true cofactor in vivo. We present evidence that nuclear localization of DART4 may contribute to its function because DART4 accumulation changes from a distribution with a strong cytoplasmic component during the transcriptional quiescence of the young embryo to a predominantly nuclear one at the onset of zygotic transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of transvaginal ultrasound-guided ovarian interstitial laser-coagulation treatment in anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Study design: Nineteen anovulatory women with clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS underwent ultrasound-guided transvaginal ovarian interstitial YAG-laser treatment. In this study, serum hormonal level, spontaneous ovulation rate, and pregnancy rate were assessed. Results: With a spontaneous ovulation rate of 84.2%, 16 of 19 cases ovulated regularly during the 6-month postoperative period. The mean serums luteinizing hormone and serum testosterone levels in the second, fourth, and sixth postoperative months were significantly lower than preoperative levels: 5.87 ± 2.04 IU/L versus 13.17 ± 3.03 IU/L (P < .001) and 2.98 ± 1.79 nmol/L versus 5.49 ± 3.23 nmol/L (P < .001), respectively. The mean luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio was also significantly lower postoperatively at 1.09 ± 0.30 compared with the preoperative 2.85 ± 1.14 (P < .001). There was a cumulative pregnancy rate at 6 months of 32.3% (6/19) among the subjects. No significant operative complications were encountered. Conclusion: The ultrasound-guided transvaginal ovarian interstitial laser treatment may be an effective new method to manage anovulation in PCOS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop an effective method for extracting total phenolic (TP) from grape seed using enzyme and microwave co-assisted salting-out extraction (EMASOE). The significant factors affecting TP yield were screened by Plackett-Burman design and then optimized by Box-Behnken design. Under optimum extraction conditions of 25% (w/w) ethanol/20% (w/w) ammonium sulfate, pectinase amount 540 U/g, enzymatic pH 4.5, microwave power 180 W, the maximum extraction yield of TP was 125.32 mg/g. Significant differences were found in the monomer phenolic compounds by different methods. Ten kinds of monomer phenolic compounds were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), only four were identified by Soxhlet extraction (SE), and eight by EMASOE. Moreover, the TP by this method possessed higher content and better antioxidant activities. Therefore, EMASOE could be used as an effective method to extract phenolics from natural plants. [Display omitted] • A novel method of simultaneously extract and enrich polyphenols was proposed. • Enzyme and microwave co-assisted salting-out extraction improved the yields. • The monomer phenolic compounds of this method were revealed by comparative studies. • This method can improved the kinds of monomer phenolic and antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been used for wastewater treatment for decades, but research on microorganisms involved, especially long-term changes, is still limited. In this study, we evaluated changes in the substrate microbial community in a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed mangrove wetland during 10-years operation. In the 3rd year of operation, microbial biomass carbon and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) reached peak values in two vegetated belts planted with Aegiceras corniculatum (Ac) and Kandelia obovata (Ko), respectively, then stabilized or declined in the 9th and 10th years of operation. PLFA profiles reflecting microbial community compositions varied significantly in the Ac belt during the operation period. Principal component (PCA) and redundancy analyses (RDA) revealed that microbial community compositions were significantly correlated with organic matter content, especially in the 9th and 10th years of operation, implying that the substrate microbial community in constructed mangrove wetland is sensitive to substrate characteristics and can be used as an indicator for long-term performance of CWs. Unlabelled Image • Accumulation of organic matter and nitrogen increased in long-tern operation. • Microbial biomass in wetland substrate reached peak values in 3rd year operation. • Microbial community composition in Aegiceras belt differed from Kandelia belt. • Microbial community was sensitive to substrate characteristics and their changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the distribution of measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) in healthy Chinese adults. The authors report that the average mGFR in young men and women in the study is lower compared to Western populations. They hypothesize that the difference can be caused by variations in dietary intake among racial groups.