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Existing studies on language learner emotions mainly focus on Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE). They are primarily conducted in offline learning settings. This paper reports the empirical findings of an exploratory investigation conducted in a fully synchronous online learning environment for ab initio Korean. Through an Achievement Emotions Questionnaire administered to 117 students in an Australian university, this study measures learners' pride as well as their enjoyment and anxiety during four teaching weeks. In addition, this paper examines how learner emotions correlate with academic achievement as well as crucial learner and teacher variables. The study confirms many patterns of learner emotions in offline teaching environments, such as the association of positive emotions with positive outcomes and with some teacher characteristics, and the association of anxiety with negative outcomes. However, it also reveals patterns that appear to be new, warranting further empirical studies. The pedagogical implications of results for L2 teaching and learning are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in anti-Chinese sentiment emerged as a pressing issue, with debates on how the pandemic exacerbated such sentiments. To explore this intricate relationship, we conducted two survey experiments, incorporating COVID-specific contextual inquiries in Australia and the United States during two phases (8–21 June 2021 and 28 July-12 August 2022). Our findings reveal that individuals' perceptions of the Chinese diaspora remained unaltered when presented with information regarding the Chinese government's initial management of COVID-19. However, when exposed to a message suggesting the Chinese government's influence over overseas Chinese communities, people's attitudes towards the Chinese diaspora significantly deteriorated. In addition, Australian respondents demonstrated heightened sensitivity to perceived foreign interference from China compared to their American counterparts. Our study underscores the role of suspicions and apprehensions surrounding China-related foreign interference in shaping anti-Chinese sentiment in the Western context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper systematically examines how COVID has shaped an essential craft industry in Jingdezhen, China's “Porcelain Capital”, providing a typical case reflecting COVID’s structural effects on the cultural and creative sectors. Drawing upon primary data collected through four field trips between September 2018 and March 2023, this paper reveals the enormous challenges craft practitioners and businesses face amid COVID, including financial losses, business closures, and diminished international trade. Despite easing restrictions since 2023, there is little sign that the industry will return to pre-pandemic status soon. Moreover, although COVID and the “digital pivot” triggered by it introduced new opportunities for some craft practitioners, they predominantly exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities in the craft industry, including among private businesses and individual practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is frequently employed for cardiac surgery, and selecting a suitable priming fluid is a prerequisite for CPB. Currently, the commonly used priming fluids in clinics are classified as crystalloids and colloids, including balanced crystalloids, albumin, dextran, gelatin and hydroxyethyl starch (HES). This network meta-analysis compared the effects of eight fluids used during CPB in adults to determine optimal priming fluid during CPB surgery. Randomised controlled trials assessing priming fluids for CPB in adult cardiac surgery published before 13 April 2023 were searched across Ovid MEDLINE(R) ALL, OVID EMbase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Various priming fluids were classified into eight categories, including balanced crystalloids, 0.9% NaCl, iso-oncotic human albumin, hyperoncotic human albumin, HES with molecular weight 130k, HES with molecular weight 200k, gelatin and dextran. The NMA of platelet counts revealed no significant differences in any result. In direct comparison results, only the comparison of HES with molecular weight 130k vs. gelatin (standard mean difference = −0.40, 95% confidence interval [95%CI: −0.63, −0.16) revealed a significant difference. According to the SUCRA, balanced crystalloids had the highest platelet count, followed by gelatin, and HES with a molecular weight of 130k had the lowest platelet, followed by HES with a molecular weight of 200k. Patients using dextran have a low mortality rate and a short mean CPB time, the use of balanced crystalloids is beneficial in terms of platelet count, and HES with molecular weight 130k is beneficial for postoperative urine volume at 24h. However, all priming fluids have pros and cons quite, and the optimal choice of priming fluids remains unsupported by current evidences. When performing CPB surgery, the type of priming fluid should be selected according to the actual situation in CPB for adult cardiac surgery. When dextran was used as the CPB priming fluid, patients had the lowest mortality and shortest mean CPB time. With iso-oncotic HA, patients had the shortest length of ICU stay, the least blood loss 24h after surgery, and the lowest chest tube output 24h after surgery. The use of balanced crystalloids was beneficial for platelet count, the use of L-HES was beneficial for urine output 24h after surgery, and the use of H-HES resulted in the shortest hospital stay. In summary, each of these fluids has pros and cons quite, and an optimal choice of priming fluids during CPB surgery remains unsupported by current evidence. When performing CPB surgery, the type of priming fluids should be selected according to the actual condition of the patient's body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, the modulation effect of rotor-stator interaction subjected to fluctuating rotation speed is investigated numerically. A quasi-bivariate variable mode decomposition method for analyzing non-stationary flow fields is proposed for the first time. Different from the previous studies, this paper emphasizes the local features of the transient flow field at fluctuating rotation speed. The results show that the impact of fluctuating rotation speed on the impeller force is limited, but it significantly impacts the pressure pulsation at fluctuating frequency. The correlation between amplitude and fluctuation ratio is positive. Meanwhile, the fluctuating rotation speed also induces sidebands centered on the blade passing frequency and its harmonics. The periodic changes in rotational speed lead to frequency and amplitude modulation of pressure pulsations. The magnitude of the instantaneous frequency and amplitude increases as the fluctuation ratio grows. The change in pressure field is well synchronized with the rotational speed, while the change in velocity field lags behind the rotational speed. The variation of pressure field with rotational speed is mainly attributed to two aspects. One is the flow structure at the fluctuating frequency, and the other is the instantaneous component of the flow structure at blade passing frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision digital elevation models (DEMs) are the basic data for constructing digital cities. With the acceleration of urbanization, the topography of urban plots is constantly transformed by human activities, so that surface morphology shows the characteristics of diversification and discontinuity. Existing modelling methods focus on the expression of continuous terrain. Constructing high-precision DEM in urban plots is still challenging. A block-based modelling method that considers the morphological characteristics of urban plot elements was proposed. The Jinzhai County urban area was selected as the research area. The elements of urban plots were classified into six types, in which the boundaries and elevation information were extracted with real sense 3D models, Digital Orthophoto Maps (DOMs) and dense matching point cloud data. The DEMs of the 6 types of elements were generated separately with different methods, that are fused to complete the DEM of urban plots. The DEM obtained using the method in this manuscript was consistent with the reality in terms of topographic relief within each element and clarified the boundary of each element. The accuracy assessment showed that the RMSE results of roads, slopes, other terrains and natural terrains are approximately 0.05 m, which meets the elevation accuracy requirements of the 1:1000 large-scale mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide use of social media and other online services, people are getting more concerned about online privacy. Social media platforms and other online companies are collecting users' information for various purposes, including targeted advertising. While these data are anonymous, it is possible to identify people through publicly available information and machine learning algorithms. Members of some groups are more vulnerable to such privacy attacks and more likely to be identified. This raises a concern regarding the fair or equitable protection of online privacy, or the protection of all online users' instead of most users' private information. This research addresses this relatively new topic from the sociological perspective and focuses on fair privacy protection in online datasets. Questionnaire data show that college students rate the current privacy protection in online datasets low, but they have great support for general privacy protection and greater support for fair privacy protection. Factors that affect their support for general and fair privacy protection include prior cautious online behavior and how essential they rate company practice and government policies that ensure fair privacy. When they perceive a lack of fair privacy in online datasets, most of them would reduce or stop using certain online services. Factors affecting such reactions include prior cautious online behavior, hours on social media, the perception of being included in online datasets, and perceived importance of fair privacy policies. The findings highlight the pivotal role of institutional privacy measures, namely fair privacy company practice and government policies, especially the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread use of the Internet means that online privacy, or how to protect one's private information while engaging in online activity, has become a concern for many individuals. Research has investigated people's online privacy experience, including online privacy attitudes, confidence, and behaviors. However, not much attention has been paid to how online privacy confidence could be misperceived and how educational tools can correct such overconfidence. Guided by the protection motivation theory, this research examines online privacy confidence and is composed of two studies: Study 1 reveals that online users misrepresent their online knowledge and may have overconfidence as a result. Inspired by this finding and previous research, Study 2 avoids self-reported measures of online knowledge and instead directly evaluates online privacy knowledge (using OPLIS) and its impact on online privacy confidence. Using a survey experiment, we find playing an online privacy educational game increases confidence overall and, importantly, corrects overconfidence. Despite this, we do not find any evidence that correction leads to increased information-seeking. The findings shed light on what online users themselves and organizations, such as universities, industry, and government agencies, can do to better educate individuals about online privacy while calling attention to the need for continued research regarding the underlying mechanisms and downstream behavioral consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some collections from northern China are proposed as the new genus and species Villoboletus persicinus based on morphological assessments and molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is circumscribed by the pink pileus, white context turning pale blue to bule when exposed, yellow hymenophore surface turning blue when bruised, stipe covered with plenty of flocculent hairs, ellipsoid-fusiform to subfusiform smooth basidiospores, and the presence of hymenial cystidia. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from four gene fragments (28S, tef1, rpb1, and rpb2) revealed a distinct position of this new genus in Boletaceae, but no place to accommodate it at subfamily rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on a joint journey during which three academics, a community historian, and a family historian collaborated in searching for Moon Chow, who is widely narrated as the first documented Chinese immigrant to Western Australia. This experience demonstrates how researchers from various traditions and backgrounds can work together productively despite different initial motivations and agendas. This article presents various Moon Chow stories and narratives that family historians, community historians, academic historians, public entities, and commercial entities have put forward. Rather than judging the soundness and merits of these stories, this article highlights how working with family and community historians results in researchers developing a richer understanding of Moon Chow, telling his story sincerely and sympathetically and preventing the poor scholarship of replacing one oversimplified narrative with another. This article also reveals that family historians may choose to deal with different parts of their family history in different ways to reach different objectives. As a result, their positions, motivations, and identities can be highly fluid, not confined to scholarly paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the variation in heavy metal concentrations in soil caused by anthropogenic activities in heavily contaminated areas is of great significance. The degree of heavy metal pollution in soil is primarily assessed by different indices with different standards and reference elements. However, these methods cannot be used to evaluate the degree of heavy metal pollution caused by anthropogenic activities. In this study, Zhuzhou, China was selected as the contaminated area, and Yueyang, China was selected as the background area, where geological and climatic conditions are similar to those of Zhuzhou, China. The concentrations of As (6.6-23.6 mg/kg), Cd (0.125-0.757 mg/kg), Cu (33-75 mg/kg), Hg (0.032-0.202 mg/kg), Pb (17-108 mg/kg), and Zn (74-122 mg/kg) in the vertical soil profiles in the contaminated area were higher than those in the background area (ranging 1.7-20.7, 0.085-0.210, 21-47, 0.030-0.105, 17-38 and 32-88 mg/kg, respectively). K2O/Al2O3, SiO2/Al2O3, and the weathering leaching coefficient (ba) showed little difference, suggesting that the weathering degree of soil in these two areas was similar. The weathering degree of soil governs the geochemical behavior of heavy metals and reference elements. According to the prediction models for heavy metal concentrations and organic carbon, K2O/Al2O3, and SiO2/Al2O3 in the soil profiles from the background area, the increase in heavy metal concentrations in the topsoil in the contaminated area was depicted. The heavy metal concentrations in topsoil were obviously affected by anthropogenic activities. This study provides a case study for evaluating the impact of anthropogenic activities on heavy metals in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Yunpi Heluo (YPHL) decoction is a Chinese herbal formula with particular advantages for treating type 2 diabetes. Yet, its exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. Objective: To examine the therapeutic effect of YPHL on ectopic lipid deposition (EDL) in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats and the underlying mechanism. Materials and methods: The ZDF Rats were randomized into five groups, including model, YPHL (200mg/kg/d for 10 weeks), SIRT1-overexpression (injected with HBAAV2/9-r-SIRT1-30-flag-GFP), NC (injected with HBAAV2/9-CMV-GFP as blank control) and control group. Pancreatic b-cells obtained from high-lipid-high-glucose fed rats were treated with YPHL (10mg/mL) for 48 h. Lipid deposition and autophagosomes were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Intracellular H2O2 and ROS concentrations were measured by flow cytometry. SIRT1, FOXO1, LC3 and P62 mRNA and protein levels were analyzed using qRT-PCR and Western blots. Results: Compared with the model group, blood glucose levels in YPHL and si-SIRT1 groups were reduced by 19.3% and 27.9%, respectively. In high-lipid-high-glucose cells treated with YPHL, lipid droplets were reduced and decrease in apoptosis rate (38.6%), H2O2 (31.2%) and ROS (44.5%) levels were observed. After YPHL intervention or SIRT1 overexpression, LC3 and p62 expression increased. Protein expression of SIRT1 and LC3 in model, si-SIRT1, si-NC and si-SIRT1þYPHL groups was lower than those in control group, while FoxO1 expression was increased. All of these protein level alterations were reversed in the si-NCþYPHL group. Discussion and conclusions: YPHL reduced EDL by regulating the SIRT1-FoxO1 autophagy pathway in diabetic rats, which could lead to future perspectives for the treatment of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article documents and analyses the Chinese government's legislative and policy framework for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH). It summarises early Chinese ICH protection measures before analysing how systemic ICH legislation and policy frameworks were put into place after China joined the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2004. Since then, China has established a multilayered legislative framework for safeguarding ICH, with its capstone national ICH law passed in 2011. China currently embraces a production-based ICH-safeguarding paradigm, and it is implementing several practice-oriented policy initiatives that are discussed in this article. China's legislative and policy endeavours to safeguard ICH are impressive when compared to most other countries, but they are also hampered by significant challenges that are inherent in its state-centric nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the innovative strategies that have allowed a young, transcultural Humanistic Buddhist organisation in China and elsewhere to emerge, endure and expand in challenging environments. Developing religious entrepreneurship as an analytic tool, we explain how this organisation survives and thrives in a diverse range of geographical, cultural and political settings. This in-depth case study draws on original data from extensive fieldwork in mainland China, revealing a transcultural turn within a movement that has already become a global force in Chinese Buddhism. This case study also contributes to our theoretical understanding of how innovation and controlled risk-taking allow religious start-ups to expand their influence and carve out new spaces for growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of soil column forming near the plastic vertical drains and soil cracking during electro-osmosis stage in the treatment of dredged slurry by vacuum pre-loading combined with electro-osmosis method, this paper proposed a new method, i.e. vacuum pre-loading combined with electro-osmosis and with dynamic compaction method. Through the laboratory model tests in self-made glass bucket, the optimal combination form of vacuum pre-loading, electro-osmosis and dynamic compaction was obtained by studying the drainage of soil, soil surface settlement, current intensity and the reinforcement effect of dredged slurry under different combination forms. The test results show that under the condition that the total dynamic compaction energy is fixed, when dynamic compaction was combined both in the vacuum pre-loading stage and the electro-osmosis stage, which not only promoted the drainage of soil to the greatest extent; but also effectively enhanced the circuit current and slowed down the attenuation of the circuit current. Moreover, compared with other combination forms in this test, the energy consumption was reduced to the greatest extent. In addition, in this test, when dynamic compaction was combined both in the vacuum pre-loading stage and the electro-osmosis stage, the optimal reinforcement effect of dredged slurry was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of serious soil cracking during electro-osmosis stage in the treatment of dredged slurry by vacuum pre-loading in combination with electro-osmosis method, this study proposes a new vacuum pre-loading method in combination with electro-osmosis and with dynamic compaction to overcome these drawbacks. Meanwhile, different current ratios are used to characterise the different activation times of the dynamic compaction to achieve the optimal activation time. Five laboratory tests were performed on dredged slurry in self-made plexiglass model bucket, and the electric current, drainage of soil, soil surface settlement and vane shear strength, etc. in the reinforcement of dredged were monitored. The test results show that the combined action of the vacuum pre-loading, electro-osmosis, and dynamic compaction process enhances the circuit current, improves the efficiency of the electro-osmotic drainage, and thus promotes the drainage of the soil and ultimately yields a better reinforcement effect. Meanwhile, the dynamic compaction process effectively reduces the energy consumption in the process of vacuum pre-loading combined with electro-osmosis. In addition, the optimal effect owing to the dredged slurry can be evoked when the dynamic compaction is activated in the middle stage of the electro-osmosis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition, although across T SB N sb , little change is observed in the phonon DOS between 100 and 125 K, which could indicate that the spin-phonon interactions in YVO SB 3 sb is weak at T SB N sb . Nevertheless, the changes seen in the calculated spectra at ~55 meV agree with the energy shifts seen in the data, which indicates that oxygen phonon modes between 40 and 60 meV might be coupled with the spins of V SP 3+ sp . [Extracted from the article]

Foreign-born scientists and engineers in the United States make significant contributions to their fields. While some studies of their career outcomes investigate the internal differences among immigrant scientists and engineers, there is little scholarly attention to how immigration status and gender work together in shaping their career outcomes. This study employs the intersectionality framework and uses National Science Foundation's Survey of Doctorate Recipients 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2017 to examine how citizenship status and the intersection of citizenship status and gender affect earnings among engineers with doctoral degrees. Findings show that naturalized U.S. citizens do not earn less than comparable native-born citizens, but permanent residents and temporary residents do. In terms of intersectional effects, U.S.-born women experience an earnings disadvantage due to their gender, naturalized U.S. citizen women and permanent resident women face earnings disadvantages because of both citizenship status and gender, and temporary resident women earn less because of their citizenship status. The preceding findings persisted in the period of study with one exception. These findings reveal the internal variations among foreign-born engineers, intersectional effects of citizenship status and gender, and the complexity and persistence of these effects, suggesting the intersectional and enduring nature of inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO/Fe3O4/graphene composite with good microwave absorbing performance in L-band was prepared via co-hydrothermal synthesis and precipitation method. The crystal structure, Raman spectra, morphology, electromagnetic parameters and microwave absorption performance of as-synthesized composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and vector network analyzer, respectively. Compared with the pure Fe3O4 NPs and Fe3O4/graphene composite, the as-prepared ZnO/Fe3O4/graphene composite exhibits enhanced microwave absorption performance. The maximum reflection loss is −20.85 dB at 0.94 GHz with a −10 dB bandwidth over the frequency range of 0.65 ~ 1.29 GHz (0.64 GHz) at a match thickness of 5 mm. Moreover, the microwave absorbing properties i.e. the position, intensity, and absorption bandwidth of composite can be adjusted by controlling the thickness of absorber as well. Thus, such composite can be applied as an effective microwave absorber in L-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulation was used to verify a speculation of the existence of a certain face-centred cubic (FCC) to bodycentred cubic (BCC) phase transformation pathway. Four FCC metals, Ni, Cu, Au and Ag, were stretched along the [1 0 0] direction at various strain rates and temperatures. Under high strain rate and low temperature, and beyond the elastic limit, the bifurcation of the FCC phase occurred with sudden contraction along one lateral direction and expansion along the other lateral direction. When the lattice constant along the expansion direction converged with that of the stretched direction, the FCC phase transformed into an unstressed BCC phase. By reducing the strain rate or increasing the temperature, dislocation or 'momentum-induced melting' mechanisms began to control the plastic deformation of the FCC metals, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) affects the soil hydrological process and is influenced by many factors that exhibit strong spatial variations. To accurately measure Ks and its scale, spatial variability and relationship with collapsing gullies, we analysed four double-ring infiltrometer diameters in three soil layers during in situ experiments designed to measure Ks in two typical collapsing gullies (three slope sites) in Tongcheng County of China. The results showed that Ks increased with increasing inner ring diameter, but no significant difference existed between inner diameters of 30 and 40 cm. The Ks in red soil layers was higher than that in sandy soil layers, the transition layers had the lowest values. Ks also varied with slope position, gradually decreasing with distance from the gully head. The suggestion is that the spatial variation in Ks is affected not only by the intrinsic soil properties but also by the interaction with the collapsing gully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three mian diagenetic processes, compaction, cementation and dissolution of Chang6 sandstone in Hu2 block of Huanjiang oilfield were identified and their impact on the tight reservoir quality were analyzed. Four pore types, intergranular, intragranular, moldic and micropores were identified. Porosity and permeability of low-energy facies with high level of muddy content were generally lower. A rapid loss of primary porosity was caused by compaction, proved by the abrupt change tendency at approximate depth of 2130m. Calcite was the dominant cement which plugged the intergranular pores, whereas other minerals like secondary overgrowth, kaolinite and illite also contributed to tightening the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A special electrochemical anodic oxidation (EAO) method was applied to modify the surface of carbon fibers (CFs) with fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether phosphate (O3P), triethanolamine (TEA), fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether ammonium phosphate (O3PNH4), and ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3) used as the electrolyte respectively. Then different catalysts, including Ni, Co, and Cu, were used to catalyze the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the surface of CFs. The variation regulation of structure and property of CNTs on CFs surface was investigated by different methods. The results showed that the optimal effect of surface modification of CFs was achieved when O3PNH4served as an electrolyte and the optimal electrochemical treatment intensity (ETI) was 100C/g. Also, with temperature variety, there are different microstructure changes for CNTs that adopt different catalysts. Through the experiment, a uniform catalyst coating was obtained on the surface of CFs after reduction process, which laid the foundation for the growth of uniform and regular CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 3.8 billion years of evolution has enabled many microbial species a versatile metabolism. However, limited by experimental methods, some unique metabolism remains unknown or unclear. A major obstacle is to attribute the incorporation of certain nutrients into a noncultivable species out of a complex microbial community. Such difficulty could be solved if we are able to directly observe substrate uptake at the single-cell level. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) is a powerful tool for revealing element distribution in nanometer-scale resolution in the fields such as material sciences, geosciences and astronomy. In this review, we focus on another applicability of NanoSIMS in microbiology. In such fields, physiological properties and metabolic activities of microorganisms can be revealed with a single-cell scale resolution by NanoSIMS solely or in combination with other techniques. This review will highlight the features of NanoSIMS in analyzing the metabolic activities of carbon, nitrogen, metal irons by mixed-culture assemblies. Some values of NanoSIMS in environmental microbiology are expected to be discussed via this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The directed self-propulsion of a spherical target molecule fuelled by a chemical reaction is investigated. This source–target system consists of a spherical position-fixed source molecule and a freely moving target, separated at an initial distanceR0in solution. The irreversible chemical reaction which convertsAsolvent particle toBspecies occurs catalytically on the surface of the source molecule. This generates a non-equilibriumBsolvent density gradient from the source to the target molecule. Therefore, a directed movement of the target can be achieved due to the difference of force between the target sphere andBsolvent particles in all directions, and the target will finally be captured by the source. We have demonstrated the diffusiophoretic particle capture dynamics theoretically and described how the capture time and velocity can be affected by some key factors, such as chemical reaction rate, source and target molecule size, initial sphere separation, etc. The capture dynamics has also been studied by the coarse-grained mesoscopic hybrid molecular dynamics – multi-particle collision dynamics simulation. Great agreement has been found when we compare the simulated capture dynamics to the theoretical predictions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acid-soluble collagen (ASC) was isolated from Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) bone. The ASC was rich in glycine. The amount of imino acid was lower than that of calf skin collagen, as was the transition temperature (48.6°C). Electrophoresis revealed two different α chains (α1and α2),β-component, and γ-component. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurement showed that ASC was in triple-helix structure. ASC had a solubility greater than 90% in a very acidic pH range (pH 1–4), and the solubility decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations up to 3%. Lyophilized ASC had a network ultrastructure with lace-like fibers, similar to calf skin collagen sponge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The work relates to assessing the ability of the microwave for dehydration of large amount of waste hydrous ferrous sulfate generated from the titanium pigment process industry. The popular process optimization tool of response surface methodology with central composite design was adopted to estimate the effect of dehydration. The process variables were chosen to be power input, duration of heating and the bed thickness, while the response variable being the weight loss. An increase in all the three process variables were found to significantly increase the weight loss, while the effect of interaction among the parameters were found to be insignificant. The optimized process conditions that contribute to the maximum weight loss were identified to be a power input of 960 W, duration of heating of 14 min and bed thickness of 5 cm, resulting in a weight loss of 31.44%. The validity of the optimization process was tested with the repeat runs at optimized conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet has played a pivotal role in transforming banking services into e-services. While several studies have examined the effective measurement of e-banking service quality, their lack of a holistic view has hindered the accumulation of past knowledge. To address this issue, this study first reviews and summarizes the methodology, service quality dimensions, suggestions and limitations of seven e-banking service quality studies conducted in seven countries. An empirical study is then conducted to derive the first robust and comprehensive measure of e-banking service quality in Taiwanese context by compensating three shortcomings of a prior Taiwanese study. To improve our understanding of e-banking service quality, a comprehensive scheme is proposed that has managerial implications. The primary contribution of this study is to present a holistic view of e-service quality for e-banking with embedded cultural factors and to provide a rigorous measurement scale development procedure applicable to areas other than e-banking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between serum adipocytokines level and insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear. Sixty-one patients with PCOS were divided into an IR group ( n == 31) and a non-IR group ( n == 30) using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Serum levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone, total testosterone, insulin, glucose, and adipocytokines were measured by radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum adiponectin level in women with PCOS and IR was lower than that of non-IR PCOS patients ( P < 0.05); however, there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to resistin, leptin, and leptin receptor levels ( P > 0.05). And the levels of adipocytokines and IR are significantly correlated; consequently, adipocytokines may be involved in the development of IR in PCOS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective:To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a combination of 10  mg ezetimibe and 20  mg simvastatin in Taiwanese patients with hypercholesterolemia.Research design and methods:A prospective, open-label, multi-center, hospital-based cohort study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a single tablet combination of ezetimibe/simvastatin for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Taiwanese adults without low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement, based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, were treated with ezetimibe/simvastatin once daily for 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients achieving LDL-C treatment goals after 6 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints included percentage change from baseline of LDL-C, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride. Safety and tolerability were assessed via clinical and laboratory examinations. The clinicaltrial.gov identifier of this study was NCT00654628.Results:In total, 173 patients with a mean age of 57.9  ±±  10.4 years were included. Of these, 57.8% were female and the average body mass index was 25.5  ±±  3.4  kg/m2. After 6 weeks of treatment, the great majority of the patients had reached their treatment goals (90.4% for LDL-C; 87% for TC; and 59% for TG). LDL-C levels were significantly reduced from 156.8  ±±  30.8  mg/dL at baseline to 75.9  ±±  25.4  mg/dL (51.4%, P  <  0.0001) after only 6 weeks of therapy. Forty-nine adverse events (AEs), including one non-drug related serious AE, were reported. For non-serious AEs, the most common reported AEs during the entire study period were myalgia and upper respiratory infection (both n  =  7). Nine patients dropped out of the study, reportedly due to AEs.Conclusions:A single tablet combination of 10  mg ezetimibe and 20  mg simvastatin in Taiwanese patients with hypercholesterolemia provided high LDL-C goal attainment rates and resulted in significant reductions in LDL-C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures, energetics, spectroscopies and stability of the doublet [Si, C, P, O] radical are explored at the density functional theory and ab initio levels. Eighteen isomers connected by 22 interconversion transition states are located at the DFT/B3LYP/6-311G(d) level. The structures of the kinetically stable isomers and the relevant transition states are further optimized at the QCISD/6-311G(d) level followed by CCSD(T)/6-311 + G(2df) single-point energy calculations. At the QCISD/6-311G(d) level, the lowest-lying isomer is the cyclic O-cCSiP 8 (0.0 kcal/mol) with considerable kinetic stability of 22.0 kcal/mol. In addition, two bent isomers OSiCP 1 (7.3 kcal/mol) and SiCPO 3 (34.7 kcal/mol) also possess considerable kinetic stability (more than 10.0 kcal/mol). As a result, three isomers 1, 3 and 8 are predicted to be possible candidates for future experimental and astrophysical detection. The bonding nature of the three isomers is analysed. The calculated results are compared with those of the analogous radical [Si, C, N, O]. Implications in the laboratory and interstellar space are also discussed. The predicted structures and spectroscopic properties are expected to be informative for the identification of [Si, C, P, O] in the laboratory and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various levels of calculations are carried out to explore the potential energy surfaces (PES) of singlet and triplet SiC3S, a molecule of potential interest in interstellar chemistry. At the DFT/B3LYP/6-311G(d) level, a total of 57 minimum isomers and 92 interconversion transition states are located. The structures of the most relevant isomers and transition states are further optimized at the QCISD/6-311G(d) level followed by CCSD(T)/6-311 + G(2df) single-point energy calculations. At the QCISD level, the lowest-lying isomer is the chain-like SiCCCS 31 (0.0 kcal/mol) with a great kinetic stability of 54.1 kcal/mol. In addition, ring isomers CC-cCSSi 19 (19.8 kcal/mol), S-cCCCSi 112 (30.4 kcal/mol), S-cCCSiC 118 (9.4 kcal/mol), S-cSiCCC 121 (34.4 kcal/mol) and cage-like isomer cage-SiSCCC 123 (51.8 kcal/mol) also possess considerable kinetic stability (more than 10.0 kcal/mol). As a result, these six isomers are predicted to be possible candidates for future experimental and astrophysical detection. The bond natures and possible formation pathways in interstellar space of the SiCCCS are discussed. The predicted structure and spectroscopic properties for it are expected to be informative for the identification of SiC3S and even larger SiCnS species either in laboratory or in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method has been proposed to fabricate liquid crystal vertical alignment films at low temperature. The crosslinking reaction of hexafluorobiphenol A dicinnamate ester took place under unpolarized ultraviolet light. The obtained films could induce vertical alignment for liquid crystals. UV-visible spectra and FTIR spectra revealed that photocrosslinking had occurred and that the degree of crosslinking was rather high. After the aligned film was cured at 120°C for half an hour, the obtained pretilt angles maintained about 90°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomerase RNA is an essential component of telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that maintains chromosome ends in most eukaryotes. Here we employ a novel approach, namely, RNA-guided RNA modification, to assess whether introducing 2′-O methylation into telomerase RNA can influence telomerase activity in vivo. We generate specific 2′-O methylation sites in and adjacent to the triple helix (within the conserved pseudoknot structure) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomerase RNA (TLC1). We show that 2′-O methylation at U809 reduces telomerase activity, resulting in telomere shortening, whereas 2′-O methylation at A804 or A805 leads to moderate telomere lengthening. Importantly, we also show that targeted 2′-O methylation does not affect TLC1 levels and that 2′-O-methylated TLC1 appears to be efficiently assembled into telomerase ribonucleoprotein. Our results demonstrate that RNA-guided RNA modification is a highly useful approach for modulating telomerase activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polypyrimidine tract near the 3′ splice site is important for pre-mRNA splicing. Using pseudouridine incorporation and in vivo RNA-guided RNA pseudouridylation, we have identified two important uridines in the polypyrimidine tract of adenovirus pre-mRNA. Conversion of either uridine into pseudouridine leads to a splicing defect in Xenopus oocytes. Using a variety of molecular biology methodologies, we show that the splicing defect is due to the failure of U2AF65 to recognize the pseudouridylated polypyrimidine tract. This negative impact on splicing is pseudouridine specific, as no effect is observed when the uridine is changed to other naturally occurring nucleotides. Given that pseudouridine favors a C-3′-endo structure, our results suggest that it is backbone flexibility that is key to U2AF binding. Indeed, locking the key uridine in the C-3′-endo configuration while maintaining its uridine identity blocks U2AF65 binding and splicing. This pseudouridine effect can also be applied to other pre-mRNA polypyrimidine tracts. Thus, our work demonstrates that in vivo binding of U2AF65 to a polypyrimidine tract requires a flexible RNA backbone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]