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Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which can affect individuals of all age groups, but infants and older individuals are particularly vulnerable. Sudden epileptic attacks can pose significant risks and be life-threatening, impacting the overall quality of life of affected individuals. With the progress made in medical science, Electroencephalography (EEG) has emerged as a valuable tool for diagnosing and predicting seizure occurrences. The availability of wearable EEG devices, including caps and helmets, has become increasingly prominent in the market. As a result, there has been a recent surge in the development of deep learning-based systems. These systems are helpful for diagnosis in hospital settings and for mobile applications that provide timely warnings and predictions regarding seizure onset. Most of the existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) approaches focus on distinguishing between healthy and epileptic patients. Some studies categorize individuals into three classes: healthy, experiencing the onset of a seizure, or currently having a seizure, specifically focusing on mobile applications. However, limited literature is available on the five-class problem, which is valuable for localization and diagnosis in hospitals and mobile applications. In this regard, we propose our novel model, named EpilConNet, and conduct extensive experiments on a real-world dataset to demonstrate its efficacy in all modes of classification. EpilConNet results in a significant increase of 4% in accuracy in five-class classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding emotional intelligence and developing measuring tools to assess its impact on performance have increasingly become the subject of research in several fields. This research aimed to develop, validate, and calculate the reliability of the faith-based emotional intelligence instrument (FBEII), an instrument to measure emotional intelligence in an ecclesiastical setting. The instrument was applied to members of a Christian denomination in the form of two pilots and a third and final application. The first application (n = 362; Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin [KMO] = 0.960) reduced items from thirty-five to twenty-eight. These items did not correlate with the expected five dimensions (self-awareness, self-regulation, selfmotivation, empathy, and social skills). Three items were eliminated in the second application (n = 101; KMO = 0.894), and the remaining items were aligned into two factors, self-management and social management. The final application was to a sample (n = 202; 58% women and 42% men) from various regions of Mexico. An exploratory factorial analysis was performed using the unweighted least squares extraction method with a Promax rotation yielding the following results: KMO = 0.923; Cronbach’s α = 0.944; McDonald’s ω = 0.945; and 45.6 percent of the common variance, explained by the two dimensions of self-management (25.3%) and social management (20.3%). Given these results, FBEII, with its twenty-five items, has the psychometric characteristics necessary to be considered a valid and reliable resource for measuring emotional intelligence in an ecclesiastical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inside cover image, by Yuying Hu et al., is based on the Full Article Influence of ethylene and ethephon treatments on the peel color and carotenoids of Gannan Newhall navel orange during postharvest storage, DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.12534. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gannan Newhall navel orange was treated by ethylene and ethephon separately. The color of Gannan Newhall navel orange peel was influenced significantly by ethylene and ethephon treatments. During postharvest storage, the ratio of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the peel reduced which led the peel color changing from green to yellow when treated by ethephon and to orange‐red when treated by ethylene. Results of the CIELAB chroma system evaluation were consistent with sensory evaluation. Ethylene and ethephon treatments decreased β‐carotene and lutein contents and increased β‐cryptoxanthin content largely (converted β‐carotene to β‐cryptoxanthin) in citrus peel. Besides, ethylene and ethephon treatments could convert yellow violaxanthin to neoxanthin or zeaxanthin. In ethylene treatment, its peel color changing to orange‐red due to β‐cryptoxanthin converted to β‐citraurin, which made Gannan Newhall navel orange exhibited the welcomed color (orange‐red). It was desirable for citrus postharvest process. Practical applications: The color of citrus fruit has become an important factor affecting fresh fruit price and market competitiveness. Studies have shown that citrus peel color is mainly affected by the content and proportion of chlorophylls and carotenoids. This study is aimed to illustrate the transformation of carotenoids and the mechanism of regulation of ethylene on the navel orange peel changing from green to orange‐red. The results of this research could provide scientific supports for citrus's atmosphere controlled storage, which could produce added value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Materials Chemistry B, which focuses on materials for biology and medicine. The journal includes reviews, perspectives, and papers on various topics such as light-triggered cancer immunotherapy, biomedical applications of HKUST-1, and the use of zirconium-based frameworks in theranostic and bio-imaging applications. It also covers topics like enzymatic micro/nanomotors in biomedicine, trends in bioactivity, and the development of bioactive hydrogels for biomedical applications. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry and aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences. [Extracted from the article]

Based on the Hodgkin–Huxley theory, this paper establishes several nonlinear system models, analyzes the models' stability, and studies the conditions for repetitive discharge of neuronal membrane potential. Our dynamic analysis showed that the main channel currents (the fast transient sodium current, the potassium delayed rectifier current, and the fixed leak current) of a neuron determine its dynamic properties and that the GHK formula will greatly widen the stimulation current range of the repetitive discharge condition compared with the Nernst equation. The model including the change in ion concentration will lead to spreading depression (SD)-like depolarization, and the inclusion of a Na-K pump will weaken the current stimulation effect by decreasing the extracellular K accumulation. The results indicate that the Hodgkin–Huxley model is suitable for describing the response to initial stimuli, but due to changes in ion concentration, it is not suitable for describing the response to long-term stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doping with oxygen and nitrogen in graphite felt (GF) is critical for enhancing the activity of the electrode material in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB). In this paper, we present a combined approach that utilizes Fe etching and nitrogen functionalization by means of K2FeO4 and NH3 to modify the surface structure of graphite fibers. The results show that the innovative approach enhances the disordered structure of the surface carbon of GF and substantially improves the oxygen and nitrogen functionalized groups. This modified GF is completely hydrophilic, and its assembled electrode energy efficiency is 80.08% at a current density of 80 mA∙cm−2, compared with 69.87% for the pristine GF. The energy efficiency of the modified GF was maintained at 81.8% after 50 charge-discharge cycles. This can be attributed to the reduced internal resistance of these modified GF electrode as well as to the improved mass transport and charge redox exchange towards VO2+/VO2+ redox couple. The combined approach of Fe etching and nitrogen functionalization significantly enhances the electrochemical activity of the GF electrode. This improves the performance of the VRFB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a type of secondary metabolite with clinical application value. (S)-stylopine is a special BIA which contains methylenedioxy bridge structures. CYP719As could catalyze the methylenedioxy bridge-formation on the A or D rings of protoberberine alkaloids, while displaying significant substrate regiospecificity. To explore the substrate preference of CYP719As, we cloned and identified five CyCYP719A candidates from Corydalis yanhusuo. Two CyCYP719As (CyCYP719A39 and CyCYP719A42) with high catalytic efficiency for the methylenedioxy bridge-formation on the D or A rings were characterized, respectively. The residues (Leu 294 for CyCYP719A42 and Asp 289 for CyCYP719A39) were identified as the key to controlling the regioselectivity of CYP719As affecting the methylenedioxy bridge-formation on the A or D rings by homology modeling and mutation analysis. Furthermore, for de novo production of BIAs, CyCYP719A39, CyCYP719A42, and their mutants were introduced into the (S)-scoulerine-producing yeast to produce 32 mg/L (S)-stylopine. These results lay a foundation for understanding the structure-function relationship of CYP719A-mediated methylenedioxy bridge-formation and provide yeast strains for the BIAs production by synthetic biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-shield TBM is more efficient than shield tunnel construction in hard rock strata. It is widely used in subway tunnel construction, such as in Qingdao and Chongqing in China. However, construction vibration problems caused by double-shield TBM critically affect human comfort in surface buildings. In order to study the vibration influence law of double-shield TBM, the on-site monitoring plan of double-shield TBM is developed, relying on a tunnel section of Qingdao Metro Line 4. Then, the vibration monitoring results are analyzed, and the time domain and frequency domain characteristics of vibration acceleration are obtained. Subsequently, taking vibration peak acceleration as the research object, the transverse and longitudinal vibration laws of double-shield TBM construction are studied. Finally, according to the standard of human comfort in buildings, the vibration influence ranges of double-shield TBM construction are obtained. The research results can provide a reference for the vibration effect of double-shield TBM passing through houses, highways and bridges. Moreover, it can also provide a basis for the disputes that double-shield TBM tunnel construction affects the lives of inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of deposition of dust particles with sizes of large wavelengths of the photoactive part of solar radiation on solar batteries (SBs) is considered. Under the assumption that dust particles in the air do not collide and are deposited on the SB in one layer, formulas are obtained to determine the area of shading of the SB by dust particles in time. These dependences also take into account the size of dust particles, their concentration in air, the angle of incidence of sunlight and the angle of inclination of the SB to the horizon. It is shown that the shading area changes in time mainly linearly, but also has a nonlinear daytime component, which depends on the angle of incidence of sunlight on the SB. The influence of the angle of incidence of the rays on the shading is already noticeable at angles of more than 200. The formulas obtained make it possible to estimate the dynamics of shading of the SB by solid particles of dust and to estimate the frequency of its cleaning from dust (at a given power loss). So, even with standard levels of concentration of dust particles with dimensions of 2.5 and 10 microns and an admissible drop in power of the SB by 5%, the frequency of the SBs cleaning is only about 30 days. The results of the study show that when determining the optimal angle of inclination of the SB, it is necessary to take into account the dust factor. The obtained dependences can also be used to assess the dustiness of flat transparent enclosures of solar installations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, is an important aquaculture species in China. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of growth regulation may contribute to its genetic improvement and lead to increases in the production. Growth rate in this species varies greatly among individuals, and the variation apparently has a genetic basis. To identify growth‐related genes and explore the molecular mechanism of its growth regulation, fast‐growing and slow‐growing turtles were selected from two growth stages, juveniles or adults, respectively, for transcriptome sequencing with liver tissue using the Illumina sequencing platform. Analyses showed that, in juveniles, 303 genes were differentially expressed, of which 217 genes were expressed at higher levels in the fast‐growing turtles. In adults, 1,093 genes were differentially expressed, of which 682 genes were expressed at higher levels in the fast‐growing turtles. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identifies three functional groups being significantly enriched in juveniles, but 71 functional groups in adults. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of DEGs in juveniles identified only one pathway being significantly enriched, the proxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, while eight pathways mostly related to fatty acid metabolism were identified in adults. These findings suggest that regulation of growth is more complicated and involves more genes and pathways in adults compared with juveniles, and metabolic or metabolic‐related genes may relate to the growth difference of P. sinensis. Some key genes related to growth were identified from another six growth‐related signaling pathways, and DEGs in GH‐IGF 1 axis genes and Jak–STAT signaling pathway might play important roles in the growth difference of P. sinensis. In addition, 73 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 23 growth‐related genes were successfully genotyped. Growth association analysis in 280 individuals revealed that 2 SNPs in 2 key genes (IGF2R and SLC27A2) were associated with growth of P. sinensis. This study provides information on key genes, SNPs, and biological processes that may be involved in growth and highlights the differentiation of growth regulation in different growth stages of P. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of urbanization has had a dramatic impact on the economy, society and environment in China. In this context, the coordination relationship between population urbanization and land urbanization is essential for achieving sustainable urbanization. Based on the statistical data from 2007–2017 in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB), this paper established the multi-dimensional coordination evaluation (MDCE) model by using the speed coordination evaluation (SCE) model, the level consistency evaluation (LCE) model, the entropy method and the space matching evaluation (SME) model to evaluate the coordination relationship between population urbanization and land urbanization from the speed-level-space perspective. The results showed that from 2007 to 2017: 1) the development speed of population urbanization and land urbanization in the YEB were more and more coordinated, and the speed of population urbanization lagged behind that of land urbanization. In addition, the overall development speed of the 11 provinces declined, and most of them were characterized by excessive development of land urbanization. 2) the development level of population urbanization and land urbanization in the YEB were all high, but the development level of population urbanization was lower than that of land urbanization. Further, the development level of the 11 provinces remained stable and high, and continuously improved. 3) the space matching of population urbanization and land urbanization in the YEB had a high degree of coordination, and the space matching degree of population urbanization was higher than that of land urbanization. Moreover, the space matching of most provinces in the region had declined, but the change was small. Finally, this paper proposes the policy recommendations on the coordinated development of population and land urbanization at the institutional, market and management levels to achieve coordinated and sustainable urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand the emotional intelligence level (EI) and negative emotional status of the front‐line nurses in the epidemic situation and to further explore the relationship between them. Background: During the COVID‐19 epidemic, under the influence of multiple factors, nurses were vulnerable to negative emotions. While previous studies have explored, the role of emotional intelligence in negative emotions, the relationship between the two has not been sufficiently discussed in the context of COVID‐19. Design: The study carried out a cross‐sectional survey. The STROBE was selected as the checklist in this study. Methods: 202 nurses from Wuhan makeshift hospital participated in the questionnaire survey. Data collection tools included a general data questionnaire designed by the researchers, Chinese version of EI scale (WLEIS‐C) and Chinese version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS‐21). Descriptive statistics, single factor analysis and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data. Results: The emotional intelligence of the front‐line nurses was in the upper middle range. Among the negative emotions, anxiety was the most prominent symptom. Conclusions: Managers should pay attention to the negative emotional problems of front‐line nurses, improve their EI level and promote mental health and the progress of epidemic prevention. Relevance to clinical practice: Improving the level of emotional intelligence can reduce the frequency and intensity of negative emotions. In clinical work, emotional intelligence can be used as a skill to carry out relevant training, which is conducive to playing a positive role in future emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal treatment is a widely applied food processing technology in the meat industry due to its convenience. However, the interpretation of the changes in the bacterial community and quality properties in the thermal processed meat products have not been well established. Therefore, the effects of thermal treatment on the quality characteristics and bacterial communities in meatballs during storage at 4°C were investigated, which will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the influence of thermal treatment on the meat quality. Thermal treatment (121°C, 15 min) decreased the initial total viable bacterial counts by 2.1 log CFU/g and the diversity of the initial bacterial communities in meatballs. Compared with the thermal treatment group, a significantly more rapidly increasing trend of total volatile basic nitrogen and a decreasing trend of pH were observed in the control group. At the end of storage, the bacterial community was dominated by Streptococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas in the thermal treatment meatballs, whereas Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and Serratia. dominated the bacterial community of the control group. Besides, the predicted metabolic pathways revealed high levels of carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism in the control group. This finding could contribute to a deep understanding of the influence of thermal treatment on the meat quality. Moreover, these results could provide a theoretical foundation for the development of alternative and novel nonthermal processing technologies for use in the meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins have been widely used over the past decades for many different insect pests, which are safe for users and the environment. The coleopteran-specific Cry3Aa toxin from B. thuringiensis exhibits toxicity to the larvae of Monochamus alternatus. Receptors play a key role in the mechanisms underlying the toxic action of Cry. However, the binding receptor for Cry3Aa has yet to be identified in the midgut of M. alternatus larvae. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the receptor for Cry3Aa toxin in the brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) of M. alternatus larvae. Our results indicate that the Cry3Aa toxin binds to the BBMVs (Kd = 247 nM) of M. alternatus via a 107 kDa aminopeptidase N (APN) (Kd = 57 nM). In silico analysis of the APN protein predicted that an 18 amino acid sequence in the N-terminal acted as a signal peptide, and that the Asn residue, located at position 918 in the C-terminus is an anchored site for glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol. Further analysis showed that M. alternatus APN exhibits 75% homology to the APN from Anoplophora glabripenis. Our work, therefore, confirmed that APN, which is localized in the BBMVs in the midgut of M. alternatus larvae, acts as a binding protein for Cry3Aa toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correlative scanning probe microscopy of chemical identity, surface potential, and mechanical properties provide insight into the structure–function relationships of nanomaterials. However, simultaneous measurement with comparable and high resolution is a challenge. We seamlessly integrated nanoscale photothermal infrared imaging with Coulomb force detection to form peak force infrared–Kelvin probe force microscopy (PFIR‐KPFM), which enables simultaneous nanomapping of infrared absorption, surface potential, and mechanical properties with approximately 10 nm spatial resolution in a single‐pass scan. MAPbBr3 perovskite crystals of different degradation pathways were studied in situ. Nanoscale charge accumulations were observed in MAPbBr3 near the boundary to PbBr2. PFIR‐KPFM also revealed correlations between residual charges and secondary conformation in amyloid fibrils. PFIR‐KPFM is applicable to other heterogeneous materials at the nanoscale for correlative multimodal characterizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decode the pilot's behavioral awareness, an experiment is designed to use an aircraft simulator obtaining the pilot's physiological behavior data. Existing pilot behavior studies such as behavior modeling methods based on domain experts and behavior modeling methods based on knowledge discovery do not proceed from the characteristics of the pilots themselves. The experiment starts directly from the multimodal physiological characteristics to explore pilots' behavior. Electroencephalography, electrocardiogram, and eye movement were recorded simultaneously. Extracted multimodal features of ground missions, air missions, and cruise mission were trained to generate support vector machine behavior model based on supervised learning. The results showed that different behaviors affects different multiple rhythm features, which are power spectra of the 𝜃 waves of EEG, standard deviation of normal to normal, root mean square of standard deviation and average gaze duration. The different physiological characteristics of the pilots could also be distinguished using an SVM model. Therefore, the multimodal physiological data can contribute to future research on the behavior activities of pilots. The result can be used to design and improve pilot training programs and automation interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen‐based sauce braised meat products with a unique flavor, chewiness, and springiness are very popular in China. In order to understand how the structure, thermal properties, and chemical components of collagen‐based tissues influence the texture characteristics of collagen‐based meat products during stewing, three kinds of tendon tissues (chicken feet tendon [CFT], sheep tendon [ST], and bovine tendon [BT]) and three kinds of skin tissues (chicken feet skin [CFS], sheep skin [SS], and porcine skin [PS]) were selected to heat for 45 min at 95 °C, and texture, thermal properties, micromorphology, ultrastructure, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, and collagen content were evaluated among the six kinds of collagen‐based tissues. Results showed that BT had the highest hardness, chewiness values, total collagen content, and the thickest fibers diameters, followed by ST, CFT, PS, and SS, whereas CFS had lowest values among six kinds of tissues. The thermal stability and GAG levels in tendon samples were higher than those in skin samples. Thicker diameters, higher thermal stability, GAG, and total collagen content could be responsible for the higher hardness and chewiness of tendon samples compared with skin tissues. These findings provide the understanding of relationship between meat quality of collagen‐based meat products and their morphological and chemical properties. Practical Application: This research confirms that the difference in texture of different kinds of collagen‐based tissues was related to the difference in structure and chemical properties. The result can be used to optimize the processing conditions of collagen‐based sauce braised meat products in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishment of the primordial follicle (PF) pool is pivotal for the female reproductive lifespan; however, the mechanism of primordial folliculogenesis is poorly understood. Here, the transcription factor SP1 was shown to be essential for PF formation in mice. Our results showed that SP1 is present in both oocytes and somatic cells during PF formation in the ovary. Knockdown of Sp1 expression, especially in pregranulosa cells, significantly suppressed nest breakdown, oocyte apoptosis, and PF formation, suggesting that SP1 expressed by somatic cells functions in the process of primordial folliculogenesis. We further demonstrated that SP1 governs the recruitment and maintenance of Forkhead box L2-positive (FOXL2+) pregranulosa cells using an Lgr5 -EGFP-IRES- Cre ERT2 (Lgr5 - KI) reporter mouse model and a FOXL2+ cell-specific knockdown model. At the molecular level, SP1 functioned mainly through manipulation of NOTCH2 expression by binding directly to the promoter of the Notch2 gene. Finally, consistent with the critical role of granulosa cells in follicle survival in vitro , massive loss of oocytes in Sp1 knockdown ovaries was evidenced before puberty after the ovaries were transplanted under the renal capsules. Conclusively, our results reveal that SP1 controls the establishment of the ovarian reserve by regulating pregranulosa cell development in the mammalian ovary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 1H NMR and multivariate data analysis were used to investigate the effect of coating incorporated with black pepper essential oil (CIBPEO) on the taste of Jinhua ham after 4 months of storage; four treatments of control check (CK), base formula coating (BC), BC + 0.05% BPEO, and BC + 0.1% BPEO were used for the coating of hams. Results showed that the metabonome was dominated by 23 metabolites, including amino acids, sugar, organic acids, alkaloids, nucleic aides and their derivatives, and others. BPEO decreased the intensity of sourness, sweetness, bitterness, aftertaste, and the relative nonvolatile taste metabolites compared to CK and BC; the decrease of intensity was not dependent on the BPEO contents. These findings demonstrated that CIBPEO could give a new taste balance to Jinhua ham and be beneficial to a group of people with a particular sensory preference, who are sensitive to undesirable sourness and bitterness, and prefer a light overall taste. Practical Application: The coating incorporated with black pepper essential oil during storage could give a new taste balance to Jinhua ham and be beneficial to a group of people with a particular sensory preference, who are sensitive to undesirable sourness and bitterness, and prefer a light overall taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly discovered Baogudi gold district is located in the southwestern Guizhou Province, China, where there are numerous Carlin-type gold deposits. To better understand the geological and geochemical characteristics of the Baogudi gold district, we carried out petrographic observations, elemental analyses, and fluid inclusion and isotopic composition studies. We also compared the results with those of typical Carlin-type gold deposits in southwestern Guizhou. Three mineralization stages, namely, the sedimentation diagenesis, hydrothermal (main-ore and late-ore substages), and supergene stages, were identified based on field and petrographic observations. The main-ore and late-ore stages correspond to Au and Sb mineralization, respectively, which are similar to typical Carlin-type mineralization. The mass transfer associated with alteration and mineralization shows that a significant amount of Au, As, Sb, Hg, Tl, Mo, and S were added to mineralized rocks during the main-ore stage. Remarkably, arsenic, Sb, and S were added to the mineralized rocks during the late-ore stage. Element migration indicates that the sulfidation process was responsible for ore formation. Four types of fluid inclusions were identified in ore-related quartz and fluorite. The main-ore stage fluids are characterized by an H2O–NaCl–CO2–CH4 ± N2 system, with medium to low temperatures (180–260 °C) and low salinity (0–9.08% NaCl equivalent). The late-ore stage fluids featured H2O–NaCl ± CO2 ± CH4, with low temperature (120–200 °C) and low salinity (0–7.48% NaCl equivalent). The temperature, salinity, and CO2 and CH4 concentrations of ore-forming fluids decreased from the main-ore stage to the late-ore stage. The calculated δ13C, δD, and δ18O values of the ore-forming fluids range from − 14.3 to − 7.0‰, −76 to −55.7‰, and 4.5–15.0‰, respectively. Late-ore-stage stibnite had δ34S values ranging from − 0.6 to 1.9‰. These stable isotopic compositions indicate that the ore-forming fluids originated mainly from deep magmatic hydrothermal fluids, with minor contributions from strata. Collectively, the Baogudi metallogenic district has geological and geochemical characteristics that are typical of Carlin-type gold deposits in southwest Guizhou. It is likely that the Baogudi gold district, together with other Carlin-type gold deposits in southwestern Guizhou, was formed in response to a single widespread metallogenic event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the automatic detection of epileptic seizures, the monitoring of critically ill patients with time varying EEG signals is an essential procedure in intensive care units. There is an increasing interest in using EEG analysis to detect seizure, and in this study we aim to get a better understanding of how to visualize the information in the EEG time-frequency feature, and design and train a novel random forest algorithm for EEG decoding, especially for multiple-levels of illness. Here, we propose an automatic detection framework for epileptic seizure based on multiple time-frequency analysis approaches; it involves a novel random forest model combined with grid search optimization. The short-time Fourier transformation visualizes seizure features after normalization. The dimensionality of features is reduced through principal component analysis before feeding them into the classification model. The training parameters are optimized using grid search optimization to improve detection performance and diagnostic accuracy by in the recognition of three different levels epileptic of conditions (healthy subjects, seizure-free intervals, seizure activity). Our proposed model was used to classify 500 samples of raw EEG data, and multiple cross-validations were adopted to boost the modeling accuracy. Experimental results were evaluated by an accuracy, a confusion matrix, a receiver operating characteristic curve, and an area under the curve. The evaluations indicated that our model achieved the more effective classification than some previous typical methods. Such a scheme for computer-assisted clinical diagnosis of seizures has a potential guiding significance, which not only relieves the suffering of patient with epilepsy to improve quality of life, but also helps neurologists reduce their workload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology of brain-computer interface (BCI) provides a new way of communication and control without language or physical action. Brain signal tracking and positioning is the basis of BCI research, while brain modeling affects the treatment analysis of (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) directly. This paper proposes human ellipsoid brain modeling method. Then, we use non-parametric spectral estimation method of time-frequency analysis to deal with simulation and real EEG of epilepsy patients, which utilizes both the high spatial and the high time resolution to improve the doctor's diagnostic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study assessed the influence of stewing (1, 2 or 3 h) on the texture, ultrastructure and in vitro digestibility of meat from the yellow‐feathered chicken, which is a popular broiler chicken in Asia. Results indicated that longer stewing considerably increased cooking loss of the chicken carcass and tenderness of thigh meat. After 3 h of stewing, protein digestibility decreased from 90.5% to 80.3% and fiber diameter decreased by 8.63 μm. The shear force value of breast meat decreased from 32.34 N at 1 h to 10.29 N at 2 h, and then increased to 39.98 N at 3 h. The texture profile of breast meat remarkably decreased during stewing. Moreover, increased stewing time induced longitudinal and transversal shrinkage of muscle fibers and the degradation of the myosin heavy chain. These findings suggested that prolonged stewing (3 h) resulted in decreased meat qualities, based on the changes in cooking loss, digestibility and texture profile, but that stewing for 2 h increased thigh and breast tenderness. Producers could utilize this information to stew yellow‐feathered chicken meat with desirable qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-scaled materials have been proved to be ideal DNA carriers for transgene. Bacterial magnetic particles (BMPs) help to reduce the toxicity of polyethylenimine (PEI), an efficient gene-transferring agent, and assist tissue transgeneex vivo. Here, the effectiveness of the BMP-PEI complex-conjugated foreign DNAs (BPDs) in promoting testes-mediated gene transfer (TMGT) in mouse was compared with that of liposome-conjugated foreign DNAs. The results proved that through testes injection, the clusters of BPDs successfully reached the cytoplasm and the nuclear of spermatogenesis cell, and expressed in testes of transgene founder mice. Additionally, the ratio of founder mice obtained from BPDs (88%) is about 3 times higher than the control (25%) (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the motility of sperms recovered from epididymis of the founder mice from BPD group were significantly improved, as compared with the control (p < 0.01). Based on classic breeding, the ratio of transgene mice within the first filial was significantly higher in BPDs compared with the control (73.8% versus 11.6%,p < 0.05). TMGT in this study did not produce visible histological changes in the testis. In conclusion, nano-scaled BPDs could be an alternative strategy for efficiently producing transgene micein vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple aircraft surface ice detection system is proposed based on multi-wavelength imaging. Its feasibility is proved by the experimental results. The influence of color coatings of aircraft surface is investigated. The results show that the ice area can be clearly distinguished from the red, white, gray and blue coatings painted aluminum plates. Due to the strong absorption, not enough signals can be detected for the black coatings. Thus, a deep research is needed. Even though, the results of this paper are helpful to the development of aircraft surface ice detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to elucidate the effects of different concentrations of dietary selenium on calcium ion release, MLCK levels, and muscle contraction in the uterine smooth muscle of rats. The selenium (Se) content of blood and of uterine smooth muscle tissues was detected by fluorescence spectrophotometry. Ca content was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Calmodulin (CaM) and MLCK RNA and protein levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Dietary Se intake increased the Se levels in the blood and in uterine smooth muscle tissues and increased the Ca concentration in uterine smooth muscle tissues. The addition of Se also promoted CaM expression and enhanced MLCK activation in uterine smooth muscle tissues. In conclusion, Ca, CaM, and MLCK were regulated by Se in uterine smooth muscle; Se plays a major role in regulating smooth muscle contraction in the uterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to measure the effect of copper supplementation on TGF-β gene expression in chondrocytes of newborn pigs. Chondrocytes were cultured in media containing 15% fetal calf serum supplemented with 0, 15.6, 31.2, and 62.5 μmol/L copper in 90-mm culture plate. Total RNA was isolated from chondrocytes, and TGF-β cDNA was synthesized, amplified, and sequenced. The expression level of TGF-β was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that the sequence of the cloned TGF-β gene was 99.4% identical to that in GenBank. The expression of TGF-β increased in culture media added with final concentration of 15.6, 31.2, and 62.5 μmol/L copper. In this study, the optimal copper concentration and optimal culture time for the highest level of TGF-β expression were 31.2 μmol/L and 48 h, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stretch-activated (SA) Cl− channel in the plasma membrane of the human mast cell line HMC-1 was identified in outside-out patch-clamp experiments. SA currents, induced by pressure applied to the pipette, exhibited voltage dependence with strong outward rectification (55.1 pS at +100 mV and an about tenfold lower conductance at −100 mV). The probability of the SA channel being open ( Po) also showed steep outward rectification and pressure dependence. The open-time distribution was fitted with three components with time constants of τ1o = 755.1 ms, τ2o = 166.4 ms, and τ3o = 16.5 ms at +60 mV. The closed-time distribution also required three components with time constants of τ1c = 661.6 ms, τ2c = 253.2 ms, and τ3c = 5.6 ms at +60 mV. Lowering extracellular Cl− concentration reduced the conductance, shifted the reversal potential toward chloride reversal potential, and decreased the Po at positive potentials. The SA Cl− currents were reversibly blocked by the chloride channel blocker 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DIDS) but not by ( Z)-1-( p-dimethylaminoethoxyphenyl)-1,2-diphenyl-1-butene (tamoxifen). Furthermore, in HMC-1 cells swelling due to osmotic stress, DIDS could inhibit the increase in intracellular [Ca2+] and degranulation. We conclude that in the HMC-1 cell line, the SA outward currents are mediated by Cl− influx. The SA Cl− channel might contribute to mast cell degranulation caused by mechanical stimuli or accelerate membrane fusion during the degranulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the foundation for almost all electronic products, the printed circuit board (PCB) recycling issue has received much attention from the government, enterprises, and communities. In order to develop environmentally friendly recycling processes of PCB, the advantages and disadvantages of the existing PCB recycling process are analyzed first. Aimed to the disadvantages of the existing recycling processes, the physical recycling process is selected and improved as the solution to PCB recycling. In the improved process, a spray water process is superimposed on the shredding and smashing process and the industrial dust and irritant odor can be eliminated effectively. In order to reduce the noise impacts, the equipments are insulated within a cabin mounted sound-absorbing materials and it makes operators expose the noise under 80 dB(A). In the end, the environmental impacts of the improved PCB recycling process are assessed from the aspects of resources consumption, wastewater, and damages to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important trunk borer of pine trees and a major vector of pine wilt disease. Although chemicals are widely used in forest pest control, new strategies based on insect biology are offering promising approaches to manage the disease. Although there have been important research advances in this respect, there has not yet been a deep sequence analysis of M. alternatus describing the transcriptome, and no information is available about the gene function of this insect vector. We used next generation sequencing technology to provide a full transcriptome from the four larval instars of M. alternatus and successfully built an M. alternatus transcriptome database. In total, 67,456 unigenes were obtained with trinity software, information for 11,858 classified unigenes was obtained with the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) database, and 13,007 unigenes matched predicted pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). In addition, genes related to lignocellulose, and putative Bt receptors and genes related to digestion are described. Additionally, the differential gene expression of these genes in different larval stages was analyzed. This study provides valuable information to underpin the development of new molecular tools for M. alternatus control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota of insects has a wide range of effects on host nutrition, physiology, and behavior. The structure of gut microbiota may also be shaped by their environment, causing them to adjust to their hosts; thus, the objective of this study was to examine variations in the morphological traits and gut microbiota of Lymantria xylina in response to natural and artificial diets using high-throughput sequencing. Regarding morphology, the head widths for larvae fed on a sterilized artificial diet were smaller than for larvae fed on a non-sterilized host-plant diet in the early instars. The gut microbiota diversity of L. xylina fed on different diets varied significantly, but did not change during different development periods. This seemed to indicate that vertical inheritance occurred in L. xylina mutualistic symbionts. Acinetobacter and Enterococcus were dominant in/on eggs. In the first instar larvae, Acinetobacter accounted for 33.52% of the sterilized artificial diet treatment, while Enterococcus (67.88%) was the predominant bacteria for the non-sterilized host-plant diet treatment. Gut microbe structures were adapted to both diets through vertical inheritance and self-regulation. This study clarified the impacts of microbial symbiosis on L. xylina and might provide new possibilities for improving the control of these bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic recognition methods for non-stationary electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected from EEG sensors play an essential role in neurological detection. The integrated approaches proposed in this study consist of Symlet wavelet processing, a gradient boosting machine, and a grid search optimizer for a three-class classification scheme for normal subjects, intermittent epilepsy, and continuous epilepsy. Fourth-order Symlet wavelets are adopted to decompose the EEG data into five frequencies sub-bands, such as gamma, beta, alpha, theta, and delta, whose statistical features were computed and used as classification features. The grid search optimizer is used to automatically find the optimal parameters for training the classifier. The classification accuracy of the gradient boosting machine was compared with that of a conventional support vector machine and a random forest classifier constructed according to previous descriptions. Multiple performance indices were used to evaluate the proposed classification scheme, which provided better classification accuracy and detection effectiveness than has been recently reported in other studies on three-class classification of EEG data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]