Search

Coordinated control of pollution and carbon reduction is an imperative choice for China’s overall transition towards sustainability. However, China’s environmental policies often treat pollutants and CO2 separately, potentially resulting in imbalanced pollution and carbon reduction. Since several cities are not only critical cities for the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP) policy but also pilot cities for the Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), this study aims to examine the extent to which the policy coordination of APPCAP and ETS can influence air pollutants and CO2 emissions. Using panel data from 2011 to 2019 for China’s 231 prefecture cities, we compare the pollution and carbon reduction effects of separate and coordinated policy implementation of APPCAP and ETS via the difference-in-differences (DID) model and the causal forest model. Research shows that (1) the policy coordination of APPCAP and ETS has significantly reduced both air pollutants and CO2 emissions in dual-policy pilot cities. For non-dual pilot cities, the separate implementation of APPCAP or ETS only exerts significant unilateral effects. (2) Enhancing government supervision, weakening the relationship between government and enterprises, and raising enterprises’ green innovation capabilities are the main mechanisms through which policy coordination can significantly influence pollution and carbon reduction. (3) The combined implementation impacts of APPCAP and ETS are more evident in pollution-intensive cities and cities with weak carbon-peaking trends. Our research inspires the development of a collaborative system of pollution reduction and carbon reduction policies.

Recent exploration has revealed that the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation 32 Submember (T2l32) in the Sichuan Basin contains unconventional marl reservoirs with significant natural gas potential. Due to limited cores, old wells, and conventional logs, however, the lithological understanding of T2l32 is incomplete and relies solely on inaccurate mud logs. This lack of lithological foundation challenges geology and petroleum research. To identify complex lithology, this paper presents a double-hierarchical workflow to identify seven types of lithology using logs. The first order distinguishes salt, anhydrite, and marl, while the second order further subdivides marl into anhydrite marl, argillaceous limestone, shaly limestone, and limy shale. Different rocks’ logging response characteristics are summarized based on quantity-limited cores and micro-resistivity imaging logs. Lithological identification of 2D and 3D plots is established using sensitive GR, DEN, and RT. Corresponding identification standards are built in two hierarchies. According to these standards, the lithology of T2l32 is identified in a total of 119 wells. Finally, the lithological characteristics of vertical, horizontal, and plane are discussed in the research area. The research results may aid in comprehending the entire lithological characteristics of the complex marl reservoir in T2l32 of the Sichuan Basin. It would help the exploration potential of petroleum systems in turn.

Enhancing the sensory appeal of jasmine instant tea, particularly its aroma, poses a significant challenge due to the loss of volatile organic compounds during conventional processing. This study introduces a novel approach to address this issue through the application of microencapsulation techniques, aimed at preserving these key aromatic elements. Our investigation focused on the encapsulating agents gelatin, acacia gum, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and maltodextrin, chosen for their compatibility with the volatile organic compounds of tea. A statistical analysis was conducted on the analytical results through comprehensive analytical techniques like Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA), and Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) analysis for microcapsule characterization. The statistical analysis revealed gelatin to be a particularly effective encapsulating medium, preserving an aroma profile more akin to fresh tea. The statistical analysis confirmed the reliability of these findings, highlighting the potential of microencapsulation in refining the quality of jasmine instant tea products. The results of this research suggest that microencapsulation could be instrumental in improving the sensory quality and shelf life of instant tea products, offering new opportunities for product enhancement in the beverage industry.

Abstract Purpose Coral degradation is a worldwide ecological problem. Bacterial diseases are a great danger to coral health. The pathogenic bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus XSBZ14 isolated from diseased coral had been identified as the pathogenic bacterium of Porites andrewsi White syndrome (PAWS) in Xisha Archipelago on transmission experiment. To date, the molecular mechanism by which this pathogen causes disease is unknown, and molecular diagnostics for diseases caused by this bacterium have not been developed. In an effort to restore damaged coral ecosystems in the South China Sea, efforts are underway to transplant flat-branch shore corals. There is therefore an urgent need to further develop specific and rapid detection methods for V. alginolyticus XSBZ14 in order to prevent this epidemic and ensure the successful implementation of compilation transplants. Methods At first, a low sequence identity single-copy sequence S2 was selected from the genome by in-house Perl script. Using the designed specific primers, four different types of standard curves were subsequently plotted for the accurate quantification of the strain XSBZ14 in four different samples (DNA, bacterial suspension, coral tissue, seawater). Then, use the strain to infect the Galaxea fascicularis and test the strain in the coral culture water during the week. Results The rapid detection method of pathogenic bacteria by RT-PCR was established. The limit of detection (LOD) of the RT-PCR was 0.88 pg/reaction (0.44 pg/μL) in DNA, 2 CFU/reaction (1000 CFU/mL) in bacterial suspension, 2 CFU/reaction in coral tissue, and 20 CFU/reaction in seawater for the strain XSBZ14, respectively. In addition, according to the detection results of the RT-PCR, the strain XSBZ14 could survive in Galaxea fascicularis for a week, and the strain could also be detected from its reared seawater. Conclusion These results indicated that the RT-PCR detection method of a coral pathogenic strain XSBZ14 was established. The method is a robust tool for the rapid detection and quantification of the coral pathogen, XSBZ14, and is very useful for PAWS epidemiological survey and specific pathogen-free coral transplantation in the South China Sea. And other coral species and their habitats might act as an important reservoir for the strain XSBZ14 and mediated its horizontal transmission in coral reefs.

Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), the effects of Sm substitution, wheel speed, and annealing temperature on the phase formation and magnetic properties of (Y1−xSmx)Co5 (x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) melt-spun ribbons were investigated. The results indicate the following: (1) With the increase in Sm substitution, it was found that (Y1−xSmx)Co5 ribbons are entirely composed of the (Y-Sm)Co5 phase with a CaCu5-type structure. Additionally, the coercivity gradually increases, while the remanence and saturation magnetization gradually decrease. (2) As the wheel speed increases, the (Y1−xSmx)Co5 ribbons exhibit an increasing proportion of (Y-Sm)Co5 phase until reaching a speed of 40 m/s, where they are entirely composed of the (Y-Sm)Co5 phase. Magnetic measurements show that the coercivity (Hcj) and remanence (Br) of (Y0.5Sm0.5)Co5 ribbons increase gradually with increasing wheel speed, while saturation magnetization decreases. The variation in magnetic properties is mainly attributed to the formation of nucleation centers for reversed magnetic domain (2:7 and 2:17 phases); (3) (Y0.5Sm0.5)Co5 ribbons are composed of the (Y-Sm)Co5 phase and a small amount of the Sm2Co7 phase after annealing at 550 °C, 600 °C, and 650 °C. Temperature elevation promotes crystallization of the amorphous phase, resulting in a gradual decrease in coercivity, while the remanence and saturation magnetization exhibit an overall increasing trend. Through continuous optimization of the process, favorable magnetic properties were achieved under the conditions of a 0.5 Sm substitution level, a wheel speed of 40 m/s, and an annealing temperature of 550 °C, with a coercivity of 7.98 kOe, remanence of 444 kA/m, and saturation magnetization of 508 kA/m.

Due to the similar chemical structures and physicochemical properties, it is challenging to distinguish dextran, maltodextrin, and soluble starch from the polysaccharide products of plant origin, such as Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs). Using the first-order derivatives of Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, wave range 1800–400 cm−1), this study proposed a two-step pipeline to identify dextran, maltodextrin, and soluble starch from adulterated LBPs samples qualitatively and quantitatively. We applied principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the dimensionality of FTIR features. For the qualitative step, a set of machine learning models, including logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes, and partial least squares (PLS), were used to classify the adulterants. For the quantitative step, linear regression, LASSO, random forest, and PLS were used to predict the concentration of LBPs adulterants. The results showed that logistic regression and SVM are suitable for classifying adulterants, and random forests is superior for predicting adulterant concentrations. This would be the first attempt to discriminate the adulterants from the polysaccharide's product of plant origin. The proposed two-step methods can be easily extended to other applications for the quantitative and qualitative detection of samples from adulterants with similar chemical structures.

Recovery of acute insulin response (AIR) is shown to be associated with long-term outcomes of patients with early type 2 diabetes treated with short-term intensive insulin therapy (SIIT). However, the complexity of measuring an AIR limits its utility in a real-world clinical setting. The aim of the study was to assess fasting indicators that may estimate recovery of the AIR after SIIT. We enrolled 62 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) of varying disease duration who had poor glycemic control. Participants were treated with SIIT using insulin pumps to achieve near normoglycemia for 7 days. The AIR before and after the therapy were measured by intravenous glucose tolerance tests. After the therapy, AIR increased from −16.7 (−117.4, 52.4) pmol/L·min to 178.7 (31.8, 390.7) pmol/L·min (P 10 mmol/L, while both AIR (R=−0.53, P

Meme, as defined in Dawkins' 1976 book 'The Selfish Gene', is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture". Internet meme is an extension of meme, with the defining characteristic being its spread via Internet. While online communities of all cultures generate their own memes, owing to the colossal amount of content in English and the long & widespread adoption of Internet across all strata of society in English-speaking countries, the vast majority of high-impact and well-documented memes have their origin in English-speaking communities. In addition to their spread in the original culture sphere, some of these prominent memes have also crossed the cultural boundaries and entered the parlance of Chinese Internet communities. This paper seeks to give a brief introduction to Internet memes in general, and explore the factors that control and/or facilitate a meme's ability to enter Chinese communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Rhizomes from Dioscorea collettii are extensively used in traditional medicine for the treatment of arthritic diseases, particularly gouty arthritis (GA). This study aims to investigate whether the total saponin of Dioscorea collettii (TSD) can attenuate monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammatory effects by suppressing the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. Methods. Seventy-two male Wistar rats and THP-1 cells were used in this study. Pathological examination was used to examine the ankle joints of rats. The expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB, MyD88, and IL-1β were detected by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, or immunofluorescence. Results. Compared with those in the normal group, the ankle joints of rats in the model group exhibited significant swelling, synovial tissue hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, and increased expression of IL-1β protein. The joint swelling degree of rats in the TSD high- and medium-dose groups and the colchicine group was significantly decreased, and the histopathology was obviously improved. TSD and colchicine reduced the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in synovial fluid. They also decreased the mRNA expression of TLR4, NF-κB, and IL-1β in rat joint synovial tissue and the protein expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB. NF-κB protein expression in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of THP-1 cells showed the opposite trend. Furthermore, immunofluorescence showed that TSD reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65 in the model group. Conclusion. TSD exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect in the MSU-induced inflammation model, and the mechanism may be to reduce the production of cytokines by inhibiting the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]