Search

This article aims to conduct a comprehensive study employing bibliometric and social network analysis to explore scholarly publications in artificial intelligence (AI). A co-authorship network analysis of countries/regions and institutions, a thematic analysis based on the co-occurrence of keywords, and a Spearman rank correlation test of social network analysis are conducted using VOSviewer and SPSS, respectively. According to the research power analysis, the United States and China are the most significant contributors to the relevant publications and hold dominant positions in the co-authorship network. Universities play a crucial role in promoting and carrying out relevant research. AI has been increasingly applied to address new problems and challenges in various fields in recent years. The Spearman rank correlation analysis indicates that research performance in AI is significantly and positively correlated with social network indicators. This article reveals a systematic picture of the research landscape of AI, which can provide a potential guide for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the conference papers published by double first‐class universities from mainland China between 2006 and 2019. The main findings are as follows: first, the number of conference papers from different double first‐class universities varied greatly, with the annual numbers of papers in the China Proceedings of Conferences Full‐text Database (CPCD) and in the Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI) fluctuating during this period. Second, most of the top 10 disciplines of the papers in the CPCD and CPCI were in the natural sciences, with only two in the social sciences. The CPCD papers and CPCI papers had some overlap in their disciplinary distributions. Third, the CPCD and CPCI papers differed little in total number, with the number of CPCI papers being slightly higher than the number of CPCD papers. With the introduction of new regulations from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), there will likely be an increase in the number of Chinese‐language conference papers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducted a comparative analysis of the conference publications published by Chinese scholars from 2006 to 2019. The main results are as follows. First, the conference papers are unevenly distributed among the 31 provincial administrative regions. The annual number of conference papers published by scholars from different regions fluctuated during the study period. Second, there are different disciplinary distributions of China Proceedings of Conferences Full‐text Database (CPCD) papers and Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI) papers, and the CPCI publications have a relatively centralized disciplinary distribution. Third, it is noteworthy that there are more CPCD papers than CPCI papers. With the introduction of the new science and technology evaluation standards of the Ministry of Science and Technology, there should be more conference papers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a comparative study of the scientific publications of the 31 province‐level regions of Mainland China during 2006–2018. The main results are as follows. First, the four indices, ordered by total number of papers indexed, across all provinces, are the Science Citation Index (SCI), Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD), Chinese Social Science Citation Index (CSSCI), and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). The number of international publications from these regions shows an increasing trend, while the number of domestic research outputs shows a fluctuating trend. Second, the international and domestic publications produced by these regions greatly improved over the study period. Third, different regions vary greatly not only in research output but also in research preference. The top five preferred disciplines of international and domestic academic achievement are very different; the former all belong to the natural sciences, while more than 7 of 10 of the latter belong to the social sciences. Moreover, the adjacency matrices of the similarity of the 31 regions show that there is some correlation between the research spotlight of a region and its economic and cultural patterns. In general, scientific research in China has developed rapidly in recent years, and different regions vary greatly not only in research achievement but also in research preference. Key points: Scientific output is unevenly distributed between Chinese provinces, with Beijing, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, and Shaanxi each contributing almost half total output.The majority of Chinese‐authored articles in international journals are in STM areas, with national journals capturing the majority of social science articles.Beijing has the highest number of articles in Q1 and Q2 journals within Web of Science, followed by Jiangsu and then Shanghai.The different regions of china specialize in different academic disciplines, with some universities excelling social sciences and others in pure and applied sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a comparative study of the scientific publications of double first‐class universities based on international and domestic Chinese databases from 2006 to 2018. The main results are as follows. Quantitatively, the absolute total number of articles published by Chinese universities has increased. Specifically, the number of international publications in the natural and social sciences from double first‐class universities showed an increasing trend, but the number of domestic journal articles showed the reverse trend. Moreover, based on the number of papers published by each university over the years, we recognized that the ranking changes of universities fall into four categories: rising, declining, stable, and fluctuating. Qualitatively, the international and domestic publications issued by double first‐class universities greatly improved from 2006 to 2018. Moreover, scientific publications, either international or domestic, were unevenly distributed among the double first‐class universities. In general, the double first‐class universities developed rapidly in recent years and play an important role in the development of science and technology in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The influence of social interactions on commuters' route choice is confirmed. • An information adoption model in social interactions is proposed. • The key factors that influence interaction information adoption are identified. • Three types of social interaction are compared and discussed. • It offers enlightenment for using interaction information to guide route choice. The rapid development of information technology has significantly promoted social interactions among people. Social interactions may have become an important channel for commuters to obtain traffic information. Although commuters' own travel experience and Advanced Traveller Information Systems (ATIS) are acknowledged as two common traffic information sources that can impact commuters' route choice, the possible influence of social interactions has not yet been empirically confirmed. Therefore, an empirical study is conducted in this paper to explore whether and how social interactions affect commuters' route choice. The presented study is divided into two phases. First, 1000 commuters are surveyed about their social interactions with other commuters. A total of 809 valid questionnaires are returned from the commuters. The survey confirms that social interactions among the commuters are very common and indeed influence commuters' route choice. Second, because the essence of the influence of social interactions on commuters' route choice is an information-adoption process, partial least squares (PLS) component-based structural equation modelling (SEM) is employed to study the key success factors that influence information adoption in commuters' route choice in the context of social interactions. In the second phase, 236 valid questionnaires were returned. The obtained results demonstrate that information relevance, information accuracy, source expertise, source integrity, usefulness and extraversion are the factors that have significant influence on commuters' information adoption in the context of social interactions; while the roles of responding, trust and field dependence are not significant. Finally, some discussion and inspirations are provided based on the data analysis results. The findings in the presented study offer some insights into using social interaction information to guide commuters' route choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacity uncertainty is a common issue in the transportation planning field. However, few studies discuss the intermodal routing problem with service capacity uncertainty. Based on our previous study on the intermodal routing under deterministic capacity consideration, we systematically explore how service capacity uncertainty influences the intermodal routing decision. First of all, we adopt trapezoidal fuzzy numbers to describe the uncertain information of the service capacity, and further transform the deterministic capacity constraint into a fuzzy chance constraint based on fuzzy credibility measure. We then integrate such fuzzy chance constraint into the mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model proposed in our previous study to develop a fuzzy chance-constrained programming model. To enable the improved model to be effectively programmed in the standard mathematical programming software and solved by exact solution algorithms, a crisp equivalent linear reformulation of the fuzzy chance constraint is generated. Finally, we modify the empirical case presented in our previous study by replacing the deterministic service capacities with trapezoidal fuzzy ones. Using the modified empirical case, we utilize sensitivity analysis and fuzzy simulation to analyze the influence of service capacity uncertainty on the intermodal routing decision, and summarize some interesting insights that are helpful for decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The preoperative diagnosis of microvascular invasion (MVI) for the solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) is crucial for the decision of surgical strategies. Purpose: To compare the kinetic parameters and diagnostic effects of two contrast agents for preoperatively predicting MVI of sHCC on multiphase enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and Methods: Two groups of patients with known solitary sHCC underwent an enhanced MRI examination before hepatic resection: Data A (n = 61) patients underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI, and Data B (n = 41) patients had a normal contrast agent. The two sets of data were processed in the same way. Arterial peritumoral enhancement measured from multiphase enhanced MRI was analyzed using quantitative kinetic parameters, including initial signal enhancement (SE1), peak signal enhancement (SEpeak), and calculation of the signal enhancement ratio (SER). Results: The statistical analysis showed that the average SE1 and SER (Data A) for the MVI-positive group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in the MVI-negative group. The SER (Data B) and SEpeak showed no significant difference for either group. In Data A, the receiver operating characteristic analysis between the two groups had an area under the curve of 0.74 and 0.71 for SE1 and SER, respectively, which was higher than that of Data B. The different contrast agents had the same enhancement curve trend. Conclusion: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI had a better quantitative kinetic parameter analysis effect for arterial peritumoral enhancement on predicting MVI of sHCC in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bioassay-directed separation of the chloroform extracts from the air-dried aerial part of Alhagi pseudalhagi (M.B.) led to the isolation of a new isoflavonolignan (1), together with five known isoflavones (2–6) (Fig. 1). Their structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis of NMR, MS, IR, UV and CD spectral evidences. The quinone reductase (QR) inducing activities of the extracts and compound 1 were evaluated and the new isoflavonolignan (1) exhibited moderate quinone reductase (QR) inducing activity for hepa lclc7 cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Smithian negative C-isotope excursion was one of the major perturbations of the global carbon cycle following the end-Permian mass extinction event. Profound oceanographic and biological changes occurred during the Smithian, but the mechanism driving the negative C-isotope excursion and its links with marine environmental and biotic changes remain poorly constrained. Here, we use high-resolution paired C-isotope records from the early Smithian to the early Spathian in the Jiarong section, South China, to investigate the origin of the carbon cycle perturbation and its relationship with contemporaneous environmental changes. The paired C-isotope data reveal parallel negative excursions in both δ13C carb and δ13C org during the Smithian that can be correlated globally. The global Smithian negative C-isotope excursion shows a good first-order correspondence with global transgression and ocean anoxia. The results of numerical box modeling suggest that the Smithian negative C-isotope excursion could have been generated by increased organic carbon oxidation in response to the upward movement of anoxic bottom waters during transgression. The oxidative decay of organic carbon is primarily fueled by the consumption of oxygen and sulfate in the atmosphere–ocean system. Hence, we use the model to quantify the oxidants consumption rate that could be required to simulate the global Smithian negative C-isotope excursion through organic carbon oxidation. The modeling results show that the organic carbon oxidation during the Smithian could have generated a high demand for oxidants in the ocean, leading to the expansion of anoxia. Our study provides quantitative constraints on the causal link between the Smithian negative C-isotope excursion and widespread anoxia. The nadir of the Smithian negative C-isotope excursion coincided with the severe loss of biodiversity, suggesting that the expansion of anoxia in response to the transgressive upward movement of anoxic waters may have driven the late Smithian extinction. Hence, it could be one of the causes of the prolonged Early Triassic biotic recovery. • High-resolution paired δ13C carb and δ13C org data from the Jiarong section. • Parallel negative shifts in paired C-isotopes are in accord with coeval trends. • Expansion of anoxic deep waters can explain the Smithian negative C-isotope shifts. • Oxidative decay of organic carbon led to massive consumption of oxidants. • Expanded anoxia may have driven the late Smithian extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the temporal and spatial C-isotopic variations of carbonate (δ13C carb) and organic carbon (δ13C org) spanning the Permian-Triassic transition at the Xiakou and Chaotian sections in South China. The C-isotope data from the two sections show two episodes of δ13C carb decrease. However, in contrast to most of the C-isotopic records of the Phanerozoic, the changes in δ13C org are not paralleled by those of δ13C carb : rather, they show a gradual increase followed by a consistent negative excursion. Accordingly, the C-isotopic data exhibit two episodes of decreased Δ13C carb-org (Δ13C carb-org = δ13C carb – δ13C org). A dual-reservoir model was used to study the main factors responsible for the C-isotopic excursions. We show that two episodes of decrease in δ13C carb and Δ13C carb-org may be best explained by the remineralization of organic carbon and the proliferation of green sulfur bacteria, which may have been driven by the episodic incursion of sulfidic waters. The temporal and spatial variations of δ13C carb and δ13C org reveal two episodic incursions of sulfidic waters into shallow water areas with resulting photic zone euxinia. The first incursion of sulfidic waters occurred before the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME) event, while the second incursion occurred across the EPME event. The modeling results show that the amount of 13C-depleted carbon input from remineralization across the EPME is ~1.5-times that before the EPME, providing quantitative evidence for the temporal changes in episodic euxinia. This conclusion is strengthened by the observed δ13C depth gradient between the two sections. Our results provide quantitative constraints on carbon cycling in the Permian-Triassic oceans and suggest that the expanded euxinia may have crossed a threshold that led to the most severe biotic crisis in Earth's history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to provide systematic research method for investigating emerging trends and new developments, by using business journals. Topics include focus on co-citation networks, landmark articles and domain-level citation trends; replacement of strategic alliance, organisational mortality, and organisational adaptation by social media, price informativeness and network communities; and use of dual-map representations to explore the knowledge diffusion patterns.

This study investigated the effects of additives on fermentation quality, in vitro digestibility and microbial communities of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) silages at different maturity stages. Korshinsk peashrub was harvested at budding (S1) and blooming (S2) stages, and ensiled without additives (CON), or with 5% molasses (M0), or a combination of 5% molasses and either L. plantarum CLP (M1) or L. plantarum L694 (M2). Each treatment was triplicated and ensiled for 60 days. Delayed harvest increased water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), neutral detergent fibre (aNDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) in silages at S2 stage, whereas crude protein (CP) was lower in silages at S1 stage. Compared with the CON group, the additives treated silages had lower pH, greater lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), and WSC concentrations (p <.05). Application of molasses alone or in combination with CLP had a noticeable effect on bacterial communities, with an increase in Lactobacillus in silages at both stages, whereas M2 silages presented more unfavourable microorganisms. Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed that LA concentration in silage was positively correlated with Lactobacillus relative abundance at both stages, while ammonia nitrogen (NH3‐N) concentration was positively correlated with the relative abundances of unclassified‐f‐Enterobacteriaceae and Enterobacter. In conclusion, delayed harvest could result in greater WSC and aNDF but lower CP in Korshinsk peashrub silage. Low WSC is the primary limiting factor affecting silage quality, and ensiling with molasses accelerated lactic acid fermentation in Korshinsk peashrub silage, providing a high‐quality forage resource for livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to now, a large amount of trajectory data have been collected by trusted servers because of the wide use of location-based services. One can extract useful information via an analysis of trajectory data. However, the privacy of trajectory bodies risks being inadvertently divulged to others. Therefore, the trajectory data should be properly processed for privacy protection before being released to unknown analysts. This paper proposes a privacy protection scheme for publishing the trajectories with personalized privacy requirements based on the translocation of trajectory points. The algorithm not only enables the published trajectory points to meet the personalized privacy requirements regarding desensitization and anonymity but also preserves the positions of all trajectory points. Our algorithm trades the loss in mobility patterns for the advantage in the similarity of trajectory distance. Related experiments on trajectory data sets with personalized privacy requirements have verified the effectiveness and the efficiency of our algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment explored the effects of different proportions of sweet sorghum silage as a substitute for corn silage on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, milk quality, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters, serum amino acid profile, and rumen microbial composition of dairy cows. A total of 32 mid‐lactation Holstein dairy cows with similar body weights and parities were randomly divided into four treatments: 100% corn silage +0% sorghum silage (CON), 75% corn silage +25% sorghum silage (CS1), 50% corn silage +50% sorghum silage (CS2), and 25% corn silage +75% sorghum silage (CS3). The milk yield was increased (linear, p =.048) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear (p =.003) and quadratic (p =.046) increased effects were observed in milk fat as corn silage was replaced with sorghum silage. Compared with the CON diet group, the CS2 and CS3 diet groups had lower dry matter (DM) (linear, p <.001), ether extract (EE) (linear, p <.001), and gross energy (GE) (linear, p =.001) digestibility of the dairy cows. The ruminal fluid aspartate (Asp) level decreased (linear, p =.003) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear (p <.05) and quadratic (p <.05) increased effects were observed for the contents of threonine (Thr), glycine (Gly), valine (Val), leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), and histidine (His) in rumen fluid with the replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage. Cows fed the CS3 diet had greater Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, and Prevotella ruminicola content/copy number than those fed the CON diet (p <.05). In conclusion, feeding sorghum silage as a replacement for corn silage could increase the milk yield and fat, promote the growth of rumen microbes, and provide more rumen fluid amino acids for the body and microbial utilization. We believe that sorghum silage is feasible for dairy cows, and it is reasonable to replace corn silage with 75% sorghum silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key component of Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway, Smad2 has many crucial roles in a variety of cellular processes, but it cannot bind DNA without complex formation with Smad4. In the present study, the molecular mechanism in the progress of myogenesis underlying transcriptional regulation of SMAD2 and SMAD4 had been clarified. The result showed the inhibition between SMAD2 and SMAD4, which promotes and inhibits bovine myoblast differentiation, respectively. Further, the characterization of promoter region of SMAD2 and SMAD4 was analyzed, and identified C/EBPβ directly bound to the core region of both SMAD2 and SMAD4 genes promoter and stimulated the transcriptional activity. However, C/EBPβ has lower expression in myoblasts which plays vital function in the transcriptional networks controlling adipogenesis, while the overexpression of C/EBPβ gene in myoblasts significantly increased SMAD2 and SMAD4 gene expression, induced the formation of lipid droplet in bovine myoblasts, and promoted the expression of adipogenesis-specific genes. Collectively, our results showed that C/EBPβ may play an important role in the trans-differentiation and dynamic equilibrium of myoblasts into adipocyte cells via promoting an increase in SMAD2 and SMAD4 gene levels. These results will provide an important basis for further understanding of the TGFβ pathway and C/EBPβ gene during myogenic differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze platform of South China preserves relatively continuous strata of the Ediacaran Period and has been one of the key areas to explore Neoproterozoic Earth history. In this study, high-resolution carbon isotope (δ 13 C) and oxygen isotope (δ 18 O) data of 701 samples were reported for sedimentary rocks spanning the entire Ediacaran Period using a continuous drill core collected from Wangji, South China. The C-isotopic data of the Doushantuo Formation are consistent with previous work, showing three negative δ 13 C excursions that can be correlated intra-basinally. A large negative δ 13 C excursion from +8.16‰ to −7.20‰ identified at the top of the Doushantuo Formation, which is equivalent to the “Shuram Negative Excursion”, allows us to correlate the δ 13 C profile globally. In the overlying Dengying Formation, we identified two distinct δ 13 C intervals with an average value of +3.32‰ and of +0.40‰, respectively. As well, we observed a negative δ 13 C excursion in the middle Dengying Formation, which has not been reported previously. Three major negative δ 13 C excursions, two in the Doushantuo Formation and one in the Dengying Formation, are tightly associated with phosphorite deposits. The temporal correlation between the negative δ 13 C excursions and the phosphorite deposits suggests a potential link between carbon and phosphorus cycling in the Ediacaran oceans. We argue that multiple periods of strong upwelling may have played an important role in C and P cycling in the Ediacaran oceans. Oxidative processes of the 13 C-depleted dissolved organic carbon (DOC) transported into oxic near-surface waters by upwelling resulted in the negative δ 13 C excursions, and contributed to synchronous burial of abundant phosphorites in the inner shelf areas. The different magnitudes of the negative δ 13 C excursions observed in the Doushantuo and Dengying formations may reflect spatial changes of DOC reservoir and variations of upwelling intensity and mixing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dry matter loss (DM loss) occurs during silage production, with the potential to reach up to 4–20% due to the aerobic respiration. Lower water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and a higher buffering capacity can contribute to this; however, the presence of Bacillus can help create an anaerobic environment, which is more conducive to the growth of anaerobic bacteria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of Bacillus coagulans (BC) as an inoculant for silage fermentation. The results showed that adding BC increased the fermentation quality of alfalfa silage, especially when applied together with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP). This was evidenced by a reduction in the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents, as well as an increase in Lactobacillus abundance and a decrease in Enterococcus abundance after 60 d of fermentation. Additionally, the application of LP, BC, and their combination stimulated cofactor and vitamin metabolism abundance, whilst suppressing drug resistance: antimicrobial pathway abundance. Thus, BC could be considered a viable bioresource for improving fermentation quality. This study aimed to investigate the potential of Bacillus coagulans (BC) as an inoculant in alfalfa silage fermentation. Fresh alfalfa was harvested at a dry matter (DM) content of 329.60 g/kg fresh weight (FW), and inoculated without (CON) or with BC (1 × 106 CFU/g FW), Lactobacillus plantarum (LP, 1 × 106 CFU/g FW), and their combinations (LP+BC, 1 × 106 CFU/g FW, respectively). Samples were taken at 3, 7, 14, 30, and 60 d, with three replicates for each. The prolonged ensiling period resulted in a decrease in pH values and an increase in lactic acid (LA) concentrations in alfalfa silages. After 60 d of fermentation, the application of BC and LP decreased the pH values and increased LA concentrations in treated silages, especially when their combination was applied. Application of BC preserved more water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and further application of BC increased WSC in LP+BC-treated silage compared to LP-treated silage. There was no significant difference in the crude protein (CP) content between the CON and treated silages, however, the BC and LP treatments reduced the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration, especially when their combination was applied. Additionally, the BC and LP-treated silages had lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) when compared to the CON silage (p < 0.001). Inoculants also increased Lactobacillus abundance and decreased Enterococcus abundance after 60 d of fermentation. Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between LA concentration and Lactobacillus abundance. It was noteworthy that LP, BC, and their combination increased the relative abundances of carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, cofactors, and vitamin metabolism, decreasing the relative abundances of amino acid metabolism and drug resistance: antimicrobial. Therefore, the inclusion of BC increased the fermentation quality of alfalfa silage, with the optimal combination being LP+BC. According to the findings, BC could be considered a viable bioresource for improving fermentation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The depressed appetite at parturition might induce the changes in the composition and quantity of rumen microbiota. At present, little is known about the influence of parturition on the levels of rumen microbiota and their fermentation ability in dairy cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of parturition on composition and quantity of bacterial communities and concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) with 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and targeted GC–MS/MS metabolomics. The results showed that parturition altered the levels of rumen bacteria and their fermentation ability. The findings provide a better understanding of the effect of parturition on rumen digestive function. The rumen fluids from ten cows at Day 3~5 before calving and Day 0 after calving were collected to analyze the composition and quantity of bacterial communities and concentrations of SCFAs. The results showed that the relative abundances of unidentified Lachnospiraceae, Acetitomaculum, Methanobrevibacter, Olsenella, Syntrophococcus, Lachnospira, and Lactobacillus genera were significant increased (p < 0.05), while that of unidentified-Prevotellaceae was notably decreased after calving (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and caproic acid obviously decreased after calving (p < 0.01). Our findings show that parturition altered the rumen microbiota and their fermentation ability in dairy cows. This study defines a rumen bacteria and metabolic profile of SCFAs associated with parturition in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea tree oil (TTO) is a plant‐derived additive with anti‐inflammatory, bactericidal, and growth‐promoting properties. However, little is known about the effects of TTO on intestinal amino acid transport and immune function in goats. Twenty‐four Ganxi goats (initial body weight of 13.5 ± 0.70 kg) were randomly allotted two treatments and fed either control (CON) or CON+TTO (0.2 ml/kg) diet. The addition of TTO to the diet significantly decreased (p <.05) tumor necrosis factor‐α content and increased (p <.05) interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) content in goat serum; significantly decreased (p <.05) IL‐12, and increased (p <.05) IL‐2 content in goat ileal mucosa; significantly increased (p <.05) secreted IgA content in the jejunal and ileal mucosa; significantly upregulated (p <.05) IL‐2 and downregulated (p <.05) IL‐12 at the mRNA level in the ileal mucosa; significantly elevated the levels of serine, arginine, and total amino acids in the ileal mucosa (p <.05); significantly upregulated (p <.05) SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 in the ileum; and significantly enhanced (p <.05) the protein expression of Claudin‐1 in the ileal mucosa. In summary, adding 0.2 ml/kg of TTO to the diet enhanced SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 mRNA expression in the ileal mucosa, and SLC1A1 and SLC7A1 could transport serine and arginine from the chyme to the ileal mucosa. Thus, increased serine and arginine content in the mucosa could improve intestinal immunity. TTO supplementation upregulated the expression of IL‐2 and Claudin‐1 in goat ileal mucosa, and enhanced immune function in the intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the influence of mixture composition on the biomass yield and early establishment of legume–grass mixtures. The legume species alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. (A)), white clover (Trifolium repens L. (WC)), and red clover (Trifolium pratense L. (RC)) and grass species orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L. (O)), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (TF)), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. (PR)) were grown in monocultures and in different legume–grass mixtures. Legume–grass mixtures (M1: WC + O + TF; M2: A + O + TF; M3: A + WC + O + TF; M4: RC + WC + O + TF; M5: A + WC + O + TF + PR; M6: RC + WC + O + TF + PR; and M7: A + RC + WC + O + TF + PR) were sown in a legume–grass seeding ratio of 3:7. The results showed that M2 had the greatest two-year average biomass yield (12.92 t ha−1), which was significantly (p < 0.05), 4.7%, 5.4%, 15.8%, and 29.1% greater than that of WC monoculture, M7, M4, and M1, respectively. The grass biomass yield proportions of all mixtures significantly decreased, while legume biomass yield proportions significantly increased in the second year compared to the first year of establishment. The land-equivalent ratio values of M2 and M4 were greater than 1 in each cutting period. The competition rate of grasses gradually decreased with prolonged establishment time. Overall, the biomass yield, legume and grass biomass yield proportions, land equivalent ratio, and competition rate data highlighted that M2 is the best choice to achieve greater productivity and early establishment in southwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs) on the lipid deposition of the intramuscular preadipocytes (IMPs) in a co‐culture system of the Tan sheep cells. The SMSCs and IMPs from Tan sheep were separated and cultured. After the two kinds of cells were separated and cultured, they were inoculated onto a transwell cell chamber co‐culture plate for co‐cultivation. When the cell density reached more than 90%, the cells were induced to differentiate. After the induction of the SMSCs differentiation for 8 days, the level of the IMPs differentiation and the expression levels of the differentiation marker genes and the key enzymes of the lipid metabolism were assessed. The results showed that the number and area of the lipid droplets in the IMPs in the co‐culture system were significantly reduced compared to those in the IMPs culture alone (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression levels of the PPARγ, c/EBPα, ACC, FAS mRNA in the IMPs were significantly decreased (p < 0.05); the expression level of aP2 mRNA was decreased, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05).These findings indicate that the SMSCs of the Tan sheep in the co‐culture system inhibited the lipid deposition by the IMPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simple wet-chemical and hydrothermal approaches were used to prepare amorphous CoWO 4 -amorphous and crystal CoWO 4 -crystalline nanoparticles for the electrode materials in supercapacitors. The CoWO 4 nanoparticles were characterized and their capacitances were investigated by a three-electrode system. The results showed that specific capacitances for the as-prepared CoWO 4 -amorphous and CoWO 4 -crystalline were 403 F/g and 264 F/g at the current density of 0.5 A/g. The amorphous structure, small size and narrow particle size distribution contributed to the high electrochemical performances of CoWO 4 . In addition, the CoWO 4 also showed a low resistance and good cycle-life stability. Therefore, CoWO 4 is a very promising electrode material for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and development of bovine skeletal muscle and beef yield is closely intertwined. Our previous research found that forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) plays an important role in the regulation of beef muscle formation, but its specific mechanism is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the regulatory mechanism of FOXO1 in proliferation and differentiation of bovine skeletal muscle cells (BSMCs). The results showed that interfering with FOXO1 can promote proliferation and the cell G1/S phase of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of PCNA , CDK1 , CDK2 , CCNA2 , CCNB1 , CCND1 and CCNE2. Besides , interfering with FOXO1 inhibited the apoptosis of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 , while simultaneously down-regulating the expression of the pro-apoptosis genes BAD and BAX. Inversely, interfering with FOXO1 can promote the differentiation of BSMCs by up-regulating the expression of myogenic differentiation marker genes MYOD , MYOG , MYF5 , MYF6 and MYHC. Furthermore, RNA-seq combined with western bolt, immunofluorescence and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that FOXO1 could regulate BSMCs differentiation process by influencing PI3K-Akt, Relaxin and TGF-beta signaling pathways, and target MYH3 for transcriptional inhibition. In conclusion, this study provides a basis for studying the role and molecular mechanism of FOXO1 in BSMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chromium isotopes indicate a stepwise expansion of oceanic anoxia across the PTB. • High δ 53 Cr values suggest moderate anoxia before the EPME. • A rapid δ 53 Cr negative excursion indicates anoxia expansion at the end of Permian. Multiple observations have shown that widespread oceanic anoxia may have played an important role in the end-Permian mass extinction and delayed biotic recovery in the Early Triassic. However, it has not been reached a consensus on the temporal and spatial changes in oceanic redox conditions at that time. Chromium (Cr) isotopes have been widely used to trace redox processes in surface environments. Here, we present the Cr isotope compositions (δ 53 Cr) of the Upper Permian–Lower Triassic carbonate ramp from the Xiakou section in South China (eastern Paleotethys). We observed largely fractionated δ 53 Cr values (1.15‰ to 2.16‰) in the latest Permian, which are higher than most values among Phanerozoic sedimentary carbonates. Such high values may result from Cr reduction facilitated by the development of a reducing environment during the latest Permian. The high Cr isotope ratios were followed by an abrupt negative excursion of δ 53 Cr values (from average 1.78‰ to average −0.13‰) across the extinction horizon, which may be attributed to a rapid expansion of oceanic anoxia in the eastern Paleotethys. Persistent negative δ 53 Cr values covering the Early Triassic indicate that the ocean may not have recovered from anoxia for an extended period. Our Cr isotope results support a stepwise deterioration of oceanic redox environments, which has been previously proposed as a possible cause of the most severe biotic catastrophe in the Phanerozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wa'ergang section in South China has been proposed as a potential Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of Stage 10, the uppermost stage of the Cambrian System. In this study, high-resolution C-isotopic compositions are reported and we identified three large negative δ13C excursions, namely N1, N2 and N3, at Wa'ergang. The N1 is located just above the First Appearance Datum (FAD) of Lotagnostus americanus, corresponding to the possible base of the Proconodontus posterocostatus conodont Zone. The N2 was identified within the Micragnostus chuishuensis trilobite Zone and the Proconodontus muelleri conodont Zone. The N3 is located in the lowermost part of the Leiagnostus cf. bexelli – Archaeuloma taoyuanense trilobite Zone or Eoconodontus conodont Zone. The N1 and N2 can be correlated with the negative δ13C excursions preceding the Top of Cambrian Carbon Isotope Excursion (TOCE) observed globally. The N3 can be correlated with the TOCE or the HEllnmaria–Red Tops Boundary (HERB) Event. The inter-basinal correlation of N1 and L. americanus strongly supports that the base of Stage 10 may be best defined by the FAD of L. americanus. We also used a box model to quantitatively explore the genesis of the negative δ13C excursions from South China. Our numerical simulations suggest that weathering of the organic-rich sediments on the platform, probably driven by intermittent sea level fall and/or the oxygenation of the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) reservoir in seawater, may have contributed to the generation of the negative δ13C excursions observed in the Stage 10 at Wa'ergang in South China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study investigated the effect of dietary α-lipoic acid (600 mg/kg) supplementation on the postmortem color stability of the biceps femoris from lambs. The results showed that dietary α-lipoic acid supplementation increased a * and decreased b * and metmyoglobin (MMb) percentage of the biceps femoris with the time of storage (P < 0.05). The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) reduced with the time of storage after treatment with α-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). α-lipoic acid increased the myoglobin (Mb) content, and myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I) gene expression but decreased glycogen content, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and MyHC IIb gene expression (P < 0.05). The T-AOC value, catalase (CAT) activity, and expression of SOD and CAT gene expression increased after α-lipoic acid treatment (P < 0.05). Therefore, dietary α-lipoic acid supplementation improved the meat color by regulating muscle fiber types and inhibited glycolysis. Moreover, α-lipoic acid maintained meat color stability by effectively inhibiting muscle oxidation via enhancing the antioxidant capacity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-rich Cretaceous source rocks of the petroliferous Songliao Basin in northeast China are considered to be lacustrine in origin, but paleontological and organic geochemical evidence suggest episodic marine incursions. As a test of this hypothesis, we applied time-series measurements of elemental and isotopic abundances on core and cutting samples to evaluate fluctuations in the sulfur and carbon cycles across the Santonian–Campanian transition preserved in the upper Yaojia and lower Nenjiang formations. The data reveal a spike in pyrite sulfur abundance and a marked negative excursion in δ 34 S at the base of the Nenjiang Formation when the basin expanded to its maximal extent. The elemental and isotopic data suggest that flooding was associated with rapid marine transgression that enhanced sulfate concentrations, which promoted microbial sulfate reduction in anoxic bottom waters that were episodically euxinic. Subsequent restriction of the basin and a decline in marine influence is supported by progressive upsection 34 S enrichment (up to 30‰) in Nenjiang Member I, which are interpreted to reflect the distillation of sulfate through enhanced pyrite burial, followed by a gradual return to lacustrine conditions that prevailed in overlying strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sampling method has been paid much attention in the field of complex network in general and statistical physics in particular. This paper proposes two new sampling methods based on the idea that a small part of vertices with high node degree could possess the most structure information of a complex network. The two proposed sampling methods are efficient in sampling high degree nodes so that they would be useful even if the sampling rate is low, which means cost-efficient. The first new sampling method is developed on the basis of the widely used stratified random sampling (SRS) method and the second one improves the famous snowball sampling (SBS) method. In order to demonstrate the validity and accuracy of two new sampling methods, we compare them with the existing sampling methods in three commonly used simulation networks that are scale-free network, random network, small-world network, and also in two real networks. The experimental results illustrate that the two proposed sampling methods perform much better than the existing sampling methods in terms of achieving the true network structure characteristics reflected by clustering coefficient, Bonacich centrality and average path length, especially when the sampling rate is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, mRNA vaccines hold great promise because of their low risk of insertional mutagenesis, high potency, accelerated development cycles, and potential for low-cost manufacture. In past years, several mRNA vaccines have entered clinical trials and have shown promise for offering solutions to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as rabies, Zika, and influenza. Recently, the successful application of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has further validated the platform and opened the floodgates to mRNA vaccine's potential in infectious disease prevention, especially in the veterinary field. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the mRNA vaccines and the technologies used for mRNA vaccine development. We also provide an overview of mRNA vaccines developed for animal infectious diseases and discuss directions and challenges for the future applications of this promising vaccine platform in the veterinary field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High resolution δ34S py and Δ33S py records from the Xiaotan section in South China. • Upwelling of sulfidic deep water has contributed to the Ediacaran biota extinction. • Upwelling of nutrient-rich deep water facilitated P deposition in shelf areas. • Parallel positive C- and S-isotopic excursions imply high F org and F py in Stage 2. • Model results show low sulfate concentration (≤4 mM) in the early Cambrian oceans. Changes in oceanic chemical conditions are frequently invoked as a primary driver of biodiversification and mass extinction events in Earth history. During the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition, two major biological events, including the extinction of the Ediacaran biota and the Cambrian explosion, occurred approximately coincident with perturbations of the carbon and sulfur cycle. These dramatic biological changes and coeval geochemical events are commonly thought to be linked, but their causal relationships remain controversial. Here we present multiple S-isotopic compositions of pyrite (δ34S py and Δ33S py) from the Xiaotan section spanning the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition interval in South China. Our isotopic results show that negative Δ33S py values, together with positive δ34S py values, occurred across the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. The negative Δ33S py data suggest mixing of sulfide from deep waters during the upwelling of sulfidic waters into oxygenated shallow waters. The coincidence between the negative Δ33S py and the approximate timing of the extinction of the Ediacaran biota implies that paleo-redox perturbations may have contributed to the disappearance of the Ediacaran biota. Negative Δ33S py values coupled with positive δ34S py values were also observed in the Cambrian Zhongyicun Member when the phosphorites were deposited, suggesting a strong linkage between the upwelling of nutrient-rich sulfidic deep waters and the deposition of the phosphorites in oxygenated shelf areas. In addition, using box models and stoichiometry calculations, we quantitatively estimated elevated burial rates of organic matter and pyrite based on the parallel positive δ13C carb , δ34S py and Δ33S py excursions observed at Xiaotan within Cambrian Stage 2. Our mass balance modelling results provide an independent constraint on sulfate concentrations which were 4 mM or lower in the early Cambrian oceans. The probable increase in oxygen levels resulting from the enhanced burial of pyrite and organic matter could have provided a more habitable environment for early animals and thus paved the way for the radiation of early Cambrian animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]