Search

The occurrence of 'black swan' and 'grey rhino' events is creating new risks for communities, and building resilient communities has become a global consensus. Using the Bibliometrix tool, we collected 3146 articles published from 2000 to 2022 to explore research hotspots, change trends and future directions in community resilience. The results show that community resilience study exhibited an exponential development pattern, with periods of sluggish rise (2000–2009) and rapid growth (2010–2019). From 2020 to 2022, the average annual number of articles spiked to 484 due to the outbreak of COVID‐19. Scholars from the United States, China and the United Kingdom are the main contributors in this field, but the research locations are gradually shifting from the United States to the European and Asian countries. Hot topics related to community resilience include conceptual discernment, assessment frameworks, influencing factors and enhancement strategies. In the future, more attention should be given to the localization of theories, soft power elements and special groups. We developed a community resilience cycle framework that integrates the latest conceptual statement of community resilience and the evolution of trajectories of system disturbance stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target strength (TS) is an acoustic property of individual marine organisms and a critical factor in acoustic resource assessments. However, previous studies have primarily focused on measuring TS at narrowband, typical frequencies, which cannot meet the requirements of broadband acoustic technology research. Additionally, for marine fish, conducting in situ TS measurements is challenging due to environmental constraints. Rapidly freezing and preserving fish samples for transfer to the laboratory is a common method currently used. However, the impact of freezing preservation during transportation on the swimbladder morphology and TS of swimbladder-bearing fish remains unclear. This study investigated the differences in swimbladder morphology and TS of Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) before and after freezing. Then, we compared different TS measurement methods through ex situ TS measurements (45–90 kHz, 160–260 kHz) and the Kirchhoff-ray mode model (KRM) simulations (1–300 kHz) and studied the broadband scattering characteristics of Chub mackerel based on the KRM model. The results showed that the morphology of the swimbladder was reduced after freezing, with significant changes in swimbladder height and volume. However, the trends of TS were not consistent and the changes were small. The difference between the KRM model and ex situ measurements was −0.38 ± 1.84 dB, indicating good applicability of the KRM. Based on the KRM results, the TS exhibited significant directivity, with fluctuations gradually decreasing and stabilizing as frequency increased. In the broadband mode, the relationship between TS and body length (L) of Chub mackerel was TS = 20log(L) − 66.76 (30 > L/λ >10). This study could provide a reference for acoustic resource estimation and species identification of Chub mackerel in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collichthys lucidus is an important small-scale economic fish species in the Yangtze River Estuary. To improve the accuracy of acoustic stock assessments for C. lucidus, it is necessary to accurately measure its target strength (TS). This study obtained precise morphological parameters of C. lucidus through X-ray scanning and established a Kirchhoff ray mode (KRM) model to simulate the changes in TS of the fish body and swimbladder at different acoustic frequencies and pitch angles. At the same time, the TS was measured using the tethered method to analyze and compare the broadband scattering characteristics obtained from both methods. An empirical formula of C. lucidus relating TS to body length at two conventional frequencies was established using the least squares method. The results show that the C. lucidus TS changes, with body length ranging from 10.91 to 16.61 cm, are significantly influenced by the pitch angle at 70 kHz and 200 kHz frequencies, and the fluctuation of TS for both the fish body and swimbladder increases with the rise in frequency. The broadband TS values estimated by the KRM model and measured by the tethered method fluctuate within in the ranges from −45 dB to −55 dB and −40 dB to −55 dB, respectively. The TS of C. lucidus tends to increase with the increase in swimbladder length. When the probability density function of the pitch angle is N(−5°, 15°), the b 20 measured by the KRM and the tethered method at 70 kHz are −71.94 dB and −69.21 dB, respectively, while at 200 kHz they are −72.58 dB and −70.55 dB. This study provides a scientific basis for future acoustic target discrimination and stock assessment of C. lucidus in the Yangtze River Estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: With escalating global climate change, regional flood disasters have become increasingly prevalent. Precipitation, as a primary influencing factor, has garnered significant attention. Aims: This study is based on precipitation data to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River Basin (MLYB), trying to explore more concise methods for precipitation forecasting. Methods: Statistical methods were employed to analyse historical precipitation patterns, followed by forecasting future trends using statistical time series models. Key results: Precipitation in the MLYB exhibited a decreasing trend during 1961–2010, which shifted to an increasing trend after 2011, becoming more pronounced since 2017. Precipitation patterns in the MLYB were clearly increasing in the east and decreasing in the west, with the Taihu Basin showing the greatest rise. The ARIMA model predicted a significant increase in precipitation after 2022. Conclusions: In recent years, precipitation in the MLYB has significantly increased, especially in downstream areas. Although the ARIMA model offers an effective and reasonably simple method for short-term forecast, it struggles with complex terrain influences. Implications: These findings provide a theoretical basis for flood prevention in the MLYB, as well as a reference for precipitation prediction simulations in data-limited regions. Exploring trends in rainfall across the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin from 1961 to 2022, this study showed a shift from reduced fluctuations to increased precipitation c. 2011, becoming notably pronounced after 2017. Utilising ARIMA models and expert techniques, it forecast future trends, aiding flood management and climate adaptation strategies, with implications for advanced climate modelling and data analytics. This article belongs to the collection Ecological monitoring and assessment of freshwater ecosystems: new trends and future challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) in Northwest Pacific Ocean holds significant economic value. It is important to better manage its resources by understanding its suitable habitat distribution. This study transformed acoustic data collected from the high seas fishery survey during the summer of 2021 into acoustic index suitable for habitat modeling. By integrating satellite remote sensing data on sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface height (SSH), and chlorophyll a mass concentration (Chl. a), this study analyzed the relationship between suitable habitat and marine environmental factors. The ranges of environmental factors corresponding to suitable habitat were analyzed. Habitat suitability index models were established using both arithmetic mean method and geometric mean method. Their performance was compared through 500 iterations of cross-validation, and the suitable habitat distribution map was developed. The results indicated that the suitable ranges for SST, SSS, SSH, and Chl. a were respectively 22.51-25.09 °C, 34.09-34.65, 0.48-1.14 m, and 0.13-0.23 mg/m³. The model developed using the arithmetic mean method performed superiorly in terms of regression slope, R² and AIC, proving more appropriate for modeling suitable habitat for Chub mackerel. Suitable habitat was primarily concentrated south of 38 N, near the Kuroshio current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of an outbreak primarily caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV), and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a kindergarten and primary school. The outbreak was investigated by field epidemiological investigation, and the common respiratory pathogens were screened by RT-PCR detection technology. The attack rate of this outbreak was 63.95% (110/172). Main symptoms included cough (85.45%), sore throat (60.91%), and sneezing (60.00%). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that continuous handwashing and mouth and nose covering when sneezing were protective factors. All 15 collected throat swab specimens tested positive for viruses, with HMPV as the predominant pathogen (80.00%), followed by HRV (53.33%), and two cases of positive respiratory syncytial virus (13.33%). Among them, six samples showed coinfections of HMPV and HRV, and one had coinfections of HMPV and RSV, resulting in a coinfection rate of 46.67%. Genetic sequencing indicated that the HMPV genotype in this outbreak was A2c, and the HRV genotype was type A, resulting in a coinfection outbreak of HMPV, HRV, and RSV in schools and kindergartens, suggesting that multi-pathogen surveillance of respiratory tract infections should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial parks are important drivers of economic growth and development. In an increasingly globalized economy, inefficient park development hinders high-quality, sustainable regional and national growth. The transformation and upgrading of industrial parks requires an understanding of the influence mechanism of industrial park efficiency. This study provided a theoretical analysis of the impact of land supply and price, park type, management level, and economic location on industrial parks, and clarified the effect of these factors on industrial park efficiency. Using the case study of Jiangxi Province, a typical underdeveloped area in China, we measured the comprehensive efficiency (CE) of 36 industrial parks from 2010 to 2018 employing data envelopment analysis (DEA). Our study's findings show that the average CE of industrial parks in Jiangxi Province is low, as most of the parks are inefficient and technical efficiency is a shortcoming. The efficiency of national industrial parks (0.785) is generally higher than that of provincial industrial parks (0.516), whereas the efficiency of the high-tech development zones (0.673) is generally higher than that of the economic–technological development zones (0.603). Industrial parks in prefecture-level cities with superior economic locations are more efficient. Among the 36 industrial parks studied, 14 demonstrated inefficient use of funds, and 10 were provincial industrial parks. We found that the supply of low-priced land affects firms' investment behavior through the effect of price distortion, which leads to inefficiency. Our study's findings have implications for policy, practice, theory, and subsequent research for the improvement of industrial park efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic technology is an essential tool for detecting marine biological resources and has been widely used in sound-scattering layer (SSL) research. The North Equatorial Current (NEC) warm pool region of the Central and Western Pacific Ocean has a vast distribution of micronekton and zooplankton; analyzing the SSL characteristics in this region is vital for monitoring the marine environment and studying the marine ecosystem. In this study, we statistically analyzed the spatiotemporal factors of 10–200 m SSL in the NEC of the Central and Western Pacific Ocean using acoustic survey data collected by the "Songhang" research vessel (RV) in 2022, and the influence of environmental factors on the scattering layer distribution was analyzed using the Generalized Additive Model (GAM). The results showed that the SSL in the warm pool area of the NEC is distributed in shallow waters above 100 m. The primary scatterers are micronekton and zooplankton, and this SSL had diel vertical migration behavior. By comparing Akaike's Information Criterion of different GAMs, the model consisting of six factors, namely, temperature, current velocity, turbidity, solar altitude angle, longitude, and latitude, was remarkable. Each model's factor effects primarily influence the contribution of the volume-backscatter strength (Sv). The cumulative deviation explanation rate of the Sv was 67.2%, among which the highest explanation rate of solar altitude angle variance was 35.4%, the most critical environmental factor. The results of this study can provide a reference for long-term studies on ecological changes and their effects on micronekton and zooplankton distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the large‐scale construction of wind power and shore power projects, the amount of submarine high‐voltage AC cables has been increasing year by year, and they often form a "common corridor" in parallel with adjacent submarine pipelines, resulting in AC interference on pipelines. A lot of research has been carried out on the AC interference law of buried pipelines onshore. However, there is a lack of discussion on the AC interference suffered by submarine pipelines from high‐voltage AC cables. How to understand the AC interference law of high‐voltage AC cables to submarine pipelines and determining the safe distance has become an urgent demand in practical production. Based on this, this paper established a calculation model for AC interference suffered by submarine pipelines from high‐voltage AC cables on through CDGES software. Through simulation calculation, the influence laws of many factors such as parallel distance between AC cables and pipelines, parallel length, cable load current, anticorrosive coating resistivity, and longitudinal pipeline resistance per unit length on AC interference parameters of pipelines were investigated. It was found that the degree of AC interference increases with the increase of the anticorrosive coating resistivity, the load current, and the longitudinal pipeline resistance per unit length, as well as the decrease of the parallel interval. However, with the increase of the parallel length, the AC interference voltage and current density of the pipeline increase firstly, then decrease, and at the end remains unchanged, and it was found that there existed the parallel length with the maximum AC interference and the saturation parallel length with unchanged AC interference. Based on the principles of electromagnetic induction and AC circuits, the main reasons for the parallel length with maximum AC interference and the saturation parallel length were analyzed in this paper. The safe distances avoiding AC corrosion under different parallel lengths and load currents were discussed, which can provide a reference for the evaluation of AC interference of submarine pipelines and the selection of submarine routing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dispersive, reusable catalyst and convenient separation is still a key factor for water treatment. Herein, the Fe0/Fe3O4/Fe3C@ hydrophilic carbon composite catalyst was obtained through thermal reduction, in which Fe0 is generated by in‐situ carbothermal reduction of the rationally designed gel precursor. The FTIR, SEM‐EDX and the XPS analysis revealed that the major hydrophilic functional groups and elements were well‐dispersed on the entire surface of the catalyst. Through batch control experiments, it is shown that the synthetic catalyst can significantly accelerate the catalysis of Methylene blue under the radiation of 30 W LED lamp. The Electron Spin Resonance test further confirms that catalyst could be successfully trap ⋅OH radicals. With the increase of radiation time, such energy changes affect the coupling effect of spin‐orbital motion is stronger leading to changes in the g‐anisotropy. Organic pollution can be degraded by the porous catalyst in a photo‐Fenton reaction with the degradation efficiency rate approaching nearly 100 % when the concentration of H2O2 is 7 mm. The reusability was demonstrated by five consecutive reaction cycles at continuously good performance. This work provides a highly promising and facile strategy for many wastewater treatments, especially in the field of photo‐Fenton like reaction to environmental modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern hilly mountains are rich in natural resources and are one of the important ecological security barrier zones in China. However, the disturbance of the ecosystem caused by human activities has led to a differentiated character of spatial ecosystem services. Such spatially differentiated characteristics have not been well studied, and thus are bound to limit our ability to manage ecosystems sustainably. Taking Ruijin City, a typical hilly mountainous area in southern China, as an example, this paper evaluates the ecosystem service values (ESV) of Ruijin City from 2000 to 2020 by using equivalent factor method combined with GIS technology. On this basis, spatial autocorrelation analysis is used to identify unique heterogeneous units of ESV. The results show that the overall ESV of Ruijin City from 2000 to 2020 showed a trend of slow increase in the first decade and a significant decrease in the second decade. The ESV in Ruijin City has a high degree of spatial divergence, showing the distribution characteristics of low value in the central region and high value in the marginal region. With the acceleration of urbanization, the ESV in the central region of Ruijin City decreases significantly from 2010 to 2020. Therefore, for the high value areas of ecosystem services, attention should be paid to the balanced development of economy and ecology. For low-value areas, it is necessary to strengthen the control of the ecological environment, protect sensitive areas with serious loss of ecosystem services, change the development model, and improve the supply capacity of ecological products. The government should calculate green Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on the evaluation results of ESV, and formulate a green GDP evaluation system in the performance evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological land is constantly modified by agriculture and construction, which leads to soil erosion, land degradation, soil pollution flood disasters, and many other land ecological security problems, threatening sustainable development. Few studies have been made to construct a land‐use ecological security pattern (LUESP) aimed at achieving urban expansion, food security, and ecological security from the perspective of land‐use needs. This study seeks to provide decision makers with the choice of multi‐scenario LUESPs by simulating the LUESP under different scenarios, offering a reasonable land‐use ecological security regulation strategy. In this paper, the ecological security evaluation method was used to identify key ecological space of a study area and the scenario analysis method was used to set up three security scenarios: ideal security (IS) scenario, satisfactory security (SS) scenario, and bottom‐line security (BS) scenario, thereby constructing the constrained cellular automata (CA) model of the LUESP and simulating the LUESPs under three security scenarios for Xingguo County, China. The results showed that the LUESP construction land index and arable land index did not exceed the total amount of the General Plan of Land Use in Xingguo County under the three security scenarios. Moreover, both key ecological space loss and landscape fragmentation degree were greatly reduced, the ecological patches tend to cluster, and the anti‐jamming ability of the landscape pattern was enhanced. The ranking of LUESPs under three security scenarios was as follows: BS scenario > SS scenario > IS scenario. These results implied that the LUESPs met the demand for land in Xingguo County for ecological security, food security, and economic development, while space occupied is different under three security scenarios. The decision makers can adopt appropriate land‐use ecological security regulation strategies according to the future development plans of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a progressive, obstinate and disabling disease. At present, the treatment of ONFH is still a global medical problem. We aim to explore the role of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)‐derived and siRNAs‐encapsulated exosomes (siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexos) in ONFH. We first isolated BMSCexos and screened siRNAs of 6 ONFH‐related genes for siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexo. The expression of these 6 ONFH‐related genes in dexamethasone (DXM)‐treated MC3T3‐E1 cell, cell model of ONFH, was detected by RT‐qPCR and Western blot analysis. And then, we performed CCK‐8 assay, angiogenesis assay and HE staining analysis to test the promotion role of the siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexo for angiogenesis during ONFH repair. The results suggest that the obtained particles were BMSCexos. The screened effective siRNAs could effectively knock down their expression in VECs. Moreover, siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexo could effectively knock down the expression of these genes in VECs. In addition, siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexo promote angiogenesis during ONFH repair. In conclusion, we found siRNAs‐encapsulated BMSCexos could promote ONFH repair by angiogenesis, and indicated exosome as the new siRNA carrier is of great significance to improve the efficiency of RNAi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Panjia polymetallic deposit, located in the northwestern region of Zhejiang Province, is a newly discovered medium‐ to large‐sized W–Mo–Cu ore deposit belonging to the northern part of the Qinzhou Bay–Hangzhou Bay metallogenic belt. Through investigation in the field and under the microscope, the hydrothermal activity of this deposit can be divided into four stages: pre‐ore stage, silicate oxidation stage, quartz sulfide stage, and post‐ore stage. The Datongkeng pluton, outcroping in Panjia deposit, is one S‐type intrusive rock and characterised by concentrations of SiO2, K2O and Na2O ranging from 67.03 to 71.09%, 3.03 to 4.89%, and 0.24 to 3.37%, respectively. The major elements display peraluminous, high‐K, calc‐alkaline features. Their A/CNK(A/CNK = n (Al2O3)/ [n (CaO) + n (Na2O) + n(K2O)]) ratios, δEu values, and δCe values vary from 0.93 to 1.98, 0.45 to 0.91, and 0.93 to 1.07, respectively. These rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (all record values of (La/Yb)N <10, except for one) whereas are depleted in Sr, Ba, Nb, P, Eu, and Ti. The end‐member study of the Pb and S isotopes shows that the mantle material plays an important role in the ore‐forming. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the second part of the multiperiod magmatism (154–150 Ma) of Datongkeng pluton is the relevant crystallisation age, and the study of metallogenic stage manifests that the molybdenite is formed at the third stage of the mineralisation sequence considered as the main period of mineralisation, subsequent to the mineralogenetic epoch of scheelite. The petrogenesis is related to the materials in the crust and a small amount of materials in the mantle. While the low degree of mantle source and the Proterozoic basement contribute to the Mo, Cu ore‐forming materials. Finally, two types of metallogenic assemblage are formed, including the W‐Mo polymetallic deposit in the Datongkeng pluton and the W‐Cu‐Pb‐Zn‐Ag polymetallic deposit in the veins in the Lantian Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sets of organic-rich shales developed in the Upper Paleozoic of the northwestern Guizhong Depression in South China. However, the exploration of these shales is presently at a relatively immature stage. The Upper Paleozoic shales in the northwestern Guizhong Depression, including the Middle Devonian Luofu shale, the Nabiao shale, and the Lower Carboniferous Yanguan shale, were investigated in this study. Mineral composition analysis, organic matter analysis (including total organic carbon (TOC) content, maceral of kerogen and the vitrinite reflection (Ro)), pore characteristic analysis (including porosity and permeability, pore type identification by SEM, and pore size distribution by nitrogen sorption), methane isothermal sorption test were conducted, and the distribution and thickness of the shales were determined, Then the characteristics of the two target shales were illustrated and compared. The results show that the Upper Paleozoic shales have favorable organic matter conditions (mainly moderate to high TOC content, type I and II1 kerogen and high to over maturity), good fracability potential (brittleness index (BI) > 40%), multiple pore types, stable distribution and effective thickness, and good methane sorption capacity. Therefore, the Upper Paleozoic shales in the northern Guizhong Depression have good shale gas potential and exploration prospects. Moreover, the average TOC content, average BI, thickness of the organic-rich shale (TOC > 2.0 wt%) and the shale gas resources of the Middle Devonian shales are better than those of the Lower Carboniferous shale. The Middle Devonian shales have better shale gas potential and exploration prospects than the Lower Carboniferous shales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a known antioxidant, can protect kidney against ischemic injury through regulating Nrf2 signaling pathway. The expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and cleaved caspase 3 were analyzed by Western blot analysis. Apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells was assessed by the TUNEL method. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured by the thiobarbituric acid reaction. Blood serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were measured with an Olympus automatic multi-analyzer. We found that NAC significantly increased Nrf2 and downstream HO-1 expression. Furthermore, NAC significantly decreased cleaved caspase 3, p53 and renal epithelial tubular cell apoptosis. In addition, NAC reduced the MDA level. These findings suggest that the protective action of NAC on ischemia renal injury is associated closely with Nrf2 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of an indirect competitive immunomagnetic-proximity ligation assay (ICIPLA), which is a novel method for detecting small molecules, is described in this report. Free small molecules in samples can be detected using a proximity ligation assay (PLA); the detection is based on the proximity effect caused by a high concentration of small molecule–BSA conjugates bound to streptavidin magnetic beads. As an indirect format competitive immunoassay, the ICIPLA method has the advantage in that the quantity of monoclonal antibody (mAb) used for small-molecule detection is 8-fold lower than that required for the competitive immunomagnetic-proximity ligation assay (CIPLA) described in our previous work. Small molecules can be detected using a single monoclonal antibody, and the PLA method can be used to amplify high-performance signals. In this work, the small molecular compound ractopamine (RAC) was selected as a target for ICIPLA. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.01 ng ml−1, and the method exhibited a broad dynamic range of up to six orders of magnitude. We also employed the ICIPLA method to detect RAC in serum, urine, and muscle extracts; the results indicated that the LOD and dynamic range were not altered. The cross-reactivity studies showed that the cross-reactivity values for all RAC analogs were below 0.01%. These results suggest that ICIPLA is a sensitive, specific and practical method for small-molecule detection. This is the first report of the improved PLA technology for small-molecule detection by indirect competitive formats in the biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical consciousness of the ancient Turkish people emerged during the founding of the second Turk Khanate due to different life styles and cultures. This in turn promoted the formation of the Turk ethnic consciousness and the identification of the nation. As a vital counsellor of the state, Ashi De Yuan Zhen, who was influenced by Chinese culture, fully understood the role of history in the formation and development of a nation. Making use of the common origin memory of the Turkish people and the historical lessons that the Eastern Turkish people fell victim to the Tang Dynasty, he contributed to strengthen the cohesion of the Turkish people and give birth to a strong sense of historical consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a historiographical criticism discussing the themes and characteristics of the ancient Chinese historical text "Tangjian" by Fan Zuyu. It describes the history and chronology of the Tang dynasty and Fan Zuyu's historical reconstruction of the period, Fan Zuyu's use of the zhenguan era of prosperity as a dividing line for the Tang dynasty, and his use of the Zizhitongjian source material.

ABSTRACT Unlike the stable AC interference caused by AC transmission lines to buried pipelines, high‐speed railways cause dynamic AC interference to nearby buried pipelines. The dynamic fluctuation characteristics of AC interference parameters of buried pipelines near high‐speed railways with different traction power supply modes were obtained through the statistical analysis of field test data. The dynamic AC corrosion simulation experiments were conducted with different interference cycles and levels, as well as cathodic protection (CP) levels. The results show that the dynamic AC corrosion rate increases with the extension of the interference time within each interference cycle. After the JAC ≥ 100 A/m2, the dynamic AC corrosion rate shows a three‐stage change with a negative shift of CP potential, that is, first decreasing, then increasing, and then decreasing again. On the basis of the experimental results, the dynamic AC corrosion risk assessment criteria were proposed, which comprehensively considers the CP level and the proportion of interference time with different AC current densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the reform and opening up, China's economy has maintained rapid growth. At the same time, the process of urbanization in China has been accelerating and the scale of urban construction land has expanded accordingly. The purpose of the research is to explore whether there is an inevitable connection between the expansion of urban construction land and economic growth. This study uses 108 prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt as an example. Considering panel data from 2005 to 2015, the spatial econometric model was used to explore the impact of urban construction land expansion on regional economic growth. The results are as follows: (1) The expansion of construction land in cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has a significant impact on economic growth but the extent of the impact is not as great as that of capital stock. (2) In the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the expansion of urban construction land in a certain area has not only a positive effect on the local economic growth but also a certain spillover effect and it can promote the economic development level of the adjacent areas in the economic belt. (3) Although the expansion of urban construction land along the Yangtze River Economic Belt promotes economic growth, there are obvious differences between regions. The expansion of urban construction land in the central region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has a significant driving effect on economic growth. However, the expansion of urban construction land in the eastern and western regions has no significant effect on the economic growth of the respective regions. Finally, based on the above conclusions, this paper proposes corresponding policy recommendations for economic development in different regions. These research conclusions will also facilitate the follow-up of other researchers to further explore the driving factors of the economic development of many prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the related mechanisms for the expansion of construction land to promote economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Astragaloside IV and tetramethylpyrazine have been extensively used in the cardio-cerbrovascular diseases of medicine as a chief ingredient of glycoside or alkaloid formulations for the treatment of stroke and myocardial ischemia diseases. Aim of the study: To investigate the effects of astragaloside IV (ASG IV) and tetramethylpyrazine (TMPZ) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury model in rat model. Materials and methods: Rats were randomly divided into the following five groups: sham group, IR group and treatment group including ASG IV, ASG IV–TMPZ and nimodipine treatment. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by micro-positron emission tomography (Micro-PET) using 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose. The neurological examination, infarct volume and the levels of oxidative stress- and cell apoptosis-related molecules were assessed. Results: Micro-PET imaging showed that glucose metabolism in the right hippocampus was significantly decreased in the IR group compared to the sham group (P <0.01). ASG IV and ASG IV–TMPZ treatments reversed the decreased glucose metabolism in the model group (P <0.05 and P <0.01, respectively). IR induced the increase of Caspase-3 mRNA levels, MDA content and iNOS activity, but it caused the decrease of SOD activity and Bcl-2 expression compared the sham group (P <0.01). ASG IV–TMPZ and ASG IV reversed the IR-induced changes of these parameters, i.e. the down regulation of Caspase-3 mRNA, MDA content and iNOS activity, and the up regulation of SOD activity and Bcl-2 expression (P <0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that ASG IV–TMPZ played a pivotal synergistic protective role against focal cerebral ischemic reperfusion damage in a rat experimental model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle atrophy is commonly associated with aging, immobilization, muscle unloading, and congenital myopathies. Generation of mature muscle cells from skeletal muscle satellite cells (SCs) is pivotal in repairing muscle tissue. Exercise therapy promotes muscle hypertrophy and strength. Primary cilium is implicated as the mechanical sensor in some mammalian cells, but its role in skeletal muscle cells remains vague. To determine mechanical sensors for exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy, we established three SC-specific cilium dysfunctional mouse models- Myogenic factor 5 ( Myf5 ) -Arf-like Protein 3 ( Arl3 ) -/- , Paired box protein Pax-7 ( Pax7 )- Intraflagellar transport protein 88 homolog ( Ift88 ) -/- , and Pax7-Arl3 -/- -by specifically deleting a ciliary protein ARL3 in MYF5-expressing SCs, or IFT88 in PAX7-expressing SCs, or ARL3 in PAX7-expressing SCs, respectively. We show that the Myf5-Arl3 -/- mice develop grossly the same as WT mice. Intriguingly, mechanical stimulation-induced muscle hypertrophy or myoblast differentiation is abrogated in Myf5-Arl3 -/- and Pax7-Arl3 -/- mice or primary isolated Myf5-Arl3 -/- and Pax7-Ift88 -/- myoblasts, likely due to defective cilia-mediated Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Collectively, we demonstrate SC cilia serve as mechanical sensors and promote exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy via Hh signaling pathway.

Loofah seeds ribosome inactivating protein luffin-α was fused with a tumor-targeting peptide NGR to create a recombinant protein, and its inhibitory activity on tumor cells and angiogenesis were assessed. luffin-α-NGR fusion gene was obtained by PCR amplification. The fusion gene was ligated with pGEX-6p-1 vector to create a recombinant plasmid pGEX-6p-1/ luffin-α-NGR . The plasmid was transformed into E . coli BL21, and the target protein was isolated and purified by GST affinity chromatography. The luffin-α-NGR fusion gene with a full length of 849 bp was successfully obtained, and the optimal soluble expression of the target protein was achieved under the conditions of 16 ℃, 0.5 mmol/L IPTG after 16 h induction. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting confirmed the recombinant protein has an expected molecular weight of 56.6 kDa. Subsequently, the recombinant protein was de-tagged by precision protease digestion. The inhibitory effects of the recombinant protein on liver tumor cells HepG2 and breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 were significantly stronger than that of luffin-α. The Transwell and CAM experiment proved that the recombinant protein luffin-α-NGR also had a significant inhibitory effect on tumor cells migration and neovascularization. The inhibitory activity on tumor cells and angiogenesis of the recombinant luffin-α-NGR protein lays a foundation for the development of subsequent recombinant tumor-targeting drugs.

Human melanoma is a highly aggressive type of cancer, causing significant mortalities despite the advances in treatment. Carboplatin is a cisplatin analog necessary for the treatment of various cancers and can also be used to treat human melanoma. We assessed the effects and mechanisms leading to inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of human melanoma after carboplatin therapy in vitro and in vivo. TREX1, cGAS/STING, and apoptotic protein expressions were determined through RT-qPCR and western blot assays. Cell proliferation was validated through MTT assays. The study used SK-MEL-1 and SK-HEP-1 tumor cell line inoculations along with carboplatin in nude mice to validate the results. The TREX1 levels were down-regulated in human melanoma cell lines. TREX1 overexpression-induced apoptosis and decreased proliferation in the human melanoma cell lines. TREX1 overexpression also activated the cGAS/STING pathway to induce apoptosis and decrease cell growth. Carboplatin activated TREX1, induced apoptosis, and decreased proliferation in the human melanoma cancerous cell lines. Finally, carboplatin reduced the in-vivo tumor size and weight. In conclusion, the study revealed that carboplatin activated TREX1 and cGAS/STING pathways to upregulate apoptosis. The work also provides in vitro and in vivo evidence to understand the effects of TREX overexpression on tumor suppression. Targeting of TREX1/cGAS/STING pathway could be an effective therapeutic alternative to human melanoma.

Collagen is essential for bone adhesion and formation. In the present study, proteomic analysis suggested that collagen type V a2 (COL5A2) was significantly decreased in the necrotic area of patients with steroid-induced necrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). In vitro , the effects of methylprednisolone (MP) on the proliferation and differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were investigated. The expression of the osteogenic-related proteins, Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC) and COL5A2 was significantly downregulated post-MP treatment. In vivo analyses revealed that post-MP treatment, rats showed typical signs of ONFH by micro-CT scanning and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the expression of COL5A2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was significantly decreased post-MP treatment. In conclusion, the expression COL5A2 was lower in patients with steroid-induced ONFH, hence COL5A2 may be a promising therapeutic target for steroid induced ONFH treatment., Competing Interests: None.

The Kruppel-associated box (KRAB)-associated co-repressor KAP1 is an essential nuclear co-repressor for the KRAB zinc finger protein superfamily of transcriptional factors. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-Chk2 and ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR)-Chk1 are two primary kinase signaling cascades activated in response to DNA damage. A growing body of evidence suggests that ATM and ATR phosphorylate KAP1 at Ser-824 in response to DNA damage and regulate KAP1-dependent chromatin condensation, DNA repair, and gene expression. Here, we show that, depending on the type of DNA damage that occurs, KAP1 Ser-473 can be phosphorylated by ATM-Chk2 or ATR-Chk1 kinases. Phosphorylation of KAP1 at Ser-473 attenuated its binding to the heterochromatin protein 1 family proteins and inhibited its transcriptional repression of KRAB-zinc finger protein (KRAB-ZFP) target genes. Moreover, KAP1 Ser-473 phosphorylation induced by DNA damage stimulated KAP1-E2F1 binding. Overexpression of heterochromatin protein 1 significantly inhibited E2F1-KAP1 binding. Elimination of KAP1 Ser-473 phosphorylation increased E2F1-targeted proapoptotic gene expression and E2F1-induced apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Furthermore, loss of phosphorylation of KAP1 Ser-473 led to less BRCA1 focus formation and slower kinetics of loss of γH2AX foci after DNA damage. KAP1 Ser-473 phosphorylation was required for efficient DNA repair and cell survival in response to DNA damage. Our studies reveal novel functions of KAP1 Ser-473 phosphorylation under stress.

Objective: To observe the effect of 3'-methoxy puerarin on cerebral infarction volume and free radical change of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and discuss the protective effect of 3'-methoxy puerarin on the cerebral ischemic/ reperfusion injury., Method: The thread method was used to induce middle cerebral artery embolization, to establish the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model. Rats were divided into five groups: the sham and model group, the two-dose group (5, 10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) of 3'-methoxy puerarin and nimodipine group (5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)). The behavior changes and volume of cerebral infarction were observed, and the leves of SOD and the content of MDA were measured., Result: 3'-methoxy puerarin could significantly improve the symptoms of neurological deficit and reduce the infarct volume, and increased SOD activity and reduced the content of MDA of cortex in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury rat, the action of 10 mg x kg(-1) of 3'-methoxy puerarin is more remarkable., Conclusion: 3'-methoxy puerarin has protective effect on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat.