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Urban densification is widely regarded as a key strategy for curbing urban sprawl and optimizing resource efficiency. However, it still threatens urban greenspaces by altering the original land use. The imperative to preserve and restore urban greenspaces has gained increased attention, aligning with the global spotlight on urban resilience. This prompts the crucial question: How will urban densification impact urban greening? Focusing on the old city areas of 159 cities with over one million population in China, we depicted the dynamics of urban greenness using remote sensing data and explored greening trends under urban densification on both horizontal and vertical scales by generalized additive model (GAM). The findings are as follows: (1) As urban horizontal density increased from 68.4 % to 93.1 %, a significant U-shaped trend in urban greenness emerged within the old city areas over the past three decades. Notably, 80 % of these cities experienced turning points before 2010. (2) Almost half of the cities have recovered the urban greenness to 30 years ago, with a growth of 6.58 % on average. While urban densification led to a loss of greenness (-0.0197±0.0182), urban greenspaces countered this with a gain of 0.0049±0.0075, and the original built-up area contributed a gain of 0.0027±0.0284. (3) We decomposed urban densification into horizontal and vertical growth. The horizontal growth coincides with the greenness loss initially, but the rebound occurs when the horizontal density approaches 83 %. Vertical growth, on the other hand, is negatively correlated with urban greenness. Our study depicts the turning point of urban greening in old city areas unveiling the ecological effect of urban densification, which provides a reference for the sustainable development of future urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral resource exploitation and farming are the main human production activities, which meet the two basic needs of industrial development and food security. However, mining and farming co-occurred in some specific spatial sites across the globe, making significant negative impacts on land and the environment. Here, we presented a remote sensing and spatial gradient model to quantitatively evaluate grain production caused by underground coal mining in eastern China. The results show that more than 80103.15 ha of land has been impacted by coal mining subsidence by 2020, with 28417.86 ha (35.48%) directly turned into water or wetland, and 51685.29 ha (64.52%) indirectly impacted by subsidence basin. The accumulated grain losses reached 537.12 million tons for the past 20 years, and only 14% of the subsided water area was reclaimed. According to the reclamation scenario analysis, a one-time investment of approximate 3.11 billion US dollars (USD) for land reclamation, will recover 60% of the water logging area, and this investment could bring total agricultural profits of 171.25 million USD per year, and the supplemented grain could feed 0.9 million population. Our proposed framework for evaluating the grain loss from mining quantitively will help to weigh the grain and coal conflicts, and is expected to be applied in similar regions globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) was modified on a polyamidoamine dendrimer (PAMAM) through Michael addition to construct a tumor-targeted carrier CS-PAMAM for miR-34a delivery. The derivative CS-PAMAM was demonstrated to achieve an efficient cellular uptake of miR-34a in a CD44-dependent endocytosis way and further facilitate the endosomal escape of miR-34a after 4 h. Through the miR-34a delivery, obvious inhibition of cell proliferation could be detected which was attributed to the enhancement of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and meanwhile the cell migration and invasion has been observed to be inhibited. Finally, the intravenous injection of CS-PAMAM/miR-34a formulation into mice bearing human lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 xenografts could efficiently inhibit the tumor growth and induce the tumor apoptosis owing to the enhanced accumulation of miR-34a in tumor tissue. Overall, CS-PAMAM is potential to be used as a tumor-targeted oligonucleotide carrier for achieving tumor gene therapy. Statement of Significance The cationic dendrimer PAMAM was modified by chondroitin sulfate (CS) through Michael addition to construct a tumor-targeted carrier CS-PAMAM for miR-34a delivery. The introduction of CS could achieve an efficient cellular uptake and intracellular transfection of miR-34a in a CD44-dependent endocytosis manner. The miR-34a delivery could execute the anti -proliferation activity by simultaneously inducing cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and also the anti -migration activity. The CS-PAMAM-mediated systemic delivery of miR-34a showed significant inhibition of tumor growth and induction of tumor apoptosis using a mice model of subcutaneously implanted tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We appraise built-up land efficiency and discern inefficient land at multi scales. • We analyze the coupling between BUI and LUE based on multi-source spatial data. • Overloaded built-up land distributes in South YRD, while inefficient in West. • For where built-up land is overloaded, appropriate new urban area is necessary. • Redevelopment is more suitable for where built-up land is inefficient. Irrational built-up land expansion debilitates urban sustainability and leads to environmental decay, food security, and climate change. Using the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration as an example, this research identifies the mismatch between the intensity and use efficiency of built-up land at multiple scales. Specifically, the study gauges built-up land intensity (BUI) using horizontal layout and vertical height data. Land use efficiency (LUE) is calculated by fusing multi-source spatial data, including nighttime light (NTL), land surface temperature (LST), population density (PD), gross domestic product (GDP), and points of interest (POI). The coupling index (CI) between BUI and LUE determines the misallocation of built-up land resources. The results indicate that BUI and LUE match well in YRD, whereas well-coupled built-up land with high BUI and LUE is concentrated in the eastern YRD. Based on the coupling findings, built-up land can be divided into three categories: overloaded, well-coupled, or inefficient. When built-up land is overloaded, it is essential to notice the excessive concentration of urban functions. On the other hand, reducing land resource waste should be a priority where built-up land is inefficient. This research helps confine irrational urban expansion, deploy rational urban expansion plans, and foster sustainable cities and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel class of analytical chirped soliton solutions of the triple-power law nonlinear Schrödinger equation with perturbations are constructed. This model is used to describe the propagation of light waves in a nonlinear medium with the higher-order nonlinear optical effects including the triple-power law nonlinearity, self-frequency shift and self-steepening. The results shown that exact chirped plane wave, bright and kink solitons can exist in this physical setting when the degree of nonlinearity satisfy 2 m = 3 n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the traditional material for polyester food packaging, is difficult to degrade. Taking PET-like plastics as carbon source, this study fabricates cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4)/carbon composites with flake structure through carbonization and solvothermal synthesis, which can serve as a useful supercapacitor electrode. Then, the electrochemical properties of samples were investigated under different heating time of solvothermal synthesis. Experiments show that the heating time of solvothermal synthesis had a certain impact on the electrical capacity and charging/discharging performance of the composites. Among the samples, SL-8 stands out with an electrical capacity of 110.8 F g−1, the retention reached 88.82% after 2000 cycles. This composite offers a promising electrode material for supercapacitors, and sheds new lights on solving white pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The framework coupling mining intensity and socioecological resilience was constructed. • The resilience and mining intensity were analyzed for 547 counties in China. • 12 socioecological indicators were used to evaluate resilience in spatial scale. • The zoning results enhanced our understanding of sustainable development in mining areas. Coal is an important global energy resource. However, the negative impacts of mining are important factors restricting the sustainable development of mining areas. Under the superimposed influences of different mining intensities, different natural ground conditions, and social-economic development, there are large differences in the restoration characteristics and response strategies for mining. To guide the development and utilization of coal resources and ecological restoration, the spatial distribution should be appropriately analyzed at the macroscale. Based on the web-crawler technology and multi-source remote sensing data, this paper attempted to estimate the mining intensity and the social-ecological resilience respectively at the county level, to divide the mining areas into nine regions in China. Based on the zoning results, differentiated strategies were proposed for ecological restoration and resource development and utilization in the various coal mining regions. The valuation results suggested that coal mines are widely distributed and abundant in China, mainly concentrated in the central, southwest and northwest regions. However, nearly half of the coal mining regions are with low resilience. Especially, high mining intensity-low resilience areas are concentrated in north China which account for 10.83%. These areas should receive special attention to prevent possible ecological risks and minimize economic effects. Social-ecological resilience measures system adaptation to coal mining disturbances, which can be regarded as the standard of mining intensity adjustment. In the future, local governments can try to combine ecological restoration and resource development strategies to provide support for the sustainable development of coal mining areas in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoglobulin M (IgM), an important immune effector, plays a crucial role in protecting fish against various pathogens. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is an economically important farmed fish, but the understanding of IgM characteristics and function in largemouth bass is still lacking. In the present study, the largemouth bass IgM heavy chain gene was first cloned. Sequence analysis showed that cDNA of the IgM heavy chain contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1740 bp. The ORF of the largemouth bass IgM heavy chain encodes a polypeptide of 579 amino acids that consists of a signal peptide, a variable region (VH) and four constant regions (CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4). Next, largemouth bass IgM was purified from serum, and polyclonal antibodies against IgM were developed using purified IgM as an antigen. Western blotting analysis showed that the polyclonal antibodies reacted with the heavy and light chains of largemouth bass IgM. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) analysis suggested that the polyclonal antibodies could also react with membrane-bound IgM (mIgM) on the surface of B cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the percentages of mIgM+ B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, spleen and head kidney were higher than those in the gill in largemouth bass. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of the IgM heavy chain in the head kidney and spleen was significantly higher than that in the gill, intestine and skin. Moreover, indirect ELISA showed that the IgM contents in serum were higher than those in mucus and that specific serum antibody levels were significantly increased after Aeromonas hydrophila immunization. These results demonstrated that the largemouth bass IgM gene was first cloned and characterized in this study and that IgM may play a more important role in systemic immunity than in mucosal immunity. • Full-length cDNA sequence of largemouth bass IgM heavy chain was firstly cloned and analyzed. • The polyclonal antibodies against largemouth bass IgM were developed and characterized. • The expressions of IgM in spleen and head kidney were significantly higher than those in gill, intestine and skin. • The levels of mIgM+ B lymphocytes in peripheral blood, head kidney and spleen were higher than that in gill. • The level of sIgM in serum was significantly lower than that in mucus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Histone has been considered to be an effective carrier in non-viral gene delivery due to its unique properties such as efficient DNA binding ability, direct translocation to cytoplasm and favorable nuclear localization ability. Meanwhile, the rapid development of genetic engineering techniques could facilitate the construction of multifunctional fusion proteins based on histone molecules to further improve the transfection efficiency. Remarkably, histone has been demonstrated to achieve gene transfection in a synergistic manner with cationic polymers, affording to a significant improvement of transfection efficiency. In the review, we highlighted the recent developments and future trends in gene delivery mediated by histones or histone-based fusion proteins/peptides. This review also discussed the mechanism of histone-mediated gene transfection and provided an outlook for future therapeutic opportunities in the viewpoint of transfection efficacy and biosafety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury lamps emitting 253.7 nm are well-known UV light devices but cause problems to environment. Here, a mercury-free light source is shown which is enabled by ZnI 2 microwave-driven light-emitting plasma (ZnI 2 MLEP), emitting 213-nm far-UVC. Its condition (pressure, ZnI 2 mass and microwave power) was optimized using a backpropagation artificial neural network (ANN) to obtained the maximum 213-nm intensity (I 213). The ANN was trained with experiment data and constructed the relationship between the condition and I 213 with error less than 5 %. The I 213 over all possible conditions allowed by the experimental accuracy was predicted. And the optimal condition was obtained and tested experimentally with the error of 5.6 %. After optimized by this method, the I 213 of ZnI 2 MLEP increases 53 % compared to conventional method. Based on the optimal condition, the ZnI 2 MLEP was made into a standalone ZnI 2 lamp with a recorded-high 213 nm intensity of 20.74 mW/cm2/nm. The comparison of spectra shows ZnI 2 lamp have shorter wavelengths and higher UV radiant power density than Hg lamp. Coupled with its properties of environmentally friendly and electrodeless, the ZnI 2 lamp have a potential to replace the Hg based UV lamps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The details of the earthquake preparation phase are still an open scientific debate. Eventual lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling effects before and during the Mw = 7.7 Jamaica 2020 earthquake are investigated here. Interesting SO 2 emissions followed by magnetic ionospheric anomalies have been recorded about three months in advance. A seismic acceleration started about 40 days before the mainshock when China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01) and Swarm jointly observed increased ionospheric electron density. Furthermore, China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite showed anomalous high electron density in 1 to 5 days following a seismicity enhancement supporting a lithosphere-ionosphere electromagnetic coupling. Finally, China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite and Swarm detected an electromagnetic signal a few seconds before the earthquake, probably due to its nucleation. About 10 min later, China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite and US geomagnetic ground stations observed a magnetic pulse, likely induced by the fault assessment. Our results provide several indications of geospheres coupling on the occasion of the Jamaica earthquake, which is explainable in light of the available geological and geophysical information. A space-time convergence of the anomalies toward the interested fault further supports their possible relationship with the Mw = 7.7 Jamaica earthquake. [Display omitted] • Anomalies suggest geolayers interact with each other before Jamaica earthquake. • CSES Ne increase has been detected from 1 to 5 days after seismic activity. • Atmosphere (SO 2 and surface temperature) and ionosphere coupling was observed. • CSES and Swarm recorded electromagnetic signal maybe due to earthquake nucleation. • CSES and ground data showed magnetic disturbance 10 min after the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of two equivalents of tetrahydrofurfuryl indenyl lithium with anhydrous lanthanide trichlorides in THF afforded bis(tetrahydrofurfurylindenyl) lanthanide chlorides (C4H7OCH2C9H6)2LnCl, Ln=La(1), Pr(2), Lu(3). Complexes 1 and 3 are characterized by single-crystal analysis. The results of crystal structural determination reveal that they are 9-coordinate monomeric intramolecular complexes with a trans arrangement of both the sidearms and indenyl rings in the solid state. The effects of rare earth ionic radii on the structures of (C4H7OCH2C9H6)2LnCl are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reaction of anhydrous lanthanide trichlorides with tetrahydrofurfuryl indenyl lithium in THF afforded bis(tetrahydrofurfurylindenyl) lanthanocene chlorides complexes (C4H7OCH2C9H6)2LnCl, Ln=Nd (1), Sm (2), Dy (3), Ho (4), Er (5), Yb (6). The X-ray crystallographic structures of all the six complexes were determined and these indicate that they are unsolvated nine-coordinate monomeric complexes with a trans arrangement of both the sidearm and indenyl rings in the solid state. They belong to the same crystal system (orthorhombic) and space group (P212121) with the same structure. Especially, they are more stable to air and moisture than the corresponding unsubstituted indenyl lanthanide complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Largemouth bass pIgR could combine with IgM. • Largemouth bass pIgR could bind to Aeromonas hydrophila and Micrococcus luteus. • Largemouth bass pIgR had binding capability to LPS, PGN and various saccharides. • Saccharide binding was an important interaction mechanism between largemouth bass pIgR and bacteria. The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is an important molecule in the mucosal immunity of teleosts. Previous studies have shown that pIgR can bind and transport polymeric immunoglobulins (pIgs), but few studies have focused on the binding of teleost pIgR to bacteria. In this study, we identified a gene encoding pIgR in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The pIgR gene contained two Ig-like domains (ILDs), which were homologous to ILD1 and ILD5 of mammalian pIgR. Our results showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could combine with IgM. Moreover, we also found that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could bind to Aeromonas hydrophila and Micrococcus luteus. Further analysis showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could also combine with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and various saccharides, and reduced binding to bacteria was observed with LPS and PGN treatment, indicating that largemouth bass pIgR could bind to bacteria to prevent infection and that saccharide binding is an important interaction mechanism between pIgR and bacteria. These results collectively demonstrated that largemouth bass pIgR not only combines with IgM but also binds to bacteria by various saccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Avenanthramides showed stronger binding affinity with starches than phenolic acids. • Avenanthramides decreased viscosity of corn starch according to Rapid Viscosity Analyser assay. • Starches enhanced bioaccessibility of avenanthramide 2c. • Avenanthramides significantly delay starch digestion, making them potential natural compounds for managing blood glucose levels. Oat avenanthramides possess multiple biologically beneficial properties. However, their interaction with starch has not been investigated. This study aims to study the interactions between avenanthramides and starches using high-performance liquid chromatography, rapid viscosity analysis, and simulated digestion. Phenolic acids were employed as a comparative group. The results demonstrated that avenanthramides exhibited higher binding rates with gelatinized starches than phenolic acids, ranging from 92.9% to 99.8%. Moreover, avenanthramides decreased the viscosity, breakdown, and setback of corn starch. Furthermore, starches slightly increased the bioaccessibility of avenanthramide 2c. Additionally, avenanthramides decreased the contents of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digesting starch in corn starch while increasing resistant starch contents. Interestingly, avenanthramides exhibited a more pronounced delaying effect on starch digestion than phenolic acids, which can be attributed to their higher binding affinity with starch. This study provides the first demonstration of the significant inhibitory effect of avenanthramides on starch digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide a simple method to design and prepare a highly efficient Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C trimetallic nanocatalyst with a novel nanostructure of ultra-low (0.075 wt%) Au decorated PtNi alloy nanoparticles for methanol oxidation (MOR) and formic acid oxidation (FAOR). The electro-catalytic properties of Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C toward the MOR and FAOR are much more excellent than Pt 11.1 Ni 88.9 /C, Au 11.1 Ni 88.9 /C and commercial Pt/C, which is attributable to the synergy effect among Pt, Au, and Ni (electron charge donor effect of Au and Ni to Pt). It has transformed the surface electronic structure of Pt atoms. Moreover, Ni triggers the rearrange towards Pt and Au atoms, it could maximize the use of noble metals. The gold atoms decorated on the surface are conducive to the formation of OH ads as well as to weaken the adsorption of CO ads at platinum active sites. The Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C catalyst also exhibits outstanding stability during the MOR and FAOR. A series of characterization techniques are adopted to reveal the nanostructures, electronic, and surficial active sites properties of Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C. Image 1 • Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C was obtained by chemical reduction without any surfactant. • Pt 10.9 Au 0.2 Ni 88.9 /C exhibited superior electro-catalytic activity for FAOR and MOR. • Decorated Au effectively suppressed the aggregation of Ostwald ripening. • Synergy effect in PtAuNi improved electro-catalytic performance in MOR and FAOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ghrelin receptors have been demonstrated to be widely expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues of mammals, it is still unknown whether ghrelin functions in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. In this study, we identified a novel functional role for ghrelin in modulating P-type Ca 2 + channel (P-type channel) currents ( I Ba ) as well as action-potential firing in rat Purkinje neurons. Our results show that ghrelin at 0.1 μM reversibly decreased I Ba by ~ 32.3%. This effect was growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a)-dependent and was associated with a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-dependence of inactivation. Intracellular application of GDP-β-S and pretreatment with pertussis toxin abolished the inhibitory effects of ghrelin. Dialysis of cells with the peptide QEHA (but not the scrambled peptide SKEE), and a selective antibody raised against the G-protein α o subunit both blocked the ghrelin-induced response. Ghrelin markedly increased protein kinase A (PKA) activity, and intracellular application of PKI 5-24 as well as pretreatment of the cells with the PKA inhibitor KT-5720 abolished ghrelin-induced I Ba decrease, while inhibition of PKC had no such effects. At the cellular level, ghrelin induced a significant increase in action-potential firing, and blockade of GHS-R1a by BIM-28163 abolished the ghrelin-induced hyperexcitability. In summary, these results suggest that ghrelin markedly decreases I Ba via the activation of GHS-R1a, which is coupled sequentially to the activities of G o -protein βγ subunits and the downstream PKA pathway. This could contribute to its physiological functions, including the spontaneous firing of action potentials in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simultaneous oxidation and reduction were realized by electrodeless microwave plasma. • Over 90% of PNP and Cr(VI) was removed simultaneously after 15 min of treatment. • Mutual promotion of Cr(VI) and PNP for the removal was revealed to be distinctive. • The reductive intermediates of PNP play a significant role in the reduction of Cr(VI). • The promotion of Cr(VI) reduction by PNP is irrespective of pH value. Different physicochemical properties between Cr(VI) and phenolic compounds pose serious challenges for the effective treatment of co-contamination. This study developed an electrodeless high-flow microwave atmospheric plasma jet for the single-step simultaneous degradation of p -nitrophenol (PNP) and reduction of Cr(VI). Following a 15 min treatment with microwave atmospheric pressure plasma, the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) and PNP reached 97.5% and 93.6%, respectively, whereas that of total organic carbon reached 30.2%. Adding PNP to the solution significantly improved Cr(VI) reduction, whereas PNP degradation increased slightly with Cr(VI). The results indicate that the PNP intermediates significantly affected Cr(VI) reduction. Additionally, long-lived H 2 O 2 and short-lived · H aided the reduction of Cr(VI) during plasma treatment. The addition of hydroxyl scavengers during treatment implied that · O H was largely responsible for PNP oxidation. High-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS) revealed that PNP intermediates, including p -nitrocatechol and 5-nitrobenzene-1,2,3-triol, function as Cr(VI) reductants. On the basis of the examined intermediate products, the potential PNP degradation pathway was investigated. The factors that could influence simultaneous dehgradation and reduction, including solution pH, gas velocity, and distance between the plasma outlet and the water surface were researched. Low pH supports Cr(VI) reduction, and the promotion of PNP for Cr(VI) reduction applies to all pH values. The degradation of PNP is insensitive to pH values with or without Cr(VI). The optimal gas velocity for PNP degradation and Cr(VI) reduction was revealed to be 6 L/min. The simultaneous removal of PNP and Cr(VI) benefits from a shorter distance between the plasma outlet and the water's surface. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mesozoic sediments within the Qilian Shan orogenic belt transitioned from a "sink" to a "source" before the Oligocene. • Obvious provenance change occurred at ∼22 Ma in the Subei Basin, an intermontane basin within the Qilian Shan orogenic belt. • The southern Qilian Shan orogenic belt underwent deformation in the earliest Miocene and middle-late Miocene. • Recycled Oligocene sediments inside the basin became the main provenance at ∼9 Ma. • The Qilian Shan orogenic belt underwent three stages of tectonic events that began in the early Cenozoic shortly after the India-Eurasia collision. Timing and patterns of the Cenozoic deformation of the Qilian Shan orogenic belt (QSOB) in the northern Tibetan Plateau are key to elucidating the mechanism(s) of plateau growth but remain matters of debate. The Oligocene-Miocene sediments in the Subei Basin, an intermontane basin situated at the junction of the central and southern QSOB, provide direct insight into the Cenozoic deformation of the QSOB. Here, a comprehensive provenance study based on detrital zircon geochronology, paleocurrents, conglomerate components and sedimentary facies in the Subei Basin demonstrates that this region experienced three stages of tectonic events during the Cenozoic. (1) Oligocene strata contain zircons of 200–300, 400–500, 700–1000, 1600–2000 and 2400–2700 Ma, indicating primary derivation from recycled Mesozoic sedimentary rocks in the QSOB and suggesting early Cenozoic deformation in this region. (2) One sample (21.5 Ma) yields similar age populations to those of Oligocene samples, except for the complete disappearance of 200–300 Ma zircons as a result of the widespread deformation of the QSOB. (3) Two samples (18.5–13.6 Ma) show a unimodal age cluster at 400–500 Ma, while one sample (9 Ma) contains zircon ages similar to those of Oligocene samples, indicating tectonic uplift of the southern QSOB in the middle-late Miocene, which is also recorded by the sedimentary transition from fluvial to alluvial fan. Based on these findings and those of previous studies, we suggest that the entire QSOB has undergone multistage tectonic events since the early Cenozoic due to far-field effects associated with the India-Eurasia plate collision and the continued convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new method for quantitative analysis of lactide has been developed by applying chemical kinetics to a HPLC system. The most important advance is its practical approach to the quantification of analytes that are unstable in the HPLC mobile phase. In HPLC analysis, anhydrous mobile phases cannot separate lactide from impurities, and only mixtures of water and organic solvent can achieve effective separation. By selecting conditions for testing and studying the kinetics of lactide hydrolysis, extensive experiments revealed that lactide degradation can be treated as a pseudo-first-order reaction under the given HPLC conditions, and lactide content or purity can be quantitatively determined. This method is practical for measuring the purity of the intermediate lactide in polylactic acid (PLA) production and the lactide content in PLA. When lactide content is high, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the measurements is <2.0%, while RSD is <5.0% at low levels, which indicates that the method is suitably precise. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reaction of YbI2 with two equivalents of cyclopentylindenyl lithium (C5H9C9H6Li) affords ytterbium(II) substituted indenyl complex (C5H9C9H6)2Yb(THF)2 (1) which shows high activity to ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactones. The reaction between YbI2 and cyclopentylcyclopentadienyl sodium (C5H9C5H4Na) gives complex [(C5H9C5H4)2Yb(THF)]2O2 (2) in the presence of a trace amount of O2, the molecular structure of which comprises two (C5H9C5H4)2Yb(THF) bridged by an asymmetric O2 unit. The O2 unit and ytterbium atoms define a plane that contains a Ci symmetry center. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The eastern plain of China is one of the most important grain production areas in China. Meanwhile, the plain is also an important coal production area with a large number of "coal-grain composite regions". Coal mining causes land subsidence and waterlogging, which destroys a significant amount of cultivated land. However, there is no dataset for the spatio-temporal distribution of subsidence water to assist related decision-making on a regional scale. Accurate monitoring of subsidence water is still a challenge, especially distinguishing among subsidence water, natural water and artificially excavated water by only using remote sensing data. Here, A new method to generate a dynamic map for the subsidence ponding year and the restoration year using the Google Earth Engine platform with 33-year-old Landsat imagery was created. The time segmentation method was used to first extract the change water pixels corresponding to subsidence water and artificially excavated water with similar trajectory features. Then, the morphological characteristics of the two types of change water at the beginning year of water accumulation are used to construct 13 landscape indexes. This approach utilizes the Random Forest algorithm to distinguish between subsidence water and artificially excavated water. The Huang-Huai-Hai plain area in eastern China was selected as the study area and extracted the subsidence water areas from 1986 to 2018. The identification accuracies for subsidence ponding year and restoration year are 88% and 85%. 79% of the subsidence water areas are located in cultivated land, which shows significant impacts to agricultural activities. The method proposed could be applied to other similar areas, the results could provide reference and data for decision-making and related land reclamation planning. • A novel methodology was developed for mapping mining subsidence water. • Map of the subsidence ponding year and restoration year. • Random forest algorithm can effectively extract the patch of subsidence water. • Contribute to monitor annual subsidence water at a regional scale. • This paper belongs to change detection using Landsat time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we aimed to assess the value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and systemic immune-inflammation index in predicting prognosis among patients with resected pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive roles of inflammation markers for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in pNEN patients who underwent curative resections. [Extracted from the article]