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This study examined the relationship between family capital (FC) and academic achievement in geography along with the mediating role of creativity. The main objective was to determine if FC is a positive predictor of creativity and geographic achievement, and whether creativity completely or partially mediates the relationship between FC and geographic achievement. 1268 high school students participated in this study using the Family Capital Questionnaire (FCQ), the Innovative Behavior Scale (IBS), and students’ class geography scores. SPSS 26 and Amos software were used to analyze the descriptive statistics and the correlation between the main variables. The mediating role of creativity was tested using PROCESS version 4. The correlation analyses showed that FC positively affected academic achievement in geography (β = 0.382, SE = 0.019). Creativity also demonstrated a positive effect on geography academic achievement (β = 0.376, SE = 0.022). The mediation analysis showed that creativity mediated and buffered the relationship between FC and academic achievement in geography. Thus, FC directly affected students’ academic achievement in geography and indirectly affected their creativity. This clearly demonstrates that student characteristics and the external environment should be emphasized in geography education, while placing a strong focus on cultivating individual creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study tested the hypothesis that progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less aggressive in patients whose primary cause of CKD was nephrectomy, compared with non-surgical causes. Methods: A sample of 5983 patients from five specialist nephrology practices was ascertained from the Queensland CKD Registry. Rates of kidney failure/death were compared on primary aetiology of CKD using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. CKD progression was compared using multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: Of 235 patients with an acquired single kidney as their primary cause of CKD, 24 (10%) and 38 (17%) developed kidney failure or died at median [IQR] follow-up times of 12.9 [2.5–31.0] and 33.6 [18.0–57.9] months after recruitment. Among patients with an eGFR < 45 mL/min per 1.73m2 at recruitment, patients with diabetic nephropathy and PCKD had the highest rates (per 1000 person-years) of kidney failure (107.8, 95% CI 71.0–163.8; 75.5, 95% CI 65.6–87.1); whereas, patients with glomerulonephritis and an acquired single kidney had lower rates (52.9, 95% CI 38.8–72.1; 34.6, 95% CI 20.5–58.4, respectively). Among patients with an eGFR ≥ 45 mL/min per 1.73m2, those with diabetic nephropathy had the highest rates of kidney failure (16.6, 95% CI 92.5–117.3); whereas, those with glomerulonephritis, PCKD and acquired single kidney had a lower risk (11.3, 95% CI 7.1–17.9; 11.7, 95% CI 3.8–36.2; 10.7, 95% CI 4.0–28.4, respectively). Conclusion: Patients who developed CKD after nephrectomy had similar rates of adverse events to most other causes of CKD, except for diabetic nephropathy which was consistently associated with worse outcomes. While CKD after nephrectomy is not the most aggressive cause of kidney disease, it is by no means benign, and is associated with a tangible risk of kidney failure and death, which is comparable to other major causes of CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipids are either taken up from food sources or produced internally in specialized tissues such as the liver. Among others, both routes of lipid metabolism involve cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs). We sought to analyze the function of Cyp311a1 that has been shown to be expressed in the midgut of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Using a GFP-tagged version of CYP311A1 that is expressed under the control of its endogenous promoter, we show that Cyp311a1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum in epithelial cells of the anterior midgut. In larvae with reduced Cyp311a1 expression in the anterior midgut, compared to control larvae, the apical plasma membrane of the respective epithelial cells contains less and shorter microvilli. In addition, we observed reduction of neutral lipids in the fat body, the insect liver, and decreased phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and triacylglycerols (TAG) amounts in the whole body of these larvae. Probably as a consequence, they cease to grow and eventually die. The microvillus defects in larvae with reduced Cyp311a1 expression are restored by supplying PE, a major phospholipid of plasma membranes, to the food. Moreover, the growth arrest phenotype of these larvae is partially rescued. Together, these results suggest that the anterior midgut is an import hub in lipid distribution and that the midgut-specific CYP311A1 contributes to this function by participating in shaping microvilli in a PE-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation pattern is found to be established by the combined actions of DNA methylation and demethylation. Compared to the DNA methylation pathway, DNA demethylation pathway, however, remains largely unknown. To better understand the DNA demethylation pathway, we performed genetic screening for Arabidopsis mutants with increased genomic DNA methylation levels through a 2 × 35S:LUC (LUC, luciferase) reporter system. A mutant with reduced LUC luminescence was identified by such a system, therefore named rll3-1 (for reduced LUC luminescence 3-1). The rll3-1 mutant exhibited pleiotropic developmental defects, such as delayed bolting as well as flowering, more branches, etc. By map-based cloning approach, rll3 locus that contains a single nuclear recessive mutation as revealed by the genetic analysis was mapped to a region between molecular markers CL102_B1 M1 and CL102_B3M1, which are located in bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones F9P14 and F12K11, respectively, on chromosome 1. Chop-PCR analysis indicated that a total of seven tested loci displayed elevated DNA methylation levels. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing further revealed 1536 loci exhibiting increased DNA methylation levels relative to Col-LUC control, among which there are 507 such loci overlapping between the rll3-1 and ros1-7 mutants, suggestive of a functional association between RLL3 and REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1). Further investigations demonstrated that the expression levels of a few genes (like ROS1, IDM1, etc.), which are involved in DNA demethylation pathway, remained unchanged in the rll3-1 mutant, indicating that the increased DNA methylation levels in rll3-1 mutant are not attributable to downregulation of such genes. Taken together, our studies provide a demonstration of the involvement of RLL3 in the DNA demethylation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of the study was to determine if a Beacon model of integrated care utilising general practitioners (GPs) with special interests could achieve similar clinical outcomes to a hospital-based specialist diabetes outpatient clinic.Methods: This pragmatic non-inferiority multisite randomised controlled trial assigned individuals with complex type 2 diabetes to care delivered by a Beacon clinic or to usual care delivered by a hospital outpatient department, in a 3:1 ratio. Owing to the nature of the study, researchers were only blinded during the allocation process. Eligible participants were aged 18 or over, had been referred by their usual GP to the hospital central referral hub with type 2 diabetes and had been triaged to be seen within 30 or 90 days. The intervention consisted of diabetes management in primary care by GPs with a special interest who had been upskilled in complex diabetes under the supervision of an endocrinologist. The primary outcome was HbA1c at 12 months post-recruitment. The non-inferiority margin was 4.4 mmol/mol (0.4%). Both per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses are reported.Results: Between 27 November 2012 and 14 July 2015, 352 individuals were recruited and 305 comprised the intention-to-treat sample (71 in usual care group and 234 in the Beacon model group). The Beacon model was non-inferior to usual care for both the per-protocol (difference −0.38 mmol/mol [95% CI −4.72, 3.96]; −0.03% [95% CI −0.43, 0.36]) and the intention-to-treat (difference −1.28 mmol/mol [95% CI −5.96, 3.40]; −0.12% [95% CI −0.55, 0.31]) analyses. Non-inferiority was sustained in a sensitivity analysis at 12 months. There were no statistically or clinically significant differences in the secondary outcomes of BP, lipids or quality of life as measured by the 12 item short-form health survey (SF-12v2) and the diabetes-related quality of life (DQoL-Brief) survey. Safety indicators did not differ between groups. Participant satisfaction on the eight-item client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ-8) was good in both groups, but scores were significantly higher in the Beacon model group than the usual care group (mean [SD] 28.4 [4.9] vs 25.6 [4.9], respectively, p < 0.001).Conclusions/interpretation: In individuals with type 2 diabetes, a model of integrated care delivered in the community by GPs with a special interest can safely achieve clinical outcomes that are not inferior to those achieved with gold-standard hospital-based specialist outpatient clinics. Individuals receiving care in the community had greater satisfaction. Further studies will determine the cost of delivering this model of care.Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000380897Funding: The study was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (GNT1001157). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shihu gold deposit, located in the middle-south section of the core of the Fuping mantle branch structure, is hosted in the Archean Fuping Group and adjacent to the quartz diorite porphyrite. The gold deposit is the only large gold deposit with reserves of more than 30 tons gold discovered in western Hebei Province so far. In order to constrain the timing of mineralization of this ore deposit, this paper focuses on the isotopic dating of zircon and pyrite. Zircons in gold-bearing quartz veins are magmatic in origin and no hydrothermal zircon has been found in such quartz veins, indicating that zircons were derived from the wall rocks. U-Pb ages of zircons fall mainly in the two domains: 2492 ± 82 and 136 ± 4 Ma, respectively, indicative of the contribution of the Fuping-Group TTG gneiss and Yanshanian igneous rocks, respectively. The Re-Os isotopic compositions of pyrites in the gold-bearing quartz veins yield an isochron age of 127 ± 31 Ma. Combined with other dating results, we suggest that the main metallogenic age of the Shihu gold deposit is 120-127 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphorus and carbamate are widely used in agricultural production . Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism that is widely used in various toxicology studies. To understand the effects of two types of commonly used pesticides, phoxim (organophosphorus) and carbaryl (carbamate), we determined the activities of acetylcholinesterases (AChEs) and detected the expression of four ace genes by RT-qPCR in C. elegans following treatment with these pesticides. The results showed that phoxim and carbaryl could reduce acetylcholinesterase activities and up-regulate the ace- 3 mRNA expression levels. We also detected the toxic effects of these pesticides on the ace- 3 deletion mutant dc- 2, and found that some characteristics, including LC, development, movement, reproduction and lifespan, were reduced in the dc- 2 mutant. However, the toxic effects of carbaryl were weaker than those of phoxim. Carbaryl treatment did not significantly affect the LC, movement ability or lifespan. Interestingly, body and brood size increased with carbaryl treatment at low concentrations. These data showed that both phoxim and carbaryl could inhibit AChE but that the ace- 3 was necessary for phoxim detoxification. Graphical Abstract: The LC of phoxim and carbaryl in wild type N2 and the ace- 3 deletion mutant dc- 2. **Higher significant differences ( P < 0.01).[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff from drainage basins is a nonlinear process subject to the comprehensive influences of various factors, such as rainfall characteristics and underlying surface conditions. Matter element analysis is endowed with forecast function by using prior forecast factors. By repeatedly adjusting the grade division value (classical domain and joint domain) of each factor, the fitting rate of the calculation grade of the drainage basin to the actual grade is maximized, which results in more accurate results. The results demonstrate that this technique is a new and effective method of forecasting runoff in drainage basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper is an essential metal, but its toxic effects are pronounced when organisms are exposed to it in excessive amounts. However, information about the effects of chronic copper exposure on the cuticle ultrastructure of organisms is insufficient. Studies of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans, could further our understanding of the effect of chronic excessive copper exposure on human health. In this study, the cuticle surface ultrastructure of C. elegans was observed using scanning electron microscopy after excessive copper exposure. In addition to this, some biological functions, such as chemotaxis, reproduction, and development, were also analyzed. After chronic excessive copper exposure, the worms' body surface from vulva to tail was extensively wrinkled and folded along with the annulus. The worm's vulva size was significantly decreased, and the middle ridge of the alae was disrupted. Furthermore, some of the biological functions of nematodes were also affected: the chemotaxis index was partially changed, bags-of-worms were induced, development was delayed, and egg-laying number was decreased by copper treatment. The results of the present study shed new light on the effects of copper on C. elegans cuticle as well as some biological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of He and Ar isotopes in tracing the source of ore fluids has aroused great attention of the broad masses of the geological researchers. On the basis of lots of test and measurement of He and Ar isotopes in sulfides from Au, Ag polymetallic ore deposits in northern China, statistics has been made on the published He and Ar isotope data from 27 gold deposits, 13 silver polymetallic ore deposits, 8 polymetallic ore deposits, 1 rare-earth deposit, 3 oceanic incrustations, 3 volcanic springs and their wall rocks and granites. The statistical results indicate that the He/Ar (×10) values of the Au, Ag polymetallic ore deposits are within the range of 0.24-9.39, with an average of 3.34×10; the He/Ar values, 0.007-6.01,with an average of 2.37; the Ar/Ar values, 265.75-2361, with an average of 699.0; the He/Ar values, 0.0020-643.86, with an average of 5.85, the He/Ar (×10) values of gneiss and granite surrounding the mining area, 0.001-1.79, with an average of 1.00×10, reflecting great differences in source. Mantle-source He in 48 Au, Ag polymetallic ore deposits accounts for 4.55%-83.06%, averaging 29.91%. It falls near the mantle-source region which can be seen in the He isotopic concentration diagram and the He/He(R/Ra)-Ar/Ar plot. Studies suggested that the ore-forming materials for endogenic Au, Ag polymetallic ore deposits should be derived from the deep interior of the Earth, and with the multi-stage evolution of mantle plumes the deep-seated ore fluids would be transported from the deep interior of the Earth to the shallow levels. During this process the mixing of crust/mantle-source fluids would inevitably occur, therefore, the value range always lies between the mantle and the crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallogenesis in the gold ore-concentrated zone of Northwest Shandong Peninsula is closely related to deep processes. The region in the eastern part of North China entered into the stage of mantle plume evolution during the Yanshanian movement, following the long-time stage of stable platform evolution during Paleozoic time. At that time, the ore-concentrated zone of Northwest Shandong Peninsula just entered into the development-evolution stage of the Laiyang sub-mantle plume and the Guojiadian mantle branch structure in its periphery. The core-mantle-source gold was present in the gas-liquid form, and it migrated through mantle plume→sub-mantle plume→mantle branch structure→favorable tectonic expansion zone to the favorable loci of the mantle branch structure, where gold was deposited as ores, thereafter constituting a series of large- to medium-sized gold deposits distributed around the Guojiadian mantle branch structure. This study also dealt with the Jiaojia fault as the main detachment (fault altered rock) belt on the northwestern margin of the mantle branch structure and also presented a basic cognition about the fact that the Sanshandao fault as the listric fault on the hanging wall of the detachment belt. Furthermore, on this basis, this study also pointed out the orientation for further ore prospecting in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mujicun Cu (Mo) ore deposit at Laiyuan, Hebei Province, is a currently proven large-sized Cu (Mo) polymetallic ore deposit and it is located in the second-ordered fault depression basin of the ditachment belt on the hanging-wall on the western side at the juncture of the Laiyuan dumbell-shaped complex in the northern part of the Fuping mantle-branch structure. Metallogenesis is controlled by diorite porphyrite in intrusive relation with the fault depression basin and other relevant fault structure systems and intenstive wall-rock alteration zones. This study, in conjunction with the most recent exploration data, analyzed the geological background of metallogenesis of this deposit, summaried the geological characteristics of typical ore deposits, determined the alteration zonation of the deposit, investigated regional metallogenesis and the genesis of typical ore deposits, discussed the regional ore-forming and ore-controlling structures, and generalized the regional ore-controlling model and metallogenic model of the deposit. It is considered that the Mujicun porphry Cu (Mo) deposit, the Tieling, Futuyu, Xiaoligou and other skarn-type Fe-Cu deposits and the He'ergou hydrothermal-type Pb-Zn-Ag deposit jointly constitute a three-in-one polymetallic orefield, with the characteristics of typical metallogenic series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice grasshopper, Oxya hyla intricata, is a rice pest in Southeast Asia. In this study, population genetic diversity and structure of this Oxya species was examined using both DNA sequences and AFLP technology. The samples of 12 populations were collected from four Southeast Asian countries, among which 175 individuals were analysed using mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, and 232 individuals were examined using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) to test whether the phylogeographical pattern and population genetics of this species are related to past geological events and/or climatic oscillations. No obvious trend of genetic diversity was found along a latitude/longitude gradient among different geographical groups. Phylogenetic analysis indicated three deep monophyletic clades that approximately correspond to three geographical regions separated by high mountains and a deep strait, and TCS analysis also revealed three disconnected networks, suggesting that spatial and temporal separations by vicariance, which were also supported by AMOVA as a source of the molecular variance presented among groups. Gene flow analysis showed that there had been frequent historical gene flow among local populations in different regions, but the networks exhibited no shared haplotype among populations. In conclusion, the past geological events and climatic fluctuations are the most important factor on the phylogeographical structure and genetic patterns of O. hyla intricata in Southeast Asia. Habitat, vegetation, and anthropogenic effect may also contribute to gene flow and introgression of this species. Moreover, temperature, abundant rainfall and a diversity of graminaceous species are beneficial for the migration of O. hyla intricata. High haplotype diversity, deep phylogenetic division, negative Fu's F values and unimodal and multimodal distribution shapes all suggest a complicated demographic expansion pattern of these O. hyla intricata populations, which might have been caused by climatic oscillations during glacial periods in the Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the isotopic composition of helium in garnet and omphacite of eclogite in the Dabie Mountains in central China. Look at the geological significance of the isotopic composition of helium; Concentrations of Helium in garnet and omphacite; Geological characteristic of helium isotope in eclogite.

Provides information on the spinel lherzolite found in Damaping, Northern Zhangjiakou, China. Description of the Damaping basalts; Collection of sample; Characteristics of spinel lherzolite.

Many types of cuticular proteins are found in a single insect species, and their number and features are very diversified among insects. The cuticle matrix consists of many different proteins that confer the physical properties of the exoskeleton. However, the number and properties of cuticle proteins in Locusta migratoria remain unclear. In the present study, Illumina sequencing and de novo assembly were combined to characterize the transcriptome of L. migratoria. Eighty-one cuticular protein genes were identified and divided into five groups: the CPR family (51), Tweedle (2), CPF/CPFLs (9), CPAP family (9), and other genes (10). Based on the expression patterns in different tissues and stages, most of the genes as a test were distributed in the integument, pronotum and wings, and expressed in selected stages with different patterns. The results showed no obvious correlation between the expression patterns and the conservative motifs. Additionally, each cluster displayed a different expression pattern that may possess a different function in the cuticle. Furthermore, the complexity of the large variety of genes displayed differential expression during the molting cycle may be associated with cuticle formation and may provide insights into the gene networks related to cuticle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial accumulation of neutral sequences accounts for genome size expansion in animal genomes. Numerous novel microRNAs (miRNAs), which evolve in a birth and death manner, are considered evolutionary neutral sequences. The migratory locust is an ideal model to determine whether large genomes contain abundant neutral miRNAs because of its large genome size. A total of 833 miRNAs were discovered, and several miRNAs were randomly chosen for validation by Northern blot and RIP-qPCR. Three additional verification methods, namely, processing-dependent methods of miRNA biogenesis using RNAi, evolutionary comparison with closely related species, and evidence supported by tissue-specific expression, were applied to provide compelling results that support the authenticity of locust miRNAs. We observed that abundant local duplication events of miRNAs, which were unique in locusts compared with those in other insects with small genome sizes, may be responsible for the substantial acquisition of miRNAs in locusts. Together, multiple evidence showed that the locust genome experienced a burst of miRNA acquisition, suggesting that genome size expansion may have considerable influences of miRNA innovation. These results provide new insight into the genomic dynamics of miRNA repertoires under genome size evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]