Search

South China is a hotspot for fungal diversity. During investigations of saprobic fungi in Yunnan Province, we collected and identified a new species, Queenslandipenidiella lingcangensis, and a new host record of Periconia byssoides from dead woody twigs of Cryptocarya hainanensis and Ehretia acuminata, respectively. Both morphology and multigene phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS and LSU sequence data supported the placement of the new taxa within Queenslandipenidiella with high statistical support. The new taxon is characterised by numerous, erect, hairy, and dark brown to black colonies, macronematous, solitary or gregarious, oblong, dark brown, branching penicillate conidiophores with 5−6-septate, mono- to polyblastic, terminal, narrowly ellipsoidal to subcylindrical, pale brown to brown conidiogenous cells with 1–2-celled, globose to subglobose, aseptate, thick-walled, hyaline greenish-brown to brown conidia. We provide descriptions, illustrations, phylogenetic analyses results, and notes discussing the new species and the new record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The designs of most chatbots and voice assistants provide features for the agent to understand what the user said, but not the equivalent features for the user to understand the agent. Although the agents in the study suffered from many under-trained intents and a considerable lack of knowledge in the case of open-domain inquiries, the NCF dialog patterns nonetheless appeared to help users, and agents, manage the interaction, and move on. Keywords: Conversational user interfaces; conversational UX design; Conversation Analysis; chatbots; voice assistants EN Conversational user interfaces conversational UX design Conversation Analysis chatbots voice assistants 168 193 26 04/20/23 20230701 NES 230701 1. Two versions of tutorials were given to the users who are the full-featured agents and the reduced features agents, respectively, since each agent uses different interaction mechanics. Similarly, only one participant in all 23 conversations asked the buddy agent about its hobbies I first i , whereas the full-featured agent brought up its hobby, Splendor, in 13 of the 15 conversations. [Extracted from the article]

Inspired by growing calls for the equitable recognition of other experiences—especially non-white and non-western—in the historiography of the modern era, this paper explores the themes of transnational architectural practice and cosmopolitanism through the lens of cultural heritage—specifically modern heritage—and how values are ascribed, invariably asymmetrically, to the tangible and intangible legacies of our recent past. In deference to the theme of Cosmopolitanism's Others, the paper argues for equitable histories not merely as an intellectual exercise, but as a prerequisite to attaining just and sustainable futures. One small step in this direction is the formulation of The Cape Town Document on Modern Heritage (2022) under the auspices of the global collaborative, MoHoA (Modern Heritage of Africa/Modern Heritage in the Anthropocene), a decentring and restitutive framework for an equitable and sustainable approach to the theory and practice of modern heritage in a planetary age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8) mice exhibit characteristics of premature aging, including hair loss, cognitive dysfunction, reduced physical activity, impaired metabolic homeostasis, cardiac dysfunction and reduced lifespan. Interestingly, circadian disruption can induce or augment many of these same pathologies. Moreover, previous studies have reported that SAMP8 mice exhibit abnormalities in circadian wheel-running behavior, indicating possible alterations in circadian clock function. These observations led to the hypothesis that 24 h rhythms in behavior and/or circadian clock function are altered in SAMP8 mice and that these alterations may contribute to perturbations in whole-body metabolism. Here, we report that 6-month-old SAMP8 mice exhibit a more prominent biphasic pattern in daily behaviors (food intake and physical activity) and whole-body metabolism (energy expenditure, respiratory exchange ratio), relative to SAMR1 control mice. Consistent with a delayed onset of food intake at the end of the light phase, SAMP8 mice exhibit a phase delay (1.3–1.9 h) in 24 h gene expression rhythms of major circadian clock components (bmal1, rev-erbα, per2, dbp) in peripheral tissues (liver, skeletal muscle, white adipose tissue [WAT], brown adipose tissue [BAT]). Forcing mice to consume food only during the dark period improved alignment of both whole-body metabolism and oscillations in expression of clock genes in peripheral tissues between SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice. Next, interrogation of metabolic genes revealed altered expression of thermogenesis mediators (ucp1, pgc1α, dio2) in WAT and/or BAT in SAMP8 mice. Interestingly, SAMP8 mice exhibit a decreased tolerance to an acute (5 h) cold challenge. Moreover, SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice exhibited differential responses to a chronic (1 week) decrease in ambient temperature; the greatest response in whole-body substrate selection was observed in SAMR1 mice. Collectively, these observations reveal differential behaviors (e.g. 24 h food intake patterns) in SAMP8 mice that are associated with perturbations in peripheral circadian clocks, metabolism and thermogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the changes in serum miR-124 levels in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and elucidate the underlying mechanism by a dynamic monitor. Methods: Fifty-four patients with ACI and 51 healthy controls were included in our study. Baseline characteristics and blood samples were collected for further analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the serum miR-124 levels. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate the effect of miR-124 on iASPP, a protein that inhibits apoptosis stimulating proteins in the p53 family. Results: Compared with normal controls, the miR-124 levels in the ACI group rapidly decreased at phase 1 (within 24 h after ischemia) (p < 0.001) and then gradually increased at phase 2 (48 ∼ 72 h after ischemia) (p < 0.001) and phase 3 (the 7th day after ischemia) (p < 0.001). The dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-124 down-regulates iASPP expression in 293T cells. Conclusion: The miR-124 levels are down-regulated in ACI patients. The dynamic changes of miR-124 might provide a possible method for the detection of ischemic stroke. The difference in miR-124 expression levels between ACI patients and normal controls. Dynamic changes of miR-124 expression levels in ACI patients. The down-regulation of miR-124 upon iASPP expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Palaeozoic was an important period in the geologic evolution of the South China block (SCB), marking the intracontinental orogen in the Wuyi-Yunkai region. One salient feature of the western SCB is the absence of Early Palaeozoic oceanic subduction-related magmatism. Here, we report the first known occurrence of Late Ordovician andesites from the Shimian area, western SCB. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating reveals that the andesites formed at ca. 451 Ma. They have geochemical features of high-Mg adakitic andesite (HMAA) and are characterized by low K2O (1.09-2.24 wt.%) and Th (2.50-5.65 ppm) and high MgO (4.02-6.91 wt.%) and Mg# (56-71). Furthermore, their zircon grains display positive εHf(t) (+11.4 to +19.6) and low δ18O (4.72-6.20‰) values. The andesites are interpreted to have been derived from partial melting of a peridotitic mantle wedge in an oceanic subduction setting and subsequent fractional crystallization. Integrating previous studies of the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt with the data presented in this contribution, we suggest that the SCB was probably involved in the Early Palaeozoic Andean-type orogeny along the Gondwanan proto-Tethyan margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two rock topples with the opposite dip direction, observed in the Ribangliangzi hill and facing the China Provincial Highway S211, are located on the upper stream of the planned dam of Jinchuan Hydropower Station in China. The new site for submerged part of Highway due to reservoir impoundment is designed to be a tunnel crossing the Ribangliangzi hill. However, at this hill, the stratum facing the Dadu River dips southwestward, whereas the stratum facing the Xinzha Gully dips northeastward. Therefore, it's regarded as an important slope structure that may lead to an occurrence of landslide directly threatening the future tunnel excavation stability and slope stability along the highway. This paper reports for the geologic structures of the overturned strata, formative processes and mechanism for toppling on cataclinal slopes. It was concluded that the toppling on cataclinal slopes was caused by a combination of toppling and sliding. Furthermore, to analyse the conditions for toppling on cataclinal slope, the cantilever beam model was established and analyzed the minimum strata dip angle required for toppling more prone to occur on cataclinal slope and the critical length of rock stratum. The results reveal that the toppling will be more prone to occur on cataclinal slope while the strata dip angle is greater than 60°even if under a very small external force or without the assistance of external forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For dehydrated foods, porosity is a crucial parameter which affects mass and heat transfers, and is related to the product quality. It is important to monitor porosity change behavior to optimize the drying process. To achieve faster drying along with high product quality, microwave freeze drying (MFD) was applied to mushrooms dehydration processing. The relationship between porosity (include total, open-, and closed-pore porosity) and dried mushroom qualities was studied, and a suitable microwave loading strategy was obtained. It was found that lots of open pores could transform to closed pores while the moisture content (MC) was below 0.25 ± 0.05 g/g (db), and the closed-pore porosity was arrived at a relatively stable level at moisture content below 0.17 ± 0.03 g/g (db). Both total porosity and closed-pore porosity had a significant influence (P < 0.01) on texture of MFD mushroom, and open-pore porosity had a significant effect (P < 0.01) on rehydration ratio of MFD mushroom. According to the porosity change behavior of mushrooms, a dynamic microwave loading strategy can be used to reduce drying time and keep product quality during MFD process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare the physical characteristics and flavor of dried hawthorns obtained by freeze-drying (FD), microwave freeze-drying (MFD), atmospheric freeze- drying (AFD), and heat pump drying (HPD). The parameters including moisture content, product temperature, rehydration ratio, chroma, hue angle, yellowness index, total color difference, and energy consumption were investigated. The use of fuzzy reasoning for the sensory evaluation of hawthorn quality was also performed. As expected, AFD, FD, and MFD produced better accepted dried hawthorn products than did HPD. Nevertheless, FD consumed the highest energy and had a long drying time, but its product was the best; AFD had a similar energy cost as HPD, but its drying time was the longest; and MFD had a higher energy cost and longer drying time than HPD, but its product quality was similar to that of FD products. As a result, MFD and AFD had potential to replace FD to yield dried hawthorns with high product quality and relatively low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of thin-layer drying naked oat cut herbage process (hot air temperature, air velocity, and drying time) on crude protein content were investigated. It was observed that an increase in drying temperature could lead to a significant drop in the crude protein content of naked oat cut herbage. The crude protein content also decreased with an increase in drying time and air velocity, and air velocity had a minimal impact during processing. A thin-layer drying mathematical model of crude protein content for naked oat cut herbage was established. The optimal drying parameters were determined as hot air temperature of 88.6–94.2∘C, air velocity of 0.28–0.32 m/s, and drying time of 16.4–20.6 min. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study was designed to explore the association between CAG repeats in AR gene and major depressive disorder (MDD) in male children and adolescents. The results showed that there were differences between adolescent depressive patients and adolescent controls in CAG repeats' length and alleles' distributions, and the severity of depression and anxiety was negatively correlated with the length of CAG repeats in adolescent patients. This suggested that AR gene might be involved in the depressive upset in adolescents, and the age- and sex-related prevalent differences might also be associated to CAG repeats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to elucidate the role of genetic variation in androgen receptor (AR) gene, estrogen receptor α (ER α) and ER β gene on first-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) in female adolescents. Results showed that AR gene in MDD group have shorter microsatellites’ length, and ER β gene have shorter microsatellites’ length and higher rates of S alleles, SS, genotype, and lower rate of LL genotype than control group. The results suggest that shorter length of AR and ER β gene microsatellites might influence the onset of MDD in female adolescents, a further elucidation of the mechanisms is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAcute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is marked by a block at the promyelocyte stage. Treatments like ATRA and ATO face resistance and relapse issues. Plastrum testudinis, a traditional Chinese medicine, may offer therapeutic potential. This study investigated xtr-miR-22-3p from P. testudinis for treating APL. High expression of xtr-miR-22-3p was confirmed, with target prediction indicating interactions with key genes, including PML. xtr-miR-22-3p reduced HL-60 leukemia cell growth, altered the cell cycle, and selectively inhibited HL-60 proliferation while promoting BMSC growth, suggesting its potential as a targeted APL therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]