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Objective This study investigated the efficacy of different concentrations of cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) on cryopreservation in boar sperm quality. Methods In this study, we treated boar sperm with different concentrations of CLC before freezing and analyzed the sperm cholesterol concentration, plasma membrane, acrosome integrity rate and total motility rate before and after freeze-thawing. We also investigated the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and structural- and oxidative-damage related proteins in all groups after thawing. Results The results revealed that the cholesterol concentration of the CLC-treated groups was higher than that of the control group, both before freezing and after thawing (p

This article aims to address the issues of low cultivation density and high labor intensity of manual water exchange in existing scallop seedling ponds, an upwelling recirculating water system for scallop larval cultivation is designed. EDEM-Fluent coupled model was used to simulate the movement of scallop larvae in the culture cone in order to guarantee the uniform distribution of larvae in the cultivation device. Design-Expert software was utilized to investigate the impact of the bottom cone angle(θ), the column height/cone height ratio(n) and the inflow velocity(v) on the variation coefficients of the axial and radial distributions of D-shaped larvae within the culture cone. The results indicated that θ = 108.97° and n = 1.8 represent the ideal structural parameters for the culture cone. The further investigation of the culture cones prototype was conducted to examine the impact of the inlet deflector angle (α), cultivation density (τ), and inflow velocity (v) on its performance. θ=108.97°, n=1.8, v=0.19m/s, α=60.94°, and τ=110pcs/ml were found to be the ideal combination of parameters, in this scenario, the D-shaped larvae’s radial distributions’ coefficients of variation is 22.13%, the error between the experimental and simulation results is 4.41%. Research has shown that EDEM-Fluent based simulation analysis methods can be used for the design and parameter optimization of upwelling recirculating water scallop larval cultivation system, this paper can provide a reference for the design of an upwelling recirculating water scallop larval cultivation system.

Abstract Wind erosion is one of the main causes of land degradation and desertification. Clarifying the spatiotemporal variations of wind erosion and the dominant factors of its spatial characteristics and the temporal trend will contribute to the establishment of appropriate wind erosion control and management practices, which is essential for combating global land degradation and strengthening ecological protection in drylands. Here, we assessed wind erosion in Africa during 2001–2020 based on the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ). We also analyzed the influential factor of spatial characteristics and temporal variation based on machine learning and other methods under different aridity. Results revealed that the average annual wind erosion modulus was 16,672 t/km2/a in Africa during 2001–2020, with hyper‐arid areas and arid areas accounting for more than 90% of the total wind erosion modulus. The spatial characteristics of wind erosion were dominated by natural factors but not anthropogenic activities. Except in hyper‐arid areas, wind speed and vegetation coverage together dominated the spatial characteristics. Wind speed was the dominant factor in wind erosion change, while in arid and semi‐arid areas, the capability of vegetation coverage to affect wind erosion change was comparable to wind speed. It can be concluded that, although revegetation does contribute to the reduction of wind erosion in arid and semi‐arid areas, taking into account water resource constraints and land use conflicts, large plantations can be replaced with windbreaks to increase vegetation coverage while reducing near‐surface wind speed, which improves the sustainability of ecological projects aimed at combating land degradation and desertification.

With the escalating challenges of climate change and the imperative for carbon neutrality, evaluating the carbon footprint of regional power systems becomes crucial. To address this issue, a low-carbon evaluation framework for regional power systems is developed. First, this study identifies the fundamental requirements that the index system for the low-carbon power system should follow and specifies the general direction for the index system’s creation. Second, an evaluation model for carbon reduction ability is proposed by considering generation side, grid side and load side of the power system. Then, a comparative evaluation model for the carbon reduction capability of multi-regional power systems is proposed to spatiotemporally compare the carbon reduction capability of different power systems. Next, a quantification method for the weights of low-carbon evaluation indicators is established based on the power system simulation of multi-scenario scheduling and index sensitivity analysis method. Finally, a low-carbon comprehensive score for regional power systems is created by combining the evaluation results of the system’s carbon reduction capacity with index weights. The practical research results in a region of Zhejiang province in China demonstrate that the proposed model can provide a reasonable and feasible evaluation plan for the low-carbon construction of regional power systems.

In response to China’s goal of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”, a large number of new energy sources are connected to the power grid, and Chinese cities are also accelerating the construction of new power systems led by new energy. Taking Lishui City as an example, this paper constructs a low-carbon emission reduction evaluation system to evaluate the carbon reduction effectiveness of the new power system. This paper first introduces the basic technical characteristics of the new power system, and introduces in detail the key technologies involved in the construction of the new power system in Lishui. Then, the projects implemented by Lishui City in promoting the new power system and the current achievements were briefly summarized. After that, a new electric carbon traceability model of Lishui power system was constructed to carry out carbon traceability and carbon tracking for the municipal power grid. Finally, a low-carbon emission reduction evaluation system was constructed, and a number of evaluation indicators were proposed to evaluate the carbon reduction effectiveness of Lishui’s new power system, and the zero-carbon evaluation index was calculated through the historical data of Lishui, and the results showed that the new power system in Lishui City achieved remarkable results in carbon reduction and emission reduction.

ABSTRACTThe tensile and shear mechanical properties of laver were investigated in order to reduce the tensile and shear forces, tensile and shear energies consumption during the harvesting and processing. Loading rate, harvest time and origin were selected as the effect factors for laver tensile and shear tests, while mathematical models of the variation of tensile and shear mechanical properties with three factors were also developed. The following results were obtained: tensile force, shear force, tensile energy and shear energy of laver are affected by loading rate, harvest time and origin. Tensile force, shear force and shear energy were generally inversely proportional to the loading rate, while tensile energy was generally positively proportional to the loading rate. The minimum values are 0.0557 N, 0.1650 N, 0.7267 N.mm and 0.7393 N.mm, respectively. Tensile force, shear force and tensile energy all increased with increasing harvest time, while shear energy decreased with increasing harvest time. The maximum values are 0.1581 N, 0.4437 N, 1.5367 N.mm and 1.5177 N.mm, respectively. Both tensile and shear forces (0.0857 N, 0.2549 N) were greatest in Dalian for the first harvest of laver. However, the first harvest of Qingdao laver has the lowest tensile and shear energy. The microstructure after stretching and shearing changed significantly with normally shaped cells deformed and ruptured. The changes in microstructure were consistent with the macro-mechanical properties, verifying the reliability of the test data.

To enhance the understanding of yield-related traits in tetraploid wheat, it is crucial to investigate and identify genes that govern superior yield characteristics. This study utilized the wheat55K single nucleotide polymorphism array to genotype a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 120 lines developed through the crossbreeding of two tetraploid wheat varieties, Qin Hei-1 (QH-1) and Durum Wheat (DW). An investigation and analysis were conducted on 11 yield-related traits, including peduncle length (PL), neck length (NL), spike length (SL), flowering date (FD), heading date (HD), thousand-kernel weight (TKW), kernel area ratio (KAR), kernel circumference (KC), kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), and kernel length–width ratio (KL-WR), over a period of three years in two locations, Yang Ling, Shaanxi, and Lin He, Inner Mongolia. The analysis identified nine stable loci among eight agronomic traits, named QSL.QD-1A.1, QNL.QD-4B.2, QPL.QD-4B.1, QFD.QD-2B, QHD.QD-2B.1, QHD.QD-4B, QKC.QD-4B.2, QKL-WR.QD-4B.6, and QKL.QD-4B.2. Among them, the additive effects of three QTLs, QSL.QD-1A.1, QNL.QD-4B.2, and QFD.QD-2B, were positive, indicating that the enhancing alleles at these loci were derived from the parent line QH-1. These three QTLs showed significant positive effects on the phenotypes of the population materials. Furthermore, potential functional genes were identified within the mapping intervals of QSL.QD-1A.1 and QNL.QD-4B.2, which regulate the development of spike length and neck length, respectively. These results provide potential QTLs and candidate genes, which broaden the genetic basis of agronomic traits related to yield, such as SL, NL, PL, and FD, and benefits for wheat breeding and improvement.

The current assessment of the distributed generation (DG) supply carrying capacity accessed in the distribution network does not involve the effect of soft open point (SOP). Given this gap, a method is proposed to calculate the carrying of distributed generation accessed in the distribution power network considering the closed-loop point mode between SOP feeders. Firstly, the closed-loop feeder point mode of SOP in the distribution power network was analyzed, after which the function mode of SOP was proposed. Secondly, the reconfiguration of switches and the power flow regulation of SOP were considered and utilized to analyze the maximum DG acceptance capacity of the distribution network under various regulation means. The results showed that the acceptance of the distribution power network to DG is improved by 35.8% after considering the optimization means.

Postovulatory aging is known to impair the oocyte quality and embryo development due to oxidative stress in many different animal models, which reduces the success rate or pregnancy rate in human assisted reproductive technology (ART) and livestock timed artificial insemination (TAI), respectively. Salidroside (SAL), a phenylpropanoid glycoside, has been shown to exert antioxidant and antitumor effects. This study aimed to investigate whether SAL supplementation could delay the postovulatory oocyte aging process by alleviating oxidative stress. Here, we show that SAL supplementation decreases the malformation rate and recovers mitochondrial dysfunction including mitochondrial distribution, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ) and ATP content in aged oocytes. In addition, SAL treatment alleviates postovulatory aging-caused oxidative stress such as higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, lower glutathione (GSH) content and a reduced expression of antioxidant-related genes. Moreover, the cytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]c) and mitochondrial calcium ([Ca2+]mt) of SAL-treated oocytes return to normal levels. Notably, SAL suppresses the aging-induced DNA damage, early apoptosis and improves spindle assembly in aged oocytes, ultimately elevating the embryo developmental rates and embryo quality. Finally, the RNA-seq and confirmatory experience showed that SAL promotes protective autophagy in aged oocytes by activating the MAPK pathway. Taken together, our research suggests that supplementing SAL is an effective and feasible method for preventing postovulatory aging and preserving the oocyte quality, which potentially contributes to improving the successful rate of ART or TAI.

Current research on the fatigue properties of degradable zinc alloy stents has not yet considered the issue of the fatigue life changing with material properties during the dynamic degradation process. Therefore, in this paper, we established a fatigue damage algorithm to study the fatigue problem affected by the changing of material properties during the dynamic degradation process of the stent under the action of pulsating cyclic loading. Three models: the dynamic degradation model, the dynamic degradation model under pulsating cyclic loading, and the coupled model of fatigue damage and dynamic degradation, were developed to verify the effect of fatigue damage on stent life. The results show that fatigue damage leads to a deeper degree of inhomogeneous degradation of the stent, which affects the service life of the stent. Fatigue damage is a factor that cannot be ignored. Therefore, when studying the mechanical properties and lifetime of degradable stents, incorporating fatigue damage into the study can help more accurately assess the lifetime of the stents.

Background High expression levels of the TTK gene are closely related to tumor occurrence and poor prognosis, as confirmed by some studies. Our study explored the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients with different TTK levels and the possible pathological mechanism of TTK in LUAD.Methods We extensively searched literature databases and high-throughput sequencing databases and included relevant literature or datasets in the meta-analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) related to TTK expression were calculated, publication bias was assessed, and sensitivity tests were performed. We also compared the relationship between cancer immune infiltrating cells and tumor mutation burden (TMB) in patients with different TTK expression levels via bioinformatics analysis. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of some chemotherapeutic and targeted therapy drugs were calculated. The potential biological functions or pathways associated with different TTK expression levels were determined by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).Results The meta-analysis revealed that higher TTK expression level was significantly associated with poor prognosis in LUAD patients, both in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The expression level of TTK was significantly correlated with presence of some immune cells and TMB. Tumors with higher TTK expression levels were mostly enriched for the cell cycle, DNA replication and homologous recombination pathways. In addition, patients with different TTK expression levels were differently sensitive to some antitumor drugs.Conclusion TTK may be a promising prognostic biomarker for LUAD and is worthy of further investigation.

IntroductionTo enhance the application of mechanized harvesting and supplement research on harvesting theory in mudflat-buried shellfish harvesting in China, a brush-screen cooperative mudflat-buried shellfish vibration harvester was designed.MethodsThe harvester is primarily composed of a crank rocker double-layer vibrating screen, two stage rolling brush, and a conveyor chain. White clams (Mactra veneriformis) cultured in mudflats were used as the research objects in this paper, and the mechanics and motion states of the shellfish on the vibrating screen were analyzed. The shellfish harvesting simulation response surface experiments based on the discrete element method (DEM) were conducted to analyze the influence of the main operating parameters on the quantity of shellfish harvested.ResultsThe results revealed that the number of shellfish harvested was significantly influenced (p< 0.01) by vibrating screen amplitude, first-stage spiral rolling stainless steel brush rotation rate, and harvester travel speed. The optimal combination of key parameters was 1.4 mm, 40 rpm, and 10 m/min, respectively. With these values, the projected shellfish crushing rate was 2.82% and the shellfish harvesting efficiency was 125 pieces/m2. The equipment was then manufactured and the shellfish harvesting verification test was performed under the same operating parameters as the simulation. Test results indicated that the harvesting efficiency of the equipment was 114 pieces/m2 and the shellfish crushing rate was 6.97%.DiscussionThe shellfish harvesting work could be completed by the equipment effectively and with low loss. The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for a novel mechanized method of harvesting mudflat-buried shellfish.

This paper designed a centrifugal shellfish seeding device with a conical disc structure to improve the seeding efficiency and uniformity of the centrifugal shellfish seeding device. The dynamic model of the shellfish seedling moving on the conical disk is established, and the main parameters affecting the shellfish seedling’s movement characteristics are determined as the cone angle of the impeller, the speed of the impeller, and the offset angle of the blade. Using the EDEM software and the shellfish seedlings blanking rate as the influencing factors, a single factor simulation test was performed. The research found that the variation trend of shellfish seedlings distribution in a single statistical area gradually decreased along the horizontal direction of both sides, with the origin being the center of the seedling sowing device. Test orthogonal rotation simulations using the variation coefficient of seedlings distribution uniformity and the effective job width as evaluation indicators. Use Design Expert software to optimize the structure of the seedling sowing device based on the test results, and determine the optimal structure with the maximum width and the minimum variation coefficient as constraints: the impeller cone angle is 7.72°, and the blade offset angle is -0.9°. Use the above-mentioned seeding device for simulation and actual seeding testing. The simulation results show that when the impeller speed is 750r/min and the blanking rate is 0.65kg/s, the variation coefficient of seedlings distribution uniformity and the effective job width are 12.84% and 24.98m, respectively, while the actual test results are 13.77% and 23.25m, respectively. The object of the seeding performance test was commonly used size shellfish seedlings of the Philippines clam. The results showed that the impeller speed, blanking rate, quadratic term of shellfish seedling size, quadratic term of blanking rate, and interactive term of impeller speed and blanking rate had significant effects on the variation coefficient of the distribution uniformity of shellfish seedlings (P

Purple-grained wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important germplasm source in crop breeding. Anthocyanin biosynthesis in the pericarps of purple-grained wheat is largely light-dependent; however, the regulatory mechanisms underlying light-induced anthocyanin accumulation in the wheat pericarp remain unknown. Here we determined that anthocyanins rapidly accumulate in the pericarps of the purple-grained wheat cultivar Heixiaomai 76 (H76) at 16 days after pollination under light treatment. Using transcriptome sequencing, differential gene expression analysis, and phylogenetic analysis, we identified two key genes involved in light signaling in wheat: ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5-7A (TaHY5-7A) and B-BOX-3B (TaBBX-3B). TaHY5-7A and TaBBX-3B were highly expressed in purple-grained wheat pericarps. The heterologous expression of TaHY5-7A partially restored the phenotype of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hy5 mutant, resulting in increased anthocyanin accumulation and a shortened hypocotyl. The heterologous expression of TaBBX-3B in wild-type Arabidopsis had similar effects. TaHY5-7A and TaBBX-3B were nucleus-localized, consistent with a function in transcription regulation. However, TaHY5-7A, which lacks a transactivation domain, was not sufficient to activate the expression of PURPLE PERICARP-MYB 1 (TaPpm1), the key anthocyanin biosynthesis regulator in purple pericarps of wheat. TaHY5-7A physically interacted with TaBBX-3B in yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Additionally, TaHY5-7A, together with TaBBX-3B, greatly enhanced the promoter activity of TaPpm1 in a dual luciferase assay. Overall, our results suggest that TaHY5-7A and TaBBX-3B collaboratively activate TaPpm1 expression to promote light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple-pericarp wheat.

This paper investigates the effect of origin, harvest times and loading rates on the biomechanical properties of laver, aiming to develop laver harvesting and postharvest transportation equipment. The values and changing regular of biomechanical properties were obtained via a combination of morphological and mechanical tests as well as numerical statistics. The correlation between biological and mechanical properties was detected simultaneously. The results show that the biological properties are affected dramatically by origin and harvest times. The values of length, width, thickness and mass of laver from Dalian exceeded those found in Qingdao and Lianyungang. The width, thickness and mass increased, whereas the length-to-width ratio decreased with the increasing harvest time. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties are also influenced significantly by loading rates, origin and harvest times. Tensile and shear strength displayed an overall decreasing trend, whereas adhesive force and adhesiveness in general increased with the increasing loading rate. The tensile and shear strengths were greatest for laver from Qingdao, while the adhesive force and adhesiveness were greatest for laver from Dalian. Tensile strength, adhesive force and adhesiveness increased, and shear strength decreased with the delay of harvest time. In addition, the tensile strength and thickness of the laver at different harvest times were positively correlated. The maximum tensile strength, shear strength, adhesive force and adhesiveness were 3.56 MPa, 4.79 MPa, 0.32 N and 1.01 N·mm, respectively. These results are believed to be able to provide a reference for the design and optimization of machineries such as harvest, postharvest transportation and laver processing.

The Manila Clam is an important economic shellfish in China’s seafood industry. In order to improve the design of juvenile Manila Clam seeding equipment, a juvenile clam discrete element method (DEM) particle shape was established, which is based on 3D scanning and EDEM software. The DEM contact parameters of clam-stainless steel, and clam-acrylic were calibrated by combining direct measurements and test simulations (slope sliding and dropping). Then, clam DEM simulation and realistic seeding tests were carried out on a seeding wheel at different rotational speeds. The accuracy of the calibrated clam DEM model was evaluated in a clam seeding verification test by comparing the average error of the variation coefficient between the realistic and simulated seeding tests. The results showed that: (a) the static friction coefficients of clam-acrylic and clam-stainless steel were 0.31 and 0.23, respectively; (b) the restitution coefficients of clam-clam, clam-acrylic, and clam-stainless steel were 0.32, 0.48, and 0.32, respectively. Furthermore, the results of the static repose angle from response surface tests showed that when the contact wall was acrylic, the coefficient rolling friction and static friction of clam-clam were 0.17 and 1.12, respectively, and the coefficient rolling friction of clam-acrylic was 0.20. When the contact wall was formed of stainless steel, the coefficient rolling friction and static friction of clam-clam were 0.33 and 1.25, respectively, and the coefficient rolling friction of clam-stainless steel was 0.20. The results of the verification test showed that the average error between the realistic and simulated value was

Differences in concentration of molecules can cause different molecular diffusion. This issue has not been well studied in the vascular remodeling process with regards to is-stent restenosis. This study designed and built a model to explore the effect of differences in vascular cell concentration on vascular remodeling.Finite element analysis (FEA) models and the agent-based models (ABMs) were established to simulate the damage and proliferation process of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) caused by coronary artery stent implantation. The FEA model simulated the expansion of the stent in the coronary artery, the tensile stress was captured and imported into the ABM, and the damaged VSMCs proliferated to reduce their damage level. VSMCs were randomly distributed within a defined domain, and the number of VSMCs in a unit volume (or area) was defined as the concentration of VSMCs. VSMCs with the smallest concentration of VSMCs will preferentially proliferate, which simulates the cell proliferation affected by the concentration of VSMCs.The results showed that after stent implantation, VSMCs proliferated gradually from the severely damaged stent area to the lumen until the artery reached a steady state. By comparison, the loss of arterial lumen and the number of newly grown VSMCs were greater in the presence of the concentration than in its absence.Cells made full use of the lumen space under the influence of concentration differences, so the concentration was of great significance to vascular remodeling.

Natural gas is a clean and efficient energy source. Shale gas, one of the unconventional natural gases, is becoming an indispensable part of natural gas. Compared with marine facies shale gas, which has large-scale exploitation, marine and continental transitional facies shale gas have greater development potential. It could be the new direction of development in the future. In this article, the basic geological characteristics, sedimentary environment, and reservoir characteristics of organic-rich transitional facies shale in the southern Sichuan basin are analyzed by lithologic characteristics, chemical element analysis, reservoir space, gas bearing characteristics, and so on and are compared with domestic and abroad transitional shale gas. The results show that the sedimentary period of transitional shale of Upper Permian Leping Formation has a high paleoproductivity level and deposition rate favorable for the accumulation of organic matter in southern Sichuan basin. It was warm and humid paleoclimatic by Sr, V, Cr, Ni, Co, and other trace elements analysis. According to the experimental test analysis of reservoir characteristics, the organic matter is mainly type Ⅲ kerogen, and the thermal evolution degree is mainly overmature in the reservoir. The reservoir space is mainly of microfractures and micropores. The main types of micropore development are intergranular pore, intragranular pore, and organic pore. Compared with other shale gas regions that form industrial airflow, the study region with large thickness, highly brittle mineral content, high level of organic carbon content, and excellent gas-bearing characteristics, it has favorable conditions for shale gas accumulation. The southern Sichuan basin could be the key area for breakthroughs in the exploration and development of transitional shale gas in the next step.

To solve the problems of low net harvesting rate, high loss rate, and uneven stubble height during the harvest of laver, the laver (Porphyra yezoensis) was selected as the research object, the analysis of the cultivation mode, biomechanical characteristics, harvesting trajectory and force of laver were carried out. A sectional hob type harvesting device was designed. A rigid-flexible coupling model related to the interaction between the cutting mechanism and the laver was constructed based on ANSYS/LS-DYNA. The Box–Behnken design method was used to simulate the effects of different structural parameters and process parameters on the force of laver cutting, and the bench test of the laver harvesting device was carried out. The simulation results showed that the four factors that significantly affect the force exerted on the laver during cutting in proper order were cutter revolving speed, knife extension length, knife inclination angle and forward velocity. When the combination of the forward velocity, the cutter revolving speed, the knife extension length and inclination angle was 0.77 m/s, 900 r/min, 40 mm, and 110°, respectively, the cutting force on laver was the smallest, which was 4.21 N. The bench test of harvesting performance showed that the cutter revolving speed has a significant impact on the recovery rate, and the forward velocity has a significant impact on the loss rate. When the harvesting speed ratio was λ4 (the cutter revolving speed was 900 r/min and the forward velocity was 0.77 m/s), the net harvesting rate and the loss rate were 97.45% and 3.38%, respectively, and the cutting proportion of laver can reach 77.5%. The results of the study provide a theoretical basis for the development of harvesting for laver.

Abstract The size of textual data continues to grow along with the need for timely and cost-effective analysis, while the growth of computation power cannot keep up with the growth of data. The delays when processing huge textual data can negatively impact user activity and insight. This calls for a paradigm shift from blocking fashion to progressive processing. In this paper, we propose a sample-based progressive processing model that focuses on term frequency calculation on text. The model is based on an incremental execution engine and will calculate a series of approximate results for a single query in a progressive way to provide a smooth trade-off between accuracy and latency. As a part, we proposed a new variant of the bootstrap technique to quantify result error progressively. We implemented this method in our system called Parrot on top of Apache Spark and used real-world data to test its performance. Experiments demonstrate that our method is 2.4×–19.7× faster to get a result within 1% error while the confidence interval always covers the accurate results very well.

The major sedimentary basins in China contain abundant shale gas resources to be explored, and the exploration of shale gas has received more attention in recent years. Shale gas exists mainly in two states, i.e., free and adsorbed. The latter mainly exists on the surface of media, including organic matter and clay minerals, etc., but its adsorption state remains unknown. In this paper, we take the Longmaxi Formation marine shale in the southern Sichuan Basin of southern China as the research object. The state of methane molecule adsorption on different media in marine shales is analyzed by conducting mineral composition analysis, TOC content analysis, isothermal adsorption experiments, FIB-SEM, and FIB-HIM experiments on the core samples referring to previous research. The conclusions are as follows: the adsorbed gas mainly exists in the organic-matter pores, which feature excellent roundness and connectivity with a large number of small pores inside like a hive. The surface of the organic matter contains many adsorption sites, featuring strong adsorption capacity and making methane molecules continuously distributed on the internal surface of the organic-matter pores. The organic matter has a large specific surface area and is lipophilic, which offers an ideal condition for the adsorption of methane molecules. Part of the adsorbed gas exists in the pores of clay minerals, which are lamellar and triangular. The surface of clay minerals contains fewer adsorption sites, featuring poorer adsorption capacity and making methane molecules discontinuously distributed on the surface of the clay minerals. The clay minerals have a smaller specific surface area than the organic matter, thus featuring a smaller space for adsorption. The clay minerals are hydrophilic. In addition to methane molecules, mixed-layer illite/smectite (I/S) and chlorite also adsorb water molecules. The illite surface adsorbs mainly water molecules and, to a lesser extent, methane molecules. Finally, the adsorption state patterns of methane molecules on organic matter and clay minerals were summarized.

ObjectiveHemodynamics-induced low wall shear stress (WSS) is one of the critical reasons leading to vascular remodeling. However, the coupling effects of WSS and cellular kinetics have not been clearly modeled. The aim of this study was to establish a multiscale modeling approach to reveal the vascular remodeling behavior under the interaction between the macroscale of WSS loading and the microscale of cell evolution.MethodsComputational fluid dynamics (CFD) method and agent-based model (ABM), which have significantly different characteristics in temporal and spatial scales, were adopted to establish the multiscale model. The CFD method is for the second/organ scale, and the ABM is for the month/cell scale. The CFD method was used to simulate blood flow in a vessel and obtain the WSS in a vessel cross-section. The simulations of the smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation/apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) generation/degradation in a vessel cross-section were performed by using ABM. During the simulation of the vascular remodeling procedure, the damage index of the SMC and ECM was defined as deviation from the obtained WSS. The damage index decreased gradually to mimic the recovery of WSS-induced vessel damage.Results(1) The significant wall thickening region was consistent with the low WSS region. (2) There was no evident change of wall thickness in the normal WSS region. (3) When the damage index approached to 0, the amount and distribution of SMCs and ECM achieved a stable state, and the vessel reached vascular homeostasis.ConclusionThe established multiscale model can be used to simulate the vascular remodeling behavior over time under various WSS conditions.

Background: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) injection has been effectively used for the management of chronic painful diseases. Latent MTrPs can induce autonomic nerve phenomena. In our clinic, we observed that allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms significantly improved when latent MTrPs injection was performed for migraine.Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety between latent MTrPs injection and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in patients with persistent, moderate to severe AR.Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 112 patients with AR. Patients were randomized to receive SLIT (n = 56) or latent MTrPs injection. Total nasal symptom score (TNSS, n = 56), nasal symptoms, medication days, and adverse events were evaluated during the 9 months follow-up period after treatment in both groups.Results: Latent MTrPs injection significantly reduced TNSS to a greater level from baseline (from 8.36 ± 1.96 to 4.43 ± 2.18) than SLIT (from 8.66 ± 2.31 to 7.80 ± 2.47) at week 1 (P < 0.001), and sustained the improvement in symptoms throughout to month 9. Latent MTrPs showed statistically significant differences vs. SLIT for the TNSS reduction both at month 2 (6.59 ± 2.37 vs. 2.64 ± 2.38; p < 0.001) and month 3 (4.59 ± 2.77 vs. 2.62 ± 2.43; p

Patients with aortic valve disease can suffer from valve insufficiency after valve repair surgery due to aortic root dilatation. The paper investigates the effect of valve height (Hv) on the aortic valve opening and closing in order to select the appropriate range of Hv for smoother blood flow through the aortic valve and valve closure completely in the case of continuous aortic root dilatation. A total of 20 parameterized three-dimensional models of the aortic root were constructed following clinical surgical guidance. Aortic annulus diameter (DAA) was separately set to 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 mm to simulate aortic root dilatation. HV value was separately set to 13.5, 14, 14.5, and 15 mm to simulate aortic valve alterations in surgery. Time-varying pressure loads were applied to the valve, vessel wall of the ascending aorta, and left ventricle. Then, finite element analysis software was employed to simulate the movement and mechanics of the aortic root. The feasible design range of the valve size was evaluated using maximum stress, geometric orifice area (GOA), and leaflet contact force. The results show that the valve was incompletely closed when HV was 13.5 mm and DAA was 29 or 30 mm. The GOA of the valve was small when HV was 15 mm and DAA was 26 or 27 mm. The corresponding values of the other models were within the normal range. Compared with the model with an HV of 14 mm, the model with an HV of 14.5 mm could effectively reduce maximum stress and had relatively larger GOA and less change in contact force. As a result, valve height affects the performance of aortic valve opening and closing. Smaller HV is adapted to smaller DAA and vice versa. When HV is 14.5 mm, the valve is well adapted to the dilatation of the aortic root to enhance repair durability. Therefore, more attention should be paid to HV in surgical planning.

Wind erosion is the main cause of land degradation and desertification in drylands. Severe wind erosion affects regional ecological security and endangers the health of people. The Horqin Sandy Land is one of the largest sandy lands in China. It suffers from severe wind erosion and is one of the main sources of sand storms in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. The spatiotemporal dynamics of wind erosion and its driving factors were explored in this study by using the Revised Wind Erosion Equation to evaluate wind erosion in the Horqin Sandy Land from 2001 to 2016. The year was divided into four phases according to the distribution of the wind erosion modulus, and the differences between the annual scale and the seasonal scale wind erosion characteristics were analyzed. The annual average wind erosion across the Horqin Sandy Land from 2001 to 2016 was 5.50 t/hm2, and wind erosion showed an obvious downward trend at a speed of 0.82 t/hm2/a. High intensity wind erosion mainly occured from March to May, which accounted for 67.95% of the total erosion per year. Although the wind erosion in each phase of the year showed downward trends, the rate in the spring was substantially higher than that in other phases. The main reasons for the decrease in wind erosion were the reduction in wind speed and the restoration of vegetation, with the contribution of −55.78% and −42.68%, respectively. Vegetation coverage dominated the decline in wind erosion in a number of areas, but areas with severe wind erosion were dominated by wind speed. Furthermore, wind speed in the spring was the dominant factor driving the decline in wind erosion across the Horqin Sandy Land. Major wind erosion control programs should be aimed to restore vegetation in severely desertified areas of the Horqin Sandy Land.

The project-based construction land-use policy of ‘increasing versus decreasing balance’ (IVDB) is pivotal to easing the contradiction between urban and rural land in China. Understanding the relationship between the scale and revenue of the balanced quota is crucial for increasing the efficiency of quota-allocated, and further improving, IVDB performance. However, existing studies have rarely revealed the impact of the balanced quota’s scale on its revenue, supported through empirical evidence. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the scale and revenue of the balanced quota and used the quadratic econometric model to explore the inverted U-shaped impact of the scale of the balanced quota on the revenue of the 1907 IVDB projects in Zhejiang province. The results show that: (1) the relationship between the quota’s scale and the revenue shows an inverted ‘U’ type in Zhejiang. On the premise of considering three control variable groups, the optimally balanced quota of Zhejiang province is 7.19 ha. (2) There is spatial heterogeneity in the optimal scale of the balanced quota in Zhejiang and the appreciated scale of the quota in northeast and southwest Zhejiang is 9.50 ha and 6.03 ha, respectively. Then we discussed problems associated with the scale and revenue of the project-based balanced quota under the implementation of the IVDB policy. The study enriches the performance analysis of IVDB policy from the point of view of economic perspective and tries to provide a scientific basis for the appropriate size quota for local government. Finally, comprehensive consideration of inputs to allocate the balanced quota, optimizing the rural resettlements spatial planning, and strengthening central-government supervision is put forward.

Most of the studies on the finite element analysis (FEA) of biodegradable vascular stents (BVSs) during the degradation process have limited the accuracy of the simulation results due to the application of the uniform degradation model. This paper aims to establish an FEA model for the non-uniform degradation of BVSs by considering factors such as the dynamic changes of the corrosion properties and material properties of the element, as well as the pitting corrosion and stress corrosion. The results revealed that adjusting the corrosion rate according to the number of exposed surfaces of the element and reducing the stress threshold according to the corrosion status accelerates the degradation time of BVSs by 26% and 25%, respectively, compared with the uniform degradation model. The addition of the pitting model reduces the service life of the BVSs by up to 12%. The effective support of the stent to the vessel could reach at least 60% of the treatment effect before the vessel collapsed. These data indicate that the proposed non-uniform degradation model of BVSs with multiple factors produces different phenomena compared with the commonly used models and make the numerical simulation results more consistent with the real degradation scenario.

For efficient biodiesel production, an acid-activated clay (AC) modified by calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide (CaNa/AC) was prepared as a catalyst. CaNa/AC and Na/AC were characterized by Hammett indicators, CO2-TPD, FT-IR, XRD, and N2 adsorption techniques. The influence of catalyst dose, reaction temperature, methanol/oil molar ratio, and reaction time on the transesterification of Jatropha oil was studied. Due to the introduction of calcium, CaNa/AC displayed a higher activity and stability, thereby achieving an oil conversion of 97% under the optimal reaction conditions and maintaining over 80% activity after five successive reuses. The reaction was accelerated as the temperature rose, and the apparent activation energy of CaNa/AC was 75.6 kJ·mol−1. The enhanced biodiesel production by CaNa/AC was ascribed to the increase in active sites and higher basic strength. This study presents a facile and practical method for producing biodiesel on large-scale operation.

The tight sandstone reservoirs of the Lower Silurian Kepingtage Formation are important exploratory targets for tight gas resources in the Shuntuoguole Low Uplift of Tarim Basin. How to evaluate tight sandstone reservoir is an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, we investigated the effects of diagenesis on the heterogeneity of tight sandstone deposits in similar sedimentary facies and established the relationship between the diagenetic facies and reservoir quality. Cores of the tight sandstone reservoirs of Lower Silurian Kepingtage Formation in Shuntuoguole Low Uplift are studied with thin section observation, SEM, XRD, and mercury injection. Quantification of diagenesis influencing porosity suggests that sandstone densification is mainly controlled by compaction, cementation, and hydrocarbon charging (bitumen charging), and the reservoir properties are effectively improved by dissolution, based on which 6 types of diagenetic facies are classified. Interpretation of the log data from individual wells with “K nearest neighbor” algorithm concludes that top and base of the upper member of Kepingtage Formation are believed to have favorably diagenetic reservoirs mainly falling in Type V; favorably diagenetic facies develop best in the lower member of Kepingtage Formation predominated by Types V and VI which mainly distribute in its top. Composite analysis of diagenetic facies, sedimentary facies, and porosity distribution shows that the favorable area of further exploration and development is east of Well SH903 and north of Well SH10. The quantitative identification of diagenetic facies based on logging information can provide reasonable results for the evolution of the tight sandstone reservoirs for a similar area in the Tarim Basin.

Take-all is a devastating soil-borne disease that affects wheat production. The continuous generation of disease-resistance germplasm is an important aspect of the management of this pathogen. In this study, we characterized the wheat-Psathyrostachys huashania Keng (P. huashania)-derived progeny H139 that exhibits significantly improved resistance to wheat take-all disease compared with its susceptible parent 7182. Sequential genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mc-FISH) analyses revealed that H139 is a stable wheat-P. huashania disomic substitution line lacking wheat chromosome 2D. Expressed sequence tag-sequence tagged site (EST-STS) marker and Wheat Axiom 660K Genotyping Array analysis further revealed that H139 was a novel wheat-P. huashania 2Ns/2D substitution line. In addition, the H139 line was shown to be cytologically stable with a dwarf phenotype and increased spikelet number. These results indicate that H139, with its enhanced wheat take-all disease resistance and desirable agronomic traits, provides valuable genetic resources for wheat chromosome engineering breeding.

Raw bentonite (RB) was chemically modified by citric acid (CA) to obtain a low-cost and environment-friendly citric acid incorporated bentonite (CAB) adsorbent, which was applied for the adsorptive removal of Congo Red (CR). The effect of adsorbent dosage, contact time, ionic strength, surfactant, and pH on adsorption was investigated. Adsorption equilibrium data fitted well with Langmuir model while the Langmuir adsorption capacity of CR on CAB reached up to 384 mg·g−1. Furthermore, CR adsorption on CAB followed pseudo-second kinetic model while intra-particle diffusion was not the only rate-limiting step as determined from intra-particle diffusion model investigation. RB and CAB were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, and BET techniques. A proposed mechanism for the adsorption of CR over CAB suggested the chemical adsorption phenomenon is mainly controlled by chelation, hydrogen bonding, and fixing.