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Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) participate in a variety of plant physiological processes including the regulation of transcription factors associated with thermotolerance. Here, a Hsf gene DcHsfA1d was identified from carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.). The open reading frame (ORF) of DcHsfA1d was 1 368 bp and encoded a protein of 455 amino acids with a molecular mass of 51.039 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.94. Sequence domain prediction revealed that DcHsfA1d protein exhibited five typical functional features and motifs. The transcription of DcHsfA1d was significantly up-regulated under heat stress or ABA treatment. Yeast two-hybrid experiment indicated that DcHsfA1d and DcHsp70 physically interact with each other. Overexpression of DcHsfA1d in Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia enhanced seedling thermotolerance by increasing the activities of catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase while reducing relative electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content, accumulation of O2- and H2O2 and by initiating transcriptional regulation of thermal protective gene expression under heat stress. Furthermore, under salt stress, the root length and fresh mass of Arabidopsis ectopically expressing DcHsfA1d were significantly higher than those of wild type, which indicated that the salt tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis was improved to a certain extent. In summary, DcHsfA1d was demonstrated to play a positive regulatory role in heat stress response and it might be a candidate gene for salt tolerance using genetic modification.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) suffer significant psychological distress, which may activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis and further affect their physiological state. They often experience elevated levels of testosterone and triglycerides. Considering reports of psychological distress among women with PCOS, this study aimed to develop a psychosocial intervention to improve their emotional and physical health, particularly in Chinese society. This pilot study employed the Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit (I-BMS) intervention model for women with PCOS in China. After a 2 h health information session, 18 participants were randomly assigned to the I-BMS group (9) or the control group (9). The intervention group received 6 weekly, 3 h I-BMS sessions. Pre- and post-blood tests and psychosocial questionnaires were collected from all participants. Retention to treatment was high with 79.6% treatment adherence gained and an overall average of five sessions completed. Compared with the control group, depression and anxiety symptoms reduced significantly for those in the intervention group (d = −1.24, p < 0.05 and d = –1.33, p < 0.01), their health-related quality of life improved significantly (d = 1.02, p < 0.01) both at post-intervention and 3 month follow-up, and their testosterone and triglycerides levels reduced significantly (d = −0.97, p < 0.001 and d = –0.41, p < 0.05) after joining the intervention. The I-BMS model is feasible and appears promising in improving psychological health, and reducing testosterone and triglyceride levels, in women with PCOS in China.Clinical Trial Registration:www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR1900027606.

This paper presents a two-dimensional structure of the shock wave signatures in ionospheric electron density resulting from a rocket transit using the rate of change of the total electron content (TEC) derived from ground-based GPS receivers around Japan and Taiwan for the first time. From the TEC maps constructed for the 2009 North Korea (NK) Taepodong-2 and 2013 South Korea (SK) Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II) rocket launches, features of the V-shaped shock wave fronts in TEC perturbations are prominently seen. These fronts, with periods of 100–600 s, produced by the propulsive blasts of the rockets appear immediately and then propagate perpendicularly outward from the rocket trajectory with supersonic velocities between 800–1200 m s−1 for both events. Additionally, clear rocket exhaust depletions of TECs are seen along the trajectory and are deflected by the background thermospheric neutral wind. Twenty minutes after the rocket transits, delayed electron density perturbation waves propagating along the bow wave direction appear with phase velocities of 800–1200 m s−1. According to their propagation character, these delayed waves may be generated by rocket exhaust plumes at earlier rocket locations at lower altitudes.

The Parkinson vectors derived from 3-component geomagnetic data via the magnetic transfer function are discussed with respect to epicentre locations and hypocentre depths of 16 earthquakes (M ≥ 5.5) in Taiwan during a period of 2002–2005. To find out whether electric conductivity changes would happen particularly in the seismoactive depth ranges, i.e. in the vicinity of the earthquake foci, the frequency dependent penetration depth of the electromagnetic waves (skin effect) is taken into account. The background distributions involving the general conductivity structure and the coast effect at 20 particular depths are constructed using the Parkinson vectors during the entire study period. The background distributions are subtracted from the time-varying monitor distributions, which are computed using the Parkinson vectors within the 15-day moving window, to remove responses of the coast effect and underlying conductivity structure. Anomalous depth sections are identified by deviating distributions and agree with the hypocentre depths of 15 thrust and/or strike-slip earthquakes with only one exception of a normal fault event.

One of the possible candidates which modifies the ionosphere before large earthquake is electric field. We presume that the electric field associated with large earthquakes is generated in the ionosphere dynamo region (100–120 km). This paper tries to identify the evidence of the contribution of the neutral atmosphere in the dynamo region. The relationship between the critical frequency at the F2 peak (foF2) and the height profile of the neutral atmosphere temperature was studied for two large earthquakes: Wenchuan, 2008 and Pingtung Doublet, 2006. It is found that the wave amplitude of the vertical wavelength 20–30 km which is usually superposed on the height profile of the neutral atmosphere temperature enhances when the foF2 increases. The correlation between the wave amplitude and foF2 is found better along a longitudinal direction than along latitude direction.

This paper presents a study on the performances of a group of planar monopoles using radiators of different shapes, such as triangle, rectangle, square, annual ring, circle, horizontal ellipse, vertical ellipse, pentagon, and hexagon, for ultra-wideband (UWB) body-centric wireless communications. The planar monopoles have the radiators with microstrip-fed line printed on one side of the substrate and a ground plane on the other side. Simulation studies show that, among these monopoles, the horizontal elliptical, vertical elliptical, and hexagonal monopoles have better overall performances in terms of bandwidth, gain, efficiency, and radiation pattern in free space. A solid-body phantom mimicking human tissue is used for studies of these three monopoles for body-centric communications. Simulated and measured results of these monopoles on the phantom show that the horizontal elliptical monopole achieves the widest impedance bandwidths, highest average peak gain and efficiency, least path loss, best fidelity, and good radiation pattern, making it a good candidate for UWB body-centric wireless communications.

In this study, we investigated the effects of different treatments on the physicochemical properties of heavy metal contaminated soil. The total amounts of Hg, inorganic As, Pb, and Cd were determined in a soil-spinach system. The results show that for all of the groups, the soil pH increased by 0.16–1.10, and the inorganic As content of the soil increased by 0.7–6.0 mg/kg. The total content of Hg, Cd, and Pb in soil samples after T1–T7 decreased by 0.8–1.76 mg/kg, 8.0–17.1 mg/kg, and 0.02–0.56 mg/kg, respectively. The largest decreases in total Hg and Cd, at 1.76 mg/kg and 0.93 mg/kg, respectively were seen in group T3. Group T5 had the largest decrease in total Pb content, i.e., by 17.1 mg/kg. After the T1-T7 treatments, the amount of Hg, inorganic As, and Cd in the edible portion of the spinach exceed the National Food Safety Contaminant Limit (GB 2762-2012). However, the order of the risk index of the spinach after the seven treatments of restoration is T1 > T4 > T6 > T2 > T3 > T7 > T5. The risk index of treatment T5 is the lowest, which indicates that 3% cassava straw biochar is better than the other two biochar treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using hybrid functional calculation, we identify the key intrinsic defects in Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), an important earth-abundant solar-cell material. The Sn-on-Zn antisite and the defect complex having three Cu atoms occupying a Sn vacancy are found to be the main deep electron traps. This result explains the optimal growth condition for CZTS, which is Cu poor and Zn rich, as found in several recent experiments. We show that, under the growth condition that minimizes the deep traps, Cu vacancy could contribute the majority of hole carriers, while the Cu-on-Zn antisite will become the dominant acceptor if the growth condition favors its formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete magnetic and multiferroic phase diagram of Mn1-xCoxWO4 single crystals is investigated by means of magnetic, heat capacity and polarization experiments. We show that the ferroelectric (FE) polarization E P in the multiferroic state abruptly changes its direction twice upon increasing Co content, x. At xc1 = 0.075, E P rotates from the b-axis into the a-c-plane and at xc2 = 0.15 it flips back to the b-axis. The origin of the multiple polarization flops is identified as an effect of the Co anisotropy on the orientation and shape of the spin helix leading to thermodynamic instabilities caused by the decrease of the magnitude of the polarization in the corresponding phases. A qualitative description of the FE polarization is derived by taking into account the intrachain (c-axis) as well as the interchain (a-axis) exchange pathways connecting the magnetic ions. In a narrow Co concentration range (0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.15), an intermediate phase, sandwiched between the collinear hightemperature and the helical low-temperature phases, is discovered. The new phase exhibits a collinear and commensurate spin modulation similar to the low-temperature magnetic structure of MnWO4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete magnetic and multiferroic phase diagram of Mn1-xCoxWO4 single crystals is investigated by means of magnetic, heat capacity and polarization experiments. We show that the ferroelectric (FE) polarization E P in the multiferroic state abruptly changes its direction twice upon increasing Co content, x. At xc1 = 0.075, E P rotates from the b-axis into the a-c-plane and at xc2 = 0.15 it flips back to the b-axis. The origin of the multiple polarization flops is identified as an effect of the Co anisotropy on the orientation and shape of the spin helix leading to thermodynamic instabilities caused by the decrease of the magnitude of the polarization in the corresponding phases. A qualitative description of the FE polarization is derived by taking into account the intrachain (c-axis) as well as the interchain (a-axis) exchange pathways connecting the magnetic ions. In a narrow Co concentration range (0.1 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.15), an intermediate phase, sandwiched between the collinear hightemperature and the helical low-temperature phases, is discovered. The new phase exhibits a collinear and commensurate spin modulation similar to the low-temperature magnetic structure of MnWO4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists demystify stress changes within tens of days before a mainshock and often utilize its foreshocks as an indicator. Typically, foreshocks are detected near fault zones, which may be due to the distribution of seismometers. This study investigates changes in seismicity far from mainshocks by examining tens of thousands of M≥2 quakes that were monitored by dense seismic arrays for more than 10 years in Taiwan and Japan. The quakes occurred within epicentral distances ranging from 0 to 400 km during a period of 60 d before and after the mainshocks that are utilized to exhibit common behaviors of seismicity in the spatiotemporal domain. The superimposition results show that wide areas exhibit increased seismicity associated with mainshocks occurring more than several times to areas of the fault rupture. The seismicity increase initially concentrates in the fault zones and gradually expands outward to over 50 km away from the epicenters approximately 40 d before the mainshocks. The seismicity increases more rapidly around the fault zones approximately 20 d before the mainshocks. The stressed crust triggers ground vibrations at frequencies varying from ∼5×10-4 to ∼10-3 Hz (i.e., variable frequency) along with earthquake-related stress that migrates from exterior areas to approach the fault zones. The variable frequency is determined by the observation of continuous seismic waveforms through the superimposition processes and is further supported by the resonant frequency model. These results suggest that the variable frequency of ground vibrations is a function of areas with increased seismicity leading to earthquakes.

Accurate retrievals of land surface temperature (LST) from space are of high interest for studies of land surface processes. Here, an operationally applicable method to retrieve LST from NOAA/AVHRR data is proposed, which combines a split-window technique (SWT) for atmospheric correction with a Normalised Difference Vegetation Index threshold method for the retrieval of land surface emissivity. Preliminary results of LST retrievals with this "combined method" are in good agreement with ground truth measurements for bare soil and wheat crops. The results are also compared with results from the same SWT but using emissivities from laboratory measurements.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (radiation processes; instruments and techniques) – Radio science (remote sensing)