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National power has been an important discriminative signal for the evolution of great power competition and international patterns in recent years, not only in terms of the relative resource scale of the state but also in terms of the efficiency of resource use. Based on the two levels of national resources and conversion mechanisms, this article uses the entropy method to establish national power comprehensive assessment index systems covering 144 countries and 38 indicators from 1990–2020. At the same time, based on power transition theory (PTT), this article uses quadratic assignment procedures to verify the relevance and interpretation of international bilateral relations in the national power gap. The conclusion is that technology and economic elements are especially important for national power, and the conversion mechanism is icing on the cake rather than a decisive factor. The competition among great powers is transformed into nontraditional competition rather than an arms race; the international pattern has gradually developed from one superpower to a multipolar trend, and the global economic and geopolitical center has transitioned to Asia. The rise of China and the recession in the U.S. are factual; as the gap between the two countries' power narrows, their international relations become increasingly tense, confirming power transition theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both geographic isolation and polyploidization are assumed to play an important role in driving species diversification. However, this is rarely illustrated through phylogenomic analyses. The genus Eutrema (Brassicaceae), which also includes the salt‐resistant species, are distributed mainly in Asia with extensive species diversification in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and adjacent regions. In this study, we revealed almost fully resolved backbone relationships of the genus with genome re‐sequencing data for genomes of 168 individuals from 28 species. Phylogenetic analyses of both plastomes and single‐copy nuclear genes from the whole genome recovered six well‐supported clades with almost consistent relationships. The first two clades are mainly distributed in central China and central Asia, while the other four in the QTP and adjacent regions. All of them diversified within 12 million years. Within each clade, we recovered numerous conflicts in the interspecific relationships between nuclear and plastome phylogenies, likely suggesting hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting during species diversification. Our estimation of genome size and comparison of the number of the single‐copy nuclear genes demonstrated frequent occurrences of polyploids in the genus. Except for an establishment of the backbone phylogeny, our phylogenomic analyses suggest that in addition to strong geographic isolation, polyploidization may have played an important role in species diversification of this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish-gel products with a bouncy texture are integral to the gastronomy of many regions in Asia. Despite the current alternative protein food megatrend driven by sustainability, plant-based fish-gel analogues are not popularised due to the lack of accessible technical know-how in tailoring textural nuances convincingly. Here, we studied how two readily available small phenolic acids, i.e., gallic acid and ferulic acid, had differing interactions with curdlan and soy protein. Noteworthily, we found that when ferulic acid and trehalose were coexistent in mM concentrations at pH 6, (i) permanent interaction between soy protein and ferulic acid at ≥ 40 degree Celsius was mild (as according to precision ellipsometry); (ii) protein aggregation in a bicontinuous microstructure with curdlan network (3% w/w) and auxiliary protein phase (16.2% w/w) was restrained (as according to epifluorescence microscopy); and (iii) comparable to real commercial fishball, the resultant heat-set gel displayed large change in gel stiffness at 60-70% compressive strain; as well as (iv) similar rate in stress-relaxation. We thereby propose a new hydrocolloidal gel design concept: micro-phase heterogeneity and in turn bulk elasticity are influenced by the aggregation conditions of the auxiliary protein phase, as modulatable by phenolic acids. This mechanism opens new possibilities for fine-tuning elastic texture in support of alternative protein innovation in food processing. [Display omitted] • Thermo precision ellipsometry probed protein-phenolic acid binding in real-time. • Ferulic and gallic acids were found to affect soy protein aggregation differently. • In a curdlan-soy protein binary system, ferulic acid curbed protein aggregation. • This promoted interweaving of curdlan; micro-phase heterogeneity ensued. • This led to plant-based proteinaceous gel with Asian-style fishball-like bounciness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is one of most extensively cultivated mushrooms in Asia with a delicious taste and high nutritional value. However, its special physiological features lead to the rapid loss of its overall quality and marketability during 2-day storage. The present study proposed an accessible and low-cost strategy with industrial-scale potency for long-time postharvest and long-distance distribution by designing a temperature and humidity-controlled walk-in equipment and optimizing the working conditions. The optimized conditions for postharvest with the designed equipment were obtained as pre-cooling treatment at 20 ℃, small size of plastic basket, one-layer stack mode, storage temperature of 15 °C and relative humidity of 90%. Under these conditions, the straw mushrooms maximally maintained the overall sensory/physical/chemical postharvest quality including highest firmness, soluble protein and soluble sugar contents. Further results proved that the optimized conditions maintained the quality by retaining free water, down-regulating the respiration rate and activities/transcriptional levels of key enzymes associated with respiratory metabolism, and maintaining the energy balance in fruiting bodies. [Display omitted] • A low-cost walk-in equipment was designed for postharvest of straw mushroom. • An economical and industrially applicable postharvest strategy was finally proposed. • The strategy extends straw mushroom's storage period to 4 days. • Moderately regulating respiration and energy balance are the potential mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce dependence towards non-renewable sources of energy, green electricity plans were introduced as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional electricity plans. While perceived to be pricier, green electricity plans can be adopted by small and medium-sized enterprises. As such, this study aims to understand the motivations and deterrents for the willingness to adopt such plans by small and medium-sized enterprises in an Asian context, specifically in Singapore. The results revealed that respondents that indicated a higher score towards questions relating to sustainability awareness were more likely to be willing to adopt green electricity plans. In addition, tenants who exhibit a moderate expected retailer's dependence on renewable electricity were also more likely to be willing to adopt green electricity plans. When considering whether to switch to green electricity plans, these factors were listed in addition to the price of green electricity plans: (1) Environmental impact and firms' motivation to go green, (2) Quality of services provided by their electricity retailer, and (3) Ease of switching to a green electricity plans. Furthermore, pricing and trustworthiness/reliability of the retailer were listed as the top two factors that would motivate and deter firms from switching to another electricity retailer. The results from this study could inform electricity retailers and policy makers on the factors that contribute to small and medium-sized enterprises willingness to adopt green electricity plans in an Asian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger puffer fish (Takifugu rubripes)is one of the most economically valuable aquaculture species in Asia. However, farming tiger puffer fish at the juvenile stage has been greatly restrained by cannibalization caused by inappropriate feeding regimes, resulting in very high mortality and great economic loss, particularly in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems. Therefore, the feeding strategy should adapt to fish appetite, nutrition requirements and welfare in intensive aquaculture. A 60-day feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding frequency on the overall health of juvenile tiger puffer fish. Fish were randomly assigned to four groups with different feeding frequencies using the same ration size per feeding. P1: two daily meals; P2: four daily meals; P3: six daily meals; P4: continuous diurnal feeding using a belt feeder. Fish in the P2 group exhibited optimal values for growth, including final weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and survival (P < 0.05), followed by those in the P3 group. The crude lipid content increased significantly with increasing feeding frequency (P < 0.05), indicating that high frequency feeding could accumulate higher body fat content. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, and lipid were significantly lower for fish in the P4 group than for those in the other groups (P < 0.05). The total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels increased significantly with increasing feeding frequency (P < 0.05), indicating that high frequency feeding leads to excessive accumulation of dietary carbohydrates and lipids in juvenile tiger puffer fish. Fish in the P1 and P4 groups exhibited relatively higher antioxidant enzyme activities (P < 0.05), which suggested that low and high feeding frequencies cause oxidative stress in juvenile tiger puffer fish. A comparison of non-linear model parameters revealed that an exponential model best described the gastric evacuation rate of juvenile tiger puffer fish, with approximately half the meal passed within 3 h, which further confirmed that feeding intervals in four times/day may more closely align with the digestive physiological characteristics of juvenile tiger puffer fish. Overall, these results indicate that the best growth performance and physiological indicators can be achieved when fed at 4 times/day. • High frequency feeding causes carbohydrate and lipid accumulation in juvenile tiger puffer fish. • Low and high feeding frequencies had adverse effects for juvenile tiger puffer fish. • Variation in feeding frequency had no effect on GER, and approximately 50% of a single meal was passed within 3 h. • Optimal feeding frequency for cultured juvenile tiger puffer fish is four meals/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The halophyte model plant Eutrema salsugineum (Brassicaceae) disjunctly occurs in temperate to subarctic Asia and North America. This vast, yet extremely discontinuous distribution constitutes an ideal system to examine long-distance dispersal and the ensuing accumulation of deleterious mutations as expected in expanding populations of selfing plants. In this study, we resequenced individuals from 23 populations across the range of E. salsugineum. Our population genomic data indicate that E. salsugineum migrated "out of the Altai region" at least three times to colonize northern China, northeast Russia and western China. It then expanded its distribution into North America independently from northeast Russia and northern China, respectively. The species colonized northern China around 33.7 thousand years ago (kya) and underwent a considerable expansion in range size approximately 7-8 kya. The western China lineage is likely a hybrid derivative of the northern China and Altai lineages, originating approximately 25-30 kya. Deleterious alleles accumulated in a stepwise manner from (a) Altai to northern China and North America and (b) Altai to northeast Russia and North America. In summary, E. salsugineum dispersed from Asia to North America and deleterious mutations accumulated in a stepwise manner during the expansion of the species' distribution., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

An A --> G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at nucleotide 153,104 in the retinoblastoma susceptibility locus (RB1) at 13q14 was previously reported to be present only in Asians. In this study, we determined the distribution of this SNP in normal Southeast Asian populations (Chinese, Malay, Javanese, Thai, Filipino), in South Asian populations (Bangladeshi, Pakistani Pushtun and Indian) and in Chinese retinoblastoma cases and control subjects. The RB1 SNP was present in all populations at an overall frequency of =/< 0.18. Heterozygosity was higher in the Southeast Asian groups (0.14-0.34) than in the South Asian groups (Bangladeshi and Indian) (0.04-0.06). Significant differences in allele frequencies were found between the two population groups. Interestingly, our Pakistani population comprised of ethnic Pushtuns from northwest Pakistan was significantly different from the neighbouring Bangladeshi and Indian populations. No significant difference was found between Chinese case patients and control subjects. This RB1 SNP appears to be an ethnic variant prevalent in Southeast Asian populations and may be useful for studying RB1 inheritance by pedigree analysis.