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Urbanization results in a considerable economic disparity between urban and rural areas in developing countries, which has had a consequent significant impact on CO2 emissions. To accommodate this directly, this paper presents a modified version of the Kaya Identity formula, U-Kaya, that includes a direct urbanization factor to determine the relationship between energy consumption intensity, population growth, urbanization rates, urban and rural GDP per capita and the volume of carbon emissions, for application in the dynamic forecasting of carbon emissions by Monte Carlo simulation. The method is demonstrated in forecasting China's likely carbon emissions in 2020 by three different modes of urbanization policy: the government-dominant mode, market-dominant mode and a hybrid government market-dominant mode. The results indicate that a higher urbanization rate, energy carbon emission coefficient and energy intensity will lead to increased carbon emissions. Finally, three policy implications are identified, comprising the narrowing of the economic gap between urban and rural areas, adjustments to the energy structure and technical innovation, which will provide a valuable reference for developing countries in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

We report variable-temperature (VT) (17)O NMR spectra of [5-(17)O]-d-glucose in an aqueous solution and in glycerol at 14.1 and 21.1 T. The VT (17)O NMR data cover a wide range of motion for which the molecular rotational correlation time (τc) of glucose changes more than 5 orders of magnitude. The observed line width of the (17)O NMR signal for [5-(17)O]-d-glucose displays a maximum at ω0τc ≈ 1 and a minimum at ω0τc ≈ 150, where ω0 is the angular Larmor frequency of (17)O. Under the ultraslow motion condition (i.e., ω0τc150), the line width of the observed (17)O NMR signal increases drastically with τc, suggesting that the second-order quadrupolar interaction becomes the predominant relaxation mechanism. While this relaxation mechanism has long been predicted by theory, the current study reports the first experimental observation of such a phenomenon. The implications of this new relaxation mechanism on the spectral resolution limit in liquid-state NMR spectroscopy for half-integer spins are discussed.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high spatial resolution has been widely used in clinics as a noninvasive diagnostic technology, and MRI diagnosis-based theranostic nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention. Herein, we report on the fabrication of a GO/BSA-Gd2O3/AS1411-DOX theranostic nanocomplex with BSA-Gd2O3 nanoparticles for use as an MRI contrast agent (CA), with graphene oxide (GO) nanoplates as the CA and drug nanocarrier, as well as an aptamer, AS1411, as the targeting molecule. The proposed theranostic nanocomplex not only provided stronger MR contrast enhancement but also inhibited the growth of 786-0 human renal carcinoma cells with the help of the AS1411 aptamer, while sparing the normal cells from harm, thus demonstrating their specific drug delivery capability. Additionally, 786-0 cells could be specifically recognized using the GO/BSA-Gd2O3/AS1411-DOX theranostic nanocomplex with MRI both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, most of the nanocomplex that was injected into the tail vein was excreted by the kidneys and bladder, while MRI signals from the nanocomplexes that accumulated specifically in the tumor region could remain as long as 24 hours, which is beneficial for future clinical diagnosis and therapy.

Five different solid superacids (SO42−/TiO2-MXOY), including SO42-/TiO2-CuO, SO42-/TiO2-ZrO2, SO42-/TiO2-Fe2O3, SO42-/TiO2-MnO, and SO42-/TiO2-MoO3, were successfully synthesized and characterized. Then, the fire retarded performance, smoke suppression and thermal stability of the epoxy resin (EP)/melamine coated ammonium polyphosphate (MAPP)/SO42−/TiO2-MXOY composites were investigated in details. The results showed that these SO42−/TiO2-MXOY can effectively enhance the limiting oxygen index (LOI) values of the EP/MAPP composites. Compared with that of the EP/MAPP composites, the total heat release (THR) values of the EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-Fe2O3, EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-ZrO2, EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-MnO and EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-MoO3 composites were remarkably reduced by 6%, 27 %, 32 % and 25 %, respectively, and the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) values of the EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-Fe2O3, EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-ZrO2, EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-CuO, EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-MnO and EP/MAPP/SO42−/TiO2-MoO3 composites were reduced by 0.3 %, 56.8 %, 23.6 %, 26.9 % and 36.9 %, respectively. Moreover, for the solid superacids-containing EP composites, the initial decomposition temperatures (Ti) and the temperatures at the maximum mass loss rate (TMax) were advanced, and the char yields at 800 °C were much increased, which was indicated the considerable effect on the thermal degradation and char formation. Hence, the MAPP and SO42−/TiO2-MXOY had good synergistic flame retardancy and smoke suppression, and the best for SO42−/TiO2-MnO.

Data centers are energy-intensive facilities, and their thermal environment and energy efficiency are key research areas. In this study, the airflow distribution and energy consumption of a campus data room were experimentally investigated, and the results pertaining to raised-floor (before retrofitting) and row-based (after retrofitting) cooling were compared. The thermal environment was evaluated in terms of the rack cooling index (RCI), return temperature index (RTI) and supply heat index (SHI), and the energy efficiency was estimated using the power usage effectiveness (PUE) and mechanical load component (MLC). The results indicated that row-based cooling corresponded to a better thermal environment and higher energy efficiency compared with those of raised-floor cooling. The SHI decreased from 0.79 to 0.31, and the difference in the PUE and MLC values before and after retrofitting was 0.27 and 0.14, respectively. These benefits can translate into a total energy saving of 110,829 kWh per year. However, row-based cooling involves certain limitations, such as the presence of vortexing airflow, uneven air supply temperature, and interaction among different modules, which must be further examined. This paper proposes an index that can be used to evaluate the interaction among different modules.

To conduct a meta-analysis examining the effects of bariatric surgery on nocturnal hypoxemia in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched (the last search date was June 10, 2018) to identify relevant clinical studies. The mean arterial oxygen saturation (MeanSaO2), nadir oxygen saturation (NadirSaO2), apnea hypopnea index (AHI), and body mass index (BMI) data during the perioperative period were extracted and analyzed using a random effects model. Then, we performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses and calculated the publication bias to assess the between-study heterogeneity. In total, 15 studies with 636 patients were included; 13 were prospective observational trials, 1 was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), and 1 was a retrospective trial. After surgery, the MeanSaO2 and NadirSaO2 increased by 1.36 [95% CI (0.72, 2.00)] and 1.08 [95% CI (0.68, 1.49)], respectively, and the AHI and BMI decreased by 1.11 [95% CI (0.82, 1.40)] and 1.97 [95% CI (1.67, 2.27)], respectively. However, the heterogeneity across all trials was high; we identified some of the sources of that heterogeneity through subsequent subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Bariatric surgery is effective at improving nocturnal hypoxemia in obese patients with OSA; it also reduces body weight and the number of apnea events. More randomized controlled and comparative trials are necessary in the future to confirm our findings and to explore the potential underlying mechanisms.

We report the first observation of quadrupole-central-transition (QCT)

Neuroimaging studies of cognitive learning have identified the important roles of Cortico-Basal ganglia- Cerebellar (CBC) loops, and the neurofeedback training based on real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) has been deemed as a kind of cognitive learning. However, how the connectivity in CBC loops change during the feedback training and the underlying learning mechanism behind the training both remain unclear. In this paper, we firstly used Granger causality model method to construct CBC loops in a working memory feedback training task by rt-fMRI. Then, we examined the interaction changes in CBC loops induced the training. The results showed that the connectivity of fronto- parietal, cortico-basal ganglia (BG) and cortico-cerebellar in CBC loops were significantly enhanced during the training in the experimental group. Further correlation analysis indicated the connectivity changes of cortico-BG were stronger positively correlated with the behavioral improvements. These findings suggest that the interaction between the cortex and BG in the feedback training is an essential factor to the behavioral improvement which makes the individual to complete cognitive learning better.

In recent years, China has undergone an extremely rapid phase of urbanization, which has caused many acute problems between urban and rural areas. This paper identifies three categories of social, economic and environmental conflict, and investigates their significance according to the views of two different populations using a questionnaire survey and interviews. Using fuzzy set theory, the key causes of urban-rural conflict related to urbanization in China are identified. The differences in urban and rural people's perceptions of these key factors are discussed and the factors underlying these perceptions are analyzed.

Working memory (WM) is essential for individuals' cognitive functions. Neuroimaging studies indicated that WM fundamentally relied on a frontoparietal working memory network (WMN) and a cinguloparietal default mode network (DMN). Behavioral training studies demonstrated that the two networks can be modulated by WM training. Different from the behavioral training, our recent study used a real-time functional MRI (rtfMRI)-based neurofeedback method to conduct WM training, demonstrating that WM performance can be significantly improved after successfully upregulating the activity of the target region of interest (ROI) in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Zhang et al., [2013]: PloS One 8:e73735); however, the neural substrate of rtfMRI-based WM training remains unclear. In this work, we assessed the intranetwork and internetwork connectivity changes of WMN and DMN during the training, and their correlations with the change of brain activity in the target ROI as well as with the improvement of post-training behavior. Our analysis revealed an “ROI-network-behavior” correlation relationship underlying the rtfMRI training. Further mediation analysis indicated that the reorganization of functional brain networks mediated the effect of self-regulation of the target brain activity on the improvement of cognitive performance following the neurofeedback training. The results of this study enhance our understanding of the neural basis of real-time neurofeedback and suggest a new direction to improve WM performance by regulating the functional connectivity in the WM related networks. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1705–1715, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fibrillin-1 (FBN1) was reported to have impact on the physiological arterial stiffness and vascular remodeling with hypertension of recent years. In the previous study we reported the association of four functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of FBN1 gene and hypertension. Here, we further investigate the association of four tagging SNPs (tagSNPs) which covered remain genetic variation blocks of FBN1 gene with hypertension, blood pressure and efficacy of antihypertensive in a South Han Chinese population. A case–control study including 2,012 hypertension cases and 2,116 controls age- and sex-matched controls was conducted from a community-based population and four candidate tagSNPs of the FBN1 gene were genotyped. Association analysis by multiple logistic regression was conducted for allele, genotype and haplotype and hypertension, blood pressure trait and control status with antihypertensive. General linear model was applied to compare blood pressure levels between genotypes. The association of rs17361868 and hypertension was statistically significant and that was further observed in female, ≥55 years, non-smoking and non-drinking populations (P

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high spatial resolution has been widely used in clinics as a noninvasive diagnostic technology, and MRI diagnosis-based theranostic nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention. Herein, we report on the fabrication of a GO/BSA-Gd2O3/AS1411-DOX theranostic nanocomplex with BSA-Gd2O3 nanoparticles for use as an MRI contrast agent (CA), with graphene oxide (GO) nanoplates as the CA and drug nanocarrier, as well as an aptamer, AS1411, as the targeting molecule. The proposed theranostic nanocomplex not only provided stronger MR contrast enhancement but also inhibited the growth of 786-0 human renal carcinoma cells with the help of the AS1411 aptamer, while sparing the normal cells from harm, thus demonstrating their specific drug delivery capability. Additionally, 786-0 cells could be specifically recognized using the GO/BSA-Gd2O3/AS1411-DOX theranostic nanocomplex with MRI both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, most of the nanocomplex that was injected into the tail vein was excreted by the kidneys and bladder, while MRI signals from the nanocomplexes that accumulated specifically in the tumor region could remain as long as 24 hours, which is beneficial for future clinical diagnosis and therapy.

Pear, the third most important temperate fruit species after grape and apple, belongs to the subfamily Pomoideae in the family Rosaceae. The majority of cultivated pears are functional diploids (2n = 34). As a popular fruit in the world market, pear has widespread cultivation on six continents, with major production in China, the United States, Italy, Argentina, and Spain (Supplemental Fig. 1). Pears are among the oldest of the world's fruit crops, with >3000 yr of cultivation history (Lombard and Westwood 1987), likely originating during the Tertiary period (65–55 million years ago [MYA]) in the mountainous regions of southwestern China and, from there, spreading on to both the East and West (Rubtsov 1944; Zeven and Zhukovsky 1975). Central Asia and eastern China are identified as two subcenters of genetic diversity for pear (Vavilov 1951). The Pyrus genus is genetically diverse with thousands of cultivars, but it can be divided into two major groups, Occidental pears (European pears) and Oriental pears (Asiatic pears). At least 22 primary species are well-recognized in Pyrus; however, only a few species, including Pyrus bretschneideri, Pyrus pyrifolia, Pyrus ussuriensis, Pyrus sinkiangensis, and Pyrus communis, have been utilized for fruit production. Herein, we report on a high-quality draft genome sequence of the diploid P. bretschneideri Rehd. cv. ‘Dangshansuli’ (also known as ‘Suli’), the most important commercial Asiatic pear cultivar grown in the world (>4 million tons per year), having >500 yr of cultivated history in China. Pear is highly heterozygous due to self-incompatibility and interspecies compatibility. The genome is known to have an abundance of repetitive DNA sequences. In this study, a novel combination of BAC-by-BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) strategy, with Illumina sequencing technology, is used for the first time for de novo assembly of a highly heterozygous genome of this size with highly repetitive DNA sequences. This has demonstrated that a complex plant genome sequence can be assembled and characterized using these technologies without the availability of a physical reference. Additionally, we also report on primary factors contributing to genome size differences between pear and apple, both belonging to the subfamily Pomoideae; chromosomal evolution of Rosaceae; and genes controlling valuable traits of pear, including self-incompatibility, lignified stone cells in flesh of fruit (unique to pear), sugar, and aroma.

Nowadays, with rapid process of urbanization, sustainable construction has become the global trend in the area of city development. Meanwhile, university campus is a place that integrates education, living, communication and other functions, the satisfaction of which will surely have significant impact on students’ potential and their health both physically and mentally. In view of this, this paper built up the comprehensive evaluation indicator system from the perspective of safety, health, convenience, comfort and sustainability and performed satisfaction evaluation on campus environment, taking the five campuses of Zhejiang University for example. Finally this paper put forward suggestions on sustainable construction and improvement of campus environment.

At a time when affordable housing gradually withdraw from the stage of history and public rental housing instead become the main part of indemnificatory housing, in order to explore the efficiency of the policy change, as well as social welfare and housing affordability, this paper first combs the policy change of indemnificatory housing. Learning from the Institutional Analysis and development Framework put forward by Ostrom, this paper then builds the IAD framework of the indemnificatory housing policy change analysis. After that, it analyzes the short-term changes in efficiency and long-term changes in social welfare using econometric models. In the empirical part, this paper compares the reasonable price for the target groups and the current benchmark price of indemnificatory housing, taking Hangzhou for example. It can be concluded that policy change from affordable housing to public rental housing has enhanced the affordability of housing for middle- and low-income families, meanwhile, policy efficiency and social welfare have been increased, which is beneficial to the whole society.

An experimental investigation was conducted on the thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of phenolic-basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (P-BFRP) rebars subjected to high temperature. As a comparison, vinylBFRP (V-BFRP) and epoxy-BFRP (E-BFRP) rebars were also investigated within the same program. The mass variation of all BFRP rebar types was similar in air atmosphere while P-BFRP rebars decomposed more slowly in nitrogen atmosphere. All BFRP rebar types were found to have a similar specific heat and thermal conductivity up to 350 degrees C. P-BFRP rebars exhibited a much higher glass transition temperature compared with the other two types of BFRP rebars. Three failure modes could be differentiated for all BFRP rebar types according to three temperature ranges, the latter were shifted to higher values for P-BFRP rebars. No reduction in tensile strength occurred in P-BFRP rebars up to 300 degrees C, while V-BFRP and E-BFRP rebars experienced a significant degradation of tensile strength at around 100 degrees C already. This advantage of P-BFRP rebars was mainly caused by the much higher Tg which delayed the initiation of interfacial bonding failure up to 300 degrees C. The elastic modulus of all BFRP rebar types exhibited a similar degradation, which was caused by progressive fiber and fiber bundle failure due to non-uniform stress distributions.