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Based on the renewable portfolio standard and carbon cap-and-trade scheme, consumers faced with the demand of power and carbon emission permits shall be able to participate in three markets, i.e., green power market, electricity market and carbon market. In this paper, we propose a two-step energy trading approach to help consumers optimize their utility, considering the conflict of interest regarding whether to purchase power from the aforementioned three markets and how much power to purchase from each market. This approach takes into account several factors, including the benefits of participating in demand response, the costs associated with consumer dissatisfaction, the costs of power purchased from the electricity market, the costs of renewable power purchased from the green power market, and the costs of carbon emission permits purchased from the carbon market. The two-step formulation establishes an equilibrium problem with equilibrium constraints. A chance-constrained optimization method is utilized due to the uncertain fluctuation of renewable power in the two steps. The equilibrium problem with equilibrium constraints in the two steps can be settled by the nonlinear optimization of multiple subproblems with corresponding Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions. Simulations show that the proposed approach is able to significantly improve the utility of the consumers in the energy trading process among green power, electricity and carbon markets.

To investigate the sulfate freeze-thaw resistance of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete, a three-dimensional microscale stochastic fiber-reinforced concrete model was proposed. The hybrid fiber and aggregate were generated randomly in the microscale model. Pore expansion theory was employed to reflect the sulfate freeze-thaw cycles. A plastic damage model and element removal technique were introduced to represent the initiation and propagation of cracks in concrete. The proposed model was taken to simulate the compressive and splitting tensile test of basalt-polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete. The model was verified through a comparison between the numerical results and experiments, and the concrete damage process and strength were investigated. The stress and deformation evolution of a channel concrete slab repaired by basalt-polypropylene fibers were analyzed under the environment of sulfate freeze-thaw cycles. The maximum deviation of fiber concrete uniaxial compressive and tensile strength between the numerical calculation and test is 2.63%. ASF damage initiates at the concrete surface and progresses toward its interior. Basalt-polypropylene fibers act as bridges in the concrete matrix during the frost heaving process and alleviate stress concentration in crack tips effectively. With the extension of ASF cycles, the peak strain increases, and the peak stress of concrete gradually decreases. After 300 cycles of sulfate freeze-thaw, the maximum horizontal displacement, compressive stress, and tensile stress of the concrete slab repaired by fiber are decreased by 4.98%, 28.20%, and 20.38%, respectively. The research is beneficial for the restoration and fortification of channel engineering, as well as the prediction of long-term functionality.

To investigate the effects of strain rate and cyclic loading on the mechanical parameters of concrete compressive strength, residual strain, peak strain and elastic modulus, a series of cyclic loading tests over concrete were conducted by setting different numbers of cycles, magnitude factors, and cycle frequencies/periods based on the FST-1000 alpine geotechnical dynamic and static triaxial test system. The quantitative relationships between the mechanical parameters of concrete and the parameters of cyclic loading as well as the strain rate were also proposed. The results show that as the strain rate increases, the concrete compressive strength and elastic modulus increase linearly, while the residual strength and peak strain show a decreasing trend. Under cyclic loading, the compressive strength was quadratically related to each cyclic loading parameter, and the elastic modulus was quadratically related to the cyclic number and magnitude factor. The trend of the concrete compressive strength rate sensitivity undergoes a change at the specific thresholds of 0.145 for the magnitude factor and 1.93 Hz for the frequency. The minimum value of the peak strain rate sensitivity corresponds to the specific thresholds of 6023 for the number of cycles, 0.14 for the magnitude factor, and 1.38 Hz for the frequency thresholds, respectively. Additionally, the enhancement of the elastic modulus rate sensitivity occurs when the number of cycles exceeds 918 or when the magnitude factor surpasses 0.33. The results can provide a theoretical basis for the design of concrete structures and seismic engineering.

With the urbanization construction and the advancement of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, urban energy systems are characterized by coupling multi-energy networks and a high proportion of renewable energy. Urban energy systems need to improve the quality of energy use, as well as to achieve energy conservation and emission reduction. Inter-seasonal heat technology has satisfactory engineering application prospects in promoting renewable energy consumption and the energy supply of urban multi-energy systems. Considering inter-seasonal heat storage and electric hydrogen production, a joint optimization method of planning and operation is proposed for the urban multi-energy flow system. First, the operation framework of inter-seasonal heat storage and electric hydrogen production system is established, which clarifies the energy flow of the urban multi-energy system. Secondly, aiming at the goals of minimizing the equipment’s annual investment cost and the multi-energy system annual operation cost, combined with the time series period division method, a planning operation model has been established considering multi-objectives. Through case study, it is shown that the proposed model can promote the renewable energy consumption and reduce the operation cost of the whole system.

As the high carbon emission entities in the city, laying photovoltaic (PV) panels for public buildings is an effective way to reduce building carbon emissions. Meanwhile, public buildings play an important role as charging station access for the explosive growth of electric vehicles. However, the disorderly charging behavior of single-phase charging piles exacerbates the existing three-phase unbalance inside the buildings, which in turn affects operating costs and PV consumption. Energy storage system (ESS) configuration is considered an effective solution. Thus, An ESS configuration strategy is proposed for public buildings aiming at PV local consumption and three-phase unbalance management. To quantify the correlation between multiple loads and PV output, an improved affinity-propagation clustering algorithm based on the spatial weighted matrix distance is developed to obtain operational typical power supply-demand modes. Based on the construction of the three-phase power supply system with both single-phase and three-phase ESSs, a bi-level planning model is formulated for the configuration and operation optimization of ESSs inside the public building. The upper-level problem aims to minimize the life cycle cost of ESS allocation. The lower-level model deals with the coordinated economic scheduling of single-phase ESS and three-phase ESS under the obtained typical operational modes. Numerical results show the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed clustering algorithm and ESS configuration strategy.

Background: Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is considered to play a vital part in tumor metabolic reprogramming. But the comprehensive description of FAO dysregulation in tumors has not been unknown. Methods: We obtained FAO genes, RNA-seq data and clinical information from the Msigdb, TCGA and GTEx databases. We assessed their prognosis value using univariate cox analysis, survival analysis and Kaplan-Meier curve. We determined the function of FAO genes using gene set variation analysis. The correlation analysis was calculated by corrplot R package. Immunotherapy response was assessed through TIDE scores. The protein expression levels of FAO genes were validated using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: The FAO scores were highest in COAD but lowest in PCPG. FAO scores were significantly associated with the prognosis of some cancers in OS, DSS, DFI and PFI. Besides, gene set variation analysis identified that FAO scores were related to immune-related pathways, and immune infiltration analysis showed FAO scores were positively related to cancer-associated fibroblasts and various immune-related genes. TIDE scores were significantly decreased in ACC, CHOL, ESCA, GBM, LAML, SARC, SKCM and THCA compared with normal samples, while it was significantly increased in BLCA, LUAD, LUSC, PCPG, PRAD and STAD. Besides, most FAO genes were downregulated in pan-cancer compared with normal samples. Moreover, we found copy number variation (CNV) of FAO genes played a positive role in their mRNA expression, while methylation was negative. We determined FAO genes were closely related to some drugs in pan-cancer. Conclusions: FAO score is a novel and promising factor for predicting outcomes.

Due to hardware technology limitations, satellite sensors are unable to capture images with high temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions simultaneously. However, the Gaofen-1 satellite overcomes this challenge by incorporating 2-meter panchromatic, 8-meter multispectral, and 16-meter wide-field cameras, allowing for the integration of images from these sensors. To address this issue, we propose a study on the spatio-temporal-spectral fusion method for Gaofen-1 images, aiming to achieve more comprehensive structures. Inspired by the diffusion model, which learns the data distribution of the target image, we propose a new network utilizing an enhanced diffusion framework. The network incorporates both structural and spectral constraints to guide the fusion process. This work represents the first application of the diffusion model to spatio-temporal-spectral fusion, specifically synthesizing the 2-meter multispectral images with dense temporal resolution. To assess fusion quality, we have developed a benchmark dataset. During the validation stage, we evaluate the radiometric deviation, structural similarity, and spectral fidelity between the fused 2-meter multispectral images and the reference images. Both visual and quantitative assessments demonstrate that our newly proposed method work well for the Gaofen-1 fusion.

GhPEL48_Dt, a Pectate lyase (PEL, EC4.2.2.2), is a crucial enzyme involved in cell-wall modification and pectin degradation. Studies have shown that the GhPEL48_Dt also plays a significant role in cotton-fiber development; however, the specific function and regulatory mechanism of GhPEL48_Dt in cotton-fiber development are still not fully understood. Here, we found that the histone deacetylase inhibitor-Trichostatin A significantly reduces the transcript levels of GhPEL48_Dt and its enzyme activity. Further, silencing of GhPEL48_Dt significantly inhibits the initiation and elongation of cotton fibers by promoting pectin degradation, and the heterologous expression of GhPEL48_Dt promotes the development of trichomes and root hairs in Arabidopsis, which suggests that GhPEL48_Dt plays a positive and conserved role in single cell i.e., fiber, root hair, and leaf trichome development. Collectively, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental characteristics and functions of GhPEL48_Dt in fiber development, including the regulatory role of histone acetylation on GhPEL48_Dt, which contributes to the understanding of pectin degradation pathways and establishes a theoretical foundation for elucidating its regulatory mechanism.

In the context of rapid growth in renewable energy installations and increasingly severe consumption issues, this paper designs a 100% green electricity supplied zero-carbon integrated energy station. It aims to analyze its configuration focusing on the following three core features: zero carbon emissions, 100% green electricity supply, and a centralized–distributed system structure. It discusses equipment selection and provides models for configuring upstream green electricity resources, power generation, energy storage, transformer, and energy conversion. The study examines the synergy between lithium-ion battery storage and modular molten salt thermal storage, along with the virtual energy storage characteristics formed by thermal load inertia, supported by mathematical models. Based on the data from a green electricity system in an Eastern Chinese city and typical load profiles, the paper validates a specific configuration for a 100% green electricity supplied zero-carbon integrated energy station, confirming model accuracy and calculating the required scale of upstream green electricity resources. It proves that establishing an electro-thermal storage synergy system is crucial for addressing the significant fluctuations in renewable energy output. It also argues that leveraging thermal load inertia to create virtual storage can reduce the investment in energy storage system construction.

Different types of soil macropores respond differently to various tillage practices, owing to disparities in origin, scale, morphology, and function, consequently exerting distinct effects on soil structure. This study aimed to investigate the response mechanisms of three different soil pore types (total macropores, non-biopores, and biopores) to two distinct tillage practices: smash-ridging tillage (T) and no-tillage (NT) in sugarcane fields. The parameters characterizing soil pore treatments in two and three dimensions were obtained using X-ray computed tomography scanning technology. ImageJ and MATLAB software were employed to analyze the data and separate soil macropores into biopores and non-biopores categories. The results showed that non-biopores predominated in two-dimensional cross-sectional areas in NT treatment, whereas biopores were more dominant in T treatment. Biopores in T treatment had a higher proportion of two-dimensional pores compared to NT treatment. A three-dimensional analysis indicated that total macropores had larger mean diameters (MD) and macroporosity, with more continuous tubular pores in T treatment than that in NT treatment. However, NT treatment had more numerous non-biopores with broader spatial distribution and complex morphology. Additionally, biopores in T treatment had larger MD and branching length density (LD). These vertically developed biopores, along with high macropore connectivity and under smash-ridging tillage, could improve soil water and pore conductivity. Therefore, smash-ridging tillage was more beneficial for sugarcane growth compared to no-tillage in Guangxi of China.

Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are a growing problem as persistent environmental pollutants. Here, we investigated the impact of MNPs on microorganisms in aquatic microbial floc exposed to NPs (80 ​nm) and MPs (8 ​μm) for 35 days. Water quality indicators were tested weekly and microbiological analyses were conducted on Day 7 and 28 after exposure. The results showed that there were significant differences in the levels of total ammonia nitrogen or nitrite between the MNPs groups and the control group, spanning from Day 7 to Day 28. For the microbial response, microbial community richness in the NPs and MPs groups were significantly increased at Day 7. Functional prediction showed that the relative abundances of bacteria associated with the “Forms Biofilms”, “Potentially Pathogenic”, “Plastic Degradation” and nitrogen cycle processes were significantly different after MNPs exposure. The results suggest that MNPs had no significant effect on the microbial diversity of mature microbial flocs. Findings suggest MPs could cause an increase in the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria, while NPs do not. In addition, stress associated with MNPs affected the nitrogen cycle of microorganisms, and NPs exerted greater impacts than MPs. Findings from this study further our understanding of the impact of MNPs at environmentally relevant concentrations on microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems.

Ammonia is the most common pollutant and stressor in the aquaculture environment and can cause massive fish mortality. Its toxicity in fish is mainly related to the generation of oxidative stress, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Ferroptosis is a unique cell death pathway characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. However, little information is available regarding the association between oxidative stress and ferroptosis under ammonia stress and mitigation measures in fish. This study was divided into two parts. In the first part of the study, yellow catfish were exposed to three levels of ammonia (0 mg L−1, 5.7 mg L−1, 28.5 mg L−1) for 96 h. Results showed that ammonia poisoning could result in a decrease in survival rates, elevation of blood ammonia levels, ferroptosis activation (iron accumulation, reduced glutathione depletion, upregulation of transferrin receptor 1 and 15B-lipoxygenase, first increased then a decreased expression of glutamate/cystine antiporter system xc– and glutathione peroxidase 4) and oxidative stress (first increased and then decreased expression of superoxide dismutase and catalase). In the second part of the study, primary head-kidney macrophages were used for investigating the underlying mechanism of quercetin in protecting against ammonia-induced ferroptosis in vitro. Results showed that quercetin could decrease the production of reactive oxygen species, increase GSH contents, suppress the expression of TFR1 and LOX-15B, and upregulate the expression levels of FER, system xc– as well as GPX4. The results of this study suggested that oxidative stress induced by ferroptosis might be a prominent mechanism behind ammonia-induced cytotoxicity and quercetin exhibited good protective effects against macrophage ferroptosis under ammonia stress.

The microstructural characteristics of reclaimed soil in Guangxi’s bauxite mining area play a pivotal role in determining soil reclamation quality, yet they remain poorly understood. To explore the impact of varying reclamation years and modes on pore structure characteristics in this region, we selected four reclamation regions: grassland reclamation with 2 years (RG2a), grassland reclamation with 10 years (RG10a), bare ground reclamation with 2 years (RW2a) and bare ground reclamation with 10 years (RW10a). Utilizing X-ray CT technology, we scanned soil columns within a 30 cm depth to analyze pore distributions using Avizo 2020 software combined with ImageJ 1.53c and its plugins. The findings revealed a significant increase in the number of 2D and 3D macropores by 1.09% and 88.89% in RG10a compared to RG2a, as well as 39.01% and 13.33% in RG10a compared to RW10a, respectively. Furthermore, RG10a was observed to be more effective in enhancing the rounding rate of macropores and mesopores, as well as average branch length and density. Additionally, RG10a demonstrated a greater capacity to increase porosity and connectivity while reducing curvature and specific surface area among the three-dimensional parameters. The 3D reconstruction illustrated that RG modes exhibited a more abundant distribution of macropores compared to RW modes and 10a modes showed a higher presence of macropores than 2a modes, which displayed a tilted laminar pattern. Soil moisture movement simulations conducted through Avizo 2020 under various modes indicated that RG modes presented a more extensive capacity for vertical flow, while 10a modes displayed more abundant flow lines and a higher infiltration rate (K) compared to 2a modes. In conclusion, prolonged reclamation years favoring grassland reclamation modes could enhance water and nutrient transport pathways toward traditional agricultural soil.

Demand response (DR) is one of the most effective and economical methods for power operators to improve network reliability in face of uncertainty and emergencies. In this paper, considering the uncertainty of wind power output and the failure of power system components, a two-stage security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) model is established by optimizing the real-time pricing mechanism to indirectly adjust the DR. Firstly, the uncertainty of wind power output is modeled based on self-organizing map (SOM), and the component failure of the power system is modeled based on Monte Carlo. Then, a pricing scheme is proposed to stimulate users' electricity consumption behavior. Finally, the marine predator algorithm is used to solve the problem. Simulation results on IEEE-RTS system show that the proposed method can reduce the total operating cost by 10%, effectively stimulate the electricity consumption behavior of users, to improve the peak load shifting and valley filling capacity of the power system.

Abstract Energy conservation and carbon reduction in building energy is an important way to achieve the global goal of ‘carbon neutrality’. Common low‐carbon operation strategies of buildings rely on price incentives to guide users’ behaviour, which is difficult to make users aware of the impact of their energy consumption behaviour on carbon emissions. In this paper, the power system's dynamic carbon emission factors (CEF) were used to release information on energy consumption and carbon emission to building users. At the same time, the differential effects of building envelope and external temperature in the Building Information Modelling were considered. An optimisation method of building low‐carbon energy consumption strategy considering both the building and power carbon emission was established to improve the comprehensive carbon reduction ability of the building and power system. The simulation results show that the proposed method effectively coordinates the building virtual energy storage and demand response. By incorporating the dynamic energy carbon transaction cost into the objective function, the target signal of carbon reduction is transmitted to users so that the volatility of the renewable Energy and other random energy behaviours can be considered in the dynamic CEF.

IntroductionEndometriosis is a worldwide gynacological diseases, affecting in 6–10% of women of reproductive age. The aim of this study was to investigate the gene network and potential signatures of immune infiltration in endometriosis.MethodsThe expression profiles of GSE51981, GSE6364, and GSE7305 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Core modules and central genes related to immune characteristics were identified using a weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify central genes in immune infiltration. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to identify the hub genes. We then constructed subtypes of endometriosis samples and calculated their correlation with hub genes. qRTPCR and Western blotting were used to verify our findings.ResultsWe identified 10 candidate hub genes (GZMB, PRF1, KIR2DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL4, FGB, IGFBP1, RBP4, and PROK1) that were significantly correlated with immune infiltration. Our study established a detailed immune network and systematically elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying endometriosis from the aspect of immune infiltration.DiscussionOur study provides comprehensive insights into the immunology involved in endometriosis and might contribute to the development of immunotherapy for endometriosis. Furthermore, our study sheds light on the underlying molecular mechanism of endometriosis and might help improve the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Environmental problems, including air pollution, have upset the balance between the environment and economic development. In the face of worsening air pollution, growing attention is being paid to the role of financial institutions. To investigate how finance affects air pollution, this study used data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2014–2020, while considering industrial structure optimization and energy structure as threshold variables to propose a panel threshold model, which elucidates a nonlinear relationship between green finance and air quality in China. The panel data are sorted based on urbanization level, resource dependence, and geospatial distribution to examine the heterogeneous effects of green finance on air pollution. The analysis demonstrated that green finance considerably improves the overall air quality in Chinese provinces, but the effect is gradually weakened with the optimization of industrial structure and the improvement of clean energy efficiency. Moreover, green finance exerts a greater inhibitory impact on air pollution through industrial structure optimization compared to the impact of energy structure optimization. Regional variations in the environmental benefits of green finance were discerned. Resource dependence exacerbates the inhibiting impact of green finance on air pollution in the resource-based regions, while urbanization weakens the environmental benefits of green finance in urbanized regions. In terms of geographical distribution, green finance exhibited the best effect on air quality in western China. These findings shed the light on the positive role of green finance on air quality in China, thereby highlighting its importance for the air quality improvement programs of the provincial scales in China.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been reported to affect populations by disrupting the human endocrine system. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an EDC that is present in various consumer products. Exposure to DEHP could contribute to reproductive system dysfunction, with subsequent adverse female reproductive outcomes. Granulosa cells (GCs) play essential roles in ovarian function and fertility. To further reveal the underlying mechanism by which DEHP impairs female fertility and affects the normal function of GCs, in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed. Transcript sequencing was used to identify genes that were differentially expressed in GCs after DEHP treatment. SLC39A5 was shown to be overexpressed in the DEHP group compared to the normal control group. DEHP treatment and overexpression of SLC39A5 activated NF-κB-related factors, followed by an increase in the transcript expression level of NLRP3. NLRP3 inflammasomes play crucial roles in pyroptosis by acting as sensors. Pyroptosis is a type of inflammation-related cell death associated with various diseases, including ovarian cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome. Activation of NF-κB contributed to the upregulation of pyroptosis in GCs, while pyroptosis factors were downregulated after the inhibition of NF-κB with JSH-23. The same phenomenon was also observed in a mouse model in which DEHP-treated mice had higher expression levels of NF-κB and pyroptosis markers in GCs. Moreover, this phenomenon could be partially reversed by the NF-κB inhibitor JSH-23. DEHP treatment also disrupted the normal expression of ovarian function-related genes and inhibited the proliferation of GCs. Reproductive system impairment was observed in mice exposed to DEHP. DEHP-treated mice had a lower body weight, smaller reproductive organs, fewer healthy follicles, and diminished ovarian reserve. Thus, DEHP contributes to ovarian dysfunction by inducing pyroptosis via the SLC39A5/NF-κB/NLRP3 axis in GCs.

Abstract Background Fiber, as the main product of cotton, provides main raw material for the textile industry. Many key factors have been revealed a significant role in fiber cell development including Myb proteins, phytohormones, fatty acid metabolites, and epigenetic modifications. DNA methylation is one of the important epigenetic modifications to regulate plant development and responses to abiotic or biotic stimuli. In general, DNA methylation consisting of 5mC and 6mA regulates the chromatin structure and gene transcription to affect plant development, however, the detailed role and underlying mechanism of DNA methylation in the fiber development of cotton are yet vague. Results Here, systematical study of the 5mC and 6mA DNA methylation profiles during the fiber initiation period of Xu142 and its glabrous mutant Xu142fl represented a clear alteration of global DNA methylation associated with fiber cell initiation. Then, the genome-wide identification of genes responsible for methylation regulation at the fifth carbon of cytosine and the sixth carbon of adenine of DNA was operated in Gossypium hirsutum. As a result, 13, 10, 6, and 17 genes were identified for 5mC methylation, 5mC demethylation, 6mA methylation, and 6mA demethylation, respectively. We then investigated the tissue expression pattern of all these genes, and some genes showed higher expression levels in fiber initiation, among which some displayed a significant change in transcription between Xu142 and Xu142fl. The possible interaction between histone acetylation and DNA methylation in fiber initiation through in vitro culture was studied by dot blot, and the results showed that repressed histone deacetylation by Trichostatin A (TSA) inhibited the global DNA methylation, and some causal genes (e. g., GhDMT13, GhDAMT2, GhALKBH12, GhDM7) were also identified. Conclusions In this study, all the findings indicated the interplay between histone acetylation and DNA methylation, supporting their important roles and providing precious clues for the epigenetic modifications associated with DNA methylation in the fiber development of cotton.

The technique of gold collection in matte can effectively improve the trapping efficiency of precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. However, the underlying mechanism of gold collection from high-temperature molten matte is complex and not well understood. In this work, the first-principle calculations were utilized to investigate the adsorption behavior of gold atoms on a Cu2S surface. The effects of vacancies and As and Sb doping on the gold-trapping ability of Cu2S were also explored, and the electronic properties of each adsorption system, including the charge density difference, density of states, and charge transfer, were systematically analyzed. The results show that the Cu-terminated Cu2S(111) surface has the lowest surface energy, and the Au atom is chemically adsorbed on the Cu2S(111) with an adsorption energy of −1.99 eV. The large adsorption strength is primarily ascribed to the strong hybridizations between Au-5d and Cu-3d orbitals. Additionally, the Cu vacancy can significantly weaken the adsorption strength of Cu2S(111) towards Au atoms, while the S vacancy can notably enhance it. Moreover, due to the formation of strong covalent As–Au/Sb–Au bonds, doping As and Sb into Cu2S(111) can enhance the gold-trapping capability of Cu2S, and the Sb doping exhibits superior effectiveness. Our studied results can provide theoretical guidance for improving the gold collection efficiency of Cu2S.

The development of green finance and the promotion of green transformation and upgrading of high energy-consuming enterprises are of great significance for China to achieve the "double carbon" goal. This paper employs a dual fixed-effects model to examine the profound ramifications and intrinsic mechanisms of green finance development on the transformative innovation of high-energy-consumption enterprises, using a sample of 462 publicly traded high-energy-consuming corporations from the period spanning 2016 to 2020. The results show that the development of green finance promotes the transformation and innovation of energy-intensive enterprises and that market-incentivized environmental regulation plays a partially mediating role; the results of heterogeneity analysis show that green finance promotes the transformation and innovation of high energy-consuming enterprises with significant differences in different low-carbon pilot regions, company ownership, and enterprise size; the mechanism analysis shows that the development of green finance can increase government subsidies and alleviate financing constraints to promote the transformation and innovation of high energy-consuming enterprises; it is also found that the development of green finance can significantly improve the financial performance of enterprises. The research findings of this paper hold significant implications for promoting the sustainable development of green finance and high-energy consumption enterprises in China. They provide valuable insights and references for facilitating the green transformation and innovation of high-energy-consuming enterprises in China as well as other developing countries.

In order to reduce the peak load on the power grid, various types of demand response (DR) programs have been developed rapidly, and an increasing number of residents have participated in the DR. The change in residential electricity consumption behavior increases the randomness of electricity load power, which makes residential load forecasting relatively difficult. Aiming at increasing the accuracy of residential load forecasting, an innovative electricity consumption pattern clustering is implemented in this paper. Six categories of residential load are clustered considering the power consumption characteristics of high-energy-consuming equipment, using the entropy method and criteria importance though intercrieria correlation (CRITIC) method. Next, based on the clustering results, the residential load is predicted by the fully-connected deep neural network (FDNN). Compared with the prediction result without clustering, the method proposed in this paper improves the accuracy of the prediction by 5.21%, which is demonstrated in the simulation.

To investigate the hydraulic fracturing in sulfate-attacked cement-based materials with tensile stress, splitting tensile strength test, hydraulic fracturing test under splitting load, and scanning electron microscopy test are conducted on cement mortar specimens immersed in Na2SO4 solution. The results reveal that the critical water pressure first increases and then decreases with the increase in immersion time, which is consistent with the tensile strength evolution. The tensile stress promotes the occurrence of hydraulic fracturing. Next, a critical water pressure model is proposed, in which the critical water pressure is expressed as a linear function of tensile strength and nominal tensile stress. Moreover, a theoretical formula is established to reveal the critical water pressure evolution mechanism of cement mortar exposed to sulfate attack. The evolution of critical water pressure depends on the porosity, matrix tensile strength, and expansion stress. Furthermore, a semi-empirical function is proposed to predict the critical water pressure evolution, which exhibits good accuracy. To avoid hydraulic fracturing, decreasing the porosity and tensile stress, increasing the matrix tensile strength, and releasing the expansion stress are effective strategies.

Abstract Background Biochemical recurrence is defined as only rising CA-125 but no radiographic evidence of disease; noteworthily, it generally precedes the onset of clinical evidence. Now treatment strategies of biochemical recurrence ovarian cancer (OC) remain controversial. Apatinib as monotherapy or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents has shown its effect in the treatment of some advanced malignancies. In our study, we focused on the efficacy of apatinib in recurrent OC, especially its clinical activity in biochemical-only recurrent OC patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical material of 41 recurrent patients who had received apatinib monotherapy or apatinib plus chemotherapy between June 2016 and August 2018. Apatinib was administered at a 500mg daily dose. Response was determined according to measurable disease or serum carbohydrate antigen (CA)-125 levels. Progression-free survival (PFS) was estimated by Kaplan–Meier method. Results All patients were evaluable, 19 (46.34%) had biochemical relapse and 22 (53.66%) had clinical relapse. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the overall population were 31.71% and 78.05%, respectively. The median PFS was 7 months (95% confidence interval 5.43–8.57). And in patients with biochemical-only relapse, the median PFS was 6 months, with ORR of 26.32% and DCR of 89.47%. Conclusions Apatinib is a well-tolerated and effective agent to delay clinical progression of patients with biochemical-only recurrent OC. More important, our study shows the promising prospect for treating OC patients with asymptomatic biochemical relapse.

Adjustable resources on the demand side of power system plays a vital role to improve operational flexibility of future low-carbon power system integrated with high-penetration renewable generations. While, these demand-side resources may underperform their expected potentials, due to the lack of understanding on consumers’ refined behaviors. Facing the flexibility improvement of future power system, refined portrait structure of single user combining load characteristics and subjective behavior, is constructed with multi-dimension label system from 4 aspects, including energy consumption and load characteristics, adjustable potential, behavioral awareness and user’s nature. Aiming at supplying demand response service, several key indexes are selected and further evaluated here, via data-driven load character analysis and social-survey-driven user’s subjective consciousness mining based on comprehensive evaluation with combination weighting approach. For practical application to demand response decision making, large-scale user adjustable resource is evaluated and classified based on multivariate density-based clustering algorithm. Numerical results show the feasibility and rationality of the proposed assessment method.

El cambio climático causado por el hombre, sincronizado con el rápido desarrollo en el sur de China, ha inducido varios desafíos ambientales críticos en dicha región. Este trabajo compara los impulsores de los cambios del flujo hidrológico y la recurrencia de inundaciones en la cuenca del río Lijiang. Se llevaron a cabo análisis estadísticos de los cambios climáticos y de uso/cobertura de la tierra (LULCC) utilizando imágenes satelitales, los modelos SWAT y HEC-HMS, pruebas de tendencia de Mann-Kendall y Minitab. Los mapas de uso del suelo se utilizaron para observar la conversión del suelo de la cuenca hidrográfica durante el desarrollo previo/posterior a través de GIS. Aunque se detectó un aumento de hasta el 76 % en las áreas urbanizadas, sólo el 0.6 % de LULCC se notó en toda la cuenca y había causado un cambio de 0.1 % en el número de curva (CN) en toda la cuenca. Los resultados del modelo HEC-HMS revelaron cambios insignificantes de hidrogramas con y sin LULCC. Los datos hidrometeorológicos diarios se analizaron cuantitativamente durante 1967-2016, para determinar el régimen de fluctuaciones y el reconocimiento de patrones. Se encontró un patrón de lluvia más desigual en las últimas décadas vinculado con una escorrentía excesiva. La temperatura media y la humedad relativa han aumentado continuamente en 0.96 °C y disminuido en un 3 %, respectivamente, durante los últimos 50 años. Nuestro estudio sugiere que la causa principal de las recientes tendencias al alza del volumen de escorrentía se atribuye a los cambios en el patrón de precipitación como respuesta al calentamiento global en lugar de LULCC. El resultado está respaldado por un aumento en la frecuencia del evento de lluvia de intensidad extrema. Los resultados respaldaron la necesidad de un desarrollo sostenible para adaptarse a la nueva situación.

Background Endometriosis is a chronic systemic disease, whose classic symptoms are pelvic pain and infertility. This disease seriously reduces the life quality of patients. The pathogenesis, recognition and treatment of endometriosis is still unclear, and cannot be over emphasized. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential biomarker of endometriosis for the mechanism and treatment. Methods Using GSE11691, GSE23339 and GSE5108 datasets, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between endometriosis and normal samples. The functions of DEGs were reflected by the analysis of gene ontology (GO), pathway enrichment and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The LASSO regression model was performed to identify candidate biomarkers. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate discriminatory ability of candidate biomarkers. The predictive value of the markers in endometriosis were further validated in the GSE120103 dataset. Then, the expression level of biomarkers was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Finally, the relationship between candidate biomarker expression and immune infiltration was estimated using CIBERSORT. Results A total of 42 genes were identified, which were mainly involved in cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, systemic lupus erythematosus and chemokine signaling pathway. We confirmed PDLIM3 was a specific biomarker in endometriosis (AUC = 0.955) and validated in the GSE120103 dataset (AUC = 0.836). The mRNA and protein expression level of PDLIM3 in endometriosis tissue was significantly higher than normal. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that PDLIM3 was correlated with M2 macrophages, neutrophils, CD4+ memory resting T cells, gamma delta T cells, M1 Macrophages, resting mast cells, follicular helper T cells, activated NK cells, CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), naive B cells, plasma cells and resting NK cells.

Abstract Background GGPP (geranylgeranyl diphosphate) is produced in the isoprenoid pathway and mediates the function of various plant metabolites, which is synthesized by GGPPS (GGPP synthases) in plants. GGPPS characterization has not been performed in any plant species except Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we performed a complete computational and bioinformatics analysis of GGPPS and detected their transcription expression pattern in Gossypium hirsutum for the first time so that to explore their evolutionary relationship and potential functions. Finally, we unravelled evolutionary relationship, conserved sequence logos, gene duplication and potential involvement in plant development and abiotic stresses tolerance of GGPPS genes in G. hirsutum and other plant species. Results A total of 159 GGPPS genes from 18 plant species were identified and evolutionary analysis divided these GGPPS genes into five groups to indicate their divergence from a common ancestor. Further, GGPPS family genes were conserved during evolution and underwent segmental duplication. The identified 25 GhGGPPS genes showed diverse expression pattern particularly in ovule and fiber development indicating their vital and divers roles in the fiber development. Additionally, GhGGPPS genes exhibited wide range of responses when subjected to abiotic (heat, cold, NaCl and PEG) stresses and hormonal (BL, GA, IAA, SA and MeJA) treatments, indicating their potential roles in various biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance. Conclusions The GGPPS genes are evolutionary conserved and might be involve in different developmental stages and stress response. Some potential key genes (e.g. GhGGPP4, GhGGPP9, and GhGGPP15) were suggested for further study and provided valuable source for cotton breeding to improve fiber quality and resistant to various stresses.

This paper proposes a novel tiered type permanent magnet spherical motor (T-PMSpM), which has the advantage of relatively larger torque ability compared with most existing spherical motors. The proposed T-PMSpM is capable of continuously rotating while the rotating shaft can tilt in all directions. Considering that it is usually much difficult to measure the multi-DOF rotor orientation of a spherical motor in an easy and convenient way, this paper also proposes a specific rotor orientation measurement method, aiming at providing an idea of simple solution for detecting the multi-DOF rotor orientation based on phase difference. In order to clearly reveal the intrinsic relationship between the phenomenon of phase shift and the tilting motion, a simplified back-EMF model of the T-PMSpM is put forward according to the geometric changes as the rotor tilts. Based on the simplified back-EMF model, both the initial phase and the magnitude of the back-EMF are calculated analytically and verified by the 3D FEM. The full region forward relationship between the rotor tilting position and the phase difference is further obtained. Therefore, the rotor tilting position can be easily identified based on the inverse solution. Finally, a prototype motor of the investigated T-PMSpM has been manufactured. The experimental results validate that the multi-DOF orientation can be detected effectively with enough accuracy.

In this article, a method is proposed to reduce the in-band radar cross section (RCS) of the high-gain Fabry-Perot antenna (FPA) based on the cancellation between the antenna mode RCS (AM-RCS) and structural mode RCS (SM-RCS). The ports of the two back-fed microstrip array antennas are connected to form the partial reflective surface (PRS) with a high reflectivity. The phase delay line (PDL) is proposed to control the AM-RCS to cancel out the SM-RCS. The AM-RCS is used to further reduce the in-band RCS of the low RCS high-gain FPA instead of being eliminated by the matched load. The measured results show that the FPA has a great impedance matching within the band of 9.8-11.2 GHz, and the maximum realized gain of the FPA reaches 10.7 dBi. The simulated bistatic RCS of the FPA is less than -14 dBsm within ±90 degrees angle domain at the center frequency. The minimum monostatic RCS of the proposed FPA is reduced by 17.9 dB compared with the reference FPA. Furthermore, this article provides a design basis for the feed line length of the FPA from the perspective of scattering performance.

Due to the characteristics of high heap and large volume, the complex layers of waste, high-water level of leachate, environmental pollution, and slope instability are easily produced. Although many researchers have studied landfill two-dimensional leachate migration law, three-dimensional seepage and stability of landfill sites have been rarely studied. This paper focuses on the heterogeneous characteristics of the landfill piles and analyzes the seepage field and slope stability of the landfill using statistical and numerical analysis methods. The calculated results are compared with the field measurement and literature research data to verify the reliability of the model, which may provide the basis for the design and safe and eco-friendly operation of the landfill. Taking an actual landfill as the research object, the saturated–unsaturated transient model of heterogeneous waste is applied to practical engineering. Considering the landfill process and heterogeneous permeability, the calculated maximum water level is higher. Compared with the homogeneous material, the difference in the water level of each waste layer is about 0.08∼1.88 m, which is not good for the stability of the landfill. Combined with the engineering characteristic distribution of a landfill, the heterogeneous stability model is applied to the actual project to study the influence of different unit weight and shear strength distribution on landfill stability. The established model is suitable for the study of two-dimensional and three-dimensional slope stability of landfill sites. Through the slope stability analysis of the three-dimensional landfill site, it is found that the bank slope of the reservoir is steep and prone to instability failure. In most studies, only the instability of the landfill is of concern, but the bank failure is ignored. In the process of landfill operation and management, while considering the capacity of the landfill, the stability of the bank slope should also be paid attention to, and if necessary, bank slope reinforcement or slope ratio improvement should be carried out.

Seepage is a main cause of dam failure, and its stability analysis is the focus of a dam’s design, construction, and management. Because a geological survey can only determine the range of a dam foundation’s hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic conductivity inversion is crucial in engineering. However, current inversion methods of dam hydraulic conductivity are either not accurate enough or too complex to be directly used in engineering. Therefore, this paper proposes a new method for the inversion of hydraulic conductivity with high application value in hydraulic engineering using an improved genetic algorithm coupled with an unsaturated equivalent continuum model (IGA–UECM). This method is implemented by a new code that fully considers engineering applicability. In addition to overcoming the premature convergence shortcomings of traditional genetic algorithms, it converges faster than Bayesian optimization and tree-structured Parzen estimator inversion algorithms. This method is verified by comparing the water head from drilling exploration and inversion. The results of the inversion are used to study the influence of a cement grouting curtain layout scheme on the seepage field of the Hami concrete-face rockfill dam in China, which is used as an engineering application case of the IGA–UECM. The law of the seepage field is reasonable, which verifies the validity of the IGA–UECM. The new inversion method of hydraulic conductivity and the proposed cement grouting curtain layout in this study offer possible strategies for the design, construction, and management of concrete-face rockfill dams.

Ammonia is a common environmental limiting factor in aquaculture. To investigate the effects of ammonia stress and explore the protective effect of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) on Micropterus salmoides (M. salmoides), tissue sections and parameters related to oxidative stress and the inflammatory response in M. salmoides were carried out during the ammonia stress test and feeding test. The results demonstrated that the LC50 for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h under ammonia stress in M. salmoides were 25.78 mg/L, 24.40 mg/L, 21.90 mg/L, and 19.61 mg/L, respectively. Under ammonia stress, the structures of the tissues were damaged, and the GSH content decreased, while the MDA content increased with the increase in stress time and ammonia concentration. The NO content fluctuated significantly after the ammonia nitrogen stress. In the 15-day feeding test, with the increased NCG addition amount and feeding time, the GSH content increased while the MDA and NO contents decreased gradually in the NCG addition groups (NL group: 150 mg/kg; NM group: 450 mg/kg; NH group: 750 mg/kg) when compared with their control group (CK group: 0 mg/kg). In the ammonia toxicology test after feeding, the damage to each tissue was alleviated in the NL, NM, and NH groups, and the contents of GSH, MDA, and NO in most tissues of the NH group were significantly different from those in the CK group. The results suggested that ammonia stress caused tissue damage in M. salmoides, provoking oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The addition of NCG to the feed enhances the anti-ammonia ability of M. salmoides. Moreover, the gill and liver might be the target organs of ammonia toxicity, and the brain and kidney might be the primary sites where NCG exerts its effects. Our findings could help us to find feasible ways to solve the existing problem of environmental stress in M. salmoides culture.

To better understand the seepage field in tailings dam with a drainage structure that combines drainage mat, drainage tube, and geotextile, an equivalent seepage analysis method for the drainage structure is presented. In the method, an equivalent drainage structure is suggested to replace the original drainage. It has enough size to be easily presented in the three-dimensional (3d) model of a tailings dam. According to a back analysis procedure using the quasi-3d models of a tailings dam with original and equivalent drainage structures, the material properties of the equivalent drainage structure can be obtained under the principle of drainage capacity equivalence. It is demonstrated that the suggested method is accurate enough to capture the seepage field in a tailings dam based on comparing the calculated and measured phreatic lines in a tailings dam for verification. Then, the method is employed to investigate the seepage field in a tailings dam in China for a case study. The rise of water level, damage of drainage structure, or increase of tailings discharge speed and time will lift up phreatic line. After terminating tailings discharge, phreatic line will first rise and then fall. The effect of tailings discharge on phreatic line will almost disappear after terminating tailings discharge for 24 h.

BackgroundGastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world, and the fourth most frequent malignancy worldwide. YTHDF2 (YTH domain family 2, YTHDF2) binds to mRNA containing m6A, thereby regulating the localization and stability of the bound mRNA. YTHDF2 was shown to be associated with some cancer patient prognosis. However, the effect of YTHDF2 on gastric cancer and the molecular mechanism of this effect have not been documented.MethodsTo conduct this research, YTHDF2 expression levels in public databases and gastric cancer patient samples were analyzed. The effects of YTHDF2 on the growth of gastric cancer cells were detected in vivo and in vitro. RNA-seq was used to analyze the signal pathways regulated by YTHDF2, and experiments were carried out for verification.ResultsIn our study, we found that YTHDF2 has lower expression in GC tissues and GC cells, and inhibits the growth of GC cells. In addition, the analysis of clinical data found that the expression level of YTHDF2 is closely related to the stage of GC and the survival of patients with GC. RNA sequencing results showed that overexpression of YTHDF2 significantly reduced protein expression in the FOXC2 (Forkhead box protein C2, FOXC2) signaling pathway. Finally, we found that knockout of FOXC2 reversed the inhibitory effect of YTHDF2 on GC cells.ConclusionIn summary, YTHDF2 inhibits the growth of GC cells by negatively regulating FOXC2 and may serve as a prognostic marker in GC.

Objectives. Bones constitute organs that are engaged in constant self-remodelling. Osteoblast and osteoclast homeostasis during remodelling contribute to overall skeletal status. Orthodontics is a clinical discipline that involves the investigation and implementation of moving teeth through the bone. The application of mechanical force to the teeth causes an imbalance between osteogenesis and osteogenesis in alveolar bone, leading to tooth movement. Osteoimmunology comprises the crosstalk between the immune and skeletal systems that regulate osteoclast–osteoblast homeostasis. Interleukin- (IL-) 20, an IL-10 family member, is regarded as a proinflammatory factor for autoimmune diseases and has been implicated in bone loss disease. However, the mechanism by which IL-20 regulates osteoclast differentiation and osteoclastogenesis activation remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of IL-20 on osteoclast differentiation in a rat model; it explored the underlying molecular mechanism in vitro and the specific effects on orthodontic tooth movement in vivo. Methods. For in vitro analyses, primary rat bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were prepared from Sprague–Dawley rats for osteoclast induction. After BMMs had been treated with combinations of recombinant IL-20 protein, siRNA, and plasmids, the expression levels of osteoclast-specific factors and signalling pathway proteins were detected through real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. For in vivo analyses, IL-20 was injected into the rat intraperitoneal cavity after the establishment of a rat orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) model. OTM distance was detected by Micro-CT and HE staining; the expression levels of protein were detected through immunofluorescence staining. Results. In vitro analyses showed that a low concentration of IL-20 promoted preosteoclast proliferation and osteoclastogenesis. However, a high concentration of IL-20 inhibited BMM proliferation and osteoclastogenesis. IL-20 knockdown decreased the expression of osteoclast specific-markers, while IL-20 overexpression increased the expression of osteoclast specific-markers. Furthermore, IL-20 regulated osteoclast differentiation through the OPG/RANKL/RANK pathway. Overexpression of IL-20 could significantly upregulate RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast specific-marker expression; moreover, RANKL/NF-κB/NFATc1 acted as downstream signalling molecule for IL-20. In vivo analysis showed that OTM speed was significantly increased after intraperitoneal injection of IL-20; additionally, mechanical stress sensing proteins were markedly activated. Conclusions. IL-20 augments osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast-mediated bone erosion through the RANKL/NF-κB/NFATc1 signalling pathway. IL-20 inhibition can effectively reduce osteoclast differentiation and diminish bone resorption. Furthermore, IL-20 can accelerate orthodontic tooth movement and activate mechanical stress sensing proteins.

This study is aimed at establishing a lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) mouse model and investigating the underlying mechanism. C57BL/6N female mice were intraperitoneally injected with low-dose LPS (0.5 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days, high-dose LPS (2.5 mg/kg) twice weekly for 2 weeks, or cyclophosphamide (CTX; 150 mg/kg) once weekly for 2 weeks. Ovarian function was assessed by measuring the length of estrous cycle, the number of primordial follicles, and the levels of serum hormones. Expression and production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) were determined to evaluate ovarian inflammation. Histopathological examination was performed to examine ovarian fibrosis. TUNEL assay was carried out to evaluate granulosa cell apoptosis. Western blotting was performed to measure the levels of inflammation-, fibrosis-, and apoptosis-related proteins in the mouse ovaries. Like CTX, both low- and high-dose LPS significantly impaired ovarian functions in mice, as evidenced by extended lengths of estrous cycles, reduced counts of primordial follicles, and alterations in the levels of serum hormones. Also, LPS promoted granulosa cell apoptosis and ovarian fibrosis in mice. However, LPS but not CTX promoted IL-1β expression and production in mice. Moreover, LPS but not CTX enhanced TLR, p-p65, p65, and MyD88 expression in mouse ovaries, suggesting that LPS differs from CTX in triggering ovarian inflammation. In general, continuous low-dose LPS stimulation was less potent than high-dose LPS to affect the ovarian functions. In conclusion, LPS may induce ovarian inflammation, fibrosis, and granulosa cell apoptosis and can be used to establish a POI model in mice.

Designing a high-performance gas sensor to efficiently detect the hazardous NH3 molecule is beneficial to air monitoring and pollution control. In this work, the first-principles calculations were employed to investigate the adsorption structures, electronic characteristics, and gas sensing properties of the pristine and B-, N-, P-, Al-, and Si-doped penta-graphene (PG) toward the NH3, H2S, and SO2 molecules. The results indicate that the pristine PG is insensitive to those toxic gases due to the weak adsorption strength and long adsorption distance. Nevertheless, the doping of B, N, Al, and Si (B and Al) results in the transition of NH3 (H2S and SO2) adsorption from physisorption to chemisorption, which is primarily ascribed to the large charge transfer and strong orbital hybridizations between gas molecules and doping atoms. In addition, NH3 adsorption leads to the remarkable variation of electrical conductivity for the B-, N-, and Si-doped PG, and the adsorption strength of NH3 on the B-, N-, and Si-doped PG is larger than that of H2S and SO2. Moreover, the chemically adsorbed NH3 molecule on the N-, B-, and Si-doped PG can be effectively desorbed by injecting electrons into the systems. Those results shed light on the potential application of PG-based nanosheets as reusable gas sensors for NH3 detection.

The impact of urban rail transit on housing prices has attracted the extensive attention of scholars, but few studies have explored the heterogeneous impact of rail transit on housing prices with different price levels. To solve this problem, we adopted the hedonic price model based on ordinary least squares regression as a supplementary method of quantile regression to study the heterogeneous impact of the Chengdu Metro system on low-, middle-, and high-priced housing. The result shows that the housing price rises first, then falls with the distance from the housing to the nearest subway station. Besides, the influence of transportation accessibility on low-, middle-, and high-priced housing decreases progressively. This research can provide a reference for the government’s transportation planning and decision-making.

Owing to China’s rapid urbanization and internal migration, public services are unevenly distributed in cities, affecting urban housing prices. This study examines the dynamic effect of China’s public service levels on urban housing prices. We used the entropy method to calculate the public service index of 30 cities in China and a panel threshold regression model to explore the relationship between urban public service levels and housing prices. We found that the degree of the effect of public service levels on urban housing prices varies with the per capita disposable income of urban residents, demonstrating an inverted U-shaped curve. The role of public services in promoting urban housing prices increases with the increase in the level of urbanization. When the level of urbanization exceeds its threshold, the enhancement effect increases. These results help us better understand the theories of housing price changes in Chinese cities and support policymakers in formulating effective control measures for the housing market.

The application of lanthanum modified bentonite (Phoslock®) and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) is popular in the restoration of European temperate lakes; however, the effects of the application on the concentrations of phosphorus (P) in both the water and the sediments have been poorly evaluated to date. We studied the effects of the application of Phoslock® + PAC on the concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), particulate phosphorus (PP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorophyll a (Chla) in the water, and different P forms in the sediments, in an isolated part of Lake Yanglan. The results showed that the concentrations of TP, PP, SRP, TSS and Chla decreased significantly after the addition of Phoslock® + PAC. Moreover, the concentrations of labile-P, reductant-soluble-P and organic-P in the sediments were also significantly decreased after the Phoslock® + PAC application. However, the concentrations of both the stable apatite-P and residual-P in the sediments after application of Phoslock® + PAC were much higher than the pre-addition values, while the concentrations of metal-oxide-P did not differ significantly between the pre- and post- application conditions. Our findings imply that the combined application of Phoslock® and PAC can be used in the restoration of subtropical shallow lakes, to reduce the concentrations of P in the water and suppress the release of P from the sediments.

Background/Aims: To evaluate the effect of Liuweibuqi capsules on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through the JAK/STAT pathway. Methods: Lung function was measured with a spirometer. Changes in lung histology were observed using H&E staining. Cigarette smoke extract combined with lipopolysaccharide (CSE+LPS) was used to establish the cellular COPD model. Cytokine levels were determined using ELISA, and changes in the JAK/STAT pathway were evaluated using western blotting. The CCK8 method and flow cytometry were used to measure cell viability and apoptosis, respectively. Results: Liuweibuqi capsules reduced the damage in the lung tissues and the loss of lung function in the COPD rats. Additionally, the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, interferon γ (IFNγ), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 were higher, whereas IL-10 was lower in the model control (MC) and CSE+LPS groups than in the normal group. The phosphorylation levels of JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, STAT3 and STAT5 were higher and the levels of SOCS1 and SOCS3 were lower in the MC group and CSE+LPS group compared with the normal group. After Liuweibuqi capsule treatment, the expression of inflammatory cytokines and elements of the JAK/STAT pathway were lower. In addition, over-expression of STAT3 blocked the effects of the Liuweibuqi capsules on the release of inflammatory cytokines, cell viability and apoptosis. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that Liuweibuqi capsule might effectively ameliorate the progression of COPD via the JAK/STAT pathway.

Although many sensitivity analyses using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) in a complex watershed have been conducted, little attention has been paid to the application potential of the model in unique plots. In addition, sensitivity analysis of percolation and evapotranspiration with SWAT has seldom been undertaken. In this study, SWAT99.2 was calibrated to simulate water balance components for unique plots in Southern China from 2000 to 2001, which included surface runoff, percolation, and evapotranspiration. Twenty-one parameters classified into four categories, including meteorological conditions, topographical characteristics, soil properties, and vegetation attributes, were used for sensitivity analysis through one-at-a-time (OAT) sampling to identify the factor that contributed most to the variance in water balance components. The results were shown to be different for different plots, with parameter sensitivity indices and ranks varying for different water balance components. Water balance components in the broad-leaved forest and natural grass plots were most sensitive to meteorological conditions, less sensitive to vegetation attributes and soil properties, and least sensitive to topographical characteristics. Compared to those in the natural grass plot, water balance components in the broad-leaved forest plot demonstrated higher sensitivity to the maximum stomatal conductance (GSI) and maximum leaf area index (BLAI).

Histone modifications are the main epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression, chromatin structure, and plant development, among which histone acetylation is one of the most important and studied epigenetic modifications. Histone acetylation is believed to enhance DNA access and promote transcription. GENERAL CONTROL NON-REPRESSIBLE 5 (GCN5), a well-known enzymatic protein responsible for the lysine acetylation of histone H3 and H4, is a universal and crucial histone acetyltransferase involved in gene transcription and plant development. Many studies have found that GCN5 plays important roles in the different development stages of Arabidopsis. In terms of exogenous stress conditions, GCN5 is also involved in the responses to heat stress, cold stress, and nutrient element deficiency by regulating the related gene expression to maintain the homeostasis of some key metabolites (e.g., cellulose) or ions (e.g., phosphate, iron); in addition, GCN5 is involved in the phytohormone pathways such as ethylene, auxin, and salicylic acid to play various roles during the plant lifecycle. Some of the pathways involved by GCN5 also interwind to regulate specific physiological processes or developmental stages. Here, interactions between various developmental events and stress-resistant pathways mediated by GCN5 are comprehensively addressed and the underlying mechanisms are discussed in the plant. Studies with some interacting factors such as ADA2b provided valuable information for the complicated histone acetylation mechanisms. We also suggest the future focuses for GCN5 functions and mechanisms such as functions in seed development/germination stages, exploration of novel interaction factors, identification of more protein substrates, and application of advanced biotechnology-CRISPR in crop genetic improvement, which would be helpful for the complete illumination of roles and mechanisms of GCN5.

This paper presents a new seepage inversion technique to predict the permeability coefficient of the rock mass with developed fracture or fault. With the measured data of flow and water head of boreholes, the permeability coefficient of the rock masses near the boreholes are obtained by inverse calculation on the basis of unsteady seepage tests. Then, a flexible tolerance method is proposed to invert the permeability coefficient of rock masses in different zones of the reservoir area. This comprehensive inversion analysis method is applied in one actual project of the water supply reservoir. The equivalent permeability coefficient of the rock masses in the range of 0 m to 16.0 m below the road surface near the dam axis on the left bank of the mountain is 1.12 × 10−3 cm/s. The root mean squared error and coefficient of determination of the measured and calculated values are 1.33 × 10−4 m3/s and 0.9976 m3/s, respectively. The rock masses in the reservoir site area have high permeability. The groundwater level in the junction area and the mountains on both sides of Shangmo reservoir is low, and the hydraulic gradient is small. The maximum error between the calculated value of the groundwater level and the measured values is −0.41 m, and the relative error is −4.36%. The recommended anti-seepage scheme can effectively solve the problem of large leakage in the reservoir area. The results show that the innovative approach is appropriate for the seepage analysis of the field with the fractured rock masses and more meaningful from an engineering point of view.

Materials that combine flexibility and open metal sites are crucial for myriad applications. In this article, we report a 2D coordination polymer (CP) assembled from CuII ions and a flexible meta-carborane-based linker [Cu2(L1)2(Solv)2]•xSolv (1-DMA, 1-DMF, and 1-MeOH; L1: 1,7-di(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,7-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane). 1-DMF undergoes an unusual example of reversible phase transition on solvent treatment (i.e., MeOH and CH2Cl2). Solvent exchange, followed by thermal activation provided a new porous phase that exhibits an estimated Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 301 m2 g−1 and is capable of a CO2 uptake of 41 cm3 g−1. The transformation is reversible and 1-DMF is reformed on addition of DMF to the porous phase. We provide evidence for the reversible process being the result of the formation/cleavage of weak but attractive B−H∙∙∙Cu interactions by a combination of single-crystal (SCXRD), powder (PXRD) X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and DFT calculations.

Sprinkler irrigation systems are widely used in medium and large scale farms in different forms. However less types are available to apply in small farms due to their high costs. The current study was done according to a novel cost effective design for a semi-permanent sprinkler irrigation system for small farm owners. The new layout known as Corner Pivot Lateral (CPL) was examined in irrigation test center at Lijian Scientific and Technological Demonstration Park, at Nanning city, China. CPL was implemented without a main/sub mainline pipe, by applying a single pivoting lateral at the corner of the plot that directly connected to the resource to convey water from the pump. The lateral moves around the corner using a rotating elbow in a quadrant pattern manually to cover the entire farm. A conventional semi-permanent system was applied for the same farm as reference. A cost analysis on the required components as well as annual operational costs was carried out for comparison and control. Results showed that a lower system component would be needed for the CPL method. Overall, more than a 15% capital cost reduction with 7% annual cost decrement was achieved for CPL in this experiment comparatively. The Catch can technique was applied to examine the CPL system’s efficiency and 79% water distribution uniformity around the sprinkler was obtained. This new method can encourage small estate holders to switch from traditional to pressurized systems which optimizes water application costs.

Effective methods for extending the storage capacity of tailings for a mining company include expanding and increasing the height of the tailings dam. However, this change could lead to an uplift in the phreatic line and a decrease in the slope stability. In this paper, a new drainage system combining a horizontal drainage pipe with an upward bending slotted pipe was proposed and applied to the design of a seepage-proof system for the Xigou tailings dam with an increased height. To accurately simulate the performance of the seepage control system, a three-dimensional finite element model was established on the basis of a geological investigation of the site conditions. In this work, a substructure technique was used to model the drainage pipe with a small radius and dense spacing to reduce the difficulty in mesh generation, and a back-analysis method called MPSO-BP (modified particle swarm optimization algorithm and a back propagation neural network) was used to correct the measured permeability coefficients. The results show that the new drainage system can effectively dissipate the seepage pressure, decrease the phreatic surface, and improve the safety factors of the slope stability. The proposed drainage system can also meet the seepage stability requirements of the higher tailings dam. Additionally, this system can be widely deployed in similar projects.