ABSTRACT We present preliminary results of the quasar survey in the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) first data release (DR1), which includes the pilot survey and ...the first year of the regular survey. There are 3921 quasars reliably identified, among which 1180 are new quasars discovered in the survey. These quasars are at low to median redshifts, with a highest z of 4.83. We compile emission line measurements around the H , Hβ, Mg ii, and C iv regions for the new quasars. The continuum luminosities are inferred from SDSS photometric data with model fitting, as the spectra in DR1 are non-flux-calibrated. We also compile the virial black hole mass estimates, with flags indicating the selection methods, and broad absorption line quasars. The catalog and spectra for these quasars are also available. Of the 3921 quasars, 28% are independently selected with optical-infrared colors, indicating that the method is quite promising for the completeness of the quasar survey. LAMOST DR1 and the ongoing quasar survey will provide valuable data for studies of quasars.
A novel high-throughput strategy was developed to determine the calcium precipitation activity (CPA) of mineralization bacteria used for self-healing of concrete cracks. A bacterial strain designated ...as H4 with the highest CPA of 94.8 % was screened and identified as a
Bacillus
species based on 16S rDNA sequence and phylogenetic tree analysis. Furthermore, the effects of certain influential factors on the microbial calcium precipitation process of H4 were evaluated. The results showed that lactate and nitrate are the best carbon and nitrogen sources, with optimal concentrations of approximately 25 and 18 mM, respectively. The H4 strain is able to maintain a high CPA in the pH range of 9.5–11.0, and a suitable initial spore concentration is 4.0 × 10
7
spores/ml. Moreover, an ambient Ca
2+
concentration greater than 60 mM resulted in a serious adverse impact not only on the CPA but also on the growth of H4, suggesting that the maintenance of the Ca
2+
concentration at a low level is necessary for microbial self-healing of concrete cracks.
Background
Lactic acid sting test (LAST) is a classical method to identify sensitive skin. However, some subjects with self‐perceived sensitive skin are negative for LAST.
Objective
To determine ...whether LAST scores are associated with specific phenotype of sensitive skin.
Methods
A total of 292 subjects with self‐perceived sensitive skin were enrolled in this study. The Sensitive Scale was used to evaluate the severity of burning, stinging, itching, tautness, erythema and scaling based on 0–10 scale scores. In addition to the assessment of LAST scores, epidermal biophysical properties were measured using an MPA system.
Results
The Sensitive Scale scores of stinging, itching, tautness and scaling were significantly different between the LAST‐positive and ‐negative groups. However, burning and erythema scores did not differ between the LAST‐positive and ‐negative groups. LAST scores were positively correlated with the Sensitive Scale scores for stinging, itching, tautness and scaling, but not for burning and erythema scores. Moreover, LAST scores negatively correlated with stratum corneum hydration, but positively with transepidermal water loss (TEWL) rates.
Conclusions
Lactic acid sting test scores positively correlated with TEWL rates. LAST scores could be used to identify subjects with sensitive skin characterized mainly by stinging and itching, but not those mainly by burning and erythema.
Résumé
Contexte
Le test de la piqûre d'acide lactique (LAST) est une méthode classique pour identifier les peaux sensibles. Cependant, certaines personnes s’évaluant ayant une peau sensible sont négatifs au test LAST.
Objectif
Déterminer si le score du LAST est associé à un phénotype spécifique de peau sensible.
Méthodes
Au total, 292 personnes s’évaluant ayant une peau sensible ont été inclus dans cette étude. L’échelle de sensibilité a été utilisée pour évaluer la sévérité de la brûlure, du picotements, de la démangeaison, de la tension, de l’érythème et des desquamations basée sur une échelle de 0‐10. En plus de l’évaluation du score LAST, les propriétés biophysiques épidermiques ont été mesurées à l'aide d'un système MPA.
Résultats
Les scores de l’échelle de sensibilité pour le picotement, les démangeaisons, la tension et la desquamation étaient significativement différents entre la groupe LAST positif et celle du LAST négatif. Cependant, les scores de la brûlure et de l’érythème n’étaient pas différents entre les deux groupes. Le score LAST était positivement corrélé avec les scores de l’échelle de sensibilité du picotement, des démangeaisons, de la tension et des desquamations, mais pas pour la brûlure et l’érythème. En plus, les scores LAST étaient négativement corrélés avec l'hydratation du stratum corneum, mais positivement corrélés avec le taux de perte en eau transépidermique (TEWL).
Conclusions
Les scores LAST étaient corrélés positivement avec le taux de perte en eau transépidermique. Les scores LAST pourraient être utilisés pour identifier les personnes avec la peau sensible caractérisée principalement le picotement et les démangeaisons, mais pas la brûlure et l’érythème.
Concentrations and isomer profiles for 24 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were monitored over 5 months (February–June, 2010) in municipal landfill leachate. These data were used to assess ...the role of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursor degradation on changes in PFAA concentrations over time. The influence of total organic carbon, total suspended solids, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), leachate flow rates, and meteorological data (precipitation, air temperature) on leachate PFAS concentrations was also investigated. Perfluoropentanoate and perfluorohexanoate were typically the dominant PFASs in leachate, except for March–April, when concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate, and numerous PFAA-precursors (i.e., (N-alkyl) perfluorooctane sulfonamides and fluorotelomer carboxylic acids) increased by a factor of 2–10 (∼4 μg/L to ∼36 μg/L ΣPFASs). During this time, isomer profiles of PFOA became increasingly dominated by the linear isomer, likely from transformation of linear, telomer-manufactured precursors. While ΣPFAA-precursors accounted for up to 71% of ΣPFASs (molar basis) in leachate from this site, leachate from a second landfill displayed only low concentrations of precursors (<1% of ΣPFASs). Overall, degradation of PFAA-precursors and changes in leachate pH, EC, and 24-h precipitation were important factors controlling PFAS occurrence in leachate. Finally, 8.5–25 kg/yr (mean 16 kg/yr) of ΣPFASs was estimated to leave the landfill via leachate for subsequent treatment at a wastewater treatment plant.
Flavonoid metabolism shows very strong plasticity in plant development and coping with the changing environment. Flavonoid biosynthesis is regulated by many metabolic pathways, including ...transcriptional regulation, post‐transcriptional control, post‐translational regulationand epigenetic regulation. miRNA is a form of endogenous noncoding single‐strand small molecule RNA that primarily regulates the expression of target genes horizontally after transcription through splicing and translational suppression. It also plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development, secondary metabolism and biotic and abiotic stress. miRNA can regulate the formation of flavonoids by acting on structural genes or indirectly by using an MBW transcription complex comprising MYB‐bHLH‐WD40. This study summarizes the biosynthesis and mechanisms of miRNA, and provides a summary of the mechanisms of miRNAs involved in production of flavonoids, in order to elucidate the biosynthesis pathway and complex regulatory network of plant flavonoids. We aim to provide new insights into improving the content of flavonoid active ingredients in plants.
miRNAs regulate flavonoid biosynthesis by acting on structural genes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway or by indirectly acting transcription complex to effecting structural genes.
Abstract
Background
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region (BTHR) is a world-class city group in China. However, haze severity of BTHR ranked in the top in China, 2014. As haze has certain impact on people's ...physical and psychological health, government has taken various measures to actively manage it in recent years. We try to answer the question: From public perception, whether haze control in BTHR has achieved a little success?
Methods
According to region and gender, we select four groups as respondents: BTHR and non-BTHR men, BTHR and non-BTHR women. We investigate their perception towards haze related issues. After collecting 400 anonymous questionnaires, we use clustering by fast search and find of density peaks (CFSFDP) algorithm to divide the investigated population into different clusters that represent different perception situations. Then, we test whether the frequency of each group divided into four clusters was consistent with the overall distribution frequency by fitting test.
Results
Questionnaires are automatically divided into four clusters by CFSFDP. The results of test (p > 0.1) show that the four groups are consistent (no significant difference) with overall clustering. Overall average score for “public perception to haze control” is 2.974 (full-score is 5.000), belonging to middle and upper level.
Conclusions
The cluster results show that there is no significant difference in the perception of haze control effect among four groups. Therefore, for the public in BTHR, there is no significant difference in their recognition of haze control compared with that in other regions, and the overall scores are all at the middle and upper levels. From public perception, effect of haze control in BTHR is in line with that in other regions.
Key messages
Using clustering algorithm and statistical test to identify the difference of public perception of haze control. From the perspective of public perception, haze control in BTHR has achieved initial results.
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•Stochastic-fuzzy-based fractional programming is developed to optimize ratio problem.•It is capable of reflecting conflicting objectives and complex uncertainties.•Results reveal ...that uncertainties remarkably impact marginal benefit of water use.•Irrigation efficiency is the key factor affecting salt-leaching water allocation.•Sustainable water-resources management alternatives in arid region are suggested.
In this study, a stochastic-fuzzy-based fractional programming (SFFP) method is advanced for optimizing water-resources allocation and soil-salinity control under uncertainty. The developed method can address ratio objective optimization problems of complex system in association with stochastic and fuzzy uncertainties, which can help gain in-depth analysis of the interrelationships between marginal effectiveness and system reliability. Then, SFFP is applied to an irrigation region in the lower reach of Amu Darya River basin, where linear crop yield-salinity functions and salt-leaching functions are introduced into the modeling formulation for reflecting the complicated interactions among water resources, soil salinity, arable land, and electricity supply. Solutions under 96 scenarios related to different irrigation efficiencies, water availabilities, and electricity supplies have been obtained. Our findings are: i) increased water availability, electricity supply, and irrigation efficiency result in high marginal benefit; ii) irrigation efficiency is the key factor influencing water allocation patterns for crop irrigation and salt-leaching, promotion of which can facilitate mitigating economic and environmental losses in the water-deficit and soil-salinized region; iii) leaching water allocation patterns for soil-salinity washing is related to salinity characters of crops and regions, and boosting drought- and salt-tolerance crop can be effective in adaption to risks of water scarcity and land salinization. Compared to the conventional approaches, SFFP can generate more flexible alternatives and achieve higher marginal effectiveness. These findings can provide effective decision support to identify desired water management strategies under multiple uncertainties for supporting agricultural sustainability in arid regions.
The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis are to examine the prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes, both short-term and long-term, among SARS patients, healthcare workers and the ...general public of SARS-affected regions, and to examine the protective and risk factors associated with these mental health outcomes.
We conducted a systematic search of the literature using databases such as Medline, Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science Core Collection, CNKI, the National Central Library Online Catalog and dissertation databases to identify studies in the English or Chinese language published between January 2003 to May 2020 which reported psychological distress and mental health morbidities among SARS patients, healthcare workers, and the general public in regions with major SARS outbreaks.
The literature search yielded 6984 titles. Screening resulted in 80 papers for the review, 35 of which were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of post-recovery probable or clinician-diagnosed anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among SARS survivors were 19, 20 and 28%, respectively. The prevalence of these outcomes among studies conducted within and beyond 6 months post-discharge was not significantly different. Certain aspects of mental health-related quality of life measures among SARS survivors remained impaired beyond 6 months post-discharge. The prevalence of probable depressive disorder and PTSD among healthcare workers post-SARS were 12 and 11%, respectively. The general public had increased anxiety levels during SARS, but whether there was a clinically significant population-wide mental health impact remained inconclusive. Narrative synthesis revealed occupational exposure to SARS patients and perceived stigmatisation to be risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes among healthcare workers, although causality could not be determined due to the limitations of the studies.
The chronicity of psychiatric morbidities among SARS survivors should alert us to the potential long-term mental health complications of covid-19 patients. Healthcare workers working in high-risk venues should be given adequate mental health support. Stigmatisation against patients and healthcare workers should be explored and addressed. The significant risk of bias and high degree of heterogeneity among included studies limited the certainty of the body of evidence of the review.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The microstructural evolution and formation mechanism of nanostructures in bulk pure Cu samples induced by dynamic plastic deformation (DPD) at high strain rates and cryogenic temperatures were ...investigated using transmission electron microscopic characterization. Three different mechanisms were identified for the plastic deformation and microstructural refinement, including dislocation manipulation and rearrangement, deformation twinning forming nanoscale twin/matrix (T/M) lamellae in bundles, and shear banding in the T/M lamellae. An increasing tendency of deformation twinning and shear banding was observed at higher strains. For strain
ε
=
2.1, a mixed nanostructure is formed in the DPD Cu bulk sample with nanoscale T/M lamellae making up about 33% of the volume and nano-sized grains making up about 67%. The nanograins can be classified into three types in terms of their origin: (i) nanograins derived from fragmentation of nanoscale T/M lamellae with an average transverse size of about 47
nm; (ii) nanograins in shear bands with an average transverse size of about 75
nm; and (iii) nanograins derived from dislocation cells with an average transverse size of about 121
nm. The high density of deformation twins induced by high strain rates and cryogenic temperatures in DPD, distinct from that in conventional severe plastic deformation, plays a crucial role in formation of the nano-sized grains.
Abstract
In the present paper, we devote our effort to a nonlinear inverse problem for simultaneously recovering the potential function and the fractional orders in a multi-term time-fractional ...diffusion equation from the noisy boundary Cauchy data in the one-dimensional case. The uniqueness for the inverse problem is derived based on the analytic continuation, the Laplace transformation and the Gel’fand–Levitan theory. Finally, the Levenberg–Marquardt regularization method with a regularization parameter chosen by a sigmoid-type function is applied for finding a stable approximate solution. Three numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
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