Energy Risks Zoning and Demand Forecasting in Jiangsu rovince

AbstractThis paper takes Jiangsu province as an example, divides the zone of energy risks and uses GM (1, 1) and the combination of BP network model to forecast energy demand in this region.Finally, we adopt ARCEngine secondary development achieving the system simulation, and putting forward a strategic suggestion on energy problem of Jiangsu province. The study provides the scientific data support for making energy policy rationally, reducing the increasingly prominent phenomenon of energy demand and offer support for different levels in different departments.It can provide the scientific basis for risk prevention and comprehensive risk management plan.© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of RIUD

False Exclusion: A Case to Embed Predator Performance in Classical Population Models

We argue that predator-prey dynamics, a cornerstone of ecology, can be driven by insufficiently explored aspects of predator performance that are inherently prey dependent: that is, these have been falsely excluded. Classical (Lotka-Volterra–based) models tend to consider only prey-dependent ingestion rate. We highlight three other prey-dependent responses and provide empirically derived functions to describe them. These functions introduce neglected nonlinearities and threshold behaviors into dynamic models, leading to unexpected outcomes: specifically, as prey abundance increases predators (1) become less efficient at using prey; (2) initially allocate resources toward survival and then allocate resources toward reproduction; and (3) are less likely to die. Based on experiments using model zooplankton, we explore the consequences of including these functions in the classical structure and show that they alter qualitative and quantitative dynamics of an empirically informed generic predator-prey model. Through bifurcation analysis, our revised structure predicts (1) predator extinctions, where the classical structure allows persistence; (2) predator survival, where the classical structure drives predators toward extinction; and (3) greater stability through smaller amplitude of cycles, relative to the classical structure. Then, by exploring parameter space, we show how these responses alter predictions of predator-prey stability and competition between predators. In light of our results, we suggest that classical assumptions about predator responses to prey abundance should be reevaluated

Optoelectronic properties of atomically thin ReSSe with weak interlayer coupling

Rhenium dichalcogenides, such as ReS2 and ReSe2, have attracted a lot of interests due to the weak interlayered coupling in these materials. Studies of rhenium based dichalcogenide alloys will help us understand the differences between binary rhenium dichalcogenides. They will also extend the applications of two-dimensional (2D) materials through alloying. In this work, we studied the optoelectronic properties of ReSSe with a S and Se ratio of 1 : 1. The band gap of the ReSSe alloy is investigated by optical absorption spectra as well as theoretical calculations. The alloy shows weak interlayered coupling, as evidenced by the Raman spectrum. A field-effect transistor based on ReSSe shows typical n-type behavior with a mobility of about 3 cm2 V-1 s-1 and an on/off ratio of 105, together with the in-plane anisotropic conductivity. The device also shows good photoresponse properties, with a photoresponsivity of 8 A W-1. The results demonstrated here will provide new avenues for the study of 2D materials with weak interlayer interactions and in-plane anisotropy

Haptoglobin Gene Expression and Anthracycline-Related Cardiomyopathy in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A COG-ALTE03N1 Report

Article describes how anthracycline-related cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of premature death in childhood cancer survivors. The authors interrogated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to identify genetic variants serving regulatory functions or genetic variants not easily identified when using genomewide array platforms

Insect-Specific microRNA Involved in the Development of the Silkworm Bombyx mori

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding genes that participate in post-transcription regulation by either degrading mRNA or blocking its translation. It is considered to be very important in regulating insect development and metamorphosis. We conducted a large-scale screening for miRNA genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori using sequence-by-synthesis (SBS) deep sequencing of mixed RNAs from egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Of 2,227,930 SBS tags, 1,144,485 ranged from 17 to 25 nt, corresponding to 256,604 unique tags. Among these non-redundant tags, 95,184 were matched to the silkworm genome. We identified 3,750 miRNA candidate genes using a computational pipeline combining RNAfold and TripletSVM algorithms. We confirmed 354 miRNA genes using miRNA microarrays and then performed expression profile analysis on these miRNAs for all developmental stages. While 106 miRNAs were expressed in all stages, 248 miRNAs were egg- and pupa-specific, suggesting that insect miRNAs play a significant role in embryogenesis and metamorphosis. We selected eight miRNAs for quantitative RT-PCR analysis; six of these were consistent with our microarray results. In addition, we searched for orthologous miRNA genes in mammals, a nematode, and other insects and found that most silkworm miRNAs are conserved in insects, whereas only a small number of silkworm miRNAs has orthologs in mammals and the nematode. These results suggest that there are many miRNAs unique to insects

An evidence-based framework for predicting the impact of differing autotroph-heterotroph thermal sensitivities on consumer-prey dynamics

Increased temperature accelerates vital rates, influencing microbial population and wider ecosystem dynamics, for example, the predicted increases in cyanobacterial blooms associated with global warming. However, heterotrophic and mixotrophic protists, which are dominant grazers of microalgae, may be more thermally sensitive than autotrophs, and thus prey could be suppressed as temperature rises. Theoretical and meta-analyses have begun to address this issue, but an appropriate framework linking experimental data with theory is lacking. Using ecophysiological data to develop a novel model structure, we provide the first validation of this thermal sensitivity hypothesis: increased temperature improves the consumer’s ability to control the autotrophic prey. Specifically, the model accounts for temperature effects on auto- and mixotrophs and ingestion, growth and mortality rates, using an ecologically and economically important system (cyanobacteria grazed by a mixotrophic flagellate). Once established, we show the model to be a good predictor of temperature impacts on consumer–prey dynamics by comparing simulations with microcosm observations. Then, through simulations, we indicate our conclusions remain valid, even with large changes in bottom-up factors (prey growth and carrying capacity). In conclusion, we show that rising temperature could, counterintuitively, reduce the propensity for microalgal blooms to occur and, critically, provide a novel model framework for needed, continued assessment

WldS Reduces Paraquat-Induced Cytotoxicity via SIRT1 in Non-Neuronal Cells by Attenuating the Depletion of NAD

WldS is a fusion protein with NAD synthesis activity, and has been reported to protect axonal and synaptic compartments of neurons from various mechanical, genetic and chemical insults. However, whether WldS can protect non-neuronal cells against toxic chemicals is largely unknown. Here we found that WldS significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of bipyridylium herbicides paraquat and diquat in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, but had no effect on the cytotoxicity induced by chromium (VI), hydrogen peroxide, etoposide, tunicamycin or brefeldin A. WldS also slowed down the death of mice induced by intraperitoneal injection of paraquat. Further studies demonstrated that WldS markedly attenuated mitochondrial injury including disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, structural damage and decline of ATP induced by paraquat. Disruption of the NAD synthesis activity of WldS by an H112A or F116S point mutation resulted in loss of its protective function against paraquat-induced cell death. Furthermore, WldS delayed the decrease of intracellular NAD levels induced by paraquat. Similarly, treatment with NAD or its precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide attenuated paraquat-induced cytotoxicity and decline of ATP and NAD levels. In addition, we showed that SIRT1 was required for both exogenous NAD and WldS-mediated cellular protection against paraquat. These findings suggest that NAD and SIRT1 mediate the protective function of WldS against the cytotoxicity induced by paraquat, which provides new clues for the mechanisms underlying the protective function of WldS in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells, and implies that attenuation of NAD depletion may be effective to alleviate paraquat poisoning

Testing rare variants for hypertension using family-based tests with different weighting schemes

This paper proposes 4 weighting schemes for the family-based rare variants test (FBAT-v) to test for the effects of both rare and common variants across the genome

Spatiotemporal changes in landscape patterns in karst mountainous regions based on the optimal landscape scale: A case study of Guiyang City in Guizhou Province, China

The accurate analysis of landscape pattern and ecological process characteristics in rapidly urbanized areas is crucial for formulating policies related to differentiated urban development and landscape management measures. However, there are no convincing set of overall indices suitable and the optimal scale in karst mountainous regions. This study determined optimal landscape indices and scales and analysed the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of landscape patterns in the karst mountainous city of central Guizhou Province by taking Guiyang City as a case study area using Principal component analysis and inflection point analysis. The results show that: (1) the nine landscape indices (i.e., edge density (ED), mean radius of gyration (GYRATE_MN), mean contiguity index (CONTIG_MN), mean shape index (SHAPE_MN), contagion index (CONTAG), interspersion and juxtaposition index (IJI), Shannon's diversity index (SHDI), proportion of urban area (UI), Gibbs-Martin diversity index(GM)) were optimal indices of landscape pattern analysis in karst mountainous cities, with optimal landscape grain and extent of 90 m and 1000 m, respectively; (2) from 1995 to 2019, the landscape pattern in karst mountainous region has changed dramatically under the impact of rapid urbanization, and urbanization and ecologization were main trends of landscape pattern changes; and (3) the landscape fragmentation was intensified with the regularity tendency of patch shape, which is still facing severe challenges to the protection of regional ecological environment. This study makes important contributions to exploring the response between landscape pattern changes and ecological processes and promoting ecological sustainable development in karst mountain cities