Archaeological Soybean (Glycine max) in East Asia: Does Size Matter?

The recently acquired archaeological record for soybean from Japan, China and Korea is shedding light on the context in which this important economic plant became associated with people and was domesticated. This paper examines archaeological (charred) soybean seed size variation to determine what insight can be gained from a comprehensive comparison of 949 specimens from 22 sites. Seed length alone appears to represent seed size change through time, although the length×width×thickness product has the potential to provide better size change resolution. A widespread early association of small seeded soybean is as old as 9000–8600 cal BP in northern China and 7000 cal BP in Japan. Direct AMS radiocarbon dates on charred soybean seeds indicate selection resulted in large seed sizes in Japan by 5000 cal BP (Middle Jomon) and in Korea by 3000 cal BP (Early Mumun). Soybean seeds recovered in China from the Shang through Han periods are similar in length to the large Korean and Japanese specimens, but the overall size of the large Middle and Late Jomon, Early Mumun through Three Kingdom seeds is significantly larger than any of the Chinese specimens. The archaeological record appears to disconfirm the hypothesis of a single domestication of soybean and supports the view informed by recent phyologenetic research that soybean was domesticated in several locations in East Asia

Co-reductive fabrication of carbon nanodots with high quantum yield for bioimaging of bacteria

A simple and straightforward synthetic approach for carbon nanodots (C-dots) is proposed. The strategy is based on a one-step hydrothermal chemical reduction with thiourea and urea, leading to high quantum yield C-dots. The obtained C-dots are well-dispersed with a uniform size and a graphite-like structure. A synergistic reduction mechanism was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The findings show that using both thiourea and urea during the one-pot synthesis enhances the luminescence of the generated C-dots. Moreover, the prepared C-dots have a high distribution of functional groups on their surface. In this work, C-dots proved to be a suitable nanomaterial for imaging of bacteria and exhibit potential for application in bioimaging thanks to their low cytotoxicity

Absorption and Transport Characteristics and Mechanisms of Carnosic Acid

Carnosic acid (CA) is a phenolic diterpenoid mainly found in rosemary and sage. CA has been reported to possess health-beneficial effects in various experimental settings. Herein, a mouse experiment and Caco-2 single-cell model were used to understand the absorption and transport characteristics of CA. First, we determined the tissue distribution of CA in mice, following an oral gavage at a physiologically relevant dose. We found that CA was bioavailable systemically and present locally in the digestive tract, especially in the cecum and colon. Next, we thought to characterize the absorption and transport of CA in the Caco-2 cell monolayer model of the intestinal epithelial barrier. In the Caco-2 cell model, CA exhibited a moderate permeability and was subjected to a mild efflux. Moreover, the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of CA transported across Caco-2 cell monolayers was significantly changed when the inhibitors of specific active transporter and passive diffusion were added to cells, suggesting that the absorption and transport of CA involved both passive and active transportation. The present study is an important first step towards understanding the absorption, transport, and metabolic mechanisms of CA. This could provide the scientific basis for developing CA-containing functional foods or dietary supplements with improved bioavailability

Investigación sobre el establecimiento de un modelo de predicción de subsidencia minera bajo una capa gruesa inestable y su método de inversión de parámetros

Most of the coal mining in China is underground, which will inevitably cause surface deformation and trigger a series of geological disasters. Therefore, it is essential to find a suitable method to forecast the ground sinking caused by underground mining. The most commonly used prediction model in China is the probability integral model (PIM). But when this model is used in the geological condition of mining under thick loose layers, the predicted edge of the sinking basin will converge faster than the actual measured sinking situation. A geometric model (GM) with a similar model shape as the PIM but with a larger boundary value was established in this paper to solve this problem. Then an improved cuckoo search algorithm (ICSA) was proposed in this paper to calculate the GM parameters. The stability and reliability of the ICSA were verified through a simulated working face. At last, the ICSA, in combination with the GM and the PIM, was used to fit 6 working faces with the geological mining condition of thick loose layers in the Huainan mining area. The results prove that GM can solve the above-mentioned PIM problem when it is used in geological mining conditions of thick loose layers. And it was obtained through comparative analysis that the GM and the PIM parameters can take the same value except for the main influence radius.La mayor parte de la minería del carbón en China es subterránea, lo que inevitablemente causa deformaciones en la superficie y desencadena desastres geológicos. Por lo tanto, es necesario encontrar un método adecuado para pronosticar el hundimiento del suelo causado por la minería subterránea. El modelo de predicción más utilizado en China es el modelo integral de probabilidad (PIM). Pero cuando este modelo se utiliza en la condición geológica de la minería bajo capas gruesas inetables, el borde previsto de la cuenca de hundimiento converge más rápido que la situación de hundimiento medida. Para resolver este problema, en este artículo se estableció un modelo geométrico (GM) que tiene una forma de modelo similar a la del PIM pero que tiene un valor límite mayor. En este trabajo se propuso un algoritmo de búsqueda de cuco mejorado (ICSA) para calcular los parámetros de GM, y se verificó la estabilidad y confiabilidad del ICSA a través de una frente de trabajo simulado. Por último, el ICSA en combinación con el GM y el PIM se utilizaron para ajustar 6 caras de trabajo con la condición de minería geológica de capas gruesas sueltas en el área minera de Huainan. Los resultados demuestran que el GM puede resolver el problema de PIM mencionado anteriormente cuando se utiliza en las condiciones de minería geológica de capas gruesas inestables. Y se obtuvo mediante análisis comparativo que los parámetros del GM y del PIM pueden tomar el mismo valor excepto por el radio de influencia principal

Vector optimization: set-valued and variational analysis

This book is devoted to vector or multiple criteria approaches in optimization. Topics covered include: vector optimization, vector variational inequalities, vector variational principles, vector minmax inequalities and vector equilibrium problems. In particular, problems with variable ordering relations and set-valued mappings are treated. The nonlinear scalarization method is extensively used throughout the book to deal with various vector-related problems. The results presented are original and should be interesting to researchers and graduates in applied mathematics and operations researc

Parameters Inversion of Probability Integral Method Based on Multi-population Genetic Algorithm

In order to make up for the precocious convergence of the expected parameters of the standard genetic algorithm(SGA) for the probability integration method, it is easy to fall into the disadvantages of local optimal solution in the later stage. A variety of group genetic algorithms(MPGAs) were proposed to invert the parameters of probability integration, and the accuracy and reliability of the algorithm were studied. The simulation experiment shows that the inversion model of probability integral method based on MPGA can not only accurately obtain the expected parameters, but also have strong anti-jamming ability for random error, coarse difference and monitoring point loss in the station data. The probability integral method test shows that: in the case that MPGA only iterates for 57 times before convergence, while SGA iterates for 100 times before convergence, the fitting standard deviation of the subsidence value and horizontal movement value obtained by MPGA is 31 mm, and the fitting standard deviation of the subsidence value and horizontal movement value obtained by SGA is 32 mm

Efficacy of warming needle moxibustion in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: A protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis is a recurrent autoimmune disease, which has a high disability rate and seriously affects patients' daily life. Conventional treatment cannot effectively solve the clinical problems of patients, and long-term medication is accompanied by adverse reactions. The evidence shows that warming needle moxibustion has advantages in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, but there is still a lack of clinical studies on warm acupuncture alone and long-term follow-up. Methods: This is a prospective randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy and safety of needle warming through moxibustion in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. It was approved by the Ethics Committee of Clinical Research of our hospital. Patients were randomly assigned to an observation group or a control group. The patients were followed up for 6 months after 30 days of treatment. Observation indicators include：Activity Index、Functional Ability、BASMI、Inflammatory indicators、Adverse reactions and so on. Finally, SPASS 22.0 software is used for statistical analysis of the data. Discussion: This study will evaluate the clinical efficacy of warming needle moxibustion in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. The results of this study will provide a reference basis for the clinical use of warm needle moxibustion in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis

Efficacy of Biqi Capsules in Combination with Methotrexate in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A protocol of a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Background: It is known that Bi Qi Capsules (BQC) have synergistic effects when combined with Methotrexate, but there is a lack of clinical studies on the long-term efficacy and safety of the combination of the two in the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, the purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of this treatment. Methods: This was a prospective, double-blind, single-simulation, randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy and safety of BQC in combination with Methotrexate in the treatment of RA, and was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the hospital. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the observation or control group and were respectively followed up for 6 months after receiving 12 weeks of treatment. The observation indexes included: total effective rate, DAS-28 score, inflammatory indexes, and adverse reactions. Finally, the collected data was statistically analyzed by SPSS version 18.0. Discussion: This study evaluated the long-term efficacy of BQC in combination with Methotrexate in the treatment of RA. The trial results of this study will provide new ideas for choosing a combination of Chinese and Western medicine protocols for the treatment of RA

A 3D Parameterized BIM-Modeling Method for Complex Engineering Structures in Building Construction Projects

The structural components of large-scale public construction projects are more complex than those of ordinary residential buildings, with irregular and diverse components, as well as a large number of repetitive structural elements, which increase the difficulty of BIM-modeling operations. Additionally, there is a significant amount of inherent parameter information in the construction process, which puts forward higher requirements for the application and management capabilities of BIM technology. However, the current BIM software still has deficiencies in the parameterization of complex and irregular structural components, fine modeling, and project management information. To address these issues, this paper takes Grasshopper as the core parametric tool and Revit as the carrier of component attribute information. It investigates the parametric modeling logic of Grasshopper and combines the concepts of parameterization, modularization, standardization, and engineering practicality to create a series of parametric programs for complex structural components in building projects. This approach mainly addresses intricate challenges pertaining to the parametric structural shapes (including batch processing) and parametric structural attributes (including the batch processing of diverse attribute parameters), thereby ensuring the efficiency in BIM modeling throughout the design and construction phases of complex building projects