Visibility graph analysis of crude oil futures markets: Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict

Drawing inspiration from the significant impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent COVID-19 pandemic on global financial markets, this study conducts a thorough analysis of three key crude oil futures markets: WTI, Brent, and Shanghai (SC). Employing the visibility graph (VG) methodology, we examine both static and dynamic characteristics using daily and high-frequency data. We identified a clear power-law decay in most VG degree distributions and highlighted the pronounced clustering tendencies within crude oil futures VGs. Our results also confirm an inverse correlation between clustering coefficient and node degree and further reveal that all VGs not only adhere to the small-world property but also exhibit intricate assortative mixing. Through the time-varying characteristics of VGs, we found that WTI and Brent demonstrate aligned behavior, while the SC market, with its unique trading mechanics, deviates. The 5-minute VGs' assortativity coefficient provides a deeper understanding of these markets' reactions to the pandemic and geopolitical events. Furthermore, the differential responses during the COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine conflict underline the unique sensitivities of each market to global disruptions. Overall, this research offers profound insights into the structure, dynamics, and adaptability of these essential commodities markets in the face of worldwide challenges.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure

Diazido­(2,2′-bipyrid­yl)dimethanol­nickel(II)

The title complex, [Ni(N3)2(C10H8N2)(CH3OH)2], lies on a twofold roation axis which runs through the NiII ion and the mid-point of the bipyridine ligand. The NiII ion is coordinated in a distorted octa­hedral environment by two azide ligands in a trans configuration. The methanol ligands are in a cis configuration and their hy­droxy groups form intra­molecular O—H⋯(N,N) hydrogen bonds with the azide ligands

上海嘉定区35岁以上首诊测压工作的回顾与展望

Objective: To understand the policy development of blood pressure test blood pressure test among residents above 35 years old at first visit in Jiading district in Shanghai in order to provide a better reference for the development of the blood pressure test. Methods: Retrospect is from the following three aspects: the policy advancement of the blood pressure measurement, the progress of the work and the next step of the development of blood pressure test to first diagnosis above 35 years old. Results: The total of policy documents related to prevention and treatment of chronic disease, published by national, Shanghai municipal and Jiading District government department are 185. There are 22 policy documents aspects of the prevention and control of hypertension among these documents, and 11 involving measurement of blood pressure test in the first diagnosis patients above 35 years old, 5.95% proportion of above total policy documents. These policy documents involving blood pressure test are technical solutions. There are 3 policy documents (1 Shanghai municipal, 2 Jiading District) involving measurement of blood pressure test published in 1999 and before; and 4 policy documents (2 national, 2 Shanghai municipal) during 2000-2008; and 4 policy documents (4 national) published after 2009. At present, the work runs well in Jiading district, and the work runs better in the community health service center than the comprehensive hospital. Conclusions: More and more documents were released from the national department, provincial department and local health department so that solid policy guarantees the work of blood pressure test for residents above 35 years old at first visit in Jiading district in Shanghai. The development and use of information software provides a powerful tool for the pressure measurement. Along with the perfect of supporting measures, the work of blood pressure test to first diagnosis above 35 years old will be further developed and improved.目的  了解上海嘉定区35岁以上首诊测压工作的发展历程，为更好地推进首诊测压工作提供参考。方法  按照政策出台时间、类别和内容，围绕国家、上海市和嘉定区三份层面，从测压政策的演变、测压工作的进展和下一步的发展三份方面对上海嘉定区35岁以上首诊测压工作的进展和走向进行了回顾与展望。结果  国家、上海市、嘉定区出台的相关慢性病政策文件共185份，其中高血压防控方面的有22份，涉及到首诊测压政策方面的有11份，占慢病政策的5.95%。在出台的首诊测压政策文件中，均为技术性的文件。1999年及以前的政策有3份（其中上海市1份、嘉定区2份）；2000～2008年期间的政策共有4份（其中国家2份、上海市2份）；2009年及以后的政策有4份（均为国家的）。目前全区的测压工作进展良好，社区卫生服务中心的测压工作相对比二级医院的发展得好。结论  国家、省市和县区级卫生部门的政策性文件的陆续出台，为35岁以上首诊测压工作提供坚实的政策性保障，信息软件的开发与使用为测压工作提供了有力的手段。 随着测压工作的各项配套措施推进，35岁以上首诊测压工作会进一步得到发展与提高

Experiment of amnion epithelial cell suspension liquid used for acute rabbit corneal alkali burn

AIM: To investigate the effects of amnion epithelial cell(AEC)suspension liquid on the biological behavior of the rabbit's corneal epithelium, combined with the in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS: The rabbit's corneal epithelium were cultured in the lower chamber of transwell, and AEC suspension liquid was dropwised in the upper chamber. There was only culture medium in the upper chamber of the control group. The proliferation of rabbit's corneal epithelium was observed with CCK-8 automated colorimetry and the expression of PCNA was detected by immunocytochemistry. We used the scratch wound assay to detect the migration of corneal epithelial cell(CEC). The in vivo models were established by placing a 10mm diameter corneal trephine in the center of the cornea, within 1mol/L NaOH for 1min. We divided those into three groups: treatment group of AEC suspension liquid eye drop, AEC suspension liquid subconjunctival injection and the control group without any treatment. Using the slit-lamp biomicroscope and fluorescence staining to observe the cornea per week. After 28d we took the eyeballs with the HE staining. The expression of VEGF was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The activity of CEC with AEC treatment was much higher than the control group(PPIn vivo, the inflammation of the corneal and the CNV of the AEC group were all significantly reduced compared with the control group(PPCONCLUSION: AEC suspension liquid can promote the proliferation and migration of the rabbit's corneal epithelium. The potential of AEC suspension liquid as a therapy for acute corneal alkali burn

Alpha Lipoic Acid Modulated High Glucose-Induced Rat Mesangial Cell Dysfunction via mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 Pathway

The aim of this study was to investigate whether alpha lipoic acid (LA) regulates high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production via mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 signaling. The effect of LA on high glucose-induced cell proliferation, fibronectin (FN), and collagen type I (collagen-I) expression and its mechanisms were examined in cultured rat mesangial cells by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, ELISA assay, and western blot, respectively. LA at a relatively low concentration (0.25 mmol/L) acted as a growth factor in rat mesangial cells, promoted entry of cell cycle into S phase, extracellular matrix formation, and phosphorylated AKT, mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1. These effects disappeared when AKT expression was downregulated with PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002. Conversely, LA at a higher concentration (1.0 mmol/L) inhibited high glucose-induced rat mesangial cell proliferation, entry of cell cycle into S phase, and extracellular matrix exertion, as well as phosphorylation of mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1 but enhanced the activity of AMPK. However, these effects disappeared when AMPK activity was inhibited with CaMKK inhibitor STO-609. These results suggest that LA dose-dependently regulates mesangial cell proliferation and matrix protein secretion by mTOR/p70S6K/4E-BP1 signaling pathway under high glucose conditions

Preparation of total flavonoids from loquat flower and its protective effect on acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice

AbstractThis study aimed to research the preparation techniques of total flavones from loquat flower (TFLF), its anti-oxidation capacity, and its protective effect on hepatic injury. The best extraction parameters by orthogonal experimentation were water at 100°C, extraction time 2.5 hours, solid/liquid ratio 1:20, and three decoctions. The chromogenic reaction to the flavones showed that loquat flowers mainly contained flavone, flavonol, and flavanone compounds combining ortho-phenolic hydroxyl group structure in the 10–30% ethanol fraction. The anti-oxidant capacity of O2−· was 26.09% and of OH−·was 83.01% by salicylic acid and pyrogallol auto-oxidation. Compared with the model group, TFLF lowered the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride, and malondialdehyde and liver index significantly, and upregulated the expression of adipose triglyceride lipase and Heine oxygenase-1 mRNA. The present findings suggest that TFLF has protective effect on acute alcoholinduced liver injury in mice and may be related to its antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activity

The in vivo study on the radiobiologic effect of prolonged delivery time to tumor control in C57BL mice implanted with Lewis lung cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High-precision radiation therapy techniques such as IMRT or sterotactic radiosurgery, delivers more complex treatment fields than conventional techniques. The increased complexity causes longer dose delivery times for each fraction. The purpose of this work is to explore the radiobiologic effect of prolonged fraction delivery time on tumor response and survival in vivo.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>1-cm-diameter Lewis lung cancer tumors growing in the legs of C57BL mice were used. To evaluate effect of dose delivery prolongation, 18 Gy was divided into different subfractions. 48 mice were randomized into 6 groups: the normal control group, the single fraction with 18 Gy group, the two subfractions with 30 min interval group, the seven subfractions with 5 min interval group, the two subfractions with 60 min interval group and the seven subfractions with 10 min interval group. The tumor growth tendency, the tumor growth delay and the mice survival time were analyzed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The tumor growth delay of groups with prolonged delivery time was shorter than the group with single fraction of 18 Gy (P < 0.05). The tumor grow delay of groups with prolonged delivery time 30 min was longer than that of groups with prolonged delivery time 60 min P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups with same delivery time (P > 0.05). Compared to the group with single fraction of 18 Gy, the groups with prolonged delivery time shorten the mice survival time while there was no significant difference between the groups with prolonged delivery time 30 min and the groups with prolonged delivery time 60 min.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prolonged delivery time with same radiation dose shorten the tumor growth delay and survival time in the mice implanted with Lewis lung cancer. The anti-tumor effect decreased with elongation of the total interfractional time.</p