Stability of Abstract Thermoelastic Systems with Cattaneo's Law and Inertial Term

This paper investigates the polynomial stability of solutions to abstract thermoelastic systems with Cattaneo's law on Hilbert space. The study includes two cases: one with an inertial term and the other without it. For the case with an inertial term, we partition the region of parameters for non-exponential stability into three sub-regions and obtain distinct polynomial decay rates for each sub-region. Meanwhile, for the case without an inertial term, we explore two areas and obtain dissimilar polynomial decay rates in these areas. Moreover, we demonstrate that all the given polynomial decay rates are sharp. Finally, we give some examples to explain our conclusion.Comment: typos correcte

A New Species of the Genus Trimeresurus from Southwest China (Squamata: Viperidae)

Species from the Trimeresurus popeiorum complex (Subgenus: Popeia) is a very complex group. T. popeiorum is the only Popeia species known from China. During the past two years, five adult Popeia specimens (4 males, 1 female) were collected from Yingjiang County, Southern Yunnan, China. Molecular, morphological and ecological data show distinct differences from known species, herein we describe these specimens as a new species Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov Chen, Ding, Shi and Zhang, 2018. Morphologically, the new species distinct from other Popeia species by a combination of following characters: (1) dorsal body olive drab,without cross bands on the scales; (2) a conspicuous bicolor ventrolateral stripe present on each side of males, first row of dorsal scales firebrick with a white ellipse dot on posterior upper part in male, these strips absent in females; (3) eyes firebrick in both gender; (4) suboculars separated from 3rd upper labial by one scale on each side; (5) ventrals 164–168 (n = 5); (6) MSR 21

SHIP COLLISION RISK ASSESSMENT MODEL FOR QINZHOU PORT BASED ON EVENT SEQUENCE DIAGRAM

Qinzhou Port is one of the most important ports in the “Beibu Gulf” of China. It is also the main hub port of the "21st century maritime silk road" strategy. Based on a basic collision risk assessment approach, an Event Sequence Diagram (ESD) model that explains the four-stage collision avoidance decision-making procedure is proposed from the perspectives of perception, cognition, decision, and execution. Using the historical data derived from collision accident reports from the Qinzhou Port waters from 2013 to 2017, as well as the data elicited from expert knowledge, a quantitative evaluation of probability distributions of different collision failure modes is performed. The results are also compared with relevant results from other types of navigation waters to analyse collision risk level of Qinzhou waters. At the same time, the main failures paths of collision avoidance decision making are identified. The proposed model can provide with an overall collision risk picture from a macro perspective

Seasonal and diurnal variations of plant isoprenoid emissions from two dominant species in Mediterranean shrubland and forest submitted to experimental drought

We tested the effect of increasing drought conditions in the Mediterranean Basin on isoprenoid emissions for the coming decades by analyzing their effect experimentally on the dominant Mediterranean species Erica multiflora in a Garraf shrubland and Quercus ilex in a Prades forest in Catalonia (Spain). Drought was simulated in Garraf using automatically sliding curtains to decrease the amount of soil moisture by 5% and in Prades by partial rainfall exclusion and runoff exclusion for a 25% decrease. We measured photosynthetic rates (A), stomatal conductance (gs) and rates of isoprenoid emission in the morning and at midday for four seasons and determined the relationship of emission rates with environmental conditions. Terpenes were emitted by both species, but only E. multiflora emitted isoprene. α-Pinene and limonene were the most abundant terpenes. Isoprenoid emissions increased with air temperature and generally decreased as the amount of soil moisture increased. The results of this study suggest that higher isoprenoid emissions can be expected in the warmer and drier conditions predicted for the coming decades in the Mediterranean region

Cucumber SUPERMAN Has Conserved Function in Stamen and Fruit Development and a Distinct Role in Floral Patterning

This is the published version. Copyright 2014 Public Library of Science.The Arabidopsis SUPERMAN (SUP) gene encodes a C2H2 type zinc finger protein that is required for maintaining the boundaries between stamens and carpels, and for regulating development of ovule outer integument. Orthologs of SUP have been characterized in bisexual flowers as well as dioecious species, but it remains elusive in monoecious plants with unisexual flowers on the same individual. Here we isolate the SUP ortholog in Cucumis sativus L (CsSUP), a monoecious vegetable. CsSUP is predominantly expressed in female specific organs: the female flower buds and ovules. Ectopic expression of CsSUP in Arabidopsis can partially complement the fruit development in sup-5 mutant, and its over-expression in wide-type leads to reduced silique length, suppressed stamen development and distorted petal patterning. Our data suggest that CsSUP plays conserved as well as distinct roles during flower and fruit development, and it may function in the boundaries and ovules to balance petal patterning, stamen and ovule development in Arabidopsis

Hypoglycemic activity and the activation of phosphorylation of a triterpenoid-rich extract from Euryale shell on streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

In the present study, we examined the hypoglycemic properties and the effective mechanisms of a triterpenoid-rich extract from the Euryale shell (ES) in streptozotocin-induced (STZ) diabetic mice. The hydroalcoholic extract of ES (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to STZ-diabetic mice for 4 weeks. We observed that in the liver of diabetic mice, the ES extract caused a sharp reduction in the gene expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B) but induced the gene expression of phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase (PI-3K) and protein kinase B (PKB) compared with that of untreated diabetic mice. Additionally, a significant increase in the phosphorylation of the PKB protein was observed (p<0.01). This was corroborated by the inhibition of PTP1B and by the regulation of glucose uptake via PI-3K activation, which together demonstrate that the reduction of PTP1B can modulate key insulin signaling events downstream of the insulin receptor.

Impact of alkaline phosphatase on clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke: a nationwide registry analysis

BackgroundData on the association between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) are inconsistent and limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between ALP and prognosis in patients with IS.MethodsPatients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) from the Third China National Stroke Registry were divided into four groups according to the quartiles of serum ALP levels on admission. Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the correlation between ALP and the risk of all-cause mortality, disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 3–5), and poor functional outcomes (mRS score 3–6).ResultsA total of 11,405 patients were included in the study. Higher levels of ALP were associated with all-cause mortality at 3 months (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per standard deviation [SD]: 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.27; p = 0.001) and 1 year (adjusted HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03–1.20; p = 0.010). At the 3-month follow-up, each SD increase of ALP was associated with a 12 and 14% higher risk of disability (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.12; 95% CI: 1.06–1.18; p &lt; 0.001) and poor functional outcomes (adjusted OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08–1.20; p &lt; 0.001). Similar results were observed at the 1-year follow-up. Higher ALP levels were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, disability, and poor functional outcomes in patients with “others” subtypes (including other determined etiology and undetermined etiology) (p &lt; 0.05).ConclusionElevated ALP levels were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, disability, and poor function outcomes in patients with IS. Heterogeneity was observed among the subtypes of different etiologies