Trace forms on the cyclotomic Hecke algebras and cocenters of the cyclotomic Schur algebras

We define a unified trace form $\tau$ on the cyclotomic Hecke algebras $\mathscr{H}_{n,K}$ of type $A$, which generalize both Malle-Mathas' trace form on the non-degenerate version (with Hecke parameter $\xi\neq 1$) and Brundan-Kleshchev's trace form on the degenerate version. We use seminormal basis theory to construct a pair of dual bases for $\mathscr{H}_{n,K}$ with respect to the form. We also construct an explicit basis for the cocenter (i.e., the $0$th Hochschild homology) of the corresponding cyclotomic Schur algebra, which shows that the cocenter has dimension independent of the ground field $K$, the Hecke parameter $\xi$ and the cyclotomic parameters $Q_1,\cdots,Q_\ell$

A Parallelized Implementation of Turbo Decoding Based on Network on Chip Multi-core Processor

With the evolution of wireless communication systems, it is increasingly difficult for Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) solutions to meet the daily changing requirements. A network on chip (NOC) multi-core processor based on message-passing programming model is designed to implement the LTE-A turbo decoder in a parallel mode using pure Software Defined Radio (SDR) approach. The NOC is well balanced between the hardware and software design with a high degree of programmability and re-configurability. According to the features of the NOC multi-core processor, the implementation of turbo decoder is optimized to reduce the computational complexity and to increase the parallelization. Several aspects of turbo decoder are investigated in software radio approach rather than hardware. Compared with the results of the software simulation and the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) demonstration, the NOC multicore processor is flexible to realize the proposed turbo decoding algorithm. In addition, our solution has comparable performance with other published ones

Surface Modification of Biomass with Di-(2-Ethylhexyl)phosphoric Acid and Its Use for Vanadium Adsorption

The method of carbonizing biomass using di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid and tributyl phosphate impregnation (SICB) was studied in this research. SICB combines the benefits of an extractant and an ion exchange resin. The adsorption and desorption properties of vanadium were investigated, and the adsorption mechanism was analyzed. The results showed that the carrier was first prepared at a temperature of 1073.15 K using sawdust as a biomass substitute and then cooled to room temperature. The best adsorption performance was obtained by impregnating the carriers with di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid and tributyl phosphate for 60 min. The vanadium adsorption rate of 98.12% was achieved using the biomass at an initial V(IV) solution concentration of 1.1 g/L, a pH value of 1.6, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:20 g·mL for 24 h. Using 25 wt.% sulfuric acid solution as desorbent, the desorption rate of vanadium was as high as 98.36%. The analysis showed that the adsorption of vanadium by SICB was chemisorption, and the adsorption process was more consistent with the proposed second-order kinetic equation. Therefore, SICB has high selectivity and high saturation capacity because of the mesopores and micropores produced by carbonization

Three-Dimensional MoS2/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets/Graphene Quantum Dots Hybrids for High-Performance Room-Temperature NO2 Gas Sensors

This study presents three-dimensional (3D) MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/graphene quantum dots (GQDs) hybrids with improved gas sensing performance for NO2 sensors. GQDs were introduced to prevent the agglomeration of nanosheets during mixing of rGO and MoS2. The resultant MoS2/rGO/GQDs hybrids exhibit a well-defined 3D nanostructure, with a firm connection among components. The prepared MoS2/rGO/GQDs-based sensor exhibits a response of 23.2% toward 50 ppm NO2 at room temperature. Furthermore, when exposed to NO2 gas with a concentration as low as 5 ppm, the prepared sensor retains a response of 15.2%. Compared with the MoS2/rGO nanocomposites, the addition of GQDs improves the sensitivity to 21.1% and 23.2% when the sensor is exposed to 30 and 50 ppm NO2 gas, respectively. Additionally, the MoS2/rGO/GQDs-based sensor exhibits outstanding repeatability and gas selectivity. When exposed to certain typical interference gases, the MoS2/rGO/GQDs-based sensor has over 10 times higher sensitivity toward NO2 than the other gases. This study indicates that MoS2/rGO/GQDs hybrids are potential candidates for the development of NO2 sensors with excellent gas sensitivity

A new Quercus species from the upper Miocene of southwestern China and its ecological significance

Quercus praedelavayi Xing Y.W. et Zhou Z.K. sp. nov. is reported from the upper Miocene of the Xianfeng flora in central Yunnan, southwestern China. The fossil species is identified based on the detailed leaf morphological and cuticular examinations. The primary venation is pinnate and the major secondary venation is craspedodromous with regular spacing. Stomata are anomocytic and occur on abaxial epidermis. Trichome bases are unicellular and multicellular. The new fossil species shows the closest affinity with Quercus delavayi, an extant species distributing in southwestern China. The responses of the functional leaf traits to the climate change were studied by comparing the leaf characters of fossil species and its nearest living relative. The stomatal density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than Q. delavayi, which suggests a lower palaeoatmospheric CO2 concentration during the late Miocene. The trichome base density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than the extant Q. delavayi. Considering the palaeoclimatic reconstruction of Xianfeng flora, it rejected the hypothesis that increase in trichome density is an adaptation to the drier environment

Cenozoic plants from Tibet: An extraordinary decade of discovery, understanding and implications

Plant fossils play an important role in understanding landscape evolution across the Tibetan Region, as well as plant diversity across wider eastern Asia. Within the last decade or so, paleobotanical investigations within the Tibet Region have led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of how the present plateau formed and how this affected the regional climate and biota This is because: (1) Numerous new taxa have been reported. Of all the Cenozoic records of new plant fossil species reported from the Tibet (Xizang) Autonomous Region 45 out of 63 (70%) were documented after 2010. Among these, many represent the earliest records from Asia, or in some cases worldwide, at the genus or family level. (2) These fossils show that during the Paleogene, the region now occupied by the Tibetan Plateau was a globally significant floristic exchange hub. Based on paleobiogeographic studies, grounded by fossil evidence, there are four models of regional floristic migration and exchange, i.e., into Tibet, out of Tibet, out of India and into/out of Africa. (3) Plant fossils evidence the asynchronous formation histories for different parts of the Tibetan Plateau. During most of the Paleogene, there was a wide east-west trending valley with a subtropical climate in central Tibet bounded by high (>4 km) mountain systems, but that by the early Oligocene the modern high plateau had begun to form by the rise of the valley floor. Paleoelevation reconstructions using radiometrically-dated plant fossil assemblages in southeastern Tibet show that by the earliest Oligocene southeastern Tibet (including the Hengduan Mountains) had reached its present elevation. (4) The coevolution between vegetation, landform and paleoenvironment is evidenced by fossil records from what is now the central Tibetan Plateau. From the Paleocene to Pliocene, plant diversity transformed from that of tropical, to subtropical forests, through warm to cool temperate woodland and eventually to deciduous shrubland in response to landscape evolution from a seasonally humid lowland valley, to a high and dry plateau. (5) Advanced multidisciplinary technologies and novel ideas applied to paleobotanical material and paleoenvironmental reconstructions, e.g., fluorescence microscopy and paleoclimatic models, have been essential for interpreting Cenozoic floras on the Tibetan Region. However, despite significant progress investigating Cenozoic floras of the Tibetan Region, fossil records across this large region remain sparse, and for a better understanding of regional ecosystem dynamics and management more paleobotanical discoveries and multidisciplinary studies are required

Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein (HCP) Extracted from Pearls Antagonizes both ET-1 and <i>α</i>-MSH for Skin Whitening

Pearl powder is a famous traditional Chinese medicine that has a long history in treating palpitations, insomnia, convulsions, epilepsy, ulcers, and skin lightining. Recently, several studies have demonstrated the effects of pearl extracts on protection of ultraviolet A (UVA) induced irritation on human skin fibroblasts and inhibition of melanin genesis on B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. To further explore the effect we focused on the whitening efficacy of pearl hydrolyzed conchiolin protein (HCP) on human melanoma MNT-1 cells under the irritation of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) or endothelin 1 (ET-1) to evaluate the intracellular tyrosinase and melanin contents, as well as the expression levels of tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) genes and related proteins. We found that HCP could decrease the intracellular melanin content by reducing the activity of intracellular tyrosinase and inhibiting the expression of TYR, TRP-1, DCT genes and proteins. At the same time, the effect of HCP on melanosome transfer effect was also investigated in the co-culture system of immortalized human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with MNT-1. The result indicated that HCP could promote the transfer of melanosomes in MNT-1 melanocytes to HaCaT cells, which might accelerate the skin whitening process by quickly transferring and metabolizing melanosomes during keratinocyte differentiation. Further study is needed to explore the mechanism of melanosome transfer with depigmentation

Evolution of stomatal and trichome density of the Quercus delavayi complex since the late Miocene

A fossil oak species, Quercus tenuipilosa Q. Hu et Z.K. Zhou, is reported from the upper Pliocene Ciying Formation in Kunming, Yunnan Province, southwestern China. The establishment of this species is based on detailed morphologic and cuticular investigations. The fossil leaves are elliptic, with serrate margins on the apical half. The primary venation is pinnate, and the major secondary venation is craspedodromous. The tertiary veins are opposite or alternate-opposite percurrent with two branches. The stomata are anomocytic, occurring only on the abaxial epidermis. The trichome bases are unicellular or multicellular. The new fossil species shows the closest affinity with the extant Q. delavayi and the late Miocene Q. praedelavayi Y.W. Xing et Z.K. Zhou from the Xiaolongtan Formation of the Yunnan Province. All three species share similar leaf morphology, but differ with respect to trichome base and stomatal densities. Q. tenuipilosa, Q. praedelavayi, and Q. delavayi can be considered to constitute the Q. delavayi complex. Since the late Miocene, a gradual reduction in trichome base density has occurred in this complex. This trend is the opposite of that of precipitation, indicating that increased trichome density is not an adaptation to dry environments. The stomatal density (SD) of the Q. delavayi complex was the highest during the late Miocene, declined in the late Pliocene, and then increased during the present epoch. These values show an inverse relationship with atmospheric CO2 concentrations, suggesting that the SD of the Q. delavayi complex may be a useful proxy for reconstruction of paleo-CO2 concentrations