Risk assessment using transfer learning for grassland fires

© 2019 A new direction of risk assessment research in grassland fire management is data-driven prediction, in which data are collected from particular regions. Since some regions have rich datasets that can easily generate knowledge for risk prediction, and some have no data available, this study addresses how we can leverage the knowledge learned from one grassland risk assessment to assist with a current assessment task. In this paper, we first introduce the transfer learning methodology to map and update risk maps in grassland fire management, and we propose a new grassland fire risk analysis method. In this study, two major grassland areas (Xilingol and Hulunbuir) in northern China are selected as the study areas, and five representative indicators (features) are extracted from grassland fuel, fire climate, accessibility, human and social economy. Taking Xilingol as the source domain (where sufficient labelled data are available) and Hulunbuir as the target domain (which contains insufficient data but requires risk assessment/prediction), we then establish the mapping relationship between grassland fire indicators and the degrees of grassland fire risk by using a transfer learning method. Finally, the fire risk in the Hulunbuir grassland is assessed using the transfer learning method. Experiments show that the prediction accuracy reached 87.5% by using the transfer learning method, representing a significant increase over existing methods

Iron-Catalyzed Nitrene Insertion Reaction for Facile Construction of Amide Compounds

A facile method for the construction of amide compounds from aldehydes by an iron-catalyzed nitrene insertion reaction has been developed. Both aryl and aliphatic aldehydes can directly afford the corresponding amides with an iron(II)-terpyridine (tpy) complex formed in situ as catalyst, and PhI=NTs as nitrogen source under mild reaction conditions. An ESI-MS study revealed the formation of [Fe(tpy)NTs)]+ as a reaction intermediate. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart - New York.postprin

Effects of chemical composition on humidity sensitivity of Al/BaTiO3/Si structure

Argon-ion-beam sputtering technique has been applied to deposit barium titanate (BaTiO3) films on silicon wafers at room temperature under vacuum, and then Al/BaTiO3/Si structures were fabricated. Results show that the current and capacitance of these devices are sensitive to the change of relative humidity at room temperature, and saturation absorption (response) time as well as humidity sensitivity of the devices depend on the chemical composition of the BaTiO3 films. For higher annealing temperature and longer annealing time, the oxygen composition increases while fixed charge density decreases. These changes result in lower humidity sensitivity and longer response time.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Linkage and mapping analyses of the no glue egg gene Ng in the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) using simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers

In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, no glue egg is mainly controlled by Ng (No glue) gene, which is located on the 12th chromosome. Owning to a lack of crossing over in females, reciprocal backcrossed F1 (BC1) progenies were used for linkage analysis and mapping of the Ng gene based on the simple sequence repeats (SSR) linkage map using silkworm strains H9 and P50, which are Ng mutant and normal to egg, respectively. The Ng gene was found to be linked to three SSR markers. Using a reciprocal BC1M cross, we constructed a linkage map of 36.4 cM, with Ng mapped at 15.9 cM and the nearest SSR marker at a distance of 7.4 cM. Based on fine genome map of domesticated silkworm (B. mori), the result of Kaikoblast show that the physical distance between the near markers (containing Ng gene) is 181.7 Kb. Further analysis show that BGIBMGA005833, BGIBMGA005835 and BGIBMGA005836 are closer to Ng, and the BGIBMGA005835 is nearest to Ng, which physical distance is 44 Kb.Key words: Gene location, linkage analysis, microsatellite, Ng, silkworm

Promotion of ganoderic acid production in Ganoderma sinense by the addtion of an ether extract from Eupolyphaga sinensis, a medicinal insect

To screen stimulators from Chinese medicinal insects for mycelial growth and ganoderic acid (GA) production by Ganoderma sinense, the fungus was inoculated into the media with and without supplementation of a medicinal insect extract. The results show that all the water and ether extracts from the medicinal insects had no significant stimulatory effect on the biomass production (P > 0.05), and the extracts of Hydrotrechus remigator and Mylabris phalerata significantly inhibited the mycelial growth. However, the ether extract of Eupolyphaga sinensis at a concentration of 60 mgL-1 led to a significant increase in GA concentration from 187.6 ± 8.32 to 251.3 ± 11.27 mgL-1 (P < 0.01). Analysis of fermentation kinetics of G. sinense suggests that glucose concentration in the E. sinensis extract treatment group decreased more quickly as compared to the control group in the last 4 days of fermentation process, while the GA biosynthesis was promoted at the same period. However, the culture pH profile was not affected by the addition of the ether extract of E. sinensis.Key words: Medicinal fungus, Ganoderma sinense, submerged fermentation, Eupolyphaga sinensis, ganoderic acid

Genome-wide analysis of the nucleotide binding site leucine-rich repeat genes of four orchids revealed extremely low numbers of disease resistance genes

Orchids are one of the most diverse flowering plant families, yet possibly maintain the smallest number of the nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) type plant resistance (R) genes among the angiosperms. In this study, a genome-wide search in four orchid taxa identified 186 NBS-LRR genes. Furthermore, 214 NBS-LRR genes were identified from seven orchid transcriptomes. A phylogenetic analysis recovered 30 ancestral lineages (29 CNL and one RNL), far fewer than other angiosperm families. From the genetics aspect, the relatively low number of ancestral R genes is unlikely to explain the low number of R genes in orchids alone, as historical gene loss and scarce gene duplication has continuously occurred, which also contributes to the low number of R genes. Due to recent sharp expansions, Phalaenopsis equestris and Dendrobium catenatum having 52 and 115 genes, respectively, and exhibited an "early shrinking to recent expanding" evolutionary pattern, while Gastrodia elata and Apostasia shenzhenica both exhibit a "consistently shrinking" evolutionary pattern and have retained only five and 14 NBS-LRR genes, respectively. RNL genes remain in extremely low numbers with only one or two copies per genome. Notably, all of the orchid RNL genes belong to the ADR1 lineage. A separate lineage, NRG1, was entirely absent and was likely lost in the common ancestor of all monocots. All of the TNL genes were absent as well, coincident with the RNL NRG1 lineage, which supports the previously proposed notion that a potential functional association between the TNL and RNL NRG1 genes

Arabidopsis thaliana VDAC2 involvement in salt stress response pathway

Soil salinity seriously affects plants distribution and yield, while salt stress induces SOS genes, and voltage-dependent anion channels (VDAC) and a mitochondrial porin, are induced too. In this paper, phenotypes of AtVDAC2 transgenic lines and wild type (RLD) were analyzed. It was found that AtVDAC2 over-expressing transgenic plants were more sensitive to NaCl, and produced more H2O2 in the NaCl treatment. Also, to find the inner reason, the salt overly sensitive gene 3 (SOS3) expression level was changed with the expression of AtVDAC2. So, it was conjectured that the signal of salt stress response was first sent to AtVDAC2, then AtVDAC2 expression improved, leading to the down-stream signals changes, such as accumulation of H2O2 and improved expression of SOS3. So, it was found that in the over-expression of transgenic lines with AtVDAC2 up-regulation, SOS3 expression increased significantly, and in the inhibited-expressing lines, it was vice versa. In summary, AtVDAC2 was involved in salt stress signaling pathway, and it regulated SOS3 gene expression.Key words: Arabidopsis thaliana, voltage-dependent anion channels (VDAC), salt stress, signaling pathway

A comparative study on the mineralogy, chemical speciation, and combustion behavior of toxic elements of coal beneficiation products

The huge demand for high-quality coal in China has resulted in increased generation of preparation plant wastes of various properties. A series of beneficiation products collected from a preparation plant were characterized to understand their petrographic and mineralogical characteristics, as well as thermochemical and trace element behavior during combustion. The minerals in the Luling preparation plant wastes from Huaibei coalfield mainly included kaolinite and quartz, with minor calcite, ankerite, pyrite, illite, chalcopyrite, albite, K-feldspar, anatase/rutile, and iron-oxide minerals. Massive clay lumps of terrigenous origin, cleat-infilling carbonate, and pyrite of epigenetic origin were prone to be enriched in the middlings and coal gangue. Minor or trace heavy minerals also reported to the preparation plant wastes. The contents of low-density density vitrinite and liptinite were enhanced in the clean coal, while inertinite-maceral group were enriched in the middlings. The modes of occurrences of toxic elements differed between raw coal and the waste products; and their transformation behavior during heavy medium separation is largely controlled by clay minerals (V, Cr, Co, Sb, and Pb), carbonate minerals (Co and Pb), sulfide minerals (As, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn) and organic matters (V, Cr, Se, and Cu). Three groups were classified based on the volatile ratio (Vr) of toxic elements. Group 1 includes the highly volatile element Se with Vr &gt; 85%; Group 2 contained elements As, Pb, Zn, Cd and Sb, with the Vr in the range of 20&ndash;85% and V, Cr, Co, Ni and Cu with Vr less than 20% were placed into Group 3. Thermal reactivity of coal inferred from the combustion profiles could be significantly improved after coal beneficiation, whereas the increased inorganic components probably inhibited the thermal chemical reaction of wastes.<br style="line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /

Practical iron-catalyzed atom/group transfer and insertion reactions

Iron-catalyzed reactions are receiving a surge of interest owing to the natural abundance and biocompatibility of Fe and the urge to develop practically useful sustainable catalysis for fine chemical industries. This article is a brief account of our studies on the C-O and C-N bond formation reactions catalyzed by Fe complexes supported by oligopyridine, macrocyclic tetraaza, and fluorinated porphyrin ligands. The working principle is the in situ generation of reactive Fe=O and Fe=NR intermediates supported by these oxidatively robust N-donor ligands for oxygen atom/nitrogen group transfer and insertion reactions. The catalytic reactions include C-H bond oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons (up to 87 % yield), epoxidation of alkenes (up to 96 % yield), cis-dihydroxylation of alkenes (up to 99 % yield), epoxidation-isomerization (E-I) reaction of aryl alkenes (up to 94 % yield), amination of C-H bonds (up to 95 % yield), aziridination of alkenes (up to 95 % yield), sulfimidation of sulfides (up to 96 % yield), and amide formation from aldehydes (up to 89 % yield). Many of these catalytic reactions feature high regio- and diastereoselectivity and/or high product yields and substrate conversions, and recyclability of the catalyst, demonstrating the applicability of Fe-catalyzed oxidative organic transformation reactions in practical organic synthesis. © 2012 IUPAC.published_or_final_versio

Speciation changes of cadmium in mangrove (Kandelia candel (L.)) rhizosphere sediments

The speciation distribution of cadmium (Cd) in mangrove (Kandelia candel (L.) Druce) rhizosphere sediment was investigated after different contents of Cd being loaded. The study results indicated that root induced changes of Cd bioavailability in the rhizosphere. Exchangeable and carbonate bound Cd in the rhizosphere sediments were lower than these in the bulk sediments, whilst an increase in Fe-Mn oxides bound and O.M/sulfide bound fractions occurred in the rhizosphere sediment. Increased levels of Cd in sediments resulted in higher Cd concentrations in mangrove plants, and the order of accumulation was: roots > hypocotyls > stems and leaves