The North Qilian Orogenic Belt is surrounded by the Tarim Craton to the NW and the North China Craton to the NE. The Precambrian continental crust remnants that are distributed in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt are termed the North Qilian Block (NQB), and their tectonic evolution has profound implications for the evolution of the Columbia Supercontinent. Here we present major- and trace-element and Sr–Nd–Hf isotope data for (meta-) basalts from the Beidahe Group (BDHG) and Zhulongguan Group (ZLGG) in the western North Qilian Orogenic Belt, to investigate the tectonic evolution of the NQB during the Proterozoic Eon. The protoliths of Palaeoproterozoic amphibole gneisses and plagioclase amphibolites from the BDHG are calc-alkaline series basalts. These metabasalts show island-arc-basalt affinities with variable Nd and Hf isotopes (ϵNd(t) = −5.0–0.6 and 2.7–4.3; ϵHf(t) = −14.2–2.0 and 6.9–8.8) and were generated by partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle that was metasomatized by aqueous fluid and sediment melt in a continental-arc setting. The early Mesoproterozoic ZLGG basalts show features of shoshonite-series basalts and are geochemically similar to ocean-island basalts. These basalts show variable (87Sr/86Sr)i, ϵNd(t) and ϵHf(t) values of 0.70464–0.70699, −1–2.6 and −1.5–5.7, and are products of mantle plume magmatism that participated with subducted oceanic crust in an intracontinental rift setting. This study suggests that the NQB underwent tectonic evolution from palaeo-oceanic subduction to intracontinental rifting during the Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic eras. Furthermore, the above tectonomagmatic events were in response to convergence–splitting events of the Columbia Supercontinent during the Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic eras.

We report a direct numerical simulation (DNS) study of the mean velocity and temperature profiles in turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC) at low Prandtl numbers ($Pr$). The numerical study is conducted in a vertical thin disk with $Pr$ varied in the range $0.17\leq Pr\leq 4.4$ and the Rayleigh number ($Ra$) varied in the range $5\times 10^8\leq Ra \leq 1\times 10^{10}$. By varying $Pr$ from 4.4 to 0.17, we find a sharp change of flow patterns for the large-scale circulation (LSC) from a rigid-body rotation to a near-wall turbulent jet. We numerically examine the mean velocity equation in the bulk region and find that the mean horizontal velocity profile $u(z)$ can be determined by a balance equation between the mean convection and turbulent diffusion with a constant turbulent viscosity $\nu _t$. This balance equation admits a self-similarity jet solution, which fits the DNS data well. In the boundary-layer region, we find that both the mean temperature profile $T(z)$ and $u(z)$ can be determined by a balance equation between the molecular diffusion and turbulent diffusion. Within the viscous boundary layer, both $u(z)$ and $T(z)$ can be solved analytically and the analytical results agree well with the DNS data. Our careful characterisation of the mean velocity and temperature profiles in low-$Pr$ RBC provides a further understanding of the intricate interplay between the LSC, plume emission and boundary-layer dynamics, and pinpoints the physical mechanism for the emergence of a pronounced LSC in low-$Pr$ RBC.

Epilobium belongs to the family Onagraceae, which consists of approximately 200 species distributed worldwide, and some species have been used as medicinal plants. Epilobium nankotaizanense is an endemic and endangered herb that grows in the high mountains in Taiwan at an elevation of more than 3300 m. Alpine herbs are severely threatened by climate change, which leads to a reduction in their habitats and population sizes. However, only a few studies have addressed genetic diversity and population genetics. In the present study, we developed a new set of microsatellite markers for E. nankotaizanense using high-throughput genome sequencing data. Twenty polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed and tested on 30 individuals collected from three natural populations. These loci were successfully amplified, and polymorphisms were observed in E. nankotaizanense. The number of alleles per locus (A) ranged from 2.000 to 3.000, and the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.929 and from 0.034 to 0.631, respectively. The developed polymorphic microsatellite markers will be useful in future conservation genetic studies of E. nankotaizanense as well as for developing an effective conservation strategy for this species and facilitating germplasm collections and sustainable utilization of other Epilobium species.

Poor utilisation efficiency of carbohydrate always leads to metabolic phenotypes in fish. The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in carbohydrate degradation. Whether the intestinal bacteria could alleviate high-carbohydrate diet (HCD)-induced metabolic phenotypes in fish remains unknown. Here, a strain affiliated to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated from the intestine of Nile tilapia. A basal diet (CON), HCD or HCD supplemented with B. amy SS1 (HCB) was used to feed fish for 10 weeks. The beneficial effects of B. amy SS1 on weight gain and protein accumulation were observed. Fasting glucose and lipid deposition were decreased in the HCB group compared with the HCD group. High-throughput sequencing showed that the abundance of acetate-producing bacteria was increased in the HCB group relative to the HCD group. Gas chromatographic analysis indicated that the concentration of intestinal acetate was increased dramatically in the HCB group compared with that in the HCD group. Glucagon-like peptide-1 was also increased in the intestine and serum of the HCB group. Thus, fish were fed with HCD, HCD supplemented with sodium acetate at 900 mg/kg (HLA), 1800 mg/kg (HMA) or 3600 mg/kg (HHA) diet for 8 weeks, and the HMA and HHA groups mirrored the effects of B. amy SS1. This study revealed that B. amy SS1 could alleviate the metabolic phenotypes caused by HCD by enriching acetate-producing bacteria in fish intestines. Regulating the intestinal microbiota and their metabolites might represent a powerful strategy for fish nutrition modulation and health maintenance in future.

The accumulation of nutrients during diapause preparation is crucial because any lack of nutrition will reduce the likelihood of insects completing diapause, thereby decreasing their chances of survival and reproduction. The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, diapause as overwintering pupae and their diapause incidence and diapause intensity are regulated by the photoperiod. In this study, we test the hypothesis that photoperiod influences energy reserve accumulation during diapause preparation in fall webworm. We found that the body size and mass, lipid and carbohydrate content of pupae with a short photoperiod during the diapause induction phase were significantly greater than those of pupae with a relatively short photoperiod, and the efficiency of converting digested food and ingested food into body matter was greater in the short-photoperiod diapause-destined larvae than the relatively short-photoperiod diapause-destined larvae. We also observed higher lipase and amylase activities in short-photoperiod diapause-destined larvae relative to the counterparts. However, no obvious difference was found in protein and protease in the pupae with a short photoperiod during the diapause induction phase and short-photoperiod diapause-destined larvae compared with the counterparts. Therefore, we conclude that the energy reserve patterns of diapausing fall webworm pupae are plastic and that short-photoperiod diapause-destined larvae increase their energy reserves by improving their feeding efficiency and increase their lipid and carbohydrate stores by increasing the lipase and amylase activities in the midgut.

Zoning texture in sphalerite has been described in many studies, although its genesis and ore formation process are poorly constrained. In this investigation, we compare the in situ trace element and isotopic composition of colour-zoned sphalerites from Nayongzhi, South China, to explain the zoning growth process. Petrographic observations identified two broad types of zoned sphalerite, core–rim (CR) and core–mantle–rim (CMR) textures. Each zoned sphalerite displays two or three colour zones, including brown core, light colour bands and/or pale-yellow zones. In situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry trace-element analyses show that the three colour zones display variable trace-element compositions. Brown cores exhibit distinctly high Mn, Fe, Co, Ge, Tl and Pb concentrations, whereas pale-yellow and light colour zones have elevated Ga, Cd, Sn, In and Sb concentrations. Copper, Sb, In and Sn show slight variations between pale-yellow and light zones, the latter having higher In and Sn, but lower Cu and Sb abundances. Given the low concentration range of Pb, Ge, Tl, Mn Sb, Cd, etc., the colour of sphalerite is attributed mainly to Fe compositional variation. The δ34S values of sphalerite from Nayongzhi range from +22.3 to +27.9‰, suggesting reduced sulfur was generated by thermochemical sulfate reduction of marine sulfate in ore-hosted strata. Single-crystal colour-zoned sphalerite exhibits intracrystalline δ34S variation (up to 4.3‰), which is attributed to the δ34S composition of H2S in the original fluid. The lack of correlation between trace elements and δ34S values indicates episodic ore solution influxes and mixes with the reduced sulfur-rich fluid derived from the aquifers of the ore-hosted strata, which play a key role in the formation of the zoned Nayongzhi sphalerite. In conclusion, in situ trace element and S isotope studies of zoned sphalerite crystals might provide insight into the ore-forming process of MVT deposits.

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker) is a serious pest of agriculture that does particular damage to Gramineae crops in Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Metamorphosis is a key developmental stage in insects, although the genes underlying the metamorphic transition in M. separata remain largely unknown. Here, we sequenced the transcriptomes of five stages; mature larvae (ML), wandering (W), and pupation (1, 5, and 10 days after pupation, designated P1, P5, and P10) to identify transition-associated genes. Four libraries were generated, with 22,884, 23,534, 26,643, and 33,238 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for the ML-vs-W, W-vs-P1, P1-vs-P5, and P5-vs-P10, respectively. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that genes regulating the biosynthesis of the membrane and integral components of the membrane, which includes the cuticular protein (CP), 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), and juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis, were enriched. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that DEGs were enriched in the metabolic pathways. Of these DEGs, thirty CP, seventeen 20E, and seven JH genes were differentially expressed across the developmental stages. For transcriptome validation, ten CP, 20E, and JH-related genes were selected and verified by real-time PCR quantitative. Collectively, our results provided a basis for further studies of the molecular mechanism of metamorphosis in M. separata.

The current study explores how multilingual speakers with three typologically different languages (satellite-framed, verb-framed and equipollent-framed) encode and gauge event similarity in the domain of caused motion. Specifically, it addresses whether, and to what extent, the acquisition of an L2-English and an L3-Japanese reconstructs the lexicalization and conceptualization patterns established in the L1-Cantonese when the target language is actively involved in the decision-making process. Results show that multilingual speakers demonstrated an ongoing process of cognitive restructuring towards the target language (L3) in both linguistic encoding (event structures and semantic representations) and non-linguistic conceptualization (reaction time). And the degree of the restructuring is modulated by the amount of language contact with the L2 and L3. The study suggests that learning a language means internalizing a new way of thinking and provides positive evidence for L3-biased cognitive restructuring within the framework of thinking-for-speaking.

The interaction between heavy particles with high Stokes number ($St$) and the wall, known as the particle–wall (P–W) process, widely exists in natural and engineering two-phase flows, whereas its effects on particle-laden flows and the large-scale/very large-scale turbulent motions (VLSM) remain unclear. In this paper, two types of wind-blown sand-laden flows were experimentally designed and investigated by keeping the same free stream velocity, flow Reynolds number and particle $St$ number. In the first type, sand particles were directly blown from a sand bed at the bottom wall of the wind tunnel, and the P–W process occurred in the whole wall-normal region of the sand-laden flow. In the second type, sand particles were released from a feeder at the top wall of wind tunnel, and the P–W process was only present in a lower wall-normal region. Simultaneous two-phase particle image/tracking velocimetry measurements were conducted for uncovering the characteristics of turbulent structures in the particle-laden turbulent boundary layers. The results confirmed that the VLSM with streamwise scales exceeding $3\delta$ ($\delta$ is boundary layer thickness) above a certain height exist in both types of the sand-laden flows and could be significantly affected by the P–W process. That is, in the region without the P–W process, the presence of sand particles can enlarge the VLSM, while in the region with the P–W process, the VLSM are substantially reduced in size or even destroyed. The reduction degree is found to be closely related to the strength of the P–W process.

This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of supplementing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in breeder hens diet on development and hepatic lipid metabolism of chick offspring. Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were allocated into two groups, supplemented with 0 (CT) or 0.5% CLA for 8 weeks. Offspring chicks were grouped according to the mother generation and fed for 7 days. CLA treatment had no significant influence on development, egg quality, and fertility of breeder hens, but darkened the egg yolks in shade and increased yolk sac mass compared to CT group. Addition of CLA resulted in increased body mass and liver mass, and decreased deposition of subcutaneous adipose tissue in chick offspring. The serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) levels of chick offspring were decreased in CLA group. CLA treatment increased the incorporation of both CLA isomers (c9t11 and t10c12) in liver of chick offspring, accompanied by the decreased hepatic TG levels, related to the significant reduction of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) enzyme activities and the increased of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) enzyme activity. Meanwhile, CLA treatment reduced the mRNA expression of genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS, ACC, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c), and induced the expression of genes related to β-oxidative (CPT1, AMP-activated protein kinase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α) in chick offspring liver. In summary, the addition of CLA in breeder hens diet significantly increased incorporation of CLA in liver of chick offspring, which further regulate hepatic lipid metabolism.

The TanDEM-X DEM is a valuable data source for estimating glacier mass balance. However, the accuracy of TanDEM-X elevation over glaciers can be affected by microwave penetration and phase decorrelation. To investigate the bias of TanDEM-X DEMs of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, these DEMs were subtracted from SPOT-6 DEMs obtained around the same time at two study sites. The average bias over the studied glacier areas in West Kunlun (175.0 km2) was 2.106 ± 0.012 m in April 2014, and it was 1.523 ± 0.011 m in Geladandong (228.8 km2) in October 2013. By combining backscatter coefficients and interferometric coherence maps, we found surface decorrelation and baseline decorrelation can cause obvious bias in addition to microwave penetration. If the optical/laser data and winter TanDEM-X data were used as new and historic elevation sources for mass-balance measurements over an arbitrary observation period of 10 years, the glacier mass loss rates in West Kunlun and Geladandong would be potentially underestimated by 0.218 ± 0.016 and 0.158 ± 0.011 m w.e. a−1, respectively. The impact is therefore significant, and users should carefully treat the bias of TanDEM-X DEMs when retrieving a geodetic glacier mass balance.

This article investigates the optimal hedging problem of the European contingent claims written on non-tradable assets. We assume that the risky assets satisfy jump diffusion models with a common jump process which reflects the correlated jump risk. The non-tradable asset and jump risk lead to an incomplete financial market. Hence, the cross-hedging method will be used to reduce the potential risk of the contingent claims seller. First, we obtain an explicit closed-form solution for the locally risk-minimizing hedging strategies of the European contingent claims by using the Föllmer–Schweizer decomposition. Then, we consider the hedging for a European call option as a special case. The value of the European call option under the minimal martingale measure is derived by the Fourier transform method. Next, some semi-closed solution formulae of the locally risk-minimizing hedging strategies for the European call option are obtained. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the sensitivities of the optimal hedging strategies. By comparing the optimal hedging strategies when the underlying asset is a non-tradable asset or a tradable asset, we find that the liquidity risk has a significant impact on the optimal hedging strategies.