Visualizing how a catalyst behaves during chemical reactions using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is crucial for understanding the activity origin and guiding performance optimization. However, the sample drifts as temperature changes during in situ reaction, which weakens the resolution and stability of TEM imaging, blocks insights into the dynamic details of catalytic reaction. Herein, a Thon-ring based sample position measurement (TSPM) was developed to track the sample height variation during in situ TEM observation. Drifting characteristics for three commercially available nanochips were studied, showing large biases in aspects of shifting modes, expansion heights, as well as the thermal conduction hysteresis during rapid heating. Particularly, utilizing the TSPM method, for the first time, the gas layer thickness inside a gas-cell nanoreactor was precisely determined, which varies with reaction temperature and gas pressure in a linear manner with coefficients of ~8 nm/°C and ~50 nm/mbar, respectively. Following drift prediction of TSPM, fast oxidation kinetics of a Ni particle was tracked in real time for 12 s at 500°C. This TSPM method is expected to facilitate the functionality of automatic target tracing for in situ microscopy applications when feedback to hardware control of the microscope.

HMGR, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, is a major rate-limiting enzyme in mevalonate (MVA) pathway for isoprenoids and subsequent tanshinone biosynthesis in the Chinese traditional bulk herbal medicine Danshen, Salvia miltiorrhiza, mainly for cardiovascular disorders. In this paper, the genomic SmHMGR genes of 38 cultivated populations of S. miltiorrhiza collected in China were for the first time sequenced to reveal the genetic diversity and phylogeny. The SmHMGR gene was shown to be intron-free, 1650~1659 bp in complete CDS with the majority being 1656 bp, and two unique populations (W-FJLY-V-1 and W-SCHY-W-1) being 1659 and 1650 bp respectively. A total of 103 SNP variation sites were detected with a variation rate of 6.22%, most of which occurred in S. miltiorrhiza f. alba population W-SCHY-W-1; a total of 25 amino acid variation sites were found, of which 19 was in W-SCHY-W-1. The same four populations, W-SCHY-W-1, V-HBAG-V-1, V-JLCC-V-1 and S-NM-V-1 could be discriminated from the remaining 34 by both the SNP fingerprints and the deduced amino acid variation sites. Other or composite DNA markers are needed for better identification. The SmHMGR gene of white flower S. miltiorrhiza f. alba population W-SCHY-W-1 is especially rich in variations and worthy of further studies. Phylogenetic trees based on both the gene and the deduced amino acid sequences showed a very similar two-clade topological structure. This research enriched the content and the genetic means for the molecular identification, genetic diversity and phylogenetic studies of the cultivated S. miltiorrhiza populations, and laid a solid foundation for further related and in-depth investigations.

This study evaluated the association between inflammatory diets as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII), and inflammation biomarkers, and the development of preeclampsia among the Chinese population. We followed the reporting guidelines of the STROBE statement for observational studies. A total of 466 preeclampsia cases aged over 18 years were recruited between March 2016 and June 2019, and 466 healthy controls were 1:1 ratio matched by age (± 3 years), week of gestation (± 1 week), and gestational diabetes mellitus. The energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) was computed based on dietary intake assessed using a 79-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed by ELISA kits. The mean E-DII scores were -0.65 ± 1.58 for cases and -1.19 ± 1.47 for controls (P value <0.001). E-DII scores positively correlated with IFN-γ (rs = 0.194, P value = 0.001) and IL-4 (rs = 0.135, P value = 0.021). After multivariable adjustment, E-DII scores were positively related to preeclampsia risk (P trend <0.001). The highest tertile of E-DII was 2.18 times the lowest tertiles (95% CI = 1.52, 3.13). The odds of preeclampsia increased by 30% (95% CI= 18%, 43%, P value <0.001) for each E-DII score increase. The preeclampsia risk was positively associated with IL-2 (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.11), IL-4 (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.54) and TGF-β (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.29). Therefore, proinflammatory diets, corresponding to higher IL-2, IL-4 and TGF-β levels, were associated with increased preeclampsia risk.

New insight into the contribution of the microscale vortex evolution to convection heat transfer in porous media is presented in this paper. The objective is to determine how the microscale vortices influence convection heat transfer in turbulent flow inside porous media. The microscale temperature distribution is analysed using flow visualization in two dimensions using streamlines and in three dimensions using the Q-criterion. The pertinent observations are supplemented with a comparison of surface skin friction and heat transfer using: (i) surface skin-friction lines and (ii) the joint probability density function of the pressure and skin-friction coefficients, along with the Nusselt number. The microscale flow phenomena observed are corroborated with the features of the frequency spectra of the drag coefficient and macroscale Nusselt number. The large eddy simulation technique is used in this study to investigate the flow field inside a periodic porous medium. The Reynolds numbers of the flow are 300 and 500. The porous medium consists of solid obstacles in the shape of square and circular cylinders. Two distinct flow regimes are represented by using the porosities of 0.50 and 0.87. The results show that the surface Nusselt number distribution is dependent on whether the micro-vortices are attached to or detached from the surface of the obstacle. The spectra of the macroscale Nusselt number and the pressure drag are similar, signifying a correlation between the dynamics of heat transfer and the microscale turbulent structures. Both vortex shedding and secondary flow instabilities are observed that significantly influence the Nusselt number. The fundamental insight gained in this paper can inform the development of more robust macroscale models of convection heat transfer in turbulent flow in porous media.

Linoleic acid (LA) has a two-sided effect with regards to serum cholesterol lowering and pro-inflammation, although whether this fatty acid reduces serum cholesterol and the development of atherosclerosis under high-cholesterol conditions has yet to be ascertained. In this study, we examine the effects of dietary LA on reducing serum cholesterol and atherosclerosis development under high-cholesterol conditions. Male and female apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apo E-/-) mice were fed AIN-76-based diets containing 10% saturated fatty acids and 0.04 % cholesterol (SFA), 10% LA and 0.04% low cholesterol (LALC), or 10% LA and 0.1% high cholesterol (LAHC) for 9 weeks. The results revealed significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels and aortic lesions with increasing levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers (urinary isoprostane and aortic MCP-1 mRNA) in male and female LALC groups compared with those in the SFA groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, whereas there were significant increases in the serum cholesterol levels and aortic lesions (P < 0.05), there was no difference in aortic MCP-1 mRNA levels in male and female LAHC groups compared with those in the LALC groups. A high dietary intake of cholesterol eliminated the serum cholesterol-lowering activity of LA but had no significant effect on aortic inflammation in either male or female ApoE-/- mice. The inhibitory effect of LA on arteriosclerosis is cancelled by a high-cholesterol diet due to a direct increase in serum cholesterol levels. Accordingly, serum cholesterol levels might represent a more prominent pathogenic factor than aortic inflammation in promoting the development of atherosclerosis.

Hausel and Rodriguez-Villegas (2015, Astérisque 370, 113–156) recently observed that work of Göttsche, combined with a classical result of Erdös and Lehner on integer partitions, implies that the limiting Betti distribution for the Hilbert schemes $(\mathbb {C}^{2})^{[n]}$ on $n$ points, as $n\rightarrow +\infty ,$ is a Gumbel distribution. In view of this example, they ask for further such Betti distributions. We answer this question for the quasihomogeneous Hilbert schemes $((\mathbb {C}^{2})^{[n]})^{T_{\alpha ,\beta }}$ that are cut out by torus actions. We prove that their limiting distributions are also of Gumbel type. To obtain this result, we combine work of Buryak, Feigin, and Nakajima on these Hilbert schemes with our generalization of the result of Erdös and Lehner, which gives the distribution of the number of parts in partitions that are multiples of a fixed integer $A\geq 2.$ Furthermore, if $p_{k}(A;n)$ denotes the number of partitions of $n$ with exactly $k$ parts that are multiples of $A$ , then we obtain the asymptotic

$$ \begin{align*} p_{k}(A,n)\sim \frac{24^{\frac k2-\frac14}(n-Ak)^{\frac k2-\frac34}}{\sqrt2\left(1-\frac1A\right)^{\frac k2-\frac14}k!A^{k+\frac12}(2\pi)^{k}}e^{2\pi\sqrt{\frac1{6}\left(1-\frac1A\right)(n-Ak)}}, \end{align*} $$

The study was a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Group Triple P Program for Chinese immigrant parents living in New Zealand. Sixty-seven Chinese immigrant parents of a 5- to 9-year-old child with disruptive behaviour problems were randomly allocated to either an intervention or a waitlist group. Parents completed measures of child adjustment problems, general parenting practices, parenting practices in children's academic lives, parental adjustment, parental teamwork, and family relationships at pre-, post-, and 4-month follow-up. Intervention group ratings of programme satisfaction were collected following programme completion. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for improvements in child behaviour, parenting practices, parental teamwork, and parenting in the child academic context. All intervention effects, except for parental teamwork, were maintained at 4-month follow-up. There were no significant intervention effects for parental adjustment, however, medium effect sizes were found at post-intervention and follow-up. A high level of programme satisfaction was reported.

Many waterflooding oil fields, injecting water into an oil-bearing reservoir for pressure maintenance, are in their middle to late stages of development. To explore the geological conditions and improve oilfield recovery of the most important well group of the Hu 136 block, located on the border areas of three provinces (Henan, Shandong, and Hebei), Zhongyuan Oilfield, Sinopec, central China, a 14C cross-well tracer monitoring technology was developed and applied in monitoring the development status and recognize the heterogeneity of oil reservoirs. The tracer response in the production well was tracked, and the water drive speed, swept volume of the injection fluid were obtained. Finally, the reservoir heterogeneity characteristics, such as the dilution coefficient, porosity, permeability, and average pore-throat radius, were fitted according to the mathematical model of the heterogeneous multi-layer inter-well theory. The 14C-AMS technique developed in this work is expected to be a potential analytical method for evaluating underground reservoir characteristics and providing crucial scientific guidance for the mid to late oil field recovery process.

Ammannia multiflora Roxb. is a dominant broadleaf weed that is a serious problem in southern China rice fields, and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides have been used for its control for more than 20 years. Excessive reliance on ALS-inhibiting herbicides has led to herbicide resistance in A. multiflora. In this study, 10 A. multiflora populations from the Jiangsu Province of China were collected, and the resistance levels and target site–resistance mechanisms to ALS-inhibiting herbicides bensulfuron-methyl and penoxsulam were investigated. The dose–response assays showed that eight populations evolved resistance to bensulfuron-methyl (9.1- to 90.9-fold) and penoxsulam (5.0- to 103.1-fold). Amplification of ALS genes indicated that there were three ALS genes (AmALS1, AmALS2, and AmALS3) in A. multiflora. Sequence analysis revealed amino acid mutations at Pro-197 in either AmALS1 (Pro-197-Ala, Pro-197-Ser, and Pro-197-His) or AmALS2 (Pro-197-Ser and Pro-197-Arg) in resistant populations, and no mutations were found in AmALS3. Moreover, two independent mutations (Pro-197-Ala in AmALS1 and Pro-197-Ser in AmALS2 or Pro-197-Ala in AmALS1 and Pro-197-Arg in AmALS2) coexisted in two resistant populations, respectively. In addition, the auxin mimic herbicides MCPA and florpyrauxifen-benzyl, the photosystem II inhibitor bentazon, and the protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitor carfentrazone-ethyl can effectively control the resistant A. multiflora populations. Our study demonstrates the wide prevalence of ALS inhibitor–resistant A. multiflora populations in Jiangsu Province and the diversity of Pro-197 mutations in ALS genes and provides alternative herbicide options for controlling resistant A. multiflora populations.

It is generally accepted that high-oleic crops have at least 70% oleate. As compared to their normal-oleic counterparts, oil and food products made from high-oleic peanut have better keeping quality and are much healthier. Therefore, high-oleic peanut is well recognized by processors and consumers. However, owing to the limited availability of high-oleic donors, most present-day high-oleic peanut varietal releases merely have F435 type FAD2 mutations. Through screening of a mutagenized peanut population of 15L46, a high-yielding peanut line with desirable elliptical oblong large seeds, using near infrared model for predicting oleate content in individual single seeds, high-oleic peanut mutants were identified. Sequencing FAD2A and FAD2B of the mutants along with the wild type revealed that these mutants possessed G448A FAD2A (F435 type FAD2A mutation) and G558A FAD2B (non-F435 type FAD2B mutation). Expression of the wild and mutated type FAD2B in yeast verified that the functional mutation contributed to the high-oleic phenotype in these mutants. The mutants provided additional high-oleic donors to peanut quality improvement.

We obtain some improved results for the exponential sum $\sum _{x<n\leq 2x}\Lambda (n)e(\alpha k n^{\theta })$ with $\theta \in (0,5/12),$ where $\Lambda (n)$ is the von Mangoldt function. Such exponential sums have relations with the so-called quasi-Riemann hypothesis and were considered by Murty and Srinivas [‘On the uniform distribution of certain sequences’, Ramanujan J.7 (2003), 185–192].