Different Places Of Origin Research Articles

Dissecting the binding effect of Crocetin glucosyltransferase 2 in crocetin biotransformation in saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from different origins

Crocus sativus L. is a both medicinal and food bulbous flower whose qualities are geographically characterized. However, identification involving different places of origin of such substances is currently limited to single-omics mediated content analysis. Integrated metabolomics and proteomics, 840 saffron samples from six countries (Spain, Greece, Iran, China, Japan, and India) were analyzed using the QuEChERS extraction method. A total of 77 differential metabolites and 14 differential proteins were identified. The limits of detection of the method were 1.33 to 8.33 μg kg−1, and the recoveries were 85.56% to 105.18%. Using homology modeling and molecular docking, the Gln84, Lys195, Val182 and Pro184 sites of Crocetin glucosyltransferase 2 were found to be the targets of crocetin binding. By multivariate statistical analysis (PCA and PLS-DA), different saffron samples were clearly distinguished. The results provided the basis for the selection and identification of high quality saffron from different producing areas.

Quality evaluation of natural monomer flavors for Chinese tobacco industry based on dual mode combined Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and isotopic fine structures.

Natural monomer flavors can modify the taste of cigarettes. However, no report was published to establish the quality control method for their chemical compositions. In this study, licorice, a traditional natural monomer flavor used in tobacco aroma processing, was selected, and the fingerprint was developed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Next, the chemical markers of samples from different places of origin were discovered by multivariate statistical analysis. Then, its chemical constituents were identified by combination of HPLC-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), direct infusion FT-ICR-MS (DI-FT-ICR-MS), and the technology of isotopic fine structures (IFSs). Moreover, its characteristic constituents were quantitatively analyzed using HPLC. The 14 common peaks were assigned in the fingerprint, and 8 of them were considered as qualitative markers by multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 42 chemical constituents were detected using HPLC-FT-ICR-MS, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by references. Meanwhile, the elemental compositions of other eight unknown chemical components were decisively determined using IFSs. Subsequently, the contents of five characteristic constituents in 11 batches of samples were determined. The integration strategy established here can discover and quantify the chemical markers for improving the quality control standard of natural monomer flavor of licorice. It is expected that the strategy will be valuable for further quality control of other natural monomer flavors in Chinese tobacco industry.

Housing differentiation from the spatial opportunity structure perspective: an empirical study on new-generation migrants in China

Using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamics Survey, this study employs generalized structural equation modeling to examine the effects of migrants' places of origin and socioeconomic status on their destination choice and access to homeownership in the destination city. The analyses reveal significant disparities in access to homeownership among migrants from different places of origin. Furthermore, the position of the destination city in the urban hierarchy not only has a direct impact on migrants' access to homeownership but also plays an important mediating role. This study highlights the spatial foundations of housing inequality and builds an analytical framework that links spatial mobility with social mobility. Our findings have significant implications for housing policies and practices aimed at improving the housing conditions of new-generation migrants.

Virtual Practice Teaching of Civics Classes in Colleges and Universities in the Context of Big Data Technology

Abstract In this study, we successfully realized the interaction design of virtual Civics teaching scene through multiresolution hierarchical detail (LOD) model, and constructed an immersive teaching environment using texture mapping technology. Combined with the gesture recognition and training of Adaboost classifier, this paper proposes an innovative interaction model for virtual Civics and Politics teaching. Through in-depth Analysis of the virtual interactive teaching elements of Civics courses in colleges and universities, this study conducted a covariance analysis of the aspects of creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, self-efficacy, and scientific ideological reasoning. Then it explored the effects of different places of origin and types of schools on the acceptance of virtual Civics courses by the students. It was found that among the science and engineering and teacher training students, the science and engineering students paid more attention to the virtual Civics teaching (3.36 and 3.05, respectively). In addition, compared with traditional Civics teaching, virtual practice teaching significantly increased students’ motivation (3.79), proving that Civics courses incorporating virtual interaction design have significant advantages in improving learning attractiveness.

Comparative Extraction of Components from Ukrainian and Baltic Ambers

Abstract The research is devoted to the issue of processing substandard amber to enable the use of the processing products in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. For the first time, comparison was made of the extractive characteristics of amber from the two largest world deposits – the Baltic and Ukrainian. Nine times more dry substances are transferred to the extract from Ukrainian than from Baltic amber, when extracting amber with ethanol under the same conditions. The antioxidant activity of the obtained extracts was determined by ABTS+ and DPPH methods. The values of these indicators were higher in the extract of Ukrainian amber and also differed in extracts from different fractions. Analysis of the volatile components composition did not indicate a significant difference between the extracts of different amber, but clear differences were seen between the fractions from which the extract was obtained. The main component, representing more than a half of the volatile components, was o–Cymene. Most of the identified components are characterised by camphor odour. Amber from different places of origin have different extraction characteristics, which was confirmed by the research results.

Differences in Outcomes by Place of Origin among Hispanic Patients with Kidney Failure.

Hispanic patients are known to have a higher risk of kidney failure and lower rates of home dialysis use and kidney transplantation than non-Hispanic White patients. However, it is unknown whether these outcomes differ within the Hispanic community, which is heterogeneous in its members' places of origins. Using United States Renal Data System data, the authors found similar adjusted rates of home dialysis use for patients originating from places outside the United States and US-born Hispanic patients, whereas the adjusted risk of mortality and likelihood of transplantation differed depending on place (country or territory) of origin. Understanding the heterogeneity in kidney disease outcomes and treatment within the Hispanic community is crucial in designing interventions and implementation strategies to ensure that Hispanic individuals with kidney failure have equitable access to care. Compared with non-Hispanic White groups, Hispanic individuals have a higher risk of kidney failure yet lower rates of living donor transplantation and home dialysis. However, how home dialysis, mortality, and transplantation vary within the Hispanic community depending on patients' place of origin is unclear. We identified adult Hispanic patients from the United States Renal Data System who initiated dialysis in 2009-2017. Primary exposure was country or territory of origin (the United States, Mexico, US-Puerto Rico, and other countries). We used logistic regression to estimate differences in odds of initiating home dialysis and competing risk models to estimate subdistribution hazard ratios (SHR) of mortality and kidney transplantation. Of 137,039 patients, 44.4% were US-born, 30.9% were from Mexico, 12.9% were from US-Puerto Rico, and 11.8% were from other countries. Home dialysis rates were higher among US-born patients, but not significantly different after adjusting for demographic, medical, socioeconomic, and facility-level factors. Adjusted mortality risk was higher for individuals from US-Puerto Rico (SHR, 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.08) and lower for Mexico (SHR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.81) and other countries (SHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.86) compared with US-born patients. The adjusted rate of transplantation for Mexican or US-Puerto Rican patients was similar to that of US-born patients but higher for those from other countries (SHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.30). Hispanic people from different places of origin have similar adjusted rates of home dialysis but different adjusted rates of mortality and kidney transplantation. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these observed differences in outcomes.

Effects Of Involvement On The Loyalty Of Specialty Coffee Consumers

With continuing maturity of the coffee market, consumers have gone beyond the need for caffeine consumption and begun paying attention to coffee varieties, specific tastes of coffee from different places of origin, and information transparency in place-of-origin labels. This trend has not only changed the entire coffee market but also given birth to specialty coffee. In contrast to fast brewing coffee products available in convenience stores, specialty coffee emphasizes the acquisition of coffee expertise from an experiential activity. Notably, levels of customer involvement vary largely between individuals, greatly affect consumers’ willingness to purchase and loyalty following such experiential activities. Few studies have explored this difference. Therefore, this study targeted specialty coffee consumer and explored the relationships between experiential marketing, consumer involvement, and consumer loyalty. The data collected using a questionnaire were processed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0 for statistical analyses. The results revealed significant positive relationships between experiential marketing, consumer involvement, and consumer loyalty. Consumer involvement increased when the coffee sellers had sufficient knowledge of specialty coffee. This in turn led to increased customer loyalty. In sum, coffee suppliers are recommended to pay attention to every detail of experiential activities and continually improve product quality, thereby enhancing their profits.

Combination of Internal Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Statistical Analysis for High-Throughput Molecular Differentiation of Rehmannia glutinosa Samples.

Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaert.) Libosch. ex Fisch. et Mey. is a perennial herb of the Scrophulariaceae family, which has long enjoyed a good reputation in China, and has a wide range of pharmacological effects and clinical applications. The place of origin is an important factor affecting the chemical composition of R. glutinosa, resulting in different pharmacological effects. Herein, internal extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (iEESI-MS) combined with statistical techniques was established for high-throughput molecular differentiation of different R. glutinosa samples. Dried and processed R. glutinosa samples from four different places of origin were analyzed by iEESI-MS with high throughput (>200 peaks) and rapidness (<2 min/sample) without sample pretreatment. Clear separation models created by OPLS-DA were then established for distinguishing the places of origin of dried and processed R. glutinosa by using the obtained MS data. In addition, the molecular differences between the pharmacological effects of dried and processed R. glutinosa were also investigated by OPLS-DA, and 31 different components were screened out. This work provides a promising method for evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicines and studying the biochemical mechanism of processing.

Effect of Iron Tailings as Fine Aggregate and Mineral Admixture on Strength and Microstructure of Cement Mortar

To investigate the application of iron tailings in cement-based materials as fine aggregate and mineral admixture, six iron tailings sands were selected from different places of origin, and the methods of acid and alkali activation were adopted to increase the activity of tailings powder. The strength of mortar was evaluated and the composition and microstructure were analyzed to explore the mechanism. The experimental results show that iron tailings sands had little adverse effect on the mortar strength, and there was a maximum increase of 13.2% in 28-day compressive strength compared with that of river sand mortar. The hardness values of all the iron tailings sand and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) around them were higher than that of natural river sand, but their Ca/Si ratios in the ITZ was lower, indicating a chemical reaction occurred between the iron tailings and cement paste. Generally, the iron tailings sand with higher SiO2 content and finer particles tend to have higher activity. In addition, the pozzolanic activity of iron tailings powder could be greatly promoted by chemical activation, especially by acid activation. The activity index of cement mortar with unactivated iron tailings powder was only 63% at 28 days, whereas that of acid-activated and compound-activated samples reached up to 93%, and the heights of the maximum heat flow peak of these samples were even higher than that of the control sample without iron tailings powder, and the time to reach the peak was in some advance, moreover their impedance parameters were close to the control sample.

The Mediating Role of Learning Engagement on Learning Gains of International Students in Chinese Higher Education Institutions—Based on a Multi-Cohort Analysis

Within the dynamic area of global higher education, international student education plays an important role as an educational resource for students from different countries around the world and ensures inclusive and equitable quality education to create a sustainable future for global citizens. As China’s position in the global international student education landscape continues to rise, international student education in China has entered a stage of improved quality and efficiency. The learning process and outcomes of international students in China have become a key perspective for exploring the quality of international student education in China. This study conducted a questionnaire survey with 1372 international students in China on their study experience in China and found that the learning engagement of international students in China partially mediates the relationship between college environment and study gains. A multi-cluster analysis found that the mediating model of the learning engagement of international students in China was constant across cohorts of students who were second-generation college students (or not), received scholarships (or not), and had different high school backgrounds. Some variability across international student groups of different academic levels and different places of origin occurred. Accordingly, the study makes reference to the three main actors, namely, universities, teachers, and international students, and proposes recommendations for improving the learning engagement and learning gains of international students in China.

Comparative Analysis with GC–MS of Fatty Acids and Volatile Compounds of Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin and Taraxacum officinale as Edible Resource Plants

Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin (TKS) is a potential edible resource plant that is rich in inulin, lipid, protein and other active ingredients. In this study, HS-SPME/GC–MS was used to analyze volatile compounds (VCs) and profile the fatty acids in TKS roots and leaves, and the results were compared with those from Taraxacum officinale (TO). A total of 105 and 107 VCs were detected in the leaves and roots of seven dandelion samples (three TKS and four TO), amongst which the main VCs were ethyl tetradecanoate, ethyl linolenate, ethyl linoleate, dihydroactinidiolide, ethyl palmitate, β-ionone, 3,5-octadien-2-one, β-ionone 5,6-epoxide, geranyl acetone, benzaldehyde, safranal, 2-Pentylfuran, farnesene and β-elemene. Linoleic acid and linolenic acid were the dominant fatty acids in seven dandelion samples, and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids was larger than 4. Principal component analysis showed that the differences in VCs and fatty acid levels between different dandelion samples mainly came from different places of origin, while the differences between different varieties in the same place of origin was minor; i.e., the VCs and fatty acid levels of TKS and TO collected from the same place were basically similar.

Online Learning Satisfaction Among the Zhumadian Vocational and Technical College Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected education at all levels in a variety of ways. Teachers and students around the world face this challenge together. As a result, online learning during the influenza pandemic has become a trend research topic. With its flexible, convenient, interactive, time-free and resource-rich characteristics, online learning has brought revolutionary new ways of learning. In this research, 62 college students from Zhumadian Vocational and Technical College, different genders and different places of origin, were selected as research subjects. Overall, the students surveyed were between 4 points and 4.5 points (Total score 5 points) satisfied with their online learning. It can be seen that during the epidemic period, the overall satisfaction of students in Zhumadian Vocational and Technical College with online teaching is relatively high, and there are still individual problems in the online learning of college students in Zhumadian Vocational and Technical College, which directly affect their satisfaction with online learning, such as insufficient online teaching interaction. Based on the above conclusions, this study puts forward relevant suggestions from the school level, the level of the online learning platform and the level of learners respectively, in order to play a certain role in improving the satisfaction of college students in online learning.

Spent coffee grounds and wood co-firing: Fuel preparation, properties, thermal decomposition, and emissions

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) is the byproduct of coffee preparation. With coffee being one of world's most traded commodities, the question of SCG utilization is naturally raised. Among the proposed and tried methods, direct co-firing with wood or other materials is still perceived as the method most local SCG producers could easily incorporate into a waste-to-energy supply chain for circular economy. This study thus delved into assessing the technical feasibility of SCG and wood co-firing. As part of the research, a thorough investigation into fuel properties, pelleting, boiler performance and emissions was conducted. A possible antagonistic behavior between SCG and wood was observed during thermogravimetric analysis and the subsequent emission tests. The thermogravimetric analysis also showed negligible difference in thermal decomposition of SCG from different places of origin. The mechanical durability of wood/SCG pellets was found to be significantly reduced by SCG, and the pellets would not meet the EN ISO 17255 requirements in any of the tested ratios. Compared to wood, the NO emissions were significantly higher when firing the SCG-containing pellets. However, no direct correlation was found between the NO concentrations and the amount of SCG in the blends, thus hinting at other factors affecting the NO formation.

Animal Teeth and Mesolithic Society

Abstract In several graves from the Mesolithic sites of Skateholm, South Sweden, animal teeth were found. Some of these teeth were used as beads in clothing. The strontium isotope analysis of 11 animal teeth is reported and discussed in comparison with human values from burials at the sites and baseline values from South Sweden. Roughly half of the animal teeth are nonlocal and from different places of origin. The beads themselves appear to carry symbolic information that may be related to the physical or social attributes of the wearer. This study involved a detailed investigation of the use-wear around the perforation and its relation to the local and nonlocal origin of the teeth.

Spatial variability of elemental fingerprints of sea lettuce (Ulva spp.) and its potential use to trace geographic origin

Seaweeds are an important marine resource and are currently used in a wide range of applications, such as food, feed, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and biomaterials. Seaweeds uptake a multitude of chemical elements from the environment, which can turn them into high-quality food products or pose a threat to human health. Therefore, knowing the elemental fingerprint of seaweeds, as well as their geographic origin, is of utmost importance for their valorization and to safeguard public health. In the present study, the elemental fingerprint of the green seaweed Ulva spp., popularly known as sea lettuce, was determined. Different samples were sourced from nine different locations over the western and southwestern Iberian coast, and elemental fingerprints targeted three major elements (Ca, K and Na) and seven trace elements (Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn). The elemental fingerprints of Ulva spp. differed significantly among the different places of origin, confirming the potential of this biogeochemical tool to trace the geographic origin of seaweeds. Origin certification can contribute towards the valorization of premium Ulva spp. biomass and enhance safety standards for high-end uses of this green seaweed.

HPLC fingerprinting-based multivariate analysis of chemical components in Tetrastigma Hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg: Correlation to their antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibition activities

Tetrastigma Hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg (TDG) has attracted growing attention in China; however, there were few studies on its bioactive components. Herein, the characteristic chemical components and dual antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibitory activities of fifteen batches of TDG from different places of origin and their relevance were investigated. The HPLC fingerprint was first established and the marker components were identified by using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Catechin-5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, tartaric acid, (1R, 2R, 4S)-2-hydroxy-1, 8-cineole-β-d-glucopyranoside, and phlorizin were identified for the first time. The result of multivariate statistical analysis indicated that multiple components have a significant contribution to the classification of TDG, such as chlorogenic acid, saccharumoside C/D, robinin, procyanidin B2, rutin, isoquercitrin, etc. Then, the antioxidant and neuraminidase inhibitory activities of fifteen batches of TDG were measured. The result of grey relationship analysis showed that the contents of rutin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, and astragalin were positively correlated with these two activities with correlation coefficients more than 0.8. The quantitative analysis of these four bioactive compounds was performed by using HPLC-DAD. The recovery rate of the method varied from 98.02% to 100.21%, the RSD values of precision, stability and repeatability were between 1.32–3.15 %, and the R value of the linear equation was above 0.9990. To sum up, this study is valuable in the quality control of TDG.

Extraction and classification of origin characteristic peaks from rice Raman spectra by principal component analysis

Rice origin identification can provide brand protection for rice with geographical indications. Therefore, it is necessary to design a convenient and fast detection method to meet the demands of the market. Based on Raman spectroscopy, this study involved the extraction and classification of characteristic spectral peaks of rice grain samples of the same cultivar but different places of origin. Raman spectra were acquired from 80 samples of rice with four different places of origin (Longjing 31 cultivar), and spectral information was extracted for analysis. First, the rice spectra were pretreated using a baseline correction and range normalization. Second, from the 400−1600cm−1 and 2800−3200cm-1 spectral region starting from the first four principal components of the regression coefficients extracted from principal component analysis (PCA), further screening produced eight spectral peaks characteristic of the place of origin: 476 cm−1, 867 cm−1,940 cm−1, 1121 cm−1, 1342 cm−1, 1384 cm−1, 1462 cm−1, and 2914 cm−1. These were also assigned to functional groups, revealing subtle differences in the nutritional content dependent on place of origin. Third, eight characteristic values extracted by PCA were used to establish a four-layer 8-9-6-4 (input-hidden-hidden-output) back propagation (BP) neural network structure as a rice-origin identification model. Finally, the model was used to train 80 rice samples in place-of-origin classification, and the average prediction accuracy of the cyclic test for the training samples reached 97.5 % after five epochs; for the other four epochs the accuracy ranged from 98.75%–96.25%. These results show that the model is feasible as a tool for the identification of rice types of the same variety and that it can effectively identify rice from different areas.

On the rapid and non-destructive approach for barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and phenothiazines determination and differentiation using spectral combination analysis and chemometric methods

The fast determination and differentiation of substance samples (tablets or powders) of medical drugs with high addiction potential by police or customs is an important forensic task. The sedative hypnotic drugs, due to their accessibility and low price, not only make some people from trying to use to becoming depended and addicted to them gradually, but also let some people be addicted to certain types of sedative hypnotic drugs due to the prolonged use. The attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been adopted with principal component analysis (KNN), Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), and K nearest neighbor analysis (KNN) to develop a method for differentiating the target sedative hypnotic drugs of abuse. Automatic baseline correction, multivariate scatter correction, standard normal variate and Savitzky-Golay algorithm and the ATR correction were performed as pre-processing methods. PCA was used to reduce the infrared spectroscopy multi-dimensionality and extraction of feature variables. While FDA and KNN, the several supervised pattern recognition methods, were used as algorithms of constructing classifiers. The results showed that accuracy of combination spectral models was significantly higher than that of single models. The distinguishing ability of FDA model was superior to that of KNN model. First-second derivative model was better than that of other models in differentiating samples. All bands region model was more worthwhile than functional group or fingerprint region models. The optimal differentiation model was FDA model that based on all band region data of first-second derivative spectral combination. 13 different types of sedative hypnotic drugs were all differentiated exactly. The same kind of them from different places of origin were also distinguished accurately. The designed method represented a potentially rapid and non-destructive approach for determination and differentiation sedative hypnotic drugs.

Comparison of therapeutic effect of moxibustion materials from different places and storage periods on knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis(OA) is a kind of osteoarticular degenerative disease. The most common joint involvement of OA is knee and hip joint. The incidence rate of OA increases with age. Meta analysis shows that moxibustion is superior to other therapies in treating knee osteoarthritis(KOA). In this study, the effects of moxibustion materials from different places of origin(Hubei Qichun, Henan Nanyang, Hunan) and storage periods(5, 3, 1 years) on knee osteoarthritis in rats were compared. The swelling degree of knee joint and the histopathology of knee joint cartilage were measured. The mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis was discussed from the perspective of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The results showed that the swelling degree of knee joint in the moxibustion material group of Hubei Qichun and Henan Nanyang was significantly lower than that in the model group, the diffe-rence was statistically significant(P&lt;0.05), and it was better than that in the moxibustion material group of Hunan Province; compared with the model group, the degeneration and pathological change of knee joint cartilage tissue in the moxibustion material group of different origins were alleviated to different degrees, the Mankin's score was significantly reduced, and that in the moxibustion material group of Qichun in Hubei Province and Nanyang in Henan Province was significantly reduced and better than Hunan moxibustion material group. The effect of moxibustion materials with different storage years on the swelling degree of osteoarthritis in rats was the earliest in Qichun 5-year group, and there was significant difference between Qichun 5-year group and model group after 3 days of treatment; the improvement of histopathological changes in Qichun 5-year and 3-year moxibustion materials group was better than that in Qichun 1-year moxibustion materials group. The study on the mechanism of action showed that moxibustion materials from different places could reduce the mRNA expression of β-catenin, BMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-13 genes in knee cartilage, suggesting that moxibustion could inhibit cartilage base by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. It may be one of the mechanisms of moxibustion in the treatment of OA.

Industrial applications of selected JFS articles

Industrial applications of selected <i>JFS</i> articles