Good Characteristics Research Articles

The sustainable livelihood model of farmers in the peri-urban areas of Bandung city

Welfare is the goal of every endeavor undertaken by humans, including farmers. However, to achieve prosperity, it is necessary to ensure that the sustainable livelihood conditions of each farmer are in good condition, supported by good characteristics and mastery of the five development capitals. This research aims to · Analyze the sustainable livelihoods of farmers on the outskirts of Bandung City; · Analyze the dominant factors that influence the sustainable livelihoods of farmers in the outskirts of Bandung City; · Analyze the influence of sustainable livelihoods on the welfare of farmers on the outskirts of Bandung City. The method used in this research is a predominantly quantitative mixed method. Data analysis in this study used structural equation modeling (SEM) involving 177 samples of farmers in Andir Village, Baleendah District and Mekarwangi Village, Lembang District. The research results showed that: · Respondents perceived sustainable livelihoods in the quite high category with a score of (3.68); · Respondent characteristics, financial capital, social capital and physical capital have a significant influence on sustainable livelihoods, while natural capital and human capital do not have a significant influence on sustainable livelihoods; · Sustainable livelihoods have a significant influence on the welfare of farming households. Based on the research results, there is a need to increase control of the five development capitals through farmers' efforts and initiatives as well as intervention from the government.

Combined Assessment of Function and Survival to Demonstrate the Effect of Treatment on Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder for which there are currently no disease-modifying treatments. Recent trials of potential therapies had durations of 12 months, which may be insufficient because of nonrandom missingness due to death. Longer durations, incorporating PSP Rating Scale and survival, can reduce the potential for type II error. Selecting efficacy measures more sensitive to disease modification may facilitate identification of treatment effect. The objective of this study was to evaluate the simulated phase 3 PSP trial assessing the effect of disease-modifying intervention on a novel combined primary endpoint comprising function (PSP Rating Scale) and survival, the Combined Assessment of Function and Survival (CAFS), and to determine operating characteristics of the CAFS. To simulate PSP progression in the trial population, we developed models of PSP Rating Scale and survival using data from published clinical studies. These models were used to define operating characteristics of the CAFS for use in a phase 3 trial. The sample size determined (N = 384; 1:1 randomization) would provide >80% power to detect significant treatment effects on the CAFS compared with placebo. The CAFS provides good operating characteristics and increased power to detect moderate treatment effects on the PSP Rating Scale. We propose a trial design allowing potential detection of treatment effects at a preplanned interim analysis after participants complete 12 months of treatment, with assessment of effects of treatment (≤24 months) on survival. Use of the CAFS could provide a comprehensive and robust estimate of the clinical benefit of future therapies. © 2024 UCB. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization Thaumatin-like Protein (TLP) Genes in Wild Olive (Olea europaea var. sylvestris)

The wild olive tree (Olea europaea var. sylvestris) is the ancestor of all olive varieties, displaying remarkable adaptability to diverse climatic conditions and soil types. This iconic tree of the Mediterranean Basin stands out for its ability to withstand environmental stresses, such as water scarcity and temperature variations, playing a crucial role in the ecology, economy, and culture of the region. In this study, 42 TLP genes were characterized in the wild olive tree, distributed across 14 chromosomes and nine scaffolds. In silico analysis revealed the presence of domains associated with antifungal activity in some sequences, indicating their potential role in pathogen resistance. The structural diversity of OeTLP genes was explored through multiple alignments, conserved motifs and phenetic analysis. Correlation was observed between phenetic diversity, genetic structure, and motif patterns, suggesting different functions among OeTLP groups. Additionally, the distribution of exons and introns in the pheneticc tree provided further insights into the evolution of these genes. Comparative modeling of OeTLPs unveiled three-dimensional models with good structural quality and distinctive surface charge characteristics. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the physicochemical, structural, and phenetic features of TLP genes in Wild Olive, contributing to knowledge about this species' response to environmental stresses and pathogens.

Effect of layered fertilizer strategies on rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) productivity and soil macropore characteristics under mechanical direct-sowing

Layered fertilization parameters affects crop root system configuration and growth distribution, which in turn affects soil pore properties and aggregate structure. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of the root system and soil pore space is helpful in choosing a reasonable fertilization ratio in production practice, which ensures high and stable crop yields and at the same time improves fertilizer utilization and soil health. Albeit the impact of layered fertilization ratio at varied rates on soil pore characteristics in the soil profile at a microscale level remains limited. This study quantifies the impacts of layered fertilization ratio under on rapeseed root distribution and soil pore characteristics using the root analysis system and X-ray computed tomography (XCT). A new fertilization pattern that shallow-deep layer synchronized mechanical sowing was using, rotary tillage mixed fertilization in the shallow layer and 10 cm side-deep band fertilization in the deeper layer. It set five ratios of fertilizer amounts between shallow and deep layers as 0:4 (FD), 1:3 (FL), 2:2 (FM), 3:1 (FH), and 4:0 (F0), with non-fertilization (CK) as the control treatment. The results indicated that layered fertilization effectively improved the rape root conformation and spatial distribution, significantly increased total soil porosity and moisture content, and reduced soil bulk density and resistance (P < 0.05). Additionally, root configuration is closely related to soil pore structure and crop yield. Notably, compared with other treatments, the macroscopic porosity, equivalent pore diameter, hydraulic radius and roundness of FM treatment are significantly improved, and it effectively improves the yield and quality of rapeseed. Correlation analysis showed that the root system configuration parameters were negatively correlated with soil bulk density and resistance but positively correlated with soil moisture content, and macropore morphology parameters and rapeseed yield. Our study demonstrate that layered fertilization can improved rape growth and soil macropore porosity, but its effect depends on good tillage macropore characteristics and distribution created by reasonable fertilization ratio, which provided a theoretical basis for high-yield, efficient, green, and sustainable mechanized direct-sowing production of rapeseed.

Fabrication and High Dielectric Properties of Sandwich-Structured Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3/Polyvinylidene Fluoride Layered Composites with Multiscale Parallel Interfaces.

Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (BST/PVDF) dielectric functional composites have been widely used in flexible wearable devices, capacitors, and energy storage devices. In addition to the ceramic phase type, polymer matrix type, composition, and interfacial connectivity of BST/PVDF composite materials, their morphology also significantly influences their electrical characteristics. Therefore, herein, sandwich-structured BST/PVDF layered composites were designed and prepared via tape-casting processing using different types of BST fillers [i.e., formless zero-dimensional (0D)-BST, rod-like one-dimensional (1D)-BST, and plate-like two-dimensional (2D)-BST]. The microstructures and electrical characteristics of sandwich-structured BST/PVDF composites were studied in relation to the BST morphology. The effects of the internal mechanisms of different interfacial models on the breakdown strength of BST/PVDF composites were discussed. According to our findings, unlike the 0D-BST and 1D-BST powders, 2D-BST powders form multiscale parallel interfaces in sandwich-structured composites due to their unique lamella-like morphology, which enhances the breakdown strength of sandwich-structured composites. Sandwich-structured BST/PVDF composites containing 2D-BST powders exhibit good electrical characteristics with an energy storage density of 19.71 J/cm3, an energy storage efficiency of 85.3%, a dielectric constant of 30.4 (1 kHz), a dielectric loss of 0.036 (1 kHz), and a dielectric tunability of 93.2%. This study provides a method for preparing functional composites with high dielectric tunability and high energy storage characteristics.

Abietic acid antagonizes the anti-inflammatory effects of celecoxib and ketoprofen: Preclinical assessment and molecular dynamic simulations

The present work is designed to explore the anti-inflammatory properties of AA and its modulatory effects on celecoxib (CEL) and ketoprofen (KET) through in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and in silico approaches. Different concentrations of AA were utilized to evaluate the membrane-stabilizing potential via egg albumin and the Human Red Blood Cell (HRBC) denaturation model. In the animal model, formalin (50 μL) was injected into the right hind paw of young chicks to induce inflammation. AA was administered at 20 and 40 mg/kg (p.o.) to the experimental animals. We used CEL and KET as positive controls. The vehicle was provided as a control group. Two combinations of AA with CEL and KET were also investigated in all tests to assess the modulatory activity of AA. In addition, in silico investigation was used for predictions about drug-likeness, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of the selected chemical compounds, and the study also evaluated the binding affinity, visualization, and stability of ligand-receptor interactions through molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. Results manifested that AA concentration-dependently significantly inhibited the egg albumin denaturation (IC50: 27.53 ± 0.88 μg/ml) and breakdown of HRBC (IC50: 15.69 ± 0.75 μg/ml), indicating the membrane stabilizing potential compared to the control group. AA also significantly (p < 0.05) lessened the frequency of licking and alleviated the paw edema in a dose-dependent manner in an in vivo test. However, AA reduced the activity of CEL and KET in combination treatment. AA showed good pharmacokinetic characteristics to be considered as a therapeutic candidate. Additionally, the in silico study displayed that AA demonstrated a relatively higher docking score of −9.1 kcal/mol with the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme and stable binding in MD simulation. Whereas the standard ligand (CEL) expressed the highest binding value of −9.2 kcal/mol to the COX-2.

Tuning Supercapacitive Behavior of Eri Silk (Philosamiaricini)‐Polyanilne Nanocomposite for Electrodes Applications

ABSTRACTHerein, the synthesis of Polyaniline‐Eri nanosilk fibroin (PANI/ENSF) composite supercapacitor electrode material by utilizing Eri silk (Philosamiaricini) as a raw material and polyaniline (PANI) with H2SO4 as doping acid and (NH4)2S2O8 as an oxidant, via a simple in situ oxidative polymerization technique, with good performance characteristics is reported. The chemical composition of the composites have been studied by using XRD, FT‐IR, UV–vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and morphology is studied by SEM. BET analysis reveals that the surface area of composite is 712.10 m2g−1, and BJH analysis shows that the pore size is mainly concentrated between 1.5 and 15.7 nm. The composite shows electrical conductivity of 17.33 × 10−2 Scm−1 (Keithley Model 2000). The electrochemical performances are evaluated by using CV, GCD, and EIS measurements. The three‐electrode system composite shows specific capacitance of about 310.12 Fg−1 at 0.1 Ag−1, which is the highest value being reported, compared to already available polyaniline‐silk composites. Further the studies have been extended to assemble a symmetrical two‐electrode supercapacitor device which also exhibits a high value of specific capacitance of 35 Fg−1 at 5 Ag−1 and 96.12% capacity retention over 5000 cycles. For the first time, this study reports using a Polyaniline‐Eri nanosilk composite to design an efficient supercapacitor electrode.

Responsive integration performed by laser-induced Er3+ structural doping and graphene nanoplatelets

Laser-induced preparation method has the advantages of high efficiency, high yield, no ionic diffusion restriction and competitive side reaction, which can prepare diversified composite materials based on small-scale and distributed characteristics. Besides, integrating multiple performance and conducting inductive feedback are helpful for the reliability and calibration of laser-induced materials in the precision field. Herein, responsive integration is designed based on graphene nanoplatelets/ZnSe:Er3+ composite with optical, electrical, thermal and visual properties for real-time feedback. Er3+ ions doped ZnSe is obtained by fast laser-induced method, combined with two-dimensional graphene nanoplatelets and assembled into temperature-sensitive polyimide and cellulose paper, realizing the characteristics of photoelectric conversion and photothermal conversion. Besides, red fluorescence guiding perceptual behavior can also be produced under the radiation of NIR laser. Based on the proposed composite, bionic flower is constructed, and exhibits good motion features in blooming. Meanwhile, large curvature bending, high thermal sensitivity and strong fluorescence emission are also revealed. Such performance combination design provides a convenient approach for multi signals cross feedback in soft actuator, which strengthens the monitoring and guidance of motion perceptions, and can be potentially applied in diversified fields.

Comparative study of five scab resistant apple cultivars

Vegetative and reproductive characteristics of five resistant apple cultivars budded on ‘М9-Т337’ rootstock were compared in the intensive orchard, planted at the density of 2380 trees per hectare (3.5 × 1.2 m) in the period 2017-2023. Trees were formed as tall spindle, under an insecticidal net against hail. Trees were grown under drip irrigation and sod-mulch system was applied. The cultivars FUJIONpbr and ENTERPRISE demonstrate greater trunk-cross section area, higher trees and greater crown volume to the tested cultivars. The smallest trees were noted in Cultivar GEMINI*. The lowest yield per unit area was obtained on cultivar FUJIONpbr. There was no significant difference among other cultivars. Despite of generally good characteristics the cultivar GEMINI* has relatively small fruits. Keywords: apple, vigor, productivity, fruit weight, yield

DFT, Molecular Docking, ADME, and Cardiotoxicity Studies of Persuasive Thiazoles as Potential Inhibitors of the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2.

This study explores the capability of thiazoles as potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Seventeen thiazoles (1-17) were screened for their linking affinity with the active site of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and compared with the FDA-recommended antiviral drugs, Remdesivir and Baricitinib. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations provided electronic and energetic properties of these ligands, shedding light on their stability and reactivity. Molecular docking analysis revealed that thiazole derivatives exhibited favorable linking affinities with various functional sites of SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including spike receptor-linking zone, nucleocapsid protein N-terminal RNA linking zone, and Mpro. Notably, compounds 3, 10, and 12 displayed the best interaction with 6LZG as compared to FDA-approved antiviral drugs Remdesivir and Baricitinib, while compounds 1, 10, and 8 exhibited strong linking with 6 M3 M and also better than Remdesivir and Baricitinib. Additionally, compounds 3, 1, and 6 showed promising interactions with 6LU7 but only compound 3 performed better than Baricitinib. An ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) study provided insights into the pharmacokinetics and drug-likeness of these compounds, with all ligands demonstrating good physicochemical characteristics, lipophilicity, water solubility, pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness, and medicinal chemistry attributes. The results suggest that these selected thiazole derivatives hold promise as potential candidates for further drug development.

Diversity of Improved Diploids and Commercial Triploids from Musa spp. via Molecular Markers

Banana breeding consists of obtaining diploid, triploid, and tetraploid intra- and interspecific hybrids by conventional breeding methods with the objective of aggregating characteristics of agronomic and commercial interest. Given the narrow genetic base of bananas, Embrapa’s Banana Genetic Breeding Program (BGBP) aims at crosses between improved diploids (ID) (ID × ID) and between improved diploids (ID) and commercial triploids (ID × CTP) and tetraploids (ID × CTT), in order to increase the genetic base and variability in bananas regarding agronomic traits of interest and resistance to main biotic and abiotic factors. These improved diploids are resistant to main fungal diseases such as yellow (YSD) and black Sigatoka (BSD) disease and Fusarium wilt (race 1 and subtropical race 4), the latter being one of the most devastating diseases in bananas. The genetic diversity between 22 improved diploids and seven commercial banana triploids was analyzed using DNA molecular markers. Five IRAP (Inter-Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism, 7 ISSR (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats) and 12 SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers were used. The genetic dissimilarity matrix was based on the Jaccard dissimilarity index; clusters were separated using the UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method With Arithmetic Mean) method and cophenetic correlation of 0.8755. This study of the genetic diversity between improved diploids and commercial triploids, based on the genetic dissimilarity matrix, revealed that the most dissimilar diploids were DM23 and DM15 (74%) and DM16 and DM15 (74%). The smallest genetic distances between the improved diploids and commercial triploids were between TCGN25 and DM17 (50%) and TCN26 and DM17 (50%). The genetic distance matrix also revealed important genotypes to be used in crosses in order to maintain good characteristics in commercial triploids when crossed with improved diploids. The results of our study provide better breeding strategies for one of the largest banana-breeding programs worldwide focused on the development of banana varieties resistant to main biotic and abiotic factors.

Combining ion-pair strategy and percutaneous permeation enhancers to develop sustained-release paliperidone patch

In this study, a sustained-release paliperidone (PAL) patch was developed using a combination of ion-pair strategy and percutaneous permeation enhancers (PPEs). The ion-pair strategy was used to improve drug-adhesive miscibility and control drug release. PPEs were used to break SC barrier function to facilitate drug skin permeation. The in vitro skin permeation experiments using single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design gave the optimized formulation, a 55 μm adhesive thickness patch with 7 % (w/w) PAL-LA (Lauric acid), 9.7 % (w/w) Plurol® Oleique CC 497 (POCC). Moreover, the pharmacokinetic study confirmed its potential in sustained-release transdermal patch with longer MRT0-t (18.35 ± 3.11 h) and higher BA (63.14 %) than the gavage group (Cmax = 6.64 ± 2.61 μg/mL, MRT0-t = 2.88 ± 1.06 h, BA = 45.70 %) without significant increasing Cmax. The mechanism study revealed that forming ion-pairs effectively modulated drug’s physicochemical properties and doubly ionic H-bond strength to improve drug miscibility in patches. To summarize, a sustained-release patch of PAL was successfully developed, which provided a strategy for sustained-release patches with good drug-polymer miscibility, drug controlled-release, and feasible drug utilization features.

Design of dual-band filtering patch antenna based on SIR multimode resonator

Abstract With the development of the communication field, more and more communication devices need multiple single-frequency antennas to work simultaneously. However, using multiple single-frequency antennas results in larger sizes. The miniaturized and dual-band communication system has become a new development trend. This paper designs a dual-band filtering patch antenna based on a multimode resonator, which is cascaded. The filter resonator part adopts step impedance resonance for branch shunt design, which can flexibly control the center frequency of two frequency bands. The filtering antenna utilizes a dual-layer substrate structure and achieves an integrated design through coupling probe feeding. This reduces the horizontal dimensions and improves miniaturization. Multiple radiation nulls are introduced outside the two-passband, and roll-off characteristics are evident. In addition, this design realizes high selectivity in the operating band. The antenna has large gains of 1.71 dBi and 6.25 dBi. It has good filtering and radiation characteristics.

Carbazole-Bearing Conjugated Microporous Polymer Electrodes for Uranium Extraction from Seawater with Good Anti-biofouling Feature

Carbazole-Bearing Conjugated Microporous Polymer Electrodes for Uranium Extraction from Seawater with Good Anti-biofouling Feature

LPI radar waveform design based on complementary phase and discrete chaotic frequency joint coding

In order to reduce the probability of radar radiation signals being detected by enemy passive detection systems, this paper proposes a phase and frequency joint coding low intercept Radar waveform design method. Based on the linear frequency modulation signal, this method uses complementary binary code and chaotic sequence to phase encode the intra-pulse modulation. Code and frequency coding. The numerical simulation results show that the designed waveform exhibits pseudo-random characteristics in the time-frequency domain, and the low recognition performance is improved; The signal has an extremely low peak sidelobe level after matched filtering, showing excellent low intercept performance; its three-dimensional ambiguity function diagram presents an ideal “graph”. Fishing type”, with good distance, speed resolution and anti-interference characteristics.

Block-based color image encryption algorithm by a novel memristor chaotic system and new RNA computation

The security of images is closely related to the protection of information privacy. We proposed a novel 5D memory resistive chaotic system (5D-MRCS), which exhibits good chaotic characteristics. Therefore, we employed it to design an image encryption algorithm aimed at ensuring secure image transmission. To further enhance the complexity of the algorithm and obtain more chaotic sequences, we combine the 5D-MRCS with the Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model and use this combination in algorithm design. Initially, we combine the plain image with the hash function SHA-384 to devise and generate the secret key. Subsequently, the algorithm determines whether to pad the plain image based on different block size requirements. Then, we use multiple chaotic sequences generated by the 5D-MRCS and HH model to perform the global image permutation operation. Our designed permutation algorithm includes two parts: Block-based permutation and a new pixel-level permutation. Next, the scrambled image undergoes block-based random RNA diffusion, incorporating two newly proposed methods in the RNA operations, ultimately resulting in the ciphertext image. The algorithm’s NPCR, UACI, information entropy, and other security performance metrics are very close to the ideal values, and it possess characteristics such as resistance to differential, cutting, chosen plaintext, and noise attacks. Compared with other algorithms, it still has some advantages across multiple images and demonstrates excellent image encryption performance.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the hospital-acquired insomnia scale (HAIS) and analysis of influencing factors

BackgroundAdequate sleep and rest are essential for patient recovery; however, lack of sleep has become a common problem faced by Chinese patients during hospital stays. Reduced sleep is often associated with a higher risk of disease progression and is strongly associated with increased hospital stay. However, there is no specific tool in China to assess short-term insomnia caused by hospitalization. This study aimed to translate the Hospital-acquired Insomnia Scale (HAIS) into Chinese, test its applicability to Chinese inpatients through reliability and validity indicators, and investigate the potential influencing factors of hospital-acquired insomnia.MethodsPsychometric analysis from a sample of 679 hospitalized patients to whom the HAIS questionnaire was applied. The structural validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the content validity of the scale was assessed using the content validity index. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, split-half reliability and test–retest reliability were calculated to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the potential correlates of hospital-acquired insomnia.ResultsEFA supported a four-factor structure with factor loadings for all dimensions greater than 0.40. CFA showed good indicators of model fit. The content validity index of the scale was 0.94. the Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was 0.915, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.819, and the retest reliability was 0.844. Gender, age, total hours of sleep during the night, medical insurance, length of hospital stay, perceived stress level, and perceptions about sleep explained 46.2% of the variance in hospital-acquired insomnia.ConclusionThe Chinese version of HAIS has good psychometric characteristics and is an effective instrument for evaluating hospital-acquired insomnia. In addition, hospital-acquired insomnia is more common in women, of younger age, less than 5 h of sleep a night, without medical insurance, stressed, and patients with more misconceptions about sleep.

Enhanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna with SSRR metamaterial for improved 5G performance in the 38 GHz band

This study involves the integration of a compact Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (AVA) with a square-shaped split ring resonator (SSRR) metamaterial to achieve improved performance, specifically in the 38 GHz band of 5G applications. The compact antenna is fabricated on Roger's substrate 5880 with 20 x 6 x 0.5 mm3 dimensions. The operational frequency ranges from 34 GHz to 43.8 GHz, catering to the specific needs of the 5G spectrum. To optimize the antenna's performance, corrugations are strategically introduced in the flares of the AVA, resulting in a notable improvement in the front-to-back ratio (FBR) by 18.35 dB. Additionally, square-shaped split ring resonators (SSRRs) are integrated into the AVA aperture, contributing to a gain enhancement of 4.6 dBi. The overall design achieves a gain ranging from 9.2 dBi to 10.4 dBi across the 38 GHz frequency band. The proposed AVA demonstrates good characteristics, with the highest front-to-back (FBR) value recorded at 20.4 dB at 40.6 GHz. The FBR consistently exceeds 15.6 dB throughout the specified frequency range. The antenna design is fabricated, simulated, and experimentally verified, affirming its suitability for compact 5G devices. The results indicate that the proposed miniaturized AVA, incorporating SSRR metamaterial and optimized flare corrugations, is an efficient candidate for compact 5G devices, offering enhanced gain and FBR over the desired frequency band.

New species diversity and host association of Lactarius sect. Deliciosi: describing L. gibbosus and L. parvihatsudake (Russulaceae, Russulales) in southern China

Lactarius gibbosus and L. parvihatsudake, two red-colored species of Lactarius sect. Deliciosi are described as new from southern China. Lactarius gibbosus is a rare species, growing in fagaceous forest in southwestern China, similar to L. subindigo. Its pileipellis with slightly thick-walled swollen cells is unique in the section. The macrocystidia filled with golden yellow contents are another good character. This is the first report of red-colored species of L. sect. Deliciosi growing in fagaceous forest. Lactarius parvihatsudake grows in forest of Pseudolarix amabilis, an ancient relict Chinese tree only in eastern China. It has smaller basidiocarps and bigger spores than L. hatsudake. The discovery of this species added Pseudolarix to the potential host list of L. sect. Deliciosi. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS region and glyceraldehyde-3-phophate dehydrogenase gene showed that L. gibbosus was a sibling of L. subindigo. These two species formed an early diverging lineage of L. sect. Deliciosi. Lactarius parvihatsudake was nested deeply in L. sect. Deliciosi but its closest relatives cannot be determined. These data update our understanding of the diversity of L. sect. Deliciosi in Asia and will hopefully help to understand the role of host shift in speciation of ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Fracture mechanism and constitutive model considering post-peak plastic deformation of marble under thermal–mechanical action

Temperature plays an important impact on rock mechanical properties. In this paper, the mechanical properties, fracture mechanism and constitutive model of marble under 20–120 °C and 15 MPa are studied. The results show marble deformation can be divided into four stages: compaction, linear elasticity, crack propagation and post-peak failure. Stress–strain curve is not obviously affected by temperature. Macroscopic fracture characteristics change from shear failure to tensile mixed failure with temperature increasing. With the increase of temperature, the strength of marble tends to decrease, indicating that temperature increase has a weakening effect on marble, and there are temperature-sensitive areas of 20–60 °C and temperature sub-sensitive areas of 60–120 °C. The elastic modulus of marble decreases and Poisson’s ratio increases with increasing temperature. The energy evolution law of marble under different temperature is basically the same, which shows that before crack initiation, the energy dissipation is less, and after the damage and yielding occurs, the energy dissipation increases quickly. The energy dissipation in the failure process is mainly used for crack initiation-connection-penetration, as well as plastic deformation caused by friction and slip of cracks, and the plastic deformation and energy dissipation have good linear characteristics. The statistical damage constitutive model based on three-parameter Weibull distribution function can effectively reflect the characteristics of post-peak plastic deformation and strain softening. The weakening effect of marble at 20–120 °C is related to its internal moisture excitation. With the increase of temperature, water is stimulated to absorb and attach to the original relatively dry interface, which plays a role in lubrication. The relative motion friction resistance between solid particles or crack surfaces decreases, which leads to crack initiation and friction energy consumption reduction, changes the specific surface energy of rocks and weakens the strength of marble. The results provide a theoretical basis for predicting and evaluating the long-term stability and safety of surrounding rock of underground deep engineering in complex environment with high ground temperature and high geo-stress.