Significant Negative Linear Correlation Research Articles

Regulatory Role of ERG3 and Efg1 in Azoles-Resistant Strains of Candida albicans Isolated from Patients Diagnosed with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), caused by Candida albicans, affects women's health and life. We aimed to explore the correlation between ERG3 as well as Efg1 mutation/overexpression and azoles-resistance, and the correlation between ERG3 and Efg1 mRNA expression in C. albicans. First, C. albicans was isolated from clinical VVC patients. ERG3 and Efg1 mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, and the expression levels of these two genes were also identified by qRT-PCR. Correlations between mutation/overexpression of ERG3/Efg1 and azoles-resistance as well as ERG3 and Efg1 mRNA expression were analyzed. Based on the ERG3 sequencing, the results showed that there were 2 missense mutation sites, 1 nonsense mutation site, and 4 silent mutation sites, while 1 missense mutation sites, 1 nonsense mutation site, and 12 silent mutation sites were found in Efg1. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of ERG3 gene in the strains sensitive to FCA, ITR or VRC were higher than those in the strains resistant to FCA, ITR, VRC (P < 0.05). While for the mRNA levels of Efg1, susceptible strains were lower than resistant strains. Besides, there was a significant linear negative correlation between ERG3 and Efg1 mRNA expression (r = - 0.614, P < 0.001).

Consumers’ Adoption of Mobile Payment: Comparison between China and Malaysia

Mobile payment services has emerged as one of the prominent transaction payment methods. China is leading in mobile payment globally while mobile payment in Malaysia still in its infancy. This paper compares the factors in adoption of mobile payment among consumers’ in Zuhai, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The factors included in the study were perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norms and perceived security risk. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken on 96 smartphone users from China and 51 users from Malaysia. Inferential statistics Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare between study variables. Spearman’s ho correlation was used to identify the association between the study variables and behavioral intention to adopt mobile payment services. The study found significant different between users’ perception on subjective norms and perceived security risk in these two city. There was no significant different for perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use between users in Zuhai and Kuala Lumpur. Significant negative linear correlations between perceived security risk and behavioral intention, and significant positive correlations between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and subjective norms and behavioral intention were observed from the study. The findings of this study indicate that the consumers in Kuala Lumpur have higher concern on mobile payment services security and greater social influences to adopt mobile payments.

Multipath extraction and mitigation for high-rate multi-GNSS precise point positioning

Multipath effect on carrier-phase observation is one of the bottlenecks for mm-level applications when using precise point positioning (PPP). Hence, we extract the multipath directly from raw carrier-phase residuals of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BDS, by using PPP technique. Although the residuals for one frequency assimilate the errors from other frequencies, which is caused by error adjustment by the least squares estimator, the primary component of residuals is multipath. The results indicate that the residuals between frequencies have a significant linear negative correlation and synchronous time lag for each system. Besides BDS Geostationary Earth Orbit satellites, the residuals for other satellites can establish accurate mathematic relationship between the frequencies. For GLONASS, the residuals of R1 frequency recovered from R2 frequency with the mathematical relationship are better than 0.1 mm accuracy, which means the effect of inter-frequency bias can be neglected. These regularities double-reduce the complexity of data processing. Based on the multipath distribution, we propose a modified Multipath Hemispherical Map model (M-MHM), which constructs grids from residuals and is divided into three equal-elevation angle parts with an optimal resolution 0.2° × 0.2° × 1° from numerous experiments. In addition, the multipath manifests great consistency among satellites for GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo systems when elevation angles are higher than 15°, while is more satellite dependent for BDS. Although GPS L1 frequency is identical to Galileo E1, the model still has some systematic bias between GPS and Galileo. Compared with sidereal filtering and original MHM model, the M-MHM brings the highest improvement in both residual variance reduction and positioning accuracy. The positioning accuracy is on average 12% improvement compared to MHM and 29% improvement compared to SF. For four systems combined solutions with the M-MHM model, can reach an accuracy of 0.75, 0.55, and 2.08 cm in the east, north, and up components.

Impact of genotype, seed composition, agronomic trait, and environment on soybean test weight

ABSTRACTTest weight (TW) is a primary indicator of soybean grain quality and measure of bulk density (mass/volume). The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects of genotype, environment and planting date on TW, and determine the relationship of TW with agronomic and seed composition traits. Six experiments (Exp) were conducted using diverse sets of cultivars/experimental lines. Significant negative linear correlations between TW and seed moisture in each of five genotypes were observed (P < 0.0001). A linear regression model using both measured TW and moisture were developed to normalize TW on a 13% moisture basis for comparison across genotypes and environments. Significant genetic variations (P < 0.01) of TW among genotypes were observed, ranging from 70.0 to 75.3; 70.3 to 74.3; and 66.4 to 74.3 kg hL−1 in Exp-1, 2, and 3, respectively. Locations and G x E interactions also had significant effects on TW (P < 0.01) in these EXPs. Soybean yield was significantly negatively correlated with TW in Exp-1 and 3 (P < 0.01). Seed protein and sucrose contents, and maturity days were significantly, positively correlated with TW, while seed oil content and seed size were significantly, negatively correlated with TW in most or all experiments (P < 0.05). Effects of planting dates on TW were inconsistent for both Exp-4 and 5 between 2 years. There was no correlation between TW of the cultivars and their releasing years in MG VII. To our knowledge, this is the first report on test weight in soybean and the results could be used to guide future genetic improvement of TW.

Allocation Methodology of Process-Level Carbon Footprint Calculation in Textile and Apparel Products

Textile and apparel industrial processes generate a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which is a severe environmental issue for China. Aiming at greenhouse reduction, a carbon footprint calculation method is presented. In carbon footprint calculations, allocation methodology is among the most significant and controversial issues; it can be a major reason for the LCA uncertainty and robustness caused. What is more, allocation methodology impacts directly on the preparation of data collection and system boundary. Different outcomes can be achieved even for apparently similar systems by using a different allocation approach. Textile production has a large range of production process. During textile production process, it may be a single product production with co-products. The current CF calculation only evaluates GHGs emissions at product or plant level, so the difference of the technology on different processes cannot be deduced. Hence, the choice of proper allocation methodology is a crucial issue to be considered in textile and apparel industry. In this paper, based on characteristics of textile and apparel industry, process-level allocation methodology in textile and apparel industry was put forward. The application of allocation methodology was investigated and analyzed with a case study on cotton T-shirts. Firstly, case study results show that greenhouse gases of the ironing and sewing process are the two largest emissions (ironing, 40.82%, and sewing, 34.85%, respectively). Energy-saving refrigeration equipment needs to be chosen to reduce the greenhouse gases significantly. Secondly, for most processes, CF of S2 (auxiliary CF) accounts for the highest proportion of total CF. Preferred to S1, more attention should be paid to reduce the S2 emissions. Thirdly, GHGs emissions of the polo shirt in the sewing process are significantly higher than that of the T-shirt in the sewing stage (T-shirt, 0.167 kg CO2 eq/piece, and polo shirt, 0.371 kg CO2 eq/piece, respectively). This is the consequence that polo shirt’s style and structure determine the complexity of its sewing process. Finally, based on the pearson correlation coefficient, T-shirt production (kg) has a significant negative linear correlation (correlation coefficient: −0.868) with the CF (kg CO2 eq/kg T-shirts), the similar with that (correlation coefficient: −0.963) of all production. Improving the textile and garment production efficiency is significant to reduce the CF of products (per mass) by technological innovation and management optimization. In this study, we demonstrate that the process-level allocation is a feasible method, and can serve as the basis for a textile-specific allocation approach in LCA. Process-level allocation may help to address textile allocation problems and might lead to more detailed LCA results for products. We recommend broad applications and testing of this new allocation approach.

A Sustainable Way of Fertilizer Recommendation Based on Yield Response and Agronomic Efficiency for Chinese Cabbage

Chemical fertilizer plays an irreplaceable role in raising vegetable output and improving the livelihood of people in China. Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.) is one of the most common vegetables with a wide planting area. However, there are problems such as the excessive and blind application of chemical fertilizers, which bring about the increase of planting cost and the risk of environmental pollution. So, it is urgent to improve fertilization methods and improve fertilizer use efficiency, aiming to promote the sustainable development of agriculture. In this study, multi-year and multi-site experiments were retrieved from the published literature and public scientific research institutions to study a sustainable fertilizer recommendation method for Chinese cabbage based on yield response and agronomic efficiency. The results showed that the average indigenous nutrients supply of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were 112.98, 35.03, and 213.15 kg/ha, respectively. It is suggested that these nutrients should not be neglected in the process of fertilizer recommendation. The average yield responses to N, P2O5, and K2O were 26.6, 13.9, and 16.6 t/ha, the relative yields were 0.70, 0.84, and 0.84; also, it was concluded that the agronomic efficiencies were 114.3, 108.5, and 89.4 kg/kg on average, respectively. From these datasets, the theoretical basis of recommended fertilization was established. It was found that there was a significant negative correlation between N, P, and K indigenous nutrient supply and the yield response to N, P2O5, and K2O, and a significant negative linear correlation between yield response and the relative yield of N, P2O5, and K2O. There was also a significant one-dimensional quadratic function relationship between yield response and agronomic efficiency in Chinese cabbage. Then, two years of field experiments for Chinese cabbage were conducted to verify the fertilizer recommendation. It was concluded that fertilizer recommendation for Chinese cabbage based on yield response and agronomic efficiency was a sustainable way for farmland utilization, not only economically and suitably satisfying its application on fields of different sizes, but also taking into account the indigenous nutrient supply and the interaction between N, P, and K, having shown the advantages of high efficiency, especially when the conditions such as soil testing and plant diagnosis were not sufficient.

Household drinking water safety among the population of Gaza Strip, Palestine: knowledge, attitudes, practices, and satisfaction

Abstract A descriptive cross-sectional study employing a structured questionnaire was employed to assess knowledge, attitude, practice, and satisfaction (KAPS) of Gaza's community on issues related to household drinking water safety. The results showed that of 1,857 household heads, 1,621 (87.3%) were males, with the majority (967, 52.1%) having a university educational level. Of surveyed households, 744 (40.1%) consisted of 5–7 persons and 885 (47.7%) of the households resided in refugee camps. Mean percentages for KAPS were 82 ± 15.5%, 64.9 ± 39.7%, 53.2 ± 14.1%, and 37.3 ± 26.56%, respectively. There were statistically significant associations between some sociodemographic variables and mean percentage of KAPS scores. Educational level was the only variable significantly associated (p &amp;lt; 0.05) with all mean KAPS scores. There was a significant positive linear correlation between knowledge-attitude (r = 0.362, p &amp;lt; 0.05), but a significant negative linear correlation between knowledge-practice (r = −0.070, p &amp;lt; 0.05) was also observed. Therefore, the Local Government Authority (LGA) should arrange community awareness campaigns on the importance of safety and hygiene measures of drinking water storage. Furthermore, and due to the poor financial capabilities of the LGA in Gaza, it is highly recommended that LGA contact relevant international donors in order to support programs aiming at improving household water supply.

Temperature-dependent photoluminescence characterization of compressively strained AlGaInAs quantum wells

A series of compressively strained AlGaInAs quantum well (QW) structures with different annealing treatment durations at 170 °C were investigated by temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL). An abnormal S-shaped behavior in emission energy and a non-monotone evolution in spectral band width were observed at low temperature. A significant negative linear correlation between full width at half maximum (FWHM) and emission energy at different test temperature was exhibited in samples with different heat treatment durations. The highly linear relation demonstrated that the dependencies and relationships between PL peak energy and FWHM vs temperature are consistent. The anomalous blue shift and concomitant narrowing of FWHM in AlGaInAs QW were affected by lattice strain fluctuations due to the difference of thermal expansion coefficients between adjacent layers and strong carriers’ localization at low temperature.

Human Resilience and the Gut Microbiome

ObjectiveThis project evaluated the relationship of gut microbiome composition of first year medical students and stress resilience over a period of 4 months. Our objective was to identify gut microbiome characteristics of individuals that showed long term stress resilience.MethodsStudents were voluntarily recruited and screened for lifestyle and environmental factors. Their degree of psychologic stress at 3 timepoints during the first semester was measured with Cohen's perceived stress scale and PHQ‐9 depression scores. Fecal samples were collected at the same time using uBiome home kits at participant convenience. Samples were processed by uBiome and amplified for the 16s V4 gene. Stress and depression scores were normalized and summed to produce a psychologic index score. These scores were used to identify what microbiome characteristics may be correlated to stress resiliency of susceptibility. Metagenomic workup was performed using QIIME, MetaComet, and R Studio.Summary of resultsAcross phyla present in 100% of samples, none were independently correlated with psychologic scores using a linear model while Bacteroidete:Firmicute ratio showed a significant negative linear correlation with the psychologic index (Pearon's, p=0.05, R=−0.24). Phylogenetic assembly of participants by microbiome relatedness found that 100% of subjects who were resilient to stress across all timepoints (n=8) were phylogenetically clustered in adjacent positions, showing a high degree of temporal stability. Of participants who were not durably resilient to stress, only 62% of participants (n=8) showed microbiomes that were phylogenetically related across the same 4 month period. We identified 2,102 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) which were unique to the durable resilience group and 94 OTUs which were unique to the susceptible group. Of the 4,794 observed OTUs, 6.1% (n=294) were significantly different between groups by Kruskal‐Wallis before post‐test adjustment.ConclusionFindings of a correlation between an index accounting for stress and depression and the abundance of Bacteroidetes: Firmicutes, and a relationship between durable resiliency and microbiome stability support that the gut microbiome may play an important role in stress resilience at a time scale of 4 months. More research is indicated in this field to identify microbiome characteristics which are responsible for stress resilience. These may include the presence or absence of specific taxa or ratios between taxa, such as the Bacteroidete:Firmicute ratio. Eventually, a better understanding of the role of the gut microbiome in stress resilience may someday create opportunities to help those with conditions which are characterized by low stress resilience when faced with new challenges. We hope someday that exploration of the microbiome will produce actionable, clinically relevant opportunities.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Experimental study on the physical modeling of loess tunnel-erosion rate

Loess tunnel erosion is a distinctive soil erosion pattern that commonly occurs in collapsible loess areas. The resulting soil erosion is a serious and complex problem. At present, most of the research methods on loess tunnel erosion are based on field investigation, and the knowledge obtained is, therefore, mostly qualitative. Erosion characteristics and erosion rates of loess tunnels are rarely revealed quantitatively by laboratory physical modeling or field investigation. In this paper, we report the results of a small model test based on three types of archetypal geological structures that are recognized by field investigation, i.e., vertical fractures, horizontal fractures, and round holes, These results reveal the effect of different initial flow cross sections on the erosion characteristics of loess tunnels. We found that, where water crosses an area of loess, waterfalls dominate initial erosion. We also studied the mud erosion rate to quantitatively reveal tunnel-erosion rates and their variation with time and found that tunnel erosion occurs in three stages: a rapid-erosion stage, an erosion slow-down stage, and a slow uniform-erosion stage. Using a model test to undertake quantitative studies into the relationship between the erosion rate of a loess tunnel and both initial dry density and initial water content, we demonstrated a significant linear negative correlation between these parameters. Through physical simulations combined with field investigation and analysis of survey results, we found that the erosion of loess tunnels occurs with a certain periodicity and that the tunnel-erosion base level plays a decisive role in the erosional features and final morphology of loess tunnels. By increasing our understanding of the internal mechanisms of loess tunnel erosion, our work will contribute to the prevention of cave erosion and reduction in the risks of associated disasters in the Loess Plateau of the Yellow River in China and in other loess-containing areas around the world. Our studies also provide a theoretical basis for carrying out soil and water conservation work in similar areas.

Anxiety and Depression in Parent Caregivers of Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Parents of children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, yet, they are an under-researched group. This national cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of anxiety and depression in parents of children with CF, and examined the associations between these symptoms and their child’s physical health and quality of life. A total of 203 parents of children attending nine paediatric CF clinics across Ireland filled out a questionnaire pack containing: a background information questionnaire; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D); and, the Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life Scale—Revised Edition (CFQ-R). According to the HADS, 38% of parents had elevated anxiety and 12% had elevated depression symptoms. Just over a fifth (20.7%) had elevated depression symptoms on the CES-D. Mothers had significantly higher levels of anxiety than fathers. There were statistically significant negative linear correlations between parents’ HADS anxiety and depression scores and their child’s pulmonary function, and between parents’ HADS anxiety and depression scores and their child’s quality of life. These results indicate that parents are at risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, and that these are associated with the physical health and quality of life of their child with CF. The findings support the need for parents to have mental health screening annually in CF services, as recommended in international guidelines. There is also a need to integrate a family-centred approach into CF services with appropriate supports and mental health referral pathways for parents.

Abstract WP171: Hemodynamic Compromise Identified by Oxygen Extraction Fraction Response (OEFR) to Acetazolamide in Stroke Patients With Large Vessel Occlusion

Hemodynamic compromise identified by cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in stroke patients with large artery occlusion is an independent predictor of stroke risk ranging from 27 to 57%. However, comparison of both methods indicates that the sensitivity of CVR is substantially greater than OEF in detecting hemodynamic compromise which may be because CVR includes a vasodilator challenge with acetazolamide as opposed to OEF made in the resting state. We hypothesized that the response of OEF (OEFR) to an acetazolamide challenge would better correlate with CVR than OEF. We examined the correlation between CVR and OEFR to acetazolamide in stroke patients with large artery occlusion. Methods: Stroke patients with large artery occlusion (internal carotid or middle cerebral artery) were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) using H2 15O2 (water) for cerebral blood flow (CBF) and 15O2 (gas) for cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen before and after acetazolamide. CVR was calculated as: CVR (%) = [(CBFa- CBFb)/CBFb] X 100; where: CBFb = CBF before acetazolamide, CBFa = CBF after acetazolamide. OEF response (OEFR) was similarly calculated as: OEFR (%) = [(OEFa-OEFb)/OEFb]X100; for the entire middle cerebral artery territory of each hemisphere. Results: There was a highly significant (P=0.0001) negative linear correlation between CVR and OEFR indicating increasing ischemic stress (Figure). Hemispheres from three patients showed a positive OEFR. Discussion: A positive OEFR in response to a cerebrovascular challenge definitively indicates hemodynamic compromise and eliminates the problem of deciding on the absolute threshold for OEF to signify hemodynamic compromise. A negative OEFR reflects sufficient cerebrovascular reserve relative to oxygen demand.

“山水林田湖草生命共同体”要素关联性分析——以长白山地区为例

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 “山水林田湖草生命共同体”要素关联性分析——以长白山地区为例 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201905311145 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家重点研发项目课题：国家生态屏障区生态格局优化技术与优化方案（2018YFC0507305） Correlation analysis of elements in the mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands life community: using Changbai mountains as an example Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:对“山水林田湖草生命共同体”各要素相互关系的深入理解是对其实行保护、系统治理的重要基础。本研究以长白山地区为研究对象，利用空间叠置分析法定量分析该地区“山水林田湖草生命共同体”各要素间的关联性，解构各要素的关系以及相互影响程度，并量化其依存关系。研究结果显示：研究区内各市人口数量、城镇面积与耕地面积呈显著正相关关系（人口数量：R2=0.789，P < 0.05； 城镇面积：R2=0.863，P < 0.05）；耕地的分布与地表水体的分布具有较高的空间相关性（r=0.812），两者的数量关系也呈显著正相关（R2=0.96，P < 0.01）；区内河流分布、土壤类型与地形、地貌密切相关；区内各市水土流失面积与其森林覆盖率呈显著线性负相关关系（R2=0.824，P < 0.05）。由此可见，6个要素之间存在很明显的依存关系。因此，长白山地区“山水林田湖草生命共同体”的保护与修复应该重视各要素之间的联系，针对其系统性和整体性特征实施相应的保护和治理。 Abstract:Understanding the internal relationships among elements of the mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands life community is an important basis for its protection and systematic management. This study quantitatively analyzed internal relationships among elements of the mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands life community in Changbai Mountains via spatial overlay analysis. Our results showed that the population and urban area in Changbai mountains were significantly positively correlated with the cropland area (population:R2=0.789,P < 0.05; urban area:R2=0.863, P < 0.05). Distribution of cropland was spatially correlated with the distribution of surface water (r=0.812). Cropland area was positively correlated with surface water area (R2=0.96, P < 0.01). The patterns of river and soil-type distribution were closely related to topography and landform in this region. There was a significant negative linear correlation between soil erosion area and forest coverage in Changbai mountains (R2=0.824, P < 0.05). Therefore, we believe that protection and restoration of the mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands life community in Changbai Mountains should focus on the internal relationships among the six elements and carry out corresponding projects in terms of their systematic and holistic characteristics. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

WATER INFILTRATION OF COVERING SOILS WITH DIFFERENT TEXTURES AND BULK DENSITIES IN GRAVELMULCHED AREAS

To determine the influence of different bulk densities and texture on soil water infiltration after remediation in gravel-mulched areas, we subjected two different soil types were to a battery of tests to determine their soil infiltration characteristics. The results show that the soil infiltration capacity decreases with increasing soil bulk density. A logarithmic negative correlation was identified between stable infiltration rate and the bulk density of the two soils (R2 > 95%). Moreover, the larger the bulk density, the smaller the cumulative infiltration, and there is a significant linear negative correlation between density and infiltration. The Kostiakov infiltration model better describes the infiltration process of the Lou soil at all stages and the infiltration of Yellow-brown soil before 40 min. Finally, as soil water is redistributed, and its content increases with soil depth, and the greater the bulk density, the greater the water storage capacity of the soil from 0 to 30 cm. Overall, the soil bulk density should be no less than 1.5 g/cm3 when Lou soil is chosen to cover on gravel-mulched land, and not less than 1.4 g/cm3 for Yellow-brown soil.

Analysis of Cardiovascular Fitness, Sleep Quality, Depression, Fatigue, and Quality of Life among Individuals with Respect to the Glycated Hemoglobin Level in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetes as a metabolic disorder can affect the various systems of the body, resulting in a decrease in cardiovascular fitness, sleep quality, and life quality that can lead to depression and fatigue. Aim: We analyzed cardiovascular fitness, sleep quality, depression, fatigue, and quality of life among individuals with a glycated hemoglobin (HBA1C) level >6.5% and ≤6.5%, as well as the relationship among glycated hemoglobin, maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max), obesity, sleep quality, depression, and duration of diabetes. Method: HBA1C (mean: 5.90 ± 0.93%) was studied in a total of 70 subjects (mean age: 62.37 ± 7.5 years). The 2 study groups were as follows: group A, HBA1C >6.5%, and group B, HBA1C ≤6.5%. BMI, VO₂max, quality of sleep and life, depression, and fatigue were assessed in both groups. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups at a significance level of p < 0.001. Group A had a lower cardiovascular fitness, a poor sleep quality, and increased depression compared to group B. A statistically significant negative linear correlation was found between VO₂max and glycated hemoglobin, and a significant positive linear correlation was found between glycated hemoglobin and duration of diabetes, poor quality of sleep, and depression for all subjects, which was insignificant in the groups. Conclusions: A long duration of diabetes and an increased glycemic status may influence cardiovascular fitness, sleep quality, and life quality, leading to depression and fatigue.

Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Is Associated With Frequency-Specific Brain Network Alterations in Temporal Poles.

There is general agreement that the neuropathological processes leading to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) begin decades before the clinical onset. In order to detect early topological changes, we applied functional connectivity and network analysis to magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data obtained from 16 patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), a prodromal stage of AD, and 16 matched healthy control (HCs). Significant differences between the two groups were found in the theta band, which is associated with memory processes, in both temporal poles (TPs). In aMCI, the degree and betweenness centrality (BC) were lower in the left superior TP, whereas in the right middle TP the BC was higher. A statistically significant negative linear correlation was found between the BC of the left superior TP and a delayed recall score, a sensitive marker of the “hippocampal memory” deficit in early AD. Our results suggest that the TPs, which are involved early in AD pathology and belong to the memory circuitry, have an altered role in the functional network in aMCI.

Mitigation of soil acidification through changes in soil mineralogy due to long-term fertilization in southern China

Soil acidification is a natural process, and it is well known that soil acidification can be accelerated by long-term fertilization (LTF). Nevertheless, how this acidification occurs and how the mineralogies of iron oxides as the important active clay components in red soil respond to the acidification is still less understood. In this study, soil samples from 23 years (1990–2013) of long-term fertilization experiments were collected from the Qiyang Red Soil Experimental Station in southern China. The physicochemical properties of the soil samples were analyzed. A significant negative linear correlation between soil pH and log(Alpy) (complex-state aluminum) as well as log(Alexch) (exchangeable Al3+) illustrate that Alpy and Alexch are the most sensitive species to soil acidification compared with the other factors. In addition, the mineralogical characteristics of the iron oxides in five typical LTF treatments, including the control, chemical fertilizer N, NPK, NPK plus manure and manure were analyzed using the synchrotron differential XRD patterns (DXRD). The results obtained revealed that the LTF treatment with chemical N reduced the total content of iron oxides and the ratio of goethite to hematite (G/H value), and the transformation of iron oxides and accumulation of hematite in the soil would reduce the soil's buffering capacities to acidification. In contrast, the LTF treatments with manure (NPKM and M) presented the opposite trends. In addition, a positive relationship between soil pH and the IOsAlmol% (isomorphous substitution ratio of Al for Fe in iron oxides) was also found. Therefore, the potential acid Al3+ ions in soil are reduced through the ionic substitution of Al for Fe in the structure, which may further mitigate the process of soil acidification. These results provide new insights for further understanding the soil acidification processes induced by LTF and how those iron oxides respond to soil pH during soil acidification.

Stress sensitivity characterization and heterogeneous variation of the pore-fracture system in middle-high rank coals reservoir based on NMR experiments

Five groups of middle to high rank coal samples (Ro, max value between 1.87 and 3.01%) were tested under different confine pressures using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. Stress sensitivities of adsorption pore, seepage pore and fracture were calculated to investigate the relationship between the compressibility of pore-fracture system and its effective stress. The heterogeneous variation of pore and fracture caused by the effect of stress was discussed based on the T2 spectrum by using the NMR method. The conclusions are as follows. 1) The overall compressibility (OC) of the middle rank coal samples is mainly controlled by seepage pore and fracture. Adsorption pore are generally well developed in high-rank coal samples and the pores are primarily responsible for the stress sensitivity of these kinds of samples. 2) The compressibility shows a trend of decrease with increase of coal rank and there exists a good logarithmic relationship between OC and effective stress. 3) With the decrease of OC, the pore and fracture heterogeneity tends to become more complex. The variation of the heterogeneity of middle rank coal sample is higher than that of a high rank coal sample, and the heterogeneity variation of adsorption pore is greater than that of seepage pore and fracture. 4) The effect of stress on the heterogeneity of pore-fracture system has a two-stage characteristic. At the initial stage that the confine pressure is less than 9 MPa, the heterogeneity of pore-fracture system becomes more complicated. And when the stress is higher than 9 MPa, it moves to the stable stage that the heterogeneity tends to be stable. 5) Compared to the middle rank coal samples, the OC of high rank coal reveals a significant negative linear correlation with the (total fractal dimension) DR, indicating the simultaneity of pore structure and strain variation under the action of stress. The above results can provide theoretical guidance for increased understanding of the changes in a coal reservoir’s permeability during coalbed methane drainage.

A MOOC Video Viewing Behavior Analysis Algorithm

MOOCs (massive open online courses) are developing rapidly, but they also face many problems. As the MOOC’s most important resource, the course videos have a very important influence on the learning. This article defines the ratio R (R=Average viewing duration/Video length), which reflects the popularity of the video. By analyzing the relationship between the video length, release time, and R, we found a significant negative linear correlation between video length and R and video release time and R. However, when the number of videos is less than the threshold, the release time has less influence on R. This paper presents a video viewing behavior analysis algorithm based on multiple linear regression. The residual independence test proved that the algorithm has a good approximation to the data. It can predict the popularity of similar course videos to help producers optimize video design.

Ultra-Wide-Field Fluorescein Angiography–Guided Normalization of Ischemic Index Calculation in Eyes With Retinal Vein Occlusion

The purpose of this study was to compare the use of central and montaged ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFFA) images for calculating the area of nonperfusion (NP) and ischemic index (ISI) in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and macular edema (ME) and to correlate these measurements with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). Thirty eyes of 30 RVO patients with recurrent ME were enrolled. Baseline UWFA images were sent to the Doheny Image Reading Center for quantitative analysis by certified graders. The association between ISI from the various zones and BCVA and CMT was examined by Spearman rank correlation and compared. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to analyze associations between BCVA and disease status. The NP area and ISI for central and montaged images were not significantly different for any retinal zone. A modest but statistically significant negative linear correlation was observed between BCVA and ISI, ranging from r = -0.3825 in the perimacular area (PMA) to r = -0.584 in the far peripheral area (FPA). On GLM analysis, both PMA (β = -1.059; 95% confidence interval: -1.74 to -0.378) and FPA (β = -0.505; 95% confidence interval: -0.988 to -0.021) were significant independent predictors of BCVA. We found no correlation between ISI from the various zones and CMT in this cohort. Montaging of UWFFA images may not be required to adequately quantify and represent areas of NP in eyes with RVO. NP in both the PMA and peripheral retina appear relevant to visual function, highlighting the importance of evaluating the retinal periphery in these individuals.