Changing Trends Research Articles

Carbon Sequestration Zoning and Management in Megacities from a Sustainable Perspective: A Case Study of Beijing

To address the contradiction between the development of megacities and ecological restoration, as well as the carbon sequestration capacity guarantee, this study was based on the sustainable development framework and adopted the research approach of "clarifying carbon sequestration characteristics, evaluating carbon sequestration suitability, and comprehensively dividing carbon sequestration areas" to propose carbon sequestration zoning and management measures for Beijing under the sustainable development framework. First, we used the improved Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach （CASA） model and soil microbial respiration equation to quantitatively estimate the net ecosystem productivity （NEP） of vegetation in Beijing from 2001 to 2020. The spatiotemporal distribution pattern and evolution characteristics were analyzed and trend, volatility, and continuity were used as evaluation indicators for carbon sequestration characteristics. Second, from a sustainable perspective, considering the natural, social, and economic conditions of Beijing, the driving factors of NEP in Beijing were analyzed from the perspectives of single-factor detection and interactive detection using geographic detector methods. Finally, the driving factors were used as suitability evaluation indicators for sustainable carbon sequestration. Risk detection was used to assign values to different intervals of the driving factors based on their corresponding NEP mean values. Combined with the NEP carbon sequestration characteristics in Beijing, the sustainable carbon sequestration zones in Beijing were determined. The results showed that： ① On the time scale, the overall trend of NEP change in Beijing from 2001 to 2020 was fluctuating upward, and on the spatial scale, NEP in the northwest was larger than that in the southeast. The overall trend showed a divergent expansion from the center of Beijing, and 79.6% of the regional NEP showed an increasing trend； however, the scope of the region with a sustainable growth or a reversal from a decrease was still relatively small. The region with the least volatility among the carbon sequestration regions included Huairou, Yanqing, and Fangshan Districts. ② The major drivers of spatial variability of NEP in Beijing were, in descending order of explanatory degree, vegetation cover, land use type, elevation, degree of human interference, slope, level of economic activity, population density, GDP, and average temperature. The interaction of the drivers was a two-way enhancement or non-linear enhancement and the characteristics of spatial variability of NEP were affected by the joint action of multiple drivers. ③ Combined with the evaluation of the suitability of sustainable carbon sequestration and the characteristics of the evolution of carbon sequestration, Beijing was divided into five categories： carbon sequestration core areas, carbon sequestration key areas, carbon sequestration priority areas, carbon sequestration potential areas, and carbon sequestration supplemental areas, which accounted for 47.5%, 17.7%, 15.4%, 11.4%, and 8.0% of the municipal area, respectively. The results of this study can provide a basis for the delineation of carbon sequestration areas and the formulation of management measures in Beijing. To realize sustainable development and carbon neutrality, megacities should define carbon sequestration zones by combining the effects of multiple drivers and the evolutionary characteristics of carbon sequestration, to adopt targeted carbon sequestration strategies.

Prediction of PM2.5 Concentration by Transformer Model Based on Attention Mechanism

An improved transformer model based on a multi-head attention mechanism was constructed for long-term prediction of PM2.5 concentration. The monitoring data and meteorological data from 12 air monitoring stations in Beijing from March 2013 to December 2016 were collected and used in the transformer model. The Pearson coefficient was used to explore the key factors affecting PM2.5 concentration. A convolutional neural network model （ResNet50） and long short-term memory network model （LSTM） were introduced for comparison and explanatory variance （EVS）, coefficient of determination （R2）, mean square error （MSE）, and mean absolute error （MAE） were selected to evaluate the performance of the model. The Pearson coefficient results showed that PM10, SO2, and NO2, CO, and atmospheric pressure （PRES） were highly correlated with PM2.5 concentration, and dew point temperature （DEWP） was strongly correlated with PM2.5 concentration, which was consistent with the preference setting of the model's automatic screening. The MSE and R2 of the transformer model are 0.009 μg·m-3 and 0.925, respectively, which decreased by 91.09% and 30.77% of MSE and increased by 38.05% and 4.65% of R2, respectively, when compared with ResNet50 and LSTM. The transformer model could capture short-term pollution changes caused by sudden changes in meteorological conditions and long-term trends with significant seasonal changes. The fitting effect of the transformer was excellent among several models, providing a novel method for long-term prediction of PM2.5 concentration. In addition, ablation experiments revealed that the increase in R2 of the transformer was relatively small after data input or manually setting preferences, with only a 2.31% and 1.51% increase, respectively, indicating that the transformer model had strong anti-interference ability for PM10 homologous data.

Analysis on Spatial-temporal Characteristics and Driving Factors of PM2.5 in Heilongjiang Province in the Past 20 years

PM2.5 is an important indicator for measuring the degree of air pollution. Studying the space-time variation and the driving factors of spatial heterogeneity is important for controlling air pollution and improving regional air quality. Based on PM2.5 remote sensing data from 2000 to 2021, the Theil-Sen Median trend analysis, Mann-Kendall significant inspection, and spatial auto correlation were used to analyze the characteristics of space-time changes in PM2.5 concentration, and geographical detectors were combined with a multi-scale geographical weighted regression model to explore the key driver factor and its influence and direction of the impact and role of PM2.5 spatial differences. The results showed that： ① The average PM2.5 value of Heilongjiang Province was between 22.01 and 41 μg·m-3 from 2000 to 2021. From 2008 to 2015, the average PM2.5 value was higher than the secondary concentration limit （35 μg·m-3） of the "Environmental Air Quality Standard." The turning point of the PM2.5 concentration change that occurred in 2013 generally showed the trend of change and then a downward trend. Winter was the high incidence season for PM2.5 pollution. The PM2.5 concentration space was a distributed pattern in the south and north and the high-value zone was mainly based on Harbin, Daqing City, and the surrounding area. The low-value areas were distributed in the northern regions such as the Great Khingan Mountains Region and Heihe City. ② Factor detection results indicated that the average annual temperature was the most important driving factor that affected PM2.5 spatial differences. The remaining key driver factors were in turn： high-end, population density, average annual wind speed, land use, night lights, annual years precipitation, slope, annual relative humidity, and NDVI. Interactive detection showed that the interpretation of PM2.5 points after interaction was higher than a single factor after interaction, indicating that affecting PM2.5 spatial difference was the result of the common effect of each driver factor. The effect of natural factors was more obvious than that of social and economic factors. ③ The effect of different influence factors on PM2.5 had a significant spatial difference. The average annual temperature, average annual relative humidity, population density, and night lighting played a promotion effect on PM2.5 pollution and NDVI and land use played an inhibitory effect on PM2.5 pollution. PM2.5 was significantly different from the action role of various influencing factors and the average annual temperature, annual average wind speed, and NDVI impact scale were the smallest, with a variable bandwidth of 43； population density and land use impact scale were the largest, with a variable bandwidth of 140.

Proteomic analysis of mouse liver lesions at all three stages of Echinococcus granulosus infection.

Echinococcus granulosus, a zoonotic parasite, can severely damage host health or even lead to host death. In humans, early diagnosis of E. granulosus infection is difficult because the initial stages of the infection tend to be asymptomatic, this delays treatment and worsens prognosis in most patients. Herein, we present a comprehensive, temporal proteomic atlas of the liver at three stages of E. granulosus infection and analyze the changes in the proteome of host focal lesions; this atlas may provide an overview of the effects of E. granulosus in the host, as well as the interactions between them. We identified 3,197 proteins from mice model at 1, 3, and 6 months after E. granulosus infection; of these proteins, 760 were differentially expressed (520 upregulated; 240 downregulated). Moreover, 228 differentially expressed proteins were screened through cluster analysis and classified into four clusters according to their changing trends. Subsequently, candidate molecules related to cyst invasion, growth, candidate pathways and proteins related to angiogenesis were noted to demonstrate important value in mouse liver. Next, we used western blotting to verify the presence of the aforementioned proteins in mouse liver. In the later stages, E. granulosus infection was noted to result in significant enrichment of crucial proteins facilitating protoscoleces growth and development and inhibition of amino acid and lipid metabolic enzyme expression in mouse liver; it was also noted to transform host metabolism by weakening oxidative phosphorylation and enhancing glycolysis. In conclusion, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the parasitic processes of E. granulosus through proteomic analysis. Our results provide evidence that may enable the exploration of core regulatory targets for early and effective diagnosis and immunotherapy of E. granulosus infection, as well as parasite-host interactions involved in cystic echinococcosis development.

Status of inpatients with pediatric epilepsy in children's hospitals in China (2016-2021).

Pediatric epilepsy is the most common disease of pediatric neurological diseases in China. Current demographic characteristics and economic burdens are needed to guide public health policy. In this study, we provide the demographic characteristics and economic burden of pediatric epilepsy patients in China from 2016 to 2021, and describe the change trend and correlation of demographic characteristics and economic burden by province. Using data from the Futang Research Center of Pediatric Development, we conducted a demographic-based cross-sectional study of pediatric epilepsy patients in 29 children's hospitals in China to assess changes in the distribution and economic burden over 6 years and related factors. We obtained per capita disposable income information from the Economic Statistical Bulletin of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and the statistical bureaus of provincial administrative regions. Demographic, diagnostic classification proportion and distribution trends, and economic burden from 2016 to 2021 were verified for pediatric patients with epilepsy. From 2016 to 2021, there were 149,375 patients diagnosed with epilepsy. The proportion of patients younger than 3 years decreased significantly from 51.13% to 29.43% (P=0.00853, R2=0.9803). The root-mean-square-error between the Inter-Provincial Visits Indexes decreased from 1.70 to 0.90, decreasing significantly (R2=0.8306). The disease burden decreased from 17.26% to 12.11% with a significant upward trend (P=0.02417, R2=0.8817). A negative correlation between disease burden and the Inter-Provincial Visits Index (P=0.0383) was observed, along with a positive correlation with the proportion of patients younger than 3 years old (P<0.0001). From 2016 to 2021, the proportion of young patients, population mobility and economic burden on patients decreased, and healthcare level of pediatric epilepsy improved. In addition, based on the current observations, the healthcare level of pediatric epilepsy in Western and Central China is lower than in other regions, and the economic burden on patients is higher than in other regions. In the future, these areas require higher priority concerning policy and financial support.

Global, regional, and national burden of liver cancer due to alcohol use, 1990-2021: results from the Global Burden of Disease study 2021.

Liver cancer is a major global health burden, with alcohol use being a well-established risk factor. This study aims to analyze the global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to liver cancer due to alcohol use from 1990 to 2021. Data on liver cancer due to alcohol use were collected from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. The changing trend of liver cancer among alcohol users was described using the linear regression model. In addition, we employed a hierarchical cluster analysis to study the evolving patterns across diverse GBD regions and conducted a frontier analysis to explore the nexus between the burden and sociodemographic progress. In 2021, alcohol-related liver cancer globally accounted for 99 544 incidence cases, 132 033 prevalence cases, 92 228 death cases, and 2 316 027 DALYs cases. Males and middle-aged adults emerged as high-risk populations, while regions with a higher sociodemographic index (SDI) were identified as high-risk areas. From 1990 to 2021, both the number of cases and age-standardized rates (ASRs) increased. Our frontier analysis revealed unattained health gains between 1990 and 2021, highlighting disparities in disease burden among countries with varying SDI levels. This analysis further demonstrated an inverse correlation between SDI and alcohol-related liver cancer ASRs, with the ASRs stabilizing once the SDI exceeded 0.40. Alcohol use is a significant contributor to the global burden of liver cancer. Comprehensive policies and interventions targeting alcohol use are needed to reduce the burden of alcohol-related liver cancer.

Результаты эпидемиологического мониторинга заболеваемости, смертности, распространенности злокачественных новообразований на основе действующего государственного ракового регистра.

Today, the cancer registry is an information and analytical system for collecting, storing and analyzing information about malignant neoplasms throughout the Russian Federation, as well as about the state of specialized oncological care. The value of the cancer registry is that its information can and should be analyzed: the registry allows for a statistical assessment of the disease, to see differences in morbidity, including depending on the region. Purpose of the study is to analyze the morbidity, mortality and prevalence of malignant neoplasms in the Russian Federation for the period 2012–2022. Materials and methods. Calculation and analysis of indicators were carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the International Agency for Research on Cancer for calculating indicators. The calculation of indicators was carried out with a 95% confidence interval. To calculate standardized morbidity and mortality rates, the world standard for the age distribution of the population was used. The calculation of the increase/decrease of indicators over a 10-year period was carried out with preliminary alignment of the time series. Results. Indicators of morbidity, mortality and prevalence of malignant neoplasms in the Russian Federation for the period 2012–2022 were analyzed, general trends in changes in indicators were determined for all cancers and several of the most common localizations that make the greatest contribution to the morbidity and mortality from cancer, the male and female population of the Russian Federation. Findings. Based on the results obtained, it is necessary to expand the implementation of the developed screening measures and strengthen control over existing programs for the early detection of cancer.

Characteristics of gut microbiota of premature infants in the early postnatal period and their relationship with intraventricular hemorrhage

BackgroundStudies have shown correlations between gut microbiota and neurocognitive function, but little was known about the early postnatal gut microbiota and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). We aimed to explore the characteristics of gut microbiota in premature infants and their relationship with IVH, further exploring potential therapeutic targets.MethodsPremature infants delivered at Peking University First Hospital from February 2023 to August 2023 were recruited as a cohort. Feces samples were collected on postnatal days 1, 3, and 5. Premature infants were divided into normal, mild IVH, and severe IVH groups based on cranial ultrasound. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technology was used to determine the fecal microbiota, and the results were analyzed.ResultsThirty-eight premature infants were enrolled. There was a significant difference in alpha and beta diversity among the three groups. The relative abundance of E. coli and A. muciniphila was different among the three groups. Further random forest analysis indicated that S. lutetiensis, L. mirabilis, and N. macacae can effectively distinguish premature infants with IVH. Finally, the phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states2 (PICRUSt2) functional gene analysis predicted significant differences in energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and membrane transport between normal and severe IVH groups.ConclusionsThe gut microbiota in the early postnatal period of premature infants is closely associated with the IVH status. As age increases, the differences in gut microbiota of premature infants with different degrees of IVH continue to increase, and the trend of changes with severity of IVH becomes more and more obvious. E. coli, A. muciniphila, S. lutetiensis, L. mirabilis, N. macacae, G. haemolysans, and S. oralis can effectively distinguish between IVH infants and normal premature infants. The results indicate that gut microbiota is expected to provide effective therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of IVH.

Artesunate remarkably alleviates interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in a murine model: Novel molecular signature deciphered by bulk tissue and single-cell transcriptomic analysis.

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is a chronic pain syndrome of elusive etiology, accompanied by lower urinary tract symptoms. Over the past decades, many studies have been carried out for exploration of more effective therapies against IC/BPS. However, the results have been inconsistent, probably due to the multifactorial nature of IC/BPS. We establish a model of IC/BPS in mice by combining protamine sulfate /lipopolysaccharide and phenylephrine. Typical histological changes and symptoms were observed. We then explored the effectiveness of artesunate (ART), which has been reported to alleviate autoimmune diseases. Phenotypic tests demonstrated a significant reduction in symptoms. Histological staining showed pathological improvement. WGCNA identified three gene modules specifically related to IC/BPS, and six genes were identified as hub genes. CIBERSORT analysis showed that the activated NK cells seem to be decreased in IC modeling group and partially restored in IC + ART group, whereas the resting NK cells showed the opposite trend. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis elaborated on the changing trends of subgroups of infiltrated immune cells, including T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells. Our study represents our effort in establishing a reliable and reproducible IC/BPS murine model, and the first study using scRNA-seq in exploring the immune microenvironment of the IC/BPS murine model, and the possible molecular mechanisms of ART treatment in IC/BPS. Further studies are needed to confirm the effect of ART in IC/BPS patients.

A Systematic Local View of the Long-Term Changes in the Atmospheric Energy Cycle

Abstract The global climatology and long-term changes in the atmospheric energy cycle in the boreal winter are analyzed using a local available potential energy framework using the fifth-generation ECMWF reanalysis data during 1979–2021. In contrast to the classic Lorenz energy cycle, this local framework provides the local information of available potential energy (APE) and its interactions with kinetic energy (KE), allowing the systematic study of barotropic and baroclinic processes. A further systematic decomposition of the APE and KE reservoirs into high- and low-frequency components is conducted to investigate the source and sink terms that account for their spatial variations and long-term changes. The climatology of the local energetic budget terms shows that the interplay between low-frequency APE and KE is mostly over the tropical and polar regions associated with the thermally direct circulation there. Interactions involving high-frequency components are mainly located in the storm-track regions. We show that under recent global warming, a prominent dipolar trend of changes is present over the Asia–Pacific region for all energy forms. The long-term changes in the energy budget reveal how high-frequency APE intensification is due to a stronger conversion from low-frequency APE upstream of the storm track and that this intensification can be compensated by eddy advection away from the storm track, rather than conversion to kinetic energy in the proximity of the mean jet. This provides evidence that a warmer climate substantially affects the energy cycle and, thus, the atmospheric circulation. Significance Statement Potential and kinetic energies are major components of atmospheric circulation. Those energies and their generation, dissipation, and conversions provide insight into the dynamics of atmospheric circulation. The Lorenz energy cycle, based on a global framework, has been fundamental in deepening our understanding of the atmosphere. However, here we use a systematic local framework to gain a better understanding of atmospheric circulation changes and how global warming has affected them. Our study finds a general intensification of the local energy cycle over the last few decades.

Insights into the photosensitivity and photobleaching of dissolved organic matter from microplastics: Structure-activity relationship and transformation mechanism

Revealing the structure-activity relationship between physicochemical properties and photoactivities of microplastic dissolved organic matter (MPDOM) is significant for understanding the environmental fate of MPs. Here, we systematically analyzed the physicochemical properties and molecular composition of DOM derived from MPs including polystyrene (PS), polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), polyadipate/butylene terephthalate (PBAT), polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene (PP), and compared their photosensitivity and photobleaching behaviors. Results indicated that PSDOM and PETDOM had more similar properties and compositions, and showed stronger photosensitivity and photobleaching effects than PBATDOM, PLADOM and PPDOM. The [3DOM∗]SS and [1O2]SS varied in the range of 0.31-13.03 × 10-14 and 1.71-5.49 × 10-13M, respectively, which were within the reported range of DOM from other sources. The SUVA254, HIX, AImodwa, Xcwa and lignin/CRAM-like component showed positive correlation with the [3DOM∗]SS, [1O2]SS and Φ3DOM*. The negative correlation between E2/E3 and [3DOM∗]SS was due to the higher proportion of low-molecular weight components in MPDOM. The lignin/CRAM-like component was identified to be the crucial photobleaching-component. The lignin/CRAM-like in PSDOM showed a deepened oxidation degree, while its change trend in PETDOM was from unsaturated to saturated. These findings provide new insights into the relevant photochemical fate of MPDOM.

Experimental Study on Overpressure and Flame Characteristics of Hydrogen-methane mixture

In order to evaluate the consequences of hydrogen-methane mixture explosion accidents in open space and confined space, large-scale (8m3) open space and confined space (55m3) hydrogen-methane mixture explosion experiments were carried out to study the effects of hydrogen-doped ratio and equivalent ratio on hydrogen-methane mixture explosion characteristics. In the open space experiments, within the equivalence ratio range of 0.9 to 1.3, the overpressure measured at an equivalence ratio of 1.1 is the highest. When the equivalent ratio is 1.1, the higher the hydrogen blending ratio, the higher the overpressure peak and the farther the action distance. The overall overpressure increased significantly when the hydrogen blending ratio increased from 20% to 30%. When the hydrogen ratio is 30%, the flame propagation speed is as high as 20 m/s, which is about twice the flame propagation peak speed when the hydrogen ratio is 10%-20%. Therefore, from the angle of overpressure and flame development, the step point of overpressure harm can be obtained by a hydrogen mixing ratio of 20%. The overall trend of external overpressure change in confined and open spaces is consistent; both decrease with the increase in distance. However, the external overpressure in confined space is more significant than in open space, and the flame propagation speed is much higher than in open space. When the hydrogen mixing ratio is 5%, 10%, 15%, and 30%, the Outdoor flame propagation speed of 62.129/85.332/40.091/52.364 m/s, respectively. Compared with open space, the harm range of confined space is more extensive. This study provides an experimental basis for the safety assessment of hydrogen-methane mixture and the formulation of safety protection measures.

Trend analysis and change-point detection of temperature and rainfall in southern Peruvian Amazon and its relation to deforestation

The study aimed to identify the change points, tendencies, and trends in climatic parameters (precipitation and temperatures) and to investigate their relationship with deforestation in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon (Tambopata). Rainfall and temperature data for the Puerto Maldonado station from 1970 to 2023 was used. Monthly, seasonal, and annual precipitation as well as temperature (maximum, minimum, and mean) were analyzed for possible trends using nonparametric Mann-Kendal statistic test, while the Pettitt test was employed to detect the abrupt change point in time series. The Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to identify the relationship between deforestation and climate parameters. The results revealed a rise in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures. Mann Kendall and Sen’s slope revealed significant trends in the monthly, seasonal and annual temperatures in the study period. However, in contrast to the temperature variation trend, the monthly, seasonal and annual precipitation did not present a significant trend. Significant positive correlations were obtained between deforestation and temperatures but its association with precipitation was not significant.

Surplus or deficit? Quantification of carbon sources and sinks and analysis of driving mechanisms of typical oasis urban agglomeration ecosystems

The relationship between carbon sources and sinks, along with their balance, is a crucial indicator for assessing ecosystem health. Ecosystem protection mitigates climate change and promotes the carbon cycle balance. Consequently, to effectively assess the status of carbon sources and sinks in an oasis ecosystem, this study utilized remote sensing and statistical data to estimate the natural carbon sources and sinks, energy carbon emissions(ECE), and carbon surpluses or deficits in the urban agglomeration of the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains(UANSTM) for a period 2000–2022 from a perspective of the natural-social-economic system. The driving mechanisms were analyzed using the optimal geodetector model (OPGD) and generalized divisia index method (GDIM). The results show(1) throughout the study period, natural carbon sources and sinks in the UANSTM exhibited a distribution pattern that diminished from the Tianshan Mountains axis northward and southward, accompanied by a fluctuating increase over time. ECE predominantly occurred in urban built-up areas and adjacent cultivated lands, totaling an increase of 88.48 × 104 TgC. (2) The change trend showed an overall predominance of carbon sources, with the rate of increase of carbon sources being greater than that of carbon sinks. Grassland-cultivated land and construction land interaction area exhibited significant changes in carbon sources and sinks. (3) During the study period, the UANSTM experienced a consistent carbon deficit, averaging −68.11 TgC annually. Spatially, this deficit evolved from discrete points to linear and then to areal patterns. (4) Precipitation and elevation were the primary determinants of natural carbon sources and sinks. Whereas GDP with a contribution of 50.4%,was the predominant driver of ECE across each prefecture-level city. Development of policies that synergize regional natural and socioeconomic systems is an important means of achieving a carbon balance. The results of this study provide a reference for adding a research paradigm on carbon sources and sinks in oasis urban agglomerations and for low-carbon development.

Comparison of the effects of pectin with different esterification degrees on the thermal aggregation of wheat glutenin and gliadin

Our previous study found that pectin with different degrees of esterification (DE) could affect the thermal aggregation of gluten, but the mechanism was not clear. Analyzing the thermal aggregation of glutenin and gliadin supplemented with pectin can clarify this mechanism. With the increase of temperature, the particle size, disulfide bonds and β-sheet of glutenins increased, the surface hydrophobicity (H0) and fluorescence intensity decreased, and the network gradually aggregated, but the change trend of gliadins was opposite. These results suggested that the thermal aggregation of gluten mainly depended on glutenin. Glutenin and gliadin supplemented with low ester pectin (LEP) were in an aggregated state. At 95 °C, LEP (DE = 37 %) increased the particle size of glutenin and gliadin (141.83 μm and 19.91 μm), promoted the conversion of thiol to disulfide bonds, increased β-sheet (34.01 % and 31.13 %), decreased fluorescence intensity (2186.33 and 5165.33) and H0 (49.65 and 369.26). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicated that glutenin and gliadin supplemented with LEP retained a dense network structure, especially glutenin. This study elucidated the specific mechanism of how pectin affected the thermal aggregation of gluten. These results provide a more comprehensive theoretical support and scientific basis for understanding how pectin regulates the final quality of gluten-based products.

The Impact of Selected Lachancea Yeast Strains on the Production Process, Chemical Composition and Aroma Profiles of Beers

Changing trends in the brewing market show that breweries want to attract consumers with new products. New flavours and aromas in beer can be achieved by using various additives. However, non-Saccharomyces yeast strains make it possible to produce beer with an original sensory profile but according to a traditional recipe (without additives). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of 10 different yeast strains, belonging to the species Lachancea thermotolerans and L. fermentati, on the creation of different physico-chemical profiles in beers. For this purpose, the same malt wort with a 12°P extract, hopped with Octawia hops (8.4% alpha acids), was inoculated with the aforementioned yeast strains. The fermentation kinetics, the yeast’s ability to ferment sugars, the production of organic acids and glycerol and the formation of volatile compounds in the beer were monitored. The beers obtained were classified as low-alcohol and regular. In addition, some beers were measured to have a low pH, qualifying them as “sour” beers, which are currently gaining in popularity. Most interesting, however, was the effect of the selected Lachancea yeast strains on the composition of the beer volatiles. In the second stage of this study, the beers obtained were again subjected to a chromatographic analysis, this time using an olfactometric detector (GC-O). This analysis was dictated by the need to verify the actual influence of the compounds determined (GC-MS) on the creation of the final aroma profile. This study showed that selected strains of Lachancea thermotolerans and L. fermentati have very high brewing potential to produce different original beers from the same hopped wort.

Modeling the ecological niche of rhamnus prinoides L. under climate change scenarios: a MaxEnt modeling approach

ABSTRACT Nowadays, the crucial issue in ecology is how changing climate influences species distributions and existence in a natural ecosystem. Changes in spatiotemporal environmental patterns lead to either expansions, contrasts, or shifts to comparable habitats. The aim of this study was to define the ecological niches, potential distributions and examine trends of changes in Rhamnus prinoides in response to climate change. A bioclimatic, topographic, and soil type dataset were used to analyze the current and future species distribution patterns. The model, with a high accuracy (AUC 0.887, TSS 0.6327), revealed that elevation and soil type are key factors influencing R. prinoides distribution. Under the current climatic conditions, the predicted total suitable habitat of R. prinoides was approximately 15.17% of Tigray. Future climate scenarios predict both expansion and contraction of these areas, particularly in the northwest, central, and southern zones. In addition, areas of new and lost habitat for R. prinoides species were found in all scenarios. Findings of this study concluded that, the distributional range of R. prinoides was found to be primarily associated with altitude and soil type. Moreover, the majority of Tigray’s highlands will continue suitable potential areas for R. prinoides cultivation in the future.

A more scientific blood lead reference value urgently needs to be updated in China: From a national and international insight

Although blood lead levels (BLLs) in children have significantly decreased compared to two decades ago, incidents of lead poisoning and elevated BLLs among children continue to occur frequently. This trend suggests that China's current hygienic regulations are not sufficiently effective in managing children's lead exposure. This study analyzed the revision processes of blood lead reference values (BLRVs) in children from various countries, the current BLLs and their changing trends in China, potential sources of lead pollution and exposure, the requirements for managing and protecting children's health, as well as the national measures and strategies for lead emission management and control. The study also explored the necessity and urgency of updating China's BLRVs in children. Based on the specific conditions in China, a proposed BLRV of 50 ​μg/L was deemed more reasonable and was suggested for implementation, with the potential to yield substantial economic benefits through improved IQ outcomes should the updated BLRV be adopted.

Characterization of Wind Turbine Blade Deformation and Wake Flow Field with Different Numbers of Lay-Up Layers

The change in the composite lay-up method affects the blade stiffness, which in turn affects the structural dynamic and aerodynamic characteristics, but the influence law is not yet clear. In this paper, two-way fluid–structure coupling is used to study wind turbine blades with different numbers of lay-up layers. The analysis results show the following: (1) With the increase in the number of pavement layers, the maximum deformation of the blade tip decreases, the magnitude of the decrease also decreases gradually, and the growth trend of deformation along the blade spreading direction is gradually flattened. (2) The maximum stress–strain of the root of the blade gradually decreases, the tip of the blade is the opposite of the blade, the unevenness of the distribution of the stress–strain of the surface of the blade is gradually slowed down, and the concentration area is shifted back. (3) The different numbers of pavement layers affect the turbulence intensity of the blade in the flow field space. Herein, the spatial distribution trend of turbulence intensity in the flow field of wind turbine blades with different numbers of layers is basically the same, and the trend of turbulence intensity changes is gentle when the number of layers is increased. (4) The amount of the tip vortex in the wake stream of the wind turbine decreases, and the decay rate of the center vortex increases. A reasonable lay-up scheme can improve the deformation and stress of the blade, extend the service life of the blade, promote airflow mixing, and enhance the energy conversion efficiency.

Design and Application of Modern Interior Design Style System Based on Unity3D

With the constant change of fashion trends, interior design styles are changing day by day. Based on Unity3D technology, this paper develops a system for modern interior-style design and application. Taking the residential interior as a case study, the interior style design is achieved through 3D modeling and texture rendering and then combined with the Unity3D engine to achieve scene roaming and interactive design. The system enables designers to express design concepts more intuitively and efficiently and also improves customer participation and satisfaction. Through the experience of designers and customers, the system is verified to have more practical value than traditional interior design solutions.