Impacts of expanding fuel ethanol production on rural economy in China : a computable general equilibrium analysis

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Tsukuba, (A), no. 5730, 2011.3.25Includes bibliographical references (leaves 190-201

Estimation of Asian Dust Aerosol Effect on Cloud Radiation Forcing Using Fu-Liou Radiative Model and CERES Measurements

The impact of Asian dust on cloud radiative forcing during 2003-2006 is studied by using the Earth's Radiant Energy Budget Scanner (CERES) data and the Fu-Liou radiative transfer model. Analysis of satellite data shows that the dust aerosol significantly reduced the cloud cooling effect at TOA. In dust contaminated cloudy regions, the 4-year mean values of the instantaneous shortwave, longwave and net cloud radiative forcing are -138.9, 69.1, and -69.7 Wm(sup -2), which are 57.0, 74.2, and 46.3%, respectively, of the corresponding values in more pristine cloudy regions. The satellite-retrieved cloud properties are significantly different in the dusty regions and can influence the radiative forcing indirectly. The contributions to the cloud radiation forcing by the dust direct, indirect and semi-direct effects are estimated using combined satellite observations and Fu-Liou model simulation. The 4-year mean value of combination of indirect and semi-direct shortwave radiative forcing (SWRF) is 82.2 Wm(sup -2), which is 78.4% of the total dust effect. The direct effect is only 22.7 Wm(sup -2), which is 21.6% of the total effect. Because both first and second indirect effects enhance cloud cooling, the aerosol-induced cloud warming is mainly the result of the semi-direct effect of dust

Multifunctional photonic integrated circuit for diverse microwave signal generation, transmission and processing

Microwave photonics (MWP) studies the interaction between microwave and optical waves for the generation, transmission and processing of microwave signals (i.e., three key domains), taking advantages of broad bandwidth and low loss offered by modern photonics. Integrated MWP using photonic integrated circuits (PICs) can reach a compact, reliable and green implementation. Most PICs, however, are recently developed to perform one or more functions restricted inside a single domain. In this paper, as highly desired, a multifunctional PIC is proposed to cover the three key domains. The PIC is fabricated on InP platform by monolithically integrating four laser diodes and two modulators. Using the multifunctional PIC, seven fundamental functions across microwave signal generation, transmission and processing are demonstrated experimentally. Outdoor field trials for electromagnetic environment surveillance along an in-service high-speed railway are also performed. The success to such a PIC marks a key step forward for practical and massive MWP implementations.Comment: 17 page

Pulsar Glitches: A Review

$\sim 6\%$ of all known pulsars have been observed to exhibit sudden spin-up events, known as glitches. For more than fifty years, these phenomena have played an important role in helping to understand pulsar (astro)physics. Based on the review of pulsar glitches search method, the progress made in observations in recent years is summarized, including the achievements obtained by Chinese telescopes. Glitching pulsars demonstrate great diversity of behaviours, which can be broadly classified into four categories: normal glitches, slow glitches, glitches with delayed spin-ups, and anti-glitches. The main models of glitches that have been proposed are reviewed and their implications for neutron star structure are critically examined regarding our current understanding. Furthermore, the correlations between glitches and emission changes, which suggest that magnetospheric state-change is linked to the pulsar-intrinsic processes, are also described and discussed in some detail.Comment: Accepted for publication in Universe. 50 pages, 11 figures, contribution to special issue "Frontiers in Pulsars Astrophysics

Performance evaluation of bio-oil and high rubber content modified asphalt: More effective waste utilization

In this study, the bio-oil was used to reduce the viscosity and preparation temperature of high content of rubber-modified asphalt. The high rubber content modified bio-asphalt (RMBA) was prepared, the rubber and bio-oil contents were 20 %-30 % and 5 %-15 % (mass ratio of neat asphalt), respectively. The viscosity, temperature sweep (TS), frequency sweep (FS), multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR), and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests were performed to assess the properties of RMBA. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Fluorescence microscopy (FM), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests were conducted to explore the microscopic morphology of RMBA. Besides, the economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) were assessed. Bio-oil contributed to the viscosity-reduction of the RMBA. When the rubber content was 30 %, the viscosity decreased by 48.16 % with a bio-oil content of 15 %. The temperature and frequency sensitivity of RMBA were lower than neat asphalt. Rubber improved the creep recovery and anti-rutting deformation behavior for bio-asphalt. The absorption peaks appeared at 1010 and 1038 cm−1, which represented the S[dbnd]O function group. The rubber did not absorb enough bio-oil for solubilization. This resulted in the functional group of S[dbnd]O appeared in 30 %+B-10 % and R-30 %+B-15 %. FM and SEM test results indicated that the rubber in RMBA exists in different states: undissolved rubber and dissolved rubber. The high content rubber could be partially dissolved in bio-asphalt and retained its elastic properties. The dissolved rubber particles exhibited a large crosslinked network structure. The raw material cost of RMBA decreased significantly with the rise of rubber and bio-oil contents. The reasonable application of waste rubber is beneficial to the alleviation of black pollution. The efficient application of rubber and bio-oil could contribute to the development of waste utilization and green transportation

Bioactive Compounds Isolated from Marine Bacterium Vibrio neocaledonicus and Their Enzyme Inhibitory Activities

© 2019 Natural Product Incorporation. All Rights Reserved. This study is focused on the isolation and characterization of bioactive secondary metabolites from the ethanolic extract of stems of the Panamanian plant Talisia nervosa Radlk, through a series of target-based cellular assays related to the metabolic syndrome (MetS): A combination of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), hypercholesterolemia, inflammation, and obesity. Bioassay guided fractionation allowed the isolation of four known compounds: (-)-catechin (1), methyl gallate (2), ethyl gallate (3), and ß-D-glucopyranose,1,4,6-tris(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate) (4). This is the first report of (-)-catechin (1) and ß-Dglucopyranose, 1,4,6-tris (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate) (4) from T. nervosa. Among the isolates, 1 activated PPARγ, but had no effect on PPARα. Compounds 2 - 4 activated PPARα, PPARγ and LXR. Interestingly, 2 was stronger than 3 towards all three targets. Methyl gallate (2) showed the most potent effect toward both PPARα and PPARγ with an increase of 3.0 and 13-fold, respectively, while 4 was most potent in activating LXR with a fold induction of 5.3 at concentrations of 100 μg/mL. The nitric oxide (NO) production was reduced by compounds 2 and 3 with IC50 values of 7.0 and 7.5 μg/mL, respectively. ß-Dglucopyranose, 1,4,6-tris (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate) (4) did not cause a significant increase in adipogenesis despite its strong PPARγ agonistic action (8.6-fold increase) and may represent a good candidate for the treatment of MetS without the undesirable side effect of weight gain

Effectiveness and potential mechanism of Jiawei-Xiaoyao-San for hyperthyroidism: a systematic review

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and potential mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine Jiawei-Xiaoyao-San (JWXYS) as an adjunct or mono- therapy for antithyroid drugs (ATDs) in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Methods: Eight databases and three trial registries were searched from inception until May 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included and meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 14.0. The Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool 1.0 and GRADE tool was used for quality appraisal. The findings from case reports using mono-JWXYS and pharmacological studies were summarized in tables. Results: Thirteen RCTs with 979 participants were included. The majority of the included studies were assessed as high risk of bias in one ROB domain. Compared with ATDs, JWXYS plus ATDs resulted in lower free triiodothyronine (FT3) (MD = -1.31 pmol/L, 95% CI [-1.85, -0.76]; low-certainty), lower free thyroxine (MD = -3.24 pmol/L, 95% CI [-5.06, -1.42]; low-certainty), higher thyroid stimulating hormone (MD = 0.42 mIU/L, 95% CI [0.26, 0.59]; low-certainty), higher effectiveness rate of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome (RR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.08, 1.52]; low-certainty), lower goiter score (MD = -0.66, 95% CI [-1.04, -0.29]; very low-certainty), lower thyrotrophin receptor antibody (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI [-0.73, -0.16]; low-certainty) and fewer adverse events (AEs) (RR = 0.34, 95% CI [0.18, 0.67]; moderate-certainty). Compared with regular dosage of ATDs, JWXYS plus half-dose ATDs resulted in fewer AEs (RR = 0.24, 95% CI [0.10, 0.59]; low-certainty). Compared with ATDs in 1 trial, JWXYS resulted in higher FT3, lower goiter score and fewer AEs. Three case reports showed that the reasons patients sought TCM-only treatment include severe AEs and multiple relapses. Three pharmacological studies demonstrated that JWXYS restored Th17/Treg balance, lowered deiodinases activity, regulated thyroid cell proliferation and apoptosis, and alleviated liver oxidative stress in mouse or rat models. Conclusion: JWXYS may enhance the effectiveness of ATDs for hyperthyroidism, particularly in relieving symptoms and reducing AEs. Mono-JWXYS is not recommended except in patients intolerant to ATDs. The findings should be interpreted with caution due to overall high risk of bias. Further pharmacological studies with more reliable models are needed

Transboundary Cooperation Improves Endangered Species Monitoring and Conservation Actions: A Case Study of the Global Population of Amur Leopards

Political borders and natural boundaries of wildlife populations seldom coincide, often to the detriment of conservation objectives. Transnational monitoring of endangered carnivores is rare, but is necessary for accurate population monitoring and coordinated conservation policies. We investigate the benefits of collaboratively monitoring the abundance and survival of the critically endangered Amur leopard, which occurs as a single transboundary population across China and Russia. Country‐specific results overestimated abundance and were generally less precise compared to integrated monitoring estimates; the global population was similar in both years: 84 (70–108, 95% confidence interval). Uncertainty in country‐specific annual survival estimates were approximately twice the integrated estimates of 0.82 (0.69–0.91, 95% confidence limits). This collaborative effort provided a better understanding of Amur leopard population dynamics, represented a first step in building trust, and lead to cooperative agreements to coordinate conservation policies

Comparison of the fecal microbiota of two free-ranging Chinese subspecies of the leopard (Panthera pardus) using high-throughput sequencing

The analysis of gut microbiota using fecal samples provides a non-invasive approach to understand the complex interactions between host species and their intestinal bacterial community. However, information on gut microbiota for wild endangered carnivores is scarce. The goal of this study was to describe the gut microbiota of two leopard subspecies, the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) and North Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis). Fecal samples from the Amur leopard (n = 8) and North Chinese leopard (n = 13) were collected in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park and Shanxi Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in China, respectively. The gut microbiota of leopards was analyzed via high-throughput sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA gene using the Life Ion S5™ XL platform. A total of 1,413,825 clean reads representing 4,203 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected. For Amur leopard samples, Firmicutes (78.4%) was the dominant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria (9.6%) and Actinobacteria (7.6%). And for the North Chinese leopard, Firmicutes (68.6%), Actinobacteria (11.6%) and Fusobacteria (6.4%) were the most predominant phyla. Clostridiales was the most diverse bacterial order with 37.9% for Amur leopard and 45.7% for North Chinese leopard. Based on the beta-diversity analysis, no significant difference was found in the bacterial community composition between the Amur leopard and North Chinese leopard samples. The current study provides the initial data about the composition and structure of the gut microbiota for wild Amur leopards and North Chinese leopards, and has laid the foundation for further investigations of the health, dietary preferences and physiological regulation of leopards