A New Species of Scymnus (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) from Pakistan with Mitochondrial Genome and Its Phylogenetic Implications.

In this study, a new species of the subgenus Pullus belonging to the Scymnus genus from Pakistan, Scymnus (Pullus) cardi sp. nov., was described and illustrated, with information on its distribution, host plants, and prey. Additionally, the completed mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the new species using high-throughput sequencing technology was obtained. The genome contains the typical 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs, and 22 transfer RNAs) and a non-coding control region, and is arranged in the same order as that of the putative ancestor of beetles. The AT content of the mitogenome is approximately 85.1%, with AT skew and GC skew of 0.05 and -0.43, respectively. The calculated values of relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) determine that the codon UUA (L) has the highest frequency. Furthermore, we explored the phylogenetic relationship among 59 representatives of the Coccinellidae using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods, the results of which strongly support the monophyly of Coccinellinae. The phylogenetic results positioned Scymnus (Pullus) cardi in a well-supported clade with Scymnus (Pullus) loewii and Scymnus (Pullus) rubricaudus within the genus Scymnus and the tribe Scymnini. The mitochondrial sequence of S. (P.) cardi will contribute to the mitochondrial genome database and provide helpful information for the identification and phylogeny of Coccinellidae.

Effective oxygen activation on polyoxometalate-based hybrids for epoxidation of alkenes.

Two polyoxometalate-based hybrids, [M(btap)3(H2O)3(HPW12O40)]·xH2O (M-PW, M = Co/Mn, btap = 3,5-bis(1',2',4'-triazol-1'-yl)pyridine) were synthesized. Co-PW exhibited higher activity and selectivity towards olefin epoxidation than Mn-PW due to the synergistic effect between CoII and PW, in which the Co centers activate O2 to ˙O2- and further binding of free H+ from PW affords the active peroxyacid.

Exploring Electron Transfer Mechanism in Synergistic Interactional Reduced Polyoxometalate-Based Cu(I)-Organic Framework for Photocatalytic Removal of U(VI).

Photocatalytic reduction of U(VI) is a promising method for removing uranium containing pollutants. However, using polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks (POMOFs) for photoreduction of U(VI) is rare, and the relevant charge transfer pathway is also not yet clear. In this article, we demonstrate a highly efficient strategy and revealed a clearly electron transfer pathway for the photoreduction of U(VI) with 99% removal efficiency by using a novel POMOF, [Cu(4,4'-bipy)]5·{AsMo4VMo6VIV2VO40(VIVO)[VIVO(H2O)]}·2H2O (1), as catalyst. The POMOF catalyst was constructed by the connection of reduced {AsMo10V4} clusters and Cu(I)-MOF chains through Cu-O coordination bonds, which exhibits a broader and stronger light absorption capacity due to the presence of reduced {AsMo10V4} clusters. Significantly, the transition of electrons from Cu(I)-MOF to {AsMo10V4} clusters (Cu → Mo/V) greatly inhibits the recombination of photogenerated carriers, thereby advancing electron transfer. More importantly, the {AsMo10V4} clusters are not only adsorption sites but also catalytically active sites. This causes the fast transfer of photogenerated electrons from Mo/V to UO22+(Mo/V → O → U) via the surface oxygen atoms. The shorter electron transmission distance between catalytic active sites and UO22+ achieves faster and more effective electron transport. All in all, the highly effective photocatalytic removal of U(VI) using the POMOF as a catalyst is predominantly due to the synergistic interaction between Cu(I)-MOFs and reduced {AsMo10V4} clusters.

Translation of nonclinical to clinical safety findings for 27 biotherapeutics.

Human adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and in vivo nonclinical adverse and nonadverse findings, were identified in 27 biotherapeutic programs and placed into organ categories to determine translation. The sensitivity of detecting human ADRs was 30.8% with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 53.3% for nonclinical adverse findings; sensitivity increased to 67.3% and PPV fell to 35.0% when including nonadverse findings. Nonclinical findings were associated with a greater likelihood of a human ADR in that organ category, especially for adverse findings [positive likelihood ratio (LR+) >10 (lower 95% confidence interval [CI] of >5)]. The specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) were very high (>85%). A lack of nonclinical findings in an organ category was associated with a lower likelihood of a human ADR in that organ category. About 40-50% of human ADRs and nonclinical adverse findings, and about 30% of nonclinical nonadverse findings, were attributed to pharmacology. Slightly more than half of the human ADRs with a translating nonclinical finding had findings in animals that could be considered very similar. Overall, 38% of nonclinical findings translated to a human ADR at the organ category level. When nonclinical findings did not translate to humans, the cause was usually higher exposures or longer dosing in animals. All programs with human ADRs attributed to immunogenicity also had nonclinical adverse or nonadverse findings related to immunogenicity. Overall, nonclinical adverse and nonadverse findings were useful in predicting human ADRs, especially at an organ category level, and the majority of human ADRs were predicted by nonclinical toxicity studies.

The effect of part-list cuing on associative recognition.

The modulation of part-list cuing on item memory has been well-documented, whereas its impact on associative memory remains largely unknown. The present study explored the effect of part-list cuing on associative recognition and, more specifically, whether this forgetting effect caused by part-list cuing is more sensitive to recollection or familiarity in recognition memory. Experiments 1a and 1b combined the intact/rearranged/new judgement task of associative recognition with the classical part-list cuing paradigm, and the result showed that part-list cuing impaired the recognition accuracy of "intact" and "rearranged" face-scene pairs. Moreover, the discriminability score of relational recognition and item recognition was significantly decreased in the part-list cuing condition compared to the no-part-list cuing condition. Experiments 2a and 2b further used the Remember/Know/Guess task to explore which recognition processes (recollection vs. familiarity) were sensitive to the presentation of part-list cuing. The results showed that part-list cuing reduced the familiarity of relational recognition and the recollection and familiarity of item recognition. These findings suggest that part-list cuing was harmful to the recognition of relationships (familiarity) and items (recollection and familiarity) in associative memory.

Diagnostic value of 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT for predicting the pathological grade of prostate cancer.

This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of relevant parameters of 18F-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-1007 PET/CT in predicting the pathological grade of primary prostate cancer. Briefly, a prospective analysis was performed on 53 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by systematic puncture biopsy, followed by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT examination prior to treatment within 10 d. The patients were grouped in accordance with the Gleason grading system revised by the International Association of Urology Pathology (ISUP). They were divided into high-grade group (ISUP 4-5 group) and low-grade group (ISUP 1-3 group). The differences in maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), intraprostatic PSMA-derived tumor volume (iPSMA-TV), and intraprostatic total lesion PSMA (iTL-PSMA) between the high- and low-grade group were statistically significant (p < .001). No significant difference was found for mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) between the high- and low-grade groups (Z = -1.131, p = .258). Besides, binary multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only iPSMA-TV and iTL-PSMA were independent predictors of the pathological grading, for which the odds ratios were 18.821 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.040-173.614, p = .010] and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.613-0.938, p = .011), respectively. The area under the ROC of this regression model was 0.983 (95% CI: 0.958-1.00, p < .001). Only iTL-PSMA was a significant parameter for distinguishing ISUP-4 and ISUP-5 groups (Z = -2.043, p = .041). In a nutshell, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT has good application value in predicting the histopathological grade of primary prostate cancer. Three-dimensional volume metabolism parameters iPSMA-TV and iTL-PSMA were found to be independent predictors for pathological grade.

Rapid Oxidative Detoxification of Mustard Simulant by the Multisite Synergistic Catalytic Action of {PMoVI11MoVO40CuI8} Units.

Under hydrothermal and solvent-thermal conditions, we synthesized two novel polyoxometalate (POM)-based hybrids: [CuI4(Pz)2(H2O)8(PMoVI11MoVO40)]·3.5H2O (1, Pz = pyrazine) and [(C2H8N)5(HPMoVI9MoV3O40)]·DMF·4H2O (2). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that compound 1 is a three-dimensional structure consisting of Cu (I), {PMo12} anions, Pz, and water, where Cu (I) can be considered as Lewis acid sites. Furthermore, both compounds 1 and 2 possess favorable catalysis activity in catalyzing the conversion of chemical warfare agent simulant 2-chloroethylethyl sulfide (CEES) to nontoxic production of 2-chloroethylethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) under ambient temperature. Significantly, 1 could realize 98% conversion and 100% selectivity of CEES owing to the multisite synergy in the {PMoVI11MoVO40CuI8} units in which the tricoordinated Cu (I) could interact with S and O atoms from CEES and H2O2, respectively. This interaction not only decreases the distance of CEES from peroxomolybdenum species formed by H2O2 but also activates CEES.

Distribution and accumulation of Cadmium in different trophic levels affecting Serangium japonicum, the predatory beetle of whitefly Bemisia tabaci, biologically, physiologically and genetically: An experimental study.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that is of great concern in agroecosystems due to its toxicity to plants, herbivores, carnivores, and human beings. The current study evaluated the allocation and bioaccumulation of Cd from soil to cotton plants, cotton plants to herbivore pests, and herbivorous pests to a natural enemy predator. When soil was spiked with 100 mg/kg Cd, results demonstrated that cotton roots accumulated more Cd than the stems and leaves. The bioaccumulation of Cd was less in 4th instar larvae, pupa, and adults of Serangium japonicum than in Bemisia tabaci adults. The bioaccumulation in S. japonicum elongated the immature development period and reduced adult longevity, oviposition days, fertility, and total pre-oviposition duration. The net reproduction of S. japonicum was also reduced, as was female mature weight and feeding potential; as a result, Cd exposure could reduce the future population size compared to uncontaminated populations. There was decreased activity of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and POD) and energy-conserving lipids (glycogen, triglyceride, and total cholesterol) in Cd-contaminated S. japonicum compared to controls. The detoxifying enzyme activity of GST and P450 increased while AChE activity did not change. The qRT-PCR research showed that SOD1, CAT, POD, glycogen, and triglyceride gene expression was higher than in controls, whereas detoxification gene expression did not change. Our results indicate that Cd exposure has a physiological trade-off between its adverse effects on life history traits and elevated detoxification and antioxidation of S. japonicum, which could result from gene expression alteration. Further studies are needed to assess whether Cd exposure causes irreversible DNA damage in S. japonicum.

Progress in the Application of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Forensic Trace Analysis.

Given the complexity of biological samples and the trace nature of target materials in forensic trace analysis, a simple and effective method is needed to obtain sufficient target materials from complex substrates. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have shown a wide range of application value in many research fields, such as biomedicine, drug delivery and separation, due to their unique superparamagnetic properties, stable physical and chemical properties, biocompatibility, small size, high specific surface area and other characteristics. To apply MNPs in the pretreatment of forensic materials, maximize the extraction rate of the target materials, and minimize interference factors to meet the requirements of trace analysis of the target materials, this paper reviews the application of MNPs in the fields of forensic toxicological analysis, environmental forensic science, trace evidence analysis and criminal investigation in recent years, and provides research ideas for the application of MNPs in forensic trace analysis.

Moxibustion ameliorated age-related alterations in neurological behavior and gut microbiota in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the anti-aging effects of moxibustion on age-related alterations in middle-aged mice. METHODS: Thirty, 9-month-old, male ICR mice were randomly divided into the moxibustion and control groups (N = 15). Mice in the moxibustion group were given mild moxibustion at the Guanyuan acupoint for 20 minutes every other day. After 30 treatments, neurobehavior tests, lifespan, gut microbiota composition and splenic gene expression were observed in the mice. RESULTS: Moxibustion improved the locomotor activity as well as motor function, activated the SIRT1-PPARα signaling pathway, ameliorated age-related alterations in gut microbiota, and affected the expression of genes related to energy metabolism in spleen. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion ameliorated age-related alterations in neurobehavior and gut microbiota in middle-aged mice.

An injectable hydrogel combining medicine and matrix with anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic properties for potential treatment of myocardial infarction.

One of the main illnesses that put people's health in jeopardy is myocardial infarction (MI). After MI, damaged or dead cells set off an initial inflammatory response that thins the ventricle wall and degrades the extracellular matrix. At the same time, the ischemia and hypoxic conditions resulting from MI lead to significant capillary obstruction and rupture, impairing cardiac function and reducing blood flow to the heart. Therefore, attenuating the initial inflammatory response and promoting angiogenesis are very important for the treatment of MI. Here, to reduce inflammation and promote angiogenesis in infarcted area, we report a new kind of injectable hydrogel composed of puerarin and chitosan via in situ self-assembly with simultaneous delivery of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CHP@Si) for myocardial repair. On the one hand, puerarin degraded from CHP@Si hydrogel modulated the inflammatory response via inhibiting M1-type polarization of macrophages and expression of pro-inflammatory factors. On the other hand, silica ions and puerarin released from CHP@Si hydrogel showed synergistic activity to improve the cell viability, migration and angiogenic gene expression of HUVECs in both conventional and oxygen/glucose-deprived environments. It suggests that this multifunctional injectable CHP@Si hydrogel with good biocompatibility may be an appropriate candidate as a bioactive material for myocardial repair post-MI.

Construction of ZnO/PCL Antibacterial Coating Potentially for Dental Unit Waterlines.

The formation of bacterial biofilms and the contamination of treatment water within dental unit waterlines can lead to a risk of secondary bacterial infections in immunocompromised patients. Although chemical disinfectants can reduce the contamination of treatment water, they can also cause corrosion damage to dental unit waterlines. Considering the antibacterial effect of ZnO, a ZnO-containing coating was prepared on the surface of polyurethane waterlines using polycaprolactone (PCL) with a good film-forming capacity. The ZnO-containing PCL coating improved the hydrophobicity of polyurethane waterlines, thus inhibiting the adhesion of bacteria. Moreover, the continuous slow release of Zn ions endowed polyurethane waterlines with antibacterial activity, thus effectively preventing the formation of bacterial biofilms. Meanwhile, the ZnO-containing PCL coating had good biocompatibility. The present study suggests that ZnO-containing PCL coating can realize a long-term antibacterial effect on the polyurethane waterlines by itself, providing a novel strategy for the manufacture of autonomous antibacterial dental unit waterlines.

[Identification of Nitrate Source of Surface Water in a Typical Peri-urban Watershed in the Tableland of the Loess Plateau, China].

With the rapid development of industry and agriculture, nitrate pollution in surface water has become one of the serious environmental problems in the Loess Plateau region. In this study, Yanwachuan watershed, a typical suburban watershed in the gully region of a loess plateau, was selected as the research area. Using hydrochemical data and nitrogen and oxygen bistable isotopes, combined with the SIAR model, the contribution rates of different pollution sources of nitrate in surface water in the dry season and wet season were quantitatively identified, and the main reasons for seasonal differences in different pollution sources were clarified. The results showed that inorganic nitrogen mainly existed in the form of NO3--N and NO2--N, and the average concentration of NO3--N and NO2--N in the wet season was higher than that in the dry season, whereas NH4+-N showed the opposite characteristics. Nitrification was the main process of nitrate transformation in the surface water of the basin. In the wet season, the main sources of nitrate were manure and sewage, whereas in the dry season, manure, sewage, and soil N leaching were the dominant sources, followed by ammonium fertilizer. The contribution proportion of different pollution sources to nitrate in surface water of the watershed showed significant seasonal differences. The sewage had the highest contribution, accounting for 31.40% and 65.66% in the dry season and rainy season, respectively, and the contribution of sewage to NO3- in the wet season was much higher than that in the dry season. The increase in residential water consumption in summer led to a large amount of sewage discharge into the watershed.

Sleep benefit in patients with Parkinson's disease is associated with the dopamine transporter expression in putamen.

PURPOSE: Sleep benefit (SB) is a well-known phenomenon in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether the SB phenomenon in PD patients is associated with dopamine transporter (DAT) expression levels in the striatum. METHODS: The data of 125 PD patients were collected and divided into SB (n = 61) and non-SB (nSB) groups (n = 54) depending on whether they had SB or not. DAT expression on both sides of the striatum in PD patients was measured using 2b-carbomethoxy-3b-(4-trimethylstannylphenyl) tropane (11C-CFT) positron emission tomography imaging. The clinical variables, sleep scores, and striatum 11C-CFT uptake index of PD patients between the SB and nSB groups were compared. The associations of clinical variables, sleep scores, and striatum 11C-CFT uptake index with the SB variable were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the striatum 11C-CFT uptake index in distinguishing SB patients from nSB patients. RESULTS: The tremor subtype ratio (P = 0.011), levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) (P < 0.001), sleep efficiency score (P = 0.025), habitual sleep efficiency (P = 0.012), and night sleep duration (P = 0.005) in the SB group were significantly different from those in the nSB group. The 11C-CFT uptake index in both the contralateral and ipsilateral striata in the SB group was significantly higher than that in the nSB group (P < 0.05). The binary logistic regression showed that SB variables were significantly and independently associated with tremor subtype (P = 0.048), LEDD (P = 0.021), sleep duration at night (P = 0.035), 11C-CFT uptake index in the contralateral (P = 0.013) and ipsilateral (P = 0.019) putamen in PD patients after correction for important clinical confounders. ROC analysis showed that the 11C-CFT uptake index on the onset side of the putamen had a high capacity (AUC: 0.916) to distinguish SB patients from nSB patients with high sensitivity (83.33 %) and specificity (88.89 %). CONCLUSION: DAT expression in the putamen was associated with the SB phenomenon in PD patients, and the putamen DAT expression level could predict the SB phenomenon in PD patients.

Concentrations, seasonal trends, sources, health risk and subchronic toxicity to the respiratory and immune system of PAHs in PM2.5 in Xi'an.

PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proved to be hazardous to health. Previous studies have focused on the distribution and sources of PAHs, whereas there is little knowledge of the damage to organs. Here we sought to investigate the pollution level and seasonal variation characteristics of PAHs in PM2.5 in Xi'an and assess the health risk, to establish a PAHs exposure model, and investigate the toxicological effects of PAHs on the respiratory and immune functions. A sub-chronic exposure model of PAHs was established by inhalation. The pathological changes of lung tissues were observed with a light microscope. Inflammatory reactions in alveolar lavage fluid were determined using the corresponding kit. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit; the proliferation of lymphocytes in spleen was detected with methyl tetrazolium (MTT); DNA immune damage was determined with DNA gel electrophoresis. The results showed that (1) the total concentration of 16 PAHs ranged from 41.1 to 387 ng/m3, with a mean value of 170 ng/m3, and the concentration of PAHs in PM2.5 was higher in winter than in other seasons. (2) The sources of PAHs in the atmosphere of Xi'an urban area were mainly coal combustion, and the equivalent carcinogenic concentration of PAHs in PM2.5 was 3.9 ng/m3. (3) Foreign body granuloma formation and inflammatory cell damage were observed in the lungs of rats infected with toxin; the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mobile device assistant (MDA) increased while nitric oxide synthase (NOS) decreased with the increase of dose; the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 elevated with the increase of toxin dose, showing an obvious dose-effect relationship; the level of PAHs damage to cells showed a dose-effect relationship. Sub-chronic exposure to PAHs could cause sustained inflammatory injury to the organism. Measures should be taken to counter the problems of PAHs in PM2.5 in Xi'an and relevant health promotion strategies should be developed.

Progress in the Application of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Forensic Trace Analysis / 法医学杂志

Given the complexity of biological samples and the trace nature of target materials in forensic trace analysis, a simple and effective method is needed to obtain sufficient target materials from complex substrates. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have shown a wide range of application value in many research fields, such as biomedicine, drug delivery and separation, due to their unique superparamagnetic properties, stable physical and chemical properties, biocompatibility, small size, high specific surface area and other characteristics. To apply MNPs in the pretreatment of forensic materials, maximize the extraction rate of the target materials, and minimize interference factors to meet the requirements of trace analysis of the target materials, this paper reviews the application of MNPs in the fields of forensic toxicological analysis, environmental forensic science, trace evidence analysis and criminal investigation in recent years, and provides research ideas for the application of MNPs in forensic trace analysis.

Vertical variation of atmospheric particulate matter under different pollution levels in the suburbs of Tianjin based on unmanned aerial vehicle.

An unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with an isokinetic sampling device and a portable aerosol particle size spectrometer was used to detect atmospheric particles at different altitudes in the suburbs of Tianjin. In January 2017, four flight tests under different air conditions were conducted, and the Severe polluted and Excellent levels were classified according to the air quality index of the State-controlled site. Changes in mass concentration with altitude, and the vertical distribution of mass concentration and number concentration spectrum were analyzed. Results showed that under the Severe polluted condition, the concentration of particulate matter (PM) decreased significantly within 200 m, and became stable above 400 m. Two peaks at 260 m and 400 m were observed - they were attributed to local emissions and transportation of nearby areas. When the mass concentration significantly increased, the greatest contributor was particles with a size of 15-30 µm. As altitude increased, PM with the size of less than 1 µm accounted for the largest proportion. Regarding number concentration, the main particle size was less than 0.35 µm. Under the Excellent condition, particles less than 0.35 µm in size were the most important components in mass and number concentrations. Correlation analysis of meteorological factors and backward trajectory indicated that pollution was caused by particle concentration transport in several provinces and the particle accumulation due to temperature inversion.Implications: Study on the vertical structure of air pollutants was very important for understanding the occurrence and development of regional heavy pollution. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was an efficient method for its easy operation, good stability, high flexibility and safety, and was introduced to observe the vertical distribution characteristics of particle concentration under different weather conditions. This study provided the number concentration spectra and the mass concentration spectra at different height, and would give some support for the precise control of air pollution.

The regulatory mechanism and potential application of IL-23 in autoimmune diseases.

IL-23 is a heterodimeric pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by dendritic cells and macrophages that belongs to the IL-12 family. It has pro-inflammatory effects and is a key cytokine and upstream regulatory cytokine involved in protective immune responses, stimulating the differentiation and proliferation of downstream effectors such as Th17 cells. It is expressed in various autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The IL-23/TH17 axis formed by IL-23 and TH17 has been confirmed to participate in autoimmune diseases pathogenesis. IL-23R is the receptor for IL-23 and plays an activating role. Targeting IL-23 is currently the main strategy for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. In this review we summarized the mechanism of action and clinical application potential of IL-23 in autoimmune diseases by summarizing the latest research results and reviewing the literature, which would help to further understand IL-23 and provide a theoretical basis for future clinical targeting and drug development.

Effect of Alumina on Crystallization Behavior of Calcium Ferrite in Fe2O3-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 System.

Al2O3 is a gangue component in iron ores, significantly influencing the formation and crystallization of calcium ferrite in the sintering process. But the mechanism of the Al2O3 effect on the crystallization of calcium ferrite is rarely reported. In this work, a crystallization device was designed to investigate the crystallization behavior of calcium ferrite in Fe2O3-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 melt under non-isothermal conditions. XRD, SEM-EDS, and optical microscopy were used to identify the crystalline phase and the microstructure of samples. The result shows that the crystal morphology of SFCA changed in the order of strip, column, and needle as the Al2O3 content increased. The crystallization sequence of samples containing Al2O3 was observed as Ca4Fe14O25 (C4F14) → Fe2O3 → Ca3.18Fe15.48Al1.34O36 (SFCA-I) → CaFe2O4 (CF) → Ca5Si2(Fe, Al)18O36 (SFCA) → γ-Ca2SiO4 (C2S). The generation pathway of SFCA-I was found to be C4F14 + Si4+ + Al3+ → SFCA-I. Increasing the cooling rate can promote the formation of C4F14, SFCA-I, Fe2O3 and the amorphous phase. However, it prevented the crystallization of CF and SFCA while inhibiting the transformation of ß-C2S to γ-C2S. When the Al2O3 content reached or exceeded 2.5 mass pct, the viscosity of Fe2O3-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 melt increased sharply, resulting in the decrease in the crystal size of calcium ferrite.

Ecological drivers of avian diversity in a subtropical landscape: Effects of habitat diversity, primary productivity and anthropogenic disturbance.

Understanding the roles of ecological drivers in shaping biodiversity is fundamental for conservation practice. In this study, we explored the effects of elevation, conservation status, primary productivity, habitat diversity and anthropogenic disturbance (represented by human population density and birding history) on taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional avian diversity in a subtropical landscape in southeastern China. We conducted bird surveys using 1-km transects across a total of 30 sites, of which 10 sites were located within a natural reserve. Metrics of functional diversity were calculated based on six functional traits (body mass, clutch size, dispersal ratio, sociality, diet and foraging stratum). We built simultaneous autoregression models to assess the association between the ecological factors and diversity of the local avian communities. Local avian diversity generally increased with increasing habitat diversity, human population density and primary productivity. We also detected phylogenetic and functional clustering in these communities, suggesting that the avian assemblages were structured mainly by environmental filtering, rather than interspecific competition. Compared with sites outside the natural reserve, sites within the natural reserve had relatively lower avian diversity but a higher level of phylogenetic heterogeneity.