Search Results (13)

The Bohai Sea is the only semi-enclosed inland sea in China. With active marine economic activities, it faces a persistently high risk of oil spill accidents. This study assesses the occurrence risk and pollution risk of oil spills by considering factors such as sea state, the location of oil platform, and shipping route density in the Bohai Sea. The results show that the central part of the Bohai Sea, the southern Liaodong Peninsula, and the Bohai Strait area have a relatively high occurrence risk of oil spills due to busy maritime traffic and harsh sea conditions. In contrast, some areas in the northern, western, and southern parts of the Bohai Sea have a relatively low occurrence risk of oil spills because of weak maritime activity intensity and relatively calm sea state. In terms of the oil pollution risk, its distribution in the Bohai Sea shows significant seasonal characteristics, which are mainly comprehensively affected by multiple dynamic factors such as circulation, monsoon, and seawater exchange. Based on the oil pollution risk distribution, seasonally targeted strategies are proposed, which can provide a scientific basis for oil spill prevention and emergency management in the Bohai Sea, and help relevant departments formulate targeted prevention and control strategies. Full article

This paper introduces an integrated inventory model that employs customized neural networks to tackle the challenge of non-stationary demand for newsvendor-type products, such as vegetables and fashion items. In this newsvendor context, demand is intertemporal-dependent and influenced by external factors such as prices, promotions, and holidays. Contrary to traditional machine-learning-based inventory models that assume stationary and independent demand, our method accounts for the temporal dynamics and the impact of external factors on demand. Our customized neural network model integrates demand estimation with inventory optimization, circumventing the potential suboptimality of sequential estimation and optimization methods. We conduct a case study on optimizing the vegetable ordering decisions for a supermarket. The findings indicate the proposed model’s effectiveness in enhancing ordering decisions, thereby reducing inventory costs by up to 21.14%. By customizing an integrated neural network, this paper presents a precise and cost-effective inventory management solution to address real-world complexities of demand, like seasonality and external factor dependency. The proposed approach is particularly beneficial for retailers in industries dealing with perishable items and market volatility, enabling them to mitigate waste (e.g., unsold vegetables) and stockouts (e.g., seasonal fashion items). This directly confronts challenges related to sustainability and profitability. Furthermore, the integrated framework provides a methodological inspiration for adapting neural networks to other time-sensitive supply chain problems. Full article

Rule-based reasoning with different kinds of uncertain information has been identified in numerous applications within the real world. Any reasoning method must be able to coherently obtain the inference result by composing the given if–then rule with the assertion of the given input. The symmetric quintuple-implication principle was established by introducing symmetry into the five implication operators included. For example, the first, third and fifth implication operators exhibit symmetric properties, i.e., the three implication operators are taken as the same kind of operator and the second and fourth implication operators satisfy symmetry, that is, the two implication operators take the same kind of operator. So, the reasoning method induced by this principle possesses significant advantages in terms of its logical foundation and reductivity. This paper derives and studies reasoning methods for the mixture of fuzzy information and intuitionistic fuzzy information based on the symmetric quintuple-implication principle where all five implication operators satisfy symmetry (also called the quintuple-implication principle). Such reasoning methods are based on the ideas that the input and the given if–then rule can be combined for calculation only when their information representations exhibit consistency. An inconsistent given if–then rule with two different representations should be regarded as the composition of two different consistent given if–then rules with their own unique representations. This paper then elaborates on the methods by employing the possibility and necessity operators and the quintuple-implication principle from the perspective of whether the representation of rule antecedent and rule consequent is consistent or not. The reductivity of all the proposed reasoning methods is also analyzed in detail. This paper mainly contributes to the development of a novel mixed information reasoning framework, along with the introduction of the quintuple-implication principle into reasoning with mixed information. The proposed methods have also been applied to pattern recognition, and several experiments demonstrate that the mixed information reasoning methods based on the quintuple-implication principle are superior to the corresponding methods based on the triple I principle. Full article

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is susceptible to waterlogging stress. Although abundant wild germplasm resources exist among Actinidia plants for improving the waterlogging tolerance of kiwifruit cultivars, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, a comparative study was undertaken using one wild germplasm, Maorenshen (A. valvata Dunn, MRS), and one cultivar, Miliang-1 (A. chinensis var. deliciosa (A.Chev.) A.Chev. cv. Miliang-1, ML). Under stress, the ML plantlets were seriously damaged with wilted chlorotic leaves and blackened rotten roots, whereas the symptoms of injury in the MRS plantlets were much fewer, along with higher photosynthetic rates, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics and root activity under stress conditions. However, neither aerenchyma in the root nor adventitious roots appeared in both germplasms upon stress exposure. The activities of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), as well as their transcript levels, were constitutively higher in MRS than those in ML under both normal and stress conditions. Waterlogging stress significantly enhanced the PDC and ADH enzyme activities in both germplasms, which were 60.8% and 22.4% higher in the MRS roots than those in the ML roots under waterlogging stress, respectively. Moreover, MRS displayed higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, CAT, and APX, as well as DPPH-radical scavenging ability, and decreased H₂O₂ and MDA accumulation under both normal and stress conditions. Our findings suggest that the waterlogging tolerance of the wild A. valvata germplasm was associated with high PDC and ADH, as well as antioxidant ability. Full article

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal are important volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. The gas–particle partitioning of these carbonyl compounds makes significant contributions to O₃ formation. In this study, both the gas- and particle-phase glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations at the foot and top of Mount Hua were determined simultaneously. The results showed that the gaseous-phase glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations at the top were higher than those at the foot of the mountain. However, the concentrations for the particle phase showed the opposite trend. The average theoretical values of the gas–particle partitioning coefficients of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal concentrations (4.57 × 10⁻¹⁰ and 9.63 × 10⁻¹⁰ m³ μg⁻¹, respectively) were lower than the observed values (3.79 × 10⁻³ and 6.79 × 10⁻³ m³ μg⁻¹, respectively). The effective Henry’s law constants (eff.K_H) of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were in the order of 10⁸ to 10⁹ mol/kgH2O/atm, and they were lower at the foot than they were at the top. The particle/gas ratios (P/G ratios) of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were 0.039 and 0.055, respectively, indicating more glyoxal and methylglyoxal existed in the gas phase. The factors influencing the partitioning coefficients of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal were positively correlated with the relative humidity (RH) and negatively correlated with the PM_2.5 value. Moreover, the partitioning coefficient of the glyoxal and methylglyoxal was more significant at the top than at the foot of Mount Hua. Full article

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial players regulating many biological processes in plants. However, limited knowledge is available regarding their roles in kiwifruit ripening and softening. In this study, using lncRNA-seq technology, 591 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs (DELs) and 3107 DE genes (DEGs) were identified from kiwifruit stored at 4 °C for 1, 2, and 3 weeks in comparison with non-treated control fruits. Of note, 645 DEGs were predicted to be targets of DELs (DEGTLs), including some DE protein-coding genes (such as β-amylase and pectinesterase). DEGTL-based GO enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were significantly enriched in cell wall modification and pectinesterase activity in 1 W vs. CK and 3 W vs. CK, which might be closely related to the fruit softening during low-temperature storage. Moreover, KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that DEGTLs were significantly associated with starch and sucrose metabolism. Our study revealed that lncRNAs play critical regulatory roles in kiwifruit ripening and softening under low-temperature storage, mainly by mediating the expression of starch and sucrose metabolism and cell wall modification related genes. Full article

The coastal zone is essential to economic and social development. However, coastline evolution is a complex research topic, owing to the intersection and coupling of different fields such as wind, wave, and current. Research is further complicated by variations in these fields’ temporal and spatial scales. This study acquired and preprocessed multi-phase Landsat remote sensing satellite images of the eastern coast, from Wailuo to Zhuzi, from 1987 to 2021. Then, the decoded and extracted instantaneous coastline images were corrected, and quantitative analysis was carried out through the Digital Coastline Analysis System (DSAS). The results showed that trends of coastline evolution in the study area in the medium–long term were overall balanced. All the transects manifested temporal and spatial differences, and erosional hot spots were mainly concentrated on the coastal cape and its vicinity. To investigate storm-induced beach erosion in the short term, the 400 m coastline of Baimao in the area was selected as a field site, and the field survey was conducted during two storms. The distribution of the dynamic parameters of sediment deposition was also investigated. The results showed that the beach in the field site had an excellent ability to resist storm erosion and that the topographic change was greatly affected by geological conditions in the area, such as reef masking and a typical headland beach. The grain size parameters of the beach sediments were sensitive to storms, reflecting the adjustment of the beach surface during typhoons. This study shows how a multi-timescale analysis could represent an efficient approach to understanding the dynamic evolution of the coastline. It showed a detailed description of the historical coastline evolution of the eastern coast of the Leizhou Peninsula after 1987. Additionally, the coastline evolution and sediment distribution for the sedimentation dynamic environment of Baimao tourist area in the short term were also investigated. In conclusion, this study can contribute to the rational utilization of coastal resources, to coastal disaster prevention, and the mitigation of local coastal areas. Full article

Canarium album fruit has great potential to be consumed as a raw material not only for food but also medicine. The diverse active metabolites composition and content of C. album fruits greatly affect their pharmacological effects. However, up to now, there has been no report on the global metabolome differences among fruits from distinct C. album cultivars. In our present study, by using non-targeted metabolomics techniques, we identified 87 DAMs (differentially accumulated metabolites) including 17 types of flavonoids from fruits of four different C. album cultivars. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis- and flavonoid biosynthesis-related DAMs were major factors determining their metabolome differences. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed that 15 KEGG pathways were significantly enriched by genes of the identified 3655 DEGs (differentially expressed genes) among different C. album cultivars. Consistent with the metabolome data, flavonoid biosynthesis-related DEGs, including eight key structural genes (such as FLS, CCoAOMT, CHI, C4H, DFR, LAR, and C3′H, etc.) and several regulatory transcription factor (TF) genes (including 32 MYBs and 34 bHLHs, etc.), were found to be significantly enriched (p < 0.01). Our study indicated that the differential expression of flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes and accumulation of flavonoids played dominant roles in the various metabolome compositions of fruits from different C. album cultivars. Full article

The rapidly growing carbon emissions of residential building operations have become an obstacle to China’s commitment to achieving its carbon-neutral goals by 2060, but they also demonstrate great carbon mitigation potential. To help buildings reach carbon neutrality targets, this study decomposes the drivers of carbon emissions and evaluates the changes in carbon mitigation of residential buildings across 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2018. The results indicate that (1) the operational carbon intensity increased in most provinces and the average annual growth rate across the 30 provinces was 4.2%; (2) from 2001 to 2018, North China and Northeast China had the highest average annual carbon mitigation intensity, at 602.7 and 376.9 kg of carbon dioxide per household, respectively. However, Northwest China had the highest carbon mitigation efficiency, with a carbon mitigation rate of 23.5%; and (3) in most cases, the total carbon mitigations of the operational residential buildings assessed at the provincial scale higher than those assessed nationwide, with a difference of 14.4 million tons of carbon dioxide on average. In addition, this study reviewed the energy efficiency codes for residential buildings and summarized effective energy efficiency measures. Overall, this study fills a gap in our understanding of carbon mitigation tools and provides a reference for the evaluation of historical carbon mitigation effects in the operation of residential buildings. Full article

Due to large energy consumption and carbon emissions (ECCE) in the building sector, there is huge potential for carbon emission reduction, and this will strongly influence peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality in the future. To get a better sense of the current research situation and future trends and to provide a valuable reference and guidance for subsequent research, this study presents a summary of carbon peak and carbon neutrality (CPCN) in buildings using a bibliometric approach. Three areas are addressed in the review through the analysis of 364 articles published from 1990–2021: (1) Which countries, institutions, and individuals have conducted extensive and in-depth research on CPCN in buildings, and what is the status quo of their collaboration and contributions? (2) What subjects and topics have aroused wide interest and enthusiasm among scholars, and what are their time trajectories? (3) What journals and authors have grabbed the attention of many scholars, and what are the research directions related to them? Moreover, we propose future research directions. Filling these gaps will enrich the research body of CPCN and overcome current limitations by developing more methods and exploring other practical applications. Full article

Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce) J. F. Gmel. is a multipurpose dioecious tree that has been used to treat various ailments, for example, the flowers of H. abyssinica have been widely used as a tea to treat intestinal parasites by local residents and the roots of H. abyssinica could also be used for anticancer purposes. Antioxidant activity could be one of the most important pathways to suppress cancer and there is hardly any information available on the specific chemical components corresponding to the bioactivities of H. abyssinica to date. The present study intended to screen and evaluate the antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties of five different fractions from H. abyssinica along with their corresponding total flavonoid and phenolic contents and then further identify those compounds with the most potent antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The total flavonoid and phenolic content assays showed that the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of H. abyssinica had higher flavonoid and phenolic levels than the other four fractions. Furthermore, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) superoxide radical scavenging abilities, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assay with 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were measured to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the five fractions and some pure compounds isolated from the EA fraction, which displayed higher antioxidant properties than that of the other fractions. Caffeic acid from the EA fraction showed even stronger DPPH scavenging ability (IC₅₀ 7.858 ± 0.31 µg/mL) than that of Vc (IC₅₀ 8.27 ± 0.11 µg/mL) as the positive control. The anti-proliferative properties of four fractions and the ethanol extract were evaluated by the 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay and the EA fraction exhibited higher anti-proliferative activities against three cancer cell lines than that of the other fractions. Additionally, the compounds with good antioxidant activity from the EA fraction of H. abyssinica were screened and identified using LC-MS and NMR and were also found to possess good anti-proliferative activity. In the MTT assay, the quercetin showed the strongest dose-dependent anti-proliferative activities to colon cancer cells (HT-29) and liver cancer cells (HepG2) among all of the compounds isolated. This study provided valuable information on the synergistic antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties of H. abyssinica. Full article

Frequent flash droughts can rapidly lead to water shortage, which affects the stability of ecosystems. This study determines the water-use characteristics and physiological mechanisms underlying Moso bamboo response to flash-drought events, and estimates changes to water budgets caused by extreme drought. We analyzed the variability in forest canopy transpiration versus precipitation from 2011–2013. Evapotranspiration reached 730 mm during flash drought years. When the vapor pressure deficit > 2 kPa and evapotranspiration > 4.27 mm·day⁻¹, evapotranspiration was mainly controlled through stomatal opening and closing to reduce water loss. However, water exchange mainly occurred in the upper 0–50 cm of the soil. When soil volumetric water content of 50 cm was lower than 0.17 m³·m⁻³, physiological dehydration occurred in Moso bamboo to reduce transpiration by defoliation, which leads to water-use efficiency decrease. When mean stand density was <3500 trees·ha⁻¹, the bamboo forest can safely survive the flash drought. Therefore, we recommend thinning Moso bamboo as a management strategy to reduce transpiration in response to future extreme drought events. Additionally, the response function of soil volumetric water content should be used to better simulate evapotranspiration, especially when soil water is limited. Full article

The presence of estrogens in livestock excrement has raised concerns about their potential negative influence on animals and the overall food cycle. This is the first investigation to simultaneously remove estrogens, including estriol (E3), bisphenol A (BPA), diethylstilbestrol (DES), estradiol (E2), and ethinyl estradiol (EE2), from cow manure using a Fenton oxidation technique. Based on the residual concentrations and removal efficiency of estrogens, the Fenton oxidation reaction conditions were optimized as follows: a H₂O₂ dosage of 2.56 mmol/g, a Fe(II) to H₂O₂ molar ratio of 0.125 M/M, a solid to water mass ratio of 2 g/mL, an initial pH of 3, and a reaction time of 24 h. Under these conditions, the simultaneous removal efficiencies of E3, BPA, DES, E2, and EE2, with initial concentrations in cow manure of 97.40, 96.54, 100.22, 95.01, and 72.49 mg/kg, were 84.9%, 99.5%, 99.1%, 97.8%, and 84.5%, respectively. We clarified the possible Fenton oxidation reaction mechanisms that governed the degradation of estrogens. We concluded that Fenton oxidation technique could be effective for efficient removal of estrogens in livestock excrement. Results are of great importance for cow manure reuse in agricultural management, and can be used to reduce the threat of environmental estrogens to human health and ecological safety. Full article