Air route networks can no longer meet operational efficiency requirements because of the rapid growth of complex traffic flows. Machine learning is employed to investigate the evolutionary mechanism of congestion in such networks in view of their high complexity and high density, and a reasonable network optimisation scheme is presented. First, deviations between nominal and actual routes are investigated with reference to radar track data, and a network reflecting actual route operations is constructed using adversarial neural networks. Second, flight time is used to characterise congestion in route networks. Actual network operations are considered, and congestion is defined from the perspective of road traffic engineering. The effects of the operational properties of traffic flows on flight times are analysed to establish various congestion indicators. A gradient boosting model is used to select indicator characteristics and analyse patterns in the variations of indicator values for each flight segment in distinct periods. The indicator–time relationship is leveraged to explore the evolutionary mechanism of congestion in the route network. Third, on the basis of this mechanism, a multiobjective optimisation model of congestion is formulated, and a particle swarm optimisation algorithm is executed to adjust the route passage structure, thereby solving the optimisation model. Finally, calculation validation is conducted using radar track data from the control sector of the Yunnan region. The average flight time in a route segment is 10% shorter in the optimised route network than in the nonoptimised route network, which confirms that the optimisation solution is practicable.

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) has a complex aetiology and the susceptibility to it is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, although these are not yet fully understood. The present research aimed to explore the DNA methylation patterns in whole blood of extrinsic apoptotic signalling pathway-related genes in AIT among areas with different iodine levels. We selected the iodine-fortification areas, iodine-adequate areas and water-based iodine-excess areas from Shandong Province of China as survey sites. Totally, 176 AIT cases and 176 controls were included. MethylTargetTM and QT-PCR technology were used to detect candidate genes’ DNA methylation levels and mRNA expression levels, respectively. We found that death associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) DNA methylation levels in AIT cases (especially in female) were significantly higher than controls (t = 2·7715, P = 0·0059; t = 2·4638, P = 0·0143 in female). There were differences in DAPK1 (t = 2·5384, P = 0·0121), TNF superfamily member 8 (t = 2·1667, P = 0·0334) and TNF-α-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) (t = 2·5672, P = 0·0121) genes methylation between cases and controls with different water iodine levels. The mRNA expression of DAPK1 (t = 4·329, P < 0·001) and TNFAIP8 (t = 3·775, P < 0·001) in the cases was increased. We identified the differences in the DNA methylation status of the extrinsic apoptotic signalling pathway-related genes between AIT and controls and in different iodine levels areas. The results were verified at the mRNA level. The environmental iodine may affect DNA methylation to some extent.

Situated between the North China Craton to the east and the Tarim Craton to the west, the northern Alxa area in westernmost Inner Mongolia in China occupies a key location for interpreting the late-stage tectonic evolution of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. New LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating results reveal 282.2 ± 3.9 Ma gabbros and 216.3 ± 3.2 Ma granites from the Yagan metamorphic core complex in northern Alxa, NW China. The gabbros are characterized by low contents of Si, Na, K, Ti and P and high contents of Mg, Ca, Al and Fe. These gabbros have arc geochemical signatures with relative enrichments in large ion lithophile elements and depletions in high field strength elements, as well as negative εNd(t) (−0.91 to −0.54) and positive εHf(t) (2.59 to 6.37) values. These features indicate that a depleted mantle magma source metasomatized by subduction fluids/melts and contaminated by crustal materials was involved in the processes of magma migration and emplacement. The granites show high-K calc-alkaline and metaluminous to weakly peraluminous affinities, similar to A-type granites. They have positive εNd(t) (1.55 to 1.99) and εHf(t) (5.03 to 7.64) values. These features suggest that the granites were derived from the mixing of mantle and crustal sources and formed in a postcollisional tectonic setting. Considering previous studies, we infer that the final closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean in the central part of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt occurred in late Permian to Early–Middle Triassic times.

Underground Nuclear Astrophysics in China (JUNA) will take the advantage of the ultra-low background in Jinping underground lab. High current accelerator with an ECR source and detectors were commissioned. JUNA plans to study directly a number of nuclear reactions important to hydrostatic stellar evolution at their relevant stellar energies. At the first period, JUNA aims at the direct measurements of 25Mg(p,γ)26 Al, 19F(p,α) 16 O, 13C(α, n) 16O and 12C(α,γ) 16O near the Gamow window. The current progress of JUNA will be given.

A review of Holocene climatic variations in different parts of China shows that they were asynchronous. Proxy data from ice cores, pollen, loess, lacustrine sediments, and changes of sea and lake levels demonstrate that many warm and cold oscillations have occurred in China during the Holocene, including a most important climatic event known as the “Holocene optimum,” a milder and wetter period, and that the duration and amplitude of the optimum period, as well as its start and end times, differed in different parts of China. Uplift of the Tibetan plateau over the past millions of years led to the development of the monsoon climate and to complex atmospheric circulation over continental China during the Holocene. As a result, the Holocene optimum began and terminated earlier in high-altitude regions of western China than at lower elevations in eastern China, and the amplitude of the variations was lower in the east. This suggests that the western higher-altitude areas were more sensitive to climatic change than were the eastern lower-altitude areas. Holocene climatic records in the Dunde and Guliya ice cores do not correspond. Inverse δ18O variations between the two cores indicate that the effects of climate and atmospheric processes on the stable isotopes at the two sites differed. The correlation between the isotopic composition of carbonates in lake deposits in western China and climatic variations is similar to that in the ice cores. The climatic resolution in ice cores and lake sediments is higher than that in other media. The lack of precise correspondence of climatic records constructed on the basis of proxy data from different parts of China is a result of the different locations and elevations of the sampling sites, the different resolutions of the source material, and the varied climatic conditions within China. Further work is needed to confirm both the conclusions and the inferences presented here.

Obesity and hyperlipidaemia increase the risk of CVD. Some strains of probiotics have been suggested to have potential applications in cardiovascular health by lowering serum LDL-cholesterol. In this work, high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidaemia in hamsters was treated with different doses (5×108 and 2·5×109 cells/kg per d) of heat-killed Lactobacillus reuteri GMNL-263 (Lr263) by oral gavage for 8 weeks. The serum lipid profile analysis showed that LDL-cholesterol and plasma malondialdehyde (P-MDA) were reduced in the GMNL-263 5×108 cells/kg per d treatment group. Total cholesterol and P-MDA were reduced in the GMNL-263 2·5×109 cells/kg per d treatment group. In terms of heart function, the GMNL-263 2·5×109 cells/kg per d treatments improved the ejection fraction from 85·71 to 91·81 % and fractional shortening from 46·93 to 57·92 % in the high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts. Moreover, the GMNL-263-treated, high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts exhibited reduced Fas-induced myocardial apoptosis and a reactivated IGF1R/PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway. Interestingly, the GMNL-263 treatments also enhanced the heat-shock protein 27 expression in a dose-dependent manner, but the mechanism for this increase remains unclear. In conclusion, supplementary heat-killed L. reuteri GMNL-263 can slightly reduce serum cholesterol. The anti-hyperlipidaemia effects of GMNL-263 may reactivate the IGF1R/PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway and reduce Fas-induced myocardial apoptosis in high-fat diet-fed hamster hearts.

We report 4-epoch VLBA observations of 3C 66A at 22GHz. The resulting images show a typical core-jet structure. We combine our results with some previous results to investigate the proper motions of the jet components. The kinematics of 3C 66A is quite complicated; mildly superluminal motions as well as apparent inward motions have been detected for some components. The inward motions may imply position change of the observed core.

High-pressure in situ angular dispersive x-ray diffraction study on the wurtzite-type InN nanowires has been carried out by means of the image-plate technique and diamond-anvil cell (DAC) up to about 31.8 GPa. The pressure-induced structural transition from the wurtzite to a rocksalt-type phase occurs at about 14.6 GPa, which is slightly higher than the transition pressure of InN bulk materials (∼12.1 GPa). The relative volume reduction at the transition point is close to 17.88%, and the bulk modulus B0 is determined through fitting the relative volume-pressure experimental data related to the wurtzite and rocksalt phases to the Birch–Murnaghan equation of states. Moreover, high-pressure Raman scattering for InN nanowires were also investigated in DAC at room temperature. The corresponding structural transition was confirmed by assignment of phonon modes. We calculated the mode Grüneisen parameters for the wurtzite and rocksalt phases of InN nanowires.

A modified plastic damage model that accounts for tensile damage and compressive plasticity as well as interactions among them is adopted to simulate the indentation-induced cracking of silicon under Berkovich, cube corner, and Vickers indenters. Simulations with this model capture not only the well-known cracking geometries in indented ceramics, such as radial, median, lateral, and half penny (Vickers indenter) cracks, but also the recent experimentally discovered quarter penny cracks under Berkovich and cube corner pyramidal indenters. The quarter penny cracks are found to be formed by the coalescence of radial and median cracks for the first time in the simulation. Loads at which radial and half penny cracks are initiated in silicon are generally close to the experimental values reported in the literature, and the crack lengths on the sample surface agree well with both the current experimental measurements and analytical results by fracture mechanics.

Seven isoenergetic semi-purified test diets containing graded levels of protein ranging from 20 to 50% were formulated using fish meal and casein as the protein sources. Test diets were fed to triplicate groups of Barbodes caldwelli juveniles with initial body weights of 1.26±0.02 g for eight weeks. The results indicated no significant effect of dietary protein levels on survival rate, relative weight of the viscera and relative weight of the liver in the juvenile fish. The weight gain and specific growth rate of the fish were found to be greater as dietary protein levels increased from 20 to 35%, but were not affected significantly as dietary protein level increased from 35 to 50%. Feed efficiencies did not differ significantly when fish were fed diets with protein levels from 30 to 50%, but were significantly higher than those of fish fed diets with protein levels of 20 and 25%. The protein efficiency ratio (PER) was negatively correlated with diet protein level (x) (PER=3.006−0.03251x, R=0.9366). There was no significant effect of dietary protein levels on carcass moisture, crude protein and ash. However, carcass lipid levels (L) decreased with an increase in dietary protein level (x) (L=8.2169−0.0458x, R=0.8551). There was no significant variation in hepatopancreas protease activity among the tests. Intestine protease activity and hepatopancreas amylase activity were increased to some extent, and then decreased as dietary protein levels continued to rise. The intestine amylase activity (IAA) of the juveniles was negatively correlated with dietary protein level (x) (IAA=84.625−0.9147x, R=0.8463). It was estimated that the suitable protein level for the B. caldwelli juvenile is 34% (the broken-line model was used to regress the relationship of the weight gain of the juvenile and dietary protein level).

An optically polished x-cut KTiOPO4 crystal of size 22×6×1.5mm3 was implanted with 2.8-MeV He ions to a dose of 1.5 × 1016 ions/cm2 at room temperature to form a waveguide. The prism coupling method was used to measure the modes and the fiber probe technique was used to measure the attenuation in the KTiOPO4 waveguide. The refractive index profile, nz, in the KTiOPO4 waveguide was given based on the procedure by Chandler and Lama [P.J. Chandler and F.L. Lama, Optica Acta 33, 123 (1986)]. The waveguide attenuation measured was 2.57 dB/cm for m = 1 mode. After annealing at 260 °C for 30 min, there was no obvious change in the KTiOPO4 waveguide attenuation.