Spatial Patterns and Controlling Factors of Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen in the Three River Headwaters Region,China

The alpine ecosystem has great potential for carbon sequestration.Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)are highly sensitive to climate change,and their dynamics are crucial to revealing the effect of climate change on the structure,function,and services of the ecosystem.However,the spatial distribution and controlling factors of SOC and TN across various soil layers and vegetation types within this unique ecosystem remain inadequately understood.In this study,256 soil samples in 89 sites were collected from the Three River Headwaters Region(TRHR)in China to investigate SOC and TN and to explore the primary factors affecting their distribution,including soil,vegetation,climate,and geography factors.The results show that SOC and TN contents in 0-20,20-40,40-60,and 60-80 cm soil layers are 24.40,18.03,14.04,12.40 g/kg and 2.46,1.90,1.51,1.17 g/kg,respectively;with higher concentrations observed in the southeastern region compared to the northwest of the TRHR.One-way analysis of variance reveals that SOC and TN levels are elevated in the alpine meadow and the alpine shrub relative to the alpine steppe in the 0-60 cm soil layers.The structural equation model explores that soil water content is the main controlling factor affecting the variation of SOC and TN.Moreover,the geography,climate,and vegetation factors notably indirectly affect SOC and TN through soil factors.Therefore,it can effectively improve soil water and nutrient conditions through vegetation restoration,soil improvement,and grazing management,and the change of SOC and TN can be fully understood by establishing monitoring networks to better protect soil carbon and nitrogen.

Preoperative controlling nutritional status as an optimal prognostic nutritional index to predict the outcome for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND The controlling nutritional status(CONUT)score effectively reflects a patient’s nutritional status,which is closely related to cancer prognosis.This study invest-igated the relationship between the CONUT score and prognosis after radical surgery for colorectal cancer,and compared the predictive ability of the CONUT score with other indexes.AIM To analyze the predictive performance of the CONUT score for the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients who underwent potentially curative resection.METHODS This retrospective analysis included 217 patients with newly diagnosed colorectal.The CONUT score was calculated based on the serum albumin level,total lymphocyte count,and total cholesterol level.The cutoff value of the CONUT score for predicting prognosis was 4 according to the Youden Index by the receiver operating characteristic curve.The associations between the CONUT score and the prognosis were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis.RESULTS Using the cutoff value of the CONUT score,patients were stratified into CONUT low(n=189)and CONUT high groups(n=28).The CONUT high group had worse overall survival(OS)(P=0.013)and relapse-free survival(RFS)(P=0.015).The predictive performance of CONUT was superior to the modified Glasgow prognostic score,the prognostic nutritional index,and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.Meanwhile,the predictive performances of CONUT+tumor node metastasis(TNM)stage for 3-year OS[area under the receiver operating characteristics curve(AUC)=0.803]and 3-year RFS(AUC=0.752)were no less than skeletal muscle mass index(SMI)+TNM stage.The CONUT score was negatively correlated with SMI(P<0.01).CONCLUSION As a nutritional indicator,the CONUT score could predict long-term outcomes after radical surgery for colorectal cancer,and its predictive ability was superior to other indexes.The correlation between the CONUT score and skeletal muscle may be one of the factors that play a predictive role.

Influence of Blended Course Teaching Reform on Student Satisfaction

With the rapid development of information technology in contemporary times,the blended teaching mode that blends online and offline courses has become an international trend in higher education.Taking blended tourism management courses at Chongqing Three Gorges University as an example,we explored the impact of such teaching reform on student satisfaction based on the SERVPERF model.Empirical analysis of 179 valid questionnaires revealed that five elements of the reform,namely,reliability,assurance,valuableness,responsiveness,and empathy,have a significant positive impact on students’learning satisfaction.Specifically,in the context of blended courses,factors such as a stable and reliable teaching environment,comprehensively guaranteed educational conditions,teaching content that highly aligns with students’demands and value expectations,prompt responses to students’needs and feedback,and empathetic consideration of students’perspectives are critical for enhancing student satisfaction.Based on these conclusions,we propose several strategies and methods for improving the effectiveness of blended teaching in the hope of propelling its continuous improvement and optimization,thus further elevating the quality of higher education.

Controlling the dynamic behavior of decentralized cluster through centralized approaches

How to control the dynamic behavior of large-scale artificial active matter is a critical concern in experimental research on soft matter, particularly regarding the emergence of collective behaviors and the formation of group patterns. Centralized systems excel in precise control over individual behavior within a group, ensuring high accuracy and controllability in task execution. Nevertheless, their sensitivity to group size may limit their adaptability to diverse tasks. In contrast, decentralized systems empower individuals with autonomous decision-making, enhancing adaptability and system robustness. Yet, this flexibility comes at the cost of reduced accuracy and efficiency in task execution. In this work, we present a unique method for regulating the centralized dynamic behavior of self-organizing clusters based on environmental interactions. Within this environment-coupled robot system, each robot possesses similar dynamic characteristics, and their internal programs are entirely identical. However, their behaviors can be guided by the centralized control of the environment, facilitating the accomplishment of diverse cluster tasks. This approach aims to balance the accuracy and flexibility of centralized control with the robustness and task adaptability of decentralized control. The proactive regulation of dynamic behavioral characteristics in active matter groups, demonstrated in this work through environmental interactions, holds the potential to introduce a novel technological approach and provide experimental references for studying the dynamic behavior control of large-scale artificial active matter systems.

Gypsum-based Silica Gel Humidity-controlling Composite Materials:Preparation,Characterization,and Performance

Gypsum was used as substrate,and silica gel was mixed into substrate at a certain mass ratio to prepare humidity-controlling composites;moreover,the moisture absorption and desorption properties of gypsum-based composites were compared with adding different silica gel particle size and proportion.The morphological characteristics,the isothermal equilibrium moisture content curve,moisture absorption and desorption rate,moisture absorption and desorption stability,and humidity-conditioning performance were tested and analyzed.The experimental results show that,compared with pure-gypsum,the surface structure of the gypsum-based composites is relatively loose,the quantity,density and aperture of the pores in the structure increase.The absorption and desorption capacity increase along with the increase of silica gel particle size and silica gel proportion.When 3 mm silica gel particle size is added with a mass ratio of 40%,the maximum equilibrium moisture content of humidity-controlling composites is 0.161 g/g at 98% relative humidity(RH),3.22 times that of pure-gypsum.The moisture absorption and desorption rates are increased,the equilibrium moisture absorption and desorption rates are 2.68 times and 1.61 times that of pure-gypsum at 58.5% RH,respectively.The gypsum-based composites have a good stability,which has better timely response to dynamic humidity changes and can effectively regulate indoor humidity under natural conditions.

Teaching Reform and Exploration of Practical Courses Based on Programmable Control

As the country continues to promote the development of intelligent manufacturing,all industries are carrying out enterprise automation upgrading,the Pearl River Delta Intelligent Manufacturing Conference held in March 2024 provides a direction guide for each enterprise on how to integrate the intelligent manufacturing technology into each link and provide direction guidance for enterprises to create new models and new business formats.College teachers,in focusing on the teaching process,should closely match the enterprise and social needs and cultivate excellent students.As the core controller of automation control,the application of programmable controllers in teaching is particularly important.In practical classes,by setting progressive difficulty,project guidance,team collaboration,and other links,students can master the automation equipment design of programmable control in repeated practice.

Development characteristics and controlling factors of fractures in lacustrine shale and their geological significance for evaluating shale oil sweet spots in the third member of the Shahejie Formation in the Qikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin

Natural fractures are critical for shale oil and gas enrichment and development. Due to the extremely high heterogeneity of shale, the factors controlling the formation of internal fractures, especially horizontal fractures, remain controversial. In this study, we integrate thin section analysis and microcomputed tomography(CT) data from several lacustrine shale samples from the third member(Es3) of the Shahejie Formation, Qikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, to assess the fractures in detail. The goal is to reveal the development characteristics, controlling factors, and geological significance for evaluating sweet spots in a shale oil play. The fractures in the Es3contain high-angle structural and horizontal bed-parallel fractures that are mostly shear and extensional. Various factors influence fracture development,including lithofacies, mineral composition, organic matter content, and the number of laminae. Structural fractures occur predominantly in siltstone, whereas bed-parallel fractures are abundant in laminated shale and layered mudstone. A higher quartz content results in higher shale brittleness, causing fractures, whereas the transformation between clay minerals contributes to the development of bedparallel fractures. Excess pore pressure due to hydrocarbon generation and expulsion during thermal advance can cause the formation of bed-parallel fractures. The density of the bed-parallel and structural fractures increases with the lamina density, and the bed-parallel fractures are more sensitive to the number of laminae. The fractures are critical storage spaces and flow conduits and are indicative of sweet spots. The laminated shale in the Es3with a high organic matter content contains natural fractures and is an organic-rich, liquid-rich, self-sourced shale play. Conversely, the siltstone, massive mudstone, and argillaceous carbonate lithofacies contain lower amounts of organic matter and do not have bed-parallel fractures. However, good reservoirs can form in these areas when structural fractures are present and the source, and storage spaces are separated.

Curriculum Ideological and Political Teaching and Practice of Study Tour Course Design in Higher Vocational Colleges: A Case Study of Qingdao Preschool Education College

Curriculum ideology and politics are critical for colleges and universities to fulfill theirfundamental mission of fostering moral and intellectual development. Within this framework, professionalcourses serve as the primary vehicles for integrating ideological and political education. Specifically, inthe field of study tours, the Study Tour Course Design emerges as a pivotal component for actualizingthe educational objectives of such programs. To construct a robust ideological and political curriculum,it is essential to devise a comprehensive system that aligns with professional teaching standards, industrybenchmarks, and vocational skill requirements. This involves a thorough exploration of ideologicaland political elements within the curriculum, ensuring their seamless integration throughout the coursedevelopment process.

Controlling Reactivity of Palladium Amides for Selective Carbonylation towards Urea and Oxamide Derivatives

Carbonylation reactions,crucial for carbonyl group incorporation,struggle with the inherent complexity of achieving selective mono-or double-carbonylation on single substrates,often due to competing reaction pathways.Herein,our study introduces a strategy employing palladium amides,harnessing their unique reactivity control,to direct the selective carbonylation of amines for the targeted synthesis of urea and oxamide derivatives.The palladium amide structure was elucidated using single-crystal X-ray diffraction.Controlled experiments and cyclic voltammetry studies further elucidate that the oxidation of palladium amide or its insertion into a carbonyl group diverges into distinct pathways.By employing sodium percarbonate as an eco-friendly oxidant and base,we have successfully constructed a switchable carbonylation system co-catalyzed by palladium and iodide under room temperature.The utilizing strategy in this study not only facilitates effective control over reaction selectivity but also mitigates the risk of explosions,a critical safety concern in traditional carbonylation methods.

Granulometric and Mineralogical Characterization of the Sands of the Middle Course of the Kasai River (Territory of Ilebo, Province of Kasai/DR Congo)

The sand bars, in perpetual transformation, observable in the middle course of the Kasai river on the section between the city of Ilebo (pk605) to the confluence of the Loange river (pk525), pose enormous navigability problems. This may be dependent on hydrosedimentological characteristics of the Kasai River. This abundance of sand thus conditions the morphology of the middle course of the Kasai River in the section under our study. It therefore constitutes sedimentary navigation obstacles. The objective of this study is the granulometric and mineralogical characterization of the bar sands of the Kasai River in this study section. Particle size analyzes reveal these are moderately well classified to well classified unimodal sands (Classification coefficient between 1.29 to 1.742) largely presenting grain size symmetry and rarely fine asymmetry (Asymmetry coefficient—Skewness between −0.197 to 0.069) with mesorkurtic and rarely leptokurtic and platykurtic acuity (Angulosity coefficient—Kurtosis between 0.814 to 1.323). All these parameters evolve in sawtooth patterns from upstream to downstream. And then, an automated mineralogical analysis of the sands of the Kasaï River using a Qemscan FEG Quanta 650 made it possible to determine a very varied mineralogical procession with a sawtooth evolution. It is largely dominated by quartz (between 93.73% and 99.07%), followed by calcite (0.01% - 2.66%), iron oxides (0.01% - 1.88%), orthoclase (0.04% - 0.99%), plagioclase (0.01% - 0.75%) and Kaolinite (0.18% - 0.71%). Finally, this mineralogical procession is characterized by a group of minerals which do not reach the threshold of 0.55% such as: illite, apatite, ilmenite, muscovite, chlorite, biotite, montmorillonite, rutile, pyrophyllite, siderite, zircon and dolomite. The evolution of the mineralogical procession of the sands of the bars is not as clear as in the case of particle size parameters.

On the Teaching Design of Graduates’EAP Course:Enhancing Language Proficiency and Critical Thinking Skills

This paper explores the integration of the bridge-in,objectives,pre-assessment,participatory activities,post-assessment and summary(BOPPPS)teaching model within the context of the post-graduates Academic English course.It discusses how this structured approach can effectively enhance students’language proficiency,foster critical thinking skills,and align with the multifaceted objectives of advanced English language education.The study provides a detailed examination of each BOPPPS component as applied to the post-graduates Academic English curriculum,supported by theoretical underpinnings and practical implications.

Value and Measures of Integrating Local Red Culture into the Ideological and Political Course of Environmental Disciplines under the OBE Concept

Based on output-oriented education,the OBE(Outcome-Based Education)concept integrates local red culture into the ideological and political course of environmental disciplines,and is an important part of training applied talents of environmental disciplines in the new era.This educational model makes an innovation on the traditional educational and teaching concepts and centers on students.This paper analyzes the value of integrating local red culture into the ideological and political course under the OBE concept,and puts forward an effective implementation path.

Integrating Zhuang Culture Into College English Audio-Visual Speaking Course:A Multicultural Perspective

Zhuang culture,a representative of the native ethnic culture of Guangxi,China,is of great significance to Chinese culture.In order to promote traditional culture,enrich the teaching content of College English Audio-Visual Speaking Course,and enhance the intercultural communication ability of college students,this paper,from a multicultural perspective,explores the classroom practices of integrating indigenous Zhuang cultural elements in College English Audio-Visual Speaking Course,providing new perspectives and reference for multicultural education in foreign languages.

Strategies for Enhancing the Affinity of College Ideological and Political Course Teachers

This article aims to explore effective ways to enhance the affinity of ideological and political course teachers in universities.By analyzing the connotation of affinity,the factors that affect the affinity of ideological and political course teachers are analyzed,and corresponding improvement strategies are proposed.Research suggests that strengthening the construction of teacher ethics and conduct,improving teaching skills,enhancing emotional engagement,and enhancing practical training are key paths to enhance the affinity of ideological and political course teachers.The implementation of these paths will help improve the teaching quality and effectiveness of ideological and political courses,and promote the comprehensive development of students.

Research on the Course of Principles of Concrete Structure Design

Nowadays,education and teaching have become a hot topic,and teaching in colleges and universities is facing a brand-new development direction.Principles of Concrete Structure Design,as one of the main courses,transmits professional knowledge for students,enhances the students’professional ability,and further carries out in-depth research on the course to bring a better teaching effect for students.The article mainly focuses on the research of the principles of concrete structure design course,conducts an analysis of the teaching characteristics of the principles of concrete structure design course,and reasonably sets the teaching content from the optimization of the course teaching objectives;innovative course teaching methods can deepen the effect of knowledge understanding;reform of experimental practice teaching can lay down the effect of the internalization of knowledge,etc.The in-depth description and discussion of the relevant aspects of the research aim to provide guidelines for related research.

Construction and Application of a Blended Online and Offline University English Course

This paper explores the design,implementation,and evaluation of the Integrated English 3 blended course,which integrates online learning through massive open online courses(MOOCs)and face-to-face classroom instruction.Guided by the production-oriented approach,the course aims to improve students’language proficiency and intercultural communication skills.It employs a variety of teaching methods,including online self-study,task-based learning,and collaborative group work,to foster student engagement and promote language output.The study highlights key elements of course construction,such as the use of MOOCs,the design of smart classrooms,and the development of a comprehensive assessment system that combines formative and summative evaluations.The results suggest that the blended teaching model enhances students’language skills while promoting critical thinking and cultural awareness.The course also emphasizes the importance of developing digital literacy among both students and teachers to effectively utilize online resources.

A Case Study on Ideological and Political Teaching Mode of College English Course in Minority Classes

Based on the characteristics of College English teaching in minority classes,this paper analyzes the ideological and political teaching cases of College English courses in ethnic minority classes from four aspects:before-class,in-class(flipped classroom teaching),after-class,and teaching design feedback(feedback on students’learning situation,teaching content and methods),starts from the three aspects of knowledge impartation,ability improvement,and value guidance,and integrates the course ideology and politics into the theme,language,and reality,so as to form a“one point and three sides”course ideological and political teaching model.

Practice and Exploration of Ideological and Political Teaching in Landscape Design Courses for Environmental Design Majors

To implement the fundamental goal of moral education,based on the teaching practice of landscape design courses,we explore how to integrate value shaping,knowledge transfer,and skill cultivation in the teaching links of landscape design courses in environmental design majors,such as selecting design topics,assigning tasks,researching projects,designing works,designing explanations,and defense.

The Misdirection and Return of Graduate Course Teaching

Graduate course teaching plays an irreplaceable role in knowledge mastery,skill enhancement,and quality cultivation of graduate students.This paper addresses current issues in graduate course teaching,such as ambiguous objectives,formulaic content,formalistic operation,and oversimplified evaluation.It proposes corresponding solutions with the hope of steering graduate course teaching back to its original purpose and realizing its true significance.

Main controlling factor and mechanism of gas-in-place content of the Lower Cambrian shale from different sedimentary facies in the western Hubei area, South China

The Lower Cambrian shale gas in the western Hubei area,South China has a great resource prospect,but the gas-in-place(GIP)content in different sedimentary facies varies widely,and the relevant mechanism has been not well understood.In the present study,two sets of the Lower Cambrian shale samples from the Wells YD4 and YD5 in the western Hubei area,representing the deep-water shelf facies and shallowwater platform facies,respectively,were investigated on the differences of pore types,pore structure and methane adsorption capacity between them,and the main controlling factor and mechanism of their methane adsorption capacities and GIP contents were discussed.The results show that the organic matter(OM)pores in the YD4 shale samples are dominant,while the inorganic mineral(IM)pores in the YD5 shale samples are primary,with underdeveloped OM pores.The pore specific surface area(SSA)and pore volume(PV)of the YD4 shale samples are mainly from micropores and mesopores,respectively,while those of the YD5 shale samples are mainly from micropores and macropores,respectively.The methane adsorption capacity of the YD4 shale samples is significantly higher than that of the YD5 shale samples,with a maximum absolute adsorption capacity of 3.13 cm^(3)/g and 1.31 cm^(3)/g in average,respectively.Compared with the shallow-water platform shale,the deep-water shelf shale has a higher TOC content,a better kerogen type and more developed OM pores,which is the main mechanism for its higher adsorption capacity.The GIP content models based on two samples with a similar TOC content selected respectively from the Wells YD4 and YD5 further indicate that the GIP content of the deep-water shelf shale is mainly 34 m^(3)/t within a depth range of 1000—4000 m,with shale gas exploration and development potential,while the shallow-water platform shale has normally a GIP content of<1 m^(3)/t,with little shale gas potential.Considering the geological and geochemical conditions of shale gas formation and preservation,the deep-water shelf facies is the most favorable target for the Lower Cambrian shale gas exploration and development in the western Hubei area,South China.