Hydrothermal treatment of pearl millet grains:Effects on nutritional composition,antinutrients and flour properties

Pearl millet(Pennisetum glaucum)is one of the major millets with high nutritional properties.This crop exhibits exceptional resilience to drought and high temperatures.However,the processing of pearl millet poses a significant challenge due to its high lipid content,enzyme activity,and presence of antinutrients.Consequently,it becomes imperative to enhance the quality and prolong the shelf life of pearl millet flour by employing suitable technologies.Hydrothermal treatment in the food industry has long been seen as promising due to its potential to reduce microbial load,inactivate enzymes,and improve nutrient retention.This study aims to investigate the effects of hydrothermal treatment on the quality characteristics of pearl millet.The independent variables of the study were soaking temperature(35,45,55℃),soaking time(2,3,4 h),and steaming time(5,10,15 min).Treatment conditions had a statistically significant effect on nutrient retention.Major antinutrients like tannins and phytates were reduced by 0.99% to 5.94% and 0.36% to 6.00%,respectively,after the treatment.Lipase activity decreased significantly up to 10% with the treatment conditions.The findings of this study could potentially encourage the use of pearl millet flour in the production of various food items and promote the application of hydrothermal treatment in the field of food processing.

Discovery and inspiration of large-and medium-sized glutenite-rich oil and gas fields in the eastern South China Sea:An example from Paleogene Enping Formation in Huizhou 26 subsag,Pearl River Mouth Basin

Based on the practice of oil and gas exploration in the Huizhou Sag of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,the geochemical indexes of source rocks were measured,the reservoir development morphology was restored,the rocks and minerals were characterized microscopically,the measured trap sealing indexes were compared,the biomarker compounds of crude oil were extracted,the genesis of condensate gas was identified,and the reservoir-forming conditions were examined.On this basis,the Paleogene Enping Formation in the Huizhou 26 subsag was systematically analyzed for the potential of oil and gas resources,the development characteristics of large-scale high-quality conglomerate reservoirs,the trapping effectiveness of faults,the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation model,and the formation conditions and exploration targets of large-and medium-sized glutenite-rich oil and gas fields.The research results were obtained in four aspects.First,the Paleogene Wenchang Formation in the Huizhou 26 subsag develops extensive and thick high-quality source rocks of semi-deep to deep lacustrine subfacies,which have typical hydrocarbon expulsion characteristics of"great oil generation in the early stage and huge gas expulsion in the late stage",providing a sufficient material basis for hydrocarbon accumulation in the Enping Formation.Second,under the joint control of the steep slope zone and transition zone of the fault within the sag,the large-scale near-source glutenite reservoirs are highly heterogeneous,with the development scale dominated hierarchically by three factors(favorable facies zone,particle component,and microfracture).The(subaqueous)distributary channels near the fault system,with equal grains,a low mud content(<5%),and a high content of feldspar composition,are conducive to the development of sweet spot reservoirs.Third,the strike-slip pressurization trap covered by stable lake flooding mudstone is a necessary condition for oil and gas preservation,and the NE and nearly EW faults obliquely to the principal stress have the best control on traps.Fourth,the spatiotemporal configuration of high-quality source rocks,fault transport/sealing,and glutenite reservoirs controls the degree of hydrocarbon enrichment.From top to bottom,three hydrocarbon accumulation units,i.e.low-fill zone,transition zone,and high-fill zone,are recognized.The main area of the channel in the nearly pressurized source-connecting fault zone is favorable for large-scale hydrocarbon enrichment.The research results suggest a new direction for the exploration of large-scale glutenite-rich reservoirs in the Enping Formation of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,and present a major breakthrough in oil and gas exploration.

Industrial Carbon Emission Distribution and Regional Joint Emission Reduction:A Case Study of Cities in the Pearl River Basin,China

China’s low-carbon development path will make significant contributions to achieving global sustainable development goals.Due to the diverse natural and economic conditions across different regions in China,there exists an imbalance in the distribution of car-bon emissions.Therefore,regional cooperation serves as an effective means to attain low-carbon development.This study examined the pattern of carbon emissions and proposed a potential joint emission reduction strategy by utilizing the industrial carbon emission intens-ity(ICEI)as a crucial factor.We utilized social network analysis and Local Indicators of Spatial Association(LISA)space-time trans-ition matrix to investigate the spatiotemporal connections and discrepancies of ICEI in the cities of the Pearl River Basin(PRB),China from 2010 to 2020.The primary drivers of the ICEI were determined through geographical detectors and multi-scale geographically weighted regression.The results were as follows:1)the overall ICEI in the Pearl River Basin is showing a downward trend,and there is a significant spatial imbalance.2)There are numerous network connections between cities regarding the ICEI,but the network structure is relatively fragile and unstable.3)Economically developed cities such as Guangzhou,Foshan,and Dongguan are in the center of the network while playing an intermediary role.4)Energy consumption,industrialization,per capita GDP,urbanization,science and techno-logy,and productivity are found to be the most influential variables in the spatial differentiation of ICEI,and their combination in-creased the explanatory power of the geographic variation of ICEI.Finally,through the analysis of differences and connections in urban carbon emissions under different economic levels and ICEI,the study suggests joint carbon reduction strategies,which are centered on carbon transfer,financial support,and technological assistance among cities.

Coupling relationship and genetic mechanisms of shelf-edge delta and deep-water fan source-to-sink:A case study in Paleogene Zhuhai Formation in south subsag of Baiyun Sag,Pearl River Mouth Basin,China

The coupling relationship between shelf-edge deltas and deep-water fan sand bodies is a hot and cutting-edge field of international sedimentology and deep-water oil and gas exploration.Based on the newly acquired high-resolution 3D seismic,logging and core data of Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB),this paper dissected the shelf-edge delta to deep-water fan(SEDDF)depositional system in the Oligocene Zhuhai Formation of Paleogene in south subsag of Baiyun Sag,and revealed the complex coupling relationship from the continental shelf edge to deep-water fan sedimentation and its genetic mechanisms.The results show that during the deposition of the fourth to first members of the Zhuhai Formation,the scale of the SEDDF depositional system in the study area showed a pattern of first increasing and then decreasing,with deep-water fan developed in the third to first members and the largest plane distribution scale developed in the late stage of the second member.Based on the development of SEDDF depositional system along the source direction,three types of coupling relationships are divided,namely,deltas that are linked downdip to fans,deltas that lack downdip fans and fans that lack updip coeval deltas,with different depositional characteristics and genetic mechanisms.(1)Deltas that are linked downdip to fans:with the development of shelf-edge deltas in the shelf area and deep-water fans in the downdip slope area,and the strong source supply and relative sea level decline are the two key factors which control the development of this type of source-to-sink(S2S).The development of channels on the continental shelf edge is conducive to the formation of this type of S2S system even with weak source supply and high sea level.(2)Deltas that lack downdip fans:with the development of shelf edge deltas in shelf area,while deep water fans are not developed in the downdip slope area.The lack of“sources”and“channels”,and fluid transformation are the three main reasons for the formation of this type of S2S system.(3)Fans that lack updip coeval deltas:with the development of deep-water fans in continental slope area and the absence of updip coeval shelf edge deltas,which is jointly controlled by the coupling of fluid transformation at the shelf edge and the“channels”in the continental slope area.

Geometry and 3D seismic characterisation of post-rift normal faults in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea

Based on high-resolution 3D seismic data acquired in the Pearl(Zhujiang)River Mouth Basin of the northern South China Sea,this study investigated the geometry,spatial extension,and throw distribution of the post-rift normal fault through detailed seismic interpretation and fault modeling.A total of 289 post-rift normal faults were identified in the study area and can be classified into four types:(1)isolated normal faults above the carbonate platform;(2)isolated normal faults cutting through the carbonate platform;(3)conjugate normal faults,and(4)connecting normal faults.Throw distribution analysis on the fault planes show that the vertical throw profiles of most normal fault exhibit flat-topped profiles.Isolated normal faults above the carbonate platform exhibit roughly concentric ellipses with maximum throw zones in the central section whereas the normal faults cutting through the carbonate platform miss the lowermost section due to the chaotic seismic reflections in the interior of the carbonate platform.The vertical throws of conjugate normal faults anomalously decrease toward their intersection region on the fault plane whereas the connecting normal faults present two maximum throw zones in the central section of the fault plane.According to the symmetric elliptical distribution model of fault throw,an estimation was made indicating that normal faults cutting through the carbonate platform extended downward between-1308 s and-1780 s(two-way travel time)in depth and may not penetrate the entire Liuhua carbonate platform.Moreover,it is observed that the distribution of karst caves on the top of the carbonate platform disaccord with those of hydrocarbon reservoirs and the post-rift normal faults cutting through the carbonate platform in the study area.We propose that these karst caves formed most probably by corrosive fluids derived from magmatic activities during the Dongsha event,rather than pore waters or hydrocarbons.

Pioneering“Oriental Pearl”

THIRTY-FOUR years ago,the tallest building in Shanghai’s Pudong area was the Fire Watchtower on Dongchang Road.Its height was merely 24 meters.It was matched by Pudong’s GDP,which was a little over RMB six billion.Today,the tallest building in Pudong is the Shanghai Tower at a whopping height of 632 meters,and the skyline is full of majestic skyscrapers,such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center.Proportionately,the district’s GDP has rocketed to over RMB 1.67 trillion.Reform and opening-up,started in 1978,has brought new vitality and prosperity,along with dramatic changes.

Impact of Hinterland Manufacturing on the Development of Container Ports: Evidence from the Pearl River Delta, China

Container ports and hinterland manufacturing are two important forces of the local participation in economic globalization.This study,taking the Pearl River Delta(PRD),China with an export-oriented economy as an example,applies Huff and panel regres-sion models to evaluate the impact of hinterland manufacturing on the development of container ports during the period of 1993–2019.The results show that 1)the spatial patterns of hinterlands for hub ports help to determine the distribution range and scale of economic variables that affect port throughput;2)the hinterland’s gross manufacturing output has universally positive influence on port through-put,wherein export-oriented processing and the entire manufacturing industry have significantly positive impact on port throughput in 1993–2011 and 2001–2019,respectively;3)the two internal structural factors related to an export-oriented economy,labor-intensive sectors and foreign-funded terminals,have positively moderate the direct influence of hinterland manufacturing on port throughput.Our results highlight the importance of local context in understanding port-manufacturing relationship in developing economies.Based on our findings,policy implications are further proposed to enhance port network organization in PRD.

High-quality Development of the Pearl River Night Tour in the Context of Deep Integration of Culture and Tourism

Urban night tourism is a new form of urban tourism development and an important driving force for the prosperity of urban night economy.As the most prestigious business card among many night tour projects in Guangzhou,the Pearl River water night tour has contributed to the development of Guangzhou s night economy,which cannot be underestimated.However,in the process of rapid development,there are also problems such as diversified operators,insufficient integration of intangible cultural elements,excessive commercial attributes,issues of tourism facilities and service facilities.Under the new stage of integrated development of culture and tourism,how to use mutual promotion of culture and tourism in the Pearl River night tour to seek innovative paths for high-quality development in the future is the main problem expected to be solved in this paper.Therefore,based on the perspective of culture and tourism integration,this paper analyzes the general situation and development status of the Pearl River night tour,and proposes five development strategies:the overall planning of culture and tourism integration,the deep integration of intangible cultural elements,the balance of commercial attributes and tourism attributes,the high integration of culture,business,tourism and education,and the creation of tourism atmosphere,in order to provide inspiration for the healthy,orderly and high-quality development of the Pearl River night tour.

A Bright Pearl in East China

Shanghai,a metropolis in east China that is leading the development of the Yangtze River Delta region is emerging as a powerhouse in the growth of new quality productive forces.Developing new quality productive forces has been listed as one of the important goals for the government in 2024.

The Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes of Adolescent Pregnancies in a Developed Cosmopolitan Middle Eastern Country: A Retrospective Pearl-Peristat Registry

Background: Early marriage is prevalent in Middle Eastern culture. The objective of this study was to investigate the pregnancy outcomes of married pregnant adolescents in a prosperous and highly developed Middle Eastern society, when they receive sufficient prenatal care and social assistance. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the Peristat-based Maternal-Newborn registry utilizing hospital data acquired from four main governmental hospitals in Qatar. The study analyzed the pregnancy outcomes of young adults [ages 20 - 24) who experienced their first pregnancy and compared them to the pregnancy outcomes of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old. Results: The study comprised a cohort of 3152 pregnant married women. This cohort included 2674 women between the ages of 20 and 24, as well as 478 adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old. In comparison to the young adult group, the non-Qatari population in the adolescent group was significantly higher (78.6% (376/478) vs. 71.5% (1914/2674), p-value = 0.003). Other Arab nationalities accounted for more than half of the adolescent population. All the mothers were married, did not use alcohol, and were nonsmokers. There were no documented mothers under the age of 15. Attending antenatal clinics was significantly higher in the adolescent group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean gestational age at birth between adolescents and young adults (38.5 ± 2.3 weeks vs. 38.7 ± 2.1 weeks, p = 0.06). Furthermore, adolescent mothers had a higher rate of low birth weight (13.6% vs. 10.4%, p < 0.001) than young mothers. There was a non-statistically significant rise in pre-eclampsia incidence. Other unfavorable pregnancy outcomes were less common among them, such as diabetes, operative vaginal delivery, caesarean section, stillbirth, NICU hospitalization, and an Apgar score of less than 7 at five minutes. There were no maternal deaths;however, there was a comparable rate of neonatal in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Pregnancy during adolescence may not relate to significant problems in a well-tolerant culture that ensures dedicated antenatal and social support.

Spatially Heterogeneous Response of Carbon Storage to Land Use Changes in Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China

Carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems plays a vital role in advancing carbon neutrality. Better understanding of how land use changes affect carbon storage in urban agglomeration will provide valuable guidance for policymakers in developing effective regional conservation policies. Taking the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration(PRDUA) in China as an example, we examined the heterogeneous response of carbon storage to land use changes in 1990–2018 from a combined view of administrative units and physical entities. The results indicate that the primary change in land use was due to the expansion of construction land(5897.16 km2). The carbon storage in PRDUA decreased from 767.34 Tg C in 1990 to 725.42 Tg C in 2018 with a spatial pattern of high wings and the low middle. The carbon storage loss was largely attributed to construction land expansion(55.74%), followed by forest degradation(54.81%). Changes in carbon storage showed significant divergences in different sized cities and hierarchical boundaries. The coefficients of geographically weighted regression(GWR) reveal that the alteration in carbon storage in Guangzhou City was more responsive to changes in construction land(-0.11) compared to other cities, while that in Shenzhen was mainly affected by the dynamics of forest land(8.32). The change in carbon storage was primarily influenced by the conversion of farmland within urban extent(5.05) and the degradation of forest land in rural areas(5.82). Carbon storage changes were less sensitive to the expansion of construction land in the urban center, urban built-up area, and ex-urban built-up area, with the corresponding GWR coefficients of 0.19, 0.04, and 0.02. This study necessitates the differentiated protection strategies of carbon storage in urban agglomerations.

Tectonic-thermal history and hydrocarbon potential of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea:Insights from borehole apatite fission-track thermochronology

The Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB)is one of the most petroliferous basins on the northern margin of the South China Sea.Knowledge of the thermal history of the PRMB is significant for understanding its tectonic evolution and for unraveling its poorly studied source-rock maturation history.Our investigations in this study are based on apatite fission-track(AFT)thermochronology analysis of 12 cutting samples from 4 boreholes.Both AFT ages and length data suggested that the PRMB has experienced quite complicated thermal evolution.Thermal history modeling results unraveled four successive events of heating separated by three stages of cooling since the early Middle Eocene.The cooling events occurred approximately in the Late Eocene,early Oligocene,and the Late Miocene,possibly attributed to the Zhuqiong II Event,Nanhai Event,and Dongsha Event,respectively.The erosion amount during the first cooling stage is roughly estimated to be about 455-712 m,with an erosion rate of 0.08-0.12 mm/a.The second erosion-driven cooling is stronger than the first one,with an erosion amount of about 747-814 m and an erosion rate between about 0.13-0.21 mm/a.The erosion amount calculated related to the third cooling event varies from 800 m to 3419 m,which is speculative due to the possible influence of the magmatic activity.

Considerations for gluten free foods-pearl and finger millet processing and market demand

The market demand for gluten free foods is increasing due to frequent incidences of celiac disease and increasing awareness on consumption of gluten free foods.Millets have become the major constituent of diet as they are gluten-free and also excellent sources of micro and macro nutrients such as vitamins,minerals,dietary fibers and phenolic compounds.Among various millets,the finger millet and the pearl millet are the two most important and common millet varieties grown extensively.Since,they are regarded as the staple foods of the poor and vulnerable populations,development of new products and improvements in their nutritional quality will aid in the general health of these population.Processing of millets and production of variable gluten-free ready-to-eat and nutritional supplements has increased their market value in the recent years.Furthermore,processing can also help in shelf-life extension of the millets with nutritional enrichment,expanding its markets to non-traditional millet consumers.In this context,the present review is aimed to focus on the current processing methods to develop products from the two millet varieties that are gluten free and outline their nutritional benefits.

Leave or Stay?Antecedents of High-level Talent Migration in the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis of China:from a Perspective of Regional Differentials in Housing Prices

Rapid urbanization and population growth have triggered an increase in urban housing demand and rising housing prices,which can influence the migration intention of high-level talents.Much work within the literature has focused more on the migration of the general public.However,antecedents of migration intention and the impact of housing prices on the migration of high-level talents remain unclear.Therefore,based on the push-pull theory,this study investigates the influencing factors of talent migration intention and explores the role of housing prices.This study reveals a complex mechanism underlying migration decisions by using logistic regression models and survey data of high-level talents in the Pearl River Delta(PRD)megalopolis of China.The results indicate that:1)in high house-price regions,social integration is the primary push factor,and the main factors for retaining talents are the expectation of future work and intimate family relationships;2)in medium house-price regions,the main factors that attract talents are the current salary level and close family ties;3)in low house-price regions,living convenience is a determining factor in retaining talents.This study provides a new perspective for talent mobility research and offers valuable inputs for retaining and attracting talents in different economic development regions.Findings are of great significance for formulating talent introduction policies and forming a new pattern of rational spatial docking and effective allocation of human resources.

Sino-Uzbek Joint Archaeology:Adhering to the Spirit of Silk Road,Exploring the Pearl of Silk Road

Since 2012,a joint archaeological team of Chinese and Uzbek archaeologists has conducted eight archaeological excavations at the site of the ancient city of Mintepa in Uzbekistan,making a series of important archaeological discoveries and restoring the status of Mintepa ancient city in the Ferghana Basin and in the history of ancient Central Asia.

Pearl S. Buck’s Values of “Cultural Convergence” and Their Application

The typical features of internal and external integration of cultures as revealed by the conception of“cultural convergence”provide a new perspective on the study of cultural exchanges and mutual learning.In the context of“a global community of shared future for humankind”,this paper adopts the novel idea of“cultural convergence”to probe the growth of Pearl S.Buck’s cultural values and the specific contents and representation of Pearl S.Buck’s conception of“cultural convergence”,highlighting the application of Pearl S.Buck’s values to cultural education,growth and success,family education,cultural exchanges,humanistic practices,etc.Feasible suggestions and countermeasures are put forward to better promote the cultural exchanges and mutual learning as well as the convergence of different cultures.

珠江口盆地白云凹陷东部古近系文昌组沉积演化特征

充分利用新三维地震资料,结合测井以及录井资料,对珠江口盆地白云凹陷古近系文昌组层序地层、沉积特征及沉积演化进行研究,重新建立文昌组三级层序格架内的沉积体系演化过程。结果表明:白云凹陷东部文昌组自下而上共划分为5套三级层序,分别对应于初始裂陷期(WCSQ1)、拆离裂陷早期(WCSQ2,WCSQ3)、拆离裂陷晚期(WCSQ4,WCSQ5)3个构造演化阶段;初始裂陷期为多个孤立的箕状半地堑,以发育缓坡轴向物源辫状河三角洲、陡坡近源扇三角洲和滨浅湖沉积为特征;拆离裂陷早期断裂活动强烈,湖盆迅速扩张,半深湖—深湖局限发育,沉积中心北移,北部番禺低隆起发育大型辫状河三角洲沉积;拆离裂陷晚期断裂活动减弱,湖盆逐渐萎缩,沉积中心稳定在白云凹陷中部,主要发育小型辫状河三角洲沉积,滨浅湖发育;大型辫状河三角洲及扇三角洲砂体是白云凹陷东部的有利储集体。

新质生产力对制造业转型升级的驱动效应分析——基于珠三角数字经济的考察

新质生产力代表着中国制造业的未来发展方向。促进数字经济与实体经济深度融合,是加快形成新质生产力的重点和路径之一。选取珠三角地区2011—2020年面板数据,分析了数字经济赋能制造业转型升级的驱动效应和实现路径。研究结果表明:数字经济能够通过提升企业创新能力、促进消费升级和提高金融发展水平的方式直接或间接地促进制造业转型升级,同时外商投资规模扩大、数字经济发展水平提高和经济发展水平提升使这种驱动效应更加显著。深入分析数字经济对制造业转型升级的空间扩散作用和门槛效应,对于以数实融合推进新质生产力发展具有重要的现实意义。

京津冀与珠三角协同创新比较分析

围绕着以“研发—中介—应用”为核心群落的创新生态系统,依次构建了京津冀和珠三角城市群协同创新网络,比较分析了京津冀和珠三角城市群在协同创新方面的特征与差异,结果显示:除中介群落外,京津冀创新群落并不具有规模优势;京津冀和珠三角均呈现创新核心城市和腹地城市的地位差距明显缩小、创新关联程度明显加强、腹地城市创新外向活跃度明显上升的趋势;但珠三角协同创新水平领先于京津冀。通过与珠三角的对比,总结了京津冀协同创新中存在的短板与问题,并从创新人才管理体制创新、推行新型科研模式、培育科技成果转化公共服务平台、构建承载先进制造业集群的园区共同体、探索建设产业创新合作“双向飞地”等方面提出了政策建议。

关注有晶状体眼后房型人工晶状体植入术后白内障手术要点

随着年龄的增长,越来越多有晶状体眼后房型人工晶状体(ICL)植入患者面临白内障对视力的威胁。此类患者白内障术前眼部检查时应该关注角膜内皮细胞密度是否大于2000个/mm^(2)、前房角的开放状态以及是否有视网膜脱离、脉络膜新生血管等眼底异常;眼部生物测量时应该关注前房深度和晶状体厚度的测量起止线,若行ICL联合角膜屈光手术的患者要按照角膜激光手术后的检查要求使用2种以上设备测量角膜屈光力;人工晶状体类型选择时要考虑高度近视眼的组织结构特点,相较于C形与L形襻,平板襻在高度近视伴有大囊袋以及较大的撕囊直径患者中相对更为稳定;Kane、Barrett UniversalⅡ、Olsen、Hill-RBF等人工晶状体屈光度计算公式在长眼轴人群中相对准确;推荐ICL取出与白内障超声乳化和人工晶状体植入术同时进行,手术切口宜大于2.6 mm。飞秒激光辅助的白内障摘除手术,虽然在减少角膜内皮细胞丢失、减轻角膜水肿、高质量撕囊等方面优于传统超声乳化白内障吸除术,但因ICL的存在会引起飞秒切削气泡聚积、需要手动调整激光扫描定位以及较低拱高,可造成撕囊和碎核的不完全,建议谨慎使用。眼科医师应充分认识和关注ICL术后白内障手术的特点和设计的难点,与患者充分沟通交流,个性化选择,以期获得更佳的视觉效果。