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【Abstract】Objective To explore the present status of body image and interpersonal self-efficacy, and analyze the impact of body image on interpersonal self-efficacy among junior middle school students. Methods A random cluster sampling was used to select 995 junior middle school students. They were investigated with Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and Adolescent Interpersonal Communication Self-Efficacy Scale (AICSE). Results ⑴ The scores in the three subscales of MBSRQ, such as appearance evaluation, appearance orientation and self classified weight, were greater than 2.5 and less than 3.5, and the scores of body area satisfaction and over weight preoccupation were less than 2.5. (2) Junior middle school students scored less than 2.5 in the dimension of communication ability and factors of persistence, self-ability and expression ability of AICSE. At the same time, the total score and scores of the dimension of communication strategy and the other four factors of AICSE were greater than 2.5 and less than 3.5. ⑶ Multiple linear stepwise regression showed that appearance assessment positively predicted the total score of AICSE（β=.433, P

This study looks like arithmetic problem solving in L1 Cantonese and L2 English by Hong Kong college students.

Using the Ganong effect to test whether sandhi-derived allomorphs in Mandarin are processed like words or like pseudowords

Additional file 3. Transmembrane domain prediction of the NSLC protein.

Additional file 1. Analysis results of the amino acid sequences of EnNA4 (A), EtSAG1 (B), EaLDH (C), and EmCDPK (D) using DNAStar Protean software. The amino acids in the red box were selected to construct the fusion protein.

Additional file 4. Primers used for PCR amplification.

Polygonum capitatum has unique curative effects on the urinary system. In fact, many Polygonum capitatum-based preparations are currently used in the clinic. In China, the combination of levofloxacin (LVFX) with a Chinese herbal preparation derived from Polygonum capitatum has been used for the clinical treatment of urinary system diseases, which can improve the curative effects and reduce the side effects of LVFX. However, the herb-drug interaction (HDI) between these drugs has not been reported and the effect of Polygonum capitatum on the in vivo process of LVFX is unclear. In this article, a sensitive ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to evaluate the effects of the combined application of LVFX and the Polygonum capitatum extract on tissue distribution and excretion. Thereafter, the method was validated for selectivity, accuracy, precision, linearity, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), dilution integrity, recovery, and matrix effect. Based on tissue distribution, LVFX could diffuse into all of the tested tissues, with significant differences in the content of each tissue between the coadministration group and single administration group. At 48 h after the combination was orally administered, the urinary cumulative excretion of LVFX decreased from 20.69% to 11.84% while its fecal cumulative excretion decreased from 26.08% to 13.28%. Our results suggest that a drug interaction exists between the two drugs in the process of distribution and excretion. This study provides important experimental evidence for further studies on the clinical efficacy and mechanism of the Polygonum capitatum extract and LVFX.

Background Aidi Injection (ADI), a Chinese herbal preparation with anti-cancer activity, is used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several clinical studies have shown that co-administration of ADI with doxorubicin (DOX) is associated with reduced toxicity of chemotherapy, enhanced clinical efficacy and improved quality of life for patients. However, limited information is available about the herb-drug interactions between ADI and DOX. The study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic mechanism of herb-drug interactions between ADI and DOX in a rat model of HCC. Methods Experimental HCC was induced in rats by oral administration of diethylnitrosamine. The HCC rats were pretreated with ADI (10 mL/kg, intraperitoneal injection) for 14 consecutive days prior to administration of DOX (7 mg/kg, intravenous injection) to investigate pharmacokinetic interactions. Plasma concentrations of DOX and its major metabolite, doxorubicinol (DOXol), were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Results Preadministration of ADI significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of DOX in HCC rats, leading to increased plasma concentrations of both DOX and DOXol. The area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUCs) of DOX and DOXol in rats pretreated with ADI were 3.79-fold and 2.92-fold higher, respectively, than those in control rats that did not receive ADI. Conclusions Increased levels of DOX and DOXol were found in the plasma of HCC rats pretreated with ADI.

Laportea bulbifera (Siebold & Zucc.) Wedd., Urticaceae, is a medicinal herb customarily used by the Miao people in China, for the treatment of rheumatism, traumatic injury, and other symptoms. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a sensitive and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantitation of five constituents, including neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, rutin, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, of L. bulbifera extract in biological samples, and to apply the method to a pharmacokinetic study. The validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats with oral administration of L. bulbifera extract at a single dose of 8.3 g kg−1. The five constituents were detected and their pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The established method was rapid and sensitive and could be used for the pharmacokinetic study of L. bulbifera extract.

The study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin, four major bioactive components of Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts, between sham-operated and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) rats.Rats were divided into two groups: MIRI model and sham-operated. The blood samples were collected according to the time schedule. The levels of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin in the plasma at designated time points were determined using an HPLC-MS/MS method. Various pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated from the plasma concentration versus time data using non-compartmental methods. After the administration of the Chinese herb Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts, the Cmax, AUC, as well as MRT, increased, while CL decreased, in MIRI model compared to the sham-operated animals.These results suggest that the pathological damage of ischemia-reperfusion had a significant impact on the pharmacological effects of Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts on ischemic heart disease.The method had been successfully applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin in rat plasma after the oral administration of Chinese herb Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts in rats.

Background Patient SE translation (SET) belongs to histone chaperone nucleosome assembly protein family and has been confirmed that it is associated with carcinogenesis, tumor progression and patient outcome. In this study, we aim at assessing the prognostic value of SET mRNA, the function and pathway of SET and its related genes in breast cancer. Methods The clinicopathological and prognostic significance of SET was assessed by the molecular taxonomy of breast cancer international consortium (METABRIC) database (n=1,904). Additionally, based on the data and network of SET and its related genes from cBioPortal website, their function in the progression of breast cancer was also explored. Results SET mRNA overexpression was a significant predictor of a poor prognosis (P=0.0006). The two signaling pathways associated with SET were the facilitating function of condensin II on mitosis and the accelerated transportation of tumor cell mRNA towards the extranuclear position, and SET acted to suppress condensin II and stabilize mRNA. Conclusions Owing to the regulation of chromosome condensation and stabilization of tumor cell mRNA, overexpression of SET is correlated with aggressive phenotypes and facilitates tumor proliferation and deterioration. SET may act as a valuable prognosis biomarker in breast cancer.

Identifying disease risk genes is a central topic of human genetics. Cost-effective exome and whole genome sequencing enabled large-scale discovery of genetic variations. However, the statistical power of finding new risk genes through rare genetic variation is fundamentally limited by sample sizes. As a result, we have an incomplete understanding of genetic architecture and molecular etiology of most of human conditions and diseases. In this thesis, I developed new computational methods that integrate functional genomics data sets, such as epigenomic profiles and single-cell transcriptomics, to improve power for identifying genetic risks and gain more insights on etiology of developmental disorders. The overall hypothesis that disease risk genes contributing to developmental disorders are bottleneck genes under normal development and subject to precise transcriptional regulations to maintain spatiotemporal specific expression during development. In this thesis I describe two major research projects. The first project, Episcore, predicts haploinsufficient genes based on a large integrated epigenomic profiles from multiple tissues and cell lines by supervised machine learning methods. The second one, A-risk, predicts plausibility of being risk genes of autism spectrum disorder based on single-cell RNA-seq data collected in human fetal midbrain and prefrontal cortex. Both methods were shown to be able to improve gene discovery in analysis of de novo mutations in developmental disorders. Overall, my thesis represents an effort to integrate functional genomics data by machine learning to facilitate both discovery and interpretation of genetic studies of human diseases. We believe that such integrative analysis can help us better understand genetic variants and disease etiology.

Private diaries are important sources of historical data for research on climate change. Their advantages include a high veracity and reliability, accurate time and location information, a high temporal resolution, seasonal integrity, and rich content. In particular, these data are suitable for reconstructing short-term, high-resolution climate series and extreme climatic events. Through a case study of Yunshan Diary, authored by Bi Guo of the Yuan dynasty of China, this article demonstrates how to delve into climate information in diaries, including species distribution records, phenological records, daily weather descriptions and personal experiences of meteorological conditions. In addition, this article considers how to use these records, supplemented by other data, to reconstruct climate change and extreme climatic events on various timescales, from multidecadal to annual or daily. The study of Yunshan Diary finds that there was a relatively low amount of precipitation in central and southern Jiangsu Province in the summer of 1309; the winter of 1308–1309 was abnormally cold in the Taihu Lake basin. In the early 14th century at the latest, the climate in eastern China had begun to turn cold, which reflects the transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age.

Background: Sargentodoxa cuneata is an herb commonly used by the Hmong people, and many preparations containing this herb have been marketed. However, the source of medicinal materials is not standardized during the production process, and the quality of medicinal materials from different sources may be inconsistent. This study was aimed to establish a qualitative and quantitative analysis method for quality assessment of Sargentodoxa cuneata in different regions. Methods: HPLC/Q Exactive Plus MS was performed in positive mode and negative mode used for qualitative analysis, and there were twenty-one ingredients were tested. Nine high-content or characteristic ingredients were screened out and applied to the quantitative analysis of thirty batches of medicinal materials from different origins. Based on the results of the quantitative analysis, further multivariate statistical analyses were carried out for quality assessment of Sargentodoxa cuneata . Results: Results showed that there were significant differences in the contents of the nine ingredients of Sargentodoxa cuneata in the eastern and southwestern regions. The content of hydroxytyrosol, salidroside, chlorogenic acid, desrhamnosyl isoacteoside, and liriodendrin of Sargentodoxa cuneata in eastern region was higher, while the content of protocatechin in southwestern region was higher. The different ingredients included protocatechuic acid, desrhamnosyl isoacteoside, liriodendrin, and hydroxytyrosol. These four ingredients were important factors that caused the difference in the quality of Sargentodoxa cuneata from different origins. Conclusion: Protocatechuic acid, desrhamnosyl isoacteoside, liriodendrin, and hydroxytyrosol may become a new marker for quality assessment of Sargentodoxa cuneata.

Polygonum capitatum is a traditional medicinal plant of the Miao people and has been used to treat a variety of urological disorders in China for many years. Preparations made from water-soluble P. capitatum extracts, Relinqing® granules, are often used in combination with levofloxacin to treat urinary tract infections, and have demonstrated better clinical efficacy than either drug alone. As there is no information on the pharmacokinetics of both drugs after co-administration, a sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to study the potential herb-drug interactions between P. capitatum and levofloxacin. This analytical method delivered high levels of specificity, recovery, accuracy, precision and preserved sample stability. When applied to study pharmacokinetic interactions after oral co-administration of P. capitatum extract (1.86 g kg-1) and levofloxacin (42 mg kg-1) in rats, the results indicated significant reductions in Cmax and AUC0-24h of levofloxacin, and significant increases in MRT, Tmax, CLz/F and Vz/F. Moreover, pretreatment with P. capitatum extract orally did not alter the intravenous pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin. Combined and compared oral pharmacokinetic parameters, suggesting that the interacting targets might localized in the intestine during absorption. Overall, the results revealed a potential herb-drug interaction between P. capitatum and levofloxacin.

Background Aidi Injection (ADI), a Chinese herbal preparation with anti-cancer activity, is used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several clinical studies have shown that co-administration of ADI with doxorubicin (DOX) is associated with reduced toxicity of chemotherapy, enhanced clinical efficacy and improved quality of life for patients. However, limited information is available about the herb-drug interactions between ADI and DOX. The study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic mechanism of herb-drug interactions between ADI and DOX in a rat model of HCC. Methods Experimental HCC was induced in rats by oral administration of diethylnitrosamine. The HCC rats were pretreated with ADI (10 mL/kg, intraperitoneal injection) for 14 consecutive days prior to administration of DOX (7 mg/kg, intravenous injection) to investigate pharmacokinetic interactions. Plasma concentrations of DOX and its major metabolite, doxorubicinol (DOXol), were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Results Preadministration of ADI significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of DOX in HCC rats, leading to increased plasma concentrations of both DOX and DOXol. The plasma drug concentration-time curves (AUCs) of DOX and DOXol in rats pretreated with ADI were 3.79-fold and 2.92-fold higher, respectively, than those in control rats that did not receive ADI. Conclusions Increased levels of DOX were found in the plasma of HCC rats pretreated with ADI, which may lead to enhanced efficacy but also potential toxicity.

The remote sensing of water clouds is useful for studying their spatial and temporal variations and constraining physical processes in climate and weather prediction models. However, radar-only detection provides inadequate information for the cloud droplet size distribution. Here, we propose a novel lookup-table method, which combines lidar (1064, 532 nm) and radar (8.6 mm) to retrieve profiles of cloud optical (backscatter coefficient and extinction coefficient) and microphysical properties (effective diameter and liquid water content). Through the iteration of the extinction-to-backscatter ratio, more continuous cloud optical characteristics can be obtained. Sensitivity analysis shows that a 10% error of the lidar constant will lead to a retrieval error of up to 30%. The algorithm performed precise capture of the ideal cloud signal at a specific height and at full height and the maximum relative error of the backscatter coefficients at 1064 nm and 532 nm were 6% and 4%, respectively. With the application of the algorithm in the two observation cases on single or multiple cloud layers, the results indicate that the microphysical properties mostly agree with the empirical radar measurements but are slightly different when larger particles cause signal changes of different extents. Consequently, the synergetic algorithm is capable of computing the cloud droplet size distribution. It provides continuous profiles of cloud optical properties and captures cloud microphysical properties well for water cloud studies.

Bletilla striata is a dried tuber of B striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. of Orchidaceae plant, which is mainly used for hemoptysis, vomiting blood, trauma bleeding, sore swollen poison, and cracked skin. There have been few research reports on the effect of this herb on cytochrome P450 (CYP), therefore, the study was aimed to investigate the effects of the B striata extracts on the activity of 6 subtypes (CYP2D6, 1A2, 2C19, 2E1, 3A4, and 2C9) using a cocktail method. The B striata extracts were administrated to rats in 0.21 or 0.63 g/kg once a day for 7 or 14 days. The 3 control groups were used to ensure the accuracy of the results. Subsequently, a cocktail of tolbutamide, chlorzoxazone, midazolam, metoprolol, omeprazole, and caffeine was injected. A ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometer was developed and validated to investigate the concentration of the probes and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated to investigate the effects of the extracts on the activity of 6 enzymes under different doses and different dosing periods. The results suggested that the B striata extracts could induce the activities of CYP2D6, 1A2, and 2C19 and could inhibit the activities of CYP2E1, 3A4, and 2C9. When used in combination with drugs that are metabolized by CYP2D6, 1A2, 2C19, 2E1, 3A4, and 2C9, appropriate dose adjustments were needed to avoid toxic side effects caused by drug interactions.

Private diaries are important sources of historical data for research on climate change. Their advantages include a high veracity and reliability, accurate time and location information, a high temporal resolution, seasonal integrity, and rich content. In particular, these data are suitable for reconstructing short-term, high-resolution climate series and extreme climatic events. Through a case study of Yunshan Diary, authored by Bi Guo of the Yuan Dynasty of China, this article demonstrates how to delve into climate information in diaries, including species distribution records, phenological records, daily weather records, and perception records. In addition, this article considers how to use these records, supplemented by other data, to reconstruct climate change and extreme climatic events on various time scales, from multi-decadal to annual to daily. The study of Yunshan Diary finds that there was a relatively low amount of precipitation in central and southern Jiangsu Province in the summer of 1309; the winter of 1308–1309 was abnormally cold in the Taihu Lake Basin. In the early 14th century at the latest, the climate in eastern China had begun to turn cold, which reflects the transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age.

Eucommiae Cortex (EC), a rare, nourishing medicinal herb that is native in China, has good effect in the treatment of hypertension. In this study, we compared tissue distribution of six representative active components of EC extract—genipinic acid (GA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), neochlorogenic acid (NCA), chlorogenic acid (CA), (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PDG), and (+)-pinoresinol 4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PG)—between normal rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Each rat was intragastrically given EC extract at a dose of 5.4 g/kg. Rats were sacrificed at 10 min, 30 min, 2 h, and 8 h after administration; six rats were sacrificed at each time point. Then, we quickly harvested their major organs, including heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), we determined the levels of the above mentioned six components in the organs of both types of rats and then analyzed differences in the tissue distribution. The results showed that levels of each component differed between SHRs and the normal group at each time point. As time progressed, the number of organs in which GA distribution in each tissue of SHRs differed from that of the normal group gradually increased: SHRs showed lower GA levels than normal rats. Levels of PG and PDG in both groups at 10 and 30 min were similar. NCA and CA in the SHR group and the normal group at 10 min, 30 min, and 2 h were also similar to some extent. The results indicated that the pathological state of spontaneous hypertension could affect tissue distribution of EC active components in rats.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (E. ulmoides) is a valuable and nourishing medicinal herb in China that has been used in the treatment of hypertension. Given the fact that most traditional Chinese medicine is mainly used to treat disease, investigating the pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicines in the pathological state is more useful than that in the normal state. However, the differences in the absorption kinetics of active ingredients of E. ulmoides extract between pathological and physiological conditions have not been reported. Therefore, in this study, the rat intestinal in situ circulatory perfusion model was used to investigate the differences in absorption kinetics of seven active ingredients of E. ulmoides extract in normal and spontaneously hypertensive rats, namely, genipinic acid, protocatechuic acid, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and (+)-pinoresinol 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Our results indicate that the pathological state of spontaneous hypertension may change the absorption of active components of E. ulmoides extracts, and these findings may provide a reference for improving the rational use of E. ulmoides in the clinic.

Bletilla striata has been widely used as a valuable hemostatic agent for thousands of years due to the high levels of bioactive constituents it contains. Here, we used a sensitive ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of three major active ingredients of the B. striata extract, namely, α-isobutylmalic acid, gymnoside I, and militarine in rat plasma. The three major active ingredients were determined using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode at m/z 189 ⟶ 129 for α-isobutylmalic acid, m/z 457.2 ⟶ 285.1 for gymnoside I, m/z 725.3 ⟶ 457.2 for militarine, and m/z 417.0 ⟶ 267.0 for the IS puerarin. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.999) over the concentration range with the lower limit of quantification between 0.015 and 0.029 μg/mL. The relative standard deviations of intraday and interday measurements were less than 15%, and the method was accurate within 93.3–100.4%. The extraction recovery was 92.65–100.98%, and no matrix effect was observed. The results indicated that after oral administration of B. striata in rats, the Tmax of α-isobutylmalic acid was significantly longer than that of gymnoside I and militarine and the mean residence time and area under the curve of α-isobutylmalic acid and gymnoside I in rats were significantly higher than those of militarine. Moreover, the blood concentration-time curve of α-isobutylmalic acid showed double peaks, suggesting that α-isobutylmalic acid could exhibit the phenomenon of enterohepatic circulation or metabolic conversion. We also explored some of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of three ingredients from B. striata extract in vivo, and the data obtained may provide a basis for the further investigation of B. striata.

Protein-coding genetic variants that strongly affect disease risk can yield relevant clues to disease pathogenesis. Here we report exome-sequencing analyses of 20,791individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and 24,440non-diabetic control participants from 5ancestries. We identify gene-level associations of rare variants (with minor allele frequencies of less than 0.5%) in 4genes at exome-wide significance, including a series of more than 30SLC30A8 alleles that conveys protection against T2D, and in 12gene sets, including those corresponding to T2D drug targets (P=6.1×10-3) and candidate genes from knockout mice (P=5.2×10-3). Within our study, the strongest T2D gene-level signals for rare variants explain at most 25% of the heritability of the strongest common single-variant signals, and the gene-level effect sizes of the rare variants that we observed in established T2D drug targets will require 75,000-185,000sequenced cases to achieve exome-wide significance. We propose a method to interpret these modest rare-variant associations and to incorporate these associations into future target or gene prioritization efforts.

Periploca forrestii Schltr ( P. forrestii) is a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect. The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of the 5 active components of this plant: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid C, and periplocin between normal rats and adjuvant-induced arthritis model rats. After the intravenous administration (177.78 mg/kg) of P. forrestii extract, samples were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with normal rats, the area under the curve [(AUC)(0-t), AUC(0-∞)], mean residence time [(MRT)(0-t), MRT(0-∞)] of neochlorogenic acid-treated rats decreased significantly, and drug clearance (CL) and apparent volume of distribution (V) increased significantly; the V of chlorogenic acid-treated rats decreased significantly, and MRT(0-t) significantly increased; the AUC(0-t) and AUC(0-∞) of cryptochlorogenic acid-treated rats decreased significantly, and CL and V increased significantly; the AUC(0-t) and MRT(0-t) of isochlorogenic acid C-treated rats decreased significantly, and V increased significantly; the AUC(0-t) and AUC(0-∞) of periplocin-treated rats increased significantly, and MRT(0-t), MRT(0-∞), CL, and V decreased significantly in model rats. The disease condition of rheumatoid arthritis in rats had a significant effect on the in vivo pharmacokinetics of P. forrestii after the intravenous administration.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. However, at present, there are still no effective therapeutic methods for NAFLD in clinical practice. Lifestyle changes, especially changes in eating habits, play an important role in the treatment of NAFLD. This review summarizes the role of fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins in the development and progression of NAFLD, and points out that a proper diet can help improve the condition of patients with NAFLD.

Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don is traditionally used by Hmong for the treatment of urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis. Information regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior of the extract in the condition of pyelonephritis is lacking. In the present study, we aimed to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of gallic acid (GA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), and quercitrin (QR)&mdash, the main bioactive constituents in the herb&mdash, in normal and pyelonephritis rats. The plasma samples were collected at various time points after administration of a single dose of Polygonum capitatum extract. The plasma level of GA, PCA, and QR at the designed time points was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and drug concentration versus time plots were constructed to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The AUC(0-t), AUC(0-&infin, ), MRT(0-t), and CL of GA, PCA, and QR in pyelonephritis rats was significantly different from those of the normal rats. The results indicated that the three constituents have higher rate of uptake and slower rate of elimination in the rats with pyelonephritis, suggesting altered rate and extent of drug metabolism.

UBC’s 2020 Climate Action Plan aims to reduce their GHG emissions by 67% from 2007 levels and has already created a significant reduction to date. This year, 2017, has the potential to become a turning point to achieve UBC’s plan. UBC building operation reached agreement to reduce GHG emissions by 67% from 2007 levels by 2020. UBC has already reduced GHG emissions by 30% at the end of 2015, which is significantly lower than 2007 levels, and for the year of 2017, UBC wants to reach a 33% reduction by the end of 2016. UBC also aims to establish a framework to provide technological and financial support to reduce the potential costs for a wide variety of vehicles. Our strategy is to develop strong relationships with students and building operations by creating the bike-cargo-share program to help them transfer lightweight materials throughout campus. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Doppler spectrum width, which relates to wind turbulence, is one of the essential parameters of coherent LIDAR. Using the Fourier transform theorem and the definition of correlation function, the power spectrum function in the stationary condition is deduced. The effects of pulse shape, pulse duration and the windowing are included. The spectrum width resulted from the turbulence is given under Kolmogorov turbulence model. Based on the power spectrum theory, the spectrum broadening by different pulse shapes and pulse durations are calculated. To validate the accuracy of the theory and usage in the retrieval of turbulence parameters, the numerical simulations of the echo signal are carried out in turbulence conditions. The statistics characteristics of the spectrum broadening from laser pulse shapes and durations are inverted and compared. The results show that the spectrum broadening varies greatly due to the selection of pulse shapes and pulse durations, and the numerical simulation is in accordance with the theory results.

Erigeron breviscapus, a traditional Chinese medicine, is clinically used for the treatment of occlusive cerebral vascular diseases. We developed a sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantitation of chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein, the main active constituents in Erigeron breviscapus, and compared the pharmacokinetics of these active ingredients in sham-operated and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats orally administrated with Erigeron breviscapus extract. Plasma samples were collected at 15 time points after oral administration of the Erigeron breviscapus extract. The levels of chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein in rat plasma at various time points were determined by a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method, and the drug concentration versus time plots were constructed to estimate pharmacokinetic parameters. The concentration of chlorogenic acid in the plasma reached the maximum plasma drug concentration in about 15 min and was below the limit of detection after 4 h. Scutellarin and scutellarein showed the phenomenon of multiple absorption peaks in sham-operated and MCAO rats, respectively. Compared with the sham-operated rats, the terminal elimination half-life of scutellarein in the MCAO rats was prolonged by more than two times and the area under the curve of each component in the MCAO rats was significantly increased. The results showed chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein in MCAO rats had higher drug exposure than that in sham-operated rats, which provided a reference for the development of innovative drugs, optimal dosing regimens, and clinical rational drug use.

Relinqing granule (RLQ) is the best-selling Chinese patent drug for treatment of urinary system diseases. In this study, the effects of RLQ on the pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim in SD rats were investigated. Rats were randomly divided into control group 1, control group 2, RLQ group 1, and RLQ group 2. RLQ group 1 and RLQ group 2 were treated orally with RLQ for 7 days, and rats were treated with the same volume of water in control group 1 and control group 2. Then, RLQ group 1 and control group 1 were given intragastrically ciprofloxacin on day 8, while RLQ group 2 and control group 2 were given intragastrically sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim on day 8. Blood samples were collected and determined. There was no significant influence of pharmacokinetic parameters of trimethoprim on two groups. But some pharmacokinetic parameters of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats were evidently altered (P < 0.05), which indicated that absorption of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats was significantly affected. It indicated the coadministration of RLQ would have an influence on the efficacy of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, and the doses of ciprofloxacin tablet and compound sulfamethoxazole tablet need adjustment.

This letter proposes a new method for boresight misalignment calibration of the charge-coupled device (CCD) camera which is one component of an airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system without ground control points (GCPs). In the calibration, tie points in overlapping areas are first selected, and then, a multibaseline forward intersection is used for calculating object coordinates of these points. In the intersection, exterior elements of the CCD camera are obtained directly from positioning and orientation system (POS) data of the LiDAR system, which are error contaminated mainly due to the unparallel relation between the frameworks of the inertial measurement unit of the POS and the CCD camera. Elevation values of the ground points are then refined by those obtained from LiDAR point clouds by interpolation, which can be considered to be more accurate than those obtained by multibaseline forward intersection. Through projecting the ground points with refined elevation values into the image space by collinear equations and minimizing distances between the image points selected manually and those projected from ground points, the boresight misalignment is removed effectively. Therefore, the proposed method without GCPs in the whole process is more flexible than other traditional photogrammetric ways.

Through using the data of import and export trading of China's paper products in 2012, we utilize the method of volume source biomass equation and net primary productivity (NPP) to calculate the carbon reduction effect of papermaking raw materials trade, and utilize the method of IPCC guidelines for inventories to calculate the carbon emission effect of paper and paper products trade. The results show that the distinctive characteristics of China's paper products trade has resulted in the dual effects on the domestic carbon emissions. On the one hand, large imports of paper-making raw materials make China reduce domestic forest felling, with the effect of carbon emission reduction. On the other hand, net exports of paper and paper products increase the domestic carbon emissions, with the effect of carbon emission. The carbon emission reduction effect of China's paper-making raw materials trade is obvious and up to 19.0211 million tons. This is equal to the total volume of 180.5709 million cubic meters forest's annual carbon sequestration. The carbon emission effect of paper and paper products trade is only 0.5136 million tons, which is not significant compared with the former. In general, China's paper product trade causes the significant effect on carbon emission reduction.

Through using the data of import and export trading of China's paper products in 2012, we utilize the method of volume source biomass equation and net primary productivity (NPP) to calculate the carbon reduction effect of papermaking raw materials trade, and utilize the method of IPCC guidelines for inventories to calculate the carbon emission effect of paper and paper products trade. The results show that the distinctive characteristics of China's paper products trade has resulted in the dual effects on the domestic carbon emissions. On the one hand, large imports of paper-making raw materials make China reduce domestic forest felling, with the effect of carbon emission reduction. On the other hand, net exports of paper and paper products increase the domestic carbon emissions, with the effect of carbon emission. The carbon emission reduction effect of China's paper-making raw materials trade is obvious and up to 19.0211 million tons. This is equal to the total volume of 180.5709 million cubic meters forest's annual carbon sequestration. The carbon emission effect of paper and paper products trade is only 0.5136 million tons, which is not significant compared with the former. In general, China's paper product trade causes the significant effect on carbon emission reduction.

To investigate ocular manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in a population in central south China during a time of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).A cross-sectional study in central south China was performed between June 2009 and April 2010. Ocular examinations were performed on recruited patients with HIV/AIDS. Systemic information (including CD4+ T cell count) was also collected where possible.Among 1041 patients (2082 eyes) with HIV/AIDS enrolled in our study, we found a broad spectrum of ocular manifestations related to HIV/AIDS. The prevalence of HIV-associated ocular disease was 23.73% (247 patients). Of those with ocular complications, 87.85% had CD4 counts200 cells/µL. HIV retinopathy (12.68%) was the most common HIV-associated ocular finding, followed by cytomegalovirus retinitis (6.72%). Prevalences of visual impairment and blindness were 7.59% and 0.77%, respectively.This epidemiologic study shows the spectrum of ocular lesions associated with HIV/AIDS in central south China. Our findings highlight the need for routine ophthalmic examinations in this population, even in patients who are asymptomatic, especially those at high risk, in the era of HAART.

An airborne LiDAR is a complex multi-sensor integrated system. The existence of systematic errors will lead to discrepancies between overlapping strips. This paper presents a algorithm to detect and adjust such discrepancies and creat a seamless dataset. Due to the irregular nature of the LiDAR data, Linear features are used and a point-to-point correspondence are built by extracting the endpoints of conjugate linear features. Firstly, linear features are extracted from the point clouds in overlapping strips. Secondly, endpoints of these linear features are obtained and tie points matching are also accomplished. Further, an improved Bursa model is used to adjust overlapping strips through a least squares matching procedure. At last, an experiment with real datasets is carried out to verify that the methodology is effective and efficient. The root mean square error (RMSE) between conjugate points is used to evaluate the accuracy after adjustment.

In this Letter, a method, based on stokes parameters, is developed to observe the angular displacement between the excitation and emission moments. Experiments demonstrate that when combined with degree of polarization spectrums, we can acquire the depolarization caused by angular displacement or energy migration. The method presented in this Letter can be easily realized with the existing fluorescence measuring system and may potentially make it convenient to study the fluorophore electronic structure or the mechanism of fluorescence anisotropy.