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Few studies have evaluated the short-term association between hospital admissions and individual exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5). Particularly, no studies focused on hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at individual level. We assessed the short-term effects of PM2.5 on hospitalization admissions for COPD in Guangzhou, China, during 2014–2015, based on satellite-derived estimates of ambient PM2.5 concentrations at 1-km resolution near the residential address as individual-level exposure for each patient. 40,002 patients with COPD admitted to 110 hospitals were included in this study. A time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression models was applied to assess the effects of PM2.5 based on 1-km grid data of aerosol optical depth provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration on hospital admissions for COPD. Further, we performed stratified analyses by individual demographic characteristics and season of hospital admission. 10 µg/m3 increase in individual-level PM2.5 was associated with an increase of 1.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6%, 2.7%) in hospitalization for COPD at lag of 0–5 days. The impact of PM2.5 on hospitalization for COPD was greater significantly in male and patients admitted in summer and accordingly the impacts may be exacerbated in the context of global warming. Our study strengthened the evidence for the adverse effect of PM2.5 based on satellite-based individual-level exposure data.

Summary The development of embryo sacs is crucial for seed production in plants, but the genetic basis regulating the meiotic crossover formation in the macrospore and microspore mother cells remains largely unclear. Here, we report the characterization of a spontaneous rice female sterile variation 1 mutant (fsv1) that showed severe embryo sacs abortion with low seed‐setting rate. Through map‐based cloning and functional analyses, we isolated the causal gene of fsv1, OsMLH3 encoding a MutL‐homolog 3 protein, an ortholog of HvMLH3 in barley and AtMLH3 in Arabidopsis. OsMLH3 and OsMLH1 (MutL‐homolog 1) interact to form a heterodimer (MutLγ) to promote crossover formation in the macrospore and microspore mother cells and development of functional megaspore during meiosis, defective OsMLH3 or OsMLH1 in fsv1 and CRISPR/Cas9‐based knockout lines results in reduced type I crossover and bivalent frequency. The fsv1 and OsMLH3‐knockout lines are valuable germplasms for development of female sterile restorer lines for mechanized seed production of hybrid rice.

As a class of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs), organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have been raising concern due to their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity. Therefore, it is urgent need to develop environmental-friendly and high-efficient techniques to remove OPFRs. The degradation kinetics and mechanism of tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP), a representative OPFRs, by UV/TiO2 photocatalytic degradation were explored in current research. It was found that degradation reaction was well documented by first-order kinetics with a kobs of 0.3146 min−1, and hydroxyl radical was identified as a dominating contributor for the TCPP elimination. Simultaneously, six steady intermediate products were generated with the release of Cl− and PO43− as photocatalytic reaction further proceeded. The degradation efficiency can be interfered by natural organic matters, anions and pH value, implying that an incomplete mineralization of TCPP could be ubiquitous in heterogeneous water matrix. Combining the proteomics analysis with KEGG metabolism networks analysis, the process of transmembrane transport and energy generation in Escherichia coli altered by intermediates has proved that the intermediates could be transported and utilized through cellular metabolism. Moreover, the diminution of stress resistance suggested that the toxicity of degradation products through UV/TiO2 photocatalytic degradation was lower than that of intact TCPP. To sum up, environmental safety of degrading intermediate products and the satisfactory detoxification effect of TCPP were identified under appropriate mineralization, indicating that UV/TiO2 photocatalysis technique was safe and high-efficient for TCPP control.

Additional file 3: Fig. S1. PCR-based genotyping for the 28-bp deletion in indica accessions (partially). M: DL2000 DNA marker; lane 1–24: IR64, Nipponbare, Bing 1A, Digu, Yuetai A, 9311, Zhenxian 97A, Fengyuan A, Mianhui 725, II-32A, Tianfeng A, Fenghuazan, Yuanhui 2 hao, Yuetai B, IR36, Gui 99, Fengyuan A, Shuhui 498, Miyang 46, IR64, D62A, G46A, CDR22, Wufeng A. Fig. S2. Pfam motifs of HIS1 and amino acid variation of haplotypes. The shaded parts are predicted amino acids due to the 28-bp deletion in H5. Fig. S3. Protein sequence alignment of 2OGDs. (A) Protein sequence alignment and conserved site analysis of 91 experimentally characterized 2OGDs in plants. (B) Protein sequence alignment and conserved site analysis of 114 putative 2OGDs in rice. Fig. S4. RNA expression of HIS1 in some accessions harboring H1, H2, H3, and H5. The qRT-PCR results were normalized with the actin reference gene. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean (SEM) of three replicates. Fig. S5. The T1510G mutation is completely co-segregated with the susceptibility to BBC (partially). Rice accessions Nongxiang42 and Xianhui207 carry HIS1 haplotypes H2 and H3, respectively. The upper electrophoretic band represents the PCR products of HIS1, and the lower band shows the PCR products treated with the restriction enzyme Dde1. Fig. S6. BBC is effective when the seeds are mixed. (A). BBC can effectively kill hybrid sterile lines (MingS) without harming hybrids (Mingliangyou143). The red arrow indicates the sterile line that was killed. (B). Random selection of 10 normal and severely affected seedlings. Through the detection of 28-bp deletion primers, it was found that the normal materials were all in a heterozygous state, and the sterile line materials lacking 28-bp were killed.

Background Benzobicyclon (BBC) is a β-triketone herbicide (bTH) used in rice paddy fields. It has the advantages of high efficiency, low toxicity, high crop safety, and good environmental compatibility, and shows efficacy against paddy weeds resistant to other types of herbicides. However, as some important indica rice varieties are susceptible to BBC, BBC is currently only registered and applied in japonica rice cultivation areas. Results By analyzing haplotypes of the bTHs broad-spectrum resistance gene HIS1 and phenotypes for BBC in 493 major indica rice accessions in China, we identified a novel non-functional allelic variant of HIS1 in addition to the previously reported 28-bp deletion. Through detection with markers specific to the two non-functional mutations, it was clear that 25.4% of indica conventional varieties, 59.9% of fertility restorers, and 15.9% of sterile lines were susceptible to BBC. In addition, due to natural allelic variations of the HIS1 gene in the sterile and restorer lines, some two-line hybrid sterile lines were sensitive to bTHs, and the corresponding restorers were resistant. We showed the potential effectiveness of using bTHs to address the issue of two-line hybrid rice seed purity stemming from the self-crossing of sterile lines during hybrid rice seed production. Finally, allelic variations of the HIS1 gene may also play an important role in the mechanized seed production of hybrid rice. Conclusions Our findings offer guidance for the application of BBC in indica rice areas and provide a non-transgenic approach to address the seed purity issue of two-line hybrid rice.

Zhi-Ying Zhan,1,2,* Qi Tian,3,* Ting-Ting Chen,1,* Yunshao Ye,3 Qiaoxuan Lin,3 Dong Han,1 Chun-Quan Ou1 1State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Health Care Management and Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Information Resources, Guangzhou Health Information Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chun-Quan Ou Email ocq@smu.edu.cnPurpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic diseases causing considerable social and economic burden globally. Despite substantial evidence on temperature-COPD association, few studies have investigated the acute effect of temperature variability (TV), a potential trigger of exacerbation of COPD disease, and it remains unknown what fraction of the disease burden of COPD is attributable to TV.Patients and Methods: Based on 71,070 COPD hospitalizations during 2013– 2015 in Guangzhou, China, we conducted a time-series analysis using quasi-Poisson regression to assess the association between TV and hospital admission for COPD after adjusting for daily mean temperature. Short-term TV was captured by the standard deviation of hourly or daily temperatures across various exposure days. We also provided the fraction (total number) of COPD attributable to TV. Stratified analyses by admission route, sex, age, occupation, marital status and season were performed to identify vulnerable subpopulations.Results: We found a linear relationship between TV and COPD hospitalization, with a 1°C increase in hourly TV and daily TV associated with 4.3% (95%CI: 2.2– 6.4) and 4.0% (2.3– 5.8) increases in COPD, respectively. The greater relative risks of TV identified males, people aged 0– 64 years, blue collar, and divorced/widowed people as vulnerable population. There were 12.0% (8500 cases) of COPD hospitalization attributable to hourly TV during the study period. Daily TV produced similar estimates of relative effects (relative risk) but grater estimates of absolute effects (attributable fraction) than hourly TV.Conclusion: We concluded that TV was an independent risk factor of COPD morbidity, especially among the susceptible subgroups. These findings would be helpful to guide the development of targeted public intervention.Keywords: epidemiology, COPD hospitalization, distributed lag non-linear model, time-series analysis, China

To make better use of global germplasm resources for improving the eating quality of hybrid rice, using the resequencing data from the 3,000 rice genomes project (3K RGP), the allelic variations of the rice Wx locus were analysed. With the exception of five rare alleles discovered for the first time in our study, most of these alleles were known alleles of Wx. Furthermore, a set of Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers based on these Wx alleles have been developed, and thirty-six main parents of hybrid rice from 1976 to 2018 were selected for Wx genotyping. The results showed that only three Wx alleles existed in the main parents of hybrids, and the allelic combination of the hybrids changed from Wxa/Wxb and Wxlv/Wxb to Wxb/Wxb with the development of hybrid rice. Wxb is widely used in the male parents of hybrid rice. Wxa and Wxlv were used in the female parents of early hybrid rice, and they were gradually replaced by Wxb. In the future, more favourable Wx alleles from cultivated rice should be identified, introduced, and effectively used to improve hybrid rice quality.

In this work, CeO 2 nanocubes hybridized g-C 3 N 4 composites had been facilely synthesized to investigate the interfacial effects on photocatalytic water splitting. The c-CeO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composites exhibited the superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation. The optimal c-CeO 2 loading content was 5 wt%, with the H 2 evolution of 4300 μmol g −1 for 5 h illumination, higher than that of pristine CeO 2 , g-C 3 N 4 and irregular CeO 2 nanoparticles/g-C 3 N 4 . Moreover, UV–vis DRS, PL spectra and photoelectrochemical measurements demonstrated that 5 wt% c-CeO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite possessed more visible light adsorption and faster charge transfer, which was attributed to the stronger interfacial effects through the presence of the hydrogen bond and p-π hybrid between c-CeO 2 {100} and g-C 3 N 4 , revealed by the FT-IR and XPS results. The work suggested that engineering the structures of the CeO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 interface could be an effective strategy to obtain excellent photocatalysts.

In this study, we compared the physicochemical properties and starch structures of hybrid rice varieties with similar apparent amylose content but different taste values. In addition to the apparent amylose content, gel permeation chromatography analysis showed that the higher proportions of amylopectin short chains and relatively lower proportions of amylopectin long chains, which could lead to higher peak viscosity and breakdown value, as well as a softer and stickier texture of cooked rice, were the key factors in determining the eating quality of hybrid rice. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography analyses showed that the proportion of amylopectin short chains (degree of polymerization 6-10) and intermediate chains (degree of polymerization 13-24), which might affect the gelatinisation enthalpy and crystallinity, also contributed greatly to the eating quality of hybrid rice. Moreover, this study indicated that a greater diversity of forms and sizes of starch granules might influence the eating quality of hybrid rice.

Rice grain with excessive cadmium (Cd) is a major source of dietary Cd intake and a serious threat to health for people who consume rice as a staple food. The development of elite rice cultivars with consistently low Cd content is challenging for conventional breeding approaches, and new strategies urgently need to be developed. Here, we report the development of new indica rice lines with low Cd accumulation and no transgenes by knocking out the metal transporter gene OsNramp5 using CRISPR/Cas9 system. Hydroponic culture showed that Cd concentrations in shoots and roots of osnramp5 mutants were dramatically decreased, resulting in rescue of impaired growth in high Cd condition. Cd-contaminated paddy field trials demonstrated that Cd concentration in osnramp5 grains was consistently less than 0.05 mg/kg, in contrast to high Cd concentrations from 0.33 mg/kg to 2.90 mg/kg in grains of Huazhan (the wild-type indica rice). In particular, the plant yield was not significantly affected in osnramp5 mutants. Furthermore, we developed promising hybrid rice lines with extremely low Cd content in grains. Our work supplies a practical approach to developing Cd pollution-safe indica rice cultivars that minimizes Cd contamination risk in grains.

Using La (NO3)3·6H2O, TiCl4 , and citric acid as the main raw materials, nanocrystalline La2Ti2O7 samples were prepared by microwave assisted method. The structure and morphology of samples were characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of La2Ti2O7 was studied for methyl orange (MO) used as simulated sewage. It was found that the single phase La2Ti2O7 could be obtained through the calcination of microwave processed La2Ti2O7 precursors at 600 °C. The resulted product had an approximate spherical shape and average grain size of 50 nm in diameter. Under UV light, the photocatalytic experiment indicated that the prepared La2Ti2O7 nanocrystalline had high photocatalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange.

Using La (NO3)3·6H2O, NH4VO3, citric acid as the main raw materials, nanocrystalline LaVO4 sample was prepared by microwave method. The structure and morphology of sample were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of LaVO4 was studied for methyl orange (MO) used as simulated sewage. The XRD and SEM showed that the particle size of LaVO4 was about 80-100 nm. The DRS showed that LaVO4 had optical absorption onset of 356 nm, indicating the optical band gap of 3.48 eV. The FT-IR showed that LaVO4 had vibration peaks of Fe-O and V-O bond. Under UV-light, the photocatalytic experiment indicated that the prepared LaVO4 nanocrystalline had highly photocatalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely used in industrial production because of its strong chemical stabilities and good hydrophobic and oleophobic properties. It was considered to be a widespread persistent organic pollutant in environment in recent years. The oxidative stress and membrane damage of

CsCa$_2$Fe$_4$As$_4$F$_2$ is a newly discovered iron-based superconductor with $T_\mathrm{c}\sim$ 30 K containing double Fe$_2$As$_2$ layers that are separated by insulating Ca$_2$F$_2$ spacer layers. Here we report the transport and magnetization measurements on CsCa$_2$Fe$_4$As$_4$F$_2$ single crystals grown for the first time using the self flux of CsAs. We observed a huge resistivity anisotropy $\rho_c(T)/\rho_{ab}(T)$, which increases with decreasing temperature, from 750 at 300 K to 3150 at 32 K. The $\rho_c(T)$ data exhibit a non-metallic behavior above $\sim$140 K, suggesting an incoherent electronic state at high temperatures due to the dimension crossover. The superconducting onset transition temperature in $\rho_{ab}$ is 0.7 K higher than that in $\rho_c$, suggesting two-dimensional (2D) superconducting fluctuations. The lower and upper critical fields also show an exceptional anisotropy among iron-based superconductors. The $H_{c1}^\bot(T)$ data are well fitted using the model with two $s$-wave-like superconducting gaps, $\Delta_1(0)=6.75$ meV and $\Delta_2(0)=2.32$ meV. The inter-plane coherence length $\xi_c(0)$ is $3.6$ \AA, remarkably smaller than the distance between conducting layers (8.6 \AA), consolidating the 2D nature in the title material., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, 1 Table

For rotational parts with irregular curve profile, in order to achieve its manual programming and machining, we need to segment the contour curve according to the change of curvature. Through the calculation, we can get the minimum arc to fit the segments, and calculate the circular endpoint coordinates and radius by using the drawing methods. Finally, we develop the NC program. By the analysis of the result, we find the method can simplify the programming and improve machining efficiency.

Background/Aims: This study investigated signaling pathways via which extracellular histones induce the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release from the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). Methods: ELISA and western blotting analyses were conducted to detect the release of TNF-α from histone-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and the associated phospho-activation of MAPKs (ERK and p38) and NF-κB p65. The effects of ALA on the release of TNF-α and phospho-activation of the MAPKs and NF-κB p65 were studied. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Extracellular histones dose-dependently induced TNF-α release from RAW 264.7 cells and increased the phosphorylation of p38, ERK, and NF-κB p65. TNF-α release was markedly suppressed by p38, ERK, and NF-kB inhibitors. ALA reduced histone-induced TNF-α release, ERK/p38 MAPK activation, and NF-kB activation without affecting macrophage viability. Conclusion: Histones induce TNF-α release from macrophages by activating the MAPK and NF-kB signaling pathways, while ALA suppresses this response by inhibiting ERK, p38 and NF-kB. These findings identify potentially critical inflammatory signaling pathways in sepsis and molecular targets for sepsis treatment.

Triphenyltin (TPT) has severely polluted the environment, and it often coexists with metal ions, such as Cu2+. This paper describesthe cell&rsquo, s molecular recognition of TPT, the interaction betweenTPT recognition and Cu2+ biosorption, and their effecton cell permeability. We studiedthe recognition ofTPT byBacillus thuringiensiscells and theeffect of TPT recognition on Cu2+ biosorption by using atomic force microscopy to observechanges in cell surface mechanical properties and cellular morphology andbyusingflow cytometry to determinethe cell growth status and cell permeability. The results show that B. thuringiensis can quickly recognize different media. The adhesion force of cellsin contact with Tween 80 was significantly reduced to levels that were much lower than that of cells in contact with PBS. Conversely, the cell surface adhesion force increased as TPT became more degraded. B. thuringiensis cells maintained their original morphology after 48 h of TPT treatment. The amount of Cu2+ adsorption by TPT-treated cells was positively correlated with the surface adhesion force (r=0.966, P=0.01). The cell adhesion force significantly decreased after Cu2+adsorption, and cell recognition of TPT and/or Cu2+hindered the entrance of2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) intothe cell. The initial diffusion time of DCFH-DA into cells treated by PBS, Cu2+, TPT, and TPT+Cu2+was4, 10, 30, and 30 min, respectively, andthe order of the fluorescence intensity wasPBS &gt, &gt, Cu2+&gt, TPT &gt, TPT+Cu2+. We conclude that changes in the cell surface properties of the microbe during recognition of pollutants depend on the contaminant&rsquo, s properties. B. thuringiensis recognized TPT and secreted intracellular substancesthatnot only enhanced the adsorption of Cu2+, but also formed a &ldquo, barrier&rdquo, on the cell surface that reduced permeability. These findings provide a novel insight into the mechanism of microbial removal of pollutants.

Microbiologic experiments together with Tessier sequential extraction and ICP-OES determination showed that distributions of Pb, Cu, Cd and Cr in soil of Guiyu, an e-waste dismantling region in South China, have changed after activities of native combined Bacillus cereus. Exchangeable fractions of these heavy metals were 1.52, 12.32, 3.98 and 34.50-fold those of original ones after 8 h interaction, here the organic phases were supposed to be the main alteration origin. The changing interaction time brought different impacts on concentration variation of heavy metals. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) influenced combined Bacillus cereus to redistribute the shares of heavy metals. BDE209 of 1 mg/L favored the alteration to make heavy metals become more bioavailable, while 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L of BDE209 baffled this alteration. However, influences of these strains on heavy metal speciation could be generally enhanced at the presence of BDE209, particularly for Cu and Pb Therefore, non-residual fractions were easier to be transferred into bioavailable ones after interaction with biomass, thus favoring the subsequent bioremediation of soil.

Although the degradation of cyanotoxins by 254 nm UV/H

A series of Fe–Ce–Ti catalysts were prepared via co-precipitation method to investigate the effect of doping Ce into Fe–Ti catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3. The NO conversion over Fe–Ce–Ti catalysts was considerably improved after Ce doping compared to that of Fe–Ti catalysts. The Fe(0.2)–Ce(0.4)–Ti catalysts exhibited superior catalytic activity to that of Fe(0.2)–Ti catalysts. The obtained catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The data showed that the introduction of Ce results in higher surface area and better dispersion of active components on the catalyst surface and enhances the amount of surface acid sites. The interactions between Fe and Ce species were found to improve the redox ability of the catalyst, which promotes catalytic performance at low temperature. The XPS results revealed that Fe3+/Fe2+ and Ce4+/Ce3+ coexisted on the catalyst surface and that Ti was in 4+ oxidation state on catalyst surface. Ce doping increased the atomic ratio of Fe/Ti and Ce/Ti and enhanced the surface adsorbed oxygen species. In addition, Fe(0.2)–Ce(0.4)–Ti catalyst also showed better tolerance to H2O and SO2 and up to 92% NO conversion at 270 °C with 200 ppm SO2 added over 25 h, which suggests that it is a promising industrial catalyst for mid-low temperature NH3–selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reaction.

A bacterial strain, Arthrobacter oxydans (B4), capable of degrading benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in water body, was isolated from a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated site. Effects of different factors, such as reaction time, pH value, temperature and organic nutrients, on BaP biodegradation by the strain B4 were studied. After 5 d treatment, the concentration of BaP in mineral salts medium was reduced to 0.318 mg L−1, compared to the initial concentration of 1.000 mg L−1. There was a process of acid formation during the degradation with pH falling from initial 7.01 to 4.61 at 5 d, so keeping the water body under slightly alkaline condition was propitious to BaP degradation. Strain B4 efficiently degraded BaP at 20 to 37 °C with addition of organic nutrients. The biodegradation and transformation of BaP mainly occurred on cell surfaces, and extracellular secretions played an important role in these processes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer analyses of metabolites showed that ring cleavage occurred in the BaP degradation process and the resulting metabolically utilizable substrates were generated as sole carbon sources for B4 growth. Furthermore, mineralization extent of metabolites was verified by determining the total organic carbon and inorganic carbon in the degradation system.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an intracellular opportunistic fungus causing invasive pulmonary mycosis, characterised by hyphal invasion and destruction of pulmonary tissue. Th1 cytokines could enhance fungicidal activity. The effects from the combination of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-2 are rarely known in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis infection. To assess the cleaning of A. fumigatus infection in the pulmonary tissues by IL-12 and IL-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was detected in the sera using ELISA, quantification of IFN-γ mRNA using real-time RT-PCR and lung Colony-forming unit was assayed by cultivation. Morphology was analysed by histopathological examination. Our results showed that IL-12 and/or IL-2 could enhance the IFN-γ expression in the pulmonary tissue, reduce the colony load in the pulmonary tissue and increase the survival rate of mouse. The combination of IL-12 and IL-2 could assist in increasing the IFN-γ expression in the pulmonary tissue, but neither reduce colony load in the pulmonary tissue nor increase the survival rate of mouse significantly. It was demonstrated that IL-12 and IL-2 were strong immunomodulatory cytokines as a prerequisite for protecting the host from infectious agents.

Objective— Increasing evidence shows that autoimmune response contributes importantly to pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This work was aimed to assess the possibly altered function of peripheral CD4 + CD25 + T regulatory cells (Tregs) that might breakdown immunologic self-tolerance in AAA patients. Methods and Results— Peripheral blood from 22 AAA patients, 11 patients with abdominal aortic atherosclerotic occlusive disease (AOD), and 32 healthy controls (HCs) was analyzed to determine the percentage of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs in the total CD4 + T-cell population and FOXP3 expression by means of flow cytometry. The frequencies of the CD4 + CD25 + Treg population were not significantly different between groups (AAA, 5.69±0.99%; AOD, 5.52±1.13%; HC, 5.88±1.55%; P >0.05). However, the frequency of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T cells in AAA patients (2.45±0.57%) was significantly lower than that in AOD group (3.41±0.72%; P P + CD25 + Tregs from AAA group than either of other 2 groups ( P + CD25 + Tregs from patients with AAA exhibited significantly less suppressive activity than those from AOD patients or HCs ( P + CD25 + T cells and CD4 + CD25 − T cells from AAA patients and HCs demonstrated that the primary regulatory defect is due to a dysfunction of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs, and not a resistance of CD4 + CD25 − responder T cells to suppression in AAA patients. Conclusion— Our data demonstrate a reduced level of FOXP3 expression in peripheral CD4 + CD25 + Tregs and decreased frequency of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T cells in a cohort of AAA patients enrolled in the study, which leads to a functional deficiency of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs as a whole. This indicates an impaired immunoregulation by Tregs that may contribute to AAA pathogenesis.

We report the low threshold current density operation of strain-compensated In0.64Ga0.36As/In0.38Al0.62As quantum cascade lasers emitting near 4.94 mu m. By employing an enlarged strain-compensated structure and optimizing the injector doping density, a rather low threshold current density of 0.57 kA/cm(2) at 80K is achieved for an uncoated 20-mu m-wide and 2.5-mm-long laser.

Biodegradation characteristics of pyrene by intact cells and spores of Brevibacillus brevis were investigated. The results revealed that the degradation efficiency of 1 mg · L(-1) pyrene by B. brevis intact cells reached 53% within 5 d. Four hydroxy metabolites were detected by LC-MS/MS during the degradation of pyrene by intact cells and intracellular enzymes, including 1-hydroxy-pyrene, 9- phenanthrol, α-naphthol and β-naphthol. The amount of products first increased and then declined in the degradation system with intact cells, while the macromolecular metabolites showed a continuous accumulation tendency in the degradation system with intracellular enzymes, proving that some degrading enzymes of B. brevis could be induced by the products generated during the degradation, and then the enzymes induced could further degrade these degradation products. The amount of cells germinated from spores in MSM containing pyrene was 1.5 x 10(9) cells · L(-1), and the degradation rate of pyrene (1 mg · L(-1)) within 5 d reached 15%.

BETX is one of the important components of stink organic gases in landfills, which simultaneously release much of greenhouse CH4. The microorganisms in landfill cover soils are able to degrade CH4 and BETX. Therefore, improving the capacity of biological oxidation of microorganisms in landfill cover soils can effectively reduce and control pollution caused by landfill gases. Some electron acceptors can couple to anaerobic oxidation of methane and some organic pollutants, thus eliminating methane and organic substances. Based on the above theory, this research investigated the effect of nitrate (NO3-) and CH4 on anaerobic degradation of benzene series (toluene, xylene and isopropyl benzene) with coexistence of SO4(2-) in landfill cover soils through static incubation experiment. The results showed that BTEX inhibited the degradation of CH4 without adding nitrate, however, BTEX instead improved the removal of CH4 after nitrate addition. Although single addition of nitrate or CH4 could improve the removal of BTEX in landfill cover soils, adding both of them could improve the removal of BTEX better as the removal efficiencies for benzene, toluene and isopropyl benzene were respectively reached 65%, 88% and 82%, much higher than those of 53%, 76% and 31% when not adding nitrate and CH4. The process of anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction was able to synchronously improve anaerobic oxidation of BETX.

In microcystin-LR (MC-LR) degradation system, the change in surface characteristics and cell viability of Pseudomonas putida was studied. The purpose of this study was to reveal the influence of MC-LR on P. putida and elucidate the toxicity of MC-LR on microorganisms. The result demonstrated that MC-LR enhanced the cytoplasmic membrane permeability, as well as affected the ion metabolism and protein release of P. putida. The soluble sugar and Na+, Cl-release increased with the rising concentration of MC-LR ranging from 0 mg x L(-1) to 2.0 mg x L(-1). Flow Cytometry Method(FCM) analysis revealed that MC-LR accelerated the death of P. putida, and the death rate increased with the ascending concentration of MC-LR. Compared with the control, the death rate on day 5 increased by nearly 30% when 2.5 mg x L(-1) MC-LR was added. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the cells were deformed under the toxicity of MC-LR. After 5-day exposure to 2.5 mg x L(-1) MC-LR, the majority of the cells were ruptured and the intracellular materials flew out. The cellular structure was severely damaged under this condition.

The future of rice breeding will likely be built on the basis of the further utilization of heterosis between elite cultivars and genetic resources from distant subspecies of rice. Previous studies have proved that exogenous genomic DNA transformation methods can be used to transfer genetic information from distant relatives (donor) into cultivated rice (recipient). However, the mechanism underlying this form of genetic transfer is poorly characterized, and the genes that cause the phenotypic changes in these variants are typically difficult to identify. This study examined YVB, a stable variant line with greatly improved grain quality traits that was derived from an indica variety (V20B) by transferring genomic DNA of O.minuta through the "spike-stalk injection method (SIM)". We used restriction-site associated DNA sequencing technology (RAD-seq) to evaluate a population of BC1F5 backcross lines (YVB × V20B); the RAD-seq data were used to construct a genetic linkage map with high-density SNPs for use in association analysis exploring genotype-phenotype relationships at the whole-genome level. A total of 17 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for rice quality traits were mapped to chromosomes 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9. 8 major QTLs controlling different phenotypic variations were mapped to the same region of chromosome 5. This region contained the GS5 gene for grain weight and the qSW5/GW5 gene for grain width. This study provides new resources and insights into the molecular mechanisms of grain trait phenotypic variation and the transmission of genetic information via the introduction of genomic DNA to a distantly related crop relative species.

We present a detailed study of lambda similar to 9.75 mu m GaAs/AIGaAs quantum cascade lasers. For a coated 2-mm-long and 40-mu m-wide laser, an optical power of 85 mu W is observed 95% duty cycle at 80 K. At a moderate driving pulse (1 kHz and 1% duty cycle), the device presents a peak power more than 20 mW even at 120 K. At 80 K, the fitted result of threshold current densities shows evidence of potential cw operation.

So far, the information regarding enhanced degradation and biodegradation mechanisms of TPhT, an endocrine disruptor, is severely limited. Whether dearylation during TPhT degradation occurs successively or synchronously is not revealed clearly. To deal with these problems, this study focused on the biodegradation of TPhT and its metabolites by Bacillus thuringiensis through the acceleration of Tween 80. The results showed that Tween 80 obviously increased the TPhT solubility. After degradation by cells in the presence of 80 mg L-1 Tween 80 for 2 d, the residual TPhT at 1 mg L-1 initially was decreased to 48.4%. During the biodegradation process, Tween 80 significantly reduced intracellular Na+, NH+4: and Mg2+ release, and increased extracellular Cl- , PO(3-)4 and K+ utilization. Metabolites analysis revealed that phenyltin biodegradation initially proceeded by cleaving the aromatic ring, not by splitting the covalent bonds between the benzene rings and tin atom. Ring-cleavage reactions in the benzenes of TPhT occurred individually and synchronously, producing diphenyltin, monophenyltin and tin accordingly.

This work investigated the effects of nitrate on anoxic/anaerobic methane oxidation in the aged refuse landfilled 10-12 years by full-factor experiments. The results showed that under anoxic/anaerobic condition, nitrate could promote the removal of methane in the aged refuse. The contents of CH4 and NO3(-) -N had significant influences on the removal of CH4 and the generation of N2, and there were significant interactions as well (P0.05). The increasing initial CH4 content evidently enhanced the removal of CH4 and the production of N2. Furthermore, the addition of NO3(-) -N obviously improved the de-nitrification process. The results suggested that nitrate reduction could be coupled to anoxic/anaerobic oxidation of methane in the aged refuse. In the experimental condition, the effort of coupling was most effective when the concentrations of CH4 and nitrate were 30% and 110 mg x kg(-1), respectively.

To investigate the pathway and mechanism of triphenyltin (TPhT) biodegradation by Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the effects of TPhT on cells during the degradation process, the alteration of carbon utilization ability of the strain after dealing with different concentrations of TPhT was studied by the Biolog method, and the degradation pathway of TPhT was explored by GC-MS and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After degradation for 2 h, the nutrient utilization capacity of K. pneumoniae was significantly improved by 1 mg x L(-1) TPhT. Atomic force microscope observation found that exposure to TPhT changed the cellular morphology, inducing the apoptosis of some cells, but most of the cells still maintained intact and had smooth cell wall. The efficiencies of TPhT removal by intracellular enzyme were up to 66.0% within 120 h, which demonstrated that endoenzyme was more effective than the intact cells. The results of GC-MS and XPS revealed that during the biodegradation process, TPhT was transformed to diphenyltin, monophenyltin and finally inorganic tin.

High-power operation of uncoated 22-mu m-wide quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) emitting at lambda approximate to 4.8 mu m is reported. The emitting region of the QCL structure consists of a 30-period strain-compensated In0.68Ga0.32As/In0.37Al0.63As superlattice. For a 4-mm-long laser in pulsed mode, a peak output power is achieved in excess of 2240mW per facet at 81K with a threshold current density of 0.64kA/cm(2). The effects of varying the cavity lengths from 1 to 4mm on the performances of the QCLs are analysed in detail and the low waveguide loss of only about 1.4 cm(-1) is extracted.

We report low-threshold high-temperature operation of 7.4 μm strain-compensated InGaAs/InAlAs quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). For an uncoated 22- μm-wide and 2-mm-long laser, the low-threshold current densities, i.e. 0.33 kA/cm2 at 81 K in pulsed mode and 0.64 kA/cm2 at 84 K in cw mode, are realized. High-temperature operation of uncoated devices, with a high value of 223 K, is achieved in cw mode.

We report on the realization of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers with an emission wavelength of 9.1 mu m above the liquid nitrogen temperature. With optimal current injection window and ridge width of 24 and 60 mu m respectively, a peak output power more than 500 mW is achieved in pulsed mode operation. A low threshold current density J(th) = 2.6 kA/cm(2) gives the devices good lasing characteristics. In a drive frequency of 1 kHz, the laser operates up to 20% duty cycle.

A strain which could utilize BaP as a sole carbon and energy source and efficiently degrade benzo[a] pyrene (BaP) was isolated from the contaminated sediments of Guiyu, Guangdong province, China. The strain was identified as Brevibacillus brevis based on physiological and biochemical experiments together with 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The experimental results showed that the biodegradation rate of BaP by B. brevis in 7 days was 51.35%. The study also demonstrated that pH, temperature, bacterial dosage, initial concentration of BaP and processing time were important factors for BaP degradation. B. brevis could tolerate wide pH and temperature ranges, from 2 to 12 degrees C and 25 to 40 degrees C, respectively. The optimum condition for BaP degradation was pH 7 and 25 degrees C. With the increase of B. brevis inoculation amount, the degradation efficacy displayed an initial increasing trend and then came to a plateau. And the increase of BaP concentration led to the enhancement of BaP degradation. Addition of salicylic, succinate and phthalate showed no obvious positive effect on BaP biodegradation. After degradation of BaP, the surface of B. brevis was wrinkled, and became depressed and deformed over time.

The degradation characteristics of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) by crude enzyme from Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated. The results revealed that the degradation efficiency of the intracellular enzyme excreted from this bacterial strain reached 69.22% after incubation with 1 mg x L(-1) BDE-209 for 12 h. Temperature, pH, enzyme concentration and BDE-209 concentration all influenced the ability of crude enzyme to degrade BDE-209. When the BDE-209 concentration was 1 mg x L(-1), the optimal condition for enzymatic degradation was temperature 30 degrees C and pH 7.5, and the degradation rate increased with increasing enzyme concentration. The degradation process of BDE-209 by intracellular enzyme of the strain conformed to the first-order kinetic model. The highest reaction rate was achieved when the initial concentration of BDE-209 was 1 mg x L(-1) and the half-life of this substrate was 6.9 h. In addition, the biodegradation of BDE-209 can be well described by enzymatic reaction of high concentration substrate inhibition, with a maximum substrate utilization rate of 0.133 mg x (L x h)(-1), a Michaelis-Menten constant of 0.642 mg x L(-1), and an inhibitory constant of 1.558 mg x L(-1), respectively.

The characteristics of Cu2+ and Cd2+ biosorption by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) under different biomass, metal concentration and glutaraldehyde content were studied and the correlations among metal biosorption, NO3- removal and ion release were analyzed. The mechanism was explored through ion biosorption, exchange, conversion and release. The experimental results demonstrated that S. maltophilia was an efficient strain to remove Cu2+ and Cd2+. The biosorption efficiencies of Cu2+ and Cd2+ achieved 96.3% and 83.9%, respectively after dealing with 0.05 mmol x L(-1) aqueous solutions for 120 min with dry biosorbent dosage of 0.2 g x L(-1). Cu2+ and Cd2+ biosorption by S. maltophilia included surface adsorption, transmembrane active transportation, bioaccumulation of NO3- and reduction of NO3- to NO2-. The intracellular transfer and reduction of NO3- to NO2- during biosorption by S. maltophilia were energy-consuming biological processes. It could also promote the release of Cl-, PO4(3-), SO-4(2-), Na+, NH4+, K+ and Ca2+. From FTIR investigation, involvement of various functional groups like acetylamino, hydroxyl and carboxyl in the binding of Cu2+ and Cd2+ was evident. Moreover, XPS results proved that the valence state of Cu2+ and Cd2+ did not changed by biosorption.

Objective: Combined resection for locally advanced (T4) gastric cancer may result in high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics to determine the prognostic factors for T4 gastric cancers. Methodology: A total of 463 consecutive patients with gastric cancers were enrolled in this study. Among them, 63 patients received combined resections. Various clinicopathologic factors influencing survival rates were evaluated. Survival rates were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated by the univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Thirty-one patients (49.2%) received one additional organ resection and 32 patients (50.8%) received two or more additional organ resections. Curative resection was performed in 49 patients (77.8%). Multivariate analysis identified curative resection (hazard ratio 0.330; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.139-0.784; P = 0.012) and tumor diameter (> 7 cm) (hazard ratio, 3.589; the 95 percent confidence interval, 1.425-9.037; P = 0.007) as independent prognostic factor for patients with T4 gastric cancer undergoing combined resection. Conclusions: The use of aggressive multi-organ resection was recommended for patients with T4 gastric carcinoma, with tumor diameter as a useful indicator. Patients with relatively small tumor diameter (≤ 7cm) could benefit from multi-organ resections.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an intracellular opportunistic fungus causing invasive pulmonary mycosis, characterised by hyphal invasion and destruction of pulmonary tissue. Th1 cytokines could enhance fungicidal activity. The effects from the combination of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-2 are rarely known in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis infection. To assess the cleaning of A. fumigatus infection in the pulmonary tissues by IL-12 and IL-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was detected in the sera using ELISA, quantification of IFN-γ mRNA using real-time RT-PCR and lung Colony-forming unit was assayed by cultivation. Morphology was analysed by histopathological examination. Our results showed that IL-12 and/or IL-2 could enhance the IFN-γ expression in the pulmonary tissue, reduce the colony load in the pulmonary tissue and increase the survival rate of mouse. The combination of IL-12 and IL-2 could assist in increasing the IFN-γ expression in the pulmonary tissue, but neither reduce colony load in the pulmonary tissue nor increase the survival rate of mouse significantly. It was demonstrated that IL-12 and IL-2 were strong immunomodulatory cytokines as a prerequisite for protecting the host from infectious agents.

Effects and mechanisms of heavy metals Cu, Cd and Pb on the growth of white-rot fungus P. chrysosporium and its ability of BDE-209 degradation were studied. The results showed that low concentrations of heavy metals (or = 1 mg x L(-1)) stimulated the growth of P. chrysosporium with the order of CdPbCu when 1 mg x L(-1) of each heavy metal was concerned, while high concentrations (1 mg x L(-1)) depressed it. P. chrysosporium degraded BDE-209 efficiently with degradation efficiency reaching 69.7% after 7 days. The presence of heavy metals significantly influenced the capability of P. chrysosporium to decompose BDE-209 (P0.05). Low concentrations of Cu (or = 1 mg x L(-1)) and Cd (or = 0.5 mg x L(-1)) accelerated the degradation of BDE-209 and the degradation efficiency was enhanced from 69.7% to 84.4% when 1 mg x L(-1) Cu was present, while Pb had negative effect. On the other hand, all three metals under high concentrations (1 mg x L(-1)) showed depressed effects on the degradation in the order of CdPbCu. The growth of P. chrysosporium did not completely positively correlate with the degradation capability of BDE-209. The degradation of BDE-209 by P. chrysosporium conformed to the first-order kinetic model. The reaction rate constant k raised firstly and then declined with increasing concentrations of Cu and Cd, and the highest k of 0.321 2 achieved in the presence of 1 mg x L(-1) Cu. By contrast, the constant k declined all the way when Pb existed. A further investigation into the effects of heavy metals on degradation of BDE-209 by extracellular enzymes derived from P. chrysosporium was conducted, and the distance correlation analysis of the degradation by extracellular enzymes and the whole cell was carried out. The results demonstrated that the degradation by extracellular enzymes and the whole cell was 63.7%, 69.7% separately, showing no significant difference of degradation capability between them, which proved that the extracellular enzymes played dominating role in the degradation of BDE-209. Furthermore, the distance correlation coefficient R were all greater than 0.9 when three heavy metals existed, certificating that heavy metals affected the degradation of BDE-209 through the interaction between extracellular enzymes and heavy metals.

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate the cation exchanges during the process of Cd2+ absorption by Alfalfa in aqueous solution. The absorption efficiency of Alfalfa plants with 0-10 mg x L(-1) Cd2+ treatments, changes of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and NH4(+) concentration, and the variation of pH values at different absorption time (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 72 h) were studied separately. The multiple linear regressions between Cd2+ absorption and cation variation were analyzed. The results indicated that when Cd2+ concentrations were 0.1, 1, 5, 10 mg x L(-1), the absorption efficiencies of Cd2+ by Alfalfa after 72 h were 85.86%, 52.14%, 15.97% and 7.81%. Cation exchange was involved in the removal of Cd2+ by Alfalfa in aqueous solution. Except for NH4(+), the concentrations of cationic metals Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in aqueous solution increased over time, which increased 11.30% - 61.72%, 21.44% - 98.73%, 24.09% - 8.90% and 37.04% - 191.96%, respectively. Kinetic studies illuminated that the release of Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ by Alfalfa in Cd2+ solution with initial concentrations of 0, 0. 1, 1, 5, 10 mg x L(-1) best fitted pseudo-second-order equation,while the NH4(+) release fitted this model when Cd2+ concentrations were 1, 5, 10 mg x L(-1). The gradual decrease of pH during adsorption of Cd2+ by Alfalfa was observed. As the competition ion of Cd2+, H+ might affect the capacity of Alfalfa root system to absorb Cd2+. The ternary linear equation results demonstrated that the content of Cd2+ absorption by Alfalfa strongly related with the release of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+. And this exchange mainly occurred among Cd2+ and divalent cations.

Tracheobronchial aspergillosis mainly involves the trachea, primary bronchus and segmental bronchus. The main symptoms including dyspnea, asthma and cough. Bronchoscopic findings supply the main evidence for diagnosis. Voriconazole has been widely used as azole antifungal agent in recent years, which is also a first-line drug in the treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), but rare report exists in the treatment of tracheobronchial aspergillosis. Two patients have been remitted with Voriconazole in this study, and it was found that Voriconazole could improve therapeutic effect and shorten therapeutic time with less adverse effects.

Tuberculous aortic aneurysm (TBAA) is an extremely rare clinical event with life-threatening implication. Management for this condition is challenging and its therapeutic option has not been yet established. A few recent reports described endovascular repair rather than open surgery as the method for treatment. Although this remains controversial, endovascular exclusion has been gaining acceptance for some surgeons. We present a case of TBAA who was treated by endovascular stent grafting for a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm with simultaneous anti-tuberculous medication. The outcome was favorable.

To investigate the efficacy of anticoagulation and thrombolysis for deep venous thrombosis via local vein approach and peripheral vein approach to guide clinical treatment.There were 225 patients with deep venous thrombosis admitted from January 2001 to May 2008. The cases were divided into two groups by therapy procedures. The patients in group A were treated by deep femoral vein catheter-directed anticoagulation and thrombolysis, including a total number of 71 patients, with right lower extremity in 20 patients, left lower extremity in 47 patients and bilateral lower extremities in 4 patients. One hundred and fifty-four patients were included in group B with anticoagulation and thrombolysis through peripheral vein, among them right lower extremity in 27 patients, left lower extremity in 121 patients and bilateral lower extremities in 6 patients. The efficacy was evaluated and compared by observing clinical symptoms and measuring of changes in limb circumference.Symptoms were alleviated in all patients in 3 d after the treatment, but the efficacy of group A was better than group B (94.4% vs.69.5%, P0.01). The efficacy of group A was also better than group B in 7 days after treatment, but with no significant difference (85.9% vs. 75.3%, P0.05). A mean follow-up period was (43 ± 18) months. There was no significant difference in incidence of complication and recurrence between two groups.The earlier efficacy of anticoagulation and thrombolysis via femoral vein approach is better than via peripheral vein approach in earlier period of deep venous thrombosis. While peripheral intravenous therapy has also good results after long-term treatment.

The biodegradation of triphenyltin (TPT) by Rhodopseudomonos spheroids was investigated in this study. The results illuminated that R. spheroids was an effective strain for the biodegradation of TPT. The maximum removal ratio was attained when the growth temperature of R. spheroids was 30 degrees C. After treating for 3 hours, the removal ratios of 3 mg x L(-1) TPT were 13.82% to 47.29% using 0.49 g x L(-1) (based on dry weight) biomass of R. spheroids. The experiments on biodegradation of TPT were carried out in double-distilled water, simulated seawater,culture medium and river water, respectively. The results demonstrated that river water was optimal for the biodegradation since the indigenous microorganisms in water synergistically increased the removal ratios of TPT. Extracellular enzyme produced by R. spheroids was also effective on the degradation of TPT, and 71.64% of TPT was degraded by this way within 24 hours. The experiments also revealed that the biodegradation process of TPT included biosorption by cell wall, TPT entering cells, and initial degradation by intracellular enzyme, then the TPT and intermediate products backing out of cells to be degraded by extracellular enzyme.