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Shanghai is susceptible to land subsidence due to its unique geological environment and frequent human activities. Traditional leveling techniques are not sufficient for monitoring large areas of land subsidence due to the time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive nature of the process. Furthermore, the results of conventional methods may not be timely, rendering them ineffective for monitoring purposes. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology is a widely used method for monitoring ground subsidence due to its low cost, high efficiency, and ability to cover large areas. To monitor the surface sink condition of Shanghai over the past 2 years, monitoring data were obtained through the technical processing of 24 images from Sentinel-1A data covering Shanghai from 2019 to 2020 using the Persistent Scatterer (PS-InSAR) and Small Baseline Subset (SBAS-InSAR) technique. The ground subsidence (GS) results were extracted via PS and SBAS interferometry processing, while Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data were used to correct the residual phase. According to PS and SBAS methods, the maximum ground subsidence in the study area reached 99.8 mm and 47.2 mm, respectively. The subsidence rate and the accumulated amount of subsidence derived from the monitoring results revealed the urban area in Shanghai to be principally characterized by uneven GS, with multiple settlement funnels being found to be distributed across the main urban area. Moreover, when compared with the historical subsidence data, geological data, and urban construction distribution data, the individual settlement funnels were observed to correspond to those data concerning the historical surface settlement funnel in Shanghai. By randomly selecting GS time-series data regarding three feature points, it was determined that the morphological variables of the GS remained largely consistent at all time points and that their change trends exhibited a high degree of consistency, which verified the reliability of the PS-InSAR and SBAS-InSAR monitoring method. The results can provide data support for decision making in terms of geological disaster prevention and control in Shanghai.

Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for single gene disorders remains challenging. One approach that allows for accurate detection of the slight increase of the maternally inherited allele is the relative haplotype dosage (RHDO) analysis, which requires the construction of parental haplotypes. Recently, the nanopore sequencing technologies have become available and may be an ideal tool for direct construction of haplotypes. Here, we explored the feasibility of combining nanopore sequencing with the RHDO analysis in NIPT of β-thalassemia. Thirteen families at risk for β-thalassemia were recruited. Targeted region of parental genomic DNA was amplified by long-range PCR of 10 kb and 20 kb amplicons. Parental haplotypes were constructed using nanopore sequencing and next generation sequencing data. Fetal inheritance of parental haplotypes was classified by the RHDO analysis using data from maternal plasma DNA sequencing. Haplotype phasing was achieved in 12 families using data from 10 kb library. While data from the 20 kb library gave a better performance that haplotype phasing was achieved in all 13 families. Fetal status was correctly classified in 12 out of 13 families. Thus, targeted nanopore sequencing combined with the RHDO analysis is feasible to NIPT for β-thalassemia.

Cholesterol is essential for all animal life. However, a high level of cholesterol in the body is strongly associated with the progression of various severe diseases. In our study, the potential involvement of alcohol in the regulation of high density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor scavenger receptor class B and type I (SR-B1)-mediated reverse cholesterol transport was investigated. We separated male C57BL/6 mice into four diets: control, alcohol, Control + HC and alcohol + HC. The SR-B1 level and 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate- high- density lipoprotein (DiI-HDL) uptake were also measured in AML12 cells and HL7702 cells treated with alcohol. The control + HC diet led to increased hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels while alcohol + HC led no significant change. Compared with that of the control group, the SR-B1 mRNA level was elevated by 27.1% (P

We present photoluminescence properties of Tb3+ doped borosilicate glasses modified by Cu+. Around 5-time enhanced emission at 541 nm due to the superposed emission of Tb3+ and Cu+ is observed under the deep UV excitation. Excitation spectra demonstrate a greatly increased absorption of Tb3+ ions in the deep UV region towards the Cu+ excitation band, while the shortened Cu+ emission lifetime of glasses in association with presence of Tb3+ ions implies an energy transfer process from Cu+ to Tb3+ ions. Meanwhile, the Tb3+ emission lifetime is significantly shortened from the conventional millisecond level (~4 ms) to the microsecond regime up to around 90 μs. This most likely starts with the role of Cu+ as a co-activator by initiating the d-f orbital hybridization process via an interaction with Tb3+, thus relaxing the spin forbidden transition of Tb3+ ions to the partially allowed one. Moreover, combination of emissions from Cu+ and Tb3+ ions generates a composite green emission with adjustable CIE (Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage) chromaticity coordinates achievable by co-doping Cu+/Tb3+ in the different ratio and/or altering the excitation wavelength from deep UV to near UV region.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common noncutaneous malignancies in Western countries. Because there has been a debate regarding the relationship between the XRCC1-Arg399Gln and Arg280His polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk, we therefore performed this meta-analysis. The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Medline were searched prior to October 1, 2014. An odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to calculate association. Heterogeneity was tested by both a chi-square test and I statistic. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to assess publication bias. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 software. A significant association between the XRCC1-Arg399Gln polymorphism and prostate cancer risk was found under a homozygote model and a recessive model. A significant association between XRCC1-Arg280His and prostate cancer risk was found under a heterozygote model and a dominant model [corrected]. Overall, the results of this meta-analysis show that the XRCC1-Arg399Gln polymorphism may be associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer under the homozygote model and the recessive model. And XRCC1-Arg280His polymorphism is likely to be related with prostate cancer risk under the heterozygote model and the dominant model. Additional larger well-designed studies are needed to validate our results.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common noncutaneous malignancies in Western countries. Because there has been a debate regarding the relationship between the XRCC1-Arg399Gln and Arg280His polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk, we therefore performed this meta-analysis. The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE and Medline were searched prior to October 1, 2014. An odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to calculate association. Heterogeneity was tested by both a chi-square test and I2statistic. Funnel plots and Egger’s test were used to assess publication bias. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 software. A significant association between the XRCC1-Arg399Gln polymorphism and prostate cancer risk was found under a homozygote model and a recessive model. A significant association between XRCC1-Arg280His and prostate cancer risk was found under a heterozygote model and a dominant model. Overall, the results of this meta-analysis show that the XRCC1-Arg399Gln polymorphism may be associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer under the homozygote model and the recessive model. And XRCC1-Arg280His polymorphism is likely to be related with prostate cancer risk under the heterozygote model and the dominant model. Additional larger well-designed studies are needed to validate our results.