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The nano TiO2 powders were prepared by an epoxide epoxy-driven sol-gel method with TiCl4 solution as titanium source. Then, the self-made nano TiO2 powders were mixed with potassium acetate to prepare K2Ti6O13 whisker. The effects of sintering temperature and holding time on the crystal structure and morphology of potassium titanate were investigated in detail. The phase composition and morphology of the prepared whiskers were analyzed by XRD and SEM and the photochemical reaction apparatus was utilized to analyze the photocatalytic activity of whiskers. The results indicated that high quality of potassium hexatitanate whiskers with a better yield could be obtained under the calcining condition of 900 °C for 3 h. The average diameter of prepared whisker with uniform thickness and good dispersion is in the range of 0.3 µm, the ratio of length to diameter (L/D) can approach as 12. Furthermore, TC modeling molecular can be decomposed completely by the whiskers irradiated for 1 h with a 500 W mercury lamp, which shows that the prepared potassium titanate whiskers are a good type of materials for the pollution management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]Antioxidant activities of sugarcane wine and sugarcane vinegar, which were two new kinds of fermented products of sugarcane juice, were investigated and tested using several antioxidant systems in order to provide technical references for developing new sugarcane health products. [Method]With Vc, gallic acid and KDTA as the control, scavenging activities of sugarcane wine and sugarcane vinegar against DPPH free radical, hydroxyl radical ( ·OH), superoxide radical (O2-) and nitrite (NO2-) were measured and their chelation activity against metal ions was evaluated. [Result]The results showed that sugarcane wine and sugarcane vinegar had strong scavenging activity against DPPI 1 free radical, hydroxyl radical (·OH) .superoxide radical (O2- ) and nitrite (NO2-), and more volume meant stronger scavenging activity. The scavenging rate was higher than those of Vc and gallic acid. Sugarcane wine and sugarcane vinegar also exhibited good chelation on metal ions. Sugarcane vinegar had better antioxidant ability than sugarcane wine. [Conclusion]Due to their good antioxidant and scavenging activity, sugarcane wine and sugarcane vinegar are beneficial for human health and their large-scale production is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years， ozone （O 3 ） has become an increasingly important air pollutant in China. Identifying the sensitivity of O 3 to the precursors volatile organic compounds （VOCs） and nitrogen oxides （NO x ） can help make effective abatement strategies. This study compared three methods for determining O 3 -VOCs-NO x sensitivity： simulated photochemical indicator values and sensitivity coefficients derived from a three-dimensional air quality model and an observation-based model （OBM）， with a case study involving an O 3 pollution event that occurred in Nanjing in late July 2017. The results showed that O 3 sensitivity based on the photochemical indicator and sensitivity coefficients demonstrated similar spatial variations （over 50% of the grid cells of Nanjing exhibiting identical O 3 sensitivity）. However， sensitivity coefficients identified a larger number of areas within a transitional O 3 sensitivity regime， as opposed to the VOCs- or NO x -limited regime identified by the photochemical indicator. The determination of the latter was affected by the adopted threshold values. The OBM relied on the quality of the observational data. For example， positive biases in observed NO 2 could lead to an underestimation of O 3 sensitivity to NO x with the OBM. During the high pollution period， the three methods exhibited significant disparities. The photochemical indicator tended to suggest the VOCs-limited condition， whereas the OBM and sensitivity coefficients indicated the NO x -limited or transitional regimes.

Decapterus maruadsi is an important economic pelagic fish in the southern coastal area of Zhejiang. According to the bottom trawl surveys conducted in May, August, November 2020 and January 2021, the feeding habits of D. maruadsi in the southern coastal area of Zhejiang were examined by both stable isotope (carbon, δ 13 C, and nitrogen, δ 15 N) and stomach content analyses. Results showed that the δ 13 C value of D. maruadsi ranged from -17.76‰ to -15.25‰, with a mean of (-16.55±0.60)‰, while the δ 15 N value ranged from 9.06‰ and 13.03‰, with a mean of (11.76±0.88)‰. There was a significant negative correlation between the δ 13 C values and fork length, and a positive relationship between the δ 15 N with fork length. Results from stomach content analysis showed that the main prey groups of D. maruadsi were fish, shrimp, crabs, Cephalopod, Polychaete, and small crustaceans. As for the stable isotope analysis, the nutritional contribution rate of shrimp was the highest (40%-84%) among all prey groups, followed by Polychaete, small crustaceans, crabs, Cephalopods and fish. Significant ontogenetic dietary changes were found for D. maruadsi . As the fork length of D. maruadsi increased, it tended to eat prey from higher trophic levels.

Objective To preliminarily validate the clinical usability of the ameliorated Kawashima Itch Scale(Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale) among adult pruritic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Methods Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale was developed on the basis of Kawashima Itch Scale. Patients were asked to record their pruritus condition according to Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale or visual analogue scale(VAS) during daytime and night for two weeks. The record at the second week was used for analyzing the correlation between Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale and VAS. Results Totally 134 patients were enrolled in this study,among whom 128 entered the final analysis. Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale was positively correlated with VAS(r s =0.832,95% CI=0.810-0.851,P<0.01 for daytime record;and r s =0.848,95% CI=0.828-0.865,P<0.01 for night record). Subgroup analysis also showed similar correlations between different age groups and among different gender groups. Conclusion Xie-Kawashima Itch Scale has good correlation with VAS in patients on hemodialysis,without being affected by age or gender. Thus,it can be a useful tool for the assessment of pruritus in clinical practice and research.

Objective: To construct eukaryotic expression vector of F-box protein 6 (FBXO6) gene., Methods: The full-length FBXO6 cDNA containing two restriction sites (BglII and EcoRI) was synthesized by PCR. The pEGFP-C1-FBXO6 and pEGFP-C1-anti-FBXO6 vectors were constructed respectively. The size and sequence of cDNA fragments were confirmed by bacterial colony PCR and BglII and EcoRI digestion and sequencing. HEK293T cells were transfected with the pEGFP-C1-FBXO6 and pEGFP-C1-anti-FBXO6 vectors respectively, and then the expression of FBXO6 protein was detected using Western blotting., Results: The pEGFP-C1-FBXO6 and pEGFP-C1-anti-FBXO6 contained FBXO6 fragments of proper size and sequence. FBXO6 protein was expressed efficiently in pEGFP-C1-FBXO6 transfected HEK293T cells, but it was down-regulated in pEGFP-C1-anti-FBXO6 transfected 293T cells., Conclusion: Both pEGFP-C1-FBXO6 and pEGFP-C1-anti-FBXO6 were successfully constructed.

Objective: To investigate the iodine nutritional status of the vulnerable population in Henan in 2011., Methods: From March to December 2011, 44 049 urinary samples of newly married women of childbearing age (363), pregnant women (31 874), lactating women (4893) and children under 2 years (6919) collected from hospitals, maternal and child care hospitals and outpatient department of family planning organizations from 8 cities of Henan province (only including the areas where water iodine was less than 100 µg/L) were tested for urine iodine concentration. The iodine nutritional status of different groups was analyzed., Results: The median of urinary iodine for newly married women, pregnant women, lactating women and children under 2 years was 204.5, 190.9, 145.5 and 185.4 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 874.16, P < 0.01). The proportion of urinary iodine below 150 µg/L of pregnant women and below 100 µg/L of lactating women and children under 2 years was 33.0% (10 519/31 874), 24.9% (1218/4893) and 12.4% (855/6919), respectively. The proportion of urinary iodine above 300 µg/L of newly married women was 33.6% (122/363). The median of urinary iodine for pregnant women in the first, second and third trimester was 186.7, 193.8 and 182.5 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 55.19, P < 0.01). The median of urinary iodine for the breast-feeding, formula-feeding and mixed-feeding infant under the age of 1 year was 194.8, 85.6 and 176.0 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 179.25, P < 0.01)., Conclusion: The overall iodine nutrient levels of the vulnerable population in Henan in 2011 were appropriate, but there were still some proportions of pregnant and lactating women with low iodine level. The iodine intake of the formula-feeding infants was not sufficient.

Objective: To study the expression of glucose-regulated protin 78 (GRP78) and glucose-regulated protin 94 (GRP94) in the liver tissues from children with hepatoblastoma (HB) and to investigate the possible clinicopathological values of GRP78 and GRP94 in HB., Methods: Liver tissue specimens from 15 children with HB and 10 specimens of normal liver tissues were obtained. EnVison immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of GRP78 and GRP94 in the conventional paraffin-embedded liver sections., Results: The positive rates of GRP78 expression (53% vs 10%; P<0.05) and GRP94 expression (60% vs 10%; P<0.05) in HB liver tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal liver tissues. The positive rates of GRP78 expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II were significantly lower than those in the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV (P<0.05). GRP94 showed a decreased tendency of positive expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II when compared with the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV, although there were no statistical differences between them., Conclusions: GRP78 and GRP94 expression might play important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of pediatric HB.

Objective: To evaluate the results of transcatheter closure for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by different devices in children., Methods: Seventy-eight cases of PDA in children (7 months to 14 years old), diagnosed by physical examination and transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiography (TTE), were included in the study. The examination included the cardiac catheterization, photograph of the thoracic aorta and conventional technique of PDA closure. Among these patients, 16 were treated with coils, 9 with Amplatzer duct occluder (ADO), and 53 with native produced PDA occluders., Results: TTE examination on the next day of the operation showed that PDAs were completely occluded in 76 cases, while the other 2 cases treated by coil had minimal residual shunt. Sixty-four patients, who were detected enlargement of the left ventricle before the operation, showed obvious diminishment of the cardiac size. By the end of 3 months, TTE examination showed that the closure of PDA was complete, and the left ventricle size was normal in 77 cases, while one case treated with coil had minimal residual shunt, which persisted for more than 4 years. The 3 - 80 months follow-up showed that the closure of PDA was complete in 77 cases, the configurations of the left ventricle, the thoracic aorta,and the left pulmonary artery were all normal. The occluders were well remained in situ., Conclusion: The usual procedures of transcatheter closure for PDA are effective and safe with ADO, native produced occluders and coil in children. Interventional method, which shows minute insult, few complications, and few adverse effects, can substitute the thoracic surgery.

Objective: To study the difference in the expression of VEGF, bFGF and their receptors between young and postmenopausal women with breast cancer., Methods: The expression of VEGF, FLK-1, bFGF and FLG in 40 young and 30 postmenopausal women with breast cancer was studied by immunohistochemical method (SABC), with its relation with axillary lymph node metastasis and the clinical and pathologic characteristics. The expression index between these two groups was compared., Results: The positive axillary lymph node rate and the mean expression of VEGF, bFGF in the young group were higher than postmenopausal group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05), respectively. The mean expression of VEGF, bFGF, FLK-1 and FLG of axillary lymph node positive patients was higher than the negative ones both in young and postmenopausal women groups (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). There was also a significant difference in VEGF, bFGF, FLK-1, FLG and MVC between the stage 0 - II and stage III - IV (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) in both groups., Conclusion: Breast cancer angiogenesis, characterized by the high expression of VEGF and bFGF, is directly correlated with the high tumor aggressiveness in the young women.