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ObjectiveA method involving derivatization combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of vitamin D in infant formula food.MethodsThe samples were treated with enzymolysis， saponification， liquid-liquid extraction， and 4-phenyl-1，2，4-triazoline-3，5-dion derivatization. Chromatographic separation was performed using an Atlantis® T3 column， and gradient elution was performed using the methanol-5 mmol/L ammonium format solution as the mobile phase. The method applied positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode and was quantified with the isotope internal standard method.ResultsA good linearity was obtained with a correlation coefficient above 0.99. The average recovery levels from three different ranged from 92.3% to 94.2%， and the relative standard deviations were between 3.03% and 5.34% （n=6）. The limit of quantification was 1 μg/kg.ConclusionThis method is simple， accurate with high sensitivity and high selectivity， and suitable for the determination of vitamin D in infant formula food.

Cross-eye jamming is an electronic countermeasure technology used to cause angular deviation of monopulse radar via multiple coherent sources. Despite a complex electromagnetic environment, using active-passive composite monopulse radar is a development trend for improving the anti-interference ability of modern terminal guidance radar. A mathematical model of cross-eye jamming considering the active-passive composite monopulse radar is established. The influence mechanism of cross-eye jamming on the active-passive composite monopulse radar is revealed by comparing the effect of active and passive monopulse radar systems on angle measurement. Furthermore, the results can provide theoretical guidance and simulation data to reasonably apply Electronic Countermeasures (ECMs) and Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCMs).

BACKGROUND Isotope geochronology is a basic subject to explore the temporal and special evolution of geological bodies and geodynamics. The U-Pb dating technology of accessory minerals is the most widely used in isotope geochronology. Titanite has a relatively low closed temperature for U-Pb isotopic system and is common in magmatic rocks, metamorphic rocks, hydrothermal-related rocks and a few sedimentary rocks. This indicates that it is an ideal mineral for U-Pb dating to constrain the medium to high temperature geological event. OBJECTIVES To understand the element fractionation behavior during laser ablation-inductively coupled plasms-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb dating and propose corresponding correction methods. METHODS In situ U-Pb dating were performed using a Geolas Pro laser-ablation system and a 7700x quadrupole ICP-MS. A stationary laser ablation spot with a beam diameter of 24μm was used for the analyses. The ablated aerosol was carried by helium and then combined with argon via a T-connector before being introduced to the ICP-MS plasma. After smoothed, the sample gas will go into quadrupole ICP-MS for U-Pb dating. Each analysis incorporated a background acquisition of approximately 10s (gas blank) followed by 40s data acquisition from the sample. After the experiments, the fractionation behavior of elements of titanite during the laser ablation were compared for using different fractionation correction methods to correct zircon, monazite and titanite separately. These correction methods were based on different mathematical model such as quadratic curve, power function and so on. The data was processed with different softwares such as GLITTER and BUSTER based on different mathematical equations, in order to look for the appropriate correction methods for different uranium-rich minerals based on different fractionation characteristics. RESULTS The inconsistent fractionation behavior of elements between different titanite particles was revealed. After comparison, it was proposed that the 'Exponential Function Method' and the 'Average Data method' can only be used for uranium-rich minerals minerals that have consistent fractionation behavior, but it was not pragmatic for inconsistent ones. For these uranium-rich minerals minerals such as tianite, the 'Intercept Method' was an improvement on the current method, in order to ascertain the correct age. CONCLUSIONS It is indicated that the 'Intercept Method' can avoid inaccurate correction caused by inconsistent fractionation behavior.

To supplement missing logging information without increasing economic cost, a machine learning method to generate synthetic well logs from the existing log data was presented, and the experimental verification and application effect analysis were carried out. Since the traditional Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) is incapable of preserving spatial dependency, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network, which is a kind of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), was utilized to establish a method for log reconstruction. By this method, synthetic logs can be generated from series of input log data with consideration of variation trend and context information with depth. Besides, a cascaded LSTM was proposed by combining the standard LSTM with a cascade system. Testing through real well log data shows that: the results from the LSTM are of higher accuracy than the traditional FCNN; the cascaded LSTM is more suitable for the problem with multiple series data; the machine learning method proposed provides an accurate and cost effective way for synthetic well log generation. Key words: well log, generating method, machine learning, Fully Connected Neural Network, Recurrent Neural Network, Long Short-Term Memory, artificial intelligence

Monazite is a common geological chronometer and has complex textures and different chemical domains. Meaningful U-Th-Pb ages for different domains can be obtained only using a suitably small laser beam spot. Based on optimizing the parameters of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and matching two channels of carrier gas flows (Ar and He), two groups of laser ablation parameters, 16 μm-3 J/cm2-5 Hz and 10 μm-3 J/cm2-4 Hz, can be obtained for dating monazite using small ablation spot sizes. A standard sample (44069) and an unknown sample (15SLS-01) were dated using the above laser ablation parameters. For 44069, the single-point precision of 208Pb/232Th and 206Pb/238U ratios were less than 3%, and U-Th-Pb age was found to be consistent with the previous SHRIMP and TIMS U-Pb ages. For 15SLS-01, the single-point precision of 208Pb/232Th is less than 3%, whereas that of 206Pb/238U ratios is 3%-8%. However, the weighted average ages of 208Pb-232Th and 206Pb-238U are consistent within the uncertainties, and the 208Pb-232Th age is more representative. The study demonstrated that monazite U-Th-Pb age can be successfully measured by LA-ICP-MS using laser beam spot sizes of 16 μm and 10 μm, which greatly improve the spatial resolution of this micro-dating method.

Background Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Chinese residents, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, China proposes to implement the co-management of these three diseases. At present, there is a lack of relevant research on the three diseases comorbidities of the Kazakhs in Xinjiang. Objective To investigate the prevalence and status of dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes comorbidities among Kazakhs, and explore the related factors. Methods Kazakh residents over 18 years old from Dure Town and Tuerhong Township with large populations mainly consist of Kazakh in Fuyun County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang from March to June in 2022 were selected to conduct the cross-sectional study. Patient information was collected through questionnaires (general information, history of smoking, alcohol consumption, and diseases), physical examination (waist circumference, hip circumference, height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), and laboratory tests (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and fasting blood glucose, etc.). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors related to dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes comorbidities among Kazakhs. Results A total of 4 835 Kazakh residents were included, 48.2% (2 231/4 835) and 51.8% (2 504/4 835) were male and female respectively, with an average age of (45.8±12.7) years. The standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were 37.9%, 21.1% and 4.0%, respectively. The standardized prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertriacylglycerolemia in the dyslipidemic population was 24.1%, 24.8%, 10.0% and 7.3%, respectively. The standardized prevalence of comorbidities was 11.8%. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, age, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, heart rate, marital status, and education level were correlated with the comorbidities (P

The toxic effects of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP1) on neuroendocrine in zebrafish was studied. RNA-seq was used to screen significantly differentially expressed genes between control group (Ctl group) and BP1 treatment group (2.4 μg·mL-1 BP1), and then GO and KEGG analyses were performed. To verify the neuroendocrine toxicity of BP1, locomotion of wild-type AB zebrafish was detected, the thyroid development was ob- served based on transgenic zebrafish ioz4 Tg/+(AB), and the expression of neuroendocrine related genes were as- sayed by real-time quantitative PCR. 390 significantly differentially expressed genes between the Ctl group and the BP1 group were identified. Total 46 GO items related to neuroendocrine were identified by GO enrichment analysis, including response to stimulation, behavior, signal, neural synapse, etc. KEGG analysis screened 22 pathways, including signal transduction, endocrine system, signal molecule and interaction, etc. Compared with the Ctl group, BP1 group exhibited a decreased locomotor activity and impaired development of the thyroid gland. The results of real-time quantitative PCR showed that the expression of gfap, dio1, trα, trβ and tshr apparently decreased com- pared with the Ctl, while the mRNA levels of gap43, dio2 and tg significantly increased. BP1 causes neuroendo- crine toxicity in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion properties are an important feature of electrical parameters of mixed materials, and have always attracted the attention of many scholars, but there are few researches on dispersion-free properties of periodic mixed materials. Based on the empirical formulas describing the equivalent electrical parameters of periodic mixed materials, this paper deduces the conditions that each component should satisfy when the equivalent electrical parameters of periodic mixed materials have no dispersion. The finite element method is used to extract the effective permittivity and electrical conductivity of the periodic mixed materials. It is found that the numerical simulation results are highly consistent with the deduced results, which shows the effectiveness of the dispersion-free theory for periodic mixed materials proposed in this paper. On the premise that the effective electrical parameters meet the dispersion-free condition, the variations of the effective electrical parameters of the mixed materials with the volume ratio and the electrical parameter ratio of each component, and the influence of the shape and spatial distribution of the inclusions on the dispersion-free effective electrical parameters of the mixed materials are analyzed. Based on the crystal cell structure, a dispersion-free theory of periodic mixed materials is proposed in this paper, which can provide a theoretical basis for the design of dispersion-free components and sample preparation and measurement result calibration of effective electrical parameter measurement equipment at various frequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the ignition and combustion characteristics of tetramethylammonium octadecahydro-eicosaborate ((Me4N)2 B20H18), the compound was obtained by the oxidation of decahydrodecaborate anion, and its combustion heat was measured using an oxybomb calorimeter, and a high-speed camera and infrared thermal imager were used to record the flame phenomenon and the surface temperature on the combustion process of the sample. In combination with the pyrolysis behaviors of the compound in nitrogen and air atmospheres, the combustion process of the (Me4, N)2, B20, H18 was evaluated. The results show that the actual density of the (Me4, N)2, B20 was measured at 0.96 g/cm³, and the (Me4, N)2, B20 exhibits high thermal stability, which decomposes at above 250°C in the nitrogen atmosphere. While in the air atmosphere, an evident mass increment was present at 300°C after a mass loss at 240 - 300 °C. The combustion heat of the (Me4, N)2, B20 is 55.5MJ/kg. This compound presents good ignition combustion performance, and it burns in air with a green characteristic flame. Its surface temperature can reach 1 100°C during the combustion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between tumor metabolism and immunity is complex and diverse. To date, the role of tumor-specific metabolic reprogramming in shaping the specific tumor microenvironment in tumor immunotherapy remains unclear. Lactic acid is the main product of glycolysis, and the aerobic glycolysis of tumor cells causes lactic acid to accumulate in the microenvironment. Recent studies have shown that the accumulation of lactic acid in the tumor microenvironment hinders anti-tumor immunity, especially affects the function, differentiation, and metabolism of immune cells, and participates in tumor immune escape, thus promoting tumor. This article reviews the effects of lactate accumulation in the tumor microenvironment on dendritic cells, T cells, NK cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Targeted intervention of lactate production and efflux by tumor cells is expected to become a new strategy for tumor immunotherapy.

The existing research on the rock burst risk of faults under different conditions is mostly carried out around the footwall mining or single fault form. The comparative research on the rock burst risk of hanging wall mining of different faults is seldom involved. In order to solve the above problems, the 12220 working face of Gengcun Coal Mine in Yima, Henan is taken as the research background. The rock burst risk of mining in hanging wall of normal and reverse faults is analyzed by means of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and field monitoring. The mechanical model of mining in the hanging wall of normal and reverse faults is established. The mechanical condition of shear slip on the fault is obtained by analyzing the stress of fault rock. The results of the theoretical analysis show that the occurrence of shear slip is closely related to such factors as fault dip angle, internal friction angle of fault and fault surface force on rock block during hanging wall mining of normal and reverse faults. The closer the working face is to the fault, the greater the risk of shear slip. The numerical simulation of the mining process in the hanging wall of normal and reverse faults is carried out, and the normal stress, shear stress and slippage of the fault plane are analyzed. The results show that in the mining process of the working face, when the distance between the working face and the fault is less than 40 m, the risk of shear slip and rock burst increases gradually. When the distance from the fault is 10 m, the risk is the greatest. The most likely position for shear slip is the coal seam roof and coal seam of the fault plane. The influence degree of the coal seam floor is obviously less than that of the roof. The type of fault has a certain impact on the rock burst risk. The rock burst risk of reverse fault mining is higher than that of normal fault. Microseismic monitoring of rock burst risk is carried out on the 12220 working face. The results show that when the working face is less than 20 m from the fault, the microseismic events are frequent and the rock burst risk is high. The results are consistent with the numerical simulation results, which verifies the rationality of the numerical simulation analysis.

The old-growth, multiple ages, multispecies natural forest has played an important role in terrestrial ecosystem dynamics model and the global carbon budget. However, carbon fluxes of old forests in subtropical regions are rarely reported in China. In the present study, the CO2 flux of an old-growth subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest was observed using -eddy-covariance technique in Tianmu Mountain of Zhejiang Province. Based on the data sets which were observed from July 2013 to June 2014, the variations of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), ecosystem respiration (Re), and gross ecosystem exchange (GEE) were analyzed. The results showed that during the study period, the monthly NEE all had a negative value (acted as a carbon sink) except for December and February (acted as a carbon source). The average monthly NEE was -61.52 g C·m-2, the monthly carbon sequestration showed a double-peak curve and the maximum carbon sink was -149.40 g C·m-2, which occurred in June, while the maximum carbon source was 23.45 g C·m-2, which occurred in February. The maximum of monthly mean CO2 flux occurred in June with a value of -0.98 mg·m-2·s-1, while the minimum value occurred in December with a value of -0.35 mg·m-2·s-1. The NEE at the time point of positive and negative conversion had typical seasonal characteristics. The yearly NEE, Re, and GEE were -738.18, 931.05 and -1669.23 g C·m-2, respectively. Compared with other forest ecosystems located at the similar latitude, the carbon fixation of the old-growth forest was larger, likely due to its complicated structure within the canopy and the presence of young-growth regeneration and successional stands. This showed that other than in carbon neutral, old-growth forests of Tianmu Mountain in subtropical China had a strong capability in carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese rural residence in severe cold regions uses local type heating in winter. Heating period is six months and the energy, consumption of heating is huge. In order to raise the controlling index about shape coefficient of energy efficiency in the "design standard for energy efficiency of rural residence", the paper measured 57 rural residences in severe cold regions and got the shape coefficient by mathematical analysis. The control range of different factors on reducing shape coefficient according to Plane form, Profile form, acreage, length of building depth group, and slope of roof, which affect the shape coefficient of rural residence in severe cold regions were presented. The shape coefficient can be got according to the floor quantity. The shape coefficient of one-layer residence should be less than 0.75, and that of two-layer residence should be less than 0.59. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fourteen tigernut lines from different geographical areas were used to investigate the effective method of DNA extraction and to construct the optimized SRAP reaction system. Twenty seven reaction systems were designed with three concentration levels of DNA template, magnesium ion and primers. The results showed that the improved method of CTAB contributed to a better extraction of genomic DNA of tigernut, and the A260/280 values of all samples ranged from 1. 70 to 1. 98. Out of the 27 reaction systems, the optimal system for SRAP analysis had 25ng DNA, 1.5mmol/L MgCl2, 1 μmol/L primers, 0.3mmol/L dNTPs and 1U Taq polymerase in 15μL total volume. These results provided technical assistance to evaluate germplasm resource, genetic diversity and molecular breeding in tigernut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remediation of heavy metals-contaminated soil is still a difficulty and a hotspot of international research projects. At present, the technologies commonly adopted for the remediation of contaminated sites mainly include excavation, solidification/stabilization (S/S), soil washing, soil vapor extraction (SVE), thermal treatment, and bioremediation. Based on the S/S technical guidelines of Unite State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United Kingdom Environment Agency (EA) and the domestic and foreign patents, this paper introduced the concepts of S/S and its development status at home and abroad, and discussed its future development directions. Solidification refers to a process that binds contaminated media with a reagent, changing the media's physical properties via increasing its compressive strength, decreasing its permeability, and encapsulating the contaminants to form a solid material. Stabilization refers to the process that involves a chemical reaction which reduces the leachability of a waste, chemically immobilizes the waste and reduces its solubility, making the waste become less harmful or less mobile. S/S technology includes cement solidification, lime pozzolanic solidification, plastic materials stabilization, vitrification, and regent-based stabilization. Stabilization (or immobilization) treatment processes convert contaminants to less mobile forms through chemical or thermal interactions. In stabilization technology, the aim of adding agents is to change the soil physical and chemical properties through pH control technology, redox potential technology, precipitation techniques, adsorption technology, and ion-exchange technology that change the existing forms of heavy metals in soil, and thus, reduce the heavy metals bioavailability and mobility. This review also discussed the S/S evaluation methods, highlighted the need to enhance S/S technology in the molecular bonding, soil polymers, and formulation of China's S/S technical guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep-related disease. Evidence has shown that OSAS may increase the risk of developing arterial stiffness (AS) , but the mechanism of action still needs to be further explored. Objective To explore the mediating effect of waist circumference (WC) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) on the association between OSAS and AS. Methods A total of 1 053 health examinees were selected from Physical Examination Center, the First People's Hospital of Fuquan City from March 23 to November 30, 2022. General demographic data were collected. The risk of OSAS was assessed using the STOP-Bang Questionnaire (high or low risk of OSAS was diagnosed by STOP-Bang score ≥4 points or

In the combination of source rock and reservoir separated by the caprock of a petroliferous basin, the scale of oil and gas accumulation is controlled by the relative length of the effective period of oil and gas transported by the oil source fault. The accurate determination of the effective period of oil and gas transported by the oil source fault in the combination of source rock and reservoir separated by caprock plays an essential role in identifying the oil and gas distributions and guiding oil and gas exploration. Based on a study of the oil–gas transport mechanism and the effective period by the oil source fault of reservoir separated by caprock, a set of determination methods of the effective period for transporting oil and gas by the oil source fault of the reservoir separated by caprock was established herein by coupling the period for transporting oil and gas by the oil source fault and that when the source rocks expelled hydrocarbon. The period for transporting oil and gas by the oil source fault was determined by determining the period when the faults started to destroy the sealing capacity of the mudstone caprock, the period when the faults stopped their activity, and the period when the fault fillers began sealing. The geochemical characteristics of the source rock were used to determine the period when the source rocks expelled hydrocarbon. The application results show that at line L2, the effective period for transporting oil and gas from the F1 oil source fault to the reservoir of the 1st member of Dongying Formation (E3d1) is relatively long (i.e., time: 5.3 Ma). This is conducive to transporting the oil and gas generated by the source rocks of the 1st member of Shahejie Formation (E3s1) to the 3rd member of Dongying Formation (E3d3) through the mudstone caprock of the 2nd member of Dongying Formation (E3d2) to accumulate in the reservoir of E3d1 (the upper part of the structure has not been drilled yet). At line L8, the effective period for transporting oil and gas from the F1 oil source fault to the reservoir of E3d1 is relatively short (i.e., time: 2.4 Ma). Oil and gas are mainly transported by fault fillers, which is not conducive to transporting the oil and gas generated by the source rocks of E3s1 to the E3d1 through the mudstone caprock of E3d2 to accumulate in the reservoir of E3d1. The results are coincident with the fact that small-scale oil and gas have been found near line L8 of the F1 oil source fault in E3d1 of the Nanpu 5th structure, suggesting that the method is feasible for application in the determination of the effective period for transporting oil and gas by the oil source fault of a reservoir separated by caprock.

There are irregular damaged areas caused by various diseases of grottoes in Dunhuang murals,digital restoration is used to restore the image of the Dunhuang grotto murals,which will not cause damage to the original murals,but also get a better repair effect.Because of the large missing area in the mural mending,it cannot be realized by local non-semantic repair methods.Aiming at the restoration of the defective area of Dunhuang grotto murals,this paper designs an image repair method based on the generation of confrontation network,and uses semantically reasonable content to render the pixels in the missing area to realize the reconstruction of non-contact mural scenes,improve the efficiency of mural virtual restoration and the accuracy of restoration.The algorithm introduces a perceptual-loss function on the basis of generating an adversarial neural network,adds a three-layer convolutional layer to the generation model to collect image features of damaged areas,uses the perceptual loss to improve the model’s ability to repair high-frequency texture details,and uses extended convolution to extract range features,so as to stimulate the generative model to generate higher quality image results.Compared with three excellent methods on the Dunhuang grotto mural data set,and the repair results show that the PSNR score of the proposed algorithm on the test data set increases by 1.79%,and the SSIM score increases by 7.7%.The proposed repair model improves the repair accuracy of damaged murals and makes the repair results more accurate.

Grading seeds based on grain size is an effective measure to improve population regularity degree and increase the yield of summer maize. Taking Denghai 605 as the experimental material, we set up a field experiment with treatments based on grain size: large seeds (L), medium-round seeds (MR), medium-flat seeds (MF), medium-round and medium-flat mixed seeds (MRF), and small seeds (S), with no-grading seeds as control (CK). We investigated seedling emergence rate, population regularity degree (including height, ear height and stem diameter), seedling sturdiness index, photosynthetic characteristics, dry matter accumulation and distribution characteristics, and yield. The results showed that the emergence rate followed an order of L>MR>MRF>MF>CK>S, with that of L treatment differed little from MR, MF and MRF treatments, but being significantly higher than S and CK treatments. Plant height and stem diameter population regularity degree of MRF treatment before seven-leaf stage was not different from those of L, MR, MF and S treatments, but significantly higher than those of CK. At the tasseling stage, all treatments had higher population regularity degree of plant height than other stages. Ear height population regularity degree of L, MR, MF, MRF, and S increased by 11.1%, 10.3%, 9.5%, 7.1%, and 6.4% compared with CK, respectively. The seedling sturdiness index of MRF treatment increased by 36.7% compared with S treatment, but was not significantly different from L treatment. The leaf area index of the L and MRF treatments was significantly higher than that of CK, and both had higher population photosynthetic properties. The population dry matter accumulation showed a pattern as L>MR>MRF>MF>CK>S. There was no significant difference among L, MR, and MRF treatments, but that in L being obviously higher than MF, CK, and S treatments. After seed grading, the number of harvested ears of the L and MRF treatments increased significantly, and the yield were shown as L>MR>MRF>MF>CK>S. There was no difference between the yield of MRF, MR and MF treatments. In conclusion, the performance of L treatment was improved but the number was small. Considering the grading cost and yield, the MRF treatment can save the seed amounts of sowing, realize mechanized sowing and precision sowing.

Objective: To observe the effect of meridian sinew releasing technique on moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA)., Methods: A total of 60 patients with KOA were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases each group. In the observation group, on the basis of the meridian sinew releasing technique, moxibustion sensation exploration method was applied at Dubi (ST 35) area on the affected side. In the control group, moxibustion sensation exploration method was applied at Dubi (ST 35) area on the affected side. The meridian sinew releasing technique was performed for 20 min each time, the moxibustion sensation exploration method was performed for 60 min each time, once a day for 3 days. The excitation rate, latency, duration time and intensity value of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion were recorded on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of exploration in the two groups., Results: The excitation rate on the 3rd day of exploration and total excitation rate in the observation group were higher than the control group ( P <0.05). On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of exploration, the latency of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in the observation group was shorter than the control group ( P <0.05), the duration time was longer than the control group ( P <0.05), and the intensity value was higher than the control group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Meridian sinew releasing technique could improve the excitation rate of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in patients with KOA, shorten the latency, prolong the duration time, and improve the intensity value.

To investigate the pollution characteristics and sources of nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), 44 ambient air samples were collected using the active sampling method, which were then determined via gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. The main results showed that filters, polyurethane foam, and XAD-2 resin were the essential materials for sampling NPAHs in ambient air in order to characterize the pollution status accurately. The levels of ρ (Σ 18 NPAHs) in ambient air at GBA ranged from 162 pg·m -3 to 2094 pg·m -3 , and the average levels of ρ (Σ 18 NPAHs) were (675±430) pg·m -3 in summer and (637±349) pg·m -3 in winter. NPAHs were widely found in the ambient air of GBA and were dominated by 1-nitronaphthalene (220 pg·m -3 ), 2-nitronaphthalene (146 pg·m -3 ), 9-nitroanthracene (105 pg·m -3 ), and 2-nitrofluoranthene (72 pg·m -3 ). The congener profile characteristics of NPAHs in summer and winter were similar. The gas/particle partitioning characteristics of NPAHs revealed that dicyclic and tricyclic NPAHs tend to occur in the gas phase, and tetracyclic NPAHs tend to be adsorbed in the particle phase. The fraction of NPAHs concentrations in the particulate fraction of their total atmospheric concentrations increased with the increase in their molecular weight. In winter, NPAHs tend to be adsorbed in the particle phase, whereas in summer, NPAHs tend to exist in the gas phase. Based on the ratios of characteristic pollutants, in both the summer and winter season, photochemical reactions were the main source of NPAHs in the atmosphere of GBA and were primarily generated by the reaction of the hydroxyl radical in the daytime. The carcinogenic risk value calculation showed that the current carcinogenic risk of NPAHs in the ambient air of GBA was controllable.

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic findings of patients with infantile intrahepatic cholestasis., Methods: The clinical data were collected in children who were admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology in Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from June 2017 to June 2019 and were suspected of inherited metabolic diseases. Next generation sequencing based on target gene panel was used for gene analysis in these children. Sanger sequencing technology was used to verify the genes of the members in this family., Results: Forty patients were enrolled. Pathogenic gene variants were identified in 13 patients (32%), including SLC25A13 gene variation in 3 patients who were diagnosed with citrin deficiency, JAG1 gene variation in 3 patients who were diagnosed with Alagille syndrome, ABCB11 gene variation in 3 patients who were diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2, HSD3B7 gene variation in 1 patient who was diagnosed with congenital bile acid synthesis defect type 1, AKR1D1 gene variation in 1 patient who was diagnosed with congenital bile acid synthesis defect type 1, NPC1 gene variation in 1 patient who was diagnosed with Niemann-Pick disease, and CFTR gene variation in 1 patient who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis., Conclusions: The etiology of infantile intrahepatic cholestasis is complex. Next generation sequencing is helpful in the diagnosis of infantile intrahepatic cholestasis.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors of ozone and particulate matter; thus, their impacts on air quality are particularly significant. To study the composition characteristics and sources of VOCs in Lianyungang City, four national control sites were selected to conduct VOCs sampling and analysis on typical days in spring, summer, and autumn. Concentrations of VOCs, the effects of different components of VOCs on ozone formation were quantified, and the sources of VOCs were analyzed using the Positive Matrix Factorization model. The VOC concentrations were in the range of 27.46×10 -9 -40.52×10 -9 in spring, 45.79×10 -9 -53.45×10 -9 in summer, and 38.84×10 -9 -46.66×10 -9 in autumn. Concentrations of oxygenated compounds accounted for 41%-48% of all measured VOCs. VOC species with higher concentrations were acetone, acrolein, and propionaldehyde, and the concentration of isoprene was higher in summer. Generally, VOC concentrations were higher at 09:00 than at 13:00 when acrolein, ethylene, and dichloromethane concentrations changed greatly. The ozone formation potential (OFP) of oxygenated compounds was the highest, followed by aromatics and alkenes, and the OFP of alkanes was the smallest. The VOC species with higher OFP were acrolein, propylene, and ethylene. The main sources of VOCs in Lianyungang were industry (49%), solvent usage (23%), transportation (14%), paint usage (10%), and natural sources (4%). The results suggest further investigating the oxygenated compounds with higher concentrations and higher OFP in Lianyungang City, and studying the impacts of industrial sources on VOCs.

Objective To investigate the application of Acute Gastrointestinal Injury(AGI) grading in evaluating gastrointestinal failure in patients with acute pancreatitis(AP). Methods In this retrospective observational study,patients presented with moderate severe AP and severe AP in our hospital from October 2013 to October 2016 were consecutively enrolled.Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve were used to explore and evaluate potential predictors of gastrointestinal failure. Results A total of 202 patients were included in this study,with 90 cases(44.6%) identified as gastrointestinal failure.Survival curve showed significantly increased risk of death in patients with gastrointestinal failure( P < 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed age( OR =1.06,95% CI :1.03-1.09, P <0.001),complaint of stopping flatus and defecation( OR =7.02,95% CI :2.08-23.66, P =0.002),increased counts of white blood cells in peripheral blood( OR =1.09,95% CI :1.02-1.17, P =0.015),decreased level of serum albumin( OR =0.93,95% CI :0.86-1.00, P =0.048),and increased level of serum creatinine at admission( OR =1.02,95% CI :1.01-1.04, P =0.001) were the independent risk factors of gastrointestinal failure.The area under curves of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and Beside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) scores in diagnosing gastrointestinal failure were 0.999 and 0.782,respectively. Conclusions Gastrointestinal failure can remarkably increase the risk of death in patients with AP.Both APACHE Ⅱ and BISAP scores at admission are useful in diagnosing gastrointestinal failure in patients with AP.

Objective: To conclude of the technical notes of percutaneous transforaminal endoscope-assisted lumbar interbody fusion (PT-Endo-LIF), and to investigate its safety and efficacy for treatment of degenerative lumbar disease., Methods: Twenty-four patients were treated by PT-Endo-LIF combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screws fixation from October 2017 to April 2018. There were 16 males and 8 females, ranging in age from 39 to 72 years old, with a mean of (59.6±9.5) years old. There were 15 cases diagnosed with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation combined with degenerative disc, the other 9 cases were diagnosed as low level lumbar spondylolistheses w/o segmental instability. Single segmental fusion was performed for 22 cases(one for L₂,₃, 3 for L₃,₄ and 18 for L₄,₅) and 2 segmental fusion was performed for the other 2 cases (both for L₃,₄ and L₄,₅). PT-Endo-LIF was performed under local anesthesia with conscious sedation, followed by decompression through endoscopic technics. After that, end-plate preparation and autogenous bone and expandable cage implantation were performed. Finally, percutaneous screws and rod instrumentation were used. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. All patients underwent X-ray, CT plain scan, three-dimensional reconstruction and MRI examination to evaluate the stability of the implants and fusion rate before 3 days and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after operation., Results: All patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 12 to 18 months. The operation time of single-segment fusion was (192.3±22.7) min, and that of double-segment fusion was (272.5±24.7) min. The estimated intraoperative bleeding volume was less than 50 ml per segment, and no blood transfusion was performed in all patients. The VAS improved from preoperative 7.4±1.1 to postoperative 2.3±0.8 ( t =-19.65, P <0.000 5). The ODI improved from preoperative (41.2±3.3)% to the final follow-up (12.3±2.5)%( t =-35.76, P <0.000 5). Postoperative complications occurred in 4 cases, and contralateral radicular symptoms occurred in 2 cases. After contralateral foraminoscopic decompression, the symptoms were completely alleviated. One case had neurological symptoms related to percutaneous screw placement, and the symptoms were alleviated after removal of the lateral screw rod internal fixation. The other cases had surgical incision infection and improved after debridement and suture. At the latest follow-up, no displacement or loosening of the fusion cage and screw rod system occurred in all patients, and 14 cases showed signs of fusion., Conclusions: PT-Endo-LIF is a minimal invasive, safe and efficient surgical procedure for treatment of degenerative lumbar disease. Nevertheless, the long-term results still need to be confirmed by a multi-center and lagre sample follow-up study., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© 2019 by the China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Press.)

The three typical carbon enterprises in Zhengzhou were selected as research targets, and the emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their ozone formation potential (OFP) in different functional areas were studied. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health risk assessment model was used to evaluate the health risks of VOCs emitted by the carbon industry. The results showed that the concentration of VOCs in the production areas of the three research enterprises was between 89.77-964.60 μg·m -3 , and the management area was between 51.46-121.59 μg·m -3 . Naphthalene and carbon disulfide were at the highest concentrations in the carbon plants. The ozone formation potential of VOCs in the production area was between 75.42-1416.73 μg·m -3 , and in the management area was between 65.32-202.42 μg·m -3 , mainly from the contribution of aromatic hydrocarbons and olefins. The carcinogenic health risk (Risk) of VOCs in the production area was 3.5×10 -5 -2.8×10 -3 , and in the management area was 2.0×10 -5 -9.4×10 -5 , which was higher than the maximum acceptable level recommended by the EPA (10 -6 ). The non-carcinogenic health risk index (HI) of the VOCs in the production area was 3.2-1.4×10 2 , and in the management area was 4.3×10 -1 -3.8, except for the management area of the first enterprise, which was greater than 1, which may expose the workers. These health factors cause cancer and non-carcinogenic hazards.

To study the pollution characteristics of atmospheric heavy metal elements in a living area of Zhengzhou City, assess the potential ecological risks, and determine risks to resident health in this city, the Wuhan Tianhong TH-16A Airborne Particles Intelligent Sampler was used to collect atmospheric PM 2.5 in Zhengzhou City. The mass concentrations of 17 metal elements were analyzed by ambient air determination of inorganic elements by ambient particle matter wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The source of heavy metals was analyzed by the enrichment factor method and principal component analysis. The ecological risk index method and the US Environmental Protection Agency's health risk assessment method were used to evaluate the potential ecological risks and residents' health risks from Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, As, and other elements. The results showed that metals with higher enrichment factor values were Cd, Sb, Pb, and As, and Cd had the highest enrichment factor value. The sources of metal elements in a living area of Zhengzhou City were mainly crust/burning coal, fuel, garbage burning, metallurgical dust, and vehicle emission. The single factor potential ecological hazard index values of Cd, Pb, Zn, As, Cu, Ni, and Cr were 70420.2, 255.3, 204.6, 71.5, 36.9, 24.0, and 5.1, respectively. Cd, As, and Cr in a living area of Zhengzhou City posed a cancer risk, and Cd was the most harmful. Mn had a non-carcinogenic risk.

To investigate the expressions of mucosal barrier proteins in colon cell line DLD-1 under hypoxic environment in vitro and its mechanism. Methods After DLD-1 cells were treated separately with hypoxia(l% O 2 ),vitamin D(100 nmol/L),or vitamin D plus hypoxia for 48 hours,the expressions of vitamin D receptor(VDR),tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1(ZO-1),occludin,Claudin-1,and adherent junction protein(E-cadherin)were determined by Western blot.Stable VDR knock-down(Sh-VDR)DLD-1 cell line and control DLD-1 cell line were established by lentivirus package technology and the protein expressions after hypoxia treatment were detected. Results Compared with control group,the expressions of occludin,Claudin-1,and VDR increased significantly after hypoxia treatment(all P <0.001).In addition to the protein expressions of occludin,Claudin-1 and VDR,the expressions of ZO-1 and E-cadherin were also obviously higher in vitamin D plus hypoxia group than in single vitamin D treatment group(all P <0.001).After hypoxia treatment,Sh-VDR cell line showed significantly decreased expressions of ZO-1( P <0.001),occludin( P <0.05),Claudin-1( P <0.01)and E-cadherin( P <0.001)when compared with untreated Sh-VDR cell line. Conclusion VDR acts as a regulator for the expressions of intestinal mucosal barrier proteins under hypoxia environment in DLD-1 colon cell line,indicating that VDR pathway may be another important protective mechanism for gut barrier in low-oxygen environment.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of urogenital tract infections with Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and human papilloma virus (HPV) in males of reproductive age and the associated factors., Methods: Using the multi-stage cluster sampling method and a structured questionnaire, we conducted an investigation among 18－50 years old males in Songjiang District, Shanghai, from August 2016 to July 2018. We collected secretory specimens from the urogenital tract of the subjects and detected the infections of UU and HPV by laboratory examination., Results: Among the 621 males included in this study, 279 (44.93%) were found infected with UU, 18 (2.90%) with HPV, and 15 (2.42%) with both UU and HPV. Univariate analysis showed that smokers had a higher rate of UU infection (50.54% ［140/277］) than non-smokers (40.41 ［139/344］), and those with senior high school or secondary technical school education had a higher rate of HPV infection (4.84% ［12/248］) than others (1.61% ［6/373］). Binary stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed a higher risk of UU infection in the subjects with junior high school or lower education than in others (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39－0.96) as well as in smokers than in non-smokers (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.01－2.01)., Conclusions: The prevalence of UU infection is high, while that of HPV is low among men of reproductive age in Songjiang, Shanghai. The screening of UU infection should be enhanced among men of reproductive age, especially among smokers and those with lower education.

In this study, a novel combined system for simultaneous recovery of bioelectricity and water from wastewater was developed by integrating anaerobic acidification and a forward osmosis (FO) membrane with a microbial fuel cell (AAFO-MFC). Conductivity was thought to be an important factor affecting the performance of the AAFO-MFC system. Thus, effects of conductivity on the performance of AAFO-MFC system in treating synthetic wastewater were investigated. The results indicated that a higher conductivity increased the bioelectricity production, owing to a reduction in the internal resistance. However, it resulted in a rapid decrease of FO water flux and a shorter operating time because of a severer membrane fouling. The conductivity had no impact on the water quality of the effluents. The total organic carbon (TOC) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the FO permeate were less than 4 and 0.5 mg·L -1 , respectively, at all conductivity levels. However, the rejection of the FO membrane for NH 4 + -N was lower at all conductivity levels. The optimal comprehensive performance of this system was obtained when the conductivity was maintained at 7-8 mS·cm -1 . In this case, the AAFO-MFC system achieved continuous and relatively stable power generation, and the water flux of FO membrane was relatively stable during a long-term operation of approximately 29 days.

The concentration, potential source and health risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere of Dajiuhu, Shennongjia, China, were studied. Polyurethane foam (PUF) Passive air samplers (PAS) were settled. The results indicated that the total concentrations of 16 PAHs in different samples ranged from 6.94 to 184.23 ng·m -3 , with the mean of 30.36 ng·m -3 . The dominant compounds were low rings PAHs, such as Phe, Nap, Pyr, Fla, Flu and Ant. Compared with other regions, the PAHs pollution of Dajiuhu atmosphere was at a low level. Higher PAHs concentrations were detected in nearby Deer farm, Dajiuhu peat area and Dajiuhu Wetland Authority. Higher PAHs concentrations were detected in autumn and winter, whereas lower concentrations were detected in spring and summer. Potential pollution sources of PAHs were investigated by diagnostic ratios and backward trajectory analysis, which indicated that coal and biofuel combustion, vehicle emissions and petroleum were the main sources. PAHs of Dajiuhu in air not only came from local emission, but also originated from Hubei, Henan and Hunan's atmosphere transport for most part and long range transport from northwest direction for small part. Health risks assessment results showed that the annual average concentration of total Benzo(a)pyrene-equivalent carcinogenic potency (∑BaP eq ) was 0.208 ng·m -3 , lower than the value recommended by Ambient Air Quality Standard of China(GB 3095-2012, 1 ng·m -3 ), indicating a low carcinogenic risk for the local residents.

A pilot-scale study with conventional water treatment and ozone-biological activated carbon (O 3 -BAC) treatment was conducted to evaluate the impact of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) addition on the bromate and disinfection by-products formation potential (DBPFP) control, with bromide containing water as raw water. It was found that bromate concentration would exceed 10.00 μg·L -1 as ozone doses were higher than 1.0 mg·L -1 under different water qualities. Ammonia and H 2 O 2 could effectively control bromate formation and bromate concentration decreased as ammonia and H 2 O 2 doses increased. Bromate concentration could be controlled below 10.00 μg·L -1 as ammonia dose was 0.10-0.30 mg·L -1 or the m (H 2 O 2 )/ m (O 3 ) was 0.2-1.0. However, as ammonia-H 2 O 2 was combined for the same purpose, bromate increased firstly and then decreased. Ammonia addition would not significantly affect the THMFP control but H 2 O 2 application would depress the efficiency of THMFP removal.

Objective To observe the effects of Dahuang Lingxian Capsule (DLC) for regulating and controlling expression of hepatocyte transporters and bile metabolism spectrum in gallstone mice u- sing Western blot and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer ( GC-MS) , and to explore its possible mechanism. Methods Fifty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups, i.e., the normal control group (N), the model group (M) , the ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) control group (U) , the drug control group (Y) ,the DLC treatment group (D) , 10 in each group. Mice in group N and group Y were fed with common forage. Forage with high fat, high calorie, high cholesterol was fed to mice in group M, U, and D to induce cholecystolithiasis. Meanwhile, UDCA solution (130 mg kg⁻¹ - d⁻¹) was administered to mice in group U by gastrogavage. DLC decoction (13 g - kg⁻¹ - d1) was administered to mice in group Y and D by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in group N and M by gastrogavage. After 8-week intervention, gallstone formation rate was observed. Changes of ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 11 (Abcb1l ) and ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 2 (Abcc2) were observed using Western blot. Metabonomic features were detected by GC-MS. Results Improper operation occurred during modeling. One mouse died in group U since its esophagus was pricked by lavage needle. The gallstone formation rate was 100. 00% , higher than that in group N and Y (0.00%, 0.00%; x² =20. 00,P <0. 01). Compared with group M, the gallstone formation rate was reduced in group U and D (44. 44%, x² =7. 54,P = 0. 011 ; 30. 00%, X² = 10. 77, P 0. 003). Cholesterol characteristic absorption peak could be seen at 2 939, 1 446, 1 382, and 1 056 cm - after infrared spec- trum analysis. There was statistical difference in Abcbl1 and Abcc2 among the 5 groups (F =41. 89, P < 0. 01; F=90. 01 , P <0. 01). Compared with group N, expressions of Abcb1 1 and Abcc2 transporters sig- nificantly decreased in group M (P <0. 01). Compared with group M, expressions of Abcb11 and Abcc2 transporters significantly increased in group U, Y, D (P <0. 01). Compared with other groups, concentrations of endogenous metabolites such as alanine, citric acid, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), glycerine, malic acid, acetone increased; concentrations of lactic acid, glutamine, amine glycine, choline, and taurine decreased (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Con- clusion DLC could stabilize expression of Abcb1 1 and Abcc2, change or improve pathological secretion of bile and its metabolites, thereby achieving the effect of gallstone prevention and treatment.

The carbon flux of subtropical bamboo forest ecosystem was continuously measured using eddy covariance technique in Anji County of Zhejiang Province, China. The monthly net ecosystem productivity (NEP), ecosystem respiration (Re) and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) data from 2011 to 2013 were selected to analyze the impacts of seasonal high temperature and drought on the carbon flux of bamboo forest ecosystem. The results showed that there were big differences among annual NEP of bamboo forest from 2011 to 2013. Because of the asynchronization of precipitation and heat, the seasonal high temperature and drought in July and August of 2013 caused significant decline in NEP by 59.9% and 80.0% when compared with the same months in 2011. Correlation analysis of the NEP, Re, GEP and environmental factors suggested that the atmosphere temperatures were significantly correlated with Re and GEP in 2011 and 2013 (P<0.05). However, to air and soil moisture, Re and GEP had different responses, that was, GEP was more vulnerable by the decrease of the soil moisture compared with Re. Besides, the raising of saturation vapour pressure promoted the Re modestly but inhibited the GEP, which was supposed to be the main reason for NEP decrease of bamboo forest ecosystem in Anji, from July to August in 2013.

The old-growth, multiple ages, multispecies natural forest has played an important role in terrestrial ecosystem dynamics model and the global carbon budget. However, carbon fluxes of old forests in subtropical regions are rarely reported in China. In the present study, the CO₂ flux of an old-growth subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest was observed using eddy covariance technique in Tianmu Mountain of Zhejiang Province. Based on the data sets which were observed from July 2013 to June 2014, the variations of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), eco-system respiration (Re), and gross ecosystem exchange (GEE) were analyzed. The results showed that during the study period, the monthly NEE all had a negative value (acted as a carbon sink) except for December and February (acted as a carbon source). The average monthly NEE was -61.52 g C · m⁻², the monthly carbon sequestration showed a double-peak curve and the maximum carbon sink was -149.40 g C · m⁻², which occurred in June while the maximum carbon source was 23.45 g C · m⁻², which occurred in February. The maximum of monthly mean CO₂ flux occurred in June with a value of -0.98 mg · m⁻² · s⁻¹, while the minimum value occurred in December with a value of -0.35 mg · m⁻² · s⁻¹. The NEE at the time point of positive and negative conversion had typical seasonal characteristics. The yearly NEE, Re, and GEE were -738.18, 931.05 and -1669.23 g C · m⁻², respectively. Compared with other forest ecosystems located at the similar latitude, the carbon fixation of the old-growth forest was larger, likely due to its complicated structure within the canopy and the presence of young-growth regeneration and successional stands. This showed that other than in carbon neutral, old-growth forests of Tianmu Mountain in subtropical China had a strong capability in carbon sequestration.

This study was designed to use iTRAQ technology coupled with 2D LC-MS/MS to study the comparative proteomics of different processing technology for pilose antler. 1015 proteins were identified with 2D LC combined with MOLDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Comparative analysis with Protein Pilot (Version 4.5) revealed that 87 proteins were changed (P ≤ 0.05, the ratio of > 1.50 or < 0.60 as the threshold selection of difference proteins), of which 24 were up regulated and 33 were down regulated in the traditional frying process (TFP) compared with the fresh pilose antler (P ≤ 0.05). 7 significant different proteins (P ≤ 0.001), most of these significantly changed proteins were found to be involved in calcium ion binding and ATP binding associated with human healthy. Freeze drying with protective agent (FDP) (Trehalose) can improve the content of significantly different proteins (P ≤ 0.001) including Collagen alpha-1 (XII) chain (COL12A1) and Collagen alpha-1 (II) chain (COL2A1). The significant function involves in platelets activating, maintenance of spermatogonium, and disorder expression in tumor cells. The functional annotation by Hierarchical clustering and GO (gene ontology) showed that the main molecule functions of the proteins significantly changed in these processes were involved in binding (52.7%), catalytic (25.3%), structural molecule and transporter (6.6%).

Organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) is an important liver-specific uptake transporter, which mediates transport of numerous endogenous substances and drugs from blood into hepatocytes. To identify and investigate potential modulators of OATP1B1 from natural products, the effect of 21 frequently used natural compounds and extracts on OATP1B1-mediated fluorescein methotrexate transport was studied by using Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing OATP1B1 (CHO-OATP1B1) in 96-well plates. This method could be used for the screening of large compound libraries. Our studies showed that some flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, chrysanthemum flavonoids and mulberrin) and triterpenoids (e.g., glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizic acid) were inhibitors of OATP1B1 with IC50 values less than 16 µmol · L(-1). The IC50 value of glycyrrhetinic acid on OATP1B1 was comparable to its blood concentration in clinics, indicating an OATPlB1-mediated drug-drug interaction could occur. Structure-activity relationship analysis showed that flavonoids had much higher inhibitory activity than their glycosides. Furthermore, the type and length of saccharides had a significant effect on their activity. In addition, we used OATP1B1 substrates fluvastatin and rosuvastatin as probe drugs to investigate the substrate-dependent effect of several natural compounds on the function of OATP1B1 in vitro. Our results demonstrated that the effect of these natural products on the function of OATPlB1 was substrate-dependent. In summary, this study would be conducive to predicting and avoiding potential OATP1B1-mediated drug-drug and drug-food interactions and thus provide the experimental basis and guidance for rational drug use.

Nitrogen is a necessary and important element for the growth and development of fruit orchards. Timely, accurate and nondestructive monitoring of nitrogen status in fruit orchards would help maintain the fruit quality and efficient production of the orchard, and mitigate the pollution of water resources caused by excessive nitrogen fertilization. This study investigated the capability of hyperspectral imagery for estimating and visualizing the nitrogen content in citrus canopy. Hyperspectral images were obtained for leaf samples in laboratory as well as for the whole canopy in the field with ImSpector V10E (Spectral Imaging Ltd., Oulu, Finland). The spectral datas for each leaf sample were represented by the average spectral data extracted from the selected region of interest (ROI) in the hyperspectral images with the aid of ENVI software. The nitrogen content in each leaf sample was measured by the Dumas combustion method with the rapid N cube (Elementar Analytical, Germany). Simple correlation analysis and the two band vegetation index (TBVI) were then used to develop the spectra data-based nitrogen content prediction models. Results obtained through the formula calculation indicated that the model with the two band vegetation index (TBVI) based on the wavelengths 811 and 856 nm achieved the optimal estimation of nitrogen content in citrus leaves (R2 = 0.607 1). Furthermore, the canopy image for the identified TBVI was calculated, and the nitrogen content of the canopy was visualized by incorporating the model into the TBVI image. The tender leaves, middle-aged leaves and elder leaves showed distinct nitrogen status from highto low-levels in the canopy image. The results suggested the potential of hyperspectral imagery for the nondestructive detection and diagnosis of nitrogen status in citrus canopy in real time. Different from previous studies focused on nitrogen content prediction at leaf level, this study succeeded in predicting and visualizing the nutrient content of fruit trees at canopy level. This would provide valuable information for the implementation of individual tree-based fertilization schemes in precision orchard management practices.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis invasion to mouse dendritic cells (DC)., Methods: Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv was co-cultured with mouse DC2.4 cells.The mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 2/4(TLR2/4) in DC2.4 cells was detected by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR and the protein expression of nuclear factor κB(NF-κB) was assessed by Western blotting.The extracellular concentration of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) was measured by ELISA methods during Mycobacterium Tuberculosis invasion.Indirect immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry assay were used to detect the expression of CD80 and CD86 on DC2.4 cells before and after invasion., Results: The invasion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in DC2.4 cells was observed after 2 h of co-incubation.The rates of invasion were (37.9±5.6)%,(51.2±7.6)%,(57.2±8.9)% and(63.9±6.8)% at 6,8,10 and 12 h after co-incubation,respectively.The mRNA expression level of TLR2 /4 was significantly increased at 6 h but decreased at 10 h after co-incubation.The expressions of NF-κB p65 and TNF-α were higher in DC2.4 cells after being invaded by 6,8,and 10 h and then gradually decreased.CD80 and CD86 expression were increased on DC2.4 at 6 h after co-incubation., Conclusion: Invasion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv to DC might enhance its antigen-presenting function through activation of TLR2/4-NF-kB signaling pathway.

The present study presents prediction models for determining the N content in citrus leaves by using hyperspectral imaging technology combined with several chemometrics methods. The steps followed in this study are: hyperspectral image scanning, extracting average spectra curves, pretreatment of raw spectra data, extracting characteristic wavelengths with successive projection algorithm and developing prediction models for determining N content in citrus leaves. The authors obtained three optimal pretreatment methods through comparing eleven different pretreatment methods including Savitzky-Golay (SG) smoothing, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), first derivative (1-Der) and so on. These selected pretreatment methods are SG smoothing, detrending and SG smoothing-detrending. Based on these three pretreatment methods, the authros first extracted the characteristic wavelengths respectively with successive projection algorithm, and then used the spectral reflectance of the extracted characteristic wavelengths as input variables of partial least squares regression (PLS), multiple linear regression (MLR) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) modeling. Hence, the authors developed three prediction models with each pretreatment method, and obtained nine models in total. Among all the nine prediction models, the two models based on the methods of SG smoothing-detrending-SPA-BPNN (R(p): 0.8513, RMSEP: 0.1881) and detrending-SPABPNN (R(p): 0.8609, RMSEP: 0.1595) were found to have achieved the best prediction results. The final results show that using hyperspectra data to determine N content in citrus leaves is feasible. This would provide a theoretical basis for real-time and accurate monitoring of N content in citrus leaves as well as rational N fertilizer application during the plant's growth.

Objective: To determine the role of IGF-1/PI3K pathway and investigate the molecular mechanism of Fuzhenghuayu (FZHY) therapy in a spontaneous recovery rat model of liver fibrosis., Methods: The liver fibrosis model was induced in male Wistar rats by administering 8 weeks of twice weekly CCL4 intraperitoneal injections without (untreated model) or with once daily FZHY (treated model). Normal, untreated rats served as the control group. At weeks 4, 6 and 8 (fibrosis) and 10, 12 and 14 (spontaneous recovery) after modeling initiation, effects on protein (a-SMA, IGF-1, PI3K) and mRNA (IGF-1, PI3K) expression levels were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. Serum markers of liver function (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) and liver cell damage (alkaline hydrolysis, HYP) were measured. Histology was performed to assess the degree of inflammation and fibrosis (Ishak scoring system)., Results: In the untreated model group, progression of liver fibrosis (weeks 4, 6 and 8) was accompanied by gradual increases in inflammation, necrosis, serum ALT and AST, and hepatic expression of a-SMA protein and IGF-1 and PI3K protein and mRNA; however, during the spontaneous recovery period (weeks 10, 12 and 14) the IGF-1 and PI3K protein and mRNA levels rapidly decreased and the HYP level, Ishak score, and a-SMA hepatic expression also decreased. The FZHY-treated model group showed significantly lower fibrosis-related up-regulation of IGF-1 and PI3K protein and mRNA expression, HYP level, Ishak score, and a-SMA hepatic expression at each time point (vs. untreated model group)., Conclusion: The IGF-1/PI3K pathway may contribute to progression of liver fibrosis. The mechanism by which FZHY prevents liver fibrosis in a rat model may involve blocking of the IGF/PI3K pathway and inhibiting HSC activation.