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A new mealybug species, Ceroputo liquidambaris Zhang & Watson sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), collected on leaves and branches of Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae), is described and illustrated from Jiangxi, China. The new species differs from all other known species of Ceroputo in having dorsal multilocular disc pores. Notes on some aspects of Ceroputo pilosellae Šulc collected in China and a key to the adult females of Ceroputo species are provided.

A new mealybug species, Dysmicoccus lushanensis Zhang, Wang & Watson sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), collected on the branches of Rhododendron simsii Planch. (Ericaceae) in Jiangxi Province, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to another species recorded feeding on Rhododendron, D. wistariae (Green 1923), in having small conical dorsal setae and most cerarii containing more than 2 conical setae, but differs from it in having each anal lobe cerarius(C18) with more than two conical setae, and translucent pores present on the hind femur and tibia. The new species also resembles D. finitimus (Williams 1994), which is only known to feed on palms (Arecaceae), in possessing anal lobe cerarius(C18) each with more than 2 conical cerarian setae, but differs in having minute, conical dorsal setae and in lacking translucent pores on the hind coxa. In addition, D. debregeasiae (Green 1922) is recorded from China for the first time. A key to the Chinese species of Dysmicoccus is provided.

MgO nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in bactericides, fuel cells and electronic materials and are frequently detected in aquatic environments.

IntroductionPaclitaxel is a chemotherapy drug that is commonly used to treat cancer, but it can cause paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain (PINP) as a side effect. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) has been shown to be effective in promoting the resolution of inflammation and chronic pain. In this study, we evaluated the effects of RvD1 on PINP and its underlying mechanisms in mice.MethodsBehavioral analysis was used to assess the establishment of the PINP mouse model and to test the effects of RvD1 or other formulations on mouse pain behavior. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was employed to detect the impact of RvD1 on 12/15 Lox, FPR2, and neuroinflammation in PTX-induced DRG neurons. Western blot analysis was used to examine the effects of RvD1 on FPR2, Nrf2, and HO-1 expression in DRG induced by PTX. TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis of DRG neurons induced by BMDM conditioned medium. H2DCF-DA staining was used to detect the reactive oxygen species level of DRG neurons in the presence of PTX or RvD1+PTX treated BMDMs CM.ResultsExpression of 12/15-Lox was decreased in the sciatic nerve and DRG of mice with PINP, suggesting a potential involvement of RvD1 in the resolution of PINP. Intraperitoneal injection of RvD1 promoted pain resolution of PINP in mice. Intrathecal injection of PTX-treated BMDMs induced mechanical pain hypersensitivity in naïve mice, while pretreatment of RvD1 in BMDMs prevented it. Macrophage infiltration increased in the DRGs of PINP mice, but it was not affected by RvD1 treatment. RvD1 increased IL-10 expression in the DRGs and macrophages, while IL-10 neutralizing antibody abolished the analgesic effect of RvD1 on PINP. The effects of RvD1 in promoting IL-10 production were also inhibited by N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) antagonist. The primary cultured DRG neurons apoptosis increased after stimulation with condition medium of PTX-treated BMDMs, but decreased after pretreatment with RvD1 in BMDMs. Finally, Nrf2-HO1 signaling was additionally activated in DRG neurons after stimulation with condition medium of RvD1+PTX-treated BMDMs, but these effects were abolished by FPR2 blocker or IL-10 neutralizing antibody.DiscussionIn conclusion, this study provides evidence that RvD1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the clinical treatment of PINP. RvD1/FPR2 upregulates IL-10 in macrophages under PINP condition, and then IL-10 activates the Nrf2- HO1 pathway in DRG neurons, relieve neuronal damage and PINP.

IntroductionItch is a common symptom of many skin and systemic diseases. Identifying novel endogenous itch mediators and the downstream signaling pathways involved will contribute to the development of new strategies for the treatment of chronic itch. In the present study, we adopted behavioral testing, patch clamp recording and metabonomics analysis to investigate the role of agmatine in itch and the underlying mechanism.MethodsBehavioral analysis was used to evaluate the establishing of acute and chronic itch mice model, and to test the effects of different drugs or agents on mice itch behavior. Western blotting analysis was used to test the effect of agmatine on phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK) expression in the spinal cord. Patch clamp recording was used to determine the effect agmatine on the excitability of DRG neurons and the role of ASIC3. Finally, the metabonomics analysis was performed to detect the concentration of agmatine in the affected skin under atopic dermatitis or psoriasis conditions.ResultsWe fused a mouse model and found that an intradermal injection of agmatine (an endogenous polyamine) into the nape of the neck or cheek induced histamine-independent scratching behavior in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the ablation of nociceptive C-fibers by resiniferatoxin (RTX) abolished agmatine-induced scratching behavior. However, agmatine-induced itch was not affected by the pharmacological inhibition of either transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) or transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1); similar results were obtained from TRPV1−/− or TRPA1−/− mice. Furthermore, agmatine-induced itch was significantly suppressed by the administration of acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) inhibitors, APETx2 or amiloride. Agmatine also induced the upregulation of p-ERK in the spinal cord; this effect was inhibited by amiloride. Current clamp recording showed that the acute perfusion of agmatine reduced the rheobase and increased the number of evoked action potentials in acute dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons while amiloride reversed agmatine-induced neuronal hyperexcitability. Finally, we identified significantly higher levels of agmatine in the affected skin of a mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD) when compared to controls, and the scratching behavior of AD mice was significantly attenuated by blocking ASIC3.DiscussionCollectively, these results provide evidence that agmatine is a novel mediator of itch and induces itch via the activation of ASIC3. Targeting neuronal ASIC3 signaling may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of itch.

Background The carriers of damaging heterozygous variants in interferon regulatory factor 2 binding protein-like (IRF2BPL), encoding a member of the IRF2BP family of transcriptional regulators, may be affected by a variety of neurological symptoms, such as neurodevelopmental regression, language and motor developmental delay, seizures, progressive ataxia and a lack of coordination, and even dystonia. Case presentation We report a Chinese boy who presented with dystonia, dysarthria, and normal development due to nonsense IRF2BPL mutation, with intact imaging and EEG findings but without developmental delays or seizures. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel nonsense variant IRF2BPL (NM_024496) Exon C.562C > T (p.Arg188*). Conclusion This case report presents a Chinese boy with a novel nonsense variant in IRF2BPL, displaying rapid progressive dystonia and dysarthria, without early developmental delay or epilepsy; expands the IRF2BPL phenotypes in the Chinese population; and raises awareness of patients with IRF2BPL.

Ganciclovir (GCV) is a prodrug nucleoside analogue and is clinically used as antiviral drug for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and other infections. Based on the potential anti-inflammatory activity of GCV, this study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of ganciclovir on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC), which may involve cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathways. Our results demonstrated that incubation of GCV (50 μM) inhibited cGAS-STING pathway in macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Then, it was found that intestinal cGAS-STING pathways were upregulated in UC patients, Crohn’s disease colitis (CD) patients, and DSS-induced colitis mice. Intraperitoneal injection of low-dose GCV (10 mg/kg/day) attenuated DSS-induced colitis and abdominal pain in mice. GCV treatment significantly inhibited the upregulation of cGAS-STING pathway in DSS-induced colitis mice. Moreover, DSS-induced colitis and gut dysbiosis was markedly attenuated in STING deficient mice compared with that of wild-type (WT) mice. Finally, there was lacking therapeutic effect of GCV on DSS-induced colitis in STING deficient mice. Together, our results indicated that low-dose GCV ameliorated DSS-induced UC in mice, possibly through inhibiting STING signaling in colonic macrophages, indicating that GCV may be useful for the treatment of UC.

Background: The incidence, risk factors, and pathogenesis of early neurological deterioration (END) in posterior circulation stroke are still unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the risk factors and prognosis of END in patients with acute posterior circulation cerebral infarction. Methods: Acute posterior circulation ischemic stroke patients who had completed neuroimaging within 72 hours of onset were selected from a prospective registry study. Demographic characteristics, physiological data, medical history, laboratory data, in-hospital evaluation, neurological severity and TOAST classification, treatment, and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of patients were assessed. Early neurological deterioration was defined as an increase of ≥2 points in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score between the baseline and 72-hour evaluation. Favorable and poor outcomes were defined as mRSs of 0–2 and ≥3, respectively, at 3 months. The incidence and risk factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate regression analysis (step-back method). Results: The analysis included 455 subjects with an acute posterior circulation non-cardiac ischemic stroke, 330 (72.53%) of them male, with an average age of 63.12 (±10.14) years and with 47 (10.33%) having END. The results of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BATMAN scores ≥5 (OR: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.02–0.53, P < 0.01), large artery atherosclerosis (OR: 11.55, 95% CI: 4.18–31.93, P < 0.01), vascular stenosis >50% (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.1–5.42, P = 0.029), reperfusion therapy (OR: 4.21, 95% CI: 1.66–10.64, P < 0.01), and the distribution of pontine lesions (OR: 5.66, 95% CI: 2.39–13.44, P< 0.01) were significantly associated with END. Patients with END had a lower rate of favorable outcomes at discharge and long-term follow-up (P < 0.001), regardless of whether they received reperfusion therapy. Conclusion: The lesion distribution of the pons, the progression of temporo-occipital lobe lesions, and large arterial atherosclerosis are independent risk factors of END that might predict a poor short- and long-term prognosis.

Sixteen species of the genus Formicococcus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) are recognized from China. Among them, a new species, F. delonicola Zhang & Wu sp. n., is described and illustrated based on adult females collected from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China on Delonix regia (Fabaceae). The new species is similar to Formicococcus latens Williams 2004 in possessing oral collar tubular ducts on the head and in marginal groups on the posterior abdominal segments. However, it differs from the latter in the morphological character states of dorsal setae on abdominal segment VIII, anal ring setae length and tips morphology of cerarian setae. The monotypic genus Anaparaputo Borchsenius 1962 is recognized as a junior synonym of Formicococcus, and Anaparaputo liui Borchsenius 1962 is transferred to Formicococcus as Formicococcus liui (Borchsenius 1962) comb. n. Three species, Paraputo bambusus (Wu 2001), Paraputo eriobotryae (Wang 1985) and Planococcus mumensis Tang 1977 are here restored to Formicococcus, as F. bambusus (Wu 2001) comb. rev., F. eriobotryae Wang 1985 comb. rev. and F. mumensis (Tang 1977) comb. rev. respectively, bringing the number of Formicococcus species found in China to 16. A key to the Palaearctic and Oriental species of Formicococcus is provided.

Our aim is to investigate whether vascular risk factors are associated with cerebral deep medullary veins (DMVs) and whether DMVs are associated with MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) or risk of stroke. In a community-based cohort of 1056 participants (mean age 55.7 years), DMVs were identified on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and counted in periventricular regions. Neuroimaging markers including lacunes, whiter matter hyperintensity (WMH), microbleeds, enlarged perivascular space, and brain atrophy were evaluated. The number of DMVs decreased with age (p = 0.007). After adjusting for age and sex, the number of DMVs was not associated with traditional vascular risk factors. Fewer DMVs was associated with increase of WMH and lacunes, but the association vanished after adjustment for vascular risk factors. However, fewer DMVs were independently associated with brain atrophy (p

In this study, we examined the thermal effects throughout the process of the placement of span-scale girder segments on a 6×110-m continuous steel box girder in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Firstly, when a span-scale girder segment is temporarily stored in the open air, temperature gradients will significantly increase the maximum reaction force on temporary supports and cause local buckling at the bottom of the girder segment. Secondly, due to the temperature difference of the girder segments before and after girth-welding, some residual thermal deflections will appear on the girder segments because the boundary conditions of the structure are changed by the girth-welding. Thirdly, the thermal expansion and thermal bending of girder segments will cause movement and rotation of bearings, which must be considered in setting bearings. We propose control measures for these problems based on finite element method simulation with field-measured temperatures. The local buckling during open-air storage can be avoided by reasonably determining the appropriate positions of temporary supports using analysis of overall and local stresses. The residual thermal deflections can be overcome by performing girth-welding during a period when the vertical temperature difference of the girder is within 1 °C, such as after 22:00. Some formulas are proposed to determine the pre-set distances for bearings, in which the movement and rotation of the bearings due to dead loads and thermal loads are considered. Finally, the feasibility of these control measures in the placement of span-scale girder segments on a real continuous girder was verified: no local buckling was observed during open-air storage; the residual thermal deflections after girth-welding were controlled within 5 mm and the residual pre-set distances of bearings when the whole continuous girder reached its design state were controlled within 20 mm.

This paper aims to address the problem of geometric state control of large-segment steel box girders in offshore hoisting during the construction of large-span bridges. First, the geometric state control indexes of a large-segment steel box girder are determined, such as the manufacturing parameters of the top and bottom slabs, the width of the annular joint, and the support position. Second, the geometric state equations and state transfer matrixes of large-segment steel box girders under different conditions are deduced by taking the mileage and elevation of control points as basic state variables. In application of the geometric state transfer method in the construction control of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the width of the annular joint and the position parameters for the support of the large-segment steel box girder are predicted precisely. Moreover, the manufacturing parameters of the top and bottom slabs of the steel box girders are calculated reliably. The measured values show that the width of the annular joint is basically the same with the difference of less than 2 mm, the eccentricity of bridge support is less than 20 mm, and the elevation error of the bridge deck is within −10 mm to +15 mm, which meets the construction accuracy. Using the geometric state transfer method, the rapid and accurate installation of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been realized, demonstrating that the precise control of the geometric state of a steel box girder with ectopic installation and multi-state transition can be realized by using the geometric state transfer method.

Background and Purpose: To compare the risk factors and risk of stroke between lacune and large perivascular spaces (PVSs) in a community-based sample. Methods: Large PVSs were assessed using 3.0T MRI in a population-based cohort consisting of 1,204 participants. The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors, neuroimaging changes, and incidental stroke risk and the presence of lacune or large PVSs was assessed with univariate and multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 1,204 study participants (55.7 ± 9.3 years, 37.0% men), a total of 347 large PVSs were detected in 235 (19.5%) subjects, while a total of 219 lacunes were detected in 183 subjects (15.2%). The presence of lacunes was found to be significantly associated with age, male gender, hypertension, and diabetes, whereas only age (p < 0.01) and ApoEε4 carrier status (p < 0.01) were related to the presence of large PVSs. Those who had lacunes detected on MRI at baseline had a significant increased risk of stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 4.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–19.07) during the 3-year follow-up independent of age, gender, and other vascular risk factors. However, there was no significant relationship between the presence of large PVSs and incident stroke (HR 3.84; 95% CI, 0.82–18.04). Conclusions: The lack of association between large PVSs and cardiovascular risk factors or risk of stroke indicated a nonvascular pathogenic mechanism underlying large PVSs, suggesting the importance of distinguishing large PVSs from lacunes in clinical practice.

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of pathological death in humans. Although CTHRC1 is a prooncogene highly expressed in a variety of tumor tissues, the specific biological mechanisms of CTHRC1 involvement in cancer development need to be elucidated. Methods: In the present study, nine online bioinformatics databases were employed to explore the potential prognostic and grading value of CTHRC1 in generalized cancer as well as its potential role in regulating tumor immunity. Results: Data from GEPIA2.0, Oncomine, TNMplot, Kaplan-Meier Plotter and TISIDB database had consistently demonstrated that CTHRC1 was associated with the expression, prognosis and typing in most cancer tissues. Cbioportal and SMART analysis revealed that genomic changes and methylation of CTHRC1 in most tumor tissues. Finally, Sangerbox and TIMER database analysis suggested that CTHRC1 was involved in the changes of immune cell components in tumor immune microenvironment, with certain heterogeneity. Meanwhile, CTHRC1 was correlated with TMB, MSI, neoantigen and tumor immune checkpoint, especially CD276. Conclusion: CTHRC1 had the potential as a prognostic and grading molecular marker for pan-cancer. And CTHRC1-related targeting agents may be a novel breakthrough in tumor immunotherapy.

Methylglyoxal (MGO), an endogenous reactive carbonyl compound, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of MGO in diabetic itch and hypoalgesia, two common symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy. Methods: Scratching behavior, mechanical itch (alloknesis), and thermal hypoalgesia were quantified after intradermal (i.d.) injection of MGO in naive mice or in diabetic mice induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Behavioral testing, patch-clamp recording, transgenic mice, and gene expression analysis were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying diabetic itch and hypoalgesia in mice. Results: I.d. injection of MGO evoked dose-dependent scratching in normal mice. Addition of MGO directly activated transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) to induce inward currents and calcium influx in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons or in TRPA1-expressing HEK293 cells. Mechanical itch, but not spontaneous itch was developed in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Genetic ablation of Trpa1 (Trpa1-/- ), pharmacological blockade of TRPA1 and Nav1.7, antioxidants, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase enzyme (MEK) inhibitor U0126 abrogated itch induced by MGO or in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Thermal hypoalgesia was induced by intrathecal (i.t.) injection of MGO or in STZ-induced diabetic mice, which was abolished by MGO scavengers, intrathecal injection of TRPA1 blockers, and in Trpa1-/- mice. Conclusion: This study revealed that Nav1.7 and MGO-mediated activation of TRPA1 play key roles in itch and hypoalgesia in a murine model of type 1 diabetes. Thereby, we provide a novel potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of itch and hypoalgesia induced by diabetic neuropathy.

Itch is a common symptom of skin diseases and significantly reduces patients' quality of life. Melatonin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Our study examined the potential anti-itch effects of melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) in mice.We detected the effects of melatonin and its receptors on acute and chronic itch by conducting itching behavioral experiments in male C57 mice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and calcium ion (CaWe discovered that compound 48/80 (C48/80)- and chloroquine (CQ)-induced scratching were significantly decreased by intraperitoneal (i.p), intradermal, and intrathecal administration of melatonin in a dose-dependent manner in mice, and the co-administration of melatonin receptor antagonists abolished the anti-itch effects of i.d melatonin. The incubation of melatonin significantly decreased the intracellular ROS levels induced by C48/80 and CQ in cultured ND7/23 cells from a mouse x rat hybridoma nerve as neuron. Melatonin inhibited intracellular CaCollectively, our results indicate that melatonin attenuates acute and chronic itch, possibly via melatonin receptors, and its antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects in mice.

Chronic itch is a common distressing symptom of many diseases, which reduced patient's quality of life. The mechanistic study on itch and screening for new anti-itch drugs require the development of new pre-clinical itch animal models. Herein, we established an acute itch model by intradermal (i.d.) injection of low-dose formalin into the neck or cheek in mice. In mice, i.d. injection of formalin (0.1–5%) in the nape of the neck evoked robust scratching behavior in a dose-dependent manner and the dose–response curves showed an inverted “U” shape. I.d. injection of formalin (0.3–0.6%) into the cheek evoked scratching in mice but wiping in rats, while formalin (1.25–5%) induced mixed wiping and scratching behavior in both mice and rats. Further, we found that 0.3% formalin-induced scratching was histamine-independent and significantly attenuated by transient receptor potential ion channel A1 (TRPA1) inhibitor (HC030031) or in TRPA1 knockout (KO) mice, but not affected by transient receptor potential ion channel V1 (TRPV1) inhibitor (capsazepine) or in TRPV1 KO mice. Additionally, 0.3% formalin-induced up-regulation of phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and scratching were suppressed by intrathecal injection of MEK inhibitor U0126 in mice. Incubation of 0.03% formalin induced the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cultured DRG-derived cell line ND7-23, and formalin-induced itch was suppressed by antioxidants in mice. Finally, perfusion of 0.03% formalin induced elevation of intracellular calcium in a subset of primary cultured DRG neurons of mice. Thus, these results indicate that low-dose formalin induced non-histaminergic itch by activation of TRPA1 in mice, which may be employed as a useful acute itch model for screening potential anti-itch drugs.

The arsenic in livestock wastewater would induce adverse impact on the biological treatment technology such as anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play an important role in resisting such toxicity. Unfortunately, the role of EPS in protecting anammox from As(III) and the mechanisms underlying the protection still remains unclear. This work comprehensively evaluated the acute toxicity of arsenic on anammox sludge and investigated the binding property and interaction mechanism. The results revealed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of As(III) on anammox sludge was estimated to be 408 mg L−1, which decreased to 41.97 mg L−1 when EPS was exfoliated. Complexation and hydrophobic interactions were the leading forces in preventing arsenic invasion. Protein was the main component that complexes with As(III), and O–H, –NH, –C O were binding sites. The response sequence of organic component in EPS to As(III) was ordered as hydrocarbons-proteins-polysaccharides-aliphatic amines.

Opioids are the most effective analgesics used in the clinical management of cancer pain or non-cancer pain. However, chronic opioids therapy can cause many side effects including respiratory depression, nausea, sedation, itch, constipation, analgesic tolerance, hyperalgesia, high addictive potential, and abuse liability. Opioids exert their effects through binding to the opioid receptors belonging to the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) family, including mu opioid receptor (MOR), delta opioid receptor (DOR), and kappa opioid receptor (KOR). Among them, MOR is essential for opioid-induced analgesia and also responsible for adverse effects of opioids. Importantly, MOR can form heterodimers with other opioid receptors and non-opioid receptors in vitro and in vivo, and has distinct pharmacological properties, different binding affinities for ligands, downstream signaling, and receptor trafficking. This mini review summarized recent progress on the function of Mu opioid receptor heterodimers, and we proposed that targeting mu opioid receptor heterodimers may represent an opportunity to develop new therapeutics, especially for chronic pain treatment.

To explore the combined effect of recombinant human transforming growth factor-β1 (rhTGF-β1) and recombinant human platelet derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) on the expression of Pyk2 in the osteoclasts of the pressure side of orthodontic tooth in rats.One hundred and sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group(A) and control group(B) to establish orthodontic tooth movement model. Rats in the experimental group received combined injection of 5 ng rhTGF-β1 and 10 ng rhPDGF-BB in the buccal submucosal area of the left upper first molar every other day, while rats in the control group received equivalent volumes of PBS. Rats in each group were sacrificed at each of 5 time points(1,4,7,10 and 14 days) after appliance placement. The distance of the tooth movement was measured with stereomicroscope, the change of the amount of osteoclasts was detected with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase histochemistry (TRAP), the protein and mRNA expression of Pyk2 was detected by immunohistochemistry and real time PCR(RT-PCR). SPSS19.0 software package was used for statistical analysis.The distance of teeth in group A moved more rapidly than in group B, except for the first day, significant differences were found (P0.05) in all time points.The number of osteoclasts in group A was significantly higher than that in group B, except for the 14th day, compared with the control group(P0.05). Pyk2 protein and gene expression of group A was significantly higher than group B, both groups reached a peak in 7 days and gradually decreased thereafter, except in the first day, the expression of protein Pyk2 was significantly different at other time points (P0.05).rhTGF-β1 and rhPDGF-BB up-regulated the expression of Pyk2 protein and mRNA gene on the pressure side of orthodontic tooth in rats, which may be one of the reasons for accelerating the rate of orthodontic tooth movement.

Sulfide has attracted increasing attention due to its odor nuisance, toxicity and corrosion. Although variations in the nitrogen removal performance of anammox under sulfide stress have been reported previously, understanding the microorganisms at the molecular level is of greater significance. This study first deciphered the microbial community and functional gene response of anammox sludge to sulfide stress. Results showed that 20 mg L−1 sulfide could reduce specific anammox activity by 61.7%. The protein-like substances within extracellular polymeric substances were quenched at the end of the experiment. Moreover, the relative abundance of Candidatus Kuenenia significantly decreased from 28.7% to 6.4% while Thiobacillus increased from 0 to 7.2% due to sulfide stress. Furthermore, the abundances of functional genes (hzsA, hdh, nirK and nirS) significantly decreased when the sulfide concentration reached 20 mg L−1. These findings provide a further theoretical basis for the anammox process for nitrogen removal from wastewater containing sulfide.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process exhibits advantages in treating high-ammonium livestock wastewater, while the anammox bacteria is vulnerable to heavy metal and antibiotics. Arsenic and sulfonamides extensively existed in livestock wastewater; unfortunately, their effects on the anammox process have not yet been investigated. This work comprehensively evaluated the single and joint effects of As(III) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on the anammox process and revealed the related inhibitory mechanism. Anammox had extraordinary resistance to As(III) stress (0–50 mg L−1), while nitrogen removal sharply deteriorated under the stress from 50 mg L−1 As(III) and 3 mg L−1 SMX. Exogenous As(III) damaged the protection of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and aggravated the inhibition of SMX. As(III) had direct toxic effects on anammox bacteria, while enhanced denitrifying capacity was the reason for inhibition of anammox by SMX. Moreover, the host arsenic resistance genes were changed under SMX inhibition. The findings of this study enrich our knowledge of the anammox response to various pollutants, and provide the operational guidance for anammox process to treat wastewater containing antibiotic and heavy metal.

A study of the genus Paraputo Laing, 1929 (Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) from China is provided. Eight Paraputo species are recognized in China, of which two species, P. platani sp. n. and P. yunnanensis sp. n., are described as new and P. banzigeri Williams, 2004 is recorded from China for the first time. Two new combinations are introduced, involving transfer of P. citricola Tang, 1992 and P. sinensis Borchsenius, 1962 to the genus Formicococcus Takahashi, 1928. A key to the Paraputo species of China is provided.

Background Parkinsonism-related motor complaints are commonly seen in the elderly. Our study aimed to investigate the association among Parkinsonism-related motor complaints, cerebral small vessel disease and cerebrovascular risk factors in a community-dwelling population in a Chinese rural area.Methods Individuals who were 50 years old or older, were independently living, were well-functioning, and had no history of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, were included. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), quantified motor function assessment, and questionnaire screening for Parkinsonism-related motor complaints were performed. Clinical data including cerebrovascular risk factors were collected. In univariate analysis, Chi-square test and student t-test were used to compare dichotomous variables and continuous variables, respectively, between individuals with or without motor complaints. In multivariate analysis, binary Logistic regression models were generated to determine risk factors for Parkinsonism-related motor complaints. General linear models were used to compare motor parameters between individuals with or without motor complaints. Results In the final analysis, 854 people were included. Individuals with motor complaints had a longer time for finger taping (6.2s v.s. 5.6s, p = 0.006), and a longer time for 3m-walking(4.0s v.s. 3.6s, p = 0.034) than did those without motor complaints. Hypertension was associated with motor complaints (odds ratio, 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], [1.21, 2.73]; p = 0.004). Age was not associated with motor complaints; none of the neuroimaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease was associated with motor complaints. Conclusion Hypertension is associated with Parkinsonism-related motor complaints. Better management of hypertension may prevent mobility limitation in the elderly. The questionnaire that we used for Parkinsonism is not suitable for screening small vessel disease in a community-dwelling population.

A modified viscoelastic constitutive model is proposed to predict cure-induced residual stresses in polymer matrix composites. The modifications rely on using the inverse of the Deborah number to describe regimes corresponding to a fully relaxed state, a viscoelastic state and an elastic state. The composite is only in a viscoelastic state for limited ranges of the Deborah number. By considering the evolution of the Deborah number during curing of the AS4/3501-6 composite, the composite is in a fully relaxed state when it is cured at high temperature and the degree of cure is lower than 0.73, and no further changes in the viscoelastic characteristics when the degree of cure is higher than 0.8. A 3D simulation of a composite laminate plate is used to predict the evolution of the residual stresses. The analysis reveals that the accurate simulation on the cure-induced residual stress should include the last two states of the entire cure process, and consider the stress relaxation, thermal deformation and chemical shrinkage.

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are an insect group that feeds on plant sap; many are major pests of ornamental plants and crops worldwide. The difficulty of morphological identification of mealybugs points to a need for a rapid and effective identification method, like DNA barcoding, to assist morphological taxonomy. Here, we employed diverse methods (best close match [BCM], Neighbor-Joining [NJ] tree, Barcoding with LOGic formulas [BLOG], Poisson Tree Process [PTP] Species Delimitation Method) to test the efficiency of two molecular markers (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I [COI] and large ribosomal subunit gene [28S]) that could be used for species identification of 54 mealybug species that commonly occur in China. Two hundred six COI barcodes (47 species) and 242 28S sequences (53 species) were recovered from 246 individuals. In both the COI and 28S data sets, species except for Planococcus citri and P. minor were unambiguously identified by all the methods. The PTP analysis based on COI sequences generated more putative species in Antonina tesquorum , Atrococcus paludinus , and Formicococcus sp. than morphological identification. Among these three cases, the sequences of At. paludinus showed 3.55% variation at the 28S locus, possibly reflecting cryptic diversity in this taxon. Our study corroborates the utility of the COI and 28S genes in the rapid identification of mealybugs, and the barcode library we provide will create an effective identification system for mealybug pest management in China.

Environmental pollution by antibiotics has severely affected human health and development. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have also been recognized as emerging pollutants because of their persistence and adverse impacts in aquatic ecosystems, even at low concentrations. For the alleviation and elimination of antibiotics stress, several approaches have been proposed, some of which have been applied in practice. This review systematically summarizes the removal strategies for various antibiotics and their corresponding mechanisms, including chemical, physical, biological, condition-based and combined strategies. Moreover, a comparison among these methods is made with a focus on the performance and efficiency. Further research needs are also proposed, which provides a guidance for the establishment of a control strategy to achieve simultaneous removal of nitrogen, antibiotics and ARGs.

The mealybug genus Saccharicoccus Ferris includes three species: S. isfarensis (Borchsenius, 1949), S. sacchari (Cockerell, 1895) and a new species, S. chinensis Zhang, Wu & Wu sp. n. The new species, collected on Miscanthus sp. (Poaceae) and other poaceous weeds in China, is described and illustrated, and molecular analyses based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) are provided. Additional data on the distribution and host-plants of each species are given, and a key to the adult females of Saccharicoccus species is provided.

A new mealybug genus, Dorsoceraricoccus Dong & Wu gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), is described to contain Dysmicoccus muajatae Williams as type species, and a new species, Dorsoceraricoccus ningboensis Dong & Wu sp. nov., collected from Zhejiang Province, China on Digitaria sp. (Poaceae). For the new species, the adult female is described and illustrated. In addition, a key to genera of the subfamily Pseudococcinae now known from China and a key to adult female now in Dorsoceraricoccus gen. nov. are provided.

A study of the genus Paraputo Laing, 1929 (Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) from China is provided. Eight Paraputo species are recognized in China, of which two species, P. platani sp. n. and P. yunnanensis sp. n., are described as new and P. banzigeri Williams, 2004 is recorded from China for the first time. Two new combinations are introduced, involving transfer of P. citricola Tang, 1992 and P. sinensis Borchsenius, 1962 to the genus Formicococcus Takahashi, 1928. A key to the Paraputo species of China is provided.

The kinetics of nitrogen absorption in Fe-Cr-Mn (Mo) alloys under 0.1 MPa nitrogen pressure and 1873K was investigated by top blowing nitrogen gas into the steel melts. A thermodynamic model of nitrogen solubility was established. Also the effect of surface active elements oxygen and sulfur on nitrogen absorption was studied. The results show that Fe-Cr-Mn (Mo) melts achieve nitrogen saturation value within 50 minutes, the nitrogen solubility increases with the content of chromium and manganese, but the experiment values of nitrogen solubility are general lower than theoretical values because of the open nitrogen gas atmosphere and high surface active elements content in the steel melts. The nitrogen absorption can be described well by a second order reaction and the interfacial reaction is restrictive step. The rate of nitrogen absorption decreases by lowering the surface reaction constant due to oxygen and sulfur in the steel melts. The effect of the surface active elements oxygen and sulfur on nitrogen absorption can be described well as .

A two-dimensional axisymmetric model was constructed to predict the ablation of the insulation layer in an end burning rocket motor by using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software Fluent. The insulation material of graphite was used in the model. The wall surface reactions and discrete phase erosion were applied to simulate the insulation layer ablation. The influence of the burning surface movement was analyzed by using the dynamic mesh method. Numerical results show that the erosion rate increase with the increasing of burning time. The maximum erosion rate occurs at the upstream of the nozzle throat. There has a high erosion rate closing to the burning surface, and it decreases gradually away from the burning surface and becomes zero near the nozzle. It’s found that solid particle deposition appears on the inner surface of combustor closing to the nozzle, and it increases with the increasing of time.

The feasibility of using the partial nitration (PN) process to treat wastewater containing tetracycline (TC) and Zn(II) was evaluated in this study. The community structure was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR. The results suggested that the IC50 of TC and Zn(II) on the PN sludge were 235.8 and 41.8 mg L−1, respectively. The PN sludge was insensitive to TC at a relatively high concentration (≤300 mg L−1) during the short-term exposure. Long-term test demonstrated that the PN sludge could tolerate 150 mg L−1 of TC after a domestication period. The PN performance was significantly inhibited when the concentration of Zn(II) reached 5 mg L−1. Real-time PCR revealed that the dynamics of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were indicative for the operation of the PN process. The analyses also indicated that there was a direct correlation between the size of the indicative population and PN performance.

A new mealybug, Crisicoccus ziziphus sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), collected on the leaves and twigs of Ziziphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae), is described from China. All the female developmental stages (adult, third-instar, second-instar and first-instar nymphs) are described and illustrated. Keys are provided to separate the female instars and to identify adult females of Crisicoccus species from China.

The micro/nanofibrils of poplar could be prepared by treatment of ultrasonic. The properties of micro/nanofibrils were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results indicated that poplar micro/nanofibril was the same as raw fiber in chemical compositions and crystal structure. The crystallinity of micro/nanofibrils was 84.99 percent, increased by 20 percent compared to original fiber after ultrasonic crushing. The micro/nanofibril diameter was from 50 nm to 1 μm.The internal bond strength (IB) of wheat-straw fiberboard could be significantly improved by adding poplar micro/nanofibril suspension to the urea formaldehyde resin adhesive(UF),when the adding amount of poplar micro/nanofibril suspension was 15wt percent, the IB of wheat-straw fiberboard was up to 0.86 MPa.

According to two parameters combination of the material thickness and air-gap depth, from the angle of pure optimization, this paper obtained the optimal parameters of single cavity and double cavity structure by using the simulated annealing algorithm for single cavity and double cavity of aluminum foam sound absorption structure of systematically optimization design at 100-4000HZ frequency band. Finally, studying effect of increasing the number of cavity on aluminum foam sound absorption properties.

The anode material BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3− δ (BZCYYb) for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is prepared by solid state reaction method and its chemical compatibility with Y 2 O 3 stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ) is evaluated. The electrochemical performance of the pure and Pd- and Cu 0.5 Pd 0.5 -impreganated BZCYYb electrodes is characterized in the temperature range between 650 and 750 °C by AC impedance spectroscopy in H 2 and/or CH 4 atmospheres, respectively, under the condition of open circuit. It is confirmed that the BZCYYb is chemically compatible with the YSZ at temperatures below 1000 °C. The polarization resistance of the BZCYYb anode in H 2 is decreased from 2.08 to 0.51 Ω cm 2 as the measuring temperature increases from 650 to 750 °C with an activation energy of 117 kJ mol −1 . With Pd- or Cu 0.5 Pd 0.5 -impregnation, the polarization resistance of the BZCYYb electrode in H 2 is reduced significantly to approximately 0.40 Ω cm 2 at 650 °C and 0.12 Ω cm 2 at 750 °C. With dry CH 4 as the fuel, the polarization resistance of the Pd- and Cu 0.5 Pd 0.5 -impregnated BZCYYb anodes is obviously increased below 1.00 Ω cm 2 at 650 °C and 0.22 Ω cm 2 at 750 °C. Both Pd and Cu 0.5 Pd 0.5 impregnations are equivalently effective in enhancing the electrochemical performance of the BZCYYb anode.

Building space cooling load affected by lots of factors,was transient, multi-dimensional and highly interactive. A model of online least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) was established to forecast the space cooling load of building, and correlation analysis was used to find out the main influencing factors, such as, dry-bulb temperature, solar irradiance, and so on. As an example, the hourly space cooling load of an office building in shanghai was investigated. The hourly space cooling load was firstly calculated by the simulation software of DEST, and then, an online LS-SVM model was presented to forecast the load. The simulation results showed that the online LS-SVM model was effective for space cooling load prediction.

The transmission spectrum of the coated phase-shifted long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) with single and multiple phase shifts is analyzed by the coupled-mode theory and the transfer matrix method, and the influences of the film parameters on the spectral characteristics are also studied. It is shown that these parameters will affect the LPFG filtering characteristics. The loss peak of transmission spectrum decreases with the increase of film thickness, and the peak position shifts with the film refractive index. Compared with the non-coated phase-shifted LPFG, the coated one has the similar desirable filtering characteristics, and it has a flexible ability to adjust the transmission properties.

The dynamic compressive behavior of Al2O3 (10% vol.) / TiB2 ceramic composite had been tested by using a split Hopkinson pressure bar in this paper. The results show that the main failure modes of the ceramic composite include crushed failure and split fracture along the loading direction. The former is the typical compressive failure of brittle materials. The later is tensile failure along the flaws produced during the composite manufacturing. The numerical simulation was also used to study the effect of the diameter/length ratio of the samples on the experimental results. The effect of the deformation in the bars’ ends, which contacted with the samples, was also studied in the numerical models.

To explore the combined effects of recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor-BB(rhPDGF-BB)and recombinant human transforming growth factor-β1 (rhTGF-β1) on protein expression of FAK in osteolasts of the pressure side of orthodontic tooth in rats.One hundred and sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group(A) and control group(B). Each group was subdivided equally into 5 subgroups. Orthodontic tooth movement model was established. The experimental group received injection of 0.1 mL solution, containing 10 ng rhPDGF-BB and 5 ng rhTGF-β1 every other day from day 1. Rats in each subgroup were sacrificed at each of five time points(1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days) after appliance placement. The distances of the teeth movement were measured using stereomicroscope, and the changes of the amount of osteoclasts were detected by using tartrate resistant acid phosphatase histochemistry (TRAP). The protein expressions of FAK were assayed by immunohistochemical technique. SPSS17.0 software package was used for statistics analysis.Teeth in group A moved more rapidly than group B, and there were significant differences between 2 groups (P0.05) except subgroup A1 and B1(P0.05). The number of osteoclasts in group A was significantly higher than in group B. Except at 14 days, significant differences existed in between other time points (P0.05). The protein expression of FAK in group A was significantly higher than in group B at any time points.The combined effects of rhPDGF-BB and rhTGF-β1 up-regulate the protein expression of FAK within osteoclast in the pressure side, further promoted osteoclast differentiation, proliferation and bone resorption, thus accelerate the rate of orthodontic tooth movement.

To investigate the effect of salvia miltiorhiza on the expression of TGF-β1 within periodontal tissues during orthodontic tooth movement in rat.One hundred and ninety-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (group A, B, C and D). Group A and B were used as orthodontic tooth movement model based on afterburner time. Group A, C and B, D were injected salvia miltiorhiza and NS under the buccal mucosa of left maxillary first molar every other day. Animals in each group were sacrificed at 6 time points (day 1,3,5,7,10 and 14) after appliance placement for collection of specimens. The distance of the tooth movement was measured by stereomicroscope, periodontal tissue was investigated by H-E staining and the protein expression of TGF-β1 was examined by immunohistochemical techniques. SPSS17.0 software package was used for statistical analysis.Except for the first day, the protein expression of TGF-β1 in group A was highest and there was significant up-regulation on day 3, with a peak on day 5. Compared with group B, the average optical density of TGF-β1 in group A was 0.5181±0.0037 on day 3, 0.5857±0.00235 on day 5 and 0.4363±0.0021 on day 7, both with significant differences (P0.01). Compared with group C and group D, significant differences were formed at each time point in group A (P0.05).Salvia injection may improve periodontal tissue microcirculation,thus promote the expression of TGF-β1 protein,which may be one of the mechanisms to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. Supported by Research Fund of Science and Technology of Honghuagang District, Zunyi City[(2010)11].

The dynamic behaviour of ceramic particle reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) is a key to its application. In this paper, the computational micro-mechanics method (CMM) is used to simulate SHPB experiment of MMCs. The numerical SHPB’s specimen of MMCs is firstly generated by CMM. Then, for verifying the correction of numerical experiment, the Al2O3/6061- T6Al composite is used to carry out numerical experiment, and the Johnson-Holmquist (JH-2) damage model is used to describe the ceramic mechanics behaviour, and a comparison between this numerical method and Unit Cell analytical model is carried out. Lastly, the dynamic behaviour of T6061Al/Al2O3 is investigated by this method.

Dynamic response and fracture of high strength boride/alumina ceramic composite were investigated by split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiment in this paper. The compressive stress–strain curves and dynamic compression strength of the composites were tested. The surface’s microstructure of fractured composites were examined by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate the fracture mechanism. The results show that boride/alumina has high dynamic compressive strength and high Young’s modulus. The main fracture mode of the material is the fracture of the ceramic grains. The micro-voids and flaws, generated during the sintering and manufacturing of material and mechanical process of specimen, decrease the strength of the material because they provide the source of crack expansion when the material undergoes the dynamic loadings.

In this paper, the effect of imperfect inner interface on the stress fields in the coated inclusion composite is investigated, the spring-layer of vanishing thickness model is introduced to simulate the imperfect interface, assuming that across the interface between the inclusion and the coating the interfacial traction is continuous while displacement discontinuities are permitted through interfacial traction-displacement jump relations. Numerical examples corresponding to the composites containing single coated spherical and fibrous inclusion, respectively, under shear loading at infinity, are calculated, which indicate that the imperfect inner interfaces have significant effect on stress fields of the composites.

Conducting infrared thermographic nondestructive testing (NDT) by the internal heat generated by Joule effect of components is a new heating approach for flaw detection. Due to the combination of electric field and thermal field, the irregular geometric boundary and the complicated internal heat source distribution, the theoretical solution of transient temperature field is very difficult. Nowadays numerical solution by FEM and FDM is mainly applied. By adopting certain assumptions, this paper presents a method to obtain the approximate temperature field by using Green’s function, and gives the solution of a two-dimensional rectangular field including a circular flaw. By contrast, the result tallies with the FEM results well.

A new mealybug, Crisicoccus ziziphus sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae), collected on the leaves and twigs of Ziziphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae), is described from China. All the female developmental stages (adult, third-instar, second-instar and first-instar nymphs) are described and illustrated. Keys are provided to separate the female instars and to identify adult females of Crisicoccus species from China.

To evaluate the performance of tumor markers (TM) measurements in clinical laboratories by external quality assessment (EQA) and investigate the comparability of assays for TM.Ten quality control sera specimens were distributed to 586 laboratories by global Express Mail Services (EMS) in March 2008 and tested twice with 5 specimens each time. Analytes were total prostate specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), beta-HCG, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), beta-2-microglobulin and ferritin. The collected data were divided into peer groups according to analyzers or methods and the median of peer group was adopted as the target value (TV) separately after outlier removal. Two standard deviations of the median were set as the limit of difference.The first TM EQA results of 2008 showed that the pass percentage of all participating laboratories ranged from 87.3% (CA125) to 95.5% (beta-2-microglobulin). And the second batch ranged from 83.5% (HCG) to 94.0% (beta-2-microglobulin). The coefficient variances (CVs) of intra-group values determined by automatic analyzers were lesser than 15% for each test of every specimen. The CVs of radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were over 20% and 50% respectively. The inter-group medians of 9 tests showed CVs20% with HCG 13.4% and ferritin 15.7%. The CV of paired medians of some automatic analyzers was small and showed no statistical significance (all Z1.890, all P0.05).The analytical performance of automatic analyzers is superior to RIA and ELISA. There is an excellent comparability within automatic analyzers for TM measurements and a lack of comparability within RIA and ELISA. Noncomparability is found in over 80% of TM assays.