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Semantic Inpainting on Segmentation Map (SISM) aims to manipulate segmentation maps by semantics. Recent works show SISM provides semantic-aware auxiliary information for better style or structure manipulations. Providing structural assistance, segmentation maps have been broadly used as an intermediate interface to achieve better image manipulation. Mainstream solutions of image manipulation use Generative Adversarial Net (GAN) globally, locally or jointly. It is also applicable to SISM. However, the discriminator of global GAN is easier fooled, because the majority of its input is the same as the ground-truth, which is hard to fully mitigate the inconsistency between inpainted areas and the context. The inconsistency is more difficult for local GAN to address, due to the lack of context in its input. To mitigate the inconsistency, we propose a novel Multi-Expansion (MEx) loss. It is implemented by the adversarial loss on MEx areas. Each MEx area has the inpainted area as dominance and keeps knowledge of the scene context, so the consistency of the SISM results can be boosted. We propose an approximation of MEx loss, i.e., A-MEx loss, to further enhance the stability and usability. Besides performing well on SISM tasks, MEx loss also performs impressively on natural image inpainting. Extensive experiments on the two tasks demonstrate the advantages of our model over existing methods on four challenging datasets, such as a 2.59% increase in Hamm on SISM in Cityscape and a decrease of 5.00% FID on natural image inpainting in CMP Facade. The code of our work is available at: https://github.com/he159ok/AMEx-MEx-Loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We assessed qHPV vaccine immunogenicity/safety in Chinese females aged 9–26 years (83/85). • The qHPV vaccine elicited robust anti-HPV6/11/16/18 responses in Chinese females (82/85). • Non-inferior immunogenicity was observed in younger versus older Chinese females (82/85). • The qHPV vaccine was generally well tolerated in Chinese females aged 9–26 years (82/85). The quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV; HPV6/11/16/18) vaccine was approved for use in Chinese women aged 20–45 years in 2017. This Phase 3, open-label study (NCT03493542) aimed to assess immunogenicity and safety of the qHPV vaccine in Chinese girls aged 9–19 years versus Chinese young women aged 20–26 years; we report results from Day 1 through Month 7. The study will continue through Month 60 to assess antibody persistence in Chinese girls aged 9–19 years. Participants aged 9–26 years received three doses of the qHPV vaccine (Day 1, Month 2, Month 6). Geometric mean titers (GMTs) and seroconversion percentages for anti-HPV6/11/16/18 antibodies were determined by competitive Luminex immunoassay (cLIA) in serum samples obtained on Day 1 and at Month 7. Injection-site adverse events (AEs) and systemic AEs within 30 days post-vaccination, and serious AEs (SAEs) occurring at any time during the study, were recorded. In total, 766 participants (383 aged 9–19 years; 383 aged 20–26 years) were enrolled and received ≥1 vaccine dose. All participants in the per-protocol immunogenicity population of both age groups seroconverted to each of the vaccine HPV types at Month 7. Anti-HPV6/11/16/18 antibody GMTs at Month 7 in participants aged 9–19 years were non-inferior to those in participants aged 20–26 years. Injection-site AEs and systemic AEs were reported by 36.6% and 49.3% of 9–19-year-olds, and 40.7% and 54.8% of 20–26-year-olds, respectively. There were no vaccine-related SAEs. No participants discontinued the vaccine due to an AE and no deaths were reported. Antibody responses induced by the 3-dose qHPV vaccination regimen in Chinese girls aged 9–19 years were non-inferior to those in Chinese young women aged 20–26 years. The vaccine was generally well tolerated in the study population. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03493542. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Sol-gel synthesis of Y 2 O 3 :Yb3+, Er3+ nanophosphors. • The 1.534 μm emission of Y 2 O 3 :Yb3+, Er3+ enhanced greatly with Ce3+ doping. • The green and red upconversion emission of the phosphors was restrained. • The effective energy transfer between Er3+ and Ce3+ enhanced 1.534 μm emission. Abstract Nano-sized Y 2 O 3 :Yb3+, Er3+ phosphors were synthesized by sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, near-infrared and upconversion fluorescence spectroscopy. The phosphors calcined at 1100 °C for 2 h were confirmed to be cubic Y 2 O 3 phase with well-crystallized particles. With the introduction of Ce3+ ions at proper doping concentration, the 1.534 μm emission of Er3+ was found to be greatly enhanced, while the green and red upconversion emission intensity obviously decreased. The enhancement of 1.534 μm emission could be attributed to the phonon-assisted energy transfer process between Ce3+ and Er3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y 2 O 3 :Yb3+, Er3+, Eu3+ phosphors with different Yb3+, Er3+ and Eu3+ doping concentrations were prepared by sol-gel method using glycine as a chelating agent. The effect of Yb3+/Er3+/Eu3+ doping concentrations on the upconversion and near-infrared spectral performances of the synthesized phosphors were investigated. The XRD analysis shows that the samples calcined at 1000 °C for 2 h are well-crystallized and show a pure cubic Y 2 O 3 phase. Upon excitation of 980 nm excitation source, the emission intensity of green/red upconversion and 1.54 μm near-infrared emission of the samples can be adjusted with the variation of Eu3+ doping concentrations. The samples also display a color-tunable upconversion emission with the variation of Eu3+ doping concentration and the excitation power of 980 nm laser diode. In addition, the energy transfer mechanism among Yb3+, Er3+ and Eu3+ in upconversion and 1.54 μm emission processes are also discussed. • Sol-gel synthesis of Y 2 O 3 :Yb3+, Er3+, Eu3+ phosphors. • 980 nm LD excited color-tunable upconversion luminescence. • Eu3+ doping can apparently enhance the 1.54 μm NIR emission intensity of the samples. • Applications in optical communications, eye-safe laser, display devices, solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel method named Multi-label Double-layer Learning (MDLL) for multi-label cross-modal retrieval task. MDLL includes two stages (layers): L2C (Label to Common) and C2L (Common to Label). In the L2C stage, considering that labels can provide semantic information, we take label information as an auxiliary modality and apply a covariance matrix to represent label similarity in multi-label situation. Thus we can maximize the correlation of different modalities and reduce their semantic gap in the L2C stage. In addition, we find that samples with the same semantic labels may have different contents from users’ view. According to this problem, in the C2L stage, labels are projected to a latent space learned from features of image and text. By this way, the label latent space are more related to the sample’s contents. Then, it is noticed that the samples have same labels but various contents can be decreased. In MDLL, iterative learning of the L2C and C2L stages will improve the discriminative ability greatly and decline the discrepancy between the labels and the contents. To show the effectiveness of MDLL, some experiments are conducted on three multi-label cross-modal retrieval tasks (Pascal Voc 2007, Nus-wide, and LabelMe), on which competitive results are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of three-dimensional virtual planning and the use of a plate-embedded surgical guide in mandibular reconstruction with microvascular fibula flaps.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 35 patients who underwent primary mandibular reconstruction with a free fibula flap. They were divided into three groups according to the therapy they received. In group A, 12 patients underwent reconstruction using the modified surgical guide system, including virtual surgeries, pre-bent titanium plates, screw-predesignated cutting guides for mandibular and fibular osteotomies, and plate-embedded shaping guides. In group B, 14 patients underwent reconstruction using the common surgical guide system, including virtual surgeries, cutting guides and pre-bent plates. In group C, 9 patients underwent reconstruction based on the surgeon's experience. All cases were reviewed for the total operative time, ischemia time of the fibula flaps, accuracy of surgery, and postoperative complications.Results: All of the fibula flaps survived. In group A, the ischemia time was shorter than that of groups B and C (P < .05). The average gonion and condyle shift was lower in group A than in groups B and C (P < .01).Conclusions: Application of the screw-predesignated and plate-embedded surgical guide system can reduce the ischemia time and operation time in mandibular reconstruction with a fibula flap, and can increase reconstruction accuracy. This method is a precise and highly reliable technique for improving the clinical outcome of mandibular reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical observations of continental outcrops and marine sediments provide insights into the nature of bedrock and erosion in Antarctica. The accelerated melt of ice shelves has increased the flux of terrigenous materials to the marginal seas and has changed the sedimentological environment. We characterized the provenance of the surficial fine-grained detrital sediments in the front ends of major ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea, Ross Sea, and Prydz Bay sections through comparisons to proximal rocks using the elemental compositions, as well as the Sr and Nd isotopic compositions, of the clay-size (<2 μm) fraction, rock samples, and bulk sediments and some residual fractions. The results show that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of clay-size sediments range from 0.70962 to 0.71662, 0.70936 to 0.71960, and 0.72569 to 0.73492, and that the εNd values range from −2.1 to +0.8, −10.9 to −1.43, and −22.3 to −17. 3 in the Amundsen Sea, Ross Sea, and Prydz Bay, respectively, while those of rocks range from 0.70350 to 0.77080 and from 5.1 to −22.4 in all three areas. Elemental compositions of both bulk sediments and the clay-size fraction in the Western Ross Sea have similar patterns to those in Prydz Bay, showing that most major elements (e.g., Mg, Ca, and Fe) are lower than in the upper continental crust (UCC). Chondrite-normalized rare earth elements (REEs) are highest in the bulk sediments of the Amundsen Sea and lowest in the clay-size fraction of all three sections. We concluded that clay-size sediments in the Western Amundsen Sea shelf are largely from the Eastern Amundsen Sea coastal area, while some sediments reflect contributions from the Hobbs Coast due to gravitational currents. The Western Ross Sea can receive sediments from both East Antarctica and West Antarctica, while the clay-size fractions of western sites in Transect R (a latitudinal transect near Inexpressible Island, East Antarctica) in this study are mainly from southeastern Victoria Land, transported northward by bottom currents. The contribution from coarse ice-rafted debris (IRD) is minor, possibly because of blocking by the Drygalski Ice Tongue. The clay-size sediments of Eastern Prydz Bay are largely contributed by Princess Elisabeth Land and western Wilhelm II Land, while those in Western Prydz Bay are possibly derived from the Lambert-Amery Ice Shelf system and the western coast. These very fine-grained sediments are generally affected by oceanic currents (e.g., Antarctic Coastal Currents and Antarctic Bottom Currents). Most residual fraction show very similar εNd values to the bulk of clay-size sediments. It indicates that authigenic phases are generally sourced from similar regions to the silicate component of clay-size sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During the R/V Xuelong Arctic cruise in summer 2008, we investigated bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton abundance, biomass, spatial distribution, and these variables'' relationship with environmental variables in the Western Canada Basin. The bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton abundances in the upper 200m of the water column were 0.17–8.38×105 cellsml−1 and 0.01–17.71×106 cellsL−1, respectively. The average integrated bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton biomasses in the upper 100m of the water column were 413.3 and 118.8mgCm−2, respectively. Microbial biomass was comparable with previous reports and distributed mainly in the upper 50m of the water column. The bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton biomasses decreased with increasing latitude. Compared with eastern transects, which were strongly influenced by an influx of Pacific water, the western transects had relatively low temperature, high salinity, high nutrients, and high biomass. No significant relationships were detected between assemblages and water temperature or salinity, expect for one between bacterioplankton and salinity in the latitudinal transects. However, a significant negative correlation between picophytoplankton and nutrients and a significant positive correlation between bacterioplankton and picophytoplankton were observed. We suggest that this was mainly caused by the relatively low picophytoplankton biomass, occurrence of heavy stratification (nutricline), and the subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) in study area. Heavy melting of sea ice in summer increases the stratification, which obstructs nutrient supplementation from deep waters, and this might increase the role of microbial assemblages in the upper water column in the Arctic basin area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: SnO2–Ta2O5 based varistors doped with 0–2.0mol% of ZnO were prepared by sintering the samples at 1450°C for 2h with conventional ceramic processing method. The doping effect of ZnO on the microstructural and electrical properties of the as-prepared SnO2–Ta2O5 based varistor ceramics was investigated. The change in SnO2 lattice parameter and EDX analysis both confirmed the doping of Zn ions into SnO2 grains, although the identified phase was only SnO2 (cassiterite) by X-ray diffraction in detection limit. The microstructure observation indicated that the doped ZnO can facilitate the sintering of the varistor ceramics. The measured electric-field/current-density characteristics of the samples revealed that the nonlinear exponents and varistor voltage increased with increasing doping amount of ZnO when the ZnO content was no more than 0.5mol%; and more addition of ZnO would cause a decrease in nonlinear exponent and varistor voltage of the ceramic varistors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Amyloid β peptide plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer''s disease (AD). Transition metals, such as Cu(II), Zn(II), and Fe(III) are found in Aβ plaques, and they have been shown to affect Aβ aggregation. Here we investigated the interactions between metal ions and Aβ1–16 by a flow-injection surface plasmon resonance spectrometry (SPR). Our study revealed that both Zn(II) and Cu(II) promoted human Aβ1–16 conformation change but the Zn(II)-induced conformation change is greater. However, rat Aβ1–16 binds Zn(II) less avidly and hardly any conformation change, this may due to three point substitutions, R5G, Y10F, and H13R in rat Aβ1–16 which appear to alter the physicochemical properties of the peptide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pigment absorption property of two arctic microalgae species (Skeletonema marinoi and Chlorella sp.) cultured at three temperatures (0, 4 and 8°C) was analyzed. Carotenoids and chlorophyll (Chl) c were positive factors to the high cell activities and primary productivities of S. marinoi at 4°C and 0°C, respectively; whereas Chl a had a positive effect on Chlorella sp. at all three temperatures, and carotenoids had a relatively high effect at 0°C. The absorption locations of photopigments were analyzed in detail using both fourth derivative and Symlet-6 wavelet analysis. Both methods precisely detected pigments with a relative large content; the fourth derivative analysis specifically detected the existence of a Chl a peak at about 410nm and showed better differentiation of diatoxanthin, whereas the wavelet analysis distinctively indicated the existence of chlorophyllide a, β-carotene, and Chl c. The separation limit to pigment peaks of the fourth derivative spectra (4nm) was 1nm higher than that of the wavelet high-frequency spectra (3nm). The wavelet high-frequency spectra were more stable in detecting pigment locations and were more effective in discriminating microalgae. Small algebraic difference of 10−16 between the reconstructed absorption spectra obtained by the inverse wavelet transform and their corresponding original spectra also showed the validity of Symlet-6 wavelet in the detection of pigments. Another specific discovery of this research is the existence of a Chl a allomer in Chlorella sp., which was detected by both methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A quasiclassical trajectory study with the fourth-order explicit symplectic algorithm for the atmospheric reaction has been performed by employing a new analytical fit of ab initio electronic structure calculations for the ground potential energy surface reported by Sayós et al. The effect of the relative translational energy, the vibrational energy and rotational energy of O2 molecule on the reaction probability and the reaction cross-section has been analyzed in details. The microscopic rate constant and the thermal rate constant have also been evaluated at the low translational temperature, and results have been compared with the experimental data and previous theoretical values. It is concluded that the thermal rate constants at the low temperature considered in this work agree well with the recommended experimental data and are very close to the variational transition state theory values carried out by Sayós et al. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Qinling orogen records the prolonged amalgamation history between the North China Block (NCB) and the South China Block (SCB) accompanied by major granitoid intrusions during the Triassic. However, the petrogenesis of these granitoids, especially that of the peraluminous granites, remains a matter of debate. Detailed study of these peraluminous granites, which are the products of crustal melting, will give insights into the melting process and petrogenesis of peraluminous magmas and will further constrain the regional geological evolution. In this study, Xiahe (XH) tourmaline-bearing two-mica granite and Baijiazhuang (BJZ) two-mica granite were selected for systematic analysis of their mineralogy, petrology, zircon U-Pb geochronology, and geochemistry. The zircon U-Pb dating showed that the XH and BJZ granites were emplaced at approximately 242 Ma and approximately 214 Ma, respectively. The presence of muscovite and tourmaline, high peraluminosity at >1.1, low oxygen fugacity (ƒO 2) conditions below the fayalite–magnetite–quartz (FMQ) buffer, and low zircon saturation temperatures indicate sedimentary protolith (S-type) granitic affinity. The low CaO/Na 2 O ratios <0.4 suggest that the granites formed by partial melting of a pelitic source. The low heavy rare earth element (HREE) concentration and weak negative Eu anomaly in the XH granite implies garnet residue in the magma source, whereas an obvious Eu anomaly in the BJZ granite indicates no residual garnet. The Rb/Sr ratios remained constant in the XH granite with decreasing Sr and Ba concentrations; however, these ratios increased in the BJZ granite. This observation reflects that the XH (BJZ) granite was the product of fluid-present (fluid-absent) muscovite melting. This finding is in accord with the different geochemical features and the estimates of zircon and monazite saturation temperature between the XH and BJZ granites. In western Qinling, low-Sr/high-REE (group A) and high-Sr/low-REE (group B) peraluminous granites have been identified. We propose that the former were generated during fluid-absent muscovite melting, whereas the latter were derived from fluid-present muscovite melting. This hypothesis was further confirmed by higher zircon and monazite saturation temperature estimates in addition to higher REE, Th, Nb, and Ta concentrations in the group A granitoids. From regional geological considerations, it can be concluded that the Middle Triassic granitoids in western Qinling formed during subduction of the A'nimaqing–Mianlue oceanic crust, whereas the Late Triassic granitoids are related to syn - or post-collisional processes. • Τwo types of peraluminous Early Mesozoic granite recognized in western Qinling. • Generation of low–Sr/high–REE from water–absent muscovite partial melting. • Generation of high–Sr/low–REE from water–present muscovite partial melting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coccolithophores are a key phytoplankton group with a major influence on the carbon cycle in global oceans. Understanding its phenological responses to climate change is vital, particularly in Arctic regions that are experiencing warming faster than the global average. Ocean color remote sensing is a powerful tool that provides the global distribution and spatial extent of coccolithophore blooms. However, remotely observing coccolithophore blooms in Arctic regions is challenged by severe conditions, such as heavy cloud cover. In this work, an ocean color index (CI)-based approach is developed to detect coccolithophore blooms in the Arctic Sea by using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images. The optical properties of clouds and coccolithophore blooms are characterized by employing the band difference of Rayleigh-corrected reflectance (ρR) at 412 and 469 nm (CI 412–469) and 555 and 645 nm (CI 555–645), respectively. A hybrid threshold is further determined to classify coccolithophore bloom and nonbloom waters. Results show that the algorithm can reduce the negative effects of heavy clouds and persistent fog on detecting coccolithophore blooms and increase the coverage of satellite observation. Compared with the traditional particulate inorganic carbon concentration-based approach, the algorithm yields more coverage and frequency of coccolithophore blooms. Global evaluation reveals that the CI-based algorithm has great potential applications in global oceans and different ocean color sensors. • A new algorithm is developed to detect coccolithophore blooms in the Barents Sea. • The algorithm can reduce the effect from heavy cloud cover in high-latitude regions. • The approach has potential applicability in global oceans and next-generation ocean color remote sensing sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in gene regulatory networks. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic topic model to infer regulatory networks of miRNAs and their target mRNAs for specific biological conditions at the post-transcriptional level, so-called functional miRNA–mRNA regulatory modules (FMRMs). The probabilistic model used in this paper can effectively capture the relationship between miRNAs and mRNAs in specific cellular conditions. Furthermore, the proposed method identifies negatively and positively correlated miRNA–mRNA pairs which are associated with epithelial, mesenchymal, and other condition in EMT (epithelial–mesenchymal transition) data set, respectively. Results on EMT data sets show that the inferred FMRMs can potentially construct the biological chain of ‘’ at the post-transcriptional level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The feasibility of using time domain of wavelet transform as characteristics to establish a fluorometric discrimination method of phytoplankton was discussed. Twelve phytoplankton species belonging to nine genera of five divisions were studied. Five steps were introduced: firstly, the feasibility of utilizing 3D fluorescence spectra (3D-FS) to discriminate phytoplankton was discussed; the relative standard deviation (RSD) and included angle cosine (IAC) were used as the test criterion. 3D-FS had such potentials, for most RSD were <5% and most IAC were >0.990. Secondly, the 3D-FS were decomposed by db7 wavelet and time-series vectors (TSVs) were generated. Thirdly, the optimal characteristic spectra (OCS) were selected from the TSV by Bayesian linear discriminant analysis (BLDA). The ability of OCS to classify phytoplankton was tested, and the correct classification ratios (CCRs) at different levels were obtained. Most CCRs were 90–100% at the species level. They were >98% at the genus level, and >99% at the division level. Fourthly, the growth and light stability of the OCS were tested. Both stabilities were high with lower RSD (<3%) and higher IAC (>0.999) compared with 3D-FS. Fifthly, a “database of reference spectra” consisting of 46 reference spectra was established by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Based on this, the discrimination method of phytoplankton species was established by nonnegative least squares (NNLSs). Most reference spectra were representative to phytoplankton species; and had moderate anti-noise ability: With noise ≤10%, the correct discrimination ratios (CDRs) were >98% at the genus level and >99% at the division level. 20% noise was a larger interference which made CDRs down to 85% at the genus level and to 99% at the division level. A fluorometric discrimination method of phytoplankton could be established based on TSV of wavelet transform. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel approach combining boronate affinity with surface molecular imprinting was developed for the specific recognition and separation of ginsenoside Rb1. Firstly, the boronic acid-functionalized polymer microspheres were prepared as inner cores via suspension polymerization using methyl methacrylate, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, and 4-vinylphenyl boronic pinacol ester (4-VBPE) as polymerization monomers. Then, the Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) template was covalently pre-anchored onto the surface of microspheres through boronate affinity binding after the hydrolysis of 4-VBPE. Finally, dopamine and polyethyleneimine were used as co -coating monomers to form a thickness-controllable imprinting layer onto the polymer microspheres via in-water self-copolymerization. The key factors affecting specific recognition, including the boronic acid content, adsorption media, and polymerization time were carefully optimized. The resulting molecularly imprinted microspheres (MIMs) exhibited strong surface hydrophilicity. In the aqueous media, the optimal adsorption capacity for the template reached 81.45 μmol g−1, and the imprinting factor was 5.32. The specific evaluation showed that the MIMs had a much higher selectivity for GRb1 than its analogues, and the selectivity coefficients were all higher than 2.4. In addition, the MIMs can be applied as adsorbents for solid-phase extraction to selectively separate ginsenosides from American ginseng extract. The eluting recovery ratios of GRb1, GRg2, and GRd reach 92.39%, 88.90%, and 92.49%, respectively. [Display omitted] • Hydrophilic surface MIMs were prepared based on PDA/PEI co-coating. • The boronic acid-microspheres were prepared via suspension polymerization. • 4-VBPE replaced vinylphenylboronic acid as boronate-functionalized monomers. • The surface MIMs exhibited improved recognition properties in aqueous media. • The surface MIMs could separate and enrich ginsenosides from complex matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The two pathways of Pacific water on the eastern Chukchi shelf are investigated. • In the mean, mass is balanced for both pathways outside of upwelling periods. • The seasonal signal diminishes to the north, where an ice-melt signature is dominant. • Mesoscale variability of the two pathways is diagnosed in the southern Chukchi Sea. The flow of Pacific-origin water across the Chukchi Sea shelf impacts the regional ecosystem in profound ways, yet the two current branches on the eastern shelf that carry the water from Bering Strait to Barrow Canyon – the Alaskan Coastal Current (ACC) and Central Channel (CC) Branch – have not been clearly distinguished or quantified. In this study we use an extensive collection of repeat hydrographic sections occupied at three locations on the Chukchi shelf, together with data from a climatology of shipboard velocity data, to accomplish this. The data were collected predominantly between 2010 and 2020 during the warm months of the year as part of the Distributed Biological Observatory and Arctic Observing Network. The mean sections show that mass is balanced for both currents at the three locations: Bering Strait, Point Hope, and Barrow Canyon. The overall mean ACC transport is 0.34 ± 0.04 Sv, and that of the CC Branch is 0.86 ± 0.11 Sv. The dominant hydrographic variability at Bering Strait is seasonal, but this becomes less evident to the north. At Barrow Canyon, the dominant hydrographic signal is associated with year-to-year variations in sea-ice melt. Farther south there is pronounced mesoscale variability: an empirical orthogonal function analysis at Bering Strait and Point Hope reveals a distinct ACC mode and CC Branch mode in hydrography and baroclinic transport, where the former is wind-driven. Finally, the northward evolution in properties of the two currents is investigated. The poleward increase in salinity of the ACC can be explained by lateral mixing alone, but solar heating together with wind mixing play a large role in the temperature evolution. This same atmospheric forcing also impacts the northward evolution of the CC Branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) isotopes have been widely used in isotopic dating and geochemical tracing. The rapid development in Earth sciences requires high precision and accuracy of isotopic measurements of low Pb contents or small amounts of samples. However, low ionization efficiency can significantly affect the sensitivity and precision of the measurement. Emitters, such as silicon dioxide (SiO 2) gel used in the thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) measurement of Pb isotopes, can reduce Pb loss at the low-temperature stage and improve Pb ionization efficiency at the high-temperature stage, but they inevitably introduce Pb blank and affect the quality of the results. Therefore, the emitters should possess the features of both high ionization efficiency and low Pb blank. In the present study, a SiO 2 gel solution was produced via a double-bottle method and then purified by the Sr-spec® resin. We further measured Pb blank value of this emitter using the isotopic dilution method and examined its ionization efficiency via measuring isotopic composition of standard reference materials of Pb solution and rock powders using different amounts of Pb. Analytical data show that Pb blank values of the twice-purified SiO 2 gel solution are lower than 1 pg/μL (lowest value of ∼0.3 pg/μL). Moreover, it can effectively improve Pb ionization, and maintain high and stable ion signal intensity during the measurement runs. Analytical results of Pb isotopic compositions, obtained from nano- to subnano-gram Pb amounts of reference materials, all fall in the ranges of their reference values, meeting the requirements in precision and accuracy for the measurements on micro-samples. This emitter is useful for Pb isotopic measurement of micro-samples and predictable to promote the application of Pb isotopic geochemistry. [Display omitted] • SiO 2 gel was produced by reaction of SiCl 4 and water with a double-bottle configuration. • Low Pb blank of the gel was obtained via purification of the Sr-Spec® ion exchange resin. • This gel can effectively improve Pb ionization during the TIMS measurement. • The gel emitter ensures Pb isotopic measurement of micro-sample in sub-nanogram level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-four repeat hydrographic transects occupied across Barrow Canyon from 2010 to 2013 are used to study the seasonal evolution of water masses in the canyon from July–October as well as the occurrence of upwelling. The mean sections revealed that the Alaskan coastal water is mainly confined to the eastern flank of the canyon, corresponding to a region of sloped isopycnals indicative of the surface-intensified Alaskan Coastal Current which advects the water. The Pacific-origin winter water is found at depth, banked against the western flank of the canyon. Its isopycnal structure is consistent with a bottom-intensified flow of this dense water mass out of the canyon. For the months that were sampled, the Alaskan coastal water is most prevalent in August and September, while the coldest winter water is observed in the month of August. It is argued that this newly ventilated winter water is delivered to the canyon via pathways on the central Chukchi Shelf, as opposed to the coastal pathway. Roughly a third of the hydrographic sections were preceded by significant up-canyon winds and hence were deemed to be under the influence of upwelling. During these periods, anomalously salty water is found throughout the eastern flank of the canyon, and, on occasion, Atlantic water fills the deepest part of the section. Using atmospheric reanalysis data, it is shown that upwelling occurs when the Beaufort High is strengthened and the Aleutian Low is deepened. Two modes of storm tracks were identified: northward progressing storms (mode 1) and eastward progressing storms (mode 2), both of which can drive upwelling. Mode 1 is prevalent in July–August, while mode 2 is more common in September–October. These seasonal patterns appear to be dictated by regional variations in blocking highs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background China experienced an unprecedented outbreak of dengue in 2014, and the number of dengue cases reached the highest level over the past 25 years. There is a significant delay in the release of official case count data, and our ability to timely track the timing and magnitude of local outbreaks of dengue remains limited. Material and methods We developed an ensemble penalized regression algorithm (EPRA) for initializing near-real time forecasts of the dengue epidemic trajectory by integrating different penalties (LASSO, Ridge, Elastic Net, SCAD and MCP) with the techniques of iteratively sampling and model averaging. Multiple streams of near-real time data including dengue-related Baidu searches, Sina Weibo posts, and climatic conditions with historical dengue incidence were used. We compared the predictive power of the EPRA with the alternates, penalized regression models using single penalties, to retrospectively forecast weekly dengue incidence and detect outbreak occurrence defined using different cutoffs, during the periods of 2011–2016 in Guangzhou, south China. Results The EPRA showed the best or at least comparable performance for 1-, 2-week ahead out-of-sample and leave-one-out cross validation forecasts. The findings indicate that skillful near-real time forecasts of dengue and confidence in those predictions can be made. For detecting dengue outbreaks, the EPRA predicted periods of high incidence of dengue more accurately than the alternates. Conclusion This study developed a statistically rigorous approach for near-real time forecast of dengue in China. The EPRA provides skillful forecasts and can be used as timely and complementary ways to assess dengue dynamics, which will help to design interventions to mitigate dengue transmission. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A novel ensemble model has been developed for timely tracking the timing and magnitude of dengue epidemics. • The proposed algorithm had the best performance in comparison with regression models using single penalties. • The ensemble forecast model provides skillful forecasts of the dynamics of dengue in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dengue fever is an important infectious disease in Guangzhou, China; previous studies on the effects of weather factors on the incidence of dengue fever did not consider the linearity of the associations. Methods This study evaluated the effects of daily mean temperature, relative humidity and rainfall on the incidence of dengue fever. A generalized additive model with splines smoothing function was performed to examine the effects of daily mean, minimum and maximum temperatures, relative humidity and rainfall on incidence of dengue fever during 2006–2014. Results Our analysis detected a non-linear effect of mean, minimum and maximum temperatures and relative humidity on dengue fever with the thresholds at 28 °C, 23 °C and 32 °C for daily mean, minimum and maximum temperatures, 76% for relative humidity, respectively. Below the thresholds, there was a significant positive effect, the excess risk in dengue fever for each 1 °C in the mean temperature at lag7–14 days was 10.21%, (95% CI: 6.62% to 13.92%), 7.10% (95% CI: 4.99%, 9.26%) for 1 °C increase in daily minimum temperature in lag 11 days, and 2.27% (95% CI: 0.84%, 3.72%) for 1 °C increase in daily maximum temperature in lag 10 days; and each 1% increase in relative humidity of lag7–14 days was associated with 1.95% (95% CI: 1.21% to 2.69%) in risk of dengue fever. Conclusions Future prevention and control measures and epidemiology studies on dengue fever should consider these weather factors based on their exposure-response relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus poses a pandemic threat to human beings. It was proposed that meteorological factors might be important environmental factors favoring the occurrence of H7N9 infection, but evidence is still inadequate. In this study, we aimed to investigate the independent and interactive effects of ambient temperature (TM) and absolute humidity (AH) on H7N9 infection risks in China. The individual information of all reported H7N9 cases and daily meteorological data in five provinces/municipality (Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong) in China during 2013–2016 were collected. We employed a case-crossover study design, in which the 7–10 days before the onset date of each H7N9 case was defined as the hazard period, and 4 weeks before the hazard period was taken as the control period. The average levels of meteorological factors were calculated during the hazard and control periods. A Cox regression model was used to estimate the independent and interactive effects of TM and vapor pressure (VP), an indicator of AH, on H7N9 infection risks. A total of 738 H7N9 cases were included in the present study. Significantly nonlinear negative associations of TM and VP with H7N9 infection risks were observed in all cases, and in cases from northern and southern regions. There were significant interactive effects between TM and VP on H7N9 infection risks, and the risks of H7N9 infection were higher in cold-dry days than other days. We further observed different risky windows of H7N9 infection in the northern (TM: 0–18 °C, VP: 3 13 mb) and southern areas (TM: 7–21 °C, VP: 3–17 mb). We concluded that ambient temperature and absolute humidity had significant independent and interactive effects on H7N9 infection risks in China, and the risks of H7N9 infection were higher in cold-dry days. The risky windows of H7N9 infection were different in the northern and southern areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To describe the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients with A (H7N9) infection, to test the differences in the distribution of demographics and clinical characteristics by clinical severity, and to explore potential factors associated with clinical severity. Methods This retrospective study was conducted to collect epidemiological and clinical information regarding the confirmed cases in Guangdong through field investigation and review of medical records. Results Of the 256 cases, 100 (39.0%) patients died, and 168 (65.6%) patients were admitted to ICUs. The male-to-female ratio was approximately 2.0:1, and the median age was 56 years (range, 1 to 88). Among the 215 patients accepting oseltamivir treatment, the median time from the onset of illness to oseltamivir treatment was 5 days (range, 0 to 16); 35 patients received zanamivir treatment after a median of 8 days (range, 0 to 23). The univariable logistic regression models demonstrated that time from the onset of illness to oseltamivir treatment (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.01–1.10) and zanamivir treatment (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02–1.07) were associated with the death of patients. Conclusions Preventive measures should focus on high-risk populations, such as the elderly and the groups with high frequency exposure to live poultry. Earlier oseltamivir and zanamivir treatment were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The avian influenza A H7N9 virus has caused infections in human beings in China since 2013. A large epidemic in 2016-17 prompted concerns that the epidemiology of the virus might have changed, increasing the threat of a pandemic. We aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics, clinical severity, and time-to-event distributions of patients infected with A H7N9 in the 2016-17 epidemic compared with previous epidemics.Methods: In this epidemiological study, we obtained information about all laboratory-confirmed human cases of A H7N9 virus infection reported in mainland China as of Feb 23, 2017, from an integrated electronic database managed by the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and provincial CDCs. Every identified human case of A H7N9 virus infection was required to be reported to China CDC within 24 h via a national surveillance system for notifiable infectious diseases. We described the epidemiological characteristics across epidemics, and estimated the risk of death, mechanical ventilation, and admission to the intensive care unit for patients admitted to hospital for routine clinical practice rather than for isolation purpose. We estimated the incubation periods, and time delays from illness onset to hospital admission, illness onset to initiation of antiviral treatment, and hospital admission to death or discharge using survival analysis techniques.Findings: Between Feb 19, 2013, and Feb 23, 2017, 1220 laboratory-confirmed human infections with A H7N9 virus were reported in mainland China, with 134 cases reported in the spring of 2013, 306 in 2013-14, 219 in 2014-15, 114 in 2015-16, and 447 in 2016-17. The 2016-17 A H7N9 epidemic began earlier, spread to more districts and counties in affected provinces, and had more confirmed cases than previous epidemics. The proportion of cases in middle-aged adults increased steadily from 41% (55 of 134) to 57% (254 of 447) from the first epidemic to the 2016-17 epidemic. Proportions of cases in semi-urban and rural residents in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 epidemics (63% [72 of 114] and 61% [274 of 447], respectively) were higher than those in the first three epidemics (39% [52 of 134], 55% [169 of 306], and 56% [122 of 219], respectively). The clinical severity of individuals admitted to hospital in the 2016-17 epidemic was similar to that in the previous epidemics.Interpretation: Age distribution and case sources have changed gradually across epidemics since 2013, while clinical severity has not changed substantially. Continued vigilance and sustained intensive control efforts are needed to minimise the risk of human infection with A H7N9 virus.Funding: The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the planktonic ciliate importance in the microzooplankton compartment, their full-depth vertical distribution in the Arctic Ocean was poorly documented as well as the related variations in different water masses. The full-depth community structure of planktonic ciliates was investigated in the Arctic Ocean during summer 2021. The ciliate abundance and biomass decreased rapidly from 200 m to bottom. Five water masses were identified throughout the water column and each one exhibited a unique ciliate community structure. Aloricate ciliates were singled out as the dominant group with average abundance proportion to total ciliates at each depth >95%. Large (>30 μm) and small (10–20 μm) size-fractions of aloricate ciliates were abundant in shallow and deep waters, respectively, which revealed an anti-phase relationship in vertical distribution. Three new record tintinnid species were found during this survey. Pacific-origin species Salpingella sp.1 and Arctic endemic species Ptychocylis urnula occupied the top abundance proportion in the Pacific Summer Water (44.7%) and three water masses (≥38.7%, Mixed Layer Water, Remnant Winter Water, Atlantic-origin Water), respectively. The habitat suitability of tintinnid abundant species was characterised by the Bio-index revealing a distinct death-zone for each species. Variations in survival habitat of abundant tintinnids can be regarded as indicators for the future Arctic climate change. These results provide fundamental data on the microzooplankton response to the intrusion of Pacific waters into the Arctic Ocean upon its rapid warming. [Display omitted] • Full-depth vertical distribution of ciliates was analysed in the Arctic Ocean. • Aloricate ciliates were more abundant than tintinnids. • Each water mass had unique ciliate community structure. • A novel bio-index for tintinnid survival habitat can be regarded as indicator for Arctic Warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Robust mainstream nitritation was successfully achieved using light irradiation. • Light irradiation has positive impacts on denitrification activity. • The enriched Rhodocyclaceae appears to be resistant to light irradiation. • Light irradiation seems to be very effective for in-situ sludge reduction. The effective inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) is widely acknowledged to be a critical issue for mainstream short-cut biological nitrogen removal. This study demonstrated a stable mainstream nitritation by implementing light irradiation. A sequencing batch reactor with ultraviolet-A (UVA) irradiation was operated for 250 days, and a high nitrite accumulation ratio was achieved and stabilized at about 90 %. UVA irradiation also positively impacts denitrification activity, with total nitrogen removal up to 63 %. Microbial community analysis confirmed that the UVA effectively and stably decreased the abundance of Nitrospira (the only detected NOB) from 6.0 % to 0.1 %, while it showed no effect on Nitrosomonas. The enriched genus Rhodocyclaceae was the major contributor to the increase in denitrification activity in the light-induced nitritation system. The proposed UVA irradiation strategy has the potential to be integrated with an anoxic/aerobic (A/O) or integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) process for achieving mainstream short-cut biological nitrogen removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, gallium (Ga)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire arrays (GZNWAs) with different Ga doping concentrations (Ga/Zn = 0–4 atom%) were grown on the interdigital patterned fluoro-doped tin oxide glass substrates by a hydrothermal technique, their crystalline structure, morphology and ultraviolet (UV) sensing performance were focused on investigating. The results showed that all the as-grown samples were hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO. When the Ga doping concentration was below 4%, well-aligned GZNWAs were achieved. Furthermore, five UV photodetectors (PDs) were prepared using the GZNWAs as photoactive layers, all the devices were found to be excellent responses towards 365 nm light. Among these devices, the GZNWAs UV PD (1% Ga) maintained the optimal performance, its responsivity, sensitivity, detectivity, external quantum efficiency, response time and decay time were 72.8 A/W at 5 V, 747.8 at 0 V, 5.5 × 1012 Jones, 2.5 × 104%, 10.6 s and 45.6 s, respectively. The photocurrents of all the Ga-doped ZnO nanowire arrays ultraviolet photodetectors with different Ga doping concentrations (Ga/Zn = 0–4 atom%) can be reproducibly switched from the 'ON' state to the 'OFF' state with a stable state by periodically turning UV light on and off under 71 μW/cm2 365 nm light irradiation at 3 V bias. [Display omitted] • Well-aligned GZNWAs with different Ga doping concentrations were grown by a facile hydrothermal technique. • Five low-cost GZNWAs UV PDs with different Ga doping concentrations were fabricated. • The performances of all the GZNWAs UV PDs were investigated in detail. • The GZNWAs UV PD (1% Ga) had the optimal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), while independently regulate their downstream targets, collaborate with each other to regulate gene expression. However, their synergistic roles in protein–protein interactions (PPIs) remain mostly unknown. In this paper, we present a novel framework (called CoRePPI) for inferring TF and miRNA co-regulation of PPIs. Particularly, CoRePPI is aimed at discovering the co-regulation specific to a condition of interest, by using heterogeneous data, including miRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles, putative miRNA targets, TF targets and PPIs. CoRePPI firstly finds the network motifs indicating the co-regulation of PPIs by TFs and miRNAs in tumor and normal conditions separately. Then by identifying the differential motifs found in one condition but not in the other, it builds the networks consisting of TFs, miRNAs and their co-regulated PPIs specific to different conditions respectively. To validate CoRePPI, we apply it to the Pan-Cancer dataset which includes the expression profiles of 12 cancer types from TCGA. Through network topology analysis, we found that the tumor and normal CoRePPI networks are scale-free. Furthermore, the results of differential and intersected network analysis between the tumor and normal CoRePPI networks suggest that only a small fraction of the regulatory relationships between TFs and miRNAs are conserved in both conditions but they co-regulate different downstream PPIs in tumor and normal conditions; and in different conditions the majority of the regulatory relationships between TFs and miRNAs are different although they may regulate the same PPIs in their respective conditions. The CoRePPI sub-networks constructed for the three types of cancers (breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer) are all scale-free, and the intersection of these CoRePPI sub-networks can be utilized as the biomarker CoRePPI sub-network of the three types of cancers. The PPI enrichment analyses of the tumor and normal CoRePPI networks suggest that the co-regulating TFs and miRNAs are significantly associated with the specific biological processes, diseases and pathways. In addition, comparing with the two non-condition-specific approaches, the tumor CoRePPI network is found to have the most enriched cancer-related PPIs. Altogether, the results uncover the combined regulatory patterns of TFs and miRNAs on the PPIs, and may provide new insights for research in cancer-associated TFs and miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, sea ice retreat during summer has been enhanced in the Pacific sector of the Arctic basin, likely due in part to increasing summertime heat flux of Pacific-origin water from the Bering Strait. Barrow Canyon, in the northeast Chukchi Sea, is a major conduit through which the Pacific-origin water enters the Arctic basin. This paper presents results from 6 repeat high-resolution shipboard hydrographic/velocity sections occupied across Barrow Canyon in summer 2010. The different Pacific water masses feeding the canyon – Alaskan coastal water (ACW), summer Bering Sea water (BSW), and Pacific winter water (PWW) – all displayed significant intra-seasonal variability. Net volume transports through the canyon were between 0.96 and 1.70 Sv poleward, consisting of 0.41–0.98 Sv of warm Pacific water (ACW and BSW) and 0.28–0.65 Sv of PWW. The poleward heat flux also varied strongly, ranging from 8.56 TW to 24.56 TW, mainly due to the change in temperature of the warm Pacific water. Using supplemental mooring data from the core of the warm water, along with wind data from the Pt. Barrow weather station, we derive and assess a proxy for estimating heat flux in the canyon for the summer time period, which is when most of the heat passes northward towards the basin. The average heat flux for 2010 was estimated to be 3.34 TW, which is as large as the previous record maximum in 2007. This amount of heat could melt 315,000 km 2 of 1-meter thick ice, which likely contributed to significant summer sea ice retreat in the Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-cost ultraviolet photodetectors (UV PDs) with high performance have wide applications in many important fields, herein, both well-aligned zinc oxide nanowire arrays (ZNWAs) and gallium (Ga)-doped ZNWAs (GZNWAs, Ga/Zn = 1 atom%) UV PDs were fabricated by a hydrothermal technique, their performances were analyzed in detail. The results showed that the GZNWAs UV PD exhibited an excellent response to 365 nm light, its response time (T r), decay time (T d), responsivity (R λ), sensitivity (S), detectivity (D⁎) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) were 9.8 s, 45.8 s, 72.8 A/W at 5 V, 747.8 at 0 V, 5.5 × 1012 Jones and 2.5 × 104%, respectively. By comparison, the performances of GZNWAs UV PD were much better than those of ZNWAs UV PD, we found that Ga doping played a key role on improving the performances of ZNWAs-based UV PDs The photocurrents of ZNWAs and GZNWAs ultraviolet photodetectors can be reproducibly switched from the 'ON' state to the 'OFF' state with a stable state by periodically turning UV light on and off under 71 μW/cm2 365 nm light irradiation at 5 V bias. [Display omitted] • A low-cost and high-performance GZNWAs UV PD was fabricated. • The GZNWAs UV PD showed good response to 365 nm light. • The performance of GZNWAs UV PD was investigated in detail. • The GZNWAs UV PD had better performances than the ZNWAs UV PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice melting in the Antarctic summer and upwelling of the Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) near the Antarctic continent have been suggested to regulate the distributions of microbial communities. However, an understanding of these relationships in the Indian Ocean sector of East Antarctica is lacking. We report on the distribution and relationships of virio- and picoplankton at 77 stations (including 29 stations throughout the entire water column and 48 stations from the epipelagic zone) from 35° to 78°E and 62° to 70°S, covering the Cosmonaut Sea, Cooperation Sea and Prydz Bay. The epipelagic stations were grouped into four clusters based on the virio- and picoplankton composition and abundance. Clusters three and four, which corresponded with areas of upwelling and ice retreat, had high abundances of autotrophic picoeukaryotes; this resulted in subsequent high abundances of heterotrophic prokaryotes and virioplankton. Cluster one and two stations correspond with a high nutrient, low chlorophyll (HNLC) area, where the abundances of autotrophic and heterotrophic picoplankton are low. Viruses were significantly correlated with heterotrophic prokaryotes in the ice-covered areas but more strongly correlated with autotrophic picoeukaryotes in areas associated with ice-edge blooms. Throughout the water column in the Cooperation Sea, nutrient supply from the upwelling of the CDW induced an increased abundance of heterotrophic prokaryotes, particularly in the meso- and bathypelagic zones of stations in the northern part of the area. High viral abundances were detected in the meso- and bathypelagic zones of stations with high abundances of virio- and picoplankton in the epipelagic zone. This study shows that the summer distribution of virio- and picoplankton in the Indian Ocean sector of East Antarctica was mainly controlled by ice-melting and upwelling of the CDW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial diversity was investigated in soil samples collected from 13 sites around the Great Wall Station, Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA genes. The classes α-, β-, and λ-Proteobacteria, as well as the phylum Actinobacteria, were found to be the dominant bacteria in the soils around the Great Wall Station. Although the selected samples were not contaminated by oil, a relationship between soil parameters, microbial biodiversity, and human impact was still seen. Sample sites in human impacted areas showed lower bacterial biodiversity (average H ′ = 2.65) when compared to non-impacted sites (average H ′ = 3.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between soil bacterial diversity and total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen, or total phosphorus contents of the soil. Canonical correlation analysis showed that TOC content was the most important factor determining bacterial community profiles among the measured soil parameters. In conclusion, microbial biodiversity and community characteristics within relatively small scales (1.5 km) were determined as a function of local environment parameters and anthropogenic impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-performance, low-cost and simple ultraviolet photodetectors are very promising in some applications. Here, single-crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoflowers were prepared by combining a facile hydrothermal method with post-annealing treatment, we built an ultraviolet photodetector with an active area of 0.36 cm2 using the as-prepared ZnO nanoflowers. The results showed that under 365 nm light illumination with a light intensity of 77 μW/cm2, the sensitivity, response time, decay time, responsivity and gain of the device were 19991.3 (−0.1 V), 16.4 s, 37.6 s, 9.0 A/W (5 V) and 30.6 (5 V), respectively, indicating that a ZnO nanoflowers UV photodetector with superhigh sensitivity was achieved. At a bias of 2 V, the photocurrent of the ZnO nanoflowers UV photodetector can be reproducibly switched from the 'ON' state to the 'OFF' state with a very stable state by periodically turning UV light (365 nm, 77 μW/cm2) on and off.▪ • The ZnO nanoflowers were prepared by combining a facile method. • The ZnO nanoflowers are single crystalline. • A low-cost ultraviolet photodetector with simple structure was fabricated. • The fabricated ultraviolet photodetector had a superhigh sensitivity of 19991.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phytoplankton carbon and nitrogen production in newly opened waters of the Western Arctic Ocean were measured using a 13C–15N dual isotope tracer technique in summer 2008, when Arctic sea ice was at its second lowest extent since 1979. Daily integrated carbon-uptake rates were highest (675.8±931.3mgCm–2 d–1) in ice-free shelf regions of the Chukchi Sea. In deeper regions, the daily integrated carbon-uptake rates (73.5±45.0mgCm–2 d–1) in newly opened deep waters with adjacent sea ice cover (10–90%) were significantly higher than those (32.0±22.8mgCm–2 d–1) in ice-free deep waters. The average contributions of small cell-size phytoplankton (0.7–5μm) to total carbon-uptake rates were 19.8%, 62.8%, and 55.5% in shelf regions, ice-free deep waters, and newly opened waters, respectively, although the average biomass contributions of the small phytoplankton was 54.9–96.5% of total algal biomass in the three study areas. Daily total nitrogen-uptake rates were similar between newly opened deep waters and ice-free deep waters, although nitrate assimilation rates were higher in newly opened waters compared to ammonium uptake rates in ice-free waters. Lower carbon- and nitrate-assimilation rates in ice-free waters were due to strong stratification in the euphotic layer caused by melted sea ice, which limited nutrient availability to phytoplankton, although phytoplankton had greater light availability in ice-free waters than in newly opened waters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Flow cytometry (FCM) is efficient in detecting both abundance and optical physiological parameters including cell size and cellular carbon content—side scatter (SSC), carotenoids—green and orange fluorescence (FL1 and FL2), and red fluorescence—chlorophylls (FL3) can be obtained by FCM. The utilization of these physiological parameters in indicating water masses in Prydz Bay was investigated for the first time. Picophytoplankton were very sensitive to hydrophysical changes and present distinct characteristics of water masses: Picophytoplankton in water closer to the Amery Ice Shelf were more affected by salinity than by temperature, while temperature became more important than salinity the nearer the picophytoplankton were to the deep sea. The picophytoplankton dealt with declines in light by increasing the size of cells, which increase the fixation of carbon. This can also be increased by high temperature and salinity. Pure water masses can increase the content of chlorophylls and cellular carbon. Generally, the distributions of all the five parameters at upper water depths were less affected by temperature and salinity than by water masses; and these parameters can be as indicators to Summer Surface Water (SSW), Winter Water (WW) and Continental Shelf Water (CSW). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neutral polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in high-volume air samples collected on board the research vessel Snow Dragon during the 4th Chinese National Arctic Expedition from the Japan Sea to the Arctic Ocean in 2010. Four volatile and semi-volatile PFASs (fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), fluorotelomer acids (FTAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASAs), and sulfonamidoethanols (FASEs)) were analyzed respectively in the gas and particle phases. FTOHs were the dominant PFASs in the gas phase (61–358pgm−3), followed by FTAs (5.2–47.9pgm−3), FASEs (1.9–15.0pgm−3), and FASAs (0.5–2.1pgm−3). In the particle phase, the dominant PFAS class was FTOHs (1.0–9.9pgm−3). The particle-associated fraction followed the general trend of FASEs>FASAs>FTOHs. Compared with other atmospheric PFAS measurements, the ranges of concentrations of ∑FTOH in this study were similar to those reported from Toronto, north America (urban), the northeast Atlantic Ocean, and northern Germany. Significant correlations between FASEs in the gas phase and ambient air temperature indicate that cold surfaces such as sea-ice, snowpack, and surface seawater influence atmospheric FASEs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Here we present interannual rare earth element (REE) records spanning the last two decades of the 20th century in two living Porites corals, collected from Longwan Bay, close to the estuarine zones off Wanquan River of Hainan Island and Hong Kong off the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province in the northern South China Sea. The results show that both coral REE contents (0.5–40 ng g−1 in Longwan Bay and 2–250 ng g−1 in Hong Kong for La–Lu) are characterized with a declining trend, which are significantly negative correlated with regional sea-level rise (9.4 mm a−1 from 1981 to 1996 in Longwan Bay, 13.7 mm a−1 from 1991 to 2001 in Hong Kong). The REE features are proposed to be resulted from seawater intrusion into the estuaries in response to contemporary sea-level rise. However, the tendency for the coral Er/Nd time series at Hong Kong site is absent and there is no significant relation between Er/Nd and total REEs as found for the coral at Longwan Bay site. The observations are likely attributed to changes of the water discharge and sediment load of Pearl River, which have been significantly affected by intense human activities, such as the construction of dams/reservoirs and riverbed sediment mining, in past decades. The riverine sediment load/discharge ratio of the Pearl River decreased sharply with a rate of 0.02 kg m−3 a−1, which could make significant contribution to the declining trend of coral REE. We propose that coastal corals in Longwan Bay and similar unexplored sites with little influences of river discharge and anthropogenic disruption are ideal candidates to investigate the influence of sea-level change on seawater/coral REE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We used positive thermal ionization mass spectrometry (PTIMS) to generate high precision δ11B records in Porites corals of the mid-late Holocene from the South China Sea (SCS). The δ11B values of the Holocene corals vary significantly, ranging from 22.2‰ to 25.5‰. The paleo-pH records of the SCS, reconstructed from the δ11B data, were not stable as previously thought but show a gradual increase from the Holocene thermal optimal and a sharp decrease to modern values. The latter is likely caused by the large amount of anthropogenic CO2 emissions since the Industrial Revolution but variations of atmospheric pCO2 cannot explain the pH change of the SCS before the Industrial Revolution. We suggest that variations of monsoon intensity during the mid-late Holocene may have driven the sea surface pH increase from the mid to late Holocene. Results of this study indicate that the impact of anthropogenic atmospheric CO2 emissions may have reversed the natural pH trend in the SCS since the mid-Holocene. Such ocean pH records in the current interglacial period can help us better understand the physical and biological controls on ocean pH and possibly predict the long-term impact of climate change on future ocean acidification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An in vivo 3D fluorescence discrimination technique for ten harmful algal bloom (HAB) species that belong to eight genera of four divisions was developed by wavelet analysis. Daubechies-7 (db7) was employed as the mother wavelet. The fifth scale domains were selected as the discriminant characteristic spectra (DCS). Based on the DCS, The phytoplankton species at different growth stages were classified correctly at both the division and the genus level by Bayesian discriminant analysis (BDA). Based on the reference spectra of the DCS, the discrimination method of the phytoplankton species was established by the nonnegative least squares (NNLS) method. The correct discrimination ratios (CDRs) for samples of the single species were 96.1% with 0% blank noise and 93.3% with 10% noise at the genus level, while the CDRs were both 100% with 0% or 10% blank noise at the division level. When blank noise was up to 20%, the CDRs were down to 85.2% at the genus level and 98.0% at the division level. For the mixture samples, the CDRs of the dominant species were 98.3% and 96.3%, respectively, at the division level and at the genus level. As dominant species, Prorocentrum minimum (Pm), Gymnodinium simplex (Gs), Scrippsiella trochoidea (Sc), Skeletonema costatuma (Sk), Chaetoceros (Cu and De), Phaeocystis globosa (Cg) and Chlorella pynnoidosa (Ch) can be correctly discriminated at both the division level and the genus level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A modern massive Porites coral was collected from the Longwan Bay (19°20′N, 110°39′E) on the east coast of the Hainan Island, China. The coral was sectioned vertical to the growth axis into discs of double density-bands representing annual growth. The samples were analyzed for the Sr/Ca ratio by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The history of winter sea-surface temperature (SST) is reconstructed using the Sr/Ca ratio in winter bands of corals. The winter SST at Xisha in the middle of the South China Sea (SCS) is weakly correlated with the instrument-measured winter monsoon velocity (WMV) with a correlation coefficient of 0.19. The winter SST data from corals at Longwan Bay, Hainan, in the northern SCS are moderately correlated with the WMV (r =0.40). Interestingly we found that the difference of winter SSTs between the two sites (Xisha and Longwan Bay, Hainan) (the X–H index) is significantly negatively correlated with the WMV (r =−0.73). This negative correlation may be related to the intrusion of the warm Kuroshio Current into the SCS through the Luzon Strait promoted by the strong northeastern monsoon winds in the winter. Using the relationship between our coralline data and observed WMV, the calculated winter monsoon velocity (WMVc) was obtained for 87 years. This data set in combination with the instrument-measured data between 1993 and 1998 generate a record of WMVc for a period of 93 years from 1906 to 1998. The WMVc in the 20th century shows significant interannual and decadal variability with a trend of persistent decline in the whole 20th century at the rate of decrease of −0.02 (m/s)/a. The lowest wind velocity occurred during the last two decades of the 20th century. The WMVc has decreased significantly by about 30% from the early to the late of 20th century. The 20th century decline of winter monsoon velocity evidenced from the SCS coral records is consistent with the atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) simulations for monsoon response to increasing temperatures. In addition, an obvious decline shift of WMV around 1976 can be seen in both instrumental and proxy records and it coincides with many other Pacific records. This shift is likely to correspond to a Pacific-wide change in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation occurring at the same time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• NoV distributions in sewage could be captured via a high-throughput sequencing. • NoV viral loads in sewage were closely related with the outbreak risk in community. • Newly emerged variants could be detected ahead in sewage. • Viral evolution and dynamic distribution were illustrated via sewage surveillance but not the conventional clinical surveillance. Noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks. Since 2014, novel genetic variants of NoV have been continuously identified and have caused a sharp increase in the number of AGE outbreaks. The specific geographical distribution and expanding genetic diversity of NoV has posed a challenge to conventional surveillance. Here, we describe the long-term dynamic correlation between NoV distribution in sewage and in the local population through the molecular surveillance of NoV in Guangdong, 2013-2018. The relative viral loads of the GI and GII genotypes in sewage were calculated through RT-PCR. A high-throughput sequencing method and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) clustering pipeline were developed to illustrate the abundances of different genotypes and genetic variants in sewage. Our results showed that the NoV viral loads and the emergence of new variants in sewage were closely associated with NoV outbreak risks in the population. Compared with the outbreaks surveillance, the dominance of the newly emerged variants, GII.P17-GII.17 and GII.P16-GII.2, could be detected one or two months ahead in sewage of a hub city. In addition, the dynamics of pre-epidemic variants, which were rarely detected in clinics, could be captured through sewage surveillance, thus improving our understanding of the origin and evolution of these novel epidemic variants. Our data highlight that sewage surveillance could provide nearly real-time and high-throughput data on NoV circulation in the community. With the advances in sequencing techniques, the sewage surveillance system could also be extended to other related infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phage AL can provide information for study of interaction between marine phage and host. • The order of the functional genes in phage AL is highly conserved and follows the common pattern used by siphovirus. • Pseudoalteromonas phage AL shows genetic plasticity and flexibility in evolution. Although Pseudoalteromonas is an abundant, ubiquitous, marine algae-associated bacterial genus, there is still little information on their phages. In the present study, a marine phage AL, infecting Pseudoalteromonas marina , was isolated from the coastal waters off Qingdao. The AL phage is a siphovirus with an icosahedral head of 53 ± 1 nm and a non-contractile tail, length of 99 ± 1 nm. A one-step growth curve showed that the latent period was approximately 70 min, the rise period was 50 min, and the burst size was 227 pfu/cell. The genome sequence of this phage is a 33,582 bp double-stranded DNA molecule with a GC content of 40.1 %, encoding 52 open reading frames (ORFs). The order of the functional genes, especially those related to the structure module, is highly conserved and basically follows the common pattern used by siphovirus. The stable order has been formed during the long-term evolution of phages in the siphovirus group, which has helped the phages to maintain their normal morphology and function. Phylogenetic trees based on the major capsid protein (mcp) and genome-wide sequence have shown that the AL phage is closely related to four Pseudoalteromonas phages, including PHS21, PHS3, SL25 and Pq0. Further analysis using all-to-all BLASTP also confirmed that this phage shared high sequence homology with the same four Pseudoalteromonas phages, with amino acid sequence identities ranging from 44 % to 71 %. In particular, their similarity in virion structure module may imply that these phages share common assembly mechanism characteristics and infection pathways. Pseudoalteromonas phage AL not only provides basic information for the further study of the evolution of Pseudoalteromonas phages and interactions between marine phage and host but also helps to explain the unknown viral sequences in the metagenomic databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a bias of 2 V, the photocurrent of the ZnO quantum dots ultraviolet photodetector can be reproducibly switched from the 'ON' state to the 'OFF' state with a very stable state by periodically turning UV light (365 nm) on and off with a power density of 48 μW/cm2. • ZnO quantum dots were synthesized by a facile method. • A low-cost and solution-processed ultraviolet photodetector was fabricated. • The ultraviolet photodetector could operate at very low voltage. • The ultraviolet photodetector exhibited a high responsivity and rapid response. Solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) ultraviolet (UV) photodetector with high performance has great potential in practical applications. In this letter, ZnO quantum dots with diameters ranged in 4–6 nm were synthesized by a facile solution method. The results showed that the as-synthesized quantum dots were wurtzite structured ZnO and had specific surface area as high as 68.3 m2/g. Also, a solution-processed ZnO quantum dots-based ultraviolet photodetector was built. This UV photodetector exhibited a good photoresponse to 365 nm UV light at low operating voltage, under 48 μW/cm2 UV illumination, the responsivity (R), photocurrent gain (G), response time (T r) and decay time (T d) of the photodetector were 21.6 A/W at 3.6 V, 85.8 at 4.0 V, 1.9 s and 51.1 s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) mimetic peptide 5F exhibits anti-atherosclerotic ability with largely unknown mechanism(s). Bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a critical role in vascular integrity and function. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of 5F on endothelial differentiation of BM stem cells and related mechanisms. Murine BM multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) were induced to differentiate into endothelial cells in vitro with or without 5F. The expression of endothelial markers vWF, Flk-1 and CD31 was significantly increased in the cells treated with 5F with enhanced in vitro vascular tube formation and LDL uptake without significant changes on proliferation and stem cell maker Oct-4 expression. Phosphorylated ERK1/2, not Akt, was significantly increased in 5F-treated cells. Treatment of MAPCs with PD98059 or small interfering RNA against ERK2 substantially attenuated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and effectively prevented 5F-induced enhancement of endothelial differentiation of MAPCs. In vivo studies revealed that 5F increased EPCs number in the BM in mice after acute hindlimb ischemia that was effectively prevented with PD98059 treatment. These data supported the conclusion that 5F promoted endothelial differentiation of MAPCs through activation of ERK1/2 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It presented a facile method to prepare OMMIPs by a surface imprinting method. • OMMIPs can improve the availability of the MIP's recognition sites. • The pore structures and the adsorption behavior were thoroughly discussed. • OMMIPs can effectively isolate quercetin from the crude extract of gingko leaves. In this work, to improve the availability of the recognition sites of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), ordered macroporous molecularly imprinted polymers (OMMIPs) were facilely prepared by grafting a quercetin-MIPs layer on the pore walls of the ordered macroporous thiol group functionalized silica. The pore structures were characterized by FTIR, Raman, SEM, BET and TGA measurements. The results indicated that OMMIPs possessed a nanoscale polymer layer, a more regular macroporous structure and a greater porosity compared with the traditional bulk MIPs (TBMIPs). The polymer content of OMMIPs was about 49.7%. Kinetic and isothermal adsorption experiments indicated that OMMIPs exhibited higher affinity and selectivity towards quercetin than its structural analogues. Moreover, OMMIPs could improve the intra-particle adsorption and thus provide a significant improvement in recognition sites availability over TBMIPs. Using the quercetin-OMMIPs as SPE sorbent, quercetin was directly extracted from the crude Gingko leaves extract with a satisfying selectivity and elution recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]