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This paper presents a method of fabricating photonic crystal fiber by secondary drawing technology combined with air pressure regulation. The internal structure of optical fiber is solidified and shaped by primary drawing. The core diameter of PCF is reduced to less than 4 μ m by adding glass sleeve in secondary drawing. Multi-core PCF is prepared, and the curvature and temperature of two-core PCF are measured. Fan-shaped PCF, band gap PCF, silver-filled PCF and V-shaped PCF are prepared, and the dispersion and loss of V-shaped PCF are simulated. The drawing parameters are fitted and compared. The parameter curve of furnace temperature presents an upward concave shape, and the parameter curve of air pressure threshold presents an upward convex shape. These fitting curves have reference value for the preparation of PCF in the future. • A method of preparing various PCFs by secondary drawing technology is proposed. • Various solid PCFs are prepared, and the core diameter is reduced to 4 um. • Two kinds of hollow-core PCFs are prepared. • Silver-filled and butterfly-shaped PCFs are prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two- and three-core photonic crystal fibers are prepared by using the same photonic crystal fiber preform structure. Not only the fiber diameter is reduced to standard size of 125 μ m , but also the core diameter is reduced to below 4 μ m. A curvature and temperature sensing system is built, and the curvature and temperature sensing performance of the three-core optical fiber is tested. When the length of three-core optical fiber is 150 mm, the measured curvature sensitivity is −7.27069 nm/m−1 in the range of 0 to 0.990 m−1, and the temperature sensitivity is −34 pm/°C during the temperature reduction from 75 to 45 °C. When the length of three-core photonic crystal fiber is 68 mm, the curvature sensitivity and temperature sensitivity are 2.42419 nm/m−1 and −7 pm/°C, respectively. In a small range of temperature, the sensor is insensitive to temperature, and the cross interference of temperature to curvature is very small. • Two- and three-core PCFs are prepared by using the same PCF preform structure. • The core diameter of three-core PCF is reduced to 3 μ m. • The measured curvature sensitivity is −7.27069 nm/m−1. • The cross-interference of temperature on curvature is very small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cotton water use, suitable irrigation mode and actual crop coefficient were determined. • Adjustments were done for irrigation, meteorology, mulching, water and salinity stress to compare K c-FAO with K c-loc. • The error of FAO suggested 0.1 adjusted coefficient under plastic mulching for the initial growth stage was discussed. • The E/ET and E/ET o rates responded to the interaction effects of canopy cover and soil water content. A 3-year field experiment was conducted in Aksu region in Northwest China to determine crop water use, suitable irrigation mode and actual crop coefficient (K c) in drip-irrigated cotton fields. In the experiment, 12 non-weighing large lysimeters were used to measure cotton water use under various irrigation modes. Then a micro-lysimeter was placed in each large lysimeter to monitor soil evaporation (E). Adjustments were done for a number of factors (including irrigation, meteorology, plastic mulching, water stress and salinity stress) in order to compare FAO-adjusted K c (K c-FAO) with the local actual K c (K c-loc). The results showed that: 1) plastic mulching with 0.6 cover ratio and 37.5 mm drip irrigation quota gave a crop water requirement of 536.4 mm; which was suitable for the study area. Also K c-loc were respectively 0.28, 0.97 and 0.31 for early, middle and late growth stages. 2) K c-FAO generally reflected the trend in K c-loc for the entire growing season. The suggested 0.1 adjusted coefficient under plastic mulching for the initial growth stage was relatively low, and was most rational for the study area when increased to 0.25. 3) E/ET ratio was low (19.1–24.5%) under mulching treatment and relatively high (27.7–32.7%) under non-mulching treatment. 4) While change in E/ET o ratio was linear or logarithmic, that in T/ET o ratio was a power function of the canopy cover. Also the two rates responded to the interaction effects of canopy cover and soil water content. The results could lay the basis for developing scientific, data-driven water-saving strategies in the study area and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Agricultural drainage water declines with water-saving and farmland expansion. • Drainage water quality deteriorates mainly due to farmland expansion. • Surface water allocation reduction leads to groundwater extraction. Abstract Understanding the impacts of agricultural activities on drainage is increasingly important element of water resources management in arid regions. This study analyzed the effects of recent changes in agricultural activities on drainage water quantity and quality from farmlands in Aksu River Basin in Northwest China. Based on drainage water analysis for 2003–2010, implementation water-saving measures resulted in the reduction of irrigation quota by up to 48%. This in turn resulted in a decline in drainage water by up to 44% in 2010, compared with that in 2004. Na-Cl was the main drainage water type, driven by the dissolution of soluble salts and cation exchange. Analysis further showed that while TDS (total dissolved solids) in drainage water increased to 4.7–10.8 g/L (an average of 7.6 g/L) in period 2005–2010, that in 2003–2004 was 28% lower. In contrast to irrigation water, TDS in drainage was 6–18 times higher than that in irrigation water. Yet further analysis showed that while the increase in TDS in drainage water was mainly driven by farmland expansion, drainage water was as well affected by groundwater exploitation. It was therefore recommended to restrict farmland expansion and to intensify water-saving operations in order to prevent destructive declines in water flow to downstream ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While agriculture places the greatest demand on water resources, increasing agricultural production is worsening a global water shortage. Reducing the cultivation of water-consuming crops may be the most effective way to reduce agricultural water use. However, when also taking food demand into consideration, sustaining the balance between regional water and food securities is a growing challenge. This paper addresses this task for regions where water is unsustainable for food production (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region for example) by: (i) assessing the different effects of wheat and maize on water use; (ii) analyzing virtual water and virtual land flows associated with food imports and exports between Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and elsewhere in China; (iii) identifying sub-regions where grain is produced using scarce water resources but exported to other regions; and (iv) analyzing the potentiality for mitigating water shortage via Land-Water-Food Nexus. In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, the study reveals that 29.76 bn m 3 of virtual water (10.81 bn m 3 of blue virtual water) are used by wheat and maize production and 8.77 bn m 3 of virtual water used in nearly 2 million ha of cropland to overproduce 12 million ton of maize for external food consumption. As an importing-based sub-region with high population density, Beijing & Tianjin imported mostly grain (wheat and maize) from Shandong Province. Then, Hebei Province, as an exporting-based sub-region with severe water shortage, overproduced too much grain for other regions, which aggravated the water crisis. To achieve an integrated and sustainable development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, Hebei Province should stop undertaking the breadbasket role for Beijing & Tianjin and pay more attention to groundwater depletion. The analysis of the Land-Water-Food Nexus indicates how shifts in cultivated crops can potentially solve the overuse of water resources without adverse effects on food supply. It also provides meaningful information to support policy decisions about regional cropping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find out the appropriate measures for soil water preservation and wheat yield increase, a three–year field experiment was conducted in Yuzhou Experimental Station of Water Saving Agriculture in the west of Henan Province, China, during the growing seasons of 2014–2015, 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 to study the effects of different tillage modes and soil mulching measures on dynamics of soil moisture and temperature, photosynthetic characteristics and yield of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L .). The results showed that straw coverage and film mulching measures under the conventional tillage and no tillage modes increased soil moisture by 4.4%–27.3%,13.4%–41.8% and 6.2%–46.7%, 2.4%–80.2%, respectively. The treatments of soil surface coverage measures under both conventional tillage and no tillage modes at tillering stage increased the temperature of soil layer at 10 cm and 15 cm depth by 9.1%–18.2% and 10.0%–40.0% in 2014–2015, while mulching measures under the conventional tillage obviously increased soil temperature at wintering stage but decreased soil temperature at booting and mature stages in 2016–2017. However, mulching measures under no tillage mode reduced soil temperature in shallower layer during seedling establishment stage in the three–year period of 2014–2017. Moreover, the two mulching measures raised net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUE) of functional leaves under the conventional tillage mode and reduced transpiration rate (Tr) at the filling stage. Except straw coverage measures under no tillage in 2015–2016, the combination of mulching measures under no tillage reduced Pn, Tr and WUE of wheat leaves at filling stage as compared to those without mulching measures. Under the conventional tillage mode, straw coverage increased wheat yield by 6.4%–9.3%, mainly due to the increase in the number of grains per panicle. Under no tillage mode, both straw coverage and mulching measures reduced wheat yield to different extents and film mulching measures was more effective than straw coverage. The combination of conventional tillage and straw mulching resulted in a yield of 8425.9–8888.9 kg hm −2 , so this combination was recommended as the optimal treatment under the conditions set in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation return flow is critical for both surface and groundwater resources in downstream catchments. However, studies sufficiently clarifying the dynamics of hydrological processes in relation to irrigation return flow are scarce. In this study, HYDRUS-2D/3D model was used to analyze four irrigation development scenarios in Aksu River Basin, a major tributary of Tarim River. The study determined the effect of agricultural water saving on the dynamics of irrigation return flow in the basin. The results showed that for the 1990s, the irrigation return flow coefficient for flood irrigation was 0.50. This suggested that 50% of the water used in irrigation returned as discharge in the lower reaches. With increasing water scarcity, irrigation amount dropped while drip irrigation with plastic mulch was intensified. Accordingly, the irrigation return flow coefficient dropped from 0.44 in the 2000s to 0.34 in the 2010s under flood irrigation and from 0.42 to 0.23 under drip irrigation. With the drastic drop, irrigation was no longer enough to stabilize soil salinity in the region. The recent irrigation plan requires further reduction in irrigation amount. Based on the projected effects of the new irrigation scheme on soil salt build-up, an optimized irrigation scheme showed that the irrigation return flow coefficient should remain at 0.25. And with the use of water-saving technology, irrigation return flow has dropped from 594.01 mm in the 1990s to 164.62 mm in the 2010s, which should be maintained at 186.37 mm for the sustainability of the optimized irrigation scheme. The study also suggested that salinity was increasing in the downstream water systems due to irrigation return flow from land reclamation and water saving. This was a potential threat to the fragile riparian ecosystems in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are membrane materials that are extensively used in the construction of large-span structures owing to their excellent performance and low cost. PVC and PVDF membranes are affected by their external environment during use, which causes aging and deterioration of their performance, thus reducing the service performance of the overall structure. Therefore, diverse mechanical properties, tests, elastic–plastic models, and aging mechanisms corresponding to natural and artificial aging (light-induced or high-temperature oxygen aging) are analyzed and compared herein to clarify the fundamental aging characteristics of PVC and PVDF membranes. The aging-related fundamentals of PVC and PVDF membranes are summarized, along with the associated problems. Additionally, suggestions for future studies on these membranes are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hydro-economic model framework yielded optimal groundwater, food, and economy trade-offs. • Crop patterns were optimized by minimizing water use, minimizing food reduction, and maximizing farmers' profits. • Scenario simulations emphasize local and external water resource benefits. When allocating water resources, stakeholders (such as water departments, agricultural sector actors, and farmers) aim to maximize their benefits. This leads to conflicts between water savings, food security, and profit growth, causing major challenges for water managers. A hydro-economic model was developed to alleviate groundwater sustainability, food security, and economic growth (GFE) conflicts through crop pattern optimization. This model combines groundwater, agronomic, and economic sub-models to simulate spatiotemporal variations in groundwater level, irrigation requirement, crop production, and net profit. The NSGA-II algorithm was used to maximize net profits while minimizing groundwater extraction and food reduction through crop pattern optimization in irrigation areas and under crop production constraints. Then, using the Baoding Plain as the study area, three scenarios with no external water supply and nine scenarios with an external water supply of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 km3/y were designed. The present crop pattern caused a groundwater decline of 0.32 m/y and an overdraft of 0.61 km3/y. The three scenarios without external water supply showed different options for maximizing net profit, minimizing groundwater extraction, and minimizing food reduction without affecting food production, food self-sufficiency or groundwater sustainability. All three scenarios cannot simultaneously satisfy the GFE target. With an external water supply of 0.3 km3/y, only one scenario met the GFE target; with that of 0.6 km3/y, all scenarios met the GFE target; and with that of 0.9 km3/y, groundwater levels increased, profits overflowed, and food overproduction occurred. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, three classification techniques (self-organizing maps, hierarchical cluster analysis and discriminant analysis) were applied to identify spatial water pollution levels, temporal water quality response delay phenomena (WQRDP), source pollution types (point, urban non-point, or agricultural non-point). Two models (principal components analysis (PCA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF)) were used to do the further quantitative source apportionment studying. The 27 inflow rivers in spatial were divided into three pollution levels (A, high; B, medium; C, low). The primary pollution pattern in spatial Clusters A, B, and C were point, urban non-point and agricultural non-point separately, in consideration of simultaneous land use types. Source apportionment results identified five typical factors in spatial Cluster A and six typical factors in spatial Cluster B and C as responsible for the data structure, explaining 80%–90% of the total variance of the dataset. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Blue-green algae (BGA) bloom is a typical phenomenon in eutrophied lakes. However, up to now, no environmental mechanism has been commonly accepted. Systematic and complete data sets of BGA blooms and environmental factors without any missing data are rare, which seriously affected previous studies. In this study, a bootstrapping based multiple imputation algorithm (EMB) was first applied to reconstruct a complete data set from the available data set with missing data, hence forming a basis for quantitatively relating BGA bloom to contributing factors. Then, the probability of BGA bloom outbreak was simulated using a binomial (or binary) logistic regression model, which is an effective tool for recognizing key contributing factors. The results suggest that 1) the outbreak frequency or probability of BGA bloom tends to first increase and then decrease with a turning point between June and September each year; 2) air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation were significant positive factors correlated with outbreak frequency, whereas wind speed and the number of sunshine hours were negative factors; 3) water temperature had a strong positive effect on the probability of BGA bloom outbreak, whereas other water quality factors, such as concentrations of organics and nutrients, were not so significant. However, water quality factors, such as NO3–N, SD, pH, NH4–N, COD and DO, still need to be concerned, which had a potential to aggravate the outbreak of BGA bloom in Dianchi Lake, if they were out of control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The South–North Water Transfer (SNWT) project (upon completion) will deliver some 4.8 billion m3 of water per annum to Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin — greatly mitigating water shortage in North China. Surface water that is currently restricted to urban use could then become partly available for agricultural production. This will reduce the dependence of agriculture on groundwater, which will in turn retard groundwater depletion in the region. This study determines the spatial and temporal distributions of agricultural water requirement in Hebei Plain. This in turn lays the basis for surface water reallocation following the completion of the SNWT project. DSSAT and COTTON2K crop models are used along with crop coefficient methods to estimate required irrigation amounts for wheat, maize, cotton, vegetables and fruit trees in Hebei Plain. The study uses 20 years (1986–2006) of agronomic, hydrologic and climate data collected from 43 well-distributed stations across the plain. Based on the results, wheat accounts for over 40% of total irrigation water requirement in the plain. Similarly, wheat, maize and cotton together account for 64% of the total irrigation water requirement. The piedmont regions of Mount Taihang have the highest irrigation requirement due to high percent farm and irrigated land area. The months of April and May have the highest irrigation water requirement, respectively accounting for 18.1% and 25.4% of average annual irrigation. Spatial and temporal variations in our estimated irrigation water requirement are higher than those in the officially published statistics data. The higher variations in our results are more reflective of field conditions (e.g. precipitation, cropping pattern, irrigated land area, etc.). This therefore indicates a substantive improvement (in our study) over the average statistical data. Based on our simulation results, viable surface water reallocation strategies following the completion of the SNWT project are advanced and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous research showed that various factors could influence the housing market. In this paper, hedonic pricing method was employed to analyze the effects of structural variables, including land transaction price, the distance to downtown area, central business district, railway station and hospital, floor area ratio (FAR), number of bus lines nearby and dichotomous variables, including nearness to rail transit, recreational facilities and parks which reflects the accessibility and living conditions, on housing transaction price. Hedonic pricing models including linear and semi-logarithm regression model were constructed. Results showed that the semi-logarithm model had relatively stronger explanatory power than linear model. The main determinants of housing transaction price in Beijing city were land transaction price, FAR and the distance between housing to downtown area. Among which, transaction price of located land had notably raised housing transaction price, contributing 98.8% to the selling price. FAR and distance from housing to the downtown area were the main negative driving forces for housing transaction price. Compared with structural variables, though correlation analysis indicated that nearness to rail transit and existence of recreational facilities had significant positive correlation with housing transaction price, it was not demonstrated in the regression results. In this study, wavelet-based denoising method was tentatively employed in pretreating data for semi-logarithmic models, and result suggested that the explanatory power of semi-logarithm regression was enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: RIP3 (Receptor Interacting Protein 3), a member of the Ser/Thr kinase family, is able to induce apoptosis and activate NF-κB in various cell types. However, the detailed mechanism of RIP3-induced apoptosis is largely unknown. In this study, we show that RIP3 is cleaved at Asp328 by caspase-8 under apoptotic stimuli, which is blocked by pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. In addition, full-length RIP3 induces both caspase-dependent and-independent apoptosis, as well as activates NF-κB. However, after cleavage, the C-terminus of RIP3 (aa 329-518) that lacks the kinase domain can form punctuate or filaments-like structures in cytoplasm, which induces only caspase-dependent apoptosis and exhibits a markedly higher NF-κB-activating activity than full-length RIP3. More importantly, the cleaved product of RIP3 (aa 329-518) displays better stability than wild type RIP3. Additionally, RIP3(K50A), a kinase-dead RIP3 mutant, also induces only caspase-dependent apoptosis along with an increased NF-κB-activating activity compared to RIP3, which further demonstrates that kinase activity of RIP3 is essential for its caspase-independent apoptotic activity. These results will help us to understand the mechanism underlying RIP3-induced apoptosis and the different roles of kinase domain and unique domain of RIP3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sustainable water use in the piedmont region of the Taihang Mountains in the northern part of the North China Plain (NCP) is under serious crisis due to the rapid depletion of groundwater caused mainly by pumping for agricultural irrigation. The development of water-conserving agricultural practices is essential in order to limit agricultural water use. To find an effective way to save water in the wheat-growing season without markedly reducing wheat yield, DSSAT-wheat was calibrated, validated and used to simulate water use by winter wheat. The simulations suggest: (1) since a moderately low growth in the leaf area index (LAI) of wheat does not result in low yield, moderate water deficits in March can save water, and therefore, the aim should be to avoid irrigation in March. (2) Depending on the soil water condition, irrigation in mid November is recommended to obtain a good growth of LAI and to create a moderate condition for water stress in March. (3) After the start of the growth of the ears (around 15 April), water deficits should be avoided so as to ensure there is no influence on ear growth and grain filling. Simulation of a 12-year period showed that when irrigation practice follows the above three principles, 76mm of evapotranspiration and 99.5mm irrigation water can be saved without much reduction in the yield of winter wheat (only 4.5%). This is sufficient to decrease the drawdown of groundwater by 0.42ma−1 and to improve water use efficiency from 1.27 to 1.45kgm−3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Magnetic and durable catalyst. • Iron as the catalytic metal. • High reaction selectivity. • Using air as oxidant. Fe 3 O 4 micro-particles encapsulated within silica bearing an outer layer of ordered mesoporous mSiO 2 -Fe (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @mSiO 2 -Fe) were synthesized. The material was a magnetically separable catalyst for the oxidative cracking reaction of styrene to produce benzaldehyde selectively, which was a very important transformation from the industrial viewpoint. Characterizations showed that this material was formed by a typical core-shell structure with uniform hexagonal mesopores possessed high specific surface area. The unique material structure facilitated the adsorption and mass transport of the organic molecules over its surface and enhanced the durability of the materials. Notably, the catalyst allowed the utilization of air as partial oxidant so that the reaction could employ reduced amount of H 2 O 2 , leading to an even safer process from large-scale application viewpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Spatial variation in river water yield driven by various agriculture use intensity. • depict spatial correlation of hydrological processes and agriculture activities. • Quantify the inflow of a cross-border river influenced by intensive upstream agriculture. Abstract A field hydrology survey was conducted to determine spatial variations in regional water yield and use intensity and clarify the main causes of the variation in upstream Hutuo River Basin (UHTB). The study showed that: 1) the spatial distribution of flow, salt and stable isotopes reflected variations in regional water yield and use intensity. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in river water were lower in Qingshui tributary and the headwater region of Hutuo River (HTR). The distributions of δ D and δ 18O of river water were nearly parallel to the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL), except for the middle reach. Intensive agricultural activities were responsible for the deviation of spatially stable isotopes from LMWL, the highest TDS and 0.85 evaporation fraction in the middle reach. 2) The spatial flow indicated that almost all the river water was used in agriculture (especially in the middle reach of UHTB) before inflow from Qingshui tributary. Based on the balance in monitored flow rate and isotopes, about 67.9% of the water flow (11.66 m3/s) was from upstream Shanxi province and discharged into the downstream of Hebei Province; 91.9% of which was from Qingshui tributary. 3) Irrigation function of upstream reservoirs was not fully reflected due to less storage of water along with low recharge and discharge events. Given the declining water yield and high water requirement, there was the need to overhaul agricultural water use strategies to ensure cross-border water availability. The research could lay the basis for designing cross-border agricultural water use strategies in UHTB and other basins with similar hydro-climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic mulching of agricultural land surfaces has been widely used to cope with growing water shortage, but little research has been done in evaluating its water-saving efficiency at large catchment scale. We evaluate the effectiveness of water use in plastic mulching in a large catchment in Northwest China using remote sensing data and the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL). We use a decision-tree method to delineate the plastic mulching lands (PML) from other croplands (NPML) based on land surface albedo and temperature derived from Landsat images. We use SEBAL and Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) and the water use in PML and NPML. Our study shows that ET from the PML reduced about 6.6% compared with NPML, and the area of PML increased about 84.2% during the 14-year period of 2000–2013 in the catchment. However, the total water use in the area still increased 50.0% as the total cropland area increased about 48.6% in the same period. Our study therefore suggests that the best water management strategy in arid China needs not only to increase water use efficiency but also to control total water usage by limiting reclamation of farmlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-infiltrating immune cells are closely associated with clinical outcome. However, immunohistochemistry-based analysis of tumor infiltrates can be misleading as the representative marker of an immune subpopulation might be expressed in other cell types. In this study, based on a metagene approach (known as CIBERSORT) and an online databse, The Cancer Immunome Atlas ( https://tcia.at/ ), we comprehensively analyzed the tumor-infiltrating immune cells present in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). A total of 22 types of both adaptive and innate tumor-infiltrating immune cells were evaluated in LUAD (n = 492) and LUSC (n = 488). As a result, tumors lacking memory B cells or with increased number of M0 macrophages were associated with the poor prognosis in LUAD at early clinical stage. In LUSC, T follicular helper cells were associated with favorable outcome, while increased number of neutrophils predicted a poor outcome. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis of the prognostic value of immune checkpoint molecules revealed that expression of ICOS was positively correlated the clinical outcome of patients with LUAD. Collectively, our data suggest that tumor-infiltrating immune cells in lung cancer are likely to be important determinants of both prognosis and response to immunotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific mechanisms of sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity are still undetermined. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway in sevoflurane-induced neuronal necroptosis. BV2 microglial cells were divided into a control group and a 4% sevoflurane exposure group. Western blotting was used to detect expression of the M1 polarization marker inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). RNA was collected for RNA sequencing analysis. After STING knockdown in microglia, western blotting was performed to examine expression of the pro-inflammatory markers CD16 and CD32. The tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level in media was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BV2 microglia conditioned media was collected to incubate HT22 neuronal cells, and their cell activity was measured using a CCK8 assay. Calcium was observed by fluorescence. Western blotting was performed to evaluate receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) expression. Neuronal necroptosis rate were detected using flow cytometry. Sevoflurane exposure promoted microglial M1 polarization. The cGAS/STING pathway was screened and identified by RNA sequencing analysis of sevoflurane-exposed microglia and the control group. Compared with the control group, STING knockdown in microglia rescued the amoeboid morphology, inhibited TNF-α release, and significantly decreased iNOS, CD16, and CD32 expression. Moreover, calcium ions and necroptosis within neurons were decreased, and RIPK1, RIPK3, and p-MLKL expression was markedly decreased in microglia media culture with STING knockdown. These results suggest that sevoflurane can regulate microglial M1 polarization by activating the cGAS/STING signaling pathway and increasing immune factor release, thus accelerating the neuronal necroptosis induced by calcium overload. • Sevoflurane regulate microglial M1 polarization by activating the cGAS/STING signaling pathway. • TNF-α released by microglia can cause neuronal necroptosis induced by calcium overload. • cGAS/STING signaling pathway could be an potential intervention targets for the prevention of sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: COTTON2K, like most other cotton production models, does not always adequately represent local growth conditions owing to the fact that it fails to take into account some indigenous cultivation practices. For instance, pruning and topping, a common practice for cotton cultivation in China is not included in the model simulation of COTTON2K. The objective of this research therefore was to: (1) modify COTTON2K source code and slot pruning and topping simulation switch on to the model, and (2) calibrate and validate the modified COTTON2K model with field data from pruning and topping cultivation practice. First, field collected data in 2003 and 2004 were compared between the treatments, with and without pruning and topping, and the COTTON2K source code updated with the ‘pruning and topping’ switch. This was followed by the calibration and validation of the updated model with field data and simulation of the effect of pruning and topping on cotton performance. It was noted from field observations that pruning and topping reduced total fruit sites, but at the same time, increased retained boll number, possibly due to significant reductions in abscised fruit sites. Though total dry matter production dropped, more dry matter allocation to reproductive organs, however, enhanced higher cotton lint yield in the pruning and topping treatment. Results of the modified model simulation showed that growth in the number of main-stem node ceased after topping. Furthermore, there was more biomass allocation to reproductive organs, such as green and open bolls under pruning and topping. Coefficient of determination above 0.8 for most of the growth factors was obtained in the calibration and validation processes under pruning and topping, a strong indication of the level of success of the model modification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, aluminothermic reduction and molten salt electrolysis were combined to prepare titanium powder. In this combined method, titanium dioxide was first deoxidized to produce titanium–aluminum alloy through an aluminothermic reduction reaction, and then the titanium–aluminum alloy was separated through chloride molten salt electrolysis to generate titanium powder. The obtained titanium powder, titanium aluminum alloy and slag was analyzed using several techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A mass ratio of 2:3 of titanium dioxide and aluminum was suitable for the production of titanium–aluminum alloys. A large amount of alumina generated through the aluminothermic reduction reaction was separated into slag phases using cryolite. Then, the phases were electrolyzed into aluminum and cryolite, which were reused as raw materials. The final titanium–aluminum alloy product was electrolyzed in a chloride molten salt system to separate titanium and aluminum and produce titanium powder. Therefore, the combination of thermal reduction and molten salt electrolysis is efficient and has great potential for producing high-purity titanium powder. Effective separation of aluminothermic reduction products through molten salt electrolysis. [Display omitted] • The slag separated by aluminum thermal reduction can recover electrolytic aluminum. • Titanium aluminum alloy is separated by electrolysis to obtain titanium powder. • A new method for preparing titanium powder from TiO 2 is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• IL-6 rs2243289 allele and genotype frequencies were associated with reduced RA risk. • IL-6 polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility of rheumatoid arthritis. • The correlation between IL and 6 and RA was limited by age and gender. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is complex autoimmune system disease and significant impact on the health of population in our world. Numerous studies confirmed that genetic factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of RA. In this current study, we aimed to investigate IL-6 polymorphisms and RA risk in Chinese Han population. 508 RA patients and 494 age- and gender- matched healthy controls were recruited, all subjects were genotyped with an Agena MassARRAY platform. Subsequently, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression after adjusting for age and gender. Our results suggested that IL-6 rs2243289 allele and genotype frequencies were associated with reduced RA risk under all genetic models (all p < 0.05). Stratification analysis revealed that IL-6 rs2243289 polymorphism was significant associated with decreased the risk of RA in the old groups (age > 54) (all p < 0.05). However, IL-6 rs2069837 and rs1800796 polymorphisms were associated with increased risk of RA among the young groups (age ≤ 54) (all p < 0.05). In addition, subgroup analysis by gender suggested that IL-6 rs2069837 and rs1800796 polymorphism were interacted with increased the risk of RA in males (all p < 0.05). Besides, IL-6 rs2243289 was associated with reduced RA risk in females. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the correlation between IL and 6 polymorphisms and RA susceptibility and confirmed for the first time that the relationship was restricted to age and gender in Chinese Han population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of different nitrate sources in groundwater is challenging in areas with diverse land use and multiple potential inputs. An area with mixed land-uses, typical of the piedmont-plain recharge area of the North China Plain, was selected to investigate different nitrate sources and the impact of land use on nitrate distribution in groundwater. Multiple environmental tracers were examined, including major ions, stable isotopes of water (δ 2 H-H 2 O, δ 18 O-H 2 O) and nitrate (δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − ). Groundwater was sampled from four land-use types; natural vegetation (NV), farmland (FL), economic forestland (EF) and residential areas (RA). A mixing model using δ 18 O and Cl − concentrations showed that groundwater recharge predominantly comprises precipitation and lateral groundwater flow from areas of natural vegetation in the upper catchment, while irrigation return water and wastewater from septic tanks were major inputs in farmland and residential areas, respectively. Land use variation is the major contributing factor to different nitrate concentrations. In total, 80%, 49% and 86% of samples from RA, FL and EF, respectively exceeded the WHO standard (50 mg/L NO 3 − ), compared to 6.9% of samples from NV. Isotopes of δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − verified that nitrate in groundwater of the NV (with δ 15 N ranging from 1.7‰ to 4.7‰) was sourced from soil and precipitation. Examination of δ 15 N-NO 3 − vs δ 18 O-NO 3 − values along with multivariate statistical analysis (principle component and cluster analysis) helped identify sources with overlapping isotopic values in other land-use areas (where δ 15 N values range from 2.5‰ to 10.2‰). Manure and septic waste were dominant sources for most groundwater with high NO 3 − and Cl − concentrations in both farmland and residential areas. The lack of de-nitrification and fact that the area is a recharge zone for the North China Plain highlight the importance of controlling nitrate sources through careful application of manure and fertilizers, and control of septic leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]