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Inbreeding is thought to be a key adverse factor impacting the genetic quality of seeds in seed production populations and the inbreeding degree (i.e., selfing or outcrossing rate) of seed production populations have been extensively assessed through mating system analysis. The adverse effect of inbreeding on seed quality traits in seed production populations under open-pollination conditions has not yet been clearly described. In this study, the open-pollinated seeds were collected from 26 mother trees in a 58-year-old seed tree stand. Three seed quality traits, including thousand-seed weight (TSW), germination rate (GR), and germination potential (GP), were measured, and the seeds from eight of 26 families with significant differences in seed quality traits were genotyped through twelve microsatellite markers. In addition, the seeds and sprouts (germinated seeds) from six families were genotyped to reveal the effect of inbreeding on seed germination. The three seed quality traits significantly differed among families (p < 0.001). The multilocus outcrossing rate (tm = 0.889) and single-locus outcrossing rate (ts = 0.648) of overall seeds indicated apparent selfing (11.1%) and biparental inbreeding (24.0%). The outcrossing rate in the sprout group (tm = 0.919, ts = 0.788) was higher than that in the seed group (tm = 0.833, ts = 0.646), and the difference in ts between groups was different from zero under the 95% confidence interval (0.024–0.260), suggesting that inbreeding negatively affected seed germination. Linear regression demonstrated that TSW was positively correlated with tm and ts, while GR was negatively related to tm−ts and positively related to ts, implying that seed mass (development) was probably more affected by self-fertilization, but germination capacity was more influenced by biparental inbreeding. The inbreeding depression (ID) of TSW was estimated to be 26.3% with a 0.1 decrease in tm, while that of GR was estimated to be 8.4% with a 0.1 decrease in ts. These results suggest that the IDs during seed development and the germination stage of Masson pine were nonignorable and that more attention to outcrossing rate should be paid to the establishment and management of Masson pine seed production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects damaging and penetrating plastic packaged materials has been reported since the 1950s. Radical innovation breakthroughs of plastic biodegradation have been initiated since the discovery of biodegradation of plastics by Tenebrio molitor larvae in 2015 followed by Galleria mellonella in 2017. Here we review updated studies on the insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics. Plastic biodegradation by insect larvae, mainly by some species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) and pyralid moths (Pyralidae) is currently a highly active and potentially transformative area of research. Over the past eight years, publications have increased explosively, including discoveries of the ability of different insect species to biodegrade plastics, biodegradation performance, and the contribution of host and microbiomes, impacts of polymer types and their physic-chemical properties, and responsible enzymes secreted by the host and gut microbes. To date, almost all major plastics including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and polystyrene (PS) can be biodegraded by T. molitor and ten other insect species representing the Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. The biodegradation processes are symbiotic reactions or performed by synergistic efforts of both host and gut-microbes to rapidly depolymerize and biodegrade plastics with hourly half-lives. The digestive ezymens and bioreagents screted by the insects play an essential role in plasatic biodegradation in certain species of Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. New research on the insect itself, gut microbiomes, transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes has evaluated the mechanisms of plastic biodegradation in insects. We conclude this review by discussing future research perspectives on insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyroptosis is an inflammatory type of programmed cell death, and could overcome the drug-resistance induced by anti-apoptotic effect of cancers. Carvedilol (CVL), a β-adrenergic receptors antagonist, has shown anti-inflammatory response and anti-cancer effect. The aim of this study is to investigate whether pyroptosis can be activated by CVL in prostate cancer (PCa). Methods and results: Datasets were used to analyze the expressions of pyroptosis-related proteins. Intracellular morphological change, cell viability, LDH and Il-1β release by cells,, and Hoechst/PI staining were used to detect the occurrence of pyroptosis. Realtime-PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to investigate the expressions of pyroptosis-related proteins. Datasets analyze showed the expressions of NLRP3, Caspase 1, ASC and GSDMD were all decreased in PCa comparing with normal tissues, but without prognostic significance. CVL treatment weakened the viabilities of PCa cells. Cell morphology changing, cytoplasmic vacuole formation, membrane integrity loss, LDH and IL-1β release and PI positive cells increasing were observed. NLRP3, Caspase 1, ASC, GSDMD and N-GSDMD expressions were elevated after CVL treatment, accompanied by a tendency of NF-κB transferring into nucleus. In vivo, CVL inhibited the growth of subcutaneous transplanted tumor. IHC showed CVL increased the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, and GSDMD, and decreased the expression of Ki-67 in transplanted tumor tissues. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that CVL could induce pyroptosis in PCa cells through NLRP3-caspase1-ASC inflammasome by promoting nuclear translocation of NF-κB, which would lay a foundation for the application of adrenergic receptor antagonist in PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of HNK, I5, and I6 on the expression of protein in hippocampus of depressed mice were studied by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) to explore the mechanism of their antidepressant action. HNK, I5, and I6 were administered intragastric administration once a day in the morning for 7 days. The drug was subsequently discontinued for 7 days (without any treatment). On the 15th day, mice in each group were given the drug (1.0, 10.0, 30.0 mg/kg) intragastric stimulation and mouse hippocampal tissues were taken to perform iTRAQ to identify differentially expressed proteins, and bioinformatics was used to analyze the functional enrichment of the differentially expressed proteins. Compared with Ctr group, the number of differentially expressed proteins in HNK, I5, and I6 treatment groups was 158, 88, and 105, respectively. The three groups shared 29 differentially expressed proteins. In addition, compared with HNK group, the number of differentially expressed proteins in I5 and I6 groups was 201 and 203, respectively. A total of 47 and 56 differentially expressed proteins were co-expressed in I5 and I6 groups. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these differentially expressed proteins mainly had the functions of binding, biocatalysis, and transport, and mainly participated in cellular process, biological regulation process, biological metabolism process, and stress reaction process. GO and KEGG pathway analysis found that these differentially expressed proteins were involved long-term potentiation, G13 pathway, platelet activation pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway. HNK, I5, and I6 antidepressants are closely related to sudden stress sensitivity, stress resistance, neurotransmitter, and metabolic pathways. This study provides a scientific basis to further elucidate the mechanism and clinical application of HNK, I5, and I6 antidepressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we analyzed total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content, and the antioxidant activity of the ethanol and distilled water extracted Houttuynia cordata perennial herb. Later, we investigated the possibility of producing Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE) loaded Polyurethane (PU) nanofibers via the electrospinning technique. The analysis confirmed that the total polyphenol, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracted HCE were higher than the distilled water extracted HCE. Therefore, the ethanol extracted HCE was used to prepare HCE/PU nanofibers by varying concentrations of HCE and PU. The HCE/PU nanofibers showed a mixed pattern of beads and fibers at a PU concentration of 10 wt%. However, at 12 wt% PU concentration, relatively uniform nanofibers with an average diameter of about 200 nm were formed at 1.0% and 1.5 wt% of HCE. The successful incorporation of HCE in PU nanofibrous matrix was confirmed by the presence of its characteristic bands in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra. The addition of HCE increased the crystallinity, the amount of heat required for pyrolysis, and the thermal stability of HCE/PU nanofibers, which must be credited to the HCE-derived quercitrin and quercetin crystallite solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperbilirubinemia is one of most severe clinical diseases, which is caused by the accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin. Electrospun nanofiber membranes used as highly efficient bilirubin adsorbents have been applied to remove the extra bilirubin in hemoperfusion for their high surface area and easy functionalized properties. In this work, Lysine (Lys) grafted polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofiber membranes doped with organic Hectorite (OHec) (Lys-HPAN@OHec) have been fabricated via a series of modified process, including pore forming, alkaline hydrolysis and grafting reaction. The obtained Lys-HPAN@OHec nanofiber membranes have been analyzed in detail and investigated the adsorption capacity for bilirubin. Compared with original PNA membranes, Lys-HPAN@OHec nanofiber membranes show an excellent bilirubin adsorption capacity and more stable rejection rate of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The maximum adsorption capacity of Lys-HPAN@OHec membranes for bilirubin is 64 mg/g, the adsorption process of Lys-HPAN@OHec membranes matched the Langmuir model well. In addition, dynamic adsorption reveals that the adsorption equilibrium time of Lys-HPAN@OHec membranes is about 2 h. Significantly, Lys-HPAN@OHec membranes have excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. This study demonstrates that the novel Lys-HPAN@OHec membranes may provide a new way to treat hyperbilirubinemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment Cu is significant for oceanic eco-environment and seafood quality. The sources and influencing factors of sediment Cu in the island area differ from those in other areas since the island is far away from the mainland. But there is no detailed information about sediment Cu characteristics and influencing factors in this specific area. The northern four-island area of Penglai District, Yantai City, China, was selected, and sediments were sampled. The sediments have a low Cu background (5.94–22.17 µg/g, an average of 12.19 µg/g) because of the far distance from the mainland. But more Cu accumulates in sediment near the islands, indicating the effect of islanders' daily activities on sediment Cu levels. Sediment Cu levels are significantly correlated with grain sizes and the organic matter (OM) in sediment and are not with pH, Fe, Mn, redox, and total sulfur levels. The normalization of sediment Cu with Ni, Sc, and the calculation of enrichment factors (EF) confirm the sediment Cu mainly derives from natural or internal sources. The prevailing culture activity near the northern four-islands slows ocean current velocity, causing finer fractions and higher sediment Cu levels. The sediment OM near the island is slightly higher than further away as a consequence of the local inhabitants' activities. Sediment TOC/TN implies sediment OM originates from the terrestrial regions. So, the imported OM by the local inhabitant' activity is another factor for the higher sediment Cu levels near the northern four-island area. Sediment grain size does a more significant effect on sediment Cu near the island area than sediment OM. An enrichment model of sediment Cu levels in faraway island area is forwarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the potential of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) parameters in identifying metastatic cervical lymph nodes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and to explore the relationships between DECT and pathological features. Methods: Clinical and DECT data were collected from patients who underwent radical resection of OSCC and cervical lymph node dissection between November 2019 and June 2021. Microvascular density was assessed using the Weidner counting method. The electron density (ED) and effective atomic number (Zeff) in non - contrast phase and iodine concentration (IC), normalized IC, slope of the energy spectrum curve (λHU), and dual-energy index (DEI) in parenchymal phase were compared between metastatic and non - metastatic lymph nodes. Student's t-test, Pearson's rank correlation, and receiver operating characteristic curves were performed. Results: The inclusion criteria were met in 399 lymph nodes from 103 patients. Metastatic nodes (n = 158) displayed significantly decreased ED, IC, normalized IC, λHU, and DEI values compared with non-metastatic nodes (n = 241) (all p < 0.01). Strong correlations were found between IC (r = 0.776), normalized IC (r = 0.779), λHU (r = 0.738), DEI (r = 0.734), and microvascular density. Area under the curve (AUC) for normalized IC performed the highest (0.875) in diagnosing metastatic nodes. When combined with the width of nodes, AUC increased to 0.918. Conclusion: DECT parameters IC, normalized IC, λHU, and DEI reflect pathologic changes in lymph nodes to a certain extent, and aid for detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes from OSCC. Key Points: • Electron density, iodine concentration, normalized iodine concentration, λHU, and dual-energy index values showed significant differences between metastatic and non-metastatic nodes. • Strong correlations were found between iodine concentration, normalized iodine concentration, slope of the spectral Hounsfield unit curve, dual-energy index, and microvascular density. • DECT qualitative parameters reflect the pathologic changes in lymph nodes to a certain extent, and aid for the detection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes from oral squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epicontinental seas to the east of China have become highly anthropogenically impacted due to rapid economic development in recent decades, resulting in various environmental problems, including heavy metal pollution. The Bohai Strait, as a key junction connecting the material-energy exchange between the Bohai and Yellow Seas, is extremely critical in regional pollution prevention and control. To ascertain the spatial distribution and contamination levels of heavy metals in the surface sediments of the northern Bohai Strait, a systematic investigation was conducted. Geochemical analysis revealed that the concentrations (in ppm) of heavy metal elements in surface sediments vary in the range of 4.19–77.6 for As, 0.04–0.21 for Cd, 5.1–65.7 for Pb, 0.30–39.40 for Cu, 7.77–46.50 for Ni, 1.50–86.60 for Cr, 11.70–91.80 for Zn, and 0.005–0.038 for Hg. Ecological statistics indicate that the northern Bohai Strait suffers from prominent heavy metal pollution primarily induced by As, Cd, and Pb, accompanied by relatively weak pollution of Cu and Ni. Sediments collected from the submarine depressions and the southeast region exhibit higher heavy metal concentrations, and as a consequence, more serious ecological risk. Correlation analysis indicated that the accumulations of Hg, Cr, and Zn were associated with the deposition of organic matter. Preliminary provenance discrimination suggested that the pollutants were mainly derived from the eastern parts of the North Yellow Sea, rather than the Bohai region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphdiyne (GDY) is emerging as a promising material for various applications owing to its unique structure and fascinating properties. However, the application of GDY in electronics and optoelectronics are still in its infancy, primarily owing to the huge challenge in the synthesis of large-area and uniform GDY film for scalable applications. Here a modified van der Waals epitaxy strategy is proposed to synthesize wafer-scale GDY film with high uniformity and controllable thickness directly on graphene (Gr) surface, providing an ideal platform to construct large-scale GDY/Gr-based optoelectronic synapse array. Essential synaptic behaviors have been realized, and the linear and symmetric conductance-update characteristics facilitate the implementation of neuromorphic computing for image recognition with high accuracy and strong fault tolerance. Logic functions including "NAND" and "NOR" are integrated into the synapse which can be executed in an optical pathway. Moreover, a visible information sensing-memory-processing system is constructed to execute real-time image acquisition, in situ image memorization and distinction tasks, avoiding the time latency and energy consumption caused by data conversion and transmission in conventional visual systems. These results highlight the potential of GDY in applications of neuromorphic computing and artificial visual systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inner shelf mud wedge (ISMW) located in the East China Sea (ECS) is the fine-grained sedimentary area with high sedimentation rate and has provided an ideal study area for understanding the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) evolution during the Holocene. In this paper, we presented the high-resolution geochemical data of the sediments from the core MD06-3040 in the ISMW of the ECS determined by X-ray fluorescence core scanning (XRF-CS) analysis, a high-resolution, continuous, and multi-element method. Geochemical and factor analysis results reveal that the variations of elemental compositions (Al, Si, K, Ti, Fe), the elemental ratios of Al/Zr, Ca/Ti and Rb/Sr, and the factor scores (F1) are correlated with the changes of the EASM during the period of 6000–1300 cal yrBP. The higher values of geochemical compositions indicating the terrigenous inputs implied the intensification of anthropogenic activities after 1300 cal yrBP. Meanwhile, the significant decrease of most geochemical compositions and the F1 factor scores during 4500–3500 cal yrBP and 1700–1500 cal yrBP, within the dating errors, coincided with the weak EASM events (presumably drought and cold events). The spectral analysis results of K concentrations, Al/Zr ratios and F1 factor scores show the millennial and centennial climatic fluctuations, which are consistent with other marine sedimentary records in the adjacent areas. All the findings show that the geochemical compositions of sediments from core MD06-3040 are influenced by the EASM evolution, the variable El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the local oceanic thermohaline circulation (e.g., Kuroshio Current). These results are greatly helpful in uncovering the forcing mechanism of the monsoonal climate in the east China over the Holocene and also contribute to the understanding of EASM variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding fumed silica (SiO2) has been considered as an effective method for tailoring the phase morphology and performance of elastomer-toughened plastic binary blends. It has been demonstrated that the selective distribution of SiO2 plays a decisive role in the mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer/SiO2 nanocomposites, especially for the impact toughness. In this work, we aim to illuminate the role of specific surface area in controlling their selective distribution of fumed SiO2 and consequent mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer binary blends. Three types of SiO2 with different specific surface areas were incorporated into polylactide/ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate (PLA/EVA) model blends by melt blending directly. It was found that the selective distribution of SiO2 is largely determined by their specific surface areas, i.e. SiO2 nanoparticles with low specific surface area has a stronger tendency to be located at the interface between PLA matrix and EVA dispersed phase as compared to those with high specific surface area. The specific surface area-dependent interfacial selective distribution of SiO2 is mainly attributed to the extent of increased viscosity of EVA dispersed phase in which SiO2 nanoparticles are initially dispersed and resultant migration rate of SiO2 nanoparticles. The interfacial localized SiO2 nanoparticles induce an obvious enhancement in the impact toughness with strength and modulus well maintained. More importantly, in the case of the same interfacial distribution, toughening efficiency is increased with the specific surface area of SiO2. Therefore, this is an optimum specific surface area of SiO2 for the toughening. This work not only provides a novel way to manipulate the selective distribution of SiO2 in elastomer-toughened plastic blends toward high-performance, but also gives a deep insight into the role of interfacial localized nanoparticles in the toughening mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity and mating status of seed production stands are crucial factors impacting the genetic quality and ecological stability of progeny plantations. The genetic homogeneity of seeds collected from a seed production population in different years has not yet been clearly described. In this study, the genetic diversity and differentiation of a seed-tree stand of 58-year-old Pinus massoniana (P1959) and four-open pollinated plantations of its progeny (OS1996, OS2000, OS2006 and OS2015) were determined by using microsatellite markers. The results showed that similar high genetic diversity was preserved in the seed-tree stand and its four progenies. This implied that current artificial seed harvesting from the seed-tree stand for reforestation does not lead to a significant reduction in genetic diversity; the F index across most loci was significantly greater than zero, indicating population homozygote excess. The pairwise genetic differentiation of the five populations ranged from 0.035 to 0.075, among which OS2015 was the most differentiated from the parent. The differentiation between the parental population and its progeny seemed to increase with increasing age of the seed-trees. This implied that a limited pollination coupled with variable within-stand pollen availability has created opportunities for both self- and foreign pollination to be successful in various periods, resulting in a seemingly paradoxical scenario of both high selfing and gene flow, ultimately resulting in gradually increasing differences in the gene frequency composition between the parental population and its progeny. Management considerations in addressing these problems in similar seed production stands were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the interplay between mobile phone use, sleep pattern, and psychological symptoms, this study examined changes in adolescents' mobile phone use and sleep associated with mobile phone demand. Also examined was whether sleep duration mediated relationship between mobile phone use and psychological symptoms among adolescents in coastal developed areas of China. A cross-sectional study which includes 3020 students was performed. Students completed general situation questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale, insomnia severity index, Epworth sleepiness scale, Beck depression inventory, self-rating anxiety scale, and mobile phone use questionnaire. Regarding the most time-consuming function, gender differences emerged, with more boys using game function, whereas girls reported higher use of surfing the Internet and music players. Regarding mobile phone use before sleep, for those who often used mobile phone before sleep, sleep duration was significantly shorter and sleep onset latency was significantly longer than those who either sometimes or never used the function except study (P < 0.05). Regression models revealed that mobile phone use before sleep was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms (β = 0.89, P < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (β = 1.22, P < 0.001). There was a significant mediation effect of the relationship between mobile phone use before sleep and psychological symptoms by sleep duration. Frequent mobile phone use before sleep was associated with significant adverse effects on multiple sleep parameters and psychological symptoms. Sleep duration may be a potential underlying mechanism behind the association between mobile phone use and health symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the association between plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the occurrence of emergence agitation (EA) in the elderly after gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: Seventy-two patients were recruited, who received gastrointestinal surgery and general anesthesia. BDNF level of blood was detected by ELISA before anesthesia (baseline), 10 min after tracheal intubation before the start of surgery, at skin closure, 10 min after tracheal extubation, and 24 h postoperatively. Patients with a Ricker Sedation-Agitation Scale (RSAS) score ≥5 at any time in the post anesthesia care unit were considered to have emergence agitation. Results: The incidence of EA in this population was 40 % (29/72). The EA group had higher plasma BDNF levels at skin closure (497.86 ± 69.65 vs. 307.86 ± 51.91, p < 0.05) and especially at 10 min after tracheal extubation (900 ± 224.6 vs. 476.28 ± 107.15, p < 0.001). Moreover, the levels of plasma BDNF at skin closure, 10 min after tracheal extubation and postoperative pain, were positively related with RSAS scores. Conclusions: Our results suggest that plasma BDNF is associated with the occurrence of emergence agitation after gastrointestinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to investigate the effect of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) combined with green tea polyphenols (GTPs) on the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) permeability after spinal cord injury (SCI) in the rat model. In the model of SCI rats, we found that the water content and the BSCB permeability were decreased by BMSCs and GTPs treatment, and their combination had a synergistic effect. Further, the motor function of rats was also greatly improved by BMSCs and GTPs administration. After treated by the combination of BMSCs and GTPs, SCI rats showed the up-regulated expression of tight junction (TJ) associated proteins claudin-5, occludin and ZO-1 by Western blot, which was more remarkable than that in the single treatment. The increased expression levels of claudin-5, occludin, and ZO-1 were the most obvious in the spinal cord microvessels using immunohistochemistry assay. This led to the conclusion that the combination of BMSCs and GTPs could decrease the BSCB permeability by up-regulating protein expression levels of claudin-5, occludin, and ZO-1. In addition, after BMSCs and GTPs administration, the results of Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed a significant decrease in protein expression level and the activation of nuclear factor-кB (NF-кB) p65. Our results indicated that combination of BMSCs and GTPs could improve motor function after SCI, which might be correlated with improvements in BSCB integrity, and that NF-кB might be involved in the modulating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type II is a major cause of drug-resistant epilepsy. In order to gain insight into the possible correlations between FCD II pathological pattern and different clinical characteristics (including clinical information, imaging characteristics and surgical outcomes), different clinicopathological characteristics in two types of FCD II were analyzed (especially in FCD IIb). The mean age of seizure onset and disease duration of 78 patients was 11.0 and 11.2 years, respectively. Patients with FCD type IIb had earlier seizure onset compared with those with FCD type IIa. Pathological subtype IIb was predominantly in frontal lobe and subtype IIa was predominantly seen in temporal. Type IIb demonstrated significantly more signal abnormalities in fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images and T2 images than Type IIa. The rate of satisfactory seizure outcome was 67.64 % in the FCD IIa group, while relative higher, 88.63 %, in the FCD IIb group. All these characteristics may assist in their earlier diagnosis and improve the predictability of surgical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a paleoflood study to determine the flood frequency of the Changjiang River, based on core cj0702, taken from the Changjiang River subaqueous delta. We identified flood deposits by means of high-resolution grain-size variation, sensitive population, geochemical indexes and magnetic susceptibility. The core covers a time span of 120 years by Pb dating and was sampled at 1-2 cm intervals. Grain size, geochemical elements, and physical parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that the sediment of the core is mainly composed of silt and clay, as well as groups of interbedded silt, clay silt, and clay. Vertically, the grain size pattern was controlled by seasonal variations in water discharge and by the sediment input in winter from the abandoned Huanghe River delta. River flooding caused extreme values in all our measured parameters. We identified more than 20 flood events that occurred since 1887 using the physical parameter analysis method. The environmentally sensitive component of sediment grain size (14.32-96.39 μm) contribution>30%, Zr/Rb ratio>1.5, and magnetic susceptibility>16 were selected as the criteria for flood identification generally. We also found that floods that had taken place in the upstream, midstream, or downstream parts of the river were clearly identified by these indexes while the large-scale floods that covered the whole drainage area did not leave clear indications in the sediment record. This study for identification of flood events is of great significance for understanding hyperpycnal current sedimentation as well as for forecasting of floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), a bioactive compound isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb danshen, is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of Sal B on the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) after spinal cord injury (SCI) in a rat model. Sal B (1, 10, and 50 mg/kg i.v.) was administered to rats immediately following SCI. The permeability of the BSCB and spinal cord tissue water content were evaluated. Additionally, the expression levels of tight junction proteins and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were monitored by Western blot analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis of spinal cord tissue homogenates was performed 24 h post-SCI to evaluate the expression of inflammation-related cytokines. In addition, the motor recovery of SCI rats was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scoring system. Compared to the SCI group, rats treated with Sal B (10, 50 mg/kg) exhibited significantly reduced spinal cord tissue water content and BSCB permeability. Further, the motor function of rats was also greatly improved by Sal B administration. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and NF-κB was found to be greatly increased 24 h post-SCI, and this upregulation was significantly attenuated by Sal B treatment. The expression of ZO-1 and occludin was upregulated by Sal B (10 mg/kg) treatment after SCI, and this effect was blocked by the HO-1 inhibitor ZnPP. Taken together, our results clearly indicate that Sal B attenuates SCI by promoting the repair of the damaged BSCB, demonstrating that this molecule is a novel and promising therapeutic agent for human SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediments with high sedimentation rate at site MD05-2905 in the Northeastern slope of the South China Sea provide unique materials for a high-resolution study on the paleoenvironment. Based on precise dating of AMS 14C, grain size analysis of terrigenous debris at core MD05-2905 was conducted after organic matter, biological carbonate and biogenic opal were removed. The results show that 15.5–63.5 μm coarse grain size ingredients may indicate East Asian winter monsoon changes and that 2–9 μm fine grain size ingredients may be used as a proxy of evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon. The results of grain size analysis, which suggest East Asian monsoon intensity, reveal that a winter monsoon dominated the glacial regime and a summer monsoon dominated the Holocene regime. It was also shown that the summer monsoon increased gradually, experienced several abrupt changes and reached a culmination in the early Holocene (11200–8500 a B.P.) since 36 ka. Controlled by precession periodicity, it may be related with the amount of solar radiation at the highest stage, which needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

   The major histocompatibility complex (MHC), with its extraordinary levels of genetic variation, is thought to be an essential aspect of the ability of an organism to recognize different parasites and pathogens. It has also been proposed to regulate reproductive processes in many aspects. Here we examine the genetic variation of the second exon of the MHC class II B genes of the crested ibis, an endangered species known to descend from just two breeding pairs rediscovered in 1981. Only five alleles are identified by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of 36 samples taken from both wild and captive populations, and a comparatively low level of divergence between MHC alleles is observed. We suggest that representative sampling of individuals with most of the different MHC allele genotypes to constitute a founder population, together with the monitoring of the pathogen status of candidate sites before release, is of great importance for raising the success rate of reintroduction for the crested ibis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-021-01367-y [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]