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BACKGROUND Early-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (EOCD) is a comparatively severe subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Olfactory dysfunction is a common symptom of OCD, but all previous studies have focused on late-onset OCD (LOCD). METHODS The current study compared olfactory identification ability in EOCD patients and age-matched and sex-matched LOCD patients and healthy controls. Thirty patients with EOCD, 30 patients with LOCD and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. Olfactory function was measured using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. The Logical Memory and Visual Reproduction components of the Revised Wechsler Memory Scale were used to evaluate verbal and visual memory. RESULTS There were significant differences in olfactory identification ability between the three groups. EOCD patients were comparable to LOCD patients, while both patients' group showing worse olfactory identification ability than controls. Olfactory identification ability was not significantly correlated with verbal and visual memory or clinical symptoms in the EOCD group or the LOCD group. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study suggest that olfactory identification ability may be a relatively stable indicator of OCD, independent of age, duration of illness, verbal and visual memory, and severity of clinical symptoms.

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral endocyclic allenes remains a challenge in allene chemistry owing to unfavored tension and complex chirality. Here, we present a new relay strategy merging Pd-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] annulation with enyne-Cope rearrangement, providing a facile route to chiral 9-membered endocyclic allenes with high efficiency and enantioselectivity. Moreover, theoretical calculations and experimental studies were performed to illustrate the critical, but unusual Cope rearrangement that allows for the complete central-to-axial chirality transfer.

A hybrid model based on Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and Health Risk Assessment Model for assessing risks associated with sources of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water was for the first time established, and applied at Dianchi Lake to test its applicability. The new method contains two stages: (1) The sources to PFASs were apportioned by PMF model and (2) the contribution of health risks from each source was calculated by the new hybrid model. Two factors were extracted by PMF, with Factor 1 identified as aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs) source, and Factor 2 as fluoropolymer (FP) manufacturing and processing & perfluorooctanoic acid production source. Health risk of PFASs in the water assessed by Health Risk Assessment Model was 9.54 × 10−7 a−1 on average, showing no obvious adverse effects to human health. The two sources' risks estimated by the new hybrid model ranged from 2.95 × 10−10 to 6.60 × 10−6 a−1 and from 1.64 × 10−7 to 1.62 × 10−6 a−1 respectively. The new hybrid model can provide useful information on the health risks of PFASs sources, which is helpful for pollution control and environmental management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

An endophyte with high yield of β-mannanase, designated as Paenibacillus sp. CH-3, was isolated from black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) seeds. The β-mannanase gene (manB) has been cloned, expressed, purified, and characterized. With an open reading frame of 984 bp, the manB gene encodes 327 amino acid residues, which belongs to GH family 5. The recombinant β-mannanase (ManB) has an apparent molecular weight of 50.4 kDa with an optimal activity level at pH 7.0 and 45 °C, and it is stable in the range of pH 4-9. By optimizing, the temperature, isopropyl β-d-thiogalactoside concentration, and induction time were 28 °C, 0.05 mM, and 12 H, respectively. The highest activity reached at 1,054.17 U/mL. In addition, ManB had Km values of 7.30, 8.69, and 27.17 mg/mL for locust bean gum (LBG), guar gum, and konjac glucomannan (KGM), respectively. Its catalytic efficiency (kcat /Km ) was 176.31 mL/(mg·Sec) for LBG, 116.69 mL/(mg·Sec) for guar gum, and 115.49 mL/(mg·Sec) for KGM. The products of glucomannans, which were hydrolyzed by ManB, mainly contain mannobiose, mannotetrose, and a higher manno-oligosaccharide. The characteristics of ManB revealed that it could be exploited as an effective additive in the animal feed industry.

Concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM10 ) and PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5 ), and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured. The average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 reached 209.75 μg/m(3) and 141.87 μg/m(3) , respectively, and those of ΣPAHs were 41.46 ng/m(3) for PM10 and 36.77 ng/m(3) for PM2.5 . The mass ratio concentrations were 219.23 μg/g and 311.01 μg/g in PM10 and PM2.5 , respectively. Three sources and their contributions for PAHs were obtained. For individual input mode, diesel exhaust contributed 46.77% (PM10 ) and 41.12% (PM2.5 ) for mass concentration and 48.69% (PM10 ) and 39.47% (PM2.5 ) for mass ratio concentration; gasoline exhaust contributed 31.02% (PM10 ) and 39.47% (PM2.5 ) for mass concentration and 28.95% (PM10 ) and 36.46% (PM2.5 ) for mass ratio concentration; and coal combustion contributed 22.22% (PM10 ) and 19.41% (PM2.5 ) for mass concentration and 22.36% (PM10 ) and 15.89% (PM2.5 ) for mass ratio concentration. For combined input mode, the same source categories were obtained. Source contributions to PM10 and PM2.5 were diesel exhaust (40.70% and 36.64%, respectively, for mass concentration; 49.19% and 38.47%, respectively, for mass ratio concentration), gasoline exhaust (35.09% and 38.47%, respectively, for mass concentration; 32.50% and 33.43%, respectively, for mass ratio concentration), and coal combustion (24.21% and 24.89%, respectively, for mass concentration; 18.31% and18.17%, respectively, for mass ratio concentration). Source risk assessment showed that vehicle emission was a significant contributor. The findings can help elucidate sources of PAHs and provide evidence supporting further applications of the Unmix model and additional studies about PAHs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:480-487. © 2014 SETAC.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) were measured in sediments from 29 sites throughout Taihu Lake in China during 2 seasons to investigate spatiotemporal characteristics and source contributions using a 3-way source apportionment approach to positive matrix factorization (PMF3). Seasonal and spatial variations of levels and toxicity suggested higher individual carcinogenic PAH concentrations and toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) in the flooding season. Three-way PAHs dataset (PAH species, spatial variability, and seasonal variability) was analyzed by PMF3, and its results were compared with a widely used 2-way model (PMF2). Consistent results were observed: vehicular emission was the most important contributor (67.08% by PMF2 and 61.83% by PMF3 for the flooding season; 54.21% by PMF2 and 52.94% by PMF3 for dry season), followed by coal combustion and wood combustion in both seasons. The PMF-cluster analysis was employed to investigate spatial variability of source contributions. Findings can introduce the 3-way approach to apportion sources of PAHs and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in sediments, offering the advantage of accounting for information on 3-way datasets. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:1747–1753. © 2014 SETAC

A low-power low-jitter voltage-mode (VM) transmitter with two-tap pre-emphasis and impedance calibration for high-speed serial links is presented. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between impedance, supply current, and pre-emphasis of the output driver, an impedance control circuit (ICU) is presented to maintain the 50 Ω output impedance and suppress the reflection, a self-biased regulator is proposed to regulate the power supply, and an edge driver is introduced to speed up the signal transition time. Therefore, the signal integrity (SI) of the transmitter is improved with low power consumption. The whole transmitter is implemented in 65-nm CMOS technology. It provides an eye height greater than 688 mV at the far end with a root-mean-squared jitter of less than 6.99 ps at 5 Gbps. The transmitter consumes 15.2 mA and occupies only 370 μm × 230 μm. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Three new flavanone glycosides named garccowaside A, garccowaside B, garccowaside C, and three other known compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of the stems of Garcinia cowa. These structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Twelve compounds isolated from the stems of Garcinia cowa were tested for cytotoxic activities.