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Considering the nonlinear and non-stationary characteristics of sea-level-change time series, this study focuses on enhancing the predictive accuracy of sea level change. The adjacent seas of China are selected as the research area, and the study integrates singular spectrum analysis (SSA) with long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks to establish an SSA-LSTM hybrid model for predicting sea level change based on sea level anomaly datasets from 1993 to 2021. Comparative analyses are conducted between the SSA-LSTM hybrid model and singular LSTM neural network model, as well as (empirical mode decomposition) EMD-LSTM and (Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise) CEEMDAN-LSTM hybrid models. Evaluation metrics, including the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the coefficient of determination (R2), are employed for the accuracy assessment. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in prediction accuracy using the SSA-LSTM hybrid model, with an RMSE of 5.26 mm, MAE of 4.27 mm, and R2 of 0.98, all surpassing those of the other models. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the SSA-LSTM hybrid model can more accurately predict sea level change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New dammarane-type triterpenoid saponin, named 22(R)-notoginsenoside Ab1 (1), together with thirteen known dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins (2-14) was isolated from the EtOH extract of black ginseng and their structures were elucidated on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR (including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HSQC, HMBC, ROESY) and calculated ECD. Among them, compounds 1-2 and 6-8 were isolated for the first time from ginseng and black ginseng. Besides, the absolute structure of 22(R)- and 22(S)- notoginsenoside Ab1 were distinguished by ECD for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor worldwide, traditional Chinese medicine is one of the treatment measures for liver cancer because of its good anti-tumor effects and fewer toxic side effects. Ginsenoside CK (CK) is an active component of ginseng. This study explored the mechanism by which CK induced ferroptosis in liver cancer cells. We found that CK inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and SK-Hep-1 cells, induced ferroptosis of cells. Ferrostatin-1, an ferroptosis inhibitor, was used to verify the role of CK in inducing ferroptosis of liver cancer cells. Network pharmacological analysis identified the FOXO pathway as a potential mechanism of CK, and western blot showed that CK inhibited p-FOXO1. In cells treated with the FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856, further verify the involvement of the FOXO pathway in regulating CK-induced ferroptosis in HepG2 and SK-Hep-1 cells. A HepG2 cell–transplanted tumor model was established in nude mice, and CK inhibited the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice, p-FOXO1 was decreased in tumor tissues, and SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions were also down-regulated after CK treatment. These findings suggested that CK induces ferroptosis in liver cancer cells by inhibiting FOXO1 phosphorylation and activating the FOXO signaling pathway, thus playing an antitumor role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed "Guanlan" ocean science satellite, led by China's Laoshan Laboratory, includes an interferometric radar altimeter (IRA) as a key payload. As an integral part of its development, an airborne IRA experiment was conducted on 6 November 2021, with a flight path of approximately 90 km in the South China Sea. This study investigates the IRA's ability to observe ocean sea surface height (SSH) across scales ranging from meters to mesoscale. The sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) of the IRA is aligned with the SSHA of the AVISO at scales greater than 30 km, but also demonstrates the ability to capture small-scale SSHA changes in two dimensions. We analyzed wavenumber spectra of SSHA obtained from the airborne IRA, ICESat-2, and SARAL/AltiKa satellite for this region. The results show a good agreement in power spectral density (PSD) levels between ICESat-2, SARAL/AltiKa and IRA at scales larger than 30 km. Within the submesoscale range of 1–10 km, the IRA SSHA spectrum exhibits a distinctly negative slope and the lowest energy level. The minimum PSD level of the IRA fell in the range of 10−4–10−3 m2/cycle/km, at scales around 1 km, which is more than an order of magnitude lower than that of ICESat-2, forming a spectral gap that is in agreement with the theoretical expectation. Furthermore, IRA-derived wave direction and significant wave height matched well with the MFWAM wave data. The results of this study underscore the considerable potential of airborne IRA in capturing SSHA across a range of scales, from oceanic waves to submesoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complexity and volatility of stock market trading, there are still some issues in the existing prediction methods, including the processing of data noise, inexplicable selection of model parameters, and the lag in predicting price fluctuations. Aiming to better predict daily stock prices and fluctuations caused by high noise non-stationary data in actual trading, we propose a hybrid deep learning framework based on Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), multiple feature selection, and Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Based on Pearson correlation coefficients, we select features highly correlated with the closing price as inputs, and further achieve the noise reduction and optimization of those input sources by applying SSA to decompose the stock price time series into independent component signals. Using the stock price data from China and USA, we compared the prediction performance of our method with several well-known methods, and found that it achieved higher price prediction accuracy during periods of high stock volatility. For example, the R-squared and prediction accuracy of Shanghai Composite Index achieved 0.9998 and 99.01%, while the prediction metrics of S &P 500 reached 0.9883 and 94.26%, respectively. Besides, considering transaction costs, our method also achieved the highest profit in trading tests, even compared to long-term holding strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new iridoid glycosides were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the whole plants of Hedyotis diffusa Willd. They were identified as E-6-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl-10-O-acetyl scandoside acid methyl ester (1), Z-6-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl-10-O-acetyl scandoside acid methyl ester (2), E-6-O-caffeoyl scandoside methyl ester (3), E-6-O-p-coumaroyl-6′-O-acetyl scandoside methyl ester (4), Z-6-O-p-coumaroyl-6′-O-acetyl scandoside methyl ester (5), and E-6-O-p-coumaroyl-4′-O-acetyl scandoside methyl ester (6). The structures of them were elucidated based on unambiguous spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HRESIMS, and NMR). They were screened for anti-inflammatory effect, antioxidant effect, antitumor effect, and neuroprotective effect and did not show potent activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a six-year analysis of non-traumatic fungal keratitis (FK) in Northern China. The study reviewed the medical data of 329 patients diagnosed with non-traumatic FK between January 2016 and December 2021. The most common risk factors for FK were prior ocular diseases, and the predominant fungal species causing FK were Fusarium spp., Alternaria spp., and Aspergillus spp. Surgical intervention was required for the majority of patients, and a poor visual prognosis was observed in over half of the patients. The distribution of fungal pathogens and risk factors in this study differed from findings in developed countries, highlighting the importance of understanding local factors in preventing and treating FK. [Extracted from the article]

Earth fissures are widely distributed worldwide, and the Fenwei Basin in China is one of the regions with the most significant number and scale of fissures in the world. The Yuncheng Basin is an important constituent basin of the Fenwei Basin in China, where earth fissures are densely developed and cause severe damage. In particular, the impact of earth fissures on the seismic response of the site is still unknown and is an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Based on microtremor tests, three types of typical earth fissure sites in the Yuncheng Basin were selected for field testing. Through spectrum analysis, the dynamic response characteristics of the earth fissure sites were determined. The results show that the dynamic response of the site is significantly affected by the earth fissures. The dynamic response strength of the site is the largest on both sides of the earth fissures, and it decreases and gradually stabilizes with increasing distance from the fissures. The influence range of the earth fissures on the hanging side is slightly longer than the heading side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greyish-purple tremolite jade has become well known in the past few years, and the origin of its color has attracted the attention of gemologists. In this study, FT-IR spectra, EPMA, EPR spectra, micro-XRF, UV–Vis–NIR spectra, and LA-ICP-MS in situ mapping were analyzed to investigate the chromophore elements. The study sample was chosen from the Sanchahe mine, Qinghai Province, NW China, which has the typical characteristics of a gradual color change. The FT-IR and EPMA results revealed that the mineral composition of the dark and light greyish-purple regions of the sample are primarily composed of tremolite. UV–Vis–NIR spectra demonstrated that the greyish-purple color is mainly due to strong absorptions at 560 nm and 700 nm and weak absorption at 745 nm in the visible range. The EPR spectra presented ~3400 G six hyperfine lines resulting from the hyperfine interactions of the unpaired electron with the Mn2+ nucleus in the octahedral site. The UV–Vis–NIR and EPR spectra analyses demonstrated that Mn2+ is the origin of the purple color. A comparison of the major elements in the light and dark regions indicated that the chromogenic elements have strong positive correlations with Mn, Cu, and Fe. LA-ICP-MS mapping used to analyze the first transition metals indicated possible positive correlations between the greyish-purple color and the trace chromogenic elements. This suggested that the Mn, Cu, and Fe contents are significantly high in the dark band region. Combining in situ LA-ICP-MS mapping of trace elements, UV–Vis spectra, and EPR analysis results, it was suggested that Mn, Cu, and Fe are the major contributors to the greyish-purple color. This study provides a reference for the specific experimental methods to determine chromophores and the origin of color in tremolite jades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Three Gorges reservoir region, central China, seismic activity increased substantially after the reservoir impoundment in 2003 which continues till date. Previous studies show that these are reservoir-triggered earthquakes and various factors are responsible for the increase in seismic activity after the reservoir impoundment. However, these studies do not provide a comprehensive assessment of influence of reservoir water level variations on spatiotemporal distribution of earthquakes. In this study, we statistically analyze the influence of the water level variations on the increased seismic activity in the reservoir region for the period from May 2003 to April 2020, using the power spectrum and singular spectrum techniques. Our statistical analyses confirm the influence of long-term variations in the water level time series on the occurrence of earthquakes after the reservoir impoundment. The analysis also indicates a positive role of annual reservoir water level fluctuations in the total seismicity of the region. Depending on the cluster patterns and relationship with faults, the earthquakes of the Three Gorges reservoir region are divided into three seismic zones (A, B, and C). For zone C, both the power spectrum and singular spectrum analyses confirm the strong periodic influence of reservoir water level variations on the earthquakes. Increase in seismicity of zone B is only in the initial period but not in the later stages of water impoundment and our statistical analyses indicate that the seismicity of this zone is not directly related to the annual reservoir water level variations. This confirms the conjecture in the earlier studies that the seismicity of this zone is related to the collapse of coal mines present in the area in the initial stages of reservoir impoundment. For zone A, our statistical analyses do not show strong influence of the annual reservoir water level variations on the occurrence of earthquakes. We suggest that this is due to the contribution of various other factors along with reservoir impoundment in the occurrence of earthquakes in this zone, as also opined in some earlier studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new guaiacene-type sesquiterpenes 13α-dihydroixerin acid, ixerin acid and one new secoguaiacene-type sesquiterpene secoixerin Z, along with four known compounds, were separated from ethanol extract of Ixeris sonchifolia. The structures were determined based on the detailed spectroscopic and physicochemical methods. The cytotoxic activity of the isolates was tested against A549 cells. Among them, compound 3 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against A549 cells with the IC50 of 5.6 ± 0.9 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling between optically active substances of algae particles and inorganic suspended solids of water makes the characteristics of reflection spectra of water complex and changeable. This makes modeling and inversion of polarization remote sensing in class II water difficult. In our study, considering the influence of the mixing ratio of algae particles and inorganic suspended solids, the sensor incidence angle, and the solar zenith angle on the polarization reflection spectrum, we analyzed the coupling characteristics of the polarized bidirectional reflectance of particulate matter through control experiments of mixed components of water particles in the laboratory. With Chaohu Lake in China as an example, the polarized reflectance coupling characteristics of water particles was investigated by the water-leaving radiation. The results showed that in the characteristic bands of 570, 675, and 705 nm, the degree of linear polarization (DOLP) was sensitive to the water-leaving radiation of the particles rather than to the reflectance. With the variation of observation angle, the reflection spectra were strongly interfered with by solar flare when the sensor zenith angle was close to 50° on the meridian plane with an azimuth angle of 180°, but DOLP was less affected, while also having a low correlation in the high concentration region. Combined with the coupling characteristics of particles at 675 and 705 nm, the model of DOLP ratio was established by partial least squares regression (PLSR) with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.91, root mean square error (RMSE) 0.035, and a verification accuracy of 0.959. This shows that the model has better prediction ability for the coupling characteristics of water particles by the polarization reflection spectra and provides good support for mixed spectral unmixing of class II water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new guaianolide-type sesquiterpenoids chrysanthemulides K and L (1 and 2), together with six known analogues (3–8), were isolated from an CH2Cl2 extract of the aerial parts of Chrysanthemum indicum. The structures of new compounds 1 and 2 were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including UV, IR, MS, NMR and computational electronic circular dichroism (ECD) methods. Inhibitory effects of all compounds on nitric oxide production were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Results showed that compounds 1–8 displayed NO production inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranged from 3.5 to 34.3 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Eocene succession of the Dongying Depression forms a highly productive hydrocarbon source. However, due to lack of an unambiguous fine chronostratigraphic framework for the late Eocene stratigraphy, it is challenging to understand the paleolake's evolution and the driven mechanism of lake-level variation, a limitation which hinders hydrocarbon exploration. In this work, high-resolution gamma-ray logging data were analyzed to carry out the cyclostratigraphic analysis of the third member (Es3) of the Shahejie Formation in the Dongying Depression. Significant 405-kyr eccentricity cycles were recognized based on time series analysis and statistical modeling of estimated sedimentation rates. We abstracted ~57 m cycles of the GR data in the Es3 member, which were comparable with the long eccentricity cycles (~405-kyr) of the La2004 astronomical solution, yielding a 6.43 Myr long astronomical time scale (ATS) for the whole Es3 member. The calibrated astronomical age of the third/fourth member of the Shahejie Formation boundary (41.21 Ma) was adopted as an anchor point for tuning our astrochronology, which provided an absolute ATS ranging from 34.78 ± 0.42 Ma to 41.21 ± 0.42 Ma in Es3. According to the ATS, sedimentary noise modeling for the reconstruction of lake-level changes was performed through the late Eocene Es3. The lake-level changes obtained based on sedimentary noise modeling and spectrum analysis reveal significant ~1.2 Myr cycles consistent with global sea level variations which were related to astronomical forcing. Potential driven mechanisms of marine incursion and/or groundwater table modulation were linked to explain the co-variation of global sea level changes and regional lake level changes. Our results suggest global sea level fluctuations may have played an important role in driving the hydroclimate and paleolake evolution of the late Eocene Dongying Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new aspidosperma-type monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, 16-O-methylvoafinine (1) and 14,15-diepi-voafinidine (2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Ervatamia officinalis. Their structures were established by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and electronic circular dichroism calculation. The isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against HepG2, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines by CCK-8 assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of soil properties on spatial yield variability of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) can be employed as a foundation for site-specific soil management. It is challenging to understand the mechanism of crop yield spatial variation. In this study, a Fourier transform-based spatial variation analysis method is proposed for potato yield. The current work investigated the relationship of soil properties (including texture, moisture, and nitrate-nitrogen) to the variability of potato yield on 28 ha center-pivot irrigated fields located in northwest China from 2015 to 2017. Statistics and geostatistics are applied to evaluate the spatial variability of potato yield and soil properties; correlation analysis, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and the Fourier transform-based spatial variation analysis method are applied to explore the driving factors of the spatial variability of potato yield. Compared with other soil factors, soil moisture content and potato yield had more similar spatial structure, with similar semi-variance model and parameters. A negative correlation between soil moisture content and yield has been found in the first two years. According to partial least squares regression (PLSR), soil properties can only explain 24%, 25%, and 3% of the potato yield variation in 2015, 2016, and 2017. However, the Fourier transform-based spatial variation analysis method indicated that about 80% of potato yield variation has been explained by soil texture (49%), soil moisture (30%), soil nitrate-nitrogen (10%), and other factors (10%). The contribution of multiple factors to yield spatial variation has been decomposed by the method based on Fourier transform. This method can be considered a new approach for studying spatial variation and a theoretical basis for precise field management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the globe has witnessed the pandemic, epidemic diseases exert a strong impact on human beings and ecosystems. Since the Sun is the primary energy source of the Earth, some scientific pioneers attempted to search for the discernible relation between solar activity and the incidence of epidemics. In this study, the periodic changes and trends of ancient Chinese epidemic data were analyzed in comparison with those of sunspot numbers, a solar activity proxy. The results show that the epidemic and solar activity changes are in good agreement to a certain extent, especially during the Gleissberg and the de Vries cycles. The wavelet coherence shows that the frequency of the epidemic data and sunspot numbers are highly associated. In addition, results from the ensemble empirical mode decomposition illustrate consistent variations in low-frequency decompositions. This study has important implications for further understanding of the potential impact of solar activity on Earth's biosphere, the underlying mechanism of which needs further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate prediction of photovoltaic (PV) power is essential for planning power systems and constructing intelligent grids. However, this has become difficult due to the intermittency and instability of PV power data. This paper introduces a deep learning framework based on 7.5 min-ahead and 15 min-ahead approaches to predict short-term PV power. Specifically, we propose a hybrid model based on singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) networks with the Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithm. To begin, the SSA decomposes the PV power series into several sub-signals. Then, the BO algorithm automatically adjusts hyperparameters for the deep neural network architecture. Following that, parallel BiLSTM networks predict the value of each component. Finally, the prediction of the sub-signals is summed to generate the final prediction results. The performance of the proposed model is investigated using two datasets collected from real-world rooftop stations in eastern China. The 7.5 min-ahead predictions generated by the proposed model can reduce up to 380.51% error, and the 15 min-ahead predictions decrease by up to 296.01% error. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model in comparison to other forecasting methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last glacial, Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) events are mostly characterized by moderate and shorter fluctuations. Here, we present the three-year-resolution stalagmite isotopic record from Shouyuangong Cave (SYG), southern China, revealing a detailed history of Asian summer monsoon (ASM) and local environmental changes during the middle and late period of DO 14. During this period, the SYG1 δ18O is characterized by the persistence of centennial-scale oscillations. These centennial δ18O enrichment excursions are clearly mirrored in the δ13C signal. This correlation suggests that changes in soil CO2 production at this site are closely correlated with centennial-scale ASM variability. Furthermore, power spectrum analysis shows that δ18O and δ13C display the common periodicities consistent with solar activity cycles, implicating a control of solar activity on the ASM and soil humidity. Particularly, weak solar activity generally corresponds to weak ASM and a decline in soil CO2 production. One possible link between them is that external forcing controls the ASM intensity via the thermal contrast between the ocean and land. Subsequently, the balance of soil moisture co-varies with the hydrological responses. Finally, the soil CO2 production is further amplified by ecological effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the potential mechanisms of population mobility is important in population studies. The current study calculates a place attractivity score and collects 12 socioeconomic and natural condition factors at the prefecture‐level in China. A full spectrum of spatial autoregression and eigenfunction‐based spatial filtering models are employed to investigate the relationship between place attractivity and the factors at the global level, which assumes the relationship stays the same everywhere. A random‐effects eigenfunction‐based spatial filtering spatially varying coefficient model is used to check the relationships at local level, which admits that relationships might be different in different locations. Results suggest that the eigenvector spatial filtering analysis models perform better than other models. China's population mobility is primarily driven by economic push‐pull factors. Accessibility, job opportunity, temperature and terrain also play roles in determining a prefecture's attractivity. Local analysis suggests that the relationships are likely only true in large migration destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) is one of the most common and serious complications after radiotherapy of head and neck malignancies due to the high incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer in Southern China. Clinicians lack understanding and consensus on anti‐infective treatment in ORNJ lesions. This research aims to provide evidence for rational use of antibiotics by reviewing the bacterial spectrums and antimicrobial susceptibility test of ORNJ patients. Methods: We collected patient who was diagnosed with ORNJ from November 2012 to June 2019 in our hospital. Exudate or bone unexposed wound surface sampling, agar plates culturing, and susceptibility testing were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used for data presentation. Results: A total of 219 samples were collected in our retrospective study. The most common cultured bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.10%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.54%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10.94%). Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounted for 5.21% in the whole positive samples. Ticarcillin, Ofloxacin, Vancomycin, Tigecycline, and Meropenem were more susceptible than other antibiotics to treat uncontrollable infection. Conclusions: Our research provided objective evidence for understanding the types of local bacterial flora and drug susceptibility in ORNJ lesions and gave a guiding reference for empirical antibiotics medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Visible near infrared spectroscopy can be used to detect four heavy metals in Jiaozhou Bay, China. • The model established in this study have an RPD of over 1.7. • This study provides an effective reference for ecological environment protection and resource development of the Jiaozhou Bay. As an important component of biogeochemical cycle in coastal ecosystems, sediments are the sink of heavy metals. Therefore, distribution and dynamics of heavy metals in sediments could assess ecological quality and predict ecological risks. In the new era, rapid and green technology are highly needed, especially that could determine multi-parameters simultaneously. Here, we explored a new method to rapidly determine concentrations of heavy metals in sediments by visible and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VIRS). We sampled sediments in the Jiaozhou Bay, China, collected their reflectance spectra, and measured concentrations of four heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, and Zn). Heavy metal models were established and evaluated using substances highly correlated with heavy metals. This study provides an effective reference for rapid analysis of As, Cr, Cu, and Zn simultaneously in sediments, at least in the Jiaozhou Bay, and for ecological environment protection and resource development of the Jiaozhou Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In order to realize rapid and complete pre-screening in the pathological examination of gastric cancer and assist in quickly determining the boundary between cancerous and healthy cells, we developed a fast-scanning near-field terahertz (THz) imaging system. This imaging system is compact, low-cost, and easy to operate. THz examination does not need any processing after sectioning, and the diagnostic results are directly displayed in images within one minute. Compared with the H&E staining method, THz imaging diagnosis uses a quantitative absorption coefficient to distinguish cancer tissue and healthy tissue, which makes the automation of the tissue sampling pre-screening procedure possible and will save valuable time to help quickly define cancer tissue. At the same time, the spatial resolution of our near-field imaging system reaches λ/17. Using THz imaging to accurately define the margins of cancer can not only conserve healthy tissues but also minimize the number of second surgical procedures, which would save a lot of additional hospital resources. The distinguishable absorption contrast among healthy gastric tissues, carcinoma in situ and cancer tissues in the THz frequency range is one of the keys to realizing gastric cancer diagnosis by THz imaging. Based on microwave devices and a sub-wavelength fiber, we developed a fast-scanning THz imaging system combined with the principle of surface plasmon resonance enhancement. This imaging system has a near-field λ/17 spatial resolution and imaging S/N ratio as high as 108:1, and the image results are directly displayed within 1 min. We also successfully demonstrated the image diagnostic capability on sliced tissues from eight patients with gastric cancer. The results indicate that THz absorption images can not only clearly distinguish cancer tissue from healthy tissues but also accurately define the margins of cancer. Through a medical statistical study of 40 sliced tissues from 40 patients, we prove that THz imaging can be used as a standalone method to diagnose gastric cancer tissues with a diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 100%. Compared with the H&E staining method, THz imaging diagnosis makes the automation of tissue-sampling pre-screening procedure possible and assists in quickly determining the boundary between cancerous and healthy tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new dinor-eudesmane sesquiterpenoids, named multistalin A (1), and multistalin B (2), together with three sesquiterpene glycosides (3–5), and a norlabdane-type diterpene (6) were isolated from the root extract of Chloranthus multistachys Pei. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including 1D, 2D NMR techniques and HR-ESI-MS. In addition, the cytotoxicity activities of the isolated compounds against selected cancer cells (Hela and A-549) were evaluated by MTT assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pharyngitis persistently afflicts a large population and accounts for approximately one-third of otolaryngology patients. Currently, the treatment of CP remains controversial because of the poor outcomes. Dendrobium officinale is a well-used "Yin-nourishing" traditional Chinese medicinal and edible herb used for thousands of years in China. The flowers of D. officinale are often used in folk of China to make tea for voice protection on and throat clearing. This study was to evaluate beneficial effects of polysaccharides from D. officinale flower (DOFP) on CP and its potential mechanisms. Chemical characterization of DOFP, including polysaccharide content and monosaccharide composition, structural characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed. A CP model was established in rats by administering a mixture of Chinese Baijiu and chili pepper liquid, combined with low-concentration ammonia spraying. The general states, amount of oral secretion, and apparent state of the pharynx of CP rats were observed during the period of DOFP administration. Furthermore, hemorheological parameters were measured using an automatic hematology analyzer. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (1L-1β), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and D-lactate (D-LA) in the serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Morphological changes in the pharynx and colon were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The expression of nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65), p -NF-κB p65, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin 1β（IL-1β）and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in the pharynx,Claudin-1, Occludin, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the colon was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. The mRNA expression of TLR4, COX-2, and IL-1β in the pharynx were determined using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR. In this study, DOFP with a total polysaccharide content of 71.44% and a composition of D-mannose, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, and arabinose in a molar ratio of 3.95:2.19:1.00:0.74:1.30, was isolated from the flowers of D. officinale. DOFP improved the general state and exhibited significant effects on reducing oral secretion, alleviating pharyngeal injury, suppressing inflammatory cell infiltration in the pharynx, decreasing the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, and reducing the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the model rats. Moreover, the expressions of TLR4, p -NF-κB p65, COX-2, IL-1β and MUC5AC in the pharynx of model rats were obviously inhibited. In addition, the levels of LPS, D-LA in the serum and the protein expression of IL-6 in the colon were downregulated when the protein expression of Occludin and Claudin-1 in the colon were upregulated. DOFP exerts significant ameliorating effects on CP and it likely acts by inhibiting LPS/TLR4-associated inflammatory mediator activation and reducing excessive secretion of mucus by repairing the intestinal barrier in CP rats. [Display omitted] • Chronic pharyngitis afflicts a large population; this study aimed to provide a safe and effective solution. • D. officinale flower is an edible medicinal herb, and its polysaccharides demonstrate potential against chronic pharyngitis. • The polysaccharides are likely to ameliorate chronic pharyngitis through the "gut-airway axis". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three undescribed sesquiterpenes, designed as pichinenoid A-C (1 – 3), along with nine known ones (4 – 12) were isolated from the stems and leaves of Picrasma chinensis. The new isolates including their absolute configurations were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic methods, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) experiments, as well as comparison with literature data. Structurally, compounds 1 and 2 are descending sesquiterpenes, while pichinenoid C (3) is a rare sesquiterpene bearing a 2-methylenebut-3-enoic acid moiety at the C-6 side chain. All the isolated compounds were tested for their neuroprotective effects against the H 2 O 2 -induced damage on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, and most of them showed moderate neuroprotective activity. Especially, compounds 1 , 3 – 5 , and 7 showed a potent neuroprotective effect at 25 or 50 μM. Moreover, the neuroprotective effects of compounds 1 and 4 were tested on a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model. Results of western blot and immunofluorescence indicated that compound 4 significantly counteract the toxicity of MPTP, and reversed the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in substantia nigra (SN) and striatum (ST) of the mouse brain. Interestingly, western blot data suggested compound 4 also enhanced B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expressions in the brain tissues from MPTP damaged mouse. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Both polyphenol oxidase and β-glucosidase were involved in VBP formation. • Vaccinoside played as a unique bifunctional precursor to form VBPs. • 15 Amino acids helped to give VBPs (λmax 581–590 nm) of different hues. • Two synthesis pathways were proposed to interpret formation of VBPs. Since Tang dynasty in China, the fresh leaves of Vaccinium bracteatum (VBL) have been applied as natural pigment to produce black rice. However, detailed information on its biosynthetic mechanism still remained unclear. Following rice dyeing capacity assay, vaccinoside, one of iridoid glycosides, was identified as the key active compound. Increased methodical research demonstrated vaccinoside as a distinct bifunctional precursor, which could be catalyzed by polyphenol oxidase or β-glucosidase independently, followed by reaction with 15 amino acids to give blue pigments (VBPs; λmax 581–590 nm) of different hues. Two synthetic pathways of VBPs were proposed, using multiple techniques such as HPLC, HPSEC, UV–Vis spectrum and colorimeter as analysis tools. Black rice was interpreted to be prepared by cooking, using vaccinoside, intrinsic enzymes from fresh VBL and rice protein in combination. These findings promote the understanding of VBP formation mechanisms and provide an efficient method of producing novel Vaccinium blue pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combing GTCH with BMA method to fuse multi-source GRACE datasets. • Obtaining the accurate shallow and deep GWS estimations in the NCP. • Using HSA method to quantify the contribution of human and natural factors. The North China Plain (NCP) is a critical agricultural hub in China, confronting a significant issue of groundwater depletion. However, different terrestrial water storage (TWS) change products from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites differ considerably in estimating groundwater depletion rates in the NCP. It is urgent to optimize these different products to obtain an elevated understanding of regional groundwater storage (GWS) changes. The generalized three-cornered hat (GTCH) method is used to quantify uncertainties of different GRACE products, and this prior information is integrated with the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method to fuse GRACE products. Results demonstrate that the GTCH + BMA method can generate uniform GWS products with heightened precision, enhanced coherence, and diminished uncertainty in the NCP. After that, the shallow and deep GWS are meticulously differentiated based on the high-coverage in-situ data, and the shallow GWS (2005.1–2016.8) (-13.7 ± 4.6 mm/yr) declined faster than deep GWS (-6.05 ± 3.9 mm/yr) in the NCP. To further explore the primary factors driving these changes, the latest Hankel Spectrum Analysis (HSA) method combined with ridge regression simulation is employed to decouple the change components of human and natural factors in the shallow and deep GWS. The first attempt to give the contribution of human and natural factors to shallow GWS is 77.18 %/22.82 %, and to deep GWS is 87.59 %/12.41 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke has become a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The cellular recycling pathway autophagy has been implicated in ischemia-induced neuronal changes, but whether autophagy plays a beneficial or detrimental role is controversial. Hydroxysafflor Yellow A (HSYA), a popular herbal medicine, is an extract of Carthamus tinctorius and is used to treat ischemic stroke (IS) in China. HSYA has been shown to prevent cardiovascular and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in animal models. However, the specific active ingredients and molecular mechanisms of HSYA in IS remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of HSYA treatment on autophagy in a rat model of IS. IS was induced in rats by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Rats were treated once daily for 3 days with saline, HYSA, or the neuroprotective agent Edaravone. Neurobehavioral testing was performed on days 1, 2, and 3 post-surgery. Brains were removed on day 3 post-surgery for histological evaluation of infarct area, morphology, and for qRT-PCR and western blot analysis of the expression of the autophagy factor LC3 and the signaling molecules HIF-1 α , BNIP3, and Notch1. Molecular docking studies were performed in silico to predict potential interactions between HSYA and LC3, HIF-1 α , BNIP3, and Notch1 proteins. The result showed that HSYA treatment markedly alleviated IS-induced neurobehavioral deficits and reduced brain infarct area and tissue damage. HSYA also significantly reduced hippocampal expression levels of LC3, HIF-1 α , BNIP3, and Notch1. The beneficial effect of HSYA was generally superior to that of Edaravone. Molecular modeling suggested that HSYA may bind strongly to HIF-1 α , BNIP3, and Notch1 but weakly to LC3. In conclusion, HSYA inhibits post-IS autophagy induction in the brain, possibly by suppressing HIF-1 α , BNIP3 and Notch1. HSYA may have utility as a post-IS neuroprotective agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Severe environmental pollution and contaminants left in the environment due to the abuse of chemicals, such as methylmercury, are associated with an increasing number of embryonic disorders. Ultrasound imaging has been widely used to investigate embryonic development malformation and dysorganoplasia in both research and clinics. However, this technique is limited by its low contrast and lacking functional parameters such as the ability to measure blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) and hemoglobin content (HbT) in tissues, measures that could be early vital indicators for embryonic development abnormality. Herein, we proposed combining two highly complementary techniques into a photoacoustic-ultrasound (PA-US) dual-modality imaging approach to noninvasively detect early mouse embryo abnormalities caused by methylmercury chloride (MMC) in real time. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the use of PA-US dual-modality imaging for noninvasive detection of embryonic toxicity at different stages of growth following prenatal MMC exposure. Additionally, we compared the PA-US imagining results to traditional histological methods to determine whether this noninvasive method could detect early developmental defects in utero. METHODS: Different dosages of MMC were administrated to pregnant mice by gavage to establish models of different levels of embryonic malformation. Ultrasound, photoacoustic signal intensity (PSI), blood oxygen saturation (SaO2), and hemoglobin content (HbT) were quantified in all experimental groups. Furthermore, the embryos were sectioned and examined for pathological changes. RESULTS: Using PA-US imaging, we detected differences in PSI, SaO2, HbT, and heart volume at embryonic day (E)14.5 and E11.5 for low and high dosages of MMC, respectively. More important, our results showed that differences between control and treated embryos identified by in utero PAUS imaging were consistent with those identified in ex vivo embryos using histological methods. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that noninvasive dual-modality PA-US is a promising strategy for detecting developmental toxicology in the uterus. Overall, this study presents a new approach for detecting embryonic toxicities, which could be crucial in clinics when diagnosing aberrant embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation on the 80% EtOH extract of the whole plants of Zephyranthes grandiflora afforded three new 4a-epi-plicamine-type alkaloids, zephyranthines A-C (1-3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds were performed by spectral methods such as 1D and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy, in addition to high resolution mass spectrometry. All the alkaloids were in vitro evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against six glioma cell lines (CHG-5, SH-SY5Y, SHG-44, U251, U343, and GL15). Alkaloids 2 and 3 exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against all tested cell lines with IC50 values of less than 20 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A pair of new enantiomeric trinorsesquiterpenes, (+)-genpenterpene A (1a) and (-)-genpenterpene A (1b), together with seven known compounds (2–8), were isolated from the aerial parts of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f.. All of these known compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Racemic genpenterpene A was separated by chiral HPLC column. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculations. (+)-genpenterpene A (1a) exhibited potent inhibitory effect against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells with an IC50 value of 9.54 ± 1.02 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the China's first global ocean Climate Data Records (CDRs) are used to analyze and predict the sea level changes in the Yellow Sea with obvious seasonal changes. Based on the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) method, the spatiotemporal and time series of sea level anomalies (SLAs) in the Yellow Sea are decomposed and de-noised. Then the long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network is combined with the SSA to establish the SSA-LSTM combined model to predict the sea level trends of the Yellow Sea. Compared with the traditional methods, the prediction accuracy of SSA-LSTM combined model is significantly improved with minimum 35.04 mm RMSE values for the SLA time series prediction. For the one-year prediction of spatiotemporal series of SLA, the minimum RMSE values are only 19.68 mm. The law of spatial and temporal differentiation of the sea level change in the Yellow Sea is also analyzed by temporal empirical orthogonal function. It is found that the sea level trend of the Yellow Sea is highly consistent and significantly related to the season and latitude. According to the SSA-LSTM combined model, the sea level rise rate of the Yellow Sea will remain at 3.65 ± 0.79 mm/year in the next ten years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downward continuation is an effective technique that can be used to transform the magnetic data measured on one surface to the data that would be measured on another arbitrary lower surface. However, it suffers from amplitude attenuation and is susceptible to noise, especially when the continuation distance is large. To solve these problems, we present a stable and high-precision downward continuation method combining the ideas of equivalent source technique, Tikhonov regularization, radial logarithmic power spectrum analysis, and constrained strategy. To implement this method, the observed data is used to construct the equivalent source in the study area, and the small amount of measured magnetic data at the lower surface (relative to the original observation surface) is employed to constrain the calculation procedure simultaneously. Then the magnetic data at the target surface can be obtained by using a forward calculation procedure instead of the risky downward continuation procedure. The proposed method is tested on both synthetic model data and real magnetic data collected in the South China sea. Various obtained results demonstrate that the method reported in this study has higher accuracy and better noise resistance than the traditional downward continuation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate electricity load forecasting is an important prerequisite for stable electricity system operation. In this paper, it is found that daily and weekly variations are prominent by the power spectrum analysis of the historical loads collected hourly in Tai'an, Shandong Province, China. In addition, the influence of the extraneous variables is also very obvious. For example, the load dropped significantly for a long period of time during the Chinese Lunar Spring Festival. Therefore, an artificial neural network model is constructed with six periodic and three nonperiodic factors. The load from January 2016 to August 2018 was divided into two parts in the ratio of 9 : 1 as the training set and the test set, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the daily prediction model with selected factors can achieve higher forecasting accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate landslide displacement prediction is an important part of landslide warning system. Aiming at the dynamic characteristics of landslide evolution and the shortcomings of traditional static prediction models, this paper proposes a dynamic prediction model of landslide displacement based on singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and stack long short-term memory (SLSTM) network. The SSA is used to decompose the landslide accumulated displacement time series data into trend term and periodic term displacement subsequences. A cubic polynomial function is used to predict the trend term displacement subsequence, and the SLSTM neural network is used to predict the periodic term displacement subsequence. At the same time, the Bayesian optimization algorithm is used to determine that the SLSTM network input sequence length is 12 and the number of hidden layer nodes is 18. The SLSTM network is updated by adding predicted values to the training set to achieve dynamic displacement prediction. Finally, the accumulated landslide displacement is obtained by superimposing the predicted value of each displacement subsequence. The proposed model was verified on the Xintan landslide in Hubei Province, China. The results show that when predicting the displacement of the periodic term, the SLSTM network has higher prediction accuracy than the support vector machine (SVM) and auto regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The mean relative error (MRE) is reduced by 4.099% and 3.548% respectively, while the root mean square error (RMSE) is reduced by 5.830 mm and 3.854 mm respectively. It is concluded that the SLSTM network model can better simulate the dynamic characteristics of landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North China Plain is the political and economic center of China, and it is also the area most seriously affected by groundwater exploitation. Therefore, it is crucial to model and predict groundwater levels in the North China Plain. In this study, using data from groundwater monitoring stations in the North China Plain from 2010 to 2018, wavelet analysis was applied to study the periodicity of shallow groundwater depths in the region, and a spectrum analysis model was established to simulate and predict the groundwater depth in the North China Plain. The results showed a strong correlation between the first significant period and the distance of the station from the Yellow River. The periodic characteristics obtained by the wavelet analysis were substituted into the spectrum analysis model. This improvement significantly increased the accuracy of the modeling results. Moreover, the application of the improved model showed that the groundwater depth in the North China Plain will increase the following year, except for most of Beijing and the coastal areas. Through the study, we understood the dynamic and periodic characteristics of the groundwater level, and proposed a combined method of wavelet analysis and spectrum analysis for groundwater level simulation and prediction, and these results have important guiding for the comprehensive development and protection of groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores the relationship between financial cycles in the economy and in economic research. To this aim, we take China as an empirical example, and an intuitive bibliometric analysis of selected terms concerning financial cycles in economic research is performed first. Both in the economy and in economic research, we then conduct singular spectrum analysis to further isolate and describe the specific length and amplitude of financial cycles for China based on quarterly time-series data. Finally, according to the estimated cycles that detrended by Hodrick-Prescott filter for financial and bibliometric variables, the Granger causality test scrutinizes the results of the first two steps. Moreover, a time-varying parameter vector autoregression model is estimated to quantitatively investigate the time-varying interaction between financial and bibliometric variables. Our study shows that financial cycles have a strong effect on the developments in the financial-related literature. In particular, the 2008 global financial crisis's impulse intensity is significantly higher than in other periods. Surprisingly, discussions on financial cycles in the literature also have an impact on financial activities in real life. These findings contribute to nascent work on the patterns in financial cycles, thus providing a new and effective insight on the interpretation of financial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important economic tree species in China, tea trees play a critical role in promoting economic development. However, the expanding area of tea plantations in China over the recent years has reduced the biodiversity of the ecosystem and accelerated ecological problems. Identifying the spatial distribution of the tea plantation accurately is important for the monitoring of the tea plantation as well as the development of the tea industry. In this study, Wangzhai Town, located in the central of Wuyi County in Zhejiang Province, was chosen as the study area, and Gaofen-1 (GF-1) data on December 28, 2017, and all available Sentinel-2 data in 2017 were downloaded to study the tea plantations extraction method. The spectral and texture features of tea plantations are similar with crops on the high spatial resolution remote sensing image which results in the mixture of the tea plantations and crops. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series data can reflect the phenological changes of the tea trees and crops, which can be used to improve the separability of tea plantations and crops. In this study, a phenology-based approach was applied to the NDVI time series to distinguish tea plantations from crops by comparing the similarity of the seasonal changes of NDVI time series. Due to the influence of cloud and fog on the satellite image, the complete Sentinel-2 time series data is difficult to be obtained. Therefore, the high temporal resolution Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) reflection product (MCD43A4) in 2017 was used to reconstruct the complete Sentinel-2 NDVI time series data (5 m spatial resolution, 5 d temporal resolution) based on Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) spatial-temporal fusion algorithm. Then, the Dynamic Time Wraping (DTW) distance was calculated based on the DTW algorithm to characterize the similarity of NDVI time series between the tea plantation samples and other pixels to be classified. Combining the advantages of GF-1 in spatial details and the high temporal resolution of reconstructed Sentinel-2 NDVI time series in capturing the difference of growth process of tea trees, the tea plantation was identified based on random forest algorithm. Two identification schemes: 1) spectral and texture features based on GF-1; 2) spectral, texture features based on GF-1 and DTW distance were set up to investigate the impact of NDVI time series on the tea plantation identification. The results showed that: 1) the reconstructed NDVI time series data derived from MODIS and Sentinel-2 based on spatio-temporal fusion algorithm is able to capture the seasonal dynamics of different objects, and the DTW distance can capture the difference of NDVI time series data between crops and tea plantations and can be used for tea plantations extraction; 2) the accuracy、 error rate、precision、recall and F1score were 96.91%、3.09%、89.00%、83.09% and 0.86 respectively combining texture and spectral information of GF-1 and Sentinel-2 NDVI time series information, which were 94.72%、5.28%、73.09%、84.61% and 0.78 respectively without Sentinel-2 NDVI time series information. Overall, the results of combining GF-1 and Sentinel-2 time series data performed better than that only based on the spectral and texture features of GF-1. These results confirmed that combining high spatial resolution with high temporal resolution time series remote sensing data is an effective method to improve the identification accuracy of tea plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To summarize the dynamic changes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology in drug resistant tuberculous meningitis (TBM), and to explore its value in drug resistance and efficacy evaluation of TBM. Methods Seventy-nine patients with TBM who were diagnosed and treated in Jiangxi Chest Hospital from January 2013 to December 2020 were included in this study. H(S)REZ(V) scheme [isoniazid (or streptomycin), rifampicin, ethambutol, plus pyrazinamide (or levofloxacin)] regimen was adopted before the return of drug sensitivity test results. After the return of results, individualized anti - tuberculosis regimen was formulated according to drug resistance. Results According to the drug sensitivity test results of CSF, 37 cases were drug resistant TBM, of which 29 cases (78.38%) were multidrug resistant. The drug resistance spectrum was isoniazid + rifampicin + streptomycin [35.14% (13/37)], isoniazid + rifampicin + streptomycin + fluoroquinolone [18.92% (7/37)], isoniazid + rifampicin + ethambutol + streptomycin [16.22% (6/37)], isoniazid and rifampicin [10.81% each, (4/37)], Isoniazid + rifampicin, isoniazid + rifampicin + ethambutol + streptomycin + fluoroquinolone, isoniazid + rifampicin + ethambutol + streptomycin + amikacin/capreomycin [2.70% each, (1/37)]. After 2 and 4 weeks of antituberculosis treatment, the number of nucleated cells in CSF of non drug resistant group (t = 5.050, P = 0.000; t = 11.100, P = 0.000) and neutrophil ratio (t = 15.268, P = 0.000; t = 17.048, P = 0.000) were lower than drug resistant group. CSF cytology showed that the drug resistant group showed mixed cell inflammatory reaction lasting more than 4 weeks, and the non drug resistant group transformed into significant lymphocyte reaction. After 6 months of follow-up, the total effective rate of drug resistant group was lower than that of non drug resistant group [45.71% (16/35) vs. 90% (36/40); χ² = 17.218, P = 0.000]. Conclusions The cytological characteristics of CSF in patients with TBM are mainly characterized by mixed cell inflammatory reaction in the early stage, the delayed mixed cell inflammatory reaction lasting more than 4 weeks during treatment is the characteristic of drug resistant TBM, which may be the basis for indicating that the treatment plan is invalid. When limited by the time limit and conditions of drug sensitivity test, monitoring the dynamic changes of CSF cytology may become an auxiliary judgment method for drug resistant TBM, which can provide reference for clinical efficacy evaluation and antituberculosis treatment plan adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise irrigation has been a highly urgent need to realize a quick, accurate, and non-destructive acquisition for the distribution of moisture content in reclaimed soil, particularly in coal mining subsidence areas. Consequently, traditional measurement can be replaced with Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), a new type of near-earth microwave remote sensing with large-scale continuous detection, fast, non-destructive, and low-cost. GPR has also been widely used in the detection of water content in soil. However, GPR is rarely used in the detection of water content in reclaimed soil, due to the complex composition of reclaimed soil and the fast attenuation of electromagnetic waves in cohesive soil. Fortunately, spectrum analysis can convert the radar data (signal change) from the time domain to the frequency domain. Energy distribution of signal frequency can be used to alleviate a large wave speed error under different media. In this study, the soil of a subsided reclamation area in Huaibei City, Anhui Province of China was taken as the research object. A control group was set up in the surrounding normal areas. The Chirp-Z-transform (CZT) was used to find the characteristic frequency. Rayleigh scattering was selected to analyze the characteristic spectrum response of radar signals under volumetric water content in soil. Various regressions were used to establish inversion models of water cut. The results showed that the frequency of peak (FP) using the Rayleigh scattering had an excellent correlation with the volumetric water content of reclaimed soil, where the correlation coefficient reached 0.90, indicating that the radar signal FP was feasible to invert the soil volumetric water content of the reclaimed area. Moreover, the CZT effectively identified the characteristic frequency in a higher resolution without changing the original frequency spectrum. The correlation coefficient between FP and soil moisture content was improved from 0.77 to 0.93, compared with the fast Fourier transform (FFT). In addition, the spectrum of radar signal in the reclaimed area demonstrated a greater drift than that in the non-reclaimed area under the same change of water content. The bulk density was also one of the factors that affect the radar signal. The highest accuracy was achieved in the exponential regression, where the verification precisions were R2 =0.84, and RMSE=1.97%, showing that the frequency spectrum analysis was an effective way to invert the moisture content of cultivated soil. When large construction equipment was used to compact the reconstructed soil, there will be a larger influence on the distribution of soil moisture content and the fertility of reclaimed soil. The findings can provide an insightful theoretical basis and technical support for rapidly monitoring the soil quality and precision irrigation in reclaimed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the constituent phytochemicals and biological activities of six Lithocarpus litseifolius (Hance) Chun (L. litseifolius) cultivars. Processed by UPLC‐MS/MS and untargeted metabolomics analysis software (MS‐DIAL and MS‐FINDER), components of different L. litseifolius cultivars were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of spectra, MS/MS fragmentation, and retention time, 40 compounds (including 6 phenolic glycosides and 34 flavonoids) were identified rapidly and accurately. Moreover, the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant, antimicrobial effects, and pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell viability of different L. litseifolius varieties were evaluated. Purple small leaf (PSL) was found to be the most superior variety with the highest antioxidant activities (8.27, 10.09, and 10.80 mg TE/g for DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, respectively), broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity, and lowest cell cytotoxicity. The results showed that these bioactivities were closely related to phytochemicals among the six cultivars. Practical applications: L. litseifolius is well known as an important folk drink in the Southern China folklore for its specific efficacy in preventing diabetes. However, there is still a paucity of information on L. litseifolius, as other active components and bioactivities of it remain to be investigated. The wide range of flavonoids discovered in L. litseifolius provides abundant natural health‐promoting agents for further applications in medicine and functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of wheat grains is a serious problem in China, and it is necessary to remove contaminated wheat before it enters the consumer market. In this study, visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy and computer vision techniques were combined to simulate online discrimination between normal and DON-contaminated wheat grains. Naturally growing wheat samples were collected from several of the main wheat-producing areas in China, the reference DON contents were measured by using liquid chromatography serial triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS), and then wheat samples were divided into two categories according to the national standard of 1 mg kg−1. The characteristic spectral variables, colour and texture features were extracted and integrated for chemometric analysis. Principal component analysis based on fusion features indicated better clustering than with just spectral features. Subsequently, linear discriminant analysis modelling based on spectra and texture features achieved the best discrimination with an accuracy of 95.06% and 91.36% for calibration and validation sets respectively, which was 5% higher than with just spectral features, and the false positive rates (FPR) were the lowest: 3.41% and 10.42% for calibration and validation sets respectively. The internal scanning results of whole wheat flour indicated that the higher the content of DON, the looser the binding of starch granules, which could cause the textural change of wheat grains. The research showed that Vis-NIR spectroscopy combined with computer vision has the potential to be used in the non-destructive and online detection of DON-contaminated wheat grains; further study on the interference from complex environments is still need for actual online detection. • Vis-NIR spectroscopy and computer vision techniques were combined. • Spectral, texture, colour features were extracted and integrated for chemometric analysis. • Dynamically discrimination of the DON contaminated and normal wheat grains. • Naturally growing wheat grains were collected as samples. • Models based on integrated features provided more accurate discrimination results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new 1,3-benzodioxole derivatives, leucandioxoles A and B (1–2), together with two known related compounds (3–4), have been isolated from the South China Sea sponge Leucandra sp. The structures of all compounds were clearly elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and compared with the literatures. The cytotoxicity against A549, Hep G2, MDA-MB-231, and HeLa cell lines of 1–4 were evaluated. Only compound 1 exhibited moderate activity against MDA-MB-231 cells with the IC50 value of 7.98 ± 0.74 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the volatile flavor compounds and tastes of six kinds of sauced pork from the southwest and eastern coastal areas of China using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) combined with an electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue). The results showed that the combined use of the E-nose and E-tongue could effectively identify different kinds of sauced pork. A total of 52 volatile flavor compounds were identified, with aldehydes being the main flavor compounds in sauced pork. The relative odor activity value (ROAV) showed that seven key volatile compounds, including 2-methylbutanal, 2-ethyl-3, 5-dimethylpyrazine, 3-octanone, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, dimethyl disulfide, 2,3-butanedione, and heptane, contributed the most to the flavor of sauced pork (ROAV ≥1). Multivariate data analysis showed that 13 volatile compounds with the variable importance in projection (VIP) values > 1 could be used as flavor markers to distinguish six kinds of sauced pork. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant link between the E-nose sensor and alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, esters, and hetero-cycle compounds. The results of the current study provide insights into the volatile flavor compounds and tastes of sauced pork. Additionally, intelligent sensory technologies can be a promising tool for discriminating different types of sauced pork.

Objective: To investigate the blood cadmium concentrations and the related change in Chinese urban children derived from the China Nutrition and Health Survey 2002 and 2012(CNHS 2002 and CNHS 2012)., Methods: The Chinese urban children aged 6-11 years were selected according to gender, age and regional distribution using the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, as well as the corresponding whole blood samples. The blood cadmium concentration was carefully determined by the quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) and the percentage of blood cadmium over 2 μg/L was subsequently estimated. In addition, the upper limit values of the 95%CI of the 95th percentiles of available blood cadmium data was assessed as the threshold of cadmium exposure., Results: Totally, 2182 Chinese urban children were included, and of these, 1036 children were from the CNHS 2002 and 1146 children were from the CNHS 2012. From the CNHS 2002 to the CNHS 2012, the median blood cadmium concentration was increased from 0.28 μg/L to 0.95 μg/L, and the percentage of blood cadmium with over 2 μg/L was elevated from 1.45% to 10.47%. In addition, the new estimated threshold of blood cadmium was ascended from 1.24 μg/L up to 2.89 μg/L., Conclusion: The risk of cadmium exposure in Chinese urban children aged 6-11 years was increasingly aggravated from the CHNS 2002 to the CNHS 2012.

This study presents a comprehensive overview of the atmospheric pollutants including Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Particulate Matter PM; PM 10 : diameter ≤ 10 µm, and PM 2.5 : diameter ≤ 2.5 µm), and Ozone (O 3 ) , over Dongying (Shandong Province) from March-April 2018 and September-October 2019 by employing ground-based Multiple Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) observations along with the in-situ measurements attained by the national air quality monitoring platform. The concentrations of SO 2 and NO 2 were under the acceptable level, while both PM 2.5 , and PM 10 were higher than the safe levels as prescribed by national and international air quality standards. The results depict that 21% of the total observation days were found to be complex polluted days (PM 2.5 > 35 µg/m 3 and O 3 > 160 µg/m 3 ). The secondary HCHO was used for accurate analysis of O 3 sensitivity. A difference of 11.40% and 10% during March-April 2018 and September-October 2019 respectively in O 3 sensitivity was found between HCHO total /NO 2 and HCHO sec /NO 2 . The results indicate that primary HCHO have significant contribution in HCHO. O 3 formation predominantly remained to be in VOC-limited and transitional regime during March-April 2018 and September-October 2019 in Dongying. These results imply that concurrent control of both NOx and VOCs would benefit in ozone reductions. Additionally, the criteria pollutants (PM, SO 2 , and NO 2 ) depicted strong correlations with each other except for O 3 for which weak correlation coefficient was obtained with all the species. This study will prove to be baseline for designing of air pollution control strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The well water level in a deep well has significant frequency dependence on various crustal stresses, which can provide an effective pathway for determining the well-aquifer properties and investigating the response mechanism of groundwater. However, due to the limitations and complexity of the field conditions, there is a lack of on-site stress–strain data for rocks. Therefore, it is difficult to directly and quantitatively interpret the transfer response between the strain–stress and the well water level. The observation item data for the LJ well in China are relatively complete, including rainfall, barometric pressure, volumetric strain and deep water level data. By calculating the spectral period, spectral density, coherence function and transfer function of various physical variables, the spectrum response characteristics of the well-aquifer system to various stresses can be effectively obtained. When the crust is in a relatively stable state, the semidiurnal and diurnal waves are dominant. Moreover, the transfer functions of the well water level's response to the theoretical semidiurnal and diurnal Earth tides and the barometric pressure are basically consistent with the correlation analysis results. In addition, when earthquakes occur, the signals of the volumetric strain and the well water level can more effectively highlight the relatively intermediate- and high-frequency information. The transfer function between the well water level and the volumetric strain is nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that in the stable state, indicating that the hydrogeological conditions of the LJ well-aquifer change instantaneously when subjected to seismic waves. All the above conclusions show that the correlation and transfer function based on spectral analysis is a feasible and advantageous method of determining the correlation of various physical variables. These results provide a foundation for further research on the hydrogeological characteristics of aquifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Traditional soil organic carbon density (SOCD) measurement is time-consuming and costly, from field sampling to laboratory analysis. However, visible to near-infrared reflectance (vis-NIR) spectroscopy can rapidly estimate SOCD and thereby permit rapid, inexpensive measurements that support environmental management. Our aim was to explore the relationship between SOCD and vis-NIR spectra, with the goal of establishing a spectral SOCD estimation method. Materials and methods: In this study, we sampled soils throughout northern China's agro-pastoral ecotone and performed SOCD and spectral measurements. After pre-processing the data, we transformed the spectral reflectance into seven forms: the reciprocal logarithm, first-order differential, second-order differential, logarithmic first-order differential, logarithmic second-order differential, reciprocal first-order differential (RFOD), and reciprocal second-order differential. We then explored the relationship between SOCD and these indexes. We also analyzed spectral SOCD estimation models based on stepwise multiple linear regression and partial least-squares regression. Results and discussion: We found that the spectral reflectance decreased with increasing SOCD, and the most sensitive bands for SOCD were between 745 and 840 nm. RFOD greatly improved estimation accuracy. The performance of a stepwise multiple linear regression estimation model based on RFOD provided the best fit (R2 = 0.77) and the lowest root-mean-square error (0.75 kg C m−2), and the best ratio of percent deviation (2.11). Conclusion: Our results suggest a high potential for fast and reliable estimation of SOCD using spectral techniques and provides a theoretical basis and technical support for rapid monitoring of SOCD in northern China's agro-pastoral ecotone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]