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The observation of the nocturnal boundary layer height (NBLH) plays an important role in air pollution and monitoring. Through 39 d of heavy pollution observation experiments in Beijing (China), as well as an exhaustive evaluation of the gradient, wavelet covariance transform, and cubic root gradient methods, a novel algorithm based on the cluster analysis of the gradient method (CA-GM) of lidar signals is developed to capture the multilayer structure and achieve night-time stability. The CA-GM highlights its performance compared with radiosonde data, and the best correlation (0.85), weakest root-mean-square error (203 m), and an improved 25 % correlation coefficient are achieved via the GM. Compared with the 39 d experiments using other algorithms, reasonable parameter selection can help in distinguishing between layers with different properties, such as the cloud layer, elevated aerosol layers, and random noise. Consequently, the CA-GM can automatically address the uncertainty with multiple structures and obtain a stable NBLH with a high temporal resolution, which is expected to contribute to air pollution monitoring and climatology, as well as model verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we established a simple, green, fast and cost‐effective strategy to prepare green‐emitting fluorescence copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) by using histidine as a stabilizer and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. A series of characterization methods including fluorescence spectroscopy, UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the Cu NCs. The histidine‐capped Cu NCs (His‐Cu NCs) was well dispersed and exhibited good water solubility, excellent photostability and salt resistance. Interestingly, it was discovered that tetracycline caused a sensitive and selective decline in the fluorescence intensity of His‐Cu NCs for the first time. The proposed analysis system showed a wide linear range from 0.1 to 110 μM, and the detection limit was 0.047 μM. After that, the fluorescent assay was successfully employed to analyze tetracycline in lake water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aptamers, single-stranded DNAs or RNAs, can be selected from a library containing random sequences using a method called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment (SELEX). In SELEX, monitoring the enriching statuses of aptamer candidates during the process is a key step until today. Conformational change of an aptamer caused by target-binding in gel can be used to indicate its statuses of binding. Results: In this study, an easy-to-implement gel-based diffusion method (GBDM) was developed to monitor the interaction between enriched aptamer candidates and their targets. In order to prove the concept, characterization of aptamers targeting their targets including protein (thrombin) and non-protein molecules (acetamiprid, ATP, atrazine, profenofos and roxithromycin), respectively, were performed using mini gels. Our method has advantages over the common methods including easy performed with labor- and time- saving in experimental operation. The concept has been proven by monitoring enrichment of dynamic aptamer candidate libraries targeting a small molecule 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) acetic acid (DDA) during SELEX process. A mini gel cassette was designed and fabricated by our laboratory to make mini agarose gels for diffusion with different directions. Conclusions: These results indicate that GBDM, in particular, chasing diffusion is suitable for monitoring the interaction between enriched aptamer candidates and their targets. These pioneering efforts are helpful for novel aptamer selection by breaking through the technical bottleneck of aptamer development and helpful for development of novel aptasensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most common malignant cancer. We identified 43140 advanced NSCLC patients from the SEER database to develop and validate a new prognostic model. The prognostic performance was evaluated by P value, concordance index, net reclassification index, integrated discrimination improvement, and decision curve analysis. The following variables were contained in the final prognostic model: age, sex, race, TNM stage, and grade and treatment options. Compared to the AJCC staging system, this prognostic model is conducive to the implementation of individualized clinical treatment schemes and can be an important part of the precise medical care of NSCLC tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban shrinkage has gradually become an issue of world-concerning social matter. As urbanization progresses, some Chinese cities are experiencing population loss and economic decline. Our study attempts to correct and integrate DMSP/OLS and NPP/VIIRS data to complete the identification and measurement of shrinking cities in China's Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). We identified 36 shrinking cities and 644 shrinking counties on the municipal and county scales. Based on this approach, we established the average urban shrinkage intensity index and the urban shrinkage frequency index, attempting to find out the causes of shrinking cities for different shrinkage characteristics, city types and shrinkage frequencies. The results show that (1) the shrinking cities are mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta city cluster, the midstream city cluster and the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. (2) Most shrinking cities have a moderate frequency of shrinking, dominated by low–low clusters. Resource-based, heavy industrial, small and medium-sized cities are more inclined to shrink. (3) The single economic structure, the difficulty of industrial transformation and the lack of linkage among county-level cities are possible reasons for the urban shrinkage in the YREB. Exploring the causes of urban shrinkage from a more micro perspective will be an inevitable task for sustainable development in YREB and even in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iterative method, based on a derived inverse relationship between atmospheric backscatter coefficient and aerosol lidar ratio, is proposed to invert the lidar ratio profile and aerosol extinction coefficient. The feasibility of this method is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Simulation results show the inversion accuracy of aerosol optical properties for iterative method can be improved in the near-surface aerosol layer and the optical thick layer. Experimentally, as a result of the reduced insufficiency error and incoherence error, the aerosol optical properties with higher accuracy can be obtained in the near-surface region and the region of numerical derivative distortion. In addition, the particle component can be distinguished roughly based on this improved lidar ratio profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous studies, we have demonstrated that a novel water-soluble derivative of limonin, (12S,12aS,Z)-8-((2-(diethylamino)ethoxy)imino)-12-(furan-3-yl)-6,6,8a,12a-tetramethyldodecahydro-1H,3H-oxireno[2,3-d]pyrano[4′,3′:3,3a]isobenzofuro[5,4-f]isochromene-3,10(9aH)-dione (V-A-4), exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to further explore the underlying mechanisms of such activity demonstrated by V-A-4. The protective effect of V-A-4 on the alleviation of xylene-induced ear swelling and carrageenan-induced subcutaneous air pouch model was detected in vivo. Furthermore, the in vitro effects of V-A-4 and its mechanisms of action were determined by colorimetric COX (ovine) inhibitor-screening assay and in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This study showed that V-A-4 does not exert anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of COX-1 or COX-2. Rather, it is exerted through the suppression of the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as well as through the infiltration of inflammatory cells. V-A-4 demonstrated strong inhibition of NF-κB activation through repression of IKKα and IKKβ phosphorylations, which in turn leads to the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway was involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of V-A-4, which also played an important role in the down-regulation of LPS-mediated miR-146a and miR-155 expressions. These results encourage further development of V-A-4 as a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proline plays a crucial role in the drought stress response in plants. However, there are still gaps in our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that regulate proline metabolism under drought stress. Here, we report that the histone methylase encoded by CAU1, which is genetically upstream of P5CS1 (encoding the proline biosynthetic enzyme Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase 1), plays a crucial role in proline-mediated drought tolerance. We determined that the transcript level of CAU1 decreased while that of ANAC055 (encoding a transcription factor) increased in wild-type Arabidopsis under drought stress. Further analyses showed that CAU1 bound to the promoter of ANAC055 and suppressed its expression via H4R3sme2-type histone methylation in the promoter region. Thus, under drought stress, a decreased level of CAU1 led to an increased transcript level of ANAC055, which induced the expression of P5CS1 and increased proline level independently of CAS. Drought tolerance and the level of proline were found to be decreased in the cau1 anac055 double-mutant, while proline supplementation restored drought sensitivity in the anac055 mutant. Our results reveal the details of a novel pathway leading to drought tolerance mediated by CAU1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleum Cinnamomi is a traditional medicine used by the Hmong, the essential oil obtained from Fructus Cinnamomi, for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Information regarding the efficient quality control markers of it is lacking, which has become a bottleneck restricting its development and utilization. Here, an integrated qualitative analysis approach based on a GC-MS and network pharmacology strategy was applied to explore quality control markers for the assessment of Oleum Cinnamomi. Firstly, the compounds of Oleum Cinnamomi were detected by GC-MS. In total, 57 chemical components were identified, mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, accounting for 83.05% of total essential oil components. Secondly, network pharmacology was adopted to explore the compounds linked to target genes of coronary heart disease. Fifty-two compounds were found, indicating the effectiveness of Oleum Cinnamomi in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Among them, 10 compounds, including eucalyptol, were chosen as potential effective compounds in Oleum Cinnamomi. Thirdly, an established GC-MS SIM method was validated and applied for the simultaneous determination of the contents of these 10 compounds using 20 sample batches of Oleum Cinnamomi. It was preliminarily found that the contents of these 10 compounds differed in Oleum Cinnamomi from different origins. Finally, quantitative analyte data were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis to determine Oleum Cinnamomi quality. Four compounds (eucalyptol, p-cymene, sabinene, β-pinene) were identified as chemical markers for quality control. Accordingly, this study provides new strategies to explore the quality control markers and develops a novel method for the quality assessment of Oleum Cinnamomi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What Is Known and Objective: There are few reports on the distribution of the plasma trough concentration (Cmin) of teicoplanin in patients with augmented renal clearance (ARC) and on the safety of a high‐dose regimen (HD; 800 mg loading dose for q12h three times followed by an 800 mg qd maintenance dose). The objective of this study was to determine the Cmin values of teicoplanin in ARC patients using HD teicoplanin to provide a reference for individualized medication. Methods: Data on patients treated with teicoplanin from January 2019 to January 2021 were collected retrospectively and divided into ARC (creatinine clearance rate [CCr] >130 ml/min, n = 22) and non‐ARC (60 ml/min ≤ CCr ≤130 ml/min, n = 24) groups. The Cmin values in the two patient groups were analysed during the HD and the low‐dose regimen (LD; all other regimens) on the third day of medication and during the dose maintenance period. Liver and kidney function indexes were also analysed before and after medication. Results and Discussions: On the third day of the HD, Cmin did not differ significantly between the ARC and non‐ARC groups (17.3 ± 9.2 mg/L [mean ± SD] vs. 15.5 ± 7.9 mg/L, p = 0.663), while Cmin in the ARC group was significantly lower for the LD (6.8 ± 3.9 mg/L, p = 0.039). During the dose maintenance period, Cmin in the ARC group when receiving the HD (18.3 ± 5.1 mg/L) was significantly lower than that in the non‐ARC group (25.5 ± 11.9 mg/L, p = 0.016) and significantly higher than that for the LD (12.2 ± 6.3 mg/L, p = 0.022). Nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity incidence rates did not differ significantly between these groups. What Is New and Conclusion: These results suggest that it is necessary to apply a loading dose of 800 mg (but not higher) q12h three times for patients with ARC, with 800 mg needed as a maintenance dose during severe infection, and 600 mg or 400 mg for mild infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic materials are investigated extensively because of their excellent surface properties, such as self-cleaning, oil-water separation, corrosion resistance, anti-icing, and anti-fogging. Recently, there has also been a lot of interest in hydrophobic or superhydrophobic modifications of cement-based materials. It provides an innovative way to improve the resistance of cement-based materials to external environmental erosion during service. This paper reviews the progress of hydrophobic or superhydrophobic modification of cement-based materials. This work analyses the mechanisms of hydrophobic modification of material surfaces and discusses three hydrophobic modification methods for cement-based materials: templating, external coating, and internal mixing. We also point out the problems of hydrophobic coatings on cement-based materials in mechanical stability and acid-alkali resistance. Further, the comprehensive performance of cement-based materials after hydrophobic modification in terms of hydration and hardening process, waterproofing and impermeability, resistance to aggressive media, and freeze-thaw damage are summarized. And the applications such as self-cleaning, anti-icing of pavements, corrosion protection of coastal structures, and waterproofing of buildings are also listed. Finally, we briefly discuss some problems in the current research and development trends in the future on hydrophobic modification of cement-based materials. • Hydrophobic modification methods & mechanism of cement-based materials are discussed. • Mechanical stability and acid-alkali resistance of hydrophobic coatings are analyzed. • Performance of cement-based materials after hydrophobic modification are reviewed. • Applications of hydrophobic modification for cement-based materials are summarized. • Some problems and research directions on hydrophobic modification are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) had potential application in self-powered systems for wearable thermoelectric devices due to their light weight, flexibility, and high conductivity, how to improve their thermoelectric properties was still a great challenge. In this study, to improve the thermoelectric properties, aniline tetramer (ANIT) has been assembled on the surface of SWCNTs via π-π interaction to form ANIT/SWCNT films. The thermoelectric properties had been optimized via tuning the microstructure of ANIT/SWCNT. When the SWCNTs were coated by ANIT layer with several nanometer thicknesses, the carrier concentration and carrier mobility was optimized and matched to high thermoelectric properties. Compared to pure SWCNTs, the Seebeck coefficient of ANIT/SWCNT was increased greatly, and the electrical conductivity hardly changed. A maximum power factor of 98.7 μW·m−1·K−2 at 298 K was obtained for the ANIT/SWCNT (10:100), showing a 68% increase compared to pure SWCNTs. Therefore, the doping of ANIT into SWCNT provided a new method for improving the thermoelectric properties of SWCNTs based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complexly distributed aerosol particles have significant impacts on climate and environmental changes. As one of the vital atmospheric power sources, the wind field deeply affects the distribution and transport of aerosol particles. For a more comprehensive investigation of the aerosols flux and transport mechanism, two retrieval methods of aerosol optical properties (backscatter coefficient and extinction coefficient at 1550 nm) from coherent Doppler lidar (CDL) observation are proposed in this paper. The first method utilizes the calculated aerosol backscatter coefficient (532 nm) from Mie-scattering lidar datasets and the iterative Fernald method to retrieve aerosol optical property profiles during joint measurements with CDL and Mie-scattering lidar. After verifying the correctness of the first method compared with AERONET datasets, we proposed the second retrieval method. Using the forward integral Fernald method with near-ground reference aerosol extinction coefficient calculated by atmospheric visibility, aerosol optical properties at 1550 nm could be obtained. Thirty-six-day joint measurements with two lidars were specially designed and conducted to verify the correctness of these retrieval methods. The validation results of these two methods indicate great performances, where the mean relative errors are 0.0272 and 0.1656, and the correlation coefficients are 0.9306 and 0.9197, respectively. In conclusion, the feasibility of these two retrieval methods extends the capability of CDL to detect aerosol optical properties and also provides a possibility to observe the aerosol distribution and transport process comprehensively, which is a great promotion of aerosol transport studies development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the genetics of hearing loss, we performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis with 125,749 cases and 469,497 controls across five cohorts. We identified 53/c loci affecting hearing loss risk, including common coding variants in COL9A3 and TMPRSS3. Through exome sequencing of 108,415 cases and 329,581 controls, we observed rare coding associations with 11 Mendelian hearing loss genes, including additive effects in known hearing loss genes GJB2 (Gly12fs; odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, P = 4.2 × 10−11) and SLC26A5 (gene burden; OR = 1.96, P = 2.8 × 10−17). We also identified hearing loss associations with rare coding variants in FSCN2 (OR = 1.14, P = 1.9 × 10−15) and KLHDC7B (OR = 2.14, P = 5.2 × 10−30). Our results suggest a shared etiology between Mendelian and common hearing loss in adults. This work illustrates the potential of large-scale exome sequencing to elucidate the genetic architecture of common disorders where both common and rare variation contribute to risk. A GWAS and exome-wide association study meta-analysis identifies 53 loci affecting hearing loss risk from over half a million individuals across five cohorts. Rare variants in Mendelian hearing loss genes contribute to hearing loss risk in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understory vegetation plays a crucial role in mediating the natural development of forest ecosystems. The removal of understory vegetation, as a common forest management practice, may have a significant impact on soil properties. However, a global perspective on how understory removal might affect soil biogeochemical properties is still lacking. To fill this knowledge gap, we performed a meta-analysis with 2059 observations collected from 71 peer reviewed publications to evaluate the effects of understory vegetation removal on soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and microbial biomass. We found that (1) removal of the understory significantly increased soil nitrates (NO 3 −) concentration by 6.5 %, but decreased the stocks of C and N, the concentrations of N, available K (AK) and microbial biomass C (MBC), and fine root biomass by 19.4, 15.1, 7.9, 19.9, 13.5 and 32.2%, respectively; (2) mycorrhizal association significantly mediated understory removal effects on soil organic C (SOC) and dissolved organic C (DOC) concentrations, and soil pH, while canopy type had a significant impact on the effects of understory removal on soil K, AK, NO 3 −, MBC concentrations, C:N ratio, and soil pH; (3) soil depth had a negative impact on the effects of understory removal on SOC, AK, ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 +) concentrations, and soil moisture; and (4) mycorrhizal association, soil depth, slope, forest stand age, elevation, and MAT were the most important moderator variables. Our results suggest that the removal of understory vegetation generally have negative effects on soil biogeochemical properties, and that managing understory vegetation is important for promoting the healthy development of forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ability to monitor and characterize DNA mismatch repair activity in various mammalian cells is important for understanding mechanisms involved in mutagenesis and tumorigenesis. Since mismatch repair proteins recognize mismatches containing both normal and chemically altered or damaged bases, in vitro assays must accommodate a variety of mismatches in different sequence contexts. Here we describe the construction of DNA mismatch substrates containing G:T or O 6meG:T mismatches, the purification of recombinant native human MutSα (MSH2–MSH6) and MutLα (MLH1–PMS2) proteins, and in vitro mismatch repair and excision assays that can be adapted to study mismatch repair in nuclear extracts from mismatch repair proficient and deficient cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous analyses of both Thermus aquaticus MutS homodimer and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Msh2–Msh6 heterodimer have revealed that the subunits in these protein complexes bind and hydrolyze ATP asymmetrically, emulating their asymmetric DNA binding properties. In the MutS homodimer, one subunit (S1) binds ATP with high affinity and hydrolyzes it rapidly, while the other subunit (S2) binds ATP with lower affinity and hydrolyzes it at an apparently slower rate. Interaction of MutS with mismatched DNA results in suppression of ATP hydrolysis at S1—but which of these subunits, S1 or S2, makes specific contact with the mismatch (e.g., base stacking by a conserved phenylalanine residue) remains unknown. In order to answer this question and to clarify the links between the DNA binding and ATPase activities of each subunit in the dimer, we made mutations in the ATPase sites of Msh2 and Msh6 and assessed their impact on the activity of the Msh2–Msh6 heterodimer (in Msh2–Msh6, only Msh6 makes base specific contact with the mismatch). The key findings are: (a) Msh6 hydrolyzes ATP rapidly, and thus resembles the S1 subunit of the MutS homodimer, (b) Msh2 hydrolyzes ATP at a slower rate, and thus resembles the S2 subunit of MutS, (c) though itself an apparently weak ATPase, Msh2 has a strong influence on the ATPase activity of Msh6, (d) Msh6 binding to mismatched DNA results in suppression of rapid ATP hydrolysis, revealing a “cis” linkage between its mismatch recognition and ATPase activities, (e) the resultant Msh2–Msh6 complex, with both subunits in the ATP-bound state, exhibits altered interactions with the mismatch. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As direct prospecting data, geochemical data play an important role in modelling prospect potential. Geochemical element assemblage anomalies are usually reflected by the correlation between elements. Correlation coefficients are computed from the values of two elements, which reflect only the correlation at a global level. Thus, the spatial details of the correlation structure are ignored. In fact, an element combination anomaly often exists in geological backgrounds, such as on a fault zone or within a lithological unit. This anomaly may cause some combination of anomalies that are submerged inside the overall area and thus cannot be effectively extracted. To address this problem, we propose a local correlation coefficient based on spatial neighbourhoods to reflect the global distribution of elements. In this method, the sampling area is first divided into a set of uniform grid cells. A moving window with a size of 3×3 is defined with an integer of 3 to represent the sampling unit. The local correlation in each unit is expressed by the Pearson correlation coefficient. The whole area is scanned by the moving window, which produces a correlation coefficient matrix, and the result is portrayed with a thermal diagram. The local correlation approach was tested on two selected geochemical soil survey sites in Xiao Mountain, Henan Province. The results show that the areas of high correlation are mainly distributed in the fault zone or the known mineral spots. Therefore, the local correlation method is effective in extracting geochemical element combination anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The types of aerosols are essential for estimating radiative forcing effects, improving the lidar retrieval algorithms, and identifying aerosol sources. However, it is difficult to categorize the aerosols with similar optical properties based on lidar techniques. In this study, an approach was proposed to distinguish desert dust (DD), mineral dust (MD), air pollution aerosols (APA), and their mixtures (DD&MD, DD&APA, MD&APA, DD&MD&APA). We established the fluorescence–Mie​ polarization lidar (FMPL) system to categorize three types of main aerosols using the customized fluorescence-to-Mie ratio (FMR) and volume depolarization ratio (VDR) in the experiments from September 2017 to December 2018. Then, the mixture of the aerosols was classified by combining backward trajectory analysis. The feasibility of this method was verified through five typical cases in the paper, and it is proved that the method could be employed to study air pollution issues based on FMPL, which could provide references for the meteorological investigation. • We established a fluorescence–Mie polarization lidar system. • We defined Fluorescence-to-Mie ratio (FMR). • Aerosols were divided into seven types according to their FMR and VDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow reduction of Cu(II) into Cu(I) through peracetic acid (PAA) heavily limited the widespread application of Cu(II)/PAA system. Herein, hydroxylamine (HA) was proposed to boost the oxidative capacity of Cu(II)/PAA system by facilitating the redox cycle of Cu(I)/Cu(II). HA/Cu(II)/PAA system was quite rapid in the removal of diclofenac within a broad pH range of 4.5–9.5, with a 10-fold increase in the removal rate of diclofenac compared with the Cu(II)/PAA system at an optimal initial pH of 8.5. Results of UV−Vis spectra, electron paramagnetic resonance, and alcohol quenching experiments demonstrated that CH 3 C(O)O•, CH 3 C(O)OO•, Cu(III), and •OH were involved in HA/Cu(II)/PAA system, while CH 3 C(O)OO• was verified as the predominant reactive species of diclofenac elimination. Different from previously reported Cu-catalyzed PAA processes, CH 3 C(O)OO• mainly generated from the reaction of PAA with Cu(III) rather than CH 3 C(O)O• and •OH. Four possible elimination pathways for diclofenac were proposed, and the acute toxicity of treated diclofenac solution with HA/Cu(II)/PAA system significantly decreased. Moreover, HA/Cu(II)/PAA system possessed a strong anti-interference ability towards the commonly existent water matrix. This research proposed an effective strategy to boost the oxidative capacity of Cu(II)/PAA system and might promote its potential application, especially in copper-contained wastewater. [Display omitted] • Hydroxylamine (HA) greatly enhanced DCF removal in Cu(II)/PAA system in pH 4.5–9.5. • Cu(II)/Cu(I) cycle was significantly accelerated in the presence of hydroxylamine. • Cu(Ⅲ), CH 3 C(O)OO•, CH 3 C(O)O• and •OH were involved in HA/Cu(II)/PAA system. • CH 3 C(O)OO• was the dominant reactive species responsible for DCF elimination. • CH 3 C(O)OO• was mainly originated from the reaction between Cu(III) and PAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A balance between economic development and environmental protection in the basin. • Inclusion of a key indicators to qualifies eco-compensation mechanism. • Equitable and effective allocation of basin through bidirectional eco-compensation. • A more viable model for environmental protection of the watersheds is proposed. Water pollutant emission permits (WPEPs) allocation is a competing limited consumption resource designed to address the issue of reconciling water pollution with economic development. In the wake of increasing conflicts, a pressing challenge is how to motivate stakeholders associated with the basin to establish a balance between economic development and environmental preservation. Based on the unidirectional flow of basin pollution, this study established a bidirectional ecological compensation (BEC) mechanism, which incorporated the key water pollution indicators (WPEPs allocation volume) into the BEC mechanism. By integrating the BEC mechanism with the WPEPs allocation model, a multi-objective optimization framework for balancing the fairness and economic efficiency of WPEPs allocation under the BEC synergy mechanism has been proposed. The Tuojiang river basin in China was selected for the study, and the allocation results and ecological compensation mechanisms under different allocation preferences were analyzed to verify the validity and practicality of the model. Results revealed that (1) BEC mechanisms can be considered to ensure equitable and efficient allocation of WPEPs in the basin. (2) Under the perspective of watershed cooperation, the bidirectional compensation mechanism proves to be an effective measure to promote economic development and environmental protection of the watershed. (3) Preferences of watershed managers for allocation and ecological compensation mechanisms can have an impact on the outcomes of allocation and ecological compensation mechanisms. This study provides reference for effective management and adoption of optimal allocation strategy of watershed WPEPs and synergistic management of BEC mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple de-noising operation is implemented to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. • The operation avoids the subjectivity of the iterative number of iteration method. • The more accurate aerosol backscatter coefficient could be obtained in the near ground (< 2 km). • A higher effective detection altitude is obtained with the simple de-noising operation. The de-noising of lidar signal, especially for the range-dependent systematic noise, always affects the signal-to-noise ratio of lidar signal and the inversion accuracy of aerosol backscatter coefficient. To avoid this issue, a simple de-noising operation is implemented to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and obtain a more accurate aerosol backscatter coefficient. Theoretically, the subjectivity of the iterative number of iteration method can be avoided by the simple de-noising operation. And the feasibility of the simple de-noising operation is investigated by simulation and the routine lidar experimental data. In the near ground, the aerosol backscatter coefficient with higher accuracy of about 4–10 times could be obtained with the simple de-noising operation, compared with the traditional de-noising operation. Moreover, the long-term stability of the range-dependent systematic noise can be found by the experimental results, which avoids the frequent measurement of the systematic noise. In addition, a higher effective detection altitude is obtained with the simple de-noising operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin, four major bioactive components of Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts, between sham-operated and myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI) rats. Rats were divided into two groups: MIRI model and sham-operated. The blood samples were collected according to the time schedule. The levels of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin in the plasma at designated time points were determined using an HPLC–MS/MS method. Various pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated from the plasma concentration versus time data using non-compartmental methods. After the administration of the Chinese herb Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts, the Cmax, AUC, as well as MRT, increased, while CL decreased, in MIRI model compared to the sham-operated animals. These results suggest that the pathological damage of ischemia–reperfusion had a significant impact on the pharmacological effects of Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts on ischemic heart disease. The method had been successfully applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of quercitrin, astragalin, afzelin and taxifolin in rat plasma after the oral administration of Chinese herb Polygonum orientale inflorescence extracts in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucommiae Cortex (EC), a rare, nourishing medicinal herb that is native in China, has good effect in the treatment of hypertension. In this study, we compared tissue distribution of six representative active components of EC extract—genipinic acid (GA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), neochlorogenic acid (NCA), chlorogenic acid (CA), (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PDG), and (+)-pinoresinol 4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PG)—between normal rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Each rat was intragastrically given EC extract at a dose of 5.4 g/kg. Rats were sacrificed at 10 min, 30 min, 2 h, and 8 h after administration; six rats were sacrificed at each time point. Then, we quickly harvested their major organs, including heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), we determined the levels of the above mentioned six components in the organs of both types of rats and then analyzed differences in the tissue distribution. The results showed that levels of each component differed between SHRs and the normal group at each time point. As time progressed, the number of organs in which GA distribution in each tissue of SHRs differed from that of the normal group gradually increased: SHRs showed lower GA levels than normal rats. Levels of PG and PDG in both groups at 10 and 30 min were similar. NCA and CA in the SHR group and the normal group at 10 min, 30 min, and 2 h were also similar to some extent. The results indicated that the pathological state of spontaneous hypertension could affect tissue distribution of EC active components in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campylobacter concisus is an emerging bacterial pathogen that may play a role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease and oral inflammatory conditions such as periodontal disease. To elucidate the role and pathogenic mechanisms of C. concisus in contributing to oral inflammation, this study examined the production of IL-1 family proinflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β in oral epithelial cells induced by C. concisus strains using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western-blot and quantitative real-time PCR. C. concisus increased the mRNA levels of IL-18 and IL-1β in oral epithelial cells. Furthermore, a large amount of IL-18 in the supernatants of oral epithelial cells infected with C. concisus strains was detected by ELISA, and various experiments demonstrated that this positive signal was derived from C. concisus bacterium. The findings that C. concisus upregulated IL-18 and IL-1β in oral epithelial cells from this study support a role of C. concisus in oral inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, the finding that C. concisus released a molecule that was strongly cross-reactive to anti-human IL-18 monoclonal antibodies suggests that in future studies examining cytokines induced by bacterial microbes, a bacterium control should be included. • The pathogenic mechanisms by which C. concisus may contribute to oral inflammation have not been investigated. • C. concisus upregulated IL-1β and some strains upregulated IL-18 in oral epithelial cells, supporting their role in oral inflammation. • C. concisus released a molecule that strongly cross-reacted with anti-human IL-18 monoclonal antibodies. • In future studies examining cytokines induced by bacterial microbes, a bacterium control should be included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voriconazole (VOR) – induced liver injury is a common adverse reaction, and can lead to serious clinical outcomes. It is of great significance to describe the metabolic characteristics of VOR – induced liver injury and to elucidate the potential mechanisms. This study investigated the changes of plasma metabolic profiles in a rat model of VOR – induced liver injury by non – targeted metabolomics. Correlation analysis was performed between differentially expressed metabolites and plasma liver function indexes. The metabolites with strong correlation were determined for their predictive performance for liver injury using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Potential biomarkers were then screened combined with liver pathological scores. Finally, the expression level of genes that involved in lipid metabolism were determined in rat liver to verify the mechanism of VOR – induced liver injury we proposed. VOR – induced liver injury in rats was characterized by plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation, the lipid droplets accumulation in liver, as well as inflammation and fibrosis. Significant changes of plasma metabolites were observed, with a decrease in lipid metabolites accounting for over 50% of all changed metabolites, and alterations of cholesterol and bile acids metabolites. The decrease of 3 phosphatidylcholine (PC) in plasma could indicate the occurrence of VOR – induced liver injury. Decreased fatty acids (FA) oxidation and bile acid excretion might be the potential mechanisms of VOR – induced liver injury. This study provided new insights into the molecular characterization of VOR – induced liver injury. [Display omitted] • Voriconazole induced lipid accumulation, inflammation and fibrosis in rat liver. • Non – targeted metabolomics analysis of rat plasma revealed abnormal metabolism. • 3 phosphatidylcholine might be potential biomarkers. • Decreased fatty acids oxidation and bile acid excretion might the mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient SE translation (SET) is a carcinogen in facilitating cellular growth and proliferation, and promoting tumorigenesis and metastasis. The present study was to investigate the resistance mechanisms associated with SET in paclitaxel-induced human breast cancer cells. The different expressions of SET, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and PI3K/Akt pathway between paclitaxel sensitive MCF-7/S and paclitaxel resistant MCF-7/PTX cells were identified using western blotting. We adopted plasmid transfection to upregulate SET in MCF-7/S cells and a novel SET antagonist COG112 to decrease SET in MCF-7/PTX cells. Subsequently, cell viability to paclitaxel was assessed by MTT assay and cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. We found that levels of SET, ABC transporters and PI3K/Akt pathway were elevated in MCF-7/PTX. Upregulation of SET in MCF-7/S cells expressed resistant to paclitaxel and decreased cell apoptosis. Moreover, overexpression of SET promoted the mRNA and protein level of ABC transporters and PI3K/Akt signal pathway in MCF-7/S cells. Conversely, decreased level of SET by COG112 not only significantly sensitized MCF-7/PTX cells to paclitaxel, but also enhanced paclitaxel-induced cell apoptosis. Additionally, the levels of the ABC transporters and PI3K/Akt signal pathway were also reduced in the COG112-treated MCF-7/PTX cells. The above results demonstrated that SET was associated with paclitaxel resistance in MCF-7/PTX cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relinqing granule (RLQ) is the best-selling Chinese patent drug for treatment of urinary system diseases. In this study, the effects of RLQ on the pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim in SD rats were investigated. Rats were randomly divided into control group 1, control group 2, RLQ group 1, and RLQ group 2. RLQ group 1 and RLQ group 2 were treated orally with RLQ for 7 days, and rats were treated with the same volume of water in control group 1 and control group 2. Then, RLQ group 1 and control group 1 were given intragastrically ciprofloxacin on day 8, while RLQ group 2 and control group 2 were given intragastrically sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim on day 8. Blood samples were collected and determined. There was no significant influence of pharmacokinetic parameters of trimethoprim on two groups. But some pharmacokinetic parameters of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats were evidently altered (P < 0.05), which indicated that absorption of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats was significantly affected. It indicated the coadministration of RLQ would have an influence on the efficacy of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, and the doses of ciprofloxacin tablet and compound sulfamethoxazole tablet need adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production and usage of ionic liquids (ILs) have raised global ecotoxicological concerns regarding their release into the environment. While the effects of side chains on the IL-induced toxicity in various aquatic organisms have been well-recognized, the role of cationic cores in determining their ecotoxicity remains to be elucidated. Herein, the comparative bioavailability and toxicity of two ILs with different cationic cores but the same anion and side chain in zebrafish embryos were determined. 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C8mim]Br) has higher accumulation in zebrafish, and triggered developmental toxicity by inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. Meanwhile, 1-octyl-1-methylpyridium bromide ([C8py]Br) enhanced SOD activity and upregulated anti-apoptotic bcl-2 gene expression, contributing to its much lower neurodevelopmental toxicity. Our study demonstrates the vital role of cationic core in determining the developmental toxicity of ILs and highlights the need for further investigations into the toxicity of imidazolium and pyridinium based ILs in aquatic ecosystems. • Comparative toxicity of [C 8 mim]Br and [C 8 py]Br to zebrafish larvae was performed. • [C 8 mim]Br has much higher accumulation and neurodevelopmental toxicity than [C 8 py]Br. • [C 8 mim]Br and [C 8 py]Br triggered oxidative stress and apoptosis in distinct ways. • Imidazolium and pyridinium group play a vital role in determining the toxicity of ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited retinal dystrophies characterized by night blindness, progressive peripheral visual field loss, and loss of central vision. Fifty-three RP pathogenic genes are responsible for RP. Pre-mRNA processing factor 31( PRPF31) gene is the third most common cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), and so far more than 40 mutations in PRPF31 have been detected. Purpose: To identify the underlying genetic defect in a five-generation Chinese family affected with adRP and to study the genotype-phenotype relationship of this family. Methods: Detailed clinical investigations were undertaken and peripheral blood samples were collected from 25 individuals. Microsatellite (STR) markers tightly linked to genes known to be responsible for adRP were selected for linkage analysis. Exons and adjacent splice junctions of the candidate gene were amplified and sequenced. Results: This adRP family exhibited an incomplete penetrance of the RP phenotype. In affected individuals, age of disease onset was from infancy to 4 years of age. Typical RP features were associated with this mutation. Linkage analysis identified a maximum two-point LOD score of 3.20 with D19S418, which is close to PRPF31. A mutation PRPF31: (c.358-359 del AA) was identified by linkage analysis. Conclusions: A PRPF31 mutation was identified to be responsible for adRP in a large Chinese family. Our findings expand the mutation spectrum of RP in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triazole fungicides are used to control the disease of cereal crops but may also cause adverse effects on non-target organisms. There is a lack of toxicity data for some triazoles such as fenbuconazole in aquatic organisms. This research was conducted to evaluate the toxicity of fenbuconazole at environmentally relevant concentrations with attention on the mitochondria, antioxidant system, and locomotor activity in zebrafish. Zebrafish were exposed to one concentration of 5, 50, 200 or 500 ng/L fenbuconazole for 96 h. There was no effect on survival nor percentage of fish hatched, but exposure to 200 and 500 ng/L fenbuconazole resulted in malformation and hypoactivity in zebrafish. Oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of embryos were measured to determine if the fungicide impaired mitochondrial respiration. Exposure to 500 ng/L fenbuconazole reduced basal OCR and oligomycin-induced ATP linked respiration in exposed fish. Fenbuconazole reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced the activities of mitochondrial Complex II and III. Transcript levels of both sdhc and cyc1 , each related to Complex II and III, were also altered in expression by fenbuconazole exposure, consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction in embryos. Fenbuconazole activated the antioxidant system, based upon both transcriptional and enzymatic data in zebrafish. Consistent with mitochondrial impairment, molecular docking confirmed a strong binding capacity of the fungicide at the Q i site of Complex III, revealing this complex is susceptible to fenbuconazole. This study reveals potential toxicity pathways related to fenbuconazole exposure in aquatic organisms; such data can improve risk assessments for triazole fungicides. [Display omitted] • Zebrafish exposed to 200 ng/L fenbuconazole induced malformations in larvae. • Oxygen consumption rate of embryos was inhibited in 500 ng/L fenbuconazole. • Locomotor activity of 6 dpf zebrafish was reduced in the visual motor response test with exposure to 500 ng/L fenbuconazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The number of reported cases of resistance to tigecycline is increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current standard tigecycline dosage regimen from a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) perspective. Methods: Pharmacokinetic parameters and microbiological data were analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation in an evaluation of effectiveness. Results: Tigecycline exhibits excellent in vitro antimicrobial activity, however the standard tigecycline dosing regimen fails to achieve the best outcome in vivo for the common drug-resistant strains, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter spp, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. This may result in a lack of response to tigecycline therapy or to a further increase in the resistance rate. Conclusions: In the absence of new drugs on the horizon, rather than using a single fixed dosing regimen, tigecycline dosing needs to be optimized in order to achieve the desired successful clinical response and to prevent an escalation in drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remote sensing of water clouds is useful for studying their spatial and temporal variations and constraining physical processes in climate and weather prediction models. However, radar-only detection provides inadequate information for the cloud droplet size distribution. Here, we propose a novel lookup-table method, which combines lidar (1064, 532 nm) and radar (8.6 mm) to retrieve profiles of cloud optical (backscatter coefficient and extinction coefficient) and microphysical properties (effective diameter and liquid water content). Through the iteration of the extinction-to-backscatter ratio, more continuous cloud optical characteristics can be obtained. Sensitivity analysis shows that a 10% error of the lidar constant will lead to a retrieval error of up to 30%. The algorithm performed precise capture of the ideal cloud signal at a specific height and at full height and the maximum relative error of the backscatter coefficients at 1064 nm and 532 nm were 6% and 4%, respectively. With the application of the algorithm in the two observation cases on single or multiple cloud layers, the results indicate that the microphysical properties mostly agree with the empirical radar measurements but are slightly different when larger particles cause signal changes of different extents. Consequently, the synergetic algorithm is capable of computing the cloud droplet size distribution. It provides continuous profiles of cloud optical properties and captures cloud microphysical properties well for water cloud studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA mismatch repair enzymes (for example, MSH2) maintain genomic integrity, and their deficiency predisposes to several human cancers and to drug resistance. We found that leukemia cells from a substantial proportion of children (?11%) with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia have low or undetectable MSH2 protein levels, despite abundant wild-type MSH2 mRNA. Leukemia cells with low levels of MSH2 contained partial or complete somatic deletions of one to four genes that regulate MSH2 degradation (FRAP1 (also known as MTOR), HERC1, PRKCZ and PIK3C2B); we also found these deletions in individuals with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (16%) and sporadic colorectal cancer (13.5%). Knockdown of these genes in human leukemia cells recapitulated the MSH2 protein deficiency by enhancing MSH2 degradation, leading to substantial reduction in DNA mismatch repair and increased resistance to thiopurines. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism whereby somatic deletions of genes regulating MSH2 degradation result in undetectable levels of MSH2 protein in leukemia cells, DNA mismatch repair deficiency and drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of Zn-vacancy defect on adsorption of HS on smithsonite (101) surface was studied by density-functional theory (DFT). The results showed that Zn-vacancy defect made the peaks of the VB and VT defect surfaces both move to left, and the peaks of them around the Fermi energy both decreased. Hence, the reactivity of VB and VT defect surfaces were both lower than that of the perfect smithsonite surface. The presence of Zn-vacancy on the smithsonite surface not only inhibited the adsorption of HS on the site of Zn-vacancy (VT-V and VB-V) but also depressed its adsorption on the Zn site nearby the Zn-vacancy (VT-BZn and VB-TZn). When HS was on the VT-BZn site on the smithsonite surface, the adsorption site of HS was the bridge between S atom the two Zn atoms, and when on the VT-V and VB-TZn sites, the adsorption site of HS was the Zn atom on the smithsonite surface. While on the VB-V site, the adsorption site of HS was the C atom on the smithsonite surface, and the bonding of S‒C was formed. Meanwhile, electron transfers among the bonding atoms on smithsonite surface were observed. The results can provide insights into the sulphidization of smithsonite containing defects. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Double-grating spectrometer yields extraction of pure rotational Raman lines. • Pure rotational Raman lines is applicable in LIDAR temperature profiles. • N 2 pure rotational Raman lines were simulated for the spectrometer design. • Backscattered signal was increased by using a round to linear optical fibre bundle. In this paper, we introduce a spectrometer design with crossed double-grating for extracting pure rotational Raman (PRR) lines of N 2. The design applies a linear optical fibre array as the entrance slit and a linear array photomultiplier tube (LaPMT) as the detector. The linear dispersion and structural parameters of the proposed configuration were analysed theoretically, and the optical layout of the spectrometer was simulated using the Zemax software. A spectrometer with a 32-channel LaPMT was simulated to obtain the PRR spectrum of N 2 when the excitation wavelength was 532 nm. The Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman lines, with rotational quantum states from 0 (2) through 14 (16), were obtained on separate channels of the LaPMT, and the resolution was approximately 0.22 nm per channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional double-grating monochromators used in pure rotational Raman (PRR) temperature LIDAR usually adopt the Littrow configuration to separate backscattered PRR lines. A mirror is added to this configuration, thereby producing the Littman configuration. The dispersion of the modified configuration is greater than thrice that of the Littrow configuration for incident angles larger than 60 deg. A spectroscopy system with a linear dispersion better than 0.9 mm / nm is designed for the 532-nm excitation laser wavelength, and the selected N2 PRR lines are effectively separated. The overall system is simulated using only off-the-shelf optical components, and the results show that the volume is smaller than 240 × 200 × 80 mm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don is traditionally used by Hmong for the treatment of urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis. Information regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior of the extract in the condition of pyelonephritis is lacking. In the present study, we aimed to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of gallic acid (GA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), and quercitrin (QR)—the main bioactive constituents in the herb—in normal and pyelonephritis rats. The plasma samples were collected at various time points after administration of a single dose of Polygonum capitatum extract. The plasma level of GA, PCA, and QR at the designed time points was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and drug concentration versus time plots were constructed to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞), MRT(0-t), and CL of GA, PCA, and QR in pyelonephritis rats was significantly different from those of the normal rats. The results indicated that the three constituents have higher rate of uptake and slower rate of elimination in the rats with pyelonephritis, suggesting altered rate and extent of drug metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]