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Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is a cyclic heptapeptide, produced by aquatic cyanobacteria such as microcystis, with strong reproductive toxicity which poses greater threat to the reproductive abilities of humans and animals. By exploring the role of trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and the role of oxidative stress in MC-LR-induced apoptosis in testicular Sertoli cells in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, this study indicated that MC-LR increased the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes by raising the levels of H3K4me3. 5'-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA), the inhibitor of H3K4me3, reduced apoptosis, indicating for the first time that epigenetic modification is closely related to the testicular reproductive toxicity induced by MC-LR. MC-LR also induced oxidative stress by stimulating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and subsequently triggering mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and increasing the levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and so on. MC-LR-induced apoptosis of testicular cells could be decreased after pretreatment with oxidative stress inhibitor N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Furthermore, the pathological damage to mitochondria and testes were observed in SD rats. These results show that MC-LR can induce apoptosis by raising the levels of H3K4me3, and pretreatment with MTA can ameliorate the MC-LR-induced apoptosis of cocultured cells by lowering the levels of H3K4me3. Furthermore, NAC has a protective effect on MC-LR-induced apoptosis of testicular cells in SD rats by inhibiting the oxidative stress.

Chemical solution deposition is a promising technology to fabricate YBCO superconducting thin films due to its low-cost advantage. As found in our previous study, the addition of lead acetate in precursor solution could enhance the critical current density of YBCO films, since the deteriorating a/b-axis orientated grains could be suppressed. In this study, the precursor solutions with lead acetate weight percentages of 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% were prepared. The molar concentration of all metal ions was 2.0 mol/L for all solutions. Crystallization temperatures of 720°C, 740°C, 760°C, 780°C, 800°C and 820°C were used in the heat treatment. The thickness of the finally obtained YBCO films was about 400 nm. It was found that 1% of lead acetate addition was favorable to achieve high critical current at 77 K in self-field, and the critical current generally increased along with the crystallization temperature. The cross-sectional microstructure of YBCO thin films fabricated by using lead acetate addition was denser than that of the counterpart samples. In situ measurement of the film's resistance during the heat treatment was carried out to analyze the growth and nucleation processes of YBCO thin film deposition. The mechanism of lead acetate addition for the a/b-axis oriented grain suppression reported in our previous study was investigated.

Target tracking and imaging through scattering media are challenges that must be overcome for important applications in various fields. The fundamental problem is the randomly diffused light in scattering media that prevents the formation of diffraction-limited images. In recent years, speckle correlation has emerged as a powerful approach for restoring targets through scattering media and tracking targets with high scattering. However, this method fails to achieve high-accuracy target tracking in multidimensional motion. Furthermore, retrieving the deterministic phase of a target in a low-resolution speckle pattern is limited. Here, a method based on speckle-difference-combined bispectrum analysis (SDCBA) is presented to simultaneously track and image targets. The proposed SDCBA requires no high-resolution pattern, randomly assigned initial values, nor numerous iterations. The target is tracked simultaneously in multidimension by using speckle difference autocorrelation and restored with the deterministic phase via bispectrum analysis of the low-resolution speckle pattern. This work carries out simulations and experiments to demonstrate simultaneous multidimensional target tracking and imaging in low-resolution speckle pattern through scattering media via the SDCBA. This work will benefit various fields, including biomedical applications, materials science, and military security.

The liver is an important iron storage site and a primary MC-LR target. C57BL/6 and Hfe−/− mice were used to investigate effects and mechanisms of MC-LR on systematic iron homeostasis. Body weight, tissue iron content, hematological and serological indexes, and histopathological were evaluated. Ultrastructure and iron metabolism-related genes and proteins were analyzed. MC-LR induced dose-dependent increases in red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. In contrast MC-LR-induced dose-dependent decreases in mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin, and hemoglobin concentration were observed both C57BL/6 and Hfe−/− mice. In both mouse species, serological indexes increased. Aggravated liver and spleen iron were observed in C57BL/6 mice, consistent with Perls’ Prussian blue staining. However, an opposite trend was observed in Hfe−/− mice. C57BL/6 mice had lower Hamp1 (Hepcidn), Bmp6, Il-6, and Tmprss6. Significant increased Hjv, Hif-1α and Hif-2α were observed in both C57BL/6 and Hfe−/− mice. MC-LR-induced pathological lesions were dose-dependent increase in C57BL/6 mice. More severe pathological injuries in MC-LR groups (25 μg/kg) were observed in Hfe−/− mice than in C57BL/6 mice. In Hfe−/− mice, upon exposure to 25 μg/kg MC-LR, mitochondrial membranes were damaged and mitochondrial counts increased with significant swelling. These results indicated that MC-LR can induce the accumulation of iron in C57BL/6 mice with the occurrence of anemia, similar to thalassemia. Moreover, dysregulation of iron homeostasis may be due to MC-LR-induced Hamp1 downregulation, possibly mediated by hypoxia or the IL6–STAT3 and BMP–SMAD signaling pathways.

Antibiotics in breeding industry can enter the environment through multiple pathways, thus accelerating the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), among which aerosol transmission is easily achieved and often overlooked. To elucidate the role of aerosols in this situation, the present study investigated the distribution characteristics of 107 ARG subtypes (targeting to eight different ARG types) and nine mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial community in animal (chicken cloaca), environment (aerosols) and human (nasopharynx) of a chicken farm (n = 42) in Henan Province. In total, 116 ARG subtypes and MGEs were identified in the poultry farm. The total bacterial concentration of aerosols inside the chicken house (3.117 × 104 CFU/m3) exceeded the corresponding limit. The microbial communities in the samples of cloaca swab (C) and the workers’ nasopharyngeal swab (N) were closer, while the abundance distribution of ARGs/ MGEs in cloacal swab (C) and aerosol (AI) in chicken house were much similar. There were certain consistency of the microbial community structure and the distribution of ARGs among the three groups of chicken cloaca, air aerosol, and workers’ nasopharynx. Our results highlighted that animal breeding does have a certain impact on the surrounding environment and human, and aerosols play an important role in this process.

Lead (Pb) poses a potential environmental risk factor for cognitive dysfunction during early life and childhood. Resveratrol is considered a promising antioxidant with respect to the prevention of cognitive deficits and act as a potent SIRT1 agonist. Herein, this study aims to investigate the profile of neurogenesis markers following Pb exposure and to determine the regulatory role of resveratrol in this process. We confirmed firstly the protective effects of resveratrol against Pb-induced impairments of hippocampal neurogenesis in Male SD rats. Pb exposure early in life caused the altered expression of Ki-67, NeuN, caspase-3 and SIRT1 signaling, thereby resulting in spatial cognitive impairment of adolescent rats. As expected, resveratrol reduced cognitive damage and promoted neurogenesis in Pb-induced injury by regulation of SIRT1 pathway. Collectively, our study establishes the efficacy of resveratrol as a neuroprotective agent and provides a strong rationale for further studies on SIRT1-mediated mechanisms of neuroprotective functions.

Aspheric lenses help meet the most demanding optical requirements while the precision injection molding technique hits the target for precision and cost. We developed a method of analyzing aberration terms in the transmitted “wavefront measurement,” determined by Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensing to estimate the fabrication errors of injection-molded aspheric elements. Considering aspheric element fabrication using a small training data set and F-measure fuzzy cluster analysis, an unsupervised learning method was applied to extract typical aberration terms from the wavefront polynomial. The experimental results suggest that these aberration terms, which are related to spherical (third-, fifth-, and seventh-order) and coma (third-order) aberration terms in the transmitted wavefront polynomial expansion, can be employed to estimate the surface error and decenter, respectively, of a lens from a specific mold cavity. The sampling lenses evaluated in the proposed measuring process were collected from different mold cavities according to their total working performance in the modulated transfer function measurement for the whole camera module. The performances of the typical aberration terms were discussed by comparing to the ones obtained from an interferometer and a profilometer. The proposed method could provide high detection efficiency and can thus be applied for the quality control of aspheric elements for mobile phones, where the existing errors are mainly spherical, coma, and astigmatism aberrations.

Background The intellectual loss induced by fluoride exposure has been extensively studied, but the association between fluoride exposure in different susceptibility windows and children’s intelligence is rarely reported. Hence, we conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the association between fluoride exposure in prenatal and childhood periods and intelligence quotient (IQ). Methods We recruited 633 local children aged 7–13 years old randomly from four primary schools in Kaifeng, China in 2017. The children were divided into four groups, of which included: control group (CG, n = 228), only prenatal excessive fluoride exposure group (PFG, n = 107), only childhood excessive fluoride exposure group (CFG, n = 157), both prenatal and childhood excessive fluoride exposure group (BFG, n = 141). The concentrations of urinary fluoride (UF) and urinary creatinine (UCr) were determined by fluoride ion-selective electrode assay and a creatinine assay kit (picric acid method), respectively. The concentration of UCr-adjusted urinary fluoride (CUF) was calculated. IQ score was assessed using the second revision of the Combined Raven’s Test-The Rural in China (CRT-RC2). Threshold and saturation effects analysis, multiple linear regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyze the association between fluoride exposure and IQ. Results The mean IQ score in PFG was respectively lower than those in CG, CFG and BFG (P OR = 0.489, 95% CI: 0.279, 0.858). For all the children, CUF concentration of ≥1.7 mg/L was negatively associated with IQ scores (β = − 4.965, 95% CI: − 9.198, − 0.732, P = 0.022). In children without prenatal fluoride exposure, every 1.0 mg/L increment in the CUF concentration of ≥2.1 mg/L was related to a reduction of 11.4 points in children’s IQ scores (95% CI: − 19.2, − 3.5, P = 0.005). Conclusions Prenatal and childhood excessive fluoride exposures may impair the intelligence development of school children. Furthermore, children with prenatal fluoride exposure had lower IQ scores than children who were not prenatally exposed; therefore the reduction of IQ scores at higher levels of fluoride exposure in childhood does not become that evident.

A DNA-encoded chemical library (DECL) is built with combinatorial chemistry, which works by bringing chemical fragments together to generate diverse structures. However, chemical diversity of DNA-encoded chemical libraries is often limited by DNA compatible synthetic reactions. This report shows a conceptual strategy to expand chemical space of DNA-encoded chemical libraries by incorporation of diversity-oriented synthesis in DECL synthesis. We developed Aldol reactions on DNA in a combinatorial way. After obtaining DNA-tagged α , β -unsaturated ketones which represent important chemical intermediates, many distinct structures with skeletal diversities are achieved by diversity-oriented synthesis.

Currently, there are various calibration methods available to reduce the errors caused by the polarizing section of a dual-rotating-retarder polarimeter. Although these methods have high measurement accuracy, their robustness must be improved and the influence of the imaging section needs be discussed when they are applied in Mueller matrix microscopes. In this paper, a method of error source analysis and element calibration for the Mueller matrix microscope is proposed by using error transform coefficient matrices to account for the polarizing effect of the imaging section. Using Taylor expansion, an approximate linear relationship is established between the sources of errors and the Mueller matrix elements of the measured sample. From this relationship, error magnification coefficient matrices are calculated to determine the specific parameter errors in both the polarizing and imaging sections. Furthermore, elements in the fourth row or column of the error magnification coefficient matrix are especially important for the imaging section. The measurement and simulation results for an air sample and a quarter-wave plate sample as the standard samples, as well as a Daphnia organism sample with complex internal structure, are investigated and discussed. Furthermore, the comparison results reveal the effect of the imaging section on the birefringence characteristics of the Mueller matrix. With the proposed method, the maximum error can be reduced to be less than 0.01 for all the matrix elements and for the amplitude parameter of birefringence, even when the two system parameters a 2

In this study, we propose a method for training convolutional neural networks to make them identify and classify images with higher classification accuracy. By combining the Cartesian and polar coordinate systems when describing the images, the method of recognition and classification for plankton images is discussed. The optimized classification and recognition networks are constructed. They are available for in situ plankton images, exploiting the advantages of both coordinate systems in the network training process. Fusing the two types of vectors and using them as the input for conventional machine learning models for classification, support vector machines (SVMs) are selected as the classifiers to combine these two features of vectors, coming from different image coordinate descriptions. The accuracy of the proposed model was markedly higher than those of the initial classical convolutional neural networks when using the in situ plankton image data, with the increases in classification accuracy and recall rate being 5.3% and 5.1% respectively. In addition, the proposed training method can improve the classification performance considerably when used on the public CIFAR-10 dataset.

Imaging through scattering layers plays an important role in the field of optical imaging. Because of its characteristics, we can observe some targets that are invisible or unobservable. Now, it is a simple and effective way to process images of scattering layers by autocorrelation. However, due to the memory effect and the limitation of the acquisition environment, imaging through scattering layers still lacks the ability to accurately detect unknown objects. In this paper, we analyzed the influence of memory effects and actual acquisition environment on speckle correlations imaging. By controlling the various variables of the experimental device and the image processing, different experimental images and restoration results of the images are obtained. The memory effects control the optical thickness of the scattering layer, the size of the target, and the distance from the target to the scattering layer. There must be appropriate experimental parameter settings to meet the memory effect requirements. In addition, the selection of the position of the image acquisition device determines the degree of dispersion of the speckle. Image processing is mainly for the filtering of space domain and frequency domain, and for changes in constraints in Hybrid Input-Output algorithms. Finally, comparing the influence of all the parameters on the final restored image, the reasonable acquisition scheme and image processing scheme for different targets and scattering media can be obtained. It has reference and guiding significance for the application of imaging through scattering layers via speckle correlations.

Wavefront coding is the most widely used method to extend the depth of field, because the wavefront coding system combines the advantages of optical imaging and image post-processing. This paper mainly discusses the principle, advantages, and application scenarios of wavefront coding and analyzes the greater than 20 existing types of phase masks. Specifically, these methods are discussed for the optimization of the phase mask parameters together with the generally used optimization algorithms. In addition, the fuzzy image recovery algorithms of image post-processing are also discussed. Finally, our recent work on the depth extension of existing optical imaging systems is introduced and we look forward to the future development of wavefront coding.

3D localization of point source is widely used in many fields, such as bioimaging and autonomous driving fields. However, the localization is hard to perform under scattering conditions because of the diffuse effect of the scattering. We propose a novel method for 3D localization of point source under scattering conditions based on light field imaging and deep learning by only one shot. First, we introduce the description of the point source in a light field wise and how to localize a point source by its light field. On the basis, we elaborate on the effect of scattering on a light field and how to retrieve the location of a point source from a light field with scattering. Then, the effect of aberration on a light field will be introduced. We also build an artificial scene and a deep learning framework to perform a 3D localization practically, and the feasibility and accuracy of our method have been evaluated.

Laser imaging radar is the combination of four technologies, laser, radar, optical scanning control, and high-speed computer processing. It is extensively used in both military and civilian applications. Non-scanning imaging radar, which works without a scanning device, is characterized by high frame rate, wide field of view, and high reliability and has become the focus of research in recent years. The objective of this study is to firstly, elaborate the structure of non-scanning imaging laser radar and basic principle of plane array ranging. Next, it focuses on the latest developments in the non-scanning laser 3D imaging radar systems. Thereafter, it categorizes and summarizes various non-scanning laser 3D imaging radar systems, such as flash, polarization modulation, and gain modulation. From the comprehensive coverage of these systems presented in this study, it can be inferred that the laser 3D imaging has the advantages of high resolution, high energy utilization, and high signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, a discussion of their disadvantages is presented. Finally, this study concludes with some challenges and possible future research directions in this field.

This study describes various methods for optical imaging through scattering media based on compression detection. In these methods, low-intensity micro-structured light patterns are launched sequentially onto an object by using a digital micro-mirror device. The corresponding light intensity information is collected and an intensity correlation algorithm is used to recover the information of the object in the scattering media. For each specific sampling reconstruction method, its related systems are listed and its parameter indicators and application scenarios are analyzed. Prospects for the development of single-pixel imaging through scattering media are also discussed.

The deformation measurement of a specular surface is of great importance during the quality inspection and installation of optical elements or wafers, especially those with large apertures. We propose a deflectometry method with speckle digital image correlation (DeSDIC) to realize the dynamic and high-accuracy measurement of the deformation on specular surfaces, with a simple system structure and robustness to noises and environmental vibrations. Random speckle pattern displayed on liquid crystal display is reflected by the original surface under test (SUT), and the distorted pattern is recorded by a camera. This originally distorted pattern is taken as the reference image, and the patterns captured afterwards are digitally correlated with the reference image to calculate the gradient change and deformation of the SUT. The theoretical relationships and an experimental one-step calibration scheme are proposed. Both static and dynamic deformations of a deformable mirror were experimentally measured to demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of DeSDIC, which is comparable to phase-measuring deflectometry and interferometry.

For the efficient and accurate control of deformable mirror (DM) shapes, we propose a method of sparse sampling of control parameters to attain accurate control of the high- and low-order coefficients of the DM surface shape expressions. The influence function is used and modified to reduce the hysteresis effect and provide an accurate solution using the statistical multiple regression method. A test system was built and performed the contrast fit experiments for the different DM surface shapes using the proposed algorithm and the conventional method. The proposed algorithm can significantly improve the convergence speed of the DM surface shape, achieving the maximum convergence residual of 1/20λ.

To assess the association between fluoride exposure and children���s behavioural outcomes, we recruited 325 resident school-age children (7���13 years old) lived in Tongxu County of Henan Province in China. We measured urinary fluoride (UF) concentrations using the ion-selective electrode method. Children���s behavioural outcomes were assessed by Conners��� Parent Rating Scale-Revised, including conduct problems, learning problems, psychosomatic problems, impulsive-hyperactive, anxiety, and ADHD index. It turned out that each 1.0 mg/L increment in UF concentration corresponded with an elevation in the psychosomatic problem score of 4.01 (95% CI: 2.74, 5.28) and a 97% (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.19, 3.27) increase in the prevalence of psychosomatic problems after adjusting for potential influencing factors. The sensitivity analysis results were consistent with those observed in our preliminary analysis. Our study suggests that fluoride exposure is positively related to the behavioural problem in school-age children, psychosomatic problem in particular.

Livestock farms are recognized as the main sources of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) with potential implications for human health. In this study, we systematically analyzed microbiome composition, distribution of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the oropharynx and gut of workers in cattle farms and surrounding villagers, cattle feces and farm air, and the relationship of microbial communities among farm air, cattle feces and farmworkers (oropharynx and gut). Exposure to the farm environment may have remodeled farmworkers' oropharynx and gut microbiota, with reduced microbial diversity (P 0.05) and enrichment of some opportunistic pathogenic bacteria like Shigella, Streptococcus, and Neisseria in the oropharynx. Meanwhile, compared with villagers, ARG abundance in oropharynx of farmworkers increased significantly (P 0.05), but, no significant difference in gut (P 0.05). Microbial composition and ARG profile in farmworkers might be influenced by working time and work type, ARG abundance in farmworkers' gut was positively correlated with working time (P 0.01), and higher ARG abundance was found in the oropharynx of drovers. The network analysis revealed that 4 MGEs (tnpA-01, tnpA-04, Tp614, and IS613), 5 phyla (e.g. Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and TM7), and 6 genera were significantly associated with 37 ARGs (ρ 0.6, P 0.01). Overall, our results indicated that farm exposure may have affected the microbial composition and increased ARG abundance of farmworkers. Transmission of some ARGs may have occurred among the environment, animals and humans via host bacteria, which might pose a potential threat to human health.

Microcystins (MCs) are produced by certain bloom-forming cyanobacteria that can induce toxicity in various organs, including renal toxicity, reproductive toxicity, cardiotoxicity, and immunosuppressive effects. It has been a significant global environmental issue due to its harm to the aquatic environment and human health. Numerous investigators have demonstrated that MC exposure can induce a widespread epidemic of enterogastritis with symptoms similar to food poisoning in areas close to lakes. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have provided evidence of positive associations between MC exposure and gastrointestinal toxicity. The toxicity of MCs on the gastrointestinal tract is multidimensional. MCs can affect gastrointestinal barrier function and shift the structure of gut microbiota in different gut regions. Furthermore, MCs can inhibit the secretion of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes and the release of inflammatory cytokines, which affects the expression of immune-related genes in the intestine. The damage of the intestine is closely correlated to MC exposure because the intestine is the main site for the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The damage to the gastrointestinal tract due to MCs was summarized from different aspects, which can be used as a foundation for further exploration of molecular damage mechanisms.

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a worldwide problem especially in China. The interrelation of soil bacterial community structure, antibiotic resistance genes, and heavy metal contamination in soil is still unclear. Here, seven agricultural areas (G1-G7) with heavy metal contamination were sampled with different distances (741 to 2556 m) to the factory. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and Shannon index were used to analyze bacterial community diversity. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative abundance of ARGs sul1, sul2, tetA, tetM, tetW, one mobile genetic elements (MGE) inti1. Results showed that all samples were polluted by Cadmium (Cd), and some of them were polluted by lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). DGGE showed that the most abundant bacterial species were found in G7 with the lightest heavy metal contamination. The results of the principal component analysis and clustering analysis both showed that G7 could not be classified with other samples. The relative abundance of sul1 was correlated with Cu, Zn concentration. Gene sul2 are positively related with total phosphorus, and tetM was associated with organic matter. Total gene abundances and relative abundance of inti1 both correlated with organic matter. Redundancy analysis showed that Zn and sul2 were significantly related with bacterial community structure. Together, our results indicate a complex linkage between soil heavy metal concentration, bacterial community composition, and some global disseminated ARG abundance.

This study examined the neuroprotective properties of resveratrol (Res) and its target sirtuin1 (SIRT1) against lead (Pb)-mediated toxicity and discovered that both resveratrol treatment and SIRT1 overexpression restored blocked autophagic flux as well as reduced β-amyloid (Aβ) contents. Four-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were employed to consumed 0.2% Pb(Ac)2 solution or deionized water for 3 months followed by 12 months of Res (50 mg/kg BW) or vehicle gavage. In in vitro study, SH-SY5Y cells were pretreated with the SIRT1 activator SRT1720 (2 μM) or the inhibitor EX527 (2 μM) for 2 h, then 25 μM of Pb(Ac)2 was added and incubated for 48 h. Western blotting, RT-qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Lyso-Tracker Red Staining were next used to estimate the potential alterations of the autophagic pathway as well as BACE1-mediated amyloid processing in response to Pb exposure, respectively. Our data revealed that Res treatment or SIRT1 activation resisted the induction of autophagy by Pb exposure through inhibition of LC3 and Beclin-1 expression and promoted the degradation of Aβ and Tau phosphorylation. Besides, the SIRT1 activator (SRT1720) downregulated the expression of BACE1, the rate-limiting enzyme for Aβ production, by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in Pb-treated SH-SY5Y cells, which resulted in reduced Aβ production. Collectively, we verified the role of Res-SIRT1-autophagy as well as the SIRT1-NF-κB-BACE1 pathway in Pb-induced neuronal cell injury by in vivo or in vitro models. Our findings further elucidate the important role of SIRT1 and Res in counteracting Pb neurotoxicity, which may provide new interventions and targets for the subsequent treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Lead (Pb) exposure damages synaptic structural plasticity that results in cognitive impairment. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic compound, is one of the most potent agonists of silencing information regulator 1 (SIRT1) discovered to date. However, the effects of SIRT1 on synaptic functional plasticity in early life Pb exposure are not well studied. Herein, the purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of synaptic markers and SIRT1 in rats exposed to Pb and to evaluate the regulatory effect of resveratrol during this process. The Pb exposed male SD pups were treated with resveratrol (50 mg/kg/d) or EDTA (150 mg/kg/d) followed by hippocampal and blood sampling for analysis at postnatal day 21 (PND21). In the Morrris water maze test, resveratrol treatement protected the rats against Pb-induced impairment of learning and memory (P0.05). Resveratrol also enhanced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, P 0.001 vs 0.2% Pb group), and reversed the effects of Pb exposure on SIRT1(P 0.001 vs 0.2% Pb group). The DG, CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus showed a considerable increase in the expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins (P 0.001 vs 0.2% Pb group). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that resveratrol, through the activation of SIRT1, played a protective role against Pb-induced defects in synaptic plasticity, and suggested a new potential adjuvant treatment for Pb poisoning.

Although increasing evidence suggests that estrogen receptor α (ESRα) genetic variation could modify bone damage caused by environmental fluoride exposure, little is known about epigenetic mechanisms in relation to bone changes. A case-control study was conducted among farmers aged 18-55 years in Henan Province, China. X-ray was used to detect bone changes. Methylation status was determined by methylation-specific PCR. Genotypes were identified by Taqman probe and real-time PCR. In this study, we found that methylation status in the promoter region of the ESRα gene was lower in bone change cases than that in controls, which was only observed in male farmers after stratification by gender. Furthermore, methylation level was negatively associated with the urinary fluoride concentration in male farmers. No significant association was found between the distribution of ESRα rs2941740 genotypes and the risk of bone changes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age and gender, increased serum calcium and methylation status were protective factors for bone changes. No interaction effect was observed between fluoride exposure and ESRα rs2941740 polymorphism on bone changes. In conclusion, the current work suggests that bone changes are associated with methylation status, which might be modulated by fluoride exposure in male farmers. Methylation status and bone changes were not modified by ESRα gene rs2941740 polymorphism in the promoter region.

Compressive sensing (CS), which breaks the classical Nyquist limit and does not require a high sampling rate, can be used to recover a complete signal by using much less information and an optimization strategy. Further, it reduces the calculations required for signal reconstruction, and requires simpler signal collection and processing than other sensing techniques. It can reduce the data rate of high-resolution imaging radar systems and the amount of sampling, storage, and transmission data effectively. In this study, we first describe the basic theory model of CS. Then, we review the latest developments in radar imaging algorithms based on CS, followed by a comprehensive review of CS applications in high resolution radars, including SARs/ISARs, through-the-wall (TTW) radars, MIIMO radars, and ground-penetrating (GP) radars. This review highlights the importance of CS in simplifying radar hardware, overcoming data limitations, and improving the radar imaging performance. Next, an in-depth discussion and analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of CS-based radar imaging are presented. Finally, we highlight some of the challenges and research directions in this field.

Excessive exposure to fluoride has been reported to affect bone mineral density (BMD). CALCA expression plays a critical part in bone formation. However, the role of CALCA in the association between fluoride and BMD is not known. We conducted a cross-sectional study and recruited 722 women in rural areas of Henan Province, China, to assess the relationship between fluoride exposure, CALCA methylation, and BMD. Urinary levels of fluoride, CALCA methylation, and BMD were measured by a fluoride ion-selective electrode, standalone ultrasound bone densitometer, and quantitative methylation-specific polymerases chain reaction, respectively. The association among fluoride exposure, CALCA methylation, and BMD was age-specific. Specifically, BMD was negatively correlated with methylation (β: -0.008; 95% CI: -0.016, 0.000) and fluoride exposure (β: -0.063; 95% CI: -0.129, -0.002) in women over 45 years and 50-54 years of age, respectively, whereas methylation was positively correlated with fluoride exposure (β: 4.953; 95% CI: 1.162, 8.743) in women aged 40-44 years. Besides, increased BMD in women aged 45-49 years induced by the interactive effect of the highest methylation of CALCA exon 1 (tertile 3) and fluoride exposure was observed (P for interaction 0.05). Our findings suggest an age-specific association between exposure to excessive fluoride, CALCA methylation, and BMD in a rural population of women in China. Notably, the susceptibility of BMD to fluoride exposure may be modified by CALCA methylation.

Lead (Pb) is recognized as a potent inducer of synaptic toxicity generally associated with reduced synaptic transmission and increased neuronal fiber excitability, becoming an environmental risk for neurodegenerative processes. Despite numerous toxicological studies on Pb have been directed to the developing brain, attention concerning long-term consequences of pubertal chronic Pb exposure on neuronal activity is still lacking. Thus, we exposed 4-week-old male mice to 0.2 % lead acetate solution for one month, then, conducted behavioral tests or extracted brain homogenate from mice prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus at the age of 4, 13 and 16-month-old respectively. Our results showed that treated mice exhibited an evident increase in latency to reach platform following pubertal Pb exposure and aging. The increase of 8-OHdG revealed evident neural DNA oxidative damage across time upon pubertal Pb exposure. In the hippocampus of lead exposed mice at three age nodes, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) increased, while that of mature BDNF (mBDNF), cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) decreased compared with the control group. Furthermore, the expression of BACE1 protein and tau phosphorylation level in PFC and hippocampus increased, APP mRNAs in PFC and prolonged induction of BACE1 in hippocampus. Our results show that chronic Pb exposure from pubertal stage onward can either initiate divergent synaptic-related gene expression patterns in adulthood or trigger time-course of neurodegenerative profile within the PFC or hippocampus, which can contribute consistent deficits of cognition across subsequent age-nodes.

This is an automatic plankton image recognition and enumeration system using an enhanced Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and examined the performance of different network structures on automatic plankton image classification.

Image enhancement technique is utilized to emphasize the overall or local characteristics of pictures and widely used in aerospace, and machine vision application. However, most of these techniques are mathematical algorithms based on captured pictures instead of the imaging process. Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) is a recently developed computational imaging approach which stitches together low-resolution images acquired under different angles of illumination with the same intensity in Fourier space to produce a wide-field, high-resolution complex sample image. In this article, a theoretical model about the illumination intensity is proposed. The effect of uneven illumination intensity can be reduced significantly based on our model. Furthermore, the quality of the reconstructed image can be enhanced by adjusting the intensity of the illumination light corresponding to the high frequency components of the original spectrum.

Fourier ptychography microscopy (FPM) is a recently developed computational imaging approach which surpasses the resolution barrier of a low numerical aperture (NA) imaging system. It is a powerful tool due to its ability to achieve super resolution of complex sample function, pupil aberration, LED misalignment, and beyond. However, recent studies have focused more on the optimization algorithms and set-ups instead of its theoretical background. Although some imaging laws about FPM have already been set forth, the formulas and laws are not fully defined, and the connection between diffraction theory and Fourier optics has a gap. Therefore, there exist a need for comprehensive research on physical and mathematical basis of FPM for future applications. Keeping this goal in mind, this manuscript utilizes scalar field diffraction theory to rigorously study the relationship between wavelength, the propagation mode, illumination direction of the incident wave, sample structure information and the direction of the output wave. The theoretical analysis of diffraction imaging in FPM provides a clear physical basis for not only the FPM systems, but also for the ptychography iterative engine (PIE) and any other coherent diffraction imaging techniques and systems. It can help to find the source of noise and therefore improve image quality in FPM technique and systems.

The aspheric optical plastic injection molding technology has many advantages such as lightweight, low cost, saving assembly work, easy mass production and so on. It is the main processing method for aspheric optical plastic lenses. This paper systematically summarizes the error sources in the process of optical plastic injection molding, and displays the current development status of error detection technologies. A method based on wavefront sensing technology for transmission aspheric optical lens error detection is proposed. Finally, this paper gives the prospects for the development of error detection technologies applied in aspheric optical lens.

Major breakthroughs in the fields of image processing, pattern recognition, and scene classification have recently been made through the using of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and deep learning. If the training set is sufficient, a CNN performs better than traditional machine learning algorithms and differs from them in many ways. In CNNs, feature extraction is more intelligent, so researchers no longer require extensive knowledge about the specific topic. They can focus on the CNN itself, including the structural design of the network, the model optimization, and the numerical solution. The many articles on CNNs published over the past few years propose many neural network models. Methods of training and optimization for CNNs have also been proposed. This paper reviews the history of CNNs, introduces the commonly established CNN structure, and summarizes methods and tips for CNN training.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a potent endotoxin, can induce reproductive toxicity. In order to investigate the role and mechanisms of apoptosis (p53-dependent and mitochondrial pathways) of germ cells induced by MC-LR, the co-cultured primary Sertoli-germ cells from Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the experiments. Expression levels of proteins, genes, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were obtained after exposing co-cultured Sertoli-germ cells to MC-LR with or without the addition of the p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-α (PFT-α), and MMP inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA). Results indicated that MC-LR could activate p53-dependent pathway-associated proteins in Sertoli-germ cells, leading to a decrease in MMP (indicating the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore [mPTP] and the release of Cytochrome-c [Cyt-c]) from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm and eventually the induction of apoptosis. PFT-α inhibited the expression ofp53, ameliorated the MMP of the co-cultured Sertoli-germ cells, and prevented the release of Cyt-c from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm, which reduces the occurrence of apoptosis. Similarly, the decreased release of Cyt-c from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm and the declined level of apoptosis in Sertoli-germ cells induced by MC-LR were observed after the addition of CsA. These results indicated that the apoptosis of the co-cultured Sertoli-germ cells induced by MC-LR was mediated by the p53-dependent pathway, with the involvement of the opening of mPTP.

The polarization state of light is somewhat affected by propagation in a broad-spectrum, high numerical aperture (NA) and other optical systems with oblique incident angles. Changes in the polarization state, known as polarization aberrations, may result in severe deterioration of the imaging quality. This paper reviews the theory of polarization aberration, including the definition of polarization aberration, polarization ray tracing, analysis of the function of polarization aberration, and some new theories related to calculation and analysis procedures. Increasingly, the theory of polarization aberration has been analyzed and applied in optical systems such as interferometers, microscopes, telescopes, and lithography devices. In optical design, the combined calculation and simulation of a polarization aberration can contribute to the efficient optimization of optical system performance.

Since the performance of binary optical element (BOE) is affected vastly by etching depth error, mask misalignment and feature rounding introduced by the fabrication process, it becomes important to analyze the effects of fabrication errors on the BOE. The phase pattern of binary optical lens will not be symmetrical when the misalignment error exists, and it is very complicate to analyze the diffraction efficiency. Based on the relationship between the diffraction efficiency and the modulation transfer function (MTF), the MTF of a binary optical lens with different fabrication errors is calculated, and the effects on diffraction efficiency are also obtained.

Signal sampling is a bridge to analog source signal and digital signal. Over the years, the base theory of signal sampling is the famous Nyquist sampling theorem, but a large amount of data generated by the waste of storage space. Compressed Sensing proposes a new sampling theory that can sample signals well below the Nyquist sampling rate. Also, the varied reconstruction algorithms of CS can faithfully reconstruct the original signal back from fewer compressive measurements. Therefore, the theory of compressed sensing has been widely used in many fields such as analog-to-signal conversion, synthetic aperture radar imaging, and speech recognition. This paper first elaborates the basic theory model of compressed sensing and focuses on the latest developments in the three aspects of signal sparse transformation, observation matrix design, and reconstruction algorithms. Then this paper also reviews several open problems in CS theory and discusses the existing difficult problems. Secondly, the application and development of compressed sensing in the imaging field are described in detail, compressive imaging technology breaks through the traditional imaging system design concept and uses hardware to achieve non-adaptive linear projection of the target image, thereby achieving the purpose of acquiring a high-precision target image with a smaller number of detectors. And in-depth discussion and analysis of current common compressive imaging systems. Finally, this paper also highlights some of the challenges and research directions in this field.

The description of deformable mirror (DM) surface, which is usually a complex freeform surface, affects the measurement speed and accuracy in a real-time interferometric measurement system with a DM as the dynamic compensator. We propose an accurate and fast description method with automatically configurable Gaussian radial basis function. The distribution and shape factors of GRBFs are related to the complexity of the surface with sufficient flexibility to improve the accuracy, and the fitting results are automatically obtained using a traversal optimization algorithm, which can improve the fitting speed by reducing the number of time-consuming calculations. The feasibility is verified by numerical and practical experiment.

Stabilized zoom systems possess the advantages such as the simplified system layout, improved system stability, enhanced imaging performance, and a high zoom speed. The complex system design to achieve high performances requires calculations or investigations of the initial system for optimization and improvements, and thus, specific design techniques are pursued. In this study, we propose an automatic optical design scheme of synthetic characteristics for the off-axis stabilized zoom systems, which using focal length variable (FLV) opto-electronic elements and with a high zoom ratio. The study aims at evaluating and synthetically achieving the zooming properties and the image quality balance of entire focus imaging. The multi-element stabilized zoom systems are characterized using the Gaussian brackets expressions and their optimal solution ranges for high zoom ratios are deduced to achieve non-defocusing imaging in specific stroke ranges of FLV elements. Then considering the analytical characterization of the off-axis-induced primary aberrations at multi-conjugate positions, we use a conic surface to deduce the basic expression of the nodal aberration. Thereby the nonlinear global merit function is established with a semi-empirical mathematical model based on nodal aberration theory and nonlinear zoom equation for maintaining the stability of focal length and image plane drift. And the theory of Pareto Optimality is employed in the process of verifying the superiority of the solutions. Finally, a series of solutions for a high zoom ratio and aberration compensation are implemented and the optimal configurations with conical surfaces for an off-axis stabilized zoom system are obtained.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has become a potential concern to public health. It is mainly associated with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in the environment. Several factors influence the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs); however, the relative contribution of these factors has been scarcely characterized. To study the impact of each factor, we examined the effects of five antibiotics, eight heavy metals, five physicochemical properties, and bacterial community on the abundance of 310 ARGs in agricultural soils collected near a smelter. Tetracycline was found in the highest levels of all the samples compared to the other four antibiotics, with the most severe contamination (1738.534 μg/kg) occurring in the sample farthest from the plant (2556 m), whereas the highest copy number of ARGs (sulfonamide resistance genes, 3.63 × 10−1 copies/16SrRNA) and the worst heavy metal pollution (Cd, 18.900 mg/kg; Pb, 1938.000 mg/kg) were detected in the sample closet to the plant (741 m). Pearson and Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the abundance of 84 ARGs was impacted by these four factors in the soil. The bacterial phyla contributed to 79.76% of ARGs variation, whereas antibiotics, heavy metals, and physicochemical properties contributed 4.76%, 1.19%, and 3.57%, respectively. Bacterial community was the main factor influencing the distribution of ARGs. Antibiotics and heavy metals may affect the distribution of ARGs not only by themselves but also by influencing the structure of bacterial community in the soil. The research provides insights into the different contributions of factors to AR control.

The present study aimed to investigate the toxicity of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and to explore the mechanism of MC-LR-induced apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. HBE cells were treated with MC-LR (1, 10, 20, 30 and 40 µg/ml) alone or with MC-LR (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 µg/ml) and Z-VAD-FMK (0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 140 µM), which is a caspase inhibitor, for 24 and 48 h. Cell viability was assessed via an MTT assay and the half maximal effective concentration of MC-LR was determined. The optimal concentration of Z-VAD-FMK was established as 50 µm, which was then used in the subsequent experiments. MC-LR significantly inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis of HBE cells in a dose-dependent manner, as detected by an Annexin V/propidium iodide assay. MC-LR induced cell apoptosis, excess reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, upregulated Bax expression and downregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 expression in HBE cells. Moreover, western blot analysis demonstrated that MC-LR increased the activity levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and induced cytochrome c release into the cytoplasm, suggesting that MC-LR-induced apoptosis is associated with the mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment with Z-VAD-FMK reduced MC-LR-induced apoptosis by blocking caspase activation in HBE cells. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that MC-LR is capable of significantly inhibiting the viability of HBE cells by inducing apoptosis in a mitochondria-dependent manner. The present study provides a foundation for further understanding the mechanism underlying the toxicity of MC-LR in the respiratory system.

Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is a variant of microcystins (MCs), which poses a serious threat to the reproductive system. Histone acetylation modification can regulate the expressions of apoptosis-related genes. However the mechanisms of histone acetylation involving MC-LR-induced apoptosis were not understood. This study investigated the change of histone acetylation and its role in apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by MC-LR. MC-LR enhanced the activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC), decreased the activity of histone acetylase (HAT), up-regulated the expression of HDAC1, and down-regulated the expressions of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4 in vitro and vivo. Meanwhile, MC-LR induced testicular tissue injury and increased the expressions of apoptosis-related genes, such as Bax, Caspase3 and Caspase8, ultimately causing cells apoptosis in testicular tissues. Furthermore, MC-LR also induced cell cycle arrest in S phase, increased the expression of P21Wif1/Cip1, and inhibited the expressions of cyclinD1, cyclinE1, CDK2 and E2F1. Importantly, HDAC inhibitor Trichostatin A (TSA) could ameliorate MC-LR-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by reverse-regulating the expressions of these proteins. These results indicated that MC-LR could activate the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and disorder the cell cycle pathway to induce the cell apoptosis by enhancing HDAC activity and reducing histone acetylation of normal testicular cells in SD rats. Hence, histone acetylation has a vital function in MC-LR-induced apoptosis in SD rat testicular cells, which provides a new insight on the reproductive toxicity of male induced by MC-LR.

The focal length of a deformable mirror can be changed by altering its mirror profile or refractive index. With the rapid development of microelectromechanical systems technology, the variations in optical power introduced by refractive and reflective deformable mirrors have been improved, and a stabilized zoom system based on these deformable mirrors has thus become a hotspot for quick zooming and better image quality. In this paper, we discuss the domestic and foreign research on these kinds of systems, which can be divided into three categories—refractive zoom systems, all-reflective zoom systems, and catadioptric zoom systems—to indicate the differences in optical path and the deformable mirrors used. The initial theoretical layout, the verification experiment, and the performance of these systems are discussed. Above all, their characteristics and operating temperatures are highlighted, and these three types of deformable mirrors are then compared to find the possible layout for a zoom stabilization system based on two reflective deformable mirrors. Our study can help in the selection of the most suitable types of deformable mirrors and in discussions of a prototype of a stabilized zoom system. A system performance and defects radar chart for these three types of system is drawn to facilitate the selection of deformable mirrors for system design. Finally, ideas for further work to handle the challenges confronted by deformable mirrors are discussed.