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Dietary Cd intake is often estimated without considering Cd bioavailability. Measured urinary Cd for a cohort of 119 nonsmokers with rice as a staple was compared to predicted values from rice-Cd intake with and without considering Cd relative bioavailability (RBA) in rice based on a steady state mouse kidney bioassay and toxicokinetic model. The geometric mean (GM) of urinary Cd and β 2 -microglobulin was 1.08 and 234 μg g -1 creatinine. Applying Cd-RBA in foods to aggregate Cd intake (41.5 ± 12.4, 48.0 ± 9.3, 48.8 ± 21.3% for rice, wheat, and vegetables), rice was the largest contributor (71%). For 63 participants providing paired urine and rice samples, the predicted GM of urinary Cd at 4.14 μg g -1 based on total Cd in rice was 3.5 times that of measured value at 1.20 μg g -1 , while incorporating Cd-RBA to assess rice-Cd intake made the two closer with GM at 1.07 μg g -1 . The cohort findings were extended to a national scale, with urinary Cd for nonsmokers from rice Cd intake was mapped at province/city levels after considering rice Cd-RBA. Therefore, incorporating Cd bioavailability to assess dietary Cd intake is a valuable tool to accurately estimate human Cd exposure and associated health risk. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

A steady-state mouse model was developed to determine arsenic (As) relative bioavailability (RBA) in rice to r efine As exposure in humans. Fifty-five rice samples from 15 provinces of China were analyzed for total As, with 11 cooked for As speciation and bioavailability assessment. Arsenic concentrations were 38-335 μg kg -1 , averaging 133 μg kg -1 , with As III being dominant (36-79%), followed by DMA V (18-58%) and As V (0.5-16%). Following oral doses of individual As species to mice at low As exposure (2.5-15 μg As per mouse) over a 7-d period, strong linear correlations (R 2 = 0.99) were observed between As urinary excretion and cumulative As intake, suggesting the suitability and sensitivity of the mouse bioassay to measure As-RBA in rice. Urinary excretion factor for DMA V (0.46) was less than inorganic As (0.63-0.69). As-RBA in cooked rice ranged from 13.2 ± 2.2% to 53.6 ± 11.1% (averaging 27.0 ± 12.2%) for DMA V and 26.2 ± 7.0% to 49.5 ± 4.7% (averaging 39.9 ± 8.3%) for inorganic As. Calculation of inorganic As intake based on total inorganic As in rice overestimated As exposure by 2.0-3.7 fold compared to that based on bioavailable inorganic As. For accurate assessment of the health risk associated with rice consumption, it is important to consider As bioavailability especially inorganic As in rice. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Straw return is widely applied to increase soil fertility and soil organic carbon storage. However, its effect on N2O emissions from paddy soil and the associated microbial mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, wheat straw was amended to two paddy soils (2% w/w) from Taizhou (TZ) and Yixing (YX), China, which were flooded and incubated for 30 d. Real-time PCR and Illumina sequencing were used to characterize changes in denitrifying functional gene abundance and denitrifying bacterial communities. Compared to unamended controls, straw addition significantly decreased accumulated N2O emissions in both TZ (5071 to 96 mg kg–1) and YX (1501 to 112 mg kg–1). This was mainly due to reduced N2O production with decreased abundance of major genera of nirK and nirS-bacterial communities and reduced nirK and nirS gene abundances. Further analyses showed that nirK-, nirS- and nosZ-bacterial community composition shifted mainly along the easily oxidizable carbon (EOC) arrows following straw amendment among four different soil organic carbon fractions, suggesting that increased EOC was the main driver of alerted denitrifying bacterial community composition. This study revealed straw return suppressed N2O emission via altering denitrifying bacterial community compositions and highlighted the importance of EOC in controlling denitrifying bacterial communities.

Lead bioavailability in contaminated soils varies considerably depending on Pb speciation and sources of contamination. However, little information is available on bioavailability of Pb associated with different fractions. In this study, the Tessier sequential extraction was used to fractionate Pb in 3 contaminated soils to exchangeable (F1), carbonate-bound (F2), Fe/Mn oxides-bound (F3), organic-bound (F4), and residual fractions (F5). In addition, soil residues after F1–F2 extraction (F345), F1–F3 extraction (F45), and F1–F4 extraction (F5) were measured for Pb relative bioavailability (RBA) using a mouse kidney model. Based on the mouse model, Pb-RBA in the soils was 44–93%, which decreased to 43–89%, 28–75%, and 15–68% in the F345, F45, and F5 fractions, respectively. Based on Pb-RBA in the soil residues, Pb-RBA in different fractions was calculated based on a mass balance. The data showed that Pb-RBA was the highest (∼100%) in the exchangeable and carbonate fraction, and the lowest (15–68%) in the residual fraction. In addition, Pb in the first three fractions (F1–F3) contributed most (83–89%) to bioavailable Pb in contaminated soils. Our study shed light on oral bioavailability of Pb in contaminated soils of different fractions based on sequential extraction and provide important information for soil remediation.

Soils are often co-contaminated with As, Pb, and Cd. To what extent ingested metal(loid)s interact with each other in the gastrointestinal tract and influence their RBA (relative bioavailability) is largely unknown. Three soils predominantly contaminated with As (MS, mining/smelting impacted), Pb (WR, wire rope production impacted), and Cd (EP, enamel pottery production impacted) were administered to mice individually or in binary and tertiary combinations with sodium arsenate, Cd chloride, and/or Pb acetate. In binary combinations, 10-fold higher Pb addition decreased As-RBA in MS (26.0 ± 6.28% to 17.1 ± 1.08%), while 10-fold higher As addition decreased Pb-RBA in WR (61.3 ± 2.41% to 28.8 ± 5.45%). This was possibly due to the formation of insoluble Pb arsenate in mouse intestinal tract, as indicated by the formation of precipitates when As and Pb co-occurred in water or simulated human gastrointestinal fluids. Due to competition for shared absorption transporters, 10- A nd 100-fold higher Pb addition decreased Cd-RBA in EP (95.8 ± 12.9% to 67.8 ± 12.8% and 62.8 ± 8.24%). Tertiary combinations showed that interactions between two metal(loid)s were affected by the presence of the third metal(loid). Our study suggests that As oxyanion could interact with Pb or Cd ions in the mouse gastrointestinal tract, and the interactions vary depending on concentration and solution characteristics Refereed/Peer-reviewed

This study investigated the mechanisms through which arctigenin promotes osteogenesis. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from ovariectomized (OVX) rats were differentiated into osteoblasts, and osteogenesis was evaluated via Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) measurements in cultured BMSCs. The levels of phosphorylated AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (p-Akt), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression were quantified by Western blot analysis. The levels of urine calcium (U-Ca), urine phosphorus (U-P), serum ALP, and bone mineral density (BMD) of OVX rats were assessed in vivo. The results showed that treatment with arctigenin in rat BMSCs enhanced mineralization, increased ALP activity, increased the expression of Akt and p-Akt, and decreased PPARγ expression, consistent with its ability to promote osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, arctigenin prevented OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats by increasing BMD and ALP activity and inhibiting the loss of Ca and P. In contrast, treatment with LY294002, a selective inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), produced the opposite phenotype. These data suggest that the protective effects of arctigenin on BMSCs and OVX rat models result from the induction of osteogenesis involving the PI3K/Akt/PPARγ axis.

Motivated by the novel asymptotically global AdS$_4$ solutions with deforming horizon in [JHEP {\bf 1802}, 060 (2018)], we analyze the boundary metric with odd multipolar differential rotation and numerically construct a family of deforming solutions with tripolar differential rotation boundary, including two classes of solutions: solitons and black holes. We find that the maximal values of the rotation parameter $\varepsilon$, below which the stable large black hole solutions could exist, are not a constant for $T> T_{schw}=\sqrt{3}/2��\simeq0.2757$. When temperature is much higher than $ T_{schw}$, even though the norm of Killing vector $\partial_{t}$ keeps timelike for some regions of $\varepsilon2$, solitons and black holes still exist and do not develop hair due to superradiance. Moreover, for $T\leqslant T_{schw}$, the curves of entropy firstly combine into one curve and then separate into two curves again, in the case of each curve there are two solutions at a fixed value of $\varepsilon$. In addition, we study the deformations of horizon for black holes by using an isometric embedding in the hyperbolic three-dimensional space. Furthermore, we also study the quasinormal modes of the solitons and black holes, which have analogous behaviours to that of dipolar rotation and quadrupolar rotation., 19 pages, 11 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1903.11967

The robustness of in vitro bioaccessibility assays to predict oral relative bioavailability (RBA) of multiple metals in contaminated soils requires validation using additional soil samples. In this study, 11 contaminated soils from mining/smelting areas were analyzed for As-, Cd-, and Pb-RBA using a mouse bioassay and metal bioaccessibility via the UBM gastric phase assay. Metal-RBA varied considerably among soils, with As-RBA (2.5–23%, mean 12%) being generally lower than Cd-and Pb-RBA (3.4–88 and 3.3–59%, mean 42 and 28%), due to higher proportions of As in the residual fractions. Metal-RBA generally decreased with increasing metal concentrations probably due to reduced labile metal fractions. In addition, strong negative correlations were observed between total Fe with As-, Cd-, and Pb-RBA (R2 = 0.46–0.77), suggesting the role of Fe in controlling metal-RBA in soils. Like RBA, metal bioaccessibility by the UBM assay also varied among samples. However, strong in vivo-in vitro correlations (IVIVCs) were observed between metal-RBA and bioaccessibility (R2 = 0.52–0.81). Further, there were little differences when As-, Cd-, and Pb-IVIVCs established using soils from this study and soils pooled from literature were compared, suggesting the robustness of the UBM assay to predict metal-RBA in contaminated soils. Keywords: Heavy metals, Mouse model, Bioavailability, In vitro assay, Bioaccessibility

Metal contamination in soil, dust, and food matrices impacts the health of millions of people worldwide. During the past decades, various animal bioassays have been developed to determine the relative bioavailability (RBA) of As, Pb, and Cd in contaminated soils, dust, and foods, which vary in operational approaches. This review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different animal models (swine and mice), dosing schemes (single gavage dose, repeated gavage dose, daily repeated feeding, and free access to diet), and end points (blood, urine, and tissue) in metal-RBA measurement; compares metal-RBA obtained using mouse and swine bioassays, different dosing schemes, and different end points; and summarizes key findings on As-, Pb-, and Cd-RBA values in contaminated soils, dust, and foods. Future directions related to metal-RBA research are highlighted, including (1) comparison of metal-RBA determinations between different bioassays and different laboratories to ensure robust bioavailability data, (2) enhancing the metal-RBA database for contaminated dust and foods, (3) identification of physiological and physicochemical mechanisms responsible for variability in metal-RBA values, (4) formulation of strategies to decrease metal-RBA values in contaminated soils, dust, and foods, and (5) assessing the impacts of cocontaminants on metal-RBA measurement. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Aerosol pollution is a serious environmental issue, especially in China where there has been rapid urbanization. To identify the intra-annual and regional distributions of health risks and potential sources of heavy metals in atmospheric particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 &mu, m (PM2.5), this work collected monthly PM2.5 samples from urban, industrial, suburban, and rural areas in Nanjing city during 2016 and analyzed the heavy metal compositions (Cu, Pb, Cd, Co, V, Sr, Mn, Ti, and Sb). Enrichment factors (EFs) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to investigate the sources. The atmospheric PM2.5 pollution level was highest in the industrial area, followed by the urban and suburban areas, and was the lowest in the rural area. Seasonally, the concentrations of PM2.5 and associated heavy metals in spring and winter were higher than those in summer and autumn. Besides natural sources, heavy metal pollution in PM2.5 might come from metallurgical dust in the industrial area, while it mainly comes from automobile exhaust in urban and suburban areas. Health risk assessments revealed that noncancerous hazards of heavy metals in PM2.5 were low, while the lifetime cancer risks obviously exceeded the threshold. The airborne metal pollution in various functional areas of the city impacted human health differently.

Background Large segmental bone defects can be repaired using the Masquelet technique in conjunction with autologous cancellous bone (ACB). However, ACB harvesting is severely restricted. α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-CSH) is an outstanding bone substitute due to its easy availability, excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and osteoconductivity. However, the resorption rate of α-CSH is too fast to match the rate of new bone formation. The objective of this study was to investigate the bone repair capacity of the Masquelet technique in conjunction with isolated α-CSH or an α-CSH/ACB mix in a rabbit critical-sized defect model. Methods The rabbits (n = 28) were randomized into four groups: sham, isolated α-CSH, α-CSH/ACB mix, and isolated ACB group. A 15-mm critical-sized defect was established in the left radius, followed by filling with polymethyl methacrylate spacer. Six weeks after the first operation, the spacers were removed and the membranous tubes were grafted with isolated α-CSH, isolated ACB, α-CSH/ACB mix, or none. Twelve weeks later, the outcomes were evaluated by manual assessment, radiography, and spiral-CT. The histopathological and morphological changes were examined by H&E staining. The levels of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. Results Our results suggest that the bone repair capacity of the α-CSH/ACB mix group was similar to the isolated ACB group, while the isolated α-CSH group was significantly decreased compared to the isolated ACB group. Conclusion These results highlighted a promising strategy in the healing of large segmental bone defect with the Masquelet technique in conjunction with an α-CSH/ACB mix (1:1, w/w) as they possessed the combined effects of sufficient supply and low resorption.

Organoarsenicals have been used in poultry production for years, however, studies focused on roxarsone (ROX), with little attention to p-arsanilic acid (ASA). We assessed arsenic (As) concentration and speciation in chicken meat collected from 10 cities in China. The geometric mean for total As in 249 paired raw and cooked samples was 4.85 and 7.27 μg kg–1 fw, respectively. Among 81 paired raw and cooked samples, ASA and ROX were detected in >90% samples, suggesting the prevalence of organoarsenical use in China. ASA contributed the most (45% on average) to total As in cooked samples, followed by As(V), DMA, As(III), and ROX (7.2–22%). ASA was found to contribute more to total As in chicken meat compared to ROX for the first time. Arsenic in chicken meat showed considerable geographic variation, with higher inorganic arsenic (iAs) being detected from cities with higher ROX and ASA, indicating that organoarsenical use increased iAs concentration in chicken meat. When health risk was estimated, dietary exposure to iAs would result in an increase of 3.2 bladder and lung cancer cases per 100,000 adults. The result supports the removal of organoarsenicals in poultry production from Chinese market and further supports its removal from the global markets. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Fully bio-based polyamide 1010 (PA1010) was successfully melt-blended with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA03, PVA05, PVA08 and PVA14) to prepare PA1010xPVAzy blends. The PA1010xPVA03y, PA1010xPVA05y, PA1010xPVA08y and PA1010xPVA14y films demonstrated the lowest oxygen transmission rates (OTR), free volume fraction (Fv), mean volume of the free volume holes (Vf) and mean number of free volume holes per unit volume (I3) values, when the PVA concentration in each PA1010xPVAzy series reached a corresponding critical value of 22.5, 20, 17.5 and 12.5 wt%, respectively. OTR, Fv, Vf and I3 values obtained for the best PA101087.5PVA1412.5, PA101082.5PVA0817.5, PA101080PVA0520 and PA101077.5PVA032.25 films reduced gradually as the degree of polymerization of PVA reduced. The results of dynamical mechanical and other experimental characterizations demonstrated that PA1010 and PVA are compatible to some extent, when the PVA are ≤ the corresponding critical concentration. The significantly enhanced oxygen permeation resistance and free volume characteristics for optimal PA1010xPVAzy films is at least partly due to the improved hydrogen-bonded molecular interactions between PA1010 C=O groups and PVA O-H groups.

In this paper, we construct rotating boson stars composed of the coexisting states of two scalar fields, including the ground and first excited states. We show the coexisting phase with both the ground and first excited states for rotating multistate boson stars. In contrast to the solutions of the nodeless boson stars, the rotating boson stars with two states have two types of nodes, including the $^1S^2S$ state and the $^1S^2P$ state. Moreover, we explore the properties of the mass $M$ of rotating boson stars with two states as a function of the synchronized frequency $\omega$, as well as the nonsynchronized frequency $\omega_2$. Finally, we also study the dependence of the mass $M$ of rotating boson stars with two states on angular momentum for both the synchronized frequency $\omega$ and the nonsynchronized frequency $\omega_2$., Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures,V2: typo corrected and more discussion added, published version

Although strong in vivo-in vitro correlations (IVIVCs) between relative bioavailability (RBA) and bioaccessibility of soil Pb were well reported, knowledge on the fractions of bioaccessible Pb in simulated gastrointestinal (GI) fluids that are available for absorption into the systemic circulation is limited. Here, Pb-RBA in 14 Pb-contaminated soils were assessed using an in vivo mouse bioassay and compared to Pb bioaccessibility by the gastrointestinal phase of the UBM (Unified Bioaccessibility research group of Europe (BARGE) Method) in vitro assay with and without 0.45 μm filtration of GI fluid. Results showed good IVIVC between Pb-RBA and Pb bioaccessibility without filtration ( r 2 = 0.62), while Pb bioaccessibility with filtration provided a poor correlation with Pb-RBA ( r 2 = 0.16). This suggested that besides dissolved Pb ions, Pb-complexes formed in the UBM gastrointestinal fluid might also contribute to bioavailable Pb. To ascertain this, DGT (diffusive gradients in thin-films) devices which can measure both Pb2+ ions and labile inorganic and organic Pb-complexes were introduced to the UBM fluids to measure Pb DGT-bioaccessibility, which showed strong correlation to Pb-RBA ( r 2 = 0.71). With increasing diffusive gel thickness which could enhance release of Pb ions from Pb-complexes, Pb DGT-bioaccessibility increased by 3.4-5.7 times, while inclusion of dialysis membrane within DGT devices significantly decreased Pb DGT-bioaccessibility by inhibiting diffusion of Pb complexes to binding gel. These results confirmed the contribution of Pb-complexes to Pb bioavailability, providing new insights to Pb bioavailability.

Due to its toxicity as a carcinogen and wide distribution in the environment, arsenic (As) exposure in humans is of public concern globally. Many studies have manifested that As exposure induces cancers besides pathological effects in humans. Animal studies showed that chronic As exposure induces serious neurological effects. Based on recent studies, researchers proposed that As, including arsenate (AsV) and arsenite (AsIII), is also an endocrine disruptor. This review discusses the mechanisms of As toxicity on three endocrine systems including gonadal, adrenal and thyroid endocrine systems. Arsenic methylation and oxidative stress are responsible for As-induced disorders of endocrine systems, however, strong binding of AsIII to thiols also play an important role. Some studies showed AsV toxicity on endocrine systems, but mechanistic investigation is lacking. Research is needed to look into their toxicity mechanisms to help cure the illnesses caused by As-induced endocrine system disorders. Keywords: Arsenite, Arsenate, Endocrine disruptor, Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis

In vitro assays have been developed to determine metal bioaccessibility in contaminated soils; however, their application to Cd is limited. To assess their suitability to determine Cd relative bioavailability (RBA), Cd-RBA in 12 contaminated soils containing 3.00–296 mg kg−1 Cd were determined using a mouse model and compared with Cd bioaccessibility data based on four assays including the UBM, SBRC, IVG, and PBET. After being administered feed amended with soil or CdCl2 for 10-day, the Cd concentrations in the mouse liver and/or kidneys were used as biomarkers to estimate Cd-RBA. Cd-RBA was comparable at 34–90% and 40–78% based on mouse liver and kidneys with RSD of 7.10–8.99%, and 37–84% based on mouse liver plus kidneys with lower RSD of 5.8%. Cadmium bioaccessibility in soils varied with assays, with 61–99, 59–103, 54–107, and 35–97% in the gastric phase and 20–56, 38–77, 42–88, and 19–64% in the intestinal phase of the UBM, SBRC, IVG and PBET assays. Based on the combined biomarker of liver plus kidneys, better correlation was observed for PBET (r2 = 0.61–0.70) than those for IVG, UBM and SBRC assays (0.12–0.52). The monthly Cd intake in children was 0.24–23.9 μg kg−1 using total Cd concentration in soils, which was reduced by 43% to 0.18–12.3 μg kg−1 using bioavailable Cd. Our data suggest it is important to consider Cd-RBA to assess risk associated with contaminated soils and the PBET may have potential to predict Cd-RBA in contaminated soils. Keywords: Bioavailability, Heavy metal, Kidneys, Liver, Biomarker, Contamination

3-Amino-4,4'-bi-1,2,4-triazole hydrochlorate and 3,3'-diamino-4,4'-bi-1,2,4-triazole ditosylate were obtained with the reduction of 3,3',5,5'-tetraazide-4,4'-bi-1,2,4-triazole (TABT) by (Ph)3P/H2O and the followed salt forming reaction with concentrated HCl and aqueous TsOH, respectively. Their structures were characterized with elemental analyses, IR, MS, 1H and 13C NMR spectra. The single crystals were cultivated and determined with X-ray diffraction, test results reveal that H+ combines with electron-rich N atom in triazole ring to form ionic salts, two N,N-linked triazoles are almost perpendicular to each other due to lower steric hindrance. The aromatic π…π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds between molecules are observed. These two novel salts and their derivatives may be applied in coordination chemistry, medicinal chemistry and energetic materials.

Recent studies have investigated lead (Pb) concentrations in lip products but little is known about its oral bioavailability. In this study, 75 lipsticks and 18 lip glosses were assessed for Pb concentration, while 15 samples were assessed for Pb relative bioavailability (RBA, relative to Pb acetate absorption) using a mouse femur assay. Lead concentrations were 0.2-10 185 mg kg(-1), with 21 samples exceeding the Chinese limit of 40 mg kg(-1). Samples with orange and pink colors and/or low cost contained higher Pb concentrations. For samples with Pb > 7500 mg kg(-1), Pb was present due to the addition of lead chromate (PbCrO4) as a colorant, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis. Lead RBA in 15 samples (87-10 185 mg kg(-1)) ranged from 23% to 95%, being significantly higher in moderate Pb (56-95%; 87-300 mg kg(-1)) than high Pb samples (23-48%; >300 mg kg(-1)). The calculation of Pb intake based on Pb-RBA showed that lip product ingestion contributed 5.4-68% of the aggregate Pb exposure for women depending on Pb concentration. The high Pb concentration in some lip products together with their moderate Pb-RBA suggests that lip product ingestion is a potential health concern to women. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, is an important invasive pest with a strong tolerance for extreme temperatures; however, the molecular mechanisms that regulate thermotolerance in this insect remain unclear. In this study, four heat shock protein genes were cloned from F. occidentalis and named Fohsp90, Fohsc701, Fohsc702 and Fohsp60. These four Hsps exhibited typical characteristics of heat shock proteins. Subcellular localization signals and phylogenetic analysis indicated that FoHsp90 and FoHsc701 localize to the cytosol, whereas FoHsc702 and FoHsp60 were located in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, respectively. Analysis of genomic sequences revealed the presence of introns in the four genes (three, four, seven, and five introns for Fohsp90, Fohsc701, Fohsc702 and Fohsp60, respectively). Both the number and position of introns in these four genes were quite different from analogous genes in other species. qRT-PCR indicated that the four Fohsps were detected in second-stage larvae, one-day-old pupae, and one-day-old adults, and mRNA expression levels were lowest in larvae and highest in pupae. Fohsc701 and Fohsc702 possessed similar expression patterns and were not induced by cold or heat stress. Expression of Fohsp60 was significantly elevated by heat, and Fohsp90 was rapidly up-regulated after exposure to both cold and heat stress. Exposure to -8°C had no effect on expression of the four Fohsps; however, expression of Fohsp90 and Fohsp60 was highest after a 2-h incubation at 39°C. Furthermore, cold and heat hardening led to significant up-regulation of the four Fohsps compared to their respective controls. Collectively, our results indicate that the four FoHsps contribute to insect development and also function in rapid cold or heat hardening; furthermore, FoHsp90 and FoHsp60 contribute to thermotolerance in F. occidentalis.

Experimental studies on heat transfer to supercritical water in 2 × 2 rod bundle with wire wraps are performed at Shanghai Jiaotong University. The test section consists of two channels separated by a square steel assembly box with round corners. Water flows downward in the first channel and then turns upward in the second channel to cool the 2 × 2 rod bundle with wire wraps installed inside the assembly box. The bundle consists of four heater rods of 10 mm in O.D. and 1.18 in. pitch-to-diameter ratio. Experimental parameter ranges cover pressure from 23.0 MPa to 26.0 MPa, mass flux from 400 kg/m 2 s to 1400 kg/m 2 s, heat flux from 300 kW/m 2 to 1000 kW/m 2 and bulk temperature from 280 °C to 500 °C. The fluid enthalpy in the first channel increases due to the heat transfer through the assembly box when flowing downward. Heat transfer deterioration is observed in the bundle. The degree of the deterioration is moderated in the developed region due to the mixing by the wire wraps. Significant non-uniformity of circumferential wall-temperature distribution around the heater rods is observed. Effects of various parameters on heat transfer behavior inside the 2 × 2 rod bundle are similar to those observed in a tube. The heat transfer enhancement due to the wire wraps becomes remarkable under a high mass flux condition. The Jackson and Fewster correlation and Bishop et al. correlation give the best predictions when evaluated against the experimental data.

Despite high morbidity and mortality, no effective options are available for the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI). Therefore, the present study investigated the protective effect of honokiol (HK) on ALI via determination of its effect on several key biomarkers. The results of the study showed that HK significantly inhibited the infiltration of neutrophils and protein leakage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (p

Environmental air pollutants pose significant threats to public health, especially the toxicity and diseases caused by the atmospheric fine particulate matters (PM2.5). Since the health risks vary with both the concentrations and compositions of PM2.5 which are determined by aerosol sources, how are their toxic effects relevant to the pollution level becomes an important issue, such as the haze episodes covering clean and polluted days. With the transition from non-pollution to pollution stage, daily PM2.5 samples were collected from both the urban and industrial areas of Nanjing city, eastern China, covering a typical haze event in autumn-winter. Their unpropitious effects on human lung epithelial cells (A549) were compared by in vitro toxicity assays and chemical component analysis. Both air levels and cytotoxic effects of PM2.5 varied with the transition of haze event. Although the concentration of PM2.5 in air is of course the highest in pollution stage driven by local stable meteorological condition, unit mass of them posed higher toxicity (lower cell viability and higher IL-6) but induced lower cell oxidative (evidences of ROS and NQO1 mRNA expression) and inflammatory cytokine TNF-α responses than those particles during non-pollution stage. These patterns were explained by the metals and water-soluble components decreased with the haze development. Non-soluble particulate carbonaceous aerosol compositions might play a significant role in inducing cytotoxicity. Moreover, the regional pattern of episode pollution weakened the spatial variation within a city scale. Since the haze development intensified both the quantity and toxicity of PM2.5 in air, the health risks of overall aerosol exposure were synthetically amplified during haze weather, so the increased air particles with higher toxic components from fuel combustion sources should be key targets of pollution control.

Arsenic-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata is efficient in As absorption, reduction, and translocation. But the molecular mechanisms and locations of arsenate (AsV) reduction in P. vittata are still unclear. Here, we identified two new arsenate reductase genes from P. vittata, PvHAC1 and PvHAC2. Two PvHAC genes encoded a rhodanase-like protein, which were localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Both recombinant Escherichia coli strains and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines showed arsenate reductase ability after expressing PvHAC genes. Further, expressing PvHAC2 enhanced As tolerance and reduced As accumulation in A. thaliana shoots under AsV exposure. Based on expression pattern analysis, PvHAC1 and PvHAC2 were predominantly expressed in the rhizomes and fronds of P. vittata. Different from those of HAC homologous genes in non-hyperaccumulators, little PvHAC was expressed in the roots. Besides, PvHAC1 expression was strongly upregulated under AsV exposure but not AsIII. The data suggest that arsenate reductase PvHAC1 in the rhizomes coupled with arsenate reductase PvHAC2 in the fronds of P. vittata played a critical role in As-hyperaccumulation by P. vittata, which helps to further improve its utility in phytoremediation of As-contaminated soils.

Lead (Pb) exposure is known to affect the health of children while soil Pb is an important contributor to human Pb exposure. To analyze the effects of both environmental and other factors, especially total and bioaccessible Pb in neighborhood soil, on school-aged urban children’s blood lead level (BLL), 75 children (6–11 years old) were recruited from an industry city in eastern China for BLL measurement and questionnaire survey. Soil samples were collected from their living neighborhoods and measured for total and bioaccessible Pb. The mean BLL was 4.82 μg dL−1, with 42 out of 75 children having BLL exceeding the international guideline of 5 μg dL−1. Low Pb contamination was observed in soil with total Pb ranging from 12.5 to 271 mg kg−1 (mean 34.3 mg kg−1). Based on the in vitro Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium (SBRC) gastric fluid extraction, bioaccessible Pb in soil ranged from 0.40 to 79.1 mg kg−1 (mean 7.58 mg kg−1) with Pb bioaccessibility ranging from 1.74 to 68.1 (mean 19.9%). When BLL was correlated with total Pb in soil, insignificant linear relationship was observed (P > 0.05, correlation coefficient 95%CI = −0.047–0.40, R2 = 0.07). However, when BLL was correlated with soil bioaccessible Pb or Pb bioaccessibility, much stronger linear relationships were observed (P

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are ubiquitous in the environment and they are both toxic to humans. When present in soils, they can enter food chain, thereby threatening human health. Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) is an important leafy vegetable, which is widely consumed in Asian countries. However, it is efficient in taking up As and Cd from soils and accumulating them in the edible parts. Therefore, it is of significance to reduce its As and Cd content, especially in contaminated soil. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the ability of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata in reducing As and Cd uptake by water spinach under different phosphorus treatments. P. vittata was grown for 60 d in a contaminated-soil amended with P fertilizer (+P) or phosphate rock (+PR), followed by water spinach cultivation for another 30 d. Plant biomass, As and Cd contents in plants and soils, and soil pH were analyzed. We found that, P. vittata coupled with PR decreased the As concentration in water spinach shoots by 42%, probably due to As uptake by P. vittata. Moreover, P. vittata decreased the Cd accumulation in water spinach by 24–44%, probably due to pH increase of 0.47–0.61 after P. vittata cultivation. Taking together, the results showed that P. vittata coupled with PR decreased the As and Cd content in water spinach, which is of significance for improving food safety and protecting human health.

Breed improvement is an important genetic process affecting meat quality. Compared with Kazakh cattle, Xinjiang brown cattle have significantly improved carcass quality and meat quality. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the improvements in Xinjiang brown cattle and the differences in beef quality between the two breeds, we used RNA-Seq to study differentially expressed genes and miRNAs and regulatory pathways related to adipogenesis, myogenesis and fibrogenesis in the longissimus dorsi muscles of Xinjiang brown cattle and Kazakh cattle. The results showed that 1669 genes were differentially expressed in the longissimus dorsi muscle tissues of Xinjiang brown cattle and Kazakh cattle; 879 genes were upregulated and 790 genes were downregulated in Xinjiang brown cattle compared to Kazakh cattle. These genes were mainly involved in PPAR signaling, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and vascular smooth muscle contraction. Additionally, 346 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, of which 265 miRNAs were downregulated and 81 miRNAs were upregulated in Xinjiang brown cattle compared to Kazakh cattle. Association analysis of the differentially expressed genes and miRNAs revealed that 86 differentially expressed miRNAs related to adipogenesis were associated with 31 differentially expressed genes, 76 differentially expressed miRNAs associated with myogenesis were associated with 28 differentially expressed genes, and 54 differentially expressed miRNAs associated with fibrogenesis were associated with 19 differentially expressed genes. miRNA-target gene networks were also constructed. Finally, the expression levels of 19 genes and miRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR. Some differentially expressed genes, including FABP4, ACTA2 and ACTG2, were shown to play an important role in beef meat quality. This is the first study to perform transcriptomic analysis of muscle tissues from Xinjiang brown and Kazakh cattle.

In this study, the predominant Pb minerals prior to and after Pb relative bioavailability (Pb-RBA) and Pb bioaccessibility (Pb-BAc) tests were identified using SEM (scanning electron microscopy), XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) and XRD (X-ray diffraction). The correlations between in vitro Pb-BAc (using the UBM (Unified BARGE Method) and RBALP (Relative BioAccessibility Leaching Procedure) models) and in vivo Pb-RBA (using endpoints of kidney and liver in an mice model) were determined. The results demonstrated that both RBALP and UBM (gastric phase) reliably indicate Pb-RBA (Pb-RBA). However, raising the solid:liquid ratio of the gastric phase of UBM is necessary to determine Pb-BAc if the soils contain total Pb >10,000 mg/kg. The comparison of Pb minerals prior to and after in vitro extractions demonstrated that the relatively soluble forms of Pb (PbSO4, PbO2 and MgO Pb) start to dissolve than other forms of Pb minerals, suggesting there was no difference in Pb2+ release between chemical-based (RBALP) and physiologically-based (UBM) models. The identification of the Pb minerals of Pb5(PO4)3Cl and organically-complexed Pb in mice excreta demonstrated that a portion of Pb2+ combined with food and humic acid to generate organically-complexed Pb in mice excreta, and that Pb5(PO4)3Cl is not bioavailable.

Recent studies have suggested that circular RNAs play an important role in the progression of various cancers. We aimed to investigate the possible role of cir-ITCH in osteosarcoma. In this study, we performed experiments with the human osteoblast cell line hFOB1.19 and several osteosarcoma cancer cell lines and the results showed that the expression of cir-ITCH in osteosarcoma cancer cell lines was significantly upregulated compared to that in the human osteoblast cell line. In addition, the results showed that cir-ITCH could promote the migration, invasion, and growth of osteosarcoma cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that cir-ITCH could enhance epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression by reducing the level of miR-7. Increased EGFR phosphorylation was found to be concomitant with high expression of EGFR. We determined that cir-ITCH-mediated increase in the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells was dependent on EGFR phosphorylation. In conclusion, our research uncovered an important role of the cir-ITCH/miR-7/EGFR pathway in the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells and suggested that cir-ITCH may be a prognostic marker and a promising therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

Background: Reducing cadmium (Cd) exposure in Cd-polluted areas in Asia is urgently needed given the toxic effects of Cd. The short-term and long-term benefits of lowering Cd exposure are unknown because of its long half-life in the body. Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether an intervention with low-Cd rice in a contaminated area of China reduced urinary Cd (UCd) levels and improved blood pressure and kidney function outcomes compared to no-intervention in consumers of high-Cd rice in the same region. Methods: 106 non-smoking subjects were divided into three treatment groups: the intervention group (replacing homegrown high-Cd rice with market low-Cd rice, n = 34), the non-intervention group (continue eating high-Cd rice, n = 36) and the control group (continued eating low-Cd rice they have been eating for years, n = 36). The intervention period lasted for almost 8 months, during which participants were visited on up to 4 occasions and UCd, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), kidney function biomarkers (β2-microglobulin and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase) were measured. Results: After 3 months, the geometric mean UCd in the intervention (Int) group decreased significantly by 0.32 μg/g (p = 0.007), while changes were not significant in the non-intervention (non-Int) group (0.13 μg/g, p = 0.95) or the control group (−0.01 μg/g, p = 0.52). UCd in the Int group remained lower than in the non-Int group but higher than in the Control group through the end of follow up. DBP in the Int group decreased significantly from 80 mm Hg at month three (p = 0.03) and stayed around 74 mm Hg for the remainder of the study. SBP also decreased in the Int group but with variations similar to those observed in the other two groups. The two kidney biomarkers showed variations without a clear pattern. Conclusion: This study suggested that UCd reflected both short-term (

Facing the problem of choosing different data source as compressing object results in different compression effect, several techniques are investigated to explore a better data source which can reduce the loss of image and spectral information while getting higher compression ratio in the compression work of the large aperture static imaging spectrometer. In this paper the optical path difference dimension data source of LASIS was proposed after analyzing the characteristic of LASIS and then compared with the LASIS and LAMIS data source in detail. The SWIR data collected with the principle prototype of LASIS were used in our experiment. Firstly, three forms of data sources were extracted after detailedly introducing their data characteristic and extracting methods. Secondly, the mature algorithms in engineering JPEG and JPEG2000 were employed to compress and reconstruct the three forms of data sources respectively. Finally, the compression effect was evaluated in the aspect of image content, interference dimension, spectral dimension and compression ratio respectively, and the original spectral curves of three materials choosing from the field of view and those after reconstruction were extracted next, then the loss of spectral information of these three materials were measured by using the SA (Spectral Angle) and RQE (Relative Quadratic Error) values of the spectral curves to evaluate the compression effect. It is demonstrated that using the optical path difference dimension data as compressing object shows obvious advantages compared with LASIS and LAMIS, which achieves a combination of higher compression ratio, lower mean square error, lower peak signal noise ratio and less information loss that is competitive with the best results from the literature. The results show that the proposed optical path difference dimension data source has good performance in preserving the spatial and spectral information during the compression of LASIS than the other two common forms data sources of LASIS.

Oxygen transmission rates and free volume properties (i.e. average volumes of free-volume-cavities (Vf), mean number of the free volume cavities per unit volume (I3) and fractional free volume (Fv)) values of bio-based polyamide 612 (PA612)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (i.e. PA612xPVA03y, PA612xPVA05y, PA612xPVA08y and PA612xPVA14y) blend films were reduced to a minimum value, when their PVA content reached corresponding optimal values of 25, 20, 15 and 10 wt%, respectively. The minimum oxygen transmission rate, Vf, I3 and Fv value obtained for the best PA61290PVA1410, PA61285PVA0815, PA61280PVA0520 and PA61275PVA0325 bio-based blown films reduced considerably with decreasing PVA degrees of polymerization. As evidenced by the results of dynamical mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, wide angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic experiments, PA612 and PVA are miscible to some extent at the molecular level when their PVA contents are ≤ the corresponding optimal values. The significantly improved oxygen barrier and free volume properties for the PA612xPVAzy blend films with optimized compositions is at least in part to the enhanced intermolecular interactions between PA612 carbonyl groups and PVA hydroxyl groups.

Aspergillus flavus is a notorious foodborne fungus, posing a significant risk to humans in the form of hepatocellular carcinoma or aspergillosis. Thymol, as a food preservative, could efficiently kill conidia of A. flavus. However, the underlying mechanisms by which thymol kills A. flavus are not completely understood. With specific fluorescent dyes, we detected several apoptotic hallmarks, including chromatin condensation, phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA damage, mitochondrial depolarization, and caspase 9 activation in conidia exposed to 200 μg/mL of thymol, indicating that thymol induced a caspase-dependent conidial apoptosis in A. flavus. Chemical-protein interactome (CPI) and autodock analyses showed that KCNAB, homologue to the β-subunit of the voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv) and aldo-keto reductase, was the potential target of thymol. Following studies demonstrated that thymol could activate the aldo-keto reductase activity of KCNAB in vitro and stimulate a transient K

Transplacental bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)4 RNA interference (RNAi) is a technique used to knockdown genes in embryos. BMP4 are essential for the development of nervous system in the differentiation of neural crest stem cells (NCSCs). The failure of differentiation and migration of NCSCs may lead to aganglionosis. In the present study, pregnant mice were divided into three groups: Ringer's group, pSES group and RNAi‑BMP4 group. In order to silence the BMP4 gene in the first generation (F1), 11.5 day pregnant mice were injected with the small interfering RNA BMP4 plasmid, pSES or Ringer's solution via the tail vein. Semi‑quantitative reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR)and western blotting were employed to ensure the downregulation of BMP4. Finally, X‑rays were performed following a barium enema. Aganglionosis was diagnosed by general anatomy and immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group, transplacental RNAi was able to downregulate the BMP4‑Smad4 of 11.5 day embryos, as determined by semi‑quantitative RT‑PCR and western blotting. The megacolons of the mice were demonstrated by X‑ray and confirmed by general anatomy. Aganglionosis of colonic mucosa and submucosa were diagnosed by pathology, and immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of BMP4 in pregnant mice at the middle embryonic stage led to aganglionosis. It was therefore demonstrated that BMP‑Smad was essential to the NCSCs of middle stage embryos. BMP‑Smad served important roles in the generation of aganglionosis. This technique of knockdown BMP4 gene may be used to establish an aganglionosis mouse model.

When considering human exposure to arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) via incidental soil ingestion, daily intake is greatly influenced by their bioavailability (i.e., the proportion of metals that are absorbed into the systemic circulation). Animal models have been used to estimate heavy metal relative bioavailability (RBA; relative to the adsorption of soluble references). However, there is a lack of comparison among different in vivo assays, which may bring uncertainty when assessing the risks with soil ingestion. In addition, to overcome the time, cost, and ethical limits of in vivo assays, in vitro bioaccessibility assays have been developed to determine the amount of metal extracted from soil matrix in simulated human gastric and intestinal fluid. However, to determine if these assays provide a good prediction of RBA, it is important to establish in vivo–in vitro correlations. In this chapter, we talked about in vivo and in vitro assays that have been used to determine bioavailability of metals in soils, focusing on comparison of As-RBA in soils between different animal models and the ability of in vitro assays to predict RBA of metals. Based on 12 As-contaminated soils, it was demonstrated that different animals, dosing approaches, and biomarkers had little impact on the outcome of in vivo assays. Based on each 12 As-, Pb-, and Cd-contaminated soils from China, the gastric phase (GP) of in vitro UBM and SBRC assay was best correlated with Pb-RBA among different in vitro assays, while IVG-GP and PBET-GP showed strongest correlation with As-RBA and Cd-RBA, suggesting in vitro assays have potential to predict heavy metals RBA in contaminated soils. To accurately assess the health risks and establish cleanup standard of contaminated soils, bioavailability of metals should be considered.

Both dietary and non-dietary pathways contribute to metal exposure in residents living near mining-impacted areas. In this study, bioavailability-based metal intake estimation coupled with stable Pb isotope ratio fingerprinting technique were used to discern dietary (i.e., rice consumption) and non-dietary (i.e., housedust ingestion) contribution to As, Cd, and Pb exposure in residents living near mining-impacted areas. Results showed that not only rice (n = 44; 0.10–0.56, 0.01–1.77, and 0.03–0.88 mg kg−1) but also housedust (n = 44; 2.15–2380, 2.55–329, and 87.0–56,184 mg kg−1) were contaminated with As, Cd, and Pb. Based on in vivo mouse bioassays, bioavailability of As, Cd, and Pb in rice (n = 11; 34 ± 15, 59 ± 13, and 31 ± 15%) were greater than housedust (n = 14; 17 ± 6.7, 46 ± 10, and 25 ± 6.8%). Estimated daily intake of As, Cd, and Pb after incorporating metal bioavailability showed that As intake via rice was 5-fold higher than housedust for adults, whereas As intake via housedust was 3-fold higher than rice for children. For both adults and children, rice was the main source for Cd exposure, while housedust was the predominant Pb contributor. To ascertain the dominant Pb source from housedust ingestion, stable Pb isotope ratios (207Pb/206Pb and 208Pb/206Pb) of hair samples of local residents (n = 27, 0.8481 ± 0.0049 and 2.0904 ± 0.0102) were compared to housedust (n = 27, 0.8485 ± 0.0047 and 2.0885 ± 0.0107) and rice (n = 27, 0.8369 ± 0.0057 and 2.0521 ± 0.0119), showing an overlap between hair and housedust, but not rice, confirming that incidental housedust ingestion was the main source of Pb exposure. This study coupled bioavailability and stable isotope techniques to accurately identify the source of metal exposure as well as their potential health risk. Keywords: As, Cd, Pb, Rice, Housedust, Risk assessment

Paints are often used on chopsticks, however, a paucity of studies has assessed metals in the paints and the associated health risk. In this study, total Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, and Ni concentrations in paints were assessed for 72 wood and 29 stainless steel chopsticks with different colors while metal solubilization from paints in simulated saliva, 0.07M HCl, and 1% citric acid solutions was measured for 9 samples having total Pb> 90 mg kg⁻¹,representing exposure scenarios of mouthing, incidental paint ingestion, and metal migration in food. Results showed that Pb (0.12–500,000 mg kg⁻¹), Cd (0.002–120,000 mg kg⁻¹), Cr (2.2–8400 mg kg⁻¹), Co(0.004–2600 mg kg⁻¹), and Ni (0.10–150,000 mg kg⁻¹) concentrations varied considerably among paint samples.Most samples showed low metal concentrations, however, high metal concentrations were observed in red and green paints on stainless steel chopsticks, while paints on wood chopsticks showed lower metal concentrations.Estimation of daily metal intakes incorporating metal solubilization data in saliva, 0.07M HCl, and 1% citric acid solutions suggested that the health risk via saliva contact was negligible, while unacceptable health risk was observed for Pb and Cd via their solubilization in 0.07M HCl and 1% citric acid solutions from paints with high Pb and Cd concentrations. To avoid Pb and Cd exposure, use of metal-based paints on chopsticks should be banned, particularly in countries where food is regularly consumed with chopsticks. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Two novel tetrahalogeno-4,4′-bi-1,2,4-triazoles, tetrachloro-4,4′-bi-1,2,4-triazole (1, TCBTr) and tetrabromo-4,4′-bi-1,2,4-triazole (2, TBBTr) were successfully synthesized through halogenation of 4,4′-bi-1,2,4-triazole (BTr) and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 13C NMR and MS spectra. The single crystals of title compounds were cultivated and determined with X-ray diffraction, and the test results reveal that the aromatic π…π stacking interactions between molecules and the tetrahalogeno-4,4′-bi-1,2,4-triazoles with the two triazole rings being perpendicular are well observed in the crystal structure of (1) and (2).

Different animals and biomarkers have been used to measure the relative bioavailability of arsenic (As-RBA) in contaminated soils. However, there is a lack of As-RBA comparison based on different animals (i.e., swine and mouse) and biomarkers [area under blood As concentration curve (AUC) after a single gavaged dose vs steady-state As urinary excretion (SSUE) and As accumulation in liver or kidney after multiple doses via diet]. In this study, As-RBA in 12 As-contaminated soils with known As-RBA via swine blood AUC model were measured by mouse blood AUC, SSUE, and liver and kidney analyses. As-RBA ranges for the four mouse assays were 2.8-61%, 3.6-64%, 3.9-74%, and 3.4-61%. Compared to swine blood AUC assay (7.0-81%), though well correlated (R2 = 0.83), the mouse blood AUC assay yielded lower values (2.8-61%). Similarly, strong correlations of As-RBA were observed between mouse blood AUC and mouse SSUE (R2 = 0.86) and between urine, liver, and kidney (R2 = 0.75-0.89), suggesting As-RBA was congruent among different animals and end points. Different animals and biomarkers had little impact on the outcome of in vivo assays to validate in vitro assays. On the basis of its simplicity, mouse liver or kidney assay following repeated doses of soil-amended diet is recommended for future As-RBA studies. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Previous studies have established in vivo-in vitro correlations (IVIVC) between arsenic (As) relative bioavailability (RBA) and bioaccessibility in contaminated soils. However, their ability to predict As-RBA in soils outside the models is unclear. In this study, As bioaccessibility and As-RBA in 12 As-contaminated soils (22.2-4172 mg kg(-1) As) were measured using five assays (SBRC, IVG, DIN, PBET, and UBM) and a mouse blood model. Arsenic RBA in the soils ranged from 6.38 ± 2.80% to 73.1 ± 17.7% with soils containing higher extractable Fe showing lower values. Arsenic bioaccessibility varied within and between assays. Arsenic bioaccessibility was used as input values into established IVIVC to predict As-RBA in soils. There were significant differences between predicted and measured As-RBA for the 12 soils, illustrating the inability of established IVIVC to predict As-RBA in those contaminated soils. Therefore, a new IVIVC was established by correlating measured As-RBA and As bioaccessibility for the 12 soils. The strength of the predictive models varied from r(2) = 0.50 for PBET to r(2) = 0.83 for IVG, with IVG assay providing the best prediction of As-RBA. When IVIVC were compared to those of Juhasz et al. (2014a), slopes of the relationships were significantly higher possibly due to different As-RBA measurements. Our research showed that IVG has potential to measure As bioavailability in contaminated soils from China though UBM and SBRC assays were also suitable. More research is needed to verify their suitability to predict As-RBA in soils for refining health risk assessment.

Assessment of variety distinctness is important for both the registration and the protection of particular variety. However, the current testing system, which assesses a range of morphological characters of each pair of varieties grown side-by-side, is time-consuming and is not suitable for the assessment of hundreds of samples. The objective of this study was to develop a procedure for the assessment of wheat variety distinctness using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A comparison between the molecular and morphological profile of 797 varieties was made. On the basis of the comparison, pairs of varieties with a genetic similarity value (GSV) ≤90% were deemed to be distinct, accounting for ∼85% of varieties assessed in wheat regional trials. For the remaining ∼15% of varieties, GSVs between different varieties were >90%, among which ∼35% were not distinct and the other ∼65% were distinct. Therefore, if given a GSV>90%, the pairs of varieties should be morphologically assessed in the field. To avoid any errors in the assessments, we proposed the elimination of contaminant plants from the sample before comparing the varietal genotypes, scoring of the genotype at each locus with a pair of allele numbers when constructing a molecular profile, and faithfully recording two alleles at a non-homozygous locus. To reduce the workload and cost, a three-grade markers comparison among varieties is suggested. In addition, 80 SSR markers and a technical procedure for assessment of wheat variety distinctness have been proposed. Based on the procedure, the distinctness assessment of ∼85% of all wheat varieties is completed in our laboratory annually. Consequently, total field assessment has been reduced considerably.

We compared four methods to extract arsenic (As) from three different plants containing different As levels for As speciation with the goal of developing a more efficient method, i.e., As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata at 459-7714mgkg(-1), rice seedling at 53.4-574mgkg(-1), and tobacco leaf at 0.32-0.35mgkg(-1). The four methods included heating with dilute HNO3, and sonication with phosphate buffered solution, methanol/water, and ethanol/water, with As being analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Among the four methods, the ethanol/water method produced the most satisfactory extraction efficiency (~80% for the roots and >85% for the fronds) without changing As species based on P. vittata. The lower extraction efficiency from P. vittata roots was attributed to its dominance by arsenate (82%) while arsenite dominated in the fronds (89%). The ethanol/water method used sample:solution ratio of 1:200 (0.05g:10mL) with 50% ethanol and 2h sonication. Based on different extraction times (0.5-2h), ethanol concentrations (25-100%) and sample:solution ratios (1:50-1:300), the optimized ethanol/water method used less ethanol (25%) and time (0.5h for the fronds and 2h for the roots). Satisfactory extraction was also obtained for tobacco leaf (78-92%) and rice seedlings (~70%) using the optimized method, which was better than the other three methods. Based on satisfactory extraction efficiency with little change in As species during extraction from three plants containing different As levels, the optimized method has the potential to be used for As speciation in other plants.

The polishing process was optimized according to the polishing rate and its consistency of HE slurry with different dilution multiple on the copper wafers, it can be confirmed that: the best pressure value of HE1, HE10, HE20, HE50 type slurries was 6890Pa, the best flow rate value of the preceding three slurries was 300ml/min, the best value of the HE50 slurry was 400ml/min. Through the planarization effects of the slurries with different dilution multiple, it can be obtained that: the initial dishing and erosion heights of the samples were both 1270nm and -500nm, and the two values respectively changed to 539.3nm, -75.7nm and 796.3nm, -191.3nm after being treated by HE1 and HE10 slurries, the step height of the wafer changed from 117nm to 72nm after being treated by HE20 slurry, the step height of the wafer changed from 88nm to 71nm after being treated by HE50 slurry. It was concluded that: the HE slurry shows strong ability for step removal when the slurry is diluted by 1 times and 10 times, the HE slurry also owns high planarization ability when the slurry is diluted by 20 times and 50 times.