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Finding the best teaching method is an issue that has attracted the attention of many researchers, researchers in behavioral sciences and sports today.. In order to discuss this, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TGFU, combination, and SE on individual and team creativity in comparison with the traditional method in futsal games. The statistical population of this study was all children aged 9-12 years in Ahvaz (M age= 10.74 and SD= 1.42). The interventions were designed for futsal skills, so four groups of Participants (20 people in each group) practiced SE, TGFU, combination and linear methods. The test of team and individual creativity was performed using film analysis. Exercises were presented for two months in 16 sessions, one and a half hours each. The results showed that for individual creativity in the post-test, differences between groups were not significant for inappropriate actions but significant for appropriate actions. Also for creative and original actions as well as team creativity TGFU, combination, SE and linear groups had the most progress, respectively. In all variables, the difference between TGFU and linear (p

Qiongzhong Limushan-Wanling area is located in the middle of Hainan Island, where has an abundance of selenium-rich and iodine-rich soil resources.The distribution characteristics of Se and I contents were analyzed based on the analysis results of soil samples in the topsoil (0-20 cm), middle-layer-soil(80-100 cm), and deep-soil (180-200 cm) of the study area.The correlation characteristics of Se and I in soil and their relationship with elevation potentially indicate that the input of rainfall to soil Se and I is a key factor leading to the enrichment of Se and I.By analyzing the correlation and change law between the contents of Se, I and the contents of pH, soil organic matter, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 in top, middle and deep layer soil, the enrichment and migration of Se and I in the vertical section of soil in the study area was summarized.These results can provide scientific basis for the efficient use of local high-quality land resources and provide new evidence for the study of soil Se source and migration.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal, discharged into environments naturally or anthropogenically, where industrial and agricultural revolutions have led to serious Cd pollution into the environment. Poultry feed may be contaminated by Cd due to its presence in concentrates and supplements, and also in the machinery and equipment used in feed production and processing. After absorption in the digestive system, Cd largely accumulates in kidneys, liver, bones and other organs and causes irreversible damage to these organs. Higher doses of Cd in the poultry diet reduced feed intake, body weight, bone mineral density, egg production and eggshell quality. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient and important component of a variety of antioxidant enzymes, with the ability to antagonize metal toxicity including Cd. Hence, in the current review, we try to summarize recent information about the toxicological effects of Cd and provide updated information about the role of Se as an effective strategy in reducing Cd toxicity in poultry.

Machine learning is of great value for the situation analysis and scientific prevention and control of soil heavy metal pollution risk. In this paper, taking the selenium rich area as the research object, the improved Genetic Algorithm (GA)–Back Propagation (BP) algorithm was used to construct the risk assessment model of Cd pollution in this area. Firstly, the content of Cd and Se in the soil of the study area was statistically analyzed based on descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Then, a three-layer BP neural network structure was designed and optimized by GA algorithm. The individual coding length was calculated by connecting weights and thresholds of Cd and Se elements. Based on 97 groups of field data in this area, the experimental results show that the BP model optimized by GA has faster convergence speed, maintains good generalization ability on the test sample points. Compared with multiple linear regression model (MLRM), GA-BP reduces RMSE by 64.84, 52.12, 49.53, and 63.18% compared with M5. The accuracy of estimating Cd pollution status in different areas by GA-BP neural network model is higher than the other three regression models on the whole. In the whole research region, the samples in the safe interval, relatively safe interval, light pollution interval, moderate pollution interval and severe pollution interval accounted for 4.12, 8.24, 42.26, 17.52 and 27.86%, respectively, and the prediction results of soil Cd pollution level showed that only 12.36% of the samples were in a safe state without the risk of Cd pollution, while most of the samples were in a mild state. Because of the huge potential of carbon sequestration and emission reduction in agriculture, planting se-rich and Cd-low crops in these areas can not only promote the development of local Se-rich industries but also achieve carbon sequestration and emission reduction.

ABSTRACT: This study's objective was to investigate the effects of dietary Se (in the form of selenomethionine) on the antioxidant activity and selenoprotein gene expressions in layer breeder roosters. One hundred and eighty, 36-wk-old Jingfen layer breeder roosters were randomly allocated to one of 5 dietary treatments (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 mg/kg Se) for 6 wk on a corn-soybean meal-based diet. Antioxidant parameters and selenoprotein gene expressions were assessed at the end of the experiment. The results showed that Se supplementation significantly increased the activity of T-SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and superoxide anion scavenging ability in plasma (P ≤ 0.05), and activities of T-SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, superoxide anion scavenging ability, and hydroxyl radical scavenging ability in the liver, kidney, and testis (P < 0.05). Moreover, MDA levels were significantly reduced in plasma, liver, kidney, and testis (P < 0.01), compared to the control group. Furthermore, the dietary administration of Se significantly increased TrxR2 and GPx4 mRNA levels in kidney and testis, and ID1 mRNA levels in liver and kidney. Most of the antioxidant parameters and selenoprotein-related gene expressions significantly increased, and MDA significantly decreased at dietary supplementation with 0.5 mg/kg Se. Whereas a higher dose of Se level (1 or 2 mg/kg) inhibited the activities of some of the antioxidant enzymes and selenoprotein-related gene expressions in selected tissues. In conclusion, dietary Se supplementation with 0.5 mg/kg significantly improved roosters’ antioxidant status and selenoprotein-related gene expression in liver, kidney, and testis, while higher doses led to inhibit these; dietary Se might increase reproductive performance by enhancing their antioxidant status in roosters.

Vitamins and microelements play essential roles in mammalian ovarian physiology, including follicle development, ovulation, and synthesis and secretion of hormones and growth factors. However, it is nevertheless elusive to what extent exogenous supplementation with mixtures of vitamins ADE, zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) affects follicular growth and granulosa cells (GCs) molecular function. We herein investigated their effect on follicular growth and GCs physiological function. We showed that follicular growth and ovulation time was accelerated and shortened with the increases of vitamins ADE, Zn, and Se doses by continually monitoring and recording (one estrus cycle of about 21 days) with an ultrasound scanner. Integrated omics analysis showed that there was a sophisticated network relationship, correlation expression, and enrichment pathways of the genes and metabolites highly related to organic acids and their derivatives and lipid-like molecules. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results showed that vitamin D receptor (VDR), transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily m member 6 (TRPM6), transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily v member 6 (TRPV6), solute carrier family 5 member 1 (SLC5A1), arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) had a strong correlation between the transcriptome data. Combined multi-omics analysis revealed that the protein digestion and absorption, ABC transporters, biosynthesis of amino acids, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, mineral absorption, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, and ovarian steroidogenesis were significantly enriched. We focused on the gene-metabolite interactions in ovarian steroidogenesis, founding that insulin receptor (INSR), phospholipase a2 group IVA (PLA2G4A), adenylate cyclase 6 (ADCY6), cytochrome p450 family 1 subfamily b member 1 (CYP1B1), protein kinase camp-activated catalytic subunit beta (PRKACB), cytochrome p450 family 17 subfamily a member 1 (CYP17A1), and phospholipase a2 group IVF (PLA2G4F) were negatively correlated with β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and testosterone (T) (P < 0.05). while ALOX5 was a positive correlation with E2, P4, and T (P < 0.05); cytochrome p450 family 19 subfamily a member 1 (CYP19A1) was a negative correlation with cholesterol (P < 0.01). In mineral absorption, our findings further demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between solute carrier family 26 member 6 (SLC26A6), SLC5A1, and solute carrier family 6 member 19 (SLC6A19) with Glycine and L-methionine. Solute carrier family 40 member 1 (SLC40A1) was a negative correlation with Glycine and L-methionine (P < 0.01). TRPV6 and ATPase Na+/K+ transporting subunit alpha 1 (ATP1A1) were positively associated with Glycine (P < 0.05); while ATPase Na+/K+ transporting subunit beta 3 (ATP1B3) and cytochrome b reductase 1 (CYBRD1) were negatively related to L-methionine (P < 0.05). These outcomes suggested that the vitamins ADE, Zn, and Se of mixtures play an important role in the synthesis and secretion of steroid hormones and mineral absorption metabolism pathway through effects on the expression of the key genes and metabolites in GCs. Meanwhile, these also are required for physiological function and metabolism of GCs. Collectively, our outcomes shed new light on the underlying mechanisms of their effect on follicular growth and GCs molecular physiological function, helping explore valuable biomarkers.

Selenium (Se)-enriched tea is a well-regarded natural beverage that is often consumed for its Se supplementation benefits. However, the production of this tea, particularly in Se-abundant tea plantations, is challenging due to soil acidification. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in Se under acidified soil conditions. Eight tea plantation soil monitoring sites in Southern Jiangsu were first selected. Simulated acid rain experiments and experiments with different acidification methods were designed and soil pH, as well as various Al-ion and Se-ion concentrations were systematically determined. The data were analyzed using R statistical software, and a correlation analysis was carried out. The results indicated that as the pH value dropped, exchangeable selenium (Exc-Se) and residual selenium (Res-Se) were transformed into acid-soluble selenium (Fmo-Se) and manganese oxide selenium (Om-Se). As the pH increased, exchange state aluminum (Alex) and water-soluble aluminum (Alw) decreased, Fmo-Se and Om-Se declined, and Exc-Se and Res-Se increased, a phenomenon attributed to the weakened substitution of Se ions by Al ions. In the simulated acid rain experiment, P1 compared to the control (CK), the pH value of the YJW tea plantation decreased by 0.13, Exc-Se decreased by 4 ug mg−1, Res-Se decreased by 54.65 ug kg−1, Fmo-Se increased by 2.78 ug mg−1, and Om-Se increased by 5.94 ug mg−1 while Alex increased by 28.53 mg kg−1. The decrease in pH led to an increase in the content of Alex and Alw, which further resulted in the conversion of Exc-Se to Fmo-Se and Om-Se. In various acidification experiments, compared with CK, the pH value of T6 decreased by 0.23, Exc-Se content decreased by 8.35 ug kg−1, Res-Se content decreased by 40.62 ug kg−1, and Fmo-Se content increased by 15.52 ug kg−1 while Alex increased by 33.67 mg kg−1, Alw increased by 1.7 mg kg−1, and Alh decreased by 573.89 mg kg−1. Acidification can trigger the conversion of Exc-Se to Fmo-Se and Om-Se, while the content of available Se may decrease due to the complexation interplay between Alex and Exc-Se. This study provides a theoretical basis for solving the problem of Se-enriched in tea caused by soil acidification.

Understanding variations in metal levels in biota geographically and under different environmental conditions is essential to determining risk to organisms themselves and to their predators. It is often difficult to determine food chain relationships because predators may eat several different prey types. Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs form the basis for a complex food web in Delaware Bay, New Jersey, USA. Female horseshoe crabs lay thumb-sized clutches of eggs, several cm below the surface, and often dislodge previously laid eggs that are brought to the surface by wave action, where they are accessible and critical food for migrant shorebirds. This paper compares metal and metalloid (chromium [Cr], cadmium [Cd], lead [Pb], mercury [Hg], arsenic [As] and selenium [Se]) concentrations in horseshoe crab eggs collected on the surface with concentrations in eggs from clutches excavated from below the sand surface, as well as examining metals in eggs from different parts of the Bay. The eggs were all collected in May 2019, corresponding to the presence of the four main species of shorebirds migrating through Delaware Bay. These migrating birds eat almost entirely horseshoe crab eggs during their stopover in Delaware Bay, and there are differences in the levels of metals in blood of different shorebirds. These differences could be due to whether they have access to egg clutches below sand (ruddy turnstones, Arenaria interpres) or only to eggs on the surface (the threatened red knot [Calidris canutus rufa] and other species of shorebirds). Correlations between metals in clutches were also examined. Except for As and Cd, there were no significant differences between the metals in crab egg clutches and eggs on the surface that shorebirds, gulls, and other predators eat. There were significant locational differences in metal levels in horseshoe crab eggs (except for Pb), with most metals being highest in the sites on the lower portion of Delaware Bay. Most metals in crab eggs have declined since studies were conducted in the mid-1990s but were similar to levels in horseshoe crab eggs in 2012. The data continue to provide important monitoring and assessment information for a keystone species in an ecosystem that supports many species, including threatened and declining shorebird species during spring migration.

Rice can accumulate more organic and inorganic arsenic (iAs) than other crop plants. In this study, the localization of As in rice grains was investigated using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) based on 26 rice varieties collected from two provinces. In all the samples, the total As contents in polished rice were 0.03–0.37 mg/kg, with average values of 0.28 and 0.21 mg/kg for two sample sets. The results of the determination of arsenic speciation in different components of rice grain showed that in the polished and brown rice the mean value of arsenite (As(III)) was nearly twice than that of arsenate (As(V)). The regional difference was observed in both total As contents and As speciation. The reason may be that As(III) is more mobile than As(V) in a dissociated form and because of soil properties, rice varieties, and the growing environment. The proportion of iAs and the total As in rice bran was higher than that in polished rice, and this is because As tends accumulate between the husk and the endosperm. In our study, selenium could alleviate the risk of arsenic toxicity at the primary stage of rice growth. Co-exposure to As and Se in germinated rice indicated that the reduction in As accumulation in polished rice reached 73.8%, 76.8%, and 78.3% for total As, As(III), and As(V) when compared with rice treated with As alone. The addition of Se (0.3 mg/kg) along with As significantly reduced the As amount in different parts of germinated rice. Our results indicated that Se biofortification could alleviate the As accumulation and toxicity in rice crops.

Self-enhancement (SE) is often overlooked as a fundamental cognitive ability mediated via the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC). Here, we present research that establishes the relationship between the PFC, SE, and the potential evolved beneficial mechanisms. Specifically, we believe there is now enough evidence to speculate that SE exists to provide significant benefits and should be considered a normal aspect of the self. Whatever the metabolic or social cost, the upside of SE is great enough that it is a core and fundamental psychological construct. Furthermore, though entirely theoretical, we suggest that a critical reason the PFC has evolved so significantly in Homo sapiens is to, in part, sustain SE. We, therefore, elaborate on its proximate and ultimate mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast and accurate bauxite recognition method combining an attention module and a clustering algorithm is proposed in this paper. By introducing the K-means clustering algorithm into the YOLOv4 network and embedding the SE attention module, we calculate the corresponding anchor box value, enhance the feature learning ability of the network to bauxite, automatically learn the importance of different channel features, and improve the accuracy of bauxite target detection. In the experiment, 2189 bauxite photos were taken and screened as the target detection datasets, and the targets were divided into four categories: No. 55, No. 65, No. 70, and Nos. 72–73. By selecting the category volume balanced datasets, the optimal YOLOv4 network model was obtained after training 7000 times, so that the average accuracy of bauxite sorting reached 99%, and the reasoning speed was better than 0.05 s. Realizing the high-speed and high-precision sorting of bauxite greatly improves the mining efficiency and accuracy of the bauxite industry. At the same time, the model provides key technical support for the practical application of the same type of engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agriculture / Poljoprivreda is the property of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Indazoles are important compounds for chemistry and pharmacology. This study aimed to investigate the amount of antioxidant vitamins (A, E, C), Se, MDA and GSH-Px enzyme activities in the blood serum liver and kidneys of rats the 1H,1'H-3,3'-biindazole injected into rats for certain periods. Amounts of selenium in serum, liver and kidney samples were determined by fluorimetric method, A, E, C, and MDA levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). GSH-Px enzyme activity amounts of erythrocytes were measured by spectrophotometric method. In our experimental results, it was observed that the levels of vitamins A, E, C, and Se were generally lower than the control group, maximum increase in the amount of GSH-Px enzyme activity in the 3rd injection period and the activities in the other injection periods were higher than the control group. It was determined that levels of decreased vitamin A, E, C, and Se while increased of levels MDA and GSH-Px enzyme activity. It has been determined that these medicinal substances used in the treatment of many diseases are vital; however, it causes oxidative stress in metabolism. It has been concluded that it may be useful beneficial of supplements antioxidant vitamins and selenium in the use of drugs containing these substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares presentations of disorders of the sense of body ownership and agency from psychoanalytic and neurological perspectives to demonstrate similarities in symptomatology proposing these similarities arise from adjustments in Friston's generative model of self-organization and selfhood. The implications for the analytic model of the Self, for clinical practice and for neuroscience research are considered. Patients with narcissistic disorders use projective defences resulting in a disordered sense of what belongs to whom. This applies to mind and body of self and other and is central to understanding transference and countertransference. Clinical observations of this disordered sense of ownership and agency mirror findings in neurological disorders. This paper proposes that in both neurological and psychological disorders Friston's 'internal generative model' of selfhood is adjusted. Further to this whilst this adjustment may be either neurogenic or psychogenic, the final neural mechanism and symptomatic outcome are similar. On the basis of these observations the paper compares the concept of the Self from Jungian and psychoanalytic perspectives. Finally, the implications for the concept of the death instinct and Britton's concept of Xenophobia are explored along with the implications of these observations for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working with patients who end their lives through suicide is one of the greatest challenges and fears a clinician might face. This paper explores the experience of working with such patients in the course of psychiatric care and Jungian analysis. Jungian theory is used to explore a conceptual understanding of the dilemmas faced. Such theory points to an intractable conflict between Self and ego giving rise to unbearable distress, partly through difficulties arising in achieving individuation. The paper proposes that our difficulties in dealing with a patient's suicide might reflect a manifestation of relentless hope and, perhaps contentiously, these patients made a more considered decision in their final acts than prevailing clinical opinion suggests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of foliar Se (selenium) fertilizer on melatonin and its biosynthesis in four different colored sweet potatoes were studied. Solutions containing 1.25 mg Se/plant of inorganic selenium (ISe) and organic selenium (OSe) and a control check (CK) were applied three times during the swelling stage. Except for ISe in purple variety, both types of Se applications significantly increased melatonin in four colored varieties. The effect of OSe was greater than that of ISe, mainly because of higher concentration of tryptophan and activities of tryptophan decarboxylase, tryptamine-5 hydroxylase, 5-hydroxytryptamine N -acetyltransferase and N -acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine methyltransferase. The orange variety had highest melatonin with the application of ISe and OSe, and highest melatonin among all applications was achieved by OSe in orange variety, followed by OSe in purple variety. These findings revealed that melatonin with extremely strong health benefits could be found and significantly increased in sweet potatoes through Se applications. • Se fertilizers could enhanced Se and melatonin (MT) in sweet potatoes. • Effect of organic Se (OSe) on MT was greater than that of inorganic Se (ISe). • The highest MT was achieved by OSe in Pushu 32, followed by OSe in Xuzishu 8. • Higher tryptophan and related enzyme activities caused an increase in MT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the structural, optical, and thermoelectric properties of non-centrosymmetric layered selenite and tellurite compounds KSb 3 Se 2 O 12 , RbSb 3 Se 2 O 12 , CsSb 3 Se 2 O 12 , TlSb 3 Se 2 O 12 , KSb 3 Te 2 O 12 , RbSb 3 Te 2 O 12 , CsSb 3 Te 2 O 12 , TlSb 3 Te 2 O 12 to assess their potential for sustainable and renewable energy technologies. The selenite and tellurite compounds feature distinct non-centrosymmetric layered crystal structures, which are key to their unique optical and electronic properties. The materials display a layered structure without a center of symmetry, characterized by distinct atomic arrangements, and their band gaps vary depending on the constituent elements. For selenites, band gaps range from 2.97 eV to 3.19 eV, while for tellurites, they range from 2.75 eV to 3.02 eV, indicate their suitability for indirect semiconducting applications. The investigated materials exhibit high absorbance in the ultraviolet region, suggesting they are promising for solar cell applications. The energy loss function peaks at 14 eV, indicating minimal optical loss in the infrared and visible spectra. The static dielectric constants ε 1 (0) were calculated, showing variations based on the elemental composition. The response of ε 2 (ω) demonstrates strong interactions in the ultraviolet region, corresponding to electronic transitions from the valence to the conduction bands. Thermoelectric properties, evaluated with the BoltzTrap code using transport theory. The Seebeck coefficient of p-type semiconductors typically increases with temperature, but TlSb 3 Se 2 O 12 shows an even greater increase, suggesting enhanced thermoelectric properties. Both selenites and tellurites have rising electrical conductivities, with ASb 3 Se 2 O 12 peaking at 800 K. The Power Factor improves with temperature, reaching a peak for TlSb 3 Se 2 O 12. These compounds exhibit favorable electrical conductivity and power factor, suggesting potential applications in thermoelectric systems. The figure of merit (ZT) values spanning from 0.90 to 1.51, with a maximum ZT value of 1.41 at 800 K, TlSb 3 Se 2 O 12 shows great potential for high-temperature thermoelectric applications. These findings advance the understanding of non-centrosymmetric oxide materials and provide valuable insights for developing advanced materials for energy technologies. • Electronic structure analyses reveal band gaps ranging from 2.97 to 3.19 eV for selenites and 2.75–3.02 eV for tellurites. • The calculated optical band gaps align well with experimental measurements, validating our computational results. • Thermoelectric properties shows p-type behavior. • The ZT values, reaching maximum values of 1.41 for selenites and 1.51 for tellurites at 800 K. • Materials exhibit promising attributes for renewable energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U(VI) in nuclear wastewater threatens human health and the environment due to its high toxicity and mobility. Photocatalysis is seen as a promising, simple, low-cost, and sustainable method for wastewater treatment, but existing photocatalysts face challenges like complex preparation and severe electron-hole recombination. In this work, ellipsoidal Se-linked ZnSe/ZnO was in situ constructed using a simple one-pot hydrothermal method, with non-metallic selenium serving as the carrier. In 30 minutes, the removal rate of U(VI) can reach 90.2 % in 100 mg/L U(VI) solution. The reaction kinetics of the optimal Se/ZnSe/ZnO ratio reached 0.14939 min−1, which is nearly 10 times that of pure ZnO. Photocatalytic analysis revealed that introducing Se as the medium for electron transport in the composite material can effectively reduce electron-hole recombination, thereby enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. The results of this study offer a simple and efficient new method for photocatalytic reduction of U(VI) and provide an effective strategy for establishing a conductive medium in the heterojunction using a one-pot hydrothermal method. • Se/ZnSe/ZnO was synthesized using a simple and low-cost one-pot hydrothermal method, which is environmentally friendly. • Se as a medium for conducting electrons in the heterojunction effectively reduces the recombination of electron-hole pairs. • In 30 min, the removal rate of U(VI) can reach 90.2 % by Se/ZnSe/ZnO in 100 mg/L U(VI) solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is the primary method of assessing consciousness after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the clinical standard for classifying TBI severity. There is scant literature discerning the influence of circadian rhythms or emergency department (ED) arrival hour on this important clinical tool.MethodsRetrospective cohort analysis of adult patients suffering blunt TBI using the National Sample Program of the National Trauma Data Bank, years 2003-2006. ED arrival GCS score was characterized by midday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and midnight (12 a.m.-6 a.m.) cohorts (N=24548). Proportions and standard errors are reported for descriptive data. Multivariable regressions using odds ratios (OR), mean differences (B), and their associated 95% confidence intervals [CI] were performed to assess associations between ED arrival hour and GCS score. Statistical significance was assessed at p

BACKGROUND The environmental effects of heavy metal pollutants in soil are closely related to their inorganic valence. The determination of the valences of As, Cr, Sb and Se elements is of great significance, but due to the easy conversion between the valences, the determination is difficult and the degree of standardization is low. The geological industry standard DD2005-3 recommends the use of ion exchange resin separation, atomic fluorescence spectrometry to determine the valences of As, Sb, and Se, and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) to determine the valence of Cr. The preparation of these methods is cumbersome, the number of measurements is large, the workload is large, and the existence of other element forms can also cause errors in the results. OBJECTIVES To establish a set of methods suitable for determining the valences of water-soluble and exchangeable As, Cr, Sb and Se in soil samples. METHODS The valences of As, Sb and Se were separated and determined by HPLC-HG-AFS after 30 min extraction in a water bath of 50℃. The processes were simpler and more accurate than the recommended subtraction processes by AFS. To avoid the masking action of some extracting agent, the method of selective determination of Sb(Ⅲ), Sb(Ⅴ), Se(Ⅳ) and Se(Ⅵ) by AFS was developed, which has the advantage of low instrument cost. As for Cr(Ⅲ) and Cr(Ⅵ), after separation by ion-exchange resin, they were determined by ICP-MS, which has higher sensitivity than the recommended GFAAS. RESULTS The detection limits of As(Ⅲ), As(Ⅴ), Cr(Ⅲ), Cr(Ⅵ), Sb(Ⅲ), Sb(Ⅴ), Se(Ⅳ) and Se(Ⅵ) was ≤ 0.02μg/g, with the RSD of 3.8%-10.7% and the recovery of 91.0%-106.0%. These methods were successfully applied to the analysis of geological samples, and all indices met the quality requirements of DD2005-3. CONCLUSIONS Compared with non-chromatographic methods, newly established methods by HPLC-HG-AFS can determine multiple components simultaneously. At the same time, preliminary studies have shown that the valence content of elements in the soil is not high, and lacks correlation with the total amount of soil.

Access to external finance is a key challenge for the creation, survival and growth of SMEs. This article delves into the “weak funding” handicap of rural small firms (SEs): the access to bank financing and the substitutive role of trade credit for entrepreneurs in rural areas when they faced bank credit constraints. Considering SEs in Galicia (Spain), a paradigmatic case in Europe of rural areas in demographic decline with a strong impact of the Spanish sovereign and banking crisis of 2008–2012. There’s evidence of firms in rural areas facing a differential negative flow of bank credit during the financial crisis, especially in the manufacturing and construction sectors, that dissipated afterwards. Then, using a panel data approach that considers the determinants of trade credit, the complementary and substitutive hypotheses are tested to estimate the impact of bank credit restrictions over trade credit.

In this study, the effect of swift heavy ions (SHIs) irradiation in the recrystallization of polycrystalline SiC pre-implanted with selenium (Se) ions and migration of Se was investigated. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of SHIs with the maximum electronic energy loss greater than 20 keV/nm on structural evolution of initially amorphized pre-implanted SiC and the migration of pre-implanted fission products (FPs). The pristine SiC samples were first implanted with 200 keV Se ions to a fluence of 1 × 1016 cm−2 at room temperature (RT) and at 350 °C. Some of the pre-implanted samples were then irradiated with bismuth (Bi) ions of 710 MeV to a fluence of 1 × 1013 cm−2 at RT. The characterization of both the implanted and implanted then irradiated SiC was conducted using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). At RT, Se ions implantation caused the amorphization of SiC to a depth of about 187 nm beneath the surface. In contrast, when implanted at 350 °C, the SiC retained its crystalline structure with some defects (i.e., point defects, point defect clusters and some dislocation loops). The SHIs irradiation of the RT implanted SiC resulted in the reduction of the amorphous layer thickness from 187 nm to around 178 nm and led to the formation of nanocrystalline SiC in the amorphous layer. Irradiation of the SiC implanted at 350 °C induced some crystallization of defects. Notably, no evidence of Se ions migration was observed in both the irradiated RT-implanted and the hot-implanted SiC. • Polycrystalline SiC substrates were implanted with Se ions of 200 keV to a fluence of 1 × 1016 cm−2 at room temperature (RT) and 350 °C, subsequently some samples were irradiated with710 MeV Bi+51 (maximum electronic energy loss of 33.7 keV/nm) to fluence of 1 × 1013 cm−2 at RT. • At RT, the implantation of the ions caused amorphization in SiC, whereas implantation at 350 °C maintained its crystalline structure with some defects. • The SHIs irradiation of RT pre-implanted SiC led to the formation of nanocrystalline SiC in the amorphous layer. While irradiation of the SiC implanted at 350 °C induced some crystallization of defects. • There was no migration of the implanted Se ions was detected after exposing both RT and 350 °C pre-implanted SiC to 710 MeV Bi+51 irradiation with maximum electronic energy loss of about 33.7 keV/nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Selenium is one of the essential trace elements for animals and humans, and its abundance is closely related to the health of humans, animals and plants. Selenium deficiency is common in Chinese soil, especially in Tibet. Research results in recent years have shown that the selenium - deficient soils in Tibet are mainly distributed in the north of the Yarlung Zangbo River (referred to as "Yajiang" ), while there are areas with high total selenium content and a large area in the south of the Yajiang River. Naidong district is located in the Yajiang River valley in the central and southern parts of the Tibet Plateau. It is one of the important agricultural areas in Tibet and one of the granaries of Tibet. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil selenium in different areas and different land utilization types on both sides of the Yajiang River in Naidong District, Shannan City, Tibet. METHODS: The contents of selenium and other elements in 1022 topsoil, 30 groups of highland barley seed samples and root soil samples in the Naidong District were determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). Correlation analysis was used to study the influencing factors of soil selenium. RESULTS: The data showed that the arithmetic mean of selenium content in the soil on the north side of the Yajiang River was 0. 14mg/kg, which was close to the mean value of selenium in the soil of Tibet (0. 15mglkg). The arithmetic mean of selenium content in the soil on the southern side of the Yajiang River was 0. 30mglkg, which was twice the mean value of soil selenium content in Tibet, and slightly higher than the mean soil selenium content in China (0. 29mg/kg). The average selenium content in different land utilization types in the Naidong survey area was cultivated land (0. 24mg/kg) > pasture land (0. 22mg/kg) > forest land (0. l 9mg/kg). The research results showed that the soil selenium content on both sides of the Yajiang River in the Naidong survey area was quite different, and there was selenium - rich soil on the south side of the Y ajiang River. The factors controlling soil selenium content were not only affected by geological background, but also related to soil pH, organic matter and other factors. Soil Se content increased significantly with the increase of soil organic matter content, but decreased with the increase of soil pH. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested to make full use of the selenium - enriched soil in Naidong District, and study the absorption of selenium by different crops to improve the availability of selenium in the soil through farmland nutrient management, and promote the development of the local selenium - enriched industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-narration is a typical skill of human beings, whatever the verbal community to which they belong, and the awareness that self and one's behaviour derives from it plays a fundamental role in their lives. In any form of psychotherapy, personal background is, moreover, a crucial element for understanding an individual's experience and how this can become a source of suffering over time. But how does an individual's relationship with their history affect their psychological well-being and interaction with the community in which they live? What is it in the biographical history of a human being who has acquired the ability to think and speak that determines whether that person will live with self-esteem or constant suffering? Since the dawn of psychology, all explanatory models have been concerned with conceptualising what is called the «I» or «Self». As a result of the experimental and applied heritage of behavioural analysis, the beginning of our century witnessed the development of the relational frame theory (RFT). Placing the ability to derive relationships between stimuli or events at the heart of human language and cognition, as RFT explains, allows the clinician to better understand complex human behaviours and to identify the environmental variables (internal and external) that are sources of suffering, and influence them. This article aims:(a) to present the RFT perspective on the development of the repertoire of the Self; (b) to illustrate the stimulating functions of the descriptions that an individual emits about their own patterns of actions, responsible for flexibility or contrary to psychological inflexibility; (c) to provide useful information on the application that can be integrated with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). This integration need not be limited to ACT but can include other psychotherapy models, not exclusively cognitive-behavioural ones, in order to intervene on the processes that are commonly labelled with the term «Self». [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Geodesy & Geodynamics (1671-5942) is the property of Editorial Board Journal of Geodesy & Geodynamics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mining & Metallurgy (10057854) is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could indirectly, as well directly, influence metabolic parameters related to health effects in response to selenium (Se) supplementation. This study aimed to investigate whether the selenoprotein SNPs were associated with the response of Se status biomarkers to the Brazil nut consumption in patients using statins and if the variation in Se homoeostasis could affect antioxidant protection, lipid profile, muscle homoeostasis and selenoproteins mRNA. The study was performed in the Ribeirão Preto Medical School University Hospital. Thirty-two patients using statins received one unit of Brazil nut daily for 3 months. Body composition, blood Se concentrations, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triacylglycerol (TAG), creatine kinase (CK) activity and gene expression of GPX1 and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) were evaluated before and after Brazil nut consumption. The volunteers were genotyped for SNP in GPX1 (rs1050450) and SELENOP (rs3877899 and rs7579). SNPs in selenoproteins were not associated with plasma and erythrocyte Se, but SNPs in SELENOP influenced the response of erythrocyte GPX activity and CK activity, TAG and LDL after Brazil nut consumption. Also, Brazil nut consumption increased GPX1 mRNA expression only in subjects with rs1050450 CC genotype. SELENOP mRNA expression was significantly lower in subjects with rs7579 GG genotype before and after the intervention. Thus, SNP in SELENOP could be associated with interindividual differences in Se homeostasis after Brazil nut consumption, emphasising the involvement of genetic variability in response to Se consumption towards health maintenance and disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol abuse causes severe metabolic abnormalities inducing hepatic damage and malnutrition. Since higher Fischer ratio proteins have therapeutic value in liver diseases, an investigation was undertaken to study the ameliorative effect of the enhanced Fischer ratio flaxseed protein hydrolysate (EFR-FPH) alone and in combination with antioxidant micronutrients on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in a rat model. The EFR-FPH was prepared by dual enzymatic hydrolysis and charcoal treatment of flaxseed protein. The ratio of the branched-chain:aromatic amino acids (Fischer ratio) was found to be 7·08. The EFR-FPH, characterised using LC-MS/MS, showed the abundance of free leucine and isoleucine compared with phenylalanine and tyrosine. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight MS analysis revealed the larger peptides present in EFR-FPH with mass 2·3 kDa. The EFR-FPH improved the nutritional status, liver function and antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The hepatoprotective effect of EFR-FPH was significantly enhanced when combined with selenium or vitamin E. Ethanol-induced changes in the liver tissue were effectively suppressed in the groups receiving EFR-FPH. Flaxseed-based hepatoprotective dietary supplement was formulated incorporating an optimum level of EFR-FPH (10 %) based on sensory acceptability and was fortified with selenium and vitamin E. The hepatoprotective formulation significantly lowered aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin by 47, 61, 55 and 78 %, respectively, and improved the antioxidant defense in the ethanol hepatotoxicity-induced rat model. The current investigation suggests that EFR-FPH in synergy with antioxidant micronutrients is potent in ameliorating ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity and has a potential to form a hepatoprotective dietary supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses aspectual se in Spanish. Building on the previous analyses that have been proposed in the literature to account for constructions with aspectual se that mainly focus on the syntax of these (see, e.g., MacDonald, Jonathan E. 2017. Spanish aspectual se as an indirect object reflexive: The import of atelicity, bare nouns, and leísta PCC repairs. Probus. International Journal of Romance Linguistics 29(1). 73–118), this paper provides a semantic account that makes explicit (i) why dynamic predicates must be telic in the presence of se, and (ii) why the very same se can appear with a limited number of stative predicates, which are atelic. The account is implemented in the Figure/Path Relation model in Beavers, John. 2011. On affectedness. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 29(2). 335–370, Figure/Path Relation model. I propose a maximization strategy that captures that dynamic predicates in constructions with se are always telic by indicating the conditions under which the theme has a fixed quantity and the scale/path that may be associated with the verb is bounded. This maximization strategy is then compared to and distinguished from the event maximization strategies proposed for Slavic languages (Filip, Hana. 2008. Events and maximalization: The case of telicity and perfectivity. In Susan Rothstein (ed.), Theoretical and crosslinguistic approaches to the semantics of aspect, 217–256. Amsterdam: John Benjamins) and Hungarian (Kardos, Éva. 2016. Telicity marking in Hungarian. Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics 1(1). 1–37), and to the scale/path maximization strategy proposed for Southern Aymara (Martínez Vera, Gabriel. 2021a. Degree achievements and degree morphemes in competition in Southern Aymara. Linguistics and Philosophy 44. 695–735). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agronomic biofortification with selenium (Se) maybe employed to improve the nutritional value of food crops while increasing the plant's tolerance to water deficit conditions. Although not essential for plants, Se may increase plant tolerance to water stress by boosting plants' defence system activity. This study aimed to enrich common bean grains with Se and alleviate water deficit effects on common bean by applying Se to plants growing under greenhouse. Selenium was applied to soil at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg kg-1, under irrigated and water-deficit conditions. Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and APX), H2O2 content, gas exchange, and SPAD index were assessed in plant leaves, and Se and nutrient concentrations were determined in grains. Results showed that water deficit decreased photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and increased water use efficiency. Selenium did not influence SPAD index in leaves from pod formation to maturity stage but improved the plant defence system by decreasing H2O2 content. Increasing Se rates increased Se concentration in grains and leaves. At lower Se rates, mainly at 0.25 mg Se kg-1, under water deficit, the activities of SOD, CAT, and APX reached their maximum values, and H2O2 content was minimum without reducing biomass production and nutrients accumulation. The highest Se rate (2 mg kg-1) was detrimental, since it decreased biomass production and the plant defence system under water deficit. Conclusively, soil Se addition enriched common bean plants with Se and showed positive responses against water deficit when applied at lower rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to present ideas about the notion of 'Mystery', based on the contributions of various thinkers from different areas of knowledge. It will focus especially on the experience itself, that is, on the human possibility of generating the mystical experience and conceptualizing the dimension from contact with it. Concepts such as 'Homo Mysticus' (Erich Neumann), 'Numinous' (Rudolf Otto), 'Synchronicity' and 'Self' (Carl G. Jung) will be developed, approaching them from a psychological perspective. A distinction between two different categories of contact is proposed in the article: violent experiences and subtle experiences. The referential framework of analytical psychology enables the possibility of a transcendent and immaterial realm creatively linked to psychic reality, as well as an attempt to understand it. The conceptualization of the symbolic from the Jungian worldview allows us to understand the experience of Mystery from a psychological point of view in relation to the surrounding world. The idea is even raised that the ultimate (and implicit) purpose of the analysis is the manifestation of Mystery, a general name that could encompass the different phenomenological experiences. Is it possible that such experiences occur in the cultural circumstances of the present? What place does Mystery occupy in these times? What forms could it take? By observing dreams, imaginations and synchronicities, experiences of the mysterious will be explored in the context of contemporary Jungian analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) plays an important role in geochemistry and is an essential trace element for humans and animals. This review summarizes the transformation and accumulation of Se in the plant-soil-microbe system. As one of the important reservoirs of Se, soil is an important material basis of its entry into the food chain through plants. Soil with an appropriate amount of Se is beneficial for plant growth and plays a valuable role in a stress-resistant environment. Among the many migration and transformation pathways, the transformation of Se by microorganisms is particularly important and is the main form of Se transformation in the soil environment. In this review, the role and form transformation of Se in plants, soil, and microorganisms; the role of Se in plants; the form, input, and output of Se in soil; the absorption and transformation of Se by plants; and the role of microorganisms in Se transformation are presented. In addition to describing the migration and transformation laws of Se in the environment, this review expounds on the main directions and trends of Se research in the agricultural field as well as current gaps and difficulties in Se-related research. Overall, this reviews aims to provide necessary information and theoretical references for the development of Se-rich agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to address an analysis of spatial distribution, reproduction, population parameters and secondary production of the natural beds of the well-defined morphotypes of the clam Mactra stultorum (brownish and whitish variants) along the SW Spanish coast. The main findings showed that the presence and the frequencies of both morphotypes increased near the estuaries of rivers, particularly the Guadalquivir River. However, subtle differences in habitat preferences have been revealed and the brownish variant showed a wider and deeper distribution. High similarity in the gonadal development was recorded for both variants. It started in January, continued into late winter and early spring and ended with a spawning period from April to August. An energy storage-utilization cycle, coupled to the reproductive and resting periods and driven by seawater temperature variations and food availability, was also observed. The abovementioned period of gamete emissions resulted in a recruitment pattern with a one-time settlement period per year. Von Bertalanffy growth functions provided an asymptotic length of 46.7 mm (whitish) and 50 mm (brownish) and growth constants of 0.55 (whitish) and 0.50 year−1 (brownish). The mean annual biomass ( B ¯ ) ranged between 0.062 (whitish) and 0.076 g AFDW m−2 year−1 (brownish) (AFDW: ash-free dry mass). Individual somatic production showed the highest value at 32 and 34 mm shell length, and annual production (P) ranged between 0.075 and 0.113 g AFDW m−2 year−1, resulting in renewal rate (P/ B ¯ ) values between 1.21 and 1.37 for the whitish and brownish variants, respectively. These results provide basic knowledge about the reproduction and population dynamics of this species along the Atlantic coast, particularly in the sandflats near the estuary of the Guadalquivir River. They could also shed additional light upon taxonomic differentiation and clarify the ecological role of both variants when compared with two bivalve sympatric species of the intertidal and subtidal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and Co levels changed in calves naturally infected with coccidiosis. The study was conducted on a total of 30 calves, 20 with coccidiosis and 10 healthy (control) calves of different races, sexes, and ages ranging from 26 to 78 days, with complaints of bloody diarrhea, weight loss and tenesmus. Serum Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, and Co concentrations of calves with coccidiosis were determined to be significantly lower than in the control group and this decrease was statistically significant (P<0.001). As for correlations between parameters of calves with coccidiosis and healthy ones determined as Pearson correlations for both groups, positive correlations were detected at the levels of 0.941, 0.951, 0.947 and 0.969 between Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and Co, respectively. Since significant decreases were detected in the serum Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, and Co concentrations of calves with coccidiosis, it is concluded that use of preparations containing trace elements may be beneficial in addition to the routine treatments in cases of coccidiosis or other diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to problems such as insufficient extraction information, low detection accuracy, and frequent misdetection in the field of Thangka image defects, this paper proposes a YOLOv5 prediction algorithm fused with the attention mechanism. Firstly, the Backbone network is used for feature extraction, and the attention mechanism is fused to represent different features, so that the network can fully extract the texture and semantic features of the defect area. The extracted features are then weighted and fused, so as to reduce the loss of information. Next, the weighted fused features are transferred to the Neck network, the semantic features and texture features of different layers are fused by FPN, and the defect target is located more accurately by PAN. In the detection network, the CIOU loss function is used to replace the GIOU loss function to locate the image defect area quickly and accurately, generate the bounding box, and predict the defect category. The results show that compared with the original network, YOLOv5-SE and YOLOv5-CBAM achieve an improvement of 8.95% and 12.87% in detection accuracy respectively. The improved networks can identify the location and category of defects more accurately, and greatly improve the accuracy of defect detection of Thangka images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-2 toxin is produced by the Fusarium genus. Ingestion of food or feed contaminated by T-2 toxin will cause damage to kidney. Selenium (Se), an essential trace element, showed the significant protective effects against kidney and renal cell damage induced by toxic substances. To explore the protective effects and mechanisms of Se against T-2-induced renal lesions, forty-eight male Kunming mice were exposed to T-2 toxin (1.0 mg/kg) and/or Se (0.2 mg/kg) for 28 days. In this study, we found that Se alleviated T-2-induced nephrotoxicity, presenting as increasing the body weight and kidney coefficient, relieving the renal structure injury, decreasing the contents of renal function-related biomarkers, decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increasing the mitochondrial membrane potential in T-2 toxin-treated mice. In addition, inhibition of renal cell apoptosis by Se was associated with blocking the mitochondrial pathway in T-2 toxin-treated mice, presenting as decreasing the protein expression of cytochrome-c, activities of caspase-3/9, as well as regulating the protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and Bcl-2. These results documented that the alleviating effect of Se on T-2-induced nephrotoxicity is related to the inhibition of ROS-mediated renal apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurogenesis and angiogenesis are widely recognized to occur during epileptogenesis and important in brain development. Because vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a critical neurovascular target in neurological diseases, its effect on neurogenesis, microvascular remodeling and epileptogenesis in the immature brain after lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) was investigated. The dynamic changes in and the correlation between hippocampal neurogenesis and microvascular remodeling after SE and the influence of VEGF or SU5416 injection into the lateral ventricles at different stages after SE on neurogenesis and microvascular remodeling through regulation of VEGF expression were assessed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis revealed that the VEGFR2 signaling pathway promotes phosphorylated ERK and phosphorylated AKT expression. The effects of VEGF expression regulation at different stages after SE on pathological changes in hippocampal structure and spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) were evaluated by Nissl staining and electroencephalography (EEG). The results showed that hippocampal neurogenesis after SE is related to microvascular regeneration. VEGF promotion in the acute period and inhibition in the latent period after SE alleviates loss of hippocampal neuron, abnormal vascular regeneration and inhibits neural stem cells (NSCs) ectopic migration, which may effectively alleviate SRS severity. Interfering with VEGF via the AKT and ERK pathways in different phases after SE may be a promising strategy for treating and preventing epilepsy in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study of the shape evolution in Ge (Z = 32), Se (Z = 34), Kr (Z = 36) and Sr (Z = 38) isotones for N = 70, and their neighboring isotones with N = 68 and N = 72 is presented. We use, in this investigation, the covariant density functional theory (CDFT) with the explicit Density Dependent Meson-Exchange (DD-ME2) and Density-Dependent Point-Coupling (DD-PC1) models. The finite range pairing interaction separable in coordinate space which was proposed by Tian et al. has been used to treat the pairing correlations. By investigating structural properties of nuclei under consideration, it is found that N = 70 isotones are, in generally, spheric. Furtheremore, the N = 70 can be considered as magic number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: L'échinococcose kystique hépatique (EKH), dénomination remplaçant désormais celle de kyste hydatique, est une zoonose parasitaire cosmopolite. Elle sévit principalement dans les pays où l'élevage de moutons constitue une ressource importante, expliquant qu'en France la majorité des patients soient des migrants. L'homme est un hôte intermédiaire accidentel. Le foie est l'organe préférentiel pour le développement du stade larvaire d' Echinococcus granulosus (E. g) sensu lato. La progression d'une lésion d'EKH est extrêmement lente, comparable à celle d'un processus tumoral bénin. La présentation clinique est d'une grande diversité, souvent totalement asymptomatique et de découverte fortuite mais parfois révélée par un tableau clinique aigu pouvant mettre en jeu le pronostic vital, témoin d'une complication évolutive dont la plus fréquente expression est la fissuration du kyste dans les voies biliaires. Le diagnostic repose sur l'examen échographique de la lésion en se référant à la classification de l'OMS permettant d'en apprécier le stade évolutif qui guidera la réflexion de prise en charge. Selon la situation, pourront être proposés une simple surveillance ou un traitement combinant, selon le cas, prise médicamenteuse, sous la forme d'albendazole à activité parasitostatique, techniques instrumentales et chirurgie. L'hépato-gastroentérologue est en première ligne à chacune de ces étapes à l'issue desquelles les décisions bénéficient grandement d'une réflexion pluridisciplinaire permettant aussi d'éviter un sur-traitement. Des études prospectives sont en effet indispensables pour progresser sur les aspects thérapeutiques qui, à ce jour, reposent essentiellement sur avis d'experts. L'observatoire national de l'EK, OFREKYS initié depuis 2018 par le CNR Échinococcoses au CHU de Besançon devrait contribuer à la meilleure connaissance de cette parasitose dans notre pays. Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a denomination now replacing that of hydatid cyst, is a cosmopolitan parasitic zoonosis. It is present mainly in countries where sheep farming constitutes an important resource explaining that in France, the majority of patients are migrants. Humans is an accidental intermediate host. The liver is the organ of choice for the development of the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (E. g) sensu lato. The progression of the cyst is extremely slow, comparable to that of a benign tumor. The clinical presentation is of great diversity, often completely asymptomatic and of fortuitous discovery but sometimes revealed by an acute clinical picture which can be life-threatening, related to complications. The most frequent one is the cyst rupture within the bile ducts. The diagnosis is based on the ultrasound examination using the WHO classification. It also allows to assess the evolutionary stage that is crucial to make treatment decisions. Depending on the situation, simple monitoring or a treatment combining, as the case may be, medication in the form of a parasitostatic, albendazole, instrumental techniques and surgery may be offered. The hepato-gastroenterologist is on the front line at each of these steps, at the end of which decisions benefit greatly from a multidisciplinary discussion. This also makes it possible to avoid over-treatment. Prospective studies are needed to progress on the therapeutic aspects which, to date, are essentially based on expert opinion. The French observatory of CE, OFREKYS, initiated in 2018 by the National Reference Center on Echinococcosis at Besançon University Hospital should contribute to better knowledge of this disease in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermodynamic sorption experiments of Se and Cs under aerobic/anaerobic conditions on granite, mudrock and MX-80 were conducted in synthetic groundwater/seawater medium. The batch experimental results were under the simulation of the two non-linear heterogeneity-based isotherm models, Langmuir–Freundlich (LF) and Generalized-Freundlich (GF) to evaluate the sorption characteristics of the Se and Cs. The results indicated that the LF and GF models could fit the experimental data more perfectly than the Langmuir one. Moreover, the affinity spectrum quantitatively demonstrated the discrepancy of heterogeneous sorption for the Se and Cs and its results demonstrated that the sorption mechanism between Se and Cs was quite different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet potato plants were treated with selenium (Se). Spraying Se on the sweet potato leaves was an effective Se enrichment method and proteins were extracted from the sweet potato stem. The structural characteristics of the protein were investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) detected more signals from the Se-enriched sweet potato stem protein (SSP), and the number of forms of Se chemical bonds gradually increased with increasing Se content, such as the Se-O bond in high Se-enriched SSP, indicating altered secondary structures.Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) indicated more Se atoms in the Se-enriched SSPs (SSSPs). The DSC results revealed that Se enrichment enhanced the thermal stability of the samples. Moreover, selenomethionine (SeMet), selenocystine (SeCys2), and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys) were determined to be the main Se forms in the SSSPs. Furthermore, the SSSPs showed relatively higher superoxide anion radical and DPPH radical scavenging activities than the blank, which indicates that SSSPs can be used as antioxidants. By recovering the proteins, the agricultural by-product—sweet potato stem can be further utilized, and the obtained Se-enriched proteins may contribute to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to select morphological keys for the identification of individual endangered long-tailed gorals through analysis of photographic data and to use these morphological keys to determine the number and population composition of gorals living in the Osaek Region of Seoraksan National Park. Amongst 8149 photos taken using 73 cameras in the Osaek Region, 2057 photos of faces and horns were analysed. The presence and absence of horns, shape of the horns, proportion of the ring to the length of the horn and facial colour pattern were selected as morphological keys to identify individual gorals. To verify the accuracy of the morphological keys for identifying gorals, a blind test was performed on gorals residing in the sanctuary of the Yanggu Goral Restoration Center. The test revealed that the population and age of gorals were discerned correctly by the morphological keys, but there was a 12.5% error in discriminating between sexes in gorals aged over 10 years. Fifty-six gorals were identified from 2057 pictures, based on the morphological keys and methods developed in this study. The population of 56 individuals consisted of 43 individuals aged over 2 years (subadult or adult) and 13 offspring aged less than 2 years, with a ratio of 3.3:1. Of the total 56 individuals, 45% were adults aged 10 years or older, 18% were adults aged 3–10 years, 7% were subadults aged 2–3 years, 23% were offspring aged less than 2 years and 7% were individuals aged 2 years or older, whose age and sex could not be confirmed. The sex ratio of males to females was 1.17:1, with a corrected sex ratio of 1:1 considering the 12.5% error rate for gorals aged over 10 years, amongst the 39 gorals aged over 2 years.

Abstract Background Dynamic-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a key protein involved in the regulation of mitochondrial fission, and it could affect the dynamic balance of mitochondria and appears to be protective against neuronal injury in epileptic seizures. Equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1) is expressed and functional in the mitochondrial membrane that equilibrates adenosine concentration across membranes. Whether Drp1 participates in the pathogenesis of epileptic seizures via regulating function of ENT1 remains unclear. Methods In the present study, we used pilocarpine to induce status epilepticus (SE) in rats, and we used mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1), a selective inhibitor to Drp1, to suppress mitochondrial fission in pilocarpine-induced SE model. Mdivi-1administered by intraperitoneal injection before SE induction, and the latency to firstepileptic seizure and the number of epileptic seizures was thereafter observed. The distribution of Drp1 was detected by immunofluorescence, and the expression patterns of Drp1 and ENT1 were detected by Western blot. Furthermore, the mitochondrial ultrastructure of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results We found that Drp1 was expressed mainly in neurons and Drp1 expression was significantly upregulated in the hippocampal and temporal neocortex tissues at 6 h and 24 h after induction of SE. Mitochondrial fission inhibitor 1 attenuated epileptic seizures after induction of SE, reduced mitochondrial damage and ENT1 expression. Conclusions These data indicate that Drp1 is upregulated in hippocampus and temporal neocortex after pilocarpine-induced SE and the inhibition of Drp1 may lead to potential therapeutic target for SE by regulating ENT1 after pilocarpine-induced SE.

This study evaluated the optimal concentrations of dietary Se for the productive and reproductive performance, tibial quality, and antioxidant status in duck breeders aged 23 to 49 wk. In total, 432 Longyan duck breeders aged 22 wk were allotted randomly to 6 treatments, each with 6 replicates of 12 individually caged birds. The experiment lasted for 27 wk, and birds were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 0.11, 0.19, 0.27, 0.35, 0.43, or 0.51 mg Se/kg, respectively. The tested dietary Se levels did not affect egg production and tibial quality of duck breeders. The Se contents of the shell, yolk or albumin, whole egg, and the fertility of set eggs increased in a linear and quadratic manner (P 0.19 mg Se/kg diet enhanced the antioxidant capacity in breeders and their offspring. The regression model indicated that dietary Se levels 0.19, 0.27, 0.28, 0.24, and 0.30 mg/kg are optimal levels to obtain maximum Se deposition efficiency in eggs, egg fertility, Gpx1 activity in erythrocytes and liver in duck breeders, and plasma activity of Gpx3 in newly hatched ducklings, respectively.

Tailoring of appropriate nanofibrous scaffold for wound healing applications is required strongly to develop people’s health care system. Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets containing co-substitution of Mg/Se-hydroxyapatite (HAP) were involved in ε-polycaprolactone (PCL) to be produced in nanofibrous scaffolds. The structural properties of both powder and nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized using XRD, while the morphological behavior was investigated via FESEM. The calculated lattice parameters indicated that HAP tends to grow in the c-axis to form rod shapes which were in the range of 0.7 μm in case of no contribution of GO as observed from FESEM micrographs. The networked nanofibrous scaffold possesses diameters around 0.15−0.92 μm at zero contribution of GO, while the diameters were categorized into two groups in a range of 0.2−0.42 μm and 1.25–1.67 μm. at the highest GO concertation. The mechanical properties of the nanofibrous scaffold were investigated and showed that the fracture toughness was enhanced from 0.66 ± 0.12 MJ/m3 to be 3.10 ± 0.21 MJ/m3, while fracture strength was developed from 0.81 ± 0.22 MPa to 4.4 ± 0.45 MPa at the lowest and highest GO, respectively. The interaction between nanofibrous scaffolds and human fibroblasts cell line was investigated in-vitro and illustrated that cells were spread and proliferated not only on the surface of fibers, but cells also grew deeply through the porosity of scaffold. The spreading of cells was affected strongly by the compositional constituents. Therefore, the fabricating of nanofibrous scaffolds with desired behaviors towards the biological environment could be done via controlling in compositional components.