Search

This report is on strain control of magnetic order parameters in 50 nm epitaxial NiFe2O4 (NFO) films grown on (001), (110), and (111) SrTiO3 (STO) single-crystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The related in-plane strains for NFO films on (001), (110), and (111) STO substrates are found to be ―1.36 %, 1.35 %, and 1.52 %, respectively, where the lattice mismatch between film and substrate is as high as 6.7 %. Our analysis of magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance on all the NFO films reveals the presence of a uniaxial anisotropy field, which is perpendicular to the film plane. The anisotropy field decreases with the increase of strain in NFO films. Specifically, NFO films on STO (111) and STO (001) have the lowest and highest uniaxial anisotropy fileds of 1.4 kOe and 6.1 kOe, respectively. These experimental values of anisotropy field are a factor of 5–10 times smaller than those of the calculated ones due to the film defects induced by the high lattice mismatch. The studies of magnetic anisotropy of spinel ferrite films are of interest for spintronics and microwave devices.

A graded-index fiber with yttrium aluminosilicate (YAS) glass core was fabricated by a “Melt-in-Tube” method. The refractive index and stress profiles of the fibers exhibit a highly symmetrical gradient tendency along the radial axis which is in accordance with the results of element migration. Based on the formation mechanism of YAS glass core, the relationships between the refractive index/stress profile and the spontaneous migration are discussed. A linear all-fiber laser based on the obtained fiber shows a laser output threshold of 11.48 mW and slope efficiency of 8.3%. The near-field beam intensity distribution of fiber laser with spectrum FWHM of 0.24nm indicates the good laser beam quality. The facile “Melt-in-tube” method was proved to be reliable in designing graded-index fiber through the dissolution and diffusion process, which is more advanced than commonly used “Rod-in-tube” method. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Mycoplasma synoviae can cause worldwide respiratory diseases, synovitis, or subclinical symptoms in poultry. M. synoviae infection occurs throughout the yr and causes significant economic losses, including increased mortality, condemnations, medication, and live production cost. In the present study, the seroprevalence of M. synoviae among 44,395 non-vaccinated chickens from 21 provinces in China from 2010 to 2015 was estimated using ELISA. The overall seroprevalence was 41.19%. Seropositive rates in different yr ranged between 24.70 and 57.20%; the highest seropositive rate was observed in 2010, and the lowest was observed in 2013. The prevalence rates varied greatly in different provinces from 5.10 to 100%. Of the 463 commercial flocks tested, 375 (80.99%) were positive for M. synoviae by ELISA. The seasonal distribution ranged between 26.83% (in October) and 53.98% (in July). An investigation of chickens according to age further showed that M. synoviae can infect chickens at any age. Our findings indicate that M. synoviae infection is very common in China and should prompt further research into its prevalence to develop effective control and prevention strategies.

Objective To explore the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of patients with brucellar spondylitis and try to classify them depending on the MRI findings. Material and methods 67 patients (male&female: 50&17) with brucellar spondylitis were recruited in this study. MRI examinations were performed in all patients. Firstly, MRI data were analyzed by two senior radiologists. Secondly, according to the imaging findings, patients were divided into different types. Results In all 67 patients with spinal brucellosis, 5 cases only had paravertebral soft tissue involved, 62 cases showed abnormal signal in single or multiple adjacent vertebrae. Thirty-five patients focused on the L4 vertebral involvement. 18 cases had appendage involvement. 27 cases hand intervertebral disc narrowing and cystic signal. Paravertebral, epidural and psoas abscesses were detected in 35, 20 and 8 cases. Patients were grouped according to MRI findings. The vertebral inflammatory type was the most frequently type with the rate of 35.8%, followed by discitis type 32.9%, adnexitis type 11.9%, paravertebral and psoas abscess type 11.9% and paravertebral soft tissue type 7.5%. Conclusion It is not difficult to diagnose brucellar spondylitis in MRI findings based on clinical background and laboratory tests. According to the performance of MRI, five types can be classified.

SummaryThe Yellow Sea region is of high global importance for waterbird populations, but recent systematic bird count data enabling identification of the most important sites are relatively sparse for some areas. Surveys of waterbirds at three sites on the coast of southern Jiangsu Province, China, in 2014 and 2015 produced peak counts of international importance for 24 species, including seven globally threatened and six Near Threatened species. The area is of particular global importance for the ‘Critically Endangered’ Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea (peak count across all three study sites: 62 in spring [2015] and 225 in autumn [2014] and ‘Endangered’ Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer (peak count across all three study sites: 210 in spring [2014] and 1,110 in autumn [2015]). The southern Jiangsu coast is therefore currently the most important migratory stopover area in the world, in both spring and autumn, for both species. Several serious and acute threats to waterbirds were recorded at these study sites. Paramount is the threat of large-scale land claim which would completely destroy intertidal mudflats of critical importance to waterbirds. Degradation of intertidal mudflat habitats through the spread of invasive Spartina, and mortality of waterbirds by entrapment in nets or deliberate poisoning are also real and present serious threats here. Collisions with, and displacement by, wind turbines and other structures, and industrial chemical pollution may represent additional potential threats. We recommend the rapid establishment of effective protected areas for waterbirds in the study area, maintaining large areas of open intertidal mudflat, and the urgent removal of all serious threats currently faced by waterbirds here.

Background The motivation of birds to proceed with migration is associated with both endogenous and exogenous factors. According to their migratory situation and to the characteristics of stopover sites, birds might exhibit migratory motivation differently among sites. Although migratory motivation of migrating birds has been well studied in many species, the investigation of the same species in different migratory situations and at different stopover sites is still limited. We predicted that birds at different stopover sites could differ in migratory disposition, including expression of migratory restlessness and responses to environmental cues. Methods Here we compared migration motivation and orientation of Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) at two stopover sites, Chongming Dongtan in the south Yellow Sea, which is a temporary rest site, and Yalujiang Estuary Wetland in the north Yellow Sea, which is a critical refuelling site, during northward migration. Modified Emlen funnels, with thermal paper inside to record scratches of the birds, were used to detect activity (intensity and direction) of birds. Environmental conditions, including wind direction and speed, cloud cover, tide condition, times of the day (before and after sunset) were recorded during experiments. Generalized linear models were used to detect the effects of endogenous and exogenous factors on the migratory motivation of the birds. Results In the south Yellow Sea, the migratory activity intensity of Great Knots was positively related to wind assistance. In the north Yellow Sea, where birds exhibited higher intensity of migratory activity than in the south, the intensity increased and the motivation to initiate migration grew stronger as the season advanced. The Great Knots exhibited wind-related orientation behaviour in the funnels at both sites. Conclusions The results suggest that the intensity of migratory motivation differed between the two sites. Departure decisions of Great Knots appear to be affected mainly by external factors at the temporary rest site in the south Yellow Sea but possibly by endogenous factors at the final pre-breeding refuelling site in the north Yellow Sea.

Magnetoelectric (ME) coupling effect of 2-2-type ferromagnetic/ferroelectric bi-layer multiferroic epitaxial thin film (La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7/PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3, LSMO/PZT) on SrRuO3 (SRO) substrate is investigated systematically by using Landau–Ginzburg–Devonshire (LGD) thermodynamic theory and modified constitutive equations. The calculating results clarify the detail relationships between ME coupling response and the residual strain, the volume fraction of constituent phases, the interface coupling coefficients, the magnetic field and the temperature. It also shows that improved ME coupling response can be modulated by these parameters. External magnetic fields ( H 1 ) induced ME coupling effect could be enhanced around Curie Temperature ( T c ) of ferromagnetic phase and ME voltage coefficient ( α E 31 ) approaches a maximum at H 1 ∼ 4.5 kOe near T c . The remarkable variations of ME coupling response can be used to provide useful guidelines on the design of multifunctional devices.

Competition intensity depends on the number of competitors and the amount of resources available. Coexistence of potential competitors can be enabled through niche differentiation or high resource availability. Using diet analysis, we investigated which of these 2 mechanisms was in play for coexisting shorebirds at a major staging site in the northern Yellow Sea, China, during northward migration in 2011 and 2012. Competition for food at this site is expected to be intense, with an estimated 250,000 migratory shorebirds gathering annually to refuel over a short period. Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris), Eurasian Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus osculans), and Red Knots (C. canutus) selected mostly the bivalve Potamocorbula laevis, whereas Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) had a broader diet and showed selection for polychaetes, even though most of their biomass intake was of P. laevis. Although all of these shorebirds fed on P. laevis, they showed different size selection and used diff...

All solid-state PbS quantum dot (QD)-doped glass fibers with tunable near-infrared (NIR) emission were successfully fabricated by using the “melt-in-tube” method for the first time. The precursor fibers were first prepared without any obvious element diffusion or crystallization by drawing the fiber preform at a heating temperature at which the fiber core was already melted while the fiber cladding was softened. Then the PbS QDs were precipitated evenly in the matrix of the glass fiber core after a careful heat treatment at low temperature. From the PbS QD-doped glass fibers, intense wavelength-tunable broad NIR emission bands were observed upon excitation with an 808 nm laser. The transmission loss of the fibers can be reduced by further matching the thermal expansion of the fiber core and cladding glass. Therefore, after further optimizing the composition and optical properties of the PbS QD-doped glass fiber, it is expected to be a potential gain medium for the development of wavelength-tunable lasers and broadband fiber amplifiers. More importantly, the melt-in-tube method exhibits a feature of completely controllable crystallization in the fiber formation process, which would open a new route for fabricating novel functional QD-doped glass fibers.

// Jinhuang Chen 1, * , Wenzheng Yuan 1, * , Liang Wu 1 , Qiang Tang 1 , Qinghua Xia 1 , Jintong Ji 1 , Zhengyi Liu 1 , Zhijun Ma 1 , Zili Zhou 1 , Yifeng Cheng 1 , Xiaogang Shu 1 1 Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Xiaogang Shu, email: sxg678@yahoo.com Keywords: PDGF-D, colorectal cancer, EMT, angiogenesis Received: August 11, 2016 Accepted: November 30, 2016 Published: December 27, 2016 ABSTRACT Platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) plays a crucial role in the progression of several cancers. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Our study showed that PDGF-D was highly expressed in CRC tissues and was positively associated with the clinicopathological features. Down-regulation of PDGF-D inhibited the tumor growth, migration and angiogenesis of SW480 cells in vitro and in vivo . Whereas up-regulation of PDGF-D promoted the malignant behaviors of HCT116 cells. Moreover, PDGF-D up-regulated the expression of Notch1 and Twist1 in CRC cells. In addition, PDGF-D expression promoted Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was accompanied with decreased E-cadherin and increased Vimentin expression. Consistently, PDGF-D, Notch1, and Twist1 are obviously up-regulated in transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) treated HCT116 cells. Since Notch1 and Twist1 play an important role in EMT and tumor progression, we examined whether there is a correlation between Notch1 and Twist1 in EMT status. Our results showed that up-regulation of Notch1 was able to rescue the effects of PDGF-D down-regulation on Twist1 expression in SW480 cells, whereas down-regulation of Notch1 reduced Twist1 expression in HCT116 cells. Furthermore, we found that Twist1 promoted EMT and aggressiveness of CRC cells. These results suggest that PDGF-D promotes tumor growth and aggressiveness of CRC, moreover, down-regulation of PDGF-D inactivates Notch1/Twist1 axis, which could reverse EMT and prevent CRC progression.

Autologous gene therapy using lentiviral vectors (LVs) holds promise for treating monogenetic blood diseases. However, clinical applications can be limited by suboptimal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transduction and insufficient quantities of available vector. We recently reported gene therapy for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency using a protocol in which patient CD34+ cells were incubated with two successive transductions. Here we describe an improved protocol for LV delivery to CD34+ cells that simplifies product manipulation, reduces vector consumption, and achieves greater vector copy number (VCN) of repopulating HSCs in mouse xenotransplantation assays. Notable findings include the following: (1) the VCN of CD34+ cells measured shortly after transduction did not always correlate with the VCN of repopulating HSCs after xenotransplantation; (2) single-step transduction at higher CD34+ cell concentrations (2–4 × 106/ml) conserved LV without compromising HSC VCN; (3) poloxamer F108 (LentiBOOST) increased HSC VCN by two- to threefold (average from three donors); (4) although LentiBOOST + prostaglandin E2 combination further increased VCN in vitro, the VCN observed in vivo were similar to LentiBOOST alone; (5) cyclosporine H increased the HSC VCN to a similar or greater extent with LentiBOOST in vivo. Our findings delineate an improved protocol to increase the VCN of HSCs after CD34+ cell transduction with clinically relevant LVs.

The non-equilibrium state of correlated electron materials is crucial for both scientific research and practical applications in optoelectronic and photonic devices. Because of the weak optical nonlinearity of most materials even under a dense optical excitation, it is desirable to achieve a significant nonlinear optical response with ultrafast and large optical nonlinearity utilizing a common material. Here, an ultrafast response and large optical nonlinearity induced by non-equilibrium electrons in typical transition metal dichalcogenides, TiSe2, are investigated in the 1.55-2.0 μm wavelength region. Significantly, we observe an ultrafast transient dynamics of 491 femtoseconds as well as a large optical nonlinearity with a saturable coefficient of -0.17 cm GW-1 (1.55 μm) and -0.10 cm GW-1 (2.0 μm). Upon increasing pump fluence, TiSe2 exhibits an enhanced bleaching response amplitude up to 563%. Furthermore, a stable Q-switched fiber laser in the 2.0 μm wavelength region is achieved by employing the TiSe2-saturable absorber. The findings offer the potential design to enhance the optical nonlinearity via non-equilibrium electrons for advanced photonic devices.

BackgroundIndividual inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are rare disorders. Expanded newborn screening for IEMs by tandem mass spectrometry (TMS) is an efficient approach for early diagnosis. Here we provide the newborn screening program for the application of this approach (between July 2014 and March 2019) to the identification of newborns in Beijing at risk of developing a potentially fatal disease.MethodsThe amino acids and acylcarnitines in dried blood spots were analyzed by TMS. Diagnoses of newborns with elevated metabolites were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, biochemical studies, and genetic analysis.ResultsAmong the healthy newborns, 16 metabolic disorder cases were confirmed, giving a total birth prevalence of 1:3666 live births. Organic acidemia (OA) was the most common (9/16 patients; 56%), and methylmalonic acidemia was the most frequently observed OA (7/9 patients; 89%). Five infants were diagnosed with methylmalonic acidemia with homocystinuria type CblC, two with isolated methylmalonic acidemia, one with propionic acidemia, and one with isovaleric acidemia. Four patients (4/16, 25%) were diagnosed with hyperphenylalaninemia. One suffered with medium-chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, one with carnitine uptake deficiency, and one with citrin deficiency. Eleven cases underwent genetic analysis. Seventeen mutations in eight IEM-associated genes were identified in 11 confirmed cases. Symptoms were already present within 2 days after birth in 44% (7/16) cases. The infant with propionic acidemia died at 7 days after birth. The other cases received timely diagnosis and treatment, and most of them grew well.ConclusionsThe results illustrate challenges encountered in disease management highlighting the importance of newborn screening for inherited metabolic disorders, which is not yet nationally available in our country. Regional newborn screening programs will provide a better estimation of the incidence of IEM.

Organisms cope with environmental stressors by behavioral, morphological, and physiological adjustments. Documentation of such adjustments in the wild provides information on the response space in nature and the extent to which behavioral and bodily adjustments lead to appropriate performance effects. Here we studied the morphological and digestive adjustments in a staging population of migrating Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris in response to stark declines in food abundance and quality at the Yalu Jiang estuarine wetland (northern Yellow Sea, China). At Yalu Jiang, from 2011 to 2017 the densities of intertidal mollusks, the food of Great Knots, declined 15-fold. The staple prey of Great Knots shifted from the relatively soft-shelled bivalve Potamocorbula laevis in 2011–2012 to harder-shelled mollusks such as the gastropod Umbonium thomasi in 2016–2017. The crushing of the mollusks in the gizzard would require a threefold to 11-fold increase in break force. This was partially resolved by a 15% increase in gizzard mass which would yield a 32% increase in shell processing capacity. The consumption of harder-shelled mollusks was also accompanied by reliance on regurgitates to excrete unbreakable parts of prey, rather than the usual intestinal voidance of shell fragments as feces. Despite the changes in digestive morphology and strategy, there was still an 85% reduction in intake rate in 2016–2017 compared with 2011–2012. With these morphological and digestive adjustments, the Great Knots remaining faithful to the staging site to a certain extent buffered the disadvantageous effects of dramatic food declines. However, compensation was not complete. Locally, birds will have had to extend foraging time and use a greater daily foraging range. This study offers a perspective on how individual animals may mitigate the effects of environmental change by morphological and digestive strategies and the limits to the response space of long-distance migrating shorebirds in the wild.

Objectives Fentanyl is a potent analgesic that accounts for an increasing number of overdose deaths in the United States. This study tested whether altered pharmacokinetics plays a pivotal role in the increased fentanyl dose requirements in patients receiving the enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant, carbamazepine. Methods Neurosurgical patients receiving carbamazepine for >6 weeks (N = 11) or no carbamazepine (N = 6, controls) received a single bolus dose of fentanyl (200 μg) intravenously. Plasma was collected before and for up to 9 h after the bolus. Fentanyl concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic variables were derived from plasma concentration–time curves best fitted to a two-compartment model. Key findings Fentanyl clearance was significantly higher in the carbamazepine group compared to controls (mean ± SD: 20.1 ± 6.8 vs 13.2 ± 4.8 ml/min per kg, P < 0.05), and area under the plasma concentration curve (AUC) was significantly lower (150 ± 65 vs 233 ± 70 ng/ml × min, P < 0.02). Volume of distribution was larger in the carbamazepine group, but the difference was not statistically significant (5.4 ± 3.1 vs 3.6 ± 1.2 l/kg, P > 0.15). The terminal elimination half-life did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions Chronic carbamazepine therapy leads to increased fentanyl clearance and decreased AUC, which may result in decreased duration of therapeutic plasma concentrations of fentanyl and an increased dose requirement. Assuming that carbamazepine does not change fentanyl pharmacodynamics, patients on chronic carbamazepine therapy may require more frequent or higher fentanyl doses to maintain therapeutic plasma concentrations.

PURPOSE:To determine the correlation between the parameters of MR diffusion kurtosis imaging (MR-DKI) and mismatch repair gene expression (MMR) for rectal carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Data from 80 patients with rectal carcinoma were analyzed in this prospective study. High-resolution T2WI and DKI (b = 0, 800 and 1600 s/mm2, respectively) were performed. Mean kurtosis (MK) and mean diffusivity (MD) from DKI were measured. MMR-positive expression and HER-2 expression were classified into two groups. For comparison between different grades, the Mann-Whitney U test, receiver operating characteristic curve, and Spearman's correlation analysis were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS:The MK values in identifying positive MMR expressions (MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6) were more reliable than the MD values (rs value: 0.772 vs. 0.448, 0.733 vs. 0.499, and 0.828 vs. 0.633 respectively, P0.05). Similarly, MK values were better than MD values in identifying HER2 expression (z = 2.795, P

Two-dimensional FE models of CGI with different pearlite contents for thermal conductivity analysis were established according to the real metallographic images obtained by Pro/E and ANSYS. Meanwhile, thermal conductivity of CGI with different pearlite contents was tested through the laser flash method. It is indicated that the thermal conductivity of CGI declines with the increase of pearlite. When pearlite is increased from 10% to 80%, the experimental values decline from 46.63 W/m·K to 36.86 W/m·K, reducing by 21%. However, this declining tendency becomes gentle and slight when pearlite is more than 40%. In addition, the calculation results with the consideration of interfacial contact thermal conductance (ICTC) and pearlite are much close to experimental values; especially when pearlite is 80%, the difference between them is only about 2%. It can be concluded that the FE models are convenient and reasonable to analyze thermal conductivity of CGI.

Because migration is highly time-constrained and migration timing varies among individuals, the responses of migrants to food shortage at a refuelling site could differ between individuals that arrive early and late at the site. To test this hypothesis, we compared the stopover decision, in terms of occurrence and length of stay (LOS), of radiotagged Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris before (2012) and after (2015) a dramatic decline in food supply at a critical spring final pre-breeding refuelling site in the northern Yellow Sea. The probability of occurrence at the refuelling site was consistent between the two years, whereas the average LOS significantly shortened in the year of food shortage in late-arriving individuals. This suggests migration timing intensifies the influence of food shortage in late-arriving individuals, which might be more sensitive and vulnerable to food shortage at refuelling sites compared with early-arriving individuals.

Especially in birds, it is widely found that the size of individual prey items follows the size of the instruments of prey capture, handling and processing, i.e. bill size. In fact, this is the natural history basis of major discoveries on adaptive evolution in the face of changing food resources. In some birds, e.g. the molluscivore shorebirds ingesting hard‐shelled prey, most of the prey processing takes place within the digestive tract. This study of a salvaged sample of actively feeding great knots Calidris tenuirostris accidentally drowned in fishing nets in northern China, is the first documentation of diet selection at the level of the individual in previously well‐studied molluscivore shorebirds. Diet composition was not associated with the length of the bill, but with the mass of the muscular gizzard. Gizzard mass, which unlike bill length is a phenotypically flexible trait, enables great knots to adjust to changing food resources as an individual, i.e. instantly responding to the food on offer. For migratory species like great knots which rely on seasonal sequences of interdistant feeding areas offering prey with a variety of characteristics, the capacity to individually adjust appears a key adaptation.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-09-12T16:53:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019 American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities California Institute of Regenerative Medicine [CLIN2-09504] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [P01 HL053749] National Cancer Institute [CA21765] National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [Z01-AI-00988] NIAID [U54-AI082973] Assisi Foundation of Memphis Background Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) often fails to reconstitute immunity associated with T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells when matched sibling donors are unavailable unless high-dose chemotherapy is given. In previous studies, autologous gene therapy with gamma-retroviral vectors failed to reconstitute B-cell and NK-cell immunity and was complicated by vector-related leukemia. Methods We performed a dual-center, phase 1-2 safety and efficacy study of a lentiviral vector to transfer IL2RG complementary DNA to bone marrow stem cells after low-exposure, targeted busulfan conditioning in eight infants with newly diagnosed SCID-X1. Results Eight infants with SCID-X1 were followed for a median of 16.4 months. Bone marrow harvest, busulfan conditioning, and cell infusion had no unexpected side effects. In seven infants, the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and naive CD4+ T cells and NK cells normalized by 3 to 4 months after infusion and were accompanied by vector marking in T cells, B cells, NK cells, myeloid cells, and bone marrow progenitors. The eighth infant had an insufficient T-cell count initially, but T cells developed in this infant after a boost of gene-corrected cells without busulfan conditioning. Previous infections cleared in all infants, and all continued to grow normally. IgM levels normalized in seven of the eight infants, of whom four discontinued intravenous immune globulin supplementation; three of these four infants had a response to vaccines. Vector insertion-site analysis was performed in seven infants and showed polyclonal patterns without clonal dominance in all seven. Conclusions Lentiviral vector gene therapy combined with low-exposure, targeted busulfan conditioning in infants with newly diagnosed SCID-X1 had low-grade acute toxic effects and resulted in multilineage engraftment of transduced cells, reconstitution of functional T cells and B cells, and normalization of NK-cell counts during a median follow-up of 16 months. (Funded by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities and others; LVXSCID-ND ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01512888.) [Mamcarz, Ewelina; Triplett, Brandon; Janssen, William; Gottschalk, Stephen] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Bone Marrow Transplantat & Cellular Therapy, 262 Danny Thomas Pl,Mail Stop 1130, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Zhou, Sheng; Condori, Jose; Dowdy, Jola; Tang, Xing; Ryu, Byoung Y.; Weiss, Mitchell J.; Sorrentino, Brian P.] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Hematol, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Lockey, Timothy; Meagher, Michael M.] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Therapeut Prod & Qual, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Abdelsamed, Hossam; Youngblood, Benjamin] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Immunol, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Cross, Shane J.] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Pharmaceut Sci, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Kang, Guolian; Li, Chen] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Biostat, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Maron, Gabriela] St Jude Childrens Res Hosp, Dept Infect Dis, 332 N Lauderdale St, Memphis, TN 38105 USA [Aldave Becerra, Juan C.] Hosp Nacl Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, Allergy & Clin Immunol Div, Lima, Peru [Church, Joseph A.] Childrens Hosp Los Angeles, Dept Pediat, Div Allergy Immunol, Los Angeles, CA 90027 USA [Long-Boyle, Janel R.; Puck, Jennifer M.; Cowan, Morton J.] Univ Calif San Francisco, Dept Pediat, Benioff Childrens Hosp, Div Pediat Allergy Immunol Bone Marrow Transplant, San Francisco, CA USA [Dokmeci, Elif] Univ New Mexico, Dept Pediat Pediat Allergy & Immunol, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA [Love, James T.] Univ Oklahoma, Hlth Sci Ctr, Tulsa, OK USA [da Matta Ain, Ana C.] Universidade de Taubaté (Unitau), Dept Pediat, Conselho Nacl Med, Sao Paulo, Brazil [van der Watt, Hedi] Copperfield Childcare, Claremont, South Africa [De Ravin, Suk See; Malech, Harry L.] NIAID, Genet Immunotherapy Sect, Lab Clin Immunol & Microbiol, NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA

Reed marshes are vital habitats for many species of birds, some of which are wholly or largely dependent on this habitat. Reed harvesting in winter is a common practice for increasing economic benefits, but it also promotes reed growth and maintains reed marsh landscapes by removing dry reed stalks. Different reed cutting intervals create different habitat conditions and thus lead to differences in habitat use by marsh birds. Although many studies have reported birds and their habitat conditions in reed marshes with different cutting schemes in Europe, few studies have been conducted in Asia, where reed marshes are widely distributed. Here, we conducted a one-year survey (from March 2019 to February 2020) on birds and their habitat conditions (vegetation and food) in reed marshes with three cutting intervals: age 1 (cutting every year), age 2 (cutting with one-year interval), and uncut (uncut for four years), at Chongming Dongtan, an estuarine wetland on China’s coast. As the cutting interval increased, the growing reed density decreased, the dry reed and total reed density increased, and the food density (in terms of reed seeds, arthropods, and arthropod eggs) decreased. A total of 4627 birds of 23 species were captured by mist nets. In general, species capture rates were similar among the three habitats in the same season, and individual capture rates in uncut reed marshes were lower than those in age 1 and age 2 marshes. This was probably because the relatively low density of reed stems promoted the movement of birds to age 1 and age 2 marshes, where birds could find abundant food. In contrast to previous studies, we found that age 1 marshes provide suitable habitats for birds soon after vegetation is restored in summer. However, reed parrotbills (Paradoxornis heudei), a common reed marsh specialist, had high capture rates in uncut reed marshes in winter. This is probably because they live in dense vegetation, and dense vegetation can reduce threats from aerial predators. This study emphasizes that habitat use should be considered in reed cutting practices and that a mixture of reed marshes with different cutting intervals benefits different birds and also different requirements of the same birds over the course of the year.

The evolution of the microstructure and the variation in the thermal expansion properties of the Al 63 Cu 25 Fe 12 alloy by the addition of different amounts of cerium (Ce) are investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Herein, a new series of quasicrystal alloys containing Ce are prepared. Results revealed that the Al 63 Cu 25 Fe 12 alloy contains icosahedral quasicrystal phase (I-phase), λ − Al 13 Fe 4 phase, β − Al 0.5 Fe 0.5 phase and Al 2 Cu 3 phase. The addition of Ce is confirmed to lead to grain refinement, formation of the Al 13 Ce 2 Cu 13 phase, disappearance of the λ − Al 13 Fe 4 phase. Furthermore, the area fraction of the I-phase in the alloy is confirmed to reach the maximum value, and the linear expansion coefficient of the alloy is the lowest due to the addition of Ce of up to 1 at%. The addition of Ce can reduce the linear expansion coefficient of the Al 63 Cu 25 Fe 12 alloy by ∼20%. The contribution of Ce will render better prospects for the application of Al-Cu-Fe-Ce materials.

Epitaxial Ni films with various thicknesses were grown on (0 0 1)-oriented 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3 (PMN–PT) substrates. Electric field tuning (E-tuning) of ferromagnetic resonance field (Hr) was utilized to investigate the magnetic response of Ni films along different film directions. Butterfly-like Hr vs E curves are shown when magnetic field is applied along film edge. While the combination of both loop-like and butterfly-like Hr vs E curves are observed for Ni film with thicknesses of 180 nm and 240 nm, and merely loop-like curves can be seen for film thicknesses of 330 nm and 510 nm, as magnetic field is applied along film diagonal. These interesting phenomena are assumed to be related to ferroelectric and ferroelastic domain switching in PMN-PT, film strain status, as well as magnetic anisotropy in Ni film. This work demonstrates the feasibility of control of anisotropic magnetic response via electric field in multiferroic heterostructure.

To reduce the harm to wildlife caused by habitat loss and degradation, significant resources have been invested in habitat restoration worldwide. However, whether restored habitats can support wildlife communities similar to those natural ones remains unclear. Providing habitat for waterbirds, which are dependent on wetland for their survival, is a major target in many wetland restoration practices. Here we conducted a year-round waterbird survey at Chongming Dongtan, a national nature reserve established for waterbird conservation in the south Yellow Sea, in order to compare the characteristics of waterbird communities in four wetland types: restored wetlands, natural tidal wetlands, and two artificial wetlands (fish ponds and farmlands). We determined whether waterbird diversity and species composition differed among the wetland types. The results indicated that waterbird diversity, in terms of species richness, individual density, Shannon-Wiener diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity, was generally similar in the restored and natural wetlands and was higher in the restored and natural wetlands than in fish ponds or farmlands. Most threatened species and exclusive species occurred in both natural and restored wetlands, but the overall species composition significantly differed between natural and restored wetlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis also indicated that waterbird community significantly differed among the wetland types. The results suggest that restored wetlands support substantial waterbird diversity but cannot replace natural wetlands because they lack the period tides that many tideland specialists (shorebirds) depend on. This study highlights the importance of protecting natural wetlands for waterbird conservation. We propose that both the diversity and species composition of wildlife communities should be considered in evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration for wildlife.

In regards to the list of authors on this article[1], the names should appear as follows: Y. Liu, P. Zhou, J. Fu, M. Iyengar, N. Liu, P. Du, Y. Xiong, V. Moiseienko, W. Zhang, J. Zhang, Z. Ma, Y. Qi, V. Novosad, T. Zhou, D. Filippov, T. Zhang, M. R. Page and G. Srinivasan

The combination of ferroelectricity and quantum tunneling enables the tantalizing possibility of next-generation nonvolatile memories based on ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs). In the last two decades, significant progress has been achieved in the understanding of FTJs in terms of the role of the critical thickness for ferroelectricity, interface-related factors that yield an enhanced tunneling electroresistance effect, as well exploiting the combination of magnetism and ferroelectricity to realize multiferroic or magnetoelectric tunnel junctions. One key ingredient in the successful design of FTJs is the type and nature of the electrode used—indeed device performance strongly hinges on the ability to precisely tune and modulate the electrostatic boundary conditions. This perspective presents an overview of the experimental state of the art in electrode engineering for FTJs. We discuss related governing factors and methods for various electrode-FTJ combinations, highlighting and comparing the advantages and weaknesses for each system. Finally, we also reveal the challenges and identify the opportunities for the future development of FTJs. In summary, we aim to provide significant insights into electrode engineering of high-quality FTJs with excellent tunneling electroresistance performance.

A new investigation on the variation rule of the structure, morphology, chemical composition and photocatalytic performance of bismuth oxyiodide synthesized by solvothermal method as a function of reaction conditions was performed here. The composition and morphology of the product could be determined by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the particle size together with content of iodide in bismuth oxyiodide decrease with the increase of the concentration of reaction precursors. Hollow Bi 4 O 5 I 2 microsphere with specific surface area as high as 120.88 m 2 g −1 can be easily synthesized when the concentration of the reaction precursors finally increased to 62.5 mM. Photocatalytic water purification performance of the as-prepared samples was evaluated by using Rhodamine B (RhB) as a model contaminant. The results revealed that the hollow Bi 4 O 5 I 2 exhibited the best performance among all the bismuth oxyodide synthesized here for the degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation. Meanwhile, the formation mechanism of the hierarchical hollow structure of bismuth oxyiodide was investigated by the dissolution-recrystallization mechanism.

In order to increase metallic state of surface and elevate dispersion of Bi2Te3 nanoparticles, we synthesized nanoscaled Bi2Te3 with a size of 91.4±2.2 nm via a hydrothermal method. Bi2Te3 nanoparticles exhibit narrow distribution in size and uniform dispersion in several solvents, such as ethanol and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) solution. A Bi2Te3/PMMA flexible composite film was fabricated to further guarantee the uniformity of dispersion during the application. An open-aperture Z-scan technique was utilized to verify saturable absorption response of the Bi2Te3/PMMA composite film under 130 fs pulse at a wavelength of 800 nm. The nonlinear absorption coefficient ββ was fitted to be ~10−11m/W, and the value of ββ slightly increased as the incident laser strengthened. A modulation depth of 15.1% and a saturation intensity of 18.9 GW/cm2 for the composite film were also calculated. Our investigation suggests that the nanoscaled Bi2Te3/PMMA composite film could potentially be applied in large-energy laser pulses due to its high saturable intensity, and which might enlarge the application range of topological insulator (TI) materials.

Migratory birds face serious time constraints in their life cycles. Species carry on their activities during optimal time windows to maximise their fitness. To understand the temporal patterns of migrating shorebirds, we analysed the pattern of turnover within shorebird communities during northward and southward migration at Chongming Dongtan, a stop-over site in the southern Yellow Sea along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Results indicated that temporal patterns in shorebird communities differed between seasons. In the boreal spring, the rate of community turnover was initially slow, then increased rapidly midseason, and finally stabilised. In the boreal autumn, in contrast, the rate of community turnover kept constant. This suggests that shorebird species exhibited more temporal overlap in spring than in autumn, perhaps because time constraints are more severe at breeding than non-breeding grounds. The species sequence was strongly linked with breeding latitude: species that breed farther north occurred at the study site later than those that breed farther south on both northward and southward migration. Moreover, large species were more likely to arrive at the stop-over site early on northward (but not on southward) migration than small species. Integrated with the results from intraspecific studies, we propose that the timing of migration is closely related to the breeding latitude both among and within species.

The scaling behavior of dynamic hysteresis was investigated in Bi3.15Nd0.85Ti3O12 bulk ceramics at a frequency of 1–1000 Hz and an external electric field amplitude of 79–221 kV/cm. The scaling behavior at low amplitude (E 0 ≤ 114 kV/cm) takes the form of $$\langle A \rangle \propto f^{ - 0.013} E_{0}^{0.7}$$ for low frequency (f ≤ 200 Hz) and $$\langle A \rangle \propto f^{ - 0.013} E_{0}^{0.22}$$ for high frequency (f > 200 Hz), where $$\langle A \rangle$$ is the area of hysteresis loop and f and E 0 are frequency and amplitude of external electric field, respectively. At high amplitude (E 0 > 114 kV/cm), we obtain $$\langle A \rangle \propto f^{0.011} E_{0}^{1.163}$$ at low frequency and $$\langle A \rangle \propto f^{ - 0.015} E_{0}^{0.7}$$ at high frequency. At low E 0, the contribution to the scaling relation mainly results from reversible domain switching, while at high E 0 reversible and irreversible domain switching concurrently contribute to the scaling relation.

Insertional oncogenesis due to retroviral (RV) vector integration has caused recurrent leukemia in multiple gene therapy trials, predominantly due to vector integration effects at the LMO2 locus. While currently available preclinical safety models have been used for evaluating vector safety, none have predicted or reproduced the recurrent LMO2 integrations seen in previous X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) and Wiskott–Aldrich clinical gene therapy trials. We now describe a new assay for assessing vector safety that recapitulates naturally occurring insertions into Lmo2 and other T-cell proto-oncogenes leading to a preleukemic developmental arrest in primary murine thymocytes cultured in vitro. This assay was used to compare the relative oncogenic potential of a variety of gamma-RV and lentiviral vectors and to assess the risk conferred by various transcriptional elements contained in these genomes. Gamma-RV vectors that contained full viral long-terminal repeats were most prone to causing double negative 2 (DN2) arrest and led to repeated cases of Lmo2 pathway activation, while lentiviral vectors containing these same elements were significantly less prone to activate proto-oncogenes or cause DN2 arrest. This work provides a new preclinical assay that is especially relevant for assessing safety in SCID disorders and provides a new tool for designing safer RV vectors.

The correlation between the expression of DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) and estrogen receptor α (ERα), as well as the methylation status of ERα, was analyzed to investigate the clinical significance of DNMT1 and ERα in breast cancer. Substance P immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were utilized to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of DNMT1 and ERα in 112 breast cancer and 20 normal breast specimens. Methylation specific PCR was utilized to detect the methylation status of ERα in ERα-positive and -negative breast cancer specimens and 20 normal breast specimens. The results of the present study revealed that DNMT1 protein and mRNA levels were low in normal breast specimens (10.00 and 46.05%, respectively) and ERα-positive breast cancer specimens (15.00 and 48.68%, respectively), compared with increased levels in ERα-negative breast cancer specimens (81.11 and 88.89%, respectively; P0.05). The protein and mRNA expression levels of DNMT1 were negatively correlated with ERα expression (P

Polymeric nanofibers containing gold nanorods (GNRs) are aligned in a uniform orientation through electrospinning. The dispersive and absorptive parts of the third-order optical nonlinear optical refractive index of the composite film measured by polarization dependent z-scan method are demonstrated to be anisotropically enhanced. Anisotropic optical response of the aligned GNRs and its connection with the ultrafast electron dynamics are discussed in light of the results of resonant femtosecond pump-probe experiments. The significant appearance of anisotropic nonlinear optical properties of ensembles of GNRs is attributed to the sensitive excitation of longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of highly aligned GNRs. For the macroscopic applications of ensembles of GNRs, such as passive mode-locking and all-optical switching, the experimental results demonstrate that the alignment of GNRs through electrospinning should be very high efficient, and economic.

Nanostructured YAG:Nd³⁺ is an interesting material with a wide range of applications. In this paper, we report the fabrication of luminescent YAG:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles via a simple template-assisting nano-casting technique. By optimizing the synthetic parameters, bead-like hollow YAG:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles with nano-porous walls were successfully prepared. Their porous and hollow structures, and strong photoluminescence in the "Human Optical Window" make the YAG:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles promising candidates for in-vivo applications.

Nanofibers are characterized with unique electronic, magnetic and optical properties, due to their extremely high aspect ratio and large specific surface area. Assembly of nanofibers with predesigned macro architectures is a key step toward practical applications. Herein, we demonstrate the scalable oriented assembly of nanofibers based on electrospinning, and explore their potential application in constructing optically anisotropic films. By the post soaking-and-drying approach, the nonwoven films assembled by oriented polymer nanofibers can be readily converted to flexible films with high transparency, which show optical transmission contrast exceeding 0.9 in the visible to near infrared region. The method for preparation of optically anisotropic films proposed here circumvents the sophisticated dye-doping and thermal drawing processes which are inevitable in conventional approaches. Considering the scalability potential of the electrospinning technique, the method demonstrated here is promising for industrial production of film polarizers.

Sepsis, frequently caused by infection of bacteria, is considered as an uncontrollable systematic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS). Maresin 1 (Mar1) is a new proresolving mediator with potent anti-inflammatory effect in several animal models. However, its effect in sepsis is still not investigated. To address this question, we developed sepsis model in BALB/c mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with or without Mar1 treatment. Our data showed that Mar1 markedly improved survival rate and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in CLP mice such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Furthermore, Mar1 reduced serum level of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and enhanced the bacteria clearance in mice sepsis model. Moreover, Mar1 attenuated lung injury and decreased level of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine (Cre), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum in mice after CLP surgery. Treatment with Mar1 inhibited activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κb) pathway. In conclusion, Mar1 exhibited protective effect in sepsis by reducing LPS, bacteria burden in serum, inhibiting inflammation response, and improving vital organ function. The possible mechanism is partly involved in inhibition of NF-κb activation.

Electrospinning-derived nanofibrous films functionalized by photocatalysts have been extensively studied in the applications of environmental remediation. In this investigation, we propose a simple strategy for preparation of flexible and chemically stable nanofibrous films with high photocatalytic efficiency. Specifically, SiO 2 nanofibrous film modified with Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles was studied as a representative. Flexible SiO 2 nanofibers were derived through sol–gel and electrospinning techniques. By simple soaking in precursor solution of Bi 2 WO 6 and calcination, the SiO 2 nanofibrous film was functionalized by Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles, forming hierarchically porous composite film. Micro morphology, mechanical property and photocatalytic performance were tuned via changing the concentration of the soaking solution. Photocatalytic removal of organic pollutant from water was performed using RhB (Rhodamine B) as a model. The strategy proposed here is also widely applicable for preparation of composite films modified with other kinds of photocatalysts. SiO 2 –Bi 2 MoO 6 , SiO 2 –TiO 2 and SiO 2 –CuO composite films were prepared in a similar way to demonstrate the versatility of the proposed preparation strategy.

Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) causes an immunosuppressive, oncogenic, and runting syndrome in many avian hosts worldwide. The immunosuppression caused by REV can decrease the antibody levels of vaccines and subsequent increase susceptibility to secondary infections. There are no commercial vaccines or effective drugs to control REV infections at present. To investigate the REV infection status in chickens in China, 25,224 sera from 573 chicken flocks, collected between 2005 and 2015, were measured for REV antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The seroprevalence of REV antibodies in the flocks was 56.20% (322/573) and the overall seroprevalence in individual chickens was 13.91% (3,509/25,224). Of the 23 regions sampled, all provinces, except Heilongjiang, produced positive samples. Guangxi had the highest rate, of 57.84%. The virus-positive rate also tended to increase as the chickens aged. Our study indicates that REV infection has been common in China over the past decade.

Compared with 2D microstructure characterization, quantitative characterization of graphite morphology from 3D perspective can make it more possible to predict and improve properties of cast iron with relatively high accuracy. In the present study, based on 2D metallographic photos, X-ray tomography was utilized to investigate 3D morphology of graphite clusters in different cast iron and 3D quantitative characterization of graphite morphology was carried out by Avizo software. The results show that basically all nodular graphite in ductile iron are isolated and almost all graphite phase is interconnected in gray iron. The interconnectivity of compacted graphite iron is closely related with vermicularity. The flake-shaped graphite in gray iron is different with coral-shaped graphite in compacted graphite iron from 3D perspective. The quantity proportion of graphite clusters smaller than 10000μm3 is as high as 99.7% and 97.1% respectively in gray iron and compacted graphite iron with 91.3% vermicularity. The volume of graphite clusters larger than 100000μm3 basically accounts for most of graphite volume and the proportion is over 95% in gray iron and compacted graphite iron with high vermicularity. The difference of graphite volume distribution among different cast iron is mainly concentrated in the volume range from 10000 to 100000μm3.

Coal preparation before combustion is an efficient and low-cost method for the clean utilization of coal. In this study, a dry high-gradient magnetic separator was used to conduct magnetic-separation desulfurization of pulverized coal. The effects of feed size, microwave pretreatment time and background field intensity of the high-gradient magnetic separation on the desulfurization rate, Srej, and specific susceptibility, X0, of the coal were investigated, and the degree of influence of the operating parameters on Srej was explored via an orthogonal test method. The experimental results indicated that microwave pretreatment effectively increased both Srej and X0. Particularly, X0 exhibited a maximum value with increasing pretreatment time and was 1.8 times higher than that for un-pretreated coal. Further, Srej increased monotonically with increasing field intensity and decreasing feed size, which indicated that classification can effectively improve the desulfurization performance of pulverized coal. The optimum desulfurization conditions, which resulted in a maximum Srej value of 52%, were achieved at a microwave pretreatment time of 4 min, a background field strength of 5000 Gs, and a raw coal particle size of −0.074 mm.

Wind farms are a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and may mitigate the effects of climate change. However, they have complex ecological consequences, especially their negative effects on birds. The East China coast is a key part of the East Asian-Australasian flyway (EAAF) for migratory waterbirds, and numerous wind farms have been or will be built in this region owing to high electricity demand and wind energy resources. However, little is known regarding the effects of large-scale wind farms of the East China coast on biodiversity conservation. The negative effects of wind farms on waterbirds that overwinter here could be reduced by understanding waterbird distribution and movement around wind turbines in these areas. From 2017 to 2019, we selected the Chongming Islands as our study area, which are one of the most important hot spots for migratory waterbirds of the East China coast and have sufficient wind generation potential to achieve energy sustainability, to study how to coordinate coastal wind farm development (existing and planned wind farms) and waterbird conservation (important waterbird habitats and buffer zone due to characteristic of waterbird activity). We identified four coastal natural wetlands of international importance for waterbirds according to 16 field surveys in 2017–2018. We found that over 63.16% species and 89.86% of waterbirds flew regularly across a dyke in Chongming Dongtan, where the wind farms are generally located, and used the natural intertidal wetland as a feeding ground and artificial habitat behind the dyke as a supplementary habitat for foraging and roosting. Additionally, with 4603 locations of 14 GPS/GSM tracked waterbirds (seven shorebirds and seven ducks) in Chongming Dongtan in 2018–2019, we further demonstrated that more than 60% of waterbird locations were within a distance of 800–1300 m from the dyke, and this distance could be defined as a buffer zone to protect waterbirds. Finally, we found that 67 existing wind turbines adjacent to four important coastal habitats on the Chongming Islands may influence waterbirds based on our finding of the buffer zone for waterbird conservation. We concluded that the settlement of wind farms should be avoided not only in important coastal natural wetlands for waterbird conservation but also in a proper buffer zone covering the artificial wetlands, such as aquaculture ponds and paddy fields adjoining these important natural wetlands.