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Chrysoeriol is a flavone found in diverse dietary and medicinal herbs such as Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (the dried flower bud or newly bloomed flower of Lonicera japonica Thunb.). These herbs are commonly used for treating inflammatory diseases. Herbal extracts containing chrysoeriol have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and inhibit nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. Some of these extracts can inhibit signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in cancer cells.This study aimed to determine whether chrysoeriol has anti-inflammatory effects and whether NF-κB and STAT3 pathways are involved in the effects.A TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-induced ear edema mouse model and LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were used to evaluate the effects of chrysoeriol. Griess reagent was used to measure the production of nitric oxide (NO). Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were employed to detect protein levels. RT-qPCR analyses were used to detect mRNA levels. Haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was employed to examine the pathological conditions in animal tissues.In the mouse model, chrysoeriol ameliorated acute skin inflammation, evidenced by reduced ear thickness, ear weight and number of inflammatory cells in inflamed ear tissues. The compound lowered protein levels of phospho-p65 (Ser536), phospho-STAT3 (Tyr705), inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in mouse swollen ears. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, chrysoeriol also lowered levels of these proteins. In addition, chrysoeriol decreased the production of NO and prostaglandin E2; inhibited the phosphorylation of inhibitor of κB (Ser32), p65 (Ser536) and Janus kinase 2 (Tyr1007/1008); decreased nuclear localization of p50, p65 and STAT3; and down-regulated mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α that are transcriptionally regulated by NF-κB and STAT3 in the cell model.We for the first time demonstrated that chrysoeriol ameliorates TPA-induced ear edema in mice, and that inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 and IκB/p65 NF-κB pathways are involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of chrysoeriol. This study provides chemical and pharmacological justifications for the use of chrysoeriol-containing herbs in treating inflammatory diseases, and provides pharmacological groundwork for developing chrysoeriol as a novel anti-inflammatory agent.

The purpose of this study was to examine the aiming performance implications of three typical man-rifle parameters, including the stock length, stock axis height and front grip position. An orthogonal test with three factors and three levels was designed. The EMG data of selected muscles and muzzle fluctuations were obtained by surface electromyography test system and 3D motion capture system. The results showed that different man-rifle parameters led to an alteration of muscle fatigue, thereby affecting aiming stability. The length and height of stock caused different muscle fatigue levels of right arm, and left arm muscles were sensitive to front grip position and stock length changes. The stock length and stock axis height affected horizontal aiming stability, and vertical aiming stability responded to all three manrifle parameters. Overall, the stock axis height had the greatest impact on the aiming stability.

Nowadays, many big cities are suffering from heavy air pollution and continuous haze weather. Compared with the threat on physical health, the influence of haze on people&rsquo, s mental health is much less discussed in the current literature. Emotion is one of the most important indicators of mental health. To understand the negative impact of haze weather on the emotion of the people, we conducted an investigation based on historical weather records and microblog data in Tianjin, China. Specifically, an emotional thesaurus was generated with a microblog corpus collected from sample data. Based on the thesaurus, the public emotion under haze was statistically described. Then, through correlation analysis and comparative study, the relation and seasonal variation of haze and negative emotion of the public were well discussed. According to the study results, there was indeed a correlation between haze and negative emotion of the public, but the strength of this relationship varied under different conditions. The level of air pollution and weather context were both important factors that influence the mental effects of haze, and diverse patterns of negative emotion expression were demonstrated in different seasons of a year. Finally, for the benefit of people&rsquo, s mental health under haze, recommendations were given for haze control from the side of government.

A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula (SL) comprising Sophorae Flos and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos was used for treating melanoma in ancient China. We have previously shown that an ethanolic extract of SL (SLE) possesses anti-melanoma effects and suppresses STAT3 signaling in vitro and in vivo. STAT3 has been linked to the development of melanoma immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this work, we investigated whether SLE inhibits melanoma growth by reprogramming the tumor microenvironment in mouse and co-culture cell models. In B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice, we found that intragastric administration of SLE (1.2 g/kg) dramatically inhibited tumor growth. This observation was associated with the downregulation of protein levels of phospho-STAT3 (Tyr 705) and STAT3-regulated immunosuppressive cytokines, and mRNA levels of STAT3-targeted genes involved in tumor growth and immune evasion. We also observed increased Th, Tc and dendritic cells in the melanomas and spleens in SLE-treated mice compared to that in control mice. In a co-culture system composed of B16F10 cells and mouse primary splenic lymphocytes, it was found that SLE not only inhibited STAT3 activation in B16F10 cells, but also downregulated mRNA levels of STAT3-targeted genes in the splenic lymphocytes. In this co-culture setting, SLE decreased the levels of STAT3-regulated immunosuppressive cytokines, increased the percentages of Th, Tc and dendritic cells as well. Furthermore, effects of SLE on STAT3 phosphorylation, cytokine levels and immune cell subtype percentages were significantly weaker in the B16STAT3C cells (stable cells harboring a constitutively active STAT3 variant STAT3C)/splenic lymphocytes co-culture system than in the B16V cells (cells stably transfected with the empty vector)/splenic lymphocytes co-culture system, indicating that STAT3 over-activation diminishes SLE’s effects. In summary, our findings indicate that reprograming the immune microenvironment, partially mediated by inhibiting STAT3 signaling, contributes to the anti-melanoma mechanisms of SLE. This study provides further pharmacological groundwork for developing SLE as a modern agent for melanoma prevention/treatment, and supports the notion that reprograming immunosuppressive microenvironment is a viable anti-melanoma strategy.

In order to speed up the power grid engineering 3-D design, strengthen project costs management and control, it is urgent to carry out the research on charging standard for power grid engineering 3-D design, providing guidance for power grid engineering 3-D design. Based on the pilot project of power grid engineering 3-D design, design work day calculation model was constructed, forming a 3-D design charging method covering power grid engineering projects’ every stage. In the future, the 3-D design fee can be adjusted reasonably according to 3-D design work maturity, to improve engineering technology and technical management work.

This study aimed to compare the influence between Cimicifuga foetida extract and different hormone therapies on breast pain in early postmenopausal women. A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted among 96 early postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: group A received 1 mg/day estradiol valerate plus 4 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate on days 19-30; group B received 1 mg/day estradiol valerate plus 100 mg/day micronized progesterone on days 19-30; group C received C. foetida extract, 1talet (contains 33.3 mg extract), t.i.d. Breast pain diary and numerical rating scale was used to access the breast pain. For 6 months' treatment, the total incidence of breast pain in group A and B was significantly higher than that in group C (p .05). The duration (day) of breast pain in each month decreased over time in group A and B while it was continuously low and without significant change in group C (p .05). The intensity of breast pain was mild in most participants and did not differ among three groups (p .05). During treatment of early postmenopausal women with C. foetida extract for 6 months, the incidence and duration of breast pain were lower than upon treatment with E2 plus cyclic MPA or m-P and did not change over time.

In order to evaluate the impact of human activities (mainly dam building) on the Changjiang River sediment discharging into the sea, the spatial–temporal variations in the sediment load of different tributaries of the river were analyzed to reveal the quantity, grain size and composition patterns of the sediment entering the sea. The results show that the timing of reduction in the sediment load of the main stream of the Changjiang was different from those associated with downstream and upstream sections, indicating the influences of the sub-catchments. Four stepwise reduction periods were identified, i.e., 1956–1969, 1970–1985, 1986–2002, and 2003–2010. The proportion of the sediment load originating from the Jinsha River continuously increased before 2003; after 2003, channel erosion in the main stream provided a major source of the sediment discharging into the sea. In addition, in response to dam construction, although mean grain size of the suspended sediment entering the sea did not change greatly with these different periods, the inter-annual variability for sediment composition or the relative contributions from the various tributaries changed considerably. Before 2003, the clay, silt and sand fractions of the river load were supplied directly by the upstream parts of the Changjiang; after 2003, although the clay component may still be originating mainly from the upstream areas, the source of the silt and sand components have been shifted to a large extent to the river bed erosion of the middle reach of the river. These observations imply that the load, grain size and sediment composition deposited over the coastal and shelf water adjacent to the river mouth may have changed rapidly recently, in response to the catchment changes.

Under the unprecedented wave of urbanization and pace of economic development, the living conditions of residents have been unevenly changed in Chinese cities. To understand the diversified living conditions in Chinese urban neighborhoods from the supply-side point of view, new spatial and residential data were gathered to investigate the social infrastructure configurations around the residential communities. Using Tianjin as a case study, the research focuses on six important categories of human needs: education, healthcare, leisure, culture, entertainment, and transportation. Based on the cumulative accessibility measurements of 25 types of facilities, the social infrastructure configurations within neighborhoods are statistically and spatially analyzed and compared. The study discovered that: (1) despite the great diversity of living conditions in the city, the neighborhoods that have better services and strong associations with entertainment and education are prominent, (2) the neighborhoods with advantageous living conditions in different aspects tend to cluster at different places, (3) the neighborhoods of different types of communities, belonging to different administrative districts, or in different urban zones, all have distinctive characteristics in living conditions.

One-dimensional (1D) nanowires (NWs) with robust half-metallicity are a rising star in spintronics. Herein, we theoretically investigate the magnetic and electronic properties of 3d transition-metal tribromide NWs, i.e. TMBr3 (TM = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Co, and Cu). These systems represent repeated TMBr3 motifs with octahedral configuration, and are expected to be synthesized in a nanotube using an established method. Among these NWs, both VBr3 and CuBr3 NWs exhibit a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state, accompanied by sizable magnetocrystalline anisotropic energy, which is dominated by the superexchange coupling between the TM atoms. Strikingly, a half-metallic nature with a magnetic moment of 4.0μB per unit cell is predicted for the VBr3 NW. By combining with a tight-binding model, we demonstrate that the origin behind the half-metallicity is the half-filled e2 orbitals of the V atoms. The Curie temperature is evaluated to be up to 80 K using Monte Carlo simulations, which is comparable to the temperature of liquid nitrogen. We also find that the half-metallic behavior shows a favorable tolerance to the longitudinal elongation of the wire (∼10%). Additionally, a transition from FM semiconductor to half-metal can be realized in the CuBr3 NW through carrier doping. The coexistence of intrinsic high-temperature FM ordering and half-metallicity endows 1D TMBr3 NWs with great promise for spintronic and photoelectron device applications.

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two 210Pb-dated sediment cores collected from mud deposits along the southeastern coast of the Liaodong Peninsula were investigated to reconstruct the sedimentary records of PAHs and their relationship with anthropogenic and natural activities. The concentrations of 16 PAHs (∑PAHs) were low and remained stable before the year 1820, reflecting an autarkic agricultural civilization. From 1820 to 1900, with the gradual lifting of prohibition, people migrated into Northeast China, resulting in the release of large amounts of ∑PAHs into the environment. At the beginning of the 1900s, the ∑PAH levels in the two cores displayed increasing trends with significant fluctuations, linked to a period of social turbulence with continuous wars in Northeast China. After 1949, vertical ∑PAH trends in the cores predominantly reflected trends in economic development. Based on the different PAH composition trends (2–3-ring and 4–6-ring PAHs), we consider that historical energy usage in Northeast China can be divided into three stages: biomass fuel use dominated before 1920, biomass and fossil fuels co-existed from 1920 to 1980, and fossil fuels dominated after 1980. In addition, this study also demonstrates that the PAH concentrations (2–3-ring PAHs) in these two sediment cores can be used, to a certain extent, to identify anthropogenic fire events.

To follow up the participants of the randomized clinical trial "Efficacy and Safety of Niaoduqing Particles () for Delaying Moderate-to-Severe Renal Dysfunction", and assess the long-term effects of Niaoduqing Particles on delaying the progression of renal dysfunction.Participants, who had previously been randomly assigned to receive Niaoduqing Particles or placebo for 24 weeks (146 cases in each group), were invited to follow-up and all were administered Niaoduqing Particles 5 g thrice daily and 10 g before bedtime for 24 weeks. The primary endpoints were changes in baseline serum creatinine (Scr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after completion of the open-label treatment period.After the double-blind period, the median (interquartile range) changes in Scr were 1.1 (-13.0-24.1) and 11.7 (-2.6-42.9) μmol/L for the Niaoduqing Particle and placebo groups, respectively (P=0.008), and the median changes in eGFRs were-0.2 (-4.3-2.7) and-2.21 (-5.7-0.8) mL•minNiaoduqing Particles appear to have long-term efficacy for patients with moderate-to-severe renal dysfunction. Although there was no statistical difference, the early use of Niaoduqing Paticles seems to ameliorate the worsening of renal function. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR-TRC-12002448).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that causes severe cognitive impairment. One of the most significant pathological features of AD is the accumulation of β‑amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the brain. Resveratrol (Res) is a polyphenol derived from peanuts, red grapes and other plants, which has received increasing attention due to its neuroprotective features. Tg6799 mice are transgenic mice with five familial AD (FAD) mutations that are also known as 5XFAD mice. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Res on Tg6799 mice. The transgenic mice were randomly divided into the Res treatment group and the vehicle control group, and were treated with 0.5% Res solution (60 mg/kg) or volume‑matched normal saline, respectively. Treatment was administered by oral gavage daily for 60 consecutive days. Res reduced amyloid plaque formation and the levels of Aβ42, and β‑secretase 1 levels were also significantly decreased. Furthermore, Res was able to reduce the expression of amyloid precursor protein and its cleavage products. The administration of Res to Tg6799 mice also improved their spatial working memory, as measured by the Y‑maze test, and rescued spatial memory deficits, as measured using the Morris water maze test; however, Res did not affect their motor function. In conclusion, this study suggested that Res may reduce Aβ‑induced neuronal damage, thus preventing memory loss.

Globally mud areas on continental shelves are conduits for the dispersal of fluvial-sourced sediment. We address fundamental issues in sediment dynamics focusing on how mud is retained on the seabed on shallow inner shelves and what are the sources of mud. Through a process-based comprehensive study that integrates dynamics, provenance, and sedimentology, here we show that the key mechanism to keep mud on the seabed is the water-column stratification that forms a dynamic barrier in the vertical that restricts the upward mixing of suspended sediment. We studied the 1000 km-long mud belt that extends from the mouth of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River along the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces of China and ends on the west coast of Taiwan. This mud belt system is dynamically attached to the fluvial sources, of which the Changjiang River is the primary source. Winter is the constructive phase when active deposition takes place of fine-grained sediment carried mainly by the Changjiang plume driven by Zhe-Min Coastal Currents southwestward along the coast.

An understanding of sediment resuspension and its threshold, for initial movement in shallow marine environments, is of great importance in coastal geomorphology, ecology, and harbor/fishery management applications. In the present study, in situ measurements of tides, current velocities, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) were measured at three shallow water sites with different tidal current patterns and seabed sediment grain sizes. The sites were associated with the radial sand ridge system (B4 and D2, rectilinear currents) and the Great Yangtze Shoal (D1, rotatory currents), in the southern Yellow Sea, China, both representing tidally dominated environments. The SSC data were analyzed to identify the controlling factors associated with resuspension and advection processes. There is a significant correlation between the near-bed SSC and shear stress, indicating that SSC variations are dominated by resuspension processes. Based on integrated field measurements of SSCs and hydrodynamics, the bed shear stresses of currents and waves were calculated, and the critical shear stresses for seabed erosion of the three sites were determined. At D2 (non-cohesive sediment) and B4/D1 (cohesive sediment), the critical shear stresses for seabed erosion (or resuspension) were estimated to be 0.11 and 0.07/0.09 N m−2, respectively. Although this result is reasonable when only the three sites are compared, both values are lower than predicted by existing threshold models, with a difference between 30 and 83 %. Such discrepancies can be related to intermittent turbulence events. For both sites, statistical and quadrant analyses have revealed significant correlations between near-bed SSC variations and intermittent turbulence events. This observation implies that the threshold conditions using the critical bed shear stress, derived from the current velocity profile, have a spatial scale effect: on a small scale (e.g., a flume in laboratory), the threshold can be predicted by the current velocity profile method; however, on larger scales (e.g., shallow marine environments), the threshold is reduced because of the enhanced intensity of intermittent turbulence events.

Interactions between turbulence, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settling velocity, effective density, fractal dimension, and floc size were studied on the tide-dominated, muddy coastal shelf of the southwestern Yellow Sea, China. The measurements were carried out in July 2013 at two sites located in water depths of 21.2 and 22.1 m. Negative correlations were observed between shear rate, SSC, effective density, and mean floc size, which supports the results of previous numerical, experimental, and field studies. A significant positive correlation was observed between near-bed SSC and shear rate, an indication that SSC variations are controlled by turbulence and re-suspension. In addition, significant linear relationships were found between settling velocity and other parameters (floc size, turbulence, SSC, effective density, and fractal dimension) at the two sites, indicating that the controlling factors on settling velocity are spatially variable. Principal component analysis was applied to determine the relative importance of turbulence, flocculation ability, and SSC as controls on floc size in situ. The relative contributions of turbulence, flocculation ability, and SSC to floc size (at both sites) were ~33.0%, 30.3%, and 29.7%, respectively, this being a new field-based quantitative analysis of the controls on floc size. The findings demonstrate that, in nature, flocculation ability affects floc size to the same degree as turbulence and SSC. Therefore, predictions of floc size in coastal marine environments require constraints not only on turbulence and SSC, but also on flocculation ability.

This study investigated the prevalence of abnormally cleaved embryos and determined which types of abnormally cleaved embryos (1-3c, 2-4c, 3-5c, 4-6c), might be suitable for transfer based on live birth data. One hundred seventy-one women (whose transferred embryos were confirmed to be either fully implanted or fully unimplanted) provided 1256 embryos, which were analyzed. Of these embryos, 320 embryos were transferred, of these transferred embryos, 291 embryos were normal and 29 embryos were abnormal, which five embryos were not analyzed because each one was presented one abnormal cleavage type. These 24 embryos were divided into four groups. Inclusion criteria were as follows: women under 37 years of age undergoing first fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment with a basal antral follicle count of 5–15, body mass index (BMI) of 18–25 kg/m2, number of retrieved oocytes between 5 and 20, and tubal factors as the cause of infertility. Time-lapse imaging analysis software was used to compare temporal parameters of normal cleavage and abnormal cleavage groups (there were four abnormal groups, based on the prevalence of abnormal cleavage embryos). Cleavage times were analyzed before the abnormal cleavage occurred, and time intervals were analyzed after the abnormal cleavage based upon the types of abnormal cleavage. In addition, the time intervals of t4-t3 and t8-t5 were also analyzed; corresponding time parameters were measured in the normal group as well. Implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, and live birth rate were also measured in the normally cleaved and abnormally cleaved embryos. The prevalence of abnormal cleavage was 15.92 % (200/1256). T8-t5 was the most important parameter in the prediction of potential development (production of a live-born baby) of abnormally cleaving embryos. Abnormally cleaving embryos were able to produced live births with T8-t5 the best parameter to predict the developmental potential of abnormally cleaving embryos.

Searching for two-dimensional (2D) quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulators with a large band gap, in which the Quantum spin Hall effect (QSHE) can be observed at high temperature, is an important goal for condensed matter physics researchers. Based on first principles calculations, we predict that the band gap of dumbbell stanene can be enhanced to 52 meV with cyano group decoration (DB-SnCN), which can be further tuned to be 322 meV by applying lattice strains. The band topology is identified by Z2 topological invariance together with helical edge states, and the mechanism can be understood with px–py band inversion at the Γ point induced by spin-orbit coupling (SOC). These findings provide bright and significant guidance for future fabrication and realistic applications of spintronics.

On the basis of first principles calculations, we predict that the PbPo monolayer is a new 2D topological crystalline insulator (TCI) with crystalline-protected Dirac states at the edges. This topologically nontrivial phase stems from the strong crystal field effect in the monolayer, which lifts the degeneracy between Po-px,y and Pb-pz orbitals, thus giving rise to a px,y–pz band inversion. As compared to the narrow band gap in bulk PbPo, the quantum confinement of the 2D structure leads to a larger band gap of 364.77 meV, making it viable for the practical realization of the TCI phase at room temperature. Additionally, its band topology is preserved in quantum well formed by sandwiching the PbPo monolayer between NaI layers. This new 2D TCI with a large bulk gap is a potential candidate in future spintronic devices with ultralow dissipation.

Background Persistent proteinuria is an important factor contributing to the progression of diabetic nephropathy. The present randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter clinical study evaluated the efficacy and safety of telmisartan combined with the antioxidant probucol in reducing urinary protein levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods Patients with T2D and 24-h proteinuria 0.5–3 g were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of two groups: a telmisartan or a probucol + telmisartan group. Both groups were given telmisartan 80 mg q.d. for 48 weeks. The probucol + telmisartan group was given probucol 500 mg b.i.d. for the first 24 weeks, with the dosage then reduced to 250 mg b.i.d. for the remaining 24 weeks. The telmisartan group was given probucol placebo. Results In all, 160 patients were enrolled in the present study. The 24-h proteinuria levels were significantly reduced in the probucol + telmisartan compared with telmisartan group. For patients with baseline 24-h proteinuria levels

Five mononuclear copper(I) complexes and one dinuclear silver(I) phosphine complex containing the bispyridylpyrrole ligand were synthesized and structurally characterized. Treatment of CuCl and the deprotonated bispyridylpyrrole ligand with bis(phosphine) ligands afforded the copper(I) complexes [(PDPH)Cu(XANTPhos)] (1), [(PDPH)Cu(DPEPhos)] (2), [(PDPBr)Cu(XANTPhos)] (3) and [(PDPBr)Cu(DPEPhos)] (4), while addition of two equivalences of PPh3 gave [(PDPBr)Cu(PPh3)2] (5), where PDPH− = 2,5-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrrole, PDPBr− = 2,5-bis(6′-bromo-2′-pyridyl)-pyrrole, XANTPhos = 9,9-di-methyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)xanthene, DPEPhos = oxydi-2,1-phenylene)bis-diphenylphosphine. Reaction of PDPBr− with AgOTf and DPEPhos yielded the dinuclear silver(I) complex [(PDPBr)Ag2(DPEPhos)](OTf) (6). All of these complexes were fully characterized on the basis of IR spectra, 1H and 31P NMR spectra, elements analysis, UV–Vis spectra and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. The photophysical properties of these complexes were also studied.

The sedimentary characteristics of distal mud deposits, a product of along shore transport of river-discharged suspended sediment, contain information on their different evolutionary stages. In the present study, the distal mud associated with the Pearl River, southern China, is investigated using the data sets obtained from seabed sediment sample analysis, shallow geophysical survey and 210Pb dating. The results indicate that although the mud deposit in consideration occupies an area of more than 8000 km2, the thickness is small with a young age (i.e.

Shi, B.; Wang, Y.P.; Yang, Y.; Li, M.; Li, P.; Ni, W., and Gao, J., 2015. Determination of critical shear stresses for erosion and deposition based on in situ measurements of currents and waves over an intertidal mudflat. Accurate determination of the critical shear stress associated with the erosion and deposition of sediments is an important component of numerical models used to predict and quantify sediment behavior and transport across intertidal flats. In this study, water depth, wave parameters, near-bed turbulent velocity, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and intratidal bed-level changes were measured to determine the erosion (τce) and deposition (τcd) thresholds of sediments on an intertidal mudflat at Jiangsu, China. Based on integrated field measurements of bed-level changes and hydrodynamics, the bed shear stresses of currents (τc), waves (τw), and combined current-wave action (τcw) were calculated, and the critical shear stress required for erosion (τce = 0.14 N/m2) and deposit...

The excited state intra-molecular proton transfer dynamics of 1-hydroxyanthraquinone in solution are investigated by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations. Two characteristic bands of excited state absorption and stimulated emission are observed in transient absorption spectra with the excitation by the pump wavelength of 400 nm. From the delayed stimulated emission signal, the time scale of the intra-molecular proton transfer is determined to be about 32 fs. The quantum chemistry calculations show that the molecular orbits and the order of the S-2 and S-1 states are reversal and a conical intersection is demonstrated to exist along the proton transfer coordinate. After proton transfer, the second excited state of tautomer populated via the conical intersection undergoes the internal conversion with similar to 200 fs and the following intermolecular energy relaxation with similar to 16 ps. The longer component 300 ps can be explained in terms of the relaxation from excited-state tautomer to its ground state. From our observations, two proton transfer pathways via a conical intersection are proposed and the dominated one preserves the molecular orbits.

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the change in thymocyte telomere length of rats exposed to different hypoxic conditions for different periods of time, as well as its effect on the immune system. A total of 110 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of the three following groups: i) Sea level (SL) group, in which 10 rats were maintained at an altitude of 10 m; ii) moderate altitude (MA) group, in which 50 rats were maintained at an altitude of 2,260 m and then randomly sacrificed on days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 (n=10 each); and iii) simulated high altitude (SHA) group, in which 50 rats were maintained at a simulated altitude of 5,000 m, and then randomly sacrificed on days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 (n=10 each). The morphological changes of the thymus were observed, while the telomere length, the mRNA and protein expression levels of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), and the peripheral blood lymphocyte count were measured. The results indicated that hypoxia induced morphological changes and apoptosis in thymocytes, as well as atrophy of the thymus tissue, and resulted in a significant increase in telomere length and TERT mRNA and protein expression levels. This effect appeared to be more pronounced in the SHA group compared with that in the MA group; however, no statistically significant changes were observed in the peripheral blood lymphocyte count. Based on these findings, the hypoxia-associated loss of thymic function appears to be only quantitative and not qualitative, and the thymus may be able to maintain its immune function even under hypoxic conditions.

Beginning in the 1950s, municipal governments and state-owned enterprises built socialist welfare housing estates. When the 1990s arrived, these agencies sold many of these same estates to the sitt...

The ultrafast dynamics of S-2-excited trans-4-diethylaminoazobenzene (trans-4-DEAAB) is investigated in solution by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations. Following excitation, the internal conversion from the S-2 state to the Si state occurs directly with time constant of similar to 0.10 ps. The cis isomer is observed by the partial recovery of ground-state bleach in 450-480 nm and the permanent positive absorption in 480-550 nm. The time constant of

A new class of neutral dicopper(I)–halide complexes with {Cu2(μ-X)} (X = Cl, Br and I) core supported by bispyridylpyrrole ligand have been synthesized and characterized. Replacements of chloride ligand in [Cu2(μ-X)2(PPh3)3] (X = Cl, Br, I) by the anionic PDPH− (PDPH− = 2,5-bis(2′-pyridyl)pyrrole) or PDPBr− (PDPBr− = 2,5-bis(6′-bromo-2′-pyridyl)-pyrrole) ligand gives complexes 1–6. They are [(PDPH)Cu2(μ-X)(PPh3)2] (X = Cl (1); Br (2); I (3)) and [(PDPBr)Cu2(μ-X)(PPh3)2] (X = Cl (4); Br (5); I (6)). The X-ray crystallographic studies reveal these complexes are isostructural. Two phosphine–copper(I) units are linked by one halogen atom and one nitrogen atom from bridging bispyridylpyrrole ligand to form 4-membered Cu2XN core. Each copper atom is located in the center of distorted tetrahedral geometry. The PDPH− and PDPBr− ligands display μ2-κ2(N,N′), κ2(N′,N″) bonding mode. The separation of Cu⋯Cu in 1–6 is in the range of 2.6708(15)–2.7959(6) A. The photophysical properties of 1–6 are described.

Summary The association between potential long-term effects of previous schistosome infection (PSI) and the development of metabolic syndrome remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between them. Participants were from regions which were all reportedly heavily endemic for S. japonicum in China 40 years ago. One thousand five hundred and ninety-seven men were enrolled. Among these, 465 patients with PSI were selected as study subjects and 1132 subjects served as controls. We found PSI significantly correlated with lower prevalences of metabolic syndrome and its components, including central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which indicates that the potential long-term effects of PSI may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. However, further studies are needed to investigate the protective immune effects of PSI.

The Poyang Lake catchment, an important sub-catchment of Changjiang, experienced ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA) and accelerating intensity of human activities during the last 1000 years. As such, the area and time period serve as a perfect case to study the variations in water and sediment discharge under combined natural and anthropogenic impact. Simulation results of the model HydroTrend indicate that the annual average cumulative water discharge of the five rivers entering Poyang Lake over the last 1000 years is 103.65 ± 1.80 km3, and climate change is the dominating factor determining water discharge variations over time. Influenced by the LIA (AD 1451–1850), the total water discharge of the five rivers was reduced by 10%. Sediment load discharging into Poyang Lake by the five rivers was only 9.21 ± 0.43 Mt yr−1 between AD 1000 and 1700, when the anthropogenic impact on the landscape was still low. However, with the human activities accelerating during the past 300 years, the sediment load entering Poyang Lake underwent a drastic change. Because of intensified soil loss, the total sediment load entering Poyang Lake during AD 1800–1950 increased by 58.7%, compared with AD 1000–1700. After AD 1950, the sediment load variation is mainly reflected by the combined impact of dam emplacement and soil erosion. As sediment interception by dams continuously increased over time, the total sediment load entering Poyang Lake during AD 1990–2000 is only 60.9% of that of the highest riverine sediment flux during AD 1951–1980, which is almost equal to that of the lowest level during AD 1000–1700. The sediment load of many rivers in the world exhibited similar variation trends as that of Poyang Lake under combined impact of climate change and human activities. Better understanding the mechanisms of these variation trends is helpful to analyzing the formation and evolution of an estuary-shelf sedimentary system over the Holocene.

The major purpose of this study was to assess the association between the potential long-term effects of previous schistosome infection and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Among 1597 men aged ⩾45 years who received health examinations and lived in previous schistosomiasis-endemic regions of China, 465 patients with previous schistosome infection were selected as study subjects, and 1132 subjects formed the control group. The risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured and compared between the previous schistosome infection and control groups. The Atherogenic Index of Plasma, triglycerides, waist circumference and body mass index were significantly lower in the previous schistosome infection group than in the control group (all P values

Quaterthiophene is used as a fluorescent marker for biological applications, but the intrinsic excited state dynamics for its high triplet-formation yield are still under debate due to the complexity of the molecule structure and the undetermined energy level order. In this work, ultrafast geometry relaxation and intersystem crossing of quaterthiophene in 1,4-dioxane are studied by femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy combined with quantum calculations. Transient absorption spectra at a pump wavelength of 400 nm are completely recorded up to the delay time of 1 ns. The kinetic traces of excited state absorption indicate that geometry relaxation occurs on the S1 potential energy surface with a time constant of ∼70 ps. Two triplet-triplet absorption bands centered at 563 nm and 600 nm show a direct dynamical conversion. The intersystem crossing is determined to be ∼398 ps. The high triplet yield is measured as ∼0.7 via the efficient intersystem crossing. On the basis of quantum chemical calculations, a general mechanism is proposed to describe the geometry relaxation and intersystem crossing processes.

Commercial WS2 powders were exfoliated in sodium dodecyl sulfate solution with a combination of ball-milling and sonication. WS2 nanosheets can be uniformly dispersed in the solution. The layers and thicknesses of WS2 nanosheets could be tailored via changing the ball-milling speed. The effects of the ball-milling speed on crystallinity and morphology of the samples were analyzed. The results show that the layer structure of WS2 nanosheets is destroyed and the crystallinity is decreased with increase of the ball-milling rate. The monolayer WS2 nanosheets at 200 rpm are obtained, which are mesoporous with the specific surface area as 5.419 m2 g-1. The specific capacitance and charge/discharge efficiency of WS2 nanosheets at 200 rpm are better than those of other samples. Its specific capacitance under the scanning rate of 20 mV s-1 and the current density of 0.5 A g-1 are 13.46 F g-1 and 22.50 F g-1, respectively. The charge/discharge curve of WS2 nanosheets at 200 rpm is a symmetrical triangle, which shows rapid charge and slow discharge. It means that WS2 nanosheets at 200 rpm has good electrochemical reversibility. The load transfer resistance and the internal series resistance of this sample are 84.60 Ω and 4.18 Ω, respectively.

Human activities, such as tidal sluice gate construction and reclamation, are prevalent along northern coastline of China and influence significantly sedimentary environments. The Sheyang River estuary is a small estuary situated on the Jiangsu coast. For the objective of storing fresh water, maintaining river channel depth and managing the land resource, a tidal sluice gate was constructed. At the same time, estuarine wetlands have been reclaimed extremely in recent decades. A numerical model based upon Delft3D was developed to quantify the impact of these human activities, and four simulation schemes were designed (a) tidal sluice gate present, but always closed; (b) tidal sluice gate not present; (c) tidal sluice gate present, but closed during flood and open during the ebb; and (d) intertidal area reclamation taking place in the estuary. A bathymetric survey confirmed the erosion and deposition results of the simulation. The rate of sediment deposition increased significantly after the gate was closed. However, during the third scheme, the sediment deposition rate reduced considerably; that was because the ebb current increased the scouring force when the gate was open, especially within the channel area close to the gate. Meanwhile, reclamation lessened erosion behind the gates and may have been enhanced by siltation. The coastline shifted seaward as the siltation area increased; it extended farther because of reclamation. Appropriate coastal management planning strategies must be developed to reduce negative effects of the channel siltation, resulting from the various forms of human activity. The results of this study can provide input to governmental recommendations on more effective tidal gate management strategies.

Objective: In this study, one of the objectives was to investigate the total flavonoid contents of Fupenzi (R. chingii Hu.) obtained from different regions of China and to evaluate their anatioxidant activities. And the second objective of this study was to develop a validated HPLC method for chromatographic fingerprints of the samples extracts of Fupenzi. Method: The total flavonoid contents were determined by a colorimetric method and the antioxidant activity was determined spectrophotometrically by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The chromatographic fingerprint was developed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection for the control of Fupenzi. Results: A significant correlation between antioxidant activity and the total flavonoid content was observed for the DPPH assay (r2 = 0.758, ρ = 0.004) and the ABTS assay (r2 = 0.788, ρ = 0.002). Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the validated method was successfully applied to assessment of chemical fingerprinting of 12 batches of FPZ collected from different regions of China. Comparisons of the chromatograms showed that 15 characteristic peaks could be selected as markers for identification and evaluation of Fupenzi. In addition, the proposed method was also successfully applied to simultaneous determination of five compounds (including puerarin, rutin, hyperin, quercetin and kaempferol) in these samples. Conclusions: The qualitative and quantitative analysis described in this paper could be used for identification and evaluation of Fupenzi.

Background: It is now recognized that Cimicifuga foetida (C. foetida) extract is effective in alleviating menopausal symptoms. But the durations reported were usually short. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of C. foetida extract therapy and different estrogen and progesterone sequential therapies, on the breasts of early postmenopausal women. Methods: This was a prospective randomized trial. Ninety-six early menopausal women were recruited and randomly assigned into three groups treated with different therapies for 2 years. Patients were given C. foetida extract in Group A, estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone acetate in Group B, and estradiol valerate and progesterone in Group C. Ultrasonography was used to monitor changes in breast during treatment. Results: In comparing breast glandular section thickness before and after 1 and 2 years of treatment, no significant difference was observed in Group A (11.97 ± 2.84 mm vs. 12.09 ± 2.58 mm and 12.61 ± 3.73 mm, P > 0.05); in Group B glandular section thickness had increased significantly (10.98 ± 2.34 mm vs. 11.84 ± 2.72 mm and 11.90 ± 3.33 mm, P < 0.05) after treatment, the same as Group C (11.56 ± 3.03 mm vs. 12.5 ± 3.57 mm and 12.22 ± 4.39 mm P < 0.05). In comparing breast duct width before and after 1 and 2 years of treatment, no significant difference was seen in Group A (1.07 ± 0.19 mm vs. 1.02 ± 0.18 mm and 0.98 ± 0.21 mm, P > 0.05); in Group B the duct width had a downward trend after treatment (0.99 ± 0.14 mm vs. 0.96 ± 0.22 mm and 0.90 ± 0.18 mm, P < 0.05), the same as Group C (1.07 ± 0.20 mm vs. 1.02 ± 0.17 mm and 0.91 ± 0.19 mm, P < 0.05). The nodules detected before treatment had disappeared after 1-year of treatment or exhibited no distinct changes in the three groups. However, new breast nodules had appeared after 2 years of treatment: There was one case in Group A, two cases in Group B and four cases in Group C, with breast hyperplasia after the molybdenum target check. Conclusions: In early postmenopausal patients, C. foetida extract therapy and estrogen and progesterone therapy at low doses did not increase the incidence of malignant breast tumors

Helical copper(II) complexes based on a bispyridylpyrrole ligand, namely the helical polymer {[Cu2(PDPH)2(N3)2]}n (1) (where HPDPH = 2,5-bis(2′-pyridyl)pyrrolide) containing a one-dimensional double-helical chain, a discrete double-helical complex [Cu2(PDPH)2(NO3)2] (2) and triple-helical complex [Cu2(PDPH)3](OTf) (3·OTf) (where OTf− = triflato) were synthesized by displacement of Cl− in [Cu(PDPH)Cl] by the anion N3−, NO3− and OTf−, respectively. The structures of these complexes directly correlate with the coordination abilities of the ligands. The N3− anion is found to favor the formation of polymeric helical structures. The helical chain in 1 is built-up by [Cu2(PDPH)2] units linked by double μ1,3-azido bridges. In 2, the anion NO3− acting as a monodentate oxygen ligand binds to each copper center, resulting in the formation of the double helical structure, while the non-coordinating OTf− ligand leaves space for three PDPH− ligands, leading to the formation of the triple-helical dicopper complex 3·OTf. Magnetic susceptibility data of 1, measured from 1.8 to 300 K, show alternating ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions through the bridging PDPH− and μ1,3-azido pathway, respectively.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with Cimicifuga foetida extract in menopausal women.A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted. A total of 96 early postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to three groups: group A received 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 4 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate on days 19-30; group B received 1 mg estradiol valerate daily plus 100 mg micronized progesterone on days 19-30; group C received 100 mg C. foetida extract daily. The efficacy was evaluated. Safety parameters were recorded.A total of 81 patients completed the treatment and follow-up visit. The modified Kupperman Menopausal Index scores decreased after 3 months in all groups. No significant changes were observed in the liver, renal function and components of metabolic syndrome in group C (p 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidences of metabolic syndrome among the three groups (p 0.05). After 24 months, the endometrial thickness increased significantly in group B (p = 0.014), but not in the C. foetida extract group (p 0.05).C. foetida extract is safe and effective for the treatment of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women.

Aberrant miRNA expression has been detected in various tumor tissues, which may be considered as a marker for early cancer diagnosis. One miRNA has multiple downstream target genes, which can be regulated by multiple upstream other miRNAs. Hence, this dynamic regulation is likely characterized by volatility, and thus, finding the appropriate time point for tests becomes essential for the use of miRNAs as an early marker of tumor diagnosis. In this study, we established a chronic liver cancer progression model in mice by using low doses of the harmful substance microcystin-LR (MC-LR). On the basis of miRNAs microarray assay, we further tested seven miRNAs that showed characteristic expression changes in pre-hepatocarcinogenesis. Our results showed that the levels of four miRNAs (miR-122-5p, miR-125-5p, miR-199a-5p, and miR-503-5p) decreased dramatically, whereas those of two miRNAs (miR-222-5p and miR-590-5p) increased significantly in the early stages, which were all accompanied by an increase in atypia of hepatocytes. MiR-490-5p was a sensitive molecular, suitable only for evaluation of pathological changes in young mice. Therefore the combination the seven of miRNAs for a set may prove to be an effective method in healthy assessment of environmental toxicants for detection of hepatocarcinogenesis caused by hazardous materials.

There are increasing concerns about the impact of worsened physical condition on hypoxia in a variety of coastal systems, especially considering the influence of changing climate. In this study, an EOF analysis of the DO data for 1985-2012, a long-term numerical simulation of vertical exchange, and statistical analysis were applied to understand the underlying mechanisms for the variation of DO condition in Chesapeake Bay. Three types of analysis consistently demonstrated that both biological and physical conditions contribute equally to seasonal and interannual variations of the hypoxic condition in Chesapeake Bay. We found the physical condition (vertical exchange+temperature) determines the spatial and seasonal pattern of the hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay. The EOF analysis showed that the first mode, which was highly related to the physical forcings and correlated with the summer hypoxia volume, can be well explained by seasonal and interannual variations of physical variables and biological activities, while the second mode is significantly correlated with the estuarine circulation and river discharge. The weakened vertical exchange and increased water temperature since the 1980s demonstrated a worsened physical condition over the past few decades. Under changing climate (e.g., warming, accelerated sea-level rise, altered precipitation and wind patterns), Chesapeake Bay is likely to experience a worsened physical condition, which will amplify the negative impact of anthropogenic inputs on eutrophication and consequently require more efforts for nutrient reduction to improve the water quality condition in Chesapeake Bay.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of acute hypoxia on telomere length of rat gastric mucosa tissue and possible mechanism. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (resided in Lanzhou, 1 500 m) and experimental group (hypoxia chamber, 5 000 m). The experimental group was further divided into 3 subgroups and exposed to hypoxia for 1, 3, 7 d (n = 10), respectively. The morphological changes of the gastric mucosa tissue were observed by HE staining. By means of real-time PCR, ELISA and chemical immunofluorescence methods, the telomere length, the mRNA and protein levels of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and HIF-2α, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in gastric mucosa tissue were measured, respectively. The results showed that, with the extension of hypoxia-exposure time, the injury in gastric mucosa cells progressively became worse, and telomere length was increased gradually, along with intracellular ROS generation. The changes of TERT and HIF-1α expressions induced by acute hypoxia were in the same trend as that of telomere length. There were positive correlations between TERT mRNA expression and telomere length and between TERT and HIF-1α expressions, but not between TERT and HIF-2α mRNA expressions. These results suggest that under acute severe hypoxia environment, ROS could damage the gastric mucosa tissue cells, meanwhile the expressions of TERT and telomerase activity may be up-regulated by HIF-1α, which can elongate the telomere length and protect gastric mucosa tissue against fatal injury.

To investigate the damage effect of 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) with tumor inhibition concentration on human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) and influence of its effect on the hematopoietic cells.The Cell Counting Kit-8 was used for determining the sensitivity of breast cancer cell line MCF-7, colon cancer cell line HCT-116 and HS-5 derived from human bone marrow stronal cell line to the different doses of 5-fluorouracil in vitro. After HS-5 was treated with 5-fluorouracil, crystal violet staining assay was used to count the number of colony forming unit-fibroblast, the distribution of cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM), apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V/PI double-stained method and Hoechest staining; DCFH-DA staining was used to analyse the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ELISA and immuofluorescence were used to detect cytokines KL, GM-CSF, RANTS and SDF. The hUCB-MNC was counted by trypan blue staining after co-culture with HS-5, FCM was used to detect the cell cycle distribution, ROS level and the ratio of CD345-Fluorouracil of 12.5 µg/ml-100 µg/ml inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7, HCT-116 and HS-5 cells in dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, among them HS-5 was more sensitive to 5- fluorouracil. After treatment with 5-fluorouracil, the HS-5 cell cycle was blocked. The apoptosis rate and the intracellular ROS level of HS-5 significantly increased. Also HS-5-secreted hematopoietic growth factors decreased and inflammatory chemokines increased. After co-cultured with 5-fluorouracil-treated HS-5, the number of hUCB-MNC and the ratio of CD345-Fluorouracil can result in oxidative damage of bone marrow stromal cells and change of function secreting bioactivators, thus induce oxidative stress in hematopoietic cells to initiate stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS).

Practice teaching is the key link in the undergraduate education; practical teaching reform is a very important aspect in higher education reform. Mechanical specialty emphasizes the close combination of theory and practice; practical teaching plays a very important role in the cultivation of talent. On the basis of the analysis of the needs of practical teaching reform, this paper expounds the guiding ideology and general thought of reform, specific measures of reform and the implementation effect. Practice teaching reform of mechanical specialty is to cultivate application oriented creative talent, and to achieve the purpose of cultivating the "Engineering", "innovation" talent.

We described a next generation sequencing (NGS)-based approach to identify sex-specific markers and subsequently determine whether a species has male or female heterogamety. To test the accuracy of this technique, we examined the snakehead (Channa argus), which is economically important freshwater fish in China. Males grow faster than females, and there is significant interest in developing methods to skew breeding towards all-males to increase biomass yields. NGS was conducted on DNAs of individual female and male, the male reads were spitted into 60 bp K-mers and aligned to the female reference genome assembled by female reads, unaligned male K-mers-60 were kept in next filter process. Meanwhile, DNA sample of 48 females was pooled and sequenced, this data was further used to filter out the previous unaligned male K-mers-60. Hence, numbers of candidate Y chromosome-specific sequences were screened out, their sex-specificity were validated in wild snakeheads through PCR amplification. Finally, three Y chromosome-specific fragments (Contig-275834, Contig-359642, and Contig-418354) were identified, and specific primers were obtained to distinguish the sex of snakehead. Additionally, a pair of primers of Contig-275834 (275834X/Y-F and 275834X/Y-R) was exploited to distinguish XX females, XY males, and YY super-males, whose amplification products of different lengths were produced for different sexes. Therefore, our work demonstrated the ability of NGS data in identification of sex-specific markers, and the pipeline adopted in our study could be applied in any species of sex differentiation. Furthermore, the sex-specific markers have tremendous potential for improving the efficiency of all-male breeding practices in snakehead.

Sediment transport within small tidal inlets is sensitive to natural processes, whilst large tidal inlets are relatively robust systems because of their large tidal prism. However, remarked morphological changes may be initiated even under the condition of low sediment supply, as illustrated by Jiaozhou Bay, a large coastal embayment on the Shandong Peninsula, eastern China. Jiaozhou Bay is characterized by its relatively slow rate of natural change, and while the embayment has a flood-dominated entrance channel and muddy seabed, the suspended sediment concentration is generally low due to the lack of abundant source material. Observations of sediment dynamics show that net suspended sediment transport is directed towards outside of the bay, with an order of magnitude of 103 t during a tidal cycle. The export of sediment associated with this flood-dominated environment implies that the net transport pattern is controlled by tidal exchange processes rather than the strength of the seabed shear stress. Sediment budget calculations show that supply of artificial sediment into the bay can account for up to 72% of the total input, which is in agreement with the 210Pb and 137Cs radioisotope geochronologies, and this leads to accumulation rates of 100–101 mm yr−1; without this, the deposition rate would be low under natural conditions. The flood tidal delta area is also influenced by the input of anthropogenic material, and acts as a depocenter with relatively high accumulation rates. Furthermore, although the inlet system has not yet reached its equilibrium state (i.e., the entrance cross-sectional area is still larger than the equilibrium cross-sectional area), land reclamation activities have resulted in a rapid reduction of the embayment area (by 37%) over the last 80 years. Our findings indicate that the rapid changes observed in the tidal basin area and seabed morphology are mainly the result of human activity rather than natural processes.