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The crop rotation periodicity has always been a concern of agricultural researchers. This study was the first investigation on the effects of long-term continuous cultivation with rice/cherry tomato rotation on soil microbial community diversity. The main objective was to analyze the optimal rotation years of rice/cherry tomato from a micro-ecology perspective so as to provide theoretical basis for effectively avoiding continuous cropping obstacles of cherry tomato. Soil samples were collected from the surface layers with rice/cherry tomato rotations for 1 year (1a), 3 years (3a), 5 years (5a), 7 years (7a) and 10 years (10a). The microbial community diversity was determined via high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that alpha diversity of soil microbial communities was the highest at 5a and then gradually decreased during 5a to 10a. Beta diversity results revealed that microbial community structure was significantly different among 1a, 3a to 7a and 10a, but there were no clear differences among 3a, 5a and 7a. The abundances of soil beneficial bacteria Gemmatimonadetes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae and beneficial fungi Mortierella, Trichoderma, Penicillium were the highest at 5a or 7a. Those of soil pathogenic fungi Fusarium and Aspergillus were the lowest at 5a and 7a, respectively. However, the relative abundances of the above-mentioned beneficial microorganisms began to decline, while those of pathogenic fungi began to increase after 5a or 7a. Soil available phosphorus, available iron and available zinc were common important factors affecting the community structure of bacteria and fungi, as indicated by significant positive correlations between the environmental factors and microbial communities. In conclusion, the soil microbial diversity began to decline and the micro-ecological balance was broken after continuously planting 5a to 7a with rice/cherry tomato rotation, which would lead to new continuous cropping obstacles.

As two commonly-used non-selective herbicides, glyphosate (GP) and diquat (DQ) are easily co-resided in lateritic paddy soil due to the rich iron/aluminum oxides, nevertheless there is limited information on their co-impact on microbial diversity and community structure in this type soil. In this study, the short-term effects of combined GP and DQ on soil microbial diversity and community structure shifts were investigated in lateritic paddy soil from a tropical agricultural region (Hainan, China) based on 16S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that mixed herbicides promoted the abundance of Streptomyces in bacteria (0.45-1.84%) and Curvularia in fungi (0.01-5.85%), while GP and DQ had inhibitory effects on the abundance of Streptomyces (0.13-2.21%) and Curvularia (0.03-1.13%), which were significantly different with their single exposure (p < 0.05); the combined application of the two herbicides aggravate the adverse effect on the diversity of soil fungal community (p < 0.05), although their mixture did not have a greater impact on the soil bacteria abundance/diversity and fungi abundance (p > 0.05). Results suggested that the combined application of GP and DQ affected the fungal diversity although they did not cause other significant negative effects on soil microorganisms, hinting that more attention should be paid to the mixed effect caused by GP and DQ on specific fungal populations in lateritic paddy soil.

Multimedia contamination by neonicotinoid (NEO) residues has attracted global attention. However, data regarding the multimedia polluted status under certain typical cropping scenarios and the associated risks are scarce. Here, the multimedia occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, driving factors, transport, and ecological risks of NEOs from tropical rice-vegetable rotation fields were characterized. The heavy NEOs resided in multiple media, and imidacloprid and acetamiprid were the prevailing NEOs, with concentration contributions of 65-80%. The pollution levels of the NEOs, rather than their compositions, exhibited significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity and were highly correlated with the collective (agricultural practices and climate conditions) and differential (e.g., media properties) factors identified using an auto linear regression model. Furthermore, the multimedia transport of NEOs was largely similar but non-negligibly different during the rainy and dry seasons. A new multimedia ecological risk assessment revealed that 50.6% sites were at high risk, and the risk hotspots occurred in the central areas and the winter planting period. The risks were largely contributed by imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, indicating that there were non-ignorable ecological risks. Our results highlight the differential pollution patterns (distribution, transport, and driving factors) of the prevailing NEOs under tropical agricultural scenarios, and the fact that special attention should be paid to the risks posed by NEOs.

In online dynamic graph drawing, constraints over nodes and node pairs help preserve a coherent mental map in a sequence of graphs. Defining the constraints is challenging due to the requirements of both preserving mental map and satisfying the visual aesthetics of a graph layout. Most existing algorithms basically depend on local changes but fail to do proper evaluations on the global propagation when setting constraints. To solve this problem, we introduce a heuristic model derived from PageRank which simulates the node movement as an inverse Markov process hence to give a global analysis of the layout's change, according to which different constraints can be set. These constraints, along with stress function, generate layouts maintaining spatial positions and shapes of relatively stable substructures between adjacent graphs. Experiments demonstrate that our method preserves both structure and position similarity to help users track graph changes visually.

Microbial communities play crucial roles in the biogeochemical cycling of many important soil elements. Pesticides are known to affect non-targeted soil microorganisms. Glyphosate (GP) and diquat (DQ), two commonly used non-selective herbicides, often co-exist in lateritic paddy soil rich in iron/aluminum oxides. However, there is limited information on their co-impact on microbial community structure and diversity in this type of soil. Here, the short-term effects of combined exposure to GP and DQ on microbial diversity and community structure shifts were investigated in lateritic paddy soil from a tropical agricultural region (Hainan, China). The combined utilization dosages of two herbicides were set in three concentrations: low concentration (1 fold of the recommended dosage), medium concentration (10 fold of the recommended dosage) and high concentration (100 fold of the recommended dosage). The structure and diversity of microbial communities were determined via 16S rRNA and ITS gene high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the most sensitive microbial phyla to the combined exposure of GP and DQ in lateritic paddy soil. The combined exposure to GP and DQ increased the abundance of Actinobacteria but significantly inhibited that of Proteobacteria, especially at low and medium concentrations. Compared with CK, mixed herbicide (GP + DQ) had no adverse effects on the richness of bacteria and fungi communities as well as on the diversity of bacteria communities, but it significantly decreased the diversity of fungi communities at high concentrations within 28 days. However, the effects of combined exposure to GP and DQ on soil microbial richness and diversity were not significantly different from those of separate exposure of the two herbicides. In conclusion, the combined application of GP and DQ had no more adverse effects on soil microorganisms. Therefore, these two herbicides can be used reasonably in actual agricultural production.

Multiple pesticides are heavily applied in crops grown in China's tropics due to the prevalence of diseases and pests, thus posing potential risks to nontarget organisms (e.g., honeybees, lacewings, ladybugs, and humans). However, there is little information on this topic. This study is the first assessment of the occurrence, driving factors, and ecological/human health risks of 32 current-use pesticides (CUPs) in 10 frequently-planted crops collected from practicing rice-vegetable rotation systems in Hainan, China. Of the 132 whole crop samples, 44 (33.3 %) residues from ≥8 pesticides were detected in 9.09 % of crop samples with concentrations ≥0.5 mg kg

This study explored the levels, sources, and risks of PAHs in soils from Yongle Atoll (YLA) and Xuande Atoll (XDA) of the Xisha Islands (XSIs) in the South China Sea, China, under different vegetation cover types and soil sources. The results clearly showed that the levels of 16 US EPA priority PAHs (Σ

BACKGROUND Eupatilin, an active flavone separated from Artemisia species, has various biological activity such as anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of the present study was to find out the influence of eupatilin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS The administration of LPS was used to induce ALI; eupatilin was given 1 hour before the LPS administration. Lung structural damage of rats was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the wet/dry lung ratio. The related inflammatory factors and lung injury markers were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The oxidative stress factors were analyzed by corresponding kits. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) was assayed by western blot and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS The results showed that eupatilin alleviated LPS-induced structural damage and decreased the wet/dry lung ratio concentration-dependently. Eupatilin decreased the level of surfactant protein (SP)-A, SP-D, and inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and monocyte chemo-attractant protein (MCP)-1. LPS trigged nitric oxide (NO) generation, improved the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), which were reversed when rats treated with eupatilin in a concentration-dependent way. Besides, the expression of PPAR-a was increased under the treatment of eupatilin. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, eupatilin alleviated LPS-induced ALI through inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress in a concentration-dependent way, which was likely to be closely related with the activation of PPAR-alpha.

OBJECTIVE:HIV Prevention Trials Network 069/AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5305 was a study of 48-week oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens in MSM and transgender women. A rectal substudy was included to evaluate drug concentrations in rectal compartment vs. blood, gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) responses to four antiretroviral PrEP regimens [maraviroc (MVC), MVC + emtricitabine (FTC), MVC + tenofovir (TFV) disoproxil fumarate, and TFV disoproxil fumarate + FTC], and to determine whether ARV exposure was associated with ex-vivo suppression of HIV infection in colorectal explants. METHODS:C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) genotype was characterized using PCR. At baseline and at Weeks 24, 48, and 49, GALT phenotype was characterized by flow cytometry, rectal biopsies were challenged with HIV-1BaL, and tissue and plasma pharmacokinetics were measured via mass spectrometry. RESULTS:Exposure to MVC was not associated with increased expression of CD4+/CCR5+ HIV target T cells. Significant ex-vivo viral suppression compared with baseline was seen at Weeks 24 and 48, ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 log10 for all study regimens except the MVC-alone arm which did not show statistically significant viral suppression at Week 48. Tissue concentrations of TFV, TFV-diphosphate, and FTC were correlated with viral suppression. CONCLUSION:MVC-containing HIV PrEP regimens did not increase GALT CD4+ T-cell activation or the CD4+/CCR5+ phenotype. No virologic suppression was seen with MVC-alone at Week 48 compared with combination regimens, suggesting MVC monotherapy might be less effective than combination antiretroviral PrEP regimens.

In online dynamic graph drawing, constraints over nodes and node pairs are added to help preserve a coherent mental map in a sequence of graphs. However, defining constraints is challenging due to the requirements of both preserving mental map and satisfying the visual aesthetics of a graph layout. The requirements underline the importance of properly evaluating the node stability based on the graph changes. Most existing algorithms basically depend on local changes without evaluating their global propagation, as the calculation on the global propagation recursively takes an expensive time cost. To reach the purpose of evaluating globally and saving time cost at the same time, we introduce a heuristic model on which parallel computing can be implemented to reduce time cost. This model uses inverse analysis of Markov process to simulate the node movement hence to give a global analysis of the layout's change, according to which different constraints can be set. Experiments demonstrate that our method preserves both structure and position similarity to help users track graph changes visually, at the same time has similar time cost as the local evaluation algorithm.

Statins have been shown to induce a phosphoprotein signature that modifies MYC (myelocytomatosis viral oncogene) activation and to have anti‐inflammatory activity that may impact the risk of Non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We analyzed the relationship between statins and risk of NHL using data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The study population included 161,563 postmenopausal women ages 50–79 years from which 712 cases of NHL were diagnosed after 10.8 years of follow‐up. Information on statin use and other risk factors was collected by self‐ and interviewer‐administered questionnaires. Multivariable‐adjusted HR and 95% CI evaluating the relationship between statin use at baseline, as well as in a time‐dependent manner and risk of NHL, were computed from Cox proportional hazards analyses. A separate analysis was performed for individual NHL subtypes: diffuse large B‐Cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n = 228), follicular lymphoma (n = 169), and small lymphocytic lymphoma (n = 74). All statistical tests were two‐sided. There was no significant association between use of statins at baseline and risk of NHL (HR 0.85, 95% C.I. 0.67–1.08). However, in the multivariable‐adjusted time‐dependent models, statin use was associated with a borderline lower risk of NHL (HR 0.81, 95% C.I. 0.66–1.00). Considering subtypes of NHL, statin use was associated with a lower risk of DLBCL (HR 0.62, 95% C.I. 0.42–0.91). This effect was driven by lipophilic statins (HR 0.62, 95% C.I. 0.40–0.96). In the WHI, statins were associated with a lower overall risk of DLBCL, particularly attributable to lipophilic statins. These results may have impact on primary or secondary prevention of NHL, particularly DLBCL.

MCPA (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid) is an acidic herbicide, widely used in paddy fields. The presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) modifies the sorption-desorption of herbicides in soils. In this study, effects of DOM on sorption- desorption of MCPA were tested using three typical ferralsol soil types from China: rhodic ferralsol, haplic ferralsol and paddy soil. DOM preparations were extracted from the paddy soil (DOMP), from a compost mixture of cassava stems with chicken manure (DOMC), and from rice straw (DOMR). Sorption-desorption of MCPA in the tested soil types was shown to follow pseudo first-order kinetics, and the calculated isotherm data fitted well with a Freundlich equilibrium model in the range of the studied concentrations. MCPA was weakly sorbed by the soils, producing low Freundlich coefficient values (Kf) (0.854 to 4.237). The presence of DOM reduced the Kf whereby DOMC had the strongest and DOMR the weakest effect. Presence of DOM also promoted MCPA desorption from the soils, again with DOMC having the strongest effect and DOMR the weakest. DOM coating changed the soil particle surface, as demonstrated by electron microscopy, and DOM also directly interacted with MCPA, as shown by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The experimental data were interpreted to suggest a competing sorption of DOM to ferralsol and an increased solubility of MCPA in the presence of DOM. The results indicate that the environmental risk of MCPA leaching to groundwater and surface flow is increased by presence of DOM, for instance as a result of organic fertilizer use.

Background Statins have anti proliferative activity in vitro against endometrial and ovarian cancer and can affect levels of reproductive hormones. We analyzed data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) to assess whether statins are associated with risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. Methods The WHI study included 161,808 postmenopausal women in which incident cases of endometrial (n = 1377) and ovarian cancer (n = 763) were identified over an average of 10.8 (SD + 3.3) years. Information on statin use and risk factors was collected at baseline and follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of statin use and risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Statins were used at baseline by 7.5% women and by up to 25% at year nine. The multivariable adjusted HR for risk of endometrial cancer for baseline statin use was 0.74, 95% C.I. 0.59–0.94 and for ovarian cancer was 1.15, 95% C.I. 0.89–1.50. In time-dependent models, statins were not associated with endometrial cancer (HR 0.91, 95% C.I. 0.76–1.08) however there was an increased risk of ovarian cancer (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.04–1.62), largely attributed to the effect of the hydrophilic statin, pravastatin (1.89, 95% CI 1.24–2.88). Conclusions There was a reduction in risk of endometrial cancer among statin users at baseline but not in time-dependent models. Pravastatin use was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Analyses of larger numbers of cases are needed to evaluate these findings.

Pesticides are heavily applied in rice–vegetable rotations in tropical China, yet publicly available information on the contamination and risk of currently used pesticides (CUPs) and legacy pesticides (LPs) in surface waters of river basins draining these areas is very limited. Therefore, in two tropical river basins (Nandu River and Wanquan River basins) dominated by rice–vegetable rotations in Hainan, China, pesticides were analyzed in 256 surface water samples in wet and dry seasons. Forty-one pesticides were detected, and total concentrations ranged from not detectable to 24.2 μg/L. Carbendazim and imidacloprid were the two most prevalent CUPs, detected in 59.8% and 17.7%, respectively, of surface water samples at concentrations above 0.1 μg/L. Chlorpyrifos was the main LP, detected in 9.0% of samples at a concentration above 0.05 μg/L. The fungicides difenoconazole and emamectin benzoate, the herbicide butachlor, and the insecticide acetamiprid occurred in ≥12.5% samples at concentrations above 0.1 μg/L. Surface waters typically (85.2%) contained 5 to 15 residues, with an average of nine. Seasonally, the concentrations of the 41 pesticides were in the order January > July > November > September. Spatially, the composition of the main CUPs (not LPs) was significantly different depending on position in the drainage, which also changed with seasons. Crop and pest types and wet and dry seasons were the key factors controlling the spatiotemporal distribution of CUPs and LPs in surface waters. On the basis of evaluations of the exposures to individual pesticides and the dominant combinations with ≥8 pesticides, multiple pesticides were likely a significant risk to aquatic organisms, although noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to humans were low. This study provides valuable data to better understand pesticide occurrence and ecological risks in river basins draining areas with rice–vegetable rotation systems in tropical China.

Exogenous dissolved organic matter (DOM) modifies the sorption of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA, a polar herbicide) in soil. However, how the chemodiversity and diverse fractions of DOM affect MCPA sorption is still unknown. Here, DOM was extracted from compost and rice straw; the structure-activity correlations between DOM chemodiversity and their effects on MCPA sorption were investigated by redundancy analysis. Moreover, the mechanism involved was explored by spectroscopic techniques, microbeam and modeling. DOM mainly affected MCPA sorption by altering soil surface properties and MCPA complexed form. Hydrophobic neutral (HON) and acid insoluble matter (AIM) were the fractions of DOM that most inhibited MCPA sorption through soil pore blockage, and were related to the humic-like substances with high aromaticity and large molecular weight. The hydrophobic acid fraction (HOA) only showed an intermediate inhibition on the sorption, although the largest competitive sorption occurred. This was because HOA contained abundant aromatic acid and polar groups with moderate polarity. Thus, the reduced effect caused by competitive sorption was partly compensated by the greatest co-sorption by HOA. The hydrophilic matter (HIM) had the weakest inhibition on MCPA sorption, because this fraction was rich in simple sugars, poly- and oligosaccharides, but lacked aryl groups. The results will aid in the risk assessments and prevention of MCPA in DOM-introduced soil.

Our objective was to compare Medicare claims to physician review and adjudication of medical records for identifying venous thromboembolism (VTE), and to assess VTE incidence, recurrence, and mortality in a large national cohort of post-menopausal women followed up to 19years.We used detailed clinical data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) linked to Medicare claims. Agreement between data sources was evaluated among 16,003 women during 1993-2010. A claims-based definition was selected to analyze VTE occurrence and impact among 71,267 women during 1993-2012.Our VTE definition had 83% sensitivity. Positive predictive value was 69% when all records were included, and 94% after limiting Medicare records to those with a WHI hospitalization adjudicated. Annualized VTE incidence was 4.06/1000person-years (PY), recurrence was 5.30/100PY, and both rates varied by race/ethnicity. Post-VTE mortality within 1year was 22.49% from all causes, including 1.01% from pulmonary embolism, 10.40% from cancer, and 11.08% from other causes. Cancer-related VTE compared to non-cancer VTE had significantly (p0.001) higher recurrence (9.86/100PY vs. 4.43/100PY) and mortality from all causes (45.89% vs. 12.28%), but not from pulmonary embolism (0.40% vs. 1.27%).Medicare claims compared reasonably well to physician adjudication. The combined data sources provided new insights about VTE burden and prognosis in older women.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous with high biological and chemical activity. The large intake of DOM from compost, plant residues or soil can modify the behaviors of agrochemicals. Phenoxy herbicide is the third widely used herbicide around the world with both aromaticity and polarity. However, how the diverse fractions of DOM interacting with phenoxy herbicide and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the heterogeneous chemical properties of DOM fractions from variable sources and explore the interactive mechanisms. In this study, polar DOM derived from compost, rice straw and soil were fractionated, and the chemical properties of fractions were analyzed by spectrum technology and the complex interaction with phenoxy herbicide was assessed by infrared spectroscopy. Results showed that hydrophobic acid (HOA) was the largest component (49.6%) in compost DOM, while hydrophilic matter (HIM) was the main component in the polar DOM from rice straw and soil. The 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyac etic acid (MCPA) as one representative of phenoxy herbicides was used in our study, and the results showed the interaction between different DOM fractions and MCPA was heterogeneous. HOA containing abundant fulvic-like component and polar groups resulted a greatly complex interaction with MCPA mainly via hydrophobic force, ligand exchange and hydrogen bonding. Hydrophobic neutral fraction and acid-insoluble matter showed a medium interaction with MCPA as a result of enrichment with the high aromatic humic-like molecules. Inversely, no significant interaction between HIM and MCPA was observed. Our research revealed that the aromatic framework associated with polar groups in DOM dominated the interaction with phenoxy herbicide, which might affect the bioavailability, toxicity, and mobility of phenoxy herbicide.

Pesticide residues were assessed in rice-vegetable rotation topsoil from tropical riverside basin. The 256 tropical topsoil samples from the Nandu River Basin (NRB) and Wanquan River Basin (WRB) in Hainan (China) were taken from 2018 to 2019. A total of 32 current-use pesticides (CUPs) and nine legacy pesticides (LPs) were detected using a method based on a QuEChERS technique. The highest residues were from the fungicide carbendazim (257.2 μg/kg) and the insecticide imidacloprid (139.4 μg/kg). The nine LPs (8 organochlorine pesticides and chlorpyrifos) were detected in 84.4% of the samples with mean concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 675.4 μg/kg. The two most commonly detected pesticides were imidacloprid and emamectin benzoate with detection rates of 96.8% and 91.8%, respectively. The highest total concentration of pesticides from the NRB and WRB was detected in July. The highest average number of multi-residues (16) was recorded in January, compared to 14 and 12 in July and November, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the multiple pesticide residues in soil and vegetable planting types (p

In online dynamic graph drawing, constraints over nodes and node pairs help preserve a coherent mental map in a sequence of graphs. Defining the constraints is challenging due to the requirements of both preserving mental map and satisfying the visual aesthetics of a graph layout. Most existing algorithms basically depend on local changes but fail to do proper evaluations on the global propagation when setting constraints. To solve this problem, we introduce a heuristic model derived from PageRank which simulates the node movement as an inverse Markov process hence to give a global analysis of the layout's change, according to which different constraints can be set. These constraints, along with stress function, generate layouts maintaining spatial positions and shapes of relatively stable substructures between adjacent graphs. Experiments demonstrate that our method preserves both structure and position similarity to help users track graph changes visually.

Due to toxicity and persistence of paraquat (a widely used herbicide), eco-friendly remediation approaches to its contamination and effective antidotes to its poisoning have been highly desired and raised increasing concerns. Paraquat degradation was lesser in aerobic soil in comparison with anaerobic soil, and humic-reducing microorganisms (HRMs) play a key role in paraquat anaerobic transformation process. However, the degradation pathways and related mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the specific interaction mechanisms of the paraquat transformation processes mediated by a humic-reducing strain under anaerobic conditions. A strain of pure culture, designated as PQ01, was successfully isolated from paddy soil using anaerobic enrichment procedure, and identified as Pseudomonas geniculata using phenotypic and phylogenetic analysis. Sucrose, glucose, pyruvate, formic acid, and acetic acid were shown to be favorable electron donors for the reduction of anthrahydroquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) reduction by PQ01. The strain also had the ability of reducing Fe(III) (hydr)oxides in the presence of sucrose with efficiencies in the order of ferrihydrite > α-FeOOH/γ-FeOOH > γ-Fe2O3 > α-Fe2O3. In the “PQ01 + paraquat + AQDS + sucrose” system, AQDS reduction and paraquat biotransformation by strain PQ01 occurred simultaneously, and the presence of sucrose significantly enhanced the biotransformation. Specific mechanisms of the electron transfer processes are promoted by both PQ01 and AQDS, and proceed in two aspects: (1) paraquat served as electron donor in the anaerobic reduction of AQDS by strain PQ01; (2) AQDS was reduced by PQ01 anaerobic metabolism to produce AH2QDS, which can directly react with paraquat under anaerobic conditions to generate a single crystal compound (molecular formula of the unit structure is C26H20N2O8S2), causing the paraquat to decline dramatically. In conclusion, this main mechanism included the microbial reduction of AQDS to AH2QDS, followed by the abiotic reaction between AH2QDS and paraquat. This study reported the new characteristics of P. geniculata capable of reducing humics analogs, Fe(III) (hydr)oxides, and paraquat, and proposed a novel electron transformation mechanism of the HRMs’ mediated degradation of organic contaminants.

Computer networks have been widely used and the network security is becoming a critical issue due to the frequent attacks. Among these attacks, the DDoS attack is a destructive attack method, which can cause enormous loss and is difficult to detect. The network administrators work on large volume of traffic data to monitor the DDoS attack. The information visualization method is then introduced to the domain of network security and DDoS attack detection to better comprehend the information behind the multi-dimensional data. Various visualization methods have been proposed to detect the DDoS attack. However, little research has been carried out to give an overview of the existing methods. In this work, we surveyed the literature from 2004 to 2017 concerning network security visualization. We have selected the methods designed for or that can be applied to DDoS attack detection. We have classified these methods and given the advantages and shortcomings of each kind of method. We then proposed the future work in this area, which is aimed at helping the researchers in this area to have a comprehensive view of DDoS visualization.

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Dietary Modification (DM) trial did not show that reductions in dietary fat accompanied by increases in vegetable and fruit consumption decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer. Secondary analyses suggested that aspirin use may modify the intervention effects of DM on colorectal cancer development, although a recent reanalysis including the postintervention period confirmed no main effect of the intervention on reducing colorectal cancer incidence Methods: We analyzed data from 48,834 postmenopausal women who were randomized into the low-fat DM (N = 19,540) or comparison (N = 29,294) group for an average 8.1 years and followed for an additional 9.4 years through August 31, 2014. Exposure to specific class(es) or strength(s) of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was modeled at baseline and as time-dependent use through the 9-year clinic visit. A Cox proportional hazard model was employed to assess the association of the DM, medication use, and their interaction with colorectal cancer events.A total of 906 incident cases of colorectal cancer were identified during the intervention and postintervention periods. By both exposure models, we found that colorectal cancer incidence was not different in the DM from the comparison group among any type of NSAID users. None of the interactions with any category of NSAID use was statistically significant; however there was most modest evidence for an interaction (p = 0.07) with aspirin use at baseline (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60-1.11 for users; HR = 1.12, 95% CI, 0.97-1.30 for nonusers). Strength and duration of aspirin use at baseline did not alter the associations.Extended follow-up of women in the WHI DM trial did not confirm combined protective effects of aspirin and low-fat diet on colorectal cancer risk among the postmenopausal women.

Falling significantly affects quality of life, morbidity, and mortality among older adults. We sought to evaluate the prospective association between sedentary time, physical activity, and falling among post-menopausal women aged 50-79years recruited to the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study between 1993 and 1998 from 40 clinical centers across the United States. Baseline (B) and change in each of the following were evaluated at year 3 (Y3) and year 6 (Y6; baseline n=93,676; Y3 n=76,598; Y6 n=75,428): recreational physical activity (MET-h/wk), sitting, sleeping (min/day), and lean body mass by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (subset N=6475). Falls per year (0, 1, 2, ≥3) were assessed annually by self-report questionnaire and then dichotomized as ≤1 and ≥2falls/year. Logistic regression models were adjusted for demographics, body mass index, fall history, tobacco and alcohol use, medical conditions, and medications. Higher baseline activity was associated with greater risk of falling at Y6 (18%; p for trend

Author(s): Kapadia, Shashi N; Wu, Chunyuan; Mayer, Kenneth H; Wilkin, Timothy J; Amico, K Rivet; Landovitz, Raphael J; Andrade, Adriana; Chen, Ying Q; Chege, Wairimu; McCauley, Marybeth; Gulick, Roy M; Schackman, Bruce R | Abstract: IntroductionTenofovir (TDF)-containing PrEP is effective for HIV prevention, but its effect on health-related quality of life (QOL) is unknown. Using data from HPTN 069/ACTG A5305, a randomized study of potential PrEP regimens comparing maraviroc alone, or together with TDF or emtricitabine (FTC), to TDF + FTC (control), we evaluated the impact of these regimens on QOL in at-risk HIV-uninfected U.S. women and men.MethodsQOL was measured at baseline (before starting medications) and every 8 weeks through week 48 using the EQ-5D-3L. Responses were converted to a scale from 0.0 (death) to 1.0 (perfect health), using published valuation weights. Mean scores were compared between groups at each time point using nonparametric testing. Multivariable linear regression was used to adjust for potential confounders.ResultsWe analyzed 186 women (median age 35 years, 65% black, 17% Hispanic) and 405 men (median age 30 years, 28% black, 22% Hispanic), including 9 transgender participants analyzed based on sex-at-birth. Mean baseline QOL was 0.91 for women and 0.95 for men. There were minimal changes in mean QOL over time for any regimen (women: p = 0.29; men: p = 0.14). There were no significant differences between participants who continued the regimen compared to participants who discontinued early (women: p = 0.61; men: p = 0.1). Mean QOL did not differ significantly by regimen at any time point, both unadjusted and after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, adherence, and use of alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and other substances.ConclusionsQOL in at-risk individuals starting candidate PrEP regimens in a clinical trial is similar to the general population and maintained over time. This finding did not vary among regimens or when adjusted for demographics, adherence, and substance use. Our findings are the first to show that starting a candidate PrEP regimen in at-risk HIV-uninfected U.S. women and men was not associated with significant changes in QOL.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT01505114.

Objective Our objective was to determine whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) or its components modified the effect of hormone therapy (HT) on the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events in the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials. Methods We performed a nested case-control study of incident CHD events during the first 4 years of follow-up in the Women's Health Initiative HT trials (estrogen plus progestin therapy [EPT] and estrogen therapy [ET]). There were 359 incident cases of CHD during follow-up. After the exclusion of women with cardiovascular disease (n = 90), diabetes, or hypertension at baseline (n = 103), 166 CHD cases were matched to 524 controls on age, randomization date, and hysterectomy status. MetS classification required at least three of five Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Analyses by χ and t tests for heterogeneity and logistic regression were performed. Postmenopausal women (n = 27,347) aged 50 to 79 years from 40 US clinical centers participated. Daily conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg; EPT) or conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg; ET) were compared with placebo. The main outcome measure was the odds for CHD with HT use versus placebo by MetS status. Results MetS modified the risk of CHD events with HT. In the pooled analysis, risk was increased with HT versus placebo in women with MetS (odds ratio, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.26-4.07), whereas women without MetS were not found to have an increased risk for a CHD event with HT (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.58-1.61; P for interaction = 0.03). Results of the EPT and ET trials, when examined separately, were similar. The constellation of MetS variables was more predictive of risk from HT than MetS components assessed individually. When women with diabetes or hypertension were included in the analysis, statistically significant effect modification was not detected. Conclusions MetS at baseline in women without prior cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hypertension at baseline identifies women who are more likely to have had adverse coronary outcomes on HT. CHD risk stratification is recommended before initiating HT. The basis for the greater risk of CHD events with HT among women with MetS requires further study.

With the use of an alkaliphilic bacterium, Corynebacterium humireducens MFC-5, this study investigated the reduction of goethite (α-FeOOH) and degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) mediated by different humic substances (humics) and quinones in alkaline conditions (pH of 9.0). The results indicated that (i) using sucrose as the electron donor, the strain MFC-5 was capable of reducing anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonic acid (AQDS), anthraquinone-2-disulfonic acid (AQS), anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (AQC), humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), and its reducing capability ranked as AQC > AQS > AQDS > FA > HA; (ii) the anaerobic reduction of α-FeOOH and 2,4-D by the strain was insignificant, while the reductions were greatly enhanced by the addition of quinones/humics serving as redox mediators; (iii) the Fe(III) reduction rate was positively related to the content of quinone functional groups and the electron-accepting capacities (EAC) of quinones/humics based on fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and electrochemical analyses; however, such a relationship was not found in 2,4-D degradation probably because quinone reduction was not the rate-limiting step of quinone-mediated reduction of 2,4-D. Using the example of α-FeOOH and 2,4-D, this study well demonstrated the important role of humics reduction on the Fe(III)/Fe(II) biogeochemical cycle and chlorinated organic compounds degradation in alkaline reducing environments. Funding Information This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos 41101211, 31070460, 41101477), and The Project Sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry.

Emerging evidence suggests that women with menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) have increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk as measured by surrogate markers. We investigated the relationships between VMS and clinical CVD events and all-cause mortality in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI-OS).We compared the risk of incident CVD events and all-cause mortality between four groups of women (total N = 60,027): (1) no VMS at menopause onset and no VMS at WHI-OS enrollment (no VMS [referent group]), (2) VMS at menopause onset but not at WHI-OS enrollment (early VMS), (3) VMS at both menopause onset and WHI-OS enrollment (persistent VMS [early and late]), and (4) VMS at WHI-OS enrollment but not at menopause onset (late VMS).For women with early VMS (n = 24,753), compared with no VMS (n = 18,799), hazard ratios (95% CIs) in fully adjusted models were as follows: major coronary heart disease (CHD), 0.94 (0.84-1.06); stroke, 0.83 (0.72-0.96); total CVD, 0.89 (0.81-0.97); and all-cause mortality, 0.92 (0.85-0.99). For women with persistent VMS (n = 15,084), there was no significant association with clinical events. For women with late VMS (n = 1,391), compared with no VMS, hazard ratios (95% CIs) were as follows: major CHD, 1.32 (1.01-1.71); stroke, 1.14 (0.82-1.59); total CVD, 1.23 (1.00-1.52); and all-cause mortality, 1.29 (1.08-1.54).Early VMS were not associated with increased CVD risk. Rather, early VMS were associated with decreased risk of stroke, total CVD events, and all-cause mortality. Late VMS were associated with increased CHD risk and all-cause mortality. The predictive value of VMS for clinical CVD events may vary with the onset of VMS at different stages of menopause. Further research examining the mechanisms underlying these associations is needed. Future studies will also be necessary to investigate whether VMS that develop for the first time in the later postmenopausal years represent a pathophysiologic process distinct from the classic perimenopausal VMS.

This work studied the ability of Comamonas koreensis CY01 to reduce Fe(III) (hydr)oxides by coupling the oxidation of electron donors and the enhanced biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by the presence of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides. The experimental results suggested that strain CY01 can utilize ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite or hematite as the terminal electron acceptor and citrate, glycerol, glucose or sucrose as the electron donor. Strain CY01 could transform 2,4-D to 4-chlorophenol through reductive side-chain removal and dechlorination. Under the anaerobic conditions, Fe(III) reduction and 2,4-D biodegradation by strain CY01 occurred simultaneously. The presence of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides would significantly enhance 2,4-D biodegradation, probably due to the fact that the reactive mineral-bound Fe(II) species generated from Fe(III) reduction can abiotically reduce 2,4-D. This is the first report of a strain of C. koreensis capable of reducing Fe(III) (hydr)oxides and 2,4-D, which extends the diversity of iron-reducing bacteria associated with dechlorination.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether midlife and older women who reported prior‐year physical abuse, verbal abuse, or both abuse types had higher mortality risk than peers who did not report prior‐year abuse. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty‐thousand six hundred seventy‐six community‐dwelling women ages 50 to 79 at baseline enrolled in one of two major Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study components who responded to baseline abuse questions. Observational study enrollment was N=93,676 (1994–1998; 90 months average follow‐up). Clinical trial enrollment was N=68,132 (1993–1998; 96 months average follow‐up). MEASUREMENTS: Total mortality was measured from 1993 to 2005 using all available data sources. Blinded physician adjudicators measured cause‐specific mortality. Ninety‐six percent of death records were adjudicated. RESULTS: Prior‐year self‐reported abuse prevalence was 11.3%. Women who reported physical abuse had the highest age‐adjusted mortality rate, followed by women who reported both abuse types. Abuse independently predicted mortality risk after controlling for age, education, ethnicity, and WHI component. High mortality risk remained for physically abused women (hazard ratio (HR)=1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.09–2.18) after adjusting for demographic and health‐related factors. Further adjustment for psychosocial variables diminished this association (HR=1.40, 95% CI=0.93–2.11), but high risk remained. CONCLUSION: Community‐dwelling middle‐aged and older women who reported prior‐year physical, verbal, or both types of abuse had significantly higher adjusted mortality risk than women who did not report abuse. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal research into prevention of abuse in later life and accompanying excess mortality and emphasize the importance of abuse prevention in later life.

The role of the humic model compound, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), in the anaerobic reductive dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by the Fe(III)- and humic substances (HS)-reducing bacterium, Comamonas koreensis strain CY01 was investigated. The results taken as a whole indicated that (i) strain CY01 could couple glucose oxidation to 2,4-D reductive dechlorination; (ii) reductive dechlorination of 2,4-D by strain CY01 was greatly stimulated by the addition of AQDS; (iii) the transfer of electrons from biogenic AH(2)QDS to 2,4-D was an abiotic process which can take place in the absence of microorganisms; and (iv) AH(2)QDS was reoxidized during the chemical reaction, AQDS can serve again as electron acceptor for microorganisms, thus acting as electron shuttles. All the results suggested that 2,4-D reductive dechlorination by CY01 strain was a biochemical process that oxidizes the electron donors and transfers the electron to the acceptors through redox mediator, AQDS. We proposed the possible mechanism for the HS dependent reduction of 2,4-D. Our results suggested that microbial reduction of HS and subsequent chemical reduction of organic pollutants represent an important path of electron flow in anoxic natural environments. This work is a necessary preliminary step for better understanding the biodegradation of 2,4-D in subsurface soil.

Background: Proliferative benign breast conditions are associated with elevated risk of breast cancer, whereas nonproliferative conditions are not strongly associated with risk. Factors acting before onset of hyperplasia might be associated with both benign conditions and breast cancer, whereas those on the proliferative disease-to-cancer pathway would be associated only with cancer. Soy isoflavone exposure may influence breast cancer risk, but little is known of its association with benign conditions.Materials and Methods: We examined possible relationships between plasma genistein and daidzein concentrations and risk of breast disease in women, in a breast self-examination trial in Shanghai, China, diagnosed with breast cancer (n = 196) or a benign breast condition (n = 304), and 1,002 age-matched controls with no known breast disease. Benign conditions were classified as nonproliferative (n = 131) or proliferative with or without atypia (n = 173).Results: Isoflavone concentrations were inversely associated with risk of nonproliferative and proliferative benign fibrocystic conditions, as well as with breast cancer, both with and without concomitant proliferative changes in ipsilateral noncancerous mammary epithelium (Ptrend < 0.01 for all comparisons with controls). Women in the highest quartile of plasma genistein (>76.95 ng/mL) were less likely to have breast cancer (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.50) or benign conditions (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.70) compared with women in the lowest quartile (Conclusion: Isoflavone exposure was inversely associated with fibrocystic breast conditions and breast cancer, and the results suggest that effects on cancer risk occur early in carcinogenesis. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(12):2579–86)