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【Background and Objective】 Irrigation in the Hetao irrigation district relies on water diversion from the Yellow River. However, its flat terrain coupled with suboptimal irrigation and drainage practices over the past decades has resulted in groundwater table rise, leading to significant soil salinization. This paper develops a water balance model to calculate groundwater recharge and drainage in the irrigation district. 【Method】 A comprehensive water balance model was established by accounting for seasonal freezing and thawing, as well as groundwater drainage. It was then applied to the Yichang area in the irrigation district. Sensitivity of the model was analyzed using the Latin Hypercube-One-At-a-Time (LH-OAT) method; parameters in the model were estimated using the ensemble square-root method of data assimilation (ES-MDA). 【Result】 Sensitivity analysis reveals that change in groundwater depth is sensitive to parameters including the critical depth of phreatic groundwater table below which groundwater evaporation ceases, coefficient of phreatic groundwater evaporation and coefficient of irrigation water recharge. The model accurately reproduces the variation in groundwater depth and groundwater drainage in the studied area. Groundwater recharge primarily emanates from irrigation water infiltration, while drainage is predominantly through groundwater evaporation. The analysis identifies seasonal fluctuations in groundwater storage, which is influenced by factors such as irrigation water diversion, groundwater depth and groundwater drainage rate. 【Conclusion】 The proposed water balance model accounts for freezing and thawing, as well as groundwater discharge. Practical application shows the model is robust for modelling groundwater dynamics in the Yichang area in the Hetao irrigation district. Monthly change in groundwater storage is influenced intractably by irrigation practices, groundwater dynamics and climatic condition.

PurposeCardiotoxicity affects 5-16% of cancer patients who receive anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab. Limited research has examined interventions to mitigate cardiotoxicity. We examined the role of statins in mitigating cardiotoxicity by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies.MethodsA literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Central. A random-effect model was used to assess summary relative risks (RR), weighted mean differences (WMD), and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Testing for heterogeneity between the studies was performed using Cochran's Q test and the I2 test.ResultsTwo randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 117 patients and four observational cohort studies with a total of 813 patients contributed to the analysis. Pooled results indicate significant mitigation of cardiotoxicity after anthracycline and/or trastuzumab exposure among statin users in cohort studies [RR = 0.46, 95% CI (0.27-0.78), p = 0.004, [Formula: see text] = 0.0%] and a non-significant decrease in cardiotoxicity risk among statin users in RCTs [RR = 0.49, 95% CI (0.17-1.45), p = 0.20, [Formula: see text] = 5.6%]. Those who used statins were also significantly more likely to maintain left ventricular ejection fraction compared to baseline after anthracycline and/or trastuzumab therapy in both cohort studies [weighted mean difference (WMD) = 6.14%, 95% CI (2.75-9.52), p

• Due to advances in treatment and early detection, nearly 90% of women with breast cancer are living at least 5 years following their diagnosis     o Living longer, there is increased risk for the development of longterm, late effects of cancer treatment     o Cardiotoxicity may arise either during or after breast cancer treatments such as anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab• Recent evidence has suggested the potential for statin use, a lipidlowering drug, during treatment to mitigate the risk of cardiotoxicity in patients receiving cardiotoxic chemotherapy• Research Question: Does statin use lower the risk of cardiotoxicity among breast cancer patients who receive treatment with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab?

Bulk nanobubbles, nanoscopic gaseous domains in aqueous solutions, exhibit surprising long-term stability and unique properties under varying environmental conditions. This study investigates the effects of external pressure on nanobubble stability and behavior through three experimental setups: pressurization at room temperature, pressurization at elevated temperatures, and constant pressure loading. Our findings reveal that increasing external pressure reduces nanobubble concentration and reshapes the bubble size distribution. Larger nanobubbles either disappeared or transformed into microbubbles, while smaller ones expanded, significantly narrowing the size distribution. These changes were found to be irreversible. Additionally, nanobubble stability is influenced by both the magnitude and duration of the applied pressure. Elevated temperatures further narrowed the size distribution at atmospheric pressure, and subsequent pressurization caused these nanobubbles to shrink, showing different response characteristics compared to room temperature. This research highlights the complex interplay between pressure, temperature, and nanobubble stability, offering valuable insight for practical applications in fields such as drug delivery, water treatment, and nanomaterial synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavitation inception generally originates from gaseous nuclei in a liquid, either as an air pocket on a solid wall or freely suspended gaseous contaminants. In this work, the impact of nanoscale nuclei, typically around 100 nm in diameter, on laser-induced cavitation is explored. The experimental results indicate that the presence of these nanoscale entities can readily trigger multiple optical breakdowns, resulting in a spark column with essentially discrete character and a train of primary cavitation bubbles nucleating along the laser-focusing path. The investigation further reveals a nuanced relationship between laser pulse energy and cavitation bubble size, moderated by nanoscale nuclei concentration, which ultimately caps the maximal bubble size to approximately 300 μ m. The study also delves into the aftermath of initial breakdowns, elucidating the genesis of secondary cavitation through the expansion of both pre-existing and laser-excited nanoscale gaseous nuclei, facilitated by a transient negative pressure field that is formed by the reflection of shock waves on adjacent bubbles' surface. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate the scenario at a smaller scale and reveal that the presence of nanobubbles is more conducive to the rupture of the surrounding water under the action of tension waves to generate cavities. This work may lay a foundational framework for future explorations aimed at decrypting the thresholds of cavitation inception, thereby enriching the academic discourse on the control and manipulation of cavitation phenomena within liquid mediums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】 Drought and flooding are two natural hazards affecting agricultural production, and understanding the statistics in their occurrences is critical to safeguarding crop growth. Taking cotton in Hubei province as an example, this paper presents a new method to analyze the drought and flooding characteristics during its growth season. 【Method】 Ten-day accumulative humidity index was first calculated based on daily meteorological data measured from 1961 to 2019 from 26 meteorological stations across Hubei province; we then analyzed the variation in drought and flooding events occurring at seedling, budding, flowering and boll-forming stages of the cotton during this period. These data were used to analyze the relationship between drought-flooding intensity and the associated climatic cotton yield. 【Result】 The intensity of flooding occurring at all but the budding stage had been in decline from 1961 to 2019, and the intensity of drought occurring at all but boll-opening stage had also been in decrease during this period. There were three sharp changes in flooding intensity at significant level (p

【Objective】 Drought and flooding are two abiotic stresses in crops growth. Understanding how they occur in a region is critical to safeguarding its agricultural production. The objective of this paper is to analyze the spatiotemporal variation in abrupt drought and flooding alternation (DFAA) occurring at different growth stages of cotton in Hubei province, aimed to provide reference for ameliorating detrimental impact of these natural hazards on cotton production. 【Method】 An agro-meteorological index named SAPEI -standardized antecedent precipitation evapotranspiration index - was first derived from the renowned SPEI -standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index. It was then used to assess the daily drought and flooding condition in cotton fields across the province, from which we defined and identified individual DFAA events including both abrupt drought-flooding alternations and abrupt flooding-drought alternation. We also collected daily weather data from 26 weather stations across the province and computed their SAPEI, from which we calculated the spatiotemporal variation in DFAA events from 1961 to 2019 at four cotton growth stages: seedling, budding, flowering and boll-forming, and boll opening stages. 【Result】 The SAPEI index was able to describe soil moisture in the cotton field and identify the DFAA events in the province. Regarding the types of DFAA, abrupt drought-flooding alternations had occurred approximately five times the abrupt flooding-drought alternations. It was also found that the frequency and intensity of DFAA varied with the growth stages, most frequent and intensive during flowering and boll-forming stage and least frequent at the budding stage although the intensity during this stage remained relatively high. In contrast, the occurrence of DFAA during the boll-opening stage was least intensive but more frequent. Spatially, the northwest of the province and the Honghu basin were most prone to both abrupt drought-flooding alternation and flooding-drought alternation. Temporally, there were more DFAA events in the 1970s; since the 1990s, DFAA has tended to become more widespread and intensive. 【Conclusion】 Abrupt drought-flooding alternation is the major DFAA form during the growth season of cotton in Hubei province, especially at the flowering and boll-forming stage and in the northwest of the province.

Background and purpose: The production of metallo‐β‐lactamases is a major mechanisms adopted by bacterial pathogens to resist carbapenems. Repurposing approved drugs to restore the efficacy of carbapenems represents an efficient and cost‐effective approach to fight infections caused by carbapenem resistant pathogens. Experimental approach: The nitrocefin hydrolysis assay was employed to screen potential New Delhi metallo‐lactamase‐1 (NDM‐1) inhibitors from a commercially available U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug library. The mechanism of inhibition was clarified by metal restoration, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and molecular dynamics simulation. The in vitro synergistic antibacterial effect of the identified inhibitors with meropenem was determined by the checkerboard minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay, time‐dependent killing assay and combined disc test. Three mouse infection models were used to further evaluate the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of combined therapy. Key results: Twelve FDA‐approved compounds were initially screened to inhibit the ability of NDM‐1 to hydrolyse nitrocefin. Among these compounds, dexrazoxane, embelin, candesartan cilexetil and nordihydroguaiaretic acid were demonstrated to inhibit all tested metallo‐β‐lactamases and showed an in vitro synergistic bactericidal effect with meropenem against metallo‐β‐lactamases‐producing bacteria. Dexrazoxane, embelin and candesartan cilexetil are metal ion chelating agents, while the inhibition of NDM‐1 by nordihydroguaiaretic acid involves its direct binding to the active region of NDM‐1. Furthermore, these four drugs dramatically rescued the treatment efficacy of meropenem in three infection models. Conclusions and implications: Our observations indicated that dexrazoxane, embelin, candesartan cilexetil and nordihydroguaiaretic acid are promising carbapenem adjuvants against metallo‐β‐lactamases‐positive carbapenem resistant bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]