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Obtaining accurate atmospheric parameters, e.g., aerosol optical depth (AOD) and column water vapor (CWV), is important for the quantitative atmospheric correction (AC) of the high-spatial resolution remote sensing images. However, due to the strong temporal and spatial changes of the atmospheric parameters, it will be a challenge to ensure spatiotemporal registration of the satellite images given the AC parameters obtained separately from ground-based or other satellite products, which affects significantly the accuracy of the AC. The China National Space Administration launched a high resolution and multimode imaging satellite [Gao Fen Duo Mo (GFDM)] in July 2020, which has multifunctional observation modes and flexible mobility, with a high-spatial resolution imaging sensor (0.42 m in panchromatic and 1.6 m in multispectrum) and equipped the synchronization monitoring atmospheric corrector (SMAC) sensor. As the first atmospheric corrector with polarization detection capability on-board high-spatial resolution satellite, SMAC is designed to obtain multispectral intensity and polarized data and to retrieve synchronously AC parameters in the same field of view with main sensor. Based on the SMAC in-orbit test data, a lookup table method using the optimized inversion framework and a dual-channel ratio retrieval method are developed to derive AOD and CWV, respectively, in this article. The AOD and CWV results are validated against the AERosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET). The preliminary test of AC performance on the multispectral images of GFDM satellite indicates that SMAC is of great potential to improve the quality of the main sensor's image.

In this paper, a complete investigation and simulation of the extinction ratio (ER) in a setup with a micro-polarizer array (MPA) is performed. A metal grid substrate structure, which can effectively reduce optical crosstalk and improve the ER, is proposed. The numerical calculation results show that the ER of our proposed structure is more than 10-fold higher than that of the traditional structure. Moreover, the effect of its structural parameters to the ER has been researched, and the results showed that when the substrate is thicker, the incident angle of light is less than 15°, the metal width is larger than 900 nm, and a complete grating with more than 20 periods on a single pixel can obtain a high ER.

This study presents high-resolution pollen and charcoal records from Guxu Lake in the Taihu Lake Basin, eastern China, spanning the last 23,000 years. The sedimentary sequences revealed dynamic terrestrial and lacustrine environments during 23.0-11.7 cal ka BP, the climate was relatively cold and dry, and the vegetation was dominated by evergreen-deciduous broadleaf and coniferous mixed forest. During 11.7-4.4 cal ka BP, the Quercus- and Castanopsis-dominated evergreen-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest expanded, while the Poaceae and Artemisia were still the major terrestrial herbs under warmer and more humid conditions. After this period, the climate became relatively cool and dry again, and the vegetation landscape was comparatively stable, as it remains today. Wild rice likely grew before Neolithic humans occupied this area. The variations in Oryza-type Poaceae pollen spectra and distributions of Neolithic archaeological sites indicate rice agriculture may have first appeared and developed with human occupation in ca. 7.0-4.4 ka BP. During the historical period, beginning approximately 4 ka BP, a clear signal of intensified anthropogenic disturbance is evident from the clearing of forests, high charcoal concentrations and the presence of rice pollen in large quantities. These results suggest more intensified rice farming was widespread, with increasing human impact on the environment.

Phytolith analysis was conducted on soil samples from an archeological profile at the Hehuashan site, located in the upper Qiantang River region, China. This paper focuses on: (1) changes on the morphometric features of Oryza-type bulliform phytoliths from the rice leaves of the Early Neolithic Hehuashan site, (2) human adaptations during the Early Holocene, and (3) the cultivation of rice by Early Neolithic occupants in the upper Qiantang River region. The phytolith assemblage before and during the Early Neolithic Shangshan Culture occupation of the Hehuashan site indicates a landscape composed of reeds (Phragmites australis), rice (Oryza sp.), Bambusoideae, and some woody plants. The amount of Oryza-type bulliform phytoliths and the number of scale-like decorations present along their margins increased from the lowest to the uppermost deposits at the site. The change in the amount and morphology of bulliform phytoliths indicates the presence of wild rice around the site at the time of human occupation, which provides evidence of a shift from the collection and possible manipulation of wild rice to cultivation during the Shangshan Culture period (11400–8600 BP).

BACKGROUND Malignant gliomas metabolize glucose preferably by glycolysis which is in accordance with the Warburg effect. This induces a high demand of glucose combined with a significant lactic acid load. The hypoxia-inducible carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX has been shown to moderate the extrusion of hydrogen ions into the extracellular space. Since the acidification of the extracellular environment contributes to host tissue invasion due to activation of proteolytic enzymes, we hypothesized that CA IX plays an important role in malignant glioma Recently, specific small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme have been developed and may provide an innovative strategy for anti – invasive treatment. METHODS Two established and 4 primary GBM cell lines (2 with mesenchymal and 2 with proneural transcriptional profile) were exposed to the CAIX inhibitor U104 under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Cell toxicity was measured by ATP and crystal violet assay. For invasion assessment, a matrigel invasion chamber system with 8 µm pore size polycarbonate filter was used. CAIX expression was analyzed by quantitative RTPCR and Western Blot. RESULTS Hypoxia significantly induced CAIX expression in all cell lines. Invasiveness increased significantly under hypoxic conditions in the mesenchymal cells (p < 0.01). Regardless of oxygenation status, the mesenchymal group displayed significantly higher invasiveness compared to the proneural group (p = 0.006). Looking at all cell lines, invasion is significantly inhibited by U104, both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions (p < 0.01). However, while the mesenchymal group showed the highest susceptibility to CAIX inhibition followed by the proneurally differentiated group, the established cell lines were entirely refractory to CAIX inhibition. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that CAIX inhibition can effectively inhibit invasion in malignant glioma cells independent from oxygenation status, however the effects are significantly influenced by cell type specific biological features.

The polarized scanning nephelometer (PSN) is an instrument for measuring the multiangle scattering matrix of aerosol particles. Prior to being used, its measurement accuracy should be first verified. However, due to the complexity of the errors involved, it is very difficult to evaluate the measurement accuracy of the instrument reasonably, which limits the application of the PSN. In this work, taking di-ethyl-hexyl-sebacate droplets as an example, an uncertainty evaluation method of the scattering matrix measurements for the PSN is proposed. According to the measurement characteristics, the sources of uncertainty are divided into systematic effects and random effects. The corresponding evaluation method is then proposed for these two uncertainty categories, and the uncertainty introduced by systematic effects is investigated in depth via the Monte Carlo method. The evaluation results clearly show the variation trend of each uncertainty component as a function of the scattering angle in different matrix elements. The combined uncertainty is calculated and analyzed, and the result shows that the measurement uncertainty of the instrument is less than 0.0185, which verifies the accuracy of the instrument. This method can provide a reference for the accuracy evaluation of similar instruments.

The present study investigated the relationship between the expression of miR-146a and miR-146b with the occurrence and prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Experiments in vitro were also used to explore the effect of the knocked down expression of the miRNAs on growth and migration of papillary thyroid carcinoma cells. A total of 73 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma admitted to Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang from September 2013 to September 2015 were enrolled in the study. Carcinoma samples were obtained from each patient, and adjacent tissues were used as control samples to determine expression levels of miR-146a and miR146b by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. An analysis was conducted to find possible correlations between the miRNAs expression levels and clinicopathological features in the patients followed up for one year after diagnosis. Additionally, to examine the function of miR-146a and miR-146b on TPC-1 cells, the expression of miRNAs was knocked down using specific siRNAs. MTT and Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation and migration, respectively, in the miRNA cell lines. Finally, western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression of IRAK1 in PTC cancer cells. Our results showed that the expression levels of miR-146a and miR-146b in carcinoma tissues were significantly higher than the levels in cancer-free tissues (P

In this work, the four optimum azimuthal angles are determined for a full-Stokes scanning polarimeter comprising a rectangular prism, quarter-wave plate, and four linear polarizers. The determinant and condition numbers of the measurement matrix are used as objective functions in an optimization procedure. Illustrative examples with optimum angles and commonly used angles of linear polarizers are presented to evaluate the sensitivity of the polarimeter in estimating the incident Stokes vector, in error cases involving fluctuations in the detected flux and/or errors in the azimuthal angles of the linear polarizers. Our results show that optimum angles produce smaller errors than commonly used angles, when deriving the incident Stokes vectors.

Light scattering is an important tool for gathering information about the structure and origin of atmospheric aerosols. We build a polarized scanning nephelometer to measure the properties of aerosol particles. However, the accuracy of the backward-scattered light measurements is limited by stray forward-scattered light reflected back into the collection optics. We briefly analyze this stray light. A new form of light trap with multiple hollow cones is introduced to suppress backward-scattered stray light. To evaluate the effect of the light trap on suppressing stray light for our nephelometer, a simulation model with and without the light trap was analyzed. Our results show that without the light trap, the percentage of backward-scattered stray light can be more than 50% for some kinds of particles. With the light trap with multiple hollow cones, the percentage of stray light with a backward-scattered angle can be less than 0.7%, which remains stable over different angles. Our results indicate that this structure could be particularly suitable for a light trap with a very large aperture but limited space.

A new instrument, the Polarized Scanning Nephelometer (PSN), has been developed for measuring the complete scattering matrix of aerosol particles as a function of the scattering angle. The instrument measures directly the ensemble-averaged scattering matrix elements of the aerosol particles and can deduce all scattering matrix elements for scattering angles in the range 3.5° to 170° at two different wavelengths (445 nm, 633 nm). The PSN instrument features a number of different optical components including beamsplitters, polarizers, and quarter-wave plates. By using different combinations of orientation angles for the optical components, all the scattering matrix elements are obtained as a function of the scattering angles. Nitrogen gas was used to give a measure of the stray light suppression level of the instrument. Instrument performance in terms of the accuracy of the scattering matrices was verified quantitatively using homogeneous polydisperse spherical particles. For instance, in studies comparing the PSN measurements with Mie calculations, the average absolute relative errors of the scattering matrix elements for diethylhexyl sebacate (DEHS) droplets were within 0.02 and 0.025 at 445 nm and 633 nm, respectively.

Floatation of archaeological remains from sediments of the Neolithic Zhumucun site, attributed to the Liangzhu Culture (5300–4300 BP), demonstrates the diverse plant resources available at this site. The plant remains suggest a generally warm and humid wetland landscape where rice-based subsistence was possible. Domesticated rice was cultivated in paddy fields and served as the only cereal, while some melons and fruits, such as muskmelon (Cucumis melo) were probably cultivated as well. In addition, some species of Polygonum might have been utilized as vegetables. Furthermore, herbs such as Potentilla sp., Zehneria indica, and Lagenaria siceraria var. microcarpa were probably collected for medical purposes.

According to archaeological investigation and preliminary excavation, the Yangjia Site, located in the northern Taihu Lake region, at Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, is a Neolithic archaeological site dominated by cultural remains attributed to the late Majiabang Culture (6270–5920 cal. a BP). Here a systematic archaeobotanical study was conducted to investigate vegetation landscape, environmental characteristics and rice agriculture in the prehistoric northern Taihu Lake area. The abundance, frequency and standard density of charred rice were the highest of all of the remains of the seed plants unearthed. In addition, a variety of wetland weeds, such as Haloragaceae, Cyperaceae, Carex sp., and Oxalis corniculata, were found. Pollen and phytoliths recorded that the evergreen-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest (represented by Quercus and Castanopsis) tends to decrease, while Poaceae was the most significant of the terrestrial herbs, water area expanded and water activities strengthened, indicating generally warm and humid conditions at the Yangjia Site during the late Majiabang Culture. All indicators of pollen, phytolith and macro-plant remains suggest that wild rice should be once distributed at or around the site before human occupation, after which rice agriculture progressed rapidly during the late Majiabang Culture.

Objective. The objective is to observe whether the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)Nao-Xue-Shuoral liquid improves aphasia of mixed stroke.Methods. A total of 102 patients with aphasia of mixed stroke were divided into two groups by a single blind random method. The patients treated by standard Western medicine plusNao-Xue-Shuoral liquid (n=58) were assigned to the treatment group while the remaining patients treated only by standard Western medicine (n=58) constituted the control group. Changes in the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB), Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and hemorheology parameters were assessed to evaluate the effects of the treatments.Results. Excluding the patients who dropped out, 54 patients in the treatment group and 51 patients in the control group were used to evaluate the effects. Significant and persistent improvements in the WAB score, specifically comprehension, repetition, naming, and calculating, were found in the treatment group when the effects were evaluated at the end of week 2 and week 4, respectively, compared with baseline. The naming and writing scores were also improved at the end of week 4 in this group. The comprehension and reading scores were improved at the end of week 4 in the control group compared with the baseline, but the improvements were smaller than those in the treatment group. The percentages of patients at the 0-1 range of mRS were increased at the end of week 2 and week 4 in both groups, but the improvements in the treatment group were much larger than those in the control group. Greater improvements in the NIHSS scores and the hemorheology parameters in the treatment group were also observed compared with the control group at the end of week 2 and week 4.Conclusion.Nao-Xue-Shuoral liquid formulation improved aphasia in mixed stroke patients and thus might be a potentially effective drug for treating stroke aphasia.

The relationship between the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 and breast cancer prognosis was studied. Two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and one human normal breast cell line (HS578Bst) were investigated. Fluorescence real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to detect cellular mRNA and protein MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels. Breast cancer tissue samples from 80 patients and tumor-adjacent normal tissue samples from 40 patients were collected, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in these samples were examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels with breast cancer patient clinicopathological parameters and prognosis was analyzed. RT-PCR and western blot results showed that MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly higher in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells than in HS578Bst cells. A high expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was found in 83.75% (67/80) and 78.75% (63/80) of breast cancer tissue samples, respectively. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in breast cancer tissues were significantly different from that in tumor-adjacent normal tissues (p

Well preserved Early Bronze Age cow dung in Xinjiang provides a unique opportunity to investigate important issues concerning environment, landscape, and livestock at about 3.4e3.7 ka in northwestern China. In this study, pollen and phytolith analyses, in conjunction with identification of macrofossil plant remains in the cow dung were carried out. Seeds, plant fragments, pollen and phytoliths extracted from four cow pies from the Xiaohe Cemetery indicate that the area was a typical oasis, where reeds (Phragmites australis), lovegrass (Eragrostis), and Aster-type Asteraceae probably served as the main cattle feed. Xerophilous taxa, such as Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia, were present as well. The paleo-diet of these cattle mainly consisted of C3 plants, accompanied by small numbers of C4 plants. Archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence reveals that the environmental conditions of ancient Xiaohe and the surrounding area were very different to that of the present day, surrounded by desert.

As a component of architectures, stone reliefs prevailing during the Han Dynasty (206BC–AD220) were usually found in coffin chambers and ancestral temples. Although the stone reliefs represent stone carving techniques of the Han Dynasty (202BC–AD220), little information about these techniques were known. In this study, the digital microscope with 3D surface reconstruction based on extended depth of focus (EDF) technology was used to investigate tool marks of stone reliefs excavated at the Mausoleum of Cao Cao (AD155–AD220) at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25–AD220). The tool marks analysis shows that different carving techniques were involved. The surface was ground by a rotary grinding tool. Small flat-head tool could be used to lower the background. Curved lines were engraved by an oblique attack technique and the burin was held at the angle of about 35° to the contact surface. Thin straight lines were engraved by an upright attack technique. Concentric circles were possibly engraved by the dragging action of a tool like a h-shaped compass. Furthermore, it is envisioned that the EDF technology provide a new effective approach for tool marks analysis.

Identification of Cannabis Fiber from the Astana Cemeteries, Xinjiang, China, with Reference to Its Unique Decorative Utilization: In the Turpan District of Xinjiang, China, large numbers of ancient clay figurines, with representations including equestrians, animals, and actors, have been excavated from the Astana Cemeteries and date from about the 3rd to the 9th centuries C.E. Based on visual inspection, the tails of some of the figurines representing horses are made of plant fibers. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, light microscope examination, and drying–twist tests demonstrated that these fibers were extracted from one or more stalks of hemp (Cannabis) plants. This is a unique report of the utilization of Cannabis bast fibers for figurine decoration in ancient Turpan.

Objective To investigate the effect of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor BKM120 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human glioma U251 cells. Methods U251 cells were treated with different concentrations of BKM120 (final concentrations were 1, 5, 20 μmol/L) for 48 hours. The effect of BKM120 on cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis was detected by annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The protein expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting. Results CCK-8 assay showed that BKM120 inhibited U251 proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner and the maximum inhibitory rate was 78.3%. Flow cytometry showed that BKM120 induced cell aopotosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blotting revealed that the expression of Bax was elevated by BKM120, but the expression of Bcl-2 had a reverse trend. Conclusion BKM120 can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of U251 cells.

To investigate the effect of curcumin on learning and memory function of rats with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the possible mechanism.A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham group, SAH group and curcumin (Cur) therapy group. Experimental SAH rat models were established by injecting autologous blood into the cisterna magna. Neurological deficits of rats were examined at different time points. Spatial learning and memory abilities were tested by Morris water maze test. The hippocampal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were detected by ELISA. RESULTS Experimental SAH rat models were established successfully. Neurological scores of the SAH rats were significantly lower than those of the sham group. Curcumin therapy obviously improved the neurological deficits of rats compared with the SAH rats. Morris water maze test showed that SAH caused significant cognitive impairment with longer escape latency compared with the sham group. After treatment with curcumin for 4 weeks, the escape latency decreased significantly. The levels of TNF-α and iNOS in the curcumin-treated group were significantly lower than those of the SAH group.SAH can cause learning and memory impairment in rats. Curcumin can recover learning and memory function through down-regulating hippocampal TNF-α and iNOS levels.

Sesame Utilization in China: New Archaeobotanical Evidence from Xinjiang. A cache of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seeds, discovered in the Thousand Buddha Grottoes at Boziklik, Turpan, China, dating to ca. 700 years before present (BP), is hard evidence of their use in China since that time. Morphological and anatomical features suggest a white sesame cultivar. The sizeable quantity unearthed implies that sesame was a valued commodity that could provision the monks and enrich the diet of ancient inhabitants as an oil source.

Pollen and phytolith analyses were undertaken at the Jiangli site in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, combined with studies on macrofossils by flotation. The concentration of pollen decreased while the percentage of Poaceae pollen in the profile increased from the late phase of the Majiabang Culture to the Songze Culture suggesting that human impact on the local environment intensified gradually. The discovery of rice paddy implies a relatively advanced rice cultivation in this area during the middle-late Holocene. Other than phytoliths, the high percentage of Oryza-type Poaceae pollen (larger than 40 μm) supplied robust evidence for the existence of rice paddy. Moreover, the fact that the farther from the rice paddy, the lower the concentration and percentage of Poaceae pollen also proves that the dispersal and deposition of pollen is inversely proportional to the distance.