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The hydrothermal method is used to fabricate the TiO2/BiOBr composite. The Xray diffraction, SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy are employed to characterize its crystal structure, physical morphology, chemical composition, and light absorption. Its photocatalytic performance and stability are analyzed by the photocatalytic degradation rate of rhodamine B solution under sunlight irradiation. The composite exhibits the optimal photocatalytic effect when the Ti:Bi molar ratio is 4:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years' the Araliaceae plants have been widely used in the planning of urban garden and road green space. China is rich in Araliaceae plant resources and Araliaceae plants are outstanding in form' but their ornamental value is less studied. Through the statistical survey of the germplasm resources of Araliaceae plants in southeastern Tibet' and the research and analysis of their functions and ornamental characteristics' this paper concluded that the Araliaceae plants in southeastern Tibet have high ornamental value' and 12 varieties of Araliaceae plants can be used in gardens and have great research and development significance. Finally it came up with recommendations for the coHection and protection' introduction and breeding' and garden application of Araliaceae plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tibet is one of the core distribution areas of the Chinese endemic plant Euonymus sanguineus, but the population decline is obvious. In order to protect and develop the plant resources in Tibet rationally, the ecological environment and growth conditions in Milin County, Nyingchi City, Tibet were investigated by means of sampling method in order to provide the theoretical basis for the protection, introduction, breeding and cultivation of E. sanguineus. The results were as follows: (i) The population quantity of E. sanguineus was too small and the survival area was too small, which seriously affected the interspecific mating, seed development and regeneration, and greatly reduced the genetic diversity within the population; (ii) The dry and hot river valley climate and human and animal activities inhibited the seed germination and seedling growth of E. sanguineus, resulting in very low survival rate of seedlings, ad hindering the population expansion of E. sanguineus ; (iii) The distribution area is located in the Yarlung Tsangpo river valley, and the natural habitat fragmentation has affected the interspecific gene exchange, resulting in the low? seed bearing capacity and germination rate of E. sanguineus, which is the direct cause of the population decline of E. sannuineus ; (iv) The litterfall of E. sanguineus had autotoxicity, which inhibited the growth of seedlings under the forest, caused slow? natural regeneration of the population, and then caused the population of E. sanguineus to be unable to spread and develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the features and trends of urbanization away from home in Anhui Province, and believes that the eross-eity floating population in the province shows a expanding scale, and dual cores of the province lias obvious attractiveness. This paper also analyzes the relations between urban-rural construction land and urban-rural population transformation in the province, and expounds the possibility and necessity of carrying out human-land linking policy northern Anhui-Wanjiang. Based on the factors affecting human-land linking policy, this paper recommends that we should establish cross-regional trading policy system for land development rights in Anhui Province from four key links (urban entry, urban integration, rural exit, common urban-rural development), in order to effectively promote migrant workers' oitizenization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polymalic acid (PMA) has many applications in food and medical industries. However, so far it has not been commercially produced by fermentation. Therefore, it is very important how to develop an economical process for a large scale production of PMA by one step fermentation. Results: After over 200 strains of Aureobasidium spp. isolated from the mangrove systems in the South of China were screened for their ability to produce Ca2+-polymalate (PMA), it was found that Aureobasidium pullulans var. pullulans MCW strain among them could produce high level of Ca2+-PMA. The medium containing only 140.0 g/L glucose, 65.0 g/L CaCO3 and 7.5 g/L corn steep liquor was found to be the most suitable for Ca2+-PMA production. Then, 121.3 g/L of Ca2+-PMA was produced by A. pullulans var. pullulans MCW strain within 120 h at flask level. During 10-L batch fermentation, 152.52 g/L of Ca2+-PMA in the culture and 8.6 g/L of cell dry weight were obtained within 96 h, leaving 4.5 g/L of reducing sugar in the fermented medium. After purification of the Ca2+-PMA from the culture and acid hydrolysis of the purified Ca2+-PMA, HPLC analysis showed that A. pullulans var. pullulans MCW strain produced only one main component of Ca2+-PMA and the hydrolysate of the purified Ca2+-PMA was mainly composed of l-malic acid. Mw (the apparent molecular weight) of the purified PMA was 2.054 × 105 (g/moL) and the purified PMA was estimated to be composed of 1784 l-malic acids. Conclusions: It was found that A. pullulans var. pullulans MCW strain obtained in this study could yield 152.52 g/L of Ca2+-PMA within the short time, the produced PMA had the highest molecular weight and the medium for production of Ca2+- PMA by this yeast was very simple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous work showed that connexin 43 (Cx43) reduced the expression of hypoxic-induced factor-1a (HIF-1a) in astrocytes. HIF-1a is a master transcription factor for angiogenesis in tumor. Angiogenesis is essential for tumor progression. Here, we investigated the role of Cx43 in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and angiogenesis in murine tumor. In the study, mouse B16F10 and 4T1 cells were overexpressed or knockdown with Cx43. The expression profiles as well as activity of the treated cells were examined. Furthermore, reduced Cx43 expression in B16F10 and 4T1 cells causes increased expression of VEGF and enhanced the proliferation of endothelial cells. On the contrary, the expression of VEGF and the proliferation of endothelial were increased in the conditioned medium of Cx43-knockdown tumor cells. We subcutaneously transplanted Cx43-overexpressing B16F10 cells into mice to evaluate the roles of Cx43 in the tumor angiogenesis. Both tumor size and the number of vessels growing in the tumor were markedly decreased compare with control group. Our findings suggest that Cx43 inhibited tumor growth by reducing angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dementia has been associated with an increased risk of hip fracture. However, little research has been conducted on the impact of dementia on wrist or vertebral fracture development. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dementia is a risk factor for different types of fracture in Taiwan. Methods The study sample was drawn from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database of reimbursement claims, and comprised 1408 patients who visited ambulatory care centers or were hospitalized with a diagnosis of dementia. The comparison group consisted of 7040 randomly selected individuals. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to examine associations between dementia and the risk of different types of fracture. Results During a 3-year follow-up period, 264 patients with dementia (18.75%) and 1098 patients without dementia (15.60%) developed fractures. Dementia was independently associated with increased risk of hip fracture [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.92, 95% CI 1.48-2.49]. Patients with dementia and osteoporosis had the highest risk of developing hip fracture (adjusted HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.28-4.01). Dementia did not increase wrist fracture or vertebral fracture risk when compared to the control group, even in patients with osteoporosis. Conclusions Individuals with dementia are at greater risk of developing hip fracture, particularly if they also have osteoporosis. Early mental screening programs and health education should be initiated to decrease disability and dependence in patients with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of preferentially tumor-targeting bacteria as vectors is one of the most innovative approaches for the treatment of cancer. This method is based on the observation that some obligate or facultative anaerobic bacteria are capable of selectively multiplying in tumors and inhibiting their growth. Previously, we found that the tumor-targeting efficiency of Salmonella could be modulated by modifying the immune response to these bacteria by coating them with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), and these organisms are designated PAH-S.C. (S. choleraesuis). PAH can provide a useful platform for the chemical modification of Salmonella, perhaps by allowing a therapeutic gene to bind to tumor-targeting Salmonella. This study aimed to investigate the benefits of the use of PAH-S.C. for gene delivery. To evaluate this modulation, the invasion activity and gene transfer of DNA-PAH-S.C. were measured in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with PAH-S.C. carrying a tumor suppressor gene (connexin 43) resulted in inhibition of tumor growth, which suggested that tumor-targeted gene therapy using PAH-S.C. carrying a therapeutic gene could exert antitumor activities. This technique represents a promising strategy for the treatment of tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to important and deleterious neuroinflammation, as evidenced by indicators such as edema, cytokine production, induction of nitric oxide synthase, and leukocyte infiltration. After TBI, cerebral vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. In our previous study, we proved that simvastatin could attenuate cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response in a rat traumatic brain injury. This purpose of this study was to determine whether simvastatin combined with an antioxidant could produce the same effect or greater and to examine affected surrogate biomarkers for the neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury in rat. In our study, cortical contusions were induced, and the effect of acute and continuous treatment of simvastatin and vitamin C on behavior and inflammation in adult rats following experimental TBI was evaluated. The results demonstrated that simvastatin combined with an antioxidant could provide neuroprotection and it may be attributed to a dampening of cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) are characterized by systemic inflammation and may affectmultiple organs and cause vascular events such as ischemic stroke and acutemyocardial infarction. However, the association between ARD and increased risk of dementia is uncertain. This is a retrospective cohort study to investigate and compare the risk of dementia between patients clinically diagnosed with ARD and non-ARD patients during a 5-year follow-up period. Methods. Data were obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID2000).We included 1221 patients receiving ambulatory or hospitalization care and 6105 non-ARD patients; patients were matched by sex, age, and the year of index use of health care. Each patient was studied for 5 years to identify the subsequent manifestation of dementia. The data obtained were analyzed by Cox proportional hazard regression. Results. During the 5-year follow-up period, 30 ARD (2.48%) and 141 non-ARD patients (2.31%) developed dementia. During the 5-year follow-up period, there were no significant differences in the risks of any type of dementia (adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.18; 95% CI, 0.79-1.76) in the ARD group after adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. Conclusions. Within the 5-year period, patients with and without ARD were found to have similar risks of developing dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a common disorder with troublesome symptoms caused by reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, has adverse impact on quality of life. A variety of medications have been used in GERD treatment, and acid suppression therapy is the mainstay of treatment for GERD. Although proton pump inhibitor is the most potent acid suppressant and provides good efficacy in esophagitis healing and symptom relief, about one-third of patients with GERD still have persistent symptoms with poor response to standard dose PPI. Antacids, alginate, histamine type-2 receptor antagonists, and prokinetic agents are usually used as add-on therapy to PPI in clinical practice. Development of novel therapeutic agents has focused on the underlying mechanisms of GERD, such as transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, motility disorder, mucosal protection, and esophageal hypersensitivity. Newer formulations of PPI with faster and longer duration of action and potassium-competitive acid blocker, a newer acid suppressant, have also been investigated in clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the current and developing therapeutic agents for GERD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the risk of dementia remains controversial. This population based study was designed to estimate and compare the risk of dementia in TBI and non-TBI individuals during the 5 year period after TBI. Methods This study was a retrospective cohort study. Data were obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. We included 44 925 patients receiving ambulatory or hospital care and 224 625 non- TBI patients; patients were matched for sex, age and year of index use of healthcare. Patients <15 years of age and those admitted to the intensive care unit were excluded. Each individual was studied for 5 years to identify the subsequent development of dementia. Data were analysed by Cox proportional hazard regression. Results During the 5 year follow-up period, 1196 TBI (2.66%) and 224 625 non-TBI patients (1.53%) patients developed dementia. During the 5 year follow-up period, TBI was independently associated with a 1.68 (range 1.57-1.80) times greater risk of dementia after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and selected comorbidities. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest an increased risk of dementia among individuals with TBI. We suggest the need for more intensive medical monitoring and health education in individuals with TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) with conservative therapy for patients with acute vertebral compression fractures. Prospective, nonrandomized, comparison study. The efficacy of PV has not been well established because there have been few comparative studies with conservatively treated control groups. Fifty-five consecutive patients (8 men and 47 women, age 47-94) with osteoporosis and symptomatic acute vertebral compression fractures were enrolled. Thirty-two patients received PV, whereas 23 received conservative therapy. Changes in pain intensity, physical functioning, and pain medication requirement were evaluated. Both PV and conservative therapy provided pain reduction ( P < 0.001), improvements in physical functioning ( P < 0.001), and decreased medication ( P < 0.001). Reductions in visual analogue pain scores were more significant in the vertebroplasty group at 1 ( P < 0.001) and 4 weeks ( P < 0.001) but not at 12 months. Improvements in physical functioning were significant at 1 ( P < 0.001) and 4 weeks ( P < 0.001). Medication requirements were lower in the vertebroplasty group at all three time points. Pain relief, physical functioning improvement, and medication requirement after vertebroplasty are immediately and significantly better when compared with conservative therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabilization of cell surface E-cadherin is important for the maintenance of apical junction complexes and epithelial polarity. Previously, we reported that discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) forms a complex with E-cadherin at adhesive contacts; however, the regulatory role of DDR1 in the stabilization of cell surface E-cadherin and E-cadherin-mediated cell behaviors remained undefined. To gain insight into these questions, we utilized two stable clones depleted for DDR1 via the small interfering RNA (siRNA) technique, and we over-expressed DDR1 in MDCK cells. We performed Western blotting, immunofluorescence analysis, flow cytometry, and cell aggregation studies to investigate the effect of DDR1 on cell surface E-cadherin. The results showed that both DDR1/2 and E-cadherin use their extracellular domains to form DDR/E-cadherin complexes. Neither the depletion nor the over-expression of DDR1 changed the expression level of E-cadherin in MDCK cells. Collagen disrupted the formation of E-cadherin complexes and caused E-cadherin to accumulate in the cytoplasm; however, over-expression of DDR1 stabilized E-cadherin on the cell surface and decreased its cytoplasmic accumulation. Furthermore, independently of collagen stimulation, the depletion of DDR1 resulted in a decrease in the level of cell surface E-cadherin, which consequently caused its cytoplasmic accumulation and decreased E-cadherin-mediated cell aggregation. These results indicate that DDR1 can increase the stability of cell surface E-cadherin and promote MDCK cell aggregation, which may be mediated through the formation of DDR1/E-cadherin complexes. Overall, these findings have implications for the physiological roles of DDR1 in association with the maintenance of both the adhesion junction and epithelial polarity. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 387–397, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the ground surface perturbation concept, a novel stopband-enhanced electromagnetic-bandgap (EBG) structure has been proposed to suppress the power/ground noise on a three-layer package. This structure consists of a coplanar periodic pattern on the top layer, a ground plane on the third layer, and a ground surface perturbation lattice on the second layer with eight vias connecting to the ground plane. By designing the dimension and via numbers, the ground surface perturbation lattice can significantly enhance the stopband bandwidth. A generic 1-D circuit model is proposed for the three-layer EBG structure. The reason why the proposed structure can possess wider stopband will be explained. Several test samples are fabricated. The agreement of the stopband between the circuit model and measured results are good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of new and effective solid catalysts (solid acid base to immobilized enzyme) is necessary for renewable and green energy production. The various choices of heterogeneous solid catalysis were reported recently, and the specific research outcomes of trans-esterification on heterogeneous catalysis are discussed in the present article. The studies on biodiesel production are mainly focused on the following aspects: (i) examining the appropriate oil source, (ii) establishing the adequate alcohol to oil molar ratio, and (iii) evaluating the available solid acid catalysts, solid base catalysts, and lipase immobilized enzyme catalysts. Although homogeneous catalysis are superior in terms of reaction rate compared to heterogeneous catalysis, the focus of research on development of solid catalysts for heterogeneous catalytic transesterification is directed from the point of easy process and possible adoption for large scale production. The scope of this presentation is to examine these aspects in detail and to provide a comprehensive outlook on the aspects mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel power/ground plane for eliminating the power noise in the high-speed digital circuits using an artificial substrate electromagnetic bandgap (AS-EBG) structure is proposed. The AS-EBG is designed by embedding the air rods and high dielectric constant (DK) rods between the coplanar EBG power/ground planes to enhance the stopband bandwidth. A 2-D transmission-line model of the AS-EBG power planes is also developed with experimental verification to explain the mode perturbation and predict the bandgap of the AS-EBG. It is found that over 60% enhancement of bandwidth (from 1.5 to 2.4 GHz) can be achieved for a 3 × 3 AS-EBG power plane compared to the coplanar-EBG power planes by proper design of the high DK rod with DK of 92. Based on SPICE-based modeling, the excellent power/signal integrity performance of the AS-EBG structure is also presented by the chip-package co-simulation in the time domain. It is found over 70% reduction of the simultaneously switching noise can be obtained with good signal eye-diagram improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient numerical approach based on the 2-D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is proposed to model the power/ground plane noise or simultaneously switching noise (SSN), including the interconnect effect between the package and the print circuit board (PCB). The space between the power and ground planes on the package and PCB are meshed with 2-D cells. The equivalent R-L-C circuits of the via and the solder balls connecting the package and PCB can be incorporated into a 2-D Yee cell based on a novel integral formulation in the time domain. An efficient recursive updating algorithm is proposed to fit the lumped networks into the Yee equations. A test sample of a ball grid array (BGA) package mounted on a PCB was fabricated. The power/ground noise coupling behavior was measured and compared with the simulation. The proposed method significantly reduces the computing time compared with other full-wave numerical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) derived from root exudates and complexed with available metals in the rhizosphere soils of Taiwan red cypress (Chamaeyparis formosensis, FRS), peacock pine (Cryptomeria japonica, JRS), and moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens, PRS) were identified by gas chromatograph (GC). The fresh plants (i.e., leaves, stems, roots, and litters) and soil samples of those three vegetations were examined for their organic functional groups. This study focused on (1) assessing methods for processing LMWOAs in the rhizosphere soils and fresh plants by GC analysis and (2) determining the relative proportions of organic carbon (C) functional groups in the three vegetations and fresh plant materials with 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The proportion of LMWOAs contents followed the order of PRS>FRS>JRS>bulk soils. The recovery and spiking tests analyzed by GC showed good recovery (>83.6%) and reproducibility of LMWOAs. The proportion of organic functional groups in the rhizosphere and bulk soil quantified by 13C NMR analysis followed the general order alkyl-C>aromatic-C>O-alkyl-C>N-alkyl-C>phenolic-C>acetal-C>carboxyl-C. The carbohydrates, hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose contents obtained by 13C NMR analysis suggested that Phyllostachys pubescen (PB) cannot easily be decomposed under the mountain forest soil environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to provide fundamental knowledge of arsenate sorption on lithium/aluminum layered double hydroxide intercalated by chloride (Li/Al LDH-Cl) and further to reveal the contribution of exposed positive charge surface of Li/Al LDH-Cl created by intercalating LiCI into Al(OH)3 layers to arsenate sorption. Therefore, sorption isotherms, envelopes and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique were employed to examine the reaction of arsenate on Li/Al LDH-CI and on gibbsite. Based on an isotherm study, the sorption maximum of Li/Al LDH-CI for arsenate was approximately six times higher than that of gibbsite. Sorption envelopes of arsenate on Li/Al LDH-Cl displayed a pH-sensitive behavior from pH 4.0 to 7.0, but it was insensitive to pH above pH 7.0, approaching to the PHpzc of Li/Al LDH-Cl (7.22). This transformation with shifted pHs illustrated that there were two types of reaction sites within Li/Al LDH-Cl that participate in arsenate sorption; one is pH-sensitive and the other is not. From EXAFS analysis, arsenate sorbed on Li/Al LDH, reacted not only with Al in the edges of Al-(OH)3 layers, but also with Li located in the vacant octahedral sites within Al(OH)3 layers; however, the decreasing intensity of As(V)-Al shells with increasing pH represented there were fewer As(V)-Al complex existed at higher pH, i.e., the complex between arsenate and Al is pH-sensitive. The superior sorption capability of Li/Al LDH-Cl to that of gibbsite could be attributed to the intercalated Li cations which served as the permanent sorption sites and made the surface of Al(OH)3 have high affinity to arsenate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatom indicators of wetland condition were developed and tested by assessing human disturbance, water chemistry, and species composition of benthic, epiphytic, and planktonic diatoms from 20 wetlands sampled for 2 years. One sample from each site was randomly selected to form a development data set, while the rest were used as the test data set. Human disturbance indicated substantial differences among wetlands in hydrologic modification, impervious surface, and potential for non-point source contamination. These landscape alterations were related to increases in pH, non-nutrient ions, and nutrients and decreases in dissolved organic carbon and water color. Pre-existing diatom indicators, calculated with autecological information from lakes and aquatic habitats, correlated highly to relevant water chemistry and human disturbance scores. Weighted average models (WAM) of Cl−, conductivity, pH, and alkalinity derived with the Maine development data set correlated to relevant water chemistry and human disturbance of the test wetlands. Diatom assemblage attributes that correlated with human disturbance were selected to combine into a multimetric index of biotic condition (IBC). IBCs and WAMs from benthic and epiphytic diatoms were usually more precisely related to relevant environmental factors than planktonic diatoms. These results showed that human disturbance alkalized wetlands, enriched them with nutrients, and diatom assemblages responded to these changes. Indicator development protocols for streams can be readily adapted for use in wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variation in theatpB-rbcLintergenic spacer region of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was investigated inHygrophila pogonocalyxHayata (Acanthaceae), an endangered and endemic species in Taiwan. In this aquatic species, seed dispersal from capsules via elasticity is constrained by gravity and is thereby confined within populations, resulting in limited gene flow between populations. In this study, a total of 849 bp of the cpDNAatpB-rbcLspacer were sequenced from eight populations ofH. pogonocalyx. Nucleotide diversity in the cpDNA is low (?=0.00343±0.00041). The distribution of genetic variation among populations agrees with an “isolation-by-distance” model. Two geographically correlated groups, the western and eastern regions, were identified in a neighbor-joining tree and a minimum-spanning network. Phylogeographical analyses based on the cpDNA network suggest that the present-day differentiation between western and eastern groups ofH. pogonocalyxresulted from past fragmentation. The differentiation between eastern and western populations may be ascribed to isolation since the formation of the Central Mountain Range about 5 million years ago, which is consistent with the rate estimates based on a molecular clock of cpDNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves several genetic and environmental components. Heat-shock protein 70, a chaperone that is up-regulated in stress responses and that refolds protein, may be involved in the pathogenesis of PD. We have investigated the association of polymorphisms -110 A/C, +190 G/C, +1267 A/G, +2074 G/C, and +2437 G/C in the 5’ and coding regions of the HSP70-1, HSP70-2, and HSP70-hom genes with the risk of PD by screening DNA samples from 274 PD patients and 183 controls in assays based on the polymerase chain reaction. There was no statistically significant difference in genotype distribution between patients and controls for the three coding-region polymorphisms in HSP70-2 and HSP70-hom. However, for HSP70-1, the overall genotype distribution was significantly different at the -110 site (P=0.004) and tended to be different at the +190 site (P=0.012) between patients and controls. The frequencies of the -110 CC and +190 CC genotypes were significantly higher in PD patients than in controls (P=0.001 and 0.006, respectively). Both -110 CC (odds ratio: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.51–5.96; P=0.002) and +190 CC (odds ratio: 3.59; 95% CI: 1.53–9.88; P=0.006) genotypes were significantly associated with PD. Reporter constructs containing the -110 A allele cloned into a luciferase reporter plasmid drove marginally higher transcriptional activity of HSP70-1 compared with the -110 C allele in both control and heat-shocked IMR32 and 293 cells. Therefore, -110 A/C may be a functional polymorphism in the 5’ promoter region of HSP70-1 and may affect susceptibility to PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to investigate selected physical and chemical properties, and availability of metals in rhizosphere and bulk soils of Tsuga and Yushania of alpine forests. The pH of rhizosphere soils was lower than bulk soils. Mean CEC, organic carbon, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and clay contents in rhizosphere soils were greater than in bulk soils (P < 0.05). Concentrations of exchangeable potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) were also greater in rhizosphere soils than in bulk soils. The availability of aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in rhizospheres was influenced by the ionic species and concentrations, which depend on the pH change and chemical compositions of root exudates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue-tailed bee-eater ( Merops philippinus) is a summer migrant that breeds on Kinmen Island, located off the west coast of Taiwan, about 5 km from the southern coast of mainland China. The aim of this study was to investigate why blue-tailed bee-eaters build their nests in sandy loam and sandy clay loam, but not in clay loam. Soil chemical and physical properties, and mineralogical composition were measured for the different soil types. Clay loam had a significantly lower pH, Na, and base saturation than did sandy loam or sandy clay loam. Clay loam had a significantly higher N, cation-exchange capacity (CEC), K, and free iron (Fed) and aluminum oxide (Ald) contents than the other soil types. Clay loam had significantly lower sand and higher clay content, and higher bulk density and penetration resistance than the other soil types. The correlation coefficients ( r 2) between penetration resistance and Fed, Ald, and clay contents were 0.997, 0.848, and 0.779, respectively. Soil strength and compaction are important criteria for bee-eaters’ nesting-site selection. The lower pH of clay loam would enhance the exchangeable Al and acidity, further increasing the soil aggregation. Thus, it might prevent the bee-eaters from excavating nesting burrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gastric cancer is one of the global health concerns. A series of studies on the stomach have confirmed the role of the microbiome in shaping gastrointestinal diseases. Delineation of microbiome signatures to distinguish chronic gastritis from gastric cancer will provide a noninvasive preventative and treatment strategy. In this study, we performed whole metagenome shotgun sequencing of fecal samples to enhance the detection of rare bacterial species and increase genome sequence coverage. Additionally, we employed multiple bioinformatics approaches to investigate the potential targets of the microbiome as an indicator of differentiating gastric cancer from chronic gastritis. Results A total of 65 patients were enrolled, comprising 33 individuals with chronic gastritis and 32 with gastric cancer. Within each group, the chronic gastritis group was subgrouped into intestinal metaplasia (n=15) and non intestinal metaplasia (n=18); the gastric cancer group, early stage (stages 1 and 2, n=13) and late stage (stages 3 and 4, n=19) cancer. No signifcant diferences in alpha and beta diversities were detected among the patient groups. However, in a twogroup univariate comparison, higher Fusobacteria abundance was identifed in phylum; Fusobacteria presented higher abundance in gastric cancer (LDA scored 4.27, q=0.041 in LEfSe). Age and sex adjusted MaAsLin and Random Forest variable of importance (VIMP) analysis in species provided meaningful fea‑ tures; Bacteria_caccae was the most contributing species toward gastric cancer and latestage cancer (beta:2.43, se:0.891, p:0.008, VIMP score:2.543). In contrast, Bifdobacterium_longum signifcantly contributed to chronic gastritis (beta:1.8, se:0.699, p:0.009, VIMP score:1.988). Age, sex, and BMIadjusted MasAsLin on metabolic pathway analysis showed that GLCMANNANAUTPWY degradation was higher in gastric cancer and one of the contributing species was Fusobacterium_varium. Conclusion Microbiomes belonging to the pathogenic phylum Fusobacteria and species Bacteroides_caccae and Streptococcus_anginosus can be significant targets for monitoring the progression of gastric cancer. Whereas Bifidobacterium_longum and Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_5_1_63FAA might be protection biomarkers against gastric cancer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a distance detector composed of two separated metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), a differential polysilicon cross-shaped Hall plate (CSHP), and a readout circuit. The distance detector was fabricated using 0.18 µm 1P6M Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology to sense the magnetic induction perpendicular to the chip surface. The differential polysilicon CSHP enabled the magnetic device to not only increase the magnetosensitivity but also eliminate the offset voltage generated because of device mismatch and Lorentz force. Two MOSFETs generated two drain currents with a quadratic function of the differential Hall voltages at CSHP. A readout circuit--composed of a current-to-voltage converter, a low-pass filter, and a difference amplifier--was designed to amplify the current difference between two drains of MOSFETs. Measurements revealed that the electrostatic discharge (ESD) could be eliminated from the distance sensor by grounding it to earth; however, the sensor could be desensitized by ESD in the absence of grounding. The magnetic influence can be ignored if the magnetic body (human) stays far from the magnetic sensor, and the measuring system is grounded to earth by using the ESD wrist strap (Strap E-GND). Both 'no grounding' and 'grounding to power supply' conditions were unsuitable for measuring the induced Hall voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori infection is an important issue worldwide, and several guidelines have been published for clinicians to achieve successful eradication. However, there are still some patients who remain infected with H. pylori after treatment. Clinicians should identify the reasons that caused treatment failure and find strategies to manage them. We have searched and organized the literature and developed methods to overcome factors that contribute to prior treatment failure, such as poor compliance, inadequate intragastric acid suppression, and antibiotic resistance. To improve compliance, telemedicine or smartphone applications might play a role in the modern world by increasing doctor–patient relationships, while concomitant probiotics could be administered to reduce adverse effects and enhance adherence. For better acid suppression, high-potency and high-dose proton-pump inhibitors or potassium-competitive acid blockers have preferable efficacy. To overcome antibiotic resistance, susceptibility tests either by culture or by genotyping are the most commonly used methods and have been suggested for antibiotic selection before rescue therapy, but empirical therapy according to detailed medical history could be an alternative. Eradication with a longer treatment period (14days) has a better outcome than shorter period (7 or 10days). Ultimately, clinicians should select antibiotics based on the patient’s history of drug allergy, previous antibiotic exposure, local antibiotic resistance, available medications, and cost. In addition, identifying patients with a high risk of cancer and shared decision-making are also essential for those who have experienced eradication failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil clays (< 2,000 nm) (SC) and soil nanoclays (< 100 nm) (SNC) were used as adsorbents for removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution. The experiments were conducted with variables including pH, interaction time, concentration of Cu(II) and temperature. Four kinetic models have been employed to investigate adsorption mechanisms, and the experimental data more closely resemble a second-order process of the kinetic model. Adsorption studies on soil nanoclays have been shown to be highly effective in removing of Cu(II) from aqueous solution. This adsorbent is widely available as a natural material, is mechanically stable and, most importantly, it is environmentally appealing. The maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacity of soil nanoclays (31.7 mg/g) is more than three times higher than natural soil clays (10.2 mg/g). Our study demonstrates that soil nanoclays can be used effectively for removal of Cu(II) from aqueous systems to achieve environmental cleaning purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most prominent paleosol unit in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is the fifth paleosol complex (S5) with its well-developed very thick and dark colored pedons. To provide more insight in the formation of S5 and its environmental significance, the pedogenesis and clay mineral transformation in the S5 of the Wugong section (Shaanxi Province) on the southernmost CLP are analyzed. S5 at the Wugong section is essentially composed of three well-developed reddish pedons (i.e., S5 -1, S5 -2, S5 -3) which signify three glacial-interglacial climatic fluctuations during its formation. Complete decalcification in each pedon and a calcic horizon of only 30-50 cm in thickness beneath each of the three pedons suggests that after deposition the pedons developed with a relatively stable surface in a sustained warm and humid climate. Clay formation in the S5 includes neogenesis of clay materials by in situ post-depositional weathering and mechanical migration of the fine fraction after complete decalcification. Complete leaching of CaCO3, intensive clay formation (with 60-100% higher clay content than that in the overlying and underlying loess (L5 and L6)) and extremely high magnetic susceptibility in the S5 pedons reflected a warmer, more humid climate and soil environment for pedogenesis than in the 'optimum' Holocene. However, the chemical alteration of the phyllosilicate minerals was weak and restrained by the hard calcic horizon, the compact argillic horizon and the flat terrain. The major clay mineral weathering processes during the formation of the S5 pedons at the Wugong section were depotassication, hydrolysis of primary minerals and degradation of chlorite. The pedogenesis in a loess-paleosol sequence and its pedogenic environment can best be deduced from combined data on pedogenic properties, and geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall intensity and slope gradient are important factors that affect soil erosion; however, contradictory observations have been made due to different experimental conditions and materials. Colluvial deposits with loose, coarse material and steep slopes are easily erodible, but the erosion mechanism of colluvial deposition remains obscure. This work investigated the effects of heavy and storm rainfall intensity and steep slope gradients on the infiltration, runoff, and soil loss of colluvial soil. The rainfall intensity ranged from 1.00 to 2.33 mm min-1, and the slope gradient ranged from 36 to 84%. The infiltration rates declined sharply in the initial stage, whereas an opposite trend was observed for runoff rates until a steady state was reached after 5 min. Single- and multiple-peak models illustrated the two types of changes for the sediment yield process. The infiltration volume and the coefficient increased with increasing rainfall intensity and decreased with increasing slope, whereas the runoff coefficient decreased with increasing rainfall intensity and increased with increasing slope. Runoff volume and sediment yield increased with increasing rainfall intensity but had a critical slope gradient of 58% and >47%. The sediment concentration increased with increasing rainfall intensity, and first increased and then decreased with increasing slope gradients at rainfall intensities of 1.00 and 1.33 mm min-1 but increased at rainfall intensities of 1.67, 2.00, and 2.33 mm min-1. The findings of this study can be used to clarify the erosion mechanisms in disturbed soils with high coarse particle content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine processing waste sludge (WPWS) has been shown to be an effective sorbent for sorption of nickel, lead, and chromium, but the sorption of copper (Cu) in aqueous solution by WPWS has not been conducted. The objective of this study was to explore the sorption mechanism of WPWS for copper. Infrared analysis revealed carboxyl was the major functional group in WPWS. The WPWS sorption isotherms of copper were only well described by Langmuir sorption isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) was 14.26 mg/g at 50 °C. A pseudo-second-order sorption kinetic model successfully described the kinetics of copper sorption onto WPWS. The Gibb free energies (&Dgr;G°) ranged from -20.69 to -24.29 kl mol-1, and the &Dgr;H° and &Dgr;S° were 5.048 kj mol-1 and 91.05 J mol-1 K-1, respectively. The trend of the intra-particular diffusion rate is the opposite of the adsorption constant of the pseudo-second-order equation. Water Environ. Res., 84, 733 (2012). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the nature, physicochemical properties, and environmental fate of nanoparticles is severely lacking. Zeolite A was used to demonstrate its structural transformation from well crystalline to short-range-ordered (SRO) particles, including nanoparticles with size fractions in the range of 450 to 2000, 100 to 450, 25 to 100, and 1 to 25 nm. The chemical properties of a zeolite are dependent on its framework structure, which is formed by connecting truncated octahedra (sodalite) through the simple double four rings (D4-R) with external linkage in each sodalite. With decreasing particle size, the T(Si, Al)-O asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations shifted toward higher frequencies and the Si to Al molar ratio increased consistently from 1.8 to 5.2. The chemical shift of 27Al and 29Si magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra was related to its structural transformation from well crystalline to SRO particles, which was attributed to the loss of external linkage D4-R units in the structure. Comparing the various particle-size fractions (PSFs) showed significant differences in surface area, Si/Al molar ratio, morphology, crystallinity, framework structure, and surface atomic structure of nanoparticles from those of the bulk sample (i.e.,<2000 nm) before particle-size fractionations. Formation of these most reactive nanoparticles were caused by physicochemical weathering merits increasing attention with reference to their nature and properties, and their importance in ecosystem integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating power distribution network (PDN) noise is one of the main efforts for power integrity (PI) design in high-speed or mixed-signal circuits. Possible solutions, which are based on decoupling or isolation concept, for suppressing PDN noise on package or printed circuit board (PCB) levels are reviewed in this paper. Keeping the PDN impedance very low in a wide frequency range, except at dc, by employing a shunt capacitors, which can be in-chip, package, or PCB levels, is the first priority way for PI design. The decoupling techniques including the planes structure, surface-mounted technology decoupling capacitors, and embedded capacitors will be discussed. The isolation approach that keeps part of the PDN at high impedance is another way to reduce the PDN noise propagation. Besides the typical isolation approaches such as the etched slots and filter, the new isolation concept using electromagnetic bandgap structures will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a joint carrier synchronization and equalization algorithm is presented for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems in the tracking stage. Based on the minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) criterion, the cost function of the joint algorithm is proposed to minimize the mean square error (MSE), namely, the uncoded bit error rate (BER), on each subchannel and to further lower the carrier frequency jitter concurrently. The carrier synchronization scheme with multirate processing is a dual-loop structure, which is composed of outer and inner loops. The outer loop is a frequency-tracking loop that deals with the phase offset, which is induced by the carrier frequency offset (CFO), in the time domain. The inner loop is a phase-tracking loop to cope with the phase distortions, which are caused by the carrier frequency error and the channel phase variation, on each subcarrier in the frequency domain. There is a gain equalization loop to compensate the magnitude distortion on each subchannel. Furthermore, the closed-loop stability of the carrier synchronization loop is particularly explored for the loop delay induced by hardware realization. Many simulations are done for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and the multipath frequency-selective fading channels to show that the joint algorithm not only accurately estimates and compensates the CFO and the channel impairment but also provides the cost-effective feature compared with the considered algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Acrylic emulsion based painted red lauan plywood (Parashorea spp.) is most commonly used for indoor furnishings. This study investigated the enhancement of the fire retardance of painted plywood by interaction among four major components of intumescent formulation: (1) acrylic emulsion resin as binder resin (BR), (2) pentaerythritol as carbonizing substance (CS), (3) melamine as foam producing substance (FPS) and (4) ammonium polyphosphate as dehydrating agent (DA). Effects of changing BR/CS ratios (designated as FRA series) and FPS/DA ratios (designated as FRM series) on flame-retardance of painted plywood were investigated using a cone calorimeter. The intumescent formulation significantly enhanced fire retardancy of painted plywood by exhibiting lower peak release rates and longer times to reach peak release rates, compared with uncoated plywood (UP) panel and plywood panel solely coated with acrylic emulsion resin. Lower BR content in the FRA series and lower FPS content in the FRM series were shown to enhance flame retardancy of painted plywood. The positive correlation between total heat release values under increasing combustion duration and incremental changes of BR and FPS contents in two series further verified the above findings. Consistent with the observed flame retardancy enhancement of painted plywood, lower heats of combustion and weight losses for paints in the FRM series were also identified by oxygen bomb calorimeter measurements and thermogravimetrical analysis. Infrared analysis of the chars indicated the formation of phosphate ester linkages with the lowest BR content in the FRA series and the lowest FPS content in the FRM series showing superior enhancements of flame retardancy for painted red lauan plywood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A power/ground planes design for efficiently eliminating the ground bounce noise (GBN) in high-speed digital circuits is proposed by using low-period coplanar electromagnetic bandgap (LPC-EBG) structure. Keeping solid for the ground plane and designing an LPC-EBG pattern on the power plane, the proposed structure omnidirectionally behaves highly efficiently in suppression of GBN (over 50 dB) within the broad-band frequency range (over 4 GHz). In addition, the proposed designs suppress radiated emission (or electromagnetic interference) caused by the GBN within the stophand. These extinctive behaviors of low radiation and broad-band suppression of the GBN is demonstrated numerically and experimentally. Good agreements are seen. The impact of the LPC-EBG power plane on the signal integrity for the signals referring to the power plane is investigated. Two possible solutions, differential signals and an embedded LPC-EBG power plane concept, are suggested and discussed to reduce the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyprinid genus Onychostoma Günther, 1896 consists of 24 valid species distributed in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan, Hainan, mainland China and the Indochina region. In the present study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome of O. lepturum, which is 16,598 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a typical control region (D-loop). To verify the molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Acrossocheilinae, we provide new insights to better understand the taxonomic status of Acrossocheilus, Onychostoma and Folifer brevifilis. The phylogenetic trees presented three major clades based on the 13 protein-coding genes from 28 Acrossocheilinae species. Clades I and II represent the Onychostoma and Acrossocheilus groups, respectively. Species of Acrossocheilus, Onychostoma and F. brevifilis are included in Clade III, which is considered as an ancestral group. This work provides genomic variation information and improves our understanding of the Acrossocheilinae mitogenome, which will be most valuable in providing new insights for phylogenetic analysis and population genetics research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drainage canal sediments in an industrial park are generally dredged to landfill in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to evaluate feasibility employing the sediment as an adsorbent for removal of dye. The sediment contained approximately 10% of organic matter and little heavy metals. Infrared (IR) analysis revealed that carboxyl was the most important functional group for methylene blue (MB) sorption. Canal sediment could remove the most MB from water at pH 8.0 and this removal increased with increasing temperature. The MB sorption was well described by the Langmuir, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin sorption isotherms at 10 &°C, but it showed good compliance with Freundlich isotherm at 25 °C and 40 °C. The MB adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic reaction; its maximum calculated adsorption capacity (Qm) was 56.0 mg g-1 at 10 °C by the Langmuir isotherm. The calculated values of enthalpy (ΔH°) and entropy (ΔS°) are 14.6 kJ mol-1 and 149.2 kJ mol-1, respectively. Only pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic model successfully described the kinetics of MB onto the sediment at different operation parameters. Activation energy of MB adsorption calculated from Arrhenius equation was 16.434 kJ mol-1, indicating the binding between canal sediment and MB was a physical adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors analyse the ergodic capacity of the downlink channel in a hybrid satellite-terrestrial cooperative system. The satellite link experiences shadowed Rician fading and the terrestrial link follows Rayleigh fading. Using the moment generating function-based approach, they derived the formulae for the ergodic capacity with the amplify-and-forward protocol or the decode-and-forward protocol. Moreover, the asymptotic expression for the ergodic capacity at a high signal-to-noise ratio is derived, and the system multiplexing gain is also obtained. Using the asymptotic results, they propose a simple relay selection strategy, which only requires the knowledge of channel statistics. Monte Carlo simulations are provided to confirm the analytical results, and to illustrate the effect of different factors, in terms of the number of relays, channel conditions, and the cooperative protocol, on the ergodic capacity. Numerical results show that the analytical results are highly accurate in the single relay scenario and have low computational complexity in the multi-relay scenario. In addition, the proposed relay selection strategy achieves low overhead in the price of a little performance degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs protect a variety of cell types against oxidative damage and vascular and neuronal injury via binding to GLP-1 receptors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the GLP-1 analogs exendin-4 and liraglutide on cerebral blood flow, reactive oxygen species production, expression of oxidative stress-related proteins, cognition, and pelvic sympathetic nerve-mediated bladder contraction after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury in the db/db mouse model of diabetes.Results: Sixty minutes of MCAO increased blood and brain reactive oxygen species counts in male db/db mice, as revealed by dihydroethidium staining. MCAO also increased nuclear factor-κB and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and decreased cerebral microcirculation. These effects were attenuated by treatment with exendin-4 or liraglutide. MCAO did not affect basal levels of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) or endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS); however, exendin-4 and liraglutide treatments significantly enhanced p-Akt and p-eNOS levels, indicating activation of the p-Akt/p-eNOS signaling pathway. MCAO-induced motor and cognitive deficits and micturition dysfunction, indicated by reduced pelvic nerve-mediated voiding contractions and increased nonvoiding contractions, were also partially attenuated by exendin-4 treatment.Conclusions: The above data indicate that treatment with GLP-1 agonists exerts protective effects against oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic damage in brain areas that control parasympathetic/pelvic nerve-mediated voiding contractions and cognitive and motor behaviors in a diabetic mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H inokitiol purified from the heartwood of cupressaceous plants has had various biological functions of cell differentiation and growth. Hinokitiol has been demonstrated as having an important role in anti-inflammation and anti-bacteria effect, suggesting that it is potentially useful in therapies for hyperpigmentation. Previously, hinokitiol inhibited the production of melanin by inhibiting tyrosinase activity. The autophagic signaling pathway can induce hypopigmentation. This study is warranted to investigate the mechanism of hinokitiol-induced hypopigmentation through autophagy in B16F10 melanoma cells. The melanin contents and expression of microthphalmia associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase were inhibited by treatment with hinokitiol. Moreover, the phosphorylation of the protein express levels of phospho-protein kinase B (P-AKT) and phospho-mammalian targets of rapamycin (P-mTOR) were reduced after hinokitiol treatment. In addition, the microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) -II and beclin 1 (autophagic markers) were increased after the B16F10 cell was treated with hinokitiol. Meanwhile, hinokitiol decreased cellular melanin contents in a dose-dependent manner. These findings establish that hinokitiol inhibited melanogenesis through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia oxidization is a critical step in the soil N cycle and can be affected by the fertilization regimes. Chinese milkvetch (Astragalus sinicus L., MV) is a major green manure of rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in southern China, which is recommended as an important agronomic practice to improve soil fertility. Soil chemical properties, abundance and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in a MV-rice rotation field under different fertilization regimes were investigated. The field experiment included six treatments: control, without MV and chemical fertilizer (CK); 100% chemical fertilizer (NPK); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 100% chemical fertilizer (NPKM1); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 40% chemical fertilizer (NPKM2); 18 000 kg MV ha-1 alone (MV); and 18 000 kg MV ha-1 plus 40% chemical fertilizer plus straw (NPKMS). Results showed that NPKMS treatment could improve the soil fertility greatly although the application of 60% chemical fertilizer. The abundance of AOB only in the MV treatment had significant difference with the control; AOA were more abundant than AOB in all corresponding treatments. The NPKMS treatment had the highest AOA abundance (1.19 × 108 amoA gene copies g-1) and the lowest abundance was recorded in the CK treatment (3.21 × 107 amoA gene copies g-1). The abundance of AOA was significantly positively related to total N, available N, NH4+-N, and NO3--N. The community structure of AOA exhibited little variation among different fertilization regimes, whereas the community structure of AOB was highly responsive. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all AOB sequences were affiliated with Nitrosospira or Nitrosomonas and all AOA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) bands belonged to the soil and sediment lineage. These findings could be fundamental to improve our understanding of AOB and AOA in the N cycle in the paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of arsenic (As) from water supplies is needed to reduce As exposure through drinking water and food consumption in many regions of the world. Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) are promising and novel adsorbents for As removal because of their great adsorption capacity for As and easy separation. This study aimed to investigate the adsorption mechanism of arsenate, As(V), and arsenite, As(III), on MNPs by macroscopic adsorption experiments in combination with thermodynamic calculation and microspectroscopic characterization using synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Adsorption reactions are favorable endothermic processes as evidenced by increased adsorption with increasing temperatures, and high positive enthalpy change. EXAFS spectra suggested predominant formation of bidentate binuclear corner-sharing complexes (²C) for As(V), and tridentate hexanuclear corner-sharing (³C) complexes for As(III) on MNP surfaces. The macroscopic and microscopic data conclusively identified the formation of inner-sphere complexes between As and MNP surfaces. More intriguingly, XANES and XPS results revealed complex redox transformation of the adsorbed As on MNPs exposed to air: Concomitant with the oxidation of MNPs, the oxidation of As(III) and MNPs was expected, but the observed As(V) reduction was surprising because of the role played by the reactive Fe(II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simvastatin (SIM) can increase osteoblast activity and enhance osteogenesis. However, some limitations of SIM have been noted, such as statin-associated rhabdomyolysis and its poor solubility in water. In this study, we fabricated new cationic nanoparticles (NPs) designed for the controlled release of hydrophobic SIM and endocytosis by cells with the aim of reducing the total required amount of SIM administered and enhancing the osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). New copolymers of bis(poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-phenylalanine-polyethylene glycol)-quaternary ammonium grafted diethyltriamine (bis(PLGA-phe-PEG)-qDETA; BPPD) were created using a diethyltriamine-quaternary ammonium (qDETA) moiety, hetero-bifunctional polyethylene glycol (COOH-PEG-NH2), phenylalanine (phe) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). SIM encapsulated in BPPD NPs (SIM/BPPD) was fabricated using a water-miscible solvent. The size distributions of BPPD NPs and SIM/BPPD NPs, the encapsulation efficacy and the in vitro release profile of SIM in SIM/BPPD NPs over 6 days were investigated. Based on the results of Alizarin Red S staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) results, we propose that SIM/BPPD NPs may induce osteogenesis in BMSCs by enhancing the expression of an osteogenic gene, which subsequently elevates ALP activity and mineralization, resulting in enhanced BMSC osteogenesis. These results suggest that the SIM/BPPD NPs may be used as hydrophobic drug carriers to reduce the total required amount of SIM administered and to provide an effective SIM release mechanism for enhancing BMSC osteogenesis. Surprisingly, BPPD NPs were also shown to have the ability to promote osteogenesis in BMSCs by enhancing the expression of osteogenic genes, especially osteocalcin (OC), and subsequently elevating ALP activity and mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil carbon reservoir is the largest carbon reservoir in terrestrial ecosystems and consists of soil organic and inorganic carbon stocks. Previous studies have mainly focused on the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, and limited information is available about the soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stock. The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), which is located in the arid and semi-arid region of China, is an important inorganic carbon reservoir, with a thick soil layer that is rich in calcium carbonate. However, there are few reports on the SIC stock and its spatial distribution in this region. In the current study, the SIC densities and stocks for various soil types and land use patterns were evaluated based on 495 profiles with 2470 soil samples across the CLP, which were collected from the Chinese Second National Soil Survey. The results showed that in the top 1m of soil across the CLP, the average SIC density is 17.04kg/m², and the total SIC stock is approximately 10.20 Pg C (1 Pg=1015g). The SIC stock of the CLP accounts for approximately 18.4% of the total SIC stock throughout China. The average values of the SIC stock in the 0-20, 20-50 and 50-100cm depths of the CLP are 2.39, 2.92 and 4.89 Pg, respectively. Under different land use patterns, the order of the average SIC density is farmland≈grassland > forest in all soil layers. For the various soil types, the SIC density in the 0-100cm layer is the highest in alkaline soil and lowest in subalpine meadow soil, whereas the SIC stock is highest in loessial soil, eolian sandy soil and sierozem, and the lowest in subalpine meadow soil. These differences are largely a result of the area occupied by each soil type and the climate conditions. The results of this study provide basic information about carbon reservoir in China and contribute to our understanding of the SIC stock on the CLP as it relates to the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive agriculture has degraded streams in subtropical Taiwan, but agricultural impacts on fish assemblages are not well studied. The goal of this study was to understand changes in structure and function of fish assemblages along environmental gradients in an agricultural region of South-central Taiwan. Nineteen sites in the hill and upper plain regions were selected for fish sampling during the base flow period. Water chemistry analyses and rapid habitat assessment were also conducted. Cluster analysis separated fish assemblages into four assemblage groups and a single site. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that environmental variables explained 73.9% of species variance. RDA axis 1 represented a habitat-diversity, cover, and nutrient gradient, whereas RDA axis 2 represented a complex riparian condition gradient. Relative abundances of dominant fish species and assemblage groups were related to water and habitat variables. Trophic and tolerance guilds were correlated with RDA axes. Number of fish species increased with decreasing elevation. Both structure and function of fish assemblages changed with water and habitat gradients in these subtropical agricultural streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye wastewaters usually contain toxins and high chroma, making them difficult to treat with biological methods. The adsorption process plays an important role in removing dyes from wastewaters. This study aimed to explore the methylene blue (MB) adsorption mechanism by wine-processing waste sludge (WPWS). The WPWS contains a high cation-exchange capacity (64.2 cmolc kg-1) and organic matter (52.8%). The parameters affecting MB adsorption included pH, initial concentration of MB, reaction temperature, particle size and dosage of WPWS. The WPWS adsorption isotherms of MB were only well described by Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) of MB was 285.7 mg g-1 at 25 °C. The activation energy determined by Arrhenius equation is 29.995 kJ mol-1. Under steady-state reaction conditions, the Gibb free energy (▵G°) ranged from -24.607 to -27.092 kJ mol-1 and ▵H° was -8.926 kJ mol-1, indicating that lower reaction temperature would favor MB adsorption. Therefore, MB adsorption by WPWS was a spontaneous, exothermic and physisorption reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus massoniana is widespread in the central and eastern mainland China, while distributed in Taiwan with a single population. This island population has been declining due to habitat destruction and pine wilt disease. In the study we isolated microsatellite loci from P. massoniana for investigating the population structure. Eleven, novel microsatellite markers were developed from P. massoniana by using a modified PCR-based isolation of microsatellite arrays (PIMA) method. The number of alleles, observed and expected heterozygosities across loci varied with a range of 2-9, 0.00-0.82 and 0.40-0.83, respectively. The application of these microsatellite markers of P. massoniana provides a tool for understanding demography and population structure in Taiwan and mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A complex of incipient species with different degrees of morphological or ecological differentiation provides an ideal model for studying species divergence. We examined the phylogeography and the evolutionary history of the Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum s. l. Results: Systematic inconsistency was detected between gene genealogies of the cpDNA and nrDNA. Rooted at R. hyperythrum and R. formosana, both trees lacked reciprocal monophyly for all members of the complex. For R. pseudochrysanthum s.l., the spatial distribution of the cpDNA had a noteworthy pattern showing high genetic differentiation (FST = 0.56-0.72) between populations in the Yushan Mountain Range and populations of the other mountain ranges. Conclusion: Both incomplete lineage sorting and interspecific hybridization/introgression may have contributed to the lack of monophyly among R. hyperythrum, R. formosana and R. pseudochrysanthum s.l. Independent colonizations, plus low capabilities of seed dispersal in current environments, may have resulted in the genetic differentiation between populations of different mountain ranges. At the population level, the populations of Central, and Sheishan Mountains may have undergone postglacial demographic expansion, while populations of the Yushan Mountain Range are likely to have remained stable ever since the colonization. In contrast, the single population of the Alishan Mountain Range with a fixed cpDNA haplotype may have experienced bottleneck/ founder's events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]