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BACKGROUND Germanium is an essential element for life. With the discovery of germanium-enriched soils all over China in recent years, the development of germanium-enriched agriculture has gradually gained attention. OBJECTIVES To study the characteristics and range of germanium-enriched soil in typical black soil areas, and to analyze factors affecting soil germanium content. METHODS Germanium content in soil was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS The germanium content in the topsoil of the Nehe area was 0.74-1.78mg/kg, with an average value of 1.13mg/kg. There was a large area of concentrated and contiguous germanium-enriched soil in the Nehe area, about 599.8km2, accounting for 9.31% of the city's area. The source of germanium in the soil was the middle Pleistocene upper Huangshan Formation and the upper Pleistocene Guxiangtun Formation. The content of germanium in swamp soil and black soil was highest. CONCLUSIONS The germanium content in the soil is related to the stratum, soil type and human activities. Soybeans have the highest germanium content in the crops. This area has good potential for the development of germanium-enriched agriculture.

To study the effects of different storage temperatures (25, 15, 4 ℃) after harvest on the sugar components and related enzyme activities of "Shixia" longan fruits. The longan pulp soluble solid content (SSC), the content of three main sugars and the changes in the activities of sugar metabolism-related enzymes were measured. Principal component analysis and load factor analysis were performed on samples at different storage temperatures and various periods, and the correlation analysis of each index was performed. The results showed that the SSC of longan stored at 25 ℃ decreased the fastest, from 23.5% to 22.0% after 8 days of storage, and the sucrose content decreased the fastest, but the glucose and fructose content showed an upward trend; both 15℃ and 4 ℃ could effectively delay SSC. The decrease in SSC of longan stored at 4 ℃ was slower and the sucrose and glucose content decreased the slowest, but the decrease in fructose content was faster than 15 ℃. The acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI) and sucrose synthase (SS) activities of longan pulp stored at different temperatures all increase with the storage time, the amplitude and speed of the increase was the fastest at 25 °C, at 15 °C was secondly, and the 4 ℃ rise was the most gentle, indicating that low temperature significantly inhibited the increase in the activity of sucrose metabolizing enzymes. Correlation analysis showed that the sucrose content of longan stored at different temperatures had a very significant positive correlation with SSC, indicating that SSC could reflect the sucrose content to a certain extent; the sucrose content had a significant positive correlation with the glucose content, and it also had significant negative correlation with AI, NI, and SS. It was inferred that glucose and fructose were degraded from sucrose; glucose content and fructose content were extremely significantly positively correlated, but the two decline patterns in 15 ℃ and 4 ℃ storage fruits were inconsistent, suggesting that the consumption of the two was different. The above results indicate that low temperature could significantly inhibit the increase of sugar metabolism and related enzyme activities in longan fruit, thereby slowing down the decomposition of sugar during storage and prolonging the storage time. Among them, the storage effect at 4 ℃ was the best.

Based on laser inspection photography and control variable method, the development formula of indandione was systematically studied, the formulations were optimised, the influence of adding glacial acetic acid and chlorine salt to the formula on the development effect of fingermarks was further studied. The results showed that the optimal formula was formula: 0.25 g indandione, 225 mL ethyl acetate, 225 mL petroleum ether, 25 mL ice acetic acid, 25 mL storage solution (0.2 g zinc chloride, 30 mL ethanol), and suitable for domestic climate environment, which had a good effect on the porous objects of fresh and within 20 d of the aged left fingermarks; fingermark fluorescence was significantly enhanced. The ex-perimental results provide a method to follow for optimizing the formulation of indandione fingerprint de-velopment, realizing the colorimetric and fluorescence dual-mode development of sweat latent fingermarks on porous objects. But attention should be paid to the characteristics of the porous object and the control of the amount of glacial acetic acid and the type of chlorine salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern Liaoning-southern Jilin metallogenic belt is the leading site of hard rock-type boron deposit in China. Based on the previous research results of Precambrian geology, Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt, as well as metallogenesis, the paper summarizes the coupling relationship between Paleoproterozoic orogeny and boron metallogenic events in eastern Liaoning region, and establishes the metallogenic model of boron deposits in eastern Liaoning-southern Jilin metallogenic belt. With the field survey on the typical boron deposits of Houxianyu, Wengquangou and Zhuanmiao-Yangmugan, the previous B and Mg isotopic data of the deposits are summarized and drawn for analysis. The results show that the boron deposits have experienced three main processes, i.e. early enrichment, mineralization during Paleoproterozoic orogeny and later reformation. Mg-rich marble and initially enriched B are the main ore-forming material sources. The basic and ultrabasic rocks play an important role in trapping B-rich fluids during orogenic metamorphism and contribute some ore-forming materials. The late metamorphism destroys orebody and partially improves the grade of ores. Finally, the paper also analyzes the main factors restricting boron prospecting in eastern Liaoning region, suggests that more attention be paid on the Paleoproterozoic formation and structure mapping, structural analysis and choice of suitable exploration means. The idea of further boron ore prospecting is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a means of injury assessment to detect respiratory rate using an unmanned aerial camera. However, the existing video- based respiratory rate detection algorithms are only applicable to fixed cameras. On the basis of spatial phase based respiratory signal extraction technology, a non-contact measurement method of human respiratory rate with videos recorded by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is proposed. The complex steerable pyramid is used to extract the spatial phase of each frame image, and the phase sequence is obtained in chronological order. Secondly, the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is used to decompose multiple modal components from the phase sequence, and the frequency variability analysis model is designed to select the components with stable frequencies, or the target respiratory signal. The peak value detection method is used to detect the human respiratory rate. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of the method can reach more than 98%, which is superior to the existing detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thickness of black soil layer is an important parameter to evaluate the soil quality in Northeast China. To find out its spatial distribution and secular variation; the paper conducts field investigation on the present condition of 61 typical soil profiles from the Second National Soil Survey in the black soil region of Northeast China and analyzes the variation of black soil layer thickness. The results show that the thickness of black soil layer has decreased by12 cm on average, with the mean thinning rate of 0.32 cm/a in the past 40 years. The thinning thickness of black soil layer in four provinces/regions are significantly different, with the largest thickness and proportion of black soil layer thinning and the most severe ecological risk in Jilin (23.65 cm), followed by Liaoning (11.83 cm), Inner Mongolia (10.33 cm) and Heilongjiang (6.83 cm). There is a remarkable negative correlation between the black soil layer thickness variation and rising temperature in Jilin Province, indicating that with the climate warming, soil organic matter decreases obviously, and also the thickness of black soil layer. In addition, water erosion is also an important factor affecting the thickness thinning of black soil layer. It is suggested the study on black soil thickness determination and spatial mapping be strengthened in the future, which is ofgreat significance to guide the protection and utilization of black land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to copper, copper slag also contains valuable metal resources such as iron, lead, and zinc. Due to the physical and chemical properties of copper slag, and technical and cost constraints, the recovery of iron, lead, and zinc has not been mature. Researchers at home and abroad have carried out multi-directional research on this. The article analyzes the current economic recovery of iron in copper slag and the research status and existing problems of the recovery of lead and zinc in slag by pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical methods. The comprehensive recovery of valuable metal resources in the copper slap is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on the characteristics of major nutrient elements in typical black soil areas before and after reclamation is important for sustainable utilization of black soil resources and protection of the breadbasket in Northeast China. Four sections are laid out in the typical black soil areas where land use has not changed for the past 40 years in Helen area, eastern Songnen Plain, to make a comparative study on the main index elements for soil fertility (organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, C:N and pH value) in the sections before and after reclamation. The results indicate that the contents of organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus show a change trend of rapid decrease through slow decrease to basically stable with soil depth. Although reclamation has changed the content of nutrient elements in soil, it does not change the content variation rule with soil depth. Reclamation affects the pH value of black topsoil to a certain extent, which led to slow acidification of cultivated land. The research results will expectedly provide scientific basis for sustainable utilization, protection and restoration of black soil resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geochemical behavior of elements in earth surface is closely related to natural environment, and the change of element distribution in soil records the environmental characteristics during its formation. Focusing on the typical black soil sections in Baiquan area, the paper studies the distribution rule of major and trace elements and its implied environmental information, and discusses the weathering degree of the soil sections and climatic evolution characteristics during the formation of section. The results show that except SiO2 and Na2O, the content of major elements in the soil sections is generally higher than that in Northeast Plain. The average chemical index of alteration (CIA) is 58, with high Saf value, belonging to weak weathering. The trace elements essential for plant growth, such as N, P, S, Mn, B, I, Ge, Se and Mo, accumulate under warm climatic condition, with high content in surface and illuvial layers, and low in eluvial layer and parent material layer; while under cold and dry conditions, they accumulate on the surface. The strong correlation between metal trace elements and Fe indicates that its vertical component is controlled not only by climatic conditions, but also by major elements. The migration rule of major elements reveals the soil in humus layer is of high maturity, mainly formed in a warm and humid climate. The illuvial layer may be at the removal stage of Na and Ca, with soil formed in a relatively cold and dry climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black land in Northeast China, as one of the significant four black soil areas in the world, known for high organic matter and high fertility, plays a pivotal role in ensuring national food security. The Northeast Plain is tectonically located in the active zone of Eurasia Plate continental margin, undergoing multistage complex geological process and environmental evolution and gradually forming the present black land. The mineral compositions of black soil mainly include illite, vermiculite, kaolinite and montmorillonite. With black soil degradation in the land transferring process into farmland after reclamation, there are also some major geological problems such as disunified geological survey methods, weak basic geological study and inadequate comprehensive research. At present, by means of land quality geochemical survey and RS technology, significant progress has achieved in the fields of black land quality, land quality limiting factors and interaction mechanism, black soil formation time and environment, integrated satellite-aero-ground survey methods for key area of black land and screening of selenium-rich land resources. The future exploration and research should focus on long-term observation base monitoring with international cooperation, geological program for black land restoration, elemental geochemical cycle mechanism, black soil formation and evolution theory, and land resources double evaluation techniques to ensure the sustainable utilization of black soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducted a study on the effects of polymerization condition, composition and chlorination degree of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) rubber on the grafting rate of chlorinated polyethylene grafted with acrylonitrile and styrene (ACS resin) synthesized by high-temperature bulk polymerization. The results indicated that the grafting reaction mainly took place in the early stage at which the conversion was low than 50%. The grafting rate of ACS resin was significantly affected by polymerization temperature and the content of initiator and chain transfer agent. The improvement of polymerization temperature or the content of initiator and chain transfer agent resulted in a significant decrease in grafting rate. However, the weight ratio of styrene/acrylonitrile, the content and chlorination degree of CPE showed fewer effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of knee suspension during titanium plate fixation on postoperative posterior tibial slope (PTS) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO)., Methods: The clinical data of 47 patients with KOA treated by OWHTO between January 2019 and December 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. In 24 cases, the knee joint was suspended when titanium plate was fixed (research group), and in 23 cases, the knee joint was naturally straightened when titanium plate was fixed (control group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, side, body mass index, disease duration, preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, Lysholm score, and preoperative PTS between the two groups ( P >0.05). PTS were measured at 1 day after operation and last follow-up, and were compared with that before operation. Before operation and at last follow-up, VAS score was used to evaluate the knee pain, HSS score, WOMAC score, and Lysholm score were used to evaluate the knee function., Results: The patients in both groups were followed up 13-24 months, with an average of 19.9 months. There was no complication such as incision infection, screw fracture, and deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs in two groups. At last follow-up, the VAS score, HSS score, WOMAC score, and Lysholm score in two groups were significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P <0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in the each score difference of before and after operation ( P >0.05). There was no significant difference in PTS at each time point before and after operation in the research group ( P >0.05), but PTS in the control group significantly increased at 1 day after operation and last follow-up ( P <0.05). PTS of the research group at 1 day after operation and last follow-up were significantly lower than those of the control group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: OWHTO can effectively relieve knee pain and improve knee function in KOA, and the increase of postoperative PTS can be effectively avoided by suspending knee joint.

Moslae Herba is a commonly used aromatic Chinese medicinal with volatile oil as the main effective component and exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial and antiviral effects. However, the irritation and instability of Moslae Herba volatile oil necessitate the preparation into a specific dosage form. In this study, the steam distillation method was employed to extract the Moslae Herba volatile oil. The content of thymol and carvacrol in Moslae Herba volatile oil was determined by HPLC as(0.111 9±0.001 0) and(0.235 4±0.004 7) mg·mL~(-1), respectively. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and surfactants compounding were applied in the selection of the optimal excipients(surfactant and cosurfactant). On this basis, a nanoemulsion was prepared from the Moslae Herba volatile oil and then loaded into pressure vessels to get sprays, whose stability and antibacterial activity were evaluated afterward. With clarity, viscosity, smell and body feeling as comprehensive indexes, the optimal formulation of the Moslae Herba volatile oil nanoemulsion was determined as follows: Moslae Herba volatile oil∶peppermint oil∶cremophor EL∶absolute ethanol∶distilled water 7.78∶1.58∶19.26∶6.15∶65.23. The as-prepared nanoemulsion was a light yellow transparent liquid, with Tyndall effect shown under the irradiation of parallel light. It has the pH of 5.50, conductivity of 125.9 μS·cm~(-1), average particle size of 15.45 nm, polydispersity index(PDI) of 0.156, and Zeta potential of-17.9 mV. Under a transmission electron microscope, the Moslae Herba volatile oil nanoemulsion was presented as regular spheres without adhesion and agglomeration. Stability test revealed that the Moslae Herba volatile oil nanoemulsion was stable at 4-55 ℃, which was free from demulsification and stratification within 30 days. After the centrifugation at 12 000 r·min~(-1) for 30 min, there was no stratification either. The nanoemulsion had good inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and resistant S. aureus strains, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.39, 3.12 and 1.56 mg·mL~(-1), respectively. The above results demonstrated that the nanoemulsion was prepared feasibly and showed stable physical and chemical properties and good antibacterial effects. This study provides a practicable technical solution for the development of anti-epidemic and anti-infection products from Moslae Herba volatile oil.

The purpose of this study was to predict the active components, targets and signaling pathways of Veratrilla baillonii for the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic liver diseases, preliminarily verify the active components and related targets through cell experiments, and elucidate the mechanism of V. baillonii on liver protection. The candidate active components of V. baillonii were screened by searching Chinese medicine ingredients and Chinese medicine pharmacology database and analysis platform, combined with the pharmacokinetic parameters(oral availability and drug-like principle); the target of candidate active ingredients were predicted by protein database, and the target of disease related to non-alcoholic liver disease was predicted. Cytoscape software was used to construct the network of "active component-target-disease", and the protein interaction network was constructed through the STRING database to infer the core target. GO annotation analysis, KEGG pathway analysis and enrichment analysis were conducted through DAVID bioinformatics annotation database. Finally, the core target and pathway of V. baillonii were preliminarily verified by the experimental model of H&#95;2O&#95;2-induced liver cell damage intervened by V. baillonii water extract(WVBF). The cell viability was detected by MTT assay and real-time unlabeled assay, and the expression of related genes was analyzed by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Firstly, 14 active components were obtained from V. baillonii through network pharmacology. There were 287 potential targets corresponding to the components, 587 targets related to non-alcoholic liver disease, and 13 core targets after the interaction between active ingredient targets and disease targets. Secondly, GO enrichment analysis showed that these genes mainly affected 26 biological processes such as nuclear receptor activity, transcription factor activity, steroid hormone receptor activity, ubi-quitin-like protein ligase binding, protein heterodimerization activity, and transcription cofactor binding. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PI3 K-AKT signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and some cancer-related pathways were more enriched. Finally, TNF-α and MAPK8 were successfully verified as important targets by hepatocytes in vitro, which suggested that V. baillonii could significantly improve liver damage. TNF-α and MAPK8 were one of the targets. Based on the above results, we systematically predicted the material basis and biological mechanism of V. baillonii through multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway regulation of nonalcoholic liver disease, and the core targets were successfully verified by cells, providing data basis and scientific basis for the in-depth development of V. baillonii.

In order to study levels of BTX near a main road in Hefei in March 2016, benzene, toluene, m -xylene, and o -xylene (BTX) and conventional pollutants (such as NO 2 and SO 2 ) in the atmosphere were monitored through a home-made differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) system. Results showed that average concentrations of benzene, toluene, m -xylene, and o -xylene were 21.7, 63.6, 33.9, and 98.7 μg·m -3 , respectively. Compared with other cities both in China and elsewhere, benzene and toluene pollution can be considered to be of medium level, while xylene pollution is serious. Wind direction, T/B ratio, and correlation with CO were also analyzed, together with BTX sources. Result showed that the T/B ratio was 0.8-4.5, with correlation coefficients of benzene, toluene, and CO of 0.55 and 0.34, respectively. These values indicate that benzene and toluene are mainly derived from automotive emissions, also affected by surrounding industrial parks. Xylene is mainly derived from a coating industrial park north of the observation site. It was shown that high night-time concentrations of benzene and toulene could be due to industrial emissions from the industrial parks around the observation site. The ozone formation potential is in the order of o -xylene > m -xylene > toulene > benzene at the observation site. The ozone formation potential of xylene accounted for 85% of total ozone formation potential, indicating that emissions from surrounding industrial parks contribute greatly to ozone formation in the area.

The properties of mucus in a person with asthma can alter with disease process so that it may lead to the airway embolism. Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles can be used for drug delivery. Up till now, however, little is known about how the Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles influence the properties of airway mucus. In this study, Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were dispersed with ultrasound, and the morphological properties were measured with scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope and nanometer laser particle size and zeta potential analyzer. Then the dispersed Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were added to the simulated asthma airway mucus with different final concentration (0.03, 0.3, and 0.4 mg/mL). The measurements of flow curve, yield stress, large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) and shock scanning were carried out with a rotational rheometer. Experimental results showed that the Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles reduced the zero shear viscosity of simulated asthma airway mucus. With increase of shear rate, the wind speed of mucus was reduced. The yield stress of simulated asthma airway mucus was 19.0 Pa, but the yield stresses of experimental group (0.03, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/mL) were 17.0, 0.99, and 0.7 Pa, respectively. The results showed that the viscoelastic modulus of asthma airway mucus treated with Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were changed obviously as measured with large amplitude scanning and frequency scanning. By adopting the method of optical phase microscopy, we found that different structures of simulated airway mucus were absorbed. The results showed Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles distroyed mucus structure. The experimental results proved that Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles could change the rheological characteristics of simulated asthma airway mucus. This experimental result would lay a foundation for the further development of airway mucus sticky agent based on the function of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles.

Objective: To study the expression and significance of tumor suppressor in lung cancer 1 (TSLC1) gene methylation, the expression of TSLC1 protein in cervix cancer and precancerous lesions as well as their relationship with HR-HPV DNA infection., Methods: The clinicopathological data of 92 cases of different cervical lesions during March 2011 to August 2012 treated in our hospital were collected. There were pathologically confirmed 10 cases of normal cervix, 26 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, 20 cases of CIN II, 15 cases of CIN III, and 21 cases of cervical cancer. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to detect the TSLC1 gene methylation status in cervical lesions, immunohistochemistry (SP) was used to detect the expressions of TSLC1 protein in cervical lesions, and the second generation hybrid capture (HC2) method was used to detect the high-risk HPV in cervical lesions., Results: The expression rate of TSLC1 gene methylation in normal cervical tissue, CIN I, CIN II, CIN III and SCC were 10.0%, 30.8%, 55.0%, 60.0%, 66.7%, respectively, showing a statistically significant difference (P = 0.004). The positive expression rate of TSLC1 protein in normal cervical tissue, CIN I, CIN II, CIN III and SCC were 100.0%, 80.8%, 65.0%, 33.3%, and 23.8%, respectively, with a significant difference (P = 0.004). In the progression from CIN to invasive cervical cancer, there was no significant correlation between TSLC1 gene methylation and HR-HPV DNA infection (P = 0.919), TSLC1 protein expression and HR-HPV DNA infection (P = 0.664). The correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between TSLC1 gene methylation and TSLC1 protein expression (r = -0.674, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: TSLC1 gene promoter methylation may be an early event in the cervical carcinogenesis, become an early sensitive marker, and serve the early prevention and prognostic prediction for cervical cancer.

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in the leaves and stems of Aconitum coreanum., Method: The isolation and purification of chemical constituents were carried out on silica gel and polyamide column chromatographic. Their structures were identified by physico-chemical properties and spectral analysis., Result: Five compounds were obtained and their structures were identified as guan-fu base I (1), guan-fu base R (2), beta-sitosterol (3), D-mannitol (4), daucosterol (5)., Conclusion: Compound 2 is a new compound. Compounds 1 and 3, 4 are isolated from the leaves and stems of A. coreanum for the first time.