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The growing global interest in preventing and controlling fires in high-rise buildings reflects the increasing significance of this issue today. This research aims to establish an early warning framework for fire risk in high-rise buildings. Firstly, considering the importance of a scientific indicator system for the application of the model, this study combines the event analysis method with the building design fire code to identify 11 key risk factors that have a far-reaching impact on the prevention of fires in high-rise buildings. Based on identifying the risk factors, a high-rise building fire risk warning tree is also established, which scientifically solves the problem of the indicator system of the warning object. Subsequently, in response to the various complex issues arising from the uncertainty of fire occurrence in high-rise buildings, this study adopts the unascertained method to model the fire risk of high-rise buildings for early warning. In addition, the developed methodology was empirically validated through case studies and analyses of empirical data on fire risks in nine representative high-rise buildings. The results of the unascertained method were also compared with the results of the K-means method, from which it was concluded that the unascertained method can predict building fires more accurately. The research results provide a reliable decision support system for fire disaster prevention and control in high-rise buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing amount of dye wastewater presented significant environmental and public health concerns, underscoring the urgent need to develop an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable approach to wastewater treatment. Photocatalytic technology is an ideal candidate for wastewater treatment due to its low pollution, high efficiency, and easy operation. In this work, a series of Sn-doped MgIn2S4 photocatalysts were successfully prepared via the hydrothermal method. The 60%Sn–MgIn2S4 showed the best photocatalytic activity, with a degradation rate of 62.5% for methyl orange (MO) over a 60-min driven by visible light. 60%Sn–MgIn2S4 exhibited ideal stability, retaining 85% of its original degradation rate after four cycles of testing. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy suggested that the 60%Sn–MgIn2S4 possessed the ideal photogenerated charge migration rates. In addition, the photocatalytic active species-capture experiments showed that ·O2– and ·OH were the main active species for the photocatalytic degradation of MO over 60%Sn–MgIn2S4. This research provided a significant foundation for the development of MgIn2S4-based photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FBXO protein family plays an essential role in the ubiquitination process acting as E3 ligases, which may contribute to the progression of cancers. However, the molecular functions of FBXOs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the overlapping genes between the FBXOs and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of HCC identified by utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, then, a prognostic model with effective predictive capacity was constructed based on the uni-cox and LASSO regression analyses. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of the FBXO model genes, KEGG analysis was carried out. Drug metabolism-cytochrome P450 and retinol metabolism were revealed as the potential pathway, which Increased the credibility of subsequent drug prediction research. Meanwhile, patients divided by the prognostic model showed a different immune infiltrating status and we also found FBXO model genes may ubiquitinate P53, inducing TP53 more prone to mutations, thereby promoting the occurrence and development of tumors. Consistent with these findings, the result of immunohistochemistry (IHC) validated an elevated expression of these model genes in HCC tissues than in the adjacent tissues. The primary aim of this investigation is to formulate a prognostic model while exploring the underlying mechanisms associated with FBXO genes in HCC. These findings offer initial research perspectives on the involvement of FBXO genes in HCC and contribute to the discovery of dependable biomarkers for the management, prognostication, and early detection of HCC in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), defined as plant biomass production per unit N assimilated, is an important component of plant resource use strategies as well as a component of ecosystem function. Clarifying the mechanisms underlying the variations of species level NUE is an essential prerequisite for predicting the alterations of ecosystem level N cycling under global change scenarios. While plant NUE is usually examined under the leaf economic spectrum framework, we know little about their associations with broader ecological strategies and evolutionary history. Methods: Using a comparative method, we evaluated the links between NUE and functional traits, Grime's CSR ecological strategies, and phylogeny for 73 species in a temperate steppe of northern China. Results: Plant NUE was strongly constrained by phylogeny, showing a unimodal relationship with taxa divergence times. Under the CSR framework, species with greater R-selection (ruderality) typically had lower NUE. Both phylogeny and R-selection were more important than single functional traits in predicting the species level variations of NUE. Conclusions: Our results highlight the role of phylogeny in structuring the species level variations of plant NUE and established a link between species CSR strategies and NUE, which sheds light on understanding the divergence and convergence in plants in response to the most growth-limiting nutrient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cyclic peptide alternarin A (1), along with seven known compounds, alternariol (2), sulfated derivative of alternariol (3), alternariol methyl ether (4), altenuene (5), 2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone (6), diaporthein A (7), isopterocarpolone (8), were isolated from the betel nut endophytic fungus Alternaria sp. RW-AL. The structure of 1 was elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectra as well as HR-ESI-MS analysis. Compounds 1, 4, and 5 showed definite antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial and temporal variations of CO2 column concentration (CO2-CCs) is crucial for tackling climate change and promoting sustainable human development. This study provides an in-depth analysis of CO2 dynamics in the Yellow River Basin, an area significantly affected by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Using data from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) and the Fourier transformation spectrometer (FTS) of the GOSAT satellite remote sensing sensors, supplemented with ground station data from the Waliguan station, we scrutinized the CO2 levels in the region from 2013 to 2022. The regional CO2-CC displayed a 12-month cyclical variation and a continuous upward trend, escalating by approximately 4.26% over the 10-year period. Spatiotemporal differences were evident in the monthly variation of CO2-CC, with peak and minimum values occurring in May and August respectively. Geographically, the highest CO2-CC was found in the central part of the basin, while the lowest was in the northern part of Inner Mongolia. This study underscores the increased significance of the region's CO2-CC, which showed an increase from 17.0 ppm at the start of the period to 21.0 ppm by the end, representing an overall growth of between 4.35 and 5.25%. The findings highlight the urgency of targeted measures to mitigate CO2 emissions and adapt to their consequences in the Yellow River Basin, contributing to the global efforts against climate change and towards sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are being explored as nanocarriers for therapeutics delivery, which can address a number of intrinsic drawbacks of therapeutics. To translate laboratory innovation into clinical application, their potential toxicity has been of great concern. This review attempts to comprehensively summarize the existing literature on the toxicity assessment of SiNPs. The current data suggest that the composition of SiNPs, their physicochemical properties, their administration route, their frequency and duration of administration, and the sex of animal models are related to their tissue and blood toxicity, immunotoxicity, and genotoxicity. However, the correlation between in vitro and in vivo toxicity has not been well established, mainly because both the in vitro and the in vivo-dosed quantities are unrealistic. This article also discusses important factors to consider in the toxicology of SiNPs and current approaches to reducing their toxicity. The aim is to give readers a better understanding of the toxicology of silica nanoparticles and to help identify key gaps in knowledge and techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient resorption is a fundamental physiological process in plants, with important ecological controls over numerous ecosystem functions. However, the role of community assembly in driving responses of nutrient resorption to perturbation remains largely unknown. Following the Price equation framework and the Community Assembly and Ecosystem Function framework, we quantified the contribution of species loss, species gain, and shared species to the reduction of community-level nutrient resorption efficiency in response to multi-level nitrogen (N) addition in a temperate steppe, after continuous N addition for seven years. Reductions of both N and phosphorus (P) resorption efficiency (NRE and PRE, respectively) were positively correlated with N addition levels. The dissimilarities in species composition between N-enriched and control communities increased with N addition levels, and N-enriched plots showed substantial species losses and gains. Interestingly, the reduction of community-scale NRE and PRE mostly resulted from N-induced decreases in resorption efficiency for the shared species in the control and N-enriched communities. There were negative correlations between the contributions of species richness effect and species identity effect and between the number and identity of species gained for the changes in both NRE and PRE following N enrichment. By simultaneously considering N-induced changes in species composition and in species-level resorption, our work presents a more complete picture of how different community assembly processes contribute to N-induced changes in community-level resorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A better understanding of the nitrogen (N) saturation threshold for plant carbon (C) sequestration would help project the variations of ecosystem C sequestration under the background of increasing N inputs, but the underlying mechanisms are far from clear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of N-induced litter accumulation in mediating the impacts of N addition on plant C sequestration. Methods: Based on a seven-year N addition field experiment in a temperate steppe, we measured soil properties, plant species richness, litter biomass, and aboveground biomass C stocks under mown (low litter accumulation) and unmown conditions (high litter accumulation). Results: The impacts of N addition on plant C sequestration in grasslands were dependent on addition rates and mowing conditions. There was a threshold for the positive impacts of increasing N addition rates on plant community aboveground C stocks under unmown conditions but not under mown conditions. Litter accumulation was a key factor driving the divergent effects of N addition under different conditions. Results of structural equation modelling showed that N addition had direct and positive effects on plant C sequestration both in unmown plots with litter mass < 200 g m−2 and mown plots, and that such positive effects disappeared in unmown plots with litter mass > 200 g m−2. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the indirect role of litter in mediating the impacts of N inputs on ecosystem C cycling through changing the capacity of plant C sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders in the elderly population 5 years after the Lushan earthquake in Ya'an, China. Methods: A multi-stage, group-matching random sampling method was adopted with 2579 elderly participants (≥ 60 years old) who were interviewed from January to May 2019. Preliminary screening was conducted using the scale by trained psychiatric nurses, followed by a diagnostic interview during the second stage using Chinese Version of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder by trained psychiatrists. Results: A total of 2561 participants were included in this study with complete data. The weighted lifetime prevalence of all mental disorders in the elderly was 16.2% (95% CI 15.3–17.1), and the weighted 12-month prevalence was 15.2% (95% CI 13.4–17.0). Depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders were the most common mental disorders. The 12-month prevalence of all mental disorders were significantly higher in the elderly living alone, with chronic somatic disease, and being poor (P < 0.05). The 12-month prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was significantly higher in the elderly in extremely severely earthquake-affected areas (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study show that mental health status of the elderly in Ya'an area differ by socio-economic development, geographical location, and natural disasters. The social and economic development characteristics, the impact of major natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes), and population characteristics should be combined to formulate strategies and interventions to promote the mental health of the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The stoichiometric traits of litter play an important role in driving litter decomposition and ecosystem nutrient cycling. While the impacts of nitrogen (N) deposition on the species-level litter stoichiometric traits have been well addressed, we know little about that at community-level, which is supposed to be driven by both intra-specific variation and changes in community composition. Methods: We examined the effects of N deposition on litter phosphorus (P) concentration and N:P ratio at both species- and community-level in a semi-arid grassland of northern China. We further decomposed the community-level variations of litter nutritional traits into intra- and inter-specific variation. Results: Nitrogen addition, especially at high rates, substantially changed community composition. Litter P concentrations and N:P ratios significantly varied among different species. Litter P concentrations and N:P ratios at both species- and community-level were positively correlated with N addition rates. Biomass-weighted community-level N:P ratios were more sensitive to N addition than the non-weighted ones, indicating that community composition strengthened the positive impacts of N addition on litter N:P ratios. There was positive co-variation between intra- and inter-specific variation for litter N:P ratio, indicating the consistency of community composition and intra-specific variation in their effects on litter N:P ratio. Conclusions: Our results indicated that the imbalance of N and P following N enrichment would be much larger than the expectation based on the findings from species-level, and thus highlight the importance of changes in community composition in driving the responses of community-level litter N:P stoichiometry to N deposition in the semi-arid grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) explore the prevalence and relevant influencing factors of different mental disorders 5 years after the Lushan earthquake in Ya'an, China.Methods: An epidemiological mental health survey was conducted to identify the prevalence of mental disorders in general population in Ya'an. A multi-stage, group-matching random sampling method was adopted. Face-to-face interviews were done with a two-stage design by trained interviewers and psychiatrists. The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) was used for the diagnosis.Results: There were 8876 participants who were interviewed in this study. The total 12-month and lifetime prevalence of all mental disorders were 12.5% and 14.7%, respectively. There was a significant difference between males and females in the prevalence patterns of several mental disorders. Han ethnic group had higher prevalence of anxiety disorders (2.7%), and the Tibetan group had higher prevalence of alcohol-related disorders (5.0%). Logistic regression analysis showed that the areas severely affected by the earthquake had significantly higher prevalence of depressive disorders, and the extremely severe affected areas had significantly higher prevalence of trauma- and stressor-related disorders.Conclusion: Our findings show that the prevalence of a range of mental disorders 5 years after the earthquake in Ya'an are high, and the prevalence of depressive and trauma- and stressor-related disorders may be influenced differently by the various severity of earthquake impact. This study may be crucial for the health policy-making, cultural-specific mental health services and long-term mental recovery after the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) characterized by hyperglycemia during pregnancy is a risk factor for various maternal and fetal complications. The key pathophysiological mechanisms underlying its development have not been elucidated, largely due to the lack of a model that accurately simulates the major clinical and pathological features of human GDM. In this review, we discuss the refined criteria for an ideal animal model of GDM, focusing on the key clinical and pathophysiological characteristics of human GDM. We provide a comprehensive overview of different models and currently used species for GDM research. In general, insulin insufficiency consequent to pancreatic β-cell death represents the current leading strategy to mimic human GDM-like hyperglycemia in animals. Nonetheless, these models have a limited capacity to mimic the natural history of GDM, the marked alteration in circulating estrogen/ progestogen, obesity and its related metabolic complications. We discuss emerging evidence of the increased susceptibility to GDM in rodents and large animals with genetic modifications in pregnancy-related hormones. An appraisal of current GDM models suggests that a combination strategy involving dietary stress, pregnancy-related hormones, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders might enable the development of better GDM models and expedite the translation of basic research findings to GDM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forage production is the fundamental ecosystem service of grasslands. Although forage consumption occurs at community level, most studies focused on species-level changes of forage quality. The quantitative and qualitative changes of forage production are driven by species-specific trait, intra-specific plasticity, and species turnover. We examined the changes in forage production and digestibility after 5-year factorial treatments of nitrogen (N) addition and mowing in a temperate steppe and linked such changes to community assembly under the Price equation framework. Results: Nitrogen addition significantly reduced species richness, increased forage production, but did not change forage digestibility (indicated by the total Ca+Mg concentrations). Mowing did not affect forage production and digestibility. The positive effects of N addition on forage production were driven by the enhancement of abundance of the remaining species following N enrichment, rather than by species loss or species gain. The species identity effects could offset the effects of species richness loss or gain on forage production and digestibility. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of a community perspective in addressing the quantitative and qualitative changes of forage production under global change pressure of N enrichment. Species identity is important in determining the contribution of different processes of community assembly to ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has affected plant community composition and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. This includes changes to the way plants use and recycle nutrients, including effects on nutrient resorption, which is a key process through which plants recover nutrients from tissue during senescence. Nutrient resorption has considerable adaptive and functional significance for plants and helps regulate core ecosystem processes such as decomposition. However, our understanding of how N deposition affects nutrient resorption and, in particular, of how N inputs alter ecosystem resorption via changes to existing species' resorption compared with changes to community composition remains poor. To disentangle the role of species versus community composition controls driving variation in nutrient resorption responses to N inputs, we carried out an experiment with six different N addition rates in a temperate steppe. We found that species-scale nutrient resorption responses to N enrichment were variable; for example, only half of the measured species reduced both N and P resorption efficiency in response to increased N inputs. In contrast, community-scale responses consistently resulted in reduced N and P resorption. Still, N-induced changes in community composition were a weaker control on overall resorption responses than were the effects on individual species; however, it was the synergistic interaction between the two that resulted in the large total reductions of nutrient resorption in the face of increased N. Taken together, our results highlight that understanding and predicting nutrient resorption responses will be most accurately scaled by accounting not only for species' reductions in resorption but also for changes in community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the change of life style, glucolipid metabolic disorders (GLMD) has become one of the major chronic disorders causing public health and clinical problems worldwide. Previous studies on GLMD pay more attention to peripheral tissues. In fact, the central nervous system (CNS) plays an important role in controlling the overall metabolic balance. With the development of technology and the in-depth understanding of the CNS, the relationship between neuro-endocrine-immunoregulatory (NEI) network and metabolism had been gradually illustrated. As the hub of NEI network, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is important for maintaining the balance of internal environment in the body. The relationship between HPA axis and GLMD needs to be further studied. This review focuses on the role of HPA axis in GLMD and reviews the research progress on drugs for GLMD, with the hope to provide the direction for exploring new drugs to treat GLMD by taking the HPA axis as the target and improve the level of prevention and control of GLMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enrichment of innate immune cells and the enhanced inflammation represent the hallmark of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the advanced subtype with a significantly increased risk of progression to end-stage liver diseases within the spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Neutrophils are traditionally recognized as key components in the innate immune system to defend against pathogens. Recently, a growing body of evidence supports neutrophils as emerging key player in mediating the transition from steatosis to NASH, which is largely inspired by the histological findings in human liver biopsy indicating the enhanced infiltration of neutrophils as one of the key histological features of NASH. In this review, we discuss data regarding histological perspectives of hepatic infiltration of neutrophils in NASH. We also highlight the pathophysiological role of neutrophils in promoting metabolic inflammation in the liver through the release of a vast array of granule proteins, the interaction with other pro-inflammatory immune cells, and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. Neutrophil granule proteins possess pleiotropic effects on regulating neutrophil biology and functions. A variety of granule proteins (including lipocalin-2, myeloperoxidase, proteinase 3, neutrophil elastase, etc.) produced by neutrophils enhance liver metabolic inflammation, thereby promoting NASH progression by mediating neutrophil-macrophage interaction. Therapeutically, pharmacological inhibitors targeting neutrophil granule proteins hold promise to combat NASH. In addition, this article also summarizes potentials of neutrophils and its derived various granule proteins for the accurate, even non-invasive diagnosis of NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxicity from drugs has become an important cause of acute liver failure. Acetaminophen, a commonly used analgesic, can cause severe acute liver injury that can worsen into acute liver failure. Autophagy, a protective cell programme, has been reported to have protective effects in a variety of diseases such as cancer, immune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammatory diseases. In this review, we describe how an excess of acetaminophen causes liver injury step by step, from the formation of the initial protein adduct to the final hepatocyte necrosis, as well as the induction of autophagy and its beneficial effects on diseases. Emphasis is placed on the potential effect of autophagy on improving the damage of acetaminophen to hepatocytes. Finally, we are committed to providing insights into the treatment of acute liver failure through the mechanism of acetaminophen induced liver injury, the mechanism of autophagy, and the link between autophagy and liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an infectious disease that has become an important concern worldwide, it associates with neurological disorders and congenital malformations in adults, also leading to fetal intrauterine growth restriction and microcephaly during pregnancy. However, there are currently no approved vaccines or specific antiviral drugs for preventing or treating ZIKV infection. Here, we show that two FDA-approved Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitors, ouabain and digoxin, can block ZIKV infection at the replication stage by targeting Na+/K+-ATPase. Furthermore, ouabain reduced the viral burden of ZIKV in adult mice, penetrated the placental barrier to enter fetal tissues, and protected fetal mice from ZIKV infection-induced microcephaly in a pregnant mouse model. Thus, ouabain has therapeutic potential for ZIKV. Guo, Jia et al. show that an FDA-approved Na + /K + - ATPase inhibitor ouabain reduces the burden of Zika virus infection in adult mice while protecting fetal mice from Zika virus infection-induced microcephaly. This study suggests ouabain's therapeutic potential for Zika virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese medicine (CM) is usually prescribed as CM formula to treat disease. The lack of effective research approach makes it difficult to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of CM formula owing to its complicated chemical compounds. Network pharmacology is increasingly applied in CM formula research in recent years, which is identified suitable for the study of CM formula. In this review, we summarized the methodology of network pharmacology, including network construction, network analysis and network verification. The aim of constructing a network is to achieve the interaction between the bioactive compounds and targets and the interaction between various targets, and then find out and validate the key nodes via network analysis and network verification. Besides, we reviewed the application in CM formula research, mainly including targets discovery, bioactive compounds screening, toxicity evaluation, mechanism research and quality control research. Finally, we proposed prospective in the future and limitations of network pharmacology, expecting to provide new strategy and thinking on study for CM formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential role of the gut microbiota in various human diseases has attracted considerable attention worldwide. Here, we discuss the vital role of the intestinal microbiota in the development of obesity. First, we describe how the gut microbiota promotes fat accumulation. Additionally, a high-fat diet leads to structural instability among in the gut microbiota, further leading to an increase in endotoxins, which aggravates obesity. We then discuss how gut microbiota metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids and lipopolysaccharides, affect the host. Finally, we review several strategies for regulating the intestinal flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, the panels of (f) in Figures 1, 2, and 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing availability of reactive nitrogen (N) threatens plant diversity in diverse ecosystems. While there is mounting evidence for the negative impacts of N deposition on one component of diversity, species richness, we know little about its effects on another one, species evenness. It is suspected that ecosystem management practice that removes nitrogen from the ecosystem, such as hay-harvesting by mowing in grasslands, would mitigate the negative impacts of N deposition on plant diversity. However, empirical evidence is scarce. Here, we reported the main and interactive effects of N deposition and mowing on plant diversity in a temperate meadow steppe with 4-year data from a field experiment within which multi-level N addition rates and multiple N compounds are considered. Across all the types of N compounds, species richness and evenness significantly decreased with the increases of N addition rate, which was mainly caused by the growth of a tall rhizomatous grass, Leymus chinensis. Such negative impacts of N addition were accumulating with time. Mowing significantly reduced the dominance of L. chinensis, and mitigated the negative impacts of N deposition on species evenness. We present robust evidence that N deposition threatened biodiversity by reducing both species richness and evenness, a process which could be alleviated by mowing. Our results highlight the changes of species evenness in driving the negative impacts of N deposition on plant diversity and the role of mowing in mediating such negative impacts of N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the productivity of poplar plantations, a field experiment of split-plot design with four tree spacings and three poplar clones was established, and four soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass were monitored in the trial. Soil enzyme activities, in most cases, were significantly higher in topsoil (0-10 cm) than in lower horizons (10-20 cm). Soil cellulase, catalase and protease activities during the growing season were higher than during the non-growing season, while invertase activity followed the opposite trend. Soil invertase, cellulase and catalase activities varied by poplar clone but soil protease activity did not. Cellulase and protease activities in the plantation at 5 × 5 m spacing were significantly higher than in the other spacings. The highest catalase activity was recorded at 6 × 6 m spacing. At the same planting density, invertase activity was greater in square spacings than in rectangular spacings. Soil microbial biomass was also significantly affected by seedling spacing and poplar clone. The mean soil MBC was significantly lower in topsoil than in the lower horizon, while MBN showed the opposite pattern. Significantly positive correlations were observed among soil cellulase, protease and catalase activities (p < 0.01), whereas soil invertase activity was negatively and significantly correlated with cellulase, protease and catalase activities (p < 0.01). Soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities were not correlated except for a significantly negative correlation between soil MBC and catalase activities. Variations in soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in different poplar plantations suggest that genotype and planting spacing should be considered when modeling soil nutrient dynamics and managing for long-term site productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The responses of functional structures in plant communities to global change drivers is predicted to be driven by both species turnover and intraspecific trait variability (ITV). However, the relative importance of those two drivers is not well-known, which retards our ability to predict the functional changes of plant community under global change scenarios. We hypothesized that ITV rather than species turnover would drive the nutritional responses of plant community at the initial stage after nitrogen and water enrichment.Methods: We measured community weighted means (CWM) and non-weighted means (CM) of foliar N and P concentrations and N:P ratio in a temperate steppe after two years factorial N and water addition. Species composition and nutrition traits of each species were recorded in each plot.Results: The impacts of N addition on community level nutrition traits were highly dependent on water conditions, as indicated by significant interactive effects between N and water addition. Nitrogen addition significantly increased CWM of foliar N, but only under ambient water condition. Water addition decreased CWM of foliar P and increased that of N:P. Consistent with our hypothesis, communities responded to both N and water addition after two years treatments mainly through ITV.Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of ITV in driving short-term responses of community functional composition to the increases of nitrogen and water availability in the temperate steppe. The existence of interactive effects of N and water addition would make it more difficult to predict the impacts of N deposition on plant-mediated biogeochemical cycling under the scenarios of precipitation regime changes than previously assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Chinese medicine formulation Chaihu Shugan San (柴胡疏肝散, CHSGS) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats with insulin resistance (IR) and its molecular mechanisms. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: the control group, the model group, Dongbao Gantai group (东宝肝泰, DBGT, 0.09 g methionine/kg), CHSGS high-dose group (CHSG-H, 12.6 g crude drug/kg), CHSGS medium-dose group (CHSG-M, 6.3 g crude drug/kg), and CHSGS low-dose group (CHSG-L, 3.15 g crude drug/kg). After establishing the NAFLD rat model and treatment for 8 weeks, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), free fatty acid (FFA), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) contents in blood serum, and TC, TG contents in the hepatic homogenate were measured by an automatic biochemical analyzer, and a homeostasis model assessment was applied to assess the status of IR, insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and homeostasis model assessment for insulin secretion (HOMA-IS). The expression levels of adiponectin and leptin mRNA in liver tissue were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Pathological changes of livers were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining of paraffin section. Results: Compared with the model group, the serum levels of TC, TG, FFA, FBG, FINS, IRI, ISI, and the liver levels of TC and TG in CHSG-H, CHSG-M, CHSG-L groups showed significant declines ( P<0.01 or P<0.05); the serum levels of HDL-C, HOMA-IS were significantly increased ( P<0.01 or P<0.05); the expression of leptin mRNA was dramatically decreased and the expression of adiponectin mRNA was increased in the hepatic tissue ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). The fatty deposition of liver cells could also be alleviated. Conclusion: CHSGS could up-regulate the expression of adiponectin mRNA and down-regulate the expression of leptin mRNA on the liver, suggesting the CHSGS had positive therapeutic effect on NAFLD in rats with IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Changes in litter chemistry and stoichiometry following N enrichment have important consequences on litter decomposition and plant-mediated nutrient cycling. Our knowledge about the responses of litter stoichiometry at different biological organization levels to N enrichment remains poorly understood. Moreover, whether the impacts of N enrichment on stoichiometric ratios in litter would depend on ecosystem management strategies remains unknown. Methods: We examined the effects of N addition and mowing on C:N:P stoichiometry in standing litter at plant organ, species, functional group, and community levels in a semi-arid grassland of northern China, taking advantage of a field experiment that has been running for seven years. Results: Nitrogen addition altered biomass allocation between different organs and among different plant functional groups, with consequences on litter stoichiometry at community level. N addition had no impacts on litter C concentration, increased litter N, and N:P ratio, and decreased litter C:N ratio from plant organ to community. The impacts of N addition on litter P and C:P depended on the identity of plant species and functional group. Mowing did not affect litter nutrient characters across all organization levels. Furthermore, no interactive effects between N addition and mowing on litter nutrient characters were observed from plant organ to community levels. Conclusions: We conclude that N deposition will enhance litter quality even in the heavily-used grasslands with shifts in biomass allocation and species composition, which may contribute to the enhancement of plant-mediating nutrient cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucolipid metabolic disease (GLMD), a complex of interrelated disorders in glucose and lipid metabolism, has become one of the leading chronic diseases causing public and clinical problem worldwide. As the metabolism of lipid and glucose is a highly coordinated process under both physiological and diseased conditions, the impairment in the signals corresponding to the metabolism of either lipid or glucose represents the common mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of GLMD. The liver and adipose tissue are the major metabolic organs responsible for energy utilization and storage, respectively. This review article aims to summarize the current advances in the investigation of the functional roles and the underling mechanisms of the interplay between the liver and adipose tissue in the modulation of GLMD development. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and adiponectin represent the two major hormones secreted from the liver and adipose tissues, respectively. FGF21 exerts pleiotropic effects on regulating glucose and lipid homeostasis majorly through inducing the expression and secretion of adiponectin. Therefore, FGF21-adiponectin axis functions as the key mediator for the crosstalk between the liver and adipose tissue to exert the beneficial effects on the maintenance of the homeostasis of energy consumption. The liver- and adipose tissue-derived factors with pleiotropic effects on regulating of lipid and glucose metabolism function as the key mediator for the crosstalk between these two highly active metabolic organs, thereby coordinating the initiation and development of GLMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver and many other metabolic disorder are frequently co-existing in patients. In addition, these diseases are closely related in pathophysiological settings. However, increasing of the disease incidence, lacking of comprehensive prevention and control measurements against the key pathology point concomitant occurrence with the pattern of the single disease, single target therapy, that is leading therapeutic strategy for these metabolic disorders in the setting of Western medicine (WM). On the basis of the combination of the advantages of integrated Chinese medicine (CM) and WM, with unified understanding of such diseases, the new concept of glucolipid metabolic disease (GLMD) is introduced. In this new concept, disorders in glucose and lipid metabolism are recognized as the key trigger and major driving force for the progress of GLMD. The key points of pathology included dysfunction of neuronal-endocrine-immune system, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation and intestinal flora imbalance. In the core pathogenic perspective of CM, it can be explained as "Gan (Liver) Shi Shu Xie" (dysfunction of Gan in metabolism and emotion regulation) that will lead to the occurence/production of endogenous dampness and phlegm, blood stasis and turbid. This leads to the new concept of "Liver-based regulatory system for metabolic homeostasis" to be introduced further. The comprehensive prevention and control strategy "Tiao Gan Qi Shu Hua Zhuo" (modulating Gan, trigging key metabolic system to resolve pathogenic factors such as phlegm retention and dampness). Its representative formula Fufang Zhenzhu Tiaozhi Capsule (复方贞术调脂胶囊) is innovated under such rationales. Comment for some commonly-used CM GLMD therapeutic drugs was presented. High-level evidence-based and epidemiological and mechanism studies should be carried out to further interpret and explain of the scientific connotation of GLMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional Kalman filter (KF) relies heavily on a priori knowledge of the potentially unstable process and measurement noise statistics. Insufficiently known a priori filter statistics will reduce the precision of the estimated states or introduce biases to the estimates. We propose an adaptive KF based on the autoregressive (AR) predictive model for vehicle navigation. First, the AR model is incorporated into the KF for state estimation. The closed-form solution of the AR model coefficients is obtained by solving a convex quadratic programming problem, which is according to the criterion of minimizing the mean-square error, and subject to the polynomial constraint of vehicle motion. Then, an innovation-based adaptive approach is improved based on the KF with the AR predictive model. In the proposed adaptive algorithm, the process noise covariance is computed using the real-time information of the innovation sequence. Simulation results demonstrate that the KF with the AR model has a higher estimated precision than the KF with the traditional discrete-time differential model under the condition of the same parameter setting. Field tests show that the positioning accuracy of the proposed adaptive algorithm is superior to the conventional adaptive KF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat yellow mosaic disease (WYM) became more serious in China in the recent years. Cultivation of resistant varieties is the major strategy for disease control. To identify WYM resistant genes in Chinese wheat cultivar 'Yining Xiaomai', a population of 106 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) from a cross between Yining Xiaomai and Zhen 9523 (WYM-susceptible) was generated. Phenotypic data of WYM resistance of the RILs were collected over three successive years in a naturally infected field nursery. A linkage map consisting of 29 genetic linkage groups involving 144 SSR or EST markers was constructed, using the JoinMap 4.0 software. By composite interval mapping using IciMapping 4.0, a stable major QTL associated with WYM resistance, designated QYm.nau- 2D, was mapped to chromosome 2D which explained up to 93.2 % of the phenotypic variance. More linkage markers including 11 SNP and 11 STS markers were developed to saturate the QYm.nau- 2D region. The presence of WYM resistance was further validated using a resistant RIL derived F population consisting 318 lines. A high resolution map at QYm.nau- 2D region was re-constructed which established a basis for map-based cloning of the resistant gene. Four markers were validated to be diagnostic markers to discriminate 195 breeding lines with known pedigree. These markers could be used in marker-assisted selection to breeding WYM resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional traveltime inversion for anisotropic medium is, in general, based on a 'weak' assumption in the anisotropic property, which simplifies both the forward part (ray tracing is performed once only) and the inversion part (a linear inversion solver is possible). But for some real applications, a general (both 'weak' and 'strong') anisotropic medium should be considered. In such cases, one has to develop a ray tracing algorithm to handle with the general (including 'strong') anisotropic medium and also to design a non-linear inversion solver for later tomography. Meanwhile, it is constructive to investigate how much the tomographic resolution can be improved by introducing the later arrivals. For this motivation, we incorporated our newly developed ray tracing algorithm (multistage irregular shortest-path method) for general anisotropic media with a non-linear inversion solver (a damped minimum norm, constrained least squares problem with a conjugate gradient approach) to formulate a non-linear inversion solver for anisotropic medium. This anisotropic traveltime inversion procedure is able to combine the later (reflected) arrival times. Both 2-D/3-D synthetic inversion experiments and comparison tests show that (1) the proposed anisotropic traveltime inversion scheme is able to recover the high contrast anomalies and (2) it is possible to improve the tomographic resolution by introducing the later (reflected) arrivals, but not as expected in the isotropic medium, because the different velocity (qP, qSV and qSH) sensitivities (or derivatives) respective to the different elastic parameters are not the same but are also dependent on the inclination angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that determines the fragmentation mechanisms of two main kinds of active constituents in Eucommia ulmoides. It offers overview of the method of the study that characterizes various complex components in different kinds of Chinese herbal medicines. It outlines the result which shows that the fragmental information of the compounds provide information on the chemical composition of the species.

Traditionally, traveltime tomography entails inversion of either the velocity field and the reflector geometry sequentially, or the velocity field and the hypocenter locations simultaneously or in a cascaded fashion, but seldom are all three types (velocities, geometry of reflectors, and source locations) updated simultaneously because of the compromise between the different classes of model variable and the lack of different seismic phases to constrain these variables. By using a state-of-the-art ray-tracing algorithm for the first and later arrivals combined with a popular linearized inversion solver, it is possible to simultaneously recover the three classes of model variables. In the work discussed in this paper we combined the multistage irregular shortest-path ray-tracing algorithm with a subspace inversion solver to achieve simultaneous inversion of multi-class variables, using arrival times for different phases to concurrently obtain the velocity field, the reflector shapes, and the hypocenter locations. Simulation and comparison tests for two sets of source-receiver arrangements (one the ideal case and the other an approximated real case) indicate that the combined triple-class inversion algorithm is capable of obtaining nearly the same results as the double-class affect inversion scheme (velocity and reflector geometry, or velocity and source locations) even if a lower ray density and irregular source-receiver geometry are used to simulate the real situation. In addition, the new simultaneous inversion method is not sensitive to a modest amount of picking error in the traveltime data and reasonable uncertainty in earthquake hypocenter locations, which shows it to be a feasible and promising approach in real applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretically, Fresnel volume ray theory is more suitable for handling real seismic propagation problems because the traveltime depends not only on the velocity distribution along a traditional geometric ray but also on the velocity distribution within a vicinal region (referred to as first Fresnel volume, abbreviated as FFV) which embraces the geometric ray. In this study, we used an exact solution to calculate multi-phase FFV rays for both 2-D and 3-D cases and introduced a normalized coefficient to account for different contributions inside the FFV ray on the traveltimes. Furthermore, we draw a new formula to calculate the partial traveltime derivatives with respective to the velocity variations and depth changes of the reflectors and finally present a simultaneous inversion method for updating both velocity field and reflector geometry by using these multi-phase FFV rays for both in 2-D and 3-D cases. Using synthetic data examples, we compare the reconstructions of the velocity field and the reflector geometry using the FFV ray tomographic methods and the traditional ray tomography approaches. The simulated inversion results for both 2-D and 3-D cases show that the FFV ray tomographic method is advantageous over the traditional ray tomography method, especially when the ray density is relatively low. The other advantage for the FFV ray tomography method is that it can capture the coarse velocity structure and reflector geometry by starting with a low-frequency data set and then map the fine velocity structure and the detailed reflector geometry by using a high-frequency data set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with TEC regimen (taxotere-epirubicin-cyclophosphamide) in the treatment of breast cancer (BC) patients. Method: Total of 118 BC patients were recruited from the Department of Breast Surgery in Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012, in this study. The clinical data and serum samples were collected from each patient prior to the study. All patients were given four cycles of TEC chemotherapy before surgery. Results: The overall response rate of TEC regimen in the treatment of BC was 67.8 % (80/118), clinical complete response rate was 3.4 % (4/118), and clinical partial response rate was 64.4 % (76/118). Furthermore, we found that age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis and clinical stages of patients had no statistically significant difference (all P > 0.05). Both negative ER status and negative PR status were statistically related to better response ( P = 0.033 and P = 0.024, respectively) when compared with the positive ER status and positive PR status, while such association was not observed between the negative HER-2 status and positive HER-2 status ( P > 0.05). In addition, the efficacy of triple-negative breast cancer was significantly better than that of luminal A, luminal B and HER-2+ cancers (all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference among the HER-2+, luminal A, luminal B groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study support the view that BC cases under the TEC chemotherapy were related to higher overall response rates; and the chemotherapy with the TEC regimen could be served as an effective therapy in the treatment of BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional ray tomography methods based on the high frequency assumption are sometimes unable to obtain a high resolution tomographic picture due to a deficient coverage of ray paths in real applications, especially for low velocity anomalous regions. In contrast, finite-frequency ray theory is more suitable for handling real seismic propagation problems because the travel time depends not only on the velocity distribution along a central ray (or traditional geometric ray), but also on the velocity values within a region (referred to as the first Fresnel Volume) which incorporates the central ray. In this study, we develop an algorithm to calculate multi-phase Fresnel Volume finite-frequency rays, and then present an inversion method to simultaneous invert for both velocity and reflector geometry by using these multi-phase Fresnel Volume finite-frequency rays. Using synthetic data examples, we compare the reconstructions of the velocity field and the reflector orientation using the Fresnel Volume ray tomographic methods and the traditional ray tomography approach. Results show that the former is advantageous over the latter, especially when the ray density is relatively low. An additional benefit of the Fresnel Volume finite-frequency ray tomographic method is that it can start with a low frequency to capture the coarse velocity structure, thereby mitigating the local minimum trapping problem, and then be tuned to a high frequency for delineating the fine velocity structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two key requirements in conducting 3-D simultaneous traveltime tomography on real data at the regional and global scale with multiple classes of arrival time information are (1) it needs an efficient and accurate arrival tracking algorithm for multiply transmitted, reflected (or refracted) and converted waves in a 3-D variable velocity model with embedded velocity discontinuities (or subsurface interfaces), and (2) a subdimensional inversion solver is required which can easily search for different types of model parameters to balance the trade-off between the different types of model parameter updated in the simultaneous inversion process. For these purposes, we first extend a popular grid/cell-based wavefront expanding ray tracing algorithm (the multistage irregular shortest-path ray tracing method), which previously worked only in Cartesian coordinate at the local scale, to spherical coordinates appropriate to the regional or global scale. We then incorporated a fashionable inversion solver (the subspace method) to formulate a simultaneous inversion algorithm, in which the multiple classes of arrivals (including direct and reflected arrivals from different velocity discontinuities) can be used to simultaneously update both the velocity fields and the reflector geometries. Numerical tests indicate that the new inversion method is both applicable and flexible in terms of computational efficiency and solution accuracy, and is not sensitive to a modest level of noise in the traveltime data. It offers several potential benefits over existing schemes for real data seismic imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and sensitive UPLC/Q-TOF-MS method has been established for analysis of the constituents in rat serum after oral administration of Fufang Zhenzhu Tiaozhi (FTZ) capsule, an effective compound prescription for treating hyperlipidemia in the clinic. The UPLC/MS information of samples was obtained first in FTZ preparation and FTZ-treated rat serum. Mass spectra were acquired in both negative and positive ion modes. Thirty-six constituents in rat serum after oral administration of FTZ were detected, including the alkaloids, ginsenosides, pentacyclic triterpenes, and their metabolites. These chemicals were identified based on the retention time and mass spectrometry data with those of authentic standards or comparison of the literatures reports. Twenty-seven prototype components originated from FTZ and nine were the metabolites of the FTZ constituents. These results shed light on the potential active constituents of the complex traditional Chinese medicinal formulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat yellow mosaic (WYM) caused by wheat yellow mosaic bymovirus (WYMV) has been growing as one of the most serious diseases affecting wheat production in China. In this study, the association of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) governing WYMV resistance with molecular markers was established using 164 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from 'Xifeng Wheat' (highly resistant) × 'Zhen 9523' (highly susceptible). Phenotypic data of WYMV resistance of the RILs were collected from 4-year, two-location replicated field trials. A molecular marker-based linkage map, which was comprised of 273 non-redundant loci and represented all the 21 wheat chromosomes, was constructed with the JoinMap 4.0 software. Using the Windows QTL Cartographer V2.5 software, three QTLs associated with WYMV resistance, QYm.njau- 3B.1, QYm.njau- 5A.1 and QYm.njau- 7B.1, were detected on chromosomes 3BS, 5AL, and 7BS, respectively. The favorable allele effects were all contributed by 'Xifeng Wheat'. Among the three QTLs, QYm.njau- 3B.1 and QYm.njau- 5A.1 were detected in all the four trials and the overall mean, and could explain 3.3-10.2% and 25.9-53.7% of the phenotypic variation, respectively, while QYm.njau- 7B.1 was detected in one trial and the overall mean and explained 4.9 and 3.3% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. A large portion of the variability for WYMV response was explained by a major QTL, QYm.njau- 5A.1. The relationship of the molecular markers linked with QYm.njau- 5A.1 and the WYMV resistance was further validated using a secondary F population. The results showed that three markers, i.e., Xwmc415.1, CINAU152, and CINAU153, were closely linked to QYm.njau- 5A.1 with the genetic distances of 0.0, 0.0, and 0.1 cM, respectively, indicating they should be useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS) wheat breeding for WYMV resistance. A panel of germplasm collection consisting of 46 wheat varieties with known WYMV response phenotypes was further used to validate the presence and effects of QYm.njau- 5A.1 and the above three markers. It was found that QYm.njau- 5A.1 was present in 12 of the 34 WYMV-resistant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]