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The activated sludge process plays a crucial role in modern wastewater treatment plants. During the treatment of daily sewage, a large amount of residual sludge is generated, which, if improperly managed, can pose burdens on the environment and human health. Additionally, the highly hydrated colloidal structure of biopolymers limits the rate and degree of dewatering, making mechanical dewatering challenging. This study investigates the impact and mechanism of microwave irradiation (MW) in conjunction with peracetic acid (PAA) on the dewatering efficiency of sludge. Sludge dewatering effectiveness was assessed through capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF). Examination of the impact of MW-PAA treatment on sludge dewatering performance involved assessing the levels of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), employing three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM), Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy. Findings reveal that optimal dewatering performance, with respective reductions of 91.22% for SRF and 84.22% for CST, was attained under the following conditions: microwave power of 600 W, reaction time of 120 s, and PAA dosage of 0.25 g/g MLSS. Additionally, alterations in both sludge EPS composition and floc morphology pre- and post-MW-PAA treatment underwent examination. The findings demonstrate that microwaves additionally boost the breakdown of PAA into •OH radicals, suggesting a synergistic effect upon combining MW-PAA treatment. These pertinent research findings offer insights into employing MW-PAA technology for residual sludge treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microencapsulation of B. bifidum F-35 was carried out through emulsification technique in order to increase the microbial load while maintaining the rheological functions of set-yogurt. To produce single-layer (SL) microcapsules of whey protein, the pH was adjusted to 6.4 within Transglutaminase-induced gelation. Sodium alginate was processed as the external layer using calcium-induced gelation (pH 5.5) to produce the double-layer (DL) microcapsule. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that SL and DL microcapsules had sizes of 10 and 280 μm, respectively. The highest microbial load was clearly visible in the DL sample. According to texture profile analysis, the DL sample had the highest levels of gumminess, chewiness, and adhesiveness. The free sample outperformed the encapsulated samples in terms of springiness and cohesiveness. Although the SL sample had the highest viscosity, it produced a deformed gel when firmness was measured. In terms of firmness, the DL sample performed quite well. The viability of encapsulated B. bifidum F-35 in DL was higher than SL microcapsules during storage. Microencapsulation of B. bifidum F-35 with whey protein and sodium alginate is a promising technique that could improve the rheological properties of set-yogurt as a popular vehicle for bioactive ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a type of adult pluripotent stem cell that has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, and whose conditioned medium (CM) has also been found to be effective. We used MSC and CM enemas to investigate their ameliorative effects in a mouse model of colitis. Methods: We employed MSCs, CM, and MSCs + ML385 (an inhibitor of Nrf2) in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Mice were sacrificed on day 8, and the effects of MSC or CM treatment on the levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in colonic epithelial cells were evaluated by histological analyses. Results: MSCs inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine expression in the colon. In addition, MSCs reduced extracellular matrix deposition and maintained the mechanical barrier and permeability of colonic epithelial cells. Mechanistically, MSCs activated Nrf2, which then increased HO-1 and NQO-1 levels and downregulated the expression of Keap1 to suppress reactive oxygen species production and MDA generation, accompanied by increases in components of the enzymatic antioxidant system, including SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and T-AOC. However, after administering an Nrf2 inhibitor (ML385) to block the Nrf2/Keap1/ARE pathway, we failed to observe protective effects of MSCs in mice with colitis. CM alone also produced some of the therapeutic benefits of MSCs but was not as effective as MSCs. Conclusions: Our data confirmed that MSCs and CM can effectively improve intestinal mucosal repair in experimental colitis and that MSCs can improve this condition by activating the Nrf2/Keap1/ARE pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a new therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and their efficacy has been widely recognized. However, there are still some challenges in cell therapy, including stable cell passage, laboratory conditions for cell culture, high-cost burden, and poor transplantation. The conditioned medium (CM) of MSCs is considered be an excellent alternative to cell transplantation, but the paracrine group in MSC-CM is limited in variety and low in concentration, which cannot meet the therapeutic needs of injured tissues and needs to be optimized. Pretreatment with low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can not only protect cells from oxidative damage, but also play a role similar to growth factors and regulate the physiological function of stem cells, to obtain an improved conditioned medium. To determine the optimal protocol for pretreatment of MSCs with H2O2, and to study the efficacy and potential mechanism of MSC-CM pretreated with H2O2 on Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced acute experimental colitis. MSCs were exposed to different concentrations of H2O2, and the optimal H2O2 pretreatment conditions were determined by evaluating their critical cell functional properties. H2O2-pretreated MSC-CM was transplanted into experimental mouse colitis by enema at 2, 4, and 6 days in modeling, and the changes of colonic tissue structure, the levels of inflammation and oxidative stress, the molecular changes of Nrf2/Keap1/ARE axis, and the related indicators of apoptosis in colonic epithelial cells were observed in each group. In vitro, Pretreated MSCs with 25 μM H2O2 significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and survival, but had no effect on apoptosis. In vivo, MSC-CM treatment decreased apoptosis and extracellular matrix deposition, and maintained the mechanical barrier and permeability of colonic epithelial cells in experimental mouse colitis. Mechanistically, H2O2-pretreated MSC-CM against reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and MDA generation, accompanied by increases in components of the enzymatic antioxidant system includes SOD, CAT, GSH-PX, and T-AOC, which is through the up-regulation of the Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 antioxidant genes. Our data confirmed that 25 μM H2O2 pretreated MSC-CM treatment could effectively improve intestinal mucosal repair in experimental colitis, which may be achieved by activating Nrf2/Keap1/ARE pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is a protein kinase which preserves the genome integrity, and works as an evolutionally conserved DNA damage response and cell cycle checkpoint. However, the functional roles and regulatory mechanism of Chk1 in mouse granulosa cells (GCs) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, by RNA interfering, Chk1 gene was knocked down in GCs. Knockdown of Chk1 inhibited proliferation and increased apoptosis of GCs (p < 0.05), respectively; in addition, cell cycle of GCs was arrested at S and G2/M phases. Further qRT-PCR results showed that cell cycle factors (Cyclin B1 and Cyclin D 1) and a marker gene of proliferation (PCNA) were downregulated (p < 0.001), while apoptotic factors (p53b, p21, caspase-3, and Bax) were upregulated (p < 0.01), which suggested that knockdown of Chk1 may inhibit proliferation, regulate cell cycle, and promote apoptosis at the transcriptional level in GCs. In vitro studies showed a negative correlation between Chk1 mRNA and miR-16 expression during follicular development. To elucidate the relationship between Chk1 and miR-15a/16, luciferase reporter plasmids were constructed and luciferase assays revealed that both miR-15a and miR-16 could bind to the 3′ UTR of Chk1 mRNA, and significantly downregulate the protein level of Chk1 (p < 0.01), while miR-16, not miR-15a, could significantly decrease the mRNA level of Chk1 (p < 0.05). This result indicated that miR-16 directly induced Chk1 mRNA destabilization, while miR-15a regulated Chk1 expression through translational repression. Taken together, this study uncovered the roles of Chk1 in mouse granulosa cells and its regulation by miR-15a and miR-16 through different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of trace elements that behave geochemically coherently. REE fractionation patterns normalized to reference materials provide a powerful tool for documenting pedogenesis. In-soil processes are particularly difficult to illustrate with respect to contemporary and past climate conditions. In this study, we characterize the rare earth element (REE) contents in bulk soils and respective geochemical fractions (e.g., exchangeable, carbonate-bound, reducible, and oxidizable fractions) and to decipher the relationships between REE geochemistry components and climatic factors across a large-scale northern China transect (NCT). Results: Across the NCT, bulk REE concentrations ranged from 55.2 to 241.1 μg g−1 with a main portion in the residual fraction (49–79%), followed by oxidizable fraction (2–40%), reducible fraction (3–22%), carbonate-bound fraction (0.1–16%), and negligible exchangeable fraction. The REE contents of geochemical components (carbonate-bound, reducible, and oxidizable) in topsoils correlated to climate factors (mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, potential evaporation, and aridity index (AI)). The normalized abundances to the upper continental crust (UCC) composition show that the middle REE was generally enriched than the light REE and heavy REE in topsoils along the transect. The overall UCC-normalized bulk REE patterns in topsoils and subsoils were similar, characterized by weak negative Ce anomalies and positive Eu anomalies. Conclusions: Our data in topsoils and depth profiles collectively suggest that cycling of REE was primarily regulated by abiotic processes in area with AI < 0.2, while the biological effect on REE circulation in soil played a more effective role in area with AI > 0.3. The similar UCC normalized patterns in topsoils suggest that the REE was originated from a common source with limited influences from other sources (e.g., atmospheric dusts and anthropogenic contributions). Our results to some extent provide evidence for climatic influence REE distribution patterns both in topsoils and subsoils across the continental-scale transect. Our investigation gives insights into future studies on vertical REE mobility and its associated biogeochemical pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the spherical TiO2 inverse opal photonic crystals (IOPCs) have been successfully prepared through the combination of sol–gel and liquid phase deposition (LPD) method using SiO2 spheres as the templates. The characterization results show that the spherical TiO2 inverse opal structure can significantly increase the specific surface area and total pore volume. The photocatalytic experiments reveal that the removal rate of Methylene blue (MB) by TiO2 with spherical inverse opal (IO) structure (TiO2-710) was 98% under illumination for 40 min, while the degradation rate of TiO2 without IO structure (TiO2-Sol) was only 17.7%. Moreover, the TiO2-710 sample exhibits the highest reaction rate constant, which is about 9.1 times that of TiO2-Sol. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the existence of the unique spherical inverse opal structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The efficacy and safety of deep brain stimulation (DBS) under general anesthesia for the treatment of dystonia have not yet been confirmed with high level of evidence. This meta-analysis with pooled individual patient data aims to assess the clinical outcomes and identify the potential prognostic factors of dystonia patients who underwent general anesthesia DBS. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for articles describing patients with dystonia who underwent asleep DBS and had individual Burke–Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) scores. The relative improvement in BFMDRS scores was considered the primary outcome. Pearson correlation analyses and multivariate linear regression analysis were conducted to explore the prognostic factors. Results: A total of 34 studies involving 341 patients were included. The mean postoperative improvement in BFMDRS-M (BFMDRS movement subscale) and BFMDRS-D (BFMDRS disability subscale) scores were 58.6±36.2% and 48.5±38.7% at the last follow-up visit, respectively, with a mean follow-up time of 22.4±27.6 months. Age at surgery and disease duration showed a negative correlation with the percent improvement of BFMDRS-M (%) at the last visit (r=−0.134, P=0.013; r=−0.165, P=0.006). In the stepwise multivariate regression, only disease duration remained a relevant factor. Additionally, the adverse events were acceptable. Conclusion: General anesthesia DBS is a safe, effective, and feasible option for dystonia patients in the long term. Shorter disease duration predicts better clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Total resection of meningiomas involving the major dural sinuses (MIMDS) is still challenging for neurosurgeons. Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) was shown to have a high probability of tumor control. The current study evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent subtotal resection alone or in combination with postoperative GKRS for the treatment of WHO grade I MIMDS. Methods: From January 2006 to December 2016, 204 patients with MIMDS underwent Simpson IV subtotal resection in Wuhan Union Hospital. In 151 patients, no additional treatment was performed, while the tumor remnant was treated with GKRS in 53 patients. All patients were monitored with regular MR follow-ups. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, radiological characteristics, and outcomes of these 204 patients. Progression-free survival (PFS) was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Related factors were determined by univariate Cox regression analyses. Results: The mean follow-up period was 75.5 months. The tumor recurrence/progression rates were 13.9% in the microsurgery group and 3.8% in the combined therapy group (p = 0.045). The 5- and 10- year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 92.3 and 80.7%, respectively, in the microsurgery group and 100.0 and 88.5% in the combined therapy group. Treatment approach was found to be an independent prognostic factor for tumor recurrence/progression in the univariable analyses (p=0.04). Conclusions: Compared with microsurgery alone, targeted Simpson grade IV resection combined with early gamma knife treatment resulted in longer progression-free survival without increased complications for WHO grade I MIMDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 mesocrystals (M-TiO2) can promote the adsorption of organic pollutants and provide effective conduction pathways for the photogenerated charge carriers. However, the pristine M-TiO2 had no visible-light absorption due to its wide band gap. In this paper, the hollow-box-structured mesoscopic TiO2/g-C3N4 (M-T-CN) composites with visible-light response were prepared by liquid phase deposition (LPD) and topological transformation. The results showed that the sample of M-T-CN-300 can degrade 99.1% Rhodamine B (RhB) solution within 15 min under illumination. The reaction rate constant of M-T-CN-300 was nearly 3 times and 34 times that of pristine g-C3N4 and M-TiO2, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) analysis confirmed that the coupling of M-TiO2 and g-C3N4 can reduce the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. The enhanced photocatalytic performance in M-T-CN composite material was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of M-TiO2 and g-C3N4, which can effectively promote the separation of charge carriers and achieve the visible-light absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the basic supporting technologies of 5G system, wireless sensor networks technology is facing a new challenge to improve its transmission energy efficiency. This paper considers combining simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) technique and routing technique, and applying them to multi-hop clustered wireless sensor networks (MCWSN), where each node can decode information and harvest energy from a received radio-frequency signal. And the relay nodes in MCWSN can utilize the harvest energy to forward data to their next hop nodes according to the routing scheme. First, we formulate an energy-efficient routing problem of MCWSN with SWIPT. Then, a heuristic energy efficient cooperative SWIPT routing algorithm (EECSR) is presented to find a transmission path with the maximum energy efficiency. Specifically, in EECSR, the resource allocation problem in each hop of the path is transformed to some equivalent convex optimization problems, which are resolved via dual decomposition. Moreover, a distributed routing protocol based on EECSR is proposed. As far as we know, this is the first solution that considers energy efficiency optimization based on routing and SWIPT in MCWSN. Simulation results show that our EECSR algorithm has high energy efficiency and good robustness. And our distributed routing protocol has better real-time performance than traditional protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resolving how Earth surface redox conditions evolved through the Proterozoic Eon is fundamental to understanding how biogeochemical cycles have changed through time. The redox sensitivity of cerium relative to other rare earth elements and its uptake in carbonate minerals make the Ce anomaly (Ce/Ce*) a particularly useful proxy for capturing redox conditions in the local marine environment. Here, we report Ce/Ce* data in marine carbonate rocks through 3.5 billion years of Earth's history, focusing in particular on the mid-Proterozoic Eon (i.e., 1.8 – 0.8 Ga). To better understand the role of atmospheric oxygenation, we use Ce/Ce* data to estimate the partial pressure of atmospheric oxygen (pO2) through this time. Our thermodynamics-based modeling supports a major rise in atmospheric oxygen level in the aftermath of the Great Oxidation Event (~ 2.4 Ga), followed by invariant pO2 of about 1% of present atmospheric level through most of the Proterozoic Eon (2.4 to 0.65 Ga). Constraining the rise in atmospheric oxygen through the early Earth is important to understand the evolution of complex life. Here, the authors find that a major rise in atmospheric oxygen level occurred after the Great Oxidation Event, followed by pO2 within 1% of present atmospheric level through most of the Proterozoic Eon (2.4 to 0.65 Ga). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Etanercept biosimilar recombinant human tumour necrosis factor-α receptor II: IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR-Fc, trade name Yisaipu) has shown good efficacy in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. To compare the efficacy and safety of rhTNFR-Fc plus methotrexate (MTX) and rhTNFR-Fc plus placebo in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. In this multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive rhTNFR-Fc plus MTX or rhTNFR-Fc plus placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving Psoriasis Area and Severity Index improvement of at least 75% (PASI 75) from baseline at week 24. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded to evaluate safety. Efficacy analysis was performed using the intent-to-treat principle. A total of 466 patients were enrolled and randomly received rhTNFR-Fc plus MTX (combination group, n = 233) or rhTNFR-Fc plus placebo (monotherapy group, n = 233). PASI 75 at week 24 was significantly higher in the combination group than in the monotherapy group (81.86% vs. 65.50%, p < 0.001). Similar results were observed in other PASI improvement scores at week 12 [PASI 75, 62.39% vs. 44.54% (p < 0.001); PASI 50, 87.17% vs. 75.55% (p = 0.001); and PASI 90, 34.07% vs. 18.78% (p < 0.001)] and week 24 [PASI 50, 92.48% vs. 85.59% (p = 0.019); and PASI 90, 64.16% vs. 42.36% (p < 0.001)]. Significantly more patients had a static Physicians' Global Assessment of clear or almost clear in the combination group than in the monotherapy group at week 12 (26.46% vs. 12.50%, p < 0.001) and week 24 (62.38% vs. 40.83%, p < 0.001). The most common AEs in the two groups were upper respiratory tract infection and abnormal liver function. The combination therapy of rhTNFR-Fc plus MTX was an effective therapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, indicating that it was feasible and well tolerated for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the durability and microstructure evolution of road base materials (RBM) prepared from red mud and flue gas desulfurization fly ash. The durability testing showed that the strength of RBM with the blast furnace slag addition of 1wt%, 3wt% and 5wt% reached 3.81, 4.87, and 5.84 MPa after 5 freezing–thawing (F–T) cycles and reached 5.21, 5.75, and 6.98 MPa after 20 weting–drying (W–D) cycles, respectively. The results also indicated that hydration products were continuously formed even during W–D and F–T exposures, resulting in an increase of the strength and durability of RBM. The observed increase of macropores (>1 μm) after F–T and W–D exposures suggested that the mechanism of RBM deterioration is pore enlargement due to cracks that develop inside their matrix. Moreover, the F–T exposure showed a greater negative effect on the durability of RBM compared to the W–D exposure. The leaching tests showed that sodium and heavy metals were solidified below the minimum requirement, which indicates that these wastes are suitable for use as a natural material replacement in road base construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud is a type of highly alkaline waste residue produced in the process of alumina smelting by the Bayer process. Based on the idea of medium calcium content, solid wastes such as red mud and fly ash were used to prepare non-burnt bricks; and the mass ratio of CaO/SiO2 was selected in the range of 0.88–1.42. Mechanical properties and durability were investigated with a compressive strength test. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were used to characterize the hydration characteristic. The environmental performance was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP). The results indicated that the mechanical properties and the durability were optimal when the mass ratio of CaO/SiO2 was 1.23. The hydration products were mostly C-S-H gel, ettringite, Na4Ca(Si10Al16)O32·12H2O and Ca3Al2(SiO4)(OH)8. They were responsible for the strength development, and the CaO/SiO2 mass ratio of 1.23 had the best polymerized structure. The results of an environmental performance test showed that the heavy metals in the raw materials were well-solidified in the brick. Therefore, this paper provides an effective solution for use of solid wastes in building material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the temporal activation of arginase in obese Zucker rats (ZR) and determined if arginase inhibition prevents the development of hypertension and improves insulin resistance in these animals. Arginase activity, plasma arginine and nitric oxide (NO) concentration, blood pressure, and insulin resistance were measured in lean and obese animals. There was a chronological increase in vascular and plasma arginase activity in obese ZR beginning at 8 weeks of age. The increase in arginase activity in obese animals was associated with a decrease in insulin sensitivity and circulating levels of arginine and NO. The rise in arginase activity also preceded the increase in blood pressure in obese ZR detected at 12 weeks of age. Chronic treatment of 8-week-old obese animals with an arginase inhibitor or l-arginine for 4 weeks prevented the development of hypertension and improved plasma concentrations of arginine and NO. Arginase inhibition also improved insulin sensitivity in obese ZR while l-arginine supplementation had no effect. In conclusion, arginase inhibition prevents the development of hypertension and improves insulin sensitivity while l-arginine administration only mitigates hypertension in obese animals. Arginase represents a promising therapeutic target in ameliorating obesity-associated vascular and metabolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Constitutively activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signalling plays vital roles in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BC) progression. We investigate the effect of receptor-interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) on NF-κB activation and BC progression.Methods: The expression of RIPK4 was examined in 25 cryopreserved paired bladder samples and 112 paraffin BC specimens. In vivo and in vitro assays were performed to validate effect of RIPK4 on NF-κB pathway-mediated BC progression.Results: High expression of RIPK4 was observed in BC tissues and was an independent predictor for poor overall survival. Up or downregulating the expression of RIPK4 enhanced or inhibited, respectively, the migration and invasion of BC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RIPK4 promoted K63-linked polyubiquitination of tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), receptor-interacting protein (RIP) and NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO). RIPK4 also promoted nuclear localisation of NF-κB-p65, and maintained activation of NF-κB substantially, leading to upregulation of VEGF-A, ultimately promoting BC cell aggressiveness.Conclusions: Our data highlighted the molecular aetiology and clinical significance of RIPK4 in BC: upregulation of RIPK4 contributes to NF-κB activation, and upregulates VEGF-A, and BC progression. Targeting RIPK4 might represent a new therapeutic strategy to improve survival for patients with BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of ligustrazine (LTZ) on airway inflammation in a mouse model of neutrophilic asthma (NA).Methods: Forty healthy C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided into 4 groups using a random number table, including the normal control, NA, LTZ and dexamethasone (DXM) groups, with 10 rats in each group. The NA mice model was established by the method of ovalbumin combined with lipopolysaccharide sensitization. At 0.5 h before each challenge, LTZ and DXM groups were intraperitoneally injected with LTZ (80 mg/kg) or DXM (0.5 mg/kg) for 14 d, respectively, while the other two groups were given the equal volume of normal saline. After last challenge for 24 h, the aerosol inhalation of methacholine was performed and the airway reactivity was measured. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected. The Wright-Giemsa staining was used for total white blood cells and differential counts. The levels of cytokines interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The pathological change of lung tissue was observed by hematoxylin eosin staining.Results: The airway responsiveness of the NA group was signifificantly higher than the normal control group (P<0.05), while those in the LTZ and DXM groups were signifificantly lower than the NA group (P<0.05). The neutrophil and eosinophil counts in the LTZ and DXM groups were signifificantly lower than the NA group (P<0.05), and those in the LTZ group were signifificantly lower than the DXM group (P<0.05). There were a large number of peribronchiolar and perivascular inflammatory cells in fifiltration in the NA group. The airway inflflammation in the LTZ and DXM groups were signifificantly alleviated than the NA group. The infifiltration in the LTZ group was signifificantly reduced than the DXM group. Compared with the normal control group, the IL-17 level in BALF was signifificantly increased and the IL-10 level in BALF was signifificantly decreased in the NA group (P<0.05). LTZ and DXM treatment signifificantly decreased IL-17 levels and increased IL-10 levels compared with the NA group (P<0.05), and the changes in the above indices were more signifificant in the LTZ group (P<0.05).Conclusion: LTZ could alleviate the airway inflflammation in the NA mice model through increasing the IL-10 level and decreasing the IL-17 level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-step gate-recess process combining high selective wet-etching and non-selective digital wet-etching techniques has been proposed for InAlAs/InGaAs InP-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). High etching-selectivity ratio of InGaAs to InAlAs material larger than 100 is achieved by using mixture solution of succinic acid and hydrogen peroxide (HO). Selective wet-etching is validated in the gate-recess process of InAlAs/InGaAs InP-based HEMTs, which proceeds and automatically stops at the InAlAs barrier layer. The non-selective digital wet-etching process is developed using a separately controlled oxidation/de-oxidation technique, and during each digital etching cycle 1.2 nm InAlAs material is removed. The two-step gate-recess etching technique has been successfully incorporated into device fabrication. Digital wet-etching is repeated for two cycles with about 3 nm InAlAs barrier layer being etched off. InP-based HEMTs have demonstrated superior extrinsic transconductance and RF characteristics to devices fabricated during only the selective gate-recess etching process because of the smaller gate to channel distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud is a bauxite residue generated during the process of alumina production. In this research, the occurrence mode of scandium in the Bayer red mud was investigated mainly by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The Bayer red mud used in this work is composed of 21.47 wt% hematite, 12.13 wt% goethite, 8.86 wt% gibbsite, 5.02 wt% perovskite, 9.70 wt% quartz, 3.23 wt% anhydrite, 29.92 wt% NaAlSiO and 9.67 wt% AlFeO. Besides, the scandium content in the Bayer red mud is 84.32 × 10, indicating that this Bayer red mud is an important scandium resource deserving exploitation. The EPMA results show that the scandium within the Bayer red mud is mainly occurring in the iron minerals of hematite and goethite with the isomorphism form, but its distribution is not homogeneous in these iron minerals with the ScO content between 330 × 10 and 2040 × 10. This study provides a theoretical base for the further experimental work on the scandium extraction from this Bayer red mud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud is a slimy caustic residue generated from alumina production. Taking into account the relatively considerable content and availability of scandium, red mud can be viewed as an important and promising scandium resource rather than a solid waste. This paper is primarily to review the investigations of scandium recovery from red mud based on the most widely used hydrometallurgical processes including acid leaching, solvent extraction and ion exchange adsorption. It is thought that recovery of scandium from red mud should be considered as a direct objective rather than a by-product in the development of overall flowsheet. In order to achieve environmentally-friendly processes with high scandium recovery and low cost, more attention is required to be paid to optimizing the selective leaching of scandium to decrease mineral acid consumption and alleviate pollution, and developing new solvent extraction systems and novel ion exchange adsorption materials with high selectivity and recognition for scandium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the intrinsic reaction mechanism of cementitious materials composed of red mud and coal gangue (RGC), the hydration kinetics of these cementitious materials at 20°C was investigated on the basis of the Krstulović-Dabić model. An isothermal calorimeter was used to characterize the hydration heat evolution. The results show that the hydration of RGC is controlled by the processes of nucleation and crystal growth (NG), interaction at phase boundaries (I), and diffusion (D) in order, and the pozzolanic reactions of slag and compound-activated red mud-coal gangue are mainly controlled by the I process. Slag accelerates the clinker hydration during NG process, whereas the compound-activated red mud-coal gangue retards the hydration of RGC and the time required for I process increases with increasing dosage of red mud-coal gangue in RGC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to describe the compression creep behavior of gangue is very essential for the design of gangue backfilling mining. In this paper, compression tests of two kinds of gangue are studied, finding that logarithmic function is suitable for describing its equal-time stress-strain relationship. Stress-strain-time relationship is proposed through modifying the Singh-Mitchell creep model based on the analysis of the test result, and this model can provide a design basis for gangue backfilling technology. Back analysis indicates that this model can basically describe the creep behavior of gangue with a few parameters that are easy to be determined. This research can provide a reference on the design of gangue backfilling mining, and on the subsidence value estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcription factors (TFs) are crucial modulators of gene expression during the development and progression of gastric carcinoma. Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) is one of the most significant risk factors of gastric carcinoma, and it is widely known that chronic inflammation with H. pylori infection triggers gastric carcinogenesis through inflammation- carcinoma chain [gastric carcinogenesis stages: non-atrophic gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and gastric carcinoma (GC)], but its mechanism regarding changed TFs remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the expressional profiles of 345 transcription factors in gastric mucosa of healthy volunteers and patients at different gastric carcinogenesis stages using protein/DNA array-based approach. The data demonstrated the up-regulated TFs such as GATA-3, AP4, c-Myc and Pbx1 in the gastric mucosa of GC patients compared with the healthy volunteers, while other TFs, particularly CCAAT and CACC, showed the consistently decreasing trend along the gastric carcinogenesis. The increased expressions of AP4, Pbx1 and C/EBPα were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot in various H. pylori-infected models such as clinical gastric tissues, gastric epithelial cell lines and Mongolian gerbils. This study provides insights into and potential laws for gene transcriptional regulation by identifying potential TFs targets against the development of H. pylori-associated gastric carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jianpudong No. 4 tunnel is a shallow tunnel, which belongs to Shaoshan County scenic highway in Hunan province, China and whose surrounding rock is weak. According to its characteristics, the field monitoring tests and numerical analysis were done. The mechanical characteristics of shallow tunnels under weak surrounding rock and the stress-strain rule of surrounding rock and support were analyzed. The numerical analysis results show that the settlement caused by upper bench excavating accounts for 44% of the total settlement, and the settlement caused by tunnel upper bench supporting accounts for 56% of the total settlement. The maximum axial force of shotcrete lining is 177.2 kN, which locates in hance under the secondary lining. The maximum moment of shotcrete lining is 5.08 kN·m, which locates in the arch foot. The stress curve of steel arch has three obvious stages during the tunnel construction. The maximum axial force of steel arch is 297.4 kN, which locates in tunnel vault. The axial forces of steel arch are respectively 23.5 kN and −21.8 kN, which is influenced by eccentric compression of shallow tunnel and locates in hance. The results show that there is larger earth pressure in tunnel vault which is most unfavorable position of steel arch. Therefore, the advance support should be strengthened in tunnel vault during construction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the clinical effificacy of treatment with catgut implantation at acupoints on simple obesity. Methods: Following the theory of Chinese medicine (CM), pattern identification (PI) and treatment was based on the patient's symptoms and signs. Patients were observed during three courses and one year following treatment through self-comparison before and after six or seven acupoints catgut implantation. Obesity was divided into fifive types based on PI: (1) Stomach (Wei) and Intestine excess-heat, (2) Spleen (Pi) defificiency and phlegmwet stagnancy, (3) Liver (Gan)-qi stagnation, (4) Spleen-Kidney (Shen) yang deficiency, and (5) Liver-Kidney yin defificiency. Changes in the following measurements were recorded in 820 patients: body weight, body girth, skinfold thickness, body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (F%) and waist/hip ratio (WHR) and in the following blood values: leptin (LP), insulin (INS), blood lipids, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and insulin sensitive index (ISI) before and after the treatment. Values were compared with those of healthy controls (normal group). Results: Catgut implantation showed effificacy with all fifive types of obesity. Effificacy was greater in males than in females. There was no signifificant difference between the different types by Kruskal-Wallis H test, but the effect was best and of the highest number in patients with Stomach and Intestine excess-heat. Skin-fold thickness, body weight, waist circumference, F%, BMI, and WHR in all 820 cases decreased after treatment (at 90 days and one year), with signifificant differences before and after treatment ( P<0.01). Improved metabolism of blood lipids was also seen. Following treatment, LP, INS, and FBS decreased signifificantly ( P<0.01) and ISI increased signifificantly ( P<0.05). Conclusion: Catgut implantation at acupoints provided effective and persistent results, convenience, safety, painlessness, and prolonged effect with no side effects, resulting in reduced body weight and fat and improvement in body shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to explore the incidence of inherited metabolic disorders (IMD) in infants with infantile spasms (IS), with an attempt to improve the early diagnosis and etiological and symptomatic treatment. Urine and blood samples were collected from 60 IS patients and analyzed for the quantification of amino acids, organic acids, and fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrum. Routine urine tests, hepatic function tests, blood biochemistry, brain imaging, as well as examinations of the brain stem auditory/visual evoked potentials were also examined. In addition to antiepileptic therapy, etiological and symptomatic treatments were also conducted in infants with confirmed IMD and the follow-up lasted for 6 months in these pediatric patients. Metabolic disorders were found in 28 (46.67 %) of 60 IS infants, among them 13 (21.67 %) were confirmed to be with IMD. Twelve of these 13 IS patients with definite IMD diagnoses (92.31 %) experienced varying degrees of delayed development of intelligence and motor function, 8 patients (61.54 %) had abnormal cranial CT or MRI findings, 11 patients (84.61 %) had abnormal brain stem evoked potentials, 4 patients (30.77 %) had abnormal hepatic functions, 3 patients (23.07 %) had abnormal blood biochemistry, 2 patients (15.38 %) had positive (+ to ++) results for routine urine ketones, and 2 patients (15.38 %) had skin lesions. After treatment in children who were diagnosed IMD, the well controlled epileptic seizures and the satisfactory developments in mental and motor were found in 4 cases of methylmalonic acidemia, 2 cases of classical phenylketonuria, and one case of biotin deficiency disease, glutaric acidemia type I, and 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria in each. IMD is a key biological cause in IS. Early screening for IMD is warranted in IS infants to facilitate the improvement for the prognosis and an early etiological treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were differences between real boundary and blast hole controlling boundary of irregular mined-out area in underground metal mines. There were errors in numerical analysis of stability for goaf, if it was analyzed as regular 3D mined-out area and the influence of coupling stress-seepage-disturbance was not considered adequately. Taking a lead zinc mine as the background, the model was built by the coupling of Surpac and Midas-Gts based on the goaf model precisely measured by CMS. According to seepage stress fundamental equations based on the equivalent continuum mechanical and the theory about equivalent load of dynamic disturbance in deep-hole blasting, the stability of mined-out area under multi-field coupling of stress-seepage-dynamic disturbance was numerically analyzed. The results show that it is more consistent between the numerical analysis model based on the real model of irregular 3D shape goaf and the real situation, which could faithfully reappear the change rule of stress-strain about the surrounding rock under synthetic action of blasting dynamic loading and the seepage pressure. The mined-out area multi-field coupling formed by blasting excavation is stable. Based on combination of the advantages of the CMS, Surpac and Midas-Gts, and fully consideration of the effects of multi-field coupling, the accurate and effective way could be provided for numerical analysis of stability for mined-out area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with the development of cutaneous malignant tumors, and differences in HPV subtypes are found in several cancers by histology. NF-κB is persistently activated in most cancers and confers a survival advantage to cancer cells, while A20 is a critical negative regulator of NF-κB and is an important tumor suppressor inactivated in B cell lymphomas. This study was undertaken to identify HPV types in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as well as to determine whether the crosstalk of A20/NF-κB was involved in HPV-induced SCC. Overall, HPV positivity was observed to be 66.2 %, with HPV16 being most common followed by infection with HPV18. Out of 43 HPV-positive samples, 35 samples were positive for one or more high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types, suggesting a high association of SCC with HR-HPV infection, while only five HPV infections were detected in 21 normal skin samples and low-risk HPV (LR-HPV) infection was the most common. Both A20 and NF-κB were overexpressed in HPV-positive SCC samples (56 vs 87.4 %) and were closely correlated with TNM stage and lymph node transfer, respectively. More interestingly, the expression of A20 and NF-κB was much higher in HR-HPV samples than in LR-HPV samples. These results suggest that the crosstalk of A20 and NF-κB may contribute to HR-HPV-associated tumor growth and metastasis of SCC and may be a novel therapeutic target for SCC in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor recurrence and metastasis after surgery are the leading causes of death in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Next-generation sequencing techniques have improved our understanding of the genetic alterations underlying tumor initiation and progression. To explore recurrence-specific transcriptional profiles, functional properties, and gene co-expression networks in ESCC, samples from recurrence ( n = 4) and nonrecurrence ( n = 4) groups were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Patients included in the nonrecurrence group had five or more years of survival without any evidence of recurrence or metastasis, while those included in the recurrence group exhibited early recurrence and metastasis and died within 2 years. We identified 533 significantly differentially expressed protein-coding and noncoding genes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that ESCC recurrence was related to dysregulated cell-cell adherence, microenvironment homeostasis, information processing, and the immune response. Co-expression networks demonstrated differences in the patterns of gene expression and co-expression between the recurrence and nonrecurrence groups. This study provided important insights into ESCC progression and the differentially expressed genes that may represent potential targets for ESCC diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before 1986, the development of tissue banking in China has been slow and relatively uncoordinated. Under the support of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tissue Banking in China experienced rapid development. In this period, China Institute for Radiation Protection tissue bank mastered systematic and modern tissue banking technique by IAEA training course and gradually developed the first regional tissue bank (Shanxi Provincial Tissue Bank, SPTB) to provide tissue allograft. Benefit from training course, SPTB promoted the development of tissue transplantation by ways of training, brochure, advertisement and meeting. Tissue allograft transplantation acquired recognition from clinic and supervision and administration from government. Quality system gradually is developing and perfecting. Tissue allograft transplantation and tissue bank are developing rapidly and healthy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various fusion techniques have been used to treat lumbar spine isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS) in adults, including anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), posterolateral fusion (PLF), and circumferential fusion. The objective of this study was to evaluate which fusion technique provides the best clinical and radiological outcome for adult lumbar IS. Materials and methods: A systematic review was performed. MEDLINE databases and reference lists of selected articles were searched. Inclusion criteria stated that the studies had to be controlled and that they compared clinical and radiological outcomes of various fusion techniques for treating adult IS. Exclusion criteria were use of only one treatment and non-English language articles. Two reviewers independently extracted relevant data from each included study. Statistical comparisons were made when appropriate. Results: Nine studies that compared two surgical approaches to IS were included in this systematic review. Three were prospective studies, and six were retrospective studies. Two studies compared ALIF with instrumented PLF and ALIF with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, two studies compared ALIF and TLIF, and five studies compared PLIF and PLF. ALIF was superior to other techniques regarding restoration of disc height, segmental lordosis, and whole lumbar lordosis. TLIF had lower complication rates. ALIF combined with PLF showed lower nonfusion rates than other techniques. However, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between any two techniques. Conclusion: Compared to other fusion techniques, TLIF shows fewer complications, ALIF shows better sagittal alignment, and circumferential fusion showed better fusion rates. It was difficult to make recommendations about the optimal approach because of the methodological variance in the publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of total alkaloids extracted from Sophorea alopecuroides L. (TASA) against clinical isolated extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Escherichia coli ( E. coli) strains. Methods: The antibacterial activity of TASA either itself or in combination with cefotaxime (CTX) or ceftazidime (CAZ) was investigated by using the microbroth dilution method and phenotypic confirmatory disk diffusion test against three clinical isolated ESBLs-producing E. coli strains; the interactions of TASA and CTX or CAZ were ascertained by evaluating the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Results: The antibacterial activity of either TASA itself or in combination with CTX or CAZ was found. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) of TASA against the ESBLs producing isolates was 12.5 mg/mL. In the combinations with a sub-inhibitory concentration of TASA, a synergistic effect on CTX and CAZ against the ESBLs producing isolates was observed. Similarly, the isolates exposed to lower dose of TASA yielded an increased susceptibility to CTX and CAZ by 8–16 folds determined by microdilution assay. Moreover, enzymatic detection of ESBLs demonstrated that TASA induced reversal resistance to CTX and CAZ partially by a mechanism of inhibition of ESBLs activity in these isolates. Additionally, in the tested isolates following the exposure of TASA, molecular analysis verified the SHV-type beta-lactamase encoding ESBL gene in these isolates, and no mutation was introduced into the ESBL gene. Conclusions: These results suggest that TASA could be used as a source of natural compound with pharmacological activity of reversal resistance to antimicrobial agent. These findings also indicated that the application of the TASA in combination with antibiotics might prove useful in the control and treatment of infectious diseases caused by the ESBLs producing enterobacteriaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaCeAGdO (A = In, Zr, Ta; x = 0, 0·1) ceramics were synthesized by solid-state reaction method. Microstructure and electrical properties of BaCeAGdO ceramics were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and complex impedance analysis at intermediate temperatures of 573-1073 K in different atmospheres. BaCeGdO, BaCeInGdO and BaCeZrGdO ceramics exhibit a single cubic perovskite structure. BaCeInGdO ceramic has the highest conductivity of 4·6 × 10 S·cm in air at 1073 K. BaCeInGdO and BaCeZrGdO ceramics exhibit an excellent chemical stability against boiling water. Indium is a suitable doping element to promote the sintering densification and to enhance both electrical conductivity and chemical stability of Gd-doped BaCeO at operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tripartite motif protein (TRIM)5α/CypA fusion protein TRIMCyp in Old World monkeys is generally considered unable to restrict HIV-1 replication. Monkeys with TRIMCyp can serve as a unique animal model for studies of HIV-1 infection. The present study investigated the distribution and expression status of TRIMCyp in four species of macaques originating from China and its borderlands: pigtail macaques ( Macaca nemestrina), rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta), long-tailed macaques ( Macaca fascicularis), and Tibetan macaques ( Macaca thibetana). The results revealed that the frequencies of the TRIMCyp genotype were significantly different among different species and even within different populations of the same species. Interestingly, the TRIMCyp genotype was more prevalent among macaques originating from Yunnan and surrounding regions than those from other regions of China. Importantly, TRIMCyp individuals were first identified in Chinese M. mulatta originating from Yunnan, although multiple earlier studies failed to find CypA retrotransposition in this subspecies. Furthermore, TRIMe7-CypA, one of the splicing isoforms of the TRIMCyp transcript was expressed in M. nemestrina and M. mulatta but not M. fascicularis. The intra- and interspecies polymorphisms in the deduced TRIMCyp amino acid sequences of these macaques were also analyzed. Taken together, the data in this study provide important information about the genomic background of TRIMCyp among major species of Chinese macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) is generated from electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) industry, and its disposal is currently a serious problem in China. The EMR were calcined in the interval 100-900°C to enhance their pozzolanic activity and characterized by the differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (TGDTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infra-red (IR) and chemical analysis techniques with the aim to correlate phase transitions and structural features with the pozzolanic activity of calcined EMR. From the phase analysis and compressive strength results, it is found that the EMR calcined within 700-800°C had the best pozzolanic activity due to the decomposition of poorly-crystallized CaSO under the reducing ambient created by the decomposition of (NH)SO. The appearance of reactive CaO mainly contributes to the good pozzolanic activity of EMR calcined within 700-800°C. The crystallinity of MnO increases leading an unfavourable effect on the pozzolanic behaviour of EMR calcined at 900°C. The developed pozzolanic material containing 30% (mass fraction) EMR possesses compressive strength properties at a level similar to 42.5# normal Portland cement, in the range of 41.5-50.5MPa. Besides, leaching results show that EMR blend cement pastes have excellent effect on the solidification of heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud-fly ash based cementitious material mixed with different contents of oil shale calcined at 700°C is investigated in this paper. The effect of active Si and Al content on the solidification of Na during the hydration process is determined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Al and Si magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR), infrared (IR), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is shown that the content of oil shale has a remarkable effect on the solidified content of Na. The hydration process generates a highly reactive intermediate gel phase formed by co-polymerisation of individual alumina and silicate species. This kind of gel is primarily considered as 3D framework of SiO and AlO tetrahedra interlinked by the shared oxygen atoms randomly. The negative charges and four-coordinated Al inside the network are mainly charge-balanced by Na. The solidifying mechanism of Na is greatly attributed to the forming of this kind of gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service composition is a hot and active research area in service-oriented computing which has gained great momentum. An quality of service (QoS) oriented and tree-based approach was proposed to implement service composition efficiently. Firstly, service descriptions were transformed to mapping relations which denote the association between input and output concepts. Then, the service composition problems were resolved by building mapping relation tree dynamically based on the divide and conquer method, and all mapping relation trees were combined without redundant branch to obtain the composition scheme. Finally, the optimal composition scheme was chosen based on quality of service attributes including the preference of service request. Experiment results illustrate that this method can improve the composition efficiency and reduce the searching time by increasing the number of services in repository. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study was conducted to comprehend the mechanism of thermal activation of silica-alumina materials by using 29Si and 27Al magnetic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy. The reaction performance of silica-alumina-based materials with different molar ratios of Si/Al, which were thermally activated, was also investigated. With the increase in calcining temperature, the coordination of Al in metakaolin becomes four, five, and six firstly, and then transforms completely to four and six. It is indicated by identical coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP) and NMR that, the reaction performance of monomeric silicate anions is better than that of polymeric silicate anions which are primarily cross-linked in the alkali solution. Moreover, it also shows that the thermal activation temperature, cooling method, and the molar ratio of Na/Ca have remarkable effects on the reaction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent zircon dating identified several late Carboniferous to early Permian hornblende gabbro–diorite–quartz diorite–granodiorite–tonalite–granite plutons in lithological assemblages at the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB) that were previously regarded as Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic. Our geochronological results indicate that emplacement of these plutons was a continuous process during the late Carboniferous to early Permian, from 324 ± 6 to 274 ± 6 Ma, and lasted for at least 50 Ma. In this paper, the early Permian components with compositions from gabbro to granite within the intrusive complex were studied. The early Permian plutons exhibit calc-alkaline or high-K calc-alkaline, metaluminous geochemical features and highly variable SiO2 contents. They have no significant Eu anomaly in their REE patterns, and in primitive-mantle-normalized spidergrams they display depletion in Th, U, Nb, Ta, P and Ti, and enrichment in Ba, K, Pb and Sr. The granitoid bodies within these plutons display I-type and adakitic geochemical signatures. The early Permian rocks exhibit low whole-rock initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.70520 to 0.70615 and have negative whole-rock ε Nd( t) values ranging from −17.4 to −9.3 and zircon ε Hf( t) values of −23.2 to −10.5. The gabbros exhibit higher ε Nd( t) values from −11.1 to −9.3 and ε Hf( t) values from −16.5 to −10.5, and one granodiorite exhibits an even lower ε Nd( t) value of −17.4 and zircon ε Hf( t) values of −23.2 to −15.1. Geochemical, Sr–Nd and in situ zircon Hf isotopic compositions suggest that the hornblende gabbros were derived from a metasomatized lithospheric mantle, and the diorite and quartz diorite were generated from a gabbroic magma by fractional crystallization, coupled with differential assimilation of ancient lower crustal material. The granodiorite was likely derived from partial melting of ancient lower crust with involvement of some mantle components. Involvement of both lithospheric mantle and ancient lower crust in the generation of the early Permian plutons indicates strong crust–mantle interaction in the northern NCB. Petrological associations as well as geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic results show that the early Permian plutons were emplaced along an Andean-type active continental margin during southward subduction of the Palaeo-Asian oceanic plate beneath the NCB. Integration of our results with previously published data for late Carboniferous and late Permian to middle Triassic intrusions suggests that the continental arc on the northern margin of the NCB existed for at least 50 Ma during the late Palaeozoic, and final amalgamation of the Mongolian arc terranes with the northern NCB likely occurred during a period from ~270 to ~250 Ma, i.e, in the late Permian to earliest Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the mining method for Dongguashan Copper Mine and Tongkeng Mine in China, and with the help of the cavity monitoring system(CMS) and mining software Surpac, the 3D cavity models were established exactly. A series of correlative techniques for calculating stope over-excavation and under-excavation, stope dilution and ore loss rates, and the blasting design of the pillar with complicated irregular boundaries were developed. These techniques were applied in Dongguashan Copper Mine and Tongkeng Mine successfully. Using these techniques, the dilution rates of stopes 52-2#, 52-6#, 52-8# and 52-10# of Dongguashan Copper Mine are calculated to be 2.12%, 8.46%, 12.67% and 10.68%, respectively, and the ore loss rates of stopes 52-6# and 52-8# are 4.41% and 3.70%, severally. Furthermore, according to the design accomplished by the technique for a pillar of Tongkeng Mine with irregular boundary, the volume, total length of boreholes and the dynamite quantity of the pillar are computed to be 1.2 × 104 m3, 2.98 km and 10.97 t, correspondingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slacking experiments were performed on the red beds weak rock from vicinity of Changsha. Grain size distribution of the slacking rock was tested periodically during the experiments, which can be used to describe the physical transition of red beds weak rock during slacking process. According to the similar characters of many attributions such as environmental moisture, mineralogical composition, grain size and other factors between big rocks before slacking and its slacked product, the self-similar property of big rock and the small one can be induced. Fractal concept was introduced to construct the slacking model of red beds weak rock. Combining the supposed relationship of time for slacking and grain size of weak rock, the mathematic simulation of slacking process of red beds weak rock was conducted. To simplify the parameters back calculation, the fractal model proposed by Tyler and Wheatcraft was introduced to describe the characters of grain size distribution variation. The results show that the fractal dimension calculated from simulation data meet experiments data closely, which proves that the mathematic simulation method is reasonable and the parameters determination method is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The counter gradient transport phenomena on momentum, energy and passive scalar in turbulent flows were studied by use of the single response function for TSDIA. As a result, models that can describe qualitatively the phenomena are obtained. Then the results are simplified by use of the inertial range theory, and the results for lower degrees agree with results of predecessor. Finally the counter gradient-transport phenomena in channel flow and circular wake flow are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]