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The potential influence of tinnitus on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality has yet to be explored. We aim to examine the correlations between tinnitus and the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. We conducted a prospective cohort study utilising data from the UK Biobank. The presence of tinnitus was evaluated through a questionnaire. The primary outcome was defined as a composition of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and mortality from CVD, as well as all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to examine the associations between tinnitus and both the primary outcome and its individual components. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the primary analysis. A total of 140,146 participants were included in the study. The presence of tinnitus was found to be associated with a higher incident rate of the primary outcome (HR = 1.057, 95%CI: 1.017–1.099, p = 0.005), MI (HR = 1.139, 95%CI: 1.061–1.222, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.053, 95%CI: 1.003–1.105, p = 0.038) after adjusting for confounders. However, there was no significant association between tinnitus and stroke or mortality from CVD. Subgroup analysis revealed that the association between tinnitus and the primary outcome was significant in females, participants with abnormal BMI, and those without hearing difficulty, depression or anxiety. Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results. The findings from this study contribute to the existing body of evidence suggesting an association between tinnitus and an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with high blood pressure (BP) have varying risks of cardiovascular events due to other coexisting factors. We aimed to identify the predictors of long-term absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in individuals with high BP, which is an indicator of healthy arterial aging and can guide preventive strategies. We analyzed data from participants with high BP (≥120/80 mm Hg) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis who had baseline CAC = 0 and underwent a second CAC scanning after 10 years. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between various risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and long-term CAC = 0. We also calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to predict the phenotype of healthy arterial aging in this population. We included 830 participants (37.6% male, mean ± SD age of 59.4 ± 8.7 years). During follow-up, 46.5% of participants (n = 386) had CAC = 0, and they were younger and had fewer metabolic syndrome components. Adding ASCVD risk factors to the demographic model (age, sex, and ethnicity) moderately increased the predictive value for long-term CAC = 0 (AUC: demographic model + ASCVD risk factors vs. demographic model alone, 0.653 vs. 0.597, p <.001; category net reclassification improvement = 0.104, p =.044; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.040, p <.001). In individuals with high BP and initial CAC = 0, over 40% maintained CAC = 0 during a 10-year follow-up, which was associated with fewer ASCVD risk factors. These findings may have implications for preventive strategies in individuals with high BP. Clinical Trial registration number: The MESA was registered at clinical trials. gov as NCT 00005487. Nearly half (46.5%) of individuals with high blood pressure (BP) maintained a long-term absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) during a 10-year follow-up, and this was associated with a 66.6% lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events compared to those who developed incident CAC. Individuals with high BP, who are usually assumed to have an increased risk of ASCVD, exhibit significant heterogeneity in their ASCVD risk; those who maintain CAC = 0 have a lower ASCVD risk. Adding overall ASCVD risk factors to demographic information resulted in a moderate improvement in predicting long-term CAC = 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar application to soil contaminated with potentially toxic elements has been paid particular attention as an effective amendment. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of wheat straw biochar on adsorption and accumulation of Cd2+ in paddy soil and rice. Biochar was applied once in four treatments of 10, 20, 30, and 40 t ha−1 and a control check (CK) was set up in Changsha County, China. The results showed that under biochar addition the Cd2+ adsorption process was dominated by inhomogeneous multi-surface adsorption. Biochar significantly increased adsorption capacity for Cd2+ and the maximum of sorption at A40 was 2713 mg kg−1. The available Cd concentration was also decreased by transforming S1 (decreased by 25%, acid soluble Cd) to S2 (increased by 40%, oxidizable Cd) and S3 (increased by 24%, reducible Cd). Also, biochar application resulted in significant reduction in Cd concentration in rice by inhibiting migration from soil to rice. The study demonstrated that the biochar of 40 t ha−1 reduced rice grain Cd concentration to 0.18 mg kg−1, which was within the Chinese safety limit. Therefore, the dose of 40 t ha−1 would be proper for reducing risk due to Cd contamination in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The study aimed to determine the association between cord plasma levels of apelin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. Methods This case-control study included 120 preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of our hospital between January 2019 and January 2020. The infants were divided into RDS (n = 60) and non-RDS groups (n = 60). The cord plasma apelin and VEGF levels, perinatal characteristics, and neonatal complications were compared between the two groups. Results The plasma apelin levels in the RDS group were significantly higher than in the non-RDS group (158.9 ± 24.8 vs. 125.2 ± 18.2 pg/mL, respectively), whereas VEGF levels in the non-RDS group were significantly higher than in the RDS group (187.4 ± 28.5 vs. 245.1 ± 44.8 pg/mL, respectively) (both p < .001). Infants with more severe RDS had higher plasma apelin levels and lower plasma VEGF levels. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the prediction of RDS, a cutoff of 148.4 pg/mL for apelin level yielded a sensitivity of 63.3% and a specificity of 95.0%, whereas a cutoff of 214.2 pg/mL for VEGF level showed a sensitivity of 86.7% and a specificity of 75.0%. Apelin levels were negatively correlated with VEGF levels in infants with RDS (r = 0.84, p < .001). Conclusion Differences in cord plasma apelin and VEGF levels may aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of RDS in preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on integrated concepts of marketing strategy and destination image, this study proposes and develops a model of antecedent and consequence behaviour for sustainable tourism. A survey of 505 tourists was conducted. In the antecedent model, perceived risk may indirectly affect travel behaviour through psychological involvement and destination image. In the consequence model, we found that marketing strategy was related to increased destination impression and thus enhanced sustainable tourism intention. Specifically, it is not surprising that in a big data environment, new technology sharing may also enhance the positive evaluation of destinations that encourage sustainable behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentation skin disorder mainly caused by the destruction of melanocytes. There are many therapeutic options available for vitiligo, but the options are not uniformly effective. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the clinical effect of the autologous non-cultured epidermal cell suspension (NCES) technique in the treatment of patients with stable vitiligo. Methods: A retrospective study of before-after comparisons was undertaken with 41 patients with stable vitiligo who received treatment with the NCES technique. The percentage of repigmentation area was evaluated using image analysis of the appearance before and 6–9 months after operation. Results: A total of 41 patients (18 males and 23 females) with a duration of clinical stability for ranging from 1 to 10 years (mean 1.6 ± 1.9) were included. The mean age was 20.2 years (range, 8–50) and 4 (9.8%) were children under the age of 14 years. After 6–9 months of follow-up, 80.5% (33/41) of the patients showed good response; among these patients, 17.1% (7/41) showed complete or almost complete repigmentation. Interestingly, all 4 children showed very good response (more than 76% repigmentation). There were no significant differences in the efficacy of treatment between the different transplantation areas of the facial neck, trunk, and distal limbs and there were no adverse effects such as infection or scar formation. Limitation: This study included only a single center with a small sample size. Conclusions: Our study shows that the NCES technique has a high therapeutic effect, is safe for patients with stable vitiligo, and may be a very promising potential option for treating children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple parameters (brightness temperature, soil moisture, surface latent heat flux, surface air temperature and carbon monoxide) before and after the 2015 Nepal M7.8 Gorkha main earthquake and M7.3 Dolakha aftershock were analysed using satellite observation data. The thermal anomalies from optical and microwave data appear about two months prior to the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Some of the parameters show anomalous changes at different altitudes about 20 days prior to the main earthquake event and 10 days prior to the strong aftershock. Our results show that pre-earthquake anomalous signals propagate from the in situ to the top of atmosphere, and the anomalies in the atmosphere often observed prior to an impending earthquake. The changes on the land surface and corresponding changes in meteorological and atmospheric parameters show existence of strong coupling during the seismogenic period, although the transfer mechanism of seismic/electromagnetic is still has to be investigated and understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mineral and bone disorder (MBD) in hemodialysis patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Studies on the MBD status of hemodialysis patients at high altitudes are extremely limited. Methods: A total of 146 hemodialysis patients from 5 local hospitals across all districts with hemodialysis centers in the Tibetan Plateau were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Parameters related to MBD, including serum phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels, were measured. The achievement of MBD goals was compared with the achievement in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Study (DOPPS) 3, DOPPS 4 and a multicenter study of MBD in China. Factors associated with hyperphosphatemia were examined. Results: Altogether, 146 hemodialysis patients were recruited from the Tibetan Plateau. According to the K/DIGO guidelines, there were low achievement rates for serum Ca (40.4%), P (29.7%), and iPTH (47.1%). As for the (KDOQI) guidelines, the rates of achievement of defined targets were 38.4%, 33.7% and 16.4% for serum Ca, P and iPTH, respectively. The percentages of patients reaching the KDOQI targets for corrected Ca, P, and iPTH were significantly lower for Tibetan patients than the percentages found in DOPPS 3 (38.4% vs. 50.4%, 33.7% vs. 49.8%, and 16.4% vs. 31.4%, respectively, all p <.001) and DOPPS 4 (38.4% vs. 56.0%, 33.7% vs. 54.5%, and 16.4% vs. 35.3%, respectively, all p <.001). The percentage of patients reaching the KDOQI targets for iPTH was significantly lower in Tibet than in the plain areas of China (16.4% vs. 26.5%, p <.001). The proportion of patients with hypocalcemia was higher in Tibet than in the plain areas (44.5% vs. 19.4%, p <.001). The percentage of local patients with optimal P was significantly higher for patients with an activated vitamin D prescription than for patients without an activated vitamin D prescription (45.3% vs. 19.3%, p <.001). Age and the activated vitamin D prescription were independently associated with hyperphosphatemia. Conclusion: The MBD status of hemodialysis patients in Tibet is far from the ideal level. High altitude is one of the possible causes of the differences found, but not the principal one. It is necessary for medical staff in Tibet to improve the detection and treatment of MBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal the regulatory mechanisms underlying the productivity of long-term continuous cropping of processing tomato, a multi-year study was carried out to understand the effects of long-term continuous cropping on the community structures of the root zone microbes. Soil samples collected from continuous cropping of processing tomato after 3, 5 and 7 years were used for this study. Results showed that soil microbial biomass C (SMBC), N (SMBN) and microbial quotient (qMB) significantly decreased with longer cropping. After seven years of continuous cropping, the SMBC and SMBN contents, and qMB respectively significantly decreased by 52.3%, 78.8% and 48.2% (p < 0.01). In contrast, soil microbial biomass P (SMBP) increased during the first three years of continuous cropping, peaking to up to 1.6 times higher than that of the control, which also declined in the succeeding years. Continuous cropping significantly increased the PLFA of fungi, whereas the opposite trend was observed for bacteria, total PLFAs biomass, and the ratios of bacteria and fungi. The PLFA of actinomycetes have no change throughout. This suggests that fungi were better adapted to nutrient poor conditions than bacteria. Microbial diversity indices reached the highest after three years of continuous cropping, with the lowest observed after seven years. This indicated that microbial community diversity and uniformity decreased with increasing number of planting years. Furthermore, our results revealed that the microbial community structure in processing tomato soils changed with extended cropping, resulting to a decline in soil microbial biomass, which may be both a cause and a reflection of the poor soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An effective method to remove cadmium (Cd) from scallop by-product enzymatic hydrolysate (SBEH) was developed, and the Cd bonding sites were studied. Cation-exchange resin, anion-exchange resin, activated charcoal, and zeolite were tested. The result showed that strong acid polystyrene cation-exchange resin was the most suitable sorption material for the removal of Cd. The optimal conditions were as follows: SBEH concentration at 17.07 mg/mL, pH value at 4.92, and adsorption time with 11.73 min, while 4 g resin was added in 50 mL solution at 30°C. The experimentally measured removal rate was 95.38% under these conditions. The Cd element has an intense bonding pattern with macromolecules, and more than half of the Cd element exists as positively charged ion in the SBEH. The cation-exchange resin removed Cd by dumping the macromolecules associated with the Cd element. Infrared (IR) spectra suggested that the sulfate ester groups and carboxyl groups in the macromolecules were binding sites of the Cd element in SBEH. These results provide a useful method for Cd removal from SBEH that potentially can be used for industrial processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of residue management on soil organic carbon density and the carbon pool management index under continuously cropped cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) in China’s Xinjiang Province. The experiment included the following nine treatments: (i) annual straw incorporation during 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of continuous cotton and (ii) annual straw removal during 5, 10, and 15 years of continuous cotton. The results showed that the total organic carbon, labile organic carbon, the labile organic carbon/total organic carbon ratio, soil organic carbon density, and the carbon pool management index all increased with time in the straw incorporated treatment, but decreased with time in the straw removed treatments. Soil carbon concentrations, which are naturally low in the Xinjiang Region, had not reached saturation after 30 years of continuous cotton with straw incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) stalk degradation is important for understanding nutrient cycling in soil. The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of continuous cropping on cotton stalk decomposition and nutrient release patterns from fall to spring. Cotton stalks were placed inside nylon mesh bags on 5 October and then buried 15 cm deep in fields that had been continuously cropped to cotton for 1, 10, or 20 yrs. The results showed that the decomposition rates (i.e. mass loss) were significantly greater in the 10- and 20-yr soils than in the 1-yr soil during the first 16 d after burial. The decomposition rates were similar in all three soils between d 16 and 177. However, between d 177 and 193, the decomposition rates were the highest in the 1-yr soil. Overall, stalk mass declined by 35–40% during the 193 d experiment. The largest decreases in stalk mass were in the 1- and 10-yr soils. After 193 d, 95–97% of stalk K had been released compared with 29–34% of stalk P, and 41–48% of stalk N. The duration of continuous cropping had no significant effect on δ13C, N, and K release rates. The release rate of stalk P was the greatest in the 20-yr soil followed by the 1-year soil and then the 10-yr soil. In conclusion, the duration of continuous cotton cropping significantly affected the decomposition characteristics of cotton stalks. Additional studies will be done to learn more about how N application and irrigation can be managed in the fall so that (i) undecomposed residue does not interfere with spring sowing and (ii) the nutrients in the stalks are not lost after decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An efficient approach toward the construction of multistereogenic binaphthol (BINOL)–derived alkaloids with C2-axial and sp3central chirality has been accomplished. The reaction of BINOL and cinchona alkaloids was occurred smoothly under the Mitsunobu conditions, which led to the synthesis of a new family of complicated functional molecules based on chiral BINOL and cinchona alkaloids. In addition, on the basis of the experimental results, we provided a possible explanation for the intramolecular tertiary amine-induced retention of configuration at C9 of cinchona alkaloids while the inversion of configuration was observed with general alcohols under classic Mitsunobu conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dose-response data indicate that rotavirus (RV) may be one of the more infective agents among enteric viruses. The major limitation at present in the assessment of infection from rotavirus is lack of quantitative data on viral infectivity. In this work, an integrated cell culture and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ICC-qPCR) method and a Beta-Poisson model for risk assessment were employed. A set of 28 surface seawater samples was collected from December 2010 to September 2011 in Bohai Bay, China, to enable a seasonal risk assessment of infective RV at recreational beaches. Thirty-two percent of the samples were positive for rotavirus, and the estimated concentration range of infectious human rotavirus was 1 to 279 PFU/L. We further confirmed that the contamination of seawater with rotavirus was higher in autumn and winter, which was in reasonable agreement with the trend observed in a prior epidemiological study. Our preliminary risk assessment indicated the daily risk of illness at almost all the contaminated sites exceeded an acceptable threshold of marine recreational water quality (19 illnesses per 1000 swimmers). The detection method and dose-response model in the current work appear useful for evaluating pathogenic risks of seawater to vacationers and can inform management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-dimensional (2D) staggered cell vertex finite volume method (CV-FVM) has been developed for unsteady thermoelastic problems in heterogeneous materials. The staggered grid technique is employed to incorporate property variation into the course of solution. The capabilities of methods for vibration analysis, unsteady thermoelastic analysis and elastic analysis with orthotropic materials have been validated. The applications of the method to functionally graded materials (FGMs), multi-phase materials with inclusions, and a thermal barrier coating (TBC) with a gradual FGMs layer or a graded microstructure layer have been accessed. The developed method provides accurate thermoelastic fields and avoids artificial discontinuous stress predictions in heterogeneous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contents of crude protein, crude starch, and amylose are three important indices to evaluate the nutrition and taste quality of rice. Studying the characteristics of crude protein, crude starch, and amylose of rice may provide a basis for monitoring rice quality by remote sensing. Different varieties and qualities of rice samples were selected through testing. The crude protein, crude starch, and amylose were extracted from rice. The hyperspectral reflectances of samples were measured for their crude protein, crude starch, and amylose as well as mixture with crude protein and crude starch by an Analytical Spectral Device FieldSpec Pro FR. The hyperspectral characteristics and their correlation with the contents of crude protein, crude starch, and amylose were analyzed. The results showed that the hyperspectral reflectance of crude protein was different from that of crude starch and amylose. Furthermore, the positions of peak and valley in the spectral curve of the mixture appeared “red shift” or “blue shift.” Nevertheless the contents (%) of crude protein, crude starch, and amylose in rice flour were significantly correlated to the absorbing area from 2020 to 2235 nm. The identified factors show a feasible method for monitoring rice quality by remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD146, an endothelial biomarker, has been shown to be aberrantly upregulated during pathological angiogenesis and functions as a coreceptor for vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) to promote disease progression. However, the regulatory mechanisms of CD146 expression during angiogenesis remain unclear. Using a microRNA screening approach, we identified a novel negative regulator of angiogenesis, microRNA 329 (miR-329), that directly targeted CD146 and inhibited CD146- mediated angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Endogenous miR-329 expression was downregulated by VEGF and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-ɑ), resulting in the elevation of CD146 in endothelial cells. Upregulation of CD146 facilitated an endothelial response to VEGF-induced SRC kinase family (SKF)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/NF-ɑB activation and consequently promoted endothelial cell migration and tube formation. Our animal experiments showed that treatment with miR-329 repressed excessive CD146 expression on blood vessels and significantly attenuated neovascularization in a mouse model of pathological angiogenesis. Our findings provide the first evidence that CD146 expression in angiogenesis is regulated by miR- 329 and suggest that miR-329 could present a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of angiogenic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The presence of transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) in human peripheral blood cells may suggest a role under pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the expression profile of TRPV2 gene and childhood asthma in the north of China. The effects of allergens exposure on the expression of TRPV2 gene were also investigated. Methods. Sixty asthmatics children confirmed by physician diagnosis and 60 healthy children as a control group were recruited. Serum total IgE and specific IgE were measured. Using quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), TRPV2 was detected in total RNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze the relationship between TRPV2 transcript and different parameter variables on susceptibility of childhood asthma. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between TRPV2 gene and allergens. Results. The expression level of TRPV2 gene was increased 2.6 times in asthmatic children compared with controls ( p < .01). The up-regulation of TRPV2 gene and sensitization to one of three the allergens-spring pollen, dust mite, and dog and cat hair-were correlated with childhood asthma. In addition, the hypersensitivity to spring pollen, cockroach, and dust mite and up-regulation of TRPV2 gene expression may be the risk factors for the childhood asthma in Beijing. Conclusions. The increased expression of TRPV2 gene in peripheral lymphocytes is closely correlated with childhood asthma in the north of China. This study provides a potential new biomarker of childhood asthma and lays the basis for further clarification of the pathogenesis underlying asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of live xPlane imaging visualizing the in-plane view of IVS in the screening of the fetal conotruncal anomalies. Method: One hundred and fifty-two consecutive normal singleton fetuses and forty-eight fetal cardiac defects (27 conotruncal and 21 non-conotruncal cases), were enrolled in this study. The in-plane view of IVS was firstly acquired with live xPlane imaging and then judged whether it is normal or not by one operator. The focus was put on observing the relationship of pulmonary artery and aorta. The comparison between conotruncal and non-conotruncal anomalies in demonstrating the relationship of pulmonary artery and aorta was performed. Result: There were 27 cases of conotruncal anomalies enrolled in this study and 19 cases (70.4%) had the abnormal relationship of aorta and pulmonary artery in the in-plane view of IVS. In 21 cases of non-conotruncal CHDs, however, there were only 5 cases (23.8%) had the abnormal relationship in the in-plane view of IVS ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Live xPlane imaging of the in-plane view of IVS is feasible to detect the fetal conotruncal anomalies, which may potentially be a useful tool for the non-experienced operators to screen the fetal conotruncal anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the role of real-time 3DE and STIC technology in assessment of the fetal IVS. Methods: Fifty pregnant women with singleton pregnancies were invited to attend this study. All the fetuses were examined by both spatiotemporal image correlation and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. There were totally six images of IVS obtained for each fetus: live xPlane image, live 3D image, multiplanar image and rendered image with the four-chamber view as the starting plane, multiplanar image and rendered image with the sagittal view of the fetal thorax as the starting plane. These images were grouped into six groups and randomized within each group for the further analysis. The images were scored and compared according to the image quality, the outline of the fetal IVS and motion artefact. The operator was also asked to judge whether VSD existed or not and the results were compared with the final diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, false positive percentage, positive likelihood ratio, false negative percentage and negative likelihood ratio of each group were also calculated. Results: There were 15 cases with VSD and four cases without VSD in CHD fetus and 31 cases of normal fetus enrolled in this study. A total 300 images of the lateral view of fetal IVS were obtained and grouped into six groups. The image quality in the group of STIC with the four-chamber view as the starting plane is much worse than the group of STIC with the sagittal view as the starting plane and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography ( P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in image quality between the group of STIC with the sagittal view as the starting plane and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: The image quality of real-time 3DE is similar to the images acquired by STIC from the sagittal view and superior to that obtained by STIC from the four-chamber view. However, real-time 3DE has no motion artefact, which has the potentials to improve the detection rate of fetal VSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have demonstrated that the decomposition of hyperspectral data using wavelet analysis is able to generate wavelet coefficients that can be used for estimating leaf chlorophyll (chl) concentrations. However, there is considerable scope for refining such techniques and this study addresses this issue by identifying the optimal spectral domain for use in constructing predictive models. Leaf reflectance spectra were simulated with the PROSPECT model (a model of leaf optical properties spectra) using randomly selected values for the input parameters. From reflectance and first derivative spectra different spectral wavelength domains were extracted, ranging from 400–450 to 400–2500 nm, using increments of 50 nm for the upper wavelength limit. Using the data for each wavelength domain, continuous wavelet decomposition was applied using 53 different wavelets, in turn. The resulting wavelet coefficients, from scales 1 to 128, were used as independent factors to construct predictive models for leaf chl concentration. Wavelet coefficients (at a specific scale generated by a given wavelet) in the chl absorption region remain constant when using spectral wavelength domains of 400–900 nm and broader, but narrower domains cause variability in the coefficients. Lower scale wavelet coefficients (scales 1–32) contain little information on chl concentration and their predictive performance does not vary with the spectral wavelength domain used. The higher scale wavelet coefficients (scales 64 and 128) can capture information on chl concentration, and predictive capability increases rapidly when the spectral wavelength domains vary from 400–700 to 400–900 nm but it can decrease or fluctuate for broader domains. In terms of accuracy and computational efficiency, models derived from the spectral wavelength domain 400–900 nm which use wavelet coefficients from scale 64 are optimal and a range of wavelet functions are suitable for performing the decomposition. The importance of optimizing the spectral wavelength domain highlighted by these findings has broader significance for the use of wavelet decomposition of hyperspectral data in quantifying other vegetation biochemicals and in other remote sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detailed reaction mechanism of 1-chloroethyl radical with NO2 is investigated theoretically. The results show that the title reaction is more favourable on the singlet potential energy surface than on the triplet one. For the singlet PES of CH3CHCl + NO2, it is shown that the CH3CHCl radical can react with NO2 to barrierlessly generate adduct a (H3CHClCNO2), b1 (H3CHClCONO-trans), and b2 (H3CHClCONO-cis), respectively. A total of six energetically reaction pathways and ten products are found. However, the most competitive path way is P1 (CH3CHO + ClNO), which can further dissociate to give P6 (CH3CHO + Cl + NO) and P2 (CH3CClO + HNO). The present results can lead to a deep understanding of the mechanism of the title reaction and may be helpful for understanding the halogenated ethyl chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel aryltetralone lignan, pedunculine A (1), together with a known lignan cagayanone A (2), was isolated from the leaves and twigs of Litsea pedunculata. The structure of the new lignan was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel norditerpenoid alkaloid, macrorhynine C (1), together with three known compounds, was isolated from Aconitum macrorhynchum. The structure of the new alkaloid was elucidated on the basis of spectral analyses as (1α,6α,16β)-3-hydroxy-8-acetyloxy-13-hydroxy-1,6,16-trimethoxy-4-(methoxymethyl)-19-ene-aconitan-14-yl 4-methoxybenzoate (1). The novel compound was found to contain the rare C(19) = N azomethine group. Compounds 2-4 were obtained from this species for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate phospholipids-based microbubbles induced sonoporation and cell membrane reseal in vitro under various conditions. Methods: A breast cancer cell line SK-BR-3 was used to investigate ultrasonic sonoporation under various conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) scanning techniques were employed to observe the change of membrane pores. Results: Normal SK-BR-3 cells membrane pores were evenly distributed and less than 1 μm. After ultrasound exposure, membrane pores were enlarged at different degree depending on ultrasound exposure durations, filling gas species and microbubble suspension concentration. With microbubble suspension concentration being increased to 5% or ultrasound exposure reached 30 s, membrane pores in fluorocarbon (C3F8 or SF6)-filled microbubble groups exceeded 1 μm, which were significantly larger than that of air-filled microbubble group. Membrane pores were about 2-3 μm under ultrasound 60 s with 5% fluorocarbon-filled microbubble suspension. After 24 h of incubation, most of the enlarged membrane pores could reseal to normal size, which corresponded to cell viability. Conclusions: Membrane pores can be obviously enlarged by ultrasonic sonoporation of fluorocarbon-filled microbubbles, whose reseal time depended on ultrasound exposure duration and microbubble suspension concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-3 piezoceramic/epoxy composites containing 26 and 55 vol% potassium sodium niobate (KNN) ceramic phase were fabricated via a dice and fill method, respectively, by which fine-scale KNN ceramic rods with a high aspect ratio (height/width) of 8.5, a lateral width of 80 μ m and 70 μ m spacing were obtained. The microstructure observation confirmed that the ceramic rods and epoxy matrix were well bonded. The electrical properties, including some quaisistatic properties of piezoelectric coefficient d33 and dielectric constant ε33T/ε0, along with some dynamic properties such as mechanical quality factor Qm, coupling coefficient Kt and acoustic impedance Z were measured and compared with the theoretical values as well as those of the monolithic KNN ceramic. The present study revealed that KNN-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics/epoxy composites have their advantages in the ultrasonic transducers applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free piezoelectric Na0.5K0.5NbO3 (NKN) thin films were prepared via sol-gel processing on both Pt (111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) and Si(100) substrates. XRD analysis showed that perovskite structure was achieved after annealing at 800∼900°C. The SEM morphology showed the NKN films with a total thickness of about 0.5 micron had relatively dense and uniform microstructure. Ferroelectric properties of NKN thin films are characterized at room temperature and the P-E hysteresis loop proved the ferroelectricity of the NKN films. The compensation of volatile components can help control the stoichiometry of the films and improve the film quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of sintering temperature on microstructure, density and electrical properties of Na0.5K0.5NbO3 prepared by normal sintering at 1020-1100°C were investigated. All the Na0.5K0.5NbO3 ceramics showed an orthorhombic structure similar to that of KNbO3 ceramics, while raising sintering temperature resulted in the shifting of diffraction peaks to a lower value and the formation of a second phase due to the excess volatilization of Na. Both density and d33 of the sintered samples increase with increasing sintering temperature. The density of the sample sintered at 1080°C reaches a maximum value (4.22 g/cm3, 92% of the theoretical density). The sample sintered at 1060°C showed a maximum d33 value of about 122 pC/N and the highest Tc of about 409°C, and the corresponding Ec and Pr were about 13 kV/cm and 15 μ C/cm2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li and Ti co-doped NiO thin films of 250 nm in thickness were deposited onto Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates using a sol-gel spin-coating method. The effect of Li doping content on microstructure and dielectric properties of the LixTyNi1-x-yO thin films in which the Ti content was fixed at 2 and 20 at% was investigated. All the thin films consisted of a mixture of NiO, NiTiO3, Li2NiO2 and/or LiNiO2 phases and show the high dielectric constant ranged from 235-370 in 100 Hz depending on the proportion of various phases. Excess Li content which results in increasing Li2NiO2 and the formation of LiNiO2 led to decrease the dielectric constant especially for the 2% Ti containing thin films in 100 Hz. The increased NiTiO3 and Li-dissolved Ni(Li)O phases by increasing Ti content from 2 to 20 at% is more beneficial for the formation of the core-shell like microstructure and hence enhancing the dielectric constant. However, the frequency stability of the dielectric constants was lowered by the formation of the excess NiTiO3 phase as Ti content was increased from 2 to 20 at%. The doping content of Li and Ti is necessary to control in an appropriate range in order to obtain the high dielectric property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new arylglycerol glucosides, threo-guaiacylglycerol 3-O-(6-O-p-hydroxybenzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), threo-guaiacylglycerol 3-O-[6-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (2) and threo-guaiacylglycerol 3-O-[6-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), together with seven known compounds were isolated from the whole plants of Dracocephalum forrestii and their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bupivacaine lipid microparticles were prepared and evaluated as a parenteral sustained-release dosage form for postoperative pain management. Bupivacaine free base was incorporated into a molten tristearin matrix and lipid microparticles were subsequently formed from this molten mixture by a spray-congealing process. A 3% injectable bupivacaine lipid microparticle suspension was prepared by dispersing 30% bupivacaine lipid microparticles in an aqueous medium containing carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), mannitol, and Tween 80. Upon room temperature storage, the fluid suspension gradually changed into a nonflowing semisolid (gelation) as a result of crystal growth of bupivacaine. However, suspensions prepared with bupivacaine lipid microparticles that were previously annealed at an elevated temperature remained fluid upon long-term storage. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and isoperibol solution calorimetry were used to investigate the changes in the solid-state properties of tristearin and bupivacaine in the lipid microparticles before and after the heat treatment. The DSC and XRPD results indicate that after 24 hours of heating at 40°C, tristearin was completely converted from the unstable α form to the stable β form. Using the isoperibol solution calorimetric method, bupivacaine was found to transform into a more stable form after the lipid microparticles were heated at 60°C for 24 hours. The generation of the unstable solid forms of tristearin and bupivacaine was attributed to the resolidification of both components from the molten mixture during the spray-congealing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tid1 is the mammalian counterpart of the Drosophila tumor suppressor Tid56 and is also a DnaJ protein containing a conserved J domain through which it interacts with the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) family of chaperone proteins. We generated a Tid1 conditional mutation in mice, and the subsequent global removal of the Tid1 protein was achieved by crossing these conditional knockout mice with general deletor mice. No Tid1-/- embryos were detected as early as embryonic day 7.5 (E7.5). Nonetheless, Tid1-deficient blastocysts were viable, hatched, formed an inner cell mass and trophectoderm, and implanted (E4.5), suggesting that the homozygous mutant embryos die between E4.5 and E7.5. To assess the function of Tid1 in embryonic cells, mouse embryonic fibroblasts with the homologous Tid1 floxed allele were produced. Tid1 removal in these cells led to massive cell death. The death of Tid1-deficient cells could be rescued by ectopic expression of wild-type Tid1 but not by expression of the Tid1 protein that had a mutated J domain and was thus incapable of binding to Hsp70. We propose that Tid1 is critical for early mammalian development, most likely for its function in sustaining embryonic-cell survival, which requires its association with Hsp70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new phenylpropanoid esters of rhamnose, lagotoside B ( 1 ) and lagotoside C ( 2 ), together with three known compounds ( 3 - 5 ), were isolated from Lagotis yunnanensis . The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 3 - 5 have been obtained from this species for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laminated piezoelectric bimorph actuator with a graded compositional distribution of PZT and Pt was fabricated, and its deflection characteristics were evaluated. Using experimentally determined compositional dependency of elastic and piezoelectric properties in the PZT/Pt composites, the modified classical lamination theory and the finite element method were applied to find the optimum compositional profile that will give a larger deflection and smaller stress, simultaneously. The miniature bimorph-type graded actuator that consists of a composite internal-electrode (PZT/30 vol% Pt) and three piezoelectric layers of different compositions (PZT/0-20 vol% Pt) were fabricated by powder stacking and sintering. The deflection of the actuator was measured using electric strain gages mounted on the top and bottom surfaces of the actuator. The deflection was found to strongly depend on the composition distribution profile. Under an applied electric field of 100 V m-1, the actuator with an optimum composition profile exhibited a curvature of up to 0.03 m-1, which is a satisfactory performance for this kind of actuators. The stress generated on actuation was estimated to be as low as 0.4 MPa, which is much smaller than those of conventional directly bonded actuators and will assure a long actuation life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]