Search

Background: Single‐cell RNA sequencing analysis has been usually conducted on post‐traumatic epilepsy (PET) and hereditary epilepsy (HE) patients; however, the transcriptome of patients with traumatic temporal lobe epilepsy has rarely been studied. Materials and Methods: Hippocampus tissues isolated from one patient with PTE and one patient with HE were used in the present study. Single cell isolates were prepared and captured using a 10× Genomics Chromium Single‐Cell 3′ kit (V3) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The libraries were sequenced on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing system. Raw data were processed, and the cells were filtered and classified using the Seurat R package. Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection was used for visualization. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified based on a p‐value ≤0.01 and log fold change (FC) ≥0.25. Gene Ontology (GO, http://geneontology.org/) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, www.genome.jp/kegg) analyses were performed on the DEGs for enrichment analysis. Results: The reads obtained from the 10× genomic platform for PTE and HE were 39.56 M and 30.08 M, respectively. The Q30 score of the RNA reads was >91.6%. After filtering, 7479 PTE cells and 9357 HE cells remained for further study. More than 96.4% of the reads were mapped to GRCh38/GRCm38. The cells were differentially distributed in two groups, with higher numbers of oligodendrocytes (6522 vs. 2532) and astrocytes (133 vs. 52), and lower numbers of microglial cells (2242 vs. 3811), and neurons (3 vs. 203) present in the HE group than in the PTE group. The DEGs in four cell clusters were identified, with 25 being in oligodendrocytes (13 upregulated and 12 downregulated), 87 in microglia cells (42 upregulated and 45 downregulated), 222 in astrocytes (115 upregulated and 107 downregulated), and 393 in neurons (305 upregulated and 88 downregulated). The genes MTND1P23 (downregulated), XIST (downregulated), and RPS4Y1 (upregulated) were commonly expressed in all four cell clusters. The DEGs in microglial cells and astrocytes were enriched in the IL‐17 signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our study explored differences in cells found in a patient with PE compared to a patient with HE, and the transcriptome in the different cells was analyzed for the first time. Studying inflammatory and immune functions might be the best approach for investigating traumatic temporal lobe epilepsy in neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the performance of a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic assay for quantitative detection of procalcitonin (PCT). Methods Based on double antibody sandwich method and using time-resolved fluorescent nano-microspheres as the marker, we established an immunochromatographic assay for detecting PCT. We evaluated the performance of this method for PCT detection in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, specificity, and correlation. Results This immunochromatographic assay had a good linearity for PCT detection within the linear range of 0.05-100 ng/mL, and the linear equation was Y=0.074 7X+0.524 6 (R2=0.990 4). The sensitivity of this method was 0.03 ng/mL with an inter-assay precision CV≤5.42% and an intra-assay precision CV≤6.86%. The detection results by this method were well correlated with those by AE-180 automatic chemiluminescence immunoanalyzer and showed a positive coincidence rate of 96.61% and a negative coincidence rate of 94.44%; The false positive rate, false negative rate and diagnostic coincidence rate of this assay were 5.56%, 3.39%, and 95.53%, respectively. Conclusion This time-resolved immunochromatographic assay allows simple, economic, rapid and quantifiable detection of PCT and shows a good performance for potential application in the detection for clinical serum samples.

Ellagic acid is one of the most representative natural antioxidants, and is rich in pomegranate peel. In this study, a consecutive countercurrent chromatographic (CCC) separation method was established to improve the preparative efficiency of ellagic acid from pomegranate peel. By optimizing the solvent system, sample size and flow rate, 280 mg of ellagic acid was obtained from 5 g of crude sample from pomegranate peel by CCC after six consecutive injections. Moreover, the values of EC50 for ellagic acid in scavenging ABTS·+ and DPPH· were 4.59 ± 0.07 and 10.54 ± 0.07 μg/ml, respectively, indicating a strong antioxidant activity. This study not only established a high‐throughput method for the preparation of ellagic acid, but also provided a successful example for the development of and research on other natural antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancers are a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by the acquisition of functional capabilities during the transition from a normal to a neoplastic state. Powerful experimental and computational tools can be applied to elucidate the mechanisms of occurrence, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance; however, challenges remain. Bulk RNA sequencing techniques only reflect the average gene expression in a sample, making it difficult to understand tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment. The emergence and development of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have provided opportunities to understand subtle changes in tumor biology by identifying distinct cell subpopulations, dissecting the tumor microenvironment, and characterizing cellular genomic mutations. Recently, scRNA-seq technology has been increasingly used in cancer studies to explore tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment, which has increased the understanding of tumorigenesis and evolution. This review summarizes the basic processes and development of scRNA-seq technologies and their increasing applications in cancer research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tianshui area is located at the junction of the Qinling and Qilian Orogens, the evolution of which is crucial in understanding the Early Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the Central China Orogenic System. We present here geochronological, geochemical, and Sr-Nd isotopic data for four representative Silurian magmatic rocks, termed the Dangchuan, Huamiao, Yanjiadian, and Hongtupu, along a cross section across the main rock units of the Tianhui area. The 432 Ma Dangchuan syenogranites are peraluminous with negative εNd(t) values, high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios, and low Rb/Sr and high CaO/Na2O ratios. We interpret the syenogranites to be generated by partial melting of metagreywackes during a Silurian orogenic event. The 436 Ma Huamiao diorites are high-Mg diorites with high MgO contents and Mg# (63–65) and enriched Sr-Nd isotopic compositions. The 445 Ma Yanjiadian diorites are high-Mg adakitic rocks with high Sr and Mg# and low Y and Yb contents. They were both generated by the interaction between sediment/slab-derived fluids/melts and mantle peridotite in the subduction-related setting. The 445 Ma Hongtupu basalts include E-MORB and IAB with depleted Sr-Nd isotopic compositions. They were derived from enriched mantle and sediment-modified mantle, respectively, and formed in a back-arc basin setting. Synthesizing our new and published data, we propose a tectonic model involving generation of Baihua-Huluhe arc-back-arc system, subduction of the Huluhe back-arc oceanic basin, and collision between the North Qinling arc terrane and North China Block, which is closely associated with the closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neoproterozoic evolution of the Jiangnan Orogen is important for understanding the tectonic history of South China. As a volcanic‐sedimentary sequence developed in the Nanhua rift, the Banxi Group preserves the records of important magmatic and tectonic events linked to the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. In this study, we report the results from whole‐rock major‐ and trace‐element concentrations, with zircon LA‐(MC)‐ICP‐MS U‐Pb ages, trace elements and Lu‐Hf isotopic compositions of sandstones from the Banxi Group. The rocks are characterized by high SiO2 (65.88%–82.76%, with an average of 75.50%) contents, moderate (Fe2O3T + MgO) (1.81%–7.78%, mean: 3.79%) and TiO2 (0.39%–0.54%, mean: 0.48%), low K2O/Na2O (0.03–0.40, mean: 0.10) ratios and low Al2O3/SiO2 (0.11–0.24, mean: 0.15) ratios. The sandstones have high ΣREE contents (mean: 179.1 ppm), with chondrite‐normalized REE patterns similar to the upper crust and PAAS, showing enriched LREE ((La/Yb)N mean: 14.85), sub‐horizontal HREE curves and mild Eu (Eu/Eu*: 0.75–0.89, mean: 0.81) negative anomalies. Their geochemical characteristics resemble those of passive continental margin sandstones. Most of the zircons are magmatic in origin and yield a U‐Pb age distribution with three peaks: a major age peak at 805 Ma and two subordinate age peaks at 1990 Ma and 2470 Ma, implying three major magmatic sources. The Neoproterozoic zircons have ɛHf(t) values ranging from –47.4 to 12.4 (mostly –20 to 0), suggesting a mixture of some juvenile arc‐derived material and middle Paleoproterozoic heterogeneous crustal sources. The Hf model ages of middle Paleoproterozoic zircons (∼1990 Ma) with negative ɛHf(t) values (–12.65 to –6.21, Ave. = –9.8) concentrated around the Meso‐Paleoarchean (mean TDMC = 3.3–3.1 Ga). For late Neoarchean detrital zircons (∼2470 Ma), ɛHf(t) values are divided into two groups, one with negative values (–9.16 to –0.6) with model ages of 3.5–2.9 Ga, the other featuring positive values (1.0 to 3.9) with model ages of 2.9–2.7 Ga, recording a crustal growth event at ∼2.5 Ga. Neoproterozoic zircons show volcanic arc affinities with partly intraplate magmatic features. We propose that the Banxi Group formed in a rift basin within a passive continental margin setting, which derived detritus from felsic to intermediate rocks from the Yangtze Block and a small amount of arc volcanic rocks. The middle Paleoproterozoic detrital zircon data suggest Columbia‐aged basement lies beneath the western Jiangnan orogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of mechanical components is of high research value in the field of prognostics and health management (PHM). However, RUL prediction problems are completely challenging due to the complicacy of bearings' operating environment. In this paper, we transform the vibration acceleration signal collected by sensors into a time-frequency domain matrix through continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and then extract the features of the time-frequency domain matrix through the proposed multiscale residual convolutional neural network (MRCNN), which enables the model to extract more local and global features while constructing more accurate health indicators (HI). In order to highlight the degradation trend of mechanical components, the obtained health indicators are smoothed by exponential moving average (EMA). Finally, linear regression is exploited to predict the RUL of the bearing. Performance evaluations based on the public dataset PRONOSTIA demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm, which is superior to existing data-driven algorithms in terms of prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tianshui-Sunjiaxia area is located in the connection zone of West Qinling Orogen and North Qilian Orogen, which could provide great insights into the amalgamation processes between the northern and southern blocks of China. Three subduction- and rift-related rocks gneissic granite from North Qilian arc-interarc belt (NQAI) granite and metabasalt from North Qinling back-arc basin (NQBA) are distinguished across the connection zone. The gneissic granite was generated by melts from older crustal materials of Longshan Group with the addition of a relatively juvenile basaltic source from the lower crust during the collision process. The Liwanxincun metabasalt reflects the mixing of the partial melting of the shallow asthenospheric mantle and the metasomatized mantle in a back-arc extension setting. The LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of gneissic granite (068, 069) yields crystallization ages of 457.0 ± 1.6 Ma and 445.9 ± 2.1 Ma. The study area is divided into six tectonic units in Early Paleozoic time involving NQAI (Yanjiadian-Xinjie) continental arc, interarc rift basin (Maojiamo-Xiwali), continental arc (Chenjiahe-Wangjiacha); NQBA back-arc rift basin (Huluhe-Hongtubao), island arc and ophiolitic melange belt (North Qinling-Shangdan). A tectonic model is proposed in which the NQAI continental arc (Yanjiadian-Xinjie) might represent the early period of subduction of North Qilian Ocean (NQO) and the interarc rift is the product of the extension triggered by southward subduction of NQO. The ongoing subduction of NQO then leads to the formation of Chenjiahe-Wangjiacha continental arc, as well as the Hongtubao back-arc spreading ridge in NQBA back-arc basin (Huluhe). The tectonic evolution of the connection zone is closely associated with the closure of the North Qilian Ocean and North Qinling-Shangdan Ocean in the context of the convergence process of micro-continental blocks, including North China block, Longshan group and North Qinling Terrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) have been revealed to be involved in cerebrovascular diseases, while the role of HDAC9 in intracranial aneurysm (IA) remains seldom studied. We aim to explore the role of the HDAC9/microRNA-92a (miR-92a)/Bcl-2-like protein 11 (BCL2L11) axis in IA progression. Expression of HDAC9, miR-92a and BCL2L11 in IA tissues was assessed. IA rat models were established by ligation of left renal artery and common carotid artery, and the rats were respectively injected with relative plasmid vectors and/or oligonucleotides. The blood pressure was measured to estimate the IA degree, and the pathological changes were observed. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected, and the levels of inflammatory factors were evaluated. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins, HDAC9, miR-92a and BCL2L11 was assessed. HDAC9 and BCL2L11 were upregulated while miR-92a was downregulated in IA clinical samples and rat models. HDAC9 inhibition or miR-92a elevation improved pathological changes and repressed apoptosis and expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF and inflammatory factors in vascular tissues from IA rats. Oppositely, HDAC9 overexpression or miR-92a reduction had contrary effects. miR-92a downregulation reversed the effect of silenced HDAC9 on IA rats. HDAC9 inhibition upregulates miR-92a to repress the progression of IA via silencing BCL2L11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toona sinensis is a traditional vegetable with rich nutrition and wide biological activity. In our previous study, an active composition against α-amylase was screened from T. sinensis by ligand fishing. To investigate the effect of T. sinensis on other targets of antidiabetes, in this work, α-glucosidase was immobilized on polydopamine-coated magnetic nanoparticles to further screen the compounds against α-glucosidase by ligand fishing. The enzyme activity test showed that the 70% ethanol extract of T. sinensis (crude sample) had weak α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, but after extraction with different solvents, the ethyl acetate extract showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. After immobilization of α-glucosidase on polydopamine (PDA)-coated magnetic nanoparticles, the properties of the enzyme were characterized and determined, and then quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside was screened by ligand fishing and isolated by high-speed counter-current chromatography using the two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:5:1:5, v/v). The results of enzymes assay showed that the screened compound (IC50 value of 374.94 ± 4.35 μg/mL) possessed moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The presented results not only proved that ligand fishing based on polydopamine-coated magnetic α-glucosidase was an effective method for the rapid discovery of natural active substances, but also further strengthened the evidence of antidiabetic effect of T. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vertical seismic profiling (VSP) exploration, it is difficult to produce an accurate image for large-offset reflections only using reflection waves and the image resolution is low in traditional VSP-CDP stacking as is the number of folds of reflection points. To mitigate these problems, we present an inverse Gaussian beam stacking method for imaging both primary reflections and free-surface multiples. We first compute the stacking weighted functions at each trace location by Gaussian beam forward modeling, and then apply an inverse projection for VSP data to produce common shot gathers (CRP). Since inverse Gaussian beam stacking maps the common-shot data along finite-frequency wave-paths instead of single rays as the traditional ray-based stacking method does, it enlarges the reflection-point coverage, increases stacking fold and reduces the requirement for large bin sizes. We incorporate free-surface multiples into the proposed inverse Gaussian beam stacking, which enables us to expand the horizontal imaging aperture and mitigate the low-fold problem of primary reflections in the shallow large-offset regions for VSP surveys. Numerical examples for synthetic and field data demonstrate the feasibility and adaptability of the proposed inverse Gaussian beam stacking method for VSP data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MAP kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP1) has been identified as an antiapoptotic protein via sustaining mitochondrial function. However, the role of MKP1 in neuroinflammation has not been fully understood. The aim of this study is to figure out the influence of MKP1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐treated microglia BV‐2 cells and investigate whether MKP1 reduces BV‐2 cell death via modulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The results of this study demonstrated that MKP1 was rapidly downregulated after exposure to LPS. However, the transfection of MKP1 adenovirus could reverse cell viability and attenuate LPS‐mediated BV‐2 cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, MKP1 overexpression alleviated ER stress and corrected LPS‐induced calcium overloading. Besides, MKP1 adenovirus transfection also reversed mitochondrial bioenergetics, maintained mitochondrial membrane potential, and blocked mitochondria‐initiated apoptosis signals. Furthermore, we found that MKP1 overexpression is associated with inactivation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase–c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (MAPK–JNK) pathway. Interestingly, the activation of MAPK–JNK pathway could abolish the protective effects of MKP1 on BV‐2 cells survival and mitochondrial function in the presence of LPS. Altogether, our results identified MKP1 as a primary defender of neuroinflammation via modulating ER stress and mitochondrial function in a manner dependent on MAPK–JNK pathway. These findings may open a new window for the treatment of neuroinflammation in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been found to be associated with neuronal inflammation; however, no effective drug is available to attenuate neuroinflammation via sustaining mitochondrial function. In the current study, experiments were performed to understand the beneficial effects of mitochonic acid 5 (MA‐5) on tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α)‐mediated neuronal injury and mitochondrial damage. Our data illustrated that MA‐5 pretreatment reduced inflammation response induced by TNF‐α in CATH.a cells. Molecular investigations demonstrated that MA‐5 pretreatment repressed oxidative stress, inhibited endoplasmic reticulum stress, sustained cellular energy metabolism, and blocked cell apoptosis induced by TNF‐α stress. Further, we found that MA‐5 treatment elevated the expression of Sirtuin 3 (Sirt3) and this effect was dependent on the activation of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Blockade of AMPK abolished the promotive action of MA‐5 on Sirt3 and thus mediated mitochondrial damage and cell death. Besides, we also found that MA‐5 treatment augmented Parkin‐related mitophagy and increased mitophagy promoted CATH.a cells survival via improving mitochondrial function. Knockdown of Parkin abolished the beneficial action of MA‐5 on mitochondrial homeostasis and CATH.a cell survival. Altogether, our results confirm that MA‐5 is an effective drug to attenuate neuroinflammation via sustaining mitochondrial damage and promoting CATH.a cell survival. The protective action of MA‐5 on neuronal damage is associated with Parkin‐related mitophagy and the activation of AMPK–Sirt3 pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanic rocks preserved in the Houay kham area, Loei Fold Belt are important components of the giant Paleo-Tethyan igneous belt. These magmatic rocks, previously mapped as Triassic-Jurassic in age, are composed of dacitic tuff, brecciated rhyolite tuff and a small number of dioritic dikes. In this study, LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results show that brecciated rhyolite tuff, dacitic tuff, and dioritic dyke samples have ages of 419.8 ± 1.6 Ma, 449.6 ± 2.6 Ma and 417 ± 4.9 Ma. These are the first documented Late Ordovician to Late Silurian volcanic rocks in the Loei Volcanic Belt or in Southeast Asia. Geochemical analyses of these rocks show that all are calc-alkali to high K, formed in a subduction-related, back-arc basin and are intermediate-acid igneous rocks. Dacitic and brecciated rhyolite tuff samples originated from partial melting of mafic crust with medium to strong crustal contamination and weak to medium fractional crystallization. Dioritic dyke samples originated from simultaneous partial melting of gabbroic and metasedimentary rocks with weak to no crustal contamination or fractional crystallization. In the early Ordovician the eastern branch of the Rheic ocean opened and the Indochina terrane drifted away from NE Gondwana and subsequently an Ordovician–Silurian Palaeo-Tethyan Ocean opened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PVDF-based gas diffusion electrode is synthesized in two steps: first, PVDF-based gas diffusion layer is produced by phase inversion and subsequently the product is electrochemically polymerized with polypyrrole and reduced graphene oxide. The manufactured GO@Pr@GDE toward O2 reduction reaction is studied as air cathode to generate H2O2, which can be further used to oxidize nonbiodegradable ofloxacin in a simple cell system. Although all the GDE samples have a similar configuration, GO@Pr@GDE shows the highest catalytic activity toward H2O2 production. The exchange current density of GO@Pr@GDE in Na2SO4 solution is 2.4 × 10−8 A cm−2, which is 6 times greater than that of Pr@GDE. Results of XRD, FTIR, and SEM characterization are consistent with GDE's electrochemical behavior, revealing that pyrrole polymerized on the pristine PVDF-based GDE can supply more conductive sites, and reduced GO plays the most important role in H2O2 production and achieving 69% removal efficiency of ofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ningwu Volcanic Basin (NVB), located in the Lower Yangtze Metallogenic Belt, is characterized by the widespread occurrence of porphyritic iron-ore deposits. These deposits are clustered in three areas within the basin: the northern, central, and southern districts. Our study shows that the differences are existed in geochemistry of the rocks and the mineralization of the deposits among these three districts. Though results of Sr-Nd isotopes indicate that the parental magma of the sub-volcanic rocks in NVB were derived from EMI and EMII, however, the sub-volcanic rocks from the northern and southern districts have higher εNd(t) values (t = 130 Ma) and lower initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (t = 130 Ma) than those from middle district. The rocks from northern and southern districts are similar to EMI in geochemistry; in contrast, rocks from the middle district are close to EMII. Meanwhile, the deposits from different districts show some differences in mineralization. The magnetites from the northern ore deposits are rich in Cu, Mo, Zn, and Mg and poor in Ca, Al, and Ti, which probably indicates that the magnetites from the northern ore deposits closer to hydrothermal genesis than to magmatic genesis, but the magnetites from the centre are closer to both magmatic and hydrothermal geneses. Based on the fact that a part of the sub-volcanic rocks is closer to EMI and another part to EMII in geochemistry, we suggested that the incorporation of the lower and upper crustal materials into the source regions of the sub-volcanic rocks has taken place by different manner and processes. Integrated with analysis of the tectonic evolution of NVB, we come to the conclusion that the sub-volcanic rocks have recorded the geochemical imprints of the subduction of Yangtze block towards North China block during Indosinian Period and the delamination of the lower crust of Yangtze block during Yanshanian Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bawang deposit, located in the west of Wuxu ore field, southern section of the Nandan-Hechi metallogenic belt, is a medium-sized tin–zinc polymetallic deposit. Its genesis has been a matter of debate because of lacking constraints from isotope geology. In this study, LA-MC-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of cassiterite and C-O-S-Pb isotope analyses of monominerals were used to investigate the mineralization age and source of the ore-forming minerals in the Bawang deposit. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating of cassiterite yielded ages of 93.1 ± 4.8 Ma and 85.3 ± 6.3 Ma, indicating that the mineralization occurred in the early Late Cretaceous. The δ13CPDB and δ18OSMOW values of calcites at the ore stage range between −0.41‰ and 0.44‰ (average = −11‰) and between 13.8‰ and 15.40‰ (average = 14.59‰), respectively. This shows that ore fluid sources were a mixture of those derived from magma and stratum. Pyrite and sphalerite have uniform δ34S values (−4.45‰~−2.20‰), indicating that sulfur is also derived from the mixing of magmatic hydrothermal and stratum fluids. The Pb isotopic composition of sulfide (206Pb/204Pb = 18.4055~18.7625, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.6745~15.7209, 208Pb/204Pb = 38.6232~39.0370) is consistent with the granite of the same age, indicating that ore-forming metals are mainly derived from magmatic hydrothermal solution. The Bawang deposit is a hydrothermal vein-type deposit in the external contact zone of Late Cretaceous granite, controlled by tectonic fractures, and formed by the interaction of magmatic hydrothermal fluid and carbonate rock. There may be large skarn-type ore bodies in the deep part. The results of this study provide insights into the research and exploration of similar deposits in Nandan-Hechi metallogenic belt and in the Youjiang Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alkaline mineral amendment is a practical means of alleviating Cd concentration in rice grain (Cd R) in the short-term; however, the long-term remediation effect of mineral amendment on the Cd R and the eco-environmental controls remains unknown. Here a mineral (Si–Ca–Mg) amendment, calcined primarily from molybdenum tailings and dolomite, was applied biannually over 6 years (12 seasons) to acidic and moderately Cd-contaminated double-rice cropping ecosystems. This study investigated the inter-annual variation of Cd in the rice-soil ecosystem and the eco-environmental controls in subtropical rice ecosystems. Cd R was reduced by 50%–86% following mineral amendment. The within-year reduction in Cd R was similar between early rice (50%–86%, mean of 68%) and late rice (68%–85%, mean of 74%), leading to Cd R in all early rice and in 83% of late rice samples below the upper limit (0.2 mg kg−1) of the China National Food Safety Standards. In contrast, the inter-annual reduction in Cd R was moderately variable, showing a greater Cd R reduction in the later 3 years (73%–86%) than in the former 3 years (54%–79%). Three years continuous mineral amendment was required to guarantee the safety rice production. The concentrations of DTPA-extractable and exchangeable Cd fractions in soil were reduced, while the concentration of oxides-bound Cd was increased. In addition, the soil pH, concentrations of Olsen-P and exchangeable Ca and Mg were elevated. These imply a lower apparent phytoavailability of Cd in the soil following mineral amendment. An empirical model of the 3-variable using soil DTPA-Cd, soil Olsen-P, and a climatic factor (precipitation) effectively predicted temporal changes in Cd R. Our study demonstrates that Cd phytoavailability in soil (indexed by DTPA-extractable Cd) and climatic factors (e.g., temperature and precipitation) may directly/indirectly control the inter-annual reduction in Cd R following mineral amendment in slightly and moderately Cd-contaminated paddy ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Continuous mineral amendment (MA) in mild Cd-contaminated paddy immobilized Cd. • Three years continuous MA was required to guarantee safety rice production. • Inter-annual reduction of rice Cd (Cd R) was variable in 6-year biannual MA. • Cd R reduction was similar in early and late rice. • Temporal Cd R was effectively predicted by soil DTPA-Cd, Olsen-P, and precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zhangbaling Tectonic Belt (ZTB) is located in eastern Anhui province, adjacent to the Tan-Lu fault zone to the W and the Lower and Middle Yangtze River metallogenic zone to the E. Two types of gold deposits: (1) altered-tectonite gold and (2) quartz-vein gold are present in the ZTB. Three ranges of homogenization temperatures (Th) were obtained by fluid inclusion investigations of the altered-tectonite gold deposits: 115-165°C, 235-275°C, and 335-395°C; and of the quartz-vein gold deposits: 145-195°C, 205-255°C, and 255-335°C, respectively. δD values of the ore-forming fluids range from -52.2‰ to -75.3‰, and their isotopic compositions calculated from quartz analytical data show negative δ18O values (-6.3-0.1‰) for the quartz-vein gold deposits. The calculated δ18O values of water are evidently lower than magmatic water, and probably were derived from mixtures of magmatic and meteoric water. Although the total rare earth elements (REE) content of the quartz-vein gold ores are much lower than those of the spatially associated granites, their chondrite-normalized patterns are similar, indicating that ore-forming elements in the ZTB quartz-vein gold deposits probably were derived from the plutons. Ores from the altered-tectonite gold deposits show δEu values and chondrite-normalized REE patterns similar to those of the granites, indicating that ore-forming elements of the altered-tectonite gold deposits also were sourced in the Yanshanian plutons. The gold deposits in the ZTB are remarkably similar to those in the Jiaodong gold metallogenic province with regard to tectonic settings, mineralization-controlling factors, mineralization ages, and the ore-forming temperatures and the stable isotopic compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an interleukin that acts as both a proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine. It can be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for sepsis. The aim of this study was to establish an easy-to-use detection kit for rapid, quantitative and on-site detection of IL-6. To develop the new IL-6 quantitative detecting kit, a double-antibody sandwich immunofluorescent assay was employed based on europium nanoparticles (Eu-np) combined with lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). The performance of the new developed kit was evaluated in the aspects of parallel analysis, linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, specificity and clinical sample analysis. Two-hundred and fourteen serum samples were used to carry out the clinical sample analysis. The new IL-6 quantitative detecting kit exhibited a wide linear range (2–500 pg/mL) and a good sensitivity (0.37 pg/mL). The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) and the inter-assay CV were 5.92%–8.87% and 7.59%–9.04%, respectively. The recovery rates ranged from 102% to 106%. Furthermore, a high correlation (n = 214, r = 0.9756, p < 0.01) was obtained when compared with SIEMENS CLIA IL-6 kit. Thus, the new quantitative method for detecting IL-6 has been successfully established. The results indicated that the newly-developed strip based on Eu-np combined with LFIA was a facile, fast, highly sensitive, low-cost, reliable biosensor and suitable for rapid and point-of-care test (POCT) for IL-6 in serum. Image 1 • Simple and rapid lateral flow immunoassay based on europium nanoparticles. • Quantitative detection of interleukin-6 in human serum. • An analysis of clinical samples is used to get the reliable assay results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCoprinus comatus is an edible mushroom and its fermented product possesses antioxidant activity. In this study, to further enhance the antioxidant activity and improve the reusability of the strain, calcium alginate hydrogel was used as the carrier for embedding and immobilizing Coprinus comatus. The effects of CaCl2 concentration, sodium alginate concentration, microsphere diameter, and the amount of magnetic particle on the antioxidant activity of fermented products were investigated. The results showed that the magnetic immobilized microsphere prepared by 2.50% CaCl2, 2.00% sodium alginate and 0.50% Fe3O4 had the best fermentation antioxidant activity (EC50 was 0.43 ± 0.01 mg/mL) when the diameter was 5 mm, which increased by 24.56% compared to the initial activity. Besides, the microsphere showed strong reusability, the antioxidant activity was still better than the free strain after being used five times. This study not only enhanced the antioxidant activity of Coprinus comatus fermented product through immobilization, but also provided an effective method for microbial fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses geochemical characteristics of adakitic rocks and mineralization of copper (Cu)-gold (Au) in the Tianzishan Region, Gansu Sheng, China, West Qinling orogenic belt. Topics discussed include formation of adakitic rocks in the high temperature, correlation of most gold and adakite in spatial distribution and temporal of gold deposit in West Qinling orogenic belt, and consists of monzogranite in Tianzishan rocks.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening immune disorder categorized as familial HLH or secondary HLH. Our case report describes a 63-year-old woman with epilepsy whose clinical signs were unremitting fever and altered consciousness. Primary abnormalities consisted of fever, splenomegaly, cytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperferritinemia and hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow. Results of blood next generation sequencing and blood culture confirmed Brucella infection. This report illustrates a sHLH case caused by Brucella melitensis infection. Here, we review the classification, clinical features, diagnostic methods, treatment regimens, differential diagnosis, and prognosis of HLH and brucellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu(II) is generally considered to be a poor activator for PMS decomposition, thus the potential impact of trace Cu(II) on PMS induced oxidation of typical pollutants is always overlooked. In this study, we reported that trace Cu(II) could significantly promote PMS induced degradation of four selected sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs), namely, sulfamehoxazole (SMX), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamerazine (SMZ), and sulfamonomethoxine (SMM). Different from conventional PMS-induced oxidation process, high-valent Cu(III) was ascertained as the primary reactive intermediate for SAs degradation, which was confirmed by raman tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). High concentrations of Cu(II) or PMS were beneficial to degradation of the selected contaminants. In PMS/Cu(II) oxidation system, all the selected SAs could undergo several different degradation pathways including continuous oxidation of aniline group, hydroxylation and S–N bond cleavage. In particular, for six-membered SAs, such as SMZ and SMM, a SO 2 extrusion pathway was also detected. The potential mechanism for Cu(III) formation was also proposed, which was believed to be highly related to the nature of the SAs. Hydroxylamine-SAs (N4–OH–SAs), generated from direct PMS oxidation of SAs, was deduced as the "promoter" for the whole oxidation process. And the generation of Cu(III) was likely to proceed through the interaction between PMS and Cu(I), which possibly derived from the reduction of Cu(II) by N4–OH–SAs. The results obtained in this study validated the contribution of Cu(III) to the elimination of pollutants and expanded our understanding of the oxidation process of PMS in the presence of trace amounts of Cu(II). [Display omitted] • Trace Cu(II) can significantly enhance PMS-induced oxidation of selected SAs. • The addition of Cu(II) increases the %RSE value of the system. • Cu(III) was identified as the main reactive intermediate in Cu(II)/PMS system. • Hydroxylamine-SAs was proposed as a key intermediate for the generation of Cu(III). • Six-membered SAs underwent a SO 2 extrusion path while five-membered SAs not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Akt signaling cascade activation plays a pivotal role in gliomas malignant phenotype, especially in Classical and Mesenchymal subtype gliomas. However, the molecules and mechanisms underlying regulate and maintain the activation of EGFR-AKT signaling remains unclear. Previously reports showed that DIRAS3 inhibits cell proliferation and induces autophagy in ovarian, breast, lung and prostate cancers, which is heterozygosity loss or down-regulated in aforementioned cancers and functionally as a tumor suppressor, whereas the role of DIRAS3 in glioma is still veiled. Here, in this study, we investigated the biological function and role of DIRAS3 in gliomas, and found that DIRAS3 is up-regulated in gliomas and is positively correlated with poor prognosis of glioma patients, meanwhile, over-expressed DIRAS3 promotes glioma cells proliferation and invasion. Further mechanistic study showed that the expression level of DIRAS3 in Classical and Mesenchymal subtype GBMs is higher, and over-expression of DIRAS3 promotes EGFR-AKT signaling activation at the downstream of EGFR and increases AKT phosphorylation, meanwhile suppression of AKT by MK-2206 reverses the tumor promoting function of DIRAS3. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel oncogenic role of DIRAS3 in the development and progression of glioma, which suggest that DIRAS3 could serve as a potential diagnostic marker and a promising therapeutic target of gliomas. Highlights • DIRAS3 is up-regulated in gliomas, especially in Classical and Mesenchymal subtype GBMs. • DIRAS3 promotes proliferation and invasion of glioma cells. • DIRAS3 enhances EGFR-AKT signaling activation at the downstream of EGFR through increasing AKT phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cretaceous Huahui basin lies along the Dunhua–Mishan fault (Dun–Mi fault), which is one of the northern branches of Tan–Lu fault in northeastern China. The study of the formation and the tectonic movements that took place in the basin can provide very important information for deciphering the tectonic evolution of northeastern China during Cretaceous–Early Cenozoic. The field analysis of fault-slip data collected from different units in the basin, demonstrates changes in the paleo-stress state that reveals a three-stage tectonic movement during the Cretaceous–Early Cenozoic. The earliest tectonic movement was NW–SE extension, which was responsible for the formation of the basin and sedimentary infilling during the Early Cretaceous. Dating of the andesite in the fill indicates it began during about 119.17 ± 0.80 Ma. The extensional structures formed in the Latest Early Cretaceous imply that this tectonic movement lasted until the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. The second stage began during the Late Cretaceous when the tectonic stress state changed and was dominated by NW–SE compression and NE–SW extension, which caused the inversion of the extensional basin. This compression folded the Early Cretaceous deposits and reactivated pre-existing faults and uplifted pre-existing granite in the basin. The strata and the unconformity in the basin shows that this compressive phase probably took place during the Late Cretaceous and ended in the Early Paleogene by a compressional regime with NE–SW compression and NW–SE extension that constitutes the third stage. The tectonic stress fields documented in the Huahui basin provide insight into the influences of plate tectonics on the crustal evolution of northeastern China during the Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic. These results show that the development of Huahui basin was controlled by the northwestward subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate during the Cretaceous, and later by the far-field effects of India–Asia collision in the Paleogene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bovine serum albumin was used as foam agent for foam separation. • A small number of EB can inhibit the foaming BSA. • Rhodamine 6G and Evans Blue were enriched by foam separation. As a classic foaming agent, bovine serum albumin (BSA), can be adsorbed on gas–liquid interface to generate stable foam. In the present study, the foam disappeared when Evans Blue (EB) interacted with BSA. Therefore, this phenomenon was used to separate the non-defoaming Rhodamine 6G (R6G) from the defoaming EB. After optimizing the parameters such as BSA concentration, pH and gas flow rate, R6G was enriched with spilled foam. The enrichment ratio and recovery of R6G were 5.32 and 88.29%, respectively, in pH 7 solution at a gas flow rate of 0.25 mL/min using 0.20% BSA as foaming agent. The present strategy provides an effective method for foam separation and dye recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]