Search

Model-based safety analysis methods can improve the modeling and analysis capabilities of current complex safety-critical systems.At present,fault tree is widely used in system safety analysis and reliability analysis.Fault tree analysis (FTA) is a top-down deductive failure method,which analyzes undesired states in the system according to the fault tree.In the system engineering,the possible problems of the current system model can be determined as early as possible and avoided in time.The work of this paper is oriented to a type of system safety modeling language AltaRica in the aerospace field.Based on its semantic model GTS (guarded transition systems),a method for automatically constructing a system fault tree from the flattened GTS model is designed,which saves the time of artificial fault tree construction,and speeds up the progress of system analysis.According to the semantic rules of the AltaRica3.0 language,extracting the data of the flattened GTS model to construct instance objects,designing the GTS model division algorithm to obtain a set of independent GTS models and an independent assertion,constructing the reachability graph of the independent GTS through the adjacency matrix and obtaining the key event sequence,then,the indepen-dent GTS that has been processed is combined with the independent assertion,the state of the entire system and the sequence of key events are obtained through the assertion propagation algorithm,and the system fault tree is generated.Finally,an example system shows that the algorithm can effectively complete the automatic generation of fault trees from the flattened GTS model.

Context The prevalence of age-related cognitive decline has been on the rise as the global population age, putting the independence and quality of life of elderly at risk. Anthocyanin, as a subclass of dietary flavonoids, may have a beneficial impact on cognitive outcomes. Objectives To examine the effects of dietary anthocyanin supplementation on cognition of the cognitively healthy middle-aged and older adults. Data Sources PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, EMBASE, ProQuest and Cochrane databases were searched. Data Extraction and Analysis Thirteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. Anthocyanin-rich supplementation was found to significantly improve the processing speed of the older adults (95%CI 0.08, 0.44; P = 0.004). No significant differences were observed between intervention and control groups on memory, attention, executive function and psychomotor performance. Current neuroimaging studies have found promising effects of anthocyanin supplementation on brain activation and cerebral perfusion. Conclusion Anthocyanin-rich supplementation may preserve cognitive processing speed and neuro-activities in older adults, which improves their daily functioning and quality of life. This review provides useful insights to guide direction and methodological designs for future studies to explore the underlying mechanisms of anthocyanins. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Registration PROSPERO registration No. CRD42021228007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer feedback (PF) has attracted much attention in health profession education with growing evidence on its benefits. However, it lacks a proper framework to guide its operation, which raises concerns about its quality in nursing education. Purpose: To compare the effects of a 3-phase PF versus faculty feedback (FF) on students' reflective abilities and clinical competencies after simulated practice, and its impacts on peer tutors' feedback practices and empowerment level. Methods: This study used a 3-arm pretest-posttest quasi-experimental methodology. Results: Peer verbal feedback significantly increased students' reflective abilities and clinical competencies, while peer video feedback significantly increased clinical competencies. However, FF outcomes did not reach significance. Peer tutors' empowerment level did not significantly improve, but feedback practices were perceived as comparable with FF. Conclusions: Peer feedback can potentially improve students' reflective abilities and clinical competencies. Proper feedback training with a structured framework will likely enhance peer tutors' feedback practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the synergic mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) and aconitine (AC) by acting on normal neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) and pentobarbital sodium (PS)-induced damaged NRCMs. Methods: The toxic, non-toxic, and effective doses of AC and the most suitable compatibility concentration of Rg1 for both normal and damaged NRCMs exposed for 1 h were filtered out by 3- (4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-diphenytetrazoliumromide, respectively. Then, normal NRCMs or impaired NRCMs were treated with chosen concentrations of AC alone or in combination with Rg1 for 1 h, and the cellular activity, cellular ultrastructure, apoptosis, leakage of acid phosphatase (ACP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), intracellular sodium ions [Na+], potassium ions [K+] and calcium ions [Ca2+] levels, and Nav1.5, Kv4.2, and RyR2 genes expressions in each group were examined. Results: For normal NRCMs, 3000 µ mol/L AC significantly inhibited cell viability (P<0.01), promoted cell apoptosis, and damaged cell structures (P<0.05), while other doses of AC lower than 3000 µ mol/L and the combinations of AC and Rg1 had little toxicity on NRCMs. Compared with AC acting on NRCMs alone, the co-treatment of 3000 and 10 µ mol/L AC with 1 µ mol/L Rg1 significantly decreased the level of intracellular Ca2+ (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the co-treatment of 3000 µ mol/L AC with 1 µ mol/L Rg1 significantly decreased the level of intracellular Ca2+ via regulating Nav1.5, RyR2 expression (P<0.01). For damaged NRCMs, 1500 µ mol/L AC aggravated cell damage (P<0.01), and 0.1 and 0.001 µ mol/L AC showed moderate protective effect. Compared with AC used alone, the co-treatment of Rg1 with AC reduced the cell damage, 0.1 µ mol/L AC with 1 µ mol/L Rg1 significantly inhibited the level of intracellular Na+ (P<0.05), 1500 µ mol/L AC with 1 µ mol/L Rg1 significantly inhibited the level of intracellular K+ (P<0.01) via regulating Nav1.5, Kv4.2, RyR2 expressions in impaired NRCMs. Conclusion: Rg1 inhibited the cardiotoxicity and enhanced the cardiotonic effect of AC via regulating the ion channels pathway of [Na+], [K+], and [Ca2+]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of wheat worldwide. Severe infection can dramatically reduce grain yield and quality. Resistant cultivars have been identified from several countries. However, only a few sources of FHB resistance showed stable FHB resistance across environments and have been used as the major source of resistance in breeding programs. To diversify the wheat FHB-resistance gene pool, new sources of FHB-resistance are desired. Ninety-four selected wheat landraces and cultivars, mainly from China and Japan, have been evaluated for FHB severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) content. Low DON content was correlated with resistance to the FHB symptom spread within an infected spike, but not with the resistance to FHB initial infection. Two-thirds of the accessions were either resistant or moderately resistant to FHB. Among them, 26 highly resistant accessions mainly originated from China and Japan. Fifteen of them had less than 2 mg [kg.sup.-1] DON in harvested grain, six of which showed all three types of resistance. Most of these resistant accessions lack known pedigree relations to Sumai 3, suggesting that some of them may carry genes for resistance to FHB and DON accumulation different from those in Sumai 3.

Apple replant disease (ARD) occurs frequently in old orchards and is an important disease that limits apple production in China. Fusarium oxysporum is one of the causal agents of ARD and its pathogenic mechanism is still unclear. To explore the potential pathogenesis-related genes of this pathogen, a T-DNA insertion library of F. oxysporum HS2 was constructed via optimized Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). The ATMT system yielded 160–200 transformants/106 conidia, indicating a relatively high conversion efficiency. The genetically stable transformants were tested through five generations of successive subculture on hygromycin-free media, and the alien gene was detected via PCR. A total of 3500 transformants were obtained to produce a T-DNA insertion library of F. oxysporum HS2, and 223 of these mutants were randomly selected for sporulation and pathogenicity tests. Most of the tested mutants presented weakened virulence, and one of them displayed obviously attenuated sporulation and reduced pathogenicity. The T-DNA in six pathogenicity-deficient mutants existed as a single copy, as confirmed by Southern blotting. The T-DNA flanking sequence was obtained rapidly by successive chromosome walking via the high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced polymerase chain reaction (hiTAIL-PCR) method. The T-DNA right flanking sequences of five transformants were identified further, and the obtained sequences were aligned to the genomic sequence, revealing novel loci related to pathogenesis. This study provided a large number of various pathogenesis-related mutants and pathogenesis-related genes, which will be valuable resources for characterizing the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis-related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite recent interest in community-based screening programs to detect undiagnosed cognitive disorder, little is known about whether screening leads to further diagnostic evaluation, or the effects of such programs in terms of actual changes in patient or caregiver behavior. This study followed up informants of older adults (i.e. caregivers of patients who completed informant-based screening regarding the patient) following participation in a study screening for undiagnosed memory problems, to explore uptake of further diagnostic evaluation or treatment, advance planning or preparations, lifestyle changes, medication adherence, and use of support services.Methods: A total of 140 informants of older adult patients were surveyed four to fifteen months following participation in a cognitive screening study. The informants were interviewed with a study-specific survey about cognitive assessment, advance planning, lifestyle changes, and use of support services and general medication adherence.Results: A minority of patients and informants had engaged in advance planning or made relevant lifestyle changes following cognitive screening. Those assessed as being at higher risk of memory problems were more likely to have attended a full diagnostic evaluation, engaged in support services and experienced medication adherence difficulties.Conclusion: Only a small proportion of patients participating in cognitive screening subsequently engaged in diagnostic evaluation, advance planning, or lifestyle changes. However, those with higher risk of cognitive impairment were generally more likely to take some action following cognitive screening. Those at higher risk were also more vulnerable due to greater difficulties with medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of doubled CO2 concentration on non-structural carbohydrate metabolism of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. 'Jinyou No.1') seedlings under drought stress were investigated. Split plot design was deployed, with two levels of CO2 concentrations (ambient CO2 concentration, 380 μmol μ mol-1, and doubled CO2 concentration, 760±20 μ mol • mol-1) in the main plots, and three levels of water treatments (control, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress) simulated by PEG 6000 in the split-plots. The results showed that non-structural carbohydrates of cucumber leaves, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, and stachyose, increased with the doubling of CO2 concentration, which resulted in the decreased osmotic potential, improving the drought stress in cucumber seedlings. During the drought stress, sucrose synthase, soluble acid invertase and alkaline invertase started with an increase, and followed with a decline in the leaves. In the root system, however, soluble acid invertase and alkaline invertase increased gradually throughout the whole process, whereas sucrose phosphate synthase firstly increased and then decreased. The treatment of doubled CO2 enhanced the activity of sucrose synthase, but decreased the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase. The synergistic action of the two enzymes and invertase accelerated the decomposition of sucrose and inhibited the synthesis of sucrose, leading to the accumulation of hexose, which lowered the cellular osmotic potential and enhanced the water uptake capacity. In conclusion, doubled CO2 concentration could alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress and improve the drought tolerance of cucumber seedlings. Such mitigating effect on cucumber was more significant under severe drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C20H30BrNO4S, has been synthesized as a compound with potent fungicidal activity using 16-oxo-1-oxa-4-azoniacyclo­hexa­decan-4-ium tetra­fluoro­borate and 4-bromo­benzene-1-sulfonyl chloride. In the crystal structure, the conformation of the macrolide ring skeleton is [52333]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and somatosensory evoked magnetic field and auditory evoked magnetic field changes in elderly male patients with subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD). Methods: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record evoked magnetic field changes from 4 SIVD patients (76–88 years), 3 patients with vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia (VCI-ND; 74–87 years), and 6 healthy volunteers (72–85 years). Latency peaks, equivalent current dipole (ECD) strength, and bilateral ECD position were recorded. The MEG data were superimposed on magnetic resonance imaging to produce magnetic source imaging. Results: Compared to controls, SIVD patients showed increased M20 latency and ECD strength. There were no significant differences in M20 inter-hemispheric positions across diagnostic categories. At M100, SIVD patients showed delayed auditory evoked magnetic field latency compared to controls. However, ECD strength and 3-dimensional inter-hemispheric differences were similar across the groups at the M100 measurement. Conclusions: Changes in somatosensory and auditory evoked magnetic field changes correlated with cognitive impairment in SIVD patients. Magnetic field latency measures may provide an objective and sensitive index for early dementia detection and monitoring of cognitive function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The form of soil nitrogen input significantly affects soil CO 2 emission. As a new form of nitrogen input, biochar-loaded ammonia nitrogen not only reduces the input of chemical nitrogen fertilizer in farmland but also reduces the cost of environmental treatment. It is of great significance to promote the zero growth of national chemical fertilizer, the prevention and control of farmland non-point source pollution, and the realization of the national goal of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutralization." Through an indoor culture experiment, the effects of different nitrogen input forms on soil carbon emission, enzyme activity, and microbial community were studied through four treatments:no fertilization (CK), single application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer (CF), biochar combined application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer (BF), and biochar-loaded ammonia nitrogen (BN). The results showed that compared with that in CF, BF significantly increased cumulative carbon emissions (66.24 %), whereas BN had no significant difference. It is worth noting that the cumulative carbon emissions were significantly reduced by 35.28 % compared with that in BF and BN. Compared with those in CF and BF, the activities of β -glucosidase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase treated with BN significantly increased by 20.25 % and 5.20 %, respectively. Compared with that in CF, the BF treatment increased microbial community richness and community diversity, whereas the BN treatment decreased microbial community richness. Compared with that in BF, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria decreased by 11.16 %, and the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidota increased by 8.12 % and 5.83 %, respectively, in which xylosidase activity was the most important soil factor affecting microbial community structure. The relative abundance of Chloroflexi was significantly correlated with cellobiose hydrolase activity, and the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadetes was significantly correlated with β -glucosidase activity. There was a very significant correlation between the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and cumulative carbon emissions. To summarize, compared with those under biochar combined with chemical nitrogen fertilizer, biochar loaded with ammonia nitrogen significantly reduced cumulative carbon emissions, and its emission reduction effect was better. The results of this study will be beneficial to the landing of the national "double carbon strategy," the healthy development of the biological natural gas industry, the construction of the national green cultivation circular agriculture system, and the realization of the national zero growth strategy of chemical fertilizer.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) is becoming a popular effective system as an insertional mutagenesis tool in filamentous fungi. An efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation approach was developed for the plant pathogenic fungus, F. oxysporum, the causal agent of Apple replant disease (ARD) in China. Four parameters were selected to optimize efficiencies of transformation. A. tumefaciens concentration, conidial concentration of F. oxysporum, and co-culture temperature and time have a significant influence on all parameters. Transformants emit green fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy. The integration of a mitotically stable hygromycin resistance gene (hph) in the genome is confirmed by PCR. The transformation efficiency can reach up to 300 transformants per 10 6 conidia under optimal conditions. This ATMT method is an efficient tool for insertional mutagenesis of F. oxysporum., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Using split plot and then-split plot design, effects of water-nitrogen coupling on photosynthesis and ultrastructure of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) (Jinyou No.35) under CO 2 enrichment were investigated. The main plot had two CO 2 concentrations: ambient CO 2 concentration (400 μmol·mol -1 , A) and doubled CO 2 concentration (800±20 μmol·mol -1 , E). The split plot had two treatments: no drought stress (95% of field capacity, W) and drought stress (75% of field capacity, D). The then-split plot contained low nitrogen treatment (450 kg·hm -2 , N 1 ) and high nitrogen treatment (900 kg·hm -2 , N 2 ). The results showed that under the condition of drought and high nitrogen, increasing CO 2 enhanced the cucumber plant height, and no matter what kinds of water treatment, CO 2 enrichment increased the leaf area significantly under high nitrogen. Under the condition of normal irrigation, the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of high nitrogen treatment were higher than low nitrogen treatment, while it was under the drought condition. Elevated CO 2 enhanced the water use efficiency of cucumber leaf which increased with increasing nitrogen application rate. Under drought stress, cucumber adaxial surface porosity density was increased, and the CO 2 enrichment and high nitrogen significantly reduced the stomatal density. Increasing nitrogen application improved the number of chloroplast, and reduced that of starch grains. Drought stress decreased the number of chloroplast, but tended to promote the number of starch grains. Drought stress increased the chloroplast length and width, and the size of the starch grains, while high nitrogen reduced the length and width of the chloroplast and starch grains. CO 2 enrichment and high nitrogen increased grana thickness and layers (except ADN 2 ), and the slice layer of EDN 2 was significantly higher than that of ADN 2 . In conclusion, CO 2 enrichment and suitable water and nitrogen could promote the development of chloroplast thylakoid membrane system, significantly increase the thickness of grana and the number of grana lamella, and effectively improve the chloroplast structure of cucumber, which would benefit the photosynthesis of cucumber plants and ability to utilize CO 2 and water and nitrogen.