Search

Accurate and complete digital elevation models (DEMs) play an important fundamental role in geospatial analysis, supporting various engineering applications, human activities, and scientific research. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) plays an increasingly important role in DEM generation. Nonetheless, owing to its inherent characteristics, gaps often appear in regions marked by significant topographical fluctuations, necessitating an extra void-filling process. Traditional void-filling methods have operated directly on preexisting data, succeeding in relatively flat terrain. When facing mountainous regions, there will always be gross errors in elevation values. Regrettably, conventional methods have often disregarded this vital consideration. To this end, this research proposes a DEM void-filling method based on incorporating elevation outlier detection. It accounts for the detection and removal of elevation outliers, thereby mitigating the shortcomings of existing methods and ensuring robust DEM restoration in mountainous terrains. Experiments were conducted to validate the method applicability using TanDEM-X data from Sichuan, China, Hebei, China, and Oregon, America. The results underscore the superiority of the proposed method. Three traditional methods are selected for comparison. The proposed method has different degrees of improvement in filling accuracy, depending on the void status of the local terrain. Compared with the delta surface fill (DSF) method, the root mean squared error (RMSE) of the filling results has improved by 7.87% to 51.87%. The qualitative and quantitative experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is promising for large-scale DEM void-filling tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient electron transfer from photosensitizer to catalytic sites is crucial for effective artificial photosynthesis, yet it remains a significant challenge. Herein, it is reported that simple fluorination of the organic linkers in the MIL‐101(Fe) photocatalyst results in a remarkable threefold increase in the photocatalytic CO2‐to‐CO conversion rate (688 µmol g−1 h−1) compared to the pristine counterpart (230 µmol g−1 h−1). It is unveiled that, instead of directly modifying the electron structure of MIL‐101(Fe), the fluorinated linkers enhance the interaction between the discrete photocatalyst and photosensitizer ([Ru(bpy)3]2+, bpy = 2,2'‐bipyridine) via hydrogen bonding, thereby facilitating their intermolecular electron transfer. Most importantly, it is also demonstrated that this performance boosting strategy can be applied to other Fe‐based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) photocatalysts such as MIL‐53(Fe) and MIL‐88(Fe). The present work not only underscores the fluorination of organic linkers as a generic promising approach to enhance the photocatalytic performance of MOF‐based catalysts, but also holds significant implications for photosynthesis and catalytic processes reliant on intermolecular electron transfer as an important step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logical resonance has been demonstrated to be present in the FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neuron, namely, the FHN neuron can operate as a reliable logic gate within an optimal parameter window. Here we attempt to extend the results to the more biologically realistic Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) model of neurons. In general, biological organisms have an optimal temperature at which the biological functions are most effective. In view of this, we examine if there is an optimal range of temperature where the HH neuron can work like a specific logic gate, and how temperature influences the logical resonance. Here we use the success probability P to measure the reliability of the specific logic gate. For AND logic gate, P increases with temperature T, reaches the maximum in an optimal window of T, and eventually decreases, which indicates the occurrence of the temperature-induced logical resonance phenomenon in the HH neuron. Moreover, single and double logical resonances can be induced by altering the frequency of the modulating periodic signal under the proper temperatures, suggesting the appearance of temperature-controlled transition of logical resonance. These results provide important clues for constructing neuron-based energy-efficient new-fashioned logical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of dementia in China, particularly in rural areas, is consistently increasing; however, research on population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of risk factors for dementia is scarce. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey, namely, the China Multicentre Dementia Survey (CMDS) in selected rural and urban areas from 2018 to 2020. We performed face-to-face interviews and neuropsychological and clinical assessments to reach a consensus on dementia diagnosis. Prevalence and weighted PAFs of eight modifiable risk factors (six classical: less childhood education, hearing impairment, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, and social isolation, and two novels: olfactory decline and being unmarried) for all-cause dementia were estimated. Results: Overall, CMDS included 17,589 respondents aged ≥ 65 years, 55.6% of whom were rural residents. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence for all-cause dementia was 9.11% (95% CI 8.96–9.26), 5.19% (5.07–5.31), and 11.98% (11.8–12.15) in the whole, urban, and rural areas of China, respectively. Further, the overall weighted PAFs of the eight potentially modifiable risk factors were 53.72% (95% CI 52.73–54.71), 50.64% (49.4–51.89), and 56.54% (55.62–57.46) in the whole, urban, and rural areas of China, respectively. The eight risk factors' prevalence differed between rural and urban areas. Lower childhood education (PAF: 13.92%) and physical inactivity (16.99%) were primary risk factors in rural and urban areas, respectively. Conclusions: The substantial urban–rural disparities in the prevalence of dementia and its risk factors exist, suggesting the requirement of resident-specific dementia-prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the improved access to health services in China, inadequate diagnosis and management of dementia are common issues, especially in rural regions.Objective: The Hubei Memory & Aging Cohort Study was designed as a prospective study in Central China to determine the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among urban and rural older adults.Methods: From 2018-2020, participants aged ≥65 years were screened, and data regarding their life behaviors, families, socio-economic status, physical and mental health, social and psychological factors, and cognition were collected. Diagnoses of MCI and dementia were made via consensus diagnosis using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition criteria.Results: Of 8,221 individuals who completed their baseline clinical evaluation, 4,449 (54.1%) were women and 3,164 (38.4%) were from remote rural areas (average age: 71.96 years; mean education period: 7.58 years). At baseline, 25.98%(95%confidence interval [CI]: 24.99-26.96) and 7.24%(95%CI: 6.68-7.80) of the participants were diagnosed with MCI and dementia, respectively. Prevalence showed a strong relationship with age. The substantial disparities between rural and urban regions in MCI and dementia prevalence and multiple dementia-related risk factors were revealed. Especially for dementia, the prevalence rate in rural areas was 2.65 times higher than that in urban regions.Conclusion: Our results suggested that public health interventions are urgently needed to achieve equitable diagnosis and management for people living with dementia in the communities across urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the effects of different varieties and different harvest periods on the growth and quality of green cabbage, Jinpin 1 Xia and Jinpin Aijiao were selected as the experimental materials, and the planting was carried out in summer, autumn and winter respectively, and different harvesting periods were set: 20, 25, 30 and 35 days in summer, and 20, 30, 40 and 50 days in autumn and winter. The agronomic traits, yield, disease occurrence and flavor quality at each harvest period were investigated. The results showed that: In summer, Jinpin 1 Xia was without jointing and had strong disease resistance, green leaf color, green petiole color at harvest of 20-30 d, and high yield. The characters and yield of Jinpin 1 Xia were significantly better than those of Jinpin Aijiao in summer. Therefore, Jinpin 1 Xia should be selected for being planted in summer and the appropriate harvest period was 30 days. When planting in autumn and winter, Jinpin Aijiao was girded with green leaves and petioles and good flavor & quality. Therefore, Jinpin Aijiao were suitable for being planted in autumn and winter, and the appropriate harvest period was 40 days. No matter in summer or in autumn and winter, the flavor tasting scores of the two varieties decreased with the extension of harvest time. Generally, the green cabbages were harvested 20-25 d after sowing in summer, and 25-30 d after sowing in autumn and winter. At this time, the flavor quality was the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of solid catalysts with ionic liquid layer (SCILL) originates from the field of heterogeneous catalysis, where it offers a unique way to regulate both the catalytic activity and selectivity. In recent years, applying this concept in electrocatalysis represented a new, exciting, and growing research field. Herein, emerging applications of the SCILL concept in the context of electrocatalysis for key energy storage/conversion processes such as oxygen reduction, oxygen evolution, and CO2 reduction reactions are comprehensively reviewed. Alongside case studies highlighting the history, development and latest progress of the SCILL concept, mechanistic underpinnings on the roles of ILs in each application are critically discussed. At the same time, the key challenges and future opportunities in fully leveraging the SCILL concept for either regulating the performance of electrocatalysts or gaining mechanistic understandings for those electrocatalytic processes with complex reaction pathways are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing amounts of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images from different sensors covering different scenes are available, but limited labeled samples and trained models can hardly work well in these cross-domain data interpretations. Fortunately, domain adaptation (DA) can transfer knowledge in existing images to new yet related images. DA shows attractive potential for PolSAR classification, and it is still challenging due to more complex domain shifts caused by different sensors, imaging conditions, and distributions. Inspired by the widely applicable polarimetric scattering mechanisms and DA ability of subspace alignment (SA), this article is devoted to constructing a robust unsupervised cross-domain PolSAR classification framework, by exploring scattering and statistical characteristics mapping between the source and target domains. First, classical scattering components of both source and target data were extracted, and Wishart clustering was adopted to derive the statistical information of scattering components at patch level. Second, the intrinsic polarimetric scattering components were estimated and extracted, which were called statistical scattering components (SSCs). Third, by applying SA, the source SSC was aligned with target SSC, and domain shift was further reduced. Finally, the target PolSAR image was classified based on labeled samples from source domain, and unsupervised cross-domain classification was achieved by SSC-based SA (SSC-SA). The unsupervised cross-domain experiments are conducted on 49 units among 11 data sets, including Radarsat-2, Gaofen-3, AIRSAR, and Pi-SAR images. With randomly selected labeled samples (about 2%–10%) from source domain, the accuracies of the proposed cross-domain classifications range between 80.20% and 95.64%. Also, the proposed SSC feature pattern is proved extensible for other polarimetric basis and decompositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were abundant germplasm resources of Chinese cabbage, but the long breeding time and complex breeding process seriously affected the work progress. In order to speed up the breeding process of new varieties of Chinese cabbage, through the combination of the treatments such as low temperature vernalization of seeds and plants, artificial pollination at bud stage, seed-peeling and generation-adding processing, cultivation in the intelligent artificial climate chamber and field test evaluation, the germplasm resources of Chinese cabbage could be bred for 3-4 generations every year, and the breeding period could be shortened to 4-5 years. On the basis of the previous experiments, the technical regulations for the generation-adding separation of the germplasm resources of Chinese cabbage were summarized, which could provide reference for the variety breeding and resource identification and assessment of Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to fully leveraging the potential of the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to achieve a sustainable solar‐power‐based economy is the development of high‐performance electrocatalysts. The development process relies heavily on trial and error methods due to poor mechanistic understanding of the reaction. Demonstrated here is that ionic liquids (ILs) can be employed as a chemical trapping agent to probe CO2RR mechanistic pathways. This method is implemented by introducing a small amount of an IL ([BMIm][NTf2]) to a copper foam catalyst, on which a wide range of CO2RR products, including formate, CO, alcohols, and hydrocarbons, can be produced. The IL can selectively suppress the formation of ethylene, ethanol and n‐propanol while having little impact on others. Thus, reaction networks leading to various products can be disentangled. The results shed new light on the mechanistic understanding of the CO2RR, and provide guidelines for modulating the CO2RR properties. Chemical trapping using an IL adds to the toolbox to deduce the mechanistic understanding of electrocatalysis and could be applied to other reactions as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to fully leveraging the potential of the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to achieve a sustainable solar‐power‐based economy is the development of high‐performance electrocatalysts. The development process relies heavily on trial and error methods due to poor mechanistic understanding of the reaction. Demonstrated here is that ionic liquids (ILs) can be employed as a chemical trapping agent to probe CO2RR mechanistic pathways. This method is implemented by introducing a small amount of an IL ([BMIm][NTf2]) to a copper foam catalyst, on which a wide range of CO2RR products, including formate, CO, alcohols, and hydrocarbons, can be produced. The IL can selectively suppress the formation of ethylene, ethanol and n‐propanol while having little impact on others. Thus, reaction networks leading to various products can be disentangled. The results shed new light on the mechanistic understanding of the CO2RR, and provide guidelines for modulating the CO2RR properties. Chemical trapping using an IL adds to the toolbox to deduce the mechanistic understanding of electrocatalysis and could be applied to other reactions as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set–reset latch is a basic building block of computers and can be used to store state information. Here, by testing the influence of the two logical input signals on the reliable set–reset latch logic operation in the bistable system, we found that there are two types of input signals, namely, suprathreshold and subthreshold signals. For the suprathreshold signals, reliable set–reset logic operation can be achieved without any driving forces and exhibits certain anti-interference ability; for the subthreshold signals, a single harmonic could induce correct set–reset latch logic operation but with a narrow optimal parameter region. The introduction of biharmonic-induced set–reset latch logic operation (logical vibrational resonance) could greatly expand the parameter region. Explanations for the above results were provided by taking the logical inputs as the dynamic bias to analyze the dynamic changes in the system. Finally, the results were further verified by circuit simulation and actual hardware circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based microfluidics (lab on paper) emerges as an innovative platform for building small-scale devices for sensing, diagnosis, and energy storage/conversions due to the power-free fluidic transport capability of paper via capillary action. Herein, we report for the first time that paper-based microfluidic concept can be employed to fabricate high-performing aluminum–air batteries, which entails the use of a thin sheet of fibrous capillary paper sandwiched between an aluminum foil anode and a catalyst coated graphite foil cathode without using any costly air electrode or external pump device for fluid transport. The unique microfluidic configuration can help overcome the major drawbacks of conventional aluminum–air batteries including battery self-discharge, product-induced electrode passivation, and expensive and complex air electrodes which have long been considered as grand obstacles to aluminum–air batteries penetrating the market. The paper-based microfluidic aluminum–air batteries are not only miniaturized in size, easy to fabricate and cost-effective, but they are also capable of high electrochemical performance. With a specific capacity of 2750 A h kg−1 (@20 mA cm−2) and an energy density of 2900 W h kg−1, they are 8.3 and 12.6 times higher than those of the non-fluidic counterpart and significantly outperform many other miniaturized energy sources, respectively. The superior performance of microfluidic aluminum–air batteries originates from the remarkable efficiency of paper capillarity in transporting electrolyte along with O2 to electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a prodromal stage of dementia, significant emphasis has been placed on the identification of modifiable risks of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Research has indicated a correlation between exposure to air pollution and cognitive function in older adults. However, few studies have examined such an association among the MCI population inChina. Objective: We aimed to explore the association between air pollution exposure and MCI risk from the Hubei Memory and Aging Cohort Study. Methods: We measured four pollutants from 2015 to 2018, 3 years before the cognitive assessment of the participants. Logistic regression models were employed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) to assess the relationship between air pollutants and MCI risk. Results: Among 4,205 older participants, the adjusted ORs of MCI risk for the highest quartile of PM2.5, PM10, O3, and SO2 were 1.90 (1.39, 2.62), 1.77 (1.28, 2.47), 0.56 (0.42, 0.75), and 1.18 (0.87, 1.61) respectively, compared with the lowest quartile. Stratified analyses indicated that such associations were found in both males and females, but were more significant in older participants. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with the growing evidence suggesting that air pollution increases the risk of mild cognitive decline, which has considerable guiding significance for early intervention of dementia in the older population. Further studies in other populations and broader geographical areas are warranted to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our recent study has found that physics-informed neural networks (PINN) tend to be local approximators after training. This observation led to the development of a novel physics-informed radial basis network (PIRBN), which is capable of maintaining the local approximating property throughout the entire training process. Unlike deep neural networks, a PIRBN comprises only one hidden layer and a radial basis "activation" function. Under appropriate conditions, we demonstrated that the training of PIRBNs using gradient descendent methods can converge to Gaussian processes. Besides, we studied the training dynamics of PIRBN via the neural tangent kernel (NTK) theory. In addition, comprehensive investigations regarding the initialisation strategies of PIRBN were conducted. Numerical examples demonstrated that PIRBN is more effective than PINN in solving nonlinear partial differential equations with high-frequency features and ill-posed computational domains. Moreover, the existing PINN numerical techniques, such as adaptive learning, decomposition and different types of loss functions, are applicable to PIRBN. The programs that can regenerate all numerical results are available at https://github.com/JinshuaiBai/PIRBN. • We found that PINNs tend to be local approximators during training process. • We proposed the physics-informed radial basis network (PIRBN). • We proved that training a PIRBN can converge to Gaussian Processes. • We proved that PIRBNs can maintain the local approximating property during training. • PIRBN is effective for problems with high-frequency features and ill-posed domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by heterogeneity of rapid-increasing 3D pavement data and the generalization ability of transfer learning, a robust and generalized framework for cross-scene 3D pavement-crack detection and attribute extraction was proposed in this paper, called profile component decomposition model with holistically nested edge detection (PCDM-HED). The core purpose of the PCDM-HED is to construct the enhanced deep edge features. By applying profile frequency, sparse characteristics of 3D profiles, and fusing the multiscale and multilevel edge characteristics of 3D depth maps in HED network, the robust enhanced feature can highlight the essential properties of cracks in heterogeneous 3D data. It overcomes the complex domain shifts caused by different 3D imaging conditions, pavement textures, and crack distributions in heterogeneous data. Cross-domain transfer experiments were carried out over seven 3D/2D datasets with 915 pavement sections. The results show that proposed PCDM-HED achieved average buffered Hausdorff scores of 90.17 to 96.42, recall scores of 0.84 to 0.91, and F-values of 0.85 to 0.89 in six different datasets without labeled samples. Compared with 9 groups of comparison results, including the traditional and related state-of-the-art methods, the transfer generalization effect of proposed PCDM-HED is more than 23% higher than that of comparison results. The proposed PCDM-HED makes full use of limited off-the-shelf samples, demonstrated strong transfer learning capability. It provides an effective solution for heterogeneous 3D pavement-crack detection tasks in engineering, in the case of limited labeled samples or even no corresponding labeled samples. • A 3D pavement crack detection with generalized transfer learning ability is proposed. • An enhanced deep edge feature is developed for heterogeneous 3D pavement data. • The PCDM-HED achieves BHS of 90.17 to 96.42 in heterogeneous without labeled samples. • The PCDM-HED demonstrates generalization ability across different 3D pavement scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Most previous studies assumed noise to be unbounded Gaussian. Here the effects of non-Gaussian cross-correlated sine-Wiener (CCSW) bounded noises on temporal regularity and spatial synchronization of coupled neurons are investigated in regular and small-world networks of the FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neurons. For regular neuronal networks, as cross-correlation time of CCSW noises is increased, CCSW noises-induced temporal coherent resonance occurs at appropriately cross-correlation time of CCSW noises, and spatial synchronization in neuronal network is always impaired. In addition, the increasing degree of correlation of CCSW noises may enhance or impair temporal regularity, which is dependent on cross-correlation time. On the other hand, the increasing degree of correlation of CCSW noises destroys spatial synchronization or has no effect on spatial synchronization. For small world neuronal network, CCSW noises-induced enhancement of temporal regularity and degradation of spatial synchronization are still observed. Furthermore, the increasing rewiring probability make spatiotemporal pattern more order in time and in space. If delay is introduced into small world network, the aforementioned CCSW noises-induced phenomena still exist. Meanwhile, delay let spatiotemporal pattern more disorder. Highlights • Impact of cross-correlated sine-Wiener noises on spatiotemporal dynamics is studied. • Cross-correlated sine-Wiener noises-induced temporal coherent resonance occurs. • Increasing cross-correlation time always impairs spatial synchronization. • Increasing rewiring probability make spatiotemporal pattern more order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented a two-stage combined bioreactor system consisting of a stir-tank and an airlift column, and challenged with Rhizoma zedoariae cell suspensions for β-elemene production. Two-stage culture was initiated when the cell concentration in both vessels was maintained at an appropriate density. The cells were proliferated in stirred-tank with the maximal growth rate of 0.17 d−1 to present enough cells for β-elemene synthesis. In the airlift column, continuous cell separation from culture medium was achieved by using a cell retention device based on centrifugal and gravity settling when the system was performed in perfusion mode. The results indicated that additives can efficiently promote the accumulation of β-elemene in R. zedoariae cells. In addition, the β-elemene content showed higher levels in cell lines of overexpressing 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase, Farnesyldi phosphate synthase, and ST02C genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Paper-based microfluidic fuel cells emerge as a promising clean energy sources for small-scale electronic devices, while their broad-based applications require a comprehensive understanding of their structure-performance relationships. Here in this work, we made attempt to identify the key structural parameters that impact the overall performance of paper-based microfluidic fuel cells. The influences of fuel crossover, cell resistance, limitations from both anode and cathode, and in particular microfluidic paper channel properties have been systemically investigated and optimized towards the best practices. Among various structural parameters, we unravel for the first time that the overall performance of these paper-based microfluidic fuel cells is largely dependent on the textural properties of microfluidic paper channels. By correlating the fuel cell performance with the unambiguously determined flow rate of electrolyte within different paper channels, we found that a greater flow rate which was achieved by using paper with larger mean pore diameter, could result in higher peak power density and open circuit voltage. This performance enhancement would benefit from minimized reactant depletion near electrode surfaces and suppressed fuel crossover. Technically, an open circuit voltage of 0.86 V and a maximum power density of 7.10 mW/cm2 can be achieved on a single cell (fuel: 4 M KCOOH; oxidant: air; electrolyte: 1 M KOH; catalyst: 0.2 mg/cm2 Pd/C on 0.15 cm2 graphite foil), and the maximum power output can be sustained for at least 1 h. The fuel cell power can also be easily increased proportionally when connecting two or more cells in series, which makes theses paper-based microfluidic fuel cells capable to power various electronic devices with different power requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The proposed CS-FEM phase-field is an efficient fracture modeling technique. • The computational cost is slightly lower than the finite element counterpart. • Complex crack paths are simulated without any ad hoc criterion. • Resultant crack patterns are in excellent agreement with experimental observations. Abstract This work develops a phase field model in the framework of cell-based smoothed finite element method (CS-FEM) aiming to solve problems of brittle fracture in solids. The phase-field method is employed to model complex discontinuous behaviors including crack initiation, crack coalescence, crack branching without using any ad hoc models. The CS-FEM which has been proven softer than the standard FEM is used to solve the equations that govern the continuum mechanics of solids. The current CS-FEM phase field method offers advantages of both S-FEM and phase field method in accurately predicting the evolution process of complex fracture patterns in solids. This CS-FEM phase-field technique is implemented in the commercial software ABAQUS using its user-element (UEL) and user-material (UMAT) modules. The coupled non-linear system of equations is solved by the built-in solver by decoupling the phase and displacement field parameters. Several examples have been presented to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the present method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is one of the pivotal early pro-inflammatory cytokines, which play important roles in regulating immune response and inducing a series of inflammatory reactions to infections. Interleukin-1 type I receptor (IL-1RI) is a receptor of the IL-1β that can mediate IL-1-dependent activation. In this study, partial cDNA sequences of the Pf _IL-1β and Pf _IL-1RI genes were cloned from yellow catfish ( Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ). The open reading frames (ORF) of Pf _IL-1β and Pf _IL-1RI genes encode putative peptides of 280 and 543 amino acids, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of these two genes shared highly conserved structures with those from other teleosts. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that the Pf _IL-1β mRNA had relatively high expression levels in trunk kidney and blood, and the Pf _IL-1RI mRNA was highly expressed in blood and had relatively high expression level in liver. Ontogenetic expression analyses indicate that the Pf _IL-1β and Pf _IL-1RI genes may play important roles during the embryonic developmental stages. The mRNA expression levels of Pf _IL-1β and Pf _IL-1RI genes were up-regulated in the trunk kidney, head kidney, blood, spleen, heart and liver after Edwardsiella ictaluri challenge. Western blot analyses showed that Pf _IL-1β protein was highly expressed in the spleen and head kidney, but not in the fin of adult individuals. These results suggest that the Pf _IL-1β and Pf _IL-1RI genes may play significant roles in the immune regulation and defense against E . ictaluri in the yellow catfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL)-22, as a member of the interleukin (IL)-10 family, is an important mediator between the immune cells and epithelial tissues during infection and inflammation. This study reported the characterization and mRNA expression patterns of Pf _IL-22 gene and its cell surface-associated receptors Pf _IL-22RA1 and soluble Pf _IL-22RA2 genes in yellow catfish ( Pelteobagrus filvidraco ). The open reading frames (ORFs) of the Pf _IL-22, Pf _IL-22RA1 and Pf _IL-22RA2 genes were 546 bp, 1740 bp and 690 bp in length, encoding 181, 579 and 229 amino acids, respectively. Alignments of the deduced amino acid sequences present that the Pf _IL-22 has a conserved IL-10 family signature motif, and the Pf _IL-22RA1 and Pf _IL-22RA2 have two conserved fibronectin type-III domains. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analyses showed that the Pf _IL-22 and Pf _IL-22RA1 mRNAs were highly expressed in mucosal tissues such as the fin, gill, intestine, skin mucus and stomach, and were weakly expressed in the kidney, liver and head kidney of adult yellow catfish, indicating that the Pf _IL-22 transcripts may be mainly produced by mucosal immune cells/tissues in healthy yellow catfish. The mRNA expression levels of the Pf _IL-22RA2 gene were high in the muscle and liver, and were relatively low in the spleen and kidney. The mRNA expression levels of the Pf _IL-22 and its two receptor genes were significantly up-regulated in both mucosal tissues (gill, hindgut, and skin mucus) and systemic immune tissues (spleen, head kidney and blood) after Edwardsiella ictaluri challenge. These results indicated that the Pf _IL-22 and its two receptors genes might play an important role in the innate immune defense against bacterial invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the identification of two novel variations in the ABO*B.01 allele that give rise to weak B and AB phenotypes. The variations, c.11_15dup and c.17G>A, were found in exon 1 of the ABO gene. The study involved a 35-year-old Chinese woman and her family, and serological and genetic testing was conducted to determine their ABO phenotypes and genotypes. The results showed that the proband had the Bvar/ABO*O.01.02 allele, while her children had the ABO*A1.02/Bvar allele. The novel B allele was altered at position 17 and had a duplication between bases 11 and 15. The authors suggest that these variations may decrease the activity of B transferase and weaken the expression of related antigens. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the weak B phenotype. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, the cell-based smoothed finite element using quadrilateral elements (CS-FEM) is used for 2D contact problems which are converted into linear complementarity problems (LCPs), which can be solved efficiently using the Lemke method. The modified Coulomb friction contact model with tangential strength and normal adhesion is considered, which models sticking-slipping, contacting-departing, and bonding-debonding processes, in a unified formulation. Smoothed Galerkin weak-form with contact boundary is deduced, in which the stiffness is implemented using the CS-FEM with 1 smoothing domain (1SD), 2SD, 3SD, 4SD, 8SD, and 16SD for each element. Contact interface equations are discretized through contact point-pairs that are constructed using a master-slave surface algorithm. Intensive numerical examples are given to investigate the effects of contact parameters on contact behaviors and examine the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The numerical results of CS-FEM models are compared with that of FEM-Q4 model, which demonstrates that all CS-FEM models are softer than FEM-Q4 model. The strain energy solutions, obtained using several CS-FEM models, are monotonically decreasing with the number of the SDs for each element increasing. The upper bound solutions in strain energy can be obtained using a CS-FEM-1SD model in our examples, while the lower bound solutions are obtained using CS-FEM-16SD model or FEM-Q4, with FEM-Q4 solution being the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen electrocatalysis plays a critical role in numerous energy storage/conversion devices, but the sluggish kinetics of both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has greatly restricted the broad-based applications of such devices, especially for those requiring bifunctional electrocatalysts towards both reactions (e.g., regenerative fuel cells, metal-air batteries). Herein, we demonstrate that hollow structured bimetallic PtNi/C synthesized through a facile solution-based approach can be employed as a highly active bifunctional electrocatalyst for both ORR and OER, showing a combined ORR and OER overpotential of 0.69 V, which represents a record low value for a bifunctional electrocatalyst. Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) technique discloses that ORR was proceeding predominantly through the desired 4-electron pathway on the PtNi/C catalyst. Moreover, the PtNi/C is also found rather stable for both ORR and OER, with small activity lost after the accelerated durability test. These data echo the importance of innovative bi-/multi-metallic nanostructures for highly efficient catalysts that depend critically on using precious metals, for application in energy storage/conversion technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is a renewable source of energy, which refers to plant-based organic materials such as agricultural residue, woody biomass, and algal biomass, which can be directly used as a feedstock for energy systems gas engines, and gas turbines or as a fuel for the production of other light fuels such as hydrogen gas. In this paper, an equilibrium model of gasification process was developed to study the economic properties of biomass gasification such as hydrogen production cost (HPC) and fixed capital investment (FCI). When the plant size increased from 1500 to 2500 (dry metric tonne per day), HPC decreased from 3.2 to 2.4 €/kg for agricultural residue, from 3.45 to 2.5 €/kg for green algae, and from 4.4 to 3.85 €/kg for RDF. Simulated results also showed as the stoichiometric ratio increases from 0.23 to 0.45, concentrations of H2, CO, and CH4 decrease, while CO2 increases because of the thermal cracking of heavier hydrocarbons and char combustion at higher stoichiometric ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core-shell porous carbon represents an innovative concept for optimizing performances of carbon materials in a wide range application. Here, a novel route to produce carbons with spatially varying pore and microstructure is presented. Following the carbide-derived carbon method, a homogeneous and adjustable shell generation is achieved through mixing a limited amount of solid chlorine precursors with titanium carbide raw material. Chlorine is released in situ when reaching approx. 600 °C and consumed subsequently directly, resulting in the aspired materials. Various characterization methods proved that the amount of solid chlorine precursor directly adjusts the share of the shell for the core-shell material, while a range of 5–80% was studied. The amorphous, microporous shell can be converted to a mesoporous and graphitic shell (crystal sizes 20 nm), through a subsequent vacuum annealing, allowing to control the properties of the carbon shell. The carbon core results after a subsequent second chlorination step, where directly gaseous chlorine is used. The materials were characterized in detail after every step of this novel route. Adjusting the share between mesoporous/graphitic shell and microporous/amorphous core for these new materials is of interest in applications where competing processes like mass transfer and surface interaction need to be optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims at evaluating the effect of the catalytic support sorption capacity on the hydrodechlorination (HDC) process. Carbide-derived carbons (CDCs) have been selected for such goal as their high purity and tunable pore structure makes them a suitable carbon model material. CDCs were synthesized from TiC by chlorination at different extraction temperatures (800–1300 °C) in order to selectively modify their pore structure and crystallinity. Afterwards, the catalysts were produced using a three step process of sulfuric acid treatment, ion-adsorption of palladium precursor and gas phase reduction. Pd/TiC-CDC (1% wt.) catalysts were tested in the HDC of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) in both aqueous and organic phases under ambient conditions (30 °C, 1 atm, [4-CP] 0 = 2.9 mmol L −1 , [Pd-TiC-CDC] = 1 g L −1 , 50 N mL H 2 min −1 ). The experimental results were successfully fitted by an expanded kinetic model which accounts for consecutive reaction and sorption processes in parallel, allowing to deduce true HDC kinetic constants. The sorption capacity of the support was found to determine the HDC rates in aqueous phase. In this sense, those catalysts showing the highest surface areas and lowered ordered structures led to higher HDC rates, confirming that a high surface density of 4-CP onto the catalyst surface enhances significantly the HDC reaction. The optimum catalyst (Pd/TiC-CDC-1000) led to the complete conversion of 4-CP in 15 min at a HDC rate of 4.1 × 10 −2 L s −1 g cat −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important components of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which play significant roles in innate immunity to defense against pathogen invasion. Many TLRs have been found in teleosts, but there are no reports about cloning and expression of TLR genes in yellow catfish ( Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ). In this study, we analyzed the sequence characters and the relative mRNA expression levels of nine TLRs (TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4-1, TLR5, TLR7, TLR8-2, TLR9 and TLR22) in different tissues of yellow catfish. The results showed that all nine TLR genes are highly expressed in head kidney, trunk kidney, spleen and liver, all of which are related to host immunity. Subsequently we used Aeromonas hydrophila as a stimulating agent to detect the expression profiles of these nine TLRs in the liver, spleen, trunk kidney and head kidney of yellow catfish at different time points after injection with killed Aeromonas hydrophila . All nine TLRs responded to A. hydrophila challenge with tissue-specific patterns in different immune tissues. The kinetics of up- or down-regulation of these nine TLRs exhibited a similar trend, rising to an elevated level at first and then falling to the basal level, but the peak value differed at different time points in different tissues. The expression levels of the TLR3, TLR4-1, TLR9 and TLR22 genes were significantly up-regulated after bacterial challenge in the liver, spleen, head kidney and trunk kidney. The relatively high expression of TLR genes in the immune tissues in response to the A. hydrophila challenge indicated that TLRs may play important roles in the innate immune response against gram-negative bacteria in yellow catfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study for isolation and characterization of twenty-one polymorphic microsatellite loci from Schizothorax o'connori and cross-species amplification. Topics discussed include economic impact of Schizothorax o'connori, information on population genetic, extraction of Genomic DNA using phenol–chloroform extraction method, and analysis of population genetic structure and gene flow.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD), the classical recipe for relieving fever and toxicity, has been used for treating sepsis in China for sixteen years. However, the effective components of HJD have not been elucidated until now. Therefore, there is a need to elucidate the effective components of HJD against sepsis on animal models induced by endotoxin (LPS). The affinity force of the effective components of HJD with lipid A was evaluated by a biosensor. Materials and methods Lipid A is regarded as the bioactive center of LPS and is always used as a drug target. In order to obtain the effective components of HJD against sepsis, seven fractions from HJD were tested by a biosensor method for assessing the affinity for lipid A. After further separation, the components were isolated from high lipid A-binding fractions and their affinities to lipid A were assessed with the aid of a biosensor. Their activities were then assayed by an in vivo experiment administered through a tail vein injection. The levels of LPS, TNF-α, and IL-6 from the blood were found and pathology experiments were performed. Results Three out of the seven fractions exhibited high lipid A-binding affinities. Berberine, baicalin and geniposide were obtained from the three high lipid A-binding fractions. The animal experiments indicated that the levels of LPS, TNF-α and IL-6 in the medicated treatment groups were much lower than that of the model group ( ** P <0.01). The medicated treatment groups exhibited stronger protective activities on varying organs in the animal model. Conclusions Berberine, baicalin and geniposide could neutralize LPS by binding with lipid A and then reduce the release of IL-6 and TNF-α induced by LPS. Furthermore, berberine, baicalin and geniposide exhibited protective activities on varying organs compared to the animal model established by the LPS-induced. These results validate that the components from HJD neutralized LPS and then depressed the release of IL-6 and TNF-α induced by LPS. This gives further evidence that HJD would be a suitable treatment for sepsis and protecting vital organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A waste-rubber-modified recycled-aggregate concrete (RMRAC) intended for road construction was produced by adding granulated waste rubber to recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC). The impact mechanical properties of the RMRAC were studied using a variable cross-section 74-mm-diameter split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). The dynamic mechanical properties and the toughness of the RMRAC were studied at four strain rates, corresponding to four different input pressures, and were compared to those observed in the static condition. The effects of the rubber particle size, rubber content, and strain rate on the dynamic compressive strength and toughness of the RMRAC were analysed. Test results show that the RMRAC exhibits an enhanced strain rate effect and has good impact resistance relative to RAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a prerequisite for broad market penetration of low-temperature fuel cells. A major barrier stems from the poisoning of surface sites by nonreactive oxygenated species and the sluggish ORR kinetics on the Pt catalysts. Herein we report a facile approach to accelerating ORR kinetics by using a hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), which protects Pt sites from surface oxidation, making the IL-modified Pt intrinsically more active than its unmodified counterpart. The mass activity of the catalyst is increased by three times to 1.01 A mg−1Pt@0.9 V, representing a new record for pure Pt catalysts. The enhanced performance of the IL-modified catalyst can be stabilized after 30 000 cycles. We anticipate these results will form the basis for an unprecedented perspective in the development of high-performing electrocatalysts for fuel-cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die Entwicklung kostengünstiger Elektrokatalysatoren für die Sauerstoffreduktion (Oxygen Reduction Reaction, ORR) ist eine Voraussetzung für eine weitläufige Marktdurchdringung der Niedertemperatur‐Brennstoffzelle. Große Hindernisse sind dabei die Vergiftung von Oberflächenplätzen durch unreaktive sauerstoffhaltige Spezies und die langsame Kinetik der ORR auf Pt‐Katalysatoren. Wir berichten von einem einfachen Ansatz zur Beschleunigung der ORR mithilfe einer hydrophoben ionischen Flüssigkeit (Ionic Liquid, IL), welche die Platinvergiftung durch Sauerstoffspezies unterdrückt, was in einer höheren Aktivität des IL‐modifizierten Pt resultiert. Die massenbezogene Aktivität des Katalysators wird um den Faktor 3 auf 1.01 A mg−1Pt bei 0.9 V erhöht, was einem neuen Rekord für reine Pt‐Katalysatoren entspricht. Die gesteigerte Leistungsfähigkeit des IL‐modifizierten Katalysators war über 30 000 Zyklen stabil. Dies kann die Grundlage für die Entwicklung neuer Hochleistungs‐Elektrokatalysatoren für Brennstoffzellen bilden. Halt mir den Platz frei! Hydrophobe ionische Flüssigkeiten helfen, Platinplätze vor Vergiftung durch unreaktive sauerstoffhaltige Spezies zu schützen, wodurch die Kinetik der Sauerstoffreduktion auf Platinkatalysatoren deutlich verbessert werden kann. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the null geodesics method in Painlevé coordinates, Parikh and Wilczek calculated the emission rate of massless particles from a black hole. Afterwards, a series of works have been done concerning the tunneling process of massive particles, in which the timelike geodesics were not always calculated in a regular way. In this paper, taking the advantages of a conservative quantity, a general form of geodesics is given including both the timelike and the null ones in generalized Painlevé-Gullstrand (PG-like) coordinates. Based on this, the derivation of Hawking radiation as a tunneling process is presented under the general form of geodesics. The results accorded well with the previous works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are geological events that frequently cause major disasters. Research on landslides is essential, but current studies mostly use historical landslide data and do not reflect dynamic, real-time research results. In this study, landslide deformations and land-use changes were used to analyze the landslide distribution in Fengjie County and Wushan County in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) by using interferometric and polarimetric SAR. In this study, the mean annual rate of landslide deformations was obtained using the small baseline subset interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SBAS-InSAR) for the ALOS-2 (2014–2019) data. Land-use changes were based on the 2007 and 2017 land-use results from dual-polarization ALOS-1 and ALOS-2 data, respectively. To address the problem of classification accuracy reduction caused by geometric distortion in mountainous areas, we first used texture maps and pseudocolor maps synthesized with dual-polarization intensity maps to perform classification with random forest (RF), and then we used coherence and slope maps to run the K-Means algorithm (KMA). We named this the secondary classification method. It is an improvement on the single classification method, exhibiting a 94% classification accuracy, especially in rugged areas. Combined with land-use changes, GIS spatial analysis was used to analyze the spatial distribution of landslides, and it was found that the landslide rate was significantly correlated with the type after change, with a correlation coefficient of 0.7. In addition, land-use types associated with human activities, such as cultivated vegetation, were more likely to cause landslide deformation, which can be used to guide local land-use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) is an economic fish with a large breeding scale, and diseases have led to huge economic losses. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are a class of intracellular signal transduction proteins that play an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses by mediating NF-κB, JNK and MAPK signaling pathways. However, there are few studies on the TRAF gene family in yellow catfish. In this study, the open reading frame (ORF) sequences of TRAF1, TRAF2a, TRAF2b, TRAF3, TRAF4a, TRAF4b, TRAF5, TRAF6 and TRAF7 genes were cloned and identified in yellow catfish. The ORF sequences of the nine TRAF genes of yellow catfish (Pf_TRAF1-7) were 1413–2025 bp in length and encoded 470–674 amino acids. The predicted protein structures of Pf_TRAFs have typically conserved domains compared to mammals. The phylogenetic relationships showed that TRAF genes are conserved during evolution. Gene structure, motifs and syntenic analyses of TRAF genes showed that the exon–intron structure and conserved motifs of TRAF genes are diverse among seven vertebrate species, and the TRAF gene family is relatively conserved evolutionarily. Among them, TRAF1 is more closely related to TRAF2a and TRAF2b, and they may have evolved from a common ancestor. TRAF7 is quite different and distantly related to other TRAFs. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) results showed that all nine Pf_TRAF genes were constitutively expressed in 12 tissues of healthy yellow catfish, with higher mRNA expression levels in the gonad, spleen, brain and gill. After infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri, the expression levels of nine Pf_TRAF mRNAs were significantly changed in the head kidney, spleen, gill and brain tissues of yellow catfish, of which four genes were down-regulated and one gene was up-regulated in the head kidney; four genes were up-regulated and four genes were down-regulated in the spleen; two genes were down-regulated, one gene was up-regulated, and one gene was up-regulated and then down-regulated in the gill; one gene was up-regulated, one gene was down-regulated, and four genes were down-regulated and then up-regulated in the brain. These results indicate that Pf_TRAF genes might be involved in the immune response against bacterial infection. Subcellular localization results showed that all nine Pf_TRAFs were found localized in the cytoplasm, and Pf_TRAF2a, Pf_TRAF3 and Pf_TRAF4a could also be localized in the nucleus, uncovering that the subcellular localization of TRAF protein may be closely related to its structure and function in cellular mechanism. The results of this study suggest that the Pf_TRAF gene family plays important roles in the immune response against pathogen invasion and will provide basic information to further understand the roles of TRAF gene against bacterial infection in yellow catfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. It is recognized in overt hypothyroidism while its existence in subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is not well established. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was increased oxidation of lipids and proteins in SCH, and examine their association with lipids and thyroid hormones. Methods: Male adults (35-59 years) with SCH (n=467) and euthyroid controls (n=190) were studied. Anthropometric measurements, plasma lipids, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and dityrosine concentrations were measured. Results: Plasma concentrations of MDA were significantly higher (p<0.05) in SCH (8.11±1.39 nmol/mL) compared with euthyroid controls (7.34±1.31 nmol/mL) while AOPP, dityrosine and T-AOC levels were not different. MDA was not associated with TSH (ß=-0.019, P=0.759), FT4 (ß=-0.062, P=0.323) and FT3 (ß=-0.018, P=0.780) in SCH while levels increased with elevated total cholesterol (ß=0.229, P=0.001), LDL (ß=0.203, P=0.009) and triglycerides (ß=0.159, P=0.036) after adjustment for ageand body mass index. T-AOC reduced (ß=-0.327, P=0.030) with increased MDA in euthyroid controls and not in SCH (ß=-0.068, P=0.349), while levels increased with elevated triglycerides in both groups. Conclusion: Oxidative stress was increased in subclinical hypothyroidism as evidenced by the elevated lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde, while protein oxidation was absent. Thus, reduction of oxidative stress may be beneficial in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Using a linear dynamic operator and the daily National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research ( NCEP/ NCAR) reanalysis data, the linearized part of the synoptic eddy feedback onto the low-frequency flow ( SELF) associated with cold/warm events in January over China is investigated. Composite stream function differences between the cold and warming events show that the anomalous temperature events are linked closely to the teleconnection pattern which is related to North Atlantic Oscillation ( NAO) and accompanied with remarkable anomalies over Ural Mountain and the areas south to Lake Baikal. The significant eddy feedback exists as the episodes occur, which tends to induce a similar circulation pattern to the anomalous low-frequency flow associated with the temperature episodes. Further, a linear SELF operator is used to estimate quantitatively the linearized part of the eddy feedback on the low-frequency flow for the temperature events. Results show that the magnitude of the stream function anomalies ( SFAs) induced by eddy forcing is bigger at higher latitudes than lower latitudes. The positive (negative) SFA can be induced where eddy-vorticity fluxes converge (diverge) into the anomalous cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation. Further analysis of differences in eddy feedback strength suggests that synoptic eddy feedback is more effective for the cold events than that for the warm events over North Atlantic, Ural Mountain, and the areas south to Lake Baikal. The SFA anomaly pattern over Ural Mountain and Lake Baikal associated with the anomalous temperature events in China will disappear without considering the eddy feedback. It suggests that the eddy feedback plays a very important role in maintaining the low-frequency flow during the January anomalous temperature events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, extensive research has been done to improve light-emitting diodes (LEDs) designs. Increasingly complex designs have necessitated the use of computational simulations which have provided numerous insights for improving LED performance. Depending upon the focus of the design and the scale of the problem, simulations are carried out using rigorous electromagnetic (EM) wave optics-based techniques, such as finite-difference time-domain and rigorous coupled wave analysis, or through ray optics-based techniques such as Monte Carlo ray-tracing (RT). The former are typically used for modeling nanostructures on the LED die, and the latter for modeling encapsulating structures, die placement, back-reflection, and phosphor down-conversion. This paper presents the use of a mixed-level simulation approach that unifies the use of EM wave-level and ray-level tools. This approach uses rigorous EM wave-based tools to characterize the nanostructured die and generates both a bidirectional scattering distribution function and a far-field angular intensity distribution. These characteristics are then incorporated into the RT simulator to obtain the overall performance. Such a mixed-level approach allows for comprehensive modeling of the optical characteristic of LEDs, including polarization effects, and can potentially lead to a more accurate performance than that from individual modeling tools alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM 10 and PM 2.5 samples were simultaneously collected during a one-year monitoring period in Chengdu. The concentrations of 16 particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Σ 16 PAHs) were measured. Σ 16 PAHs concentrations varied from 16.85 to 160.24 ng m −3 and 14.93 to 111.04 ng m −3 for PM 10 and PM 2.5 , respectively. Three receptor models (principal component analysis (PCA), positive matrix factorization (PMF), and Multilinear Engine 2 (ME2)) were applied to investigate the sources and contributions of PAHs. The results obtained from the three receptor models were compared. Diesel emissions, gasoline emissions, and coal and wood combustion were the primary sources. Source apportionment results indicated that these models were able to track the ΣPAHs. For the first time, the cancer risks for each identified source were quantitatively calculated for ingestion and dermal contact routes by combining the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values with the estimated source contributions. The results showed that gasoline emissions posed the highest cancer risk, even though it contributed less to Σ 16 PAHs. The results and method from this work can provide useful information for quantifying the toxicity of source categories and studying human health in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dityrosine, the modification of tyrosine residues, may contribute to metabolic disorders. This study was undertaken to investigate plasma dityrosine concentrations in patients with hyperlipidemia and to examine the correlation between dityrosine and lipid profiles. Methods: Fluorescence spectrophotometry was used to measure dityrosine in the plasma of healthy subjects (n = 203) and dyslipidemic subjects, which included patients with mild hyperlipidemia (n = 246) and hyperlipidemia (n = 179). Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were also assayed in all subjects. Results: Dityrosine levels were higher by 9.3 and 22.9% in mildly hyperlipidemic and hyperlipidemic patients, respectively, compared to controls after adjustment for age, gender, and BMI. AOPP and MDA levels showed similar trends. The levels of dityrosine related positively (p < 0.05) to total cholesterol (r = 0.362), triglycerides (r = 0.449), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.359). Moreover, plasma dityrosine (r = 0.408), AOPP (r = 0.488), and MDA (r = 0.181) levels were elevated with an increase in the atherosclerosis index in the subjects. Conclusions: These findings suggest that dityrosine formation may be an early event in the pathological process of hyperlipidemia. Dityrosine as a biomarker detected by fluorescence spectrophotometry might be a useful tool to evaluate the plasma redox state in hyperlipidemia. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved physically constrained source apportionment (PCSA) technology using the Multilinear Engine 2-species ratios (ME2-SR) method was proposed and applied to quantify the sources of PM 10 - and PM 2.5 -associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from Chengdu in winter time. Sixteen priority PAH compounds were detected with mean ΣPAH concentrations (sum of 16 PAHs) ranging from 70.65 ng/m 3 to 209.58 ng/m 3 and from 59.17 ng/m 3 to 170.64 ng/m 3 for the PM 10 and PM 2.5 samples, respectively. The ME2-SR and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models were employed to estimate the source contributions of PAHs, and these estimates agreed with the experimental results. For the PMF model, the highest contributor to the ΣPAHs was vehicular emission (81.69% for PM 10 , 82.06% for PM 2.5 ), followed by coal combustion (12.68%, 12.11%), wood combustion (5.65%, 4.45%) and oil combustion (0.72%, 0.88%). For the ME2-SR method, the highest contributions were from diesel (43.19% for PM 10 , 47.17% for PM 2.5 ) and gasoline exhaust (34.94%, 32.44%), followed by wood combustion (8.79%, 6.37%), coal combustion (12.46%, 12.37%) and oil combustion (0.80%, 1.22%). However, the PAH ratios calculated for the factors extracted by ME2-SR were closer to the values from actual source profiles, implying that the results obtained from ME2-SR might be physically constrained and satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smoothed FEM (S-FEM) is firstly extended to explore the behavior of 3D anisotropic large deformation of rabbit ventricles during the passive filling process in diastole. Because of the incompressibility of myocardium, a special method called selective face-based/node-based S-FEM using four-node tetrahedral elements (FS/NS-FEM-TET4) is adopted in order to avoid volumetric locking. To validate the proposed algorithms of FS/NS-FEM-TET4, the 3D Lame problem is implemented. The performance contest results show that our FS/NS-FEM-TET4 is accurate, volumetric locking-free and insensitive to mesh distortion than standard linear FEM because of absence of isoparametric mapping. Actually, the efficiency of FS/NS-FEM-TET4 is comparable with higher-order FEM, such as 10-node tetrahedral elements. The proposed method for Holzapfel myocardium hyperelastic strain energy is also validated by simple shear tests through the comparison outcomes reported in available references. Finally, the FS/NS-FEM-TET4 is applied in the example of the passive filling of MRI-based rabbit ventricles with fiber architecture derived from rule-based algorithm to demonstrate its efficiency. Hence, we conclude that FS/NS-FEM-TET4 is a promising alternative other than FEM in passive cardiac mechanics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]