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Clarifying the differences of maize yield and its stability under long-term no-tillage with different stover mulching amounts can provide theoretical and technical supports for establishing and evaluating long-term conservation tillage pattern and promoting grain production. Based on a long-term conservation tillage field experiment in the mollisol area of Northeast China since 2007, we analyzed the interannual variation, variation coefficient and stability of maize yield during 2013 and 2019 across five treatments,阐明长期免耕不同秸秆覆盖量下玉米产量变化趋势及其稳定性差异,可为建立和评价长期保护性耕作模式、促进粮食持续生产提供理论支撑。本研究基于我国东北黑土区长期保护性耕作定位试验(始于2007年),以传统垄作(RT)为对照,分析了免耕无秸秆覆盖(NT

Cover crops are grown in temporal and spatial gaps of agricultural production to reduce or avoid soil exposure. As it can protect farmland soil from wind erosion, water erosion and human disturbance, planting cover crops is considered as a new type of conservation tillage practice. Here, we briefly introduced the planting management of cover crops, including crop species, planting modes, and the returning to farmland after their termination, which could provide a reference for efficiently planting cover crops at large scale during the fallow period. Based on domestic and foreign studies, we summarized the benefits of cover crops on agroecosystem, including cash crops, soil quality, weed control, greenhouse gas emission, and soil microbes. Our review illustrated their importance in improving soil quality and achieving sustainable agricultural development, despite the limitation of cover crops, including unobvious benefits in the short-term and the reduction of crop yield caused by improper management.覆盖作物指的是在农业生产间隙种植,使土壤在时间或空间上减少或避免裸露的一种作物。其能使农田土壤免受风蚀、水蚀和人为扰动的影响,被认为是一种新型的保护性耕作方式。本文简要介绍了农田覆盖作物的种植管理情况,包括种植品种、耕作模式和绿肥作物的灭生还田方式等,可为推广覆盖作物在农田休闲期的高效大面积种植提供参考。基于国内外研究综述了绿肥种植对经济作物、土壤质量、杂草抑制、温室气体排放和土壤微生物等的影响及研究进展,阐明了覆盖作物对农田生态系统的诸多益处。尽管覆盖作物存在局限性,例如短期收益不明显、管理措施不当会造成作物减产等,但其在改善土壤质量、实现农业可持续发展方面仍然具有重要的应用价值。.

Agricultural tillage practices significantly affect the structure and function of soil micro-bial community, as well as its control over soil carbon cycling. Conservation tillage practice based on no-tillage and crop straw returning is an important measure to improve soil carbon sequestration and fertility, in which soil microorganisms play a key role. Although many previous studies focus on the structure and function of microbial communities under conservation tillage, our overall understanding of soil microbial responses at community level upon conservation tillage is still lacking, due to the complexity of the soil, environmental factors and the different selections of microbial research methods. Furthermore, previous studies paid more attention to the role of soil microorganisms as decomposers and the contribution of plant-derived carbon to the formation of soil carbon pool, but ignored the contribution of microbial-derived carbon to the formation and stability of soil carbon pool. We summarized the paradigm shift in soil organic matter formation and stability theories, reviewed the research methods of soil microbial community, focused on the effects of conservation tillage on soil microbial biomass, community diversity and composition, carbon metabolism, as well as microbial-derived carbon storage, and proposed suggestions for future study, aiming to provide support for future studies regarding microbial responses and its control over soil carbon dynamics in agroecosystem.农田生态系统耕作方式显著影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能,进而影响土壤微生物介导的土壤碳循环过程。以免耕结合作物秸秆还田为核心的保护性耕作是提升土壤碳汇功能和肥力的重要措施,其中土壤微生物发挥了关键作用。尽管有较多关于保护性耕作下微生物群落结构与功能的研究,但由于土壤系统的复杂性、环境因素以及微生物群落评价方法的差异性,尚未形成对保护性耕作下土壤微生物群落响应规律的系统认知。此外,研究多关注土壤微生物作为分解者的作用以及植物源碳对土壤碳库形成的贡献,而忽略了微生物源碳对土壤碳库形成和稳定的贡献。本文在归纳土壤有机质形成和稳定理论体系演变的基础上,梳理了土壤微生物研究方法的进展,重点阐述了保护性耕作对土壤微生物生物量、群落多样性和组成、碳代谢活性以及微生物源有机碳截获的影响,并对未来该领域的研究方向进行展望,以期为探索农田生态系统土壤微生物群落响应规律及其介导的土壤碳循环功能提供参考。.

Straw returning is one of the important measures for improving soil fertility. It is unclear, however, whether the regulation function of soil on nitrogen (N) cycle after fertilization is sustainable and the relationship between the regulation function and the amount of straw returned to the field. In this study, a 3-year straw returning field trial was set up in a field had been carried out straw returning of all the havested straw for nine years. The amount of straw returned was 100%, 67%, 33% and 0 of the average annual straw yield (7500 kg·hm秸秆还田是土壤培肥的重要措施之一,但培肥后土壤对氮素循环的调控功能是否具有可持续性以及与后续秸秆还田数量的关系尚不清楚。本研究对黑土旱地农田进行9年培肥处理后,设置了连续3年秸秆还田处理,秸秆还田量分别为年均秸秆产量(7500 kg·hm

Fertilization is an effective management to maintain and increase soil organic carbon (SOC) level in agroecosystems. Both microbial metabolism and plant component retention control SOC sequestration. Here, we used amino sugars and lignin as biomarkers to investigate the responses of distribution of microbial necromass and plant debris in a long-term cultivated soil (30 years) and SOC accumulation to different fertilization regime. The results showed that, compared with unfertilized treatment, inorganic fertilizer application (N fertilizer-only or the combination of organic or inorganic fertilizers) increased crop production and soil amino sugar accumulation, but did not affect the concentrations of lignin and SOC, indicating that inorganic fertilizer stimulated the assimilation of microbial substrate and accelerated the turnover of SOC and lignin in the plough layer. Compared with inorganic fertilizer treatment, long-term organic fertilizer application promoted SOC accumulation (38.3%), but did not affect amino sugar concentration in SOC, which indicated that soil could reach a 'saturation' state with respect to microbial residue accumulation. In contrast, the application of organic fertilizer increased the proportion of lignin in SOC,indicating that the contribution of plant residues to SOC persistence was enhanced. Compared with the manure-only treatment, organic-inorganic combined application mainly increased the contribution of amino sugar to SOC accumulation. Our findings indicated that long-term fertilization could affect SOC dynamics through modulating the accumulation processes of microbial necromass and plant debris.在农田生态系统中,施肥是维持和提高土壤有机碳(SOC)水平的重要管理措施。微生物代谢和植物组分存留共同控制着有机碳的截获过程。本研究利用肥料与肥力长期(30年)定位试验,以氨基糖和木质素分别作为微生物和植物残留组分标识物,探讨长期不同施肥处理对黑土农田中微生物和植物残体组分积累及有机碳库的影响。结果表明: 与未施肥处理相比,施用无机肥(单施氮肥或有机无机肥配施)可增加作物生物量和土壤氨基糖的积累,但对木质素和SOC含量无显著影响,说明无机肥施入刺激了微生物底物同化,加速了有机碳和木质素在耕层的周转。与无机肥相比,长期施用有机肥促进了SOC的累积(增幅38.3%),但是氨基糖在土壤有机碳中所占的比例并未发生显著变化,说明微生物残留物对SOC积累的贡献具有饱和性;而有机肥施入增加了木质素在SOC中的比例,即增加了植物残体对SOC长期积累的贡献。与单施有机肥相比,有机无机肥配施增加了微生物残留物对SOC的积累。因此,长期施肥可以调节微生物残留物和植物残留组分的不同积累过程,从而影响SOC的积累和稳定机制。.

Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis type II (ADO II), characterized by increased bone mass and density, is caused by mutations in the chloride channel 7 (CLCN7) gene. In this study, a novel missense variant in CLCN7 (c.1678A > G; p.Met560Val) was identified in three symptomatic subjects and one carrier of a Chinese family with ADO II. Notably, bone formation markers, including osteocalcin and total procollagen type N-terminal propeptide, have increased or presented at the upper limit of the normal range in the three patients. Serum factors secreted by osteoclast lineage cells and affecting the CD31hiEMCNhi vessel formation, such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, vascular endothelial growth factor, and SLIT3, had a higher expression in three ADO II subjects than in 15 healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls. Moreover, the conditioned medium was obtained from preosteoclast induced from the ADO II patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells. It was found to promote the CD31hiEMCNhi vessel formation of human microvascular endothelial cells and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells. Taken together, our finding revealed a novel CLCN7 variant associated with ADO II and suggested that the sclerotic bone was potentially associated with the increase of the CD31hiEMCNhi vessel formation and bone formation.

Nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET) defined as electrical brain stimulation administered like standard electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but below seizure threshold, could be effective for patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD) with fewer adverse neurocognitive outcomes. However, there is a lack of studies in Chinese patients with TRD. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of adjunctive NET for Chinese patients with TRD. Twenty TRD patients were enrolled and underwent six NET treatments. Depressive symptoms, response, and remission were assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 NET treatments. Neurocognitive function was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) at baseline and after the completion of six NET treatments. Mean HAMD-17 scores declined significantly from 26.2 to 10.4 (p 0.001) after post-NET. The rates of response and remission were 60.0% (95% CI: 36.5-83.5) and 10.0% (95% CI: 0-24.4), respectively. Neurocognitive performance improved following a course of NET. No significant association was found between changes in depressive symptoms and baseline neurocognitive function. Adjunctive NET appeared to be effective for patients with TRD, without adverse neurocognitive effects. Randomized controlled studies were warranted to confirm these findings.

Gushukang (GSK) is a traditional herbal compound used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of osteoporosis. Numerous studies have been conducted to elucidate the effects of GSK, but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In the present study, we cultured osteoblasts and osteoclasts with low and high doses of GSK, and also administered 3-month-old mice with 4 and 8 g/kg/day of GSK solution. Gushukang was found to promote osteoblast differentiation and inhibit osteoclast differentiation in vitro. In vivo, mice in the GSK treatment groups showed an increase in bone mass, as measured by micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT). Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and osteocalcin (OCN) staining experiments revealed decreased bone resorption and increased bone formation in the GSK treatment groups. In addition, we found a novel effect of GSK—it could induce type-H vessel formation in mice. The underlying mechanisms of these actions were further explored at the molecular level to investigate whether these effects were due to an overexpression of the hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α). Our findings indicate the utility of GSK as a therapeutic for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Objective Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and in the antidepressant response. This study examined whether changes in serum BDNF levels are associated with the antidepressant effects of nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET). Methods For BDNF analyses, serum samples were collected from 20 patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD) and from 20 healthy controls. Serum samples were also collected from patients following a course of NET. Results Although significantly lower baseline serum BDNF levels were observed in TRD patients than in healthy controls, no changes in serum BDNF levels were found in TRD patients after a course of NET compared to baseline. No significant association was found between serum BDNF levels and depression severity. Conclusion Serum BDNF levels appear to have no clinical utility in the prediction of the antidepressant effects of NET in patients with TRD. Future studies of higher quality and with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

Background: To investigate the effects of abdominal obesity (AO) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with or without AO on carotid arteries by determining carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Methods: A total of 2745 Chinese Han adults (aged between 40 and 50 years old) were recruited and divided into 4 groups: (1) NW-no NAFL group: the normal body weight without NAFLD (n = 1888); (2) AO-no NAFL group: AO without NAFLD (n = 259); (3) NW-with NAFL group: NAFLD without AO (n = 93); and (4) AO-with NAFL group: AO with NAFLD (n = 505). The CIMT rate of each group was compared among 4 groups and the regression analysis was further used to correct confounders. Results: We found that the NW-with NAFL group had a significantly higher CIMT rate than the AO-no NAFL group ([.87 ±.31] versus [.72 ±.29] P < .01) and the AO-with NAFL group ([.87 ±.31] versus [.79 ±.26] , P < .01). Conclusions: The ectopic liver fat accumulation may increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, screening NAFLD in the population with normal weight may be beneficial for the prevention of atherosclerosis at an early stage. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in bone metabolism and aging. Here we show that miR-96 was markedly up-regulated in serum of elderly patients with osteoporosis by miRNA microarray analysis and qRT-PCR. Moreover miR-96 was also up-regulated in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) of aged humans and mice. Our results show that the over-expression of miR-96 reduced osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, whereas the inhibition of miR-96 increased osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. At the molecular level, miR-96 regulated osteogenesis by targeting osterix. Interestingly, over-expression of miR-96 in young mice by intravenous injection of agomiR-96 developed a low bone mass due to impaired osteogenesis. However, inhibition of miR-96 in aged mice attenuated the age-related bone loss. Thus, our data suggest that miR-96 regulates osteogenesis and may represent a potential diagnostic marker or therapeutic target for age-related bone loss.

Background Data on the pharmacological management of acute agitation in schizophrenia are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the prescription practices in the treatment of agitation in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Methods We conducted a large, multicenter, observational study in 14 psychiatry hospitals in China. Newly hospitalized schizophrenia patients with the PANSS-EC total score ≥ 14 and a value ≥4 on at least one of its five items were included in the study. Their drug treatments of the first 2 weeks in hospital were recorded by the researchers. Results Eight hundred and 53 patients enrolled in and 847 (99.30%) completed the study. All participants were prescribed antipsychotics, 40 (4.72%) were prescribed benzodiazepine in conjunction with antipsychotics and 81 were treated with modified electric convulsive therapy (MECT). Four hundred and 12 (48.64%) patients were prescribed only one antipsychotic, in the order of olanzapine (120 patients, 29.13%), followed by risperidone (101 patients, 24.51%) and clozapine (41 patients, 9.95%). About 435 (51.36%) participants received antipsychotic polypharmacy, mostly haloperidol + risperidone (23.45%), haloperidol+ olanzapine (17.01%), olanzapine+ ziprasidone (5.30%), haloperidol + clozapine (4.37%) and haloperidol + quetiapine (3.90%). Binary logistic regression analysis suggests that a high BARS score (OR 2.091, 95%CI 1.140–3.124), severe agitation (OR 1.846, 95%CL 1.266–2.693), unemployment or retirement (OR 1.614, 95%CL 1.189–2.190) and aggressiveness on baseline (OR 1.469, 95%CL 1.032–2.091) were related to an increased antipsychotic polypharmacy odds. Male sex (OR 0.592, 95%CL 0.436–0.803) and schizophrenia in older persons (age ≥ 55 years, OR 0.466, 95%CL 0.240–0.902) were less likely to be associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that monotherapy and polypharmacy display equally common patterns of antipsychotic usage in managing agitation associated with schizophrenia in China. The extent and behavioral activities of agitation and several other factors were associated with polypharmacy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12888-019-2192-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose Little is known about the clinical characteristics of patients with dementia receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of behavioral symptoms. This study examined the demographic and clinical profile of patients with dementia receiving ECT in China. Methods This was a retrospective, case-control study. The sample was composed of 23 patients with dementia treated with ECT and 71 sex- and age-matched controls treated for a period of 8 years (2007-2014) at the National Clinical Research Centre of Mental Disorders, China. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic chart management system. Results Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that ECT was independently associated with high risk for suicide at admission. The recorded indications for ECT included both high risk for suicide and aggressive behavior. Most patients responded to ECT satisfactorily (56.5%) or partially (34.8%) with only mild-moderate transient memory impairment (30.4%). Conclusions Although this is a preliminary study limited by the retrospective design and small sample size, findings suggest that ECT is an effective and safe therapeutic intervention to reduce the risk for suicide and aggressive behavior in dementia.

The Clavien-Dindo (C-D) classification is a simple and feasible grading system of postoperative complications. The aim of the present study was to apply this system to retrospectively classify all types of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) complications (PPCs) and to systematically identify associated risk factors. Between January 2009 and December 2014, the C-D classification was applied to retrospectively classify PPCs for 1,056 patients who had undergone PD at the West China Hospital. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to link perioperative parameters and mortality with the severity of PPCs, which were subdivided into overall PPCs (Grade I-V), severe PPCs (Grade III-V) and mortality (Grade V). The number of patients with Clavien-Dindo grade I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, IVb and V complications was 185 (17.5%), 128 (12.1%), 50 (4.7%), 25 (2.4%), 35 (3.3%), 19 (1.8%) and 33 (3.1%), respectively. A total of 475 (45.0%) patients experienced overall PPCs; 168 (15.9%) patients experienced severe PPCs; and 33 patients succumbed to mortality following PD. The following risk factors were identified following PD: Preoperative hypoproteinemia was correlated with all three subdivisions; obstructive jaundice was associated with severe PPCs and mortality; and older age was revealed to be an independent risk factor of mortality. A large retrospective study was performed in the present study and PD was correlated with a high occurrence of PPCs. The Clavien-Dindo system represents a broad applicable and feasible approach to evaluating PPCs in patients following PD. The independent risk factors of PPCs that were identified in the present study require further validation using the Clavien-Dindo classification in additional prospective studies.

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In the present study, a new method to prepare stable antifouling and blood compatible membranes is developed, i.e., in situ post-crosslinking copolymerization. Firstly, 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MTSi)-based zwitterionic copolymer was synthesized by in situ copolymerization in polyethersulfone (PES) solution and fabricated into membranes by a liquid–liquid phase separation technique. Then the membranes were treated by basic solutions to promote the crosslinking of the copolymer via the hydrolysis of the methoxy groups. The surface free energy of the poly(3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane) (PMTSi) modified membranes reduced from 55.29 to 43.91 nJ cm−2. For the poly(3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane-co-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (P(MTSi-co-SBMA)) modified membranes, the hydrolyzed PMTSi segments were used as the crosslinker to make the membrane stable. Both the PMTSi and P(MTSi-co-SBMA) modified membranes showed improved antifouling property and blood compatibility (lowered protein adsorption amount, suppressed platelet adhesion and prolonged clotting time) compared with the pristine PES membrane. Thus the modified membranes provided wide choice for specific biomedical applications.

A specific bone vessel subtype, strongly positive for CD31 and endomucin (CD31hiEmcnhi), is identified as coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis. The abundance of type CD31hiEmcnhi vessels decrease during ageing. Here we show that expression of the miR-497∼195 cluster is high in CD31hiEmcnhi endothelium but gradually decreases during ageing. Mice with depletion of miR-497∼195 in endothelial cells show fewer CD31hiEmcnhi vessels and lower bone mass. Conversely, transgenic overexpression of miR-497∼195 in murine endothelium alleviates age-related reduction of type CD31hiEmcnhi vessels and bone loss. miR-497∼195 cluster maintains the endothelial Notch activity and HIF-1α stability via targeting F-box and WD-40 domain protein (Fbxw7) and Prolyl 4-hydroxylase possessing a transmembrane domain (P4HTM) respectively. Notably, endothelialium-specific activation of miR-195 by intravenous injection of aptamer-agomiR-195 stimulates CD31hiEmcnhi vessel and bone formation in aged mice. Together, our study indicates that miR-497∼195 regulates angiogenesis coupled with osteogenesis and may represent a potential therapeutic target for age-related osteoporosis., H-type endothelium, defined by the high expression of CD31 and endomucin, is found in the bone where it promotes angiogenesis and osteogensis. Here Yang et al. show that the miR-497∼195 cluster regulates the generation and maintenance of the H-type endothelium by controlling the levels of Notch regulator Fbxw7 and the HIF regulator P4HTM.

Aiming at the problems existing in the development of ultrasonic testing computer-aided process planning (UTCAPP), "UTCAPP based on the testing standard" was put forward, which brought the technology to not only better meet the actual needs of ultrasonic testing process design, but also greatly simplify the complexity of the problem and reduce the difficulty of development. In this paper, on the basis of in-depth study of the relationship between the ultrasonic testing standards and process planning, a UTCAPP system is developed through SQL2005 and VC++ 6.0 with artificial intelligence method for establishing the knowledge base and inference mechanisms.

Background Cytokines including transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are closely related to bone metabolism. However, the relationships between TGF-β1, OPG and risk of osteoporosis in native Chinese women are unknown. Our research indicated that there is a positive correlation between TGF-β1 and bone mineral density (BMD) T-score, and a negative correlation between OPG and T-score. The risk of osteoporosis is reduced as TGF-β1 increases and increases as OPG was raised. We investigated correlations of BMD T-scores with circulating TGF-β1 and BMD T-scores with circulating OPG in healthy native Chinese women, and to study the effects of changes in TGF-β1 and OPG on osteoporosis. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 691 healthy native Chinese women aged 20–80 years. Concentrations of serum TGF-β1 and OPG were determined. BMD T-scores at the posteroanterior spine, left hip, and forearm were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results There were positive correlations between serum TGF-β1 and T-scores at the various skeletal sites (r = 0.167–0.285, all P = 0.000) and negative correlations between serum OPG and T-scores (r = − 0.179 to − 0.270, all P = 0.007–0.000). After adjusting for age and BMI, correlations between TGF-β1 and T-score at the lumbar vertebrae and ultradistal forearm, and between OPG and T-score at the ultradistal forearm in premenopausal subjects, remained statistically significant. Multivariate linear stepwise analysis showed that TGF-β1 could explain 1.9–8.3% of T-score variation at each skeletal site. OPG could explain 2.4–4.4% of T-score variation. When TGF-β1 and OPG concentrations were grouped according to quartile intervals, T-score and the prevalence and risk of osteoporosis varied with changes in the cytokines. Conclusions The risk of osteoporosis in native Chinese women increased as circulating TGF-β1 was reduced and OPG was raised.

This multi-center observational study investigated the prevalence of agitation in newly hospitalized schizophrenia patients in China and its potential risk factors. It was performed in 2014 and covered 14 hospitals. Newly hospitalized patients with schizophrenia or suspected schizophrenia who met the diagnostic criteria of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, were recruited. Agitation and related risk factors were evaluated by a questionnaire designed for the survey. General demographic data, disease characteristics, scores on schizophrenia rating scales and agitation rating scales (e.g., Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component [PANSS-EC] and Behavioral Activity Rating Scale [BARS]) were collected. Among the 1512 patients screened in the study, 1400 (92.59%) were eligible. According to the PANSS-EC and BARS, the prevalence of agitation was 60.92% (853 of 1400) and 59.00% (826 of 1400), respectively. The overall prevalence of agitation was 47.50% (665 of 1400). The most important risk factor of agitation was being aggressive at baseline (Modified Overt Aggression Scale score ≥4, odds ratio=6.54; 95% confidence interval=4.93-8.69). Other risk factors included a history of aggressive behavior, northern region of residence, involuntary hospitalization, disease severity, low level of education, living alone, being unemployed or retired.

Growth Differentiation Factor 8 (GDF8), also called myostatin, is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β super-family. As a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth, GDF8 is also associated with bone metabolism. However, the function of GDF8 in bone metabolism is not fully understood. Our study aimed to investigate the role of GDF8 in bone metabolism, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that GDF8 had a negative regulatory effect on primary mouse osteoblasts, and promoted receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection of recombinant GDF8 repressed bone formation and accelerated bone resorption in mice. Furthermore, treatment of aged mice with a GDF8 neutralizing antibody stimulated new bone formation and prevented bone resorption. Thus, our study showed that GDF8 plays a significant regulatory role in bone formation and bone resorption, thus providing a potential therapeutic pathway for osteoporosis.

Objective To illustrate the relationship between abdominal fat accumulation and cardiac remodeling in hypertension patients. Methods Visceral fat area (VA) and substantial fat area (SA) were assessed by CT in 380 hypertensive patients (male 198, female 182) with an age range of 21-83 years during the period of Jan 2006 to Dec 2008, and their blood pressure, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), interventricular septum thickness (IVST) were measured at the same time. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to their VA and WC, namely visceral fat obesity (VFO), pseudo-VFO, masked visceral fat obesity (MVFO), and non-obesity; intra-abdominal fat normal group (VA normal), intra-abdominal fat accumulation group (IFA); interventricular septum thickening group, and normal group. The differences in IVST, SA, VA, VA/ SA, WC and BMI were observed between the groups. Results The values of WC, VA, BMI, VA/SA were significantly higher in interventricular septum thickening group than in normal group, while the SA was significantly lower than that in normal group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). IVST, WC, BMI, VA and VA/SA were significantly higher in IFA group than in VA normal group, while SA was obviously higher in VA normal group, and showed statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). IVST and VA were significantly higher in VFO group than in other groups (P < 0.05), and the VA/SA was significantly lower in VFO group than in MVFO group (P < 0.05); the IVST and VA in MVFO group were significantly higher than those in pseudo-VFO group and non-obesity group (P < 0.05). The SA in pseudo-VFO group was significantly higher than that in VFO, MVFO and non-obesity groups (P < 0.05), however, there was no statistically significant difference in IVST when compared with non-obesity group. Logistic correlation analysis showed VA/SA, VA and WC were the risk factors leading to ventricular septal hypertrophy. Conclusions Masked abdominal obesity is significantly related to septal hypertrophy in hypertension, and VA/SA is an important risk factor for ventricular septal hypertrophy.

microRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in osteoblast differentiation. However, the mechanisms of miRNAs regulating osteoblast mineralization still need further investigation. Here, we performed miRNA profiling and identified that miR-93 was the most significantly downregulated miRNA during osteoblast mineralization. Overexpression of miR-93 in cultured primary mouse osteoblasts attenuated osteoblast mineralization. Expression of the Sp7 transcription factor 7 (Sp7, Osterix), a zinc finger transcription factor and critical regulator of osteoblast mineralization, was found to be inversely correlated with miR-93. Then Sp7 was confirmed to be a target of miR-93. Overexpression of miR-93 in cultured osteoblasts reduced Sp7 protein expression without affecting its mRNA level. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-93 directly targeted Sp7 by specifically binding to the target coding sequence region (CDS) of Sp7. Experiments such as electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and promoter luciferase reporter assay confirmed that Sp7 bound to the promoter of miR-93. Furthermore, overexpression of Sp7 reduced miR-93 transcription, whereas blocking the expression of Sp7 promoted miR-93 transcription. Our study showed that miR-93 was an important regulator in osteoblast mineralization and miR-93 carried out its function through a novel miR-93/Sp7 regulatory feedback loop. Our findings provide new insights into the roles of miRNAs in osteoblast mineralization. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Objective To explore the influence of intra-abdominal fat (IAF) accumulation on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). Methods Four hundred and forty-eight hospitalized patients with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including 235 males and 213 females, aged 20-85 (55±12) years old, were enrolled in this study. The abdominal fatty thickness was measured with B-mode ultrasound. Simultaneously the patient received 24hABP monitoring. The patients were divided into excessive IAF group, normal group, and quintile subgroups according to the cut-off points (male 38.5mm, female 34.7mm) for observing the difference in indexes of ambulatory blood pressure between different groups/subgroups. Results The 24h mean systolic BP (24hMSBP), 24h mean BP (24hMBP), 24h mean diastolic BP (24hMDBP), daytime MSBP (dMSBP), daytime MBP (dMBP), daytime MDBP (dMDBP), nighttime MSBP (nMSBP), nighttime MBP (nMBP), night MDBP (nMDBP) were significantly higher in the excessive IAF group than in the normal group (P < 0.05). However, the elevation of ABP was not a simple gradual linear elevation corresponding to a gradual increase in IAF thickness, but manifested an approximately U-shaped trend. Pearson correlation analysis showed IAF thickness was positively correlated with all the indexes of 24hABP, while partial correlation analysis after adjustment for age and sex showed IAF thickness was positively correlated with 24hSBP, 24hMBP, dMBP and nMBP. Conclusion The relationship between IAF thickness and ABP presents a U-shaped curve, which may provide an enlightenment in controlling blood pressure by weight loss in clinical work.

Objective To explore the relationship between intra-abdominal fat accumulation and heart rate variability. Methods A total of 353 patients with hypertension were enrolled in this study, among them there were 197 males and 156 females, aged from 27 to 85 years old with a mean of 55±13 years. All the patients received abdominal fat ultrasonography, 24-hour ambulatory ECG and blood biochemical tests, and they were divided into intra-abdominal fat accumulation group and normal intra-abdominal fat group according to the fat thickness measured by B-mode ultrasound value (male ≥38.5mm, female ≥34.7mm). They were redivided into four subgroups based on interquartile range of the fat thickness for comparing the difference in heart rate variability between 4 groups. Results Each subject had a 24-hour ECG recording taken and the standard HRV time-domain indices: SDNN (standard deviation of the normal-to-normal RR intervals), reflecting total nervous tension, SDANN (standard deviation of the averages of RR intervals in all 5-minute segments), reflecting sympathetic tone, and RMSSD (the root mean square successive differences) and SDNN index (mean of the standard deviations of RR intervals in all 5-minute segments), reflecting vagal nerve tone were determined. Results showed all the aforesaid indices were lower in the intra-abdominal fat group than in the normal intra-abdominal fat group (P < 0.05). Hierarchical analysis by interquartile revealed that PNN50 (the percentage of successive RR intervals that differed by more than 50ms), SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD and SDNN index were significantly lower in abdominal fat thickness > 38.0mm group than in < 15.5mm group (P < 0.05); PNN50, SDNNN, SDANN and RMSSD were significantly lower in the > 38.0mm group than in 15.6-27.0mm group; SDNN and SDNN index were significantly lower in the 27.1-38.0mm group than in < 15.5mm group; SDNN was significantly lower in the 27.1-38.0mm group than in 15.6-27.0mm group. Linear regression analysis indicated intra-abdominal fat thickness, fasting blood glucose and sex were the main risk factors of the SDNN; abdominal fat thickness and sex were main factors influencing SDANN, and abdominal fat thickness, fasting blood glucose and diastolic blood pressure were main influencial factors of SDNN index. Conclusion Intra-abdominal fat accumulation may significantly reduce the heart rate variability in hypertension patients.

Porous and smooth TiO2 film electrodes prepared by sol-gel method were used on methyl orange degradation by an electro-assisted photocatalytic degradation process. Methyl orange cannot be degraded under applied potential solely below 2.0 V. When the applied potential was below 1.3 V, methyl orange degradation rates on porous TiO2 film increased from 5% at 0 V to 65.3% at 1.3 V, and degradation rates on smooth TiO2 film changed from 2.2% at 0 V to 61.1% at 1.3 V. Electro-assisted photocatalytic degradation rate on porous film was better than that on smooth film in the whole electrolyte concentration range. Electro-assisted degradation exhibited the same rising trend along with reaction time on the porous and smooth films.

以Fe-Ni/TiO 2 为催化剂, 采用流化床化学气相沉积法(FBCVD)在TiO 2 表面原位生长碳纳米管(CNT), 得到CNT/Fe-Ni/ TiO 2 复合光催化剂. 通过SEM、XRD、UV-Vis等方法表征其结构和性能, 以亚甲基蓝溶液降解为模型考察其光催化性能. 结果表明: Fe-Ni/TiO 2 催化剂在FBCVD过程中, 镍主要起到了CNT生长催化活性位的作用; 在生长CNT后的复合光催化剂中, 比例较低的Fe 3+ 主要作为电子俘获剂, 抑制TiO 2 光生电子空穴的复合; Ni和CNT共同起到将电子迅速地从TiO 2 中导出, 从而降低光生电子-空穴复合几率的作用. 三者的协同作用显著改善了TiO2的光催化性能. 其中Fe和Ni掺杂量分别为0.25mol%和4.75mol%样品的光催化活性较高, 生长CNT后得到的复合光催化剂对亚甲基蓝的降解效率较纯TiO 2 提高约70%.

Porous and smooth TiO2 film electrodes prepared by sol-gel method were used on methyl orange degradation by an electro-assisted photocatalytic degradation process. When using the applied potential along, there was no obvious degradation of methyl orange whether using TiO2 film electrode prepared using PEG template or not. The largest difference between the two electrodes appears at potential of 0.7 V in 0.05 mol/l NaCl solution, and the porous electrode shows better degradation activity in electro-assisted photocatalytic degradation. When NaCl concentration was 0.07 mol/l, degradation rates on porous and smooth film electrodes were 51.16% and 32.35 %, respectively. After 100 min of irradiation, 90% of the methyl orange degraded on the porous TiO2 film electrode, and 79.87% of the methyl orange degraded on the smooth TiO2 film electrode.

Mazabraud syndrome is a rare condition characterized by a combination of fibrous dysplasia and intramuscular myxomas. In Mazabraud syndrome, the distribution of fibrous dysplasia is mostly polyomelic and frequently located in the femur, with myxomas adjacent to the fibrous dysplasia lesion of bone (mostly in the quadriceps muscle). However, when presented as atypical clinical features, patients of Mazabraud syndrome is either misdiagnosed or difficult to diagnose. We report an atypical monomelic case of Mazabraud syndrome in the right upper arm and discuss the difficulties in making an accurate diagnosis.

Objective: the incidence of cognitive impairment is increasing; however, little is known about the prevalence and risk factors for cognitive impairment of elderly people in China. This report focuses on investigating the relationship between cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and cognitive impairment in elderly people. Methods: 3012 participants aged 60 years old and over were enrolled from six communities of Chongqing. Cognitive function was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Activities of Daily Living. The x 2 test and logistic regression was used to find the relationship between cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and cognitive impairment. Result: the rate of abnormal cognitive function in elderly people was 11.95%. Smoking was closely related to cognitive impairment (x 2 =6.59, P=0.027). Alcohol drinking was also associated with cognitive impairment (x 2 =6.31, P=0.025). In all smokers, current smoking was associated with a significantly increased risk of cognitive impairment (RR 2.33; 95% CI=1.37‐5.82). In all people who drink every day, there was a significantly increased risk of cognitive impairment (RR 3.47; 95% CI=1.79‐6.71). Conclusion: smoking and drinking are risk factors for cognitive impairment among elderly people. Cessation of smoking and reduction of drinking could be considered as part of a strategy to reduce the incidence of cognitive impairment.

MicroRNAs play important roles in regulating bone regeneration and remodeling. However, the pathophysiological roles of microRNAs in bone repair remain unclear. Here we identify a significant upregulation of miR-142-5p correlated with active osteoblastogenesis during the bone healing process. In vitro, miR-142-5p promoted osteoblast activity and matrix mineralization by targeting the gene encoding WW-domain-containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1. We also found that the expression of miR-142-5p in the callus of aged mice was lower than that in the callus of young mice and directly correlated with the age-related delay in bone healing. Furthermore, treatment with agomir-142-5p in the fracture areas stimulated osteoblast activity which repaired the bone fractures in aged mice. Thus, our study revealed that miR-142-5p plays a crucial role in healing fractures by maintaining osteoblast activity, and provided a new molecular target therapeutic strategy for bone healing.

In July 2010, soil samples were collected from five typical forests (Pinus koraiensis and broadleaved mixed forest, Picea and Abies forest, Larix and Abies forest, Betula ermanii forest, and alpine tundra) along an altitude gradient on the northern slope of Changbai Mountains to investigate the distribution and quantity of neutral sugar in the soils and related affecting factors. The origins of the neutral sugar were differentiated to probe into the biochemical accumulation mechanisms of soil organic matter. There was a significant difference in the neutral sugar content among the forest soils. The relative content of soil neutral sugar' s carbon to soil organic carbon ranged in 80.55-170.63 mg C x g(-1), and tended to be increased with elevated altitude. The multiple regression analysis showed that the mean temperature in growth season was the main factor affecting the relative content of soil neutral sugar, and low temperature was conducive to the accumulation of neutral sugar. The ratio of (galactose + mannose) / (arabinose + xylose) in the five soils was around 1.62-2.28, and had an increasing trend with elevated altitude, illustrating that the contribution of soil microbial neutral sugar to soil organic matter increased with elevated altitude. Soil microbial metabolic quotient declined significantly along elevated altitude, suggesting that in low temperature environment, soil microbial activity decreased but the carbon utilization efficiency enhanced. As a result, a significant portion of decomposed plant residues was transformed into microbial neutral sugar and accumulated stably in soil, and thus, increased the proportion of soil microbial neutral sugar.

Metabolic syndrome has received great attention because it poses a potential cardiovascular hazard, which increases the risk of lower extremity atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between the components of metabolic syndrome and the onset of chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities remains unexplained.This study investigated the characteristics of cardiometabolic risk factors of early chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities in subjects with cardiometabolic risk. The characteristics of risk factors and diabetes-related complications in diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder of the lower extremities were also investigated. In addition, the association between early chronic venous disorder and atherosclerosis of the lower extremities was analysed. The study examined 782 subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia. Lower extremity venous function was measured by digital photoplethysmography.Women had a higher prevalence of early chronic venous disorder than did men (p 0.01). Male subjects with early chronic venous disorder had a higher systolic blood pressure than those with normal venous function (p 0.01), and female subjects with early chronic venous disorder had a higher fasting plasma glucose level than did controls (p 0.05). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is also significantly higher in female patients with early chronic venous disorder (p = 0.000). Diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder not only had higher fasting plasma glucose and total cholesterol levels but also had more serious macrovascular complications than the control group. The independent risk factors of early chronic venous disorder in female subjects with cardiometabolic risks were age and fasting plasma glucose in men it was only age Women face a two times greater risk than men. The independent risk factors of early chronic venous disorder in diabetic patients were age, gender, HbA1c and triglyceride levels Women had an almost 12 times greater risk of early chronic venous disorder than men. Among the diabetic patients, the prevalence of early chronic venous disorder did not differ by ankle-brachial index.Female subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors or female diabetic patients face a greater risk of early chronic venous disorder than do male subjects. Diabetic patients with early chronic venous disorder had more serious macrovascular complications than did the controls, and the early venous function was found to be correlated with the blood glucose level and triglyceride status.

To verify the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion on defecating and pain symptoms in postoperative patient of anal fissure.Two hundred cases of postoperation of anal fissure were randomly divided into an acupuncture-moxibustion group and a medication group, 100 cases in each one. The basic treatment after the surgery was the same in two groups, besides, acupuncture was applied at Zhongliao (BL 33) and Xialiao (BL 34) in the morning of first 5 days of postoperative 24 h in the acupuncture-moxibustion group, and suspended moxibusiton was applied at Changqiang (GV 1) within 5 to 10 min after defecation; while two bags of forlax was orally administrated in the morning of first 5 days of postoperative 24 h in the medication group. The pain intensity, defecation willingness, defecation difficulty and stool texture during postoperative defecation were observed.The defecation pain on the first two days after the treatment was not statistically significant between two groups (both P0.05). From the third day of treatment, the improvements of defecation pain in acupuncture-moxibustion group were more obvious than those in the medication group (all P0.05). The patients in the acupuncture-moxibustion group had more positive defecation willingness than those in the medication group (all P0.05). The differences of defecation difficulty and stool properties in two groups had no statistical significance (both P0.05).The intervention treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion has clinical significance on relieving pain symptoms and improving defecation willingness in postoperative patient of anal fissure.

Substrate availability affects microbial growth, whereas extraneous nitrogen forms can significantly affect microbial metabolic processes. As for soil amino sugars, the stable residues in microbial cell wall, their synthesis, decomposition and turnover are closely related to the availability of extraneous carbon and nitrogen. Using isotope tracing technique to study soil amino sugars can further understand the substrate utilization profiles by soil microorganisms. In this study, two incubation tests were conducted, with glucose plus 15N-labelled NH4+ or NO3- as the substrates, respectively. The 15N enrichment in each kind of soil amino sugars was identified by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to trace the dynamics of soil 15N-labelled and native amino sugars. During the incubation, the content of soil 15N-labelled amino sugars increased significantly, and the transformation rate from NH4+ to amino sugars was significantly higher than that from NO3-, suggesting the preferred utilization of NH4+ than NO3- by soil microorganisms. Significant changes in the amounts of soil unlabelled amino sugars were observed. The amount of unlabelled glucosamine increased with NH4+ addition, but decreased gradually with NO3- addition. The content of unlabelled muramic acid decreased gradually, especially with NO3- addition. Either the increase or the decrease of galactosamine did not exceed 20% to the original value. These compound-specific changes showed that the heterogeneous microbial residues played different roles on the turnover and stabilization of nitrogen in soil matrix. Fungal cell wall residues were easily accumulated in soil matrix, which benefited the stabilization of soil organic matter, while bacterial cell wall residues were easily degraded, playing an important role in the turnover of soil organic matter.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in bone metabolism. In the present study, we found that miR-148a is dramatically upregulated during osteoclastic differentiation of circulating CD14+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) induced by macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). Overexpression of miR-148a in CD14+ PBMCs promoted osteoclastogenesis, whereas inhibition of miR-148a attenuated osteoclastogenesis. V-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog B (MAFB) is a transcription factor negatively regulating RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. miR-148a directly targeted MAFB mRNA by binding to the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) and repressed MAFB protein expression. In vivo, our study showed that silencing of miR-148a using a specific antagomir-inhibited bone resorption and increased bone mass in mice receiving ovariectomy (OVX) and in sham-operated control mice. Furthermore, our results showed that miR-148a levels significantly increased in CD14+ PBMCs from lupus patients and resulted in enhanced osteoclastogenesis, which contributed to the lower bone mineral density (BMD) in lupus patients compared with normal controls. Thus, our study provides a new insight into the roles of miRNAs in osteoclastogenesis, and contributes to a new therapeutic pathway for osteoporosis. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

A soil incubation test was conducted to study the quantitative changes of three amino sugars (glucosamine, muramic acid, and galactosamine) derived from microbes under drying and wetting cycle, and to analyze the relative contribution of soil bacteria and fungi to the turnover of soil organic matter by using the measured glucosamine/muramic acid ratio. Under continuous wetting, the degradation of bacteria-derived muramic acid was faster than that of fungi-derived glucosamine, and the degradation rate of galactosamine was the lowest. Drying and wetting cycle altered the degradation characteristics of the three amino sugars. As compared with that under continuous wetting, the degradation rate of bacteria-derived muramic acid at the prophase of drying and wetting was faster than that of fungi-derived glucosamine, and, with the increasing frequency of drying and wetting cycle, the degradation rate of fungi-derived glucosamine was faster than that of bacteria-derived muramic acid. These results indicated that drying and wetting cycle changed the course of the microbial transformation of soil amino sugar-derived nitrogen.

To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents and pancreatic nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) expression in acute pancreatitis rats.Sixty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation (sham), model and EA groups (n=22). Acute pancreatitis model was established by intra-pancreatic duct injection of 3.5% sodium taurocholate (0.1 mL/100 g). EA (2 Hz /100 Hz, 2 mA) was applied to bilateral ST 36 for 30 min after modeling and at the end of the experiment. The animals were killed at 3 h (n=7), 6 h (n=7) and 12 h (n=8) after modeling. The expression of pancreatic NF-,cB P65 was detected by immunohistochemical staining, and serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contentswere determined by ELISA. The pathological changes of pancreatic tissue were displayed by H. E. staining and the quantity of ascite was measured by electronic balance.The pathologic score, ascite quantity, serum TNFalpha and IL-6 contents, and pancreatic NF-kappaB P 65 expression levels at 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after modeling were significantly higher in the model group than in the sham group (P0.05). Compared with the model group, the pathologic score, ascite quantity, serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents, and pancreatic NF-kappaB P 65 expression levels at 3 h, 6 h and 12 h were significantly decreased in the EA group (P0.05). Microscopic observation displayed that the necrosis of the pancreatic acinar cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells were lighter in the EA group than in the model group.EA at ST 36 is able to down-regulate sodium taurocholate injection incduced increase of serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents, and pancreatic NF-kappaB P65 expression level in acute pancreatitis rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving necrosis of the pancreatic acinar cells and infiltration of pancreatic inflammatory cells.

With the increasing advocacy for total disc replacement (TDR) as a potential alternative to fusion in the management of lumbar degenerative disc disease, intradiscal pressures (IDPs) and facet joint stresses at the adjacent levels of spine have generated considerable interest. The purpose of this study was to compare adjacent-level IDPs and facet joint stresses among TDR, discectomy, and fusion.Ten fresh human cadaveric lumbar specimens (L2-S1) were subjected to an unconstrained load in axial torsion, lateral bending, flexion, and extension by using multidirectional flexibility test. Four surgical treatment modes-control (disc intact), discectomy, TDR, and fusion-were tested in sequential order at L4-5. During testing, the IDPs and facet forces following each treatment were calculated at the adjacent vertebral levels (L3-4 and L5-S1).Intradiscal pressures and facet force pressures were similar between the intact condition and the TDR reconstruction at the L3-4 and L5-S1 levels under all loading conditions (p0.05). Compared with the intact and TDR groups, the discectomy and fusion groups had higher IDPs at the L3-4 and L5-S1 levels under all loading conditions (p0.05). No significant difference in the facet force pressure was noted among the intact, discectomy, and TDR groups at the L3-4 and L5-S1 levels under any loading conditions (p0.05). However, the facet force pressure produced for fusion was significantly higher than the mean values obtained for the intact, discectomy, and TDR groups at the L3-4 and L5-S1 levels under all loading conditions (p0.05).Lumbar TDR maintained adjacent-level IDPs and facet force pressures near the values for intact spines, whereas adjacent-level IDPs tended to increase after discectomy or fusion and facet forces tended to increase after fusion.