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The axially-split phase spherical bearingless flywheel machine (ASP-SBFM) operates mostly in fast charging and discharging conditions. The unique topology design and high power density of the ASP-SBFM can lead to complex machine losses and result in high-temperature rise. This article employs magneto-thermal coupling to perform an accurate analysis of the temperature field distribution of the ASP-SBFM. First, as the heat source for machine temperature rise, the ASP-SBFM losses are analyzed in detail. And the theoretical calculation results agree well with the FEA results. Then, the magneto-thermal coupling method is conducted to obtain the accurate temperature distribution of ASP-SBFM, where both natural cooling and high vacuum conditions are considered. The temperature distribution results can provide a reference for machine heat dissipation design, topology optimization, and machine body material selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indiscriminate use of nitrogen fertiliser (NF) is a obstruction to improve soil quality and crop yields. However, the effect of biochar and NF on soil microbial ecosystem (SME) and crop yields is unknown. A five-year field experiment in China aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar and nitrogen fertiliser (NF) combination on soil structure, C-to-N ratio (CNR), microbial biomass, and spring maize yield. Biochar and NF were applied at different rates, and the combined application resulted in a soil solid–liquid–gas ratio closer to the ideal value. The use of biochar alone and in combination with NF significantly increased soil's C, N, and CNR. A moderate application of biochar and NF resulted in favourable biological and chemical properties of the soil. The application of biochar and NF at moderate levels led to an increase in SME, with the B8N150 producing the highest yield. The highest yield of B8N150 represents a 24.25% increase compared to the unfertilized control and a 9.04% increase compared to B0N150. Moderate use of biochar and NF could be beneficial in areas with similar climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming and human activities are complicating the spatial and temporal relationships between basin hydrologic processes and ecosystem quality (EQ), especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Knowledge of the synergy between hydrological processes and ecosystems in arid and semi-arid zones is an effective measure to achieve ecologically sustainable development. In this study, the inland river basin Ulagai River Basin (URB), a typical arid and semi-arid region in Northern China, was used as the study area; based on an improved hydrological model and remote-sensing and in situ measured data, this URB-focused study analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of hydrological process factors, such as precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET), surface runoff, lateral flow, groundwater recharge, and EQ and the synergistic relationships between them. It was found that, barring snowmelt, the hydrological process factors such as precipitation, ET, surface runoff, lateral flow, and groundwater recharge had a rising trend in the URB, since the 20th century. The rate of change was higher in the downstream areas when compared with what it was in the upstream and midstream areas. The multi-year average of EQ in the basin is 53.66, which is at a medium level and has an overall improving trend, accounting for 95.14% of the total area, mainly in the upstream, downstream southern, and downstream northern areas of the basin. The change in relationship between the hydrological process factors and EQ was found to have a highly synergistic effect. Temporally, EQ was consistent with the interannual trends of precipitation, surface runoff, lateral flow, and groundwater recharge. The correlation between the hydrological process factors and EQ was found to be higher than 0.7 during the study period. Spatially, the hydrological process factors had a synergistic relationship with EQ from strong to weak upstream, midstream, and downstream, respectively. In addition, ecosystem improvements were accelerated by government initiatives such as the policy of Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project, which has played an important role in promoting soil and water conservation and EQ. This study provides theoretical support for understanding the relationship between hydrological processes and ecological evolution in arid and semi-arid regions, and it also provides new ideas for related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat germ albumin (WGA) has high physicochemical and biological activity after enzymatic hydrolysis. The traditional protease hydrolysis method, due to its low enzymatic efficiency, can no longer meet the needs of efficient production. Adding assisted means to the traditional enzymatic hydrolysis method can improve these shortcomings. In this study, the effect of ultrasonic assisted papain on the hydrolysis degree of WGA and the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of peptides with different molecular weights (MW) were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the optimal conditions for ultrasonic assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of WGA were determined through Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology (BBD-RSM): hydrolysis time of 20 min, substrate concentration of 2%, papain dosage of 10000 U/g, and ultrasonic power of 180 W. Under this condition, the clearance rate of DPPH could reach 82.29%. After enzymatic hydrolysis β-sheet decreased from 33.74% to 15.64%, β-turn increased from 30.93% to 47.36%, indicating that after enzymatic hydrolysis of WGA, the breaking of peptide bonds lead to the unfolding of the protein secondary structure. The peptides with MW less than 3 kDa exhibited circular particles and a dispersed organizational structure. The peptides with MW less than 3 kDa contained hydrophobic amino acids which could enhance the interaction between different peptides and lipid targets, or allowed peptides to enter target organs through hydrophobic binding. The use of ultrasonic assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of WGA would provide theoretical basis for further industrial application of biologically active wheat germ peptides. • Ultrasonic assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat germ albumin to prepare polypeptides. • Under the optimal condition, the clearance rate of DPPH could reach 82.29%. • The peptides with MW less than 3 kDa exhibited circular particles and a dispersed organizational structure. • The peptides with MW less than 3 kDa contained hydrophobic amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate nitrous acid (HONO) levels and potential HONO sources above crop rotation fields. The HONO fluxes were measured by the aerodynamic gradient (AG) method from 14 December 2019 to 2 January 2020 over an agricultural field in the Huaihe River Basin. The ambient HONO levels were measured at two different heights (0.15 and 1.5 m), showing a typical diurnal cycle with low daytime levels and high nighttime levels. The upward HONO fluxes were mostly observed during the day, whereas deposition dominated at night. The diurnal variation of HONO flux followed solar radiation, with a noontime maximum of 0.2 nmol/(m2∙sec). The average upward HONO flux of 0.06 ± 0.17 nmol/(m2∙sec) indicated that the agricultural field was a net source for atmospheric HONO. The higher HONO/NO 2 ratio and NO 2 –to–HONO conversion rate close to the surface suggested that nocturnal HONO was formed and released near the ground. The unknown HONO source was derived from the daytime HONO budget analysis, with an average strength of 0.31 ppbV/hr at noontime. The surface HONO flux, which was highly correlated with the photolysis frequency J (NO 2) (R 2 = 0.925) and the product of J (NO 2) × NO 2 (R 2 = 0.840), accounted for ∼23% of unknown daytime HONO source. The significant correlation between HONO fluxes and J (NO 2) suggests a light-driven HONO formation mechanism responsible for the surface HONO flux during daytime. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Studied JJJM region's ES balance, considering regional characteristics. • The adjusted model revealing higher ES balance in the east and north. • Temperature, precipitation, and grazing density primarily affect ES balance. • ES balance initially rises, then declines, facing rapid urbanization challenges. • Climate patterns and eco-engineering optimize ES balance, foster harmony. Ecosystem services (ES) are defined as the benefits of the natural environment that sustain human life. The analyses of the balance of ecosystem services (ES balance) and its driving factors are critical for achieving the region's sustainable development goals. This study explored the ES balance in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Inner Mongolia (JJJM) region, considering the region's rapid urbanization, implementation of ecological restoration projects, and intense agricultural and pastoral activities. It quantified the ES balance on different scales and selected nine natural and anthropogenic driving factors to reveal its spatio-temporal heterogeneity and change characteristics in 2000–2020. The main conclusions were as follows: (1) The ES balance in the JJJM region exhibited a significant spatial differentiation: generally higher in its eastern and northern areas and lower in its western and southern parts; (2) The ES balance in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showed a general trend of initial increase and subsequent decrease, while Inner Mongolia exhibited a continuous upward trend. High-value areas (>46) and low-value areas (<10) increased significantly. 27.33% of the areas showed a continuous improvement trend, but the overall ES balance was declining at a rate of 0.110–0.166/year; (3) Among natural factors, temperature had the highest explanatory power (0.409) regarding ES balance, while among anthropogenic factors, grazing density had the highest explanatory power (0.311). The interaction between temperature and precipitation is the strongest; (4) During the study period, the explanatory power of anthropogenic factors increased over time, indicating that human activities were exerting a gradually increasing impact on the JJJM region's ES balance. Overall, this study enhanced spatio-temporal understanding of the driving factors of ES balance differentiation, and offered a scientific basis for ecological policy-making and the development and transition of socio-economic activities, which could prove to be invaluable in promoting the coordinated development of regional ecologies and economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrolyzate of wheat germ albumin (WGA) has high biological activity. Under the action of proteases, WGA can release bioactive peptides such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti fatigue, antibacterial, etc. Ultrafiltration was used to separate different molecular weight peptides from WGA. The effects of proteases on hydrolysis of WGA and biological activities of different molecular weight peptides were comparatively studied and identified target bioactive peptides. When WGA was hydrolyzed by the enzymatic hydrolysis with papain, alcalase, acid protease, and neutral protease, the results showed that papain had the highest DPPH• scavenging rate. The scavenging rate of O2− radical for peptides with MW (<3 KDa) was higher than that of the other two components (WGA and >3 KDa), with an IC 50 of 4.59 mg/mL, and its reducing power was significantly higher than that of WGA and MW (>3 KDa). The speculated identification results showed the screened amino acid (AA) sequences (<3 KDa), which mainly consisted of four types: NIYLNFDALHGDKEHGGVR, TGGDGGPGKPTT, DVFWIPRFFVQ, and EEEDKNDKWHRVE. The molecular weight of the dominant AA sequence was concentrated between 1000 and 2200 Da, and almost all functional peptides had high biological activity AA, such as His, Leu, Cys, Lys, and Tyr. • The hydrolyzate of wheat germ albumin has high biological activity. • Papain had the highest DPPH.• scavenging rate. • The scavenging rate of O2− radical for peptides with MW (<3 KDa) was higher than that of the other two components. • The identification results showed the screened amino acid (AA) sequences (<3 KDa), which mainly consisted of four types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The simultaneous and lagged effects of climate change on GPP are distinguished. • Water availability caused up to 31% of the GPP dynamics. • The effects of extreme climate on GPP are less than mean climate. • GPP change is dominated by the direct effects of these driving factors. By contributing to what is considered as the world's largest carbon flux, global climate change has been significantly altering terrestrial vegetation gross primary production (GPP) at a global level. Thus, a robust understanding of the main driving factors influencing GPP change is neccessary for increasing terrestrial carbon sequestration potential of a region. In this study, we conduct an analysis of the main driving factors that have influenced GPP change in the Mongolian Plateau in the 1982–2018 period. The results of our analysis indicate that the GPP of the plateau's total vegetated area has witnessed both growth and decline (of 51.16% and 48.48%, respectively) over the past 37 years, with the latter occurring mainly across northern Mongolia and northeastern Inner Mongolia. Water availability, temperature, and solar radiation are deemed the most crucial climatic factors behind GPP change in 51.21%, 15.51%, and 18.63%, respectively, of the plateau's total vegetated area, according to a nonlinear Granger causality test. These three factors also explain up to 31%, 25.20%, and 17.21% of GPP change in 82.78%, 64.23%, and 69.96%, respectively, of the plateau's total vegetated area, as 34.52%, 31.57%, and 48.62% of the total vegetated area affected by the abovementioned driving factors concomitantly exhibit time-lag effects. The average intensity and extent of the effects of extreme climate indices on GPP change are lesser than the effect of general climate change; up to 21.31% and 22.35% of the GPP change can be explained by the extreme precipitation and temperature in 47.41% and 34.33%, respectively, of the plateau's total vegetated area. Moreover, the standardized total effects of this study's structural equation model (SEM) show that precipitation has the greatest impact on the GPP change (0.42), followed by snow water equivalent (SWE) (–0.11), solar radiation (0.08), and soil moisture or near surface temperature (0.07). Overall, our study provides new insights into the effects of the aforementioned driving factors on GPP change in the Mongolian Plateau, which will be helpful in mitigating the adverse effects of future climate change in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Precipitation, NDVI, and LUCC dominated recipitation the spatial heterogeneity of SM. • Precipitation changes caused up to 40% of the drying up of SM. • SM anomalies at 28–289 cm mainly caused by one-month-old precipitation. • The influences of climate and vegetation were observed to decrease with soil depth. As an essential state variable of the earth's terrestrial system, soil moisture (SM) is highly significant regarding hydrological processes, agricultural production, land management in response to issues like soil erosion etc. However, the net effects of different environmental factors on the heterogeneity and variations of SM remain unclear, due to the complex interactions between variables. Indeed, investigating such effects in the highly climate-vulnerable Mongolian Plateau is imperative for water resource management and climate change adaptation. In this study, we analyzed the contributions of different environmental factors on the spatial heterogeneity and variations of SM in the Mongolian Plateau between 1982 and 2020, using a geographic detector model (GDM) and a novel nonlinear Granger causality model. The results of the GDM analysis demonstrated that precipitation and vegetation were the main controls relevant to SM heterogeneity, with their explanatory powers (Q statistics of GDM) found to be higher than 0.67. In two breakpoints—one in the early 1990′s and another in 2007—SM demonstrated a pattern of increase, then a decrease, subsequently followed by an increase (insignificant decrease in SM at 100–289 cm depth only). Precipitation was identified as the Granger causal of SM variations over 33.39–97.65% of the plateau's vegetated area, leading to the drying up of 40% of its SM. The greatest contribution to SM in 28–289 cm of the plateau was observed as coming from one-month-old precipitation, due to the lag in the manifestation of effects. Further, rising temperatures were found to have an immediate influence (2.73–5.23%) on SM in 14.61–54.90% of the whole plateau's vegetated area, an impact which was relatively high (>14%) in its northeastern wetting zone. Vegetation change posed a relatively weak effect (<2%) on SM over a limited area of the plateau (27.75–35.42%). Although lesser than the impacts of general climate changes, the contributions of climatic extremes could not be neglected, ultimately accounting for up to 10% of SM changes. In summary, this study provides new insights into the individual contributions of various environmental factors on the spatial heterogeneity and variations of SM in the Mongolian Plateau, offering vital information for policymaking regarding climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable use of water resources, and ecological restoration for arid and semi-arid region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the global decline in the capacity of ecosystem services (ESs) to meet increasing human demands, assessing and quantifying ESs is crucial for ecological policy formulation. To address this, our study employs an adjusted land-use matrix method and the patch-generating land-use simulation (PLUS) model for a quantitative analysis of the ES balance in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei–Inner Mongolia (JJJM) region from 2000 to 2020, projecting to 2040. Focusing on the JJJM region, a focal area for ecological policy exhibits significant socioeconomic disparities, revealing a synergistic interplay in the ESs balance. Areas with high vegetation cover, like forests and grasslands, demonstrate an elevated ESs balance, with Inner Mongolia having the highest total ESs balance at 71.40. Conversely, highly urbanized areas, such as Beijing and Tianjin, face deficits in the ESs balance, with Tianjin recording the lowest at 17.83. Our results show an upward trend in total ESs balance in the JJJM region (slope: 0.08 year−1). In particular, regulating services are declining (slope: −0.04 year−1), cultural services are increasing (slope: 0.08 year−1), and provisioning services remain relatively stable. Projecting to 2040, our analysis indicates a slight decline in ESs balance, attributed to Inner Mongolia's urban expansion. This emphasizes the need for industrial transfers and proactive urbanization promotion to enhance ESs balance and support sustainable management and ecological civilization development in the JJJM region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth system models (ESMs) are important tools for assessing the historical characteristics and predicting the future characteristics of precipitation, yet the quantitative understanding of how these land–atmospheric coupling models perform in simulating precipitation characteristics remains limited. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation changes simulated by 43 ESMs in CMIP5 and 32 ESMs in CMIP6 in Arid Central Asia (ALL) and its two sub-regions for 1959–2005 with reference to Climate Research Unit (CRU) data, and predicts precipitation changes for 2054–2100. Our analyses suggest the following: (a) no single model consistently outperformed the others in all aspects of simulated precipitation variability (annual averages, long-term trends, and climatological monthly patterns); (b) the CMIP5 and CMIP6 model simulations tended to overestimate average annual precipitation for most of the ALL region, especially in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XJ); (c) most model simulations projected a stronger increasing trend in average annual precipitation; (d) although all the model simulations reasonably captured the climatological monthly precipitation, there was an underestimation; (e) compared to CMIP5, most CMIP6 model simulations exhibited an enhanced capacity to simulate precipitation across all aspects, although discrepancies persisted in individual sub-regions; (f) it was confirmed that the multi-model ensemble mean (MME) provides a more accurate representation of the three aspects of precipitation compared to the majority of single-model simulations. Lastly, the values of precipitation predicted by the more efficient models across the ALL region and its sub-regions under the different scenarios showed an increasing trend in most seasons. Notably, the strongest increasing trend in precipitation was seen under the high-emission scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of spring snow cover fraction (SCF) can be valuable for understanding the efficacy of certain Earth system models (ESMs) in simulating the energy exchange between land and atmosphere system, global hydrological cycle and future climate impacts. Here, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of simulated spring SCF from 23 and 20 ESMs participating CMIP5 and CMIP6, against satellite data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Climatic Data Center (NOAA/NCDC) and a long‐term Northern Hemisphere daily 5‐km snow cover extent product (JASMES) over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and its 13 subregions during the period of 1982–2005 and 2072–2095. Our results show that (a) no model performs consistently better in simulating spring SCF from all aspects (mean annual, long‐term trend and climatological monthly of spring SCF); (b) the mean annual of spring SCF that was simulated by CMIP5 and CMIP6 model simulations was underestimated in most of the NH and overestimated over the Tibetan Plateau and eastern Asia; (c) most of the model simulations showed a stronger reduction trend for mean annual of spring SCF; (d) the climatological monthly variation of spring SCF is reasonably captured by all model simulations, except for overestimation over the TIB and EAS regions, and there is underestimation in other regions; (e) compared to CMIP5, most of the model simulations in CMIP6 exhibit an improved ability to simulate spring SCF across all aspects; (f) we confirm that the multi‐model ensemble mean (MME) is a better way to represent the three aspects of spring SCF than most individual model simulations. Finally, the spring SCF values predicted by models with better simulation abilities over the NH and its 13 subregions under different scenarios show decreasing trends. Specifically, the highest decreasing trend of spring SCF was found under high emission scenarios (RCP8.5 and SSP5‐8.5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable land-use systems require clear decision-making protocols across institutions and departments. However, food production and ecological conservation are often regarded as separate or even incompatible policy goals, resulting in sustainability challenges and unclear land-management practices. More recently, with the introduction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there has been growing interests in minimizing the possible trade-offs between the two policy goals through appropriate governance. The objective of this study was to develop a systematic framework for assessing current land-management practices and specifying future priorities. The systematic framework included three modules and considered agroecosystems covering each administrative unit as the research objects. In the risk assessment module, we modified traditional relative risk model (RRM) to assess the risk that current management practices may affect food production and non-provisioning ecosystem services in existing agroecosystems, respectively. The framework also included a module to identify potentially available cropland (PAC) based on a combination of agricultural suitability and environmental costs for future reclamation. Finally, priorities for future land-management practices were specified based on the trade-offs between cropland expansion, ecological restoration and productive restoration. Jiangsu Province in eastern China was taken as a case study to verify the applicability of our framework. Using Jiangsu Province as a case study, we have verified the applicability of our framework in prioritizing future land-management practices at a county level. The framework can offer a prioritization mechanism for formulating targeted strategies under alternative scenarios to correspond with varying management goals. The RRM can separate adverse effects from multiple stressors on food production and environmental outcomes rather than confounding the two interactive functions, while the risk scores and ranks generated for each sub-region, stressor and endpoint can pave the way for detailed and targeted governances. In addition, the identification of PAC can highlight areas for future cropland expansion. The proposed framework can provide important insights and tools for avoiding institutional conflicts regarding land-management governance. Due to the simplicity and comparability, it can not only be applicable to our particular site, but also be used for different locations or downscaled to a landscape level. [Display omitted] • Food production and ecological conservation are often regarded as separate and incompatible goals by decision-makers. • We propose a systematic framework to assess current land-management practices and specify future priorities. • The framework offers a prioritization mechanism to formulate targeted strategies under multiple decision-making scenarios. • Relative risk model (RRM) has great potential to be used in identifying decision priorities. • The framework meets decision-maker demands to prioritize future land-management practices from macro perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, tantalum and its oxide films were deposited onto titanium substrates using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition, with the aim to combine the favorable properties of tantalum surface layers and titanium bulk materials. Elemental composition of titanium deposited tantalum and its oxide films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectrum. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to investigate the corrosion resistance of the samples and the results indicated that better corrosion resistance was obtained after the deposition of tantalum and its oxide films, which was attributed to the more stable tantalum oxide in the surface passive film. Bioactivity of titanium was improved after the deposition of tantalum and its oxide films, as bone-like apatite was able to form on the surfaces of titanium with tantalum and its oxide films soaked in simulated body fluid for 28days. Moreover, MC3T3 cells were able to proliferate very well on the surfaces of samples, indicating that the excellent cytocompatibility of titanium substrates was maintained after the deposition of tantalum and its oxide films. The advantageous properties of titanium with tantalum and its oxide films implied that they are potential biomaterials for orthopaedic and dental implants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The contributions of drought to vegetation phenology are determined for different time scales. • Summer SM has a strong control on prolongation of LOS in plain areas of the Mongolian Plateau. • The sensitivities of vegetation phenology to droughts decreased with soil depths. • EOS was more sensitive to short-term drought as compared with SOS. Soil moisture (SM) plays a paramount role in maintaining plant growth. However, the understanding of the influences of SM dynamics on vegetation phenology is still insufficient. This is especially true for the arid and semi-arid regions, where moisture is the main limiting factor for vegetation growth. Therefore, by selecting the typical arid and semi-arid Mongolian Plateau as the study region, we evaluated the dynamics of SM and drought characterized by the standardized soil moisture index (SSMI) from 1982 to 2019 based on SM product derived from the fifth generation of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Re-Analysis (ERA5). Their impacts on vegetation phenological indices, including the start of the growing season (SOS), the end of the growing season (EOS), and the length of the growing season (LOS), were further investigated. Our results showed that SM in the growing season had experienced a significant negative trend accompanying with the increment of SM droughts. A significantly abrupt change of SM occurred around 2000. The influences of SM on vegetation phenology displayed strong seasonal variations and weakened with soil depths. Except for some alpine areas in northwestern and southeastern parts and areas with artificial plantations, negative correlations between spring SM and SOS were generally found in the Mongolian Plateau, indicating that a decreasing SM was not conductive to an earlier SOS. Most plain areas showed a positive correlation between summer SM and EOS, while the relationship became stronger in autumn. Summer SM also had a strong control on prolonging the growing season. Furthermore, vegetation phenology was sensitive to drought, with a higher sensitivity in the EOS. Our findings have derived a better understanding on the effects of climate change, but also provided vital references to maintain sustainable development of ecosystems for the Mongolian Plateau and other arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The osteoblast-like UMRIO6 cells were employed as an osteoblast model, and the effect of the aerial parts of Epirnediurn korean urn Nakai extracts on cell proliferation was studied. The ethyl acetate fraction from the crude extract was found to have the maximal stimulating activity. Three flavonoid compounds (icariside II, icariin, and epimedin B) were isolated from this fraction by activity-guided assay, and their effects on cell pro liferation was investigated. Icariin produced the most significant promoting effect on UMR 106 cell proliferation. The results suggested that Epirnediurn korean urn extracts might have potential activity against osteoporosis, and its ethyl acetate fraction might contain active constituents stimulating osteoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itampolin A, a natural brominated tyrosine alkaloid isolated from the sponge Iotrochota purpurea, has been shown to have good inhibitory effects in lung cancer cells as a p38α inhibitor. A simple, sensitive, and reliable ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method has been established, validated, and applied to the study of the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of itampolin A following intragastric and intravenous administration. Itampolin A and theophylline (internal standard, IS) were extracted by the simple protein precipitation technique using methanol as the precipitating solvent. Chromatographic separation was achieved by using the optimized mobile phase of a 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile in the gradient elution mode. Itampolin A and IS were detected and quantified using positive electrospray ionization in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with transitions of m/z 863.9 → 569.1 for itampolin A and m/z 181.1 → 124.1 for IS, respectively. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 1–1600 ng/mL for itampolin A in biological samples and the low limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL. Non-compartmental pharmacokinetic parameters indicated that itampolin A was well-absorbed into the systemic circulation and rapidly eliminated after administration. The apparent distribution volume of itampolin A was much higher after intragastric administration than that after intravenous administration. A tissue distribution study showed that itampolin A could be detected in different tissues and maintained a high concentration in the lung, which provided a material basis for its effective application in lung cancer. The pharmacokinetic process and tissue distribution characteristics of imtapolin A were expounded in this study, which can provide beneficial information for the further research and clinical application of itampolin A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming and intense human activity are altering the net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions where vegetation ecosystems are sensitive to climate change, including the Mongolian Plateau (MP). To deepen the understanding of the dynamics of vegetation and its driving factors on the MP, the actual NPP (ANPP) of the MP from 2000 to 2019 was estimated based on a modified Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The Thornthwaite Memorial and Guangsheng Zhou models were applied concurrently to estimate the potential NPP of the vegetation, and different scenarios were constructed to evaluate quantitatively the impact of climate change and human activity on the vegetation productivity of our study area. The results showed that the carbon sequestration capacities of various vegetation types in the MP differ, with forest > cropland > grassland > wetland. The NPP increased significantly during 2000–2019. Most areas showed a continuous and stable change in vegetation ANPP, with the current trend in variation mainly reflected in the continuous improvement of vegetation. In general, restoration of vegetation was prominent in the MP, and human activities affected more than 30% of vegetation restoration. The ANPP was positively correlated with temperature and precipitation, the latter of which had a more significant effect. Desertification management, restoration of cropland to forest and grassland, afforestation and reasonable grazing activities were the main human activities performed to restore vegetation. This study is expected to advance the theoretical understanding of ecological protection and sustainable development in the MP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture (SM) plays a crucial role in the dynamics of coupled atmosphere, water, energy, and carbon cycles. In this study, the spatiotemporal distribution and variations of SM in the Mongolian Plateau were investigated for the period of 1982–2018 based on four gridded SM datasets. Taking the observed SM from 33 monitoring stations as a reference, the reliability of these four gridded products was validated, and the three-cornered hat (TCH) method was also applied to evaluate their uncertainties. Major results indicated that all these four products underestimated the SM in this region at different levels. The ERA-Interim SM performed much better than other three products, with a higher R of 0.53 and lower ubRMSE of 0.0378 m3·m−3. Except for ECV, the surface SM exhibited a decreasing trend at −0.0004 to −0.0008 m3·m−3/decade in the warm season (from April to October) over the past 37 years. The greatest decreases in SM occurred in the summer season. Precipitation change plays a more important role in explaining the variations of SM than temperature reported by partial correlation analysis. The results of this study will benefit our understanding of the climate change effects and the protection of the ecological systems in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrous acid (HONO), as a major precursor of the hydroxyl radical (OH), plays an importantrole in tropospheric photochemistry. Due to the low OH concentration, the heterogeneousconversion of NO2 is known as the primary source of HONO at night. Nevertheless, theconversion process primarily occurs on ground surface or aerosol surface is still controversial.Therefore, we measured simultaneously vertical profiles of HONO and NO2 using theincoherent broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS) which wasmounted on a mobile carriage of the 325-m meteorological observation tower in winterin Beijing [116˚ 23&#x2019;05"N, 39˚ 58&#x2019;55"E]. The carriage ascended and descendedat a rate of 0.16 ms−1 with a height limit of 240m at night, and the full verticalprofiles were measured within 1h. The time resolution of IBBCEAS was 15s (verticalresolution of 2.4m for this work) and measured the mean concentration within 2.4m.For comparison with HONO at the ground, another IBBCEAS with measurementtime resolution of 30s was mounted in a temperature-stabilized container on theground. During the entire measurement periods, based on the level of PM1.0, four differentmeteorological conditions were characterized including the clean period (P2), the transitionalperiod (P3) and the haze periods (P1 and P4). The vertical distribution of HONO is consistentwith stratification in several hundred meters of atmosphere at night. The analysis of verticalprofiles of HONO and the contribution of aerosol surface to the production of nocturnalHONO revealed that the heterogeneous conversion of NO2 on ground surface is primarysource of nocturnal HONO, and the significant HONO production on aerosol surfaces couldbe excluded at the measurement site. Acknowledgements. This work was supported by National Nature of Science Foundationof China (Grant Nos. 911544104, 41571130023). We are grateful to the team ofInstitute of Atmospheric Physics for their support, which enabled the vertical profileobservation. We also thank to researcher Pingqing Fu, researcher Yele Sun and theirgroups for providing the meteorological parameters, PM1.0 and other parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This work proposes a robot‐assisted augmented reality (AR) surgical navigation system for mandibular reconstruction. The system accurately superimposes the preoperative osteotomy plan of the mandible and fibula into a real scene. It assists the doctor in osteotomy quickly and safely under the guidance of the robotic arm. Methods: The proposed system mainly consists of two modules: the AR guidance module of the mandible and fibula and the robot navigation module. In the AR guidance module, we propose an AR calibration method based on the spatial registration of the image tracking marker to superimpose the virtual models of the mandible and fibula into the real scene. In the robot navigation module, the posture of the robotic arm is first calibrated under the tracking of the optical tracking system. The robotic arm can then be positioned at the planned osteotomy after the registration of the computed tomography image and the patient position. The combined guidance of AR and robotic arm can enhance the safety and precision of the surgery. Results: The effectiveness of the proposed system was quantitatively assessed on cadavers. In the AR guidance module, osteotomies of the mandible and fibula achieved mean errors of 1.61 ± 0.62 and 1.08 ± 0.28 mm, respectively. The mean reconstruction error of the mandible was 1.36 ± 0.22 mm. In the AR‐robot guidance module, the mean osteotomy errors of the mandible and fibula were 1.47 ± 0.46 and 0.98 ± 0.24 mm, respectively. The mean reconstruction error of the mandible was 1.20 ± 0.36 mm. Conclusions: The cadaveric experiments of 12 fibulas and six mandibles demonstrate the proposed system's effectiveness and potential clinical value in reconstructing the mandibular defect with a free fibular flap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources have an important role in maintaining ecological fuctions and sustaining social and economic development. This is especially true in arid and semi-arid areas, where climate change has a large impact on water resources, such as in Xinjiang, China. Using a combination of precipitation and temperature bias correction methods, we analyzed projected changes in different hydrological components in nine high-alpine catchments distributed in Xinjiang using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The impacts of elevation, area and aspect of the catchments were analyzed. The results suggested an overall warming and wetting trend for all nine catchments in the near future, with the exception of summer precipitation decreasing in some catchments. The total runoff discharge, evapotranspiration and snow/ice melting will generally increase. Warming temperature plays a more important role in the changes of each hydrological component than increasing precipitation. However, northern Xinjiang was more sensitive to predicted precipitation changes than southern Xinjiang. These results also indicate that the overall increases in water resources are not sustainable, and the impacts of climate change are associated with the elevation, area and slope aspect of the catchments. Unlabelled Image • The elevation, area and aspect of catchments affect the extent of impacts. • The impact of warming on discharge will change from positive into negative. • The overall increases in water resources in Xinjiang, China are not sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arid and semi‐arid areas in Central Asia have scarce water resources and fragile ecosystems that are especially sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. Reliable information regarding future projections of change in climate is crucial for long‐term planning of water resources management and structural adjustment of agriculture in this region. However, the low‐density meteorological observation network brings great challenges for investigating the effects of climate variations. In this study, variations of precipitation and temperature in Central Asia were examined by a combination of gridded climate dataset of the Climate Research Unit and the latest general circulation models (GCMs) under a representative concentration pathway 4.5. Three downscaling methods, Delta, Advanced Delta, and Bayesian model averaging (BMA) methods, translate the coarse GCMs to local climatic variations for the period 2021–2060 relative to 1965–2004. Major results suggested that the Advanced Delta and BMA methods outperformed the Delta method in precipitation downscaling. Projected precipitation exhibited a general increasing trend at a rate of 4.63 mm/decade for entire Central Asia with strong spatiotemporal heterogeneity. While a declining trend was observed in the southwestern and central parts of Central Asia in summer. The projected temperature was revealed an obvious ascending at 0.37°C/decade, while the warming rate accelerated in higher latitude and mountainous areas. [Correction added on 03 December 2018, after first online publication: The preceding statement has been corrected in this version.] The surface land coverage had significant effects on the variations of precipitation and temperature, respectively. The driven factors of local climate were suggested by analysing the relationships between climate variations and large‐scale atmospheric circulation fields anomalies. The findings of this study aims to provide useful information to improve our understanding for future climate change and benefit local decision makers. The performance of three downscaling methods in terms of precipitation and temperature from general circulation model (GCM) outputs were compared in this study. The relationships between climatic variations and different land cover types were detected based on Land‐Use and Land‐Cover Change (LUCC) and NDVI datasets. The possible drivers of local climatic variations were also suggested by analysing the relationships between local climatic variations and large‐scale atmospheric circulation fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, multiple disturbances have significantly altered terrestrial ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly on the Mongolian Plateau (MP). Net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation is an essential component of the surface carbon cycle. As such, it characterizes the state of variation in terrestrial ecosystems and reflects the productive capacity of natural vegetation. This study revealed the complex relationship between the natural environment and NPP in the ecologically fragile and sensitive MP. The modified Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model was used to simulate vegetation NPP. Further, the contributions of topography, vegetation, soils, and climate to NPP's distribution and spatiotemporal variation were explored using the geographic detector model (GDM) and structural equation model (SEM). The study's findings indicate the following: (1) NPPs for different vegetation types in the MP were in the order of broad-leaved forest > meadow steppe > coniferous forest > cropland > shrub > typical steppe > sandy land > alpine steppe > desert steppe. (2) NPP showed an increasing trend during the growing seasons from 2000 to 2019, with forests providing larger vegetation carbon stocks. It also maintained a more stable level of productivity. (3) Vegetation cover, precipitation, soil moisture, and solar radiation were the key factors affecting NPP's spatial distribution. NPP's spatial distribution was primarily explained by the normalized difference vegetation index, solar radiation, precipitation, vegetation type, soil moisture, and soil type (q -statistics = 0.86, 0.71, 0.67, 0.67, 0.57, and 0.57, respectively); the contribution of temperature was small (q -statistics = 0.26), and topographic factors had the least influence on NPP's distribution, as their contribution amounted to less than 0.20. (4) A SEM constructed based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), solar radiation, precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture explained 17% to 65% of the MP's NPP variations. The total effects of the MP's NPP variations in absolute values were in the order of NDVI (0.47) > precipitation (0.33) > soil moisture (0.16) > temperature (0.14) > solar radiation (0.02), and the mechanisms responsible for NPP variations differed slightly among the relevant vegetation types. Overall, this study can help understand the mechanisms responsible for the MP's NPP variations and offer a new perspective for regional vegetation ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snow is one of the important water sources for vegetation growth in the Mongolian Plateau, and temporal and spatial changes to it have a profound impact on terrestrial vegetation phenology. In recent years, due to global climate change, the snow associated with the different vegetation types of the Mongolian Plateau has changed substantially, and the mechanism of the resulting change in the vegetation growth date needs to be studied. To address this issue, we used the modified Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model was to estimate the start of growing season net primary productivity (SOSNPP) for different types of vegetation over the Mongolian Plateau from 2001 to 2019. An extensive study of the spatial changes in the SOSNPP and the responses reflected by the winter snow cover fraction (SCFWinter), spring snow melting date (SMDSpring), and SOSNPP to influencing factors is of great significance for ecosystem maintenance. We observed: (1) Different vegetation types exhibited similar changes; SCFWinter underwent a significant decrease of −0.2%, and SMDSpring followed a slow downward trend of −0.59 day of the year (DOY)/year for the whole study area. (2) In the Mongolia Plateau, SOSNPP showed a trend of significant decrease of −0.53 DOY/year. (3) The local hydrothermal condition coupling relationship effect on different vegetation types. Spring temperature (TEMSpring) has a direct effect on vegetation SOSNPP, with a path coefficient of −0.09 in the Mongolian Plateau. SCFWinter and SMDSpring were shown through a path analysis to employ different effects on vegetation SOSNPP. SMDSpring has a direct effect on vegetation SOSNPP, with a path coefficient of 0.53. (4) The SMDSpring and PRESpring factors have a significant impact on vegetation SOSNPP, and they account for 21.11% and 21.26% of the whole study area SOSNPP, respectively. This study is expected to promote the examination of the snow phonological parameters of different related vegetation types and theoretical research on SOSNPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) modified material was generally governed by the dose of the particles or their capability to release silver ions. Here, it was found that Ag NPs acted against microbes by cooperating with tantalum oxide (TAO) in a Schottky barrier dependent manner. Size tunable Ag NPs were in situ fabricated and immobilized on TAO coating by a silver plasma immersion ion implantation process (Ag PIII). The antibacterial efficacy of these Ag NPs was reversely dependent on their size, that is large particles (~20 nm) were more efficiency than small ones (~10 nm) in defeating the invasion by bacteria. The result is consistent with the prediction of Schottky-Mott theory, which rectified the electron transfer nature across the interfaces between Ag NPs and the TAO substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airport emissions have received increased attention because of their impact on atmospheric chemical processes, the microphysical properties of aerosols, and human health. At present, the assessment methods for airport pollution emission mainly involve the use of the aircraft emission database established by the International Civil Aviation Organization, but the emission behavior of an engine installed on an aircraft may differ from that of an engine operated in a testbed. In this study, we describe the development of a long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy (LP-DOAS) instrument for measuring aircraft emissions at an airport. From 15 October to 23 October 2019, a measurement campaign using the LP-DOAS instrument was conducted at Hefei Xinqiao International Airport to investigate the regional concentrations of various trace gases in the airport's northern area and the variation characteristics of the gas concentrations during an aircraft's taxiing and take-off phases. The measured light path of the LP-DOAS passed through the aircraft taxiway and the take-off runway concurrently. The aircraft's take-off produced the maximum peak in NO2 average concentrations of approximately 25 ppbV and SO2 average concentrations of approximately 8 ppbV in measured area. Owing to the airport's open space, the pollution concentrations decreased rapidly, the overall levels of NO2 and SO2 concentrations in the airport area were very low, and the maximum hourly average NO2 and SO2 concentrations during the observation period were better than the Class 1 ambient air quality standards in China. Additionally, we discovered that the NO2 and SO2 emissions from the Boeing 737–800 aircraft monitored in this experiment were weakly and positively related to the age of the aircraft. This measurement established the security, feasibility, fast and non-contact of the developed LP-DOAS instrument for monitoring airport regional concentrations as well as NO2 and SO2 aircraft emissions during routine airport operations without interfering with the normal operation of the airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising implantable material, poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) possesses similar elastic modulus to that of cortical bones yet suffers from bio-inertness and poor osteogenic properties, which limits its application as orthopedic implants. In this work, calcium is introduced onto PEEK surface using calcium plasma immersion ion implantation (Ca-PIII). The results obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirm the modified layer with varying contents of calcium are formed on PEEK surfaces. Water contact angle measurements reveal the increasing hydrophobicity of both Ca-PIII treated surfaces. In vitro cell adhesion, viability assay, alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen secretion analyses disclose improved the adhesion, proliferation, and osteo-differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (bMSCs) on Ca-PIII treated surfaces. The obtained results indicate that PEEK surface with enhanced osteogenic activity can be produced by calcium incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stable operation of transformers is an important guarantee of power system security. The temperature distribution of main insulation is different in long‐term operation. The temperature difference between the local hottest spot temperature and the average oil temperature in the transformer exceeds 30 K. Therefore, the oil‐paper insulation inside the transformer will exhibit non‐uniform ageing after long‐term operation. At present, frequency domain dielectric response (FDS) technology is widely used in transformer ageing assessment. However, the existing assessment methods are only used for overall insulation ageing assessment. The average moisture content and polymerization degree of the overall insulation between each phase winding are obtained. But it still cannot be used to assess the non‐uniform ageing of the transformer's main insulation. The radial, axial, and two directions non‐uniform ageing models have been made in the laboratory in this study. The FDS and physicochemical properties of non‐uniform ageing models were tested. The variation law of FDS for non‐uniform ageing models was analysed. Meanwhile, the dielectric relaxation model of non‐uniform ageing for main insulation was established. The method of frequency division iterative calculation was proposed. Combined with the Fessler moisture balance formula of ageing oil‐paper insulation, the quantitative assessment method for ageing parameters of the non‐uniform ageing model can be realized. Compared the calculated results with the chemical analysis results, the relative error of the polymerization degree calculation is less than 4%, and the error of the moisture content calculation is less than 0.3%. The calculation results can meet the needs of the engineering apply. Therefore, this method can realize the quantitative assessment of transformer main insulation ageing, which is of great significance to assess the transformer insulation state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A ravined structure was constructed on PEEK for the first time. [•] Hydroxyl groups were introduced onto PEEK surface through water PIII. [•] Aging of the PIII-treated polymer was inhibited by storage in water. [•] Water PIII modified PEEK exhibits excellent cytocompatibility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The proprietary Chinese medicine Jinkui Shenqi Pill (PCM-JKSQP) is a classic compound used for the effective clinical treatment of kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS), a metabolic disease accompanied by kidney injury. However, its active ingredients and therapeutic mechanisms are not clear. This study employed serum pharmacochemistry, network pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics (PK) to identify the bioactive components of PCM-JKSQP and preliminarily clarify its mechanism in treating KYDS. One hundred and forty chemical components of PCM-JKSQP, 47 (20 parent compouds and 27 metabolites) of which were absorbed into the blood, were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC - Q - Orbitrap HRMS). The topological parameters of network pharmacology and high concentrations in blood found six parent components as PK markers (cinnamic acid, paeonol, loganin, morroniside, apigenin, and poricoic acid A). PK analysis further identified these six compounds as active ingredients. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and molecular docking simulation predicted and verified eight core targets (TP53, ESR1, CTNNB1, EP300, EGFR, AKT1, ERBB2, and TNF). Most were concentrated in the MAPK, HIF-1, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, indicating that these six active ingredients may mainly exert therapeutic effects through these three pathways via their core targets. The PK results also showed these six components were absorbed quickly, although cinnamic acid and paeonol were rapidly metabolized, with a short half-life and retention time. Loganin and morroniside did not have high peak concentrations, and apigenin and poricoic acid A had long retention times. This study provides a new overall perspective for exploring the bioactive components and mechanisms underlying the effects of PCM-JKSQP in treating KYDS. [Display omitted] • Using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HMRS, 140 components of PCM-JKSQP were identified, 47 of which were absorbed into the blood. • According to network pharmacology and high concentrations in blood, six prototype components were screened as PK markers. • Through PK analysis, these six compounds were further identified as active ingredients. • These six components may primarily exert effects through eight core targets concentrated in the three signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To improve the bioactivity and cytocompatibility of biomedical titanium dioxide coating, many efforts have been made to modify its surface composition and topography. Meanwhile, CaSiO3 was commonly investigated as coating material on titanium implants for fast fixation and firm implant-bone attachment due to its demonstrated bioactivity and osteointegration. In this work, gradient TiO2/CaSiO3 coating on titanium was prepared by a two-step procedure, in which porous and nanostructured TiO2 coating on titanium was prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation in advance, and then needle and flake-like CaSiO3 nanocrystals were deposited on the TiO2 coating surface by electron beam evaporation. In view of the potential clinical applications, apatite-forming ability of the TiO2/CaSiO3 coating was evaluated by simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion tests, and MG63 cells were cultured on the surface of the coating to investigate its cytocompatibility. The results show that deposition of CaSiO3 significantly enhanced the apatite-forming ability of nanostructured TiO2 coating in SBF. Meanwhile, the MG63 cells on TiO2/CaSiO3 coating show higher proliferation rate and vitality than that on TiO2 coating. In conclusion, the porous and nanostructured TiO2/CaSiO3 coating on titanium substrate with good apatite-forming ability and cytocompatibility is a potential candidate for bone tissue engineering and implant coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Titanium embedded with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using a single step silver plasma immersion ion implantation (Ag-PIII) demonstrate micro-galvanic effects that give rise to both controlled antibacterial activity and excellent compatibility with osteoblasts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that nanoparticles with average sizes of about 5 nm and 8 nm are formed homogeneously on the titanium surface after undergoing Ag-PIII for 0.5 h and 1 h, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that those nanoparticles are metallic silver produced on and underneath the titanium surface via a local nucleation process from the solid solution of α-Ti(Ag). The Ag-PIII samples inhibit the growth of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli while enhancing proliferation of the osteoblast-like cell line MG63. Electrochemical polarization and Zeta potential measurements demonstrate that the low surface toxicity and good cytocompatibility are related to the micro-galvanic effect between the Ag NPs and titanium matrix. Our results show that the physico-chemical properties of the Ag NPs are important in the control of the cytotoxicity and this study opens a new window for the design of nanostructured surfaces on which the biological actions of the Ag NPs can be accurately tailored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, plasma sprayed nano-titania/silver coatings were deposited on titanium substrates to obtain an implant material having excellent antibacterial property. The surface characteristics of nano-titania/silver coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometer, optical emission spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The bioactivity of nano-titania/silver coatings was examined by simulated body fluid soaking test. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was examined by bacterial counting method. The cytocompatibility and in vitro osteotoxicity was evaluated by alamarBlue™ Assay using MG-63 osteoblasts. The results showed that nano-titania/silver coatings still had good bioactivity. Silver existed homogeneously in the nano-titania coating as silver oxide and metal silver, which ensured a sustained release of silver for 28 days. The loaded silver had no obvious osteotoxicity, while showed strong inhibition against the growth of Escherichia coli. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We present an improved incoherent broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS) system based on an iterative retrieval algorithm for the simultaneous detection of atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The conventional IBBCEAS retrieval algorithm depends on the absolute change in the light intensity, which requires high light source stability and the stable transmission of the light intensity of all optical components. The new algorithm has an iterative module to obtain the effective absorption optical path length, and the concentrations of HONO and NO2 are then determined by differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) retrieval; thus, the method is insensitive to the fluctuation in the absolute light intensity. The robustness of the system is verified by simulating the influence of the relative change in the light intensity on the spectral retrieval results. The effect of nitrogen purging in front of the cavity mirrors on shortening the actual cavity length was measured and corrected using NO2 gas samples. Allan deviation analysis was conducted to determine the system stability, and it indicated that the detection limits (2σ) of HONO and NO2 are 0.08 and 0.14 ppbv at an integration time of 60 s respectively. Furthermore, Kalman filtering was used to improve the measurement precision of the system. The measurement precision at an integration time of 3 s can be improved 4.5-fold by applying Kalman filtering, which is equivalent to the measurement precision at an integration time of 60 s without applying Kalman filtering. The atmospheric HONO and NO2 concentrations were observed by the IBBCEAS system based on an iterative algorithm and were compared with values measured by conventional IBBCEAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arid and semi-arid areas of Central Asia are especially susceptible and vulnerable to climatic change, thus making understanding the relationship between extreme climate and vegetation dynamics in recent decades very important. Based on the maximum value composite, trend analysis, Mann-Kendall test, correlation analysis, and cross-correlation analysis, this study investigated the variations of extreme climatic indices and their influences on vegetation dynamics using the Unified Gauged-Based Analysis data from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) series of 1982–2015. In general terms, it is suggested that Central Asia has experienced more extreme precipitation and high temperature events, especially in the mountainous regions. The vegetation in Central Asia has significantly increased during the past 34 years at a rate of 0. 0006 ⋅ year - 1 . The NDVI is significantly and positively related to extreme precipitation and temperature intensity indices on a monthly scale, with strong spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The influences of extreme precipitation indices mainly occurred in May and June, without time lag on a monthly scale, while extreme temperatures exhibited significant relationship with maximum NDVI in April, with a time lag of at least 1 month. Analyzing the relationship between extreme climatic factors and vegetation dynamics on a monthly scale can help us to better understand the main limiting factors for vegetation growth in different growth periods compared with those on an annual scale. In the most severely affected regions, adaptation methods must be initiated, especially for improving the speed of disaster relief and reducing socioeconomic losses. The findings of this study will provide vital information for the ecological protection and sustainable development of Central Asia. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To develop and validate a novel RNA-seq-based nomogram for preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM) for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods. RNA-seq data for 276 OSCC patients (including 157 samples with LNM and 119 without LNM) were downloaded from TCGA database. Differential expression analysis was performed between LNM and non-LNM of OSCC. These samples were divided into a training set and a test set by a ratio of 9 : 1 while the relative proportion of the non-LNM and LNM groups was kept balanced within each dataset. Based on clinical features and seven candidate RNAs, we established a prediction model of LNM for OSCC using logistic regression analysis. Tenfold crossvalidation was utilized to examine the accuracy of the nomogram. Decision curve analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical utility of the nomogram. Results. A total of 139 differentially expressed RNAs were identified between LNM and non-LNM of OSCC. Seven candidate RNAs were screened based on FPKM values, including NEURL1, AL162581.1 (miscRNA), AP002336.2 (lncRNA), CCBE1, CORO6, RDH12, and AC129492.6 (pseudogene). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the clinical N stage (p < 0.001) was an important factor to predict LNM. Moreover, three RNAs including RDH12 (p value < 0.05), CCBE1 (p value < 0.01), and AL162581.1 (p value < 0.05) could be predictive biomarkers for LNM in OSCC patients. The average accuracy rate of the model was 0.7661, indicating a good performance of the model. Conclusion. Our findings constructed an RNA-seq-based nomogram combined with clinicopathology, which could potentially provide clinicians with a useful tool for preoperative prediction of LNM and be tailored for individualized therapy in patients with OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While mountain runoff provides great potential for the development and life quality of downstream populations, it also frequently causes seasonal disasters. The accurate modeling of hydrological processes in mountainous areas, as well as the amount of meltwater from ice and snow, is of great significance for the local sustainable development, hydropower regulations, and disaster prevention. In this study, an improved model, the Soil Water Assessment Tool with added ice-melt module (SWATAI) was developed based on the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), a semi-distributed hydrological model, to simulate ice and snow runoff. A temperature condition used to determine precipitation types has been added in the SWATAI model, along with an elevation threshold and an accumulative daily temperature threshold for ice melt, making it more consistent with the runoff process of ice and snow. As a supplementary reference, the comparison between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the quantity of meltwater were conducted to verify the simulation results and assess the impact of meltwater on the ecology. Through these modifications, the accuracy of the daily flow simulation results has been considerably improved, and the contribution rate of ice and snow melt to the river discharge calculated by the model increased by 18.73%. The simulation comparison of the flooding process revealed that the accuracy of the simulated peak flood value by the SWATAI was 77.65% higher than that of the SWAT, and the temporal accuracy was 82.93% higher. The correlation between the meltwater calculated by the SWATAI and the NDVI has also improved significantly. This improved model could simulate the flooding processes with high temporal resolution in alpine regions. The simulation results could provide technical support for economic benefits and reasonable reference for flood prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Er:YAG laser and plasma treatment on the bond strength between Y-TZP and resin cement. Sixty yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) specimens were fabricated and randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10): control group (group A); Sandblasting treatment (group B); Er:YAG laser group (group C); Ar plasma group (group D); Sandblasting + Ar plasma group (group E); and Er:YAG laser + Ar plasma group (group F). The surface of each zirconia specimen was tested using a contact angle meter, profilometer, and scanning electron microscope, and the shear bonding strength (SBS) was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed with One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) combined with a least significant difference (LSD) test. The surface morphology showed no difference between group A and group D, with smooth surfaces and shallow scratches after polishing. The surface roughness value of group C was 2.58 ± 0.14μm and was not significantly different from that of group F (P > 0.05), was higher than that of group A (P < 0.05). The SBS of group B was not significantly different from that of group D (P > 0.05). The hydrophilicity, carbon and oxygen contents, and SBS of group E were similar to those of group F (P > 0.05) and significantly higher than those of groups A, B, C, and D (P < 0.05). The Er:YAG laser and Ar plasma treatment can improve the bonding strength between zirconia and resin cement, and mechanical treatment followed by Ar plasma surface modification is more effective. • Effect of Er: YAG Laser and Plasma Treatment on the Bond Strength of zirconia. • The mechanical treatment followed by Ar plasma surface modification works better. • Ar plasma treatment enhances the hydrophilicity on the Y-TZP surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the development of an instrument for simultaneous fast measurements of glyoxal (CHOCHO) and NO2 based on incoherent broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS) in the 438–465 nm wavelength region. The highly reflective cavity mirrors were protected from contamination by N2 purge gas. The reduction of the effective cavity length was calibrated by measuring collision-induced oxygen absorption at ∼477 nm of pure oxygen gas input with and without the N2 mirror purge gas. The detection limits of the developed system were evaluated to be 23 parts per trillion by volume (pptv, 2 σ) for CHOCHO and 29 pptv (2 σ) for NO2 with a 30 s acquisition time. A potential cross-interference of NO2 absorption on accurate CHOCHO measurements has been investigated in this study, as the absorption of NO2 in the atmosphere could often be several hundred-fold higher than that of glyoxal, especially in contaminated areas. Due to non-linear spectrometer dispersion, simulation spectra of NO2 based on traditional convolution simulation did not match the measurement spectra well enough. In this work, we applied actual NO2 spectral profile measured by the same spectrometer as a reference spectral profile in subsequent atmospheric spectral analysis and retrieval of NO2 and CHOCHO concentrations. This effectively reduced the spectral fitting residuals. The instrument was successfully deployed for 24 d of continuous measurements of CHOCHO and NO2 in the atmosphere in a comprehensive field campaign in Beijing in June 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A dual dynamic chamber system combined with incoherent broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS) was first developed to measure nitrous acid (HONO) emission fluxes from agricultural fields in the North China Plain. The concentrations of HONO were measured with two IBBCEAS instruments in the sample and blank chambers, respectively. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of flux measurement, before the dynamic chamber system was deployed in an agricultural field, the correlation and accuracy of the two IBBCEAS instruments were tested, and the mixing uniformity of the gas in the chamber was verified. Within a week after fertilization, the observed HONO flux exhibited a pronounced diurnal variation profile with a maximum of 20.25 ng N m−2 s−1 at noontime and a minimum of −0.86 ng N m−2 s−1 in the early morning, one order of magnitude higher than the flux observed in previously reported literature from fields. During this period, the concentrations of HONO in both of the chambers was higher in the daytime than that nighttime, and the concentration of HONO in blank chamber reached the maximum of 18.88 ppbv at noon on the 5th day after fertilization. HONO and NO 2 in the sample chambers showed opposite diurnal profiles. The field observation results suggested that the high HONO flux is mainly from the direct emission of soil rather than from the heterogeneous reaction of NO 2. Agricultural fertilization will affect the balance of the HONO budget, and then affect the atmospheric oxidation in the North China Plain. Highlights • A dynamic chamber system was first applied to measure HONO flux from farmland. • Peak HONO emission was found after fertilization in farmland. • The observed HONO flux exhibited a pronounced diurnal variation profile. • The N-fertilized soils have a strong potential for HONO emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaseous nitrous acid (HONO) is an important source of OH radicals in the troposphere. However, its source, especially that during daytime hours remains unclear. We present an instrument for simultaneous unambiguous measurements of HONO and NO2 with high time resolution based on incoherent broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS). To achieve robust performance and system stability under different environment conditions, the current IBBCEAS instrument has been developed with significant improvements in terms of efficient sampling as well as resistance against vibration and temperature change, and the IBBCEAS instrument also has low power consumption and a compact design that can be easily deployed on different platforms powered by a high-capacity lithium ion battery. The effective cavity length of the IBBCEAS was determined using the absorption of O2-O2 to account for the "shortening" effect caused by the mirror purge flows. The wall loss for HONO was estimated to be 2.0% via a HONO standard generator. Measurement precisions (2σ) for HONO and NO2 are about 180 and 340 ppt in 30 s, respectively. A field inter-comparison was carried out at a rural suburban site in Wangdu, Hebei Province, China. The concentrations of HONO and NO2 measured by IBBCEAS were compared with a long optical path absorption photometer (LOPAP) and a NOx analyzer (Thermo Fisher Electron Model 42i), and the results showed very good agreement, with correlation coefficients (R2) of HONO and NO2 being ~ 0:89 and ~ 0:95, respectively; in addition, vehicle deployments were also tested to enable mobile measurements of HONO and NO2, demonstrating the promising potential of using IBBCEAS for in situ, sensitive, accurate and fast simultaneous measurements of HONO and NO2 in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The fragile ecosystem, scarce water resources, and limited ecosystem resilience of Xinjiang, China make the region especially vulnerable to climate change. Researchers need reliable analyses of climate change trends to formulate regional mitigation and adaption strategies and to support sustainable development. Therefore, two statistical downscaling methods and the combination of a Mann–Kendall test with Co‐Kriging interpolation were used to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of climate change in Xinjiang based on the ensemble of 37 general circulation models (GCMs) in 2021–2060. The reliabilities of single run and ensemble downscaling results of GCMs were evaluated by 69 meteorological stations over the period 1965–2004. The correlation coefficients (CC) with the observations for precipitation and temperature ranged between 0.4–0.8 and 0.9–0.99 in the reference period, respectively. CC improved to 0.87 and was close to 1 after downscaling for precipitation and temperature, respectively. A pronounced increase of ca. 0.27–0.51 °C decade−1 was projected overall, and especially for Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 in northern Xinjiang. In general, the precipitation changed by −1.66 to 6.83% decade−1 while varying seasonally and spatially; a declining tendency emerged in the western regions of Xinjiang during summer. More extreme rainfall events are predicted to occur in summer and autumn months, while warmer extremes would be concentrated in August. The climate in Xinjiang will continue to become warmer and wetter. Nevertheless, Western Xinjiang will experience a warmer and drier climate in summer and autumn. These projections of climate change in the near future are able to provide useful information for the development of potential mitigation measures and adaptation strategies. Multiple circulation mechanisms are also suggested accounting for the changes in precipitation and temperature which will benefit the understanding of the possible drivers of climate variability in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous study, we reported a series of 1-hydroxy-2-phenyl-1 H -imidazole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives that presented excellent in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory potency. As a continuation study, a series of 1-hydroxy-2-phenyl-1 H -imidazole derivatives containing a pyridine moiety ( 4a-g and 5a-g ) at the 4-position was designed and synthesized. Evaluation of in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibition demonstrated that the 4a-g series was more potent than the 5a-g series. Compound 4f was the most promising derivative in the series with an IC 50 value of 0.64 μM. A Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that compound 4f acted as a mixed-type xanthine oxidase inhibitor. An iso -pentyloxy group at the 4′-position improved the inhibitory potency. More interestingly, structure-activity relationship analysis indicated that the pyridine para -N atom played a crucial role in the inhibition. Molecular modeling provided a reasonable explanation for the structure-activity relationships observed in this study. In addition, a three dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships model which possessed reasonable statistics (q 2  = 0.885 and r 2  = 0.993) was conducted to further understand the structural basis of these compounds as xanthine oxidase inhibitors. These compounds, especially compound 4f , have good potential for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hernandezine, a novel anticancer AMPK activator, is a major active constituent of Thalictrum Ranunculaceae . A simple, specific and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for the quantification of hernandezine in rat plasma and tissues after intravenous administration. Sample preparation was carried out through a protein-precipitation extraction with acetonitrile using tetrandrine as internal standard (IS). The chromatographic separation was achieved by using an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C 18 column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile and water (containing 10 mM ammonium acetate) in an isocratic elution way. The mass spectrometry (MS) analysis was conducted in positive ionization mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions at m / z 653.4 → 411.2 for hernandezine and m / z 623.3 → 381.3 for tetrandrine (IS). Calibration curves were linear over the ranges of 20.0–4000 ng/ml f or both plasma samples and tissue samples (r > 0.991). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 20.0 ng/ml. The intra-day and inter-day precision (RSD%) were less than 14.0%, while the accuracy was ranged from 85.2% to 114.9%. Finally, this developed method was successfully applied in the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of hernandezine after intravenous administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, attention has been paid to the restoration and conservation of desert riparian vegetation along the middle stream of the Tarim River. Quantifying the effects of the water transport dike on the ecological habitat of this riparian vegetation is fundamental to providing additional theoretical support to both researchers and policy makers. In this study, we conduct an analysis on the changes in the fractional vegetation cover gradient on both sides of the water transport dike in the middle stream of the Tarim River. This study also investigates the spatial-temporal changes in the fractional vegetation cover along the middle stream of the Tarim River, and the spatial variation in the rate of change from 2000 to 2013. Furthermore, this paper analyses the characteristics of the fractional vegetation cover under the influence of two types of ecological brakes. The findings reveal (1) a trend of declining fractional vegetation cover on both sides of the middle stream from 2000 to 2013, with the rates along the northern the southern banks being −0.2278 yr −1 and −0.0294 yr −1 , respectively, (2) and overall, decreasing trend in the fractional vegetation cover with distance from the river channel along at two sections in the years 2000 and 2013. No obvious differences were observed inside the water transport dike. However, the effect of the water transport dike began from 1 km to 2.5 km, the range from 2.5 km to 13 km was mainly influenced by the dike on the northern bank of the Yingbazha-Osman, while the effect of the water transport dike on the southern bank of the Yingbazha-Osman, began from 1.5 km and gradually increased until 4.5 km. The area from 4.5 km–10 km was primarily affected by the water transport dike and reached a highly steady state at 10 km, which persisted until 30 km. The fractional vegetation cover in the years 2000 and 2013 were similar for Osman-Korla, especially on the southern bank, but fluctuations appeared on the northern bank. (3) fractional vegetation cover change rate showed different characteristics outside the water transport dike; different types of ecological brakes also imposed different effects on both sides of the river channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rapid development of zinc biology has broadened the applications of Zn-incorporated biomaterials to tissue engineering but also raised concerns about the long-term safety of released Zn2+ ions. Clinical success hinges on the amount of incorporated zinc and subsequent optimized release sufficient to stimulate osseointegration. In this study, zinc is incorporated into the sub-surface of TiO2 coatings by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D). The Zn-implanted coatings show significant improvement compared to the “bulk-doped” coatings prepared by plasma electrolyte oxidation in terms of osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Molecular and cellular osteogenic activities demonstrate that rBMSCs cultured on the Zn-implanted coatings have higher ALP activity and up-regulated osteogenic-related genes (OCN, Col-I, ALP, Runx2) compared to the bulk-doped Zn coatings and controls. In vivo osseointegration studies conducted for 12 weeks on the rat model show early-stage new bone formation and the bone contact ratio (12 week) on the Zn-implanted coating is larger. The ZnT1 and ZIP1 gene expression studies demonstrate that the Zn-implanted coatings can better stimulate bone growth with reduced Zn release than those doped with zinc throughout the coatings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]