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Abstract In this work we discuss the neutrino mass dependent nuclear matrix element (NME) of the neutrinoless double beta decay process and derive the limit on the parameter space of the minimal Type-I seesaw model from the current available experimental data as well as the future sensitivities from the next-generation experiments. Both the explicit many-body calculations and naive extrapolations of the mass dependent NME are employed in the current work. The uncertainties of the theoretical nuclear structure models are taken into account. By combining the latest experimental data from 76Ge-based experiments, GERDA and MAJORANA, the 130Te-based experiment, CUORE and the 136Xe-based experiments, KamLAND-Zen and EXO-200, the bounds on the parameter space of the minimal Type-I seesaw model are obtained and compared with the limits from other experimental probes. Sensitivities for future experiments utilizing 76Ge-based (LEGEND-1000), 82Se-based (SuperNEMO), 130Te based (SNO+II) and 136Xe-based (nEXO), with a ten-year exposure, are also derived.

Abstract Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) is widely used in particle and nuclear physics. Specifically in liquid scintillator detectors, PSD facilitates the classification of different particle types based on their energy deposition patterns. This technique is particularly valuable for studies of the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB), nucleon decay, and dark matter searches. This paper presents a detailed investigation of the PSD technique, applied in the DSNB search performed with the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). Instead of using conventional cut-and-count methods, we employ methods based on boosted decision trees and neural networks and compare their capability to distinguish the DSNB signals from the atmospheric neutrino neutral-current background events. The two methods demonstrate comparable performance, resulting in a 50–80% improvement in signal efficiency compared to a previous study performed for JUNO (An et al. [JUNO] in J Phys G 43(3):030401, 2016). Moreover, we study the dependence of the PSD performance on the visible energy and final state composition of the events and find a significant dependence on the presence/absence of $$^{11}$$ 11 C. Finally, we evaluate the impact of the detector effects (photon propagation, PMT dark noise, and waveform reconstruction) on the PSD performance.

In this work, we introduce the theoretical framework of the phonon-mediated Migdal effect for neutrino-nucleus scattering in semiconductors, considering both the Standard Model and the presence of the neutrino magnetic moment. We calculate the rate of electron excitation resulting from the Migdal effect and observe a substantial coherent enhancement compared to ordinary neutrino-electron scattering. Furthermore, we provide numerical sensitivities for detecting the Migdal effect and constraints on the neutrino magnetic moment, utilizing an experimental setup with reactor neutrinos.

The duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV), an emerging flavivirus, has led to severe neurological disorders and substantial economic losses in the duck industry throughout Asia. Considering South Korea’s increasing duck production and its strategic location along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, this study aimed to assess the presence of DTMUV in South Korea to evaluate potential risks to the poultry industry. We performed a comprehensive serological survey of 1796 serum samples from broiler and breeder ducks collected between 2011 and 2023, alongside molecular detection tests on 51 duck flocks exhibiting suspected clinical signs of DTMUV infection. The absence of serological and molecular evidence for DTMUV or other flavivirus infections suggests that these viruses have not yet affected South Korean duck populations. These findings underscore the critical need for ongoing surveillance, given the virus’s potential to disrupt agriculture and pose public health risks. The study also emphasizes the importance of maintaining stringent biosecurity measures and conducting further research to monitor and prevent DTMUV transmission, particularly due to the possible role of migratory birds and other vectors in spreading zoonotic diseases.

Abstract The theoretical framework of the neutrino electron excitation at low energies including the screening effect in semiconductor detectors is developed for the first time, both in the Standard Model of particle physics and in the presence of the neutrino magnetic moment. We apply the framework of the non-relativistic effective theory on the neutrino electron scattering and explore the contribution of the screening effect of semiconductors to the neutrino electron excitation based on the linear response theory. We calculate the corresponding numerical results with the popular silicon and germanium targets and show that excitation rates from the neutrino magnetic moment are dramatically enhanced by the screening effect and the sensitivity can be significantly improved to the level of 10 −13 μ B, much better than the current best limits from the laboratory and astrophysical probes.

The oxidation of benzylic alcohols is an important transformation in modern organic synthesis. A plethora of photoredox protocols have been developed to achieve the aerobic oxidation of alcohols into carbonyls. Recently, several groups described that ultraviolet (UV) or purple light can initiate the aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols in the absence of an external catalyst, and depicted different mechanisms involving the photoinduction of •O2− as a critical reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, based on comprehensive mechanistic investigations, including control experiments, radical quenching experiments, EPR studies, UV–vis spectroscopy, kinetics studies, and density functional theory calculations (DFT), we elucidate here that HOO•, which is released via the H2O2 elimination of α-hydroxyl peroxyl radicals [ArCR(OH)OO•], serves as the real chain carrier for the autocatalytic photooxidation of benzylic alcohols. The mechanistic ambiguities depicted in the precedent literature are clarified, in terms of the crucial ROS and its evolution, the rate-limiting step, and the primary radical cascade. This work highlights the necessity of stricter mechanistic analyses on UV-driven oxidative reactions that involve aldehydes’ (or ketones) generation.

Objectives The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. Material and Methods The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7–14 years, living in 2007–2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted (“hot spot”) areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Results Children living near industrial “hot-spots” had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4–1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6–2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 μg/l and 0.15 μg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the “hot spot” areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6–2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9–2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 μg/l and 16.3 μg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 μg/l and 71 μg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg “hot spot” areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7–3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2–1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 μg/l and 3.23 μg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences. Conclusions These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(3):349–64

IntroductionPersonal care products (PCPs) contain a number of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that could potentially affect the reproductive function in women of childbearing age. However, studies focused on the effects of PCPs use on reproductive outcomes are very limited. The current study aimed to explore the relationships between PCPs use patterns and reproductive outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment.MethodsA total of 1500 women from the Tongji Reproductive and Environmental (TREE) study between December 2018 and January 2020 were included in this study. Participants provided characteristics of PCPs use within the previous three months. Retrieved oocyte number, mature oocyte number, two distinct pronuclei (2PN) zygote number, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate, implantation, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth were followed up as reproductive endpoints. Generalized linear regression model was utilized to assess the associations between various categories of PCPs use and reproductive endpoints of IVF/ICSI.ResultsAfter adjusting for relevant covariates, women who used skin care products ≥14 times per week had a reduction of 22.4% in the maturation rate (95% CI: -39.2%, -1.6%) compared to participants who did not use skin care products. After transferring fresh embryos, women who used cosmetics 1–2 times per week (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.8) or 3–7 times per week (adjusted OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2) had a higher possibility of miscarriage than those who did not use cosmetics. There was negative association between the use of gel or soap and the cleavage rate among women aged < 30 years old (P for interaction = 0.01). Among women with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, the use of gel or soap was negatively associated with the blastocyst formation rate (P for interaction = 0.04), while cosmetics use was negatively associated with the maturation rate (P for interaction = 0.001).ConclusionOur findings suggest that the use of PCPs in women of reproductive age have a potential adverse impact on IVF/ICSI outcomes, particularly skin care and cosmetic products.

Background: Experimental studies have shown that disinfection byproducts (DBPs) induce coagulotoxicity, but human evidence is scarce. Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships of DBP exposures with blood coagulation parameters. Methods: Among 858 women from the Tongji Reproductive and Environmental (TREE) study, urinary dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) were detected as internal biomarkers of DBP exposures. We measured activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fbg), international normalized ratio (INR), prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT) as blood coagulation parameters. Multivariable linear regression models were utilized to estimate the relationships between urinary DCAA and TCAA and blood coagulation parameters. The effect modifications by demographic and lifestyle characteristics were further explored. Results: Elevated tertiles of urinary DCAA concentrations were associated with increased PT and INR (11.29%, 95% CI: 1.66%, 20.92% and 0.99%, 95% CI: 0.08%, 1.90% for the third vs. first tertile, respectively; both P for trends < 0.05). Stratification analysis showed that the positive associations were only observed among younger (< 30 years), leaner (body mass index < 24.0 kg/m2), and non-passive smoking women. Moreover, elevated tertiles of urinary TCAA concentrations in positive associations with PT and INR were observed among younger women (17.89%, 95% CI: 2.50%, 33.29% and 1.82%, 95% CI: 0.34%, 3.30% for the third vs. first tertile, respectively; both P for trends < 0.05) but not among older women (both P for interactions < 0.05). Conclusion: Higher levels of urinary DCAA and TCAA are associated with prolonged clotting time among women.

Many studies have showed that phthalates have reproductive and embryonic toxicity, while the potential mechanisms are mostly unknown. Inflammation may play a mediating part in phthalate exposure and adverse reproductive endpoints. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate the associations of phthalate metabolites with inflammatory cytokines in the follicular fluid (FF) of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). We determined the levels of eight phthalate metabolites and five cytokines in the FF of 76 women, including interleukin (IL)- 6, IL-8, IL-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The associations of individual phthalate exposure with cytokines in FF samples were explored by multiple linear regression. We further evaluated the combined effects of multiple phthalate exposures on FF levels of cytokines by using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models. We found that there was a positive relationship between mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) and IL-6 in the FF (percent change:12.4%; 95% CI: 1.3%, 24.9%). In contrast, elevated mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and %MEHP levels were associated with decreased MCP-1. In the BKMR models, phthalate metabolite mixtures were positively associated with TNF-α when the mixtures were lower than 65th percentile compared with their medians. In the stratified analyses, MEHP was inversely associated with MCP-1 among women with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 (test for interaction

Summary: A better understanding of the molecular mechanism involving the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network underlying radiation damage can be beneficial for radioprotection. This study was designed to investigate the potential role of lncRNA NEAT1, miR-147 and Phosphoinositide Dependent Protein Kinase 1 (PDPK1) interaction in radioprotection by troxerutin (TRT). We first demonstrated that NEAT1 sponged miR-147, and PDPK1 mRNA was the primary target of miR-147. In the cells, the NEAT1 and PDPK1 levels were downregulated after the radiation but increased after the treatment with TRT. The miR-147 level was significantly induced by radiation and inhibited by TRT. NEAT1 negatively regulated the expression of miR-147, whereas miR-47 targeted PDPK1 to downregulate its expression. In radioprotection, TRT effectively upregulated NEAT1 to inhibit miR-147 and to upregulate PDPK1. We concluded that TRT could promote radioprotection by stimulating NEAT1 to upregulate PDPK1 expression by suppressing miR-147. NEAT1 could be a critical therapeutic target of radiation damage.

IntroductionTo investigate whether rescue in vitro maturation (R-IVM) improves the reproductive outcomes among women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) after one oocyte retrieved cycle.MethodsBetween January 2019 and December 2020, 2602 women who underwent ICSI in the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China, were included in our retrospective cohort study. There were 2112 women undergoing only ICSI and 490 women with R-IVM followed by ICSI. The intermediate reproductive outcomes and pregnancy outcomes were assessed, including the number of normally fertilized embryos, number of cleaved embryos, number of good-quality embryos, number of day-3 available embryos, number of embryos cultured past day-3, number of blastocysts, number of available blastocysts, biochemical pregnancy, miscarriage, clinical pregnancy and live birth. The perinatal outcomes were also assessed, including preterm birth and birth weight. The abovementioned outcomes were also calculated for in vivo matured and R-IVM oocytes separately in women undergoing ICSI with R-IVM group.Result(s)Compared with the women who underwent only ICSI, those who underwent ICSI with R-IVM had higher numbers of MII oocytes, normally fertilized embryos, cleaved embryos, day-3 available embryos, embryos cultured past day-3, and higher oocyte maturation rate, available embryo rate than women undergoing only ICSI. Additionally, we found that women undergoing ICSI with R-IVM had an increased chance of clinical pregnancy (adjusted OR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.17–1.93) and cumulative live birth (adjusted OR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.07–1.71). After propensity score matching (PSM), the cumulative live birth rate was 60.1% for women undergoing ICSI with R-IVM versus 54.9% for women undergoing only ICSI (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 0.94–1.63). The reproductive outcomes were also significantly different when calculated for in vivo matured and R-IVM oocytes separately in women undergoing ICSI with R-IVM group. All live births from R-IVM embryos were healthy and without malformations or complications.ConclusionR-IVM may improve the reproductive outcomes of women undergoing ICSI. It may also provide a reference for the safety of R-IVM. This study maybe support a routine application of R-IVM among patients who intend to undergo ICSI.

We discuss the contribution of right-handed neutrinos (RHNs) to the effective neutrino mass of the neutrinoless double beta decay within the minimal type-I seesaw model using the intrinsic seesaw relation of neutrino mass and mixing parameters and the relative mass dependence of the nuclear matrix elements. In the viable parameter space, we find the possibilities of both the enhancement and cancellation to the effective neutrino mass from RHNs. The bounds on the parameter space of the RHNs can be determined with the effective neutrino mass extracted from neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subtype of lung malignant tumor. Conventional chemotherapy has a suboptimal effectiveness. PSC has the characteristics of rapid disease progression and poor prognosis. We herein report a 56-year-old male patient with substantial smoking history was pathologically diagnosed as PSC, cT4N0M0 IIIA stage. Peripheral blood NGS showed TP53 mutation. The patient had poor tolerance to the first-line chemotherapy regimen “albumin paclitaxel + cisplatin,” but the severe anemia was significantly improved after 5 days of anti-angiogenic therapy with Anlotinib. At this time, the patient received anti-PD-1 immunotherapy with Tislelizumab. Half a month later, degree III liver injury occurred repeatedly. After excluding drug-induced liver injury, we found that HCV-RNA 3.10 × 105 IU/ml and suspended all anti-tumor therapy. After the start of anti-HCV treatment with Epclusa, the treatment of Tislelizumab combined with Anlotinib was restarted, and there was no liver injury after that. The patient received monthly maintenance therapy with Tislelizumab combined with Anlotinib to the present. The pulmonary lesions continued to decrease, and only one lung cavity is left. The patient has achieved clinical complete remission (CCR) with PSF over 20 months. Our findings suggest that Tislelizumab combined with Anlotinib may be a preferred strategy in PSC complicating TP53 mutation. Core tip: Immune-check point inhibitors (ICIs) have been reported for the treatment of PSC in a small number of case reports and retrospective analysis, but there are few reports of ICIs combined with anti-angiogenic drugs. This patient was diagnosed as locally advanced PSC complicated with TP53 mutation and hepatitis C. After 14 cycles of Tislelizumab combined with Anlotinib treatment (during the course of treatment, several courses were not treated on time for economic reasons, rather than adverse reactions), the patient has achieved CCR. III degree liver injury occurred during the treatment, and the liver function returned to normal range after anti-hepatitis C treatment, which did not affect the continued treatment of this regimen.

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) remains a global public health threat. Hence, more effective and specific antivirals are urgently needed. Here, COVID‐19 hyperimmune globulin (COVID‐HIG), a passive immunotherapy, is prepared from the plasma of healthy donors vaccinated with BBIBP‐CorV (Sinopharm COVID‐19 vaccine). COVID‐HIG shows high‐affinity binding to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) spike (S) protein, the receptor‐binding domain (RBD), the N‐terminal domain of the S protein, and the nucleocapsid protein; and blocks RBD binding to human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). Pseudotyped and authentic virus‐based assays show that COVID‐HIG displays broad‐spectrum neutralization effects on a wide variety of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, including D614G, Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Kappa (B.1.617.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529) in vitro. However, a significant reduction in the neutralization titer is detected against Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants. Additionally, assessments of the prophylactic and treatment efficacy of COVID‐HIG in an Adv5‐hACE2‐transduced IFNAR−/− mouse model of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection show significantly reduced weight loss, lung viral loads, and lung pathological injury. Moreover, COVID‐HIG exhibits neutralization potency similar to that of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 hyperimmune globulin from pooled convalescent plasma. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of COVID‐HIG against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and provide reference for subsequent clinical trials.

Dark matter (DM) direct detection experiments are entering the multiple-ton era and will be sensitive to the coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering (CEνNS) of solar neutrinos, enabling the possibility to explore contributions from new physics with light mediators at the low energy range. In this paper we consider light mediator models (scalar, vector and axial vector) and the corresponding contributions to the solar neutrino CEνNS process. Motivated by the current status of new generation of DM direct detection experiments and the future plan, we study the sensitivity of light mediators in DM direct detection experiments of different nuclear targets and detector techniques. The constraints from the latest 8B solar neutrino measurements of XENON-1T are also derived. Finally, we show that the solar neutrino CEνNS process can provide stringent limitation on the Lμ−Lτ model with the vector mediator mass below 100 MeV, covering the viable parameter space of the solution to the (g−2)μ anomaly.

Abstract Introduction The MHC‐peptide interaction has a subtle influence on host resistance to virus. This paper aims to study the relationship between MHC‐peptide interaction and MHC‐related virus‐resistance. Methods By 3D homology modeling, the structure of chicken BF2 molecule BF2*0201 (PDB code: 4d0d) was studied and compared with the known structures of BF2 molecule BF2*0401 (PDB code: 4e0r) to elucidate the characteristics of BF2*0201‐binding antigenic peptides. Results The results show that due to the amino acid difference between the two binding groove of 4e0r and 4d0d, the size of the binding groove of the two are 1130 ų and1380 ų respectively, indicating the amino acid species that 4e0r binding peptide has lower selectivity than 4d0d; and because of large side chain conformation of Arg (especially Arg111) of 4e0r replaced by small side chain Tyr111 of 4d0d, the volume of central part of the binding groove of 4d0d is obviously larger than that of 4e0r, indicating that the restrictive of binding antigenic peptides for 4d0d is narrower than that of 4e0r; and on account of the chargeability of the binding groove of the two are different, namely the binding groove chargeability of 4e0r (strong positive polarity) and 4d0d (weak negative polarity). Conclusion There are generally more peptides presented by the BF2 of B2 haplotype than by that of B4 haplotype, leading to more resistance of B2 than that of B4 to virus.

BackgroundWe aimed to develop and validate a new nomogram for predicting the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).MethodsA retrospective study enrolled 553 patients with AIS treated with IVT. The patients were randomly divided into two cohorts: the training set (70%, n = 387) and the testing set (30%, n = 166). The factors in the predictive nomogram were filtered using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance of the nomogram was assessed based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsAfter multivariable logistic regression analysis, certain factors, such as smoking, National Institutes of Health of Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio (BUN/Cr), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), were found to be independent predictors of ICH and were used to construct a nomogram. The AUC-ROC values of the nomogram were 0.887 (95% CI: 0.842–0.933) and 0.776 (95% CI: 0.681–0.872) in the training and testing sets, respectively. The AUC-ROC of the nomogram was higher than that of the Multicenter Stroke Survey (MSS), Glucose, Race, Age, Sex, Systolic blood Pressure, and Severity of stroke (GRASPS), and stroke prognostication using age and NIH Stroke Scale-100 positive index (SPAN-100) scores for predicting ICH in both the training and testing sets (p < 0.05). The calibration plot demonstrated good agreement in both the training and testing sets. DCA indicated that the nomogram was clinically useful.ConclusionsThe new nomogram, which included smoking, NIHSS, BUN/Cr, and NLR as variables, had the potential for predicting the risk of ICH in patients with AIS after IVT.

Mercury (Hg) brings adverse effects to the environment and human beings and inorganic mercury (IHg) is a typical hepatic toxin. This work studied the impacts of IHg on gut microbes and metabolome together with its damage to liver and gut in rats through gut microbiome, metabolomics and metallomics. Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were orally exposed to 0.4 μg/mL IHg and sacrificed after 24 h. It was found that IHg perturbed greatly on the gut microbiota, such as increased pathogenic bacteria like G. bacillus. In addition, IHg also changed gut-liver axis related metabolites, which was confirmed by the secretion of a large number of inflammatory factors in both the gut and the liver. The changed gut-liver axis related metabolites correlated well to the changes of gut microbiome. In all, besides the direct deposition in liver of Hg, the perturbance to gut microbiome and alteration of gut-liver axis related metabolites by IHg also contributed to its hepatoxicity, which provides new insights about the hepatoxicity of chemicals. The strategy applied in this work may also be used to understand the hepatoxicity of other chemicals.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy fields is a serious health concern because of its high toxicity and widespread pollution. Recently, much progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms involved in Cd uptake, transport, and transformation from paddy soils to rice grains, aiming to mitigate the associated health risk; however, these topics have not been critically reviewed to date. Here, we summarized and reviewed the (1) geochemical distribution and speciation of Cd in soil-rice systems, (2) mobilization, uptake, and transport of Cd from soil to rice grains and the associated health risks, (3) pathways and transformation mechanisms of Cd from soil to rice grains, (4) transporters involved in reducing Cd uptake, transport, and accumulation in rice plants, (5) factors governing Cd bioavailability in paddy, and (6) comparison of remediation approaches for mitigating the environmental and health risks of Cd contamination in paddy fields. Briefly, this review presents the state of the art about the fate of Cd in paddy fields and its transport from soil to grains, contributing to a better understanding of the environmental hazards of Cd in rice ecosystems. Challenges and perspectives for controlling Cd risks in rice are thus raised. The summarized findings in this review may help to develop innovative and applicable methods for controlling Cd accumulation in rice grains and sustainably manage Cd-contaminated paddy fields.

As typical transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC), tungsten selenide (WSe2) nanosheets (nano-WSe2) are widely used in various fields due to their layered structures and highly tunable electronic and magnetic properties, which results in the unwanted release of tungsten (W) and selenium (Se) into the environment. However, the environmental effects of nano-WSe2 in plants are still unclear. Herein, we evaluated the impacts and fate of nano-WSe2 and micro-WSe2 in rice plants (Oryza sativa L.). It was found that both nano-WSe2 and micro-WSe2 did not affect the germination of rice seeds up to 5000 mg/L but nano-WSe2 affected the growth of rice seedlings with shortened root lengths. The uptake and transportation of WSe2 was found to be size-dependent. Moreover, W in WSe2 was oxidized to tungstate while Se was transformed to selenocysteine, selenomethionine, SeIV and SeVI in the roots of rice when exposed to nano-WSe2, suggesting the transformation of nano-WSe2 in rice plants. The exposure to nano-WSe2 brought lipid peroxidative damage to rice seedlings. However, Se in nano-WSe2 did not contribute to the synthesis of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) since the latter did not change when exposed to nano-WSe2. This is the first report on the impacts and fate of nano-WSe2 in rice plants, which has raised environmental safety concerns about the wide application of TMDCs, such as WSe2 nanosheets.

Abstract. Background. Large-nerve fiber dysfunction, as assessed by vibration perception threshold (VPT) predicts risks of ulceration, amputation, and mortality in diabetes. Serum uric acid (UA) is closely associated with various metabolic disorders, especially diabetes. Thus, we sought to investigate the clinical relevance of UA to large-nerve fiber dysfunction, among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods. Medical records of consecutive patients with T2D who were admitted to Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus between May 2014 and December 2016 were collected. Data for the 824 eligible patients included in the final analysis were extracted using a structured form. A VPT value ≥15 in either foot was defined as abnormal. We compared the clinical characteristics between patients with abnormal VPT and those with normal VPT (VPT value 420 μmol/L; females >360 μmol/L) was associated with a reduced risk of abnormal VPT (odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39–0.91; P

The terpene-conjugated curcuminoid bisabolocurcumin ether (BCE) is a newly identified bioactive curcuminoid, but its abundance in different Curcuma species is unknown. We developed an efficient MCI-gel-based method to purify BCE from C. longa, and established BCE fragmentation pathways under ESI-MS/MS. The abundances of BCE curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin determined in C. longa rhizomes from Thailand, Indonesia, and China, C. longa roots from China, and C. phaeocaulis rhizomes from China. The abundance of the four compounds varied significantly, not only among different Curcuma species and cultivation regions, but also among different parts of the same species. BCEs were only detected in C. longa from Thailand and China, and in C. longa roots. C. longa from Thailand showed the highest abundance of curcuminoid [average 85.07 mg/g] and BCE [average 0.64 mg/g]. Moreover, BCE and three curcuminoids showed anti-inflammatory potential, as evidenced by the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced production of nitric oxide in macrophages.

Solid lubricants are described as solid materials of intentionally introduced or in situ formed on contact surfaces in relative motion for the purpose of lowering friction and wear and providing protection from damage. Solid lubricants and advanced self-lubricating materials are widely used in modern industries, especially in aerospace, aviation, automotive, metallurgy, materials forming, and machining industries, and have attracted great interest in lubrication applications under very severe circumstances such as elevated temperatures, heavy loads, ultrahigh vacuum, extreme radiation, strong oxidation, and chemical reactivity environments. Many efforts have been made to develop self-lubricating composites by a variety of material preparation techniques, which include powder metallurgy, physical/chemical vapor depositions, thermal spraying, electrodeposition, laser cladding, and additive manufacturing. Although several reviews on the development of high-temperature solid lubricants have been published, most of them only focus on a type of material, a specific process, or application. In this paper, a comprehensive review is provided to present the state-of-the-art progress in solid lubricants, self-lubricating composites/coatings, and their effective functions that can be used over a wide variety of environmental conditions, especially at elevated temperatures. The solid lubricants considered include representative soft metals, layered structure materials (e.g., graphite, hexagonal boron nitride, transition metallic dichalcogenides, MAX phase), chemically stable fluorides, binary or ternary metallic oxides, especially alkaline earth chromates, and sulfates, and synergistic effects from these solid lubricants. This paper also provides new insights into design considerations of environmental adaptive solid lubrication, and the challenges and potential breakthroughs are further highlighted for high-temperature solid lubrication applications.

Background: Phthalates, which are used as excipients of drugs, have been related to adverse reproductive outcomes. However, the relationships between medication use and phthalate exposure among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) have not been studied. Objective: To investigate the associations between the medication intake and phthalate metabolites in urine and follicular fluid (FF). Method: Eight phthalate metabolites were measured in urine and FF samples from 274 women undergoing IVF using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Information on recent medication intake was obtained via interview by trained staff. We constructed generalized linear regression models to examine the associations of medication intake with phthalate metabolite concentrations and dose-response relationships between the number of medicines used and metabolite concentrations in two matrices. Results: Four of 10 drugs were used by more than 10% of the participants, including vitamins (23.0%), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM, 22.3%), antioxidants (12.4%) and amoxicillin (10.2%). Participants who had used TCM had 26.0% (95% CI: 0.0, 58.8%), 32.6% (95% CI: 4.2, 68.8%) and 32.3% (95% CI: 2.6, 70.6%) higher urinary mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) concentrations, respectively, than those who had not. Antioxidant intake was associated with a 30.6% (95% CI: −48.5, −6.6%) decrease in the urinary MBP concentration. Compared with non-users, women who reported the use of medicines had 53.2% (95% CI: 2.7, 128.5%) higher concentrations of MMP and a 37.7% (95% CI: −60.7, −1.5%) lower level of MBP in FF, respectively. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the intake of some medications may increase phthalate exposure among women undergoing IVF.

New ab initio calculations of the isotopic reactor antineutrino fluxes are provided with exact numerical calculations of the lepton wave functions, assuming all the decay branches are allowed GT transitions. We illustrate that the analytical Fermi function and finite size effect each could have the largest spectral deviation of O(10%), whereas the effect of their combination could result in spectral deviations at the level of 5%—10%. Meanwhile, we also find that several forms of the extended charge distributions have negligible effects on the spectral variation. Using the state-of-the-art nuclear databases, compared to usual ab initio calculations using the analytical single beta decay spectrum, our new calculation shows sizable but opposite spectral deviations at the level of 2%—4% for the cumulative antineutrino and electron energy spectra which may partially contribute to the observed spectral excess in the high energy antineutrino range. Finally we observe that the bias of analytical beta decay spectrum approximation is rather universal for all the four fissionable isotopes.

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals. It can migrate around the globe and magnify through the food chain, ultimately harming human health. Urinary Hg reflects recent exposure of Hg, which reflects the status of environmental contamination by Hg. This review summarized the levels and presented temporal trends of urinary Hg in Chinese people (both the general public and the occupationally exposed people) reported from 1970s to 2010s. It was found that urinary Hg levels in 92.3% of the reported population were less than the reference value (10.0 µg/L) recommended by Chinese health authority, while 76.9% were less than the reference value (4.0 µg/L) recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) in the general public in China. For the temporal trend from 1970s to 2010s, the urinary Hg levels in the general public in China were found to decrease gradually. In the occupationally exposed people, the urinary Hg levels generally exceeded the reference value (10.0 µg/L) for the general public, and about half of them were higher than the occupational exposure limit (35.0 µg/g creatinine) set by Chinese Occupational Health Standard (WS/T 265 - 2006). From 1970s to 2010s, the urinary Hg levels in occupationally exposed population increased first and then decreased slowly. Hg miners in Guizhou were found to have the highest urinary Hg levels, while workers in Anhui, Chongqing, Qinghai and Shanxi also had high levels of urinary Hg. In all, the urinary Hg levels in both the general public and the occupationally exposed people decreased from 1970s to 2010s, especially in recent decades. Attention should be paid to occupationally exposed people since high levels of urinary Hg were found in them. The message provided in this review can help better understand the situation of Hg burden in Chinese people and lay a basis for the coming effectiveness evaluation on the implementation of Minamata Convention on Mercury.Capsule abstract: The urinary Hg levels in both the general public and the occupationally exposed people in China are decreasing.

Background and Aims: The best treatment modalities for elderly patients with stage I–II HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) remain controversial in an era of a shortage of liver donors.Methods: From the SEER database (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program), 2,371 elderly patients were sampled as Cohort 1. OS (Overall Survival) and CSS (Cancer-Specific Survival) were compared between the Non-surgery and Surgery groups. A stratification analysis in a CSS Cox model was also conducted among sub-groups, and propensity score matching was performed to generate Cohort 2 (746 pairs), reducing the influences of confounders.Results: For Cohort 1, the median follow-up times of the Non-surgery and Surgery groups were 11 months (95% CI, confidence interval: 9.74–12.26) vs. 49 months (44.80–53.21) in OS, and 14 months (12.33–15.67) vs. 74 months (64.74–83.26) in CSS, respectively. In the stratification analysis, for the elderly patients (age >= 70 years), Larger Resection was associated with a higher HR (hazard ratio) than Segmental Resection: 0.30 (95% CI, confidence interval: 0.22–0.41) vs. 0.29 (0.21–0.38) in 70–74 year-olds; 0.26 (0.18–0.38) vs. 0.23 (0.16–0.32) in 75–79 year-olds; 0.32 (0.21–0.49) vs. 0.21 (0.13–0.32) in those 80+ years old. For Cohort 2, a similar result could be seen in the CSS Cox forest plot. The HRs of Larger Resection and Segmental Resection were 0.27 (0.21–0.33) and 0.25 (0.20–0.31), respectively.Conclusions: It is cautiously recommended that, when liver transplantation is not available, segmental or wedge liver resection is the better treatment choice for elderly patients with stage I–II HCC (AJCC edition 6), especially those over 70 years old, compared with other surgeries, based on the SEER data.

The advent of gadolinium-loaded Super-Kamiokande (SK-Gd) and of the soon-to-start JUNO liquid scintillator detector marks a substantial improvement in global sensitivity for the Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background (DSNB). The present article reviews the detector properties most relevant for the DSNB searches in both experiments and estimates the expected signal and background levels. Based on these inputs, we evaluate the sensitivity of both experiments individually and combined. Using a simplified statistical approach, we find that both SK-Gd and JUNO have the potential to reach >3σ evidence of the DSNB signal within 10 years of measurement. Combination of their results is likely to enable a 5σ discovery of the DSNB signal within the next decade.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Fear of Hypoglycemia scale with 15 items (FH-15). Methods: After obtaining the original author's authorization, the English version of the FH-15 scale was translated, back translated, and culturally debugged to obtain the Chinese version of FH-15. A convenient sampling method was used to extract patients with type 2 diabetes from four tertiary hospitals in Tianjin. A total of 408 patients with type 2 diabetes were investigated in the hospital to test the reliability and validity of Chinese version FH-15 scale. Results: The content validity index of the scale was 0.92, and the content validity index of each item was 0.8–1.0. The exploratory factor analysis extracted three common factors (fear, avoidance, and interference), which contained 15 items, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 71.245%. The confirmatory factor analysis results showed that the model fit was better at 1.981 χ2/df, GFI = 0.901, CGI = 0.962, TLI = 0.952, and RMSEA = 0.070. The cut-off value for the total hypoglycemia fear scale was 30.5. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the three dimensions of the scale was 0.918, the Cronbach's α coefficient of each dimension is 0.876–0.916, the test–retest reliability was 0.903, and the test–retest reliability of each factor was 0.733–0.930. Conclusion: The Chinese version of the FH-15 scale can be considered reliable and valid. The item expression is concise, clear, and easy to understand. It is suitable for clinical practice as an initial screening tool to identify and evaluate the severity of fear of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Type 2, Fear, Hypoglycemia, Reliability, Validity

Abstract Shale fractures are an important factor controlling shale gas enrichment and high-productivity zones in the Longmaxi Formation, Jiaoshiba area in eastern Sichuan. Drilling results have, however, shown that the shale fracture density does not have a straightforward correlation with shale gas productivity. Based on logging data, drilling and seismic data, the relationship between shale fracture and shale gas accumulation is investigated by integrating the results of experiments and geophysical methods. The following conclusions have been drawn: (1) Tracer diffusion tests indicate that zones of fracture act as favorable channels for shale gas migration and high-angle fractures promote gas accumulation. (2) Based on the result of azimuthal anisotropy prediction, a fracture system with anisotropy strength values between 1 and 1.15 represents a moderate development of high-angle fractures, which is considered to be favorable for shale gas accumulation and high productivity, while fracture systems with anisotropy strength values larger than 1.15 indicate over-development of shale fracture, which may result in the destruction of the shale reservoir preservation conditions.

If finite but tiny masses of the three active neutrinos are generated via the canonical seesaw mechanism with three heavy sterile neutrinos, the 3×3 Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata neutrino mixing matrix V will not be exactly unitary. This kind of indirect unitarity violation can be probed in a precision reactor antineutrino oscillation experiment, but it may be entangled with terrestrial matter effects as both of them are very small. We calculate the probability of ν‾e→ν‾e oscillations in a good analytical approximation, and find that, besides the zero-distance effect, the effect of unitarity violation is always smaller than matter effects, and their entanglement does not appear until the next-to-leading-order oscillating terms are taken into account. Given a 20-kiloton JUNO-like liquid scintillator detector, we reaffirm that terrestrial matter effects should not be neglected but indirect unitarity violation makes no difference, and demonstrate that the experimental sensitivities to the neutrino mass ordering and a precision measurement of θ12 and Δ21≡m22−m12 are robust.

Abstract Background Phthalates, a class of endocrine disruptors, have been demonstrated to accelerate loss of ovarian follicle pool via disrupting folliculogenesis, and lead to diminished ovarian reserve. However, human data are limited. Here, we aimed to examine whether urinary phthalate metabolites are correlated with markers of ovarian reserve among women attending a fertility clinic. Methods We measured eight phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected from 415 women seeking infertility treatment at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China. Data on measures of ovarian reserve, as indicated by serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B (INHB) levels, were retrieved retrospectively through electronic medical charts. Multivariate linear models were performed to estimate the associations of urinary phthalate metabolites and serum AMH and INHB. We further explored the potential nonlinearity of the relationships with restricted cubic spline analysis. Results Overall, we found largely null associations between urinary phthalate metabolites and serum AMH. The multivariable adjusted differences in serum INHB levels comparing the highest quartile of urinary MEHP to the lowest were − 18.29% (95% CI: − 31.89%, − 1.98%; P-trend = 0.04). Women in the second to fourth quartiles of MEOHP had a significant decrease of − 23.74% (95% CI: −35.85%, − 9.24%), − 19.91% (95% CI: −33.30%, − 3.82%) and − 20.23% (95% CI: −34.43%, − 2.96%), respectively, in INHB levels compared to the first quartile. In the spline analysis, we identified a nonlinear relationship between MEOHP exposure and serum INHB. Conclusions We provided evidence for a negative association between urinary concentrations of certain phthalate metabolites and serum INHB levels, suggesting an adverse effect of phthalates exposure on growing antral follicles. Whether phthalates exposure at environmentally level will pose a risk for ovarian reserve needs further investigation.

The possible existence of light and heavy sterile neutrinos may give rise to direct and indirect unitarity violation of the 3×3 lepton mixing matrix respectively. In the current work we study the potential of future accelerator neutrino facilities in probing the unitarity violation effects. Taking DUNE, T2HK and a low-energy Neutrino Factory (LENF) as working examples of future accelerator neutrino facilities, we study the distinct effects of direct and indirect unitarity violation on the discovery reach of the leptonic CP violation and precision measurements of θ23 in the three neutrino framework. In addition, constraints on the additional mixing parameters of direct and indirect unitarity violation are also discussed. Finally, we stress that the combination of experiments with different oscillation channels, different neutrino beams and different detector techniques will be an effective solution to the parameter degeneracy problem and give the robust measurement of leptonic CP violation even if the direct and indirect unitarity violation are taken into account.

A direction of arrival based (DoA-based) beamforming of massive MIMO was proposed for high-speed railway scenarios.In order to guarantee that the optimal system capacity can be obtained during traveling,an iterative multi-beams scheme was proposed.It aimed to design different beams for different mobile carriage terminals (MCT) respectively.The proposal adaptively selected the number of antennas for each beam,and adaptively designed the number of beams according to system capacity.Moreover,the scheme didn’t need channel state information (CSI) that can reduce system implementation complexity and cost.Numerical results indicate that the proposed scheme is suitable for high-speed scenarios,the system performance can be improved more efficiently compared to conventional methods.

We report the neutrino mass hierarchy (MH) determination of medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments with multiple detectors, where the sensitivity of measuring the MH can be significantly improved by adding a near detector. Then the impact of the baseline and target mass of the near detector on the combined MH sensitivity has been studied thoroughly. The optimal selections of the baseline and target mass of the near detector are ∼12.5 km and ∼4 kton respectively for a far detector with the target mass of 20 kton and the baseline of 52.5 km. As typical examples of future medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments, the optimal location and target mass of the near detector are selected for the specific configurations of JUNO and RENO-50. Finally, we discuss distinct effects of the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum uncertainty for setups of a single detector and double detectors, which indicate that the spectrum uncertainty can be well constrained in the presence of the near detector.

Background. Accumulating evidence indicates that a deficiency in or dysfunction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As different markers have been used to identify Tregs, recent studies on the proportions of Tregs in SLE patients have generated controversial results. To clarify the status of Tregs in such patients, we determined the proportions of Tregs present during development of the disease, with special consideration of controversial cellular markers. Methods. We identified studies reporting the proportions of Tregs in SLE patients by searching relevant databases through March 2018. Using the PRISMA guidelines, we performed a random effects meta-analysis of the frequencies of Tregs defined in different ways. Inconsistency was evaluated using the I-squared index (I2), and publication bias was assessed by examining funnel plot asymmetry using the Begger and Egger tests. Results. Forty-four studies involving 2779 participants were included in the meta-analysis. No significant difference in the proportions of Tregs was evident between 1772 patients and 1007 controls [−0.191, (−0.552, 0.362), p=0.613, I2=95.7%]. We next conducted subanalyses based on individual definitions of Tregs. When the Treg definition included “FOXP3-positive” cells, the proportions did not differ between SLE patients and controls [−0.042, (−0.548, 0.632), p=0.889, I2=96.6%]; this was the case when Tregs were defined as either “CD25low/−FOXP3+” or “CD25high/+FOXP3+” cells. SLE patients had lower proportions of Tregs that were “single CD25-positive” [−1.428, (−1.982, −0.873), p

We discuss reactor antineutrino oscillations with non-standard interactions (NSIs) at the neutrino production and detection processes. The neutrino oscillation probability is calculated with a parametrization of the NSI parameters by splitting them into the averages and differences of the production and detection processes respectively. The average parts induce constant shifts of the neutrino mixing angles from their true values, and the difference parts can generate the energy (and baseline) dependent corrections to the initial mass-squared differences. We stress that only the shifts of mass-squared differences are measurable in reactor antineutrino experiments. Taking Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) as an example, we analyze how NSIs influence the standard neutrino measurements and to what extent we can constrain the NSI parameters.

For the coexistence and increasing interference of satellite-terrestrial network and terrestrial wireless network,a typical scenario where the geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite-terrestrial network and the 4G mobile communication network coexist heterogeneously was analyzed.Besides,a multi-user cognitive system model that secondary satellite terminals interfere the primary multiple input multiple output (MIMO) 4G based stations was also proposed,with whose general signal processing was deduced.Meanwhile,digital beam forming (DBF) technology in 4G based station system was adopted to minimize the cognitive interference caused by multi-antennas and multi-users.And an optimal beam weight based on fixed azimuth interference (OBW-FAI) was proposed.Weight vector was only related to the azimuth of the interferences,thus the proposed algorithm does not need real-time and repeat calculations,and had small complexity.Finally,the numerical simulation results verify that the proposed system and algorithm can effectively reduce interference between satellite-terrestrial network and terrestrial wireless network to a certain extent.

The convergence performance of the fractional-order Darwinian particle swarm optimization (FO-DPSO) al-gorithm depends on the fractional-order α, and it can easily get trapped in the local optima. To overcome such shortcom-ing, an adaptive fractional-order Darwinian particle swarm optimization (AFO-DPSO) algorithm was proposed. In AFO-DPSO, both particle's position and velocity information were utilized adequately, together an adaptive acceleration coefficient control strategy and mutation processing mechanism were introduced for better convergence performance. Testing results on several well-known functions demonstrate that AFO-DPSO substantially enhances the performance in terms of convergence speed, solution accuracy and algorithm stability. Compared with PSO, HPSO, DPSO, APSO, FO-PSO, FO-DPSO and NCPSO, the global optimality of AFO-DPSO are greatly improved.

1-Phenyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2-thienyl)-2-pyrazoline was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction. UV-Vis spectra and fluorescence spectra were measured. Density functional theory calculations on the structure of the title compound were performed at the B3LYP/6-311G** level of theory. NPA atomic charge distributions indicate that, although the S atom in the thienyl ring loses coordination capacity, the title compound still may be used as a potential multi-dentate ligand to coordinate with metallic ions. The calculation of the second order optical nonlinearity was carried out. Natural bond orbital analyses indicate that the electronic absorption bands are mainly derived from the contribution of n → π* and π → π* transitions. Fluorescence spectra determination shows that the title compound is a potential orange-light emitting material.

Sound waves technology has been applied to different plants. It has been found that sound waves were at different frequencies, sound pressure levels (SPLs), exposure periods, and distances from the source of sound influence plant growth. Experiments have been conducted in the open field and under greenhouse growing conditions with different levels of audible sound frequencies and sound pressure levels. Sound waves at 1 kHz and 100 dB for 1 h within a distance of 0.20 m could significantly promote the division and cell wall fluidity of callus cells and also significantly enhance the activity of protective enzymes and endogenous hormones. Sound waves stimulation could increase the plant plasma-membrane H+-ATPase activity, the contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and amylase activity of callus. Moreover, sound waves could increase the content of RNA and the level of transcription. Stress-induced genes could switch on under sound stimulation. Sound waves at 0.1–1 kHz and SPL of (70±5) dB for 3 h from plant acoustic frequency technology (PAFT) generator within a distance ranged from 30 to 60 m every other day significantly increased the yield of sweet pepper, cucumber and tomato by 30.05, 37.1 and 13.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the yield of lettuce, spinach, cotton, rice, and wheat were increased by 19.6, 22.7, 11.4, 5.7, and 17.0%, respectively. Sound waves may also strengthen plant immune systems. It has been proved that spider mite, aphids, gray mold, late blight and virus disease of tomatoes in the greenhouses decreased by 6.0, 8.0, 9.0, 11.0, and 8.0%, respectively, and the sheath blight of rice was reduced by 50%. This paper provides an overview of literature for the effects of sound waves on various growth parameters of plant at different growth stages.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to make an international comparison of blood levels of cadmium (B-Cd), lead (BPb) and mercury (B-Hg) of women in seven European, and three non-European cities, and to identify determinants. Materials and Methods: About 50 women (age: 46–62) from each city were recruited (totally 480) in 2006–2009. Interview and questionnaire data were obtained. Blood samples were analysed in one laboratory to avoid interlaboratory variation. Results: Between the European cities, the B-Pb and B-Cd results vary little (range of geometric means: 13.5–27.0 μg/l and 0.25–0.65 μg/l, respectively); the variation of B-Hg was larger (0.40–1.38 μg/l). Between the non-European cities the results for B-Pb, B-Cd and B-Hg were 19.2–68.0, 0.39–0.99 and 1.01–2.73 μg/l, respectively. Smoking was a statistically signifi cant determinant for B-Cd, while fi sh and shellfi sh intakes contributed to B-Hg and B-Pb, amalgam fi llings also contributed to B-Hg. Conclusions: The present results confi rm the previous results from children; the exposure to lead and cadmium varies only little between different European cities suggesting that other factors than the living area are more important. The study also confi rms the previous fi ndings of higher cadmium and lead levels in some non-European cities. The geographical variation for mercury is signifi cant.

BackgroundPigment epithelium‐derived factor (PEDF), which belongs to the noninhibitory serpin family, has shown the ability to stimulate several physiological processes, such as antiangiogenesis, anti‐inflammation, and antioxidation. In the present study, the effects of PEDF on contractility and calcium handling of rat ventricular myocytes were investigated. Methods and ResultsAdult Sprague‐Dawley rat models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were surgically established. PEDF‐lentivirus was delivered into the myocardium along and away from the infarction border to overexpress PEDF. Video edge detection was used to measure myocyte shortening in vitro. Intracellular Ca2+ was measured in cells loaded with the Ca2+ sensitive fluorescent indicator, Fura‐2‐acetoxymethyl ester. PEDF local overexpression enhanced cardiac functional reserve in AMI rats and reduced myocardial contracture bordering the infracted area. Exogenous PEDF treatment (10 nmol/L) caused a significant decrease in amplitudes of isoproterenol‐stimulated myocyte shortening, Ca2+ transients, and caffeine‐evoked Ca2+ transients in vitro. We then tested a potential role for PEDF receptor‐mediated effects on upregulation of protein kinase C (PKC) and found evidence of signaling through the diacylglycerol/PKCα pathway. We also confirmed that pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with PEDF exhibited dephosphorylation of phospholamban at Ser16, which could be attenuated with PKC inhibition. ConclusionsThe results suggest that PEDF depresses myocyte contractility by suppressing phosphorylation of phospholamban and Ca2+ transients in a PKCα‐dependent manner through its receptor, PEDF receptor, therefore improving cardiac functional reserve during AMI.

Network management and regulation system is a new arising appliance for the manageable,controllable and trustworthy demand of the Internet.The architecture design of the backbone link-level management and regulation system usually follows the core router,in which the separation of the data plane and the control plane could not meet the requirement of HW/SW data co-process,the rigid connection with closed building style could not satisfy the flexible identification of new applications.The loosely coupled switching HW/SW co-process architecture and the iterative looping HW/SW migration architecture were proposed,which could satisfy the above HW/SW co-process demand and the new application flexible identification demand.

Objective: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human γ-herpes virus, which can adapt and evade host immune defense. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the initiation and maintenance of immune responses. This study investigated the effects of EBV on cord blood monocytes derived DCs (CBDC). Methods: Monocytes were isolated from cord blood and cultured in medium containing recombinant IL-4 and GM-CSF to induce DCs development. B95-8 supernatant was added in monocytes culture medium for EBV infection at day 0. Phenotypic characterization of DCs, apoptotic cells, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by flow cytometry. The morphology was observed by Hoechst 33258 staining and TUNEL staining, the expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) was detected by Western blotting assay and caspase 3, 8 and 9 activity was measured. Results: Phenotypic characterization of DCs was changed in EBV-treated group. Chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation were observed in EBV induced CBDC apoptosis. In addition, caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9 activation were enhanced in the EBV-treated group. This was accompanied by the loss of MMP. Furthermore, XIAP expression was down-regulated in the EBV-treated group and compared to mock-infected group. Conclusion: These results suggested that EBV could inhibit CBDC phenotypic differentiation, and induce CBDC apoptosis in caspase-dependent manner with involvement of the mitochondrial pathway. This might help EBV to evade host immune responses to establish persistent infection. Keywords: Dendritic cells, Apoptosis, Epstein-Barr virus infections

The general utilization of processing equipment in industry has increased the risk of foreign material contamination. For example, peanut and walnut contaminants in whole wheat flour, which typically a healthy food, are a threat to people who are allergic to nuts. The feasibility of utilizing near-infrared hyperspectral imaging to inspect peanut and walnut powder in whole wheat flour was evaluated herein. Hyperspectral images at wavelengths 950–1700 nm were acquired. A standard normal variate combined with the Savitzky–Golay first derivative spectral transformation was adopted for the development of a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model to predict contamination concentrations. A successive projection algorithm (SPA) and uninformative variable elimination (UVE) for feature wavelength selection were compared. Two individual prediction models for peanut or walnut-contaminated flour, and a general multispectral model for both peanut-contaminated flour and walnut-contaminated flour, were developed. The optimal general multispectral model had promising results, with a determination coefficient of prediction (Rp2) of 0.987, and a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.373%. Visualization maps based on multispectral PLSR models reflected the contamination concentration variations in a spatial manner. The results demonstrated that near-infrared hyperspectral imaging has the potential to inspect peanut and walnut powders in flour for rapid quality control.

The aim here was to explore the potential of visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) hyperspectral imaging (400–1000 nm) to classify fresh chicken breast fillets into different water-holding capacity (WHC) groups. Initially, the extracted spectra and image textural features, as well as the mixed data of the two, were used to develop partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification models. Smoothing, a first derivative process, and principle component analysis (PCA) were carried out sequentially on the mean spectra of all samples to deal with baseline offsets and identify outlier data. Six samples located outside the confidence ellipses of 95% confidence level in the score plot were defined as outliers. A PLS-DA model based on the outlier-free spectra provided a correct classification rate (CCR) value of 78% in the prediction set. Then, seven optimal wavelengths selected using a successive projections algorithm (SPA) were used to develop a simplified PLS-DA model that obtained a slightly reduced CCR with a value of 73%. Moreover, the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) was implemented on the first principle component image (with 98.13% of variance) of the hyperspectral image to extract textural features (contrast, correlation, energy, and homogeneity). The CCR of the model developed using textural variables was less optimistic with a value of 59%. Compared to results of models based on spectral or textural data individually, the performance of the model based on the mixed data of optimal spectral and textural features was the best with an improved CCR of 86%. The results showed that the spectral and textural data of hyperspectral images together can be integrated in order to measure and classify the WHC of fresh chicken breast fillets.

Reduced-intensity (RIT) conditioning regimens are gaining increased attention as a result of their advantages and efficacy. However, no data are available regarding whether these regimens improve patient quality of life (QoL). In our study, health-related QoL (HRQoL) was retrospectively assessed in 111 patients with hematological malignancies. Analysis of the Quality of Life Questionnaire indicated that 35 of the RIT patients were able to perform their normal work and returned to their baseline levels of function 2 to 3 months after transplantation. In the myeloablative (MA) group, only 24 patients were able to resume work, and these patients returned to their baseline levels of function 6 to 8 months after transplantation (68.6% vs. 40.0%, P = 0.004). Grade III-IV organ toxicity occurred in 20% of the RIT patients and in 52% of the MA patients (P = 0.001), and the cumulative incidences of grades III-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were 13.7% and 35.0% in RIT and MA patients, respectively (P = 0.015). In conclusion, the RIT conditioning regimens were well tolerated by the patients, with a low incidence of transplant-related mortality (TRM) and serious acute GVHD. In addition, these regimens minimized procedure-related toxicity, improved QoL and did not influence lymphocyte reconstitution; however, OS was similar for both regimens because the relapse rate was relatively increased in the RIT groups.