In this work,coarse-grained 316 L stainless steels were cold rolled with a thickness reduction of^83%(CR 83%).After annealing,the behaviors of the nanostructured stainless steel samples were systematically investigate...In this work,coarse-grained 316 L stainless steels were cold rolled with a thickness reduction of^83%(CR 83%).After annealing,the behaviors of the nanostructured stainless steel samples were systematically investigated in the temperatures range of 200C–650C.It was found that with increasing annealing temperature the volume fraction of theα0-martensite first increased to reach a maximum value at 400C,then the volume fraction decreased with further increases of the annealing temperature.The yield strength was increased from 1400 MPa to 1720 MPa after annealing;this strong hardening effect in cold rolled 316 L stainless steel was mainly attributed to the increase of the volume fraction ofα0-martensite.展开更多
Carotenoids are antioxidants and vitamin A precursors that have important roles in human health. Hence, improving the carotenoid contents in maize kernels is a priority objective for breeders in order to obtain nutrit...Carotenoids are antioxidants and vitamin A precursors that have important roles in human health. Hence, improving the carotenoid contents in maize kernels is a priority objective for breeders in order to obtain nutritional biofortification outcomes. In the current study, the genetic architecture of carotenoids in maize kernels was explored using a recombinant inbred line(RIL) population derived from a cross between inbred lines By804 and B73. A total of 81 QTLs were detected by using a high-density bin map and a simple sequence repeat(SSR)-based linkage map, with one to seven QTLs for each trait explaining 4.21%–47.53% of the phenotypic variation. A comparison of the QTL mapping efficiency between the two linkage maps revealed that the high-density bin map had higher resolution. In the current study 46 additional QTLs were identified, with 16 being common with previous studies and14 newly identified. Among the results, 29.6%(24/81) of QTLs explained > 10% of the phenotypic variation in the RIL population, and 70.4%(57/81) explained ≤ 10%. These results suggest that a few large-effect QTLs, together with a variable number of minor-effect QTLs,contributed to most of the genetic components of carotenoids in maize kernels.展开更多
The low catalytic efficiency of redox-active cofactor photoregeneration severely limits the performance of photoenzymatic hybrid systems. Herein, we synthesized thiophene-conjugated porous C3N4 nanosheets(CN-ATCN) exh...The low catalytic efficiency of redox-active cofactor photoregeneration severely limits the performance of photoenzymatic hybrid systems. Herein, we synthesized thiophene-conjugated porous C3N4 nanosheets(CN-ATCN) exhibiting boosted photoregeneration activity of nicotinamide cofactors(NADH and NADPH), which are the most common redox cofactors of oxidoreductases, with regeneration rates of 59.00 μM/min for NADH and 40.99 μM/min for NADPH, ~ 84.3 and 24.7 times higher than those of bulk g-C3N4, respectively. The thin nanosheet structure of CN-ATCN facilitates the exposure of active sites to reactants and favors the diff usion of reactants and products. Upon conjugation of a thiophene moiety into the carbon nitride framework, the optical and photoelectric properties of CN-ATCN were considerably enhanced by an extended π-conjugation system in the frameworks and molecular type II heterojunctions formed between the incorporated and nonincorporated portions of CN-ATCN. Upon coupling NAD(P)H photoregeneration reaction by CN-ATCN with NAD(P)H-dependent enzymatic systems, sustainable synthesis of L-tert-leucine and styrene oxide was achieved with rates of 964 and 14.9 μM/h, respectively.展开更多
Introduction: The primary treatment aim for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is to relieve overall symptoms which can significantly impair the patient’s quality of life (QOL);however, it generally requires a high pill ...Introduction: The primary treatment aim for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is to relieve overall symptoms which can significantly impair the patient’s quality of life (QOL);however, it generally requires a high pill burden that may be improved by administration of combinatorial formulations. Thus, the effectiveness of alverine citrate and simeticone combination (ACS) for global symptom relief for IBS was investigated in this non-interventional study. Patients and Methods: ROME III IBS patients (n = 640;52.3% male: mean age: 43.6 ± 12.5 years) with abdominal pain and discomfort ≥60 of 0-100 visual analogue scale (VAS) were included in a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional study at 26 Chinese sites from December 2010 to January 2012. Patients received alverine citrate (60 mg) with simeticone (300 mg) (ACS) 3× daily for 4 weeks. Pain/discomfort and bloating/distension were assessed by VAS. Global symptoms and QOL were assessed by 7-point and 5-point Likert scales, respectively. Post-treatment bowel function was assessed by Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) and treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: Of 640 patients, 540 (84.4%) completed the study, and 100 (15.6%) withdrew. In total, 87.5% reported bloating at baseline. After 4-week ACS treatment, 89.1% reported global symptom improvement. Furthermore, 4-week ACS treatment reduced pain and bloated VAS scores significantly from 78.4 ± 9.9 to 32.1 ± 21.0 and from 63.2 ± 27.2 to 22.6 ± 20.9, respectively (both p < 0.001), decreased diarrhea or constipation occurrence from 67.2% to 10.2% (p < 0.001), and reduced IBS impact on QOL with only 2 treatment-related AEs. Conclusion: Routine clinical administration of ACS for IBS over a 4-week period provides effective relief of IBS symptoms and improves QOL in IBS patients.展开更多
Cerebral angiogenesis in the early stages after cerebral ischemia injury is essential for the recovery of nerve function, in which fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1), as a major regulator of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis,...Cerebral angiogenesis in the early stages after cerebral ischemia injury is essential for the recovery of nerve function, in which fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1), as a major regulator of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, plays a very important role. Microvessel density (MVD) was greater in an aged model group compared with the young sham operated group (P < 0.01). MVD and the sum of the lumen area were decreased in the aged group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 days following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury compared with the young model group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Flk-1 protein and mRNA expression was greater in the aged model group when compared with the young sham operated group (P < 0.01). Flk-1 protein and mRNA expression was lower in the aged group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 days after I/R compared with the young model group (P < 0.01). Flk-1 expression in aged rats attenuated rapidly, but was still maintained at relatively higher levels at 12 days following I/R in younger rats. The results suggest that angiogenesis was weakened after cerebral I/R in aged rats, and the mechanism of which might be correlated with attenuated expression of Flk-1 protein and mRNA.展开更多
<strong>Objective:</strong> To explore the methods and effects of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in pharyngolaryngeal cancer surgery. <strong>Methods:</strong> Among 23 cases of pharyngolar...<strong>Objective:</strong> To explore the methods and effects of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in pharyngolaryngeal cancer surgery. <strong>Methods:</strong> Among 23 cases of pharyngolaryngeal cancer patients, the surgical procedure was based on pathologic conditions, and the surgical defects were repaired by pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. <strong>Results:</strong> Among 23 patients, there were 1 case of skin flap necrosis, 4 cases of pharyngeal fistula, 1 case of hypopharyngeal esophageal stenosis;except 1 case of pharyngeal fistula died of carotid artery rupture caused by infection, 1 case of hypopharyngeal esophageal stenosis required a gastric tube, and the rest patient’s swallowing function is normal. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The blood supply of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap is reliable with the tissue volume enough for reconstruction. It turns out to improve patient survival and postoperative quality of life with the application of pharyngolaryngeal cancer surgery.展开更多
高效的水氧化是实现大规模分解水制氢的瓶颈,开发稳定、经济、高效的水氧化催化剂是引人关注的.早在上世纪中期Ag^+作为水氧化催化剂就有报道,但尚未见Ag^+配合物作为分子基水氧化催化剂的报道.本课题组选择缺位多酸阴离子[H_3PW_(11)O_...高效的水氧化是实现大规模分解水制氢的瓶颈,开发稳定、经济、高效的水氧化催化剂是引人关注的.早在上世纪中期Ag^+作为水氧化催化剂就有报道,但尚未见Ag^+配合物作为分子基水氧化催化剂的报道.本课题组选择缺位多酸阴离子[H_3PW_(11)O_(39)]^(3-)作为配体,成功研制了银-多酸配合物[H3Ag~Ⅰ(H2O)PW_(11)O_(39)]3-(AgPW_(11))分子基水氧化催化剂,发现其对使用S_2O_8^(2-)化学氧化水具有很好的催化作用,这主要归功于多酸配体在传输电子和质子的作用,对理解催化氧化水的机理有重要学术价值.将分子基催化剂修饰到电极上是实现其电化学催化氧化水的必由之路.本文采用浸渍法将AgPW_(11)修饰到TiO_2电极上,成功制备了AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极,并通过XRD,SEM,EDX技术对AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极进行了表征.结果表明,AgPW_(11)被成功负载到TiO_2纳米粒子表面,它的引入使得TiO_2电极表面的纳米粒子平均尺寸由10–40 nm增加到15–60 nm.在0.1 mol L^(-1)Na_2SO_4电解质溶液中利用线性扫描伏安、计时电流和电化学阻抗技术研究了AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO阳极催化氧化水的性能,结果发现,当施加偏压大于1.3 V vs.Ag/AgCl时,随电压升高,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极相比TiO_2/ITO电极有更显著的氧化电流;当施加偏压在1.5 V vs.Ag/Ag Cl时,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极氧化电流比TiO_2/ITO电极和AgNO_3-TiO_2/ITO电极分别高出10倍和2.5倍,这归因于AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极上电极-电解质界面具有更低的电荷转移阻抗,也说明多酸阴离子配体在催化过程中能够更好地传输电子和质子.在光照条件(100 m W cm^(-2))下,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极有较高的阳极电流,但光电流并没有明显增加,这主要是由于修饰电极光生电子–空穴复合速率较快所致.AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO阳极重复使用15次后,电流密度仍然高出TiO_2/ITO电极3倍以上,表明AgPW_(11)-TiO_2复合电极稳定性较好.在0.1 mol L^(-1)磷酸缓冲溶液体系中研究了AgPW_(11)在不同浓度、不同pH值和不同扫速下的循环伏安曲线.在1.1–1.6 V vs.Ag/AgCl扫描范围和100 mVs^(-1)扫速条件下,在1.23和1.31 V vs.Ag/Ag Cl处出现的一对氧化还原峰,归结为Ag~Ⅰ/Ag ~Ⅱ的1e氧化还原过程.在1.0–1.4 V vs.Ag/AgCl扫描范围内,随扫速由100增至900 m V s^(-1),阴极还原峰电位负移而阳极氧化峰电位正移,导致峰-峰电位差△Ep增加,而且氧化峰电流与还原峰电流与扫速平方根呈线性关系,说明该电极氧化还原过程受扩散控制.对Ag I/Ag ~Ⅱ的氧化还原过程,随着p H值由5.3增加到6.7,氧化还原峰电位负移,并且E_(pc)与pH值呈现线性关系,斜率为–0.08882,根据能斯特方程S=2.303RTm/(αn F),推测转移的质子数为1.由此可知,AgPW_(11)氧化是准可逆的、1电子和1质子转移过程.推测[H_3Ag ~ⅠIH_2O)PW_(11)O_(39)]^(3-)氧化生成的[H_2Ag~Ⅱ(H_2O)PW_(1)1O_(39)]^(3-)可能发生歧化反应,所生成[H3Ag~ⅢOPW_(1)1O_(39)]^(3-)进而氧化水放出氧气.展开更多
Oil, protein and starch are key chemical components of maize kernels. A population of 245 recombinant inbred lines(RILs) derived from a cross between a high-oil inbred line, By804, and a regular inbred line, B73, was ...Oil, protein and starch are key chemical components of maize kernels. A population of 245 recombinant inbred lines(RILs) derived from a cross between a high-oil inbred line, By804, and a regular inbred line, B73, was used to dissect the genetic interrelationships among oil, starch and protein content at the individual QTL level by unconditional and conditional QTL mapping. Combined phenotypic data over two years with a genetic linkage map constructed using 236 markers, nine, five and eight unconditional QTL were detected for oil, protein and starch content, respectively. Some QTL for oil, protein and starch content were clustered in the same genomic regions and the direction of their effects was consistent with the sign of their correlation. In conditional QTL mapping, 37(29/8) unconditional QTL were not detected or showed reduced effects, four QTL demonstrated similar effects under unconditional and conditional QTL mapping, and 17 additional QTL were identified by conditional QTL mapping. These results imply that there is a strong genetic relationship among oil, protein and starch content in maize kernels. The information generated in the present investigation could be helpful in marker-assisted breeding for maize varieties with desirable kernel quality traits.展开更多
Vitamin E,consisting of tocopherols and tocotrienols,serves as a lipid-soluble antioxidant in sweet corn kernels,providing nutrients to both plants and humans.Though the key genes involved in the vitamin E biosynthesi...Vitamin E,consisting of tocopherols and tocotrienols,serves as a lipid-soluble antioxidant in sweet corn kernels,providing nutrients to both plants and humans.Though the key genes involved in the vitamin E biosynthesis pathway have been identified in plants,the genetic architecture of vitamin E content in sweet corn kernels remains largely unclear.In the present study,an association panel of 204 inbred lines of sweet corn was constructed.Seven compounds of vitamin E were quantified in sweet corn kernels at 28 days after pollination.A total of 119 loci for vitamin E were identified using a genome-wide association study based on genotyping by sequencing,and a genetic network of vitamin E was constructed.Candidate genes identified were involved mainly in RNA regulation and protein metabolism.The known gene ZmVTE4,encodingγ-tocopherol methyltransferase,was significantly associated with four traits(α-tocopherol,α-tocotrienol,theα/γ-tocopherol ratio,and theα/γ-tocotrienol ratio).The effects of two causative markers on ZmVTE4 were validated by haplotype analysis.Finally,two elite cultivars(Yuetian 9 and Yuetian 22)with a 4.5-fold increase in the sum ofα-andγ-tocopherols were developed by marker-assisted selection,demonstrating the successful biofortification of sweet corn.Three genes(DAHPS,ADT2,and cmu2)involved in chorismate and tyrosine synthesis were significantly associated with theα/γ-tocotrienol ratio.These results shed light on the genetic architecture of vitamin E and may accelerate the nutritional improvement of sweet corn.展开更多
Abiotic-biological hybrid systems that combine the advantages of abiotic catalysis and biotransformation for the conversion of carbon dioxide(CO2)to value-added chemicals and fuels have emerged as an appealing way to ...Abiotic-biological hybrid systems that combine the advantages of abiotic catalysis and biotransformation for the conversion of carbon dioxide(CO2)to value-added chemicals and fuels have emerged as an appealing way to address the global energy and environmental crisis caused by increased CO2 emission.We illustrate the recent progress in this field.Here,we first review the natural CO2 fixation pathways for an in-depth understanding of the biological CO2 transformation strategy and why a sustainable feed of reducing power is important.Second,we review the recent progress in the construction of abiotic-biological hybrid systems for CO2 transformation from two aspects:(i)microbial electrosynthesis systems that utilize electricity to support whole-cell biological CO2 conversion to products of interest and(ii)photosynthetic semiconductor biohybrid systems that integrate semiconductor nanomaterials with CO2-fixing microorganisms to harness solar energy for biological CO2 transformation.Lastly,we discuss potential approaches for further improvement of abiotic-biological hybrid systems.展开更多
The embryo in maize has a critical role in controlling kernel nutrition components and grain yield.We measured five embryo weight and size traits,six kernel weight and size traits,and five embryo-tokernel ratio traits...The embryo in maize has a critical role in controlling kernel nutrition components and grain yield.We measured five embryo weight and size traits,six kernel weight and size traits,and five embryo-tokernel ratio traits in a nested association mapping(NAM)population of 611 recombinant inbred lines(RILs)derived from four inbred lines including the high-oil,giant-embryo line BY815 as the common parent.Using three statistical methods,we identified 5–22 quantitative trait loci(QTL)for each trait,explaining 4.7%–46.7%of the phenotypic variation.The genetic architecture of maize embryo size and its related traits appeared to be dominated by multiple small-effect loci with little epistasis,and the genetic control underlying embryo size appeared to be distinct from that underlying kernel size.A trait–QTL association network included 205 nodes and 439 edges and revealed 28 key loci associated with at least three traits.Cloned maize genes including Zm Urb2,Emp12 and Zm BAM1 d,maize orthologs of known rice genes that control seed size including BG1,XIAO and GS9,and 11 maize orthologs of Arabidopsis EMBRYO-DEFECTIVE(EMB)genes were identified as underlying these key loci.Further,the phenotypic and genetic relationships between embryo size and kernel size were evaluated,and genetic patterns for identified loci that control embryo size and its related traits were proposed.Our findings reveal distinct genetic architectures for embryo size,kernel size,and embryo-to-kernel ratio traits and establish a foundation for the improvement of embryo-size-mediated kernel nutrition and grain yield.展开更多
In dynamic environments, the moving landmarks can make the accuracy of traditional vision-based pose estimation worse or even failure. To solve this problem, a robust Gaussian mixture model for vision-based pose estim...In dynamic environments, the moving landmarks can make the accuracy of traditional vision-based pose estimation worse or even failure. To solve this problem, a robust Gaussian mixture model for vision-based pose estimation is proposed. The motion index is added to the traditional graph-based vision-based pose estimation model to describe landmarks’ moving probability, transforming the classic Gaussian model to Gaussian mixture model, which can reduce the influence of moving landmarks for optimization results. To improve the algorithm’s robustness to noise, the covariance inflation model is employed in residual equations. The expectation maximization method for solving the Gaussian mixture problem is derived in detail, transforming the problem into classic iterative least square problem. Experimental results demonstrate that in dynamic environments, the proposed method outperforms the traditional method both in absolute accuracy and relative accuracy, while maintains high accuracy in static environments. The proposed method can effectively reduce the influence of the moving landmarks in dynamic environments, which is more suitable for the autonomous localization of mobile robots.展开更多
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment based on syndrome differentiation ofTraditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) for community-acquired pneumonia(CAP).METHODS:A total of 240 CAP patients were randomly ...OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment based on syndrome differentiation ofTraditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) for community-acquired pneumonia(CAP).METHODS:A total of 240 CAP patients were randomly divided into the following two groups:thecontrol group was treated by anti-infection plus conventional medicine treatment;and the trial group was treated by TCM plus the above-mentioned treatment given to the controls.The course of treatment was 14 days,and the patients were followed up for 7 days.RESULTS:Of the 240 patients,235 accomplished the whole process of treatment.The five patients who withdrew from the study were brought into an intent-to-treat analysis.The therapeutic effects of the trial group were superior to those of the control group(P<0.01).The trial group took less time to become clinically stable,with a higher score in the quality of life(P<0.01).There were no significant differences in mortality rate(P>0.05),white blood cell count(P>0.05),bacterial clearance rate(P>0.05),and adverse reactions between the two integrated groups.CONCLUSION:Treatment based on TCM syndrome differentiation for CAP has the advantages of resulting in less time to achieve a stable clinical condition,improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life,and is comparatively safe.展开更多
Alkaline residue(AR) was found to be an efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from wastewater. The kinetic and equilibrium of phosphate removal were investigated to evaluate the performance of modified alkaline re...Alkaline residue(AR) was found to be an efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from wastewater. The kinetic and equilibrium of phosphate removal were investigated to evaluate the performance of modified alkaline residue. After treatment by NaOH(AR-NaOH), removal performance was significantly improved, while removal performance was almost completely lost after treatment by HCl(AR-HCl). The kinetics of the removal process by all adsorbents was well characterized by the pseudo second-order model. The Langmuir model exhibited the best correlation for AR-HCl, while AR was effectively described by Freundlich model. Both models were well fitted to AR-NaOH. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated from Langmuir equation were in following manner: AR-NaOH > AR > AR-HCl. Phosphate removal by alkaline residue was pH dependent process. Mechanisms for phosphate removal mainly involved adsorption and precipitation, varied with equilibrium pH of solution. For AR-HCl, the acid equilibrium pH(< 6.0) was unfavorable for the formation of Ca-P precipitate, with adsorption as the key mechanism for phosphate removal. In contrast, for AR and ARNaOH, precipitation was the dominant mechanism for phosphate removal, due to the incrase on pH(> 8.0) after phosphate removal. The results of both XRD and SEM analysis confirmed CaHPO4·2H2O formation after phosphate removal by AR and AR-NaOH.展开更多
The potentially hazardous iron-containing sludge from the Fenton process requires proper treatment and disposal, which often results in high treatment cost. In this study, a novel method for the reuse of Fenton sludge...The potentially hazardous iron-containing sludge from the Fenton process requires proper treatment and disposal, which often results in high treatment cost. In this study, a novel method for the reuse of Fenton sludge as an iron source for the synthesis of nickel ferrite particles(NiFe_2O_4) is proposed. Through a co-precipitation method followed by sintering at 800°C, magnetic NiFe_2O_4 particles were successfully synthesized, which was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The synthesized NiFe_2O_4 could be used as an efficient catalyst in the heterogeneous Fenton process. In phenol degradation with H_2O_2 or NiFe_2O_4 alone, the phenol removal efficiencies within the reaction time of 330 min were as low as 5.9% ± 0.1% and 13.5% ±0.4%, respectively. However, in the presence of both NiFe_2O_4 and H_2O_2, phenol removal efficiency as high as 95% ± 3.4% could be achieved, indicating the excellent catalytic performance of NiFe_2O_4 in the heterogeneous Fenton process. Notably, a rapid electron exchange between_Ni II and_Fe III ions in the NiFe_2O_4 structure could be beneficial for the Fenton reaction. In addition, the magnetic catalyst was relatively stable, highly active and recoverable, and has potential applications in the Fenton process for organic pollutant removal.展开更多
Effective therapy options for pneumoconiosis are lacking.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)presents a favorable prospect in the treatment of pneumoconiosis.A pilot study on TCM syndrome differentiation can evaluate the...Effective therapy options for pneumoconiosis are lacking.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)presents a favorable prospect in the treatment of pneumoconiosis.A pilot study on TCM syndrome differentiation can evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of TCM and lay a foundation for further clinical research.A double-blind,randomized,and placebo-controlled trial was conducted for 24 weeks,in which 96 patients with pneumoconiosis were randomly divided into the control and treatment groups.Symptomatic treatment was conducted for the two groups.The treatment group was treated with TCM syndrome differentiation,and the control group was treated with placebo.The primary outcomes were the six-minute walking distance(6MWD)and the St.George Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ)score.The secondary outcomes were the modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale(mMRC),Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test(CAT),Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),and pulmonary function.Only 83 patients from the 96 patients with pneumoconiosis finished the study.For the primary outcome,compared with the control groups,the treatment group showed a significantly increased 6MWD(407.90 m vs.499.51 m;95%confidence interval(CI)47.25 to 135.97;P<0.001)and improved SGRQ total score(44.48 vs.25.67;95%CI 27.87 to 9.74;P<0.001).The treatment group also significantly improved compared with the control group on mMRC score(1.4 vs.0.74;95%CI 1.08 to 0.23;P=0.003),CAT score(18.40 vs.14.65;95%CI 7.07 to 0.43;P=0.027),and the total symptom score(7.90 vs.5.14;95%CI 4.40 to 1.12;P<0.001).No serious adverse events occurred.This study showed that TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment had a favorable impact on the exercise endurance and quality of life of patients with pneumoconiosis.展开更多
Background and Aims:Correct identification of small hepa-tocellular carcinomas(HCCs)and benign nodules in cirrhosis remains challenging,quantitative apparent diffusion coeffi-cients(ADCs)have shown potential value in ...Background and Aims:Correct identification of small hepa-tocellular carcinomas(HCCs)and benign nodules in cirrhosis remains challenging,quantitative apparent diffusion coeffi-cients(ADCs)have shown potential value in characterization of benign and malignant liver lesions.We aimed to explore the added value of ADCs in the identification of small(≤3 cm)HCCs and benign nodules categorized as Liver Imag-ing Reporting and Data System(LI-RADS)3(LR-3)and 4(LR-4)in cirrhosis.Methods:Ninety-seven cirrhosis patients with 109 small nodules(70 HCCs,39 benign nodules)of LR-3 and 4 LR-4 based on major and ancillary magnetic resonance imaging features were included.Multiparametric quantitative ADCs of the lesions,including the mean ADC(ADCmean),min-imum ADC(ADCmin),maximal ADC(ADCmax),ADC standard deviation(ADCstd),and mean ADC value ratio of lesion-to-liv-er parenchyma(ADCratio)were calculated.Regarding the joint diagnosis,a nomogram model was plotted using multivariate logistic regression analysis.The performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).Results:The ADCmean,ADCmin,ADCratio,and ADCstd were significantly associated with the identification of small HCC and benign nodules(p<0.001).For the joint diagnosis,the LI-RADS category(odds ratio[OR]=12.50),ADCmin(OR=0.14),and ADCratio(OR=0.12)were identified as independent factors for distinguishing HCCs from benign nodules.The joint nomogram model showed good calibration and discrimination,with a C-index of 0.947.Compared with the LI-RADS category alone,this nomogram model demon-strated a significant improvement in diagnostic performance,with AUC increasing from 0.820 to 0.967(p=0.001).Con-clusions:The addition of quantitative ADCs could improve the identification of small HCC and benign nodules catego-rized as LR-3 and 4 LR-4 in patients with cirrhosis.展开更多
Starch is the major component in maize kernels,providing a stable carbohydrate source for humans and livestock as well as raw material for the biofuel industry.Increasing maize kernel starch content will help meet ind...Starch is the major component in maize kernels,providing a stable carbohydrate source for humans and livestock as well as raw material for the biofuel industry.Increasing maize kernel starch content will help meet industry demands and has the potential to increase overall yields.We developed a pair of maize near-isogenic lines(NILs) with different alleles for a starch quantitative trait locus on chromosome 3(q HS3), resulting in different kernel starch content. To investigate the candidate genes for q HS3 and elucidate their effects on starch metabolism, RNA-Seq was performed for the developing kernels of the NILs at 14 and 21 d after pollination(DAP). Analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data identified 76 genes with nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms and 384 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) in the in trogressed fragment, including a hexokinase gene, Zm HXK3 a, which catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate and may play a key role instarch metabolism. The expression pattern of all DEGs in starch metabolism shows that altered expression of the candidate genes for q HS3 promoted starch synthesis,with positive consequences for kernel starch content. These results expand the current understanding of starch biosynthesis and accumulation in maize kernels and provide potential candidate genes to increase starch content.展开更多
Membrane distillation(MD)utilizing low-grade thermal energy can be used to effectively desalinate hypersaline brines with a high freshwater recovery for water reuse.Membrane flux and durability are the two main indice...Membrane distillation(MD)utilizing low-grade thermal energy can be used to effectively desalinate hypersaline brines with a high freshwater recovery for water reuse.Membrane flux and durability are the two main indices used to evaluate MD membrane performance.In the past decade,electrospun nanofibrous distillation membranes(EFDMs)with a low mass transfer resistance have garnered increasing attention in MD research,owing to their high porosity and interconnected-pore structure.However,on the one hand,the pores of EFDMs compared to those of phase-inversion membranes are easily deformed and impacted by water flow,reducing membrane flux;on the other hand,the general hydrophobic interface is susceptible to being wetted,fouled and scaled during the desalination/concentration process,resulting in MD failure.This review will present a comprehensive discussion of the recent progress in electrospun nanofibers for the MD of hypersaline wastewaters with a focus on designing specially wettable membrane interfaces and welding-pore structured membranes to enhance MD distillation efficiency and durability simultaneously.Besides,the challenges and perspectives of MD in treating hypersaline wastewaters are also provided as a guide for future research on sustainable and clean freshwater recovery.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFA0204403)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20191292)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(30919011256)the Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro&Nano Materials and Technology.
文摘In this work,coarse-grained 316 L stainless steels were cold rolled with a thickness reduction of^83%(CR 83%).After annealing,the behaviors of the nanostructured stainless steel samples were systematically investigated in the temperatures range of 200C–650C.It was found that with increasing annealing temperature the volume fraction of theα0-martensite first increased to reach a maximum value at 400C,then the volume fraction decreased with further increases of the annealing temperature.The yield strength was increased from 1400 MPa to 1720 MPa after annealing;this strong hardening effect in cold rolled 316 L stainless steel was mainly attributed to the increase of the volume fraction ofα0-martensite.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31361140362)the International Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology Plan(No.2016-X33)
文摘Carotenoids are antioxidants and vitamin A precursors that have important roles in human health. Hence, improving the carotenoid contents in maize kernels is a priority objective for breeders in order to obtain nutritional biofortification outcomes. In the current study, the genetic architecture of carotenoids in maize kernels was explored using a recombinant inbred line(RIL) population derived from a cross between inbred lines By804 and B73. A total of 81 QTLs were detected by using a high-density bin map and a simple sequence repeat(SSR)-based linkage map, with one to seven QTLs for each trait explaining 4.21%–47.53% of the phenotypic variation. A comparison of the QTL mapping efficiency between the two linkage maps revealed that the high-density bin map had higher resolution. In the current study 46 additional QTLs were identified, with 16 being common with previous studies and14 newly identified. Among the results, 29.6%(24/81) of QTLs explained > 10% of the phenotypic variation in the RIL population, and 70.4%(57/81) explained ≤ 10%. These results suggest that a few large-effect QTLs, together with a variable number of minor-effect QTLs,contributed to most of the genetic components of carotenoids in maize kernels.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2018YFA0901300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.NSFC 21621004)。
文摘The low catalytic efficiency of redox-active cofactor photoregeneration severely limits the performance of photoenzymatic hybrid systems. Herein, we synthesized thiophene-conjugated porous C3N4 nanosheets(CN-ATCN) exhibiting boosted photoregeneration activity of nicotinamide cofactors(NADH and NADPH), which are the most common redox cofactors of oxidoreductases, with regeneration rates of 59.00 μM/min for NADH and 40.99 μM/min for NADPH, ~ 84.3 and 24.7 times higher than those of bulk g-C3N4, respectively. The thin nanosheet structure of CN-ATCN facilitates the exposure of active sites to reactants and favors the diff usion of reactants and products. Upon conjugation of a thiophene moiety into the carbon nitride framework, the optical and photoelectric properties of CN-ATCN were considerably enhanced by an extended π-conjugation system in the frameworks and molecular type II heterojunctions formed between the incorporated and nonincorporated portions of CN-ATCN. Upon coupling NAD(P)H photoregeneration reaction by CN-ATCN with NAD(P)H-dependent enzymatic systems, sustainable synthesis of L-tert-leucine and styrene oxide was achieved with rates of 964 and 14.9 μM/h, respectively.
文摘Introduction: The primary treatment aim for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is to relieve overall symptoms which can significantly impair the patient’s quality of life (QOL);however, it generally requires a high pill burden that may be improved by administration of combinatorial formulations. Thus, the effectiveness of alverine citrate and simeticone combination (ACS) for global symptom relief for IBS was investigated in this non-interventional study. Patients and Methods: ROME III IBS patients (n = 640;52.3% male: mean age: 43.6 ± 12.5 years) with abdominal pain and discomfort ≥60 of 0-100 visual analogue scale (VAS) were included in a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional study at 26 Chinese sites from December 2010 to January 2012. Patients received alverine citrate (60 mg) with simeticone (300 mg) (ACS) 3× daily for 4 weeks. Pain/discomfort and bloating/distension were assessed by VAS. Global symptoms and QOL were assessed by 7-point and 5-point Likert scales, respectively. Post-treatment bowel function was assessed by Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) and treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: Of 640 patients, 540 (84.4%) completed the study, and 100 (15.6%) withdrew. In total, 87.5% reported bloating at baseline. After 4-week ACS treatment, 89.1% reported global symptom improvement. Furthermore, 4-week ACS treatment reduced pain and bloated VAS scores significantly from 78.4 ± 9.9 to 32.1 ± 21.0 and from 63.2 ± 27.2 to 22.6 ± 20.9, respectively (both p < 0.001), decreased diarrhea or constipation occurrence from 67.2% to 10.2% (p < 0.001), and reduced IBS impact on QOL with only 2 treatment-related AEs. Conclusion: Routine clinical administration of ACS for IBS over a 4-week period provides effective relief of IBS symptoms and improves QOL in IBS patients.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30371812the Henan Provincial Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, No. 0612000700
文摘Cerebral angiogenesis in the early stages after cerebral ischemia injury is essential for the recovery of nerve function, in which fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1), as a major regulator of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, plays a very important role. Microvessel density (MVD) was greater in an aged model group compared with the young sham operated group (P < 0.01). MVD and the sum of the lumen area were decreased in the aged group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 days following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury compared with the young model group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Flk-1 protein and mRNA expression was greater in the aged model group when compared with the young sham operated group (P < 0.01). Flk-1 protein and mRNA expression was lower in the aged group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 days after I/R compared with the young model group (P < 0.01). Flk-1 expression in aged rats attenuated rapidly, but was still maintained at relatively higher levels at 12 days following I/R in younger rats. The results suggest that angiogenesis was weakened after cerebral I/R in aged rats, and the mechanism of which might be correlated with attenuated expression of Flk-1 protein and mRNA.
文摘<strong>Objective:</strong> To explore the methods and effects of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in pharyngolaryngeal cancer surgery. <strong>Methods:</strong> Among 23 cases of pharyngolaryngeal cancer patients, the surgical procedure was based on pathologic conditions, and the surgical defects were repaired by pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. <strong>Results:</strong> Among 23 patients, there were 1 case of skin flap necrosis, 4 cases of pharyngeal fistula, 1 case of hypopharyngeal esophageal stenosis;except 1 case of pharyngeal fistula died of carotid artery rupture caused by infection, 1 case of hypopharyngeal esophageal stenosis required a gastric tube, and the rest patient’s swallowing function is normal. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The blood supply of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap is reliable with the tissue volume enough for reconstruction. It turns out to improve patient survival and postoperative quality of life with the application of pharyngolaryngeal cancer surgery.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21573099, 21601077, 21573100)~~
文摘高效的水氧化是实现大规模分解水制氢的瓶颈,开发稳定、经济、高效的水氧化催化剂是引人关注的.早在上世纪中期Ag^+作为水氧化催化剂就有报道,但尚未见Ag^+配合物作为分子基水氧化催化剂的报道.本课题组选择缺位多酸阴离子[H_3PW_(11)O_(39)]^(3-)作为配体,成功研制了银-多酸配合物[H3Ag~Ⅰ(H2O)PW_(11)O_(39)]3-(AgPW_(11))分子基水氧化催化剂,发现其对使用S_2O_8^(2-)化学氧化水具有很好的催化作用,这主要归功于多酸配体在传输电子和质子的作用,对理解催化氧化水的机理有重要学术价值.将分子基催化剂修饰到电极上是实现其电化学催化氧化水的必由之路.本文采用浸渍法将AgPW_(11)修饰到TiO_2电极上,成功制备了AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极,并通过XRD,SEM,EDX技术对AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极进行了表征.结果表明,AgPW_(11)被成功负载到TiO_2纳米粒子表面,它的引入使得TiO_2电极表面的纳米粒子平均尺寸由10–40 nm增加到15–60 nm.在0.1 mol L^(-1)Na_2SO_4电解质溶液中利用线性扫描伏安、计时电流和电化学阻抗技术研究了AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO阳极催化氧化水的性能,结果发现,当施加偏压大于1.3 V vs.Ag/AgCl时,随电压升高,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极相比TiO_2/ITO电极有更显著的氧化电流;当施加偏压在1.5 V vs.Ag/Ag Cl时,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极氧化电流比TiO_2/ITO电极和AgNO_3-TiO_2/ITO电极分别高出10倍和2.5倍,这归因于AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极上电极-电解质界面具有更低的电荷转移阻抗,也说明多酸阴离子配体在催化过程中能够更好地传输电子和质子.在光照条件(100 m W cm^(-2))下,AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO电极有较高的阳极电流,但光电流并没有明显增加,这主要是由于修饰电极光生电子–空穴复合速率较快所致.AgPW_(11)-TiO_2/ITO阳极重复使用15次后,电流密度仍然高出TiO_2/ITO电极3倍以上,表明AgPW_(11)-TiO_2复合电极稳定性较好.在0.1 mol L^(-1)磷酸缓冲溶液体系中研究了AgPW_(11)在不同浓度、不同pH值和不同扫速下的循环伏安曲线.在1.1–1.6 V vs.Ag/AgCl扫描范围和100 mVs^(-1)扫速条件下,在1.23和1.31 V vs.Ag/Ag Cl处出现的一对氧化还原峰,归结为Ag~Ⅰ/Ag ~Ⅱ的1e氧化还原过程.在1.0–1.4 V vs.Ag/AgCl扫描范围内,随扫速由100增至900 m V s^(-1),阴极还原峰电位负移而阳极氧化峰电位正移,导致峰-峰电位差△Ep增加,而且氧化峰电流与还原峰电流与扫速平方根呈线性关系,说明该电极氧化还原过程受扩散控制.对Ag I/Ag ~Ⅱ的氧化还原过程,随着p H值由5.3增加到6.7,氧化还原峰电位负移,并且E_(pc)与pH值呈现线性关系,斜率为–0.08882,根据能斯特方程S=2.303RTm/(αn F),推测转移的质子数为1.由此可知,AgPW_(11)氧化是准可逆的、1电子和1质子转移过程.推测[H_3Ag ~ⅠIH_2O)PW_(11)O_(39)]^(3-)氧化生成的[H_2Ag~Ⅱ(H_2O)PW_(1)1O_(39)]^(3-)可能发生歧化反应,所生成[H3Ag~ⅢOPW_(1)1O_(39)]^(3-)进而氧化水放出氧气.
基金supported by the National High Technology Research Program of China (No. 2012AA101104)
文摘Oil, protein and starch are key chemical components of maize kernels. A population of 245 recombinant inbred lines(RILs) derived from a cross between a high-oil inbred line, By804, and a regular inbred line, B73, was used to dissect the genetic interrelationships among oil, starch and protein content at the individual QTL level by unconditional and conditional QTL mapping. Combined phenotypic data over two years with a genetic linkage map constructed using 236 markers, nine, five and eight unconditional QTL were detected for oil, protein and starch content, respectively. Some QTL for oil, protein and starch content were clustered in the same genomic regions and the direction of their effects was consistent with the sign of their correlation. In conditional QTL mapping, 37(29/8) unconditional QTL were not detected or showed reduced effects, four QTL demonstrated similar effects under unconditional and conditional QTL mapping, and 17 additional QTL were identified by conditional QTL mapping. These results imply that there is a strong genetic relationship among oil, protein and starch content in maize kernels. The information generated in the present investigation could be helpful in marker-assisted breeding for maize varieties with desirable kernel quality traits.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31601309)Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province(2016B020233004,2015A020209063,2017B090907023)+2 种基金Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangzhou(201804020081)Agricultural Development and Rural Work Special Project-Modern Seed Industry Enhancement Project of Guangdong(201788)the Excellent PhD Program of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences(2017).
文摘Vitamin E,consisting of tocopherols and tocotrienols,serves as a lipid-soluble antioxidant in sweet corn kernels,providing nutrients to both plants and humans.Though the key genes involved in the vitamin E biosynthesis pathway have been identified in plants,the genetic architecture of vitamin E content in sweet corn kernels remains largely unclear.In the present study,an association panel of 204 inbred lines of sweet corn was constructed.Seven compounds of vitamin E were quantified in sweet corn kernels at 28 days after pollination.A total of 119 loci for vitamin E were identified using a genome-wide association study based on genotyping by sequencing,and a genetic network of vitamin E was constructed.Candidate genes identified were involved mainly in RNA regulation and protein metabolism.The known gene ZmVTE4,encodingγ-tocopherol methyltransferase,was significantly associated with four traits(α-tocopherol,α-tocotrienol,theα/γ-tocopherol ratio,and theα/γ-tocotrienol ratio).The effects of two causative markers on ZmVTE4 were validated by haplotype analysis.Finally,two elite cultivars(Yuetian 9 and Yuetian 22)with a 4.5-fold increase in the sum ofα-andγ-tocopherols were developed by marker-assisted selection,demonstrating the successful biofortification of sweet corn.Three genes(DAHPS,ADT2,and cmu2)involved in chorismate and tyrosine synthesis were significantly associated with theα/γ-tocotrienol ratio.These results shed light on the genetic architecture of vitamin E and may accelerate the nutritional improvement of sweet corn.
文摘Abiotic-biological hybrid systems that combine the advantages of abiotic catalysis and biotransformation for the conversion of carbon dioxide(CO2)to value-added chemicals and fuels have emerged as an appealing way to address the global energy and environmental crisis caused by increased CO2 emission.We illustrate the recent progress in this field.Here,we first review the natural CO2 fixation pathways for an in-depth understanding of the biological CO2 transformation strategy and why a sustainable feed of reducing power is important.Second,we review the recent progress in the construction of abiotic-biological hybrid systems for CO2 transformation from two aspects:(i)microbial electrosynthesis systems that utilize electricity to support whole-cell biological CO2 conversion to products of interest and(ii)photosynthetic semiconductor biohybrid systems that integrate semiconductor nanomaterials with CO2-fixing microorganisms to harness solar energy for biological CO2 transformation.Lastly,we discuss potential approaches for further improvement of abiotic-biological hybrid systems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31421005)。
文摘The embryo in maize has a critical role in controlling kernel nutrition components and grain yield.We measured five embryo weight and size traits,six kernel weight and size traits,and five embryo-tokernel ratio traits in a nested association mapping(NAM)population of 611 recombinant inbred lines(RILs)derived from four inbred lines including the high-oil,giant-embryo line BY815 as the common parent.Using three statistical methods,we identified 5–22 quantitative trait loci(QTL)for each trait,explaining 4.7%–46.7%of the phenotypic variation.The genetic architecture of maize embryo size and its related traits appeared to be dominated by multiple small-effect loci with little epistasis,and the genetic control underlying embryo size appeared to be distinct from that underlying kernel size.A trait–QTL association network included 205 nodes and 439 edges and revealed 28 key loci associated with at least three traits.Cloned maize genes including Zm Urb2,Emp12 and Zm BAM1 d,maize orthologs of known rice genes that control seed size including BG1,XIAO and GS9,and 11 maize orthologs of Arabidopsis EMBRYO-DEFECTIVE(EMB)genes were identified as underlying these key loci.Further,the phenotypic and genetic relationships between embryo size and kernel size were evaluated,and genetic patterns for identified loci that control embryo size and its related traits were proposed.Our findings reveal distinct genetic architectures for embryo size,kernel size,and embryo-to-kernel ratio traits and establish a foundation for the improvement of embryo-size-mediated kernel nutrition and grain yield.
文摘In dynamic environments, the moving landmarks can make the accuracy of traditional vision-based pose estimation worse or even failure. To solve this problem, a robust Gaussian mixture model for vision-based pose estimation is proposed. The motion index is added to the traditional graph-based vision-based pose estimation model to describe landmarks’ moving probability, transforming the classic Gaussian model to Gaussian mixture model, which can reduce the influence of moving landmarks for optimization results. To improve the algorithm’s robustness to noise, the covariance inflation model is employed in residual equations. The expectation maximization method for solving the Gaussian mixture problem is derived in detail, transforming the problem into classic iterative least square problem. Experimental results demonstrate that in dynamic environments, the proposed method outperforms the traditional method both in absolute accuracy and relative accuracy, while maintains high accuracy in static environments. The proposed method can effectively reduce the influence of the moving landmarks in dynamic environments, which is more suitable for the autonomous localization of mobile robots.
基金Supported by the National Program on Key Basic Research Project(973 Program)(Grant NO.2006CB504605)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents at the University of Henan Province(Grant NO.006HANCET-05)
文摘OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment based on syndrome differentiation ofTraditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) for community-acquired pneumonia(CAP).METHODS:A total of 240 CAP patients were randomly divided into the following two groups:thecontrol group was treated by anti-infection plus conventional medicine treatment;and the trial group was treated by TCM plus the above-mentioned treatment given to the controls.The course of treatment was 14 days,and the patients were followed up for 7 days.RESULTS:Of the 240 patients,235 accomplished the whole process of treatment.The five patients who withdrew from the study were brought into an intent-to-treat analysis.The therapeutic effects of the trial group were superior to those of the control group(P<0.01).The trial group took less time to become clinically stable,with a higher score in the quality of life(P<0.01).There were no significant differences in mortality rate(P>0.05),white blood cell count(P>0.05),bacterial clearance rate(P>0.05),and adverse reactions between the two integrated groups.CONCLUSION:Treatment based on TCM syndrome differentiation for CAP has the advantages of resulting in less time to achieve a stable clinical condition,improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life,and is comparatively safe.
基金supported by the Technological Support Plan Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China(No.BE2011834)
文摘Alkaline residue(AR) was found to be an efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from wastewater. The kinetic and equilibrium of phosphate removal were investigated to evaluate the performance of modified alkaline residue. After treatment by NaOH(AR-NaOH), removal performance was significantly improved, while removal performance was almost completely lost after treatment by HCl(AR-HCl). The kinetics of the removal process by all adsorbents was well characterized by the pseudo second-order model. The Langmuir model exhibited the best correlation for AR-HCl, while AR was effectively described by Freundlich model. Both models were well fitted to AR-NaOH. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated from Langmuir equation were in following manner: AR-NaOH > AR > AR-HCl. Phosphate removal by alkaline residue was pH dependent process. Mechanisms for phosphate removal mainly involved adsorption and precipitation, varied with equilibrium pH of solution. For AR-HCl, the acid equilibrium pH(< 6.0) was unfavorable for the formation of Ca-P precipitate, with adsorption as the key mechanism for phosphate removal. In contrast, for AR and ARNaOH, precipitation was the dominant mechanism for phosphate removal, due to the incrase on pH(> 8.0) after phosphate removal. The results of both XRD and SEM analysis confirmed CaHPO4·2H2O formation after phosphate removal by AR and AR-NaOH.
基金supported by the Major Project of Water Pollution Control and Management Technology of China(No.2012ZX07101-003-001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.30916011312)
文摘The potentially hazardous iron-containing sludge from the Fenton process requires proper treatment and disposal, which often results in high treatment cost. In this study, a novel method for the reuse of Fenton sludge as an iron source for the synthesis of nickel ferrite particles(NiFe_2O_4) is proposed. Through a co-precipitation method followed by sintering at 800°C, magnetic NiFe_2O_4 particles were successfully synthesized, which was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The synthesized NiFe_2O_4 could be used as an efficient catalyst in the heterogeneous Fenton process. In phenol degradation with H_2O_2 or NiFe_2O_4 alone, the phenol removal efficiencies within the reaction time of 330 min were as low as 5.9% ± 0.1% and 13.5% ±0.4%, respectively. However, in the presence of both NiFe_2O_4 and H_2O_2, phenol removal efficiency as high as 95% ± 3.4% could be achieved, indicating the excellent catalytic performance of NiFe_2O_4 in the heterogeneous Fenton process. Notably, a rapid electron exchange between_Ni II and_Fe III ions in the NiFe_2O_4 structure could be beneficial for the Fenton reaction. In addition, the magnetic catalyst was relatively stable, highly active and recoverable, and has potential applications in the Fenton process for organic pollutant removal.
基金This work was supported by the Henan Province Priority and Advantage Discipline Construction Engineering Projects Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.STS-ZYX-2017025)the Special Project of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Henan Province(Nos.20-21ZYZD01and2018ZY1003).
文摘Effective therapy options for pneumoconiosis are lacking.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)presents a favorable prospect in the treatment of pneumoconiosis.A pilot study on TCM syndrome differentiation can evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of TCM and lay a foundation for further clinical research.A double-blind,randomized,and placebo-controlled trial was conducted for 24 weeks,in which 96 patients with pneumoconiosis were randomly divided into the control and treatment groups.Symptomatic treatment was conducted for the two groups.The treatment group was treated with TCM syndrome differentiation,and the control group was treated with placebo.The primary outcomes were the six-minute walking distance(6MWD)and the St.George Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ)score.The secondary outcomes were the modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale(mMRC),Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test(CAT),Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS),and pulmonary function.Only 83 patients from the 96 patients with pneumoconiosis finished the study.For the primary outcome,compared with the control groups,the treatment group showed a significantly increased 6MWD(407.90 m vs.499.51 m;95%confidence interval(CI)47.25 to 135.97;P<0.001)and improved SGRQ total score(44.48 vs.25.67;95%CI 27.87 to 9.74;P<0.001).The treatment group also significantly improved compared with the control group on mMRC score(1.4 vs.0.74;95%CI 1.08 to 0.23;P=0.003),CAT score(18.40 vs.14.65;95%CI 7.07 to 0.43;P=0.027),and the total symptom score(7.90 vs.5.14;95%CI 4.40 to 1.12;P<0.001).No serious adverse events occurred.This study showed that TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment had a favorable impact on the exercise endurance and quality of life of patients with pneumoconiosis.
基金This work was supported by the Guangzhou Health and Family Planning Science and Technology Project(20192A010020).
文摘Background and Aims:Correct identification of small hepa-tocellular carcinomas(HCCs)and benign nodules in cirrhosis remains challenging,quantitative apparent diffusion coeffi-cients(ADCs)have shown potential value in characterization of benign and malignant liver lesions.We aimed to explore the added value of ADCs in the identification of small(≤3 cm)HCCs and benign nodules categorized as Liver Imag-ing Reporting and Data System(LI-RADS)3(LR-3)and 4(LR-4)in cirrhosis.Methods:Ninety-seven cirrhosis patients with 109 small nodules(70 HCCs,39 benign nodules)of LR-3 and 4 LR-4 based on major and ancillary magnetic resonance imaging features were included.Multiparametric quantitative ADCs of the lesions,including the mean ADC(ADCmean),min-imum ADC(ADCmin),maximal ADC(ADCmax),ADC standard deviation(ADCstd),and mean ADC value ratio of lesion-to-liv-er parenchyma(ADCratio)were calculated.Regarding the joint diagnosis,a nomogram model was plotted using multivariate logistic regression analysis.The performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).Results:The ADCmean,ADCmin,ADCratio,and ADCstd were significantly associated with the identification of small HCC and benign nodules(p<0.001).For the joint diagnosis,the LI-RADS category(odds ratio[OR]=12.50),ADCmin(OR=0.14),and ADCratio(OR=0.12)were identified as independent factors for distinguishing HCCs from benign nodules.The joint nomogram model showed good calibration and discrimination,with a C-index of 0.947.Compared with the LI-RADS category alone,this nomogram model demon-strated a significant improvement in diagnostic performance,with AUC increasing from 0.820 to 0.967(p=0.001).Con-clusions:The addition of quantitative ADCs could improve the identification of small HCC and benign nodules catego-rized as LR-3 and 4 LR-4 in patients with cirrhosis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31421005)International Cooperation in Science and Technology Project in China (2014DFG31690)DuPont Pioneer
文摘Starch is the major component in maize kernels,providing a stable carbohydrate source for humans and livestock as well as raw material for the biofuel industry.Increasing maize kernel starch content will help meet industry demands and has the potential to increase overall yields.We developed a pair of maize near-isogenic lines(NILs) with different alleles for a starch quantitative trait locus on chromosome 3(q HS3), resulting in different kernel starch content. To investigate the candidate genes for q HS3 and elucidate their effects on starch metabolism, RNA-Seq was performed for the developing kernels of the NILs at 14 and 21 d after pollination(DAP). Analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data identified 76 genes with nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms and 384 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) in the in trogressed fragment, including a hexokinase gene, Zm HXK3 a, which catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate and may play a key role instarch metabolism. The expression pattern of all DEGs in starch metabolism shows that altered expression of the candidate genes for q HS3 promoted starch synthesis,with positive consequences for kernel starch content. These results expand the current understanding of starch biosynthesis and accumulation in maize kernels and provide potential candidate genes to increase starch content.
基金The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52000105)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20200478)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.30922010806).
文摘Membrane distillation(MD)utilizing low-grade thermal energy can be used to effectively desalinate hypersaline brines with a high freshwater recovery for water reuse.Membrane flux and durability are the two main indices used to evaluate MD membrane performance.In the past decade,electrospun nanofibrous distillation membranes(EFDMs)with a low mass transfer resistance have garnered increasing attention in MD research,owing to their high porosity and interconnected-pore structure.However,on the one hand,the pores of EFDMs compared to those of phase-inversion membranes are easily deformed and impacted by water flow,reducing membrane flux;on the other hand,the general hydrophobic interface is susceptible to being wetted,fouled and scaled during the desalination/concentration process,resulting in MD failure.This review will present a comprehensive discussion of the recent progress in electrospun nanofibers for the MD of hypersaline wastewaters with a focus on designing specially wettable membrane interfaces and welding-pore structured membranes to enhance MD distillation efficiency and durability simultaneously.Besides,the challenges and perspectives of MD in treating hypersaline wastewaters are also provided as a guide for future research on sustainable and clean freshwater recovery.
