Spatial and temporal distribution of arsenic concentration in rural drinking water and health risk assessment in Northern China from 2013 to 2022: a case study of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Background: By monitoring arsenic levels in rural drinking water in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from 2013 to 2022 and evaluating their health risks, this study provides a basis for further developing strategies to promote public health.

Methods: One stable centralized water supply point was randomly selected in each township of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. One finished water sample and 1-3 tap water samples were collected at each supply point.

Electrochemical Dehydrogenative [3 + 2]/[5 + 2] Annulation of -Arylacrylamides with γ,σ-Unsaturated Malonates via Direct C(sp)-H/C(sp)-H Functionalization.

Herein, we introduce an electrochemical dehydrogenative [3 + 2]/[5 + 2] annulation of easily available -arylacrylamides with γ,σ-unsaturated malonates through C(sp)-H/C(sp)-H functionalization. The employment of inexpensive ferrocene as the redox catalyst allows access to diverse benzo[]azepin-2-ones in moderate to excellent yields without stoichiometric oxidants. This protocol features broad substrate scope and excellent selectivity, and mechanistic studies indicated that the reaction proceeded through the oxidation of a C(sp)-H bond to generate an alkyl radical, radical addition across the C═C bond, [3 + 2]/[5 + 2] annulations, and C(sp)-H functionalization cascades.

AMPK regulates immature boar Sertoli cell proliferation through affecting CDK4/Cyclin D3 pathway and mitochondrial function.

Sertoli cell (SC) proliferation plays an important role in sperm production and quality; however, the regulatory mechanism of SC proliferation is not well understood. This study investigated the role of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the regulation of immature boar SC activity. Cell counting kit-8, Seahorse XFe96, mitochondrial respiratory enzyme-related assay kits, and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect SC proliferative viability, oxygen consumption rate (OCR), mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity, and the ultrastructure of primary cultured SCs in vitro from the testes of 21-day-old boars.

Mechanism Insights into the Enantioselective Bioactivity and Fumonisin Biosynthesis of Mefentrifluconazole to .

The occurrence of maize ear rot caused by () poses a threat to the yield and quality of maize. Mefentrifluconazole enantiomers appear to have strong stereoselective activity against and cause differences in fumonisin production. We evaluated the stereoselective activity of mefentrifluconazole enantiomers by determining inhibition of the strain, hyphae, and conidia.

Diagnostic signatures and immune cell infiltration characteristics in anti-GABAR encephalitis.

Purpose: Anti-gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptor (GABAR) encephalitis is an uncommon form of autoimmune encephalitis associated with a poor prognosis and a high fatality rate. We aim to find diagnostic markers for anti- GABAR encephalitis as well as the effects of immune cell infiltration on this pathology.

Methods: For quantitative proteomic analysis, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation were used in conjunction with LC-MS/MS analysis.

Pd-Catalyzed Intermolecular Carbonylative Dearomatization of Arylamines with Propargylic Acetates for Synthesis of Bridged Polycyclic Lactams.

A new palladium-catalyzed multicomponent dearomatization of arylamines with CO and propargylic acetates for the synthesis of bridged polycyclic lactams is described. This method allows double annulation at the and positions of the amino group to form four new bonds, three C-C bonds and one C-N bond. DFT calculations and experimental studies indicate that the efficient formation of the allenecarboxanilide intermediate is the key step to achieve the dearomative transformation.

Calcium Alginate Production through Forward Osmosis with Reverse Solute Diffusion and Mechanism Analysis.

Calcium alginate (Ca-Alg) is a novel target product for recovering alginate from aerobic granular sludge. A novel Ca-Alg production method was proposed herein where Ca-Alg was formed in a sodium alginate (SA) feed solution (FS) and concentrated via forward osmosis (FO) with Ca reverse osmosis using a draw solution of CaCl. An abnormal reverse solute diffusion was observed, with the average reverse solute flux (RSF) decreasing with increasing CaCl concentrations, while the average RSF increased with increasing alginate concentrations.

Recovery of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Excess Sludge Using High-Flux Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes.

The recycling of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) from excess sludge in wastewater treatment plants has received increasing attention in recent years. Although membrane separation has great potential for use in EPS concentration and recovery, conventional membranes tend to exhibit low water flux and high energy consumption. Herein, electrospun nanofiber membranes (ENMs) were fabricated using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and used for the recovery of EPSs extracted from the excess sludge using the cation exchange resin (CER) method.

Effect of type 2 diabetes on liver images of GD-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI during the hepatobiliary phase.

To analyze alterations of the liver appearance during the hepatobiliary phase of individuals with type 2 diabetes who are receiving gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fifty-seven individuals who received Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and had normal liver and renal function but did not have (control group) or have type 2 diabetes (observation group) were retrospectively included in this study. The liver enhancement ratio (LER) and contrast between liver parenchyma and portal vein (LPC) were calculated from hepatobiliary phase images.

News on alginate recovery by forward osmosis: Reverse solute diffusion is useful.

The water content in the recycled alginate solutions from aerobic granular sludge was nearly 100%. Forward osmosis (FO) has become an innovative dewatering technology. In this study, the FO concentration of sodium alginate (SA) was investigated using calcium chloride as a draw solute.

Recovery of polymeric substances from excess sludge: Surfactant-enhanced ultrasonic extraction and properties analysis.

The recovery of polymeric substances from excess sludge is gaining significant research interest in future wastewater treatment technologies. We present a surfactant-enhanced ultrasonic method to extract mixed polymeric substances with typical functional groups from excess sludge. Four potential reasons were revealed for the higher efficiency upon ultrasonication with surfactant: low surface tension, damage of non-covalent bonds between extracellular polymeric substances and cells, enhanced dissolution of polymeric substances, and release of intracellular polymeric substances caused by cell lysis.

Microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation-mediated inflammation promotes prolactinoma development.

Prolactinomas have harmful effects on human health, and the pathogenesis is still unknown. Furthermore, 25% of prolactinoma patients do not respond to the therapy of dopamine receptor agonist in the clinic. Thus, it is important to reveal the pathogenesis and develop new therapeutic methods for prolactinomas.

Combined Effect of Smoking and Obesity on Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in Male Veterans: A 30-year Cohort Study.

Objective: Evidence is lacking regarding the combined effects of smoking and obesity on mortality from coronary heart disease in male veterans. This study aimed to explore the combined effect of smoking and obesity on coronary heart disease mortality in male veterans in China.

Methods: A cohort of 1,268 male veterans from 22 veteran centers in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, China) were followed up once every 2 years from February 1, 1987 to October 30, 2016.

Freeform optical surface design in an off-axis reflective imaging system by a double seed curve extension algorithm.

A double seed curve extension (DSCE) method is proposed to design a freeform surface directly in an off-axis reflective imaging system. Compared with the basic seed curve extension (SCE) method, the DSCE can effectively reduce the error of freeform surface construction and improve the imaging quality of the off-axis reflective imaging system. In addition, the method can be employed to design an off-axis reflective imaging system consisting of multiple freeform surfaces with several virtual image points set in advance.

A Novel Scale for Assessment of Stroke Severity at Symptom Onset: Correlation With Neurological Deterioration and Outcome.

To propose a novel scale for the assessment of stroke severity at symptom onset and to investigate whether it is associated with ultra-early neurological deterioration (UND) and functional outcomes. The Chongqing Stroke Scale (CQSS) was constructed based on key aspects of history, emphasizing language, motor function, and level of consciousness to yield a total 0-11 scale. The diagnostic performance of the CQSS was assessed in 215 ischemic stroke patients between June 2017 and October 2017 in a tertiary hospital.

Clinical Characteristics and Functional Outcomes of Wake-Up Stroke in the Chinese Population.

Background: Wake-up stroke (WUS) accounts for up to 25% of all new ischemic strokes, but debate exists regarding whether WUS differs from non-WUS in previous studies. Our study aimed to investigate the proportion of WUS cases and to examine differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes in these two groups.

Methods: Data from acute ischemic stroke patients who presented to the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between April 2017 and September 2017 were prospectively collected.

Total Small Vessel Disease Burden Predicts Functional Outcome in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is generally considered as a cause of stroke, disability, gait disturbances, vascular cognitive impairment, and dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the total SVD burden can be used to predict functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. From April 2017 to January 2018, consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent baseline MRI scan were evaluated.

[Effect of sand dust weather on major water-soluble ions in PM10 in Lanzhou, China].

The major water-soluble ions (Ca(2+), NH(4+), Mg(2+), K(+), Na(+), SO4(2-), NO3(-) and Cl-(-) in PM10 at 1-h interval were measured by an online analyzer for monitoring of Aerosols and Gases (MARGA) at the campus of Lanzhou University, from April 1 to June 30, 2011. There were 15 days of dust weather during the monitoring period. The main water-soluble ions in PM10 were Ca(2+), SO4(2-) and NO3(-).

Role of microRNA-21 in regulating 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression.

MicroRNAs are endogenous small RNAs with a high degree of conservation, participating in a variety of vital activities. In present study, to explore the effect of microRNAs on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and adiponectin expression, the adipo-related microRNAs were screened and identified by micorRNA microarray. The highly expression plasmid of microRNA-21 with obvious expression up-regulation (miR-21) and its anti-sense (miR-21 inhibitor) were constructed and transfected into 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

[Comparison of atmospheric particulate matter and aerosol optical depth in Beijing City].

The pollution of particulate matter was serious in Beijing City from the synchronous observation of particulate matter mass concentration and aerosol optical characteristics in 2009. The annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were (65 +/- 14) microg x m(-3) and (117 +/- 31) microg x m(-3), respectively, which exceeded the national ambient air quality annual standards to be implemented in 2016.

2-Phenyl-imidazolium hemi(benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate) monohydrate.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(9)H(9)N(2) (+)·0.5C(8)H(4)O(4) (-)·H(2)O, contains one 2-phenyl-imidazolium cation, half a benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate anion and one water mol-ecule. In the crystal, components are connected by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-actions into a three-dimensional network.

[Dynamic simulation of wheat stem-sheath angle based on process].

Based on the field experiments with different plant-type wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars and varied population densities, the time-course changes in the angle between stem and sheath (stem-sheath angle) on main stem were observed, and a process-based model was developed for simulating the growth dynamics of stem-sheath angle on the main stem by using system analysis method and dynamic modeling technology. The stem-sheath angle increased with the growth of corresponding leaves, and decreased with increasing population density. The maximum stem-sheath angle decreased with increasing leaf position, except for the first leaf on main stem.

Construction and application of an electronic spatiotemporal expression profile and gene ontology analysis platform based on the EST database of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

An Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) is a short sub-sequence of a transcribed cDNA sequence. ESTs represent gene expression and give good clues for gene expression analysis. Based on EST data obtained from NCBI, an EST analysis package was developed (apEST).

Postural tremor and control of the upper limb in air pistol shooters.

A postural tremor appears whenever someone attempts to maintain a steady position against gravity. We examined the postural tremor that occurred while air pistol shooters were taking aim so as to compare the coordinative control of the shooters and to identify the features critical to successful shooting. Ten elite and ten pre-elite athletes participated in pistol shooting at 10 m, and the postural tremors in the pistol and upper limb were recorded with lightweight accelerometers.