The applicability evaluation and drought validation of the WOFOST model for the simulation of winter wheat growth in Shandong Province, China.

The yield of winter wheat in Shandong Province is of great significance for ensuring regional and national food security. To reduce the risk of production loss, the WOFOST model was used to simulate the winter wheat growth to obtain the quantitative and dynamic information. Based on the observational data, a moisture control experiment and the trial and error method, the applicability and drought simulation of the WOFOST model were evaluated for winter wheat growth.

Effects of different short-term tillage managements on rhizosphere soil autotrophic CO -fixing bacteria in a double-cropping rice paddy field.

Soil autotrophic bacteria community plays an important role in carbon (C) cycling process in soil, but there is still limited information about how the rhizosphere soil microbe that drives this process respond to combined application of tillage with crop residue incorporation managements under a double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy field in southern China. Therefore, the 6-years short-term tillage treatment on rhizosphere soil autotrophic bacteria community [RubisCO gene (cbbL)] under the double-cropping rice paddy field in southern China was studied using the high-throughput sequencing method in the present article.

Effects of short-term soil tillage practice on activity and community structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea under the double-cropping rice field.

Aims: The potential nitrification activity (PNA), population size and community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in paddy soil from a short-term (5 years) tillage field experiment conducted at tillering stage of late rice were investigated using the shaken slurry method and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Methods And Results: The experiment included four tillage treatments: conventional tillage with crop residue incorporation (CT), rotary tillage with crop residue incorporation (RT), no-tillage with crop residue returning (NT) and rotary tillage with all crop residues removed as a control (RTO). The results showed that PNA in paddy soil of CT, RT and NT treatments was higher than that of RTO treatment, and the abundance of AOA and AOB was much higher in paddy soil of CT, RT and NT treatments than RTO treatment.

Serological chemiluminescence immunoassay for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective: Dynamic monitoring of the concentration variation of IgM and IgG in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections and exploring their diagnostic value for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).

Methods: A total of 15 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled as the COVID-19 group, and 50 patients were enrolled as the control group. The concentrations of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies (IgM and IgG) were detected by a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA).

Microbial carbon source utilization in rice rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils with short-term manure N input rate in paddy field.

Carbon (C) plays a vital role in regulating soil nutrient cycling and increasing soil microbial community, but there is still limited information on how C source utilization characteristics responds to soil physical and chemical properties changes under double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy field in southern China. Therefore, the effects of different short-term manure nitrogen (N) input rate managements on C source utilization characteristics in rice rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils under double-cropping rice field in southern China were studied by using O-HO method.

Magnesium oil enriched transdermal nanogel of methotrexate for improved arthritic joint mobility, repair, and reduced inflammation.

Methotrexate (Mtx) is prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis patients; however, improved repair and mobility of joints still are the major concerns. Magnesium oil (MO) improves joint mobility and repair; therefore, MO-assisted transdermal delivery of Mtx was aimed. MO integrated Mtx nanoemulsion (Mtx-MONE) was prepared with uniform size (175 ± 35.

[Distribution features of wild feces in schistosomiasis endemic areas in Jiangling County, Hubei Province].

Objective: To understand the spatial distribution characteristics of wild feces in schistosomiasis endemic areas of Jiangling County, Hubei Province and further explore the source of infection efficiently, so as to provide the evidence for the development of corresponding monitoring and response technology.

Methods: In 2011, the fresh wild feces were investigated every two months in the selected 15 villages by the severity of historical endemic in Jiangling County. The schistosome miracidium hatching method was used to test the schistosome infection of the wild feces.

Involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in cardiac and vascular remodeling in a novel minipig model of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis induced by consumption of a high-fat/cholesterol diet.

Background: A long-term high-fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet leads to insulin resistance (IR), which is associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis (AS), cardiac sympathovagal imbalance, and cardiac dysfunction. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and nuclear factor ĸB (NF-κB) are involved in the development of IR-AS. Thus, we elucidated the pathological molecular mechanism of IR-AS by feeding an HFC diet to Tibetan minipigs to induce IR and AS.

The level of the biomarkers at the time of nephrology consultation might predict the prognosis of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients.

Introduction: The value of biomarkers at the time of nephrology consultation in predicting the prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients has not been well described. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of biomarkers at the time of nephrology consultation in predicting the prognosis of AKI.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 103 hospitalized patients who developed AKI.

Effects of winter cover crops residue returning on soil enzyme activities and soil microbial community in double-cropping rice fields.

Residue management in cropping systems is useful to improve soil quality. However, the studies on the effects of residue management on the enzyme activities and microbial community of soils in South China are few. Therefore, the effects of incorporating winter cover crop residue with a double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes exhibit temporal changes in phenotype.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs) have been recently derived and are used for basic research, cardiotoxicity assessment, and phenotypic screening. However, the hiPS-CM phenotype is dependent on their derivation, age, and culture conditions, and there is disagreement as to what constitutes a functional hiPS-CM. The aim of the present study is to characterize the temporal changes in hiPS-CM phenotype by examining five determinants of cardiomyocyte function: gene expression, ion channel functionality, calcium cycling, metabolic activity, and responsiveness to cardioactive compounds.

Cytokines as prognstic tool in breast carcinoma.

Serum cytokines are promising biomarkers of cancer staging and outcome prediction, including response to treatment. Serum samples were collected from 200 breast carcinoma patients prior to chemotherapy treatment. Luminex liquid protein chip technology was used to analyze 25 cytokines in serum.

Combined in vitro tests as an alternative to in vivo eye irritation tests.

Accurate methods that test the eye irritation potential of chemicals, which do not involve the use of animals, are needed to meet new regulatory standards. We evaluated the applicability and predictive capacity of five in vitro tests for eye irritation: the Hen's Egg Test-Chorioallantoic Membrane (HET-CAM) assay; the Chorioallantoic Membrane-Trypan Blue Staining (CAM-TBS) assay; the Fluorescein Leakage Test (FLT); the 3T3-Neutral Red Uptake (3T3-NRU) cytotoxicity assay; and the red blood cell (RBC) haemolysis assay. A panel of 16 chemicals (some at multiple concentrations) was assessed by using the five tests, and the results were compared with historical in vivo Draize test data.

Tyrosinase small interfering RNA effectively suppresses tyrosinase gene expression in vitro and in vivo.

Tyrosinase is a bifunctional enzyme which oxidizes the initial step of melanin biosynthesis, that is, conversion of tyrosine to dopa and subsequently dopa to dopaquinone. It is a glycosylated protein and a major regulator of melanogenesis. To date, many approaches have been tried to regulate tyrosinase activity and melanin content.

Enhanced radiation-mediated cell killing of human cervical cancer cells by small interference RNA silencing of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated protein.

The ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) protein, which is mutated in the inherited disease ataxia telangiectasia (AT), is a key activator of cell cycle checkpoint, initiating cell response to DNA damage and ensuring genomic stability. AT cells exhibit defects in all cellular responses to ionizing radiation and radiomimetic chemicals. Inactivation of ATM may therefore make cells fail to execute many responses to DNA damage and improve the cells' sensitivity to radiation.

Bone mineral analysis of whole body in 292 normal subjects assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry.

Objective: To study the whole body bone mineral changes in normal subjects.

Methods: Bone mineral was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 292 normal subjects aged 10-79 years, including 152 females and 140 males. They were divided into age-groups by decade.

Evaluation and calculation of nuclear data for deuteron-induced reactions on 51V, 52Cr, 56Fe, and 57Fe.

Because deuteron-induced reactions on 51V, 52Cr, 56Fe, and 57Fe have been widely used in medical radioisotope production, research on radiation damage, and activation analysis, the excitation functions were evaluated and calculated for 51V, 52Cr, 56Fe, and 57Fe (d, n), (d, p), (d, alpha), (d, 3He), (d, d'), (d, t), (d, 2n), (d, np + pn), (d, nalpha + alphan), (d, 2p) and (d, 3n) from respective threshold to 30.0 MeV.