Substrate degradation and nutrient enrichment structuring macroinvertebrate assemblages in agriculturally dominated Lake Chaohu Basins, China.

Rapid agricultural development has induced severe environmental problems to freshwater ecosystems. In this study, we aimed to examine the structure and environmental determinants of macroinvertebrate assemblages in an agriculture dominated Lake Chaohu Basin, China. A cluster analysis of the macroinvertebrate communities identified four groups of sites that were characterized by significantly different macroinvertebrate species.

[Posterior debridement, interbody fusion, internal fixation for treatment of lumbar discitis].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of posterior debridement, interbody fusion with internal fixation in the treatment of lumbar discitis.

Methods: The clinical data of 13 patients with lumbar discitis treated from January 2005 to June 2012 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 9 males and 4 females, aged from 31 to 68 years old with an average of 56 years old.

Human Perturbation of the Global Phosphorus Cycle: Changes and Consequences.

The phosphorus (P) cycle is an important Earth system process. While natural P mobilization is slow, humans have been altering P cycle by intensifying P releases from lithosphere to ecosystems. Here, we examined magnitudes of which humans have altered the P cycles by integrating the estimates from recent literatures, and furthermore illustrated the consequences.

Iterative reconstruction with boundary detection for carbon ion computed tomography.

In heavy ion radiation therapy, improving the accuracy in range prediction of the ions inside the patient's body has become essential. Accurate localization of the Bragg peak provides greater conformity of the tumor while sparing healthy tissues. We investigated the use of carbon ions directly for computed tomography (carbon CT) to create the relative stopping power map of a patient's body.

Dosimetric Analysis of Microscopic Disease in SBRT for Lung Cancers.

Objective: The objective of this study is to theoretically and experimentally evaluate the dosimetry in the microscopic disease regions surrounding the tumor under stereotactic body radiation therapy of lung cancer.

Methods: For simplicity, the tumor was considered moving along 1 dimension with a periodic function. The probability distribution function of the tumor position was generated according to the motion pattern and was used to estimate the delivered dose in the microscopic disease region.

A biomechanical modeling-guided simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction technique (SMEIR-Bio) for 4D-CBCT reconstruction.

Reconstructing four-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) images directly from respiratory phase-sorted traditional 3D-CBCT projections can capture target motion trajectory, reduce motion artifacts, and reduce imaging dose and time. However, the limited numbers of projections in each phase after phase-sorting decreases CBCT image quality under traditional reconstruction techniques. To address this problem, we developed a simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction (SMEIR) algorithm, an iterative method that can reconstruct higher quality 4D-CBCT images from limited projections using an inter-phase intensity-driven motion model.

Determination of Branched-Chain Keto Acids in Serum and Muscles Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Branched-chain keto acids (BCKAs) are derivatives from the first step in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and can provide important information on animal health and disease. Here, a simple, reliable and effective method was developed for the determination of three BCKAs (α-ketoisocaproate, α-keto-β-methylvalerate and α-ketoisovalerate) in serum and muscle samples using high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF/MS). The samples were extracted using methanol and separated on a 1.

The short- and long-term efficacy analysis of stereotactic surgery combined external ventricular drainage in the treatment of the secondary intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of minimally invasive stereotactic puncture therapy (MISPT) combined with external ventricular drainage (EVD) on secondary intraventricular hemorrhage (SIVH).

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the patients of intraventricular hemorrhage from May 2013 to January 2015 was conducted in our hospital, according to the enrollment criterion; of which 40 patients were treated by MISPT combined with EVD (ME group) and 45 patients by conventional craniotomy combined with EVD (CE group). Related indicators were compared in the two groups of patients with short- and long-term efficacy.

MiR-3202 protects smokers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through inhibiting FAIM2: An in vivo and in vitro study.

Previous study found the variable miR-3202 as a potential biomarker in smoker with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aims to identify the molecular involvement of miR-3202 in the pathophysiology of COPD. Level of miR-3202 in blood sample of non-smoker non-COPD(C), smoker without COPD(S), smoker with stable COPD(S-COPD) and smoker with acute exacerbation COPD(AE-COPD) was observed by quantitative real-time PCR.

Avian Influenza (H7N9) Viruses Co-circulating among Chickens, Southern China.

In April 2017, three avian influenza (H7N9) viruses were isolated from chickens in southern China. Each virus had different insertion points in the cleavage site of the hemagglutinin protein compared to the first identified H7N9 virus. We determined that these viruses were double or triple reassortant viruses.

Accelerating volumetric cine MRI (VC-MRI) using undersampling for real-time 3D target localization/tracking in radiation therapy: a feasibility study.

Purpose: To accelerate volumetric cine MRI (VC-MRI) using undersampled 2D-cine MRI to provide real-time 3D guidance for gating/target tracking in radiotherapy.

Methods: 4D-MRI is acquired during patient simulation. One phase of the prior 4D-MRI is selected as the prior images, designated as MRI.

Epigenetic silencing of TMEM176A promotes esophageal squamous cell cancer development.

The function of human transmembrane protein 176A (TMEM176A) in cancer remains unclear. To understand the function and mechanism of TMEM176A in human esophageal cancer development, 13 esophageal cancer cell lines and 267 cases of primary esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) samples were analyzed by methylation specific PCR (MSP), flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and transfection assays. TMEM176A was highly expressed in BIC1 cells and loss of TMEM176A expression was found in TE1, TE3, TE13, KYSE140, KYSE180, KYSE410, KYSE450, KYSE520, Segl, KYSE150, YES2 and COLO680N cells.

[Study on suitable distribution areas of Grifola umbellate in Sichuan province based on remote sensing and GIS].

Grifola umbellate is the important medicinal materials in China which has a very high medicinal value. This study analyzedthe suitable distribution areasof G. umbellate and provided scientific basis for determining G.

Optimization of the geometry and speed of a moving blocker system for cone-beam computed tomography scatter correction.

Purpose: X-ray scatter is a significant barrier to image quality improvements in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A moving blocker-based strategy was previously proposed to simultaneously estimate scatter and reconstruct the complete volume within the field of view (FOV) from a single CBCT scan. A blocker consisting of lead stripes is inserted between the X-ray source and the imaging object, and moves back and forth along the rotation axis during gantry rotation.

A General Electrode Design Strategy for Flexible Fiber Micro-Pseudocapacitors Combining Ultrahigh Energy and Power Delivery.

Herein, a general strategy is proposed to boost the energy storage capability of pseudocapacitive materials (i.e., MnO) to their theoretical limits in unconventional 1D fiber configuration by rationally designing bicontinuous porous Ni skeleton@metal wire "sheath-core" metallic scaffold as a versatile host.

[Establishment of Acute GVHD Mouse Model of Haplo identical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Its Pathogenesis].

Objective: To establish the acute graft-versus-host disease(GVHD) mouse model based on haplo identical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to further investigate the pathogenesis of GVHD.

Methods: Recipient mice ([C57BL/6×CBA/Ca]F1(H-2)) received lethal irradiation (11 Gy) of γ ray (Cs), followed by transplantation with donor-derived [C57BL/6(H-2)] T cell-depleted bone marrow cells (TD-BM) with or without donor-derived T cells. Recipients were randomly divided into 4 groups, including irradiation group, TD-BM group, TD-BM+T cell group 1 and TD-BM+T cell group 2.

New Supercapacitors Based on the Synergetic Redox Effect between Electrode and Electrolyte.

Redox electrolytes can provide significant enhancement of capacitance for supercapacitors. However, more important promotion comes from the synergetic effect and matching between the electrode and electrolyte. Herein, we report a novel electrochemical system consisted of a polyanilline/carbon nanotube composite redox electrode and a hydroquinone (HQ) redox electrolyte, which exhibits a specific capacitance of 7926 F/g in a three-electrode system when the concentration of HQ in H₂SO₄ aqueous electrolyte is 2 mol/L, and the maximum energy density of 114 Wh/kg in two-electrode symmetric configuration.

Ultra High Electrical Performance of Nano Nickel Oxide and Polyaniline Composite Materials.

The cooperative effects between the PANI (polyaniline)/nano-NiO (nano nickel oxide) composite electrode material and redox electrolytes (potassium iodide, KI) for supercapacitor applications was firstly discussed in this article, providing a novel method to prepare nano-NiO by using β-cyelodextrin (β-CD) as the template agent. The experimental results revealed that the composite electrode processed a high specific capacitance (2122.75 F·g at 0.

High prevalence of GII norovirus in hospitalized children with acute diarrhea, in Beijing.

Unlabelled: This study was addressed to the relationship between norovirus and acute diarrhea in hospitalized children, including hospital-acquired infection (HAI) and community-acquired infection (CAI) in a children's hospital in Beijing. RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus in stool specimen, followed by sequence analysis for PCR products. From 2010 to 2013, a total of 1248 specimens, including 661 from the HAI group and 587 from the CAI group were tested for norovirus.

Probiotics Reduce Postoperative Infections in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We performed this meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of probiotics on prevention of infection-related complications following colorectal resection. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science were searched up to January 2016. According to the results, only randomized controlled trials that compared the efficacy of probiotics on patients with colorectal resection were included for meta-analysis.

Clinical Study of Orthogonal-View Phase-Matched Digital Tomosynthesis for Lung Tumor Localization.

Background And Purpose: Compared to cone-beam computed tomography, digital tomosynthesis imaging has the benefits of shorter scanning time, less imaging dose, and better mechanical clearance for tumor localization in radiation therapy. However, for lung tumors, the localization accuracy of the conventional digital tomosynthesis technique is affected by the lack of depth information and the existence of lung tumor motion. This study investigates the clinical feasibility of using an orthogonal-view phase-matched digital tomosynthesis technique to improve the accuracy of lung tumor localization.

A new CT reconstruction technique using adaptive deformation recovery and intensity correction (ADRIC).

Purpose: Sequential same-patient CT images may involve deformation-induced and non-deformation-induced voxel intensity changes. An adaptive deformation recovery and intensity correction (ADRIC) technique was developed to improve the CT reconstruction accuracy, and to separate deformation from non-deformation-induced voxel intensity changes between sequential CT images.

Materials And Methods: ADRIC views the new CT volume as a deformation of a prior high-quality CT volume, but with additional non-deformation-induced voxel intensity changes.

The combination of gas-phase fluorophore technology and automation to enable high-throughput analysis of plant respiration.

Background: Mitochondrial respiration in the dark () is a critical plant physiological process, and hence a reliable, efficient and high-throughput method of measuring variation in rates of is essential for agronomic and ecological studies. However, currently methods used to measure in plant tissues are typically low throughput. We assessed a high-throughput automated fluorophore system of detecting multiple O consumption rates.