Synergistic synthesis of gold nanoflowers as upconversion near-infrared nanoprobe energy acceptor and recognition unit for improved hydrogen sulfide sensing

A highly sensitive and selective upconversion near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and colorimetric dual readout hydrogen sulfide (H2S) nanoprobe was constructed based on the excellent NIR fluorescence emission performance of upconversion nanomaterials (UCNPs), the specific recognition effect of synergistically synthesized gold nanoflowers (trypsin-stabled AuNFs (Try-AuNFs)) and the effective NIR fluorescence quenching capability. In this assay, the sensing strategy included three processes. First of all, the synthesized UCNPs can emit 803 nm NIR fluorescence when they were excited by 980 nm excitation light. Secondly, as a result of the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), Try-AuNFs can effectively quench the NIR fluorescence of UCNPs at 803 nm, which can effectively improve the signal-to-background ratio of nanoprobes, thereby improving the sensitivity of the probes. Thirdly, in the presence of H2S, the Try protective layer on the surface of Try-AuNFs was specifically penetrated, which will subsequently cleave Try-AuNFs via the strong S-Au bond. As such, the NIR fluorescence of UCNPs will be restored, achieving high selectivity and sensitivity detection of H2S. Under optimized conditions, the linear response range of H2S was 0.1-300 μM, and the detection limit was 53 nM. It is worth noting that the Try on the surface of Try-AuNFs via the synergistic effect can increase the steric hindrance of the probe, and this can effectively prevent the interaction between the probe with biothiols (cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy)) and other natural amino acids (non-thiol-containing) with resultant in the high selectivity regarding the detection of H2S in human serum, which is unlikely to be achieved by AuNFs synthesized by the gold seed method (Se-AuNFs). This work not only provided a new type of UCNPs fluorescence quencher and recognition unit, but also exemplified that the use of the physical properties (steric hindrance) of protein ligands on the surface of nanoflowers can improve the specificity of the probe. This will provide new ideas for the design of other nanoprobes.

Higher total energy costs strain the elderly, especially low-income, across 31 developed countries

Addressing the total energy cost burden of elderly people is essential for designing equitable and effective energy policies, especially in responding to energy crisis in an aging society. It is due to the double impact of energy price hikes on households-through direct impact on fuel bills and indirect impact on the prices of goods and services consumed. However, while examining the household energy cost burden of the elderly, their indirect energy consumption and associated cost burden remain poorly understood. This study quantifies and compares the direct and indirect energy footprints and associated total energy cost burdens for different age groups across 31 developed countries. It reveals that the elderly have larger per capita energy footprints, resulting from higher levels of both direct and indirect energy consumption compared with the younger age groups. More importantly, the elderly, especially the low-income elderly, have a higher total energy cost burden rate. As the share of elderly in the total population rapidly grows in these countries, the larger per capita energy footprint and associated cost burden rate of elderly people would make these aging countries more vulnerable in times of energy crises. It is therefore crucial to develop policies that aim to reduce energy consumption and costs, improve energy efficiency, and support low-income elderly populations. Such policies are necessary to reduce the vulnerability of these aging countries to the energy crisis.

Effects of direct-fed microbial supplementation on performance and immune parameters of lactating dairy cows

We evaluated the effects of supplementing bacterial direct-fed microbial (DFM) on performance, apparent total-tract digestibility, rumen fermentation, and immune parameters of lactating dairy cows. One hundred fourteen multiparous Holstein cows (41 ± 7 DIM) were used in a randomized complete block design with an experiment comprising 14 d of a covariate (pre-experimental sample and data collection) and 91 d of an experimental period. Cows were blocked based on energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield during the covariate period and the following treatments were randomly assigned within each block: (1) control (CON), corn silage-based total mixed ration without DFM; (2) PRO-A, basal diet top-dressed with a mixture of Lactobacillus animalis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii at 3 × 109 cfu/d; and 3) PRO-B, basal diet top-dressed with a mixture of L. animalis, P. freudenreichii, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus licheniformis at 11.8 × 109 cfu/d. Milk yield, dry matter intake (DMI), and body weight were measured daily, while milk samples for component analysis were taken on 2 consecutive days of each week of data collection. Feces, urine, rumen, and blood samples were taken during the covariate period, wk 4, 7, 10, and 13 for estimation of digestibility, N-partitioning, rumen fermentation, plasma nutrient status and immune parameters. Treatments had no effect on DMI and milk yield. Fat-corrected milk (3.5% FCM) and milk fat yield were improved with PRO-B, while milk fat percent and feed efficiency (ECM/DMI) tended to increase with PRO-B compared with PRO-A and CON. Crude fat digestibility was greater with PRO-B compared with CON. Feeding CON and PRO-A resulted in higher total volatile fatty acid concentration relative to PRO-B. Percentage of neutrophils tended to be reduced with PRO-A compared with CON and PRO-B. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of anti-CD44 antibody on granulocytes tended to be higher in PRO-B compared with CON. The MFI of anti-CD62L antibody on CD8+ T cells was lower in PRO-A than PRO-B, with PRO-A also showing a tendency to be lower than CON. This study indicates the potential of DFM to improve fat digestibility with consequential improvement in fat corrected milk yield, feed efficiency and milk fat yield by lactating dairy cows. The study findings also indicate that dietary supplementation with DFM may augment immune parameters or activation of immune cells, including granulocytes and T cells; however, the overall effects on immune parameters are inconclusive.

Implementation of carbon pricing in an aging world calls for targeted protection schemes

Understanding the impact of climate fiscal policies on vulnerable groups is a prerequisite for equitable climate mitigation. However, there has been a lack of attention to the impacts of such policies on the elderly, especially the low-income elderly, in existing climate policy literature. Here, we quantify and compare the distributional impacts of carbon pricing on different age-income groups in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan and then on different age groups in other 28 developed countries. We find that the elderly are more vulnerable to carbon pricing than younger groups in the same income group. In particular, the low-income elderly and elderly in less wealthy countries face greater challenges because carbon pricing lead to both higher rate of increase in living cost among low-income elderly and greater income inequality within the same age group. In addition, the low-income elderly would benefit less than the younger groups within the same income group in the commonly proposed carbon revenues recycling schemes. The high vulnerability of the low-income elderly to carbon pricing calls for targeted social protection along with climate mitigation polices toward an aging world.

A102 INTERDISCIPLINARY TELEHEALTH REFERRAL PATHWAY AND CONSULTATIONS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AMONG CANADIAN OLDER ADULTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Background

Telehealth and telemedicine have become indispensable healthcare delivery tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older individuals with cirrhosis have complex medical needs that are currently unmet due to the growing disease burden and decreased access to care. Delivering timely specialist care virtually to older adults with cirrhosis will likely be beneficial and acceptable to such patients; however, this has not yet been prospectively evaluated.

Purpose

The primary goal is to pilot the delivery of dual specialist care from a hepatologist and geriatrician, delivered virtually, for older adults living with liver cirrhosis who are at high risk of geriatric syndromes (age >/= 65 with frailty, undifferentiated cognitive impairment from dementia or hepatic encephalopathy, recurrent falls, risk factors for polypharmacy and moderate to severe malnutrition). Care is delivered using a dedicated hepatology-geriatric referral pathway. Primary objectives include evaluating the impact of this approach on emergency care and inpatient utilization, along with patient attitude and satisfaction to the virtual interdisciplinary care delivery model.

Method

This pilot quality improvement study was conducted in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ethics approval was obtained from the Nova Scotia Health Research Ethics Board and the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board. Fifty to one hundred participants (age 65 years or older with at least one geriatric syndrome; diagnosis of liver cirrhosis by liver elastography or liver biopsy, or Fibrosis-4 Index for Liver Fibrosis greater than three and having radiological features of cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension) were recruited between September 2022 to December 2022 at the time of their hepatology consultation. After consent and screening, each patient underwent a telehealth appointment by zoom with a geriatrician within four weeks of their initial hepatology assessment. Follow-up by telephone using a standardized survey regarding ease of access and quality of their telehealth experience then occurred at 3-4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months for emergency room visits and hospital admission status.

Result(s)

Pending

Conclusion(s)

Pending

Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below

Other

Please indicate your source of funding;

Pfizer Canada

Disclosure of Interest

J. Zhu Grant / Research support from: Pfizer Canada, F. Carr Grant / Research support from: Pfizer Canada, P. Tian: None Declared, M. McLeod: None Declared, M. MacFarlane: None Declared, S. De Coutere: None Declared, M. Sun: None Declared, K. Peltekian: None Declared

Evaluating the effects of dams and meteorological variables on riparian vegetation NDVI in the Tibetan Plateau

As the third pole of the world, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has a very special climate and geographical environment. In the past 20 years, with the increasing demand for clean energy, more than ten hydropower stations have been built. The impacts of these hydropower stations on riparian vegetation (RV) have only been described qualitatively in previous studies, while the contribution of dams and meteorological variables to riparian vegetation has not been quantitatively assessed. This study selected eight representative large-scale hydropower stations in the QTP, calculated and analyzed the dynamics of the standardized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of the RV pre-and post the dams construction, combined with the measured temperature and precipitation data to explore the driving factors of RV changes. The results show that the dams promoted the growth of RV and they were the main contributor (>50%) while precipitation and temperature had relatively small impacts. The effect of dams varies for different regions, compared with the sub-cold regions, it was more significant in humid and semi-humid regions of temperate zone. The dams affected RV in an indirect way through regulating the microclimate, promoting precipitation and slowing down the rate of temperature rise and these effects may come from the increase of the upstream water surface area.

Oral fat tolerance testing identifies abnormal pancreatic β-cell function and insulin resistance in individuals with normal glucose tolerance

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

Insulin sensitivity and β-cell function are affected by lipid metabolism disorders, even before the onset of type 2 diabetes. People are in the postprandial state most of the time. Therefore, identifying postprandial hyperlipemia is important. This study aimed to assess patients with abnormalities in lipid metabolism, but with normal glucose tolerance, using oral fat tolerance testing (OFTT) to identify defects in insulin sensitivity and β-cell function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We included 248 volunteers with normal glucose tolerance who underwent OFTT. They were divided into three groups in accordance with their fasting and 4-h postprandial triglyceride (TG) concentrations. Their lipid concentrations during OFTT were compared. The disposition index (DI) was applied to estimate β-cell function, and the Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI_M ) was used to assess insulin sensitivity. We used multiple linear regression analysis to estimate the relationships of fasting and postprandial TG concentrations with β-cell function and insulin sensitivity .

RESULTS

The changes in TG concentrations during OFTT were more marked than those in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol or total cholesterol concentrations. As lipid metabolism deteriorated, the ISI_M and the DI gradually decreased. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that fasting and 4-h postprandial TG concentrations affected LnISI_M and LnDI.

CONCLUSIONS

In individuals with normal glucose tolerance, β-cell function and insulin sensitivity gradually decrease with a deterioration in the lipid profile. Not only fasting TG, but also postprandial TG concentrations are independent risk factors for impaired β-cell function and insulin resistance.

Analysis of the relationship between water and energy in China based on a multi-regional input-output method

The shortage of water and energy are hindering the rapid development of the regional economy in recent years. Therefore, exploring the synergy of water and energy and managing the two resources comprehensively is conducive to the sustainable development of the economy. Based on the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model, this study proposed a new assessment framework for investigating the water-energy (WE) relationship. We used this novel framework to identify the relationships in different sectors. The achieved results are as follows. First, water and energy are closely related in many sectors, including agriculture, extractive sector, petroleum, coking, and nuclear fuel processing sector, and other sectors. However, the construction sector, textile and clothing sector, and wood processing and furniture manufacturing sector showed low correlation (p > 0.05). Second, on the whole, the WE relationship has been improving. Among the eight regions, the relationship varies greatly, and the Southern coastal region has the best relationship (r = 0.78). Third, the spatial distribution of water and energy footprints shows high agreement. Although the virtual water and energy flows alleviated the energy pressure in Coastal areas, it has aggravated the water and energy shortages in Central areas. Therefore, identification of key sectors and construction of suitable policies may help alleviate the contradiction between water and energy shortages and drive regional economic development.

Patterns of carbon footprints of main grains production in China: a comparison between main and non-main producing areas

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of carbon footprints (CFs) of grains production is important to formulate regional heterogeneous greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategies. This study evaluates the CFs, farm CFs (FCFs: CFs of per unit area), and production CFs (PCFs: CFs of per unit yield) of main grains production in China based on a new scale data set: agricultural statistics data of over 300 prefecture-level regions. A comparison of CFs of main grains production between main producing area (MPA) and non-main producing area (NMPA) are firstly discussed on a totally new scale. Results show that the CFs of main grains production of MPA accounts for 54-57% of country's total although the area of farmland of MPA only accounts for 42%. The PCF and FCF of rice production are higher in MPA, while those of wheat and maize production are lower in MPA. It implies that there are less GHG emission of rice (main paddy grain) productions in NMPA and less GHG emission of wheat and maize (main dryland grains) production in MPA. In additional, the PCF of rice shows growth, while that of wheat and maize shows decline from 2008 to 2017. The growth of PCF of rice is mainly driven by the rise of PCF in MPA. Findings are expected to improve the understanding patterns of China's CF of main grains production and subsequently contribute to GHG mitigation.

Assessment of water pollution in the Tibetan Plateau with contributions from agricultural and economic sectors: a case study of Lhasa River Basin

The freshwater environment of watersheds in the Tibetan Plateau is bound with the safety of the Asian Water Tower. In this study, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads delivered to freshwater and the associated gray water footprint (GWF) in the agriculture, tourism, domestic life, and industrial sectors were estimated to assess the seasonal and annual characteristics of the water pollution levels (WPLs) in the Lhasa River Basin from 2006 to 2018, and WPL calculations were compared with actual water quality measurements from 2017 to 2018. We found that more than 90% of the GWF came from anthropogenic sources. From the perspective of the whole basin, domestic life was the largest contributor to both N-related GWFs (52%) and P-related GWFs (50%), followed by agriculture for N-related GWFs (32%) and tourism industry for P-related GWFs (30%). The N emissions into the freshwater environment exceeded the maximum assimilation capacity of the watersheds in individual years at both seasonal and annual scales, while P emissions were completely within the pollution assimilative capacity. Besides, we found the serious N pollution near irrigation areas at the seasonal scale (WPL = 2.7 and TN = 1.11 mg/L). The prosperity of tourism has led to a tenfold increase in N-related GWFs and a fivefold increase in P-related GWFs for the tourism industry near the Lhasa city. The strict top-down unified management for ecological environmental protection in plateaus may be an effective method.

Research on the prediction of longevity from both individual and family perspectives

Increasing human longevity is of global interest. The present study explored the prediction of longevity from both individual perspective and family perspective based on demographic and psychosocial factors. A total of 186 longevous family members and 237 ordinary elderly family members participated in a cross-sectional study, and a sample of 62 longevous elderly and 57 ordinary elderly were selected for comparative research. The results showed that it was three times more female than male in longevous elderly group. Up to 71.2% of longevous elderly had no experience in education, which was significantly lower than that of ordinary elderly. Due to such extreme age, more widowed (81.4%) elderly than those in married (18.6%). Less than one-seventh of the longevous elderly maintained the habit of smoking, and about one-third of them liked drinking, both were significantly lower than that of ordinary elderly. In terms of psychosocial factors, longevous elderly showed lower neuroticism and social support, while higher extraversion, compared with the ordinary elderly. However, there were no significant differences between the two family groups in demographic and psychosocial variables, except longevous families showing lower scores in neuroticism. Regression analysis found that neuroticism, social support and smoking habit had significant impact on individuals’ life span, then, neuroticism and psychoticism were the key factor to predict families’ longevity. We conclude that good emotional management, benign interpersonal support, and moderation of habits are important factors for individual longevity, and the intergenerational influence of personality is closely related to family longevity.

Water-energy-carbon nexus in China's intra and inter-regional trade

Water consumption, energy use, and carbon emission are three related key anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment. China is the largest carbon emitter and energy consumer, with the serious unevenly distributed water resources. Therefore, investigating the water-energy-carbon (WEC) nexus is important for China's environmental footprint reduction. This study explores the relation between water utilization, energy consumption, and carbon emission in China, based on a multiregional input-output (MRIO) analysis. The WEC nexus is discussed comprehensively in consideration of the utilization of water and energy and the emission of carbon, as well as the trade to and from and the consumption activities in different sectors and provinces. Results show that water, energy, and carbon present significant consistency in production and consumption processes. Sectors with higher consumption coefficients dominate the transfer of virtual WEC. Although virtual WEC mainly transfers from less developed regions to relatively developed regions, Category 1 (i.e., WEC all import) and category 2 (i.e., WEC disaccord) present opposite results to and category 3 (i.e., WEC all export) provinces in terms of W-E and W-C nexus. The net water and energy transfers are significantly positively correlated in category 1 provinces, whereas both sides are negatively correlated in category 2 and 3 provinces. This phenomenon also exists in the relationship between net water and carbon transfers. The virtual water, as well as energy and carbon export pressures are dispersed in these export provinces. Findings of this study are expected to assist the government in decreasing the environmental footprints and achieve sustainable development in China.

Identification of the Chinese Population That Can Benefit Most From Postprandial Lipid Testing: Validation of the Use of Oral Fat Tolerance Testing in Clinical Practice

BACKGROUND

Dyslipidemia has become increasingly prevalent in recent decades. Blood lipid concentrations are significantly influenced by diet; however, postprandial triglyceride concentration (PTG) is not often measured. PTG can reflect the risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but not all individuals would benefit from PTG testing.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to determine the PTG response in a Chinese cohort and identify who would benefit from diagnostic PTG measurement.

METHODS

A total of 400 Chinese adults were enrolled and underwent oral fat tolerance test (OFTT), which was well tolerated. The participants were assigned to groups according to their fasting triglyceride concentration to evaluate the usefulness of PTG testing. A PTG concentration > 2.5 mmol/L was defined as high (HPTG).

RESULTS

Of the 400 participants, 78.9% showed an undesirable PTG response. Those with FTG ≥1.0 mmol/L had a delayed PTG peak and higher peak values. Seventy-five percent of those with 1.0 mmol/L ≤FTG <1.7 mmol/L had HPTG, of whom 18.6% had impaired glucose tolerance.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data confirm the previously reported predictive value of PTG testing. Moreover, the findings indicate that Chinese people with FTGs of 1.0 -1.7 mmol/L may benefit most from the identification of postprandial hyperlipidemia through OFTT because more than half of them have occult HPTG, which may require treatment. Thus, the detection of HPTG using an OFTT represents a useful means of identifying dyslipidemia and abnormal glucose metabolism early.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

[http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx], identifier ChiCTR1800019514.

Impact of thermal condition on vegetation feedback under greening trend of China

In China, an unambiguous greening trend was observed over the last three decades. The feedback induced by vegetation growth can affect regional climate. Here, we investigated how vegetation feeds back to land surface temperature (LST) in temperature zones and land-use types in China using 18-years (2001-2018) of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. We first showed that vegetation feedback was significantly negative (p < 0.1, t-test) in most parts of China. Specifically, we discovered a downtrend of vegetation feedback from the coldest temperature zone to the hottest temperature zone. Moreover, vegetation feedback and thermal condition showed an inverse relationship among temperature zones. The inverse relationship clarified that vegetation growth can cool most parts of China during climate change. In the end, we showed the pattern of vegetation feedback among land-use types. Due to the expansion of grassland, vegetation feedback may temporarily positive. Suitable vegetation coverage in urban land, banning deforestation, and cultivating land reasonably can decrease the local temperature by inducing negative vegetation feedback.

Development of a Self-reported Olfactory Dysfunction Questionnaire (SODQ) to screen olfactory disorders in China

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of olfactory dysfunction is challenging given the negligence during routine physical examination, inconvenience of diagnosis in clinical practice, and the inattention to cross-cultural adaptability. The study aimed to develop and validate a simple and effective self-reported olfactory dysfunction questionnaire (SODQ) for the initial screening of clinical olfactory disorders in China.

METHODS

A total of 121 subjects participated in the study; of these, 96 subjects completed the T&T olfactometer test and 12-item questionnaire, and 25 participants were retested using the SODQ after one week. The T&T olfactometer test examined the olfactory function and the questionnaire measured the ability to perceive common odors in daily life. We evaluated the factor structure, reliability, validity, and discriminative ability of the SODQ.

RESULTS

The final version of the SODQ consisted of 10 items with one factor. Test-retest and internal consistency were excellent. Convergent validity of the questionnaire with the T&T olfactory test was high. Furthermore, the discrimination ability was high for the questionnaire with an area under the curve of 0.95 and a cut-off point of 22.

CONCLUSIONS

The SODQ is a brief, valid, and repeatable tool that has the potential to effectively screen for clinical olfactory disorders from a subjective perspective.

Interaction of climate change, potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and topography on plant diversity and ecosystem functions in a high-altitude mountainous region of the Tibetan Plateau

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) generated from mining activities have affected ecological diversity and ecosystem functions around the world. Accurately assessing the long-term effects of PTEs is critical to classifying recoverable areas and proposing management strategies. Mining activities that shape geographical patterns of biodiversity in individual regions are increasingly understood, but the complex interactions on broad scales and in changing environments are still unclear. In this study, we developed a series of empirical models that simulate the changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functions in mine-affected regions along elevation gradients (1500-3600 m a.s.l) in the metal-rich Qilian Mountains (∼800 km) on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (China). Our results confirmed the crucial role of PTEs dispersal, topography, and climatic heterogeneity in the diversification of plant community composition. On average, 54% of the changes in ecosystem functions were explained by the interactions among topography, climate, and PTEs. However, merely 30% of the changes were correlated with a single driver. The changes in species composition (explained variables = 94.8%) in the PTE-polluted habitats located in the warm and humid low-elevation deserts and grasslands were greater than those occurring in the dry alpine deserts and grasslands. The ecosystem functions (soil characteristics, nutrient migration, and plant biomass) experienced greater changes in the humid low-elevation grasslands and alpine deserts. Our results suggest that the processes driven by climate or other factors can result in high-altitude PTE-affected habitat facing greater threats.

Development and validation of novel diagnostic nomogram for tuberculous pleurisy based on TB-IGRA results

OBJECTIVE: To establish the diagnostic nomogram for tuberculous pleurisy (TP) based on TB-interferon-gamma release assays (TB-IGRA), as well as clinical and peripheral blood characteristics.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who underwent TB-IGRA tests during hospitalisation and were finally diagnosed, were retrospectively and continuously enrolled. TP was divided into confirmed TP (cTP) and presumptive TP (pTP), and corresponding diagnostic nomograms were established.RESULTS: A total of 1283 patients were enrolled (median age 49 years, range 14-96; males: 63.1%). The area under the curve (AUC) of TB-IGRA was 0.81 (95%CI 0.77-0.84) for cTP (n = 272) and 0.74 (95%CI 0.71-0.78) for pTP (n = 644). The false-positive and negative rates of TB-IGRA among non-TP and cTP were respectively 32.4% and 16.8%. Based on LASSO analysis, we then selected respectively 12 and 10 predictors from clinical and peripheral blood characteristics to establish cTP and pTP nomograms (TB-IGRA was selected). The cTP and pTP nomograms had an AUC of 0.93 (95%CI 0.90-0.95) and 0.92 (95%CI 0.90-0.94) in the training group, and 0.91 (95%CI 0.87-0.96) and 0.93 (95%CI 0.89-0.96) in the validation group, respectively, which were superior to TB-IGRA test alone.CONCLUSION: Novel predictive nomograms with less invasiveness were provided based on TB-IGRA test to assist differential diagnosis of TP and non-TP patients.

Microplastic footprints in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and their implications to the Yangtze River Basin

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive in the environment and have posed growing threat to ecosystems and human health. This study investigated MP abundances in surface water (fresh and salt lakes, urban and rural rivers, etc.) from 28 stations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. MPs were detected in 25 out of 28 water samples with relatively low abundance (average 584.82 particles m^-3). Fibers were the most frequently observed shape, particle sizes mostly ranged from 100 to 500 µm, and the greatest number of MPs was polypropylene. Source analysis identified the major sources of domestic wastewater and tourism in some areas. The concentration and proportion of small MPs (20-100 µm) in salty water were apparently greater than that in fresh water, indicating Salt intrusion accelerated MPs fragmentation. As the study area is the origin of the Yangtze River, we further compared the MP distribution throughout the watershed. Nearly two orders of magnitude in MP concentrations were increased associated with urban agglomeration in the middle and downstream areas, but the highest level was marked around the Yichang City (location of the Three Gorges Reservoir) due to interception associated with sedimentation and precipitation. This study provides data and theoretical bases for analyzing MPs migration and degradation processes in high altitudes.

Elevated Levels of Apolipoprotein CIII Increase the Risk of Postprandial Hypertriglyceridemia

BACKGROUND

To investigate possible mechanisms of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia (PPT), we analyzed serum lipid and apolipoprotein (Apo) AI, B, CII and CIII levels before and after a high-fat meal.

METHODS

The study has been registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry (registration number:ChiCTR1800019514; URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx). We recruited 143 volunteers with normal fasting triglyceride (TG) levels. All subjects consumed a high-fat test meal. Venous blood samples were obtained during fasting and at 2, 4, and 6 hours after the high-fat meal. PPT was defined as TG ≥2.5 mmol/L any time after the meal. Subjects were divided into two groups according to the high-fat meal test results: postprandial normal triglyceride (PNT) and PPT. We compared the fasting and postprandial lipid and ApoAI, ApoB, ApoCII and ApoCIII levels between the two groups.

RESULTS

Significant differences were found between the groups in fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), TG, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), TG-rich lipoprotein remnants (TRLRs), ApoB, ApoCIII, ApoAI/ApoB and ApoCII/ApoCIII. The insulin, HOMA-IR, TG, TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, TRLRs, ApoB, ApoCIII and ApoCII/ApoCIII values were higher in the PPT group, while the ApoAI/ApoB ratio was higher in the PNT group. The postprandial TG level peaked in the PNT group 2 hours after the meal but was significantly higher in the PPT group and peaked at 4 hours. TRLRs gradually increased within 6 hours after the high-fat meal in both groups. The area under the curve (AUC) of TG and TRLRs and the AUC increment were higher in the PPT group (P < 0.001). ApoCIII peaked in the PNT group 2 hours after the meal and gradually decreased. ApoCIII gradually increased in the PPT group within 6 hours after the meal, exhibiting a greater AUC increment (P < 0.001). Fasting ApoCIII was positively correlated with age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, TC, TG, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, TRLRs, and ApoB (P<0.05). ApoCIII was an independent risk factor of PPT after adjustment for BMI, waist circumference, TC, LDL-C, and ApoB (P < 0.001, OR=1.188).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated ApoCIII levels may cause PPT.

Impacts of land use and land cover changes on regional climate in the Lhasa River basin, Tibetan Plateau

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) can alter land surface-atmosphere interactions in the exchange of energy fluxes, with additional consequences on temperature. Understanding the impacts of LUCC on the regional climate contributes to providing fundamental information for future land use planning and regional policy orientation, especially in extremely vulnerable and sensitive plateau regions. This study was designed to explore the regional climate effects associated with LUCC in the Lhasa River basin of Tibetan Plateau using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, with a particular focus on near-surface air temperature (T_a) and surface energy fluxes. Two numerical experiments (Case 1980 and Case 2015) were simulated, spanning from November 2014 to November 2015 with the first month as spin-up. The results indicated that the conversion from croplands or grasslands to urban and built-up land led to a noticeable increase in T_a (0.23 °C) during summer. In areas converted from grasslands to waters, T_a decreased by 0.40 °C during spring and approximately 0.50 °C during winter. The afforestation activities at this scale had an obvious impact on the T_a in spring and winter, increasing by 0.20 °C and 0.10 °C, respectively. Generally, the latent heat flux (LE) and sensible heat flux (H) were more sensitive to land conversions, while changes in other fluxes seemed to be weaker. Due to the small change in net radiation (R_n) and ground heat flux (G), the H generally showed an opposite trend with that of LE. Urbanization and reservoir construction resulted in a decrease in the LE, while afforestation construction contributed to an increase in the LE. Our study highlights the impacts of current regional development in the plateau areas on the climate, especially in spring and winter. Urbanization led to a slight warming effect; the cooling effect was more significant in spring and winter than in summer after reservoir construction, and the current afforestation project contributed to a warming effect in winter. This study contributes to the future development of environmentally compatible and sustainable land strategies.

Analysis of microplastics in a remote region of the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for natural environmental response to human activities

Microplastics are one of the most valuable indicators reflecting the effects of human activities on natural environment. This study was conducted in a representative remote region of Tibetan Plateau in China, simultaneously analyzing the abundance, compositions and fate of MPs both in water and soil media. MPs were detected in surface water, sediment and soil with abundances ranging from 66.6 to 733.3 number/m³, 20 to 160 items/kg, and 20 to 110 items/kg, respectively. Fibers were the most frequently observed shape in the surface water and sediment, while the dominant shape in the soil was film. The major polymers of MPs in water and soil samples were polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). Small MPs were the main components with the <500μm fraction accounting for 94.74%, 88.37% and 88.34% of total MP particles in surface water, sediment and soil, respectively. Correlation analysis was further conducted to identify the sources of MPs from different human activities. The night light index was innovatively used to represent population rather than local residents, considering the large number of tourists in this region. It was found that tourism was the main source of MPs in water bodies, while facility agriculture and previous secondary industry are major contributors to soil MPs. A simplified equation set for MP abundance prediction was also formulated related to different industrial features. This study provides an evidence of noticeable MPs associated with human activities even at remote regions, and advances a feasible tool for MPs prediction according to local economic development. CAPSULE: The effect of human activities on natural environment in a remote region was illustrated by evaluating the abundance, compositions and fate of MPs across freshwater and terrestrial environment.

Correlation of lipid peroxidation and ATP enzyme on erythrocyte membrane with fetal distress in the uterus in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to investigate the correlation of lipid peroxide in erythrocytes and ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) enzyme activity of erythrocyte membrane with fetal distress in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-three patients with ICP treated at Jining No. 1 People's Hospital were enrolled as a study group, and another forty healthy parturient women in the same period were enrolled as a control group, to extract their elbow venous blood and fetal umbilical cord blood. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) was used to detect superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of erythrocytes, malondialdehyde (MDA) activity in plasma, Na+-K+-ATP enzyme activity and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP enzyme activity of erythrocytes, which were compared between the study and control groups. The correlation of MDA, Na+-K+-ATP enzyme and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP enzyme activities with fetal distress in the study group was analyzed, and the correlation of MDA with Na+-K+-ATP enzyme activity was investigated.

RESULTS

SOD and MDA activities of erythrocytes in maternal blood of the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively), but MDA activity in umbilical cord blood of the study group was markedly higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Na+-K+-ATP enzyme and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP enzyme activities of maternal and fetal erythrocytes of the study group were remarkably lower than those of the control group (p<0.001). MDA in the fetal distress group was significantly higher than that in the no fetal distress group in the study group (p<0.001). Na+-K+-ATP enzyme activity was negatively correlated with MDA concentration in maternal and fetal erythrocytes of patients with ICP (both p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Lipid peroxidation in patients with ICP will affect ATP enzyme activity of erythrocyte membrane, and the down-regulation of ATP enzyme activity in umbilical cord blood of patients with ICP may cause fetal distress in the uterus.

Engineering CRISPR interference system to enhance the production of pyrroloquinoline quinone in Klebsiella pneumonia

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a cofactor of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) and thus participates in glucose utilization. In Klebsiella pneumoniae, glucose utilization involves PQQ-dependent direct oxidation pathway (DOP) and phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent transport system (PTS). It is challenging to overproduce PQQ, as its biosynthesis remains unclear. Here, we report that PQQ production can be enhanced by stimulating the metabolic demand for it. First, we developed CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system to block PTS and thereby intensify DOP. In shake-flask cultivation, the strain with CRISPRi system (simultaneously inhibiting four PTS-related genes) produced 225·65 nmol l^-1 PQQ, which was 2·14 times that of wild type. In parallel, an exogenous soluble glucose dehydrogenase (sGDH) was overexpressed in K. pneumoniae. In the shake-flask cultivation, this sGDH-overexpressing strain accumulated 140·05 nmol l^-1 PQQ, which was 1·33 times that of wild type. To combine the above two strategies, we engineered a strain harbouring both CRISPRi vector and sGDH-overexpressing vector. In the shake-flask cultivation, this two-plasmid strain generated 287·01 nmol l^-1 PQQ, which was 2·72 times that of wild type. In bioreactor cultivation, this two-plasmid strain produced 2206·1 nmol l^-1 PQQ in 57 h, which was 7·69 times that in shake-flask cultivation. These results indicate that PQQ production can be enhanced by intensifying DOP, as the apo-enzyme GDH is intrinsically coupled with cofactor PQQ. This study provides a strategy for the production of cofactors whose biosynthesis mechanisms remain ambiguous. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is an economically important chemical, which typically serves as a cofactor of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) and thus participates in glucose metabolism. Klebsiella pneumoniae can naturally synthesize PQQ, but current yield constrains its commercialization. In this study, the PQQ level was improved by stimulating metabolic demand for PQQ, instead of overexpressing PQQ synthetic genes, as the synthetic mechanism remains ambiguous.

[The value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET-CT) in evaluating the stability of atherosclerotic plaques]

Objective: Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) has been used to quantify inflammatory response in the body. The aim of the present study was to explore the possibility of using this method to evaluate the stability of atherosclerotic plaques and the efficacy of atorvastatin in stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Methods: Twenty New Zealand male white rabbits were included and divided into the atorvastatin intervention group and the control group, with 10 rabbits in each group. Rabbits in both groups were fed with a high fat diet for 20 weeks, and treated with thoracoabdominal aortic balloon-pulling to establish atherosclerosis model at the end of the 2nd week. Rabbits in atorvastatin intervention group was given atorvastatin intragastrically once a day. At the 8th week, thoracoabdominal aortic ultrasound was used to detect plaques in all rabbits. Blood was drawn at the 3rd and the 20th week, respectively, to measure blood lipids, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). At the end of experiment, survival animals were scanned by (18)F-FDG PET-CT, and the average and maximum standard uptake values (SUVmean, SUVmax) of aortic segments were measured. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed and aortic specimens of rabbits were taken and examined by immunohistochemistry. The pathological indexes were measured and compared. Results: At the end of experiment, the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), hs-CRP [ (4.58±0.51) ng/ml vs.(5.87±0.66) ng/ml, P<0.01], MMP-9[ (43.93±2.16) ng/ml vs. (50.77±2.32) ng/ml, P<0.01], SUVmean (0.59±0.15 vs. 0.68±0.20, P<0.05) , SUVmax (0.68±0.20 vs. 0.81±0.27, P<0.05) , plaque area [ (0.36±0.24) mm(2) vs. (0.50±0.34) mm(2), P<0.05) ] and density of macrophage[ (4.34±1.54) % vs. (5.65±1.89) %, P<0.01] in the atorvastatin intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group. In contrast, fiber cap thickness of the plaque[ (4.12±0.66) μm vs. (2.96±0.37) μm, P<0.01] in the atorvastatin intervention group was higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. The arterial plaque areas were positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.27, P<0.05) and SUVmax (r=0.43, P<0.01) . Fiber cap thickness was negatively correlated with SUVmean (r=-0.38, P<0.05) and SUVmax (r=-0.47, P<0.01) . The density of macrophage were positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.52, P<0.01) and SUVmax (r=0.51, P<0.01) . Conclusion: (18)F-FDG PET/CT can be used to evaluate the efficacy of atorvastatin by the stability of atherosclerotic plaques.

Optimal water resource management for sustainable development of the chemical industrial park under multi-uncertainty and multi-pollutant control

Two major concerns over the chemical industrial park (CIP) operations are high consumption of water resources and large amount of pollutant emissions. This study develops an interval chance-constrained programming model for industrial water resources management (ICCP-IWM) with consideration of multi-uncertainty and multi-environmental constraints. Uncertainties expressed as intervals and probability distributions are merged in the ICCP-IWM framework. The developed model is used to solve a real-world water resource management problem in the Shenyang Chemical Industrial Park to demonstrate its capacity and effectiveness, where the objective is to minimize the system cost of water pathways and pollutant-emission control under a series of constraints. Interval solutions with respect to water resources allocation, wastewater management, and pollutant emissions could be generated. Results indicate that a lower violation risk leads to an increased strictness of the constraints, then to a higher system cost; conversely, a higher violation risk results in a lower system cost, at the expense of an increase in the risk. These findings would be recommended by the decision-makers because of their applicability for practical decision process providing the optimal strategy for sustainable water resource management under multiple uncertainties.

Game-based analysis of energy-water nexus for identifying environmental impacts during Shale gas operations under stochastic input

Environmental issues have become some of the greatest challenges encountered across the life cycle Shale gas operations, and mostly involve the management, disposal, and spill of flowback and produced (FP) waters during the process of hydraulic fracturing. This study evaluates Shale gas resources, addresses water resource management problems, and identifies the corresponding environmental implications of FP waters under uncertainty. Multiple tools, including structural optimization, process design, cost analysis, environmental assessment, and stochastic technology, are integrated into a general modeling framework based on game theory. This mathematic framework corresponds to a dominant-subordinate-interactive problem, where two major participants are identified as the downstream decision maker at the dominant level (e.g., power generation sector) and the upstream decision maker at the subordinate level (e.g., Shale gas producer). The Monte Carlo technique is used for simulating the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of a single well. Thereafter, the developed model is applied to a special case study of the Marcellus Shale play in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Multiple decisions regarding gas production, processing, water management, as well as electricity generation would been examined under different probability levels. Results indicate that the changes in violation levels would lead to distinct environmental and economic performances of the supply chain. A lower probability level of the EUR value would correspond to an increased reliability on fulfilling the system demands, and then to higher economic benefits and freshwater supply; conversely, a higher probability level of the EUR value would result in lower economic benefits and lower freshwater supply, and the risk of violating the EUR value would also increase.

Outcomes of standard dose EC-MPS with low exposure to CsA in DCD renal transplantation recipients with DGF

AIMS

The lower limit of exposure to cyclosporine A (CsA) has not yet been established in donation after cardiac death (DCD) renal transplantation recipients with delayed graft function (DGF) receiving enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) therapy. Stable and adequate mycophenolic acid (MPA) dosing may facilitate lower CsA exposure after DCD renal transplantation in recipients with DGF without compromising safety.

METHODS

A 12-month, single-centre open-label prospective trial was performed in our centre. According to their DGF risk index using the previous DGF prediction models, we divided up the patients on oral CsA into either a DGF group (n = 26) and no DGF group (n = 48). All of the patients initially received the standard EC-MPS dosing (1440 mg/day). The initial dose of CsA in the low risk of DGF group was 4.5 mg/kg/day and in the high risk of DGF group was 2.5 mg/kg/day. Efficacy parameters, safety and tolerability were assessed over a 12-month study period.

RESULTS

The incidence of DGF was 18.5% in the 162 DCD recipients. Between the DGF group and the no DGF group, the 1-year patient survival and graft survival were not significantly different. The incidence of BPAR was higher in the DGF group (26.9% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.032). Most patients in the DGF group had recovery of renal function after 1 month. The adverse events between the two groups were not significantly different. The daily EC-MPS doses of the DGF group were significantly higher than the no DGF group before the 6-month follow-up period. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the mean AUC levels during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that low expose CsA with standard dosing of EC-MPS and thymoglobulin was efficacious, safe and well-tolerated in DCD renal transplant recipients with DGF in China. Furthermore, stable and adequate MPA exposure helped to reduce the dose of and exposure to CsA. Thus, this may lead to less-induced nephrotoxicity and better renal function recovery.

Phylogenetic analysis of Elymus (Poaceae) in western China

Elymus L. is often planted in temperate and subtropical regions as forage. Species in the genus have 5 allopolyploid genomes that are found in the grass tribe Triticeae. To determine the phylogenetic relationships in Elymus species from western China, we estimated phylogenetic trees using sequences from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and non-coding chloroplast DNA sequences from 56 accessions (871 samples) of 9 polyploid Elymus species and 42 accessions from GenBank. Tetraploid and hexaploid Elymus species from western China had independent origins, and Elymus species from the same area or neighboring geographic regions were the most closely related. Based on the phylogenetic tree topology, the St- and Y-genomes were not derived from the same donor and Y-genome likely originated from the H-genome of Hordeum species, or they shared the same origin or underwent introgression. The maternal genome of tetraploid and hexaploid Elymus species originated from species of Hordeum or Pseudoroegneria. Additionally, Elymus species in western China began diverging 17-8.5 million years ago, during a period of increased aridification as a consequence of the Messinian salinity crisis. Elymus species adapted to drought and high salinity may have developed based on the environmental conditions during this period. Elymus evolution in western China may have been affected by the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (5 million years ago), when Elymus seeds were dispersed by gravity or wind into a newly heterogeneous habitat, resulting in isolation.

Intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph node metastases in breast carcinoma by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Background

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a routine surgical staging procedure in clinically lymph node-negative breast cancer. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, a technique based on the biochemical composition of the tissue, has previously been found to be capable of differentiating between normal and malignant tissue. The aim of the present study was to explore the intraoperative use of FTIR spectroscopy for rapidly identifying metastatic SLNs, and distinguishing between metastatic and non-metastatic tissue.

Methods

Freshly removed SLNs from patients with breast cancer were analysed. Samples were measured by FTIR spectroscopy before histopathological diagnosis. The FTIR spectrum of each sample identified ten bands from 2000 to 900 cm−1. The peak position, intensity and full width at half maximum of each absorbent band were measured, and the relative intensity ratios calculated. Canonical discriminant analysis was performed to discriminate between metastatic and non-metastatic samples.

Results

A total of 149 SLNs were removed from 49 patients. Histopathological examination confirmed 38 metastatic and 111 non-metastatic SLNs. Eighteen of 29 parameters were significantly different between the metastatic and non-metastatic SLNs. Five parameters were selected as independent factors to form discriminant functions. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of this method were 94·7, 90·1 and 91·3 per cent respectively. The accuracy of histological analysis of frozen sections was 100 per cent.

Conclusion

FTIR spectroscopy is a promising technique for the real-time diagnosis of SLN metastasis during breast cancer surgery. Surgical relevanceSentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a highly accurate predictor of overall axillary status and has become the standard in disease staging in clinically node-negative breast cancer. A rapid and accurate intraoperative assessment of metastatic spread to the SLN provides the necessary information for the surgeon to proceed with immediate axillary dissection.The results of this research indicate that Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a rapid, accurate, non-destructive and cost-effective molecular method that can be used to detect SLN metastasis during surgery.FTIR analysis could be useful for the intraoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastases at large institutions, thereby reducing the workload of pathologists, as well as in regions lacking pathologists such as in developing countries.

Which is more suitable for kidney transplantation at the early post-transplantation phase in China - low dosing or standard dosing of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium?

AIMS

To investigate the pharmacokinetics of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) and the clinical outcome in kidney transplant recipients in the early post-transplantation phase. Then explain which regimen is more suitable for Chinese renal transplant recipients.

METHODOLOGY

In total, 60 de novo kidney transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus and steroids were randomised to receive EC-MPS at standard dose (SD; 1440 mg/day; n = 28) or low dose (LD; 1080 mg/day; n = 32). Efficacy parameters, safety and tolerability were assessed over a 6-month study period. Full mycophenolic acid (MPA) areas under the curve (AUCs) were completed on days 3 and 5, whereas a three-point limited sampling strategy (LSS) was utilised for MPA AUC assessments at 2 weeks and months 1, 3 and 6 (the LSS for three-time-point MPA AUC 0-12 h (mg h/l) = 15.99 + 0.87C1 h  + 0.68C2 h  + 7.85C4 h ; r(2)  = 0.8670.

RESULTS

The mean AUC levels at day 3 and day 5 in the SD group were significantly higher than in the LD group (57.4 mg·h/l vs. 38.2 mg·h/l and 59.3 mg·h/l vs. 44.8 mg·h/l, respectively, p < 0.01). There was a trend for fewer clinically diagnosed acute rejections in the SD group vs. the LD group at 6 months (7.1% vs. 12.5%). This trend was also present when acute rejection was analysed as biopsy-proven cases. There were significantly more acute rejections (all definitions) in patients with MPA AUC levels < 30 mg·h/l compared with those with MPA AUC levels ≥ 30 mg·h/l within 6 months (p < 0.05). Renal function, incidence of infection and haematological disorders were not significantly different in either study group.

CONCLUSIONS

Early adequate MPA exposure in renal transplant recipients can be achieved with a higher starting dose. In addition, a SD regimen was as well-tolerated as a LD regimen. Furthermore, early adequate MPA exposure significantly lowered the rate of acute rejection without compromising safety and tolerability.

SrRietveld: a program for automating Rietveld refinements for high-throughput powder diffraction studies

SrRietveldis a highly automated software toolkit for Rietveld refinement. Compared to traditional refinement programs, it is more efficient to use and easier to learn. It is designed for modern high-throughput diffractometers and is capable of processing large numbers of data sets with minimal effort. The software currently uses conventional Rietveld refinement engines, automatingGSASandFullProfrefinements. However, as well as automating and extending many tasks associated with these programs, it is designed in a flexible and extensible way so that in the future these engines can be replaced with new refinement engines as they become available.SrRietveldis an open-source software package developed in Python.