Calculation of additional load and deformation of the receiving well enclosure structure caused by shield tunneling.

The bulkhead additional thrust during shield tunneling, the force of friction between shield and soil, and the additional grouting pressure can cause additional stress in the surrounding soil, thereby disturbing existing buildings and structures. However, few studies focused on the disturbance situation when the shield tunneling machine approaches the receiving well. If the additional stress and deformation of the receiving well are too excessive, it could result in the collapse of the receiving well. Based on the two-stage method, this study derived the calculation formula of the additional stress and deformation of the receiving well enclosure structure caused by shield tunneling. Taking a shield machine receiving engineering as the context, this study established a numerical simulation model and compared theoretical calculation, the results of numerical simulation model and on-site monitoring data. Finally, the additional stress of the receiving well is analyzed. The research findings demonstrate that the theoretical prediction results, numerical simulation calculation results, and on-site monitoring data exhibit relatively small calculation errors, which validated the applicability of the theoretical prediction formula and numerical simulation model. As the distance between the shield machine and the receiving well decreases, the disturbance to the receiving well increases sharply. When the distance between the cutter head and the receiving well is less than three times the shield length, it is crucial to enhance the deformation monitoring of the receiving well. The primary factors affecting the additional load and deformation of the receiving well enclosure structure are the force of friction between shield and soil and the additional thrust of the cutterhead. The disturbance caused by the additional grouting pressure on the enclosure structure can be ignored.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Gigantochloa verticillata (Bambusodae).

Gigantochloa verticillata is produced in Mengla and Jinghong, Yunnan Province, China, and cultivated in Hong Kong. Vietnam, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia are distributed and cultivated. We determined the complete chloroplast genome sequence for G. verticillata using Illumina sequencing data. The complete chloroplast sequence is 139,489 bp, including large single-copy (LSC) region of 83,062 bp, small single-copy (SSC) region of 12,877 bp, and a pair of invert repeats (IR) regions of 21,775 bp. Plastid genome contain 132 genes, 85 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 23 chloroplast genomes indicates that G. verticillata is closely related to Dendrocalamus latiflorus in Bambusodae.

Association of vitamin D receptor gene TaqI, BsmI, FokI and ApaI polymorphisms and susceptibility to extremity chronic osteomyelitis in Chinese population.

Previous studies have indicated that vitamin D receptor (VDR) TaqI, BsmI, FokI and ApaI gene polymorphisms are associated with the risk of several inflammatory diseases. However, potential association of the VDR gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to extremity chronic osteomyelitis remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate link between VDR gene polymorphisms and the risk of extremity chronic osteomyelitis in Chinese population. A total of 233 patients with chronic osteomyelitis and 200 healthy controls were genotyped for the 4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (TaqI, BsmI, FokI and ApaI) in VDR gene using the SNaPshot genotyping method. The frequencies of mutant allele C in rs731236 (P=0.044, OR=1.830, 95% CI 1.009 - 3.319) and rs2228570 (P=0.029, OR=1.347, 95% CI 1.031 - 1.761) were significantly higher in patients than those in healthy controls. In addition, outcomes of the logistic regression analysis adjusted by gender and age revealed that significant links were found between rs731236 (P=0.05, OR=1.887, 95% CI 1.001 - 3.558), rs2228570 (P=0.042, OR=1.594, 95% CI 1.016-2.500) and the risk of developing chronic osteomyelitis by dominant genetic model. In addition, significant association was also found between rs2228570 and the risk of developing the disease by homozygous model (P=0.034, OR=1.803, 95% CI 1.046 - 3.106). However, no significant correlations were found between BsmI (rs1544410) or ApaI (rs7975232) gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to the disease. To our knowledge, we reported for the first time that VDR gene TaqI (rs731236) and FokI (rs2228570) polymorphisms may contribute to the increased risk of chronic osteomyelitis in Chinese population.

Fatty acid composition of developing tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) seeds and transcriptome analysis during seed development.

BACKGROUND: Tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) is known for its excellent ornamental and medicinal values. In 2011, seeds from P. ostii have been identified as novel resource of α-linolenic acid (ALA) for seed oil production and development in China. However, the molecular mechanism on biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in tree peony seeds remains unknown. Therefore, transcriptome data is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: In this study, lipid accumulation contents were measured using GC-MS methods across developing tree peony seeds, which exhibited an extraordinary ALA content (49.3%) in P. ostii mature seeds. Transcriptome analysis was performed using Illumina sequencing platform. A total of 144 million 100-bp paired-end reads were generated from six libraries, which identified 175,874 contigs. In the KEGG Orthology enrichment of differentially expressed genes, lipid metabolism pathways were highly represented categories. Using this data we identified 388 unigenes that may be involved in de novo fatty acid and triacylglycerol biosynthesis. In particular, three unigenes (SAD, FAD2 and FAD8) encoding fatty acid desaturase with high expression levels in the fast oil accumulation stage compared with the initial stage of seed development were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first comprehensive genomic resources characterizing tree peony seeds gene expression at the transcriptional level. These data lay the foundation for further understanding of molecular mechanism responsible for lipid biosynthesis and the high unsaturated fatty acids (especially ALA) accumulation. Meanwhile, it provides theoretical base for potential oilseed application in the respect of n-6 to n-3 ratio for human diets and future regulation of target healthy components of oils.

Systematic qualitative and quantitative assessment of fatty acids in the seeds of 60 tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) cultivars by GC-MS.

Seeds from Paeonia ostii and Paeoniarockii have been recently identified as novel resources of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in China. To assess whether tree peony cultivars can be used as oil resource, fatty acids (FAs) in 60 cultivars were monitored and evaluated in this study. The results indicated that the composition and content of FAs varied dramatically among different cultivars, in which ALA, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid were the dominant. The 60 cultivars were classified into six clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis, and they were quite distinct from each other. Finally, six cultivars with high yield and high quality were screened out, comprising of 'Liuliguanzhu', 'Hongguanyupei', 'LSS-2', 'LSS-1', 'Jingshenhuanfa' and 'LSS-11'. These cultivars were appropriately applied in practical oil production. Overall, tree peony oil with abundant unsaturated fatty acids especially ALA was proved to be a top-grade source for edible oil and nutritional supplements.

Biogenesis of C-glycosyl flavones and profiling of flavonoid glycosides in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).

Flavonoids in nine tissues of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MSn). Thirty-eight flavonoids were identified; eleven C-glycosides and five O-glycosides were discovered for the first time in N. nucifera. Most importantly, the C-glycosyl apigenin or luteolin detected in lotus plumules proved valuable for deep elucidation of flavonoid composition in lotus tissues and for further utilization as functional tea and medicine materials. Lotus leaves possessed the significantly highest amount of flavonoids (2.06E3±0.08 mg 100 g(-1) FW) and separating and purifying the bioactive compound, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, from leaves showed great potential. In contrast, flavonoids in flower stalks, seed coats and kernels were extremely low. Simultaneously, the optimal picking time was confirmed by comparing the compound contents in five developmental phases. Finally, we proposed the putative flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in N. nucifera.

[Factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands: A review].

Cold temperate wetland plays an important role in maintaining regional ecological balance. Fire is an important disturbance factor in wetland ecosystem. Severe burning can induce the marked degradation of the ecological functions of wetland ecosystem. The vegetation restoration, especially the early vegetation restoration, after fires, is the premise and basis for the recovery of the ecological functions of the ecosystem. This paper reviewed the research progress on the factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in wetlands. The vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands was controlled by the fire intensity, fire size, vegetation types before fires, regeneration characteristics of plant species, and site conditions. It was considered that the long-term monitoring on the post-fire vegetation restoration in cold temperate wetland, the key factors affecting the vegetation restoration, the roles of frozen soil layer on the post-fire vegetation restoration, and the theories and technologies on the vegetation restoration would be the main research directions in the future.

A CMOS cantilever-based label-free DNA SoC with improved sensitivity for hepatitis B virus detection.

This paper presents a highly-integrated DNA detection SoC, where several kinds of cantilever DNA sensors, a readout circuit, an MCU, voltage regulators, and a wireless transceiver, are integrated monolithically in a 0.35 µm CMOS Bio-MEMS process. The cantilever-based biosensors with embedded piezoresistors aim to transduce DNA hybridization into resistance variation without cumbersome labeling process. To improve detection sensitivity for low DNA concentration use, an oscillator-based self-calibrated readout circuit with high precision is proposed to convert small resistance variation ( of original resistance) of the sensor into adequate frequency variation and further into digital data. Moreover, its wireless capacity enables isolation of the sample solution from electrical wire lines and facilitates data transmission. To demonstrate the effectiveness of full system, it is applied to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. The experimental results show that it has the capability to distinguish between one base-pair (1-bp) mismatch DNAs and match DNAs and achieves a limit of detection (LOD) of less than 1 pM.

[Effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) on the photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Tripterygium wilfordii seedlings exposed to low temperature].

Taking one year-old Tripterygium wilfordii cutting seedlings as test materials, this paper studied the effects of foliar spraying 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg x L(-1) of abscisic acid (ABA) on the leaf photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of the seedlings under low temperature stress. Spraying 20 mg x L(-1) of ABA increased the cold- resistance of the seedlings significantly, manifesting in the slowing down of the decrease amplitudes of leaf net photosynthetic rate (P(n)), transpiration rate (T(r)), stomatal conductance (g(s)), and intercellular CO2 concentration (C(i)) and the increase of photosynthetic capacity. After 6 days exposure to low temperature, the initial fluorescence (F(o)) decreased with increasing concentration of applied ABA, the maximum fluorescence (F(m)) and maximal photochemical yield (F(v)/F(m)) increased, the actual photochemical efficiency of system II (phi(PSII)) and photochemical quenching coefficient (q(P)) increased after an initial decrease, and the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (q(N)) showed a 'decreasing-increasing-decreasing' trend. The P(n), g(s), q(P), F(m), and F(v)/F(m) reached their peak values at 20 mg x L(-1) of ABA. In all treatments, with the increase of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the relative electron transport rate (rETR) increased first and decreased then, reached the peak when the PAR was 395 micromol x m(-2) x s(-1), and the peak value of the rETR in treatments 25 and 20 mg x L(-1) of ABA was 17.1% and 5.2% higher than that of the control, respectively. The light response curves of the psi(PSII) decreased with increasing PAR, whereas those of q(N) performed in adverse.

[Positron emission tomography with L-[S-methyl-11C]-methioine and its biodistribution].

OBJECTIVE: To study the biodistribution of L-[S-methyl-(11)C]-methioine ((11)C-MET) and explore its clinical application in positron emission tomography (PET) for brain tumor detection. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar rats and divided into 6 equal groups and injected with (11)C-MET through the tail vein and killed by decollation at 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 min after injection, respectively. The liver, brain, blood, heart, lung, kidney, and spleen were harvested to measure the radioactivity and calculate the biodistribution of (11)C-MET. PET imaging with (11)C-MET was performed in 6 normal volunteers and 30 patients with pathologically confirmed brain gliomas. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (11)C-MET showed high blood uptake and a long retention in the tumor mass, therefore can be a valuable tracer for PET imaging of brain tumor and the hypophysis.

Fetal central nervous system anomalies: comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography for diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of fetal central nervous system (CNS) agenesis by ultrasonography (US) is frequently limited, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has its own advantages and is gaining popularity in displaying suspected fetal anomalies. The purpose of this study was to explore the value of MRI in detecting fetal CNS agenesis. METHODS: Thirty-four women (aged from 22 to 35 years, average 27 years) with complicated pregnancies (16 - 39 weeks of gestation, average 30 weeks) were examined with a 1.5 T superconductive MR unit within 24 hours after ultrasonography. Half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) T(2)-weighted imaging (T(2)WI) sequence were performed in all patients, and fast low angle shot (FLASH) T(1)-weighted imaging (T(1)WI) sequence were applied sequentially in seven of them. Comparison of the results was made between the MRI and US findings as well as autopsy or postnatal follow-up MRI findings. RESULTS: The gyrus, sulcus, corpus callosum, thalamus, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord of fetus were shown more clearly on T(2)-weighted MR images than on T(1)-weighted MR images. MRI corrected the diagnosis of US in 10 cases (10/34, 29.41%) and the diagnosis was missed only in 1 case (1/34, 2.94%). CONCLUSION: MRI has advantages to US in detecting fetal CNS anomalies and is a supplement to US in complicated pregnancies.