Role of GM-CSF in lung balance and disease.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor originally identified as a stimulus that induces the differentiation of bone marrow progenitor cells into granulocytes and macrophages. GM-CSF is now considered to be a multi-origin and pleiotropic cytokine. GM-CSF receptor signals activate JAK2 and induce nuclear signals through the JAK-STAT, MAPK, PI3K, and other pathways. In addition to promoting the metabolism of pulmonary surfactant and the maturation and differentiation of alveolar macrophages, GM-CSF plays a key role in interstitial lung disease, allergic lung disease, alcoholic lung disease, and pulmonary bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. This article reviews the latest knowledge on the relationship between GM-CSF and lung balance and lung disease, and indicates that there is much more to GM-CSF than its name suggests.

How to Regulate the Infringements of Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products-An Empirical Study on Judicial Documents in China.

Under the background of China's strategy of becoming a powerful agricultural country, geographical indications (GIs) of agricultural products, as an important intellectual property right to enable Chinese agriculture to develop with high quality, have a strong effect of strengthening and promoting agriculture. However, there are a large number of infringements of GIs among agricultural products in judicial practice, which not only greatly damage the economic and social values of GIs of agricultural products, but also bring huge food safety hazards to consumers and hinder the overall protection of intellectual property rights in China. On this basis, this paper, with the help of a quasi-case research method, integrates the facts of relevant cases, the focus of disputes, the application of law, and other case elements to realize the case similarity judgment based on the legal argumentation model. With the help of the retrieval tool of "Peking University Magic Weapon", this paper provides statistics on the civil cases of infringement of GIs of agricultural products in China from 1 January 2014 to 31 July 2022 and sets different retrieval conditions for two searches. After two screenings, 245 valid samples were obtained, and the judicial patterns of infringement disputes over GIs of agricultural products in China were systematically sorted out from the distribution of plaintiff and defendant, the distribution of infringement types, the basis of adjudication, and the standard of compensation. It was found that the plaintiff types showed double simplification, the infringement types took edge infringement as the basic form, and the general trademark provisions occupied the main position in legal applications. Then, the main litigation points, such as the dispute over the identification of GIs of agricultural products, the dispute over the use of geographical names, and the dispute over tort liability, are summarized, so as to dig out the characteristics of the implicitness of infringement, the expectation of implementation, and the concreteness of aspects. On this basis, the regulatory path of the infringement of GIs of agricultural products is put forward, such as introducing procuratorial public interest litigation, multi-agents cooperating to implement all-round supervision, and reasonably determining the amount of damages.

Fine mapping of QFlw-5B, a major QTL for flag leaf width in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: A major stable QTL for flag leaf width was narrowed down to 2.5 Mb region containing two predicated putative candidate genes, and its effects on yield-related traits was characterized. Flag leaf width (FLW) is important to production in wheat. In a previous study, a major quantitative trait locus for FLW (QFlw-5B) was detected on chromosome 5B, within an interval of 6.5 cM flanked by the markers of XwPt-9103 and Xbarc142, using a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between Kenong9204 (KN9204) and Jing411 (J411) (denoted as KJ-RILs). The aim of this study was to fine map QFlw-5B and characterize its genetic effects on yield-related traits. Multiple near-isogenic lines (NILs) were developed using one residual heterozygous line for QFlw-5B. Five recombinants for QFlw-5B were identified, and its location was narrowed to a 2.5 Mb region based on combined phenotypic and genotypic data analysis. This region contained 27 predicted genes, two of which were considered as the most likely candidate genes for QFlw-5B. The FLW of NIL-KN9204 was significantly higher than that of NIL-J411 across all the tested environments. Meanwhile, significant increases in plant height, grain width and 1000-grain weight were observed in NIL-KN9204 compared with that in NIL-J411. These results indicate that QFlw-5B has great potential for marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs designed to improve both plant architecture and yield. This study also provides a basis for the map-based cloning of QFlw-5B.

Internet Development, Consumption Upgrading and Carbon Emissions-An Empirical Study from China.

Internet development has changed Chinese people's consumption behavior, gradually expanding from survival consumption (SC) to development and enjoyment consumption (DEC) trends. Consumption is the new engine driving China's economic growth and the terminal of carbon emissions. Simultaneously, China is undergoing a profound change toward the "double carbon" goal, the space for carbon emission reduction in traditional fields is gradually compressed. Therefore, it is necessary to explore carbon emissions from the perspective of consumption terminals. Based on provincial panel data, we use the fixed effects model and mediating effects model to explore the relationship between Internet development, consumption upgrading, and carbon emissions in a unified research framework. The findings show that: (1) Internet development leads to an increase in carbon emissions. A finding remains significant after using instrumental variables to mitigate endogeneity; (2) Internet development promotes consumption upgrading, reflected in development and enjoyment consumption expenditure; (3) Internet development contributes to increasing carbon emissions through consumption upgrading. Heterogeneity analysis shows that Internet development in eastern China significantly contributes to carbon emissions through consumption upgrading, while it is insignificant in central and western regions. The Internet development leading region contributes to an increase in carbon emissions through consumption upgrading. In comparison, the lagging region is insignificant. This study can provide a reference for policymakers in China or other countries to formulate energy-saving and emission-reduction policies in the Internet industry and provide a scientific basis for advocating people's low-carbon consumption behavior and achieving carbon emission reduction at the consumption terminal.

NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric algorithms for the prediction of cadmium content in rice samples.

Fast determination of heavy metals is necessary and important to ensure the safety of crops. The potential of near-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometric technology for quantitative analysis of cadmium in rice was investigated. A total of 825 rice samples were collected and scanned by NIRS. The Kennard-Stone method was applied to divide the samples into calibration and validation sets. Before modeling, the spectrum was preprocessed using first derivation to reduce the baseline shift. Different chemometric tools such as interval partial least squares, moving window partial least squares, synergy interval partial least squares, and backward interval partial least squares were proposed to extract and optimize spectral interval from full-spectrum data. The performance of the calibration models generated on the basis of different regression algorithms was compared and evaluated. Results showed that the PLS models based on four chemometric algorithms outperformed the full-spectrum PLS model. Among the tools, biPLS performed better with the optimal subinterval selection. The root-mean-square error of prediction and correlation coefficient (R) of the biPLS model were 0.2133 and 0.9020, respectively. In addition, the low root-mean-square error of cross-validation was obtained in biPLS, which was 0.1756. NIRS technology combined with biPLS could be considered as an effective and convenient tool for primary screening and measuring of cadmium content in rice. In comparison with classical methodologies, this new technology was beneficial because of its eco-friendliness, fast analysis, and virtually no sample preparation required.

Optimal Allocation of Water Resources and Eco-Compensation Mechanism Model Based on the Interval-Fuzzy Two-Stage Stochastic Programming Method for Tingjiang River.

In this work, based on the upper line of water resources utilization and the bottom line of water environmental quality of "Three Lines, Single Project", a fuzzy optimization method was introduced into the Tingjiang River water resources optimal allocation and eco-compensation mechanism model, which is based on the interval two-stage (ITS) stochastic programming method. In addition, a Tingjiang River water resources allocation and eco-compensation mechanism model based on the interval fuzzy two-stage (IFTS) optimization method was also constructed. The objective functions of both models were to maximize the economic benefits of the Tingjiang River. The available water resources in the basin, the water environmental quality requirements, and regional development requirements were used as constraints, and under the five hydrological scenarios of extreme dryness, dryness, normal flow, abundance, and extreme abundance, the water resources allocation plan of various sectors (industry, municipal, agriculture, and ecology) in the Tingjiang River was optimized, and an eco-compensation mechanism was developed. In this work, the uncertainty of the maximum available water resources in each region and the whole basin was considered. If the maximum available water resources were too high, it would lead to a large waste of water resources, whereas if the maximum available water resources were too low, regional economic development would be limited. Therefore, the above two parameters were set as fuzzy parameters in the optimization model construction in this work. The simulation results from the IFTS model showed that the amount of water available in the river basin directly affects the water usage by various departments, thereby affecting the economic benefits of the river basin and the amount of eco-compensation paid by the downstream areas. The average economic benefit of the Tingjiang River after the optimization of the IFTS model simulation was [3868.51, 5748.99] × 108 CNY, which is an increase of [1.67%, 51.9%] compared to the economic benefit of the basin announced by the government in 2018. Compared to the ITS model, the economic benefit interval of the five hydrological scenarios of extreme dryness, dryness, normal flow, abundance, and extreme abundance was reduced by 28.54%, 44.9%, 31.49%, 40.37%, and 36.43%, respectively, which can improve the economic benefits of the basin and provide more accurate decision-making schemes. In addition, the IFTS simulation showed that the eco-compensation quota paid by downstream Guangdong Province to upstream Fujian Province is [28,116.4, 30,738.6] × 104 CNY, which is a reduction of [8461.404, 110,836] × 104 CNY compared to the 2018 compensation scheme of the government. Compared to the ITS model, the range of eco-compensation values was observed to increase by 9.94%, 54.81%, 15.85%, 50.31%, and 82.90%, respectively, under the five hydrological scenarios, which reduces the burden of ecological expenditure downstream and provides a broader decision-making space for decision-makers and thus enables improved decision-making efficiency. At the same time, after the optimization of the IFTS model, the additional water consumption of the second stage of the Tingjiang River during the extremely dry year decreased by 62.11% compared to the results of the ITS model. The additional water consumption of the industrial sector decreased by 68.39%, the municipal sector decreased by 59.27%, and in the first phase of water resources allocation for 14 districts and counties in the Tingjiang River, industrial and municipal sectors are the main two sectors. After introducing the fuzzy method into the IFTS model, the difference in the water consumption by these two sectors in the basin under different hydrological scenarios can be alleviated, and the waste of water resources caused by too low water allocation or excessive water allocation can be avoided. The national and local (the downstream region) eco-compensation quotas can be indirectly reduced, and the risk of water resources allocation and eco-compensation decision-making in the basin can be effectively reduced.

Application of bedside real-time tracheal ultrasonography for confirmation of emergency endotracheal intubation in patients in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: Critically ill patients often require emergency endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. When esophageal intubation is not confirmed early, treatment may be delayed, even for life-threatening conditions. We examined the accuracy of bedside real-time airway ultrasonography in confirming the endotracheal tube (ETT) position during emergency endotracheal intubation in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: This single-center prospective observational study included 118 patients who underwent urgent endotracheal intubation in the ICU of Taizhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. Tracheal ultrasonography was used to confirm the ETT position during endotracheal intubation, after which fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed. The accuracy of bedside real-time tracheal ultrasonography in determining the ETT position was examined. RESULTS: Twelve (10.2%) patients underwent endotracheal intubation. The kappa value was 0.844, indicating perfect consistency between tracheal ultrasonography and fiberoptic bronchoscopy in identifying esophageal intubation. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of tracheal ultrasonography in determining the ETT position were 75.0%, 100%, 100%, and 97.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Bedside real-time tracheal ultrasonography accurately assesses the ETT position in the ICU and can identify the ETT position during intubation. These findings have important clinical applications and are of great significance for treatment of ICU patients.

An Interval Two-Stage Stochastic Programming Model for Flood Resources Allocation under Ecological Benefits as a Constraint Combined with Ecological Compensation Concept.

The Momoge National Nature Reserve (MNNR) is located at the intersection of Nenjiang and Taoer Rivers in Baicheng City, Jilin Province, where the Taoer River is the main source of water for the nature reserve. However, due to the construction of the water control project in the upper reaches of the Taoer River, the MNNR has been in a state of water shortage for a long time. To guarantee the wetland function of the nature reserve, the government planned to carry out normal and flood water supply from Nenjiang River through the West Water Supply Project of Jilin Province. Therefore, how to improve the utilization of flood resources effectively has become one of the key issues of ecological compensation for the MNNR. In this paper, a flood resources optimal allocation model that is based on the interval two-stage stochastic programming method was constructed, and the corresponding flood resource availability in different flow scenarios of Nenjiang River were included in the total water resources to improve their utilization. The results showed that the proportion of flood resources that were used in the MNNR after optimization was more than 70% under different flow scenarios, among which the proportion of flood resources under a low-flow scenario reached 77%, which was 23% higher than the proposed increase. In addition, the ecological benefits of low, medium, and high flow levels reached the range of 26.30 (106 CNY) to 32.14(106 CNY), 28.21(106 CNY) to 34.49(106 CNY) and 29.41(106 CNY) to 35.94(106 CNY), respectively. According to the results, flood resources significantly reduce the utilization of normal water resources, which can be an effective supplement to the ecological compensation of nature reserves and provide a basis for the distribution of transit flood resources in other regions.

Risk factors for early onset of catheter-related bloodstream infection in an intensive care unit in China: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) is a life-threatening condition encountered in patients with long-term central venous catheter (CVC) indwelling. The objective was to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of CRBSI in the intensive care unit (ICU) in a Chinese center, as well as the risk factors for early CRBSI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 73 CRBSI patients were retrospectively studied in relation to patients' clinical and epidemiological data, microbiological culture, and treatment. Patients were treated at the Taizhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Zhejiang (Zhejiang Wenlin, China) between January 2010 and December 2012. RESULTS: In this Chinese center, the most common pathogens were Gram-positive cocci, followed by Gram-negative bacilli and fungi. A high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens was detected, and a higher percentage of non-Candida albicans spp. was observed. Multivariate analysis showed that an acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score >20 and >3 types of underlying diseases were independent factors associated with CRBSI occurring within 14 days of CVC indwelling. Untimely CVC removal and/or inappropriate use of antibiotics led to significantly longer time to defervescence and time to negative conversion of blood culture (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this Chinese center, Gram-positive bacteria are predominantly detected in CRBSI. APACHE II score >20 and the presence of >3 types of diseases were associated with earlier CRBSI onset. Timely removal of CVC and appropriate use of antibiotics resulted in improved outcomes.

Propofol-remifentanil intravenous anesthesia and spontaneous ventilation for airway foreign body removal in children with preoperative respiratory impairment.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of propofol-remifentanil total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and spontaneous ventilation for foreign body (FB) removal in pediatric patients with preoperative respiratory impairment. METHODS: We carried out a prospective observational clinical study of FB removal using a rigid bronchoscope under propofol-remifentanil TIVA and spontaneous ventilation in 65 pediatric patients who presented with preoperative respiratory impairment. Heart rate, blood pressure, pulse oxygen saturation (SpO(2)), respiratory rate, endtidal CO(2) (ETCO(2))(ETCO2), induction time, and remifentanil rate were recorded. Adverse events, the intervention for these events, and the duration of postoperative care were also of interest. RESULTS: Sixty children completed the study. The mean induction time was 12.3 min. During the procedure, the maximum remifentanil rate was 0.14 µg · kg(-1) · min(-1). Light breath holding occurred in 16 (26.7%) patients. No severe breath holding or body movements were observed. An SpO(2) below 90% occurred in 10 (16.7%) cases. No progressive desaturation was observed. The mean ETCO(2) at the end of the procedures was 7.91 KPa and returned to normal 5 min after the procedure. In the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), no hypoxemia was observed and the mean recovery time was 23.4 min. No laryngospasm, pneumothorax, or arrhythmias were observed. CONCLUSION: Propofol-remifentanil TIVA and spontaneous ventilation are effective and safe techniques to manage anesthesia during airway FB removal in children with preoperative respiratory impairment.

Physical and chemical effects of ultrasound vibration on polymer melt in extrusion.

The physical and chemical effects of ultrasound on polypropylene (PP) melts in extrusion were investigated. By applying ultrasound vibration to the entrance of the die, apparent pressure and viscosity of PP can be obviously decreased under the appropriate ultrasound power. Ultrasound has both physical and chemical effects on the polymer melt. In our study with specific polymer and ultrasound system, we determined that the chemical effect makes up 35-40% of the total effect of ultrasound on the apparent viscosity reduction of PP melts at most of the studied intensities. The physical effect plays a more important role in the ultrasound-applied extrusion than the chemical effect. This chemical effect is an irreversible and permanent change in molecule weight and the molecular-weight distribution due to ultrasound. As the ultrasound intensity increases, the molecular weight of PP reduces and its molecular-weight distribution becomes narrower; the orientation of PP molecules along the flow direction reduces (in melt state) and the crystallinity of PP samples (in solid state) decreases by applying the ultrasound vibration. Ultrasound vibration increases the motion of molecular chains and makes them more disorder; it also affects the relaxation process of polymer melts by shortening the relaxation time of chain segments, leading to weakening the elastic effect and decreasing the extruding swell ratios. All the factors discussed above reduce the non-Newtonian flow characteristics of the polymer melt and result in the viscosity drop of the polymer melt in extrusion.