Study on the different responses of different winter wheat cultivars to dry hot wind.

Dry hot wind (DHW) is one of the main agro-meteorological disasters that occur during the grain filling stage of winter wheat in northern China. In this study, three major winter wheat cultivars planted at the Mazhuang experimental station, Xinji city, Hebei Province, including Henong 6119 (HN6119), Gaoyou 5218 (GY5218), and Jimai 325 (JM325), were analyzed. Through natural DHW and artificially simulated DHW experiments, we investigated how the physiological parameters of the three cultivars were affected on the day with DHW and the day before and after DHW occurred. Comparative analysis of the different responses among the physiological parameters of the three cultivars demonstrated that HN6119 experienced less leaf water loss by reducing its stomata conductance and transpiration rate under natural DHW conditions, while GY5218 and JM325 experienced more leaf water loss by increasing their stomata conductance and transpiration rates under natural DHW conditions. The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomata conductance of HN6119 recovered after the DHW conditions, while those of GY5218 and JM325 showed a continuously decreasing trend. The leaf photosynthetic water use efficiency decreased on DHW days because the net photosynthesis rate was reduced for HN6119, but the transpiration rate increased for GY5218 and JM325. HN6119 showed a significant positive correlation between physiological parameters, while GY5218 and JM325 showed a poor correlation after being affected by DHW conditions. The effect of artificial simulation under mild and severe DHW stress on the thousand kernel weight (TKW) of HN6119, GY5218 and JM325 was 0.01%, 3.51%, 3.57% and 0.36%, 8.12%, 8.84%, respectively. HN6119 showed better resistance to DHW, followed by GY5218, and JM325 showed the weakest resistance.

[Personality characteristics of erectile dysfunction patients with different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between personality characteristics and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in ED patients. METHODS: We collected the general demographic data from 97 ED patients with different types of TCM syndromes, including the syndromes of liver-qi depression, fear-induced kidney injury, vital gate fire declination, heart and spleen deficiency, downward diffusion of damp-heat, yin-deficiency and fire-hyperactivity, and blood vessel stasis and obstruction. Using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), we analyzed the personality types of the patients by comparing their EPQ scores with those of the adult males in the national norm group. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between the ED patients and the males in the national norm group in the EPQ scores on neuroticism (11.97 ± 5.58 vs 4.61 ± 2.93, P < 0.01) and extraversion-introversion (10.06 ± 3.66 vs 7.38 ± 2.85, P < 0.01). Different personality types were significantly associated with the TCM syndrome types of the ED patients (P < 0.01), choleric temperament and melancholic temperament correlated with the syndrome of liver-qi depression (P < 0.01), and sanguine temperament with that of fear-induced kidney injury (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TCM syndrome differentiation has underlying correlations with personality characteristics. It is clinically feasible to divide ED into more subtypes based on correlation of the TCM syndrome differentiation with personality characteristics of the patient.

[Pressing acupuncture therapy combined with auricular pressure beans for the treatment of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of the pressing acupuncture therapy (PAT) combined with auricular pressure beans in the treatment of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). METHODS: We selected 50 cases of CP/CPPS confirmed in our Department of Andrology from January to December 2019 and randomly divided them into an observation (n = 25) and a control group (n = 25), the former treated by PAT combined with auricular pressure beans in addition to medication, and the latter with auricular pressure beans in combination with drug therapy, both for 14 successive days. We compared the scores on NIH-CPSI and General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ) between the two groups of patients before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the patients in the observation group, compared with the controls, showed a significantly higher total effectiveness rate (92% vs 68%, P < 0.05) and GCQ score (ï¼»95.00 ± 9.39ï¼½ vs ï¼»80.16 ± 9.96ï¼½, P < 0.05), and a lower pain symptom score ( ï¼»6.92 ± 2.34ï¼½ vs ï¼»10.08 ± 2.22ï¼½, P < 0.05), urination symptom score (ï¼»3.16 ± 1.46ï¼½ vs ï¼»4.80 ± 1.19ï¼½, P < 0.05), quality of life score (ï¼»4.68 ± 1.35ï¼½ vs ï¼»6.80 ± 1.71ï¼½, P < 0.05) and total NIH-CPSI score (ï¼»14.76 ± 3.31ï¼½ vs ï¼»23.68 ± 3.05ï¼½, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The pressing acupuncture therapy, with the advantage of dynamic needle retention with good compliance, can relieve the clinical symptoms of CP/CPPS and improve the life comfort of the patients, and is therefore worthy of further clinical research and application.

[Application of NNN linkages-based standardized nursing language in communication with ED patients with anxiety].

OBJECTIVE: To develop specific contents of communication with ED patients according to the linkages of North American Nursing Diagnosis Association International, Nursing Interventions Classification and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NNN linkages), and investigate the application value of NNN linkages-based standardized nursing language in communication with ED patients with anxiety. METHODS: This study included 96 ED patients treated in the Department of Andrology from May 2019 to May 2020. We equally randomized them into a control and an observation group, the former receiving routine nursing and the latter routine nursing in addition to communication in NNN linkages-based standardized nursing language. We compared the nursing outcome scores on anxiety and anxiety-control ability between the two groups of patients before and after intervention. RESULTS: After intervention, the patients in the observation group, compared with the controls, showed significantly higher nursing outcome scores on anxiety (136.44 ± 7.04 vs 123.29 ± 5.19, P < 0.05), response to anxiety control (4.31 ± 0.75 vs 3.50 ± 0.68, P < 0.05), relaxation skills (4.50 ± 0.68 vs 3.46 ± 0.71, P < 0.05), proper sleep (3.77 ± 1.08 vs 2.88 ± 1.06, P < 0.05), and concentration (4.13 ± 0.67 vs 3.04 ± 0.80, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of NNN linkages-based standardized nursing language in communication with ED patients with anxiety can reduce the anxiety of the patients.

[Acupoint application combined with virtual reality technology to relieve pain after circumcision in children].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of acupoint application combined with virtual reality (VR) technology in relieving pain after circumcision in children. METHODS: Using a random number table, we divided 106 children undergoing circumcision into a control and an intervention group of an equal number, the former receiving routine nursing care, and the latter acupoint application combined with VR technology. We compared between the two groups the postoperative pain scores with the Changhai pain ruler, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores, and the satisfaction of the patients and their families. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, the patients in the intervention group showed a significantly lower HAMA score (ï¼»2.94 ± 0.98ï¼½ vs ï¼»1.06 ± 0.92ï¼½, P < 0.05) and postoperative pain score (ï¼»5.96 ± 1.24ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.66 ± 1.18ï¼½, P < 0.05), but higher satisfaction in the patients and their families (86.79% vs 98.11%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupoint application combined with VR technology for children after circumcision has the advantages of effectively relieving the anxiety of the patients, distracting their attention, increasing the pain perception threshold, reducing the perception of pain, improving the satisfaction of the patients and their family members.

Critical Role of Surface Defects in the Controllable Deposition of Li2S on Graphene: From Molecule to Crystallite.

Uncontrollable electrochemical deposition of Li2S has negative impacts on the electrochemical performance of lithium-sulfur batteries, but the relationship between the deposition and the surface defects is rarely reported. Herein, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and density functional theory (DFT) approaches are used to study the Li2S deposition behaviors on pristine and defected graphene substrates, including pyridinic N (PDN) doped and single vacancy (SV), as well as the interfacial characteristics, in that such defects could improve the polarity of the graphene material, which plays a vital role in the cathode. The result shows that due to the constraint of molecular vibration, Li2S molecules tend to form stable adsorption with PDN atoms and SV defects, followed by the nucleation of Li2S clusters on these sites. Moreover, the clusters are more likely to grow near these sites following a spherical pattern, while a lamellar pattern is favorable on pristine graphene substrates. It is also discovered that PDN atoms and SV defects provide atomic-level pathways for the electronic transfer within the Li2S-electrode interface, further improving the electrochemical performance of the Li-S battery. It is found for the first time that surface defects also have strong impacts on the deposition pattern of Li2S and provide electronic pathways simultaneously. Our work demonstrated the interior relationship between the surface defects in carbon substrates and the stability of Li2S precipitates, which is of high significance to understand the electrochemical kinetics and design Li-S battery with long cycle life.

[Correlation of betweenness centrality of the right hemispheric network with ejaculatory function in premature ejaculation patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the topological properties of the betweenness centrality of the nodes and edges in the brain white matter network of premature ejaculation (PE) patients and analyze the correlation of the importance of the key brain regions and interregional white matter structural connectivity with the ejaculatory function of the patients.Method: We collected the demographic and clinical data, along with the T1 and MR diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) data, on 18 PE patients and 22 normal controls matched in age, sex and education. After preprocessing of the data obtained, we divided the whole brain into 90 symmetrical cortical and subcortical regions (defined as nodes of the brain network) by automated anatomical labeling, examined the structural connectivity between different brain regions by probabilistic white matter fiber tracking (defined as edges of the brain network), and calculated the betweenness centrality of the nodes and edges using the brain connection toolbox. Then, we performed the Mann-Whitney U test on the betweenness centrality of the nodes and edges, subjected the results to false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and assessed the correlation of the attribute values of between-group differences with the ejaculatory function of the patients. RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, the PE patients showed a significantly decreased betweenness centrality of the right superior occipital gyrus (SOG) (281.18 ± 255.26 vs 67.78 ± 58.98, Z = －3.49, FDR-corrected P < 0.05), but increased betweenness centrality of the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) (222.91 ± 155.60 vs 557.00 ± 322.65, Z = 3.55, FDR-corrected P < 0.05) and betweeness centrality of the edge between the right rolandic operculum and right insula (4.23 ± 8.39 vs 23.83 ± 23.91, Z = 3.84, FDR-corrected P < 0.05). The betweenness centrality of the right SOG was correlated negatively with the level of difficulty in delaying ejaculation (r = －0.51, P = 0.03) and the probability of ejaculation before expectation (r= －0.61, P = 0.01), while that of the right STG positively with PE-related frustration (r = 0.54, P = 0.02) and the level of concern about PE-related distress of the partner (r = 0.47, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities of structural connections were found in the visual stimulus- and emotion processing-related regions in the right cerebral hemisphere of PE patients, which might be associated with rapid ejaculation or decreased ejaculation control and lead to a series of psychological problems.

[Correlation between TCM syndrome types and clinical symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia with chronic prostatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between the syndrome types of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and clinical symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with chronic prostatitis (BPH-CP). METHODS: We selected 150 cases of BPH-CP in this study and divided them into 7 TCM syndrome types. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, we studied the correlation of each TCM syndrome type with the age, disease course, prostate volume, postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS). RESULTS: Kidney-yin deficiency was correlated positively with the prostate volume but negatively with Qmax and IPSS; kidney-yang deficiency positively with the age and prostate volume but negatively with IPSS; the damp heat syndrome positively with the PSA level but negatively with the disease course, prostate volume and Qmax; the spleen-qi deficiency syndrome positively with the prostate volume but negatively with the disease course; liver-qi stagnation positively with the disease course but negatively with the age, prostate volume and PVR; the syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis positively with the disease course and IPSS but negatively with PVR; the syndrome of lung-heat and qi blockage positively with the age, Qmax and IPSS but negatively with the disease course. CONCLUSIONS: The TCM syndrome types of BPH-CP are closely correlated to their clinical symptoms. The analysis of the clinical objective indexes of BPH-CP can provide some reliable evidence for accurate identification of the TCM syndrome type of the disease.

Ultrathin spinel membrane-encapsulated layered lithium-rich cathode material for advanced Li-ion batteries.

Lack of high-performance cathode materials has become a technological bottleneck for the commercial development of advanced Li-ion batteries. We have proposed a biomimetic design and versatile synthesis of ultrathin spinel membrane-encapsulated layered lithium-rich cathode, a modification by nanocoating. The ultrathin spinel membrane is attributed to the superior high reversible capacity (over 290 mAh g(-1)), outstanding rate capability, and excellent cycling ability of this cathode, and even the stubborn illnesses of the layered lithium-rich cathode, such as voltage decay and thermal instability, are found to be relieved as well. This cathode is feasible to construct high-energy and high-power Li-ion batteries.