[Research Progress of Functional Materials for Conversion of Agricultural Biomass Wastes].

Excess agricultural biomass waste is increasing rapidly, leading to many environmental and governance issues. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the recycling and value-added application of agricultural biomass waste. In recent years, the research of agricultural biomass waste utilization and derived functional materials has mainly included the following two aspects： ① the extraction of natural polymers and value-added applications and ② the direct preparation of new carbon-based materials, including adsorption, catalysis, energy storage electrode, and composite functional materials. The conversion of agricultural biomass waste into functional materials has been gradually realized and widely used. To enable industrial-scale production and the quality and safety of agricultural biomass waste derivatives and to develop highly feasible and cost-effective biomass waste conversion methods should be the focus of future studies.

Characteristics of home oxygen therapy for preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in China: results of a multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Home oxygen therapy (HOT) is indicated upon discharge in some preterm infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). There is a lack of evidence-based consensus on the indication for HOT among these infants. Because wide variation in the institutional use of HOT exists, little is known about the role of regional social-economic level in the wide variation of HOT. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) data from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Infants at gestational ages < 32 weeks, with a birth weight < 1500 g, and with moderate or severe BPD who survived to discharge from tertiary hospitals located in 25 provinces were included in this study. Infants with major congenital anomalies and those who were discharged against medical advice were excluded. RESULTS: Of 1768 preterm infants with BPD, 474 infants (26.8%) were discharged to home with oxygen. The proportion of HOT use in participating member hospitals varied from 0 to 89%, with five of 52 hospitals' observing proportions of HOT use that were significantly greater than expected, with 14 hospitals with observing proportions significantly less than expected, and with 33 hospitals with appropriate proportions. We noted a negative correlation between different performance groups of HOT and median GDP per capita (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The use of HOT varied across China and was negatively correlated with the levels of provincial economic levels. A local HOT guideline is needed to address the wide variation in HOT use with respect to different regional economic levels in countries like China.

Growth and intelligence development among a cohort of low birth weight infants / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore growth and intelligence development of low birth weight infants (LBWI) at 24 and 36 months of age, so as to provide reference for early monitoring and intervention of the development of LBWI.@*Methods@#A total of 100 LBWI born and managed in Hefei Maternal and Child Health Care Institution were selected from 2012 October 1 to 2015 December 30, and 99 normal birth weight infants (NBWI) under child health management in the same sitinstitution were selected as controls. According a prospective cohort study method, and based on the establishment of a cohort and monitoring of childhood growth and development, a unified method was used to longitudinally follow up and observe the physical fitness of two groups of infants at the determined time points. The development of LBWI and NBWI at 24 and 36 months of age was surveyed using the Gesell Development Scale.@*Results@#Weight, length and head circumference of LBWI children at the age of 15-36 months were significantly lower than those of NBWI children ( P <0.05). In addition, 117 children (43.98%) completed the full assessment of intelligent development scale, including 62 LBWI and 55 NBWI. The scores of Gesell in NBWI group was higher than that in LBWI group at 24 and 36 months of age, including adaptability, gross motor, fine metor skills, language and personal social functions ( t =-4.17, -3.82, -3.21 , -3.03, -2.61; -4.23, -3.16, -3.07, -3.13, -3.99, P <0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis found that birth weight was positively correlated with adaptability, gross motor, fine motor skills, language functions at 24 and 36 months of age and personal social function at 36 months of age ( β =0.004, 0.010; 0.003, 0.008; 0.003, 0.007; 0.004, 0.009; 0.011, P ＜0.05).@*Conclusion@#The growth and development of LBWI children are significantly delayed compared to NBWI children. The scores of LBWI children are lower than those of NBWI children in all functional areas. Weight is the main factor affecting children s intellectual development. Early monitoring and intervention of low birth weight infants should be carried out to avoid or mitigate adverse consequences.

Variations in length of stay among survived very preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe length of stay (LOS) to discharge and site variations among very preterm infants (VPIs) admitted to 57 Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to investigate factors associated with LOS for VPIs. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled all infants < 32 weeks' gestation and admitted to 57 NICUs which had participated in the Chinese Neonatal Network, within 7 days after birth in 2019. Exclusion criteria included major congenital anomalies, NICU deaths, discharge against medical advice, transfer to non-participating hospitals, and missing discharge date. Two multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association of infant characteristics and LOS. RESULTS: A total of 6580 infants were included in our study. The overall median LOS was 46 days [interquartile range (IQR): 35-60], and the median corrected gestational age at discharge was 36 weeks (IQR: 35-38). LOS and corrected gestational age at discharge increased with decreasing gestational age. The median corrected gestational age at discharge for infants at 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27-28 weeks, and 29-31 weeks were 41 weeks, 39 weeks, 38 weeks, 37 weeks and 36 weeks, respectively. Significant site variation of LOS was identified with observed median LOS from 33 to 71 days in different hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided concurrent estimates of LOS for VPIs which survived in Chinese NICUs that could be used as references for medical staff and parents. Large variation of LOS independent of infant characteristics existed, indicating variation of care practices requiring further investigation and quality improvement.

Screening of high-virulent entomopathogenic fungal strains to infect Xylotrechus rusticus larvae.

The gray tiger longicorn beetle, Xylotrechus rusticus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a stem-boring pest that can inhibit not only the transportation of nutrients in the trunk but also the tree growth, increasing the risk of tree breakage and causing economic losses. It is distributed in China, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Korea, Japan, and Southern Europe. This study aimed to investigate selected Beauveria strains that could be used as entomopathogenic fungi for the biological control of this pest. The high-virulence strains were screened among the selected strains by cumulative mortality, correct mortality, and lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50). These screened high-virulence strains were Bb01, CFCC83486, and CFCC81428. Bb01 exhibited 96.96% cumulative mortality, with an estimated LT50 of 3.28 days. CFCC83486 and CFCC81428 caused 89.29% and 75.74% cumulative mortality, with an estimated LT50 of 3.45 and 4.28 days, respectively. Pathogenicity at different concentrations and lethal concentration of 50% (LC50) of these high-virulence strains were investigated. The pathogenicity was found to be positively correlated with suspension concentration, and LC50 was negatively correlated with infection time. These suspensions of high-virulence strains at different concentrations were also investigated in the forest by brushing the suspensions on the poplar tree trunk infested with X. rusticus L. larvae. The most effective strain was found to be Bb01, whose cumulative mortality reached 76.33% at 1.32 × 108 conidia mL-1, followed by the strain CFCC83486, whose cumulative mortality reached 65.17% at 1.32 × 108 conidia mL-1. This study provides an important basis for using B. bassiana in the biological control of X. rusticus L.

Transcriptome analysis of abscisic acid induced 20E regulation in suspension Ajuga lobata cells.

Ajuga lobata D. Don is a medicinal plant rich in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), alkaloids, and other active substances. In this study, the cell suspension was incubated for 7 days, followed by the analysis on the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) on the regulation of 20E synthesis. Then A. lobata suspension cells treated with 0.15 mg/l ABA were used as material, with the Illumina technology applied for transcriptome sequencing. Digital analysis on the gene expression profile was carried out on ABA treated and control samples, respectively. Finally, transcriptomics was applied to assess the molecular response of A. lobata induced by ABA through applying transcriptomics by evaluating differentially expressed genes. The results suggested that ABA promoted 20E accumulation, while longer processing time caused cell browning. A total of 154 genes were significantly regulated after ABA treatment, with 99 up-regulated and 55 down-regulated, respectively. In addition to 20E-related pathways, the genes belonged to the ko00900 (terpenoid backbone biosynthesis) pathway (six differentially expressed genes [DEGs]), ko00100 (steroid biosynthesis) pathway (four DEGs), and ko00140 (steroid hormone biosynthesis) pathway (six DEGs). Providing a better understanding of the 20E biosynthetic pathway and its regulation, in particular in plants, this study is necessary.

ß-Ecdysterone accumulation and regulation in Ajuga multiflora Bunge suspension culture.

Ajuga multiflora Bunge cells contain ß-ecdysterone (ß-EC) that regulates the molting process of insect larvae. In this study, different conditions of culture have been studied to optimize the production of ß-EC. A. multiflora Bunge growth fitted the curve of logistic equation with one growth cycle of 17 days. The electric conductivity of medium had a negative correlation with not only the weight of dry cell but also the ß-EC accumulation, and thus, could be used for monitoring the peak of both cell growth and ß-EC accumulation. The pH value of the culture medium varied from 4.67 to 5.84 and reached the maximum at the end of the culture (on the 17th day). The relation of cell growth and nutrient consumption in A. multiflora Bunge cell suspension culture was distinctly correlated. Continuous subculture caused a reduction in ß-EC synthesis; passages 7-15, the ß-EC content declined (p < 0.05). At passage 11, the ß-EC content was only 42.72% of that at passage 5. Additives such as mevalonic acid (MVA), l-phenylalanine (l-Phe), α-pinene, terpineol, and nitric oxide (NO) in the suspension culture medium, could significantly promote the cell growth and stimulate ß-EC accumulation. The optimal concentrations of l-Phe, MVA, terpineol, and α-pinene were 0.2 mmol/l, 10 mg/l, 1 mmol/l and 6 mmol/l, respectively, with the ß-EC concentrations as 1.914 ± 0.1948 mg/g (p < 0.01), 6.012 ± 0.4252 mg/g (p < 0.01), 5.147 ± 0.4819 mg/g (p < 0.01), 2.801 ± 0.1253 mg/g (p < 0.01), respectively. The optimal concentration of sodium nitroprusside, the provider of NO, was 3 mmol/l with the ß-EC concentration 2.87 ± 0.2493 mg/g (p < 0.01). The results offer a strategy for massive production of ß-EC.