[Genetic Analysis of Thalassemia in 22 940 Pregnant Women in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence and types of thalassemia in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. METHODS: Automatic capillary electrophoresis was used to screen the thalassemia phenotypes of 22 940 blood samples of pregnant women and puerperants collected in our hospital and some other medical institutions in the prefecture during 2017-2019, among which there were 3 356 cases of Tujia ethnicity, 2 821 cases of Miao ethnicity, and 2 233 cases of Han ethnicity included, whose ethnicity were indicated. The samples with positive result would undergo further genetic testing. RESULTS: There were 2 314 cases of suspicious thalassemia were screened from 22 940 cases by the electrophoresis, thus the positive rate was 10.1% (hematological phenotypes from some other institutions were not included). Specifically, there were 1 706 cases with HBA2 less than 2.5%, 255 cases with HBA2 ranged from 2.5% to 3.5%, which displayed abnormal hematology (MCV or/and MCH) or other abnormal bands, and 353 cases with HBA2>3.5%. There were 436 suspected positive patients in 2 314 suspicious samples received further thalassemia gene testing in our hospital, among them 48 cases were diagnosed with α-thalassemia, 85 cases with ß-thalassemia, and 2 cases as compound type. The positive diagnosis rate of α-thalassemia gene test was 11.0%, ß-thalassemia was 19.4%, and positive pregnant women was 31.0%. CONCLUSION: The positive rate of thalassemia screening in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is roughly the same as that in other regions of Hunan. The positive predictive value of ß-thalassemia screening is as high as 86%. Compared with the missed screening data, it is recommended to use hematology (MCV, MCH) method combined with capillary hemoglobin electrophoresis for thalassemia screening.

[Distribution of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic-Resistant Genes in Livestock Manures].

In the present study, techniques for microbial culture enumeration, 16S rDNA gene sequencing for bacterial identification, high-throughput sequencing for the multidrug-resistant bacteria (MRB) communities, and high-throughput quantitative PCR detection for the prevalence and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were conducted to investigate the distribution characteristics of MRB and ARGs in chicken and swine manures. The results showed that the rates of MRB that were resistant to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin simultaneously were from 7.96% to 12.40% for the different manure samples. The dominant genera of cultivable MRB were Escherichia, Acinetobacter, and Proteus, both in the chicken and swine manures. High-throughput quantitative PCR results indicated that, compared to the antibiotic free swine manure, the total enrichment of ARGs increased by 1.96×104-1.54×105 times that in the swine manure samples, with different antibiotics following the sequence of tetracyclines > ß-lactams > MLSB (macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B) > aminoglycosides > FCA (fluoroquinolone, quinolone, florfenicol, chloramphenicol, and amphenicol) > sulfonamides > vancomycins.

[Comparison of texture distribution of cold rolled DC and CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy at different positions through thickness direction by XRD].

To provide gist of DC AA 5052 and CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy to industry production and application, the texture variation of cold rolled sheets through thickness direction was studied by X-ray diffraction method, and the difference in texture at surface, quarter and center layer was analyzed. The hot plates of direct chill cast (DC) AA 5052 and continuous cast (CC) AA 5052 aluminum alloy were annealed at 454 degrees C for 4 hours and then cold rolled to different reductions. The strength and volume fraction of the fiber in CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is larger than in DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy after same rolling reduction The volume fraction of the recrystallization texture cube in the CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is less than in the DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy, which result in that CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy needs less cold rolling reduction than DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy for generating the texture with same intensity and volume fraction at surface layer, quarter layer and center layer. The manufacturability and performance of CC AA 5052 aluminum alloy is superior to DC AA 5052 aluminum alloy for use in stamping.

[Texture variation of CC 5052 aluminum alloy slab from surface to center layer by XRD].

For improvement of the processing and gaining uniformity texture structure and performance of direct chill cast CCAA 5052 aluminum alloy band after first hot rolling with different reduction, the material was annealed at 454 degrees C and then cold rolling with different reduction was conducted, the texture at surface, quarter and center layer of the sample was tested and examined by X-ray diffraction method, the data calculated using special software and the difference of texture at surface, quarter and center layer was analyzed. There existed an elevated gradient of intensity from surface layer to center layer after cold rolled with less than or equal to 40% reduction, The main texture of beta is stronger mainly due to transformation from remainder exposure, while the goss and remainder is infirm, the state of texture at each layer is close to each other after cold rolling with reduction high than 56.1%.

D-D-π-A organic dyes containing 4,4'-di(2-thienyl)triphenylamine moiety for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are currently under intense academic and industrial investigations, because of their environmentally-friendly, efficient, and low-cost features. The photosensitizer plays a key role in determining DSSCs' performance. The 4,4'-di(2-thienyl)triphenylamine moiety, included in dye TTC102, has been demonstrated before as a novel and efficient electron donor fragment. In this paper, the oversimple π-conjugated bridge of TTC102 was replaced by a 9-ethyl-3,6-di(2-thiophenyl)carbazole moiety. Two new D-D-π-A sensitizers, named TTC104 and TTC105, were synthesized and fully characterized. After anchoring on TiO(2) nanoparticle film, the absorption band of TTC104 is broader by 30 nm than that of TTC102. Under AM 1.5G irradiation, the energy conversion efficiency (η) of a DSSC based on TTC104 reaches 6.36%, which is 21.6% higher than that of TTC102 (5.24%). The results above demonstrate that the photovoltaic performance can be improved after introducing the 9-ethyl-3,6-di(2-thiophenyl)carbazole moiety to TTC102 when employed in DSSCs. Dye TTC105, containing a pyridyl group as the electron acceptor, showed only 1.88% conversion efficiency (η) when used in DSSCs. The huge different performances of TTC104 and TTC105 are proved to be partly due to the smaller dye loading amount, higher dark current and charge recombination rate of TTC105.

Yangia pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the Roseobacter clade from coastal sediment of the East China Sea.

An aerobic, Gram-negative bacterial isolate, strain DX5-10T, was isolated from coastal sediment of the East China Sea. The taxonomy of strain DX5-10T was studied by phenotypic and phylogenetic methods. Strain DX5-10T was motile, formed faint-yellowish colonies and was positive for catalase reaction and weakly positive for oxidase reaction. The nearly complete 16S rRNA gene of strain DX5-10T was obtained and sequence analysis indicated that strain DX5-10T represented an independent lineage within the Roseobacter clade of Alphaproteobacteria. Strain DX5-10T was phylogenetically related to members of the genera Roseobacter, Loktanella, Roseisalinus, Silicibacter, Antarctobacter, Sulfitobacter, Salipiger, Ruegeria and Roseivivax, and the sequence identities among them were less than 95.0%. The predominant respiratory ubiquinone of strain DX5-10T was Q-10 and the DNA G + C content of strain DX5-10T was 63.3 mol%. Therefore, strain DX5-10T represents a novel species of a novel genus, for which the name Yangia pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain DX5-10T (= CGMCC 1.3455T = JCM 12573T).

Efficient and quick inactivation of SARS coronavirus and other microbes exposed to the surfaces of some metal catalysts.

OBJECTIVE: To study the two metal catalysts Ag/Al2O3 and Cu/Al2O3 that interdict the transmission pathway for SARS and other respiratory infectious diseases. METHODS: Two metal catalysts Ag/Al2O3 and Cu/Al2O3 were pressed into wafers. One hundred microL 10(6) TCID50/mL SARS-CoV, 100 microL 10(6) PFU/mL recombinant baculovirus expressing hamster's prion protein (haPrP) protein and roughly 10(6) E. coli were slowly dropped onto the surfaces of the catalyst wafers and exposed for 5 and 20 min, respectively. After eluted from the surfaces of wafers, the infectivity of viruses and propagation of bacteria were measured. The expression of PrP protein was determined by Western blot. The morphological changes of bacteria were observed by electronic microscopy. RESULTS: After exposure to the catalysts surfaces for 5 and 20 min, the infectivity of SARS-CoV in Vero cells and baculovirus in Sf9 cells dropped down to a very low and undetectable level, and no colony was detected using bacteria culture method. The expression of haPrP protein reduced to 21.8% in the preparation of Sf9 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus exposed for 5 min and was undetectable exposed for 20 min. Bacterial membranes seemed to be cracked and the cytoplasm seemed to be effluent from cell bodies. CONCLUSION: Exposures to the surfaces of Ag/Al2O3 and Cu/Al2O3 destroy the replication and propagation abilities of SARS-CoV, baculovirus and E. coli. Inactivation ability of metal catalysts needs to interact with air, utilizing oxygen molecules in air. Efficiently killing viruses and bacteria on the surfaces of the two metal catalysts has a promising potential for air-disinfection in hospitals, communities, and households.

[Inactivation of T4 phage in water environment using proteinase].

The inactivation effectiveness of proteinase to viruses was investigated by using T4 phage as a model virus. The results showed that the inactivation effectiveness of proteinase to T4 phage was obvious. In the optimum conditions and 67.5 u/mL concentration, the inactivation rate of proteinase K to T4 phage in sterilized water and in sewage achieved 99.4% and 49.4% respectively in an hour, and achieved >99.9% and 81.1% in three hours. The inactivation rate of the industrial proteinase 1398 to T4 phage in sterilized water achieved 74.4% in an hour. The effects of pH and temperature on the inactivation effectiveness was not evident.

[Activity of nitrifiers and metabolized products in a membrane bioreactor MBR under the condition of non-sludge discharge].

A membrane bioreactor fed with synthetic ammonium bearing inorganic wastewater was operated under the following conditions: HRT, from 30 h to 7 h; influent NH4+ -N, 500 mg/L; non-discharge of sludge. Formation of extra-cellular polymers (ECP) and their influence on the activity of nitrifiers in the membrane bioreactor was investigated. Over the whole experimental period of 200 d, the activity of nitrifiers in terms of overall ammonium-oxidizing rate decreased from 2.1 kg/(L x d) to 1.5 kg/(L x d), and the nitrifier number using INTF absorbency measurement decreased from 0.023 x 10(-3) to 0.01 x 10(-3), although the MLSS increased from 4500 mg/L to 10500 mg/L. The ECP content increased from the initial 300 mg/L to 600 mg/L. Batch tests using the extracted ECP also indicated that the activity of nitrifiers could be inhibited by the existence of ECP.