MAGE: metafounders-assisted genomic estimation of breeding value, a novel additive-dominance single-step model in crossbreeding systems.

MOTIVATION: Utilizing both purebred and crossbred data in animal genetics is widely recognized as an optimal strategy for enhancing the predictive accuracy of breeding values. Practically, the different genetic background among several purebred populations and their crossbred offspring populations limits the application of traditional prediction methods. Several studies endeavor to predict the crossbred performance via the partial relationship, which divides the data into distinct sub-populations based on the common genetic background, such as one single purebred population and its corresponding crossbred descendant. However, this strategy makes prediction inaccurate due to ignoring half of the parental information of crossbreed animals. Furthermore, dominance effects, although playing a significant role in crossbreeding systems, cannot be modeled under such a prediction model. RESULTS: To overcome this weakness, we developed a novel multi-breed single-step model using metafounders to assess ancestral relationships across diverse breeds under a unified framework. We proposed to use multi-breed dominance combined relationship matrices to model additive and dominance effects simultaneously. Our method provides a straightforward way to evaluate the heterosis of crossbreeds and the breeding values of purebred parents efficiently and accurately. We performed simulation and real data analyses to verify the potential of our proposed method. Our proposed model improved prediction accuracy under all scenarios considered compared to commonly used methods. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The software for implementing our method is available at https://github.com/CAU-TeamLiuJF/MAGE.

Soft and stretchable organic bioelectronics for continuous intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring during microsurgery.

In microneurosurgery, it is crucial to maintain the structural and functional integrity of the nerve through continuous intraoperative identification of neural anatomy. To this end, here we report the development of a translatable system leveraging soft and stretchable organic-electronic materials for continuous intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. The system uses conducting polymer electrodes with low impedance and low modulus to record near-field action potentials continuously during microsurgeries, offers higher signal-to-noise ratios and reduced invasiveness when compared with handheld clinical probes for intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and can be multiplexed, allowing for the precise localization of the target nerve in the absence of anatomical landmarks. Compared with commercial metal electrodes, the neurophysiological monitoring system allowed for enhanced post-operative prognoses after tumour-resection surgeries in rats. Continuous recording of near-field action potentials during microsurgeries may allow for the precise identification of neural anatomy through the entire procedure.

Development and Validation of a 54K Genome-Wide Liquid SNP Chip Panel by Target Sequencing for Dairy Goat.

As an important genotyping platform, SNP chips are essential for implementing genomic selection. In this article, we introduced the development of a liquid SNP chip panel for dairy goats. This panel contains 54,188 SNPs based on genotyping by targeted sequencing (GBTS) technology. The source of SNPs in the panel were from the whole-genome resequencing of 110 dairy goats from three European and two Chinese indigenous dairy goat breeds. The performance of this liquid SNP chip panel was evaluated by genotyping 200 additional goats. Fifteen of them were randomly selected for whole-genome resequencing. The average capture ratio of the panel design loci was 98.41%, and the genotype concordance with resequencing reached 98.02%. We further used this chip panel to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to detect genetic loci that affect coat color in dairy goats. A single significant association signal for hair color was found on chromosome 8 at 31.52-35.02 Mb. The TYRP1 gene, which is associated with coat color in goats, was identified to be located at this genomic region (chromosome 8: 31,500,048-31,519,064). The emergence of high-precision and low-cost liquid microarrays will improve the analysis of genomics and breeding efficiency of dairy goats.

Bioinspired design of Na-ion conduction channels in covalent organic frameworks for quasi-solid-state sodium batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes are considered among the most promising candidates for developing practical solid-state sodium batteries. However, moderate ionic conductivity and narrow electrochemical windows hinder their further application. Herein, inspired by the Na+/K+ conduction in biological membranes, we report a (-COO-)-modified covalent organic framework (COF) as a Na-ion quasi-solid-state electrolyte with sub-nanometre-sized Na+ transport zones (6.7-11.6 Å) created by adjacent -COO- groups and COF inwalls. The quasi-solid-state electrolyte enables selective Na+ transport along specific areas that are electronegative with sub-nanometre dimensions, resulting in a Na+ conductivity of 1.30×10-4 S cm-1 and oxidative stability of up to 5.32 V (versus Na+/Na) at 25 ± 1 °C. Testing the quasi-solid-state electrolyte in Na||Na3V2(PO4)3 coin cell configuration demonstrates fast reaction dynamics, low polarization voltages, and a stable cycling performance over 1000 cycles at 60 mA g-1 and 25 ± 1 °C with a 0.0048% capacity decay per cycle and a final discharge capacity of 83.5 mAh g-1.

Genome-wide association study reveals candidate genes for pollution excreta traits in pigs.

Excreta traits comprise a very important characteristic in breeding that have been neglected for a long time. With the growth of intensive pig farming, plenty of environment problems have been raised, and people have begun to pay attention to pig excreta behaviors from genetics and breeding perspectives. However, the genetic architecture of excreta traits remains unclear. To investigate the genetic architecture of excreta traits in pigs, eight excreta traits and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were analyzed in this study. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on 213 Yorkshire pigs and estimated genetic parameters for a total number of 290 pigs, comprising 213 Yorkshire, 52 Landrace and 25 Duroc. After analysis, eight and 22 genome-wide significant SNPs were detected for FCR and the eight excreta traits in single-trait GWASs separately, and 18 were detected in a multi-trait meta-analysis for excreta traits, six of which were detected in both the single-trait and the multi-trait GWAS. Eighty, 182 and 133 genes were detected within 1 Mb of the genome-wide significant SNPs for FCR, excreta traits and multi-trait meta-analysis, respectively. Five candidate genes (BCKDC, DBT, ANKRD7, SHPRH and HCRT) with biochemical and physiological effects relevant to feed efficiency and excreta traits might be interesting markers for future breeding. Meanwhile, functional enrichment analysis indicates that most of the significant pathways are associated with the glutathione catabolic process, DNA topological change and replication fork protection complex. This study reveals the architecture of excreta traits in commercial pigs and offers an opportunity for decreasing the pollution from excreta using genomic selection in pigs.

Identities of the incumbent and the successor in the family business succession: Review and prospects.

Introduction: The cognition and motivation of family business incumbents and the successors will directly influence succession behavior, yet they face identity challenges during succession due to the intersection of family and firm context, and their ability to overcome identity challenges will determine the success of the succession. However, as studies on their identity are fragmented and lack systematicity, there is a need to assess the relevant literature. Methods: Drawing from social identity theory (SIT) and role identity theory (RIT), this article adopts a systematic literature review approach to analyze 99 SSCI-indexed articles to explore family business succession from an identity perspective. Results: The article finds that the focus on the self-concept of the incumbent and the successor shifts from group identification to role identity perception and multi-roles, and succession behaviors are based on identity perception. Discussion: This article summarizes a knowledge framework of the antecedents, connotations, and behavioral consequences of identity perception, revealing that family business succession from an identity perspective exhibits psychological and multidisciplinary characteristics, highlighting iterative and mutual features. Based on identity theories and succession research, this article proposes future directions from the research topics, research methods, and theoretical perspectives within the existing knowledge framework, such as cross-cultural and diachronic analysis, as well as from the theoretical perspectives of family, personality development, and pedagogy.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Additive and Non-Additive Effects on Growth Traits in Duroc Pigs.

Growth rate plays a critical role in the pig industry and is related to quantitative traits controlled by many genes. Here, we aimed to identify causative mutations and candidate genes responsible for pig growth traits. In this study, 2360 Duroc pigs were used to detect significant additive, dominance, and epistatic effects associated with growth traits. As a result, a total number of 32 significant SNPs for additive or dominance effects were found to be associated with various factors, including adjusted age at a specified weight (AGE), average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BF), and loin muscle depth (LMD). In addition, the detected additive significant SNPs explained 2.49%, 3.02%, 3.18%, and 1.96% of the deregressed estimated breeding value (DEBV) variance for AGE, ADG, BF, and LMD, respectively, while significant dominance SNPs could explain 2.24%, 13.26%, and 4.08% of AGE, BF, and LMD, respectively. Meanwhile, a total of 805 significant epistatic effects SNPs were associated with one of ADG, AGE, and LMD, from which 11 sub-networks were constructed. In total, 46 potential genes involved in muscle development, fat deposition, and regulation of cell growth were considered as candidates for growth traits, including CD55 and NRIP1 for AGE and ADG, TRIP11 and MIS2 for BF, and VRTN and ZEB2 for LMD, respectively. Generally, in this study, we detected both new and reported variants and potential candidate genes for growth traits of Duroc pigs, which might to be taken into account in future molecular breeding programs to improve the growth performance of pigs.

Effectiveness and safety of tafluprost in primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension: a post-marketing phase IV study in China.

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) are the first-line treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OH). This study aimed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of Tapros® (0.0015% tafluprost eye drops) in Chinese patients with POAG and OH. METHODS: This phase IV, multicenter, non-comparative, prospective study enrolled patients with POAG and OH in China between 12/27/2017 and 04/15/2020. Patients who were treatment-naïve or untreated within one month (group A) or with unreached intraocular pressure (IOP) target after previous monotherapy of other PGAs (group B) or non-PGA IOP-lowering drugs (group C) were treated with 0.0015% tafluprost for three months. The IOP reduction, response rate, and safety were observed. RESULTS: There were 165, 89, and 31 patients in groups A, B, and C, with baseline IOPs of 22.4 ± 4.7, 21.0 ± 3.5, and 22.5 ± 3.2 mmHg, respectively. The least-square means and percentages of IOP reduction at 3 months for groups A, B, and C were 4.7 (19.8%), 1.6 (6.1%), and 4.6 mmHg (20.3%), respectively. A significant reduction in IOP was observed at each visit compared with baseline (all P < 0.05). At the final visit, 57.0% of the participants in group A achieved an IOP reduction of ≥ 20%, while 40.4% and 77.4% in groups B and C achieved an IOP reduction of ≥ 10%. Fifty-eight treatment-related adverse events occurred in 46 participants (15.7%), of which the most common one was conjunctival hyperemia (34/293, 11.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Tafluprost showed a sustained and significant effect with tolerable adverse events in Chinese patients with POAG and OH who were treatment-naïve or untreated within one month or received prior treatments with unsatisfying outcomes.

Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Genetic Parameters for Feed Efficiency and Related Traits in Yorkshire and Duroc Pigs.

Feed efficiency (FE) traits are key factors that can influence the economic benefits of pig production. However, little is known about the genetic architecture of FE and FE-related traits. This study aimed to identify SNPs and candidate genes associated with FE and FE-related traits, namely, average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), the feed conversion ratio (FCR), and residual feed intake (RFI). The phenotypes of 5823 boars with genotyped data (50 K BeadChip) from 1365 boars from a nucleus farm were used to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of two breeds, Duroc and Yorkshire. Moreover, we performed a genetic parameter estimation for four FE and FE-related traits. The heritabilities of the FE and FE-related traits ranged from 0.13 to 0.36, and there were significant genetic correlations (-0.69 to 0.52) of the FE and FE-related traits with two growth traits (age at 100 kg and backfat thickness at 100 kg). A total of 61 significant SNPs located on eight different chromosomes associated with the four FE and FE-related traits were identified. We further identified four regions associated with FE and FE-related traits that have not been previously reported, and they may be potential novel QTLs for FE. Considering their biological functions, we finally identified 35 candidate genes relevant for FE and FE-related traits, such as the widely reported MC4R and INSR genes. A gene enrichment analysis showed that FE and FE-related traits were highly enriched in the biosynthesis, digestion, and metabolism of biomolecules. This study deepens our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of FE in pigs and provides valuable information for using marker-assisted selection in pigs to improve FE.

Doping-driven electronic structure and conductivity modification of nickel sulfide.

The lack of electrical conductivity limits the electrochemical kinetic rate of the electrode material, resulting in the inability to reach its theoretical capacity. A facile method is adopted to improve the intrinsic conductivity of binary NiS2/Ni3S4 hybrid nickel sulfide, with the doping of transition metal atoms Co, Mn and Ag. Through the introduction of heteroatoms, the electronic structure of the electrode material is modified and the electrical conductivity is significantly improved, thus enhancing its electrochemical performance. The improvement of conductivity is attributed to the formation of intermediate bands of transition metals and the redistribution of electrons, and the result is demonstrated by experimental and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. As a result, the NiS2/Ni3S4 hybrid nickel sulfide after 0.5% amount of Co-doping reaches the highest specific capacitance of 2874 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, increasing specific capacitance of 653 F g-1 as 29.4% of the specific capacitance of non-doped nickel sulfide. The Co doped nickel sulfide also exhibits remarkable cycling stability compared with non-doped nickel sulfide. The assembled 2% Co-doped nickel sulfide//rGO, 0.5% Mn-doped nickel sulfide//rGO and 0.5% Ag-doped nickel sulfide//rGO asymmetric supercapacitors show a specific energy density of 36.6, 36.1 and 36.0 W h kg-1 at a power density of 800 W kg-1. This study provides a useful insight into the fabrication of high performance pseudocapacitive materials.

Nickel hydroxide/sulfide hybrids: halide ion controlled synthesis, structural characteristics, and electrochemical performance.

Focusing on the synthesis of nickel-based materials (such as nickel sulfides, nickel hydroxides, and nickel oxides) is an urgent need in the fields of batteries, supercapacitors, and catalysis. However, their controlled synthesis still remains a great challenge because of the inadequate understanding of the control factor of their synthesis. A two-step solvo-/hydrothermal process with halide ion embedding/releasing was proposed to understand the effect of the halide ions on the synthesis and sulfidation of nickel hydroxy-halides. We find that the halide ions determine the formation, growth, and evolution of nickel hydroxy halides and promote them to form unique architectures and morphologies, leading to obvious differences in structural characteristics, including conductivity and electrochemical activity. Because of the presence of halide ions, a series of hybrids with multiple interfaces, which consist of hydroxides and sulfides and have various morphologies, such as flower-like balls, solid balls, porous balls, schistose, and thorny balls, with capacities ranging from 100.7 to 261.2 mA h g-1, can be easily obtained. It is fully demonstrated that the halide anion plays a core role in the synthesis process of nickel-based materials, and this finding will provide more chances for controllably synthesizing high-activity electrode materials.

Hydrophobic and dispersible Cu(I) desulfurization adsorbent prepared from Pistia stratiotes for efficient desulfurization.

Improving the adsorption capacity of adsorbents is a good way to boost their desulfurization efficiency. Optimizing the dispersion of metal nanoparticles and enhancing the stability of the metal valence state are essential to maximizing the adsorption capacity of the metal-loaded desulfurization adsorbent. Pistia stratiotes can absorb the Cu in water and evenly disperse it throughout the plant, allowing the production of a highly dispersed Cu(I) adsorbent (PSAC-Cu(I)). During the usage and storage of PSAC-Cu(I), Cu(I) oxidizes to Cu(II) when it comes in contact with oxygen and water, reducing its adsorptive capacity; hence, we modified PSAC-Cu(I) hydrophobically using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to generate PSAC-Cu(I)-P(200). The outcome of the two-month exposure experiments showed that only 4.7% of the Cu(I) of PSAC-Cu(I)-P(200) was oxidized in the humid atmosphere, whereas PSAC-Cu(I) was almost fully oxidized. Moreover, the dibenzothiophene adsorption capacity of PSAC-Cu(I)-P(200) in a model oil with a water concentration of 250 ppmw is 68 mg g-1, which is 1.62 times that of PSAC-Cu(I). When 10 wt% toluene was added to the model oil, the adsorption desulfurization capacity of PSAC-Cu(I)-P(200) decreased to 86.8% of the original. This shows that PSAC-Cu(I)-P(200) has good stability and excellent adsorptive desulfurization performance.

A novel mutation in the PRPH2 gene in a Chinese pedigree with retinitis pigmentosa and angle-closure glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a rare, progressive, and hereditary disorder that leads to the progressive loss of vision and visual field, and in some cases blindness. The specific relationship between RP and glaucoma has been debated for decades. METHODS: In this study, we examined a Han RP family with concomitant angle-closure glaucoma (ACG), performed an inductive analysis of their clinical features and assistant results, and applied whole-exome sequencing (WES) technology for a molecular diagnosis. RESULTS: A novel transversion mutation (c.626 T > A) was identified in the peripherin-2 (PRPH2) gene in the proband, resulting in the substitution of Valine to aspartic acid in codon 209. A full ophthalmic examination showed that the proband with the c.626 T > A mutation had a typical RP manifestation, with close angles; however, the proband's elder brother, who lacked the novel mutation, had a normal fundus and open angles. CONCLUSION: Our results extend the genetic mutation spectrum of PRPH2 in RP, and provide evidence to support a genetic correlation between RP and ACG.

Evaluation of adsorptive desulfurization performance and economic applicability comparison of activated carbons prepared from various carbon sources.

Adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) using activated carbon (AC) as adsorbent presents competitive potential in separating thiophenic sulfur from liquid fuels with high selectivity under mild operation conditions. It is also a highly economic remedy in ultra-low sulfur content situations. Most importantly, a suitable feedstock for macroscopic quantity preparation of AC adsorbents with good adsorptive desulfurization performance and low-cost is required to satisfy the requirements of this field. In this work, four representative substances (i.e., coal, coconut shell, polyurethane plastic waste, and petroleum coke) were selected as the carbon source for the preparation of various AC adsorbents. The physicochemical properties of the prepared AC adsorbents were characterized using BET, SEM, XRD, XPS, elemental analysis and Boehm's method. The corresponding adsorptive desulfurization performance was investigated. The corresponding desulfurization capacity obtained was in the order: CS-ACA > PUPW-ACA > PC-ACA > AT-ACA. Under the optimal conditions of 30 °C and 30 min contact time, the desulfurization rate of 0.5 g PUPW-ACA can reach about 98%. The HHV of non-condensable gas generated during the experiment was calculated, and the HHV of the pyrolysis oil was measured. The results showed that the by-products produced by PC had the highest HHV. The economics of the desulfurization of the four kinds of activated carbon were analyzed and evaluated. From a comprehensive analysis, PUPW-ACA has the highest economic production value and has the potential for industrial production. This plays a dual role in environmental protection.

A constructing study on professional competency standards of school health education teachers / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To construct a model of professional competency standard for school health education teachers in China, then to provide a framework for the professional development of health education teachers at primary and secondary schools.@*Methods@#Seventy-five indicators of professional competency of school health education teacher were identified through job task analysis, qualitative interview, expert consultation. A total of 282 school health administrators/researchers, school principals, health education teachers in Shanghai, and the first undergraduate students of health education progame in China were surveyed. Items analysis verified appropriateness, and exploratory factor analysis determined construct validity of the competency standards.@*Results@#The framework of competency standards consists of four major areas (general literacy, school health services, school health education, school health management), nine categories, and 70 competence standards. Nine categories include professional ethics, general literacy as teacher, assist to deal with emergency/accident health events and common diseases situation in school, assist vaccination and mental health assessment, monitoring/communication the health situation of students, knowledge of health education and teaching skills, implement health education activities effectively and continuously, deal with infectious diseases and environment/ water/food safety in school, monitor conditions of the school health and optimize health strategy continuously. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of total competence standards was 0.98, and those of the sub-dimensions ranged from 0.86 to 0.96 ; the split-half reliability of total system was 0.93 with sub-dimensions coefficient ranging from 0.83 to 0.95.@*Conclusion@#The model of competency standard developed in this study show good validity and reliability, which can provide theoretical framework for the training, using and evaluation of school health education teachers with the characteristics of combinating medicine and teaching.

Erroneous HbA1c measurements in the presence of ß-thalassemia and common Chinese hemoglobin variants.

BACKGROUND: HbA1c is a widely used biomarker for the management of diabetes mellitus and can be quantified from blood samples by using various methods, including ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), boronate affinity HPLC, and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Here, we evaluated the accuracy of four separation methods for determination of HbA1c values in Chinese patients with different hemoglobin disorders. METHODS: Blood samples from normal patients, patients with ß-thalassemia, patients exhibiting heterozygosity, and patients exhibiting homozygosity were analyzed using ion-exchange HPLC (Variant II Turbo, Bio-Rad and Adams A1c HA-8160, Arkray, run in diabetes mode), boronate affinity HPLC (Ultra2, Trinity Biotech), and CE (Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing, Sebia). RESULTS: Samples from patients with ß-thalassemia produced significant positive biases on the Variant II Turbo system compared to the other three systems. For heterozygous ßA/ßE patients, a good agreement was observed between Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing and Ultra2 systems, while a significant negative bias was observed between HA-8160 and Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing systems and between Variant II Turbo and Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing systems. For homozygous (ßE/ßE) patients, a clear context without HbA, all systems except the Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing system yielded random HbA1c results. Only the Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing system could detect all hemoglobin variants tested. CONCLUSIONS: ß-Thalassemia can cause errors in HbA1c determination using the Variant II Turbo system. HbE heterozygosity or HbE homozygosity also complicated HbA1c measurements. The Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing system detected all Hb variants and HbA1c in patients with ß-thalassemia and could provide measurements with high accuracy.

Metformin inhibits proliferation of human keratinocytes through a mechanism associated with activation of the MAPK signaling pathway.

In the present study, the effects of metformin on the proliferation of human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaTs) and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. HaCaT cells in the logarithmic growth phase were treated with 50 mM metformin for 24, 48 and 72 h. Cell morphology after 24 h of treatment was observed under a microscope. Cell proliferation was detected using a colorimetric cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assay kit. Western blot analyses were performed to detect the protein phosphorylation levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Metformin treatment resulted in morphological changes of the HaCaT cells. The survival rates of HaCaT cells treated with metformin were 36.18, 12.70 and 10.12% at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. As the treatment time extended, the survival rates of HaCaT cells decreased. Western blot analysis results showed that the mean level of phosphorylated (p)-AMPK in the HaCaT cells without metformin treatment was 2.856±0.323. However, the mean p-AMPK level following metformin treatment for 24 h increased to 5.198±0.625, indicating a significant difference between these two groups (P<0.05). The mean absorbance ratio of p-ERK1/2 was 7.550±1.087 for the untreated cells, but the levels in cells following metformin treatment for 24 h increased to 10.430±1.217, indicating a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, metformin treatment upregulated the levels of p-AMPK and p-ERK1/2 in HaCaT cells, and significantly inhibited HaCaT cell proliferation in vitro by a mechanism associated with activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

[Retrospective analysis on total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip in 29 adults].

OBJECTIVE: To study the results of the total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) with severe osteoarthritis in adults. METHODS: From March 2004 to February 2011, 29 patients (32 hips) with DDH were treated by THA with an cementless cup. There were 11 males and 18 females,with an average age of 52.6 years (ranging from 37 to 73 years). Unilateral DDH occurred in 26 patients and bilateral DDH occurred in 3 patients. Based on the Crowe classification, there were 18 hips in 17 patients of type I ,7 hips in 6 patients of type II, 4 hips in 3 patients of type III, 3 hips in 3 patients of type IV. Except for 3 patients with bilateral DDH, the other patients' ill lower limbs were 1 to 6 cm shorter than the healthy lower ones. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up,and the duration ranged from 8 months to 5.3 years(averaged 3.7 years) without infection, dislocation, and sciatic nerves injury after the operation. One patient with proximal femoral fracture, intraoperation used wire binding, after 4 years of follow-up, fracture healed without evidence of prosthesis loosening. All grafts and subtrochanteric osteotomy healing were achieved. In 21 patients, the pain was completely relieved and the function of the hip joints was good. Five patients still had mild limping, but reduced significantly than preoperation. In 3 patients, the ill lower limbs were more than 1 cm shorter than the healthy lower ones and the other patients' ill lower limbs were less than 1 cm shorter than the healthy lower ones. Two patients' lower limbs were lengthened 4 to 5 cm. The Harris scores were 43.6 +/- 7.1 preoperatively and 86.7 +/- 5.3 postoperatively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: THA with deepening the medial wall of the acetabulum at the true acetabulum, according to different characteristics of Crowe classification, using different operation program, cementless cup in adult could obtain favorable results.

Determination of metolcarb and diethofencarb in apples and apple juice by solid-phase microextraction-high performance liquid chromatography.

A method for the determination of metolcarb and diethofencarb in apples and apple juice is developed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The experimental conditions of SPME, such as the kind of extraction fiber, extraction time, stirring rate, pH of the extracting solution, and desorption conditions are optimized. The SPME is performed on a 60 microm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene fiber for 40 min at room temperature with the solution being stirred at 1100 rpm. The extracted pesticides on the SPME fiber are desorbed in the mobile phase into SPME-HPLC interface for HPLC analysis. Separations are carried out on a Baseline C18 column (4.6 i.d. x 250 mm, 5.0 microm) with acetonitrile-water (55/45, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and photodiode-array detection at 210 nm. For apple samples, the method is linear for both metolcarb and diethofencarb in the range of 0.05-1.0 mg/kg (r > 0.99), with a detection limit (S/N = 3 ) of 15 and 5 microg/kg, respectively. For apple juice, the method is linear for both metholcarb and diethofencarb over the range of 0.05-1.0 mg/L (r > 0.99) with the detection limit (S/N = 3 ) of 15 and 3 microg/L, respectively. Excellent recovery and reproducibility values are achieved. The proposed method is shown to be simple, sensitive, and organic solvent-free, and is suitable for the determination of the two pesticides in apples and apple juice.

A sensitive determination method for carbendazim and thiabendazole in apples by solid-phase microextraction-high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A new analytical method for the determination of carbendazim (MBC) and thiabendazole (TBZ) in apples is reported, based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupling HPLC with fluorescence detection. The main SPME and HPLC experimental conditions were optimized. The apples were first blended and centrifuged. Then, an aliquot of the resulting solution was subjected to SPME on a 60 microm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibre for 35 min at room temperature with the solution being stirred at 1100 rev min(-1). The extracted pesticides on the SPME fibre were desorbed in the mobile phase into the SPME/HPLC interface for HPLC analysis. The method was linear over the range 0.01-1 mg kg(-1) in apples for both MBC and TBZ, with detection limits of 0.005 and 0.003 mg kg(-1) and correlation coefficients of 0.9995 and 0.9998, respectively. The average recoveries for MBC and TBZ were 91.5 and 92.3% with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 4.7 and 4.1% at the 0.1 mg kg(-1) level, and 94.6 and 96.1% with RSD of 3.3 and 3.8% at the 0.5 mg kg(-1) level, respectively. The method is simple, sensitive, organic solvent-free and is suitable for the determination of MBC and TBZ in apples.