Background
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of epidemiologic and physician‐diagnosed pollen‐induced AR (PiAR) in the grasslands of northern China and to study the impact of the ...intensity and time of pollen exposure on PiAR prevalence.
Methods
A multistage, clustered and proportionately stratified random sampling with a field interviewer‐administered survey study was performed together with skin prick tests (SPT) and measurements of the daily pollen count.
Results
A total of 6043 subjects completed the study, with a proportion of 32.4% epidemiologic AR and 18.5% PiAR. The prevalence was higher in males than females (19.6% vs 17.4%, P = .024), but no difference between the two major residential and ethnic groups (Han and Mongolian) was observed. Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence of PiAR than rural areas (23.1% vs 14.0%, P < .001). Most PiAR patients were sensitized to two or more pollens (79.4%) with artemisia, chenopodium, and humulus scandens being the most common pollen types, which were similarly found as the top three sensitizing pollen allergens by SPT. There were significant regional differences in the prevalence of epidemiologic AR (from 18.6% to 52.9%) and PiAR (from 10.5% to 31.4%) among the six areas investigated. PiAR symptoms were positively associated with pollen counts, temperature, and precipitation (P < .05), but negatively with wind speed and pressure P < .05).
Conclusion
Pollen‐induced AR (PiAR) prevalence in the investigated region is extremely high due to high seasonal pollen exposure, which was influenced by local environmental and climate conditions.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Avermectins are major antiparasitic agents used commercially in animal health, agriculture and human infections. To improve the fermentation efficiency of avermectins, for the first time a plasma jet ...generated by a novel atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) was employed to generate mutations in Streptomyces avermitilis. The APGD plasma jet, driven by a radio frequency (RF) power supply with water-cooled and bare-metallic electrodes, was used as a new mutation method to treat the spores of S. avermitilis. The plasma jet yielded high total (over 30%) and positive (about 21%) mutation rates on S. avermitilis, and a mutated strain, designated as G1-1 with high productivity of avermectin B1a and genetic stability, was obtained. Because of the low jet temperature, the high concentrations of the chemically reactive species and the flexibility of its operation, the RF APGD plasma jet has a strong mutagenic effect on S. avermitilis. This is a proof-of-concept study for the use of an RF APGD plasma jet for inducing mutations in microbes. We have shown that the RF APGD plasma jet could be developed as a promising and convenient mutation tool for the fermentation industry and for use in biotechnology research.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary
Background
Various trials have been conducted on the management of male pattern hair loss (MPHL), but the outcomes often seem to be limited. Adjuvant therapies are urgently needed.
Aim
To ...evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined fractional radiofrequency microneedling (FRM) and 5% topical minoxidil in the treatment of male pattern hair loss.
Methods
In total, 19 Chinese men were enrolled in this randomized, controlled, split‐scalp trial. Participants received monotherapy with 5% topical minoxidil twice daily to one half of the scalp, while on the other half of the scalp the treatment with twice‐daily 5% topical minoxidil was combined with five sessions of FRM at 4‐week intervals. Mean hair count and hair thickness, global assessment by the investigators, subject self‐assessment and adverse effects were assessed.
Results
After 5 months of treatment, mean hair count increased from 44.12 ± 21.58 to 73.14 ± 25.45 on the combined‐therapy side and from 46.22 ± 18.77 to 63.21 ± 19.22 on the monotherapy side, while mean hair thickness increased from 53 ± 13 μm to 71 ± 15 μm and from 52 ± 16 μm to 66 ± 14 μm, respectively. Compared with the monotherapy side, the combined‐therapy side had a higher degree of improvement in both hair count (P = 0.01) and hair thickness (P = 0.02).
Conclusions
Combined treatment with fractional radiofrequency microneedle and 5% topical minoxidil could be an effective and safe treatment option for male pattern hair loss.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Iron selenide superconductors exhibit a number of unique characteristics that are helpful for understanding the mechanism of superconductivity in high-Tc iron-based superconductors more generally. ...However, in the case of AxFe2Se2 (A = K, Rb, Cs), the presence of an intergrown antiferromagnetic insulating phase makes the study of the underlying physics problematic. Moreover, FeSe-based systems intercalated with alkali metal ions, NH3 molecules or organic molecules are extremely sensitive to air, which prevents the further investigation of their physical properties. It is therefore desirable to find a stable and easily accessible FeSe-based superconductor to study its physical properties in detail. Here, we report the synthesis of an air-stable material, (Li0.8Fe0.2)OHFeSe, which remains superconducting at temperatures up to ~40 K, by means of a novel hydrothermal method. The crystal structure is unambiguously determined by a combination of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. Moreover, antiferromagnetic order is shown to coexist with superconductivity. This synthetic route opens a path for exploring superconductivity in other related systems, and confirms the appeal of iron selenides as a platform for understanding superconductivity in iron pnictides more broadly.
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IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
We report the properties of a field effect transistor (FET) and a gas sensor based on CuO nanowires. CuO nanowire FETs exhibit p-type behavior. Large-scale p-type CuO nanowire thin-film transistors ...(10(4) devices in a 25 mm(2) area) are fabricated and we effectively demonstrate their enhanced performance. Furthermore, CuO nanowire exhibits high and fast response to CO gas at 200 degrees C, which makes it a promising candidate for a poisonous gas sensing nanodevice.
Climate change is now a major environmental and developmental issue, and one that will increase the challenge of sustainable water resources management. In order to assess the implications of climate ...change for water resources in China, we calibrated a Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model with a resolution of 50×50 km2 using data from 125 well-gauged catchments. Based on similarities in climate conditions, soil texture and other variables, model parameters were transferred to other areas not covered by the calibrated catchments. Taking runoff in the period 1961–1990 as a baseline, we studied the impact of climate change on runoff under three emissions scenarios, A2, B2 and A1B. Model findings indicate that annual runoff over China as a whole will probably increase by approximately 3–10% by 2050, but with quite uneven spatial and temporal distribution. The prevailing pattern of "north dry and south wet" in China is likely to be exacerbated under global warming.
This study aimed to genotype the variants in FABP4, FASN, SCD, SREBP1 and TCAP genes, and to analyze their associations with intramuscular fat (IMF) content, carcass traits and body size in Chinese ...Qinchuan cattle (QC). The association studies showed that the FABP4 c.220A > G polymorphism was significantly associated with ultrasound longissimus muscle depth (ULMD) and IMF, the FASN g.16024A > G polymorphism was significantly associated with ULMD and some body size traits, the SREBP1 84 bp indel was significantly associated with back fat thickness, ULMD and some body size traits. The frequencies of well-characterized A allele in FABP4 c.220A > G in Korean cattle (KOR) and Japanese Black cattle (JB), T allele in SCD g.8586C > T in KOR, SS genotype in SREBP1 84 bp indel in KOR and JB, DELDEL genotype in TCAP g.592-597CTGCAGinsdel in KOR were significantly higher than in Chinese cattle breeds. Thus, the associated four polymorphisms were expected to be genetic selection markers for meat quality, carcass traits and body size of QC.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In this study, conventional TiO2 powder was heated in hydrogen (H2) gas at a high temperature as pretreatment. The photoactivity of the treated TiO2 samples was evaluated in the photodegradation of ...sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) in aqueous suspension. The experimental results demonstrated that the photodegradation rates of SSA were significantly enhanced by using the H2-treated TiO2 catalysts and an optimum temperature for the H2 treatment was found to be of 500-600 degrees C. The in situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal intensity of oxygen vacancies (OV) and trivalent titanium (Ti3+) associated with the photocatalytic activity was studied. The results proved the presence of OV and Ti3+ in the lattice of the H2-treated TiO2 and indicated that both were contributed to the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the experimental results presented that the EPR signal intensity of OV and Ti3+ in the H2-treated TiO2 samples after 10 months storage was still significant higher than that in the untreated TiO2 catalyst. The experiment also demonstrated that the significant enhancement occurred in the photodegradation of phenol using the H2-treated TiO2.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Simultaneous increase of the ductility and strength of bulk ultra‐fine‐grained (UFG) Cu is achieved by introducing large amounts of deformation twins and high‐angle grain boundaries via cryodrawing ...and cryorolling (red plots and image). Bulk UFG materials usually have high strength but disappointingly low ductility. Most previous attempts to enhance the ductility of single‐phased UFG materials sacrificed their yield strength. This work provides a new approach for increasing ductility without sacrificing strength.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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