Haematococcus pluvialis, the best natural source for astaxanthin, was cultivated with an immobilized biofilm method, viz. "attached cultivation", which was high in photosynthetic efficiency. A ...practical operational protocol for this "attached cultivation" method was investigated by studying the effects of inoculum density, light intensity, nitrogen quantity as well as medium volume on growth and astaxanthin accumulation. Results indicated the optimized inoculum density and light intensity were 10 g m(-2) and 100 μmol m(-2)s(-1), respectively. The optimized nitrogen supply strategy was circulating ca. 30 L of BG-11 medium with initial sodium nitrate concentration of ca. 1.8mM for 1m(2) of cultivation surface. With this strategy, the maximum astaxanthin productivity reached ca. 160 mg m(-2)d(-1) which is much higher than many other indoor researches. Both of the red and green cells were found in the biofilm with red cells on the top.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been described as a metabolic hormone critical for glucose and lipid metabolism. Previously, high levels of FGF21 were observed in patients with coronary heart ...disease and non-acute myocardial infarction (non-AMI). In this study, we investigated the changes in FGF21 levels in Chinese patients with AMI.
We used ELISA to measure circulating FGF21 levels in 55 AMI patients and 45 non-AMI control patients on the 1st day after syndrome onset. All patients were followed-up within 30 days. FGF21 levels in AMI patients were significantly higher than those in non-AMI controls (0.25 (0.16-0.34) vs. 0.14 (0.11-0.20) ng/mL, P < 0.001). FGF21 levels reached the maximum within approximately 24 h after the onset of AMI and remained at high for 7 days, and the FGF21 level (OR: 16.93; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.65-108.05; P = 0.003) was identified as an independent factor associated with the presence of AMI. On the 7th day, FGF21 levels were significantly higher in the patients who subsequently developed re-infarction within 30 days than in the patients who did not develop re-infarction (with vs. without re-infarction: 0.45 (0.22-0.64) vs. 0.21 (0.15-0.29) ng/mL, P = 0.014).
The level of serum FGF21 is independently associated with the presence of AMI in Chinese patients. High FGF21 levels might be related to the incidence of re-infarction within 30 days after onset.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•A varied-line-spacing (VLS) and uniform integrated grating was fabricated by electron beam lithography.•The 50 × 5 mm size VLS grating groove density was varied from 868 to 442 L/mm.•The proposed ...displacement sensing system shows a large displacement range.•The system has potential applications in various fields such as in aerospace.
A varied-line-spacing (VLS) and uniform integrated reflective plane grating was inscribed by electron beam lithography (EBL) and reactive ion etching method, and its displacement sensing characteristics was tested. For the VLS grating, the groove density was varied from 868 to 442 L/mm over the device, according to the designed linear density function, and the device was coated with an aluminized surface to reflect light. For the uniform grating, the groove density was 655 L/mm. A Y-type twin-core fiber with a collimator head was used to input light from a broadband source and collect reflected light from the integrated grating for analysis by an optical spectrum analyzer. The inscribed integrated grating length and width were 50 × 10 mm, and the input light angle was fixed at 23°.The integrated grating displacement characteristics was varied, when the light spot was irradiated at VLS and uniform grating simultaneously, with the result that as the light spot moved to different grating positions, two peaks of diffracted light were collected. For 0–35 mm displacement changes in 5 mm increments, for the VLS grating, the diffracted light wavelength changed from 945.3 to 1612.2 nm with sensitivity of 18.68 nm/mm, and linearity of 0.975; for the uniform grating, the wavelength shift was less than 3.2 nm.
Purpose
Precipitation data are an important input variable for soil loss (SL) and sediment export (SE) modeling, although they are rarely available at fine spatial and temporal resolutions. As such, ...in this study, we aimed to evaluate the performance of three high-resolution satellite precipitation products (SPPs) (CHIRPS v02, GPM IMERG v06, and TRMM 3B43 v07) for SL and SE prediction in the Tamor River basin (TRB), Nepal.
Materials and methods
We conducted our evaluation by comparing SPPs directly with in situ gauge precipitation data and indirectly through SL and SE simulations using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), percent bias (PBIAS), root mean square error (RMSE), and correlation coefficient (R) were applied to assess the performance of the SPPs in different spatiotemporal dimensions.
Results and discussion
Results demonstrated that the CHIRPS v02 product performed the best across all spatiotemporal scales and for all evaluation techniques. CHIRPS v02 also performed the best in the middle- and high-elevation categories in the study area, followed by TRMM 3B43 v07, whereas TRMM 3B43 v07 outperformed the other two products in the lower elevation ranges (< 700 m.a.s.l.). In the temporal scale analysis, all three SPPs performed better at the monthly time scale (
R
= 0.82 to 0.85), but their performance declined to an unsatisfactory level (
R
= 0.10 to 0.54) as the temporal resolution increased (monthly > seasonal > annual). In the SL and SE model simulation evaluations, all three SPPs performed better (
R
> 0.86, NSE > 0.83), regardless of elevation difference.
Conclusions
Taken together, the CHIRPS v02 product has wider application potential over GPM and TRMM products for SL and SE modeling in the TRB and can be replicated for other basins with similar geographical conditions.
Purpose
Soil properties are one of the most important factors affecting the distribution and growth of plants in arid and semi-arid regions, especially in the dry-hot valley of southwest China, where ...desertification is a serious environmental problem deteriorating the dryland ecosystems. However, the spatial variation of soil physical properties and its relationship with plant productivity in degraded slopes is not yet fully understood.
Materials and methods
In this study, three parallel downslope transects were built on a typical degraded slope in the dry-hot valley of Jinsha River, and soil physical properties (including soil particle size, bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), capillary porosity (CP), noncapillary porosity (NP), saturated water capacity (SWC), capillary water capacity (CWC), field water capacity (FWC), and hydraulic conductivity (
K
s)) at two soil depths (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm) and plant biomass (reflected by aboveground biomass) were measured.
Results and discussion
The results indicated that the sand content, TP, NP, SWC, CWC, and
Ks
increased firstly and then decreased, while the silt content and BD decreased firstly and then increased from upper slope to lower slope. Plant biomass was only observed in middle and lower slopes, and that in the lower slope was decreased significantly to slope foot. Slope position and soil depth had significant effects (
P
< 0.05) on soil physical properties, indicating that topography and soil depth play a key role in driving the spatial variation in soil physical properties. Simple linear regression analysis showed that
Ks
, sand, and silt content are the key soil indicators affecting plant growth, and the soil layer differences in BD, CWC, and FWC are also the important factors affecting plant productivity.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the spatial variation of soil physical properties, and plant biomass is attributed to the interactions of topography-soil-plant, which is critical for the healthy function of degraded slopes. Such findings provide an important basis for ecological restoration and management in degraded regions.
Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) of bifurcation lesions is technically challenging and associated with lower success rates and higher frequency of adverse outcomes. In the present study, we ...aimed to evaluate the immediate and long-term treatment effect and adverse events of a new modified jailed-balloon technique on side branch (SB) during PCI on coronary bifurcation lesions.
This was a prospective study of 60 patients (49 males, 11 females, mean age 66 ± 10 years) with coronary bifurcation lesions treated at the Beijing Hospital between September 2014 and October 2015. They underwent main vessel (MV) stenting and modified jailed-balloon technique on the SB. All patients were followed with hospital visits at 9 months. Angiographic success, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), SB occlusion, and angina were evaluated.
The majority of the patients had acute coronary syndrome (91.7%) and Medina 1.1.1. bifurcation lesions (71.7%). After MV stenting, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow was established 100% of MV and 93.3% of SB. No SB occlusion occurred. The jailed SB balloon and wire could be successfully removed in all patients without damage or entrapment. The majority (91.7%) of patients achieved Canadian Cardiovascular Society I stage. There was no MACE during in-hospital stay and 9-month follow-up.
The modified JBT provided high rate of procedural success, excellent SB protection during MV stenting, and excellent immediate and long-term clinical outcomes.
Delayed coronary artery occlusion (CAO) is a rare but fatal complication after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, chimney stenting is the standard technique for established CAO or impending CAO.
...We describe a female patient who developed non-ST elevation myocardial infarction after receiving transcatheter aortic valve replacement and chimney stenting 4 months prior. An angiogram revealed delayed coronary artery occlusion with a deformed stent, which was never reported. This patient was subsequently treated with a new chimney stent.
For self-expanding valves, the coronary ostium is protected by chimney stenting, delayed coronary artery occlusion can occur and cause catastrophic complications.
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