The obesity pandemic has grown to concerning proportions in recent years, not only in the Western World, but in developing countries as well. The corresponding decrease in male fertility and fecundity may be explained...The obesity pandemic has grown to concerning proportions in recent years, not only in the Western World, but in developing countries as well. The corresponding decrease in male fertility and fecundity may be explained in parallel to obesity, and obesity should be considered as an etiology of male fertility. Studies show that obesity contributes to infertility by reducing semen quality, changing sperm proteomes, contributing to erectile dysfunction, and inducing other physical problems related to obesity. Mechanisms for explaining the effect of obesity on male infertility include abnormal reproductive hormone levels, an increased release of adipose-derived hormones and adipokines associated with obesity, and other physical problems including sleep apnea and increased scrotal temperatures. Recently, genetic factors and markers for an obesity-related infertility have been discovered and may explain the difference between fertile obese and infertile obese men. Treatments are available for not only infertility related to obesity, but also as a treatment for the other comorbidities arising from obesity. Natural weight loss, as well as bariatric surgery are options for obese patients and have shown promising results in restoring fertility and normal hormonal profiles. Therapeutic interventions including aromatase inhibitors, exogenous testosterone replacement therapy and maintenance and regulation of adipose-derived hormones, particularly leptin, may also be able to restore fertility in obese males. Because of the relative unawareness and lack of research in this area, controlled studies should be undertaken and more focus should be given to obesity as an etiolgy of male infertility.展开更多
Introduction:Evaluating the environmental impacts of climate change on water resources and biological components of the landscape is an integral part of hydrologic and ecological investigations,and the resultant land ...Introduction:Evaluating the environmental impacts of climate change on water resources and biological components of the landscape is an integral part of hydrologic and ecological investigations,and the resultant land and resource management in the twenty-first century.Impacts of both climate and simulated hydrologic parameters on ecological processes are relevant at scales that reflect the heterogeneity and complexity of landscapes.At present,simulations of climate change available from global climate models[GCMs]require downscaling for hydrologic or ecological applications.Methods:Using statistically downscaled future climate projections developed using constructed analogues,a methodology was developed to further downscale the projections spatially using a gradient-inverse-distancesquared approach for application to hydrologic modeling at 270-m spatial resolution.Results:This paper illustrates a methodology to downscale and bias-correct national GCMs to subkilometer scales that are applicable to fine-scale environmental processes.Four scenarios were chosen to bracket the range of future emissions put forth by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Fine-scale applications of downscaled datasets of ecological and hydrologic correlations to variation in climate are illustrated.Conclusions:The methodology,which includes a sequence of rigorous analyses and calculations,is intended to reduce the addition of uncertainty to the climate data as a result of the downscaling while providing the fine-scale climate information necessary for ecological analyses.It results in new but consistent data sets for the US at 4 km,the southwest US at 270 m,and California at 90 m and illustrates the utility of fine-scale downscaling to analyses of ecological processes influenced by topographic complexity.展开更多
Introduction:Estimating surface temperature from above-ground field measurements is important for understanding the complex landscape patterns of plant seedling survival and establishment,processes which occur at heig...Introduction:Estimating surface temperature from above-ground field measurements is important for understanding the complex landscape patterns of plant seedling survival and establishment,processes which occur at heights of only several centimeters.Currently,future climate models predict temperature at 2 m above ground,leaving ground-surface microclimate not well characterized.Methods:Using a network of field temperature sensors and climate models,a ground-surface temperature method was used to estimate microclimate variability of minimum and maximum temperature.Temperature lapse rates were derived from field temperature sensors and distributed across the landscape capturing differences in solar radiation and cold air drainages modeled at a 30-m spatial resolution.Results:The surface temperature estimation method used for this analysis successfully estimated minimum surface temperatures on north-facing,south-facing,valley,and ridgeline topographic settings,and when compared to measured temperatures yielded an R2 of 0.88,0.80,0.88,and 0.80,respectively.Maximum surface temperatures generally had slightly more spatial variability than minimum surface temperatures,resulting in R2 values of 0.86,0.77,0.72,and 0.79 for north-facing,south-facing,valley,and ridgeline topographic settings.Quasi-Poisson regressions predicting recruitment of Quercus kelloggii(black oak)seedlings from temperature variables were significantly improved using these estimates of surface temperature compared to air temperature modeled at 2 m.Conclusion:Predicting minimum and maximum ground-surface temperatures using a downscaled climate model coupled with temperature lapse rates estimated from field measurements provides a method for modeling temperature effects on plant recruitment.Such methods could be applied to improve projections of species’range shifts under climate change.Areas of complex topography can provide intricate microclimates that may allow species to redistribute locally as climate changes.展开更多
Introduction:Resource managers need spatially explicit models of hydrologic response to changes in key climatic drivers across variable landscape conditions.We demonstrate the utility of a Basin Characterization Model...Introduction:Resource managers need spatially explicit models of hydrologic response to changes in key climatic drivers across variable landscape conditions.We demonstrate the utility of a Basin Characterization Model for California(CA-BCM)to integrate high-resolution data on physical watershed characteristics with historical or projected climate data to predict watershed-specific hydrologic responses.Methods:The CA-BCM applies a monthly regional water-balance model to simulate hydrologic responses to climate at the spatial resolution of a 270-m grid.The model has been calibrated using a total of 159 relatively unimpaired watersheds for the California region.Results:As a result of calibration,predicted basin discharge closely matches measured data for validation watersheds.The CA-BCM recharge and runoff estimates,combined with estimates of snowpack and timing of snowmelt,provide a basis for assessing variations in water availability.Another important output variable,climatic water deficit,integrates the combined effects of temperature and rainfall on site-specific soil moisture,a factor that plants may respond to more directly than air temperature and precipitation alone.Model outputs are calculated for each grid cell,allowing results to be summarized for a variety of planning units including hillslopes,watersheds,ecoregions,or political boundaries.Conclusions:The ability to confidently calculate hydrologic outputs at fine spatial scales provides a new suite of hydrologic predictor variables that can be used for a variety of purposes,such as projections of changes in water availability,environmental demand,or distribution of plants and habitats.Here we present the framework of the CA-BCM model for the California hydrologic region,a test of model performance on 159 watersheds,summary results for the region for the 1981–2010 time period,and changes since the 1951–1980 time period.展开更多
Expansive soils cause problems with the founding of lightly loaded structures in many parts of the world. Foundation design for expansive soils is one of the most discussed and problematic issues in Australia as expan...Expansive soils cause problems with the founding of lightly loaded structures in many parts of the world. Foundation design for expansive soils is one of the most discussed and problematic issues in Australia as expansive soils were responsible for billions of dollars＇ worth of damage to man-made structures such as buildings and roads. Several studies and reports indicate that one of the most common and least recognized problems causing severe structural damage to houses lies in expansive soils. In this study, a critical review has been carried out on the current Australian standards for building on expansive soils and they are compared with some techniques that are not included in the current Australian standards for residential slabs and footings. Based on the results of this review, the most effective and economical method has been proposed for construction of footings on all site classifications without restriction to 75mm of characteristic movement. In addition, it has become apparent that as design procedures for footings resting on sites with extreme characteristic movements are not included in the current Australian standards, there is a strong need for well-developed and simplified standard design procedures for characteristic soil movement of greater than 75mm to be included into the Australian Standards.展开更多
Patients diagnosed with cancer often undergo considerable psychological distress,and the induction of the psychological stress response has been linked with a poor response to chemotherapy.The psychological stress res...Patients diagnosed with cancer often undergo considerable psychological distress,and the induction of the psychological stress response has been linked with a poor response to chemotherapy.The psychological stress response is mediated by fluctuations of the hormones glucocorticoids(GCs)and catecholamines.Binding to their respective receptors,GCs and the catecholamines adrenaline/noradrenaline are responsible for signalling a wide range of processes involved in cell survival,cell cycle and immune function.Synthetic GCs are also often prescribed as co-medication alongside chemotherapy,and increasing evidence suggests that GCs may induce chemoresistance in multiple cancer types.In this review,we bring together evidence linking psychological stress hormone signalling with resistance to chemo-and immune therapies,as well as mechanistic evidence regarding the effects of exogenous stress hormones on the efficacy of chemotherapies.展开更多
BACKGROUND The challenges for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)diagnostics are to discriminate it from gut conditions with similar symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),to distinguish IBD subtypes,to predict di...BACKGROUND The challenges for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)diagnostics are to discriminate it from gut conditions with similar symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),to distinguish IBD subtypes,to predict disease progression,and to establish the risk to develop colorectal cancer(CRC).Alterations in gut microbiota have been proposed as a source of information to assist in IBD diagnostics.Faecalibacterium prausnitzii(F.prausnitzii),its phylogroups,and Escherichia coli(E.coli)have been reported as potential biomarkers,but their performance in challenging IBD diagnostic situations remains elusive.We hypothesize that bacterial biomarkers based in these species may help to discriminate these conditions of complex diagnostics.AIM To evaluate the usefulness of indices calculated from the quantification of these species as biomarkers to aid in IBD diagnostics.METHODS A retrospective study of 131 subjects(31 controls(H);45 Crohn’s disease(CD),25 ulcerative colitis(UC),10 IBS,and 20 CRC patients)was performed to assess the usefulness of bacterial biomarkers in biopsies.Further,the performance of biomarkers in faeces was studied in 29 stool samples(19 CD,10 UC).Relative abundances of total F.prausnitzii(FP),its phylogroups(PHGI and PHGII),and E.coli(E)quantification were determined by qPCR.Loads were combined to calculate the FP-E index,the PHGI–E index and the PHGII-E index.Biomarkers accuracy to discriminate among conditions was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).RESULTS In biopsies,FP-E index was good for discriminating IBS from CD(AUC=0.752)while PHGII-E index was suitable for discriminating IBS from UC(AUC=0.632).The FP-E index would be the choice to discriminate IBD from CRC,especially from all UC subtypes(AUC≥0.875),regardless of the activity status of the patient.Discrimination between UC patients that had the longest disease duration and those with CRC featured slightly lower AUC values.Concerning differentiation in IBD with shared location,PHGI-E index can es展开更多
INTRODUCTION: Recurrent perianal sepsis is a difficult problem to manage in colorectal surgical practice. One cause is rectal duplication cyst, a rare congenital lesion that is easily overlooked. Many cases have assoc...INTRODUCTION: Recurrent perianal sepsis is a difficult problem to manage in colorectal surgical practice. One cause is rectal duplication cyst, a rare congenital lesion that is easily overlooked. Many cases have associated congenital defects, especially musculoskeletal anomalies, and may provide a clue to the underlying condition. Early diagnosis is important because these cysts do not resolve spontaneously and may undergo malignant change. METHODS: We present two cases of middle-aged females who presented with perianal sepsis secondary to rectal duplication cyst. The first case had numerous surgical procedures for a perianal fistula during a ten-year period. She had associated sacral anomalies consistent with Currarino syndrome. The second case presented with a perineal mass after a bout of perianal inflammation. Both cases had the entire cyst surgically excised. RESULTS: There were no complications postoperatively and no recurrence at follow-up. Histopathology revealed no malignancy in the cyst. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal duplication cyst is a rare cause of recurrent perianal sepsis that should be considered in difficult cases, especially in those with associated musculoskeletal anomalies. Complete surgical excision is the preferred treatment to prevent recurrence and the risk of malignant degeneration.展开更多
Crop nutrition has a significant effect on disease incidence, resistance or tolerance of various crops. There is currently a lack of reliable recent UK-based research about the effect of copper, zinc and boron on dise...Crop nutrition has a significant effect on disease incidence, resistance or tolerance of various crops. There is currently a lack of reliable recent UK-based research about the effect of copper, zinc and boron on disease incidence, green leaf area （GLA）, green leaf retention （GLR） and grain yield of winter wheat, spring wheat and spring barley. Data analysis showed that these trace elements had positive effects on GLR. These positive effects may have been due to the role of copper, zinc and boron in the production of defence related compounds （phenolics and lignin）, which may have reduced the disease incidence resulting in prolonged GLR. Grain yield was significantly enhanced by the application of these trace elements on the crop grown on high pH calcareous soil, which can be partly attributed to enhanced GLR. Also trace elements have a positive role in reproductive growth, flowering and male fertility. On average, zinc was found to be the most consistent trace element in terms of enhancing GLR and grain yield. Across all trials, it was noted that for every 10% increase in GLA from trace elements, grain yields increased by 4.2% in 2012-2013, by 4.4% in 2013-2014 in winter wheat and by 3.9% in spring wheat in 2014. These are remarkably consistent and indicate that increasing GLA by 10% by early dough stage was associated with a yield improvement of about 4%. These trace elements also had a positive effect on grain protein content （GPC）. This research concluded that the trace elements had positive effects in enhancing GLA and yield. It can be speculated that with the use of these trace elements, there may be more scope for using less robust or reduced rates of fungicides to control foliar diseases, which may help to maximize farm profits.展开更多
Synthesis and characterization of a tri-layered solid electrolyte and oxygen permeable solid air cathode for lithium-air battery cells were carried out in this investigation. Detailed fabrication procedures for solid ...Synthesis and characterization of a tri-layered solid electrolyte and oxygen permeable solid air cathode for lithium-air battery cells were carried out in this investigation. Detailed fabrication procedures for solid electrolyte, air cathode and real-world lithium-air battery cell are described. Materials characterizations were performed through FTIR and TGA measurement. Based on the experimental four-probe conductivity measurement, it was found that the tri-layered solid electrolyte has a very high conductivity at room temperature, 23<sup>。</sup>C, and it can be reached up to 6 times higher at 100<sup>。</sup>C. Fabrication of real-world lithium-air button cells was performed using the synthesized tri-layered solid electrolyte, an oxygen permeable air cathode, and a metallic lithium anode. The lithium-air button cells were tested under dry air with 0.1 mA - 0.2 mA discharge/ charge current at elevated temperatures. Experimental results showed that the lithium-air cell performance is very sensitive to the oxygen concentration in the air cathode. The experimental results also revealed that the cell resistance was very large at room temperature but decreased rapidly with increasing temperatures. It was found that the cell resistance was the prime cause to show any significant discharge capacity at room temperature. Experimental results suggested that the lack of robust interfacial contact among solid electrolyte, air cathode and lithium metal anode were the primary factors for the cell’s high internal resistances. It was also found that once the cell internal resistance issues were resolved, the discharge curve of the battery cell was much smoother and the cell was able to discharge at above 2.0 V for up to 40 hours. It indicated that in order to have better performing lithium-air battery cell, interfacial contact resistances issue must have to be resolved very efficiently.展开更多
文摘The obesity pandemic has grown to concerning proportions in recent years, not only in the Western World, but in developing countries as well. The corresponding decrease in male fertility and fecundity may be explained in parallel to obesity, and obesity should be considered as an etiology of male fertility. Studies show that obesity contributes to infertility by reducing semen quality, changing sperm proteomes, contributing to erectile dysfunction, and inducing other physical problems related to obesity. Mechanisms for explaining the effect of obesity on male infertility include abnormal reproductive hormone levels, an increased release of adipose-derived hormones and adipokines associated with obesity, and other physical problems including sleep apnea and increased scrotal temperatures. Recently, genetic factors and markers for an obesity-related infertility have been discovered and may explain the difference between fertile obese and infertile obese men. Treatments are available for not only infertility related to obesity, but also as a treatment for the other comorbidities arising from obesity. Natural weight loss, as well as bariatric surgery are options for obese patients and have shown promising results in restoring fertility and normal hormonal profiles. Therapeutic interventions including aromatase inhibitors, exogenous testosterone replacement therapy and maintenance and regulation of adipose-derived hormones, particularly leptin, may also be able to restore fertility in obese males. Because of the relative unawareness and lack of research in this area, controlled studies should be undertaken and more focus should be given to obesity as an etiolgy of male infertility.
文摘Introduction:Evaluating the environmental impacts of climate change on water resources and biological components of the landscape is an integral part of hydrologic and ecological investigations,and the resultant land and resource management in the twenty-first century.Impacts of both climate and simulated hydrologic parameters on ecological processes are relevant at scales that reflect the heterogeneity and complexity of landscapes.At present,simulations of climate change available from global climate models[GCMs]require downscaling for hydrologic or ecological applications.Methods:Using statistically downscaled future climate projections developed using constructed analogues,a methodology was developed to further downscale the projections spatially using a gradient-inverse-distancesquared approach for application to hydrologic modeling at 270-m spatial resolution.Results:This paper illustrates a methodology to downscale and bias-correct national GCMs to subkilometer scales that are applicable to fine-scale environmental processes.Four scenarios were chosen to bracket the range of future emissions put forth by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Fine-scale applications of downscaled datasets of ecological and hydrologic correlations to variation in climate are illustrated.Conclusions:The methodology,which includes a sequence of rigorous analyses and calculations,is intended to reduce the addition of uncertainty to the climate data as a result of the downscaling while providing the fine-scale climate information necessary for ecological analyses.It results in new but consistent data sets for the US at 4 km,the southwest US at 270 m,and California at 90 m and illustrates the utility of fine-scale downscaling to analyses of ecological processes influenced by topographic complexity.
基金We gratefully acknowledge funding support from the National Science Foundation Macrosystems Biology Program,NSF#EF-1065864,and thank our collaborating investigators(A.Hall,L.Hannah,M.Moritz,M.North,K.Redmond,H.Regan,A.Syphard).The manuscript was improved by comments from H.Regan.S.McKnight and A.Shepard coordinated field site set-up,while E.Conlisk,S.Dashiell,L.di Scipio,E.Hopkins,A.MacDonald,K.Maher,J.McClure,P.Prather,E.Peck,R.Swab,and W.Wilkinson contributed to data collection and maintenance of the common gardens and field sensors.We thank the USDA Forest Service and Tejon Ranch Company for access to field sites.P.Slaughter has been instrumental with development of the field data processing system and database ingest software.Lastly,we would like to thank The Earth Research Institute staff at UC Santa Barbara for their assistance and support.
文摘Introduction:Estimating surface temperature from above-ground field measurements is important for understanding the complex landscape patterns of plant seedling survival and establishment,processes which occur at heights of only several centimeters.Currently,future climate models predict temperature at 2 m above ground,leaving ground-surface microclimate not well characterized.Methods:Using a network of field temperature sensors and climate models,a ground-surface temperature method was used to estimate microclimate variability of minimum and maximum temperature.Temperature lapse rates were derived from field temperature sensors and distributed across the landscape capturing differences in solar radiation and cold air drainages modeled at a 30-m spatial resolution.Results:The surface temperature estimation method used for this analysis successfully estimated minimum surface temperatures on north-facing,south-facing,valley,and ridgeline topographic settings,and when compared to measured temperatures yielded an R2 of 0.88,0.80,0.88,and 0.80,respectively.Maximum surface temperatures generally had slightly more spatial variability than minimum surface temperatures,resulting in R2 values of 0.86,0.77,0.72,and 0.79 for north-facing,south-facing,valley,and ridgeline topographic settings.Quasi-Poisson regressions predicting recruitment of Quercus kelloggii(black oak)seedlings from temperature variables were significantly improved using these estimates of surface temperature compared to air temperature modeled at 2 m.Conclusion:Predicting minimum and maximum ground-surface temperatures using a downscaled climate model coupled with temperature lapse rates estimated from field measurements provides a method for modeling temperature effects on plant recruitment.Such methods could be applied to improve projections of species’range shifts under climate change.Areas of complex topography can provide intricate microclimates that may allow species to redistribute locally as climate changes.
基金The authors acknowledge the California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research 2010 Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation study,Sonoma County Water Agency,Santa Cruz Environmental Health Department,California Department of Water Resources,and U.S.Geological Survey Climate Change Initiative for support of various aspects of this research.
文摘Introduction:Resource managers need spatially explicit models of hydrologic response to changes in key climatic drivers across variable landscape conditions.We demonstrate the utility of a Basin Characterization Model for California(CA-BCM)to integrate high-resolution data on physical watershed characteristics with historical or projected climate data to predict watershed-specific hydrologic responses.Methods:The CA-BCM applies a monthly regional water-balance model to simulate hydrologic responses to climate at the spatial resolution of a 270-m grid.The model has been calibrated using a total of 159 relatively unimpaired watersheds for the California region.Results:As a result of calibration,predicted basin discharge closely matches measured data for validation watersheds.The CA-BCM recharge and runoff estimates,combined with estimates of snowpack and timing of snowmelt,provide a basis for assessing variations in water availability.Another important output variable,climatic water deficit,integrates the combined effects of temperature and rainfall on site-specific soil moisture,a factor that plants may respond to more directly than air temperature and precipitation alone.Model outputs are calculated for each grid cell,allowing results to be summarized for a variety of planning units including hillslopes,watersheds,ecoregions,or political boundaries.Conclusions:The ability to confidently calculate hydrologic outputs at fine spatial scales provides a new suite of hydrologic predictor variables that can be used for a variety of purposes,such as projections of changes in water availability,environmental demand,or distribution of plants and habitats.Here we present the framework of the CA-BCM model for the California hydrologic region,a test of model performance on 159 watersheds,summary results for the region for the 1981–2010 time period,and changes since the 1951–1980 time period.
文摘Expansive soils cause problems with the founding of lightly loaded structures in many parts of the world. Foundation design for expansive soils is one of the most discussed and problematic issues in Australia as expansive soils were responsible for billions of dollars＇ worth of damage to man-made structures such as buildings and roads. Several studies and reports indicate that one of the most common and least recognized problems causing severe structural damage to houses lies in expansive soils. In this study, a critical review has been carried out on the current Australian standards for building on expansive soils and they are compared with some techniques that are not included in the current Australian standards for residential slabs and footings. Based on the results of this review, the most effective and economical method has been proposed for construction of footings on all site classifications without restriction to 75mm of characteristic movement. In addition, it has become apparent that as design procedures for footings resting on sites with extreme characteristic movements are not included in the current Australian standards, there is a strong need for well-developed and simplified standard design procedures for characteristic soil movement of greater than 75mm to be included into the Australian Standards.
文摘Patients diagnosed with cancer often undergo considerable psychological distress,and the induction of the psychological stress response has been linked with a poor response to chemotherapy.The psychological stress response is mediated by fluctuations of the hormones glucocorticoids(GCs)and catecholamines.Binding to their respective receptors,GCs and the catecholamines adrenaline/noradrenaline are responsible for signalling a wide range of processes involved in cell survival,cell cycle and immune function.Synthetic GCs are also often prescribed as co-medication alongside chemotherapy,and increasing evidence suggests that GCs may induce chemoresistance in multiple cancer types.In this review,we bring together evidence linking psychological stress hormone signalling with resistance to chemo-and immune therapies,as well as mechanistic evidence regarding the effects of exogenous stress hormones on the efficacy of chemotherapies.
基金Supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science,No.SAF2010-15896,No.SAF2013-43284-P and No.SAF2017-82261-P.
文摘BACKGROUND The challenges for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)diagnostics are to discriminate it from gut conditions with similar symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),to distinguish IBD subtypes,to predict disease progression,and to establish the risk to develop colorectal cancer(CRC).Alterations in gut microbiota have been proposed as a source of information to assist in IBD diagnostics.Faecalibacterium prausnitzii(F.prausnitzii),its phylogroups,and Escherichia coli(E.coli)have been reported as potential biomarkers,but their performance in challenging IBD diagnostic situations remains elusive.We hypothesize that bacterial biomarkers based in these species may help to discriminate these conditions of complex diagnostics.AIM To evaluate the usefulness of indices calculated from the quantification of these species as biomarkers to aid in IBD diagnostics.METHODS A retrospective study of 131 subjects(31 controls(H);45 Crohn’s disease(CD),25 ulcerative colitis(UC),10 IBS,and 20 CRC patients)was performed to assess the usefulness of bacterial biomarkers in biopsies.Further,the performance of biomarkers in faeces was studied in 29 stool samples(19 CD,10 UC).Relative abundances of total F.prausnitzii(FP),its phylogroups(PHGI and PHGII),and E.coli(E)quantification were determined by qPCR.Loads were combined to calculate the FP-E index,the PHGI–E index and the PHGII-E index.Biomarkers accuracy to discriminate among conditions was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).RESULTS In biopsies,FP-E index was good for discriminating IBS from CD(AUC=0.752)while PHGII-E index was suitable for discriminating IBS from UC(AUC=0.632).The FP-E index would be the choice to discriminate IBD from CRC,especially from all UC subtypes(AUC≥0.875),regardless of the activity status of the patient.Discrimination between UC patients that had the longest disease duration and those with CRC featured slightly lower AUC values.Concerning differentiation in IBD with shared location,PHGI-E index can es
文摘INTRODUCTION: Recurrent perianal sepsis is a difficult problem to manage in colorectal surgical practice. One cause is rectal duplication cyst, a rare congenital lesion that is easily overlooked. Many cases have associated congenital defects, especially musculoskeletal anomalies, and may provide a clue to the underlying condition. Early diagnosis is important because these cysts do not resolve spontaneously and may undergo malignant change. METHODS: We present two cases of middle-aged females who presented with perianal sepsis secondary to rectal duplication cyst. The first case had numerous surgical procedures for a perianal fistula during a ten-year period. She had associated sacral anomalies consistent with Currarino syndrome. The second case presented with a perineal mass after a bout of perianal inflammation. Both cases had the entire cyst surgically excised. RESULTS: There were no complications postoperatively and no recurrence at follow-up. Histopathology revealed no malignancy in the cyst. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal duplication cyst is a rare cause of recurrent perianal sepsis that should be considered in difficult cases, especially in those with associated musculoskeletal anomalies. Complete surgical excision is the preferred treatment to prevent recurrence and the risk of malignant degeneration.
文摘Crop nutrition has a significant effect on disease incidence, resistance or tolerance of various crops. There is currently a lack of reliable recent UK-based research about the effect of copper, zinc and boron on disease incidence, green leaf area （GLA）, green leaf retention （GLR） and grain yield of winter wheat, spring wheat and spring barley. Data analysis showed that these trace elements had positive effects on GLR. These positive effects may have been due to the role of copper, zinc and boron in the production of defence related compounds （phenolics and lignin）, which may have reduced the disease incidence resulting in prolonged GLR. Grain yield was significantly enhanced by the application of these trace elements on the crop grown on high pH calcareous soil, which can be partly attributed to enhanced GLR. Also trace elements have a positive role in reproductive growth, flowering and male fertility. On average, zinc was found to be the most consistent trace element in terms of enhancing GLR and grain yield. Across all trials, it was noted that for every 10% increase in GLA from trace elements, grain yields increased by 4.2% in 2012-2013, by 4.4% in 2013-2014 in winter wheat and by 3.9% in spring wheat in 2014. These are remarkably consistent and indicate that increasing GLA by 10% by early dough stage was associated with a yield improvement of about 4%. These trace elements also had a positive effect on grain protein content （GPC）. This research concluded that the trace elements had positive effects in enhancing GLA and yield. It can be speculated that with the use of these trace elements, there may be more scope for using less robust or reduced rates of fungicides to control foliar diseases, which may help to maximize farm profits.
文摘Synthesis and characterization of a tri-layered solid electrolyte and oxygen permeable solid air cathode for lithium-air battery cells were carried out in this investigation. Detailed fabrication procedures for solid electrolyte, air cathode and real-world lithium-air battery cell are described. Materials characterizations were performed through FTIR and TGA measurement. Based on the experimental four-probe conductivity measurement, it was found that the tri-layered solid electrolyte has a very high conductivity at room temperature, 23<sup>。</sup>C, and it can be reached up to 6 times higher at 100<sup>。</sup>C. Fabrication of real-world lithium-air button cells was performed using the synthesized tri-layered solid electrolyte, an oxygen permeable air cathode, and a metallic lithium anode. The lithium-air button cells were tested under dry air with 0.1 mA - 0.2 mA discharge/ charge current at elevated temperatures. Experimental results showed that the lithium-air cell performance is very sensitive to the oxygen concentration in the air cathode. The experimental results also revealed that the cell resistance was very large at room temperature but decreased rapidly with increasing temperatures. It was found that the cell resistance was the prime cause to show any significant discharge capacity at room temperature. Experimental results suggested that the lack of robust interfacial contact among solid electrolyte, air cathode and lithium metal anode were the primary factors for the cell’s high internal resistances. It was also found that once the cell internal resistance issues were resolved, the discharge curve of the battery cell was much smoother and the cell was able to discharge at above 2.0 V for up to 40 hours. It indicated that in order to have better performing lithium-air battery cell, interfacial contact resistances issue must have to be resolved very efficiently.
