Monitoring weed mechanical and chemical damage stress based on chlorophyll fluorescence imaging.

Currently, mechanical and chemical damage is the main way to carry out weed control. The use of chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) technology to nondestructively monitor the stress physiological state of weeds is significant to reveal the damage mechanism of mechanical and chemical stresses as well as complex stresses. Under simulated real field environmental conditions, different species and leaf age weeds (Digitaria sanguinalis 2-5 leaf age, and Erigeron canadensis 5-10 leaf age) were subjected to experimental treatments for 1-7 days, and fluorescence parameters were measured every 24 h using a chlorophyll fluorometer. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in CF parameters of different species of weeds (Digitaria sanguinalis, Erigeron canadensis) at their different stress sites under chemical, mechanical and their combined stresses. The results showed that when weeds (Digitaria sanguinalis and Erigeron canadensis) were chemically stressed in different parts, their leaf back parts were the most severely stressed after 7 days, with photosynthetic inhibition reaching R=75%. In contrast, mechanical stress differs from its changes, and after a period of its stress, each parameter recovers somewhat after 1 to 2 days of stress, with heavy mechanical stress R=11%. Complex stress had the most significant effect on CF parameters, mainly in the timing and efficiency of changes in Fv/Fm, Fq'/Fm', ETR, Rfd, NPQ and Y(NO), with R reaching 71%-73% after only 3-4 days of complex stress, and its changes in complex stress were basically consistent with the pattern of changes in its chemical stress. The results of the study will help to understand the effects of mechanical and chemical stresses and combined stresses on CF parameters of weeds and serve as a guide for efficient weed control operations and conducting weed control in the future.

Improving measurement accuracy of Brazilian tensile strength of rock by digital image correlation.

Since the invention of the Brazilian test about eight decades ago, discussions on the validity of indirect tensile strength measurement by the Brazilian test have always been of focus in rock fracture mechanics. According to the principles of the Brazilian test, experimental data are only valid when a fracture is initiated at/near the disc-shaped planar center and propagates along the diametral loading plane. However, traditional experimental results can only show readers a final failure instead of fracture process. Meanwhile, the accuracy of analytical solutions and numerical simulations are profoundly dependent on the input of underlying assumptions. To overcome the confusion about the Brazilian test, this study proposed to combine the Brazilian test with digital image correlation. By visualizing a dynamic fracture process of fracture initiation and propagation, the validity of the Brazilian test can be verified. This study can well explain the underestimation of rock tensile strengths in traditional Brazilian tests. Additionally, the specimen should have a length to thickness ratio larger than 0.30 to minimize the compression effect near the loading contacts. Due to the intrinsic heterogeneity of the rock structure, a small deviation of fracture initiation does not make a big difference in the experimental results.

Advanced treatment of oilfield production wastewater by an integration of coagulation/flotation, catalytic ozonation and biological processes.

In this study, advanced treatment of heavily polluted oilfield production wastewater (OPW) was investigated employing the combination of coagulation/dissolved air flotation, heterogeneous catalytic ozonation and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) processes. Two SBR reactors were separately set up before and after the ozonation unit. The results show that microbubble flotation was more efficient than macrobubble flotation in pollutant removal. Catalytic ozonation with the prepared Fe/activated carbon catalyst significantly enhanced pollutant removal in the second SBR by improving wastewater biodegradability and reducing wastewater microtoxicity. The treatment technique decreased oil, chemical oxygen demand and NH3-N by about 97%, 88% and 91%, respectively, allowing the discharge limits to be met. Therefore, the integrated process with efficient, economical and sustainable advantages was suitable for advanced treatment of real OPW.

Novel oral P2Y12 inhibitor prasugrel vs. clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome: evidence based on 6 studies.

BACKGROUND: Whether prasugrel can take the place of clopidogrel for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is not clear. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis for systematically reviewing the evidence on prasugrel in comparison to clopidogrel in patients with ACS. MATERIAL/METHODS: Relevant prospective and retrospective studies were searched in databases. Six studies were finally included. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess all causes of death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, major bleeding, major/minor bleeding, and stent thrombosis (for PCI performed). RESULTS: Compared with clopidogrel, prasugrel had similar risks of all cause of death (Pooled RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.64-1.06, p=0.14, I2=55%), MI (Pooled RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.71-1.04, p=0.12) and stroke (pooled RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.70-1.10, p=0.25). However, prasugrel was associated with significantly higher risk of both major bleeding (Pooled RR: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.99-1.44, p=0.06, I2=0%) and the risk of total major and minor bleeding (Pooled RR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.15-1.48, p<0.0001, I2=0%). For the patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), prasugrel was associated with significantly lower risk of stent thrombosis (Pooled RR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.34-0.61, p<0.00001, I2=0%). CONCLUSIONS: Prasugrel has similar effects as clopidogrel in terms of all causes of death, MI, and stroke in ACS patients. For the patients who underwent PCI, prasugrel contributes to lower risk of stent thrombosis. However, prasugrel is associated with significantly higher risk of bleeding. For the patients with active pathological bleeding or a history of stroke and/or TIA, prasugrel should not be recommended.

Spectral broadening effects of spontaneous emission and density of state on plasmonic enhancement in cermet waveguides.

Based on the full integration formula of Purcell factor (PF) deduced from Fermi's Golden Rule, the plasmonic enhancement in Au(1-α)S3N4(α) cermet waveguides is evaluated with the joint impact of finite emission linewidth and the broadening of PF spectrum. The calculation results indicate that the PF would be significantly degraded by the two broadening effects though the SPP resonance frequency can be tuned with different volume fractions (α) of Si3N4. It is also found that the critical emission linewidth is approximately linear to the PF spectrum linewidth. Thus in order to achieve strong plasmonic enhancement, both the emission and PF spectrum linewidths should be dramatically reduced.

Effects of unilateral decompressive craniectomy on patients with unilateral acute post-traumatic brain swelling after severe traumatic brain injury.

INTRODUCTION: Acute post-traumatic brain swelling (BS) is one of the pathological forms that need emergent treatment following traumatic brain injury. There is controversy about the effects of craniotomy on acute post-traumatic BS. The aim of the present clinical study was to assess the efficacy of unilateral decompressive craniectomy (DC) or unilateral routine temporoparietal craniectomy on patients with unilateral acute post-traumatic BS. METHODS: Seventy-four patients of unilateral acute post-traumatic BS with midline shifting more than 5 mm were divided randomly into two groups: unilateral DC group (n = 37) and unilateral routine temporoparietal craniectomy group (control group, n = 37). The vital signs, the intracranial pressure (ICP), the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), the mortality rate and the complications were prospectively analysed. RESULTS: The mean ICP values of patients in the unilateral DC group at hour 24, hour 48, hour 72 and hour 96 after injury were much lower than those of the control group (15.19 +/- 2.18 mmHg, 16.53 +/- 1.53 mmHg, 15.98 +/- 2.24 mmHg and 13.518 +/- 2.33 mmHg versus 19.95 +/- 2.24 mmHg, 18.32 +/- 1.77 mmHg, 21.05 +/- 2.23 mmHg and 17.68 +/- 1.40 mmHg, respectively). The mortality rates at 1 month after treatment were 27% in the unilateral DC group and 57% in the control group (p = 0.010). Good neurological outcome (GOS Score of 4 to 5) rates 1 year after injury for the groups were 56.8% and 32.4%, respectively (p = 0.035). The incidences of delayed intracranial hematoma and subdural effusion were 21.6% and 10.8% versus 5.4% and 0, respectively (p = 0.041 and 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that unilateral DC has superiority in lowering ICP, reducing the mortality rate and improving neurological outcomes over unilateral routine temporoparietal craniectomy. However, it increases the incidence of delayed intracranial hematomas and subdural effusion, some of which need secondary surgical intervention. These results provide information important for further large and multicenter clinical trials on the effects of DC in patients with acute post-traumatic BS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN14110527.

Effects of therapeutic mild hypothermia on patients with severe traumatic brain injury after craniotomy.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of therapeutic mild hypothermia on patients with severe traumatic brain injury after craniotomy (TBI). METHODS: Eighty patients with severe TBI after unilateral craniotomy were randomized into a therapeutic hypothermia group with the brain temperature maintained at 33 degrees C to 35 degrees C for 4 days, and a normothermia control group in the intensive care unit. Vital signs, intracranial pressure, serum superoxide dismutase level, Glasgow Outcome Scale scores, and complications were prospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The mean intracranial pressure values of the therapeutic hypothermia group at 24, 48, and 72 hours after injury were much lower than those of the control group (23.49 +/- 2.38, 24.68 +/- 1.71, and 22.51 +/- 2.44 vs 25.87 +/- 2.18, 25.90 +/- 1.86, and 24.57 +/- 3.95 mm Hg; P = .000, .000, and .003, respectively). The mean serum superoxide dismutase levels of the therapeutic hypothermia group at days 3 and 7 were much higher than those of the control group at the same time point (533.0 +/- 103.4 and 600.5 +/- 82.9 vs 458.7 +/- 68.1 and 497.0 +/- 57.3 mug/L, respectively; P = .000). The percentage of favorable neurologic outcome 1 year after injury was 70.0% and 47.5%, respectively (P = .041). Complications, including pulmonary infections (57.5% in the therapeutic hypothermia group vs 32.5% in the control group; P = .025) were managed without severe sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic mild hypothermia provides a promising way in the intensive care unit for patients with severe TBI after craniotomy.