Maternal exposure to black carbon and nitrogen dioxide during pregnancy and birth weight: Using machine-learning methods to achieve balance in inverse-probability weights.

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight is associated with increased risks of health problems in infancy and later life. Among the epidemiological analyses suggesting an association between air pollution and birth weight, few have estimated the effects of black carbon (BC) or together with nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and even fewer studies have used causal modelling. METHODS: We examined 1,119,011 birth records between 2001/01/01 and 2015/12/31 from the Massachusetts Birth Registry to investigate causal associations between prenatal exposure to BC and NO2 and birth weight. We calculated mean residential BC and NO2 exposures 0-30, and 31-280 days prior to birth from validated spatial-temporal models. We fit generalized propensity score models with gradient boosting tuned by a new algorithm to achieve covariate balance, then fit marginal structural models with stabilized inverse-probability weights. RESULTS: Throughout pregnancy, the average birth weight would drop by 17.0 g (95% CI: 15.4, 18.6) for an IQR increase of 0.14 µg/m3 in BC and would independently drop by 19.9 g (95% CI: 18.6, 21.3) for an IQR increase of 9.8 ppb in NO2. Most of the negative effects of BC on birth weight are from 0 to 30 days before the delivery date. The estimated odds ratio of low birth weight for every IQR increase during the entire pregnancy was 1.131 (95% CI: 1.106, 1.156) for BC and 1.082 (95% CI: 1.062, 1.103) for NO2. CONCLUSIONS: We found that prenatal exposures to both BC and NO2 were associated with lower birth weight.

Optimized seeding rate and nitrogen topdressing ratio for simultaneous improvement of grain yield and bread-making quality in bread wheat sown on different dates.

BACKGROUND: Sowing date, seeding rate, and nitrogen (N) topdressing ratio have strong effects on grain yield (GY) and bread-making quality (BQ) in bread wheat. Simultaneous improvement in GY and BQ in bread wheat has long been a challenge due to the inverse relationship between GY and grain protein concentration (GPC). In this study, we investigated whether the GY and BQ of bread wheat sown on different dates could be improved simultaneously by optimizing the seeding rate and the N topdressing ratio. RESULTS: Delaying sowing beyond a certain period led to decreases in both GY and BQ. Optimizing the seeding rate and N topdressing ratio enhanced the N uptake during pre- and post-anthesis, as well as N remobilization during grain filling for all wheat plants sown on different dates, thereby increasing the GPC and the total N per grain (Ntot ). Consequently, grain protein composition was improved, resulting in an increased glutenin/gliadin ratio, sodium dodecyl sulfate-insoluble glutenin/total glutenin (i.e., glutenin polymerization index), and high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit/ low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS/LMW-GS) ratio. Increased GPC and improved grain protein composition enhanced BQ. CONCLUSION: The mechanism underlying simultaneous improvement in GY and GPC as well as Ntot was the greater increase in N accumulation in grains per unit area relative to increases in GY, or total grain number per unit area. The GY and BQ can be improved simultaneously regardless of sowing date by optimizing the seeding rate and N topdressing ratio via enhanced N uptake and N remobilization into grains. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stress-driven dynamic regulation of multiple tolerance genes improves robustness and productive capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in industrial lignocellulose fermentation.

Yeast productivity in lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation is clearly impeded by stress. Enhancing the robustness of xylose-fermenting yeast is important for improving lignocellulosic ethanol production. In this study, the glutathione biosynthesis pathway and acetic acid degradation pathway were strengthened to enhance yeast tolerance to stress due to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and acetic acid. Dynamic feedback regulation of the anti-stress genetic circuits was achieved using stress-driven promoters discovered from the transcriptome to maintain low intracellular ROS, relieve the metabolic burden, and ultimately improve the robustness and ethanol production of yeast. The cell growth, xylose utilization and ethanol production of the engineered strain were enhanced under both stress and nonstress conditions. The engineered strain showed 49.5% and 17.5% higher ethanol productivity in laboratory media and industrial lignocellulosic media, respectively, at 36 °C compared with the parent strain. This study provides novel insights on the rational design and construction of feedback genetic circuits for dynamically improving yeast robustness.

Strain Engineering and Halogen Compensation of Buried Interface in Polycrystalline Halide Perovskites.

Inverted perovskite solar cells based on weakly polarized hole-transporting layers suffer from the problem of polarity mismatch with the perovskite precursor solution, resulting in a nonideal wetting surface. In addition to the bottom-up growth of the polycrystalline halide perovskite, this will inevitably worse the effects of residual strain and heterogeneity at the buried interface on the interfacial carrier transport and localized compositional deficiency. Here, we propose a multifunctional hybrid pre-embedding strategy to improve substrate wettability and address unfavorable strain and heterogeneities. By exposing the buried interface, it was found that the residual strain of the perovskite films was markedly reduced because of the presence of organic polyelectrolyte and imidazolium salt, which not only realized the halogen compensation and the coordination of Pb2+ but also the buried interface morphology and defect recombination that were well regulated. Benefitting from the above advantages, the power conversion efficiency of the targeted inverted devices with a bandgap of 1.62 eV was 21.93% and outstanding intrinsic stability. In addition, this coembedding strategy can be extended to devices with a bandgap of 1.55 eV, and the champion device achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.74%. In addition, the optimized perovskite solar cells retained 91% of their initial efficiency (960 h) when exposed to an ambient relative humidity of 20%, with a T80 of 680 h under heating aging at 65 °C, exhibiting elevated durability.

Muscle Energy Technique plus Neurac Method in Stroke Patients with Hemiplegia Complicated by Diabetes Mellitus and Assessment of Quality of Life.

Objective: To analyze the role of muscle energy technique (MET) plus Neurac method in stroke patients with hemiplegia complicated by diabetes mellitus and the impact on quality of life. Methods: From January 2021 to December 2021, 100 stroke patients with hemiplegia complicated by diabetes mellitus treated in our institution and assessed for eligibility were recruited and randomly assigned (1 : 3) via the random sampling method to either the conventional rehabilitation group or the experimental group. The patients in the experimental group were randomized (1 : 1 : 1) into either the MET group (receives MET), the Neurac group (receives Neurac), or the joint group (receives MET plus Neurac). The primary endpoint is the clinical efficacy, and the second endpoint is the quality of life. Results: The eligible patients had similar pretreatment Barthel index scores, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, Berg balance scale (BBS) scores, Tinetti scores, Fugl-Meyer scores, and quality of life (QoL) scores (P > 0.05). The treatment herein achieved significant improvements in Barthel index scores, VAS scores (2.71 ± 0.28), BBS scores, Tinetti scores, Fugl-Meyer scores, and QoL scores (99.67 ± 10.62), and MET plus Neurac method obtained the best results versus both the conventional rehabilitation and monotherapy of either MET or Neurac (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Neurac method plus MET improves the independent mobility of stroke patients with hemiplegia and diabetes, relieves pain, enhances balance and stability, mitigates limb dysfunction, and boosts patients' quality of life, so it is worthy of clinical application.

Chain Terminators and Glutathione Weaken Wheat Dough under Excess Nitrogen Input.

An excessive nitrogen (N) supply may weaken dough due to an imbalance between N and sulfur (S) in the grains. However, the mechanism underlying the weakening effect of excessive N supply has yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the N rate × S rate interaction on the ratio of N to S (N/S ratio), grain protein concentration, amount and composition of protein fractions, and dough properties of a bread wheat cultivar. The concentrations of glutathione and modified gliadins with an odd number of cysteine residues (potential chain terminators for glutenins) were also examined. The results revealed that the weakening effect of excess N input is closely associated with an increased gliadin/glutenin ratio, reduced low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit concentrations, and the degree of polymerization of glutenin. More importantly, we found that the increased concentrations of glutathione and chain terminators in grains are involved in the modification of the polymerization degree in glutenins.

Physiological and Proteomic Analyses Indicate Delayed Sowing Improves Photosynthetic Capacity in Wheat Flag Leaves Under Heat Stress.

Background and Aims: Climate warming has become an indisputable fact, and wheat is among the most heat-sensitive cereal crops. Heat stress during grain filling threatens global wheat production and food security. Here, we analyzed the physiological and proteomic changes by delayed sowing on the photosynthetic capacity of winter wheat leaves under heat stress. Our aim is to provide a new cultivation way for the heat stress resistance in wheat. Methods: Through 2 years field experiment and an open warming simulation system, we compared the changes in wheat grain weight, yield, photosynthetic rate, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters under heat stress at late grain-filling stage during normal sowing and delayed sowing. At the same time, based on the iTRAQ proteomics, we compared the changes of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) during the two sowing periods under high temperature stress. Key Results: In our study, compared with normal sowing, delayed sowing resulted in a significantly higher photosynthetic rate during the grain-filling stage under heat stress, as well as significantly increased grain weight and yield at maturity. The chlorophyll a fluorescence transient (OJIP) analysis showed that delayed sowing significantly reduced the J-step and I-step. Moreover, OJIP parameters, including RC/CSm, TRo/CSm, ETo/CSm, DIo/CSm and ΦPo, ψo, ΦEo, were significantly increased; DIo/CSm and ΦDo, were significantly reduced. GO biological process and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses showed that, among DEPs, proteins involved in photosynthetic electron transport were significantly increased and among photosynthetic metabolic pathways, we have observed upregulated proteins, such as PsbH, PsbR, and PetB. Conclusion: Physiological and proteomic analyses indicate delaying the sowing date of winter wheat reduced heat dissipation by enhancing the scavenging capacity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in flag leaves, and ensuring energy transmission along the photosynthetic electron transport chain; this increased the distribution ratio of available energy in photochemical reactions and maintained a high photosynthetic system assimilation capacity, which supported a high photosynthetic rate. Hence, delayed sowing may represent a new cultivation strategy for promoting heat stress tolerance in winter wheat.

Synergistic Effects of Particle Radioactivity (Gross ß Activity) and Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm Aerodynamic Diameter on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality.

Background Although the effects of fine particulate matter (particulate matter ≤2.5 µm aerodynamic diameter [PM2.5]) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality are well established, little is known about the CVD health effects of particle radioactivity. In addition, there are still questions about which of the PM2.5 physical, chemical, or biological properties are mostly responsible for its toxicity. Methods and Results We investigated the association between particle radioactivity, measured as gross ß activity from highly resolved spatiotemporal predictions, and mortality for CVD, myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause nonaccidental mortality in Massachusetts (2001-2015). Within both difference-in-differences model and generalized linear mixed model frameworks, we fit both single-exposure and 2-exposure models adjusting for PM2.5 and examined the interaction between PM2.5 and gross ß activity. We found significant associations between gross ß activity and PM2.5 and each mortality cause. Using difference-in-differences and adjusting for PM2.5, we found the highest associations with myocardial infarction (rate ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.08-1.24]) and stroke (rate ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.18]) for an interquartile range increase (0.055 millibecquerels per cubic meter) in gross ß activity. We found a significant positive interaction between PM2.5 and gross ß activity, with higher associations between PM2.5 and mortality at a higher level of gross ß activity. We also observed that the associations varied across age groups. The results were comparable between the 2 statistical methods also with and without adjusting for PM2.5. Conclusions This is the first study that, using highly spatiotemporal predictions of gross ß-activity, provides evidence that particle radioactivity increases CVD mortality and enhances PM2.5 CVD mortality. Therefore, particle radioactivity can be an important property of PM2.5 that must be further investigated. Addressing this important question can lead to cost-effective air-quality regulations.

[Interactive effects of irrigation regime and planting density on grain yield and water use efficiency in winter wheat]. / 灌水量与密度互作对冬小麦籽粒产量和水分利用效率的影响.

To get an optimal irrigation regime and planting density for simultaneous improvement of grain yield (GY) and water use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat, we examined the responses of 'Tainong 18' (with bigger ears) and 'Shannong 22' (with medium-sized ears) under four irrigation regimes, including 0, 45, 60, and 75 mm. Those two cultivars were planted at four densities: Tainong 18 at 135×104, 270×104, 405×104, and 540×104 plants·hm-2 and Shannong 22 at 90×104, 180×104, 270×104, and 360×104 plants·hm-2. The interactive effects of irrigation regimes and plant densities on GY, water consumption characteristics, and WUE were investigated. The results showed that GY, evapotranspiration, soil water consumption, and WUE were significantly affected by irrigation regime, plant density, and their interaction. The optimal irrigation regime was 45 mm for both cultivars, while the optimal plant density was 405×104 plants·hm-2 for Tainong 18 and 270×104 plants·hm-2 for Shannong 22, as indicated by the highest GY, the lowest ratio of soil evaporation to evapotranspiration after jointing, and higher WUE and the ratio of soil water consumption below 1 m to total soil water consumption. The rational combination of plant density and irrigation could reduce unnecessary water consumption and improve WUE.

A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis of Mozart's Music for drug-resistant epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: This study will aim to assess the effectiveness of Mozart's Music (MM) for the management of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). METHODS: In this study, we will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Chinese Scientific Journal Database Information, WANGFANG, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from their inauguration to March 1, 2020 without language and publication time restrictions. We will also identify other literature resources, such as reference lists of any related reviews. Trial quality will be examined by Cochrane risk of bias tool; reporting bias will be identified by a funnel plot and Egger test; and statistical analysis will be undertaken by RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: This study will summarize high quality randomized controlled trials to appraise the effectiveness and safety of MM for the treatment of patients with DRE. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study will supply evidence to judge whether MM is effective on DRE at evidence-based medicine level. STUDY REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020170512.

Rehabilitation training combined acupuncture for limb hemiplegia caused by cerebral hemorrhage: A protocol for a systematic review of randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that rehabilitation training combined acupuncture (RTA) can be used for the treatment of limb hemiplegia (LH) caused by cerebral hemorrhage (CH). However, its effectiveness is still unclear. In this systematic review study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of RTA for LH following CH. METHODS: We will retrieve the databases of CENTRAL, EMBASE, MEDILINE, CINAHL, AMED, CBM, and CNKI from inception to March 1, 2019 with no language restrictions. The randomized controlled trials of RTA for evaluating effectiveness and safety in patients with LH following CH will be included. Cochrane risk of bias tool will be used to measure the methodological quality for all included studies. Two authors will independently select the studies, extract the data, and assess the methodological quality of included studies. A third author will be invited to discuss if any disagreements exist between 2 authors. If more than 2 eligible studies will be included, the outcome data will be pooled, and meta-analysis will be conducted if it is possible. RESULTS: This systematic review will assess the effectiveness and safety of RTA for LH caused by CH. The primary outcome includes limbs function. The secondary outcomes consist of muscle strength, muscle tone, quality of life, and any adverse events. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will summarize the current evidence of RTA for LH caused by CH, and may provide helpful evidence for the clinical treatment. DISSEMINATION AND ETHICS: The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals or will be presented on conference meeting. This work does not require ethic approval, because it will be conducted based on the published studies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019120034.