A phase I, randomized study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of mefunidone in healthy subjects.

Background: Mefunidone is a novel synthetic compound and is better when compared to pirfenidone for the anti-fibrotic treatment of renal fibrosis in end-stage renal disease. We conducted this first-in-human, phase I clinical trial to determine the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic (PK) (including food effect) profiles of mefunidone administered orally as single and multiple ascending doses in healthy subjects. Methods: Part A assessed single ascending doses of mefunidone from 25 mg to 800 mg or placebo once daily in the fasting state. Part A also assessed the effect of food on tolerability and PK in the 100 mg cohort. Part B consisted of three treatment groups who received 100 mg, 200 mg, or 400 mg of mefunidone or placebo twice daily (BID, bis in die) on days 1-6 and once in the morning on day 7. Results: Single oral doses of mefunidone up to 800 mg and multiple doses of mefunidone up to 400 mg BID were all well-tolerated. Mefunidone behaved with ideal dose proportionality within the single-dose range of 50 mg-600 mg and the multiple-dose range of 100 mg BID to 400 mg BID by day 7. High-fat fed conditions led to a delay in Tmax by approximately 1 h and a slight reduction of approximately 20% in Cmax compared to that in fasting conditions, but it did not significantly affect systemic exposure. Conclusion: Mefunidone exhibited favorable pharmacokinetics and safety profiles. The present study informed and supported further developmental clinical studies of mefunidone. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier CXHL1900206.

A case of chronic kidney disease patient with rapid deterioration of renal function, hair loss, and spontaneous resolution of facial warts after COVID-19 infection.

Background: Individuals with pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an increased risk of experiencing severe symptoms if infected with COVID-19. This report presents the case of a patient with CKD who contracted COVID-19 and subsequently experienced rapid deterioration of kidney function, hair loss, and spontaneous remission of facial warts. Case presentation: A 60-year-old Chinese man with a decade-long history of abnormal serum creatinine (Scr) levels and recently heightened fatigue sought treatment. The disease was previously managed and deemed resolved in 2020. However, when he contracted the novel coronavirus on December 20, 2022, he experienced persistent fatigue without other symptoms. In early January 2023, Scr levels was examined as more than 300 µmol/L. This was followed by hair loss, including eyebrows and lashes, and the spontaneous resolution of a longstanding facial wart. During this period, although the patient received kidney-protecting drugs and a lifestyle optimization, Scr increased continuously and the disease eventually progressed to the uremic stage. As the patient still had relatively abundant urine volume, the patient chose peritoneal dialysis treatment. At a two-month follow-up, he had adhered to the CAPD protocol without complications and his hair had begun to regrow. After eight months, his hair had mostly regrown, and his Scr levels kept stable. Conclusion: This case may represent the inaugural instance of CKD patients experiencing rapid deterioration of renal function, hair loss, and spontaneous remission of common warts. The underlying mechanisms of this unique phenomenon warrant further researches and debate.

Chemical characteristics and health risk evaluation of natural waters in the Du River Source National Nature Reserve: A case study in Zhushan County, Hubei Province, China.

To study the distribution of trace elements in natural water of the Du River Source National Nature Reserve and to assess the water quality and health risks, Zhushan County in Hubei Province was selected as the study area. Element content in 361 natural water samples collected from Zhushan County were measured by ICP-MS, ICP-OES, and HG-AFS. The main anions and cations present in water samples from Zhushan County are Ca2+ and HCO3-. The water chemistry is predominantly influenced by the weathering of carbonate rocks. The water samples with high content of selenium (Se) (0∼82.9 µg/L, mean 4.6 µg/L) in natural water in Zhushan County are mainly distributed in the northern part of Zhushan. The strontium (Sr) content of 49.6% of the water samples (0.001-2.177 mg/L, mean 0.234 mg/L) reached the criteria of natural mineral water for drinking in China (Sr ≥ 0.2 mg/L), which is distributed throughout the county. The high content of metasilicic acid (H2SiO3) (0.026-35.910 mg/L, mean 12.598 mg/L) and zinc (Zn) (0∼407.218 µg/L, mean 12.406 µg/L) are concentrated in northern Zhushan County. 99.7% water samples were freshwater and 98.9% meet the criteria of "good" water quality. All of the natural water samples have low health risk and low heavy metal pollution. 6.1% water samples meet the criteria of Se-type mineral water, while 45.4% meet the criteria of Sr-type mineral water, and 4.4% water samples meet the criteria of "low sodium, high Se, and high Sr" mineral water. Zhushan County has the potential for Se-type mineral water and Sr-type mineral water development. The findings of this study hold immense significance for the public health implications of drinking water in Du River Source, thereby offering valuable insights for effective water resources management.

Relationship among post-traumatic growth, spiritual well-being, and perceived social support in Chinese women with gynecological cancer.

This study aimed to examine the correlation between post-traumatic growth (PTG), spiritual well-being (SWB), perceived social support (PSS), and demographic and clinical factors in Chinese gynecological cancer patients. Through convenience sampling, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 771 adult patients with gynecological cancer. The European Organization for Research and Treatment for Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Spiritual Well-being 32 (EORTC QLQ-SWB32), Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used to measure SWB, PTG, and PSS. A Multiple Linear Regression Model was used to determine the possible factors contributing to PTG. The subscale with the highest centesimal score in the PTGI was the Appreciation of Life Scale, and the lowest was New Possibility. Gynecologic cancer patients with younger ages (B = - 0.313, P = 0.002), perceived more family support (B = 1.289, P < 0.001), had more existential (B = 0.865, P = 0.010), and had religious belief (B = 5.760, P = 0.034) may have more PTG. Spiritual well-being, perceived social support, younger age, and religious beliefs are associated with post-traumatic growth in gynecological cancer patients. Healthcare staff could provide more professional support to younger patients with religious beliefs. Promoting social support and spiritual well-being could potentially serve as effective interventions for boosting PTG among gynecological cancer.

Effects of endogenous dopamine induced by low concentration atropine eye drops on choroidal neovascularization in high myopia mice.

AIM: To evaluate effects of endogenous dopamine induced by low concentration atropine eye drops on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in high myopia mice. METHODS: The C57BL/6J mice were deprived of the right eye for 4wk, and the high myopia was diagnosed by optometry, the diopter was less than -6.00 D, and CNV was induced by 532 nm laser. The changes of dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1), dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) were detected by Western blot technology at 0.5, 1, 2h, and 7d after 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1% atropine eye drops, respectively, the area of CNV was measured. RESULTS: Significant increases were observed on the expression of DRD2 in mouse high myopia model at 0.5, 1, 2h, 7d with 0.05% and 0.1% atropine eye drops (P<0.05). Significant decreases were observed on the expression of DRD1 and VEGFA in mouse high myopia model at 0.5, 1, 2h, 7d with 0.05% and 0.1% atropine eye drops (P<0.05). The area of CNV induced by laser in the drug-treated group was significantly smaller than that in the control group, and the higher the concentration, the more significant the inhibitory effect (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% atropine eye drops can decrease the level of VEGFA and inhibit high myopia CNV indirectly by up-regulating the level of DRD2 and down-regulating the level of DRD1, and the effect of 0.05% and 0.1% atropine eye drops is more significant.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization plus apatinib with or without camrelizumab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The evidence of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibitor in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was limited. This study aimed to evaluate the role of TACE plus apatinib (TACE + A) and TACE combined with apatinib plus camrelizumab (TACE + AC) in patients with unresectable HCC. METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed patients with unresectable HCC who received TACE + A or TACE + AC in 20 centers of China from January 1, 2019 to June 31, 2021. Propensity score matching (PSM) at 1:1 was performed to reduce bias. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were collected. RESULTS: A total of 960 eligible patients with HCC were included in the final analysis. After PSM, there were 449 patients in each group, and the baseline characteristics were balanced between two groups. At data cutoff, the median follow-up time was 16.3 (range: 11.9-21.4) months. After PSM, the TACE + AC group showed longer median OS (24.5 vs 18.0 months, p < 0.001) and PFS (10.8 vs 7.7 months, p < 0.001) than the TACE + A group; the ORR (49.9% vs 42.5%, p = 0.002) and DCR (88.4% vs 84.0%, p = 0.003) of the TACE + AC group were also higher than those in the TACE + A group. Fever, pain, hypertension and hand-foot syndrome were the more common TRAEs in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both TACE plus apatinib and TACE combined with apatinib plus camrelizumab were feasible in patients with unresectable HCC, with manageable safety profiles. Moreover, TACE combined with apatinib plus camrelizumab showed additional benefit.

Hyaluronic acid-g-lipoic acid granular gel for promoting diabetic wound healing.

Diabetic patients are prone to developing chronic inflammation after trauma and have persistent nonhealing wounds. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and recurrent bacterial infections at the site of long-term wounds also further delay skin wound healing and tissue regeneration. In this study, a granular gel (which exhibits ROS scavenging and antibacterial properties) is fabricated based on hyaluronic acid-g-lipoic acid (HA-LA). Briefly, HA-LA is synthesized to fabricate HA-LA microgels, which are further assembled by Ag+ via its coordination effect with disulfide in dithiolane to form a granular gel. The extrudable bulk granular gel possesses a shear-thinning feature and is immediately restored to a solid state after extrusion, and this can be easily applied to the whole wound area. Therefore, the grafted LA not only allows for the construction of the granular gel but also removes excess ROS from the microenvironment. Additionally, the presence of Ag+ realizes the assembly of microgels and has antibacterial effects. In vivo experiments show that the HA-LA granular gel eliminates excessive ROS at the wound site and up-regulates the secretion of reparative growth factors, thus, accelerating common and diabetic wound healing significantly. Therefore, the ROS-scavenging granular gel that can be applied to the wound surface with chronic inflammation demonstrates strong clinical utility.

Discovery of anomalous molybdenum enrichment in Ordovician and Silurian stone coal: Relevance, origin and recommendations.

Molybdenum (Mo) is a strategic element but has a notably low concentration at the Earth's surface. Consequently, competition for molybdenum resources at the national strategic level has begun to emerge, and in recent years, large-scale mining has led to the gradual depletion of molybdenum deposit resources. Here, thirty-four element enrichment patterns of Ordovician and Silurian stone coals in central China are reported. Molybdenum is the most enriched element, with an average of 208 mg/kg (58.2-440 mg/kg), which is 99 times the global hard coal average, and this molybdenum enrichment is associated with Ba-Ga-U-Cr-Na-K--Cu-Se-Zn enrichment and elevated SiO2, CaO, K2O, MgO, Na2O, MnO and P2O5 concentrations. These analyses reveal four stone coal samples with molybdenum concentrations of 260, 312, 403 and 440 mg/kg, which meet the grade for the molybdenum mineral exploitation formulated standard, indicating that the Ordovician and Silurian stone coal deposits should be considered promising alternative sources of molybdenum. The crude reserve estimate of molybdenum is approximately 29.2 × 104 tons. The anomalous molybdenum in the studied stone coal was sourced from a complex combination of hydrothermal fluids, original biomass and terrigenous materials. The unique paleogeographic location and geological structure in central China resulted in the anomalous molybdenum concentrations in the stone coal forming at that time, producing a unique type of coal-hosted molybdenum deposit. Future studies will consider the ecological effects of the molybdenum extraction mode and the cost savings effects of extracting molybdenum from stone coal. A comprehensive utilization plan is also needed. Next, a thorough study of molybdenum exploration related to black rock series must be performed to increase the total molybdenum resources and support Chinese international competitiveness.

Differences in multielement concentrations in rice (Oryza sativa L.) between longevity and non-longevity areas in China and their relations with lifespan indicators.

Geographical distribution pattern of centenarians in China runs counter to the global trend, and centenarians are mainly distributed in low-latitude South China but rarely in high-latitude North China. To investigate the effect of the elemental content of rice on the differences between the longevity areas and the non-longevity areas in China, the multielement concentrations in 84 rice samples collected from 28 counties/cities were measured, of which 37 belonged to the longevity areas in South China (SLs), 36 belonged to non-longevity areas in South China (SNLs), and 11 belonged to non-longevity areas in North China (NNLs). The concentrations of 29 different elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, S, Se, As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sr, Ti, Zn Cd, Co, Li, Pb, Tl, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, U and Bi) in rice samples were determined by ICP-OES, ICP-MS and HG-AFS. Notably, the concentrations of macroelements in SLs rice samples (3682.92 mg/kg) were significantly higher than those of SNLs (3046.62 mg/kg) and NNLs (2590.38 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). The concentrations of essential microelements in rice samples of SLs (38.87 mg/kg) and NNLs (41.79 mg/kg) were not significantly different, but both significantly higher than those of SNLs (31.91 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). Significant differences were also found in the concentrations of K, Mg, Na, P, S, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Tl, In and Cs in rice among SLs, SNLs and NNLs (p < 0.05). The rice samples of SLs had the characteristic of higher concentrations of K, Mg, P, Mn and Ni. Thus, rice intake in SLs provided greater proportions of the dietary mineral requirements than those in SNLs and NNLs. Besides, the concentrations of K, Mg, P, Ni and Ti in rice, especially K, were demonstrated to be significantly positively correlated with lifespan indicators (p < 0.05), while the concentrations of Ga, Cd, In and U in rice were negatively correlated with lifespan indicators. Our findings are expected to provide a basis for reasonable dietary mineral element intakes and promote understanding of the relationships between natural environment and regional longevity in China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of COVID-19 and Viral Disease: Efficacies and Clinical Evidence.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains an uncontained, worldwide pandemic. While battling the disease in China, the Chinese government has actively promoted the use of traditional Chinese medicine, and many studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for treating COVID-19. The present review discusses the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in curing COVID-19 and provides clinical evidence from all confirmed cases in China. Applications of traditional Chinese medicine and specific recipes for treating other viral infections, such as those caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza A viruses (including H1N1), are also discussed. Studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicine treatment plays a significant role in improving clinical symptoms. Therefore, further investigation may be of high translational value in revealing novel targeted therapies for COVID-19.

Functional study and elite haplotype identification of soybean phosphate starvation response transcription factors GmPHR14 and GmPHR32.

Phosphorus (P) is one of the important mineral elements required for plant growth and development. However, because of the low mobility in soil, P deficiency has been an important factor limiting soybean production. Here, we identified 14 PHR (phosphate starvation response) genes in soybean genome and verified that two previously unreported GmPHR members, GmPHR14 and GmPHR32, were involved in low-P stress tolerance in soybean. GmPHR14 and GmPHR32 were present in two diverged branches of the phylogenic tree. Both genes were highly expressed in roots and root nodules and were induced by P deficiency. GmPHR14 and GmPHR32 both were expressed in the nucleus. The 211 amino acids in the N terminus of GmPHR32 were found to be required for the transcriptional activity. Overexpressing GmPHR14 or GmPHR32 in soybean hairy roots significantly increased roots and shoots dry weight under low-P condition, and overexpressing GmPHR14 additionally significantly increased roots P concentration under low-P condition. GmPHR14 and GmPHR32 were polymorphic in soybean population and the elite haplotype2 (Hap2) for both genes was preferentially present in improved cultivars and showed significantly higher shoots dry weight under low-P condition than the other two haplotypes. These results suggested GmPHR14 and GmPHR32 both positively regulated low-P responses in soybean, and would shed light on the molecular mechanism of low-P stress tolerance. Furthermore, the identified elite haplotypes would be useful in P-efficient soybean breeding. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01301-z.

Differences of selenium and other trace elements abundances between the Kaschin-Beck disease area and nearby non-Kaschin-Beck disease area, Shaanxi Province, China.

In order to find out the environmental geochemical characteristics of KBD affected area, KBD and non-KBD villages in KBD Counties, Weibei KBD area, Shaanxi Province, China were studied. Contents of Se and other elements in soil, wheat, maize and drinking water were analyzed. The results show that soil of Weibei KBD area is deficient in trace elements comparing with BSC and non-KBD area. Wheat of Weibei KBD area is deficient both in major elements and trace elements comparing with REC. Wheat of KBD village is especially deficient in Cr, Co, Se, Mo and Mg. Contents of Sr, Li and Mo in wheat of KBD village are significantly lower than nearby non-KBD village, but the average Se content is slightly higher. The deficiency of trace elements, especially Se, Sr, Li and Mo in staple food and trace elements in soil, is the main characteristic for the environment of KBD area.

Absent in melanoma 1-like (AIM1L) serves as a novel candidate for overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Identifying biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) survival is of great importance for the early detection, monitoring, and predicting for prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the candidate biomarkers for predicting overall survival (OS) in HCC patients. Using RTCGAToolbox, top 50 upregulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox models were used to select powerful candidate genes, and log rank method was used to address the survivor functions of potential biomarkers. Selected by LASSO model, ANLN, TTK, AIM1L and person neoplasm cancer status might be candidate parameters associated with OS in HCC patients. After adjusting person neoplasm cancer status, ANLN and TTK levels in Cox model, AIM1L was identified as a risk factor for predicting OS in HCC patients (HR = 1.5, P = 0.037). Validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) series, AIM1L was significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to nontumor tissues (all P < 0.0001). HCC patients with high AIM1L in tumor tissues had significantly unfavorable OS compared to those with low AIM1L in TCGA, ICGC, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Kaplan-Meier Plotter datasets (all P < 0.05). Conclusively, AIM1L is upregulated in tumor samples and serves as a novel candidate for predicting unfavorable OS in HCC patients.

Distribution characteristics and main influencing factors of selenium in surface soil of natural selenium-rich area: a case study in Langao County, China.

In order to study the distribution of selenium in surface soil and its main influencing factor, we collected 360 surface soil samples and four groups of soil profiles with 210 corresponding parent rock samples in Langao County, Shaanxi Province (a typical high-selenium area of Daba Mountain). Samples were analyzed for trace elements by using ICP-MS, ICP-OES and HG-AFS. The results show the following. (1) selenium content in surface soils of Langao County varies greatly (0.03-16.96 mg/kg). The mean selenium content in surface soils of Langao County is 0.99 mg/kg, higher than the global (0.4 mg/kg) and China (0.29 mg/kg) soil average, and 3.4 times the mean of soil selenium in China. (2) Selenium content of bedrock in Langao County also varies greatly (0.01-56.22 mg/kg), with an average selenium content of 2.02 mg/kg, which is 40 times higher than the upper crust (0.05 mg/kg). (3) Selenium content in the strata of the Late Precambrian-Early Paleozoic and its variation is an important factor affecting the spatial variation of soil selenium content. The black rock series (carbonaceous slate and silicon-bearing carbonaceous slate) of the Upper Ediacaran-Cambrian on the north side has the highest mean selenium content (> 7.92 mg/kg), and the selenium content of the surface soil in the distribution area can reach up to 16.96 mg/kg. The Middle Cambrian, Upper Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian (limestone and marl) in the south has the lowest mean selenium content (< 2 mg/kg), and the selenium content of surface soil in the distribution area is lower than 0.8 mg/kg mostly. (4) Soil samples at different depths in the same soil profile have similar composition of rare earth elements (REE), and bedrock and corresponding topsoil has similar composition of REE. This study indicates the selenium content in the topsoil varies greatly, even in high-selenium area. And the difference of selenium distribution is closely related to the original selenium content of the bedrock.

Identification of loci and candidate gene GmSPX-RING1 responsible for phosphorus efficiency in soybean via genome-wide association analysis.

BACKGROUND: Phosphorus (P) is an essential element in maintaining high biomass and yield in crops. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] requires a large amount of P during growth and development. Improvement of P efficiency and identification of P efficiency genes are important strategies for increasing soybean yield. RESULTS: Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) with NJAU 355 K SoySNP array was performed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with three shoot P efficiency-related traits of a natural population of 211 cultivated soybeans and relative values of these traits under normal P (+P) condition and P deficiency (-P) condition. A total of 155 SNPs were identified significantly associated with P efficiency-related traits. SNPs that were significantly associated with shoot dry weight formed a SNP cluster on chromosome 11, while SNPs that were significantly associated with shoot P concentration formed a SNP cluster on chromosome 10. Thirteen haplotypes were identified based on 12 SNPs, and Hap9 was considered as the optimal haplotype. Four SNPs (AX-93636685, AX-93636692, AX-93932863, and AX-93932874) located on chromosome 10 were identified to be significantly associated with shoot P concentration under +P condition in two hydroponic experiments. Among these four SNPs, two of them (AX-93636685 and AX-93932874) were also significantly associated with the relative values of shoot P concentration under two P conditions. One SNP AX-93932874 was detected within 5'-untranslated region of Glyma.10 g018800, which contained SPX and RING domains and was named as GmSPX-RING1. Furthermore, the function research of GmSPX-RING1 was carried out in soybean hairy root transformation. Compared with their respective controls, P concentration in GmSPX-RING1 overexpressing transgenic hairy roots was significantly reduced by 32.75% under +P condition; In contrast, P concentration in RNA interference of GmSPX-RING1 transgenic hairy roots was increased by 38.90 and 14.51% under +P and -P conditions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the candidate gene GmSPX-RING1 affects soybean phosphorus efficiency by negatively regulating soybean phosphorus concentration in soybean hairy roots. The SNPs and candidate genes identified should be potential for improvement of P efficiency in future soybean breeding programs.

Responses of Autumn Phenology to Climate Change and the Correlations of Plant Hormone Regulation.

Current understanding of autumn phenological responses to climate change in deciduous tree species remains limited, mainly due to the difficulties in defining autumn events and the lack of knowledge about its mechanism. Here we applied a method based on measuring chlorophyll A (Chla) content in leaf tissue during the entire autumn senescence processes to appropriately quantify autumn phenological processes. Beginning of leaf coloring could be defined as when about 50% of the Chl was lost. End of leaf coloring could be defined as when about 95% of the Chl was lost. Then the mechanism behind the timing of autumn senescence responses to climate change through hormone regulation was studied for the first time. Four dominate deciduous tree species with representative senescence type (Salix babylonica, Ginkgo biloba, Acer mono, Cotinus coggygria) were chosen as the subject of study. Variations in climate factors (temperature, day length, precipitation, humidity) were recorded and nine major endogenous hormones (IAA, IPA, ZR, DHZR, GA3, GA4, ABA, MeJA, BR) in leaf tissues were monitored during the entire autumn senescence processes. The experimental results verified temperature and day length are the major climate factors affecting autumn phenology. Low temperature and short day length could result in the decrease of ZR level and the increase of ABA level in leaf tissue, which directly trigger/promote senescence. Meanwhile, low temperature and short day length could cause the decrease of MeJA level and the increase of GA3 and GA4 level, which regulate the timing of autumn senescence indirectly through ZR, ABA, and IAA. Our study improves the understanding of autumn phenological response to climate change in deciduous trees.

Cryogenian magmatic activity and early life evolution.

Data from the Qinling Orogenic Belt in China indicate that a strong magmatic-volcanic event on the Snowball Earth during the Cryogenian age (approximately 720-635 million years ago) was followed by a dynamic period of accelerated evolution of early life through the Ediacaran period. The studied volcanics of the Cryogenian Yaolinghe group are mainly represented by andesite, dacite and rhyolite, with minor amounts of basalt, trachy andesite and trachyte towards the top, which formed in the environment of an active island arc related to a continental margin. Compared with average felsic volcanics, the studied Cryogenian marine volcanic strata are enriched (1.5-30.6 times) in Co, Cr, Bi, Ni, Se, Ga, As, Cu, Ba, V, and Zn. Elemental concentrations (P, Cd, Co, Ni, and Se) of the studied volcanics are more than 5-26.4 times those in the contemporaneous Liantuo tillite. We propose that Cryogenian magmatic and volcanic activity increased the flux of some trace nutritional elements into the oceans which possibly provided essential nutrients for the development of early life.

Risk assessment model for different foodstuff drying methods via AHP-FCE method: A case study of "coal-burning" fluorosis area of Yunan and Guizhou Province, China.

Fluorosis is still a serious public health problem in China according to our field investigation. Current foodstuff drying methods were studied to evaluate the state of foodstuff contamination, including burning mixed coal (MC)/coal washing wastes (CWWs)/lump coal (LC)/fuelwood/fine coal + fixing materials (FCFM)/CWWs + fixing materials (CFM) in open stove (OS), honeycomb briquettes (HB) in improved stove (IS), sun-drying. The results demonstrate that elemental contents of F, As, Cd, Cr and Pb in roasted grain were 1.19-40.65 times higher than limting standard. The comprehensive risk of different drying methods based on AHP-FCE is ranked in the order of: CWWs(OS) > MC(OS) > HB(IS) > CFM(OS) > FCFM(OS) > LC(OS) > Fuelwood(OS) > sun-drying. It exhibits obviously higher risk due to burning CWWs/MC in OS than other methods. Burning CFM/FCFM/fuelwood in OS may be an economic and relatively safe foodstuff drying methods.