Determination of elastic wave velocity and relative hypocenter locations using refracted waves. II. Application to the Haicheng, China, aftershock sequence

We located the aftershocks of the 4 February 1975 Haicheng, China, aftershock sequence using an arrival time difference (ATD) simultaneous inversion method for determining the near-source (in situ) velocity and the location of the aftershocks with respect to a master event. The aftershocks define a diffuse zone, 70 km × 25 km, trending west-northwest, perpendicular to the major structural trend of the region. The main shock and most of the large aftershocks have strike-slip fault plane solutions. The preferred fault plane strikes west-northwest, and the inferred sense of motion is left-lateral. The entire Haicheng earthquake sequence appears to have been the response of an intensely faulted range boundary to a primarily east-west crustal compression and/or north-south extension. The calculated upper mantle P-wave velocity is 7.6 ± 0.09 km/sec, and the inferred crustal thickness is between 31 and 32.5 km. The low upper mantle velocity and thin crust may be indicative of local lithospheric extension

A temporal Convolutional Network for EMG compressed sensing reconstruction

Electromyography (EMG) plays a vital role in detecting medical abnormalities and analyzing the biomechanics of human or animal movements. However, long-term EMG signal monitoring will increase the bandwidth requirements and transmission system burden. Compressed sensing (CS) is attractive for resource-limited EMG signal monitoring. However, traditional CS reconstruction algorithms require prior knowledge of the signal, and the reconstruction process is inefficient. To solve this problem, this paper proposed a reconstruction algorithm based on deep learning, which combines the Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) and the fully connected layer to learn the mapping relationship between the compressed measurement value and the original signal, and it has been verified in the Ninapro database. The results show that, for the same subject, compared with the traditional reconstruction algorithms orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP), basis pursuit (BP), and Modified Compressive Sampling Matching Pursuit (MCo), the reconstruction quality and efficiency of the proposed method is significantly improved under various compression ratios (CR)

Improved Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity for TiO 2

S/Zn codoped TiO2 nanomaterials were synthesized by a sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the morphology, structure, and optical properties of the prepared samples. The introduction of Zn and S resulted in significant red shift of absorption edge for TiO2-based nanomaterials. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degrading reactive brilliant red X-3B solution under simulated sunlight irradiation. The results showed S/Zn codoped TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 and commercial P25, due to the photosynergistic effect of obvious visible light absorption, efficient separation of photoinduced charge carriers, and large surface area. Moreover, the content of Zn and S in the composites played important roles in photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based nanomaterials

A series of lanthanide(iii) metal-organic frameworks derived from a pyridyl-dicarboxylate ligand: single-molecule magnet behaviour and luminescence properties

The reactions of LnIII ions with a versatile pyridyl-decorated dicarboxylic acid ligand lead to a series of novel three-dimensional (3D) Ln-MOFs, [Ln3(pta)4(Hpta)(H2O)]·xH2O (Ln = Dy (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), Tb (4), H2pta = 2-(4-pyridyl)-terephthalic acid, x = 6 for 1, 2.5 for 2, 1.5 for 3 and 2 for 4). The Ln3+ ions act as the nine-coordinated Muffin spheres, linking to each other to generate trinuclear {Ln3(OOC)6N2} SBUs, which are further extended to be interesting 3D topology architectures. To the best of our knowledge, the Dy-MOF exhibits a zero-field single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviour with the largest effective energy barrier among the previously reported 3D MOF-based Dy-SMMs. The combined analyses of a dilution sample (1@Y) and ab initio calculation demonstrate that the thermally assisted slow relaxation is mainly attributed to the single-ion magnetism. Furthermore, fluorescence measurements reveal that H2pta can sensitize EuIII and TbIII characteristic luminescence

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of W-Doped and W-La-Codoped TiO 2

W-doped TiO2 and W-La-codoped TiO2 nanomaterials were successfully synthesized via the sol-gel method. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of W and La results in significant red shift of absorption edge for TiO2-based nanomaterials. The weight ratios of La and W in the composites play important roles in the absorption edge for TiO2-based nanomaterials. The photocatalytic activities of both W-doped TiO2 and W-La-codoped TiO2 photocatalysts for decolorization of methyl orange solution were evaluated under simulated sunlight irradiation. The results showed that both W-doped and W-La-codoped can effectively improve the photocatalytic behaviors of TiO2 nanomaterials ascribed to the improved photoinduced charge carriers separation, enhanced light absorption, and large surface area. Furthermore, W-La-codoped TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than W-doped TiO2. Considering their high photocatalytic activity, the doped TiO2 nanomaterials could be applied in wastewater treatment and environmental purification

EFFECTS OF MATRINE ON JAK-STAT SIGNALING TRANSDUCTION PATHWAYS IN BLEOMYCIN-INDUCED PULMONARY FIBROSIS

The current study aims to investigate the effects of matrine on the JAK-STAT signaling transduction pathways in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and to explore its action mechanism. A total of 72 male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into the control, model, and treatment groups. PF models were established by instilling BLM intratracheally. The treatment group was given daily matrine through gastric lavage. Six mice were sacrificed in each group at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. The lung tissues were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The expression of JAK, STAT1, and STAT3 was observed using immunohistochemistry and then determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Alveolitis and PF significantly improved in the treatment group compared with the model group (P < 0.05). The expression of JAK, STAT1, and STAT3 in the model group increased at day 7, peaked at day 14 and then decreased, but the expression was still higher than that in the control group at day 28 (P < 0.05). The three indices in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group at any detection time point (P < 0.05). PF causes high expression of JAK, STAT1, and STAT3. Matrine exerts an anti-PF effect by inhibiting the JAK-STAT signaling transduction pathways

Detection of mismatch repair gene germline mutation carrier among Chinese population with colorectal cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recommended the Revised Bethesda guidelines for screening HNPCC. There has been a great deal of research on the value of these tests in other countries. However, literature about the Chinese population is scarce. Our objective is to detect and study microsatellite instability (MSI) and mismatch repair (MMR) gene germline mutation carriers among a Chinese population with colorectal cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 146 prospectively recruited consecutive patients with clinically proven colorectal cancer, MSI carriers were identified by analysis of tumor tissue using multiplex fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the NCI recommended panel and classified into microsatellite instability-low (MSI-L), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and microsatellite stable (MSS) groups. Immunohistochemical staining for MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1 on tissue microarrays (TMAs) was performed, and methylation of the MLH1 promoter was analyzed by quantitative methylation specific PCR (MSP). Germline mutation analysis of blood samples was performed for MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1 genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-four out of the 146 colorectal cancers (CRCs, 23.2%) were MSI, including 19 MSI-H CRCs and 15 MSI-L CRCS. Negative staining for MSH2 was found in 8 CRCs, negative staining for MSH6 was found in 6 CRCs. One MSI-H CRC was negative for both MSH6 and MSH2. Seventeen CRCs stained negatively for MLH1. MLH1 promoter methylation was determined in 34 MSI CRCs. Hypermethylation of the MLH1 promoter occurred in 14 (73.7%) out of 19 MSI-H CRCs and 5 (33.3%) out of 15 MSI-L CRCs. Among the 34 MSI carriers and one MSS CRC with MLH1 negative staining, 8 had a MMR gene germline mutation, which accounted for 23.5% of all MSI colorectal cancers and 5.5% of all the colorectal cancers. Five patients harbored MSH2 germline mutations, and three patients harbored MSH6 germline mutations. None of the patients had an MLH1 mutation. Mutations were commonly located in exon 7 and 12 of MSH2 and exon 5 of MSH6. Right colonic lesions and mucinous carcinoma were not common in MSI carriers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data may imply that the characteristics of HNPCC in the Chinese population are probably different from those of Western countries. Application of NCI recommended criteria may not be effective enough to identify Chinese HNPCC families. Further studies are necessary to echo or refute our results so as to make the NCI recommendation more universally applicable.</p

Mortality from suicide and other external cause injuries in China: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Premature death from suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pattern and risk factors for suicide and other external cause injuries are not well understood. This study investigates mortality from suicide and other injuries and associated risk factors in China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective cohort study of 169,871 Chinese adults aged 40 years and older was conducted. Mortality due to suicide or other external cause injuries was recorded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mortality from all external causes was 58.7/100,000 (72.3 in men and 44.4 in women): 14.1/100,000 (14.2 in men and 14.2 in women) for suicide and 44.6/100,000 (58.1 in men and 30.2 in women) for other external cause injuries. Transport accidents (17.2/100,000 overall, 23.4 in men and 10.8 in women), accidental poisoning (7.5/100,000 overall, 10.2 in men and 4.8 in women), and accidental falls (5.7/100,000 overall, 6.5 in men and 5.0 in women) were the three leading causes of death from other external cause injuries in China. In the multivariable analysis, male sex (relative risk [RR] 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-2.38), age 70 years and older (2.27, 1.29-3.98), living in north China (1.68, 1.20-2.36) and rural residence (2.82, 1.76-4.51) were associated with increased mortality from suicide. Male sex (RR 2.50, 95% CI 1.95-3.20), age 60-69 years (1.93, 1.45-2.58) and 70 years and older (3.58, 2.58-4.97), rural residence (2.29, 1.77-2.96), and having no education (1.56, 1.00-2.43) were associated with increased mortality from other external cause injuries, while overweight (0.60, 0.43-0.83) was associated with decreased risk of mortality from other external cause injuries.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>External cause mortality has become a major public health problem in China. Developing an integrated national program for the prevention of mortality due to external cause injuries in China is warranted.</p

Size-Selective Carbon Nanoclusters as Precursors to the Growth of Epitaxial Graphene

The nucleation and growth mechanisms of graphene on Rh(111) via temperature-programmed growth of C2H4 are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, and by density functional theory calculations. By combining our experimental and first principles approaches, we show that carbon nanoislands form in the initial stages of graphene growth, possessing an exclusive size of seven honeycomb carbon units (hereafter labeled as 7C6 ). These clusters adopt a domelike hexagonal shape indicating that bonding to the substrate is localized on the peripheral C atoms. Smoluchowski ripening is identified as the dominant mechanism leading to the formation of graphene, with the size-selective carbon islands as precursors. Control experiments and calculations, whereby coronene molecules, the hydrogenated analogues of 7C6 , are deposited on Rh(111), provide an unambiguous structural and chemical identification of the 7C6 building blocks.PostprintPeer reviewe