Fig.zip

MATLAB codes for the figures in the paper "Partition of estimated locations: approach to accurate quality metrics for stochastic optical localization nanoscopy

Exploiting constructed wetlands for industrial effluent phytodesalination in Jing-Jin-Ji urban agglomeration, China

The unsustainable exploitation of water resources and growing salinization impacting China’s Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) agglomeration threatens the region’s economic growth and drives the exploration of alternative resources. The region’s industries face a financial burden due to increasing constraints on water exploitation and discharge regulations. These have resulted in increased industrial salt concentration rejections/discharges, meanwhile, constructed wetlands (CWs), deployed as a perfunctory receptacle for industrial effluents in the region, are underexploited for treating/removing salts. Also, halophytic plants local to the region have promising chloride uptake (60.6g/kg and 256.0g/kg of plant dry weight) and can reduce water conductivity by 40%. Exploitation of CWs, using local halophytes has not been explored for phytodesalination purposes in the region. Hence, this study analyses the water resource and salinization crisis in the agglomeration and further evaluates workable potential and critical technical considerations for using local halophytes in CWs to treat industrial salt-laden effluents. While acknowledging this intervention for removing industrial effluent salt may not meet compliance in the region, effluent post-phytodesalination presents opportunities for industries to meet regulatory stipulations on water reuse rates. Furthermore, such effluent may be used for irrigation and can ameliorate the salinization and groundwater exploitation crisis as a cleaner recharge source.</p

H&E Staining of H1299 TS.

<p>H1299 cells were cultured in TS forming condition for 8 days, before being harvested, fixed, paraffin embedded, sectioned, followed by H&E staining to show how single tumor cells were packed in TS.</p

Quality Assessment of TPB-Based Questionnaires: A Systematic Review

<div><p>Objective</p><p>This review is aimed at assessing the quality of questionnaires and their development process based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) change model.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A systematic literature search for studies with the primary aim of TPB-based questionnaire development was conducted in relevant databases between 2002 and 2012 using selected search terms. Ten of 1,034 screened abstracts met the inclusion criteria and were assessed for methodological quality using two different appraisal tools: one for the overall methodological quality of each study and the other developed for the appraisal of the questionnaire content and development process. Both appraisal tools consisted of items regarding the likelihood of bias in each study and were eventually combined to give the overall quality score for each included study.</p><p>Results</p><p>8 of the 10 included studies showed low risk of bias in the overall quality assessment of each study, while 9 of the studies were of high quality based on the quality appraisal of questionnaire content and development process.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Quality appraisal of the questionnaires in the 10 reviewed studies was successfully conducted, highlighting the top problem areas (including: sample size estimation; inclusion of direct and indirect measures; and inclusion of questions on demographics) in the development of TPB-based questionnaires and the need for researchers to provide a more detailed account of their development process.</p></div

Inclusion and exclusion criteria.

<p>Inclusion and exclusion criteria.</p

General characteristics of tumor spheres formed from multiple cell lines.

<p><b>A</b>. Significant heterogeneity existed in the size of TS as shown by representative pictures of TS from H1299 and MCF7 cultured in TS medium for 8 days. Counting of smaller TS (solid arrow) was sometimes prone to subjectiveness. TS derived from certain cell lines (HCT116) might have strong tendency to fuse (hollow arrow). <b>B.</b> “size of spheres” for H1299 TS showed a skewed distribution with smaller spheres account for the majority of population. H1299 cells were plated in 24-well ULA plate (2000 per well in 2ml of TS medium) to allow TS formation for 4 days before microscopic assessment. The results were presented as Mean ± SEM from 6 replicates. <b>C</b>. Some tumor cell lines formed typical 3-dimensional spherical structures with sharp edges (A), while others were not, or require special supplement (hollow arrow).</p

Dose dependent inhibition of sphere formation by anticancer drugs.

<p>To compare two sphere scoring parameters of the SSS vs. “number of spheres”, H1299 (2000 cells per well) were plated in 24-well ULA plates in TS medium supplemented with indicated drugs or vehicle for 4 days. %SSS_i and %n_i were then calculated. Concentration of drugs were as the following: (A) CI-1033: + 2 μM; (B) Erlotinib: + 3 μM, ++ 6 μM, +++ 10 μM; (C) MK2206: + 0.25 μM, ++ 0.5 μM, +++ 1 μM; (D) Perifosine: + 1 μM, ++ 3 μM, +++ 5 μM; and (E) BEZ235: + 25 nM, ++ 125 nM, +++ 250 nM. The results were presented as Mean ± SEM.</p

Evidence table.

<p>Evidence table.</p

Standardized Sphere Score (SSS) linearity validation.

<p><b>A.</b> H1299 cells (plating cell number was 1600 × 0.5^<i>i</i>,<i>i</i> = 0,1,2…5 per well) were plated in TS medium in 24-well ULA plates for 8 days to allow for formation of TS. Number of spheres (n) and SSS were then measured and calculated. The results were presented with SSS×N and n as the Y-axis, and N as the X-axis. <b>B.</b> MCF7 cells (plating cell number was 3200 × 0.5^<i>i</i>,<i>i</i> = 0,1,2…5, per well) were plated in TS medium supplemented with 1× B27 in 24-well ULA plates for 8 days to allow for formation of TS. Number of spheres (n) and SSS were then measured and calculated. The results were presented with SSS×N and n as the Y-axis, and N as the X-axis. <b>C-F</b>. mESC (plating cell number was 4000*0.8^<i>i</i>,<i>i</i> = 0,1,2…11, per well) were plated in 24-well ULA plates in DMEM supplemented with LIF and, respectively, with 15% FBS (C), 3% FBS (D, E), and 1.5% FBS (F) for up to 8 days, to allow the formation of EB. Number of EBs (n) and SSS were similarly obtained. Since the numerical value of n is much smaller than that of SSS×N, the plots of n against N appeared to be very close to the X-axis. Each experiment was repeated at least 3 times.</p

A general protocol for SPF calculation using H1299 TS.

<p>Step 1: Spheres were harvested and seeded individually in each well. Step 2: The diameter of spheres was measured by computer-based imaging software, and documented. Note that the three labels in red are software generated measurement of distance between centers of two spheres (223.08 μm), radius of left sphere (165.45 μm) and radius of right sphere (248.03 μm), respectively (from left to right). Step 3: The volume of each sphere was calculated based on measured diameter obtained from step 2. Step 4: Spheres were disassociated enzymatically and mechanically to make single cell suspension, followed by precise cell counting by a cytometry. Meanwhile, the diameter of single floating cells from spheres was measured. Step 5: SPF was calculated by an indicated formula.</p