Study on rapid detection of degree of freshness of paddy rice in China: Poster

This paper describes research results and progress of rapid detection of the degree of freshness of paddy. We studied the changes of degree of freshness, fat acidity value and taste evaluated value of paddy under different storage conditions in the laboratory. The correlations between the degree of freshness, fat acidity value and taste evaluated value were analyzed. The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.01) between the degree of freshnessand fat acidity value. The correlation coefficient was -0.845. The degree of freshness was significantly positively correlated with the taste evaluated value, and most of the correlation coefficients were above 0.9. The nationwide investigation result of paddy’s degree of freshness showed that there was an obvious distinction in the degree of freshness between newly harvested rice and rice harvested in previous years. The degree of distinction of indica rice achieved 85%. Due to its special reasons, japonica rice had a lower degree of distinction, but it also reached 75%.This paper describes research results and progress of rapid detection of the degree of freshness of paddy. We studied the changes of degree of freshness, fat acidity value and taste evaluated value of paddy under different storage conditions in the laboratory. The correlations between the degree of freshness, fat acidity value and taste evaluated value were analyzed. The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.01) between the degree of freshnessand fat acidity value. The correlation coefficient was -0.845. The degree of freshness was significantly positively correlated with the taste evaluated value, and most of the correlation coefficients were above 0.9. The nationwide investigation result of paddy’s degree of freshness showed that there was an obvious distinction in the degree of freshness between newly harvested rice and rice harvested in previous years. The degree of distinction of indica rice achieved 85%. Due to its special reasons, japonica rice had a lower degree of distinction, but it also reached 75%

Invited - Droplets driving and sensing pixel circuits for thin film transistor-based digital microfluidics

Thin film transistor-based active-matrix digital microfluidics (AM-DMF) is an emerging and promising technology for large-scale parallel biological sample handling. With electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) method, DMF chip can realize accurately controlling discrete droplets, thus it has great application prospects in biology, chemistry, and drug discovery. With the rapid development of micro-analysis and detection requirements, the precise control of droplets in DMF chips is increasingly required, so it is necessary to conduct the real-time sensing of droplet position. Figure 1 shows the designed droplet position detection unit circuit. The circuit consists of six thin film transistors, T1-T6. The input signals mainly include the enable signal Ven, the reverse enable signal Venb, the discharge signal Vdischarge, the detection signal Vdetect, and the ground signal Vgnd. The signal Vdrive is the driving voltage applied for driving electrode. Cpixel is the equivalent capacitance between the two plates of a pixel electrode in a microfluidic chip. Vout is the output voltage signal. Please click Download on the upper right corner to see the full abstract

The silver lining of COVID‐19: estimation of short‐term health impacts due to lockdown in the Yangtze River Delta region, China.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in China has led to massive lockdowns in order to reduce the spread of the epidemic and control human-to-human transmission. Subsequent reductions in various anthropogenic activities have led to improved air quality during the lockdown. In this study, we apply a widely used exposure-response function to estimate the short-term health impacts associated with PM2.5 changes over the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region due to COVID-19 lockdown. Concentrations of PM2.5 during lockdown period reduced by 22.9% to 54.0% compared to pre-lockdown level. Estimated PM2.5-related daily premature mortality during lockdown period is 895 (95% confidential interval: 637–1,081), which is 43.3% lower than pre-lockdown period and 46.5% lower compared with averages of 2017–2019. According to our calculation, total number of avoided premature death aassociated with PM2.5 reduction during the lockdown is estimated to be 42.4 thousand over the YRD region, with Shanghai, Wenzhou, Suzhou (Jiangsu province), Nanjing, and Nantong being the top five cities with largest health benefits. Avoided premature mortality is mostly contributed by reduced death associated with stroke (16.9 thousand, accounting for 40.0%), ischemic heart disease (14.0 thousand, 33.2%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (7.6 thousand, 18.0%). Our calculations do not support or advocate any idea that pandemics produce a positive note to community health. We simply present health benefits from air pollution improvement due to large emission reductions from lowered human and industrial activities. Our results show that continuous efforts to improve air quality are essential to protect public health, especially over city-clusters with dense population

Alkali metal ions transfer across the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface facilitated by a series of crown ethers

National Basic Research Program of China [2011CB933700, 2012CB932900]; National Science Foundation of China [NSFC21061120456, 21021002, 20973142]; National Project 985 of High Education; Chinese GovernmentThe facilitated transfer of alkali metal ions (Li+ and Na+) across the water/1,2-dichloroethane (W/1,2-DCE) interface was studied by using a series of crown ethers as ionophores: 4'-ethynylbenzo-15-crown-5-ether (L1), 3',6'-diethynylbenzo-15-crown-5-ether (L2) and 4',5'-diethynylbenzo-15-crown-5-ether (L3). Cyclic voltammetry was employed to study the electrochemical behaviour of the facilitated ion transfer across the W/1,2-DCE interface supported at the tip of a micropipette. The diffusion coefficients of the ionophores in the 1,2-DCE phase were determined, while the metal-ligand complexes formed by these ions with all the ionophores were obtained to be in a 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio. The association constants, log beta degrees, for complexes LiL1(+), LiL2(+), LiL3(+), NaL1(+), NaL2(+) and NaL3(+) were calculated to be 3.3, 4.2, 4.0, 2.1, 3.5 and 2.2, respectively. The theoretical calculations have shown that the conjugated constituent groups on the benzene ring have an essential effect on the spatial structures of the crown ether rings, which determine the supramolecular interaction between the ions and ionophores

Adaptation Genomics of a Small-Colony Variant in a Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 Biofilm

The rhizosphere-colonizing bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 is an effective biological control agent against take-all disease of wheat. In this study, we characterize a small-colony variant (SCV) isolated from a P. chlororaphis 30-84 biofilm. The SCV exhibited pleiotropic phenotypes, including small cell size, slow growth and motility, low levels of phenazine production, and increased biofilm formation and resistance to antimicrobials. To better understand the genetic alterations underlying these phenotypes, RNA and whole-genome sequencing analyses were conducted comparing an SCV to the wild-type strain. Of the genome's 5,971 genes, transcriptomic profiling indicated that 1,098 (18.4%) have undergone substantial reprograming of gene expression in the SCV. Whole-genome sequence analysis revealed multiple alterations in the SCV, including mutations in yfiR (cyclic-di-GMP production), fusA (elongation factor), and cyoE (heme synthesis) and a 70-kb deletion. Genetic analysis revealed that the yfiR locus plays a major role in controlling SCV phenotypes, including colony size, growth, motility, and biofilm formation. Moreover, a point mutation in the fusA gene contributed to kanamycin resistance. Interestingly, the SCV can partially switch back to wild-type morphologies under specific conditions. Our data also support the idea that phenotypic switching in P. chlororaphis is not due to simple genetic reversions but may involve multiple secondary mutations. The emergence of these highly adherent and antibiotic-resistant SCVs within the biofilm might play key roles in P. chlororaphis natural persistence

Dynamic Changes in the Nigrostriatal Pathway in the MPTP Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

The characteristic brain pathology and motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are well established. However, the details regarding the causes of the disease and its course are much less clear. Animal models have significantly enriched our current understanding of the progression of this disease. Among various neurotoxin-based models of PD, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model is the most commonly studied model. Here, we provide an overview of the dynamic changes in the nigrostriatal pathway in the MPTP mouse model of PD. Pathophysiological events, such as reductions in the striatal dopamine (DA) concentrations and levels of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein, depletion of TH-positive nerve fibers, a decrease in the number of TH-positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), and glial activation, are addressed. This article will assist with the development of interventions or therapeutic strategies for PD

TNFRSF10C methylation is a new epigenetic biomarker for colorectal cancer

Background Abnormal methylation of TNFRSF10C was found to be associated with different types of cancers, excluding colorectal cancer (CRC). In this paper, the performance of TNFRSF10C methylation in CRC was studied in two stages. Method The discovery stage was involved with 38 pairs of CRC tumor and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues, and 69 pairs of CRC tumor and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues were used for the validation stage. Quantitative methylation specific PCR (qMSP) method and percentage of methylated reference (PMR) were used to test and represent the methylation level of TNFRSF10C, respectively. A dual-luciferase reporter gene experiment was conducted to evaluate the promoter activity of TNFRSF10C fragment. Results A significant association of TNFRSF10C promoter hypermethylation with CRC was found and validated (discovery stage: 24.67 ± 7.52 vs. 3.36 ± 0.89; P = 0.003; validation stage: 31.21 ± 12.48 vs. 4.52 ± 1.47; P = 0.0005). Subsequent analyses of TCGA data among 46 pairs of CRC samples further confirmed our findings (cg23965061: P = 4E − 6; cg14015044: P = 1E − 7). Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that TNFRSF10C fragment was able to significantly promote gene expression (Fold change = 2.375, P = 0.013). Our data confirmed that TNFRSF10C promoter hypermethylation can predict shorter overall survival of CRC patients (P = 0.032). Additionally, bioinformatics analyses indicated that TNFRSF10C hypermethylation was significantly associated with lower TNFRSF10C expression. Conclusion Our work suggested that TNFRSF10C hypermethylation was significantly associated with the risk of CRC