Spatial and temporal hydrochemical variations of the spring-fed travertine-depositing stream in the Huanglong Ravine, Sichuan, SW China

Automatic hydrochemical logging and in situ titration com­bined withlaboratory analysis were used to understand the spatial and temporal hydrochemical variations of the spring-fed, travertine-depositing stream in celebrated Huanglong Ravine, Sichuan, SW China. This is essential for protection of the Huanglong World Natural Heritage travertine land­scape. It was found that the deposition of travertine was due to very strong CO2 degassing from the water, leading to de­crease in pCO2 and specific conductivity (SpC), and increase in pH and SIc downstream from the Spring. However, regular downstream hydrochemical evolution was interrupted by di­lution withsnow-melt water and by renewed CO2 from some downstream springs. The chemistry of Huanglong Spring itself was stable at a diurnal scale thoughit was altered by the great Wenchuan earthquake of May 12 2008. However, in spring-fed pools downstream, pCO2 and SpC were lower, and pH and SIc were higher in daytime than at night, whichindicates that the deposition of travertine was faster during the daylight hours. This was due to the combined effects of higher water tempera­tures and higher aquatic algae photosynthesis. In addition, it was found that the phosphate concentration in the stream in­creased remarkably downstream in the tourist midseason, in­dicating water pollution by tourism activities. The increase of phosphate (an inhibitor of calcite precipitation) may be one of the reasons for the decrease in travertine deposition rates and accelerated propagation of discoloration by diatoms during the past decades, whichneeds to be given more comprehensive study and tackled in future for the protection of these world famous travertine deposits

Acute Effects of Particulate Air Pollution on Ischemic Stroke and Hemorrhagic Stroke Mortality

Background and Purpose: A large body of literature reported the association of particulate matter (PM) with stroke in high-income countries. Few studies have examined the association between PM and stroke in middle- and low-income countries and considered the types of stroke. In this study, we examined the short-term effects of particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) and particulate matter <10 μm in diameter (PM10) on ischemic stroke mortality and hemorrhagic stroke mortality in Beijing, China.Methods: We used an ecological study design and quasi-Poisson generalized additive models to evaluate the association of PM2.5 and PM10 and cerebrovascular diseases mortality, as well as ischemic- and hemorrhagic stroke mortality. In the model, we controlled long-term and season trends, temperature, and relative humidity, the day of the week and air pollution. For cerebrovascular diseases mortality, we examined the effects stratified by sex and age with different lag days.Results: A total of 48,122 deaths for cerebrovascular disease (32,799 deaths for ischemic stroke and 13,051 deaths for hemorrhagic stroke) were included in the study. PM2.5 was associated with stroke mortality. The 10 μg/m3 increase of PM2.5 was associated with the increase of mortality, 0.27% (95% CI, 0.12–0.43%) for cerebrovascular diseases, 0.23% (95% CI, 0.04–0.42%) for ischemic stroke and 0.37% (95% CI, 0.07–0.67%) for hemorrhagic stroke -. The associations between PM10 and mortality were also detected for cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic stroke, but not in hemorrhagic stroke. The stratified analysis suggested age and gender did not modify the effects of PM on mortality significantly.Conclusions: Our study suggested that short-term exposure to ambient PM was associated with the risk of stroke mortality

日本型取引慣行としての流通系列化

日本の流通部門をめぐる内外の論議においては、寡占メーカーによって行われている垂直的な経路活動としての流通系列化が独特な取引慣行として重要な問題となっている。日本型取引慣行としての流通系列化について、その本質および特殊性を析出するとともに、その競争制限性ならびに市場閉鎖性について立ち入った考察を試みたい

世界における市場経済の発展と問題点

本来においては、技術の進歩、生産効率の上昇によって人間社会がますます豊かになるはずなのに、現実には必ずしもそうではない。たとえば、先進諸国においては、GDP（国内総生産）が拡大し続けているにもかかわらず、長引く経済不況、失業率の増大、デフレ経済によるキャピタルロスなどのような、矛盾的な状況が生じて人々の生存基盤を侵蝕している。本文において、成熟経済ないし限界型経済と呼ばれるこの現象は、市場経済の発展段階においてどのように位置づけるかについて分析し、そして、大量生産・大量消費・大量廃棄の経済様式から脱出し、真の豊かさを求めて、成熟社会の今後の行方について考えてみる

Comparative Study on Design and Calculating Theories of High-Strength Bolted Connections with Non-Standard Holes between China and Indian

ABSTRACT: With the development of modular, assembly steel structural engineering, engineers pay more and more attention to the high-strength bolted connections with non-standard holes, in virtue of its facilitation installation. For the design and calculation theories of such a kind of connection, the work introduces the provisions of relevant specifications between China and Indian. A detail comparison and analysis of the configuration and mechanical behaviour of the connections are presented, which can provide the readers a quick and clear idea about the design and application of this kind of connections

Experimental Study on Bolt-Spliced Prefabricated Steel Frame Beams

The prefabricated steel structural residence is characterized by modularization and standardization, which meets the requirement of industrial development. The steel frame beam needs to be fabricated in segments and assembled in site due to the limitation of transportation. In practical engineering, the steel frame beams need to be spliced along the beam span. A robust connection between the two steel beam segments is necessary as it will influence the load bearing capacity, stiffness, and stability of the steel frame. In total, 12 specimens were tested to investigate the influence of spliced types, loading patterns, and bolt types on the performance of the steel frame. The observed failure modes, load versus displacement curves, and moment versus rotation angle curves are presented. The test results show that the strength and deformability of bolt-spliced connections are generally good and similar to those of the prototype beam

NRBP1 modulates uric acid transporter ABCG2 expression by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HK-2 cells

Background: Nuclear receptor binding protein 1 (NRBP1) and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) was the gout risk gene and high-capacity urate exporter respectively. However, the relationship between NRBP1 and ABCG2 and the underlying molecular mechanism contributing to these associations are unknown. Methods: Firstly, the efficiency of the overexpression and knockdown of NRBP1 was confirmed by western blot. Next, the effect of NRBP1 overexpression and knockdown on the expression of ABCG2, organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and urate transporter 1 (URAT1) was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. At the same time, the cellular location of ABCG2 and its expression after NRBP1 overexpression and knockdown was tested by immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Then, the mechanism of NRBP1 modulates ABCG2 expression was evaluated by western blot with or without the β-catenin inhibitor (21H7). Results: The lentivirus system was used to generate stable NRBP1 overexpression, while the plasmids carrying a NRBP1 siRNA was generated to knockdown NRBP1 expression in HK-2 cells. Meanwhile, the overexpression of NRBP1 significantly decreased the mRNAs and proteins expression of GLUT9 and URAT1, while the knockdown of NRBP1 increased the mRNAs and proteins expression of ABCG2 significantly. In addition, the NRBP1 modulates the expression of ABCG2 was by ctivating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HK-2 cells according to the IF and western blot results. Conclusion: Taken together, our study demonstrated that NRBP1 inhibition played an essential role in attenuating hyperuricemia and gout by upregulation of ABCG2 via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HK-2 cells. Resumen: Antecedentes: La proteína de unión al receptor nuclear 1 (NRBP1) y el miembro G de la subclase ATP binding Box 2 (ABCG2) son los genes de riesgo de gota y los genes de salida de urato de alto rendimiento, respectivamente. Sin embargo, se desconoce la relación entre NRBP1 y ABCG2, y los posibles mecanismos moleculares que conducen a estas asociaciones. Métodos: En primer lugar, la sobreexpresión y el knockout de NRBP1 fueron confirmados por Western-blot. Los efectos de la sobreexpresión y knockout de NRBP1 en la expresión de ABCG2, transportador de aniones orgánicos 1 (OAT1), transportador de glucosa 9 (GLUT9) y transportador de ácido úrico 1 (URAT1) fueron detectados por qRT-PCR y Western-blot. Mientras tanto, la localización y expresión de ABCG2 después de la sobreexpresión y knockout de NRBP1 fueron detectadas por inmunofluorescencia (IF). Luego, el efecto regulador de NRBP1 sobre la expresión de ABCG2 fue estudiado por Western-blot y comparado con el inhibidor de la β-catenina (21H7). Resultados: El sistema lentiviral indujo una sobreexpresión estable de NRBP1, mientras que el plásmido portador de SiRNA NRBP1 inhibió la expresión de NRBP1 en las células HK-2. Mientras tanto, la sobreexpresión de NRBP1 redujo significativamente la expresión de ARNm y proteínas de GLUT9 y URAT1, mientras que el knockout de NRBP1 aumentó significativamente la expresión de ARNm y proteínas de ABCG2. Además, de acuerdo con los resultados de IF y Western-blot, NRBP1 regula la expresión de ABCG2 activando la vía Wnt/β-catenina en las células HK-2. Conclusión: La inhibición del NRBP1 aumenta la regulación de ABCG2 a través de la vía de señalización Wnt/β-catenina, que desempeña un papel importante en la reducción de la hiperuricemia y la gota