The demand for rare earth elements (REE) is increasing rapidly owing to the emergence of new clean-energy and defense-related technologies. China's dominates the world production of REE. In this paper, we review the ore characteristics of four typical REE deposits in China and discuss the conventional beneficiation techniques, including gravity and magnetic separation, flotation, and hydrometallurgical processing of these ores. Some of the latest laboratory findings and industrial applications, as well as the development of novel reagents for REE processing in China are presented. The REE beneficiation technologies developed and employed in China could constitute a good case study for many other emerging projects being explored around the world.

ABSTRACT Vertical wind profiles of selected tropical cyclones over the South China Sea are studied for the first time using dropsonde measurements by a fixed-wing aircraft of the Hong Kong Government. They are studied in two aspects which have not been conducted before for storms over the South China Sea. First the strengthening and weakening of the tropical cyclones are analyzed based on the radial wind profiles, namely, inflow and outflow, particularly over the atmospheric boundary layer. Second, the vertical wind profiles are fitted using the commonly considered wind profile models reported in the literature and compared with stipulations in Hong Kong and Chinese structural design codes. This would have significant contributions to wind engineering applications in the region. The results are unique for tropical cyclones over South China Sea and would serve as useful reference for the studies of tropical cyclones in this ocean basin.

RESUMEN Se estudian por primera vez los perfiles verticales del viento de algunos ciclones tropicales del mar de China Meridional, utilizando para ello mediciones de radiosondas lanzadas desde una aeronave del gobierno de Hong Kong. Se analizan dos aspectos de dichos perfiles relativos a tormentas en el mar de China Meridional, los cuales no se han abordado antes. Primero, se estudian el fortalecimiento y el debilitamiento de los ciclones tropicales con base en perfiles radiales del viento, específicamente de entrada y de salida, en particular sobre la capa límite atmosférica. En segundo lugar, se ajustan los perfiles verticales del viento utilizando para ello los modelos de perfiles de viento más reportados en la literatura y se les compara con las especificaciones de las normas chinas y hongkonesas para el diseño de estructuras, lo cual constituye una importante contribución a las aplicaciones de ingeniería de vientos en la región. Los resultados son exclusivos para ciclones tropicales en el mar de China Meridional y pueden servir como referencia útil para su estudio en esa cuenca oceánica.

Abstract Plasma nitriding is a plasma-activated thermochemical method widely used to increase the fatigue strength, hardness and wear resistance of low-alloy steels. In this work, a new structure consisting of a hollow cathode metal plate can produce a hollow cathode discharge and heat the workpiece by radiation. This principle is used to perform hollow cathode source plasma nitriding (HCSPN). Herein, 42CrMo steels were treated by conventional plasma nitriding (CPN) and HCSPN treatments. The 42CrMo steels were nitrided at 525 °C for 6 h in NH3 atmosphere. The mechanical and dry wear properties were measured by nano-indentation, Vickers micro-indentation and ball-on-disk tribometer, respectively. The H3/E⁎2 ratio was 0.0274 GPa (H=11.51 GPa and E⁎=235.84 GPa) for the CPN sample and 0.0276 GPa (H=10.87 GPa and E⁎=215.54 GPa) for the HCSPN sample. Compared with the untreated 42CrMn steel, all the nitrided samples possess increased fracture toughness. Because the workpiece was not used as a discharge cathode, this HCSPN treatment overcame the disadvantages of the conventional CPN treatment. Additionally, results showed that the surface of the HCSPN sample was smoother than that of the CPN sample, and its tribological performance was better.

Resumo Os microorganismos e endófitos da rizosfera podem ajudar seus hospedeiros a absorver nutrientes e regular os níveis de hormônios vegetais. Além disso, eles podem modular as expressões dos genes hospedeiros, auxiliar os hospedeiros na eliminação de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROS) e secretar compostos orgânicos voláteis. Portanto, microorganismos e endófitos da rizosfera são considerados determinantes dos processos envolvidos no crescimento de plantas hospedeiras. No entanto, as funções fisiológicas e ecológicas, bem como o mecanismo molecular subjacente ao comportamento dos microrganismos e endofíticos da rizosfera no seu papel na capacidade adaptativa das plantas hospedeiras no ambiente cárstico de alto teor de cálcio, não foram sistematicamente estudados. Esta revisão resume os mecanismos fisiológicos e moleculares de microrganismos e endófitos da rizosfera que ajudam as plantas hospedeiras a se adaptarem a vários tipos de ambientes adversos. As capacidades adaptativas das plantas que crescem em ambientes adversos, em parte ou totalmente, dependem de microrganismos coexistentes com as plantas hospedeiras. vegetais disso ROS (ROS voláteis Portanto entanto ecológicas cálcio estudados adversos totalmente

Abstract Rhizosphere microorganisms and endophytes can help their hosts absorb nutrients and regulate the levels of plant hormones. Moreover, they can modulate the expressions of host genes, assist hosts in eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and secreting volatile organic compounds. Therefore, rhizosphere microorganisms and endophytes are considered as determinant factors driving processes involved in the growth of host plants. However, the physiological and ecological functions, as well as the molecular mechanism underlying the behavior of rhizosphere microorganisms and endophytes in their role in the adaptive capacity of host plants in the karstic high-calcium environment have not been systematically studied. This review summarizes the physiological and molecular mechanisms of rhizosphere microorganisms and endophytes which help host plants to adapt to various kinds of adverse environments. The adaptive capacities of plants growing in adverse environments, partly, or totally, depends on microorganisms co-existing with the host plants. hormones Moreover genes ROS (ROS compounds Therefore However functions highcalcium high calcium studied environments partly totally coexisting co existing

RESUMO O presente trabalho visa investigar os efeitos do extrato de semente de uva Proanthocyanidin (GSPE) sobre o desempenho da produção, o metabolismo e o status antioxidante de gado leiteiro Holstein em lactação precoce. Quarenta e oito vacas leiteiras multíparas Holstein foram divididas em quatro grupos (CON, G20, G40 e G80) e receberam 0, 20, 40 e 80mg de GSPE/kg de peso corporal/dia, respectivamente. O G20 aumentou significativamente o rendimento do leite em comparação com os outros grupos. A proteína e os sólidos não gordurosos do leite foram aumentados nos grupos G20, G40 e G80 somente no sétimo dia durante a experiência. Não foi observada diferença significativa na gordura do leite e na contagem de células somáticas, bem como nos parâmetros de metabolismo energético no sangue, na função hepática e na função renal entre os grupos em relação ao grupo controle. Não houve diferença significativa na glutationa peroxidase, na dimutase de superóxido, na capacidade antioxidante total e no peróxido de hidrogênio entre os grupos, mas o conteúdo malondialdeído do G20 aumentou significativamente no dia 14 em comparação com o CON, e tendia a aumentar no dia 28. Em conclusão, a alimentação de 20mg de GSPE/kg de peso corporal/dia foi associada a um aumento significativo no rendimento do leite, sem efeitos nocivos sobre a função hepática ou a renal, com o metabolismo de energia substancial e a melhoria dos parâmetros antioxidantes de gado leiteiro no início da lactação.

ABSTRACT Aims to investigate the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) on production performance, metabolism, and anti-oxidative status of Holstein dairy cattle in early lactation. Forty-eight multiparous Holstein dairy cattle were assigned to four groups (CON, G20, G40 and G80) and supplied with 0, 20, 40, and 80mg GSPE/kg of body weight/day. G20 significantly increased milk yield compared with other groups. Milk protein and non-fat-solids were increased in G20, G40 and G80 groups compared with the control group only at the 7th day during the experiment. No significant difference was observed in milk fat and somatic cell count, nor on parameters of energy metabolism in blood, liver function and kidney function between the four groups. There was no significant difference in glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and hydrogen peroxide between the groups; but the malondialdehyde content of G20 significantly increased at day 14 in comparison with CON, and tended to increase at the 28th day. In conclusion, feeding 20mg GSPE/kg of body weight/day was associated with a significant increase in milk yield without detrimental effects on liver or kidney function and with substantial energy metabolism and antioxidant parameters improvement in early lactation dairy cattle.

The effect of two refining slags (A: 1.0-1.8 CaO/Al2O3 ratio, 11-20 wt% SiO2; and B: 1.0-1.2 CaO/SiO2 ratio, 25-35 wt% Al2O3) on the inclusion morphology of a carbon structural steel (Q235B) was studied by controlling the balance between the steel and the refining slag at 1600°C in a Si-Mo resistance laboratory furnace. The results showed that most of the inclusions in the molten steel balanced with slag A were formed by a low-melting CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 system with a total oxygen content (T[O]) being fixed at 6-13 ppm. The inclusions in liquid steel balanced with the slag B were mostly formed by the CaO-MnO-Al2O3-SiO2 system, with T[O] controlled to 19-26 ppm. The overall size of the inclusions under balance conditions was higher in the steel reacted with the slag B than that reacted with slag A, with the latter showing more inclusions smaller than 3 μΐη. In order to generate a large number of spherical CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 inclusions smaller than 3 μηι while decreasing the T[O] in the resulting steel, the composition of slag A should be used. This composition allowed improving the cleanliness of the slab, and is also advantageous for the castability of the molten steel.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with the development of adult-onset diseases, including pulmonary hypertension. However, the underlying mechanism of the early nutritional insult that results in pulmonary vascular dysfunction later in life is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role of tyrosine phosphorylation of voltage-gated potassium channel 1.5 (Kv1.5) in this prenatal event that results in exaggerated adult vascular dysfunction. A rat model of chronic hypoxia (2 weeks of hypoxia at 12 weeks old) following IUGR was used to investigate the physiological and structural effect of intrauterine malnutrition on the pulmonary artery by evaluating pulmonary artery systolic pressure and vascular diameter in male rats. Kv1.5 expression and tyrosine phosphorylation in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were determined. We found that IUGR increased mean pulmonary artery pressure and resulted in thicker pulmonary artery smooth muscle layer in 14-week-old rats after 2 weeks of hypoxia, while no difference was observed in normoxia groups. In the PASMCs of IUGR-hypoxia rats, Kv1.5 mRNA and protein expression decreased while that of tyrosine-phosphorylated Kv1.5 significantly increased. These results demonstrate that IUGR leads to exaggerated chronic hypoxia pulmonary arterial hypertension (CH-PAH) in association with decreased Kv1.5 expression in PASMCs. This phenomenon may be mediated by increased tyrosine phosphorylation of Kv1.5 in PASMCs and it provides new insight into the prevention and treatment of IUGR-related CH-PAH.

Slow or controlled release fertilizers have been researched and used more and more widely, developing new slow or controlled release fertilizers is very important. To improve the use efficiency of inorganic fertilizers through the use of coated fertilizer and nitrification inhibitors, 3 newly developed fertilizers (FCRF1:coated fertilizer + 1% DCD, FCRF2: coated fertilizer + 2% DCD and FCRF3:coated fertilizer + 4% DCD) amended with nitrification inhibitors (DCD, C2H4N4), and coated with fly ash were prepared by coating conventional compound fertilizer (N-P-K: 15-6.55-12.4). Using a coated fertilizer (resin coated compound fertilizer, N-P-K: 15-6.55-12.4, 90 day, CRF) made in China and a conventional compound fertilizer (CCF) as checks, their effects on physiological characteristics, yield and quality of maize were examined in a field experiment. The results indicated that, compared to CCF, 3 new developed fertilizers kept higher ammonium nitrogen （NH4+-N）and nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) content at later stages and FCRF3 had the highest content, being similar to CRF treatment. At tasselling stage (TS) and filling stage (FS), the chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were significantly increased upon FCRF1, FCRF2 and FCRF3 treatments. In addition, FCRF1, FCRF2 and FCRF3 treatments produced 24.0-35.8% more grain yield, 57.2%-74.4% more total yield, increased 11.20%-49.55% starch, 61.38%-113% protein and 2.67%-9.33% Vitamine C content than CCF，respectively. This product with excellent slow release capacity, being easy to get at a low price and environment-friendly, could be especially useful in agricultural application.

Magnesium, a promising biodegradable metal, has been reported in several studies to increase bone formation. Although there is some information regarding the concentrations of magnesium ions that affect bone remodeling at a cellular level, little is known about the effect of magnesium ions on cell gap junctions. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically investigate the effects of different concentrations of magnesium on bone cells, and further evaluate its effect on gap junctions of osteoblasts. Cultures of normal human osteoblasts were treated with magnesium ions at concentrations of 1, 2 and 3 mM, for 24, 48 and 72 h. The effects of magnesium ions on viability and function of normal human osteoblasts and on gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in osteoblasts were investigated. Magnesium ions induced significant (P<0.05) increases in cell viability, alkaline phosphate activity and osteocalcin levels of human osteoblasts. These stimulatory actions were positively associated with the concentration of magnesium and the time of exposure. Furthermore, the GJIC of osteoblasts was significantly promoted by magnesium ions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that magnesium ions induced the activity of osteoblasts by enhancing GJIC between cells, and influenced bone formation. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the influence of magnesium on bone remodeling and to the advance of its application in clinical practice.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of perinatal exposure to nonylphenol (NP) on delivery outcome of pregnant rats and subsequent inflammatory hepatic injury in newborn rats. The pregnant rats were divided into 2 groups: control group (corn oil) and NP exposure group. Thirty-four pregnant rats were administered NP or corn oil by gavage from the sixth day of pregnancy to 21 days postpartum, with blood samples collected at 12 and 21 days of pregnancy and 60 days after delivery. The NP concentration was measured by HPLC, with chemiluminescence used for detection of estrogen and progesterone levels. Maternal delivery parameters were also observed. Liver and blood of the newborn rats were collected and subjected to automatic biochemical detection of liver function and blood lipid analyzer (immunoturbidimetry), and ultrastructural observation of the hepatic microstructure, with the TNF-α and IL-1β hepatic tissue levels evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group, the pregnant and postpartum serum NP and estradiol levels of the mother rats in the NP group were significantly increased, together with lowered progesterone level, increased number of threatened abortion and dystocia, and fewer newborn rats and lower litter weight. Serum and hepatic NP levels of the newborn rats measured 60 days after birth were significantly higher than those of the control group, as well as lower testosterone levels and increased estradiol levels. When observed under electron microscope, the hepatocyte nuclei of the control group were large and round, with evenly distributed chromatin. The chromatin of hepatocytes in the NP group presented deep staining of the nuclei, significant lipid decrease in the cytoplasm, and the majority of cells bonded with lysate. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that there was almost no TNF-α or IL-1β expression in the hepatocytes of the control group, while the number of TNF-α-, PCNA-, and IL-1β-positive cells in the NP group was increased, with higher integral optical density than the control group. Compared to the control group, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein in the newborn rats of the NP group were significantly increased. There was no significant difference in the serum level of high-density lipoprotein or cholesterol between the groups. Perinatal exposure to NP can interfere with the in vivo estrogen and progesterone levels of pregnant rats, resulting in threatened abortion, dystocia and other adverse delivery outcomes. High liver and serum NP levels of the newborn rats led to alteration of liver tissue structure and function. The NP-induced hepatotoxicity is probably mediated by inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1α.

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival and risk factors of traditional open surgical repair (OSR) vs thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) for complicated type-B aortic dissection (TBAD). A total of 118 inpatients (45 OSR vs 73 TEVAR) with TBAD were enrolled from January 2004 to January 2015. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards analysis were performed to identify the long-term survival rate and independent predictors of survival, respectively. Meta-analysis was used to further explore the long-term efficacy of OSR and TEVAR in the eight included studies using Review Manager 5.2 software. An overall 10-year survival rate of 41.9% was found, and it was similar in the two groups (56.7% OSR vs 26.1% TEVAR; log-rank P=0.953). The risk factors of long-term survival were refractory hypertension (OR=11.1; 95%CI=1.428-86.372; P=0.021] and preoperative aortic diameter >55 mm (OR=4.5; 95%CI=1.842-11.346; P=0.001). Long-term survival rate did not differ significantly between OSR and TEVAR (hazard ratio=0.87; 95%CI=0.52-1.47; P=0.61). Compared with OSR, TEVAR did not show long-term advantages for patients with TBAD. Refractory hypertension and total aortic diameter >55 mm can be used to predict the long-term survival of TBAD in the Chinese Han population.

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPre) can prevent myocardial injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the beneficial effects of long-term regular RIPre on human arteries. Forty patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery were assigned randomly to a RIPre group (n=20) or coronary heart disease (CHD) group (n=20). Twenty patients scheduled for mastectomy were enrolled as a control group. RIPre was achieved by occluding arterial blood flow 5 min with a mercury sphygmomanometer followed by a 5-min reperfusion period, and this was repeated 4 times. The RIPre procedure was repeated 3 times a day for 20 days. In all patients, arterial fragments discarded during surgery were collected to evaluate endothelial function by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), CD34+ monocyte count, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS expression). Phosphorylation levels of STAT-3 and Akt were also assayed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Compared with the CHD group, long-term regular RIPre significantly improved FMD after 20 days (8.5±2.4 vs 4.9±4.2%, P<0.05) and significantly reduced troponin after CABG surgery (0.72±0.31 and 1.64±0.19, P<0.05). RIPre activated STAT-3 and increased CD34+ endothelial progenitor cell counts found in arteries. Long-term, regular RIPre improved endothelial function in patients with CHD, possibly due to STAT-3 activation, and this may have led to an increase in endothelial progenitor cells.

Membranous nephropathy (MN), characterized by the presence of diffuse thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and subepithelial in situimmune complex disposition, is the most common cause of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in adults, with an incidence of 5-10 per million per year. A number of studies have confirmed the relevance of several experimental insights to the pathogenesis of human MN, but the specific biomarkers of MN have not been fully elucidated. As a result, our knowledge of the alterations in histone methylation in MN is unclear. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) to analyze the variations in a methylated histone (H3K9me3) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 MN patients and 10 healthy subjects. There were 108 genes with significantly different expression in the MN patients compared with the normal controls. In MN patients, significantly increased activity was seen in 75 H3K9me3 genes, and decreased activity was seen in 33, compared with healthy subjects. Five positive genes, DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 6 (DGCR6), sorting nexin 16 (SNX16), contactin 4 (CNTN4), baculoviral IAP repeat containing 3 (BIRC3), and baculoviral IAP repeat containing 2 (BIRC2), were selected and quantified. There were alterations of H3K9me3 in MN patients. These may be candidates to help explain pathogenesis in MN patients. Such novel findings show that H3K9me3 may be a potential biomarker or promising target for epigenetic-based MN therapies.

Quercetin (Que), a plant-derived flavonoid, has multiple benefical actions on the cardiovascular system. The current study investigated whether Que postconditioning has any protective effects on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vivo and its potential cardioprotective mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups (20 animals/group): sham, I/R, Que postconditioning, Que+LY294002 [a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway inhibitor], and LY294002+I/R. I/R was produced by 30-min coronary occlusion followed by 2-h reperfusion. At the end of reperfusion, myocardial infarct size and biochemical changes were compared. Apoptosis was evaluated by both TUNEL staining and measurement of activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity. The phosphorylation of Akt and protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blotting. Que postconditioning significantly reduced infarct size and serum levels of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase compared with the I/R group (all P<0.05). Apoptotic cardiomyocytes and caspase-3 immunoreactivity were also suppressed in the Que postconditioning group compared with the I/R group (both P<0.05). Akt phosphorylation and Bcl-2 expression increased after Que postconditioning, but Bax expression decreased. These effects were inhibited by LY294002. The data indicate that Que postconditioning can induce cardioprotection by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and modulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.

Hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) are a potential cell source for liver cell transplantation but do not function like mature liver cells. We sought an effective and reliable method to induce HPC maturation. An immortalized HP14.5 albumin promoter-driven Gaussian luciferase (ALB-GLuc) cell line was established from HPCs isolated from fetal mouse liver of post coitus day 14.5 mice to investigate the effect of induction factors on ALB promoter. HP14.5 parental cells were cultured in DMEM with different combinations of 2% horse serum (HS), 0.1 µM dexamethasone (DEX), 10 ng/mL hepatic growth factor (HGF), and/or 20 ng/mL fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4). Trypan blue and crystal violet staining were used to assess cell proliferation with different induction conditions. Expression of hepatic markers was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence. Glycogen storage and metabolism were detected by periodic acid-Schiff and indocyanine green (ICG) staining. GLuc activity indicated ALB expression. The combination of 2% HS+0.1 µM Dex+10 ng/mL HGF+20 ng/mL FGF4 induced the highest ALB-GLuc activity. Cell proliferation decreased in 2% HS but increased by adding FGF4. Upon induction, and consistent with hepatocyte development, DLK, AFP, and CK19 expression decreased, while ALB, CK18, and UGT1A expression increased. The maturity markers tyrosine aminotransferase and apolipoprotein B were detected at days 3 and 6 post-induction, respectively. ICG uptake and glycogen synthesis were detectable at day 6 and increased over time. Therefore, we demonstrated that HPCs were induced to differentiate into functional mature hepatocytes in vitro, suggesting that factor-treated HPCs may be further explored as a means of liver cell transplantation.