Effects of various diluents on the quality and shelf life of Donggala bull semen

This study aimed to determine the effects of different semen diluent on the quality and storage time of liquid semen of Donggala bull. Semen was obtained from four selected bulls which collected using artificial vagina. The semen diluent is based on Tris aminomethane-citric acid with different concentration of glucose namely P1=0.00g, P2=0.25g, P3=0.50g, and P4=0.75g. Another group of treatment also prepared based on Tris aminomethane-glucose with different concentration of egg yolk namely P5=0%, P6=15%, P7=20%, and P8=25%. The data obtained were then analyzed descriptively. Results showed tris aminomethane-citric acid-glucose diluents had sperm progressive motile at >40% until the day 4 of storage, and tris aminomethane-glucose-egg yolk only able to support sperm life for 2 days, and in P8 group shows 41.02% motile on the day 3. In this study, we found the pattern of the increasing of shelf life affect to the decrease rate of sperm viability and normality.

Spatial and Temporal Changes of Ecosystem Service Value in Airport Economic Zones in China

With the rapid development of the aviation industry, many negative effects on the local environment have been reported. This study examined the land use and land cover (LULC) and ecosystem service value (ESV) of airport economic zones (AEZs) in China and assessed the changes in LULC and ESV. The results indicate that LULC changed significantly from 1990 to 2015, characterized by the increase in construction land (increase rate, 68.53%) and water bodies (increase rate, 2.32%) and the decrease in cropland (decrease rate, 4.28%), forest (decrease rate, 0.73%), grassland (decrease rate, 4.64%) and unused land (decrease rate, 6.36%). The ESV of AEZs in 1990 and 2015 was RMB 3454 and 3483 million, respectively, with an overall ESV change of RMB 29 million. The ESV of AEZs is characterized by high value in the coastal area of China. From 1990 to 2015, AEZs with a high ESV were located in Inner Mongolia, while those with a high decrease in ESV were located in the southeastern coastal area. From 1990 to 2000, the AEZs with a high increase in ESV were located in Inner Mongolia and Qinghai and the AEZs with decreased ESV were mostly located in central and south China. However, from 2000 to 2010, AEZs with high and low increases in ESV were located in central China and the south coastal area of China, respectively. From 2010 to 2015, AEZs with a high decrease in ESV were located in southeast China.

Open-door laminoplasty with stand-alone autologous bone spacers: evaluation of enlarged laminar arch with CT–multiplanar reconstruction

OBJECTIVE The authors aimed to determine the efficacy of open-door laminoplasty with stand-alone autologous bone spacer for preserving enlarged lamina in patients with cervical myelopathy. METHODS Patients who underwent open-door laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy with stand-alone autologous bone spacer and underwent CT 1 week and 1 year after surgery were included in this study. There were 20 men and 13 women, with an average (range) age of 65.0 (37–86) years. Seventeen patients were younger than 70 years, and 16 patients were older than 70 years. Autogenous bone spacers made from spinous processes were used in all patients. Slits were made on both sides of the spacers. The lamina was raised with a curette, and a spacer was inserted without any sutures. Before surgery and 1 week and 1 year after surgery, the anteroposterior diameter (APD) of the spinal canal was measured using midsagittal-plane CT–multiplanar reconstruction. The bone union rate of the hinge side and autogenous bone spacer of each lamina was determined using CT images obtained 1 year after surgery. Results 1 year after surgery were evaluated using Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. RESULTS The mean ± SD APD increase rate was 56.3% ± 21.3% 1 week after surgery and 51.7% ± 20.6% 1 year later. The average APD decrease rate was 2.9% ± 3.8%. The bone union rate on the hinge side was 100%, and that of autologous bone spacer was 93.8% 1 year after surgery. The mean APD decrease rate was 3.3% in patients younger than 70 years and 2.3% in those older than 70 years. There was no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05, nonpaired t-test). The JOA score averaged 10.1 before surgery and 13.3 a year after surgery (total score 17). The average improvement rate was 46.3% ± 26.4%. CONCLUSIONS The authors devised and implemented a technique for inserting an autologous bone spacer between the opened lamina and lateral mass without sutures. The enlarged spinal canal was maintained 1 year after surgery. This simple method does not require any instrumentation or additional cost to stabilize the opened lamina.

Status of corneal endothelial cells in the presence of silicone oil in the anterior chamber

To evaluate corneal endothelium damage with silicone oil (SO) presence in the anterior chamber after pars plana vitrectomy. We investigated the medical records of consecutive 54 eyes of 53 patients undergoing SO removal after pars plana vitrectomy with SO tamponade at Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Japan. We recorded SO tamponade retention period, anterior chamber SO with gonioscope, area of SO attachment to the corneal endothelium before SO removal surgery, and the lens status. We then retrospectively investigated the correlation between SO presence in the anterior chamber and the decrease rate of corneal endothelial cell (CEC) density during SO tamponade. The average decrease rate of CEC density was 7.6 (0–38.1) %. The correlation between SO tamponade retention period and decrease rate of CEC density was high (p = 0.0001). However, there was no correlation between anterior chamber SO under gonioscope, SO attaching area, and lens status with the decrease rate of CEC density (p = 0.11, p = 0.93, p = 0.16). No correlation was observed between CEC loss and the existence of anterior chamber SO, although CEC decrease rate was relatively high after a long SO tamponade period. These findings suggest that SO presence in the anterior chamber may not directly injure CEC.

Sequential Therapy with Docetaxel and Cabazitaxel Starting at Low PSA Levels was Associated with Longer Survival in Patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Background: This study investigated the optimal timing for starting docetaxel (DOC) and cabazitaxel (CBZ) by examining the correlation of their efficacy and evaluating factors associated with the prognosis of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) receiving DOC-CBZ sequential treatment.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data for 146 patients who received DOC followed by CBZ. The correlations of prostate specific antigen (PSA) decrease rate and time to progression between DOC and CBZ treatment were examined. The association of parameters with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Survival rates were compared between patients with high and low PSA levels at the start of DOC and CBZ treatment.Results: No correlations of PSA decrease rate and time to progression were observed between DOC and CBZ. In multivariate analyses, higher PSA level at the start of DOC was significantly associated with shorter PFS (P = 0.004) and OS (P = 0.001). The OS of patients who started DOC and CBZ at low PSA levels was significantly longer than those that started at high PSA levels (P = 0.002 and P = 0.003). In patients who started DOC at high PSA levels, those who switched to CBZ at low PSA levels had longer OS than those who switched at high PSA levels (P = 0.048).Conclusions: For patients for whom DOC was not effective, sequential CBZ might reduce PSA for a long duration. Starting DOC and switching to CBZ at low PSA levels might result in improved prognoses in CRPC patients.Trial registration: This study was registered retrospectively.

The Impact of Climate Change on the Surface Albedo over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Albedo is a characterization of the Earth’s surface ability to reflect solar radiation, and control the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the land surface. Within the context of global warming, the temporal and spatial changes of the albedo and its response to climate factors remain unclear. Based on MCD43A3 (V005) albedo and meteorological data (i.e., temperature and precipitation), we analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of albedo (2000–2016) and its responses to climate change during the growing season on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The results indicated an overall downward trend in the annual albedo during the growing season, the decrease rate was 0.25%/decade, and the monthly albedo showed a similar trend, especially in May, when the decrease rate was 0.53%/decade. The changes also showed regional variations, such as for the annual albedo, the areas with significant decrease and increase in albedo were 181.52 × 103 km2 (13.10%) and 48.82 × 103 km2 (3.52%), respectively, and the intensity of albedo changes in low-elevation areas was more pronounced than in high-elevation areas. In addition, the annual albedo-temperature/precipitation relationships clearly differed at different elevations. The albedo below 2000 m and at 5000–6000 m was mainly negatively correlated with temperature, while at 2000–4000 m it was mainly negatively correlated with precipitation. The contemporaneous temperature could negatively impact the monthly albedo in significant ways at the beginning of the growing season (May and June), whereas in the middle of the growing season (July and August), the albedo was mainly negatively correlated with precipitation, and at the end of the growing season (September), the albedo showed a weak correlation with temperature/precipitation.

Longitudinal Study of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate among Chinese Adults

<b><i>Background and Objectives:</i></b> Studies on the association between arterial stiffness and kidney function have generated inconsistent results. Whether arterial stiffness is linked to decline in renal function warrants further study. This study aimed to investigate the association between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and longitudinal change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among Chinese adults. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In this longitudinal study, 8,264 participants in a community-based cohort had baPWV measured in 2010–2011 and were followed in subsequent surveys through to 2016. During each survey visit, fasting blood samples were collected for serum creatinine and eGFR was calculated. Participants were divided into 5 groups (Q1-Q5) by baPWV quintile. The association between baPWV and longitudinal changes in eGFR was assessed using generalized estimating equation models. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 8,045 participants were included in the final analysis. The average age was 54 ± 12 years (age range 24–97 years), and mean eGFR was 93.0 ± 18.6 mL/min/1.73 m². There was an inverse linear association between baseline baPWV and eGFR change rate (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Compared with Q1 (lowest) group, the mean differences and 95% CI in eGFR decrease rate among Q2–Q5 groups were −0.23 (−0.62, 0.16), −0.67 (−1.06, −0.28), −1.11 (−1.50, −0.72), and −1.30 (−1.69, −0.92) mL/min/1.73 m² per year, respectively, after adjustment for age, gender, and other potential confounders (<i>p</i> trend &#x3c; 0.0001). For each 100 cm/s increase in baPWV at baseline, the fully adjusted mean difference in eGFR decrease rate was −0.14 mL/min/1.73 m² per year (95% CI −0.18, −0.10; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001). Compared with participants with baPWV &#x3c; 1,400 cm/s, the fully adjusted mean difference in eGFR decrease rate was −0.92 mL/min/1.73 m² per year (95% CI −1.18, −0.66) for those with baPWV ≥ 1,400 cm/s (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Participants with a higher baPWV at baseline had a greater decrease in eGFR over time. Future studies could examine the relationship between baPWV and decline in renal function in higher risk cohorts, and its potential role in targeting reno-protective interventions to those who may benefit from them most.

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Variations of Soil Salinization and Its Relationship with Eco-Hydrological Parameters at the Regional Scale in the Kashi Area of Xinjiang, China from 2000 to 2017

Soil salinization is one of the most serious issues of land degradation, especially in inland drylands, such as the Kashgar region in the Xinjiang province, western China. The investigation of the spatiotemporal variations of soil salinization and its causes is critical for regional ecological restoration and social development. In this study, salinization severity was firstly interpreted in Kashgar region for the years 2000, 2010, and 2017 using multitemporal Landsat images, and the spatiotemporal variations of salinized soil area, salinization severity index, and important index of salinization change were then analyzed using transition matrix method. Finally, the relationship between salinization and eco-hydrological parameters at the regional scale was investigated using correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression. The results show that salinized soil is mainly concentrated in irrigated oasis areas. Although the decrease rate of total salinized soil area is decreasing, the decrease rate of average salinization severity is increasing gradually. There is an increasing trend for the improved area of salinized soil, whereas an opposite trend was observed for the deteriorated area of salinized soil. The conversion from extremely severe salinized soil to the severe ones was the dominant transforming type from 2000 to 2017; meanwhile, the transformation from non-salinized soil to salinized soil for the newly reclaimed farmland was observed, indicating that some necessary irrigation control measures must be taken to avoid further soil salinizing. A significant negative correlation between salinization severity and evapotranspiration, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was observed, implying that soil structure change induced by vegetation, associated with high evapotranspiration (ET) and low land surface temperature (LST), played a positive role in alleviating soil salinization in this region. It is concluded that the soil salinization had been alleviated from 2000 to 2017, mainly due to the combined effects of the farmland expansion and the reasonable irrigation system.

Application of exchange transfusion in the treatment of hyperleukocytosis:a retrospective analysis

Background Few reports have described the application of exchange transfusion in patients with hyperleukocytosis. Methods A retrospective clinical analysis of infants with exchange transfusion in the treatment of hyperleukocytosis was performed. Results A total of 13 patients were enrolled in the study.7 patients survived and 6 died after exchange transfusion.The incidence of pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, pertussis encephalopathy, Increased C-reactive protein, and increased PCT in the survival group were lower than those in the death group,The incidence of received Gamma globulin and received steroids were higher than those in the death group.The highest WBC count in the survival group was 74.15 ± 19.68*10^9/L, and in the death group patients was 86.29 ± 23.51*10^9/L.There were not significant differences two groups(P = 0.332). Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET in the survival group was significantly higher than that of the death group (P༜0.05). In the survival group, there were 5 patients (71.42%) which decrease rate of WBC after the first ET more than 50%, and the remaining 2 patients (28.58%) all exceeded 45%.In contrast, there was 1 patient which decrease rate of WBC exceeded 45% ,no patient exceed 50%. All patients with Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET exceed 50% survived. In the death group, there were 4 patients (66.67%) which N/L exceeded 1, 3patients (50%) which N/L exceeded 2. In the survival group, only 3 patients (42.85%) which N/L exceeded 1, but there was no patient which N/L exceed 2. Conclusion Exchange transfusion is an effective method to reduce WBC count. Patient with Decrease rate of WBC after the first ET exceed 50% were easier to survive. Patients with hyperleukocytoemia which N/L exceeding 2 predict death.

Elevation-Dependent Trend in Diurnal Temperature Range in the Northeast China during 1961–2015

The diurnal temperature range (DTR) is considered a signature of observed climate change, which is defined as the difference between the maximum (Tmax) and minimum temperatures (Tmin). It is well known that the warming rate of mean temperature is larger at high elevations than at low elevations in northeast China. However, it is still uncertain whether DTR trend is greater at high elevations. This study examined the spatiotemporal variation in DTR and its relationship with elevation in northeast China based on data from 68 meteorological stations from 1961 to 2015. The results show that there was a significant declining trend (0.252 °C/decade) in DTR from 1961 to 2015 due to the fact that Tmin increased at a faster rate than Tmax. Seasonally, DTR in northeast China showed a decreasing trend with the largest decrease rate in spring (−0.3167 °C/decade) and the smallest decrease rate in summer (−0.1725 °C/decade). The results of correlation analysis show that there was a significant positive correlation between the annual DTR trend and elevation in northeast China. This is due to the fact that increasing elevation has a significant warming effect on Tmax. Seasonally, there were significant positive correlations between the DTR trend and elevation in all seasons. The elevation gradient of DTR trend was the greatest in winter (0.392 °C/decade/km) and the lowest in autumn (0.209 °C/decade/km). In spring, summer, and autumn, increasing elevation has a significant warming effect on Tmax, leading to a significant increase of the DTR trend with increasing elevation. However, in winter, increasing elevation has a significant cooling effect on Tmin, resulting in a significant increase of the DTR trend with increasing elevation.