Correction to:Assembly-level analysis on temperature coefficient of reactivity in a graphite-moderated fuel salt reactor fueled with low-enriched uranium

Following publication of the original article,the authors observed that both Fig.5 and Fig.4 depict the same image.Figure 5 was inaccurately referenced and displayed.The correct Fig.5 is copied below:The original article has been updated.

Status and distribution of selenium in selenium-enriched peanut sprouts

Selenium is one of the essential trace elements in human body,however,due to the limitation of geographic factors,the intake of selenium is seriously insufficient in most regions.In this study,selenium-enriched peanut sprouts with high selenium content were prepared by soaking peanut seeds in sodium selenite.The content and distribution of selenium in germinated peanuts were investigated.The results showed that 200μmol/L sodium selenite and germination for 6 days resulted in the highest total selenium,organic selenium content,and organic selenium conversion in peanut sprouts.Selenium exists in peanut sprouts mainly in organic selenium form,of which selenoproteins are the most critical organic selenium carriers.ABTS free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power assays showed that alkali-soluble protein had the highest antioxidant activity among the four soluble proteins,attributed to its high selenium binding level.Radicle and cotyledons of peanut seedlings were significantly enriched with selenium compared to hypocotyl.Amino acid analysis and SDS-PAGE results showed that selenium increases significantly after peanut germination and selenium enrichment.This study provides a simple,environmentally friendly,and effective way of selenium enrichment and offers a theoretical basis for applying selenium-enriched foods in food and medicine.

Enriched Acoustic Environment as a customized treatment for tinnitus: A non-controlled longitudinal study

Tinnitus is a heterogeneous hearing disorder with no cure at present,but some treatments,such as a combination of counselling and sound therapy,can alleviate the discomfort it causes.The sound therapy efficiency depends on both the type of sound stimulus and the time of exposure.This study describes the fundamentals of a personalized sound therapy that stimulates the auditory system with either continuous or sequential sounds whose spectra are adjusted to the hearing levels of the participants.This sound therapy is called Enriched Acoustic Environment and is assessed in a sample of 137 participants with tinnitus.Tinnitus-related distress relief was clinically relevant and statistically significant for 90%of these patients.This was quantified as a mean decrease of 24.3 points on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.31%of participants were treated with sequential stimuli and achieved greater relief of distress(29.4 points on their Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score)compared to those treated with continuous sound(69%).According to these results,sequential sound seems to be optimal compared to continuous sound.

Enriched Constant Elements in the Boundary Element Method for Solving 2D Acoustic Problems at Higher Frequencies

The boundary element method(BEM)is a popular method for solving acoustic wave propagation problems,especially those in exterior domains,owing to its ease in handling radiation conditions at infinity.However,BEM models must meet the requirement of 6–10 elements per wavelength,using the conventional constant,linear,or quadratic elements.Therefore,a large storage size of memory and long solution time are often needed in solving higher-frequency problems.In this work,we propose two new types of enriched elements based on conventional constant boundary elements to improve the computational efficiency of the 2D acoustic BEM.The first one uses a plane wave expansion,which can be used to model scattering problems.The second one uses a special plane wave expansion,which can be used tomodel radiation problems.Five examples are investigated to showthe advantages of the enriched elements.Compared with the conventional constant elements,the new enriched elements can deliver results with the same accuracy and in less computational time.This improvement in the computational efficiency is more evident at higher frequencies(with the nondimensional wave numbers exceeding 100).The paper concludes with the potential of our proposed enriched elements and plans for their further improvement.

Synthesis of Enriched 10B Boric Acid of Nuclear Grade

An economic and effective method of preparing enriched 10B boric acid was established by chemical reactionof enriched 10BF3 and CaCO3. A process of boron trifluoride reacting with water was investigated under certainconditions. Calcium carbonate was selected to counteract hydrofluoric acid followed on. Some key operation factorswere investigated, such as temperature, reaction time and the ratio of CaCO3 to 10BF3. The results showed that the yieldof enriched 10B boric acid could reach 97. 2% and the purity was up to 94. 1% under the following conditions： the temperaturewas 50-60,℃, the reaction time was 28 h and the ratio of CaCO3 to 10BF3 was 4. In addition, after recrystallizationand titration analysis, the purity of the product could reach over 99. 2% from 94.1%.

Molecular and physiological characterization of the effects of auxin-enriched rootstock on grafting

Grafting is a highly useful technique,and its success largely depends on graft union formation.In this study,we found that root-specific expression of the auxin biosynthetic gene iaaM in tobacco,when used as rootstock,resulted in more rapid callus formation and faster graft healing.However,overexpression of the auxin-inactivating iaaL gene in rootstocks delayed graft healing.We observed increased endogenous auxin levels and auxin-responsive DR5::GUS expression in scions of WT/iaaM grafts compared with those found in WT/WT grafts,which suggested that auxin is transported upward from rootstock to scion tissues.A transcriptome analysis showed that auxin enhanced graft union formation through increases in the expression of genes involved in graft healing in both rootstock and scion tissues.We also observed that the ethylene biosynthetic gene ACS1 and the ethylene-responsive gene ERF5 were upregulated in both scions and rootstocks of the WT/iaaM grafts.Furthermore,exogenous applications of the ethylene precursor ACC to the junction of WT/WT grafts promoted graft union formation,whereas application of the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor AVG delayed graft healing in WT/WT grafts,and the observed delay was less pronounced in the WT/iaaM grafts.These results demonstrated that elevated auxin levels in the iaaM rootstock in combination with the increased auxin levels in scions caused by upward transport/diffusion enhanced graft union formation and that ethylene was partially responsible for the effects of auxin on grafting.Our findings showed that grafting success can be enhanced by increasing the auxin levels in rootstocks using transgenic or gene-editing techniques.

Research Progress of Selenium-enriched Agricultural Crops and Horticultural Crops in China

Selenium（Se） is one of the essential trace elements required by humans and animals. It will cause diseases for humans and animals when Se is excessive or lack in the environment.The research status of selenium-enriched agricultural crops and selenium-enriched horticultural crops, functional mechanism and application status of selenium, and the latest progress in the study of selenium enrichment were summarized in this paper.

An enriched environment promotes synaptic plasticity and cognitive recovery after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice

Cerebral ischemia activates an endogenous repair program that induces plastic changes in neurons. In this study, we investigated the effects of environmental enrichment on spatial learning and memory as well as on synaptic remodeling in a mouse model of chronic cerebral ischemia, produced by subjecting adult male C57 BL/6 mice to permanent left middle cerebral artery occlusion. Three days postoperatively, mice were randomly assigned to the environmental enrichment and standard housing groups. Mice in the standard housing group were housed and fed a standard diet. Mice in the environmental enrichment group were housed in a cage with various toys and fed a standard diet. Then, 28 days postoperatively, spatial learning and memory were tested using the Morris water maze. The expression levels of growth-associated protein 43, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 in the hippocampus were analyzed by western blot assay. The number of synapses was evaluated by electron microscopy. In the water maze test, mice in the environmental enrichment group had a shorter escape latency, traveled markedly longer distances, spent more time in the correct quadrant(northeast zone), and had a higher frequency of crossings compared with the standard housing group. The expression levels of growth-associated protein 43, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 were substantially upregulated in the hippocampus in the environmental enrichment group compared with the standard housing group. Furthermore, electron microscopy revealed that environmental enrichment increased the number of synapses in the hippocampal CA1 region. Collectively, these findings suggest that environmental enrichment ameliorates the spatial learning and memory impairment induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Environmental enrichment in mice with cerebral ischemia likely promotes cognitive recovery by inducing plastic changes in synapses.

An enriched environment increases the expression of fibronectin type Ⅲ domain-containing protein 5 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the cerebral cortex of the ischemic mouse brain

Many studies have shown that fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5(FDNC5) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) play vital roles in plasticity after brain injury. An enriched environment refers to an environment that provides animals with multi-sensory stimulation and movement opportunities. An enriched environment has been shown to promote the regeneration of nerve cells, synapses, and blood vessels in the animal brain after cerebral ischemia;however, the exact mechanisms have not been clarified. This study aimed to determine whether an enriched environment could improve neurobehavioral functions after the experimental inducement of cerebral ischemia and whether neurobehavioral outcomes were associated with the expression of FDNC5 and BDNF. This study established ischemic mouse models using permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion(pMCAO) on the left side. On postoperative day 1, the mice were randomly assigned to either enriched environment or standard housing condition groups. Mice in the standard housing condition group were housed and fed under standard conditions. Mice in the enriched environment group were housed in a large cage, containing various toys, and fed with a standard diet. Sham-operated mice received the same procedure, but without artery occlusion, and were housed and fed under standard conditions. On postoperative days 7 and 14, a beam-walking test was used to assess coordination, balance, and spatial learning. On postoperative days 16–20, a Morris water maze test was used to assess spatial learning and memory. On postoperative day 15, the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF proteins in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex were analyzed by western blot assay. The results showed that compared with the standard housing condition group, the motor balance and coordination functions(based on beam-walking test scores 7 and 14 days after operation), spatial learning abilities(based on the spatial learning scores from the Morris water maze test 16–19 days after operation), and memory abilities(based on the memory scores of the Morris water maze test 20 days after operation) of the enriched environment group improved significantly. In addition, the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF proteins in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex increased in the enriched environment group compared with those in the standard housing condition group. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that neurobehavioral functions were positively associated with the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF(r = 0.587 and r = 0.840, respectively). These findings suggest that an enriched environment upregulates FDNC5 protein expression in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex after cerebral ischemia, which then activates BDNF protein expression, improving neurological function. BDNF protein expression was positively correlated with improved neurological function. The experimental protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Fudan University, China(approval Nos. 20160858 A232, 20160860 A234) on February 24, 2016.

Effects of oxygen enriched tent by a new oxygen concentration machine on blood oxygen saturation and heart rate in tibet

Many people who live in the low altitude areas are often suffered from hypoxia when they entered the high plateau. This problem may seriously influence the physical and mental state and work efficacy for the travelers and workers. Oxygen enrichment of a small space air at high altitude is considered as a simple way to provide lowlanders enriched oxygen for sleeping and resting, improving work efficiency, so we developed an oxygen concentration machine based on the technology of oxygen enrichment membrane. This paper tested 8 healthy male lowlanders (age 21.63±1.77 yr) who have never exposed to plateau performed an incremental exercise on cycle ergometer at sea-level in order to be used as sea-level controls. Two days later, the same subjects were taken to Lhasa (3700 m) by air and exposed to the plateau, performed the same exercise as they did at sea-level. The next day, all subjects were asked to enter the experimental tent which was enriched with oxygen (higher than 24%) by the oxygen concentration machine and sleep for 10 hours at night, then exposed to plateau and performed the same exercise twice at different time (2 hours and 10 hours after oxygen enrichment). During the tests, subjects must cycled continuously at 60 rpm beginning with a 3 min exercise intensity of 0 W followed by incremental increases of 25 W every 3 min until 150 W, pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR) were recorded. After sleeping in an oxygen enrichment of tent air, 2 hours later, the subjects’ load capacity had no difference compared with control group, but significant difference than before (higher SpO2 and lower HR), which indicated that oxygen concentration machine is effective in increasing the oxygen concentration of the air for the tent and sleeping in the oxygen enrichment tent for l0 h might be effective in improving exercise performance during high-altitude hypoxia. At the same time, 10 hours later, when work-load exceeded 125 W, the same effects were also found. The results indicated the effects of oxygen enrichment of tent air could last a certain period of time.

Method of oxygen-enriched two-stage underground coal gasification

Two-stage underground coal gasification was studied to improve the caloric value of the syngas and to extend gas production times.A model test using the oxygen-enriched two-stage coal gasification method was carried out.The composition of the gas produced,the time ratio of the two stages,and the role of the temperature field were analysed.The results show that oxygen-enriched two-stage gasification shortens the time of the first stage and prolongs the time of the second stage.Feed oxygen concentrations of 30%, 35%,40%,45%.60%,or 80%gave time ratios（first stage to second stage） of 1：0.12,1：0.21.1：0.51,1：0.64, 1：0.90.and 1：4.0 respectively.Cooling rates of the temperature field after steam injection decreased with time from about 19.1-27.4℃/min to 2.3-6.8℃/min.But this rate increased with increasing oxygen concentrations in the first stage.The caloric value of the syngas improves with increased oxygen concentration in the first stage.Injection of 80%oxygen-enriched air gave gas with the highest caloric value and also gave the longest production time.The caloric value of the gas obtained from the oxygenenriched two-stage gasification method lies in the range from 5.31 MJ/Nm^3 to 10.54 MJ/Nm^3.

Numerical Simulation of Root Growth Dynamics of CO_2-Enriched Hybrid Rice Cultivar Shanyou 63 Under Fully Open-Air Field Conditions

Hybrid indica rice （Oryza sativa L.） cultivars play an important role in rice production system due to its heterosis, resistance to environmental stress, large panicle, and high yield potential. However, no attention has been given to its root growth dynamic responses to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration （[CO2]） in conjunction with nitrogen （N） availability. Free air COz enrichment （FACE） and N have significant effects on rice root growth. In this experiment, a hybrid cultivar Shanyou 63 （Oryza sativa L.） was used to study the effects of FACE and N levels on roots growth of rice. The results showed a significant increase in both adventitious root volume （ARV） and adventitious root dry weight （ARD） under the FACE treatment. The application of nitrogen also increased ARV and ARD, but the increase was smaller than that under FACE treatment. On the basis of the FACE experiment, numerical models for rice adventitious root volume and dry weight were built with the time as the driving factor. The models illustrated the dynamic development of rice adventitious root volume and dry weight after transplanting, regulated either by the influence factor of atmospheric [CO2] or by N application. The models were successfully used to predict ARV and ARD under FACE treatment in a different year with the predicted data being closely related to the actual experimental data. The model had guiding significance to growth regulation of rice root under the condition of atmospheric [CO2] rising in the future.

An enriched environment improves cognitive performance in mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain Role of upregulated neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus

In this study,we examined 3-month-old female mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain and age-matched homologous normal aging female mice from the senescence accelerated-resistant mouse 1 strain.Mice from each strain were housed in an enriched environment（including a platform,running wheels,tunnel,and some toys）or a standard environment for 3 months.The mice housed in the enriched environment exhibited shorter escape latencies and a greater percentage of time in the target quadrant in the Morris water maze test,and they exhibited reduced errors and longer latencies in step-down avoidance experiments compared with mice housed in the standard environment.Correspondently,brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and protein ex- pression in the hippocampus was significantly higher in mice housed in the enriched environment compared with those housed in the standard environment,and the level of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein was positively correlated with the learning and memory abilities of mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain.These results suggest that an enriched environment improved cognitive performance in mice form the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus.

The effects of enriched C0_(2) and enhanced UV-B radiation on ultrastructure of Dunaliella salina, singly and in combination

The effects of ambient CO2/ambient UV-B, enriched CO2/ambient UV-B, ambient CO2/enhanced UV-B, and enriched CO2/enhanced UV-B on the ultrastructure of Dunaliella salina were investigated. （1） The ultrastructure of D..salina cell in the control experiment showed that the arrangement of thylakoid lamellae was regular, and there were many large starch grains among the thylakoid lamellae. A prominent well-developed pyrenoid was found in the middle of the chloroplast. Nucleus envelope and nucleolus were clearly observed. The Golgi apparatus accompanied by numerous vesicles with a compact arrangement of cisternae and the peripheral tips of the cisternae were swollen to a size comparable to that of some of the associated vesicles. （2） The ultrastructure of D. salina cell in enriched CO2 showed that the arrangement of thylakoid was regular and the lamellae were vivid. Developed pyrenoids were found in the low-CO2-grown cells, but not in the high-CO2-grown cells. The mitochondria cristae were vivid. The arrangement of Golgi apparatus was compact. （3） The ultrastructure of D. salina cell in enhanced UV-B showed that the thylakoid was dissolved and the cells had a less developed pyrenoid or no detectable pyrenoid. Part of the nucleus envelope was dissolved. The number ofmitochondria was increased and some mitochondria cristae were disintegrated. The starch grains were broken apart into many small starch grains. The Golgi apparatus with a loose arrangement ofcistemae and the peripheral tips of the Golgi cistemae were not especially swollen, with several large associated vesicles. （4） The ultrastructure of D. salina cell in the enriched CO2/enhanced UV-B showed that part of the thylakoid and nucleus envelopes of some cells were dissolved. The pyrenoid was larger than that of the enhanced UV-B. There were many mitochondria between stroma and chloroplast membrane, but mitochondria cristae were partly dissolved. Many small starch grains were accumulated in cells. The starch sheath was broken into several discontinuous starch grains with different sizes. The arrangement of Golgi apparatus was loose. Above all, although the enriched CO2 can alleviate the damage induced by the UV-B radiation, the effects of experimental UV-B radiation were larger than the effects of actual UV-B radiation, the damage induced by the UV-B radiation was so severe, therefore, CO2 enrichment could not restore the ultrastructure to the control level.

Chemical Characteristic and Sensory Evaluation of Biscuit Enriched with Wheat Germ and the Effect of Storage Time on the Sensory Properties for this Product

This work aimed at determining the maximum acceptable level of wheat germ that can be added to one of homemade biscuits in Jordan, studying some chemical and sensory properties of this product, moreover, studying the effect of storage time after two months at room temperature on the sensory parameters of this product. The results showed that the addition of wheat germ in biscuit making at level of 20% (w/w) enhanced the nutritional value by increasing protein and total mineral content, as well as decreasing fat, total carbohydrates and total calories. The acceptability of sensory characteristics was improved by this fortification immediately after preparation and during storage.

Enriched reproducing kernel particle method for fractional advection–diffusion equation

The reproducing kernel particle method （RKPM） has been efficiently applied to problems with large deformations, high gradients and high modal density. In this paper, it is extended to solve a nonlocal problem modeled by a fractional advectiondiffusion equation （FADE）, which exhibits a boundary layer with low regularity. We formulate this method on a moving least-square approach. Via the enrichment of fractional-order power functions to the traditional integer-order basis for RKPM, leading terms of the solution to the FADE can be exactly reproduced, which guarantees a good approximation to the boundary layer. Numerical tests are performed to verify the proposed approach.

Fundamental Study on Coke Degradation in BF with Oxygen Enriched Blast and High Hydrogen Atmosphere

The effects of gas composition, temperature, ore to coke ratio and prereduction rate of ore on coke degradation were studied. The results showed that 1% increment in solution loss of coke reduces coke strength by 0.6%, and the coke degradation is accelerated with the temperature. The higher the temperature, the more coke surface is involved in reactions, and the less negative effect on coke strength is. Hydrogen exerts stronger effect on coke degradation than CO at high temperature. The coke degradation is decreased with the reduction of ore to coke ratio and increase of ore prereduction rate.

Aging gracefully: social engagement joins exercise and enrichment as a key lifestyle factor in resistance to age-related cognitive decline

Cognitive impairment is a consequence of the normal aging process that effects many species, including humans and rodent models. Decline in hippocampal memory function is especially prominent with age and often reduces quality of life. As the aging population expands, the need for interventional strategies to prevent cognitive decline has become more pressing. Fortunately, several major lifestyle factors have proven effective at combating hippocampal aging, the most well-known of which are environmental enrichment and exercise. While the evidence supporting the beneficial nature of these factors is substantial, a less well-understood factor may also contribute to healthy cognitive aging: social engagement. We review the evidence supporting the role of social engagement in preserving hippocampal function in old age. In elderly humans, high levels of social engagement correlate with better hippocampal function, yet there is a dearth of work to indicate a causative role. Existing rodent literature is also limited but has begun to provide causative evidence and establish candidate mechanisms. Summed together, while many unanswered questions remain, it is clear that social engagement is a viable lifestyle factor for preserving cognitive function in old age. Social integration across the lifespan warrants more investigation and more appreciation when designing living circumstances for the elderly.

The Effects of the Enriched Environment on Sympathetic Skin Response in Pentylenetetrazol-Kindled Rats

Epilepsy is a neurodegenerative disease that interrupts the normal electrical activity of the brain and promotes abnormal wiring in this organ.Epileptic seizures are often associated with significant changes in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system(ANS).

Effects of Storage Time on External and Internal Characteristics of Lutein Enriched Eggs

In this paper, the effects of storage time on the external and internal characteristics of lutein enriched eggs were studied. A total of 330 lutein eggs were stored at room temperature （30℃） for periods of 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21 d, respectively. At the end of each storage period, 30 lutein eggs were evaluated for egg quality. Storage time from 0 d to 21 d did not affect the eggshell thickness, shell ratio and yolk color （P 〉 0.05）. The effect of days in storage was statistically significant on the albumen ratio and Haugh unit （P 〈 0.05）, both of which decreased with increasing days of storage. Conversely, egg water loss and the yolk ratio increased with increasing days of storage （P 〈 0.05）. At the end of storage, the lutein value in the eggs was close to the value at the beginning of storage. The results indicated that storage time did not produce an adverse effect on the eggshell thickness, shell ratio, yolk color and concentration of lutein in lutein enriched eggs.