Primary component analysis method and reduction of seismicity parameters

In the paper, the primary component analysis is made using 8 seismicity parameters of earthquake frequency N (ML≥3.0), b-value, η-value, A(b)-value, Mf-value, Ac-value, C-value and D-value that reflect the characteristics of magnitude, time and space distribution of seismicity from different respects. By using the primary component analysis method, the synthesis parameter W reflecting the anomalous features of earthquake magnitude, time and space distribution can be gained. Generally, there is some relativity among the 8 parameters, but their variations are different in different periods. The earthquake prediction based on these parameters is not very well. However, the synthesis parameter W showed obvious anomalies before 13 earthquakes (MS≥5.8) occurred in North China, which indicates that the synthesis parameter W can reflect the anomalous characteristics of magnitude, time and space distribution of seismicity better. Other problems related to the conclusions drawn by the primary component analysis method are also discussed.

A cost-effective method to enhance adenoviral transduction of primary murine osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells

We report here a method for the use of poly-L-lysine （PLL） to markedly improve the adenoviral transduction efficiency of primary murine osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells （BMSCs） in culture and in situ, which are typically difficult to transduce. We show by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry that the addition of PLL to the viral-containing medium significantly increases the number of green fluorescence protein （GFP）-positive osteoblasts and BMSCs transduced with an enhanced GFP-expressing adenovirus. We also demonstrate that PLL can greatly enhance the adenoviral transduction of osteoblasts and osteocytes in situ in ex vivo tibia and calvaria, as well as in long bone fragments. In addition, we validate that PLL can improve routine adenoviral transduction studies by permitting the use of low multiplicities of infection to obtain the desired biologic effect. Ultimately, the use of PLL to facilitate adenoviral gene transfer in osteogenic cells can provide a cost-effective means of performing efficient gene transfer studies in the context of bone research.

Effects of Environmental Conditions and Aboveground Biomass on CO2 Budget in Phragmites australis Wetland of Jiaozhou Bay,China

Estuarial saline wetlands have been recognized as a vital role in CO_2 cycling.However,insufficient attention has been paid to estimating CO_2 fluxes from estuarial saline wetlands.In this study,the static chamber-gas chromatography(GC) method was used to quantify CO_2 budget of an estuarial saline reed(Phragmites australis) wetland in Jiaozhou Bay in Qingdao City of Shandong Province,China during the reed growing season(May to October) in 2014.The CO_2 budget study involved net ecosystem CO_2 exchange(NEE),ecosystem respiration(Reco) and gross primary production(GPP).Temporal variation in CO_2 budget and the impact of air/soil temperature,illumination intensity and aboveground biomass exerted on CO_2 budget were analyzed.Results indicated that the wetland was acting as a net sink of 1129.16 g/m^2 during the entire growing season.Moreover,the values of Reco and GPP were 1744.89 g/m^2 and 2874.05 g/m^2,respectively;the ratio of Reco and GPP was 0.61.Diurnal and monthly patterns of CO_2 budget varied significantly during the study period.Reco showed exponential relationships with air temperature and soil temperature at 5 cm,10 cm,20 cm depths,and soil temperature at 5 cm depth was the most crucial influence factor among them.Meanwhile,temperature sensitivity(Q10) of Reco was negatively correlated with soil temperature.Light and temperature exerted strong controls over NEE and GPP.Aboveground biomass over the whole growing season showed non-linear relationships with CO_2 budget,while those during the early and peak growing season showed significant linear relationships with CO_2 budget.This research provides valuable reference for CO_2 exchange in estuarial saline wetland ecosystem.

When identity is not reached:two cases from Brasilia

When human remains are examined,three questions always need to be answered:who is the deceased,what was the cause of death,and when did the death occur,the former question being the most relevant.The identification of half or fully skeletonized human remains is a complex process and always requires the use of methods that allow individualization beyond any reasonable doubt.However,no matter how vigorous the search for identification,this is not always achieved.Here,the author presents two cases in which identification was exhaustively attempted but not achieved despite the existence of an osteo implanted device in one case and the presence of documents in the other.In one case,we could not find a potential identity for the deceased,while in the other we found a possible identity but not a family member to provide antemortem data to confirm it.Although the scientific literature tends to favour the publication of cases with favourable outcomes,one should also learn from failures,which is the reason why the author decided to publish his unsuccessful experiences.The reasons for the failures are discussed,as well as methodological improvements for future cases.