| 1. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 2. |
- Guo, Jing, et al.
(författare)
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Pulmonary toxicity and adjuvant effect of di-(2-exylhexyl) phthalate in ovalbumin-immunized BALB/c mice
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : PLOS. - 1932-6203. ; 7:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Asthma is a complex pulmonary inflammatory disease, which is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, variable airflow obstruction and inflammation in the airways. The majority of asthma is allergic asthma, which is a disease caused by type I hypersensitivity mediated by IgE. Exposures to a number of environmental chemicals are suspected to lead to asthma, one such pollutant is di-(2-ethylheyl) phthalate (DEHP). DEHP is a manufactured chemical that is commonly added in plastic products to make them flexible. Epidemiological studies have revealed a positive association between DEHP exposure and asthma prevalence.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The present study was aimed to determine the underlying role of DEHP exposure in airway reactivity, especially when combined with allergen exposure. The biomarkers include pulmonary histopathology, airway hyperresponsiveness (lung function), IgE, IL-4, IFN-γ and eosinophils. Healthy balb/c mice were randomly divided into eight exposure groups (n = 8 each): (1) saline control, (2) 30 µg/(kg•d) DEHP, (3) 300 µg/(kg•d) DEHP, (4) 3000 µg/(kg•d) DEHP, and (5) ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized group, (6) OVA-combined with 30 µg/(kg•d) DEHP, (7) OVA-combined with 300 µg/(kg•d) DEHP, and (8) OVA-combined with 3000 µg/(kg•d) DEHP. Experimental tests were conducted after 52-day DEHP exposure and subsequently one week of challenge with aerosolized OVA. The principal findings include: (1) Strong postive associations exist between OVA-combined DEHP exposure and serum total IgE (T-IgE), as well as histological findings. These positive associations show a dose-dependent low dose sensitive effect of DEHP. (2) IL-4, eosinophil recruitment and lung function are also indicators for adjuvant effect of DEHP.CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that except the significant changes of immunological and inflammatory biomarkers (T-IgE, IL-4, IFN-γ and eosinophils), the pulmonary histological (histopathological examination) and physiological (lung function) data also support that DEHP may promote and aggravate allergic asthma by adjuvant effect.
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| 3. |
- Shi, Feng, et al.
(författare)
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A multi-proxy reconstruction of spatial and temporal variations in Asian summer temperatures over the last millennium
- 2015
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Ingår i: Climatic Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0165-0009 .- 1573-1480. ; 131:4, s. 663-674
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To investigate climate variability in Asia during the last millennium, the spatial and temporal evolution of summer (June–July–August; JJA) temperature in eastern and south-central Asia is reconstructed using multi-proxy records and the regularized expectation maximization (RegEM) algorithm with truncated total least squares (TTLS), under a point-by-point regression (PPR) framework. The temperature index reconstructions show that the late 20th century was the warmest period in Asia over the past millennium. The temperature field reconstructions illustrate that temperatures in central, eastern, and southern China during the 11th and 13th centuries, and in western Asia during the 12th century, were significantly higher than those in other regions, and comparable to levels in the 20th century. Except for the most recent warming, all identified warm events showed distinct regional expressions and none were uniform over the entire reconstruction area. The main finding of the study is that spatial temperature patterns have, on centennial time-scales, varied greatly over the last millennium. Moreover, seven climate model simulations, from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), over the same region of Asia, are all consistent with the temperature index reconstruction at the 99 % confidence level. Only spatial temperature patterns extracted as the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) from the GISS-E2-R and MPI-ESM-P model simulations are significant and consistent with the temperature field reconstruction over the past millennium in Asia at the 90 % confidence level. This indicates that both the reconstruction and the simulations depict the temporal climate variability well over the past millennium. However, the spatial simulation or reconstruction capability of climate variability over the past millennium could be still limited. For reconstruction, some grid points do not pass validation tests and reveal the need for more proxies with high temporal resolution, accurate dating, and sensitive temperature signals, especially in central Asia and before AD 1400.
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| 4. |
- Shi, Feng, et al.
(författare)
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Interdecadal to Multidecadal Variability of East Asian Summer Monsoon Over the Past Half Millennium
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres. - 2169-897X .- 2169-8996. ; 127:20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) plays a crucial role for ecosystems and societies in East Asia past, present, and future. However, substantial uncertainties remain regarding EASM variability on interdecadal to multidecadal timescales because of the short length of instrumental data in East Asia. This study extended the EASM circulation index in the modern meteorological studies to the paleoclimate over the past half-millennium (1470-1998 CE) to reconcile the understanding of the EASM variability in paleoclimate and modern meteorological studies. The EASM index is reconstructed based on the common signal from the three main types of the proxy records (the tree rings, speleothems, and historical documentary data) related to EASM. The reconstructed EASM index captures the simultaneous changes of the "Meiyu precipitation" and the southwesterly anomalies in South China on interdecadal to multidecadal timescales, which is a dynamic pattern visible and well-documented in the modern meteorology. Analysis of the reconstructed EASM index suggests that the interdecadal to multidecadal EASM variability is closely associated with the Pacific-Japan teleconnection pattern, which acts as a bridge between the negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the anomalous anticyclonic circulation over the western North Pacific. It also indicates that the EASM variability over the recent 30 years (1992-2021 CE) falls within the range of natural variability over the past half-millennium.
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| 5. |
- Shi, Feng, et al.
(författare)
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Interdecadal to Multidecadal Variability of East Asian Summer Monsoon Over the Past Half Millennium
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-897X .- 2169-8996. ; 127:20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) plays a crucial role for ecosystems and societies in East Asia past, present, and future. However, substantial uncertainties remain regarding EASM variability on interdecadal to multidecadal timescales because of the short length of instrumental data in East Asia. This study extended the EASM circulation index in the modern meteorological studies to the paleoclimate over the past half-millennium (1470–1998 CE) to reconcile the understanding of the EASM variability in paleoclimate and modern meteorological studies. The EASM index is reconstructed based on the common signal from the three main types of the proxy records (the tree rings, speleothems, and historical documentary data) related to EASM. The reconstructed EASM index captures the simultaneous changes of the “Meiyu precipitation” and the southwesterly anomalies in South China on interdecadal to multidecadal timescales, which is a dynamic pattern visible and well-documented in the modern meteorology. Analysis of the reconstructed EASM index suggests that the interdecadal to multidecadal EASM variability is closely associated with the Pacific-Japan teleconnection pattern, which acts as a bridge between the negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the anomalous anticyclonic circulation over the western North Pacific. It also indicates that the EASM variability over the recent 30 years (1992–2021 CE) falls within the range of natural variability over the past half-millennium.
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| 6. |
- Tang, Jiaqi, et al.
(författare)
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Neurobehavioral changes induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and the protective effects of vitamin E in Kunming mice
- 2015
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Ingår i: Toxicology Research. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2045-452X .- 2045-4538. ; 4:4, s. 1006-1015
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer commonly used in PVC that may leach into the environment, and has been shown to adversely affect the health of humans and animals. We undertook a study to ascertain the neurotoxicity of DEHP in Kunming mice. This study included three rounds of testing. In the first round, Kunming mice were exposed to different concentrations of DEHP (0, 5, 50, 500 mg kg(-1) per day) after which their cognitive ability was assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in tissue and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of brains were also measured. In the second round, vitamin E (50 mg kg(-1) per day) was given daily as an anti-oxidant via the intragastric route. Cognitive deficits and locomotor activity, as well as ROS and MDA contents were tested employing the same methods. In the third round, the depressive mood of mice after DEHP exposure (500 mg kg(-1) per day) was measured using the open field test, the tail suspension test, and the forced swim test. The main findings of this study include: (1) a statistical association exists between DEHP oral exposure and spatial learning (DEHP 500 mg kg(-1) per day) and memory (DEHP 50 mg kg(-1) per day) dysfunction as ascertained by an MWM test of Kunming mice. (2) A statistical association was also found between DEHP oral exposure (50 and 500 mg kg(-1) per day) and oxidative stress (ROS and MDA) of mouse brain tissue. (3) Co-administration of vitamin E (50 mg kg(-1) per day) diminishes the elevation of ROS and MDA induced by DEHP (50 mg kg(-1) per day) from significant levels to non-significant levels. (4) Co-administration of vitamin E (50 mg kg(-1) per day) protects against mouse memory dysfunction induced by DEHP (50 mg kg(-1) per day) from being significant to being not significant. (5) In the 5 mg kg(-1) per day DEHP exposure groups, oxidative stress in brain tissue, and neurobehavioral changes were not found. (6) High dose DEHP exposure (500 mg kg(-1) per day) may induce behavioral despair in mice. Conclusions: These data suggest that DEHP is neurotoxic with regard to cognitive ability and locomotor activity.
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| 7. |
- Wang, Hao, et al.
(författare)
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In-situ growth of low-dimensional perovskite-based insular nanocrystals for highly efficient light emitting diodes
- 2023
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Ingår i: Light. - : SPRINGERNATURE. - 2095-5545 .- 2047-7538. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regulation of perovskite growth plays a critical role in the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices. However, judicious control of the grain growth for perovskite light emitting diodes is elusive due to its multiple requirements in terms of morphology, composition, and defect. Herein, we demonstrate a supramolecular dynamic coordination strategy to regulate perovskite crystallization. The combined use of crown ether and sodium trifluoroacetate can coordinate with A site and B site cations in ABX(3) perovskite, respectively. The formation of supramolecular structure retard perovskite nucleation, while the transformation of supramolecular intermediate structure enables the release of components for slow perovskite growth. This judicious control enables a segmented growth, inducing the growth of insular nanocrystal consist of low-dimensional structure. Light emitting diode based on this perovskite film eventually brings a peak external quantum efficiency up to 23.9%, ranking among the highest efficiency achieved. The homogeneous nano-island structure also enables high-efficiency large area (1 cm(2)) device up to 21.6%, and a record high value of 13.6% for highly semi-transparent ones.
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