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High-quality counterfeit stamp impressions made by inkjet printers remain challenging in questioned document examination and forensic analyses. A dataset comprised of various printed stamp impressions, using ten options of conditions and materials, and hand stamped impressions was generated. In this paper, we report printed impressions in pure color and high-quality printing mode are very similar to hand stamped impressions in terms of their microscopic characteristics. These similarities may lead to incorrect conclusions via traditional identification methods. Here, we proposed a method for identifying counterfeit stamp impressions via texture features and image quality parameters extracted from impressions. First, the statistical analysis methods were used to verify a significant difference between the printed and hand stamped impressions. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to show the variation between the impressions, and the differences between printed and hand stamped impressions were obvious in the three-dimensional plot. After filtering the background of the stamp impressions, image processing analysis was introduced to extract features of gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), segmentation-based fractal texture analysis (SFTA), local binary pattern (LBP), and image quality metrics (IQM), which were used to characterize the stamp impressions. Finally, specific cases were simulated by random selection, based on the dataset of stamp impressions, and an evaluation system for stamp evidence was established to calculate the likelihood ratios (LRs) under two alternative hypotheses. The likelihood ratio interprets calibrated evaluations on the strength of stamp impressions as evidence. We can also balance these LRs against the rates of misleading evidence with a reasonable performance (equal error rate = 0.048). This paper provides a system to differentiate high-quality printed and hand stamped impressions with reasonable performance. [Display omitted] •This paper reported the potential challenge a high-quality stamp impression poses to questioned document examination.•A comprehensive image processing properly demonstrates the difference between genuine and counterfeit stamp impressions.•Evidence evaluation helps to rigorously evaluate the strength of stamp impression evidence with a scientific interpretation.

The growth and physiological effects of either decreased precipitation (e.g., drought) or increased one (e.g., flooding) on trees have been extensively studied. However, less attention has been paid to the questions of whether and how trees respond to changes in precipitation regime with different rainfall amounts. To investigate the effects of water availability on sapling’s growth, tissue levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), and nutrients, we carried out a greenhouse experiment with Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) saplings grown in precipitation amounts of 300, 500, and 700 mm (3 levels) in combination with two levels of a watering regime (i.e., regular watering vs. pulsed watering, i.e., frequent low rainfall coupled with fewer instances of heavy rain) for a growing season in subtropical China. Pulsed watering caused higher soil pH (>7.5) but lower soil organic carbon and soil nutrients, and consequently led to smaller plant biomass and height of the saplings than regular watering, especially in the water amount treatment of 300 and 500 mm. Additionally, higher levels of NSCs in plant tissue concentrations were observed under pulsed watering than under regular watering, due to greater carbon consumption for supporting higher growth rate and a dilution effect by bigger plant size and biomass in the latter. Our results indicated that the growing season precipitation amount of 300 mm is sufficient for the drought-tolerant tree species P. massoniana. In such a case, the growing season precipitation regime rather than the precipitation amount will have a much stronger impact on the tree performance.

Background Large-for-gestational age (LGA), a marker of fetal overgrowth, has been linked to obesity in adulthood. Little is known about how infancy growth trajectories affect adiposity in early childhood in LGA. Methods In the Shanghai Birth Cohort, we followed up 259 LGA (birth weight >90th percentile) and 1673 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA, 10th–90th percentiles) children on body composition (by InBody 770) at age 4 years. Adiposity outcomes include body fat mass (BFM), percent body fat (PBF), body mass index (BMI), overweight/obesity, and high adiposity (PBF >85th percentile). Results Three weight growth trajectories (low, mid, and high) during infancy (0–2 years) were identified in AGA and LGA subjects separately. BFM, PBF and BMI were progressively higher from low- to mid-to high-growth trajectories in both AGA and LGA children. Compared to the mid-growth trajectory, the high-growth trajectory was associated with greater increases in BFM and the odds of overweight/obesity or high adiposity in LGA than in AGA children (tests for interactions, all P  < 0.05). Conclusions Weight trajectories during infancy affect adiposity in early childhood regardless of LGA or not. The study is the first to demonstrate that high-growth weight trajectory during infancy has a greater impact on adiposity in early childhood in LGA than in AGA subjects. Impact Large-for-gestational age (LGA), a marker of fetal overgrowth, has been linked to obesity in adulthood, but little is known about how weight trajectories during infancy affect adiposity during early childhood in LGA subjects. The study is the first to demonstrate a greater impact of high-growth weight trajectory during infancy (0–2 years) on adiposity in early childhood (at age 4 years) in subjects with fetal overgrowth (LGA) than in those with normal birth size (appropriate-for-gestational age). Weight trajectory monitoring may be a valuable tool in identifying high-risk LGA children for close follow-ups and interventions to decrease the risk of obesity.

The K-opioid receptor （KOR）, a member of the opioid receptor family, is widely expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Substantial evidence has shown that activation of KOR by agonists and endogenous opioid peptides in vivo may produce a strong analgesic effect that is free from the abuse potential and the adverse side effects of p-opioid receptor （MOR） agonists, such as morphine. In addition, activation of the KOR has also been shown to exert an inverse effect on morphine-induced adverse actions, such as tolerance, reward, and impairment of learning and memory. Therefore, the KOR has received much attention in the effort to develop alternative analgesics to MOR agonists and agents for the treatment of drug addiction. However, KOR agonists also produce several severe undesirable side effects such as dysphoria, water diuresis, salivation, emesis, and sedation in nonhuman primates, which may limit the clinical utility of KOR agonists for pain and drug abuse treatment. This article will review the role of KOR activation in mediating antinociception and addiction. The possible therapeutic application of K-agonists in the treatment of pain and drug addiction is also discussed.

Aim: To characterize the pharmacological profiles of a novel κ-opioid receptor agonist MB-1C-OH. Methods: [ 3 H]diprenorphine binding and [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assays were performed to determine the agonistic properties of MB-1C-OH. Hot plate, tail flick, acetic acid-induced writhing, and formalin tests were conducted in mice to evaluate the antinociceptive actions. Forced swimming and rotarod tests of mice were used to assess the sedation and depression actions. Results: In [ 3 H]diprenorphine binding assay, MB-1C-OH did not bind to μ- and δ-opioid receptors at the concentration of 100 μmol/L, but showed a high affinity for κ-opioid receptor ( K i =35 nmol/L). In [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assay, the compound had an E max of 98% and an EC 50 of 16.7 nmol/L for κ-opioid receptor. Subcutaneous injection of MB-1C-OH had no effects in both hot plate and tail flick tests, but produced potent antinociception in the acetic acid-induced writhing test (ED 50 =0.39 mg/kg), which was antagonized by pretreatment with a selective κ-opioid receptor antagonist Nor-BNI. In the formalin test, subcutaneous injection of MB-1C-OH did not affect the flinching behavior in the first phase, but significantly inhibited that in the second phase (ED 50 =0.87 mg/kg). In addition, the sedation or depression actions of MB-1C-OH were about 3-fold weaker than those of the classical κ agonist (−)U50,488H. Conclusion: MB-1C-OH is a novel κ-opioid receptor agonist that produces potent antinociception causing less sedation and depression.

The characters, research and utilization of Ground Granulated Blast Slag are presented in this paper. Some current use of GGBS in soft soil treatment is introduced. In addition, the paper also focuses on the comparative analysis of the effects of GGBS and Lime Stabilization which is the traditional method in soft soil treatment on compaction characteristics & Atterberg limits. Next, the strength mechanism of GGBS, a kind of Soli Stabilizer applied in soft soil treatment, is mainly explained and also the validity of GGBS has been proved. All of these indicate that GGBS has the superiority of social benefit, economic benefit and environmental benefit in soft soil treatment.

Aim: To investigate the effects of ATPM-ET [(−)-3-N-Ethylaminothiazolo [5,4-b]-N-cyclopropylmethylmorphinan hydrochloride] on physical dependence and behavioral sensitization to morphine in mice. Methods: The pharmacological profile of ATPM-ET was characterized using competitive binding and GTPγS binding assays. We then examined the antinociceptive effects of ATPM-ET in the hot plate test. Morphine dependence assay and behavioral sensitization assay were used to determine the effect of ATPM-ET on physical dependence and behavior sensitization to morphine in mice. Results: The binding assay indicated that ATPM-ET ATPM-ET exhibited a high affinity to both κ- and μ-opioid receptors with K i values of 0.15 nmol/L and 4.7 nmol/L, respectively, indicating it was a full κ-opioid receptor agonist and a partial μ-opioid receptor agonist. In the hot plate test, ATPM-ET produced a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect, with an ED 50 value of 2.68 (2.34–3.07) mg/kg. Administration of ATPM-ET (1 and 2 mg/kg, sc) prior to naloxone (3.0 mg/kg, sc) injection significantly inhibited withdrawal jumping of mice. In addition, ATPM-ET (1 and 2 mg/kg, sc) also showed a trend toward decreasing morphine withdrawal-induced weight loss. ATPM-ET (1.5 and 3 mg/kg, sc) 15 min before the morphine challenge significantly inhibited the morphine-induced behavior sensitization ( P <0.05). Conclusion: ATPM-ET may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of drug abuse.

Aim: To examine the relationship between the RAVE ( relative activity versus endocytosis ) values of opiate agonists and their dependence liability by studying several potent analgesics with special profiles in the development of physical and psychological dependence. Methods: The effects of (−)- cis -(3R,4S,2′R) ohmefentanyl (F9202), (+)- cis -(3 R ,4 S ,2′ S ) ohmefentanyl (F9204), dihydroetorphine (DHE) and morphine on [ 35 S]GTPγS binding, forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, and receptor internalization were studied in CHO cells stably expressing HA-tagged μ-opioid receptors (CHO-HA-MOR). cAMP overshoot in response to the withdrawal of these compound treatments was also tested. Results: All four agonists exhibited the same rank order of activity in stimulation of [ 35 S]GTPγS binding, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) and induction of receptor internalization: DHE>F9204>F9202>morphine. Based on these findings and the previous in vivo analgesic data obtained from our and other laboratories, the RAVE values of the four agonists were calculated. The rank order of RAVE values was morphine>F9202>F9204>DHE. For the induction of cAMP overshoot, the rank order was F9202≥morphine>F9204≥DHE. Conclusion: Taken in combination with previous findings of these compounds' liability to develop dependence, the present study suggests that the agonist with the highest RAVE value seems to have a relatively greater liability to develop psychological dependence relative to the agonist with the lowest RAVE value. However, the RAVE values of these agonists are not correlated with their probability of developing physical dependence or inducing cAMP overshoot, a cellular hallmark of dependence.

Experiments comparing microwave blank roasting and conventional blank roasting for typical vanadium-bearing stone coal from Hubei Province in central China, in which vanadium is present in muscovite, were conducted to investigate the effects of roasting tempera- ture, roasting time, H2SO4 concentration, and leaching time on vanadium extraction. The results show that the vanadium leaching efficiency is 84% when the sample is roasted at 800℃ for 30 min by microwave irradiation and the H2SO4 concentration, liquid/solid ratio, leaching temperature, and leaching time are set as 20vo1%, 1.5：1 mL.g-1, 95℃, and 8 h, respectively. However, the vanadium leaching efficiency achieved for the sample subjected to conventional roasting at 900℃ for 60 min is just 71% under the same leaching conditions. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） analysis shows that the microwave roasted samples contain more cracks and that the particles are more porous compared to the conventionally roasted samples. According to the results of X-ray diffraction （XRD） and Fourier-transform infrared （FTIR） analyses, neither of these roasting methods could completely destroy the mica lattice structure under the experimental conditions; however, both methods deformed the muscovite structure and facilitated the leaching process. Comparing with conventional roasting, microwave roasting causes a greater deformation of the mineral structure at a lower temperature for a shorter roasting time.

Background： The molecular mechanisms of Shenxianshengmai （SXSM）, a traditional Chinese medicine, on bradycardia have been incompletely understood. The study tried to investigate the gene expression profile and proteomics of bradycardia rabbits hearts after SXSM treatment. Methods： Twenty-four adult rabbits were randomly assigned in four groups： sham, model, model plus SXSM treatment, and sham plus SXSM treatment groups. Heart rate was recorded in all rabbits. Then, total RNA of atria and proteins of ventricle were isolated and quantified, respectively. Gene expression profiling was conducted by gene expression chip, and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was performed to confirm the results of gene expression chip. We used isobaric tags for elative and absolute quantitation and Western blotting to identify altered proteins after SXSM treatment. Results： There was a constant decrease in the mean heart rate （32%, from 238 ± 6 beats/min to 149± 12 beats/min） after six weeks in model compared with that in sham group. This effect was partially reversed by 4-week SXSM treatment. Complementary DNA microarray demonstrated that the increased acetylcholinesterase and reduced nicotinic receptor were take responsibility for the increased heart rate. In addition, proteins involved in calcium handling and signaling were affected by SXSM treatment. Real-time RT-PCR verified the results from gene chip. Results from proteomics demonstrated that SXSM enhanced oxidative phosphorylation and tricarboxylic acid （TCA） cycle in ventricular myocardium to improve ATP generation. Conclusions： Long-term SXSM stimulates sympathetic transmission by increasing the expression of acetylcholinesterase and reduces the expression of nicotinic receptor to increase heart rate. SXSM also restored the calcium handling genes and altered genes involved in signaling. In addition, SXSM improves the ATP supply of ventricular myocardium by increasing proteins involved in TCA cycle and oxidation-respiratory chain.