Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has the largest areas of permafrost terrain in the mid-and low-latitude regions of the world. Some permafrost distribution maps have been compiled but, due to limited data sources, ambiguous criteria, inadequate validation, and deficiency of high-quality spatial data sets, there is high uncertainty in the mapping of the permafrost distribution on the TP. We generated a new permafrost map based on freezing and thawing indices from modified Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperatures (LSTs) and validated this map using various ground-based data sets. The soil thermal properties of five soil types across the TP were estimated according to an empirical equation and soil properties (moisture content and bulk density). The temperature at the top of permafrost (TTOP) model was applied to simulate the permafrost distribution. Permafrost, seasonally frozen ground, and unfrozen ground covered areas of 1.06 × 10 6 km 2 (0.97-1.15 × 10 6 km 2 , 90 % confidence interval) (40 %), 1.46 × 10 6 (56 %), and 0.03 × 10 6 km 2 (1 %), respectively, excluding glaciers and lakes. Ground-based observations of the permafrost distribution across the five investigated regions (IRs, located in the transition zones of the permafrost and seasonally frozen ground) and three highway transects (across the entire permafrost regions from north to south) were used to validate the model. Validation results showed that the kappa coefficient varied from 0.38 to 0.78 with a mean of 0.57 for the five IRs and 0.62 to 0.74 with a mean of 0.68 within the three transects. Compared with earlier studies, the TTOP modelling results show greater accuracy. The results provide more detailed information on the permafrost distribution and basic data for use in future research on the Tibetan Plateau permafrost.

Background The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging worldwide threat to public health. While chest computed tomography (CT) plays an indispensable role in its diagnosis, the quantification and localization of lesions cannot be accurately assessed manually. We employed deep learning-based software to aid in detection, localization and quantification of COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods A total of 2460 RT-PCR tested SARS-CoV-2-positive patients (1250 men and 1210 women; mean age, 57.7 ± 14.0 years (age range, 11-93 years) were retrospectively identified from Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan from February 11 to March 16, 2020. Basic clinical characteristics were reviewed. The uAI Intelligent Assistant Analysis System was used to assess the CT scans. Results CT scans of 2215 patients (90%) showed multiple lesions of which 36 (1%) and 50 patients (2%) had left and right lung infections, respectively (> 50% of each affected lung's volume), while 27 (1%) had total lung infection (> 50% of the total volume of both lungs). Overall, 298 (12%), 778 (32%) and 1300 (53%) patients exhibited pure ground glass opacities (GGOs), GGOs with sub-solid lesions and GGOs with both sub-solid and solid lesions, respectively. Moreover, 2305 (94%) and 71 (3%) patients presented primarily with GGOs and sub-solid lesions, respectively. Elderly patients (≥ 60 years) were more likely to exhibit sub-solid lesions. The generalized linear mixed model showed that the dorsal segment of the right lower lobe was the favoured site of COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion Chest CT combined with analysis by the uAI Intelligent Assistant Analysis System can accurately evaluate pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Keywords 2019 novel coronavirus. Viral pneumonia. Artificial intelligence (AI). Computed tomography (CT). Ground glass opacity (GGO) Hai-tao Zhang, Jin-song Zhang and Hai-hua Zhang contributed equally to this work.

4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPA) is an active component of Chinese herb Aster tataricus which had been widely used in China for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of 4-HPA on seawater aspiration-induced lung injury. Pulmonary inflammation and edema were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) white cell count, Evans blue dye analysis, wet to dry weight ratios, and histology study. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) siRNA and permeability assay were used to study the effect of 4-HPA on the production of inflammatory cytokines and monolayer permeability in vitro. The results showed that 4-HPA reduced seawater instillation-induced mortality in rats. In lung tissues, 4-HPA attenuated hypoxia, inflammation, vascular leak, and edema, and decreased HIF-1α protein level. In primary rat alveolar epithelial cells (AEC), 4-HPA decreased hypertonicity- and hypoxia-induced HIF-1α protein levels through inhibiting the activations of protein translational regulators and via promoting HIF-1α protein degradation. In addition, 4-HPA lowered inflammatory cytokines levels through suppressing hypertonicity- and hypoxia-induced HIF-1α in NR8383 macrophages. Moreover, 4-HPA decreased monolayer permeability through suppressing hypertonicity and hypoxia-induced HIF-1α, which was mediated by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rat lung microvascular endothelial cell line (RLMVEC). In conclusion, 4-HPA attenuated inflammation and edema through suppressing hypertonic and hypoxic induction of HIF-1α in seawater aspiration-induced lung injury in rats.

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Abstract. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80-85% of all lung cancer cases and the prognosis of NSCLC patients is unsatisfactory since 5-year survival rate of NSCLC is still as low as 11%. Natural compounds derived from plants with few or no side effects have been recognized as alternative or auxiliary cure for cancer patients. Phloretin is such an agent possessing various pharmacological activities; however, there is scarce information on its anticancer effects on NSCLC. It was evaluated and confirmed, in the present study, that phloretin inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in A549, Calu-1, H838 and H520 cells in a dosedependent manner, phloretin also suppressed the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells. We further confirmed that phloretin dose-dependently suppressed the expression of Bcl-2, increased the protein expression of cleaved-caspase-3 and -9, and deregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and -9 on gene and protein levels. Besides, evaluations revealed that phloretin enhanced the anticancer effects of cisplatin on inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, phloretin facilitated the effects of cisplatin on deregulation of Bcl-2, MMP-2 and -9, and upregulation of cleaved-caspase-3 and -9. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that phloretin possessed anticancer effects and enhanced the anticancer effects of cisplatin on NSCLC cell lines by suppressing proliferation, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting invasion and migration of the cells through regulating apoptotic pathways and MMPs. IntroductionLung cancer is the most frequent reason for cancer related death and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~80-85% of all lung cancer cases (1). Although there has been notable progression in combination chemotherapy and surgical techniques, the prognosis of NSCLC patients is still unsatisfactory since 5-year survival rate of NSCLC with all stages and histological types is as low as 11% (2). Besides the prolonged life time, the survival quality of NSCLC patients should also be taken care of, while the high toxicity of anticancer drugs adopted in clinical first line to normal tissues and cells is an impassable barrier for cancer therapy and a heavy burden for patients to bear. It would be better if there were some methods that could improve the clinical therapy effects and relieve the pain of the patients.Agents derived from various plants with few or no side effects have been recognized as potential alternative or auxiliary cure for cancer patients. Flavonoids, one major class of polyphenols, are well known for their antioxidant activity by eliminating reactive oxygen species (3) and chelating metal atoms (4,5). There is also substantial research suggesting that flavonoids have anticancer effects (6). Phloretin [3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(2,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)] is one of the major phenolic flavonoid glucosides (structure showed in Fig. 1) found in apples and other plants, such as Pieris japonica, Hoveniae Lignum and...

Resveratrol is a plant-derived natural compound which possesses potential anticancer properties. However, there are scarce reports on its anticancer effects in non-small cell lung cancer and its auxiliary function on the anticancer effects of cisplatin. In the present study, we investigated the effects of resveratrol on the cell viability and apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer H838 and H520 cell lines. It has been found that resveratrol inhibited the proliferation of H838 and H520 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and apoptosis was increased in cells treated with resveratrol which was associated with the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol, and abnormal expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins. Above all, resveratrol enhanced the effects of cisplatin on inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, induction of cell apoptosis, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c and regulation on expression of Bcl-2 and Bax. Results from the present study demonstrated that resveratrol exhibited its anticancer effects on non-small cell lung cancer H838 and H520 cell lines, and enhanced the antitumor effects of cisplatin by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. These results have put forward the rationale for further basic research and preclinical investigation on the anticancer effects of resveratrol against human non-small cell lung cancer.

There are several publications related to the soil organic carbon (SOC) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). However, most of these reports were from different parts of the plateau with various sampling depth. Here, we present the results from a systematic sampling and analysis of 200 soil pits. Most of the pits were deeper than 2 m from an east-west transect across the plateau. The SOC and total nitrogen (TN) pools of the 148 × 104 km2, the area of the permafrost zone, for the upper 2 m soils calculated from the vegetation map were estimated to be 17.07 Pg (interquartile range: 11.34–25.33 Pg) and 1.72 Pg (interquartile range: 1.08–2.06 Pg), respectively. We also predicted the distribution of land cover types in 2050 and 2070 using decision tree rules and climate scenarios, and then predicted SOC and TN pools of this region. The results suggested that the SOC and TN pools will decrease in the future. The results not only contribute to the carbon and nitrogen storage and stocks in the permafrost regions as a whole but most importantly, to our knowledge of the possible changes of C and N storage on the QTP in the future.