Uncertainty evaluation at three spatial scales for the NDVI-based VWC estimation method used in the SMAP algorithm

Vegetation water content (VWC) is the key input parameter for a soil moisture retrieval algorithm based on microwave remote sensing, and VWC uncertainty can limit the estimated accuracy of soil moisture. There has been little research on VWC algorithm development and validation in China, and the uncertainty of the VWC estimation method has not been well evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the uncertainty of the VWC estimation method used in the SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) algorithm on three spatial scales (the point-scale, 30 m scale, and 1 km scale) for maize in northeast China. Results from three ground experimental datasets showed that the SMAP VWC estimation method was strongly biased with an average overestimation of 1.16 kg m^?2,1.04 kg m^?2, and 1.13 kg m^?2 for the point-scale, 30 m scale, and 1 km scale respectively, and maximum bias occurred in the mid-stage of maize. Also, a new power relationship between NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and VWC was proposed for the 30 m scale based on Sentinel 2 NDVI and field VWC values from 2017 experiment, with respective R² (coefficient of determination) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) values of 0.80 and 0.67 kg m^?2. The results confirmed that this power relationship was still suitable for VWC estimation at the 1 km scale, and it has smaller bias than the original SMAP VWC method. Future work will be carried out to evaluate the applicability of this VWC estimation method over a lager region. It is expected that it can improve the accuracy of soil moisture by providing high precision VWC input parameters.     

Exact confidence intervals for the average causal effect on a binary outcome

Based on the physical randomization of completely randomized experiments, in a recent article in Statistics in Medicine, Rigdon and Hudgens propose two approaches to obtaining exact confidence intervals for the average causal effect on a binary outcome. They construct the first confidence interval by combining, with the Bonferroni adjustment, the prediction sets for treatment effects among treatment and control groups, and the second one by inverting a series of randomization tests. With sample size n, their second approach requires performing O(n⁴)randomization tests. We demonstrate that the physical randomization also justifies other ways to constructing exact confidence intervals that are more computationally efficient. By exploiting recent advances in hypergeometric confidence intervals and the stochastic order information of randomization tests, we propose approaches that either do not need to invoke Monte Carlo or require performing at most O(n²)randomization tests. We provide technical details and R code in the Supporting Information . Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A randomized study on the effect of modified behavioral activation treatment for depressive symptoms in rural left-behind elderly

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified behavioral activation treatment (MBAT) intervention on reducing depressive symptoms in rural left-behind elderly.

Method: This is a randomized study registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-IOR-17011289). Eighty rural left-behind elderly people who had a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score between 11 and 25 were randomly assigned to the intervention (n?=?40) and control group (n?=?40). The intervention group received both MBAT and regular treatment for 8 weeks while the control group received regular treatment. Both groups were assessed with the GDS, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention.

Results: There were a total of 73 participants that completed the intervention. The scores of GDS and BAI decreased significantly, but the scores of OHQ increased significantly in the intervention group after 8 sessions of MBAT (P?<?.01). The reduction in depression symptoms after the intervention was maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Significant differences in GDS, BAI, and OHQ scores were observed between the intervention group and the control group (P?<?.01).

Conclusion: MBAT produced a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than regular care in rural left-behind elderly.

Clinical or methodological significance of this article: A modified behavioral activation (BA) psychotherapy can significantly reduce the recurrence and seriousness of depression symptoms in the left-behind elderly with mild to moderate depression. This study also suggests that further study of the MBAT as an intervention will provide a direction for the management of mental health in rural left-behind elders.     

二补助育汤对胚胎着床障碍小鼠子宫血管生成相关因子表达的影响

目的：探讨二补助育汤对胚胎着床障碍模型小鼠子宫内膜形态及血管生成素-1（Ang-1）mRNA、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）mRNA的表达和定位的影响。方法：24只ICR雌性小鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、戊酸雌二醇组、二补助育汤组，每组6只，用米非司酮建立胚胎着床障碍动物模型，各组给予相应药物灌胃，妊娠第5天处死小鼠后，检测各组妊娠率、平均着床位点数、子宫内膜Ang-1和VEGF mRNA表达量及其蛋白定位。结果：模型组小鼠平均胚胎着床位点数、Ang-1 mRNA、VEGF mRNA表达量明显低于空白组（均P<0.05）；与模型组比较，二补助育汤组平均胚胎着床位点数、Ang-1 mRNA、VEGF mRNA表达量显著提高（均P<0.05）。结论：二补助育汤可提高子宫内膜Ang-1和VEGF蛋白表达量，促进子宫内膜血管生成，从而提高子宫内膜容受性。     

Toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to THP-1 macrophages: interactions with saturated or unsaturated free fatty acids

In a biological microenvironment, free fatty acids (FFA) as ubiquitous biological molecules might interact with nanoparticles (NPs) and consequently change the toxicological responses. However, whether the chemical structures of FFA could influence their interactions with NPs remain unknown. This study investigated the interactions between ZnO NPs and saturated or unsaturated FFA (complexed to BSA), namely stearic acid (SA, C18:0), oleic acid (OA, C18:1), and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3). It was shown that BSA, SA, OA, and ALA increased the atomic force microscope (AFM) heights as well the polydispersity index (PDI) of ZnO NPs. BSA modestly protected THP-1 macrophages from ZnO NP exposure, whereas OA and ALA led to relatively less cyto-protective effects of BSA. Moreover, only co-exposure to ZnO NPs and SA significantly promoted the release of interleukin-8. BSA, SA, OA, and ALA equally changed intracellular ROS and Zn ions associated with ZnO exposure, but co-exposure to ZnO NPs and OA/ALA particularly activated the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-apoptosis genes. In combination, these results showed that FFA could influence the colloidal aspects and toxicological signaling pathway of ZnO NPs, which is dependent on the number of unsaturated bonds of FFA.     

一种面向中医药数据的高效脱敏算法＊

目的 针对中医药大数据平台传统的加密方案效率不高的问题，提出一种高效的基于属性的内积加密的数据脱敏算法。方法 Hash（哈希）算法是应用广泛的高效的数据加密方法，但传统的哈希算法基于单一的控制策略，效率不高。本文提出一种基于属性的内积加密的数据脱敏算法，把批量的敏感数据分割为不同长度数据颗粒度，与特定密文的哈希进行内积处理。结果 在面对中医药大数据平台的海量数据加密的场景，与传统的哈希加密算法相比，本文提供的加密算法具有很好的性能。结论 为了保障个人隐私数据不被泄露，中医药大数据平台中的个人医疗数据需要加密脱敏后，才能进行分析处理或对外发布。本文提出的算法具备灵活的数据颗粒度、策略和高效的性能表现，适用于海量的中医药数据脱敏。     

肌萎缩侧索硬化案

肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)是一种常见的上、下运动神经元同时损害的一种疾病,临床常见肢体无力、肌肉萎缩等症状。属中医学“痿证”范畴,本例验案患者双上肢及左下肢活动无力伴肌肉萎缩2年余,加重半年,伴随肌张力增高、反射亢进等症状,辨证属肝肾亏虚型痿证,临床以针刺治疗为主,配合静脉注射、穴位注射以补益肝肾,养血柔筋,疗效显著。