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The dormant state known as diapause is widely exploited by insects to circumvent winter and other adverse seasons. For an insect to survive, feed, and reproduce at the appropriate time of year requires fine coordination of the timing of entry into and exit from diapause. One of the hormones that regulates diapause in moths is the 24-aa neuropeptide, diapause hormone (DH). Among members of the Helicoverpa/Heliothis complex of agricultural pests, DH prompts the termination of pupal diapause. Based on the structure of DH, we designed several agonists that are much more active than DH in breaking diapause. One such agonist that we describe also prevents the entry into pupal diapause when administered to larvae that are environmentally programmed for diapause. In addition, we used the unique antagonist development strategy of incorporating a dihydroimidazole ("Jones") trans-Proline mimetic motif into one of our DH agonists, thereby converting the agonist into a DH antagonist that blocks the termination of diapause. These results suggest potential for using such agents or next-generation derivatives for derailing the success of overwintering in pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new set of δ34Ssulfide, δ 34Ssulfate and δ13Ccarbonate values has been reported from Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks in southern China. The interglacial black shales of the Datangpo Fm. display higher δ34Ssulfide values with > + 20%o average, but the post - glacial black shales from the Doushantuo Fm. show negative δ34Ssulfide values. However, the Jinjiadong Fm., the same post-glaciation as the Doushantuo Fm., has positive δ34Ssulfide values, implying that the δ34S value of sedimentary suIfides would be controlled by lithofacies and paleogeographic environments. The δ34Ssulfate values relative to δ13Ccarbonate were obtained by extraction of trace sulfate from the successive carbonate sequences in the Yangtze Gorges sections. A preliminary interpretation suggests that the oceanic environment may fluctuate dramatically at the post-glacial Doushantuo stage and, then, recover its stability at the Dengying stage on the basis of the high resolution δ34S and δ13C curves of seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze Block in South China is one of the important regions where Neoproterozoic glacial rocks are well developed and studied. However, the classification and correlation of the Neoproterozic glacial sequences in the central Yangtze Block still remain controversial among Chinese geologists. The original Sinian sections around the Yangtze Gorges Region became an official standard for classification and correlation since the 1950s. Subsequent regional geologic studies, however, resulted in different classification and correlation, because of its incompleteness. We select one of the complete sections in the bordering areas of Xiang (Hunan), Qian (Guizhou) and Gui (Guangxj), as a standard of classification and correlation. The temporal and spatial distribution, i.e. the stratigraphic architecture, of the glacial rocks in the central Yangtze Block is suggested. Our results indicate that the glacial sequence on the Yangtze Block was deposited during the Nantuo Ice-age, the Datangpo Interglacial-age and Jiangkou Ice-age, in descending order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Generalised epilepsy is thought to involve distributed brain networks. However, the molecular and cellular factors that render different brain regions more vulnerable to epileptogenesis remain largely unknown. We aimed to investigate epilepsy-related morphometric similarity network (MSN) abnormalities at the macroscale level and their relationships with microscale gene expressions at the microscale level. Methods: We compared the MSN of genetic generalised epilepsy with generalised tonic-clonic seizure patients (GGE-GTCS, n = 101) to demographically matched healthy controls (HC, n = 150). Cortical MSNs were estimated by combining seven morphometric features derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging for each individual. Regional gene expression profiles were derived from brain-wide microarray measurements provided by the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Results: GGE-GTCS patients exhibited decreased regional MSNs in primary motor, prefrontal and temporal regions and increases in occipital, insular and posterior cingulate cortices, when compared with the HC. These case-control neuroimaging differences were validated using split-half analyses and were not affected by medication or drug response effects. When assessing associations with gene expression, genes associated with GGE-GTCS-related MSN differences were enriched in several biological processes, including 'synapse organisation', 'neurotransmitter transport' pathways and excitatory/inhibitory neuronal cell types. Collectively, the GGE-GTCS-related cortical vulnerabilities were associated with chromosomes 4, 5, 11 and 16 and were dispersed bottom-up at the cellular, pathway and disease levels, which contributed to epileptogenesis, suggesting diverse neurobiologically relevant enrichments in GGE-GTCS. Conclusions: By bridging the gaps between transcriptional signatures and in vivo neuroimaging, we highlighted the importance of using MSN abnormalities of the human brain in GGE-GTCS patients to investigate disease-relevant genes and biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of climatic conditions prior to the Sturtian glaciations is critical to understanding the trigger mechanism for the series of Neoproterozoic global glaciations. In this study, we report high-resolution chemical index of alteration (CIA) records in the sediments of South China prior to the Sturtian glaciation (820∼720 Ma). Our results showed there occurred multiple climate cooling before the Sturtian glaciations in South China: (1) a series of episodic and possibly global climate cooling periods from ca. 750 Ma to 725 Ma, which also caused some diachronous regional glaciations; (2) a permanent climate cooling period between ca. 800 Ma and 770 Ma, probably contemporaneous to the global "Bitter Springs stage"' δ13C negative excursion; (3) a climate cooling period between ca. 815 Ma and 810 Ma. The three stages of climate cooling are also supported by their correspondence to previously reported extremely low δ18O records of igneous/metamorphic minerals from South China. These climate cooling periods also coincide with the magmatism and rifting events in South China. We argue that tectonic movements were the primary control on the climate cooling before the Neoproterozoic global glaciations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the fluctuations of electric charge and current in the coupled non-dissipating circuits. Information on the development of nanotechnology and nonoelectronics; Details on linear canonical transformation equations; Discussion on the quantum squeezing effect.