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Congenital heart disorders (CHDs) are common, estimated to affect 8 out of every 1000 live births, and they are associated with high mortality and morbidity. It is still unknown what causes CHDs. In the pathophysiology of CHD, environmental and inherited factors are both involved. The zinc-finger transcription factor GATA4 is crucial for the early stages of heart morphogenesis. Early expression of GATA4 in the pro-cardiogenic splanchnic mesoderm is necessary for the creation of pre-epicardium during cardiac development. Additionally, it controls the expression of the Wnt 11 gene, which controls early cardiogenesis. Congenital heart disorders are thought to be brought on by GATA4 mutations. The role of GATA4 mutations in the occurrence of congenital cardiac disorders in our environment is not well understood. Case–control GATA4 mutation analysis was performed to shed light on the etiology of sporadic non-syndromic congenital cardiac disorders. Using high-resolution melting assays and sequencing analysis, we have screened exons 7 and 2 of GATA4, which are regarded as molecular hot spots in patients with sporadic congenital heart diseases. In addition, we sequenced GATA4 exon 7, which comprises crucial regulatory components involved in polyadenylation, nuclear transport, translation, and messenger RNA degradation. We have taken into account non-inherited risk factors that are also connected to the pathophysiology of congenital heart disorders, such as folic acid, alcohol, gestational age, birth weight, and maternal age. We have identified missense insertion, silent substitution, and missense substitution of the GATA4 gene in phenotypes, namely; tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defects, and atrial septal defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the impacts of organic cropping system on global warming potentials (GWPs), field measurements of CH and NO were taken in conventional and organic rice ( Oryza sativa L.) cropping systems in southeast China. Rice paddies were under various water regimes, including continuous flooding (F), flooding-midseason drainage-reflooding (F-D-F), and flooding-midseason drainage-reflooding and moisture but without waterlogging (F-D-F-M). Nitrogen was applied at the rate of 100 kg N ha, as urea-N or pelletized, dehydrated manure product in conventional or organic rice paddies, respectively. Seasonal fluxes of CH averaged 4.44, 2.14, and 1.75 mg m h for the organic paddy plots under the water regimes of F, F-D-F and F-D-F-M, respectively. Relative to conventional rice paddies, organic cropping systems increased seasonal CH emissions by 20%, 23%, and 35% for the plots under the water regimes of F, F-D-F, and F-D-F-M, respectively. Under the water regimes of F-D-F and F-D-F-M, seasonal NO-N emissions averaged 10.85 and 13.66 μg m h in organic rice paddies, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in conventional rice paddies. The net global warming potentials (GWPs) of CH and NO emissions from organic rice paddies relative to conventional rice paddies were significantly higher or comparable under various water regimes. The greenhouse gas intensities were greater, while carbon efficiency ratios were lower in organic relative to conventional rice paddies. The results of this study suggest that organic cropping system might not be an effective option for mitigating the combined climatic impacts from CH and NO in paddy rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the sequence of a gene encoding a high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) expressed in the endosperm of the wheat relative Australopyrum retrofractum. Although the subunit has a similar primary structure to that HMW-GS genes present in other Triticeae species, its N-terminal domain is shorter, its central repetitive domain includes a unique dodecameric motif, and its C-terminal domain contain an extra cysteine residue. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the Glu-W1 gene is neither a true x- nor a true y-type subunit, although it is more closely related to the y-type genes present in the K and E genomes than to any other published HMW-GS gene. All these results indicated that this novel subunit may undergo a special evolutionary process different from other Triticeae species. A flour supplementation experiment showed that the Glu-W1 subunit has a negative effect on dough quality, which might be the result of interaction between the two closely placed cysteine residues in the C-terminal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild tall wheatgrass ( Lophopyrum elongatum L., 2 x = 14) is an important resource for improving bread wheat ( Titicum aestivum L.), including HMW-GS and LMW-GS relevant to end-use quality of the wheat flour. A set of 14 distinct sequences were amplified from the genomic DNA of the tall wheatgrass, using degenerate primers targeted at Glu-3, the locus containing the genes encoding the low-molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS). Three sequences contained an internal stop codon and were classified as pseudogenes. The other 11 all consisted of a single intron-less intact open-reading frame. An alignment of deduced protein sequences showed that the primary structure of all 11 sequences was similar to that of wheat and other wheat-related grass Glu-3 genes. All 11 sequences carried the 14 amino acid residue N-terminal motif MESNIIISFLK/RPWL, and were classified as LMW-m genes, based on the identity of the first amino acid of the mature protein. All but one of the sequences contained seven cysteine residues (the exception had 6). Their repetitive domain differs significantly from that present in Glu-3 genes isolated from the close relative intermediate wheatgrass ( Thinopyrum Intermedium, 6 x). A phylogenetic analysis showed that the tall wheatgrass sequences were closely related to those of the intermediate wheatgrass, but only distantly so to those from decaploid tall wheatgrass. One of the 11 LMW-GS peptides with a free-cysteine residue was heterologously expressed in E. coli and purified in sufficient scale to perform a flour supplementation test. This showed that the dough strength of bread wheat flour was significantly increased by the presence of the tall wheatgrass LMW-GS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the distribution and clinical value of accessory hepatic veins (AHVs), we investigated the number and caliber of the AHVs and the angles between the shafts of AHVs and inferior caval vein. We analyzed the anatomical dissections, serial transverse and coronal sections (0.1–0.2 mm) of a frozen liver, and the ultrasonographical and enhanced CT images of healthy patients. We found that: (1) Most of the angles between the AHVs and inferior caval veins on the thin sections (78%) and liver dissections (72%) were acute ( P < 0.01), while the AHVs with right angles had significantly larger average calibers ( P < 0.05). However, on the contrary, most of the angles between the AHVs and inferior caval veins were right angles as observed in ultrasonography (89%) and spiral CT images (83%) ( P < 0.01). The angle parameters appear to be more selective when displaying the AHVs on ultrasonography and spiral CT images. (2) The presentation rates of the AHVs in ultrasonic and spiral CT images were much lower than those of the anatomical dissections ( P < 0.01). (3) There were no apparent differences in displaying right inferior hepatic veins between ultrasonography and spiral CT ( P > 0.05). However, the presentation rate of small AHVs was much lower in spiral CT images ( P < 0.05). (4) The ultrasonographical and spiral CT scans provide effective reference for the diagnosis of Budd-child syndrome, hepatectomy, especially liver hanging maneuver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PCR-based strategy was applied to obtain the DNA sequence of γ-gliadin open reading frames present in line II-12, a derivative from a somatic hybrid between bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Jinan177 and tall wheatgrass ( Lophopyrum ponticum, 10×). A total 50 analysable sequences were obtained, 18 from II-12 and 16 each from the parents. Amplicon length ranged from 720 to 936 bp, corresponding to a putative mature protein of 239–309 residues. The primary structure of these putative proteins comprised five domains, of which only two varied in length. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the mature γ-gliadin sequences fell into four major clades. Group 1 contained sequences shared between II-12 and L. ponticum, suggesting that some L. ponticum γ-gliadin genes are present in the introgression line. Group 3 has five Jinan177 and five II-12 sequences, indicating that II-12 also carries wheat versions of Gli-1. Group 2 and 4 comprised four and two II-12, three and one Jinan177 as well as one and four L. ponticum sequences, respectively. Fewer genes encoding coeliac disease epitopes were present in II-12 than in the wheat donor parent. Three II-12 γ-gliadins and one from the wheat parent contained an odd number of cysteine residues, and two of them had an additional cysteine residue at the amino end of domain V. The possible use of II-2 for improving quality of bread wheat is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic hybridization between bread wheat and tall wheatgrass ( Agropyron elongatum) has generated fertile introgression progenies with novel combinations of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS). Most of these novel HMW-GS alleles were stably inherited. Sixteen HMW-GS sequences were PCR amplified from three introgression progeny lines and sequenced. The alignment of these sequences indicated that five, probably derived from point mutations of the parental genes, whereas eight likely represent the product of replication slippage. Three Glu-1Ay sequences appear to have lost the transposon presented in the parental gene. Two subunits carry an additional cysteine residue, which may be favorable to the quality of end-use product. We demonstrate that novel HMW-GS alleles can be rapidly generated via asymmetric somatic hybridization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bread wheat quality is mainly correlated with high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) of endosperm. The number of HMW-GS alleles with good processing quality is limited in bread wheat cultivars, while there are plenty of HMW-GS alleles in wheat-related grasses to exploit. We report here on the cloning and characterization of HMW-GS alleles from the decaploid Agropyron elongatum. Eleven novel HMW-GS alleles were cloned from the grass. Of them, five are x-type and six y-type glutenin subunit genes. Three alleles Aex4, Aey7, and Aey9 showed high similarity with another three alleles from the diploid Lophopyrum elongatum, which provided direct evidence for the Ee genome origination of A. elongatum. It was noted that C-terminal regions of three alleles of the y-type genes Aey8, Aey9, and Aey10 showed more similarity with x-type genes than with other y-type genes. This demonstrates that there is a kind of intermediate state that appeared in the divergence between x- and y-type genes in the HMW-GS evolution. One x-type subunit, Aex4, with an additional cysteine residue, was speculated to be correlated with the good processing quality of wheat introgression lines. Aey4 was deduced to be a chimeric gene from the recombination between another two genes. How the HMW-GS genes of A. elongatum may contribute to the improvement of wheat processing quality are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the method for obtaining the thin sectional anatomy data of the adult temporal bone and study the fine structures using this method. Three fresh adult cadaveric heads were scanned with multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) centered on petrous bones. The CT images of 0.6 mm were obtained by multi-planar reformation (MPR). The slices of 0.1 mm were shaved off the specimen in the axial direction with the numerical control milling machine after being embedded and frozen, pictures of which were taken by the digital camera and saved in the computer. The thin axial sectional anatomic structures of the intra-temporal were investigated and correlated with MPR images. Via the comparison, fifty micro-anatomic structures of the temporal bone that can’t be delineated clearly or missed in the thick sections were evaluated. The anatomical details of the temporal bone can be clearly delineated in MSCT in sub-millimeter and were identical to those in sectional anatomy images. This method can supply anatomical details that had been missed or overlooked for imaging diagnosis and surgical anatomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil extractable nitrate, ammonium, and organic nitrogen (N) are essential N sources supporting primary productivity and regulating species composition of terrestrial plants. However, it remains unclear how plants utilize these N sources and how surface-earth environments regulate plant N utilization. Here, we establish a framework to analyze observational data of natural N isotopes in plants and soils globally, we quantify fractional contributions of soil nitrate (fNO3-), ammonium (fNH4+), and organic N (fEON) to plant-used N in soils. We find that mean annual temperature (MAT), not mean annual precipitation or atmospheric N deposition, regulates global variations of fNO3-, fNH4+, and fEON. The fNO3- increases with MAT, reaching 46% at 28.5 °C. The fNH4+ also increases with MAT, achieving a maximum of 46% at 14.4 °C, showing a decline as temperatures further increase. Meanwhile, the fEON gradually decreases with MAT, stabilizing at about 20% when the MAT exceeds 15 °C. These results clarify global plant N-use patterns and reveal temperature rather than human N loading as a key regulator, which should be considered in evaluating influences of global changes on terrestrial ecosystems. Isotopic constraints reveal that soil nitrogen contribution to global plants is temperature-controlled, not by precipitation or nitrogen deposition. As temperatures rise, inorganic nitrogen becomes more important and preferred over organic nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying biochar amendment and manure in tea plantation ecosystems can diminish soil acidification and degradation. However, the impact of these practices on soil respiration and associated mechanisms remains unclear. In this study, we combined a two-year field experiment and laboratory analyses based on soil properties, functional genes, and microbial co-occurrence networks to explore the determinants of soil respiration intensity in a subtropical tea plantation with biochar amendment and manure application. The results showed that the effect of biochar amendment on soil respiration was unconspicuous. Although biochar amendment increased bacterial richness and Shannon index, biochar amendment did not alter the abundance of species associated with C-cycling functional genes. Besides directly adding recalcitrant C to the soil, biochar also indirectly enhanced C sequestration by weakly increasing soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, replacing mineral fertilizer with manure significantly stimulated soil respiration in the tea plantation, resulting in a 36% increase in CO2 emissions over two years. The increase in CO2 emissions under the manure treatment was mainly attributed to the increased soil labile C pool, the activity of hydrolytic enzymes (e.g., cellobiohydrolase and acetylglucosaminidase), and the relative abundance of functional genes associated with the C-cycle. This may also be related to the application of manure that increased the abundance of Gemmatimonadetes and altered ecological clusters in bacterial co-occurrence networks. Our correlation network analysis suggested that Gemmatimonadetes might be the potential hosts for C-cycling genes due to their strong positive correlation with the abundance of C-cycling genes. Overall, these findings provide new insights into soil respiration under biochar amendment and manure application in tea plantations and broaden the options for carbon sequestration in soils. Highlights: Manure application rather than biochar amendment increased acidic soil respiration. Biochar application promoted soil C sequestration in the tea plantation. Manure application stimulated CO2 emissions by altering ecological clusters' abundance. Gemmatimonadetes might be the dominant hosts for C-cycling genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to evaluate various branching patterns of segmental bronchi in the left superior and lingular lobes and to survey the anatomical diversity and sex-related differences of these branches in a large sample of the study population. Materials and methods: Overall, 10,000 participants (5428 males, and 4572 females, mean age 50 ± 13.5 years [SD] years; age range: 3–91 years) who underwent multi-slice CT (MSCT) scans between September 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively included. Using the syngo.via post-processing workstation, the data were applied to generate three-dimensional (3D) and virtual bronchoscopy (VB) simulations of a bronchial tree. The reconstructed images were then interpreted to identify and categorize distinct bronchial patterns in the left superior and lingular lobes. Cross-tabulation analysis and the Pearson Chi-square (χ2) test were used to calculate the constituent ratios of bronchial branch types and determine their significance between male and female groups. Results: Our results revealed mainly four distinct types for the left superior lobe (LSL) bronchial tree, i.e., (B1 + 2, B3, 76.13%); (B1 + 2 + 3, 17.32%); (B1 + 3, B2, 5.74%); (B1a + B3, B1b + B2, 0.81%) and two types for the left lingular lobe (LLL) bronchial tree, i.e., (B4, B5, 91.05%); (B4, B5, B*, 8.95%). There were no significant sex-related differences in the proportion of bronchial branches in LLL (P > 0.05). However, sex-related differences were significant in the proportion of bronchial branches in LSL (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The current study has validated the presence of segmental bronchial variations in the left superior and lingular lobes. These findings may have a crucial effect on the diagnosis of symptomatic patients, as well as in carrying out procedures such as lung resections, endotracheal intubation, and bronchoscopies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this research was to analyze and correlate the length of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) with significant clinical parameters using multi-slice CT (MSCT). Materials and Methods: 1500 patients (851 males and 649 females; mean age 57.38 ± 11.03 [SD]; age range: 5–85 years) who underwent MSCT scans from September 2020 to March 2022 were retrospectively included. The data were applied to generate three-dimensional (3D) simulations of a coronary tree using the syngo.via post-processing workstation. The reconstructed images were then interpreted, and the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The results showed 1206 (80.4%) cases with medium LMCA, 133 (8.9%) with long LMCA, and 161 (10.7%) with short LMCA. The average diameter of LMCA at its midpoint was 4.69 ± 0.74 mm. The most frequent type of division of LMCA was bifurcation in 1076 (71.7%) cases; in 424 (28.3%) cases, the LMCA was divided into three or more branches. The dominance was right in 1339 (89.3%), left in 78 (5.2%), and co-dominant in 83 (5.5%) cases. There was a positive correlation between the length and branching patterns of LMCA, χ2 = 113.993, P = 0.000 (< 0.05). Other variables like age, sex, diameter of LMCA, and coronary dominance did not show any significant correlation. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated a significant association between the length and the branching pattern of LMCA, which may be essential in diagnosing and treating coronary artery patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the various branching patterns of segmental bronchi in the right middle lobe (RML) and to survey the anatomical diversity and sex-related differences of these branches in a large sample of the study population. Materials and methods: In this retrospective board-approved study with informed consent, 10,000 participants (5428 males and 4,572 females, mean age 50 ± 13.5 years [SD]; age range: 3–91 years) who underwent multi-slice CT (MSCT) scans from September 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively included. The data were applied to generate three-dimensional (3D) and virtual bronchoscopy (VB) simulations of a bronchial tree using the syngo.via post-processing workstation. The reconstructed images were then interpreted to locate and classify distinct bronchial patterns in the RML. Cross-tabulation analysis and the Pearson chi-square test were used to calculate the constituent ratios of bronchial branch types and determine their significance between male and female groups. Results: Our results revealed that the segmental bronchial ramifications of the RML were classified into two types mainly, i.e., bifurcation (B4, B5, 91.42%) and trifurcation (B4, B5, B*, 8.58%). There were no significant sex-related differences in the proportion of bronchial branches in the RML (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The current study has confirmed the presence of segmental bronchial variations in the RML lobe using 3D reconstruction and virtual bronchoscopy. These findings may have significant implications for the diagnosis of symptomatic patients and for carrying out specific procedures like bronchoscopy, endotracheal intubation, and lung resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does unfair experience make people feel more entitled to behave selfishly? If so, can a sense of growth effectively weaken the effect of unfairness on selfishness? Drawing upon the Equity with the World (EwW) theory, three lab-based experiments (total N = 408) were conducted to answer these questions. We consistently found that people who had just been treated unfairly or reminded of a time when their lives were unfair felt entitled to behave selfishly. Consistent with a trans-relational effect, unfair victims behave selfishly toward the unfair doer as well as innocent individuals, and there was no significant difference in strength. Reconstructing a sense of growth could effectively buffer the "unfairness-to-selfishness" effect. The findings added a new perspective into interventions, and extended the EwW theory by demonstrating a strong reciprocative tendency from the fair-treated individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) is a complex associative tract comprising three distinct subdivisions in the frontoparietal cortex, each of which has its own anatomical connectivity and functional roles. However, many studies on white matter development, hampered by limitations of data quality and tractography methods, treated the SLF as a single entity. The exact anatomical trajectory and developmental status of each sub-bundle of the human SLF in neonates remain poorly understood. Here, we compared the morphological and microstructural characteristics of each branch of the SLF at two ages using diffusion MRI data from 40 healthy neonates and 40 adults. A multi-shell multi-tissue constrained spherical deconvolution (MSMT-CSD) algorithm was used to ensure the successful separation of the three SLF branches (SLF I, SLF II and SLF III). Then, between-group differences in the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) metrics were investigated in all the SLF branches. Meanwhile, Mahalanobis distances based on all the diffusion metrics were computed to quantify the maturation of neonatal SLF branches, considering the adult brain as the reference. The SLF branches, excluding SLF II, had similar fibre morphology and connectivity between the neonatal and adult groups. The Mahalanobis distance values further supported the notion of heterogeneous maturation among SLF branches. The greatest Mahalanobis distance was observed in SLF II, possibly indicating that it was the least mature. Our findings provide a new anatomical basis for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by abnormal neonatal SLF development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent hemispheric asymmetry is important for cognition, language and other functions. Describing normal brain and asymmetry development during early development will improve our understanding of how different hemispheres prioritize specific functions, which is currently unknown. Here, we analysed developmental changes in and asymmetry of the proteome in the bilateral frontal lobes of three foetal specimens in the late first trimester of pregnancy. We found that during this period, the difference in expression between gestational weeks (GWs) increased, and the difference in asymmetric expression decreased. Changes in the patterns of protein expression differed in the bilateral frontal lobes. Our results show that brain asymmetry can be observed in early development. These findings can guide researchers in further investigations of the mechanisms of brain asymmetry. We propose that both sides of the brain should be analysed separately in future multiomics and human brain mapping studies. Proteomic analysis of human early fetal brain tissue is undertaken to investigate bilateral developmental changes of protein expression and left-right asymmetries of protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension are major contributors to unfavorable prognosis in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Local epigenetic changes, particularly in DNA methylation, may influence gene expression and thus host response/secondary injury after TBI. It remains unknown whether DNA methylation in the central nervous system is associated with cerebral edema severity or intracranial hypertension post TBI. We sought to identify epigenome-wide DNA methylation patterns associated with these forms of secondary injury after TBI. Methods: We obtained genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of DNA extracted from ventricular cerebrospinal fluid samples at three different postinjury time points from a prospective cohort of patients with severe TBI (n = 89 patients, 254 samples). Cerebral edema and intracranial pressure (ICP) measures were clustered to generate composite end points of cerebral edema and ICP severity. We performed an unbiased epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) to test associations between DNA methylation at 419,895 cytosine–phosphate–guanine (CpG) sites and cerebral edema/ICP severity categories. Given inflated p values, we conducted permutation tests for top CpG sites to filter out potential false discoveries. Results: Our data-driven hierarchical clustering across six cerebral edema and ICP measures identified two groups differing significantly in ICP based on the EWAS-identified CpG site cg22111818 in RGMA (Repulsive guidance molecule A, permutation p = 4.20 × 10−8). At 3–4 days post TBI, patients with severe intracranial hypertension had significantly lower levels of methylation at cg22111818. Conclusions: We report a novel potential relationship between intracranial hypertension after TBI and an acute, nonsustained reduction in DNA methylation at cg22111818 in the RGMA gene. To our knowledge, this is the largest EWAS in severe TBI. Our findings are further strengthened by previous findings that RGMA modulates axonal repair in other central nervous system disorders, but a role in intracranial hypertension or TBI has not been previously identified. Additional work is warranted to validate and extend these findings, including assessment of its possible role in risk stratification, identification of novel druggable targets, and ultimately our ability to personalize therapy in TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broca's area is composed of the pars opercularis (PO) and the pars triangularis (PTR) of the inferior frontal gyrus; the anterior ascending ramus of the lateral sulcus (aals) separates the PO from the PTR, and the horizontal ascending ramus of the lateral sulcus (hals) separates the PTR from the pars orbitalis. The morphometry of these two sulci maybe has potential effects on the various functions of Broca's area. Exploring the morphological variations, hemispheric differences and sex differences of these two sulci contributed to a better localization of Broca's area. BrainVISA was used to reconstruct and parameterize these two sulci based on data from 3D MR images of 90 healthy right-handed subjects. The 3D anatomic morphologies of these two sulci were investigated using 4 sulcal parameters: average depth (AD), average width (AW), outer length (OL) and inner length (IL). The aals and hals could be identified in 98.89% and 98.33%, respectively, of the hemispheres evaluated. The morphological patterns of these two sulci were categorized into four typical types. There were no statistically significant interhemispheric or sex differences in the frequency of the morphological patterns. There was statistically significant interhemispheric difference in the IL of the aals. Significant sex differences were found in the AD and the IL of the aals and OL of the hals. Our results not only provide a structural basis for functional studies related to Broca's area but also are helpful in determining the precise position of Broca's area in neurosurgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the analysis of null symplectic structure, we derive the condition for integrable Virasoro generators on the covariant phase space of axisymmetric Killing horizons. A weak boundary condition selects a special relationship between the two temperatures for the putative CFT. When the integrability is satisfied for both future and past horizons, the two central charges are equal. At the end we discuss the physical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetry has been proved to exist in the human brain structure, function and behavior. Most of the existing brain asymmetry findings are originated from the western populations, while studies about the brain structural and functional asymmetries in East Asians are limited. Extensive evidence suggested that cultural differences, e.g. education and language, may lead to differences in brain structure and function between races. Therefore, we hypothesized that differences in brain structural asymmetries exist between East Asians and Westerners. In this study, we performed a comprehensive surface-based morphometric (SBM) analysis of brain asymmetries in cortical thickness, volume and surface area in two well-matched groups of right-handed, Chinese (n = 45) and Caucasian (n = 45) young male adults (age = 22-29 years). Our results showed consistent inter-hemispheric asymmetries in the three brain morphological measures in multiple brain regions in the Chinese young adults, including the temporal, frontal, parietal, occipital, insular cortices and the cingulate gyrus. Comparing with the Caucasians, the Chinese group showed greater structural asymmetry in the frontal, temporal, occipital and insular cortices, and smaller asymmetry in the parietal cortex and cingulate gyrus. These findings could provide a new neuroanatomical basis for understanding the distinctions between East Asian and Caucasian in brain functional lateralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hubs of the brain network play a key role in integrating and transferring information between different functional modules. However, the effects of long-term practice on functional network hubs in chess experts are largely undefined. Here, we investigated whether alterations of hubs can be detected in chess experts using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and graph theory methods. We first mapped the whole-brain voxel-wise functional connectivity and calculated the functional connectivity strength (FCS) map in each of the 28 chess players and 27 gender- and age-matched healthy novice players. Whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity analyses for the changed hub areas were conducted to further elucidate the corresponding changes of functional connectivity patterns in chess players. The hub analysis revealed increased FCS in the right posterior fusiform gyrus of the chess players, which was supported by analyses of this area's regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF). The following functional connectivity analyses revealed increased functional connectivities between the right posterior fusiform gyrus and the visuospatial attention and motor networks in chess players. These findings demonstrate that cognitive expertise has a positive influence on the functions of the brain regions associated with the chess expertise and that increased functional connections might in turn facilitate within and between networks communication for expert behavior to get superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural soils play an important role in the atmospheric methane (CH4) budget, where paddy soils can contribute significant CH4 to atmosphere whereas upland soils may act as a source or sink of atmospheric CH4, dependent on soil water conditions. Biochar amendments have effects on soil CH4 production or oxidation processes in individual experiments, but the causative mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. To synthesize the response of soil CH4 release or uptake to biochar amendment, we performed a meta-analysis using data from 61 peer-reviewed papers with 222 updated paired measurements. When averaged across all studies, biochar amendment significantly decreased CH4 release rates by 12% for paddy soils and 72% for upland soils, and CH4 uptake rates by 84% for upland soils. Neither soil CH4 release nor uptake responses to biochar amendment were significant in field soils. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application would weaken the response of soil CH4 release or uptake to biochar amendment. Biochar-incurred decreases in soil CH4 release and uptake rates were the largest in medium-textured soils or neutral-pH soils. Soil CH4 release or uptake responses to biochar were also significantly altered by biochar characteristics, such as feedstock source, C/N ratio, pH, and pyrolysis temperature. The results of this synthesis suggest that the role of biochar in soil CH4 mitigation potential might have been exaggerated, particularly in fields when biochar is applied in combination with N fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal models of the rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta), the most widely used nonhuman primate, have been irreplaceable in neurobiological studies. However, a population-averaged macaque brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) atlas, including comprehensive gray and white matter labeling as well as bony and facial landmarks guiding invasive experimental procedures, is not available. The macaque white matter tract pathways and microstructures have been rarely recorded. Here, we established a population-averaged macaque brain atlas with high-resolution ex vivo DTI integrated into in vivo space incorporating bony and facial landmarks, and delineated microstructures and three-dimensional pathways of major white matter tracts in vivo MRI/DTI and ex vivo (postmortem) DTI of ten rhesus macaque brains were acquired. Single-subject macaque brain DTI template was obtained by transforming the postmortem high-resolution DTI data into in vivo space. Ex vivo DTI of ten macaque brains was then averaged in the in vivo single-subject template space to generate population-averaged macaque brain DTI atlas. The white matter tracts were traced with DTI-based tractography. One hundred and eighteen neural structures including all cortical gyri, white matter tracts and subcortical nuclei, were labeled manually on population-averaged DTI-derived maps. The in vivo microstructural metrics of fractional anisotropy, axial, radial and mean diffusivity of the traced white matter tracts were measured. Population-averaged digital atlas integrated into in vivo space can be used to label the experimental macaque brain automatically. Bony and facial landmarks will be available for guiding invasive procedures. The DTI metric measurements offer unique insights into heterogeneous microstructural profiles of different white matter tracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of cement equipment manufacturing, the demand of rectangle pieces of steel structure is very large. The traditional manual nesting, which is simply cutting by hand-making according to the arrangement of the number and size, causes the low efficiency and material wasting. To solve the problem above, this paper proposes an optimizing model for nesting problem of rectangle pieces. Firstly, with the aim of the maximum utilization ratio of the sheet, the optimization mathematical model for nesting problem of rectangle pieces is established. The lowest horizontal line searching algorithm is described in detail. Secondly, the mathematical model is solved to get the optimal solution by the combination of genetic algorithm and the lowest horizontal line searching algorithm. In the solution process, this paper presents the methods of gene encoding and decoding, definition of fitness function, the design of genetic operators and the design of algorithm operating parameters. Finally, we use one sheet as an example to illustrate the proposed model and algorithm process. Experimental results have shown that the proposed approach is able to achieve rectangle pieces nesting with the maximum material utilization ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice paddies and aquaculture wetlands are typical agricultural wetlands that constitute one of the important sources of atmospheric methane (CH). Traditional transplanted rice paddies have been experiencing conversion to pond aquaculture wetlands for pursuing higher economic benefits over the past decades in southeast China. A parallel field experiment was carried out to compare CH emissions from a transplanted rice paddy and its converted crab-fish farming wetland in southeast China. Over the rice-growing season, CH fluxes averaged 1.86 mg m h from rice paddies, and 1.14 and 0.50 mg m h for the treatments with or without aquatic vegetation present in the crab-fish farming wetlands, respectively. When averaged across the treatments, seasonal CH emissions from crab-fish framing wetlands were 52 % lower than those from rice paddies. The CH fluxes were negatively related to water dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration but positively related to soil/sediment dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content in crab-fish farming wetlands. Dependence of CH fluxes on DO or DOC was intensified by the aquatic vegetation presence. By extrapolating the present CH emission rate with the current rice paddy-converted aquaculture cultivation area, the seasonal CH emissions from inland aquaculture wetlands during the critical farming stage (20 June to 18 October) were estimated to be 33.6 Gg ha in southeast China in 2012. Rice paddies conversion to crab-fish farming wetlands might have reduced CH emissions by 22-54 % in mainland China. Results of this study suggest that the conversion of transplanted rice paddies to crab-fish aquaculture wetlands for higher economic benefits would also lead to a lower ecosystem CH release rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify and justify the best section to reveal each segment of the abducens nerve according to 3D-SPACE magnetic resonance sequences and correlate with cryosectional specimens. Methods: Thirty-four healthy adults were recruited for MRI using a 3D-SPACE sequence. Eighteen adult head specimens were cut into serial transverse, sagittal and coronal section using an electric band saw after the specimens were frozen. The MRI characteristics and the anatomical features of the abducens nerve were analyzed by correlation with the cryosection. Results: We divided the abducens nerve into five segments, the cisternal segment, Dorello canal (DC) segment, cavernous sinus (CS) segment, superior orbital fissure (SOF) segment and intraorbital segment. In the transverse sections, the detection rates for the cisternal and Dorello canal segments of the abducens nerve were 97.06 and 94.12 %, respectively, on 3D-SPACE MR images. In the sagittal section of the frozen specimens, only the cisternal segment of the abducens nerve could be observed, and its detection rate was 51.50 %. In the coronal section, the CS segment of the abducens nerve was located inferior lateral to the ICA as well as, inferior to the oculomotor and trochlear nerves, and the detection rate of the CS segment was 42.60 % on 3D-SPACE MR images. Conclusion: 3D-SPACE sequence MR scanning was a useful method for observing the cisternal and DC segment of the abducens nerve in a transverse section, observing the cisternal segment in a sagittal section and observing the CS segment in a coronal section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the characterisation of nine novel low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) genes from two Pseudoroegneria species, Pd. spicata and Pd. strigosa. We found that all nine LMW-GS genes possess the same primary structure shared by other published LMW-GS. Five genes encode LMW-i type subunits, three encode LMW-m type subunits and one encodes a peptide similar to B-3 hordeins of Hordeum chilense. No LMW-s type subunit genes were found in Pseudoroegneria. One subunit, PSt24-LMW-2, contains six conserved cysteine residues, and the other eight subunits all contain eight cysteine residues. We show that one cysteine residue is located in the signal peptide of PSt24-LMW-1, suggesting a mature peptide containing only seven cysteine residues. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the LMW-GS genes from the St genome cluster together and suggests a distant relationship with LMW-GS of the A and B genomes of wheat. Slippage/unequal crossing over and illegitimate recombination are effective mechanisms for enriching variations of seed storage proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four low-molecular-weight-isoleucine (LMW-i)-type and one novel chimeric (between LMW-i and LMW-methionine (m) types) low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) genes were characterized from wild emmer wheat ( Triticum dicoccoides), designated as emmer- 1 to emmer- 5. All five LMW-GS genes possessed the same primary structure shared by other published LMW-GSs. The three genes emmer- 1, emmer- 3, and emmer- 5 are similar, with the exception that emmer-3 and emmer-5 lost a few repeat motifs compared to emmer-1. Gene duplication and insertions/deletions of repeat motifs mediated through unequal crossing over may be responsible for the generation of these three Glu- 3 alleles. Although the first residue of mature peptide of emmer-4 is isoleucine, it is not typical LMW-i-type LMW-GS. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that emmer-4 is located in the LMW-m subgroup, suggesting a closer relationship with LMW-m-type gene Y14104 of T. durum. Sequence alignment indicated that the emmer- 4 is likely a chimeric gene generated by illegitimate recombination between LMW-i and LMW-m type. Unequal crossing over and illegitimate recombination are effective mechanisms for enriching both copy numbers and variations of LMW-GSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ns genome of the genus Psathyrostachys possesses superior traits useful for wheat improvement. However, very little is known about the high molecular weight (HMW) subunits of glutenin encoded by the Ns genome. In this paper, we report the isolation of four alleles of HMW glutenin subunit gene from Psathyrostachys juncea. Sequence alignment data shows the four alleles have similar primary structure with those in wheat and other wheat-related grasses, with some unique modifications. All four sequences more closely resemble y-type, rather than x-type, glutenins. However, our results show three of the subunits (1Ns2-4) contain an extra glutamine residue in the N-terminal region not found on typical y-type subunits, as well as the x-type subunit specific sequence LAAQLPAMCRL. These three subunits likely represent an intermediate state in the divergence between x- and y-type subunits. Results also indicate that the Ns genome is more closely related to the St genome of Pseudoroegneria than any other Triticeae genomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its first development some 40 years ago, the application of the somatic hybridization technique has generated a body of hybrid plant material involving a wide combination of parental species. Until the late 1990s, the technique was ineffective in wheat, as regeneration from protoplasts was proving difficult to achieve. Since this time, however, a successful somatic hybridization protocol for wheat has been established and used to generate a substantial number of both symmetric and asymmetric somatic hybrids and derived materials, especially involving the parental combination bread wheat and tall wheatgrass ( Thinopyrum ponticum). This review describes the current state of the art for somatic hybridization in wheat and focuses on its potential application for wheat improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beiqian site, located in Jimo city, Qingdao, went through three archaeological excavations, and a large number of human and animal bones in the Dawenkou culture and the Zhou Dynasty period were unearthed. By carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis, the diet of ancestors is expected to be recovered, and the domesticated plants and animals will be discussed. The investigated results showed that the food structure of ancestors in both periods included food crops, mainly C4 foods, and meat, mainly marine shellfish and livestock. For domestic pigs, they mainly eat C3 plants, and were affected by the lifestyle of ancestors. This study also showed that the diet of ancestors is the shellfish rather than marine fish despite the Beiqian site is located near the shoreline. We can conclude that the diet of ancestors in Dawenkou culture period included millet crops (C4 plants), shellfish, marine food, and livestock, representing the lifestyle of farming, domestication, and fishing, supplemented by hunting. In the Zhou dynasty period the meat resource was enriched by domesticated animals and marine fisheries, and the living conditions were significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The rice production is experiencing a shift from conventionally seedling-transplanted (TPR) to direct-seeded (DSR) cropping systems in Southeast Asia. Besides the difference in rice crop establishment, water regime is typically characterized as water-saving moist irrigation for DSR and flooding-midseason drainage-reflooding and moist irrigation for TPR fields, respectively. A field experiment was conducted to quantify methane (CH) and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions from the DSR and TPR rice paddies in southeast China. Methods: Seasonal measurements of CH and NO fluxes from the DSR and TPR plots were simultaneously taken by static chamber-GC technique. Results: Seasonal fluxes of CH averaged 1.58 mg m h and 1.02 mg m h across treatments in TPR and DSR rice paddies, respectively. Compared with TPR cropping systems, seasonal NO emissions from DSR cropping systems were increased by 49 % and 46 % for the plots with or without N application, respectively. The emission factors of NO were estimated to be 0.45 % and 0.69 % of N application, with a background emission of 0.65 and 0.95 kg NO-N ha under the TPR and DSR cropping regimes, respectively. Rice biomass and grain yield were significantly greater in the DSR than in the TPR cropping systems. The net global warming potential (GWP) of CH and NO emissions were comparable between the two cropping systems, while the greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) was significantly lower in the DSR than in the TPR cropping systems. Conclusions: Higher grain yield, comparable GWP, and lower GHGI suggest that the DSR instead of conventional TPR rice cropping regime would weaken the radiative forcing of rice production in terms of per unit of rice grain yield in China, and DSR rice cropping regime could be a promising rice development alternative in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY proteins constitute a large family of transcription factors in higher plants, and are involved in the regulation of development, senescence and stress resistance. However, little is known with respect to the constitution and function of WRKY genes in bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum). We identified a set of 92 wheat WRKY genes from publicly available sequence databases, and constructed a phylogeny map based on the conserved WRKY domain peptide sequences. The wheat sequences were classified into the standard set of WRKY groups and sub-groups established from plant model genomes. Our results show the WRKY orthologues of wheat and rice are more similar compared to their Arabidopsis counterparts. Therefore, we argue some expansion of the WRKY family occurred following the divergence of these three species. The induction of sequence variation in a subset of 18 TaWRKY genes via somatic hybridization was studied by comparing the sequences from cv. JN177 and its derivative cv. SR3. We also analyzed the responses of these 18 genes to imposed salinity, PEG, ABA and SA using quantitative real time PCR. Nine of the 18 TaWRKY genes were up-regulated by exogenous SA. Six genes were up-regulated by salinity or PEG treatment, and their expression was also induced by exogenous ABA. Interestingly, induction by salinity or PEG was impaired when ABA biosynthesis was inhibited. The indication was that most of the TaWRKY genes involved in the abiotic stress response acted in an ABA-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aims to obtain the signal intensity changes and quantitative measurements of the subcortical brain structures of 12-22 weeks gestational age (GA). Methods: Sixty-nine fetal specimens were selected and scanned by 7.0-T MR. The signal intensity changes of the subcortical brain structures were analyzed. The three-dimensional visualization models of the germinal matrix, caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, and dorsal thalamus were rebuilt with Amira 4.1, and the developmental trends between the measurements and GA were analyzed. Results: The germinal matrix was delineated on 7.0-T MR images at 12 weeks GA, with high signals on T1-weighted images (WI). While at 16 weeks GA, the caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, and internal and external capsules could be distinguished. The caudate nucleus was high signal intensity on T1WI. The signal intensity of the putamen was high on T1WI during 15-17 weeks GA and was delineated as an area with uneven signal intensities. The signal intensity of the peripheral area of the putamen became higher after 18 weeks GA. The signal intensity of the globus pallidus was high on T1WI and low on T2WI after 20 weeks GA. At 18 weeks GA, the claustrum was delineated with low signals on T2WI. Measurements of the germinal matrix, caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, and dorsal thalamus linearly increased with the GA. Conclusion: Development of the subcortical brain structures during 12-22 weeks GA could be displayed with 7.0-T MRI. The measurement provides significant reference beneficial to the clinical evaluation of fetal brain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beiqian site located in Jimo city, Qingdao, a few kilometers from the modern coastline was excavated in 2007, 2009 and 2011. A large number of human bones from the early Dawenkou period were unearthed. Through C and N stable isotopic analysis, the food structure of the 'Beiqian' ancestors was reconstructed and the influence of terrestrial and marine resources on their lifestyle was discussed. Based on the δC and δN stable isotopic values of human bone collagen, the analytical results obtained through a ternary mixed model reveal that the food sources of the Beiqian ancestors included about 44.1% marine species (probably shellfish and fish), 34.1% C4 plants (possibly millet), and 21.8% land animals. These results indicate that they lived mainly from fishing and farming, supplemented by hunting or poultry raising. Compared with other sites in the same period, the stable isotope results show that 5000-6000 years ago, the lifestyles of ancestors in the Yangtze River basin, Yellow River basin, Northern coastal area and inland area were very different. The ancestors from the Yangtze River basin focused on rice farming and fishing, whereas the ancestors in the Yellow River basin farmed millet and raised animals. Those in coastal areas relied mostly on farming and marine fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to show the condition of laminar organization on 3.0T and 7.0T postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and analyze developmental changes. Methods: Heads of 131 fetal specimens of 14-40 weeks gestational age (GA) were scanned by 3.0T MRI. Eleven fetal specimens of 14-27 weeks GA were scanned by 7.0T MRI. Clear images were chosen for analysis. Results: On T-weighted 3.0T MRI, layers could be visualized at 14 weeks GA and appeared clearer after 18 weeks GA. On 7.0T MRI, four zones could be recognized at 14 weeks GA. During 15-22 weeks GA, when laminar organization appeared typical, seven layers including the periventricular zone and external capsule fibers could be differentiated, which corresponded to seven zones in histological stained sections. At 23-28 weeks GA, laminar organization appeared less typical, and borderlines among them appeared obscured. After 30 weeks GA, it disappeared and turned into mature-like structures. The developing lamination appeared the most distinguishable at the parieto-occipital part of brain and peripheral regions of the hippocampus. The migrating thalamocortical afferents were probably delineated as a high signal layer located at the lower, middle, and upper part of the subplate zone at 16-28 weeks GA on T-weighted 3.0T MRI. Conclusions: T-weighted 3.0T MRI and T-weighted 7.0T MRI can well demonstrate the laminar organization. Development of the lamination follows a specific spatio-temporal regularity, and postmortem MRI of the parieto-occipital part of brain obtained with 3.0T or 7.0T is an effective way to show developmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Glyptothorax, Glyptothorax obliquimaculatus sp. nov. is described from the Xiaohei River, a tributary of the Nanting River, Salween drainage, in southwestern Yunnan province, China. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characteristics: unculiferous ridges of the thoracic adhesive apparatus extending anteriorly onto the gular region; body with irregular dark blotches scattered along lateral surface (blotches mostly oblique); skin smooth on head and body; dorsal spine smooth without serrations on its posterior margin; lips smooth; posterior margin of pectoral spine with 7–8 serrations; dorsal-fin base 11.0–13.2% SL; pectoral-fin length 15.6–19.6% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 8.6–9.8% SL; head width 19.1–24.0% SL; nasal barbel length 23.3–33.3% HL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Anatomist 2009, the 10th Congress of European Academy of Clinical Anatomy, to be held in Turkey.

The article presents abstracts on topics including extraembryonic yolk sac in humans, mucosa of human foetal stomach, and hepatic vasculature.

The article presents a list of individuals who reviewed articles for the journal "Neuroradiology" between January of 2011 and November of 2011 which includes J. Abrams, Tobias Back and Soraya El Sankari.

Agricultural nitrate leaching and runoff incurs high nitrogen loads in agricultural irrigation watersheds, constituting one of important sources of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O). Two independent sampling campaigns of N2O flux measurement over diel cycles and N2O flux measurements once a week over annual cycles were carried out in an agricultural irrigation watershed in southeast China using floating chamber (chamber-based) and gas transfer equation (model-based) methods. The diel and seasonal patterns of N2O fluxes did not differ between the two measurement methods. The diel variation in N2O fluxes was characterized by the pattern that N2O fluxes were greater during nighttime than daytime periods with a single flux peak at midnight. The diel variation in N2O fluxes was closely associated with water environment and chemistry. The time interval of 9:00-11:00 a.m. was identified to be the sampling time best representing daily N2O flux measurements in agricultural irrigation watersheds. Seasonal N2O fluxes showed large variation, with some flux peaks corresponding to agricultural irrigation and drainage episodes and heavy rainfall during the crop-growing period of May to November. On average, N2O fluxes calculated by model-based methods were 27% lower than those determined by the chamber-based techniques over diel or annual cycles. Overall, more measurement campaigns are highly needed to assess regional agricultural N2O budget with low uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]