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The research on a novel preparation method for functional scaffolds from natural cellulose has attracted widespread attention in science and engineering. In order to obtain cellulose board which is similar to wood board in structure and mechanical properties, ice template, phase inversion under low temperature, and hot pressing were employed to fabricate board from natural cellulose. During preparation, ice template was used to control cellulose molecules arrange forming excellent orientation in the scaffold. Then, prepared scaffold was immersed in ethanol under −20 °C to remove salt ions used in cellulose resolve process, and keep the direction arrange of molecules in scaffold. Finally, prepared scaffold was treated by hot pressing for pushing off air in pores to form density board. Scanning electron microscopy image showed that prepared scaffold has directional cellulose arrange structure which was similar to that of wood. After hot pressing, the density of scaffold is increased. The mechanical properties of cellulose boards are enhanced with the increase of cellulose concentration, and the tensile strength can reach about 45 MPa, which has great potential in replacing natural wood boards. Our study provides new tactics for the use of natural cellulose in our life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytokinin two‐component signal transduction system (TCS) is involved in many biological processes, including hormone signal transduction and plant growth regulation. Although cytokinin TCS has been well characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, its role in tomato remains elusive.In this study, we characterized the diversity and function of response regulator (RR) genes, a critical component of TCS, in tomato. In total, we identified 31 RR genes in the tomato genome. These SlRR genes were classified into three subgroups (type‐A, type‐B and type‐C).Various stress‐responsive cis‐elements were present in the tomato RR gene promoters. Their expression responses under pesticide treatment were evaluated by transcriptome analysis. Their expression under heat, cold, ABA, salinity and NaHCO3 treatments was further investigated by qRT‐PCR and complemented with the available transcription data under these treatments. Specifically, SlRR13 expression was significantly upregulated under salinity, drought, cold and pesticide stress and was downregulated under ABA treatment. SlRR23 expression was induced under salt treatment, while the transcription level of SlRR1 was increased under cold and decreased under salt stress.We also found that GATA transcription factors played a significant role in the regulation of SlRR genes. Based on our results, tomato SlRR genes are involved in responses to abiotic stress in tomato and could be implemented in molecular breeding approaches to increase resistance of tomato to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf stoichiometry can characterize plant ecological strategies and correlate with plant responses to climate change. The role of vascular epiphytes in the ecosystem processes of tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems cannot be ignored. Vascular epiphytes are very vulnerable to climate change, however, the relationship between the response of epiphytes to climate change and leaf stoichiometry is not well understood.We present data for 19 vascular epiphyte species that were collected during four consecutive censuses (in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) over 15 years in a subtropical montane cloud forest. We assessed the relationships between the population dynamics and leaf stoichiometry of these vascular epiphytes.Experiencing an extreme drought, 14 of the 19 epiphyte species showed an obvious decrease in the number of individuals, and all species showed negative growth in the number of populations. Subsequently, the total number of individuals gradually recovered, increasing from 7,195 in 2010 to 10,121 in 2015, then to 13,667 in 2020. The increase in the number of vascular epiphyte individuals from 2010 to 2015 was significantly negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, and was significantly positively correlated with the leaf carbon‐nitrogen ratio.Vascular epiphyte populations with higher leaf nutrient concentrations exhibited weaker resilience to the extreme drought, which demonstrated that a resource‐conservative strategy was advantageous for the recovery of epiphyte populations. Our findings suggest that ecological stoichiometry can be a useful framework for forecasting the dynamics of vascular epiphyte populations in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shape recovery quality of photometric stereo is sensitive to complicated error factors under close range lighting of quasi‐point lights. However, the error performance of photometric stereo under this practical scenario is still obscure. This paper presents a comprehensive error analysis of photometric stereo with near quasi‐point lights (NQPL‐PS). Five main error factors are identified under this scenario and their corresponding analytical formulations are introduced. Statistic computation and experiments are used to validate the theoretical formulations and inspect the relationships between normal inaccuracies and each type of discrepancies. In addition, the impacts of multiple system parameters of an NQPL‐PS configuration on the normal estimation error are also studied. In order to evaluate the relative importance of various error factors, a probability‐based evaluation criterion is proposed, which focuses on the error performance over the state space and the error space, rather than the simple comparison of the values of normal inaccuracy. The assessment results show that the non‐uniformity of illuminants, and the calibration error in the position of light sources hold the dominant places among those five error factors. This paper provides insights for the accuracy improvement and system design of NQPL‐PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new technology of austenite grain refinement, fine austenite enhanced ferrite transformation, is proposed for heavy‐duty hot‐rolled H‐beam steels in this work. Titanium microalloying is very important and necessary for the new technology. The effect of titanium on the prior austenite grain size of steels during simulated rough rolling was investigated. The results show that the prior austenite grain sizes of specimens with titanium and niobium elements are much finer than those of specimens with niobium but without titanium deformed at the same parameters. For the alloying composition of studied steels, titanium nitride particle maybe precipitated in specimens with titanium at above 1,200 °C, however, niobium carbide particles can't form in specimens without titanium at above 1,150 °C. The thermodynamically stable titanium nitride particles can impede the grain growth at high temperature for example furnace heating before rough rolling and bring the epitaxial growth of niobium carbide on pre‐existing themselves which induces a large number of titanium nitride‐niobium carbide composite precipitates. These fine precipitates can pin austenite grain boundaries effectively and ensure austenite grain refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive peri-operative care for women with gynaecological malignancy is essential to ensure optimal clinical outcomes and maximise patient experience through the continuum of care. Implementation of peri-operative enhanced recovery pathways in gynaecological oncology have been repeatedly shown to improve postoperative recovery, decrease complications and reduce healthcare costs. With increasing emphasis being placed on patient-centred care in the current healthcare environment, incorporation of patient-reported outcome data collection and analysis within the enhanced recovery pathway as part of quality measurement is not only useful, but necessary. Inclusion of patient-reported outcome enhanced recovery pathway evaluation enables clinicians to capture authentic patient-reported parameters such as subtle symptoms, changes in function and multiple dimensions of well-being, directly from the source. These data guide the treatment course by encouraging shared decision-making between the patient and clinicians and provide the necessary foundation for ongoing peri-operative quality improvement efforts. Elements of the gynaecological oncology enhanced recovery pathway are divided into five phases of care: pre-admission; pre-operative; intra-operative; postoperative; and post-discharge. The development process starts with detailing each step of the patient's journey in all five phases, then identifying stakeholder groups responsible for care at each of these phases and assembling a multidisciplinary team including: gynaecologists; anaesthetists; nurses; nutritionists; physical therapists; and others, to provide input into the institutional pathway. To practically integrate patient-reported outcomes into an enhanced recovery pathway, a validated measurement tool should be incorporated into the peri-operative workflow. The ideal tool should be concise to facilitate longitudinal assessments by the clinical staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17O‐excess (Δ17O = δ17O − 0.52 × δ18O) of sulfate trapped in Antarctic ice cores has been proposed as a potential tool for assessing past oxidant chemistry, while insufficient understanding of atmospheric sulfate formation around Antarctica hampers its interpretation. To probe influences of regional specific chemistry, we compared year‐round observations of Δ17O of non‐sea‐salt sulfate in aerosols (Δ17O(SO42−)nss) at Dome C and Dumont d'Urville, inland and coastal sites in East Antarctica, throughout the year 2011. Although Δ17O(SO42−)nss at both sites showed consistent seasonality with summer minima (∼1.0‰) and winter maxima (∼2.5‰) owing to sunlight‐driven changes in the relative importance of O3 oxidation to OH and H2O2 oxidation, significant intersite differences were observed in austral spring–summer and autumn. The cooccurrence of higher Δ17O(SO42−)nss at inland (2.0‰ ± 0.1‰) than the coastal site (1.2‰ ± 0.1‰) and chemical destruction of methanesulfonate (MS–) in aerosols at inland during spring–summer (October–December), combined with the first estimated Δ17O(MS–) of ∼16‰, implies that MS– destruction produces sulfate with high Δ17O(SO42−)nss of ∼12‰. If contributing to the known postdepositional decrease of MS– in snow, this process should also cause a significant postdepositional increase in Δ17O(SO42−)nss over 1‰, that can reconcile the discrepancy between Δ17O(SO42−)nss in the atmosphere and ice. The higher Δ17O(SO42−)nss at the coastal site than inland during autumn (March–May) may be associated with oxidation process involving reactive bromine and/or sea‐salt particles around the coastal region. Plain Language Summary: It has been proposed that the past variations of atmospheric oxidants (e.g., ozone) might be estimated using 17O‐excess, a unique isotopic signature, of sulfate trapped in polar ice cores. However, chemical processes altering 17O‐excess of sulfate in the atmosphere and also in snow after deposition have not been fully understood, limiting the practicality of the signature. We investigated regional differences in 17O‐excess of sulfate in aerosol particles at inland and coastal sites in East Antarctica. Our results suggest that the chemical destruction of atmospheric methanesulfonate, the second abundant sulfur compound in Antarctic aerosols, produces sulfate with significantly high 17O‐excess signature at inland Antarctica. If also occurring in snow, this process can explain the existing gap of the signature between the atmosphere and ice. These results should be taken into account through future studies investigating the past atmospheric compositions using this signature in ice cores. Key Points: Regional characteristics of atmospheric sulfate formation were probed by 17O‐excess (Δ17O) of sulfate at inland and coastal East AntarcticaSpecifically, high Δ17O in spring–summer at inland suggests that chemical destruction of methanesulfonate (MS–) on the Antarctic Plateau produces sulfateExisting gap between Δ17O of sulfate in the atmosphere and ice can be reconciled by MS– destruction in snow [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bottom‐blowing enhanced smelting technology has been widely used in a variety of metallurgical processes because of its significant advantages of high melting strength, easy operation and low cost. The bottom‐blowing spray lance is its key equipment. In this paper, the multi‐channel spray lance is used as the research object, the numerical simulation method is used to establish a three‐dimensional mathematical model of the multi‐channel bottom‐blowing spray lance stirring, and the numerical simulation results are verified by the hydrodynamic model experiment. According to the simulation and experimental results, the gas‐liquid mixing uniformity in the stirring process of the straight‐pipe spray lance and the multi‐channel spray lance is evaluated by the four methods of LOG edge detection, image entropy, gas content variance and average turbulent kinetic energy. The results show that the multi‐channel spray lance can strengthen the bottom‐blowing stirring and optimize the melt mixing effect, which has achieved good application results in the production practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silkworm is an economically important insect producing plentiful silk fibre in the silk gland. In this study, we reported a cross‐talk between the fat body, silk gland and midgut through a glycine‐serine biosynthetic pathway in the silkworm. Amino acid sequence and functional domains of glycine transporter gene BmGT1‐L were mapped. Our results indicated that BmGT1‐L was specifically expressed in the midgut microvilli and persistently expressed during the feeding stages. RNA interference of BmGT1‐L activated glycine biosynthesis, and BmGT1‐L overexpression facilitated serine biosynthesis in the BmN4‐SID1 cell. In addition, silkworms after FibH gene knock‐out or silk gland extirpation showed markedly decreased BmGT1‐L transcripts in the midgut and disturbed glycine‐serine biosynthesis as silk yield decreased. Finally, BmGT1‐L ectopic expression in the posterior silk gland promoted glycine biosynthesis, and enhanced silk yield via increasing fibroin synthesis. These results suggested that cross‐talk between tissues can be used for enhancing silk yield in the silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been many single cross‐sectional studies on nurse or patient outcomes. However, long‐term evidence on improving nurse and patient outcomes is still limited. The High‐Quality Care Project is a national project in China for improving nurse and patient outcomes by implementing primary nursing. Aim: (1) To assess the long‐term changes in nurse and patient outcomes in the context of the High‐Quality Care Project. (2) To explore the potential influences of primary nursing on nurse and patient outcomes based on this study and broader existing evidence. Methods: The data of two cross‐sectional studies were used for analysis. The two cross‐sectional studies were conducted before (2009) and after (2016) the High‐Quality Care Project. A total of 1376 nurses and 904 patients from 40 units of 10 tertiary hospitals were surveyed. Reliable and validated instruments were used to measure nurse and patient outcomes. Multilevel modelling was the main method for data analysis. Results: Nurses in 2016 were more satisfied than nurses in 2009 with most dimensions of nurse work environment and job satisfaction. However, they were not more satisfied with burnout, global job satisfaction or intention to leave their job. Nurses in 2016 also reported better quality of patient care and patient safety while their patients reported higher patient satisfaction. Conclusion: The analysis of our results based on existing evidence indicates that primary nursing could be considered as a potentially effective way to improve nurse work environment and patient outcomes. More studies with rigorous study design from micro perspectives would be useful to further explore the direct effects of primary nursing on nurse or/and patient outcomes. Implications for nursing and nursing policy: Policymakers, healthcare service leaders and nurse managers should make efforts to provide multi‐level supports to cultivate an encouraging environment for nurses to practice primary nursing, because the implementation of primary nursing may improve the nurse work environment and patient outcomes. Furthermore, improving nurse participation in hospital affairs and developing nursing discipline and education for increasing nursing staff resource and nurses' capacity – which all need policy and management supports – are crucial to further improve nurse and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two near‐real‐time and one post‐processing products from the Integrated Multi‐satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM IMERG) were evaluated during the period from 2016 to 2018 in the wet seasons (June–November) over the Sichuan Basin, China. Results indicated the following: (1) The three products could generally replicate strong precipitation well; however, significantly large biases were observed when detecting weak precipitation. (2) All three products replicated summer precipitation more accurately than autumn precipitation. The IMERG "early run" product (IMERG‐E) largely underestimated precipitation in the wet season, while the "latter run" (IMERG‐L) and "final run" products (IMERG‐F) could counteract this to a certain degree. (3) IMERG‐F captured weak, moderate, and strong precipitation well during the wet season, and IMERG‐E showed excellent potential in detecting different precipitation intensities. All the three products could replicate the diurnal cycle of the wet season precipitation. The findings of this study can facilitate the application of IMERG products in regions with complex topography and have also highlighted the potential of IMERG‐E for rapid early warning and forecast systems. Key Points: Integrated Multi‐satellite Retrievals were used to assess near‐real‐time and post‐processing products for wet season of 2016–2018The products well replicated precipitation; however, in case of weak precipitation, significant biases were notedThe products can be applied to regions with complex topography for forecasting precipitation and floods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main factor of global warming. Carbon satellites have proven that CO2 concentrations have nonuniform spatio‐temporal distributions. The relationship between unevenly distributed CO2 and global surface air temperature (SAT) is seldom known. The success of complex networks provides an opportunity to address this issue. This paper proposes a multilayer climate network approach to identify the impacts of nonuniform CO2 on SAT. The results show that the probability density function (PDF) of degrees, weighted degrees, and link lengths follows power‐law distributions. A large fraction of strong correlation links resides in proximal distance (smaller than 2,000 km), indicating that CO2 nodes are strongly connected to the surrounding SAT nodes. The enhanced distributions of large positive weights, time delays, and degree patterns are all consistent with the properties of Rossby waves. This framework can be useful for predicting future climate changes and policy‐making for carbon reduction. Plain Language Summary: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a prominent anthropogenic greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, and the increasing CO2 is the main reason for global climate warming. The CO2 concentration from satellites has revealed that the spatial distribution of CO2 is uneven. In previous studies, the relationship between CO2 and temperature is based on global CO2 concentration mean assumptions. Here, we propose a multilayer climate network approach to identify their relations using satellite data. We find that the PDF of degrees, weighted degrees, and link lengths follows power‐law distributions. The most dominant links, with a geographical distance larger than 2,000 km, are found for distances of 7,000 km, coinciding with the wavelengths of atmospheric Rossby waves. The time delays associated with these distances are in agreement with the group velocity of the atmospheric Rossby waves. Moreover, the pronounced band over 50°S, the dominance in the Southern Hemisphere relative to the Northern Hemisphere, and the similar patterns to transient heat flux are consistent with the properties of Rossby waves. The proposed approach leads to a better understanding of the role played by CO2 in forcing global temperatures and future climate change. Key Points: There are short‐term correlations between global mid‐troposphere CO2 concentrations and global surface air temperatureThe degrees, weighted degrees, and link lengths of CO2 and SAT multilayer climate network are conformed to power‐law distributionsSignificant correlation links of the constructed climate network yield a clear association with Rossby waves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies suggested that sperm head shape may serve as an effective indicator of semen quality. However, there lacks research with large sample and quantitative measurement. Objectives: The objective of this retrospective study was to explore the association between sperm head elongation (Width/Length ratio) and routine semen parameters. Materials and methods: From January 2012 to December 2017, 63 866 semen samples were collected from male subjects at 18–60 years of age. Sperm head elongation and routine semen parameters (semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, etc.) were examined with computer‐assisted semen analysis (CASA) systems in order to evaluate the association between elongation and semen quality. Results: Logistic and linear regression models showed that the value of elongation is negatively correlated with sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility, total motility, percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa, and acrosin activity (all p < 0.001). Discussion: The results suggested that higher value of elongation is generally associated with higher risks of abnormality in semen quality. The importance of elongation may be explained by abnormal acrosin activity in the round‐headed spermatozoa, which has been reported to cause failure of natural pregnancy. Conclusions: This study provides a new insight into the sperm head shape, which may be used as a complementary parameter in clinical semen examination and academic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica species are widely cultivated and important biennial and annual crops. The transition from vegetative to reproductive development in Brassica species is critical in agriculture and horticulture. Grafting is a useful tool for improving agricultural production and investigating the movement of long‐range signals.Here we established a hypocotyl micrografting system in B. rapa crops and successfully grafted the rootstock of turnip onto many different scion genotypes. Grafting with turnip rootstock prolonged vegetative growth, delayed flowering and improved seed yield in rapeseed.The late‐flowering turnip rootstock could delay flowering of the scion of the early‐flowering turnip accession. The BrrFLC1 (FLOWERING LOCUS C1 in B. rapa) transcript levels and H3K4me3 levels at the BrrFLC1 locus were up‐regulated and subsequently suppressed the downstream FT (FLOWERING LOCUS T) signals in leaves of the scion to delay flowering. Vernalization treatment can efficiently promote flowering time in turnip. The non‐vernalised turnip flowered early after grafting onto the rootstock of the vernalised turnip, which was accompanied by high levels of FT homologue expression in leaves of the scion. Hypocotyl excision experiments revealed that the process of tuber formation was suppressed by removing the hypocotyl tissue, which in turn repressed the expression of tuberization‐related genes.Our findings suggest that the rootstock generates mobile signals that are transported from the rootstock to the scion to fine‐tune FT signalling and modulate flowering time. Long‐distance mobile and vernalization signals can be transported to the scion to fine‐tune FT signalling by grafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation variations deduced from speleothem stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) have long been debated in monsoonal China. The magnetic property in speleothems is interpreted to be related to regional precipitation and can therefore offer reliable information of regional precipitation variations. Here we present a speleothem from southern China to explore the magnetic signals in speleothems and to reconstruct regional precipitation in hominin‐occupational area in southern China during MIS5. Saturation magnetization (Ms), which represents the magnetic mineral concentrations, is used as an indicator of effective rainfall variations. The precipitation inferred from Ms increased sharply in the period prior to 80.3 ka before present, followed by a drop to precipitation anomaly afterward, indicating that regional precipitation varied greatly during the hominin‐occupied interval in southern China. Power spectrum analysis of Ms values shows significant ~205‐, ~90‐, ~77‐, and ~64‐year periodicities, suggesting that the solar activity may play an important role in precipitation variations in southern China during the MIS5a/4 transition. Plain Language Summary: Precipitation variations exert great influence on past human settlement, migration, and dispersal. However, the precipitation variations in monsoonal China during late Quaternary have been a focus of an ongoing debate. Moreover, there is a shortage of precipitation data in hominin occupational area in southern China. In this study, we analyze the magnetic property in a speleothem from southern China. Concentration parameter, saturation magnetization, is used to trace the precipitation changes in southern China during ~82.3 to ~77.9 ka before present. Two wet intervals and one dry interval can be derived from the saturation magnetization profile. Saturation magnetization values varied sharply, suggesting that precipitation varied greatly during the hominin occupation period in southern China. Key Points: Saturation magnetization in speleothem can serve as an index for regional precipitationPrecipitation increased sharply with high‐frequent variations in the period prior to 80.3 ka BP and dropped to precipitation anomaly afterwardSolar activity may play great influence on precipitation variations in southern China during MIS5a/MIS4 transition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloidosis is a rare metabolic disorder caused by the extracellular deposition of fibrillar proteins in important organs. The prognosis of oral amyloidosis associated with systemic involvement is generally poor, but is much more favourable in localized cases. Limited information is available regarding the differential diagnosis between localized and systemic amyloidosis involving the oral mucosa, and also the prognosis. In this study, we summarize the strategy for correctly discriminating between localized and systemic oral amyloidosis, to give the right advice during the diagnostic workup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cloud model with detailed bin microphysics as well as aqueous‐phase chemistry is used to investigate how the acidity distribution of drops changes in a deep convective cloud. The results show that the concentration of hydrogen ion is higher in the relatively large droplets at the initial stage of the cloud, whereas it has an opposite dependence on the drop size at the later stage of the cloud. The spectrum distribution of drop acidity also highly varies with space, reflecting the different effects of macrophysical and microphysical processes on drop acidity. For the entire simulation period, evaporation process contributes the most to the decrease in pH values of drops, which is related to the decrease in cloud water. Condensation and collision‐coalescence play an important role in modifying the chemical rates of hydrogen ion production, leading to changes in the pH values. In addition, both higher concentration of sulfur dioxide and enhanced aerosol loading lead to lower pH values of drops, but the differences in pH values under different aerosol loadings vary with time and space, which is associated with the different contribution of microphysical processes. The sensitivity tests reveal that the changes of pH values by varying aerosol loadings could have a significant impact on sulfuric acid production through aqueous oxidation of sulfur dioxide. Key Points: The spectrum distribution of drop acidity highly varies with space and timeCondensation, collision‐coalescence, and evaporation process play an important role in the acidity distribution of dropsEnhanced aerosol loading reduces the pH value of cloud and results in a lower production of sulfuric acid [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics HLA common and well‐documented (CWD) catalog, CWD 2.0.0 catalog and European Federation for Immunogenetics (EFI) CWD catalog have been published, which are useful for improving the accuracy of HLA genotyping in laboratories. Here, we studied the Chinese HLA CWD catalog. A total of 812 211 unrelated volunteer donors from the China Marrow Donor Program (CMDP) were analyzed. Six hundred seventy‐six alleles at the HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1, and ‐DQB1 loci were defined as CWD alleles in the Chinese population, including 159 common and 517 well‐documented alleles. The distribution of HLA alleles in the Chinese CWD catalog is different from that in the EFI CWD catalog. Thirty‐two percent (215/676) of CWD alleles in the Chinese CWD catalog are shared with those in the EFI CWD catalog. Fifty‐six percent (380/676) of alleles in the Chinese CWD catalog are not found in the EFI CWD catalog, while 655 alleles in the EFI CWD catalog are neither common nor well‐documented alleles in the Chinese CWD catalog. The Chinese CWD catalog described in this study may help to improve high‐resolution histocompatibility testing for CMDP‐accredited laboratories in China. However, to accommodate an increasing number of HLA alleles, this Chinese CWD catalog should be regularly updated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that may manifest with flushing, erythema, telangiectasia, papules and pustules, or phymatous changes, occasionally with ocular involvement.1 It was widely accepted that rosacea typically occurs in people aged 30-50 years old.2 However, the youngest rosacea patient reported was an 8-year-old girl, inspiring dermatologists to pay more attention to the evaluation of rosacea among younger populations.3 Moreover, evidence supported that not merely adults but also adolescents are subject to the influence caused by their skin conditions.4 Hence, we aimed to explore the prevalence, clinical characteristics and health-related quality of life of rosacea in Chinese adolescents to establish future guidelines. The participants were classified into two groups as following: (i), those who with no signs or symptoms of rosacea were divided into the clear group; (ii), those who diagnosed as rosacea by two professional dermatologists were divided into the rosacea group. Sex hormone as a trigger of rosacea might be implicated as the increasing incidence of rosacea in middle-aged female patients.8 Furthermore, unawareness of the mild rosacea conditions in adolescents patients could possibly impede them from consulting a professional dermatologist. [Extracted from the article]

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), a potentially malignant oral cavity disorder that causes speech and mastication problems, lacks an established treatment regimen; moreover, no treatment can effectively reverse the course of OSMF. A meta‐analysis was conducted to investigate the efficacy of the peripheral vasodilator, pentoxifylline, in the treatment of OSMF. We searched five different databases for studies meeting our eligibility criteria (up to June 30, 2017). Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Three randomized controlled trials (247 OSMF patients) were selected. Pentoxifylline increased the objective sign maximal mouth opening (MMO; WMD: −4.59, 95% CI: −8.65, −0.53; p < 0.05) following short‐term (under 1 month; WMD: −1.94, 95% CI: −3.12, −0.77; p < 0.05) and long‐term (over 1 month; WMD: −5.44, 95% CI: −6.81, −4.07; p < 0.05) application. Pentoxifylline improved the subjective symptom burning sensation (WMD: −0.11, 95% CI: −0.17, −0.05; p < 0.05) only following long‐term application (WMD: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.96; p < 0.05). The efficacy on MMO and burning sensation increased with time. Although OSMF lacks definitive treatment modalities, our meta‐analysis shows that pentoxifylline effectively improves the objective signs and subjective symptoms of OSMF and its therapeutic efficacy increases with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The introduction of oral direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) has dramatically changed the landscape of HCV treatment. However, a small percentage of patients fail to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR). Understanding the number of people who fail on DAAs and require re‐treatment is important for budget impact and disease burden projections. Aim: To quantify the number of HCV patients who fail to achieve SVR on oral DAAs (NS5A vs. non‐NS5A) and require re‐treatment. Methods: We used a mathematical model to simulate clinical management of HCV in the USA, which included the implementation of HCV screening, treatment, and disease progression. We simulated different waves of DAA treatment and used real‐world data to extract SVR rates and market shares of available therapies. Results: Our model projected that the number of people living without viraemia (i.e. cured) would increase from 0.70 million in 2014 to 1.78 million by 2020. Between 2014 and 2020, 1.50 million people would receive treatment with DAAs, of whom 124 000 (8.3%) are projected to fail to achieve SVR. Among those treatment failures, 66 600 (53.7%) patients would fail treatment with NS5A inhibitors and 69 600 (56.1%) would have cirrhosis. During the same period, 34 200 people would progress to decompensated cirrhosis and 27 300 would develop hepatocellular carcinoma after failing to achieve SVR. Conclusions: Even in the era of highly effective DAAs, a significant number of patients will fail to achieve SVR and will require re‐treatment options. Timely and effective re‐treatment is essential to prevent the long‐term sequelae of HCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: China has one of the largest populations with tuberculosis worldwide. Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) is a rare manifestation of mycobacterial infection. Although CTB is well described, it is important to periodically revisit the prevailing clinical and epidemiological features in most populated countries such as China, India, and Indonesia, where tuberculosis is still a major health problem. Objective: This retrospective study aimed to re‐evaluate the CTB cases in China in the past 50 years to obtain a comprehensive insight into this multiplex entity. Methods: Cases of diagnosed CTB with confirmed histology from four large medical centres in central China between 1957 and 2013 were collected and analysed, including demographic data, clinical manifestations and pathological findings. Results: Of the 1194 cases enrolled, there were 666 (55.78%) and 528 cases (44.22%) of true CTB and tuberculids, respectively. Erythema induratum of Bazin (EIB) was the most common CTB (35.8%), followed by lupus vulgaris (LV, 32.7%), tuberculosis verrucosa cutis (18.9%), papulonecrotic tuberculid (8.0%), scrofuloderma (2.8%), tuberculosis cutis ulcerosa (1.3%), penile tuberculids (0.4%), and lichen scrofulosorum (0.1%). EIB was the predominant tuberculid (80.87%), while LV the predominant true CTB (58.7%). The number of diagnosed CTB showed a decreasing trend in the 1960s and 1970s, then increased again, and peaked in the 1990s. Conclusions: Cutaneous tuberculosis is still a common problem in China. Chronologic changes in CTB cases reported in China over the past 50 years may reflect the prevalence transition of overall tuberculosis. CTB has diverse clinical presentations, and each subtype is characterized by specific gender predilection, duration, age, clinic and pathological findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Mean platelet volume (MPV) assists the differential diagnosis of inherited thrombocytopenia (IT) but lacks standardisation and varies between automated analysers. Classification of IT based on mean platelet diameter (MPD) has been proposed by an international collaborative study but has not been validated. Methods: To assess the applicability of MPD to classify forms of IT, digital images of blood films from patients with established genetic causes for IT were generated, and the MPD measured (ZEISS Axio‐scanner and Image J software) by a blinded reviewer. Comparison was made to the proposed classification system. Results: Mean platelet volume was measured in thrombocytopenia with different genetic aetiologies, bilallelic BSS (bBSS) (n = 1), monoallelic BSS (mBSS) (n = 2), MYH9‐related disorders (MYH9‐RD) (n = 11), GFI1B‐related thrombocytopenia (RT) (n = 15), FLI1‐RT (n = 2), TUBB1‐RT (n = 3), ITGA2B/ITGB3‐RT (n = 1), RUNX1‐RT (n = 2) and controls (n = 54). bBSS and 82% of MYH9‐RD samples had MPD >4 μm which correlated with “IT with giant platelets.” Only 55% of samples expected in the “large platelet group” had MPD meeting the classification cut‐off (MPD >3.2 μm). FLI1‐RT MPD were significantly larger than expected whilst ITGA2B/ITGB3‐RT MPD were smaller than proposed. MPD in FPD/AML were “normal.” Conclusion: Platelet MPD measurements are a useful guide to classify IT, but the time taken to record measurements may limit clinical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Clinical features and basophil activation levels correlate with serum autoreactivity and allergen sensitivity in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Objectives: To explore the relationship of the expression patterns of plasma T‐helper cell (Th) 1‐, Th2‐, Th17‐ and Th22‐related cytokines with the serum autoreactivity and the allergen sensitivity in CSU. Method: Twenty related cytokines were measured and analysed in 60 patients with CSU, 15 patients with acute urticaria, 10 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 15 healthy persons, respectively. Autologous serum skin testing (ASST) and skin prick testing (SPT) were performed to detect autoreactivity and allergy sensitivity, respectively. The protein–protein interaction of cytokines and the molecular pathways were analysed by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and KyotoEncyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG database), respectively. Results: Th1‐/Th2‐ and Th17‐related cytokines were significantly elevated and correlated with disease activity in CSU than in healthy controls. Interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10 and IL‐13 were significantly higher in acute urticaria than in patients with CSU. Granulocyte/macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), IL‐10 and IL‐17 were significantly higher in ASST+ than in ASST‐ CSU patients. IFN‐γ, IL‐2, IL‐12p70 and IL‐21 were significantly higher in SPT+ than in SPT− CSU patients. The plasma levels of interferon‐γ, IL‐2 and IL‐21 varied among ASST+/SPT+, ASST+/SPT−, ASST−/SPT+ and ASST−/SPT− CSU subgroups, which appeared to involve the positive regulation of the Janus kinase‐signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK‐STAT) signaling pathway. Conclusion: This study indicates acute urticaria elicits a more prominent Th2 immune response than CSU. There was association between different expression patterns of plasma Th1‐, Th2‐, Th17‐ and Th22‐related cytokines and serum autoreactivity or allergen sensitivity in CSU. Further studies on the JAK‐STAT pathway in the pathogenesis of CSU are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Accumulating evidence suggests that orexin signalling is involved in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular function. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Here, we test the hypothesis that upregulated orexin A signalling in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) through stimulating expression of proinflammatory cytokines (PICs). Methods: In vivo sympathetic nerve recordings were performed to test the impact of PVN orexin signalling on sympathetic outflow in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Real‐time PCR was carried out to assess effects of central administration of orexin A on PVN PICs expression in SD rats. To test whether orexin A‐induced increases in PICs were exclusively mediated by orexin receptor 1 (OX1R), OX1R‐expressing PC12 (PC12‐OX1R) cells were incubated with different dose of orexin A, and then, PICs mRNA and immunoreactivity were measured. Results: Orexin A microinjection (25 pmol) into the PVN significantly increased splanchnic SNA (93.5%) and renal SNA (83.3%) in SD rats, and these increases were attenuated by OX1R antagonist SB408124. Intracerebroventricular injection of orexin A (0.2 nmol) into SD rats increased mRNA levels of PICs including IL‐1‐β (2.7‐fold), IL‐6 (1.7‐fold) and TNF‐α (1.5‐fold), as well as Fra1 (1.6‐fold) in the PVN. Orexin A treatment in PC12‐OX1R cells resulted in a dose‐ and time‐dependent increase in the expression of PICs and Fra1, a subunit of AP1 transcriptional factor. The increase in the PICs was blocked by AP1 blocker curcumin. Conclusion: Paraventricular nucleus orexin system activation is involved in SNA regulation maybe through triggering AP1‐PICs pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Most urban rivers carry much natural debris, such as vehicles and trees, during extreme flood events, and these large debris, particularly vehicles, can block a local hydraulic structure such as a bridge. Such blockages usually increase the upstream water levels and cause more water to be diverted into adjacent urban areas. A scaled physical river model was constructed in a laboratory flume, consisting of a sketched urban reach with a compound cross‐sectional geometry, and experiments were conducted on three model bridges, blocked by vehicles, with the corresponding hydrodynamic impacts of these vehicles blocking bridges being investigated. The main findings obtained from the investigation show that (i) the upstream water depths in the urban river increased significantly due to the vehicle blockage, for the single opening arch bridge and the straight deck bridge, while the upstream depths increased slightly for the three‐opening straight deck bridge; (ii) the non‐uniformity in the velocity profiles varied along the channel centreline, with the exponents in the power‐law velocity distribution reaching their maximum values around the first two blocked model bridges, while the exponent values changed slightly along the channel for the third model bridge due to the middle opening not being blocked; and (iii) the downstream mean velocity was slightly greater than the upstream velocity for the first two cases, with the minimum value occurring just downstream of the bridge. However, the depth‐averaged velocities just downstream of the bridge were relatively higher for the third case. Therefore, the obstruction caused by vehicle blockage at bridges has significant impacts on the hydrodynamic characteristics in an urban reach, and these impacts depend on the specified bridge type and the blockage mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat preference of benthic riverine juvenile Chinese sucker, Myxocyprinus asiaticus, a protected species in China, is poorly understood. This situation makes it difficult to evaluate the potential impacts on juveniles after river alteration. To better understand the impact of damming, we studied preference of cultured juvenile Chinese sucker (7.90-8.55 cm, standard length) for dark versus light substrate colours in 2 velocity regimes: zero velocity (like on a reservoir bottom) and in a slow water current of 0.15-0.19 cm/s (like on the bottom of a slow flowing stream). In the slow current regime, juveniles chose black substrate during the day and night. This likely represents the natural substrate preference by wild suckers in a river. However, in the zero velocity regime, juveniles chose a black substrate during the day, but switched preference to a white substrate at night. The results suggest wild juveniles in the natural Yangtze River have evolved a preference for a black substrate during the day and night. However, after the river was impounded by the Three Gorges Dam and bottom velocity changed to a static regime, juveniles in the reservoir changed substrate colour preference and now prefer a light-coloured substrate colour at night. Thus, damming likely caused a major behavioural change by juveniles. The adaptive significance and effect on fitness of this change in habitat preference is not known but should be investigated as wild Chinese sucker continue to decline in abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the protective function of vitamin D ( VD)/vitamin D receptor ( VDR) on the development of oral lichen planus ( OLP) and elaborate the underling mechanism of it. Methods H&E staining, myeloid peroxidase ( MPO) assays, quantitative PCR ( qPCR), Western blotting, and Elisa were used to test the human biopsies and serum. QPCR, Western blotting, Elisa, and si RNA transfection were also performed in LPS-induced keratinocytes to observe the functions of vitamin D and VDR. Results The lack of VDR in the diseased biopsies from OLP patients was associated with activated helper T-cell type 1 (Th1)-driven inflammatory response. Importantly, the status of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D of OLP patients was reduced consistently. In a cultured cell model, 1,25( OH)2D3 could downregulate excessive production of pro-inflammatory factors induced by lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) in keratinocyte HaCat cells. Mechanistically, even though LPS-induced cytokines in keratinocytes were inhibited both by nuclear factor- κB ( NF- κB) inhibitor and by activator protein 1 ( AP-1) inhibitor, VDR-dependent 1,25( OH)2D3 blocked the activation of phosphorylated- NF- κB p65 rather than c-Jun/c-Fos in the presence of LPS stimulation. Conclusion These results suggest that 1,25( OH)2D3 plays an anti-inflammatory role in OLP by mediating NF- κB signaling pathway but not AP-1 signaling pathway with a VDR-dependent manner, predicting vitamin D supplement may be a potential strategy for the OLP management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora sojae is a destructive soilborne pathogen causing seedling damping-off and root rot of soybean ( Glycine max). The goal of this study was to determine the genetic structure of P. sojae populations in Fujian, China. Nine microsatellite markers were used to investigate the genetic variation in 19 P. sojae populations, sampled from Fujian Province and northeastern China (Jilin and Heilongjiang Provinces) between 2002 and 2013. Overall, a low genetic diversity, Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium, and an [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to perform a meta-analysis of published data to determine the significance of clinical factors and exposures to the risk of perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke ( PAIS) and provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases for relevant observational studies (cohort/case−control) from March 1984 to March 2016 was undertaken. Two review authors independently examined the full text records to determine which studies met the inclusion criteria and evaluated risk factors for PAIS. Risk ratios, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. A total of 11 studies were included in the analyses. Intrapartum fever >38°C, pre-eclampsia, oligohydramnios, primiparity, forceps delivery, vacuum delivery, fetal heart rate abnormalities, abnormal cardiotocography tracing, cord abnormalities, birth asphyxia, emergency caesarean section, tight nuchal cord, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, umbilical arterial pH <7.10, Apgar score at 5 min <7, resuscitation at birth, hypoglycaemia, male gender and small for gestational age were identified as risk factors for PAIS. This systemic review and meta-analysis provides a preliminary evidence-based assessment of the risk factors for PAIS. Patients with any of the risk factors identified in this analysis should be given careful consideration to ensure the prevention of PAIS. Future studies focusing on the combined effects of multiple prenatal, perinatal and neonatal risk factors for PAIS are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histogram comparison approach (HCA) is proposed to assess the alteration of hydrologic regimes, which are characterized by the hydrologic metrics, for example, the indicators of hydrologic alteration. The HCA method considers alterations within the whole range of the hydrologic regime and estimates the alteration degree by comparing the pre-impact and post-impact histograms. A key parameter of the HCA method is the similarity degree, which considers both the class-by-class and cross-class information of histograms and reflects how many features of the pre-impact histogram remain in the post-impact histogram. The alteration degree is defined as the mathematical maximum similarity degree, that is, 100%, subtracted by the actual similarity degree in the HCA method. Comparing the HCA method to the existing range of variability approach and histogram matching approach through theoretical analysis and case studies, the HCA method can eliminate some limitations of the range of variability approach and histogram matching approach methods and can more accurately and effectively assess the hydrologic regime alteration. The Ob and Yangtze Rivers, which are located in different climatic zones, are used as case studies. Hydrologic regime alterations impacted by reservoirs with different regulation abilities (daily, seasonally and yearly) were assessed using the HCA method, the results of which verified its rationality and practicability. More sites with a wider range of flow variations will be examined in the future to assess the applicability of the HCA method. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9) is a novel sialic acid-binding member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and is broadly expressed on immune cells, which can inhibit both innate and adaptive immune responses through immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs. However, the exact role of Siglec-9 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) remains unknown. In this study, we determined soluble Siglec-9 ( sSiglec-9) levels in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with RA and evaluated the relation between sSiglec-9 levels and clinical factors. In addition, we investigated whether Siglec-9 could alleviate collagen-induced arthritis ( CIA) development in mice and explored the molecular mechanisms involved. The results showed that, in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with RA, sSiglec-9 levels were elevated. Thus, high sSiglec-9 serum levels associated with disease severity in patients with RA. Furthermore, administration of recombinant human Siglec-9 Fc chimera protein significantly attenuated collagen-induced arthritis development in vivo and in vitro by reciprocal regulation of the differentiation of Th17 and Treg cells. Our findings collectively indicate that Siglec-9 plays a potent immunosuppressive role in the pathogenesis of RA by reciprocal regulation of Th17-/Treg-cell differentiation. In conclusion, Siglec-9 may serve as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcome and endocrinological characteristics of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) using 4 versus 10 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) per day in infertile women with normal ovary reserve.Design: A randomised parallel controlled trial.Setting: Tertiary-care academic medical centre.Participants: A cohort of 300 infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.Methods: Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG; 225 iu per day) and MPA (group A, 10 mg per day; group B, 4 mg per day) were started simultaneously from cycle day 3 onwards. Ovulation was co-triggered by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 1000 iu) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist; 0.1 mg) when dominant follicles matured. Viable embryos were cryopreserved for later frozen embryo transfer (FET) in both groups.Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the number of oocytes retrieved. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of a premature surge in luteinising hormone (LH), the number of viable embryos, and clinical pregnancy outcomes.Results: The number of oocytes retrieved and viable embryos were similar between two groups (9.8 ± 6.3 versus 9.6 ± 5.9; 4.2 ± 2.6 versus 3.7 ± 3.0; P > 0.05). No significant difference was found in clinical pregnancy rate (58.0 versus 48.7%) and live birth rate per participant (48.7 versus 42.0%; P > 0.05). No premature LH surge and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurred in either group.Conclusions: Progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) using 4 or 10 mg of MPA per day was comparable in terms of the number of oocytes retrieved and pregnancy outcome after FET. The administration of 4 mg of MPA per day was sufficient to prevent an untimely LH rise in women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment.Tweetable Abstract: An RCT confirmed similar pregnancy outcome in P-primed ovarian stimulation with a daily dose of 4 or 10 mg MPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The underlying causes and factors contributing to the disease severity of chronic spontaneous urticaria ( CSU) are unknown. Objective Given the important role of basophils in the pathogenesis of urticaria and that CD63 serves as a useful marker for basophil activation and detecting, CD63 expression of basophils is a reliable tool for diagnosing allergy and hypersensitivity reactions to different allergens; the objective of this study was to investigate whether the level of basophil CD63 expression is correlated with allergen sensitization, serum autoreactivity and basophil reactivity in patients with CSU. Methods Basophil-enriched leucocytes were separated from the blood of 64 patients with chronic urticaria (54 CSU patients and 10 symptomatic dermographism patients), 18 healthy control subjects and seven atopic donors without urticaria. Flow cytometry was then used to detect CD63 expression on the cell membrane of basophils from all samples. Analysis was also preformed on basophils incubated with sera from CSU patients with positive or negative autologous serum skin test ( ASST). Results CD63 expression was significantly higher in the basophils from patients with CSU than in those from patients with symptomatic dermographism and the healthy control group. The levels of CD63 expression in CSU patients with ASST+ and/or allergen sensitization were higher than those with ASST− and/or no allergen sensitization patients. Incubation with ASST+ serum resulted in an increased expression of CD63 in the basophils of ASST+ CSU patients, whereas no such response was observed in healthy controls or ASST− CSU patients. Conclusion The increased CD63 expression in basophils from CSU patients may correlate with allergen sensitization, autoreactivity of serum and basophil reactivity. Our results suggest that CD63 may contribute new insight into the pathogenesis of CSU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder ( PTSD) often share co-morbidity with chronic pain conditions. Recent studies suggest a role of P2X3 receptors and ATP signaling in pain conditions. However, the underlying mechanisms of visceral hyperalgesia following exposure to PTSD-like stress conditions remain unclarified. Methods The behavior and hormones relevant for PTSD were studied. Visceromotor responses ( VMR) and the abdominal withdrawal reflexes ( AWR) to colorectal distention ( CRD) were recorded to determine P2X3-receptor-mediated alteration of hyperalgesia following single-prolonged stress ( SPS) exposure. Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and patch-clamp were used. Key Results The escape latency, adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol were increased on days 7-14. Visceromotor responses and AWR was reduced at day 1 in SPS rats but increased to higher levels than in controls after exposure to day 7. Intrathecal administration of the P2X3-receptor antagonist TNP- ATP abolished the CRD response. Based on immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis, SPS-treated rats exhibited reduced P2X3 expression in dorsal root ganglia ( DRG) after day 1 compared with controls. P2X3 expression in DRG was enhanced on day 7 after SPS and the increase of the P2X3 expression was maintained on day 14 and 21 compared with controls. The P2X3-receptor agonist α,β-me ATP (10 μM) induced a fast desensitizing inward current in DRG neurons of both control and SPS-treated rats. The average peak current densities in SPS-treated group were increased 3.6-fold. TNP- ATP (100 nM) markedly blocked all fast α,β-me ATP-induced inward currents in the DRG neurons both in control and SPS-treated rats. Conclusions & Inferences The data indicate an important role of P2X3 signaling in visceral hyperalgesia following PTSD-like stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Taihu pig breeds are an invaluable component of the world's pig genetic resources, and they are the most prolific breeds of swine in the world. In this study, the genomes of 252 pigs of the six indigenous breeds in the Taihu Lake region were sequenced using the genotyping by genome reducing and sequencing approach. A total of 950 million good reads were obtained using an Illumina Hiseq2000 at an average depth of 13× (for SNP calling) and an average coverage of 2.3%. In total, 122 632 indels, 31 444 insertions, 44 056 deletions and 455 CNVs (copy number variants) were identified in the genomes of the pigs. Approximately 2.3% of these genetic markers were mapped to gene exon regions, and 25% were in QTL regions related to economically important traits. The KEGG pathway or GO enrichment analyses revealed that genetic variants assumed to be large-effect mutations were significantly overrepresented in 22 SNP, 56 indel, 26 insertion, 28 deletion and three CNV gene sets. A total of 343 breed-specific SNPs were also identified in the six Chinese indigenous pigs. The findings from this study can contribute to future investigations of the genetic diversity, population structure, positive selection signals and molecular evolutionary history of these pigs at the genome level and can serve as a valuable reference for improving the breeding and cultivation of these pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes are variably distributed among populations from distinct geographic areas and ethnic origins. We describe, for the first time, KIR gene diversity in 152 unrelated and healthy Drung individuals, as measured by sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction. All 16 known KIR genes were detected. Of these, the framework genes KIR2DL4, 3DL2, 3DL3, and 3DP1 were present in all individuals as expected, along with the non-framework genes KIR2DL1, 2DL3, and 2DP1. In contrast, KIR2DL2, 2DS2, and 2DS5 were unusually rare, suggesting that KIR gene distribution was relatively concentrated. Ten different KIR genotypes were found, of which the most common consisted of nine genes ( KIR2DL1, 2DL3, 2DL4, 2DS4, 3DL1, 3DL2, 3DL3, 2DP1, and 3DP1) and accounted for 66.4% of participants. There were eight different haplotypes present, of which the A haplotype was the most common (81.9%). Principal components and dendrogram analysis confirmed that the Drung Chinese are most closely related to the Japanese, the Zhejiang Han, and the Yunnan Han. In conclusion, distinctive frequencies of KIR genes, haplotypes, and genotypes are observed in Chinese Drung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas the vertebrate muscle myosin heavy chains (MHCs) are encoded by a family of Mhc genes, most insects examined to date contain a single Mhc gene and produce all of the different MHC isoforms by alternative RNA splicing. Here, we found that the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, has one Mhc gene, which contains 41 exons, including five alternative exclusive exons and one differently included penultimate exon, and potentially encodes 360 MHC isoforms. From the adult L. migratoria, we identified 14 MHC isoforms (including two identical isoforms): four from flight muscle (the thorax dorsal longitudinal muscle), three from jump muscle (the hind leg extensor tibiae muscle) and seven from the abdominal intersegmental muscle. We purified myosins from flight muscle and jump muscle and characterized their motor activities. At neutral pH, the flight and the jump muscle myosins displayed similar levels of in vitro actin-gliding activity, whereas the former had a slightly higher actin-activated ATPase activity than the latter. Interestingly, the pH dependences of the actin-activated ATPase activity of these two myosins are different. Because the dominant MHC isoforms in these two muscles are identical except for the two alternative exon-encoding regions, we propose that these two alternative regions modulate the pH dependence of L. migratoria muscle myosin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine four parametrizations of the unit sphere in the context of material stability analysis by means of the singularity of the acoustic tensor. We then propose a Cartesian parametrization for vectors that lie a cube of side length two and use these vectors in lieu of unit normals to test for the loss of the ellipticity condition. This parametrization is then used to construct a tensor akin to the acoustic tensor. It is shown that both of these tensors become singular at the same time and in the same planes in the presence of a material instability. The performance of the Cartesian parametrization is compared against the other parametrizations, with the results of these comparisons showing that in general, the Cartesian parametrization is more robust and more numerically efficient than the others. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many malaria antigens contain multiple disulphide bonds involved in the formation of inhibitory B-cell epitopes. Producing properly folded malaria antigens in sufficient quantities for vaccination is often a challenge. The 42-kDa fragment of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP142) is such a kind of malaria antigen. In this study, we investigated the expression of MSP142 in a rice system (9522, a cultivar of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica), which was used as a bioreactor for protein production. The MSP142 gene was synthesized according to rice-preferred codons and transformed into rice plants via an Agrobacterium-mediated method. The recombinant antigen was efficiently expressed in rice seeds with a level up to 1.56% of total soluble protein and was recognized by both the conformational monoclonal antibody 5.2 (mAb5.2) and the pooled sera of P. falciparum malaria patients. Rabbits were immunized intramuscularly with the purified MSP142 formulated with Freund's adjuvant. High antibody titres against MSP142 were elicited. The rabbit immune sera reacted well with the native protein of P. falciparum parasite and strongly inhibited the in vitro growth of blood-stage P. falciparum parasites, demonstrating that transgenic rice can become an efficient bioreactor for the production of malaria vaccine antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the genetic basis of growth and egg traits in Dongxiang blue-shelled chickens and White Leghorn chickens. In this study, we employed a reduced representation sequencing approach called genotyping by genome reducing and sequencing to detect genome-wide SNPs in 252 Dongxiang blue-shelled chickens and 252 White Leghorn chickens. The Dongxiang blue-shelled chicken breed has many specific traits and is characterized by blue-shelled eggs, black plumage, black skin, black bone and black organs. The White Leghorn chicken is an egg-type breed with high productivity. As multibreed genome-wide association studies ( GWASs) can improve precision due to less linkage disequilibrium across breeds, a multibreed GWAS was performed with 156 575 SNPs to identify the associated variants underlying growth and egg traits within the two chicken breeds. The analysis revealed 32 SNPs exhibiting a significant genome-wide association with growth and egg traits. Some of the significant SNPs are located in genes that are known to impact growth and egg traits, but nearly half of the significant SNPs are located in genes with unclear functions in chickens. To our knowledge, this is the first multibreed genome-wide report for the genetics of growth and egg traits in the Dongxiang blue-shelled and White Leghorn chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroplasticity - the capacity of the brain to change as a response to internal and external pressures - has been studied from a number of different perspectives. Perhaps one of the most powerful models is the study of populations that have been congenitally deprived of a sense. It has been shown that the right Auditory Cortex ( AC) of congenitally deaf humans is neuroplastically modified in order to represent visual properties of a stimulus. One unresolved question is how this visual information is routed to the AC of congenitally deaf individuals. Here, we performed volumetric analysis of subcortical auditory and visual brains regions - namely the thalamus (along with three thalamic nuclei: the pulvinar, the lateral geniculate nucleus and the medial geniculate nucleus), and the inferior and superior colliculi - in deaf and hearing participants in order to identify which structures may be responsible for relaying visual information toward the altered AC. Because there is a hemispheric asymmetry in the neuroplastic changes observed in the AC of the congenitally deaf, we reasoned that subcortical structures that also showed a similar asymmetry in their total volume could have been enlisted in the effort of relaying visual information to the neuroplastically altered right AC. We show that for deaf, but not for hearing individuals, the right thalamus, right lateral geniculate nucleus and right inferior colliculus are larger than their left counterparts. These results suggest that these subcortical structures may be responsible for rerouting visual information to the AC in congenital deafness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]