Search

Spatial patterns of body size are associated with environmental factors like temperature, seasonality, precipitation, resources, and altitude, among the most relevant. Latitudinal size patterns have been extensively studied. Studies on altitudinal gradients of body size, however, are relatively few. Besides, it is still unclear whether there is variation in the relationship between environmental factors and body size of species, or correlations within different altitudes. China provides a good opportunity to assess the altitudinal gradients of body size, because the entire terrain of China changes from high altitude in the west to low altitude in the east, with three natural terrain stages (low: less than 660 m.a.s.l.; medium: 660–2600 m.a.s.l.; and high: more than 2600 m.a.s.l.). Similarly, lizards are distributed across a wide altitudinal range (from −154.31 m to ~6000 m above sea level). We examined 211 lizard species in China and assessed the altitudinal gradients of Chinese lizard body sizes at assemblage and interspecific levels. Piecewise structural equation models (pSEM) were used to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between body size and environmental factors within different terrains (low, medium, and high altitudes). Overall, we found that body size in Chinese lizards decreases with increasing altitude. However, there were variations in the altitudinal gradients and drivers within the three terrain stages. Altitude has both direct (medium and low stages) and indirect (high stages) effects in shaping lizard size. We established that body size increased with increasing altitudes in the low and medium terrain stages. Seasonality had different effects on body size in medium (positively) and low (negatively) stages. However, among the three terrain stages, temperature was consistently negatively correlated with lizard size. Overall, we identified complex patterns and drivers of altitudinal gradients of body size within the three terrain stages, probably due to the different environmental conditions across altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) in predicting deep endometriosis (DE) following the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA) consensus methodology.Methods: This was an international multicenter prospective diagnostic accuracy study involving eight centers across six countries (August 2018-November 2019). Consecutive participants with endometriosis suspected based on clinical symptoms or historical diagnosis of endometriosis were included. The index test was TVS performed preoperatively in accordance with the IDEA consensus statement. At each center, the index test was interpreted by a single sonologist. Reference standards were: (1) direct visualization of endometriosis at laparoscopy, as determined by a non-blinded surgeon with expertise in endometriosis surgery; and (2) histological assessment of biopsied/excised tissue. Surgery was performed within 12 months following the index TVS. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) of TVS in the diagnosis of DE were calculated.Results: Included in the study were 273 participants with complete clinical, TVS, laparoscopic and histological data. Of these, based on histology, 256 (93.8%) were confirmed to have endometriosis, including superficial endometriosis, and 190 (69.6%) were confirmed to have DE. Based on surgical visualization, 207/273 (75.8%) patients had DE. For DE overall, the diagnostic performance of TVS based on surgical visualization as the reference standard was as follows: accuracy, 86.1%; sensitivity, 88.4%; specificity, 78.8%; PPV, 92.9%; NPV, 68.4%; LR+, 4.17; LR-, 0.15, and the diagnostic performance of TVS based on histology as the reference standard was as follows: accuracy, 85.9%; sensitivity, 89.8%; specificity, 75.9%; PPV, 90.4%; NPV, 74.6%; LR+, 3.72; LR-, 0.13.Conclusions: Using the IDEA consensus methodology provides strong diagnostic accuracy for TVS assessment of DE. We found a higher TVS detection rate of DE overall than that reported by the most recent meta-analysis on the topic (sensitivity, 79%), albeit with a lower specificity. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The Z chromosome of the silkworm contains a major gene that influences silk yield. This major locus on chromosome Z accounts for 35.10% of the phenotypic variance. The location and identification of the gene have been a focus of silkworm genetics research. Unfortunately, identification of this gene has been difficult. We used extreme phenotype subpopulations and selected from a backcross population, BC1M, which was obtained using the high‐yield strain 872B and the low‐yield strain IS‐Dazao as parents, for mapping the gene on the chromosome Z. The candidate region was narrowed down to 134 kb at the tip of the chromosome. BmAbl1 in this region correlated with silk gland development by spatiotemporal expression analysis. This gene was differentially expressed in the posterior silk glands of the high‐ and low‐yield strains. In BmAbl1, an insertion–deletion (indel) within the 10th exonic region and an SNP within the 6th intronic region were detected and shown to be associated with cocoon shell weight in 84 Bombyx mori strains with different yields. Nucleotide diversity analysis of BmAbl1 and its 50 kb flanking regions indicated that BmAbl1 has experienced strong artificial selection during silkworm domestication. This study is the first to identify the genes controlling silk yield in the major QTL of the Z chromosome using forward genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing use of anti‐osteoporotic agents (AOA) worldwide for prevention or management of patients with osteoporosis. However, there have been reports of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) induced by AOA. A recent study showed weak association between HLA and strontium ranelate (SR)‐SCAR. Objective: To characterize patients with AOA‐SCAR and investigate the HLA association and utility of in vitro diagnostic methods. Methods: We enrolled 16 cases with AOA‐cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADR), including SCAR (n = 10: 8 with Stevens–Johnson syndrome [SJS] and 2 with drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms [DRESS]) and maculopapular exanthema (MPE) (n = 6) from Taiwan and Hong Kong. We analysed the clinical characteristics, outcomes, HLA alleles and in vitro testing of AOA‐SCAR, and tolerability to alternative drugs. We further performed literature review and meta‐analysis on the HLA association of AOA‐SCAR. Results: Our data showed strontium ranelate is the most common causality of AOA‐SCAR in Asian populations. There was no cross‐hypersensitivity of SR‐SCAR with other AOA. HLA genotyping showed that SR‐SJS was most significantly associated with HLA‐A*33:03 (Pc = 5.17 × 10−3, OR: 25.97, 95% CI: 3.08–219.33). Meta‐analysis showed that HLA‐A*33:03 was associated with SR‐SJS (P = 5.01 × 10−5; sensitivity: 85.7%) in Asians. The sensitivity of lymphocyte activation test (LAT) for identifying the culprit drug of SR‐SJS was 83.3%. Conclusions: Strontium ranelate is identified as the most notorious AOA associated with SCAR. The HLA‐A*33:03 genetic allele and LAT testing may add benefits to the diagnosis of SR‐SCAR in patients whose reaction developed while taking multiple drugs. Linked Commentary: T. Shiohara. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2021; 35: 567‐568. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.17138. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Less is known about gastrointestinal (GI) involvement of primary skin diseases due to the difference in embryology, histology, microbiology and physiology between integument and alimentary tract. Oesophagus, following the oropharyngeal mucosa, is the most common GI segment affected by primary skin diseases, especially by eosinophilic oesophagitis, lichen planus and autoimmune bullous dermatoses like pemphigus vulgaris, mucosal membrane pemphigoid and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. Eosinophilic oesophagitis is an emerging chronic atopic disease with oesophageal dysfunction as the typical presentation, and oesophageal narrowing, rings and stricture as late complications. Oesophageal lichen planus mainly involves the proximal to mid‐oesophagus in elderly aged women with long‐term oral mucosal lesions. In acute attack of pemphigus vulgaris, oesophageal involvement is not uncommon but often neglected and may cause sloughing oesophagitis (oesophagitis dissecans superficialis) with acute GI bleeding in rare cases. GI manifestation of hereditary bradykininergic angio‐oedema with colicky acute abdomen mostly affects small intestine, usually in the absence of pruritus or urticaria, and is more severe and long‐lasting than the acquired histaminergic form. Strong evidence supports association between inflammatory bowel disease, especially Crohn disease, and hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa. Patients with vitiligo need surveillance of autoimmune liver disease, autoimmune atrophic gastritis or coeliac disease when corresponding symptoms become suspect. Melanoma is the most common primary tumour metastatic to the GI tract, with small intestine predominantly targeted. Gastrointestinal involvement is not uncommon in disseminated mycosis fungoides. Extramammary Paget's disease is an intraepidermal adenocarcinoma of controversial origin, and a high association between the anogenital occurrence and colorectal adenocarcinoma has been reported. As GI tract is the largest organ system with multidimensional functions, dermatologists in daily practice should be aware of the gastrointestinal morbidities related to primary skin diseases for an early diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing antibiotic resistance has motivated interest in non-antibiotic prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI).Objectives: To conduct a systematic review of the current state of evidence of acupuncture for uncomplicated rUTI in women.Search Strategy: Nine databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, AMED, CBM, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang) were searched from inception to February 2019.Selection Criteria: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of acupuncture and related therapies for prophylaxis or treatment of uncomplicated rUTI in women were included.Data Collection and Analysis: Risk of bias was assessed, and the quality and strength of evidence evaluated using the GRADE framework. Results were reported as risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Main Results: Five RCTs involving 341 participants were included. Methodological quality of studies and strength of the evidence were low to moderate. The chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics (three studies, 170 participants, RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.31-2.81, I2  = 38%). The risk of UTI recurrence was lower with acupuncture than with no treatment (two studies, 135 participants, RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.26-0.58, I2  = 0%) and sham acupuncture (one study, 53 participants, RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22-0.92).Conclusions: Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of rUTIs, noting the limitations of the current evidence. Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, there is a need for high-quality RCTs of non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture.Tweetable Abstract: This review found that acupuncture may improve treatment and prevent recurrence of urinary tract infection in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large dip‐slip earthquakes have a major contribution to mountain building while earthquake‐induced landslides lower mountains simultaneously. The amount of the coseismic uplift and landslides may dominate long‐term mountain evolution. However, how earthquakes contribute to mountain evolution through coseismic uplift and landslides is less constrained in real cases. We present the regional coseismic uplift of the 1999 Mw7.6 Chi‐Chi earthquake by using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and GPS. The coseismic uplift pattern is consistent with field observations showing increasing movement to the north with ~8 m of uplift toward the northern end. We estimated uplifted rock volume of 2.60 ± 1.09 km3, which is five times greater than the coseismic landslide volume. Intense erosion of the Taiwan orogen may erode elevated rocks rapidly, but the uplift and landslide distributions do not match and correlate more inversely, suggesting the frontal orogenic topography should be increased rather than annulled over earthquake cycles. Plain Language Summary: Earthquakes can raise mountains but they can cause landslides to lower the mountains at the same time. For large earthquakes, mountains could reduce the size due to more landslides than uplift. It is important to analyze earthquakes occurred within mountain ranges to examine how much volume of rocks is elevated and how much volume of rocks is trampled down. Because complete observations of uplift and landslides for large earthquakes are rare, we used geodetic methods to estimate the volume of the elevated rocks for one of the largest earthquakes in mountain ranges in the world, the Chi‐Chi, Taiwan, earthquake in 1999. The volume of elevated rocks is much larger than the landslide volume, and the uplift area is close to the frontal mountains and the landslide areas are distributed in the deeper mountains. If this finding holds for other mountain ranges in similar settings, this means that large earthquakes should raise mountains, especially in the frontal part of the mountains. Key Points: We estimate the regional pattern of the coseismic uplift of the Chi‐Chi earthquakeIncreased rock volume is significantly greater than coseismic landslide volume for the Chi‐Chi earthquakeThe distributions of coseismic uplift and landslides suggest differential topographic increase at frontal orogen [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial function is critical for cell vitality in all eukaryotes including plants. Although plant mitochondria contain many proteins, few have been studied in the context of plant development and physiology.We used knock‐down mutant RPS9M to study its important role in male gametogenesis and seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana.Knock‐down of RPS9M in the rps9m‐3 mutant led to abnormal pollen development and impaired pollen tube growth. In addition, both embryo and endosperm development were affected. Phenotype analysis revealed that the rps9m‐3 mutant contained a lower amount of endosperm and nuclear proteins, and both embryo cell division and embryo pattern were affected, resulting in an abnormal and defective embryo. Lowering the level of RPS9M in rps9m‐3 affects mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis, energy metabolism and production of ROS.Our data revealed that RPS9M plays important roles in normal gametophyte development and seed formation, possibly by sustaining mitochondrial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Growth and fatness traits are complex and economically important traits in the pig industry. The molecular basis underlying porcine growth and fatness traits remains largely unknown. To uncover genetic loci and candidate genes for these traits, we explored the GeneSeek GGP Porcine 80K SNP chip to perform a GWAS for seven growth and fatness traits in 365 individuals from the Sujiang pig, a recently developed breed in China. We identified two, 17, one and 11 SNPs surpassing the suggestively significant threshold (P < 1.86 × 10−5) for body weight, chest circumference, chest width and backfat thickness respectively. Of these SNPs, 20 represent novel genetic loci, and five and four SNPs were respectively associated with chest circumference and backfat thickness at a genome‐wide significant threshold (P < 9.31 × 10−7). Eight SNPs had a pleiotropic effect on both chest circumference and backfat thickness. The most remarkable locus resided in a region between 72.95 and 76.27 Mb on pig chromosome 4, harboring a number of previously reported quantitative trait loci related to backfat deposition. In addition to two reported genes (PLAG1 and TAS2R38), we identified four genes including GABRB3, ZNF106, XKR4 and MGAM as novel candidates for body weight and backfat thickness at the mapped loci. Our findings provide insights into the genetic architecture of porcine growth and fatness traits and potential markers for selective breeding of Chinese Sujiang pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system was considered as one of the factors involved in the pathological mechanisms of premature ejaculation (PE). Sympathetic skin response of the penis (PSSR) was used to evaluate the activity of sympathetic innervations in the penis, which was controlled by the central nervous system (brain). Shorter PSSR was found in PE patients; however, little was known regarding the central neural mechanisms of PE patients with high sympathetic activity. Methods: PSSR of PE patients was evaluated, and diffusion tensor images of participants were collected. Graph theoretical analysis was employed to examine the differences of the topological properties of structural brain connectome between PE patients with high sympathetic activity and healthy controls (HCs). Moreover, the relationships between topological characteristics and clinical features in PE patients were also explored. Results: Decreased local efficacy was found in the left amygdala, right pallidum and thalamus in the white matter brain networks of PE when compared with HC (survived false discovery rate (FDR) correction). In addition, PE patients showed decreased global efficacy in the left amygdala and right rolandic operculum, supramarginal gyrus, heschl gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, pallidum and thalamus; however, these results did not survive FDR correction. Finally, the local efficacy of right thalamus had a positive correlation with the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) scores, while the local efficacy of left amygdala was negatively associated with the state score of the state‐trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and penile shaft sensory threshold. Conclusion: The results highlighted the abnormal topological properties of structural brain connectome in PE with high sympathetic activity. We also suggested that the clinical features of PE were related to the abnormality of several brain regions involved in the central control of ejaculation and emotion. This study provided new insights into the central neural mechanisms of PE, which might offer biological markers for understanding the physiopathology of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human brain was a complex network of interconnected regions. Recent neuroimaging studies had showed that the disruption of brain connectivity was associated with psychological disorders. Abnormal rich club and robustness of brain networks might have a key role in the pathophysiology of psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED). Methods: Both diffusion and functional magnetic resonance imaging were performed in pED patients and healthy controls (HC). Measures of rich club organization and robustness under targeted attack were explored. Results: Both pED and HC showed structural and functional rich club organization. However, reduced rich club coefficient was found in pED and different regions in the rich club of structural brain network were less than that of functional brain network. Moreover, decreased connectivity density and strength were only found in feeder connections of functional brain network in pED. In addition, pED showed remarkably reduced resilient to targeted attack and the stability of the functional brain network organization showed more vulnerable to targeted attack in pED. Conclusion: Together, our results provided evidence that pED was characterized by a selective disruption of rich club organization and reduced robustness to attack. The abnormal hub regions and connections of functional brain network, less stable organization of structural brain network, and the abnormal psychological factors might lead to the development of erectile dysfunction in pED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal characteristics of equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) have been studied based on Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) fan sector observations from Kototabang. EPBs were characterized as either locally generated (whose genesis and subsequent evolution was observed in the fan sector maps) or drifted type (which drifted into fan sector scans from west). Investigation of the radar echo spectral width indicated that the drifted EPB could be less evolving type. Height of the F layer in the postsunset period over Kototabang and Chumphon were examined in the two types. Average peak h′F was higher in locally generated EPB cases than in drifted EPB cases (by ~25 km), which is also found to be statistically significant. This scenario has been visualized in terms of a standing large‐scale wave structure (LSWS) whose phase determine whether EPB will be seen evolving over EAR or drifted from a western longitude. Furthermore, low‐latitude sporadic E (Es) variabilities in the two cases were also examined. Es indicated an inverse relation with the peak h′F (which depends on crest/trough of LSWS). These results have been discussed in the light of earlier works on spatial morphology of EPB clusters, particularly in context to the possible generation mechanism of LSWS by the spatial inhomogeneity in the low‐latitude E region conductivity. Lesser occurrence of low‐latitude Es in locally generated EPB cases also signifies the vital role of E region conductivity on Rayleigh‐Taylor instability. These results highlight a need for networked spatial observation of low‐latitude Es. Key Points: Spatiotemporal morphology of plasma bubbles is studied using Equatorial Atmosphere Radar and a network of ionosondes over south‐east AsiaSignificant difference in the average h′F and low‐latitude Es characteristics were observed in locally generated and drifted EPB casesImportant role of E region conductivity on RT instability, particularly related to spatiotemporal morphology of EPB, has been highlighted [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Trends in surgical rates for Crohn's disease (CD) in the biological era are controversial. We aim to assess modern trends in the formation rates of surgical stomas. Method: Population‐based surveillance in the Calgary Health Zone (CHZ), Canada, was conducted between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2011, using the Discharge Abstract Database to identify adult patients with CD admitted to hospital and treated with surgical stoma formation (n = 545). Annual stoma incidence was calculated by dividing the number of incident stomas by the prevalence of CD in the CHZ. Time trend analysis of the stoma‐formation rate was performed, expressed as annual percentage change (APC) with 95% CI. Stoma‐formation rates were stratified according to procedure (emergency vs elective) and duration of stoma [temporary (reversed within 2 years of formation) vs permanent]. Results: The overall rate of stoma formation between 2002 and 2011 showed a downwards trend, of a mean of 5.2% (95% CI: −8.5 to −1.8) per year, from a rate of 2.30 stomas/100 person‐years (PY) in 2002 to 1.51 stomas/100 PY in 2011. The rate of emergency stoma formation decreased significantly from 2002 to 2011 (mean APC = −9.4%; 95% CI: −15.6 to −2.8), while the rate of elective ostomies essentially showed no change (mean APC = −0.9%; 95% CI: −5.3 to 3.8). The rate of temporary stoma formation decreased significantly, by 4.6% (95% CI: −7.3 to −1.8) per year, while permanent stoma formation was stable (APC = 1.0%; 95% CI: −4.0 to +6.3). Conclusion: A reduction in the overall rate of stoma formation in CD has been driven by fewer emergency stomas, although rates of permanent stoma have remained stable. Summary: In this population‐based time trend analysis, we demonstrate that overall rates of surgical stoma formation have decreased, primarily as a result of reduction in emergency stomas. However, the rate of permanent stoma formation (> 2 years without reversal) has been stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most common form of RNA modification in eukaryotes and has been shown to act as an important epitranscriptomic marker, which can regulate gene expression, messenger RNA stability, alternative splicing and translation efficiency. Recent progress on determining insect m6A function has been limited to the dipteran Drosophila melanogaster, in which m6A is involved in neuronal functions and sex determination. Methylation and function of m6A in other insects, however, remain unknown. Here, we investigated a transcriptome‐wide profile of m6A in the lepidopteran Bombyx mori and identified the methyltransferase subunits B. mori methyltransferase‐like 3 (BmMETTL3) and BmMETTL14 in the m6A methylation pathway. Strikingly, loss of BmMETTL3 and BmMETTL14 in cultured B. mori cells led to arrest of cell cycle progression and caused deficiency of chromosome alignment and segregation. Specifically, we identified 2853 m6A peaks representing transcripts of 2043 genes, and the target genes with m6A methylation were shown to be involved in gene expression and translation. It was interesting that we found that the highly expressed genes tended to be methylated by m6A, and comparative analysis of RNA m6A and DNA N6‐methyladenine (6mA) revealed two distinct regulatory mechanisms for gene expression. Overall, our work suggests RNA m6A and DNA 6mA play important roles in RNA and DNA epigenetic regulation in B. mori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is one of the primary pathogens that causes severe economic losses to sericulture. Comparative transcriptomics analysis has been widely applied to explore the antiviral mechanism in resistant strains. Here, to identify genes involved in BmNPV infection, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and performed weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) between two Bombyx mori strains: strain 871 (susceptible to BmNPV infection) and the near‐isogenic strain 871C (resistant to BmNPV). Our results showed that 400 genes were associated with resistance in strain 871C, and 76 genes were related to susceptibility in strain 871. In addition, the correlation analysis of DEGs and WGCNA showed that 40 genes related to resistance were highly expressed in the resistant strain. Among them, gene BGIBMGA004291 was the most noticeable. We further identified the effect of gene BGIBMGA004291, which encoded a multiprotein bridge factor 2 (MBF2) family member (MBF2‐10), on viral infection in cells. Our data suggested that MBF2‐10 inhibited viral infection. Taken together, this study showed specific module trait correlations related to viral infection in strains 871 and 871C, and we identified a resistance‐related gene. These findings suggested promising candidate genes with antiviral activity, aiding in the analysis of the antiviral molecular mechanisms in resistant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the most widespread and destructive hazards over the Loess Plateau (LP) of China. Due to climate change, extremely high temperature accompanied with drought (expressed as hot drought) may lead to intensive losses of both properties and human deaths in future. A hot drought probabilistic recognition system is developed to investigate how potential future climate changes will impact the simultaneous occurrence of drought and hot extremes (hot days exceeding certain values) on the LP. Two regional climate models, coupled with multiple bias‐correction techniques and multivariate probabilistic inference, are innovative integrated into the hot drought probabilistic recognition system to reveal the concurrence risk of droughts and hot extremes under different Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The hot‐day index, TX90p, indicating the number of days with daily maximum temperature (Tmax) exceeding the 90th percentile threshold, and the Standardized Precipitation Index are applied to identify the joint risks on the LP using copula‐based methods. The results show that precipitation will increase throughout most of the LP under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios of 2036–2095, while Tmax may increase significantly all over the LP (1.8–2.7 °C for RCP4.5 and 2.7–3.6 °C for RCP8.5). The joint return periods of Standardized Precipitation Index and TX90p show that fewer stations will experience severe drought with long‐term hot extremes in two future scenarios. However, some stations may experience hot droughts that are more frequent and extreme, particularly certain stations in the southwest and south‐central regions of the LP with recurrence period less than 10 years. Key Points: A modeling system is developed to investigate future characteristics of simultaneous occurrence of drought and hot extremesPrecipitation projections from PRICIS and RegCM models were jointly corrected by the multidimensional copula modelResults show that some stations in partial area of Loess Plateau may experience hot droughts that are more frequent and extreme in future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of intraseasonal (within a season) variability of the nighttime ionospheric irregularities has been studied utilizing the observation of the recently installed VHF scintillation receiver from Pingtung, Taiwan. Investigation is based on observations made in 2015 (high‐moderate solar epoch) and 2017 (low solar epoch). Detailed investigation has revealed coexistence of planetary‐scale variability (3–7 days), 10‐ to 16‐day variability, and > 25‐day variability in 2015. Interestingly, the Lomb‐Scargle frequency domain analysis indicated the variability of larger timescales to display somewhat greater amplitudes. The virtual height of the F layer, h'F, over Sanya, also indicated intraseasonal periodicities similar to S4 periodicities observed at Pingtung. Observations have also revealed that, equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) over Pingtung tended to occur on contiguous nights as compared to isolated occurrence, and > 60% of the EPB nights were part of two or more (up to 6) nights of contiguous occurrence. Spectral analysis revealed a quasi‐27‐day variability in the ap and AE geomagnetic indices presumably associated with the solar rotation period. The time period of geomagnetic variability corresponded with the period of dominant S4 variability, indicating that the effect of geomagnetic activity on the low‐latitude ionosphere can be periodic in nature. In 2017 (low solar flux), even with a very low occurrence of ionospheric irregularities, planetary‐scale variability was observed. The dominant period of S4 variability in the autumnal equinox was highly correlated with the periodic geomagnetic activity. Results indicate that a deeper understanding of the periodic intraseasonal variability can be imperative for extended range forecast/prediction of ionospheric irregularities. Key Points: Scintillations recorded over Pingtung and h'F over Sanya indicated 4–7 day (planetary scale), 10–16 day and > 25‐day variability to coexistLomb‐Scargle analysis indicated the dominant period of scintillation variability within intraseasonal domain to be >25 days in 2015Detailed analysis suggests a dominant control of intraseasonal periodicity of low‐latitude scintillations by geomagnetic activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A statistical study of the occurrence and drift characteristics of Very High Frequency (VHF) amplitude scintillations during 2015–2017 based on the observations of recently installed spaced receiver system at Pingtung in Southern Taiwan is presented in this paper. Drift characteristics during quiet periods have been examined in details and compared with the drift recorded during 08 September 2017 geomagnetic storm. Analysis of the recorded observations indicated a strong dependence of VHF scintillation on the solar activity level. Equinoctial asymmetry in the occurrence of VHF scintillation was seen in 2015 and 2016. However, such asymmetry was not apparent in 2017 (low solar flux). Quiet period spaced receiver drift indicated a gradual reduction in the zonal drift of irregularities between postsunset and postmidnight period. Intriguingly, the average quiet period drift of irregularities was found to be independent of solar activity level. A few investigations in recent past have already reported similar observations and can be generally attributed to the polarization process inside equatorial plasma bubbles; however, a definite explanation for this behavior is not available. During the active phase of the 08 September 2017 geomagnetic storm, a complex interplay of disturbance dynamo and prompt penetration electric field was observed in the spaced receiver derived drift velocity of ionospheric irregularities. Approximately −200% deviation from quiet period drift was observed during this moderate storm. A significant enhancement to the spaced receiver derived characteristic random velocity, Vc, was also seen during the active phase of storm, which indicates that the drift of irregularities was highly turbulent. Key Points: Statistical characteristics of VHF scintillation and drift have been examined for quiet/disturbed periods during 2015‐2017 over China seaSeasonal asymmetry in the occurrence of scintillation was observed in 2015‐2016 but no such asymmetry was apparent in 2017 (low solar)Disturbed period irregularity drift during moderate geomagnetic storm of 08 September 2017 indicated >200% deviation w.r.t. quiet period [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful tool for the treatment of infectious diseases. In our previous study, we knocked out the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) key genes and BmNPV‐dependent host factor to generate transgenic antiviral strains. To further expand the range of target genes for BmNPV and more effectively prevent and control pathogenic infections, we performed gene editing and antiviral analysis by constructing a target‐directed baculovirus early transcriptional activator immediate early‐0 (ie‐0) and 2 (ie‐2) transgenic silkworm line. We hybridized it with Cas9 transgenic line to produce a double‐positive transgenic Cas9(+)/sgIE0‐sgIE2(+) line that could activate the CRISPR gene editing system. We first demonstrated that the system is capable of efficiently editing target genes and resulting in fragment deletions in the BmNPV genome. Survival rate of the transgenic Cas9(+)/sgIE0‐sgIE2(+) line reached 65% after inoculation with 1 × 106 occlusion bodies/larva. Molecular analysis showed that BmNPV DNA replication and viral gene expression level in the transgenic Cas9(+)/sgIE0‐sgIE2(+) line were significantly inhibited compared with the control Cas9(−)/sgIE0‐sgIE2(−) line. These results indicated that IE‐0 and IE‐2, as baculovirus early transcriptional activators, can be used as target sites for gene therapy and that multigene editing could expand the range of target sites for research to create silkworm resistance breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Besides a distinct spectrum of demyelinating syndromes, encephalitis was observed in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG‐abs). Methods: The clinical records of 690 patients with idiopathic demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system seen in our center from June 2015 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. All underwent serum aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4‐ab) and MOG‐ab detection by cell‐based assays as a routine diagnostic approach. Patients with MOG‐abs or AQP4‐abs who had ever experienced an encephalitis‐like illness during the disease course were identified. Whether diagnoses of possible or definite autoimmune encephalitis could be reached with regard to these particular episodes of encephalitis was determined. The incidence and clinical features of encephalitis in anti‐MOG disease are described in detail and compared with those in anti‐AQP4 disease. Results: Amongst the 690 patients, 87 were MOG‐ab‐positive whilst 140 were AQP4‐ab‐positive. 20.7% (18/87) of the MOG‐ab‐positive patients had typical presentations of encephalitis. Unique cortical lesions (72.2%, 13/18) were observed; fever (55.6%), intracranial hypertension (41.2%) and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (64.7%) were common during MOG‐ab‐associated encephalitis. Sixteen of the 18 patients fulfilled the criteria of definite autoimmune encephalitis (specific disease with MOG‐ab) during encephalitis, and five patients overlapped with anti‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate‐receptor encephalitis (NMDARE). Only 3.6% (5/140) of the AQP4‐ab‐positive patients had encephalitis, and none overlapped with NMDARE. The Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and the Cerebral Functional System Scores at last follow‐up were lower in patients with MOG‐ab‐associated encephalitis than in those with AQP4‐ab‐associated encephalitis. Conclusions: Encephalitis should be recognized as an important clinical component in anti‐MOG diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The effects of partial substitution of synthetic fertilizer N (NPK) with equal quantities of maize (Zea mays L.) stover N (50 kg ha−1, NPKS) or cattle manure N (115 N kg ha−1, NPKM) were investigated after 23 years with respect to maize yield, biomass N uptake, residual soil N and gross soil N dynamics in a fertile Chernozem soil. Maize yields were not different among these three treatments: maize biomass N uptake followed the order NPKM≈NPK > NPKS, whereas total N in soil was significantly larger under NPKM. A 15N tracing method was used to explain differences in gross N dynamics of labile and recalcitrant organic N pools and total N in soil. The results showed that NPKS and NPKM compared with NPK increased gross N mineralization by 2.8 and 1.3 times, respectively. The NPKS decreased the gross rate of N nitrification by 14%, whereas NPKM increased it by 47% compared with NPK. The NPKS stimulated microbial competition for NH4+, whereas NPKM increased NO3− immobilization compared with NPK. Our results suggested that acceleration of the soil N cycle under NPKS provided the most likely reason for the small total N stock in soil. In contrast, large organic N input and considerable immobilization of NO3− to a recalcitrant pool was probably the reason for the large total N stock under NPKM. Highlights: How do fertilizer regimes affect gross N dynamics and soil N stock in a Chernozem soil?Changes in NH4+, NO3− and 15N enrichment were simulated by a two‐pool model.Mineralization of recalcitrant organic N was the main source for NH4+.Large organic N input and considerable immobilization of NO3− to a recalcitrant pool probably resulted in large total N stock under NPKM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: A major complication related to gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in diabetic patients is chronic constipation. Constipation has serious negative impacts on quality of life; however, without a comprehensive understanding of the disease, currently available treatments cannot provide a cure. Platelet‐derived growth factor receptor alpha‐positive cells (PDGFRα+ cells), which form the SIP syncytium with interstitial cells of Cajal and smooth muscle cells, play important roles in GI motility. In the present study, the contributions of PDGFRα+ cells to diabetes‐induced colonic slow transit were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic mice. Methods: Western blotting, quantitative PCR, contractile experiments, and intracellular recording were used in the present study. Key Results: The results demonstrated that the colon length was increased in STZ‐treated mice. The colonic transit of artificial fecal pellets in vitro was significantly delayed in STZ‐treated mice. The mRNA and protein expression of PDGFRα, small‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K channels (SK3), and P2Y1 receptors were increased in the colons of STZ‐treated mice. In contractile experiments, the colonic smooth muscles were more sensitive to the SK3 agonist and antagonist (CyPPA and apamin) and the P2Y1 agonist and antagonist (MRS2365 and MRS2500) in STZ‐treated mice. Intracellular recordings showed the responses of membrane potentials in colonic smooth muscle cells to CyPPA, apamin, MRS2365, and MRS2500 were more sensitive in STZ‐treated mice. The electric field stimulation‐induced P2Y1/SK3‐dependent fast inhibitory junctional potentials (fIJPs) of colonic smooth muscles were more significantly hyperpolarized in STZ‐treated mice. Conclusions and Inferences: These results suggest that the purinergic neurotransmitters/P2Y1/SK3 signaling pathway is up‐regulated in the diabetic colons, thereby mediating diabetes‐induced colonic slow transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A bacterial biosurfactant isolated from Pseudomonas (strain H6) has previously been shown to have a lethal effect on the oomycete Saprolegnia diclina infecting fish eggs. The present work demonstrates that the same biosurfactant has a strong in vitro antiparasitic effect on the fish pathogenic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Three life cycle stages (the infective theront stage, the tomont and the tomocyst containing tomites) were all susceptible to the surfactant. Theronts were the most sensitive showing 100% mortality in as low concentrations as 10 and 13 μg/ml within 30 min. Tomonts were the most resistant but were killed in concentrations of 100 μg/ml. Tomocysts, which generally are considered resistant to chemical and medical treatment, due to the surrounding protective cyst wall, were also sensitive. The surfactant, in concentrations of 10 and 13 μg/ml, penetrated the cyst wall and killed the enclosed tomites within 60 min. Rainbow trout fingerlings exposed to the biosurfactant showed no adverse immediate or late signs following several hours incubation in concentrations effective for killing the parasite. This bacterial surfactant may be further developed for application as an antiparasitic control agent in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are negative regulators of the cell cycle. They can bind to cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK)‐cyclin complexes and inhibit CDK activities. We identified a single homologous gene of the CDK interacting protein/kinase inhibitory protein (Cip/Kip) family, BmCKI, in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The gene transcribes two splice variants: a 654‐bp‐long BmCKI‐L (the longer splice variant) encoding a protein with 217 amino acids and a 579‐bp‐long BmCKI‐S (the shorter splice variant) encoding a protein with 192 amino acids. BmCKI‐L and BmCKI‐S contain the Cip/Kip family conserved cyclin‐binding domain and the CDK‐binding domain. They are localized in the nucleus and have an unconventional bipartite nuclear localization signal at amino acid residues 181–210. Overexpression of BmCKI‐L or BmCKI‐S affected cell cycle progression; the cell cycle was arrested in the first gap phase of cell cycle (G1). RNA interference of BmCKI‐L or BmCKI‐S led to cells accumulating in the second gap phase and the mitotic phase of cell cycle (G2/M). Both BmCKI‐L and BmCKI‐S are involved in cell cycle regulation and probably have similar effects. The transgenic silkworm with BmCKI‐L overexpression (BmCKI‐L‐OE), exhibited embryonic lethal, larva developmental retardation and lethal phenotypes. These results suggest that BmCKI‐L might regulate the growth and development of silkworm. These findings clarify the function of CKIs and increase our understanding of cell cycle regulation in the silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Body shape is one of the most prominent and basic characteristics of any organism. In insects, abundant variations in body shape can be observed both within and amongst species. However, the molecular mechanism underlying body shape fine‐tuning is very complex and has been largely unknown until now. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, the tubby (tub) mutant has an abnormal short fat body shape and the abdomen of tub larvae expands to form a fusiform body shape. Morphological investigation revealed that the body length was shorter and the body width was wider than that of the Dazao strain. Thus, this mutant is a good model for studying the molecular mechanisms of body shape fine‐tuning. Using positional cloning, we identified a gene encoding the serine protease homologue, B. mori scarface (Bmscarface), which is associated with the tub phenotype. Sequence analysis revealed a specific 312‐bp deletion from an exon of Bmscarface in the tub strain. In addition, recombination was not observed between the tub and Bmscarface loci. Moreover, RNA interference of Bmscarface resulted in the tub‐like phenotype. These results indicate that Bmscarface is responsible for the tub mutant phenotype. This is the first study to report that mutation of a serine protease homologue can induce an abnormal body shape in insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The high‐rate kinematic Precise Point Positioning (PPP) of the Global Navigation Satellite System has become an effective method for monitoring crustal deformation caused by earthquakes. In this contribution, the method of GPS/GLONASS PPP with the receiver clock modeling is applied in active seismic deformation monitoring for the first time. With the modeling method, the short‐term vertical positioning accuracy of 2–4 mm that usually cannot be obtained by standard PPP is achieved. Our PPP results confirm that the positioning accuracy is improved due to the increase of GLONASS observations compared to the GPS‐only solution. Based on the external seismic data and the high‐rate GPS/GLONASS data for the 2011 Japan earthquake and 2010 and 2015 Chile earthquakes, comparative analyses concerning receiver clock modeling are carried out. The results show that a high degree of decorrelation between the height position estimates and receiver clock offsets can be obtained by using the receiver clock modeling. The short‐term accuracy of the GPS‐based vertical displacements is improved to the level of about 4.4 mm, and the short‐term accuracy of better than 4 mm for the GPS/GLONASS‐combined vertical displacements is achievable. Furthermore, the weak vertical signals that are not detected by standard PPP can be captured with the modeling of highly stable receiver clock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In a recent consensus statement on early pregnancy nomenclature by Barnhart, a definite ectopic pregnancy (EP) was defined morphologically on transvaginal sonography (TVS) as an extrauterine gestational sac with yolk sac and/or embryo, with or without cardiac activity, whilst a probable EP was defined as an inhomogeneous adnexal mass ('blob' sign) or extrauterine sac-like structure ('bagel' sign). This study aims to determine whether these ultrasound markers used to define probable EP can be used to predict a definite tubal EP.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of women presenting to the Early Pregnancy Unit (EPU) at Nepean Hospital, Sydney, Australia between November 2006 and June 2016. Women classified with a probable EP or a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL), i.e. with no signs of extra- or intrauterine pregnancy (IUP), at their first TVS were included, whilst those with a definite tubal EP, IUP or non-tubal EP were excluded from the final analysis. The gold standard for tubal EP was histological confirmation of chorionic villi in Fallopian tube removed at laparoscopy. The performance of blob or bagel sign on TVS in the prediction of definite tubal EP was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). This was compared with the performance of extrauterine gestational sac with yolk sac and/or embryo on TVS to predict definite tubal EP.Results: During the study period, 7490 consecutive women attended the EPU, of whom 849 were analyzed. At primary TVS, 240/849 were diagnosed with probable EP, of which 174 (72.5%) were classified as blob sign and 66 (27.5%) as bagel sign. The remaining 609/849 were diagnosed with PUL, of which 47 had a final diagnosis of EP (including 24 blob sign, 19 bagel sign and four gestational sac with embryo/yolk sac). 101 of all 198 (51%) blob sign cases and 50 of all 85 (59%) bagel sign cases underwent laparoscopy and salpingectomy; histology proved a tubal EP in 98 (97%) of these blob-sign cases and 48 (96.0%) of the bagel-sign cases. The sensitivity for the blob and bagel signs in the prediction of definite tubal EP was 89.8% and 83.3%, respectively, the specificity was 99.5% and 99.6%, PPV was 96.7% and 95.2% and NPV was 98.3% and 98.6%. This was comparable to the sensitivity of extrauterine gestational sac with yolk sac and/or embryo on TVS in the prediction of definite tubal EP (sensitivity, 84.0%; specificity, 99.9%; PPV, 97.7%; NPV, 99.3% (P = 0.5)).Conclusions: Blob and bagel signs seem to be the most common presentations of a tubal EP on TVS. Although they cannot be considered as a definitive sign of EP, their PPV is very high (> 95%); such women should therefore be considered at very high risk for having a tubal EP and should be treated as such. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim Simple, inexpensive and clinically available noninvasive liver fibrosis tests are highly needed. We aimed to develop a novel noninvasive index for predicting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B ( CHB) patients. Methods Using liver histology as gold standard, we developed a novel index to predict significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in CHB patients and then compared the diagnostic accuracy of the novel index, aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index ( APRI), and fibrosis index based on four factors ( FIB-4) in a training set (606 patients) and a validation set (216 patients) from the same patient catchment area. Results Of 606 CHB patients in the training set, 33.2% had significant fibrosis and 11.4% had cirrhosis. In multivariable analysis, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase ( GGT) ( OR=1.032, p<0.001) and albumin ( OR=0.953, p=0.048) were independent predictors of significant fibrosis. Consequently, a GGT-to-albumin ratio ( GAR) was developed. In the training set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( AUROC) of GAR was significantly higher than that of APRI and FIB-4 to predict ≥F2 (0.82, 0.70, and 0.68, respectively), ≥F3 (0.86, 0.76, and 0.75, respectively), and F4 (0.88, 0.75, and 0.73, respectively), respectively. In the validation set, the AUROC of GAR was also better than APRI and FIB-4 for predicting ≥F2 (0.81, 0.63 and 0.61, respectively), ≥F3 (0.88, 0.78, and 0.76, respectively) and F4 (0.92, 0.85, and 0.78, respectively), respectively. Conclusions GAR is a more accurate noninvasive index than APRI and FIB-4 to stage significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in CHB patients and represents a novel noninvasive alternative to liver biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for predicting crack plane direction in high-cycle multiaxial fatigue is proposed. This method considers material properties and loading conditions. Two situations are considered: (i) in-phase loading, where the crack plane direction only depends on the loading condition and material properties have little influence on it, and (ii) out-of-phase loading, where the crack plane direction is affected by both loading conditions and material properties. The prediction accuracy is assessed by comparison with several experimental results, including different loading conditions and materials. The results show that the proposed method provides a good prediction capability for these experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection has been documented as a risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma ( NHL). However, there are few large cohort studies, and there is no report about the impact of HBV vaccination. We conducted this study to evaluate these issues. We used the nationwide cohort of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for 1997-2013. We compared the incidence and the risk of developing NHL and CD20+ aggressive lymphoma between HBV and non- HBV cohorts. The hazard ratios ( HRs) were computed using Cox proportional hazards models. We matched these two large cohorts to reconfirm the data. We also compared the incidence of NHL between cohorts born before and after the inception of universal HBV vaccination. We found that HBV infection increased the risk for developing NHL and CD20+ aggressive lymphoma, with HRs of 4.14 and 5.52, with a higher incidence of 17.07 and 13.9 per 100 000 person-years, respectively, compared to the non- HBV cohort. The incidence of NHL in the cohort born in the era before universal HBV vaccination was higher with 1.85 per 100 000 person-years compared to 0.74 in the cohort born later aged younger than 20. Our study confirms that HBV confers a greater risk for developing NHL, especially CD20+ aggressive lymphoma. The impact of HBV vaccination is protective against lymphoma development in the teenagers in an endemic area, but longer follow-up is needed for older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several genome-wide association studies ( GWASs) in Caucasian populations have identified 12 loci that are significantly associated with migraine. More evidence suggests that serotonin receptors are also involved in migraine pathophysiology. In the present study, a case-control study was conducted in a cohort of 581 migraine cases and 533 ethnically matched controls among a Chinese population. Eighteen polymorphisms from serotonin receptors and GWASs were selected, and genotyping was performed using a Sequenom MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry iPLEX platform. The genotypic and allelic distributions of MEF2D rs2274316 and ASTN2 rs6478241 were significantly different between migraine patients and controls. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed significant associations of polymorphisms in the MEF2D and ASTN2 genes with migraine susceptibility. MEF2D, PRDM16 and ASTN2 were also found to be associated with migraine without aura ( MO) and migraine with family history. And, MEF2D and ASTN2 also served as genetic risk factors for the migraine without family history. The generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis identified that MEF2D and HTR2E constituted the two-factor interaction model. Our study suggests that the MEF2D, PRDM16 and ASTN2 genes from GWAS are associated with migraine susceptibility, especially MO, among Chinese patients. It appears that there is no association with serotonin receptor related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogens encompass steroid hormones which display physiological roles not only in the female reproductive system but also in other organ systems of non-reproductive controls, including the peripheral and central nervous systems. Traditionally, estrogen signals in neurons through a 'genomic pathway': binding to estrogen receptors ( ERs) which then interact with nuclear estrogen response elements to initiate transcription. This effect is usually delayed at onset (within several hours to days) and prolonged in duration. In addition to these classical ERs, recent data suggest that other ERs function through pregenomic signaling pathways. Estrogen's pregenomic pathways cause intracellular changes within seconds to minutes and go through a novel, 7-transmembrane spanning G protein-coupled receptor ( GPER, formerly known as GPR30). In this review, we will briefly cover the cellular and molecular mechanisms of GPER and then discuss newly discovered roles of GPER in cognition, depression, homeostasis, pain processing, and other associated neuronal functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the association between ovarian immobility and presence of endometriomas and assess the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal sonographic (TVS) ovarian immobility in the detection of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).Methods: This was a multicenter prospective observational study of women presenting with chronic pelvic pain from January 2009 to March 2015. Women with or without history of endometriosis who were scheduled to undergo laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis gave a detailed history and underwent specialized TVS in a tertiary referral unit prior to laparoscopy. During TVS, ovarian mobility and the presence of endometriomas were assessed. The relationship between TVS ovarian mobility, with or without endometriomas, and DIE was correlated with the gold standard, diagnosis of endometriosis at laparoscopy.Results: Included in the analysis were 265 women with preoperative TVS and laparoscopic outcomes. Ovarian immobility on TVS was significantly associated with presence of endometriomas at surgery, with a prevalence of 12.2%, 10.8% and 52.7% for fixation of the left ovary only, the right ovary only and bilateral ovaries, respectively, compared with 4.2%, 3.7% and 7.3% for normal ovaries. The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values and positive and negative likelihood ratios of TVS ovarian immobility for diagnosis at surgery of immobility of ovaries with endometriomas in the left ovary only were 44.4%, 92.3%, 44.4%, 92.3%, 5.8, 0.6, in the right ovary only were 50.0%, 98.5%, 80.0%, 94.2%, 33.0, 0.5 and bilaterally were 74.4%, 68.6%, 72.5%, 70.6%, 2.4, 0.4, while those for diagnosis of immobility of normal ovaries were 25.0%, 87.9%, 8.3%, 96.4%, 2.1, 0.9 for left ovary only, 14.3%, 92.9%, 7.1%, 96.6%, 2.0, 0.9 for right ovary only and 35.7%, 97.2%, 50.0%, 95.0%, 12.6, 0.7 bilaterally, respectively (P < 0.05 except for normal left and right ovaries with P = 0.2 and 0.4, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for performance of ovarian immobility in the prediction of DIE for all women were 58.3%, 74.1%, 60.6%, 72.2% and in the prediction of need for bowel surgery were 78.2%, 71.1%, 41.3%, 92.6%, respectively.Conclusions: There is a significant association between ovarian immobility and the presence of endometriomas. Ovarian immobility as a sonographic 'soft marker' of DIE performs better in the presence of endometriomas compared with in normal ovaries. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between polymorphism of eNOS and male infertility in several studies was controversial. To explore a more precise estimation of the association, a meta-analysis of eight case-control studies, including 1,968 cases and 1,539 controls, were selected. The meta-analysis was conducted by calculating the pooled odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Overall, the association between T786C and risk of male infertility was obvious (TC vs. TT: OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.42; CC vs. TT: OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.65-6.87; TC/CC vs. TT: OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.25-1.73; CC vs. TT/TC: OR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.54-6.56; TC vs. TT: OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.27-2.03). However, no overall association was observed between the other two polymorphisms of eNOS ( G894T and 4a4b) and male infertility. Stratified analysis showed that significantly strong association between T786C polymorphism and semen quality was present in all three types of male infertility (azoospermia, oligozoospermia and asthenozoospermia). In the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, both T786C and 4a4b could influence the risk of male infertility in Asian and Caucasian. Further studies of polymorphisms of eNOS with their biological functions are needed to understand the role in the development of male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Symptomatic Hepatitis E virus ( HEV) infection occurs in few infected subjects, and the risk factors are not completely known. Aim To explore the risk factors for adverse clinical outcomes in acute HEV infections. Methods A large retrospective study was conducted. The baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and laboratory data of 512 acute HEV infection cases were analysed using logistic regression models. Results All patients exhibited autochthonous sporadic HEV infections, and most were elderly. Their symptoms varied from asymptomatic to severe liver diseases. In all, 215 patients (42.0%) had liver failure and/or decompensation, and 45 (8.2%) patients died within 3 months. Nearly 60% of patients had underlying chronic liver diseases ( CLDs), 20% were cirrhotic, and various extrahepatic underlying comorbidities were common. The logistic regression analysis revealed that underlying CLDs, especially cirrhosis, were closely associated with disease severity (OR = 8.78, P < 0.001) but not with mortality in patients with severe liver diseases. In addition to the known factors, including an old age, the male gender and CLDs, we identified pre-existing extrahepatic tumours, diabetes, and chronic respiratory and renal diseases as novel independent predictors for adverse clinical outcomes. Importantly, patients without these four extrahepatic comorbidities showed a much lower mortality rate (4.2%, P < 0.001) than patients with one (18.5%) or more comorbidities (34.5%). Conclusions Previous comorbidities, including tumours, diabetes, and chronic liver, lung and kidney diseases, were independent risk factors for adverse outcomes, especially mortality, in acute HEV infections. This study provides valuable data for improving the prevention and control of HEV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion barrier performance of an ultrathin amorphous Al-Ni (a-Al-Ni) film as barrier layer in a sandwiched scheme Cu/barrier/Si and Cu/barrier/SiO2/Si is investigated. Microstructures, electrical properties, surface morphologies, and interfaces for the samples annealed at various temperatures are measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD), sheet resistance measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results present 4.5-nm-thick a-Al-Ni can achieve good thermal stability up to 750 °C. Cu silicide cannot be observed in XRD data up to 800 °C. However, the abrupt increase in sheet resistance value and the appearing island-like grains in AFM images for the sample annealed at 800 °C indicate the failure of the barrier structure. The failure mechanism of barrier layer is discussed and can be attributed to the dewetting of Cu film along grain boundary grooving. The amorphization of the barrier layer and clear interfaces with its adjacent layers are further authenticated by high resolution TEM. It is also found that the growth orientation and surface morphology of Cu film are related to the substrates (monocrystalline Si and amorphous SiO2) under the barrier layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel 6-alkylamino(alkoxyl)-2-propylthio-8-azapurine nucleosides were synthesized by an improved route, and the human antiplatelet aggregation activities of these new compounds were evaluated. A self-organizing molecular field analysis method was used to study the three-dimensional quantitative of these novel nucleosides. The results of the antiplatelet aggregation activity evaluation and analysis of the self-organizing molecular field analysis models through shape and electrostatic grids may provide a basis for the development of new and potent antiplatelet agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice black streaked dwarf virus ( RBSDV) causing rice black streaked dwarf disease is transmitted by the small brown planthopper ( SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus) in a persistent propagative manner. The disease is considered among the most destructive in rice production in east and southeast Asia. For sustainable control of the disease, planting resistant cultivars is the most economical and efficient method. The virus content in different rice cultivars was quantified using a TaqMan RT-qPCR assay under greenhouse conditions and the disease was visually assessed in these cultivars in both greenhouse and field conditions. Results revealed significant positive moderate correlation ( r = 0.3787; P = 0.0009) between the virus content and visual disease assessment in the greenhouse under forced inoculation. Among 66 rice cultivars, there was no significant difference in RBSDV genome equivalent copies ( GEC) in seven cultivars, namely Lian-dao 9805 (200.2 ± 12), Liangyou 3399 (206.6 ± 28), Ningjing 4 (206.6 ± 28), DaLiang 207 (302.0 ± 61), X 008 (354.0 ± 30), Shengdao 301 (658.4 ± 69) and Liangyou 1129 (679.5 ± 98). These cultivars were also visually assessed as resistant under greenhouse and field conditions. These cultivars could be used in disease management to reduce the likelihood of epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop and assess the performance of a preoperative ultrasound-based endometriosis staging system (UBESS) to predict the level of complexity of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.Methods: This was a multicenter prospective and retrospective cohort study on consecutive women with suspected endometriosis who underwent laparoscopy between June 2009 and July 2013. Each woman underwent a systematic transvaginal ultrasound evaluation to assess the pelvis for different phenotypes of endometriosis, and the diagnostic performance of ultrasound for these different phenotypes was evaluated relative to the gold standard, laparoscopy. A three-stage preoperative UBESS was developed to assess the severity of pelvic endometriosis, based on the histological phenotypes of endometriosis, the anatomical locations of deep infiltrating endometriosis and their sonographic markers of local invasiveness. The three stages of UBESS (I-III) were then correlated with the three levels of complexity of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis described by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Levels 1-3). The end-points were the diagnostic performance of UBESS to predict the level of complexity of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, i.e. UBESS stage I to predict Level-1 laparoscopic surgery, UBESS stage II to predict Level-2 laparoscopic surgery and UBESS stage III to predict Level-3 laparoscopic surgery.Results: The analysis included 192 women, with a mean ± SD age at diagnosis of endometriosis of 23.7 ± 9.3 years and a mean duration of symptoms prior to presentation of 42 months. Predominant reported locations of pelvic pain were left iliac fossa (32%), right iliac fossa (29.5%) and lower abdomen (61%) and predominant symptoms included dyspareunia (57.5%), dysmenorrhea (58.5%) and dyschezia (41.5%). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and positive and negative likelihood ratios of UBESS I for predicting a requirement for Level-1 laparoscopic surgery were: 87.5%, 83.3%, 91.7%, 90.9%, 84.6%, 10 and 0.182; those of UBESS II for predicting Level-2 surgery were: 87.0%, 73.7%, 90.3%, 65.1%, 93.3%, 7.6 and 0.292; and those of UBESS III for predicting Level-3 surgery were: 95.3%, 94.8%, 95.5%, 90.2%, 97.7%, 21.2 and 0.054, respectively.Conclusion: UBESS could be utilized to predict the level of complexity of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. It has the potential to facilitate the triage of women with suspected endometriosis to the most appropriate surgical expertise required for laparoscopic endometriosis surgery. UBESS needs to be validated externally in multiple centers to assess its general applicability. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) transvaginal sonographic (TVS) parameters in predicting the evolution of a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL). Methods This was a prospective observational study performed at the early pregnancy unit of a university hospital from September 2008 to June 2012. Women with a positive pregnancy test without any signs of intra- or extrauterine pregnancy at their first TVS examination were considered eligible and a 3D dataset containing the entire uterus was acquired. An experienced observer analyzed all 3D datasets for assessment of the following parameters: endometrial thickness, volume, mean gray-scale index and asymmetry. Women were followed until they were classified as having: (i) non-visualized pregnancy loss (NVPL); (ii) intrauterine pregnancy (IUP); or (iii) ectopic pregnancy or persistent PUL. We compared the values of the TVS parameters across the three groups. We also assessed the area under the receiver–operating characteristics curve of the 3D-TVS parameters in comparison to that for serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) ratio (48 h/baseline) to predict PUL outcome. We then evaluated whether combining the 3D-TVS parameters with serum β-hCG ratio improved the predictive accuracy for PUL outcome by performing a logistic regression analysis. Results During the study period 4939 consecutive pregnant women presented at the unit for their initial TVS examination and 325 (7%) were classified as having a PUL, of whom 161 women were enrolled and had a 3D scan of the uterus. However, 19 were excluded because of incomplete follow-up. Data from 142 women with PUL were therefore included in the analysis and the outcomes of these women were: NVPL in 98 (69%), IUP in 27 (19%) and ectopic pregnancy+persistent PUL in 14+3=17 (12%). Endometrial thickness, endometrial volume and the proportion of women with asymmetric endometrial shape differed significantly between the outcome groups. Endometrial thickness and volume could be used as reasonable predictors of both NVPL and IUP, whereas asymmetric endometrial shape and mean gray-scale index could be used as reasonable predictors of IUP only. The best single parameter to predict PUL outcomes was the β-hCG ratio. Regression analysis demonstrated that endometrial volume and endometrial shape asymmetry added significantly to the β-hCG ratio in predicting IUP but not NVPL. Conclusions 3D-TVS markers have a low diagnostic accuracy in predicting PUL outcome. The addition of endometrial volume and shape asymmetry improves the accuracy of the β-hCGratio in predicting IUP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sleep-wake disturbances are common in patients with cirrhosis and have a considerable effect on health-related quality of life; however, the underlying mechanism behind the phenomenon is unclear. Cytokines are involved in the mediation of signalling pathways regulating fibrogenesis, leading to cirrhosis. In addition, increased cytokines could contribute to sleep disturbances. Aim To determine the relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and sleep disturbance in cirrhotic patients. Methods Ninety-eight nonalcoholic cirrhotic patients without overt hepatic encephalopathy were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ( PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality. The Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score ( PHES) was used to examine cognitive performance and define minimal hepatic encephalopathy ( MHE). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ( HADS) was used to evaluate the mood status of the patients. Pro-inflammatory cytokines that include interleukin 6 ( IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α, as well as HBV- DNA or HCV- RNA levels were determined in patients. Results A total of 56 (57%) cirrhotic patients were identified as 'poor' sleepers ( PSQI > 5). After multivariate analysis, IL-6 ( P = 0.001) and HADS scores ( P = 0.002) were found to be independent predictive factors of poor sleep quality. No significant relationships were observed between the sleep indices and the presence of MHE. HCV- RNA, but not HBV- DNA, viraemia was associated with sleep disturbance in cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Sleep disturbance is found commonly in cirrhotic patients and a high serum IL-6 level is predictive of poor sleep quality. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy by itself may not contribute to sleep dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinocerebellar ataxia ( SCA) comprises a large group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. It is characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia with oculomotor dysfunction, dysarthria, pyramidal signs, extrapyramidal signs, pigmentary retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairment and other symptoms. It is classified according to the clinical manifestations or genetic nosology. To date, 40 SCAs have been characterized, and include SCA1-40. The pathogenic genes of 28 SCAs were identified. In recent years, with the widespread clinical use of next-generation sequencing, the genes underlying SCAs, and the mutants as well as the affected phenotypes were identified. These advances elucidated the phenotype-genotype relationship in SCAs. We reviewed the recent clinical advances, genetic features and phenotype-genotype correlations involving each SCA and its differentiation. The heterogeneity of the disease and the genetic diagnosis might be attributed to the regional distribution and clinical characteristics. Therefore, recognition of the phenotype-genotype relationship facilitates genetic testing, prognosis and monitoring of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose Investigation of the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) variants and Parkinson disease ( PD) remains an issue awaiting more supportive evidence. Moreover, an affirming cellular model study is also lacking. Methods The index mt DNA variants and their defining mitochondrial haplogroup were determined in 725 PD patients and 744 non- PD controls. Full-length mt DNA sequences were also conducted in 110 cases harboring various haplogroups. Cybrid cellular models, composed by fusion of mitochondria-depleted rho-zero cells and donor mitochondria, were used for a rotenone-induced PD simulation study. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that subjects harboring the mitochondrial haplogroup B5 have resistance against PD (odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.78; P = 0.002). Furthermore, a composite mt DNA variant group consisting of A10398G and G8584A at the coding region was found to have resistance against PD (odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.33-0.78; P = 0.001). In cellular studies, B4 and B5 cybrids were selected according to their higher resistance to rotenone, in comparison with cybrids harboring other haplogroups. The B5 cybrid, containing G8584A/A10398G variants, showed more resistance to rotenone than the B4 cybrid not harboring these variants. This is supported by findings of low reactive oxygen species generation and a low apoptosis rate in the B5 cybrid, whereas a higher expression of autophagy was observed in the B4 cybrid particularly under medium dosage and longer treatment time with rotenone. Conclusions Our studies, offering positive results from clinical investigations and cybrid experiments, provide data supporting the role of variant mt DNA in the risk of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]