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BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by atypical developmental changes during brain maturation, but regional brain functional changes that occur with age and across different frequency bands are unknown. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore potential age and frequency band-related changes in the regional brain activities in autism. METHODS: A total of 65 participants who met the DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder and 55 typically developed (TD) participants (both age 6–30 years) were recruited in the current study. The two groups were matched in age (t=−1.314, P=0.191) and gender (χ(2)=2.760, P=0.097). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) was employed to explore the effect of development on spontaneous brain activity in individuals with autism and in TD participants across slow-5 (0.01–0.027 Hz), slow-4 (0.027–0.073 Hz), and slow-3 (0.073–0.1 Hz) frequency bands. The diagnosis-by-age interaction effect in the whole brain voxels in autism and TD groups was investigated. RESULTS: Autism individuals showed significantly higher ALFF in the dorsal striatum in childhood (Caudate cluster: t=3.626, P=0.001; Putamen cluster: t=2.839, P=0.007) and remarkably lower ALFF in the dorsal striatum in adulthood (Caudate cluster: t=−2.198, P=0.038; Putamen cluster: t=−2.314, P=0.030) relative to TD, while no significant differences were observed in adolescence (all P>0.05). In addition, abnormal ALFF amplitudes were specific to the slow-4 (0.027–0.073 Hz) frequency band in the clusters above. CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicated abnormal development patterns in the spontaneous activity of the dorsal striatum in autism and highlighted the potential role of the slow-4 frequency band in the pathology of autism. Also, the potential brain mechanism of autism was revealed, suggesting that autism-related variations should be investigated in a specific frequency.

Altrenogest is a synthetic progestogen that allows for synchronization of the time of estrus in swine. Its effect on reproductive performance, however, is inconsistent due to conflicting data in the scientific literature. A meta-analysis of published data, therefore, was performed to determine whether altrenogest affects gilt and sow reproductive performance. Altrenogest administration to pigs enhanced the number of piglets born alive per litter (NBA), total number born per litter (TNB), estrous rate within 10 days after treatment (ER10) and pregnancy rate (PR) as well as the farrowing rate (FR) of gilts. The NBA and TNB of primiparous sows fed altrenogest were improved although FR was less. In multiparous sows, altrenogest treatment did not result in any improvement for any of the five analyzed variables. Additionally, 14-day treatment regimens for gilts and >8-days for primiparous sows improved reproductive performance and extent of estrous synchrony. The effects of altrenogest on reproductive performance of swine were parity and treatment duration dependent.

Although many studies have focused on abnormal patterns of brain functional connectivity in Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one important factor, the developmental effect of brain networks was largely overlooked. To clarify the abnormal developmental trajectory of brain functional connectivity in ASD, we focused on the age-related changes in three “core” neurocognitive networks: default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN) and central executive network (CEN, also divided into left and right CEN, i.e., lCEN and rCEN). The development of intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) within and between these networks were analyzed in 107 Chinese participants, including children, adolescents, and adults (54 patients with ASD and 53 typically developed (TD) participants; ages 6-30 years). We found that diagnosis-related distinctions in age-related changes suggest three maturation patterns in networks’ or nodes’ iFC: delayed (iFC between SN and rCEN), ectopic (iFC between SN and DMN, and iFC between posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and right anterior insula/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC)), and failure maturation (iFC between dACC and ventral medial prefrontal cortex). Compared with age-matched TD participants, ASD patients in children and adolescents exhibited hypo-connectivity, while that in adults showed hyper-connectivity. In addition, an independent verification based on Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) datasets confirmed our findings of developmental trajectories in ASD group, which also showed unchanged functional connectivity with age between DMN and SN and increasing iFC between rCEN and SN. The conspicuous differences in the development of three “core” networks in ASD were demonstrated, which may lead a nuanced understanding towards the abnormal brain network maturation trajectory of autism.

In order to control robot NAO more easily with LabVIEW, a LabVIEW-based robot controlling program was designed for development. In this paper, by the means of utilizing the VI Scripting, it enabled to generate the LabVIEW-based NAO redevelopment package quickly, and explained how to use the development kit. Through this program, the NAO robot could be seamlessly connected with LabVIEW. Thus, through the graphical development environment, the engineers could manipulate the modules of NAO robot at ease, including the action, voice, vision and other modules. Finally, the designed LabVIEW program simplified the complicated programming and improved the development efficiency dramatically. Besides, it could be widely used in the .NET development..

A novel, sensitive, and reliable LC-MS/MS method for multiresidue analysis of nine β-agonists (salbutamol, terbutaline, cimaterol, fenoterol, clorprenaline, ractopamine, tulobuterol, clenbuterol, and penbuterol) in four farm animal muscles was developed. Muscle matrix was extracted with acetonitrile-10% sodium carbonate solution, and then was subjected to cleanup using a SPE cartridge packed with new polymer synthesized in acetone. Chromatographic separation of the components was performed on a Luna C18 column using 0.1% of formic acid in water and acetonitrile. The mass spectrometer was operated in the positive electrospray mode. Good precision and accuracy were obtained for all analytes (except for fenoterol) at the spiked three levels of 1.0, 10, and 50 μg/kg. The decision limit and detection capability of nine β-agonists ranged from 0.04 to 0.18 and 0.15 to 0.69 μg/kg, respectively. The method developed was successfully applied to the monitoring of nine β-agonists in pork, beef, mutton, and chicken from Chinese markets.

Combining classical Kalman filter with NIR analysis technology, a new method of characteristic wavelength variable selection, namely Kalman filtering method, is presented. The principle of Kalman filter for selecting optimal wavelength variable was analyzed. The wavelength selection algorithm was designed and applied to NIR detection of soybean oil acid value. First, the PLS (partial leastsquares) models were established by using different absorption bands of oil. The 4 472-5 000 cm(-1) characteristic band of oil acid value, including 132 wavelengths, was selected preliminarily. Then the Kalman filter was used to select characteristic wavelengths further. The PLS calibration model was established using selected 22 characteristic wavelength variables, the determination coefficient R2 of prediction set and RMSEP (root mean squared error of prediction) are 0.970 8 and 0.125 4 respectively, equivalent to that of 132 wavelengths, however, the number of wavelength variables was reduced to 16.67%. This algorithm is deterministic iteration, without complex parameters setting and randomicity of variable selection, and its physical significance was well defined. The modeling using a few selected characteristic wavelength variables which affected modeling effect heavily, instead of total spectrum, can make the complexity of model decreased, meanwhile the robustness of model improved. The research offered important reference for developing special oil near infrared spectroscopy analysis instruments on next step.

The synergistic influences of analyte concentration, sample source, and solid-phase extraction (SPE) type on matrix effects in the multiresidue analyses of eight β-agonists with LC-ESI-MS/MS were evaluated. Porcine muscle and liver extracts and urine from diverse sources were purified by strong or mixed-mode cation exchange and molecularly imprinted polymer SPE cartridges, respectively. Three spiked concentrations (2, 10, and 20 ng/mL) of eight β-agonists in the purified matrices and the different sample sources were analyzed. The results show that for most β-agonists there are significant differences in matrix effects between analyte concentrations or sample sources (P0.05), whereas there is no significant difference in matrix effects between different SPE cartridges (P0.05). Results from main effects testing indicated that analyte concentration was the main effector.