Elimination of the yellow pigment gene PSY-E2 tightly linked to the Fusarium head blight resistance gene Fhb7 from Thinopyrum ponticum

Fhb7 is a major gene that was transferred from Thinopyrum ponticum to chromosome 7D of wheat(Triticum aestivum)and confers resistance to both Fusarium head blight(FHB)and Fusarium crown rot(FCR).However,Fhb7 is tightly linked to the PSY-E2 gene,which causes yellow flour,limiting its application in breeding.To break this linkage,marker K-PSY was developed for tagging PSY-E2 and used with Fhb7 markers to identify recombination between the two genes.Screening 21,000 BC1F2 backcross progeny(Chinese Spring ph1bph1b*2/SDAU 2028)revealed two Fhb7^(+)wheat-Tp7el_(2)L lines,Shannong 2–16and Shannong 16–1,that carry a desired truncated Fhb7^(+)translocation segment without PSY-E2.The two lines show levels of resistance to FHB and FCR similar to those of the original translocation line SDAU 2028,but have white flour.To facilitate Fhb7 use in wheat breeding,STS markers were developed and used to isolate Fhb7 on a truncated Tp7el_(2) translocation segment.Near-isogenic lines carrying the Fhb7^(+)segment were generated in the backgrounds of three commercial cultivars,and Fhb7^(+)lines showed increased FHB and FCR resistance without yield penalty.The breakage of the tight linkage between Fhb7 and PSY-E2 via homoeologous recombination provides genetic resources for improvement of wheat resistance to FHB and FCR and permit the large-scale deployment of Fhb7 in breeding using marker-assisted selection.

Clinical significance of serum miR-21 in breast cancer compared with CA153 and CEA

Objective:MicroRNA-21(miR-21)has been shown to be a key regulator of carcinogenesis.There were few reports about the comparison of serum miR-21 with conventional tumor markers.This study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of circulating miR-21 as a tumor marker in breast cancer(BC)and compare it with CA153 and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA).Methods:Circulating miR-16 and miR-21 were amplified and quantitatively detected by real-time PCR in 89 BC patients and 55 healthy controls.The levels of CA153 and CEA were measured through electrochemiluminescence assays.Then the sensitivity in diagnosis of BC was compared among miR-21,CA153 and CEA.Results:The level of serum miR-21 was significantly higher in BC patients than controls(P<0.001).The sensitivity and specificity of miR-21 were 87.6%and 87.3%,respectively,whereas the sensitivities of CEA and CA153 were only 22.47%and 15.73%.Conclusions:Compared with CEA and CA153,serum miR-21 has a higher sensitivity in diagnosis of BC.Although not correlated with the status of ER,PR and clinical stages,serum miR-21 may be a potential diagnostic indicator for BC,especially for the early stage.

Sandwich ELISA for detecting urinary Survivin in bladder cancer

Objective: Survivin as a tumor marker in the diagnosis of bladder cancer has not been completely confirmed yet and there are few reports about using Survivin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to detect the urine of bladder cancer patients. This study aimed to develop a Survivin ELISA and validate its value in the detection of bladder cancer. Methods: Through square matrix titration, different combinations of coating antibody and detecting antibody, a Survivin ELISA was constructed. This assay was evaluated according to intra-assay precision, inter-assay precision and minimum detectable dose (MDD). Survivin levels were detected and analyzed in 102 bladder cancer patients and 102 healthy people by established ELISA. Then cutoff value was defined according to the analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The sensitivity and specificity of detection were calculated on the basis of cutoff value to diagnose bladder cancer patients. Furthermore, the value of Survivin expression detected by ELISA among different clinicopathological characteristics of patients was also compared. Results: Through optimization of different conditions, intra-assay precision was 8.39%, inter-assay precision 8.57% and MDD 0.0625 ng/mL in this assay. When the optical density at 450 nm (OD 450 ) was 0.09, it could get the optimized diagnostic cutoff value. According to this value, the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis in bladder cancer patients were 70.6% and 89.2%, respectively. The associations between patients' clinical variables and OD 450 were not significant except tumor numbers in patients. Conclusions: This experiment has preliminarily developed a Survivin ELISA and confirmed Survivin as a biomarker which owned a practical and significant value in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Combining Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion and Posterior Lumber Interbody Fusion Surgery for Treating Three-Level Lumber Spondylolysis and Single-Level Spondylolisthesis: Case Report

Lumbar spondylolysis is a relatively common condition that can cause a variety of clinical manifestations related to the lumbar spine. However, multi-level lumbar spondylolysis is rare and accounts for less than 6% of lumbar spondylolysis. We report a case of three-level lumbar spondylolysis with single-level spondylolisthesis. A 47-year-old woman presented to us with low back pain for 9 years that progressively worsened and the pain was exacerbated with standing and walking. She was diagnosed with three-level lumbar spondylolysis at L3-5 and spondylolisthesis at L4. We performed posterolateral lumber fusion (PLF) and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery for her. During the same period, pain recovery and fusion rate of the patient were evaluated after surgery. The results were favorable and proved the efficacy of combining PLF and PLIF technique for treatment for three-level lumbar spondylolysis and single-level spondylolisthesis.

Relationship between multifunctionality and rural sustainable development: Insights from 129 counties of the Sichuan Province, China

Rural areas are multifunctional and often have production,living,and ecological functions.The high-quality and balanced development of these three functions is key to sustainable rural development(SRD).Thus,the evaluation of SRD based on rural multifunctionality is of immense significance.This study clarifies the rela‐tionship between multifunctionality and sustainable rural development.An evaluation index system with six sub-components was established for calculating the SRD.In addition,we included 129 counties from the Sich‐uan Province in our case study,and used this index system to analyze the characteristics of rural multifunc‐tionality for evaluating the SRD.The results showed indisputable evidence of multifunctional development.At the county level,rural multifunctionality faces the challenge of insufficient and uneven development,particu‐larly in production functions.Significant spatial differences existed in rural multifunctional development,and the suburban counties generally performed better.Moreover,a mutually reinforcing relationship between pro‐duction,living,and ecological functions was established;however,there was still a significant gap in realizing SRD.Our results emphasize the necessity of a differentiated SRD strategy that should be formulated and imple‐mented based on rural multifunctionality differentiation rules.Our study offers useful guidance for realizing rural multifunctional and sustainable development.

How Urban Public Service Affects the Well-Being of Migrant Workers:An Empirical Analysis Based on the Theoretical Perspective of Social Comparison Theory

Government city management is facing higher requirements with the development of the number of migrant workers.Therefore,improving their subjective well-being is a significant practical problem that the government must consider in public governance.This research discusses the influence of public service satisfaction on the well-being of urban migrant workers from the perspective of social comparison theory and the role of the sense of social equity and social conflict in the process of this influence.Using the structural equation modeling and moderated mediating mechanism analysis,the results show that:(1)the satisfaction of social and economic public service significantly and positively affects subjective well-being.(2)The sense of social equity completely mediated the influence of the satisfaction of public social service on well-being and partly mediated the influence of the satisfaction of public financial service on well-being.(3)The sense of social equity and conflict have a moderated mediating effect for social and economic public service satisfaction on well-being.Finally,the article concludes with some suggestions to improve the well-being of migrant workers based on the conclusion of the study.

Fine-mapping and transcriptome analysis of the photosensitive leaf-yellowing gene CaLY1 in pepper(Capsicum annuum L.)

Leaf color is directly related to altered photosynthesis.Hence,leaf yellowing mutants can be widely used for the researching plant physiology and functional genomes,for cultivating new varieties of popular horticultural plants,and for identifying hybrid purity(as markers).Here,we constructed a^(60)Co-γF_(2)population from the leaf-yellowing mutant R24 via radiation mutation with the inbred line WT21 of pepper.Genetic analysis showed that the leaf-yellowing of the mutant was controlled by a single recessive gene.By applying the Bulk Segregation Analysis and Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR markers,the leaf-yellowing gene CaLY1(Capsicum annuum Leaf yellow 1)was mapped on chromosome 9,SNP5791587-SNP6011215,with a size of 214.5 kb.One non-synonymous mutated gene Capana09g000166 was found in the interval.The gene encoded a Psb X,which is the core complex of PSⅡ.Transcriptome analysis further showed that 2301 differentially expressed genes were identified under shading treatment for 24 h in R24.The Gene Ontology enrichment pathways were related to photosynthesis light harvesting,cell wall,activity of quercetin 3-O-glucosyltransferase and flavonoid metabolic process,which likely regulate the response of pepper leaves to different light levels.Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the most abundant pathways were photosynthesis antenna proteins and metabolic.

赢在起跑线?——学前教育经历与青少年多维能力发展的实证研究

学前教育作为国民教育的起点,对于培养创新型人才具有基础性、先导性的作用。本文基于中国教育追踪调查数据(CEPS),运用倾向得分匹配法,在分析家庭学前教育决策行为的基础上,通过评估学前教育经历对青少年的多维能力发展影响,为提高学前教育质量提供精准的发力点。研究发现,学前教育经历有助于提高青少年在初中阶段的认知能力、学业成绩和社交能力,而在探索求知、语言表达和健康水平方面未能表现出显著影响。此外,部分教育效能会随着学生年级的升高而逐渐消减。为进一步提高学前教育质量,政府应完善学前教育体制机制建设,建立科学的国民教育评估体系,从根本上转变社会的应试教育观念。

数显角度仪在CT引导经皮肺穿刺活检中的应用

目的:CT引导经皮肺穿刺活检对于肺小结节以及临近大血管的病灶具有难度。本研究旨在探讨数显角度仪在CT引导经皮肺穿刺活检中的应用价值。方法:回顾性分析2018年1月至2018年9月南华大学附属第一医院经皮肺穿刺活检的35例患者。将患者分为A、B、C3组,A组与B组为病灶直径≤30 mm的肺结节,其中A组接受数显角度仪协助下的CT引导经皮肺穿刺活检,B组则在CT引导下徒手操作经皮肺穿刺活检。C组为病灶直径>30 mm肺部肿块,在CT引导下徒手操作经皮肺穿刺活检。然后比较3组之间穿刺前的肿块大小、进针次数、进针距离及术后血气胸并发症的差异。结果:A组肺结节最大直径为(18.4±2.1)mm,显著小于B组(28.3±2.0)mm及C组(43.3±3.6)mm(P=0.003与P=0.003)。A组部分患者合并严重慢性阻塞性肺疾病(chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,COPD)及病灶邻近大血管,且该组穿刺点至胸壁外侧距离也明显高于B组(P=0.039)。但A组一次性穿刺成功概率为100%,明显高于B、C组,同时该组术后并发症亦明显少于另外两组。结论:经数显角度仪协助的CT引导下经皮肺穿刺活检术为一项安全、简便、准确的诊断方法,特别在肺小结节病变的患者中具有较好的应用价值。

不同盐溶液对杂化双交联聚丙烯酸水凝胶力学性能的调控

采用"一锅法"制备了杂化双交联聚丙烯酸水凝胶,再通过分别浸泡氯化铝、氯化钙、氯化钠形成聚丙烯酸-铝(PAAc-Al^(3+))、聚丙烯酸-钙(PAAc-Ca^(2+))、聚丙烯酸-钠(PAAc-Na+)杂化双交联水凝胶,同时对PAAc-Na+凝胶的自愈合性能进行研究。结果表明,随着金属离子价态及同等价态离子浓度的增加,凝胶的力学强度逐渐增加,PAAc-Al^(3+)的拉伸强度达到3.47 MPa,比PAAc-Ca^(2+)拉伸强度(2.63 MPa)、PAAc-Na+拉伸强度(1.79 MPa)大,但是断裂伸长率为PAAc-Na+的最优,达到1320.9%。同时对凝胶含水量进行测试可知,随着离子价态及同等价态离子浓度的增加,凝胶的含水量与体积逐渐减小,特别的是Na+调控的凝胶含水量与体积是先增加后减小。被宏观破坏的凝胶断面可自愈合,通过Na+调控后可拉伸至初始样条的0.3倍,拉伸强度约为初始样条的40%。

带氢键吸附功能高强度水凝胶的制备与性能

制备了物理双交联高强度水凝胶P(Am-co-Ac-co-VDT)/Fe3+,2-乙烯基-4-6-二氨基-2-乙烯基-1,3,5-三嗪(VDT)在水中能形成的氢键实现水凝胶的第一重物理交联;Fe3+与分子链上的-COO-形成离子配位,得到第二重物理交联。通过探究氢键和离子交联的协同作用,获得了具有高的拉伸强度(4.34 MPa)和断裂伸长率(1764%)的P(Am-co-Ac-co-VDT)/Fe3+水凝胶。离子配位作用提供了水凝胶的pH敏感性;VDT含有二氨基三嗪(DAT)官能团形成的氢键使水凝胶吸附一定量的5-氟尿嘧啶(5-Fu),并在pH调整下还可以释放5-Fu,使该高强度水凝胶具有氢键吸附-释放的功能性。

离子模板交联法调控聚乙烯醇/海藻酸钠水凝胶的可控变形行为

设计了一种通用的离子模板交联法制备了物理交联高强度聚乙烯醇/海藻酸钠(PVA/SA)水凝胶,并可能通过可控的方式实现PVA/SA水凝胶的三维空间变形。对同一块水凝胶选择性交联,利用PVA/SA和PVA/SA/Fe^(3+)水凝胶具有显著的溶胀性差异的特点,通过两步法引导图案化水凝胶局部溶胀和整体弯曲,发生可控变形,得到特定的多样构型。同时,由于水凝胶网络中离子配位具有可逆性,此变形是可逆可重复的。进一步在3D打印中构建在平面梯度和厚度梯度具有各向异性的水凝胶,可实现螺旋、弯曲等可控变形。

Shape ratio effects on the mechanical characteristics of rectangular prism rocks and isolated pillars under uniaxial compression

Isolated pillars in underground mines are subjected to uniaxial stress,and the load bearing cross-section of pillars is commonly rectangularly shaped.In addition,the uniaxial compression test(UCT)is widely used for determining the basic mechanical properties of rocks and revealing the mechanism of isolated pillar disasters under unidimensional stress.The shape effects of rock mechanical properties under uniaxial compression are mainly quantitatively reflected in the specific shape ratios of rocks.Therefore,it is necessary to study the detailed shape ratio effects on the mechanical properties of rectangular prism rock specimens and isolated pillars under uniaxial compressive stress.In this study,granite,marble and sandstone rectangular prism specimens with various height to width ratios(r)and width to thickness ratios(u)were prepared and tested.The study results show that r and u have a great influence on the bearing ability of rocks,and thin or high rocks have lower uniaxial compressive strength.Reducing the level of r can enhance the u effect on the strength of rocks,and increasing the level of u can enhance the r effect on the strength of rocks.The lateral strain on the thickness side of the rock specimen is larger than that on the width side,which implies that crack growth occurs easily on the thickness side.Considering r and u,a novel strength prediction model of isolated pillars was proposed based on the testing results,and the prediction model was used for the safety assessment of 179 isolated pillars in the Xianglu Mountain Tungsten Mine.

Novel structural annotation and functional expression analysis of GTP_EFTU conserved genes in pepper based on the PacBio sequencing data

Genes containing GTP_EFTU domain mainly express elongation factors(EF),Small GTPases,and GTP-binding proteins,which are closely related to protein synthesis,extension and ATP synthesis.In this study,we identified 39 genes containing GTP_EFTU domains from peppers.The evolutionary trees constructed from capsicum,Arabidopsis,rice,and tomato are mainly divided into 7 subfamilies.Using PacBio(Pacific Biosciences)sequencing and assembly data,we extracted these 39 gene sequences,fromwhich 25 genes had alternative splicing.Particularly,the Capana08g000545 had 16 alternative splicing processes.Accordingly,we performed promoter sequence analysis,subcellular location prediction,the expression analysis of different tissues and periods,and also the GO(Gene ontology)analysis of co-expressed genes.Lastly we did the qRTPCR analysis in 5 stages of pepper fruit development.These analyses revealed important structural and functional information for the identified 39 genes that contain GTP_EFTU domains,providing important references for further follow-up experiments to verify the genes function on plants or their unique roles in peppers.

A spike-trimer protein-based tetravalent COVID-19 vaccine elicits enhanced breadth of neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants and other variants

Multivalent vaccines combining crucial mutations from phylogenetically divergent variants could be an effective approach to defend against existing and future SARS-Co V-2 variants.In this study,we developed a tetravalent COVID-19 vaccine SCTV01E,based on the trimeric Spike protein of SARS-Co V-2 variants Alpha,Beta,Delta,and Omicron BA.1,with a squalenebased oil-in-water adjuvant SCT-VA02B.In the immunogenicity studies in na?ve BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice,SCTV01E exhibited the most favorable immunogenic characteristics to induce balanced and broad-spectrum neutralizing potencies against pre-Omicron variants(D614G,Alpha,Beta,and Delta)and newly emerging Omicron subvariants(BA.1,BA.1.1,BA.2,BA.3,and BA.4/5).Booster studies in C57BL/6J mice previously immunized with D614G monovalent vaccine demonstrated superior neutralizing capacities of SCTV01E against Omicron subvariants,compared with the D614G booster regimen.Furthermore,SCTV01E vaccination elicited na?ve and central memory T cell responses to SARS-Co V-2 ancestral strain and Omicron spike peptides.Together,our comprehensive immunogenicity evaluation results indicate that SCTV01E could become an important COVID-19 vaccine platform to combat surging infections caused by the highly immune evasive BA.4/5 variants.SCTV01E is currently being studied in a head-to-head immunogenicity comparison phase 3 clinical study with inactivated and m RNA vaccines(NCT05323461).

Triaxial test on glass beads simulating coarse-grained soil

It is feasible to study the mechanical characteristics of coarse-grained soil by simulated granular materials such as glass beads.In this paper,3 mm diameter glass beads are used to conduct drained and undrained triaxial tests under different confining pressures to explore their strength,deformation and critical state characteristics.Specifically,the influence of drainage and confining pressure on the stick-slip phenomenon of glass beads is reported.The experimental findings from triaxial tests show that the stress-strain relationship of glass beads softens when the confining pressure is high.Under the undrained condition,the initial modulus increases with the increase in the confining pressure.In contrast,it is not significantly affected by the confining pressure in the drained condition.It is quite evident that the glass beads hardly contract during the shearing process,and their stress path is approximately a segmented straight line.The slope of the critical state line under the undrained condition is greater than that under the drained condition,and the friction angle of the glass beads under the undrained and drained conditions is calculated to be 28.1and 29.5,respectively.The phenomenon of stick-slip has been depicted for the different test conditions,and the stick-slip amplitude linearly increases with the confining pressure,especially in the undrained condition.It is also found that the maximum energy released from the phenomenon of stick-slip increases linearly with the confining pressure.

Augmented Lagrangian Methods for Numerical Solutions to Higher Order Differential Equations

A large number of problems in engineering can be formulated as the optimization of certain functionals. In this paper, we present an algorithm that uses the augmented Lagrangian methods for finding numerical solutions to engineering problems. These engineering problems are described by differential equations with boundary values and are formulated as optimization of some functionals. The algorithm achieves its simplicity and versatility by choosing linear equality relations recursively for the augmented Lagrangian associated with an optimization problem. We demonstrate the formulation of an optimization functional for a 4th order nonlinear differential equation with boundary values. We also derive the associated augmented Lagrangian for this 4th order differential equation. Numerical test results are included that match up with well-established experimental outcomes. These numerical results indicate that the new algorithm is fully capable of producing accurate and stable solutions to differential equations.

Research and application of leek roots in medicinal field

Some Chinese herbs have been used to prevent and treat diseases,and are also used as common food ingredients.These Chinese herbs are potential resource for research and development of new drugs.Leek roots is a typical medicine of food and medicine continuum.It has a long history of medicinal applications and edible food in China.In this paper,the origin,biological active components,pharmacological action and clinical application of leek roots were introduced.We hope that this review will contribute to the development of leek roots for pharmaceutical research and clinical applications,as well as related health products.

Influence of immunosuppressive drugs on natural killer cells in therapeutic drug exposure in liver transplantation

Background:Natural killer(NK)cells are enriched in the liver and are the main regulators in liver transplantation regarding rejection or tolerance,viral infection,or tumor recurrence.Immunosuppression consists of a triple drug standard regimen comprising tacrolimus(TAC)and corticosteroids(CS)with either mycophenolate mofetil(MMF)or sirolimus(SIR)/everolimus(EVE).The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of trough levels of these regimens under clinical conditions and exposure on human NK-cell activity and function in order to better understand the antiviral and anti-tumor effects of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor(mTORI).Methods:Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)were collected from liver transplant recipients and healthy controls.Number and phenotypes of NK cells in vivo were analyzed by flow cytometry.In this study we simulated the immunosuppressive microenvironment in vitro.PBMCs were cultured at the clinically effective plasma concentration of drugs for 3 d to detect the effect of immunosuppressants on NK cells.Drug type and concentration:single drug[EVE,5 ng/mL;SIR,5 ng/mL;TAC,5 ng/mL;cyclosporine A(CSA),125 ng/mL;MMF,15μg/mL;CS,0.5μg/mL]and combined immunosuppressants(Group 1:TAC,5 ng/mL+MMF,15μg/mL+CS,0.5μg/mL;Group 2:TAC,5 ng/mL+SIR,5 ng/mL+CS,0.5μg/mL;Group 3:TAC,5 ng/mL+EVE,5 ng/mL+CS,0.5μg/mL).In addition,NK cells were sorted from PBMCs and treated under the above conditions to detect NK cell killing function and RNA transcription characteristics.Results:CS significantly impaired the cytolytic activity of NK cells,followed by MMF and SIR/EVE.CS and TAC/CSA significantly decreased the secretion of IFN-γand CD107a.NK cell function in liver transplant recipients was most pronouncedly inhibited by a triple immunosuppressive regimen,with CS playing the most prominent role compared with the other drugs.The MMF-containing regimen demonstrated a significant increase in the expression of suppressive genes,especially of the Siglec7/9 family.The SIR group had stronger NK cell activity compared with that of the MMF group,although liver transplantation patients have lower NK cell activity and function.Conclusions:Despite an overall comparable immunosuppressive efficiency in terms of prevention of acute rejection,a mTORIs-including regimen might be considered as having less impact on NK cell function.

An inverse method for characterization of dynamic response of 2D structures under stochastic conditions

The reliable estimation of the wavenumber space(k-space)of the plates remains a longterm concern for acoustic modeling and structural dynamic behavior characterization.Most current analyses of wavenumber identification methods are based on the deterministic hypothesis.To this end,an inverse method is proposed for identifying wave propagation characteristics of twodimensional structures under stochastic conditions,such as wavenumber space,dispersion curves,and band gaps.The proposed method is developed based on an algebraic identification scheme in the polar coordinate system framework,thus named Algebraic K-Space Identification(AKSI)technique.Additionally,a model order estimation strategy and a wavenumber filter are proposed to ensure that AKSI is successfully applied.The main benefit of AKSI is that it is a reliable and fast method under four stochastic conditions:(A)High level of signal noise;(B)Small perturbation caused by uncertainties in measurement points’coordinates;(C)Non-periodic sampling;(D)Unknown structural periodicity.To validate the proposed method,we numerically benchmark AKSI and three other inverse methods to extract dispersion curves on three plates under stochastic conditions.One experiment is then performed on an isotropic steel plate.These investigations demonstrate that AKSI is a good in-situ k-space estimator under stochastic conditions.