Population genetics of marmosets in Asian primate research centers and loci associated with epileptic risk revealed by whole-genome sequencing

The common marmoset(Callithrix jacchus)has emerged as a valuable nonhuman primate model in biomedical research with the recent release of high-quality reference genome assemblies.Epileptic marmosets have been independently reported in two Asian primate research centers.Nevertheless,the population genetics within these primate centers and the specific genetic variants associated with epilepsy in marmosets have not yet been elucidated.Here,we characterized the genetic relationships and risk variants for epilepsy in 41 samples from two epileptic marmoset pedigrees using whole-genome sequencing.We identified 14558184 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from the 41 samples and found higher chimerism levels in blood samples than in fingernail samples.Genetic analysis showed fourth-degree of relatedness among marmosets at the primate centers.In addition,SNP and copy number variation(CNV)analyses suggested that the WW domain-containing oxidoreductase(WWOX)and Tyrosine-protein phosphatase nonreceptor type 21(PTPN21)genes may be associated with epilepsy in marmosets.Notably,KCTD18-like gene deletion was more common in epileptic marmosets than control marmosets.This study provides valuable population genomic resources for marmosets in two Asian primate centers.Genetic analyses identified a reasonable breeding strategy for genetic diversity maintenance in the two centers,while the case-control study revealed potential risk genes/variants associated with epilepsy in marmosets.

Molecular phylogenetics and population demographic history of Amphioctopus fangsiao,inferred from mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers

Amphioctopus fangsiao(Cephalopoda:Octopodidae)is an important commercial species in the coastal waters of China.In recent years,however,the resource of A.fangsiao have declined because of habitat destruction and overfishing.To analyze the genetic variations of A.fangsiao caused by the fluctuation of resources,the population genetic structure of nine sampling locations collected from the Bohai Sea to the South China Sea were investigated,using mtDNA COI fragments and microsatellite DNA.The results of F-statistics,AMOVA,STRUCTURE and PCA analyses showed three phylogeographic clades(Clades A,B and C),revealing limited genetic exchange between north and south populations.These clades diverged in 2.23(Clades A and B)and 3.67(Clades A,B and C)million years ago,during the dramatic environmental fluctuations,such as sea level and temperature changes,have exerted great influence on the survival distribution pattern of global organisms.Our results for low genetic connectivity among A.fangsiao populations provide insights into the development of management strategies,that is,to manage this species as separate management unit.

Population genetics of Sargassum horneri (Fucales, Phaeophyta) in China revealed by ISSR and SRAP markers

Sargassum horneri is a common brown macro-alga that is found in the inter-tidal ecosystems of China. To investigate the current status of seaweed resources and provide basic data for its sustainable development, ISSR (inter simple sequence repeat) and SRAP (sequence related amplified polymorphism) markers were used to analyze the population genetics among nine natural populations of S. horneri. The nine studied populations were distributed over 2 000 km from northeast to south China. The percentage of polymorphic loci P% (ISSR, 99.44%; SRAP, 100.00%), Nei's genetic diversity H (ISSR, 0.107-0.199; SRAP, 0.100-0.153), and Shannon's information index I (ISSR, 0.157-0.291; SRAP, 0.148-0.219) indicated a fair amount of genetic variability among the nine populations. Moreover, the high degree of gene differentiation G st (ISSR, 0.654; SRAP, 0.718) and low gene flow N m (ISSR, 0.265; SRAP, 0.196) implied that there was significant among-population differentiation, possibly as a result of habitat fragmentation. The matrices of genetic distances and fixation indices (F st ) among the populations correlated well with their geographical distribution (Mantel test R=0.541 5, 0.541 8; P=0.005 0, 0.002 0 and R=0.728 6, 0.641 2; P=0.001 0, 0.001 0, respectively); the Rongcheng population in the Shandong peninsula was the only exception. Overall, the genetic differentiation agreed with the geographic isolation. The fair amount of genetic diversity that was revealed in the S. horneri populations in China indicated that the seaweed resources had not been seriously affected by external factors.

Determining Cotton Fiber Gene Function via Structuring of Mutant Populations for High-Throughput Reverse Genetics

The NSF Cotton Genome Centers EST projecthas released】36000 cotton fiber EST sequencesfrom Gossypium arboreum,an A-genome diploidspecies.Of the approximately 10000 genesexpressed in rapidly elongating cotton fibers,50% or more encode unknown gene functions.The next challenge facing cotton researchers isdetermining the function of the fiber genes,andwhat role each plays in determiningagronomically important fiber traits.

Conservation genetics of a resident population of Greylag Goose(Anser anser) at the southernmost limit of the species' distribution in Europe

Background:Conservation of small and isolated populations can be challenging since they are prone to loss of genetic diversity due to random genetic drift and inbreeding.Therefore,information from the assessment of genetic diversity and structure are needed for conservation programs to determine the appropriate management strategy for the populations.We investigated the levels of genetic variability in a resident Greylag Goose(Anser anser) population,the southernmost breeding population of the species in Europe and the sole viable population of any goose species in Greece.Methods:A fragment of mtDNA Control Region and a panel of 11 microsatellite markers were used to search for any signs of genetic impoverishment and population substructure and to reveal the underlying processes through the identification of possible past demographic events.Results:The population was found to be monomorphic in the amplified fragment of the mitochondrial Control Region,with all individuals sharing a single private haplotype.Analyses showed a lack of any population substructure indicating a panmictic population.Although the population seems to have experienced a strong and recent genetic bottleneck and exhibits a small effective population size,we did not find evidence of either extremely low levels of genetic diversity or inbreeding depression.Conclusions:The recent demographic decline we detected and the combined influence of residency and anthropogenic factors have probably shaped the current genetic status.Our study population does not need emergency conservation actions but should be regarded as a discrete management unit.Future management strategies should focus on population and genetic monitoring and preventing further abundance declines that would increase the risk of genetic impoverishment.

Comparative Study of Genetic Structure and Genetic Diversity betweenWild and Cultivated Populations of Taxus cuspidata,Northeast China

Taxus cuspidata is a rare plant with important medicinal and ornamental value.Aiming at the obvious differences between wild and cultivated populations of T.cuspidata from Northeast China,a total of 61 samples,that is,33 wild yews and 28 cultivated yews were used to analyze the differences and correlations of the kinship,genetic diversity,and genetic structure between them by specific length amplified fragment sequencing(SLAF-seq).Finally,470725 polymorphic SLAF tags and 58622 valid SNP markers were obtained.Phylogenetic analysis showed that 61 samples were classified into 2 clusters:wild populations and cultivated populations,and some wild yews were categorized into the cultivated populations;the genetic diversity analysis showed that the Nei diversity index of wild populations(0.4068)was smaller than that of cultivated populations(0.4414),and the polymorphic information content(PIC)of wild populations(0.2861)was smaller than that of cultivated populations(0.3309).The genetic differentiation analysis showed that the total populations of gene diversity(H_(t))of cultivated and wild populations were respectively 0.8159 and 0.5685,the coefficient of gene differentiation(G_(st))of cultivated and wild populations was respectively 0.3021 and 0.1068,and the gene flow(N_(m))(2.4967)of wild populations was larger than cultivated populations(0.8199).The molecular variance(AMOVA)revealed that inter-population variation accounted for 29.57%of the total genetic variation,while intra-population variation accounted for 70.42% of the total genetic variation(p<0.001),this suggested that the genetic variation in the T.cuspidata is mainly attributed to within-population factors.In conclusion,the genetic distance between geographical ecological groups of wild populations was generally smaller than that of cultivated populations,and the degree of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation was smaller than that of cultivated populations.As evident,the utilization of SLAF-seq technology enables efficient and accurate development of SNP markers suitable for genetic analysis of T.cuspidata species.These developed SNP markers can provide a molecular foundation for T.cuspidata breeding,construction of genetic maps,variety identification,and association analysis of agronomic traits.

Evaluating the performance of genomic selection on purebred population by incorporating crossbred data in pigs

Genomic selection(GS)has been widely used in livestock,which greatly accelerated the genetic progress of complex traits.The population size was one of the significant factors affecting the prediction accuracy,while it was limited by the purebred population.Compared to directly combining two uncorrelated purebred populations to extend the reference population size,it might be more meaningful to incorporate the correlated crossbreds into reference population for genomic prediction.In this study,we simulated purebred offspring(PAS and PBS)and crossbred offspring(CAB)base on real genotype data of two base purebred populations(PA and PB),to evaluate the performance of genomic selection on purebred while incorporating crossbred information.The results showed that selecting key crossbred individuals via maximizing the expected genetic relationship(REL)was better than the other methods(individuals closet or farthest to the purebred population,CP/FP)in term of the prediction accuracy.Furthermore,the prediction accuracy of reference populations combining PA and CAB was significantly better only based on PA,which was similar to combine PA and PAS.Moreover,the rank correlation between the multiple of the increased relationship(MIR)and reliability improvement was 0.60-0.70.But for individuals with low correlation(Cor(Pi,PA or B),the reliability improvement was significantly lower than other individuals.Our findings suggested that incorporating crossbred into purebred population could improve the performance of genetic prediction compared with using the purebred population only.The genetic relationship between purebred and crossbred population is a key factor determining the increased reliability while incorporating crossbred population in the genomic prediction on pure bred individuals.

Changes in the adult sex ratio of six duck species breeding populations over two decades

Despite all efforts,long-term changes in the adult sex ratios of breeding duck populations are still unclear;this uncertainty is especially true for male-bias populations,which are often under the scrutiny of researchers lacking convenient results for the active protection of endangered species.Species with male-bias populations are usually strongly affected by a decline in population size that leads to a higher extinction risk.In this study,we examined our long-term data of the abundance of breeding populations in six duck species(Mallard Anas platyrhynchos,Gadwall Mareca strepera,Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina,Common Pochard Aythya ferina,Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula,and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula)from fishponds in South Bohemia,Czechia,between 2004 and 2022.This evidence was used to assess long-term changes in the adult sex ratio in these breeding populations and investigate the possible effects of the NAO index(North Atlantic Oscillation index)on them,indicating climate conditions in winter.We determined a long-term decrease of the proportion of females in the breeding season in two of the six examined species:Common Pochard and Red-crested Pochard,which is driven by the long-term increase in the number of males in contrast to the decreasing or stable number of females likely caused by different migration behaviours between females and males.In the case of Common Pochard,in breeding populations,we estimated 60-65%of males in the early 2000s rising to 75-80%in the early 2020s.However,we establish no significant effects linked to climate conditions of the previous winter in these species as a crucial cause of the changes of the proportion of females in the breeding population.

Evolution and Determinants of Population Agglomeration in Less Developed Metropolitan Areas:A Case Study of the Taiyuan Metropolitan Area,China

It is of importance to enhance the urban areas'capacity for population aggregation in underdeveloped regions,aiming to rectify the imbalanced and insufficient pattern of economic development in China.Taking the Taiyuan Metropolitan Area(TMA)in central China as a case study,this paper examines the evolutionary process and characteristics of population agglomeration from 2000 to 2020,and identifies factors associated with agglomeration and their spatial effects.The findings indicated that:1)against the background of sustained population shrinkage in the provincial area,the TMA showed a demographic trend of steady increase,albeit with a decelerated growth rate.In the metropolitan area,urban population size continued to grow rapidly,whereas the rural areas endured sustained losses.Disparities in city size continued to widen,and the polarization of concentrated population in the core cities kept increasing.2)Agglomerations in both secondary and service industries had significant positive effects on local population agglomeration,with the former effect being stronger.Regional economic development,government fiscal expenditure,and financial advancement all contributed to facilitating local population clustering.From a spatial spillover perspective,service agglomeration and financial development promoted population agglomeration in surrounding areas.Conversely,fiscal expenditure inhibited such agglomeration.As for industrial agglomeration and regional economic development,their spatial spillover effects were non-significant.The results obtained reveal several policy implications aimed at enhancing the population agglomeration capacity of the metropolitan area in underdeveloped regions during the new era.

KCNQ1 rs2237895 gene polymorphism increases susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asian populations

BACKGROUND The association of single nucleotide polymorphism of KCNQ1 gene rs2237895 with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is currently controversial.It is unknown whether this association can be gene realized across different populations.AIM To determine the association of KCNQ1 rs2237895 with T2DM and provide reliable evidence for genetic susceptibility to T2DM.METHODS We searched PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Medline,Baidu Academic,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,China Biomedical Literature Database,and Wanfang to investigate the association between KCNQ1 gene rs2237895 and the risk of T2DM up to January 12,2022.Review Manager 5.4 was used to analyze the association of the KCNQ1 gene rs2237895 polymorphism with T2DM and to evaluate the publication bias of the selected literature.RESULTS Twelve case–control studies(including 11273 cases and 11654 controls)met our inclusion criteria.In the full population,allelic model[odds ratio(OR):1.19;95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.09–1.29;P<0.0001],recessive model(OR:1.20;95%CI:1.11–1.29;P<0.0001),dominant model(OR:1.27.95%CI:1.14–1.42;P<0.0001),and codominant model(OR:1.36;95%CI:1.15–1.60;P=0.0003)(OR:1.22;95%CI:1.10–1.36;P=0.0002)indicated that the KCNQ1 gene rs2237895 polymorphism was significantly correlated with susceptibility to T2DM.In stratified analysis,this association was confirmed in Asian populations:allelic model(OR:1.25;95%CI:1.13–1.37;P<0.0001),recessive model(OR:1.29;95%CI:1.11–1.49;P=0.0007),dominant model(OR:1.35;95%CI:1.20–1.52;P<0.0001),codominant model(OR:1.49;95%CI:1.22–1.81;P<0.0001)(OR:1.26;95%CI:1.16–1.36;P<0.0001).In non-Asian populations,this association was not significant:Allelic model(OR:1.06,95%CI:0.98–1.14;P=0.12),recessive model(OR:1.04;95%CI:0.75–1.42;P=0.83),dominant model(OR:1.06;95%CI:0.98–1.15;P=0.15),codominant model(OR:1.08;95%CI:0.82–1.42;P=0.60.OR:1.15;95%CI:0.95–1.39;P=0.14).CONCLUSION KCNQ1 gene rs2237895 was significantly associated with susceptibility to T2DM in an Asian population.Carriers of the C allele had a higher risk of T2DM.This association was not significant in non-Asian populations.

Balancing selection shapes population differentiation of major histocompatibility complex genes in wild golden snub-nosed monkeys

Small and isolated populations face several intrinsic risks,such as genetic drift,inbreeding depression,and reduced gene fow.Thus,patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation have become an important focus of conservation genetics research.The golden snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus roxellana,an endangered species endemic to China,has experienced rapid reduction in population size and severe population fragmentation over the past few decades.We measured the patterns of genetic diversity and population differentiation using both neutral microsatellites and adaptive major histocompatibility complex(MHC)genes in 2 R.roxellana populations(DPY and GNG)distributed on the northern and southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains,respectively.Eight MHC-linked haplotypes formed by 5 DQA1 alleles,5 DQB1 alleles,5 DRB1 alleles,and 4 DRB2 alleles were detected in the 2 populations.The larger GNG population showed higher genetic variation for both MHC and microsatellites than the smaller DPY population,suggesting an effect of genetic drift on genetic variation.Genetic differentiation index(FST)outlier analyses,principal coordinate analysis(PCoA),and inferred population genetic structure showed lower genetic differentiation in the MHC variations than microsatellites,suggesting that pathogen-mediated balancing selection,rather than local adaptation,homogenized the MHC genes of both populations.This study indicates that both balancing selection and genetic drift may shape genetic variation and differentiation in small and fragmented populations.

Multi Location Field Evaluation of BC1F2 Sorghum Populations for Striga Resistance in Niger

In Niger, a landlocked country, sorghum is the second staple food cultivated over the country by smallholder farmer. The crop is important for human and animal consumption. Despite its importance, the crop is affected by biotic and abiotic constraints. Among those constraints, striga has a high impact on yield. In fact, to survive, farmers are growing their local preferred sorghum varieties wish is highly sensible to the weed. Striga management is a challenge that requires a permanent solution. In addition, the development of high-yielding Striga resistant genotypes will be appreciated by farmers. The development of striga resistance will be based on the breeding population performances under farmer’s diverse environmental conditions adaptation. The main objective of this study is to evaluate two breeding populations for striga resistance in two different environments at Boulke and Dibissou in Tahoua region, to identify the early and high-yielding striga tolerant genotypes under natural infestation.

Mercury Levels Assessment in the Population of Aby and Frambo Villages in the Vinicity of Aby Lagoon in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa)

The Minamata Convention in the aim to protect human life and the environment, seeks to reduce mercury (Hg) by monitoring it concentrations in the environment. Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) has been identified as the most important anthropogenic source of human exposure to Hg. In this context, the main goal of this study was to assess the level of mercury in hair of two (2) populations living along two lagoons respectively Aby and Tendo, in Ivory Coast. To reach this goal, hair samples of 138 residents were collected and analyzed by using Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrophotometry (CV-AFS) technique for mercury concentration. Results showed that for the entire population the Hg mean was 2.34 μg/g. Also, they were ranged between 0.15 to 8.53 μg/g and presented substantial differences amongst the villages. In Aby village, we observed the highest Hg concentrations (Mean = 2.62 μg/g). Our findings showed that almost the entire sample group (82%) exceed the USEPA recommended limit, furthermore 56% of them exceed the normal level of WHO and 2% of the respondent has the unhealthy levels of mercury (≥6 μg Hg/g) of hair by WHO standards. Gender differences in hair mercury varies greatly among reports. Lower levels in women’s hair compared to men were reported in the both village. Considering age, the lowest concentrations were observed with children. However, when we take in account the age groups, data suggested that the most exposed sub-population of [18-29] years old is from Aby village in opposite at Frambo village, the same case those who were ≥ 40 years old. It’s convenient to note that, the proportion of Mercury levels would not to be neglected among studied population especially with the resident from Aby village. So, some measures need to be taken at the political level to control mercury contamination.

An efficient method for constructing a random insertional mutant library for forward genetics in Nannochloropsis oceanica

Insertional mutation,phenotypic evaluation,and mutated gene cloning are widely used to clone genes from scratch.Exogenous genes can be integrated into the genome during non-homologous end joining(NHEJ)of the double-strand breaks of DNA,causing insertional mutation.The random insertional mutant library constructed using this method has become a method of forward genetics for gene cloning.However,the establishment of a random insertional mutant library requires a high transformation efficiency of exogenous genes.Many microalgal species show a low transformation efficiency,making constructing random insertional mutant libraries difficult.In this study,we established a highly efficient transformation method for constructing a random insertional mutant library of Nannochloropsis oceanica,and tentatively tried to isolate its genes to prove the feasibility of the method.A gene that may control the growth rate and cell size was identified.This method will facilitate the genetic studies of N.oceanica,which should also be a reference for other microalgal species.

Land-population-industry based village evolution and its influencing factors in the upper Tuojiang River

With economic development and urbanization in China,the rural settlements have experienced great change.To explore the evolution process of rural settlements in terms of land,population and industry can reveal the development law of rural spatial distribution,population structure and industrial economy in different stages and regions.Studying the development status and evolution characteristics of villages in the upper Tuojiang River basin in Southwest China in the past 20 years are of significant value.The upper Tuojiang River basin includes the main types of terrain found in the Southwest region:mountainous,plains,and hills,exhibiting a certain typicality of geographical characteristics.This study took towns and townships at the town-level scale as the basic unit of research,and constructed an evaluation system for village evolution based on'land,population,and industry'.It employed Criteria Importance Through Inter-Criteria Correlation(CRITIC)analysis to examine the characteristics of village evolution in the area from 2000 to 2020,and used geographic detector analysis to identify the leading factors affecting village evolution.The results show that:(1)From 2000 to 2010,villages in the upper Tuojiang River basin experienced significant changes,and the pace of these transformations slowed from 2010 to 2020.(2)From a comprehensive perspective,from 2000 to 2020,villages in hilly areas show a decline,while villages in plain areas near the city center show a positive urbanization development.(3)Road accessibility and distance from the city center are the main factors that explain the spatial differentiation of village evolution degree in the study area.This study elucidates the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of villages in the upper Tuojiang River basin and identifies the primary factors contributing to their changes,which will provide a reference for investigating the development of rural areas in different terrains of Southwest China.

Heterogeneous population distribution enhances resistance to wheat lodging by optimizing the light environment

Lodging is still the key factor that limits continuous increases in wheat yields today,because the mechanical strength of culms is reduced due to low-light stress in populations under high-yield cultivation.The mechanical properties of the culm are mainly determined by lignin,which is affected by the light environment.However,little is known about whether the light environment can be sufficiently improved by changing the population distribution to inhibit culm lodging.Therefore,in this study,we used the wheat cultivar“Xinong 979”to establish a low-density homogeneous distribution treatment(LD),high-density homogeneous distribution treatment(HD),and high-density heterogeneous distribution treatment(HD-h)to study the regulatory effects and mechanism responsible for differences in the lodging resistance of wheat culms under different population distributions.Compared with LD,HD significantly reduced the light transmittance in the middle and basal layers of the canopy,the net photosynthetic rate in the middle and lower leaves of plants,the accumulation of lignin in the culm,and the breaking resistance of the culm,and thus the lodging index values increased significantly,with lodging rates of 67.5%in 2020–2021 and 59.3%in 2021–2022.Under HD-h,the light transmittance and other indicators in the middle and basal canopy layers were significantly higher than those under HD,and the lodging index decreased to the point that no lodging occurred.Compared with LD,the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-Lyase(PAL),4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase(4CL),catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT),and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase(CAD)in the lignin synthesis pathway were significantly reduced in the culms under HD during the critical period for culm formation,and the relative expression levels of TaPAL,Ta4CL,TaCOMT,and TaCAD were significantly downregulated.However,the activities of lignin synthesis-related enzymes and their gene expression levels were significantly increased under HD-h compared with HD.A partial least squares path modeling analysis found significant positive effects between the canopy light environment,the photosynthetic capacity of the middle and lower leaves of plants,lignin synthesis and accumulation,and lodging resistance in the culms.Thus,under conventional high-density planting,the risk of wheat lodging was significantly higher.Accordingly,the canopy light environment can be optimized by changing the heterogeneity of the population distribution to improve the photosynthetic capacity of the middle and lower leaves of plants,promote lignin accumulation in the culm,and enhance lodging resistance in wheat.These findings provide a basis for understanding the mechanism responsible for the lower mechanical strength of the culm under high-yield wheat cultivation,and a theoretical basis and for developing technical measures to enhance lodging resistance.

Epidemiological, Clinical Aspects and Factors Associated with Typical Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in the General Population of Parakou, Republic of Benin

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a benign and chronic disease that can impair the quality of life. Objective: To study the epidemiological, clinical aspects and factors associated with typical GERD in the general population of Parakou in the Republic of Benin. Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study with prospective data collection which took place from May 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019. The study population consisted of any subject aged at least 15 years and living in Parakou. Subjects aged at least 15 years, present on the day of the survey and having given their free and informed verbal consent were included. The Short form of QRS®(Reflux-Qual Short form) questionnaire and the “Hospital Anxiety and Depression” score were used to assess the quality of life and anxiety/depression, respectively. The sampling was probabilistic through a 2-stage cluster sampling. The variable of interest was the presence of GERD. Results: Out of 390 subjects surveyed, 28 had symptoms of typical GERD, representing a prevalence of 7.18%. The average age of these subjects was 27.11 ± 7.88 years. Fifteen subjects (53.57%) were male, giving a sex ratio of 1.15. Fourteen (50%) had a secondary level of education, 12 (42.86%) were pupils/students, 18 (64.29%) were single. The monthly income of 22 subjects (78.57%) was lower than the guaranteed interprofessional minimum wage (40,000 FCFA). The average duration of progression of symptoms was 15.89 ± 4.97 months. Symptoms occurred less than twice a week in 22 subjects (78.57%). The clinical manifestations were both diurnal and nocturnal in 12 subjects (42.86%). None of the 28 subjects with GERD had clinical warning signs. Asthma, diabetes, consumption of high fat or spice foods, carbonated drinks, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcoholic beverages and tobacco were statistically associated with the occurrence of GERD. Each of the 28 subjects had at least one associated factor. A significant impair in quality of life was observed in 27 patients (96.43%). Conclusion: Typical GERD is relatively common in the general population of Parakou in the Republic of Benin. It often affects young males. Among the risk factors identified, the most common are carbonated drinks, spicy meals and diabetes. GERD significantly impairs quality of life. Raising awareness about the disease and its associated factors is necessary among the general population.

Theoretical investigations of population trapping phenomena in atomic four-color,three-step photoionization scheme

The four-color three-step selective photoionization process of atom is very important in laser isotope separation technology.The population trapping phenomena and their influences are studied theoretically in monochromatic and non-monochromatic laser fields based on the density matrix theory in this work.Time evolutions of the photoionization properties of the four-color,three-step process are given.The population trapping effects occur intensely in monochromatic excitation,while it gradually turns weak as the laser bandwidth increases.The effects of bandwidth,Rabi frequency,time delay,and frequency detuning on the population trapping effect are investigated in monochromatic and non-monochromatic laser fields.The effects of laser process parameters and atomic parameters on the effective selective photoionization are also discussed.The ionization probability and selectivity factors,as evaluation indexes,are difficult to improve synchronously by adjusting systematic parameters.Besides,the existence of metastable state may play a negative role when its population is low enough.

Profiling of the Retrospective Epidemiology of the Human Papillomavirus and Related Cancers in the United Arab Emirates Population

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of infectious cancers, leading to a growing global interest on the profiling of HPV-related cancers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the retrospective epidemiological profile of HPV-related cancer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of UAE of all ages ranged from a minimum of 0.6% to a maximum of 4.5% for testes cancer and colon cancer respectively in males;whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 1.0% and a maximum of 34% for Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney, bladder, liver and pancreas cancer and breast cancer, respectively. The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old ranged from a minimum of 0.1% to a maximum of 11.2% for pancreas cancer, and colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.1% and a maximum of 18% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of all ages in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.1% for Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular cancer to a maximum of 4.5% for colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 4.5% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers mortality in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.2% to a maximum of 4.3% for testicular cancer and colon cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 7.2% for bladder and breast cancer respectively. In conclusion, the profiling of HPV-related cancers in UAE for both males and females of all ages is similar to that reported for other parts of the world.

Evaluation and Projection of Population Exposure to Temperature Extremes over the Beijing−Tianjin−Hebei Region Using a High-Resolution Regional Climate Model RegCM4 Ensemble

Temperature extremes over rapidly urbanizing regions with high population densities have been scrutinized due to their severe impacts on human safety and economics.First of all,the performance of the regional climate model RegCM4 with a hydrostatic or non-hydrostatic dynamic core in simulating seasonal temperature and temperature extremes was evaluated over the historical period of 1991–99 at a 12-km spatial resolution over China and a 3-km resolution over the Beijing−Tianjin−Hebei(JJJ)region,a typical urban agglomeration of China.Simulations of spatial distributions of temperature extremes over the JJJ region using RegCM4 with hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic cores showed high spatial correlations of more than 0.8 with the observations.Under a warming climate,temperature extremes of annual maximum daily temperature(TXx)and summer days(SU)in China and the JJJ region showed obvious increases by the end of the 21st century while there was a general reduction in frost days(FD).The ensemble of RegCM4 with different land surface components was used to examine population exposure to temperature extremes over the JJJ region.Population exposure to temperature extremes was found to decrease in 2091−99 relative to 1991−99 over the majority of the JJJ region due to the joint impacts of increases in temperature extremes over the JJJ and population decreases over the JJJ region,except for downtown areas.Furthermore,changes in population exposure to temperature extremes were mainly dominated by future population changes.Finally,we quantified changes in exposure to temperature extremes with temperature increase over the JJJ region.This study helps to provide relevant policies to respond future climate risks over the JJJ region.