Application of the Electromagnetic Method to the Spatial Distribution of Subsurface Saline and Fresh Water in the Coastal Mudflat Area of Jiangsu Province.

Interfacial zones straddling terrestrial and marine realms, colloquially known as mudflats, epitomize a dynamic nexus between these environments and are fundamental to the coastal ecosystem. The investigation of these regions is paramount for facilitating infrastructural developments including ports, wharfs, cross-sea bridges, and the strategic utilization of freshwater resources sequestered from mainland islands amid ongoing economic progress. Terrestrial realms conventionally employ electromagnetic techniques as efficacious modalities to delineate subterranean geological information, encompassing structural details and water-bearing strata. However, the peculiar topographic and geological nuances of mudflat regions pose substantial challenges for the efficacious application of electromagnetic methodologies. The present paper endeavors to address these challenges by suggesting innovative modifications to the existing instrumentation and evolving novel data acquisition techniques specifically tailored for electromagnetic exploration within mudflat environments. This paper delves into the electrical characteristics of water-bearing layers within mudflats, and ascertains details pertaining to the subterranean structure and the spatial distribution of fresh and saline water resources, through the holistic interpretation of a multitude of profiles.

[Genetic analysis of an infant death due to a paternally derived FOXF1 somatic-gonadal mosaic variant].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic characteristics and cause of death for an infant with alveolar capillary dysplasia and pulmonary vein misalignment (ACD/MPV). METHODS: An infant with ACD/MPV diagnosed at the Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University in September 2022 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the infant were collected. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out to detect genetic variants in the skin tissue, and Sanger sequencing was performed for verifying the candidate variants in the parents. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used to determine the mosaicism ratio of the variant in different germ layer-derived samples from the father. RESULTS: The infant had died within 2 days after birth due to hypoxemia and respiratory distress. WES revealed that she has harbored a c.433C>T nonsense variant in exon 1 of the FOXF1 gene, which was unreported previously. Sanger sequencing has verified the variant in the infant, with her mother's locus being the wild-type and a minor variant peak noted in her father. ddPCR indicated that the mosaic ratio of the c.433C>T variant in the father's sperm was 27.18%, with the mosaic ratios of the variant in tissues originating from the three germ layers ranging from 11% to 28%. CONCLUSION: The c.433C>T variant derived from the paternal germline and somatic mosaicism of the FOXF1 gene had probably predisposed to the neonatal death of this infant. ddPCR is an effective method for detecting mosaic variants.

Taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship of tits based on mitogenomes and nuclear segments.

The phylogeny of tits has been studied using various molecular markers, but their phylogenetic relationships remain controversial. To further investigate their taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships, the entire mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) and five nuclear segments were sequenced from 10 species of tits and two outgroups (Sylviparus modestus and Remiz consobrinus), followed by the comparison of mitogenomic characteristics and reconstruction of phylogenetic relationship based on the different datasets. The results revealed the following: the mitogenomes of 10 ingroup tits, each 16,758-16,799bp in length, displayed typical mitogenome organization and the gene order found in most previously determined Passeriformes mitogenomes; close relationships existed between Parus major and P. monticolus, between P. montanus and P. palustris, and between P. ater and P. venustulus; and Pseudopodoces humilis was a sister group to P. spilonotus, P. cyanus, or the clade containing P. major and P. monticolus.

Maternal hepatitis B virus carrier status and pregnancy outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in pregnant women may be a threat for both mothers and fetuses. This study was performed to explore the impact of maternal HBV carrier status on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study at the Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Nantong University between January 1, 2012 and September 30, 2015. A consecutive sample of 21,004 pregnant women, 513 asymptomatic HBV carriers and 20,491 non-HBV controls, was included in this study. The main outcomes of interest were selected pregnancy outcomes including miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth (PTB), gestational diabetes (GDM), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), preterm premature rupture of the membrane (PPROM), low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) and Apgar scores. The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes between asymptomatic HBV carriers and non-HBV controls were compared using the chi-square test and logistic regression. P values were two sided, and P <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: The incidences of stillbirth, PTB, GDM, ICP, PPROM, LBW, and SGA were similar between the HBV carrier and non-HBV groups. The proportion of miscarriage was significantly higher among the HBV carriers than the controls (9.36% vs 5.70%; P <0.001). After using multivariate modelling to adjust for possible socio-demographical variables and obstetric complications, women with HBV carrier status were still more likely to have miscarriage (adjusted OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.23-2.38). In addition, the incidences of other maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Maternal HBV carrier status may be an independent risk factor for miscarriage and careful surveillance is warranted.

[Phylogenetic relationships among Orthoptera insect groups based on complete sequences of 16S ribosomal RNA].

In order to reconstruct a robust phylogenetic relationship among major groups of Orthoptera and to explore the phylogenetic utility and performance of 16S Ribosomal RNA gene, complete sequences of 16S Ribosomal RNA were sequenced from 18 species in 9 families and 4 superfamilies of Orthoptera, and analyzed with other 40 species that have been completely sequenced. The result showed that the average length of 16S Ribosomal RNA was 1 310 bp. The positions of Tridactuloidea and Gryllotalpidae in Orthoptera were uncertain based on the 16S rRNA data, and the phylogenetic relationships of other major groups in Orthoptera were rather robust. Except for Oedipodidae and Gomphoceridae, Acrididae, Catantopidae, and Arcypteridae in Xia's taxonomic system were not monophyletic groups, and the genetic distances among the five groups were small. This indicates that the five families should be combined into one family. The genetic distances among Pamphagidae, Chrotogonidae, and Pyrgomorphidae were also small. The loops of 16S rRNA gene could provide more information than stems when they were used for phylogenetic analysis. Complete sequence of 16S rRNA gene can be used to reconstruct robust phylogenetic relationship at the taxonomic category of species, genera, and suborder in Orthoptera, but lack of resolution at family and superfamily levels.

Data on taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship of tits.

The data in this paper are related to the research article entitled "Taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship of tits based on mitogenomes and nuclear segments" (X.J. Li et al., 2016) [1]. The mitochondrial genomes and nuclear segments of tits were sequenced to analyze mitochondrial characteristics and phylogeny. In the data, the analyzed results are presented. The data holds the resulting files of mitochondrial characteristics, heterogeneity, best schemes, and trees.