[Characteristics of soybean climate potential productivity in frigid region and its response to climate change]. / å¯’åœ°å¤§è±†æ°”å€™ç”Ÿäº§æ½œåŠ›ç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å¯¹æ°”å€™å˜åŒ–çš„å“åº”.

A comprehensive understanding of the evolution of soybean climate potential productivity and its response to climate change in Heilongjiang Province can offer reference and basis for further tapping soybean production potential and realizing stable and high yield of soybean in the frigid region. Based on meteorological data from 80 meteorological stations in Heilongjiang Province from 1961 to 2020, we estimated photosynthesis, light temperature, and climate potential productivity of soybean by the stepwise correction method, examined the spatiotemporal variations by spatial interpolation and statistical analysis methods, and analyzed the impact of changes in climate factors such as radiation, temperature, and precipitation on climate potential productivity. The results showed that during the study period, the average values of photosynthesis potential productivity (YQ), light-temperature potential productivity (YT), and climate potential productivity (YW) of soybean in Heilongjiang Province were 7533, 6444, and 3515 kg·hm-2, respectively. The temporal changes of those variables showed significant increasing trends, with increases of 125.9, 182.9, and 116.1 kg·hm-2·(10 a)-1, respectively. For the spatial distribution, YQ, YT, YW were characterized by high values in plains and lower in the mountains, and gradually decreased from southwest to northeast. Compared with that during 1961-1990, the high value zone of YW in period 1991-2020 expanded by 7.1%, and the low value zone decreased by 5.1%. YW showed a significant response to climate change. The potential temperature growth period was extended due to climate warming. The continuous increase in thermal resources, combined with relatively sufficient precipitation, effectively alleviated the negative impact of the decline in light resources on soybean production in Heilongjiang Province. The projected "warm and humid" climate would comprehensively boost climate potential productivity of soybean in Heilongjiang Province.

Tilt and decentration of the crystalline lens in ultra-high myopia with cataract and its influencing factors: A study based on CASIA2'.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the characteristics and influencing factors of crystalline lens tilt and decentration in ultra-high myopic cataract patients, as measured by the CASIA2. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 60 eyes scheduled for cataract surgery with an axial length (AL) ≥ 28 mm were included. The IOLMaster700 was utilized to measure AL and the white-to-white (WTW) distance. The CASIA2 was employed to measure front curvature radius (FCR), crystalline lens tilt, and crystalline lens decentration. The relationships between lens tilt, decentration, and related factors were evaluated. RESULTS: The degree of lens tilt was 4.62 ± 2.44°, and the decentration was 0.20 (Q1 0.13, Q3 0.28) mm. Among the 60 eyes, 11 (18.3%) had a tilt ≥7°, and 6 (10%) had a decentratiolens tilt ≥7° (P = 0.038, P = 0.018). Eyes with AL >30.00 mm and FCR <8.45 mm had a higher degree of lens tilt. Additionally, a tilt ≥7° was associated with a greater decentration (P = 0.032), n. CONCLUSION: Preoperative crystalline lenses in eyes with ultra-high myopia and cataract exhibit certain degrees of tilt and decentration. An AL >30 mm is a risk factor for a lens tilt ≥7° and an decentration ≥0.4 mm. An FCR <8.45 mm is a risk factor for increased lens tilt, and a tilt ≥7° is a risk factor for increased lens decentrati ≥ 0.4 mm. An increase in AL and FCR <8.45 mm were risk factors for a and eyes with AL >30.00 mm had a higher degree of decentration (P = 0.005).

Transforming growth factor-ß1 and vascular endothelial growth factor levels in senile acute myeloid leukemia and correlation with prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a disease in which immature hematopoietic cells accumulate in the bone marrow and continuously expand, inhibiting hematopoiesis. The treatment and prognosis of this disease have always been unsatisfactory. AIM: To investigate the correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGFß1) expression and prognosis in older adults with AML. METHODS: This study enrolled 80 patients with AML (AML group), including 36 with complete response (AML-CR), 23 with partial response (AML-PR), and 21 with no response (AML-NR). The expression levels of VEGF and TGFß1 were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in bone marrow mononuclear cells isolated from 56 healthy controls. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to assess overall survival (OS) and progression- or disease-free survival (DFS). Prognostic risk factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The AML group showed a VEGF level of 2.68 ± 0.16. VEGF expression was lower in patients with AML-CR than those with AML-PR or AML-NR (P < 0.05). TGFß1 expression in the AML group was 0.33 ± 0.05. Patients with AML-CR showed a higher TGFß1 expression than those with AML-PR or AML-NR (P < 0.05). VEGF and TGFß1 expression in patients with AML was significantly correlated with the counts of leukocytes, platelets, hemoglobin, and peripheral blood immature cells (P < 0.05); Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with high TGFß1 expression had better OS and DFS than those with low TGFß1 expression (P < 0.05), whereas patients with low VEGF levels showed better OS and DFS than those with high VEGF levels (P < 0.05). VEGF, TGFß1, and platelet count were identified by the Cox proportional hazards model as independent risk factors for OS (P < 0.05), while VEGF, TGFß1, and white blood cell count were independent risk factors for DFS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Decreased VEGF expression and increased TGFß1 expression in patients with AML provide valuable references for determining and individualizing clinical treatment strategies.

Efficacy of linaclotide in combination with polyethylene glycol for bowel preparation in Chinese patients undergoing colonoscopy polypectomy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Adequate bowel preparation is essential for successful colonoscopy and polypectomy procedures. However, a significant proportion of patients still exhibit suboptimal bowel preparation, ranging from 18% to 35%. The effectiveness of bowel preparation agents can be hampered by volume and taste, adversely affecting patient compliance and tolerance. Therefore, exploring strategies to minimise laxative volume and improve patient tolerance and adherence is imperative to ensure optimal bowel preparation quality. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a two-arm, single-blinded, parallel-group randomised controlled trial designed to compare the efficacy of 2 L polyethylene glycol (PEG) combined with linaclotide with 4 L PEG in bowel cleansing. A total of 422 participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group (2 L PEG combined with 580 µg linaclotide) or the control group (4 L PEG). The primary outcome measure is bowel cleansing efficacy, which is assessed using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. Secondary outcomes include evaluating the tolerability and safety of the bowel preparation regimens, bowel diary assessments, postpolypectomy complications (such as bleeding and perforation) and the size and number of removed polyps. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The findings of this trial will serve as a valuable resource for clinicians and patients undergoing colonoscopy polypectomy by guiding the selection of appropriate bowel preparation regimens. Study findings will be disseminated to participants, presented at professional society meetings, and published in peer-reviewed journals. This trial was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with registration number ChiCTR2300075410.

Nitrogen migration and transformation during re-suspension and photo-induction in landscape water replenished by reclaimed water.

Sediment re-suspension plays a crucial role in releasing endogenous nitrogen and greenhouse gases in shallow urban waters. However, the impacts of repeated re-suspension and photo-induced processes on migration and transformation from endogenous nitrogen, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases, remain unclear. This study simulated three conditions: re-suspension (Rs), re-suspension combined with ultravioletirradiation (Rs + UV), and ultraviolet irradiation (UV). The findings revealed that both repeated sediment re-suspension and exposure to UV light altered the characteristics of surface sediments. Decrease of convertible nitrogen in sediments, leading to the release of ion-exchangeable nitrogen (IEF-N) into NH4+-N and NO3--N, influenced greenhouse gas production differently under various conditions. The study observed the highest concentration of dissolved N2O in under UV irradiation, positively correlated with NO2--N and NO3--N. Re-suspension increased the turbidity of the overlying water and accelerated nitrification, resulting in the highest NO3--N concentration and the lowest dissolved N2O concentration. Additionally, in the Rs + UV dissolved N2O maintained the higher concentrations than in Rs, with greatest amount of N conversion in surface sediments, and a 59.45% reduction in IEF-N. The production of N2O during re-suspension was mainly positively correlated with NH4+-N in the overlying water. Therefore, this study suggest that repeated re-suspension and light exposure significantly influence nitrogen migration and transformation processes in sediment, providing a theoretical explanation for the eutrophication of water and greenhouse gas emissions.

Improving water quality and mitigating CH4 and N2O production in urban landscape water simultaneously by optimizing calcium peroxide dosage.

Recent studies show that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from urban landscape water are significant and cannot be overlooked, underscoring the need to develop effective strategies for mitigating GHG production from global freshwater systems. Calcium peroxide (CaO2) is commonly used as an eco-friendly reagent for controlling eutrophication in water bodies, but whether CaO2 can reduce GHG emissions remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of CaO2 dosage on the production of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in urban landscape water under anoxic conditions during summer. The findings reveal that CaO2 addition not only improved the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of simulated urban landscape water but also reduced N2O production by inhibiting the activity of denitrifying bacteria across various dosages. Moreover, CaO2 exhibited selective effects on methanogens. Specifically, the abundance of acetoclastic methanogen Methanosaeta and methylotrophic methanogen Candidatus_Methanofastidiosum increased whereas the abundance of the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanoregula decreased at low, medium, and high dosages, leading to higher CH4 production at increased CaO2 dosage. A comprehensive multi-objective evaluation indicated that an optimal dosage of 60 g CaO2/m2 achieved 41.21 % and 84.40 % reductions in CH4 and N2O production, respectively, over a 50-day period compared to the control. This paper not only introduces a novel approach for controlling the production of GHGs, such as CH4 and N2O, from urban landscape water but also suggests a methodology for optimizing CaO2 dosage, providing valuable insights for its practical application.

Effect of capsular tension ring on the refractive outcomes of patients with extreme high axial myopia after phacoemulsification.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of capsular tension ring (CTR) implantation following cataract surgery on the refractive outcomes of patients with extreme high axial myopia. METHODS: Sixty eyes (with an axial length of ≥26 mm) were retrospectively reviewed and classified into two groups: CTR group (n = 30), which underwent CTR implantation following phacoemulsification, and control group (n = 30), which did not undergo CTR implantation. Intraocular lens (IOL) calculation was performed using Barrett Universal II (UII), Haigis, and SRK/T formulas. The refractive prediction error (PE) was calculated by subtracting the postoperative refraction from predicted refraction. The mean PE (MPE), mean absolute error (MAE), and percentages of eyes that had a PE of ±0.25, ±0.50, ±1.00, or ±2.00 diopters (D) were calculated and compared. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in PE between the two groups. The Barrett UII formula revealed a lower AE in the CTR group than in the control group (p = 0.015) and a lower AE than the other two formulas (p = 0.0000) in both groups. The Barrett UII formula achieved the highest percentage of eyes with a PE of ±0.25 D (66.67%). CONCLUSIONS: The refractive outcomes were more accurate in eyes with CTR implantation than in those with routine phacoemulsification based on the Barrett UII formula. The Barrett UII formula was recommended as the appropriate formula when planning CTR implantation in high myopia.

Machine learning on MRI radiomic features: identification of molecular subtype alteration in breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have revealed the change of molecular subtypes in breast cancer (BC) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). This study aims to construct a non-invasive model for predicting molecular subtype alteration in breast cancer after NAT. METHODS: Eighty-two estrogen receptor (ER)-negative/ human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative or ER-low-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer patients who underwent NAT and completed baseline MRI were retrospectively recruited between July 2010 and November 2020. Subtype alteration was observed in 21 cases after NAT. A 2D-DenseUNet machine-learning model was built to perform automatic segmentation of breast cancer. 851 radiomic features were extracted from each MRI sequence (T2-weighted imaging, ADC, DCE, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging), both in the manual and auto-segmentation masks. All samples were divided into a training set (n = 66) and a test set (n = 16). XGBoost model with 5-fold cross-validation was performed to predict molecular subtype alterations in breast cancer patients after NAT. The predictive ability of these models was subsequently evaluated by the AUC of the ROC curve, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS: A model consisting of three radiomics features from the manual segmentation of multi-sequence MRI achieved favorable predictive efficacy in identifying molecular subtype alteration in BC after NAT (cross-validation set: AUC = 0.908, independent test set: AUC = 0.864); whereas an automatic segmentation approach of BC lesions on the DCE sequence produced good segmentation results (Dice similarity coefficient = 0.720). CONCLUSIONS: A machine learning model based on baseline MRI is proven useful for predicting molecular subtype alterations in breast cancer after NAT. KEY POINTS: • Machine learning models using MRI-based radiomics signature have the ability to predict molecular subtype alterations in breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy, which subsequently affect treatment protocols. • The application of deep learning in the automatic segmentation of breast cancer lesions from MRI images shows the potential to replace manual segmentation..

Active Microstructure Transformation and Enhanced Stability of Iron Foam Derived from Industrial Water Oxidation.

Tracking microstructure transformation under industrial conditions is significant and urgent for the development of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. Herein, employing iron foam (IF) as an object, we closely monitor related morphologies and composition evolution under 300 mA cm-2 at 40 °C (IF-40-t)/80 °C (IF-80-t) in 6 M KOH and find that the OER activity first increases and then decreases with the continuous generation of FeOOH. Moreover, the reasons for different tendencies of Tafel slope, double-layer capacitance, and impedance for IF-40-t/IF-80-t have been investigated thoroughly. In detail, the OER activity of IF-40-t is governed by electron and mass transport, while for IF-80-t, the dominating factor is electron transfer. Further, to improve the stability, guided by the above results, two versatile methods that do not sacrifice electron and mass transport have been proposed: surface coating and dynamic interface construction. The synchronous improvements of stability and activity are deeply revealed, which may provide inspiration for catalyst design for industrial applications.

Metabolomic characterization of congenital microtia: a possible analysis for early diagnosis.

Background: Although metabolic abnormalities have been deemed one of the essential risk factors for growth and development, the relationship between metabolic abnormalities and microtia is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to establish a cell model of microtia and the changes of serum metabolites in patients with microtia. Methods: After constructing a cell model of microtia with low expression of BMP5, we performed integrative metabolomics analysis. For the altered metabolites, the content of glycerophosphocholine (PC), triacylglycerol (TG), and choline in the serum of 28 patients (15 patients with microtia and 13 controls) with microtia was verified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Detailed metabolomic evaluation showed distinct clusters of metabolites between BMP5-low expressing cells and normal control (NC) cells. The cell model of microtia had significantly higher levels of TG, PC, glycerophosphoethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin, sulfatide, glycerophosphoglycerol, diacylglycerol, and glycosphingolipid. The main abnormal metabolites were mainly concentrated in the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway, and PC and choline were closely related. In the serum of patients with microtia, the contents of PC, TG, and choline were significantly increased. Conclusions: The individual serum samples confirmed the different metabolites between patients with microtia and controls. In particular, we showed that a newly developed metabolic biomarker panel has a high sensitivity and specificity for separating patients with microtia from controls.

Pathogenesis and Treatment of Cytokine Storm Induced by Infectious Diseases.

Cytokine storm is a phenomenon characterized by strong elevated circulating cytokines that most often occur after an overreactive immune system is activated by an acute systemic infection. A variety of cells participate in cytokine storm induction and progression, with profiles of cytokines released during cytokine storm varying from disease to disease. This review focuses on pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cytokine storm induction and progression induced by pathogenic invasive infectious diseases. Strategies for targeted treatment of various types of infection-induced cytokine storms are described from both host and pathogen perspectives. In summary, current studies indicate that cytokine storm-targeted therapies can effectively alleviate tissue damage while promoting the clearance of invading pathogens. Based on this premise, "multi-omics" immune system profiling should facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies to alleviate cytokine storms caused by various diseases.

Oriented and robust anchoring of Fe via anodic interfacial coordination assembly on ultrathin Co hydroxides for efficient water oxidation.

The oriented distribution and strong bonding of Fe active sites in multiple metal hydroxides are crucial to modulate activity and stability for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the dispersion and inevitable dissolution of Fe species still need to be addressed through deliberate design. Here, trace amounts of Fe chelated with tannic acid (TA) are precisely anchored to ultrathin Co hydroxides (TF@Co(OH)2-t) through a new anodic interfacial coordination assembly strategy: firstly, the ZIF-67@Co(OH)2 precursor with ultrathin Co(OH)2 nanosheets vertically grown on the shell, provides abundant active sites and sufficient anchoring regions for subsequent TA-Fe coating; secondly, the TA-Fe ligand network quickly and robustly coats the surface of the Co(OH)2via positive potential-driven chronopotentiometry, yielding TF@Co(OH)2-t with good dispersion and controllable Fe species. The TA-Fe network efficiently activates Co species and prevents the dissolution of Fe ions. Physical characterization and DFT simulations reveal that the optimized OER activity with 317 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for TF@Co(OH)2-500 can be attributed to the accelerated electron transfer, increased active sites, and the moderate fall in d-band center levels due to Fe integration. Moreover, prolonged stability is realized benefiting from the robust TA-Fe coating protecting the actives sites.

Baseline beliefs about medication are associated with outcomes of antidepressants in inpatients with first-diagnosed depression under supervised therapeutic compliance.

The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of baseline beliefs about medication on therapeutic outcomes of antidepressants in inpatients with first-diagnosed depression under supervised therapeutic compliance. Ninety-seven inpatients with first-diagnosed depression were included to collect their baseline demographic data to evaluate the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) scores and the beliefs about medicine questionnaire-specific (BMQ-S) scores at baseline and the end of the eight-week treatment. Additionally, we explored the relationship between inpatients' medication beliefs and therapeutic effect of antidepressants. The inpatients were divided into remitted depression and unremitted depression groups according to outcomes at the end of the eight-week treatment. There was no significant difference in the baseline HAMD between the two groups (P > 0.050). The scores on the BMQ-S of the unremitted group were significantly lower than those of the remitted group (P < 0.001). The HAMD scores were significantly reduced in both groups after the eight-week treatment (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the BMQ-S scores before and after the treatment (P > 0.050). The medication beliefs of the unremitted inpatients after the treatment were still lower than those of the remitted inpatients (P < 0.001). Logistic-regression analysis showed that low BMQ-S scores at the baseline were an independent risk factor for antidepressant efficacy. Beliefs about medication at baseline may be correlated with the therapeutic efficacy in inpatients with first-diagnosed depression under supervised therapeutic compliance.

Promoting Oxygen Evolution by Deep Reconstruction via Dynamic Migration of Fluorine Anions.

Promoting the reconstruction of electrocatalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is generally regarded as a promising strategy for enhanced activity. F anions with strong electronegativity are predicted to enhance this transformation. Herein, a fluorine-anion doping route is proposed to convert the well-latticed NiMoO4@MNF to amorphous F-NiMoO4@MNF by a facile and versatile molten salt strategy. The well-defined nanorod arrays guarantee abundant exposed active sites, rapid mass transfer, and fast gas bubble release. Moreover, the emerged loose amorphous structure is conducive to the dynamic migration of F species and effective penetration of the electrolyte; therefore, the resulting exchange between F and hydroxide anions induces the formation of an active oxy(hydroxide) layer, thus finally optimizing the electronic structure and absorption/desorption energy on the surface of F-NiMoO4@MNF. The boosted OER performance of reconstructed F-NiMoO4@MNF is reliably confirmed by a low overpotential of 188 mV at 50 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 33.8 mV dec-1, and favorable long-term stability. In addition, accelerated hydrogen evolution is observed, which is ascribed to the finely tuned electron distribution. This work would provide a new reconstruction route assisted by F-anion doping to the development of high-performance catalysts.

Mitochondrial dysfunction resulting from the down-regulation of bone morphogenetic protein 5 may cause microtia.

BACKGROUND: Bone morphogenetic protein 5 (BMP5) has been identified as one of the important risk factors for microtia; however, the link between them has yet to be clarified. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the relationship of BMP5 with mitochondrial function and investigate the specific role of mitochondria in regulating microtia development. METHODS: BMP5 expression was measured in auricular cartilage tissues from patients with and without microtia. The effects of BMP5 knockdown on cellular function and mitochondrial function were also analyzed in vitro. Changes in genome-wide expression profiles were measured in BMP5-knockdown cells. Finally, the specific impact of BMP5 down-regulation on mitochondrial fat oxidation was analyzed in vitro. RESULTS: BMP5 expression was down-regulated in the auricular cartilage tissues of microtia patients. BMP5 down-regulation inhibited various cellular functions in vitro, including cell proliferation, mobility, and cytoactivity. The functional integrity of mitochondria was also damaged, accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) neutralization, and reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Carnitine O-palmitoyltransferase 2 and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2, two of the key regulators of mitochondrial lipid oxidation, were also found to be decreased by BMP5 down-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: Down-regulation of BMP5 affects glycerolipid metabolism and fatty acid degradation, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced ATP production, and changes in cell function, and ultimately resulting in microtia. This research provides supporting evidence for an important role of BMP5 down-regulation in affecting mitochondrial metabolism in cells, and sheds new light on the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of microtia.

Two-dimensional ultrathin surfactant-encapsulating polyoxometalate assemblies as carriers for monodispersing noble-metal nanoparticles with high catalytic activity and stability.

Noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) with excellent catalytic activity and stability play an important role in the field of environmental governance. A uniform distribution and a strong binding force with the carriers of the noble metal nanoparticles are important, but avoidance of the use of additional reducing agents is a promising direction of research. Herein, 2D ultrathin surfactant-encapsulating polyoxometalate (SEP) nanosheets constructed by the self-assembly of dodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODA) and molybdophosphate (H3PMo12O40, PMo12) are designed to be versatile carriers for Ag nanoparticles. Under the synergistic effect of the well-arranged PMo12 units, encapsulating hydrophobic oleic acid (OA) and reductive molybdophosphate under Xe lamp irradiation, the silver oleate (AgOA)-derived Ag nanoparticles (5 ± 2 nm) are monodispersed on the DODA-PMo12 assemblies and form the Agx/DODA-PMo12 composite. The optimized Ag4.89/DODA-PMo12 composite exhibits high catalytic activity and stability in the degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), which reaches a superior rate constant of 6.49 × 10-3 s-1 and without significant deterioration after three recycles. This technique can be facilely promoted to other noble metal nanoparticles with excellent catalytic activity and stability.

[Time-series characteristics of drought and flood in spring soybean growing season and its effect on soybean yield in Heilongjiang Province, China]. / é»‘é¾™æ±Ÿçœå¤§è±†ç”Ÿé•¿å­£æ—±æ¶æ—¶åºç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å¯¹äº§é‡çš„å½±å“.

Under the background of climate change, the spatial-temporal distribution of precipita-tion in Heilongjiang Province is uneven, and drought and flood frequently change, which is not conducive to the safety of soybean production for the province. To clarify the influence mechanism of drought and flood in the growing season on soybean yield in Heilongjiang Province, we analyzed the time-series characteristics of drought and flood in soybean growing season and its effect on soybean yield in different growth stages, based on data of daily precipitation from 60 meteorological stations during 1961 to 2018 and soybean yield in the same period, with the standardized precipitation index (SPI) as the drought and flood evaluation index. The results showed that, from 1961 to 2018, the influence range of drought in soybean growing season in Heilongjiang Province showed a weak decreasing trend, while that of flood showed a weak increasing trend. In the same period, the intensity of both drought and flood showed a weak increasing trend, with slightly stronger role of flood intensity. The probability of the co-occurrence of drought and flood accounted for 60.3%. The soybean growing season in Heilongjiang Province may become wetter. From 2012 to 2018, the influence range and occurrence intensity of flood were significantly higher than that of drought, six years of the whole or regional flood occurred, in which five years were moderate degrees. The effects of drought and flood on soybean yield differed across regions in soybean growing season. The effect of flood on soybean yield was significantly stronger than that of drought in the Northwest, North and East, and were similar in the Midland, while in the Southwest, South and Southeast, the effect of drought was much greater than that of flood. The fluctuation of soybean yield was closely related to drought and flood during bloom-seed-filling period. Among them, in the Northwest, Southwest, Midland, South and Southeast of Heilongjiang, soybean yield would reach a high level when there was a little bit more precipitation, but the moderate and above-moderate levels of flood would cause the reduction. In the North, the fluctuation of soybean yield was mainly affected by flood, while in the East, the effects of drought and flood on soybean yield were similar.

Characteristics of 43 multiple auricular deformity case families and auricle morphology in 463 microtia patients in South China.

BACKGROUND: Earlier studies have suggested that microtia is a genetic disease with a worldwide incidence of microtia is between 0.83/10,000 and 17.40/10,000. For microtia, auricle morphology is the most crucial characteristic. However, no studies have been performed to characterize the genetic similarity of microtia and auricle morphology similarity. For the sporadic patients, the relationship between the gestational age of parents and the incidence of microtia is unclear. To obtain the characteristics of auricular deformity multiple case family (AD-MCF) and clarify the relationship between genetic similarity and auricle morphology similarity in AD-MCF. METHODS: This study included 463 AD patients who were diagnosed by Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, from 2013 to 2019. Among these patients, 116 are from 43 MCF and the other 347 patients are sporadic. For the patients from families, the disease status of the four generations of immediate family members and the family tree map were collected to analyze the similarity of auricle shape in family members. A score evaluated the similarity of auricle shape according to the structure of the residual ear and the similarity in the morphology of each auricle. Moreover, the population distribution of AD and the gestational age of patients were further analyzed. RESULTS: From 2013 to 2019, a total of 463 patients were diagnosed as microtia in our hospital. There were 427 patients with unilateral disease and 36 patients with bilateral disease. Among them, 116 patients were from 34 families and 9 de novo families. The total scores of patients in different genetic difference levels were compared and were found significantly different (P<0.001). Moreover, 58.14% of families were consistent with the law of chromosomal recessive genetic diseases. Importantly, we found that the gestational age of father in microtia de novo families is 30.94±0.75, and mother in de novo is 28.39±0.73 that is significantly higher than the gestational ages of parents from microtia families with P value =0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: The auricle similarity between family members is positively related to the genetic distance between family members. The microtia patients are potentially associated with the gestational ages of parents.

Anxiolytic Effect of Increased NREM Sleep after Acute Social Defeat Stress in Mice.

Social defeat stress (SDS) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression. Sleep is generally considered to involve recovery of the brain from prior experience during wakefulness and is altered after acute SDS. However, the effect of acute SDS on sleep/wake behavior in mice varies between studies. In addition, whether sleep changes in response to stress contribute to anxiety is not well established. Here, we first investigated the effects of acute SDS on sleep/wake states in the active period in mice. Our results showed that total sleep time (time in rapid eye-movement [REM] and non-REM [NREM] sleep) increased in the active period after acute SDS. NREM sleep increased mainly during the first 3 h after SDS, while REM sleep increased at a later time. Then, we demonstrated that the increased NREM sleep had an anxiolytic benefit in acute SDS. Mice deprived of sleep for 1 h or 3 h after acute SDS remained in a highly anxious state, while in mice with ad libitum sleep the anxiety rapidly faded away. Altogether, our findings suggest an anxiolytic effect of NREM sleep, and indicate a potential therapeutic strategy for anxiety.

[Comparing the responses of radial growth between Quercus mongolica and Phellodendron amurense to climate change in Xiaoxing'an Mountains, China.] / å°å ´å®‰å²­è’™å¤æ Žå’Œé»„è èå¾„å‘ç”Ÿé•¿å¯¹æ°”å€™å˜åŒ–çš„å“åº”æ¯”è¾ƒ.

Quercus mongolica and Phellodendron amurense are two important broad-leaved species in temperate forests of Northeast China. It is critical to explore their responses to climate change for supporting management, protection, and restoration of the broad-leaved forest in Northeast China under the future climate change scenario. Three sampling sites along a longitude gradient, Heilun, Tieli and Yichun, were set up in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains. Dendrochronological methods were used to establish standard chronologies for Q. mongolica and P. amurense. Correlation analyses were conducted between these chronologies and local climatic factors to establish the spatial and temporal variations in growth-climate relationship of Q. mongolica and P. amurense. The results showed that the radial growth of P. amurense was sensitive to temperature, while that of Q. mongolica was limi-ted by both temperature and precipitation. The temperature sensitivities of these two species were different. High spring temperature inhibited the radial growth of Q. mongolica, but promoted that of P. amurense. The limiting effect of high maximum temperature in summer on radial growth of Q. mongolica was significantly higher than that of P. amurense. With the increases of longitude (water availability), the correlation coefficients between radial growth of Q. mongolica and precipitation gradually weakened, while P. amurense didn't change. The physiological characteristics of those tree species was the key factors affecting their growth-climate relationship. With the significant warming since the 1976, the growth trend of P. amurense increased, whilst that of Q. mongolica decreased. Deteriorated drought stress caused by warming and difference in the species' ability to cope with water deficits might be the main reasons for different responses of two species, and for the divergence phenomenon occurring for Q. mongolica. If warming continues or worsens in the future, the growth of Q. mongolica may decline due to the intensified drought stress, while that of P. amurense may be less affected or be slightly enhanced.