DMS: Low-overlap Registration of 3D Point Clouds with Double-layer Multi-scale Star-graph.

Registering 3D point clouds with low overlap is challenging in 3D computer vision, primarily due to difficulties in identifying small overlap regions and removing correspondence outliers. We observe that the neighborhood similarity can be utilized to detect point correspondence, and the consistent neighborhood correspondence can be used as a criterion to detect robust overlapping regions. So that a Double-layer Multi-scale Star-graph (DMS) structure is proposed to detect robust correspondences using two different types of multi-scale star-graphs. The first-layer Multi-scale Neighbor Feature Star-graphs (MNFS) takes each point as the center and its multi-scale nearest neighbors as the leaves. The MNFS enables to establish the initial correspondence candidate set between the two point clouds based on multi-scale neighborhood topology and feature similarity. Subsequently, each pair of corresponding points find their nearest neighbors within the correspondence sets to construct a Multi-scale Matching Star-graphs (MMS) on each side, so the mutual correspondence relationships between the MMS vertices are identified. These identified mutual correspondences are treated as vertices to construct the Multi-scale Correspondence Star-graphs (MCS), that indicate the relationships among the correspondences. We design edge weight and vertex weight criterion in MCS to detect only the robust correspondence set that has strong neighborhood consistency, so as to reject the outliers. Finally, the point cloud registration is conducted based on the detected robust correspondence. The experimental results demonstrate clearly that the proposed DMS method exhibits superior robustness when compared to existing state-of-the-art registration algorithms. The code of this study will be available at https://github.com/HualongCao/DMS.

VSFormer: Mining Correlations in Flexible View Set for Multi-view 3D Shape Understanding.

View-based methods have demonstrated promising performance in 3D shape understanding. However, they tend to make strong assumptions about the relations between views or learn the multi-view correlations indirectly, which limits the flexibility of exploring inter-view correlations and the effectiveness of target tasks. To overcome the above problems, this paper investigates flexible organization and explicit correlation learning for multiple views. In particular, we propose to incorporate different views of a 3D shape into a permutation-invariant set, referred to as View Set, which removes rigid relation assumptions and facilitates adequate information exchange and fusion among views. Based on that, we devise a nimble Transformer model, named VSFormer, to explicitly capture pairwise and higher-order correlations of all elements in the set. Meanwhile, we theoretically reveal a natural correspondence between the Cartesian product of a view set and the correlation matrix in the attention mechanism, which supports our model design. Comprehensive experiments suggest that VSFormer has better flexibility, efficient inference efficiency and superior performance. Notably, VSFormer reaches state-of-the-art results on various 3d recognition datasets, including ModelNet40, ScanObjectNN and RGBD. It also establishes new records on the SHREC'17 retrieval benchmark. The code and datasets are available at https://github.com/auniquesun/VSFormer.

Determination of the median lethal dose of zinc gluconate in mice and safety evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Zinc Gluconate (ZG) is a safe and effective supplement for zinc. However, there is limited research on the optimal dosage for intravenous injection and the safety evaluation of animal models for ZG. This study aims to determine the safe dose range of ZG for intravenous injection in C57BL/6J mice. METHODS: A Dose titration experiment was conducted to determine the LD50 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of ZG in mice. Based on the LD50, four sub-lethal doses (SLD) of ZG were evaluated. Following three injections of each SLD and monitoring for seven days, serum zinc levels were measured, and pathological changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen tissues of mice were determined by histological staining. RESULTS: The dose titration experiment determined the LD50 of ZG in mice to be 39.6 mg/kg, with a 95%CI of 31.8-49.3 mg/kg. There was a statistically significant difference in the overall serum zinc levels (H = 36.912, P < 0.001) following SLD administration. Pairwise comparisons showed that the serum zinc levels of the 1/2 LD50 and 3/4 LD50 groups were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.001); the serum zinc level of the 3/4 LD50 group was significantly higher than those of the 1/8 LD50 and 1/4 LD50 groups (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the different SLDs of ZG and the serum zinc levels in mice (rs = 0.973, P < 0.001). H&E staining showed no significant histological abnormalities or lesions in the liver, kidney, and spleen tissues of mice in all experimental groups. CONCLUSION: The appropriate dose range of ZG for intravenous injection in C57BL/6J mice was clarified, providing a reference for future experimental research.

A new method of anterior talofibular ligament reconstruction: Arthroscopically artificial ligament reconstruction with tensional remnant-repair.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical effects of arthroscopically artificial ligament reconstruction with tensional remnant-repair in patients who are obese, and/or with demand for highly intensive sports, and/or with poor-quality ligament remnants. METHODS: A retrospective case series study was performed on patients treated by arthroscopically anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) reconstruction with tensional remnant repair technique from January 2019 to August 2021. General data, including demographics, surgical time, and postoperative adverse events, were recorded. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score (AOFAS), foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM), visual analog scale (VAS), and anterior talar translation were measured preoperatively and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 2 years postoperatively. Ultrasonography examination was performed preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively to evaluate the ATFL. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. F test was used to analyze the pre- and postoperative VAS, FAAM, and AOFAS scores. The significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were 20 males and 10 females among the patients with a mean age of (30.71 ± 5.81) years. The average surgical time was (40.21 ± 8.59) min. No adverse events were observed after surgery. At 2 years postoperatively, the anterior talar translation test showed grade 0 laxity in all patients. VAS score significantly decreased from preoperatively to 6 weeks, 3 months, and 2 years postoperatively (p < 0.001). Improvement of FAAM score and the AOFAS score from preoperatively to 6 weeks, 3 months, and 2 years postoperatively was statistically significant (p < 0.001). At 3 months postoperatively, most patients (23/30) could return to their pre-injured activities of daily living status. At 2 years postoperatively, all patients were able to return to their pre-injured activities of daily living status, and almost every patient (18/19) who expected highly intensive sports returned to sports with only 1 obese patient failing to achieve the goal. The ultrasonography examination at 2 years postoperatively showed that there was a linear band structure of soft tissue on the tension-rich fiber tape image from the fibular to the talar attachment sits of ATFL. CONCLUSION: The novel arthroscopically artificial ligament reconstruction with tensional remnant-repair technique for ATFL achieved satisfactory clinical outcomes in the short and medium term after operation, and allowed early return to pre-injured activities, which could be a reliable option for patients with chronic lateral ankle instability.

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified hub genes critical to fatty acid composition in Gushi chicken breast muscle.

BACKGROUND: The composition and content of fatty acids in the breast muscle are important factors influencing meat quality. In this study, we investigated the fatty acid composition and content in the breast muscle of Gushi chickens at different developmental stages (14 weeks, 22 weeks, and 30 weeks). Additionally, we utilized transcriptomic data from the same tissue and employed WGCNA and module identification methods to identify key genes associated with the fatty acid composition in Gushi chicken breast muscle and elucidate their regulatory networks. RESULTS: Among them, six modules (blue, brown, green, light yellow, purple, and red modules) showed significant correlations with fatty acid content and metabolic characteristics. Enrichment analysis revealed that these modules were involved in multiple signaling pathways related to fatty acid metabolism, including fatty acid metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, and fatty acid biosynthesis. Through analysis of key genes, we identified 136 genes significantly associated with fatty acid phenotypic traits. Protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that nine of these genes were closely related to fatty acid metabolism. Additionally, through correlation analysis of transcriptome data, we identified 51 key ceRNA regulatory networks, including six central genes, 7 miRNAs, and 28 lncRNAs. CONCLUSION: This study successfully identified key genes closely associated with the fatty acid composition in Gushi chicken breast muscle, as well as their post-transcriptional regulatory networks. These findings provide new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the flavor characteristics of chicken meat and the composition of fatty acids in the breast muscle.

Transcriptome analysis reveals FABP5 as a key player in the development of chicken abdominal fat, regulated by miR-122-5p targeting.

BACKGROUND: The development of abdominal fat and meat quality are closely related and can impact economic efficiency. In this study, we conducted transcriptome sequencing of the abdominal fat tissue of Gushi chickens at 6, 14, 22, and 30 weeks, and selected key miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks related to abdominal fat development through correlation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1893 differentially expressed genes were identified. Time series analysis indicated that at around 6 weeks, the development of chicken abdominal fat was extensively regulated by the TGF-ß signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, and PPAR signaling pathway. However, at 30 weeks of age, the apoptosis signaling pathway was the most significant, and correlation analysis revealed several genes highly correlated with abdominal fat development, including Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5). Based on miRNA transcriptome data, it was discovered that miR-122-5p is a potential target miRNA for FABP5. Cell experiments showed that miR-122-5p can directly target FABP5 to promote the differentiation of preadipocytes. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms that the key gene FABP5 and its target gene miR-122-5p are critical regulatory factors in the development of chicken abdominal fat. These results provide new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms associated with the development of abdomen-al fat in chickens.

Influencing factors of PM2.5 concentration in the typical urban agglomerations in China based on wavelet perspective.

PM2.5 is one of the most harmful air pollutants affecting sustainable economic and social development in China. The analysis of influencing factors affecting PM2.5 concentration is significant for the improvement of air quality. In this study, three typical urban agglomerations in China (Beijing‒Tianjin‒Hebei [BTH], the Yangtze River Delta [YRD], and the Pearl River Delta [PRD]) were studied using innovative trend analysis, a Bayesian statistical model, and partial wavelet and multiwavelet coherence to analyze PM2.5 concentration variations and multi-scale coupled oscillations between PM2.5 concentration and air pollutants/meteorological factors. The results showed that: (1) PM2.5 concentration time-series showed significant downward trends, which decreased as follows: BTH > YRD > PRD. The higher the pollution level, the greater the change trend. In BTH and the PRD, PM2.5 had obvious trends and seasonal change points; whereas, the PM2.5 time-series change point in the YRD was not obvious. (2) PM2.5 had significant intermittent resonance cycles with air pollutants and meteorological factors in different time domains. There were differences in the main controlling factors affecting PM2.5 among the three urban agglomerations. (3) The explanatory ability of air pollutant combinations for variations in PM2.5 was higher than that of meteorological factor combinations. However, the synergistic effect of air pollutants/meteorological factors could better explain the PM2.5 concentration variations on all time-frequency scales. The results of this study provide a reference for ecological improvement as well as collaborative governance of air pollution.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Suitable Planting Areas for Pyrus Species under Climate Change in China.

Planting suitability determines the distribution and yield of crops in a given region which can be greatly affected by climate change. In recent years, many studies have shown that carbon dioxide fertilization effects increase the productivity of temperate deciduous fruit trees under a changing climate, but the potential risks to fruit tree planting caused by a reduction in suitable planting areas are rarely reported. In this study, Maxent was first used to investigate the spatial distribution of five Pyrus species in China, and the consistency between the actual production area and the modeled climatically suitable area under the current climatic conditions were determined. In addition, based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6, three climate models were used to simulate the change in suitable area and the migration trend for different species under different emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5). The results showed that the suitable area for pear was highly consistent with the actual main production area under current climate conditions. The potential planting areas of P. ussuriensis showed a downward trend under all emission paths from 2020 to 2100; other species showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing or slowing down and this growth effect was the most obvious in 2020-2040. Except for P. pashia, other species showed a migration trend toward a high latitude, and the trend was more prominent under the high emission path. Our results emphasize the response difference between species to climate change, and the method of consistency analysis between suitable planting area and actual production regions cannot only evaluate the potential planting risk but also provide a reasonable idea for the accuracy test of the modeled results. This work has certain guiding and reference significance for the protection of pear germplasm resources and the prediction of yield.

Distributed Relative Localization Algorithms for Multi-Robot Networks: A Survey.

For a network of robots working in a specific environment, relative localization among robots is the basis for accomplishing various upper-level tasks. To avoid the latency and fragility of long-range or multi-hop communication, distributed relative localization algorithms, in which robots take local measurements and calculate localizations and poses relative to their neighbors distributively, are highly desired. Distributed relative localization has the advantages of a low communication burden and better system robustness but encounters challenges in the distributed algorithm design, communication protocol design, local network organization, etc. This paper presents a detailed survey of the key methodologies designed for distributed relative localization for robot networks. We classify the distributed localization algorithms regarding to the types of measurements, i.e., distance-based, bearing-based, and multiple-measurement-fusion-based. The detailed design methodologies, advantages, drawbacks, and application scenarios of different distributed localization algorithms are introduced and summarized. Then, the research works that support distributed localization, including local network organization, communication efficiency, and the robustness of distributed localization algorithms, are surveyed. Finally, popular simulation platforms are summarized and compared in order to facilitate future research and experiments on distributed relative localization algorithms.

Monitoring and analysis of desertification surrounding Qinghai Lake (China) using remote sensing big data.

Desertification is one of the most serious ecological environmental problems in the world. Monitoring the spatiotemporal dynamics of desertification is crucial for its control. The region around Qinghai Lake, in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, is a special ecological function area and a climate change sensitive area, making its environmental conditions a great concern. Using cloud computing via Google Earth Engine (GEE), we collected Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS, and MODIS Albedo images from 2000 to 2020 in the region around Qinghai Lake, acquired land surface albedo (Albedo), and normalized vegetation index (NDVI) to build a remote sensing monitoring model of desertification. Our results showed that the desertification difference index based on the Albedo-NDVI feature space could reflect the degree of desertification in the region around Qinghai Lake. GEE offers significant advantages, such as massive data processing and long-term dynamic monitoring. The desertification land area fluctuated downward in the study area from 2000 to 2020, and the overall desertification status improved. Natural factors, such as climate change from warm-dry to warm-wet and decreased wind speed, and human factors improved the desertification situation. The findings indicate that desertification in the region around Qinghai Lake has been effectively controlled, and the overall desertification trend is improving.

Outcomes in patients with rheumatoid versus osteoarthritis for total hip arthroplasty: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Total hip arthroplasty(THA) in patients with osteoarthritis(OA) are considered to be a successful procedure, but with little being known about outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to compare rates of THA complications in patients with RA versus OA. METHODS: The PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for all available studies comparing the outcomes of THA in RA and OA patients. The quality of the studies was scored using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies with a total of 877,695 patients were included. Results showed that patients in the RA group were more likely to have revision (OR=1.15, 95% CI, 1.02-1.29; P = 0.019), hip dislocation (OR=2.31, 95% CI, 1.67-3.20; P<0.01), periprosthetic infection (OR=1.44, 95% CI, 1.29-1.61; P<0.01), wound infection (OR=2.15, 95% CI, 1.19-3.90; P = 0.01), and revision for late infection (ES=1.71, 95% CI, 0.54-1.80; P<0.01) than those in the OA group. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in revision rates (OR=1.12, 95%CI, 0.94-1.31; P = 0.21) between the two groups in studies published before 2010, while studies published after 2010 showed significantly higher revision rates (OR=1.15, 95%CI, 1.02-1.30; P = 0.04) in the RA group. There were no significant differences in mortality (OR=1.20,95% CI, 0.89-1.61; P = 0.23), deep vein thrombosis (OR=0.52, 95% CI, 0.12-2.34; P = 0.40) between the groups. THA can improve the function and reduce pain of patients with RA. CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that compared with OA, patients with RA are at higher risk of complications after THA. But THA can relieve pain, improve function and the quality of life of patients with RA, and did not increase mortality risk. Therefore, THA can be used as a treatment option for RA patients who failed to respond to conservative treatment. Patients should be fully informed of the benefits and possible risks of surgery, individualized treatment strategy should be made.

Local administration of epsilon-aminocaproic acid reduces post-operative blood loss from surgery for closed, Sanders III-IV calcaneal fractures.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether local administration of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) is effective and safe in reducing the post-operative blood loss in surgery for Sanders III-IV calcaneal fractures. METHODS: Patients with Sanders III-IV calcaneal fractures who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2016 to February 2021 and underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) via lateral approach with an L-shaped incision were included in the current study. Eighty five patients were randomly divided into two groups, EACA group (43) and control group (42). Twenty milliliters of 5% EACA solution or normal saline was perfused into the incision of patients in EACA group and control group, respectively. The volume of post-operative drainage was investigated as the primary outcome. Post-operative blood test, coagulation test, and wound complications were analyzed as the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The volume of post-operative drainage at 24 and 48 h was 164.8 ± 51.4 ml, 18.9 ± 3.8 ml for patients in EACA group, and 373.0 ± 88.1 ml, 21.2 ± 4.4 ml for patients in the control group, respectively. EACA greatly reduced the post-operative blood loss compared to the control (normal saline). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was found between EACA group and control group with regard to the pre-operative, baseline characteristics. Post-operative blood test results demonstrated that haemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in EACA compared to those of control group. No significant difference was found between EACA group and control group in terms of the platelet counts, prothrombin time (P.T.), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT), and wound complications. CONCLUSION: Local administration of EACA is effective in post-operative blood loss reduction in ORIF surgeries for Sanders III-IV types of calcaneal fractures without increasing the incidence of periwound complication.

Outcomes of hip arthroplasty in Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

PURPOSE: Hip arthroplasty in Parkinson's disease (PD) is considered to be associated with higher mortality, perioperative complications, and worse clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of hip arthroplasty in PD. METHODS: The PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for all available studies comparing the outcomes of hip arthroplasty in PD and non-PD patients. The quality of the studies was scored using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS: Six retrospective cohort studies with a total of 59,878 patients were included. Among them, there were 15,313 patients in the Parkinson's group and 44,565 in the non-Parkinson's group. Results showed that patients in the Parkinson's group were more likely to have periprosthetic fracture (OR = 7.93, 95% CI, 1.96-32.04; P = 0.004), revision surgery (OR = 2.33, 95% CI, 1.37-3.98; P = 0.002), deep vein thrombosis (OR = 2.34, 95% CI, 1.56-3.49; P < 0.01), and urinary tract infection (OR = 1.34, 95% CI, 1.20-1.49; P < 0.01) than those in the non-Parkinson's group. The Parkinson's group had a longer hospital stay (WMD = 0.38, 95% CI, 0.24-0.52; P < 0.01) and higher hospitalization costs (WMD = 2487.08, 95% CI, 225.99-4748.17; P = 0.03), but there was no significant difference in short-term postoperative mortality (OR = 1.07, 95% CI, 0.65-1.73; P = 0.80). Hip arthroplasty can significantly improve the function of patients with PD and reduce pain. CONCLUSION: Although hip arthroplasty in patients with PD is associated with a higher revision rate and potential risk, it does not increase short-term mortality and can reduce pain, improve function, and improve quality of life. The periprosthetic fracture risk and revision rate are significantly higher and should be accounted for when deciding on operative treatment and communicated to patient with PD.

Coordination Study on Ecological and Economic Coupling of the Yellow River Basin.

The coupling and coordination relationship between ecology and the economy in the Yellow River Basin is a hot topic in sustainable development research. Said research has important guiding significance for the ecological security and comprehensive development of the Yellow River Basin. Taking the Yellow River Basin as the object of our study, based on the data of the economy, energy consumption data, ecology data and water resources data, we construct an indicator system of the economic development and ecological status of the Yellow River Basin and use the principal component analysis method to calculate the economic development and ecological status index. Then, we use the evaluation method, the coupling degree model and the coupling coordination degree model to analyze the time and space evolution trends of economic development and ecological state, coupling degree and coupling coordination degree. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2018, the economic development index of the Yellow River Basin rose steadily; the ecological status index showed a slow rise and then a downward trend. (2) The degree of coupling between economic development and ecological state has been considered as intensity coupling after 2005. The coupling trend slowly increased and then decreased, indicating that the interaction effect between the economy and ecology was first significantly enhanced and then slowly weakened. (3) The degree of coupling coordination increased from 0.2994 to 0.6266 and then decreased to 0.5917, reflecting the continuous improvement of the relationship between the regional economy and the ecological environment and the trend toward coordination. From 2015 to 2018, due to the gradual increase in the difference between economic development and ecological conditions, the coupling and coordination between the two decreased. Studies have shown that ecological construction and protection should be strengthened to ease the contradiction between the economy and ecology and achieve coordinated development.

Incidence rate of angel wing and its effect on wing bone development and serum biochemical parameters in geese.

The first purpose of this study was to reveal the distribution of the angel wing (AW) of geese. Our data showed that the total incidence of AW was 6.67% in 150-day-old White Zhedong (ZD) geese, the occurrence of AW in left wing is higher than that in right wing and bilateral wing than unilateral wing (both P < 0.01). In 70-day-old Hybrid-Wanxi (HW) geese, the total incidence of AW was 8.86%, with similar incidence rate between unilateral and bilateral. The sex has not apparently affected the incidence of AW in both ZD and HW geese. To explore the potential relationship between wing type with body weight, organ index, bone characteristic, or blood biochemical parameters in 70-day-old HW geese. We found that the body weight and organ index were similar between normal wing (NW) and AW geese. The length for the humerus, metacarpal and phalanx, and the phalanx weights, as well as the angle between the humerus and the radial ulna (HRU) in NW geese were pronounced greater than that in AW geese (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the angel wing was strongly associated with lower platelet size indicators. Collectively, AW affected the wing bone length, phalanx weight, and HRU, and the occurrence of AW may be related with dysfunctional platelet activation in geese.

Effects of Local Administration of Tranexamic Acid on Reducing Postoperative Blood Loss in Surgeries for Closed, Sanders III-IV Calcaneal Fractures: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether local administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) is effective in postoperative blood loss reduction in surgeries for Sanders III-IV calcaneal fractures. METHODS: Calcaneal fracture patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from August 2014 to April 2018 and underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) via lateral approach with an L-shaped incision were included in the present study. 53 Patients were randomly divided into three groups, groups A (17), B (17) and C (19). Twenty milliliters of 10 mg/ml and 20 mg/ml TXA solution were perfused into the incision of patients in group A and group B, respectively. Twenty milliliters of saline were perfused into the incision of patients in group C as control. The volume of postoperative drainage, postoperative blood test, coagulation test, and wound complications were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of local administration of TXA on blood loss reduction. RESULTS: The amount of drainage at 24 and 48 h after the procedure was 110 ± 170, 30 ± 10 ml and 130 ± 160, 20 ± 17 ml for patients in group A and group B, respectively. The corresponding numbers for patients in group C were 360 ± 320, 20 ± 10 ml. The difference between group A and group C was statistically significant, so was the difference between group B and group C. No statistically significant difference was found between group A and group B. Postoperative blood test results revealed that the levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in group A and group B when each compared to that of group C. In contrast, no difference was found between group A and group B. No significant difference was found between each experimental group and the control group in terms of platelet counts, prothrombin time (P.T.), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT), and wound complications. CONCLUSION: Local administration of TXA is effective in the reduction of postoperative blood loss in surgeries for Sanders III-IV types of calcaneal fractures without notably associated side effects.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence and phylogenetic position of Sinocyclocheilus xiaotunensis (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae).

The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of Sinocyclocheilus xiaotunensis was first reported by next-generation sequencing method. The entire length of mitochondrial genome is 16,588 bp and the nucleotide composition was made up of 32.3% A, 25.0% T, 27.2% C, and 15.5% G, indicating an A + T(57.3%) content is greater than C + G(42.7%). The mitogenome is a circular DNA molecule with a D-loop region and contains 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA(rRNA) genes and 13 protein-coding genes.To provide further info on the conserved sequence block observed in the control region of the mitochondrial genome. This info is critical for future application and determination of taxonomic status of this species.

Drought-modulated allometric patterns of trees in semi-arid forests.

Tree allometry in semi-arid forests is characterized by short height but large canopy. This pattern may be important for maintaining water-use efficiency and carbon sequestration simultaneously, but still lacks quantification. Here we use terrestrial laser scanning to quantify allometry variations of Quercus mongolica in semi-arid forests. With tree height (Height) declining, canopy area (CA) decreases with substantial variations. The theoretical CA-Height relationship in dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) matches only the 5th percentile of our results because of CA underestimation and Height overestimation by breast height diameter (DBH). Water supply determines Height variation (P = 0.000) but not CA (P = 0.2 in partial correlation). The decoupled functions of stem, hydraulic conductance and leaf spatial arrangement, may explain the inconsistency, which may further ensure hydraulic safety and carbon assimilation, avoiding forest dieback. Works on tree allometry pattern and determinant will effectively supply tree drought tolerance studying and support DGVM improvements.

Target gene identification and functional characterization of miR-1704 in chicken.

MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. SNPs in miRNA genes may lead to phenotypic variation by altering miRNA expression and their targets. In this study, miR-1704 expression profiles in nine tissues at 1 d, 6 weeks and 16 weeks old Gushi chickens were detected. MiR-1704 was widely expressed in the detection of tissues. The expression in 1 d and 6 weeks old was low abundance, while its expression at 16 weeks was very high. An rs14668705 (C > G) SNP was detected within the pre-miR-1704 in an F2 resource population of Gushi chicken crossed with Anka broiler. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the C > G mutation could introduce a base-pair mismatch and cause the change of free energy. Experiments further revealed that the rs14668705 in precursor miR-1704 could significantly affect mature miR-1704 biogenesis and was significantly associated with body weight at the age of 0, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks, shank circumference at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, carcass weight, and semi-evisceration weight (p < 0.05). Insulin receptor 2 (IRS2) gene, one of the potential targets of miR-1704 was identified and further confirmed. These data suggested that miR-1704 targeted IRS2 and have an effect on body weight in chicken.