Genetic variations of the porcine PRKAG3 gene in Chinese indigenous pig breeds

Four missense substitutions (T30N, G52S, V199I and R200Q) in the porcine PRKAG3 gene were considered as the likely candidate loci affecting meat quality. In this study, the R200Q substitution was investigated in a sample of 62 individuals from Hampshire, Chinese Min and Erhualian pigs, and the genetic variations of T30N, G52S and V199I substitutions were detected in 1505 individuals from 21 Chinese indigenous breeds, 5 Western commercial pig breeds, and the wild pig. Allele 200R was fixed in Chinese Min and Erhualian pigs. Haplotypes II-QQ and IV-QQ were not observed in the Hampshire population, supporting the hypothesis that allele 200Q is tightly linked with allele 199V. Significant differences in allele frequencies of the three substitutions (T30N, G52S and V199I) between Chinese indigenous pigs and Western commercial pigs were observed. Obvious high frequencies of the "favorable" alleles 30T and 52G in terms of meat quality were detected in Chinese indigenous pigs, which are well known for high meat quality. However, the frequency of the "favorable" allele 199I, which was reported to have a greater effect on meat quality in comparison with 30T and 52G, was very low in all of the Chinese indigenous pigs except for the Min pig. The reasons accounting for this discrepancy remain to be addressed. The presence of the three substitutions in purebred Chinese Tibetan pigs indicates that the three substitutions were ancestral mutations. A novel A/G substitution at position 51 in exon 1 was identified. The results suggest that further studies are required to investigate the associations of these substitutions in the PRKAG3 gene with meat quality of Chinese indigenous pigs, and to uncover other polymorphisms in the PRKAG3 gene with potential effects on meat quality in Chinese indigenous pigs

Photon blockade with a trapped Λ\Lambda-type three-level atom in asymmetrical cavity

We propose a scheme to manipulate strong and nonreciprocal photon blockades in asymmetrical Fabry-Perot cavity with a $\Lambda$-type three-level atom. Utilizing the mechanisms of both conventional and unconventional blockade, the strong photon blockade is achieved by the anharmonic eigenenergy spectrum brought by $\Lambda$-type atom and the destructive quantum interference effect induced by a microwave field. By optimizing the system parameters, the manipulation of strong photon blockade over a wide range of cavity detuning can be realized. Using spatial symmetry breaking introduced by the asymmetry of cavity, the direction-dependent nonreciprocal photon blockade can be achieved, and the nonreciprocity can reach the maximum at optimal cavity detuning. In particular, manipulating the occurring position of nonreciprocal photon blockade can be implemented by simply adjusting the cavity detuning. Our scheme provides feasible access for generating high-quality nonreciprocal single-photon sources

Alcoholism Identification Based on an AlexNet Transfer Learning Model

Aim: This paper proposes a novel alcoholism identification approach that can assist radiologists in patient diagnosis.Method: AlexNet was used as the basic transfer learning model. The global learning rate was small, at 10−4, and the iteration epoch number was at 10. The learning rate factor of replaced layers was 10 times larger than that of the transferred layers. We tested five different replacement configurations of transfer learning.Results: The experiment shows that the best performance was achieved by replacing the final fully connected layer. Our method yielded a sensitivity of 97.44%± 1.15%, a specificity of 97.41 ± 1.51%, a precision of 97.34 ± 1.49%, an accuracy of 97.42 ± 0.95%, and an F1 score of 97.37 ± 0.97% on the test set.Conclusion: This method can assist radiologists in their routine alcoholism screening of brain magnetic resonance images

Dimethyl (E)-2-(N-phenyl­acetamido)­but-2-enedioate

The title compound, C14H15NO5, was obtained from the reaction of acetanilide with dimethyl acetyl­enedicarboxyl­ate in the presence of potassium carbonate. The C=C double bond adopts an E configuration and the geometry around the amide N atom is almost planar rather than pyramidal (mean deviation of 0.0032 Å from the C3N plane). The packing of the mol­ecules in the crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Stunting and soil-transmitted-helminth infections among school-age pupils in rural areas of southern China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stunting and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections including ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm remain major public health problems in school-age pupils in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of stunting for children and its association with three major soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in rural areas of southern China. The study also aims to determine risk factors for stunting and to provide guidance on the prevention and control of stunting and STH infections for future studies in this field.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the poor rural areas in Guangxi Autonomous Regional and Hainan Province where STH prevalence was higher between September and November 2009. Pupils were from 15 primary schools. All the school-age pupils aged between 9 and 12 years old (mean age 11.2 ± 3.2 years), from grades three to six took part in this study. Study contents include questionnaire surveys, physical examination and laboratory methods (stool checking for eggs of three major STH infections and haemoglobin determination was performed for the anaemia test). Finally 1031 school-age pupils took part in survey. The results showed that the overall prevalence of stunting (HAZ < 2SD) was 25.6%, based on the WHO Child Growth Standards (2007). Risk factors for stunting based on logistic regression analyses were: (1) STH moderate-to-heavy intensity infections (OR = 1.93;95%CI:1.19,3.11); (2) anaemia (OR = 3.26;95%CI: 2.02,5.27); (3) education level of mother (OR = 2.13; 95%CI: 1.39,3.25). The overall prevalence of major STH infections was 36.7%, STH moderate-to-heavy intensity infections was 16.7%. The overall prevalence of ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm and co-infection were 18.5%, 11.2%, 14.7% and 9.1% respectively. The prevalence of anaemic children (HB < 12 g/dl) was 13.1%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study showed that stunting was highly prevalent among the study population and STH infection is one of the important risk factors for stunting, with moderate-to-heavy intensity infections being the main predictor of stunting. Hence, additional interventions measures such as to promote de-worming treatment, to enhance health education and to improve hygiene and sanitation in order to reduce stunting in this population, are needed throughout the primary school age group.</p

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides enhance CD14 endocytosis of LPS and promote TLR4 signal transduction of cytokine expression

We have previously reported that a well-characterized glycoprotein fraction containing fucose residues in an extract of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (EORP) exerts certain immuno-modulation activity by stimulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines via TLR4. Continuing our studies, we have demonstrated that EORP increases the surface expression of CD14 and TLR4 within murine macrophages J774A.1 cells in vitro, and further promotes LPS binding and uptake by J774A.1 cells in a CD14-dependent fashion. Moreover, we observed the co-localization of internalized LPS with lysosome- and Golgi-apparatus markers within 5 min after J774A.1 cells stimulated with LPS. In addition, EORP pretreatment of J774A.1 cells and human blood-derived primary macrophages, followed by LPS stimulation, results in the super-induction of interleukin-1beta (IL-1) expression. Endocytosis inhibitors: such as cytochalasin D and colchicine effectively block EORP-enhanced LPS internalization by J774A.1 cells; yet they fail to decrease the LPS-induced phosphorylation of certain mitogen-activated protein kinases, and IL-1 mRNA and proIL-1 protein expression, indicating that LPS internalization by J774A.1 cells is not associated with LPS-dependent activation. Our current results could provide a potential EORP-associated protection mechanism for bacteria infection by enhancing IL-1 expression and the clearance of contaminated LPS by macrophages. J. Cell. Physiol. 212: 537–550, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56052/1/21050_ftp.pd

以生物多樣性指標評估集水區崩塌地治理優選順序

The abundance of endemic species in Taiwan is a great natural treasure accomplished by a diverse altitude ranges due to violent tectonic activities and humid tropical weather conditions with ocean surrounded. With the characteristics of few flatlands, the slope lands are inevitable and have been developed for economic and social requirement gradually, which has caused habitation shrinking of animal and plant. Furthermore, Taiwan also suffers disasters such as striking of torrential rains and typhoons during summer season annually, and is vulnerable to landslide because of fragile geology which threats to the living things. Thus, to enhance the efficiency of vegetation recovery in landslide area can benefit the habitats of species. Typhoon Morakot induced landslides and vegetation recovery rate in Kao-Ping watershed can be quickly extracted and/or derived from the satellite images in this study. The biodiversity index established in the database of the watershed can then be applied to assess the treatment priority of landslides. The result shows that the highest landslide rate in Chi-Shan and Lao-Nong watersheds are Xiao-Lin and Ching-Shui Xi sub-watersheds respectively. For vegetation recovery rate, the downstream area is higher than upstream area. For treatment priority, the top 10 of sub-watersheds almost distribute in Lao-Nong watershed. It hopes that the result could provide the related authorities as the references of environmental restoration.台灣雖位處北回歸線，但因造山運動拱起4,000 公尺海拔落差，使台灣物種跨越熱帶、溫帶及寒帶，且四面環海及高溫多雨之島嶼氣候，孕育出許多台灣特有種生物，然台灣因高山多、平地少，在高人口密度下，居民為了生活不得不開發山坡地之原始森林，此舉壓縮了動、植物之生存空間，此外，台灣山高且地質破碎，夏季之暴雨或颱風易造成大規模之崩塌，除對當地居民造成威脅外，亦影響其他物種之生存環境，為此，如何加速崩塌地之植生復育，將有助於恢復各物種之棲地。本研究以莫拉克風災為事件，利用該事件前後期之衛星影像萃取集水區崩塌區位，另計算災後集水區植生復育良窳之熱點區位，最後以生物多樣性指數配合崩塌率及植生復育率評估集水區崩塌地治理之優選順序。研究結果顯示，旗山溪及荖濃溪集水區中崩塌率最高之子集水區分別為小林及清水溪；植生復育率則為下游高於上游區位；整體崩塌地治理優先順序中，得分最高之前10 處主要分布於荖濃溪集水區。期本研究之結果可作為相關生態保育單位於環境復育之參考

Central obesity and atherogenic dyslipidemia in metabolic syndrome are associated with increased risk for colorectal adenoma in a Chinese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is composed of cardiovascular risk factors including insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Most of the components of MetS have been linked to the development of neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between individual components of MetS and colorectal adenoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study subjects were recruited from a pool of 4872 individuals who underwent a health check-up examination during the period January 2006 to May 2008. Each participant fulfilled a structured questionnaire. MetS was defined based on the America Heart Association and National Heart Lung Blood Institute criteria. Subjects with history of colon cancer, colon polyps, colitis, or prior colonic surgery were excluded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 4122 subjects were included for final analysis (2367 men and 1755 women; mean age, 49.6 ± 11.7 years). Of them, MetS was diagnosed in 708 men (29.9%) and in 367 women (20.9%). Among the patients with MetS, 34.6% had adenoma, 31.7% had hyperplastic polyps and 23.3% were polyp-free (p < 0.0001, Chi-square test). The adjusted OR for colorectal adenoma was significantly higher in the subjects with MetS (OR, 1.31, CI: 1.09-1.57). A stronger association between MetS and colorectal adenoma was found in men (OR:1.44, CI:1.16-1.80) than in women (OR:1.04, CI:0.74-1.46). The adjusted OR for adenoma increased as the number of MetS components increased (p for trend = 0.0001 ). When the individual components of MetS were analyzed separately, only central obesity (OR:1.36, CI:1.14-1.63), low HDL cholesterol levels (OR:1.30, CI:1.10-1.54) and high triglyceride levels (OR:1.26, CI:1.04-1.53) were independently associated with colorectal adenoma.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Of the components of MetS analyzed in this study, central obesity and dyslipidemia are independent risk factors for colorectal adenoma. With regard to the prevention of colorectal neoplasm, life-style modification such as weight reduction is worthwhile.</p

DNA Sensor IFI204 Contributes to Host Defense Against Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Mice

Interferon-inducible protein (IFI204) (p204, the murine homolog of human IFI16) is known as a cytosolic DNA sensor to recognize DNA viruses and intracellular bacteria. However, little is known about its role during extracellular bacterial infection. Here we show that IFI204 is required for host defense against the infection of Staphylococcus aureus, an extracellular bacterial pathogen. IFI204 deficiency results in decreased survival, increased bacterial loads, severe organs damage, and decreased recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages. Production of several inflammatory cytokines/chemokines including IFN-β and KC is markedly decreased, as well as the related STING-IRF3 and NF-κB pathways are impaired. However, exogenous administration of recombinant KC or IFN-β is unable to rescue the susceptibility of IFI204-deficient mice, suggesting that other mechanisms rather than KC and IFN-β account for IFI204-mediated host defense. IFI204 deficiency leads to a defect in extracellular bacterial killing in macrophages and neutrophils, although bacterial engulf, and intracellular killing activity are normal. Moreover, the defect of bactericidal activity is mediated by decreased extracellular trap formation in the absence of IFI204. Adoptively transferred WT bone marrow cells significantly protect WT and IFI204-deficient recipients against Staphylococcus infection compared with transferred IFI204-deficient bone marrow cells. Hence, this study suggests that IFI204 is essential for the host defense against Staphylococcus infection