Identification and expression profiles of sRNAs and their biogenesis and action-related genes in male and female cones of Pinus tabuliformis

Detailed description of methods. (DOCX 25 kb

Geochemical modeling of groundwater in southern plain area of Pengyang County, Ningxia, China

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution mechanisms of a hydrochemical field and to promote its benefits to the living standards of local people and to the local economy in the southern plain area of Pengyang County, in Ningxia, China. Based on understanding of the hydrogeological conditions in Pengyang County, the chemical evolution characteristics of groundwater in the plain area were analyzed. PHREEQC geochemical modeling software was used to perform hydrochemical modeling of water-rock interaction and to quantitatively analyze the evolution processes and the formation mechanisms of the local groundwater. Geochemical modeling was performed for two groundwater paths. The results showed that, along path 1, Na+ adsorption played the leading role in the precipitation process and its amount was the largest, up to 6.08 mmol/L; cation exchange was significant along path 1, while along simulated path 2, albite accounted for the largest amount of dissolution, reaching 9.06 mmol/L, and the cation exchange was not significant. According to the modeling results, along the groundwater flow path, calcite and dolomite showed oversaturated status with a precipitation trend, while the fluorite and gypsum throughout the simulated path were not saturated and showed a dissolution trend. The total dissolved solids (TDS) increased and water quality worsened along the flow path. The dissolution reactions of albite, CO2, and halite, the exchange adsorption reaction of Na+, and the precipitation of sodium montmorillonite and calcite were the primary hydrogeochemical reactions, resulting in changes of hydrochemical ingredients

Optimization of microsatellite DNA Gelred fluorescence imaging technology

Gelred fluorescent dye has broader prospects of application in DNA experiment because of its high sensitivity, security and stability. In order to explore the best microsatellite DNA Gelred imaging technology, this study compared its dosage by using three methods; precasting gels method (PG), staining sample method (SS) and immersion gels method (IG). The results show that agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) fluorescence imaging technology can use the first method (PG) and the concentration of Gelred was 1X, because of the best banding and easy operation. The polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) can use the third method (IG), for the advantages of clear and bright image, saving dye and easily redying to image. The orthogonal test showed that the parameters of IG method were: the concentration of Gelred was 2X, that of sodium chloride was 10% and immersion time was 40 min. The optimization of microsatellite DNA Gelred fluorescence imaging technology would lay a technical foundation in DNA banding related experiments.Key word: Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), fluorescence imaging technology of Gelred, simple sequence repeat (SSR)

电话随访对妊娠期糖尿病指导效果的研究

Objective: To evaluate the effects of gestational diabetes mellitus by telephone follow-up interviewing Guidance. Methods: The 198 cases of GDM were divided into two groups, the test group were guided for meal plan, exercise and glucose monitoring by telephone follow-up interviewing, while the control group be done nothing. The blood sugar score, cesarean rate, fetal macrosomia birthrate and neonatal referral rates in two groups were compared. Results: The scores of their blood sugar, cesarean rate, fetal macrosomia birthrate and neonatal referral rates of the test group were significantly better than those of the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion: Telephone follow-up interviewing guidance was clinically proven effective.目的  了解电话随访对妊娠期糖尿病患者的指导效果。方法  将198例确诊为妊娠期糖尿病（GDM）的患者按照奇数为试验组、偶数为对照组的方法分为 2 组。试验组在实施孕妇学校健康教育指导的基础上定时进行电话随访。对照组只给予孕妇学校健康教育指导。比较两组孕妇血糖控制效果、剖宫产率、巨大儿出生率及新生儿转诊率。结果  孕妇血糖控制效果、剖宫产率、巨大儿出生率及新生儿转诊率均优于对照组，两组相比差异具有显著性（P＜0.05）。结论  电话随访指导对妊娠期糖尿病的健康指导具有良好的效果

Representing space: the development, content and accuracy of mental representations by the blind and visually impaired

This thesis reports on two studies on the perception and cognition of space by individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Research was conducted with students from Dorton College at the Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB) in Kent. The first experiment examined the content and accuracy of mental representations of a well-known environment. Students walked a route around the RLSB campus and learned the position of ten buildings and structures. They were then asked to make pointing judgments, estimate distances and complete a spatial cued model of the campus. The second experiment considered the wayflnding strategies and spatial coding heuristics used to explore a complex novel environment. Students were asked to explore a maze and learn the position of six different locations. Their search patterns were recorded and analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Students were tested using the same methods as in the previous experiment and their performance was related to the type and frequency of strategies used during exploration. Results were complemented with a mobility questionnaire, a low vision quality of life questionnaire and data from a literacy and numeracy assessment as well as ethnographic material collected by the author during the two years spent working and living at the RLSB. The thesis begins with a discussion of disability and society framed within the context of geography, urban planning and design. The concepts of blindness and visual impairment are then examined with particular attention given to the psychosocial implications of visual loss. This is followed by a discussion of growth and development, and in-depth review of research on the development, content and accuracy of mental representations by the blind and visually impaired. Finally, the methods used to collect and analyse data for both experiments are considered in light of individual differences and the inadequacy of some statistical techniques to account for the heterogeneous nature of visual impairment. Results from the first experiment revealed significant differences in the accuracy and content of mental representation between the sighted, visually impaired and blind groups for the pointing and model construction tasks. Performance in the distance estimation task was similar across groups. Large individual differences were identified, with the performance of individuals in the same group varying according to the type and requirement of the task. Results from the second experiment also revealed significant differences between the different groups, this time for all three tasks. Here again, large individual differences were found within each group. An analysis of distortions revealed that despite a disparity in accuracy, the blind and visually impaired shared many of the systematic distortions typically found in the mental representation of sighted individuals further confirming their ability develop functional mental representations of space. Performance in the pointing, distance estimation and model construction tasks were also related to the type and frequency of strategies used to explore the maze with the best performers using a combination of egocentric and allocentric strategies. In general, results from the two experiments support the amodal notion that the construction of accurate mental representations of space is not limited to any particular sensory modality but facilitated by the visual system. It also emphasizes the need for mutually supportive techniques that incorporate both quantitative and qualitative methods in the collection and analysis of cognitive data

Accelerating polygon beam with peculiar features

We report on a novel kind of accelerating beams that follow parabolic paths in free space. In fact, this accelerating peculiar polygon beam (APPB) is induced by the spectral phase symmetrization of the regular polygon beam (RPB) with five intensity beam (RPB) with five intensity peaks, and it preserves a peculiar symmetric structure during propagation. Specially, such beam not only exhibits autofocusing property, but also possesses two types of accelerating intensity maxima, i.e., the cusp and spot-point structure, which does not exist in the previously reported accelerating beams. We also provide a detailed insight into the theoretical origin and characteristics of this spatially accelerating beam through catastrophe theory. Moreover, an experimental scheme based on a digital micromirror device (DMD) with the binary spectral hologram is proposed to generate the target beam by precise modulation, and a longitudinal needle-like focus is observed around the focal region. The experimental results confirm the peculiar features presented in the theoretical findings. Further, the APPB is verified to exhibit self-healing property during propagation with either obstructed cusp or spot intensity maxima point reconstructing after a certain distance. Hence, we believe that the APPB will facilitate the applications in the areas of particle manipulation, material processing and optofludics

The changes and its significance of Th17 and Treg cells and related cytokines in patients with tuberculosis pleurisy

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous pleurisy is a kind of tuberculosis, it is well known that Th1 lymphocytes play a key role in the treatment of tuberculosis infection. However, latest studies show that Th17 lymphocyte may also play an important role tuberculosis infection. There is close relationship between Treg and Thl7 cells, and changes in the number or the function of the two kinds of cells may lead to diseases. The current researches on Thl7 and Treg cells maily focus on autoimmune diseases, however, reports about their role in tuberculosis are limited. In this study, we investigate the function of th17 and Treg cells and the above cytokines in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis pleurisy; by determining the expression of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral CD4 T cells and the related cytokines in patients with tuberculous compared with healthy people. RESULTS: Th17 cells in patients were higher than that in the Healthy control group, expression of Treg cells in patients were lower than that in the healthy group; IL-17, IL-23 levels in peripheral blood and hydrothorax from the patients were higher than that in the healthy group; IL-17, IL-23 and IL-6 levels in hydrothorax were higher than that in peripheral blood. There was no difference in IL-6 level in peripheral blood between the patients and healthy control; TGF- β level in peripheral blood from the healthy group was higher than that in peripheral blood and hydrothorax from the patients. And there were no differences in TGF- β level between peripheral blood and hydrothorax. Th17 cells were negatively correlated with Treg cells ,but were positive correlation with IL-17, IL-23, IL-6 levels in peripheral blood; TGF- β level was positive correlation with Treg cells in the peripheral blood, but no correlation with Th17 cells. CONCLUSION: Th17 and Treg cells may be involved in the immune pathological mechanism of tuberculous pleurisy and changes of related cytokines may be involved in the differentiation of Th17 and Treg cells and inflammatory response. Thus, Th17 and Treg cells and related cytokines may be important immunopathogenesis for tuberculous pleurisy