Isolation and Characterization of Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers for Two Subterranean Termites

We isolated 15 and 18 highly polymorphic genomic microsatellite markers from two subterranean termites, Reticulitermes aculabialis and R. labralis, respectively. A total of 53 alleles were detected in 15 microsatellite loci of R. aculabialis, and the alleles were 3.533±1.302 (mean±SD), while the corresponding data of R. labralis were 115 detected alleles in 18 microsatellite loci with 6.389±1.754 alleles. The observed and expected heterozygosity was 0.496±0.236 and 0.564±0.125 in R. aculabialis, and 0.368±0.263 and 0.702±0.115 in R. labralis, respectively. Seven loci were highly polymorphic (PIC>0.5) in R. aculabialis, and 15 loci were highly polymorphic (PIC>0.5) in R. labralis. All loci showed Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These polymorphic markers provide useful tools for population genetic and breeding system studies of subterranean termites

Health care systems in Sweden and China: Legal and formal organisational aspects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sharing knowledge and experience internationally can provide valuable information, and comparative research can make an important contribution to knowledge about health care and cost-effective use of resources. Descriptions of the organisation of health care in different countries can be found, but no studies have specifically compared the legal and formal organisational systems in Sweden and China.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To describe and compare health care in Sweden and China with regard to legislation, organisation, and finance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Literature reviews were carried out in Sweden and China to identify literature published from 1985 to 2008 using the same keywords. References in recent studies were scrutinized, national legislation and regulations and government reports were searched, and textbooks were searched manually.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The health care systems in Sweden and China show dissimilarities in legislation, organisation, and finance. In Sweden there is one national law concerning health care while in China the law includes the "Hygienic Common Law" and the "Fundamental Health Law" which is under development. There is a tendency towards market-orientated solutions in both countries. Sweden has a well-developed primary health care system while the primary health care system in China is still under development and relies predominantly on hospital-based care concentrated in cities.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite dissimilarities in health care systems, Sweden and China have similar basic assumptions, i.e. to combine managerial-organisational efficiency with the humanitarian-egalitarian goals of health care, and both strive to provide better care for all.</p

Assessing the Hazard Grade of Birdstrike in Spring at Baita Airport, Hohhot

Between March and May 2005, bird communities in four sample plots at Baita Airport were studied using strips methods in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. A total of 59 species belonging to 10 orders and 26 families were recorded. Based on the principles of avian community ecology, the community parameters were discussed, including the comparative importance value, distribution coefficient, density and probability of interactive encounter. By analyzing these indices, combined with their flight behaviors at the airport and its neighbourhood, we identified bird species that have the potential to threaten flight security at Baita Airport; The results showed that the 23 bird species including magpie and red falcon are the most hazard to flight security and the eight bird species including sparrow Hawk and Greenfinch are the hazard. Furthermore, we assessed the bird species&apos; different hazard grades to flight security

Practical Methods for Breaking Seed Dormancy in a Wild Ornamental Tulip Species Tulipa thianschanica Regel

The innate physiological dormancy of Tulipa thianschanica seeds ensures its survival and regeneration in the natural environment. However, the low percentage of germination restricts the establishment of its population and commercial breeding. To develop effective ways to break dormancy and improve germination, some important factors of seed germination of T. thianschanica were tested, including temperature, gibberellin (GA3) and/or kinetin (KT), cold stratification and sowing depth. The percentage of germination was as high as 80.7% at a constant temperature of 4 &deg;C, followed by 55.6% at a fluctuating temperature of 4/16 &deg;C, and almost no seeds germinated at 16 &deg;C, 20 &deg;C and 16/20 &deg;C. Treatment with exogenous GA3 significantly improved the germination of seeds, but KT had a slight effect on the germination of T. thianschanica seeds. The combined treatment of GA3 and KT was more effective at enhancing seed germination than any individual treatment, and the optimal hormone concentration for the germination of T. thianschanica seeds was 100 mg/L GA3 + 10 mg/L KT. In addition, it took at least 20 days of cold stratification to break the seed dormancy of T. thianschanica. The emergence of T. thianschanica seedlings was the highest with 82.4% at a sowing depth of 1.5 cm, and it decreased significantly at a depth of &gt;3.0 cm. This study provides information on methods to break dormancy and promote the germination of T. thianschanica seeds

Comparison of 14 respiratory pathogens among hospitalized children during and after the COVID-19 outbreak in Chaoshan area

Abstract Background Since January 2020, measures has been adopted in the Chaoshan area to limit the spread of COVID-19. Restrictions were removed after August 2020. At the same time, children returned to school. We previously reported the changes of 14 main respiratory pathogens in hospitalized children before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in Chaoshan area. However, the changes of respiratory pathogen spectrum in hospitalized children after the epidemic are still unknown, which will be elucidated in this study. Methods There are 6201 children hospitalized with respiratory tract infection were enrolled in the study, which were divided into two groups: 2533 from outbreak group (1 January 2020–31 December 2020), and 3668 from post-outbreak group (1 January 2021–31 December 2021). Pharyngeal swab samples were collected. 14 respiratory tract pathogens were detected by liquid chip technology. Results The positive rate of pathogen detection is significantly lower in the outbreak group (65.42%, 1657/2533) than that in the post-outbreak group (70.39%, 2582/3668; χ2 = 17.15, P < 0.05). The Influenza A virus (FluA) detection rate was 1.9% (49) in 2020, but 0% (0) in 2021. The detection rates of Bordetella pertussis (BP) decreased from 1.4% (35) in 2020 to 0.5% (17) in 2021. In contrast, the detection rates of  Influenza B virus (FluB), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Haemophilus influenzae (HI), Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) increased from 0.3% (8), 24.7% (626), 2.0% (50) and 19.4% (491) in 2020 to 3.3% (121), 27.9% (1025), 4.6% (169), 22.8% (836) in 2021, respectively (P < 0.01). Conclusions The detection rates of pathogens such as FluA, FluB, CMV, HI, SP, BP were statistically different between 2020 and 2021. From 2020 to 2021, the positive rates of Flu, CMV, HI and SP increased, while the positive rates of FluA and BP decreased. After the COVID-19 prevention and control measures are gradually relaxed, the positive rate of respiratory pathogens in children aged from 6 months to 6 years will increase

Genetic differentiations between randomly and selectively bred pig populations in Yunnan, China

To assess the genetic diversity between randomly and selectivelybred populations, we sequenced 438 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region from 102 pigs. These samples represented four native pig breeds, one nucleus and one conservation herd from Yunnan, China. Twenty haplotypes with sixteen polymorphic sites were identified. The number of haplotypes in the nucleus herd of Saba pig and the conservation herd of Banna miniature pig were restricted to three and one, respectively, while the randomly bred pig populations exhibited over six haplotypes. Notably, haplotype diversity in randomly bred populations was significantly greater than the selectively bred populations (h=0.732 vs. 0.425 and 0, exact test, P≤ 0.0036). These findings demonstrate that selective breeding generated low genetic diversity compared to randomly bred pig breeds. A timely intervention and well programmed breeding approach would stop further genetic diversity reduction in the nucleus and conservation herds of native pig breeds. Otherwise, selective breeding would dramatically reduce genetic diversity in only several years, indicating that sharp contradictions exist between breeding, conservation and genetic diversity. Genetic relationships are discussed based on net genetic distances among pig populations

Isolation and Characterization of Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers for Two Subterranean Termites

We isolated 15 and 18 highly polymorphic genomic microsatellite markers from two subterranean termites, Reticulitermes aculabialis and R. labralis, respectively. A total of 53 alleles were detected in 15 microsatellite loci of R. aculabialis, and the alleles were 3.533±1.302 (mean±SD), while the corresponding data of R. labralis were 115 detected alleles in 18 microsatellite loci with 6.389±1.754 alleles. The observed and expected heterozygosity was 0.496±0.236 and 0.564±0.125 in R. aculabialis, and 0.368±0.263 and 0.702±0.115 in R. labralis, respectively. Seven loci were highly polymorphic (PIC>0.5) in R. aculabialis, and 15 loci were highly polymorphic (PIC>0.5) in R. labralis. All loci showed Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These polymorphic markers provide useful tools for population genetic and breeding system studies of subterranean termites