Effects of Aphid Population on the Major Economic Parameters of Soybean

During the growing period of soybeans, aphids are harmful to several economic parameters of soybean. The aphid population density has a significant positive correlation with the rate of soybean shriveling and significant negative correlation with the 100-kernel weight and individual kernel weight of soybean.Originating text in Chinese.Citation: Lin, Cunluan, Li, Lingtang, Wang, Yanpeng, Xun, Zhenshan, Zhang, Guangxin, Li, Suzhen. (1993). Effects of Aphid Population on the Major Economic Parameters of Soybean. Soybean Science, 12(3), 252-254

Proactive Anomaly Detection in Large-Scale Cloud-Native Databases

This disclosure describes techniques to identify anomalous patterns in customer workloads from database logs and to enable timely, corrective action that ensures uninterrupted operation of the database. Examples of anomalies include sudden increases (bursts) in the number of error messages written to a log file. An adaptive behavior norm is defined for each message type. Time instances or periods when the gap between messages of a given type in the database log deviate from the expected behavior norms are detected. A deviation from the behavior norm is a potential indicator of database problems. An anomaly detection tool outputs a ranked list of log statements exhibiting spikes of activity along with their time intervals that a database administrator (DBA) can examine to take corrective action. By automating anomaly detection, the valuable time of DBAs can be spent acting on issues rather than finding them

LearnedFTL: A Learning-Based Page-Level FTL for Reducing Double Reads in Flash-Based SSDs

We present LearnedFTL, a new on-demand page-level flash translation layer (FTL) design, which employs learned indexes to improve the address translation efficiency of flash-based SSDs. The first of its kind, it reduces the number of double reads induced by address translation in random read accesses. LearnedFTL proposes three key techniques: an in-place-update linear model to build learned indexes efficiently, a virtual PPN representation to obtain contiguous PPNs for sorted LPNs, and a group-based allocation and model training via GC/rewrite strategy to reduce the training overhead. By tightly integrating the aforementioned key techniques, LearnedFTL considerably speeds up address translation while reducing the number of flash read accesses caused by the address translation. Our extensive experiments on a FEMU-based prototype show that LearnedFTL can reduce up to 55.5\% address translation-induced double reads. As a result, LearnedFTL reduces the P99 tail latency by 2.9$\times$ $\sim$ 12.2$\times$ with an average of 5.5$\times$ and 8.2$\times$ compared to the state-of-the-art TPFTL and LeaFTL schemes, respectively.Comment: Published in 2024 IEEE International Symposium on High-Performance Computer Architecture (HPCA'24

Multi-Band Image Caption Generation Method Based on Feature Fusion

This study proposes a multi-band detection image caption generation method based on feature fusion to address the common problem of poor performance in describing nighttime scenes, occluded target scenes, and captured blurred images in existing image caption generation methods. Incorporating infrared detection imaging into image captioning involves a sequential process. Initially, multi-layer Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are employed to independently extract features from both visible light and infrared images. Subsequently, to harness the complementary nature of these different detection bands, a spatial attention module, primarily structured around a multi-head attention mechanism, is developed to integrate the features from each specific band. Finally, a channel attention mechanism is used to consolidate information across the spatial domain, thereby facilitating the generation of diverse word types tailored to the captured images. Based on the traditional additive attention mechanism, an attention enhancement module is constructed to calculate the correlation weight coefficients between the attention result graph and the query vector, eliminate the interference of irrelevant variables, and thus achieve image caption generation. Multiple experiments on the visible image-infrared image caption dataset demonstrate that the method can effectively fuse semantic features of dual bands. The application of the Bilingual Evaluation Understudy4 (BLEU4) and Consensus-based Image Description Evaluation (CIDEr) indices demonstrate substantial improvements in image caption accuracy reaching scores of 58.3% and 136.1%, respectively. These enhancements significantly bolster the utility of this technology for complex scene analysis tasks such as security monitoring and military reconnaissance

Safety and effectiveness of a new minimally invasive glaucoma surgery namely trabeculotome tunneling trabeculoplasty in primary open-angle glaucoma

AimThis study aimed to report the preliminary surgical outcomes of a new minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), namely trabeculotome tunneling trabeculoplasty (3T) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).MethodsThis retrospective observational study with prospective follow-up included POAG patients who underwent 3T surgery at Chengdu First People’s Hospital between December 2022 and June 2024. Postoperative follow-up was conducted at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Evaluations included intraocular pressure (IOP), number of medications, surgical success rate, and postoperative complications.ResultsBaseline mean IOP was 23.06 ± 0.72 mmHg with a median of 3 (interquartile range, IQR: 2–3) medications. Postoperative IOP significantly decreased at all follow-up points except at 1 week (p < 0.05). At 12 months, the mean IOP was 16.22 ± 0.76 mmHg with a median of 0 (IQR: 0–1) medications. Complete surgical success rates were 80.0% at 6 months and 79.8% at 12 months. Early postoperative complications included IOP spikes in 34.9% and clinically significant hyphema in 6.3% (all grade 1). Cyclodialysis was rare (1.1%), and no severe adverse events were reported.Conclusion3T appears to be a safe and effective surgical option for POAG, providing sustained IOP reduction and medication burden relief with a low incidence of postoperative complications. Larger, controlled studies with longer follow-up are warranted to further validate these findings

Association of Two Polymorphisms in CCL2 With Parkinson's Disease: A Case-Control Study

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder that is known to be related to neuro-inflammation. Chemokines participate in this process usually through upregulation of expression levels, which are closely related to the polymorphisms in their genes. Recent studies have further revealed the association between these polymorphisms and the risk of PD in multiple populations, but not the Chinese Han population.Methods:The promoter region of CCL2 was sequenced in 411 PD patients and 422 gender-age matched control from a Chinese Han population using PCR-RFLP method. Their genotype frequencies were analyzed statistically. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted in neuroblastoma cells to assess the promoter transcriptional activity of the rs1024611 variants (T>C) and the GRCh38.p12chr17:34252593 G>C alleles in CCL2.Results:We found that the frequency of the CCL2 genotype of rs1024611 was significantly different between the PD and control groups (p = 0.021), while the C allele was associated with a significantly increased risk in the PD group (p = 0.004). Moreover, C allele of this newly identified alteration in CCL2 (GRCh38.p12chr17:34252593 G>C) was also found to be associated with an increased risk of PD (P genotype = 0.006, P allele = 0.006). Dual-luciferase reporter assay results indicated that rs1024611 C allele and GRCh38.p12chr17:.34252593 C allele increased the transcriptional activity of the CCL2 promoter.Conclusions: We, for the first time, report a risk polymorphism (rs1024611) and a new locus (GRCh38.p12chr17:.34252593 G>C) on CCL2, both of which are suggested as risk factors for PD in a Chinese Han population

Lack of Association Between DJ-1 Gene Promoter Polymorphism and the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

Low DJ-1 protein level caused by DJ-1 gene mutation leads to autosomal recessive Parkinson’s disease (PD) due to impaired antioxidative activity. In sporadic PD patients, although mutations were rarely found, lower DJ-1 protein level was also reported. Dysregulation of DJ-1 gene expression might contribute to low DJ-1 protein level. Since the promoter is the most important element to initiate gene expression, whether polymorphisms in the DJ-1 promoter result in the dysregulation of gene expression, thus leading to low protein level and causing PD, is worth exploring. The DJ-1 promoter region was sequenced in a Chinese cohort to evaluate possible links between DJ-1 promoter polymorphisms, PD risk and clinical phenotypes. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to evaluate the influence of promoter polymorphisms on DJ-1 transcriptional activity. Related information in an existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database were looked up, meta-analysis of the present study and other previous reports was conducted, and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was performed to further explore the association. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs17523802, rs226249, and rs35675666) and one 18 bp deletion (rs200968609) were observed in our cohort. However, there was no significant association between the four detected genetic variations and the risk of PD either in allelic or genotype model, in single-point analysis or haplotype analysis. This was supported by the meta-analysis of this study and previous reports as well as that of GWAS database PDGene. Dual luciferase reporter assay suggested these promoter polymorphisms had no influence on DJ-1 transcriptive activity, which is consistent with the eQTL analysis results using the data from GTEx database. Thus, DJ-1 promoter polymorphisms may play little role in the dysregulation of DJ-1 expression and PD susceptibility in sporadic PD

High-throughput mutational analysis of TOR1A in primary dystonia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the c.904_906delGAG mutation in Exon 5 of <it>TOR1A </it>typically manifests as early-onset generalized dystonia, DYT1 dystonia is genetically and clinically heterogeneous. Recently, another Exon 5 mutation (c.863G>A) has been associated with early-onset generalized dystonia and some ΔGAG mutation carriers present with late-onset focal dystonia. The aim of this study was to identify <it>TOR1A </it>Exon 5 mutations in a large cohort of subjects with mainly non-generalized primary dystonia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>High resolution melting (HRM) was used to examine the entire <it>TOR1A </it>Exon 5 coding sequence in 1014 subjects with primary dystonia (422 spasmodic dysphonia, 285 cervical dystonia, 67 blepharospasm, 41 writer's cramp, 16 oromandibular dystonia, 38 other primary focal dystonia, 112 segmental dystonia, 16 multifocal dystonia, and 17 generalized dystonia) and 250 controls (150 neurologically normal and 100 with other movement disorders). Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were evaluated in an additional 8 subjects with known ΔGAG DYT1 dystonia and 88 subjects with ΔGAG-negative dystonia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HRM of <it>TOR1A </it>Exon 5 showed high (100%) diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. HRM was rapid and economical. HRM reliably differentiated the <it>TOR1A </it>ΔGAG and c.863G>A mutations. Melting curves were normal in 250/250 controls and 1012/1014 subjects with primary dystonia. The two subjects with shifted melting curves were found to harbor the classic ΔGAG deletion: 1) a non-Jewish Caucasian female with childhood-onset multifocal dystonia and 2) an Ashkenazi Jewish female with adolescent-onset spasmodic dysphonia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>First, HRM is an inexpensive, diagnostically sensitive and specific, high-throughput method for mutation discovery. Second, Exon 5 mutations in <it>TOR1A </it>are rarely associated with non-generalized primary dystonia.</p

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead