V-Sphere Rubik's Bookcase Interface for Exploring Content in Virtual Reality Marketplace

In this work, we developed a new interface concept for content exploring in immersing Virtual Reality environments. In our shopping interface, we represent products as true 3D shapes with global illumination effects. This representation can provide more realistic and consistent Virtual Reality experience. Our shopping interface is really a giant spherical Rubik’s cube that consists of closed loops of book-shelves or cabinets. Users, who are located inside of this spherical Rubik interface will feel like they are in front of a spherical bookcase that consists of an infinite number of rows and columns. They can view the products by simply sliding rows horizontally and by sliding columns vertically. Further more, we discovered additional scenarios where users can grab the products by distance and examine their suitability by placing them into real environment. This new 3D interface concept can help to develop more realistic 3D interactive shopping framework in the future

V-Sphere Rubik's Bookcase Interface for Exploring Content in Virtual Reality Marketplace

In this work, we developed a new interface concept for content exploring in immersing Virtual Reality environments. In our shopping interface, we represent products as true 3D shapes with global illumination effects. This representation can provide more realistic and consistent Virtual Reality experience. Our shopping interface is really a giant spherical Rubik’s cube that consists of closed loops of book-shelves or cabinets. Users, who are located inside of this spherical Rubik interface will feel like they are in front of a spherical bookcase that consists of an infinite number of rows and columns. They can view the products by simply sliding rows horizontally and by sliding columns vertically. Further more, we discovered additional scenarios where users can grab the products by distance and examine their suitability by placing them into real environment. This new 3D interface concept can help to develop more realistic 3D interactive shopping framework in the future

Idiopathic desmoid-type fibromatosis of the pancreatic head: case report and literature review

Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF) is an uncommon nonmetastatic fibrous neoplasm. Sporadic intraperitoneal DTF is rarely described in current literature. We herein report a case of DTF of unknown cause involving the pancreatic head. A 41-year-old man presented with recurrent epigastric pain and weight loss. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed a well-delineated solid cystic mass inside the pancreatic head. Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed due to the patient’s debilitating symptoms and suspected malignancy. The pathological examination revealed massive fibroblastic proliferation arising from the musculoaponeurotic tissues, consistent with a diagnosis of DTF. Immunohistochemical phenotyping determined positive immunoreactivity to vimentin and β-catenin, but negative immunoreactivity to smooth muscle actin, CD117, CD34, or S-100, confirming the diagnosis of DTF. No local recurrence or distant metastasis was found during a 24-month follow-up. Radical resection is recommended as first-line treatment for pancreatic DTF. Long-term follow-up studies are required to establish the prognosis of pancreatic DTF

The roles of microRNAs in horticultural plant disease resistance

The development of the horticultural industry is largely limited by disease and excessive pesticide application. MicroRNAs constitute a major portion of the transcriptomes of eukaryotes. Various microRNAs have been recognized as important regulators of the expression of genes involved in essential biological processes throughout the whole life cycle of plants. Recently, small RNA sequencing has been applied to study gene regulation in horticultural plants. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the biogenesis and contributions of microRNAs in horticultural plant disease resistance. These microRNAs may potentially be used as genetic resources for improving disease resistance and for molecular breeding. The challenges in understanding horticultural plant microRNA biology and the possibilities to make better use of these horticultural plant gene resources in the future are discussed in this review

Neuroblastomas in Eastern China: a retrospective series study of 275 cases in a regional center

Purpose Most studies on neuroblastoma (NB) have been conducted in Western countries or Japan. The objective of our study was to analyze clinical and pathological features, MYCN status, surgical methods, and prognosis in Chinese NB patients. Methods A retrospective, single-center case series study of 275 NBs was implemented. Clinical manifestations, pathological features, MYCN status, and surgical treatment were analyzed. Log-rank test and Cox hazards models were used to assess overall survivals (OSs). Results The cohort consisted of 105 females and 170 males, with an age range of five days to 15 years. MYCN amplification was detected in 21.5% of all cases. The median OS was 15.0 months for MYCN amplified group. The five-year OS rates were 70.8% and 18.3% for MYCN unamplified and amplified groups, respectively, and the comparison of Kaplan–Meier curves for these two groups showed statistical significance (P < .001 by log-rank test). Gross total resection (GTR, n = 111) and subtotal resection (STR, n = 58) were administered in 169 patients at stages 3 and 4 who received chemotherapy and the comparison of Kaplan–Meier curves for different groups in these patients had statistical significance (STR vs. GTR, P = .009; MYCN unamplified vs. amplified, P < .001 by log-rank test, respectively).The multivariate survival analyses showed statistical significance (STR vs. GTR, P = .047; MYCN unamplified vs. amplified, P = .001 by Cox regression model). Conclusions MYCN amplification is an independently adverse prognostic factor in Chinese NB patients at stages 3 and 4 and GTR is associated with improved OS compared with STR in these patients

Genome-Wide DNA Polymorphism Analysis and Molecular Marker Development for the Setaria italica Variety “SSR41” and Positional Cloning of the Setaria White Leaf Sheath Gene SiWLS1

Genome-wide DNA polymorphism analysis and molecular marker development are important for forward genetics research and DNA marker-assisted breeding. As an ideal model system for Panicoideae grasses and an important minor crop in East Asia, foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has a high-quality reference genome as well as large mutant libraries based on the “Yugu1” variety. However, there is still a lack of genetic and mutation mapping tools available for forward genetics research on S. italica. Here, we screened another S. italica genotype, “SSR41”, which is morphologically similar to, and readily cross-pollinates with, “Yugu1”. High-throughput resequencing of “SSR41” identified 1,102,064 reliable single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 196,782 insertions/deletions (InDels) between the two genotypes, indicating that these two genotypes have high genetic diversity. Of the 8,361 high-quality InDels longer than 20 bp that were developed as molecular markers, 180 were validated with 91.5% accuracy. We used “SSR41” and these developed molecular markers to map the white leaf sheath gene SiWLS1. Further analyses showed that SiWLS1 encodes a chloroplastlocalized protein that is involved in the regulation of chloroplast development in bundle sheath cells in the leaf sheath in S. italica and is related to sensitivity to heavy metals. Our study provides the methodology and an important resource for forward genetics research on Setaria

Genome Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Bovine Hepacivirus in Inner Mongolia, Northeastern China

Bovine hepacivirus (BovHepV) is a new member of the genus Hepacivirus in the family Flaviviridae , which has been detected in cattle in more than seven countries. The purpose of this study was to identify and genetically characterize BovHepV in cattle in Inner Mongolia, northeastern (NE) China. A total of 116 serum samples from cattle were collected from HulunBuir in Inner Mongolia from April to May, 2021, and were divided into three pools for metagenomic sequencing. The samples were verified with semi-nested RT-PCR with primers based on the BovHepV sequences obtained from metagenomic sequencing. The complete genomes of BovHepV were amplified, and were used for genome characterization and phylogenetic analysis. BovHepV was detected in two pools through metagenomic sequencing. Five BovHepV positive samples were identified in Yakeshi of HulunBuir, thus indicating a prevalence of 8.8% (5/57). Two 8840 nucleotide long BovHepV strains YKS01/02 were amplified from the positive samples and showed 79.3%–91.9% nucleotide sequence identity with the discovered BovHepV strains. Phylogenetic analysis classified the YKS01/02 strains into BovHepV subtype G group. This study reports the first identification of BovHepV in cattle in northeastern China, and expands the known geographical distribution and genetic diversity of BovHepV in the country

DNA Repair in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Is Distinct from That in Non-Pluripotent Human Cells

The potential for human disease treatment using human pluripotent stem cells, including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), also carries the risk of added genomic instability. Genomic instability is most often linked to DNA repair deficiencies, which indicates that screening/characterization of possible repair deficiencies in pluripotent human stem cells should be a necessary step prior to their clinical and research use. In this study, a comparison of DNA repair pathways in pluripotent cells, as compared to those in non-pluripotent cells, demonstrated that DNA repair capacities of pluripotent cell lines were more heterogeneous than those of differentiated lines examined and were generally greater. Although pluripotent cells had high DNA repair capacities for nucleotide excision repair, we show that ultraviolet radiation at low fluxes induced an apoptotic response in these cells, while differentiated cells lacked response to this stimulus, and note that pluripotent cells had a similar apoptotic response to alkylating agent damage. This sensitivity of pluripotent cells to damage is notable since viable pluripotent cells exhibit less ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage than do differentiated cells that receive the same flux. In addition, the importance of screening pluripotent cells for DNA repair defects was highlighted by an iPSC line that demonstrated a normal spectral karyotype, but showed both microsatellite instability and reduced DNA repair capacities in three out of four DNA repair pathways examined. Together, these results demonstrate a need to evaluate DNA repair capacities in pluripotent cell lines, in order to characterize their genomic stability, prior to their pre-clinical and clinical use