The Software Correlator of the Chinese VLBI Network

The software correlator of the Chinese VLBI Network (CVN) has played an irreplaceable role in the CVN routine data processing, e.g., in the Chinese lunar exploration project. This correlator will be upgraded to process geodetic and astronomical observation data. In the future, with several new stations joining the network, CVN will carry out crustal movement observations, quick UT1 measurements, astrophysical observations, and deep space exploration activities. For the geodetic or astronomical observations, we need a wide-band 10-station correlator. For spacecraft tracking, a realtime and highly reliable correlator is essential. To meet the scientific and navigation requirements of CVN, two parallel software correlators in the multiprocessor environments are under development. A high speed, 10-station prototype correlator using the mixed Pthreads and MPI (Massage Passing Interface) parallel algorithm on a computer cluster platform is being developed. Another real-time software correlator for spacecraft tracking adopts the thread-parallel technology, and it runs on the SMP (Symmetric Multiple Processor) servers. Both correlators have the characteristic of flexible structure and scalability

The influence of demographic and lifestyle factors on blood donation delay among student population: a retrospective study

ObjectiveThis study analysed blood donation deferral trends, reasons and demographic/lifestyle characteristics among students in Huzhou City. The aim was to understand the health status of students and reduce the deferral rate.MethodsData on blood donation deferral among students in Huzhou City from 2018 to 2022 were collected and analysed. Deferral trends and main reasons were investigated. Using demographic and lifestyle data from 2,619 cases in 2022, a risk prediction model for deferral was constructed.ResultsThe deferral rate among students in Huzhou City from 2018 to 2022 was 12.60% (p = 0.000, 95%CI: 12.14–13.06%), showing a significant increasing trend. Temporary deferral was the main reason, with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood pressure (BP) and haemoglobin (Hb) as the main deferral factors. ALT had a deferral rate of 5.23% (4.92–5.53%), BP 3.30% (3.06–3.55%), and Hb 2.92% (2.68–3.15%). Demographic and lifestyle characteristics in 2022 showed no significant differences between education level, household registration and deferral rate (p > 0.05). However, age, sex, blood donation history, sleep quality, diet and mental state had variable effects on ALT, BP, and Hb deferrals (p < 0.05). Logistic regression showed that sex, blood donation history, sleep quality, diet and mental status were independent risk factors for ALT deferral (p < 0.05), with odds ratios (ORs) of 5.057, 2.735, 1.594, 3.679, and 1.957, respectively. Age, blood donation history, sleep quality and mental state were independent risk factors for BP deferral (p < 0.05), with ORs of 0.256, 3.658, 6.042, and 1.812, respectively. Gender, blood donation history and diet were independent risk factors for Hb deferral (p < 0.05), with ORs of 0.244, 0.542, and 3.103, respectively.ConclusionStudents’ health problems require attention. Effective health education should improve self-health management and pre-donation health behaviour to encourage regular blood donation

Association between HLA-DRB1 alleles polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HLA-DRB1 allele polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility, but the results of these previous studies have been inconsistent. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether specific HLA-DRB1 alleles (DRB1*07, DRB1*12, DRB1*15) confer susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Case-control studies on HLA-DRB1 alleles association with HCC were searched up to January 2010 through a systematic review of the literature. The odds ratios (ORs) of HLA-DRB1 allele distributions in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed against healthy controls. The meta-analysis software REVMAN 5.0 was applied for investigating heterogeneity among individual studies and for summarizing all the studies. Meta-analysis was performed using fixed-effect or random-effect methods, depending on absence or presence of significant heterogeneity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eight case-control studies were included in the final analysis. Among the 3 HLA-DRB1 alleles studied, DRB1*07 and DRB1*12 were significantly associated with the risk of HCC in the whole populations (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.08-2.51, P = 0.02 and OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.09-2.32, P = 0.02, respectively). No significant association was established for DRB1*15 allele with HCC in the whole populations. Subgroup analysis by ethnicity showed that DRB1*07, DRB1*12 and DRB1*15 alleles significantly increased the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asians (OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.06-4.14, P = 0.03; OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.17-2.57, P = 0.006 and <b><it>OR </it></b>= 2.88, <it><b>95%CI: 1</b></it>.77-4.69, P <<it><b>0.001</b></it>, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results support the hypothesis that specific HLA-DRB1 alleles might influence the susceptibility of hepatocellular carcinoma. Large, multi-ethnic confirmatory and well designed studies are needed to determine the host genetic determinants of hepatocellular carcinoma.</p

The LAMOST Survey of Background Quasars in the Vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum Galaxies -- II. Results from the Commissioning Observations and the Pilot Surveys

We present new quasars discovered in the vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies with the LAMOST during the 2010 and 2011 observational seasons. Quasar candidates are selected based on the available SDSS, KPNO 4 m telescope, XSTPS optical, and WISE near infrared photometric data. We present 509 new quasars discovered in a stripe of ~135 sq. deg from M31 to M33 along the Giant Stellar Stream in the 2011 pilot survey datasets, and also 17 new quasars discovered in an area of ~100 sq. deg that covers the central region and the southeastern halo of M31 in the 2010 commissioning datasets. These 526 new quasars have i magnitudes ranging from 15.5 to 20.0, redshifts from 0.1 to 3.2. They represent a significant increase of the number of identified quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33. There are now 26, 62 and 139 known quasars in this region of the sky with i magnitudes brighter than 17.0, 17.5 and 18.0 respectively, of which 5, 20 and 75 are newly-discovered. These bright quasars provide an invaluable collection with which to probe the kinematics and chemistry of the ISM/IGM in the Local Group of galaxies. A total of 93 quasars are now known with locations within 2.5 deg of M31, of which 73 are newly discovered. Tens of quasars are now known to be located behind the Giant Stellar Stream, and hundreds behind the extended halo and its associated substructures of M31. The much enlarged sample of known quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33 can potentially be utilized to construct a perfect astrometric reference frame to measure the minute PMs of M31 and M33, along with the PMs of substructures associated with the Local Group of galaxies. Those PMs are some of the most fundamental properties of the Local Group.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures, AJ accepte

A study on the treatment effects of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide on non-alcoholic fatty liver in mice by modulating gut microbiota

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide (CPP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The findings demonstrated that CPP improved free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and effectively reduced liver steatosis and epididymal fat weight in NAFLD mice, as well as decreased serum levels of TG, TC, AST, ALT, and LDL-C. Furthermore, CPP exhibited inhibitory effects on the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes FASN and ACC while activating the expression of fatty acid oxidation genes CPT1A and PPARα. Additionally, CPP reversed disturbances in intestinal microbiota composition caused by HFD consumption. CPP decreased the firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increased Akkermansia abundance, and elevated levels of total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content specifically butyric acid and acetic acid. Our results concluded that CPP may intervene in the development of NAFLD by regulating of intes-tinal microbiota imbalance and SCFAs production. Our study highlights that CPP has a potential to modulate lipid-related pathways via alterations to gut microbiome composition thereby ex-erting inhibitory effects on obesity and NAFLD development

TRAPPC4-ERK2 Interaction Activates ERK1/2, Modulates Its Nuclear Localization and Regulates Proliferation and Apoptosis of Colorectal Cancer Cells

The trafficking protein particle complex 4 (TRAPPC4) is implicated in vesicle-mediated transport, but its association with disease has rarely been reported. We explored its potential interaction with ERK2, part of the ERK1/2 complex in the Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase/ Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (ERK-MAPK) pathway, by a yeast two-hybrid screen and confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down. Further investigation found that when TRAPPC4 was depleted, activated ERK1/2 specifically decreased in the nucleus, which was accompanied with cell growth suppression and apoptosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Overexpression of TRAPPC4 promoted cell viability and caused activated ERK1/2 to increase overall, but especially in the nucleus. TRAPPC4 was expressed more highly in the nucleus of CRC cells than in normal colonic epithelium or adenoma which corresponded with nuclear staining of pERK1/2. We demonstrate here that TRAPPC4 may regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis in CRC by interaction with ERK2 and subsequently phosphorylating ERK1/2 as well as modulating the subcellular location of pERK1/2 to activate the relevant signaling pathway

Two Homologous Putative Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, OsPFA-DSP2 and AtPFA-DSP4, Negatively Regulate the Pathogen Response in Transgenic Plants

Protein phosphatases, together with protein kinases, regulate protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, and play critical roles in plant growth and biotic stress responses. However, little is known about the biological functions of plant protein tyrosine dual-specificity phosphatase (PFA-DSP) in biotic stresses. Here, we found that OsPFA-DSP2 was mainly expressed in calli, seedlings, roots, and young panicles, and localized in cytoplasm and nucleus. Ectopic overexpression of OsPFA-DSP2 in rice increased sensitivity to Magnaporthe grisea (M. grisea Z1 strain), inhibited the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and suppressed the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes after fungal infection. Interestingly, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtPFA-DSP4, which is homologous to OsPFA-DSP2, also exhibited sensitivity to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000), reduced accumulation of H2O2 and decreased photosynthesic capacity after infection compared with Col-0. These results indicate that OsPFA-DSP2 and AtPFA-DSP4 act as negative regulators of the pathogen response in transgenic plants

Genomewide association study of leprosy.

BACKGROUND: The narrow host range of Mycobacterium leprae and the fact that it is refractory to growth in culture has limited research on and the biologic understanding of leprosy. Host genetic factors are thought to influence susceptibility to infection as well as disease progression. METHODS: We performed a two-stage genomewide association study by genotyping 706 patients and 1225 controls using the Human610-Quad BeadChip (Illumina). We then tested three independent replication sets for an association between the presence of leprosy and 93 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were most strongly associated with the disease in the genomewide association study. Together, these replication sets comprised 3254 patients and 5955 controls. We also carried out tests of heterogeneity of the associations (or lack thereof) between these 93 SNPs and disease, stratified according to clinical subtype (multibacillary vs. paucibacillary). RESULTS: We observed a significant association (P<1.00x10(-10)) between SNPs in the genes CCDC122, C13orf31, NOD2, TNFSF15, HLA-DR, and RIPK2 and a trend toward an association (P=5.10x10(-5)) with a SNP in LRRK2. The associations between the SNPs in C13orf31, LRRK2, NOD2, and RIPK2 and multibacillary leprosy were stronger than the associations between these SNPs and paucibacillary leprosy. CONCLUSIONS: Variants of genes in the NOD2-mediated signaling pathway (which regulates the innate immune response) are associated with susceptibility to infection with M. leprae