Historical water level change of Lake Weishan in East China from 1758–1902 AD: relationship with the flooding of the Yellow River

published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 28 May 201

Genetic loci mapping for ear axis weight using recombinant inbred line (RIL) population under different nitrogen regimes in maize

Ear axis weight (EAW) is one of the important agronomic traits in maize (Zea mays L.), related to yield. To understand its genetic basis, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, derived from the cross Mo17 × Huangzao4, was used for quantitative trait locus mapping (QTL) for EAW under high and low nitrogen (N) regimes. The results showed that a total of three QTLs were mapped on chromosomes 2 (two) and 4 (one) under the two N regimes, which could explain phenotypic variances from 4.76 to 7.12%. They were near to their linked markers, with mapping interval of 0.2 to 1.0 cM. The two loci on chromosome 2 (bin 2.09) made EAW increase due to positive additive effects, while the other locus on chromosome 4 (bin 4.08) made EAW decrease to some extent, owing to negative additive effects. These results are beneficial for understanding the genetic basis of KNE and developing marker-assisted selection in maize breeding project.Key words: Maize (Zea mays L.), ear axis weight, quantitative trait locus, recombinant inbred line, nitrogen

An optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based air jet indentation system for measuring the mechanical properties of soft tissues

2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

A quantitative trait locus for the number of days from sowing to seedling emergence in maize

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping provides useful information for breeding programs since it allows the estimation of genomic locations and genetic effects of chromosomal regions related to the expression of quantitative traits. The number of days from sowing to seedling emergence (NDSSE) is an important agronomic trait in a maize (Zea mays L.) breeding project which is related to yield. To determine its genetic basis, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and two nitrogen (N) regimes were used to detect the QTLs associated with NDSSE; as a result, one QTL was identified under high N regime, on chromosome 9, which could explain 6.20% of phenotypic variance and a decrease of 0.18 of NDSSE due to an additive effect. These results are beneficial for understanding the genetic basis of NDSSE in maize breeding project.Key words: Maize (Zea mays L.), quantitative trait locus, recombinant inbred line, nitrogen

Beat-to-beat ambulatory blood pressure estimation based on random forest

Ambulatory blood pressure is critical in predicting some major cardiovascular events; therefore, cuff-less and noninvasive beat-to-beat ambulatory blood pressure measure-ment is of great significance. Machine-learning methods have shown the potential to derive the relationship between physio-logical signal features and ABP. In this paper, we apply random forest method to systematically explorer the inherent connections between photoplethysmography signal, electrocardiogram signal and ambulatory blood pressure. To archive this goal, 18 features were extracted from PPG and ECG signals. Several models with most significant features as inputs and beat-to-beat ABP as outputs were trained and tested on data from the Multi-Parameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II database. Results indicate that compared with the common pulse transit time method, the RF method gives a better performance for one-hour continuous estimation of diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure under both the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and British Hyper-tension Society standard

Observation of a ppb mass threshoud enhancement in \psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p}) decay

The decay channel $\psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p})$ is studied using a sample of $1.06\times 10^8$ $\psi^\prime$ events collected by the BESIII experiment at BEPCII. A strong enhancement at threshold is observed in the $p\bar{p}$ invariant mass spectrum. The enhancement can be fit with an $S$-wave Breit-Wigner resonance function with a resulting peak mass of $M=1861^{+6}_{-13} {\rm (stat)}^{+7}_{-26} {\rm (syst)} {\rm MeV/}c^2$ and a narrow width that is $\Gamma<38 {\rm MeV/}c^2$ at the 90% confidence level. These results are consistent with published BESII results. These mass and width values do not match with those of any known meson resonance.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Chinese Physics

Dynamic deformation behavior of a face-centered cubic FeCoNiCrMn high-entropy alloy

In this study, mechanical tests were conducted on a face-centered cubic FeCoNiCrMn high-entropy alloy, both in tension and compression, in a wide range of strain rates (10~(-4)&ndash;10~4 s~(-1)) to systematically investigate its dynamic response and underlying deformation mechanism. Materials with different grain sizes were tested to understand the effect of grain size, thus grain boundary volume, on the mechanical properties. Microstructures of various samples both before and after deformation were examined using electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The dislocation structure as well as deformation-induced twins were analyzed and correlated with the measured mechanical properties. Plastic stability during tension of the current high-entropy alloy (HEA), in particular, at dynamic strain rates, was discussed in lights of strain-rate sensitivity and work hardening rate. It was found that, under dynamic conditions, the strength and uniform ductility increased simultaneously as a result of the massive formation of deformation twins. Specifically, an ultimate tensile strength of 734 MPa and uniform elongation of ~63% are obtained at 2.3 &times;10~3 s~(-1), indicating that the alloy has great potential for energy absorption upon impact loading.</p

Surgical treatment of congenital biliary duct cyst

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is acknowledged that total cyst excision is a safe and ideal surgical treatment for congenital biliary duct cyst, compared to simple internal drainage. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal operation occasion and the effect of laparoscopy on congenital biliary duct cyst based upon total cyst excision.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From January 2002 to January 2011, 217 patients were admitted to Southwest Hospital for congenital biliary duct cyst. To determine the optimal surgery occasion, we divided these subjects into three groups, the infant group (age ≤ 3 years), the immaturity group (3 < age ≤ 18 years), and the maturity group (age > 18 years), and then evaluated the feasibility, risk and long-term outcome after surgery in the three groups. To analyze the effect of laparoscopic technique on congenital biliary duct cyst, we divided the patients into the laparoscopy and the open surgery groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the three groups, the morbidity from cholangiolithiasis before surgical treatment had obvious discrepancy (p < 0.05) (lowest in the infant group), and intraoperative blood loss also had apparent diversity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, long-term outcomes (secondary cholangiolithiasis, stoma stenosis and cholangiocarcinoma) showed no significant difference between different groups (p > 0.05).</p> <p>Similarly, no significant discrepancy was observed in the morbidity from postoperative complications or long-term postoperative complications (p > 0.05) between the laparoscopic and the open surgery groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that total cyst excision should be performed as early as possible. The optimal treatment occasion is the infant period, and laparoscopic resection may be a new safe and feasible minimally invasive surgery for this disease.</p

Magnetism and its microscopic origin in iron-based high-temperature superconductors

High-temperature superconductivity in the iron-based materials emerges from, or sometimes coexists with, their metallic or insulating parent compound states. This is surprising since these undoped states display dramatically different antiferromagnetic (AF) spin arrangements and N$\rm \acute{e}$el temperatures. Although there is general consensus that magnetic interactions are important for superconductivity, much is still unknown concerning the microscopic origin of the magnetic states. In this review, progress in this area is summarized, focusing on recent experimental and theoretical results and discussing their microscopic implications. It is concluded that the parent compounds are in a state that is more complex than implied by a simple Fermi surface nesting scenario, and a dual description including both itinerant and localized degrees of freedom is needed to properly describe these fascinating materials.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, Review article, accepted for publication in Nature Physic

Identification of Autotoxic Compounds in Fibrous Roots of Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.)

Rehmannia is a medicinal plant in China. Autotoxicity has been reported to be one of the major problems hindering the consecutive monoculture of Rehmannia. However, potential autotoxins produced by the fibrous roots are less known. In this study, the autotoxicity of these fibrous roots was investigated. Four groups of autotoxic compounds from the aqueous extracts of the fibrous roots were isolated and characterized. The ethyl acetate extracts of these water-soluble compounds were further analyzed and separated into five fractions. Among them, the most autotoxic fraction (Fr 3) was subjected to GC/MS analysis, resulting in 32 identified compounds. Based on literature, nine compounds were selected for testing their autotoxic effects on radicle growth. Seven out of the nine compounds were phenolic, which significantly reduced radicle growth in a concentration-dependent manner. The other two were aliphatic compounds that showed a moderate inhibition effect at three concentrations. Concentration of these compounds in soil samples was determined by HPLC. Furthermore, the autotoxic compounds were also found in the top soil of the commercially cultivated Rehmannia fields. It appears that a close link exists between the autotoxic effects on the seedlings and the compounds extracted from fibrous roots of Rehmannia