MR and CT findings of cyst degeneration of sphenoid bone in McCune-Albright syndrome: a case report

© 2009 Li et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

The expert system of genotype discrimination for D5S818 locus based on near-infrared spectroscopyâprincipal discriminant variate

This paper studied the expert system of genotype discrimination for the STR locus D5S818 based on near-infrared spectroscopyâprincipal discriminant variate (PDV). Six genotypes, i.e. genotypes 10â10, 10â11, 11â11, 11â12, 11â13 and 13â13, were selected as research subjects. Based on the optimum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions, about 54 measuring samples for each genotype were obtained; these samples were tested by near-infrared spectroscopy directly. With differences between homozygote genotypes and heterozygote ones, and differences of the total number of core repeat units between the six genotypes, two types of genotyping-tree structure were constructed and their respective PDV models were studied using the near-infrared spectra of the samples as recognition variables. Finally, based on the classification ability of these two genotyping-tree structures, an optimum expert system of genotype discrimination was built using the PDV models. The result demonstrated that the built expert system had good discriminability and robustness; without any preprocessing for PCR products, the six genotypes studied could be discriminated rapidly and correctly. It provided a methodological support for establishing an expert system of genotype discrimination for all genotypes of locus D5S818 and other STR loci. Keywords: Short tandem repeat, Near-infrared spectroscopy, Principal discriminant variate, Genotyping-tree structure, Expert syste

Risk evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysms based on both sex and morphology

Aim: To predict the peak wall stress in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) considering both morphological factors (maximum diameter, asymmetry index, and wall thickness) and sex differences, in order to assess the risk of AAA rupture more accurately.Methods: Basic models of AAA focusing on different sexes with a range of morphological parameters were constructed. Using the Design-expert software for three-factor response surface methodology, 20 experimental models were built as well with the SolidWorks software. Fluid-structure interaction analysis was used to obtain stress distribution along the AAA wall. Polynomial regression equations were fitted to peak stresses in all experimental models.Results: Based on fluid-structure interaction simulation data in the nonlinear polynomial regression model, separate equations for peak wall stress in AAA with regard to males and females were obtained. Morphological factors and sex differences have significant influence on peak wall stress. In some models, even when the maximum AAA diameter was relatively small, the peak wall stress became high. For the same maximal transverse measurement, when the AAA wall was thin and the asymmetry index large, or the former was thick and the latter small, the peak wall stress observed in males was higher than that in females.Conclusion: To evaluate the risk of rupture of AAA more precisely and specifically, the present study proposes a new prediction method (based on equations) that includes more indicators such as sex and morphology, based on numerical biomechanical simulations, which were confirmed as such. This study provides a sex-specific clinical reference to assess the aforementioned risk of AAA rupture

Genetic Dissection of Low Phosphorus Tolerance Related Traits Using Selected Introgression Lines in Rice

AbstractTo dissect the genetic basis of low phosphorus tolerance (LPT), 114 BC2F4 introgression lines (ILs) were developed from Shuhui 527 and Minghui 86 (recurrent parents), and Yetuozai (donor parent). The progenies were tested for 11 quantitative traits under three treatments including normal fertilization in normal soil (as control), normal fertilization in barren soil and low phosphorus stress in barren soil in Langfang, Hebei Province, China. Moreover, the ILs were investigated at the seedling stage using nutrient solution culture method in greenhouse in Beijing, China. A total of 49 main-effect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying yield related traits were identified in Langfang, and their contributions to phenotypic variations ranged from 6.7% to 16.5%. Among them, 25 (51.0%) QTLs had favorable alleles from donor parent. A total of 48 main-effect QTLs were identified for LPT-related traits in Beijing, and their contributions to phenotypic variations ranged from 7.7% to 16.6%. Among them, 21 (43.8%) QTLs had favorable alleles from donor parent. About 79.6% of the QTLs can be detected repeatedly under two or more treatments, especially QTLs associated with spikelet number per panicle, spikelet fertility and 1000-grain weight, displaying consistent phenotypic effects. Among all the detected QTLs, eight QTLs were simultaneously identified under low phosphorus stress across two environments. These results can provide useful information for the genetic dissection of LPT in rice

Alpha decay energies and half-lives for possibly synthesized superheavy elements

We investigate the ground state properties of some superheavy nuclei, which may be synthesized in future experiments. Special emphases are placed on the alpha decay energies and half-lives. The alpha decay energies and half-lives from different theoretical models are compared and discussed comprehensively. Through these calculations and comparisons, the optimal superheavy elements to be synthesized in future experiments are proposed theoretically.Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (10125521, 10535010) and Major State Basic Research Develop- ment Program (G2000077400

Observation of superheavy nuclide 271Ds based on the gas-filled separator at IMP

<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">A gas-filled recoil separator was designed and built newly at Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) in Lanzhou. With the recent commissioning of the separator, the decay properties of (271)Ds were studied via the Pb-208 (Ni-64, n) reaction at a beam energy of 313.3 MeV. One alpha-decay chain for (271)Ds was established in total. The experimental result is consistent with the values reported in the literature.</span