Concurrent hearing and genetic screening of newborns is expected to play important roles not only in early detection and diagnosis of congenital deafness, which triggers intervention, but also in ...predicting late-onset and progressive hearing loss and identifying individuals who are at risk of drug-induced HL. Concurrent hearing and genetic screening in the whole newborn population in Beijing was launched in January 2012. This study included 180,469 infants born in Beijing between April 2013 and March 2014, with last follow-up on February 24, 2018. Hearing screening was performed using transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). For genetic testing, dried blood spots were collected and nine variants in four genes, GJB2, SLC26A4, mtDNA 12S rRNA, and GJB3, were screened using a DNA microarray platform. Of the 180,469 infants, 1,915 (1.061%) were referred bilaterally or unilaterally for hearing screening; 8,136 (4.508%) were positive for genetic screening (heterozygote, homozygote, or compound heterozygote and mtDNA homoplasmy or heteroplasmy), among whom 7,896 (4.375%) passed hearing screening. Forty (0.022%) infants carried two variants in GJB2 or SLC26A4 (homozygote or compound heterozygote) and 10 of those infants passed newborn hearing screening. In total, 409 (0.227%) infants carried the mtDNA 12S rRNA variant (m.1555A>G or m.1494C>T), and 405 of them passed newborn hearing screening. In this cohort study, 25% of infants with pathogenic combinations of GJB2 or SLC26A4 variants and 99% of infants with an m.1555A>G or m.1494C>T variant passed routine newborn hearing screening, indicating that concurrent screening provides a more comprehensive approach for management of congenital deafness and prevention of ototoxicity.
Basis for the effects of nitrogen (N) on wheat grain storage proteins (GSPs) and on the establishment of processing quality are far from clear. The response of GSPs and processing quality parameters ...to four N levels of four common wheat cultivars were investigated at two sites over two growing seasons. Except gluten index (GI), processing quality parameters as well as GSPs quantities were remarkably improved by increasing N level. N level explained 4.2~59.2% and 10.4~80.0% variability in GSPs fractions and processing quality parameters, respectively. The amount of N remobilized from vegetative organs except spike was significantly increased when enhancing N application. GSPs fractions and processing quality parameters except GI were only highly and positively correlated with the amount of N remobilized from stem with sheath. N reassimilation in grain was remarkably strengthened by the elevated activity and expression level of glutamine synthetase. Transcriptome analysis showed the molecular mechanism of seeds in response to N levels during 10~35 days post anthesis. Collectively, we provided comprehensive understanding of N-responding mechanisms with respect to wheat processing quality from N source to GSPs biosynthesis at the agronomic, physiological and molecular levels, and screened candidate genes for quality breeding.
Al-PTFE (aluminum-polytetrafluoroethylene) is a typical kind of Reactive Material (RM), which has a variety of potential applications in weapon systems. In this paper, quasi-static compression ...experiments were carried out for a pressed and sintered mixture of Al and PTFE powders using a microcomputer-controlled electronic universal testing machine. The results show that both the mechanical property and reactive behavior of Al-PTFE are strongly temperature-dependent. The material undergoes a brittle-ductile transition associated with a temperature-induced crystalline phase transformation of the PTFE matrix. At low temperatures (-18, 0, and 16 °C), samples of Al-PTFE failed with shear crack and no reaction was observed. As the temperature increased (22, 35, and 80 °C), Al-PTFE exhibited a high toughness and violent reaction occurred in all of the tested samples. Scanning electron microscope observations showed different fracture mechanisms of the PTFE matrix and the increase in toughness was due to the formation of PTFE fibrils which could dissipate energy and bridge crack plane during plastic deformation.
Salinity greatly affects the production of soybeans in arid and semi-arid lands around the world. The responses of soybeans to salt stress at germination, emergence, and other seedling stages have ...been evaluated in multitudes of studies over the past decades. Considerable salt-tolerant accessions have been identified. The association between salt tolerance responses during early and later growth stages may not be as significant as expected. Genetic analysis has confirmed that salt tolerance is distinctly tied to specific soybean developmental stages. Our understanding of salt tolerance mechanisms in soybeans is increasing due to the identification of key salt tolerance genes. In this review, we focus on the methods of soybean salt tolerance screening, progress in forward genetics, potential mechanisms involved in salt tolerance, and the importance of translating laboratory findings into field experiments via marker-assisted pyramiding or genetic engineering approaches, and ultimately developing salt-tolerant soybean varieties that produce high and stable yields. Progress has been made in the past decades, and new technologies will help mine novel salt tolerance genes and translate the mechanism of salt tolerance into new varieties via effective routes.
To study the thermal decomposition of Al/ZrH2/PTFE with different Al particle size as well as mechanical strength and impact sensitivity under medium and low strain rates, molding-vacuum sintering ...was adopted to prepare four groups of power materials and cylindrical specimens with different Al particle size. The active decomposition temperature of ZrH2 was obtained by TG-DSC, and the quasi-static mechanics/reaction characteristics as well as the impact sensitivity of the specimen were studied respectively by quasi-static compression and drop-hammer test. The results show that the yield strength of the material decreased with the increase of the Al particle size, while the compressive strength, failure strain and toughness increased first and then decreased, which reached the maximum values of 116.61 MPa, 191%, and 119.9 MJ/m respectively when the Al particle size is 12–14 μm because of particle size grading. The specimens with the highest strength and toughness formed circumferential open cracks and reacted partly when pressed. Those with developmental cracks formed inside did not react. It is considered that fracture of specimens first triggered initial reaction between Al and PTFE to release an amount of heat. Then ZrH2 was activated and decomposed, and participated in subsequent reaction to generate ZrC. The impact sensitivity of the specimens decreased with the increase of Al particle size.
Al-PTFE (aluminum-polytetrafluoroethylene) serves as one among the most promising reactive materials (RMs). In this work, six types of Al-PTFE composites with different Al particle sizes (i.e., 50 ...nm, 1∼2 μm, 6∼7 μm, 12∼14 μm, 22∼24 μm, and 32∼34 μm) were prepared, and quasistatic compression and drop weight tests were conducted to characterize the mechanical properties and reaction characteristics of Al-PTFE composites. The reaction phenomenon and stress-strain curves were recorded by a high-speed camera and universal testing machine. The microstructure of selected specimens was anatomized through adopting a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to correlate the mesoscale structural characteristics to their macroproperties. As the results indicated, in the case of quasistatic compression, the strength of the composites was decreased (the yield strength falling from 22.7 MPa to 13.6 MPa and the hardening modulus declining from 33.3 MPa to 25 MPa) with the increase of the Al particle size. The toughness rose firstly and subsequently decreased and peaked as 116.42 MJ/m3 at 6∼7 μm. The reaction phenomenon occurred only in composites with the Al particle size less than 10 μm. In drop weight tests, six types of specimens were overall reacted. As the Al particle size rose, the ignition energy of the composites enhanced and the composites turned out to be more insensitive to reaction. In a lower strain rate range (10−2·s−1∼102·s−1), Al-PTFE specimens take on different mechanical properties and reaction characteristics in the case of different strain rates. The formation of circumferential open cracks is deemed as a prerequisite for Al-PTFE specimens to go through a reaction.
Objective middot To evaluate the students' lunch intake and nutritional status in primary schools and middle schools of Shanghai, providing evidence for later revise of nutritious lunch guidance. ...Methods middot The stratified cluster random sampling was applied, and 3 primary schools, 3 junior high schools and 1 senior high school, totally 5 322 students were included for 3-day food weight survey. Their height and weight were obtained from school health center. Results middot Supply for meat and eggs was excessive while supply for sea food was insufficient. Food intake of students from primary schools and junior high schools was inadequate except for meat and eggs. High school students were better performed in the food intake. What all students shared in common was that the vegetable intake was very low. Intake for primary school students was unsatisfying even worse for the lower grades. Girls in middle schools had worse nutrition intake than boys. The proportion of fat in total energy was too high whil
The modern landmine＇s electronic fuse is susceptible to strong interference or can even be damaged by the ultra-wide band electromagnetic pulse（UWB-EMP）. The finite-difference time-domain（FDTD） ...method in lossy media with cylindrical coordinates is used to study the interactions of the UWB-EMP with the landmine. First, the coupling of UWB-EMP into the landmine shielding shell through an aperture is numerically simulated. Second, the coupled electromagnetic field of mine shells made of different shielding materials and with apertures of different sizes is plotted. Third, the aperture coupling laws of UWB-EMP into shells are analyzed and categorized. Such an algorithm is capable of effectively preventing ladder similar errors, and consequently improving the calculation precision, and in addition to adopting the message passing interface（MPI） parallel method to divide the total calculating range into more sub-ranges, the overall calculating efficiency is greatly increased. These calculations are surely a constructive reference for modern landmine design against electromagnetic damage.
The main risk factors for postoperative failure in tympanoplasties are large perforations that are difficult to repair, annular perforations, and a tympanic membrane (TM) with extensive granular ...myringitis that require middle ear exploration and mastoidectomy. The aim of this study was to investigate a novel technique of perichondrium/cartilage composite graft for repairing the large TM perforation in the patient of otitis media.
Retrospective chart reviews were conducted for 102 patients with large tympanic membrane perforations, who had undergone tympanoplasty from August 2005 to August 2008. Tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy using a perichondrium/cartilage composite graft was analyzed. The tragal or conchal perichondrium/cartilage was used to replace the tympanic membrane in patients.
Patients aged from 13 to 67 years were followed up in average for 24 months (10 - 36 months). Seventy-four ears (72.61%) were used the tragal perichondrium/cartilage as graft material and 27 ears (27.39%) were used the conchal perichondrium/cartilage. Graft take was successful in all patients. Postoperative complications such as wound infection, hematoma, or sensorineural hearing loss were not identified. Nine patients (8.82%) had the partial ossicular replacement prosthesis, 14 patients (13.72%) using the autologous curved incus and 79 patients (77.45%) without prosthesis. Successful closure occurred in 92% of the ears. A total of 85.8% patients achieved a postoperative hearing improvement.
The graft underlay tympanoplasty using perichondrium/cartilage composite is effective for the majority of patients with large perforation. The hearing was improved even if the mastoidectomy was required in the patients with otitis media with extensive granulation.
Objective To evaluate the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) and LBP combined with tea polyphenols (TP) on relieving the physical fatigue in mice and discuss relevant mechanisms. ...Methods Three hundreds and thirty-six specific pathogen free (SPF) male KM mice were randomly assigned to four groups and each group was further divided into seven subgroups, i.e. three LBP groups receiving low, medium, and high doses of LBH (LBP-L, LBP-M, and LBP-H groups) and three combination groups receiving low, medium, and high doses of LBP combined with TP, and a normal saline (NS) group as the control group with 12 mice in each group. Mice were gavaged with LBP solution or LBP combined with TP solution at 0.2 mL/10 g body weight daily for 15 d. Then load swimming tests were conducted and biochemical indexes such as hepatic glycogen, serum urea nitrogen, and blood lactic acid were measured. Results LBP-M, LBP-H, C-L, C-M, and C-H groups had prolonged load swimming time (P<0.05) and LBP-L, LBP-M, LBP-H, C-L, C-M,
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