Convolutional neural network (CNN) can be used to quickly identify crop seed varieties. 1200 seeds of ten soybean varieties were selected, hyperspectral images of both the front and the back of the ...seeds were collected, and the reflectance of soybean was derived from the hyperspectral images. A total of 9600 images were obtained after data augmentation, and the images were divided into a training set, validation set, and test set with a 3:1:1 ratio. Pretrained models (AlexNet, ResNet18, Xception, InceptionV3, DenseNet201, and NASNetLarge) after fine-tuning were used for transfer training. The optimal CNN model for soybean seed variety identification was selected. Furthermore, the traditional machine learning models for soybean seed variety identification were established by using reflectance as input. The results show that the six models all achieved 91% accuracy in the validation set and achieved accuracy values of 90.6%, 94.5%, 95.4%, 95.6%, 96.8%, and 97.2%, respectively, in the test set. This method is better than the identification of soybean seed varieties based on hyperspectral reflectance. The experimental results support a novel method for identifying soybean seeds rapidly and accurately, and this method also provides a good reference for the identification of other crop seeds.
Size-fractioned aerosol samples were collected by an eight-stage Anderson sampler for four seasons from November 2014 to August 2015 at a coastal and suburban site in Ningbo, China, with a total of ...270 samples were obtained. The seasonal variations and size distributions of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs), carbonaceous aerosols (OC and EC), which consist of four organic carbon (OC1-OC4), pyrolyzed carbon (OP) and three elemental carbon fraction (EC1-EC3), were investigated. For the sampling periods, the average total concentration of WSIIs, OC and EC in PM1.1, PM1.1–2.1 and PM2.1–9.0 were 21.3 ± 7 μg/m3, 6.7 ± 2.7 μg/m3 and 12.8 ± 1.9 μg/m3, constituting 75.5%, 62.7% and 43.2% of the different size particle mass, respectively. The predominant chemical species were SO42−, NO3−, and OC. WSIIs, OC and EC all exhibited significant difference between PM2.1 and PM2.1–9.0, reflecting their different sources. Ion balance calculations showed that the acidity of aerosols increased with a decrease in size, with the maximum of 1.07 in 1.1–2.1 μm and the minimum of 0.47 in 2.1–9 μm. It showed that size distributions of high-temperature carbon fraction such as OC4, OP and EC1 were almost unimodal during all seasons as well as SO42− and NH4+, in contrast, that of lower temperature carbon fraction (OC1-OC3), Mg2+, and Ca2+ appear like bimodal. Furthermore, the high consistency between the size distribution of OC4, OP and SO42−, NH4+ in all seasons suggests that the similar or related generation process for the secondary organic and inorganic/ionic species, which contribute the most significant component of the particulate matter. Besides the secondary aerosols, primary carbonaceous aerosols (PC), which may originate in emissions from mixed combustion or natural source, also contributed a significant fraction of haze pollution, especially in autumn, spring and summer.
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•Size-segregated aerosols were collected throughout four seasons.•Size distributions of eight carbon fractions were studied for the first time.•OC4 and OP were closely associated with secondary aerosols.•Higher temperature carbon fractions trend to focus on fine mode.•Primary carbonaceous aerosols also contribute to air pollution.
► Four Chinese pummelo cultivars and one grapefruit cultivar were collected. ► The flavonoid composition in flavedos and juices of samples were analysed. ► Twenty-eight flavonoids were identified.
...The flavonoid composition of flavedos and juices from four Chinese pummelo cultivars (Citrus grandis ‘Shatianyu’, C. grandis ‘Guanximiyu’, C. grandis ‘Yuhuanyu’, and C. grandis ‘Cuixiangtianyu’) and one grapefruit cultivar (Citrus paradisi ‘Changshanhuyu’), was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI MS/MS). Twenty-eight flavonoids were identified. Naringin was the predominant flavanone in these pummelo varieties, whereas naringin and neohesperidin were the principal flavanones found in C. paradisi ‘Changshanhuyu’. The four pummelo cultivars had higher levels of flavones when compared with the grapefruit. Based on the flavonoid profiles in flavedos and juices, four pummelo cultivars and one grapefruit cultivar were well separated.
Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and development, and low-phosphorus (LP) stress is a major factor limiting the growth and yield of soybean. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently ...been reported to be key regulators in the responses of plants to stress conditions, but the mechanism through which LP stress mediates the biogenesis of lncRNAs in soybean remains unclear.
In this study, to explore the response mechanisms of lncRNAs to LP stress, we used the roots of two representative soybean genotypes that present opposite responses to P deficiency, namely, a P-sensitive genotype (Bogao) and a P-tolerant genotype (NN94156), for the construction of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) libraries. In total, 4,166 novel lncRNAs, including 525 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, were identified from the two genotypes at different P levels. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that numerous DE lncRNAs might be involved in diverse biological processes related to phosphate, such as lipid metabolic processes, catalytic activity, cell membrane formation, signal transduction, and nitrogen fixation. Moreover, lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA and lncRNA-mRNA networks were constructed, and the results identified several promising lncRNAs that might be highly valuable for further analysis of the mechanism underlying the response of soybean to LP stress.
These results revealed that LP stress can significantly alter the genome-wide profiles of lncRNAs, particularly those of the P-sensitive genotype Bogao. Our findings increase the understanding of and provide new insights into the function of lncRNAs in the responses of soybean to P stress.
Introduction
Patients’ adherence to and persistence on treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can vary, depending on type and distribution of disease and treatment modality. We aim to ...identify differences in adherence and persistence with treatments with different administration routes (intravenous vs oral) in IBD.
Methods
A retrospective cohort analysis of a claims database of adult patients diagnosed with IBD or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who began treatment with vedolizumab, tofacitinib, or infliximab from January 2015 through December 2015. Adherence evaluated by proportion of days covered (PDC) and cumulative days with gaps at least 20% beyond expected interval (CG20) using multivariable generalized linear equation models. Persistence assessed as time to treatment discontinuation over 12 months of follow-up using Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models; proportion of persistent patients determined via multivariable logistic regression. Indirect comparisons across disease states adjusted using infliximab data.
Results
After indirect adjustment by disease, mean PDC difference was significantly higher (difference of 4.7%;
P
= 0.0376) and mean CG20 was lower (difference of 15 days;
P
= 0.0646) but not statistically significant in vedolizumab/IBD than tofacitinib/RA.
Conclusion
We describe a novel adjustment method for interdisease treatment differences using infliximab treatment patterns to bridge differences between IBD and RA. After adjustment, adherence was higher with infusions than oral medications, which may affect outcomes. Indirect comparisons between vedolizumab and tofacitinib are not generalizable and should be confirmed in tofacitinib-treated IBD patients.
Funding
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
Does China's trade defy cultural barriers? Tadesse, Bedassa; White, Roger; Zhongwen, Huang
International review of applied economics,
05/2017, Volume:
31, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Using annual data for China and 88 trading partners that span the period 1995-2011, we estimate whether cross-societal cultural differences influence China's external trade flows. Our results, ...obtained from the estimation of a series of multi-level mixed effect random intercepts and coefficients models, indicate that China's aggregate exports and imports are largely unaffected by the cultural distance between China and its trading partners. Examination of disaggregate trade measures and consideration of the underlying dimensions of our composite cultural distance variable produces a largely similar result. Taken collectively, our results suggest that China's trade is less affected by cultural distance than has been reported for other countries in similar studies.
Effects of the phenicol antibiotic, florfenicol (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 16.0 mg/L), on marine diatom Skeletonema costatum were investigated in this study. Florfenicol was found to stimulate ...algal growth at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L, and significantly inhibit algal growth at >2.0 mg/L. The highest inhibition rate was up to 86% at 16.0 mg/L and the IC50 for 96 h growth was 5.043 mg/L. The chlorophyll a and effective quantum yield (ΔF/Fm′) were significantly inhibited at 6, 24 and 96 h when florfenicol concentrations were ≥4.0 mg/L. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was enhanced significantly over the control when florfenicol concentrations were ≥1.0 mg/L at 6 h with the dose-dependent trends possibly due to the inhibition of photosynthesis. Since the membrane is highly prone to ROS attack, overproduction of ROS may cause deteriorated integrity and permeability of the cell membrane. Consequently, intracellular pH was found to increase with the increases in dosage; cell size swelled significantly when alga was exposed to florfenicol concentrations up to 8.0 mg/L. These deteriorations finally led to the decrease of cell viability as indicated by both fluorescein diacetate (FDA) assay and propidium iodide (PI) staining, in which viability was shown to decrease significantly at higher doses (4.0, 8.0, 16.0 mg/L). It can be concluded that S. costatum was vulnerable to florfenicol.
► Florfenicol caused photosynthesis inhibition of marine diatom S. costatum. ► Early ROS production was correspondingly induced. ► These ROS production may initiate oxidative damages to plasma membrane. ► As a result, intracellular pH increased and cell size swelled. ► Algal cell viability decrease and growth inhibition finally occurred.
This study aimed to investigate how the diatom Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima accumulates triacylglycerol (TAG) under nitrogen-limited stress. Algal cells were exposed to the nitrogen ...concentrations of 932, 712, 491, 270 and 159μM. The results showed that low nitrogen condition caused significant decrease in chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis efficiency, and thereby inhibition of algal growth. Additionally, the soluble protein decreased at low nitrogen concentration, while the intracellular reactive oxygen species of all treatments increased largely in the stationary phase compared to the exponential phase. The main carbon resource may flow to synthesize TAG when proteins synthesis inhibition occurred. The pigment reduction and low growth rate contributed to TAG accumulation. However, the falling photosynthesis would slow down the rate of TAG formation, or even induce degradation of neutral lipid droplet. The accumulation of TAG seems to be a protective mechanism to help algal cells survive under nitrogen-limited stress.
► This paper investigated triacylglycerol accumulation in N. closterium; ► low nitrogen causes significant decrease in chl a and photosynthesis efficiency; ► the soluble protein decreased at low nitrogen concentration; ► ROS of all treatments increased largely at stationary phase; ► accumulation of TAG seems to be a protective mechanism.
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