[Spatiotemporal distribution and related factors of congenital syphilis in Guangdong province from 2005 to 2017: a spatial panel data analysis]

Objective: To explore the spatiotemporal distribution and macro-related factors of congenital syphilis in Guangdong province and provide suggestions and recommendations for prevention. Methods: Yearly reported cases of syphilis and some influencing factor data of Guangdong province were collected from 2005 to 2017. The spatiotemporal distribution of congenital syphilis was described. Meanwhile, the spatial panel data model was constructed to analyze the relationship between the incidence rates of congenital syphilis and related factors. Results: From 2005 to 2017, 13 361 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Guangdong province. The number of congenital syphilis cases rose to its highest point during 2005-2011. A slow downward trend followed. The peaks of incidence were observed from August to December. The incidence of the non-Pearl River Delta region has experienced a process of rising first and then decreasing. The spatial panel data model results showed that congenital syphilis had significant positive spatial autocorrelation (P<0.001). The incidence of primary and secondary syphilis in women (β=0.822,P<0.001), gross domestic product per capita (β=3.511,P<0.001), net migrate rate (β=0.215,P=0.047) and maternal system management rate(β=0.017,P=0.021) were all positively correlated with the incidence rates of congenital syphilis. Registered population density (β=-1.167,P<0.001) and prenatal examination rate (β=-0.038,P=0.031) was negatively correlated with congenital syphilis. Conclusions: The incidence of congenital syphilis was spatially aggregated in Guangdong province from 2005 to 2017. The intensity of prevention might be strengthened in cities with developed economies and high net migration rates, which have high risks of congenital syphilis. Controlling the incidence of primary and secondary syphilis in women and increasing the prenatal examination rate for pregnant women appears effective prevention measures of congenital syphilis.

Robust generation of entangled state via ground-state antiblockade of Rydberg atoms

We propose a mechanism of ground-state antiblockade of Rydberg atoms, which is then exploited to prepare two-atom entangled state via three different kinds of pulses. First we use the pulses in the form of sin2 and cos2 functions and obtain a maximally entangled state at an accurate interaction time. Then the method of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) is adopted for the entanglement generation, which is immune to the fluctuations of revelent parameters but requires a long time. Finally we capitalize the advantages of the former two methods and employ shortcuts to adiabatic passage (STAP) to generate the maximal entanglement. The strictly numerical simulation reveals that the current scheme is robust against spontaneous emission of atoms due to the virtual excitation of Rydberg states, and all of the above methods favor a high fidelity with the present experimental technology.

Physiochemical properties of rice starch for production of vermicelli with premium quality

Rice vermicelli is a main food consumed in China and Southeast Asia. Quality of rice vermicelli varies with rice cultivars. Parameters including amylose content, amylopectin distribution, thermal and pasting characteristics, gel texture and starch granules of three rice cultivars "Zhongjiazao 17", "Xiangzaoxian 24" and "Thai Jasmine Rice", were studied for their impacts on vermicelli quality. Results showed significant differences for the measurements of the quality traits and indicated that a favorable quality of vermicelli was not determined by any single factor instead of a combination of multi-parameters. A vermicelli with a favorable quality could be produced from a rice variety with a high apparent amylose content (>25%), a protein content of 11%, an intermediate gelatinization temperature and gel consistency, and a gel hardness (~3 N for a Rapid Viscosity Analyzer pasting) and moderate retrogradation capacity (a setback viscosity of 30-100 RVU).

Characterization and gene cloning of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) dwarf and narrow-leaf mutant dnl3

The dwarf and narrow-leaf rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant dnl3 was isolated from the Japonica cultivar Zhonghua 11 (wild-type). dnl3 exhibited pleiotropic developmental defects. The narrow-leaf phenotype resulted from a marked reduction in the number of vascular bundles, while the dwarf stature was caused by the formation of foreshortened internodes and a reduced number of parenchyma cells. The suggestion that cell division is impaired in the mutant was consistent with the transcriptional behavior of various genes associated with cell division. The mutant was less responsive to exogenously supplied gibberellic acid than the wild-type, and profiling the transcription of genes involved in gibberellin synthesis and response revealed that a lesion in the mutant affected gibberellin signal transduction. The dnl3 phenotype was inherited as a single-dominant gene, mapping within a 19.1-kb region of chromosome 12, which was found to harbor three open reading frames. Resequencing the open reading frames revealed that the mutant carried an allele at one of the three genes that differed from the wild-type sequence by 2-bp deletions; this gene encoded a cellulose synthase-like D4 (CSLD4) protein. Therefore, OsCSLD4 is a candidate gene for DNL3. DNL3 was expressed in all of the rice organs tested at the heading stage, particularly in the leaves, roots, and culms. These results suggest that DNL3 plays important roles in rice leaf morphogenesis and vegetative development.

Fine mapping and characterization of a novel dwarf and narrow-leaf mutant dnl1 in rice

Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits of rice (Oryza sativa). Dwarf mutants are ideal materials for research on the mechanisms of regulation of rice plant height. We examined a new dwarf and narrow-leaf mutant dnl1. Phenotypic analysis showed that the dnl1 mutant has a thinner culm and more tillers, but the number of grains per panicle, the seed setting rate and the grain weight of dnl1 mutant were found to be significantly lower than in the wild-type. Based on scanning electron microscopic observations, the number of cells in the y-axis in internodes was significantly lower than in the wild-type. In phytohormone induction experiments, dnl1 was gibberellic acid-insensitive. The expression of some genes involved in the gibberellins metabolic pathways was affected in the dnl1 mutant, based on the real-time PCR analysis, suggesting that the dnl1 gene likely plays a role in gibberellin metabolic pathways. Genetic analysis showed that the dwarf and narrow leaf phenotype is controlled by a novel single recessive gene, here referred to as the dwarf and narrow leaf 1 (dnl1), which is located within the region between markers Ind12-11 and RM8214 on the short arm of chromosome 12. By means of fine-mapping strategy, the dnl1 gene was localized within an interval of 285.75 kb physical distance. These results will be useful for dnl1 gene cloning and to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of growth and development of rice.

Polymorphisms of three neuroendocrine-correlated genes associated with growth and reproductive traits in the chicken

The identification and utilization of potential candidate genes for QTL with significant effects on economically important traits are becoming increasingly important in poultry breeding programs. Chicken insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 and 3 and signal transducers and activators of transcription 5B (STAT5B) genes are 3 essential nodes for signaling pathways and gene networks of growth and reproduction. The pooled DNA sequencing approach was used for identification of 9 SNP of the 5' upstream region of the 3 genes. A total of 826 individuals from Beijing You chicken were genotyped for 5 SNP using a modified PCR-RFLP method and the association with chicken growth and reproductive traits was studied using the GLM procedure. The T56039403C (T-808C) SNP of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 gene was associated with BW at 10 wk of age (P = 0.0061), and the C56072547T (C-968T) SNP of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 gene was associated with BW at 8 and 10 wk of age (P = 0.0056 and P = 0.0016, respectively). The C4535156T (C-1591T), G4533815A (G-250A), and G4533675C (G-110C) SNP of the STAT5B gene were associated with age at first egg (P = 0.0143, P = 0.0088, and P = 0.0114, respectively). Moreover, Lewontin's D' (|D'|) and r(2) of C4535156T and G4533815A SNP, C4535156T and G4533675C SNP, and G4533815A and G4533675C SNP of the STAT5B gene were 0.939 and 0.852, 0.967 and 0.858, and 0.971 and 0.896, respectively. The 3 SNP were strong-linked with each other and lay within a haplotype block. Our results suggest that these SNP were significantly associated with early growth or with sexual maturation in chickens, or both, and may be potential molecular markers for MAS.

Observation of a near-threshold enhancement in the pp mass spectrum from radiative J/psi-->gammapp decays

We observe a narrow enhancement near 2m(p) in the invariant mass spectrum of pp pairs from radiative J/psi-->gammapp decays. No similar structure is seen in J/psi-->pi(0)pp decays. The results are based on an analysis of a 58 x 10(6) event sample of J/psi decays accumulated with the BESII detector at the Beijing electron-positron collider. The enhancement can be fit with either an S- or P-wave Breit-Wigner resonance function. In the case of the S-wave fit, the peak mass is below 2m(p) at M=1859(+3)(-10) (stat)+5-25(syst) MeV/c(2) and the total width is Gamma<30 MeV/c(2) at the 90% confidence level. These mass and width values are not consistent with the properties of any known particle.

Measurements of the cross section for e(+)e(-) --> hadrons at center-of-mass energies from 2 to 5 GeV

We report values of R = sigma(e(+)e(-)-->hadrons)/sigma(e(+)e(-)-->mu(+)mu(-)) for 85 center-of-mass energies between 2 and 5 GeV measured with the upgraded Beijing Spectrometer at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider.

Study on hydroxyapatite-coated titanium implants used as orthodontic anchorage--an experimental investigation of implant stability and peri-implant neck tissue in dogs

OBJECTIVE

Hydroxyapatite-coated titanium endosseous implants as orthodontic anchorage were studied.

METHODS

These implants, installed in the mandibles of two dogs, were loaded with the orthodontic force of 150 g for 3 months. The stability of the implant and peri-implant neck tissue were investigated with radiograph and index evaluation.

RESULTS

No implants were mobile, loosened or dislocated at the 3-month follow-up. The soft tissue around the cervical part of the implants had slight inflammation because of poor oral hygiene and stimulation of residual foods attached to the stainless steel spring. However, no resorption of marginal alveolar bone was found under sustained orthodontic force.

CONCLUSIONS

The HA-coated titanium implant can be used as anchorage for short-term orthodontic treatment.