Search

Cortical asymmetry is a ubiquitous feature of brain organization that is altered in neurodevelopmental disorders and aging. Achieving consensus on cortical asymmetries in humans is necessary to uncover the genetic-developmental mechanisms that shape them and factors moderating cortical lateralization. Here, we delineate population-level asymmetry in cortical thickness and surface area vertex-wise in 7 datasets and chart asymmetry trajectories across life (4-89 years; observations = 3937; 70% longitudinal). We reveal asymmetry interrelationships, heritability, and test associations in UK Biobank (N=∼37,500). Cortical asymmetry was robust across datasets. Whereas areal asymmetry is predominantly stable across life, thickness asymmetry grows in development and declines in aging. Areal asymmetry correlates in specific regions, whereas thickness asymmetry is globally interrelated across cortex and suggests high directional variability in global thickness lateralization. Areal asymmetry is moderately heritable (max h2SNP ∼19%), and phenotypic correlations are reflected by high genetic correlations, whereas heritability of thickness asymmetry is low. Finally, we detected an asymmetry association with cognition and confirm recently-reported handedness links. Results suggest areal asymmetry is developmentally stable and arises in early life, whereas developmental changes in thickness asymmetry may lead to directional variability of global thickness lateralization. Our results bear enough reproducibility to serve as a standard for future brain asymmetry studies.

Cuiju Wang,1 Yalei Lv,2 Ziyue Sha,3 Jingjing Zhang,3 Jianhua Wu,4 Yixin Qi,5 Zhanjun Guo3 1Department of Gynaecology Ultrasound, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Oncology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China; 4Animal Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China; 5Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yixin Qi; Zhanjun Guo Email 13932153600@139.com; zjguo5886@aliyun.comPurpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members contribute greatly to the development and angiogenesis of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have previously shown that Dicer inhibited HCC growth. In this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between Dicer and VEGF in HCC.Methods: Gain-of-function studies were performed to determine the effect of different treatments on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. Expression of VEGF-A in xenograft tumor tissues was analysed using Western blotting, and that of CD31 using immunohistochemical analysis.Results: We found that Dicer inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by suppressing VEGF-A expression. Interestingly, VEGF-A165, which is the most prominent VEGF-A isoform, counteracted Dicer-induced inhibition of HCC cells. In addition, a monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab) enhanced Dicer-induced inhibition of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Further, immunohistochemical analysis of CD31 indicated bevacizumab and Dicer synergized to reduce tumor microvessel density.Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that Dicer enhanced bevacizumab-related inhibition of HCC cell via the VEGF pathway; therefore, Dicer in coordination with bevacizumab may provide another potential approach for HCC therapy.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, vascular endothelial growth factor, Dicer, bevacizumab, microvessel density

Conditional auto-regressive (CAR) models are frequently used with spatial data. However, the likelihood of such a model is expensive to compute even for a moderately sized data set of around 1000 sites. For models involving latent variables, the likelihood is not usually available in closed form. In this thesis we use a Monte Carlo approximation to the likelihood (extending the approach of Geyer and Thompson (1992)), and develop two strategies for maximising this. One strategy is to limit the step size by defining an experimental region using a Monte Carlo approximation to the variance of the estimates. The other is to use response surface methodology. The iterative procedures are fully automatic, with user-specified options to control the simulation and convergence criteria. Both strategies are implemented in our R package mclcar. We demonstrate aspects of the algorithms on simulated data on a torus, and achieve similar results to others in a short computational time on two datasets from the literature. We then use the methods on a challenging problem concerning forest restoration with data from around 7000 trees arranged in transects within study plots. We modelled the growth rate of the trees by a linear mixed effects model with CAR spatial error and CAR random e ects for study plots in an acceptable computational time. Our proposed methods can be used for similar models to provide a clearly defined framework for maximising Monte Carlo approximations to likelihoods and reconstructing likelihood surfaces near the maximum.

The results of the first marine gas hydrate drilling expedition of Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS-1) in northern continental slope of the South China Sea revealed a variable distribution of gas hydrates in the Shenhu area. In this study, comparisons between the eight sites with gas-hydrate petroleum system were used to analyze and re-examine hydrate potential. In the Shenhu gas hydrate drilling area, all the sites were located in a suitable low-temperature, high-pressure environment. Biogenic and thermogenic gases contributed to the formation of hydrates. Gas chimneys and some small-scale faults (or micro-scale fractures) compose the migration pathways for gas-bearing fluids. Between these sites, there are three key differences: the seafloor temperatures and pressures; geothermal gradient and sedimentary conditions. Variations of seafloor temperatures and pressures related to water depths and geothermal gradient would lead to changes in the thickness of gas hydrate stability zones. Although the lithology and grain size of the sediments were similar, two distinct sedimentary units were identified for the first time through seismic interpretation, analysis of deep-water sedimentary processes, and the Cm pattern (plotted one-percentile and median values from grain-size analyses), implying the heterogeneous sedimentary conditions above Bottom Simulating Reflectors (BSRs). Based on the analyses of forming mechanisms and sedimentary processes, these two fine-grained sedimentary units have different physical properties. Fine-grained turbidites (Unit I) with thin-bedded chaotic reflectors at the bottom acted as the host rocks for hydrates; whereas, finegrained sediments related to soft-sediment deformation (Unit II) characterized by thick continuous reflectors at the top would serve as regional homogeneous caprocks. Low-flux methane that migrated upwards along chimneys could be enriched preferentially in fine-grained turbidites, resulting in the formation of hydrates within Unit I.However, overlying fine-grained sediments related to soft-sediment deformation would hinder the further migration of gases/fluids, causing the extremely low methane concentration in Unit I. Three of the eight sites with hydrates from recovered core samples were located within sedimentary Unit I, and the other five sites were not. Because, the most significant difference between the eight sites is the nature and type of sedimentary deposits above the BSRs, it is suggested therefore that sedimentary conditions are the crucial factor controlling the formation and occurrence of gas hydrates in the Shenhu gas hydrate drilling area, northern South China Sea.

II-oxide and III-nitride semiconductors doped by nonmagnetic 2p light elements are investigated as potential dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). Based on our first-principle calculations, nitrogen doped ZnO, carbon doped ZnO, and carbon doped AlN are predicted to be ferromagnetic. The ferromagnetism of such DMS materials can be attributed to a p-d exchange-like p-p coupling interaction which is derived from the similar symmetry and wave function between the impurity (p-like t_2) and valence (p) states. We also propose a co-doping mechanism, using beryllium and nitrogen as dopants in ZnO, to enhance the ferromagnetic coupling and to increase the solubility and activity.

The project "Modelling of multiphase chemical reactors (ModCheR)" was carried out by research groups from Helsinki University of Technology, VTT, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Åbo Akademi University and Tampere University of Technology. The model development was concentrated on CFD, but population balance models, cell interaction models and simple algebraic reactor models were also included. Extensive experimental work was carried out in order to provide data for model validation. Five topics were studied in the project. In crystallization, the subjects covered single crystal growth, batch crystallization and continuous crystallization. Both experimental work and model development were carried out. As gas-liquid processes, stirred reactors, bubble columns and flotation were studied. The modelling approaches included CFD and multiblock models. Modelling of trickle bed reactors involved both CFD and simpler approaches and important part of the work consisted of developing models for the interaction and dispersion terms in the equations. Work on drag reducing agents included measurements of the DR-effect in stirred reactors and pipe flow and model development for describing the effect of DRA on turbulence. In modelling of fluidised beds, models of turbulent bed and circulating bed were developed and validated, in particular, mixing of gas and solid, drag models, and macroscopic models were investigated. This final report describes the main results of the project. More detailed information can be found in the reports and publications produced in the project and referred to in this report.