Search

Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) plays an important role in regulating the transport of calcium ions in the body. Therefore, we hypothesised that the ATF4 gene (ATF4) affected poultry eggshell quality because calcium is the most important component of avian eggshells. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ATF4 on eggshell quality in laying ducks. The results indicated that three SNPs (g.149718392 G > A, g.149718569 G > A and g.149718665 A > G) were identified in the coding region of exon 3 of ATF4 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and directly two-tailed sequencing. The three SNPs were moderately polymorphic loci and were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The combination of the three SNPs produced 4 haplotypes and 10 diplotypes. Association analysis showed that the g.149718665 A > G locus was significantly associated with eggshell thickness, and genotype GG was favourable in increasing layer duck eggshell thickness. Diplotype H2H2 was more favourable for eggshell weight, thickness and strength than the other 9 diplotypes, which revealed that haplotype H2 may have a positive effect on eggshell calcium deposition. Thus, the three SNPs of ATF4 may be used as markers in selection for improved eggshell quality in layer ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literary communication is inference-based communication between recipients and texts. The textual world stimulates the recipients’ imagination by means of a structure of indeterminacy in the work. Readers use their world knowledge and cultural conceptualization to fill in the blank points in the story world and interpret the connotative meaning. Amidst the growing influence of globalization, people all over the world have more options to enjoy the same cultural products and cross-cultural studies are therefore more necessary. Research on cross-cultural literary reading responses can indicate the essential elements of literary comprehension. Under an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, the research on cross-cultural literary comprehension should be conducted to investigate whether readers from diverse cultural contexts differ in their reading responses and to explore the common ground of cross-cultural literary interpretation. Based on the theoretical foundation, empirical studies on cross-cultural literary comprehension are introduced, comprising perspectives such as differences and similarities in story interpretation, aesthetic appreciation of classical poetry and emotional responses. The empirical findings suggest the extent to which readers’ responses can transcend cultural boundaries and diverse cultural knowledge can activate different intercultural implications. Interdisciplinary research can provide new insights into the core issues regarding the cross-cultural reading of literary works against the backdrop of globalization.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has more than 2,000 years of history and has gained widespread clinical applications. However, the explicit role of TCM in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease remains unclear due to a lack of sound scientific evidence. Currently available randomized controlled trials on TCM are flawed, with small sample sizes and diverse outcomes, making it difficult to draw definite conclusions about the actual benefits and harms of TCM. Here, we systematically assessed the efficacy and safety of TCM for cardiovascular disease, as well as the pharmacological effects of active TCM ingredients on the cardiovascular system and potential mechanisms. Results indicate that TCM might be used as a complementary and alternative approach to the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, further rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess the effect of TCM on long-term hard endpoints in patients with cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federico García Lorca hace referencia a China en doce poemas. Este artículo tiene como objetivo estudiar la evolución del simbolismo de las imágenes chinas en las distintas etapas de su trayectoria creativa. El análisis parte de las posibles fuentes de dichas imágenes, como la influencia del orientalismo modernista y la inspiración de las artes orientales que Lorca tenía a su alcance. A través de la lectura detenida de tres poemas, —”Jardín chino”, “Fábula y rueda de los tres amigos” y “Panorama ciego de Nueva York”—, demostramos que, en el primer Lorca, las imágenes orientales están vinculadas con el mundo infantil de ilusión y amor. En las obras posteriores, además de dicha asociación, los chinos representan a la mitad marginada ante la civilización deshumanizada. De este modo, Lorca no se limita al exotismo, sino que adapta las imágenes de otra cultura a sus propias inquietudes poéticas mostrando una evolución desde el tema intimista hasta el tema social.

Abstract Genetic variability and genetic relationships were investigated among eight Chinese cattle breeds using 12 microsatellite markers. Three hundred and fifty-two alleles were detected and the average number of alleles per locus ranged from 8.33 ± 1.67 in the Jiaxian breed to 21.33 ± 5.60 in the Qinchuan breed with a mean value of 13.91. The total number of alleles per microsatellite ranged from 21 (INRA005, HEL1) to 40 (HEL13), with a mean of 29.33 per locus. The fixation indices at the 12 loci in the eight breeds were very low with a mean of 0.006. A principal components analysis and the construction of a neighborjoining tree showed that these eight Chinese cattle breeds cluster into three groups i.e. the Yanbian andChineseHolstein, theNanyang and Jiaxian, and the four remaining breeds.This clustering agrees with the origin and geographical distributions of these Chinese breeds.

Abstract Background A single-step blending approach allows genomic prediction using information of genotyped and non-genotyped animals simultaneously. However, the combined relationship matrix in a single-step method may need to be adjusted because marker-based and pedigree-based relationship matrices may not be on the same scale. The same may apply when a GBLUP model includes both genomic breeding values and residual polygenic effects. The objective of this study was to compare single-step blending methods and GBLUP methods with and without adjustment of the genomic relationship matrix for genomic prediction of 16 traits in the Nordic Holstein population. Methods The data consisted of de-regressed proofs (DRP) for 5 214 genotyped and 9 374 non-genotyped bulls. The bulls were divided into a training and a validation population by birth date, October 1, 2001. Five approaches for genomic prediction were used: 1) a simple GBLUP method, 2) a GBLUP method with a polygenic effect, 3) an adjusted GBLUP method with a polygenic effect, 4) a single-step blending method, and 5) an adjusted single-step blending method. In the adjusted GBLUP and single-step methods, the genomic relationship matrix was adjusted for the difference of scale between the genomic and the pedigree relationship matrices. A set of weights on the pedigree relationship matrix (ranging from 0.05 to 0.40) was used to build the combined relationship matrix in the single-step blending method and the GBLUP method with a polygenetic effect. Results Averaged over the 16 traits, reliabilities of genomic breeding values predicted using the GBLUP method with a polygenic effect (relative weight of 0.20) were 0.3% higher than reliabilities from the simple GBLUP method (without a polygenic effect). The adjusted single-step blending and original single-step blending methods (relative weight of 0.20) had average reliabilities that were 2.1% and 1.8% higher than the simple GBLUP method, respectively. In addition, the GBLUP method with a polygenic effect led to less bias of genomic predictions than the simple GBLUP method, and both single-step blending methods yielded less bias of predictions than all GBLUP methods. Conclusions The single-step blending method is an appealing approach for practical genomic prediction in dairy cattle. Genomic prediction from the single-step blending method can be improved by adjusting the scale of the genomic relationship matrix.

The management of severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation is in contrast to the aortic-valve-intervention more challenging due to the complex mitral-valve anatomy. In primary mitral regurgitation surgical therapy is recommended, whereas there are various therapeutic options in secondary mitral regurgitation. Besides the established mitral-valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge-Repair (M-TEER) and the interventional annuloplasty - devices dynamic developments have recently been made in the field of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement-therapy (TMVR). This article surveys the current recommendations and available therapeutic options in mitral regurgitation., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of echocardiography in measuring the thickness of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) of the patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its correlation with the intimal-medial thickness of the carotid artery (cIMT) to investigate the relationship between EAT and cIMT. 68 patients of T2DM were enrolled and were divided into 2 groups: group of T2DM with duration≤10 years (35 cases) and group of T2DM with duration>10 years (33 cases). And 30 healthy subjects were enrolled as the control group. The thickness of EAT and cIMT were measured by echocardiography and high-frequency ultrasonography. The thickness of EAT and IMT of the carotid artery of 2 type 2 diabetic groups (duration≤10 years and>10 years) were significantly higher than that of the control group (all p<0.05), and the thickness of EAT and cIMT of the group of T2DM with duration>10 years were significantly higher than that of the group of T2DM with duration≤10 years (p<0.05). In univariate analysis, the thickness of EAT was positively and significantly associated with age (r = 0 . 412, p < 0 . 05), BMI ( r = 0 . 566, p < 0 . 05), waist circumference (r = 0 .4 75, p < 0 . 05), LDL (r = 0 . 425, p < 0 . 05), TG (r = 0 . 496, p < 0 . 05), duration of diabetes (r=0.384, p<0.05 ) and cIMT (r = 0 . 456, p < 0 . 05). In multiple stepwise regression analyses, age, BMI and IMT of carotid artery were appeared to be significantly associated with EAT (p<0.05 for all). In conclusion, routine screening of EAT and cIMT by ultrasonography in type 2 diabetic patients helps us to predict cardiovascular risks and prevent further development of cardiovascular complications., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

In recent years, many hospitals in China have employed magnetized water in the treatment of urolithiasis with quite satisfactory results. Since 1979, we have carried out the following basic researches: (1) We compared the effectiveness of several different types of apparatus producing magnetized water and found that the best type was the Shanghai JW-1 mode apparatus with 1,350 gauss and to-and-fro magnetizing for 12 times. (2) We had tested the solubility of oxalate, uric acid and phosphate urolith both in ordinary and in magnetized water and found that phosphate urolith had better solubility in the latter. (3) The physical and chemical characteristics of magnetized water were studied, and the calcium crystals were found to be also soluble in it. (4) Experiments on fishes living in magnetized water showed that in their kidneys the amount of calcium crystals and tissue calcium level were lower than those in ordinary water. The basic theory of treatment of urolithiasis with magnetized water is discussed.

400 urinary calculi have been analyzed by chemical and physical methods, namely chemical qualitative analysis, metallic elements spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermographimetric analysis, polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, etc. Further understanding of the correlation between the structure and the composition of calculi was achieved, which may be helpful in inquiring the formation of urinary calculi.