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The complex q-rung orthopair fuzzy (CQ-ROF) set can describe the complex uncertain information. In this manuscript, we develop the Yager operational laws based on the CQ-ROF information and Yager t-norm and t-conorm. Furthermore, in aggregating the CQ-ROF values, the power, averaging, and geometric aggregation operators have played a very essential and critical role in the environment of fuzzy set. Inspired from the discussed operators, we propose the CQ-ROF power Yager averaging (CQ-ROFPYA), CQ-ROF power Yager ordered averaging (CQ-ROFPYOA), CQ-ROF power Yager geometric (CQ-ROFPYG), and CQ-ROF power Yager ordered geometric (CQ-ROFPYOG) operators. These operators are the modified version of the Power, Yager, averaging, geometric, and the combination of these all based on fuzzy set (FS), intuitionistic FS, Pythagorean FS, q-rung orthopair FS, complex FS, complex intuitionistic FS, and complex Pythagorean FS. Moreover, we also discuss the main properties of the proposed operators. Additionally, we develop a multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) method based on the developed operators. To show the supremacy and validity of the proposed method, the comparison between the proposed method and some existing methods is done by some examples, and results show that the proposed method is better than the others in terms of generality and effectiveness.

Due to their low nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) oilseed rape (OSR) crops require large quantities of nitrogen (N) fertilizer to achieve acceptable economic yields. To dissect the underlying mechanisms of oilseed NUtE, we investigated the relationships between NUtE, N uptake, N remobilization and leaf senescence by growing three N-efficient (genotypes with high NUtE at deficient N supplies) and three N-inefficient (ones with low NUtE at deficient N supplies) genotypes in pot experiments. These genotypes showed similar plant N uptake before flowering and similar post-anthesis N remobilization from leaf and stem, but after flowering N-efficient genotypes exhibited higher root N uptake than N-inefficient genotypes. Besides, the pod biomass and leaf N concentration of N-efficient genotypes were higher than those of N-inefficient genotypes at 50 days after flowering, and we observed delayed leaf senescence in N-efficient genotypes. Correspondingly, gene transcripts involved in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism were abundant in green mature leaves of N-efficient genotype, while the expression of genes involved in ubiquitin mediated proteolysis pathway were more abundant in N-inefficient mature leaves. The stay-green phenotype of the N-efficient OSR after flowering provides sufficient photosynthate for root N uptake activity and pod development, and in turn, the prolonged post-anthesis N uptake provides more N to pods, leading to less leaf N remobilization requirement. This work has identified traits important for breeding OSR cultivars with improved NUtE.

Due to the diversity and heterogeneity of shale composition, the surface of shale is negatively charged and contains clay minerals. When exposed to water, shale is prone to hydrolysis, which is not conducive to the stability of shale formation. Therefore, in this paper; we have optimized the formulation of the positive-gel drilling fluid that can effectively reduce the surface tension and increase the contact angle between the drilling fluid and the shale. To study the parameters of the optimized formula, the basic performance test, swellability test, and rolling recovery test of the water-based drilling fluid were carried out. The results show that both the organic positive gel MMH-1 and inorganic positive gel MMH-2 can effectively reduce the electrical properties of the shale surface. The drilling fluid containing a composite positive gel 0.6% MMH-1 + 1.5% MMH-2 can reduce the surface tension of the shale by 15.2% and increase the contact angle of the shale by 22.1%. The temperature resistance of the composite drilling fluid B is satisfactory, and the rolling recovery rate is as high as 98.4%, which can effectively enhance the stability of the shale formation.

The phenomenon of self-cleavage of coal and rocks leads to poor continuity and a high degree of heterogeneity of the coal-rock matrix, causing the wellbore in the process of drilling. The problem of wellbore stability in the drilling process of the coal strata has become one of the key scientific problems. To solve the problem, single-agent optimization and compounding tests of surfactants have been carried out. Based on the test results, the surfactant compounding composition has been selected, which can effectively reduce the surface tension of the drilling fluid and increase the contact angle between the drilling fluid and the coal and rock surface. To evaluate the effect of the drilling fluid wettability on wellbore stability of the coal measures strata, the expansibility test, rolling recovery test, and shale pressure transfer test have been carried out, combined with the basic performance tests of the water-based drilling fluid. The results show that the composite surfactant can effectively reduce the surface tension of the drilling fluid by 80.83% and increase the contact angle with coal by 54.17%. The recovery rate of the composite surfactant water-based drilling fluid is as high as 96.2%. The compound surfactant drilling fluid can significantly slow down the transfer rate of shale pore pressure, reduce the invasion degree of the drilling fluid to coal and rock matrix, prevent hydration erosion, and effectively enhance the stability of coal and rock sidewall.

Under the construction of extended reach wells, cutting beds are very likely to form due to inadequate wellbore cleaning. The inorganic salts in seawater aggravate this problem by affecting the rheology of drilling fluids. By developing a cutting transport dynamic simulation platform, the reasons and laws of cutting beds formation, damage and removal were revealed. The results demonstrated that cutting beds are most likely to form at well inclination angles ranging from 30° to 45°. The larger the cuttings are, the higher the possibility of cutting bed formation. Properly increasing the viscosity and flow rate may reduce the formation probability of cutting beds. Furthermore, the novel concept of the critical flow velocity window for cutting bed migration was proposed. The velocity window narrowed with increasing cutting particle size, well inclination angle, ultimate high shear viscosity and Carson dynamic shear force. The efficiency of cutting bed removal by the drilling fluid was positively correlated with the well inclination angle, Carson dynamic shear force and ultimate high shear viscosity and negatively correlated with the cutting particle size. The migration mode varied with the particle size. Small-particle cutting beds were damaged by the drilling fluid into many blocks, which generated several failure points, and all the blocks were then separately transported. However, the migration mode of large-particle cutting beds was surface migration, which implies that the cuttings on the surface were always propelled by the drilling fluid first. Migration mode variation could be the likely reason for the change in the velocity window.

Increasing post-flowering nitrogen (N) uptake is likely to improve seed N accumulation, ultimately leading to greater seed yield and N use efficiency (NUE). A comprehensive study on contrasting N utilization efficiency (NUtE) winter oilseed rape genotypes was conducted for three years (2017–2020) to unravel the effect of post-flowering N uptake on seed N accumulation. Compared to the low NUtE genotype, the high NUtE genotype displayed respectively 31%, 28% and 70% greater root biomass, length and volume, along with 40%, 44%, 46% and 82% higher root nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthetase (GOGAT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities after flowering. These were accompanied by a significant increase (P < 0.05) in catalases (134%), peroxidase (45%), glutathione (45%) and ascorbate peroxidase (41%), leading to 27% higher seed N accumulation, 23% higher seed yield and 60% higher NUE. Stronger post-flowering N uptake potential for high NUtE genotype was a main contributor to the enhanced seed N accumulation, and ultimately increased seed yield and NUE.

Since the current commonly used bubble detection method cannot meet the requirements of real-time bubble detection in terms of the detection target and volume, this paper proposes a method of real-time detection of coal-bed methane (CBM) bubble parameters in a borehole with a double-sensor conductivity probe and designs the corresponding test device. The ellipsoid correction algorithm was adopted for the calculation of the bubble volume to reduce the error. Simulation test results indicated that the proposed device can quickly and reliably measure local bubble parameters, including void fraction, bubble velocity, and bubble volume. This technique can be applied to monitor the fluid parameters of different strata of main coal in CBM well simultaneously and provide a basis for the comparison of reservoir properties of different main coal seams and the effect of CBM well exploitation.

While no significant differences in initial ovule number were found among oilseed rape genotypes, there was a large variation in effective ovule number (EON), which determines the final seeds per silique (SPS), a critical component of yield. In this study, we selected 18 oilseed rape genotypes with contrasting nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) to unravel the main factors responsible for different EON and determine the critical period of EON formation under both a field and a pot experiments from 2016-2018. The high NUtE genotypes displayed significantly higher NUtE by 14.3%, along with greater yield per plant (29.4%) and SPS (21.1%) than the low NUtE genotypes. The greater productivity of the high NUtE genotypes was associated with 44.1% higher pollen grain number, 23.5% greater pollen viability, and 39.3% lower ovule abortion rate, compared to the low NUtE genotypes. In addition, the heart stage was the critical ovule development period for delineating the variability of EON among contrasting NUtE oilseed rape genotypes, when the high NUtE genotypes displayed higher silique net photosynthetic rate, surface area, biomass, and RNA expression levels. Taken together, this study indicated the pollen grain number, pollen viability and ovule abortion rate contributed to the final variation in EON and the heart stage was the critical period of determining the EON differences among contrasting NUtE genotypes. Increasing pollen grain number and pollen viability, and decreasing ovule abortion rate before heart stage should be the prerequisite for breeders to improve yield and NUtE of oilseed rape genotypes.

Predicting the probability of converting from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is still a challenging task. This study aims at providing a personalized MCI-to-AD conversion estimation by using a multipredictor nomogram that integrates neuroimaging features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker, and clinical assessments. To do so, 290 MCI patients were collected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), of whom 76 has converted to AD and 214 remained with MCI. All subjects were randomly divided into a primary and validation cohort. Radiomics signature (Rad-sig) was obtained based on 17 cerebral cortex features selected by using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithm. Clinical factors and amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) concentration were selected by using Spearman correlation between the converted and not-converted patients. Then, a nomogram that combines image features, clinical factor, and Aβ concentration was constructed and validated. Furthermore, we explored the associations between various predictors from the macro- to the microperspective by assessing gene expression patterns. Our results showed that the multipredictor nomogram (C-index 0.978 and 0.956 in both cohorts, respectively) outperformed the nomogram using either Rad-sig or Aβ concentration as individual predictors. Significant associations were found between neuropsychological scores, cerebral cortex features, Aβ levels, and underlying gene pathways. Our study may have a clinical impact as a powerful predictive tool for predicting the conversion probability of MCI and providing associations between cognitive impairment, structural changes, Aβ levels, and underlying biological patterns from the macro- to the microperspective.

During more than 100 years of oil development, cementing technologies have been constantly improved. Depending on the well conditions, the technologies vary in number of stages, cementing mixture composition, and methods to provide leakage-proof and gas-tight cementing, etc. In this paper the authors analyzed the creep law application and its models for the salt-gypsum layer and performed the comparative adaptability evaluation of cementing methods in the salt-gypsum layer.

Nowadays, the application of polymer in petroleum industries due to its feasibility with enhancing hole cleaning, less formation damage characteristics of drilling fluids has been particularly advantageous in deep well operation. However, figuring out the influence mechanism of temperature on the rheological behavior of polymer fluids and keeping the excellent rheological regulation at high temperature and high pressure (HTHP) are still serious issues for the mud designers. In this work, the rheological properties of a commonly used drilling fluid polymer treating agent named Driscal-D were tested under HTHP conditions by Fann 50SL rheometer. The effects of polymer addition, electrolyte, clay type and antioxidant on the rheological properties of Driscal-D solution were studied in high-temperature environments. Results showed that the viscosity of the solutions tends to increase with the polymer addition increases, making its pseudoplastic characteristics more noticeable. As the temperature rises, the fluid loses viscosity, causing the polymer solution to evolve from pseudoplastic fluid to Newtonian fluid. The presence of the electrolyte and the oxygen scavenger leads to a decrease in the viscosity of the solution, but in high-temperature environments, the solution adding formate or antioxidant has a higher viscosity retention rate than the pure solution at low shear rates (−1). The incorporation of the clay in Driscal-D solution enhances the rheological properties, which is beneficial for cuttings transportation. And the dispersion is best described by Herschel–Bulkley model.

Rabies is a fatal disease caused by infection with rabies virus (RABV), and human rabies is still a critical public-health concern in China. Although there have been some phylogenetic studies about RABV transmission patterns, with the accumulation of more rabies sequences in recent years, there is an urgent need to update and clarify the spatial and temporal patterns of RABV circulating in China on a national scale. In this study, we collected all available RABV nucleoprotein gene sequences from China and its neighboring countries and performed comparative analysis. We identified six significant subclades of RABV circulating in China and found that each of them has a specific geographical distribution, reflecting possible physical barriers to gene flow. The phylogeographic analysis revealed minimal viral movement among different geographical locations. An analysis using Bayesian coalescent methods indicated that the current RABV strains in China may come from a common ancestor about 400 years ago, and currently, China is amid the second event of increasing RABV population since the 1950s, but the population has decreased gradually. We did not detect any evidence of recombination in the sequence dataset, nor did we find any evidence for positive selection during the expansion of RABV. Overall, geographic location and neutral genetic drift may be the main factors in shaping the phylogeography of RABV transmission in China.

Slug anti-gas channeling technology was studied in laboratory experiments to optimize the micro-expansion behavior of its material. The technology included sealing of an outer pipe, injection of cement slurry into the casing annulus, and activation and solidification of the cement slurry as a function of temperature and other external conditions. The technology could effectively seal an oil or gas well and solve the problem of wellhead pressure.

The effects of formate salts on the rheological characteristics of water-based solutions were compared for two laboratory research methods, i.e., dynamic theological analysis at high temperature and high pressure (HTHP) and a static hot-roll aging test. Polymer muds were used for the measurements. HTHP rheology analysis showed that sodium formate retained effectively the dynamic viscosity at HTHP. Hot-roll tests showed that sodium formate had an obvious effect on the rheological characteristics of the polymer fluid at mom temperature after preliminary heating. The filtration loss of the polymer fluid with added sodium formate was slightly greater than that of pure polymer fluid although the filtration loss could be controlled by changing the formate concentration. Test results from both methods showed that sodium formate could be used successfully as a polymer drilling fluid stabilizer under HTHP operating conditions.

To radiographically characterize the relationship between inferior displacement of great tuberosity (GT) fracture and associated occult or minor displaced humeral neck fracture. Thirty patients with inferior displacement of the GT on the initial anterior-posterior (AP) view X-ray were included in this study. Twenty-four patients received further computed tomography (CT) scans. One patient with negative CT scans underwent MRI. Radiographic indexes included the cervico-diaphyseal angle, the distance of the inferior displacement of the GT fracture, the apex-tuberosity distance, and the direction of the GT shift on the 3D-CT scan. The measurement reliability was analyzed by calculating intra-class correlation (ICC) coefficients. The relationships between the parameters were revealed using Pearson correlation analysis. In the 30 cases, humeral neck fractures were detected by AP view X-ray (6 cases), CT (23 cases), and MRI (1 case). The mean cervico-diaphyseal angle was 146.7° ± 8.9°. The mean inferior displacement of the GT fracture was 13.4 ± 5.9 mm. The mean apex-tuberosity distance was 11.8 ± 2.8 mm. Posterior/inferior displacement of the GT fractures was observed in 24 patients via CT scan. All the evaluated parameters presented correlations among methods, indicating intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed that inferior displacement of GT fracture was correlated with the cervico-diaphyseal angle (P

Background The genus Brassica mainly comprises three diploid and three recently derived allotetraploid species, most of which are highly important vegetable, oil or ornamental crops cultivated worldwide. Despite being extensively studied, the origination of B. napus and certain detailed interspecific relationships within Brassica genus remains undetermined and somewhere confused. In the current high-throughput sequencing era, a systemic comparative genomic study based on a large population is necessary and would be crucial to resolve these questions. Results The chloroplast DNA and mitochondrial DNA were synchronously resequenced in a selected set of Brassica materials, which contain 72 accessions and maximally integrated the known Brassica species. The Brassica genomewide cpDNA and mtDNA variations have been identified. Detailed phylogenetic relationships inside and around Brassica genus have been delineated by the cpDNA- and mtDNA- variation derived phylogenies. Different from B. juncea and B. carinata, the natural B. napus contains three major cytoplasmic haplotypes: the cam-type which directly inherited from B. rapa, polima-type which is close to cam-type as a sister, and the mysterious but predominant nap-type. Certain sparse C-genome wild species might have primarily contributed the nap-type cytoplasm and the corresponding C subgenome to B. napus, implied by their con-clustering in both phylogenies. The strictly concurrent inheritance of mtDNA and cpDNA were dramatically disturbed in the B. napus cytoplasmic male sterile lines (e.g., mori and nsa). The genera Raphanus, Sinapis, Eruca, Moricandia show a strong parallel evolutional relationships with Brassica. Conclusions The overall variation data and elaborated phylogenetic relationships provide further insights into genetic understanding of Brassica, which can substantially facilitate the development of novel Brassica germplasms.

Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is prevalent and may present major adverse impacts on mother and child health. According to previous studies, mostly from the western society, PPD may have complicated etiologies, such as genetic, social and psychological factors. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of some social and clinical factors, particularly those unique in Chinese, with significant PPD symptoms. Methods A sample of 556 pregnant women in their 36th to 40th gestational week were randomly recruited in a cross-sectional study using a self-reported questionnaire, which collected maternal sociodemographic and clinical information. During their 2nd to 4th postpartum months, 522 participants responded to our screening of significant PPD symptoms, based on a score of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale ≥9. Results A total of 90 (17.3%) participants were identified with significant PPD symptoms, and the following factors were observed more frequently in women with significant PPD symptoms (PPD+) than with fewer symptoms (PPD−): intensive involvement of parents-in-law in a participant’s life (living together with her, taking care of her, or discriminating against a female baby), lack of support from husband, cesarean delivery, and breast milk insufficiency (supplemented with formula). After multiple logistic regression analysis, parents-in-law’s preference to baby boy while devaluing baby girl, dissatisfaction with husband’s support, cesarean delivery, and mixed feeding were strongly associated with significant PPD symptoms. Conclusion The potential risk factors for significant PPD symptoms, i.e., “son preference” custom, cesarean delivery and mixed feeding, deserve confirmation in continued, especially clinical diagnosis-based longitudinal studies.

Background Lead (Pb) pollution in soil has become one of the major environmental threats to plant growth and human health. Safe utilization of Pb contaminated soil by phytoremediation require Pb-tolerant rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) accessions. However, breeding of new B. napus cultivars tolerance to Pb stress has been restricted by limited knowledge on molecular mechanisms involved in Pb tolerance. This work was carried out to identify genetic loci related to Pb tolerance during seedling establishment in rapeseed. Results Pb tolerance, which was assessed by quantifying radicle length (RL) under 0 or 100 mg/L Pb stress condition, shown an extensive variation in 472 worldwide-collected rapeseed accessions. Based on the criterion of relative RL > 80%, six Pb-tolerant genotypes were selected. Four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with Pb tolerance were identified by Genome-wide association study. The expression level of nine promising candidate genes, including GSTUs, BCATs, UBP13, TBR and HIPP01, located in these four QTL regions, were significantly higher or induced by Pb in Pb-tolerant accessions in comparison to Pb-sensitive accessions. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study on Pb-tolerant germplasms and genomic loci in B. napus. The findings can provide valuable genetic resources for the breeding of Pb-tolerant B. napus cultivars and understanding of Pb tolerance mechanism in Brassica species.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are widely used in industrial production, environmental monitoring, and military applications. In the process of using, the node non-uniform distribution strategy can mitigate the energy hole and node suboptimal energy balance technology in wireless sensor networks. This paper discusses this strategy theoretically, proposes a node non-uniform distribution strategy, and it constructs a suboptimal energy balance algorithm, which based on the non-uniform distribution theory system. It has proved that in the circular network with non-uniform distribution of nodes, the uniform distributed method and the random non-uniform distributed method are tested and compared. The experimental results show that the non-uniform distributed method has high efficiency and good scalability, and it can be used to achieve the suboptimal energy balance. The simulation results also show that the nodes in the WSN are almost equal to the energy consumption.

A new highly selective and visible colorimetric fluorescent probe (probe 1) was developed to detect hydrazine (N2H4) concentration in real water samples. As different concentrations of N2H4 were added, the color of the probe solution was graded gradually from colorless to pink, which could be observed by the naked eye under UV light at 365 nm. Our research indicates that probe 1 offers a certain practical significance for use as a visible detection agent to detect N2H4 efficiently by distinct color response. Furthermore, our work showed that probe 1 can be successfully applied to detect N2H4 concentrations in real water samples.

This study developed principal component analysis and radial basis function neural networks (PCA-RBFNNs) for predicting freshness in tilapia fillets stored at different temperatures by integrating an electronic nose and electronic tongue. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total aerobic counts (TAC), and K value increased at 0, 4, 7, and 10 °C, while sensory scores decreased significantly. The electronic nose and tongue acquired the volatiles and dissolved chemical compounds in the stored samples. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) verified the changes in gas species and contents in fillets stored for different periods of time at different temperatures. PCA-RBFNNs based on data fusion were developed and presented good performance for prediction of TVB-N, TAC, K value, and sensory score in tilapia fillets. The established PCA-RBFNNs based on feature variables of the electronic nose and tongue is a promising method to predict changes in the freshness of fillets stored from 0 to 10 °C in the cold chain.

The carbonation is one of the main factors to cause the degradation of the properties in the reinforcement concrete structures. In this study, the effect of the material factors, i.e. the type and the particle size of cement, the calcium oxide content in the fly ash, the fineness modulus of fine aggregate, the types and the dosages of superplasticizers (SPs), on the carbonation properties of the concrete was studied. The carbonation coefficient (K) values of the concrete mixtures with various material factors were obtained. The control indexes of the material to resist against carbonation of the reinforced concrete were proposed. The test results show that the type and the particle size of cement, the calcium oxide content in the fly ash and the types of SPs have the significant influence on the carbonation coefficient (K). The concrete mixture with the excellent resistance against carbonation can be prepared by using cement with the fine particle size and the high-calcium fly ash and the PCA SP of lower dosage in the concrete.

There is significant genetic diversity within a species in terms of nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE), and genotypes with higher NUtE can help reduce nitrogen (N) fertilization rates and therefore mitigate ecological problems. Determining various characteristic differences in the NUtE of crops is helpful for dissecting the mechanisms of N use efficiency within crop species. In this study, a pot experiment, as well as a hydroponic experiment, was conducted to investigate the differences in oilseed rape biomass, N nutrition traits, N metabolism enzyme activity, root exudates and root RNA expression levels at the vegetative stage between the high and low NUtE genotypes. NUtE was negatively correlated with leaf SPAD values (− 0.341**), N accumulation (− 0.362*) and total biomass (− 0.395**), while there was no significant correlation between NUtE and N content (− 0.150 ns). The root biomass; primary root length and root activity; root N content and accumulation; transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance; root nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthetase activity; the number of alkanes; expression levels of BnNRT1.1 and BnNRT2.1 of the low NUtE genotypes were higher than those of the high NUtE ones. It was concluded that during the vegetative growth stage, compared with the high NUtE oilseed genotypes, low NUtE oilseed genotypes demonstrate higher physiological activity or stronger growth potency at the vegetative growth stage.

Background WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) genes encoding plant-specific homeobox (HB) transcription factors play important roles in the growth and development of plants. To date, WOX genes has been identified and analyzed in many polyploids (such as cotton and tobacco), but the evolutionary analysis of them during polyploidization is rare. With the completion of genome sequencing, allotetraploid Brassica napus and its diploid progenitors (B. rapa and B. oleracea) are a good system for studying this question. Results In this study, 52, 25 and 29 WOX genes were identified in allotetraploid B. napus (2n = 4x = 38, AnCn), the An genome donor B. rapa (2n = 2x = 20, Ar) and the Cn genome donor B. oleracea (2n = 2x = 18, Co), respectively. All identified WOX genes in B. napus and its diploid progenitors were divided into three clades, and these genes were selected to perform gene structure and chromosome location analysis. The results showed that at least 70 and 67% of WOX genes maintained the same gene structure and relative position on chromosomes, respectively, indicating that WOX genes in B. napus were highly conserved at the DNA level during polyploidization. In addition, the analysis of duplicated genes and transposable elements (TEs) near WOX genes showed that whole-genome triplication (WGT) events, segmental duplication and abundant TEs played important roles in the expansion of the WOX gene family in B. napus. Moreover, the analysis of the expression profiles of WOX gene pairs with evolutionary relationships suggested that the WOX gene family may have changed at the transcriptional regulation level during polyploidization. Conclusions The results of this study increased our understanding of the WOX genes in B. napus and its diploid progenitors, providing a rich resource for further study of WOX genes in these species. In addition, the changes in WOX genes during the process of polyploidization were discussed from the aspects of gene number, gene structure, gene relative location and gene expression, which provides a reference for future polyploidization analysis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5684-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Polyploidization is a common event in the evolutionary history of angiosperms, and there will be some changes in the genomes of plants other than a simple genomic doubling after polyploidization. Allotetraploid Brassica napus and its diploid progenitors (B. rapa and B. oleracea) are a good group for studying the problems associated with polyploidization. On the other hand, the EIN3/EIL gene family is an important gene family in plants, all members of which are key genes in the ethylene signaling pathway. Until now, the EIN3/EIL gene family in B. napus and its diploid progenitors have been largely unknown, so it is necessary to comprehensively identify and analyze this gene family. Results In this study, 13, 7 and 7 EIN3/EIL genes were identified in B. napus (2n = 4x = 38, AnCn), B. rapa (2n = 2x = 20, Ar) and B. oleracea (2n = 2x = 18, Co). All of the identified EIN3/EIL proteins were divided into 3 clades and further divided into 8 sub-clades. Ka/Ks analysis showed that all identified EIN3/EIL genes underwent purifying selection after the duplication events. Moreover, gene structure analysis showed that some EIN3/EIL genes in B. napus acquired introns during polyploidization, and homolog expression bias analysis showed that B. napus was biased towards its diploid progenitor B. rapa. The promoters of the EIN3/EIL genes in B. napus contained more cis-acting elements, which were mainly involved in endosperm gene expression and light responsiveness, than its diploid progenitors. Thus, B. napus might have potential advantages in some biological aspects. Conclusions The results indicated allotetraploid B. napus might have potential advantages in some biological aspects. Moreover, our results can increase the understanding of the evolution of the EIN3/EIL gene family in B. napus, and provided more reference for future research about polyploidization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-019-1716-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The role of phosphatidylserine (PS)-mediated procoagulant activity (PCA) in stroke remains unclear. To ascertain this role, early dynamic evolution of PS exposure on blood cells and released microparticles (MPs) and the corresponding PCA were evaluated in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Flow cytometry analyses revealed that initial levels of PS exposure on erythrocyte, platelet, and leukocyte were 2.40-, 1.36-, and 1.38-fold higher, respectively, in AIS than the risk factor-matched (RF) controls. Concomitantly, total PS+ MPs were increased in AIS (1949 ± 483/μl) compared with the RF group (1674 ± 387/μl; P = 0.019) and healthy controls (1052 ± 179/μl; P

Despite the common structure of vertebrates, the development of the vertebral column differs widely between teleosts and tetrapods in several respects, including the ossification of the centrum and the function of the notochord. In contrast to tetrapods, vertebral development in teleosts is not fully understood, particularly for large fish with highly ossified bones. We therefore examined the histology and gene expression profile of vertebral development in fugu, Takifugu rubripes, a model organism for genomic research. Ossification of the fugu centrum is carried out by outer osteoblasts expressing col1a1, col2a1, and sparc, and the growing centra completely divide the notochord into double cone-shaped segments that function as intercentral joints. In this process, the notochord basal cells produce a thick notochord sheath exhibiting Alcian-blue-reactive cartilaginous properties and composing the intercentral ligament in cooperation with the external ligament connective tissue. Synthesis of the matrix by the basal cells was ascertained by an in vitro test. Expression of twist2 indicates that this connective tissue is descended from the embryonic sclerotome. Notochord basal cells express sox9, ihhb, shh, and col2a1a, suggesting that the signaling system involved in chondrocyte proliferation and matrix production also functions in notochord cells for notochord sheath formation. We further found that the notochord expression of both ntla and shh is maintained in the fugu vertebral column, whereas it is turned off after embryogenesis in zebrafish. Thus, our results demonstrate that, in contrast to zebrafish, a dynamic morphogenesis and molecular network continues to function in fugu until the establishment of the adult vertebral column.

To the article “Cementing Technology of Salt-Paste Bed,” by Lanbo Xu Feng Qian, Xiangji Kong, Jiming Yuan, and Xiaoming Wu, Vol. 55, No. 4, pp. 457-462, September, 2019

Purpose Different fixation methods are used for treatment of unstable lateral clavicle fractures (LCF). Definitive consensus and guidelines for the surgical fixation of LCF have not been established. The aim of this study was to compare patient-reported functional outcome after open reduction and internal fixation with the clavicle hook plate (CHP) and the superior clavicle plate with lateral extension (SCPLE). Methods A dual-center retrospective cohort study was performed. All patients operatively treated for unstable Neer type II and type V LCF between 2011 and 2016, with the CHP (n = 23) or SCPLE (n = 53), were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was the QuickDASH score. Secondary outcomes were the numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score, complications, and implant removal. Results A total of 67 patients (88%) were available for the final follow-up. There was a significant difference in bicortical lateral fragment size, 15 mm (± 4, range 6–21) in the CPH group compared to 20 mm (± 8, range 8–43) in the SCPLE group (p ≤ 0.001). There was no significant difference in median QuickDASH score (CHP; 0.00 [IQR 0.0–0.0], SCPLE; 0.00 [IQR 0.0–4.5]; p = 0.073) or other functional outcome scores (NRS at rest; p = 0.373, NRS during activity; p = 0.559). There was no significant difference in median QuickDASH score or other functional outcome scores between Neer type II and type V fractures. There was no significant difference in complication rate, CHP 11% and SCPLE 8% (relative risk 1.26; [95% CI 0.25–6.33; p = 0.777]). The implant removal rate was 100% in the CHP group compared to 42% in the SCPLE group (relative risk 2.40; [95% CI 1.72–3.35; p ≤ 0.001]). Conclusion Both the CHP and SCPLE are effective fixation methods for the treatment of unstable LCF, resulting in excellent patient-reported functional outcome and similar complication rates. SCPLE fixation is an effective fixation method for the treatment of both Neer type II and type V LCF. The SCPLE has a lower implant removal rate. Therefore, if technically feasible, we recommend SCPLE fixation for the treatment of unstable LCF.

By genome-wide association study, QTLs for salt tolerance in rapeseed were detected, and a TSN1 ortholog was identified as a candidate gene responsible for genetic variation in cultivars. Dissecting the genomic regions governing abiotic stress tolerance is necessary for marker-assisted breeding to produce elite breeding lines. In this study, a world-wide collection of rapeseed was evaluated for salt tolerance. These rapeseed accessions showed a large variation for salt tolerance index ranging from 0.311 to 0.999. Although no significant correlation between salt tolerance and Na+ content was observed, there was a significant negative correlation between shoot biomass production under a control condition and salt tolerance. These rapeseed accessions were genotyped by DArTseq for a total of 51,109 genetic markers, which were aligned with ‘pseudomolecules’ representative of the genome of rapeseed to locate their hypothetical order for association mapping. A total of 62 QTLs for salt tolerance, shoot biomass, and ion-homeostasis-related traits were identified by association mapping using both the P and Q+K models. Candidate genes located within the QTL regions were also shortlisted. Sequence analysis showed many polymorphisms for BnaaTSN1. Three of them in the coding region resulting in a premature stop codon or frameshift were found in most of the sensitive lines. Loss-of-function mutations showed a significant association with salt tolerance in B. napus.

New data indicate that abnormal glomerular endothelial cell (GEC)-podocyte crosstalk plays a critical role in diabetic nephropathy (DN). The aim of our study is to investigate the role of exosomes from high glucose (HG)-treated GECs in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and dysfunction of podocytes. In this study, exosomes were extracted from GEC culture supernatants and podocytes were incubated with the GEC-derived exosomes. Here, we demonstrate that HG induces the endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) of GECs and HG-treated cells undergoing the EndoMT secrete more exosomes than normal glucose (NG)-treated GECs. We show that GEC-derived exosomes can be internalized by podocytes and exosomes from HG-treated cells undergoing an EndoMT-like process can trigger the podocyte EMT and barrier dysfunction. Our study reveals that TGF-β1 mRNA is enriched in exosomes from HG-treated GECs and probably mediates the EMT and dysfunction of podocytes. In addition, our experimental results illustrate that canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is involved in the exosome-induced podocyte EMT. Our findings suggest the importance of paracrine communication via exosomes between cells undergoing the EndoMT and podocytes for renal fibrosis in DN. Thus, protecting GECs from the EndoMT and inhibiting TGF-β1-containing exosomes release from GECs is necessary to manage renal fibrosis in DN.

Embryo development represents a crucial developmental period in the life cycle of flowering plants. To gain insights into the genetic programs that control embryo development in Brassica rapa L., RNA sequencing technology was used to perform transcriptome profiling analysis of B. rapa developing embryos. The results generated 42,906,229 sequence reads aligned with 32,941 genes. In total, 27,760, 28,871, 28,384, and 25,653 genes were identified from embryos at globular, heart, early cotyledon, and mature developmental stages, respectively, and analysis between stages revealed a subset of stage-specific genes. We next investigated 9,884 differentially expressed genes with more than fivefold changes in expression and false discovery rate ≤0.001 from three adjacent-stage comparisons; 1,514, 3,831, and 6,633 genes were detected between globular and heart stage embryo libraries, heart stage and early cotyledon stage, and early cotyledon and mature stage, respectively. Large numbers of genes related to cellular process, metabolism process, response to stimulus, and biological process were expressed during the early and middle stages of embryo development. Fatty acid biosynthesis, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and photosynthesis-related genes were expressed predominantly in embryos at the middle stage. Genes for lipid metabolism and storage proteins were highly expressed in the middle and late stages of embryo development. We also identified 911 transcription factor genes that show differential expression across embryo developmental stages. These results increase our understanding of the complex molecular and cellular events during embryo development in B. rapa and provide a foundation for future studies on other oilseed crops.

Almost all current automatic service composition (ASC) algorithms consider only single nonfunctional requirements, namely quality of service (QoS), which cannot satisfy the real application. This paper proposes MAT (multi-QoS aware top-K ASC) algorithm to realize the high-efficiency exploring and ranking of composition scheme by synthesizing more nonfunctional goals. MAT algorithm explores composition schemes by the skyline technique based on tape model and ranks these schemes by a modified binary tree. Using Web service challenge (WSC) 2009 dataset, we verify the performance of MAT algorithm and the experimental result is even close to the current fastest ASC algorithm considering only single QoS.

Dear Editor, We read with great interest the paper [1]. The author conducted a meta-analysis of 13 case–control studies to estimate the association of Ala499Val, Lys939Gln, and PAT polymorphisms in XPC gene with lung cancer. His meta-analysis think that there is no significant association of these polymorphisms with lung cancer. It is a valuable study. Nevertheless, careful examination of the data provided by the author (Table 1 in the original text) revealed some issues that are worth noticing. First, the ethnicity is inconsistent with the original studies. One study was a population-based case–control study of lung cancer in Xuan Wei, China [2]. And the other study examined variants in six NER genes (include XPC) in association with primary lung cancer risk among 113 Latino and 255 African American [3]. But they were used as Caucasian for data analysis. Second, the same text data referenced twice. There are two articles that have the same author, same writing time, exactly same case–control samples. After checking carefully the original article, we found they are two versions of an article, a publication in Chinese journal [4], the other is included in the foreign journal [5]. Therefore, we reassessed the association between XPC Ala499Val, Lys939Gln polymorphisms, and lung cancer (result in Table 2). In addition, we update with a new article [6] about the association between Lys939Gln polymorphisms and lung cancer, and another hotspot PAT polymorphism which is in XPC gene to our meta-analysis (Table 3) [7–14]. Though the Table 4 showed that there was no significant difference for association of XPC Ala499Val polymorphisms with lung cancer under the additive model, dominant model, and recessive model. However, there was an association of PAT polymorphisms with lung cancer in Caucasian which was under recessive model (OR=1.307; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.037~1.648; p=0.023) (Fig. 1). The people with Glu/Glu had more inflexibility compared with the Lys-carriers, according to the recessive model (OR=1.257; 95 % CI, 1.038~1.522; p=0.013) (Fig. 2).

Considerable genome variation had been incorporated within rapeseed breeding programs over past decades. In past decades, there have been substantial changes in phenotypic properties of rapeseed as a result of extensive breeding effort. Uncovering the underlying patterns of allelic variation in the context of genome organisation would provide knowledge to guide future genetic improvement. We assessed genome-wide genetic changes, including population structure, genetic relatedness, the extent of linkage disequilibrium, nucleotide diversity and genetic differentiation based on F ST outlier detection, for a panel of 472 Brassica napus inbred accessions using a 60 k Brassica Infinium® SNP array. We found genetic diversity varied in different sub-groups. Moreover, the genetic diversity increased from 1950 to 1980 and then remained at a similar level in China and Europe. We also found ~6–10 % genomic regions revealed high F ST values. Some QTLs previously associated with important agronomic traits overlapped with these regions. Overall, the B. napus C genome was found to have more high F ST signals than the A genome, and we concluded that the C genome may contribute more valuable alleles to generate elite traits. The results of this study indicate that considerable genome variation had been incorporated within rapeseed breeding programs over past decades. These results also contribute to understanding the impact of rapeseed improvement on available genome variation and the potential for dissecting complex agronomic traits.

It is important to evaluate yield and agronomic traits when selecting for elite lines in Brassica napus L. In this study, 488 global collections of B. napus L. were evaluated for yield and agronomic traits during two consecutive years under growing conditions in central China. A series of phenotypic data for yield and agronomic traits were obtained. Large variations in yield and agronomic traits were found among these accessions, making selection possible for these characters. Chinese accessions, in general, tended to have higher plot yield (POY), higher seed yield per plant (PY), higher thousand-seed weight (TSW), more seeds per silique (SS), and fewer siliques per plant (PS) than foreign accessions. Comparing winter, semi-winter, and spring accessions, semi-winter accessions tended to have the highest POY, highest PY, highest TSW, most SS and fewest PS. Genotypic variation for TSW accounted for 71.23 % of the total variation, and it was the highest for all 12 of the phenotypic traits. Significant correlations were observed between different traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that significant variation among the traits with the first four principal components could explain 49.8 % of the total variation. Three major groups (winter, spring and semi-winter oilseed rape accessions) could be distinguished when projecting the accessions onto the first two PCAs. The information on variations in yield and agronomic traits detected in this study provided useful parents for rapeseed breeding. Moreover, the phenotypic data on yield and agronomic traits obtained may be used in our subsequent genome-wide association studies for B. napus.

Efficient capture data on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) determines early-stage cancer diagnosis and contributes to timely clinical treatment. We present an enhanced method of capturing CTCs accomplished by a microfluidic device integrated with magnetic field to activate the kinetic motion of in-device magnetic beads. The device, consisting of a microfluidic chamber and two electrode chips applied with pulsatile alternating current in both, is designed based on simulations on the periodicity characteristic of magnetic beads as well as the effect of heat dissipation on cell culture medium manifest. Using MEMS technologies, the prototype is fabricated and assembled. The cell capture experiments based on active magnetic beads are achieved in separation of rare cancer cells (MCF7 cells) with low concentration. The capture rate is estimated up to 88 %, with great potential of dramatically improving detection efficiency in disease diagnostics.

In this paper, based on the observer concept and adaptive control approach, we present a general and systematic research on estimating uncertain information in complex networks, which includes the unknown delays, node parameters and network topologies. Specifically, two novel approaches for simultaneous estimation of unknown coupling delays and node parameters, as well as the node delays and topology weights, are proposed and proved in this paper. Several typical examples are presented to verify the effectiveness of these approaches. The numerical results also show that the delay estimation approach is applicable for online monitoring of dynamical complex networks with time-varying delays.

This study aimed to survey the characteristics and treatments of cancer pain in Beijing hospitals, China. At 20:00 on December 22, 2009, there conducted a questionnaire survey in 2238 patients with malignant tumors of 26 hospitals in Beijing, and the survey results were statistically analyzed. The 531 cases in 2238 patients had pained and 121 cases (22.79%) had outbreak pain with one week. At 20:00 on December 22, 2009, 199 cases (38%) in the above-mentioned 531 pain patients suffered the moderate to severe pain (pain scores ≥ 4). The number of pain (pain scores ≥ 4) patients in the consecutive three days from December 20 to December 22 were 150. In the 531 cancer pain patients of the surveyed hospitals, 38% of the patients were not satisfied with the pain control. Doctors believed that the main reason for pain not controlled was the non-standard treatment, but patients considered to be afraid of addiction.

To further understand the relationships between the SS genome of Sinapis arvensis and the AA, BB genomes in Brassica, genomic DNA of Sinapis arvensis was hybridized to the metaphase chromosomes of Brassica nigra (BB genome), and the metaphase chromosomes and interphase nucleus of Brassica rapa (AA genome) by comparative genomic in situ hybridization (cGISH). As a result, every chromosome of B. nigra had signals along the whole chromosomal length. However, only half of the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus and the chromosomes showed rich signals in Brassica rapa. Interphase nucleus and the metaphase chromosomes of S. arvensis were simultaneously hybridized with digoxigenin-labeled genomic DNA of B. nigra and biotin-labeled genomic DNA of B. rapa. Signals of genomic DNA of B. nigra hybridized throughout the length of all chromosomes and all the condensed heterochromatic areas in the interphase nucleus, except chromosome 4, of which signals were weak in centromeric regions. Signals of the genomic DNA of B. rapa patterned the most areas of ten chromosomes and ten condensed heterochromatic areas, others had less signals. The results showed that the SS genome had homology with AA and BB genomes, but the homology between SS genome and AA genome was clearly lower than that between the SS genome and BB genome.

Genetic changes were investigated in two sets of independently synthesized Brasscia napus allopolyploids by the AFLP approach in the present study. We found that 1.17 % of the loci showed genetic changes following both hybridization and genome doubling in the synthesized B. napus F04J2 relative to its diploid progenitors, B. rapa (AA genome) and B. oleracea (CC genome). No significant difference between the proportion of A-genome-specific genetic changes and that of C-genome-specific genetic changes was detected in B. napus F04J2. Approximately 0.6 % of the loci displayed genetic changes following somatic genome doubling in the amphidiploid B. napus DCE11 relative to the amphihaploid in the dimorphic plants. This study showed that rapid genetic changes occurred after hybridization and/or genome doubling in synthesized B. napus allopolyploids and indicated that both hybridization and genome doubling could affect the genomic architecture in newly formed allopolyploids.

Single-crystalline Ag2Se complex nanostructures have been synthesized via a solvothermal route in which selenophene (C4H4Se) as a selenylation source reacts with AgNO3 at a temperature of 240 °C. An orthorhombic phase β-Ag2Se nanostructure was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The wettability of the as-synthesized β-Ag2Se nanostructure was studied by measurement of the water contact angle (CA). Static water CA values of over 150° were obtained, which can be attributed to the β-Ag2Se complex nanostructure having a combination of micro- and nanostructures. The superhydrophobic Ag2Se nanostructure may find applications in self-cleaning. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized β-Ag2Se nanostructure was evaluated by photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation.

Mangrove forests and associated gei wai (excavated ponds used for shrimp and fish farming) provide important ecosystem services in Shenzhen Bay. Much of the mangrove and gei wai wetlands, however, have been lost because of intensified human activities in the past 30 years. Using five-phase remote-sensing images, we describe the recent history of the spatial–temporal dynamics for the wetlands in the bay. From 1986 to 2007, mangrove area increased from 1.8 to 4.8 km2, while the area of gei wai decreased from 36.6 to 17.2 km2. Reclamation of gei wai mainly occurred in western and northern Shenzhen Bay, and changed the tidal water environment. The bay has five typical mangrove communities: Avicennia marina + Kandelia candel + Aegiceras corniculatum, Kandelia candel + Aegiceras corniculatum + Acanthus ilicifolius, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza + Excoecaria agallocha, Aegiceras corniculatum, and Sonneratia apetala + Sonneratia caseolaris. The distribution of these communities and their dominant species in the bay exhibit a spatial pattern and temporal (successional) sequence. We describe a mangrove restoration program based on the mangrove successional sequence and the interaction of mangrove and gei wai in the bay. We have planned six mangrove protection and restoration projects in closed areas, semiclosed areas, and open areas to reconstruct the ecological integrity of the entire Shenzhen Bay.

A white organic light emitting device (WOLED) combining the blue organic light emitting device with a red color conversion layer (CCL) is reported, which includes a fluorescent material N-(4-((E)-2-(6-((E)-4-(diphenylamino) styryl)naphtha len-2-yl)vinyl) phenyl)-N-phenylbenzenamine (N-BDAVBi) doped into 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) as the blue light emitting layer, and the poly (2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene (MEH-PPV) as a red CCL. By optimizing the concentration of MEH-PPV in the CCL, a good white light emission is obtained, which shows that the stable CIE coordinates of (0.33, 0.34) will have a slight change when the driving voltage is increased from 6 to 11 V. The maximum brightness and current efficiency of the optimized device are 11294 cd/m2 and 6.4 cd/A, respectively.