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The Shimian Neoproterozoic plutons are located on the western margin of the Yangtze Block and are important for reconstructing the tectonic environment of this region. We present in situ zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb geochronological and Hf isotopic analyses for the plutons, as well as whole‐rock major‐ and trace‐element compositions. The monzogranite and syenogranite yield concordant ages of 773.6 ± 5.6 Ma and 812.2 ± 1.8 Ma, respectively, which indicates that they formed during the Tonian of the Neoproterozoic. The samples have very similar geochemistry, with high SiO2 (71.45–75.46 wt%) and Al2O3 (12.38–14.36 wt%) contents. The samples have a geochemical characteristics typical of peraluminous A‐type granites, including high Ga/Al and Rb/Sr ratios and elevated contents of high‐field‐strength elements. The samples also display high Rb/Sr (13.9–23.0) and Rb/Nb (12.5–19.2) ratios. The monzogranite and syenogranite yield positive εHf(t) values (+1.6 to +9.4 and + 5.2 to +9.8, respectively) and T2DM ages of 1.54–1.22 Ga and 1.51–1.21 Ga, respectively, which indicates that they were derived from partial melting of Mesoproterozoic crust or contamination with upper mantle. We propose that the syenogranite and monzogranite formed in a syn‐orogenic extensional setting during the Tonian period and that continuous subduction was responsible for the Neoproterozoic magmatic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient's privacy-preserving, security and mutual authentication between patient and the medical server are the important mechanism in connected health care applications, such as telecare medical information systems and personally controlled health records systems. In 2013, Wen showed that Das et al.'s scheme is vulnerable to the replay attack, user impersonation attacks and off-line guessing attacks, and then proposed an improved scheme using biometrics, password and smart card to overcome these weaknesses. However, we show that Wen's scheme is still vulnerable to off-line password guessing attacks, does not provide user's anonymity and perfect forward secrecy. Further, we propose an improved scheme to fix these weaknesses, and use the applied pi calculus based formal verification tool ProVerif to prove the security and authentication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to convert the English version of the Evaluation of Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of life (EASi-QoL) into a Chinese version, and to test the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of EASi-QoL. Methods: The EASi-QoL was translated into Chinese. A total of 127 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were evaluated using the Chinese version of EASi-QoL to test its validity and reliability. Internal and test–retest reliability was assessed. In addition, correlation and exploratory factor analyses evaluating the structural, convergent, and criterion-related validities of this measure were performed. Results: The total Cronbach's α coefficient of the Chinese version of EASi-QoL was 0.911. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value of the scale in this study was 0.917, and the Bartlett's test value was 2403.499. The convergent validity of the related domains was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis; and the average variance extracted values corresponding to the four dimensions were all > 0.5, and the composite reliability values were all > 0.7. Discriminative validity analysis showed that the correlation between the four domains of EASi-QoL and their related domains of the depression/anxiety screening scale and the Medical Outcomes study Short-Form 36 were moderate to high. Conclusion: The Chinese version of EASi-QoL has high reliability and validity, and can reflect the impact of AS on the quality of life. Key Points • The Chinese version of EASi-QoL can accurately measure the impact of AS on the quality of life from the perspective of a patient. It is applicable to the evaluation of AS patients in China • The Chinese version of EASi-QoL is a scale with good reliability and validity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese orchids symbolise nobility and gentility in China, and the variation of leaf color makes Cymbidium sinense more diversified and valuable. However, its color variations especially at the protein level still remain largely unexplored. In this study, the proteomics and phosphoproteomics of Cymbidium sinense leaf color variation mutants were studied. A total of 1059 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) and 1127 differentially abundant phosphorylation sites belonging to 644 phosphoproteins (DAPPs) were identified in the yellow section of leaf variegation mutant of Cymbidium sinense (MY) compared with the green section (MG). Moreover, 349 co-expressing proteins were found in both omics' datasets, while only 26 proteins showed the same expression patterns in the two omics. The interaction network analysis of kinases and phosphatases showed that DAPs and DAPPs in photosynthesis, response to hormones, pigment metabolic process, phosphorylation, glucose metabolic process, and dephosphorylation might contribute to leaf color variation. The abundance of 28 Hsps and 28 phosphorylation sites belonging to 10 Hsps showed significant differences between MG and MY. CsHsp70 was selected to explore the function in Cymbidium sinense leaf variegation. The results showed CsHsp70 is essential for maintaining photosynthetic pigment content and the 399S phosphorylation site is crucial to the function of CsHsp70. Collectively, our findings construct a comprehensive coverage of protein and protein phosphorylation in leaf variegation of C. sinense , providing valuable insights into its formation mechanisms. • Changes in proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiles in Cymbidium sinense leaf variegation. • 28 Hsps and 28 phosphorylation sites belonging to 10 Hsps showed significant differences between MG and MY. • Cymbidium sinense CsHsp70 399S-A reduces chlorophyll contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt and drought-induced RING finger1 (SDIR1) is a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase that plays a key role in ABA-mediated responses to salinity and drought stress via the ubiquitination pathway in some plant species. However, its function in wheat (Triticum aestivum) is unknown. Here, we isolated a SDIR1 member in wheat, TaSDIR1-4A , and characterized its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. DNA polymorphism assays showed the presence of two nucleotide variation sites in the promoter region of TaSDIR1-4A , leading to the detection of the haplotypes Hap-4A-1 and Hap-4A-2 in wheat populations. Association analysis showed that TaSDIR1-4A haplotypes were associated with 1000-grain weight (TGW) across a variety of different environments, including well-watered and heat-stress conditions. Genotypes with Hap-4A-2 had higher TGW than those with Hap-4A-1. Phenotypes in both gene-silenced wheat and transgenic Arabidopsis showed that TaSDIR1-4A was a negative regulator of grain size. Gene expression assays indicated that TaSDIR1-4A was most highly expressed in flag leaves, and expression was higher in Hap-4A-1 accessions than in Hap-4A-2 accessions. The difference might be attributable to the fact that TaERF3 (ethylene response factor) can act as a transcriptional repressor of TaSDIR1-4A in Hap-4A-2 but not in Hap-4A-1. Examination of modern wheat varieties shows that the favorable haplotype has been positively selected in breeding programs in China. The functional marker for TaSDIR1-4A developed in this study should be helpful for future wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Are there any differences between in vivo (IVV) and in vitro (IVT) matured metaphase II (MII) oocytes at the molecular level?Summary Answer: Between IVV and IVT oocytes, 507 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified; the non-CpG methylomes were significantly different, but the CpG methylomes and genomic copy number variations (CNVs) were similar.What Is Known Already: A previous study using microarray and single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that numerous genes were differentially expressed between IVV and IVT oocytes. Independent studies of DNA methylation profiling in human oocytes have revealed negative correlations between gene transcription and the DNA methylation level at gene promoter regions. No study has compared global CpG or non-CpG methylation between these two groups of oocytes. Although a high level of aneuploidy has been reported in MII oocytes, no direct comparison of IVV and IVT oocytes based on single-cell sequencing data has been performed.Study Design, Size, Duration: We collected eight IVV oocytes from six patients and seven IVT oocytes from seven patients and then analysed each oocyte using the previously established single-cell triple omics sequencing (scTrioseq) analysis to determine associations among the transcriptome, DNA methylome and chromosome ploidy in the oocytes.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: All IVV oocytes were donated by patients who received 150 IU gonadotropin per day from the third day of their menstrual cycle, followed by GnRH antagonist after 5 days of gonadotropin stimulation. All IVT oocytes were from immature oocytes which were donated by volunteers undergoing delivery by caesarean section then cultured in oocyte maturation medium containing 75 mIU/ml hMG for 24 to 48 h. Every single oocyte was analysed using the previously established single-cell multiomic sequencing analysis.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: There were 507 genes differentially expressed between the IVV (n = 8) and IVT (n = 7) oocytes, even though their global transcriptome profiles were similar. The enriched genes in IVV oocytes were related to the cell cycle process while those in IVT oocytes were related to mitochondrial respiration biogenesis. Although the global CpG methylation of the two groups of oocytes was similar, the non-CpG methylation level in IVV oocytes was higher than that in IVT oocytes. A high aneuploidy ratio was found in both groups, but the aneuploidy did not affect transcription according to the correlation analysis.Large-scale Data: N/A.Limitations and Reasons For Caution: Due to the difficulty in collecting MII oocytes, especially IVV matured oocytes, the sample size was limited.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Our findings indicate that single-cell multiomic sequencing can be utilised to examine the similarity and differences between IVV and IVT matured MII oocytes.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2017YFC1001601). The donated oocytes were collected by Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital. The authors declare no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based upon the centralized model, it first measured the data envelopment analysis (DEA) efficiencies of 31 regions of China in 2010 with considering their internal three major properties. Then it obtained the efficiency and the relative importance for each property using the efficiency decomposition method in the premise of keeping the region efficiency unchanged. Moreover, it also investigated the returns to scale (RTS) of each property in each region. The empirical results indicate that overall efficiencies of regions are relative low. The efficiency and the relative importance for the primary property are relative low. There is a small difference for the average efficiencies of the secondary property and tertiary property, but the relative importance for the tertiary property is higher than the secondary property in most of regions. In addition, from the perspective of the RTS, most of regions are in the stage of the decreasing return scale (DRS). The primary property and tertiary property in most of regions are in the stage of the increasing return scale (IRS). The secondary properties in most of regions have been in the stage of the DRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thymosin α1can markedly decrease 28-day mortality (HR, 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.63, P = 0.013) and attenuate acute lung injury (P = 0.036) in critical type COVID-19 patients. • Thymosin α1 can markedly prolonged the hospital length of stay (P = 0.024) as well as the total duration of the disease (P = 0.001) in the critical type COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 characterized by refractory hypoxemia increases patient mortality because of immunosuppression effects. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of immunomodulatory with thymosin α1 for critical COVID-19 patients. This multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed in 8 government-designated treatment centers for COVID-19 patients in China from Dec. 2019 to Mar. 2020. Thymosin α1 was administrated with 1.6 mg qd or q12 h for >5 days. The primary outcomes were the 28-day and 60-day mortality, the secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay and the total duration of the disease. Subgroup analysis was carried out according to clinical classification. Of the 334 enrolled COVID-19 patients, 42 (12.6%) died within 28 days, and 55 (16.5%) died within 60 days of hospitalization. There was a significant difference in the 28-day mortality between the thymosin α1 and non-thymosin α1-treated groups in adjusted model (P = 0.016), without obvious differences in the 60-day mortality and survival time in the overall cohort (P > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, it was found that thymosin α1 therapy significantly reduced 28-day mortality (Hazards Ratios HR, 0.11, 95% confidence interval CI 0.02–0.63, P =0.013) via improvement of Pa0 2 /FiO 2 (P = 0.036) and prolonged the hospital length of stay (P = 0.024) as well as the total duration of the disease (P =0.001) in the critical type patients, especially those aged over 64 years, with white blood cell >6.8×109/L, neutrophil >5.3×109/L, lymphocyte < 0.73 × 109/L, PaO 2 /FiO 2 < 196, SOFA > 3, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II > 7. These results suggest that treatment with thymosin α1 can markedly decrease 28-day mortality and attenuate acute lung injury in critical type COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]