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Penaeus chinensis is one of the most economically important species in northern China. Strong market demand requires the expansion of aquaculture production capacity of P. chinensis. Saline-alkali water covers approximately 46 million hectares in China alone, primarily distributed in the northeast, northwest, and coastal areas. Low salinity, high carbonate alkalinity, high pH, and complex ionic composition are characteristics of such waters, which cause stress to aquatic animals by interfering with physiological homeostasis. High carbonate alkalinity can directly damage the gill tissue of crustaceans. The inhabitation of ion-exchange can result in alkalosis. The understanding of response mechanisms to saline-alkali stress in P. chinensis will contribute to the sustainable development of the shrimp industry.ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are one of the most prominent families of transmembrane proteins. ABC transporters can transport molecules, such as inorganic ions, sugars, amino acids, lipids, peptides, specialized metabolites, and xenobiotic agents, across membranes by binding and hydrolyzing ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Members of the ABCG subfamily consist of a single ABC cassette in the amino terminal followed by six putative transmembrane domains, and thus, are referred to as half-sized ABC transporters. Members of this family play an important role in the efflux transport of cholesterol. The ABCG subfamily participates in signal transduction, antiviral defense, and antigen presentation through hormone transport and lipid metabolism, thus helping plants adapt to changing environments. Several members of this gene family show different expression patterns in P. chinensis when exposed to saline-alkali stress. Therefore, we aimed to explore the ABC functions in resistance to alkalosis in P. chinensis.In this study, ABCG5 (GenBank accession number: OQ318160) was identified in P. chinensis and named PcABCG5. The full length of PcABCG5 was 1, 923 base pairs, encoding 640 amino acids. The estimated molecular mass was 71.39 kDa, and the theoretical isoelectric point was 9.12. Subcellular localization prediction showed that PcABCG5 was located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The PcABCG5 protein contained an NBD (nucleotide-binding domains) and a TMD domain (transmembrane domain) and had no signal peptide. Homology and phylogenetic analysis showed that PcABCG5 was highly conserved and that mature PcABCG5 shared 98.91% and 97.97% similarity with ABCG5 sequences from Penaeus monodon and Penaeus japonicus, respectively. PcABCG5 expression profiles were assessed by qPCR. PcABCG5 mRNA was detected in the eyestalk, gills, heart, muscle, intestine, hepatopancreas, stomach, and hemolymph. Our results showed that saline-alkali stress induced significant upregulation of PcABCG5 and that the expression of PcABCG5 was highest in the gills. This may be owing to the location of the gills between the external and internal environments. Osmotic pressure regulation by ABCG transporters in the gills is the primary mechanism by which P. chinensis copes with saline-alkali stress. To determine the function of PcABCG5, dsRNA against PcABCG5 was successfully injected and PcABCG5 was downregulated by 82.9% (P < 0.05). At 48 h after RNAi, we observed a 20% increase in mortality of PcABCG5 mRNA knockdown shrimp, which verified that PcABCG5 participated in the response and improved the survivability of P. chinensis under acute saline-alkali stress. Co-expressed ABCG5 and ABCG8 formed heteromeric dimers that participated in lipid transport. They also affected membrane permeability by regulating the asymmetric distribution of membrane lipids. It was also evident that saline-alkali stress induced ion and osmotic stress. We speculated that PcABCG5 may participate in the maintenance of osmotic homeostasis by hydrolyzing ATP to release energy and enhance the transport function.In conclusion, the full length cDNA of PcABCG5 was cloned in P. chinensis. PcABCG5 was upregulated under saline-alkali stress. Moreover, RNAi resulted in increased mortality of PcABCG5-silenced shrimp under saline-alkali stress. Therefore, it can be concluded that PcABCG5 is involved in the response to saline-alkali stress in P. chinenesis. Our findings provide information for further understanding the genetic basis of saline-alkali tolerance and exploring the molecular breeding of P. chinensis.

Abstract Exopalaemon carinicauda, a eurythermal and euryhaline shrimp, contributes one third of the total biomass production of polyculture ponds in eastern China and is considered as a potential ideal experimental animal for research on crustaceans. We conducted a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of E. carinicauda combining PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing data. The total assembly size was 5.86 Gb, with a contig N50 of 235.52 kb and a scaffold N50 of 138.24 Mb. Approximately 95.29% of the assembled sequences were anchored onto 45 pseudochromosomes. BUSCO analysis revealed that 92.89% of 1,013 single-copy genes were highly conserved orthologs. A total of 44, 288 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 70.53% were functionally annotated. Given its high heterozygosity (2.62%) and large proportion of repeat sequences (71.49%), it is one of the most complex genome assemblies. This chromosome-scale genome will be a valuable resource for future molecular breeding and functional genomics research on E. carinicauda.

Abstract Background Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process in eukaryotes that contributes to cell survival in response to multiple stresses and is important for organism fitness. Extensive research has shown that autophagy plays a pivotal role in both viral infection and replication processes. Despite the increasing research dedicated to autophagy, investigations into shrimp autophagy are relatively scarce. Results Based on three different methods, a total of 20 members of the ATGs were identified from F. chinensis, all of which contained an autophagy domain. These genes were divided into 18 subfamilies based on their different C-terminal domains, and were found to be located on 16 chromosomes. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results showed that ATG genes were extensively distributed in all the tested tissues, with the highest expression levels were detected in muscle and eyestalk. To clarify the comprehensive roles of ATG genes upon biotic and abiotic stresses, we examined their expression patterns. The expression levels of multiple ATGs showed an initial increase followed by a decrease, with the highest expression levels observed at 6 h and/or 24 h after WSSV injection. The expression levels of three genes (ATG1, ATG3, and ATG4B) gradually increased until 60 h after injection. Under low-salt conditions, 12 ATG genes were significantly induced, and their transcription abundance peaked at 96 h after treatment. Conclusions These results suggested that ATG genes may have significant roles in responding to various environmental stressors. Overall, this study provides a thorough characterization and expression analysis of ATG genes in F. chinensis, laying a strong foundation for further functional studies and promising potential in innate immunity.

High pH is a significant form of abiotic stress in Fenneropenaeus chinensis, affecting multiple cellular structures and metabolic pathways. Utilizing a combination of genome-wide association study (GWAS), quantitative trait locus analysis (QTL), and selective sweep analysis, we pinpointed 19 QTLs that contribute to high pH tolerance of F. chinensis. By integrating with transcriptome data and functional annotations, we further verified four candidate genes: TCPG, TMEM9, PSA7, and ZNF773. Notably, we also detected a candidate gene, Octbeta1R, in a highly differentiated regions on Chr34 (Fst = 0.086). This region exhibited significant genetic divergence between the high pH sensitive and tolerant groups, overlapping with three major QTLs. The expression levels of these candidate genes differed significantly between the two groups, further supporting their involvement in pH tolerance. In addition, a GWAS was conducted using 631,266 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The analysis identified 136 loci that were significantly associated with the high pH tolerance. Five candidate genes, namely HMCN1, NUDFAF7, SCARB1, NUBP2, and NAT10 were annotated based on their expression patterns and association with selective sweep regions. Haploblock analysis of ANKL2 gene revealed three functional mutations and significant differences in survival time after high pH stress were observed between haplotypes. The findings provide valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying high pH tolerance in Chinese shrimp. These discoveries pave the way for the development of breeding strategies that can enhance the resilience of this important aquaculture species against environmental stressors such as high pH levels. The identification of candidate genes and QTLs also offers potential targets for molecular genetic investigations and breeding efforts aimed at improving the adaptability of F. chinensis to changing environmental conditions.

The evolution of microstructures during the hot working of metallic materials determines their workability and properties. Recrystallization is an important softening mechanism in material forming that has been extensively researched in recent decades. This paper comprehensively reviews the basic methods and their applications in numerical simulations of dynamic recrystallization (DRX). The advantages and shortcomings of simulation methods are evaluated. Mean field models are used to implicitly describe the DRX process and are embedded into a finite element (FE) program for forming. These models provide recrystallization volume fraction and average grain size in the FE results without requiring extra computational resources. However, they do not accurately describe the microphysical mechanism, leading to a lower simulation accuracy. On the other hand, full field methods explicitly predict grain topology on a mesoscopic scale, fully considering the microscopic physical mechanism. This enhances the simulation accuracy but requires a significant amount of computational resources. Recently, the coupling of full field methods with polycrystal plasticity models and precipitation models has rapidly developed, considering more influencing factors of recrystallization on a microscale. Furthermore, integration with evolving machine learning methods has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of recrystallization simulation.

Compared to the AC counterpart, the DC shore power system provides a significant advantage of efficient power supply from renewable sources to ships and onshore loads. Super-capacitors serve as key energy storage units in such a system to buffer the power fluctuations and collect the regenerative energy. However, the ultra-wide voltage range of super-capacitors imposes a significant challenge in the topology selection and efficiency optimization of the interfacing isolated bidirectional DC–DC converter. To tackle this challenge, this paper analyzes and compares two promising converter topologies, which are a configurable modular two-level dual-active bridge (CM-2L-DAB) and a three-level dual-active bridge (3L-DAB). To facilitate an ultra-wide voltage range, extended phase-shift (EPS) modulation in conjunction with the topology reconfiguration is analyzed for the CM-2L-DAB, while a hybrid modulation scheme is proposed for the 3L-DAB. A unified design approach is provided for both topologies, which also yields to the power loss modeling. On this basis, the CM-2L-DAB and 3L-DAB are thoroughly compared in terms of the modulation schemes, current stress, soft-switching operation, power conversion efficiency, material usage, closed-loop control scheme, and reliability. A prominent conclusion can be drawn that the CM-2L-DAB provides a higher efficiency than the 3L-DAB over the whole voltage range, but it relies on additional relays to reconfigure its topology which results in lower reliability and dynamic performance than the 3L-DAB.

Metabolomics has been used extensively to identify crucial molecules and biochemical effects induced by environmental factors. To understand the effects of acute low-salinity stress on Fenneropenaeus chinensis, intestinal histological examination and untargeted metabonomic analysis of F. chinensis were performed after exposure to a salinity of 15 ppt for 3, 7, and 14 d. The histological examination revealed that acute stress resulted in most epithelial cells rupturing, leading to the dispersion of nuclei in the intestinal lumen after 14 days. Metabolomics analysis identified numerous differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) at different time points after exposure to low-salinity stress, in which some DEMs were steadily downregulated at the early stage of stress and then gradually upregulated. We further screened 14 overlapping DEMs, in which other DEMs decreased significantly during low-salinity stress, apart from L-palmitoylcarnitine and vitamin A, with enrichments in phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, fatty acid and retinol metabolism, and ABC transporters. ABC transporters exhibit significant abnormalities and play a vital role in low-salinity stress. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of F. chinensis to acute salinity stress.

The rapid development of the mariculture industry has been hindered by limited coastal aquaculture space. To utilize the abundant inland saline–alkaline water, we studied the physiological effects of high carbonate alkalinity stress and high pH stress on Fenneropenaeus chinensis. The study employed quantitative proteomics by tandem mass tag (TMT) and non-targeted metabolomics analysis using a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS) to understand the physiological and biochemical adaptive mechanisms of the hepatopancreas of F. chinensis in response to saline–alkaline stress at the molecular level. We designed two stress groups as follows: a high carbonate alkalinity (CA) group and a combined high carbonate alkalinity and high pH (CP) group. The study found that the protein and metabolic profiles of the two stress groups were changed, and the CP group, which was exposed to dual stresses, incurred more severe damage to the hepatopancreas compared to that of the CA group. After exposure to CA and CP, the hepatopancreas of F. chinensis showed significant alterations in 455 proteins and 50 metabolites, and 1988 proteins and 272 metabolites, respectively. In addition, F. chinensis upregulated the level of energy metabolism in the hepatopancreas to defend against osmotic imbalance caused by CA or CP stress, which was demonstrated by the significant upregulation of important proteins and metabolites in glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism, TCA cycle, and fatty acid oxidation. Additionally, pattern recognition receptors, the phenol oxidase system, and various immune-related metabolic enzymes and metabolites were also affected. The immune homeostasis of F. chinensis was affected by the alteration of the antioxidant system following exposure to CA or CP. These findings provide valuable information for F. chinensis saline–alkaline water cultivation practices.

The mechanics-corrosion and strength-ductility tradeoffs of magnesium (Mg) alloys have limited their applications in fields such as orthopedic implants. Herein, a fine-grain structure consisting of weak anodic nano-lamellar solute-enriched stacking faults (SESFs) with the average thickness of 8 nm and spacing of 16 nm is constructed in an as-extruded Mg96.9Y1.2Ho1.2Zn0.6Zr0.1 (at.%) alloy, obtaining a high yield strength (YS) of 370 MPa, an excellent elongation (EL) of 17%, and a low corrosion rate of 0.30 mm y−1 (close to that of high-pure Mg) in a uniform corrosion mode. Through scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM), one-dimensional nanostructured SESFs are identified as the weak anode (∼24 mV) for the first time. The excellent corrosion resistance is mainly related to the weak anodic nature of SESFs and their nano-lamellar structure, leading to the more uniform potential distribution to weaken galvanic corrosion and the release of abundant Y3+/Ho3+ from SESFs to form a more protective film with an outer Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2/Y2O3/Ho2O3 layer (thickness percentage of this layer: 72.45%). For comparison, the as-cast alloy containing block 18R long period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase and the heat-treated alloy with fine lamellar 18R-LPSO phase (thickness: 80 nm, spacing: 120 nm) are also studied, and the characteristics of SESFs and 18R-LPSO phase, such as the weak anode nature of the former and the cathode nature of the latter (37-90 mV), are distinguished under the same alloy composition. Ultimately, we put forward the idea of designing Mg alloys with high mechanical and anti-corrosion properties by constructing ''homogeneous potential strengthening microstructure'', such as the weak anode nano-lamellar SESFs structure.

Summary: Macroautophagy/autophagy plays a pivotal role in immune regulation. Its significance is evident in modulation of immune cell differentiation and maturation, physiologically and pathologically. Here, we investigate the role of macrophage autophagy on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD). By employing an MC903-induced AD mice model, we observe reduced cutaneous inflammation in macrophage Atg5 cKO mice compared with WT mice. Notably, there is a decreased infiltration of M2 macrophages in lesional skin from Atg5 cKO mice. Furthermore, impaired STAT6 phosphorylation and diminished expression of M2 markers are detected in autophagy-deficient macrophages. Our mechanistic exploration reveals that CEBPB drives the transcription of SOCS1/3 and SQSTM1/p62-mediated autophagy degrades CEBPB normally. Autophagy deficiency leads to CEBPB accumulation, and further promotes the expression of SOCS1/3. This process inhibits JAK1-STAT6 pathway activation and M2 marker expression. Together, our study indicates that autophagy is required for M2 activation and macrophage autophagy may be a promising target for AD intervention.

Abstract Background Orthodontic tooth movement inevitably induces cementum resorption, which is an urgent problem for orthodontists to confront. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) exert an important role in the orthodontic tooth movement and exhibit multidirectional differentiation ability in cementum regeneration. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is an important extracellular matrix protein for bone homeostasis and cell differentiation. The purpose of our study was to explore the role of CTGF in cementum repair and cementogenesis and to elucidate its underlying mechanism. Methods A cementum defect model was established by tooth movement with heavy forces, and the cementum repair effect of CTGF was observed via micro-CT, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining. RT‒qPCR, western blotting (WB), alizarin red staining and ALP activity experiments verified the mineralization ability of hPDLSCs stimulated with CTGF. The expression of Cx43 in periodontal ligament cells was detected by WB and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments after CTGF stimulation in vivo and in vitro. Subsequently, the mineralization ability of hPDLSCs was observed after application of CTGF and the small interfering RNA Si-Cx43. Additionally, co-intervention via application of the small interfering RNA Si-CTGF and the Cx43 agonist ATRA in hPDLSCs was performed to deepen the mechanistic study. Next, WB, IF experiments and co-immunoprecipitation were conducted to confirm whether CTGF triggers the Cx43/β-catenin axis to regulate cementoblast differentiation of hPDLSCs. Results Local oral administration of CTGF to the cementum defects in vivo facilitated cementum repair. CTGF facilitated the cementogenesis of hPDLSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. Cx43 acted as a downstream effector of CTGF to regulate cementoblast differentiation. Si-Cx43 reduced CTGF-induced cementoblast differentiation. The Cx43 agonist ATRA restored the low differentiation capacity induced by Si-CTGF. Further mechanistic studies showed that CTGF triggered the activation of β-catenin in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, co-localization IF analysis and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that Cx43 interacted with β-catenin at cell‒cell connections. Si-Cx43 attenuated the substantial expression of β-catenin induced by CTGF. The Cx43 agonist reversed the inhibition of β-catenin induced by Si-CTGF. IF demonstrated that the nuclear importation of β-catenin was related to the immense expression of Cx43 at cell‒cell junctions. Conclusions Taken together, these data demonstrate that CTGF promotes cementum repair and cementogenesis through activation of the Cx43/β-catenin signalling axis.

Salinity is an important environmental stress factor in mariculture. Shrimp intestines harbor dense and diverse microbial communities that maintain host health and anti-pathogen capabilities under salinity stress. In this study, 16s amplicon and transcriptome sequencing were used to analyze the intestine of Fenneropenaeus chinensis under low-salinity stress (15 ppt). This study aimed to investigate the response mechanisms of the intestinal microbiota and gene expression to acute low-salinity stress. The intestinal tissues of F. chinensis were analyzed using 16S microbiota and transcriptome sequencing. The microbiota analysis demonstrated that the relative abundances of Photobacterium and Vibrio decreased significantly, whereas Shewanella, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, Ralstonia, Colwellia, Cohaesibacter, Fusibacter, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group became the predominant communities. Transcriptome sequencing identified numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs were clustered into many Gene Ontology terms and further enriched in some immunity- or metabolism-related Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, including various types of N-glycan biosynthesis, amino acid sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and lysosome and fatty acid metabolism. Correlation analysis between microbiota and DEGs showed that changes in Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Colwellia, and Cohaesibacter were positively correlated with immune-related genes such as peritrophin-1-like and mucin-2-like, and negatively correlated with caspase-1-like genes. Low-salinity stress caused changes in intestinal microorganisms and their gene expression, with a close correlation between them.

Background: The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) target derived from the hollow-fiber system model for linezolid for treatment of the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) requires clinical validation. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a population PK model for linezolid when administered as part of a standardized treatment regimen, to identify the PK/PD threshold associated with successful treatment outcomes and to evaluate currently recommended linezolid doses.Method: This prospective multi-center cohort study of participants with laboratory-confirmed MDR-TB was conducted in five TB designated hospitals. The population PK model for linezolid was built using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling using data from 168 participants. Boosted classification and regression tree analyses (CART) were used to identify the ratio of 0- to 24-h area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-24h) to the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) threshold using the BACTEC MGIT 960 method associated with successful treatment outcome and validated in multivariate analysis using data from a different and prospective cohort of 159 participants with MDR-TB. Furthermore, based on the identified thresholds, the recommended doses were evaluated by the probability of target attainment (PTA) analysis.Result: Linezolid plasma concentrations (1008 samples) from 168 subjects treated with linezolid, were best described by a 2-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination. An AUC0–24h/MIC > 125 was identified as a threshold for successful treatment outcome. Median time to sputum culture conversion between the group with AUC0-24h/MIC above and below 125 was 2 versus 24 months; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 21.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), (6.4, 72.8). The boosted CART-derived threshold and its relevance to the final treatment outcome was comparable to the previously suggested target of AUC0–24h/MIC (119) using MGIT MICs in a hollow fiber infection model. Based on the threshold from the present study, at a standard linezolid dose of 600 mg daily, PTA was simulated to achieve 100% at MGIT MICs of ≤ .25 mg which included the majority (81.1%) of isolates in the study.Conclusion: We validated an AUC0–24h/MIC threshold which may serve as a target for dose adjustment to improve efficacy of linezolid in a bedaquiline-containing treatment. Linezolid exposures with the WHO-recommended dose (600 mg daily) was sufficient for all the M. tb isolates with MIC ≤ .25 mg/L.

Fenneropenaeus chinensis is a commercially cultured shrimp in China. F. chinensis adults show significant sexual dimorphism, with larger females than males. However, sex determination (SD) of F. chinensis has not yet been elucidated. Clarification of the sex-determining system of F. chinensis could enrich our knowledge of the sex differentiation mechanism in crustaceans and facilitate the study of sex-controlling technologies. Here, we studied the sex-determining system of F. chinensis using the fixation index (FST) between the sexes to detect the genetic differentiation in resequencing data of multiple males and females. We located the candidate sex chromosome in the genome of F. chinensis and concluded the female heterogametic (ZW) SD system. We also assembled female-specific sequences, which could be used as molecular markers to identify the sex of F. chinensis. However, the differentiation of the F. chinensis Z and W chromosome is limited. RNA-seq data detected many genes with male-biased expression in the Z-specific region, which possibly could further intensify the divergency between the Z and W chromosomes.

We examined whether and how language produced by others influences self-language processes. This study addressed this issue by looking at effects of comprehension on language switching in cued and voluntary switching contexts. During voluntary language switching, Chinese-English bilinguals were more likely to repeat the language they previously used themselves than to repeat the language produced by others. Furthermore, during both voluntary and cued language switching, bilinguals showed larger switch costs when switching between languages themselves than when switching after hearing another language. This suggests that cross-language interference may primarily stem from the self-language system rather than from language produced by others.

The effects of solution and aging treatments on the microstructure, mechanical properties and its anisotropy of hot extruded Al-Mg-Si plate were studied. The results showed that all specimens consisted of equiaxed grains, and the obvious grain growth occurred during high temperature solution. GP zones with different morphologies always existed in the aged specimens, and β″ phase was formed after 2 h aging and gradually grew up to around 100 nm in length. The {001} Cube and {011}〈100〉 Goss are the main textures. The fraction of Cube drops significantly after solution and aging treatments, while the variation tendency of Goss is opposite. The peak hardness of 115 HV and tensile strength of 314 MPa were achieved after aging for 20 h. The elongation gradually decreased with prolonging the aging time, and the fracture mechanism was transformed from dimple fracture to intergranular fracture. The specimen along 90° with the extrusion direction always exhibited higher r value. The solution and aging treatments played important roles on the plastic anisotropy, and the anisotropy can be overall improved after aging treatment. Keywords: Extrusion, Aging, Microstructure, Mechanical property, Anisotropy

Fenneropenaeus chinensis (F. chinensis) is one of the most commercially important cultured shrimps in China. The adult F. chinensis exhibit sexual dimorphism in growth and body color. In this research, we profiled the whole transcriptome of F. chinensis by using single molecule real-time-based full-length transcriptome sequencing. We further performed Illumina-based short reads RNA-seq on muscle and gonad of two sexes to detect the sex-biased expression genes. In muscle, we observed significantly more female-biased transcripts. With the differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in muscle, some pathways related to the energy metabolism were enriched, which may be responsible for the difference of growth. We also digged out a pathway named porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism. It was speculated to relevant to the difference of body color between the two sexes of shrimp. Interestingly, almost all DETs in these pathways were female-biased expression in muscle, which could explain the phenomenon of better growth performance and darker body color in female. In gonad, several pathways involved in reproduction were enriched. For instance, some female-biased DETs participated in the arachidonic acid metabolism, which was reported crucial in female reproduction. In conclusion, our studies identified abundant sex-biased expression transcripts and important pathways involved in sexual dimorphism by using the RNA-seq method. It provided a basis for future researches on the sexual dimorphism of F. chinensis.

Childhood autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can easily be misdiagnosed, due to the nonspecific social and communicational deficits associated with the disorder. The present study attempted to profile the mental development and visual attention toward emotion among preschool children with mild or moderate ASD who were attending mainstream kindergartens. A total of 21 children (17 boys and 4 girls) diagnosed with mild or moderate ASD selected from 5,178 kindergarteners from the Xi’an city were recruited. Another group of 21 typically developing (TD) children who were matched with age, gender, and class served as controls. All children were assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales–Chinese (GDS-C), and their social visual attention was assessed during watching 20 ecologically valid film scenes by using eye tracking technique. The results showed that ASD children had lower mental development scores in the Locomotor, Personal-Social, Language, Performance, and Practical Reasoning subscales than the TD peers. Moreover, deficits in recognizing emotions from facial expressions based on naturalistic scene stimuli with voice were found for ASD children. The deficits were significantly correlated with their ability in social interaction and development quotient in ASD group. ASD children showed atypical eye-gaze pattern when compared to TD children during facial emotion expression task. Children with ASD had reduced visual attention to facial emotion expression, especially for the eye region. The findings confirmed the deficits of ASD children in real life multimodal of emotion recognition, and their atypical eye-gaze pattern for emotion recognition. Parents and teachers of children with mild or moderate ASD should make informed educational decisions according to their level of mental development. In addition, eye tracking technique might clinically help provide evidence diagnosing children with mild or moderate ASD.

Background: To investigate the surveillance trend of birth defects, incidence, distribution, occurrence regularity, and their relevant factors in Xi′an City in the last 10 years for proposing control measures. Methods: The birth defects monitoring data of infants during perinatal period (28 weeks of gestation to 7 days after birth) were collected from obstetrics departments of all hospitals during 2003-2012. Microsoft Excel 2003 was used for data input, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0 (International Business Machines Corporation, New York, NY, USA) was used for descriptive analysis. χ2 test, Spearman correlation and linear-by-linear association trend test were used for statistical analyses. Results: The birth defect rate declined from 9.18% in 2003 to 7.00% in 2012 (χ2 = 45.001, P < 0.01) with a mean value of 7.85%, which is below the Chinese national average level (χ2 = 20.451, P < 0.01). The order of five most common birth defects has changed. The incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) increased with time, particularly after 2012, it became the most frequent type (r s = 0.808, P < 0.001). Till then, the number of neural tube defects (NTDs) declined significantly (χ2 = 76.254, P < 0.01). The average birth defects rate of 8.11% in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas (7.56%, χ2 = 7.919, P < 0.01) and much higher in males (8.28%) than that in females (7.18%, χ2 = 32.397, P < 0.01). Maternal age older than 35 years (χ2 = 35.298, P < 0.01) is the most dangerous age bracket of birth defects than maternal age younger than 20 years (χ2 = 7.128, P < 0.01). Conclusions: A downward trend of birth defects was observed in Xi′an City from 2003 to 2012. NTDs significantly decreased after large-scale supplemental folic acid intervention, while the incidence rate of CHD significantly increased.

In order to investigate transport stress on porcine peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and Th cytokines, blood samples were collected from pigs before and after transport. Creatine kinase (CK), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose, and cortisol in the serum were measured. The number of leukocytes and lymphocytes, percentages of lymphocyte subsets, as well as Th cell cytokines level and their mRNA expression were detected, respectively. After transport, the level of CK, glucose and interleukin (IL)-4 increased significantly (p