A Weighted Polygenic Risk Score Using 14 Known Susceptibility Variants to Estimate Risk and Age Onset of Psoriasis in Han Chinese

With numbers of common variants identified mainly through genome-wide association studies (GWASs), there is great interest in incorporating the findings into screening individuals at high risk of psoriasis. The purpose of this study is to establish genetic prediction models and evaluate its discriminatory ability in psoriasis in Han Chinese population. We built the genetic prediction models through weighted polygenic risk score (PRS) using 14 susceptibility variants in 8,819 samples. We found the risk of psoriasis among individuals in the top quartile of PRS was significantly larger than those in the lowest quartile of PRS (OR = 28.20, P < 2.0×10^-16). We also observed statistically significant associations between the PRS, family history and early age onset of psoriasis. We also built a predictive model with all 14 known susceptibility variants and alcohol consumption, which achieved an area under the curve statistic of ~ 0.88. Our study suggests that 14 psoriasis known susceptibility loci have the discriminating potential, as is also associated with family history and age of onset. This is the genetic predictive model in psoriasis with the largest accuracy to date.     

Biological control of Sclerotinia disease by Aspergillus sp. on oilseed rape in the field

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes serious yield losses to many crops worldwide. Aspergillus sp. Asp-4, previously shown to inhibit germination of sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum in vitro and in the field, was evaluated in field trials for suppression of this pathogen on oilseed rape. Spray application of Asp-4 to the soil prior to sowing rice in a rice–oilseed rape rotation resulted in a significant reduction in incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot on oilseed rape compared with the non-treated control in two field trials. This application of Asp-4 also resulted in a significant reduction in germination of sclerotia relative to the non-treated control in these field trials, suggesting that this reduction in sclerotial germination led to disease control. Microscopic examination demonstrated that Asp-4 could effectively colonise external and internal portions of sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum in vitro. Incubation of Asp-4 with sterile sclerotial material induced production of β-glucanase and chitinase activities by this isolate; β-glucanase and chitinase being potentially capable of degrading the glucan and chitin polymeric components of sclerotia. Incubation of Asp-4 with sterile sclerotial material also resulted in a significant reduction in dry weight of this sclerotial material relative to the non-treated control in 96?h in vitro experiments. Experiments reported here indicate that Aspergillus sp. Asp-4 has promise as a biological control agent for S. sclerotiorum on oilseed rape. Experiments reported here suggest that disease control results from inhibition of germination of sclerotial resting structures due to mycoparasitic colonisation by Asp-4.     

曾候乙墓穴木椁微生物的分离与鉴定

从曾侯乙墓中椁室、东椁室、西椁室和北椁室分别取样,经平板划线培养,分离,纯化共获得典型的菌株16株。将16株分别涂片镜检,生理生化分析鉴定,结果证明芽孢杆菌属11株,其中苏云金变种1株,地衣芽孢杆菌1株,巨大芽孢杆菌1株,球形芽孢杆菌5株,蜡状芽孢杆菌2株,多粘芽孢杆菌1株。其余菌株微杆菌属4株,黄色杆菌属黄杆菌1株。     

曾候乙墓穴木椁微生物降解对木材危害及防治措施研究

从曾候乙墓分离到的16株菌,其中有11株为芽孢杆菌属类,4株微杆菌属,1林为黄色杆菌属。将16株细菌分别侵染6种木材,结果证明细菌降解对6种木材均有不同的韧性下降,个别木材出现腐烂病灶。2号菌降解后对泡桐、枣树、马尾松、香樟、刺槐和桑树分别下降8％,12％,10％,5％,10％和13％。3,5,6,7,8,9和16号菌对上述6种木材也有不同程度影响。而4,11,12,13,14和15号菌对6种木材的韧性下降影响不明显。但其渗透性大大提高了,因此也会影响木材的使用年限。采用杀菌、杀虫的石油气,乙醇等有机溶济,防治微生物降解产物对木材的浸蚀,均有较好的防菌、防认腐效果。     

Seroprevalence of Neutralizing Antibodies against Six Human Adenovirus Types Indicates the Low Level of Herd Immunity in Young Children from Guangzhou,China

Human adenoviruses(HAdVs) commonly cause many diseases such as respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, cystitis worldwide. HAdV-3,-7,-4 and emergent HAdV-55 and HAdV-14 are the most important types causing severe respiratory diseases. There is no effective drug available for clinical treatment, and no vaccine available for the general population.Therefore, it is important to investigate the seroprevalence against HAdV for developing novel vaccines and vectors. In this study, we investigated the seroprevalence and titer levels of neutralizing antibodies(NAb) against HAdV-3,-4,-7,-14,-55,and-11 in total 278 healthy populations between 0 months and 49 years of age(228 children and 50 adults) from Guangzhou. In children under the age of 18 years, the seropositive rates were significantly increased against HAdV-3 at12.07%, 33.96%, and 64.29% and against HAdV-7 at 0%, 18.87%, and 19.05% in age groups of 1–2, 3–5, and 6–17 years,respectively. The seroprevalence was very low(0% * 8.1%) for all other four types. In adults aged between 18 and49 years, HAdV-3,-4, and-7([ 50.00%) were the most common types, followed by HAdV-14(38.00%),-55(34.00%),and-11(24.00%). Adults tended to have high NAb titers against HAdV-4 and-55. HAdV-55-seropositive donors tended to be HAdV-11-and HAdV-14-seropositive. These results indicated the low level of herd immunity against all six HAdV types in young children, and HAdV-14,-55,-11 in adults from Guangzhou City. Our findings demonstrate the importance of monitoring HAdV types and developing vaccines against HAdV for children and adults.     

Do we dream in color? Cultural variations and skepticism.

In the United States, the rise and fall of the opinion that we dream in black and white coincided with the rise and fall of black and white film media over the course of the 20th century, suggesting that our opinions about the coloration of our dreams are subject to cultural influences. This study generalizes that conclusion cross-culturally. Three groups of Chinese respondents, similar in age but differing in history of colored media exposure, were given questionnaires replicating those of Middleton (1942) and Schwitzgebel (2003). As expected, the groups with longer histories of colored media exposure reported more colored dreaming. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)