Brine shrimp Artemia franciscana provide food for many migrating and staging birds that spend summer and fall on Great Salt Lake,Utah,USA.Artemia produce live young and cysts(hard-walled eggs);these cysts are commerci...Brine shrimp Artemia franciscana provide food for many migrating and staging birds that spend summer and fall on Great Salt Lake,Utah,USA.Artemia produce live young and cysts(hard-walled eggs);these cysts are commercially harvested on Great Salt Lake and support a large industry in Utah.It is unclear the impact that millions of hungry birds have on the Artemia population in the lake.To help assess that,this study evaluated cyst viability(percentage of cysts that contain an embryo)and hatchability(percent of cysts that hatch)from cysts that had passed through the digestive tract of eared grebes Podiceps nigricollis and cysts obtained directly from Great Salt Lake at the same site where each grebe was collected.Hatchability was significantly higher for cysts collected from the water column(19%)than from the stomach(0.3%)or intestines(3%)of eared grebes.Viability also was significantly different for cysts collected from the water column(29%),stomach(0.7%),and intestines(5%).These results indicate that eared grebes nutritionally benefit from eating cysts and that they may be an important food source for grebes in late fall after the adult population of Artemia dies off due to the water becoming too cold.Also,enough cysts survive their passage through the digestive system that grebes can vector hatchable cysts to other waterbodies.展开更多
伴随全球气候变化研究的不断拓展,当前风速研究普遍采用气候再分析数据作为基础工具,本文以2009年中国大陆2000余个气象站点的逐小时风速观测值为基础数据,对1948~2018年间东亚区域地表气象要素的70年再分析产品(Eastern Asian Reanalys...伴随全球气候变化研究的不断拓展,当前风速研究普遍采用气候再分析数据作为基础工具,本文以2009年中国大陆2000余个气象站点的逐小时风速观测值为基础数据,对1948~2018年间东亚区域地表气象要素的70年再分析产品(Eastern Asian Reanalysis for surface meteorological variables, EAR70)和ERA5数据进行了对比评估,考察了其在年、月、日和小时尺度上的风速模拟性能与误差分布。年尺度分析表明,2009年中国风速呈现“中部低、南北高”的格局,西北、东北及沿海地区风速较高,部分站点风速超过6 m/s,具备较大风能开发潜力,而四川盆地等区域风速偏小;月尺度分析表明,EAR70在中国东部存在系统性高估偏差,偏差集中于河北、河南、江苏一带,尤以冬季最显著,夏季偏差相对较小;日统计结果显示,EAR70的日最小风速模拟结果明显优于ERA5,而在日最大风速上,ERA5模拟值离散程度小,误差波动较小;小时尺度分析表明,EAR70在夜间至清晨风速模拟较为准确,日间风速模拟的稳定性以ERA5为优,ERA5覆盖多数区域,尤其是中东部地区,风速模拟精度较高,较EAR70误差更低。展开更多
Fusarium ear rot(FER),caused by Fusarium verticillioides,is a destructive fungal disease of maize.FER resistance is a complex,quantitatively inherited trait controlled by multiple minor-effect genes.In this study,we e...Fusarium ear rot(FER),caused by Fusarium verticillioides,is a destructive fungal disease of maize.FER resistance is a complex,quantitatively inherited trait controlled by multiple minor-effect genes.In this study,we employed two recombinant inbred line(RIL)populations with the common resistant parental line CML304 to identify FER-resistance loci.Initial QTL analysis identified 23 FER-resistance QTL,each explaining 5.21%-30.51%of the total phenotypic variation.Notably,one major QTL,qRfv2,on chromosome 2 was repeatedly detected,accounting for 11.92%-30.51%of the total phenotypic variation.qRfv2 was fine mapped to an interval of 1.01 Mb,flanked by the markers IDP8 and IDP10.qRfv2 is a semidominant resistance gene that could reduce the disease severity index(DSI)by 12.4%-20%,suggesting its potential for enhancing FER resistance in maize.Transcriptome analysis showed that 22 of the 28 annotated functional genes in the qRfv2 region displayed differential expression between parental lines in response to FER.One of the candidate genes,ZmLOX6,was validated to presumably provide a positive effect on FER resistance.Our study provides a basis for the potential cloning and application of FER resistance genes in maize breeding.展开更多
From April to July 2003 and 2004,we surveyed the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant(Crossoptilon crossoptilon)in the Zhujie Monastery and in the mountain facing it in Sichuan Province,China.In this paper,...From April to July 2003 and 2004,we surveyed the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant(Crossoptilon crossoptilon)in the Zhujie Monastery and in the mountain facing it in Sichuan Province,China.In this paper,we studied the nest characteristics and the clutch size of the pheasant.Habitat sampling method was used to determine the variables that might affect the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant.Chi-square test was used to identify which habitat type was likely to be preferred by the bird.Independent-samples t test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to find which variables were important for the birds’nest-site selection.A total of 13 nests were found.Oak shrub was greatly preferred as nest sites(84.62%).Nests under a rock wall(7.69%)and a fallen tree(7.69%)were also found.The average clutch size of a White Eared pheasant is 7.33±0.54(range,5–11;n=12).Laying period was between April 27 and May 21.In the Zhujie area,1 nest was in the forest and 11 nests were in oak shrubs.The species preferred oak shrub as its nesting habitat(χ^(2)=8.333,df=1,P<0.05).The bird was more likely to place its nest in sites with a high coverage,i.e.0.5,1,and 2 m above the ground(independent-samples t test,P<0.05),and with a large shrub diameter(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05).The species are more likely to prefer sites with plant cover,shrub cover(independentsamples t test,P<0.05),and shrub height(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05)in a relatively small range.展开更多
Kinship verification is a key biometric recognition task that determines biological relationships based on physical features.Traditional methods predominantly use facial recognition,leveraging established techniques a...Kinship verification is a key biometric recognition task that determines biological relationships based on physical features.Traditional methods predominantly use facial recognition,leveraging established techniques and extensive datasets.However,recent research has highlighted ear recognition as a promising alternative,offering advantages in robustness against variations in facial expressions,aging,and occlusions.Despite its potential,a significant challenge in ear-based kinship verification is the lack of large-scale datasets necessary for training deep learning models effectively.To address this challenge,we introduce the EarKinshipVN dataset,a novel and extensive collection of ear images designed specifically for kinship verification.This dataset consists of 4876 high-resolution color images from 157 multiracial families across different regions,forming 73,220 kinship pairs.EarKinshipVN,a diverse and large-scale dataset,advances kinship verification research using ear features.Furthermore,we propose the Mixer Attention Inception(MAI)model,an improved architecture that enhances feature extraction and classification accuracy.The MAI model fuses Inceptionv4 and MLP Mixer,integrating four attention mechanisms to enhance spatial and channel-wise feature representation.Experimental results demonstrate that MAI significantly outperforms traditional backbone architectures.It achieves an accuracy of 98.71%,surpassing Vision Transformer models while reducing computational complexity by up to 95%in parameter usage.These findings suggest that ear-based kinship verification,combined with an optimized deep learning model and a comprehensive dataset,holds significant promise for biometric applications.展开更多
My favourite pet is a lovely dog.I bought him last year in the pet market.He has long ears,a long body and brown fur.He is very small.He weights①about one kilogram.He is very active.He wants to catch everything.Every...My favourite pet is a lovely dog.I bought him last year in the pet market.He has long ears,a long body and brown fur.He is very small.He weights①about one kilogram.He is very active.He wants to catch everything.Every day he runs here and there.But if you want him to do something,he will be a very good boy.展开更多
Planting density is a major limiting factor for maize yield,and breeding for density tolerance has become an urgent issue.The leaf structure of the maize ear leaf is the main factor that restricts planting density and...Planting density is a major limiting factor for maize yield,and breeding for density tolerance has become an urgent issue.The leaf structure of the maize ear leaf is the main factor that restricts planting density and yield components.In this study,a natural population of 201 maize inbred lines was used for genome-wide association analysis,which identified nine SNPs on chromosomes 2,5,8,9,and 10 that were significantly associated with ear leaf type structure.Further verification through qRT-PCR confirmed the association of five candidate genes with these SNPs,with the Zm00001d008651 gene showing significant differential expression in the compact and flat maize inbred lines.Enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)and Gene Ontology(GO)databasessuggested that this gene is involved in the glycolysis process.An analysis of the basic properties of this gene revealed that it encodes a stable,basic protein consisting of 593 amino acids with some hydrophobic properties.The promoter region contains stress and hormone(abscisic acid(ABA))related elements.The mutant of this gene increased the first ear leaf angle(eLA)and leaf angle of the first leaf below the first ear(bLA)by 4.96 and 0.97°,respectively,compared with normal inbred lines.Overall,this research sheds light on the regulatory mechanism of ear and leaf structures that influence density tolerance and provides solid foundational work for the development of new varieties.展开更多
The sensation of ear fullness is a prevalent symptom encountered in clinical practice at ear clinics.It can manifest in various conditions,including external auditory canal diseases,middle ear diseases,inner ear disea...The sensation of ear fullness is a prevalent symptom encountered in clinical practice at ear clinics.It can manifest in various conditions,including external auditory canal diseases,middle ear diseases,inner ear diseases,as well as non-ear related disorders such as autonomic nervous dysfunction and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.Despite extensive research efforts,the underlying mechanism of ear fullness remains complex and not fully elucidated.Furthermore,the mechanism of ear fullness varies depending on the specific anatomical site and associated disease pathology.In this article,we have conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore the mechanisms underlying ear fullness across different sites of the auditory conduction pathway.By focusing on these lesions and their correlation with ear fullness,we aim to provide an updated understanding on the etiology,diagnosis,and therapy for ear fullness-related diseases.展开更多
Strip-till(ST),including straw mulching in the inter-row and localized fertilization in the intra-row,is a conservation tillage system for improving soil quality and crop growth.However,the yield advantage of maize un...Strip-till(ST),including straw mulching in the inter-row and localized fertilization in the intra-row,is a conservation tillage system for improving soil quality and crop growth.However,the yield advantage of maize under ST compared to conventional tillage(CT)remains unstable,and the strategies to increase maize yield under ST are unclear.This study aims to understand the physiological mechanism underlining maize yield formation under ST by comparing two maize cultivars,DKM753 and DK517,with contrasting yield performance in ST versus CT systems.Compared to CT,ST resulted in a 4.5%yield increase for DKM753 but a 5.6%decrease for DK517.These yield differences were primarily attributed to variations in grain number per ear(GN).During the rapid growth stage(V14-R3),i.e.,two weeks before and after silking,DKM753 showed a 6.7%increase in maximum growth rate(V_(max))and a 6.3%increase in average growth rate(V)under ST,whereas DK517 exhibited decline of 8.5%in V_(max) and 12.3%in V.Significant positive correlations are observed between V_(max) and V with GN under ST(R^(2)=0.79 and R^(2)=0.90,respectively).Enhanced dry matter accumulation in DKM753 under ST was attributed to increased leaf expansion rates,contributing to a larger photosynthate source.The straw mulching and localized nitrogen fertilization increased root-zone nitrogen availability at silking in ST compared to CT.DKM753 had a greater root system which made better use of the soil N and lead to an increased leaf nitrogen accumulation by 14.9%under ST.It is concluded that maize yield under the strip-till system is determined by grain number per ear,which can be increased by increasing nitrogen accumulation,plant growth,and ear development around silking stage.A sound root system can efficiently utilize soil nitrogen resources under the strip-till system,increasing plant nitrogen accumulation and thereby promoting plant growth.展开更多
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis(MS)is known to affect many sensory systems,yet most auditory research in MS has focused on the afferent pathways,with relatively few studies examining efferent function.The brainstem is a...BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis(MS)is known to affect many sensory systems,yet most auditory research in MS has focused on the afferent pathways,with relatively few studies examining efferent function.The brainstem is a common site for MS plaques,and the medial olivocochlear(MOC)system is located in the superior olivary complex(SOC)of the brainstem.The cochlear nuclei are also involved in the MOC reflex arc.Additionally,the temporal cortex can modulate the SOC and cochlear nucleus,so lesions in the brainstem or temporal cortex may affect the MOC reflex in MS.AIM To investigate efferent auditory system activity in patients with multiple sclerosis via the MOC reflex.METHODS The study included 50 patients with MS and 50 healthy controls.Patients with MS were divided into three subgroups according to cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings:Patients with brainstem lesions(Group 1,n=20);patients with temporal cortex lesions without brainstem involvement(Group 2,n=20);and patients without any lesions in the brainstem or temporal cortex(Group 3,n=10).Tympanometry,acoustic stapedial reflex thresholds,pure-tone audiometry,and transientevoked otoacoustic emission(TEOAE)tests(with and without contralateral noise)were performed for all participants.RESULTS There was no significant difference in pure-tone hearing thresholds or baseline TEOAE amplitudes between the MS and control groups,indicating normal cochlear function in patients with MS;however,MOC reflex suppression was significantly reduced in patients with MS compared to controls(P=0.021).In particular,Group 1(MS with brainstem lesions)showed the lowest mean suppression values,which was significantly lower than that of Group 2 and the control group(P=0.002).By contrast,Group 2 and Group 3 did not significantly differ from controls.Additionally,patients with MS exhibited a sex difference in MOC function:Male patients had significantly lower suppression compared to female patients both within Group 1 and in the MS group as a whole.CONCLUSION The findings indicate that the efferent auditory system(specifically the MOC reflex)is affected by MS.MOC reflex activity was most significantly decreased in patients with MS with brainstem lesions,while temporal cortex lesions alone did not appear to notably impair the MOC reflex.Diminished MOC activity may underlie various auditory difficulties in patients with MS(e.g.,hearing in noise),and loss of efferent suppression could contribute to symptoms such as hyperacusis or tinnitus in this population.Further studies are needed to better understand the relationship between MOC dysfunction and auditory symptoms in MS,as well as the potential diagnostic value of MOC testing in MS.展开更多
This study aims to investigate the impact of middle ear effusion(MEE)on sound transmission in the human ear and its potential diagnostic significance.Firstly,the material properties of specific structures were adjuste...This study aims to investigate the impact of middle ear effusion(MEE)on sound transmission in the human ear and its potential diagnostic significance.Firstly,the material properties of specific structures were adjusted based on the existing human ear finite element(FE)model,and the accuracy of the model was validated using experimental data.Secondly,six FE models were developed to simulate varying degrees of MEE by systematically altering the material properties of the middle ear cavity(MEC)at different anatomical locations.Finally,the effects of these six FE models,representing varying degrees of MEE,on sound transmission characteristics and energy absorption(EA)rate in the human ear were systematically analyzed.When the degree of MEE is less than 50%of the MEC volume,its impact on the sound transmission characteristics of the human ear remains minimal,resulting in an estimated hearing loss of approximately 3 dB,with EA rate remaining close to normal levels.Once the effusion exceeds 50%of the MEC volume,a significant deterioration in acoustic transmission is observed,accompanied by a flattening of the EA curve and a drop in EA rates to below 20%.When the effusion completely fills the MEC,the maximum hearing loss reaches 46.47 dB,and the EA rate approaches zero across the entire frequency range.These findings provide theoretical insights into the biomechanical effects of MEE on human auditory transmission and offer a reference for clinical diagnosis and evaluation.展开更多
The conversion of sound vibration into electrical potential is a critical function performed by cochlear hair cells.Unlike the regenerative capacity found in various other cells throughout the body,cochlear sensory ce...The conversion of sound vibration into electrical potential is a critical function performed by cochlear hair cells.Unlike the regenerative capacity found in various other cells throughout the body,cochlear sensory cells lack the ability to regenerate once damaged.Furthermore,a decline in the quantity of these cells results in a deterioration of auditory function.Piezoelectric materials can generate electric charge in response to sound wave vibration,making them theoretically suitable for replacing hair cell function.This study explores an innovative approach using piezoelectric nanocomposite filaments,namely poly(vinylidene fluoride),poly(vinylidene fluoride)/barium titanate,and poly(vinylidene fluoride)/reduced graphene oxide,as self-powered acoustic sensors designed to function in place of cochlear hair cells.These flexible filaments demonstrate a unique ability to generate electricity in response to frequency sounds from 50 up to 1000 Hz at moderate sound pressure levels(60–95 dB),approaching the audible range with an overall acoustoelectric energy conversion efficiency of 3.25%.Serving as self-powered acoustic sensors,these flexible filaments hold promise for potential applications in cochlear implants,with a high sensitivity of 117.5 mV(Pa-cm^(2))^(-1).The cytocompatibility of these filaments was assessed through in vitro viability tests conducted on three cell lines,serving as a model for inner ear cells.展开更多
Maize(Zea mays L.)is a monoecious grass species with separate male and female inflorescences which form the tassel and ear,respectively.The mature ear inflorescences usually bear hundreds of grains,so they directly in...Maize(Zea mays L.)is a monoecious grass species with separate male and female inflorescences which form the tassel and ear,respectively.The mature ear inflorescences usually bear hundreds of grains,so they directly influence maize grain production and yield.Here,we isolated a recessive maize mutant,tasselseed2016(ts2016),which exhibits pleiotropic inflorescence defects and reduced grain yield.These defects include the loss of determinacy and identity in meristems and floral organs,as well as a lack of the lower floret abortion in maize ear,and a smaller grain size.Using map-based cloning and allelic testing,we identified and confirmed the microRNA gene MIR172e as the target gene controlling these related traits.Furthermore,our evidence uncovered a new potential miR172e/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING197(EREB197)regulatory module which controls lower floret abortion in maize ear.Transcriptome analysis revealed that the mutation of MIR172e represses multiple biological processes,particularly the flower development and hormone-related pathways in maize ear.We also found that a mutation in the DNA sequence of MIR172e affects RNA transcription,resulting in elongation blockage at the mutant site.Our results reveal the function and molecular mechanism of MIR172e in maize inflorescences and grain yield,and this study deepens our knowledge of maize inflorescence development.展开更多
PurposeThe study aimed to investigate the otology-specific and general health-related quality of life(HRQoL)after cochlear implantation,and scrutinize the variables associated with them.MethodsThe Ear Outcome Survey-1...PurposeThe study aimed to investigate the otology-specific and general health-related quality of life(HRQoL)after cochlear implantation,and scrutinize the variables associated with them.MethodsThe Ear Outcome Survey-16(EOS-16),which assesses ear-specific symptoms and quality of life(QoL),was administered before and after cochlear implantation along with the post-operative administration of the 15D questionnaire that evaluates general HRQoL.The authors investigated post-implantation changes in the EOS-16 total scores and its category responses,examining their relationship with pre-and post-operative hearing levels,speech perception in noise,and the follow-up period length(time elapsed since cochlear implantation).ResultsThere were positive changes noted for the hearing,need for care,and QoL categories of the EOS-16 after implantation.The length of the follow-up period was a significant factor associated with improvements in subjective outcome measures.Changes in self-perceived hearing and HRQoL post-implantation seem independent of pre-and post-implantation hearing performance.ConclusionThese results suggest that while patients regain their hearing abilities shortly after implant activation,their subjective hearing-related benefits and QoL improve over time.展开更多
In the thousand-year-old mural of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang,a special symbol tells the story of exchanges among civilisations.Three Rabbits Sharing Three Ears depicts three rabbits chasing each other,with each two sh...In the thousand-year-old mural of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang,a special symbol tells the story of exchanges among civilisations.Three Rabbits Sharing Three Ears depicts three rabbits chasing each other,with each two sharing one ear.It is said that its earliest version appeared in Dunhuang in the 6th century,and it had travelled across the desert along the ancient Silk Road,over mountains and rivers,leaping onto British ceramic tiles,integrating into Egyptian pottery and jumping cross the clock faces of German churches.展开更多
基金Supported by the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources,Utah Agricultural Experiment Station(article No.9534)and Ecology Center of Utah State Universityapproved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Utah State University(10087)+2 种基金permitted by the state of Utah(1BAND10069,2COLL10039)the U.S.Bird Banding Lab(21175)and the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service(MB693916-0).
文摘Brine shrimp Artemia franciscana provide food for many migrating and staging birds that spend summer and fall on Great Salt Lake,Utah,USA.Artemia produce live young and cysts(hard-walled eggs);these cysts are commercially harvested on Great Salt Lake and support a large industry in Utah.It is unclear the impact that millions of hungry birds have on the Artemia population in the lake.To help assess that,this study evaluated cyst viability(percentage of cysts that contain an embryo)and hatchability(percent of cysts that hatch)from cysts that had passed through the digestive tract of eared grebes Podiceps nigricollis and cysts obtained directly from Great Salt Lake at the same site where each grebe was collected.Hatchability was significantly higher for cysts collected from the water column(19%)than from the stomach(0.3%)or intestines(3%)of eared grebes.Viability also was significantly different for cysts collected from the water column(29%),stomach(0.7%),and intestines(5%).These results indicate that eared grebes nutritionally benefit from eating cysts and that they may be an important food source for grebes in late fall after the adult population of Artemia dies off due to the water becoming too cold.Also,enough cysts survive their passage through the digestive system that grebes can vector hatchable cysts to other waterbodies.
文摘伴随全球气候变化研究的不断拓展,当前风速研究普遍采用气候再分析数据作为基础工具,本文以2009年中国大陆2000余个气象站点的逐小时风速观测值为基础数据,对1948~2018年间东亚区域地表气象要素的70年再分析产品(Eastern Asian Reanalysis for surface meteorological variables, EAR70)和ERA5数据进行了对比评估,考察了其在年、月、日和小时尺度上的风速模拟性能与误差分布。年尺度分析表明,2009年中国风速呈现“中部低、南北高”的格局,西北、东北及沿海地区风速较高,部分站点风速超过6 m/s,具备较大风能开发潜力,而四川盆地等区域风速偏小;月尺度分析表明,EAR70在中国东部存在系统性高估偏差,偏差集中于河北、河南、江苏一带,尤以冬季最显著,夏季偏差相对较小;日统计结果显示,EAR70的日最小风速模拟结果明显优于ERA5,而在日最大风速上,ERA5模拟值离散程度小,误差波动较小;小时尺度分析表明,EAR70在夜间至清晨风速模拟较为准确,日间风速模拟的稳定性以ERA5为优,ERA5覆盖多数区域,尤其是中东部地区,风速模拟精度较高,较EAR70误差更低。
基金financially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U2004205)the China Agricultural University-Syngenta Project.
文摘Fusarium ear rot(FER),caused by Fusarium verticillioides,is a destructive fungal disease of maize.FER resistance is a complex,quantitatively inherited trait controlled by multiple minor-effect genes.In this study,we employed two recombinant inbred line(RIL)populations with the common resistant parental line CML304 to identify FER-resistance loci.Initial QTL analysis identified 23 FER-resistance QTL,each explaining 5.21%-30.51%of the total phenotypic variation.Notably,one major QTL,qRfv2,on chromosome 2 was repeatedly detected,accounting for 11.92%-30.51%of the total phenotypic variation.qRfv2 was fine mapped to an interval of 1.01 Mb,flanked by the markers IDP8 and IDP10.qRfv2 is a semidominant resistance gene that could reduce the disease severity index(DSI)by 12.4%-20%,suggesting its potential for enhancing FER resistance in maize.Transcriptome analysis showed that 22 of the 28 annotated functional genes in the qRfv2 region displayed differential expression between parental lines in response to FER.One of the candidate genes,ZmLOX6,was validated to presumably provide a positive effect on FER resistance.Our study provides a basis for the potential cloning and application of FER resistance genes in maize breeding.
基金supported by the National Sciences Foundation of China (no.30330050)the Chicago Zoological Society.
文摘From April to July 2003 and 2004,we surveyed the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant(Crossoptilon crossoptilon)in the Zhujie Monastery and in the mountain facing it in Sichuan Province,China.In this paper,we studied the nest characteristics and the clutch size of the pheasant.Habitat sampling method was used to determine the variables that might affect the nest-site selection of the White Eared pheasant.Chi-square test was used to identify which habitat type was likely to be preferred by the bird.Independent-samples t test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to find which variables were important for the birds’nest-site selection.A total of 13 nests were found.Oak shrub was greatly preferred as nest sites(84.62%).Nests under a rock wall(7.69%)and a fallen tree(7.69%)were also found.The average clutch size of a White Eared pheasant is 7.33±0.54(range,5–11;n=12).Laying period was between April 27 and May 21.In the Zhujie area,1 nest was in the forest and 11 nests were in oak shrubs.The species preferred oak shrub as its nesting habitat(χ^(2)=8.333,df=1,P<0.05).The bird was more likely to place its nest in sites with a high coverage,i.e.0.5,1,and 2 m above the ground(independent-samples t test,P<0.05),and with a large shrub diameter(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05).The species are more likely to prefer sites with plant cover,shrub cover(independentsamples t test,P<0.05),and shrub height(Mann–Whitney U test,P<0.05)in a relatively small range.
文摘Kinship verification is a key biometric recognition task that determines biological relationships based on physical features.Traditional methods predominantly use facial recognition,leveraging established techniques and extensive datasets.However,recent research has highlighted ear recognition as a promising alternative,offering advantages in robustness against variations in facial expressions,aging,and occlusions.Despite its potential,a significant challenge in ear-based kinship verification is the lack of large-scale datasets necessary for training deep learning models effectively.To address this challenge,we introduce the EarKinshipVN dataset,a novel and extensive collection of ear images designed specifically for kinship verification.This dataset consists of 4876 high-resolution color images from 157 multiracial families across different regions,forming 73,220 kinship pairs.EarKinshipVN,a diverse and large-scale dataset,advances kinship verification research using ear features.Furthermore,we propose the Mixer Attention Inception(MAI)model,an improved architecture that enhances feature extraction and classification accuracy.The MAI model fuses Inceptionv4 and MLP Mixer,integrating four attention mechanisms to enhance spatial and channel-wise feature representation.Experimental results demonstrate that MAI significantly outperforms traditional backbone architectures.It achieves an accuracy of 98.71%,surpassing Vision Transformer models while reducing computational complexity by up to 95%in parameter usage.These findings suggest that ear-based kinship verification,combined with an optimized deep learning model and a comprehensive dataset,holds significant promise for biometric applications.
文摘My favourite pet is a lovely dog.I bought him last year in the pet market.He has long ears,a long body and brown fur.He is very small.He weights①about one kilogram.He is very active.He wants to catch everything.Every day he runs here and there.But if you want him to do something,he will be a very good boy.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Project of Heilongjiang Province,China(2022ZX02B01)。
文摘Planting density is a major limiting factor for maize yield,and breeding for density tolerance has become an urgent issue.The leaf structure of the maize ear leaf is the main factor that restricts planting density and yield components.In this study,a natural population of 201 maize inbred lines was used for genome-wide association analysis,which identified nine SNPs on chromosomes 2,5,8,9,and 10 that were significantly associated with ear leaf type structure.Further verification through qRT-PCR confirmed the association of five candidate genes with these SNPs,with the Zm00001d008651 gene showing significant differential expression in the compact and flat maize inbred lines.Enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)and Gene Ontology(GO)databasessuggested that this gene is involved in the glycolysis process.An analysis of the basic properties of this gene revealed that it encodes a stable,basic protein consisting of 593 amino acids with some hydrophobic properties.The promoter region contains stress and hormone(abscisic acid(ABA))related elements.The mutant of this gene increased the first ear leaf angle(eLA)and leaf angle of the first leaf below the first ear(bLA)by 4.96 and 0.97°,respectively,compared with normal inbred lines.Overall,this research sheds light on the regulatory mechanism of ear and leaf structures that influence density tolerance and provides solid foundational work for the development of new varieties.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[Grant numbers 82071057,82101229]Key Research and Development Program of Hubei Province Project[Grant 2021BCA144]。
文摘The sensation of ear fullness is a prevalent symptom encountered in clinical practice at ear clinics.It can manifest in various conditions,including external auditory canal diseases,middle ear diseases,inner ear diseases,as well as non-ear related disorders such as autonomic nervous dysfunction and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.Despite extensive research efforts,the underlying mechanism of ear fullness remains complex and not fully elucidated.Furthermore,the mechanism of ear fullness varies depending on the specific anatomical site and associated disease pathology.In this article,we have conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore the mechanisms underlying ear fullness across different sites of the auditory conduction pathway.By focusing on these lesions and their correlation with ear fullness,we aim to provide an updated understanding on the etiology,diagnosis,and therapy for ear fullness-related diseases.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1500705)National Natural Science Foundation of China(U19A2035)for financial support。
文摘Strip-till(ST),including straw mulching in the inter-row and localized fertilization in the intra-row,is a conservation tillage system for improving soil quality and crop growth.However,the yield advantage of maize under ST compared to conventional tillage(CT)remains unstable,and the strategies to increase maize yield under ST are unclear.This study aims to understand the physiological mechanism underlining maize yield formation under ST by comparing two maize cultivars,DKM753 and DK517,with contrasting yield performance in ST versus CT systems.Compared to CT,ST resulted in a 4.5%yield increase for DKM753 but a 5.6%decrease for DK517.These yield differences were primarily attributed to variations in grain number per ear(GN).During the rapid growth stage(V14-R3),i.e.,two weeks before and after silking,DKM753 showed a 6.7%increase in maximum growth rate(V_(max))and a 6.3%increase in average growth rate(V)under ST,whereas DK517 exhibited decline of 8.5%in V_(max) and 12.3%in V.Significant positive correlations are observed between V_(max) and V with GN under ST(R^(2)=0.79 and R^(2)=0.90,respectively).Enhanced dry matter accumulation in DKM753 under ST was attributed to increased leaf expansion rates,contributing to a larger photosynthate source.The straw mulching and localized nitrogen fertilization increased root-zone nitrogen availability at silking in ST compared to CT.DKM753 had a greater root system which made better use of the soil N and lead to an increased leaf nitrogen accumulation by 14.9%under ST.It is concluded that maize yield under the strip-till system is determined by grain number per ear,which can be increased by increasing nitrogen accumulation,plant growth,and ear development around silking stage.A sound root system can efficiently utilize soil nitrogen resources under the strip-till system,increasing plant nitrogen accumulation and thereby promoting plant growth.
文摘BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis(MS)is known to affect many sensory systems,yet most auditory research in MS has focused on the afferent pathways,with relatively few studies examining efferent function.The brainstem is a common site for MS plaques,and the medial olivocochlear(MOC)system is located in the superior olivary complex(SOC)of the brainstem.The cochlear nuclei are also involved in the MOC reflex arc.Additionally,the temporal cortex can modulate the SOC and cochlear nucleus,so lesions in the brainstem or temporal cortex may affect the MOC reflex in MS.AIM To investigate efferent auditory system activity in patients with multiple sclerosis via the MOC reflex.METHODS The study included 50 patients with MS and 50 healthy controls.Patients with MS were divided into three subgroups according to cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings:Patients with brainstem lesions(Group 1,n=20);patients with temporal cortex lesions without brainstem involvement(Group 2,n=20);and patients without any lesions in the brainstem or temporal cortex(Group 3,n=10).Tympanometry,acoustic stapedial reflex thresholds,pure-tone audiometry,and transientevoked otoacoustic emission(TEOAE)tests(with and without contralateral noise)were performed for all participants.RESULTS There was no significant difference in pure-tone hearing thresholds or baseline TEOAE amplitudes between the MS and control groups,indicating normal cochlear function in patients with MS;however,MOC reflex suppression was significantly reduced in patients with MS compared to controls(P=0.021).In particular,Group 1(MS with brainstem lesions)showed the lowest mean suppression values,which was significantly lower than that of Group 2 and the control group(P=0.002).By contrast,Group 2 and Group 3 did not significantly differ from controls.Additionally,patients with MS exhibited a sex difference in MOC function:Male patients had significantly lower suppression compared to female patients both within Group 1 and in the MS group as a whole.CONCLUSION The findings indicate that the efferent auditory system(specifically the MOC reflex)is affected by MS.MOC reflex activity was most significantly decreased in patients with MS with brainstem lesions,while temporal cortex lesions alone did not appear to notably impair the MOC reflex.Diminished MOC activity may underlie various auditory difficulties in patients with MS(e.g.,hearing in noise),and loss of efferent suppression could contribute to symptoms such as hyperacusis or tinnitus in this population.Further studies are needed to better understand the relationship between MOC dysfunction and auditory symptoms in MS,as well as the potential diagnostic value of MOC testing in MS.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52275296)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
文摘This study aims to investigate the impact of middle ear effusion(MEE)on sound transmission in the human ear and its potential diagnostic significance.Firstly,the material properties of specific structures were adjusted based on the existing human ear finite element(FE)model,and the accuracy of the model was validated using experimental data.Secondly,six FE models were developed to simulate varying degrees of MEE by systematically altering the material properties of the middle ear cavity(MEC)at different anatomical locations.Finally,the effects of these six FE models,representing varying degrees of MEE,on sound transmission characteristics and energy absorption(EA)rate in the human ear were systematically analyzed.When the degree of MEE is less than 50%of the MEC volume,its impact on the sound transmission characteristics of the human ear remains minimal,resulting in an estimated hearing loss of approximately 3 dB,with EA rate remaining close to normal levels.Once the effusion exceeds 50%of the MEC volume,a significant deterioration in acoustic transmission is observed,accompanied by a flattening of the EA curve and a drop in EA rates to below 20%.When the effusion completely fills the MEC,the maximum hearing loss reaches 46.47 dB,and the EA rate approaches zero across the entire frequency range.These findings provide theoretical insights into the biomechanical effects of MEE on human auditory transmission and offer a reference for clinical diagnosis and evaluation.
基金financial support received from Deakin University through the Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship(2022)partially funded by the European Union–Next-Generation EU via the Italian Ministry of University and Research(MUR),PRIN 2022 Program(PROMISE project,CUP 153D23004700006)+1 种基金support from the Australian National Fabrication Facility(ANFF)the ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres.
文摘The conversion of sound vibration into electrical potential is a critical function performed by cochlear hair cells.Unlike the regenerative capacity found in various other cells throughout the body,cochlear sensory cells lack the ability to regenerate once damaged.Furthermore,a decline in the quantity of these cells results in a deterioration of auditory function.Piezoelectric materials can generate electric charge in response to sound wave vibration,making them theoretically suitable for replacing hair cell function.This study explores an innovative approach using piezoelectric nanocomposite filaments,namely poly(vinylidene fluoride),poly(vinylidene fluoride)/barium titanate,and poly(vinylidene fluoride)/reduced graphene oxide,as self-powered acoustic sensors designed to function in place of cochlear hair cells.These flexible filaments demonstrate a unique ability to generate electricity in response to frequency sounds from 50 up to 1000 Hz at moderate sound pressure levels(60–95 dB),approaching the audible range with an overall acoustoelectric energy conversion efficiency of 3.25%.Serving as self-powered acoustic sensors,these flexible filaments hold promise for potential applications in cochlear implants,with a high sensitivity of 117.5 mV(Pa-cm^(2))^(-1).The cytocompatibility of these filaments was assessed through in vitro viability tests conducted on three cell lines,serving as a model for inner ear cells.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province,China(232300421260)the Tackling Key Problems in Science and Technology of Henan Province,China(222102110465,to LZ and 232102111097,to YS)the Open Project Program(SKL-KF202214)。
文摘Maize(Zea mays L.)is a monoecious grass species with separate male and female inflorescences which form the tassel and ear,respectively.The mature ear inflorescences usually bear hundreds of grains,so they directly influence maize grain production and yield.Here,we isolated a recessive maize mutant,tasselseed2016(ts2016),which exhibits pleiotropic inflorescence defects and reduced grain yield.These defects include the loss of determinacy and identity in meristems and floral organs,as well as a lack of the lower floret abortion in maize ear,and a smaller grain size.Using map-based cloning and allelic testing,we identified and confirmed the microRNA gene MIR172e as the target gene controlling these related traits.Furthermore,our evidence uncovered a new potential miR172e/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING197(EREB197)regulatory module which controls lower floret abortion in maize ear.Transcriptome analysis revealed that the mutation of MIR172e represses multiple biological processes,particularly the flower development and hormone-related pathways in maize ear.We also found that a mutation in the DNA sequence of MIR172e affects RNA transcription,resulting in elongation blockage at the mutant site.Our results reveal the function and molecular mechanism of MIR172e in maize inflorescences and grain yield,and this study deepens our knowledge of maize inflorescence development.
文摘PurposeThe study aimed to investigate the otology-specific and general health-related quality of life(HRQoL)after cochlear implantation,and scrutinize the variables associated with them.MethodsThe Ear Outcome Survey-16(EOS-16),which assesses ear-specific symptoms and quality of life(QoL),was administered before and after cochlear implantation along with the post-operative administration of the 15D questionnaire that evaluates general HRQoL.The authors investigated post-implantation changes in the EOS-16 total scores and its category responses,examining their relationship with pre-and post-operative hearing levels,speech perception in noise,and the follow-up period length(time elapsed since cochlear implantation).ResultsThere were positive changes noted for the hearing,need for care,and QoL categories of the EOS-16 after implantation.The length of the follow-up period was a significant factor associated with improvements in subjective outcome measures.Changes in self-perceived hearing and HRQoL post-implantation seem independent of pre-and post-implantation hearing performance.ConclusionThese results suggest that while patients regain their hearing abilities shortly after implant activation,their subjective hearing-related benefits and QoL improve over time.
文摘In the thousand-year-old mural of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang,a special symbol tells the story of exchanges among civilisations.Three Rabbits Sharing Three Ears depicts three rabbits chasing each other,with each two sharing one ear.It is said that its earliest version appeared in Dunhuang in the 6th century,and it had travelled across the desert along the ancient Silk Road,over mountains and rivers,leaping onto British ceramic tiles,integrating into Egyptian pottery and jumping cross the clock faces of German churches.
