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OCT demonstrated that macular thickness/volume was normally distributed in this sample of Chinese children, with variations in sex and SE. The variables in macular thickness/volume should be considered when diagnosing and monitoring school-aged children with diseases that affect the macula.

Rice stripe, a virus disease, transmitted by a small brown planthopper (SBPH), has greatly reduced production of japonica rice in East Asia, especially in China. Although we have made great progress in mapping resistance genes, little is known about the mechanism of resistance.By de novo transcriptome assembling, we gained sufficient transcript data to analyze changes in gene expression of early interaction in response to SBPH and RSV infection in rice. Respectively 648 and 937 DEGs were detected from the disease-resistant (Liaonong 979) and the susceptible (Fengjin) varieties, most of which were up-regulated. We found 37 genes related to insect resistance, which mainly included genes for jasmonate-induced protein, TIFY protein, lipoxygenase, as well as trypsin inhibitor genes and transcription factor genes. In the interaction process between RSV and rice, 87 genes were thought to be related to RSV resistance; these primarily included 12 peroxidase biosynthesis genes, 12 LRR receptor-like protein kinase genes, 6 genes coding pathogenesis-related proteins, 4 glycine-rich cell wall structural protein genes, 2 xyloglucan hydrolase genes and a cellulose synthase. The results indicate that the rice-pathogen interaction happened both in disease-resistant and susceptible varieties, and some genes related to JA biosynthesis played key roles in the interaction between SBPHs and rice. When rice was infected by RSV a hypersensitive reaction (HR) in the disease-resistant variety was suppressed, which resulted from an increase in peroxidase expression and down-regulation of LRR receptor-like protein kinase and pathogenesis-related proteins, while, the changes of peroxidase biosynthesis, glycine-rich cell wall structural protein, cellulose synthase and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase could lead to the strengthening of physical barriers of rice, which may be an important resistance mechanism to RSV in rice.

A novel R gene was mapped to a locus on chromosome 11 from 30.42 to 30.85 Mb, which was proven to be efficient in the improvement of rice blast resistance. Rice blast is a devastating fungal disease worldwide. The use of blast resistance (R) genes is the most important approach to control the disease in rice breeding. In the present study, we finely mapped a novel resistance gene Pi65(t), conferring a broad-spectrum resistance to the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, using bulked segregant analysis in combination with next-generation sequencing technology. Segregation in a doubled haploid (DH) population and a BC1F2 population suggested that resistance to blast in Gangyu129 was likely conferred by a single dominant gene, designated Pi65(t); it was located on chromosome 11 from 30.20 to 31.20 Mb using next-generation sequencing. After screening recombinants with newly developed molecular markers, the region was narrowed down to 0.43 Mb, flanked by SNP-2 and SNP-8 at the physical location from 30.42 to 30.85 Mb based on the Nipponbare reference database in build 5. Using the software QTL IciMapping, Pi65(t) was further mapped to a locus between InDel-1 and SNP-4 with genetic distances of 0.11 and 0.98 cM, respectively. Within this region, 4 predicted R genes were found with nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) domains. We developed molecular markers to genotype 305 DH lines and found that InDel-1 was closely linked with Pi65(t). Using InDel-1, a new rice variety Chuangxin1 containing Pi65(t) was developed, and it is highly resistant to rice blast and produces a high yield in Liaoning province of China. This indicated that Pi65(t) could play a key role in the improvement of rice blast resistance.

Various abilities to synthesize and accumulate glycine betaine (GB) are crucial for angiosperms to develop salt and drought tolerances. In higher plants, GB is synthesized by a two-step oxidation of choline via an intermediate form of betaine aldehyde, and catalyzed by choline monooxygenase and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH). In this study, numerous truncated and/or recombinant transcripts of two BADH homologs resulting from an unusual posttranscriptional processing were detected in rice (Oryza sativa) and other cereal crops, including maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and barley (Hordeum vulgare). The observed events took place at the 5# exonic region, and led to the insertion of exogenous gene sequences and a variety of deletions that resulted in the removal of translation initiation codon, loss of functional domain, and frameshifts with premature termination by introducing stop codon. By contrast, the BADH transcripts from dicotyledonous species, such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), had correctly processed mRNA. This suggests the differentiation of posttranscriptional processing in BADH genes potentially contributes to the variation of GB-synthesizing capacities among various plant species. In addition, comprehensive sequence analyses demonstrated that extensive sequence similarities (named as short, direct repeats) are of paired presence surrounding the junctions of both the deletion and/or insertion sites in the unusual BADH transcripts. The site selection for the deletion/ insertion was altered in response to the stress conditions. This indicates that the sequence elements of short, direct repeats are probably required for the recognition of the deletion/insertion sites.

BackgroundThe canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays important roles in cellular proliferation and differentiation, axonal outgrowth, cellular maintenance in retinas. Here we test the hypothesis that elements of the Wnt signaling pathway are involved in the regulation of eye growth and prevention of myopia, in the mouse form-deprivation myopia model.Methodology/Principal Findings(1) One hundred twenty-five C57BL/6 mice were randomly distributed into form-deprivation myopia and control groups. Form-deprivation myopia (FDM) was induced by suturing the right eyelid, while the control group received no treatment. After 1, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment, eyes were assessed in vivo by cycloplegic retinoscopic refraction and axial length measurement by photography or A-scan ultrasonography. Levels of retinal Wnt2b, Fzd5 and β-catenin mRNA and protein were evaluated using RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. (2) Another 96 mice were divided into three groups: control, drugs-only, and drugs+FDM (by diffuser). Experimentally treated eyes in the last two groups received intravitreal injections of vehicle or the proteins, DKK-1 (Wnt-pathway antagonist) or Norrin (Wnt-pathway agonist), once every three days, for 4 injections total. Axial length and retinoscopic refraction were measured on the 14th day of form deprivation.Following form-deprivation for 1, 2, and 4 weeks, FDM eyes had a relatively myopic refractive error, compared with contralateral eyes. There were no significant differences in refractive error between right and left eye in control group. The amounts of Wnt2b, Fzd5 and β-catenin mRNA and protein were significantly greater in form-deprived myopia eyes than in control eyes.DKK-1 (antagonist) reduced the myopic shift in refractive error and increase in axial elongation, whereas Norrin had the opposite effect in FDM eyes.Conclusions/SignificanceOur studies provide the first evidence that the Wnt2b signaling pathway may play a role in the development and progression of form-deprivation myopia, in a mammalian model.

Prenant's schizothoracin, Schizothorax prenanti, an endemic fish to China, has undergone a dramatic decline in numbers due to human impacts. We studied its genetic diversity in three tributaries of the Yangtze River: the Qingyi River, which has many hydropower dams, and the Dadu River and Muli River where many hydropower dams are being proposed. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), 621 loci were amplified with seven AFLP primer combinations in 45 individuals. The loci were highly polymorphic and heterozygous (87% polymorphism, 30% heterozygosity). The genetic distances within populations were large. The analysis of molecular variance demonstrated that most variation occurred within populations. The estimated fixation index (F st ) value averaged over all polymorphic loci across the three rivers was 0.0837, indicating a moderate genetic differentiation. The differentiations between populations were significant, and population structure was strong. The results suggested that China had wild populations of Prenant's schizothoracin with considerable genetic diversity in the Muli, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. The proposals to dam these rivers should take into account the importance of conserving their genetic quality.

Purpose. To investigate the changes of anterior segment after cycloplegia and estimate the association of such changes with the changes of refraction in Chinese school-aged children of myopia, emmetropia, and hyperopia. Methods. 309 children were recruited and eligible subjects were assigned to three groups: hyperopia, emmetropia, or myopia. Cycloplegia was achieved with five cycles of 0.5% tropicamide. The Pentacam system was used to measure the parameters of interest before and after cycloplegia. Results. In the myopic group, the lenses were thinner and the lens position was significantly more posterior than that of the emmetropic and hyperopic groups in the cycloplegic status. The correlations between refraction and lens thickness (age adjusted; r = 0.26, P < 0.01), and lens position (age adjusted; r = −0.31, P < 0.01) were found. After cycloplegia, ACD and ACV significantly increased, while ACA significantly decreased. Changes in refraction, ACD, ACV, and ACA were significantly different among the three groups (P < 0.05, all). Changes of refraction were correlated with changes of ACD (r = 0.41, P < 0.01). Conclusions. Myopia presented thinner lenses and smaller changes of anterior segment and refraction after cycloplegia when compared to emmetropia and hyperopia. Changes of anterior chamber depth were correlated with refraction changes. This may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between anterior segment and myopia.