Vigilance strategy differentiation between sympatric threatened and common crane species.

Studies have indicated that threatened species may show reduced or elevated antipredator behavior compared with their close common relatives, but remarkably few studies revealed such differences in behavior among populations. Exploring factors affecting behavior between phylogenetically related common and threatened species could help understand such discrepancy. We tested for effects of external and internal variables including month, time of day, habitat type, distribution area, group composition status and group size on vigilance behavior (including group scan frequency and level) of two sympatric common Grus grus and threatened G.

Habitat use, preference, and utilization distribution of two crane species (Genus: ) in Huize National Nature Reserve, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China.

Understanding the habitat use and spatial distribution of wildlife can help conservationists determine high-priority areas and enhance conservation efforts. We studied the wintering habitat use, preference, and utilization distribution of two crane species, that is, the black-necked crane (, Przevalski, 1876) and common crane (, Linnaeus, 1758), in Huize National Natural Reserve, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, southwestern China. Line transects indicated that anthropogenic farmland habitat was highly utilized and was positively selected by both crane species (>90% of flocks observed for both species).

Association of APOE Gene Polymorphisms with Cerebral Infarction in the Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a multifunctional protein that plays an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. However, the relationship between APOE gene polymorphisms and cerebral infarction in the Chinese population remains unclear. Therefore, we studied the role of APOE gene polymorphisms in patients with cerebral infarction in a Chinese population.

[Evaluation of volume overload in critical patients by monitoring change of cardiac output under bed head raising combined with passive leg raising].

Objective: To investigate whether the change of cardiac output (CO) with bed head raising (BHR) combined with passive leg raising (PLR) can be used to assess volume overload in critical patients.

Methods: A prospective observational diagnostic trial was designed. The patients who underwent fluid resuscitation 6 hours or more, and admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Meizhou People's Hospital in Guangdong Province from January to December in 2016 were enrolled.

The role of OsMSH5 in crossover formation during rice meiosis.

MSH5, a meiosis-specific member of the MutS-homolog family, is required for normal level of recombination in budding yeast, mice, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Arabidopsis. Here, we report the identification and characterization of its rice homolog, OsMSH5, and demonstrate its function in rice meiosis. Five independent Osmsh5 mutants exhibited normal vegetative growth and severe sterility.

ZIP4 in homologous chromosome synapsis and crossover formation in rice meiosis.

In budding yeast, the ZMM complex is closely associated with class I crossovers and synaptonemal complex (SC) formation. However, the relationship between the ZMM genes remains unclear in most higher eukaryotes. Here, we identify the rice ZIP4 homolog, a member of the ZMM gene group, and explore its relationship with two other characterized ZMM genes, MER3 and ZEP1.

[Chromosome recombination in rice meiosis].

Meiosis is a highly conservative process, which plays important role in the life cycles of all sexually reproductive organisms, while the pairing, synapsis, and recombination are the key events in this process and have become the hotspots in meiosis studies. At present, we cannot observe the process of cross and recombination of chromosomes directly in plant meiosis, and generally conclude the process by analysis the genetic population. In the present study, we analyzed 32 DH lines using graphical genotypes, and found 4 chromosomes out of 32 DH lines had regional heterozygosis, which was further confirmed using STS markers.