[Image features and clinical significance of pneumoconiosis with large shadow].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the image features, categories, and clinical significances of Pneumoconiosis Ш with large shadow. METHODS: The research is based on the analysis of image features of 168 pneumoconiosis Ш patients who are directly diagnosed by qualified medical professionals in our institution. These image features are large shadows bigger than 2 cm×1 cm which can be observed by high kilovolt chest radiographs, DR chest radiography and chest CT scan. RESULTS: Large shadows bigger than 2×1 cm show noticeable imaging characteristics, like distribution of superior and middle lung regions (95.2%) , irregular shapes (97.6%) , splayed or sausage like changes on both sides perpendicular with ribs (89.2%) , small shadows of pneumoconiosis (98.8%) , and convergence of large shadow to hilum or mediastinal (53.6%). CT scan is significantly better than DR radiography on detection rate of focal emphysema, focal cavities and swollen lymph node of mediastinal. CONCLUSION: Combining the image features of high kilovolt chest radiographs, DR chest radiographs and CT scan are the main methods to identify the shadows, and thus direct diagnose pneumoconiosis Ш; CT scan plays an important role in differential diagnosis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus (Aves: Passeriformes): the first representative of the Leiothrichidae family with a duplicated control region.

The Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus, a member of the family Leiothrichidae, is commonly found in central and southern China, northern Indochina, and on Hainan Island. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of G. canorus. The circular mitochondrial genome is 17,785 bp in length and includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes. In addition, two copies of highly similar putative control regions were observed in the mitochondrial genome. As found in other vertebrates, most of the genes are coded on the H-strand, except for one protein-coding gene (nad6; NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6) and eight tRNA genes (tRNA(Gln), tRNA(Ala), tRNA(Asn), tRNA(Cys), tRNA(Tyr), tRNA(Ser(UCN)), tRNA(Pro), and tRNA(Glu)). All the protein-coding genes start with ATG, with the exception of cox1 (cytochrome oxidase subunit 1), which starts with GTG. All tRNA genes have the potential to fold into the typical clover-leaf structure. Conserved sequences in three domains were observed in the two putative control regions. These results provide basic information for future phylogenetic analyses among species of the order Passeriformes.

Phylogeny of major lineages of galliform birds (Aves: Galliformes) based on complete mitochondrial genomes.

Complete mitochondrial DNA sequences have been used successfully to estimate phylogenetic relationships among animal taxa, and for studies of population genetics and molecular evolution. We made phylogenetic analyses of 22 species of Galliformes, with two species of Anseriformes as outgroups, using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods based on the nucleotide dataset and the corresponding amino acid dataset of 13 concatenated protein-coding genes. The consensus phylogenetic trees supported monophyly of Galliformes, Phasianidae (nucleotide and amino acid: posterior probabilities 1.00 in BI, bootstrap value > 99% in ML and MP), Coturnicinae, and Gallininae (nucleotide and amino acid: posterior probabilities 1.00 in BI, bootstrap value > 85% in ML and MP), but failed to demonstrate monophyly of Pavoninae and Phasianinae. Our results also support a sister-group relationship between megapodes and all other galliforms. We found that Arborophilinae is basal to the balance of the Phasianidae. Moreover, we suggest that the turkey should be classified in the Phasianinae of Phasianidae. Although the relationships among the various lineages of the Galliformes remain controversial, these results should be useful for further study.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Cabot's tragopan, Tragopan caboti (Galliformes: Phasianidae).

Cabot's tragopan, Tragopan caboti, is a globally threatened pheasant endemic to southeast China. The complete mitochondrial genome of Cabot's tragopan was sequenced. The circular genome contains 16,727 bp, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, plus the putative control region, a structure very similar to that of other Galliformes. As found in other vertebrates, most of these genes code on the H-strand, except for the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (nad6) and eight tRNA genes (Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser(UCN), Pro, Glu). All protein-coding genes initiated with ATG, except for cox1, which began with GTG, and had a strong skew of C vs G (GC skew = -0.29 to -0.73). One extra 'C' nucleotide was found in the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (nad3). All the tRNA gene sequences have the potential to fold into typical cloverleaf secondary structures. Conserved sequences in three domains were identified within the control region (D-loop). These results provide basic information for phylogenetic analyses among Galliform birds, and especially Tragopan species.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the Rock pigeon, Columba livia (Columbiformes: Columbidae).

The rock pigeon (Columba livia), or Rock dove, is a member of the bird family Columbidae. We mapped the complete mitochondrial genome of the Rock pigeon. The mitochondrial genome of this species is a circular molecule of 17,229 bp in length, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, plus a putative control region, demonstrating a structure very similar to that of other birds. As found in other vertebrates, most of these genes are coded on the H-strand, except for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (nad6) and eight tRNA genes (Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser(UCN), Pro, Glu). The AT skew and GC skew of the whole genome, protein-coding genes, tRNA, rRNA, and the control region were calculated for the complete mitochondrial genomes of 30 avian species, representing 29 orders. All protein-coding genes initiated with ATG, except for cox1 and nad5, which began with GTG. One extra nucleotide 'C' was present in NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (nad3). All tRNA gene sequences have the potential to fold into typical cloverleaf secondary structures. Within the control region, conserved sequences were identified in three domains. Although the conserved blocks, such as ETAS1, ETAS2, CSB1, CSB1-like, and boxes C, D, E, and F, are readily identifiable in the C. livia control region, the typical origin of H-strand replication (O(H)), CSB2 and CSB3 could not be detected. These results provide basic information for phylogenetic analyses of birds, especially Columbiformes species.