There is consistent evidence that individuals in higher socioeconomic status groups are more likely to report exceeding recommended drinking limits, but those in lower socioeconomic status groups experience more alcohol-related harm. This has been called the ‘alcohol harm paradox’. Such studies typically use standard cut-offs to define heavy drinking, which are exceeded by a large proportion of adults. Our study pools data from six years (2008–2013) of the population-based Health Survey for England to test whether the socioeconomic distribution of more extreme levels of drinking could help explain the paradox.The study included 51,498 adults from a representative sample of the adult population of England for a cross-sectional analysis of associations between socioeconomic status and self-reported drinking. Heavy weekly drinking was measured at four thresholds, ranging from 112 g+/168 g +  to 680 g+/880 g + (or 85/110 UK standard units) per week. Heavy episodic drinking was also measured at four thresholds, from 48 g+/64 g + (or 6/8 UK standard units) to 192 g+/256 g + (or 24/32 UK standard units) in one day. Socioeconomic status indicators were equivalised household income, education, occupation and neighbourhood deprivation.Lower socioeconomic status was associated with lower likelihoods of exceeding recommended limits for weekly and episodic drinking, and higher likelihoods of exceeding more extreme thresholds. For example, participants in routine or manual occupations had 0.65 (95 % CI 0.57–0.74) times the odds of exceeding the recommended weekly limit compared to those in ‘higher managerial’ occupations, and 2.15 (95 % CI 1.06–4.36) times the odds of exceeding the highest threshold. Similarly, participants in the lowest income quintile had 0.60 (95 % CI 0.52–0.69) times the odds of exceeding the recommended weekly limit when compared to the highest quintile, and 2.30 (95 % CI 1.28–4.13) times the odds of exceeding the highest threshold.Low socioeconomic status groups are more likely to drink at extreme levels, which may partially explain the alcohol harm paradox. Policies that address alcohol-related health inequalities need to consider extreme drinking levels in some sub-groups that may be associated with multiple markers of deprivation. This will require a more disaggregated understanding of drinking practices. Excessive alcohol use contributes to over 60 disease conditions and is responsible for 5 % of global disability-adjusted life-years lost . TreatmeMany studies in high-income countries have shown that alcohol-related morbidity and mortality is more common in people of low socioeconomic status (SES) –7. HowevVarious theories have been proposed to explain this paradox,  includinMost UK studies define heavy episodic, high intensity or ‘binge’ drinking as 48 g or more of pure alcohol in one day for women and 64 g or more for men (6 UK units for women and 8 for men). Prior to January 2016, the UK government’s recommended ‘low risk’ limit for weekly drinking was 112 g for women and 168 g for men (14 UK standard drink units for women and 21 for men) . HoweverThis study examined social gradients in extreme alcohol consumption. We hypothesised that (a) higher SES groups would be more likely to exceed standard thresholds, as observed in other studies, and (b) lower SES groups would be more likely to exceed more extreme levels of drinking, as this may help explain the higher rates of harm in these groups. The study is set in England, where the alcohol harm paradox has been clearly observed and there is sufficient survey data to study rarely reported extreme levels of drinking.The data source was the Health Survey for England, an annual cross-sectional survey representative of adults living in private households in England. The survey has collected information on adult alcohol consumption since 1991. The full methodology is described elsewhere . Only paA beverage-specific method was used to measure alcohol consumption. Participants were asked about the size and number of drinks for seven types of alcohol . The questions were repeated for the heaviest drinking day in the past week  and a typical drinking day in the past 12 months .Two types of drinking behaviour were examined: heavy weekly drinking  and heavy episodic drinking (the maximum in any one day in the past week). For both types, four dichotomous outcome variables were generated, showing whether or not the individual’s drinking exceeded successive thresholds  exceeding the UK government’s recommended (prior to January 2016) weekly ‘low risk’ limit: 112 g or more for women and 168 g or more for men,  (2) the For heavy episodic drinking, the four thresholds were (1) the UK government’s ‘binge’ definition: 48 g or more of pure alcohol on the heaviest day in the past week for women and 64 g or more men,  (2) 96 gThe patterns of alcohol consumption in terms of sex, age and ethnicity were similar to those observed in other surveys , 23.SES indicators from the Health Survey for England were: (1) equivalised income quintile. ‘Equivalised income’ is the total household income adjusted according to household members. Households with children would have their income adjusted down, for example. (2) Highest educational qualification, summarised as degree (14+ years of education), A-level (13 years), GCSE (11 years), other/foreign and none. (3) Occupation, using the National Statistics Socioeconomic Classification,  based onData were complete apart from alcohol consumption, educational qualifications, occupation, ethnic group and income. 1.8 % of participants did not provide full details of their alcohol consumption, educational qualifications, occupation or ethnic group. These cases were excluded from the analyses. 20 % of participants did not provide income data, with larger proportions missing in lower SES groups. Multiple imputed complete datasets (m = 5) were generated using the other measures of SES and demographic variables and were used in analyses including equivalised income. After imputation, equivalised income quintiles were recalculated for each survey year.Prevalence of each level of drinking was calculated and stratified by each SES indicator. Separate logistic regression models were used to test the association between each SES indicators and each drinking outcome variable. Odds ratios were adjusted for sex, age, ethnicity  and yeap-value for the hypothesis that the association between the ordered SES variable and the logit of exceeding the threshold was better described by a linear trend than no trend.To test trends across SES levels for each drinking threshold, we coded each SES level numerically and used logistic regression to estimate an excess odds ratio for moving down one SES level. ‘Other’ categories in the education and occupation indicators were excluded. This provided a Health Survey for England survey weights, adjusting the sample according to non-response and the age, sex and regional structure of England’s population, were used in all analyses. R version 3.2.2 was used for data manipulation and analysis.The analysis included 51,498 adults. 55 % were female and the mean age was 51 (sd 18). 90 % of the sample was from white ethnic groups (including white British and white Irish), 2 % was Indian, 2 % was Pakistani or Bangladeshi, 2 % was from black ethnic groups and 4 % was from mixed ethnic groups or ‘other’.We first looked at heavy weekly drinking. 20.9 % of participants (95 % CI 20.4–21.5 %) reported exceeding the lowest threshold, 4.5 % (95 % CI 4.2–4.8 %) exceeded the second threshold, 1.5 % (95 % CI 1.3–1.6 %) exceeded the third threshold and 0.6 % (95 % CI 0.5–0.7 %) exceeded the most extreme threshold. Table After adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity and year of survey, the patterns were similar for each SES indicator (see Tables p = 0.007) times the odds of exceeding this threshold when compared to those with ‘higher managerial’ occupations. Participants living in the most deprived neighbourhoods had 2.34  times the odds of exceeding this threshold when compared to those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.There were strong associations between the lowest levels of SES and exceeding the highest drinking threshold. For example, long-term unemployed participants had 4.51  drinking. 18.3 % of participants (95 % CI 17.9–18.6 %) reported exceeding the lowest threshold, 6.9 % (95 % CI 6.6–7.1 %) exceeded the second threshold, 2.3 % (95 % CI 2.1–2.4 %) exceeded the third threshold and 0.8 % (95 % CI 0.7–0.9 %) exceeded the most extreme threshold. Table Adjusted analyses based on education and occupation showed similar patterns to those observed for heavy weekly drinking . The gradients then steepened, with participants in more deprived neighbourhoods more likely to exceed the second, third and most extreme thresholds. Those in the most deprived neighbourhoods had 2.00 95 % CI 1.36–2.93) times the odds of exceeding the highest threshold when compared to those in the least deprived. This is shown graphically in Fig. .36–2.93 This study examined the social gradients of a range of definitions of heavy drinking, both in terms of weekly and episodic high-intensity consumption. High SES groups were more likely to report exceeding the lowest thresholds of regular heavy or high intensity drinking, while lower SES groups were more likely to exceed the more extreme thresholds. These patterns were consistent across indicators of SES based on income, education, occupation and neighbourhood deprivation. This ‘reversal’ in gradient reflects diversity in drinking levels in the low SES groups, which include more abstainers and light drinkers as well as more extreme drinkers.Alcohol-related harm is likely to be severe in the group reporting the most extreme drinking levels. One reason for this is the ‘J-shaped curve’ in alcohol-related harm, which is the theory that light and moderate drinking is cardioprotective and reduces all-cause mortality . AlthougMany other studies have observed that individuals in lower SES groups are less likely to report exceeding the lowest drinking thresholds used in this study , 7–11. HOur findings are based on a sample from England, and are likely to be relevant in industrialised countries where lower SES groups have higher rates of alcohol-related harm that cannot be explained by reported differences in consumption. Most indicators of low SES in these countries are associated with low average rates of drinking, driven at least in part by higher rates of abstention.The study was based on large, nationally representative surveys that allow reasonably precise estimation of extreme drinking. However, it had limitations regarding its cross-sectional design, potential selection bias and the self-report alcohol measure.First, the study is cross-sectional and so does not provide evidence of a causal relationship between SES and alcohol consumption. By focusing on drinking patterns, it does not provide explicit insight into the multifaceted relationship between extreme drinking and health. The study examines current drinking rather than drinking history, and therefore does not distinguish, for example, between lifetime abstainers and quitters.Second, the Health Survey for England may have selection bias as a result of exclusion from the sample frame or non-response. Excluded groups include inpatients, homeless people, people living in hostels and students in university halls. Other studies have shown that surveys of private households disproportionately under-represent dependent drinkers , 31. ThiThird, alcohol consumption is based on self-report, which commonly underestimates drinking. The mean weekly consumption reported in this study’s sample from 2011 to 2013 was 87 g. This is similar to the 92 g reported in the 2011 General Lifestyle Survey,  which isThis study showed that individuals in low SES groups have divergent drinking patterns and are more likely to report extreme drinking. This is an important finding for public health policy. Although the group that reported extreme drinking is small , it may have a large impact on the social distribution of disease burden and health service use. This group is likely to have high rates of unemployment, mental health problems, low resilience and other adverse life circumstances.There is limited understanding of how interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm affect this group. For example, modelling suggests that minimum unit pricing would be of both financial and health benefit to ‘harmful drinkers’ in the lowest income quintile,  but harmThe divergent drinking patterns in low SES groups highlights the need for more disaggregated health promotion. Long-term unemployed men reporting more than 880 g of alcohol consumption per week , for example, are likely to respond to interventions differently to less extreme drinkers and groups with greater social capital. Policies to address alcohol-related health inequalities may require specific focus on extreme drinkers who are living in poverty.CI, Confidence Interval; OR, Odds Ratio, SES Socioeconomic Status.


AbstractMogangellastraminea Dlabola, 1957, Doraturastylata , Macrostelessordidipennis  and Psammotettixseriphidii Emeljanov, 1962) listed as new for Iran and Balcluthapunctata , as a new record for the region. A distribution map of the species in northwestern Iran is given.The leafhopper fauna of northwestern Iran: Azarbaijan-e-Sharghi, Azarbaijan-e-Gharbi and Ardabil provinces is listed from previously published records and from our current work. Sixty-nine species are included with four species ( Auchenorrhyncha consists of approximately 42000 described worldwide species which have adopted varied life habits (The e habits . Moreovee habits .PageBreakCicadellidae (leafhoppers), is the largest family within the Hemiptera, with approximately 19,500 described species in more than 40 subfamilies (Cicadelloidea) and divided them into a number of families, currently subfamilies or tribes. Following Cicadellidae are included in the superfamily Membracoidea with the Membracidae (treehoppers). Most Cicadellidae species tend to feed from phloem fluid (except some Cicadellinae and most Typhlocybinae)  . Moreovedellidae .Auchenorrhyncha from Iran is Auchenorrhyncha species from Iran in the 1970s, which led to the discovery of more than 100 new Cicadellidae species in a long series of papers  covers nearly 100,503 square kilometers and consists of three provinces: Azarbaijan-e-Sharghi, Azarbaijan-e-Gharbi and Ardabil. It is located in Irano-Turanian zoogeographical region  and in tThe aim of this research was to collect and identify the leafhoppers in northwestern Iran and to prepare a checklist as a starting point for gathering the sporadic publications and studying the fauna for the whole of Iran. A total number of 69 species belonging to 11 subfamilies are recorded.PageBreakfied. The identifications were made using the works of The present study was carried out in three northwestern provinces including, Azarbaijan-e-Sharghi, Azarbaijan-e-Gharbi and Ardabil provinces Figure . During Deltocephalinae.The genera and species from northwestern Iran recorded through the present study and other publications are as follows (* indicates species not found in the present study). For those species with specimens examined, a reference to the authority used for the identification is included in parenthesis following the taxon heading. The classification used follows mainly Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1981*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.Iran; Saudi Arabia .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeAnaceratagallialaevis : 37°35'27.2"N, 46°11'03.7"E, 15.January.2008, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeAustroagalliasinuata : 38°51'42.7"N, 47°08'01.1"E, 3.September.2007, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Sufian, Marand   .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeCicadellaviridis : 37°41'07.4"N, 48°23'57.4"E, 18.January.2007, leg. Mozaffarian, Light trap , Near East, Nearctic region, Oriental region .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeConosanusobsoletus : 36°27'08.6"N, 045°42'32.9"E, 28.August.2007, leg. Mozaffarian & Nematian , Near East, Nearctic region, North Africa .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1971*Miyaneh- Siah chaman  Fig. 1,,1, ASh15Iran .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeRibaut, 1952Euscelisalsius : 39°37'30.7"N, 47°46'57.5"E, 19.January.2007, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1959Handianusbejbienkoi : Emeljanov 1964: 523, fig. 188: 26–27.39°36'8.3"N, 47°48'45.5"E, 18.January.2007, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeZachvatkin, 1946*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Europe , Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeZachvatkin, 1946*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.Iran .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaePuton, 1877*Sufian, Zonuschay  , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1971*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.Iran .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1974*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Iran .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeLethierry, 1876*Sufian, Zonuschay  , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Miyaneh-Siah chaman  Fig. 1,,1, ASh15East Palaearctic, Europe , Bulgaria, Canary Is., French mainland, Greek mainland, Italian mainland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovenia, Spanish mainland, Switzerland, Yugoslavia), Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1981*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Iran .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDoraturastylata : Aradebil: 11♂♀, Sarein. Ardestan, 1700 m, 2.July.1997, leg. Barari & Mofidi , Near East, Nearctic region, North Africa .This species is newly recorded from Iran.Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Marand   .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeZachvatkin, 1946*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Iran ; UzbekisPageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeGoniagnathusbrevis : Emeljanov 1964: 501, fig. 180: 7, 8; 38°52'13.5"N, 46°58'14.5"E, 2.September.2007, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.Afro-tropical region, East Palaearctic, Europe , Ukraine), Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeKusnezov, 1928*Miyaneh- Siah chaman  Fig. 1,,1, ASh15Ukraine .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.East Palaearctic, Europe , Near East, North Africa .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeLimotettixstriola : Emeljanov 1964: 529, fig. 190: 2–5; Ardabil: 1♀, Moghan, Parsabad, 9.May.1969, leg. Abaii. , Near East, Nearctic region, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeLinnavuori, 1962*Zonuschay, Marand  Balcluthapunctata : Emeljanov 1964: 507, fig. 182: 3; 37°41'07.4"N, 48°23'57.4"E, 18.January.2007, Light trap, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, Nearctic region, North Africa, Oriental region .This species is newly recorded from northwestern Iran.PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeWagner, 1939*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.East Palaearctic, Europe , Slovakia, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Yugoslavia) .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeRibaut, 1952Macrosteleschobauti : 37°45'45.8"N, 46°17'40.5"E, 18.January.2008, leg. Mozaffarian  , France,Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.East Palaearctic, Europe , Ireland, Moldova, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, South Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Yugoslavia), Near East, Nearctic region .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Maku ; MiynaehEast Palaearctic, Europe , Near East, Nearctic region .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeMacrostelessexnotatus : Emeljanov 1964: 507, fig. 182: 26, 27; 37°45'47.7"N, 46°17'39.8"E, 1.September.2007, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeMacrostelessordidipennis : Emeljanov 1964: 507, fig. 182: 36, 37; 37°45'47.7"N, 46°17'39.8"E, 1.September.2007, leg. Mozaffarian  .This species is newly recorded from Iran.Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1960*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Tabriz  Fig. 1,,1, ASh8.PageBreakkey, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland (doubtful), Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia Central, Russia North, South Russia, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Spanish mainland, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Yugoslavia), Near East, North Africa *Marand, Zonuschay, Sufian, Maku  , Egypt, France, German FR., Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy , Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Madeira Archipelago, Mongolia, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey (Anatolia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Moldavia, s.Russia, Turkmenia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Miyaneh-Zanjan, Bostanabad-Siah chaman, Siah chaman-Basmenj  , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.Iran, Israel, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeLindberg, 1958*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.Europe , Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Marand  , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Marand   .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.Afro-tropical region, East Palaearctic, Europe (Canary Is.), Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Sufian   .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1957Mogangellastraminea : Emeljanov 1964: 541, fig. 194: 13, 14.Azarbaijan-e-Sharghi: 1♂ 1♀, Marand, 12.July.2007, Light trap, leg. Lotfalizadeh , Near East .This species is newly recorded from Iran.Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeHaupt, 1927*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.PageBreakEast Palaearctic, Europe , Greek mainland, Hungary, Poland, South Russia, Yugoslavia), Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeRibaut, 1952*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Ukraine .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaePsammotettixalienus : Ardabil: 4♂♀, Moghan, 18.May.1978, leg. Abaii , Near East, Nearctic region, North Africa .Zea (maize) in Isfahan.Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Miyaneh-Zanjan ; Marand,East Palaearctic, Europe , Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeEmeljanov, 1962Psammotettixseriphidii : Emeljanov 1964: 539, fig. 193: 1, 2.37°35'41.8"N, 48°37'54.3"E, 17.Janaury.2007, leg. Mozaffarian, light trap *Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7Bulgaria, France, Italy, Switzerland, Altai Mts., Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Russia, Siberia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaePhlepsiusintricatus : Emeljanov 1964: 516, fig. 185: 5, 6; 37°58'28"N, 46°02'55"E, 21-30.August.2007, leg. Lotfalizadeh, Malaise trap , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeEmeljanov, 1962*Sufian  Fig. 1,,1, ASh7.Azarbaijan, Georgia .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeEupelixcuspidata : 37°35'27.2"N, 46°11'03.7"E, 15.January.2008, leg. Mozaffarian , Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay, Maku  , Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeLewis, 1834*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.East Palaearctic, Europe , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeDlabola, 1974*Uromieh  Fig. 1,,1, AG3Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.East Palaearctic, Europe (Romania (doubtful), South Russia (doubtful), Ukraine (doubtful), Yugoslavia (doubtful)), Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Siah chaman-Miyaneh  Fig. 1,,1, ASh15Europe , Italian mainland, Portuguese mainland, Sicily, Slovakia, Spanish mainland, Yugoslavia), Near East, North Africa .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeSingh-Pruthi, 1940*Zonuschay, Maku ; Siah chPageBreakEurope , Near East, Oriental region .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Miyaneh- Siah chaman, Tabriz-Shabestar, Miyaneh-Zanjan ; Sufian East Palaearctic, Europe , Near East, Nearctic region .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Zonuschay  Fig. 1,,1, ASh5.Europe  .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Miyaneh-Zanjan, Miyaneh-Siah chaman   .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Europe , Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Romania, Slovakia, Spanish mainland, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Yugoslavia), Near East .PageBreakTaxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeZachvatkin, 1947*Miyaneh-Zanjan, Siah chaman-Miyaneh, Uromieh-Sarv  , Near East .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidae*Siah chaman-Miyaneh  Fig. 1,,1, ASh15East Palaearctic, Europe , Near East, Nearctic region, Oriental region .Taxon classificationAnimaliaHemipteraCicadellidaeGermar, 1821*Marand  Fig. 1,,1, ASh6.Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia , Denmark, France, German DR, German FR, Great Britain (England), Greece, Hungary, Italy, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey (Anatolia), Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia, Russia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia .


With future vehicles equipped with processing capability, storage, and communications, vehicular networks will become a reality. A vast number of applications will arise that will make use of this connectivity. Some of them will be based on video streaming. In this paper we focus on HEVC video coding standard streaming in vehicular networks and how it deals with packet losses with the aid of RaptorQ, a Forward Error Correction scheme. As vehicular networks are packet loss prone networks, protection mechanisms are necessary if we want to guarantee a minimum level of quality of experience to the final user. We have run simulations to evaluate which configurations fit better in this type of scenarios. Our lives have experimented a radical change since cell phones are no longer just telephones and have become smartphones, with good processing capabilities, large store capacity, and above all, great connectivity. This connectivity allows us to have all kinds of information available at every moment. And we are not only information consumers but active producers as well. At the day when vehicular networks will be integrated by a high percentage of our vehicles and infrastructures in our cities and roads, a vast number of applications of all types (some of them nowadays unthinkable) will arise. Many of them will be oriented to safety and others to entertainment, economizing, and so forth. Within vehicular networks applications, video streaming can be very useful. But, on the one hand, vehicular networks are inhospitable environments where packet losses appear, and on the other hand, video transmission is heavily resource demanding. The combination of these two characteristics makes video streaming over vehicular networks a hard to manage task.The aim of this work is to evaluate the protection of video encoded with the emerging standard High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) by using RaptorQ codes and how they both behave in vehicular scenarios. For this task we will vary a series of parameters in both HEVC and RaptorQ and will present the performance of those configurations.There are lots of works that evaluate HEVC efficiency like , 2) alth alth2]) Our work differs in some aspects from the cited research works. The main difference is that our work combines several features of the cited works into one research. And also it includes features that are not included in previous works. In our work we have used real maps to design our vehicular scenarios. We have not used synthetic losses but the real losses obtained by simulations of vehicles moving through the scenario. We have used HEVC reference software with some modifications in order to make it robust against packet losses (avoiding crashes when packets are lost). So we have decoded the bitstream with missing packets directly with the reference software. We have used RaptorQ codes in order to protect the video stream and we have tuned them to test which configurations get better results. And not only statistics about percentage of recovered packets are provided, but also the quality of the real reconstructed video sequence is presented .The rest of the paper is structured as follows. In In this section we describe the three integral parts of the scenarios of our research: vehicular networks, HEVC, and RaptorQ codes.2 emissions, infotainment, and so forth. Video streaming will be used by diverse types of applications like digital entertainment, Video On Demand (VOD), tourist information, contextual advertising, traffic flow density, and other regarding safety issues like emergency video call and so forth. Vehicular networks will have many challenges due to their nature. The combination of wireless communications with the relative high speed of nodes, variability of routes, and obstacles disturbing wireless signal  will make them packet loss prone networks. In packet loss prone networks, video streaming applications, which produce big deals of data and have high bandwidth requirements, may decrease the network performance and may have to deal with high rates of packet loss. These big deals of data need to be efficiently compressed to diminish the bandwidth needed for streaming. So we will need the assistance of proficient video codecs.In future, vehicles will be equipped with lots of sensors  which will be able to collect internal and external measurements. They will also be provided with a certain computing capability which will allow them to process information, and they will also carry communications equipment. These three elements will make Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) possible, where vehicles will have the ability to communicate with each other and with infrastructure in an intelligent way. This capacity of vehicles to communicate with each other and with a fixed network will bring both vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) networks. These networks will be used by applications regarding areas like people safety, fuel consumption savings, reduction of COOn January 2013, High Efficiency Video Coding  was agreSlices are components of an encoded video stream that were introduced in the previous video coding standard, H.264/AVC. They are coded fragments of a frame that can be independently decoded. This makes them especially useful in packet loss prone scenarios. If we encode each frame of a video sequence using only one slice and that slice is bigger than the network MTU, then we will have to divide the slice in several fragments which will travel in several network packets. If one of these packets gets lost, then the rest of the fragments of the slice will become completely useless, because a slice cannot be decoded if it is not complete. In this way the loss of a single packet implies the effective loss of the whole frame. But if we divide each frame into several slices and each slice is smaller than the network MTU, then we will be able to send each slice in one packet. The loss of a single packet would not imply the loss of the whole frame but only the loss of a slice because the rest of the packets could be independently decoded.But there is a drawback in dividing a frame into several slices. As slices are independently decodable, prediction is not allowed farther away of the slice limits. For instance, spatial prediction using areas of other slices is not allowed. The same happens to motion vectors prediction that must remain inside slice limits. This causes a decrease in coding efficiency. For every slice we will have a slice header which will also introduce some overhead. And if we divide a frame into too many slices, then the size of each slice may be much smaller in comparison with other headers used for streaming  and this would introduce a considerable overhead. In this work we will study how HEVC behaves in video streaming over vehicular networks for different number of slices per frame with the aid of RaptorQ codes to deal with packet loss.Raptor codes, invented by Shokrollahi , 10, areThis is how RaptorQ operates. The RaptorQ encoder receives a data stream (source packets) during a specified protection period. These packets are put together in memory to form a source block. A 4-byte FEC trailer is added to each received packet. This trailer identifies the packet and the protection period to which it belongs. These FEC-protected packets are sent through the network. When the protection period finishes, the source block in memory is FEC-encoded into repair symbols which are placed into repair packets and sent through the network. At the receiver side, the RaptorQ decoder receives protected source packets and repair packets. Some of these packets may get lost or corrupted and the RaptorQ decoder will try to recover lost packets out of the group of source and repair packets correctly received.Latency  is the drawback of RaptorQ protection scheme. As the protection window increases, the delay grows. Live events or real-time applications like video conference will have to use short periods for the protection window to keep latency into reasonable limits. Other types of streaming applications like IPTV may tolerate wider protection windows (while keeping latency inside a reasonably interaction response time). And some other applications like Video On Demand can be much more flexible in enlarging the protection period which will provide more bandwidth efficiency.In our tests, several tools and simulators have been used. For the construction of the vehicular scenario we have used the OpenStreetMap project . The OpeOMNeT++ is not a simulator itself but a framework for the development of simulators. It is a public domain software and a lot of projects  are available for it. Two of these projects have been put together to provide a vehicular network simulator, MiXiM  and VeinInside this vehicular network simulator we have developed an application for driving the experiments. It basically allows the injection of a video stream and the insertion of background traffic to produce congestion in the network to simulate adverse conditions. It also gathers some statistics for subsequent analysis.For the encoding and decoding of HEVC video we have used the HEVC reference software . That soFor the protection of the bitstream with RaptorQ codes we have used the Qualcomm (R) RaptorQ (TM) Evaluation Kit . RaptorQFor the performance of the tests we have followed these steps. Once the scenario has been implemented, we have encoded a raw video sequence at different number of slices per frame producing several HEVC bitstreams (in RTP format). Each one of these bitstreams has been FEC encoded with several configurations using RaptorQ. Protected sequences have been used to run simulations. Each simulation produces a file with several statistics (including the packet loss ratio) and a file with the received packets. This file is FEC decoded by means of RaptorQ in order to try to recover lost packets and to produce an HEVC file (in RTP format). This RTP file is decoded by HEVC decoder and finally the reconstructed raw video sequence is compared to the original one in order to calculate PSNR and evaluate final video quality.In next section we will give some extra details about tests and we will analyze the most relevant results obtained.The study case is based on the scenario shown in Now we present the evaluation of the video sequence behavior when it is encoded at a different number of slices per frame in both encoding modes used (AI and LP).The sequence chosen for the tests is RaceHorses, one of the test sequences used by JCT-VC for HEVC evaluation in common test conditions . It has In A factor that can be of great relevance when protecting data is the proportion of network packets (fragments) with respect to RTP packets (each RTP packet includes one slice). As stated before, if we have many fragments for one RTP packet, then the probability of losing this RTP packet increases, because the real loss of only one of the fragments will render the RTP packet useless. And this will result in the effective loss of the rest of the fragments of that RTP packet. But if we have one fragment per RTP packet, then the loss of one fragment will not affect the rest of packets. When the proportion tends to 1 every lost packet which can be recovered by RaptorQ is contributing to improve the final quality of the reconstructed video. When the proportion moves far away from 1 the recovery of packets by RaptorQ does not always directly turn into an improvement on video quality.The mean proportion of fragments per RTP packet is shown in For the evaluation of RaptorQ and determining which configurations are most suitable, we have protected each of the generated bitstreams with different setups for RaptorQ. 6 different sizes for the temporal window have been used , 3 different levels of protection have been assigned , and 2 different combinations of symbol size and repair packet size have been used .First of all we have analyzed the overhead generated by the protection added with RaptorQ codes. In addition to the global bitrate increment we have measured the increment in the packet rate (which is caused by the addition of repair packets). In previous works we found out that in vehicular networks packet losses are more influenced by packet rate than by packet size, so if we do not keep the extra packets per second low, then the solution to our problem (adding extra repair packets) can become the problem of the network.In this section we will present the tests performed in the simulations. For the experiments we have used the framework previously depicted, using SUMO, OMNeT++, MiXiM, and Veins.In simulations we connect SUMO and OMNeT++ via TraCI. SUMO tells OMNeT++ the position of every vehicle at every instant and OMNeT++ (using MiXiM and Veins) runs the simulation of the vehicular network. Video sequences which have been previously protected with RaptorQ codes are transmitted from the 3 RSUs to the video receiver. At the end of the simulation a file is generated with some statistics, including the percentage of packets lost. Another file is also generated including the packets received by the vehicle. This file is processed using RaptorQ decoder in order to generate a file with RTP packets, trying to recover the lost packets. The output of this process is passed to the HEVC decoder which will try to restore the video sequence. After this process we compute the PSNR value for the reconstructed sequence.We have run simulations for the following combinations: both modes of encoding (AI and LP), different number of slices per frame , and three protection levels . For all these combinations we have run tests injecting background traffic at four different rates .In areas of full coverage, packet losses are due to background traffic. Here we encounter isolated losses. On the contrary, in areas near the limits of the RSUs coverage, packet losses are bursty because the signal is completely lost for some period. For isolated losses RaptorQ codes do a good job in recovering lost packets. Tables In this work we have analyzed the protection of video delivery in vehicular networks. The video encoder selected for the tests is the new emerging standard HEVC. To protect the video stream we have used RaptorQ codes. We have first analyzed the behavior and performance of HEVC for two coding modes (AI and LP) and for different number of slices per frame. Then we have protected the encoded sequences by means of RaptorQ with several configurations and observed the effects of this selection. We have seen that varying HEVC and RaptorQ parameters leads to very different situations, regarding total bitrate and packet rate. At last we have run simulations in a vehicular environment to measure the ability of RaptorQ in protecting video packets in this type of scenarios. The reduction in the number of lost packets because of RaptorQ codes recovery properties has been presented as well as the quality of the decoded video reconstructions. As a general conclusion we can state that there are a lot of parameters that can be fine-tuned to adapt the video protection to the requirements of the specific network conditions  and to the requirements of the specific application . So there is not a general formula which will fit into all situations to provide the best level of protection. On the contrary, a previous evaluation of the real conditions and user preferences is mandatory.


Dear SirA one-day-old boy weighing 2.4 kg was admitted with imperforate anus. On physical examination there was marked abdominal distension and palpable bladder. External genitalia were normal. A per urethral 6F feeding tube could be passed easily into the bladder. Invertogram suggested the presence of congenital pouch colon malformation. Exploration revealed type 1 complete colonic pouch and a bladder diverticulum. This diverticulum had a fistulous communication with distal end of pouch. Terminal ileum was directly opening into the pouch. Appendix was absent. Meckel’s diverticulum was found 40 centimeters proximal to terminal ileum. There was another diverticulum on anti-mesenteric border 10 cm proximal to Meckel’s diverticulum. No attempt was made to excise these asymptomatic and normal appearing diverticulae. Coloplasty of type I CPC was deferred due to poor general condition of the baby. Fistula was ligated and end pouch colostomy was done in left iliac fossa. Cystoscopic evaluation for obstructive uropathy could not be possible as child succumbed in the immediate post operative period. Autopsy was not performed.The congenital pouch colon is found to be associated with many genitourinary and gastrointestinal anomalies. A total 11 cases of Meckel’s diverticulum with CPC have been reported in literature. [1] Unusual association of pouch colon with another pouch, pouch colon to rectal atresia and pouch colon with duplicate bladder exstrophy has also been reported. Coexistence of CPC and double Meckel’s diverticulum has not been reported earlier. We presume that this unusual presentation having two small intestinal diverticulae on anti-mesenteric border is a case of double Meckel’s diverticulum. The possible embryogenesis we suggest is that in early week of gestation, duplication of vitello-intestinal duct occurred and due to incomplete obliteration of both of these, double Meckel’s resulted.Source of Support: NilConflict of Interest: None


Mitochondrial cristae are connected to the inner boundary membrane via crista junctions which are implicated in the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, and import of lipids and proteins. The MICOS complex determines formation of crista junctions. We performed complexome profiling and identified Mic13, also termed Qil1, as a subunit of the MICOS complex. We show that MIC13 is an inner membrane protein physically interacting with MIC60, a central subunit of the MICOS complex. Using the CRISPR/Cas method we generated the first cell line deleted for MIC13. These knockout cells show a complete loss of crista junctions demonstrating that MIC13 is strictly required for the formation of crista junctions. MIC13 is required for the assembly of MIC10, MIC26, and MIC27 into the MICOS complex. However, it is not needed for the formation of the MIC60/MIC19/MIC25 subcomplex suggesting that the latter is not sufficient for crista junction formation. MIC13 is also dispensable for assembly of respiratory chain complexes and for maintaining mitochondrial network morphology. Still, lack of MIC13 resulted in a moderate reduction of mitochondrial respiration. In summary, we show that MIC13 has a fundamental role in crista junction formation and that assembly of respiratory chain supercomplexes is independent of mitochondrial cristae shape. The lower panel shows the zoomed image of the box in upper panel. Scale bar 10μm.Mitochondrial morphology of control and MIC13 KO cells analyzed by cytochrome (TIF)Click here for additional data file.


The paper presents an NP-video rendering system based on natural phenomena. It provides a simple nonphotorealistic video synthesis system in which user can obtain a flow-like stylization painting and infinite video scene. Firstly, based on anisotropic Kuwahara filtering in conjunction with line integral convolution, the phenomena video scene can be rendered to flow-like stylization painting. Secondly, the methods of frame division, patches synthesis, will be used to synthesize infinite playing video. According to selection examples from different natural video texture, our system can generate stylized of flow-like and infinite video scenes. The visual discontinuities between neighbor frames are decreased, and we also preserve feature and details of frames. This rendering system is easy and simple to implement. Most natural phenomena can use image or video to demonstrate directly. However, both natural and artificial phenomena cannot adequately be captured by a single static photo or image. On the other hand, though video is considered as the best media to show natural scene, it also has some shortcomings, such as if video scene should be stored on a computer or other storage devices, we always apply finite duration video clip. Therefore, video needs a beginning, a processing, and the ending frame. Further, though video captures the time-varying behavior of the phenomenon, it lacks the “timeless” quality of the photograph or image. In addition, it needs too much storage space.In order to solve the above problems, Schödl and Essa proposed a new type of medium called “video texture” . Video tGenerally, video texture may be regarded as expansion of image not only in the time domain but also in natural phenomena simulation. Schödl and Essa also employed video texture technique to animation. They used L2 distance to measure similarity between neighbor frames and maintained playing continuity among video frames. The proposed method has realized highly third dimension scenery animation successfully. Based on image cutting and synthesizing technique, Kuwahara improved video texture synthesis method. To ensure continuity, the input frames were divided into some parts, and then they would be synthesized to video texture . Their mThough there are so many video synthesis methods to synthesize natural video phenomena, the synthesis results are traditionally striven photorealism scenes. That is to say photorealism effects can not produce artistic sensation. Sometimes, people want to enjoy artistic video with cartoon, oil, and water painting effects. In addition, photorealistic images often include more details than necessary to communicate intended information. It is known that nonphotorealistic rendering (NPR) is the subject of intense debate for representative methods of artistic style creation. Artistic expression can often convey a specific mood which is difficult to imbue in a photorealistic scene. NPR also can focus viewer's attention on the important information while downplaying extraneous or unimportant features. Additionally, a NPR look is often more engaging than the traditional, photorealism computer graphic rendering . So, if Some NPR methods address the computer generated abstract stylization artistic effects, and this process fit perceptual task performance and evaluation. Decaudin applied modeling tools to generate abstract effect from natural scene , and hisThis paper presents an improved method to synthesize phenomena video with flow-like abstract painting. The new NP-video model can convert natural phenomena to a flow-like stylization video fast, and we also can achieve the infinite video texture easily. The amalgamations of the NPR and video texture synthesis can make the user enjoy artistic phenomena work, looking on the original phenomena in different artistic style, immersing vision and spirit into the artistic kingdom, and avoid some critical problems in photorealism systems.We will introduce the basic architecture of our NP-video phenomena model in this section. As shown in Many arts create flow-like artistic work, and people always enjoy this work. Van Gogh and Munch emphasized flow-like structures and directional features in their paintings. The paintings are so famous because they are harmonic, interesting, and pleasant. Directional coherence and flow structure in this artistic work can help salience region features and boundaries. It also helps to evoke viewer's imagination. So, before synthesizing video texture, we transfer the input phenomena to flow-like art first, and our method provides a versatile NPR flow-like rendering interface.As same as the abstract effects, flow-like stylization artistic work can generate using edge-preserving filter method. Bilateral filter  and meanThough there are many techniques that can be used to obtain flow-like artistic work, these methods should be improved to adopt phenomena video. After capturing phenomena video, we will resolve this video and generate flow-like stylization painting of every frame. Our method begins with the anisotropic Kuwahara filtering. Firstly, eigenvalues and eigenvectors can be used to calculate structure tensor. Secondly, local orientation and anisotropy structure are used to guide Kuwahara filter process. Then the flow-like effects can be generated using improved line integral convolution.Gσ,x and Gσ,y be the spatial derivatives in x- and y-direction and let f be the input frame with standard deviation σ; structure tensor can be calculated asBrox et al. obtained anisotropy through calculating eigenvalues and eigenvectors of structure tensor . We use G = T. Let ∗ denote convolution operation; the partial derivatives of f can be calculated:The pixel's gradient vector is f can be defined asThe structure tensor of each video frame d1 and d2 be the minimum and the maximum eigenvalue of T, which represents gray scale variation degree of vector v1 and v2σ denotes filter kernel of Gauss function variance, r denotes filter radius which is calculated using d1/d2. If d1 and d2 are close, this filter field tends to be circular. The parameter θ represents edge direction of pixel , which reflects curve direction of eigenvalue. Then anisotropic structure tensor can be expressed as T′:Let Because the local vector field maybe discontinuous, we use Gaussian filter technique to smooth this vector field, and eigenvalues of structure tensor are given:Then, the eigenvector in local curve direction is calculated asφ = argt, and we calculate anisotropy based on Yang's method [A ranges between 0 and 1, which denotes isotropic and anisotropic regions, respectively.The local orientation is s method :(8)A=Z1i, j) of filter result is determined by the spatial distance from the center pixel , as well as its relative intensity difference, the filtering output Q at pixel  is calculated:Gi,j is the local intensity or color similarity with weighted wi,j, and ai,j denotes the squared standard deviations, m and a can be defined:Because pixel  be a stream line with length of L. Parameter p0 denotes each pixel in σ(s). Let s0 be current pixel; we can obtain p0 = σ(s0). Parameter k(s) denotes convolution kernel, and we utilize Hanning window function in this paper. I(σ(s)) denotes all the pixels in this line, the convolution implement is defined as follows [L denotes convolution length. If L is small, an insufficient amount of filtering flow occurs. However, too large L will result in close convolution value and regular output. Because variance can well reflect local statistic information, it can be used to calculate local convolution length automatically:Lmax and Lmin are the largest and the smallest integral length which can be assigned. Parameter σ is variance value of local area. Based on anisotropic filtering and integral convolution, input video can be rendered to flow-like effects. Next we will synthesize nonphotorealistic video texture to infinite video scene.We benefit from our efficient stylization painting not only in anisotropic filtering, but also with flow-like effect. Papari and Petkov applied integral convolution technique to produce nonphotorealistic rendering glass patterns texture effect . We refe follows :(12)IouAfter phenomena video is rendered to flow-like effects, we will synthesize video texture clip to infinite video scene through video texture synthesis method. There are two significant challenges for video texture synthesis. (1) Because infinite video scene is generated through playing period video sequence repeat, the end frame in one sequence has large difference with the beginning frame in the next loop sequence. So, there are visual breaks between different loop arrays. (2) During video texture playing, visual discontinuities exist in different frames in one sequence. When frames dispose to nonphotorealistic artistic work, the discontinuities will be more prominent. So, we will determinate loop sequence of input video frames first. Then, methods of frame division and recombination, patches synthesis will be applied to eliminate visual discontinuities.Many natural phenomena present playing cycle in video texture. If we play video cycle of natural phenomena repeat, people can enjoy infinite scene, and visual discontinuities will be reduced. So, we should find the loop cycle of a certain video texture. We use Schödl's method of L2 distance to measure the similarity among different video frames .Ni, Nj denote two different frames in one video texture, similarity can be acquired asIi, Ij are luminance information of Ni and Nj. Parameters p, p′ represent pixel positions of Ni and Nj. So, if E is smaller than the threshold k, frames Ni and Nj can be regarded as the same loop sequence. That is to say, Nj and Ni are neighbor frames. If n denotes frame number of input natural video texture and m denotes each frame in n; threshold k can be calculated:Because human's vision is sensitive to the change of luminance in frames, during the process of L2 distance calculation, we transfer the color space of frame from RGB to YCbCr. So L2 distance can be calculated only in luminance channel Y. If n frames:Based on similarity, video texture can be divided into different sequences. Because L2 distance of neighbor frames in one sequence is small, we consider using different sequences to combine final infinite video scene. If L2 distance satisfies formula , then thI1 to I15 in this video, and we can obtain similarity in E1,2 < E1,3 < ⋯<E1,7 > E1,8 > ⋯>E1,14 < E1,15. Then frames I1 to I14 belong to the one sequence, and fourteen is the cycle length of this video. If we want to obtain infinite video texture, frame I1 should be played when frame I14 is ended, and these fourteen frames should play repeatedly.From Though L2 distance is smaller than threshold in one sequence, when playing video sequence repeatedly, there also exists visual discontinuity between neighbor frames, such as ending and beginning frames. Therefore, we utilize Bhat's method to eliminate these discontinuities. Most natural phenomena video texture is similar particle moving, such as waterfall, fountain, flame, and stream water. T = 3, the patch moves to the third part in the fourth frame, whose beginning is the first part in the second frame. If frames are divided into three parts, One frame in video texture can be divided into some texture patches, such as The method of frames division and recombination is suitable to natural phenomena moving downwards, such as rivers, waterfalls, and fallen leaves. If input video texture moves upwards, such as fountains or flames, the frames should be divided into patches and recombination retroflex like Though visual discontinuity can be removed applying frame division and recombination, some distinct boundaries will be produced between different patches in one frame. Texture synthesis method can be used to eliminate these boundaries.Texture synthesis method can be used to synthesize texture sample to an unlimited size image. Efros and Freeman proposed a texture quilting method to synthesize surprisingly good results for a wide range of textures . Efros aEi,j). Let Epre be error cost of previous slider window and eold error cost of region A; enew is error cost of region B. Equation ( New and Old windows, and this method can optimize synthesis process between different patches:Equation  is used To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed methods in this paper, we implemented the relevant algorithms and carried out our corresponding experiments. Figures In this paper, we have presented an NP-video texture synthesis system based on natural phenomena. Based on a simple and effective anisotropic filtering and integral convolution, flow-like stylization video effects can be generated. In addition, through loop sequence determination, frame division, and recombination, our algorithm removes visual discontinuities between different frames during video texture synthesis process. The experiment results indicate that our algorithm is easy to synthesize infinite video scene with nonphotorealistic artistic work.An obvious limitation of our method is that the synthesis speed should be improved. Some strategies should be used to protect highly important area in the frames. We may further extend the GPU implementation of our algorithm to process video in real time.


Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which lack significant protein-coding capacity, regulate various biological processes through diverse and as yet poorly understood molecular mechanisms. However, a number of studies in the past few years have documented important functions for lncRNAs in human diseases. Among these lncRNAs, lincRNA-p21 has been proposed to be a novel regulator of cell proliferation, apoptosis and DNA damage response, and involved in the initiation and progression of human diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of lincRNA-p21, mainly focus on the known biological functions and its underlying mechanisms. Moreover, we highlight the growing body of evidences for the importance of lincRNA-p21 in diverse human diseases, which indicate lincRNA-p21 as a potential diagnostic marker and/or a valuable therapeutic target for these diseases. They are RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcripts, and thus are capped, spliced and polyadenylated . The recdiseases ,7. LincRdiseases ,9. Here,p21, which is pivotal for the efficient binding of p53 to the p21 promoter to initialize the transcription of p21, and therefore lincRNA-p21 can activate the expression of p21 [. Dimitrova et al. [lincRNA-p21 deficiency and demonstrated that lincRNA-p21 deletion could diminish p21 expression and promoted mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) proliferation. However, Huarte et al. [et al. [p21 upon lincRNA-p21 knockdown in MEFs. A potential explanation to the discrepancy is that complete suppression of lincRNA-p21 is required to deregulate p21 [LincRNA-p21 has a key functional role in regulating p21 levels. LincRNA-p21 recruits heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP-K) to the promoter of n of p21 . Dimitroa et al.  generate [et al.  didn’t dlate p21 . AdditioMouse double minute 2 (MDM2), an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, can degrade p53 and block the interaction of p300 with p53, thereby inhibiting p53 acetylation and its activity ,13,14. pLincRNA-p21 possesses a post-transcriptional function as a modulator of translation. It can recognize mRNA targets by basepairing and repressing translation in coordination with the Rck RNA helicase in the cytoplasm . For exaet al. [MicroRNAs have emerged as an important class of small regulatory RNAs in eliciting post-transcriptional control. The protein MS2 tagged RNA affinity purification can recognize miRNAs associated with a target transcript. Yoon et al.  found thinvitro [Nanog) and H3K9me3 maintenance at the promoters of other set of pluripotency genes , which both are mediated by hnRNP-K [Lin28a, Esrrb, Lefty2, Nanog and Sall4 are significantly upregulated by hnRNP-K or lincRNA-p21 knockdown [Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have major implications for toxicology screening, regenerative medicine and disease modeling invitro . However hnRNP-K . LincRNA hnRNP-K . The dow hnRNP-K . LincRNA hnRNP-K . Some plnockdown . Therefop21 and lincRNA-p21 with dose-dependent effect [LincRNA-p21 is directly induced by p53 and leads to transcriptional activation in response to DNA damage [etal. [lincRNA-p21 across humans and mice. ING1b is a tumor suppressor which affects apoptosis and cell cycle control. LincRNA-p21 is upregulated by ING1b and this effect is additive to p53  ,33,34,35ApoE−/− mice, which showed that lincRNA-p21 may act as a therapeutic target to treat cardiovascular disorders and atherosclerosis [LincRNA-p21 also participates in the pathogenesis of other diseases. For instance, lincRNA-p21 is an important regulator of cell proliferation and apoptosis during atherosclerosis . The expclerosis . LincRNAclerosis . Methotrclerosis .LincRNA-p21 is involved in diverse cellular processes via regulation of multiple target gene expression, and has been proven to be a crucial regulator in physiological processes and diseases. However, the biological function of lincRNA-p21 is still largely unknown. Further studies are required to unveil other effects of lincRNA-p21 through forming lncRNA-p21-protein/mRNA complexes and its role in the regulation of gene expression. In addition, dysregulation of lincRNA-p21 is involved in the development and progression of diverse human diseases. Therefore, whether lincRNA-p21 can be utilized as a diagnosis biomarker and/or drug target in these human diseases needs to be further investigated. It will be an exciting journey to form a better understanding of the precise lincRNA-p21 molecular mechanisms, and further explore a convenient diagnosis biomarker and/or therapeutic target for diverse human diseases. In conclusion, the potential roles of lincRNA-p21 in biomedical science could be tremendous, and will require a long time of intensive research before it can be fully deciphered and applied.


We have previously showed that the bundle–crossing region of the transmembrane domain constitutes the crucial segment responsible for the polyamine block. In this study, we demonstrated that the major blocking effect of intracellular Mg2+ on Kir2.1 channels is also closely correlated with K+ current flow, and the coupled movements of Mg2+ and K+ seem to happen in the same flux–coupling segment of the pore as polyamines. With a preponderant outward K+ flow, intracellular Mg2+ would also be pushed to and thus stay at the outermost site of a flux–coupling segment in the bundle–crossing region of Kir2.1 channels to block the pore, although with a much lower apparent affinity than spermine (SPM). However, in contrast to the evident possibilities of outward exit of SPM through the channel pore especially during strong membrane depolarization, intracellular Mg2+ does not seem to traverse the Kir2.1 channel pore in any case. Intracellular Mg2+ and SPM therefore may have a synergistic action on the pore–blocking effect, presumably via prohibition of the outward exit of the higher–affinity blocking SPM by the lower–affinity Mg2+.Inward rectifier K It has been reported that 0.5–1 mM Mg2+ 881415164891011151819202122242+ but not SPM block2+ in the molecular physiology of Kir2.1 channels, given the fact that the coexisting polyamines  are already very potent voltage– and flux–dependent pore blockers effectively making the inward rectification phenomenon. It is therefore desirable to study the biophysical as well as molecular attributes of Mg2+ block Kir2.1 channel pore in more detail, and to make a comparison with SPM to decipher the differential and combinational roles of these two physiological blockers of Kir2.1 channel pore.Inward rectifier K2+ on the Kir2.1 channel is correlated with K+ currents flow, albeit quantitatively much less marked than SPM. The coupled movement of Mg2+ and K+ ions also happens in the same flux–coupling pore segment at the bundle–crossing region as SPM. With preponderant outward K+ flow, Mg2+ is pushed to the outermost site of the flux–coupling segment in the bundle–crossing region of the Kir2.1 channel pore. Because Mg2+ is much less likely to exit to the outside upon very strong depolarization or preponderant outward flow than SPM, Mg2+ may effectively enhance the blocking effect of SPM, a blocker with an apparently much higher affinity than Mg2+ upon moderate depolarization, but an evident tendency of outward exit of the pore with large driving forces.In this study, we demonstrate that the blocking effect of intracellular Mg2+ block of the WT Kir2.1 channel. + solution by 10 and 100 μM intracellular Mg2+. The outward currents are inhibited by intracellular Mg2+ with the decay phase accelerated in a dose–dependent manner. The inward currents, on the other hand, are not evidently affected by intracellular Mg2+. 2+ has relatively prominent changes in the vicinity of 0 mV . The change, however, is far less abrupt if compared to the case of spermine (SPM) examined in a similar way2+ but is ~102,000 in the case of SPM2+ and SPM on non–Kir2.1 channel expressing membranes in symmetrical 100 mM K+ as a control. There is no discernible effect on the non–Kir2.1 channel expressing membranes whether Mg2+ and SPM are present alone or concomitantly   in the flux–coupling region. These flux coupling sites, but not the blocking site itself, thus seem to be saturated by 100–300 but not 20 mM ambient K+. We further investigated the effect of the intracellular Mg2+ with a EK+ of −40 mV. The binding constant (Kd) of the Mg2+ block in asymmetrical  K+ is shifted by only ~−20 mV (2+ than SPM in 2+ block of the Kir2.1 channel pore.We subsequently changed the ambient KmV (EK+) . Interes ~−20 mV . This is2+ at different membrane potentials is also larger in the E224G, E224Q, and E299S mutant channels than that in the WT channel .In our previous study, we demonstrated that intracellular SPM block of the Kir2.1 channel is composed of a strongly voltage–dependent unblocking (δ = ~0.58) and a voltage–independent (δ = ~0.06) blocking processes2+ unblocking is discernible not only in mutant, but also in the WT Kir2.1 channels at “appropriate” voltage ranges. 2+ in the WT and different mutant channels (single and double mutations involving E224 and M183). The monotonous deceleration at more positive membrane voltages indicates slower unblocking rates of the blocking Mg2+ with membrane depolarization. Despite quite evident variations in the absolute values of the off rates, the voltage dependence remained similar among the WT and different mutant channels, suggesting a significantly altered height but not location and shape of the major barrier to the blocking Mg2+ exiting the pore. These data are very similar to SPM2+ permeation between the blocking site and intracellular melieu.2+ in the E224Q mutant channel are substantially accelerated by concomitant mutations at the bundle–crossing regions of M183W, M183N, and A178C , but also at the same blocking site itself. In other words, although mutations involving E224 and the bundle–crossing region of TM2 are separated by >40 residues in the amino acid sequence, they seem to share the same loci of action for intracellular Mg2+ block. These features are once more very much reminiscent of that of internal SPM block of the Kir2.1 channel.To further examine the role of the residues located immediately between I176 and M183, we constructed a series of single mutations from I176 to M183, which presumably constitute the bundle–crossing region of TM2. n of TM2 . E224G a2+ and SPM on the Kir2.1 channel, it is intriguing why there are the two blockers in the cell. In other word, what would be the role of Mg2+ given the already very strong blocking effect of SPM? We examined the blocking effect of coexisting internal Mg2+ and SPM. 2+, the presumable “physiological concentrations” of the blockers in certain cells81415162+ or 10 μM SPM. Concomitant intracellular 1 mM Mg2+ and 10 μM SPM apparently could further reduce the residual currents in the presence of either blocker alone. It is interesting that the much weaker blocker (1 mM) Mg2+ could be so prominently increase the blocking effect of the much stronger blocker (10 μM) SPM. A closer look at 2+ block, but not in the case of SPM block  with stronger depolarization. This could be ascribed to the increasing tendency of outward exit (and thus decreased blocking potency) of the blocking SPM, but not Mg2+, when there is more and more preponderant outward flux of the permeating K+ ion. We therefore did the same experiments in a more physiological condition , which would result in even more preponderant outward K+ flux at the same membrane voltage  could also be kinetically additive in addition to the foregoing synergism based on a more steady–state consideration. To investigate the interactions during the onset of block, we reduced the concentrations of both blockers to submicromolar range for better resolution of the kinetics , should have its blocking effect roughly at the same pore segment as SPM, presumably a long molecule with 4 regularly space positive charges and 3 intervening hydrophobic segments. The fact that the two very different blockers act on the same region of the pore would strongly indicate that functionally there is only one flux–coupling region responsible for the flow–dependent blocking phenomenon of the Kir2.1 channel pore. Moreover, although this region very likely contains regularly or semi–regularly spaced ionic sites and intervening hydrophobic groups in view of the very high IR index of SPM, it probably is not a fixed narrow fit for the permeating ions . Instead, it caliber could be so wide that Mg2+ could also cross the hydrophobic segment between two ionic sites “rapidly” enough to make a discernible flux–coupling blocking effect (see below). The initial very fast phase followed by a much slower phase of the “slow tails” upon repolarization in the presence of either SPM or Mg2+  may also contribute to the much smaller flow–dependence of block. On the other hand, it is intriguing that the intrinsic voltage–dependence of approaching and leaving the flux–coupling segment is rather similar for intracellular SPM and Mg2+  than “functional” . In other words, the bundle–crossing point . A small outward K+ conductance may therefore persist to significantly contribute to keep the resting membrane potential close to the K+ reversal potential, a basic physiological function of the Kir channels (see below).Although Mgg region , 71213 wegion 7121213. Theand Mg2+ 12. In ott ~A18412. These f2+  to stay in the widened middle part of the central cavity due to the decreased preponderance of outward K+ flux . Intracellular Mg2+ and SPM (or polyamine) and the Kir channels in the cell membrane would therefore make an ideal combination to assure not only essentially undisturbed initiation of cellular activities  but also rapid “stabilization” of the membrane as soon as the intervening repolarization phase ensues.We have seen that SPM, even with its much lower physiological concentrations ~10 μM14151617 1415162+ 1213. How2+ 12. This isrization , either rization . Mg2+, win vitro T7 mMESSAGE mMACHINE transcription kits, Ambio, Austin, TX, USA).The mouse Kir2.1 DNA was subcloned into phagemid expression vector of Bluescript II SK11213271213Xenopus oocytes (stages V and VI) were isolated by partial ovariectomy from frogs anaesthetized with 0.1% (w/v) tricaine (3–aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester), defolliculated using 1.5% type IA collagenase  and then maintained at 18 °C in ND 96 solution which contains 96 mM NaCl, 5 mM HEPES, 2 mM KCl, 1.8 mM MgCl2, 1.0 mM CaCl2, titrated to pH 7.6 by 1 M NaOH. Xenopus oocytes were microinjected 40–60 nl wild–type (WT) or mutant cRNA  and were maintained in ND 96 solution at 18 °C for no longer than 7 days after defolliculation1213Xenopus oocyte was then used for recording right after wash in the external solution containing: 72 mM KCl, 2 mM KH2PO4, 8 mM K2HPO4, and 5 mM K2EDTA, titrated to pH 7.6 by 1 M KOH.All animal handling procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of National Taiwan University College of Medicine (Permit number: 2006–2320), and were performed in accordance with animal welfare guidelines by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)1213Xenopus oocytes expressing WT or mutant Kir2.1 channels were conducted at room temperature (22–25 °C) using the pClamp 6.0 software and an Axopatch 200A amplifier . Data were filtered at ~2 kHz and digitized at ~10 kHz through Digidata 1200A interface . The pipettes were pulled from borosilicate glass  using a horizontal puller  and fired polished . The pipette resistance was 0.2–0.5 MΩ when filled with extracellular solutions. Both the extracellular and intracellular solutions contained (the 100 mM K+ solution): 68 mM KCl, 8 mM K2HPO4, 2 mM KH2PO4, 5 mM K2EDTA, and 4 mM KOH, titrated to pH 7.4 by 1 M KOH1213+, intracellular and extracellular solutions both contained: 8.6 mM KCl, 4 mM K2HPO4, 1 mM KH2PO4, 3 mM EDTA, and 2.4 mM KOH, titrated to pH 7.4 by 1 M KOH. For the experiments in symmetrical 300 mM K+, intracellular and extracellular solutions both contained: 270 mM KCl, 8 mM K2HPO4, 2 mM KH2PO4, 5 mM K2EDTA, and 2 mM KOH, titrated to pH 7.4 by 1 M KOH. The desired total concentration of Mg2+ was obtained by mixing an appropriate volume of 5 mM Mg2+ intracellular solution with Mg2+–free intracellular solution, with free concentration of Mg2+ calculated by the WinMAXC32 software 15+, the intracellular solution was not changed, but the extracellular solution contained 20 mM K+ (see above for the detailed component of the solution). The excised inside–out giant patch was moved in front of an array of square glass  emitting different intracellular solutions, and was always subject to continuous perfusion of the intracellular solution for at least 10 min to wash out endogenous intracellular blockers before actual experiments were carried out.Excised inside–out giant patch recordings from 2+ has been examined based on the apparent dissociated constant (Kd) values from the Hill’s equation (one–to–one binding reaction)152632332+ could be reasonably fitted with a simplest form of Hill’s equation at membrane potentials more positive than ~−60 mV in symmetrical 100 mM K+ or more positive than −100 mV in 20 mM external/ 100 mM internal K+ , and Sigmaplot 10.0 software 12132+, [Mg2+] is the concentration of Mg2+, and f (the “relative currents”) is the ratio between the steady–state current amplitude in Mg2+ and that in control. All data are presented as mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was assessed using Student’s independent t test.where Kd is the apparent dissociation constant of Mg+ ions and water molecules were free to move during the energy minimization, heating, equilibrium and production process1213+ ions and/or one Mg2+ or one SPM molecule were applied to the central cavity region of Kir2.1 channel, and the one with the lowest potential energy were selected from approximately twenty candidate models.The modeling and simulation were performed in a similar way to that described in previous studies121324252912131213How to cite this article: Chiung–Wei, H. and Chung–Chin, K. A synergistic blocking effect of Mg2+ and spermine on the inward rectifier K+ (Kir2.1) channel pore. Sci. Rep.6, 21493; doi: 10.1038/srep21493 (2016).


Long term video game players (VGPs) exhibit superior visual and motor skills compared with non-video game control subjects (NVGCs). However, the neural basis underlying the enhanced behavioral performance remains largely unknown. To clarify this issue, the present study compared the whiter matter integrity within the corticospinal tracts (CST), the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) between the VGPs and the NVGCs using diffusion tensor imaging. Compared with the NVGCs, voxel-wise comparisons revealed significantly higher fractional anisotropy (FA) values in some regions within the left CST, left SLF, bilateral ILF, and IFOF in VGPs. Furthermore, higher FA values in the left CST at the level of cerebral peduncle predicted a faster response in visual attention tasks. These results suggest that higher white matter integrity in the motor and higher-tier visual pathways is associated with long-term video game playing, which may contribute to the understanding on how video game play influences motor and visual performance. Video game playing has become ubiquitous entertainment today and is particularly popular among the youth. Behavioral studies have reported that video gaming may have favorable effects on visual related skills  that are critically important for independent finger movements in humans. Higher visual process  are associated with WM pathways including the superior longitudinal fasciculus SLF; , inferioIn the current study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed in adolescent VGPs and non-video game control subjects (NVGCs), and voxel-based intergroup comparisons of the FA values were conducted to investigate the possible influence of the long-term video game play on the microstructure of the CST, SLF, ILF, and IFOF in adolescents. We hypothesized that the WM integrity  of both the motor and visual pathways would be higher in VGPs compared to NVGCs. We also predicted that higher WM integrity would predict superior visual attentional performance in the VGP group.Table 1). VGPs were defined as subjects who had played video games for more than 6 months with a frequency of at least 10 h per week. Twenty-eight subjects  were included in this category (VGP mean = 19 h per week). NVGCs were defined as the subjects who had little to no video game experience. Seventeen subjects  fell into this category. Thirteen subjects had never played video games and the other four subjects had played video games with a frequency of 1–2 h per week. All subjects had no experience with special motor skills, such as piano playing or table tennis.Forty-five right-handed male subjects were recruited from the Health School of Linyi, Shandong Province. Only males underwent testing because of the relatively small number of females with long-term video game experience. Video game experience was assessed via a self-report questionnaire that questioned about the length and amount of experience across several video game genres  contraindications, visible abnormalities on conventional MRI, mental disorders, neurological diseases, or any clinically relevant abnormalities such as insomnia, migraines, tinnitus, and substance abuse, or dependence. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects or their guardians. All subjects received medical reference books as compensation.Figure 1). Eprime software  was used for visual stimulus presentation and for participant response recording. The experiment consisted of 80 trials presented in a random order. Each trial included two stages. The first stage was the fixed stage with a “+” in the center of the screen, and the second stage was the test stage, which consisted of a central target arrow symbol and four surrounding arrow symbols with the same direction (congruent), or inverse direction (non-congruent) relative to the central arrow. During each trial, the subjects were asked to fixate on the “+” for 1000 ms. Then the “+” was replaced by arrow symbols for 2000 ms. The subjects were asked to determine the direction of the central arrow while ignoring the surrounding four arrow symbols, and respond as fast as possible by clicking the left (left direction), or right key (right direction) of the mouse. If the subjects reacted within 2000 ms, the presentation would go directly to the next trial; if no response was made, the presentation would go to the next trial after 2000 ms. The total number of central arrows towards the left and right was equal, and the four surrounding arrows were oriented equally in the congruent or non-congruent directions with the central arrow. The formal experiment was performed after the subjects have learned and practiced the task. The average response times and accurate rates were calculated individually for all subjects.We used a modified version of the Attention Network Test (ANT) described by ∘, matrix = 128 × 128, field of view = 25.6 cm × 25.6 cm, number of excitation = 2, slice thickness = 5 mm, 25 slices with no gap, voxel size = 2 mm × 2 mm × 5 mm. The diffusion-sensitizing gradients were applied along 13 non-collinear directions with a b value of 1000 s/mm2, and one volume was also acquired without diffusion weighting (b = 0).Magnetic resonance images were obtained on a 1.5 Tesla scanner. DTI was performed using a single-shot spin-echo echo planar imaging sequence with the following parameters: repetition time = 8300 ms, echo time = 80.1 ms, flip angle = 901). The robust brain extraction tool (BET) was used to extract the brain for each participant’s DTI images. Following brain extraction, all eigenvalues, and FA maps were calculated using a DTIFit within the FMRIB diffusion toolbox in FSL. Each subject’s FA map was normalized to the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space 2 with a resolution of 3 mm × 3 mm × 3 mm, by utilizing the Statistical Parametric Mapping software (SPM8 3). Further, all normalized FA images were spatially smoothed by an isotropic full-width at the half maximum Gaussian kernel of 6 mm × 6 mm × 6 mm.All diffusion-weighted images were visually inspected by two radiologists for apparent artifacts due to subject motion and instrument malfunction. Eddy current distortions and head motion artifacts in the DTI dataset were corrected by applying affine alignment of each diffusion-weighted image to the non-diffusion image, using the FMRIB’s diffusion toolbox . The significance level was set at P < 0.05.Intergroup differences in age, education, and behavioral performance (including response times and accurate rates) were compared using a two-sample t-test within the two masks of the WM pathways, namely the motor pathway including the bilateral CST , and the visual pathway including the bilateral SLF, ILF, and IFOF . Each mask contained equivalent anatomical areas in the bilateral hemispheres and was derived from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) WM tractography atlas provided by the FSL software distribution . The cluster threshold was 8 and 15 voxels for CST and the combined SLF, ILF, and IFOF, respectively.Voxel-wise intergroup comparisons of the FA values were performed using two-sample ribution . A thresP < 0.05.The regions with significant intergroup differences in FA values detected with the voxel-wise analysis were defined as ROIs. Partial correlation analyses controlling for age were performed between the averaged FA values within the ROIs and the video gaming duration and the behavioral performance in VGPs. The significance level was set at P < 0.05). The intergroup comparisons of demographic and behavioral performance are listed in Table 2.There were no significant intergroup differences in age, education, and accuracy rate of the behavioral task. The response times of the visual attention task were significantly faster in VGPs than NVGCs . There were four clusters within the visual pathway that demonstrated significantly higher FA values in VGPs than in NVGCs , including one cluster located in the frontal region of the left SLF, two clusters located in the temporal and occipital region of the left ILF/IFOF; and one cluster located in the temporal region of the right ILF/IFOF. The MNI coordinates of the aforementioned six clusters are lsited in Table 3. No region exhibited significantly lower FA values in VGPs than in NVGCs.Compared with NVGCs, the FA values at the lateral ventricle body and cerebral peduncle level of the left CST were significantly higher in VGPs . There were no significant associations between the FA values in the other ROIs and the behavioral performance or between the FA values in all ROIs, and video gaming duration in the VGPs.In the VGPs, there was a significant negative correlation between the response time of the visual attention task and the FA value in the ROI at the midbrain level of the left CST after controlling for age . In addition, if the higher FA values were video game playing-induced, the possibility of long-term adverse effects of video game play on the WM integrity cannot be excluded. A longitudinal study may be helpful to determine the causal relationship between higher FA values and video game play, and to evaluate the long-term effects of video game playing on WM integrity.There are several limitations in our study that should be mentioned. First, the sample size in this study was relatively small, which might reduce the power. Second, only the visual attention capacity was tested in this study, which cannot cover all aspects of video game related behavioral performance. Third, only male adolescents were recruited in the present study. We cannot determine whether these results could extend to females or other age groups. Finally, it should be noted that, with this cross-sectional study, we cannot determine whether higher FA values are a consequence of video game playing or represent In conclusion, we used DTI to investigate WM integrity among male adolescent VGPs. VGPs had significantly higher FA values in the left CST, SLF, bilateral ILFs, and IFOFs. Faster responses were associated with higher FA values in the left CST in the VGPs independent of age. These observations demonstrated that higher WM integrity in the motor and higher-tier visual pathways is associated with long-term video game playing, which may contribute to the understanding of how extensive video game play may alter motor and visual performance.YZ, XL, and QZ designed research; YZ, GD, YY, WQ, and QZ performed research; GD, YY and XL were involved in the clinical assessment; YZ, QZ, GD, and WQ analyzed data; YZ, QZ, GD, and XL wrote the paper.The authors wish to thank all the subjects for their participation in the study.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.