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A novel flux charging method and a crucible quenching method were employed to study the mechanism of solid fluxes refining method regarding the removal of oxide inclusions (Al2O3) from molten aluminum. Electrochemical polishing method was adopted to prepare surfaces of the samples. Through experiments, the morphology of the residual solidified flux in the solidified samples as well as the wetting action of the molten flux during refining were observed for the first time. Three wetting regimes denoted by absorbing regime, engulfing regime and penetration regime correlating with the removal of oxide films (the most typical and common oxide inclusions in molten aluminum) were proposed in terms of different types and distributions of oxide films and different size ratios of the molten flux to oxide films. Particularly, from a thermodynamic point of view, for the first time, the penetration regime provided concrete evidence that the practical oxide inclusions can be wet by molten flux under ambient fluid of molten aluminum. A spreading model was proposed, according to which ingredients and size parameters of practical solid fluxes can be optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a sensitive technique for quantifying gene expression, but its success depends on the stability of the reference gene(s) used for data normalization. Only a few studies on validation of reference genes have been conducted in fruit trees and none in banana yet. In the present work, 20 candidate reference genes were selected, and their expression stability in 144 banana samples were evaluated and analyzed using two algorithms, geNorm and NormFinder. The samples consisted of eight sample sets collected under different experimental conditions, including various tissues, developmental stages, postharvest ripening, stresses (chilling, high temperature, and pathogen), and hormone treatments. Our results showed that different suitable reference gene(s) or combination of reference genes for normalization should be selected depending on the experimental conditions. The RPS2 and UBQ2 genes were validated as the most suitable reference genes across all tested samples. More importantly, our data further showed that the widely used reference genes, ACT and GAPDH, were not the most suitable reference genes in many banana sample sets. In addition, the expression of MaEBF1, a gene of interest that plays an important role in regulating fruit ripening, under different experimental conditions was used to further confirm the validated reference genes. Taken together, our results provide guidelines for reference gene(s) selection under different experimental conditions and a foundation for more accurate and widespread use of RT-qPCR in banana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), a sensitive technique for quantifying gene expression, depends on the stability of the reference gene(s) used for data normalization. Only a few studies on reference genes have been done in fruit trees and none in litchi. In the present study, seven frequently used candidate reference genes, including actin ( ACTIN), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase ( GADPH), elongation factor 1-alpha ( EF- 1α), poly ubiquitin enzyme ( UBQ), α-tubulin ( TUA), β-tubulin ( TUB) and RNA polymerase-II transcription factor ( RPII), were evaluated for their expression stability in litchi. A total of 78 samples, including different varieties, tissues, organs, developmental stages and treatments, such as NAA, shading and girdling plus defoliation, were addressed in this analysis. Our results showed that GAPDH was the most suitable reference gene among all the tested samples, different organs and NAA treatment. ACTIN was stably expressed in varieties and fruit developmental stages. RPII and UBQ exhibited better expression stability in tissues. EF- 1α was the most stable gene in shading and girdling plus defoliation treatments. Moreover, using combination of two genes as reference genes might improve the reliability of gene expression by RT-qPCR in litchi. A better combination was GAPDH + EF- 1α or GAPDH + ACTIN for all the examined samples. In addition, the validated reference genes were further relied on to quantify the expression of an interested gene, LcARF13 under different experimental conditions. These results first provide guidelines for reference genes selection under different experimental conditions and also a foundation for more accurate and widespread use of RT-qPCR in litchi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In this work, five expansin cDNAs (DlExp1–5) from ‘Shijia’ longan fruit were isolated and characterized. Moreover, the expression profiles of five expansin genes and the effect of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) on their expressions were investigated. The results showed that five expansins exhibited different expression patterns during fruit growth and development. DlExp1 was constitutively expressed in the pericarp while the levels of DlExp1 mRNA in the aril were very high at early stage of fruit development, and decreased gradually from 28 to 77 days after anthesis (DAA). DlExp2 and DlExp4 were related to the growth of pericarp, whereas the expression of DlExp2 and DlExp5 in the aril decreased from 28 to 77 DAA. In addition, NAA and TDZ applied at the stage of rapid pericarp (21 DAA) or aril growth (56 DAA) increased the accumulations of DlExp1 and DlExp2 mRNA in the pericarp and aril, while NAA and TDZ had no or little effect on the accumulations of DlExp3, DlExp4 and DlExp5. DlExp1 and DlExp2 also accumulated highly in rapidly growing tissues, such as young stems and leaves. These findings indicated that Exp genes played a different role in longan fruit growth and showed different response to plant growth substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using drugs acting on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), we examined temporal-parietal and frontal cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum to identify sites of cognition enhancement in 4- and 27-month rabbits. First, we compared radioligand receptor binding for neuronal αβ heteromeric nAChRs ([3H]epibatidine) and α7 homomeric nAChRs ([3H]methyllycaconitine) in rabbits and rats. In cerebellum, nAChR levels of both species are low, about at the detection limit of the radioligand binding assays. Next, we compared nAChRs in 4- and 27-month vehicle-treated rabbits trained in delay eyeblink conditioning. Older rabbits conditioned more poorly and had lower αβ heteromeric nAChR binding in hippocampus than young rabbits. For cognition enhancement, galantamine (mild cholinesterase inhibitor and allosteric modulator of nAChRs) or MEM-3389 (α7nAChR agonist formerly identified as AR-R 17779) was injected before conditioning. Drugs improved learning in both age groups. In 27-month rabbits, drugs increased expression of frontal and temporal-parietal αβ heteromeric nAChRs and hippocampal αβ and α7nAChRs. In 4-month rabbits, drugs increased expression of α7 homomeric nAChRs in frontal and temporal-parietal cortex and hippocampus, but increased expression of αβ heteromeric nAChRs only occurred in temporal-parietal cortex. Increased expression of αβ nAChRs was more extensive in older drug-treated rabbits, whereas increased expression of α7nAChRs was more prevalent in younger drug-treated rabbits, suggesting different substrates for amelioration (27-month rabbits) vs facilitation (4-month rabbits) of learning. Results provide evidence for cortical as well as hippocampal nAChR modulation of delay eyeblink conditioning and demonstrate that more sensitive binding assays are required to assess nAChR effects in cerebellum.Neuropsychopharmacology (2008) 33, 2820–2830; doi:10.1038/npp.2008.1; published online 6 February 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the eutectic decomposition in calcium-silicon modified austenite medium manganese steel after solidification. Wear resistance capability of austenite medium manganese; Diffusion-controlled precipitation of carbides; Formation of eutectics among primary austenite dendrites.

A theoretical model was presented to calculate the laser intensity distribution and the particle temperatures at different sites of the workpiece in the laser cladding process. By using this model, the effects of the powder feeding rate on the laser intensity distribution and the particle temperatures were investigated, the calculated results under the condition of different injection angles were also plotted. It is shown that with increasing the injection angle, the laser intensity distributions are similar but the peak value of the laser intensity decreases. Simultaneously, the peak value of the particle temperature increases and the distribution of the particle temperatures gets central symmetrical gradually. These tests results should be considered in model of laser cladding due to their subtle effects on the dynamic processes in laser molten pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the production of an austenite medium manganese steel with granular eutectic particles with calcium silicon agent modifier in the ascast state. Formation of the eutectic particles in the molten pool among the primary austenite dendrites at the later stage of solidification; Effect of the agent modifier on the granulation of the eutectic particles; Elucidation of the mechanism of eutectic granulation.

A multiple-cell flat-level tracer dispersion model is developed for atmospheric pollution study. The horizontal domain may be constructed with multiple-sized cells for varied resolution. The sequence of cells is arbitrary, as in unstructured grids, as long as no holes are left in the horizontal domain, which may be tailored in shape according to local orography. The vertical levels are truly flat and the level spacing may vary from level to level. The surface orography is included by removing cells from the bottom of the three-dimensional cell block. The arrangement of wind velocity and tracer concentration is similar to the Arakawa C grid. Advection and horizontal diffusion are formulated on each cell face, using tracer concentrations in the two cells that share the cell face. Pointer-orientated numerical loops are used to facilitate the arbitrary horizontal cell arrangement and orographic variation of vertical levels. A second- order upstream upper limiter advection scheme is developed for this model and numerically tested to be positive-definite and mass conserving. Vertical diffusion is solved with an implicit scheme and simplified vertical diffusivity, which is parameterised as a function of the mixing layer depth. The model is fast, compact, easy to implement and highly portable. It is suitable for studies of mesoscale and small-scale atmospheric tracer dispersion over complex terrain, including steep slopes. The model is used to simulate traffic pollution in London, UK, and is compared with available observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the preparation of an austenite medium manganese (Mn) steel reinforced with well-distributed gamma-(Fe, Mn)3C granular eutectic (EAMC) by modifying the silicon-containing combined agent. Effect of the cooling rate on the microstructure of the EAMC; Differentiation of the eutectic and carbide by color and/or microhardness; Shorthand nomenclature for mincrostructural descriptions.

Examines the effect of electromagnetic processing on the microstructure and wear resistance of austenite medium manganese (Mn) steel with granular eutectics (EAMC). Electromagnetic process carried out with a high vacuum induction furnace under the argon atmosphere; Longitudinal cutting, polishing and etching of the preprocessed and processed samples to reveal the metallurgical structure with a video and image digital analysis system; Microstructure of preprocessed EAMC.

Focuses on the effect of Ca-Si agent modifier on the solidification and microstructure of austenite medium manganese steel. Appearance of network and needle-like carbides in the austenite matrix; Formation mechanisms of granular eutectic; Assessment of the high diffusion coefficient in the steel.

Abstract Genes with common profiles of the presence and absence in disparate genomes tend to function in the same pathway. By mapping all human genes into about 1000 clusters of genes with similar patterns of conservation across eukaryotic phylogeny, we determined that sets of genes associated with particular diseases have similar phylogenetic profiles. By focusing on those human phylogenetic gene clusters that significantly overlap some of the thousands of human gene sets defined by their coexpression or annotation to pathways or other molecular attributes, we reveal the evolutionary map that connects molecular pathways and human diseases. The other genes in the phylogenetic clusters enriched for particular known disease genes or molecular pathways identify candidate genes for roles in those same disorders and pathways. Focusing on proteins coevolved with the microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF), we identified the Notch pathway suppressor of hairless (RBP‐Jk/SuH) transcription factor, and showed that RBP‐Jk functions as an MITF cofactor.