Search

The problem of cadmium pollution and its control is becoming increasingly severe issue in the world. Banana straw is an abundant bio raw material, but its burning or discarding in field not only causes pollution but also spreads fusarium wilt. The objective of this paper is to utilize biochar derived from the wilt-infected banana straw for remediation of Cd(II) pollution while to eliminate the pathogen. The activity of wilt pathogen in biochar was determined by PDA petri dish test. The Cd(II) adsorption of the biochar was determined by batch adsorption experiments. The effects of KOH concentration (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 M) on the physicochemical characteristics of the biochar were also observed by BET, SEM, FTIR, XRD and XPS. Results showed that pristine banana straw biochar (PBBC) did not harbor any pathogen. The specific surface area (SSA) and Cd(II) adsorption capacity of 0.75 M KOH modified banana straw biochar (MBBC0.75M) were increased by 247.2% and 46.1% compared to that of PBBC, respectively. Cd(II) adsorption by MBBC0.75M was suitable to be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm. After Cd(II) adsorption, the CdCO3 were confirmed by XRD and observed through SEM. The weakness and shift of oxygen-containing functional groups in MBBC0.75M after Cd(II) adsorption implied that those groups were complexed with Cd(II). The results showed that pyrolysis could not only eliminate banana fusarium wilt, but also prepare porous biochar with the wilt-infected banana straw. The porous biochar possessed the potential to adsorb Cd(II) pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant studies rarely explore macro factors explaining cross-culture variations in adolescents' social influence in family decisions. This study focuses on adolescents' influence practices (AIPs) in terms of family and cultural values/regions across 25 countries, using data regarding vacation decisions from the Commonwealth Research Program. Our results show that communication culture and cultural region are both related to AIP clusters and AIP measurement error clusters. Furthermore, a country's culture/values and its level of socioeconomic/sociopolitical development have stronger correlations with the use of bargaining by female adolescents than by male adolescents. This study adds to relatively few crossvergence investigations in the tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) contamination can induce the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which poses a great threat to the environment. Herein, a composite adsorbent material, sodium lignosulfonate/chitosan@ZIF-8 (SLS/CS@ZIF-8), was synthesized by introducing sodium lignosulfonate into chitosan foams (CS-FM) and then loading ZIF-8 onto the resulting foams (SLS/CS-FM) by in situ immobilization to effectively remove CIP from water. The adsorption behaviour and mechanism were studied through batch experiments and characterization analysis. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of SLS/CS@ZIF-8 was 413 mg/g with a CIP concentration of 250 mg/L at 303 K, which was more than most previously reported adsorbents. The CIP adsorption of SLS/CS@ZIF-8 was better described by the pseudosecond-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal model. The adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic physical adsorption process with increased entropy. The adsorption involved electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding interactions and π-π interactions. This work provides a potential adsorbent for the effective removal of CIP from wastewater and a new, low-carbon, green chemical technology for the high-value utilization of lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This meta-analysis was performed to investigate how cardiac structures and functions change in the very early stage after bariatric surgery. Materials and Methods: We thoroughly searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for articles including patients who underwent bariatric surgery and examined the changes of their cardiac indices. Results were pooled by using Review Manager 5.1 and Stata 12.0. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained. The I-squared (I2) test was used to determine the heterogeneity between studies. To identify publication bias, funnel plots and Egger's test were utilized. The leave-one-out method was used to conduct sensitivity analysis. Results: In this meta-analysis, 24 research including 942 patients were considered. According to our findings, most cardiac indices changed 3–6 months following bariatric surgery. An improvement in cardiac geometry was reflected by a reduction in left ventricular mass (LVM) (WMD = − 22.06, 95% CI = (− 27.97, − 16.16)). The left ventricular diastolic function improved, as reflected by the decrease in the E/e' ratio (WMD = − 0.90, 95% CI = (− 1.83, − 0.16)). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) did not show an obvious change (WMD = 0.94, 95% CI = (− 0.19, 2.07)), while a more sensitive indicator of left ventricular systolic function, left ventricular longitudinal strain (LV LS), increased (WMD = − 2.43, 95% CI = (− 3.96, − 0.89)). Conclusion: This meta-analysis includes the newest and most comprehensive cardiac indices to prove that cardiac structures and functions are improved early after bariatric surgery, which has not been reported by any other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemoresistance is a common problem in cancer treatment, and circular RNA (circRNA) has been found to be associated with the progression of chemoresistance in cancer. However, the role and mechanism of circRNA centrosomal protein 128 (circ-CEP128) in the chemoresistance of cervical cancer (CC) are still unclear. The expression of circ-CEP128, microRNA (miR)-432-5p, and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL1) was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The paclitaxel resistance of cells was assessed using MTT assay. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined using MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assay. The protein levels of metastasis markers and MCL1 were examined using western blot analysis. Mice xenograft models were constructed to assess the effect of circ-CEP128 silencing on CC tumor growth and paclitaxel sensitivity. The interaction between miR-432-5p and circ-CEP128 or MCL1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay. Circ-CEP128 had highly expression in CC tumor tissues and cells. Silencing of circ-CEP128 could enhance the paclitaxel sensitivity of CC cells by decreasing cell growth, migration, and invasion. Also, knockdown of circ-CEP123 reduced CC tumor growth and promoted the paclitaxel sensitivity of CC tumors. MiR-432-5p was found to be sponged by circ-CEP128, and its inhibitor could reverse the promoting function of circ-CEP128 silencing on the paclitaxel sensitivity of CC cells. Additionally, MCL1 was a target of miR-432-5p, and circ-CEP128 could sponge miR-432-5p to regulate MCL1. Besides, overexpressed MCL1 also could reverse the enhancing effect of miR-432-5p on the paclitaxel sensitivity of CC cells. In conclusion, the present study showed that circ-CEP128 silencing could increase the paclitaxel sensitivity of CC by regulating the miR-432-5p/MCL1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a range of epithelial and B cell malignancies as well as autoimmune disorders, for which there are still no specific treatments or effective vaccines. Here, we isolate EBV gH/gL-specific antibodies from an EBV-infected individual. One antibody, 1D8, efficiently neutralizes EBV infection of two major target cell types, B cells and epithelial cells. In humanized mice, 1D8 provides protection against a high-dose EBV challenge by substantially reducing viral loads and associated tumor burden. Crystal structure analysis reveals that 1D8 binds to a key vulnerable interface between the D-I/D-II domains of the viral gH/gL -protein, especially the D-II of the gH, thereby interfering with the gH/gL-mediated membrane fusion and binding to target cells. Overall, we identify a potent and protective neutralizing antibody capable of reducing the EBV load. The novel vulnerable site represents an attractive target that is potentially important for antibody and vaccine intervention against EBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convexity of meta-frontier is a debated topic in data envelopment analysis (DEA). This paper claims that meta-frontier is a non-convex hull, but the production activities between the non-convex meta-frontier and the convex traditional production frontier may be feasible. Therefore, technology compatibility is defined to explain this feasibility, and a modified DEA model is constructed to evaluate the efficiency of decision-making units with technology heterogeneity and technology compatibility. Sequentially, two new meta-frontier DEA frameworks are constructed to evaluate and decompose efficiency, thereby revealing the impact of technology heterogeneity and technology compatibility on efficiency. In addition, a series of discussions are presented to analyze these two new frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals endemic to deep-sea hydrothermal vents often form obligatory symbioses with bacteria, maintained by intricate host–symbiont interactions. Most genomic studies on holobionts have not investigated both sides to similar depths. Here, we report dual symbiosis in the peltospirid snail Gigantopelta aegis with two gammaproteobacterial endosymbionts: a sulfur oxidiser and a methane oxidiser. We assemble high-quality genomes for all three parties, including a chromosome-level host genome. Hologenomic analyses reveal mutualism with nutritional complementarity and metabolic co-dependency, highly versatile in transporting and using chemical energy. Gigantopelta aegis likely remodels its immune system to facilitate dual symbiosis. Comparisons with Chrysomallon squamiferum, a confamilial snail with a single sulfur-oxidising gammaproteobacterial endosymbiont, show that their sulfur-oxidising endosymbionts are phylogenetically distant. This is consistent with previous findings that they evolved endosymbiosis convergently. Notably, the two sulfur-oxidisers share the same capabilities in biosynthesising nutrients lacking in the host genomes, potentially a key criterion in symbiont selection. Symbiotic partners are rarely studied in equal depth. By assembling new genomes, Lan et al. report a novel dual symbiosis in the snail Gigantopelta aegis with two evolutionarily distant gammaproteobacterial endosymbionts: one which oxidises sulfur, the other, methane in a metabolically mutualistic relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: For 99mTc-sestamibi parathyroid single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), the traditional full-arc 360° acquisition technique has been suggested but not the theoretically low tissue-attenuated anterior 180° method. We aimed to compare the diagnostic performances and target-to-background ratios of anterior 180° and 360° SPECT/CT imaging. Methods: Ninety-nine patients who underwent 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy and received a surgical–pathological diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma or hyperplasia were enrolled. The SPECT/CT reconstructed images with anterior 180° and full-arc 360° data were interpreted by two physicians using a scoring scale, and the lesions were semi-quantified using target-to-background ratios for both image sets. Results: In total, 113 abnormal parathyroid lesions were identified on the SPECT/CT images. The agreements of interpretation between the two image sets and readers were very good (κ value: 0.83–1.00). The accuracies of summative interpretation for the anterior 180° and full-arc 360° SPECT/CT were 83.04% and 82.46%, respectively. The target-to-background ratios were significantly higher for the anterior 180° than the full-arc 360° images (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The anterior 180° SPECT/CT technique, a time-saving method, can provide satisfactory diagnostic performance and superior lesion contrast compared with the full-arc 360° SPECT/CT technique in 99mTc-sestamibi parathyroid imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berries of six Vitis davidii Foex (spine grape) cultivars ('Baiputao', 'Gaoshan 1', 'Gaoshan 2', 'Seputao', 'Miputao', and 'Tianputao') were harvested from a commercial vineyard in Hunan Province in China. Free and bound volatile compounds and fatty acids were analyzed by GC–MS, and amino acids were analyzed by HPLC. 'Tianputao' and 'Miputao' were characterized by relatively higher concentrations of aromatic amino acids and lower concentrations of branched-chain amino acids. The major free volatile compounds of spine grapes were hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, 1-hexanol, (E)-2-hexenol, (E)-β-damascenone, and benzeneacetaldehyde. The major glycosidically bound volatile compounds identified were 1-hexanol, menthol, nerol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl-3-butenol, benzenemethanol, β-phenylethanol, eugenol, and guaiacol. (E)-β-damascenone, benzeneacetaldehyde, guaiacol, and eugenol had odor activity values (OAVs) > 1 in all cultivar grapes. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed 'Tianputao' to be distinct from the other cultivars due to its relatively higher concentrations of major terpenoids, norisoprenoids, higher alcohols, and aromatic amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scaly-foot Snail, Chrysomallon squamiferum, presents a combination of biomineralised features, reminiscent of enigmatic early fossil taxa with complex shells and sclerites such as sachtids, but in a recently-diverged living species which even has iron-infused hard parts. Thus the Scaly-foot Snail is an ideal model to study the genomic mechanisms underlying the evolutionary diversification of biomineralised armour. Here, we present a high-quality whole-genome assembly and tissue-specific transcriptomic data, and show that scale and shell formation in the Scaly-foot Snail employ independent subsets of 25 highly-expressed transcription factors. Comparisons with other lophotrochozoan genomes imply that this biomineralisation toolkit is ancient, though expression patterns differ across major lineages. We suggest that the ability of lophotrochozoan lineages to generate a wide range of hard parts, exemplified by the remarkable morphological disparity in Mollusca, draws on a capacity for dynamic modification of the expression and positioning of toolkit elements across the genome. The Scaly-foot Snail, Chrysomallon squamiferum, is a model for understanding the evolution of biomineralised armour. Here, the authors present a chromosome-level reference genome assembly and tissue-specific transcriptomic data for this enigmatic organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon the ambidextrous leadership theory for innovation, this study investigates the role of opening and closing leadership behaviors in both exploratory and exploitative learning in teams, and subsequently, in team innovation in the context of retail services. Results based on a survey data set collected from 296 team leaders in retail services in two major cities in Vietnam show that opening leadership behavior positively affects team exploratory learning and closing leadership behavior underlies team exploitative learning. Further, the interaction between opening and closing leadership behaviors positively affects both team exploratory and exploitative learning. Finally, these two types of team learning enhance team innovation. Our findings extend the existing literature on ambidextrous leadership, learning, and innovation to the team level in a transitioning economy and suggest possible ways for team leaders to enhance team innovation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies and builds on Davis and Rigaux's (J Consum Res 1(1):51–62, 1974) triangle of spousal dominance styles of family purchase decisions. We explored adolescents' perceptions of parents' dominance in family decisions by investigating mother–father relative influence (MFRI) and responsibility sharing with family for 15 issues relating to vacations. The results, derived from data collected in 25 societies, demonstrate a tendency toward an autonomic style of parents' decision-making for all sub-decisions and all societies except Turkey. Overall, both decision phases and cultural regions correlated with democratization of family vacation decisions. The relationship between sex-role specialization and societal cluster differed across sub-decision clusters. Further, societal effectiveness in general, individualism and long-term orientation were positively correlated with MFRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To interactively browse augmented reality (AR) content from a smart glass and to display the proper 3D visual contents on a smart glass are challenging research issues. In this paper, we propose to use a depth camera to detect a human subject in a real 3D space, and orientation sensors on a smart glass are used to reveal the attitude and orientations of a user's head for pose estimation in an AR application. By implementing a prototype for detecting a user's head and measuring the orientations of the head, the proposed method provides three contributions: (i) a top-view depth camera is used to detect a user's head position, (ii) the orientation sensors on a smart glass are used to reveal the attitude and orientation properties of the head, and (iii) the displayed AR content in a virtual space is properly mapped from a real 3D space. The experimental results demonstrated the spatial displaying accuracy in three testing spaces: a research lab, an office, and the center for art and technology. In addition, the proposed method is applied in a tech-art installation to allow audience to reliably view the AR content in a smart glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana is a popular fruit worldwide. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) microflora in banana fruits has not been studied in detail. A total of 164 LAB were isolated from banana fruits in Taiwan. These isolates were initially divided into nine groups (r1 to r9) using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. Isolates belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum group were further divided into three additional groups using multiplex PCR assay targeting the recA gene. The most common bacterial genera found in banana fruits were Lactobacillus and Weissella. The distribution of LAB indicated that, in most cases, neighboring regions shared common strains, but there were still some differences between regions. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA, rpoA, and pheS gene sequences, two strains included in the genera Lactobacillus were identified as potential novel species or subspecies. In addition, a total 36 isolates were found to have bacteriocin-producing abilities. These results suggest that various LAB are associated with banana fruits in Taiwan. This is the first report describing the distribution and varieties of LAB associated with banana fruits. In addition, one potential novel LAB species was also found in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis amurensis var. Zuoshanyi is a native red variety grown in Northeast China with excellent cold hardness for genetic breeding and winemaking potential, but the volatiles profile, especially key compounds related to aroma character, was not fully revealed. In this work, Zuoshanyi grapes were collected across two harvests (2010 and 2011) in Shangzhuang area in Beijing, China. Free and glycosidase enzymatic hydrolysis volatiles were analyzed using SPME coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. A total of 135 volatile compounds were identified and quantified. Among the 13 categories of constituents, C6 compounds were the most abundant, followed by alcohols and ketones, and esters were the least abundant in two vintages. C6/C9 compounds, MPs (3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine and 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine) and ( E)-β-damascenone were the major compounds of Zuoshanyi grapes, which contributed 'grass, green, fruit, etc.,' aroma as characterization of this distinctive cultivar. Results from hierarchical clustering and heatmap visualization revealed the accumulation patterns of volatile compounds during berry development. Principal component analysis showed clear separation of free and enzyme-released components in two vintages. Rainfall was the major different climate factor in log phase and before veraison of Zuoshanyi grapes in two vintages, and this difference may potentially influence the volatile variances of Zuoshanyi grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel polysaccharide (AGP-32) from the gonad of Haliotis discus hannai Ino was isolated using a protease-assisted process and successive ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The backbone of AGP-32 was determined using hydrolysis with trifluoroacetic acid. FTIR, NMR, and methylation analysis, and periodate oxidation and Smith degradation analysis revealed that the AGP-32 backbone mainly consisted of (1→6)-linked mannose, (1→3)-linked galactose, and (1→3)-linked glucose in a proportion of 2:3:1. An in vitro cell assay indicated that AGP-32 promoted mice splenic lymphocyte proliferation by 26% at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. AGP-32 had an effect on immune protection and is a candidate for consideration as a functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Because the site for NH adsorption and the active site for NH oxidization were separated after the sulfation, both the SCR reaction and the catalytic oxidization of NH to NO over γ-FeO were restrained after the sulfation. As a result, the operation temperature window of γ-FeO for the SCR reaction shifted about 100 °C to higher temperature after the sulfation. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this present study is to investigate the effect of Zanthoxylum bungeanum oil (essential oil from Z. bungeanum Maxim.) on cytotoxicity and the transdermal permeation of 5-fluorouracil and indomethacin. The cytotoxicity of Z. bungeanum oil on dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes was studied using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The rat skin was employed to determine the percutaneous penetration enhancement effect of Z. bungeanum oil on hydrophilic and lipophilic model drugs, i.e., 5-fluorouracil and indomethacin. The secondary structure changes of the rat stratum corneum (SC) were determined using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and saturated solubilities and SC/vehicle partition coefficients of two model drugs with and without Z. bungeanum oil were also measured to understand its related mechanisms of action. It was found that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) values of Z. bungeanum oil were significantly lower in HaCaT and CCC-ESF-1 cell lines compared to the well-established and standard penetration enhancer Azone. The Z. bungeanum oil at various concentrations effectively facilitated the percutaneous penetration of two model drugs across the rat skin. In addition, the mechanisms of permeation enhancement by Z. bungeanum oil could be explained with saturated solubility, SC/vehicle partition coefficient, and secondary structure changes of SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to prime our mass spectrometry (MS)-based sulfoglycomic mapping platform technology for facile identification of sulfated lacdiNAc (GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-), we have re-examined the N-glycans of bovine thyroid stimulating hormone. We showed that MALDI-MS mapping of permethylated glycans in negative ion mode can give an accurate representation of the sulfated glycans and, through MS/MS, diagnostic ions can be derived that we can collectively define the presence of a terminal sulfated lacdiNAc moiety at high sensitivity. Based on these ions, which can also be produced by nanoESI-MS, we demonstrated that the glycome of an ovarian carcinoma cell line, RMG-1, comprises a high abundance of sulfated lacdiNAc epitopes carried on multiantennary complex type N-glycans alongside fucosylated, sialylated and/or sulfated lacNAc antennae. This represents the first report of a natural glycomic occurrence of sulfated lacdiNAc on a cell line, as opposed to other better-characterized presence on secreted glycoproteins from a handful of sources. It is anticipated that with improved methods of detection such as that developed in this work, we are likely to identify a wider occurrence of sulfated lacdiNAc and be able to more accurately delineate the regulatory mechanism dictating the choice of a cell type in synthesizing sulfated, sialylated, fucosylated and/or non-substituted lacdiNAc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zebrafish appears as a relevant model for the functional study of glycoconjugates along vertebrate’s development. Indeed, as a prelude to such studies, we have previously identified a vast array of potentially stage-specific glycoconjugates, which structures are reminiscent of glycosylation pathways common to all vertebrates. In the present study, we have focused on the identification and regulation of major protein and lipids associated α2-8-linked oligosialic acids motifs in the early development of zebrafish. By a combination of partial hydrolysis, anion exchange HPLC-FD and mass spectrometry, we demonstrated that glycoproteins and glycolipids differed by the extent and the nature of their substituting oligosialylated sequences. Furthermore, relative quantifications showed that α2-8-linked sialylation was differentially regulated in both families of glycoconjugates along development. Accordingly, we established that α2,8-sialyltransferase mRNA levels was directly correlated with changes of α2,8-sialylation status of glycolipids, but independent of those observed on major glycoproteins that appear to originate from the mother. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sialyltransferases are Golgi type II transmembrane glycoproteins involved in the biosynthesis of sialylated glycolipids and glycoproteins. These sialylated compounds play fundamental roles in the development of a variety of tissues including the nervous system. In this study, we have molecularly cloned from zebrafish sources, the orthologues of the six human α2,8-sialyltransferases (ST8Sia), a family of sialyltransferases implicated in the α2-8-mono-, oligo-, and poly-sialylation of glycoproteins and gangliosides and we have analysed their expression pattern in the embryonic zebrafish nervous system, using in situ hybridization. Our results show that all six ST8Sia exhibit distinct and overlapping patterns of expression in the developing zebrafish central nervous system with spatial and temporal regulation of the expression of these genes, which suggests a role for the α2-8-sialylated compounds in the developing nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sporamin, a tuberous storage protein of sweet potato, was systemically expressed in leaves and stems by wound stimulation. In an effort to demonstrate the regulatory mechanism of wound response on the sporamin gene, a 1.25 kb sporamin promoter was isolated for studying the wound-induced signal transduction. Two wound response-like elements, a G box-like element and a GCC core-like sequence were found in this promoter. A construct containing the sporamin promoter fused to a β- glucuronidase ( GUS) gene was transferred into tobacco plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The wound-induced high level of GUS activity was observed in stems and leaves of transgenic tobacco, but not in roots. This expression pattern was similar to that of the sporamin gene in sweet potatoes. Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) activated the sporamin promoter in leaves and stems of sweet potato and transgenic tobacco plants. A competitive inhibitor of ethylene (2,5-norbornadiene; NBD) down-regulated the effect of MeJA on sporamin gene expression. In contrast, salicylic acid (SA), an inhibitor of the octadecanoid pathway, strongly suppressed the sporamin promoter function that was stimulated by wound and MeJA treatments. In conclusion, wound-response expression of the sporamin gene in aerial parts of plants is regulated by the octadecanoid signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition is the common ecological phenomenon that exists in a stand after canopy closure. The effect of competition on DBH, height, crown diameter and crown area of individual amur linden trees was examined. We used two plots data, from amur linden ( Tilia amurensis) plantation, 14 years old, in Liaoning province, to analyze the correlations among DBH, total height, crown diameer and crown area, and used the size-ratio of competiting tree DBHs to subject tree DBH to calculate distance-dependent competition index. The results show that DBH has the largest variation comparing with standard deviations and coeficeints. DBH and crown factors have higher correlations. Competition index is an important factor in tree growth. The best fitting models are exponent, for Cl vs height and Cl vs crown factors, and power, for Cl vs DBH. The more closed correlation model is Cl vs DBH (R2=0.7028), which performed 16.32%–18.86% better than other models. These reflect that DBH is an important indicator to display stand competition for amur linden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on ECMWF monthly mean data from January 1980 to December 1989, characteristics of the three-dimensional structure of the mean water vapor transport over Monsoon Asia are described, and the more im-portant features of the different regional water vapor transport in the Indian Monsoon region and the East Asian Monsoon region are analyzed. It is found that there is a moist tongue extending from the equator poleward to the Asian Monsoon region. The three-dimensional distributions of the mean water vapor transport fields over the entire globe reflect clearly the asymmetry of the Asian Monsoon system, and the existence of a counter-Hadley monsoon circulation. The moisture conver-gence (divergence) area in Asia coincides with the confluent (diffluent) zone of the monsoon circulation. Furthermore, the moist features of the two sub-regions of the Asian Monsoon area are differ-ent both in their magnitudes and in their seasonal variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we demonstrated a blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode (BPOLED) based on a host with two carbazole and one trizole (2CbzTAZ) moiety, 9,9′-(2-(4,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(9H-carbazole), that exhibits bipolar transport characteristics. Compared with the devices with a carbazole host (N,N'-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene, (mCP)), triazole host (3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole, (TAZ)), or a physical mixture of mCP:TAZ, which exhibit hole, electron, and bipolar transport characteristics, respectively, the BPOLED with the bipolar 2CbzTAZ host exhibited the lowest driving voltage (6.55 V at 10 mA/cm2), the highest efficiencies (maximum current efficiency of 52.25 cd/A and external quantum efficiency of 23.89%), and the lowest efficiency roll-off, when doped with bis[2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-C2,N](picolinato)iridium(III) (FIrpic) as blue phosphor. From analyses of light leakage of the emission spectra of electroluminescence, transient electroluminescence, and partially doped OLEDs, it was found that the recombination zone was well confined inside the emitting layer and the recombination rate was most efficient in a 2CbzTAZ-based OLED. For the other cases using mCP, TAZ, and mCP:TAZ as hosts, electrons and holes transported with different routes that resulted in carrier accumulation on different organic molecules and lowered the recombination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of zebrafish Danio rerio as a versatile model organism provides the unique opportunity to monitor the functions of glycosylation throughout vertebrate embryogenesis, providing insights into human diseases caused by glycosylation defects. Using a combination of chemical modifications, enzymatic digestion and mass spectrometry analyses, we establish here the precise glycomic profiles of eight individual zebrafish organs and demonstrate that the protein glycosylation and glycosphingolipid expression patterns exhibits exquisite specificity. Concomitant expression screening of a wide array of enzymes involved in the synthesis and transfer of sialic acids shows that the presence of organ-specific sialylation motifs correlates with the localized activity of the corresponding glycan biosynthesis pathways. These findings provide a basis for the rational design of zebrafish lines expressing desired glycosylation profiles. Zebrafish is a popular system for studying the molecular basis of glycan-related human diseases. Here, the authors present glycomic profiles of eight zebrafish organs and establish the organ-specific expression patterns of related biosynthetic enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal vents and methane seeps are extreme deep-sea ecosystems that support dense populations of specialized macro-benthos such as mussels. But the lack of genome information hinders the understanding of the adaptation of these animals to such inhospitable environments. Here we report the genomes of a deep-sea vent/seep mussel (Bathymodiolus platifrons) and a shallow-water mussel (Modiolus philippinarum). Phylogenetic analysis shows that these mussel species diverged approximately 110.4 million years ago. Many gene families, especially those for stabilizing protein structures and removing toxic substances from cells, are highly expanded in B. platifrons, indicating adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. The innate immune system of B. platifrons is considerably more complex than that of other lophotrochozoan species, including M. philippinarum, with substantial expansion and high expression levels of gene families that are related to immune recognition, endocytosis and caspase-mediated apoptosis in the gill, revealing presumed genetic adaptation of the deep-sea mussel to the presence of its chemoautotrophic endosymbionts. A follow-up metaproteomic analysis of the gill of B. platifrons shows methanotrophy, assimilatory sulfate reduction and ammonia metabolic pathways in the symbionts, providing energy and nutrients, which allow the host to thrive. Our study of the genomic composition allowing symbiosis in extremophile molluscs gives wider insights into the mechanisms of symbiosis in other organisms such as deep-sea tubeworms and giant clams.