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Mixed-format tests, which typically include dichotomous items and polytomously scored tasks, are employed to assess a wider range of knowledge and skills. Recent behavioral and educational studies have highlighted their practical importance and methodological developments, particularly within the context of multivariate generalizability theory. However, the diverse response types and complex designs of these tests pose significant analytical challenges when modeling data simultaneously. Current methods often struggle to yield reliable results, either due to the inappropriate treatment of different types of response data separately or the imposition of identical covariates across various response types. Moreover, there are few software packages or programs that offer customized solutions for modeling mixed-format tests, addressing these limitations. This tutorial provides a detailed example of using a Bayesian approach to model data collected from a mixed-format test, comprising multiple-choice questions and free-response tasks. The modeling was conducted using the Stan software within the R programming system, with Stan codes tailored to the structure of the test design, following the principles of multivariate generalizability theory. By further examining the effects of prior distributions in this example, this study demonstrates how the adaptability of Bayesian models to diverse test formats, coupled with their potential for nuanced analysis, can significantly advance the field of psychometric modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcium aluminosilicate-based glasses (CaO-Al2O3-SiO2, CAS) with different Fe2O3 content (0.10wt%, 0.50wt%, 0.90wt%, and 1.30wt%) were prepared by traditional melt-quenching method. The glass network structure, thermal and mechanical properties, and crystallization behavior changes were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectro-photometer, X-ray diffractometer, differential scanning calorimetry and field emission scanning electron microscope measurements. The change of Qn in glass structures reveals the glass network connectivity decreases due to the increasing content of Fe2O3 addition, resulting in the increasing of non-bridging number in glass structure. The glass densities slightly rise from 2.644 to 2.681 g/cm3, while Vickers's hardness increases at first, from 6.469 to 6.901 GPa, then slightly drops to 6.745 GPa, with Fe2O3 content increase. There is almost no thermal expansion coefficient change from different Fe2O3 content. The glass transmittance in visible range gradually decreases with higher Fe2O3 content, resulting from the strong absorption of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. The calculated activation energy from thermal analysis results first decreases from 282.70 to 231.18 kJ/mol, and then increases to 244.02 kJ/mol, with the Fe2O3 content increasing from 0.10wt% to 1.30wt%. Meanwhile, the maximum Avrami constant of 2.33 means the CAS glasses exhibit two-dimensional crystallization. All of the CAS glass-ceramics samples contain main crystal phase of anorthite, the microstructure appears lamellar and columnar crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au-Ag alloy nanostars based flexible paper surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensors were fabricated through simple nanostar coating on regular office paper, and the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection performances were investigated using crystal violet dye analyte. Au-Ag nanostars with sharp tips were synthesized via metal ions reduction method. Transmission electron microscope images, X-Ray diffraction pattern and energy dispersive spectroscopy elemental mapping confirmed the nanostar geometry and Au/Ag components of the nanostructure. UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectrum shows wide local surface plasmon resonance induced optical extinction. In addition, finite-difference time-domain simulation shows much stronger electromagnetic field from nanostars than from sphere nanoparticle. The effect of coating layer on Raman signal intensities was discussed, and optimized 5-layer coating with best Raman signal was obtained. The Au-Ag nanostatrs homogeneously distribute on paper fiber surface. The detection limit is 10−10 M, and the relationship between analyte concentrations and Raman signal intensities shows well linear, for potential quantitative analysis. The calculated enhancement factor is 4.795×106. The flexible paper surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensors could be applied for trace chemical and biology molecule detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it has been widely acknowledged that hope, career competency, and outcomes of social well-being (i.e., social integration, social contribution, and civic engagement) are key components of youth's career and life development (CLD), those interrelationships, their predictive relationships, and the relative importance of the variables in the relationships remain poorly understood. To fill that gap, we conducted two network analyses on three waves of data collected in the CLAP@JC Community Intervention Project. A total of 4,220 non-engaged youth (NEY) from Hong Kong participated in the project, all of whom were 13–29 years old (M = 18.66, SD = 3.20) and 53.3% of whom were boys and young men. The first network analysis, conducted on the data at baseline, revealed a moderate correlation between career competency and hope and a strong correlation between civic engagement and social contribution. The second network analysis, conducted on the aggregated three-wave data, showed that career competency could predict all other variables and that only hope could positively impact career competency over time. We also observed that social contribution can positively influence hope. Overall, our findings highlight the central role of career competency in networks while also revealing the different roles of the examined variables within the networks. Our new findings on the functions of and the relationships among those variables provide insights for further theorizing CLD, while the information obtained can also help practitioners to develop effective intervention strategies for promoting CLD among NEY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Datong Basin was an important arena for population movement and admixture between the Yellow River Valley and Eastern Steppe. In historical materials, the region was often the setting for a tug-of-war between Han farmers and non-Han nomads. The genetic makeup and population history of this Datong population has, however, remained uncertain. In this study, we analysed 289 mitogenomes from Datong individuals. Our primary findings were: (1) population summary statistics analysis revealed a high level of genetic diversity and strong signals of population expansion in the Datong population; (2) inter-population comparisons (PCA and Fst heatmap) exhibited a close clustering between the Datong population and Northern Han, especially northern frontier groups, such as the Inner Mongolia Han, Heilongjiang Han, Liaoning Han and Tianjin Han; (3) phylogeographic analysis of complete mitogenomes revealed the presence of different components in the maternal gene pools of Datong population—the northern East Asian component was dominant (66.44%), whereas the southern East Asians were the second largest component with 31.49%. We also observed a much reduced west Eurasian (2.07%) component; (4) direct comparisons with ancient groups showed closer relationship between Datong and Yellow River farmers than Eastern Steppe nomads. Despite, therefore, centuries of Eastern Steppe nomadic control over the Datong area, Yellow River farmers had a much more significant impact on the Datong population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Novel hollow Au Ag alloy nano urchins were synthesized via Ag seeds growth method, and self-assembly coated on the wall and end-tip of silica fiber for fiber probe fabrication. The nano urchins homogeneously distributed on fiber surface because of fiber silanization. The sizes and tip sharpness of the nano-urchins could be controlled by Ag seeds. The elements distribution analysis indicated there was high Ag content in tip-top for better surface enhance Raman scattering performance. The detectable concentration could be as low as 10−8 M using crystal violet molecules as analyte. Moreover, the fiber probes were stable in air, due to Au in the alloy. This fiber probe could be used for low content single molecular analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 based glasses were investigated as potential protection glass for electronic devices due to their excellent mechanical properties, such as high hardness, toughness, and scratch resistance. In this paper, Li2O-Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass with different Li2O/Na2O ratio components were prepared by melt-quenching method, and the effects of Na2O/Li2O ratio on the glass densities, structure, thermal, mechanical properties, and chemical stabilities were studied. The experimental results indicate that the glass transition temperature increases with the increases in Na2O/Li2O ratios, due to larger ion radius. While the thermal expansion coefficient slightly decreases from 11.4 × 10−6 to 11.09 × 10−6/°C. The elastic modulus increases from 57 to 72 GPa. The bending strength reaches maximum 80.90 MPa when the Na2O/Li2O ratio is 1.7, then decreases as the ratio further increases. In addition, the Vicker's hardness gets to 7.37 GPa with largest Na2O/Li2O ratio. Moreover, the dielectric loss and dielectric constant increases as the ratio increases. The Raman structure analysis shows the Q4 [Si-O-Si] decreases as Na2O/Li2O ratio increases, which is responsible for the characteristic properties change. Moreover, the glass shows lowest mass loss in 10vol% HF solutions when the ratio is 1.4, while 1.7 in 5wt% NaOH solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent the largest and main transcriptome products and play various roles in the biological activity of cells and pathological processes. Accumulating evidence shows that microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) are important ncRNAs that play vital regulatory roles during viral infection. Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) virus causes hand-foot-mouth disease, and is also associated with various serious complications and high mortality. However, there is currently no effective treatment. In this review, we focus on advances in the understanding of the modulatory role of ncRNAs during HFMD virus infection. Specifically, we discuss the generation, classification, and regulatory mechanisms of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA in the interaction between virus and host, with a particular focus on their influence with viral replication and infection. Analysis of these underlying mechanisms can help provide a foundation for the development of ncRNA-based antiviral therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nd3+, Er3+ ions doped 0.9(Ge0.25Ga0.10S0.65)-0.1CsBr chalcohalide glass were prepared via melt-quenching method, and heat treated at 360 °C in high purity Ar gas atmosphere for different hours for the early stage of crystallization. The effect of heat treatment durations on visible upconversion luminescence and near infrared emission from Nd3+ ions and Er3+ ions were investigated. The specimens kept amorphous status until the heat treatment duration extended to 10 hours, for Ga2S3 nano-crystal formation in glass matrix. The stark splitting in visible upconversion luminescence center at 600 nm from Nd3+ ions weakened, and disappeared, and the shape of infrared emission centered at 1 550 nm from Er3+ ions changed, with the heat treatment duration increased. The lifetime of Nd3+: 4F3/2 level and Er3+: 4I13/2 level dropped, then increased with heat treatment duration increased. X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscope images confirmed the amorphous state and Ga2S3 nano-crystals formation in glass matrix. The rare earth ions local environment changes with heat treatment duration were proposed, based on the emission and lifetime changes. This research will be helpful for the understanding of rare earth doped chalcohalide crystallization mechanism and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismo-electromagnetic (EM) method is an important geophysical method that plays a major role in the observation of seismic anomalies related to earthquake precursors. It is the most promising method for a breakthrough in short-term earthquake prediction. The digital transformation and network upgrading implemented in the "Ninth five-year plan" and "Tenth five-year plan" have optimized the original observation system, improved the quality of observed data, enriched the seismic-electromagnetic information, and enhanced the analysis capability and timeliness of seismic-electromagnetic anomalies. These improvements are of major importance for the research on seismo-electromagnetics as well as for the development of new technologies. Since the beginning of the 21st century, China has launched a satellite named CSES that was designed for the generation and study of seismo-electromagnetic data and built a high-power transmitting source and a new CSELF observation network that is used specifically for earthquake monitoring. This platform has promoted the full-time three-dimensional EM monitoring and the identification of earthquake anomalies. Based on the study of anomalies related to earthquake precursors, the physical and numerical simulations, and the study on generation mechanism of anomalies in China, we summarize the characteristics of earthquake EM anomalies and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different EM observation methods. Finally, considering the related questions of the seismo-electromagnetic prediction and implementing the recent developments both in China and abroad, we review the current status of seismo-electromagnetic research and propose strategies for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian cell lines are frequently used as the preferred host cells for producing recombinant therapeutic proteins (RTPs) having post-translational modified modifications similar to those observed in proteins produced by human cells. Nowadays, most RTPs approved for marketing are produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Recombinant therapeutic antibodies (RTAs) are among the most important and promising RTPs for biomedical applications. A major limitation associated with the use of RTAs is their aggregation, which can be caused by a variety of factors; this results in a reduction of quality. RTA aggregations are especially concerning as they can trigger human immune responses in humans and may be fatal. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying RTA aggregation and measures for avoiding aggregation are interesting topics in RTAs research. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the field of RTAs aggregation, with a focus on factors that cause aggregation during RTA production and the development of strategies for overcoming RTA aggregation. Key points: • The recombinant antibody aggregation in mammalian cell systems is reviewed. • Intracellular environment and extracellular parameters influence recombinant antibody aggregation. • Reducing the aggregations can improve the quality of recombinant antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication in coastal area has become more and more serious and mariculture potential is a main cause. Although there are some quantitative research on nutrient loads in national and global perspective, the calculation method problems make the results controversial. In this paper, the farming activities are divided into fed culture types (include cage culture and pond culture) and extractive culture types (e.g. seaweed, filter-feeding shellfish culture). Based on the annual yield of China in 2019 and feed coefficient of fed culture types and carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content of extractive culture types, the annual nutrient loads was estimated. The results showed that to coastal region of China (1) annual nutrient released by fed culture types were about 58 451 t of N, 9 081 t of P, and annual nutrient removed by harvest of extractive culture types were 109 245 t of N, 11 980 t of P and 1.86×106 t of C. Overall, the net amount of nutrient removed annually by mariculture industry were 50 794 t of N and 2 901 t of P. (2) The nutrient released from mariculture industry influenced nutrient stoichiometry. Pond farming and seaweed farming had the potential of increasing the molar concentration ratio of N and P (N:P), while cage farming and bivalve farming decreased the N:P. (3) Due to different mariculture types and layouts in the coastal regions in China, N and P loading were regional different. Among the coastal regions in China, net release of nutrient from mariculture occurred only in Hainan and Guangxi regions, while in the other regions, N and P were completely removed by harvest. We suggest decrease the amount of fed culture types and increase the amount of integrated culture with extractive culture types. This study will help to adjust mariculture structure and layout at the national level to reduce the environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercial vinyl ester resins (VER) was modified by diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) to enhance its toughness, which is called MVER. Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), a common curing agent for polyurethane (PU), was found to be a reactive agent for MVER and can contribute to the toughness of MVER. Based on present experiment results, the crosslinking mechanism of MVER and HDI system is very similar to that of PU. The FTIR result shows the −NCO of HDI can react with the −OH of MVER. The microstructure of material prepared by MVER and HDI was characterized by NMR, and it was revealed that the unique microstructure leads to the good performances. The different content of HDI has an influence on the microstructure, and the microstructure gradually reduces the toughness and mechanical performances of the MVER cured with increasing concentration of reactive curing agent (HDI). This feature is consistent with a maximum in toughness as a function of the additive (HDI) content, followed by a rapid deterioration in toughness at higher concentrations. The toughness exhibits the maximum at such an HDI concentration (20wt%). Therefore, the special curing agent (HDI) and reactive mode is very important to the microstructure and mechanical properties of material. Furthermore, there should be other reactions which contribute to the curing and microstructure of the material, which needs the further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is focused on understanding microbiological changes and the corrosion tendency in the fracturing wells with a flowback fluid reuse during the exploration and production process in the Changning shale gas field, Sichuan. High-throughput sequencing technology and electrochemical workstation were used to analyze the pre-fracturing fluid, the flowback and produced water (FPW) at each stage of the production process of a single shale gas well in Southern Sichuan. The fracturing fluid was prepared with the flowback fluid. The results showed that during exploration and production, the dominant bacteria is Roseovarius (32.69%), and the others include Arcobacter, Marinobacter, Marinobacterium, etc. The dominant archaea is Methanthermobacter (59.19%), and the others include Methannolobus, Thermococcus, etc. The enrichment of the halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms is due to the changes of the fluid salinity. Besides, the relative abundance of the sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) which can be identified as the cause of the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) during the exploration and production process first dropped sharply from 21% to below 1% and finally rose to 31%. It is worth noting that the corrosion tendency shown by the electrochemical results is basically consistent with the change in abundance of SRB. This study preliminarily reveals the changes of microorganisms in the exploration and production process of fracturing with the flowback fluid, and provides new ideas for the prevention and control of corrosive microorganisms, protection against pipe corrosion, and effective management of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-small PbSe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized using conventional hot-injection method. A small amount of Sn was used as a nucleation promotion agent to control nucleation and growth during the QDs synthesis process. The average diameter of the QDs is about 1.6 nm, of which absorption peak centers at 550 nm and photoluminescence peak centers at 750 nm under 350 nm laser excitation with power as low as 500 µW. Transmission electron microscopy images confirm that the QDs size well matches with the calculated diameter from Brus equation. This match and electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis proves that Sn is not involved into the final structure of the ultra-small PbSe QDs. An ion-exchange process was proposed for the nucleation control and ultra-small QDs synthesis. The prepared ultra-small QDs could be a promising candidate for luminescence, solar cell devices, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated cycles of post-remission high-dose cytarabine (Ara-C) have been suggested to improve survival in core binding factor (CBF) acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). High-dose Ara-C used for induction regimens has also been reported to be associated with increased treatment-related mortality (TRM). Few data are available about intermediate-dose Ara-C serving as induction therapy. The aim of our study was to compare the tolerance and outcomes of standard- and intermediate-dose levels of Ara-C as induction in CBF AML and to analyse the clinical heterogeneity of the two AML entities under these induction settings. We retrospectively investigated the outcomes in adults with CBF AML induced with regimens based on standard-dose Ara-C at 100 to 200 mg/m2 or intermediate-dose Ara-C at 1,000 mg/m2. In total, 152 patients with t(8; 21) and 54 patients with inv(16) AML were administered an induction regimen containing anthracyclines plus either standard- or intermediate-dose Ara-C. After a single course of induction, the complete remission (CR) rate in the inv(16) cohort was 52/52 (100%), higher than the 127/147 (86.4%) in the t(8; 21) cohort (P = 0.005). Intermediate-dose Ara-C (HR = 9.931 [2.135–46.188], P = 0.003) and negative KITmut (HR = 0.304 [0.106–0.874], P = 0.027) independently produced an increased CR rate in the t(8; 21) cohort. Positive CD19 expression (HR = 0.133 [0.045–0.387], P = 0.000) and sex (male) (HR = 0.238 [0.085–0.667], P = 0.006) were associated with superior leukaemia-free survival (LFS) in the t(8; 21) cohort independently of KITmut status or the induction regimen. We conclude that intermediate-dose Ara-C is superior to standard-dose Ara-C for induction of remission in t(8; 21) AML, and CD19 status and sex independently confer prognostic significance for LFS. The KITmut status alone does not have an independent effect on survival in t(8; 21) AML. More intensive induction therapy is unnecessary in inv(16) AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a chronic, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder, is the most common type of dementia. Beta amyloid (Aβ) peptide aggregation and phosphorylated tau protein accumulation are considered as one of the causes for AD. Our previous studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of the Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil, but the mechanism remains elucidated. In the present study, we examined the effects of fasudil on Aβ1–42 aggregation and apoptosis and identified the intracellular signaling pathways involved in these actions in primary cultures of mouse hippocampal neurons. The results showed that fasudil increased neurite outgrowth (52.84%), decreased Aβ burden (46.65%), Tau phosphorylation (96.84%), and ROCK-II expression. In addition, fasudil reversed Aβ1–42-induced decreased expression of Bcl-2 and increases in caspase-3, cleaved-PARP, phospho-JNK(Thr183/Tyr185), and phospho-ASK1(Ser966). Further, fasudil decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular calcium overload in the neurons treated with Aβ1–42. These results suggest that inhibition of Rho kinase by fasudil reverses Aβ1–42-induced neuronal apoptosis via the ASK1/JNK signal pathway, calcium ions, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Fasudil could be a drug of choice for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mariculture has rapidly grown worldwide, which might greatly influence the biogeochemical cycle of organic carbon in coastal seas. In this study, several geochemical parameters, including grain size composition, sedimentary total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic compositions, were analyzed for surface sediments collected from different mariculture zones of Sanggou Bay and in different seasons. We investigated the composition and distribution of organic matter in surface sediments and further evaluated the contribution of mariculture activities to TOC sources. The TOC and TN contents (mass percentage) in the bay were in the range of 0.14% to 1.45% and 0.03% to 0.20%, respectively. The spatial distribution indicated that sedimentary TOC and TN contents in shellfish monoculture and shellfish-kelp polyculture zones were higher than in other mariculture zones, which might be related to grain size composition and mariculture organisms. Seasonal variations of TOC contents were observed in different mariculture zones. The TOC/TN atomic ratio (C/N), δ13C and δ15N were in the ranges of 5.97 to 10.97, −21.76‰ to −13.14‰ and 2.13‰ to 8.08‰, respectively, implying that sedimentary organic matter in Sanggou Bay was the mixture of marine phytoplankton, terrestrial and maricultural sources. A simple mixing model based on δ13C was applied and the results indicated that the relative contributions of organic carbon sources in Sanggou Bay followed the order kelp (36.6%) > marine phytoplankton (28.7%) > shellfish bio-deposition (23.8%) > terrestrial input (10.9%). Surface sediments in Sanggou Bay were dominated by mariculture-derived organic carbon, which on average accounted for 60.4% of TOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that in ischemia-induced hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factor -1α (HIF-1α) is critical in triggering expression of its downstream target genes to produce several products, such as erythropoietin (EPO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nitric oxide synthesis (NOS), glucose transportor-1 (GLUT-1), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which further promote erythropoiesis, angiogenesis, vasodilation and capitalization of glucose to overcome hypoxia. Meanwhile, as the factors with opposite effects on blood vessels, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) also stand out strikingly in ischemic pathophysiology. To this day, several preconditioning manners have been used to induce tolerance to ischemia. During our research, exercise preconditioning was applied and it was demonstrated that HIF-1α triggered expression of ET-1 and BNP, which confirmed their downstream target genes for HIF-1α. And ET-1 may influcence expression of BNP to some degree but not the only factor which regulates BNP expression. Therefore, our findings suggest exercise preconditioning may provide protection to the ischemic brain tissue via HIF-1α which in turn increases expression of BNP to cause vasodilation in cooperation with some other factors, such as VEGF and EPO, to increase the blood flow in the ischemic area and then relieve the injuries induced by ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the feeding selectivity on phytoplankton by shellfish is currently a big challenge. In order to investigate the feeding behavior of bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) on phytoplankton, we compared its compositions of phytopigments in digestive glands with those in the surrounding seawater, and conducted five consecutive investigations between July and November 2016 in a bay scallop culture area along coast of Qinghuangdao City, northwest of the Bohai Sea, China. Phytopigments in four-size fractionated phytoplankton of seawater (micro- (20–200 µm); nano(L)-[10–20 µm]; nano(S)-[2.7–10 µm], and pico-[<2.7 µm]) and digestive glands of A. irradians were examined to investigate the selective feeding of A. irradians. Results show that fucoxanthin and peridinin constituted the major part of taxonomically diagnostic carotenoids (TDCs) in the micro- and nano(L)-phytoplankton in seawater. Compared with total phytoplankton biomass of seawater (TPB, sum of the four sizes), a substantial decrease of fucoxanthin proportion to total DCs in digestive glands was observed while that of peridinin, 19′-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, alloxanthin and 19′-hexanoyloxy-fucoxanthin showed an obvious increase when those pigments were mainly confined to micro-sized phytoplankton (20–200 µm). However, zeaxanthin and prasinoxanthin were mainly confined to nano(s)- and pico-phytoplankton, of which the proportions in digestive glands were usually lower in TPB. The contribution of lutein to total DCs in digestive glands (with an average of 7.23%) increased compared with TPB of seawater (with an average of 0.63%) during all five sampling times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrytis cinerea is a primary pathogen causing stem and fruit rot during pre- and post-harvest. In the present study, the main purpose was to inquire into the antifungal activity and potential mechanisms of thymol and carvacrol against B. cinerea. During the experiment, the effects of thymol and carvacrol on physical and biochemical parameters of B. cinerea were evaluated. Results indicated that thymol and carvacrol exhibited strong antifungal activity against the targeted pathogen, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 65 mg/L and 100 mg/L for thymol, and 120 μL/L and 140 μL/L for carvacrol. Thymol and carvacrol changed obviously the morphology of B. cinerea hyphae by disrupting and distorting the mycelia through scanning electron microscopy. The membrane permeability of B. cinerea hyphae was prompted with the increment of two chemical agents' concentration, as evidenced by extracellular conductivity increase, the release of cell constituent, and the decrease of extracellular pH. Furthermore, a marked decline in total lipid content of B. cinerea cells was induced by the two chemical agents, suggesting that the cell membrane structures were destructed. Therefore, present results indicated that thymol and carvacrol may be used as a good alternative to conventional fungicides against B. cinerea in controlling grey molds in horticultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fourth basic two-terminal circuit element has been called the memristor because its resistance (conductance) depends on the complete past history of the memristor current (voltage), i.e., the initial charge (flux) condition at a given instant. This paper aims to provide some insight into the effects of the initial flux condition of the memristor synapse in the synchronization of two coupled memristor-based neural circuits. First, we build the coupled memristor-based FitzHugh–Nagumo circuits with the memristor synapse, and obtain the initial conditions by means of the flux-charge analysis method in the differential equations. Then, as a result of varying the initial conditions of the coupling memristor in the neural network, the details of synchronization with the parallel shift are derived theoretically by solving the nonhomogeneous error equations. These results of theoretical analyses have been confirmed by numerical simulations. Finally, we focus on the influence of the initial condition of the memristor on chaos generation for individual FitzHugh–Nagumo neuron and how to change chaotic state into stable periodic oscillation for a FitzHugh–Nagumo neuron in the synchronous neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyse the mechanism of tumourigenic transformation of NIH3T3 cells at the transcriptional level, we used cancerogen 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MCA) and cancerogenic substance phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) to transform NIH3T3 cells and the assessment of transformation was performed using Giemsa staining and methylcellulose colony formation assay. Changes in gene expression profile were detected by Mouse Genome 430 2.0 microarray; and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to verify the expression changes of mRNAs and proteins, respectively. With the aid of bioinformatics method, five signalling pathways were identified to participate in different stages of NIH3T3 cell transformation. Further, our study suggested that oncogenes Cyclin A, Myc, Jun and the tumour suppressor gene Ppm1l may play important roles in these pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the effects of chronic stress caused by CO2-driven decreases in pH (NBS scale) on molluscs, juvenile Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai), an economically important gastropod, were cultured at pH 8.1 (control), pH 7.9 or 7.7 for 3 months. Eroded shell surfaces, reduced growth rates, and altered biochemical composition and energy metabolism were found in abalone cultured in acidified conditions. Glycogen contents and crude lipid contents were significantly higher in the muscle of abalone from the control treatments than in those from the pH 7.7 treatment, indicating that allocation of tissue energy storage was altered by chronic acidification. The ratio of the oxygen consumption rate to the ammonia excretion rate (O:N ratio) of individuals cultured at two acidified treatments decreased significantly compared with the controls, suggesting a decreased use of body lipid and carbohydrates as a metabolic substrate under chronic acidified conditions. Chronic acidification had detrimental effects on the physiological activity of the Pacific abalone; however, the ability to acclimate varied among individuals. A minority of tested animals incubated at acidified conditions exhibited undiminished performance. The Pacific abalone may face severe challenges in the near future, but they may also hold considerable ability to acclimate to ocean acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have demonstrated that shellfish calcification rate has been impacted by ocean acidification. However, the carbonate system variables responsible for regulating calcification rate are controversial. To distinguish the key variables, we manipulated a seawater carbonate system by regulating seawater pH and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Calcification rates of juvenile blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) were measured in different carbonate systems. Our results demonstrated that neither [HCOˉ3], DIC, or pH ([H+]) were determining factors for the shellfish calcification rate of blue mussel or Zhikong scallop. However, a significant correlation was detected between calcification rate and DIC/[H+] and [CO32ˉ] in both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the global leader in mariculture production. Increasing sequestered marine carbon (also known as blue carbon) via mariculture activities is a promising approach for mitigating climate change and promoting the development of a low-carbon economy. Mariculture blue carbon is also considered an important component of China's 'sea granary'. In addition to shellfish and macroalgae yields, which represent carbon removed from mariculture environment, blue carbon also includes other important components, which have been largely neglected in the past, such as the carbon transformed by microbes, dissolved organic carbon (mainly referred to as recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon), and sedimentary particulate carbon. Hence, from different aspects, a comprehensive study on the formation processes and mechanisms of carbon sequestration is of great significance for comprehensively unveiling the carbon sequestration capability in coastal mariculture environment, which will contribute to the sustainable development of the fishery economy and construction of an ecological civilization. Moreover, it may add significant economic benefits to the future carbon-trading market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured the organic content and sinking velocities of biodeposits from two scallop species ( Chlamys farreri, Patinopecten yessoensis) and abalone ( Haliotis discus hannai) that were cultured on suspended long-lines. Measurements were conducted every two months from April 2010 to February 2011. The shellfish were divided into three size groups (small, middle, and big sizes). At each sample point, we assessed biodeposit organic content, average sinking velocity, the frequency distribution of sinking velocities, and the correlation between organic content and sinking velocity. The organic content of biodeposits varied significantly among months ( P<0.05) and the pattern of change varied among species. Sinking velocities varied significantly, ranging from <0.5 cm/s to >1.9 cm/s. The sinking velocities of biodeposits from C. farreri and P. yessoensis were 0.5-1.5 cm/s and from H. discus hannai were <0.7 cm/s. The organic content was significantly negatively correlated to the sinking velocity of biodeposits in C. farreri ( P<0.001) and P. yessoensis ( P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the rapid development of economics and enhancement of industrialization, the power demand keeps rising and frequently creates mismatch between demand and supply in electricity. This provides miscellaneous energy buy-back programs with great opportunities. Such programs, when activated, offer certain amount of financial compensations to participants for reducing their energy consumption during peak time. They aim at encouraging participants to shift their electricity usage from peak to non-peak time, and thereby release the demand pressure during peak time. This paper considers a periodic-review joint pricing and inventory decision model under an energy buy-back program over finite planning horizons, in which the compensation levels, setup cost and additive random demand function are incorporated. The objective is to maximize a manufacturer's expected total profit. By using Veinott's conditions, it is shown that the manufacturer's optimal decision is a state dependent ( s, S, P) policy under a peak market condition, or partly an ( s, S, A, P) policy under the normal market condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are more than 2000 species of brittle stars in the world. For most of them, many scientific questions including basic characteristics of eco-physiology are still unknown. In the present study, Ophiopholis sarsii vadicola acclimated at 15°C, salinity 31, were assessed for temperature and salinity tolerance. Its oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion were studied at different temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25°C) and salinities (25, 30, 35). O. sarsii vadicola could tolerate 0-24°C and no brittle star was dead in the salinity range of 19-48 in the experimental situation. Two-way ANOVA showed that the oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion normalized with both dry mass and wet mass, Q, which is used to describe the temperature sensitivity of respiration, and moisture content were significantly affected by temperature and salinity, and the combined effects of the two factors were significant. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that logarithmic oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion showed a significant positive relationship with logarithmic temperature and salinity. The logarithmic moisture content of the brittle stars showed an inverse relationship with logarithmic salinity, but a positive relationship with logarithmic temperature. This suggests that the tolerance of temperature and salinity of brittle stars is closely related to their living environment, and that the effects of temperature on oxygen consumption are more significant at higher salinity, and that the ammonia excretion is less affected by salinity at lower temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine effects of aluminum trichloride (AlCl) on the bile acid secretion and hepatocyte apoptosis in rats. Forty male Wistar rats (5 weeks old) weighed 110-120 g were orally exposed to AlCl at doses of 0, 64.18 (1/20LD), 128.36 (1/10LD), and 256.72 (1/5LD) mg/kg body weight in drinking water for 120 days. Each group had ten rats. The serum total bile acid (TBA) concentration, the early and total hepatocyte apoptosis indexes, and protein and mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were determined. The results showed that the serum TBA concentration, the early and total hepatocyte apoptosis indexes, and protein and mRNA expression of Bax increased, while protein and mRNA expression of Bcl-2 decreased in AlCl-treated rats. The results indicate that AlCl disorders bile acid secretion and induces hepatocyte apoptosis in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase ( MGMT) is a DNA repair gene. Epigenetic silencing of the MGMT promoter methylation compromises DNA repair and has been associated with longer survival in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) who receive alkylating agents. But the prognostic of MGMT promoter methylation in GBM patients of different race is still ambiguous. Based on an univariate or multivariate analysis between different race (Caucasian and Asian), a meta-analysis of the effects of MGMT promoter methylation on both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among GBM patients was conducted. A total of 6,309 patients from 50 studies were involved in the analysis. Random effect models were applied to estimate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for GBM patients of different race prognosis, the Chi square-based Q test was used to test heterogeneity. Begg's (funnel plot method) and Egger's linear regression tests were adopted to check publication bias (a bias with regard to what is likely to be published, among what is available to be published). The HR value estimated for OS was 0.524 (95 % CI 0.428-0.640) by univariate analysis and 0.427 (95 % CI 0.355-0.513) by multivariate analysis in Caucasian. The HR value estimated for OS was 0.892 (95 % CI 0.469-1.698) by univariate analysis and 0.562 (95 % CI 0.394-0.804) by multivariate analysis in Asian. The HR value estimated for PFS was 0.526 (95 % CI 0.372-0.743) by univariate analysis and 0.437 (95 % CI 0.356-0.537) by multivariate analysis in Caucasian. The HR value estimated for PFS was 0.132 (95 % CI 0.006-3.027) by multivariate analysis in Asian. This data revealed that GBM patients with MGMT promoter methylation had longer OS and PFS by univariate or multivariate analysis in Caucasian regardless of therapeutic intervention. However, GBM patients with MGMT promoter methylation only had longer OS by multivariate analysis in Asian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell lines provided excellent tools to understand the mechanism of biological phenomenon at the cellular and molecular levels. The continuous development of new cell culture technology is both of interest for use in biochemical, immunology, and virological studies. The transformation of cells of the primary culture is a key procedure for insect cell line establishment but little is known about the molecular basis of these changes. Here, we found that the cell cycle progression of the cells of the primary culture was delayed or arrested in G2/M by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. In this study, two subtractive cDNA libraries were constructed to screen for immortal-related genes of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Gene ontology and pathway analysis indicated that members of the oxidative phosphorylation, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway are involved in processes leading toward cell immortalization merit further investigation. Our findings suggest that tumor-related genes or target genes of these pathways may contribute to the transformation of primary cell through regulation of G2/M cell cycle progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effect of pH on larval development in larval Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas) and blood cockle ( Arca inflata Reeve). The larvae were reared at pH 8.2 (control), 7.9, 7.6, or 7.3 beginning 30 min or 24 h post fertilization. Exposure to lower pH during early embryonic development inhibited larval shell formation in both species. Compared with the control, larvae took longer to reach the D-veliger stage when reared under pH 7.6 and 7.3. Exposure to lower pH immediately after fertilization resulted in significantly delayed shell formation in the Pacific oyster larvae at pH 7.3 and blood cockle larvae at pH 7.6 and 7.3. However, when exposure was delayed until 24 h post fertilization, shell formation was only inhibited in blood cockle larvae reared at pH 7.3. Thus, the early embryonic stages were more sensitive to acidified conditions. Our results suggest that ocean acidification will have an adverse effect on embryonic development in bivalves. Although the effects appear subtle, they may accumulate and lead to subsequent issues during later larval development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction behavior of Pu(III), Pu(IV), Np(IV) and Np(V) with di(chlorophenyl)-dithiophosphinic acid (DCPDTPA) in toluene from nitric acid solutions was studied systematically. In aqueous solution with high nitric acid concentration, the extraction capability (represented by distribution ratio D) for Pu and Np in different valences with DCPDTPA comes as D > D > D > D. A new radiochemical procedure for Np/Pu separation based on DCPDTPA extraction was proposed and tested with simulated samples. The recoveries of Np and Pu are as high as 80 % after the whole separation procedure, with the decontamination factor of trivalent lanthanide fission product element (e.g. Eu) greater than 1.5 × 10. The decontamination factor of Pu-Np is 2.0 × 10, while the decontamination factor of Np-Pu is greater than 4.8 × 10 after additional purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the function of a Patinopecten yessoensis and Saccharina japonica integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) model on the level of organic matter produced in the environment. The study was conducted in March-July 2012 using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope methods. Results showed that the quantity of rotten kelp increased considerably over these 5 months, with the length of the rotten blades reaching 150 cm in July. The contribution rates of biodeposits by the shellfish and kelp to the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were 3.93 ± 0.39 and 4.99 ± 1.09 %, respectively, but contribution rates to the sediments in the IMTA area were very low. In May and July, rotting kelp contributed 1.06 ± 0.46 and 1.64 ± 0.13 % in the kelp area, respectively. The organic carbon and nitrogen content of sediments from the IMTA area was significantly higher than from the kelp area ( P < 0.05). C% and N% in SPM from the IMTA area were four times those from the kelp area ( P < 0.05), but the C and N content in sediments were still at a low level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red alga Gracilaria lemaneiformis was cultivated with the scallop Chlamys farreri in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system for 42 h at Sanggou Bay, located in north China. Variation in inorganic carbon in the IMTA system was determined. The experiment included three treatments each with three replicates and three scallop monoculture systems as controls. Scallop density (399.1 ± 7.85 g per microcosm) remained the same in all treatments while seaweed density differed. The seaweed density was set at three levels (treatments 1, 2, 3) with thallus wet weights of 125.3 ± 4.72 g, 252.3 ± 7.50 g, and 378.7 ± 6.51 g per microcosm, respectively. This produced bivalve to seaweed wet weight ratios of 1:0.31, 1:0.63, and 1:0.96 for treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In control groups, continuous dissolution of carbon dioxide (CO) produced by scallops into the seawater not only caused an ongoing increase in partial pressure of CO ( pCO), 5.5 times higher than that of natural seawater, but also acidified seawater by 0.8 units after 42 h of culture. However, in all seaweed-scallop groups, the higher the algal density, the more CO was absorbed; pCO was lowest in treatment 3. The results suggest that a ratio of bivalve to seaweed less than 1:0.96 may produce an even stronger CO sink. Overall, the integrated culture of seaweed and scallop could provide an efficient and environmentally friendly means to reduce CO emissions from bivalve mariculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amphipod crustacean Eogammarus sinensis has useful features that make it suitable for use in the aquaculture of fish and large decapod crustaceans. In this study, we investigated the effects of temperature and salinity on the development, fecundity, survival, and growth rate of E. sinensis. The results show that temperature significantly affected E. sinensis development, but salinity. As temperature increased, the duration of E. sinensis embryonic development decreased. Fecundity was affected significantly by temperature and the combination of temperature and salinity, but by salinity alone. In addition, high temperatures accelerated E. sinensis juvenile growth rates, whereas high salinity reduced it. Therefore, our data suggest that E. sinensis tolerates a wide range of salinities and that temperature has more significant effects than salinity on the embryonic development, fecundity, and growth of E. sinensis. Our results shall be useful for mass production of this species for use in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction. However, little is known about how miR-30a regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In the study, Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to thoracic aortic constriction, and hearts were harvested at 3 weeks. We assayed miR-30a expression level by real-time PCR and defined the molecular mechanisms of miR-30a-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. We found that myocardial expression of miR-30a was decreased in mouse models of hypertrophy and in H9c2 cells treated with phenylephrine. MiR-30a inhibition markedly increased mRNA expression of cardiac hypertrophy markers such as atrial natriuretic factor and brain natriuretic peptide in H9c2, and cell size was increased after miR-30a inhibitor treatment. Downregulated miR-30a activated autophagy by inhibiting beclin-1 expression in H9c2 cell. More important, autophagy inhibition suppressed miR-30a inhibitor-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Together, our data demonstrated that downregulated miR-30a aggravates pressure overload-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by activating autophagy, thus offering a new target for the therapy of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein phosphatases type 2C (PP2Cs) from group A, which includes the ABI1/HAB1 and PP2CA branches, are key negative regulators of ABA signaling. HAI-1 gene had been shown to affect both seed and vegetative responses to ABA, which is one of PP2Cs clade A in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic plants containing pHAI-1::GUS (β-glucuronidase) displayed GUS activity existing in the vascular system of leave veins, stems and petioles. Green fluorescent protein fused HAI-1 (HAI-1-GFP) was found in the nucleus through transient transformation assays with onion epidermal cells. The water-loss assays indicated the loss-of-function mutants did not show symptoms of wilting and they had still turgid green rosette leaves. The assays of seed germination by exogenous ABA and NaCl manifested that the loss-of-function mutants displayed higher insensitivity than wild-type plants. Taken together, the final results suggest that the HAI-1 (AT5G59220) encoded a nuclear protein and it can be highly induced by ABA and wound in Arabidposis, the stress-tolerance phenotype showed a slightly improvement when HAI-1 gene was disrupted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence for considerable interlinking between the responses to heat stress (HS) and light signaling. In the present work, we provide molecular evidence that BBX18, a negative regulator in photomorphogenesis belonging to the B-box zinc finger protein family in Arabidopsis thaliana, is involved in the regulation of thermotolerance. Using quantitative RT-PCR, GUS staining and immunoblot analysis, our results indicate that the expression of BBX18 was induced by HS. BBX18-RNAi and 35S::BBX18 transgenic Arabidopsis plants were obtained for functional analysis of BBX18. Under-expression of BBX18 displayed increased both basal and acquired thermotolerance in the transgenic plants, while over-expression of BBX18 reduced tolerance to HS in transgenic lines. Moreover, when wild-type, BBX18-RNAi and 35S::BBX18 transgenic plants were treated with HS, HR-related digalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase 1 (DGD1) was down-regulated by BBX18 in both normal and heat shock conditions. Besides, the expression levels of Hsp70, Hsp101 and APX2 were increased in BBX18-RNAi transgenic plants, but lower in 35S::BBX18 transgenic plants. However, the expression of HsfA2 was lower in BBX18- RNAi transgenic plants and higher in the 35S::BBX18 after high-temperature treatment. These results suggesting that, by modulated expression of a set of HS-responsive genes, BBX18 weakened tolerance to HS in Arabidopsis. So our data indicate that BBX18 plays a negative role in thermotolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the incentives for vertical demand information sharing in a two-echelon supply chain formed by many downstream retailers and one upstream manufacturer with a limited production capacity. The retailers are engaged in a Cournot competition, and endowed with some private information about the demand. The total order of all the retailers may exceed the manufacturer's capacity, and in that case, an allocation strategy is required. We show that a discriminated allocation strategy will encourage the retailers to share their demand information. We also find the condition under which full information sharing can be reached. Furthermore, we prove that when the manufacturer cannot satisfy the total order of all the retailers, social welfare and consumer surplus will be locked by the capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to understand the growth dynamics of Saccharina japonica (previously known as Laminaria japonica), particularly the portion lost during its growth cycle and the key factors that control loss rate in Sungo Bay, China. Growth and loss of S. japonica were investigated between January and July 2010 in Sungo Bay. Losses of the seaweed are typically the result of three factors: removal of the entire individual from mariculture ropes (falloff), breakage in sections of the thalli (breakoff), and erosion of distal tissue. Results showed that individual growth rates in wet weight ranged between 2.4 and 32.7 g day. The total falloff rate was approximately 16% and took place during January and February. Breakoff rate showed a significant positive correlation with kelp length and took place during June and July. The erosion rate increased significantly from January to the end of April, reaching a maximum value of 20.4 g day on 25 April, and maintained a relatively higher value following the peak value (approximately 10-15 g day). Erosion rates were positively correlated with temperature ( r = 0.787, n = 23, p < 0.01) before May; however, they were not significantly correlated with temperature from May to July ( p = >0.05). There was no significant relationship between erosion and transparency. At the end of this experiment, the ratio of total loss of carbon and nitrogen to gross production was 61% and 54%, respectively. Loss from distal erosion, falloff, and breakoff in carbon was 91.5, 4.2, and 4.3%, respectively. In Sungo Bay, the annual gross production and total loss in carbon and nitrogen were estimated to be 58,652 t C and 3,506 t N, and 36,150 t C and 1,920 t N. This is expected to have a significant impact on the detritus available in the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se), an essential trace element in vivo, is present mainly as selenocystein (Sec) in various selenoproteins. The Sec residue is translated from an in-frame TGA codon, which traditionally functions as a stop codon. Prediction of selenoprotein genes is difficult due to the lack of an effective method for distinguishing the dual function of the TGA codon in the open reading frame of a selenoprotein gene. In this article a eukaryotic bioinformatic prediction system that we have developed was used to predict selenoprotein genes from the genome of the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. Sixteen selenoprotein genes were predicted, including selenoprotein P and glutathione peroxidase. In particular, a type II iodothyronine deiodinase was found to have two Sec residues, while the type I iodothyronine deiodinase gene has two alternative splice forms. These results provide important information for the investigation of the relationship between a variety of selenoproteins and the evolution of the marine-living dolphin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuous cell line derived from the pupal ovary of Spodoptera exigua was established by treating primary cells with N-methyl- N′-nitro- N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Three days after treating cells with 3.0 μg/ml of MNNG, the cells formed a monolayer and were initially subcultured 60 d after the MNNG was removed, followed by subculturing for 30 passages. The established cell line, designated IOZCAS-Spex 12, consisted of a mixture of three types of cells, including spherical, spindle-shaped, and oval cells. The population doubling time of the cell line during its logarithmic growth phase was found to be 71 h. DNA amplification fingerprinting polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that the new cell line originated from S. exigua. Susceptibility of IOZCAS-Spex 12 cells to infection by certain nucleopolyhedroviruses was investigated. The results showed that the cell line was highly susceptible to infection by S. exigua nucleopolyhedrovirus and Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus, slightly susceptible to infection by Spodoptera litura nucleopolyhedrovirus, and not susceptible to infection by Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedroviruses or Hyphantria cunea nucleopolyhedroviruses. The results of this study suggest that MNNG treatment may overcome existing limitations to obtaining continually proliferating cells and may open up the possibilities for immortalizing isolated insect cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The homozygous T-DNA mutants of AtCAL1 ( Rat1) and AtCAL2 ( Rat2) were obtained. The double mutant of Rat2/Rat1RNAi was constructed which showed obvious late-flowering phenotype from others. The expression of various flowering-related genes was studied among mutants and wild-type plants by quantitative RT-PCR. The double mutant plants showed the shortest root length compared with T-DNA insertion mutants and wild type plants under red light, blue light, and white light. The double mutants showed hypersensitivity to NaCl and ABA. However, these mutants had no effect on stomatal closure by ABA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]