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Abstract Background Understanding the genetic basis of local adaptation has long been the concern of biologists. Identifying these adaptive genetic variabilities is crucial not only to improve our knowledge of the genetic mechanism of local adaptation but also to explore the adaptation potential of species. Results Using 10 natural populations and 12 start codon targeted (SCoT) markers, a total of 430 unambiguous loci were yielded. The Bayesian analysis of population structure clearly demonstrated that the 10 populations of P. bungeana could be subdivided into three groups. Redundancy analysis showed that this genetic divergence was caused by divergence selection from environmental variables related to the ecological habitats of “avoidance of flooding” and “avoidance of high temperature and humidity.” LFMM results indicated that Bio1, Bio5, Bio8, Bio12, Bio14, and Bio16, which are related to the ecological habitat of P. bungeana, were correlated with the highest numbers of environment-associated loci (EAL). Conclusions The results of EAL characterization in P. bungeana clearly supported the hypothesis that environmental variations related to the ecological habitat of species are the key drivers of species adaptive divergence. Moreover, a method to calculate the species landscape adaptation index and quantify the adaptation potential of species was proposed and verified using ecological niche modeling. This model could estimate climatically suitable areas of species spatial distribution. Taking the results together, this study improves the current understanding on the genetic basis of local adaptation.

Sexual interference (SI), which is defined as any disturbance directed to a mating pair by other individuals, has been reported in several primate species. It is widely suggested that successful harassers experience improved mating success by increasing their access to reproductive partners as well as by reducing the mating success of rivals. Although theories of primate sexual conflict highlight male intra-sexual mating competition, females also are reported to actively disrupt copulations between mating partners. In this study, we investigated SI in a multilevel troop of Golden snub-nosed monkeys ( Rhinopithecus roxellana) inhabiting the Qinling Mountains, China. Behavioral observations of 11 one-male units (OMU) that comprised the multilevel troop were conducted from September 2007 to May 2008. During this period 17.1% of 652 documented intra-OMU sexual encounters were characterized either by mild or aggressive forms of harassment. Sexual harassment was typically performed by a single individual (91.9%), and in 75.7% of cases the harasser was an adult or sub-adult female. The frequency of female harassment was positively correlated with the number of adult and sub-adult females residing in an OMU, and resulted in a significant decrease in matings ending in ejaculation. We found that the amount of SI a female received was not a significant predictor of her reproductive success. However, females who conceived during the mating season directed higher levels of harassment at other females than females who did not conceive. We evaluate the strength of the sexual competition hypothesis and the hormonally modulated aggression hypothesis in explaining patterns of SI in female Golden snub-nosed monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 73:366-377, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand preferences were investigated during one unimanual action (food-reaching) and one bimanual action (mount-reaching) in a semi-free-ranging group of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve, Qinling Mountains of China. Nine of 14 individuals tested on the unimanual food-reaching action and all six individuals tested on the bimanual mount-reaching action exhibited a manual preference. Both significant right- and left-handed preferences were observed in the two actions. Sex did not affect either direction or strength of hand preference in the unimanual action. Hand preference for the bimanual action was stable over time, and the strength of hand preference was significantly stronger in the bimanual action than in the unimanual action. Am. J. Primatol. 70:500–504, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background C3H10T1/2 cells, from a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line, were used to investigate the improvement of alginate-based microencapsulated cells for cellular therapy. Methods Purified sodium alginate (PSA) and non-purified sodium alginate (SA) were used to prepare alginate-based microcapsules, and their biocompatibility and membrane strength were then compared for the purposes of analyzing the advantages of purifying SA. In addition, poly-l-lysine (PLL) was replaced by chitosan for alginate-chitosan microcapsule preparation. The process of optimization and chemical modification of alginate-chitosan microcapsules using polyethylene glycol was also reviewed. Results The results showed improved biocompatibility and membrane strength of PSA-based microcapsules. Under optimal conditions, mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-loaded alginate-chitosan microcapsules with good morphology could be obtained using PSA and chitosans of medium molecular weight (1.0-2.5×105). A chitosan solution of 0.1% (w/v) and a reaction time of 7 min between alginate and chitosan were determined as optimal preparation parameters. Discussion It could be concluded that the chemical modification of alginate-based microcapsules can improve their biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root density distribution of plants is a major indicator of competition between plants and determines resource capture from the soil. This experiment was conducted in 2005 at Anyang, located in the Yellow River region, Henan Province, China. Three cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars were chosen: hybrid Bt-cultivar CRI46, conventional Bt-cultivars CRI44 and CRI45. Six planting densities were designed, ranging from 1.5 to 12.0 plants/m2Root parameters such as surface area, diameter and length were analyzed by using the DT-SCAN image analysis method. The root length density (RLD), root average diameter and root area index (RAI), root surface area per unit land area, were studied. The results showed that RLD and RAI differed between genotypes; hybrid CRI46 had significantly higher ( P < 0.05) RLD and RAI values than conventional cultivars, especially under low planting densities, less than 3.0 plants/m2The root area index (RAI) of hybrid CRI46 was 61% higher than of CRI44 and CRI45 at the flowering stage. The RLD and RAI were also significantly different ( P= 0.000) between planting densities. The depth distribution of RAI showed that at increasing planting densities RAI was increasingly distributed in the soil layers below 50 cm. The RAI of hybrid CRI46 was for all planting densities, obviously higher than other cultivars during the flowering and boll stages. It was concluded that the hybrid had a strong advantage in root maintenance preventing premature senescence of roots. The root diameter of hybrid CRI46 had a genetically higher root diameter at planting densities lower than 6.0 plants/m2Good associations were found between yield and RAI in different stages. The optimum planting density ranged from 4.50 plants/m2 to 6.75 plants/m2 for conventional cultivars and around 4.0–5.0 plants/m2 for hybrids. (Managing editor: Ya-Qin Han) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ether of o-chlorobenzoylferrocene has been synthesized by the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) in methylene chloride in the presence of zinc iodide. Its structure was determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The crystal belongs to monoclinic, space group P21/n with the following crystallographic parameters: a = 9.480(3) Å, b = 22.319(6) Å, c = 9.783(3) Å, β = 101.197(4)°, μ = 0.943 mm − 1, V=2030.5(10) Å3, Z=4, F(0 0 0) = 880, D calc=1.386 mg/m3, T=293(2) K, 1.82° ≤ θ ≤ 26.40°, the final R factor: R 1=0.0366, wR 2=0.0802. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract β-Amino-α-phenyl-α-ferrocenylethanol, FcC(OH)(Ph)CH2NH2 was prepared by the reduction of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ether of benzoylferrocene with lithium aluminum hydride. This new compound was characterized by elemental analysis, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The structure was also confirmed by a single crystal X-ray study. The compound crystallizes in monoclinic P21/c space group with unit cell dimensions: a = 12.5906(17), b = 5.9636(8), c = 19.8320(3) Å, β = 102.047(2)∘, V = 1456.3(3) Å3, Z = 4. The structure exhibits intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonding of the type N—H⋅ < eqid1 > ⋅O and O—H⋅ < eqid2 > ⋅N, respectively. The pattern of the inter-molecular hydrogen bonding interaction contains a 10-atom ring with two donors and two acceptors, showing a dimeric crystal packing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid acid catalyst, bentonite-supported polytrifluoromethanesulfosiloxane (B-PTFMSS) has been for the first time prepared and used in the Friedel–Crafts acylation of ferrocene with various acyl chlorides. The catalytic activities were influenced by reaction time, reaction temperature, solvent and loaded amount of B-PTFMSS. It was found that the new catalyst B-PTFMSS possessed the advantages of high activities giving similar yield of aliphatic acyl ferrocene (>70%) as conventional Lewis acid catalyst aluminum chloride and it can be used repeatedly and easily regenerated. B-PTFMSS has also been characterized by IR spectra, pyridine adsorbed IR, specific surface area and XRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: An often under-recognized late manifestation of prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) is the development of treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). The aim of this study is to identify the risk factors related to survival after NEPC diagnosis (NEPCS) and time from initial diagnosis of PCa to development of NEPC (TTNEPC)., Patients and Methods: A literature search on NEPC was performed using databases such as MEDLINE and EMBASE. Studies were eligible if outcomes data (NEPCS and/or TTNEPC) were reported in patients with a prior history of PCa and histopathologically confirmed NEPC. NEPCS and TTNEPC were evaluated using the Cox regression model with the robust sandwich estimates of the covariance matrix., Results: There were 54 eligible publications, contributing 123 patients. The median TTNEPC was 20 months. In multivariable analyses, the Gleason score was significantly associated with shorter TTNEPC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.66; P = .032). The median NEPCS was 7 months. In multivariable analyses, the number of organs with metastatic disease at NEPC was significantly associated with shorter NEPCS (HR, 3.31; P = .001). Type of treatment after NEPC was significantly associated with longer NEPCS, with HRs of 0.66 (radiotherapy v palliative therapy; P = .034), 0.38 (chemotherapy v palliative therapy; P = .018), and 0.29 (chemoradiotherapy v palliative therapy; P = .012), respectively., Conclusion: Treatment-related NEPC is an often under-recognized late manifestation of PCa with poor prognosis. Our study found that Gleason score was the only independent factor contributing to TTNEPC. Once NEPC is diagnosed, type of treatment and the number of organs with metastatic disease were the most important factors related to survival., (© 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.)