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Shoot-tip abortion is a very common phenomenon in some perennial woody plants and it affects the height, architecture, and branch orientation of trees; however, little is currently known about the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we identified a gene in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) encoding a KNAT-like protein (CsKN1) and found high expression in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). Overexpression of CsKN1 in transgenic plants prolonged the vegetative growth of SAMs, whilst silencing resulted in either the loss or inhibition of SAMs. Yeast two-hybrid analysis revealed that CsKN1 interacted with another citrus KNAT-like protein (CsKN2), and overexpression of CsKN2 in lemon and tobacco caused an extreme multiple-meristem phenotype. Overexpression of CsKN1 and CsKN2 in transgenic plants resulted in the differential expression of numerous genes related to hormone biosynthesis and signaling. Yeast one-hybrid analysis revealed that the CsKN1-CsKN2 complex can bind to the promoter of citrus floral meristem gene LEAFY (CsLFY) and inhibit its expression. These results indicated that CsKN1 might prolong the vegetative growth period of SAMs by delaying flowering. In addition, an ethylene-responsive factor (CsERF) was found to bind to the CsKN1 promoter and suppresses its transcription. Overexpression of CsERF in Arabidopsis increased the contents of ethylene and reactive oxygen species, which might induce the occurrence of shoot-tip abscission. On the basis of our results, we conclude that CsKN1 and CsKN2 might work cooperatively to regulate the shoot-tip abscission process in spring shoots of sweet orange.

Phase decomposition kinetics and the corresponding mechanical properties of the severe cold-rolled (SCRed) carbon-doped (1.3 at.%) equimolar FeCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloy (HEA) after being annealed at 500 °C were investigated. This single face-centered cubic (FCC) solid-solution HEA decomposed to M23C6+L10, B2, and σ in chronological order. The formation kinetics of the L10, B2, and σ phases followed the Johnson−Mehl−Avrami− Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation. The yield strength of the HEA was 1520 MPa and increased to 1920 MPa after being annealed at 500 °C for 1 h, as a result of the formation of nanosized M23C6 and L10. Both strength and ductility decreased after 2 d of annealing due to the increase of volume fractions and the coarsening of the M23C6 and L10 precipitates. From 4 to 32 d, the hardness was found to increase, which is ascribed to the rapid formation of the B2 and σ phases. From 32 to 64 d, the hardness increased further to finally reach about HV 760, with the FCC matrix almost exhausted to form the M23C6, L10, B2, and σ phases. The results of this work may serve as a guide for the heat-treatment of carbon-doped HEAs.

Leaf shape is an important agronomic trait that is involved in plant photosynthesis, flowering, disease resistance, and yield. In recent years, many leaf shape-related genes have been identified in model plants, but the precise regulatory network of leaf shape development remains unclear, particularly in woody plants. Transcriptome analysis of trifoliate orange and lemon leaves revealed that two citrus Knotted1-like (CiKN1 and CiKN6) genes might participate in leaf development. Overexpression of CiKN1 displays lobed leaves in simple leaf Arabidopsis and lemon. Further protein interaction analysis revealed that CiKN6 interacted with CiKN1, whose overexpression resulted in deeper lobed leaves in transgenic Arabidopsis and lemon. Suppressing CiKN6 expression also affected the development of lemon leaves. Furthermore, we found that the CiKN1-CiKN6 complex specifically binds to the citrus miR164a promoter and suppresses its expression. In addition, a SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like (SPL) gene (CiSPL11) was identified using yeast one-hybrid assays and was found to promote CiKN6 transcription by binding to its promoter. Transgenic Arabidopsis showed that CiSPL11 might be involved in the development of citrus leaves. These results suggested that the CiKN1-CiKN6 complex and miR164a interact to regulate leaf development in citrus.

BACKGROUND Acute liver injury in the setting of hepatic fibrosis is an intriguing and still unsettled issue. We previously have demonstrated the protective effects conferred by M2-like macrophages in the fibrotic liver. In the present work, we further decipher the cellular mechanisms governing this hepatoprotection. MATERIAL AND METHODS Macrophages were isolated from control mice (M0 macrophages), then polarized into M1 or M2 phenotype using IFN-γ or IL-4, respectively. Conditioned media (CM) from M0, M1, and M2 macrophages were harvested and applied to M1 macrophages. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by immunostaining and real-time PCR. Similarly, human monocyte-derived macrophages were isolated and polarized, then M0, M1, and M2 CM were applied to HL-7702 or HepG2 cells followed by apoptosis induction. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS For the mouse conditioned medium experiment, stronger expression of cleaved caspase 3 and higher Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA ratio were found in M1 macrophages pretreated with M2 CM compared to those in M1 macrophages pretreated with M0 or M1 CM. Similarly, exposure of HL-7702 and HepG2 cells to either M0 or M1 CM had no significant effect on cell apoptosis. Nevertheless, the frequency of hepatocyte apoptosis was substantially reduced in HL-7702 (from 32.23±2.99 to 15.37±0.69 for Annexin V+/PI+ staining, p

To provide insight into the mechanical behavior and microstructural evolution of bulk nanograined (NG) Ni-based alloys during annealing, the Ni-based alloy sheets with grain size about 50 nm was produced through severe cold-rolling at room temperature, and then the cold rolled (CRed) Ni-based alloys were annealed at different states. The evolution of the nanostructure of the CRed Ni-based alloy during annealing and corresponding change in mechanical properties was investigated. The results showed that the CRed Ni-based alloy exhibited prominent enhancement in the yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), which increased respectively from 253 MPa to 1455 MPa, 684 MPa to 1557 MPa. Further increase of the YS and UTS were obtained in the annealed-CRed Ni-based alloy with dual-phase. The YS and UTS of the NG dual-phase Ni-based alloy was respectively 2013 MPa and 2061MPa, which was annealed at 700 °C for 1h. In terms of the microstructural evolution, lower density of defects on the grain boundary were observed and the nanograins can be maintained about 100 nm even when annealed for 30 h at 700 °C, which suggests high thermal stability at this temperature. Both the high thermal stability and strength are due to the formation of the γ′ precipitates and slight grain growth of the NG matrix.

Reliability, sensitivity between random variables and response, and correlation between responses of double-layer cylindrical reticulated shells with three different span-to-rise ratios are deeply investigated, furthermore the effects of different kinds of random variables and different positions of random variables on reliability and sensitivity between random variable and response are also investigated in details. Cross-sectional area, yielding strength and modulus of elasticity of members and external vertical load are defined as one or more random variables respectively according to their layouts in the reticulated shells, and their effects on sensitivity are substantially carried out. Subsequently, two cases in all are taken into account based on the different classification of random variables. Three performance functions, e.g., the maximal deflection, the total plastic strain energy, the number of yielding members, are taken into consideration for two cases, and correlations among the above performance functions are investigated.

The paper studied on hidden dangers in traffic safety caused by misjudgment of driving operation information, along with the development of the automobile market with increasing inexperienced drivers, and put forward the importance of man-machine information interaction analysis. The fuzzy leveler analysis method of accelerating genetic algorithms was used to analyzed the extent of the needs of inexperienced drivers in different situations for different information. It put forward the design ideas which was brought by new LCD display and sensor technology in the process of automobile intelligent development in dashboard design to enhance driving safety. Combined with automobile dashboard interface optimization design example, put forward the corresponding optimization design of dashboard interface based on the results of the analysis.

This paper studied the process that how the automotive body shapes raise the psychological reflects and proposed an intention bionic principle to explain this mental process. Established the related model and used it to analyze the relationships between automotive body shape design and the psychological feelings of living organisms. Then, analyzed the automotive body characteristics of Audi A8 and Q5, as a further illustration of this principle. Thus, opened up a new research method and provided a new approach for the work of automotive body shape design.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the aesthetics of material is applied to car design. Based on a series of current material research with substantive examples, the paper will encourage car designers to be more experimental in their choice of materials and designs. It covers four physiologically sections including visual, tactile, auditory, and olfactory perceptions of materials. In addition, four typical case studies will showcase the present status and development trends of materials science within the automobile industry.

The auto brand mark design is the core of auto brand image system, the important element of auto body styling design and the carrier of auto culture, which possesses both practical and artistic value and reflects the materiality and spirituality of auto culture. The cultural feature, artistic value, ethnic styles, identifiability and symbolic features of brand mark design together determine that auto brand mark design has its own designing laws. This paper focuses on the method of classifying different approaches to brand mark design, promotes designing principles of brand mark and then analyzes future design trends.

Objective To investigate the effects of plasma from patients with acute on chronic liver failure on the proliferation and biotransformation function of C3A cells in vitro, and provide experimental data for C3A cells to be efficiently used in the bioartificial liver system. Methods C3A cells were incubated in 100% normal human plasma (NHP) and 100% abnormal plasma (AP) from patients with acute on chronic liver failure. Growth morphology of the two groups were observed under inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope. The method of methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) was conducted for the proliferation activities of C3A cells. The cellular apoptosis rates were assessed by the flow cytometer. The biotransformation function of cells was evaluated through diazepam metabolic amount assay. The concentrations of epithelial growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) were detected in plasma of the two groups. Results A: The proliferation activities of C3A cells incubated in 100% AP for 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours were significantly higher than that in 100% NHP (P < 0.01). B: Observation under the inverted microscope indicated that the cells in 100% AP were growing faster than those in 100% NHP after cells attached to the plastic at 24 and 48 hours. The same phenomena was observed under the scanning electronic microscope. C: The C3A cells cultured in both groups of plasma showed the same apoptosis rate at 48 hours and there was no statistical difference. D: The diazepam metabolic value of C3A cells incubated in 100% AP for 24, 72 and 120 hours were lower than that in 100% NHP and were statistically different (P < 0.01). E: The concentrations of TGF-α, EGF and IL-1 in AP were significantly higher than that in NHP (P < 0.01). Conclusions Compared with normal human plasma, the plasma from patients with acute on chronic liver failure has more obvious effect to facilitate the proliferation of C3A cells, but also decreases partial biotransformation function of C3A cells.

In automobile styling design, importing the concept of cultural bionics is a continuation and development for bionics design. This thesis tends to explore design inspiration and design methods from the perspective of social and cultural bionics, national cultural bionics, traditional cultural bionics and other corporate cultural bionics, so as to provide a fresh and workable cultural bionics method for the automobile styling design.

Oxygen precipitation (OP) behaviors were investigated for Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers, which were coated with silicon nitride (SiNx) films or not, subjected to two-step anneal of 800C/4 h+1000°C/16 h following rapid thermal processing (RTP) at different temperatures ranging from 1150 to 1250C for 50 s. It was found that OP in the Cz silicon wafers coated with SiNx films was stronger in each case. This was because that nitrogen atoms diffused into bulk of Cz silicon wafer from the surface coated SiNx film during the high temperature RTP. Furthermore, it was proved that the RTP lamp irradiation facilitated the in-diffusion of nitrogen atoms, which was most likely due to that the ultraviolet light enhanced the breakage of silicon-nitrogen bonds.

Experiment on characterizing the laser-heated plasmas using Thomson scattering measurement has been carried out. An incoherent Thomson scattering system with a 90° scattering angle has been established. The influence of the gas density and the pumping laser energy on the temperature of the laser-heated plasma has been examined. The results show that the temperature of the laser-heated plasma increases with the increase of pumping laser energy and the plasma density, which agrees well with the explanation of inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption.

P-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with PtSi Schottky barrier source/drain, high-k gate dielectric and metal gate electrode were fabricated on a thin p-type silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate using a simplified low temperature process. The device works on a fully-depleted accumulation-mode and has an excellent electrical performance. It reaches Ion/Ioff ratio of about 107, subthreshold swing of 65 mV/decade and saturation drain current of Ids = 8.8 μA/μm at |Vg−Vth| = |Vd| = 1 V for devices with the channel length 4.0 μm and the equivalent oxide thickness 2.0 nm. Compared to the corresponding bulk-Si counterparts, SOI p-SBMOSFETs have smaller off-state current due to reduction of the PtSi/Si contact area.

A compact set of equations based on the multiple subbands quasi-ballistic transport theory is developed, and is used to investigate the channel electron effective mobility in recently reported In0.53Ga0.47As/Al2O3 tri-gate n-FinFET. The extracted electron effective mobility mu(n) is around 370 cm(2)/V.s at low V-g-V-th bias at room temperature and decreases with increasing V-g, and increases with increasing temperature (240-332K). It is very different from the case of Si n-MOSFETs, where the electron mobility decreases with increasing temperature. The low channel effective mobility and the ab-normal temperature dependence of mu(n) are ascribed to the high acceptor interface trap and border trap energy densities in the conduction band energy of InGaAs. The ballistic channel resistance R-Ball at low V-ds is calculated and compared with the measured channel resistance R-CH. The low transmission coefficient T = R-Ball/R-CH approximate to 0.06 to 0.05 indicates that there is a large room to improve the InGaAs/Al2O3 n-FinFET performance.

The reliability performance of InxGa1-xAs n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors with Al2O3 gate dielectric under positive-bias temperature instability stress is investigated systematically. A model of stress-induced border traps was proposed to interpret all charge pumping and I-V experimental results excellently. The stress-induced border traps include recoverable donor traps and permanent acceptor traps with respective energy densities Delta D-SOX(Donor) (E) and Delta D-SOX(Acceptor) (E). The shapes of Delta D-SOX(Donor) (E) and Delta D-SOX(Acceptor) (E) have been extracted from experimental data Delta D-SOX(Acceptor) (E) mainly distributes in the conduction band of InGaAs with a tail extending to the mid-gap, whereas Delta D-SOX(Donor) (E) has a large distribution inside the energy gap and extends to the conduction band. The high density of Delta D-SOX(Donor) (E) in the energy gap induces large degradation in the OFF-current, which is particularly serious when the In composition x is raised to 0.65.

To assess the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in preventing the relapse of detoxified heroin users in a period of 12 months.A total of 164 rehabilitating heroin users in Shanghai area were recruited after compulsory detoxification treatment for a period ranging from 3 months to 3 years. The TEAS was executed by the device named Han's acupoint nerve stimulator (HANS). The patients were treated with HANS for at least 3 months. All the subjects were then followed up for one year and relapse was monitored by monthly heroin/morphine urinalysis.Of 164 rehabilitating former heroin addicts, 53 remained drug-free at the end of 12 months observation period as judged by negative urinalysis while 35 become relapsed as documented by positive urine tests. The rest 76 dropped off due to various reasons and were all counted into the category of "relapsed". Thus, our data indicated 32.3% rehabilitating heroin users could stay sober for at least one year, which is significantly higher than the existing reports that less than 5% detoxified abusers would stay drug free for one year with no further intervention. No obvious correlation was found between the susceptibility of relapse and the duration of compulsory detoxification.Compared to the existing literatures, our results indicate that HANS could produce a marked decrease of the relapse rate of rehabilitating heroin users after compulsory detoxification.