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Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is an aggressive type of cancer, and its incidence and mortality rates are increasing worldwide. Mortalin is a highly conserved chaperone protein involved in multiple pathological and physiological processes, including anti-apoptosis, carcinogenesis and metastasis. The Bcl-2 family of proteins can be divided into pro-survival and pro-apoptotic members, including B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-like protein 4 (Bax). The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between mortalin, Bcl-2 and Bax, as well as the prognostic significance of the combined expression of mortalin, Bcl-2 and Bax in ICC. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of mortalin, Bcl-2 and Bax in 116 ICC samples and to assess the association between expression of 3 markers and clinicopathological features of ICC patients. This revealed that ICC tumor tissues overexpressed mortalin and Bcl-2 and exhibited low expression of Bax in ICC tumor tissues compared with that in corresponding peritumoral samples. According to Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, high expression of mortalin in ICC was positively correlated with Bcl-2 expression and negatively correlated with Bax expression. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that mortalin was positively associated with Bcl-2, but not with Bax, in patients with ICC. Patients with ICC exhibiting high expression of mortalin/Bcl-2 or low expression of Bax were closely associated with a malignant ICC phenotype, a relatively low overall survival rate and a high recurrence rate. Multivariate analysis indicated that mortalin and Bcl-2 were independent prognostic indicators for ICC patients. Meanwhile, the concomitant overexpression of mortalin and Bcl-2 and the low expression of Bax were independent markers for predicting a relatively poor prognosis of ICC. The overexpression of mortalin and Bcl-2 and/or the low expression of Bax are implicated in the anti-apoptotic effect and tumor progression of ICC. Mortalin or Bcl-2, or a combination of mortalin, Bcl-2 and Bax may be used to predict the prognosis of ICC, as well as potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were installed in different accumulated temperature zones in Heilongjiang Province to study the changes of the grain yield and quality of five major rice varieties with accumulated temperature. The rice yield changed with accumulated temperature in quadratic curve, and the correlation degree differed with the varieties. The panicle number and the grain number per panicle changed significantly in quadratic curve with accumulated temperature, while the 1000- grain mass had less correlation with accumulated temperature. The sterile spikelet rate of grain increased obviously from suitable accumulated temperature zone to low accumulated temperature zone, but had no obvious change from suitable accumulated temperature zone to high accumulated temperature zone. The rates of chalky and head milled rice also changed with accumulated temperature in quadratic curve, i. e. , there were both the lowest and the highest values in suitable accumulated temperature zone. The protein and amylose contents of the grain as well as the taste varied little with accumulated temperature. According to the sensitivity to temperature, the test rice varieties were divided into sensitive, medium, and blunt types, with the optimal and allowable cultivation accumulated temperature limits being 300 °and 420 °, 360 °and 440 °, and 380 °and 520 °, respectively. It would be very important to select the rice varieties with higher yield and better quality according to the local conditions, especially the accumulated temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six major rice varieties (Longdao 3, Kendao 12, Kongyu 131, Longdao 7, Longjing 16, and Songjing 6) in Heilongjiang Province were treated with low temperature 15 °C, 17 °C, and 19 °Cfor 2, 4, 6 and 8 days at booting stage, and the relationships between their empty grain rate per panicle and low temperature at booting stage were analyzed by using linear interpolation and linear regression methods. In the province, the critical temperature of sterile-type cool injury was 17 °C for sensitive varieties, and 16 °C for resistant varieties. The most sensitive period of rice to low temperature was 14-18 days before heading. At 15 °C for 8 days, the empty grain rate of Songjing 6 and Kendao 12 increased significantly, while that of Kongyu 131 increased less, suggesting that the cold tolerance of Songjing 6 and Kendao 12 was relatively weak, while Kongyu 131 was insensitive to low temperature. There was a significant correlation between the accumulated cool temperature and the empty grain rate of Kendao 12, Longjing 16, and Kongyu 131 (P<0.01). With the increase of accumulated cool temperature, the rice empty grain rate increased significantly, but the increment varied with rice variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the feasibility of three bit-pattern correlation algorithms for estimating blood flow velocities in two-dimensional (2-D) mock flow loop. How both lateral and axial velocities can be calculated with 2-D pattern correlation algorithms; Disadvantages of the 2-D pattern correlation algorithms; Several time-efficient bit-pattern algorithms to execute 2-D speckle tracking; Experimental arrangement for 2-D blood flow measurement.

Field experiments were installed in different accumulated temperature zones in Heilongjiang Province to study the changes of the grain yield and quality of five major rice varieties with accumulated temperature. The rice yield changed with accumulated temperature in quadratic curve, and the correlation degree differed with the varieties. The panicle number and the grain number per panicle changed significantly in quadratic curve with accumulated temperature, while the 1000-grain mass had less correlation with accumulated temperature. The sterile spikelet rate of grain increased obviously from suitable accumulated temperature zone to low accumulated temperature zone, but had no obvious change from suitable accumulated temperature zone to high accumulated temperature zone. The rates of chalky and head milled rice also changed with accumulated temperature in quadratic curve, i. e., there were both the lowest and the highest values in suitable accumulated temperature zone. The protein and amylose contents of the grain as well as the taste varied little with accumulated temperature. According to the sensitivity to temperature, the test rice varieties were divided into sensitive, medium, and blunt types, with the optimal and allowable cultivation accumulated temperature limits being 300 degrees C and 420 degrees C, 360 degrees C and 440 degrees C, and 380 degrees C and 520 degrees C, respectively. It would be very important to select the rice varieties with higher yield and better quality according to the local conditions, especially the accumulated temperature.

Six major rice varieties (Longdao 3, Kendao 12, Kongyu 131, Longdao 7, Longjing 16, and Songjing 6) in Heilongjiang Province were treated with low temperature 15 degrees C, 17 degrees C, and 19 degrees C for 2, 4, 6 and 8 days at booting stage, and the relationships between their empty grain rate per panicle and low temperature at booting stage were analyzed by using linear interpolation and linear regression methods. In the province, the critical temperature of sterile-type cool injury was 17 degrees C for sensitive varieties, and 16 degrees C for resistant varieties. The most sensitive period of rice to low temperature was 14-18 days before heading. At 15 degrees C for 8 days, the empty grain rate of Songjing 6 and Kendao 12 increased significantly, while that of Kongyu 131 increased less, suggesting that the cold tolerance of Songjing 6 and Kendao 12 was relatively weak, while Kongyu 131 was insensitive to low temperature. There was a significant correlation between the accumulated cool temperature and the empty grain rate of Kendao 12, Longjing 16, and Kongyu 131 (P<0.01). With the increase of accumulated cool temperature, the rice empty grain rate increased significantly, but the increment varied with rice variety.