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• Foliar spraying Mg can significantly increase the soluble sugar content in citrus fruits. • Foliar spraying Mg significantly increased sucrose synthase, sucrose phosphate synthase activity and the transcript levels of SS2 and SPS1–3. • Foliar spraying Mg significantly increased the transcript levels of sucrose transport-related genes, including SUT 3, CsVPP-1 , and CsVPP- 2. Accumulation of soluble sugars promotes the formation of fruit nutritional quality and flavor while proper application of Magnesium (Mg) can increase the sugar content in citrus fruits. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In the present study by using 'Huagan No.2′ (Citrus reticulate cv. Huagan No.2) as research material, foliar spraying of MgSO 4 with two or three times was performed during the fruit expansion period. Results indicated that foliar spraying of Mg significantly increased the total soluble solids (TSS), as well as the contents of sucrose, fructose and glucose in fruits; moreover, the activities of sucrose metabolizing enzymes including sucrose synthase (SS), sucrose phosphate synthesis (SPS) and acid invertase (AI), as well as the transcript levels of SS2, SPS1 – 3 and vacuolar acid invertase gene (VINV) were significantly increased in the Mg-treated fruits. In addition, the transcript levels of the sucrose transport-related gene (SUT3) and the vacuolar pyrophosphate proton pump type I genes (CsVPP-1 and CsVPP-2) in the fruits were also significantly increased by Mg treatment. These results were further verified by soaking the fruit-bearing branches in 0.5% MgSO 4 solution. In conclusion, foliar spraying Mg with two or three times promotes soluble sugar accumulation in fruits through enhancing the sink strength by inducing the activity of sucrose synthase via inducing SS2 transcript level, and improving sucrose transport ability by inducing transcript levels of SUT3, CsVPP-1, CsVPP-2 and VINV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been reported in numerous species and has been implicated in the differences of adrenal response to ACTH observed between different pig breeds; however, few studies have been conducted in indigenous Chinese pig breeds. The present study, we have investigated ACTH regulated adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis pathway in five breeds of pig: four indigenous Chinese pig breeds (Bama, Huanjiang, Lantang and Ningxiang) and an alien breed (Landrace) which were under same conditions. As a result, the ACTH concentrations were significantly greater than others in Lantang and significantly lesser than others in Bama, and they were also significantly lesser in Ningxiang than in Landrace. On the contrary, the cortisol concentrations in Lantang were significantly lesser than those in Bama. According to the opposite pattern on serum concentrations of ACTH and cortisol, Bama, Lantang and Landrace were chosen for further research. The protein contents of MC2R and StAR in adrenal were significantly lesser in Lantang than in Landrace, and the MC2R levels of Bama were also significantly greater than those of Lantang. The StAR protein levels in Bama were greater than those in Lantang as well, and this difference approached significance. Compared with Landrace, the number of mRNA transcripts for StAR, POMC and PC1 in Lantang were significantly lesser than in Landrace. These results indicate Lantang exhibited lower cortisol synthesis capacity under a relatively greater serum ACTH concentration, while Bama and Landrace exhibited just the opposite. These results at least reveals ACTH regulated glucocorticoid synthesis pathway in adrenal of different breeds of pigs, which can provided reference data for further breeding work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the embryonic development of broilers with different growth rates and correlate the differences between the amino acid transporter and peptide transporter gene expression patterns to the growth of the small intestine. The results showed that the body and yolk weights of the White Plymouth Rock (WPR) embryos were higher than those of the WENS Yellow Feather Chicken (WYFC) embryos although the relative embryonic body weights were inversely correlated. We studied nine organs and classified them into four clusters according to their changes in relative weight during the hatching process. The levels of gene expression of SLC7A9, SLC1A1 and SLC15A1 in the small intestine increased during embryo development and were affected by breed. Breed-specific differences in embryonic development were observed for SLC7A9, SLC1A1 and SLC15A1 gene expression. When represented as a function of SLC7A9, SLC1A1 or SLC15A1 gene expression, strong correlations were observed for the weight of small intestine. We conclude that WPR embryos have a higher absolute growth rate but a lower relative growth rate in comparison with WYFC embryos. Moreover, the expression levels of the SLC7A9, SLC1A1 or SLC15A1 genes can be used as indicators for the growth of the small intestine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hollow nanoporous carbon architectures (HNCs) present significant utilitarian value for a wide variety of applications. Facile and efficient preparation of HNCs has long been pursued but still remains challenging. Herein, we for the first time demonstrate that single‐component metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) crystals, rather than the widely reported hybrid ones which necessitate tedious operations for preparation, could enable the facile and versatile syntheses of functional HNCs. By controlling the growth kinetics, the MOFs crystals (STU‐1) are readily engineered into different shapes with designated styles of crystalline inhomogeneity. A subsequent one‐step pyrolysis of these MOFs with intraparticle difference can induce a simultaneous self‐hollowing and carbonization process, thereby producing various functional HNCs including yolk‐shell polyhedrons, hollow microspheres, mesoporous architectures, and superstructures. Superior to the existing methods, this synthetic strategy relies only on the complex nature of single‐component MOFs crystals without involving tedious operations like coating, etching, or ligand exchange, making it convenient, efficient, and easy to scale up. An ultra‐stable Na‐ion battery anode is demonstrated by the HNCs with extraordinary cyclability (93 % capacity retention over 8000 cycles), highlighting a high level of functionality of the HNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow nanoporous carbon architectures (HNCs) present significant utilitarian value for a wide variety of applications. Facile and efficient preparation of HNCs has long been pursued but still remains challenging. Herein, we for the first time demonstrate that single‐component metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) crystals, rather than the widely reported hybrid ones which necessitate tedious operations for preparation, could enable the facile and versatile syntheses of functional HNCs. By controlling the growth kinetics, the MOFs crystals (STU‐1) are readily engineered into different shapes with designated styles of crystalline inhomogeneity. A subsequent one‐step pyrolysis of these MOFs with intraparticle difference can induce a simultaneous self‐hollowing and carbonization process, thereby producing various functional HNCs including yolk‐shell polyhedrons, hollow microspheres, mesoporous architectures, and superstructures. Superior to the existing methods, this synthetic strategy relies only on the complex nature of single‐component MOFs crystals without involving tedious operations like coating, etching, or ligand exchange, making it convenient, efficient, and easy to scale up. An ultra‐stable Na‐ion battery anode is demonstrated by the HNCs with extraordinary cyclability (93 % capacity retention over 8000 cycles), highlighting a high level of functionality of the HNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is an important accessory fruit in which the pear core is tarter than the pear pulp. However, the reason for the acidic core and diversity in the taste of the same fruit is not clear. In this study, we observed that the citrate contents were three times higher in the core than in the pulp, while the malate content decreased along with fruit development and was significantly lower in the core than in the pulp at 110 days after flowering. Overall transcript levels for citrate-malate synthesis-related genes increased more in the pear core than the pulp at early fruit development, while degradation-related genes activity was nearly similar or non-significant between the core and pulp during fruit development. The lesser malate accumulation in the pear core compared to the pulp at 110 DAF was possibly due to the reduced activity of tDT2 gene. Regarding citrate accumulation, we identified five important p-type H+-ATPase genes in pear and found that the relative expression level of the PH8.1 gene was four-fold higher in the core than in the pulp during fruit development. Moreover, the expression level of di-carboxylate carrier gene 2 (DIC2) was constantly and significantly higher in the core than in the pulp. In addition, correlation analysis signified that the transcript levels of the two genes PH8.1 and DIC2 positively and significantly correlated with the citrate contents. These results suggested that the increased and collaborative activity of PH8.1 and DIC2 played a key role in the higher citrate accumulation in the core than the pulp, thus, with the help of molecular breeding tools, the citrate contents can be optimized in pear fruit for divers and improved fruit flavoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To quantify the contribution of locally implemented prevention programmes in contributing to reductions in treatment and care costs by averting HIV infections among those who inject drugs this study calculates net financial benefit of providing harm reduction programmes using information from services being implemented in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China ( between 2005 and 2010).Methods: Information was collected to assess cost of providing methadone treatment (MMT) and needle and syringe programmes (NSP). HIV incidence was estimated among people who inject drugs (PWID). HIV infections averted were calculated. Net benefit was assessed by estimating costs of providing prevention programmes and comparing these to the costs of providing care.Results: An estimated 5678 (range 3982-7599) HIV infections were averted between 2005 and 2010 and the net financial benefit of providing harm reduction programmes compared to treatment and care costs for HIV infections averted was USD 4.383 million during the same time period.Conclusion: These results demonstrate the net and accumulating benefit of investing in harm reduction programmes for PWID in Urumqi. The return on investment progressively increased during the time period studied and it is clear that these cost savings will continue to accrue with the continued implementation of HIV prevention interventions in the community that include harm reduction programmes targeted at PWID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]