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Emerging studies indicated that lncRNA is one crucial regulator in development and tumorigenesis. We firstly showed that LINC00994 was overexpressed in GC cells compare with GES-1. Compared to adjacent samples, the LINC00994 expression was increased in GC tissues by qRT-PCR assay. Furthermore, Elevated expression of LINC00994 induced GC cell invasion, proliferation and cycle. Luciferase reporter analysis indicated that ectopic miR-765-3p expression suppressed wild type LINC00994 luciferase activity, but not mutant LINC00994 in GC cells. Elevated expression of LINC00994 inhibited the miR-765-3p expression in GC cells. Compared to adjacent samples, the miR-765-3p expression was decreased in GC tissues by qRT-PCR assay. LINC00994 induced GC cell invasion and growth via modulating miR-765-3p. Thus, our data suggested an oncogenic role of LINC00994 in development of GC.

BACKGROUND The relationship between vitamin D and diabetes peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is not consistent among epidemiologic studies. Thus, we aimed to investigate this relationship in different age groups. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 1461 patients admitted to the Department of Endocrinology at Xinhua Hospital from June 2016 to September 2017 were divided into three age groups: a Youth group (24-44 years, n = 127), a Middle-age group (45-64 years, n = 779), and an Elderly group (≥65 years, n = 555). Basic information and laboratory results were collected from medical records. RESULTS Among the patients, 32.72% had DPN, with 12.59% in the Youth group, 33.63% in the Middle-age group, and 36.04% in the Elderly group. For the total sample and the Elderly group, serum 25(OH)D concentrations in DPN patients were lower than in non-DPN patients (P

In the context of the W-band outfield test system, antennas need high isolation to acquire target characteristic information at different latitudes and low sidelobe to realize high resolution. In order to meet above the two key requirements, this paper designs a new type of $2\times 2$ dual-polarized full-corporate waveguide slot array unit. This unit uses orthogonal-mode coupling structure to achieve dual-polarized feed function. It utilizes circular slot to radiate electromagnetic waves. Antenna array consists of array units to reach narrow beamwidth and low sidelobe level. The simulation results show that the VSWR is less than 1.5 in the band of 91-97GHz. The antenna array has a gain more than 28dB and 3dB-beamwidth is 7°. It has a sidelobe level less than −22dB and a cross-polarization level less than −55dB.

This study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the pure compound gentiopicroside (Gent) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in a mouse model and to explore the possible related mechanisms. Experimental colitis was induced in ICR mice by dissolving 5% DSS in their drinking water for 7days. Gent (200, 100, and 50mg/kg) and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA, 100mg/kg) were oral administrated once a day for 7days. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated by comparing extend of colonic mucosal injury assessed by disease activity index (DAI), colon length, histopathological examination, and biochemical test. The possible mechanisms of Gent activities were explored by evaluating expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 using real-time fluorogenic PCR and expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) using Western blotting. The results showed that oral administration of Gent significantly attenuated DSS-induced loss of body weight, diarrhea, shortening of colon length and histological changes, associated with the decrease in the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the colon. In addition, the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and the overexpression of COX-2 and iNOS proteins in the colon were down-regulated by Gent treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that Gent treatment can exert anti-inflammatory effects on experimental acute colitis through attenuating the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2, and it may present the therapeutic potential in the treatment of colitis.

Gentiopicroside (Gent) is promising as an important protective secoiridoid compound against pain. The present study was designed to investigate whether administration of Gent would alleviate the expression of nociceptive behaviors and whether it would cause the relevant electrophysiological changes in a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain in mice. Gent was administered from the seventh day after surgery for 8 consecutive days. Behavioral parameters and sciatic functional index were assessed immediately before surgery and on days 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14 post-CCI, and electrophysiological activities of sciatic nerve were recorded immediately after the behavioral test on the last day. The present study has shown that administration of Gent (at a dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg) increased behavioral parameters from day 8 compared with the CCI-NS group. Electrophysiological data indicated that CCI caused a significant reduction in nerve conduction velocities in the sciatic nerves and the amplitudes of compound action potential, while Gent at a dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg caused a significant recovery of electrophysiological changes induced by CCI. Our data indicated that Gent has antinociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced by CCI.

Taurine is an abundant amino acid in the nervous system, which has been proved to possess antioxidation, osmoregulation and membrane stabilization. Previously it has been demonstrated that taurine exerts ischemic brain injury protective effect. This study was designed to investigate whether the protective effect of taurine has the possibility to be applied to treat neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with left carotid artery ligation followed by exposure to 8% oxygen to generate the experimental group. The cerebral damage area was measured after taurine post-treatment with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, Hematoxyline-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), myeloperoxtidase (MPO), ATP and Lactic Acid productions were assayed with ipsilateral hemisphere homogenates. Western-blot and immunofluorescence assay were processed to detect the expressions of AIF, Cyt C, Bax, Bcl-2 in brain. We found that taurine significantly reduced brain infarct volume and ameliorated morphological injury obviously reversed the changes of SOD, MDA, GSH-Px, T-AOC, ATP, MPO, and Lactic Acid levels. Compared with hypoxic-ischemic group, it showed marked reduction of AIF, Cyt C and Bax expressions and increase of Bcl-2 after post-treatment. We conclude that taurine possesses an efficacious neuroprotective effect after cerebral hypoxic-ischemic damage in neonatal rats.

When the low strength grade of steam-curing concrete is produced, the temperature which the concrete leaves steam-curing kiln is about 20°C commonly. The temperature difference is too large between the environmental temperature and the temperature which the concrete leaves steam-curing kiln when the daily average temperature drops to 10°C. Because the steam-curing concrete is cooled rapidly, a large of crack will be produced in concrete and the internal structure of concrete will be damaged normally. Then the performance of concrete will be influenced badly. In order to improve the negative effect on concrete by steam curing, the different supplementary curing is used after steam curing. The C30 concrete is made in this research. The daily average temperature is 5°C~10°C and the minimum temperature is-6°C during the test. After the concrete is formed, it is placed in 20°C environment for 2h first. Then the concrete is heated to 55°C in 2h and maintained for 8h in the steam-curing kiln. In the end, the concrete is cooled to 20°C in 3h. After steam curing, the standard curing and covering by wet fabric or film outside are used separately for concrete. The supplementary curing time is 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d. Then the concrete is placed in natural environment to 28d. The microstructure of hydration products are observed by electron microscope. The density of concrete is analyzed by the result of the 28d saturated water content, softening factor and 28d rapid carbonation depth. The mechanical properties of concrete are researched by the result of the 28d strength. When the concrete adopts standard curing or covering by film after steam-curing, the saturated water content and 28d rapid carbonation depth of the concrete will reduce, but the softening factor and 28d strength of the concrete will increase with the time. The performance of concrete which adopts covering by wet fabric after steam-curing is worse than that adopting standard curing. At the same time, the saturated water content and softening factor of concrete change little. Covering by wet fabric is worse than no covering or similar. In the test environment, the performance of the steam-curing concrete with each supplementary curing is worse than that of the concrete with standard curing. The standard curing is the best supplementary curing in this test. But covering by film is a worthy supplementary curing from economy and practicability. Covering by film for 4d, the 28d strength of steam-curing concrete is 87 percent of that of the concrete with standard curing and exceeds Design grade. Its saturated water content is 1.50% and softening factor is 0.932. Its rapid carbonation depth is close to that of the concrete with standard curing and its microstructure of hydration products is preferable.

Alternative splicing (AS) is an important mechanism by which eukaryotes regulate transcription and protein diversity. The dynamic changes in AS that occur on a genome-wide scale during interactions between plant roots and pathogens remain unknown. Here, we used the interaction between Arabidopsis and Ralstonia solanacearum as a model to explore the AS changes that take place during the response of roots to infection by means of high-throughput RNA-sequencing. We showed that dynamic changes in AS occur much earlier than changes at the level of transcription during R.solanacearum infection. Comparing genes that are regulated at the transcriptional and AS levels indicated that there are few common genes between differentially spliced genes (DSGs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The functional gene ontology (GO) analysis identified that the enriched GO terms for the DSGs were different from those of the DEGs. The DSGs were over-represented in GO terms associated with post-transcriptional and translational regulations, suggesting that AS may act on RNA stability and during post-translation, thus affecting the output of plant defense molecules. Meanwhile, changes in DSGs were infection stage-specific. Furthermore, the nucleotide binding domain and leucine-rich repeat proteins and receptor-like kinases, key regulators in plant immunity, were shown to undergo dynamic changes in AS in response to R. solanacearum. Taken together, AS, along with transcription, modulates plant root defense to R. solanacearum through transcriptome reprogramming.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effect of bone mesenchymal stem cells on spinal cord injury (SCI), especially on neural stem cells (NSCs). However, the predominant mechanisms of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are unclear. Recently, some researchers have found that paracrine signaling plays a key role in the therapeutic capacity of BMSCs and emphasized that the protective effect of BMSCs may be due to paracrine factors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms of BMSCs to protect NSCs. NSCs were identified by immunocytochemistry. The oxidative stress environment was simulated by H2 O2 (50, 100, 200 μM) for 2 h. The apoptotic rate of the NSCs was detected via flow cytometry. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were evaluated via corresponding assay kits. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Notch1, HES1, caspase-3, cleave caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2. We found that H2 O2 could significantly induce the apoptosis of NSCs, increase LDH, MDA levels, and decrease SOD activity by activating the Notch1 signaling pathway. DAPT (the specific blocker of Notch1) and BMSC-conditioned medium (BMSC-CM) could significantly prevent the apoptotic effect and oxidative stress injury on NSCs that were treated with H2 O2 . We also revealed that BMSC-CM could decrease the expression of Notch1, Hes1, cleave caspase-3, Bax, and increases the expression of Bcl-2 in NSCs, which was induced by H2 O2 . These results have revealed that BMSC-CM can neutralize the effect against oxidative stress injury on the apoptosis of NSCs by inhibiting the Notch1 signaling pathway.

Ca2+-activated Cl− channels (CaCCs) wildly exist in many tissues which play an important role in ion transport and excitation conduction, especially fluid secretion and smooth muscle contraction in epithelial tissues. TMEM16A as a classic CaCC expresses in the intestine, and has become a potential target of intestinal physiological and pathological researches and therapeutic drug screening. In this study, we identified trans-δ-viniferin (TVN), a resveratrol dimmer, could inhibit TMEM16A activity in TMEM16A expressed FRT cells with IC50 of 19.7 μM, it also prevented Ca2+-activated Cl− current in HT-29 cells with IC50 of 4.65 μM and in colonic mucosa. In the mechanism studies, TVN showed no significant inhibition on CFTR and basal Na+/K+-ATPase in both intestinal epithelial cells and colonic tissues, except for inhibition of calcium concentration and Ca2+-activated K+ channel to some degree. In anti-diarrheal studies, TVN could effectively prevent diarrhea caused by rotavirus infection and reduce the pellet number in IBS-D mice. These physiological effects are at least partially attributed to the inhibitory effect of TVN on CaCC-mediated intestinal fluid secretion and the reduction of smooth muscle contraction force by inhibiting TMEM16A. Collectively, the present study identified a new pharmacological target of TVN which provided the theoretical basis for the application of TVN in the treatment of rotavirus-infected diarrhea and IBS-D.

Objectives Two-stage open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and limited internal fixation combined with external fixation (LIFEF) are two widely used methods to treat Pilon injury. However, which method is superior to the other remains controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to quantitatively compare two-stage ORIF and LIFEF and clarify which method is better with respect to postoperative complications in the treatment of tibial Pilon fractures. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively compare the postoperative complications between two-stage ORIF and LIFEF. Eight studies involving 360 fractures in 359 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Results The two-stage ORIF group had a significantly lower risk of superficial infection, nonunion, and bone healing problems than the LIFEF group. However, no significant differences in deep infection, delayed union, malunion, arthritis symptoms, or chronic osteomyelitis were found between the two groups. Conclusion Two-stage ORIF was associated with a lower risk of postoperative complications with respect to superficial infection, nonunion, and bone healing problems than LIFEF for tibial Pilon fractures. Level of evidence 2.

An experiment for $p(^{14}\rm{C}$,$^{14}\rm{C}^{*}\rightarrow^{10}\rm{Be}+\alpha)\mathit{p}$ inelastic excitation and decay was performed in inverse kinematics at a beam energy of 25.3 MeV/u. A series of $^{14}\rm{C}$ excited states, including a new one at 18.3(1) MeV, were observed which decay to various states of the final nucleus of $^{10}\rm{Be}$. A specially designed telescope-system, installed around the zero degree, played an essential role in detecting the resonant states near the $\alpha$-separation threshold. A state at 14.1(1) MeV is clearly identified, being consistent with the predicted band-head of the molecular rotational band characterized by the $\pi$-bond linear-chain-configuration. Further clarification of the properties of this exotic state is suggested by using appropriate reaction tools., Comment: 4 figures, 1 table. Accepted by Chinese Physics C

BACKGROUND The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) contains various bioactive components which have been shown to maintain gut barrier integrity. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of MFGM on intestinal barrier function and its possible mechanisms in a rat model of short bowel syndrome (SBS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 8 per group), consisting of Sham group and rats submitted to massive small-bowel resection then supplemented with either water (SBS) or 1.5g/kg/d MFGM (SBS+MFGM) by daily gavage. Rats were sacrificed on day 15 postoperation. Intestinal adaptation, gut permeability, bacterial translocation (BT), expression of tight junction proteins, mucin 1 (MUC1), and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway in the ileum were evaluated. RESULTS Both SBS+MFGM and SBS groups exhibited lower body weight and higher ileum villus height than Sham group, but no difference was detected between each other. SBS group had significantly higher intestinal permeability and BT rate than other groups (P < .05). Compared with SBS rats, SBS+MFGM group showed higher expression of tight junction proteins and MUC1, lower expression of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in the ileum, as well as lower interleukin (IL)-1β but higher IL-18 levels in ileum tissue. CONCLUSIONS Supplementation of MFGM helps to modulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and enhances gut barrier integrity in rats after massive small-bowel resection, which provides experimental support for potential applications of MGFM in intestinal barrier dysfunction, although further studies are needed.

Tamarix ramosissima is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment in Northwest China. Chemical investigation of EtOH/H2O extracts of T. ramosissima led to the discovery of a new flavonol, ramosissimin (1), together with the known flavonoids compounds quercetin (2), quercetin-3'4'-dimethylether (3) and kaempferol (4). By means of high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS) and 1D and 2D-NMR experiments, and after comparison with literature data, the structures of the compounds were determined. The effect of compound 1 on the viability of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) was evaluated by MTT assay. Apoptosis-inducing effect of compound 1 in RA-FLS was further investigated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and activated caspase-3/7 level assessment using luminescent assay. The results revealed that ramosissimin displayed remarkable proliferation inhibitory effect in RA-FLS. Furthermore, compound 1 could significantly induce cellular apoptosis of RA-FLS and increase activated caspase-3/7 levels. It is suggested that ramosissimin may inhibit the proliferation of RA-FLS by inducing apoptosis.

In this paper, we propose a near-field waveguide probe loaded with one novel small resonator, which is composed of vias and strips using printed circuit board (PCB) technique and named via-split-ring resonator (VSRR). Measurements are accomplished using one dimension automatic platform and vector network analyzer. Experimental results verify the probe has high sensitivity and good resolution in detecting closely spaced narrow cracks.

Oxymatrine (OMT), an active constituent of Chinese herb Sophora flavescens Ait, has been proved to possess anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities. Previous study has demonstrated that OMT had protective roles on multiple in vitro and in vivo brain injury models including regulation of apoptosis-related proteins caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. In this study, we investigated whether this protective effect could apply to neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Seven-day-old Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with the left carotid artery ligation followed by exposure to 8% oxygen (balanced with nitrogen) for 2.5 h at 37 °C. In sham group rats, neither ligation nor hypoxia was performed. After two successive days intraperitoneal injection with OMT (30, 60 and 120 mg/kg), Nimodipine (1 mg/kg), and saline, brain infarct volume was estimated, histomorphology changes were performed by hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining as well as electron microscopy. In addition, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), as well as production of malondialdehyde (MDA) were assayed in ipsilateral hemisphere homogenates to evaluate the redox status after hypoxic-ischemic. Expression of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in brain were analyzed by western-blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Administration of OMT significantly decreased brain infarct volume and the percentage of injured cells, and ameliorated histopathology and morphological injury as well. Furthermore, OMT obviously increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC, and decreased MDA content. Western-blot analysis showed a marked decrease in Caspase-3 expression and increase in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax after OMT (120 mg/kg) post-treatment as compared with hypoxic-ischemic group. These results suggest that OMT exerts a neuroprotective effect against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats, which is likely to be mediated through increasing anti-oxidant enzyme activities and inhibiting cell death.

Sexual allocation pattern is considered highly relevant for the maintenance of females in the process of evolution from hermaphrodites to dioecy. Theoretical and empirical studies predict that gynodioecious plants should invest more resources in male function under harsher environments and/or when female frequency is higher; and that there are trade-offs between male and female function. We studied sexual allocation pattern in the gynodioecious species Cyananthus macrocalyx in two populations in SW China. The results showed that although the total flower mass in hermaphrodites was significantly higher than that in females, females and hermaphrodites allocated similar biomass to female function (pistil biomass). As a consequence, females allocated relatively more resource to female function, while hermaphrodites allocated relatively more resource to pollinator attractiveness. There was no difference in total flower mass, pistil mass, and pollen production in hermaphrodites between the two populations. These results suggest that the females compensate for the disadvantage of lacking male function by allocating relatively more resource to female function, while hermaphrodites gain fitness through both male and female functions. This study supports the idea that if females are to be maintained in a gynodioecious population, they must allocate more resource to female functions than is necessary for hermaphrodites. However, our results were in contrast to those of previous studies, in that trade-offs between male and female functions and male-biased allocation under high female frequency were not observed. This study adds to the body of research on plant sexual allocation, and for that it is, at least at some aspects, contrary to previous statements, it could be helpful for advancing the theoretical predictions in the future.

Hydraulic segmentation between proximal and distal organs has been hypothesized to be an important protective mechanism for plants to minimize the detrimental effects of drought-induced hydraulic failure. Uncertainties still exist regarding the degree of segmentation and the role of stomatal regulation in keeping hydraulic integrity of organs at different hierarchies. In the present study, we measured hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability in stems, compound leaf petioles and leaflet laminas of Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. and Juglans mandshurica Maxim. growing in Changbai Mountain of Northeast China to identify the main locality where hydraulic segmentation occurs along the shoot water transport pathway. Stomatal conductance in response to leaf water potential change was also measured to investigate the role of stomatal regulation in avoiding extensive transpirationinduced embolism. No major contrasts were found between stems and compound leaf petioles in either hydraulic conductivity or vulnerability to drought-induced embolism, whereas a large difference in hydraulic vulnerability exists between compound leaf petioles and leaflet laminas. Furthermore, in contrast to the relatively large safety margins in stems (4.13 and 2.04 MP a) and compound leaf petioles (1.33 and 1.93 MP a), leaflet lamina hydraulic systems have substantially smaller or even negative safety margins (−0.17 and 0.47 MP a) in F. mandshurica and J. mandshurica. Under unstressed water conditions, gas exchange may be better optimized by allowing leaflet vascular system function with small safety margins. In the meantime, hydraulic safety of compound leaf petioles and stems are guaranteed by their large safety margins. In facing severe drought stress, larger safety margins in stems than in compound leaf petioles would allow plants to minimize the risk of catastrophic embolism in stems by sacrificing the whole compound leaves. A strong coordination between hydraulic and stomatal regulation appears to play a critical role in balancing the competing efficiency and safety requirements for xylem water transport and use in plants.

Aloperine (ALO), one of the alkaloids isolated from Sophora alopecuroides L., is traditionally used for various diseases including neuronal disorders. This study investigated the protective effects of ALO on neonatal rat primary-cultured hippocampal neurons injured by oxygen–glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/RP). Treatment with ALO (25, 50, and 100 mg/l) attenuated neuronal damage (p

Oxysophocarpine is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora alopecuroides. We investigated the analgesic effect of oxysophocarpine on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain in mice, in order to explore its possible mechanisms. Mouse ear swelling tests and carrageenan-induced paw edema tests were used to investigate the effects of oxysophocarpine on inflammatory pain in mice. Morphological changes on inflamed paw sections were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The mRNA and protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 were investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In our results, oxysophocarpine shows a significant anti-inflammatory effect in the mouse ear swelling test. Oxysophocarpine also significantly reduced the paw edema volume and improved mechanical allodynia threshold value on carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain, as well as relieved paw tissues inflammatory damage and reduced the numbers of neutrophils in mice. Oxysophocarpine significantly suppressed over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2, and inhibited the over-phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Based on these findings we propose that oxysophocarpine attenuates inflammatory pain by suppressing the levels of phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6.

Matrine, an active constituent of the Chinese herb, Sophora flavescens Ait., and it is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. It has been demonstrated that matrine exerts protective effects against heart failure by decreasing the expression of caspase-3 and Bax, and increasing Bcl-2 levels. In this study, we aimed to determine whether these protective effects of matrine can be applied to cerebral ischemia. Following 7 successive days of treatment with matrine (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg) and nimodipine (1 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection, male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Following reperfusion, the neurobehavioral score and brain infarct volume were estimated, and morphological changes were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and electron microscopy. The percentage of apoptotic neurons was determined by flow cytometry. The levels of oxidative stress were assessed by measuring the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), and the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining were used to examine the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins, caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. Our results revealed that pre-treatment with matrine significantly decreased the infarct volume and improved the neurological scores. Matrine also reduced the percentage of apoptotic neurons and relieved neuronal morphological damage. Furthermore, matrine markedly decreased the MDA levels, and increased SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activity, and T-AOC. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining revealed a marked decrease in caspase-3 expression and an increase in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the group pre-treated with matrine (30 mg/kg) as compared with the vehicle-treated group. The findings of the present study demonstrate that matrine exerts neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic injury and that these effects are associated with its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.

Diverse transition metal hydroxide nanostructures were synthesized by laser-induced hydrolysis in a liquid precursor solution for alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Several active OER catalysts with fine control of composition, structure, and valence state were obtained including (Li_x)[Ni_(0.66)Mn_(0.34)(OH)_2](NO_3)(CO_3) · mH_2O, Li_x[Ni_(0.67)Co_(0.33)(OH)_2](NO_3)_(0.25)(ORO)_(0.35) · mH_2O, etc. An operate overpotential less than 0.34 V at current density of 10 mA cm^(–2) was achieved. Such a controllable laser–chemical route for assessing complex nanostructures in liquids opens many opportunities to design novel functional materials for advanced applications.

Development of novel electrode materials is essential to achieve high-performance lithium ion batteries. Here, we demonstrate that amorphous nickel iron complex hydroxides (Ni–Fe–OH) synthesized by a laser–chemical method can be used as a potential conversion anode material for lithium storage. Complementary characterizations, including ensemble-averaged X-ray absorption spectroscopy, spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope, were performed to reveal the chemical and structural evolutions of the active hydroxide particles undergoing electrochemical cycling. The solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer with a primary component of lithium fluoride (LiF) was found and remained robust on the particle surface during the charge/discharge processes, which suggests that the LiF-containing SEI layer plays a critical role in maintaining the stable capacity retention and good reversibility of the Ni–Fe–OH anode.

Purpose. Sevoflurane, one of the most used general anesthetics, is widely used in clinical practice all over the world. Previous studies indicated that sevoflurane could induce neuron apoptosis and neural deficit causing query in the safety of anesthesia using sevoflurane. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of sevoflurane on electrophysiology inDrosophilapupa whose excitatory neurotransmitter is acetylcholine early after sevoflurane exposure using whole brain recording technique.Methods. Wide types ofDrosophila(canton-s flies) were allocated to control and sevoflurane groups randomly. Sevoflurane groups (1% sevoflurane; 2% sevoflurane; 3% sevoflurane) were exposed to sevoflurane and the exposure lasted 5 hours, respectively. All flies were subjected to electrophysiology experiment using patch clamp 24 hours after exposure.Results. The results showed that, 24 hours after sevoflurane exposure, frequency but not the amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) was significantly reducedP<0.05. Furthermore, we explored the underlying mechanism and found that calcium currents density, which partially regulated the frequency of mEPSCs, was significantly reduced after sevoflurane exposureP<0.05.Conclusions. All these suggested that sevoflurane could alter the mEPSCs that are related to synaptic plasticity partially through modulating calcium channel early after sevoflurane exposure.

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2-alkylidene-1-indanone with azomethine ylides has been developed successfully promoted by simple imidazolium salts to construct a variety of spirocycles containing highly substituted pyrrolidines efficiently, affording the corresponding compounds in excellent yields (up to 99%). The highly efficient catalytic system exhibited broad substrate scopes under mild conditions.

Ischemia stroke is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides (CDP) possess a wide range of beneficial effects, including hepatoprotection and immune homeostasis. As far as we know, the protective effect of CDP on neurons injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/RP) has not been investigated. In this study, OGD/RP injured a PC12 cell model. Briefly, CDP (0.05, 0.5 and 5??g/ml) was administered before reperfusion. The protective effect of CDP was then evaluated on the basis of cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, [Ca2+]i, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP)and cell apoptosis, and redox status after reperfusion was evaluated by assaying reactive oxygen species (ROS), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacity. Basing on the fact that Parkinson's disease-associated protein DJ-1 participates in endogenous antioxidation and performs neuroprotective effects after ischemia stroke, we investigated the interaction between CDP and DJ-1. DJ-1 expression was detected through ELISA and Western blot analysis, and the translocation of DJ-1 was evaluated through immunofluorescence. Result showed that CDP (0.05, 0.5 and 5??g/ml) attenuated PC12 cell death, preserved MMP and calcium homeostasis; inhibited oxidative stress and decreased cell apoptosis. Moreover, CDP (5??g/ml) markedly stimulated DJ-1 secretion and expression. Overall, the results suggested that CDP exerts neuroprotective effect against OGD/RP-induced injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating the DJ-1 pathway.

Cry2Ab, a pore-forming toxin derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, is widely used as a bio-insecticide to control lepidopteran pests around the world. A previous study revealed that proteolytic activation of Cry2Ab by Plutella xylostella midgut juice was essential for its insecticidal activity against P. xylostella, although the exact molecular mechanism remained unknown. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that proteolysis of Cry2Ab uncovered an active region (the helices α4 and α5 in Domain I), which was required for the mode of action of Cry2Ab. Either the masking or the removal of helices α4 and α5 mediated the pesticidal activity of Cry2Ab. The exposure of helices α4 and α5 did not facilitate the binding of Cry2Ab to P. xylostella midgut receptors but did induce Cry2Ab monomer to aggregate and assemble a 250-kDa prepore oligomer. Site-directed mutagenesis assay was performed to generate Cry2Ab mutants site directed on the helices α4 and α5, and bioassays suggested that some Cry2Ab variants that could not form oligomers had significantly lowered their toxicities against P. xylostella. Taken together, our data highlight the importance of helices α4 and α5 in the mode of action of Cry2Ab and could lead to more detailed studies on the insecticidal activity of Cry2Ab.

The efficacy of camouflage through background matching is highly environment-dependent, often resulting in intraspecific colour divergence in animals to optimize crypsis in different visual environments. This phenomenon is largely unexplored in plants, although several lines of evidence suggest they do use crypsis to avoid damage by herbivores. UsingCorydalis hemidicentra,an alpine plant with cryptic leaf colour, we quantified background matching between leaves and surrounding rocks in five populations based on an approximate model of their butterfly enemy's colour perception. We also investigated the pigment basis of leaf colour variation and the association between feeding risk and camouflage efficacy. We show that plants exhibit remarkable colour divergence between populations, consistent with differences in rock appearances. Leaf colour varies because of a different quantitative combination of two basic pigments—chlorophyll and anthocyanin—plus different air spaces. As expected, leaf colours are better matched against their native backgrounds than against foreign ones in the eyes of the butterfly. Furthermore, improved crypsis tends to be associated with a higher level of feeding risk. These results suggest that divergent cryptic leaf colour may have evolved to optimize local camouflage in various visual environments, extending our understanding of colour evolution and intraspecific phenotype diversity in plants.

Diabetes-associated male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments are both common clinical complications with limited therapeutic options; hence it seriously affects the quality of life of the patients, in particular, the patients of reproductive age. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has long being believed to maintain and to promote reproductive functions in the traditional medical practice in China. The current study was to investigate if LBP may contribute to recovery of male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments in diabetic individuals. The effects of LBP on sexual behaviors and histological changes of testis were studied in the type-1 diabetes male mice induced by intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). After oral administration of LBP (10, 20 or 40 mg/kg), sildenafil citrate (SC, 5 mg/kg) or saline for 62 consecutive days, the typical abnormal changes in the sperm parameters, in relative weight of reproductive organs and in morphology of testis were observed in diabetic mice. LBP treatment of the diabetic mice considerably reversed those changes and Johnsen's testicular score, serum testosterone (T), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) level were also increased to different degrees. Moreover, our data have also shown that a marked improvement in sexual behavior and fertility level after administration of LBP (40 mg/kg) compared to the diabetic group. These results suggested that LBP can exert functional recovery of male sexual dysfunction and fertility damages induced by diabetes in male mice, which is likely to be mediated through regulating the hypothalamus- pituitary-gonadal axis endocrine activity.

Aims i t is generally accepted that visual displays and floral scent play important roles in communication between flowering plants and their pollinators. However, the relative role of visual and olfactory cues in pollinator attraction is largely unknown. i n this study, we determined the roles of both types of cue in attracting pollinators to Cornus capitata, a medium sized tree with each capitulum sur rounded by four large, white, petaloid bracts. Methods Pollinator observations and pollination experiments were conducted in a natural population; the inflorescences’ visual and olfactory signals were characterized by spectral and chemical analyses; the responses of pollinators to visual and olfactory cues were tested using dual-choice behavioural bioassays; the relative roles of visual and olfactory cues in pollinator attraction were tested by comparing the responses of pollinators to inflorescences subjected to three experimental treatments (intact, all bracts removed, and capitulum removed) within the natural population. Important Findings For fruit set, C. capitata is entirely dependent on pollinators, with a bee, Anthophora sp., being the main pollinator. b racts present high colour distance and green contrast against the leaves. Twelve volatile compounds in the floral scent were detected, most of which have previously been reported to be attractive to a broad spectrum of bee species. b ehavioural bioassays showed that both, visual cues alone and olfactory cues alone, are attractive to pollinating bees. However, visual cues alone attracted significantly more approaches than olfactory cues alone, while olfactory cues alone elicited a significantly higher landing percentage than visual cues alone. The finding suggests that, in the C. capitata– Anthophora sp. interaction, visual cues are mainly used for location from long distances, while olfactory cues mainly aid landing from short distances. o ur results indicate that different modalities of floral cues should be considered together to understand fully the communication between flowering plant and pollinators.

A spongy nickel-organic photocatalyst with nearly 100% selective CO2 to CO conversion., Solar-driven photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into fuels has attracted a lot of interest; however, developing active catalysts that can selectively convert CO2 to fuels with desirable reaction products remains a grand challenge. For instance, complete suppression of the competing H2 evolution during photocatalytic CO2-to-CO conversion has not been achieved before. We design and synthesize a spongy nickel-organic heterogeneous photocatalyst via a photochemical route. The catalyst has a crystalline network architecture with a high concentration of defects. It is highly active in converting CO2 to CO, with a production rate of ~1.6 × 104 μmol hour−1 g−1. No measurable H2 is generated during the reaction, leading to nearly 100% selective CO production over H2 evolution. When the spongy Ni-organic catalyst is enriched with Rh or Ag nanocrystals, the controlled photocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions generate formic acid and acetic acid. Achieving such a spongy nickel-organic photocatalyst is a critical step toward practical production of high-value multicarbon fuels using solar energy.

Managing of neuropathic pain remains clinically challenging because the existing pharmacotherapies are either ineffective or non-specific. Therefore, developing novel alternatives is essential for better treatment. Liquiritin is an active component extracted from Glycyrrhizae radix and has potential neuroprotective action. This study aimed to investigate the protective efficacy of liquiritin on chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain in mice. Liquiritin (30, 60, and 120mg/kg) and pregabalin (40mg/kg) were administered intragastrically for 7 consecutive days starting on the 8th day post-surgery. Behavioral parameters and sciatic functional index were assessed on days 0, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14. Electrophysiological and histopathological changes were analyzed on the 14th day. Immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to evaluate the expression of glial cells and the protein levels of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord, respectively. Results showed that liquiritin dose-dependently reduced hyperalgesia and allodynia and increased the sciatic functional index and motor nerve conduction velocities. Moreover, liquiritin restored the injured axon and myelin sheath, inhibited the activation of astrocyte and microglia, down-regulated the pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL-6, and IL-1β), and simultaneously up-regulated the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Our study revealed that liquiritin exerted a neuroprotective effect on CCI-induced neuropathic pain, which might be attributed to its direct protective effect on damaged nerves and its anti-inflammatory activity at the level of the spinal cord. Therefore, liquiritin shows promise as a compound for the development of novel analgesic agents that can be used to effectively treat intractable neuropathic pain.

Epilepsy is one of the common and major neurological disorders, approximately a third of the individuals with epilepsy suffer from seizures and not able to successfully respond to available medications. Current study was designed to investigate whether Swertiamarin (Swe) had anticonvulsant activity in the pilocarpine (PILO)-treated mice. Thirty minutes prior to the PILO (280 mg/kg) injection, the mice were administrated with Swe (50, 150, and 450 mg/kg) and valproate sodium (VPA, 200 mg/kg) once. Seizures and electroencephalography (EEG) were observed, and then the mice were killed for Nissl, Fluoro-jade B (FJB) staining. Astrocytic activation was examined in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was used to examine the expressions of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). The results indicated that pretreatment with Swe (150, 450 mg/kg) and VPA (200 mg/kg) significantly delayed the onset of the first convulsion and reduced the incidence of status epilepticus and mortality. Analysis of EEG recordings demonstrated that Swe (150, 450 mg/kg) and VPA (200 mg/kg) sharply decreased epileptiform discharges. Furthermore, Nissl and FJB staining revealed that Swe (150, 450 mg/kg) and VPA (200 mg/kg) relieved the neuronal damage. Additionally, Swe (450 mg/kg) dramatically inhibited astrocytic activation. Western blot analysis showed that Swe (450 mg/kg) significantly decreased the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and elevated the expression of IL-10. Taken together, these findings revealed that Swe exerted anticonvulsant effects on PILO-treated mice. Further studies are encouraged to investigate these beneficial effects of Swe as an adjuvant in epilepsy.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is fatal disease which closely involves Rho A/ Rho kinsase (ROCK) pathway. Aloperine is a main active alkaloid extracted from Sophora alopecuroides, which is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been used widely. However, the effects of this alkaloid on pulmonary hypertension and its mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate whether aloperine has protective effects on PH induced by monocrotaline, whether these effects may be related to regulation of RhoA/ROCK pathway in rats. Pulmonary hypertension was induced by monocrotaline (60mg/kg), and subsequently oral administration of aloperine (25, 50, 100mg/kg/day) for 21 days. At the end of the experiment, rats were underwent hemodynamic and morphologic assessments. At same time, the expression of Rho A, ROCK1, ROCK2, as well as activities of ROCK in the lung of rat has been detected. Afterwards, the expression of p27kip1, Bax, Bcl-2, which was the downstream proliferation and apoptosis factors of ROCK, were tested. The result indicted that aloperine treatment showed significantly improvement in hemodynamic and pathomorphologic data. Moreover, the reduction in expression of Rho A, ROCK1, ROCK2, and suppression in activities of ROCK were found in rat lungs after aloperine treatment. Furthermore, aloperine also alleviated the MCT-induced changes of p27kip1, Bax and Bcl-2. In summary, this study indicates that aloperine have protective effects on monocrotaline-induced PH. And these effects may be partially related to RhoA/ROCK pathway. Thus, aloperine could be considered a possible therapeutic strategy for PH.

Oxysophocarpine (OSC), an alkaloid isolated from Sophora flavescens Ait, has been traditionally used as a medicinal agent based on the observed pharmacological effects. In this study, the direct effect of OSC against neuronal injuries induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in neonatal rat primary-cultured hippocampal neurons and its mechanisms were investigated. Cultured hippocampal neurons, which were exposed to OGD for 2 h followed by a 24 h reoxygenation, were used as an in vitro model of ischemia and reperfusion. 2-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay were used to confirm neural damage and to further evaluate the protective effects of OSC. The concentration of intracellular-free calcium [Ca2+]i and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured to determine the intracellular mechanisms and to further estimate the degree of neuronal damage. Changes in expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK1/2, and p-p38 MAPK were also observed in the in vitro model. It was shown that OSC (0.8, 2, or 5 µmol/L) significantly attenuated the increased absorbance of MTT, and the release of LDH manifests the neuronal damage by the OGD/R. Meanwhile, the pretreatment of the neurons during the reoxygenation period with OSC significantly increased MMP; it also inhibited [Ca2+]i the elevation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the pretreatment with OSC (0.8, 2, or 5 µmol/L) significantly down-regulated expressions of IL-1β, TNF-α, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK1/2, and p-p38 MAPK in neonatal rat primary-cultured hippocampal neurons induced by OGD/R injury. In conclusion, OSC displays a protective effect on OGD-injured hippocampal neurons by attenuating expression of inflammatory factors via down-regulated the MAPK signaling pathway.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) have been reported to have a wide range of beneficial effects including neuroprotection, anti-aging and anticancer. However, the anti-inflammation mechanism of LBP on primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/RP) is incompletely understood. We investigate the neuroprotective effects of LBP on neonatal rat primary cultured hippocampal neurons injured by OGD/RP with different approaches: MTT assay was used to detect cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase leakage was used to detect neuronal damage, formation of reactive oxygen species was determined by using fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. Hoechst 33,342 staining and TUNEL staining were used to determine the cell apoptosis. JC-1 was used to evaluate loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The fluorescence intensity of [Ca2+]i in hippocampal neurons was determined by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The expression of various apoptotic markers such as TLR4, IκB, IL-6 and NF-κB were investigated by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Results from each approach demonstrated that LBP increased the cell abilities and decreased the cell morphologic impairment. Furthermore, LBP increased MMP but inhibited [Ca2+]i elevation and significantly suppressed overexpression of NF-κB, IL-6 TLR4 and increased IκB expression.

SNX6 is a ubiquitously expressed PX-BAR protein that plays important roles in retromer-mediated retrograde vesicular transport from endosomes. Here we report that CNS-specific Snx6 knockout mice exhibit deficits in spatial learning and memory, accompanied with loss of spines from distal dendrites of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells. SNX6 interacts with Homer1b/c, a postsynaptic scaffold protein crucial for the synaptic distribution of other postsynaptic density (PSD) proteins and structural integrity of dendritic spines. We show that SNX6 functions independently of retromer to regulate distribution of Homer1b/c in the dendritic shaft. We also find that Homer1b/c translocates from shaft to spines by protein diffusion, which does not require SNX6. Ablation of SNX6 causes reduced distribution of Homer1b/c in distal dendrites, decrease in surface levels of AMPAR and impaired AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission. These findings reveal a physiological role of SNX6 in CNS excitatory neurons. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20991.001, eLife digest Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system. These cells generally consist of a round portion called the cell body and a long cable-like axon. The cell body bears numerous branches called dendrites, which are in turn covered in spines. Neurons communicate with one another at junctions – or synapses – that typically form between the end of the axon of one cell and a dendritic spine on another. Specialized proteins stabilize the dendritic spines and enable the cells to exchange messages across the synapse. However, it is the cell body – rather than the dendrites – that produces most of these proteins. Structures called molecular motors transport proteins to their destinations within the cell along fixed tracks, similar to how a freight train carries cargo over the rail network. One of the key molecular motors within neurons is called dynein‒dynactin. This in turn interacts with other proteins called adaptors, enabling it to transport specific types of cargo. Niu, Dai, Liu et al. have now examined the role of SNX6, an adaptor protein for the dynein‒dynactin motor. Mice that have been genetically modified to lack SNX6 in their brains have fewer spines on their dendrites compared with normal mice. This was particularly true for dendrites that contain AMPAR, a protein that receives signals sent across synapses. Niu, Dai, Liu et al. showed that SNX6 interacts with another protein called Homer1b/c and is responsible for distributing this protein in dendrites far from the cell body. The Homer1b/c protein helps to stabilize dendritic spines and to regulate the number of AMPAR proteins within them. Mice that lack SNX6 therefore have less Homer1b/c in the dendrites furthest from the cell body, and fewer spines on these dendrites too. These mice also have fewer AMPAR proteins at their synapses than control mice. Mice that lack SNX6 show impaired learning and memory compared to control mice. This is consistent with the fact that changes in the strength of synapses that possess AMPAR proteins are thought to underlie learning and memory. Additional experiments are required to explore these relationships further, and to determine whether SNX6 helps to localize any other proteins that also contribute to changes in the strength of synapses. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20991.002

Chemical investigation of Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb, a traditional herbal medicine used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment in northwest China, led to the discovery of a new phenolic aromatic rings substituted lactam, tamaractam (1), together with the previously reported compounds cis-N-feruloyl-3-O-methyldopamine (2) and trans-N-feruloyl-3-O-methyldopamine (3). The structures of the compounds were determined by high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS) and 1D and 2D-NMR experiments, as well as comparison with the literature data. The effects of the three compounds on the viability of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Pro-apoptosis effect of compound 1 in RA-FLS was further investigated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, activated caspase-3/7 level assessment using luminescence assay, and sub-G1 fraction measurement using flow cytometry. It was found that these three compounds displayed variable proliferation inhibitory activity in RA-FLS, and compound 1 exhibited the strongest effect. Compound 1 could remarkably induce cellular apoptosis of RA-FLS, increase activated caspase-3/7 levels, and significantly increase sub-G1 fraction in the cell cycle. The results suggested that compound 1 may inhibit the proliferation of RA-FLS through apoptosis-inducing effect, and these compounds may contribute to the anti-RA effect of T. ramosissima.

These are many factors that can influence the properties of alkali-activated slag cementitious material, such as the modulus and content of water glass, water-cement ratio, curing conditions, and so forth. The rules that how these factors affect setting time and strength of the material are systematically discussed in the paper. It is found that the setting time of the material depends on the concentration of alkaline ions in solution; The material will have the best strength when the modulus and content of water glass are 1.4 and 8%, respectively. The curing temperature increase will be helpful to compressive strength increase.

In this study, floral color, scent composition and emission rate, nectar property, pollinators, and breeding system of dimorphic Buddleja delavayi Gagnep. were investigated. Flower color of B. delavayi was determined using a standard color chart and spectrophotometer, and two distinct color polymorphisms were observed having purple or white flowers. Floral scents of B. delavayi were collected using dynamic headspace adsorption and identified with coupled gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In total, 28 compounds were identified from the flowers of B. delavayi. The identified scents were divided into three chemical classes based on their biosynthetic origin: terpenes, fatty acid derivatives, and benzenoids. The scent profiles in all individuals were dominated by a few components, such as lilac aldehyde and alcohol, 4-oxoisophorone, benaldehyde, and oxoisophorone oxide. Floral scent composition (benzenoids and terpenes) showed a significant difference between white and purple flower morphs. Flower color-flower scent associations in B. delavayi were identified with two distinct scent profiles in the two color phenotypes. The studies of other floral characteristics (nectar, floral visitors, breeding system, and fruit set) indicated that floral scent emission rate, nectar volume, visitor visitation frequency, and natural fruit set were not significantly different between the two flower color morphs. Bagging experiments revealed that seed production of B. delavayi is dependent mainly on honeybee Apis cerana. Lastly, this study implies that dimorphic floral color in B. delavayi may have been maintained by floral visitors and nectar guide color.

Pollinating seed-consuming mutualisms are regarded as exemplary models for studying coevolution, but they are extremely rare. In these systems, olfactory cues have been thought to play an important role in facilitating encounters between partners. We present a new pollinating seed-consuming mutualism from the high Himalayas between the endemic herb, Rheum nobile, and a fly fungus gnat, Bradysia sp.

Cryptic colouration is a common predation-avoidance strategy in animals that is postulated to occur in plants, but few experimental studies have rigorously tested this hypothesis. We investigated the colouration of Corydalis benecincta, an alpine plant with remarkably dimorphic leaf colours (grey and green), based on a cost-benefit analysis. First we tested the premise that herbivores (Parnassius butterflies) cannot distinguish grey leaves from a scree background by spectrographic measurements and by estimating discriminability between leaves and scree using a butterfly colour vision model. Then we estimated the potential costs of inconspicuousness by comparing the photosynthetic performance and visual attractiveness to flower visitors of the two colour morphs. Finally, we examined the potential benefits of inconspicuousness by comparing damage, survivorship and female reproductive success. It is difficult for herbivores to distinguish grey-coloured morphs against the background. This grey colour originates in a combination of anthocyanins and chlorophylls. The two colour morphs had similar photosynthetic performance, visual attractiveness and female reproductive success. However, grey morphs had significantly lower herbivore damage and higher survivorship. Grey leaves benefit C. benecincta by reducing herbivory with low investment in anthocyanin synthesis, and little cost on photosynthesis and mating opportunity. This cryptic colouration may have evolved through selection pressure imposed by visually foraging herbivores.

To study the β decays of nuclei far from the β-stability line, an implantation and β detection system has been implemented at the Peking University. This detection system covers a wide energy range from keV to GeV while maintaining a good energy resolution and a low detection threshold. By correlating the implantation nuclei with their subsequent β-decays within the same pixel or adjacent pixels of a double-sided silicon detector (DSSD), the β decay properties of implanted nuclei can be measured with much less disturbance from other unstable nuclei and the random background.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the highest and largest plateau in the world. It covers correspondingly wide geological, topographical, and climatic gradients, and thus hosts greater biodiversity than surrounding lowlands and other high elevation regions. Due to its extreme environmental and biological diversity, the QTP is an ideal region for studying adaptations of plant species under harsh environmental conditions at multiple evolutionary levels. Many recent ecological studies have revealed functions of distinctive morphological features of various plants in the region that improve their reproductive success. Examples include large and showy bracts, hairy inflorescences, and drooping flowers. Numerous other investigations have examined QTP plants' sexual systems, patterns of biomass allocations, and biotic interactions. This paper summarizes recent advances in understanding of morphological adaptations, plant-plant interactions, plant-pollinator interactions, floral color patterns, pollination adaptations, and resource allocation patterns of alpine plants of the QTP. The overall aim is to synthesize current knowledge of the general mechanisms of plant survival and reproduction in this fascinating region.

Chromosome numbers and the morphology of members of 24 populations representing 15 species of the Sino-Himalayan endemic genus Cyananthus (Campanulaceae) were studied using karyological and numerical taxonomic techniques. The chromosome numbers of these taxa are 2n=10, 12, 14, 24, 28, and the basic chromosome numbers for the genus are x=5, 6, 7. All species except C. inflatus Hook. f. & Thoms. and C. microphyllus Edgew. were examined for the first time and a new ploidy level (tetraploidy) is reported in the genus. Chromosome measurement data were analyzed using cluster analysis. The relationships between three sections within Cyananthus and evolutionary trends within the genus are discussed in the light of karyological data. The cytological data suggest that Cyananthus is a relatively primitive genus in Campanulaceae and there is significant division within the genus, and polyploidization may have played an important role in the chromosome evolution and speciation of Cyananthus in the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains.

Coalescence is a significant pathway for the growth of nanostructures. Here we studied the coalescence of Bi nanoparticles in situ by liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The growth of Bi nanoparticles was initiated from a bismuth neodecanoate precursor solution by electron beam irradiation inside a liquid cell under the TEM. A significant number of coalescence events occurred from the as-grown Bi nanodots. Both symmetric coalescence of two equal-sized nanoparticles and asymmetric coalescence of two or more unequal-sized nanoparticles were analyzed along their growth trajectories. Our observation suggests that two mass transport mechanisms, i.e., surface diffusion and grain boundary diffusion, are responsible for the shape evolution of nanoparticles after a coalescence event.

Energy conservation is a long-term strategic approach of economic development. Subway is a most important way of urban mass transit, the energy consumption of subway accounted for a large part in mass transit. Therefore, retrofitting the subway for energy saving is close to the current policy, it can relieve the energy pressure, so it plays an important role on the sustainable development of economy. This paper conducted a survey of Beijing subway energy consumption, and summed up annual energy consumption data of the Beijing subway lines. Based on this research, this paper shows the energy-saving potential of the Beijing subway. Also it lays the foundation of energy saving transformation for subway.