Search

Background Outbreaks of insect pests in paddy fields cause heavy losses in global rice yield annually, a threat projected to be aggravated by ongoing climate warming. Although significant progress has been made in the screening and cloning of insect resistance genes in rice germplasm and their introgression into modern cultivars, improved rice resistance is only effective against either chewing or phloem-feeding insects. Results In this study, the results from standard and modified seedbox screening, settlement preference and honeydew excretion tests consistently showed that Qingliu, a previously known leaffolder-resistant rice variety, is also moderately resistant to brown planthopper (BPH). High-throughput RNA sequencing showed a higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the infestation site, with 2720 DEGs in leaves vs 181 DEGs in sheaths for leaffolder herbivory and 450 DEGs in sheaths vs 212 DEGs in leaves for BPH infestation. The leaf-specific transcriptome revealed that Qingliu responds to leaffolder feeding by activating jasmonic acid biosynthesis genes and genes regulating the shikimate and phenylpropanoid pathways that are essential for the biosynthesis of salicylic acid, melatonin, flavonoids and lignin defensive compounds. The sheath-specific transcriptome revealed that Qingliu responds to BPH infestation by inducing salicylic acid-responsive genes and those controlling cellular signaling cascades. Taken together these genes could play a role in triggering defense mechanisms such as cell wall modifications and cuticular wax formation. Conclusions This study highlighted the key defensive responses of a rarely observed rice variety Qingliu that has resistance to attacks by two different feeding guilds of herbivores. The leaffolders are leaf-feeder while the BPHs are phloem feeders, consequently Qingliu is considered to have dual resistance. Although the defense responses of Qingliu to both insect pest types appear largely dissimilar, the phenylpropanoid pathway (or more specifically phenylalanine ammonia-lyase genes) could be a convergent upstream pathway. However, this possibility requires further studies. This information is valuable for breeding programs aiming to generate broad spectrum insect resistance in rice cultivars.

This study developed a nutritionally valuable product with bioactive activity that improves the quality of bread. Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum), a native plant of Taiwan, was fermented using 23 different lactic acid bacteria strains. Lactobacillus casei BCRC10697 was identified as the ideal strain for fermentation, as it lowered the pH value of samples to 4.6 and demonstrated proteolysis ability 1.88 times higher than controls after 24 h of fermentation. Response surface methodology was adopted to optimize the djulis fermentation conditions for trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). The optimal conditions were a temperature of 33.5 °C, fructose content of 7.7%, and dough yield of 332.8, which yielded a TEAC at 6.82 mmol/kg. A 63% increase in TEAC and 20% increase in DPPH were observed when compared with unfermented djulis. Subsequently, the fermented djulis was used in different proportions as a substitute for wheat flour to make bread. The total phenolic and flavonoid compounds were 4.23 mg GAE/g and 3.46 mg QE/g, marking respective increases of 18% and 40% when the djulis was added. Texture analysis revealed that adding djulis increased the hardness and chewiness of sourdough breads. It also extended their shelf life by approximately 2 days. Thus, adding djulis to sourdough can enhance the functionality of breads and may provide a potential basis for developing djulis-based functional food.

Zn deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficit in rice but also a widespread industrial pollutant. It is unclear how rice responds to Zn depletion or excess, and which signaling molecules link the affected physiological processes. We therefore compared the physiological, transcriptomic and biochemical properties of rice plants subjected to Zn starvation or excess at early and later treatment stages. Both forms of Zn stress inhibited root and shoot growth. Several divalent cations (Fe, Cu, Ca, Mn and Mg) accumulated in Zn-depleted shoots, possibly due to the increased synthesis and activity of promiscuous Zn transporters and chelators. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of 970 differentially expressed genes revealed overrepresentation of ion and oligopeptide transport, antioxidative defense and secondary metabolism. The expression of genes encoding Fe/Ca-binding peroxidases was activated after 3 days of Zn starvation, boosting the activity of ascorbate peroxidase and thus scavenging H2O2 more effectively to prevent leaf chlorosis. Conversely, excess Zn triggered the expression of genes encoding Mg-binding proteins (OsCPS2/4 and OsKSL4/7) required for antimicrobial diterpenoid biosynthesis. We demonstrated the key components of crosstalk between Zn and other divalent cations under Zn stress conditions, leading to the regulation of gene expression and corresponding biochemical and physiological processes.

Indium is widely used in the technology industry and is an emerging form of environmental pollution. The presence of indium in soil and groundwater inhibits shoot and root growth in crops, thus reducing yields. However, the underlying mechanisms are unknown, making it difficult to design effective countermeasures. We explored the spatiotemporal effects of excess indium on the morphological, physiological and biochemical properties of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Indium accumulated mainly in the roots, severely restricting their growth and causing the acute perturbation of phosphorus, magnesium and iron homeostasis. Other effects included leaf necrosis and anatomical changes in the roots (thinned sclerenchyma and enlarged epidermal and exodermal layers). Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed that rice immediately responded to indium stress by activating genes involved in heavy metal tolerance and phosphate starvation responses, including the expression of genes encoding phosphate-regulated transcription factors and transporters in the roots. Direct indium toxicity rather than phosphate deficiency was identified as the major factor affecting the growth of rice plants, resulting in the profound phenotypic changes we observed. The application of exogenous phosphate alleviated indium toxicity by reducing indium uptake. Our results suggest that indium immobilization could be used to prevent indium toxicity in the field.

TiO2 nanocubes were synthesized via hydrolysis condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) in aqueous media, followed by hydrothermal treatment with ammonium salts. Various ammonium salts with different alkyl chain such as ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH) and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) were investigated. The crystalline phase, shape, and morphology of TiO2 nanocubes were studied by XRD, TEM, and SEM analysis. These TiO2 nanocubes were pure anatase phase and tended to assemble with well-ordered and close-packed domains. Both alkyl chain length of ammonium salts and hydrothermal duration affected the TiO2 nanocube formation process. The ammonium salts with longer alkyl chain formed TiO2 nanocubes in shorter hydrothermal time and offered the smallest particle size. The above TiO2 nanocubes were applied as photoanode materials in N719 anchored dye-sensitized solar cells and one of the cells exhibited the maximum power conversion efficiency of 7.85%.

We report the synthesis, characterization, and photovoltaic properties of four ruthenium complexes (CI101, CBTR, CB111, and CB108) having various N-heterocyclic carbene ancillary ligands, pyridine-imidazole, -benzimidazole, -dithienobenzimidazole, and -phenanthroimidazole, respectively. These complexes were designed to investigate the effect of extended conjugation ordained from ring fusion on the power conversion efficiencies of the solar cells. The device sensitized by CB108, the pyridine-phenanthroimidazole conjugated complex, showed an improved efficiency (9.89%) compared to those of pyridine-benzimidazole conjugated system (CBTR, 9.72%) and the parent unfused ring system (CI101, 6.24%). Surprisingly, the sulfur-incorporated pyridine-dithienobenzimidazole system (CB111, 9.24%) exhibited a little lower efficiency than that of N719 (9.41%). The enhanced photovoltaic performance of CB108 was mainly attributed to the increase in electron lifetime and diffusion length confirmed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Cnaphalocrocis medinalis is a major insect pest of rice in Asia. A few defensive enzymes were reported to show higher activities in a resistant rice line (Qingliu) than in a susceptible rice line (TN1) upon leaffolder infestation. However, the overall molecular regulation of the rice defense response against leaffolder herbivory is unknown. Here, differential proteomic analysis by SWATH-MS was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins between the two rice varieties, Qingliu and TN1, at four time points of leaffolder herbivory, 0, 6, 24, and 72 h. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment of the differentially expressed proteins indicated overrepresentation of (1) photosynthesis, (2) amino acid and derivative metabolic process, and (3) secondary metabolic process. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase and chalcone synthase, which catalyze flavonoid biosynthesis, and lipoxygenase, which catalyzes jasmonic acid biosynthesis, exhibited higher expression in Qingliu than in TN1 even before insect herbivory. Momentary activation of the light reaction and Calvin cycle was detected in Qingliu at 6 h and 24 h of insect herbivory, respectively. At 72 h of insect herbivory, amino acid biosynthesis and glutathione-mediated antioxidation were activated in Qingliu. A defense response involving jasmonic acid signaling, carbon remobilization, and the production of flavonoids and glutathione could underlie the resistance of Qingliu to leaffolder.

In this study, rod shaped TiO 2 nanocrystals with excellent crystallinity were obtained by a simple solvothermal approach utilizing isopropyl alcohol without the use of any surfactants or capping agents. The solvothermal process parameters such as the concentration of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and volume of acetic acid were varied to reach optimal synthesis conditions to prepare well-defined and monodispersed TiO 2 nanorods. The growth of rod shaped TiO 2 nanocrystals has also been investigated by varying the solvothermal reaction durations and temperatures. TiO 2 nanorods with various film thicknesses were used as photoanodes to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A power conversion efficiency of 9.21% has been achieved for the DSSC fabricated using a TiO 2 nanorod photoanode film with 14 μm thickness. The high photovoltaic performance was attributed to the effective electron transfer of photogenerated electrons in TiO 2 nanorod films with enhanced dye adsorption which was favored for efficient light harvesting ability.

The goal of this study was to analyse the combustion characteristics and emissions of Jatropha curcas biodiesel (JCB) when run in a diesel engine. Jatropha curcas oil was used to produce Jatropha curcas biodiesel (JCB) through a transesterification process. The major fuel properties of JCB, including the acid value, kinematic viscosity, flash point, gross heating value, and iodine value, were determined and compared with that of soybean biodiesel (SBM), sunflower seed biodiesel (SFM), mackerel fish oil biodiesel (MB), and premium diesel (D). JCB had a higher density, acid value, kinematic viscosity, iodine value and flash point, but a lower gross heating value, than D. JCB was then used to analyze combustion characteristics, CO, CO2, NO, NOx, SO2, and particulate matter (PM), under varied engine speeds and varied engine loads. The experimental results show CO2 concentration increased with increasing engine loads for all fuels. Engine trials on D exhibited better combustion efficiency at lower engine loads (0 kW–4 kW) but engine trials on JCB exhibited better combustion efficiency for higher engine loads (5 kW– 8 kW). JCB emitted more NO and NOx on a loaded engine. Engine trials on JCB emitted higher PM concentration when the engine was not loaded, while engine trials on MB produced higher PM concentration when the engine was loaded. The estimated CO2 emissions for JCB, MB, and D are 9221.3, 9617.2, and 10185.0 g (gal fuel)–1, respectively.

A magnetic adsorbent, amine-functionalized silica magnetite (NH2-Al/SiO2/Fe3O4), has been synthesized to behave as an cationic adsorbent by adjusting the pH value of the aqueous solution to make amino groups protonated. NH2-Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 was used to adsorb phosphate ions in an aqueous solution in a batch system, and the maximum adsorption were found to occur at pH 3.0. The adsorption equilibrium data were all fitted the Langmuir isotherm equation reasonably well, and the maximum adsorption capacities of phosphate ions were more than 40 mg g(-1) and increased with elevating temperature. The enthalpy (ΔH0) and entropy (ΔS0) values of NH2-Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 with the adsorption reaction of phosphate ions were 11.98 KJ mol(-1) and 0.095 KJ (T mol)(-1), respectively. A pseudo-second-order model also could best describe the adsorption kinetics, and the derived activation energy for phosphate ions was 20.2 kJ mol(-1). The optimum condition to desorb phosphate ions from NH2-Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 is provided by a solution with 0.05 M NaOH.

TiO2 nanocubes were synthesized via hydrolysis condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) in aqueous media, followed by hydrothermal treatment with ammonium salts. Various ammonium salts with different alkyl chain such as ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH) and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) were investigated. The crystalline phase, shape, and morphology of TiO2 nanocubes were studied by XRD, TEM, and SEM analysis. These TiO2 nanocubes were pure anatase phase and tended to assemble with well-ordered and close-packed domains. Both alkyl chain length of ammonium salts and hydrothermal duration affected the TiO2 nanocube formation process. The ammonium salts with longer alkyl chain formed TiO2 nanocubes in shorter hydrothermal time and offered the smallest particle size. The above TiO2 nanocubes were applied as photoanode materials in N719 anchored dye-sensitized solar cells and one of the cells exhibited the maximum power conversion efficiency of 7.85%.

Injection molded specimens of a poly(4-methylpentene) (TPX) were annealed at temperatures between 140 and 220°C for times up to 500 min in air, and the annealed TPX specimens were characterized by the differential scanning calorimeter, UV–visible spectrometry, FT-IR, and X-ray diffraction. The annealing of the TPX specimens at 140–180°C for 50 min showed little effect on their thermal properties. However, the thermal properties were significantly affected by annealing at 200–220°C, and the change was dependent on the annealing time. Besides the annealing effect, the thermal properties were also affected by oxidative degradation. Severe oxidative degradation can destroy the crystalline structure and thus decreases the crystallinity. The oxidative degradation phenomenon of the TPX specimens during annealing can be simulated by isothermal scanning of the weight loss in air by thermal gravimetric analysis.

Phosphate is one of the main contaminants responsible for the eutrophication of surface waters, and adsorption is a potential treatment method of this pollutant. A magnetic adsorbent manufactured from magnetite (Fe3O4) can be easily recovered from treated water by magnetic force, without requiring further downstream treatment. In this research, the surface of magnetite modified with oleic acid and polyacrylamide (PAM/oleic acid/Fe3O4) was used to adsorb phosphate in an aqueous solution in a batch system. The phosphate adsorption behavior by PAM/oleic acid/Fe3O4 was in good agreement both with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) and Gibbs free energy of phosphate at 298 K was 28.95 mg/g and −12.89 kJ/mol, respectively. A pseudo-second-order model could best describe the adsorption kinetics, and the derived activation energy was 28.29 kJ/mol. The optimum condition to desorb phosphate from PAM/oleic acid/Fe3O4 is provided by a solution with 0.5 M NaOH.

The goal of this study was to derive the possible formation pathways of the trace species detected in the tail-gas of a diesel engine. The biodiesel (SBM) used in this study was converted from soybean oil through transesterification. The converted biodiesel was then used in a four-cylinder, 2200 c.c. diesel engine, and the resulting formation of trace species in the tail gas exhaust was investigated. The major species in SBM’s saturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were Methyl palmitate (Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, C17H34O2, 11.85%) and Methyl stearate (Octadecanoic acid methyl ester, C19H38O2, 6.61%), with Methyl octadeca-9,12-dienoate (9,12-Octadecadienoic acid methyl ester, C19H34O2, 74.78%) as the major species in SBM’s unsaturated FAMEs. The chemical classes of the observed trace compounds were hydrocarbons, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, ketones, alcohols, esters, and others. The trace species formation pathways were then derived based on the major species found in the biodiesel fuel and in its exhaust.

BACKGROUND: Phosphate is one of the main contaminants responsible for the eutrophication of surface waters, and adsorption is a potential treatment method for this pollutant. A magnetic adsorbent manufactured from magnetite (Fe3O4) can be recovered easily from treated water by magnetic force, without requiring further downstream treatment. In this research, the surface of magnetite modified with aluminum and silica (Al/SiO2/Fe3O4) was used to adsorb phosphate in an aqueous solution in a batch system. RESULTS: The optimum solution pH for phosphate adsorption by Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 was found to be 4.5. The phosphate adsorption behavior of Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 was in good agreement with both the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) and Gibbs free energy of phosphate was 25.64 mg g−1 and − 21.47 kJ mol−1, respectively. A pseudo-second-order model could best describe the adsorption kinetics, and the derived activation energy was 3.52 kJ mol−1. The optimum condition to desorb phosphate from Al/SiO2/Fe3O4 is provided by a solution with 0.05 mol L−1 NaOH. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic adsorbent is a potential material for a water treatment method. The results of this study will be helpful in the development of aluminum modified silica magnetic adsorbents that can be used to remove phosphate in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

A magnetic adsorbent, amine-functionalized silica magnetite (NH(2)/SiO(2)/Fe(3)O(4)), has been synthesized to behave as an anionic or cationic adsorbent by adjusting the pH value of the aqueous solution to make amino groups protonic or neutral. NH(2)/SiO(2)/Fe(3)O(4) were used to adsorb copper ions (metal cation) and Reactive Black 5 (RB5, anionic dye) in an aqueous solution in a batch system, and the maximum adsorption were found to occur at pH 5.5 and 3.0, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium data were all fitted the Langmuir isotherm equation reasonably well, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 10.41 mg g(-1) for copper ions and of 217 m g g(-1) for RB5. A pseudo-second-order model also could best describe the adsorption kinetics, and the derived activation energy for copper ions and RB5 were 26.92 kJ mol(-1) and 12.06 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The optimum conditions to desorb cationic and anionic adsorbates from NH(2)/SiO(2)/Fe(3)O(4) were provided by a solution with 0.1M HNO(3) for copper ions and with 0.05 M NaOH for RB5.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient for all living organisms. When facing a shortage in zinc supply, plants adapt by enhancing the zinc uptake capacity. The molecular regulators controlling this adaptation are not known. We present the identification of two closely related members of the Arabidopsis thaliana basic-region leucine-zipper ( bZIP ) transcription factor gene family, bZIP19 and bZIP23 , that regulate the adaptation to low zinc supply. They were identified, in a yeast-one-hybrid screening, to associate to promoter regions of the zinc deficiency-induced ZIP4 gene of the Zrt- and Irt-related protein (ZIP) family of metal transporters. Although mutation of only one of the bZIP genes hardly affects plants, we show that the bzip19 bzip23 double mutant is hypersensitive to zinc deficiency. Unlike the wild type, the bzip19 bzip23 mutant is unable to induce the expression of a small set of genes that constitutes the primary response to zinc deficiency, comprising additional ZIP metal transporter genes. This set of target genes is characterized by the presence of one or more copies of a 10-bp imperfect palindrome in their promoter region, to which both bZIP proteins can bind. The bZIP19 and bZIP23 transcription factors, their target genes, and the characteristic cis zinc deficiency response elements they can bind to are conserved in higher plants. These findings are a significant step forward to unravel the molecular mechanism of zinc homeostasis in plants, allowing the improvement of zinc bio-fortification to alleviate human nutrition problems and phytoremediation strategies to clean contaminated soils.

The goal of this study is to find out the exhaust emissions differences produced by different kinds of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) derived from used cooking oils and animal fats, as well as the importance of the purification step in exhaust emissions production. A total of 120 L of waste vegetable oil and 30 L of waste frying oil were collected and converted into three batches of FAME. There were two batches of FAME produced from waste vegetable oil (B01 and B02), and one batch of FAME produced by mixing 2% of waste frying oil with waste vegetable oil (B03). The FAMEs used in this study had higher density, kinematic viscosity, and flash point, but a lower gross heating value, when compared to the premium diesel. The B01 engine produced higher CO formation and the diesel-fuelled engine produced higher CO than the B02 and B03 did for engine speeds higher than 1400 rpm. Most of the FAME fuels produced higher CO 2 than the diesel fuel did. The FAME fuels emitted higher NO x and PM, but lower SO 2 , than the diesel fuel. C n H 2 n +2 , diphenyl sulfone (C 12 H 10 O 2 S), and diethyl phthalate (C 12 H 14 O 4 ) can be selected as the character index for the combustion of FAME.

In this study, wasted cooking oil from restaurants was used to produce neat (pure) biodiesel through transesterification, and this converted biodiesel was then used to prepare biodiesel/diesel blends. The goal of this study was to compare the trace formation from the exhaust tail gas of a diesel engine when operated using the different fuel type: neat biodiesel, biodiesel/diesel blends, and normal diesel fuels. B20 produced the lowest CO concentration for all engine speeds. B50 produced higher CO 2 than other fuels for all engine speeds, except at 2000 rpm where B20 gave the highest. The biodiesel and biodiesel/diesel blend fuels produced higher NO x for various engine speeds as expected. SO 2 formation not only showed an increasing trend with increased engine speed but also showed an increasing trend as the percentage of diesel increased in the fuels. Among the collected data, the PM concentrations from B100 engines were higher than from other fuelled engines for the tested engine speed and most biodiesel-contained fuels produced higher PM than the pure diesel fuel did. Overall, we may conclude that B20 and B50 are the optimum fuel blends. The species of trace formation in the biodiesel-contained fuelled engine exhaust were mainly C n H 2 n +2 , DEP, and DPS. For the B100, B80, B50, and D fuelled engines, C 15 H 32 was the dominant species for all engine speeds, while squalene (C 30 H 50 ) was the dominant for B20. DEP was only observed in the B100, B80, and B50 fuelled engines in this study. The D fuelled engine showed a higher DPS production for engine speeds higher than 1200 rpm.

Various segmented polyurethanes with a hard segment content of about 50 wt% were prepared from 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), a poly(tetramethylene adipate) glycol with an Mn of 2000, and various combinations of aliphatic diols as chain extenders by a one-shot, hand-cast bulk polymerization method. The segmented polyurethanes were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction, and their tensile properties and Shore A hardness were determined. The DSC data indicate rather good miscibility between the soft segments and the hard segments that accounts for the good transparency. The incorporation of a small amount of a second chain extender into MDI and 1-4-butanediol-based segmented polyurethanes decreases the crystallinity of the hard segment, thus enhancing the transparency. A segmented polyurethane derived from MDI and 1,6-hexanediol exhibits better transparency due to its relatively lower crystallinity of the hard segment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 26:33–40, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20086

Prompt regulation of transition metal transporters is crucial for plant zinc homeostasis. NcZNT1 is one of such transporters, found in the metal hyperaccumulator Brassicaceae species Noccaea caerulescens. It is orthologous to AtZIP4 from Arabidopsis thaliana, an important actor in Zn homeostasis. We examined if the NcZNT1 function contributes to the metal hyperaccumulation of N. caerulescens. NcZNT1 was found to be a plasma-membrane located metal transporter. Constitutive overexpression of NcZNT1 in A. thaliana conferred enhanced tolerance to exposure to excess Zn and Cd supply, as well as increased accumulation of Zn and Cd and induction of the Fe deficiency response, when compared to non-transformed wild-type plants. Promoters of both genes were induced by Zn deficiency in roots and shoots of A. thaliana. In A. thaliana, the AtZIP4 and NcZNT1 promoters were mainly active in cortex, endodermis and pericycle cells under Zn deficient conditions. In N. caerulescens, the promoters were active in the same tissues, though the activity of the NcZNT1 promoter was higher and not limited to Zn deficient conditions. Common cis elements were identified in both promoters by 5’ deletion analysis. These correspond to the previously determined Zinc Deficiency Responsive Elements found in A. thaliana to interact with two redundantly acting transcription factors, bZIP19 and bZIP23, controlling the Zn deficiency response. In conclusion, these results suggest that NcZNT1 is an important factor in contributing to Zn and Cd hyperaccumulation in N. caerulescens. Differences in cis- and trans-regulators are likely to account for the differences in expression between A. thaliana and N. caerulescens. The high, constitutive NcZNT1 expression in the stele of N. caerulescens roots implicates its involvement in long distance root-to-shoot metal transport by maintaining a Zn/Cd influx into cells responsible for xylem loading. Copyright: © 2016 Lin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

The purpose of the study aimed to investigate the effect of the Readers Theater (RT) training on elementary school students. In particular, changes in the students’ English reading comprehension before and after the RT show, comparison of the students’ responses to English learning, especially English reading, the students’ opinions on the RT activities, and the students’ responses to English books were examined and analyzed. Additionally, the students’ cooperative learning during the RT training was explored. The subjects of the study were 32 students in the sixth grade of a Taichung elementary school. Thirty-two students participated in RT training for almost forty-four days in order to perform in an RT show. Before the RT training, the subjects were requested to take the standardized English proficiency pretest and pre-study questionnaire. While participating in the RT training, the subjects needed to finish reading the selected English scripts. In the process of reading English scripts, the subjects were engaged in the reader’s theater activities, including reading English scripts aloud, performing on the stage, and group work. After the RT training, the subjects were asked to take the standardized English proficiency posttests and post-study questionnaires. Considering the study findings, it was suggested that the teachers were able to utilize the RT activities in instructing students’ English reading. With the stimulation of the RT activities, students could be motivated to be engaged in appreciating English books and obtained meaningful experiences from the characters in the plot. In addition, the teachers could foster students’ cooperative learning through group work and enhanced the students’ interest in learning English.

Experiments on pyrolysis of C 2 Cl 4 with hydrogen in argon bath gas (C 2 Cl 4 : H 2 : AR=0.5:7:92.5) were performed in a laboratory scale flow reactor, to determine reaction paths and kinetic parameters, plus to observe hydrogen as a source to convert chlorocarbons into hydrocarbons and HCl. The reaction was carried out at 1 atmosphere total pressure in the tubular flow reactor, over temperature ranges from 575 to 850 °C, with average residence times in the range of 0.3 to 1.2 s. The major reaction products were C 2 HCl 3 , CH 2 CCl 2 , C 2 H 6 , C 2 H 4 and HCl. Trace intermediates including CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , C 3 H 6 , C 3 H 4 , C 4 H 8 , C 4 H 6 , C 4 H 4 , C 2 H 3 Cl, C 2 HCl, trans -CHCl CHCl, cis -CHCl CHCl C 2 Cl 2 and aromatic compounds were found. The equation for overall loss of C 2 Cl 4 (k (s −1 )) was 1.35×10 6 exp(−27055/RT). This study shows that C 2 H 4 became the major product for reaction temperatures higher than 700 °C, and became one of the final products together with HCl. A detailed kinetic mechanism consisting of 202 elementary reactions with 59 species was developed to model the results obtained from the experiments. Sensitivity analyses were performed to rank the significance of each reaction in the mechanism. Modeling and sensitivity analysis revealed that C 2 Cl 4 +H→C 2 HCl 3 +Cl, C 2 Cl 4 +H→C 2 Cl 3 +Cl, and C 2 Cl 4 →C 2 Cl 3 +Cl are the primary reactions for the decomposition of C 2 Cl 4 .

The oxidation of C2HCl3 with industrial grade CH4 has been studied in a laboratory-scale flow reactor under fuel-rich, stoichiometric, and fuel-lean conditions from 575 to 850 °C, with an average gas residence time of 0.3–1.5 s. The major products, C2Cl2, C2H4, CO, CO2, and HCl, were found at lower temperatures with high [O2]. The minor intermediates included C2H3Cl, C2HCl, CH3Cl, COCl2, trans-CHClCHCl, cis-CHClCHCl, trans-ClHCCClCH3, C6H6, C3s, C4s, Cl2, and other C6 compounds. Writing −d[C2HCl3]/dt=k[C2HCl3]; global values of k (s−1) were found to be 3.21×10 6 exp (−116 ( kJ / mol )/RT) , 1.61×10 6 exp (−112 ( kJ / mol )/RT) , and 1.27×10 6 exp (−112 ( kJ / mol )/RT) , respectively, for fuel-lean, stoichiometric, and fuel-rich conditions. Modeling with a detailed mechanism involving 149 species and 795 elementary reactions revealed that C2HCl3 mainly disappears via C2HCl3→C2Cl2+HCl. Sensitivity analyses were performed to rank the significance of every reaction in the mechanism. Agreement between modeling and experiment was satisfactory for most major species.

This study is to optimize the multi-quality performance of magnetic catalyst/ozone process by combining a technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) with the Taguchi method, which simultaneously has the best decomposition rate constant of benzoic acid and removal rate constant of total organic carbon (TOC). The optimal experimental parameters were pH of 7, initial concentration of 75 ppm and catalyst loading of 0.05 g/L. More than 93% of the magnetic catalyst was easily separated and redispersed for reuse by the magnetic force due to the paramagnetic behaviours of the prepared SiO2/Fe3O4. It is believed that through the joint efforts improvement, design and manufacturing, new separation and recycling technologies will be available and more easily recyclable magnetic catalysts will be developed in the future.

Experiments on oxidation of multi-chlorinated hydrocarbons, C2HC13, with hydrocarbon fuels, CH4, were performed in a laboratory scale flow reactor under fuel-rich and fuel-lean conditions. The major reaction products, C2C12, C2H4, CO, CO2 and HCI, can be found in a lower temperature region under a higher oxygen containing environment. The aromatic compounds, including C6H6， C6H5CH3, C6H5Cl, CH3C6H4Cl and C6H5Cl2 were detected. Trace intennediates including C2H2, C3H6, C3H4, C4H8, C4H6， C4H4, CH3Cl, C2H3Cl, C2HCl, trans-CHCICHCI, cis-CHCICHCI, COC12, C2Cl4, and C2Cl6 were also found. The formation pathways for the detected aromatic species are discussed.

Recently, technology is developing so fast. Now, almost everyone uses high technology products, such as smart phones and Tablet PC. Nowadays, children’s learning tools are not just hard copy books. Children can use smart phones and Tablet PC which can download e-book applications. Children can learn diverse things and enjoy various entertainments. We follow this trend. We designed an application of TTS (text-to-speech) story e-book and it can be put on the platform that can be downloaded and used. In our story content, special festivals from different countries were integrated into the story. By reading this TTS e-book, children can raise their interests in understanding different special festivals and culture from different countries as well as learning English. After finishing our application of audio e-book, we did a survey toward a TTS e-book acknowledgement and the acceptability of our app. Thirty fifth and sixth grade students filled out the surveys. Results of this survey showed that most students thought this TTS e-book APP was a wonderful and good tool for learning. To conclude, we hope this application can motivate more children to read and expose children to interesting festivals in the world. More technical breakthrough in reading need to be put into consideration in order to obtain more optimal outcomes in language learning.

Populations of Noccaea caerulescens show tremendous differences in their capacity to hyperaccumulate and hypertolerate metals. To explore the differences that could contribute to these traits, we undertook SOLiD high-throughput sequencing of the root transcriptomes of three phenotypically well-characterized N. caerulescens accessions, i.e., Ganges, La Calamine, and Monte Prinzera. Genes with possible contribution to zinc, cadmium, and nickel hyperaccumulation and hypertolerance were predicted. The most significant differences between the accessions were related to metal ion (di-, trivalent inorganic cation) transmembrane transporter activity, iron and calcium ion binding, (inorganic) anion transmembrane transporter activity, and antioxidant activity. Analysis of correlation between the expression profile of each gene and the metal-related characteristics of the accessions disclosed both previously characterized (HMA4, HMA3) and new candidate genes (e.g., for nickel IRT1, ZIP10, and PDF2.3) as possible contributors to the hyperaccumulation/tolerance phenotype. A number of unknown Noccaea-specific transcripts also showed correlation with Zn(2+), Cd(2+), or Ni(2+) hyperaccumulation/tolerance. This study shows that N. caerulescens populations have evolved great diversity in the expression of metal-related genes, facilitating adaptation to various metalliferous soils. The information will be helpful in the development of improved plants for metal phytoremediation.

When plants are subjected to high metal exposure, different plant species take different strategies in response to metal-induced stress. Largely, plants can be distinguished in four groups: metal-sensitive species, metal-resistant excluder species, metal-tolerant non-hyperaccumulator species, and metal-hypertolerant hyperaccumulator species, each having different molecular mechanisms to accomplish their resistance/tolerance to metal stress or reduce the negative consequences of metal toxicity. Plant responses to heavy metals are molecularly regulated in a process called metal homeostasis, which also includes regulation of the metal-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling pathway. ROS generation and signaling plays an important duel role in heavy metal detoxification and tolerance. In this review, we will compare the different molecular mechanisms of nutritional (Zn) and non-nutritional (Cd) metal homeostasis between metal-sensitive and metal-adapted species. We will also include the role of metal-induced ROS signal transduction in this comparison, with the aim to provide a comprehensive overview on how plants cope with Zn/Cd stress at the molecular level.

Biodiesel is an alternative diesel fuel derived from the varied processes of vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste frying oils to give the corresponding fatty acid methyl esters (Chang et al., 1996; Schmidt & Van Gerpen, 1996). In the transport sector it can be used blended with fossil diesel fuel and in pure form. The major chemically bound oxygen component in the biodiesel fuel has the effect of reducing the pollutant concentration in exhaust gases due to better burning of the fuel in the engine (Kahn et al., 2002). It is also described as an alternative fuel which improves environmental conditions and contributes to gaining energy sustainability (Edlund et al., 2002). As biodiesel fuels are becoming commercialized and with its biodegradability, it is important to examine their properties as respect to transport, storage, or processing. Demirbas (Demirbas, 2007) has summarized the biodegradability data of petroleum and biofuels available in the literature and showed heavy fuel oil has low biodegradation of 11%, in 28 day laboratory studies while biodiesels have 77%–89% biodegraded, and diesel fuel was only 18% biodegraded. Some studies have been conducted focusing on how biodiesel stimulated the degradation of petrol–diesel in varied environments. However, there are very few studies concentrated on biodiesel degradation under different storage temperatures and storage environments such as in a sealed or ambient environment, and in an environment with or without the presence of water moisture. Mittelbach and Gangl (Mittelbach & Gangl, 2001) studied the degree of physical and chemical deterioration of biodiesel produced from rapeseed and used frying oil under different storage conditions. They found there has severe effects when the fuel was exposed to daylight and air. But they found there were no significant differences between undistilled biodiesel made from fresh rapeseed oil and used frying oil. In their study, the viscosity and neutralization numbers rose during storage and did not reach the specified limits for over 150 days. Zullaikah et al. (Zullaikah et al., 2005) examine the effect of temperature, moisture and storage time on the accumulation of free fatty acid when they used a two-step acid-catalyzed process to produce the biodiesel from rice bran oil. Their results showed rice bran stored at room temperature showed that most triacylglyceride was hydrolyzed and free fatty acid (FFA) content was raised up to 76% in six months. Leung et al. (Leung et al., 2006) divided twelve biodiesel samples into 3 groups and stored at different temperatures and environments to monitor the regular interval over a period of 52 weeks. Their results showed that the biodiesel under test degraded less than 10% within 52 weeks for those samples stored at 4 and 20 oC while nearly 40% degradation was found for those samples stored at 40 oC.

A magnetic adsorbent can be easily recovered from treated water by magnetic force, without requiring further downstream treatment. In this research, amine-functionalized silica magnetite has been synthesized using N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]-ethylenediamine (TPED) as a surface modification agent. The synthesized magnetic amine adsorbents were used to adsorb copper ions in an aqueous solution in a batch system, and the maximum adsorption was found to occur at pH 5.5 ± 0.1. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted the Langmuir isotherm equation reasonably well, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 10.41 mg/g. A pseudo second-order model could best describe the adsorption kinetics, and the derived activation energy was 26.92 kJ/mol. The optimum condition to desorb Cu2+ from NH2/SiO2/Fe3O4 was provided by a solution with 0.1 mol/L HNO3.

Experiments on high temperature oxidation of multi-chlorinated hydrocarbons, tetrachloroethylene (C 2 Cl 4 ), with hydrocarbon fuels, CH 4 , were performed in a 15 mm i.d. tubular flow reactor. Temperatures ranged from 700 to 850 °C, with the average residence time in the range from 0.3 to 1.5 s. Three equivalence ratios, φ =0.87 (fuel-lean (FL)), φ =1 (stoichiometry (S)), and φ =1.3 (fuel-rich (FR)), were studied. The global Arrhenius equations for the decomposition of C 2 Cl 4 for each reactant set ratio are: k lean =5.77×10 15 exp (−30447/RT) , k stoi =5.15×10 15 exp (−30421/RT) , and k rich =6.32×10 14 exp (−28879/RT) . The important reactions for destruction of parent C 2 Cl 4 include: C 2 Cl 4 →C 2 Cl 3 +Cl, C 2 Cl 4 +H→C 2 Cl 3 +HCl and C 2 Cl 4 +H→C 2 HCl 3 +Cl. The resulting reactant loss, and intermediate and final product profiles were determined. C 2 HCl 3 , C 2 Cl 2 , CO, CO 2 and HCl are the major products for the reaction of C 2 Cl 4 /CH 4 /O 2 mixtures for these three reaction systems. Minor intermediates include C 2 H 3 Cl, C 2 HCl, COCl 2 , CH 3 CHCl 2 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , CCl 2 CHCH 3 , trans -CHClCHCl, cis -CHClCHCl, trans -ClHCCClCH 3 , C 6 H 6 , and Cl 2 . The experimental data showed that as the oxygen concentration increased, the temperature needed to detect the resulting products decreased.