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Members of the E74-like factor (ELF) subfamily are involved in the immune stress process of organisms by regulating immune responses and the development of immune-related cells. PmE74 of Penaeus monodon was characterized and functionally analyzed in this study. The full length of PmE74 was 3106 bp, with a 5'-UTR of 297 bp, and a 3'-UTR of 460 bp. The ORF (Open reading frame) was 2349 bp and encoded 782 amino acids. Domain analysis showed that PmE74 contains a typical Ets domain. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that PmE74 clustered with Litopenaeus vannamei E74 and displayed significant similarity (98.98%). PmE74 was expressed in all tissues tested in P. monodon, with the highest levels of expression observed in the testis, intestine, and epidermis. Different pathogen stimulation studies have revealed that PmE74 expression varies in response to different pathogen stimuli. A 96-h acute low salt stress study revealed that PmE74 in the hepatopancreas was upregulated and downregulated in the salinity 17 group and considerably downregulated in the salinity 3 group, whereas PmE74 in gill tissue was considerably downregulated in both groups. Further, by knocking down PmE74 and learning the trends of its linkage genes PmAQP1, PmNKA, PmE75, PmFtz-f1, PmEcR, and PmRXR in response to low salt stress, it was further indicated that PmE74 could have a vital role in the regulation of low salt stress. The SNP test revealed that PmE74-In1-53 was significantly associated with low salt tolerance traits in P. monodon (P 0.05). The findings of this study can aid in the advancement of molecular marker-assisted breeding in P. monodon, as well as provide fundamental data and methodologies for further investigation of its low salt tolerance strains in P. monodon.

A novel TRY homolog was cloned in Penaeus monodon by RACE technology, named PmTry (GenBank: KP998480). The PmTry cDNA was 916 bp, which encodes 266 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 28.38 KDa and an isoelectric point of 4.58. Homologous analysis indicated that PmTry shared 42%~91% similarity with other species. The phylogenetic tree showed that PmTry was closely related to Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Tissue expression profiles showed that PmTry was highest expressed in the hepatopancreas and the lowest expressed in the eyestalk nerve. It was expressed in the whole growth stage of P. monodon, but the relative expression level of each stage was significantly different. In addition, PmTry-524 and PmTry-798 were particularly related to growth traits of P. monodon by genotype. The SNP markers may provide a basis for genetic selection and breed improvement studies in P. monodon.

Metapenaeus affinis is a crustacean with important commercial value in the fishery of the South China Sea. Overfishing has resulted in the decline of the wild population and germplasm degradation. However, there is little background knowledge about its gonadal development, and there is a lack of research on the development of this species. To better understand the molecular regulatory mechanisms during gonadal development, here, we performed RNA-Seq on immature and mature ovaries and compared their transcriptomic signatures. 126,930,488 and 122,677,356 clean sequencing reads were obtained from the Illumina sequencing platform, respectively. 394 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 136 were up-regulated, and 258 were down-regulated. Further analysis revealed rich transcriptional sequences, which have homology with genes related to reproduction and development. Expression patterns of COX, GPX, E3s, PCNA, STPK, and other genes were changed during ovarian development. Validation by qRT-PCR demonstrated the reliability of RNA-Seq. This study has made a significant contribution to the currently available sequence data of M. affinis and provided reference data for the development of genetic and breeding work.

In this article, the dynamical behavior of a standing cantilever pipe conveying fluid is investigated with time − delay. By applying piezoelectric materials and considering the time delay of voltage, the motion equation is built with motion-limiting constraints and elastic support. The motion equation is discretized into ordinary differential equations by the Galerkin method. A stability analysis of the equilibrium point with three parameters is obtained. The system will lose stability at the equilibrium point and generate Hopf branches. The central manifold theorem and the canonical type theory are used to study the stability of Hopf branching directions and branching period solutions. Finally, numerical results validate the theoretical analysis.

Procambarus clarkii is an important economic species in China, and exhibit heat and cold tolerance in the main culture regions. To understand the mechanisms, we analyzed the hepatopancreas transcriptome of P. clarkii treated at 10 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C, then 2092 DEGs and 6929 DEGs were found in 30 °C stress group and 10 °C stress group, respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment results showed that immune pathway is the main stress pathway for 10 °C treatment and metabolic pathway is the main response pathway for 30 °C treatment, which implies low temperature stress induces the damage of the immune system and increases the susceptibility of bacteria while the body response to high temperature stress through metabolic adjustment. In addition, flow cytometry proved that both high and low temperature stress caused different degrees of apoptosis of hemocytes, and dynamic transcription heat map analysis also identified the differential expression of HSPs family genes and apoptosis pathway genes under different heat stresses. This indicates that preventing damaged protein misfolding and accelerating cell apoptosis are necessary mechanisms for P. clarkii to cope with high and low temperature stress. Our research has deepened our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms of P. clarkii in response to acute temperature stress, and provided a potential strategy for aquatic animals to relieve environmental duress.

The nonlinear governing motion equation of slightly curved pipe with conveying pulsating fluid is set up by Hamilton’s principle. The motion equation is discretized into a set of low dimensional system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by the Galerkin method. Linear analysis of system is performed upon this set of equations. The effect of amplitude of initial deflection and flow velocity on linear dynamic of system is analyzed. Curves of the resonance responses about $$\varOmega \approx {\omega _\mathrm{{1}}}$$ and $$\varOmega \approx \mathrm{{2}}{\omega _\mathrm{{1}}}$$ are performed by means of the pseudo-arclength continuation technique. The global nonlinear dynamic of system is analyzed by establishing the bifurcation diagrams. The dynamical behaviors are identified by the phase diagram and Poincare maps. The periodic motion, chaotic motion and quasi-periodic motion are found in this system.

The increased application of chemical fertilizers in citrus orchards and the non-point source nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) diffusion threaten the fresh water quality of the Three Gorges Reservoir area of China. A 10-year field trial on sloping citrus lands was conducted to evaluate five protection methods for reducing N and P losses: 1) intercropping with perennial white clover (CW); 2) straw mulching of the soil surface (CS); 3) intercropping with yellow daylily contour hedgerows (CH); 4) an impermeable membrane buried in the soil along the contour lines (CM); and 5) intercropping with a rotation of wheat and peanut (CWP). An area of conventional citrus management was also maintained as the control (CK). The results showed that CM and CH were the most effective methods for reducing surface runoff. The sediment yield were reduced at the highest rate by CW and CH and was also significantly reduced by CS. Reduced runoff volume and sediment yield were the crucial mechanism for the reductions in N and P losses. Compared with the control, CW, CS, CH, and CM reduced annual runoff by 9%, 13%, 25%, and 30%, sediment yield by 77%, 55%, 71%, and 28%, N loss by 10%, 23% 36%, and 37%, and P loss by 39%, 31%, 27%, and 25%, respectively. CW, CS, CH, and CM were effective in reducing N and P losses from the sloping citrus land. However, over the long-term, surface soil nutrient accumulation in CW, CS, and CH diminished the benefit of those methods in reducing N and P losses. In addition, CWP increased soil erosion and nutrient loss, which showed that citrus intercropping with other crops was an unsuitable method for citrus sloping land in the Three Gorges area.

This study presents a method of investigating the forced vibrations of pipe conveying fluid using Green function. The proposed method provides exact solutions in closed form. Green’s functions for pipes with different homogenous and elastic boundary conditions are also presented in this study. The natural frequencies of the fluid-conveying pipes can be obtained using the method of Green’s function. The results demonstrate that Green’s function is an efficient means of analyzing the forced vibration of pipes that conveying fluid.

Selecting effective xenon adsorbents is important for preventing significant global nuclear proliferation. The adsorption capacity of coconut shell activated carbons (SAC),zeolite 10X,zeolite 5A, zeolite 13X were researched and the Xenon adsorption of the coconut shell activated carbon modified by KOH(SAC/KOH-1 and SAC/KOH-2) were compared in this paper. The factors of temperature and flow rate that influenced the dynamic adsorption of xenon by 10X were discussed. The order of the Xenon adsorption capacity is as follows: zeolite 10X, SAC/KOH-2, SAC/KOH-1, SAC, zeolite 13X, zeolite 5A.

In this study, 45# carbon steels were boronized, borosulphurized and RE-borosulphurized at 950 °C for 6 h, respectively. The samples were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, microhardness tester and ring-on-block wear tester. It has shown that the diffusion front (the interface between the diffusion layer and the substrate) of the boride layer (BL) and the boro-sulfide layer (BSL) is saw tooth shape, while the diffusion front of the RE-boro-sulfide layer (RBSL) is flat. Compared with BSL layer, RBSL layer has a smaller and more uniform grain size, and a flatter hardness gradient from the surface to the diffusion front. The RBSL layer, consisting of an outer layer (from surface to 30 μm) mainly composed of Fe-B and an inner layer (from 30 μm to the diffusion front) mainly composed of Fe-S, has the best wear resistance and the most sufficient adhesion among those three.

Pack boronizing and rare-earth (RE)-borosulphurizing of high-carbon steel (T8) were conducted at 950 ∘C for 6 h. Characterizations of the layers formed on the surface of the high carbon steel were carried out by metallographic techniques, scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and wear and corrosion resistance tests. It has been revealed that the diffusion front of the boride layer (BL) has a sawtooth shape, while that of the RE-borosulfide layer (RBSL) is flat. Different from the BL layer, the RBSL layer is compact, continuous and flat. The formation of FeS, Fe2B and FeB phases on the substrates was confirmed by Auger electron spectroscopy analysis. The wear resistance test indicated that within a certain range, the abrasion resistance of the RBSL layer is better than that of the BL layer, especially under high-load conditions. The corrosion resistance test using the weight loss method has shown that the corrosion resistance of the RBSL layer is better but decreases faster with time extension than that of the BL layer.

A long-term experiment set up in 1980 compared the effects of applying manures and chemical fertilizers on a paddy soil in the Taihu Lake region, China. Of the fourteen randomly distributed treatments consisting of different combinations of organic manure, inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), and rice straw, eight were selected for the present study in 2007. Application of organic manure plus straw significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content of the topsoil (0-10 cm) compared to that of chemical fertilizers alone. The content of SOC was relatively stable in the 10-30 cm layer in the chemical fertilizer treatments and in the 20-40 cm layer in the manure treatments. The stable carbon isotope ratio (δ 13 C ) ranged from −24% to −28% and increased gradually with depth. The content of SOC was significantly ( P 0.05) negatively correlated with d 13 C. In the 0-20 cm layer, the d 13 C value significantly decreased in the treatments of manure alone (M), manure and chemical N and P fertilizers (MNP), manure and chemical N, P, and K fertilizers (MNPK), manure, rice straw, and chemical N fertilizer (MRN), and chemical N fertilizer and rice straw (CNR), as compared with the no-fertilizer control. In the 30-50 cm layer, however, the ratio significantly increased in all the treatments except Treatment CNR. Mineralization of organic C peaked in the first 2-4 d of incubation and gradually leveled off thereafter over the first 3 weeks, being faster in the manure treatments than the chemical fertilizer treatments. The average rate of mineralization varied from 55.36 to 75.46 mL CO 2 kg −1 d −1 and that of stable mineralization from 10 to 20 mL CO 2 kg −1 d −1 . In eight weeks of incubation, cumulative mineralization was always higher in the manure treatments than the chemical fertilizer treatments, being the highest in Treatment MRN. Combined humus in the soil was mainly (over 50%) composed of tightly combined fraction. The loosely combined humus and its ratio of humic acid (HA) to fulvic acid (FA) significantly increased with long-term application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers. It could be concluded that the cycle of organic C in the paddy soil ecosystem studied was stable over the long-term application of fertilizers and continued cultivation.

Cobalt content, grain size, microhardness and tensile strength of nanocrystalline Ni–Co deposits produced from a solution containing saccharin and cobalt sulfate at constant electrodeposition conditions (pulse on-time Ton at 1 ms and pulse off-time Toff at 15 ms) but varying the peak current density Jp were investigated. It is found that an increase in Jp makes the deposit Co content lower, colony-like morphology more obvious, grain size smaller, and hardness and tensile strength higher. All of the facts are believed to result from the higher overpotential and nucleation rates caused by the Jp increase. But its further increase could lead to reduction in the hardness and tensile strength. Peak current densities in the range of 100–120 A dm−2 are recommended for the preparation of nanostructured Ni–Co alloy deposits with grain sizes in the range of 15–20 nm, containing 7–8% Co, possessing hardness of 590–600 kg mm−2 and tensile strength of 1180–1200 MPa—significantly higher than the strength of pure nickel deposit which is produced by the similar method and gets similar grain size.

To investigate the relation of the frequency of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha - 308, TNF-beta + 252, IL-1 beta + 3954, and IL-10 - 1082 gene polymorphisms to female breast cancer.Peripheral blood samples were collected from 102 breast cancer patients with cachexia and 120 breast cancer patients without cachexia. Biallelic polymorphisms were performed by analyzing the incision enzyme-digested DNA fragment obtained using PCR.The allele frequencies of TNF-beta + 252, IL-1 beta + 3954, and IL-10 -1082 in the patients with cachexia were comparable with those of the patients without cachexia (all P0.05). The patients with cachexia showed a significantly higher prevalence of TNF2 than the patients without cachexia (20.6 % vs 10.0 %, P = 0.027). Logistic regression analysis indicated TNF2 as a risk factor for cachexia in breast cancer ( OR = 2.333, 95% CI: 1.085-5.017).TNF2 plays an important role in the susceptibility of cachexia in breast cancer.

To study the telomerase activity change in patients with CML different phases, telomerase PCR-ELISA method was used. Results showed that telomerase activity of normal bone marrow cells was low. The telomerase activity in CML at any phase was higher than that in normal bone marrow (P0.05). The telomerase activity in accelerated and acute transformation phases was higher than that in chronic phase (P0.05), but there was no significant difference between accelerated phase and acute transformation phase. It was concluded that telomerase activity could be used as an useful marker for evaluating development of course and curative effect of CML.