An Enhanced Drought-Tolerant Method Using SA-Loaded PAMPS Polymer Materials Applied on Tobacco Pelleted Seeds

Drought is one of the most important stress factors limiting the seed industry and crop production. Present study was undertaken to create novel drought-resistant pelleted seeds using the combined materials with superabsorbent polymer, poly(2-acrylamide-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid) (PAMPS) hydrogel, and drought resistance agent, salicylic acid (SA). The optimized PAMPS hydrogel was obtained as the molar ratio of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) to potassium peroxydisulfate (KPS) and N, N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) was 1 : 0.00046 : 0.00134. The hydrogel weight after swelling in deionized water for 24 h reached 4306 times its own dry weight. The water retention ratio (RR) of PAMPS was significantly higher as compared with the control. It could keep as high as 85.3% of original weight after 30 min at 110°C; even at 25°C for 40 d, the PAMPS still kept RR at 33.67%. PAMPS disintegration ratio increased gradually and reached around 30% after embedding in soil or activated sludge for 60 d. In addition, there were better seed germination performance and seedling growth in the pelleted treatments with SA-loaded PAMPS hydrogel under drought stress than control. It suggested that SA-loaded PAMPS hydrogel, a nontoxic superabsorbent polymer, could be used as an effective drought resistance material applied to tobacco pelleted seeds

A six-generation Chinese family in haplogroup B4C1C exhibits high penetrance of 1555A > G-induced hearing Loss

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The 1555A > G mutation is the most common cause of aminoglycoside-induced and non-syndromic deafness. However, the variable clinical phenotype and incomplete penetrance of A1555G-induced hearing loss complicate our understanding of this mutation. Environmental factors, nuclear genes, mitochondrial haplotypes/variants and a possible threshold effect have been reported to may be involved in its manifestation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here, we performed a clinical, molecular, genetic and phylogenic analysis in a six-generation Chinese family.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A clinical evaluation revealed that affected individuals without aminoglycoside exposure developed hearing loss extending gradually from 12000 Hz to 8000 Hz and then to 4000 Hz. Using pyrosequencing, we detected an identical homoplasmic 1555A > G mutation in all individuals except one. We did not find any correlation between the mutation load and the severity of hearing loss. T123N coexisted with the 1555A > G mutation in six affected subjects in our pedigree. Analysis of the complete mtDNA genome of this family revealed that this family belonged to haplotype B4C1C and exhibited high penetrance. Upon the inclusion of subjects that had been exposed to aminoglycosides, the penetrance of the hearing loss was 63.6%.; without exposure to aminoglycosides, it was 51.5%. This pedigree and another reported Chinese pedigree share the same haplotype (B4C1C) and lack functionally significant mitochondrial tRNA variants, but nevertheless they exhibit a different penetrance of hearing loss.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results imply that the factors responsible for the higher penetrance and variable expression of the deafness associated with the 1555A > G mutation in this pedigree may not be mtDNA haplotype/variants, but rather nuclear genes and/or aminoglycosides.</p

Metal-Organic Framework Supporting Fe3O4 Prepared by Microwave in Couple With NTP to Eliminate VOCs From Biofuel

In the production process of briquette biofuel, terpenes such as pinene and camphene, as well as non-terpenoid VOCs such as formic acid, acetaldehyde, and benzene, are generated during conditioning, drying and other procedures. Different catalysts of Fe3O4 supported by CoFe-ZIFs were prepared by thermal dissolution method and microwave dissolution method with changing the doping amount of iron. The structures of these catalysts were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer Fourier-Transformed InfraRed, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and scanning electron microscope and the catalytic performance for α-pinene was tested on a fixed bed. The results show that, compared with the thermal dissolution method, the microwave dissolution method was easier to induce iron to form Fe3O4 grains with higher activity. At the same time, the grains did not affect the formation of CoFe-ZIFs structure. Fe3O4 supported on CoFe-ZIFs enhanced the catalytic activity and energy efficiency of the catalysts for α-pinene. Among the test samples, CoFe14-ZIF-W prepared by microwave method with Fe doping 14% mol exhibited the stable structural characteristics and the highest catalytic efficiency of 94.3% and energy efficiency of 8.11 g·kWh−1, which provided a further possibility of practical application for the removal of VOCs from biomass

Electron imaging of calcium oxalate crystals in beagle dogs’ urine

Calcium oxalate crystalluria appears to be a common problem in most of small animal clinics. This current study aimed at inducing a condition of oxalate crystalluria in beagles and record the primary changes in canine blood and urine on response to oxalates injection. 15 dogs were divided into two groups; those in the treatment group were injected intravenously with 0.5 M potassium oxalate and the dogs of control group were injected with physiological saline for five successive days. Urine test revealed a significant decrease in urinary creatinine and urinary urea nitrogen levels. The ultrastructural examination of urine sediment showed typical and atypical phases of calcium oxalate crystals and the X-ray defractionation of these crystals showed high content of calcium in addition to other minerals. Therefore potassium oxalate injection may provide an example of calcium oxalate crystalluria which may answer some question around the pathogenesis of this problem in dogs

Osteopontin and Tamma-Horsefall proteins – Macromolecules of myriad values

In the past two decades, calcium oxalate urolithiasis (COU) has been a frustrating problem worldwide. Several recent studies, indicate that the macromolecules are of greater importance to the inhibitory effects on crystal growth and aggregation. Various macromolecules modulate various steps of stone formation. Osteopontin and Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein are two important proteins involved in the process of retention of crystals and stone formation. Osteopontin is a potent inhibitor of crystallization of calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate, the most common crystals found in the urine and kidney stones. On the other side it is a multifunction protein. It is involved in divers’ biological processes. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein modulates aggregation and growth of supersaturated salts and their crystals, respectively. It in addition contributes to the colloid osmotic pressure of urine, helping to prevent urinary tract infections. The aim of this review is to outline some important aspects of these two macromolecules especially regarding renal stone diseases

Analysis of factors influencing vibration reduction and design optimization of damping holes in adjacent tunnel blasting

Drilling and blasting is still the most widely used method for tunnel excavation in hard rocks. However, this method causes damage to adjacent buildings and structures mainly because of tunnel blast-induced vibrations. Currently, no specific guidelines are available for optimizing the design of damping holes during controlled blasting. Therefore, this study analyzes the vibration reduction mechanism of damping holes. Six key factors, namely, hole radius, hole spacing, coverage length, arrangement type, number of rows, and row spacing, that can affect the blasting vibration reduction were analyzed theoretically. Six groups of 30 numerical models were established using LS-DYNA. The influences of the six factors on the average and maximum velocities and stress vibration reduction were analyzed to quantitatively evaluate their damping effects. Then, optimization design suggestions for damping holes were proposed. The results revealed that it is necessary to increase the hole diameter and reduce the hole and row spacings as much as possible. The reasonable coverage length of damping holes is 1.5 times the coverage length of blasting holes. The blossom-type arrangement is recommended for practical engineering applications and the number of rows of damping holes should not exceed four. Guidelines for reducing vibration in adjacent tunnel blasting were formulated. Finally, the optimized damping hole design was applied to a typical tunnel project, which verified its reasonability and applicability

Different associations of CD45 isoforms with STAT3, PKC and ERK regulate IL-6-induced proliferation in myeloma.

In response to interleukin 6 (IL-6) stimulation, both CD45RO and CD45RB, but not CD45RA, translocate to lipid rafts. However, the significance of this distinct translocation and the downstream signals in CD45 isoforms-participated IL-6 signal are not well understood. Using sucrose fractionation, we found that phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and STAT1 were mainly localized in lipid rafts in response to IL-6 stimulation, despite both STAT3 and STAT1 localizing in raft and non-raft fractions in the presence or absence of IL-6. On the other hand, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and phosphorylated ERK were localized in non-raft fractions regardless of the existence of IL-6. The rafts inhibitor significantly impeded the phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT1 and nuclear translocation, but had little effect on (and only postponing) the phosphorylation of ERK. This data suggests that lipid raft-dependent STAT3 and STAT1 pathways are dominant pathways of IL-6 signal in myeloma cells. Interestingly, the phosphorylation level of STAT3 but not STAT1 in CD45+ cells was significantly higher compared to that of CD45- cells, while the phosphorylation level of ERK in CD45+ myeloma cells was relatively low. Furthermore, exogenously expressed CD45RO/RB significantly enhanced STAT3, protein kinase C (PKC) and downstream NF-κB activation; however, CD45RA/RB inhibited IL-6-induced ERK phosphorylation. CD45 also enhanced the nuclear localization of STAT3 but not that of STAT1. In response to IL-6 stimulation, CD45RO moved into raft compartments and formed a complex with STAT3 and PKC in raft fraction, while CD45RA remained outside of lipid rafts and formed a complex with ERK in non-raft fraction. This data suggests a different role of CD45 isoforms in IL-6-induced signaling, indicating that while CD45RA/RB seems inhibit the rafts-unrelated ERK pathway, CD45RO/RB may actually work to enhance the rafts-related STAT3 and PKC/NF-κB pathways

Vibration characteristics, attenuation law and prediction method in the near field of tunnel blasting

Vibration induced by near-field tunnel blasting can easily damage the surrounding rockmass. The vibration response, damage characteristics and attenuation law in front and rear of the tunnel face were studied under different types of holes blasting. A new prediction method for the near field PPV was proposed based on the far field monitoring data. The results showed that the maximum PPV of the surrounding rockmass near the tunnel face was generated by the peripheral holes blasting, and the propagation distance was the key influencing factor. In contrast, the maximum PPV away from the tunnel face was generated by cutting holes blasting, and the conditions of blasting free face and the charge weight had a greater influence than the propagation distance. Due to the cavity amplification effect of the excavated tunnel behind the tunnel face within a certain range of 2–6 m, the blasting seismic wave produces superposition in the vault behind the tunnel face. The vault PPV behind the tunnel face attenuated rapidly in the range of 0–2 m, then increased slightly in the range of 2–6 m, and then decreased slowly with the increase of propagation distance. By introducing the amplification coefficient, a modified formula was proposed to predict the near field PPV using the far-field monitoring data, which had effectively improved the prediction accuracy