Robust model of fresh jujube soluble solids content with near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy

A robust partial least square (PLS) calibration model with high accuracy and stability was established for the measurement of soluble solids content (SSC) of fresh jujube using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopytechnique. Fresh jujube samples were collected in different areas of Taigu and Taiyuan cities, central China in 2008 and 2009. A partial least squares (PLS) calibration model was established based on the NIR spectra of 70 fresh jujube samples collected in 2008. A good calibration result was obtained with correlation coefficient (Rc) of 0.9530 and the root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.3951 °Brix. Another PLS calibration model was established based on the NIR spectral of 180 samples collected in 2009; it resulted in the Rc of 0.8536 and the RMSEC of 1.1410 °Brix. It could be seen that the accuracy of established PLS models were different when samples harvested in different years were used for the model calibration. In order to improve the accuracy and robustness of model, different numbers (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40) of samples harvested in 2008 were added to the calibration sample set of the model with samples harvested in 2009, respectively. The established PLS models obtained Rc with the range of 0.8846 to 0.8893 and RMSEC with the range of 1.0248 to 0.9645 °Brix. The obtained results werebetter than the result of the model which was established only with samples harvested in 2009. Moreover, the models established using different numbers of added samples had similar results. Therefore, it was concluded that adding samples from another harvest year could improve the accuracy and robustness of the model for SSC prediction of fresh jujube. The overall results proved that the consideration of samples from different harvest places and years would be useful for establishing an accuracy and robustness spectral model.Keywords: Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, Huping jujube, soluble solids content (SSC), partial least squares (PLS), accuracy, stabilit

Special Patterns of Dynamic Brain Networks Discriminate Between Face and Non-face Processing: A Single-Trial EEG Study

Face processing is a spatiotemporal dynamic process involving widely distributed and closely connected brain regions. Although previous studies have examined the topological differences in brain networks between face and non-face processing, the time-varying patterns at different processing stages have not been fully characterized. In this study, dynamic brain networks were used to explore the mechanism of face processing in human brain. We constructed a set of brain networks based on consecutive short EEG segments recorded during face and non-face (ketch) processing respectively, and analyzed the topological characteristic of these brain networks by graph theory. We found that the topological differences of the backbone of original brain networks (the minimum spanning tree, MST) between face and ketch processing changed dynamically. Specifically, during face processing, the MST was more line-like over alpha band in 0–100 ms time window after stimuli onset, and more star-like over theta and alpha bands in 100–200 and 200–300 ms time windows. The results indicated that the brain network was more efficient for information transfer and exchange during face processing compared with non-face processing. In the MST, the nodes with significant differences of betweenness centrality and degree were mainly located in the left frontal area and ventral visual pathway, which were involved in the face-related regions. In addition, the special MST patterns can discriminate between face and ketch processing by an accuracy of 93.39%. Our results suggested that special MST structures of dynamic brain networks reflected the potential mechanism of face processing in human brain

Macropinocytosis in Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta)

Macropinocytosis is an endocytic process that plays an important role in animal development and disease occurrence but until now has been rarely reported in organisms with cell walls. We investigated the properties of endocytosis in a red alga, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. The cells non-selectively internalized extracellular fluid into large-scale endocytic vesicles (1.94 ± 0.51 μm), and this process could be inhibited by 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride, an macropinocytosis inhibitor. Moreover, endocytosis was driven by F-actin, which promotes formation of ruffles and cups from the cell surface and facilitates formation of endocytotic vesicles. After vesicle formation, endocytic vesicles could be acidified and acquire digestive function. These results indicated macropinocytosis in G. lemaneiformis. Abundant phosphatidylinositol kinase and small GTPase encoding genes were found in the genome of this alga, while PI3K, Ras, and Rab5, the important participators of traditional macropinocytosis, seem to be lacked. Such findings provide a new insight into endocytosis in organisms with cell walls and facilitate further research into the core regulatory mechanisms and evolution of macropinocytosis

Genome plasticity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus: microevolution of the 'pandemic group'

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Outbreak of <it>V. parahaemolyticus </it>infections occurred since 1996 was linked to a proposed clonal complex, the pandemic group. The whole genome sequence provides an unprecedented opportunity for dissecting genome plasticity and phylogeny of the populations of <it>V. parahaemolyticus</it>. In the present work, a whole-genome cDNA microarray was constructed to compare the genomic contents of a collection of 174 strains of <it>V. parahaemolyticus</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genes that present variably in the genome accounted for about 22% of the whole gene pool on the genome. The phylogenetic analysis of microarray data generated a minimum spanning tree that depicted the phylogenetic structure of the 174 strains. Strains were assigned into five complexes (C1 to C5), and those in each complex were related genetically and phylogenetically. C3 and C4 represented highly virulent clinical clones. C2 and C3 constituted two different clonal complexes 'old-O3:K6 clone' and 'pandemic clone', respectively. C3 included all the 39 pandemic strains tested (<it>trh</it>^-, <it>tdh</it>⁺and GS-PCR⁺), while C2 contained 12 pre-1996 'old' O3:K6 strains (<it>trh</it>⁺, <it>tdh</it>^-and GS-PCR^-) tested herein. The pandemic clone (post-1996 'new' O3:K6 and its derivates O4:K68, O1:K25, O1:KUT and O6:K18) might be emerged from the old-O3:K6 clone, which was promoted by acquisition of <it>toxRS</it>/new sequence and genomic islands. A phylogenetic intermediate O3:K6 clade (<it>trh</it>^-, <it>tdh</it>^-and GS-PCR⁺) was identified between the pandemic and old-O3:K6 clones.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A comprehensive overview of genomic contents in a large collection of global isolates from the microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization data enabled us to construct a phylogenetic structure of <it>V. parahaemolyticus </it>and an evolutionary history of the pandemic group (clone) of this pathogen.</p

(2R,3S)-2-Benzyl-3-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranos­yloxy)butanolide

The title compound, C25H30O12, which demonstrates a significant hepatoprotective effect, has comparable geometrical parameters to those of similar compounds. The absolute configuration of the title compound, viz. 2R,3S, was identified from the Flack parameter of 0.05 (17) and the Hooft parameter of 0.04 (6)

Complete sequences of KPC-2-encoding plasmid p628-KPC and CTX-M-55-encoding p628-CTXM coexisted in Klebsiella pneumoniae

A carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain 628 was isolated from a human case of intracranial infection in a Chinese teaching hospital. Strain 628 produces KPC-2 and CTX-M-55 encoded by two different conjugative plasmids, i.e., the IncFIIK plasmid p628-KPC and the IncI1 plasmid p628-CTXM, respectively. blaKPC-2 is captured by a Tn1721-based unit transposon with a linear structure ΔTn3-ISKpn27-blaKPC-2-ΔISKpn6-ΔTn1721, and this transposon together with a mercury resistance (mer) gene locus constitutes a 34 kb acquired drug-resistance region. blaKPC-2 has two transcription starts (nucleotides G and C located at 39 and 250 bp upstream of its coding region, respectively), which correspond to two promoters, i.e., the intrinsic P1 and the upstream ISKpn27/Tn3-provided P2 with the core -35/-10 elements TAATCC/TTACAT and TTGACA/AATAAT, respectively. blaCTX-M-55 is mobilized in an ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-55-Δorf477 transposition unit and appears to be the sole drug-resistant determinant in p628-CTXM. blaCTX-M-55 possesses a single transcription start (nucleotides G located at 116 bp upstream of its coding region), corresponding to the ISEcp1-provided P1 promoter with the core -35/-10 element TTGAAA/TACAAT. All the above detected promoters display a characteristic of constitutive expression. Coexistence of blaKPC and blaCTX-M in K. pneumoniae has been reported many times, but this is the first report to gain deep insights into genetic platforms, promoters, and expression of the two coexisted bla genes with determination of entire nucleotide sequences of the two corresponding plasmids

Paradigm of magnetic domain wall-based In-memory computing

While conventional microelectronic integrated circuits based on electron charges approach the theoretical limitations in foreseeable future, next-generation nonvolatile logic units based on electron spins have the potential to build logic networks of low power consumption. Central to this spin-based architecture is the development of a paradigm for in-memory computing with magnetic logic units. Here, we demonstrate the basic function of a transistor logic unit with patterned Y-shaped NiFe nanowires by gate-controlled domain-wall pinning and depinning. This spin-based architecture possesses the critical functionalities of transistors and can achieve a programmable logic gate by using only one Y-shaped nanostructure, which represents a universal design currently lacking for in-memory computing