Development of the NTP Pool Project in Taiwan

Among the standard time reporting systems, the Network Time Protocol (NTP) provides an easy and accurate way for the accessing the Universal time. The NTP is taking the benefit of the pervasiveness of the computer network during the recent information-oriented modern world. The NTP Pool Project is the project to provide a distributed framework of the NTP servers. As the ever-increasing amounts of the requests of the standard time, the number of the NTP servers provided by the NTP Pool Project will be extended correspondingly. This paper will provide the detailed introduction on the framework of the NTP Pool Project, the development of the NTP Pool Project in Taiwan at the present time, and the followed by the suggestions of the implementation of the NTP pool project

Hemiboea kaiyangensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae endemic to Guizhou, China

A new species of Gesneriaceae from Guizhou, China, Hemiboea kaiyangensis sp. nov., is described and illustrated. We investigated its phylogenetic position and relationships with 13 other species of Hemiboea C.B.Clarke, which present large morphological diversity in the genus, based on molecular analyses of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the chloroplast trnL-F intron-spacer sequences. The molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the new species is most closely related to H. ovalifolia. A diagnostic table and discussion of morphological characters are provided to differentiate the new species from H. longisepala, H. flaccida and H. ovalifolia

Aldo-keto reductases in the eye

Aldose reductase (AKR1B1) is an NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase best known as the rate-limiting enzyme of the polyol pathway. Accelerated glucose metabolism through this pathway has been implicated in diabetic cataract and retinopathy. Some human tissues contain AKR1B1 as well as AKR1B10, a closely related member of the aldo-keto reductase gene superfamily. This opens the possibility that AKR1B10 may also contribute to diabetic complications. The goal of the current study was to characterize the expression profiles of AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 in the human eye. Using quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR and immunohistochemical staining, we observed expression of both AKR genes in cornea, iris, ciliary body, lens, and retina. Expression of AKR1B1 was the highest in lens and retina, whereas AKR1B10 was the highest in cornea. Lenses from transgenic mice designed for overexpression of AKR1B10 were not significantly different from nontransgenic controls, although a significant number developed a focal defect in the anterior lens epithelium following 6 months of experimentally induced diabetes. However, lenses from AKR1B10 mice remained largely transparent following longterm diabetes. These results indicate that AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 may have different functional properties in the lens and suggest that AKR1B10 does not contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic cataract in humans

Bis[2,4-dichloro-6-(ethyl­imino­meth­yl)phenolato-κ2 N,O]nickel(II)

In the title compound, [Ni(C9H8Cl2NO)2], the NiII ion lies on an inversion centre and is coordinated in a slightly distorted square-planar geometry by an N and an O atom from two symmetry-related bidentate 2,4-dichloro-6-(ethyl­imino­meth­yl)phenolate ligands. In the crystal structure, there are short Cl⋯Cl distances of 3.506 (1) and 3.350 (1) Å

3-(2-Bromo-4,5-dimethoxy­phen­yl)propiononitrile

In the mol­ecule of the title compound, C11H12BrNO2, a weak intra­molecular C—H⋯Br hydrogen bond results in the formation of a five-membered ring, which adopts an envelope conformation with the H atom displaced by 0.486 Å from the plane of the other ring atoms. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules

Discovery of a new cryptic Achalinus Peters, 1869 (Serpentes, Xenodermidae) species from Hunan Province, China

A new species, Achalinus sheni sp. nov., from central Hunan Province is described, based on the results of molecular systematics and morphological characters according to five specimens. Our molecular phylogeny inferred from the mitochondrial CO1 gene fragment revealed that this new species is most closely related to A. yunkaiensis, but a considerable amount of genetic divergence exists between them (p-distance ranging from 5.8% to 6.4%) and much distinct genetic divergence exists compared with other known Achalinus species (p-distance ranging from 10.4% to 15.8%), supporting its validity. Morphologically, it can be distinguished from its congeners by: (1) dorsal scales strongly keeled, 23 rows throughout the body, the outmost row smooth and significantly enlarged; (2) tail relatively short, TaL/TL 0.183 ~ 0.224; (3) the suture between internasals subequal to the suture between prefrontals; (4) loreal one, subrectangular, LorH/LorL 0.53 ~ 0.57; (5) ventrals 161–170, anal entire, subcaudals 55–61, not paired; (6) the length of supraocular equal to or longer than the length of upper anterior temporal; and (7) vertebral line inconspicuous and subcaudal streak absent. Currently, 27 species of Achalinus are known in the world, amongst which 20 species are distributed in China. Moreover, a key to species of the genus Achalinus is provided in this study