Modeling of magnetic properties of GO electrical steel based on Epstein combination and loss data weighted processing

The extended modeling of the magnetic properties of GO (Grain Oriented) electrical steel is presented in this paper which is based on a set of standard and scaled-down Epstein frames and a proposed two-level weighted processing of Epstein data, including the mean magnetic path length, specific magnetization loss and exciting power. The effects of excitation frequency, strip angle and ambient temperature on the results obtained from the Epstein frames are investigated. It is shown that using the proposed Epstein combination and the two-level weighted processing method is an efficient way of building a model for determining magnetic losses more realistically, hence, improving the value of Epstein strip measurement data

Paternal chromosome elimination of inducer triggers induction of double haploids in Brassica napus

A synthetic octoploid rapeseed, Y3380, induces maternal doubled haploids when used as a pollen donor to pollinate plant. However, the mechanism underlying doubled haploid formation remains elusive. We speculated that double haploid induction occurs as the inducer line’s chromosomes pass to the maternal egg cell, and the zygote is formed through fertilization. In the process of zygotic mitosis, the paternal chromosome is specifically eliminated. Part of the paternal gene might have infiltrated the maternal genome through homologous exchange during the elimination process. Then, the zygote haploid genome doubles (early haploid doubling, EH phenomenon), and the doubled zygote continues to develop into a complete embryo, finally forming doubled haploid offspring. To test our hypothesis, in the current study, the octoploid Y3380 line was back bred with the 4122-cp4-EPSPS exogenous gene used as a marker into hexaploid Y3380-cp4-EPSPS as paternal material to pollinate three different maternal materials. The fertilization process of crossing between the inducer line and the maternal parent was observed 48 h after pollination, and the fertilization rate reached 97.92% and 98.72%. After 12 d of pollination, the presence of cp4-EPSPS in the embryo was detected by in situ PCR, and at 13–23 d after pollination, the probability of F1 embryos containing cp4-EPSPS gene was up to 97.27%, but then declined gradually to 0% at 23–33 d. At the same time, the expression of cp4-EPSPS was observed by immunofluorescence in the 3rd to 29th day embryo. As the embryos developed, cp4-EPSPS marker genes were constantly lost, accompanied by embryonic death. After 30 d, the presence of cp4-EPSPS was not detected in surviving embryos. Meanwhile, SNP detection of induced offspring confirmed the existence of double haploids, further indicating that the induction process was caused by the loss of specificity of the paternal chromosome. The tetraploid-induced offspring showed infiltration of the induced line gene loci, with heterozygosity and homozygosity. Results indicated that the induced line chromosomes were eliminated during embryonic development, and the maternal haploid chromosomes were synchronously doubled in the embryo. These findings support our hypothesis and lay a theoretical foundation for further localization or cloning of functional genes involved in double haploid induction in rapeseed

Effect of temperature-dependency of material properties on thermal shock fracture of solids associated with non-Fourier heat conduction

This paper investigates the thermal shock fracture behavior of a cracked semi-infinite medium with temperature-dependent material properties. The medium is subjected to a sudden temperature drop at its surface and all material properties are the functions of temperature. The temperature field and associated thermal stress in the medium without cracking are obtained by using the Laplace transform method and the numerical technology of Laplace inversion. The thermal stress intensity factors at the crack tip are obtained by using the weight function method. The thermal stress intensity factor and crack growth behavior are analyzed numerically by comparing the temperature-dependent model with temperature-independent model. The studies indicate the significance of temperature-dependent material properties on the thermal shock fracture and crack growth behavior of solids for high-temperature applications

Novel TEMPO-PEG-RGDs conjugates remediate tissue damage induced by acute limb ischemia/reperfusion

We have recently developed new Tempo-PEG-RGDs conjugates and have quantitatively examined their antithrombotic and antioxidant capabilities. These compounds were therapeutically beneficial when characterized in both in vitro platelet aggregation assays and a rat model of arterial thrombosis. Moreover, these compounds demonstrated significant protection from organ damage in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion. Our data indicate that Tempo-PEG-RGDs represent a new class of adjuvants with therapeutic efficacy in acute and transient ischemic damage. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Lysosomal Targeting with Stable and Sensitive Fluorescent Probes (Superior LysoProbes): Applications for Lysosome Labeling and Tracking during Apoptosis

© 2015, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Intracellular pH plays an important role in the response to cancer invasion. We have designed and synthesized a series of new fluorescent probes (Superior LysoProbes) with the capacity to label acidic organelles and monitor lysosomal pH. Unlike commercially available fluorescent dyes, Superior LysoProbes are lysosome-specific and are highly stable. The use of Superior LysoProbes facilitates the direct visualization of the lysosomal response to lobaplatin elicited in human chloangiocarcinoma (CCA) RBE cells, using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, we have characterized the role of lysosomes in autophagy, the correlation between lysosome function and microtubule strength, and the alteration of lysosomal morphology during apoptosis. Our findings indicate that Superior LysoProbes offer numerous advantages over previous reagents to examine the intracellular activities of lysosomes

Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats is attenuated by a synthetic glycine derivative

Renal ischemia/reperfusion is a common cause of acute renal failure. Glycine is an effective anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective agent and is reported to have a beneficial effect against ischemia/reperfusion injury in various organs. Previous research notes that free radicals and inflammatory leukocytes both play important roles in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. To develop new therapeutic agents against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury, we sought to link an antioxidant moiety (nitronyl nitroxide) to glycine in the hope that the resulting glycine-nitronyl nitroxide conjugate (GNN) would provide a synergetic protection against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this manuscript, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of the GNN conjugate. The biological activity of the GNN conjugate was evaluated in an in vivo rat model of renal ischemia/reperfusion induced injury and oxidative change. Since the GNN conjugate markedly reduced elevated levels of tissue lipid peroxidation and attenuated renal dysfunction in rats subjected to renal ischemia/reperfusion, it might be possible to develop the GNN conjugate into a potential therapeutic agent against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Genome-Wide Duplication of Allotetraploid Brassica napus Produces Novel Characteristics and Extensive Ploidy Variation in Self-Pollinated Progeny

Whole genome duplications (WGDs) have played a major role in angiosperm species evolution. Polyploid plants have undergone multiple cycles of ancient WGD events during their evolutionary history. However, little attention has been paid to the additional WGD of the existing allopolyploids. In this study, we explored the influences of additional WGD on the allopolyploid Brassica napus. Compared to tetraploid B. napus, octoploid B. napus (AAAACCCC, 2n = 8x =76) showed significant differences in phenotype, reproductive ability and the ploidy of self-pollinated progeny. Genome duplication also altered a key reproductive organ feature in B. napus, that is, increased the number of pollen apertures. Unlike autopolyploids produced from the diploid Brassica species, the octoploid B. napus produced from allotetraploid B. napus had a relatively stable meiotic process, high pollen viability and moderate fertility under self-pollination conditions, indicating that sub-genomic interactions may be important for the successful establishment of higher-order polyploids. Doubling the genome of B. napus provided us with an opportunity to gain insight into the flexibility of the Brassica genomes. The genome size of self-pollinated progeny of octoploid B. napus varied greatly, and was accompanied by extensive genomic instability, such as aneuploidy, mixed-ploidy and mitotic abnormality. The octoploid B. napus could go through any of genome reduction, equilibrium or expansion in the short-term, thus providing a novel karyotype library for the Brassica genus. Our results reveal the short-term evolutionary consequences of recurrent polyploidization events, and help to deepen our understanding of polyploid plant evolution

Synthesis and characterization of novel indole derivatives reveal improved therapeutic agents for treatment of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

International audienceTo develop more potent therapeutic agents with therapeutic efficacy for ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, we linked an antiinflammatory moiety (1,3-dioxane derivative) to the key pharmacophoric moiety of melatonin. We hypothesized that the resulting new indole derivatives might induce a synergistic protection against oxidative damage associated with I/R injury. Our results indicate that one of these indole derivatives (7) manifests potent antiinflammatory antioxidant effects and exerts a protective effect against skeletal muscle injury and associated lung injury following limb I/R in rats