m-Government in China: Observations and Reflections

Mobile and wireless technologies (MWTs), such as wireless laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), mobile phones, smart phones, etc., have deeply penetrated our lives. Government agencies use MWTs to enhance their managerial effectiveness and provide high-level services to citizens taking advantage of its characteristics of mobility, ubiquity, provision of other location-based government services, and on-time information delivery. Mobile government (m- Government) is forming diversely within (as well as between) different countries. China currently has 738.57 million mobile phone users and 29 cities are deploying “Wireless City” projects. Within this context, we chose six different cities in China to examine m-Government maturity and assess the deployment of m-Government services. We further explored mobile and wireless technology (MWT) application and implications in conjunction with a special project in Beijing. Results are discussed and conclusions are drawn

Eocene Podocarpium (Leguminosae) from South China and its biogeographic implications

Podocarpium A. Braun ex Stizenberger is one of the most common legumes in the Neogene of Eurasia, including fossil fruits, seeds, leaves, and possible flower and pollen grains. This genus is not completely consistent with any extant genera according to gross morphological characters and poorly preserved cuticular structures reported in previous studies. The fossil pods collected from the coal-bearing series of the Changchang Basin of Hainan Island and Maoming Basin of Guangdong, South China, are examined by morphologically comparative work, with special reference to venation patterns and placental position. These distinctive features, as well as the ovule development of pods from different growing stages and the epidermal structure of the pods, as distinguished from previous records lead to the conclusion that these fossils can be recognized as a new species of Podocarpium, P. eocenicum sp. nov. This new discovery indicates that Podocarpium had arrived in South China by the Eocene. Investigation on the fossil records of this extinct genus shows that P. eocenicum is the earliest and lowest latitude fossil data. The possible occurrence pattern of this genus is revealed as follows: Podocarpium had distributed in the South China at least in the middle Eocene, and then migrated to Europe during the Oligocene; in the Miocene this genus reached its peak in Eurasia, spreading extensively across subtropical areas to warm temperate areas; finally, Podocarpium shrank rapidly and became extinct in Eurasia during the Pliocene

Plastic Responses in Growth, Morphology, and Biomass Allocation of Five Subtropical Tree Species to Different Degrees of Shading

We investigated how different degrees of shading affected growth, morphology, and biomass allocation in seedlings from two coniferous and three broadleaved species. The experiment was conducted in a shade house over a 1-year period. Our results showed that under increasing shade, seedlings from most species exhibited lower total biomass, net assimilation rates, relative growth rates, root mass ratios, and root/shoot ratios. In contrast, the slenderness quotients, leaf area ratios, and specific leaf areas increased with increasing shade. For coniferous species, growth traits were relatively more plastic (responsive to shade) than morphology or biomass allocation traits, whereas for broadleaved species, growth and biomass allocation were the most shade-sensitive traits. When comparing coniferous versus broadleaved species, the former had a higher growth plasticity index and lower allocation plasticity than the latter. Root biomass and stem mass ratio were the most and least plastic traits in response to shading. Our results indicate that shade differentially affects coniferous and broadleaved species in terms of their growth, morphology, and biomass allocation. These findings have important implications for the establishment and maintenance of mixed-species stands

Immune checkpoints expression patterns in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer predict prognosis and remodel the tumor immune microenvironment

BackgroundCurrently, targeting immune checkpoint molecules holds great promise for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the expression landscape of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) in TNBC remains largely unknown.MethodHerein, we systematically investigated the ICGs expression patterns in 422 TNBC samples. We evaluated the ICGs molecular typing based on the ICGs expression profile and explored the associations between ICGs molecular subtypes and tumor immune characteristics, clinical significance, and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).ResultsTwo ICGs clusters and two ICGs-related gene clusters were determined, which were involved in different survival outcomes, biological roles and infiltration levels of immune cells. We established a quantification system ICGs riskscore (named IRS) to assess the ICGs expression patterns for individuals. TNBC patients with lower IRS were characterized by increased immune cell infiltration, favorable clinical outcomes and high sensitivity to ICIs therapy. We also developed a nomogram model combining clinicopathological variables to predict overall survival in TNBC. Genomic feature analysis revealed that high IRS group presented an increased tumor mutation burden compared with the low IRS group.ConclusionCollectively, dissecting the ICGs expression patterns not only provides a new insight into TNBC subtypes but also deepens the understanding of ICGs in the tumor immune microenvironment

Effect of different doses of dexmedetomidine on lung function and tissue cell apoptosis in a rat model of hyperoxic acute lung injury

Purpose: To study the effect of different doses of dexmedetomidine on lung function and lung tissue cell apoptosis in a rat model of hyperoxic acute lung injury. Methods: Five groups of healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were used: normal rats, untreated hyperoxic rats, and hyperoxic rats given 3 different doses of dexmedetomidine, with 20 rats in each group. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined usingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Parietal paraffin cuts were taken from the right upper lobe for measurement of apoptosis using in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and the apoptosis index was calculated. Results: At 24 and 48 h, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the hyperoxia model group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group, and their levels in the middle- and high-dose groups were markedly lowered, relative to untreated hyperoxia rats (p < 0.05). Apoptosis index in the hyperoxia model rats significantly increased, relative to normal rats (p < 0.05). The apoptosis index in the mediumand high-dose groups decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine inhibits inflammatory responses caused by high concentration of oxygen inhalation, minimizes lung injury, improves lung function and inhibits lung apoptosis. Keywords: Dexmedetomidine, Hyperoxia, Acute lung injury, Lung function, Apoptosi

Phenotypic Plasticity of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. Seedlings in Response to Varied Light Quality Treatments

Effects of light quality on phenotypic plasticity in Cunninghamialanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. seedlings during growth and development, and the underlying mechanisms, were investigated. The seedlings showed distinct morphological adjustments when exposed to an equal photosynthetic photon flux density (400 mu mol.m(-2).s(-1)) of different light qualities: monochromatic blue (BL), monochromatic red (RL), monochromatic far-red (FrL), mixed RL and FrL at 1:1 (RFr1:1L), mixed RL and FrL at 1:2 (RFr1:2L), and multi-wavelength white (WL, control). Compared with WL, FrL and BL significantly promoted height increment. However, BL was unfavorable for root growth. The seedling biomass was lower and the root-to-shoot ratio was smaller under BL. RL promoted leaf area enlargement, root growth, axillary bud number, and increased the root-to-shoot ratio, but inhibited stem elongation. Low R/Fr ratios or increased FrL proportion increased seedling stem elongation. The seedling growth under RFr1:1L treatment was poorer than that under other treatments; however, the number of axillary buds was the highest. The plasticity of leaf morphology traits was lower in different treatments, and that of axillary bud traits was crucial in the adaptation of C. lanceolata to light quality. Precise management of light quality and wavelength in controlled environments may maximize the economic efficiency of forest production and enhance its quality