Mechanistic examination of causes for narrow distribution in an endangered shrub: a comparison of its responses to drought stress with a widespread congeneric species

Although deep rooting is usually considered a drought-tolerant trait, we found that Syringapinnatifolia, a deep rooting and hydrotropic shrub, has a limited distribution in arid areas. To elucidate the mechanisms for its narrow distribution, we conducted two experiments to examine the physiological and morphological responses to water availability and heterogeneity in S. pinnatifolia and a widespread congeneric species, S. oblata. We measured gas exchange, water use efficiency, and plasticity index in plants of these two species grown at different levels of soil water regimes and in containers with patched water distribution. Our results showed that high photosynthetic capacity in the narrowly distributed S. pinnatifolia was an important factor enabling its survival in the harsh sub-alpine environment. High photosynthetic capacity in S. pinnatifolia, however, was obtained at the expense of high transpiratory water loss, resulting in lower integrative water use efficiency. Biomass allocation to roots in S. pinnatifolia increased by 73 % when soil water increased from 75 to 95 % field capacity, suggesting that S. pinnatifolia could be less competitive for above-ground resources under favorable water regimes. The horizontal root hydrotropism and vertical root hydrotropism of S. pinnatifolia in soil with patched water patterns were likely related to compensation for leaf water loss at low soil water level, indicating a limited capacity for homeostasis within the plant for water conservation and lower level of inherent drought-tolerance. In summary, greater degree of morphological plasticity but lower degree of physiological adjustment may be the main causes for the hydrotropism and narrow distribution of S. pinnatifolia in the sub-alpine habitats

Attenuated Glial Reactivity on Topographically Functionalized Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene):P-Toluene Sulfonate (PEDOT:PTS) Neuroelectrodes Fabricated by Microimprint Lithography

Following implantation, neuroelectrode functionality is susceptible to deterioration via reactive host cell response and glial scar-induced encapsulation. Within the neuroengineering community, there is a consensus that the induction of selective adhesion and regulated cellular interaction at the tissue–electrode interface can significantly enhance device interfacing and functionality in vivo. In particular, topographical modification holds promise for the development of functionalized neural interfaces to mediate initial cell adhesion and the subsequent evolution of gliosis, minimizing the onset of a proinflammatory glial phenotype, to provide long-term stability. Herein, a low-temperature microimprint-lithography technique for the development of micro-topographically functionalized neuroelectrode interfaces in electrodeposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):p-toluene sulfonate (PEDOT:PTS) is described and assessed in vitro. Platinum (Pt) microelectrodes are subjected to electrodeposition of a PEDOT:PTS microcoating, which is subsequently topographically functionalized with an ordered array of micropits, inducing a significant reduction in electrode electrical impedance and an increase in charge storage capacity. Furthermore, topographically functionalized electrodes reduce the adhesion of reactive astrocytes in vitro, evident from morphological changes in cell area, focal adhesion formation, and the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine factors. This study contributes to the understanding of gliosis in complex primary mixed cell cultures, and describes the role of micro-topographically modified neural interfaces in the development of stable microelectrode interfaces

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Nitric Oxide Made a Major Contribution to the Improvement of Quality in Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) by the Combined Treatment of Nitric Oxide with 1-MCP

Browning is one of the major effects of shelf-life responsible for the reduction in the commercial value of the button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). In this study, the individual and the combined effects of exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the quality of button mushrooms were evaluated. The results demonstrated that mushrooms treated with SNP+1-MCP promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism thereby protecting cell membrane integrity, hindering polyphenol oxidase (PPO) binding to phenolic compounds, and downregulating the PPO activity. In addition, the SNP+1-MCP treatment effectively maintained quality (firmness, color, total phenol, and flavonoid) and mitigated oxidative damage by reducing ROS accumulation and malondialdehyde production through the stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes activities and the enhancement of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) contents. Moreover, the correlation analysis validated the above results. The SNP+1-MCP treatment was observed to be more prominent on maintaining quality than the individual effects of SNP followed by 1-MCP, suggesting that the combination of NO and 1-MCP had synergistic effects in retarding button mushrooms senescence, and NO signaling molecules might be predominant in the synergy

Content characteristics of IPTV : analysis of sensationalism, localism, and interactivity

This study combined observation and content analysis to examine professional IPTV content in terms of sensationalism, localism, and interactivity. Observational results found these videos were sensational, localized, and somewhat interactive. Content analysis showed that IPTV was different from traditional TV content in that it used more sensational sex and celebrity stories, used more tabloid packaging, and appealed more to emotions through vivid storytelling techniques, in both entertainment and news content. In addition, localism was reflected in the selection of geographically and culturally proximate stories. The “local hook” was more important in news than in entertainment. This case utilized some interactive features and social media for redistributing and for promoting selected content, but it still lacked two-way user interactivity. Implications are discussed.Accepted versio

A Ratiometric Selective Fluorescent Probe Derived from Pyrene for Cu²⁺ Detection

A novel ratiometric Cu2+-selective probe was rationally constructed based on pyrene derivative. Compared to other tested metal ions, the probe presented the selective recognition for Cu2+ which could be detected by a significant turn-on fluorescent response at 393 nm and 415 nm. Under the optimized conditions, a detection limit of 0.16 μM Cu2+ in aqueous media was found. Besides this, a 1:1 metal–ligand complex was confirmed by MS spectra and Job’s plot experiment, and the binding mode was also studied by 1H NMR experiment. Meanwhile, the fluorescence imaging in living cells was performed to detect Cu2+ with satisfactory results

Clinicopathology of EpCAM and EGFR in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma

The objective of this study was to explore the expression of EpCAM and EGFR in human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters