Study of Salicylic Acid Influence on Seedling Growth and Nitrogen Metabolism in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.)

Salicylic acid is involved in the regulation of metabolic activity and defense mechanism in plants under various stress conditions. Present study was conducted to determine the effects of salicylic acid (10 to 500 μM) on seedling growth, development and nitrogen use efficiency in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) plants with or without nitrogen nutrient. Salicylic acid increased contents of chlorophyll, total non-structural carbohydrate and total nitrogen, as well as nitrate assimilation through the induction of nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) activity in isolated watermelon cotyledons. Accumulation of salicylic acid was two-fold higher in cotyledons without nitrate supply in comparison to that with nitrate supply. Further 50 μM of SA induced enhancement in seed germination and growth characteristics. However higher salicylic acid concentrations inhibited above physiological characteristics. Results show that, field application of salicylic acid need optimum physiological concentration (e.g., 50 μM) to increase nitrogen use efficiency particularly during germination and seedling growth

The everchanging epidemiology of meningococcal disease worldwide and the potential for prevention through vaccination.

Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia worldwide and is associated with high case fatality rates and serious life-long complications among survivors. Twelve serogroups are recognised, of which six (A, B, C, W, X and Y) are responsible for nearly all cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). The incidence of IMD and responsible serogroups vary widely both geographically and over time. For the first time, effective vaccines against all these serogroups are available or nearing licensure. Over the past two decades, IMD incidence has been declining across most parts of the world through a combination of successful meningococcal immunisation programmes and secular trends. The introduction of meningococcal C conjugate vaccines in the early 2000s was associated with rapid declines in meningococcal C disease, whilst implementation of a meningococcal A conjugate vaccine across the African meningitis belt led to near-elimination of meningococcal A disease. Consequently, other serogroups have become more important causes of IMD. In particular, the emergence of a hypervirulent meningococcal group W clone has led many countries to shift from monovalent meningococcal C to quadrivalent ACWY conjugate vaccines in their national immunisation programmes. Additionally, the recent licensure of two protein-based, broad-spectrum meningococcal B vaccines finally provides protection against the most common group responsible for childhood IMD across Europe and Australia. This review describes global IMD epidemiology across each continent and trends over time, the serogroups responsible for IMD, the impact of meningococcal immunisation programmes and future needs to eliminate this devastating disease

Signal processing for fiber optic acoustic sensor system

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-56).Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.A new scheme for optic detection of sound waves based upon fiber optic interferometer is presented. Multiple fiber Fabry-Perot interferometers (FFPI) are used as arrayed sensor elements inside the cable. The sensors are interrogated with light pulses from a single mode laser. Signals from multiple sensors in the array are separated and demultiplexed. The acoustic pressure information is determined by processing the returned optical pulses using a fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer as an optical phase compensator. Two passive demodulation techniques based on a 3 by 3 output coupler in the Mach-Zehnder interferometer provide a way to eliminate phase fading suffered inside the interferometric sensors. System measurements utilizing the two techniques were demonstrated; and the linearity and stability of system were examined. A new design to overcome polarization fading inside the fiber interferometer system based upon rotation of the input optical polarization is presented. The fiber is modeled as a birefringence cavity. Simulation based on fiber birefringence models is carried out; the optimum polarization rotation scheme has been verified, and the worst case fading has been determined

Exploring the Impact of Organizational Implants of a Manufacturing Company on Service Innovation in the context of big data: A case study of XI’AN SHAANGU POWER

Service innovation has become an important way for manufacturing companies to obtain and maintain their competitive advantages. Organizational implants have been proven to enhance service innovation in manufacturing companies, while the rise of big data offers new opportunities for it. This study aims to explore the impact path from organizational implants of a manufacturing company to service innovation in the context of big data with the application of Single Case Study Method, and XI’AN SHAANGU POWER is selected as research object. The findings are suggested as follows: (1) There are two ways of organizational implants to achieve service innovation for manufactures. One is employee implants, and the other is device implants. (2) Employee implants can create relationship capital, and device implants can generate data resources. (3) Relationship capital has a direct and indirect positive impact on service innovation through professional knowledge acquisition and customer demands mining. (4) Data resources have an indirect positive impact on service innovation through customer demands mining and product technology upgrading

The complete mitochondrial genome of Fannia canicularis (Diptera: Fanniidae)

Fannia canicularis (Linnaeus, 1761) is a species from the family Fanniidae. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of F. canicularis for the first time. The circular mitogenome is 15,826 bp in length, and includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding control region. The family Fanniidae formed a monophyletic clade in the phylogenetic tree based on 13 concatenated PCGs, sister to three other families in Diptera

An Integrated Analysis of Anatomical and Sugar Contents Identifies How Night Temperatures Regulate the Healing Process of Oriental Melon Grafted onto Pumpkin

Graft healing is a complex process affected by environmental factors, with temperature being one of the most important influencing factors. Here, oriental melon grafted onto pumpkin was used to study changes in graft union formation and sugar contents at the graft interface under night temperatures of 18 °C and 28 °C. Histological analysis suggested that callus formation occurred 3 days after grafting with a night temperature of 28 °C, which was one day earlier than with a night temperature of 18 °C. Vascular reconnection with a night temperature of 28 °C was established 2 days earlier than with a night temperature of 18 °C. Additionally, nine sugars were significantly enriched in the graft union, with the contents of sucrose, trehalose, raffinose, D–glucose, D–fructose, D–galactose, and inositol initially increasing but then decreasing. Furthermore, we also found that exogenous glucose and fructose application promotes vascular reconnection. However, exogenous sucrose application did not promote vascular reconnection. Taken together, our results reveal that elevated temperatures improve the process of graft union formation through increasing the contents of sugars. This study provides information to develop strategies for improving grafting efficiency under low temperatures

Analysis of miR‐376 RNA cluster members in the mouse inner ear

Summary Mutations in phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) are associated with a spectrum of non‐syndromic to syndromic hearing loss. PRPS1 transcript levels have been shown to be regulated by the microRNA‐376 genes. The long primary RNA transcript of the miR‐376 RNA cluster members undergo extensive and simultaneous A → I editing at one or both of two specific sites (+4 and +44) in particular human and mouse tissues. The PRPS1 gene, which contains target sites for the edited version of miR‐376a‐5p within its 3′UTR, has been shown to be repressed in a tissue‐specific manner. To investigate whether the transcription of Prps1 is regulated by miR‐376 cluster members in the mouse inner ear, we first quantified the expression of the mature miR‐376 RNAs by quantitative real‐time‐PCR. The spatio‐temporal patterns of miR‐376 expression were assessed by in situ hybridization. Finally, we examined whether A →I editing of pri‐miR‐376 RNAs occurs in mouse inner ear by direct sequencing. Our data showed that the miR‐376a‐3p, b‐3p, c‐3p are present in mouse embryonic inner ears and intensive expression of miR‐376a‐3p/b‐3p was detected in the sensory epithelia and ganglia of both auditory and vestibular portions of the inner ear. In adult inner ear, the expression of miR‐376a‐3p/b‐3p is restricted within ganglion neurons of auditory and vestibular systems as well as the cells in the stria vascularis. Only unedited pri‐miR‐376 RNAs were detected in the cochlea suggesting that the activity of PRPS1 in the inner ear may not be regulated through the editing of miR‐376 cluster

Genetic connection between mud shale lithofacies and shale oil enrichment in Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin

By using microscope, argon ion polishing technology, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy, and hydrocarbon generation and expulsion simulation, reservoir properties, oiliness and shale oil mobility of different mud shale lithofacies were examined with the mud shale in Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin as the example. The relationship between lithofacies type and shale oil enrichment was analyzed. Based on the rock composition, sedimentary structures and abundance of organic matter, a mud shale lithofacies classification standard for the upper submember of the 4th Member to the lower submember of the 3rd Member of Paleogene Shahejie Formation (Es4s-Es3x) was established. Six lithofacies are developed in the target formation, in which the laminar organic-rich lithofacies formed in the alternating mechanical transportation deposition and chemical deposition, not only has the highest TOC, S1, oil saturation, movable oil saturation, content of low-carbon light components and oil generation and expulsion rate, but also has various types of reservoir space, abundant pores, and organic network system and interlayer micro-fracture system which can serve as high-speed channels for shale oil and gas migration, so this lithofacies is favorable for shale oil enrichment. Key words: mud shale, shale oil, lithofacies, oiliness, reservoir properties, organic network, microcracks, Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basi