[The diagnostic value of genetic testing in familial hypercholesterolemia in patients with premature myocardial infarction]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of gene testing in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in patients with premature myocardial infarction(PMI). Methods: This study was a single center cross-sectional study. A retrospective analysis was made on PMI patients who visited the People's Hospital of Peking University from May 1, 2015 to March 31, 2017. Clinical data of patients was collected and gene testing of FH related genes low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), apolipoprotein B(APOB) and low density lipoprotein receptor adaptor protein 1(LDLRAP1) was carried out. Clinical diagnosis of FH patients was performed using Simon Broome criteria, DLCN criteria, and FH Chinese expert consensus. Results: There were 188 males (83.6%) among 225 PMI patients, and the age of the first myocardial infarction was (46.6±7.2) years old. Ten patients carried FH pathogenic or possibly pathogenic mutations (4.4%). Compared with Simon Broome standard, DLCN standard and FH Chinese expert consensus, gene testing increased the diagnostic rate of FH by 53.3%, 33.3% and 42.1% respectively. Conclusion: Gene testing is helpful to improve the diagnosis of FH, and it is important to start the standard treatment of FH as early as possible in patients with premature myocardial infarction.

[Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of pediatric epiretinal membranes without specific etiologies]

Objective: To describe clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of pediatric epiretinal membranes (ERMs) without specific etiologies. Methods: Medical data of a cohort of pediatric patients (≤14 years) who had ERMs without specific etiologies, underwent surgical removal from January 2019 to September 2021, and were followed up for at least 12 months were retrospectively reviewed. Age at presentation, chief complaints, color fundus photographs, optical coherence tomographic images, preoperative and postoperative visual acuities, anatomical changes, and postoperative complications were assessed. Results: There were 14 patients (17 eyes), including 5 females (6 eyes) and 9 males (11 eyes). The mean age at surgery was 6.31±2.91 years, and the follow-up duration was 17.3±9.5 months. Eight patients were found to have low vision in the school physical examination. Fifteen eyes had an appearance of cellophane macular reflex on fundus images. On optical coherence tomographic images, 10 eyes had"taco"folds, and 7 eyes had"ripple"folds. Five eyes had ellipsoid zone disruptions, while 12 eyes had ellipsoid zone integrity. The preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities in logMAR were 0.532±0.302 and 0.340±0.298. One patient suffered traumatic cataract and secondary retinal detachment postoperatively, and after further vitrectomy, the retina became attached. Conclusion: Pediatric ERMs without specific etiologies were mostly found in school-age children with cellophane macular reflex and"taco"folds. Vitrectomy may result in both potential visual acuity and macular anatomical improvements.

[Etiological analysis on a foodborne disease outbreak caused by two serotypes of Salmonella]

Objective: To understand the etiological characteristics of 2 serotypes of Salmonella strains isolated from a foodborne disease outbreak. Methods: A total of 11 anal swabs of the cases, 13 suspected contaminated food and 10 environmental samples were collected from a foodborne disease outbreak occurred on September 8, 2022 in a school. The anal swabs were enriched with selenite brilliant green enrichment broth (SBG) and brain heart infusion broth (BHI) respectively. PCR detection and culture of common intestinal pathogens were carried out. The suspected food samples were tested according to national standards for food safety. Multiple suspected Salmonella colonies were obtained and selected for serotype determination and whole genome sequencing. Serotypes were determined based on the whole-genome sequence, and clustering analysis was performed based on core genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Results: The positive rates of Salmonella in anal swabs and suspected food samples were 9/11 and 5/13 respectively. Both Salmonella Uganda and Salmonella Idikan were isolated from 4 anal swabs and 4 suspected food samples. For the remaining samples, only Salmonella Uganda or Salmonella Idikan was isolated in each sample. The positive rate of Salmonella in 11 anal swabs of the cases after BHI enrichment for 12 h and 24 h were all 9/11 in real-time PCR, same to the culture results. Salmonella Uganda and Salmonella Idikan formed two independent and genetically distant lineages in the clustering tree based on core genome SNP, and 0-14 and 0-23 SNP were observed in Salmonella Uganda and Salmonella Idikan respectively. Conclusions: This foodborne disease outbreak was probably caused by Salmonella Uganda and Salmonella Idikan, which both exhibited strong genetic diversity. The PCR based pathogen screening strategy plus pathogen enrichment for cases' annal swabs can be used in the routine outbreak investigation.

[Rosuvastatin acts on the lymphatic system to improve atherosclerosis]

Objective: To investigate whether rosuvastatin acts on lymphatic system and influences lymphatic system-mediated reverse cholesterol transport to play an anti-atherosclerosis role. Methods: Forty-eight apolipoprotein E^-/- mice fed a high fat diet were used to construct the atherosclerosis model. They were randomly divided into 4 groups with 12 rats in each group. They were treated with rosuvastatin, vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and rosuvastatin+VEGF-C inhibitors as experimental group, and no intervention measures were given in control group. After 8 weeks, aortic plaque area, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) content in lymph fluid, the function of popliteal lymphatic drainage of peripheral Evans blue, and the ability of lymphatic system to transport peripheral cell membrane red fluorescent probes to label high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were detected. Subsequently, the effects of rosuvastatin on proliferation, migration and tubular function of lymphoendothelial cells and the expression of scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) on lymphoendothelial cells at different concentrations were detected. Results: Compared with the control group, Rosuvastatin and VEGF-C could reduce the area of aortic atherosclerotic plaque (P<0.05). In addition to rosuvastatin plus VEGF-C inhibitor, the intra-aortic plaque area increased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, Rosuvastatin could increase the content of HDL-C in lymphatic fluid (P<0.05), enhance the drainage function of lymphatic vessels, and enhance the capacity of HDL in the transport tissue fluid of lymphatic system. Compared with the control group, VEGF-C increased the content of HDL-C in mouse lymph fluid (P<0.01), enhanced the drainage function of popliteal lymphatic canal, and enhanced the ability of lymphatic system to transport HDL. With the addition of VEGF-C inhibitor on the basis of rosuvastatin, the content of HDL-C in lymph fluid was reduced, the drainage of popliteal lymphatic canal was interrupted, and the ability of lymphatic system to transport HDL was reduced. Western blotting showed that rosuvastatin increased the protein expression of SR-B1. Conclusion: Rosuvastatin can promote the proliferation, migration and tube formation of lymphatic endothelial cells. At the same time, SR-B1 expression on lymphatic endothelial cells is promoted, thus enhancing the lymphatic system mediated cholesterol reversal transport and playing the role of anti-atherosclerosis.

Synergetic Catalysis of Magnetic Single-Atom Catalysts Confined in Graphitic-C3N4/CeO2(111) Heterojunction for CO Oxidization

Magnetic single-atom catalysts (MSAC), due to the intrinsic spin degree of freedom, are of particular importance relative to other conventional SAC for applications in various catalytic processes, especially in those cases that involve spin-triplet O₂. However, the bottleneck issue in this field is the clustering of the SAC during the processes. Here using first-principles calculations we predict that Mn atoms can be readily confined in the interface of the porous g-C₃N₄/CeO₂(111) heterostructure, forming high-performance MSAC for O₂ activation via a delicate synergetic mechanism of charge transfer, mainly provided by the p-block g-C₃N₄ overlayer mediated by the d-block Mn active site, and spin selection, preserved mainly through active participation of the f-block Ce atoms and/or g-C₃N₄, which effectively promotes the CO oxidization. Such a recipe is also demonstrated to be valid for V- and Nb-MSACs, which may shed new light on the design of highly efficient MSACs for various important chemical processes wherein spin-selection matters.

A rapid sap-direct reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method for detection of dendrobium viroid in Dendrobium plants

Dendrobium viroid (DVd) was first reported in China in 2020, and it is the only viroid known to infect Orchidaceae family plants. In this study, we developed a simple reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for the rapid detection of DVd in Dendrobium plants. When extracting the sap template from the leaves, they are first clamped between two layers of plastic film, and the sap is pressed out and collected with a pipette. Using this sap, DVd was detected by dot-blot and RT-PCR methods and, the expected amplicons were confirmed by sequencing analysis. The batch analysis of field samples revealed that this method can be used to detect DVd rapidly. The detection method also reduces cross-contamination between different samples and minimizes false positives. Thus, this sap-direct RT-PCR method allows effective and rapid DVd detection in the study of Orchidaceae plants.

Effect of manganese source on manganese absorption and expression of related transporters in the small intestine of broilers

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of manganese (Mn) source on Mn absorption and expressions of Mn, amino acid, and peptide transporters in the small intestine of broilers. A total of 320 Mn-deficient 15-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 8 replicates/treatment and 8 chicks/replicate and fed an Mn-unsupplemented control diet or the control diet supplemented with 110 mg Mn/kg from either MnSO4, or 1 of 3 organic Mn chelates with weak (OW), moderate (OM), or strong (OS) chelation strength for 14 D. The plasma Mn contents were higher (P < 0.03) in supplemental Mn groups than in the control group, in OS group than in OM group, and in OM group than in OW and MnSO4 groups on day 28. Broilers fed diets supplemented with Mn had higher (P < 0.02) duodenal divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ferroportin 1 (FPN1) mRNA levels and FPN1 protein level on both days 21 and 28 than those fed the control diet. Duodenal DMT1 mRNA and protein levels were higher (P < 0.05) in OM and OS groups than in OW and MnSO4 groups on day 28. The mRNA levels of amino acid transporters [b0, +-type amino acid transporter 1 (B0AT1) and excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3)] were higher (P < 0.0005), and peptide transporter 1 was lower (P < 0.04) in the ileum than in the duodenum and jejunum; however, Mn source did not affect (P > 0.05) mRNA levels of amino acid and peptide transporters in the small intestine of broilers. The results from the present study indicate that both DMT1 and FPN1 facilitated Mn absorption, however, the amino acid and peptide transporters might not be involved in the transport of the organic Mn chelates; organic Mn chelates with moderate and strong chelation strength, especially strong chelation strength, showed higher Mn absorption possibly due to enhanced DMT1 expression in the duodenum of broilers.

Operating behavior of micro-LEDs on a GaN substrate at ultrahigh injection current densities

Near-ultraviolet micro-LEDs with different diameters were fabricated on GaN substrates. The electroluminescence and the light output power-current density and current density-voltage relationships were measured. A saturated current density of 358 kA/cm² was achieved with a 20 µm LED. The ideality factor curves showed steps and peaks when the injection current density was increased from 20 to 150 kA/cm² and an abnormal efficiency increase. The transport and recombination processes of micro-LEDs at high injection current densities were simulated, and the many-body effect and phase space filling in the integrated quantum drift-diffusion model were considered. Serious current crowding was observed above 100 kA/cm², even for the 20 µm LED.

Methylation-Based Age Estimation Model Construction and Its Effectiveness Evaluation

OBJECTIVES

To screen the DNA methylation loci associated with the age of Han males in northern China and to construct an age estimation model.

METHODS

Twenty-one candidate methylation loci were screened. The DNA methylation levels of 476 blood samples from Chinese Han males were detected for 21 amplicons using EpiTYPER technology platform, and data on 153 DNA methylation loci were obtained.

RESULTS

After correlation analysis, 8 age-related DNA methylation loci were finally screened. CpG1, CpG2, CpG4, CpG7, CpG8 were located on TRIM59, RASSF5, Clorf132, CSNK1D, ELOVL2,CpG5, CpG6 on PDE4C, and CpG3 on chr17:21452808. Based on the 8 loci, 352 samples were used for model construction. A multivariate linear regression age estimation model was constructed （R²=0.93）, with mean absolute deviation （MAD） of 2.69 years old. When 109 samples were used for model validation, the MAD was 3.80 years old. The test was repeated 3 times in 15 new samples, with MADs of 4.08, 4.68 and 3.93 years old, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The age estimation model on Han males in northern China constructed in this study can be used to estimate the age of victims and suspects and to narrow the scope of investigation, and therefore has practical application value.

Magnetic anisotropy manipulation of the femtosecond laser-excited spin wave modes in full-Heusler Co2Fe1-x Mn x Al films

Spin-wave dynamics in full-Heusler Co₂Fe_1-x Mn _x Al films have been investigated using all-optical pump-probe magneto-optical polar Kerr spectroscopy. We find magnetic damping and anisotropy can be modulated by composition x. Damon-Eshbach (DE) spin wave occurs only in the samples which present intrinsic magnetic damping and have huge uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, implying that intrinsic magnetic damping and huge uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is the necessary conditions to excite coherent DE spin wave. Kittel spin wave appears in low uniaxial magnetic anisotropic samples and presents extrinsic magnetic damping. Therefore, laser-excited spin-wave modes can be manipulated by magnetic anisotropy, whose physical picture is discussed phenomenologically.

From single atoms to self-assembled quantum single-atomic nanowires: noble metal atoms on black phosphorene monolayers

Transition metal (TM) nanostructures, such as one dimensional (1D) nanowires with/without substrates, usually possess drastically different properties from their bulk counterparts, due to their distinct stacking and electronic confinement. Correspondingly, it is of great importance to establish the dominant driving force in forming 1D single-metal-atom-wires (SMAWs). Here, with first-principles calculations, taking the black phosphorene (BP) monolayer as a prototype 2D substrate, we investigate the energetic and kinetic properties of all the 5d-TM atoms on the 2D substrate to reveal the mechanism of formation of SMAWs. In contrast to other 5d- and 4d-TMs, noble metal elements Pd and Pt are found to prefer to grow along the trough in an atom-by-atom manner, self-assembling into SMAWs with a significant magic growth behavior. This is due to distinct binding energies and diffusion barriers along the trough, i.e., zig-zag direction, as compared to other directions of the BP. The present findings are valuable in the fabrication and modulation of 1D nanostructures which can be anticipated to possess desirable functionalities for potential applications such as in nanocatalysis, nanosensors, and related areas.

Preference of Food Saltiness and Willingness to Consume Low-Sodium Content Food in a Chinese Population

OBJECTIVE

To compare the preference of food saltiness and the willingness to consume low-sodium food among hypertensive older people, non-hypertensive older people and non-hypertensive young people in a Chinese population.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study based on a quota sample. Three saltiness options (low-sodium, medium-sodium and high-sodium) of soup and bread were offered to each participant who rated the taste of each food on a 5-point Likert scale. Then, the participants rated their willingness to consume the low-sodium content foods on a 5-point Likert scale, given they were informed of the benefit of the low-sodium option. Generalised linear mixed model and multiple linear regression were used to analyse the data.

SETTING

Elderly centres and community centres in Hong Kong.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty hypertensive older people, 49 non-hypertensive older people and 60 non-hypertensive young people were recruited from June to August 2014.

MEASUREMENTS

The tastiness score and the willingness score were the primary outcome measures. The Chinese Health Literacy Scale for Low Salt Consumption - Hong Kong population (CHLSalt-HK) was also assessed.

RESULTS

The tastiness rating of the high-sodium option of soup was significantly lower than the medium-sodium option (p<0.001), but there was no significant difference between the low-sodium and the medium-sodium options (p=0.204). For bread, tastiness rating of the low-sodium option and the high-sodium option were significantly lower than the medium-sodium option (p<0.001 for both options). The tastiness score of soup did not have significant difference across the groups (p=0.181), but that of bread from the hypertensive older adults (p=0.012) and the non-hypertensive older adults (p=0.006) was significantly higher than the non-hypertensive young adults. Higher willingness rating to consume the low-sodium option was significantly (p<0.001) associated with higher tastiness rating of the low-sodium option of soup and bread, and weakly associated with higher health literacy of low salt intake (soup: p=0.041; bread: p=0.024). Hypertensive older adults tended to be more willing to consume the low-sodium option than non-hypertensive older adults for soup (p=0.009), there was insignificant difference between non-hypertensive older adults and non-hypertensive young adults (p=0.156). For bread, there was insignificant difference in willingness rating to consume low-sodium option (p=0.375).

CONCLUSION

Older people are at a higher risk of hypertension, reduction of salt intake is important for them to reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases. There is room for reducing the sodium content of soup, while the sodium in bread should be reduced progressively. Improving the taste of low-sodium food may help to promote reduction in dietary sodium intake.

Substrate co-doping modulates electronic metal-support interactions and significantly enhances single-atom catalysis

Transitional metal nanoparticles or atoms deposited on appropriate substrates can lead to highly economical, efficient, and selective catalysis. One of the greatest challenges is to control the electronic metal-support interactions (EMSI) between the supported metal atoms and the substrate so as to optimize their catalytic performance. Here, from first-principles calculations, we show that an otherwise inactive Pd single adatom on TiO₂(110) can be tuned into a highly effective catalyst, e.g. for O₂ adsorption and CO oxidation, by purposefully selected metal-nonmetal co-dopant pairs in the substrate. Such an effect is proved here to result unambiguously from a significantly enhanced EMSI. A nearly linear correlation is noted between the strength of the EMSI and the activation of the adsorbed O₂ molecule, as well as the energy barrier for CO oxidation. Particularly, the enhanced EMSI shifts the frontier orbital of the deposited Pd atom upward and largely enhances the hybridization and charge transfer between the O₂ molecule and the Pd atom. Upon co-doping, the activation barrier for CO oxidation on the Pd monomer is also reduced to a level comparable to that on the Pd dimer which was experimentally reported to be highly efficient for CO oxidation. The present findings provide new insights into the understanding of the EMSI in heterogeneous catalysis and can open new avenues to design and fabricate cost-effective single-atom-sized and/or nanometer-sized catalysts.

An optimal dietary non-phytate phosphorus level of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 4 to 6 weeks of age

It is imperative to evaluate precise nutrient requirements of animals in order to optimize productivity and minimize feed cost and nutrient excretions. The current non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) recommendation for broilers is based on the papers published 30 years ago. However, today's commercial birds are quite different from those before 30 years. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted with growing male broiler chickens to evaluate an optimal dietary NPP level of broiler chickens fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 4 to 6 weeks of age. The 1-day-old chicks were fed corn-soybean meal diet containing 0.39% NPP from 1 to 3 weeks of age. At 22 days of age, 360 birds were selected and randomly allotted by BW to one of 10 dietary treatments with six replicate cages of six birds per cage for each treatment. Birds were fed the P-unsupplemented corn-soybean meal basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with inorganic P as CaHPO4·H2O ranging from 0.00% to 0.45% with 0.05% increment from 4 to 6 weeks of age. The dietary NPP levels were 0.09%, 0.14%, 0.20%, 0.24%, 0.30%, 0.34%, 0.38%, 0.45%, 0.49% and 0.54%, respectively, and the dietary Ca level was fixed at 0.90% for all treatments. The results showed that average daily gain, serum inorganic P concentration, tibia bone strength, tibia ash percentage and P percentage, tibia bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), middle toe ash percentage and P percentage, middle toe BMC, total body BMC and BMD were affected (P<0.0001) by dietary NPP level, and increased linearly (P<0.0001) and quadratically (P<0.003) as dietary NPP levels increased. Optimal dietary NPP levels estimated based on fitted broken-line models (P<0.0001) of the above indices are 0.21%, 0.29%, 0.29%, 0.29%, 0.29%, 0.31%, 0.29%, 0.30%, 0.27%, 0.29% and 0.28%, respectively. It is suggested that the total body BMC and BMD, and middle toe ash P and BMC might be new, sensitive and non-invasive criteria to evaluate the dietary NPP requirements of broilers. The optimal dietary NPP level would be 0.31% for broiler chickens fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 4 to 6 weeks of age.

[Clinical effects of different modes of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser used in combination on the treatment of hypertrophic scar on face and neck]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical effects of ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser combined with Deep FX mode or Scaar FX mode on the treatment of patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty-eight patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to January 2015. Firstly, the scar areas were cleaned and given compound lidocaine cream for surface anesthesia. Then the scar areas were treated with ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser, with energy from 150 to 175 mJ, frequency of 40 Hz, hole to hole distance of 4 mm or 5 mm, and the treatment time of each hole of 2 s or 3 s. For mild scar, Deep FX mode was added for treatment with energy from 30 to 50 mJ, frequency of 300 Hz, and density of 5%; for moderate and severe scar, Scaar FX mode was additionally used for therapy, with energy from 80 to 150 mJ, frequency of 300 Hz, and density of 3%. The above-mentioned treatments were performed per three months, totally for 3 times, 10-15 min per treatment. After each treatment, wounds were moisturized and given sun protection. Before the first treatment and 6 months after treatment of 3 times, the curative effect was assessed by Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and University of North Carolina Scar Scale. Six months after treatment of 3 times, satisfaction degree of patient and loss of working time were recorded. The adverse effects of whole treatment course were recorded. Data were processed with t test.

RESULTS

(1) Six months after treatment of 3 times, VSS score of patients was (3.1±1.0) points, which was significantly lower than that before the first treatment [(9.4±1.8) points, t=53.096, P<0.05]; University of North Carolina Scar Scale score of patients was (1.6±0.7) points, which was significantly lower than that before the first treatment[(8.0±1.4) points, t=63.730, P<0.05]. (2) Six months after treatment of 3 times, 150 patients were very satisfied with the curative effect, 6 patients were satisfied, and 2 patients were relatively satisfied. The loss of working time of patients was 10-15 (10.5±0.3) d. (3) During the treatment, mild erythema appeared in 5 patients which disappeared without treatment; pigmentation appeared in 6 patients 2 weeks after the first treatment, and pruritus and rash appeared in 2 patients 3 days after the first treatment, which were all improved with pharmaceutical therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultra pulse mode of ultra pulse carbon dioxide fractional laser combined with Deep FX mode or Scaar FX mode has definitely clinical effect on patients with hypertrophic scars on face and neck with few adverse effects, which is worth to popularize and apply for clinic.

Relative edge energy in the stability of transition metal nanoclusters of different motifs

When a structure is reduced to a nanometer scale, the proportion of the edge atoms increases significantly, which can play a crucial role in determining both their geometric and electronic properties, as demonstrated by the recently established generalized Wulff construction principle [S. F. Li, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2013, 111, 115501]. Consequently, it is of great interest to clarify quantitatively the role of the edge atoms that dominate the motifs of these nanostructures. In principle, establishing an effective method valid for determining the absolute value of the surface energy and particularly the edge energy for a given nanostructure is expected to resolve such a problem. However, hitherto, it is difficult to obtain the absolute edge energy of transition metal clusters, particularly when their sizes approach the nanometer regime. In this paper, taking Ru nanoclusters as a prototypical example, our first-principles calculations introduce the concept of relative edge energy (REE), reflecting the net edge atom effect over the surface (facet) atom effect, which is fairly powerful to quasi-quantitatively estimate the critical size at which the crossover occurs between different configurations of a given motif, such as from an icosahedron to an fcc nanocrystal. By contrast, the bulk effect should be re-considered to rationalize the power of the REE in predicting the relative stability of larger nanostructures between different motifs, such as fcc-like and hcp-like nanocrystals.

[Determination of tin dioxide in workplace air by atomic fluorescence spectrometry after alkali fusion]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the method of atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) after alkali fusion for determination of tin dioxide in workplace air.

METHODS

Tin dioxide in workplace air was collected with microporous membrane, directly digested by alkali fusion with solid sodium hydroxide heated by electric furnace, and determined by AFS.

RESULTS

The linear range of tin dioxide (as Sn) determined by AFS was 1.5~100 μg/L (excluding zero) , and the correlation coefficient was 0.9993. The detection limit of this method was 0.5 μg/L, the lower limit of quantification was 1.5 μg/L, and the minimum detectable concentration was 0.05 mg/m(3) (the volume of the air sample was 75 L) . The relative standard deviation was 1.94%~3.55%, and the average recovery of standard addition was 95.0%~96.0%.

CONCLUSION

The method of AFS after alkali fusion for determination of tin dioxide in workplace air is proved to be simple, rapid, sensitive, and accurate, with complete digestion.

Effects of supplemental zinc source and level on antioxidant ability and fat metabolism-related enzymes of broilers

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplemental Zinc (Zn) source and level on antioxidant ability and fat metabolism-related enzymes of broilers. Dietary treatments included the Zn-unsupplemented corn-soybean meal basal diet (control) and basal diets supplemented with 60, 120, or 180 mg Zn/kg as Zn sulfate, Zn amino acid chelate with a weak chelation strength of 6.5 quotient of formation (Q_f) (11.93% Zn) (Zn-AA W), Zn proteinate with a moderate chelation strength of 30.7 Q_f (13.27% Zn) (Zn-Pro M), or Zn proteinate with an extremely strong chelation strength of 944.0 Q_f (18.61% Zn) (Zn-Pro S). The results showed that dietary supplemental Zn increased (P < 0.01) Zn contents in the liver, breast, and thigh muscles of broilers, and up-regulated mRNA expressions of copper and Zn containing superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and metallothioneins (MT) in the liver (P < 0.01) and thigh muscle (P < 0.05), and also enhanced (P < 0.05) CuZnSOD activities in the breast and thigh muscles, which exerted antioxidant ability and a decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the liver (P < 0.01) and breast and thigh muscles (P < 0.05) of broilers. Furthermore, supplemental Zn increased activities of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in the abdominal fat (P < 0.05), and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) and LPL in the liver (P < 0.01), which were accompanied with up-regulation (P < 0.01) of the mRNA expressions levels of these enzymes in the abdominal fat and liver of broilers. Dietary Zn source, and an interaction between Zn source and level, had no effects on any measurements. It is concluded that dietary Zn supplementation improved Zn status and resulted in promoting antioxidant ability and activities and gene expressions of fat metabolism-related enzymes of broilers regardless of Zn source and level, and the addition of 60 mg Zn/kg to the corn-soybean meal basal diet (a total dietary Zn of approximately 90 mg/kg) was appropriate for improving the above aspects of broilers.

Brain Natriuretic Peptide Stimulates Lipid Metabolism through Its Receptor NPR1 and the Glycerolipid Metabolism Pathway in Chicken Adipocytes

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is related to lipid metabolism in mammals, but its effect and the molecular mechanisms underlying it in chickens are incompletely understood. We found that the level of natriuretic peptide precursor B (NPPB, which encodes BNP) mRNA expression in high-abdominal-fat chicken groups was significantly higher than that of low-abdominal-fat groups. Partial correlations indicated that changes in the weight of abdominal fat were positively correlated with NPPB mRNA expression level. In vitro, compared with the control group, preadipocytes with NPPB interference showed reduced levels of proliferation, differentiation, and glycerin in media. Treatments of cells with BNP led to enhanced proliferation and differentiation of cells and glycerin concentration, and mRNA expression of its receptor natriuretic peptide receptor 1 (NPR1) was upregulated significantly. In cells exposed to BNP, 482 differentially expressed genes were identified compared with controls without BNP. Four genes known to be related to lipid metabolism (diacylglycerol kinase; lipase, endothelial; 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 1; and 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 2) were enriched in the glycerolipid metabolism pathway and expressed differentially. In conclusion, BNP stimulates the proliferation, differentiation, and lipolysis of preadipocytes through upregulation of the levels of expression of its receptor NPR1 and key genes enriched in the glycerolipid metabolic pathway.

Polymorphism identification in BMP15 and GDF9 genes and their association with egg production in chickens

1. Mutations in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are significantly associated with reproductive performance in mammals and the objective of the present study was to identify polymorphic sites and elucidate the association between genotypes in BMP15 and GDF9 and egg production. 2. Polymorphisms in BMP15 exon1 and GDF9 exon2 were detected by DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP. Three SNPs were detected in each of BMP15 (A111G, C231T and C34T) and GDF9 (G593A, T824C and C896T). C34T leads to the substitution of Leu by Phe, which was predicted to affect protein function. 3. Results of the association analysis indicated that C34T had an effect on total egg production at 300 d of age (EN) and age at first laying (AFE). G593A affected EN and both C231T and C896T influenced AFE. The TGC1TGC1 diplotype in BMP15 had the highest EN. 4. In conclusion, EN may be significantly improved by marker-assisted selection of the BMP15 genotypes in maternal lines of Shaobo hens.

First Report of Fig mosaic virus Infecting Common Fig (Ficus carica) in China

The common fig (Ficus carica) is one of the earliest plants domesticated by humans. It has been cultivated in China ever since the early seventh century. Fig fruit is an important traditional Chinese medicine and a fine health food, featuring a unique flavor and rich nutrients. In addition to its great medicinal values, its abundant availability in the Xinjiang province of China has made the fig one of the most popular fruits in the country. One of the major diseases that affect figs is the fig mosaic disease (FMD) (1,4), which was reported in China in 1935 (3). A causal agent of this disease is associated with the Fig mosaic virus (FMV), a negative-strand RNA virus with six RNA segments (2). In 2013, and later during a survey in 2014, fig plants in several orchards in Xinjiang displayed symptoms of a virus-like disease, which was characterized as FMD. These symptoms included chlorotic clearing as well as banding of leaf veins along with various patterns of discoloration, severely distorted leaves, and deformed fruits. Total RNA extracts (TRIzol reagent, Ambion) from 18 symptomatic and four asymptomatic leaf samples were subjected to reverse reaction (RT) assays using M-MLV reverse transcriptase (Promega, Fitchburg, WI) with primer FMV-GP-R (TATTACCTGGATCAACGCAG). PCR analysis of the synthesized cDNA was performed using FMV-specific primers FMV-GP-F (ACTTGCAAAGGCAGATGATA) and FMV-GP-R. Amplicons of 706 bp produced by RT-PCR assays were obtained from most (15 out of 18) of the symptomatic samples; however, none was obtained from the four asymptomatic leaves. The purified amplicons were cloned and sequenced. BLAST analysis of these sequences revealed more than 94% nucleotide identity with glycoprotein precursor (GP) genes of an FMV-Serbia isolate (SB1). One sequence was deposited in NCBI databases, and one sequence was submitted to GenBank (Accession No. KM034915). RNA segments 2 to 6 of FMV were also amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. These sequences showed 94 to 96% identity with FMV sequences deposited in the NCBI databases. The collected samples were further detected by Northern-blot hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled RNA probe, which targets the RNA1 genome of the FMV. The result was in line with RT-PCR detection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of FMV in fig trees in China. Considering the economic importance of fig plants and the noxious nature of FMV, this virus poses a great threat to the economy of the fig industry of Xinjiang. Thus, it is important to develop immediate effective quarantine and management of this virus to reduce any further predictable loss. References: (1) T. Elbeaino et al. J. Gen. Virol. 90:1281, 2009. (2) K. Ishikawa et al. J. Gen. Virol. 93:1612, 2012. (3) H. A. Pittman. J. West Aust. Dept. Agric. 12:196, 1935. (4) J. J. Walia et al. Plant Dis. 93:4, 2009.

Silane controlled three dimensional GaN growth and recovery stages on a cone-shape nanoscale patterned sapphire substrate by MOCVD

The silane-controlled 3D growth led to a high crystalline quality, much strain relaxation and a specular surface for the GaN epilayers on NPSS.

[microRNA-126 delivered by microparticles mediates intercellular signal transmission]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in mediating intercellular signaling.

METHODS

Microparticles (MP) from HUVEC and 293T were isolated by sequential centrifugation. THP-1 was co-cultured with microparticles. And then the migration of THP-1 was measured by transwell. real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to study the related mechanisms.

RESULTS

Compared with the microparticles from 293T, MP from HUVEC could promote the migration of monocytes (P<0.05) and upregulate the expression of CXCR4 mRNA and protein (P<0.05). MiRNA-126 deficient MP could downregulate the migration of monocytes (P<0.05) and the expression of CXCR4 mRNA and protein (P<0.05) compared with miRNA-126 abundant MP.

CONCLUSION

Microparticles from HUVEC could promote the migration of monocytes. As carriers, microparticles could mediate intercellular signaling.

Allergy to dust mites may contribute to early onset and severity of alopecia areata

BACKGROUND

A higher risk of allergic diseases such as rhinitis, asthma and atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) has been reported for patients with alopecia areata (AA) compared with the general population, but the significance of this is still largely unclear.

AIM

To determine whether serum total or specific IgE play a role in the onset and severity of AA.

METHODS

We tested 461 serum samples from 351 patients with AA and 110 healthy controls (HC) for total IgE (tIgE) and specific IgE (sIgE) by ImmunoCAP-100 or in vitro test (IVT).

RESULTS

The absolute value of tIgE was higher in patients with AA than in normal controls (P < 0.001), although the prevalence of raised tIgE (> 120 IU/mL) detected in patients with AA (29.3%) was similar to that of HC (21.8%). Prevalences of raised sIgE against various allergens detected by ImmunoCAP-100 showed that Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p; 31.1%) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f; 29.0%) were the most common allergens. Similar results were found by IVT, with the most common response being against Der p/Der f (29.0%). However, the prevalences of tIgE and sIgE against dust mites (Der p and Der f) in patients with early-onset AA and severe AA were significantly higher than those with late-onset AA and mild AA (P = 0.02, P = 0.02 vs. P = 0.03 and P = 0.001, respectively). Notably, the increases in tIgE and sIgE were independent of atopy history.

CONCLUSIONS

Allergy to dust mites may have an effect on the immune response in AA, and may contribute to its early onset and severity in patients of Chinese origin.

Relative bioavailability of iron proteinate for broilers fed a casein-dextrose diet

An experiment was carried out to determine the bioavailability of organic Fe as Fe proteinate (Alltech, Nicholasville, KY) relative to inorganic Fe source (FeSO4•7H2O) for broiler chicks fed a casein-dextrose diet. A total of 448 1-d-old Arbor Acres commercial male broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 1 of 8 replicate cages (8 chicks per cage) for each of 7 treatments in a completely randomized design involving a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 Fe sources (Fe proteinate and Fe sulfate) and 3 levels of added Fe (10, 20, or 40 mg of Fe/kg) plus a Fe-unsupplemented control diet containing 4.56 mg of Fe/kg by analysis. Feed and distilled-deionized water were available ad libitum for an experimental phase of 14 d. At 14 d of age, blood samples were collected for testing hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit, and calculating total body Hb Fe, whereas liver and kidney samples were excised for Fe analyses. The results showed that ADG, ADFI, blood Hb, hematocrit, and total body Hb Fe and Fe concentrations in liver and kidney increased linearly (P < 0.0001), whereas mortality decreased linearly (P < 0.0001) as dietary Fe level increased. However, only blood Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe differed (P < 0.004) between the 2 Fe sources. Based on slope ratios from the multiple linear regression of Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe on daily intake of analyzed dietary Fe, the bioavailability of Fe proteinate relative to FeSO4•7H2O (100%) was 117 and 114%, respectively (P < 0.009). The results indicated that blood Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe were sensitive indices in reflecting differences in bioavailability among different Fe sources, and Fe proteinate was significantly more available to broilers than inorganic Fe sulfate in enhancing Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe.

Stacking principle and magic sizes of transition metal nanoclusters based on generalized Wulff construction

Nanoclusters with extra stability at certain cluster sizes are known as magic clusters with exotic properties. The classic Wulff construction principle, which stipulates that the preferred structure of a cluster should minimize its total surface energy, is often invoked in determining the cluster magicity, resulting in close-shelled Mackay icosahedronal clusters with odd-numbered magic sizes of 13, 55, 147, etc. Here we use transition metal clusters around size 55 as prototypical examples to demonstrate that, in the nanometer regime, the classic Wulff construction principle needs to be generalized to primarily emphasize the edge atom effect instead of the surface energy. Specifically, our detailed calculations show that nanoclusters with much shorter total edge lengths but substantially enlarged total surface areas are energetically much more stable. As a consequence, a large majority of the nanoclusters within the 3d-, 4d-, and 5d-transition metal series are found to be fcc or hcp crystal fragments with much lower edge energies, and the widely perceived magic size of 55 is shifted to its nearby even numbers.

High-performance cavity-phase matching by pump reflection

Since cavity-phase matching has been experimentally realized, the efficiency is limited to 20%. In this Letter, we successfully achieved a conversion efficiency as high as 41% with a slope efficiency of 48.5% using cavity-phase matching, by reflecting the pump beam at the end surface of the KTiOPO(4) crystal. The high performance of the device makes it a promising candidate to substitute for quasi-phase-matching material.

Effect of intravenously injected zinc on tissue zinc and metallothionein gene expression of broilers

1. The effect of intravenously injected zinc (Zn) on tissue Zn concentrations and pancreas metallothionein (MT) gene expression in broilers was investigated to detect differences in the tissue utilisation of Zn from different Zn sources. 2. A total of 432 male chickens were randomly allotted on d 22 post-hatch to one of nine treatments in a completely randomised design. Chickens were injected with either a 0.9% (w/v) NaCl solution (control) or a saline solution supplemented with Zn sulphate or one of three organic Zn chelates with weak (Zn-AA W), moderate (Zn-Pro M) or strong (Zn-Pro S) chelation strengths at two injected Zn dosages calculated according to two Zn absorbability levels (6 and 12%). 3. Bone and pancreas Zn concentrations, pancreas MT mRNA levels and MT concentrations increased on d 6 and 12 after Zn injections as the injected Zn dosages increased. Chickens injected with the Zn-Pro S had lower bone Zn concentration than those injected with the Zn-Pro M or Zn-AA W on d 6 after injections. However, no differences among Zn sources were observed in bone Zn concentration on d 12 after injections, pancreas Zn concentrations, pancreas MT mRNA levels and MT concentrations on both d 6 and d 12 after injections. 4. It was concluded that the injected Zn-Pro S was the least favourable for bone Zn utilisation of broilers. The pancreas Zn concentration and pancreas MT gene expressions might not be sensitive enough to detect differences in the tissue utilisation of injected Zn in broilers between organic and inorganic Zn sources or among organic Zn sources.

First Report of Coleus blumei viroid 5 from Coleus blumei in India and Indonesia

Coleus blumei, which was found originally in Indonesia, is an ornamental plant grown worldwide. It can be infected by several viroids of the genus Coleviroid, family Pospiviroidae. Six main viroids that infect coleus have been reported: Coleus blumei viroid 1 through 6 (CbVd-1 ~ CbVd-6). Although CbVd-1 was first reported in a commercial coleus in Brazil in 1989 (1), and then in Germany, Japan, Canada, Korea, China, and India, CbVd-5 was reported only in China in 2009 (2). Symptoms caused by CbVd-5 varied depending on different cultivars, and in case of an unknown cultivar of "Red with dark green edge," are very clear albino symptoms. From 2010 to 2011, 60 and 3 leaf samples of coleus were collected from Hyderabad, India, and Java, Indonesia, respectively, and subjected to low molecular weight RNA extraction according to Li et al. (3). The results of dot-blot hybridization using CbVd-5 cRNA probes and RT-PCR using CbVd-5 specific primers (CbVd-5-P_F: 5'-TGACTAGAACAGTAGTAAAG-3' / CbVd-5-P_R: 5'-AATTGAGGTCAAACCTCTTT-3') demonstrated that 28 out of the 60 samples from India and all three samples from Indonesia were positive for CbVd-5. The resulting RT-PCR fragments from one sample selected randomly from each country were cloned into the pMD18-T vector (Takara) and transformed into E. coli DH5α competent cells. Five positive clones of each sample were sequenced. The result of sequence analysis revealed that the similarities of CbVd-5 between the sequences we obtained and the reference sequence (GenBank Accession No. NC003683) were 97.8 to 100%. Bioassay using nine viroid-free coleus plants from three cultivars (three from each cultivar), inoculated with CbVd-5 infectious clones by stem slashing, demonstrated that CbVd-5 could induce albino symptom on the leaves of the unknown cultivar "Red with dark green edge" 2 months after inoculation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CbVd-5 from India and Indonesia, and the second report of CbVd-5 in the world. Considering the effect of CbVd-5 on the appearance of coleus and its recombination ability, a certification program may be needed to control the spread of this viroid. References: (1) M. E. N. Fonseca et al. Fitopatol. Bras. 14:94, 1989. (2) W. Y. Hou et al. Arch. Virol. 154:315, 2009. (3) S. F. Li et al. Ann. Phytopathol. Soc. Jpn. 61:381, 1995.

Adaptive reconstruction method for three-dimensional orientation imaging

An adaptive orientation reconstruction algorithm is developed for near-field high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy. When combined with a spatially adaptive extension the algorithm results in a factor of 10–1000 speed-up over the existing forward modeling reconstruction method while preserving most of the spatial and orientation resolution characteristics. Tests of the reconstruction code based on simulated structures and real data on a complex microstructure are presented. Simulated structures include intra-granular orientation gradients and noisy detector images. It is shown that resolution in both real space and orientation space degrades gracefully as complexity and detector noise increase.

Three-dimensional plastic response in polycrystalline coppervianear-field high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy

The evolution of the crystallographic orientation field in a polycrystalline sample of copper is mapped in three dimensions as tensile strain is applied. Using forward-modeling analysis of high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy data collected at the Advanced Photon Source, the ability to track intragranular orientation variations is demonstrated on an ∼2 µm length scale with ∼0.1° orientation precision. Lattice rotations within grains are tracked between states with ∼1° precision. Detailed analysis is presented for a sample cross section before and after ∼6% strain. The voxel-based (0.625 µm triangular mesh) reconstructed structure is used to calculate kernel-averaged misorientation maps, which exhibit complex patterns. Simulated scattering from the reconstructed orientation field is shown to reproduce complex scattering patterns generated by the defected microstructure. Spatial variation of a goodness-of-fit or confidence metric associated with the optimized orientation field indicates regions of relatively high or low orientational disorder. An alignment procedure is used to match sample cross sections in the different strain states. The data and analysis methods point toward the ability to perform detailed comparisons between polycrystal plasticity computational model predictions and experimental observations of macroscopic volumes of material.

Energy, amino acid, and phosphorus digestibility of phytase transgenic corn for growing pigs

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate energy, AA, and P digestibility in a phytase transgenic corn (PTC) containing a phytase gene (phyA2) isolated from Aspergillus niger compared with a nontransgenic near-isoline conventional corn (CC) grown in the same environmental conditions for growing pigs. Experiment 1 was an energy balance experiment conducted to measure DE and ME in PTC and CC. Eighteen growing barrows (initial BW 25.8±0.3 kg) from 9 litters were allotted by BW and litter to 1 of 2 dietary treatments with 9 pigs per treatment in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were individually placed in metabolism cages and fed diets based on the 2 corns. The DE and ME in PTC (3,967 and 3,941 kcal/kg of DM, respectively) were greater (P<0.05) than those in CC (3,917 and 3,848 kcal/kg of DM, respectively). Experiment 2 was conducted to measure apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) values of CP and AA in the 2 corns. Eighteen growing barrows (initial BW 41.8±0.7 kg) were equipped with a T-cannula in the distal ileum. Pigs were placed in metabolism cages in a completely randomized design with 3 dietary treatments of 6 pigs each. An N-free diet was used to estimate basal endogenous losses of CP and AA. The AID and SID values for CP and all AA did not differ between the 2 corns. Experiment 3 was conducted to measure apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) values of P in the 2 corns. Eighteen growing pigs (initial BW 30.5±0.5 kg) from 6 litters were placed in metabolism cages in a randomized complete block design with 3 dietary treatments of 6 pigs each based on BW and litter. Two diets were based on the 2 corns, and a P-free diet was used to measure endogenous P losses. The ATTD and STTD values of P were greater (P<0.05) in the PTC diet (71.4% and 76.9%, respectively) than those in the CC diet (27.6% and 33.4%, respectively). Pigs fed the PTC diet had a greater (P<0.05) P retention (70.7%) than those fed the CC diet (27.1%). It was concluded that PTC had a greater digestibility of energy and P than CC for growing pigs. As a consequence, if PTC replaces CC in a pig diet, the DE and ME in the diet will increase, and less inorganic P will need to be supplemented to the diet, and thus P excretion in manure will be decreased.

Estimation of standardized phosphorus retention for corn, soybean meal, and corn-soybean meal diet in broilers

Two experiments were conducted to estimate standardized phosphorus (P) retention (SPR) of corn, soybean meal (SBM), and corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) diet in broilers and verify the additivity of SPR for feed formulation of broilers. In total, ninety-six 22-d-old male broilers with similar BW were used in each experiment. After 3 d of acclimation, chicks were fasted for 24 h and then fed P-free, corn, SBM, or C-SBM diets, respectively for 4 h in experiment 1 or 72 h in experiment 2. In experiment 1, the results showed that the excreta collection time of 52 h (48 h after feed withdrawal) was adequate for the estimation of SPR. The basal endogenous P loss (EPL) of chicks fed the P-free diet was estimated to be 123±7 mg/52 h per bird. The values of SPR corrected by basal EPL were 37.6 and 50.5% for corn and SBM, respectively. The determined value of SPR of the C-SBM diet was very close (P>0.79) to the predicted summation of SPR from corn and SBM (44.4 vs. 43.5%). In experiment 2, the results showed that the excreta collection time of 96 h (24 h after feed withdrawal) was sufficient for the estimation of SPR. The basal EPL of chicks fed the P-free diet was estimated to be 85.4±4.0 mg/96 h per bird. The values of SPR corrected by basal EPL were 40.2 and 52.9% for corn and SBM, respectively. The determined value of SPR of the C-SBM diet was lower (P<0.001) than the predicted summation of SPR from corn and SBM (39.7 vs. 46.0%), which might be due to the effect of higher total P intake. The results from the current study demonstrated that the P-free diet could be used for measuring basal EPL in broilers and then estimating the SPR values of feedstuffs for broilers. However, the additivity of SPR in the diet formulation needs to be studied further.

Observation of electron-antineutrino disappearance at Daya Bay

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment has measured a nonzero value for the neutrino mixing angle θ(13) with a significance of 5.2 standard deviations. Antineutrinos from six 2.9 GWth reactors were detected in six antineutrino detectors deployed in two near (flux-weighted baseline 470 m and 576 m) and one far (1648 m) underground experimental halls. With a 43,000 ton-GWth-day live-time exposure in 55 days, 10,416 (80,376) electron-antineutrino candidates were detected at the far hall (near halls). The ratio of the observed to expected number of antineutrinos at the far hall is R=0.940±0.011(stat.)±0.004(syst.). A rate-only analysis finds sin(2)2θ(13)=0.092±0.016(stat.)±0.005(syst.) in a three-neutrino framework.

Association of polymorphisms for nuclear receptor coactivator 1 gene with egg production traits in the maternal line of Shaobo hens

1. The objectives of the study were to find polymorphic sites and elucidate the association between SNPs in the nuclear receptor coactivator 1 (NCOA1) gene and reproductive traits. 2. SNPs were detected by PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing. Four SNPs were detected, including T10155007A, T10125838C, G10118492A and G10109315T. Three polymorphisms were associated with total egg production at the age of 300 d and the G10109315T polymorphism was associated with age at first egg. 3. In conclusion, the NCOA1 gene can be used as a molecular marker for reproductive traits in hens.

First Report of Chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid in Chrysanthemum in China

During the spring of 2008, a chrysanthemum plant showing mild mottle on young leaves was observed in a garden in Beijing, China. After the plant was moved into a greenhouse, symptoms became severe with obvious yellowing and complete chlorosis on new leaves. In addition, when a survey was conducted for chrysanthemum diseases in 2010, plants with mild chlorotic spots on leaves were also found occasionally in a commercial field in Hainan, China. These symptoms resembled symptoms induced by Chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (CChMVd). Therefore, total RNA of 13 samples collected from Beijing (cultivar unknown) and Hainan (cv. Golden) was extracted according to Li et al. (2) and tested for CChMVd by northern blot hybridization using DIG-labeled CChMVd cRNA probe (1). All samples were CChMVd positive, and the healthy control was negative. The viroid was further confirmed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using CChMVd specific primers (forward: 5'-AGGTCGTA(T)AAACTTCCCCTCTAAA(G)CG-3', homologous to nucleotides 134 to 159; and reverse: 5'-TCCAGTCGAGACCTGAAGTGGGTTTC-3', complementary to nucleotides 133 to 108) (1). Two amplified products of approximately 400 bp were cloned into the pGEM-T vector (Promega, Madison, WI) and transformed into E. coli DH5α competent cells. Two positive clones were obtained from each isolate and sequenced. Four sequences obtained have been submitted to GenBank (Accession Nos. HQ891014 to HQ891017). Sequence analysis revealed that the obtained sequences shared 96.49 to 96.99% similarity with the reference sequence CChMVd (GenBank Accession No. NC003540). All the clones are 399 nucleotides long and are thought to be the symptomatic type based on their UUUC sequence at positions 82 to 85 in the CChMVd tetraloop (1). In addition, both isolates were mechanically inoculated to three healthy chrysanthemum plants of the unknown cultivar from Beijing. All inoculated plants developed chlorosis after 5 weeks and CChMVd infections were confirmed by northern blot hybridization and RT-PCR. CChMVd is an important pathogen that may potentially cause losses to the chrysanthemum industry. It is necessary to survey for CChMVd infection in various chrysanthemums cultivated in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CChMVd in chrysanthemum in China. References: (1) P. M. De la Pena et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 96:9960, 1999. (2) S. F. Li et al. Ann. Phytopathol. Soc. Jpn. 61:381, 1995.

First Report of Coleus blumei viroid 2 from Commercial Coleus in China

Coleus (Coleus blumei) is an ornamental plant that is susceptible to infection by several viroids of the genus Coleviroid, which is a member of the family Pospiviroidae. Coleus blumei viroid (CbVd) -1 was first reported in commercial yellow coleus fields in Brazil in 1989 (1). In addition, CbVd-2, CbVd-3, and CbVd-4 have only been detected from coleus in Germany in 1996 (4). CbVd-5 and CbVd-6 were recently identified in China (2). In March 2010, leaves were collected from 50 symptomless coleus plants from a commercial nursery in Hainan Province, China. Total RNA was extracted from the leaves (3). Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using CbVd-2 specific primers (forward: 5'-AGCTTACCTGGGTTCCCT-3' and reverse: 5'-CTCTCCTCTATTTACTCTCTTCTC-3') corresponding to positions 76 to 93 and 52 to 75 on the CbVd-2 reference sequence, respectively (GenBank Accession No. NC003682). Amplification of a 301-bp product was obtained from one sample. This PCR product was then cloned into pMD18-T (Takara, Dalian, China). Twelve positive clones were sequenced and the results were subjected to BLAST analysis. Sequence analysis showed that two sequences (GenBank Accessions Nos. HQ727542 and HQ727544) shared 99% identity with the reference sequence of CbVd-2 (NC003682), and four sequences (HQ727541, HQ727543, HQ727545 and HQ727547) had 99.34% identity with the reference sequence of CbVd-2 (NC003682). The proposed secondary structures of these variants have approximately 75% paired nucleotides. Results suggested the presence of CbVd-2, which is a member of the Coleviroid genus, Pospoviroidae family. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CbVd-2 from commercial coleus in China. References: (1) M. E. N. Fonseca et al. Fitopatol. Bras. 14:94, 1989. (2) W. Y. Hou et al. Arch. Virol. 154:993, 2009. (3) S. F. Li et al. Ann. Phytopathol. Soc. Jpn. 61:381, 1995. (4) R. L. Spieker et al. J. Gen. Virol. 77:2839, 1996.

One-dimensional single-crystalline bismuth oxide micro/nanoribbons: morphology-controlled synthesis and luminescent properties

Based on a facile vapor-phase transport method without any catalyst and template, one-dimensional single-crystalline bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) micro/nanoribbons were fabricated on silicon substrates in large quantities and morphology-controlled fabrication of Bi2O3 was achieved from a single precursor. The widths of Bi2O3 ribbons varied from 0.2 to 20 microm depending on the deposition temperatures. The thickness was in the range of 0.1-2 microm and the length reached several hundred micrometers and even millimeter range. The detailed composition and structural analysis confirmed the single-crystalline nature of alpha-Bi2O3 micro/nanoribbons with monoclinic structure. The photoluminescence spectrum of a single Bi2O3 ribbon showed a broadband emission from 450 to 750 nm in the visible region, consisting two peaks located at 589 and 697 nm which were primarily originated from the impurity ions and crystal defects. A self-catalyzed vapor-solid model was proposed to account for the growth mechanism of Bi2O3 ribbons with different morphologies.

Molecular characterization of long terminal repeat of porcine endogenous retroviruses in Chinese pigs

Pigs offer an unlimited source of xenografts for humans. However, vertically transmitted Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) poses an infectious risk in the course of pig-to-human transplantation. In this study, we characterized PERV long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences from three species of Chinese pigs Banna minipig inbred (BMI), Wu-Zhi-Shan pig (WZSP), and Neijiang pig (NJP-A), and compared them with those of known PERVs (PERV-A, PERV-B, PERV-C, PERV-NIH, and 293-PERV-43). Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the Chinese pigs was used for PCR-amplification, cloning, and sequencing of LTRs. The sequences of BMI and WZSP LTRs were found identical with those of PERV-A and PERV-B, while that of NJP-A LTR was found close to those of PERV-C and PERV-NIH. The gammaretroviral nature of PERV LTRs from Chinese pigs was proved. These LTRs contained also promoter elements including enhancer-like repeats comparable with those of other PERVs. These findings suggested that PERVs from Chinese pigs were similar to PERV-A and PRV-B. Moreover, this study provided new data for the evaluation and selection of pigs to be used in the xenotransplantation.

Continuous-flux MOVPE growth of position-controlled N-face GaN nanorods and embedded InGaN quantum wells

We demonstrate the fabrication of N-face GaN nanorods by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE), using continuous-flux conditions. This is in contrast to other approaches reported so far, which have been based on growth modes far off the conventional growth regimes. For position control of nanorods an SiO(2) masking layer with a dense hole pattern on a c-plane sapphire substrate was used. Nanorods with InGaN/GaN heterostructures have been grown catalyst-free. High growth rates up to 25 microm h(-1) were observed and a well-adjusted carrier gas mixture between hydrogen and nitrogen enabled homogeneous nanorod diameters down to 220 nm with aspect ratios of approximately 8:1. The structural quality and defect progression within nanorods were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different emission energies for InGaN quantum wells (QWs) could be assigned to different side facets by room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements.

Noble and alkali adatoms on a [Formula: see text]-Ag surface: a first-principles study

Using first-principles calculations, we present a comprehensive study on the atomic and electronic structures of metal adatoms (noble metals Ag, Au, Cu and alkali metals Li, Na, K) adsorbed on a [Formula: see text]-Ag (hereafter [Formula: see text]-Ag) surface. We found that adsorption of noble and alkali adatoms can induce significant structural changes in the topmost Ag layer. The most striking and interesting results are the immersion of the noble and Li adatoms into the substrate Ag layer and the finding of the most stable configurations with three adatoms incorporating into or being adsorbed on the surface dependent on their atomic radii. We also found that the almost empty two-dimensional free-electron-like band s1 and its band folding s1(*) of the original surface band s1 of the [Formula: see text]-Ag surface split into a gap at the surface Brillouin zone (SBZ) boundary with adsorption of an adatom. The two surface bands gradually move downwards and the s1 band is gradually filled with an increase of coverage. The s1 band is fully occupied with the largest band gap ∼ 0.25 eV between the s1 and s1(*) bands at the critical coverage of 0.14 monolayers (ML) [three adatoms in a [Formula: see text]-Ag (hereafter [Formula: see text]-Ag) unit cell], which corresponds to the most stable adsorption phase. Although the adsorption configurations are different, both the noble and alkali adatom adsorptions give rise to similar electronic structures at low coverages, indicating a free-electron-like character of the adsorption surfaces.

Studies on long-term infection of human cells with Porcine endogenous retrovirus

A major concern in pig-to-human xenotransplantations is the potential risk of transmission of Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) integrated in the pig genome. Our previous work has shown that PERV provirus genes and gag protein can be detected in human embryonic kidney HEK-293 cells during a long-term infection with PERV (Yu et al., Transplant. Proc. 37, 496-499, 2005). In this study, we continued studying the long-term (>6 months) PERV infection of HEK-293 cells. The results showed no significant differences in morphology, growth, apoptosis, and [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation between PERV-infected and uninfected cells. The PERV LTR sequence showed only an insignifcant mutation after the long-term infection. PERV infection had no effect on the transcription of genes of Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) naturally occurring in HEK-293 cells. Summing up, this study indicated that a long-term PERV infection of HEK-293 cells in vitro does not result in any significant changes in host cells as well as in PERV LTR sequence.

Relative bioavailabilities of organic zinc sources with different chelation strengths for broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet

An experiment was conducted to estimate relative bioavailability of Zn in 3 organic zinc sources with different chelation strength (Q(f)) compared with ZnSO(4). A total of 1,092, 1-d-old male broiler chicks were assigned randomly to 6 replicate cages (14 chicks per cage) for each of 13 treatments. Dietary treatments included the basal corn-soybean meal diet (27.82 mg of Zn/kg of DM) supplemented with 0, 30, 60, or 90 mg of added Zn as reagent ZnSO(4), or Zn sources with Q(f) of 6.5 (11.93% Zn; Zn AA C), 30.7 (13.27% Zn; Zn Pro B), or 944.0 (18.61% Zn; Zn Pro A)/kg, which are considered as weak, moderate, or strong Q(f), respectively. Bone Zn, pancreas Zn, pancreas metallothionein (MT) concentration, and pancreas MT messenger RNA (mRNA) were analyzed at 6, 10, or 14 d of age. The results showed that bone Zn, pancreas Zn, pancreas MT concentration, and pancreas MT mRNA increased linearly (P < 0.001) as dietary Zn concentration increased at all ages. At 6 d of age, pancreas MT mRNA differed (P < 0.001) among dietary Zn sources, and the same tendency was observed at 10 (P = 0.08) or 14 d (P = 0.06) of age. The R(2) for a linear model was greater on d 6 than d 10 or 14 for all the response criteria. Based on slope ratios from the multiple linear regression of pancreas MT mRNA concentration on daily intake of dietary Zn, the bioavailability of Zn AA C, Zn Pro B, and Zn Pro A relative to ZnSO(4) (100%) were 100.0, 121.1, and 72.3%, respectively, at 6 d of age. The results indicated that MT mRNA concentration in pancreas was more sensitive in reflecting differences in bioavailability among organic Zn sources than the MT concentration in pancreas or other indices. Moreover, the bioavailability of organic Zn sources was closely related to their Q(f).

A comparison of complete mitochondrial genomes of silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis: implications for their taxonomic relationship and phylogeny

Based upon morphological characters, Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (or Aristichthys nobilis) have been classified into either the same genus or two distinct genera. Consequently, the taxonomic relationship of the two species at the generic level remains equivocal. This issue is addressed by sequencing complete mitochondrial genomes of H. molitrix and H. nobilis, comparing their mitogenome organization, structure and sequence similarity, and conducting a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of cyprinid species. As with other cyprinid fishes, the mitogenomes of the two species were structurally conserved, containing 37 genes including 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNAs) genes and a putative control region (D-loop). Sequence similarity between the two mitogenomes varied in different genes or regions, being highest in the tRNA genes (98.8%), lowest in the control region (89.4%) and intermediate in the protein-coding genes (94.2%). Analyses of the sequence comparison and phylogeny using concatenated protein sequences support the view that the two species belong to the genus Hypophthalmichthys. Further studies using nuclear markers and involving more closely related species, and the systematic combination of traditional biology and molecular biology are needed in order to confirm this conclusion.