In higher plants, the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive state in the shoot meristem initiates flowering. To study this floral transition, a constitutively flowering mutant of ...Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype columbia, embryonic flower (emf), was characterized. No vegetative shoots were produced from emf embryos or calli; the shoot apical meristems (SAMs) in the emf embryos were altered compared to wild-type SAMs. The mutant SAMs enlarged precociously and produced inflorescence meristems upon germination. These results suggest that the dominant, wild-type allele EMF is required for the vegetative state of the SAM. in the absence of EMF function, the mutant embryo assumes the reproductive state
A newly designed ladder‐like polysiloxane (LPS) containing dual photoreactive side groups has been synthesized for the purpose of generating high‐quality photo‐alignment layers with controllable ...pretilt angle (∼ 1–7°, see Figure and cover). Integrated spectroscopic methods of UV dichroism, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and FT‐IR are used together for the first time to elucidate the photo‐alignment mechanism and the real cause of the high pretilt angle.
The aim of this study was the comparison of image quality, diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose of ECG-gated volume scan mode of 320-detector row CT with 64-detector row CT.
A hundred and twenty ...patients receiving coronary artery CT angiography (CTA) were divided into two groups. Sixty patients in Group A underwent 64-detector row CTA; for the remainder, Group B, 320-detector row CT was used. Conventional coronary angiography was then performed in all patients. In Group B, patients with a pulse <65 beat/min underwent a prospective ECG-gated volume scan using a 70-80% R-R phase window and 1-beat, whereas a 30-80% R-R phase window, 2-beat CT was performed in patients with a pulse >65 beat/min.
In Group A, 247 vessels and 920 segments were assessed; in Group B, 242 and 906. In 320-detector row CTA, the coronary stenosis diagnosis' specificities were 98%, 96%, and 95% at the segmental, vessel, and patient levels, respectively (98%, 94%, and 92% in 64-detector row CTA); the negative predictive values were 99%, 98%, and 100% (98%, 97%, and 95% in 64-detector row CTA). There was no significant difference in specificity or negative predictive values between the groups. The average effective radiation dose in Group B was lower than in Group A (P<0.001). In Group B, the dose for 48 patients with 70-80% R-R phase window, 1-beat scan, was lower than for the remaining 12 patients (30-80% R-R phase window, 2-beat) (P<0.001).
The 320-detector CT reduces the radiation exposure by approximately 80% compared with 64-detector CT, with similar diagnostic accuracy and image quality.
Background: Systemic administration of bisphosphonates has shown promising results in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of ...local zoledronate (ZOL) administration in the treatment of ONFH. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether local administration of bisphosphonate-soaked hydroxyapatite (HA) could improve bone healing in an experimental rabbit model of ONFH.
Methods: This experimental study was conducted between October 2014 and June 2015. Forty-five rabbits underwent simulated ONFH surgery. Immediately following surgery, they were divided into three groups: model (untreated, n = 15), HA (treated with HA alone, n = 15), and HA + ZOL (treated with HA soaked in a low-dose ZOL solution, n = 15). Histological, immunohistochemical, and quantitative analyses were performed to evaluate bone formation and resorption 2, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery.
Results: Gross bone matrix and hematopoietic tissue formation were observed in the HA + ZOL group 4 weeks after surgery. The immunohistochemical staining intensities for 5-bromodeoxyuridine, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteoprotegerin were significantly higher in the HA + ZOL group than that in the model (P < 0.001, P< 0.001, P< 0.001, P< 0.001, and P = 0.018, respectively) and HA groups (P = 0.003, P = 0.049, P< 0.001, P = 0.020, and P = 0.019, respectively), whereas receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand staining intensity was significantly lower in the HA + ZOL group than that in the model and HA groups (P = 0.029 and P = 0.015, respectively) 4 weeks after surgery. No significant differences in bone formation or bone resorption marker expression were found between the three groups 2 or 8 weeks after surgery (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: Local administration of HA soaked in a low-dose ZOL solution increased new bone formation while inhibiting bone resorption in an animal model of ONFH, which might provide new evidence for joint-preserving surgery in the treatment of ONFH.
Rain and atmospheric particle samples were collected in the rural area of Taian and Shenzhen in 2007, respectively. Rain sampling was carried out during the precipitation process and several samples ...were got from the beginning of one precipitation to the end. The chemical character changes during precipitation and the changes of concentration of particles before and after rain were studied in this research to understand the contribution of particles on the rain chemical character and the rain-out effect for particles. The volume-weighted mean pH of rainwater in Taian was 5.97 and the total concentration of ions was 1 187.96 microeq x L(-1). The mass concentration of PM10 in Taian was 131.76 microg/m3 and that of PM2.5 was 103.84 microg/m3. The volume-weighted mean pH of rainwater in Shenzhen was 4.72 and the total concentration of ions was 175.89 microeq x L(-1). The mass concentration of PM10 in Shenzhen was 56.66 microg/m3 and that of PM2.5 was 41.52 microg/m3. During precipitation process pH and ion concen
The effectiveness of oral, mock-, and immersion vaccination was investigated against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in crayfish. The most exposed WSSV envelope proteins VP19 and VP28 were used in ...different compositions and with different modes of applications. In experiment 1 crayfish were fed recombinant protein coated food pellets for 25 days, in experiment 2 the purified proteins were directly injected to them followed by one booster dose on 5th day and in experiment 3 the crayfish were left immersed in vaccines for 7
h. Experimental crayfish were challenged on 3rd and 21st days after last vaccination. The overall result showed that VP28 group has lowest cumulative mortality percentage accounting 39.6% at 3rd day and 39.83% at 21st day when injected and it was 43.2% and 49% when fed orally and 46.3% and 46.5% when immersed at 3rd and 21st days, respectively (
p
<
0.05). In VP19 and VP28 (50:50) mixture, mock vaccination showed better performance (36.5%) over immersion (53%) and oral vaccination (53.2%) when challenged on 3rd day and mock vaccination (36.50%) followed by oral (51%) and immersion vaccination (56.5%) on 21st day as well. The VP19 recombinant mock vaccination group performed better (52.91% of 3rd day and 56.46% of 21st day) than oral (76% of 3rd day and 82% of 21st day) and immersion (83% of 3rd day and 86.3% of 21st day) vaccine groups. All the experimental groups except VP19 were significantly different (
p
<
0.05) from the control groups. A positive cumulative effect was observed when VP28 was mixed with VP19 in equal proportion in all the experimental trials, which shows the effectiveness of VP19 as a vaccine component too. In the present trial on the basis of cumulative mortality percentage it is found that mock-vaccination group is more effective than the oral vaccination and immersion vaccination. It also suggests that specific memory exists in crayfish and the effects of VP28 are significant. The effect of VP19 along with VP28 has also shown significant effect against WSSV.
Exchange bias has been observed in the full-nitride epitaxial gamma'-Fe sub(4)N/CoN bilayers. With the increase of temperature, the sign of exchange bias (EB) is inverse, which is independent on the ...cooling field and training effect. This novel behavior appears in the bilayers with different CoN and gamma'-Fe sub(4)N thicknesses. The inversion of EB sign not only occurs at low temperatures, but also takes place even at 200 K for the 10 and 12 nm thick CoN layer. With the decreased gamma'-Fe sub(4)N layer thickness, the inversion temperature of EB sign shows a roughly increased tendency. For the bilayer with a 4 nm-thick gamma'-Fe sub(4)N, the interfacial magnetization reversal presents a complex trend, which is considered as the combined actions of the disordered ferromagnetic spins and various competed magnetic structures. This new manifestation of EB has been discussed in terms of the complicated interfacial spin structures and frustration effects due to the competition between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions at the interface.
Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The influence of psychological and economic factors on HRQOL has not been fully elucidated in ...IBD. Therefore, we aimed to identify the predictors of HRQOL in an IBD cohort.
This was a cross-sectional cohort study of patients presenting to our tertiary IBD center. HRQOL was measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). Anxiety and depression were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Perceived stress and perceived social support were also assessed by standardized scales. Demographic, socioeconomic and clinical data were obtained from a prespecified questionnaire and patients' medical records. Univariate analyses and multiple regression analysis were performed to identify predictors of HRQOL.
A total of 242 IBD patients were recruited, and the questionnaire return rate was 90.5% (219/242). The prevalence rates of anxiety and depression were 24.7% and 17.4%, respectively. In all, 30.6% of the patients spent over half of their income to cover medical costs. Multivariate analysis revealed that anxiety symptoms (
<0.001), active disease (
<0.001) and higher medical expenditures (
=0.001) were strong and independent predictors of reduced HRQOL.
Psychological factors and costs of medical care strongly impair HRQOL in IBD, independent of the disease activity. Psychological counseling and socioeconomic support programs should be considered for integration into the management of IBD patients.
Potential health effects of material emissions in new motor vehicles are of great public concern in China. To estimate the pollution levels, air samples were taken from 802 new cars parked in a ...well-ventilated underground parking garage in Beijing, China. These vehicles were all manufactured in and after 2003, and represented three different price ranges. For comparison, 20 older vehicles (manufactured before 2003) were also examined. Monitoring items included benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde. Preliminary results indicate that 82% of the vehicles studied had toluene levels exceeding the Chinese National Indoor Air Quality Standard. For benzene, xylene, and formaldehyde, the rates of noncompliance were 75%, 25%, and 24%, respectively. For all the pollutants, newer vehicles had higher concentrations than older ones. There seems a connection between the types of interior materials used in the passenger cabins and the concentrations of certain air pollutants.
Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) is an important component of the atmospheric particle pollution, thus, determining the status and sources of SOA pollution is the premise of deeply understanding the ...occurrence, development law and the influence factors of the atmospheric particle pollution. Based on the pollution sources and meteorological data of Pearl River Delta region, the study used the two-dimensional model coupled with SOA module to stimulate the status and source of SOA pollution in regional scale. The results show: the generation of SOA presents obvious characteristics of photochemical reaction, and the high concentration appears at about 14:00; SOA concentration is high in some areas of Guangshou and Dongguan with large pollution source-emission, and it is also high in some areas of Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Jiangmen which are at downwind position of Guangzhou and Dongguan. Contribution ratios of several main pollution sources to SOA are: biogenic sources 72.6%, mobile sources 30.7%, point sources 12%,
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