Consortium for the Human Information and Neurocognitive Endophenotype （CHINE） in mainland China： An example from neurological soft signs for neuropsychiatric disorders

Increasing efforts to identify alternate expressions of neuropsychiatric disorders that are broader than the DSM or ICD diagnostic criteria needed to diagnose them reflects a growing consensus that multidimensional expressions of neuropsychiatric disorders may advance the search for underlying etiological or modulatory factors. Endophenotypic research can be considered to be one of the most promising strategies to bridge the gap between genomic complexity and the phenotypic heterogeneity observed in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the majority of endophenotype studies were limited to our western counterparts, very little has been done and initiated by scholars in mainland China. In this paper, we urge the need to establish a potential central consortium for endophenotypes to study neuropsychiatric disorders in mainland China. In particular, we illustrate a potential example of neurological soft signs in following the steps for building the consortium.     

Self-assembly of 4-（amyloxy） cinnamic acid on HOPG and its photoinduced transformation： An STM study

With the development of the nanoscience and nanotechnology, scientists try to use single molecule to fabricate electronic device, and the so-called “bot- tom-up” technology was considered to be one of the effective methods, which constructs molecular el…     

Genetic analysis and gene fine mapping for a rice novel mutant （rl9〈t）） with rolling leaf character

Much attention has been paid to leaf shape of rice in the process of ideotype breeding[1]. Several authors have reported that the rolling of leaf in some degree helps keep it erect, consequently optimizing canopy light transmission condition, which is good for dry matter accumulation and for high yield[2―6]. Rice as a polymorphic crop has many types of vari- ety with different morphologies. In terms of leaf shape, different cultivars with rolling leaf have been identifiedin rice germplasm. Le…     

Green fluorescent protein （GFP） as a vital marker for studying the interaction of Phytophthora sojae and soybean

Transgenic Phytophthora sojae strains that produce green fluorescent protein （GFP） were obtained after stable DNA integration using the Hsp70 promoter and the Ham34 terminator of Bremia lactucae. The expression of GFP during different developmental stages of P. sojae was observed using fluorescent microscopy. Based on this reporter system, the histopathologic events caused by the pathogen in soybean leaves, hypocotyls and roots were monitored. Meanwhile, the difference in resistance between different soybean cultivars against P. sojae was analyzed microscopically in roots. The results indicate that GFP can be stably expressed in zoosporangia, zoospores, cysts, hyphae and oospores of P. sojae. Using the GFP marker, the infecting pathogens in leaves, hypocotyls and roots of host could be distinctly visualized. The germ tube length of cysts germinating on the roots of resistant cultivar Nannong 8848 was longer than that on the roots of susceptible cultivar Hefeng 35. These results show for the first time that this eukaryotic reporter can be used in P. sojae as a stable and vital marker, allowing the study of genetics of this hemibiotrophic pathogen.     

Ionic iron（III） complex of aryloxo-linked bis（imidazolium） cations： efficient and recyclable catalyst for aryl Grignard cross-coupling of alkyl chlorides

A novel phenol-linked bis（imidazolium） salt, H3LCl2 （L = O-4-C（CH3）3-C6H2-2,6-di[CH2{C（NCHCH- NAr）}]2, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, 1）, was designed and used to prepare an ionic iron（III） complex [H2L][FeCl4] （2）. Complex 2 was a highly efficient catalyst for aryl Grignard cross-coupling of alkyl chlorides bearing β-hydrogens. Furthermore, complex 2 was reusable and could be reused in at least eight times without significant loss in catalytic activity.     

Estimating genetic diversity and sampling strategy for a wild soybean （Glycine soja） population based on different molecular markers

With the rapid development of the global economy and continued increase in world population, natural environments face serious deterioration and change, which has led to the extinction or severe endangerment of many plant species including important crops…     

Acylation of nitriles to β-ketonitriles catalyzed by a heterometallic alkoxide cluster of neodymium and sodium： NdNa8（O^tBu）10（OH）

Catalytic acylation of nitriles with esters in the presence of 10 mol% NdNa8(OtBu)10(OH) is developed.The procedure is suitable for both enolizable and nonenolizable esters and affords β-ketonitriles in moderate to high yields.The heterometallic alkoxide cluster NdNa8(OtBu)10(OH) is structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction,and a mechanism for the production of β-ketonitriles using the cluster is proposed and verified.     

PEG-g-poly（aspartamide-co-N,N-dimethylethylenediamino aspartamide）： Synthesis, characterization and its application as a drug delivery system

PEG-g-poly(aspartamide-co-N,N-dimethylethylenediamino aspartamide) (PEG-DMEDA-PASP) was synthesized by two-step ring-opening reactions of polysuccinimide (PSI) with α-methoxy-ω-amino-poly(ethylene glycol) and N,N-dimethylethylenediamine. The polymer structure was confirmed by ¹H NMR and FT-IR. The resultant PEG-DMEDA-PASP with ammonium glycyrrhizinate (AMG) could form polymeric micelles in aqueous solution. The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements revealed that these polymeric micelles were spherical particles with a narrow diameter distribution and that their average diameter was ca. 70 nm. These polymeric micelles had high-loading capacity (58%) and encapsulation efficiency (70%) for AMG. The results of in vitro release experiments showed that these polymeric micelles possessed sustained-release effects, with a release rate of 25% within 3 h and 90% within 24 h.     

Construction of habitat suitability models （HSMs） for benthic macroinvertebrate and their applications to instream environmental flows： A case study in Xiangxi River of Three Gorges Reservior region, China

Based on a long-term ecological monitoring,the present study chose the most dominant benthic macroinvertebrate(Baetis spp.)as tar-get organisms in Xiangxi River,built the habitat suitability models(HSMs)for water depth,current velocity and substrate,respectively,which is the first aquatic organisms model for habitat suitability in the Chinese Mainland with a long-term consecutive in situ measurement.In order to protect the biointegrity and function of the river ecosystem,the theory system of instream environmental flow should be categorized into three hierarchies, namely minimum required instream flow(hydrological level),minimum instream environmental flow(bio-species level),and optimum instream environmental flow(ecosystem level).These three hierarchies of instream environmental flow models were then constructed with the hydropogical and seighted usable area(WUA)method.The results show that the minimum required instream flow of Yiangxi River calculated by the Tennant method(10% of the mean annual flow)was 0.615m3s-1;the minimum instream environmental flow accounted for 19.22% of the mean annual flow(namely 1.182m3s-1),which was the damaged river channel flow in the dry season;and 42.91% of the mean annual flow(namely 2.639m3s-1)should be viewed as the optimum instream environmental flow in order to protect the health of the river ecosystem,maintain the instream biodiversity,and reduce the impact of small hydropower stations nearby the Xiangxi River.We recommend that the hydrological and biological methods can help establish better instream environmental flow models and design best management practices for use in the small hydropower station project.