Deletion of an electron donor-binding subunit of the NDH-1 complex,NdhS, results in a heat-sensitive growth phenotype in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

In cyanobacteria and higher plants, NdhS is suggested to be an electron donor-binding subunit of NADPH dehydrogenase （NDH-1） complexes and its absence impairs NDH-l-dependent cyclic electron trans- port around photosystem I （NDH-CET）. Despite significant advances in the study of NdhS during recent years, its functional role in resisting heat stress is poorly understood. Here, our results revealed that the absence of NdhS resulted in a serious heat-sensitive growth phenotype in the uni- cellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Furthermore, the rapid and significant increase in NDH-CET caused by heat treatment was completely abolished, and the repair of photosystem II under heat stress conditions was greatly impaired when compared to that of other photosynthetic apparatus in the thylakoid membrane. We therefore conclude that NdhS plays an important role in resistance to heat stress, possibly by stabilizing the electron input module of cyanobacterial NDH-1 complexes.     

Role of Ppt1 in multiple stress responses in Candida albicans

To study the function of CaPptl, we deleted PPT1 gene from the Candida albicans genome by sequentially replacing the entire coding region with the selectable markers ARG4 and HIS1. The results showed that the deletion of Pptl did not affect the hyphal formation of C. albicans under serum induction and caused enhanced sensitivity to DNA damage, Calcofluor white and salt- induced stress. We also found that Pptl was not required for the phenotypic response of cells treated with the genotoxins, methylmethane sulfonate and hydroxyurea. Flow cytometric analyses indicated that pptlA cells and wild-type cells showed similar G2/M arrest profiles when exposed to DNA damage stress. Pptl was not required for the activation of the DNA damage response pathway, as indicated by normal phosphorylation of Rad53 and Rfa2 in pptlA cells under DNA damage stress. We suggest that Pptl plays important roles in response to various stress conditions in C. albicans.     

Synergistic defensive mechanism of phytochelatins and antioxidative enzymes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica chinensis</Emphasis> L. against Cd stress

Brassica chinensis L. was chosen and exposed to different concentrations of Cd exposure to evaluate its Cd-accumulating capacity and its potential cellular defensive mechanisms. Cd accumulation in the shoots and roots of B. chinensis was up to 1348.3±461.8 and 3761.0±795.0 mg per killogram of dry weight, respectively, under 200 μmol/L of Cd exposure. Increasing Cd accumulation in the plant was accompanied by rapid accumulation of phytochelatins （PCs）, and the sequestration of Cd by PCs provided a primary cellular mechanism for Cd detoxification and tolerance of B. chinensis. Furthermore, malondialdehyde formation, hydrogen peroxide content and antioxidative enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase were observed in the shoots of Cd-stressed B. chinensis. Increasing enzyme activities in response to concentrations of 5 to 50 μmol/L Cd showed an efficient defense against oxidative stress, suggesting that the antioxidative system was a secondary defensive mechanism. These resulted in reduced free Cd damage and enhanced Cd accumulation and tolerance. Glutathione plays a pivotal role in these two detoxification pathways. In general, these results suggested that PCs and the antioxidative system are synergistic in combatting Cd-induced oxidative stress and that they play important roles in Cd detoxification of B. chinensis, and also give a deep understanding of the natural defensive mechanisms in plants under heavy metal stress.     

Synergistic defensive mechanism of phytochelatins and antioxidative enzymes in Brassica chinensis L. against Cd stress

Brassica chinensis L. was chosen and exposed to different concentrations of Cd exposure to evaluate its Cd-accumulating capacity and its potential cellular defensive mechanisms. Cd accumulation in the shoots and roots of B. chinensis was up to 1348.3±461.8 and 3761.0±795.0 mg per killogram of dry weight, respectively, under 200 μmol/L of Cd exposure. Increasing Cd accumulation in the plant was accompanied by rapid accumulation of phytochelatins (PCs), and the sequestration of Cd by PCs provided a primary cellular mechanism for Cd detoxification and tolerance of B. chinensis. Furthermore, malondialdehyde formation, hydrogen peroxide content and antioxidative enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase were observed in the shoots of Cd-stressed B. chinensis. Increasing enzyme activities in response to concentrations of 5 to 50 μmol/L Cd showed an efficient defense against oxidative stress, suggesting that the antioxidative system was a secondary defensive mechanism. These resulted in reduced free Cd damage and enhanced Cd accumulation and tolerance. Glutathione plays a pivotal role in these two detoxification pathways. In general, these results suggested that PCs and the antioxidative system are synergistic in combatting Cd-induced oxidative stress and that they play important roles in Cd detoxification of B. chinensis, and also give a deep understanding of the natural defensive mechanisms in plants under heavy metal stress.     

Effects of different friction stir welding conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of copper plates

Friction stir welding is a new and innovative welding method used to fuse materials. In this welding method, the heat generated by friction and plastic flow causes significant changes in the microstructure of the material, which leads to local changes in the mechanical properties of the weld. In this study, the effects of various welding parameters such as the rotational and traverse speeds of the tool on the microstructural and mechanical properties of copper plates were investigated; additionally, Charpy tests were performed on copper plates for the first time. Also, the effect of the number of welding passes on the aforementioned properties has not been investigated in previous studies. The results indicated that better welds with superior properties are produced when less heat is transferred to the workpiece during the welding process. It was also found that although the properties of the stir zone improved with an increasing number of weld passes, the properties of its weakest zone, the heat-affected zone, deteriorated.     

Three-dimensional FEM analysis of stress distribution in dynamic maxillary canine movement

An alteration in stress/strain distribution within periodontal ligament (PDL) occurs when the tooth is mechanical stimulated in orthodontic treatment. The majority of previous finite element studies were confined to a static evaluation on initial loading status, and a dynamic long-term analysis was rarely performed in orthodontics. The present study sought to analyze the stress distribution patterns within tooth root, PDL, and alveolar bone during dynamic canine tipping and bodily movement with three-dimensional finite element method in four consecutive therapeutic weeks. We observed that the highest stress was on root surface, secondly alveolar bone, and finally, PDL for either tipping or bodily movement. Throughout the PDL and root surface, the highest stress was always around the cervical area in both patterns of movement through four phases. Moreover, a lower and more uniform stress distribution was produced during bodily movement compared with tipping movement. These results indicated that canine translation might be healthier for periodontal tissue than tipping movement; the cervical region bore a greater load and might also be a susceptible area for tissue damage (except for the apex) regardless of movement pattern.     

Effects of Eriobotrya japonica (Lindl.) flower extracts on mercuric chloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Mercury(II) is an important factor in hepatotoxicity that can enter the body through marine diets and amalgams.In the present study,the protective effect of the Eriobotrya japonica flower extract(EJFE) on HgCl 2-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated.Five mg/kg of mercuric chloride in drinking water was given to rats either with saline or EJFE(100 and 200 mg/kg as intraperitoneal(IP)) for 30 d.The mercury levels in different groups of liver tissues of the rats were measured with flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy(F-AAS).Also,mercury accumulation in the liver of the rats was modeled by using a parallel chemical kinetic model.The results showed that HgCl 2-induced oxidative damage led to a significant decrease in glutathione(GSH) and the total antioxidant capacity(TAC) levels,and to a significant increase in lipid peroxidation level.Accumulated mercury was 14.47% more in the livers of the stress groups than in those of the control groups(P<0.001),whereas the amount of Hg was adjusted to 13.49% and 13.93% in groups treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg of EJFE respectively,as compared with stress groups(P<0.001).HPLC analysis of EJFE revealed that hesperetin and gallic acid are the major antioxidants in EJFE.Results demonstrate that flowers of the Eriobotrya japonica cause a significant protection against HgCl 2 induced hepatotoxicity in all diagnostic parameters by strengthening the antioxidant defense mechanisms and they may have a therapeutic function in free radical mediated diseases.     

Numerical study on fatigue damage properties of cavitation erosion for rigid metal materials

Cavitation erosion is an especially destructive and complex phenomenon. To understand its basic mechanism, the fatigue process of materials during cavitation erosion was investigated by numerical simulation technology. The loading spectrum used was generated by a spark-discharged electrode. Initiation crack life and true stress amplitude was used to explain the cavitation failure period and damage mechanism. The computational results indicated that the components of different materials exhibited various fatigue lives under the same external conditions. When the groove depth was extended, the initiation crack life decreased rapidly, while the true stress amplitude was increased simultaneously. This gave an important explanation to the accelerating material loss rate during cavitation erosion. However, when the groove depth was fixed and the length varied, the fatigue life became complex, more fluctuant than that happened in depth. The results also indicate that the fatigue effect of cavitation plays an important role in contributing to the formation and propagation of characteristic pits.     

Thermomechanical Behavior in Continuous Bloom Casting with Different Mold Tapers

A two-dimensional finite element model was used to analyze the thermal and mechanical behavior during solidification of the strand in a continuous bloom casting mold. The coupled heat transfer and deformation were analyzed to simulate the formation of the air gap between the mold and the strand. The model was used to investigate the influence of mold taper on the temperature and stress distributions in the strand. The results show that the air gap mainly forms around the strand corner, causing a hotter and thinner solidifying shell in this region. The mold taper partially compensates for the strand shell shrinkage and reduces the influence of the air gap on the heat transfer. The mold taper compresses the shell and changes the stress state around the strand corner region. As the strand moves down into the mold, the mold constraint causes compressive stress beneath the corner surface, which reduces the hot tear that forms on the strand.     

动态应变时效的应力状态依赖性:热硬化和蓝脆

This study aims to discover the stress-state dependence of the dynamic strain aging (DSA) effect on the deformation and fracture behavior of high-strength dual-phase (DP) steel at different deformation temperatures (25–400°C) and reveal the damage mechanisms under these various configurations. To achieve different stress states, predesigned specimens with different geometric features were used. Scanning electron microscopy was applied to analyze the fracture modes (e.g., dimple or shear mode) and underlying damage mechanism of the investigated material. DSA is present in this DP steel, showing the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect with serrated flow behavior, thermal hardening, and blue brittleness phenomena. Results show that the stress state contributes distinctly to the DSA effect in terms of the magnitude of thermal hardening and the pattern of blue brittleness. Either low stress triaxiality or Lode angle parameter promotes DSA-induced blue brittleness. Accordingly, the damage mechanisms also show dependence on the stress states in conjunction with the DSA effect.     

Calcium pretreatment increases thermotolerance of Laminaria japonica sporophytes

Calcium is a secondary messenger in plant signaling,and its concentration changes spatially and temporally during the course of heat stress.In the present study,potassium antimonate was used to visualize calcium localization in blades of a marine macroalga,the juvenile Laminariajaponica sporophytes under heat stress (25 ℃).Result showed that loosely bound calcium was mainly distributed on the cell wall under normal conditions (10 ℃),and flowed into the cytoplasm when exposed to heat.The simutaneous assay on the antioxidant system changes was performed.Oxidative damage,as measured by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) malondialdehyde (MDA) content,increased significantly during heat stress,and calcium pretreatment alleviated oxidative damage.The assay on the activities of six antioxidant enzymes demonstrated that their enzymatic activities were inhibited when exposed to heat stress,but Ca2+ pretreatment effectively attenuated the inhibition.Results in the present study inferred that calcium homeostasis plays an essential role in L.japonica sporophyte when exposed to heat,and calcium pretreatment could improve its thermo-tolerance.     

Sodium current of neurosecretory cells in the eyestalk from the shrimp Penaeus japonicus

The properties of the inward current of medulla terminalis-X-organ (MTXO) cells isolated from the Penaeus japonicus eyestalk were studied with the whole-cell clamp technique in the presence of Ca²⁺ and K⁺ channel blockers. The inward currents had a threshold at about −50 mV and peaked at −10 mV. The reversed potential (V_rev) was very close to V_Na, the theoretical Nernst equilibrium potential for Na⁺. V_rev followed V_Na when the external Na⁺ concentration was varied and the currents were entirely suppressed by 30 nM tetrodotoxin (TTX), indicating that it was carried by Na⁺. The smooth line of concentration-dependent inhibition of sodium currents by TTX represented the best fit with the Hill equation, yielding an IC₅₀ of 2.1 ± 0.1 nM. The values of the half-maximal activation voltage V_h were −20.6 ± 0.5 and −19.3 ± 0.5 mV, respectively, in the absence and presence of 2 nM TTX. TTX had no significant effect on the voltage dependence of steady-state activation and inactivation of I_Na. Taken together, the results suggest that the inward current recorded under our experimental conditions was carried by sodium ions flowing through fast voltage-dependent Na⁺ channels.     

Evolution of several soil properties following amendment with olive mill wastewater

Occurrences of olive mill wastewater (OMW) amendment on several chemical and biochemical properties of soil were investigated. Compared to the control, soils amended with untreated and treated OMW (by an integrated process based on aerobic fungal pre-treatment using Phanerochaete chrysosporium DSMZ 6909 followed by anaerobic treatment) showed high levels of organic and mineral matters. Soil amended with untreated OMW presented low levels of total and inorganic nitrogen (0.38 and 0.08 mg g⁻¹ dry soil). Treated OMW contained little content of pollutants (COD = 4 g l⁻¹; phenolic compounds = 0.6 g l⁻¹); so, organic matter brought by these residues was rapidly mineralized in the soil. The number of heterotrophic bacteria was increased (from 54 × 10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ dry soil in control soil to 123 × 10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ dry soil) in response to the OMW amendment, mainly after C/N ratio correction. Untreated OMW application improved the soil carbon content (2.18 times higher), while the specific respiration remained very low. However, the treated OMW application positively affected the soil-specific respiration that increased from 6.1 in control soil to 9.75 in soil amended with treated OMW. This phenomenon was accompanied by an enhancement of nitrifiers number, urease and ammonium oxidases activities.     

Short-term dynamics of nutrients influenced by upwelling in a small oligotrophic coastal ecosystem, Gan Bay, in the northwest Philippines

We present a time-series analysis of nutrient and pCO2 (partial pressure of CO2) levels in an oligotrophic coastal ecosystem (Gan Bay), which was likely to be influenced by upwelled subsurface water. Gan Bay is off Currimao Harbor, in the northwest Philippines and is located at the boundary of the South China Sea (SCS). This 42-h time-series observation was conducted in December 2006. In addition to continuous observations of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pCO2, discrete samples were collected at a depth of 5 m every 3 h for measurements of nutrients, including soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and inorganic nitrogen (NO3 +NO2 ) in order to examine their dynamics and possible physical and biological controls. We observed remarkably large short-term variations in the surface water,spanning a 10-fold change for SRP (32–330 nM) and from <0.3 μM to 4.3 μM for NO3 +NO2 . DO also varied substantially from a lower end of 171 to 205 μM O2. Surface water pCO2 changed from an equilibrium stage with the atmosphere ( 386 μatm) to a stage where it was a significant source for the atmospheric CO2 (seawater pCO2 469 μatm). We found that the variation of nutrients was driven neither by tidal mixing nor by biological activities, as was suggested by the variations in the total bacterial abundance and chlorophyll a. Instead, our inverse T–S relationship suggested a two end-member mixing process during the observation period. The N:P ratio throughout the observation period was 13.2, which is characteristic of SCS subsurface and deep waters. Moreover, pCO2 was correlated inversely with the sea surface temperature. It is likely, therefore, that an upwelled subsurface cold water with high nutrients, low-temperature and high-pCO2 existed. It should be noted that this upwelled cold water did not appear to impact the entire observation period (approximately 35 h of 42 h), which might suggest an extremely dynamic nature for this upwelled cold water mass.     

Characteristics of lateral heterogeneities with thermal and chemical origins in the pyrolitic lower mantle

The relative changes between shear and compressional velocities (R_SP = ∂ ln V_S/∂ ln V_P), bulk sound and shear velocities (R_CS = ∂ ln V_C/∂ ln V_S), and density versus shear wave velocity (R_ρS = ∂ ln ρ/∂ ln V_S) in response to thermal and chemical variations were investigated for the pyrolitic lower mantle. For heterogeneities with thermal origins, R_SP increases from 1.7 to 2.0 together with R_ρS decreasing from 0.4 to 0.2 and R_CS = ∼0.27 from the top to the bottom of the lower mantle. In comparison, chemical variations (bulk iron or silica contents) are characterized by R_SP < 1.5 and R_CS > 0.5 at lower mantle depths. Negative values of R_ρS and R_CS are indicative of chemical anomalies in the lower mantle, but a combination of thermal and chemical heterogeneities may be required to produce velocity and density anomalies at the magnitudes observed in seismic data. Further refinement of these characteristics requires data on the higher order pressure and temperature derivatives of the elastic moduli of the constituent phases.     

SA与高温锻炼对高温逆境下葡萄幼苗叶片钙离子水平的影响

为研究SA与高温锻炼（HA）对高温逆境下葡萄细胞中钙含量的影响,用原子吸收光谱法对其叶片中的可溶性钙及结合态钙含量进行了测定.结果表明：高温胁迫促进幼叶细胞中可溶性钙和总钙含量的增加,随着胁迫时间的延长,可溶性钙的增幅变大而总钙含量的增幅变小;经SA与HA分别处理后,可溶性钙和总钙含量的变化表现出同步性,并且它们都可以不同程度地缓减高温胁迫下钙含量的增加,以维持细胞中钙离子水平的稳定;特别是经HA处理后,可溶性钙含量的变化更加明显,各处理中的可溶性钙含量甚至都低于对照中的钙离子水平.所以从这个层面上说SA与HA对于提高葡萄抗热性的效果是一致的,但与SA相比,HA处理后的作用更为明显.     

甘氨酸预处理对中华羊茅热胁迫下幼苗生长和氧化损伤的影响(英文)

研究了甘氨酸预处理对降低中华羊茅幼苗热胁迫的保护性作用.甘氨酸预处理降低了活性氧水平,保护了热胁迫下幼苗细胞膜的完整性,因而降低了植株根系细胞的死亡率.研究表明:甘氨酸预处理可以提高幼苗超氧化物歧化酶(SOD),过氧化氢酶(CAT)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)的活性.半定量RT-PCR分析表明甘氨酸预处理幼苗中CAT基因的表达比对照高.讨论了抗氧化酶活性在甘氨酸调节热胁迫中的作用.     

盐度胁迫对非洲斑节对虾生理特征的影响

为探讨不同盐度梯度下非洲斑节对虾(Penaeus monodon)的盐度耐受性,本研究测定了盐度胁迫下对虾生长、渗透、抗氧化及消化指标的变化.实验设置4个盐度梯度(20,30,40,50),以30盐度组作为对照,进行为期35 d的喂养实验.实验结束时计算增重率(Weight Gain Rate,WGR)、特定生长率(S...     

葡萄籽粗多糖的体内外抗氧化作用

为了研究葡萄籽粗多糖(crude polysaccharides from grape seeds,GSCPs)体外抗氧化作用及对秀丽隐杆线虫的体内抗氧化作用,采用水提醇沉法提取GSCPs,检测GSCPs对1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH)自由基和羟自由基的清除作用及对DNA氧化损伤的抑制作用;建立RAW 264.7巨噬细胞氧化损伤模型,在细胞水平探讨GSCPs的抗氧化能力;同时利用秀丽隐杆线虫研究GSCPs的体内抗氧化功能。体外实验结果表明:GSCPs可有效清除自由基,抑制DNA的氧化损伤,质量浓度为0.4mg/mL的GSCPs对DPPH自由基的清除率达84%,对羟自由基清除率为89%;GSCPs可以下调H₂O₂诱导的RAW 264.7巨噬细胞活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)水平,正向调节细胞内超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathione peroxidase,GSH-Px)活性,质量浓度为0.2mg/mL的GSCPs处理组可使细胞内SOD活性从H₂O₂处理组的81.1%升至96.3%,GSH-Px活性从H₂O₂处理组的92.1%升至99.6%。此外,GSCPs可延长秀丽隐杆线虫寿命,提高其对抗急性氧化应激的能力,有效清除秀丽隐杆线虫体内的ROS。质量浓度为0.8mg/mL GSCPs处理组秀丽隐杆线虫的平均寿命较对照组延长27.67%,将急性氧化应激的秀丽隐杆线虫平均存活时间延长33.58%,秀丽隐杆线虫体内ROS生成量较对照组可降低56.33%。因此,葡萄籽粗多糖在体内外均表现出良好的抗氧化性,可用于抗氧化功能产品的开发。