Isolation and Characterization of Phytoene Desaturase cDNA from Stigma of Crocus sativus

Phytoene desatumse (PDS) has recently been identified as an important enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. A cDNA clone encoding phytoene desaturase gene is isolated from stigma of saffron (Crocus sativus L. ) using RT-PCR technique. Sequence analysis shows 85% similarity to Narcissus pseudonarcissus, 79% to Zea mays, 78% to Arabidopsis thaliana, 77% to Lycopersicon esculentum. A new full-length cDNA is obtained by 5 ‘-RACE and 3‘ -RACE techniques. The cDNA is 2149bp long with an open reading frame of 1697bp, which encodes a polypeptide of 565 amino acids. Southern analy-sis shows that the PDS gene is a single copy in saffron. Northern blot analysis shows higher expression level of PDS gene in stigma and anther than in leaves and stem.     

Distribution of CRH-and ACTH-like immunoreactive cells in amphioxus,Branchiostoma belcheri

Immunocytochemical studies on the nervous system,Hatschek's pit,digestive tract and gonads tissues of an amphioxus(Branchiostoma belcheri)were performed using polyclonal antibodies against human corticotrophin-releasing hormone(CRH)and human adrenocorticotropin(ACTH).The results showed that many CRH-like immunoreactive neurons were distributed specifically on the dorsal side and ventral side of brain vesicle,while a few CRH-like neurons and their fibers in spinal cord.At the same time,the epithelial cells in the basic region of Hatschek's pit were shown immunopositive to CRH antibody.In gonads(ovary and testis),CRH-immunopositive substance was localized in the cytoplasm near oocyte nucleus and in early spermatogenic cells.ACTH-like immunoreactivities were observed specially in the neurons and their protrusions localized on the ventral side of the brain vesicle and in spinal cord,and also in epithelial cells of Hatschek's pit,enteric neurons of digestive tract,oocytes in ovary and in early spermatogenic cells as well.It was found for the first time that CRH-like neurons existed in the middle region of brain vesicle(corresponding to the hypothalamus of vertebrates)and ACTH-like immunopositive cells existed in Hatschek's pit,implying that a control mechanism between brain vesicle and Hatschek's pit maybe had been already built in amphioxus as that in vertebrates.The present study will provide new morphological evidence for the origin and evolution of ACTH.In addition,the immunoreactivities of CRH and ACTH in the digestive tract and gonads suggested other physiological function of CRH and ACTH in amphioxus.     

Multiuser detection and independent component analysis-Progress and perspective

The latest progress in the multiuser detection and independent component analysis (ICA) is reviewed systematically. Then two novel classes of multiuser detection methods based on ICA algorithms and feedforward neural networks are proposed. Theoretical analysis and computer simulation show that ICA algorithms are effective to detect multiuser signals in code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system. The performances of these methods are not identical entirely in various channels, but all of them are robust, efficient, fast and suitable for real-time implementations.     

Similar response of labile and resistant soil organic matter pools to changes in temperature

Our understanding of the relationship between the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil temperature affects our predictions of the impact of climate change on soil-stored carbon. One current opinion is that the decomposition of soil labile carbon is sensitive to temperature variation whereas resistant components are insensitive. The resistant carbon or organic matter in mineral soil is then assumed to be unresponsive to global warming. But the global pattern and magnitude of the predicted future soil carbon stock will mainly rely on the temperature sensitivity of these resistant carbon pools. To investigate this sensitivity, we have incubated soils under changing temperature. Here we report that SOM decomposition or soil basal respiration rate was significantly affected by changes in SOM components associated with soil depth, sampling method and incubation time. We find, however, that the temperature sensitivity for SOM decomposition was not affected, suggesting that the temperature sensitivity for resistant organic matter pools does not differ significantly from that of labile pools, and that both types of SOM will therefore respond similarly to global warming.     

An all-silicon Raman laser

The possibility of light generation and/or amplification in silicon has attracted a great deal of attention for silicon-based optoelectronic applications owing to the potential for forming inexpensive, monolithic integrated optical components. Because of its indirect bandgap, bulk silicon shows very inefficient band-to-band radiative electron-hole recombination. Light emission in silicon has thus focused on the use of silicon engineered materials such as nanocrystals, Si/SiO2 superlattices, erbium-doped silicon-rich oxides, surface-textured bulk silicon and Si/SiGe quantum cascade structures. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) has recently been demonstrated as a mechanism to generate optical gain in planar silicon waveguide structures. In fact, net optical gain in the range 2-11 dB due to SRS has been reported in centimetre-sized silicon waveguides using pulsed pumping. Recently, a lasing experiment involving silicon as the gain medium by way of SRS was reported, where the ring laser cavity was formed by an 8-m-long optical fibre. Here we report the experimental demonstration of Raman lasing in a compact, all-silicon, waveguide cavity on a single silicon chip. This demonstration represents an important step towards producing practical continuous-wave optical amplifiers and lasers that could be integrated with other optoelectronic components onto CMOS-compatible silicon chips.     

JNK1-dependent antimitotic activity of thiazolidin compounds in human non-small-cell lung and colon cancer cells

We recently identified two thiazolidin compounds, 5-[(4-methylphenyl)methylene]-2-(phenylamino)-4(5H)-thiazolone (MMPT) and 5-(2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-2-(phenylimino)-1,3-thiazolidin (DBPT), that inhibit the growth of human non-small-cell lung and colon cancer cells independent of P-glycoprotein and p53 status. Here we further investigated the mechanism by which these thiazolidin compounds mediate their anticancer effects. Treatment of cancer cells with MMPT and DBPT led to a time-dependent accumulation of cells arrested in the G2/M phase with modulation of the expression of proteins such as cyclin B1, cdc25C, and phosphorylated histone H3. Moreover, treatment with MMPT and DBPT increased M-phase arrest with abnormal spindle formation. DBPT-mediated G2/M phase arrest and phosphorylation of cdc25C and histone H3 were abrogated when JNK activation was blocked either with SP600125, a specific JNK inhibitor, or a dominant-negative JNK1 gene. Moreover, DBPT-mediated microtubule disruption was also blocked by SP600125 treatment. Our results demonstrate that thiazolidin compounds can effectively induce G2/M arrest in cancer cells and that this G2/M arrest requires JNK activation.     

Bioeffects of different functionalized silica nanoparticles on HaCaT cell line

With the fast development of nanotechnology, all kinds of nanomaterials came forth and got to be widelyapplied because of their unique properties[1―3]. At the same time, the bioeffects from nanomaterials were universally paid attention to because people …     

Microstructure and properties of indium tin oxide thin films deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering

Tin-doped indium oxide （ITO） thin films were prepared using conventional radio frequency （RF） planar magnetron sputtering equipped with IR irradiation using a ceramic target of In2O3/SnO2 with a mass ratio of 1：1 at various IR irradiation temperatures T1 （from room temperature to 400 ℃ ）. The refractive index, deposited ratio, and resistivity are functions of the sputtering Ar gas pressure. The microstructure of ITO thin films is related to IR T are amorphous at the temperature ranging from 1, the crystalline seeds appear at T1 = 300℃, and the films 27 ℃ to 400 ℃.     

A new acid pickling process for copper alloys

The cleaning process of removing oxides on the surface of copper alloy sheets was investigated systematically. Through optimizing, a perfect process was selected that is fit for removing oxides on the surface. By acid pickling, all kinds of copper oxides are removed completely, furthermore, no poisonous gases are given out and a smooth and clean surface of copper alloys is obtained. At present, the process is applied successfully in the copper-processing industry.     

Adaptive Stabilization for a Class of Feedforward Systems with Zero-Dynamics

This paper investigates adaptive state feedback stabilization for a class of feedforward nonlinear systems with zero-dynamics,unknown linear growth rate and control coefficient.For design convenience,the state transformation is first introduced and the new system is obtained.Then,the estimation law is constructed for the unknown control coefficient,and the state feedback controller is proposed with a gain updated on-hne.By appropriate choice of the estimation law for the control coefficient and the dynamic gain,the states of the closed-loop system are globally bounded,and the state of the original system converges to zero.Finally,a simulation example is given to illustrate the correctness of the theoretical results.