Habitat-induced reciprocal transformation in the root phenotype of Oriental ginseng is associated with alteration in DNA methylation

Oriental ginseng is an important medicinal plant that grows in 2 major forms or ecotypes, wild and domesticated. Each form differs conspicuously in root phenotype, but can be converted from one type to another by habitat. Here we show that the habitat-induced transformation of ginseng root phenotype was accompanied by alteration in cytosine methylation at a large number of 5′-CCGG-3′ sites detected by the methylation-sensitive polymorphism (MSAP) marker. The collective CG and CHG methylation levels of all 4 landraces of the domesticated form were significantly lower than those of the wild form. Interestingly, artificially transplanted ginseng plants recreated in both directions the methylation levels (at least in CHG) of their natural counterparts. The methylation differences between the 2 ginseng ecotypes were validated at 2 isolated MSAP loci bearing homology to a 5S rRNA gene or a copia retrotransposon. Our results implicate a link between epigenetic variation and habitat-induced phenotypic flexibility in Oriental ginseng.     

Volume change behavior of unsaturated soils under non-isothermal conditions

With the development of modern geotechnical engineering practices such as the construction of high level radioactive waste repositories, exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources, energy-saving buildings and underground storage of CO 2 , research into the influence of temperature on the basic mechanical properties of unsaturated soils has become an important issue internationally. By using the work expression and considering the influence of temperature on the basic properties of unsaturated soils, the average soil skeleton stress, modified suction and temperature were selected as state variables of generalized forces in thermodynamics and the soil skeleton strain, saturation and entropy were chosen as state variables of generalized flows conjugate to the variables of generalized forces. Based on the nonlinear multi-field coupled model and by using existing experimental results, an elastic-plastic constitutive model of unsaturated soils under non-isothermal conditions was developed to analyze the influence of temperature on the deformation properties of unsaturated soils. The model was used to predict and analyze the influence of suction and temperature on the deformation properties of unsaturated soils under isotropic conditions, and was successfully verified using experimental results.     

A survey of next generation mobile communications research in China

With the rapid development of wireless communication networks, the fourth generation (4G) has emerged to move beyond the limitations of the third generation (3G), with increased bandwidth, enhanced quality of services, and reduced costs of resources. In this paper, we discuss the key technologies of 4G and focus on surveying the ongoing research in 4G communications in China. The 4G technologies under investigation include multicarrier transmission, multiple antenna techniques, carrier aggregation, relays, cognitive radio, distributed antenna systems, network convergence, and network self-optimization. These technologies are the building blocks of 4G and contribute largely to the requirements of International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT-Advanced). For each technology, its benefits, research topics, and some existing approaches are examined. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges and future research issues in 4G systems.     

Why endophenotype development requires families

Endophenotypes are heritable quantitative traits that are associated with disease liability, can be measured in both affected and unaffected individuals, and provide much greater power to localize and identify risk genes for mental illness than does affection status alone. Traditionally, endophenotypic markers for psychiatric illnesses include in vivo neuroanatomic and functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements and indices of neurocognitive abilities. However, neurocognitive and neuroimaging measures are by no means the only classes of endophenotypes that could be useful for identifying genes for mental illness. Given the advantages of endophenotype-based strategies for elucidating the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, it would seem prudent to develop a wide range of putative endophenotypes. In order for a measure to be considered a valid endophenotype, it must meet a number of criteria. Specifically, the trait must (1) have moderate to high heritability, (2) be associated with the illness, (3) be independent of clinical state, and (4) impairment must co-segregate with the illness within a family, with non-affected family members showing impairment relative to the general population. While each of these criteria is critical, the heritability and co-segregation requirements are really what differentiate an endophenotype from a simple biomarker. At this time, one requires an experimental design that includes families to demonstrate both heritability and co-segregation. The assertion that novel endophenotypes can not be fully established without family data does not preclude work in unrelated individuals, rather that unrelated samples will only be able to nominate potential candidate endophenotypes that subsequently need to be confirmed in family-based experiments.     

Tert-butylhydroquinone-decorated graphene nanosheets and their enhanced capacitive behaviors

In the present work,tert-butylhydroquinone(TBHQ) was used to decorate graphene nanosheets to obtain a novel and environmentally friendly electrode material for supercapacitors.The fast redox reactions between hydroquinone and quinone generate pseudocapacitance.Graphene layers which have adsorbed TBHQ interact with each other to construct a three-dimensional network.Through this network,electrolyte ions can easily access the surface of graphene to generate electric double-layer capacitance.Electrochemical measurements have shown that using TBHQ as a redox modifier of graphene can obtain a maximum value of 302 F g-1 and provide a 51% enhancement in specific capacitance.Furthermore,excellent rate capability and cycling ability are achieved using the TBHQ-decorated graphene nanosheet electrode.     

Plant grafting and its application in biological research

Grafting is widely used for various aspects of plant biological research. We reviewed grafting methods and graft development processes for herbaceous plants. We introduced also methods of investigating the development of graft union and compatibility, and the application of grafting in understanding translocation of substances and long-distance signaling in plants.     

Premixed jet flame characteristics of syngas using OH planar laser induced fluorescence

Lean premixed flame characteristics of several typical low calorific value (LCV) syngases (basis CO/H2/CH4/CO2/N2),including bituminous coal,wood residue,corn core,and wheat straw gasification syngas,were investigated using OH planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) technology.OH radical distributions within the turbulent flame were measured for different turbulence intensities.Flame structures of syngases were analyzed and characterized with respect to burnt and unburnt regions,flame curvature (sharp cusp),local extinction (holes and penetration),OH reaction layer thickness,wrinkling,and other features,with OH-PLIF instantaneous images and statistical analysis.Results show that H2 content,LCV,and turbulence intensity are the most effective factors influencing the OH radical intensity and thickness of OH radical layers.The bituminous coal gasification syngas with relatively higher LCV and H2 content tends to burn out easily.Through changes in thickness of the OH radical layers and signal intensities,the reaction layer can be compressed by intensifying turbulence and thereby the combustion processes of syngas.     

Influence of B,Al and Nb addition on the glass forming ability and stability of mechanically alloyed Zr-Ni amorphous alloys

We investigated the influence of minor additions of B,Al and Nb that have representative atomic sizes on the glass forming ability (GFA) and stability of Zr-Ni amorphous alloys during mechanical alloying. The results show that the minor addition of B,Al or Nb does not shorten the initial time of the full amorphization reaction or improve the glass forming ability of the Zr-Ni alloys at a low rotation speed. However,B addition can effectively improve the mechanical stability of the amorphous phase against me...     

Phase field simulation of interatomic potentials for double phase competition during early stage precipitation

Phase field model was employed to study the variations of interatomic potentials of Ni 3 Al (L1 2 phase) and Ni 3 V (DO 22 phase) as a function of temperature and concentration. The long-range order (LRO) parameter related interatomic potentials equations formulated by Khachaturyan were utilized to establish the inversion equations for L1 2 and DO 22 phases, with which interatomic potentials could be calculated. The interatomic potentials of Ni-Al and Ni-V exhibited approximately linear increases and decreases, individually, with enhanced Al concentration. Substituting the inverted interatomic potentials into the microscopic phase field equations led to three cases of precipitation sequence: the DO 22 phase preceded L1 2 phase precipitating at the interatomic potentials of Ni-V > Ni-Al; the vice cases; and two phases precipitated simultaneously at interatomic potentials of Ni-V and Ni-Al were equal.     

The effects of the guide field on the structures of electron density depletions in collisionless magnetic reconnection

Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to investigate the formation of electron density depletions in collisionless magnetic reconnection.In anti-parallel reconnection,the quadrupole structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field are formed,and four symmetric electron density depletion layers can be found along the separatrices due to the effects of magetic mirror.With the increase of the initial guide field,the symmetry of both the out-of-plane magnetic field and electron density depletion layers is distorted.When the initial guide field is sufficiently large,the electron density depletion layers along the lower left and upper right separatrices disappear.The parallel electric field in guide field reconnection is found to play an important role in forming such structures of the electron density depletion layers.The structures of the out-of-plane magnetic field By and electron depletion layers in anti-parallel and guide field reconnection are found to be related to electron flow or in-plane currents in the separatrix regions.In anti-parallel reconnection,electrons flow towards the X line along the separatrices,and are directed away from the X line along the magnetic field lines just inside the separatrices.In guide field reconnection,electrons can only flow towards the X line along the upper left and lower right separatrices due to the existence of the parallel electric field in these regions.