Effect of enhanced CaCl2, MgSO4, and KH2PO4 on improved in vitro growth of potato

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major global food crop. Contemporary potato production largely utilizes micropropagation to produce healthy seed potatoes. The micropropagation of potatoes is widely achieved through nodal explants using the conventional Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Currently, effective culture media that can facilitate rapid propagation are increasingly required for new cultivars that have been developed to possess improved traits. In this study, we evaluated the effect of enhanced meso nutrients (CaCl₂.2H₂O, MgSO₄, and KH₂PO₄) in MS medium on the growth of S. tuberosum. The cultivars used in this study were representative of Japanese, European, and Peruvian lines. Enhanced meso nutrients improved the overall quality of all cultivars, as indicated by longer shoots and larger leaves with dark color, compared with MS medium only. Shoots grown on enhanced mesos were approximately 1.5 times longer than on MS medium. Quantitative ion analysis revealed that plantlets with improved shoot length and leaf quality in most cultivars had increased calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus uptake than plantlets on MS medium. The results suggest that the reduced iron uptake on 3.0×MS, compared with 2.0× or 2.5×MS mesos, reduced plant growth. This study revealed for the first time that mesos concentrations higher than MS medium concentrations, complemented by enhanced calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron uptake, play a significant role in improving the in vitro growth of potato.     

尿素与磷酸二氢钾配施对板栗光合特性及生长结实的影响

肥料配施可提高肥料利用效率,改善树体营养结构,起到平衡施肥的作用.选取7年生板栗树为试材,采用树干注射的方法,研究尿素和磷酸二氢钾不同配施处理对板栗光合特性及生长结实的影响.结果表明: 尿素和磷酸二氢钾配施具有明显的正向协同效应,二者配施较单一施肥可显著提高板栗光合能力及产量和品质.单施(NH₂)₂CO可降低叶绿素含量,单施KH₂PO₄可增加叶绿素含量,而二者配施使叶绿素含量显著增加.4种配施处理均可提高叶片及枝条的N、P、K含量,其中0.3%(NH₂)₂CO+0.3%KH₂PO₄处理效果最好.不同施肥处理均可改善光合参数,但仍以配施处理为好,其中0.3%(NH₂)₂CO+0.3%KH₂PO₄处理可显著提高光合速率、最大净光合、表观量子效率、羧化效率、瞬时水分利用效率、氮素利用效率.配施可同时促进枝条加长和加粗生长,并提高混合芽数量,而单施(NH₂)₂CO仅能促进加长生长,对提高混合芽数量效果不显著.配施对提高坚果产量和质量效果优于单一施肥,在0.3%(NH₂)₂CO+0.3%KH₂PO₄处理下坚果产量、单粒质量和总糖含量等关键指标较对照分别提高68.2%、25.5%和14.9%.     

DPC和KH2PO4浸种对棉花叶片光合特性的影响

利用缩节安（ＤＰＣ）和磷酸二氢钾（ＫＨ２ＰＯ４）单独和混合浸种的方法,对棉籽播前浸种处理,可以增加棉花叶片叶绿素含量,提高ＰＳⅡ光化学活性和原初光能转换效率,以及叶片光合速率。ＤＰＣ和ＫＨ２ＰＯ４混合处理的效果优于单独浸种处理     

Regulation of cell-wall polysaccharide components by CaCl2 in suspension cultures of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

We cultured the suspension cells of kidney bean in MS media supplemented with one of five concentrations of CaCI₂ [0,22,44 (control), 88, or 176 mg/L], and harvested them at the logistic (15 d) and early-stationary (30 d) phases. Cells grown at concentrations higher than 22 mg/L showed better proliferation than those at 0 mg/L The rate of proliferation also increased with higher concentrations. We fractionated the individual sugars into symplastic (EtOH and starch) and apoplastic (low-molecular pectin, high-molecular pectin, hemicellulose, and cellulose) components. Cells treated at the highest concentration (176 mg/L) exhibited the greatest amount of sugar in the EtOH and starch fraction during the logistic phase. In contrast, cells in the early stationary phase had the highest level of sugar at treatment concentrations of less than 22 mg/L. For treatment concentrations higher than 22 mg/L on Day 15, more pectin and hemicellulose was detected at greater amounts compared with those cells treated with 0 mg/L. However, at Day 30, concentrations higher than 44 mg/L induced greater amounts of pectin and hemicellulose than from the other concentrations. Cellulose was more abundant with the 0 mg/L treatment, and contents ranged from 17.4 to 25.5% in the primary cell walls over all treatment concentrations. These results indicate that CaCI₂ modulates both symplastic and apoplastic sugar metabolism. Therefore, we suggest that the cell-wall structure may define the mode of polysaccharide biosynthesis during cell growth.     

Luminescence in Li3Al2(PO4)3:Eu2+

A series of efficient Li₃Al₂(PO₄)₃:Eu²⁺ novel phosphors were synthesized by the facile combustion method. The effects of dopant on the luminescence behavior of Li₃Al₂(PO₄)₃ phosphor were also investigated. The phosphors were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope and photoluminescence techniques. The result shows that all samples can be excited efficiently by near‐ultraviolet excitation under 310 nm. The emission was observed for Li₃Al₂(PO₄)₃:Eu²⁺ phosphor at 425 nm, which corresponded to the d → f transition. The concentration quenching of Eu²⁺ was observed in Li₃Al₂(PO₄)₃:Eu²⁺ when the Eu concentration was at 0.5 mol%. The prepared powders exhibited intense blue emission at the 425 nm owing to the Eu²⁺ ion by Hg‐free excitation at 310 nm (i.e., solid‐state lighting excitation). Consequently, the availability of such a phosphor will significantly help in the development of blue‐emitting solid‐state lighting applications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Li4Zn(PO4)2:Mn2+ thermosensitive phosphor with dual luminescent centres for optical thermometry

An optical thermometry strategy based on Mn²⁺-doped dual-wavelength emission phosphor has been reported. Samples with different doping content were synthesized through a high-temperature solid-phase method under an air atmosphere. The electronic structure of Li₄Zn(PO₄)₂ was calculated using density functional theory, revealing it to be a direct band gap material with an energy gap of 4.708 eV. Moreover, the emitting bands of Mn²⁺ at 530 and 640 nm can be simultaneously observed when using 417 nm as the exciting wavelength. This is due to the occupation of Mn²⁺ at the Zn²⁺ site and the interstitial site. Further analysis was conducted on the temperature-dependent emission characteristics of the sample in the range 293–483 K. Mn²⁺ has different responses to temperature at different doping sites in Li₄Zn(PO₄)₂. Based on the calculations using the fluorescence intensity ratio technique, the maximum relative sensitivity at a temperature of 483 K was determined to be 1.69% K⁻¹, while the absolute sensitivity was found to be 0.12% K⁻¹. The results showed that the Li₄Zn(PO₄)₂:Mn²⁺ phosphor has potential application in optical thermometry.     

果实膨大期喷布磷酸二氢钾对三月红荔枝果实贮藏性的影响

在三月红荔枝(Litchi chinensis cv.Sanyuehong)果实膨大期对树冠喷施0.2%磷酸二氢钾(KP)水溶液,以探讨磷酸二氢钾对荔枝果实贮藏性的影响。结果表明:(1) KP处理的果实在贮藏期前17d,失重率及果肉可溶性固形物、酸、VitC、花色素苷等指标的变化趋势与对照基本相似;(2) KP处理的果肉可溶性蛋白质含量变化与对照有明显差异,而果皮的可溶性蛋白质含量在贮藏期前10d变化动态与对照一致,此后呈相反的变化趋势;(3)果皮POD活性显著高于果肉,KP处理和对照的果肉POD活性在贮藏第3d后、果皮POD活性在第17d前分别具有相似变化趋势;(4)果肉中CAT活性在贮藏第3~17d期间都显著或极显著高于果皮,KP处理和对照果肉、果皮CAT活性动态变化均为单峰曲线。     

Interaction of poly(rC)-binding protein 2 domains KH1 and KH3 with coxsackievirus RNA

Recombinant hnRNP K-homology (KH) domains 1 and 3 of the poly(rC)-binding protein (PCBP) 2 were purified and assayed for interaction with coxsackievirus B3 RNA in electrophoretic mobility shift assays using in vitro transcribed RNAs which represent signal structures of the 5′-nontranslated region. KH domains 1 and 3 interact with the extended cloverleaf RNA and domain IV RNA of the internal ribosome entry site (IRES). KH1 but not KH3 interacts with subdomain IV/C RNA, whereas KH3 interacts with subdomain IV/B. All in vitro results are consistent with yeast three-hybrid experiments performed in parallel. The data demonstrate interaction of isolated PCBP2 KH1 and KH3 domains to four distinct target sites within the 5′-nontranslated region of the CVB3 genomic RNA.     

Vibrational analysis of nucleic acids. I. The phosphodiester group in dimethyl phosphate model compounds: (CH3O)2PO2-, (CD3O)2PO2-, and (13CH3O)2PO2-.

Normal coordinate analyses and vibrational assignments are presented for the dimethyl phosphate anion [(CH3O)2PO2-] and its deuteriomethyl [(CD3O)2PO2-] and carbon-13 [(13CH3O)2PO2-] derivatives in the gauche-gauche conformation. The dimethyl phosphate anion, which is the simplest model for the nucleic acid phosphodiester moiety, exhibits many of the spectral complexities of DNA and RNA and has previously resisted a complete and consistent vibrational analysis. In the present study we make use of new experimental data on the dimethyl phosphate isotopomers, including Raman depolarization measurements, to develop a consistent valence force field for normal modes of the C--O--P--O--C phosphodiester network and its hydrogenic substituents, as well as for stretching and bending modes of the O--P--O network of the anionic phosphodioxy group (PO2-). The force field established for dimethyl phosphate incorporates one significant nonbonded force constant, introduced from ab initio calculations, to account for interaction between the two ester C--O bonds. This study resolves previous problematic assignments for conformation-sensitive symmetric (in-phase) and asymmetric (out-of-phase) skeletal stretching modes of the ester linkages and demonstrates substantial anharmonicity in the hydrogen-stretching vibrations of the methyl substituents. New assignments are proposed for Raman bands of the phosphodioxy group, which may serve as potential indicators of structure and interaction of the DNA phosphates.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of a blue-emitting Sr(3.5) Y(6.5) O(2) (PO(4) )(1.5) (SiO(4) )(4.5) :Eu(2+) phosphor

A novel blue‐emitting Sr_3.5Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5:Eu²⁺ phosphor was synthesized via a solid‐state reaction. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated that the Sr_3.5Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5 host had a hexagonal crystal structure in the space group P6₃/m and unit cell parameters a = 9.418 Å, c = 6.900 Å. The as‐prepared phosphor showed a blue emission and all the main emission peaks were located at around 466 nm for different excitation wavelengths of 297, 333 and 391 nm. The temperature dependence of the photoluminescence property was investigated in the range 20–250 °C, and the emission intensity decreased to 71% of the initial value at room temperature on increasing the temperature to 150 °C. According to the classical theory of fluorescent thermal quenching, the activation energy (ΔE) for the thermal quenching luminescence of the as‐prepared Sr_3.45Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5:0.05Eu²⁺ phosphor was determined to be 0.20 eV. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

KTi2(PO4)3 with Large Ion Diffusion Channel for High‐Efficiency Sodium Storage

To accommodate the decreasing lithium resource and ensure continuous development of energy storage industry, sodium‐based batteries are widely studied to inherit the next generation of energy storage devices. In this work, a novel Na super ionic conductor type KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite is designed and fabricated as sodium storage electrode materials, which exhibits considerable reversible capacity (104 mAh g^?1 under the rate of 1 C with flat voltage plateaus at ≈2.1 V), high‐rate cycling stability (74.2% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 20 C), and ultrahigh rate capability (76 mAh g^?1 at 100 C) in sodium ion batteries. Besides, the maximum ability for sodium storage is deeply excavated by further investigations about different voltage windows in half and full sodium ion cells. Meanwhile, as cathode material in sodium‐magnesium hybrid batteries, the KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite also displays good electrochemical performances (63 mAh g^?1 at the 230th cycle under the voltage window of 1.0–1.9 V). The results demonstrate that the KTi₂(PO₄)₃/carbon nanocomposite is a promising electrode material for sodium ion storage, and lay theoretical foundations for the development of new type of batteries.     

Factors affecting struvite (MgNH4PO4.6H2O) crystallization in feline urine

Factors affecting struvite, a magnesium-ammonium-phosphate complex (MgNH(4)PO(4).6H(2)O), in feline urine were evaluated. Incubation of just "urine mineral (UM)" solution, in which mineral concentrations are compatible with those in feline urine, for 4 h at 37 degrees C did not induce the formation of crystals. Similarly, incubation of urine alone did not produce crystals. However, struvite crystals were formed by the addition of urine to UM solution. Mg, NH(3) and P were all required for urine-induced struvite crystallization. The lower molecular weight (LMW) fraction of urine was essential for struvite crystal formation, and the higher molecular weight (HMW) fraction enhanced formation of LMW-induced struvite crystals. The effects of urine proteins further fractionated by column chromatography were examined. A protein at >250 kDa and cauxin, a major urine protein recently identified as a regulator of felinine production, potentiated struvite crystal formation induced by the LMW fraction. In contrast, Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein, a urine protein thought to promote struvite crystallization, did not have this activity. The present study reveals a novel mechanism of feline struvite crystallization.     

Alzheimer's disease: microtubule-associated proteins 2 (MAP 2) are not components of paired helical filaments

In Alzheimer's disease, the most characteristic neuropathological changes are the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and neuritic plaques (NP) characterized by the presence of bundles of paired helical filaments (PHF) that accumulate in the degenerating neurites and neuronal cell bodies. Although the protein composition of the PHF is ill-defined, a number of microtubule-associated proteins have been implicated in these lesions. Here we report results with an antiserum monospecific for the microtubule-associated protein MAP 2 which does not cross-react with any other microtubular protein. Immunostaining with this antibody of sections from an Alzheimer's brain show a strong reactivity with NFT but no reactivity at the level of the NP. On the other hand, immunostaining of Alzheimer's brain sections with another antibody specific for the microtubule-associated protein tau shows strong staining of PHF on both NFT and NP. These findings confirm the presence of the tau proteins in the PHF and strongly suggest that MAP 2 may not be a main structural component of the PHF. Labelling of NFT with the anti-MAP 2 antiserum suggests a non-specific binding of MAP 2 to the PHF during the process of NFT formation.     

Simultaneous phenotyping of pig plasma α-protease inhibitors (PI1, PO1A, PO1B, PI2) and four other proteins (PO2, TF, CP, HPX) by a simple method of 2D horizontal electrophoresis

A simple and rapid method of 2D agarose gel (pH 5.4)-horizontal polyacrylamide gel (pH 9.0) electrophoresis was developed for the simultaneous phenotyping of pig plasma alpha-protease inhibitors (protease inhibitor-1 and -2; postalbumin-1A and -1B), postalbumin-2, transferrin, ceruloplasmin and haemopexin. These eight plasma proteins were clearly visible on gels stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G250. The 2D patterns and mobilities of several variants of alpha-protease inhibitors were described. By using two agarose gels and 10 polyacrylamide gels, 120 samples were easily analysed in a day. Since alpha-protease inhibitors show extensive polymorphism and as the gene for postalbumin-2 is closely linked to the halothane sensitivity locus Hal, this method is a useful tool for conducting parentage control and for predicting Hal genotypes of individual pigs.