Application of ferrous sulfate alleviates negative impact of cadmium in rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.)

Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals [such as cadmium (Cd)] is becoming a serious global problem due to rapid development of social economy. Iron (Fe), being an important element, has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study investigated the extent to which different levels of Ferrous sulphate (FeSO₄) modulated the Cd tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.), when maintained in artificially Cd spiked regimes. A pot experiment was conducted under controlled conditions for 146 days, by using natural soil, mixed with different levels of CdCl₂ [0 (no Cd), 0.5 and 1 mg/kg] together with the exogenous application of FeSO₄ at [0 (no Fe), 1.5 and 3 mg/kg] levels to monitor different growth, gaseous exchange characteristics, oxidative stress, antioxidative responses, minerals accumulation, organic acid exudation patterns of O. sativa. Our results depicted that addition of Cd to the soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, gaseous exchange parameters, mineral uptake by the plants, sugars (soluble, reducing, and non-reducing sugar) and altered the ultrastructure of chloroplasts, plastoglobuli, mitochondria, and many other cellular organelles in Cd-stressed O. sativa compared to those plants which were grown without the addition of Cd in the soil. However, Cd toxicity boosted the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by increasing the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), which is the indication of oxidative stress in O. sativa and was also manifested by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) contents and electrolyte leakage to the membrane bounded organelles. Although, activities of various antioxidative enzymes like superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and non-enzymatic antioxidants like phenolics, flavonoid, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and proline contents increased up to a Cd level of 0.5 mg/kg in the soil but were significantly diminished at the highest Cd level of 1 mg/kg in the soil compared to those plants which were grown without the addition of Cd in the soil. The negative impacts of Cd injury were reduced by the application of FeSO₄ which increased plant growth and biomass, improved photosynthetic apparatus, antioxidant enzymes, minerals uptake together with diminished exudation of organic acids as well as oxidative stress indicators in roots and shoots of O. sativa by decreasing Cd retention in different plant parts. These results shed light on the effectiveness of FeSO₄ in improving the growth and upregulation of antioxidant enzyme activities of O. sativa in response to Cd stress. However, further studies at field levels are required to explore the mechanisms of FeSO₄-mediated reduction of the toxicity of not only Cd, but possibly also other heavy metals in plants.     

Uncoupling tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 at tumor immune microenvironment of breast cancer through miR-17-5p/MALAT-1/H19 circuit

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) immunotherapy has recently shown promising approach. However, some TNBC patients presented with resistance. One of the reasons was attributed to the excessive release of cytokines at the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10). Fine regulation of these cytokines’ levels via non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) might alleviate the immune quiescent nature of TME at TNBC tumors. However, the extrapolation of ncRNAs as therapeutic tools is highly challenging. Therefore, disentanglement the nature for the isolation of natural compounds that could modulate the ncRNAs and their respective targets is an applicable translational therapeutic approach. Hence, this study aimed to targeting the chief immune suppressive cytokines at the TME (TNF-α and IL-10) via ncRNAs and to examine the effects of Rosemary aerial parts extract on the expression levels of these ncRNAs in TNBC. Results revealed miR-17-5p as a dual regulator of TNF-α and IL-10. Moreover, an intricate interaction has been shown between miR-17-5p and the oncogenic lncRNAs: MALAT1 and H19. Knocking down of MALAT1 and/or H19 caused an induction in miR-17-5p and reduction in TNF-α and IL-10 expression levels. miR-17-5p was found to be down-regulated, while TNF-α, IL-10, MALAT1 and H19 were up-regulated in BC patients. Forced expression of miR-17-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells reduced TNF-α, IL-10, MALAT1 and H19 expression levels, as well as several BC hallmarks. In a translational approach, ursolic acid (UA) isolated from rosemary induced the expression of miR-17-5p, MALAT1 and decreased H19 expression levels. In conclusion, this study suggests miR-17-5p as a tumor suppressor and an immune-activator miRNA in BC through tuning up the immunological targets TNF-α, IL-10 at the TME and the oncological mediators MALAT1 and H19 lncRNAs.     

平纹机织玄武岩纤维/环氧树脂复合材料冲击拉伸行为

以常规机织工艺生产织物增强体,以真空辅助树脂转移模塑法(VARTM)制备成型复合材料,研究单层平纹玄武岩长丝增强环氧树脂复合材料在准静态和高应变率加载下的拉伸性能。准静态和高应变率拉伸试验分别在MTS-810.23试验仪和分离式霍普金森拉杆(SHTB)测试系统上完成。试验结果表明该材料的力学性能具有应变率依赖性:随着应变速率的增加,拉伸模量和拉伸强度单调增加,失效应变单调减小,弹性能先增加后减小。材料的失效破坏特征也呈现明显的应变率效应:准静态拉伸时,材料断口整齐,树脂的破碎少,几乎没有纤维的抽拔和经纬向纤维束间的滑移;高应变率拉伸时,材料断口参差错乱,树脂完全破碎,纤维束抽拔严重、相互崩裂和滑移,织物增强体结构的整体性破坏严重。     

Passive microwave remote sensing of soil moisture

Results of radiometric measurements over bare soil obtained with a horizontally polarized microwave radiometer at 19·1 GHz frequency are presented. Radiometer measurements were made with incidence angles varying from 10 to 50°. Ground-truth acquisition of soil moisture in the 0–1 cm layer and of soil temperature near the surface was made concurrently with radiometer measurements. The measured brightness temperatures over a bare field are higher than those calculated from an emmissivity model.     

微生物白云岩形成机制研究进展与存在问题

近年来,有关微生物白云岩沉淀作用机制的研究拓宽了沉积学中"白云岩问题"研究的视角。硫酸盐还原反应、产甲烷作用、有机分子水解等一系列可促进沉淀白云石的微生物代谢机制的发现,延伸了微生物白云石(岩)形成模式;有关可溶解硫化物催化白云石沉淀的研究,不但强调了硫酸盐还原反应机制,也为重新认识硫酸盐还原反应促进白云石沉淀机理提供了新线索。在现代环境中,微生物席内的原生白云石沉淀的发现,将微生物过程引入地表环境原生白云石沉淀作用和机理的研究,可能为寻找地层记录中的微生物白云石提供了更多有益的工作手段和思考途径。然而更加复杂的白云岩地层记录说明,运用微生物白云石去解释复杂的地质记录还存在着较多的局限性。     

Fabrication of polystyrene/agave particle biocomposites using compression molding technique: evaluation of flammability,biodegradability, mechanical and thermal behaviour

Polystyrene (PS) composites reinforced with ungrafted and acrylonitrile (AN) grafted agave particles (AgP) have been prepared with 10–30% particle content by weight using compression molding technique. The composite specimens thus prepared were subjected to the evaluation of mechanical, chemical, flammability and biodegradability properties. PS composites with 20% particle loading exhibited optimum mechanical properties. AN grafted AgP/PS composites exhibited higher mechanical strength as compared to ungrafted AgP/PS composites. Further AN grafted AgP/PS composites exhibited better thermal properties and biodegradability as compared to PS matrix. Addition of fire retardant fillers such as magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) $_{2})$ and zinc borate lowered burning rate of PS composites considerably. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of tensile fracture surfaces of AN grafted AgP/PS composites showed better particle/matrix adhesion.     

EFFECT OF REDUCTION CONDITIONS ON THE ACTIVITY OF Ni/γAl2O3 CATALYST FOR METHANATION REACTION

The effect of reduction conditions, mainly reduction temperature and duration time on the activity of Ni/γAl₂O₃ catalyst were studied for a methanation reaction in a gradientless Berty reactor. The methanation reaction was investigated using a feed containing CO (6.7 mole%), H₂ (26 mole%) and the balance being nitrogen at a pressure of 30 psig and a fixed temperature of 350°C. The reduction temperature was varying from 250 to 500°C, in order to investigate its effect on the methanation reaction. The methanation activity of the catalyst increased to a maximum by increasing the reduction temperature up to a maximum at 300-350°C and showed a slight negative decline afterward. The second parameter investigated was reduction duration time which was varied from 2 to 16 hours. It was observed that the methanation reaction activity increased by increasing the reduction duration time up to 6 hours. After six hours, there was no increase in activity. Based on the finding of this investigation, a recommended set of reduction conditions is given: reduction temperature of 300°C and a duration time of six hours.     

Al-Ti-B-RE细化剂对Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金显微组织和力学性能的影响

研究添加Al-5Ti-lB-RE细化剂对Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg（A357）合金的显微组织和力学性能的影响。先利用真空熔炼技术制各Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金,然后在Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金中加入不同成分的Al-5Ti-1B-RE中间合金。通过X射线衍射仪（XRD）、金相显微镜（OM）和扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对显微组织和拉伸试样的断口形貌进行观察。在室温下对合金的力学性能进行测试。观察Al-5Ti-1B-RE细化剂的形态以及内部结构,可以发现以TiB,为异质形核核心的TiAl3／Ti2Al20RE的壳层结构相。在Al-7．0Si-0．55Mg合金中加入Al-5Ti-1B-3．0RE细化剂后,抗拉强度会有明显提升,直到0．2％添加量时,抗拉强度会达到峰值。