Temporal and spatial changes in Bt toxin expression in Bt-transgenic poplar and insect resistance in field tests

Extensive planting of Bacillus thuringiensis （Bt）-transgenic plants economically benefits society; how-ever, the potential risk they pose is receiving increasing attention. This study used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and fluorescence quantitative PCR （RT-PCR） to monitor the temporal and spatial dynamics of the expression of Bt toxic protein in a forest of 6- to 8-year-old trees of transgenic insect-resistant poplar 741 for three consec- utive years. The enrichment, distribution, and degradation of Bt toxic protein and the influence of transgenic poplars on the targeted insect population, Hyphantria cunea, were investigated. The content of CrylAc toxic protein dynamically changed in transgenic poplar. During the annual growth cycle, the content initially increased, then decreased in the long and the short branches of the crown and in the root system, peaking in August. During the study, the protein did not accumulate overtime. The mRNA transcription of gene CrylAc was almost consistent with the level of the protein, but transcription peaked in July. In the transgenic and control forestland, microscale levels of the CrylAc toxic protein were detected from the soil, but increased accumulation was not observed with the planting year of transgenic poplar. Meanwhile, Bt was isolated and detected molecularly from the soil in the experimental forestland. A systematic investigation of the density of H. cunea in the experimental transgenic poplar forest indi- cated that transgenic Pb29 poplar could resist insects to a certain degree. At peak occurrence of the targeted insects, the density of H. cunea in the experimental forest was significantly lower than in the nontransgenic poplar forest.

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identifies a novel immune-related gene signature and nomogram to predict the survival and immune infiltration status of breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and seriously threatens the health of women worldwide.Prognostic models based on immune-related genes help to improve the prognosis prediction and clinical treatment of breast cancer patients.In the study,we used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to construct a co-expression network to screen out highly prognostic immune-related genes.Subsequently,the prognostic immunerelated gene signature was successfully constructed from highly immune-related genes through COX regression and LASSO COX analysis.Survival analysis and time receiver operating characteristic curves indicate that the prognostic signature has strong predictive performance.And we developed a nomogram by combing the risk score with multiple clinical characteristics.CIBERSORT and TIMER algorithms confirmed that there are significant differences in tumorinfiltrating immune cells in different risk groups.In addition,gene set enrichment analysis shows 6 pathways that differ between high-and low-risk group.The immune-related gene signature effectively predicts the survival and immune infiltration of breast cancer patients and is expected to provide more effective immunotherapy targets for the prognosis prediction of breast cancer.

Characterization of coal burning-derived individual particles emitted from an experimental domestic stove

Coal combustion in the domestic stoves, which is common in most parts of the Chinese countryside, can release harmful substances into the air and cause health issues. In this study, particles emitted from laboratory stove combustion of the raw powder coals were analyzed for morphologies and chemical compositions by using transmission electron microscopy （TEM） coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDX）. The coal burning-derived individual particles were classified into two groups： carbonaceous particles （including soot aggregates and organic particles） and non-carbonaceous particles （including sulfate, mineral and metal particles）. The non-carbonaceous particles, which constituted a majority of the coal burning-derived emissions, were subdivided into Si-rich, S-rich, K-rich, Ca-rich, and Fe-rich particles according to the elemental compositions. The Si-rich, S-rich and K-rich particles are commonly observed in the coal burning emission. The proportions for particles of different types exhibit obvious coal-issue dependence. Burning of coal with high ash yield could emit more non-carbonaceous particles, and burning of coal with high sulfur content can emit more S-rich particles. By comparing the S-rich particles from this coal burning experiment with those in the atmosphere, we draw a conclusion that some S-rich particles in the atmosphere in China could be mainly sourced from coal combustion.

Studies on the roles of vanadyl sulfate and sodium nitrite in catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol with molecular oxygen

An efficient catalytic system consisting of vanadyl sulfate/sodium nitrite was disclosed previously for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols into aldehydes with molecular oxygen.However,the roles of catalyst components were not investigated.In this paper,we examined catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol as a model reaction,especially by infrared spectroscopy.The role of each component is discussed including nitrite,vanadyl,sulphate,and water.Sodium nitrite could be converted into nitrate and nitric acid.The vanadium(IV)could be smoothly oxidized into vanadium(V)under mild and acidic conditions without any organic ligands.The transformation of sulfate and bisulfate,the cessation of an induction period,and the oxidation of benzyl alcohol were closely interrelated.The multiple roles of water are discussed,including reduction of the induction period,participation in redox cycles of nitric compounds,deactivation of vanadium,and as a byproduct of oxidation.This study contributes to further development of aerobic oxidation using vanadium based catalysts.

Distribution of rare earth elements in PM10 emitted from burning coals and soil-mixed coal briquettes

Emission from burning coals is one of the major sources of the airborne particles in China.We carried out a study on the rare earth elements(REEs)in the inhalable particulate matter(PM10)emitted from burning coals and soil-coal honeycomb briquettes with different volatile contents and ash yields in a combustion-dilution system.Gravimetric analysis indicates that the equivalent mass concentration of the PM10 emitted from burning the coals is higher than that emitted from burning the briquettes.The ICP-MS analysis indicates that the contents of total REEs in the coal-burning PM10 are lower than those in the briquetteburning PM10.In addition,the contents of the light rare earth elements(LREEs)are higher than those of the heavy rare earth elements(HREEs)in the PM10 emitted from burning the coals and briquettes,demonstrating that the REEs in both the coal-burning and briquetteburning PM10 are dominated by LREEs.The higher contents of total REEs and LREEs in the coal-burning PM10 are associated with the higher ash yields and lower volatile contents in the raw coals.A comparative analysis indicates that the La/Sm ratios in the PM10 emitted from burning the coals and briquettes,being lower than 2,are lower than those in the particles from gasoline-powered vehicle emission.