Effects of Periodical Soil Drying and Leaf Water Potential on the Sensitivity of Stomatal Response to Xylem ABA

The study on the changes of stomatal sensitivity in relation to xylem ABA during periodical soil drying and the effect of leaf water status on the stomatal sensitivity has confirmed that xylem ABA concentration is a good indicator of soil water status around roots and the relation between xylem ABA concentration and predawn leaf water potential remained constant during the three consecutive soil drying cycles based on the slopes of the fitted lines. The sensitivity of stomata to xylem ABA increased substantially as the soil drying cycles progressed, and the xylem ABA concentration needed to cause a 50% decrease of stomatal conductance was as low as 550 nmol/L in the next two soil drying cycle, as compared with the 750 nmol/L ABA in the first cycle of soil drying. The results using the split_root system showed that leaf water deficit significantly enhanced the stomatal response to xylem ABA and the xylem ABA concentration needed to cause a 50% decrease in stomatal conductance was 2 to 4 times smaller in the whole_root_drying treatment than those in the semi_root_drying treatment. These results suggested that the sensitivity of stomata to xylem ABA concentration is not a fixed characteristic.

Science Letters:A modified chlorophyll absorption continuum index for chlorophyll estimation

There is increasing interest in using hyperspectral data for quantitative characterization of vegetation in spatial and temporal scopes. Many spectral indices are being developed to improve vegetation sensitivity by minimizing the background influence. The chlorophyll absorption continuum index (CACI) is such a measure to calculate the spectral continuum on which the analyses are based on the area of the troughs spanned by the spectral continuum. However, different values of CACI were obtained in this method because different positions of continuums were determined by different users. Furthermore, the sensitivity of CACI to agronomic parameters such as green leaf chlorophyll density (GLCD) has been reduced because the fixed positions of con- tinuums are determined when the red edge shifted with the change in GLCD. A modified chlorophyll absorption continuum index (MCACI) is presented in this article. The red edge inflection point (REIP) replaces the maximum reflectance point (MRP) in near-infrared (NIR) shoulder on the CACI continuum. This MCACI has been proved to increase the sensitivity and predictive power of GLCD.

Differentiation of xanthomonads causing the bacterial leaf spot of poinsettia in China from the pathotype strain of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola

In October 2003, a new bacterial disease with symptoms similar to those caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola was observed on poinsettia leaves at a flower nursery in Zhejiang Province of China. Three Xanthomonas strains were isolated from infected plants and classified as X. axonopodis. They were differentiated from the pathotype strain LMG849 of X. axonopodis pv. poinsettiicola causing bacterial leaf spot of poinsettia by comparison of pathogenicity, substrate utilization and BOX-PCR genomic fingerprints.

Effects of Nitrogen Application on Osmotic Adjustmentof Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) with Different NitrogenEfficiency

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) is one of the most important fiber crops and biomass materials. However, previous studies showed that ramie presented a very low nitrogen agronomy efficiency (NAE, 23.2%~27.8%) in traditional farming, and the nitrogen fertilizer was applied excessively in ramie field. Plant osmotic adjustment (OA) responses to environmental stresses positively and exhibits improvements in plant tolerance. Whereas results varied due to the complexity of plant-environment interactions and lack of insights of specific species. In order to improve ramie production through osmoregulation, our current study investigated the role of nitrogen application and osmotic adjustment in improving the growth and yield in two varieties of ramie (H2000-03 and Ceheng Jiama) with contrasting nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) grown at 5 different N rates including N0, N6, N9, N12 and N15;0, 6, 9, 12 and 15 mmol/L N, respectively. The results showed that ramie adapted to different nitrogen rates through OA and significant differences of osmolyte content between varieties only presented at the particular growth stage. Obvious inflexion of yield, osmolyte content involving proline, soluble protein (SP), soluble sugar (SS) and malonaldehyde (MDA);nitrogen sensitive index (NSI) and comprehensive evaluation (D) in both varieties were observed. Our results recommended that the overall lifting of OA at a lower N level and at the proper growth stage would be a reasonable approach for improving ramie NUE.

Dynamic probabilistic analysis of stress and deformation for bladed disk assemblies of aeroengine

In order to describe and control the stress distribution and total deformation of bladed disk assemblies used in the aeroengine, a highly efficient and precise method of probabilistic analysis which is called extremum response surface method(ERSM) is produced based on the previous deterministic analysis results with the finite element model(FEM). In this work, many key nonlinear factors, such as the dynamic feature of the temperature load, the centrifugal force and the boundary conditions, are taken into consideration for the model. The changing patterns with time of bladed disk assemblies about stress distribution and total deformation are obtained during the deterministic analysis, and at the same time, the largest deformation and stress nodes of bladed disk assemblies are found and taken as input target of probabilistic analysis in a scientific and reasonable way. Not only their reliability, historical sample, extreme response surface(ERS) and the cumulative probability distribution function but also their sensitivity and effect probability are obtained. Main factors affecting stress distribution and total deformation of bladed disk assemblies are investigated through the sensitivity analysis of the model. Finally, compared with the response surface method(RSM) and the Monte Carlo simulation(MCS), the results show that this new approach is effective.

A Comparative Study of the Sensitivity of F_v/F_m to Phosphorus Limitation on Four Marine Algae

We studied the effects of nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） supply on Fv/Fm （maximal quantum yield of photosystem Ⅱ） in the algae Chaetoceros debilis, Dicrateria inornata, Platymonas subcordiformis and Heterosigma akashiwo to determine the sensitivity of Fv/Fm to P-limitation of the four species. Obvious decrease of Fv/Fm value was monitored in periods of P-depletion, the decrease showing different magnitudes among algal species. A more clear decrease of Fv/Fm in Platymonas subcordiformis and Heterosigma akashiwo was observed, compared with that in Chaetoceros debilis and Dicrateria inornata. After the re-supply of P, the index Fv/Fm of the four species all recovered quickly in 24h. Cell division was maintained and chlorophyll content continued to increase until the end of the experiment in Platymonas subcordiformis and Heterosigma akashiwo, while in Chaetoceros debilis and Dicrateria inornata, the division stopped in the later period when the growth of organisms came into the stationary phase. The most obvious respond of chlorophyll content to P-additions was observed in Heterosigma akashiwo culture in 24 h. The sensitivity of Fv/Fm to nutrient limitations is different among algal species, and much should be done to improve the application of this index.

Carotenoids and Chlorophyll are not the Chromophores of Blue Light-Induced Prehaustoria in Dodder （Cuscuta campestris） Seedlings

Previous studies demonstrated that cryptochromes are involved in blue light-induced coiling and prehaustoria development in young de-etiolated dodder seedlings. In this study, we suggest that carotenoids and chlorophyll are not the blue light absorbing chromophores involved in the mediation of prehaustoria development to blue light. Norflurazon-bleached dodder segments coiled and formed prehaustoria under blue light. However, norflurazon significantly reduced prehaustoria number （62%） under a mixture of red and far-red light, suggesting that phytochromes could be altered by norflurazon.

Measurement of β-1,3 Glucanase Activity in Permeabilized Discs of Leaves of Healthy and Scald-Diseased Plants

Leaf discs of five cultivars of sugarcane exhibiting different degree of susceptibility to leaf scald were used to measure β-1,3 glucanase activity before and after experimental infection with Xanthomonas albilineans. Leaf discs were permeabilized with iso-propanol to facilitate the uptake of the enzyme substrate by intact tissues and to improve the enzyme assay. Bacterial infection significantly enhances β-1,3 glucanase activity of sensitive cultivars whereas significantly decreased that of the resistant one. Low concentrations of salicylate increase the hydrolase activity whereas jasmonic acid do not act as an elicitor of the enzyme and β-1,3 glucanase, such as laminarin, significantly inhibits the production of β-1,3 glucanase. Thus, the enzyme must be considered as a sensitivity factor induced by the pathogen.

Reliability and sensitivity analyses of HPT blade-tip radial running clearance using multiply response surface model

To reasonably design the blade-tip radial running clearance(BTRRC) of high pressure turbine and improve the performance and reliability of gas turbine, the multi-object multi-discipline reliability sensitivity analysis of BTRRC was accomplished from a probabilistic prospective by considering nonlinear material attributes and dynamic loads. Firstly, multiply response surface model(MRSM) was proposed and the mathematical model of this method was established based on quadratic function. Secondly, the BTRRC was decomposed into three sub-components(turbine disk, blade and casing), and then the single response surface functions(SRSFs) of three structures were built in line with the basic idea of MRSM. Thirdly, the response surface function(MRSM) of BTRRC was reshaped by coordinating SRSFs. From the analysis, it is acquired to probabilistic distribution characteristics of input-output variables, failure probabilities of blade-tip clearance under different static blade-tip clearances δ and major factors impacting BTRRC. Considering the reliability and efficiency of gas turbine, δ=1.87 mm is an optimally acceptable option for rational BTRRC. Through the comparison of three analysis methods(Monte Carlo method, traditional response surface method and MRSM), the results show that MRSM has higher accuracy and higher efficiency in reliability sensitivity analysis of BTRRC. These strengths are likely to become more prominent with the increasing times of simulations. The present study offers an effective and promising approach for reliability sensitivity analysis and optimal design of complex dynamic assembly relationship.

Preparation of pH-responsive membranes with amphiphilic copolymers by surface segregation method

Novel pH-responsive membranes were prepared by blending pH-responsive amphiphilic copolymers with polyethersulfone(PES) via a nonsolvent-induced phase separation(NIPS) technique. The amphiphilic copolymers bearing Pluronic F127 and poly(methacrylic acid)(PMAA) segments, abbreviated as PMAA n–F127–PMAA n,were synthesized by free radical polymerization. The physical and chemical properties of the blend membranes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectrum, water contact angle, Zeta potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The enrichment of hydrophilic PMAA segments on the membrane surfaces was attributed to surface segregation during the membrane preparation process. The blend membranes had signi ficant p H-responsive properties due to the conformational changes of surface-segregated PMAA segments under different pH values of feed solutions. Fluxes of the blend membranes were larger at low p H values of feed solutions than that at high pH values. The pH-responsive ability of the membranes was enhanced with the increase of the degree of PMAA near-surface coverage.

一个馒头的自述

午餐请选择鸡腿、汉堡和馒头，选择前两者，饿着!选择后者，吃饱。想清楚再选呀!小剪刀提醒：无论什么年代，吃饱都是硬道理。

SEQUENTIAL EMPIRICAL BAYESIAN DESIGN FOR SENSITIVITY EXPERIMENTS

Maximum likelihood recursions were used by Wu （1985） to estimate extreme quantiles of a quantal response curve. For certain choices of initial designs, Wu＇s method performs well. In many fields of application, there often exist some different initial designs which are known as the up-and- down designs. Based on the existing data set from such a design, the authors propose three sequential empirical Bayesian designs by quickly and efficiently exploiting the information in the testing data and known knowledge. The improvement obtained by using the new procedures for the estimation of extreme quantiles is substantial.

Enhanced tumor-targeted delivery of anticancer drugs by folic acid-conjugated pH-sensitive polymeric micelles

In order to enhance the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs by polymeric micelles, folic acid(FA), the ligand of folate receptor(FR) over-expressed in the most cancer cells, modified p H-sensitive polymeric micelles were designed and fabricated to encapsulate doxorubicin(DOX) by combination of p H-sensitive amphiphilic polymer poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(D,L-lactide) with FA-conjugated poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(D,L-lactide). The prepared micelles were characterized to have about 36 nm in diameter with narrow distribution, well-defined spherical shape observed under TEM and p H-responsive drug release behavior. Moreover, the tumor targeting ability of the FA-modified p H-sensitive polymeric micelles was demonstrated by the cellular uptake, in vitro cytotoxicity to FR-positive KB cells and in vivo real time near-infrared fluorescence imaging in KB tumor-bearing nude mice. The efficient drug delivery by the micelles was ascribed to the synergistic effects of FR-mediated targeting and p H-triggered drug release. In conclusion, the designed FR-targeted p H-sensitive polymeric micelles might be of great potential in tumor targeted delivery of water-insoluble anticancer drugs.