Numerical Simulation on Radon Retardation Behavior of Covering Floats in Radon-Containing Water

Objective This study aimed to efficiently reduce the release of radon from water bodies to protect the environment.Methods Based on the sizes of the experimental setup and modular float,computational fluid dynamics(CFD)was used to assess the impact of the area coverage rate,immersion depth,diffusion coefficient,and radon transfer velocity at the gas–liquid interface on radon migration and exhalation of radon-containing water.Based on the numerical simulation results,an estimation model for the radon retardation rate was constructed.The effectiveness of the CFD simulation was evaluated by comparing the experimental and simulated variation values of the radon retardation rate with the coverage area rates.Results The effect of radon transfer velocity on radon retardation in water bodies was minor and insignificant according to the appropriate value;therefore,an estimation model of the radon retardation rate of the coverage of a radon-containing water body was constructed using the synergistic impacts of three factors:area coverage rate,immersion depth,and diffusion coefficient.The deviation between the experimental and simulated results was<4.3%.Conclusion Based on the numerical simulation conditions,an estimation model of the radon retardation rate of covering floats in water bodies under the synergistic effect of multiple factors was obtained,which provides a reference for designing covering floats for radon retardation in radoncontaining water.

Dietary bile acid supplementation in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation improves colonic microbiota,metabolic activity,and epithelial function

Background Intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)is one of the major constraints in animal production.Our previ-ous study showed that piglets with IUGR are associated with abnormal bile acid(BA)metabolism.This study explored whether dietary BA supplementation could improve growth performance and colonic development,function,micro-biota,and metabolites in the normal birth weight(NBW)and IUGR piglets.A total of 48 weaned piglets(24 IUGR and 24 NBW)were allocated to four groups(12 piglets per group):(i)NBW group,(ii)NBW+BA group,(iii)IUGR group,and(iv)IUGR+BA group.Samples were collected after 28 days of feeding.Results The results showed that dietary BA supplementation increased the length and weight of the colon and colon weight to body weight ratio,while decreased the plasma diamine oxidase(DAO)concentration in the NBW pig-lets(P<0.05).Dietary BA supplementation to IUGR piglets decreased(P<0.05)the plasma concentrations of D-lactate and endotoxin and colonic DAO and endotoxin,suggesting a beneficial effect on epithelial integrity.Moreover,dietary BA supplementation to NBW and IUGR piglets increased Firmicutes abundance and decreased Bacteroidetes abundance(P<0.05),whereas Lactobacillus was the dominant genus in the colon.Metabolome analysis revealed 65 and 51 differential metabolites in the colon of piglets fed a diet with/without BA,respectively,which was associated with the colonic function of IUGR piglets.Furthermore,dietary BA supplementation to IUGR piglets upregulated the expressions of CAT,GPX,SOD,Nrf1,IL-2,and IFN-γin colonic mucosa(P<0.05).Conclusions Collectively,dietary BA supplementation could improve the colonic function of IUGR piglets,which was associated with increasing proportions of potentially beneficial bacteria and metabolites.Furthermore,BA shows a promising application prospect in improving the intestinal ecosystem and health of animals.

Pterostilbene attenuates intrauterine growth retardation-induced colon inflamm tion in piglets by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy

Background:Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress and autophagy are implicated in the pathophysiology of intestinal inflammation;however,their roles in intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)-induced colon inflammation are unclear.This study explored the protective effects of natural stilbene pterostilbene on colon inflammation using the IUGR piglets and the tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)-treated human colonic epithelial cells(Caco-2)by targeting ER stress and autophagy.Results:Both the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells exhibited inflammatory responses,ER stress,and impaired autophagic flux(P<0.05).The ER stress inducer tunicamycin and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine further augmented inflammatory responses and apoptosis in the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells(P<0.05).Conversely,pterostilbene inhibited ER stress and restored autophagic flux in the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated cells(P<0.05).Pterostilbene also prevented the release of inflammatory cytokines and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B p65,reduced intestinal permeability and cell apoptosis,and facilitated the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins in the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated cells(P<0.05).Importantly,treatment with tunicamycin or autophagosome-lysosome binding inhibitor chloroquine blocked the positive effects of pterostilbene on inflammatory response,cell apoptosis,and intestinal barrier function in the TNF-α-exposed Caco-2 cells(P<0.05).Conclusion:Pterostilbene mitigates ER stress and promotes autophagic flux,thereby improving colon inflammation and barrier dysfunction in the IUGR piglets and the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells.

Intrauterine growth retardation affects liver bile acid metabolism in growing pigs:effects associated with the changes of colonic bile acid derivatives

Background:Intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)is associated with severely impaired nutrient metabolism and intestinal development of pigs.Our previous study found that IUGR altered intestinal microbiota and metabolites in the colon.However,the consequences of IUGR on bile acid metabolism in pigs remained unclear.The present study aimed to investigate the bile acid metabolism in the liver and the profile of bile acid derivatives in the colon of grow-ing pigs with IUGR using bile acid targeted metabolomics.Furthermore,we determined correlations between colonic microbiota composition and metabolites of IUGR and normal birth weight(NBW)pigs at different growth stages that were 7,21,and 28-day-old,and the average body weight(BW)of 25,50,and 100 kg of the NBW pigs.Results:The results showed that the plasma total bile acid concentration was higher(P<0.05)at the 25 kg BW stage and tended to increase(P=0.08)at 28-day-old in IUGR pigs.The hepatic gene expressions related to bile acid synthe-sis(CYP7A1,CYP27A1,and NTCP)were up-regulated(P<0.05),and the genes related to glucose and lipid metabolism(ATGL,HSL,and PC)were down-regulated(P<0.05)at the 25 kg BW stage in IUGR pigs when compared with the NBW group.Targeted metabolomics analysis showed that 29 bile acids and related compounds were detected in the colon of pigs.The colonic concentrations of dehydrolithocholic acid and apocholic acid were increased(P<0.05),while isodeoxycholic acid and 6,7-diketolithocholic acid were decreased(P<0.05)in IUGR pigs,when compared with the NBW pigs at the 25 kg BW stage.Moreover,Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that colonic Unclassified_[Mogi-bacteriaceae],Lachnospira,and Slackia abundances were negatively correlated(P<0.05)with dehydrolithocholic acid,as well as the Unclassified_Clostridiaceae abundance with 6,7-diketolithocholic acid at the 25 kg BW stage.Conclusions:These findings suggest that IUGR could affect bile acid and glucolipid metabolism in growing pigs,especially at the 25 kg BW stage,these effects being paralleled by a modification of bile acid derivatives concentra-tions in the colonic content.The plausible links between these modified parameters are discussed.

Preparation of Polyurea Elastomer with Flame Retardant, Insulation and Thermal Conductivity Properties

By using 6,6-((sulfonylbis(4,1-phenylene)bis(azanediyl))bis(thiophen-2-ylm-ethylene))bis6H-di-benzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine 6-oxide(DOPO-N)as phosphorus-nitrogen flame retardant,the polyurea(PUA)with flame retardant properties(PUA/DOPO-N)was prepared.In addition,organically modified montmorillonite(OMMT)and magnesium hydroxide(MH)were used as co-effectors respectively,and the flame retardant PUA(PUA/DOPO-N/OMMT and PUA/DOPO-N/MH)were also prepared.Thermal properties,flame retardant properties,flame retardant mechanism and mechanical properties of PUA/DOPO-N,PUA/DOPO-N/OMMT and PUA/DOPO-N/MH were investigated by thermogravimetric(TG)analysis,limiting oxygen index(LOI),UL 94,cone calorimeter test,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and tensile test.The results show that the LOI value of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH are 27.1%,27.7%,and 28.3%,respectively,and UL 94 V-0 rating is attained.Compared with PUA,the peak heat release rate(pk-HRR),total heat release(THR)and average effective heat combustion(av-EHC)of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH decrease significantly.SEM results indicate that the residual chars of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH are completer and more compact.The complex of DOPO-N/OMMT and DOPO-N/MH have synergistic flame retardancy.The mechanical properties of PUA can be improved by the addition of DOPO-N,DOPO-N/OMMT and DOPO-N/MH,respectively.The insulation performance test shows that the volume resistivity of PUA/20%DOPO-N is 6.25×10^(16)Ω.cm.Furthermore,by using modified boron nitride(MBN)as heat dissipating material,the complex of PUA/MBN was prepared,and the thermal conductivity of PUA/MBN was investigated.The thermal conductivity of PUA/8%MBN complex coating at room temperature is 0.166 W/(M·K),which is a 163%improvement over pure PUA.

Superior and safer lithium sulfur batteries realized by robust polysulfides-retarding dam with high flame retardance

The unparalleled energy density has granted lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)with attractive usages.Unfortunately,LSBs still face some unsurpassed challenges in industrialization,with polysulfides shuttling,dendrite growth and thermal hazard as the major problems triggering the cycling instability and low safety.With the merit of convenience,the method of designing functional separator has been adapted.Concretely,the carbon aerogel confined with CoS_(2)(CoS_(2)-NCA)is constructed and coated on Celgard separator surface,acquiring CoS_(2)-NCA modified separator(CoS_(2)-NCA@C),which holds the promoted electrolyte affinity and flame retardance.As revealed,CoS_(2)-NCA@C cell gives a high discharge capacity 1536.9 mAh/g at 1st cycle,much higher than that of Celgard cell(987.1 mAh/g).Moreover,the thermal runaway triggering time is dramatically prolonged by 777.4 min,corroborating the promoted thermal safety of cell.Noticeably,the higher coulombic efficiency stability and lower overpotential jointly confirm the efficacy of CoS_(2)-NCA@C in suppressing the lithium dendrite growth.Overall,this work can provide useful inspirations for designing functional separator,coping with the vexing issues of LSBs.

Synthesis of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Aluminum Hypophosphite Microspheres Flame Retardant and Its Flame Retardant Research on Thermoplastic Polyurethane

Aluminum hypophosphite microspheres(AHP) were synthesized by hydrothermal method using NaH2PO2·H2O and AlCl3·6H2O as raw materials, and then the AHP microspheres were polymerized by surface polymerization of micro-nanospheres with cyclic cross-linked poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol)(PZS). A new organic-inorganic poly(phosphonitrile)-modified aluminum hypophosphite microspheres(PZS-AHP) were synthesized by encapsulation and applied to flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU). The microstructure and chemical composition of the PZS-AHP microsphere were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The thermal stability of PZS-AHP microsphere was explored with thermogravimetric analysis. Thermogravimetric data indicate that the PZS-AHP microspheres have excellent thermal stability. The thermal and flame-retarding properties of the TPU composites were evaluated by thermogravimetric(TG), limited oxygen index tests(LOI), and cone calorimeter test(CCT). The TPU composite achieved vertical burning(UL-94) V-0 grade and LOI value reached 29.2% when 10 wt% PZS-AHP was incorporated. Compared with those of pure TPU, the peak heat release rate(pHRR) and total heat release(THR) of TPU/10%PZS-AHP decreased by 82.2% and 42.5%, respectively. The results of CCT indicated that PZS-AHP microsphere could improve the flame retardancy of TPU composites.

Deterioration Reason and Improvement Measure of the Retarding Effect of Protein Retarder on Phosphorus Building Gypsum

The retarding effect of protein retarder on phosphorus building gypsum(PBG)and desulfurization building gypsum(DBG)was investigated,and the results show that protein retarder for DBG can effectively prolong the setting time and displays a better retarding effect,but for PBG shows a poor retarding effect.Furthermore,the deterioration reason of the retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG was investigated by measuring the pH value and the retarder concentration of the liquid phase from vacuum filtration of PBG slurry at different hydration time,and the measure to improve the retarding effect of protein retarding on PBG was suggested.The pH value of PBG slurry(<5.0)is lower than that of DBG slurry(7.8-8.5).After hydration for 5 min,the concentration of retarder in liquid phase of DBG slurry gradually decreases,but in liquid phase of PBG slurry continually increases,which results in the worse retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG.The liquid phase pH value of PBG slurry can be adjusted higher by sodium silicate,which is beneficial to improvement in the retarding effect of the retarder.By adding 1.0%of sodium silicate,the initial setting time of PBG was efficiently prolonged from 17 to 210 min,but little effect on the absolute dry flexural strength was observed.

Flame Retardant Material Based on Cellulose Scaffold Mineralized by Calcium Carbonate

Wood-based functional materials have developed rapidly.But the flammability significantly limits its further application.To improve the flame retardancy,the balsa wood was delignified by NaClO2 solution to create a cellulose scaffold,and then alternately immersed in CaCl_(2) ethanol solution and NaHCO3 aqueous solution under vacuum.The high porosity and wettability resulting from delignification benefited the following mineralization process,changing the thermal properties of balsa wood significantly.The organic-inorganic wood composite showed abundant CaCO_(3) spherical particles under scanning electron microscopy.The peak of the heat release rate of delignified balsa-CaCO_(3) was reduced by 33%compared to the native balsa,according to the cone calorimetric characterization.The flame test demonstrated that the mineralized wood was flame retardant and selfextinguish.Additionally,the mineralized wood also displayed lower thermal conductivity.This study developed a feasible way to fabricate a lightweight,fire-retardant,self-extinguishing,and heat-insulating wood composite,providing a promising route for the valuable application of cellulosic biomass.

Characterization of Flame Retardancy and Oil-Water Separation Capacity of Superhydrophobic Silylated Melamine Sponges

A silylated melamine sponge(SMS)was prepared by two simple steps,namely,immersion and dehydration of a melamine sponge coated with methyltrichlorosilane.The silylated structure of SMS was characterized by FT-IR(Fourier-transform infrared)spectroscopy,SEM(Scanning electron microscopy)and in terms of water contact angles.Its oil-water absorption and separation capacities were measured by FT-IR and UV-visible spectrophoto-metry.The experimental results have shown that oligomeric silanol covalently bonds by Si-N onto the surface of melamine sponge skeletons.SMS has shown superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle exceeding 150°±1°,a better separation efficiency with regard to diesel oil(by 99.31%(wt/wt%)in oil-water mixture and even up to 99.99%(wt/wt%)for diesel oil in its saturated aqueous solution.Moreover,SMS inherited the intrinsicflame retardancy of the melamine sponge.In general,SMS has shown superhydrophobicity,high porosity,excellent selectivity,remarkable recyclability,and better absorption capacity for various oils and organic solvents,and a high separation efficiency for oil in saturated aqueous solutions.

Research Progress in Flame Retardant in Flame Retardant Coatings

Flame retardant coatings are functional materials that can serve as decorative and protec-tive substrates in the event of a fire.Flame retardant coatings generally consist of two parts:a base material and a flame retardant agent.A detailed introduction was given to the development of flame retardant coatings in recent years and the flame retardants used in flame retardant coatings.Flame retardants mainly include halogen flame retar-dants,phosphorus nitrogen flame retardants,expansion flame retardants,biomass flame retardants,and graphene flame retardants.The application of flame retardant coatings in the fields of epoxy resin,polyurethane,etc.was elaborated.In addition,the application of new biomass flame retardants and graphene flame retardants was introduced,and the future development of flame retardant coatings and flame retardants was described.

Autism and Mental Retardation of Young Children in China

To understand the prevalence and rehabilitation status of autism and mental retardation in China. Methods Screening test and clinical assessment were conducted for the diagnosis of autism and mental retardation. The assessment included investigation of the histories of medical conditions and development of these two disorders, utilization and needs for the rehabilitation service, and related intellectual and behavioral appraisal. Results Among the 7345 children investigated, the prevalence of autism disorder was 1.10 cases per 1000 children aged 2-6 years （95% CI=0.34 to 2.54）, and the prevalence of mental retardation was 10.76 cases per 1000 children （95% CI=8.40 to 13.12）. All the children suffering from autistic disorder were intellectually disabled, whereas 31.0% of the non-autism mental retardates had other disabilities. The medical conditions prior to birth and perinatal period were important potential factors for autism. Half of the autistic children and 84% of the children with non-autism mental retardation had never received any rehabilitative service. Conclusions The prevalence of autistic disorder in children aged 2-6 years in Tianjin is rather high. It is urgent to improve the status of the autistic and intelligently disabled young children in China. In order to upgrade the level of early diagnostic and improve the intervention to autism and mental retardation, public awareness and training courses should be heightened.

The norepinephrine transporter gene is associated with the retardation symptoms of major depressive disorder in the Han Chinese population

The norepinephrine transporter plays an important role in the pathophysiology and pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder. Consequently, the norepinephrine transporter gene is an attractive candidate in major depressive disorder research. In the present study, we evaluated the depression symptoms of subjects with major depressive disorder, who were all from the North of China and of Hart Chinese origin, using the Hamilton Depression Scale. We examined the relationship between two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the norepinephrine transporter, rs2242446 and rs5569, and the retardation symptoms of major depressive disorder using quantitative trait testing with the UNPHASED program, rs5569 was associated with depressed mood, and the GG genotype may be a risk factor for this; rs2242446 was associated with work and interest, and the TT genotype may be a risk factor for loss of interest. Our findings suggest that rs2242446 and rs5569 in the norepinephrine transporter gene are associated with the retardation symptoms of depression in the Hart Chinese population.

Antioxidant capacity and concentration of redox-active trace mineral in fully weaned intra-uterine growth retardation piglets

Background： The redox status of intra-uterine growth retardation（IUGR） piglets post-weaning has been poorly studied.Methods： Newborns from twenty-four sows were weighted, weaned at 21 d and fed a starter diet until sampling.Sampling was done at 14 d post-weaning. A piglet was defined as IUGR when its birth weight was 2 SD below the mean birth weight of the total population. At weaning, eighteen piglets with nearly equal body weight from each category（i.e. IUGR or normal birth weight（NBW） piglets） were selected and then allocated to two treatments,consisted of six replicates with each pen having three piglets.Results： Compared with NBW group, IUGR significantly decreased average daily gain（P 〈 0.001）, average daily feed intake（P = 0.003）, and feed efficiency（P 〈 0.001） of piglets during the first two weeks post-weaning. IUGR decreased the activities of total antioxidant capacity（P = 0.019）, total superoxide dismutase（T-SOD, P = 0.023）,and ceruloplasmin（P = 0.044） but increased the levels of malondialdehyde（P = 0.040） and protein carbonyl（P = 0.010） in plasma. Similarly, the decreased activities of T-SOD（P = 0.005）, copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase（Cu/Zn-SOD, P = 0.002）, and catalase（P = 0.049） was observed in the liver of IUGR piglets than these of NBW piglets. IUGR decreased hepatic Cu/Zn-SOD activity（P = 0.023） per unit of Cu/Zn-SOD protein in piglets when compared with NBW piglets. In addition, IUGR piglets exhibited the decreases in accumulation of copper in both plasma（P = 0.001） and liver（P = 0.014）, as well as the concentrations of iron（P = 0.002） and zinc（P = 0.048） in liver. Compared with NBW, IUGR down-regulated m RNA expression of Cu/Zn-SOD（P = 0.021） in the liver of piglets.Conclusions： The results indicated that IUGR impaired antioxidant capacity and resulted in oxidative damage in fully weaned piglets, which might be associated with the decreased levels of redox-active trace minerals. This study highlights the importance of redox status in IUGR offspring and provides a rationale for alleviating oxidative damage by dietary interventions aiming to supplement trace minerals and to restore redox balance in the future.

EFFECIS OF TEMPERATURE AND OVERLOAD RETARDATION ON CORROSION FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH OF HIGH STRENGTH STEEL

The fatigue crack growth rate (CGR) of ultra high strength steel 30CrMnSiNi2A in distilled water at 18,35 and 55℃ were measured.It was confirmed that the temperature is strongly af- fected on the corrosion fatigue CGR of ultra high strength steel.An expression concerning the effects of Δ K and temperature on the CGR was proposed.The fact that the apparent activation energy (36.6 kJ/mol) resulted from regressive analysis of CGR data was similar to the activation energy of hydrogen diffusion in γ-Fe,strongly supporting the theory of hydrogen-assisted crack growth.The overload retardation effect was greatly reduced in cor- rosion fatigue crack growth,especially at lower frequency,e.g.,0.1 Hz.This phenomenon might be due to the increase of the SCC component of CGR after an overload.

Plasmon-induced absorption in stacked metamaterials based on phase retardation

In this paper, based on the constructive interference of plasmonic dipolar and quadrupolar modes, a classical analogue of electromagnetically induced absorption （EIA） is demonstrated theoretically in a stacked metamaterial consisting of a short metal strip （which acts as a bright resonator） and a long metal strip （acting as a dark resonator）, which has been reported to support the electromagnetically induced transparency （EIT） effect. The transition from EIA to EIT can be clearly observed in the absorbance spectra via varying the vertical spacing between two resonant oscillators. With the help of the coupled two-oscillator model, the phase shift between the bright and dark resonance modes is calculated by fitting the simulated absorbance spectra, which reveals the physical mechanisms behind constructive and destructive interference effects in EIT/EIA metamaterials.

Autism with dysphasia accompanied by mental retardation caused by FOXP1 exon deletion:A case report

BACKGROUND Forkhead box protein 1(FOXP1)(OMIM:605515)at chromosomal region 3p14.1 plays an important regulatory role in cell development and functions by regulating genetic expression.Earlier studies have suggested that FOXP1,an oncogene,is capable of initiating tumorigenicity depending on the cell type.FOXP1 also plays an important role in regulating the cell development and functions of the immune system,e.g.,regulating B-cell maturation and mononuclear phagocyte differentiation,and in the occurrence and development of various immune diseases.The mRNA of this gene is widely expressed in humans,and its differential expression is related to numerous diseases.CASE SUMMARY A 5-year-old boy mainly presented with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and developmental retardation accompanied by gait instability and abnormal facial features(low-set ears).DNA samples were extracted from the child’s and his parents’peripheral blood to detect whole-exome sequences and whole-genome copy number variations.Results revealed heterozygous deletions of exon 6-21 of FOXP1 gene in the child.Physical examination upon admission showed that the child was generally in good condition,had a moderate nutritional status,a slightly slow response to external stimuli,equally large and equally round bilateral pupils,was sensitive to light reflection,and had poor eye contact and joint attention.He had no meaningful utterance and could not pronounce words properly.He was able to use gestures to simply express his thoughts,to perform simple actions,and to listen to instructions.He had no rash,cafe-au-lait macules,or depigmentation spots.He had thick black hair and low-set ears.He had highly sensitive skin,especially on his face and palms.He had no abnormal palm fingerprint.Cardiopulmonary and abdominal examinations revealed no abnormalities.He had normal limb muscle strength and tension.He showed normal tendon reflexes of both knees.His bilateral Babinski and meningeal irritation signs were negative.He had a normal male vulva.CONCLUSION We report the characteristic features of autism with dysphasia accompanied by mental retardation caused by FOXP1 exon deletion.This study provides a molecular basis for etiological diagnosis and treatment of the child,as well as for genetic counseling for the pedigree.

Study on phase retardation characteristic of LCVR using dispersion analysis and SVM

To calibrate the phase retardance of a Liquid crystal variable retarder(LCVR),its birefringence dispersion characteristic was analyzed,and the Support vector machines(SVM) algorithm was adopted to establish the prediction model.The obtained SVM decision function was used as a part of LCVR phase retardance,which was generated by the driving voltage.The experimental verification was carried out with a 568 nm laser.The results show that the deviation of the experimental value and the theoretical value is about 0.0061λ.SVM method could be used as an effective method for LCVR phase retardance characteristic calibration.

GABAB receptor upregulates fragile X mental retardation protein expression in neurons

Aim Fragile X mental retardation protein （FMRP） is an RNA-binding protein important for the control of translation and synaptic function. The mutation or silencing of FMRP causes Fragile X syndrome （FXS） , which leads to intellectual disability and social impairment. γ-aminobutyric acid （GABA） is the major inhibitory neuro- transmitter of the mammalian central nervous system, and its metabotropic GABAB receptor has been implicated in various mental disorders. The GABAB receptor agonist baclofen has been shown to improve FXS symptoms in a mouse model and in human patients, suggesting the role of GABAB receptor on FMRP regulation. Here we investi- gated the signaling events linking the GABAB receptor and FMRP. Methods Western blot was used in this study to detect protein expression and kinase phosphorylation in cerebellar granule neurons. For key molecules in signal- ling pathway, RNAi was used in MEFs to confirm the results in neurons. Results GABAB receptor activation up- regulated cAMP response element binding protein-dependent Fmrp expression in cultured mouse cerebellar granule neurons via two distinct mechanisms： the transactivation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and activation of protein kinase C. In addition, a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAB receptor, CGP7930, stimulated Fmrp expression in neurons. Conclusion These results suggest a role for GABAB receptor in Fmrp regulation and a po- tential interest of GABAB receptor signaling in FXS improvement.

Quantitative Effect of Soil Texture Composition on Retardation Factor of K^+ Transport

With six packed columns composed of < 1 μm and 5 μm～0.25 mm fractions from an Eum-Orthic An- throsol (Columns 1～6) and one column of the Eum-Orthic Anthrosol (Column 7), K～(+) transport experiments under the condition of saturated steady water flow were conducted to qualify the effects of soil texture com- position on the retardation factor (R) of K～(+) transport. The results showed that the retardation factor of K～ (+) transport in the tested soil columns greatly increased with increasing clay contents. In an attempt to use pedo-transfer function (PTF) approach in the solute transport study, a preliminary PTF was established through the six packed columns (Columns 1～6) with soil basic data including soil bulk density, volumet- ric water content and clay content to predict the retardation factor, and proved valid by the satisfactory prediction of R in Column 7.