The paper shows that the story about the origin of Armenians, Georgians and other Caucasians from a common ancestor, namely, from Targamos (Togormah)—The Life of the Fore-Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Georgian King...The paper shows that the story about the origin of Armenians, Georgians and other Caucasians from a common ancestor, namely, from Targamos (Togormah)—The Life of the Fore-Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Georgian Kings, which is represented in the introductory part of The Georgian Chronicles and is dated back to the end of the11th, is a compiled work that mainly contains, on the one hand, an old Georgian genealogical-geographical story about Tarshish’s son Kartlos (Iber) and his six brothers ( Egros, Movakan, Heros, Bardos, Lekan and Caucas)created at the end of the 6th c.-first half of the 8th c. based on Byzantine works, and on the other hand, a genealogical story created in old Armenian historiography about Targamos and his son Hayk that went through certain steps of development as well. In the process of synthesizing, Togormah (Targamos) and his son Hayk (Haos)were inserted between Tarsish and his son Kartlos (Iber), which violated the Biblical scheme as well as the structure of the sentence in which the insertion was made. The goal of developing the synthesized scheme was to bring evidence of the common origin of Georgians and Armenians, as long as quite a large number of Armenians,because of the incorporation of a large part of Armenian territories within Georgian borders, became citizens of Georgia. At the same time, the story also offers a justification in the eyes of the Muslim world for the claims of Georgia for Armenian territories. According to the newly-created synthesized scheme, Georgia was “the successor brother” of Armenia(Haos//Hayk) and considering the absence of Armenian states, i.e., “the elder brother”,Georgia was the only legal heir of Armenian territories.展开更多
Human milk fat(HMF)is an important source of nutrients and energy for infants.Triacylglycerols(TAGs)account for about 98%of HMF and have a unique molecular structure.HMF is highly enriched in palmitic acid(PA)at the s...Human milk fat(HMF)is an important source of nutrients and energy for infants.Triacylglycerols(TAGs)account for about 98%of HMF and have a unique molecular structure.HMF is highly enriched in palmitic acid(PA)at the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone(more than 70%)and in unsaturated fatty acids at the sn-1,3 position.The specific TAG structure in HMF plays a valuable function in infant growth.Sn-2 palmitate(mainly 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol)is one of the structured TAGs that is commonly supplemented into infant formula in order to enable it to present a similar structure to HMF.In this review,the development of the lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sn-2 palmitate over the last 25 years are summarized,with a focus on reaction schemes in a laboratory setting.Particular attention is also paid to the commercialized sn-1,3 regioselective lipases that are used in structured TAGs synthesis,to general methods of TAG analysis,and to successfully developed sn-2 palmitate products on the market.Prospects for the lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sn-2 palmitate are discussed.展开更多
Chlorine-based sanitizers have seen wide spread use in food sanitation. The reaction of chlorine species with organic matter is a concern for two reasons. Available chlorine can be "used up" by organic compo...Chlorine-based sanitizers have seen wide spread use in food sanitation. The reaction of chlorine species with organic matter is a concern for two reasons. Available chlorine can be "used up" by organic compounds resulting in a lower amount of chlorine available for disinfection. Another concern is that some forms of chlorine can react with some organic compounds to form toxic halogenated disinfection byproducts(DBPs). Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the role of hypochlorous acid(HOCl) and hypochlorite ion(OCl–) in the production of DBPs with a particular interest in the production of trihalomethanes(THMs) and haloacetic acids(HAAs). Since most of the chlorine reactions are pH dependent, pH is found to have a significant effect on the formation of chlorine DBPs. In many cases, the concentration of THMs decreases and HAAs increases as pH decreases. pH also plays an important role in the determination of the type and amount of DBPs formed, with lower, more acidic, pHs resulting in the formation of less chloroform. This review summarizes the information from the literature on the role of chlorine-based sanitizers as affected by pH in the formation of different types of DBPs. Alternative novel strategies to minimize the formation of DBPs are also discussed.展开更多
A new preparation method of the N-ethyl 7,17-seco C<sub>19</sub>-diterpenoidalkaloids（5）and（6）by pyrolysis of the N-oxides（3）and（4）,respectively,in anhydrous diglyme is described.A probable reactio...A new preparation method of the N-ethyl 7,17-seco C<sub>19</sub>-diterpenoidalkaloids（5）and（6）by pyrolysis of the N-oxides（3）and（4）,respectively,in anhydrous diglyme is described.A probable reaction mechanism for the pyroly-sis is presented and studied preliminarily.展开更多
The deviation from the classical elastic characteristics induced by the free surface energy can be considerable for nanostructures due to the high surface to volume ratio. Consequently, this type of size dependency sh...The deviation from the classical elastic characteristics induced by the free surface energy can be considerable for nanostructures due to the high surface to volume ratio. Consequently, this type of size dependency should be accounted for in the mechanical behaviors of nanoscale structures. In the current investigation, the influence of free surface energy on the nonlinear primary resonance of silicon nanoshells under soft harmonic external excitation is studied. In order to obtain more accurate results,the interaction between the first, third, and fifth symmetric vibration modes with the main oscillation mode is taken into consideration. Through the implementation of the Gurtin-Murdoch theory of elasticity into the classical shell theory, a size-dependent shell model is developed incorporating the effect of surface free energy. With the aid of the variational approach, the governing differential equations of motion including both of the cubic and quadratic nonlinearities are derived. Thereafter, the multi-time-scale method is used to achieve an analytical solution for the nonlinear size-dependent problem. The frequency-response and amplitude-response of the soft harmonic excited nanoshells are presented corresponding to different values of shell thickness and surface elastic constants as well as various vibration mode interactions. It is depicted that through consideration of the interaction between the higher symmetric vibration modes and the main oscillation mode, the hardening response of nanoshell changes to the softening one. This pattern is observed corresponding to both of the positive and negative values of the surface elastic constants and the surface residual stress.展开更多
Two important mycotoxins, aflatoxin and fumonisin, are among the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens, contaminating maize(Zea mays) and affecting crop yield and quality.Resistance of maize to pre-harvest mycot...Two important mycotoxins, aflatoxin and fumonisin, are among the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens, contaminating maize(Zea mays) and affecting crop yield and quality.Resistance of maize to pre-harvest mycotoxin contamination, specifically aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and fumonisin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, is a goal in breeding programs that screen for these important traits with the aim of developing resistant commercial hybrids. We conducted two years of field evaluations on 87 inbred lines originating primarily in China and Mexico and not previously screened for resistance.The objectives of our study were to identify resistant germplasm for breeding purposes and to examine possible relationships between resistances to the two mycotoxins. Aflatoxin and fumonisin were present in samples harvested from all lines in both years.Concentrations of total aflatoxin ranged from 52.00 ± 20.00 to 1524.00 ± 396.00 μg kg^(-1),while those of fumonisin ranged from 0.60 ± 0.06 to 124.00 ± 19.50 mg kg^(-1). The inbred lines TUN15, TUN61, TUN37, CY2, and TUN49 showed the lowest aflatoxin accumulation and CN1, GT601, TUN09, TUN61, and MP717 the lowest fumonisin accumulation. TUN61 showed the lowest accumulation of both mycotoxins. This study confirmed previous observations that high levels of aflatoxin can coexist with fumonisin, with 55 maize lines showing a positive correlation coefficient between the concentrations of aflatoxin and fumonisin and 32 lines showing a negative correlation coefficient. These selected lines,particularly TUN61, may provide sources of resistance to mycotoxin contamination in breeding programs. However, the mechanism of resistance in this germplasm remains to be identified. Future research should also address factors that influence the fungus–plant interaction, such as herbivory and environmental stress.展开更多
<strong>Background: </strong>There is no extensive literature on social predictors of self-harm in the juvenile justice system, over the time of a prisoner’s sentence. Self-harm behavior displays a higher...<strong>Background: </strong>There is no extensive literature on social predictors of self-harm in the juvenile justice system, over the time of a prisoner’s sentence. Self-harm behavior displays a higher prevalence in prison, 11 to 14 times greater than in the general population. Our study extended the current research in self-harm by examining dynamic factors of self-harm in adolescents over their sentence in the Romanian juvenile prison system. <strong>Method: </strong>The present research examined longitudinal predictors of self-harm behaviors in 439 adolescent inmates (Mage = 16.21;5.2% female, 94.8% male), enrolled in prison during 2011-2012, following them for two years. A series of time-to-event analyses were applied to start from the time of the subject’s internment in the juvenile prison system. <strong>Results:</strong> Findings from the multivariate survival analyses show that adherence to self-harm conduct in prison was consistently influenced by family factors and prison contexts;although low ability to cope with frustration, sensitivity and emotion dysregulation also mattered. Keeping the other covariates invariant, serving a prison sentence in a closed regime reduces the probability of remaining free of self-harm events, increasing the monthly hazard of self-harm by a factor of 5.26 on average (HR = 5.26, 95% CI = 2.37 - 11.64) compared to the open regime. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> A greater focus on longitudinal studies may help improve the screening process and also follow the progress of each juvenile to warrant the efficacy of preventive programs in self-harm, according to their emerging needs.展开更多
An increasing number of studies have indicated that gut microbiota and its metabolites are crucial in the development of hyperlipidemia.Bifidobacterium longum(B.longum)CCFM1077 has been shown to have lipid-lowering ef...An increasing number of studies have indicated that gut microbiota and its metabolites are crucial in the development of hyperlipidemia.Bifidobacterium longum(B.longum)CCFM1077 has been shown to have lipid-lowering effects in animals.This study aimed to evaluate the potential of B.longum CCFM1077 in lowering the lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidemia and investigate the effect of this bacterium on serum lipid abnormalities,gut microbiota,and fecal metabolites in these patients.This study was a six-week,randomized,double-blind,and placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial.Subjects with hyperlipidemia(N=62)were randomly assigned to receive placebo(N=31)or B.longum CCFM1077(1×1010colony-forming units(CFUs)per day;N=31).Serum lipid levels including total cholesterol(TC),lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),total triglyceride(TG),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were examined at the baseline and interventio nal endpoints.Changes in the gut microbiota composition and diversity were measured based on 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)sequencing of the V3-V4region at the end of the intervention period.Non-targeted metabolomics of the feces was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC)-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/mass spectrometer.Oral administration of B.longum CCFM1077 for six weeks significantly decreased the serum levels of TC(p<0.01)and LDL-C(p<0.01)in patients with hyperlipidemia.B.longum CCFM1077 treatment markedly increased gut microbiota diversity and the relative abundance of anti-obesity-related genera,including Lactobacillus,Butyricicoccus,Bifidobacterium,and Blautia,whereas it decreased the relative abundance of obesity-related genera,including Alistipes,Megamonas,and Catenibacterium.Additionally,some key metabolites(bile acids(BAs),biotin,and caffeine)and their corresponding metabolic pathways(primary BA biosynthesis,and taurine and hypotaurine,biotin,purine,and caffeine metabolisms)were enriched by B.longum CCFM1077,and thus it may lower lipid levels.B.longum CCFM1077 is a probiotic strain with the potential to lower serum TC and LDL-C levels patients with hyperlipidemia.The underlying mechanism may be related to the increased abundance of anti-obesity-related genera and fecal metabolites.These findings provide a foundation for future clinical applications of lipid-lowering probiotics in managing individuals with hyperlipidemia.展开更多
We have described a novel use of the D4G prodrug (Cyclo-D4G) approach to stabilize the nucleoside and maintain the anti-HIV activity. β-D-Dioxolanyl-2-amino-6-cyclopropylaminopurine (10, DACP) was synthesized as ... We have described a novel use of the D4G prodrug (Cyclo-D4G) approach to stabilize the nucleoside and maintain the anti-HIV activity. β-D-Dioxolanyl-2-amino-6-cyclopropylaminopurine (10, DACP) was synthesized as a prodrug of β-D-dioxolanyl guanine (DXG) and showed potent anti-HIV activity in vitro (EC50=0.18 μmol·L-1 The pharmacokinetics of Cyclo-D4G and DACP following intravenous and oral administration of DACP to rhesusmonkeys and rats did not give D4G and DXG as detectable metabolic products by HPLC. Therefore the radio labeled Cyclo-D4G and DACP are necessary for the pharmacokinetics studies in detail.……展开更多
The normal development and maintenance of central neural functions are highly correlated with the amount of docosahexaenoic acid(DHA;ω-3 fatty acid)accumulated in the brain.DHA incorporated at the sn-2 position of li...The normal development and maintenance of central neural functions are highly correlated with the amount of docosahexaenoic acid(DHA;ω-3 fatty acid)accumulated in the brain.DHA incorporated at the sn-2 position of lipids is well absorbed by intestinal mucosa and utilized efficiently in vivo.However,modern consumers have a reduced direct intake of DHA and increased intake of saturated fats or ω-6 fatty acid oils,resulting in behavioral and neurophysiological deficits.To provide an understanding of the integrated beneficial effects of DHA on the human brain,this review introduces the positional difference(sn-2 and sn-1,3 positions)of DHA on a glycerol skeleton in natural fats and oils,and further discusses the possible functional mechanism regarding DHA supplementation and the gut-brain axis.The multiple bidirectional routes in this axis offer a novel insight into the interaction between DHA supplementation,the gut microbiota,and brain health.To achieve high sn-2 DHA in diets,it is suggested that sn-2 DHA lipids be enzymatically produced in more efficient and economical ways by improving the specific activities of lipases and optimizing the purification procedures.These types of diets will benefit individuals with strong needs for sn-2 ω-3 lipids such as infants,children,and pregnant and lactating women.展开更多
AIM To describe the relationships between non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease(NAFLD) patient's disease consequences and treatment perceptions, self-efficacy, and healthy lifestyle maintenance. METHODS A cross-sectio...AIM To describe the relationships between non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease(NAFLD) patient's disease consequences and treatment perceptions, self-efficacy, and healthy lifestyle maintenance. METHODS A cross-sectional study among 146 ultrasound diagnosed NAFLD patients who visited the fatty liver clinic at the TelAviv Medical Center. Eighty-seven of these individuals, participated in a clinical trial of physical activity and underwent fasting blood tests, analyzed at the same lab. Exclusion criteria included positivity for serum HBsA g or anti-HCV antibodies; fatty liver suspected to be secondary to hepatotoxic drugs; excessive alcohol consumption(≥ 30 g/d in men or ≥ 20 g/d in women) and positive markers of genetic or immune-mediated liver diseases. Patients were asked to complete a selfreport structured questionnaire, assembled by the Israeli Center for Disease Control. Nutrition habits were measured using six yes/no questions(0 = no, 1 = yes) adopted from the national survey questionnaire. Participants in the clinical trial completed a detailed semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire(FFQ) reporting their habitual nutritional intake during the past year. Self-efficacy was assessed by the Self-Efficacy Scale questionnaire, emotional representation, degree of illness understanding, timeline perception, treatment perception and symptoms were measured by the Brief Illness Perception questionnaire. Illness consequences were measured by the Personal Models of Diabetes Interview questionnaire. A path analysis was performed to describe the interrelationships between the patients' illness perceptions, and assess the extent to which the data fit a prediction of nutritional habits.RESULTS The study sample included 54.1% men, with a mean age of 47.76 ± 11.68 years(range: 20-60) and mean body mass index of 31.56 ± 4.6. The average perceived nutrition habits score was 4.73 ± 1.45 on a scale between 0-6, where 6 represents the healthiest eating habits. Most of the study participants(57.2%) did not feel they fully understood what NAFLD is. Better nutritional habits were positively predicted by the degree of illness understanding(β = 0.26; P = 0.002) and selfefficacy(β = 0.25; P = 0.003). Perceptions of more severe illness consequences were related with higher emotional representation(β = 0.55; P < 0.001), which was related with lower self-efficacy(β =-0.17; P = 0.034). The perception of treatment effectiveness was positively related with self-efficacy(β = 0.32; P < 0.001). In accordance with the correlation between self-efficacy and the perceived nutrition habits score, self-efficacy was also correlated with nutrient intake evaluated by the FFQ; negatively with saturated fat(percent of saturated fat calories from total calories)(r =-0.28, P = 0.010) and positively with fiber(r = 0.22, P = 0.047) and vitamin C intake(r = 0.34, P = 0.002). In a sub analysis of the clinical trial participants, objectively measured compliance to physical activity regimen was positively correlated with the self-efficacy level(r = 0.34, P = 0.046). CONCLUSION Self-efficacy and illness understanding are major determinants of lifestyle-modification among NAFLD patients. This information can assist clinicians in improving compliance with lifestyle changes among these patients.展开更多
Mammalian pelage color can vary among individuals of many species, although this intraspecific variation is oftenoverlooked by researchers, perhaps because of its sometimes subtle nature and difficulty in assessing it...Mammalian pelage color can vary among individuals of many species, although this intraspecific variation is oftenoverlooked by researchers, perhaps because of its sometimes subtle nature and difficulty in assessing it quantitatively. Thus, suchvariation is rarely studied in mammals, and this is especially true within the order Chiroptera, where there has been very little empiricalresearch. We examined museum specimens of red bats (Lasiurus borealis, family Vespertilionidae) from Georgia, USA, todetermine the extent of sexual dimorphism in pelage color and to explore possible associations between body size and pelagecolor. We photographed 54 specimens under uniform lighting, and used an image analysis program to measure pelage hue on theuropatagium region, which is fully furred in members of the genus Lasiurus. Statistical analyses of pelage hue scores showedmales had significantly redder pelage than females when considered alone, but when examined together with effects of body sizeand collection year, sex was not significant, and collection year and body size were. More recent specimens tended to be less redthan older specimens, which might indicate a wearing of the buffy tips of hairs from older specimens, and smaller bats of bothsexes tended to be more red. These interesting findings are encouraging and we suggest that future explorations into intraspecificvariation in pelage color of bats using this or similar approaches are warranted to clarify the significance of the patterns. Thisstudy also demonstrated that care must be taken in analyses of mammalian pelage color from older museum skins, or at least thatresearchers must take into account the age of the specimens .展开更多
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been recognized as one of the most important pathogens of pigs throughout the world. In 2006, more than 10 provinces of China have experienced an epizoot...Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been recognized as one of the most important pathogens of pigs throughout the world. In 2006, more than 10 provinces of China have experienced an epizootic outbreak of pig diseases characterized by high fever, reddened skin and high morbidity and mortality. From June 2006 to April 2007, we have investigated some clinical samples in Hubei province by RT-PCR and cloned several major genes, N, GP5 and NSP2 gene, shown in this study. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes revealed that the highly pathogenic PRRSV variant, ZB, was responsible for 2006 emergent outbreak of pig disease in Hubei province similar with those variants isolated from other provinces in China in 2006, and belongs to the NA-type PRRSV. In the PRRSV variants, the N and GP5 shear about 90% identity with prototypic ATCC VR-2332 and some typical NA-type Chinese isolates, except the 2850bp NSP2 gene (only shares 65% identity with ATCC VR-2332). But they all shear more than and 97% identity with other highly pathogenetic Chinese PRRSV strains. Additionally, there are extensive amino acid (aa) mutations in the GP5 protein and 2 deletions in the Nsp2 protein when compared with the previous isolates. Most of the variants found in 2006 epizootic outbreak of pig diseases in China were the farthest variants from the typical NA-type PRRSV in phylogenetic distance, and these diversities may be responsible for the differences in the pathogenicity observed between these variants and original Chinese PRRSV strains.展开更多
Throughout the animal kingdom there are species that have two or more phenotypic forms or 'morphs', and many ofthese are amphibians. In North America, the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus can have eith...Throughout the animal kingdom there are species that have two or more phenotypic forms or 'morphs', and many ofthese are amphibians. In North America, the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus can have either a red dorsal stripe or nodorsal stripe (lead-phase form), and evidence to date indicates the lead-phase form incurs a greater number of attacks from predators.In a recent collection of 51 P. cinereus, blood smears of both color morphs (35 red-stripe, 16 lead-phase) were examined toobtain numbers of circulating leukocytes (via light microscopy), which can be used to indirectly estimate levels of stress hormonesin vertebrates via a 'hematological stress index', which is the ratio between the number of two leukocyte types (neutrophilsand lymphocytes). Our results showed that lead-phase salamanders tended to have greater numbers of circulating neutrophils andlower numbers of circulating lymphocytes than red-stripe morphs, leading to higher average neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios inlead-phase individuals. Since the salamanders were held (refrigerated) for 7 days before sampling, we cannot be certain if this effectis a stress reaction to the captivity or the normal level for this morph. However comparison with two sets of related salamandersthat were captured and sampled immediately indicates the red-stripe salamanders were either not stressed from the captivityat all, or their white blood cell distributions had returned to normal after 7 days of captivity. Taken together, our results indicatethat lead-phase forms of P. cinereus have higher stress levels than the red-stripe forms, which may be a consequence of theirhigher exposure to, and/or attacks from, predators. They may also indicate that the lead-phase form is less-suited to captivity thanthe red-stripe form of this展开更多
Size and shape are important properties of shrub crops such as blueberries,and they can be particularly useful for evaluating bush architecture suited to mechanical harvesting.The overall goal of this study was to dev...Size and shape are important properties of shrub crops such as blueberries,and they can be particularly useful for evaluating bush architecture suited to mechanical harvesting.The overall goal of this study was to develop a 3D imaging approach to measure size-related traits and bush shape that are relevant to mechanical harvesting.3D point clouds were acquired for 367 bushes from five genotype groups.Point cloud data were preprocessed to obtain clean bush points for characterizing bush architecture,including bush morphology(height,width,and volume),crown size,and shape descriptors(path curveλand five shape indices).One-dimensional traits(height,width,and crown size)had high correlations(R^(2)=0.88–0.95)between proposed method and manual measurements,whereas bush volume showed relatively lower correlations(R^(2)=0.78–0.85).These correlations suggested that the present approach was accurate in measuring one-dimensional size traits and acceptable in estimating three-dimensional bush volume.Statistical results demonstrated that the five genotype groups were statistically different in crown size and bush shape.The differences matched with human evaluation regarding optimal bush architecture for mechanical harvesting.In particular,a visualization tool could be generated using crown size and path curveλ,which showed great potential of determining bush architecture suitable for mechanical harvesting quickly.Therefore,the processing pipeline of 3D point cloud data presented in this study is an effective tool for blueberry breeding programs(in particular for mechanical harvesting)and farm management.展开更多
An embryo classification system for Pinus tabuliformis Carr. was established by time-tracing sampling and observation of zygotic embryos. The zygotic embryos were divided into nine stages. Key elements of the zygotic ...An embryo classification system for Pinus tabuliformis Carr. was established by time-tracing sampling and observation of zygotic embryos. The zygotic embryos were divided into nine stages. Key elements of the zygotic embryo and female gametophyte(FG) tissue of P.tabuliformis were analyzed, using inductively coupled plasma-emission spectroscopy. Several elements—including aluminum, iron, sodium, and copper—are found in both embryo and FG tissue. Boron, phosphorus, magnesium,zinc, and calcium are also required for zygotic embryo development and therefore accumulated. Manganese is selectively excluded from the embryo. The zygotic embryo development needs a low-sodium and high-potassium nutrition proportion. The results of elemental analysis from zygotic embryos and FGs can provide the mineral targets for optimizing the formulation of culture medium for somatic embryogenesis.展开更多
Aims Changes in light and temperature are among the most common and most profound environmental perturbations. The independent effects of light and temperature on photosynthesis and respiration are well studied in sin...Aims Changes in light and temperature are among the most common and most profound environmental perturbations. The independent effects of light and temperature on photosynthesis and respiration are well studied in single leaves, but are less well studied in whole plants. The short and long term influence of light and temperature on carbon use efficiency is also poorly understood, and is commonly modeled to remain constant over a wide range of conditions. We sought to determine the primary effects of changing light at two growth temperatures on photosynthesis, respiration, and their balance, as defined by carbon use efficiency. Methods We separated respiration into growth and maintenance components using whole-canopy gas-exchange in an elevated CO2 environment in a controlled environment, and supplemented that information with tissue analysis. Important findings Decreases in light level decreased carbon use efficiency through a reduction in the maintenance coefficient, increased the growth coefficient, and reduced partitioning of N in protein. Growth temperature did not significantly affect either maintenance or growth respiration coefficients, suggesting that long-term temperature responses can differ greatly from short-term observations.展开更多
文摘The paper shows that the story about the origin of Armenians, Georgians and other Caucasians from a common ancestor, namely, from Targamos (Togormah)—The Life of the Fore-Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Georgian Kings, which is represented in the introductory part of The Georgian Chronicles and is dated back to the end of the11th, is a compiled work that mainly contains, on the one hand, an old Georgian genealogical-geographical story about Tarshish’s son Kartlos (Iber) and his six brothers ( Egros, Movakan, Heros, Bardos, Lekan and Caucas)created at the end of the 6th c.-first half of the 8th c. based on Byzantine works, and on the other hand, a genealogical story created in old Armenian historiography about Targamos and his son Hayk that went through certain steps of development as well. In the process of synthesizing, Togormah (Targamos) and his son Hayk (Haos)were inserted between Tarsish and his son Kartlos (Iber), which violated the Biblical scheme as well as the structure of the sentence in which the insertion was made. The goal of developing the synthesized scheme was to bring evidence of the common origin of Georgians and Armenians, as long as quite a large number of Armenians,because of the incorporation of a large part of Armenian territories within Georgian borders, became citizens of Georgia. At the same time, the story also offers a justification in the eyes of the Muslim world for the claims of Georgia for Armenian territories. According to the newly-created synthesized scheme, Georgia was “the successor brother” of Armenia(Haos//Hayk) and considering the absence of Armenian states, i.e., “the elder brother”,Georgia was the only legal heir of Armenian territories.
基金supported by a National Natural Science Foundation of China grant(31701558)the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(2017QNRC001)+1 种基金the Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation(111 Project,B90719028)the national first-class discipline program of Food Science and Technology(JUFSTR20180202).
文摘Human milk fat(HMF)is an important source of nutrients and energy for infants.Triacylglycerols(TAGs)account for about 98%of HMF and have a unique molecular structure.HMF is highly enriched in palmitic acid(PA)at the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone(more than 70%)and in unsaturated fatty acids at the sn-1,3 position.The specific TAG structure in HMF plays a valuable function in infant growth.Sn-2 palmitate(mainly 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol)is one of the structured TAGs that is commonly supplemented into infant formula in order to enable it to present a similar structure to HMF.In this review,the development of the lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sn-2 palmitate over the last 25 years are summarized,with a focus on reaction schemes in a laboratory setting.Particular attention is also paid to the commercialized sn-1,3 regioselective lipases that are used in structured TAGs synthesis,to general methods of TAG analysis,and to successfully developed sn-2 palmitate products on the market.Prospects for the lipase-catalyzed synthesis of sn-2 palmitate are discussed.
文摘Chlorine-based sanitizers have seen wide spread use in food sanitation. The reaction of chlorine species with organic matter is a concern for two reasons. Available chlorine can be "used up" by organic compounds resulting in a lower amount of chlorine available for disinfection. Another concern is that some forms of chlorine can react with some organic compounds to form toxic halogenated disinfection byproducts(DBPs). Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the role of hypochlorous acid(HOCl) and hypochlorite ion(OCl–) in the production of DBPs with a particular interest in the production of trihalomethanes(THMs) and haloacetic acids(HAAs). Since most of the chlorine reactions are pH dependent, pH is found to have a significant effect on the formation of chlorine DBPs. In many cases, the concentration of THMs decreases and HAAs increases as pH decreases. pH also plays an important role in the determination of the type and amount of DBPs formed, with lower, more acidic, pHs resulting in the formation of less chloroform. This review summarizes the information from the literature on the role of chlorine-based sanitizers as affected by pH in the formation of different types of DBPs. Alternative novel strategies to minimize the formation of DBPs are also discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40972211)the US National Science Foundation(Grant Nos.ETBC-1024614 and OISE- 0968421 )
文摘A new preparation method of the N-ethyl 7,17-seco C<sub>19</sub>-diterpenoidalkaloids（5）and（6）by pyrolysis of the N-oxides（3）and（4）,respectively,in anhydrous diglyme is described.A probable reaction mechanism for the pyroly-sis is presented and studied preliminarily.
文摘The deviation from the classical elastic characteristics induced by the free surface energy can be considerable for nanostructures due to the high surface to volume ratio. Consequently, this type of size dependency should be accounted for in the mechanical behaviors of nanoscale structures. In the current investigation, the influence of free surface energy on the nonlinear primary resonance of silicon nanoshells under soft harmonic external excitation is studied. In order to obtain more accurate results,the interaction between the first, third, and fifth symmetric vibration modes with the main oscillation mode is taken into consideration. Through the implementation of the Gurtin-Murdoch theory of elasticity into the classical shell theory, a size-dependent shell model is developed incorporating the effect of surface free energy. With the aid of the variational approach, the governing differential equations of motion including both of the cubic and quadratic nonlinearities are derived. Thereafter, the multi-time-scale method is used to achieve an analytical solution for the nonlinear size-dependent problem. The frequency-response and amplitude-response of the soft harmonic excited nanoshells are presented corresponding to different values of shell thickness and surface elastic constants as well as various vibration mode interactions. It is depicted that through consideration of the interaction between the higher symmetric vibration modes and the main oscillation mode, the hardening response of nanoshell changes to the softening one. This pattern is observed corresponding to both of the positive and negative values of the surface elastic constants and the surface residual stress.
基金partially supported by the U.S.Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service(USDA-ARS)the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Corn+1 种基金the National Corn Growers AssociationAMCOE(Aflatoxin Mitigation Center of Excellence)
文摘Two important mycotoxins, aflatoxin and fumonisin, are among the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens, contaminating maize(Zea mays) and affecting crop yield and quality.Resistance of maize to pre-harvest mycotoxin contamination, specifically aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and fumonisin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, is a goal in breeding programs that screen for these important traits with the aim of developing resistant commercial hybrids. We conducted two years of field evaluations on 87 inbred lines originating primarily in China and Mexico and not previously screened for resistance.The objectives of our study were to identify resistant germplasm for breeding purposes and to examine possible relationships between resistances to the two mycotoxins. Aflatoxin and fumonisin were present in samples harvested from all lines in both years.Concentrations of total aflatoxin ranged from 52.00 ± 20.00 to 1524.00 ± 396.00 μg kg^(-1),while those of fumonisin ranged from 0.60 ± 0.06 to 124.00 ± 19.50 mg kg^(-1). The inbred lines TUN15, TUN61, TUN37, CY2, and TUN49 showed the lowest aflatoxin accumulation and CN1, GT601, TUN09, TUN61, and MP717 the lowest fumonisin accumulation. TUN61 showed the lowest accumulation of both mycotoxins. This study confirmed previous observations that high levels of aflatoxin can coexist with fumonisin, with 55 maize lines showing a positive correlation coefficient between the concentrations of aflatoxin and fumonisin and 32 lines showing a negative correlation coefficient. These selected lines,particularly TUN61, may provide sources of resistance to mycotoxin contamination in breeding programs. However, the mechanism of resistance in this germplasm remains to be identified. Future research should also address factors that influence the fungus–plant interaction, such as herbivory and environmental stress.
文摘<strong>Background: </strong>There is no extensive literature on social predictors of self-harm in the juvenile justice system, over the time of a prisoner’s sentence. Self-harm behavior displays a higher prevalence in prison, 11 to 14 times greater than in the general population. Our study extended the current research in self-harm by examining dynamic factors of self-harm in adolescents over their sentence in the Romanian juvenile prison system. <strong>Method: </strong>The present research examined longitudinal predictors of self-harm behaviors in 439 adolescent inmates (Mage = 16.21;5.2% female, 94.8% male), enrolled in prison during 2011-2012, following them for two years. A series of time-to-event analyses were applied to start from the time of the subject’s internment in the juvenile prison system. <strong>Results:</strong> Findings from the multivariate survival analyses show that adherence to self-harm conduct in prison was consistently influenced by family factors and prison contexts;although low ability to cope with frustration, sensitivity and emotion dysregulation also mattered. Keeping the other covariates invariant, serving a prison sentence in a closed regime reduces the probability of remaining free of self-harm events, increasing the monthly hazard of self-harm by a factor of 5.26 on average (HR = 5.26, 95% CI = 2.37 - 11.64) compared to the open regime. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> A greater focus on longitudinal studies may help improve the screening process and also follow the progress of each juvenile to warrant the efficacy of preventive programs in self-harm, according to their emerging needs.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20220155 and BE2021623)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32021005,U1903205,and 32001665)the Key Scientific and Technological Research Projects in the Key Areas of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps(2018AB010)。
文摘An increasing number of studies have indicated that gut microbiota and its metabolites are crucial in the development of hyperlipidemia.Bifidobacterium longum(B.longum)CCFM1077 has been shown to have lipid-lowering effects in animals.This study aimed to evaluate the potential of B.longum CCFM1077 in lowering the lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidemia and investigate the effect of this bacterium on serum lipid abnormalities,gut microbiota,and fecal metabolites in these patients.This study was a six-week,randomized,double-blind,and placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial.Subjects with hyperlipidemia(N=62)were randomly assigned to receive placebo(N=31)or B.longum CCFM1077(1×1010colony-forming units(CFUs)per day;N=31).Serum lipid levels including total cholesterol(TC),lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),total triglyceride(TG),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were examined at the baseline and interventio nal endpoints.Changes in the gut microbiota composition and diversity were measured based on 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)sequencing of the V3-V4region at the end of the intervention period.Non-targeted metabolomics of the feces was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC)-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/mass spectrometer.Oral administration of B.longum CCFM1077 for six weeks significantly decreased the serum levels of TC(p<0.01)and LDL-C(p<0.01)in patients with hyperlipidemia.B.longum CCFM1077 treatment markedly increased gut microbiota diversity and the relative abundance of anti-obesity-related genera,including Lactobacillus,Butyricicoccus,Bifidobacterium,and Blautia,whereas it decreased the relative abundance of obesity-related genera,including Alistipes,Megamonas,and Catenibacterium.Additionally,some key metabolites(bile acids(BAs),biotin,and caffeine)and their corresponding metabolic pathways(primary BA biosynthesis,and taurine and hypotaurine,biotin,purine,and caffeine metabolisms)were enriched by B.longum CCFM1077,and thus it may lower lipid levels.B.longum CCFM1077 is a probiotic strain with the potential to lower serum TC and LDL-C levels patients with hyperlipidemia.The underlying mechanism may be related to the increased abundance of anti-obesity-related genera and fecal metabolites.These findings provide a foundation for future clinical applications of lipid-lowering probiotics in managing individuals with hyperlipidemia.
文摘 We have described a novel use of the D4G prodrug (Cyclo-D4G) approach to stabilize the nucleoside and maintain the anti-HIV activity. β-D-Dioxolanyl-2-amino-6-cyclopropylaminopurine (10, DACP) was synthesized as a prodrug of β-D-dioxolanyl guanine (DXG) and showed potent anti-HIV activity in vitro (EC50=0.18 μmol·L-1 The pharmacokinetics of Cyclo-D4G and DACP following intravenous and oral administration of DACP to rhesusmonkeys and rats did not give D4G and DXG as detectable metabolic products by HPLC. Therefore the radio labeled Cyclo-D4G and DACP are necessary for the pharmacokinetics studies in detail.……
基金supported by the Chinese Scholarship Council(201706790068)the Free Exploration Founded Project of the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology at Jiangnan University(SKLF-ZZA-201705)supported in part by Food Science Research,University of Georgia.
文摘The normal development and maintenance of central neural functions are highly correlated with the amount of docosahexaenoic acid(DHA;ω-3 fatty acid)accumulated in the brain.DHA incorporated at the sn-2 position of lipids is well absorbed by intestinal mucosa and utilized efficiently in vivo.However,modern consumers have a reduced direct intake of DHA and increased intake of saturated fats or ω-6 fatty acid oils,resulting in behavioral and neurophysiological deficits.To provide an understanding of the integrated beneficial effects of DHA on the human brain,this review introduces the positional difference(sn-2 and sn-1,3 positions)of DHA on a glycerol skeleton in natural fats and oils,and further discusses the possible functional mechanism regarding DHA supplementation and the gut-brain axis.The multiple bidirectional routes in this axis offer a novel insight into the interaction between DHA supplementation,the gut microbiota,and brain health.To achieve high sn-2 DHA in diets,it is suggested that sn-2 DHA lipids be enzymatically produced in more efficient and economical ways by improving the specific activities of lipases and optimizing the purification procedures.These types of diets will benefit individuals with strong needs for sn-2 ω-3 lipids such as infants,children,and pregnant and lactating women.
文摘AIM To describe the relationships between non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease(NAFLD) patient's disease consequences and treatment perceptions, self-efficacy, and healthy lifestyle maintenance. METHODS A cross-sectional study among 146 ultrasound diagnosed NAFLD patients who visited the fatty liver clinic at the TelAviv Medical Center. Eighty-seven of these individuals, participated in a clinical trial of physical activity and underwent fasting blood tests, analyzed at the same lab. Exclusion criteria included positivity for serum HBsA g or anti-HCV antibodies; fatty liver suspected to be secondary to hepatotoxic drugs; excessive alcohol consumption(≥ 30 g/d in men or ≥ 20 g/d in women) and positive markers of genetic or immune-mediated liver diseases. Patients were asked to complete a selfreport structured questionnaire, assembled by the Israeli Center for Disease Control. Nutrition habits were measured using six yes/no questions(0 = no, 1 = yes) adopted from the national survey questionnaire. Participants in the clinical trial completed a detailed semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire(FFQ) reporting their habitual nutritional intake during the past year. Self-efficacy was assessed by the Self-Efficacy Scale questionnaire, emotional representation, degree of illness understanding, timeline perception, treatment perception and symptoms were measured by the Brief Illness Perception questionnaire. Illness consequences were measured by the Personal Models of Diabetes Interview questionnaire. A path analysis was performed to describe the interrelationships between the patients' illness perceptions, and assess the extent to which the data fit a prediction of nutritional habits.RESULTS The study sample included 54.1% men, with a mean age of 47.76 ± 11.68 years(range: 20-60) and mean body mass index of 31.56 ± 4.6. The average perceived nutrition habits score was 4.73 ± 1.45 on a scale between 0-6, where 6 represents the healthiest eating habits. Most of the study participants(57.2%) did not feel they fully understood what NAFLD is. Better nutritional habits were positively predicted by the degree of illness understanding(β = 0.26; P = 0.002) and selfefficacy(β = 0.25; P = 0.003). Perceptions of more severe illness consequences were related with higher emotional representation(β = 0.55; P < 0.001), which was related with lower self-efficacy(β =-0.17; P = 0.034). The perception of treatment effectiveness was positively related with self-efficacy(β = 0.32; P < 0.001). In accordance with the correlation between self-efficacy and the perceived nutrition habits score, self-efficacy was also correlated with nutrient intake evaluated by the FFQ; negatively with saturated fat(percent of saturated fat calories from total calories)(r =-0.28, P = 0.010) and positively with fiber(r = 0.22, P = 0.047) and vitamin C intake(r = 0.34, P = 0.002). In a sub analysis of the clinical trial participants, objectively measured compliance to physical activity regimen was positively correlated with the self-efficacy level(r = 0.34, P = 0.046). CONCLUSION Self-efficacy and illness understanding are major determinants of lifestyle-modification among NAFLD patients. This information can assist clinicians in improving compliance with lifestyle changes among these patients.
基金supported by a grant rrom the Morris Animal Foundation
文摘Mammalian pelage color can vary among individuals of many species, although this intraspecific variation is oftenoverlooked by researchers, perhaps because of its sometimes subtle nature and difficulty in assessing it quantitatively. Thus, suchvariation is rarely studied in mammals, and this is especially true within the order Chiroptera, where there has been very little empiricalresearch. We examined museum specimens of red bats (Lasiurus borealis, family Vespertilionidae) from Georgia, USA, todetermine the extent of sexual dimorphism in pelage color and to explore possible associations between body size and pelagecolor. We photographed 54 specimens under uniform lighting, and used an image analysis program to measure pelage hue on theuropatagium region, which is fully furred in members of the genus Lasiurus. Statistical analyses of pelage hue scores showedmales had significantly redder pelage than females when considered alone, but when examined together with effects of body sizeand collection year, sex was not significant, and collection year and body size were. More recent specimens tended to be less redthan older specimens, which might indicate a wearing of the buffy tips of hairs from older specimens, and smaller bats of bothsexes tended to be more red. These interesting findings are encouraging and we suggest that future explorations into intraspecificvariation in pelage color of bats using this or similar approaches are warranted to clarify the significance of the patterns. Thisstudy also demonstrated that care must be taken in analyses of mammalian pelage color from older museum skins, or at least thatresearchers must take into account the age of the specimens .
基金supported in part by a National Key Technologies R&D Program (2006BAD06A01) National "973 Project" (2005CB523000, 2006CB- 933102) from the Ministry of Science and Technology, People’s Republic of China.
文摘Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been recognized as one of the most important pathogens of pigs throughout the world. In 2006, more than 10 provinces of China have experienced an epizootic outbreak of pig diseases characterized by high fever, reddened skin and high morbidity and mortality. From June 2006 to April 2007, we have investigated some clinical samples in Hubei province by RT-PCR and cloned several major genes, N, GP5 and NSP2 gene, shown in this study. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes revealed that the highly pathogenic PRRSV variant, ZB, was responsible for 2006 emergent outbreak of pig disease in Hubei province similar with those variants isolated from other provinces in China in 2006, and belongs to the NA-type PRRSV. In the PRRSV variants, the N and GP5 shear about 90% identity with prototypic ATCC VR-2332 and some typical NA-type Chinese isolates, except the 2850bp NSP2 gene (only shares 65% identity with ATCC VR-2332). But they all shear more than and 97% identity with other highly pathogenetic Chinese PRRSV strains. Additionally, there are extensive amino acid (aa) mutations in the GP5 protein and 2 deletions in the Nsp2 protein when compared with the previous isolates. Most of the variants found in 2006 epizootic outbreak of pig diseases in China were the farthest variants from the typical NA-type PRRSV in phylogenetic distance, and these diversities may be responsible for the differences in the pathogenicity observed between these variants and original Chinese PRRSV strains.
基金Funding for AKD during this project was provided by the DBWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and a grant from the Morris Animal FoundationSupport for the field word of this project came form an NSF grant (NSF-DEB DEB0542974)
文摘Throughout the animal kingdom there are species that have two or more phenotypic forms or 'morphs', and many ofthese are amphibians. In North America, the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus can have either a red dorsal stripe or nodorsal stripe (lead-phase form), and evidence to date indicates the lead-phase form incurs a greater number of attacks from predators.In a recent collection of 51 P. cinereus, blood smears of both color morphs (35 red-stripe, 16 lead-phase) were examined toobtain numbers of circulating leukocytes (via light microscopy), which can be used to indirectly estimate levels of stress hormonesin vertebrates via a 'hematological stress index', which is the ratio between the number of two leukocyte types (neutrophilsand lymphocytes). Our results showed that lead-phase salamanders tended to have greater numbers of circulating neutrophils andlower numbers of circulating lymphocytes than red-stripe morphs, leading to higher average neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios inlead-phase individuals. Since the salamanders were held (refrigerated) for 7 days before sampling, we cannot be certain if this effectis a stress reaction to the captivity or the normal level for this morph. However comparison with two sets of related salamandersthat were captured and sampled immediately indicates the red-stripe salamanders were either not stressed from the captivityat all, or their white blood cell distributions had returned to normal after 7 days of captivity. Taken together, our results indicatethat lead-phase forms of P. cinereus have higher stress levels than the red-stripe forms, which may be a consequence of theirhigher exposure to, and/or attacks from, predators. They may also indicate that the lead-phase form is less-suited to captivity thanthe red-stripe form of this
基金supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative(Award No:2014-51181-22383).
文摘Size and shape are important properties of shrub crops such as blueberries,and they can be particularly useful for evaluating bush architecture suited to mechanical harvesting.The overall goal of this study was to develop a 3D imaging approach to measure size-related traits and bush shape that are relevant to mechanical harvesting.3D point clouds were acquired for 367 bushes from five genotype groups.Point cloud data were preprocessed to obtain clean bush points for characterizing bush architecture,including bush morphology(height,width,and volume),crown size,and shape descriptors(path curveλand five shape indices).One-dimensional traits(height,width,and crown size)had high correlations(R^(2)=0.88–0.95)between proposed method and manual measurements,whereas bush volume showed relatively lower correlations(R^(2)=0.78–0.85).These correlations suggested that the present approach was accurate in measuring one-dimensional size traits and acceptable in estimating three-dimensional bush volume.Statistical results demonstrated that the five genotype groups were statistically different in crown size and bush shape.The differences matched with human evaluation regarding optimal bush architecture for mechanical harvesting.In particular,a visualization tool could be generated using crown size and path curveλ,which showed great potential of determining bush architecture suitable for mechanical harvesting quickly.Therefore,the processing pipeline of 3D point cloud data presented in this study is an effective tool for blueberry breeding programs(in particular for mechanical harvesting)and farm management.
基金financially supported by an open fund of the Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and BiotechnologyMinistry of Education and Jiangsu Province+3 种基金Nanjing Forestry University(FGB200901)the‘‘948’’project of China(2014-4-59)the Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31370658)‘‘the Mutual Fund of Beijing Government and Central Universities in Beijing(GJ2011-2)’’
文摘An embryo classification system for Pinus tabuliformis Carr. was established by time-tracing sampling and observation of zygotic embryos. The zygotic embryos were divided into nine stages. Key elements of the zygotic embryo and female gametophyte(FG) tissue of P.tabuliformis were analyzed, using inductively coupled plasma-emission spectroscopy. Several elements—including aluminum, iron, sodium, and copper—are found in both embryo and FG tissue. Boron, phosphorus, magnesium,zinc, and calcium are also required for zygotic embryo development and therefore accumulated. Manganese is selectively excluded from the embryo. The zygotic embryo development needs a low-sodium and high-potassium nutrition proportion. The results of elemental analysis from zygotic embryos and FGs can provide the mineral targets for optimizing the formulation of culture medium for somatic embryogenesis.
基金Supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Advanced Life Support Programand the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Graduate Student Research Program
文摘Aims Changes in light and temperature are among the most common and most profound environmental perturbations. The independent effects of light and temperature on photosynthesis and respiration are well studied in single leaves, but are less well studied in whole plants. The short and long term influence of light and temperature on carbon use efficiency is also poorly understood, and is commonly modeled to remain constant over a wide range of conditions. We sought to determine the primary effects of changing light at two growth temperatures on photosynthesis, respiration, and their balance, as defined by carbon use efficiency. Methods We separated respiration into growth and maintenance components using whole-canopy gas-exchange in an elevated CO2 environment in a controlled environment, and supplemented that information with tissue analysis. Important findings Decreases in light level decreased carbon use efficiency through a reduction in the maintenance coefficient, increased the growth coefficient, and reduced partitioning of N in protein. Growth temperature did not significantly affect either maintenance or growth respiration coefficients, suggesting that long-term temperature responses can differ greatly from short-term observations.
