Zn is an important trace element involved in various biochemical processes in aquatic species. An 8-week rearing trial was thus conducted to investigate the effects of Zn on juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) by feeding seven diets, respectively, supplemented with no Zn (Con), 60 and 120 mg/kg inorganic Zn (Sul60 and Sul120), and 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg organic Zn (Bio30, Bio60, Bio90 and Bio120). Sul120 and Bio120 groups showed significantly higher weight gain and specific growth rate than Con group, with Bio60 group obtaining the lowest viscerosomatic index and hepatosomatic index. 60 or 90 mg/kg organic Zn significantly facilitated whole body Zn retention. Up-regulation of hepatic superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities and decline of malondialdehyde contents indicated augmented antioxidant capacities by organic Zn. Zn treatment also lowered plasma aminotransferase levels while promoting acid phosphatase activity and hepatic transcription levels of alp1, acp1 and lyz-c than deprivation of Zn. The alterations in whole body and liver crude lipid and plasma TAG contents illustrated the regulatory effect of Zn on lipid metabolism, which could be possibly attributed to the changes in hepatic expressions of acc1, pparγ, atgl and cpt1. These findings demonstrated the capabilities of Zn in potentiating growth and morphological performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity as well as regulating lipid metabolism in M. salmoides. Organic Zn could perform comparable effects at same or lower supplementation levels than inorganic Zn, suggesting its higher efficiency. 60 mg/kg supplementation of organic Zn could effectively cover the requirements of M. salmoides.

Bearded sprangletop [Diplachne fusca (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. ssp. fascicularis (Lam.) P. M. Peterson & N. Snow] is a noxious annual grass weed of paddy fields, distributed in coastal regions of the Jiangsu and Hebei provinces in China. Cyhalofop-butyl has been widely used to control grass weeds since 2006 in China. Overreliance on cyhalofop-butyl has led to the evolution of resistant weeds. In this study, the resistance level and cyhalofop-butyl resistance mechanisms were investigated in the putative resistant (JSHH) population. The dose–response experiments showed that the JSHH D. fusca population had evolved 8.9-fold resistance to cyhalofop-butyl. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) sequencing revealed a point mutation (GGC to GCC) at amino acid position 2096, resulting in a Gly-2096-Ala substitution in the resistant population. To our knowledge, this is the first case of cyhalofop-butyl resistance in D. fusca and the first report of a target-site mutation conferring resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides in D. fusca. In addition, the resistant D. fusca population (JSHH) with the Gly-2096-Ala mutation was cross-resistant to the aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicide metamifop, the cyclohexanedione herbicide sethoxydim, and the phenylpyrazolin herbicide pinoxaden.

Catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine L.) is a problematic dicot weed that occurs in major winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields in China. Tribenuron-methyl has been widely used to control broadleaf weeds since 1988 in China. However, overuse has led to the resistance evolution of G. aparine to tribenuron-methyl. In this study, 20 G. aparine populations collected from Shandong and Henan provinces were used to determine tribenuron-methyl resistance and target-site resistance mechanisms. In dose–response experiments, 12 G. aparine populations showed different resistance levels (2.92 to 842.41-fold) to tribenuron-methyl compared with the susceptible population. Five different acetolactate synthase (ALS) mutations (Pro-197-Leu, Pro-197-Ser, Pro-197-His, Asp-376-Glu, and Trp-574-Leu) were detected in different resistant populations. Individuals heterozygous for Pro-197-Ser and Trp-574-Leu mutations were also observed in a resistant population (HN6). In addition, pHB4 (Pro-197-Ser), pHB7 (Pro-197-His), pHB8 (Pro-197-Leu), pHB5 (Asp-376-Glu), and pHB3 (Trp-574-Leu) subpopulations individually homozygous for specific ALS mutations were generated to evaluate the cross-resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. The pHB4, pHB7, pHB8, pHB5, and pHB3 subpopulations all were resistant to sulfonylurea, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, triazolopyrimidine, flumetsulam, sulfonylamino-carbonyl-triazolinone, flucarbazone-sodium, pyrimidinyl thiobenzoate, pyribenzoxim, and the imidazolinone imazethapyr. These results indicated the diversity of the resistance-conferring ALS mutations in G. aparine, and all these mutations resulted in broad cross-resistance to five kinds of ALS-inhibiting herbicides.

The 2Cr13/316L multilayered composite plates were fabricated by hot rolling with recycle heating step. The effect of rolling reductions on microstructure and properties was investigated. The 2Cr13 layer consists of martensite and lath ferrite, but the middle layer has less ferrite than both sides. The content and grains of ferrite increase with the increase of the reduction and number of reheating, which leads to a decrease in the hardness of the 2Cr13 layer. The hardness of the 2Cr13 layer is determined by the volume ratio of martensite and ferrite. Tensile strength of the specimens with the rolling reduction of 72% and 82% reached 815.8 MPa and 763.4 MPa, while elongations were 20% and 20.8%, respectively. With the increase of the rolling reduction, the fracture mode also changed from cleavage fracture to dimple fracture. There were no cracks and delamination when the 2Cr13/316L composite plate bent to 130° and 180°, which indicated better interfacial bonding.

We present results of current measurements on the super-sensitive mini-cyclotron as an accelerator mass spectrometer, successfully developed at Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Research (SINR). We describe new ideas and unique techniques adopted for increasing the transmission efficiency in the injection, acceleration and extraction region, for eliminating various backgrounds and for improving the precision of 14C analysis, which have led to the breakthrough of our Shanghai Mini-Cyclotron Accelerator Mass Spectrometry project. We also discuss further development of the prototype facility.