High-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) contribute to dough elasticity and bread baking quality in wheat. In this study, wheat varieties were classified based on their HMW-GS composition into three groups: 1Dx5 (5 + 10, Gaoyou 8901, Xinmai 28, Xinmai 19, Xinmai 26 and Jinbaoyin), 1Dx2 (2 + 12, Zhoumai 24, Xinmai 9 and Yumai) and 1Dx4 (4 + 12, Aikang 58). Sequence analysis showed that 1Dx-GY8901, 1Dx-XM28, 1Dx-XM19 and 1Dx-XM26 were similar to the 1Dx5 gene and clustered on the same branch, while 1Dx-AK58, 1Dx-ZM24, 1Dx-JBY, 1Dx-YM, 1Dx-XM9 and 1Dx-JBY were more similar to the 1Dx2 gene and clustered on the same branch with 1Dx.2.2. There was a mutation of Ser to Cys at position S2, for an extra Cys in the repeat regions of 1Dx-XM19, 1Dx-XM26, 1Dx-XM28 and 1Dx-GY8901. The wheat HMW-GS genes exhibited similar percentages of α-helix, extended strand, β-turn and random coil structure, with ranges of 13.33–13.59, 4.77–5.78, 7.08–9.18 and 72.3–73.94%, respectively. Sequence conservation and the composition of HMW-GS subunits were also analysed for a series of strong gluten wheat varieties, Xinmai 9 (1, 7 + 8, 2 + 12), Xinmai 19 (1, 7 + 9, 5 + 10), Xinmai 26 (1, 7 + 8, 5 + 10) and Xinmai 28 (1, 7 + 9, 5 + 10). The results of this work should facilitate future breeding efforts and provide the theoretical basis for wheat quality improvement.

Due to the lack of research between the inner layers in the structure of colonic mucous and the metabolism of fatty acid in the constipation model, we aim to determine the changes in the mucous phenotype of the colonic glycocalyx and the microbial community structure following treatment with Rhubarb extract in our research. The constipation and treatment models are generated using adult male C57BL/6N mice. We perform light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to detect a Muc2-rich inner mucus layer attached to mice colon under different conditions. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing is performed to examine the intestinal flora. According to TEM images, we demonstrate that Rhubarb can promote mucin secretion and find direct evidence of dendritic structure-linked mucus structures with its assembly into a lamellar network in a pore size distribution in the isolated colon section. Moreover, the diversity of intestinal flora has noticeable changes in constipated mice. The present study characterizes a dendritic structure and persistent cross-links have significant changes accompanied by the alteration of intestinal flora in feces in models of constipation and pretreatment with Rhubarb extract.

Cinnamomum chago is a woody species of the family Lauraceae endemic to Yunnan province, China, previously known from only one location, and categorized as a Plant Species with Extremely Small Population. We surveyed to determine the distribution and population size of C. chago, characterize its habitat, identify any threats, assess its conservation status, and provide guidelines for its management and conservation. During 2014–2017 we found only 64 mature C. chago, in five locations. These small, fragmented populations occur along Lancang River in Dali Prefecture at altitudes of 2,200–2,400 m. The species' extent of occurrence is c. 923 km2, with an area of occupancy of c. 60 km2. The habitat of the species has been degraded by expansion of pastoral activities and deforestation. We recommend categorization of C. chago as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, prevention of the collection of seeds and wood of the species, protection and monitoring, and ex situ propagation for future reintroductions.

In this study, the effects of HA combined with NPK fertilizer (HANPK) on root growth and leaf quality of tobacco plants were investigated in tobacco fields. Results indicated that the application of HA alone did not enhance the growth of tobacco obviously, while HANPK increased tobacco biomass by 36.9% and stimulated the growth of lateral roots significantly. The number of the second-order lateral roots was increased by 89.3% compared with the control. Furthermore, HANPK raised the ratio of root biomass in 0–20 cm soil layer over the whole soil layer and increased the proportion of fine roots over the total roots. Tobacco leaf yield, output value, and benefit of HANPK were 12.2%, 29.4% and 35.5% higher than those of the control, respectively. The above results suggest that the combined application of HA and NPK chemical fertilizer is an economical pattern for improving tobacco growth.

Few studies have explored the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Evidence from non-Western areas is particularly lacking. In the present study, we aimed to examine the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of GDM in a Chinese population. A total of 3063 pregnant Chinese women from an ongoing prospective cohort study were included. Data on dietary intake were collected using a FFQ at 24–27 weeks of gestation. GDM was diagnosed using a 75 g, 2 h oral glucose tolerance test. Dietary patterns were determined by principal components factor analysis. A log-binomial regression model was used to examine the associations between dietary pattern and the risk of GDM. The analysis identified four dietary patterns: vegetable pattern; protein-rich pattern; prudent pattern; sweets and seafood pattern. Multivariate analysis showed that the highest tertile of the vegetable pattern was associated with a decreased risk of GDM (relative risk (RR) 0·79, 95 % CI 0·64, 0·97), compared with the lowest tertile, whereas the highest tertile of the sweets and seafood pattern was associated with an increased risk of GDM (RR 1·23, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·49). No significant association was found for either the protein-rich or the prudent pattern. The protective effect of a high vegetable pattern score was more evident among women who had a family history of diabetes (P for interaction = 0·022). These findings suggest that the vegetable pattern was associated with a decreased risk of GDM, while the sweets and seafood pattern was associated with an increased risk of GDM. These findings may be useful in dietary counselling during pregnancy.

Intense broad absorption bands centered around 1.7, 2.5, 3.1, and 3.7 eV take place in Er3+-diffused layer formed near MgO (5 mol%)-doped LiNbO3 crystal surface by in-diffusion of Er metal under Li-poor atmosphere. These bands are tentatively attributed to the defect absorption of small polarons, bipolarons, F-centers, and Q-polarons created due to Er3+ in-diffusion and Li2O loss from the crystal. It is interesting that the number, type, area, and peaking position of the bands can be controlled by the diffusion temperature and further oxidation treatment. Such material is a promising medium for data storage based upon two-color holography.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of osteopontin neutralization treatment on schistosome-induced liver injury in BALB/C mice. We randomly divided 100 BALB/C mice into groups A, B, C, D and group E. Mice in all groups except group A were abdominally infected with schistosomal cercariae to induce a schistosomal hepatopathological model. Mice in group C, D and group E were respectively administered with praziquantel, praziquantel plus colchicine and praziquantel plus neutralizing osteopontin antibody. We extracted mouse liver tissues at 3 and 9 weeks after the ‘stool-eggs-positive’ day, observed liver histopathological changes by haematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome staining and detected the expression of osteopontin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1) by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot. We found that praziquantel plus neutralizing osteopontin antibody treatment significantly decreased the granuloma dimension, the percentage of collagen and the expression of osteopontin, α-SMA and TGF-β1 compared to praziquantel plus colchicine treatment in both the acute and chronic stage of schistosomal liver damage (P<0·05). So we believe that the combined regimen of osteopontin immunoneutralization and anti-helminthic treatment can reduce the granulomatous response and liver fibrosis during the schistosomal hepatopathologic course.

Off-congruent Li-deficient MgO:LiNbO3 crystals were prepared by carrying out post-grown Li-poor vapor transport equilibration (VTE) treatments on a number of 0.47 mm thick MgO (5 mol% in growth melt or 6 mol% in crystal)-doped, initially congruent LiNbO3 plates at 1100 °C over different durations ranged in 40–395 h. At first, the VTE-induced Li composition reduction was measured as a function of the VTE duration using the gravimetric method. Then, optical absorption spectroscopy was applied to study the crystal composition effects on the fundamental optical absorption edge and OH absorption characteristic parameters including the peaking position, band width, peaking absorption and band area. These crystal composition effects enable one to establish the optical methods used for determination of the crystal composition from the spectroscopic measurements. These optical methods overcome the demerit that the gravimetric method is limited to a specific VTE temperature or crystal thickness, and can be applied to design and produce an MgO-doped crystal with desired Li composition.

We demonstrate Er3+ diffusivity and solubility increases in off-congruent, Li-deficient LiNbO3 crystal. Li-poor vapor transport equilibration was used to reduce Li2O content in initial congruent crystals. Local Er3+ in-diffusion was then performed in a wet O2 atmosphere. Before and after the Er3+ diffusion procedure, surface Li2O content was evaluated from measured birefringence. The results show that the Er3+ diffusion procedure resulted in 0.3–0.5 mol% Li2O content loss at crystal surface. Secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to measure the Er3+ depth profiles, from which the diffusivity and solubility are determined. It is shown that the Er3+ diffusivity is nearly doubled and the solubility increases at least 0.6 mol% as the Li2O content decreases by 1.0 mol%. From the known Li2O content reduction, the solubility increase is also predicted and the results show that the predicted data are considerably smaller than the experimental results, suggesting that the Er3+ ions occupy also the Nb5+ site, besides the Li+ site.

We have measured at room temperature polarized visible and near-infrared and unpolarized mid-infrared (2.7 μm) emission spectra of Er3+ in LiNbO3 (LN) crystals grown from congruent melts doped with 0.0/0.5, 0.5/0.5, and 1.0/0.5 mol%/mol% In2O3/Er2O3. From the measured emission spectra, the emission and absorption cross section spectral distributions were analyzed based on McCumber theory and discussed in comparison with those spectra of only Er-doped LN bulk material and/or Ti: Er: LN waveguide structure and with the results from the unpolarized absorption measurements. For the 530 and 1530 nm transitions, the cross section value, polarization dependence, and spectral shape all change from the only Er-doped material to the In–Er-codoped crystal and show definite In2O3 doping level effect. The 559, 673, 996, and 1530 nm emission lifetimes were also measured and used to evaluate nonradiative multiphonon relaxation rate. The calculated radiative, measured lifetimes, and multiphonon relaxation rate also show In-codoping effects.

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to study the profile characteristics and diffusion properties of Mg, Ti, and Er ions in photorefractive-damage-resistant locally Er/Mg-diffused near-stoichiometric (NS) Ti:Mg:Er:LiNbO3 strip waveguides fabricated on two Z-cut initially congruent, undoped LiNbO3 substrates in sequence by local Er doping at 1100 °C or 1130 °C in air, Mg/Ti pre-diffusion at 1100 °C in wet O2, and post Li-rich vapor transport equilibration (VTE) treatment at 1100 °C. For comparison, a SIMS study was also carried out on the waveguides fabricated without the post-VTE treatment. In order to compensate for the refractive index decrease arising from both the Mg doping and the post-VTE treatment, and hence to get a positive net index increment profile in the Ti-diffused layer, a thicker Ti-film of around 170 nm was coated. Nevertheless, SIMS results show that the Ti diffusion reservoir, as well as the Er and Mg reservoirs, was exhausted. From the SIMS profiles, characteristic diffusion parameters such as the 1/e diffusion width (for Ti only) and depth, diffusivity, and surface concentration of the Mg, Ti, and Er ions are obtained. It is interesting that the Mg distribution in the NS waveguide layer is desirably homogeneous with a concentration [(1.7–2.0) ± 0.3 mol%] higher than the optical damage concentration threshold. The Ti profile follows a sum of two error functions along the lateral direction of NS waveguides with a diffusion width of (12–13) ± 0.5 μm, and a Gaussian function in the depth direction with a 1/e depth of (5.1–6.0) ± 0.2 μm. The Er profile follows also a Gaussian function with a 1/e depth of (3.7–4.4) ± 0.3 μm. In the NS waveguide layer, the mean diffusivity is (7.1 ± 2.2) to (8.3 ± 2.8) μm2/h for Mg, (3.5 ± 0.3) to (4.5 ± 0.4) μm2/h in the lateral direction and (0.54 ± 0.04) to (1.13 ± 0.08) μm2/h in the depth direction for Ti, and (4.1 ± 0.4) to (5.5 ± 0.5) × 10−2 μm2/h for Er. The effects of Li outward diffusion in the initial Er doping procedure, and the Mg codiffusion and post-VTE treatment on the mean Mg, Ti, and Er diffusivities are discussed in comparison with the previously reported results on single Mg, Ti, or Er diffusion and Mg/Ti codiffusion in a pure or homogeneously MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 crystal. Finally, the keys to the success of the fabrication procedure adopted are discussed.

A number of congruent LiNbO3 crystals homogeneously doped with 5 mol% Mg in growth melt were subjected to Li-rich vapor transport equilibration (VTE) treatments at 1100 °C for different durations. Secondary ion mass spectrometry study shows that the VTE induces the Mg diffusion within the crystal and an inhomogeneous Mg depth profile. The surface Mg concentration, determined from measured ordinary refractive index, shows a strong VTE duration dependence. Neutron activation analysis shows that the amount of MgO diffusing out of the crystal is ignorable, allowing to conclude that the Mg ions counter diffuse to the crystal surface at the early stage of VTE and then come back toward equilibrium as the Li concentration comes to equilibrium. The VTE-induced Li2O content increase in crystal was determined by the gravimetric method. The crystalline phase, crystal composition, and site occupation of Mg and Li are discussed.