Six new species and two new records of Morchella in China using phylogenetic and morphological analyses.

In this paper, species of the genus Morchella are investigated in China. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) and the combined data set ITS + nuclear large subunit rDNA (28S) + the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) gene + RNA polymerase II first largest subunit (RPB1) + RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), six new phylogenetic species are illustrated and described: M. clivicola, M. confusa, M. odonnellii, M. owneri, M. yangii, and M. yishuica. Furthermore, two new record species, M. dunensis and M. palazonii, which were only known in Europe, are now reported for the first time from Asia. New species of morels will provide additional information on species diversity and genetic resource candidates for improving the cultivation of this economically important fungus.

Highly Reactive Metastable Intermixed Composites (MICs): Preparation and Characterization.

Highly reactive metastable intermixed composites (MICs) have attracted much attention in the past decades. The MIC family of materials mainly includes traditional metal-based nanothermites, novel core-shell-structured, 3D ordered macroporous-structured, and ternary nanocomposites. By applying special fabrication approaches, highly reactive MICs with uniformly dispersed reactants, "layer-by-layer" or "core-shell" structures, can be prepared. Thus, the combustion performance can be greatly improved, and the ignition characteristics and safety can be precisely controlled by using a certain preparation strategy. Here, the preparation and characterization of the MICs that have been developed during the past few decades are summarized. Traditional preparation methods for MICs generally include physical mixing, high-energy ball milling, sol-gel synthesis, and vapor deposition, while the novel methods include self-assembly, electrophoretic deposition, and electrospinning. Various preparation procedures and the ignition and combustion performance of different MIC reactive systems are compared and discussed. In particular, the advantages of novel structured MICs in terms of safety and combustion efficiency are clarified, based on which suggestions regarding the possible future research directions are proposed.

Ab Initio Calculations of the N-N Bond Dissociation for the Gas-phase RDX and HMX.

NO2 fission is a vital factor for 1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) decomposition. In this study, the geometry of the gas-phase RDX and HMX molecules was optimized, and the bond order and the bond dissociation energy of the N-N bonds were examined. Moreover, the rate constants of the gas-phase RDX and HMX conformers, concerning the N-N bond dissociation, were evaluated using the microcanonical variational transition state theory (µVT). The calculation results have shown that HMX is more stable than RDX in terms of the N-N bond dissociation, and the conformers stability parameters were as follows: RDXaaa < RDXaae < HMX I < HMX II. In addition, for the RDX conformers, the N-N bond of the pseudo-equatorial positioning of the nitro group was more stable than the N-N bond of the axial positioning of the nitro group, while the results were opposite in the case of the HMX conformers. Moreover, it has been shown that the dissociation rate constant of the N-N bond is influenced by the temperature significantly, thus the rate constants were much lower (<10-10 s-1) when the temperature was less than 1000 K.

[Effects of exogenous CaCl2 on the functions of flue-cured tobacco seedlings leaf photosystem II under drought stress].

Taking chlorophyll a fluorescence transient OJIP as the probe, this paper studied the effects of foliar spraying 10 mmol x L(-1) of CaCl2 on the functions of photosystem II (PS II) in tobacco seedling leaves under drought stress. Drought stress decreased the conversion efficiency of PS II primary light energy (F(v)/F(m)) and electron transport rate (ETR), and inhibited the primal process of photosynthesis, resulting in an obvious photoinhibition. After the spraying of CaCl2, the decrement of quantum yield for electron transport (phiE(o)) under drought stress was obviously lower, and the increment of electron transport efficiency of per reaction center (ET(o)/RC) was obviously higher, compared with those after the spraying of water. Foliar spraying CaCl2 increased the amount of PS II -captured light energy used for photosynthesis electron transport, the efficiency of surplus active reaction center, as well as the energy transport in electron transport chain, making the PS II remain relatively high activity under drought stress, and accordingly, the drought resistance of the tobacco seedlings was improved.

[Effect of preoperative chemotherapy on bulky cervical cancer by internal iliac arterial infusion].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative chemotherapy on bulky cervical cancer by internal iliac arterial infusion. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-six patients with bulky cervical cancer were randomly divided into two groups: chemotherapy + radiotherapy group (C + R group, n = 105) and radiotherapy group (R group, n = 81). Patients in C + R group underwent internal iliac arterial infusion chemotherapy by using Seldinger technique internal iliac arterial or epigastric arterial catheterization. Combined regimens were prescribed including cisplatin as the major drug. Meanwhile 192Ir high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy was performed, with A point dose at 12 - 24 Gy/2-4 times (C + R group). Patients in R group were only given radiotherapy. Both groups of patients received radical hysterectomy two weeks after radiotherapy. RESULTS: The tumor regression rate of C + R group was 97.1%, significantly higher than 79.0% in R group (P < 0.01). The effective rate for clinical Ib stage cancer in C + R group was 100.0%, significantly higher than 78.3% in R group (P < 0.01), but for clinical IIa, IIb stage cancers, the effective rate between two groups had no obvious difference (P > 0.05). Postoperative pathologic examinations showed the percentage of cervical tumor residue, parauterine invasion, pelvic lymph node metastasis in C + R group was lower than those of R group (P < 0.01). The 2-year recurrent rate in R group (23.5%) was higher than that of C + R group (6.7%, P < 0.01), but 2-year survival rate between two groups had no obvious difference. CONCLUSIONS: Internal iliac arterial infusion chemotherapy can effectively reduce tumor volume, decrease lymph node and subclinical metastasis rates and postoperative recurrence rate; it can also improve radical resectability of patients with stage IIb cervical cancer. But the effect on long-term survival rate needs to be further evaluated through long-term follow-up of patients.