Cation vacancy-boosted BaZnB4O8:xEu3+ phosphors with high quantum yield and thermal stability for pc-WLEDs.

Achieving high luminescent quantum yield and thermal stability of phosphors simultaneously remains challenging, yet it is critical for facilitating high-power white light emitting diodes (WLEDs). Herein, we report the design and preparation of the layered structure BaZnB4O8:xEu3+ (0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.60) red phosphors with high quantum yield (QY = 76.5%) and thermal stability (82.8%@150 °C) by the traditional solid-state reaction method. The results of XRD and Rietveld refinement show that the presence of Eu3+ ions at Ba2+ sites causes the formation of cation (Zn2+/Ba2+) vacancies in the lattice. The PL and PL decay results reveal that the quenching concentration of BZBO:xEu3+ phosphors is as high as 50%, and the lifetime remains unchanged with Eu3+ concentration due to the unique structure of the host and the cation vacancies generated by the heterovalent substitution. Furthermore, on a 395 nm near-UV chip, a pc-WLED device with exceptional optical performance (CCT = 4415 K, CRI = 92.1) was realized using the prepared BZBO:0.50Eu3+ as a red phosphor. Simple synthesis and excellent performance parameters suggest that the reported BaZnB4O8:xEu3+ phosphors have promising applications in high-power pc-WLEDs. At the same time, it also indicates that cationic vacancy engineering based on heterovalent ion substitution is a potential strategy for improving luminescence quantum yield and thermal quenching performance.

Genome-wide detection of CNV regions between Anqing six-end-white and Duroc pigs.

BACKGROUND: Anqing six-end-white pig is a native breed in Anhui Province. The pigs have the disadvantages of a slow growth rate, low proportion of lean meat, and thick back fat, but feature the advantages of strong stress resistance and excellent meat quality. Duroc pig is an introduced pig breed with a fast growth rate and high proportion of lean meat. With the latter breed featuring superior growth characteristics but inferior meat quality traits, the underlying molecular mechanism that causes these phenotypic differences between Chinese and foreign pigs is still unclear. RESULTS: In this study, copy number variation (CNV) detection was performed using the re-sequencing data of Anqing Six-end-white pigs and Duroc pigs, A total of 65,701 CNVs were obtained. After merging the CNVs with overlapping genomic positions, 881 CNV regions (CNVRs) were obtained. Based on the obtained CNVR information combined with their positions on the 18 chromosomes, a whole-genome map of the pig CNVs was drawn. GO analysis of the genes in the CNVRs showed that they were primarily involved in the cellular processes of proliferation, differentiation, and adhesion, and primarily involved in the biological processes of fat metabolism, reproductive traits, and immune processes. CONCLUSION: The difference analysis of the CNVs between the Chinese and foreign pig breeds showed that the CNV of the Anqing six-end-white pig genome was higher than that of the introduced pig breed Duroc. Six genes related to fat metabolism, reproductive performance, and stress resistance were found in genome-wide CNVRs (DPF3, LEPR, MAP2K6, PPARA, TRAF6, NLRP4).

[Characteristics of arsenic content in the livestock farms' surrounding environment in Shanghai suburbs].

In the suburbs of Shanghai, selected five large farms and surface water, feed, soil and vegetable samples were collected, and then total and inorganic arsenic were detected to survey the current arsenic level of the livestock farms in Shanghai suburban, as well as the usage situation of organic arsenic as feed additives. The results showed that the total arsenic content in water samples ranged from 0. 00 microgL-1 to 23.00 microg L-1 , below the first standard of surface water quality (50 microg L-1 ) ; total arsenic in feed was among 0.40-12.13 mgkg-1 , in which inorganic arsenic was 10.0% -80.0% ; total arsenic in spot-checking feed samples was 0. 16-21.39 mg kg-1 and inorganic arsenic was 0. 003-10. 67 mgkg-1 , and samples exceeding the limits of arsenic in feed accounted for 16. 7% ; total arsenic content in soils ranged from 8.08-18.50 mgkg-1 , in which 22. 2% samples were higher than the first standard of soil environmental quality, and inorganic arsenic accounted for 44. 2% -78. 9% of total arsenic; vegetables' total arsenic was 0. 003-0. 093 mg kg-1, not higher than the maximal residue limit of 0. 50 mg kg -1 on the current national standard; there were some differences in different parts of the same species vegetables on arsenic content: arsenic content in roots were higher than that in the aboveground part, and the bioconcentration factors showed a significantly positive correlation with the arsenic content in vegetables and a negative correlation with the arsenic content in rhizosphere.

Islet-1 may function as an assistant factor for histone acetylation and regulation of cardiac development-related transcription factor Mef2c expression.

OBJECTIVE: Islet-1 is an important transcription factor for cardiac development through mediating extensive interactions between DNA and proteins. The present study was to investigate the role of Islet-1 in regulating the expression of cardiac development-related transcription factors and mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS: The expression of Islet-1 and histone acetylases (HATs) subtype p300 was determined in newborn mouse hearts and mouse embryonic hearts at different development stages using Western blot. The expression of Islet-1 and cardiac development-related transcription factors Mef2c, GATA4 and Tbx5 as well as histone H3 acetylation level were determined in cardiac progenitor cells with and without transfection of Islet-1 interference RNA (RNAi) in lentivirus using PCR and Western blot. Islet-1 peak expression occurred on day E14.5 in mouse embryonic heart, and was present in the promoter regions of Mef2c, GATA4 and Tbx5 that were precipitated with p300 antibody. When Islet-1 was inhibited with specific RNAi in cardiac progenitor cells, the expression of Mef2c and Tbx5, but not GATA4, was significantly suppressed along with selective reduction in histone H3 acetylation in the promoter region of Mef2c, but not GATA4 and Tbx5. The level of Mef2c DNA, not GATA4 and Tbx5, in the complex associated with p300 was significantly decreased in the cells with Islet-1 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that Islet-1 might function as an assistant factor that was involved in the regulation of histone acetylation and Mef2c expression via assisting p300 on specifically targeting the promoter of Mef2c.

[Fuzzy decision system for ecological distribution of citrus in north-cultivated-marginal area].

The fuzzy decision system for ecological distribution of citrus in north-cultivated-marginal area was established by using the data of mean extreme low temperature, accumulated active temperature (> or = 12.5 degrees C), mean temperature in coldest month, annual mean temperature integrated with annual precipitation, days with mean extreme low temperature below -9 degrees C, physiognomy, elevation, inland water body, cold air barrier, and soil nutrition and pH value. The complex reasoning model with imprecision was used in the decision system by introduction of L-R fuzzy number and recognition formula, which made the decision system have a wide range of application in practice. An example of applying the decision system was tested in Anhui province. The result showed that the development of the decision system would provide a useful tool for the decision of the ecological distribution of citrus in north-cultivated-marginal area.