[Comparision of Ecological Risk Assessment Based on the Total Amount and Speciation Distribution of Heavy Metals in Soil:A Case Study for Longyan City, Fujian Province].

A total of 110 topsoil samples and 61 crop samples along the Lantian-Yangdong Villages were collected in Shizhong, Longyan City. The total amount and speciation of heavy metals(Pb, Cd, As) in soil and crops were determined. The characteristics of the absorption of heavy metals by specific crops in the study area were analyzed, and a new method of risk assessment based on the heavy metal speciation and its bioavailability was established by statistical analysis.

Engineering global transcription to tune lipophilic properties in .

Background: Evolution of complex phenotypes in cells requires simultaneously tuning expression of large amounts of genes, which can be achieved by reprograming global transcription. Lipophilicity is an important complex trait in oleaginous yeast . It is necessary to explore the changes of which genes' expression levels will tune cellular lipophilic properties via the strategy of global transcription engineering.

Synthesis and Anti-HIV-1 Activity Evaluation for Novel 3a,6a-Dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazole-4,6-dione Derivatives.

The search for new molecular constructs that resemble the critical two-metal binding pharmacophore and the halo-substituted phenyl functionality required for HIV-1 integrase (IN) inhibition represents a vibrant area of research within drug discovery. As reported herein, we have modified our recently disclosed 1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-pyrrole-2,5-dione scaffolds to design 35 novel compounds with improved biological activities against HIV-1. These new compounds show single-digit micromolar antiviral potencies against HIV-1 and low toxicity.

Next-generation sequencing-based molecular diagnosis of neonatal hypotonia in Chinese Population.

Neonatal hypotonia is extremely challenging to diagnose because numerous disorders present similar clinical manifestations. Two panels for diagnosing neonatal hypotonia were developed, which enriches 35 genes corresponding to 61 neonatal hypotonia-related disorders. A cohort of 214 neonates with hypotonia was recruited from 2012 to 2014 in China for this study.

Seed germination, root elongation, root-tip mitosis, and micronucleus induction of five crop plants exposed to chromium in fluvo-aquic soil.

The present study aimed to determine the toxic effects of chromium (Cr) on cabbage (Brassica oleracea), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and corn (Zea mays), and identify the sensitive plant species and appropriate bioassays for potential use in phytotoxicity assessment of Cr in soil. Results showed that seed germination might not be a sensitive assay for assessing Cr toxicity because at most of the Cr levels there were no toxic effects. Root elongation was more sensitive to Cr than seed germination.

The metabolomics of carotenoids in engineered cell factory.

Carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and antheraxanthin have plenty of scientific and commercial value. The comprehensive investigation of carotenoids drives people to improve and develop all kinds of analytical techniques to approach or even achieve "versatile" analysis. The metabolic engineering efforts in plants and algae have progressed rapidly, aiming to enable the use of plants and algae as "cell factories" for producing specific or novel carotenoids, such as beta-carotene (provitamin A) in Gold rice, while the emerging technologies of metabolomics support it by providing comprehensive analysis of carotenoids biochemical characterizations.