Application and prospect of gene chip in genetic breeding of livestock and poultry.

Gene chip is a high-throughput technique for detecting specific DNA sequences by DNA or DNA-RNA complementary hybridization, among which SNP genotyping chips have been widely employed in the animal genetics and breeding, and have made great achievements in cattle (Bos taurus), pigs (Sus scrofa), sheep (Caprinae), chickens (Gallus gallus) and other livestock. However, genomic selection applied in production merely uses genomic information and cannot fully explain the molecular mechanism of complex traits genetics, which limits the accuracy of genomic selection. With the continuous progresses in epigenetic research, the development of commercial methylation chips and the application of the epigenome-wide association study (EWAS), DNA methylation has been extensively used to draw the causal connections between genetics and phenotypes.

[Characteristic of Nitrate Adsorption in Aqueous Solution by Iron and Manganese Oxide/Biochar Composites].

In this study, we synthesized Fe/Mn bimetallic oxide coated biochar sorbents by pyrolysis of wheat straw impregnated with ferric chloride and potassium permanganate and investigated their potential to adsorb nitrate in water. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests that Fe(Ⅲ)/Mn(Ⅳ) bimetallic oxide particles emerge on the sorbents. The optimized sorbent could achieve a specific surface area of 153.

Tantalum-coated pedicle screws enhance implant integration.

Because titanium alloy (Ti) has the natural advantage of a low elastic modulus, it has become the most commonly used material for the manufacturing of pedicle screws. However, its poor shear strength and osteogenic ability are undesirable properties. The superior osteoinductivity demonstrated by tantalum (Ta) in oral and maxillofacial surgery and joint surgery leads us to assume that the tantalum-coated pedicle screws may have better osteogenic properties and bone anchoring strength.

A fast response variable optical attenuator based on blue phase liquid crystal.

Blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) are promising candidates for next generation display thanks to their fast response and quasi-isotropic optical properties. By taking these advantages, we propose to introduce the material into fiber-optic applications. As an example, a BPLC based variable optical attenuator (VOA) is demonstrated with a polarization independent design.

Calorimetry study of microwave absorption of some solid materials.

In practice, the dielectric constant of a material varies the applied frequency the material composition, particle size, purity, temperature, physical state (solid or liquid), and moisture content. All of these parameters might change during processing, therefore, it is difficult to predict how well a material will absorb microwave energy in a given process. When the temperature is measured by a digital thermometer, it could not accurately reflect the true temperature of the bulk materials, especially for mixed materials.