A novel dominant mutation in the SOX10 gene in a Chinese family with Waardenburg syndrome type II.

Waardenburg syndrome type 2 (WS2) is a rare genetic disorder, characterized by bright blue eyes, moderate to profound hearing loss and pigmental abnormalities of the hair and skin. Between 10 and 20 mutations in the SRY‑box 10 (SOX10) gene were previously identified to be associated with WS2. The present study aimed to identify the genetic causes of WS2 in a Chinese family.

Schisandrin B alleviates acute oxidative stress via modulation of the Nrf2/Keap1-mediated antioxidant pathway.

Schisandrin B (Sch B), one of the main effective components of the dried fruit of Schisandra chinensis, protects neurons from oxidative stress in the central nervous system. Here we investigated the neuroprotective effect of Sch B against damage caused by acute oxidative stress and attempted to define the possible mechanisms. Using the elevated plus maze and open field test, we found that forced swimming, an acute stressor, significantly induced anxiety-like behavior that was alleviated by oral Sch B treatment.

[Effects of understory removal on soil labile organic carbon pool in a Cinnamomum camphora plantation].

Taking a 48-year-old Cinnamomum camphora plantation in the eastern area of our subtropics as test object, this paper studied the labile organic carbon contents and their ratios to the total organic carbon (TOC) in 0-60 cm soil layer under effects of understory removal (UR). As compared with no understory removal (CK), the soil TOC and easily-oxidized carbon (EOC) contents under UR decreased, with a decrement of 4.8% - 34.

Unconventional superconductivity of NdFeAsO(0.82)F(0.18) indicated by the low temperature dependence of the lower critical field H(c1).

We measured the initial M-H curves for a sample of the newly discovered superconductor NdFeAsO(0.82)Fe(0.18), which had a critical temperature, T(c), of 51 K and was fabricated at the high pressure of 6 GPa.