| 1. |
- Li, Yingming, et al.
(författare)
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Levels and vertical distributions of PCBs, PBDEs, and OCPs in the atmospheric boundary layer : observation from the Beijing 325-m meteorological tower
- 2009
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 43:4, s. 1030-1035
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polyurethane foam disk passive air sampling was carried out to investigate the levels, vertical distributions, and potential sources of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the atmospheric boundary layer of an urban site in Asia. Sampling was performed at nine heights (15, 47, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240, 280, 320 m) of the 325-m meteorological tower in Beijing, China over three 2-month periods between December 2006 and August 2007. This is the first study to report vertical variations of PBDEs in the ABL and one of only a few studies to investigate vertical distributions of persistent organic pollutants. The levels of sigma19PCBs and sigma8PBDEs were relatively low, ranging from 22 to 65 and from 2.3 to 18 pg m-3, respectively. Air concentrations of gamma-HCH were high, with values in the range of 39-103 pg m-3 in winter, 100-180 pg m-3 in spring, and 115-242 pg m-3 in summer, respectively. alpha-HCH concentrations ranged from 20 to 86 pg m-3, p,p'-DDT between 7.3 and 78 pg m-3, and HCB between 15 and 160 pg m-3. The seasonal variations of PCBs, PBDEs, and OCPs may reflect different sources for these chemicals, such as those related with regional use (gamma-HCH), volatilization/re-emission (PBDEs, PCBs, alpha-HCH), and pesticide impurities (HCB). Although the performance reference compounds (PRCs) were spiked before deployment, the sampling rates showed strong dependency on wind speeds, resulting in large variations in uptake rates in the ABL, ranging from approximately 7.0 m3 day-1 at ground level to 11 m3 day-1 at 320 m. Levels of PCBs, PBDEs, and OCPs decreased with increasing ABL height indicating the potential of Beijing as the local sources.
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| 2. |
- Wang, Pu, et al.
(författare)
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Altitude dependence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in surface soil from Tibetan Plateau, China
- 2009
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 76:11, s. 1498-1504
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Remote mountain areas besides high latitude regions are beginning to receive increased attention in studying the transport and behavior of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In the present work, surface soil samples were collected from the Tibetan Plateau, the highest plateau in the world which includes the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma, to investigate the levels and trends of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) along the altitudinal gradient. The average PCB and PBDE concentrations were 185.6 ng kg-1 dry weight (dw) (range 47.1-422.6 ng kg-1 dw) and 11.1 ng kg-1 dw (range 4.3-34.9 ng kg-1 dw), respectively. Regression analysis between the log-transformed TOC-normalized concentrations and the altitudes of the sampling sites showed two opposite trends with regard to altitude dependence: negative relationship with altitude below about 4500 m followed by a positive altitude dependence above this point. Considering minimum anthropogenic activities and very sparse precipitation in the north of Himalayas, the trends above 4500 m imply that the significant altitude dependence of these two groups of POPs were irrespective of pollution sources, but could be predicted by the global distillation effect involving cold condensation in high altitude mountain areas. Increasing levels of heavier congeners were found in higher altitude sites, although the lighter congeners were the main contributors to the total amount, suggesting that less volatile congeners seem to become enriched easier than those more volatile at higher altitudes in this region.
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| 3. |
- Wang, Haifeng, et al.
(författare)
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An ecological warning line of oasis evolvement and its application in arid inland basins
- 2006
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Ingår i: Shuili Fadian Xuebao/Journal of Hydroelectric Engineering. - 1003-1243. ; 25:4, s. 34-39
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on a comparative study of the social economic development and the water resources characteristics in 13 arid inland basins of north-western China, it is pointed out that oasis will move from lower reach to upper reach in the circumstances of lower water availability per capita and poorer social economic structures. A significant ecological warning line and warning interval of oasis evolvement are given by synthesizing evidence of social economic development and water resources characteristics. Applying the criterion, the quantitative water resource carrying capacities are evaluated for those basins with water availability per capita less than 3000m3.
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| 4. |
- Alström, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Phylogeny and classification of the Old World Emberizini (Aves, Passeriformes)
- 2008
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Ingår i: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 1055-7903 .- 1095-9513. ; 47:3, s. 960-973
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The phylogeny of the avian genus Emberiza and the monotypic genera Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria (collectively the Old World Emberizini), as well as representatives for the New World Emberizini, the circumpolar genera Calcarius and Plectrophertax and the four other generally recognized tribes in the subfamily Emberizinae was estimated based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and introns 6-7 of the nuclear ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene. Our results support monophyly of the Old World Emberizini, but do not corroborate a sister relationship to the New World Emberizini. Calcarius and Plectrophenax form a clade separated from the other Emberizini. This agrees with previous studies, and we recommend the use of the name Calcariini. Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria are nested within Emberiza, and we therefore propose they be synonymized with Emberiza. Emberiza is divided into four main clades, whose relative positions are uncertain, although a sister relation between a clade with six African species and one comprising the rest of the species (30, all Palearctic) is most likely. Most clades agree with traditional, morphology-based, classifications. However, four sister relationships within Emberiza, three of which involve the previously recognized Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria, are unpredicted, and reveal cases of strong morphological divergence. In contrast, the plumage similarity between adult male Emberiza (formerly Latoucheornis) siemsseni and the nominate subspecies of the New World Junco hyemalis is shown to be the result of parallel evolution. A further case of parallel plumage evolution, between African and Eurasian taxa, is pointed out. Two cases of discordance between the mitochondrial and nuclear data with respect to branch lengths and genetic divergences are considered to be the result of introgressive hybridization.
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| 5. |
- Gao, Bin, et al.
(författare)
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Spectral identification of fullerene C82 isomers
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 127:16, s. 164314-1-164314-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ultraviolet photoelectron spectra (UPS) of C-82 isomers have been calculated using hybrid density functional theory in combination with the Gelius model [Proceedings of the International Conference on Electron spectroscopy, edited by D. A. Shirley (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1972), p. 311; J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 5, 985 (1974)]. The calculated UPS spectra are found to be isomer dependent and in good agreement with the experimental counterparts. Near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray emission spectroscopy, and the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra of three important isomers [3(C-2), 6(C-s), and 9(C-2v)] have also been simulated. Strong isomer dependence has also been found for NEXAFS, XPS, and RIXS spectra.
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| 6. |
- Gao, Jingfang, 1966-, et al.
(författare)
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Association of NFKBIA polymorphism with colorectal cancer risk and prognosis in Swedish and Chinese populations
- 2007
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 42:3, s. 345-350
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. The inhibitory proteins, IκBs, regulate the activity of nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-κB), which is implicated in tumorigenesis by regulating expression of a variety of genes involved in cellular transformation, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Variants in the genes encoding IκBs may be involved in cancer development through the activation of NF-κB. The objective of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of an A to G variation (rs696) in the 3′ UTR of NFKBIA (encoding IκBα) to colorectal cancer (CRC) and the association of this polymorphism with clinicopathologic variables in CRC patients. Material and methods. A case-control study was carried out on a Swedish (155 CRCs, 438 controls) and a Chinese population (199 CRCs, 577 controls). The genotype of NFKBIA was determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results. The frequency of the AG genotype was increased in the Chinese patients ≥50 years of age compared with the Chinese controls (odds ratio (OR) = 3.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.55-6.02, p=0.001), even when adjusted for age (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.61-6.38, p=0.001). The GG genotype of NFKBIA was related to a poorer survival rate in the Swedish patients, independent of gender, age, tumour location, Dukes' stage and differentiation (hazard ratio = 3.10, 95% Cl = 1.28-7.60, p=0.01). Conclusions. Chinese individuals ≥50 years of age carrying the AG genotype of NFKBIA may be at an increased risk of developing CRC, and the GG genotype of NFKBIA may be considered as a prognostic factor for Swedish CRC patients. © 2007 Taylor & Francis.
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| 7. |
- Huang, Zi-Gang, et al.
(författare)
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Role of collective influence in promoting cooperation
- 2008
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Ingår i: Europhysics letters. - Les Ulis : European Physical Society. - 0295-5075 .- 1286-4854. ; 84:5, s. 50008-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The collective influence on the individuals' behavior have attracted much attention, and interesting phenomena such as social facilitation and social loafing have been studied. In this paper, we consider how the collective influence affects the evolution of cooperation in a structured population of individuals who nourish and benefit from public goods in groups. Individuals are supposed to distribute endowments to different groups to nourish the corresponding public goods. The collective influence is indicated by a tunable parameter α, with larger α corresponding to the players' higher preference to contribute more to the larger groups, which is similar to the social-facilitation effect in the real world, whereas, with smaller α corresponding to individuals' contrary preference, i.e., the social-loafing effect. Interestingly, we find that the heterogeneity of public-goods setting favors cooperation. Furthermore, the system where social loafing occurs performs better than that with social facilitation, in the case of heterogeneous formation.
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| 8. |
- Jiang, Lei, et al.
(författare)
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Arabidopsis RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 is involved in UV-B signaling.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1474-9092 .- 1474-905X. ; 8, s. 838-846
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Arabidopsis radical-induced cell death1 (rcd1) mutant is sensitive to ozone fumigation and apoplastic superoxide, but tolerant to methyl viologen. In the present article, we report that the rcd1 mutant is also tolerant to supplementary UV-B radiation. The rcd1-1 mutant exhibits less accumulation of TT dimers, increased hypocotyl growth inhibition and higher accumulation of flavonoids under supplemental UV-B radiation. Moreover, the expression of HY5 (ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5) is increased in the mutant after UV-B treatment. Gene expression downstream of UV-B signaling reveals that COP1 (CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1)-regulated genes have an elevated expression in rcd1-1 mutant under UV-B radiation, while expression of UVR8 (UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8)-regulated and HY5-independent genes are not changed. Interestingly, the expression of RCD1 genes is not significantly changed by UV-B radiation. Previous study has shown that STO protein is interacting with RCD1 in vitro. Here, we found the mRNA level of STO (SALT TOLERANCE) is greatly increased in rcd1-1 mutant after UV-B radiation. However, UV-B-induced HY5 and CHS expression is partially inhibited in sto mutant. Based on the above results, it is deduced that the RCD1, working together with STO, is involved in Arabidopsis UV-B signaling.
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| 9. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(författare)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy in higher eukaryotes
- 2008
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Ingår i: Autophagy. - : Landes Bioscience. - 1554-8627 .- 1554-8635. ; 4:2, s. 151-175
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research in autophagy continues to accelerate,1 and as a result many new scientists are entering the field. Accordingly, it is important to establish a standard set of criteria for monitoring macroautophagy in different organisms. Recent reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose.2,3 There are many useful and convenient methods that can be used to monitor macroautophagy in yeast, but relatively few in other model systems, and there is much confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure macroautophagy in higher eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers of autophagosomes versus those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway; thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from fully functional autophagy that includes delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of the methods that can be used by investigators who are attempting to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as by reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that investigate these processes. This set of guidelines is not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to verify an autophagic response.
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| 10. |
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