Polyamine Metabolism under Different Light Regimes in Wheat

Although the relationship between polyamines and photosynthesis has been investigated at several levels, the main aim of this experiment was to test light-intensity-dependent influence of polyamine metabolism with or without exogenous polyamines. First, the effect of the duration of the daily illumination, then the effects of different light intensities (50, 250, and 500 μmol m–2 s–1) on the polyamine metabolism at metabolite and gene expression levels were investigated. In the second experiment, polyamine treatments, namely putrescine, spermidine and spermine, were also applied. The different light quantities induced different changes in the polyamine metabolism. In the leaves, light distinctly induced the putrescine level and reduced the 1,3-diaminopropane content. Leaves and roots responded differently to the polyamine treatments. Polyamines improved photosynthesis under lower light conditions. Exogenous polyamine treatments influenced the polyamine metabolism differently under individual light regimes. The fine-tuning of the synthesis, back-conversion and terminal catabolism could be responsible for the observed different polyamine metabolism-modulating strategies, leading to successful adaptation to different light conditions.

Diversified Learning Environment Alleviates Learning Impairment Caused by Contextual Stress

Environment is capable of affecting our learning ability. Existing studies reported that learning ability can be enhanced by enriched environment and impaired by stressful context. However, it is still unclear whether diversified environment can reverse or ameliorate the learning difficulty caused by stressful context. In this study, several behavioral tasks were designed to test the role of diversified environment in active avoidance learning. In the present study, sound-cued active avoidance (two-way shuttle box) acted as learning paradigm. Multiple shuttle boxes with the identical size but different designs were employed to mimic diversified environment in learning tasks. Mild but inevitable foot shocking was adopted to increase animal’s stress to certain context. To quantify the depression/anxiety level of animals, open field test, forced swimming test, light-dark box test, and elevated plus maze were performed. The following findings were reported. First, diversified learning environment could improve learning ability in active avoidance, as manifested by higher successful rate and sharper learning curve. Second, elevating the stress level of animal to a certain context could noticeably reduce its performance in active avoidance learning. Third, the learning impairment attributed to stressful context can be improved by training in diversified environments. Thus, as revealed from the results, learning impairment caused by stressful context can be alleviated by diversified learning environment which may facilitate further medical and education applications.

LRT Digest 3: New colour metrics and their use

Executive summary The two metrics traditionally used to quantify the colour properties of light sources are the correlated colour temperature and the CIE General Colour Rendering Index. With the arrival of LEDs as a major light source questions began to be asked about the merits of both of these metrics. The question asked about correlated colour temperature was how far should the chromaticity of a light source be allowed to depart from the Planckian locus before the light emitted could no longer be said to be white? A tolerance to such a departure ( Duv) already existed but now gathered much more attention. The questions asked about the CIE General Colour Rendering Index were more searching. The limitations of the CIE General Colour Rendering Index were explored and, as a result, several alternative approaches to quantifying the colour rendition properties of light sources were proposed. The most comprehensive approach was produced by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, first in its Technical Memorandum IES TM-30-15 and more recently in its revision, Technical Memorandum ANSI/IES TM-30-18, which has been accepted as an American Standard. Both these documents describe a system that contains two high-level summary metrics: One for the average fidelity, i.e. how accurately a test light source renders 99 colour samples relative to how they are rendered under a reference illuminant, and the other for the average colourfulness, i.e. the overall increase or decrease in colourfulness of the same colour samples under the same test light source compared to the same reference illuminant. Associated with these overall average metrics are a number of more detailed metrics and graphical presentations. These aim to quantify and illustrate the variations in fidelity and the direction and magnitude of the shifts in chroma and hue around the hue circle. Compared to the CIE General Colour Rendering Index or the CIE Fidelity Index, a metric published by the CIE in 2017, ANSI/IES TM-30-18 provides a more comprehensive approach to quantifying and understanding the effects of light source spectrum on the perception of colour. Unfortunately, the new colour metrics described in IES TM-30-15 and ANSI/IES TM-30-18 have not yet been accepted by the CIE. Despite this, some light source manufacturers have started to provide information on their products expressed in terms of the ANSI/IES TM-30-18 colour metrics and designers are beginning to request them. The expectation is that, eventually, the ANSI/IES TM-30-18 metrics will be adopted by many countries and authorities, because they provide a much more comprehensive description of the colour properties of a light source than the CIE General Colour Rendering Index. This will be of value to light source manufacturers and lighting designers as well as those who prepare lighting codes and guides. It is expected that in the future the minimum set of data considered acceptable for describing the colour properties of a light source are likely to be the correlated colour temperature and the associated Duv value, the CIE Fidelity Index or the matching ANSI/IES TM-30-18 Fidelity Index, together with the ANSI/IES TM-30-18 Gamut Index and the ANSI/IES TM-30-18 Colour Vector Graphic.

MODERN METHODS OF ANXIETY ASSESSMENT of RODENTS BY TESTS BASED ON UNCONDITIONal BEHAVIOR MODELS

Aim.The main aim of this research is to overview some main methods of anxiety assessment of animals by the behavioral tests based on the unconditional models. Animal models of anxiety disorders are actively used for studying their etiology and pathogenesis and for their treatment and prevention. This review describes some basic unconditional methods of anxiety disorders assessment in laboratory animals: open field test, light-dark box test / light-dark exploration box, elevated plus-maze and Suok test. The principles of conducting this test, regulated parameters and their link with anxiety-level are described.Conclusion.A modern researcher possesses different methods of modeling anxiety disorders in rodents. The tendency to an in-depth assessment of the behavioral reactions is noted. The use of the described models allows us to reveal and analyze the anxiolytic activity of new pharmacological drugs and non-pharmacological methods of pathological anxiety management. The most important aspect of performing this research is the correct matching of received data and normal and pathological human physiology features.

Full-Field Refractive Index Variation Measurement Based on Phase Shift Interferometry and SPR Phase Detection

We propose a new approach for determining the distribution of full-field refractive index based on the angle deviation method (ADM) with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor in phase detection. The inhomogeneous distribution of refractive index causes the variant deviation angles in the test light. SPR sensor is a sensitive angular sensor especially for phase detection. For the full–field phase measurement, we should use the four-step phase shift interferometry (PSI) to measure the phase shift profile of the test light after reflected from the SPR sensor. Thus the phase shift is caused by the variation of the refractive index. The approach can plot the full-field refractive index distribution in a short time and its resolution can be better than 2.2×10-8 (RIU).

PEMBUATAN BATA RINGAN BERBAHAN DASAR LIMBAH PENGOLAHAN EMAS TRADISIONAL DI PROPINSI NTB

Research on the manufacture of lightweight brick with basic material waste processing of goldin the province of West Nusa Tenggara has been done. This research is very important because most of the people in NTB separate gold by amalgamation and cyanidation methods. Processes that do this will result in hazardous waste on the environment so that the need for countermeasures. The purpose of this research is to create a lightweight bricks made of waste processing of gold which has a strong press that meets national standards. This research was conducted through two stages, namely 1) Stage of light brick making, 2) Phase compressive strength test light brick production. The results showed that lightweight bricks made with waste raw gold processing and cement with a ratio of 3: 1 has a compressive strength of 7.80 kg / cm2. These results demonstrate compliance with national standards, namely 7.83 kg / cm2 so that the product of this research can be said to be feasible.