Sensitivity of Total-Dose Radiation Hardness of SIMOX Buried Oxides to Doses of Nitrogen Implantation into Buried Oxides

In order to improve the total-dose radiation hardness of the buried oxides(BOX) in the structure of separa tion-by-implanted-oxygen(SIMOX) silicon-on-insulator(SOI), nitrogen ions are implanted into the buried oxides with two different doses,2 × 1015 and 3 × 1015 cm-2 , respectively. The experimental results show that the radiation hardness of the buried oxides is very sensitive to the doses of nitrogen implantation for a lower dose of irradiation with a Co-60 source. Despite the small difference between the doses of nitrogen implantation, the nitrogen-implanted 2 × 1015 cm-2 BOX has a much higher hardness than the control sample (i. e. the buried oxide without receiving nitrogen implantation) for a total-dose irradiation of 5 × 104rad(Si), whereas the nitrogen-implanted 3 × 1015 cm-2 BOX has a lower hardness than the control sample. However,this sensitivity of radiation hardness to the doses of nitrogen implantation reduces with the increasing total-dose of irradiation (from 5 × 104 to 5 × 105 rad (Si)). The radiation hardness of BOX is characterized by MOS high-frequency (HF) capacitance-voltage (C-V) technique after the top silicon layers are removed. In addition, the abnormal HF C-V curve of the metal-silicon-BOX-silicon(MSOS) structure is observed and explained.

RADIATION OF DRESSED EXCITONS IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR MICROCAVITY

于2010-11-23批量导入

JFET SOS devices: Processing and gamma radiation effects

A process for fabricating n channel JFET/SOS (junction field-effect transistors on silicon-on-sapphire) has been researched. The gate p(+)n junction was obtained by diffusion, and the conductive channel was gotten by a double ion implantation. Both enhancement and depletion mode transistors were fabricated in different processing conditions. From the results of the Co-50 gamma ray irradiation experimental we found that the devices had a good total dose radiation-hardness. When the tot;ll dose was 5Mrad(Si), their threshold voltages shift was less than 0.1V. The variation of transconductance and the channel leakage current were also little.

Twin and grain boundary in InP: A synchrotron radiation study

Experimentally observed X-ray reflectivity curves show bi-crystal(twin) characteristics. The study revealed that there was defect segregation at the twin boundary. Stress was relaxed at the edge of the boundary. Relaxation of the stress resulted in formation of twin and other defects. As a result of formation of such defects, a defect-free and stress-free zone or low defect density and small stress zone is created around the defects. So a twin model was proposed to explain the experimental results. Stress(mainly thermal stress), chemical stoichiometry deviation and impurities nonhomogeneous distributions are the key factors that cause twins in LEC InP crystal growth. Twins on (111) face in LEC InP crystal were studied. Experimental evidence of above mentioned twin model and suggestions on how to get twin-free LEC InP single crystals will be discussed.

Improved neutron radiation hardness for Si detectors: Application of low resistivity starting material and or manipulation of N-eff by selective filling of radiation-induced traps at low temperatures

Radiation-induced electrical changes in both space charge region (SCR) of Si detectors and bulk material (BM) have been studied for samples of diodes and resistors made on Si materials with different initial resistivities. The space charge sign inversion fluence (Phi(inv)) has been found to increase linearly with the initial doping concentration (the reciprocal of the resistivity), which gives improved radiation hardness to Si detectors fabricated from low resistivity material. The resistivity of the BM, on the other hand, has been observed to increase with the neutron fluence and approach a saturation value in the order of hundreds k Omega cm at high fluences, independent of the initial resistivity and material type. However, the fluence (Phi(s)), at which the resistivity saturation starts, increases with the initial doping concentrations and the value of Phi(s) is in the same order of that of Phi(inv) for all resistivity samples. Improved radiation hardness can also be achieved by the manipulation of the space charge concentration (N-eff) in SCR, by selective filling and/or freezing at cryogenic temperatures the charge state of radiation-induced traps, to values that will give a much smaller full depletion voltage. Models have been proposed to explain the experimental data.

Influence of nitrogen implantation into the buried oxide on the radiation hardness of silicon-on-insulator wafers

摘要: In order to improve the total-dose radiation hardness of the buried oxide of separation by implanted oxygen silicon-on-insulator wafers, nitrogen ions were implanted into the buried oxide with a dose of 10(16)cm(-2), and subsequent annealing was performed at 1100 degrees C. The effect of annealing time on the radiation hardness of the nitrogen implanted wafers has been studied by the high frequency capacitance-voltage technique. The results suggest that the improvement of the radiation hardness of the wafers can be achieved through a shorter time annealing after nitrogen implantation. The nitrogen-implanted sample with the shortest annealing time 0.5 h shows the highest tolerance to total-dose radiation. In particular, for the 1.0 and 1.5 h annealing samples, both total dose responses were unusual. After 300-krad(Si) irradiation, both the shifts of capacitance-voltage curve reached a maximum, respectively, and then decreased with increasing total dose. In addition, the wafers were analysed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique, and some useful results have been obtained.

青藏高原东缘几种树苗对增强紫外线-B和氮供应的响应

大气臭氧的损耗导致了地球表面具有生物学效应的紫外线-B(UV-B)辐射增强。同时，大气成分变化中除了UV-B辐射增强外，氮沉降是一个新近出现而又令人担忧的环境问题，其来源和分布正在迅速扩展到全球范围，并不断向陆地和水生生态系统沉降。本试验在四川省境内的中国科学院茂县生态站内进行，以云山、冷杉、色木槭和红椋子幼苗为模式植物，从生长形态、光合作用、抗氧化能力和矿质营养等方面研究了青藏高原东缘4种树苗对全球变化－增强UV-B辐射和氮供应(氮沉降)的响应。该试验为室外盆栽试验，包括四个处理：(1)大气UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应(C)；(2)大气UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应(N)；(3)增强UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应(UV-B)；(4)增强UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应(UV-B+N)。其目的：一方面有助于丰富我国对全球变化及区域响应研究的全面认识，进一步完善在全球气候变化条件下臭氧层削减和氮沉降对陆地生态系统影响的内容；另一方面，在一定程度上有助于我们更好的理解在全球变化下森林更新的早期过程。具体结果如下： 增强的UV-B辐射在生长形态、光合、抗氧化能力、活性氧和矿质营养方面对4种幼苗都有显著的影响。UV-B辐射增强对幼苗的影响不仅与物种有关，而且，还与氮营养水平相关。总体表现为，高的UV-B辐射导致了色木槭和红椋子幼苗叶片的皱缩和卷曲，并降低了色木槭幼苗的叶片数和叶重，在额外的氮供应下，云杉、冷杉和红椋子的叶重也显著地降低了；色木槭和红椋子幼苗叶片的解剖结构受到了增强的UV-B辐射的影响，增强的UV-B辐射显著地降低了色木槭叶片的栅栏组织厚度，提高了红椋子叶片的厚度；增强的UV-B辐射显著地降低了4种幼苗的单株总生物量、植物地下部分的生长、总叶绿素含量 [Chl (a + b)]、净光合速率和最大量子产量(Fv/Fm)，提高了4种幼苗叶片的膜脂过氧化(MDA含量)，改变了植物体不同器官中的矿质元素含量；增强的UV-B辐射提高了冷杉、色木槭和红椋子叶片中的过氧化氢含量(H2O2)、超氧负离子(O2-)生成速率，在额外的氮供应下，云杉叶片中的活性氧含量也显著地提高了；在无额外的氮供应条件下，增强的UV-B辐射显著地提高了4种幼苗叶片中的UV-B吸收物质、脯氨酸含量和抗氧化酶的活性(SOD、POD、CAT、GR和APX)。在额外的氮供应条件下，UV-B辐射的增强却显著地降低了冷杉叶片中脯氨酸含量和红椋子叶片中UV-B吸收物质含量，但是，在4种幼苗叶片中，5种抗氧化酶的活性对UV-B辐射的增强没有明显的规律性，增强的UV-B辐射显著地提高了云杉叶片中的POD、SOD和GR的活性，提高了冷杉叶片中的POD和GR活性，提高了色木槭叶片中的POD、SOD和CAT活性和红椋子幼苗叶片中的POD和SOD活性。从这些结果可知，植物在遭受高的UV-B辐射导致的过氧化胁迫时，植物体内形成了一定的保护机制，但是，这种保护不能抵抗高的UV-B辐射对植物的伤害。 额外的氮供应在生长形态、光合、抗氧化能力、活性氧和矿质营养方面对4种幼苗都有一定的影响，不同幼苗对额外的氮供应响应不同，并且受到UV-B辐射水平的影响。在当地现有的UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应显著地提高了幼苗的单株总生物量、植物地下部分的生长、Chl (a + b)、净光合速率(红椋子除外)、UV-B吸收物质(冷杉除外)、脯氨酸含量(红椋子除外)和部分抗氧化酶的活性，降低了H2O2的含量、O2-的生成速率和MDA含量(红椋子除外)，改变了植物体内部分矿质元素含量，显著地提高了云杉和冷杉叶片中的Fv/Fm。这些指标总体表明，在当地现有大气UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应对植物的生长和发育是有利的。在增强的UV-B辐射水平下，4种幼苗的生长形态和光合大部分指标都没有受到额外氮供应的影响，额外的氮供应提高了红椋子幼苗的单株总生物量和Chl (a + b)含量，提高了冷杉和色木槭叶片中的活性氧含量和MDA含量，却降低了红椋子叶片中的活性氧含量；额外的氮供应也提高了云杉、色木槭和红椋子叶片中UV-B吸收物质和脯氨酸含量，降低了冷杉叶片中UV-B吸收物质和脯氨酸含量；在抗氧化酶活性方面，额外的氮供应降低了云杉、冷杉叶片中5种抗氧化酶的活性和红椋子叶片中POD和GR的活性，提高了色木槭叶片中的POD和SOD的活性；4种幼苗植物体内的矿质元素含量对额外的氮供应没有显著的规律性。从这些结果可知，在高的UV-B辐射下，额外的氮供应提高了云杉、冷杉和色木槭幼苗对高的UV-B辐射的敏感性，然而，额外的氮供应却促进了红椋子幼苗的生长，原因可能是，在高的UV-B辐射下，额外的氮供应增加了红椋子叶片的厚度、叶重和叶片数，降低了叶片中活性氧含量的结果。表明在高的UV-B辐射水平下，额外的氮供应降低了红椋子幼苗对高的UV-B辐射的敏感性。 在全球变化的趋势下，UV-B辐射增强和氮沉降可能同时存在，我们的研究表明，与大气UV-B辐射+无额外的氮供应处理相比，增强UV-B辐射+额外的氮供应处理显著地降低了幼苗的单株总生物量(红椋子除外)、Chl (a + b)、净光合速率、Fv/Fm(冷杉除外)和MDA含量(红椋子除外)，提高了活性氧含量 (云杉除外)、UV-B紫外吸收物质含量(冷杉除外)、脯氨酸含量和部分抗氧化酶的活性，改变了植物体不同器官中的矿质元素含量。结果表明，在当地现有条件下，全球变化(UV-B辐射增强和氮沉降)对云杉、冷杉和色木槭幼苗的生长是不利，尽管植物体内一些抗氧化性指标提高了，然而，却对红椋子幼苗的单株总生物量的累积没有显著的影响。 The depletion of the ozone led to the increase of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) with biological effects in the earth’s surface. At the same time, except for enhanced UV-B radiation, nitrogen deposition was an anxious environmental problem at present, rapidly expanding to the global scope and continuously depositing to land and aquatic ecosystem. The experiment was conducted in Maoxian Ecological Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan province, China. Picea asperata, Abies faxoniana, Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings were selected as model plants to assess the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation and supplemental nitrogen supply on growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits of 4 species seedlings in east Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The experiment was potted outdoor, including 4 treatments: (1) ambient UV-B without supplemental nitrogen (control, C); (2) ambient UV-B with supplemental nitrogen (N); (3) enhanced UV-B without supplemental nitrogen (UV-B); (4) enhanced UV-B with supplemental nitrogen (UV-B+N). One hand, it was helpful for enriching our country to comprehensive understanding of the researches in the global change and the region response, further perfecting the effects of the depleted ozone layer and nitrogen deposition on land ecosystem under the global change; the other hand, it was favorable for us to better understanding of the early process of forest renews under the global change. The results were as follows: Enhanced UV-B radiation had significant effects on 4 species seedlings in growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits of 4 species seedlings. The effects of enhanced UV-B on plants were not only related with species, but also related with nitrogen nutrient level. Generally, the increase of UV-B radiation led to the shrinkage and curl of leaves in Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, and reduced the number of leaf and leaf weight of Acer mono Maxim seedlings, under supplemental nitrogen supply, leaf weight of Picea asperata, Abies faxoniana and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings significantly also reduced; the anatomical features of leaf in Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings affected by enhanced UV-B radiation, the increase of UV-B radiation markedly reduced the palisade tissue thickness of Acer mono Maxim leaf and enhanced the leaf thickness of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings; the enhanced UV-B radiation significantly reduced total biomass per plant of 4 species seedlings, the growth of the underground parts, Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate and maximum potential quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm), and increased the degree of lipid peroxidation (MDA content) and changed the content of mineral elements in different parts of plants; the enhanced UV-B radiation also increased the rate of superoxide radical (O2-) production and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content in leaves of Abies faxoniana, Acer mono Maxim, Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, under supplemental nitrogen supply, the reactive oxygen species in leaves of Picea asperata seedlings also significantly increased by enhanced UV-B radiation; under without supplemental nitrogen supply, enhanced UV-B radiation evidently induced an increase in UV-B absorbing compounds, proline content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, GR and APX) of leaves in 4 species seedlings. Under supplemental nitrogen supply, enhanced UV-B radiation induced a decrease in proline content of leaves in Abies faxoniana seedlings and UV-B absorbing compounds of leaves in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings, but, there were no obvious rules in the activities of five antioxidant enzymes of 4 species seedling leaves to enhanced UV-B radiation, enhanced UV-B radiation significantly increased the activities of POD, SOD and GR in Picea asperata leaves, the activities of POD and GR in Abies faxoniana leaves and the activities of POD, SOD and CAT in Acer mono Maxim leaves. The results indicated that some protective mechanism was formed when plants were exposed to enhanced UV-B radiation, but the protection could not counteract the harm of high UV-B radiation on plants. Supplemental nitrogen supply had some effects on 4 species seedlings in growth, morphological, photosynthesis, antioxidant and mineral nutrient traits. The response of 4 species seedlings was different to supplemental nitrogen supply, and was affected by UV-B levels. Under local ambient UV-B radiation, supplemental nitrogen supply significantly increased the total biomass per plant, the growth of underground parts, Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate (except for Acer mono Maxim seedlings), UV-B absorbing compounds (except for Abies faxoniana seedlings), proline content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings) and the activities of some antioxidant enzymes, and reduced H2O2 content, the rate of O2- production and MDA content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings) and changed the content of mineral elemental in different parts; supplemental nitrogen supply also evidently increased Fv/Fm in Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana seedlings. These results indicated that supplemental nitrogen supply was favorable for the growth of plants under local ambient UV-B radiation. Under enhanced UV-B radiation, mostly parameters in growth and morphology of 4 species seedlings were not affected by supplemental nitrogen supply. Supplemental nitrogen supply increased the total biomass per plant and Chl (a + b) of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedling, increased the reactive oxygen species and MDA content in Abies faxoniana and Acer mono Maxim leaves, and reduced the reactive oxygen species in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves; supplemental nitrogen supply also increased UV-B absorbing compounds and proline content in Picea asperata, Acer mono Maxim and Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves, decreased UV-B absorbing compounds and proline content in Abies faxoniana leaves; in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, supplemental nitrogen supply significantly reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana leaves and the activities of POD and GR in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak leaves, and increased the activities of POD and SOD in Acer mono Maxim leaves; the content of mineral elements in 4 species seedlings was no significantly rule to supplemental nitrogen supply. We knew from the results, under enhanced UV-B radiation, supplemental nitrogen supply made Picea asperata, Acer faxoniana and Acer mono Maxim seedlings more sensitivity to enhanced UV-B radiation, however, accelerated the growth of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings. The reason was probably that supplemental nitrogen supply increased the leaf thickness, leaf weight and leaf number, reduced the reactive oxygen content of leaf in Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings grown under high UV-B radiation. This showed that supplemental nitrogen supply reduced the sensitivity of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings to high UV-B radiation. Under the tendency of the global change, enhanced UV-B radiation and nitrogen deposition may probably coexist. The results showed, compared with the treatment of ambient UV-B radiation without supplemental nitrogen supply, the treatment of enhanced UV-B radiation with supplemental nitrogen supply significantly reduced the total biomass per plants (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings), Chl (a + b), net photosynthetic rate, Fv/Fm and MDA content (except for Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings), and increased reactive oxygen content (except for Picea asperata seedlings), UV-B absorbing compounds (except for Abies faxoniana seedlings), proline content and part antioxidant enzymes, and changed the content of mineral elements of different parts. The results indicated that the global change (enhanced UV-B and nitrogen deposition) were not favorable for the growth of plants under local ambient UV-B radiation and nitrogen nutrient level,, though increased some antioxidant indexes, however, the treatment of enhanced UV-B with supplement nitrogen supply did not significantly affect on the biomass accumulation of Swida hemsleyi (Schneid. et Wanger.) Sojak seedlings.

遮荫与外源脱落酸喷施对粗枝云杉(Picea asperata Mast.)不同种群抗旱性的影响

本研究通过粗枝云杉不同种群进行的温室半控制试验，采用植物生态学、生理学和生物化学的研究方法，系统地研究了粗枝云杉不同种群抗旱性的生长、形态、生理和生化机理，并结合有关研究进行综合分析，得出主要研究结论如下： 1.粗枝云杉对干旱胁迫的综合反应 粗枝云杉在干旱胁迫下的适应机制为：（1）相对生长速率及植株结构的调整：干旱胁迫下虽然植株相对生长速率显著降低，且有相对较多的生物量向根部分配，但并未发现细根/总根比增加。（2）粗枝云杉对干旱胁迫的光合作用表现为：干旱胁迫显著地降低了控制的理想条件下的气体交换，但干旱胁迫对PSII最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）没有影响，表明干旱并未影响到光合机构。（3）干旱还影响了很多生理生化过程，包括渗透调解物质（游离脯氨酸）、膜脂过氧化产物、脱落酸（ABA）含量的增加，以及保护酶活性的升高。这些结果证明植物遭受干旱胁迫后发生了一系列的形态、生理和生化响应，这些变化能提高干旱时期植物的存活和生长能力。 2.粗枝云杉不同种群对干旱胁迫反应的种群差异 粗枝云杉三个种群－干旱种群（四川丹巴和甘肃迭部）和湿润种群（四川黑水）对干旱适应不同，这种不同应归因于它们采用的用水策略不同：在水分良好和干旱胁迫条件下，受试种群在相对生长速率和水分利用效率（WUE）方面都表现出显著的种群间差异。与湿润种群相比，干旱种群在两种水分条件下有更高的WUE。粗枝云杉不同种群的碳同位素组分（δ13C）只在干旱胁迫下有显著差异，并且这种差异在水分良好时比干旱胁迫条件下小，说明生理响应和干旱适应性之间的关系受植物内部抗旱机制和外部环境条件（如水分可利用性）或两者互作效应的影响。这些结果说明干旱种群和湿润种群所采用的用水策略不同。干旱种群有更强的抗旱能力，采用的是节水型的用水策略，而湿润种群抗旱能力较弱，采用的是耗水型的用水策略。 3. 遮荫对粗枝云杉不同种群抗旱性影响 干旱胁迫显著降低了全光条件下叶相对含水量（RWC）、相对生长速率、气体交换参数、PSII的有效量子产量（Y），提高了非光化学猝灭效率（qN）、水分利用效率、脯氨酸（PRO）积累、脱落酸（ABA）含量及保护酶活性。然而这种变化在遮荫条件下不明显。我们得出结论适度遮荫降低了干旱对植物的胁迫作用。另一方面，在干旱条件下，与湿润种群相比，干旱种群抗旱性更强，表现在干旱种群净光合速率与单位重量上叶氮含量（Nmass）降低较少。另外，干旱种群表现出更为敏感的气孔导度，更高的热耗散能力（qN）能力、用水效率、ABA积累、保护酶活性，以及更低的总用水量、相对生长速率。这一结果表明这两种群采用不同的生理策略对干旱和遮荫做出反应。许多生长和生理反应差异与这两个种群原产地气候条件相适应。 4. 外源脱落酸(ABA)喷施对粗枝云杉不同种群抗旱性影响 外源ABA喷施在干旱和水分良好条件下均不同程度地提高了根/茎比，表明根和茎对ABA敏感程度不同。实验结果还表明，外源ABA喷施对这两个种群在干旱胁迫期间影响不同。干旱胁迫期间，伴随着ABA喷施，湿润种群净光合速率(A)显著降低，而干旱种群净光合速率变化不明显。另一方面，外源ABA喷施显著提高了干旱条件下干旱种群的单位叶面积重（LMA）、根/茎比、细根/总根（Ft）比、水分利用效率（WUE）、ABA含量, 以及保护酶活性。然而，外源ABA喷施对湿润种群的上述测定指标没有显著影响。这一结果表明干旱种群对外源ABA喷施更为敏感, 反应在更大的气孔导度降低，更高的生物量可塑性，及更高的水分利用效率、ABA含量和保护酶活性。综上所述，我们得出结论，粗枝云杉对外源ABA敏感性因种群的不同而不同。该研究结果可为两个明显不同种群在适应分化方面提供强有力的证据。 Arid or semi-arid land covers more than half of China's land territory. In arid systems, severe shortages of soil water often coincide with periods of high temperatures and high solar radiation, producing multiple stresses on plant performance. Protection from high radiation loads in shaded microenvironments during drought may compensate for a loss of productivity due to reduced irradiance when water is available. Additionally, ABA, a well-known stress-inducible plant hormone, has long been studied as a potential mediator for induction of drought tolerance in plants. Picea asperata Mast., which is one of the most important tree species used for the production of pulp wood and timber, is a prime reforestation species in western China. In this experiment, different population of P. asperata were used as experiment material to study the adaptability to drought stress and population differences in adaptabiliy, and the effects of shade and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application on the drought tolerance. Our results cold provide a strong theoretical evidence and scientific direction for the afforestation, and rehabilitation of ecosystem in the arid and semi-arid area, and provide a strong evidence for adaptive differentiation of different populations, and so may be used as criteria for species selection and tree improvement. The results are as follows: 1. A large set of parallel response to drought stress Drought stress caused pronounced inhibition of the growth and increased relatively dry matter allocation into the root; drought stress also caused pronounced inhibition of photosynthesis, while drought showed no effects on the maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm) in dark-adapted leaves, indicating that drought had no effects on the primary photochemistry of PSII. However, in light-adapted leaves, drought reduced the quantum yield of PSII electron transport (Y) and increased the non-photochemical quenching (qN). Drought also affected many physiological and biochemical processes, including increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities, malondialdehyde and ABA content. These results demonstrate that there are a large set of parallel changes in the morphological, physiological and biochemical responses when plants are exposed to drought stress; these changes may enhance the capability of plants to survive and grow during drought periods. 2. Difference in adaptation to drought stress between contrasting populations of Picea asperata There were significant population differences in growth, dry matter allocation and water use efficiency. Compared with the wet climate population (Heishui), the dry climate population (Dan ba and Jiebu) showed higher LMA, fine root/total root ratio and water use efficiency under drought-stressed treatments. The results suggested that there were different water-use strategies between the dry population and the wet population. The dry climate population with higher drought tolerance may employ a conservative water-use strategy, whereas the wet climate population with lower drought tolerance may employ a prodigal water-use strategy. These variations in drought responses may be used as criteria for species selection and tree improvement. 3. The effects of shade on the drought tolerance For both populations tested, drought resulted in lower needle relative water content (RWC), relative growth rate (RGR), gas exchange parameters and effective PSII quantum yield (Y), and higher non-photochemical quenching (qN), water use efficiency (WUE), proline (PRO) and abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and electrolyte leakage in sun plants, whereas these changes were not significant in shade plants. Our study results implied that shade, applied together with drought, ameliorated the detrimental effects of drought. On the other hand, compared with the wet climate population, the dry climate population was more tolerant to drought in the sun treatment, as indicated by less decreases in A and mass-based leaf nitrogen content (Nmass), more responsive stomata, greater capacity for non-radiative dissipation of excitation energy as heat (analysed by qN), and higher WUE，higher level of antioxidant enzyme activities，higher ABA accumulation as well as lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage. Many of the differences in growth and physiological responses reported here are consistent with the climatic differences between the locations of the populations of P. asperata. 4. The effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application on the drought tolerance For both populations tested, exogenous ABA application increased root/shoot ratio (Rs) under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions, indicating that there was differential sensitivity to ABA in the roots and shoots. However, it appeared that ABA application affected the two P. asperata populations very differently during drought. CO2 assimilation rate (A) was significantly decreased in the wet climate population, but only to a minor extent in the dry climate population following ABA application during soil drying. On the other hand, ABA application significantly decreased stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and significantly increased leaf mass per area (LMA), Rs, fine root/total root ratio (Ft), water use efficiency (WUE), ABA contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activities under drought condition in the dry climate population, whereas ABA application did not significantly affect these parameters in the wet population plants. The results clearly demonstrated that the dry climate population was more responsive to ABA application than the wet climate population, as indicated by the strong stomata closure and by greater plasticity of LMA and biomass allocation, as well as by higher WUE, ABA content and anti-oxidative capacity to defense against oxidative stress, possibly predominantly by APX. We concluded that sensitivity to exogenous ABA application is population dependent in P. asperata. Our results provide strong evidence for adaptive differentiation between populations of P. asperata.

potential mechanisms involved in resistant phenotype of MCF-7breast carcinoma cells to ionizing radiation induced apoptosis

In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of apoptosis resistance and the roles of the phosphorylation of BRCA1, p21, the Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio and cell cycle arrest in IR-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. X-irradiation, in particular at low dose (1 Gy), but not carbon ion irradiation, had a significant antiproliferative effect on the growth of MCF-7 cells. 1 Gy X-irradiation resulted in G1 and G2 phase arrest, but 4 Gy induced a significant G1 block. In contrast, carbon ion irradiation resulted in a significant accumulation in the G2 phase. Concomitant with the phosphorylation of H2AX induced by DNA damage,carbon ion irradiation resulted in an approximately 1.9–2.8-fold increase in the phosphorylation of BRCA1 on serine residue 1524, significantly greater than that detected for X-irradiation. Carbon ion irradiation caused a dramatic increase in p21 expression and drastic decrease in Bax expression compared with X-irradiation. The data implicated that phosphorylation of BRCA1 on serine residue 1524 might,at least partially, induce p21 expression but repress Bax expression. Together, our results suggested that the phosphorylation of BRCA1 at Ser-1524 might contribute to the G2 phase arrest and might be an upstream signal involved in preventing apoptosis signal via upregulation of p21 and downregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

High-efficiency transfer and expression of AdCMV-p53 in human cervix adenocarcinoma cells induced by subclinical-dose carbon beam radiation

Purpose The aim of this study is to evaluate the eVect of carbon-beam irradiation on adenovirus-mediated p53 transfer in human cervix adenocarcinoma.Materials and methods The HeLa cells pre-exposed to carbon-beam or -ray, were infected with replication-deficient adenovirus recombinant vectors, containing human wild-type p53 (AdCMV-p53) and green Xuorescent protein (GFP) (AdCMV–GFP), respectively. The GFP transfer and p53 expression were detected by Xow cytometric analysis.Results The GFP transfer frequency in C-beam with AdCMV-GFP groups was 38–50% more than that inγ-ray with AdCMV–GFP groups. The percentage of p53 positive cells in the C-beam with AdCMV–p53 groups was 34–55.6% more than that in γ-ray with AdCMV-p53 groups (p < 0.05), suggesting that subclinical-dose C-beam irradiation could signiWcantly promote exogenous p53 transfer and p53 expression, and extend the duration of p53 expression in the HeLa cells. The expression of p21 increased with p53 expression in HeLa cells. The survival fractions for the 0.5–1.0 Gy C-beam with AdCMV-p53 groups were 38–43% less than those for the isodose γ-ray with AdCMV-p53 groups, and 31–40% less than those for the C-beam only groups (p <0.05).Conclusions The subclinical-dose C-beam irradiation could signiWcantly promote the transfer and expression of exogenous p53, extend the duration of p53 expression, and enhance the suppression of p53 on cervix adenocarcinoma cells.