Phyllosilicates on Mars and implications for early martian climate

The recent identification of large deposits of sulphates by remote sensing and in situ observations has been considered evidence of the past presence of liquid water on Mars. Here we report the unambiguous detection of diverse phyllosilicates, a family of aqueous alteration products, on the basis of observations by the OMEGA imaging spectrometer on board the Mars Express spacecraft. These minerals are mainly associated with Noachian outcrops, which is consistent with an early active hydrological system, sustaining the long-term contact of igneous minerals with liquid water. We infer that the two main families of hydrated alteration products detected-phyllosilicates and sulphates--result from different formation processes. These occurred during two distinct climatic episodes: an early Noachian Mars, resulting in the formation of hydrated silicates, followed by a more acidic environment, in which sulphates formed.     

性类固醇激素诱导雌性日本鳗鲡性腺发育过程中钙和脂肪的动员

7次埋植雄烯二酮(ADSD)或甲基睾酮（MT）后雌鳗的性腺成熟系数（GSI）显著升高,分别达到（24.94±7.24）%和（18.67±7.56）%,其肝体系数（HSI）也显著高于对照组;雌鳗卵巢中钙和脂肪含量明显提高,水分含量显著降低,灰分含量没有明显变化;肝脏中钙和脂肪含量也明显提高,水分和灰分含量明显降低;红肌和白肌中脂肪和灰分的含量则明显降低,水分和钙含量无明显变化;骨骼中钙含量明显降低,水分含量显著增加,脂肪和灰分的含量没有明显变化.表明ADSD和MT促进了钙从骨骼中和脂肪从肌肉组织中的动员,从而为雌性日本鳗鲡(Anguillajaponica)的卵巢发育提供了物质基础.     

Regulatory networks define phenotypic classes of human stem cell lines

Stem cells are defined as self-renewing cell populations that can differentiate into multiple distinct cell types. However, hundreds of different human cell lines from embryonic, fetal and adult sources have been called stem cells, even though they range from pluripotent cells-typified by embryonic stem cells, which are capable of virtually unlimited proliferation and differentiation-to adult stem cell lines, which can generate a far more limited repertoire of differentiated cell types. The rapid increase in reports of new sources of stem cells and their anticipated value to regenerative medicine has highlighted the need for a general, reproducible method for classification of these cells. We report here the creation and analysis of a database of global gene expression profiles (which we call the 'stem cell matrix') that enables the classification of cultured human stem cells in the context of a wide variety of pluripotent, multipotent and differentiated cell types. Using an unsupervised clustering method to categorize a collection of approximately 150 cell samples, we discovered that pluripotent stem cell lines group together, whereas other cell types, including brain-derived neural stem cell lines, are very diverse. Using further bioinformatic analysis we uncovered a protein-protein network (PluriNet) that is shared by the pluripotent cells (embryonic stem cells, embryonal carcinomas and induced pluripotent cells). Analysis of published data showed that the PluriNet seems to be a common characteristic of pluripotent cells, including mouse embryonic stem and induced pluripotent cells and human oocytes. Our results offer a new strategy for classifying stem cells and support the idea that pluripotency and self-renewal are under tight control by specific molecular networks.     

Genomic analysis of metastasis reveals an essential role for RhoC

The most damaging change during cancer progression is the switch from a locally growing tumour to a metastatic killer. This switch is believed to involve numerous alterations that allow tumour cells to complete the complex series of events needed for metastasis. Relatively few genes have been implicated in these events. Here we use an in vivo selection scheme to select highly metastatic melanoma cells. By analysing these cells on DNA arrays, we define a pattern of gene expression that correlates with progression to a metastatic phenotype. In particular, we show enhanced expression of several genes involved in extracellular matrix assembly and of a second set of genes that regulate, either directly or indirectly, the actin-based cytoskeleton. One of these, the small GTPase RhoC, enhances metastasis when overexpressed, whereas a dominant-negative Rho inhibits metastasis. Analysis of the phenotype of cells expressing dominant-negative Rho or RhoC indicates that RhoC is important in tumour cell invasion. The genomic approach allows us to identify families of genes involved in a process, not just single genes, and can indicate which molecular and cellular events might be important in complex biological processes such as metastasis.     

Direct imaging of the pores and cages of three-dimensional mesoporous materials

Mesostructured composite materials, with features ranging from 20 to 500 A in size, are obtained by the kinetically controlled competitive assembly of organic and inorganic species into nanostructured domains. Short-range order is limited, and long-range order is determined by weak forces such as van der Waals or hydrogen-bonding. Three-dimensional mesoporous materials obtained by removing the organic phase are of particular interest for applications such as catalysis and chemical sensing or separation, for which structural features such as cavity shape, connectivity and ordered bimodal porosity are critical. But atomic-scale structural characterization by the usual diffraction techniques is challenging for these partially ordered materials because of the difficulty in obtaining large (> 10 microm) single crystals, and because large repeat spacings cause diffraction intensities to fall off rapidly with scattering angle so that only limited small-angle data are available. Here we present a general approach for the direct determination of three-dimensional mesoporous structures by electron microscopy. The structure solutions are obtained uniquely without pre-assumed models or parametrization. We report high-resolution details of cage and pore structures of periodically ordered mesoporous materials, which reveal a highly ordered dual micro- and mesoscale pore structure.     

水轮机调速器智能化自完善控制策略

本文提出了智能化自完善控制策略,通过采用“知识库”存贮最佳的知识与经验,根据受控对象当前运行条件及状态,运用相应的分析逻辑及推理功能,实时地调整控制器结构及参数,以实现逐步改善控制系统性能的目的.文中将所论述的控制策略用于水轮机调速器开发研究.     

Coexistence of A- and B-form DNA in a single crystal lattice

It is well known that DNA can exist in a variety of conformations which can be interconverted by relatively mild changes in conditions. The in vivo conformation of DNA is usually thought to be the B form, but there is recent evidence that other conformations may be important in DNA-protein recognition. Different fragments of DNA crystallized under virtually identical conditions can form A, B or Z helices. A fragment that adopted an A conformation in a crystal was found in the B conformation in solution, whereas NMR spectroscopy of A-DNA films revealed the presence of a substantial amount of disordered B-DNA. Until now, however, a DNA fragment of a given sequence has not been crystallized in more than one global conformation. We report here an X-ray diffraction study of crystals of the DNA octamer dGGBrUABrUACC. In addition to a 'framework' of A-DNA, which gives discrete X-ray reflections, there are partially disordered B-DNA helices, recognized by their diffuse scattering features.     

重金属的间隙水化学动力学及再循环模式

用 Berner间隙水化学动力学模式研究间隙水中 Pb(Ⅱ),Cd(Ⅱ),Cu(Ⅰ),Zn(Ⅱ)去除反应。将动力学模式应用于沉积物一上覆水,沉积物表层一下层各界面的通量及组份再循环计算,求出初级成岩过程中重金属的溶出率。结果表明这些元素的间隙水化学过程是计算沉积物一上覆水,沉积物表层一沉积物下层各界面通量时必须考虑的重要因素。