Semi-annual oscillations in Saturn's low-latitude stratospheric temperatures

Observations of oscillations of temperature and wind in planetary atmospheres provide a means of generalizing models for atmospheric dynamics in a diverse set of planets in the Solar System and elsewhere. An equatorial oscillation similar to one in the Earth's atmosphere has been discovered in Jupiter. Here we report the existence of similar oscillations in Saturn's atmosphere, from an analysis of over two decades of spatially resolved observations of its 7.8-microm methane and 12.2-microm ethane stratospheric emissions, where we compare zonal-mean stratospheric brightness temperatures at planetographic latitudes of 3.6 degrees and 15.5 degrees in both the northern and the southern hemispheres. These results support the interpretation of vertical and meridional variability of temperatures in Saturn's stratosphere as a manifestation of a wave phenomenon similar to that on the Earth and in Jupiter. The period of this oscillation is 14.8 +/- 1.2 terrestrial years, roughly half of Saturn's year, suggesting the influence of seasonal forcing, as is the case with the Earth's semi-annual oscillation.     

Sound velocities of majorite garnet and the composition of the mantle transition region

The composition of the mantle transition region, characterized by anomalous seismic-wave velocity and density changes at depths of approximately 400 to 700 km, has remained controversial. Some have proposed that the mantle transition region has an olivine-rich 'pyrolite' composition, whereas others have inferred that it is characterized by pyroxene- and garnet-rich compositions ('piclogite'), because the sound velocities in pyrolite estimated from laboratory data are substantially higher than those seismologically observed. Although the velocities of the olivine polymorphs at these pressures (wadsleyite and ringwoodite) have been well documented, those of majorite (another significant high-pressure phase in the mantle transition region) with realistic mantle compositions have never been measured. Here we use combined in situ X-ray and ultrasonic measurements under the pressure and temperature conditions of the mantle transition region to show that majorite in a pyrolite composition has sound velocities substantially lower than those of earlier estimates, owing to strong nonlinear decreases at high temperature, particularly for shear-wave velocity. We found that pyrolite yields seismic velocities more consistent with typical seismological models than those of piclogite in the upper to middle parts of the region, except for the potentially larger velocity jumps in pyrolite relative to those observed at a depth of 410 km. In contrast, both of these compositions lead to significantly low shear-wave velocities in the lower part of the region, suggesting possible subadiabatic temperatures or the existence of a layer of harzburgite-rich material supplied by the subducted slabs stagnant at these depths.     

Multi-genetic events collaboratively contribute to Pten-null leukaemia stem-cell formation

Cancer stem cells, which share many common properties and regulatory machineries with normal stem cells, have recently been proposed to be responsible for tumorigenesis and to contribute to cancer resistance. The main challenges in cancer biology are to identify cancer stem cells and to define the molecular events required for transforming normal cells to cancer stem cells. Here we show that Pten deletion in mouse haematopoietic stem cells leads to a myeloproliferative disorder, followed by acute T-lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). Self-renewable leukaemia stem cells (LSCs) are enriched in the c-Kit(mid)CD3(+)Lin(-) compartment, where unphosphorylated beta-catenin is significantly increased. Conditional ablation of one allele of the beta-catenin gene substantially decreases the incidence and delays the occurrence of T-ALL caused by Pten loss, indicating that activation of the beta-catenin pathway may contribute to the formation or expansion of the LSC population. Moreover, a recurring chromosomal translocation, T(14;15), results in aberrant overexpression of the c-myc oncogene in c-Kit(mid)CD3(+)Lin(-) LSCs and CD3(+) leukaemic blasts, recapitulating a subset of human T-ALL. No alterations in Notch1 signalling are detected in this model, suggesting that Pten inactivation and c-myc overexpression may substitute functionally for Notch1 abnormalities, leading to T-ALL development. Our study indicates that multiple genetic or molecular alterations contribute cooperatively to LSC transformation.     

例谈化归思想在数学教学中的应用

一个优秀的教师不仅要掌握好课本中的知识,而且还要善于发现和提炼课本内容背后所隐含的"软件"部分一一数学思想。化归思想是中学数学教学中最常见最重要的思想方法,它贯穿于整个数学系统。"化归"的实质是将问题进行"转化",也就是把"新知识"转化归结为已学过的知识,把要解决的新问题转化为已经解决的问题。本文联系教材,结合平时的数学教学实践,通过典型案例的形式对化归思想在中学数学教学中的应用进行了较为详细的分析,期望达到抛砖引玉的作用。     

不同湖泊水华发生机制研究进展

目前,世界各地湖泊水华的暴发越来越严重,对人类健康和生态系统有重大危害.本文调研了国内外典型湖泊水华的相关研究成果,从湖泊所属地理位置、气候带、受人类活动干扰强度、主要水华发生藻种和主控环境因子等不同角度进行了总结和分析,揭示了不同类型的湖泊水华特征和发生机制.最后以我国太湖为例,总结已有的研究成果,结合近几年太湖水华和水环境实测数据的分析结果,归纳了太湖水华的主要影响因子,包括Chl-a、TN、TP、COD、温度、风速六个指标,其中Chl-a、COD能指示说明水华的程度,TN、TP是营养盐状况的代表,温度和风速是水华发生的主要气象因子,并定量分析了水华程度和影响因子之间的关系,为水华的预警、预测和评价提供基础和支持.     

基于高通量测序的不同养殖系统下凡纳滨对虾肠道和水体中微生物的多样性

【目的】研究不同养殖系统对凡纳滨对虾肠道及水体微生物多样性的影响。【方法】以循环养殖系统和非养殖系统下凡纳滨对虾养殖水体及其肠道为研究对象,在养殖30d后采集样品,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序样品细菌16SrRNA基因V3+V4区,通过RDP11.3、Greengenes13.8、NCBI 16S Microbial和Customized batabase等数据库进行分析,阐述循环养殖系统的意义和微生物在其中的作用。【结果】养殖期间,不同养殖系统凡纳滨对虾均正常存活。将原始序列优化后对Clean序列进行分析,非循环系统下水体优质序列百分比约81%,肠道中约89%;循环系统下水体优质序列百分比为92%,肠道中为94%。两种养殖系统下水体和肠道细菌在纲水平占绝对优势的是变形菌纲,但各菌群丰度不同;不同的Alpha指数显示出物种间的差异性;通过系统发育树可以看出,不同养殖系统改变了凡纳滨对虾生境中的物种及发育关系,间接阐述微生物在养殖生境中的作用和意义。【结论】通过高通量测序揭示不同养殖系统中微生物菌群的差异以及多样性,对于凡纳滨对虾实际养殖具有指导作用,对阐述养殖过程中微生物和相关疾病的关系具有重要意义。     

基于电功图的抽油机井工况诊断模型

针对目前缺乏典型工况特征的电功图图集而导致电功图资料无法被充分应用、采油生产系统实时工况诊断难等问题,考虑曲柄实际角速度、四连杆的惯性、摩擦等因素,推导基于光杆示功图的电功图计算模型,建立13种油井工况下的典型电功图特征图集和基于特征值的电功图工况诊断模型,并编制工况诊断软件。经现场5口油井功图计算检验,结果表明:实测电功图与计算电功图的上、下冲程功率峰值、功率的极差、平均功率的平均相对误差分别为1.74%、3.89%、2.96%、1.74%。经现场6口油井电功图的工况诊断检验,该井下工况诊断结果与示功图诊断结果一致,表明基于电功图的抽油机井工况诊断模型准确率高,能为抽油机井采油系统智能分析和优化决策提供技术支持。     

Structure of the Ki-ras gene of the human lung carcinoma cell line Calu-1

The homologue of the viral Kirsten ras (v-Ki-ras) gene found in the human lung carcinoma cell line, Calu-1, has an intron-exon structure similar to that of the human homologue of the viral Harvey ras (v-Ha-ras) gene. A second, potential fourth coding exon is present in the human Ki-ras gene and similar sequences are found in the Kirsten murine sarcoma virus. Cysteine is encoded at the twelfth amino acid position, suggesting that the Calu-1 Ki-ras gene has undergone a mutational activation at the same position as the human Ha-ras gene of the bladder carcinoma cell line, T24. A comparison of their predicted amino acid sequences suggests that ras proteins have a 'constant' region and a 'variable' region. Here we propose a common modular structure for ras gene products in which the variable region forms a physiologically important combining site.