土壤渗滤系统中亚硝态氮的变化与系统运行性能的关系

土壤渗滤污水净化系统对碳、氮、磷都具有较强的净化效果,且净化机理也基本明确,但对其运行控制的研究比较少.着重探讨了土壤渗滤污水净化系统运行中的亚硝态氮积累和氨氮对亚硝态氮的抑制等问题,并提出亚硝态氮浓度可以作为指示系统正常运行的有效指标.结果表明,在试验工况条件下,低温状态或水力负荷过高、湿干比过高时,会出现亚硝态氮的积累;作为指示系统有效运行的亚硝态氮出水浓度宜控制在0.1~0.5mg.L-1之间,既保证氨氮氧化的需要,又可预防亚硝态氮积累,同时还保证了COD的去除率.     

Heterozygous TGFBR2 mutations in Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome is an extracellular matrix disorder with cardinal manifestations in the eye, skeleton and cardiovascular systems associated with defects in the gene encoding fibrillin (FBN1) at 15q21.1 (ref. 1). A second type of the disorder (Marfan syndrome type 2; OMIM 154705) is associated with a second locus, MFS2, at 3p25-p24.2 in a large French family (family MS1). Identification of a 3p24.1 chromosomal breakpoint disrupting the gene encoding TGF-beta receptor 2 (TGFBR2) in a Japanese individual with Marfan syndrome led us to consider TGFBR2 as the gene underlying association with Marfan syndrome at the MSF2 locus. The mutation 1524G-->A in TGFBR2 (causing the synonymous amino acid substitution Q508Q) resulted in abnormal splicing and segregated with MFS2 in family MS1. We identified three other missense mutations in four unrelated probands, which led to loss of function of TGF-beta signaling activity on extracellular matrix formation. These results show that heterozygous mutations in TGFBR2, a putative tumor-suppressor gene implicated in several malignancies, are also associated with inherited connective-tissue disorders.     

Transient activation of calcineurin is essential to initiate embryonic development in Xenopus laevis

At fertilization, an increase of cytosolic calcium ions (Ca2+) triggers various activation responses in animal eggs. In vertebrates, these responses include exit from metaphase arrest in meiosis II (MII exit) and cortical remodelling initiated by cortical granule exocytosis. Although the essential requirement of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II for inducing MII exit has been documented, a role of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin in egg activation has not been investigated. Here we show, using cell-free extracts from unfertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis, that calcineurin is transiently activated immediately after Ca2+ addition to a concentration that induces MII exit. When calcineurin activation is inhibited, cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) inactivation by means of cyclin B degradation is prevented and sperm chromatin incubated in the extracts remains condensed. Similarly, if calcineurin is inhibited in intact eggs, MII exit on egg activation is prevented. In addition, the activation contraction in the cortex is suppressed whereas cortical granule exocytosis occurs. We further demonstrate that, when a high level of calcineurin activity is maintained after activation, growth of sperm asters is prevented in egg extracts and, consistently, migration of male and female pronuclei towards each other is hindered in fertilized eggs. Thus, both activation and the subsequent inactivation of calcineurin in fertilized eggs are crucial for the commencement of vertebrate embryonic development.     

Mutations in SLC6A19, encoding B0AT1, cause Hartnup disorder

Hartnup disorder, an autosomal recessive defect named after an English family described in 1956 (ref. 1), results from impaired transport of neutral amino acids across epithelial cells in renal proximal tubules and intestinal mucosa. Symptoms include transient manifestations of pellagra (rashes), cerebellar ataxia and psychosis. Using homozygosity mapping in the original family in whom Hartnup disorder was discovered, we confirmed that the critical region for one causative gene was located on chromosome 5p15 (ref. 3). This region is homologous to the area of mouse chromosome 13 that encodes the sodium-dependent amino acid transporter B(0)AT1 (ref. 4). We isolated the human homolog of B(0)AT1, called SLC6A19, and determined its size and molecular organization. We then identified mutations in SLC6A19 in members of the original family in whom Hartnup disorder was discovered and of three Japanese families. The protein product of SLC6A19, the Hartnup transporter, is expressed primarily in intestine and renal proximal tubule and functions as a neutral amino acid transporter.     

Enhanced virulence of influenza A viruses with the haemagglutinin of the 1918 pandemic virus

The 'Spanish' influenza pandemic of 1918-19 was the most devastating outbreak of infectious disease in recorded history. At least 20 million people died from their illness, which was characterized by an unusually severe and rapid clinical course. The complete sequencing of several genes of the 1918 influenza virus has made it possible to study the functions of the proteins encoded by these genes in viruses generated by reverse genetics, a technique that permits the generation of infectious viruses entirely from cloned complementary DNA. Thus, to identify properties of the 1918 pandemic influenza A strain that might be related to its extraordinary virulence, viruses were produced containing the viral haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of the 1918 strain. The HA of this strain supports the pathogenicity of a mouse-adapted virus in this animal. Here we demonstrate that the HA of the 1918 virus confers enhanced pathogenicity in mice to recent human viruses that are otherwise non-pathogenic in this host. Moreover, these highly virulent recombinant viruses expressing the 1918 viral HA could infect the entire lung and induce high levels of macrophage-derived chemokines and cytokines, which resulted in infiltration of inflammatory cells and severe haemorrhage, hallmarks of the illness produced during the original pandemic.     

Surface Grafting of Polymers onto Nano-Sized Particles in Solvent-Free Dry-System and in Ionic Liquid

1 Introduction We have reported the grafting of various polymers onto the surface of inorganic nano-sized particles, such as silica, titanium oxide, and carbon black~([1]). The polymer-grafted nano-sized particles are known to have excellent properties, such as a good dispersibility in solvents and polymer matrices~([1, 2]). However, scale-up production of polymer-grafted nano-sized particles was hardly achieved, because complicated procedures, such as centrifugation, filtration, and solvent e…     

Immobilization of cross-linked In-doped Mo(O,S)2 on cellulose nanofiber for effective organic-compound degradation under visible light illumination

Relatively small amounts of In-doped Mo(O,S)₂ (IMS) catalysts (10%, 20%, and 30%) were deposited on cellulose nanofiber (CNF) by cross-linking them with functional groups of siloxane and epoxy to form CNF-IMS hybrid composites. The as-prepared hybrid composites were characterized and tested their performances toward the photo degradations of cationic (MB and RhB) and anionic (MO) dyes. As indium was doped into Mo(O,S)₂ lattice to form solid-solution, the charge transfer and photocarrier separation during the catalytic reaction were simultaneously enhanced as probed with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurements, respectively. To ensure the catalyst on CNF was well deposited and recyclable, the hybrid composite was evaluated with a reusability experiment to show the stability performance in degrading organic dyes. It was found the environmentally friendly CNF-IMS hybrid composite was relatively stable during the reusability experiment, indicating no catalyst powder was leached out during the photocatalytic reaction. The photoreaction mechanism was convinced by radical-scavenging experiments to show that hydroxyl and superoxide played essential roles for the organic dye degradations in visible-light illuminated conditions. The cross-linked organic/inorganic hybrid catalyst showed a prospective visible light active material not only to solve the environmental issue due to the leaching of nanoparticles but also to lower the post-treatment/recycling cost of photocatalyst in industrial application.     

正交各向异性弹性体裂纹特征展开的伪正交特性

作者克服了Ｂｕｅｃｋｎｅｒ积分双复变量的困难，对正交各向异性弹性体中半无限裂纹的特征展开做了说尽的分析，证明了它具有伪正交特性，由此推出多个路径无关积分权函数。     

正交各向异性弹性体中主微裂纹干涉问题的某些特征

采用积分方程的伪力方法对正交各向异性弹性体中主微裂纹干涉问题做了详细的研究，发现中性角与材料特征根密切相关，且有工程中极其有用的渐进关系。