Trak1 mutation disrupts GABA(A) receptor homeostasis in hypertonic mice

Hypertonia, which results from motor pathway defects in the central nervous system (CNS), is observed in numerous neurological conditions, including cerebral palsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, stiff-person syndrome, spastic paraplegia, dystonia and Parkinson disease. Mice with mutation in the hypertonic (hyrt) gene exhibit severe hypertonia as their primary symptom. Here we show that hyrt mutant mice have much lower levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptors in their CNS, particularly the lower motor neurons, than do wild-type mice, indicating that the hypertonicity of the mutants is likely to be caused by deficits in GABA-mediated motor neuron inhibition. We cloned the responsible gene, trafficking protein, kinesin binding 1 (Trak1), and showed that its protein product interacts with GABA(A) receptors. Our data implicate Trak1 as a crucial regulator of GABA(A) receptor homeostasis and underscore the importance of hyrt mice as a model for studying the molecular etiology of hypertonia associated with human neurological diseases.     

Recent advances in hydrogen storage technologies based on nanoporous carbon materials

Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier that can potentially facilitate a transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources without producing harmful by-products. Prior to realizing a hydrogen economy, however, viable hydrogen storage materials must be developed. Physical adsorption in porous solids provides an opportunity for hydrogen storage under low-stringency conditions. Physically adsorbed hydrogen molecules are weakly bound to a surface and, hence, are easily released. Among the various surface candidates, porous carbons appear to provide efficient hydrogen storage, with the advantages that porous carbon is relatively low-cost to produce and is easily prepared. In this review, we summarize the preparation methods, pore characteristics, and hydrogen storage capacities of representative nanoporous carbons, including activated carbons, zeolite-templated carbon, and carbide-derived carbon. We focus particularly on a series of nanoporous carbons developed recently: metal–organic framework-derived carbons, which exhibit promising properties for use in hydrogen storage applications.     

长三角地区的能源消耗、碳排放与经济增长的关系研究

基于长三角地区1995—2018年数据,从总体水平、产业层次、区域层次等角度分析,探究能源消费、CO₂排放量对区域经济增长的影响。研究结果表明:CO₂排放量与经济增长、能源消费与经济增长之间均存在着长期互为正向影响的关系,且具有积极性的影响,经济增长与CO₂排放量以及经济增长与能源消费二者之间存在单方向的线性关系,经济增长能够促进能源消费量以及CO₂排放量的增加。     

中庸主义、个人主义对中国现代知识分子人格的影响--以周作人及与鲁迅的比较为例

周作人在<谈龙集·上海气>中说"我终于是一个中庸主义的人."看来周作人对自己的了解是很深的.对于周作人的复杂人格,任何一种简单化的说明都是有害的,因此,以矛盾分析的办法以及与鲁迅进行人格对比的方法,论证鲁迅的人格是殉道的、苦行主义的,而周作人的人格则是中庸的、现世主义的,对于探讨周作人的人格的形成、发展以及内在矛盾,并以此关照中国现代社会条件之下知识分子的精神处境以及人格分裂问题,也许不无意义.     

一类非线性控制系统模型解的整体存在性

采用对偶性技巧、Hoelder不等式、线性抛物型方程正则性理论等一系列非线性分析的方法，研究一类带有交错扩散影响的非线性生物种群迁移与竞争控制系统模型，在R^n(2≤n≤4)的任何有界光滑区域并带有一般边界条件的情况下，得到系统解的整体存在性。     

Regulation of PDGF signalling and vascular remodelling by peroxiredoxin II

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogenic and migratory factor that regulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of a variety of signalling proteins via intracellular production of H2O2 (refs 1, 2-3). Mammalian 2-Cys peroxiredoxin type II (Prx II; gene symbol Prdx2) is a cellular peroxidase that eliminates endogenous H2O2 produced in response to growth factors such as PDGF and epidermal growth factor; however, its involvement in growth factor signalling is largely unknown. Here we show that Prx II is a negative regulator of PDGF signalling. Prx II deficiency results in increased production of H2O2, enhanced activation of PDGF receptor (PDGFR) and phospholipase Cgamma1, and subsequently increased cell proliferation and migration in response to PDGF. These responses are suppressed by expression of wild-type Prx II, but not an inactive mutant. Notably, Prx II is recruited to PDGFR upon PDGF stimulation, and suppresses protein tyrosine phosphatase inactivation. Prx II also leads to the suppression of PDGFR activation in primary culture and a murine restenosis model, including PDGF-dependent neointimal thickening of vascular smooth muscle cells. These results demonstrate a localized role for endogenous H2O2 in PDGF signalling, and indicate a biological function of Prx II in cardiovascular disease.     

ROBUST DESIGN MODELS FOR CUSTOMER-SPECIFIED BOUNDS ON PROCESS PARAMETERS

1. Introduction Robust design (RD) techniques based on the concept of building quality into a design are increasingly popular in industry primarily because of their practicality. There have been many attempts to integrate Taguchi’s RD principles with well-established statistical techniques, such as response surface methodology (RSM), in order to model the response directly as a function of control factors (Vining and Myers 1990). RSM is a collection of mathematical and statistical techni…     

基于靶向多肽的量子点探针用于结肠癌肿瘤组织识别

多肽标记的量子点已经被广泛应用于肿瘤细胞成像, 特别是靶向多肽标记的量子点能够特异性地标记细胞从而识别肿瘤. 然而到目前为止, 还没有靶向多肽标记的量子点用于结肠癌肿瘤组织成像. 本文合成了一种双功能的TCP-1-H6多肽, 这种多肽既有TCP-1的靶向性, 又含有一个组氨酸标签(His-tag). 多肽与量子点可以通过His-tag偶联并通过毛细管电泳表征. TCP-1可以特异性地识别结肠癌细胞的受体. 实验结果表明, 靶向多肽标记的量子点能特异性地识别结肠癌细胞及肿瘤组织. 这一工作对肿瘤细胞的识别诊断研究具有重要的参考价值.