Thinking and Acting Systematically About the Anthropocene

To overcome the many difficulties facing our planet during the emergent Anthropocene epoch, it has become incumbent on human beings to practice systems thinking. This paper addresses this requirement in three ways. First, it identifies debates about the meaning, historical background, and scope of the Anthropocene that a clearer understanding of systems theory could help redirect to better effect. Second, it analyzes suggestions for practical efforts to deal with the crises to which system theory could contribute more effectively, both in terms of geoengineering and of cosmopolitan global citizenship. Third, it engages with emergent issues of praxis in terms of human psychological and social systems for which we need to extend, explore, and exploit systems thought in new directions if we are to have any realistic hope of dealing successfully with the crises. Specifically, while assigning causation to the complex human-triggered disruptions to earth’s systems and finding technical solutions to them require classic systems theory, it is also becoming obvious that to heal the rifts in the earth’s system, we must address the emotional bonds (and repulsions) that govern human systemic relationships, especially as refracted through the concept of resilience. Only in this way, it is argued, can we recreate a sustainable earth system as a web of transactions between humans and with the rest of their planet.     

Synthesis and EL Properties of Conjugated Copolymer Materials Containing Various Comonomers

1 Results Polymeric light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) have attracted much scientific and technological research interest due to a number of advantages over inorganic or organic small molecules for use in LEDs: better processability,lower operating voltages,faster response times,lower production costs,and high flexibility.Polyfluorene has been selected for the polymer backbone,because of its large band gap,facile substitution at the C9 position of fluorene,good chemical and thermal stability,and high photolu...     

Rate of molecular evolution of the seminal protein gene SEMG2 correlates with levels of female promiscuity

Postcopulatory sperm competition is a key aspect of sexual selection and is believed to drive the rapid evolution of both reproductive physiology and reproduction-related genes. It is well-established that mating behavior determines the intensity of sperm competition, with polyandry (i.e., female promiscuity) leading to fiercer sperm competition than monandry. Studies in mammals, particularly primates, showed that, owing to greater sperm competition, polyandrous taxa generally have physiological traits that make them better adapted for fertilization than monandrous species, including bigger testes, larger seminal vesicles, higher sperm counts, richer mitochondrial loading in sperm and more prominent semen coagulation. Here, we show that the degree of polyandry can also impact the dynamics of molecular evolution. Specifically, we show that the evolution of SEMG2, the gene encoding semenogelin II, a main structural component of semen coagulum, is accelerated in polyandrous primates relative to monandrous primates. Our study showcases the intimate relationship between sexual selection and the molecular evolution of reproductive genes.     

Hard-tip, soft-spring lithography

Nanofabrication strategies are becoming increasingly expensive and equipment-intensive, and consequently less accessible to researchers. As an alternative, scanning probe lithography has become a popular means of preparing nanoscale structures, in part owing to its relatively low cost and high resolution, and a registration accuracy that exceeds most existing technologies. However, increasing the throughput of cantilever-based scanning probe systems while maintaining their resolution and registration advantages has from the outset been a significant challenge. Even with impressive recent advances in cantilever array design, such arrays tend to be highly specialized for a given application, expensive, and often difficult to implement. It is therefore difficult to imagine commercially viable production methods based on scanning probe systems that rely on conventional cantilevers. Here we describe a low-cost and scalable cantilever-free tip-based nanopatterning method that uses an array of hard silicon tips mounted onto an elastomeric backing. This method-which we term hard-tip, soft-spring lithography-overcomes the throughput problems of cantilever-based scanning probe systems and the resolution limits imposed by the use of elastomeric stamps and tips: it is capable of delivering materials or energy to a surface to create arbitrary patterns of features with sub-50-nm resolution over centimetre-scale areas. We argue that hard-tip, soft-spring lithography is a versatile nanolithography strategy that should be widely adopted by academic and industrial researchers for rapid prototyping applications.     

Dopamine neurons derived from human ES cells efficiently engraft in animal models of Parkinson's disease

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are a promising source of cells for applications in regenerative medicine. Directed differentiation of PSCs into specialized cells such as spinal motoneurons or midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons has been achieved. However, the effective use of PSCs for cell therapy has lagged behind. Whereas mouse PSC-derived DA neurons have shown efficacy in models of Parkinson's disease, DA neurons from human PSCs generally show poor in vivo performance. There are also considerable safety concerns for PSCs related to their potential for teratoma formation or neural overgrowth. Here we present a novel floor-plate-based strategy for the derivation of human DA neurons that efficiently engraft in vivo, suggesting that past failures were due to incomplete specification rather than a specific vulnerability of the cells. Midbrain floor-plate precursors are derived from PSCs 11 days after exposure to small molecule activators of sonic hedgehog (SHH) and canonical WNT signalling. Engraftable midbrain DA neurons are obtained by day 25 and can be maintained in vitro for several months. Extensive molecular profiling, biochemical and electrophysiological data define developmental progression and confirm identity of PSC-derived midbrain DA neurons. In vivo survival and function is demonstrated in Parkinson's disease models using three host species. Long-term engraftment in 6-hydroxy-dopamine-lesioned mice and rats demonstrates robust survival of midbrain DA neurons derived from human embryonic stem (ES) cells, complete restoration of amphetamine-induced rotation behaviour and improvements in tests of forelimb use and akinesia. Finally, scalability is demonstrated by transplantation into parkinsonian monkeys. Excellent DA neuron survival, function and lack of neural overgrowth in the three animal models indicate promise for the development of cell-based therapies in Parkinson's disease.     

基于前向道路信息的拖车倒车系统滚动时域控制(英文)

针对离轴联接形式的拖车倒车系统,阐述了其混合逻辑(mixed logical dynamics,MLD)的建模理论和基于滚动时域控制(receding horizon control,RHC)的方法.首先,采用Lyapunov理论分析了拖车倒车系统的运动学特性.接着,采用MLD建模理论来描述拖车倒车系统的运动学模型.针对此MLD运动学模型,提出了一种扩展的二次型代价函数.为了减小拖车的跟踪误差以及平滑牵引车转向角的操控性能,提出将其等效为线性二次型跟踪问题.针对此问题,利用多参数混合整数二次规划(multiparametric mixed-integerquadratic programming,mp-MIQP)技术,设计了一种考虑有限时域前向道路信息的显式RHC控制器.最后,通过仿真对控制器进行验证.结果表明尽管跟踪非平滑的参考路径,控制器均表现出期望的控制效果.