In vitro reactivation of anaphase spindle elongation using isolated diatom spindles

A key step for analysing the mechanochemistry of mitosis would be the isolation of a functional spindle capable of anaphase chromosome movement in vitro. Although Mazia and Dan first isolated spindles in 1952, with one or two possible exceptions, isolated spindles are non-functional. An alternative approach has used permeabilized cells to study anaphase chromosome movement, but these preparations are biochemically and morphologically complex, and hence difficult to analyse. We describe here a simple procedure for isolating diatom spindles which are capable of anaphase spindle elongation in vitro. With addition of ATP, the two half-spindles slide completely apart, with concomitant decrease in the zone of overlap. Electron microscopy reveals decreased numbers of microtubules throughout the spindle after ATP addition and confirms the complete absence of structures beyond the spindle poles. These results are inconsistent with theoretical models of mitosis which suggest that spindle poles are pushed apart by microtubule growth, are pulled apart by external forces applied to the poles, or are released from tension generated during spindle formation. The results are consitent with models that postulate mechanical interactions in the zone of microtubule overlap as a factor in spindle elongation.     

Co-Ti共掺杂M型六角钡铁氧体磁电耦合研究

磁电多铁性材料兼具电极化及磁性,可用于构建新型传感器和高密度存储器件．但对于单相多铁性材料,大多工作温度低且所需磁场强度较高,无法满足实用化需求．近来发现六角铁氧体可明显提高这两方面特性,但还需提高其工作温度及电阻率．我们采用Co-Ti元素对M-型钡六角铁氧体进行大剂量共掺杂,制备一系列的铁氧体陶瓷BaFe12-2xCoxTixO19 (x=0~4)．同时利用物理性能综合测试仪（PPMS）及其他检测仪器搭建了一套磁电测试系统,并结合LabVIEW软件进行编程,对样品的磁性、电性、磁介电和磁电耦合特性进行系统表征．结果表明,Co-Ti共掺杂可显著改变M型钡六角铁氧体的矫顽场及饱和磁化强度．同时,这种掺杂可使漏电流降低到3个量级（掺杂量x=2）．值得一提的是,我们在掺杂量为x=2的样品中观测到室温下的磁介电效应,同时在100K以下观测到明显的磁致铁电极化,且其电极化方向可以被磁场反转．该结果在探索新型多铁六角铁氧体及推进其应用化进程具有一定的意义．     

Bandgap modulation of carbon nanotubes by encapsulated metallofullerenes

Motivated by the technical and economic difficulties in further miniaturizing silicon-based transistors with the present fabrication technologies, there is a strong effort to develop alternative electronic devices, based, for example, on single molecules. Recently, carbon nanotubes have been successfully used for nanometre-sized devices such as diodes, transistors, and random access memory cells. Such nanotube devices are usually very long compared to silicon-based transistors. Here we report a method for dividing a semiconductor nanotube into multiple quantum dots with lengths of about 10nm by inserting Gd@C82 endohedral fullerenes. The spatial modulation of the nanotube electronic bandgap is observed with a low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope. We find that a bandgap of approximately 0.5eV is narrowed down to approximately 0.1eV at sites where endohedral metallofullerenes are inserted. This change in bandgap can be explained by local elastic strain and charge transfer at metallofullerene sites. This technique for fabricating an array of quantum dots could be used for nano-electronics and nano-optoelectronics.     

藏东类乌齐地区始新世钾玄质侵入岩特征及构造环境

往过同岩体位于藏东类乌齐地区往过同,岩石类型为斑状中粒黑云母二长花岗岩,黑云母K-Ar同位素年龄为35 Ma,时代为始新世。往过同花岗岩富硅、铝、碱,高钾贫钛,低铁、镁、钙,在SiO2-K2O和K2O-Na2O图解中样品均落在钾玄岩系列区,岩石系列为钾玄质花岗岩。岩石富集大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,负Eu异常;在原始地幔蛛网图上Th强烈富集,Sr呈现低谷负异常,高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti亏损,表现出钾玄岩的地球化学特征。经分析,并应用构造环境判别图解,往过同花岗岩形成于后碰撞的构造环境。     

Mutations in LMF1 cause combined lipase deficiency and severe hypertriglyceridemia

Hypertriglyceridemia is a hallmark of many disorders, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, atherosclerosis and obesity. A well-known cause is the deficiency of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), a key enzyme in plasma triglyceride hydrolysis. Mice carrying the combined lipase deficiency (cld) mutation show severe hypertriglyceridemia owing to a decrease in the activity of LPL and a related enzyme, hepatic lipase (HL), caused by impaired maturation of nascent LPL and hepatic lipase polypeptides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Here we identify the gene containing the cld mutation as Tmem112 and rename it Lmf1 (Lipase maturation factor 1). Lmf1 encodes a transmembrane protein with an evolutionarily conserved domain of unknown function that localizes to the ER. A human subject homozygous for a deleterious mutation in LMF1 also shows combined lipase deficiency with concomitant hypertriglyceridemia and associated disorders. Thus, through its profound effect on lipase activity, LMF1 emerges as an important candidate gene in hypertriglyceridemia.     

高校图书馆知识管理浅谈

知识管理是知识经济时代的一种全新的管理思想。阐述了高校图书馆在对自身实施知识管理时应注意的环节、存在的问题以及所要避免陷入的几个误区,并对未来的知识管理进行了展望。     

A Framework to Support Agility Strategy Formulation

In the last decade, turbulent times and uncertainti es in the business environment have made ground for a new business era, and “chang e“ has become a major characteristic of the new era. This has resulted in tirele ss evolution of business systems and the creation of new manufacturing and manag ement philosophies. Agile Manufacturing (AM) is a step forward in generation of new means for better performance and success of business, and in practice is a s trategic approach to manufacturing by considering ...     

Oldest playable musical instruments found at Jiahu early Neolithic site in China

Excavations at the early Neolithic site of Jiahu in Henan Province, China have produced what may be the earliest complete, playable, tightly-dated multinote musical instruments. Jiahu was occupied from 7000 BC to 5700 BC, considerably antedating the well known Peiligang culture. Here we describe six exquisitely made complete flutes which were found in radiocarbon-dated excavation layers, along with fragments of perhaps 30 more. The flutes are made from the ulnae of the red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis Millen) and have 5, 6, 7 and 8 holes. The best preserved flute has been played and tonally analysed. In addition to early musical artefacts, the archaeological record at Jiahu contains important information on the very foundations of Chinese society. We describe the archaeological characteristics of the Jiahu site, details concerning its dating, its place in the prehistory of the Chinese Neolithic, the ethnicity of its population and the results of a tonal analysis of a nearly 9,000-year-old musical instrument found there.