Jovian-like aurorae on Saturn

Planetary aurorae are formed by energetic charged particles streaming along the planet's magnetic field lines into the upper atmosphere from the surrounding space environment. Earth's main auroral oval is formed through interactions with the solar wind, whereas that at Jupiter is formed through interactions with plasma from the moon Io inside its magnetic field (although other processes form aurorae at both planets). At Saturn, only the main auroral oval has previously been observed and there remains much debate over its origin. Here we report the discovery of a secondary oval at Saturn that is approximately 25 per cent as bright as the main oval, and we show this to be caused by interaction with the middle magnetosphere around the planet. This is a weak equivalent of Jupiter's main oval, its relative dimness being due to the lack of as large a source of ions as Jupiter's volcanic moon Io. This result suggests that differences seen in the auroral emissions from Saturn and Jupiter are due to scaling differences in the conditions at each of these two planets, whereas the underlying formation processes are the same.     

锚杆锚固结构中导波传播的数值模拟

用理论分析、数值模拟和实验测试的方法研究了自由锚杆和锚固锚杆中的波传播特性.研究结果显示在测试激发波的频率范围内(10～100 kHz),锚杆中传播的波是一个和边界条件相关的导波,不同频率的波在锚杆中传播的速度不同.同时分析了采用有限元模拟锚杆中传播的导波时网格密度对模拟结果精度的影响.模拟体波时一般要求在波传播方向上的N值(一个波长内的单元数)大于20,但模拟杆状结构中的导波传播时N值要大于30,并且径向(垂直波传播方向)的N要求比轴向(波传播方向)N值更大.而且模拟不同频散特性的波需要用不同的N值,也就是说对于同一频率的波,频散越大,所需要的N值亦越大.实验室对自由锚杆和锚固锚杆的测试结果与数值模拟的结果取得了很好的一致性.     

亭南煤矿综放开采矿山压力数值模拟

为了分析综放工作面顶板断裂、垮落形式,以及工作面支承压力分布及影响区域范围,对亭南煤矿101综放面,分别应用UDEC与FLAC3D软件进行了数值模拟对比分析.结果表明随工作面的推进,直接项出现离层、破断,并在采空区前后煤壁上方基岩出现拉裂缝.当工作面推进到60m左右,老顶出现初次破断,形成初次来压,之后工作面每推进30 m,老项出现周期来压.模拟结果再现了顶板冒落、离层、破断,综放面初次、周期来压及围岩应力集中、重新分布等现象,这些结果与现场矿山压力观测结果基本吻合,为矿压观测提供了直观、准确的数值分析方法.     

Mutations in PTPN11, encoding the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2, cause Noonan syndrome.

Noonan syndrome (MIM 163950) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by dysmorphic facial features, proportionate short stature and heart disease (most commonly pulmonic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). Webbed neck, chest deformity, cryptorchidism, mental retardation and bleeding diatheses also are frequently associated with this disease. This syndrome is relatively common, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 1,000-2,500 live births. It has been mapped to a 5-cM region (NS1) [corrected] on chromosome 12q24.1, and genetic heterogeneity has also been documented. Here we show that missense mutations in PTPN11 (MIM 176876)-a gene encoding the nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2, which contains two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains-cause Noonan syndrome and account for more than 50% of the cases that we examined. All PTPN11 missense mutations cluster in interacting portions of the amino N-SH2 domain and the phosphotyrosine phosphatase domains, which are involved in switching the protein between its inactive and active conformations. An energetics-based structural analysis of two N-SH2 mutants indicates that in these mutants there may be a significant shift of the equilibrium favoring the active conformation. This implies that they are gain-of-function changes and that the pathogenesis of Noonan syndrome arises from excessive SHP-2 activity.     

Persistence of soil organic matter as an ecosystem property

Globally, soil organic matter (SOM) contains more than three times as much carbon as either the atmosphere or terrestrial vegetation. Yet it remains largely unknown why some SOM persists for millennia whereas other SOM decomposes readily--and this limits our ability to predict how soils will respond to climate change. Recent analytical and experimental advances have demonstrated that molecular structure alone does not control SOM stability: in fact, environmental and biological controls predominate. Here we propose ways to include this understanding in a new generation of experiments and soil carbon models, thereby improving predictions of the SOM response to global warming.     

风-车-桥耦合系统的车桥气动特性

采用数值模拟方法对风-车-桥耦合系统的车桥气动特性进行分析研究,模拟计算了不同工况下车辆、桥梁的气动力系数。分析了车桥间相互的气动影响．研究结果表明．车桥耦合系统与桥梁和车辆各自单体相比较,气动力系数差异较大,故建议进行风-车-桥系统耦合振动分析时,车桥气动力系数应考虑车桥间的气动影响．     

Microbiome–health interactions in older people

Alterations in the composition and function of the gut microbiome have been implicated in a range of conditions and diseases. Culture-dependent and culture-independent studies both showed that older people harbour a gut microbiome that differs in composition from that of younger adults. Detailed analyses have identified discrete microbiota subtypes that characterize intermediates between a high diversity microbiota found in healthy community-dwelling subjects and a low diversity microbiota typical for elderly living in long-term residential care. There are also alterations in the microbiome composition associated with biological age, independent of health status. Even after adjusting for confounding factors such as age and medication, trends in microbiota composition correlate with gradients in clinical metadata particularly frailty and inflammatory status. There are few known mechanisms by which these associations might be causative rather than consequential, and this is a subject of intensive research. The strongest candidate effectors are microbial metabolites that could impact host energy balance, act as signalling molecules to modulate host metabolism or inflammation, and potentially also impact on the gut–brain axis.     

A Critical Assessment of Project Management Methods with Respect to Electronic Government Implementation Challenges

In taking forward both the Government Modernization and the Civil Service Reform agendas, renewed emphasis is being placed on project management approaches and techniques for achieving objectives more effectively and efficiently. After elaborating on specific electronic government project implementation challenges and giving an overview of state-of-the-art project management approaches, the paper examines the weaknesses of three commonly used methods in the light of the e-Government project challenges. The analysis identifies gaps in the methods, contributing to a better understanding of the factors that lead to success or failure. The resolution of such methodological limitations could lead to the enhancement of project management methods when applied to future projects.