Fungitoxicity ofm-fluorophenylalanine-containing peptides towardsPythium ultimum

Summary The tripeptide L-m-fluorophenylalanyl-L-alanyl-L-alanine was much more fungitoxic towardsPythium ultimum than the dipeptide L-m-fluorophenylalanyl-L-alanine orm-fluorophenylalanine. The fungitoxicity of the tripeptide was reduced by L-alanyl peptides and phenylalanine, but not by other amino acids. In contrast, the fungitoxicity ofm-fluorophenylalanine was unaffected by peptides, and was antagonized by several amino acids. These results suggest the effective delivery ofm-fluorophenylalanine into the cell by a tripeptide carrier.     

Extrathymically generated regulatory T cells control mucosal TH2 inflammation

A balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory mechanisms at mucosal interfaces, which are sites of constitutive exposure to microbes and non-microbial foreign substances, allows for efficient protection against pathogens yet prevents adverse inflammatory responses associated with allergy, asthma and intestinal inflammation. Regulatory T (T(reg)) cells prevent systemic and tissue-specific autoimmunity and inflammatory lesions at mucosal interfaces. These cells are generated in the thymus (tT(reg) cells) and in the periphery (induced (i)T(reg) cells), and their dual origin implies a division of labour between tT(reg) and iT(reg) cells in immune homeostasis. Here we show that a highly selective blockage in differentiation of iT(reg) cells in mice did not lead to unprovoked multi-organ autoimmunity, exacerbation of induced tissue-specific autoimmune pathology, or increased pro-inflammatory responses of T helper 1 (T(H)1) and T(H)17 cells. However, mice deficient in iT(reg) cells spontaneously developed pronounced T(H)2-type pathologies at mucosal sites--in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs--with hallmarks of allergic inflammation and asthma. Furthermore, iT(reg)-cell deficiency altered gut microbial communities. These results suggest that whereas T(reg) cells generated in the thymus appear sufficient for control of systemic and tissue-specific autoimmunity, extrathymic differentiation of T(reg) cells affects commensal microbiota composition and serves a distinct, essential function in restraint of allergic-type inflammation at mucosal interfaces.     

Enhancement of Au-Ag-Te contents in tellurium-bearing ore minerals via bioleaching

The purpose of this study was to enhance the content of valuable metals, such as Au, Ag, and Te, in tellurium-bearing minerals via bioleaching. The ore samples composed of invisible Au and Au paragenesis minerals (such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena) in combination with tellurium-bearing minerals (hessite, sylvanite and Tellurobismuthite) were studied. Indigenous microbes from mine drainage were isolated and identified as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which were used in bioleaching after adaption to copper. The effect of the microbial adaption on the bioleaching performance was then compared with the results produced by the non-adaptive process. The microbial adaption enhanced the Au-Ag-Te contents in biological leaching of tellurium-bearing ore minerals. This suggests that bioleaching with adapted microbes can be used both as a pretreatment and in the main recovery processes of valuable metals.     

Energy-dependent regulation of cell structure by AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK, also known as SNF1A) has been primarily studied as a metabolic regulator that is activated in response to energy deprivation. Although there is relatively ample information on the biochemical characteristics of AMPK, not enough data exist on the in vivo function of the kinase. Here, using the Drosophila model system, we generated the first animal model with no AMPK activity and discovered physiological functions of the kinase. Surprisingly, AMPK-null mutants were lethal with severe abnormalities in cell polarity and mitosis, similar to those of lkb1-null mutants. Constitutive activation of AMPK restored many of the phenotypes of lkb1-null mutants, suggesting that AMPK mediates the polarity- and mitosis-controlling functions of the LKB1 serine/threonine kinase. Interestingly, the regulatory site of non-muscle myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC; also known as MLC2) was directly phosphorylated by AMPK. Moreover, the phosphomimetic mutant of MRLC rescued the AMPK-null defects in cell polarity and mitosis, suggesting MRLC is a critical downstream target of AMPK. Furthermore, the activation of AMPK by energy deprivation was sufficient to cause dramatic changes in cell shape, inducing complete polarization and brush border formation in the human LS174T cell line, through the phosphorylation of MRLC. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMPK has highly conserved roles across metazoan species not only in the control of metabolism, but also in the regulation of cellular structures.     

A 160-kilobit molecular electronic memory patterned at 10(11) bits per square centimetre

The primary metric for gauging progress in the various semiconductor integrated circuit technologies is the spacing, or pitch, between the most closely spaced wires within a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuit. Modern DRAM circuits have 140 nm pitch wires and a memory cell size of 0.0408 mum(2). Improving integrated circuit technology will require that these dimensions decrease over time. However, at present a large fraction of the patterning and materials requirements that we expect to need for the construction of new integrated circuit technologies in 2013 have 'no known solution'. Promising ingredients for advances in integrated circuit technology are nanowires, molecular electronics and defect-tolerant architectures, as demonstrated by reports of single devices and small circuits. Methods of extending these approaches to large-scale, high-density circuitry are largely undeveloped. Here we describe a 160,000-bit molecular electronic memory circuit, fabricated at a density of 10(11) bits cm(-2) (pitch 33 nm; memory cell size 0.0011 microm2), that is, roughly analogous to the dimensions of a DRAM circuit projected to be available by 2020. A monolayer of bistable, [2]rotaxane molecules served as the data storage elements. Although the circuit has large numbers of defects, those defects could be readily identified through electronic testing and isolated using software coding. The working bits were then configured to form a fully functional random access memory circuit for storing and retrieving information.     

使用除法算法对里德-所罗门编码进行解码

里德-所罗门编码是最广泛使用的纠错码之一.介绍一种使用除法算法的解码方法,发展该算法的理论并讨论支持该算法的例子.最后,证明与该解码算法有关的一个概率上的定理,关于何时该方法是最有效的,得出一些概率上的结果.     

The Medicago genome provides insight into the evolution of rhizobial symbioses

Legumes (Fabaceae or Leguminosae) are unique among cultivated plants for their ability to carry out endosymbiotic nitrogen fixation with rhizobial bacteria, a process that takes place in a specialized structure known as the nodule. Legumes belong to one of the two main groups of eurosids, the Fabidae, which includes most species capable of endosymbiotic nitrogen fixation. Legumes comprise several evolutionary lineages derived from a common ancestor 60 million years ago (Myr ago). Papilionoids are the largest clade, dating nearly to the origin of legumes and containing most cultivated species. Medicago truncatula is a long-established model for the study of legume biology. Here we describe the draft sequence of the M. truncatula euchromatin based on a recently completed BAC assembly supplemented with Illumina shotgun sequence, together capturing ～94% of all M. truncatula genes. A whole-genome duplication (WGD) approximately 58 Myr ago had a major role in shaping the M. truncatula genome and thereby contributed to the evolution of endosymbiotic nitrogen fixation. Subsequent to the WGD, the M. truncatula genome experienced higher levels of rearrangement than two other sequenced legumes, Glycine max and Lotus japonicus. M. truncatula is a close relative of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), a widely cultivated crop with limited genomics tools and complex autotetraploid genetics. As such, the M. truncatula genome sequence provides significant opportunities to expand alfalfa's genomic toolbox.     

加快上饶现代服务业发展的调查与思考

现代服务业的发展水平是一个区域综合实力的重要体现,加快发展现代服务业对于转变经济增长方式、优化产业结构、缓解就业压力,具有重要的现实意义.上饶市服务业发展已实现了从小到大、由传统向现代的历史转变,构建了优势较明显、特色较鲜明、功能较完善的服务业发展格局.但与发达地区和发展要求相比,仍然存在发展规划相对滞后、辐射带动力不强、产业层次不高、管理体制不顺等许多亟待解决的问题和不足.上饶市必须加快提升现代服务业发展的层次和水平,要坚持立足当前与谋划长远相结合,重点发展与全面提升相结合,构建现代服务业体系,拓展商务区空间,加强保障机制建设.     

猴鼻咽部的解剖学

本文对10个猴头的鼻咽部作了肉眼形态学观察,组织学观察及测量了鼻咽部的10个部位,并研究了猴鼻咽部的周界。我们观察到:1、猴鼻咽部有鼻咽中隔,它是鼻中隔向后的延续,因而不存在有鼻后孔,故不能以鼻后孔作为鼻咽前界的定位点。2、鼻咽中隔为猴所特有,不见于人和免,鼠等动物。鼻咽中隔把鼻咽腔分为左右两个相等的牛角管形的腔,耳咽管开口于鼻咽侧壁中部偏后的位置。鼻咽中隔内有丰富的淋巴组织,向后部淋巴组织逐渐减少并上移至鼻咽顶壁。3、鼻咽侧壁于耳咽管前后均可见肌组织,由前向后肌组织逐渐加多。4、本文对猴鼻咽部10个部位作了测量,其平均数为:鼻咽顶壁长27mm,鼻咽底壁长33mm,耳咽管口至鼻咽前界11mm,耳咽管口至鼻晒后壁7mm,外鼻孔至鼻咽前界55mm。本研究观察复盖猴鼻咽部各部位的上皮,均为假复层纤毛柱状上皮,未见有鳞状上皮。