Method to Identify Similarity and Dissimilarity between Systems Engineering and Neighboring Disciplines

1IntroductionSystems Engineering(SE)has been widelyused in many fields worldwide since WWII.Despite beingin use for nearly70years,there islittle consensus onthe definitionandscope of SE,and it is very difficult to answer the question“What is SE?”exactly…     

Processing, microstructure and mechanical properties of biomedical magnesium with a specific two-layer structure

A novel magnesium based scaffold with a two-layer structure was synthesized by powder metallurgical process using salt particles as space holder. The outer layer of the scaffold shows an interconnected porous structure and the inner layer presents a compact structure reinforced by the salt particles. Such a specific structure is introduced primarily for the purpose of a better combination of biocompatibility and mechanical compatibility. Experimental results demonstrate that the structural features and mechanical properties of the magnesium based scaffold with a salt content of 30 wt% prepared by the current method are quite compatible with the cancellous bone. Such a novel Mg-based scaffold has the potential to act as degradable implants for bone substitute application.     

Expression of lysine-rich protein gene and analysis of lysine content in transgenic wheat

Expression vector pBPC102, which carries winged bean lysine-rich protein (wblrp) gene and dihydropicolinate synthase (DHDPS) gene, was transferred into hexaploid winter wheat cv. Jinghua No.l, Jing411, You899 and Yangnongl5 explants of immature inflorescence and immature embryos by particle bombardment. More than 100 transgenic plants were obtained under the selection of s-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (AEC). Confirmed transgenic plants of To and TI generation by PCR and PCR-Southern blotting analyses showed successful integration of wblrp gene into wheat genome. Analysis of transgenic plant lines of T2 by Northern dot-blotting showed good expression of wblrp gene in offspring seed. The content of free lysine in leaves, contents of bound lysine and total proteins in seeds of T2 transgenie wheat lines were determined and analyzed. Among 34 tested transgenic lines, levels of free lysine content in leaves of 9 transgenic lines are 2~3times higher than un-trans-formed wild-type cultivars. Among 17 analyzed transgenic lines, bound lysine content of 4 transgenic lines is more than 10% higher than that of wild-type cultivars. Our research suggests that introducing wblrp gene into wheat is an effective way to improve its nutrition quality.     

Effects of AlN on the densification and mechanical properties of pressureless-sintered SiC ceramics

In the present work, Si C ceramics was fabricated with Al N using B_4 C and C as sintering aids by a solid-state pressureless-sintered method. The effects of Al N contents on the densification, mechanical properties, phase compositions, and microstructure evolutions of as-obtained Si C ceramics were thoroughly investigated. Al N was found to promote further densification of the Si C ceramics due to its evaporation over 1800 °C,transportation, and solidification in the pores resulted from Si C grain coarsening. The highest relative density of 99.65% was achieved for Si C sample with 15.0 wt% Al N by the pressureless-sintered method at 2130 °C for 1 h in Ar atmosphere. Furthermore, the fracture mechanism for Si C ceramics containing Al N tended to transfer from single transgranular fracture mode to both transgranular fracture and intergranular fracture modes when the sample with 30.0 wt% Al N sintered at 1900 °C for 1 h in Ar. Also, Si C ceramics with 30.0 wt% Al N exhibited the highest fracture toughness of 5.23 MPa m~(1/2) when sintered at 1900 °C.     

ATP-induced helicase slippage reveals highly coordinated subunits

Helicases are vital enzymes that carry out strand separation of duplex nucleic acids during replication, repair and recombination. Bacteriophage T7 gene product 4 is a model hexameric helicase that has been observed to use dTTP, but not ATP, to unwind double-stranded (ds)DNA as it translocates from 5' to 3' along single-stranded (ss)DNA. Whether and how different subunits of the helicase coordinate their chemo-mechanical activities and DNA binding during translocation is still under debate. Here we address this question using a single-molecule approach to monitor helicase unwinding. We found that T7 helicase does in fact unwind dsDNA in the presence of ATP and that the unwinding rate is even faster than that with dTTP. However, unwinding traces showed a remarkable sawtooth pattern where processive unwinding was repeatedly interrupted by sudden slippage events, ultimately preventing unwinding over a substantial distance. This behaviour was not observed with dTTP alone and was greatly reduced when ATP solution was supplemented with a small amount of dTTP. These findings presented an opportunity to use nucleotide mixtures to investigate helicase subunit coordination. We found that T7 helicase binds and hydrolyses ATP and dTTP by competitive kinetics such that the unwinding rate is dictated simply by their respective maximum rates V(max), Michaelis constants K(M) and concentrations. In contrast, processivity does not follow a simple competitive behaviour and shows a cooperative dependence on nucleotide concentrations. This does not agree with an uncoordinated mechanism where each subunit functions independently, but supports a model where nearly all subunits coordinate their chemo-mechanical activities and DNA binding. Our data indicate that only one subunit at a time can accept a nucleotide while other subunits are nucleotide-ligated and thus they interact with the DNA to ensure processivity. Such subunit coordination may be general to many ring-shaped helicases and reveals a potential mechanism for regulation of DNA unwinding during replication.     

Wheeled foot quadruped robot HITAN-I

0IntroductionInthe past,much work has been done toinvestigatefour-legged walking.Two of the earliest works are the G.E.Quadruped and Phoney[1].With the introduction ofmore powerful computers,more and more bionic robotshave beeninvented in recent years.WARP1[2]in2002,TITAN[3-5]from1989,BISAM[6]in1998and SCOUTII[7]in1999are examples for these developments.Asground vehicle,the advantages of mobile robot have beenrecognized by peopleinengineeringfields.Ground mobilerobots are usually cl…     

Control of a key transition from prostrate to erect growth in rice domestication

The transition from the prostrate growth of ancestral wild rice (O. rufipogon Griff.) to the erect growth of Oryza sativa cultivars was one of the most critical events in rice domestication. This evolutionary step importantly improved plant architecture and increased grain yield. Here we find that prostrate growth of wild rice from Yuanjiang County in China is controlled by a semi-dominant gene, PROG1 (PROSTRATE GROWTH 1), on chromosome 7 that encodes a single Cys(2)-His(2) zinc-finger protein. prog1 variants identified in O. sativa disrupt the prog1 function and inactivate prog1 expression, leading to erect growth, greater grain number and higher grain yield in cultivated rice. Sequence comparison shows that 182 varieties of cultivated rice, including 87 indica and 95 japonica cultivars from 17 countries, carry identical mutations in the prog1 coding region that may have become fixed during rice domestication.     

Genome-wide association and linkage identify modifier loci of lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis at 11p13 and 20q13.2

A combined genome-wide association and linkage study was used to identify loci causing variation in cystic fibrosis lung disease severity. We identified a significant association (P = 3.34 × 10(-8)) near EHF and APIP (chr11p13) in p.Phe508del homozygotes (n = 1,978). The association replicated in p.Phe508del homozygotes (P = 0.006) from a separate family based study (n = 557), with P = 1.49 × 10(-9) for the three-study joint meta-analysis. Linkage analysis of 486 sibling pairs from the family based study identified a significant quantitative trait locus on chromosome 20q13.2 (log(10) odds = 5.03). Our findings provide insight into the causes of variation in lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis and suggest new therapeutic targets for this life-limiting disorder.     

Frequent mutations of chromatin remodeling genes in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most common type of bladder cancer. Here we sequenced the exomes of nine individuals with TCC and screened all the somatically mutated genes in a prevalence set of 88 additional individuals with TCC with different tumor stages and grades. In our study, we discovered a variety of genes previously unknown to be mutated in TCC. Notably, we identified genetic aberrations of the chromatin remodeling genes (UTX, MLL-MLL3, CREBBP-EP300, NCOR1, ARID1A and CHD6) in 59% of our 97 subjects with TCC. Of these genes, we showed UTX to be altered substantially more frequently in tumors of low stages and grades, highlighting its potential role in the classification and diagnosis of bladder cancer. Our results provide an overview of the genetic basis of TCC and suggest that aberration of chromatin regulation might be a hallmark of bladder cancer.