Habitat-induced reciprocal transformation in the root phenotype of Oriental ginseng is associated with alteration in DNA methylation

Oriental ginseng is an important medicinal plant that grows in 2 major forms or ecotypes, wild and domesticated. Each form differs conspicuously in root phenotype, but can be converted from one type to another by habitat. Here we show that the habitat-induced transformation of ginseng root phenotype was accompanied by alteration in cytosine methylation at a large number of 5′-CCGG-3′ sites detected by the methylation-sensitive polymorphism (MSAP) marker. The collective CG and CHG methylation levels of all 4 landraces of the domesticated form were significantly lower than those of the wild form. Interestingly, artificially transplanted ginseng plants recreated in both directions the methylation levels (at least in CHG) of their natural counterparts. The methylation differences between the 2 ginseng ecotypes were validated at 2 isolated MSAP loci bearing homology to a 5S rRNA gene or a copia retrotransposon. Our results implicate a link between epigenetic variation and habitat-induced phenotypic flexibility in Oriental ginseng.     

Evaluation of humic acid removal by a flat submerged membrane photoreactor

A flat submerged membrane combined with a TiO 2 /UV photocatalytic reactor (FSMPR) was employed in batch mode to remove humic acid (HA). HA removal efficiency was characterized by UV 254 absorbance, UV-vis spectra, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, specific UV absorbance (SUVA), and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). The FSMPR process was effective in removing more than 86% of DOC and nearly 100% of UV 254 absorbance, while the THMFPs of samples were reduced to < 19 μ g/L after 150 min of treatment. In addition, changes in transmembrane pressure (TMP) with and without UV were evaluated; TiO 2 /UV was effective at controlling membrane fouling by HA. Analysis of the molecular weight (MW) distributions and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra of HAs revealed that the effectiveness in membrane fouling control is a result of changes in HA molecular characteristics. The TiO 2 /UV photocatalytic reactor caused the degradation of high MW, hydrophobic humic-like molecules to low MW, hydrophilic protein-like molecules, although this fraction was not completely removed during 150 min of treatment and was less responsible for membrane fouling.     

A20 (TNFAIP3) deficiency in myeloid cells triggers erosive polyarthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis

A20 (TNFAIP3) is a protein that is involved in the negative feedback regulation of NF-κB signaling in response to specific proinflammatory stimuli in different cell types and has been suggested as a susceptibility gene for rheumatoid arthritis. To define the contribution of A20 to rheumatoid arthritis pathology, we generated myeloid-specific A20-deficient mice and show that specific ablation of Tnfaip3 in myeloid cells results in spontaneous development of a severe destructive polyarthritis with many features of rheumatoid arthritis. Myeloid-A20-deficient mice have high levels of inflammatory cytokines in their serum, consistent with a sustained NF-κB activation and higher TNF production by macrophages. Destructive polyarthritis in myeloid A20 knockout mice was TLR4-MyD88 and IL-6 dependent but was TNF independent. Myeloid A20 deficiency also promoted osteoclastogenesis in mice. Together, these observations indicate a critical and cell-specific function for A20 in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis, supporting the idea of developing A20 modulatory drugs as cell-targeted therapies.     

Discrete Euler processes and their applications

This paper introduces discrete Euler processes and shows their application in detecting and forecasting cycles in non‐stationary data where periodic behavior changes approximately linearly in time. A discrete Euler process becomes a classical stationary process if ‘time’ is transformed properly. By moving from one time domain to another, one may deform certain time‐varying data to non‐time‐varying data. With these non‐time‐varying data on the deformed timescale, one may use traditional tools to do parameter estimation and forecasts. The obtained results then can be transformed back to the original timescale. For datasets with an underlying discrete Euler process, the sample M‐spectrum and the spectra estimator of a Euler model (i.e., EAR spectral) are used to detect cycles of a Euler process. Beam response and whale data are used to demonstrate the usefulness of a Euler model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于C/S结构的城市公交监控系统设计

介绍了一种基于C/S结构的城市公交车监控系统,阐述了在Delphi编程环境下如何利用socket编程机制实现客户端与服务器的数据交换,实现了城市公交监控系统的设计。     

不同培养条件对朱顶红形态发生的影响

作者通过试验探讨了促进朱顶红快速成苗的有效途径。     

鹿茸的组织结构及离体细胞的显微结构观察

本文对鹿茸的组织结构、鹿茸皮肤及顶端肉质部分的显微结构进行了较详尽的观察,同时对从鹿茸分离的细胞及由鹿茸组培养出的细胞形态结构也作了初步研究。     

滞后对象的连续模型参考自适应控制

本文基于MRAC的基本原理,提出了一种从模型取状态的滞后系统的MRAC方案。这种方法较之其它方案结构简单,且具有一定的抗输出端扰动的能力。仿真结果说明了系统结构是可行的。     

尿嘧啶的相干反斯托克斯Raman散射光谱研究

采用相干反斯托克斯Raman散射(CARS)技术研究在不同pH值的水溶液中核糖核酸碱基-尿嘧啶结构,所得结果揭示出尿嘧啶环的伸缩,变形振动可在1000cm~(-1)附近产生一些Raman谱线,并发现这些谱线对溶液的pH值很敏感。然而这些现象在采用目前广泛应用的激光共振Raman光谱方法时是难以发现的。因此,CARS测量是一种可研究核酸残基振动结构及其和环境介质相互作用的有效方法。除它对样品或杂质引起的荧光干扰有明显抑制作用外,可以预期:这一方法也可用于获得在有关分子过程中所出现的瞬态粒子结构的信息。     

STM隔振系统的复模态分析

用复模态分析法求出了针对扫描隧道显微镜隔振系统的运动解和振幅传递函数的解析表达式，从该表达式可以看出，隔振系统第一级参数极大地影响着整个系统的隔振性能，然后用由本方法计算得出的三维和二维图象分析ＳＴＭ隔振系统，在悬挂弹簧加磁阻尼系统和金属块中夹橡圈系统的比较中，得出了一些有用的结论。