Importance of NPA motifs in the expression and function of water channel aquaporin-1

The asparagine-proline-alanine sequences (NPA motifs) are highly conserved in aquaporin water channel family. Crystallographic studies of AQP1 structure demonstrated that the two NPA motifs are in the narrow central constriction of the channel, serving to bind water molecules for selective and effi-cient water passage. To investigate the importance of the two NPA motifs in the structure, function and biogenesis of aquaporin water channels, we generated AQP1 mutations with NPA1 deletion, NPA2 de-letion and NPA1,2 double deletion. The coding sequences of the three mutated cDNAs were subcloned into the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3.1 to form expression plasmids. We established stably transfected CHO cell lines expressing these AQP1 mutants. Immunofluorescence indicated that all the three mutated AQP1 proteins are expressed normally on the plasma membrane of stably transfected CHO cells, suggesting that deletion of NPA motifs does not influence the expression and intracellular processing of AQP1. Functional analysis demonstrated that NPA1 or NPA2 deletion reduced AQP1 water permeability by 49.6% and 46.7%, respectively, while NPA1,2 double deletion had little effect on AQP1 water permeability. These results provide evidence that NPA motifs are important for water per-meation but not essential for the expression, intracellular processing and the basic structure of AQP1 water channel.     

^226Ra evidence for the ecosystem shift over the past 40 years in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Surface seawater was collected for ~(226)Ra measurement in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre from July to October, 1999 and October to December, 2003. Combined with the historical data reported for this sea area, a declined trend of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations was observed since 1960s, indicating the ecosystem shift in response to global warming. On one side, the enhanced stratification of the upper water column resulting from global warming reduced the ~(226)Ra input from the depth, on the other, the temporal increase of biological production resulting from the climate-related ecosystem structure change strengthened the ~(226)Ra removal from the surface ocean. Both the physical and biological processes resulted in the decrease of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The temporal trend of surface ~(226)Ra concentrations was consistent with the trends of chlorophyll a, silicate, phosphate and primary production previously reported. This study provided ~(226)Ra evidence for the ecosystem shift under global change.     

Pollen-recorded climate changes between 13.0 and 7.0 ^14C ka BP in southern Ningxia, China

A pollen record from Haiyuan section in the southern part of Ningxia revealed a detailed history of vegetation variation and associated climate changes during the period from~13.0 to~7.0 14 C ka BP.A steppe landscape under a moderately dry(and probably cool)condition(~12.7-~12.1 14 C ka BP)was replaced by a coniferous forest dominating the landscape under a generally wet climate from~12.1 to ~11.01 4C ka BP.This generally wet period,corresponding to the European B?lling/All?rod period,can be divided into three stages:a cool and wet stage between~12.1 and~11.4 14 C ka BP,a mild and rela- tively dry stage between~11.4 and~11.2 14 C ka BP,and a mild and wet stage between~11.2 and~11.0 14 C ka BP.The coniferous forest-dominated landscape was then deteriorated into steppe landscape (~11.0-~10.6 14 C ka BP)and further into a desert steppe landscape from~10.6 to~9.8 14 C ka BP,being correspondent to the European Younger Dryas period.After a brief episode of a cool and wet climate (~9.8-~9.6 14 C ka BP),a relatively mild and dry condition prevailed during the early Holocene(~9.6- ~7.6 14 C ka BP)and then a warm and humid climate started the mid-Holocene(~7.6-~7.2 14 C ka BP).     

2,3-Dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase gene was first discovered in Arthrobacter sp. strain PJ3

Bacterium strain PJ3,isolated from wastewater and identified as Arthrobacter sp. bacterium based on its 16S rDNA gene,could use carbazole as the sole carbon,nitrogen and energy source. The genomic library of strain PJ3 was constructed and a positive clone JM109(pUCW402) was screened out for the expression of dioxygenase by the ability to form yellow ring-fission product. A 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase(23DHBD) gene of 933 bp was found in the 3360 bp exogenous fragment of pUCW402 by GenSCAN software and BLAST analysis. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 23DHBD from strain PJ3 formed a deep branch separate from a cluster containing most known 23DHBD in GenBank. Southern hybridization confirmed for the first time that the 23DHBD gene was from the genomic DNA of Arthrobacter sp. PJ3. In order to test the gene function,recombinant bacterium BL21(pETW-8) was constructed to express 23DHBD. The expression level in BL21(pETW-8) was highest compared with the recombinant bacteria JM109(pUCW402) and strain PJ3. We observed that 23DHBD was not absolute specific. The enzyme activity was higher with 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl as a substrate than with catechol. The substrate specificity assay suggested that 23DHBD was essential for cleavage of bi-cyclic aromatic compounds during the course of aromatic compound biodegradation in Arthrobacter sp. strain PJ3.     

羌族非物质文化遗产的现状及保护对策——以阿坝藏族羌族自治州为例

以羌族的主要聚居区——阿坝藏族羌族自治州为例,对羌族的非物质文化遗产的现状加以梳理,认为羌族非物质文化遗产的保护要积极发挥阿坝州的先天优势,依托州内高校和博物馆的科研力量,发动羌族学者和广大民众来实现,同时避免商业化炒作和借开发为名的人为破坏。     

新的有效叛逆者追踪方案

为了解决数字版权保护中的用户密钥泄漏问题,提出了一种基于双线性映射的叛逆者追踪方案.该方案采用双主密钥的群密钥分发策略来计算各用户的解密密钥,并基于超椭圆曲线上的双线性对构造加密、解密方案.这样,广播中心仅需传输3个群元素的控制报头信息,而在接收端的合法授权用户可以解密、恢复加密会话密钥.安全性分析结果表明,在逆Weil对假设和k-BDHI假设下,所提方案的抗合谋攻击性比较好,能够有效地对抗单用户匿名盗版攻击,也可以用来构造有效的公钥叛逆者追踪方案.     

应用改进的灰关联法对供应链绩效评价的研究

随着全球经济的发展和全球制造的出现,供应链越来越受到了人们的关注,并在各个行业,特别是制造业中得到了普遍应用,成为一种新的管理模式。在供应链管理体系中,为了确保供应链管理能够健康、可持续地发展,建立科学、全面的供应链绩效评价体系,已经成为一个迫切需要解决的问题。文章应用主成分分析法与问卷调查法对绩效评价的指标进行降维与筛选,运用改进的灰关联法对供应链绩效进行整体评价。     

密肋复合墙体双参数地震损伤模型研究

结合损伤力学的基本原理和密肋壁板结构的自身特点，采用刚度退化与规格化滞回耗能的非线性组合，提出了适用于密肋复合墙体的双参数地震损伤模型；通过对密肋复合墙体进行拟动力试验研究，分析了墙体的动力反应、滞回曲线和骨架曲线，确定了地震损伤模型参数；最后给出了密肋复合墙体在不同震害等级时的损伤指数范围和墙体三水准抗震设计的地震损伤目标建议．理论分析和试验结果表明：密肋复合墙体在遭受小震或中震后，具有稳定的水平承载能力及良好的耗能性能，在遭受大震后仍具有良好的抗倒塌能力．     

浅析伊通河地表水中镉迁移转化的规律

通过近4a对伊通河长春段6个地表水监测断面中重金属镉的研究，结果表明，地表水中镉的含量随流程的增加而增加，年平均含量也在递增。此外，研究区域内，镉以Cd^2＋为主，且镉有接近超标并逐年升高的趋势。