Molecular characterization of the melanin-concentrating-hormone receptor.

Orphan G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are cloned proteins with structural characteristics common to the GPCRs but that bind unidentified ligands. Orphan GPCRs have been used as targets to identify novel transmitter molecules. Here we describe the isolation from brain extracts and the characterization of the natural ligand of a particular orphan GPCR (SLC-1) that is sequentially homologous to the somatostatin receptors. We show that the natural ligand of this receptor is the neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). MCH is a cyclic peptide that regulates a variety of functions in the mammalian brain, in particular feeding behaviour. We demonstrate that nanomolar concentrations of MCH strongly activate SLC-1-related pathways through G(alpha)i and/or G(alpha)q proteins. We have analysed the tissue localization of the MCH receptor and find that it is expressed in several brain regions, in particular those involved in olfactory learning and reinforcement mechanisms, indicating that therapies targeting the MCH receptor should act on the neuronal regulation of food consumption.     

Study of A Multi-criteria Evaluation Methodology for Nuclear Fuel Cycle System Based on Sustainability

1Introduction Thegrowthofworldpopulationandtherapidgrowthofeconomicactivityhavecausedthe worldwideconcernsontheissuesofenergyshortageandglobalclimatechange.Sincethe energyconsumptionhassomewhatrelationshipwiththeglobalclimatechangeandtheemergence ofanti nuclearprotest,theenergyissueshavebecomepoliticalandpublicissues.Therelated stakeholderswithdifferentinterestsandpreferencesbegantocaretheassessmentforvariousenergysystems.Theevaluationforenergy systemhasalsochangedfrommonetaryevaluation,suchas…     

Support Operator’s Fault Diagnosis of Complex Plant Systemthrough Multilevel Flow Model and Ecological Interface Design

1 IntroductionModern man-made systems have become more and morecomplex to achieve many automatic and intelligent tasksinstead of be executed by human beings .However ,since theprimaryrole of the systemoperationshould be human beings ,the challenge tothe operating support systemhas beenledtoa paradoxical situation. They should be complex themselvestotake charge of the complex interaction of the systemandsolve such difficult tasks such as fault diagnosis and processcontrol inone hand,and alsothe…     

Rendering Grass Blowing in the Wind with Global Illumination

We have simulated a time varying wind field using the lattice Boltzmann model, and its effect on blades of grass with a simple mass-spring model. We present a global illumination model for multiple scattering of incident sun and sky illumination within the field of grass. We model the grass as a continuous distribution of infinitesimal colored scattering flakes and solve a system of differential equations for the radiance transport. We repeat this for a collection of grass bending directions and amounts, an...     

焊接结构三维热变形的有限元模拟

采用三热弹塑性有限元法对焊接过程中的动态应力及焊后的残余应力和变形进行了数值模拟，探讨了焊接时力学行为的特点和提高解的精度和收敛性的途径，并介绍了若干成功的应用实例。     

熔池表面Marangoni力诱导的表面速度奇异现象

通过对焊接熔池流体流动与传热过程控制方程组、合金元素气化方程、Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力方程以及其他辅助方程的耦合求解,定量计算了ＦｅＣｒＮｉＳ合金系中具有不同Ｓ含量时焊接熔池的表面温度分布和浮力、电磁力、Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力共同作用下的表面速度分布．结果表明,在微量的Ｓ含量条件下,熔池表面上的Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力会出现一个最大值．随Ｓ含量增大,Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力减小,Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力的最大值对应的温度增大．在Ｍａｒａｎｇｏｎｉ力诱导下,熔池内会形成两个方向相反的涡流环路,它们具有不同的温度,并在熔池表面上逆向而流,相遇处产生很大的温度梯度,从而在该部位引发表面速度奇异峰值．当Ｓ含量较小时,表面速度奇异峰值发生在液相线前沿,当ｗ（Ｓ）大于０．０３％时,速度奇异性消失．     

Green revolution: a mutant gibberellin-synthesis gene in rice

The chronic food shortage that was feared after the rapid expansion of the world population in the 1960s was averted largely by the development of a high-yielding semi-dwarf variety of rice known as IR8, the so-called rice 'green revolution'. The short stature of IR8 is due to a mutation in the plant's sd1 gene, and here we identify this gene as encoding an oxidase enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of gibberellin, a plant growth hormone. Gibberellin is also implicated in green-revolution varieties of wheat, but the reduced height of those crops is conferred by defects in the hormone's signalling pathway.