Mitochondrial DNA variation analysis suggests extreme low genetic diversity in Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys （Rhinopithecus brelichi）

Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus brelichi) is a unique, endangered primate in China, mainly distributed in Fanjing Mountain National Natural Reserve, Guizhou Province, in an area of 275 km2. Recently, habitat loss and fragmentation have caused population isolation. To assess genetic diversity within this species and its population structure, we sequenced 400 bp of the hypervariable I segment from the mitochondrial DNA control region for 128 individuals. Only one haplotype was identified from these individuals. Compared with other primate species, R. brelichi can be regarded as a species with very low genetic diversity, which further adds to the conservation concern.     

Enhanced anti-sunward flow near local noon during a period of horizontal IMF and high solar wind velocity <Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">Y</Emphasis></Subscript>

It is believed that a southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is mainly responsible for the energy input from solar wind into the magnetosphere. This paper presents an unusual case of strong anti-sunward plasma flow (up to 2 km/s) in the polar cap ionosphere and large cross-polar cap potential (CPCP) during a period of horizontal IMF (|B _Z | < 2 nT) observed by both ACE (at the L1 point) and Geotail (on the dusk flank of the magnetosheath). The CPCP is even higher than that under preceding B _Z ≈ −23 nT. Furthermore, GOES8 observed that the magnetosheath field turns northward as the anti-sunward plasma flow and CPCP start to increase, which implies that the magnetosheath field interacting with the Earth’s magnetopause has significantly rotated and differs from the IMF observed by ACE and Geotail. In accordance with previous theoretical work, we suggest that the magnetic field line draping produces a southward magnetosheath field and enhances anti-sunward plasma flow and the CPCP.     

Coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea as a source of atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in summer

Field measurements of air-sea CO2 exchange in three coral reef areas of the South China Sea (i.e. the Yongshu Reef atoll of the Nansha Islands, southern South China Sea (SCS); Yongxing Island of Xisha Islands, north-central SCS; and Luhuitou Fringing Reef in Sanya of Hainan Island, northern SCS) during the summers of 2008 and 2009 revealed that both air and surface seawater partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) showed regular diurnal cycles. Minimum values occurred in the evening and maximum values in the morning. Air pCO2 in each of the three study areas showed small diurnal variations, while large diurnal variations were ob-served in seawater pCO2. The diurnal variation amplitude of seawater pCO2 was ~70 μmol mol–1 at the Yongshu Reef lagoon, 420–619 μmol mol–1 on the Yongxing Island reef flat, and 264–579 μmol mol–1 on the reef flat of the Luhuitou Fringing Reef, and 324–492 μmol mol–1 in an adjacent area just outside of this fringing reef. With respect to spatial relations, there were large differences in air-sea CO2 flux across the South China Sea (e.g. ~0.4 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Yongshu Reef, ~4.7 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Yongxing Island, and ~9.8 mmol CO2 m–2 d–1 at Luhuitou Fringing Reef). However, these positive values suggest that coral reef ecosystems of the SCS may be a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Additional analyses indicated that diurnal variations of surface seawater pCO2 in the shallow water reef flat are controlled mainly by biological metabolic processes, while those of deeper water lagoons and outer reef areas are regulated by both biological metabolism and hydrodynamic factors. Unlike the open ocean, inorganic metabolism plays a significant role in influencing seawater pCO2 variations in coral reef ecosystems.     

地基沉降计算方法概述

文章主要介绍了地基沉降的几种计算方法、步骤以及在计算过程中的一些注意事项,希望能为广大工程技术人员在实际计算分析时提供理论帮助.     

地基沉降计算方法概述

文章主要介绍了地基沉降的几种计算方法、步骤以及在计算过程中的一些注意事项,希望能为广大工程技术人员在实际计算分析时提供理论帮助。     

通信新定额在工程中的合理应用

新定额的实施符合通信建设市场发展的要求,也激励着更多的施工企业投入到通信工程建设中来。通过对新定额的不断补充和完善,使新定额在工程实践中得到更合理的应用。     

配电网节能降损研究

文章介绍了电网电能损耗,即线损的概念,以及其重要性和对电力企业经济的影响,总结出管理与技术上的经验,为节能降损的研究提出了建议.     

瑞香狼毒粗提取物杀虫活性研究

为了探讨瑞香狼毒（Stellera chamaejasme）在植物源农药方面的应用,研究采用2．50k的瑞香狼毒根粉,95％乙醇总提取液浓缩至500mL,定为原液,按不同浓度稀释后,室内叶碟法杀灭菜粉蝶（Pieris rapae）4龄菜青虫试验结果显示：浓度为160mol／L时,4龄幼虫表现为高度的拒食现象．浓度为80...     

RNAi screen identifies Brd4 as a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukaemia

Epigenetic pathways can regulate gene expression by controlling and interpreting chromatin modifications. Cancer cells are characterized by altered epigenetic landscapes, and commonly exploit the chromatin regulatory machinery to enforce oncogenic gene expression programs. Although chromatin alterations are, in principle, reversible and often amenable to drug intervention, the promise of targeting such pathways therapeutically has been limited by an incomplete understanding of cancer-specific dependencies on epigenetic regulators. Here we describe a non-biased approach to probe epigenetic vulnerabilities in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), an aggressive haematopoietic malignancy that is often associated with aberrant chromatin states. By screening a custom library of small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting known chromatin regulators in a genetically defined AML mouse model, we identify the protein bromodomain-containing 4 (Brd4) as being critically required for disease maintenance. Suppression of Brd4 using shRNAs or the small-molecule inhibitor JQ1 led to robust antileukaemic effects in vitro and in vivo, accompanied by terminal myeloid differentiation and elimination of leukaemia stem cells. Similar sensitivities were observed in a variety of human AML cell lines and primary patient samples, revealing that JQ1 has broad activity in diverse AML subtypes. The effects of Brd4 suppression are, at least in part, due to its role in sustaining Myc expression to promote aberrant self-renewal, which implicates JQ1 as a pharmacological means to suppress MYC in cancer. Our results establish small-molecule inhibition of Brd4 as a promising therapeutic strategy in AML and, potentially, other cancers, and highlight the utility of RNA interference (RNAi) screening for revealing epigenetic vulnerabilities that can be exploited for direct pharmacological intervention.     

Structural insight into brassinosteroid perception by BRI1

Brassinosteroids are essential phytohormones that have crucial roles in plant growth and development. Perception of brassinosteroids requires an active complex of BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) and BRI1-ASSOCIATED KINASE 1 (BAK1). Recognized by the extracellular leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain of BRI1, brassinosteroids induce a phosphorylation-mediated cascade to regulate gene expression. Here we present the crystal structures of BRI1(LRR) in free and brassinolide-bound forms. BRI1(LRR) exists as a monomer in crystals and solution independent of brassinolide. It comprises a helical solenoid structure that accommodates a separate insertion domain at its concave surface. Sandwiched between them, brassinolide binds to a hydrophobicity-dominating surface groove on BRI1(LRR). Brassinolide recognition by BRI1(LRR) is through an induced-fit mechanism involving stabilization of two interdomain loops that creates a pronounced non-polar surface groove for the hormone binding. Together, our results define the molecular mechanisms by which BRI1 recognizes brassinosteroids and provide insight into brassinosteroid-induced BRI1 activation.