A heterodimeric complex that promotes the assembly of mammalian 20S proteasomes

The 26S proteasome is a multisubunit protease responsible for regulated proteolysis in eukaryotic cells. It comprises one catalytic 20S proteasome and two axially positioned 19S regulatory complexes. The 20S proteasome is composed of 28 subunits arranged in a cylindrical particle as four heteroheptameric rings, alpha1-7beta1-7beta1-7alpha1-7 (refs 4, 5), but the mechanism responsible for the assembly of such a complex structure remains elusive. Here we report two chaperones, designated proteasome assembling chaperone-1 (PAC1) and PAC2, that are involved in the maturation of mammalian 20S proteasomes. PAC1 and PAC2 associate as heterodimers with proteasome precursors and are degraded after formation of the 20S proteasome is completed. Overexpression of PAC1 or PAC2 accelerates the formation of precursor proteasomes, whereas knockdown by short interfering RNA impairs it, resulting in poor maturation of 20S proteasomes. Furthermore, the PAC complex provides a scaffold for alpha-ring formation and keeps the alpha-rings competent for the subsequent formation of half-proteasomes. Thus, our results identify a mechanism for the correct assembly of 20S proteasomes.     

表面修饰的金纳米粒子的制作及表征

通过硼氢化钠NaBH4还原金氯酸HAuCl4，成功地制作了羧酸酯表面修饰的金纳米粒子，并用丁二酸硫醇作为硫醇配体稳定剂，抑制了纳米粒子的进一步生长，这种方法有效地把粒径控制在纳米范围内并且粒径分布范围小，只需通过一次反应就可大量地制得1－20nm、具有量子效应的纳米料，用X射线衍射仪、透射式电子显微镜和隧道扫描显微镜对这些粒子进行了检测，证实了大量的粒子都是面心立方结构，硫醇配体在金粒子在表面由化学吸附形成一层单分子膜，隧道扫描显微镜观察到了这一层单分子膜。     

Transport of Yellow Sand in Stratified Flow over an Isolated Mountain Ridge

The transport of yellow sand over mountain regions in the presence of internal gravity waves has been investigated numerically. The motion of yellow sand particles has been simulated in a Lagrangian frame of reference by solving the time-dependent Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations. An implicit time integration in a fitted body grid arrangement was used to simulate the stratified flow over an isolated ideally bell-shaped mountain. The transport and deposition of particles of various sizes, and of the altitudes where particles were released have been analyzed. Particular attention was given to transport patterns of different sized particles in various atmospheric conditions. The results show that the particle size and the re-lease altitude are both important factors in determining the trajectories of the particles. Small particles tend to be transported a long distance over the mountains, whereas heavier particles settle down around the re-lease source. Due to the existence of an internal gravity wave, the particle release altitude affects the trajec-tory of the particles. The analysis and results provide a very useful tool for the study of atmospheric flow and transport of pollutants over real topographies.     

层合结构对复合材料层合板最终强度的影响

以碳纤维/环氧树脂层合板为对象,研究了其最终强度与层合结构的关系.对于准各向同性层合板,其弹性性能不随方向变化.在板内发生损伤之后,其各向同性性质不再保留,最终强度将依赖于加载方向以及叠层顺序.拉伸试验和有限元数值分析表明:若板内含有0°层,且该层位于板的表层时,则最终强度最大;若板内既无0°层,又无90°层,则初始层破坏强度较大,而最终强度远小于含有0°层板的最终强度.     

过滤法制备介电梯度功能材料的介电特性的研究

对用过滤法制备的介电梯度功能材料的介电特性作了阐述,并用计算机模拟的方法研究了其对电场分布的影响,进而对其在工程实际中的应用作了讨论.     

Mixed convection around a heated vertical cylinder embedded in porous medium

Numerical simulation has been performed to investigate the combined effects of wake flow pattern and buoyancy on the characteristics of the flow and heat transfer for the mixed convective flow around a vertical cylinder embedded in porous medium. Three-dimensional Darcy's equations are solved. The discretization procedure for the governing equations is based on the finite-volume method. Peclect number and Rayleigh number are two major independent parameters representing the effects of the flow and heat transfer, respectively. The flow pattern, temperature distribution, and Nusselt number distribution are investigated in wide ranges of these independent parameters. Correlation results for the onset of the secondary flow and enhancement of the heat transfer are presented and discussed.     

Germline mutations in HRAS proto-oncogene cause Costello syndrome

Costello syndrome is a multiple congenital anomaly and mental retardation syndrome characterized by coarse face, loose skin, cardiomyopathy and predisposition to tumors. We identified four heterozygous de novo mutations of HRAS in 12 of 13 affected individuals, all of which were previously reported as somatic and oncogenic mutations in various tumors. Our observations suggest that germline mutations in HRAS perturb human development and increase susceptibility to tumors.