A bright example for all of us- Professor Shi Changxu

Professor Shi Chanxu received the Top Scientists Award of China in early 2011.This is a very important event.As a materials scientist originally from China,I am very happy to hear this news.I see this award as a great encouragement,not only for people working in the field of Materials Science and Engineering, but also for all scientists and technologists in China. Professor Shi is one of the most famous materials scientists in the world,and has also made great contributions to the strategic development of science and engineering in China.I had the opportunity to listen     

Oxysterols direct immune cell migration via EBI2

Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 2 (EBI2, also known as GPR183) is a G-protein-coupled receptor that is required for humoral immune responses; polymorphisms in the receptor have been associated with inflammatory autoimmune diseases. The natural ligand for EBI2 has been unknown. Here we describe the identification of 7α,25-dihydroxycholesterol (also called 7α,25-OHC or 5-cholesten-3β,7α,25-triol) as a potent and selective agonist of EBI2. Functional activation of human EBI2 by 7α,25-OHC and closely related oxysterols was verified by monitoring second messenger readouts and saturable, high-affinity radioligand binding. Furthermore, we find that 7α,25-OHC and closely related oxysterols act as chemoattractants for immune cells expressing EBI2 by directing cell migration in vitro and in vivo. A critical enzyme required for the generation of 7α,25-OHC is cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H). Similar to EBI2 receptor knockout mice, mice deficient in CH25H fail to position activated B cells within the spleen to the outer follicle and mount a reduced plasma cell response after an immune challenge. This demonstrates that CH25H generates EBI2 biological activity in vivo and indicates that the EBI2-oxysterol signalling pathway has an important role in the adaptive immune response.     

基于显式多项式恢复的后验误差估计

设计了一种基于显示多项式恢复（EPR）的后验误差估计,这种恢复是对函数值进行恢复,它的核心思想是在每条边上通过求解只有一个未知量的局部问题来恢复边中点的函数值。首先,给出了EPR方法的显示公式。该文基于EPR的后验误差估计分别与最新顶点加密方法和CVDT加密方法相结合,构造自适应有限元算法求解椭圆方程。数值试验表明基于EPR的后验误差是有效的,特别地对于泊松方程,在CVDT网格上EPR具有超收敛性质.最后,对一维情形,给出了相应的理论分析.     

IC厌氧反应器处理马铃薯淀粉废水特征研究

采用IC(厌氧内循环)法,通过自行研制的IC反应器,研究了马铃薯淀粉废水处理效果,结果表明:初次启动历时25 d,二次启动仅仅历时6d,COD去除率均可保持在80％以上;反应器所能耐受的最大有积负荷为40.57 kg COD/(m3·d);最经济有效的停留时间为5h,最佳负荷为28.75 kg COD/(m3·d).     

基于LXI总线的仪器接口硬件设计

根据LXI规范在测试测量仪器中引入基于嵌入式控制器的LAN接口模块,提出了一种在工业标准以太网技术上,增加了构建仪器系统需要的规范、语言、命令和协议等内容的模块化平台,以替代传统的测试总线技术.LAN接口模块不仅提高了测试效率,保证测试的准确性和可信度,而且还可以时测试数据和结果进行信息化的管理.     

表面增强光谱和表面等离激元共振传感器

表面等离激元光子学是研究光和金属表面自由电子耦合所引起金属表面电荷密度振荡的性质及其应用的一门学科. 金属中的自由电子在入射光的作用下产生集体振荡. 在垂直表面的方向上强度呈指数衰减, 使得亚波长金属结构中光场高度局域. 由于独特的光学性质, 使得其具有广泛的应用, 其中两个重要的分支为: 表面增强光谱和表面等离激元共振传感器. 表面增强光谱传感器是利用纳米结构的巨大表面增强效应来直接探测表面分子,表面等离激元共振传感器通过检测目标分子对等离激元共振峰的影响进行定性定量检测.这两种优势互补的传感器技术都可以达到单细胞甚至单分子的检测水平. 本文将论述表面等离激元光子学的原理、表面增强光谱和表面增强光谱传感器研究领域的国内外最新进展和发展趋势.     

Structure of the human histamine H1 receptor complex with doxepin

The biogenic amine histamine is an important pharmacological mediator involved in pathophysiological processes such as allergies and inflammations. Histamine H(1) receptor (H(1)R) antagonists are very effective drugs alleviating the symptoms of allergic reactions. Here we show the crystal structure of the H(1)R complex with doxepin, a first-generation H(1)R antagonist. Doxepin sits deep in the ligand-binding pocket and directly interacts with Trp?428(6.48), a highly conserved key residue in G-protein-coupled-receptor activation. This well-conserved pocket with mostly hydrophobic nature contributes to the low selectivity of the first-generation compounds. The pocket is associated with an anion-binding region occupied by a phosphate ion. Docking of various second-generation H(1)R antagonists reveals that the unique carboxyl group present in this class of compounds interacts with Lys?191(5.39) and/or Lys?179(ECL2), both of which form part of the anion-binding region. This region is not conserved in other aminergic receptors, demonstrating how minor differences in receptors lead to pronounced selectivity differences with small molecules. Our study sheds light on the molecular basis of H(1)R antagonist specificity against H(1)R.     

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.     

四膜虫有性生殖过程中特异表达基因TCD3的序列分析

含有CHROMO(chromatin organization modifier)结构域的蛋白参与了染色质结构的调节.本研究从嗜热四膜虫(Tetrahymena thermophila)全基因数据库(www.ciliate.org)和基因表达数据库(tged.ihb.ac.cn)中筛选到有性生殖特异表达TCD3(Tetrahymena chromo domain-containing protein 3)基因.该基因ORF为1 005bp,大核染色体中基因全长1 241bp,含有两个内含子.5′-RACE和3′-RACE表明5′端非编码区(5′-UTR)长度为40bp,3′端非编码区(3′-UTR)长度为90bp.TCD3基因预测编码334个氨基酸构成,含有一个CHROMO结构域.CHROMO结构域聚类分析表明四膜虫Tcd3蛋白可能与线虫CeCDP功能类似,参与异染色质的形成和DNA序列删除.