The development of a protoplanetary disk from its natal envelope

Class 0 protostars, the youngest type of young stellar objects, show many signs of rapid development from their initial, spheroidal configurations, and therefore are studied intensively for details of the formation of protoplanetary disks within protostellar envelopes. At millimetre wavelengths, kinematic signatures of collapse have been observed in several such protostars, through observations of molecular lines that probe their outer envelopes. It has been suggested that one or more components of the proto-multiple system NGC 1333-IRAS 4 (refs 1, 2) may display signs of an embedded region that is warmer and denser than the bulk of the envelope. Here we report observations that reveal details of the core on Solar System dimensions. We detect in NGC 1333-IRAS 4B a rich emission spectrum of H2O, at wavelengths 20-37 microm, which indicates an origin in extremely dense, warm gas. We can model the emission as infall from a protostellar envelope onto the surface of a deeply embedded, dense disk, and therefore see the development of a protoplanetary disk. This is the only example of mid-infrared water emission from a sample of 30 class 0 objects, perhaps arising from a favourable orientation; alternatively, this may be an early and short-lived stage in the evolution of a protoplanetary disk.     

The structural basis of yeast prion strain variants

Among the many surprises to arise from studies of prion biology, perhaps the most unexpected is the strain phenomenon whereby a single protein can misfold into structurally distinct, infectious states that cause distinguishable phenotypes. Similarly, proteins can adopt a spectrum of conformations in non-infectious diseases of protein folding; some are toxic and others are well tolerated. However, our understanding of the structural differences underlying prion strains and how these differences alter their physiological impact remains limited. Here we use a combination of solution NMR, amide hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange and mutagenesis to study the structural differences between two strain conformations, termed Sc4 and Sc37 (ref. 5), of the yeast Sup35 prion. We find that these two strains have an overlapping amyloid core spanning most of the Gln/Asn-rich first 40 amino acids that is highly protected from H/D exchange and very sensitive to mutation. These features indicate that the cores are composed of tightly packed beta-sheets possibly resembling 'steric zipper' structures revealed by X-ray crystallography of Sup35-derived peptides. The stable structure is greatly expanded in the Sc37 conformation to encompass the first 70 amino acids, revealing why this strain shows increased fibre stability and decreased ability to undergo chaperone-mediated replication. Our findings establish that prion strains involve large-scale conformational differences and provide a structural basis for understanding a broad range of functional studies, including how conformational changes alter the physiological impact of prion strains.     

采用双等离子体制备非晶态碳膜的研究

采用直流金属磁过滤阴极真空弧(FCVA)制造出Ti和乙炔(C2H2)气体的双等离子体在单晶硅(100)上制备非晶态碳膜.重点研究了乙炔气体和过滤线圈电流对非晶态碳膜的结构、形貌和机械性能的影响.研究结果表明,薄膜中主要成分是TiC,并以(111)作为主晶向;随着过滤线圈电流的增大,薄膜的晶粒度越来越小;薄膜表面的粗糙度逐渐减小,变得更加平整;薄膜的应力减小,可以下降到2.5 GPa.薄膜的显微硬度和弹性模量随着C2H2体积流qV(C2H2)的增大而降低,硬度和弹性模量分别可以达到33.9 GPa和237.6 GPa.非晶态碳膜的摩擦因数在0.1～0.25之间,大大低于衬底材料单晶硅片的摩擦因数0.6.随着过滤线圈电流增大,摩擦因数减小.     

Epithelial-cell-intrinsic IKK-beta expression regulates intestinal immune homeostasis

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) provide a primary physical barrier against commensal and pathogenic microorganisms in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but the influence of IECs on the development and regulation of immunity to infection is unknown. Here we show that IEC-intrinsic IkappaB kinase (IKK)-beta-dependent gene expression is a critical regulator of responses of dendritic cells and CD4+ T cells in the GI tract. Mice with an IEC-specific deletion of IKK-beta show a reduced expression of the epithelial-cell-restricted cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin in the intestine and, after infection with the gut-dwelling parasite Trichuris, fail to develop a pathogen-specific CD4+ T helper type 2 (T(H)2) response and are unable to eradicate infection. Further, these animals show exacerbated production of dendritic-cell-derived interleukin-12/23p40 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, increased levels of CD4+ T-cell-derived interferon-gamma and interleukin-17, and develop severe intestinal inflammation. Blockade of proinflammatory cytokines during Trichuris infection ablates the requirement for IKK-beta in IECs to promote CD4+ T(H)2 cell-dependent immunity, identifying an essential function for IECs in tissue-specific conditioning of dendritic cells and limiting type 1 cytokine production in the GI tract. These results indicate that the balance of IKK-beta-dependent gene expression in the intestinal epithelium is crucial in intestinal immune homeostasis by promoting mucosal immunity and limiting chronic inflammation.     

基于真实三维结构的玉米冠层生化参数垂直分布的定量化分析

为了定量研究作物生化参数在冠层中的垂直分布情况,本文以2000年栾城实验测量的玉米冠层自上而下不同叶位叶片的光谱数据为基础,利用PROSPECT模型进行反演,获得每层叶片的叶绿素(a b)含量、等效水厚度、干物质含量等叶片的生化参数.通过比较发现:玉米冠层叶绿素等含量生化参数具有明显的随高度垂直分层现象,最明显的就是叶片的叶绿素含量,最大和最小叶绿素含量的相对差值甚至可以达到最大值的79.1%.在此基础上,根据实测玉米冠层结构,利用扩展L系统生成玉米真实三维结构冠层场景.通过统计计算每层叶片的生化参数,进而得到冠层生化参数的垂直分布.这为进一步基于冠层光谱的参数反演和定量分析以及农业应用等研究奠定了理论基础.     

层次化的片上网络设计方法

半导体技术的发展以及系统芯片应用复杂度的不断增长,使得片上互连结构的吞吐量、功耗、信号完整性、延迟以及时钟同步等问题更加复杂,出现了以片上网络为核心的通信结构.由于系统芯片结构和片上通信的固有特性,从提高通信性能和降低硬件开销的角度进行层次化片上网络的设计对系统芯片的发展具有重要意义.本文提出了层次化的片上网络设计方法,根据实现工艺和应用需求,进行层次划分,产生若干个IP子集(将这个子集称为"簇"),按照簇间的通信需求进行片上网络的设计.实验表明,采用层次化的片上网络设计方法,能够有效提高系统性能,降低硬件实现的开销,同时满足一定的服务质量要求.     

短生命周期产品动态定价下供应链协调问题分析

因为逾期的短生命周期产品的价值近似为0,零售商必须在一定时间内完成对库存产品的销售.由于需求的不确定性,短生命周期产品的零售商们常常通过动态定价的方式来影响需求,实现自身收益最大化.考察了制造商采取何种契约能够实现与零售商的双赢--供应链协调.分析了3种最常见的契约形式:回购契约、价格折扣契约和收益共享契约.分析发现,上述3种契约形式中,只有收益共享契约能够实现零售商动态定价时供应链协调.另外,价格折扣契约的变形--数量价格折扣契约也可以实现零售商动态定价时供应链协调.     

浅谈《机械制图与AUTO CAD》精品课程的建设

我院一直致力于《机械制图与AUTO CAD》课程建设,本文结合该课程的发展历程,从课程体系、教学内容、教学方法、教学手段、教材建设及实践教学等方面,对精品课程建设的基本思路进行了阐述。     

黔南石炭系层序地层格架中碳酸盐岩成岩作用研究

在三级层序地层格架内,从体系域及层序界面的角度对黔南石炭系碳酸盐岩的成岩作用进行了研究.结果表明,与LST有关的成岩作用主要为范围广泛的暴露溶蚀作用;与TST有关的成岩作用主要发育于海底成岩环境和混合水成岩环境,其中后者会随着海平面的不断上升而向大陆迁移;与HST有关的成岩作用主要包括发育于海底成岩环境的胶结作用及高位晚期的大气淡水成岩环境中的溶蚀、胶结和白云石化作用.与Ⅰ型层序界面有关的成岩作用主要有溶蚀作用、胶结作用和白云石化作用,成岩时间长、强度大,并且在黔南可进行区域对比;与Ⅱ型层序界面相关的成岩作用发育规模小,对碳酸盐岩的改造能力较弱.与HST有关的成岩作用及与Ⅰ型层序界面有关的成岩作用对碳酸盐岩储层的改造能力强,往往可形成厚层的白云岩及规模较大的溶蚀孔洞体系,因此,可以作为有利储层追踪对比及预测的有力地质依据之一.     

长大公路隧道火灾安全疏散性能化设计与分析

基于性能化防火设计方法, 分析火灾条件下长大公路隧道内人 员疏散行为的特点,给出隧道内人 员疏散的安全判据,并结合某隧道 的结构及车流特征对人员疏散过程 进行了数值模拟研究,分析隧道在 正常通车和局部行车堵塞时,不同 火源位置、横通道间距与横通道宽 度对人员疏散时间及安全状态的影 响。结果表明,与建筑内人员疏散不 同,长大公路隧道内火灾的可用安 全疏散时间(ASET)与需要的安全疏 散时间(RSET)均为沿隧道长度方向 位置的函数。隧道内人员安全疏散 的时间曲线在各横通道疏散口出现 峰值,这主要是受到横通道通行能 力的限制,各疏散口人员集聚等待 所致。当隧道发生局部堵塞时,横 通道口需要的安全疏散时间显著增 加,危险性也急剧增大。隧道内人 员疏散的性能化防火设计应综合考 虑火源位置对人员载荷及疏散口位 置可用安全疏散时间的影响。该研 究为公路隧道火灾安全疏散设施的 优化设计提供依据。