Developmental and Reproductive Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Arabidopsis thaliana

Increasing use of iron oxide nanoparticles in medicine and environmental remediation has led to concerns regarding exposure of these nanoparticles to the public. However, limited studies are available to evaluate their effects on the environment, in particular on plants and food crops. Here, we investigated the effects of positive (PC) and negative (NC) charged iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (IONPs) on the physiology and reproductive capacity of Arabidopsis thaliana at concentrations of 3 and 25 mg/L. The 3 mg/L treated plants did not show evident effects on seeding and root length. However, the 25 mg/L treatment resulted in reduced seedling (positive-20% and negative-3.6%) and root (positive-48% and negative-negligible) length. Interestingly, treatment with polyethylenimine (PEI; IONP-PC coating) also resulted in reduced root length (39%) but no change was observed with polyacrylic acid (PAA; IONP-NC coating) treatment alone. However, treatment with IONPs at 3 mg/L did lead to an almost 5% increase in aborted pollen, a 2%–6% reduction in pollen viability and up to an 11% reduction in seed yield depending on the number of treatments. Interestingly, the treated plants did not show any observable phenotypic changes in overall size or general plant structure, indicating that environmental nanoparticle contamination could go dangerously unnoticed.     

Effects of SO2 on selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 over a TiO2 photocatalyst

The effect of SO₂ gas was investigated on the activity of the photo-assisted selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen monoxide (NO) with ammonia (NH₃) over a TiO₂ photocatalyst in the presence of excess oxygen (photo-SCR). The introduction of SO₂ (300 ppm) greatly decreased the activity of the photo-SCR at 373 K. The increment of the reaction temperature enhanced the resistance to SO₂ gas, and at 553 K the conversion of NO was stable for at least 300 min of the reaction. X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), elemental analysis and N₂ adsorption measurement revealed that the ammonium sulfate species were generated after the reaction. There was a strong negative correlation between the deposition amount of the ammonium sulfate species and the specific surface area. Based on the above relationship, we concluded that the deposition of the ammonium sulfate species decreased the specific surface area by plugging the pore structure of the catalyst, and the decrease of the specific surface area resulted in the deactivation of the catalyst.     

内热型超声雾化溶液再生系统最优内热量的研究

基于质量守恒、能量守恒定律，建立了内热型超声雾化溶液再生系统（IH-UARS）的再生性能预测模型并进行了充分的实验验证，通过研究不同内热量下IH-UARS的再生性能及其变化规律，寻求系统所需的最佳内热量并明确其可能的影响因素。结果表明：IH-UARS系统存在最优的内热量范围，使其再生系统性能最佳；所需最优内热量随着再生溶液流量增大呈显著的对数增长，但受空气流量的影响较弱；在该研究中的标准工况下，IH-UARS所需最优内热量约为275~350 W。此外研究发现：内热量的增长有益于促进初始浓度较高的溶液进一步浓缩再生，如当IH-UARS中内热量增至800 W时，其初始浓度为36%的溶液比24%的溶液浓度增量指标改善幅度高37%。研究所得结果可对提高溶液再生性能及经济性提供积极参考。     

Current Status on Stem Cells and Cancers of the Gastric Epithelium

Gastric cancer is still a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide in spite of declining incidence. Gastric cancers are, essentially, adenocarcinomas and one of the strongest risk factors is still infection with Helicobacter pylori. Within the last years, it became clear that gastric self-renewal and carcinogenesis are intimately linked, particularly during chronic inflammatory conditions. Generally, gastric cancer is now regarded as a disease resulting from dysregulated differentiation of stem and progenitor cells, mainly due to an inflammatory environment. However, the situation in the stomach is rather complex, consisting of two types of gastric units which show bidirectional self-renewal from an unexpectedly large variety of progenitor/stem cell populations. As in many other tumors, cancer stem cells have also been characterized for gastric cancer. This review focuses on the various gastric epithelial stem cells, how they contribute to self-renewal and which routes are known to gastric adenocarcinomas, including their stem cells.     

Direct Injection of CRISPR/Cas9-Related mRNA into Cytoplasm of Parthenogenetically Activated Porcine Oocytes Causes Frequent Mosaicism for Indel Mutations

Some reports demonstrated successful genome editing in pigs by one-step zygote microinjection of mRNA of CRISPR/Cas9-related components. Given the relatively long gestation periods and the high cost of housing, the establishment of a single blastocyst-based assay for rapid optimization of the above system is required. As a proof-of-concept, we attempted to disrupt a gene (GGTA1) encoding the α-1,3-galactosyltransferase that synthesizes the α-Gal epitope using parthenogenetically activated porcine oocytes. The lack of α-Gal epitope expression can be monitored by staining with fluorescently labeled isolectin BS-I-B₄ (IB4), which binds specifically to the α-Gal epitope. When oocytes were injected with guide RNA specific to GGTA1 together with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and human Cas9 mRNAs, 65% (24/37) of the developing blastocysts exhibited green fluorescence, although almost all (96%, 23/24) showed a mosaic fluorescent pattern. Staining with IB4 revealed that the green fluorescent area often had a reduced binding activity to IB4. Of the 16 samples tested, six (five fluorescent and one non-fluorescent blastocysts) had indel mutations, suggesting a correlation between EGFP expression and mutation induction. Furthermore, it is suggested that zygote microinjection of mRNAs might lead to the production of piglets with cells harboring various mutation types.     

Glibenclamide for the Treatment of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are associated with severe functional disability and high mortality. Except for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, therapies targeting the underlying pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS) ischemia and hemorrhage are strikingly lacking. Sur1-regulated channels play essential roles in necrotic cell death and cerebral edema following ischemic insults, and in neuroinflammation after hemorrhagic injuries. Inhibiting endothelial, neuronal, astrocytic and oligodendroglial sulfonylurea receptor 1–transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (Sur1–Trpm4) channels and, in some cases, microglial K_ATP (Sur1–Kir6.2) channels, with glibenclamide is protective in a variety of contexts. Robust preclinical studies have shown that glibenclamide and other sulfonylurea agents reduce infarct volumes, edema and hemorrhagic conversion, and improve outcomes in rodent models of ischemic stroke. Retrospective studies suggest that diabetic patients on sulfonylurea drugs at stroke presentation fare better if they continue on drug. Additional laboratory investigations have implicated Sur1 in the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic CNS insults. In clinically relevant models of subarachnoid hemorrhage, glibenclamide reduces adverse neuroinflammatory and behavioral outcomes. Here, we provide an overview of the preclinical studies of glibenclamide therapy for CNS ischemia and hemorrhage, discuss the available data from clinical investigations, and conclude with promising preclinical results that suggest glibenclamide may be an effective therapeutic option for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.     

基于WiMAX通信网络的电源监控系统的构建

分析了全球微波接入互存(WiMAX)的技术特点和算法复杂度,探讨了其在电源监控系统中的应用,提出了基于Inter WiMAX Connection 2250技术的远程电源监控系统。在讨论WiMAX物理层算法的基础上,确定了以正交频分多址(OFDMA)模式为主体的物理层通信协议,提高了信道的利用率,抑制了码间干扰,为构建电源监控系统打下了良好的基础。     

Distributed wireless power transfer in sensor networks with multiple Mobile Chargers

We investigate the problem of efficient wireless power transfer in wireless sensor networks. In our approach, special mobile entities (called the Mobile Chargers) traverse the network and wirelessly replenish the energy of sensor nodes. In contrast to most current approaches, we envision methods that are distributed and use limited network information. We propose four new protocols for efficient charging, addressing key issues which we identify, most notably (i) what are good coordination procedures for the Mobile Chargers and (ii) what are good trajectories for the Mobile Chargers. Two of our protocols (DC, DCLK) perform distributed, limited network knowledge coordination and charging, while two others (CC, CCGK) perform centralized, global network knowledge coordination and charging. As detailed simulations demonstrate, one of our distributed protocols outperforms a known state of the art method, while its performance gets quite close to the performance of the powerful centralized global knowledge method.     

泛在电力物联网在北京经济技术开发区的应用探索

泛在电力物联网是物联网在电力领域的具体体现，建设泛在电力物联网是推进"三型两网"建设的关键环节，也是实现能源转型的必要手段。阐述了泛在电力物联网的定义，从供电公司角度出发，根据北京经济技术开发区实际情况，讨论了依托地区特点的泛在电力物联网实施策略和实际应用场景，分析了可能遇到的问题。得出结论：随着泛在电力物联网的深入建设，供电公司能够为电力客户提供多元化服务，提高客户满意度；地市供电公司能够依托泛在电力物联网开展更多电力相关业务；泛在电力物联网的安全性、实用性、有效性是发展面临的首要问题。     

摇摆运动下多环路主冷却剂系统自然循环流量的稳定性分析

海洋核动力平台因其突出的安全性已成为当今核能领域热点研究问题之一，但在海洋等非惯性条件下会使一回路系统的热工特性发生变化。针对此问题，本文对几种典型的一回路系统在摇摆条件下的自然循环流量波动特性进行计算分析。分别建立典型的双环路、三环路、四环路的一回路系统模型布置方案，并同时考虑摇摆中心的位置，根据流体动量守恒方程，得到不同状态下一回路系统内的流量变化规律。对于单堆双环路系统，摇摆中心在船上/中/下部位置时，环路流量波动幅度分别为13.2%/11.2%/9.5%，堆芯流量波动幅度分别为0.9%/0.8%/0.6%；对于单堆三环路系统，摇摆中心在船下部时，环路流量和堆芯流量波动幅度分别为9.2%和0.8%；对于单堆四环路系统，摇摆中心在船下部时，布置方案1和方案2的环路流量波动幅度分别为9.5%和9.2%，堆芯流量波动幅度分别为0.9%和0.7%。计算结果表明：采用单堆双环路的设计布置方案是最有利于系统稳定性的。