Functional organisation of the endomembrane network in the digestive gland of the Venus flytrap: revisiting an old story with a new microscopy toolbox

Up-to-date imaging approaches were used to address the spatiotemporal organisation of the endomembrane system in secretory cells of Dionaea muscipula. Different ‘slice and view’ methodologies were performed on resin-embedded samples to finally achieve a 3D reconstruction of the cell architecture, using ultrastructural tomography, array tomography, serial block face-scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM), correlation, and volume rendering at the light microscopy level. Observations of cryo-fixed samples by high-pressure freezing revealed changes of the endomembrane system that occur after trap activation and prey digestion. They provide evidence for an original strategy that adapts the secretory machinery to a specific and unique case of stimulated exocytosis in plant cells. A first secretion peak is part of a rapid response to deliver digestive fluids to the cell surface, which delivers the needed stock of digestive materials ‘on site’. The second peak of activity could then be associated with the reconstruction of the Golgi apparatus (GA), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and vacuolar machinery, in order to prepare for a subsequent round of prey capture. Tubular continuum between ER and Golgi stacks observed on ZIO-impregnated tissues may correspond to an efficient transfer mechanism for lipids and/or proteins, especially for use in rapidly resetting the molecular GA machinery. The occurrence of one vacuolar continuum may permit continuous adjustment of cell homeostasy. The subcellular features of the secretory cells of Dionaea muscipula outline key innovations in the organisation of plant cell compartmentalisation that are used to cope with specific cell needs such as the full use of the GA as a protein factory, and the ability to create protein reservoirs in the periplasmic space. Shape-derived forces of the pleiomorphic vacuole may act as signals to accompany the sorting and entering flows of the cell.     

Native Mass Spectrometry for the Study of PROTAC GNE-987-Containing Ternary Complexes

PRO teolysis TA rgeting C himeras (PROTACs) promote the degradation, rather than inhibition, of a drug target as a mechanism for therapeutic treatment. Bifunctional PROTAC molecules allow simultaneous binding of both the target protein and an E3-Ubiquitin ligase, bringing the two proteins into close spatial proximity to allow ubiquitinylation and degradation of the target protein via the cell's endogenous protein degradation pathway. We utilized native mass spectrometry (MS) to study the ternary complexes promoted by the previously reported PROTAC GNE-987 between Brd4 bromodomains 1 and 2, and Von Hippel Lindeau E3-Ubiquitin Ligase. Native MS at high resolution allowed us to measure ternary complex formation as a function of PROTAC concentration to provide a measure of complex affinity and stability, whilst simultaneously measuring other intermediate protein species. Native MS provides a high-throughput, low sample consumption, direct screening method to measure ternary complexes for PROTAC development.     

Stability enhancement of induction generator–based series compensated wind power plants by alleviating subsynchronous torsional oscillations using BFOA‐optimal controller tuned STATCOM

In this paper, a STATCOM (static synchronous compensator) is used to encounter the potential SSR (subsynchronous resonance) observed by IG (Induction Generator) based series compensated wind farms. The basic controller used for STATCOM control is identical to that of the literature. An idea of a unique meta‐heuristic swarm‐based optimization technique called BFOA (bacterial foraging optimization algorithm) based optimal‐controller is introduced for optimal parameter selection of the basic controller used in the control scheme of the STATCOM. The investigation is carried out with 500 MW IG‐based wind farm exposed to three‐phase LLL‐G fault close to the PCC (point of common coupling) and implemented with MATLAB in both steady and transient states for the three different cases, namely, without STATCOM, with the basic STATCOM controller, and in the presence of the proposed BFOA‐optimal controller‐based STATCOM. In both the states, the observed eigenvalues of the test system, together with the time domain results of the generator rotor dynamics for three distinct cases, reveals the effectiveness of the suggested BFOA‐optimal controller tuned STATCOM in mitigating the potential SSR.     

基于经验拟合法的燃煤电厂二氧化碳排放特征分析

依据IPCC清单编制指南第三类方法（T3），对燃煤电厂近6年的相关数据进行调查与收集，采用经验拟合法计算方案核算燃料的单位热值含碳量，经计算得出燃煤电厂煤炭燃烧产生的CO₂排放量，并进一步核算出单位燃煤消耗量的CO₂排放量，以此指标衡量燃煤电厂的CO₂排放水平。通过对不同机组类型、不同燃料类型、不同机组容量产生的单位燃煤消耗量的CO₂排放量对比分析，得出燃煤电厂的CO₂排放特征。     

葡萄酒高级醇检测方法的优化及其在本土酿酒酵母筛选中的应用

该研究在国标GB/T 5009.48—2003《蒸馏酒与配制酒卫生标准的分析方法》的基础上，建立起一种显色稳定、准确性更高的高级醇检测法。结果表明，当葡萄酒酒样在梯度稀释20倍，加样静置1 min，80 ℃水浴30 min且以50%硫酸溶液作为稀释剂的条件下进行检测，精密度试验结果相对标准偏差（RSD）为1.665%，加标回收率为99.11%，均优于国标法；采用气质联用（GC-MS）法对6株本土酵母产高级醇含量进行对比检测，结果显示所测总量无显著差异（P＞0.05），证明优化法较为准确、可靠。该研究筛选获得了两株低产高级醇菌株LFP529和LFP525，其发酵酒的高级醇含量较对照分别降低了55.44%、58.31%，为解决我国部分产区葡萄酒高级醇含量较高提供了解决方案。     

国内在役核电厂首例电气贯穿件更换改造

核电厂电气贯穿件作为安全壳上的关键设备，承担着核岛内外各种电力和信号传输以及保证安全壳压力边界完整性的重要功能。通过秦山核电厂一期工程30万千瓦机组第18次大修期间国产在役DDG-1型电气贯穿件更换改造项目的实施，分析了秦山核电厂一期工程在役电气贯穿件设备现状和改造的必要性；针对在役核电厂更换改造工期短和贯穿件密封性能验证难等问题，通过优化检验工序、制作专用检漏工装的方法，缩短了贯穿件改造的工期并验证了贯穿件密封性能。      

Impact of industrial virtual power plant on renewable energy integration

An industrial park is one of the typical energy consumption schemes in power systems owing to the heavy industrial loads and their abilities to respond to electricity price changes. Therefore, energy integration in the industrial sector is significant. Accordingly, the concept of industrial virtual power plant (IVPP) has been proposed to deal with such problems. This study demonstrates an IVPP model to manage resources in an eco-industrial park, including energy storage systems, demand response (DR) resources, and distributed energies. In addition, fuzzy theory is used to change the deterministic system constraints to fuzzy parameters, considering the uncertainty of renewable energy, and fuzzy chance constraints are then set based on the credibility theory. By maximizing the daily benefits of the IVPP owners in day-ahead markets, DR and energy storage systems can be scheduled economically. Therefore, the energy between the grid and IVPP can flow in both directions: the surplus renewable electricity of IVPP can be sold in the market; when the electricity generated inside IVPP is not enough for its use, IVPP can also purchase power through the market. Case studies based on three wind-level scenarios demonstrate the efficient synergies between IVPP resources. The validation results indicate that IVPP can optimize the supply and demand resources in industrial parks, thereby decarbonizing the power systems.     

Primary energy demand and energy costs of fixed-bed drying using the example of chamomile flowers

Abstract

Energy use efficiency in the drying of medicinal and aromatic plants is largely determined by weather conditions and process parameters. While the former are beyond control, the latter can be optimized. In order to achieve such optimization, different energy supply variants, based on typical operating conditions of batch-type grate drying in Thuringia, Germany, were analyzed. It was found that partial air recirculation and integration of heat pumps allow substantial savings in primary energy. However, under the constraint of German energy prices, significant savings in energy costs can only be achieved if combined heat and power generation systems are applied at the same time.     

Acceptance of biomass plants – Results of a longitudinal study in the bioenergy-region Altmark

The present contribution addresses the results of a longitudinal study in a ‘bioenergy-region’ concerning the public acceptance of biomass plants and the corresponding influencing factors. Using a standardized questionnaire, 423 persons were polled between 2009 and 2011 on three points of measurement in four places in the bioenergy-region Altmark. One main result of the study is that the reported public acceptance remains constantly high over time; nevertheless it became evident that the respective influencing factors differ in their strength, whereas the perceived regional benefit shows a strong connection to the reported public acceptance of biomass plants at each point of measurement. Concluding the research results, the acceptance of biomass plants doesn't seem to be a fixed construct, but has to be seen in context of the respective experiences with plants on a local level over time.In addition to the local population, key actors of the regional biomass sector were also interviewed (N = 26). The analyses show significant differences in the perception and evaluation of the current informational level between the population and the key actors. Furthermore, the key actors estimated the utilisation of biomass even more positively and expected a greater ‘signal function’ of the bioenergy-region-project compared to the population.