A Single Amino Acid Substitution in MIL1 Leads to Activation of Programmed Cell Death and Defense Responses in Rice

Lesion mimic mutants are an ideal model system for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death and defense responses in rice. In this study, we identified a lesion mimic mutant termed miner infection like 1-1 (mil1-1). The mil1-1 exhibited lesions on the leaves during development, and the chloroplasts of mil1-1 leaves were disrupted. Reactive oxygen species were found to accumulate in mil1-1 leaves. Cell death and DNA fragmentation were observed in mil1-1 leaves, indicating that the cells in the spots of mil1-1 leaves experienced programmed cell death. Most agronomic traits decreased in mil1-1, suggesting that the growth retardation in mil1-1 caused reduced per-plant grain yield. However, the mutation of MIL1 activated the expression of pathogen response genes and enhanced resistance to bacterial blight. The MIL1 gene was cloned using the positional cloning approach. A missense mutation 751 bp downstream of ATG was found in mil1-1. The defects of mil1-1 were able to be rescued by delivering a wild-type MIL1 gene into mil1-1. MIL1 encoded hydroperoxide lyase 3 (OsHPL3), and the expression of OsHPL3 was induced via hormone and abiotic stresses. Our findings provide insights into the roles of MIL1 in regulating programmed cell death, development, yield, and defense responses in rice.     

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Induces Adipogenesis via Control of Cilia in Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

During skin aging, the volume of subcutaneous adipose tissue (sWAT) and the adipogenesis potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) decrease. It is known that the shortening of cilia length by pro-inflammatory cytokines is related to the decreased adipogenic differentiation of ASCs via increase in Wnt5a/β-catenin. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is known to upregulate heat shock proteins (HSP), which decrease levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this study, we evaluated whether HIFU modulates the cilia of ASCs by upregulating HSP70 and decreasing inflammatory cytokines. HIFU was applied at 0.2 J to rat skin, which was harvested at 1, 3, 7, and 28 days. All results for HIFU-applied animals were compared with control animals that were not treated. HIFU increased expression of HSP70 and decreased expression of NF-κB, IL-6, and TNF-α in sWAT. HIFU decreased the expression of cilia disassembly-related factors (AurA and HDAC9) in ASCs. Furthermore, HIFU increased the expression of cilia assembly-related factors (KIF3A and IFT88), decreased that of WNT5A/β-catenin, and increased that of the adipogenesis markers PPARγ and CEBPα in sWAT. HIFU increased the number of adipocytes in the sWAT and the thickness of sWAT. In conclusion, HIFU could selectively increase sWAT levels by modulating the cilia of ASCs and be used for skin rejuvenation.     

Property and Stability of Astaxanthin Emulsion Based on Pickering Emulsion Templating with Zein and Sodium Alginate as Stabilizer

Astaxanthin loaded Pickering emulsion with zein/sodium alginate (SA) as a stabilizer (named as APEs) was developed, and its structure and stability were characterized. The encapsulation efficiency of astaxanthin (Asta) in APEs was up to 86.7 ± 3.8%, with a mean particle size of 4.763 μm. Freeze-dried APEs showed particles stacked together under scanning electronic microscope; whereas dispersed spherical nanoparticles were observed in APEs dilution under transmission electron microscope images. Confocal laser scanning microscope images indicated that zein particles loaded with Asta were aggregated with SA coating. X-ray diffraction patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectra results showed that intermolecular hydrogen bonding, electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic effect were involved in APEs formation. APEs demonstrated non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior and fit well to the Cross model. Compared to bare Asta extract, APEs maintained high Asta retention and antioxidant activity when heated from 50 to 10 °C. APEs showed different stability at pH (3.0–11.0) and Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe²⁺ conditions by visual, zeta potential and polydispersity index measurements. Additionally, the first order kinetics fit well to describe APEs degradation at pH 3.0 to 9.0, Na⁺, and K⁺ conditions. Our results suggest the potential application of Asta-loaded Pickering emulsion in food systems as a fortified additive.     

Experiences of Trauma and DNA Methylation Profiles among African American Mothers and Children

Potentially traumatic experiences have been associated with chronic diseases. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), have been proposed as an explanation for this association. We examined the association of experiences of trauma with epigenome-wide DNAm among African American mothers (n = 236) and their children aged 3–5 years (n = 232; N = 500), using the Life Events Checklist-5 (LEC) and Traumatic Events Screening Inventory—Parent Report Revised (TESI-PRR). We identified no DNAm sites significantly associated with potentially traumatic experience scores in mothers. One CpG site on the ENOX1 gene was methylome-wide-significant in children (FDR-corrected q-value = 0.05) from the TESI-PRR. This protein-coding gene is associated with mental illness, including unipolar depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia. Future research should further examine the associations between childhood trauma, DNAm, and health outcomes among this understudied and high-risk group. Findings from such longitudinal research may inform clinical and translational approaches to prevent adverse health outcomes associated with epigenetic changes.     

涡流管热冷出口压力比对其性能的影响研究

采用Fluent数值模拟的方法,以R41、R23、R32、R290、R1234yf、R134a为工质对涡流管进行三维数值模拟,得出不同工质涡流管制冷效应、制热效应以及分离效应随热冷出口压力比的变化规律,并以R41为工质分析不同流道数目涡流管性能随热冷出口压力比的变化规律。模拟结果表明:R41的制冷、制热以及分离效应最好,最大分离效应可达5 K左右;不同工质涡流管制热效应以及分离效应随热冷出口压力比的增大而增大,制冷效应随热冷出口压力比的增大而减小;不同热冷出口压力比条件下,随着喷嘴流道数的增加涡流管制冷效应逐渐降低而制热效应逐渐升高。     

AlGaN solar-blind APD with low breakdown voltage

A p-i-i-n type AlGaN heterostructure avalanche photodiodes (APDs) is proposed to decrease the avalanche breakdown voltage and to realize higher gain by using high-Al-content AlGaN layer as multiplication layer and low-Al-content AlGaN layer as absorption layer. The calculated results show that the designed APD can significantly reduce the breakdown voltage by almost 30%, and about sevenfold increase of maximum gain compared to the conventional AlGaN APD. The noise in designed APD is also less than that in conventional APD due to its low dark current at the breakdown voltage point. Moreover, the one-dimensional (1D) dual-periodic photonic crystal (PC) with anti-reflection coating filter is designed to achieve the solar-blind characteristic and cutoff wavelength of 282 nm is obtained.     

激光冲击强化技术的应用现状与发展

激光冲击强化是一种利用激光诱导等离子体冲击波来提高材料疲劳寿命的新型表面改性技术,具有强化效果显著、可控性强、适应性好等优点,对提高结构可靠性和部件疲劳强度、延长材料使用寿命具有重要作用。近年来,该技术受到了广泛重视,得到了快速发展。本文简要介绍了激光冲击强化技术的基本原理、特点与应用领域;总结了国内外激光冲击强化技术的发展状况与研究成果;并针对国内外激光冲击强化技术的现状,提出了一些现在需要解决的强化工艺问题;最后对激光冲击强化技术的应用前景进行了展望。

     

线性正则变换的离散化研究进展

线性正则变换(LCT)是Fourier变换和分数阶Fourier变换的广义形式。近年来研究成果表明, LCT在光学、信号处理及应用数学等领域有广泛的应用, 而离散化成为了其得以应用的关键。由于LCT的离散算法不能简单直接地将时域变量和LCT域变量离散化得到, 因此LCT的离散算法成为近年来的研究重点。本文依据LCT的离散化发展历史, 对其重要研究进展和现状进行了系统归纳和简要评述, 并给出不同离散化算法之间的区别和联系, 指明了未来发展方向。这对研究者全面了解LCT离散化方法具有很好的参考价值, 可以进一步促进其工程应用。

     

弹性波能量集中器散射效应的FRFT分析

由于弹性波传播动力学方程较复杂,若通过材料参数设计控制弹性波的传播路径,难以获得准确的设计结果。通常在对弹性波材料进行设计时,需要根据实际情况(如高频条件),对动力学方程进行简化或者近似才可以设计出基于弹性波的相应器件。由于这种设计方法的阻抗匹配和介质材料的无损要求难以满足,使得在设计弹性波传播器件过程中出现散射现象,而且往往散射的波形还是频变的信号,因此,在评价弹性波器件设计优劣时,散射现象的大小标志着设计效果的好坏,成为评价设计的手段和工具。但是,散射现象往往仅根据肉眼观察,难以准确地描述,无法给出定量的结果进行说明。为此,本文提出的分数阶Fourier变换(FRFT)对频变信号具有良好的聚焦特性,可利用频率变化的调频率,定量描述散射效应的大小,给出弹性波传播控制散射效应的一种定量的描述方法,降低散射程度认知的盲目性,为简化材料介质参数的设计提供依据。     

基于BIM理念的绿色建筑新思维

通过BIM精细化设计, 使用统一的数据源, 保持整个设计过程数据的可持续性, 对设计各阶段进行优化, 使设计作品达到绿色建筑设计的要求。此外, 使用数字模拟软件Ecotect、Fluent、Abaqus、Pathfinder等对光照、风环境、荷载、人员疏散进行模拟分析, 并通过模拟结果来优化建筑开窗、建筑遮阳、建筑抗震、建筑疏散以及可再生能源的利用, 提升设计质量, 保证设计的安全性、节能性、环保性和可持续性, 使图书馆具有更适合学习和生活的室内外环境, 达到“人-建筑-自然”三者和谐共生。