Fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films by ion beam sputtering deposition from a quaternary target at different substrate temperatures

Cu(In, Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) thin films were fabricated by ion beam sputtering deposition from a single quaternary target at different substrate temperatures (T _sub). The thin films were characterized with X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and four-point probe technique to study the microstructures, surface morphology, composition and electrical properties, respectively. The results show that the films grown above 400?°C are of chalcopyrite structure. Cu(In_0.7Ga_0.3)Se₂ thin film was obtained when T _sub is 550?°C. The Cu and Se atomic percentage when T _sub is above 500?°C is higher than when T _sub is below 500?°C. With the increase in T _sub, the surfaces morphology of the films is denser and the resistivity of the films decreases.     

Connecting Chinese Standards to IEC Standards

During research on different stan- dards for electrical accessories and household electrical appliances it has been suggested that to connect Chinese standards to IEC(International Electrotechnical Commission)standards we should carry out essential innovations based on assimilat- ing according to our own practical conditions.This method is the only way to standardize and at the same time maintain Chinese characteristics.     

Sphingolipids at Plasmodesmata: Structural Components and Functional Modulators

Plasmodesmata (PD) are plant-specific channels connecting adjacent cells to mediate intercellular communication of molecules essential for plant development and defense. The typical PD are organized by the close apposition of the plasma membrane (PM), the desmotubule derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and spoke-like elements linking the two membranes. The plasmodesmal PM (PD-PM) is characterized by the formation of unique microdomains enriched with sphingolipids, sterols, and specific proteins, identified by lipidomics and proteomics. These components modulate PD to adapt to the dynamic changes of developmental processes and environmental stimuli. In this review, we focus on highlighting the functions of sphingolipid species in plasmodesmata, including membrane microdomain organization, architecture transformation, callose deposition and permeability control, and signaling regulation. We also briefly discuss the difference between sphingolipids and sterols, and we propose potential unresolved questions that are of help for further understanding the correspondence between plasmodesmal structure and function.     

Biomimetic Robust Starch Composite Films with Super-Hydrophobicity and Vivid Structural Colors

The starch composite films (SCFs) will be one of the best alternative packaging materials to petroleum based plastic films, which mitigates white pollution and energy consumption. However, weak mechanical stability, water resistance, and dyeability has hindered the application of SCFs. Herein, a bioinspired robust SCFs with super-hydrophobicity and excellent structural colors were prepared by fiber-reinforcement and assembling SiO₂/Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) amorphous arrays on the surface of SCFs. The properties of the designed SCFs were investigated by various methods including scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), a tensile test, contact angle (CA) test, and an optical test. The results showed that the obtained SCFs possessed a higher tensile strength (55.17 MPa) attributed to the formed abundant hydrogen bonds between the molecular chains of the starch, cellulose fiber, and polyvinyl alcohol. Benefiting from the nanostructure with rough surface which were modified by materials with low surface free energy, the contact angle and sliding angle of the film reached up to 154° and 2°, respectively. The colors which were produced by the constructive interference of the coherent scattered light could cover all of the visible regions by tuning the diameters of the SiO₂ nanoparticles. The strategy in the present study not only reinforces the mechanical strength and water resistance of SCFs but also provides an environmentally friendly way to color the them, which shows unprecedented application potential in packaging materials of the starch composite films.     

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies a Rice Panicle Blast Resistance Gene,Pb2, Encoding NLR Protein

Rice blast is one of the main diseases in rice and can occur in different rice growth stages. Due to the complicated procedure of panicle blast identification and instability of panicle blast infection influenced by the environment, most cloned rice resistance genes are associated with leaf blast. In this study, a rice panicle blast resistance gene, Pb2, was identified by genome-wide association mapping based on the panicle blast resistance phenotypes of 230 Rice Diversity Panel 1 (RDP1) accessions with 700,000 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A genome-wide association study identified 18 panicle blast resistance loci (PBRL) within two years, including 9 reported loci and 2 repeated loci (PBRL2 and PBRL13, PBRL10 and PBRL18). Among them, the repeated locus (PBRL10 and PBRL18) was located in chromosome 11. By haplotype and expression analysis, one of the Nucleotide-binding domain and Leucine-rich Repeat (NLR) Pb2 genes was highly conserved in multiple resistant rice cultivars, and its expression was significantly upregulated after rice blast infection. Pb2 encodes a typical NBS-LRR protein with NB-ARC domain and LRR domain. Compared with wild type plants, the transgenic rice of Pb2 showed enhanced resistance to panicle and leaf blast with reduced lesion number. Subcellular localization of Pb2 showed that it is located on plasma membrane, and GUS tissue-staining observation found that Pb2 is highly expressed in grains, leaf tips and stem nodes. The Pb2 transgenic plants showed no difference in agronomic traits with wild type plants. It indicated that Pb2 could be useful for breeding of rice blast resistance.     

NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE HYDRODYNAMIC PERFORMANCES OF A NEW SPAR CONCEPT

Recently, the spar platform concept develops quickly in the offshore oil and gas exploitations, especially in deep and ultra-deep water, owing to its benign motion performance, excellent stability and adaptation to wide range of water depth. Many new spar concepts have been put forward with the purpose of reducing fabrication difficulty and cost, while meeting the requirements of exploitation in the meantime. Based on the aims mentioned above, a new spar concept was presented in this article and its hydrodynamics both in operating and survival conditions was studied by means of numerical simulation. Basic model tests were also conducted to calibrate the numerical approach. Following aspects are highlighted: (1) new spar concept, (2) global performance of the spar concept and (3) mooring line analysis.     

Collaborative Action of Microglia and Astrocytes Mediates Neutrophil Recruitment to the CNS to Defend against Escherichia coli K1 Infection

Escherichia coli K1 is a leading cause of neonatal bacterial meningitis. Recruitment of neutrophils to the central nervous system (CNS) via local immune response plays a critical role in defense against E. coli K1 infection; however, the mechanism underlying this recruitment remains unclear. In this study, we report that microglia and astrocytes are activated in response to stimulation by E. coli K1 and/or E. coli K1-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and work collaboratively to drive neutrophil recruitment to the CNS. Microglial activation results in the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, which activates astrocytes, resulting in the production of CXCL1, a chemokine critical for recruiting neutrophils. Mice lacking either microglia or TNF-α exhibit impaired production of CXCL1, impaired neutrophil recruitment, and an increased CNS bacterial burden. C-X-C chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2)-expressing neutrophils primarily respond to CXCL1 released by astrocytes. This study provides further insights into how immune responses drive neutrophil recruitment to the brain to combat E. coli K1 infection. In addition, we show that direct recognition of E. coli K1 by microglia is prevented by the K1 capsule. This study also reveals that OMVs are sufficient to induce microglial activation.     

行销规律在电力营销工作中的应用探讨

分析了行销规律与电力营销工作的共性,找出该规律与电力营销工作的结合点,并将其应用在电力营销工作中,以促进、拓展供电企业电力营销工作的范围与空间,增强企业竞争实力。