Decreased Expression of Plakophilin-2 and αT-Catenin in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: Potential Markers for Diagnosis

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a hereditary disease of the heart muscle. Clinical challenges remain, however, in identifying patients with ARVC in the early or concealed stages with subtle clinical manifestations. Therefore, we wanted to identify potential targets by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis in comparison with controls. Pathogenic mutations were identified in 11 of 37 autopsied patients with ARVC. As observed from IHC analysis of the RV, expression of αT-catenin and plakophilin-2 is significantly decreased in autopsied patients with ARVC as compared to controls, and the decreased expression is consistent in patients with and without pathogenic mutations. Furthermore, ARVC specimens demonstrated a reduced localization of αT-catenin, desmocollin-2, desmoglein-2, desmoplakin, and plakophilin-2 on intercalated discs. These findings have been validated by comparing RV specimens obtained via endomyocardial biopsy between patients with ARVC and those without. The pathogenic mutation was present in 3 of 5 clinical patients with ARVC. In HL-1 myocytes, siRNA was used to knockdown CTNNA3, and western blotting analysis demonstrated that the decline in αT-catenin expression was accompanied by a significant decline in the expression of plakophilin-2. The aforementioned effect was directed towards protein degradation rather than mRNA stability. Plakophilin-2 expression decreases concurrently with the decline in CTNNA3 expression. Therefore, the expression of αT-catenin and plakophilin-2 could be potential surrogates for the diagnosis of ARVC.     

氨氮废水的处理技术及发展

综述了当前氨氮废水处理技术的原理和各自的优缺点, 介绍了国内外氨氮废水处理的研究现状, 同时对氨氮废水处理前景进行了展望, 并提出了今后应着重考虑的几个问题。     

Modulating lateral strain in GaN-based epitaxial layers by patterning sapphire substrates with aligned carbon nanotube films

A novel carbon nanotube-patterned sapphire substrate (CPSS) has been utilized for the growth of GaN material and fabrication of a InGaN/GaN light emitting diode (LED) by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Different lateral strain distributions and stress reductions were observed in a GaN thin film on CPSS compared with those on a conventional sapphire substrate. Nanoheteroepitaxy induced by small size nucleation islands of about 50 nm is ascribed to this significant strain modulation. The crystalline quality of the GaN thin film was also improved, as illustrated by X-ray diffraction. Performances of 1 mm × 1 mm LEDs on CPSS were also enhanced, with an operational power increase of 37.5% and higher saturation current.      

天然气超声流量计健康状态评价方法初探

目的天然气计量用超声流量计性能诊断主要采用设定参数阈值的诊断方法,为降低误报、漏报等情况,建立了基于生成对抗神经网络(generated adjoint neural network,GAN)和高维非线性无监督学习的超声流量计健康状态系统诊断方法。 方法采用GAN对原始数据进行学习、生成和扩充,保障超声流量计健康状态诊断建模的数据基础,提取超声流量计在运行过程中的健康状态参数并对其进行时序分析,采用高维非线性无监督聚类学习方法,结合超声流量计失效模式分析,对超声流量计设备进行在线的健康状态诊断。 结果结合超声流量计工作原理和现场实际采集数据,对生成的故障数据集进行了验证。 结论能够准确识别超声流量计当前状态,显著解决传统阈值法误报率、漏报率高的问题,为超声流量计健康诊断的统一管理与开发给予支撑。      

Editable Supercapacitors with Customizable Stretchability Based on Mechanically Strengthened Ultralong MnO2 Nanowire Composite

Although some progress has been made on stretchable supercapacitors, traditional stretchable supercapacitors fabricated by predesigning structured electrodes for device assembling still lack the device‐level editability and programmability. To adapt to wearable electronics with arbitrary configurations, it is highly desirable to develop editable supercapacitors that can be directly transferred into desirable shapes and stretchability. In this work, editable supercapacitors for customizable shapes and stretchability using electrodes based on mechanically strengthened ultralong MnO₂ nanowire composites are developed. A supercapacitor edited with honeycomb‐like structure shows a specific capacitance of 227.2 mF cm^?2 and can be stretched up to 500% without degradation of electrochemical performance, which is superior to most of the state‐of‐the‐art stretchable supercapacitors. In addition, it maintains nearly 98% of the initial capacitance after 10 000 stretch‐and‐release cycles under 400% tensile strain. As a representative of concept for system integration, the editable supercapacitors are integrated with a strain sensor, and the system exhibits a stable sensing performance even under arm swing. Being highly stretchable, easily programmable, as well as connectable in series and parallel, an editable supercapacitor with customizable stretchability is promising to produce stylish energy storage devices to power various portable, stretchable, and wearable devices.     

Two-dimensional MX Dirac materials and quantum spin Hall insulators with tunable electronic and topological properties

We propose a novel class of two-dimensional(2D)Dirac materials in the MX family(M=Be,Mg,Zn and Cd,X=Cl,Br and I),which exhibit graphene-like band structures with linearly-dispersing Dirac-cone states over large energy scales(0.8–1.8 eV)and ultra-high Fermi velocities comparable to graphene.Spin-orbit coupling opens sizable topological band gaps so that these compounds can be effectively classified as quantum spin Hall insulators.The electronic and topological properties are found to be highly tunable and amenable to modulation via anion-layer substitution and vertical electric field.Electronic structures of several members of the family are shown to host a Van-Hove singularity(VHS)close to the energy of the Dirac node.The enhanced density-of-states associated with these VHSs could provide a mechanism for inducing topological superconductivity.The presence of sizable band gaps,ultra-high carrier mobilities,and small effective masses makes the MX family promising for electronics and spintronics applications.     

Biophotonic probes for bio-detection and imaging

The rapid development of biophotonics and biomedical sciences makes a high demand on photonic structures to be interfaced with biological systems that are capab...     

PCC在双转子连续混炼机控制系统中的应用

采用先进的PCC控制系统实现了对双转子连续混炼机的有效控制。介绍了该系统的整体方案,简述了该控制系统的特点,重点阐述了在设备运行中对混炼机、喂料机、单螺杆挤出机及切粒机等主要部件的连锁控制及对相关回路的PID控制。该系统具有友好的人机界面、操作简便、运行可靠等特点。     

Characterization,Expression Profiling,and Biochemical Analyses of the Cinnamoyl-CoA Reductase Gene Family for Lignin Synthesis in Alfalfa Plants

Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) is a pivotal enzyme in plant lignin synthesis, which has a role in plant secondary cell wall development and environmental stress defense. Alfalfa is a predominant legume forage with excellent quality, but the lignin content negatively affects fodder digestibility. Currently, there is limited information on CCR characteristics, gene expression, and its role in lignin metabolism in alfalfa. In this study, we identified 30 members in the CCR gene family of Medicago sativa. In addition, gene structure, conserved motif, and evolution analysis suggested MsCCR1–7 presumably functioned as CCR, while the 23 MsCCR-likes fell into three categories. The expression patterns of MsCCRs/MsCCR-likes suggested their role in plant development, response to environmental stresses, and phytohormone treatment. These results were consistent with the cis-elements in their promoters. Histochemical staining showed that lignin accumulation gradually deepened with the development, which was consistent with gene expression results. Furthermore, recombinant MsCCR1 and MsCCR-like1 were purified and the kinetic parameters were tested under four substrates. In addition, three-dimensional structure models of MsCCR1 and MsCCR-like1 proteins showed the difference in the substrate-binding motif H212(X)2K215R263. These results will be useful for further application for legume forage quality modification and biofuels industry engineering in the future.     

S波段微波照射对大鼠免疫功能的影响

用S波段高功率微波照射大鼠,观察大鼠白细胞计数、淋巴细胞数、T细胞及其亚群和免疫球蛋白的变化,以期了解S波段高功率微波照射对大鼠免疫功能的影响.结果表明,S波段高功率微波照射可以引起大鼠白细胞水平降低,T细胞亚群出现兴奋效应,免疫球蛋白早期出现不同程度的降低,表现出低剂量刺激而高剂量抑制的效应.