Auxin and Root Gravitropism: Addressing Basic Cellular Processes by Exploiting a Defined Growth Response

Root architecture and growth are decisive for crop performance and yield, and thus a highly topical research field in plant sciences. The root system of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is the ideal system to obtain insights into fundamental key parameters and molecular players involved in underlying regulatory circuits of root growth, particularly in responses to environmental stimuli. Root gravitropism, directional growth along the gravity, in particular represents a highly sensitive readout, suitable to study adjustments in polar auxin transport and to identify molecular determinants involved. This review strives to summarize and give an overview into the function of PIN-FORMED auxin transport proteins, emphasizing on their sorting and polarity control. As there already is an abundance of information, the focus lies in integrating this wealth of information on mechanisms and pathways. This overview of a highly dynamic and complex field highlights recent developments in understanding the role of auxin in higher plants. Specifically, it exemplifies, how analysis of a single, defined growth response contributes to our understanding of basic cellular processes in general.     

大气生物气溶胶的源排放与源解析研究进展

2019年新冠肺炎(COVID-19)的全球爆发引起了公众对生物气溶胶的广泛关注。生物气溶胶是大气气溶胶的重要组成部分。生物气溶胶由于具有普通气溶胶的理化性质和本身特有的生物学特性,在全球生态系统、气候变化、空气质量和公共卫生等领域均扮演十分重要的角色。然而,目前学术界对生物气溶胶的研究主要集中在采样监测、消杀防护以及其环境与健康效应等方面,关于源特性研究相对滞后。基于此,聚焦大气中微生物的来源现状,综述了最近20年来生物气溶胶的自然源和人为源排放特性研究进展,并阐述了影响源排放和输送过程的主要因素(如生物地理区域、土地利用类型和环境因素等),探讨了当前生物气溶胶的各种源解析方法。最后,给出了生物气溶胶来源下一步的研究展望,以期为深入理解生物气溶胶的来源、输送与变化机理,更好地评估大气微生物污染水平与监控病原体的气溶胶传播提供参考。     

强度传输方程和神经网络融合的三维重构算法

针对原有强度传输方程法所恢复的相位精度不够精确的缺点,提出强度传输方程和神经网络融合的三维重构算法. 利用强度传输方程求解出物体不同角度的初始相位,利用神经网络算法进行优化,根据不同角度的最终恢复相位结合乘法技术重构出三维体信息. 该算法具有精度高的特点,可以为三维成像技术的应用提供参考. 对于实验中的示例图像,该算法将强度传输方程得到的相位误差从21.40%降低为5.26%,重构三维物体与模拟真实物体的相关程度为显著相关.     

基于离散单元法的锥形双螺杆输送及混合机理分析

锥形双螺杆挤出机结构模型与其他普通螺杆挤出机相差很大且构成独特,近年来在聚合物加工行业中发挥了很大的作用。设计螺槽深度与螺杆半径比为1∶2、2∶5、1∶3的三种锥形双螺杆挤出机,通过离散单元法模拟了锥形双螺杆挤出机挤出LDPE、HDPE两种颗粒的过程,分析了锥形双螺杆挤出机螺槽内颗粒速度的变化,同时在不同参数下对三种锥形双螺杆挤出机的输送效率进行了比较。利用EDEM软件对LDPE和HDPE颗粒进行离散元分析,得出不同时刻两种颗粒在三种锥形双螺杆挤出机内的混合情况。结果表明,螺槽深度与螺杆半径比为1∶2的锥形双螺杆挤出机的混合效率优于螺槽深度与螺杆半径比为2∶5、1∶3的锥形双螺杆挤出机。     

Differential Subcellular Distribution of Cytokinins: How Does Membrane Transport Fit into the Big Picture?

Cytokinins are a class of phytohormones, signalling molecules specific to plants. They act as regulators of diverse physiological processes in complex signalling pathways. It is necessary for plants to continuously regulate cytokinin distribution among different organs, tissues, cells, and compartments. Such regulatory mechanisms include cytokinin biosynthesis, metabolic conversions and degradation, as well as cytokinin membrane transport. In our review, we aim to provide a thorough picture of the latter. We begin by summarizing cytokinin structures and physicochemical properties. Then, we revise the elementary thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of cytokinin membrane transport. Next, we review which membrane-bound carrier proteins and protein families recognize cytokinins as their substrates. Namely, we discuss the families of “equilibrative nucleoside transporters” and “purine permeases”, which translocate diverse purine-related compounds, and proteins AtPUP14, AtABCG14, AtAZG1, and AtAZG2, which are specific to cytokinins. We also address long-distance cytokinin transport. Putting all these pieces together, we finally discuss cytokinin distribution as a net result of these processes, diverse in their physicochemical nature but acting together to promote plant fitness.     

Hygroresponsive Torsional Yarns and Actuators Based on Cascade Amplification of the Deformation

Fiber-based hygroresponsive torsional actuators provide desirable merits, such as light weight and shapeability, for developing smart systems to harvest energy from moisture which is a ubiquitous natural resource. A key challenge in this development is to realize moisture-triggered actuation combining large actuation and rapid responses. Here, a multiscale design strategy is explored to create high-performance hygroresponsive torsional actuators consisting of chitosan and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The superior actuation performance arises from the synergism of contributing factors at different scales, including 1) MWNCTs accelerate the water transport in primary twisted fibers (PTFs), fostering the rotation of PTFs upon moisture stimuli; 2) in situ-formed hierarchically-assembled twists realize cascade amplification of moisture-triggered actuation. Specifically, PTFs are self-twisted to generate secondary helical yarns, that are subsequently over-twisted to yield tertiary coiled yarn. The resultant yarn actuator can reach a maximum rotation speed of 11 400 rpm in 5 s, output gravitational potential energy of 2.4 J kg⁻¹ and gravitational potential power of 0.053 W kg⁻¹ during contraction. This work represents the first design of fiber-based actuators by virtue of moisture-triggered in situ formation of yarns. The established principles of multiscale design will enable high-performance fiber-based hygroresponsive actuators toward advanced intelligent textile and soft robotics.     

液膜法分离富集,测定水中微量锶

用乳状液膜体系对锶进行分离富集，该体系包括协同流动载体（ＰＭＢＰ，ＴＢＰ），表面活性剂（ＳＰＡＮ８０）增强剂（丙三醇）溶剂（正己烷）和内相（１．２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ的盐酸溶液），实验表明，在适宜的条件下，锶的富集效率可达９９．５％以上，而在此条件下许多共存离子，如Ｆｅ＾３＋，Ａｌ＾３＋，Ｃａ＾２＋，Ｍｇ＾２＋，Ｂａ＾２＋，Ｃｒ＾３＋，ＣＯ＾２＋，Ｎｉ＾２＋，Ｚｒ＾４＋，Ｃｕ＾２＋，Ｚｎ＾２＋，Ｐｂ＾２＋和     

Simulation studies on the fuel electrode of a H2---O2 polymer electrolyte fuel cell

The macro-homogeneous porous electrode theory is used to develop a model which describes the catalyst layer of the hydrogen electrode formed by catalyst particles that are bonded to the membrane. The water transport in the catalyst layer and polymer electrolyte membrane is considered. The effects of catalyst layer structure parameters such as polymer volume fraction, catalyst layer thickness, platinum loading and reactant gas humidity as well as CO poison on the hydrogen electrode behavior are examined. The results show that the catalyst layer thickness has a significant effect on the electrode performance. A thicker catalyst layer will result in a larger ohmic voltage loss and higher catalyst cost. The optimal polymer volume fraction and catalyst layer thickness are 0.5 and 1.5–4 μm, respectively, for this electrode. An optimal platinum surface coverage on carbon need not exceed 20% (20 wt% Pt/C). Larger platinum coverage will increase the cost, but only slightly enhance the electrode performance.     

延长大型露天矿铁路运输服务年限的浅见

大型露天矿在由山坡型转入深凹型开采后,随着运输条件的恶化,将单一的准轨铁路运输,改变为铁路—汽车联合运输,以延长铁路运输的服务年限,为此,需要解决提高电力机车运输性能、改造运输线路系统等问题。     

气刀操作条件对聚丙烯密相脉冲气力输送行为的影响

在一管线水平长１９ｍ、垂直长１１ｍ、内径５０ｍｍ的密相脉冲气力输送实验台上进行了气刀操作条件对管道输送行为影响的实验研究．结果表明：气刀操作条件对管道输送气速、输送能力、固气比、能耗等均有明显影响．确定最佳的气刀操作条件需综合考虑发送压力、输送结构、物料物性等因素．