基于多任务学习和知识图谱的面部表情识别

针对面部表情分类的模型中参数较复杂、识别准确率较低的问题,提出了一种基于知识图谱辅助识别的多任务学习算法模型（MLAM）,该模型由基于深度学习的识别模块与知识图谱嵌入模块两部分构成。首先从输入的数据中提取潜在的人脸局部表情特征,通过知识图谱实现局部表情和个体的复杂交互;然后在MLAM 模型中设计一个交叉压缩单元,关联这两个独立模块,自动学习局部表情和实体特征的高级交互,并在这两个任务之间传递交叉知识转移;最后,在FER2013和CK+的数据集上对比了同类算法,实验结果表明,该模型在上述数据集上分别得到了0.69和0.99的识别率,提高了面部表情识别准确率。     

Amyloidogenic Properties of Peptides Derived from the VHL Tumor Suppressor Protein

The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (pVHL) is involved in maintaining cellular oxygen homeostasis through the regulated degradation of HIF-α. The intrinsically disordered nature of pVHL makes it prone to aggregation that impairs its function, and this is further aggravated in mutant versions of the protein, thus promoting tumor development. By using in silico analysis, we predicted six peptide fragments from pVHL to be amyloidogenic. This was verified for two of the peptides by biophysical approaches, which demonstrated self-assembly and formation of β-sheet-rich aggregates, which, under transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, displayed typical fibrillar amyloid characteristics. These motifs may serve as proxies for exploring the nature of pVHL aggregation.     

Isolation and Functional Characterization of a Salt-Responsive Calmodulin-Like Gene MpCML40 from Semi-Mangrove Millettia pinnata

Salt stress is a major increasing threat to global agriculture. Pongamia (Millettia pinnata), a semi-mangrove, is a good model to study the molecular mechanism of plant adaptation to the saline environment. Calcium signaling pathways play critical roles in the model plants such as Arabidopsis in responding to salt stress, but little is known about their function in Pongamia. Here, we have isolated and characterized a salt-responsive MpCML40, a calmodulin-like (CML) gene from Pongamia. MpCML40 protein has 140 amino acids and is homologous with Arabidopsis AtCML40. MpCML40 contains four EF-hand motifs and a bipartite NLS (Nuclear Localization Signal) and localizes both at the plasma membrane and in the nucleus. MpCML40 was highly induced after salt treatment, especially in Pongamia roots. Heterologous expression of MpCML40 in yeast cells improved their salt tolerance. The 35S::MpCML40 transgenic Arabidopsis highly enhanced seed germination rate and root length under salt and osmotic stresses. The transgenic plants had a higher level of proline and a lower level of MDA (malondialdehyde) under normal and stress conditions, which suggested that heterologous expression of MpCML40 contributed to proline accumulation to improve salt tolerance and protect plants from the ROS (reactive oxygen species) destructive effects. Furthermore, we did not observe any measurable discrepancies in the development and growth between the transgenic plants and wild-type plants under normal growth conditions. Our results suggest that MpCML40 is an important positive regulator in response to salt stress and of potential application in producing salt-tolerant crops.     

Hormonal Responses to Susceptible,Intermediate, and Resistant Interactions in the Brassica napus–Leptosphaeria maculans Pathosystem

Hormone signaling plays a pivotal role in plant–microbe interactions. There are three major phytohormones in plant defense: salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET). The activation and trade-off of signaling between these three hormones likely determines the strength of plant defense in response to pathogens. Here, we describe the allocation of hormonal signaling in Brassica napus against the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans. Three B. napus genotypes (Westar, Surpass400, and 01-23-2-1) were inoculated with two L. maculans isolates (H75 8-1 and H77 7-2), subsequently exhibiting three levels of resistance: susceptible, intermediate, and resistant. Quantitative analyses suggest that the early activation of some SA-responsive genes, including WRKY70 and NPR1, contribute to an effective defense against L. maculans. The co-expression among factors responding to SA/ET/JA was also observed in the late stage of infection. The results of conjugated SA measurement also support that early SA activation plays a crucial role in durable resistance. Our results demonstrate the relationship between the onset patterns of certain hormone regulators and the effectiveness of the defense of B. napus against L. maculans.     

Different Expression of Mitochondrial and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Genes in Epicardial Adipose Tissue Depends on Coronary Atherosclerosis

The aim of our study was to analyze mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) gene expression profiles in subcutaneous (SAT) and epicardial (EAT) adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and myocardium in patients with and without CAD undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Thirty-eight patients, 27 with (CAD group) and 11 without CAD (noCAD group), undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular surgery were included in the study. EAT, SAT, intercostal skeletal muscle, and right atrium tissue and blood samples were collected at the start and end of surgery; mRNA expression of selected mitochondrial and ER stress genes was assessed using qRT-PCR. The presence of CAD was associated with decreased mRNA expression of most of the investigated mitochondrial respiratory chain genes in EAT, while no such changes were seen in SAT or other tissues. In contrast, the expression of ER stress genes did not differ between the CAD and noCAD groups in almost any tissue. Cardiac surgery further augmented mitochondrial dysfunction in EAT. In our study, CAD was associated with decreased expression of mitochondrial, but not endoplasmic reticulum stress genes in EAT. These changes may contribute to the acceleration of coronary atherosclerosis.     

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Oat Beta-Glucans in a Crohn’s Disease Model: Time- and Molar Mass-Dependent Effects

Background: The incidence of Crohn’s disease (CD) is increasing worldwide, and it has currently become a serious public health issue in society. The treatment of CD continues throughout a patient’s lifetime, and therefore, it is necessary to develop new, effective treatment methods, including dietotherapy. The present study aimed to determine the effects of consumption of oat beta-glucans with different molar mass on colon inflammation (colitis) in the early stages of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced CD in an animal model. Methods: Sprague–Dawley rats (control and TNBS-induced CD) were divided into three dietary groups and fed for 3 days (reflecting acute inflammation) or 7 days (reflecting remission) with a feed containing 1% low (βGl) or high (βGh) molar mass oat beta-glucan or a feed without this polysaccharide. The level of colon inflammatory markers and the expression of cytokines and their receptor genes were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR methods, respectively. Results: Acute inflammation or remission (3 or 7 days after TNBS administration, respectively) stages of experimentally induced CD were characterized by an increase in the level of inflammatory markers (IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, CRP, MPO, COX, and PGE2) and the disruption of some cytokine signaling pathways as well as macro- and microscopic changes of colon tissue. The consumption of oat beta-glucans reduced the level of inflammatory markers and recovered the signaling pathways and histological changes, with stronger effects of βGl after 7 days of colitis. Conclusions: Dietary oat beta-glucans can reduce colitis at the molecular and organ level and accelerate CD remission.     

大豆蛋白复合材料的研究进展

对国外近十年来大豆蛋白与聚磷酸盐、玻璃纤维、麦草、苎麻、淀粉、聚乙烯醇、聚己内酯、聚羟基酯醚等的复合材料的制备方法，材料性能特点进行了总结。分析了大豆蛋白复合材料作为可生物降解材料替代某些通用塑料和工程塑料的应用前景，并提出了近期的发展方向。     

Polarity as a criterion in protein design

Hypothetical proteins can be tested computationally by determiningwhether or not the designed sequence-structure pair has thecharacteristics of a typical globular protein. We have developedsuch a test by deriving quantities with approximately constantvalue for all globular proteins, based on empirical analysisof the exposed and buried surfaces of 128 structurally knownproteins. The characteristic quantities that best appear tosegregate badly designed or deliberately misfolded proteinsfrom their properly folded natural relatives are the polar fractionof side chains on the protein surface and, independently, inthe protein interior. Three of the seven hypothetical structurestested here can be rejected as having too many polar side-chaingroups in the interior or too few on the protein surface. Inaddition, a recently designed nutritional protein is identifiedas being very much unlike globular proteins. These database-derivedcharacteristic quantities are useful in screening designed proteinsprior to experiment and may be useful in screening experimentallydetermined (X-ray, NMR) protein structures for possible errors.     

"偶然"流溢在现代陶艺中的艺术魅力

现代陶艺作为一种工艺美术品,是某一种生活方式和审美思想与审美情趣的载体,是创作者在自己生命旅程中的每个驿站里对情感体悟的一个表达;它是一种记忆、一种记录,更是一种镌刻在生命中的永恒。所以说现代陶艺创作是在“偶然”间捕捉感觉,而并非是在刻意地塑造感觉。