In Situ Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Intermetallic Compound Layer During Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment of Zirconium

The surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) technique was developed to synthesize a nanocrystalline (NC) layer on the surface of metallic materials for upgrading their overall properties and performance. In this paper, by means of SMAT to a pure zirconium plate at the room temperature, repetitive multidirectional peening of steel shots (composition (wt%): 1C, 1.5Cr, base Fe) severely deformed the surface layer. A NC surface layer consisting of the intermetallic compound FeCr was fabricated on the surface of the zirconium. The microstructure characterization of the surface layer was performed by using X-ray diffraction analysis, optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations. The NC surface layer was about 25 mu m thick and consisted of the intermetallic compound FeCr with an average grain size of 25 +/- 10 nm. The deformation-induced fast diffusion of Fe and Cr from the steel shots into Zr occurred during SMAT, leading to the formation of intermetallic compound. In addition, the NC surface layer exhibited an ultrahigh nanohardness of 10.2 GPa.

Maximin 9, a novel free thiol containing antimicrobial peptide with antimycoplasma activity from frog Bombina maxima

Amphibian skin is a rich resource of antimicrobial peptides, like maximins and maximin Hs from frog Bombina maxima. Novel cDNA clones encoding a precursor protein, which comprises a novel maximin peptide (maximin 9) and reported maximin H3, were isolated from two constructed skin cDNA libraries of B. maxima. The predicted primary structure of maximin 9 is GIGRKFLGGVKTTFRCGVKDFASKHLY-NH2. A surprising substitution is at position 16, with a free cysteine in maximin 9 rather than usual conserved glycine in other reported maximins. Maximin 9, the homodimer form and its Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant were synthesized and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated. Unlike previously reported maximin 3, the tested bacterial and fungal strains were resistant to maximin 9, its homodimer and the Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant (with MICs > 100 mu M). On the other hand, interestingly, while eight clinical Mollicutes strains were generally resistant to maximin 9 homodimer and its Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant, most of them are sensitive to maximin 9 at a peptide concentration of 30 mu M, especially in the presence of dithiothreitol. These results indicate that the presence of a reactive Cys residue in maximin 9 is important for its antimycoplasma activity. The diversity of antimicrobial peptide cDNA structures encountered in B. maxima skin cDNA libraries and the antimicrobial specificity differences of the peptides may reflect well the species' adaptation to the unique microbial environments. (c) 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of different oligorneric glycyl-tRNA synthetases

There are two oligomeric types of glycyl-tRNA synthetases (GlyRSs) in genome, the alpha(2)beta(2) tetramer and alpha(2) dimer. Here, we showed that the anticodon-binding domains (ABDs) of dimeric and tetrameric GlyRSs are non-homologous, although their catalytic central domains (CCDs) are homologous. The dimeric GlyRS_ABD is fused to the C-terminal of CCD in alpha-subunit, but the tetrameric GlyRS_ABD is to the C-terminal in beta-subunit during evolution. Generally, one species only contains one oligomeric type of GlyRS, but the both oligomeric GlyRSs with the multiple homologous domains can be observed in Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum genome, nevertheless, these homologous domains are probably from different genomes. (C) 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anti-HIV-1 property of trichosanthin correlates with its ribosome inactivating activity

Trichosanthin (TCS) is a type I ribosome inactivating (RI) protein possessing anti-tumor and antiviral activity, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The mechanism of these actions is not entirely clear, but is generally attributed to its RI property. In order to study the relationship between the anti-HIV-1 activity of TCS and its RI activity, three TCS mutants with different RI activities were constructed by using site-directed mutagenesis. The anti-HIV-1 activities of the three mutants were tested in vitro. Results showed that two TCS mutants, namely TCSM((120-123)), TCSE160A/E189A, with the greatest decrease in RI activity, lost almost all of the anti-HIV activity and cytopathic effect. Another mutant TCSR122G, which exhibited a 160-fold decrease in RI activity, retained some anti-HIV activity. The results from this study suggested that RI activity of TCS may have significant contribution to its anti-HIV-1 property. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Meiothermus rosaceus sp nov isolated from Tengchong hot spring in Yunnan, China

A rosy-pigmented Gram-negative, thermophilic bacterium with an optimum growth temperature of about 55degreesC was isolated from Tengchong hot springs in Yunnan province, China. Its growth scarcely occurred below 40degreesC or above 70degreesC. Phylogenetic and secondary structural analyses of 16S rRNA and DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the organism represented a new species of the genus Meiothermus. This new species could be distinguished easily from other species of the genus Meiothermus by the following phenotypic characteristics: rosy pigment, expanded body, sucrose and maltose were not utilized, gelatin and starch were not hydrolyzed. On the basis of the above data, the name Meiothermus rosaceus sp. nov. was proposed for the species represented by the strain RH9901(T)(CCTCC-AB200291). (C) 2002 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis of the family Thermaceae with an emphasis on signature position and secondary structure of 16S rRNA

The sequences of the 16S rRNA genes from 38 strains of the family Thermaceae were compared by alignment analysis. The genus-specific and species-specific base substitutions or base deletions (signature positions) were found in three hypervariable regions (in the helices 6, 10 and 17). The differentiation of secondary structures of the high variable regions in the 5' end (38-497) containing several signature positions further supported the concept. Based on the comparisons of the secondary structures in the segments of 16S rRNAs, a key to the species of the family Thermaceae was proposed. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

pkn22 (alr2502) encoding a putative Ser/Thr kinase in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp PCC 7120 is induced by both iron starvation and oxidative stress and regulates the expression of isiA

In cyanobacteria, the isiA gene is required for cell adaptation to oxidative damage caused by the absence of iron. We show here that a putative Ser/Thr kinase gene, pkn22 (alr2052), is activated by iron deficiency and oxidative damage in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. A pkn22 insertion mutant is unable to grow when iron is limiting. pkn22 regulates the expression of isiA (encoding CP43') but not of isiB (encoding flavodoxin) and psbC (CP43). Fluorescence measurement at 77 K reveals the absence of the typical signature of CP43' associated with photosystem I in the mutant under iron-limiting conditions. We propose that Pkn22 is required for the function of isiA/CP43' and constitutes a regulatory element necessary for stress response. (C) 2003 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A TPR-family membrane protein gene is required for light-activated heterotrophic growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 can grow heterotrophically in complete darkness, given that a brief period of illumination is supplemented every day (light-activated heterotrophic growth, LAHG), or under very weak ( < 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1)) but continuous light. By random insertion of the genome with an antibiotic resistance cassette, mutants defective in LAHG were generated. In two identical mutants, sll0886, a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-family membrane protein gene, was disrupted. Targeted insertion of sll0886 and three downstream genes showed that the phenotype was not due to a polar effect. The sll0886 mutant shows normal photoheterotrophic growth when the light intensity is at 2.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1) or above, but no growth at 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1). Homologs to sll0886 are also present in cyanobacteria that are not known of LAHG. sll0886 and homologs may be involved in controlling different physiological processes that respond to light of low fluence. (C) 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

方差阴影图中的光渗现象消除算法

方差阴影图算法使用概率的方法计算像素被遮挡的上限概率,通过对深度图滤波的方法来有效地减少阴影图算法中的走样问题,但在深度比较复杂的场景中方差阴影图算法会出现光渗现象,即在应该是阴影的区域却有了亮度.文中使用最小-最大阴影图来辅助消除方差阴影图中的光渗现象,在对深度纹理进行滤波的同时生成一个最小-最大阴影图;在实时绘制场景时,利用最小-最大阴影图来辅助判断当前片元是否完全处在阴影区域内部,由此生成更真实、更准确的阴影.该算法可以很容易地添加到已有的方差阴影图算法的片元处理程序中,并且不会对原有阴影的柔和边界以及绘制的帧率产生影响.

一种改进的自适应逃逸微粒群算法及实验分析

分析了变异操作对微粒群算法（panicle swarm optimization，简称PSO）的影响，针对收敛速度慢、容易陷入局部极小等缺点，结合生物界中物种发现生存密度过大时会自动分家迁移的习性，给出了一种自适应逃逸微粒群算法，并证明了它依概率收敛到全局最优解．算法中的逃逸行为是一种简化的确定变异操作．当微粒飞行速度过小时，通过逃逸运动使微粒能够有效地进行全局和局部搜索，减弱了随机变异操作带来的不稳定性、典型复杂函数优化的仿真结果表明，该算法不仅具有更快的收敛速度，而且能更有效地进行全局搜索．

专家群体思维收敛的研究

讨论一个复杂的决策问题 ,专家群体决策是解决这类问题的一种有效方法 .当专家群体研讨形成了一些定性的方案之后 ,用群体一致性算法 ,使专家群体的思维逐渐趋于收敛 ,最终达到群体意见一致 .在上述过程中主持人的作用非常重要 ,他引导专家群体达成一致 ,提高了群体决策的效率 .专家群体思维收敛的整个过程体现了人机结合的思想 ,充分发挥了人和计算机各自的优势 ,共同来解决复杂的问题 .

用综合集成方法解决企业决策问题

介绍了从定性到定量的综合集成以及从定性到定量的综合集成研讨厅体系情况 .提出用综合集成思想来解决企业决策问题 ,并给出企业决策研讨厅体系的框架结构 .将 ARIS集成到研讨厅中 ,以辅助领导者做决策 .用 ARIS对某大型企业建立动态模型 ,在不同初始条件下进行仿真 ,分析仿真结果 ,决策者还可根据经验、信息不断修改仿真条件或模型 ,最终可得出较好的、可行的经营模式 .将解决复杂问题的方法用于企业的经营管理活动中 ,可以帮助企业更好地解决重大或日常决策问题 .

基于多笔交互的儿童讲故事系统

单显示多输入的交互方式具有节约设备成本和提高合作效率的优点,如何实现多个输入设备独立地控制是其中的关键问题。针对此问题,提出了多笔交互技术,从设备层开始分离各笔设备的输入,为各笔构建单独的处理部分,实现多用户共享单显示设备的功能,并以笔式输入模式使得交互更加自然与高效。将多笔交互技术应用在儿童讲故事原型系统中,儿童可以共同进行故事创作。结果表明,多笔交互技术能使多个儿童同时操作,共享讲故事软件,带给儿童新的协作体验。

群体一致性及其在研讨厅中的应用

提出了一种群体一致性算法。讨论了在群体专家进行决策的过程中 ,当专家研讨形成了一些方案时 ,用群体一致性算法 ,使专家群体思维不断趋于收敛 ,并最终达到群体意见一致 ,得出各方案的排序及决策结果。在上述过程中主持人的作用非常重要 ,他引导专家群体达成一致 ,提高了群体决策的效率。针对宏观经济决策问题 ,提出了一种宏观经济研讨的近拟方法。在综合集成研讨厅体系中 ,使用群体一致性算法 ,以解决研讨厅中的专家群体思维的收敛问题。