HSPC117 deficiency in cloned embryos causes placental abnormality and fetal death

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has been successfully used in many species to produce live cloned offspring, albeit with low efficiency. The low frequency of successful development has usually been ascribed to incomplete or inappropriate reprogramming of the transferred nuclear genome. Elucidating the genetic differences between normal fertilized and cloned embryos is key to understand the low efficiency of SCNT. Here, we show that expression of HSPC117, which encodes a hypothetical protein of unknown function, was absent or very low in cloned mouse blastocysts. To investigate the role of HSPC117 in embryo development, we knocked-down this gene in normal fertilized embryos using RNA interference. We assessed the post-implantation survival of HSPC117 knock-down embryos at 3 stages: E9 (prior to placenta formation); E12 (after the placenta was fully functional) and E19 (post-natal). Our results show that, although siRNA-treated in vivo fertilized/produced (IVP) embryos could develop to the blastocyst stage and implanted without any difference from control embryos, the knock-down embryos showed substantial fetal death, accompanied by placental blood clotting, at E12. Furthermore, comparison of HSPC117 expression in placentas of nuclear transfer (NT), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and IVP embryos confirmed that HSPC117 deficiency correlates well with failures in embryo development: all NT embryos with a fetus, as well as IVP and ICSI embryos, had normal placental HSPC117 expression while those NT embryos showing reduced or no expression of HSPC117 failed to form a fetus. In conclusion, we show that HSPC117 is an important gene for post-implantation development of embryos, and that HSPC117 deficiency leads to fetal abnormalities after implantation, especially following placental formation. We suggest that defects in HSPC117 expression may be an important contributing factor to loss of cloned NT embryos in vivo. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

猕猴胚胎干细胞自我更新机理及WNT 信号通路在猕猴胚胎早期发育中作用的研究

尽管大部分动物实验是在啮齿类动物上开展的，我们仍然相信涉及人类的许多问题，如胚胎干细胞的体内功能、调亡和肿瘤形成等只有在非人灵长类模型上才能得到最好的回答。猕猴(标准的非人灵长类动物模型)在解剖、生理和代谢方面都和人类非常相似。人类很多神经疾病，如阿尔茨海默氏病、帕金森病，只能在非人灵长类模型上才能精确建模。所以研究猕猴胚胎干细胞自我更新的原理及猕猴胚胎早期发育，对研究免疫排斥，检测基于胚胎干细胞的治疗的可行性，安全性和有效性具有重要意义。本文一方面对胚胎干细胞维持自我更新和多潜能性的机理研究进行了综述，另一方面对以下两个方面的内容进行了研究： 1）运用寡核苷酸芯片和定量PCR 验证的方法来分析五株猕猴饲养层细胞的表达模式，期望发现在支持性和非支持性的饲养层细胞中差异性表达的基因。我们着重定位于饲养层胞外空间和细胞膜上的细胞因子，因为这些因子可以通过直接接触或通过膜结合受体激活下游信号通路，并最终促进猕猴胚胎干细胞的自我更新。我们发现在支持性的饲养层中有八个基因是高表达的，他们是GREM2， bFGF，KITLG，DKK3，GREM1，AREG，SERPINF1 和LTBP1； 经定量PCR 验证的SCF，bFGF 和GREM2 的表达情况都和芯片数据吻合。 2）为了描述在IVF (in vitro fertilized, 体外受精)，ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, 单精注射)，SCNT (somatic cell nuclear transfer, 体细胞核移植)和孤雌生殖猕猴囊胚中WNT 信号通路的表达情况，我们运用了信号通路特异性PCR Array 系统及免疫细胞化学来检测mRNA 和蛋白表达水平。其中，ICSI 作为IVF 胚胎的参照组，以排除显微操作对胚胎质量的影响。结果，我们发现非经典WNT/JNK 信号，而不是经典WNT 信号通路，在IVF 正常胚胎发育中起作用。而体细胞核移植和孤雌生殖的胚胎的WNT 信号通路基因表达明显高于正常胚胎。WNT 信号通路基因的表达模式可以作为胚胎质量的一个指示标准，有助于回答为什么猕猴 SCNT 和孤雌生殖胚胎发育异常。

Stiffness behaviour of injection moulded short glass fibre/impact modifier/polypropylene hybrid composites

The stiffness behaviour of injection moulded short glass fibre/impact modifier/polypropylene hybrid composites has been investigated in this work by theoretical predictions and experiments. Predictions from the self-consistent method were found to be in good agreement with test results for the impact modifier/polypropylene blends. By taking into account of the fibre orientation distributions in the skin and core layers, the values of Young's modulus for the skin and core layers were predicted by employing Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method and the average induced strain approach. The prediction of the values of Young's modulus for the whole sample was obtained by applying the simple mixture theory of laminated composites to the predicted results for the skin and core layers. Good correlation between predicted and experimental Young's modulus values were found.

Theory and Application of the Transient Injection Well Test

Based on the theory of the pumping well test, the transient injection well test was suggested in this paper. The design method and the scope of application are discussed in detail. The mathematical models are developed for the short-time and long-time transient injection test respectively. A double logarithm type curve matching method was introduced for analyzing the field transient injection test data. A set of methods for the transient injection test design, experiment performance and data analysis were established. Some field tests were analyzed, and the results show that the test model and method are suitable for the transient injection test and can be used to deal with the real engineering problems.

Investigation of Vaporized Kerosene Injection and Combustion in a Supersonic Model Combustor

Injection and combustion of vaporized kerosene was experimentally investigated in a Mach 2.5 model combustor at various fuel temperatures and injection pressures. A unique kerosene heating and delivery system, which can prepare heated kerosene up to 820 K at a pressure of 5.5 MPa with negligible fuel coking, was developed. A three-species surrogate was employed to simulate the thermophysical properties of kerosene. The calculated thermophysical properties of surrogate provided insight into the fuel flow control in experiments. Kerosene jet structures at various preheat temperatures injecting into both quiescent environment and a Mach 2.5 crossflow were characterized. It was shown that the use ofvaporized kerosene injection holds the potential of enhancing fuel-air mixing and promoting overall burning. Supersonic combustion tests further confirmed the preceding conjecture by comparing the combustor performances of supercritical kerosene with those of liquid kerosene and effervescent atomization with hydrogen barbotage. Under the similar flow conditions and overall kerosene equivalence ratios, experimental results illustrated that the combustion efficiency of supercritical kerosene increased approximately 10-15% over that of liquid kerosene, which was comparable to that of effervescent atomization.

The Experimental Study of Injection and Mixing of the Model Ejector Rocket

专门设计了可用于研究箭基组合循环发动机(RBCC)在起动阶段(Ma=0)所使用的引射火箭性能的实验装置.作为初步试验,研究了不同工况的引射热喷流(一次流)和被引射空气(二次流)之间混合的演变、发展过程,找出不同来流条件下影响引射性能的主要参数,为最终探明引射火箭的最佳工作条件打下基础,同时根据试验结果提出了促进一、二次流混合的可行方案,便于下一步深入研究.

Study of drag reduction by gas injection for power-law fluid flow in horizontal stratified and slug flow regimes

In this work, the drag reduction by gas injection for power-law fluid flow in stratified and slug flow regimes has been studied. Experimentswere conducted to measure the pressure gradient within air/CMC solutions in a horizontal Plexiglas pipe that had a diameter of 50mm and a length of 30 m. The drag reduction ratio in stratified flow regime was predicted using the two-fluid model. The results showed that the drag reduction should occur over the large range of the liquid holdup when the flow behaviour index remained at the low value. Furthermore, for turbulent gas-laminar liquid stratified flow, the drag reduction by gas injection for Newtonian fluid was more effective than that for shear-shinning fluid, when the dimensionless liquid height remained in the area of high value. The pressure gradient model for a gas/Newtonian liquid slug flow was extended to liquids possessing the Ostwald–de Waele power law model. The proposed model was validated against 340 experimental data point over a wide range of operating conditions, fluid characteristics and pipe diameters. The dimensionless pressure drop predicted was well inside the 20% deviation region for most of the experimental data. These results substantiated the general validity of the model presented for gas/non-Newtonian two-phase slug flows.

Optimization of 2-stage gas gun for fusion refueling pellet injection with consideration of real effects

Analytic expression of pellet acceleration by constant base pressure with consideration of gas-wall friction, heat transfer and viscous dissipation that important for high speed injection is obtained. The process of compression stage is formulated by a set of governing equations and can be numerically integrated. Excellent confirmation with experiments is obtained and the ways to optimum match the compression stage with the launch stage are suggested.

Investigation of Vaporized Kerosene Injection in a Supersonic Model Combustor

Characteristics of vaporized aviation kerosene injection in a supersonic model combustor were preliminarily investigated. The electrically storage type heater has a volume capacity of heating kerosene of 0.8 kg up to 670 K at a pressure of 5.5 Mpa. The temperature to cause pressurized kerosene jet being fully vaporized in Quiescent atmosphere was found to be 550 K at 4 Mpa however the pressurized hot kerosene remains in liquid state within the tube. The correspondent jet spray in Mach 2.5 vitiated air cross-flow were visualized by using stop schlieren photograph.It was found the penetration depth of the hot pressurized kerosene jet is approximately same with the temperature varied from 290 K to 550 k. at pressure of 4 Mpa. This results showed that the atomization process of hot kerosene jet spray in supersonic combustor could be bypassed and directly transferred to be gas state at temperature 550 K and pressure of 4 Mpa.

Performance of a Supersonic Model Combustor using Vaporized Kerosene Injection

Characteristics of supersonic combustion by injecting kerosene vapor into a Mach 2.5 crossflow at various preheat temperatures and pressures were investigated experimentally. A two-stage heating system has been designed and tested, which can prepare heated kerosene of 0.8 kg up to 820 K at pressure of 5.5 Mpa with minimum/negligible fuel coking. In order to simulate the thermophysical properties of kerosene over a wide range of thermodynamic conditions, a three-component surrogate that matches the compound class of the parent fuel was employed. The flow rate of kerosene vapor was calibrated using a sonic nozzle. Computed flow rates using the surrogate fuel are in agreement with the experimental data. Kerosene jets at various preheat temperatures injecting into both quiescent environment and Mach 2.5 crossflow were visualized. It was found that at injection pressure of 4 Mpa and preheat temperature of 550 K the kerosene jet was completely in vapor phase, while keeping almost the same penetration depth as compared to the liquid kerosene injection. Supersonic combustion tests were also carried out to compare the combustor performance for the cases of vaporized kerosene injection, liquid kerosene injection, and effervescent atomization with hydrogen barbotage, under the similar stagnation conditions. Experimental results demonstrated that the use of vaporized kerosene injection leads to better combustor performance. Further parametric study on vaporized kerosene injection in a supersonic model combustor is needed to assess the combustion efficiency as well as to identify the controlling mechanism for the overall combustion enhancement.

Investigation of Vaporized Kerosene Injection and Combustion in a Supersonic Model Combustor

Injection and combustion of vaporized kerosene was experimentally investigated in a Mach 2.5 model combustor at various fuel temperatures and injection pressures. A unique kerosene heating and delivery system, which can prepare heated kerosene up to 820 K at a pressure of 5.5 MPa with negligible fuel coking, was developed. A three-species surrogate was employed to simulate the thermophysical properties of kerosene. The calculated thermophysical properties of surrogate provided insight into the fuel flow control in experiments. Kerosene jet structures at various preheat temperatures injecting into both quiescent environment and a Mach 2.5 crossflow were characterized. It was shown that the use ofvaporized kerosene injection holds the potential of enhancing fuel-air mixing and promoting overall burning. Supersonic combustion tests further confirmed the preceding conjecture by comparing the combustor performances of supercritical kerosene with those of liquid kerosene and effervescent atomization with hydrogen barbotage. Under the similar flow conditions and overall kerosene equivalence ratios, experimental results illustrated that the combustion efficiency of supercritical kerosene increased approximately 10-15% over that of liquid kerosene, which was comparable to that of effervescent atomization.

Electron self-injection and acceleration driven by a tightly focused intense laser beam in an underdense plasma

A scheme for electron self-injection in the laser wakefield acceleration is proposed. In this scheme, the transverse wave breaking of the wakefield and the tightly focused geometry of the laser beam play important roles. A large number of the background electrons are self-injected into the acceleration phase of the wakefield during the defocusing of the tightly focused laser beam as it propagates through an underdense plasma. Particle-in-cell simulations performed using a 2D3V code have shown generation of a collimated electron bunch with a total number of 1.4 x 109 and energies up to 8 MeV. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Electron injection by a nanowire in the bubble regime

The triggering of wave-breaking in a three-dimensional laser plasma wake (bubble) is investigated. The Coulomb potential from a nanowire is used to disturb the wake field to initialize the wave-breaking. The electron acceleration becomes more stable and the laser power needed for self-trapping is lowered. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations were performed. Electrons with a charge of about 100 pC can be accelerated stably to energy about 170 MeV with a laser energy of 460 mJ. The first step towards tailoring the electron beam properties such as the energy, energy spread, and charge is discussed. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Intensity-modulating characteristics of a laser diode subjected to optical injection

We have found that the optical power of a laser diode (LD) does not change with the injected light intensity that is modulated when its injection current is at some specific values. The amplitude of optical power change of the LD varies periodically with the increase of the injection current. It is made clear through theoretical analysis that these phenomena are caused by gain compression and interband carrier absorption of the LD that depend on longitudinal mode competition, bandgap-shrinkage effects, thermal conduction, and so on. Our experimental results make it easy to eliminate optical power change of LDs. We only need to choose a proper value of the injection current. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.