Numerical investigation of the active role of the actin cytoskeleton in the compression resistance of cells.

Numerous in-vitro studies have established that cells react to their physical environment and to applied mechanical loading. However, the mechanisms underlying such phenomena are poorly understood. Previous modelling of cell compression considered the cell as a passive homogenous material, requiring an artificial increase in the stiffness of spread cells to replicate experimentally measured forces. In this study, we implement a fully 3D active constitutive formulation that predicts the distribution, remodelling, and contractile behaviour of the cytoskeleton. Simulations reveal that polarised and axisymmetric spread cells contain stress fibres which form dominant bundles that are stretched during compression. These dominant fibres exert tension; causing an increase in computed compression forces compared to round cells. In contrast, fewer stress fibres are computed for round cells and a lower resistance to compression is predicted. The effect of different levels of cellular contractility associated with different cell phenotypes is also investigated. Highly contractile cells form more dominant circumferential stress fibres and hence provide greater resistance to compression. Computed predictions correlate strongly with published experimentally observed trends of compression resistance as a function of cellular contractility and offer an insight into the link between cell geometry, stress fibre distribution and contractility, and cell deformability. Importantly, it is possible to capture the behaviour of both round and spread cells using a given, unchanged set of material parameters for each cell type. Finally, it is demonstrated that stress distributions in the cell cytoplasm and nucleus computed using the active formulation differ significantly from those computed using passive material models.

葛洲坝产卵场中华鲟繁殖群体数量与繁殖规模估算及其变动趋势分析

采用声学探测的方法,进行中华鲟(Acipenser sinensis)繁殖群体数量的估算。2005～2007年,第1次产卵前的资源量分别为235尾、217尾和203尾;第1次产卵后的资源量分别为157尾、157尾和102尾。采用食卵鱼解剖统计和股分析的方法对中华鲟的自然繁殖规模进行估算,其结果为,2005～2007年间中华鲟的产卵量分别为356万粒、119.6万粒和238.6万粒。结合历史相关研究数据,对近10年的中华鲟繁殖群体数量和繁殖规模的变动趋势进行分析,结果显示,在20世纪90年代中期,第1次产卵

Two-orbit switch-pitch structures

The Hoberman 'switch-pitch ' ball is a transformable structure with a single folding and unfolding path. The underlying cubic structure has a novel mechanism that retains tetrahedral symmetry during folding. Here, we propose a generalized class of structures of a similar type that retain their full symmetry during folding. The key idea is that we require two orbits of nodes for the structure: within each orbit, any node can be copied to any other node by a symmetry operation. Each member is connected to two nodes, which may be in different orbits, by revolute joints. We will describe the symmetry analysis that reveals the symmetry of the internal mechanism modes for a switch-pitch structure. To follow the complete folding path of the structure, a nonlinear iterative predictor-corrector algorithm based on the Newton method is adopted. First, a simple tetrahedral example of the class of two-orbit structures is presented. Typical configurations along the folding path are shown. Larger members of the class of structures are also presented, all with cubic symmetry. These switch-pitch structures could have useful applications as deployable structures.

食品中二恶英类化合物的污染与分析

简要介绍二恶英类化合物的化学结构特征、主要来源以及食品中二恶英类化合物对人体健康的主要危害和影响,综述食品中二恶英类化合物的主要化学分析方法和生物检测方法,最后对目前我国在食品中二恶英类化合物的安全性方面亟待解决的问题进行了展望。

丹江口水库赤眼鳟(Squaliobarbus curriculus)遗传多样性的RAPD和ISSR分析

利用RAPD和ISSR两种分子标记技术,分析了丹江口水库野生赤眼鳟30个个体的遗传多样性。用11个RAPD引物对其基因组DNA进行扩增,共获得101个重复性好且谱带清晰的扩增位点,片段大小在100—3000bp之间,其中多态性位点63个,多态位点比例为62.38%;个体间遗传距离在0.1049—0.3417之间,平均为0.1742。用10个ISSR引物共检测到88个位点,其中多态性位点61个,多态位点比例为69.32%;个体间遗传距离在0.1088—0.3847之间,平均为0.1907。结果显示,丹江口水

烧结厂烟尘和静电除尘器灰尘中二噁英的分布特征

研究了烧结厂烟道烟尘和静电除尘器灰尘中二噁英的浓度和分布特征.结果显示,烧结台车机头烟道烟尘和机尾烟道烟尘中二噁英的总含量分别为867.49±215.41和170.35±51.12pg.Nm-3,毒性当量分别36.53±4.47和9.13±2.40pgWHO-TEQ.Nm-3;机头静电除尘器灰尘和机尾静电除尘器灰尘的总含量分别为2423.59±100.01和157.29±36.83pg.g-1dw,毒性当量分别71.67±0.62和7.50±1.08pgWHO-TEQ.g-1dw.烧结中二噁英的分布以PC

外源抗坏血酸对烟草细胞生长及衰老的影响

用不同浓度的外源抗坏血酸(ASA)对BY-2烟草悬浮细胞进行处理,测定了细胞中可溶性蛋白质含量、脂质过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)含量、相对电解质渗透率、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、抗坏血酸(ASA)含量和还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量等生理生化指标,从细胞脂质过氧化及抗氧化功能的角度探讨了不同浓度抗坏血酸对BY-2烟草悬浮细胞生长及衰老的影响。结果表明,当用2mmol.L-1 ASA处理时,能促进细胞分裂生长,增加可溶性蛋白产量,减少膜透性和MDA含量,维持SOD活性和ASA与GSH含量在较高水平,说明AS

五里湖深水区沉水植被重建策略探索

本文以菹草(PotamogetoncrispusL.)和伊乐藻(Elodeanuttallii)为材料,在不同水深条件下对沉水植物的生长进行了研究。结果表明:随着水深的增加,菹草和伊乐藻的茎伸长速度逐渐增大,但分支数或株数减少,最终植物生物量减少;菹草和伊乐藻种群能够建立的水深极限条件分别为:2倍SD和2.3倍SD。在冬季透明度为1.1-1.2m条件下,伊乐藻种群在2.5m水深处成功建立。高透明度(>1.1m)是五里湖深水区伊乐藻种群建立的关键条件。在此研究的基础上,本文探讨了重建五里湖深水区沉水植被的可

Predictive neural coding of reward preference involves dissociable responses in human ventral midbrain and ventral striatum.

Food preferences are acquired through experience and can exert strong influence on choice behavior. In order to choose which food to consume, it is necessary to maintain a predictive representation of the subjective value of the associated food stimulus. Here, we explore the neural mechanisms by which such predictive representations are learned through classical conditioning. Human subjects were scanned using fMRI while learning associations between arbitrary visual stimuli and subsequent delivery of one of five different food flavors. Using a temporal difference algorithm to model learning, we found predictive responses in the ventral midbrain and a part of ventral striatum (ventral putamen) that were related directly to subjects' actual behavioral preferences. These brain structures demonstrated divergent response profiles, with the ventral midbrain showing a linear response profile with preference, and the ventral striatum a bivalent response. These results provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying human preference behavior.

人类白细胞抗原DRB1和DQB1等位基因多态性与大肠癌的关联性

目的　探讨人类白细胞抗原HLA DRB1, DQB1等位基因与大肠癌遗传关联性。方法　运用序列特异性引物聚合酶链反应 ,结合等位基因序列分析 ,检测无亲缘关系的湖北籍汉族健康人136名、大肠癌组 5 4例患者的HLA DRB1、 DQB1基因。结果　大肠癌患者与正常人比较 ,HLA DRB1 0 90 1等位基因分布频率明显增高 (0 2 315、0 1397,P =0 0 33) ;而 DRB1 0 80X等位基因频率明显降低 (0 0 0 93、0 0 80 9,P =0 0 0 71)。两组间HLA

通江湖泊的渔业意义及其资源管理对策

长江中、下游的江湖复合生态系统包含有河流和湖泊两个环境单元。其中的鱼类群落由河海洄游鱼类、江湖洄游鱼类、河流鱼类和定居性鱼类等４个生态类群组成，尤以江湖徊游鱼类对这一特殊的生态环境形成了良好的适应，因而种群数量繁盛。从渔业的角度看，水利工程造成的江湖阻隔削弱了通江湖泊的生态功能，成为导致鱼类资源下降和种类结构改变的主要原因之一。当前应从控制捕捞、人工增殖和恢复生态环境结构等方面着手进行资源管理，确保鱼类资源的永续利用。

Fertile-free fuels in pressurized water reactors: Design challenges and solutions

This paper investigates the basic feasibility of using reactor-grade Pu in fertile-free fuel (FFF) matrix in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Several important issues were investigated in this work: the Pu loading required to achieve a specific interrefueling interval, the impact of inert matrix composition on reactivity constrained length of cycle, and the potential of utilizing burnable poisons (BPs) to alleviate degradation of the reactivity control mechanism and temperature coefficients. Although the subject was addressed in the past, no systematic approach for assessment of BP utilization in FFF cores was published. In this work, we examine all commercially available BP materials in all geometrical arrangements currently used by the nuclear industry with regards to their potential to alleviate the problems associated with the use of FFF in PWRs. The recently proposed MgO-ZrO2 solid-state solution fuel matrix, which appears to be very promising in terms of thermal properties and radiation damage resistance, was used as a reference matrix material in this work. The neutronic impact of the relative amounts of MgO and ZrO2 in the matrix were also studied. The analysis was performed with a neutron transport and fuel assembly burnup code BOXER. A modified linear reactivity model was applied to the two-dimensional single fuel assembly results to approximate the full core characteristics. Based on the results of the performed analyses, the Pu-loaded FFF core demonstrated potential feasibility to be used in existing PWRs. Major FFF core design problems may be significantly mitigated through the correct choice of BP design. It was found that a combination of BP materials and geometries may be required to meet all FFF design goals. The use of enriched (in most effective isotope) BPs, such as 167Er and 157Gd, may further improve the BP effectiveness and reduce the fuel cycle length penalty associated with their use.