水稻AP2/EREBP转录因子基因OsDRE和OsRAF的功能分析

AP2是一个大的转录因子家族，因其成员含有一个60-70 个氨基酸残基的保守结构域即AP2结构域而得名，它们的功能涉及植物花的发育以及植物对生物或非生物逆境的应答反应。根据它们所含的AP2 结构域的数目，这个家族可分为AP2亚家族和EREBP 亚家族。 AP2亚家族成员含两个AP2结构域，EREBP 亚家族成员含一个AP2结构域。一般来说，AP2 亚家族的成员主要参与植物发育过程的调控;EREBP 亚家族成员则主要参与对逆境的应答反应。按照它们响应外界刺激的类型和AP2结构域中结合顺式作用元件的核心氨基酸的不同，EREBP亚家族又可分为ERF和CBF/DREB两大类群，ERF 类主要响应生物类逆境的诱导，CBF/DREB类则响应干旱、低温等非生物胁迫的刺激。 根据AP2保守结构域搜索，水稻基因组中一共有147个AP2/EREBP成员，但其中功能得到证实的还非常有限。为了解更多AP2基因在植物生长发育过程中的功能，我们先从水稻基因组数据库中搜索到含有AP2/EREBP 结构域的推测基因序列，选择其中40个扩增并成功扩增出31个，将这些DNA片段点在尼龙膜上，然后用水稻叶片cDNA 作模板标记探针，与固定在膜上的推测基因杂交。杂交结果作为选择基因进行功能分析的重要依据。 OsDRE就是我们选择进行研究的一个表达较强的基因。首先，通过RACE 克隆得到OsDRE 的cDNA全长 1589bp，它编码318个氨基酸。Blast 搜索和保守结构域序列比对分析以及进化树分析显示它是一个新的ERF 基因。RT-PCR分析表明该基因在水稻各种组织中表达量比较一致，而且，OsDRE 既不对植物生长物质如乙烯，水杨酸（SA），茉莉酸甲酯（MJ），脱落酸（ABA），赤霉素（GA3），油菜素内酯（BR）的诱导起反应，同样也不响应环境因子如低温、干旱条件的处理。这些结果说明OsDRE是一个不响应胁迫相关因素的诱导的、组成型表达的水稻基因。用OsDRE的非保守区域构建的RNAi 载体转入水稻后未能使转基因水稻产生异常表型，然而，OsDRE在水稻和拟南芥中的过量表达都导致转基因植物出现植株矮小、开花延迟、生长周期延长以及育性降低等表型，说明OsDRE对生长和发育的影响在水稻和拟南芥中是一致的。 基于以上原因，我们选择在遗传分析方面有明显优势的拟南芥作为材料，对OsDRE基因功能进行研究并得出以下结论：（1）瞬时表达和随后的过量表达证明OsDRE定位于细胞核中，过量表达OsDRE引起转基因植株的生长周期变长、抽苔时间延迟和抽苔时莲座叶的数量增多;（2）过量表达OsDRE通过一种不影响细胞数量的方式抑制了细胞的膨胀从而导致植物器官以致整个植株变小，而且，在此过程中部分器官的形态也受到了影响;（3）OsDRE过量表达能激活已知位于乙烯信号途径下游的基因表达并且转基因植株幼苗在黑暗中出现下胚轴及根缩短变粗的现象，提示OsDRE 可能部分参与了乙烯信号途径下游的反应。 除此之外，我们还初步分析了另一个EREBP基因，并将其命名为OsRAF。氨基酸序列分析表明该基因与大麦的RAF 基因在蛋白水平上相似性最高。Northern 杂交结果进一步显示，与RAF 一样，OsRAF 也是根中优势表达的基因，并且它的表达量在乙烯或低温的诱导下增加。对转基因植株的观察和瞬时表达表明OsRAF 定位于细胞核中。 综上所述，对水稻基因OsDRE 和OsRAF的分析表明， OsDRE是一个新的ERF基因，它不受乙烯等因素的诱导并且过量表达该基因导致转基因植株出现细胞膨胀受到抑制等一系列的表型。另外，OsRAF在水稻根中优势表达并受乙烯和低温的诱导，目前，与之相关的功能研究正在进行。

Workspace comparisons of setup configurations for human-robot interaction

In virtual assembly verification or remote maintenance tasks, bimanual haptic interfaces play a crucial role in successful task completion. This paper proposes a method for objectively comparing how well a haptic interface covers the reachable workspace of human arms. Two system configurations are analyzed for a recently introduced haptic device that is based on two DLR-KUKA light weight robots: the standard configuration, where the device is opposite the human operator, and the ergonomic configuration, where the haptic device is mounted behind the human operator. The human operator directly controls the robotic arms using handles. The analysis is performed using a representation of the robot arm workspace. The merits of restricting the comparisons to the most significant regions of the human workspace are discussed. Using this method, a greater workspace correspondence for the ergonomic configuration was shown. ©2010 IEEE.

Thermodynamic analysis of GaSb-GaCl3 vapor phase epitaxy

A thermodynamic model for the GaSb-GaCl3 system in a closed quartz ampoule was proposed. The species in the gas phase are GaCl, GaCl3, Sb-4, Sb-2. The partial pressures of these species and total pressure in the ampoule have been calculated. The calculated results indicate that the equilibrium partial pressures of GaCl, GaCl3, Sb4, Sb2 and the total pressure in the ampoule have strong dependence on temperature, free volume inside the closed ampoule and amount of transport agent GaCl3. The total pressure will give strong influence not only on the flow pattern in the ampoule, but also on the uniformity of the epilayer.

高焓激波风洞研究进展

国际上已发展的高焓激波风洞按驱动方式不同可以分为3种：加热轻气体驱动,自由活塞驱动,和爆轰驱动激波风洞。对不同类型激波风洞的发展历程进行了回顾，对其存在的,以及进一步发展过程中潜在的问题进行了探讨。\newline (1)加热轻气体驱动激波风洞\newline 加热轻气体驱动方式主要采用高比热比的轻气体，再利用加热手段进一步提高气体声速。国际上应用加热轻气体驱动的有NASACalspan-UB研究中心的LENS系列激波风洞和俄罗斯TSNIIMASH中心机械工程研究院的U-12大型激波风洞。LENS系列激波风洞的性能基本覆盖了航天飞机的飞行走廊，Calspan-UB研究中心在LENS风洞上开展了大量的超高速流动研究。\newline (2) 自由活塞驱动激波风洞\newline 自由活塞驱动激波风洞是利用高速运动的自由活塞压缩产生高压驱动气体。主要有澳大利亚国立大学T3, 昆士兰大学T4,日本国家航天实验中心的KEK和HIEST，美国加州理工学院T5,德国DLR的HEG。其中，日本的HIEST以其尺寸最大, 技术成熟,实验时间长而具有代表性。\newline (3) 爆轰驱动激波风洞\newline 爆轰驱动是应用可燃混合气体爆轰产生的化学能来压缩驱动气体的一种驱动方式。爆轰驱动有3种模式：反向驱动,正向驱动和双爆轰驱动。反向驱动在主膜处起爆，应用稀疏波后压力均匀的高压气体作为驱动气体，能够产生稳定的驻室状态，但驱动能力较低。正向驱动在驱动段上游末端起爆，驱动能力强，比反向驱动高一个量级，但受爆轰波后稀疏波的影响，气流品质不稳定。双爆轰驱动模式，通过辅驱动段，可以消除正向爆轰波后面的稀疏波，以获得平稳的试验气流。\newline 中国科学院力学研究所从20世纪60年代起就开展了爆轰驱动技术的系统研究，并于1996年研制成功了JF10爆轰驱动高焓激波风洞。JF10模拟总温高达8000K，总压高达800个大气压，有效试验时间超过6ms。为开展高超声速气动力/热,真实气体效应, 气动物理等问题的研究创造了基本条件。\newline (4)问题与展望\newline 轻气体驱动能够产生稳定的试验气流，运行技术可靠，重复性好，但是大量轻气体的运输,储存,加热与排放是风洞运行的主要困难。自由活塞驱动技术的驱动能力强，风洞尺度容易扩展，但是运行技术复杂，试验气流稳定时间短，是风洞发展的主要限制。爆轰驱动激波风洞近十几年来发展迅速，突破了一些重要的关键技术，产生高焓试验气流的能力强，提供的有效试验时间长，运行成本低，可扩展性好，是一种具有良好发展前途的高超声速激波风洞。\newline 到目前为止，尽管高超声速激波风洞的研制已经取得了重大进展，但是从地面模拟的流动要满足飞行条件所要求的自由来流马赫数, 自由来流雷诺数, 流动速度,飞行高度压力, 来流总焓, 跨过激波的密度比, 试验气体组分,壁温/总温比,化学反应进程等条件来看，还有很大差距。所以，为了获得可靠的试验数据，通过不断改进,完善,提高激波风洞的性能，尽可能"复现"高超声速飞行条件，是今后主要的研究方向。

海北高寒湿地地气长、短波辐射的季节变化特征

利用2004年微气象观测资料，分析了海北高寒湿地长、短波辐射以及地表反射率（A）和光合有效辐射（PAR）占太阳总辐射（DR）比例（η）的变化特征。结果表明，海北高寒湿地长、短波辐射均具有明显的季节变化。DR在12月最低，4月最高。PAR在12月最低，7月最高。受下垫面性质影响，反射辐射（UR）和A在1～2月明显大于其他季节，7～10月小，A在植物生长季节的5～9月平均值为0．172，年平均值为0．299。地面长波辐射（DLR）、大气逆辐射（ULR）和净辐射（Rn）的最低值均出现在1月，最大值出现时期则不同，DLR与Rn均出现在6月，而ULR出现在8月。地面有效辐射（ELR）无明显的季节变化。叩的季节变化比较弱，7月最高值为0．434，1月最低值为0．316，年平均值为0．40。

植物生长季海北高寒湿地辐射收支特征

依据祁连山海北高寒湿地植物生长期观测资料, 分析了区域辐射收支情况及其变化特征. 结果表明: 祁连山海北高寒湿地有较强的太阳总辐射(DR), 但地表反射辐射(UR)、地面有效辐射(ELR)较低;地表长波辐射(ULR)、大气逆辐射(DLR)、净辐射(Rn)均较高, 且具有明显的日、季节变化. 植物生长期5～9月的日变化振幅DR＞Rn＞UR＞ULR＞DLR＞ELR, 其总量表现出ULR＞DLR＞DR＞Rn＞UR＞ELR, 分别达4650.6、 4225.5、 3058.8、 2156.2、 477.6和425.1 MJ•m-2. 从月际分布来看, ULR、 DLR、 DR最高出现在7月, Rn出现在6月, UR出现在5月, ELR出现在8月, 分别为980.3、 913.1、 721.5、 554.9、 112.1和127.4 MJ•m-2.

Banco ativo de germoplasma de citros da Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura.

O gênero Citrus L. e afins, especialmente Poncirus Raf., Fortunella Swingle, Microcitrus Swingle, Eremocitrus Swingle e Clymenia Swingle, constituem o que se denomina por citros, em razão de produzirem frutos semelhantes à laranja ou ao limão. Esse complexo grupo de plantas apresenta ampla variabilidade de formas, as quais foram se acumulando ao longo de milênios, seja em razão de seu cultivo desde a Antiguidade, por diversas civilizações, seja em decorrência da preservação pela própria natureza, como consequência da embriogenia nucelar. Os frutos cítricos variam em tamanho, desde os relativamente muito pequenos àqueles muito grandes. Dentre os menores encontram-se os kumquats (Fortunella spp.) e as limas ácidas [C. aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle], cujas dimensões dificilmente ultrapassam 5 cm. No extremo oposto estão as toranjas [C. maxima (Burm.) Merr.] e as cidras (C. medica L.), que podem atingir 30 cm em diâmetro ou comprimento.

Investigations into selective metabolic aspects of bifidobacteria: carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and plasmid biology

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a diverse ecosystem, and is colonised by a diverse array of bacteria, of which bifidobacteria are a significant component. Bifidobacteria are Gram-positive, saccharolytic, non-motile, non-sporulating, anaerobic, Y-shaped bacteria, which possess a high GC genome content. Certain bifidobacteria possess the ability to produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) from linoleic acid (LA) by a biochemical pathway that is hypothesised to be achieved via a linoleic isomerase. In Chapter two of this thesis it was found that the MCRA-specifying gene is not involved in CLA production in B. breve NCFB 2258, and that this gene specifies an oleate hydratase involved in the conversion of oleic acid into 10-hydroxystearic acid. Prebiotics are defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. Key to the development of such novel prebiotics is to understand which carbohydrates support growth of bifidobacteria and how such carbohydrates are metabolised. In Chapter 3 of this thesis we describe the identification and characterisation of two neighbouring gene clusters involved in the metabolism of raffinose-containing carbohydrates (plus related carbohydrate melibiose) and melezitose by Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. The fourth chapter of this thesis describes the analysis of transcriptional regulation of the raf and mel clusters. In the final experimental chapter two putative rep genes, designated repA7017 and repB7017, are identified on the megaplasmid pBb7017 of B. breve JCM 7017, the first bifidobacterial megaplasmid to be reported. One of these, repA7017, was subjected to an in-depth characterisation. The work described in this thesis has resulted in an improved understanding of bifidobacterial fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism, Furthermore, attempts were made to develop novel genetic tools.

Common variants at the MHC locus and at chromosome 16q24.1 predispose to Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is an increasingly common disease that is strongly associated with reflux of stomach acid and usually a hiatus hernia, and it strongly predisposes to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a tumor with a very poor prognosis. We report the first genome-wide association study on Barrett's esophagus, comprising 1,852 UK cases and 5,172 UK controls in the discovery stage and 5,986 cases and 12,825 controls in the replication stage. Variants at two loci were associated with disease risk: chromosome 6p21, rs9257809 (P(combined) = 4.09 × 10(-9); odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.13-1.28), within the major histocompatibility complex locus, and chromosome 16q24, rs9936833 (P(combined) = 2.74 × 10(-10); OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.10-1.19), for which the closest protein-coding gene is FOXF1, which is implicated in esophageal development and structure. We found evidence that many common variants of small effect contribute to genetic susceptibility to Barrett's esophagus and that SNP alleles predisposing to obesity also increase risk for Barrett's esophagus.

Impact damage and repair of composite structures

This paper gives an overview of the work carried out in a GARTEUR (Group for Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe) program, under the chairmanship of the author, to develop and validate analytical and numerical methods to characterise real impact damage in composite structures, particularly those designed to sustain load in a postbuckled state, and to study the durability of bonded repairs. GARTEUR is an inter-governmental agreement between the seven European countries with the largest direct employment in the Aerospace industry, to mobilise scientific and technical knowledge between the member countries. A number of Action Groups have been launched, since GARTEUR’s inception in the early 1970s, to address specific technical issues of interest to the participating members. The research presented in this paper was performed under Action Group 28 with partners from ONERA, EADS-CCR (France), DLR, AIRBUS-Deutschland, EADS-M (Germany), CIRA (Italy), INTA (Spain), SICOMP, Saab, (Sweden), NLR (The Netherlands), QinetiQ, BAE Systems, Imperial College London and the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom). The Action Group tasks were divided into four Work Elements (WEs): WE1-Prediction and characterisation of impact damage, WE2- Postbuckling with delamination, WE3-Repair and WE4-Fatigue. This paper outlines the main developments and achievements within each Work Element.

Overexpression of neurone glial-related cell adhesion molecule is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in advanced colorectal cancer

A downstream target of the Wnt pathway, neurone glial-related cell adhesion molecule (Nr-CAM) has recently been implicated in human cancer development. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathobiology and clinical relevance remains unknown. In this study, we examined the clinical significance of Nr-CAM protein expression in a retrospective series of 428 CRCs using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) of mortality according to various clinicopathological features and molecular markers. All CRC samples were immunoreactive for Nr-CAM protein expression, compared to 10 / 245 (4%) matched normal tissue (P <0.0001). Of 428 CRC samples, 97 (23%) showed Nr-CAM overexpression, which was significantly associated with nodal (P = 0.012) and distant (P = 0.039) metastasis, but not with extent of local invasion or tumor size. Additionally, Nr-CAM overexpression was associated with vascular invasion (P = 0.0029), p53 expression (P = 0.036), and peritoneal metastasis at diagnosis (P = 0.013). In a multivariate model adjusted for other clinicopathological predictors of survival, Nr-CAM overexpression correlated with a significant increase in disease-specific (HR 1.66; 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.47; P = 0.014) and overall mortality (HR 1.57; 95% confidence interval 1.07-2.30; P = 0.023) in advanced but not early stage disease. Notably, 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy conferred significant survival benefit to patients with tumors negative for Nr-CAM overexpression but not to those with Nr-CAM overexpressed tumors. In conclusion, Nr-CAM protein expression is upregulated in CRC tissues. Nr-CAM overexpression is an independent marker of poor prognosis among advanced CRC patients, and is a possible predictive marker for non-beneficence to 5-fluorouracil- based chemotherapy.

Validation of Next Generation Sequencing Technologies in Comparison to Current Diagnostic Gold Standards for BRAF, EGFR and KRAS Mutational Analysis

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has the potential of becoming an important tool in clinical diagnosis and therapeutic decision-making in oncology owing to its enhanced sensitivity in DNA mutation detection, fast-turnaround of samples in comparison to current gold standard methods and the potential to sequence a large number of cancer-driving genes at the one time. We aim to test the diagnostic accuracy of current NGS technology in the analysis of mutations that represent current standard-of-care, and its reliability to generate concomitant information on other key genes in human oncogenesis. Thirteen clinical samples (8 lung adenocarcinomas, 3 colon carcinomas and 2 malignant melanomas) already genotyped for EGFR, KRAS and BRAF mutations by current standard-of-care methods (Sanger Sequencing and q-PCR), were analysed for detection of mutations in the same three genes using two NGS platforms and an additional 43 genes with one of these platforms. The results were analysed using closed platform-specific proprietary bioinformatics software as well as open third party applications. Our results indicate that the existing format of the NGS technology performed well in detecting the clinically relevant mutations stated above but may not be reliable for a broader unsupervised analysis of the wider genome in its current design. Our study represents a diagnostically lead validation of the major strengths and weaknesses of this technology before consideration for diagnostic use.

Experimentally validated partial least squares model for dynamic line rating

This study presents a model based on partial least squares (PLS) regression for dynamic line rating (DLR). The model has been verified using data from field measurements, lab tests and outdoor experiments. Outdoor experimentation has been conducted both to verify the model predicted DLR and also to provide training data not available from field measurements, mainly heavily loaded conditions. The proposed model, unlike the direct measurement based DLR techniques, enables prediction of line rating for periods ahead of time whenever a reliable weather forecast is available. The PLS approach yields a very simple statistical model that accurately captures the physical performance of the conductor within a given environment without requiring a predetermination of parameters as required by many physical modelling techniques. Accuracy of the PLS model has been tested by predicting the conductor temperature for measurement sets other than those used for training. Being a linear model, it is straightforward to estimate the conductor ampacity for a set of predicted weather parameters. The PLS estimated ampacity has proven its accuracy through an outdoor experiment on a piece of the line conductor in real weather conditions.

Partial least squares model for dynamic rating of overhead line in wind intensive areas based on field measurements

This paper presents a statistical model for the thermal behaviour of the line model based on lab tests and field measurements. This model is based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) multi regression and is used for the Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) in a wind intensive area. DLR provides extra capacity to the line, over the traditional seasonal static rating, which makes it possible to defer the need for reinforcement the existing network or building new lines. The proposed PLS model has a number of appealing features; the model is linear, so it is straightforward to use for predicting the line rating for future periods using the available weather forecast. Unlike the available physical models, the proposed model does not require any physical parameters of the line, which avoids the inaccuracies resulting from the errors and/or variations in these parameters. The developed model is compared with physical model, the Cigre model, and has shown very good accuracy in predicting the conductor temperature as well as in determining the line rating for future time periods.