Supersolidity

The observation of nonclassical rotational inertia (NCRI) by the torsional oscillator in 2004 gave rise to a renaissance in the study of solid helium-4. Recent theoretical and experimental studies found evidence that disorder in the solid plays a key role in enabling superfluidity. A recent experiment found a marked increase in the shear modulus that shares the same temperature and helium-3 impurity concentration dependence as that of NCRI. This correlation indicates that the onset of superfluidity requires the pinning and stiffening of the dislocation network by helium-3.     

Further investigation of lead exposure as a potential threatening process for a scavenging marsupial species

There is a growing recognition of the harmful effects of lead exposure on avian and mammalian scavengers. This can lead to both lethal and non-lethal effects which may negatively impact wildlife populations. Our objective was to assess medium-term lead exposure in wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii). Frozen liver samples (n = 41), opportunistically collected in 2017–2022, were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine liver lead concentrations. These results were then used to calculate the proportion of animals with elevated lead levels (>5 mg/kg dry weight) and examine the role of explanatory variables that may have influenced the results. The majority of samples analysed were from the south-east corner of Tasmania, within 50 km of Hobart. No Tasmanian devil samples were found to have elevated lead levels. The median liver lead concentration was 0.17 mg/kg (range 0.05–1.32 mg/kg). Female devils were found to have significantly higher liver lead concentrations than males (P = 0.013), which was likely related to lactation, but other variables (age, location, body mass) were not significant. These results suggest that wild Tasmanian devil populations currently show minimal medium-term evidence of exposure to lead pollution, although samples were concentrated in peri-urban areas. The results provide a baseline level which can be used to assess the impact of any future changes in lead use in Tasmania. Furthermore, these data can be used as a comparison for lead exposure studies in other mammalian scavengers, including other carnivorous marsupial species.     

Effect of Mcl-1 signaling pathway blockers on apoptosis of mouse macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv

AIM: To explore the effects of Mcl-1 signal pathway blockers on Mcl-1 expression, macrophage apoptosis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the model of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. METHODS: A mouse infection model was established by intraperitoneal injection of H37Rv suspension. The signaling pathway blockers AG490, PD98059 and LY294002 for JAK/STAT, MAPK and PI3K, respectively, were intraperitoneally injected into the mice infected with H37Rv. Cell acid-fast staining was used to observe whether the mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with H37Rv were successfully established. Immunocytochemical method was employed to detect Mcl-1 expression in the mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with H37Rv. The apoptotic rate in each group was measured by flow cytomerty. The scavenging capacity of apoptotic macrophages against H37Rv was determined by Mycobacterium tuberculosis colony counting. RESULTS: The result of cell acid-fast staining revealed the existence of dispersive arrangement of red short antiacid Mycobacterium tuberculosis within infected macrophages. The result of cell immunocytochemistry showed strongly positive expression of Mcl-1 protein in H37Rv infection group, AG490 treatment group and LY294002 treatment group, weakly positive expression of Mcl-1 protein in PD98059 treatment group, and negative expression of Mcl-1 protein in control group. The result of flow cytometry found that the macrophage apoptotic rate in H37Rv infection group was higher than that in control group, while that in PD98059 treatment group was high than that in other groups with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The result of Mycobacterium tuberculosis colony counting showed that PD98059 treatment had the most significant inhibitory effect on H37Rv strain. CONCLUSION: Mcl-1 signaling pathway blockers increase the apoptotic rate of macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting the signaling pathways of JAK/STAT, MAPK and PI3K, among which the MAPK has the most obvious interfering effect on Mcl-1, and leads to the highest apoptotic rate of infected macrophages and the strongest bacteriostasis.     

湘中丘陵区不同植被恢复阶段林地土壤可溶性氮组分含量和密度

以湘中丘陵区的檵木—南烛—白栎灌草丛(LVR)、檵木—杉木—白栎灌木林(LCQ)、马尾松—柯—檵木针阔混交林(PLL)、柯—红淡比—青冈常绿阔叶林(LAG)作为1个恢复序列,设置固定样地,采集土壤样品,测定土壤可溶性有机氮(SON)、铵态氮(NH_4⁺—N)、硝态氮(NO_3^-—N)含量及其密度,分析SON、NH_4⁺—N、NO_3^-—N含量与土壤黏粒、全氮(TN)、有机碳(SOC)、微生物生物量的相关性。结果表明:各土层SON、NH_4⁺—N含量随植被恢复而增加,与LVR相比,LAG、PLL、LCQ 0—40 cm土层SON含量分别增加225.78%,121.22%,54.73%,NH_4⁺—N分别增加22.10%,14.74%,7.80%;而各土层NO_3^-—N含量随植被恢复先下降再增加,LAG各土层NO_3^-—N含量最高,LCQ最低;0—40 cm土壤层SON、NH_4⁺—N密度分别为143.82~528.12,55.73~65.57 kg/hm²,与LVR相比,LAG、PLL、LCQ土壤SON密度分别增加267.20%,98.40%,86.30%,NH_4⁺—N密度分别增加17.70%,7.90%和11.60%;0—40 cm土壤层NO_3^-—N密度为22.91~25.87 kg/hm²,与LVR相比,LAG增加13.16%;SON、NH_4⁺—N密度各阶段间的增长速率呈快—慢—快的特征,而NO_3^-—N呈慢—慢—快的特征;土壤理化性质和微生物生物量对SON、NH_4⁺—N的影响大于NO_3^-—N,表明植被恢复有利于土壤N养分积累,提高土壤可溶性氮组分的含量和密度,增加土壤N的可利用性。     

Genomic Sequence and Experimental Tractability of a New Decapod Shrimp Model,Neocaridina denticulata

The speciose Crustacea is the largest subphylum of arthropods on the planet after the Insecta. To date, however, the only publically available sequenced crustacean genome is that of the water flea, Daphnia pulex, a member of the Branchiopoda. While Daphnia is a well-established ecotoxicological model, previous study showed that one-third of genes contained in its genome are lineage-specific and could not be identified in any other metazoan genomes. To better understand the genomic evolution of crustaceans and arthropods, we have sequenced the genome of a novel shrimp model, Neocaridina denticulata, and tested its experimental malleability. A library of 170-bp nominal fragment size was constructed from DNA of a starved single adult and sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. Core eukaryotic genes, the mitochondrial genome, developmental patterning genes (such as Hox) and microRNA processing pathway genes are all present in this animal, suggesting it has not undergone massive genomic loss. Comparison with the published genome of Daphnia pulex has allowed us to reveal 3750 genes that are indeed specific to the lineage containing malacostracans and branchiopods, rather than Daphnia-specific (E-value: 10⁻⁶). We also show the experimental tractability of N. denticulata, which, together with the genomic resources presented here, make it an ideal model for a wide range of further aquacultural, developmental, ecotoxicological, food safety, genetic, hormonal, physiological and reproductive research, allowing better understanding of the evolution of crustaceans and other arthropods.     

ICSI介导生产转基因牛胚胎影响因素的研究

采用牛体外成熟卵母细胞和冷冻解冻的精子为材料,以pEGFP-N1为模式基因,探讨DNA浓度、精子质膜破损方法、注射台温度对牛精子胞质内注射（ICSI）介导转基因效果的影响。结果表明：线性pEGFPN1质粒DNA浓度为5μg/mL、10μg/mL两组的早期胚胎发育率显著高于50μg/mL组（19.8%,16.7%VS 7.9%,p〈0.05）。以冻融、TritonX100、超声波断尾三种方法破损精子质膜,冻融组的囊胚发育率（24.7%）最高,且冻融组的早期胚胎基因表达率极显著高于超声断尾组（41%VS 20.5%,p〈0.01）;当分别在25℃、38℃的注射台进行显微注射时,两组之间胚胎的囊胚率无显著差异（p〉0.05）,但二者之间胚胎的基因表达率差异显著（46.83%VS 28.57%,p〈0.05）。以上结果表明：（1）牛精子转染外源GFP基因的浓度不宜过高,转染高浓度的DNA会影响胚胎发育;（2）精子质膜是阻碍外源DNA与牛精子相结合的主要因素,将精子冻融处理可有效破损其质膜,利于精子与外源DNA的结合,从而提高ICSI介导转基因效率;（3）25℃和38℃热台温度对牛ICSI胚胎的早期发育无影响,但25℃热台温度可提高牛ICSI介导转基因的效果。     

Ordered bicontinuous nanoporous and nanorelief ceramic films from self assembling polymer precursors

Three-dimensional ceramic nanostructured films were produced from silicon-containing triblock copolymer films exhibiting the double gyroid and inverse double gyroid morphologies (space group Ia3d). A one-step room-temperature oxidation process that used ozonolysis and ultraviolet irradiation effected both the selective removal of the hydrocarbon block and the conversion of the silicon-containing block to a silicon oxycarbide ceramic stable to 400 degrees C. Depending on the relative volume fraction of the hydrocarbon block to the silicon- containing block, either nanoporous or nanorelief structures were fabricated with calculated interfacial areas of approximately 40 square meters per gram and pore or strut sizes of approximately 20 nanometers.     

The Seismic Structure of the Sun

Global Oscillation Network Group data reveal that the internal structure of the sun can be well represented by a calibrated standard model. However, immediately beneath the convection zone and at the edge of the energy-generating core, the sound-speed variation is somewhat smoother in the sun than it is in the model. This could be a consequence of chemical inhomogeneity that is too severe in the model, perhaps owing to inaccurate modeling of gravitational settling or to neglected macroscopic motion that may be present in the sun. Accurate knowledge of the sun's structure enables inferences to be made about the physics that controls the sun; for example, through the opacity, the equation of state, or wave motion. Those inferences can then be used elsewhere in astrophysics.