Emission of coherent THz radiation from superconductors

Compact solid-state sources of terahertz (THz) radiation are being sought for sensing, imaging, and spectroscopy applications across the physical and biological sciences. We demonstrate that coherent continuous-wave THz radiation of sizable power can be extracted from intrinsic Josephson junctions in the layered high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8. In analogy to a laser cavity, the excitation of an electromagnetic cavity resonance inside the sample generates a macroscopic coherent state in which a large number of junctions are synchronized to oscillate in phase. The emission power is found to increase as the square of the number of junctions reaching values of 0.5 microwatt at frequencies up to 0.85 THz, and persists up to approximately 50 kelvin. These results should stimulate the development of superconducting compact sources of THz radiation.     

Liquids at large negative pressures: water at the homogeneous nucleation limit

An isochoric cooling method for obtaining unprecedented tensions on liquids was used to determine the homogeneous nucleation limit for stretching of water at a variety of water densities. At densities in the range 0.55 to 0.68 gram per milliliter (g/ml), the data agree with the homogeneous nucleation temperatures measured by Skripov for superheated water at positive pressures. At densities between 0.68 and 0.93 g/ml, cavitation occurred only at negative pressures (that is, under tension). The cavitation tensions measured were in excellent agreement with those predicted by Fisher's 1948 vapor nucleation theory. A maximum tension of 140 megapascals (=1400 bars) was reached at 42 degrees C, which lies on an extrapolation of the line of isobaric density maxima. At higher densities, cavitation of droplets that survived heterogeneous nucleation failed to occur at all unless provoked, at much lower temperatures, by freezing. This observation confirms the existence of a density maximum at 42 degrees C and -140 megapascals and hence greatly strengthens the basis for Speedy's conjecture of a reentrant spinodal for water.     

甜高梁──欧共体未来能源所在

甜高梁──欧共体未来能源所在沈阳农业大学马鸿图，黄瑞冬当今世界每年消费原油产品约３０亿ｔ，这个消耗量相当于地质积累２００万年。由此可见再生生物质能源对未来能源的贡献将日益显得重要。欧共体目前所需要的能源有５３％是靠进口的，而这些进口地区常受社会条件影...     

Sirt5 is a NAD-dependent protein lysine demalonylase and desuccinylase

Silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) proteins (sirtuins) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylases that regulate important biological processes. Mammals have seven sirtuins, Sirt1 to Sirt7. Four of them (Sirt4 to Sirt7) have no detectable or very weak deacetylase activity. We found that Sirt5 is an efficient protein lysine desuccinylase and demalonylase in vitro. The preference for succinyl and malonyl groups was explained by the presence of an arginine residue (Arg(105)) and tyrosine residue (Tyr(102)) in the acyl pocket of Sirt5. Several mammalian proteins were identified with mass spectrometry to have succinyl or malonyl lysine modifications. Deletion of Sirt5 in mice appeared to increase the level of succinylation on carbamoyl phosphate synthase 1, which is a known target of Sirt5. Thus, protein lysine succinylation may represent a posttranslational modification that can be reversed by Sirt5 in vivo.     

甜高粱不同节间与全茎秆锤度的相关性分析

通过相关、偏相关及通径分析，研究了甜高粱辽饲杂3号自上而下各茎节间锤度的关系以及各茎节锤度与茎秆混合锤度的关系。结果表明：自上而下各茎节的锤度呈现出低-高-低的变化趋势，上数第4，5，6节的汁液含糖锤度最高，第1节最低；各节平均值及全株混合锤度总平均值与上数第10，11节锤度值最接近，因此可用上数第10或第11节值代表全株含糖锤度。上数第6，13，7，3，2茎节的锤度对茎秆混合锤度有较大的正直接效应；上数第10茎节的锤度对茎秆混合锤度的正直接效应较小：上数第11，12，4，9茎节的锤度对茎秆混合锤度有较大的负直接效应。     

Germline allele-specific expression of TGFBR1 confers an increased risk of colorectal cancer

Much of the genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer (CRC) in humans is unexplained. Studying a Caucasian-dominated population in the United States, we showed that germline allele-specific expression (ASE) of the gene encoding transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) type I receptor, TGFBR1, is a quantitative trait that occurs in 10 to 20% of CRC patients and 1 to 3% of controls. ASE results in reduced expression of the gene, is dominantly inherited, segregates in families, and occurs in sporadic CRC cases. Although subtle, the reduction in constitutive TGFBR1 expression alters SMAD-mediated TGF-beta signaling. Two major TGFBR1 haplotypes are predominant among ASE cases, which suggests ancestral mutations, but causative germline changes have not been identified. Conservative estimates suggest that ASE confers a substantially increased risk of CRC (odds ratio, 8.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.6 to 29.1), but these estimates require confirmation and will probably show ethnic differences.     

不同播期对高梁子粒淀粉含量的影响

以铁杂17号高粱为试验材料,研究了不同播期对高粱子粒淀粉含量的影响.结果表明:高粱子粒总淀粉、支链淀粉、直链淀粉含量和支链/直链淀粉比值随子粒灌浆过程推进均呈不断上升趋势,至成熟期达到最大值.其中,Ⅳ播期总淀粉、支链淀粉含量和支链/直链淀粉比值最高,为76.9%,69.1%和8.77;Ⅲ播期直链淀粉含量最高,为8.49%.适时晚播(沈阳地区在5月10～20日)可提高高粱子粒总淀粉、支链淀粉含量和支链/直链淀粉比值.改善占占质.高粱灌浆期气候因子的温度指标对淀粉积累具有重要影响,灌浆期间适宜淀粉积累的日平均温度为19.5～20.5℃.     

Cytokinin oxidase regulates rice grain production

Most agriculturally important traits are regulated by genes known as quantitative trait loci (QTLs) derived from natural allelic variations. We here show that a QTL that increases grain productivity in rice, Gn1a, is a gene for cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (OsCKX2), an enzyme that degrades the phytohormone cytokinin. Reduced expression of OsCKX2 causes cytokinin accumulation in inflorescence meristems and increases the number of reproductive organs, resulting in enhanced grain yield. QTL pyramiding to combine loci for grain number and plant height in the same genetic background generated lines exhibiting both beneficial traits. These results provide a strategy for tailormade crop improvement.