Al-(L-丙氨酸)胰岛素晶体学研究

应用微量过饱和静置法在含柠檬酸钠和氯化钠的晶体生长体系中得到适合Ｘ射线衍射分析用的Ａｌ－（Ｌ－丙氯酸）胰岛素单晶体。晶体属于三方晶系,空间群为Ｒ３晶体衍射分辨率可达１．８Ａ以上。晶胞参数：ａＨ＝８０．８９Ａ,ｂＨ＝８０．８９Ａ,ｃＨ＝３７＼６４Ａ,α＝β＝９０°,γ＝１２０°。每个结晶学不对称单位含有两个Ａｌ－（Ｌ－丙氨酸）胰岛素分子。     

Multikink quantile regression for longitudinal data with application to progesterone data analysis

Motivated by investigating the relationship between progesterone and the days in a menstrual cycle in a longitudinal study, we propose a multikink quantile regression model for longitudinal data analysis. It relaxes the linearity condition and assumes different regression forms in different regions of the domain of the threshold covariate. In this paper, we first propose a multikink quantile regression for longitudinal data. Two estimation procedures are proposed to estimate the regression coefficients and the kink points locations: one is a computationally efficient profile estimator under the working independence framework while the other one considers the within-subject correlations by using the unbiased generalized estimation equation approach. The selection consistency of the number of kink points and the asymptotic normality of two proposed estimators are established. Second, we construct a rank score test based on partial subgradients for the existence of the kink effect in longitudinal studies. Both the null distribution and the local alternative distribution of the test statistic have been derived. Simulation studies show that the proposed methods have excellent finite sample performance. In the application to the longitudinal progesterone data, we identify two kink points in the progesterone curves over different quantiles and observe that the progesterone level remains stable before the day of ovulation, then increases quickly in 5 to 6 days after ovulation and then changes to stable again or drops slightly.     

Effects of Allelochemicals on Root Growth and Pod Yield in Response to Continuous Cropping Obstacle of Peanut

Continuous cropping (CC) obstacle is a major threat in legume crops production; however, the underlying mechanisms concerning the roles allelochemicals play in CC obstacle are poorly understood. The current 2-year study was conducted to investigate the effects of different kinds and concentrations of allelochemicals, p-hydroxybenzoic acid (H), cinnamic acid (C), phthalic acid (P), and their mixtures (M) on peanut root growth and productivity in response to CC obstacle. Treatment with H, C, P, and M significantly decreased the plant height, dry weight of the leaves and stems, number of branches, and length of the lateral stem compared with control. Exogenous application of H, C, P, and M inhibited the peanut root growth as indicated by the decreased root morphological characters. The allelochemicals also induced the cell membrane oxidation even though the antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly increased in peanut roots. Meanwhile, treatment with H, C, P, and M reduced the contents of total soluble sugar and total soluble protein. Analysis of ATPase activity, nitrate reductase activity, and root system activity revealed that the inhibition effects of allelochemicals on peanut roots might be due to the decrease in activities of ATPase and NR, and the inhibition of root system. Consequently, allelochemicals significantly decreased the pod yield of peanut compared with control. Our results demonstrate that allelochemicals play a dominant role in CC obstacle-induced peanut growth inhibition and yield reduction through damaging the root antioxidant system, unbalancing the osmolytes accumulation, and decreasing the activities of root-related enzymes.

     

Insecticidal and Repellent Effects of the Essential Oils Extract from Zanthoxylum myriacanthum against Three Storage Pests

The co-storage of two or more Chinese herbal medicines can effectively prevent the herbs from the damage by pests. Thus, it is important to protect herbs and crops to study Chinese herbal medicines and their medicinal components against storage pests. This study aimed to assess the insecticidal activities and repellent effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from fruits at different periods from Zanthoxylum myriacanthum Wall. ex Hook. f. (1 h, 2 h, 3–5 h and 5–7 h), and their major compounds against three kinds of pests (Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne, and Liposcelis bostrychophila). The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis revealed homomyrtenol (22.56 %, 28.01 %, 28.48 % and 28.41 %, respectively) and p-cymene (30.58 %, 13.95 %, 24.97 % and 6.85 %, respectively) were the common major compounds of the EOs at 1 h, 2 h, 3–5 h, and 5–7 h. m-Cymene contents in EOs of fruits, 1 h, 2 h and 3–5 h were 3.85 %, 0.95 %, 6.71 %, and 6.15 %, respectively. According to Principal component analysis (PCA), the composition of fruits′ EO was significantly different from other EOs due to the different collection times. The bio-assays showed that EOs and major compounds were toxic to all three pests, but the fumigation effect on L. bostrychophila was not noticeable. EOs extracted at different times had a repellent effect on the three pests at the highest concentration (78.63 nL/cm²), but the attractive effects of the EOs of 3–5 h, 5–7 h, and p-cymene were observed at the low concentrations (3.15, 0.63 and 0.13 nL/cm²). Our results suggest that Z. myriacanthum have the potential to be developed as biological insecticides.     

Oxide-Based Solid-State Batteries: A Perspective on Composite Cathode Architecture

The garnet-type phase Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) attracts significant attention as an oxide solid electrolyte to enable safe and robust solid-state batteries (SSBs) with potentially high energy density. However, while significant progress has been made in demonstrating compatibility with Li metal, integrating LLZO into composite cathodes remains a challenge. The current perspective focuses on the critical issues that need to be addressed to achieve the ultimate goal of an all-solid-state LLZO-based battery that delivers safety, durability, and pack-level performance characteristics that are unobtainable with state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. This perspective complements existing reviews of solid/solid interfaces with more emphasis on understanding numerous homo- and heteroionic interfaces in a pure oxide-based SSB and the various phenomena that accompany the evolution of the chemical, electrochemical, structural, morphological, and mechanical properties of those interfaces during processing and operation. Finally, the insights gained from a comprehensive literature survey of LLZO–cathode interfaces are used to guide efforts for the development of LLZO-based SSBs.     

Statistical shape modelling of the thoracic spine for the development of pedicle screw insertion guides

Spinal fixation and fusion are surgical procedures undertaken to restore stability in the spine and restrict painful or degenerative motion. Malpositioning of pedicle screws during these procedures can result in major neurological and vascular damage. Patient-specific surgical guides offer clear benefits, reducing malposition rates by up to 25%. However, they suffer from long lead times and the manufacturing process is dependent on third-party specialists. The development of a standard set of surgical guides may eliminate the issues with the manufacturing process. To evaluate the feasibility of this option, a statistical shape model (SSM) was created and used to analyse the morphological variations of the T4–T6 vertebrae in a population of 90 specimens from the Visible Korean Human dataset (50 females and 40 males). The first three principal components, representing 39.7% of the variance within the population, were analysed. The model showed high variability in the transverse process (~ 4 mm) and spinous process (~ 4 mm) and relatively low variation (< 1 mm) in the vertebral lamina. For a Korean population, a standardised set of surgical guides would likely need to align with the lamina where the variance in the population is lower. It is recommended that this standard set of surgical guides should accommodate pedicle screw diameters of 3.5–6 mm and transverse pedicle screw angles of 3.5°–12.4°.

     

Transmembrane kinase 1-mediated auxin signal regulates membrane-associated clathrin in Arabidopsis roots

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the major endocytic pathway in eukaryotic cells that directly regulates abundance of plasma membrane proteins. Clathrin triskelia are composed of clathrin heavy chains (CHCs) and light chains (CLCs), and the phytohormone auxin differentially regulates membrane-associated CLCs and CHCs, modulating the endocytosis and therefore the distribution of auxin efflux transporter PIN-FORMED2 (PIN2). However, the molecular mechanisms by which auxin regulates clathrin are still poorly understood. Transmembrane kinase (TMKs) family proteins are considered to contribute to auxin signaling and plant development; it remains unclear whether they are involved in PIN transport by CME. We assessed TMKs involvement in the regulation of clathrin by auxin, using genetic, pharmacological, and cytological approaches including live-cell imaging and immunofluorescence. In tmk1 mutant seedlings, auxin failed to rapidly regulate abundance of both CHC and CLC and to inhibit PIN2 endocytosis, leading to an impaired asymmetric distribution of PIN2 and therefore auxin. Furthermore, TMK3 and TMK4 were shown not to be involved in regulation of clathrin by auxin. In summary, TMK1 is essential for auxin-regulated clathrin recruitment and CME. TMK1 therefore plays a critical role in the establishment of an asymmetric distribution of PIN2 and an auxin gradient during root gravitropism.     

EXTRACTION,ASSAY AND SOME PROPERTIES OF FLORIDOSIDE PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE FROM PORPHYRA PERFORATA (RHODOPHYTA)1

A suitable method for extraction of floridoside phosphate synthase (FPS, UDP-galactose: sn-3-glycerol phosphate: 1→2′α-D-galactosyl transferase)from Porphyra perforata J. Ag. was developed. Two assay methods for enzyme activity were utilized, one measuring the amount of floridoside formed by using gas-liquid chromatography, the other measuring the sn-3-glycerol phosphate-dependent formation of UDP; both assays gave similar results. FPS is a soluble protein, and FPS activity in the extract as determined by the amount of product formed in vitro compared well with the in vivo rate of floridoside synthesis (4–7 μMmol product formed·h^?1·g^?1 fresh wt). The rate of product formation in vitro was linear up to 45 min and proportional to protein concentration in the assay mixture. The temperature optimum was 30–35° C. FPS was active over a range of pH values from 7.0–8.5. It was stable in concentrated solutions in the presence of 0.3 M ammonium sulfate, but activity was lost in diluted solution (protein concentration below 0.2 mg·mL^?1) or below 0.2 M ion strength. The data suggest that FPS may be an oligomeric protein which occurs free in the cytoplasm or loosely bound to a membrane. It may also be a regulatory protein controlling the overall rate of synthesis of floridoside in vivo.     

杂交水稻谷粒性状三种不育胞质遗传效应的分析

利用K型、D型和W型三种不育胞质与三个保持系培育成的9个（三套）同质异核或同核异质不育系,以其与5个恢复系按p×q交配模式设计,研究三种不育胞质对F1粒长、粒宽、千粒重和长／宽等谷粒性状的遗传效应．结果表明：各性状均以不育胞质一般配合力效应最重要,随性状而异,还有与保持系、恢复系及二者的一、二级特殊配合力效应;三种不育胞质各性状的一般配合力效应均表现显著或极显著差异,K胞质在千粒重方面、D胞质在粒长和长／宽方面、W胞质在粒宽方面有加性促进作用．因此,注意选择不育胞质源和对质核组合的评价,可进一步改良杂交水稻谷粒性状.