Identification of dynamic structural motifs involved in peptidoglycan glycosyltransfer

We have determined the structure of a new form of the bifunctional peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase (GT)/transpeptidase penicillin-binding protein 2 from the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. We observe several previously unstructured regions of the GT substrate-binding pockets, including a π-bulge in the outer helix that may be responsible for the conformational flexibility of active-site motifs required for transfer of product to the donor binding site during processive rounds of peptidoglycan polymerization. The identification of a β-hairpin in the usually unstructured region of the fold shares local structural homology to that of an exomuramidase, heightening comparisons between this biosynthetic enzyme and lytic peptidoglycan transglycosylases. This new form also shows remarkable interdomain flexibility, causing the linker region of the fold to project into the GT active site. This self-interaction may have significant consequences for the regulation of polymerization activity. The derived information is used to build a catalytic model of both donor and acceptor glycolipid substrates.     

Rational Design of Core@shell Structured CoSx@Cu2MoS4 Hybridized MoS2/N,S‐Codoped Graphene as Advanced Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting and Zn‐Air Battery

A novel hybrid of small core@shell structured CoS_x@Cu₂MoS₄ uniformly hybridizing with a molybdenum dichalcogenide/N,S‐codoped graphene hetero‐network (CoS_x@Cu₂MoS₄‐MoS₂/NSG) is prepared by a facile route. It shows excellent performance toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline medium. The hybrid exhibits rapid kinetics for ORR with high electron transfer number of ≈3.97 and exciting durability superior to commercial Pt/C. It also demonstrates great potential with remarkable stability for HER and OER, requiring low overpotential of 118.1 and 351.4 mV, respectively, to reach a current density of 10 mA cm^?2. An electrolyzer based on CoS_x@Cu₂MoS₄‐MoS₂/NSG produces low cell voltage of 1.60 V and long‐term stability, surpassing a device of Pt/C + RuO₂/C. In addition, a Zn‐air battery using cathodic CoS_x@Cu₂MoS₄‐MoS₂/NSG catalyst delivers a high cell voltage of ≈1.44 V and a power density of 40 mW cm^?2 at 58 mA cm^?2, better than the state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C catalyst. These achievements are due to the rational combination of highly active core@shell CoS_x@Cu₂MoS₄ with large‐area and high‐porosity MoS₂/NSG to produce unique physicochemical properties with multi‐integrated active centers and synergistic effects. The outperformances of such catalyst suggest an advanced candidate for multielectrocatalysis applications in metal‐air batteries and hydrogen production.     

Retarded Charge–Carrier Recombination in Photoelectrochemical Cells from Plasmon‐Induced Resonance Energy Transfer

N‐type metal oxides such as hematite (α‐Fe₂O₃) and bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) are promising candidate materials for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting; however, their short minority carrier diffusion length and restricted carrier lifetime result in undesired rapid charge recombination. Herein, a 2D arranged globular Au nanosphere (NS) monolayer array with a highly ordered hexagonal hole pattern (hereafter, Au array) is introduced onto the surface of photoanodes comprised of metal oxide films via a facile drying and transfer‐printing process. Through plasmon‐induced resonance energy transfer, the Au array provides a strong electromagnetic field in the near‐surface area of the metal oxide film. The near‐field coupling interaction and amplification of the electromagnetic field suppress the charge recombination with long‐lived photogenerated holes and simultaneously enhance the light harvesting and charge transfer efficiencies. Consequently, an over 3.3‐fold higher photocurrent density at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) is achieved for the Au array/α‐Fe₂O₃. Furthermore, the high versatility of this transfer printing of Au arrays is demonstrated by introducing it on the molybdenum‐doped BiVO₄ film, resulting in 1.5‐fold higher photocurrent density at 1.23 V versus RHE. The tailored metal film design can provide a potential strategy for the versatile application in various light‐mediated energy conversion and optoelectronic devices.     

Comparison of dwarf bamboos (Indocalamus sp.) leaf parameters to determine relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant

The relationship between spatial density and size of plants is an important topic in plant ecology. The self‐thinning rule suggests a ?3/2 power between average biomass and density or a ?1/2 power between stand yield and density. However, the self‐thinning rule based on total leaf area per plant and density of plants has been neglected presumably because of the lack of a method that can accurately estimate the total leaf area per plant. We aimed to find the relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant. We also attempted to provide a novel model for accurately describing the leaf shape of bamboos. We proposed a simplified Gielis equation with only two parameters to describe the leaf shape of bamboos one model parameter represented the overall ratio of leaf width to leaf length. Using this method, we compared some leaf parameters (leaf shape, number of leaves per plant, ratio of total leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and total leaf area per plant) of four bamboo species of genus Indocalamus Nakai (I. pedalis (Keng) P.C. Keng, I. pumilus Q.H. Dai and C.F. Keng, I. barbatus McClure, and I. victorialis P.C. Keng). We also explored the possible correlation between spatial density and total leaf area per plant using log‐linear regression. We found that the simplified Gielis equation fit the leaf shape of four bamboo species very well. Although all these four species belonged to the same genus, there were still significant differences in leaf shape. Significant differences also existed in leaf area per plant, ratio of leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and leaf length. In addition, we found that the total leaf area per plant decreased with increased spatial density. Therefore, we directly demonstrated the self‐thinning rule to improve light interception.     

基于专利信息分析的中国3D生物打印技术发展与产业化研究*

目的:基于专利信息对我国3D生物打印技术的发展态势进行分析。方法:本文基于incopat和TDA两大专利分析平台对中国3D生物打印的专利发展态势从专利统计分析与专利计量分析两个维度进行了跨库组合分析,总结了我国3D生物打印技术的专利前沿动态特征。结果:研究发现,中国3D生物打印技术从2013年起进入专利激增态势,中国作为潜在技术市场的国际竞争日趋激烈,本文还从专利申请人、技术领域分布、专利文本关键词聚类、专利价值、专利合作等方面进行了深度挖掘分析。结论:最后,结合对中国3D生物打印专利申请人的专利产业化案例深度分析与专利特征总结,为中国3D生物打印技术发展与产业化提供参考建议。     

Birding and DNA: species for the new millennium

Capsule Based on the 1999 Witherby Memorial Lecture – reviews how developments in molecular and population genetics have led to a reappraisal of species limits in birds.

The taxonomy of birds of the West Palearctic has moved from the comparative stability of the ‘Voous List’ into a period of serious activity, with new data emerging in almost every issue of every evolutionary and avian journal! This activity comes from two directions. Firstly, developments in population genetics, molecular biology, acoustics, behaviour and distributional studies have opened new avenues to measuring differentiation among groups of birds. This, in turn, has led to the recognition that earlier views of what constitutes a ‘species’ are in need of modification (‘improvement’), and the emergence of the ‘lineage concept’ of species. I review some of the species concepts most relevant to avian studies, and attempt to show how and why this change has happened, and its consequences for taxonomy and species limits. Examples are given in the form of ‘case studies’, and include Carrion/Hooded Crows Corvus corone/cornix, Green-winged/Eurasian Teals Anas carolinensis/crecca and Phylloscopus warblers.     

The flora of the Bontebok National Park in regional perspective

Six-hundred-and-fifty plant species from 280 genera and 85 families have been recorded as indigenous to the Bontebok National Park (BNP), which lies 5 km south of Swellendam, in the Western Cape. Twenty-nine of these plant species are globally threatened with extinction and another 23 are species of conservation concern. Three species (Aspalathus burchelliana, Diosma fallax, Erica filamentosa) are endemic to the park. The Asteraceae, Iridaceae and Fabaceae ranked high as speciose families, in line with the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) as a whole, while the Asphodelaceae, Crassulaceae, Poaceae and Cyperaceae were overrepresented, and the Rutaceae, Proteaceae and Ericaceae underrepresented at BNP. The largest genera were Aspalathus (19 species), Crassula (17), Pelargonium (16), Erica (15), Oxalis (12), Moraea (11), Helichrysum (10) and Hermannia (10). Geophytes were the dominant growth form (23% of species recorded), followed by dwarf shrubs (20%), herbs (16%), graminoids (15%), shrubs (13%), succulents (8%), trees (3%) and climbers (2%). Forty alien plant species were recorded (likely an underestimate of true numbers) with the Poaceae most speciose and arguably the biggest invasive threat at the park. With 20 plant species/km², the flora of BNP is richer than expected based on its location within the south-eastern CFR. Similarity with floras of other lowland and montane protected areas in the region is low (< 33% and < 20% respectively), demonstrating that a large component of BNP's flora is not conserved elsewhere. Within a landscape context, BNP forms part of a cluster of connected core sites for Renosterveld conservation. This work confirms the high importance of BNP for flora conservation nationally and even globally.     

基于CLDAS强迫CLM3.5模式的新疆区域土壤温度陆面过程模拟及验证

利用中国气象局国家气象信息中心研发的中国气象局陆面数据同化系统(China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System,CLDAS)大气近地面强迫资料,驱动美国国家大气研究中心公用陆面模式(Community Land Model,CLM3.5),对中国新疆地区土壤温度时空分布进行逐小时Off-line模拟(模拟时段为2009—2012年);利用国家土壤温度自动站(新疆区域105站点)数据验证CLDAS驱动场强迫下的CLM3.5模式在中国新疆地区3个土壤层(5cm、20cm和80cm)的土壤温度模拟能力。研究发现:在月变化方面,第1层(5cm)土壤温度模拟与实测值差异最大,在每年7月最大差异达5k左右;第2层(20cm)在每年7月达最大差异(3k左右),而第3层(80cm)在每年7月均模拟的很好。造成这种现象的原因可能因为新疆地区7月前后浅层土壤温度变化剧烈,温度白天最高可达300K以上,昼夜温差大,导致模式不能很好抓住浅层土壤温度的变化趋势。研究还发现,在80cm土壤深度,模式在1月、12月的模拟结果均较前两层差。在日变化方面,研究发现:较浅的两层(5cm和20cm)土壤温度模拟值在夏季和秋季均较差。与月变化模拟结果类似的是,80cm土壤层日变化在1、12月模拟较差,然而在其他时段却模拟的很好。在小时变化方面,分析发现:第1层土壤(5cm)模拟结果在每年的1—4月及9—11月的全天(即24 h),模式也会有不同的偏差:其中,在03UTC—21UTC之间主要表现为模式结果比观测结果偏高,而在日内21UTC—00UTC主要表现为模拟结果偏小。在每年的5—8月,全天模拟值都偏小,其中在09UTC达当日最大值。而距离第2层(20cm)处的土壤温度模拟值在大部分月份都偏差较小(-1K至1k之间),并在日内12UTC偏差达到当日最大值。研究发现,在土壤20cm处,模式模拟的最大值较观测值提前,而第3层(80cm)的土壤温度基本不受日内变化影响,表现较为平稳。造成这种影响的原因可能是因为新疆地区5—8月、9—11月为昼夜温差大,深层土壤温度较浅层土壤温度温差变化小,这也造成了模式对于浅层土壤模拟较深层差的主要原因。总体研究表明:CLDAS驱动场强迫下的CLM3.5模式可较为精确的模拟中国新疆地区多年平均土壤温度时空分布,并较为准确的反映中国新疆地区土壤温度的小时、日、月及年际的变化规律。模式浅温度模拟不好的原因可能与模式参数化方案及地表参数有关,后期将继续修正该问题。     

Imprint cytology of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy specimens: a rapid diagnostic tool in non-palpable solid lesions

Objective:  Imprint cytology provides a rapid preliminary diagnosis shortly after the completion of breast biopsy. This study aims to assess the validity of imprint cytology for the pre-operative diagnosis of non-palpable mammographic solid lesions excised by vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB).
Methods:  Seventy-two women with non-palpable Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 and 4 mammographic solid lesions without microcalcifications underwent VABB on the stereotactic Fischer's table with 11-G Mammotome vacuum probes. Imprint samples were examined (Diff-Quick stain, modified Papanicolaou stain and May-Grünwald–Giemsa). The cores were dipped into a CytoRich Red Collection fluid for a few seconds in order to obtain samples with the use of the specimen wash. After the completion of cytological procedures, the core was prepared for routine pathological study. The pathologist was blind to the preliminary cytological results. The cytological and pathological diagnoses were comparatively evaluated.
Results:  The sensitivity of the cytological imprints for cancer was 90%. The specificity of the method for cancer diagnosis was 100%. Two precursor lesions were present in the material: one case of atypical ductal hyperplasia, which was successfully detected, and one case of lobular neoplasia, which escaped detection. The cytological imprints were inadequate in four out of 72 cases (5.6%), but none of them were included within the malignant subgroup.
Conclusions:  Imprint cytology seems to be an important adjunctive tool in the management of patients with non-palpable mammographic solid lesions. Its very satisfactory sensitivity and optimal specificity could establish its use in general clinical practice.