An ultrathin carbon nanoribbon study as a component of nanoelectromechanical devices

We investigated a carbon nanoribbon (CNR) using atomistic simulations based on Tersoff–Brenner potential function. The CNR was obtained from a compressed (5,5) carbon nanotube (CNT). The obtained CNR had a cross-sectional view as a binocular telescope structure composed of both sp² and sp³ bonds. One carbon atom per ten carbon atoms had sp³ bond. For the optimized structures, the residual forces on the CNR were 3-order higher than that on the CNR and the lattice constant of the CNR was higher 0.0624?Å than that of the CNT along the tube axis. The Young's modulus of the CNR was the same as that of the CNT whereas the critical strain of the CNR was significantly lower than that of the CNT because the residual stresses on the CNR was very higher than those on the CNT. The tensile force curve vs. the strain of the CNT was slightly higher than that of the CNR.     

Molecular dynamic studies of the compatibility of some cellulose derivatives with selected ionic liquids

Molecular dynamics techniques were used to study oligomers that mimic cellulose and various derivatives in the amorphous phase, including cellulose (C), methyl cellulose (MC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Densities and solubility parameters were determined for a series of oligomers with increasing chain length. Both properties were found to change linearly with the degree of polymerization (from monomers to dodecamers). Extrapolated predictions of the densities (g/cm³) for long chain polymers are: C, 1.42; MC, 1.33; HPC, 1.30; and CMC, 1.42. Computed values for the solubility parameter (MPa^1/2) are: C, 25.39; MC, 21.43; HPC, 21.70; and CMC, 24.35. We also evaluated the sensitivity of the solubility parameter to changes in the calculated density and found the dependence to be significant. The calculated solubility parameters were evaluated against experimental and other theoretical values as well as against selected ionic liquids comprised of cations in the imidazolium family and the chloride and trifluoroacetate anions.     

How to Create and Use Analogies Effectively in the Teaching of Science Concepts

Effective teaching is the art of getting information to the students' memory in an organized manner to facilitate later retrieval. Thanks to advances in cognitive science, one can talk of the science of teaching. A metaphor that captures the work of effective teachers is "teachers as knowledge engineers," which connotes that effective teachers understand the nature of knowledge and, by extrapolation, the nature of teaching and learning. When teachers take charge of knowledge, view it as a process, and understand how to work with it, they take charge of the knowledge-construction process and better help their students. This article discusses how science teachers use analogies as a means of organizing knowledge in their students' memory.     

Engineering the Pattern of Protein Glycosylation Modulates the Thermostability of a GH11 Xylanase

Protein glycosylation is a common post-translational modification, the effect of which on protein conformational and stability is incompletely understood. Here we have investigated the effects of glycosylation on the thermostability of Bacillus subtilis xylanase A (XynA) expressed in Pichia pastoris. Intact mass analysis of the heterologous wild-type XynA revealed two, three, or four Hex_8–16GlcNAc₂ modifications involving asparagine residues at positions 20, 25, 141, and 181. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the XynA modified with various combinations of branched Hex₉GlcNAc₂ at these positions indicated a significant contribution from protein-glycan interactions to the overall energy of the glycoproteins. The effect of glycan content and glycosylation position on protein stability was evaluated by combinatorial mutagenesis of all six potential N-glycosylation sites. The majority of glycosylated enzymes expressed in P. pastoris presented increased thermostability in comparison with their unglycosylated counterparts expressed in Escherichia coli. Steric effects of multiple glycosylation events were apparent, and glycosylation position rather than the number of glycosylation events determined increases in thermostability. The MD simulations also indicated that clustered glycan chains tended to favor less stabilizing glycan-glycan interactions, whereas more dispersed glycosylation patterns favored stabilizing protein-glycan interactions.     

Rule-based modeling and simulations of the inner kinetochore structure

Background

Combinatorial complexity is a central problem when modeling biochemical reaction networks, since the association of a few components can give rise to a large variation of protein complexes. Available classical modeling approaches are often insufficient for the analysis of very large and complex networks in detail. Recently, we developed a new rule-based modeling approach that facilitates the analysis of spatial and combinatorially complex problems. Here, we explore for the first time how this approach can be applied to a specific biological system, the human kinetochore, which is a multi-protein complex involving over 100 proteins.

Results

Applying our freely available SRSim software to a large data set on kinetochore proteins in human cells, we construct a spatial rule-based simulation model of the human inner kinetochore. The model generates an estimation of the probability distribution of the inner kinetochore 3D architecture and we show how to analyze this distribution using information theory. In our model, the formation of a bridge between CenpA and an H3 containing nucleosome only occurs efficiently for higher protein concentration realized during S-phase but may be not in G1. Above a certain nucleosome distance the protein bridge barely formed pointing towards the importance of chromatin structure for kinetochore complex formation. We define a metric for the distance between structures that allow us to identify structural clusters. Using this modeling technique, we explore different hypothetical chromatin layouts.

Conclusions

Applying a rule-based network analysis to the spatial kinetochore complex geometry allowed us to integrate experimental data on kinetochore proteins, suggesting a 3D model of the human inner kinetochore architecture that is governed by a combinatorial algebraic reaction network. This reaction network can serve as bridge between multiple scales of modeling. Our approach can be applied to other systems beyond kinetochores.     

湖南工程学院生物工程专业实践 教学模式创新与实践

分析生物工程专业人才需求的现状与发展前景,构建了以社会需求为导向,以实践课程体系为载体,以能力培养为主线,以学生科技创新活动和教师科研为驱动,项目研究与能力培养相结合的创新实践教学模式.实践表明,创新实践教学模式极大提高了学生的学习兴趣和教师的工作热情.     

模型实验教学在组织学与胚胎学实验教学中的尝试

组织学与胚胎学是重要的医学基础课,属于形态学科。目前,组织学与胚胎学实验教学多采用数码互动实验教学,切片观察为主要手段,而切片观察主要是观察组织的平面结构,欠缺立体结构的观察。模型实验教学是以组织学与胚胎学的形态为中心组织学生制作立体模型,启发学生思维,充分发挥想象力,培养学生的动手能力和实践能力。     

一类人禽间传染病模型的动力学分析

讨论了一类人禽传染病模型,其中禽类被病毒感染后人们采取措施治疗病禽．治疗有助于禽类的存活,但人们可能通过接触病禽而被感染．禽间的疾病传播服从饱和接触率函数,人与禽的接触服从线性接触率．完成了稳定性和持久性研究,且进行了数值模拟以评估治疗的效果和风险．     

案例教学法在护理本科专业组织学与胚胎学教学中的实施与体会

组织学与胚胎学为护理本科专业学生必修课.在教学过程中采取＂学生为主体、教师为主导＂的案例教学法,激发学生的主观能动性,注重学生创新能力培养.在案例教学过程中,也发现一些问题：学生素质不一、学习目标不明确以及教师教育理念滞后等.因此,在护理本科专业组织学与胚胎学实施案例教学过程中,引导学生确立学习目标,积极思考,注重团队合作,全面调动学生学习的积极性和主动性.教师在更新教学观念的同时,提倡奉献精神,注重自身素质的培养和提高.     

医学研究生临床生化专题全英教学的改革与实践思考

为培养高质量国际化有才能的医学研究生,对于已经学习过生物化学的国际医学留学研究生,开展了以与临床密切相关的生物化学专题为主要教学内容的全英文授课的教学实践和课程建设,取得了很好的教学效果.临床生化专题全英教学课程也可能适用于国内生物化学和医学相关专业的研究生,在今后的教学实践中需要继续研究和探索,以提高国内医学相关研究生的专业综合素质.