The rapid development of high-intensity laser-generated particle and photon secondary sources has attracted widespread interest during the last 20 years not only due to fundamental science research but also because of...The rapid development of high-intensity laser-generated particle and photon secondary sources has attracted widespread interest during the last 20 years not only due to fundamental science research but also because of the important applications of this developing technology.For instance,the generation of relativistic particle beams,betatron-type coherent X-ray radiation and high harmonic generation have attracted interest from various fields of science and technology owing to their diverse applications in biomedical,material science,energy,space,and security applications.In the field of biomedical applications in particular,laser-driven particle beams as well as laser-driven X-ray sources are a promising field of study.This article looks at the research being performed at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers(IPPL)of the Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre.The recent installation of the ZEUS 45 TW laser system developed at IPPL offers unique opportunities for research in laser-driven particle and X-ray sources.This article provides information about the facility and describes initial experiments performed for establishing the baseline platforms for secondary plasma sources.展开更多
Plasmodium (P.) falciparum is a pathogen that causes severe forms of malaria. Protein interactions have been shown to occur between P. falciparum and human erythrocytes in human blood. The Band 3 Anion Transporter (B3...Plasmodium (P.) falciparum is a pathogen that causes severe forms of malaria. Protein interactions have been shown to occur between P. falciparum and human erythrocytes in human blood. The Band 3 Anion Transporter (B3AT) protein is considered the main invasive pathway for the parasite in erythrocytes that causes clinical symptoms for malaria in humans. The interactions between P. falciparum parasites and erythrocytes along this receptor have previously been explored. Short linear motifs (SLIMs) are short linear mediator sequences that involve several biological processes, acting as mediators of protein interactions identifiable by computational tools such as SLiMFinder. For a given protein, the identification of SLIMs allows predicting its interactors. Using the SLIMs approach, protein-protein interaction network analyses between P. falciparum and its human host, were used to identify a tryptophan-rich protein, A5K5E5_PLAVS as an essential interactor of B3AT. To better understand the interaction mechanism, a guided protein-protein docking approach based on SLIM motifs was performed for human B3AT and A5K5E5_PLAVS. The highlights of this important interaction between P. falciparum and its human host have the potential to pave the way to identify new therapeutic candidates.展开更多
Found in all metazoans, microRNAs or miRNAs are small non-coding RNA of-22 nucleotides in length that completely reshaped our understanding of gene regulation. This new class ofgene regulator is mostly transcribed by ...Found in all metazoans, microRNAs or miRNAs are small non-coding RNA of-22 nucleotides in length that completely reshaped our understanding of gene regulation. This new class ofgene regulator is mostly transcribed by the RNA polymerase II producing a long stem-loop structure, called primary- or pri-miRNA, that will first be processed in the cell nucleus by a multiprotein complex called microprocessor to generate a shorter RNA structure called precursor- or pre-miRNA.展开更多
Chemical and isotopic compositions have been measured for N2-He-rich bubbling gases discharging from hot springs in the Hainan Island, Southern China. Observed 3He/4He ratios （0.1-1.3 RA） indicate the occurrence of ...Chemical and isotopic compositions have been measured for N2-He-rich bubbling gases discharging from hot springs in the Hainan Island, Southern China. Observed 3He/4He ratios （0.1-1.3 RA） indicate the occurrence of a mantle component throughout the island, which has been highly diluted by a crustal radiogenic 4He component. The occurrence of mantle-derived helium is high in the northern island （12%-16% of total He） and gradually decreases towards southern coast （1%-3% of total He）. Such a distribution pattern is most likely controlled by the Pleocene-Quaternary volcanic activities in the northern island and groundwater circulation along the deep major faults. The 4~Ar/36Ar and N2/Ar ratios suggest that N2 and Ar of the hot spring gases are mostly meteoric. Although 13C values of CO2 （-20%0 to -27%0） with low concentrations are consistent with the biogenic origin, the combination of SHe/4He and 51SCco2 suggests a two end-member mixing of mantle and crustal components with CO2/3He ratios of 2x 109 and 8 1011, respectively. However, the low CO2/3He ratios （1- 22106） can not be ascribed in terms of the simple mixing but has to be explained by the addition of radiogenic 4He and loss of CO2 by calcite precipitation in the hydrothermal system, which is most likely controlled by the degree of gas-water-rock interaction.展开更多
Glaucoma is a range of progressive optic neuropathies characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell loss and visual field defects.It is recognized as a leading cause of irreversible blindness affecting more than ...Glaucoma is a range of progressive optic neuropathies characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell loss and visual field defects.It is recognized as a leading cause of irreversible blindness affecting more than 70 million people worldwide.Currently,reduction of intraocular pressure,a widely recognized risk factor for glaucoma development,is the only pharmacological strategy for slowing down retinal ganglion cell loss and disease progression.However,retinal ganglion cell death and visual field loss have been observed in normotensive glaucoma,suggesting that the disease process is partially independent of intraocular pressure.Taurine is one of the agents that have attracted attention of researchers recently.Taurine has been shown to be involved in multiple cellular functions,including a central role as a neurotransmitter,as a trophic factor in the central nervous system development,as an osmolyte,as a neuromodulator,and as a neuroprotectant.It also plays a role in the maintenance of the structural integrity of the membranes and in the regulation of calcium transport and homeostasis.Taurine is known to prevent N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced excitotoxic injury to retinal ganglion cells.A recently published study clearly demonstrated that taurine prevents retinal neuronal apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro.Protective effect of taurine may be attributed to direct inhibition of apoptosis,an activation of brain derived neurotrophic factor-related neuroprotective mechanisms and reduction of retinal oxidative and nitrosative stresses.Further studies are needed to fully explore the potential of taurine as a neuroprotective agent,so that it can be applied in clinical practice,particularly for the treatment of glaucoma.The objective of current review was to summarize recent evidence on neuroprotective properties of taurine in glaucoma.展开更多
Green development emphasizes co-development between economic and environmental dimensions,and is a peoplecentered sustainable development approach.Western China demands green development,and international experience c...Green development emphasizes co-development between economic and environmental dimensions,and is a peoplecentered sustainable development approach.Western China demands green development,and international experience could provide necessary,unique and important help and support for Western China to achieve its green development goals.This paper has made a comprehensive overall review and analysis of international experience in green development policy and its implementation,in particular,OECD countries'(mostly Australia and Canada) experience have been analyzed following the major policy foci defined by the Task Force on Strategy and Policies on Environment and Development in Western China initiated by China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development(CCICED).Data and information were gathered from the field surveys and investigations,expert meetings,as well as literature review.The main sessions include policy framework and road map establishment,implementation and performance assessment,co-development between economic development and environmental protection,as well as green employment and poverty alleviation.The paper has addressed five policy considerations for the future promotion of green development in Western China.展开更多
Cosmogenic Ne isotopes are stable and are routinely used for constraining the timing of events and the rate of surface change beyond the limit that can be studied with radionuclides ^10Be, ^26Al, and ^36Cl. Cosmogenic...Cosmogenic Ne isotopes are stable and are routinely used for constraining the timing of events and the rate of surface change beyond the limit that can be studied with radionuclides ^10Be, ^26Al, and ^36Cl. Cosmogenic Ne analysis can be used in quartz and in a range of other minerals. Analysis typically requires significantly less material than do cosmogenic ^10Be and ^26Al, opening up the technique for small samples--individual pebbles in fiver sediments, for example. Analysis is easier and faster than for radionuclides, not least because Ne measurements do not require significant chemical procedures. However, the presence of other sources of Ne in minerals tends to restrict the use of cosmogenic ^21Ne to old landscapes and long exposure durations. In this review we briefly outline the background of cosmogenic Ne production in rocks and minerals at the Earth＇s surface, then document the key uses of the technique by highlighting some earlier studies, and finish with a short perspective on the future of the technique.展开更多
A field experiment was conducted to study the growth and productivity of wheat as affected by row spacing and direction of sowing at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the 2007-2008 wheat growing season. The experiment was...A field experiment was conducted to study the growth and productivity of wheat as affected by row spacing and direction of sowing at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the 2007-2008 wheat growing season. The experiment was carried out in 3-factors factorial randomized complete block design comprising two varieties (Gautam and BL-2800), three row spacings (15, 20 and25 cm) and two row directions of sowing (east-west and north-south). The effects of variety and row direction of sowing on grain yield were significant (p < 0.05), but the grain yield was not affected by the row spacing treatment. BL-2800 variety produced higher grain yield (3.53 t·ha-1) as compared to Gautam (3.11 t·ha-1). Both wheat varieties yielded about 11% higher (p < 0.05) grain in the north-south sowing as compared to the eastwest sowing.展开更多
Aerodynamic roughness length （Z0m） is a key factor in surface flux estimations with remote sensing algorithms and/or land surface models. This paper calculates ZOrn over several land surfaces, with 3 years of experi...Aerodynamic roughness length （Z0m） is a key factor in surface flux estimations with remote sensing algorithms and/or land surface models. This paper calculates ZOrn over several land surfaces, with 3 years of experimental data from Xiaotangshan. The results show that Z0m is direction-dependent, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the size and spatial distribution of the roughness elements inside the source area along different wind directions. Furthermore, a heuristic parameterization of the aerodynamic roughness length for heterogeneous surfaces is proposed. Individual Z0m over each surface component （patch） is calculated firstly with the characteristic parameters of the roughness elements （vegetation height, leaf area index, etc.）, then Z0m over the whole experimental field is aggregated, using the footprint weighting method.展开更多
Noblesse multi-collector noble gas mass spec- trometer is specially designed for multi-collection of Ar isotopes with different beam sizes, especially for small ion beams, precisely, and hence is perfectly suitable fo...Noblesse multi-collector noble gas mass spec- trometer is specially designed for multi-collection of Ar isotopes with different beam sizes, especially for small ion beams, precisely, and hence is perfectly suitable for ^40Ar/^39Ar geochronology. We have analyzed widely used sanidine, muscovite, and biotite standards with recom- mended ages of - 1.2-133 Ma, with the aim to assess the reliability of Noblesse for ^40Ar/^39Ar dating. An ESI MIR10 30W CO2 laser was used for total fusion or incremental heating samples. Extracted gases were routinely purified by four SAES NP10 getters （one at - 400 ℃ and others at room temperature）. A GP50 getter and a metal cold finger cooled by liquid N （- 196 ℃） were also attached for additional purification if necessary. The Ar isotopes were then measured by Noblesse using Faraday or multiplier according to the signal intensities. Over a period of 1.5 months 337 air calibrations produced a weighted mean ^40Ar/^36Ar of 296.50 ± 0.08 （2σ, MSWD = 4.77）. Fish Canyon sanidine is used to calculate J-values, which show good linear relationship with position in irradiation. The age of four mineral standards （Alder Creek sanidine, Brione muscovite, Yabachi sanidine, and Fangshan biotite） are within error of the accepted ages. Five Alder Creek sanidine aliquots yielded an age range of 1.174-1.181 ± 0.013 Ma （2σ） which broadly overlaps the established age of the standard and the uncertainty approaches those of the foremost Ar/Ar laboratories in the world. The weighted mean ages of four Brione muscovite aliquots （18.75 i 0.16 Ma, 2σ）, five Yabachi sanidine aliquots （29.50 ± 0.19 Ma, 2σ）, and three Fangshan bio- tite aliquots （133.0 ± 0.76 Ma, 2σ） are consistent with the recommended values of these standards, and the uncer- tainties are typical of modem Ar/Ar laboratories world- wide.展开更多
基金support of this work by the project‘ELI-LASERLAB Europe Synergy,Hi PER&IPERIONCH.gr’(MIS 5002735)which is implemented under the Action‘Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure’funded by the Operational Programme‘Competitiveness,Entrepreneurship and Innovation’(NSRF 2014–2020)+2 种基金co-financed by Greece and the European Union(European Regional Development Fund)supported by computational time granted from the Greek Research and Technology Network(GRNET)in the National HPC facility,ARIS,under project ID pr009023-La MIPla S IIIcofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness,Entrepreneurship,and Innovation,under the call Research–Create–Innovate(project code:T1EDK-04549,project title:Development of a coherent X-ray multispectral microscopy system)。
文摘The rapid development of high-intensity laser-generated particle and photon secondary sources has attracted widespread interest during the last 20 years not only due to fundamental science research but also because of the important applications of this developing technology.For instance,the generation of relativistic particle beams,betatron-type coherent X-ray radiation and high harmonic generation have attracted interest from various fields of science and technology owing to their diverse applications in biomedical,material science,energy,space,and security applications.In the field of biomedical applications in particular,laser-driven particle beams as well as laser-driven X-ray sources are a promising field of study.This article looks at the research being performed at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers(IPPL)of the Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre.The recent installation of the ZEUS 45 TW laser system developed at IPPL offers unique opportunities for research in laser-driven particle and X-ray sources.This article provides information about the facility and describes initial experiments performed for establishing the baseline platforms for secondary plasma sources.
文摘Plasmodium (P.) falciparum is a pathogen that causes severe forms of malaria. Protein interactions have been shown to occur between P. falciparum and human erythrocytes in human blood. The Band 3 Anion Transporter (B3AT) protein is considered the main invasive pathway for the parasite in erythrocytes that causes clinical symptoms for malaria in humans. The interactions between P. falciparum parasites and erythrocytes along this receptor have previously been explored. Short linear motifs (SLIMs) are short linear mediator sequences that involve several biological processes, acting as mediators of protein interactions identifiable by computational tools such as SLiMFinder. For a given protein, the identification of SLIMs allows predicting its interactors. Using the SLIMs approach, protein-protein interaction network analyses between P. falciparum and its human host, were used to identify a tryptophan-rich protein, A5K5E5_PLAVS as an essential interactor of B3AT. To better understand the interaction mechanism, a guided protein-protein docking approach based on SLIM motifs was performed for human B3AT and A5K5E5_PLAVS. The highlights of this important interaction between P. falciparum and its human host have the potential to pave the way to identify new therapeutic candidates.
文摘Found in all metazoans, microRNAs or miRNAs are small non-coding RNA of-22 nucleotides in length that completely reshaped our understanding of gene regulation. This new class ofgene regulator is mostly transcribed by the RNA polymerase II producing a long stem-loop structure, called primary- or pri-miRNA, that will first be processed in the cell nucleus by a multiprotein complex called microprocessor to generate a shorter RNA structure called precursor- or pre-miRNA.
基金supported by the China National Key Basic Research and Development Program"973" (No.2009CB219506)
文摘Chemical and isotopic compositions have been measured for N2-He-rich bubbling gases discharging from hot springs in the Hainan Island, Southern China. Observed 3He/4He ratios （0.1-1.3 RA） indicate the occurrence of a mantle component throughout the island, which has been highly diluted by a crustal radiogenic 4He component. The occurrence of mantle-derived helium is high in the northern island （12%-16% of total He） and gradually decreases towards southern coast （1%-3% of total He）. Such a distribution pattern is most likely controlled by the Pleocene-Quaternary volcanic activities in the northern island and groundwater circulation along the deep major faults. The 4~Ar/36Ar and N2/Ar ratios suggest that N2 and Ar of the hot spring gases are mostly meteoric. Although 13C values of CO2 （-20%0 to -27%0） with low concentrations are consistent with the biogenic origin, the combination of SHe/4He and 51SCco2 suggests a two end-member mixing of mantle and crustal components with CO2/3He ratios of 2x 109 and 8 1011, respectively. However, the low CO2/3He ratios （1- 22106） can not be ascribed in terms of the simple mixing but has to be explained by the addition of radiogenic 4He and loss of CO2 by calcite precipitation in the hydrothermal system, which is most likely controlled by the degree of gas-water-rock interaction.
基金This work was financially supported by the Institut Pengurusan Penyelidikan(RMI),Universiti Teknologi MARA,Malaysia,under grants 600-IRMI/MyRA 5/3/BESTARI(004/2017)and 600-IRMI/MyRA 5/3/BESTARI(006/2017).
文摘Glaucoma is a range of progressive optic neuropathies characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell loss and visual field defects.It is recognized as a leading cause of irreversible blindness affecting more than 70 million people worldwide.Currently,reduction of intraocular pressure,a widely recognized risk factor for glaucoma development,is the only pharmacological strategy for slowing down retinal ganglion cell loss and disease progression.However,retinal ganglion cell death and visual field loss have been observed in normotensive glaucoma,suggesting that the disease process is partially independent of intraocular pressure.Taurine is one of the agents that have attracted attention of researchers recently.Taurine has been shown to be involved in multiple cellular functions,including a central role as a neurotransmitter,as a trophic factor in the central nervous system development,as an osmolyte,as a neuromodulator,and as a neuroprotectant.It also plays a role in the maintenance of the structural integrity of the membranes and in the regulation of calcium transport and homeostasis.Taurine is known to prevent N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced excitotoxic injury to retinal ganglion cells.A recently published study clearly demonstrated that taurine prevents retinal neuronal apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro.Protective effect of taurine may be attributed to direct inhibition of apoptosis,an activation of brain derived neurotrophic factor-related neuroprotective mechanisms and reduction of retinal oxidative and nitrosative stresses.Further studies are needed to fully explore the potential of taurine as a neuroprotective agent,so that it can be applied in clinical practice,particularly for the treatment of glaucoma.The objective of current review was to summarize recent evidence on neuroprotective properties of taurine in glaucoma.
基金finally supported by the "Strategy and Policies on Environment and Development in Western China" project of "China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development(CCICED)"
文摘Green development emphasizes co-development between economic and environmental dimensions,and is a peoplecentered sustainable development approach.Western China demands green development,and international experience could provide necessary,unique and important help and support for Western China to achieve its green development goals.This paper has made a comprehensive overall review and analysis of international experience in green development policy and its implementation,in particular,OECD countries'(mostly Australia and Canada) experience have been analyzed following the major policy foci defined by the Task Force on Strategy and Policies on Environment and Development in Western China initiated by China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development(CCICED).Data and information were gathered from the field surveys and investigations,expert meetings,as well as literature review.The main sessions include policy framework and road map establishment,implementation and performance assessment,co-development between economic development and environmental protection,as well as green employment and poverty alleviation.The paper has addressed five policy considerations for the future promotion of green development in Western China.
基金supported by the basic scientific research fund, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration (Grant Nos. IGCEA1504 and IGCEA1417)
文摘Cosmogenic Ne isotopes are stable and are routinely used for constraining the timing of events and the rate of surface change beyond the limit that can be studied with radionuclides ^10Be, ^26Al, and ^36Cl. Cosmogenic Ne analysis can be used in quartz and in a range of other minerals. Analysis typically requires significantly less material than do cosmogenic ^10Be and ^26Al, opening up the technique for small samples--individual pebbles in fiver sediments, for example. Analysis is easier and faster than for radionuclides, not least because Ne measurements do not require significant chemical procedures. However, the presence of other sources of Ne in minerals tends to restrict the use of cosmogenic ^21Ne to old landscapes and long exposure durations. In this review we briefly outline the background of cosmogenic Ne production in rocks and minerals at the Earth＇s surface, then document the key uses of the technique by highlighting some earlier studies, and finish with a short perspective on the future of the technique.
文摘A field experiment was conducted to study the growth and productivity of wheat as affected by row spacing and direction of sowing at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the 2007-2008 wheat growing season. The experiment was carried out in 3-factors factorial randomized complete block design comprising two varieties (Gautam and BL-2800), three row spacings (15, 20 and25 cm) and two row directions of sowing (east-west and north-south). The effects of variety and row direction of sowing on grain yield were significant (p < 0.05), but the grain yield was not affected by the row spacing treatment. BL-2800 variety produced higher grain yield (3.53 t·ha-1) as compared to Gautam (3.11 t·ha-1). Both wheat varieties yielded about 11% higher (p < 0.05) grain in the north-south sowing as compared to the eastwest sowing.
基金supported by the Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China(2007AA12Z175)the Special Research Foundation of the Public Benefit Industry (GYHY200706046)+1 种基金the Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40671128)the National Basic Research Program of China (2007CB714401)
文摘Aerodynamic roughness length （Z0m） is a key factor in surface flux estimations with remote sensing algorithms and/or land surface models. This paper calculates ZOrn over several land surfaces, with 3 years of experimental data from Xiaotangshan. The results show that Z0m is direction-dependent, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the size and spatial distribution of the roughness elements inside the source area along different wind directions. Furthermore, a heuristic parameterization of the aerodynamic roughness length for heterogeneous surfaces is proposed. Individual Z0m over each surface component （patch） is calculated firstly with the characteristic parameters of the roughness elements （vegetation height, leaf area index, etc.）, then Z0m over the whole experimental field is aggregated, using the footprint weighting method.
基金funded by The National Key R&D Program of China(2016YFC0600405)The National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40903022)
文摘Noblesse multi-collector noble gas mass spec- trometer is specially designed for multi-collection of Ar isotopes with different beam sizes, especially for small ion beams, precisely, and hence is perfectly suitable for ^40Ar/^39Ar geochronology. We have analyzed widely used sanidine, muscovite, and biotite standards with recom- mended ages of - 1.2-133 Ma, with the aim to assess the reliability of Noblesse for ^40Ar/^39Ar dating. An ESI MIR10 30W CO2 laser was used for total fusion or incremental heating samples. Extracted gases were routinely purified by four SAES NP10 getters （one at - 400 ℃ and others at room temperature）. A GP50 getter and a metal cold finger cooled by liquid N （- 196 ℃） were also attached for additional purification if necessary. The Ar isotopes were then measured by Noblesse using Faraday or multiplier according to the signal intensities. Over a period of 1.5 months 337 air calibrations produced a weighted mean ^40Ar/^36Ar of 296.50 ± 0.08 （2σ, MSWD = 4.77）. Fish Canyon sanidine is used to calculate J-values, which show good linear relationship with position in irradiation. The age of four mineral standards （Alder Creek sanidine, Brione muscovite, Yabachi sanidine, and Fangshan biotite） are within error of the accepted ages. Five Alder Creek sanidine aliquots yielded an age range of 1.174-1.181 ± 0.013 Ma （2σ） which broadly overlaps the established age of the standard and the uncertainty approaches those of the foremost Ar/Ar laboratories in the world. The weighted mean ages of four Brione muscovite aliquots （18.75 i 0.16 Ma, 2σ）, five Yabachi sanidine aliquots （29.50 ± 0.19 Ma, 2σ）, and three Fangshan bio- tite aliquots （133.0 ± 0.76 Ma, 2σ） are consistent with the recommended values of these standards, and the uncer- tainties are typical of modem Ar/Ar laboratories world- wide.
