In rice, amylose content (AC) is controlled by a single dominant Waxy gene. We used Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Casg) to introduce a loss-of-function m...In rice, amylose content (AC) is controlled by a single dominant Waxy gene. We used Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Casg) to introduce a loss-of-function mutation into the Waxy gene in two widely cultivated elite japonica varieties. Our results show that mutations in the Waxy gene reduce AC and convert the rice into glutinous ones without affecting other desirable agronomic traits, offering an effective and easy strategy to improve glutinosity in elite varieties. Importantly, we successfully removed the transgenes from the progeny. Our study provides an example of generating improved crops with potential for commercialization, by editing a gene of interest directly in elite crop varieties.展开更多
Thermoelectric effect is the most efficient way to convert electric energy directly from the temperature gradient. Thermoelectric effect-based power generation, cooling and heating devices are solid-stated, environmen...Thermoelectric effect is the most efficient way to convert electric energy directly from the temperature gradient. Thermoelectric effect-based power generation, cooling and heating devices are solid-stated, environmentally friendly, reliable, long-lived, easily maintainable, and easy to achieve miniaturization and integration. So they have unparalleled advantages in the aerospace, vehicle industry, waste heat recovery, electronic cooling, etc. This paper reviews the progress in thermodynamic analyses and optimizations for single- and multiple-element, single- and multiple-stage, and combined thermoelectric generators, thermoelectric refrigerators and thermoelectric heat pumps, especially in the aspects of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and finite time thermodynamics. It also discusses the developing trends of thermoelectric devices, such as the heat sources of thermoelectric generators, multi-stage thermoelectric devices, combined thermoelectric devices, and heat transfer enhancement of thermoelectric devices.展开更多
Background:As reported by the World Health Organization,a novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV)was identified as the causative virus of Wuhan pneumonia of unknown etiology by Chinese authorities on 7 January,2020.The virus was...Background:As reported by the World Health Organization,a novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV)was identified as the causative virus of Wuhan pneumonia of unknown etiology by Chinese authorities on 7 January,2020.The virus was named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)by International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses on 11 February,2020.This study aimed to develop a mathematical model for calculating the transmissibility of the virus.Methods:In this study,we developed a Bats-Hosts-Reservoir-People transmission network model for simulating the potential transmission from the infection source(probably be bats)to the human infection.Since the Bats-HostsReservoir network was hard to explore clearly and public concerns were focusing on the transmission from Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market(reservoir)to people,we simplified the model as Reservoir-People(RP)transmission network model.The next generation matrix approach was adopted to calculate the basic reproduction number(R0)from the RP model to assess the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2.Results:The value of R0 was estimated of 2.30 from reservoir to person and 3.58 from person to person which means that the expected number of secondary infections that result from introducing a single infected individual into an otherwise susceptible population was 3.58.Conclusions:Our model showed that the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 was higher than the Middle East respiratory syndrome in the Middle East countries,similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome,but lower than MERS in the Republic of Korea.展开更多
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of SciencesUS NIH Grants R01GM070795 and R01GM059138(to J.K.Z.)the support of the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program of China under grant 20140029
文摘In rice, amylose content (AC) is controlled by a single dominant Waxy gene. We used Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Casg) to introduce a loss-of-function mutation into the Waxy gene in two widely cultivated elite japonica varieties. Our results show that mutations in the Waxy gene reduce AC and convert the rice into glutinous ones without affecting other desirable agronomic traits, offering an effective and easy strategy to improve glutinosity in elite varieties. Importantly, we successfully removed the transgenes from the progeny. Our study provides an example of generating improved crops with potential for commercialization, by editing a gene of interest directly in elite crop varieties.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11305266&51576207)the National Basic Research Program of China("973"Project)(Grant No.2012CB720405)
文摘Thermoelectric effect is the most efficient way to convert electric energy directly from the temperature gradient. Thermoelectric effect-based power generation, cooling and heating devices are solid-stated, environmentally friendly, reliable, long-lived, easily maintainable, and easy to achieve miniaturization and integration. So they have unparalleled advantages in the aerospace, vehicle industry, waste heat recovery, electronic cooling, etc. This paper reviews the progress in thermodynamic analyses and optimizations for single- and multiple-element, single- and multiple-stage, and combined thermoelectric generators, thermoelectric refrigerators and thermoelectric heat pumps, especially in the aspects of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and finite time thermodynamics. It also discusses the developing trends of thermoelectric devices, such as the heat sources of thermoelectric generators, multi-stage thermoelectric devices, combined thermoelectric devices, and heat transfer enhancement of thermoelectric devices.
基金This study was supported by Xiamen New Coronavirus Prevention and Control Emergency Tackling Special Topic Program(No:3502Z2020YJ03).
文摘Background:As reported by the World Health Organization,a novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV)was identified as the causative virus of Wuhan pneumonia of unknown etiology by Chinese authorities on 7 January,2020.The virus was named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)by International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses on 11 February,2020.This study aimed to develop a mathematical model for calculating the transmissibility of the virus.Methods:In this study,we developed a Bats-Hosts-Reservoir-People transmission network model for simulating the potential transmission from the infection source(probably be bats)to the human infection.Since the Bats-HostsReservoir network was hard to explore clearly and public concerns were focusing on the transmission from Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market(reservoir)to people,we simplified the model as Reservoir-People(RP)transmission network model.The next generation matrix approach was adopted to calculate the basic reproduction number(R0)from the RP model to assess the transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2.Results:The value of R0 was estimated of 2.30 from reservoir to person and 3.58 from person to person which means that the expected number of secondary infections that result from introducing a single infected individual into an otherwise susceptible population was 3.58.Conclusions:Our model showed that the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 was higher than the Middle East respiratory syndrome in the Middle East countries,similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome,but lower than MERS in the Republic of Korea.