Concern over the health effects of fine particles in the ambient environment led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop the first standard for PM2.5 （particulate matter less than 2.5 μm） in 1997. The P...Concern over the health effects of fine particles in the ambient environment led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop the first standard for PM2.5 （particulate matter less than 2.5 μm） in 1997. The Particle Technology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota has helped to establish the PM2.5 standard by developing many instruments and samplers to perform atmospheric measurements. In this paper, we review various aspects of PM2.5, including its measurement, source apportionment, visibility and health effects, and mitigation. We focus on PM2.s studies in China and where appropriate, compare them with those obtained in the U.S. Based on accurate PM2.5 sampling, chemical analysis, and source apportionment models, the major PM2.5 sources in China have been identified to be coal combustion, motor vehicle emissions, and industrial sources. Atmospheric visibility has been found to correlate well with PM2.s concentration. Sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate carried by PM2.s, commonly found in coal burning and vehicle emissions, are the dominant contributors to regional haze in China. Short-term exposure to PM2.s is strongly associated with the increased risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in China. The strategy for PMzs mitigation must be based on reducing the pollutants from the two primary sources of coal-fired power plants and vehicle emissions. Although conventional Particulate Emission Control Devices （PECD） such as electrostatic precipitators in Chinese coal-fired power plants are generally effective for large particles, most of them may not have high collection efficiency of PM2.5. Baghouse filtration is gradually incorporated into the PECD to increase the PM2.5 collection efficiency. By adopting stringent vehicle emissions standard such as Euro 5 and 6, the emissions from vehicles can be gradually reduced over the years. An integrative approach, from collaboration among academia, government, and industries, can effectively manage and mitigate the PM2.s p展开更多
Two-dimensional graphene offers interesting electronic,thermal,and mechanical properties that are currently being explored for advanced electronics,membranes,and composites.Here we synthesize and explore the biologica...Two-dimensional graphene offers interesting electronic,thermal,and mechanical properties that are currently being explored for advanced electronics,membranes,and composites.Here we synthesize and explore the biological applications of nano-graphene oxide(NGO),i.e.,single-layer graphene oxide sheets down to a few nanometers in lateral width.We develop functionalization chemistry in order to impart solubility and compatibility of NGO in biological environments.We obtain size separated pegylated NGO sheets that are soluble in buffers and serum without agglomeration.The NGO sheets are found to be photoluminescent in the visible and infrared regions.The intrinsic photoluminescence(PL)of NGO is used for live cell imaging in the near-infrared(NIR)with little background.We found that simple physisorption viaπ-stacking can be used for loading doxorubicin,a widely used cancer drug onto NGO functionalized with antibody for selective killing of cancer cells in vitro.Owing to its small size,intrinsic optical properties,large specifi c surface area,low cost,and useful non-covalent interactions with aromatic drug molecules,NGO is a promising new material for biological and medical applications.展开更多
Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulate...Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulates the size of rice grains remains fragmentary. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a dominant QTL, GRAIN SIZE ON CHROMOSOME 2 （GS2）, which encodes Growth-Regulating Factor 4 （OsGRF4）, a transcriptional regulator. GS2 localizes to the nucleus and may act as a transcription activator. A rare mutation of GS2 affecting the binding site of a microRNA, OsmiR396c, causes elevated expression of GS2/OsGRF4. The increase in GS2 expression leads to larger cells and increased numbers of cells, which thus enhances grain weight and yield. The introduction of this rare allele of GS2/OsGRF4 into rice cultivars could significantly enhance grain weight and increase grain yield, with possible applications in breeding high-yield rice varieties.展开更多
Grain size and shape are important determinants of grain weight and yield in rice. Here, we report a new major quantitative trait locus （QTL）, qTGW3, that controls grain size and weight in rice. This locus, qTGW3, e...Grain size and shape are important determinants of grain weight and yield in rice. Here, we report a new major quantitative trait locus （QTL）, qTGW3, that controls grain size and weight in rice. This locus, qTGW3, encodes OsSK41 （also known as OsGSK5）, a member of the GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE 3/SHAGGY-like family. Rice near-isogenic lines carrying the loss-of-function allele of OsSK41 have increased grain length and weight. We demonstrate that OsSK41 interacts with and phosphorylates AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 4 （OsARF4）. Co-expression of OsSK41 with OsARF4 increases the accumulation of OsARF4 in rice protoplasts. Loss of function of OsARF4 results in larger rice grains. RNA-sequencing analysis suggests that OsARF4 and OsSK41 repress the expression of a common set of downstream genes, including some auxin-responsive genes, during rice grain development. The loss-of-function form of OsSK41 at qTGW3 represents a rare allele that has not been extensively utilized in rice breeding. Suppression of OsSK41 function by either targeted gene editing or QTL pyramiding enhances rice grain size and weight. Thus, our study reveals the important role of OsSK41 in rice grain development and provides new candidate genes for genetic improvement of grain yield in rice and perhaps in other cereal crops.展开更多
The intrinsic relationships between energy dissipation,energy release,strength and abrupt structural failure are key to understanding the evolution of deformational processes in rocks.Theoretical and experimental stud...The intrinsic relationships between energy dissipation,energy release,strength and abrupt structural failure are key to understanding the evolution of deformational processes in rocks.Theoretical and experimental studies confirm that energy plays an important role in rock deformation and failure.Dissipated energy from external forces produces damage and irreversible deformation within rock and decreases rock strength over time.Structural failure of rocks is caused by an abrupt release of strain energy that manifests as a catastrophic breakdown of the rock under certain conditions.The strain energy released in the rock volume plays a pivotal role in generating this abrupt structural failure in the rocks.In this paper,we propose criteria governing（1） the deterioration of rock strength based on energy dissipation and（2） the abrupt structural failure of rocks based on energy release.The critical stresses at the time of abrupt structural failure under various stress states can be determined by these criteria.As an example,the criteria have been used to analyze the failure conditions of surrounding rock of a circular tunnel.展开更多
Particle size analysis for samples from three last glacial cycle loess-palaeosol profiles along a northwestsoutheast transection on the Chinese Loess Plateau has been carried out. The paleoclimatic significance of gra...Particle size analysis for samples from three last glacial cycle loess-palaeosol profiles along a northwestsoutheast transection on the Chinese Loess Plateau has been carried out. The paleoclimatic significance of grain size indices has been obtained by analyzing the fraction content variations and their comparisons with global ice volume and solar radiation variations. The results show that (i) paleoclimatic significance of the grain size indices of loess-palaeosol deposit is different with grain size fraction content and sampling points in Chinese Loess Plateau; (ii) the sub-coarse grain fraction is a good proxy index of East Asia winter monsoon strength and therefore can be used to detect the global climate changes; (iii) the content of sub-fine and fine grain fractions is influenced by both the input of sub-coarse grain fraction and pedogenesis; (iv) the sub-coarse fraction exhibits a negative relationship with the sub-fine and fine fractlon.展开更多
Grain size is an important yield-related trait in rice. Intensive artificial selection for grain size during domestication is evidenced by the larger grains of most of today＇s cultivars compared with their wild relat...Grain size is an important yield-related trait in rice. Intensive artificial selection for grain size during domestication is evidenced by the larger grains of most of today＇s cultivars compared with their wild relatives. However, the molecular genetic control of rice grain size is still not well characterized. Here, we report the identification and cloning of Grain Size 6 （GS6）, which plays an important role in reducing grain size in rice. A premature stop at the ＋348 position in the coding sequence （CDS） of GS6 increased grain width and weight significantly. Alignment of the CDS regions of GS6 in 90 rice materials revealed three GS6 alleles. Most japonica varieties （95%） harbor the Type I haplotype, and 62.9% of indica varieties harbor the Type II haplotype. Association analysis revealed that the Type I haplotype tends to increase the width and weight of grains more than either of the Type II or Type III haplotypes. Further investigation of genetic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms of GS6 showed that the GS6 gene was strongly selected in japonica cultivars. In addition, a ＂ggc＂ repeat region identified in the region that encodes the GRAS domain of GS6 played an important historic role in the domestication of grain size in rice. Knowledge of the function of GS6 might aid efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control grain development and evolution in rice plants, and could facilitate the genetic improvement of rice yield.展开更多
The utilization of natural genetic variation greatly contributes to improvement of important agronomic traits in crops. Understanding the genetic basis for natural variation of grain size can help breeders develop hig...The utilization of natural genetic variation greatly contributes to improvement of important agronomic traits in crops. Understanding the genetic basis for natural variation of grain size can help breeders develop high- yield rice varieties. In this study, we identify a previously unrecognized gene, named GSE5, in the qSW5/ GW5 locus controlling rice grain size by combining the genome-wide association study with functional analyses. GSE5 encodes a plasma membrane-associated protein with ｜Q domains, which interacts with the rice calmodulin protein, OsCaMl-1. We found that loss of GSE5 function caused wide and heavy grains, while overexpression of GSE5 resulted in narrow grains. We showed that GSE5 regulates grain size predominantly by influencing cell proliferation in spikelet hulls. Three major haplotypes of GSE5 （GSE5, GSE5DELl＋IN1, and GSESDEL~ in cultivated rice were identified based on the deletion/insertion type in its pro- moter region. We demonstrated that a 950-bp deletion （DELl） in indica varieties carrying the GSE5DELl＋IN1 haplotype and a 1212-bp deletion （DEL2） in japonica varieties carrying the GSE5DEL2 haplotype associated with decreased expression of GSE5, resulting in wide grains. Further analyses indicate that wild rice acces- sions contain all three haplotypes of GSE5, suggesting that the GSE5 haplotypes present in cultivated rice are likely to have originated from different wild rice accessions during rice domestication. Taken together, our results indicate that the previously unrecognized GSE5 gene in the qSW5/GW5 locus, which is widely utilized by rice breeders, controls grain size, and reveal that natural variation in the promoter region of GSE5 contributes to grain size diversity in rice.展开更多
文摘Concern over the health effects of fine particles in the ambient environment led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop the first standard for PM2.5 （particulate matter less than 2.5 μm） in 1997. The Particle Technology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota has helped to establish the PM2.5 standard by developing many instruments and samplers to perform atmospheric measurements. In this paper, we review various aspects of PM2.5, including its measurement, source apportionment, visibility and health effects, and mitigation. We focus on PM2.s studies in China and where appropriate, compare them with those obtained in the U.S. Based on accurate PM2.5 sampling, chemical analysis, and source apportionment models, the major PM2.5 sources in China have been identified to be coal combustion, motor vehicle emissions, and industrial sources. Atmospheric visibility has been found to correlate well with PM2.s concentration. Sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate carried by PM2.s, commonly found in coal burning and vehicle emissions, are the dominant contributors to regional haze in China. Short-term exposure to PM2.s is strongly associated with the increased risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in China. The strategy for PMzs mitigation must be based on reducing the pollutants from the two primary sources of coal-fired power plants and vehicle emissions. Although conventional Particulate Emission Control Devices （PECD） such as electrostatic precipitators in Chinese coal-fired power plants are generally effective for large particles, most of them may not have high collection efficiency of PM2.5. Baghouse filtration is gradually incorporated into the PECD to increase the PM2.5 collection efficiency. By adopting stringent vehicle emissions standard such as Euro 5 and 6, the emissions from vehicles can be gradually reduced over the years. An integrative approach, from collaboration among academia, government, and industries, can effectively manage and mitigate the PM2.s p
基金by NIH-NCI funded CCNE TR at Stanford University.We are grateful to Drs.Alice Fan and Dean Felsher for providing the antibodies used in this work.
文摘Two-dimensional graphene offers interesting electronic,thermal,and mechanical properties that are currently being explored for advanced electronics,membranes,and composites.Here we synthesize and explore the biological applications of nano-graphene oxide(NGO),i.e.,single-layer graphene oxide sheets down to a few nanometers in lateral width.We develop functionalization chemistry in order to impart solubility and compatibility of NGO in biological environments.We obtain size separated pegylated NGO sheets that are soluble in buffers and serum without agglomeration.The NGO sheets are found to be photoluminescent in the visible and infrared regions.The intrinsic photoluminescence(PL)of NGO is used for live cell imaging in the near-infrared(NIR)with little background.We found that simple physisorption viaπ-stacking can be used for loading doxorubicin,a widely used cancer drug onto NGO functionalized with antibody for selective killing of cancer cells in vitro.Owing to its small size,intrinsic optical properties,large specifi c surface area,low cost,and useful non-covalent interactions with aromatic drug molecules,NGO is a promising new material for biological and medical applications.
文摘Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulates the size of rice grains remains fragmentary. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a dominant QTL, GRAIN SIZE ON CHROMOSOME 2 （GS2）, which encodes Growth-Regulating Factor 4 （OsGRF4）, a transcriptional regulator. GS2 localizes to the nucleus and may act as a transcription activator. A rare mutation of GS2 affecting the binding site of a microRNA, OsmiR396c, causes elevated expression of GS2/OsGRF4. The increase in GS2 expression leads to larger cells and increased numbers of cells, which thus enhances grain weight and yield. The introduction of this rare allele of GS2/OsGRF4 into rice cultivars could significantly enhance grain weight and increase grain yield, with possible applications in breeding high-yield rice varieties.
基金This work was financially supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China （2016YFD0100902）, the National Natural Science Foundation of China （numbers 31400223, 31471461, and 31625004）, the Basic Research Program from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission （14JC1400800）, the Basic Application Research Program from the Shanghai Municipal Agriculture Commission （2014-7-1-2）, and the Agricultural Seed Project of Shandong Province.
文摘Grain size and shape are important determinants of grain weight and yield in rice. Here, we report a new major quantitative trait locus （QTL）, qTGW3, that controls grain size and weight in rice. This locus, qTGW3, encodes OsSK41 （also known as OsGSK5）, a member of the GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE 3/SHAGGY-like family. Rice near-isogenic lines carrying the loss-of-function allele of OsSK41 have increased grain length and weight. We demonstrate that OsSK41 interacts with and phosphorylates AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 4 （OsARF4）. Co-expression of OsSK41 with OsARF4 increases the accumulation of OsARF4 in rice protoplasts. Loss of function of OsARF4 results in larger rice grains. RNA-sequencing analysis suggests that OsARF4 and OsSK41 repress the expression of a common set of downstream genes, including some auxin-responsive genes, during rice grain development. The loss-of-function form of OsSK41 at qTGW3 represents a rare allele that has not been extensively utilized in rice breeding. Suppression of OsSK41 function by either targeted gene editing or QTL pyramiding enhances rice grain size and weight. Thus, our study reveals the important role of OsSK41 in rice grain development and provides new candidate genes for genetic improvement of grain yield in rice and perhaps in other cereal crops.
基金Supported by the State Key Basic Research Development Program of China (2002CB412705,2010CB226804) the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50579042,10802092)
文摘The intrinsic relationships between energy dissipation,energy release,strength and abrupt structural failure are key to understanding the evolution of deformational processes in rocks.Theoretical and experimental studies confirm that energy plays an important role in rock deformation and failure.Dissipated energy from external forces produces damage and irreversible deformation within rock and decreases rock strength over time.Structural failure of rocks is caused by an abrupt release of strain energy that manifests as a catastrophic breakdown of the rock under certain conditions.The strain energy released in the rock volume plays a pivotal role in generating this abrupt structural failure in the rocks.In this paper,we propose criteria governing（1） the deterioration of rock strength based on energy dissipation and（2） the abrupt structural failure of rocks based on energy release.The critical stresses at the time of abrupt structural failure under various stress states can be determined by these criteria.As an example,the criteria have been used to analyze the failure conditions of surrounding rock of a circular tunnel.
文摘Particle size analysis for samples from three last glacial cycle loess-palaeosol profiles along a northwestsoutheast transection on the Chinese Loess Plateau has been carried out. The paleoclimatic significance of grain size indices has been obtained by analyzing the fraction content variations and their comparisons with global ice volume and solar radiation variations. The results show that (i) paleoclimatic significance of the grain size indices of loess-palaeosol deposit is different with grain size fraction content and sampling points in Chinese Loess Plateau; (ii) the sub-coarse grain fraction is a good proxy index of East Asia winter monsoon strength and therefore can be used to detect the global climate changes; (iii) the content of sub-fine and fine grain fractions is influenced by both the input of sub-coarse grain fraction and pedogenesis; (iv) the sub-coarse fraction exhibits a negative relationship with the sub-fine and fine fractlon.
基金supported by the National High tech R&D Program of China(863 Program)(2012AA10A301)a grant fromthe Agricultural Ministry of China(grant No.2008ZX08009 003)the Self Regulated Projects of the State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
文摘Grain size is an important yield-related trait in rice. Intensive artificial selection for grain size during domestication is evidenced by the larger grains of most of today＇s cultivars compared with their wild relatives. However, the molecular genetic control of rice grain size is still not well characterized. Here, we report the identification and cloning of Grain Size 6 （GS6）, which plays an important role in reducing grain size in rice. A premature stop at the ＋348 position in the coding sequence （CDS） of GS6 increased grain width and weight significantly. Alignment of the CDS regions of GS6 in 90 rice materials revealed three GS6 alleles. Most japonica varieties （95%） harbor the Type I haplotype, and 62.9% of indica varieties harbor the Type II haplotype. Association analysis revealed that the Type I haplotype tends to increase the width and weight of grains more than either of the Type II or Type III haplotypes. Further investigation of genetic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms of GS6 showed that the GS6 gene was strongly selected in japonica cultivars. In addition, a ＂ggc＂ repeat region identified in the region that encodes the GRAS domain of GS6 played an important historic role in the domestication of grain size in rice. Knowledge of the function of GS6 might aid efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control grain development and evolution in rice plants, and could facilitate the genetic improvement of rice yield.
文摘The utilization of natural genetic variation greatly contributes to improvement of important agronomic traits in crops. Understanding the genetic basis for natural variation of grain size can help breeders develop high- yield rice varieties. In this study, we identify a previously unrecognized gene, named GSE5, in the qSW5/ GW5 locus controlling rice grain size by combining the genome-wide association study with functional analyses. GSE5 encodes a plasma membrane-associated protein with ｜Q domains, which interacts with the rice calmodulin protein, OsCaMl-1. We found that loss of GSE5 function caused wide and heavy grains, while overexpression of GSE5 resulted in narrow grains. We showed that GSE5 regulates grain size predominantly by influencing cell proliferation in spikelet hulls. Three major haplotypes of GSE5 （GSE5, GSE5DELl＋IN1, and GSESDEL~ in cultivated rice were identified based on the deletion/insertion type in its pro- moter region. We demonstrated that a 950-bp deletion （DELl） in indica varieties carrying the GSE5DELl＋IN1 haplotype and a 1212-bp deletion （DEL2） in japonica varieties carrying the GSE5DEL2 haplotype associated with decreased expression of GSE5, resulting in wide grains. Further analyses indicate that wild rice acces- sions contain all three haplotypes of GSE5, suggesting that the GSE5 haplotypes present in cultivated rice are likely to have originated from different wild rice accessions during rice domestication. Taken together, our results indicate that the previously unrecognized GSE5 gene in the qSW5/GW5 locus, which is widely utilized by rice breeders, controls grain size, and reveal that natural variation in the promoter region of GSE5 contributes to grain size diversity in rice.
