Efficient generation of isolated attosecond pulses with high beam-quality by two-color Bessel-Gauss beams

The generation of isolated attosecond pulses with high efficiency and high beam quality is essential for attosec- ond spectroscopy. We numerically investigate the supercontinuum generation in a neutral rare-gas medium driven by a two-color Bessel-Gauss beam. The results show that an efficient smooth supercontinuum in the plateau is obtained after propagation, and the spatial profile of the generated attosecond pulse is Gaussian-like with the divergence angle of 0.1 degree in the far field. This bright source with high beam quality is beneficial for detecting and controlling the microscopic processes on attosecond time scale.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

4-{Eth­yl[(E)-4-(4-pyridylvin­yl)phenyl]­amino}benzaldehyde

In the title mol­ecule, C22H20N2O, the central aromatic ring forms dihedral angles of 45.30 (2) and 69.43 (2)°, respectively, with the outer pyridine and benzene rings. In the crystal structure, weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions link the mol­ecules into layers parallel to the ab plane

Aircraft Attitude Distributed Fault-tolerant Control Based on Dynamic Actuator

Abstract: For attitude control system, based on decentralized fault-tolerant control framework, actuators damage and stuck fault detection and identification unit are designed for the flight control system. And observer-based auxiliary system unit is also designed. The auxiliary system implies control surface damage faults and disturbances information. Firstly, we give the attitude control system under actuator stuck, lose of effectiveness, and control surface damages faults. Secondly, a multi-observer is designed for actuator fault detection and identification using a decision-making mechanism to determine current actuator failure modes. Then, an adaptive sliding mode observer is designed for implicit control surface damages and interference information. The reconfigurable controller can achieve fault tolerant using the information of adaptive sliding mode observer. Finally, the simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method

Angiotensin II diminishes the effect of SGK1 on the WNK4-mediated inhibition of ROMK1 channels

ROMK1 channels are located in the apical membrane of the connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct and mediate the potassium secretion during normal dietary intake. We used a perforated whole-cell patch clamp to explore the effect of angiotensin II on these channels in HEK293 cells transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-ROMK1. Angiotensin II inhibited ROMK1 channels in a dose-dependent manner, an effect abolished by losartan or by inhibition of protein kinase C. Furthermore, angiotensin II stimulated a protein kinase C-sensitive phosphorylation of tyrosine 416 within c-Src. Inhibition of protein tyrosine kinase attenuated the effect of angiotensin II. Western blot studies suggested that angiotensin II inhibited ROMK1 channels by enhancing its tyrosine phosphorylation, a notion supported by angiotensin II's failure to inhibit potassium channels in cells transfected with the ROMK1 tyrosine mutant (R1Y337A). However, angiotensin II restored the with-no-lysine kinase-4 (WNK4)-induced inhibition of R1Y337A in the presence of serum–glucocorticoids-induced kinase 1 (SGK1), which reversed the inhibitory effect of WNK4 on ROMK1. Moreover, protein tyrosine kinase inhibition abolished the angiotensin II-induced restoration of WNK4-mediated inhibition of ROMK1. Angiotensin II inhibited ROMK channels in the cortical collecting duct of rats on a low sodium diet, an effect blocked by protein tyrosine kinase inhibition. Thus, angiotensin II inhibits ROMK channels by two mechanisms: increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of the channel and synergizing the WNK4-induced inhibition. Hence, angiotensin II may have an important role in suppressing potassium secretion during volume depletion

Long-rod penetration: the transition zone between rigid and hydrodynamic penetration modes

AbstractLong-rod penetration in a wide range of velocity means that the initial impact velocity varies in a range from tens of meters per second to several kilometers per second. The long rods maintain rigid state when the impact velocity is low, the nose of rod deforms and even is blunted when the velocity gets higher, and the nose erodes and fails to lead to the consumption of long projectile when the velocity is very high due to instantaneous high pressure. That is, from low velocity to high velocity, the projectile undergoes rigid rods, deforming non-erosive rods, and erosive rods. Because of the complicated changes of the projectile, no well-established theoretical model and numerical simulation have been used to study the transition zone. Based on the analysis of penetration behavior in the transition zone, a phenomenological model to describe target resistance and a formula to calculate penetration depth in transition zone are proposed, and a method to obtain the boundary velocity of transition zone is determined. A combined theoretical analysis model for three response regions is built by analyzing the characteristics in these regions. The penetration depth predicted by this combined model is in good agreement with experimental result

Protective and Detoxifying Enzyme Activity and ABCG Subfamily Gene Expression in Sogatella furcifera Under Insecticide Stress

Sogatella furcifera, an important migratory pest of rice, has substantial detrimental effects on rice production. To clarify the mechanism whereby S. furcifera responds to insecticide stress, we measured the activity of its protective [superoxide dismutase (SOD); peroxidase (POD); catalase (CAT)] and detoxifying [carboxylesterase (CarE); glutathione S-transferase (GST); mixed-function oxidase (MFO)] enzymes and the expression levels of its ATP-binding cassette subfamily G (ABCG) transporter genes in response to sublethal concentrations (LC10 and LC25) of the insecticides thiamethoxam, buprofezin, and abamectin. On the bases of the transcriptome data and the ABCG genes of Laodelphax striatellus, we obtained 14 full-length ABCG sequences for S. furcifera. RT-qPCR results showed that 13, 12, and 9 sfABCG genes were upregulated in the presence of thiamethoxam, buprofezin, and abamectin, respectively, at LC10. Moreover, 13 and 7 sfABCG genes were upregulated following treatment with thiamethoxam and abamectin, respectively, at LC25. Enzyme activity assays showed that although thiamethoxam, buprofezin, and abamectin induced GST, CarE, CAT, POD, and SOD activity, they did so at different concentrations and exposure times. The activity of MFO was generally inhibited with prolonged exposure to the three insecticides, with the inhibitory effect being most significant at 72 h. These results indicate that S. furcifera differs in its response to different types or concentrations of insecticides. Taken together, our results lay the foundations for gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of S. furcifera to different types of insecticides, which would be of considerable significance for the development of effective pest management strategies

AT2R (Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor)-Mediated Regulation of NCC (Na-Cl Cotransporter) and Renal K Excretion Depends on the K Channel, Kir4.1

AT2R (AngII [angiotensin II] type 2 receptor) is expressed in the distal nephrons. The aim of the present study is to examine whether AT2R regulates NCC (Na-Cl cotransporter) and Kir4.1 of the distal convoluted tubule. AngII inhibited the basolateral 40 pS K channel (a Kir4.1/5.1 heterotetramer) in the distal convoluted tubule treated with losartan but not with PD123319. AT2R agonist also inhibits the K channel, indicating that AT2R was involved in tonic regulation of Kir4.1. The infusion of PD123319 stimulated the expression of tNCC (total NCC) and pNCC (phosphorylated NCC; Thr(53)) by a time-dependent way with the peak at 4 days. PD123319 treatment (4 days) stimulated the basolateral 40 pS K channel activity, augmented the basolateral K conductance, and increased the negativity of distal convoluted tubule membrane. The stimulation of Kir4.1 was essential for PD123319-induced increase in NCC because inhibiting AT2R increased the expression of tNCC and pNCC only in wild-type but not in the kidney-specific Kir4.1 knockout mice. Renal clearance study showed that thiazide-induced natriuretic effect was larger in PD123319-treated mice for 4 days than untreated mice. However, this effect was absent in kidney-specific Kir4.1 knockout mice which were also Na wasting under basal conditions. Finally, application of AT2R antagonist decreased the renal ability of K excretion and caused hyperkalemia in wild-type but not in kidney-specific Kir4.1 knockout mice. We conclude that AT2R-dependent regulation of NCC requires Kir4.1 in the distal convoluted tubule and that AT2R plays a role in stimulating K excretion by inhibiting Kir4.1 and NCC

Phylogeny and species delimitations in the economically, medically, and ecologically important genus Samsoniella (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)

Samsoniella is a ubiquitous genus of cosmopolitan arthropod-pathogenic fungi in the family Cordycipitaceae. The fungi have economic, medicinal, and ecological importance. Prior taxonomic studies of these fungi relied predominantly on phylogenetic inferences from five loci, namely, the nuclear ribosomal small and large subunits (nr SSU and nr LSU), the 3’ portion of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (3P_TEF), and RNA polymerase II subunits 1 and 2 (RPB1 and RPB2). Despite many new species being described, not all of the recognized species inside this group formed well-supported clades. Thus, the search for new markers appropriate for molecular phylogenetic analysis of Samsoniella remains a challenging problem. In our study, we selected the internal transcribed spacer regions of the rDNA (ITS rDNA) and seven gene regions, namely, 3P_TEF, the 5’ portion of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (5P_TEF), RPB1, RPB2, γ-actin (ACT), β-tubulin (TUB), and a gene encoding a minichromosome maintenance protein (MCM7), as candidate markers for species identification. Genetic divergence comparisons showed that the ITS, RPB2, ACT, and TUB sequences provided little valuable information with which to separate Samsoniella spp. In contrast, sequence data for 3P_TEF, 5P_TEF, RPB1, and MCM7 provided good resolution of Samsoniella species. The phylogenetic tree inferred from combined data (5P_TEF + 3P_TEF + RPB1 + MCM7) showed well-supported clades for Samsoniella and allowed for the delimitation of 26 species in this genus. The other two species (S. formicae and S. lepidopterorum) were not evaluated, as they had abundant missing data