Local minimizers with vortex pinning to Ginzburg–Landau functional in three dimensions

AbstractWe consider the pinning effect for full Ginzburg–Landau functional. The existence of local minimizers with vortices locating in the pinning regions is obtained

The Development of Preschool Education Achievements, Problems and Policy Recommendations of Tibet

This paper shows the development of preschool education in Tibet through analyzing the statistical data from Statistical Yearbook of National Education, Statistical Yearbook of National Education Funding and Statistical Yearbook of Tibet and field investigations. It is found that the preschool education in Tibet has developed rapidly for the support of government, and achieved the following development effectiveness: education resources have increased; preschool education funding increased rapidly; the development tends to be balanced between urban and rural areas; bilingual education developed rapidly, and more attention is paid to education equality. However, there are still many problems to be solved in the future. The study has indicated that the quality of preschool education in ethnic areas is low, the local government does not play an active role in developing preschool education and the preschool education is unsuitable for local features. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the preschool education in ethnic areas as well as to the quality of the quantity and the theory researches. The government should also develop the bilingual education in Tibetan scientifically.

A three-dimensional finite element modelling of human chest injury following front or side impact loading

Based on anatomical features of a 50th percentile adult male, three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) models of ribs, sternum, vertebrae, intervertebral discs, clavicle, scapula, pelvis, skin, head, muscles and limbs were developed in this study. After integrating/assembling various organs and tissues, a bio-mechanical FE model of the human body with adult male characteristics was produced. Furthermore, a chest frontal and lateral collision theory model was built and was validated by using previously published data from corpse frontal and lateral chest impact collision experiments. Good agreements were found between the simulation results of our model and the experimental data as well as theoretical calculations in the contact force, sternum displacement, and force-displacement response. These data suggest that this 3D FE model is effective and has good bio-fidelity in assessing chest biomechanical responses and thoracic injuries upon impact loading. Therefore this model can potentially be useful for evaluating thoracic injuries in car crashes and assessing chest rib fractures and internal organ/tissue damages

Localization of BEN1-LIKE protein and nuclear degradation during development of metaphloem sieve elements in Triticum aestivum L.

Metaphloem sieve elements (MSEs) in the developing caryopsis of Triticum aestivum L. undergo a unique type of programmed cell death (PCD); cell organelles gradually degrade with the MSE differentiation while mature sieve elements keep active. This study focuses on locating BEN1-LIKE protein and nuclear degradation in differentiating MSEs of wheat. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that nuclei degraded in MSE development. First, the degradation started at 2–3 days after flowering (DAF). The degraded fragments were then swallowed by phagocytic vacuoles at 4 DAF. Finally, nuclei almost completely degraded at 5 DAF. We measured the BEN1-LIKE protein expression in differentiating MSEs. In situ hybridization showed that BEN1-LIKE mRNA was a more obvious hybridization signal at 3–4 DAF at the microscopic level. Immuno-electron microscopy further revealed that BEN1-LIKE protein was mainly localized in MSE nuclei. Furthermore, MSE differentiation was tested using a TSQ Zn2+ fluorescence probe which showed that the dynamic change of Zn2+ accumulation was similar to BEN1-LIKE protein expression. These results suggest that nucleus degradation in wheat MSEs is associated with BEN1-LIKE protein and that the expression of this protein may be regulated by Zn2+ accumulation variation

Valproic acid counteracts polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-induced tumorigenic effects by regulating the polarization of macrophages

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common persistent organic pollutants that are carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic, causing a variety of harm to human health. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of how valproic acid (VPA) interferes with the carcinogenesis of PAHs protect normal tissues via the regulation of macrophages’ function. Using the established model of transformed malignant breast cancer by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), a representative PAH carcinogen, we discovered VPA induces the polarization of macrophages toward the M1 phenotype in the tumor tissues, facilitates the expression of pro inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-12 and TNF-α, activates CD8+ T cells to secret Granzyme B thus to promote the apoptosis of tumor cells and suppresses the viability of vascular endothelial cells in tissue stroma of tumor. Surprisingly, VPA selectively induces macrophages to polarize towards the M2 phenotype in normal tissues and promotes the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 to enhance cell proliferation. Additionally, at the cellular level, VPA can directly regulate the polarization of macrophages to affect the growth of vascular endothelial cells by simulating the living conditions of tumor and normal cells. Collectively, VPA exerts an interventional effect on tumor growth and a protective effect on normal tissues by regulation of selective macrophages’ polarization in their microenvironment

The valproate mediates radio-bidirectional regulation through RFWD3-dependent ubiquitination on Rad51

Ionizing radiation (IR) can induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in tumor cells during radiotherapy (RT), but the efficiency of RT is limited because of the toxicity to normal cells. Locating an adjuvant treatment to alleviate damage in normal cells while sensitizing tumor cells to IR has attracted much attention. Here, using the 7,12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene (DMBA)-induced malignant transformed MCF10A cells, we found that valproate (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), radiosensitized transformed cells while alleviated IR-induced damage in normal cells at a safe dose (0.5 mM). We further demonstrated the decrease of homologous recombination (HR)-associated Rad51 in the transformed cells was related to the increase of its ubiquitination regulated by E3 ligase RFWD3 for the radiosensitization, which was opposite to normal cells, indicating that RFWD3-dependent ubiquitination on Rad51 was involved in the VPA-mediated radio-bidirectional effect. Through DMBA-transformed breast cancer rat model, VPA at 200 mg/kg radiosensitized tumor tissue cells by increasing RFWD3 and inhibited Rad51, while radioprotected normal tissue cells by decreasing RFWD3 and enhanced Rad51. In addition, we found high-level Rad51 was associated with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Our findings uncovered RFWD3-dependent Rad51 ubiquitination was the novel mechanism of VPA-mediated radio-bidirectional effect, VPA is a potential adjuvant treatment for tumor RT

Uplift of the Longmen Shan range and the Wenchuan earthquake

ABSTRACT: The 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (M-s,=8.0) struck on the Longmen Shan foreland thrust zone. The event took place within the context of long-term uplift of the Longmen Shan range is a result of the extensive eastward-extrusion of crustal materials from the Tibetan plateau against the rheologically strong crust of the Sichuan Basin. The Longmen Shan range is characterized by a Pre-Sinian crystalline complex constrained by the Maoxian-Wenchuan-Kangding ductile detachment at the western margin and the Yingxiu-Beichuan-Luding ductile thrust at the eastern margin. The Longmen Shan uplift was initiated by intracontinental subduction between the Songpan-Ganzi terrane and the Yangtze block during the Pre-Cenozoic. The uplift rate was increased considerably by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates since similar to 50 Ma. The Wenchuan earthquake resulted in two major NE-striking coseismic ruptures (i.e., the similar to 275 km long Yingxiu-Beichuan-Qingchuan fault and the similar to 100 km long Anxian-Guanxian fault). Field investigations combined with focal solutions and seismic reflection profiles suggest that the coseismic ruptures are steeply dipping close-to-pure reverse or right reverse oblique slip faults in the similar to 15 km thick tipper crust. These faults are unfavorably oriented for frictional slip in the horizontally compressional regime, so that they need a long recurrence interval to accumulate the tectonic stress and fluid pressure to critically high levels for the formation of strong earthquakes at a given locality. It is also found that all the large earthquakes (M-s>7.0) occurred in the fault zones across which the horizontal movement velocities measured by the GPS are markedly low (<3 mm/yr). The faults, which constitute the northeastern fronts of the enlarging Tibetan plateau against the strong Sichuan Basin, Ala Shan and Ordos blocks, are very destructive, although their average recurrence intervals are generally long

A three-dimensional finite element modelling of human chest injury following front or side impact loading

Based on anatomical features of a 50th percentile adult male, three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) models of ribs, sternum, vertebrae, intervertebral discs, clavicle, scapula, pelvis, skin, head, muscles and limbs were developed in this study. After integrating/assembling various organs and tissues, a bio-mechanical FE model of the human body with adult male characteristics was produced. Furthermore, a chest frontal and lateral collision theory model was built and was validated by using previously published data from corpse frontal and lateral chest impact collision experiments. Good agreements were found between the simulation results of our model and the experimental data as well as theoretical calculations in the contact force, sternum displacement, and force-displacement response. These data suggest that this 3D FE model is effective and has good bio-fidelity in assessing chest biomechanical responses and thoracic injuries upon impact loading. Therefore this model can potentially be useful for evaluating thoracic injuries in car crashes and assessing chest rib fractures and internal organ/tissue damages