The Role of Cell Cycle Regulators in Cell Survival—Dual Functions of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 20 and p21Cip1/Waf1

The mammalian cell cycle is important in controlling normal cell proliferation and the development of various diseases. Cell cycle checkpoints are well regulated by both activators and inhibitors to avoid cell growth disorder and cancerogenesis. Cyclin dependent kinase 20 (CDK20) and p21^Cip1/Waf1 are widely recognized as key regulators of cell cycle checkpoints controlling cell proliferation/growth and involving in developing multiple cancers. Emerging evidence demonstrates that these two cell cycle regulators also play an essential role in promoting cell survival independent of the cell cycle, particularly in those cells with a limited capability of proliferation, such as cardiomyocytes. These findings bring new insights into understanding cytoprotection in these tissues. Here, we summarize the new progress of the studies on these two molecules in regulating cell cycle/growth, and their new roles in cell survival by inhibiting various cell death mechanisms. We also outline their potential implications in cancerogenesis and protection in heart diseases. This information renews the knowledge in molecular natures and cellular functions of these regulators, leading to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the associated diseases and the discovery of new therapeutic strategies.     

Centrifuge modeling of the geotextile reinforced slope subject to drawdown

Geotextile is an effective reinforcement approach of slopes that experiences various loads such as drawdown. The geotextile reinforcement mechanism is essential to effectively evaluate the safety of geotextile-reinforced slopes under drawdown conditions. A series of drawdown centrifuge model tests were performed to investigate the deformation and failure behaviors of slopes reinforced with different geotextile layouts. The deformation and failure of unreinforced and reinforced slopes were compared and the geotextile reinforcement was indicated to significantly increase the safety limit and the ductility, reduce the displacement, and change the failure feature of slopes under drawdown conditions. The slopes exhibited remarkable progressive failure, downward from the slope top, under drawdown conditions. The progressive failure was induced by coupling of deformation localization and local failure based on full-field measurements of displacement of slopes subjected to drawdown. The geotextile reinforced the slope by decreasing and uniformizing the slope deformation by the soil-geotextile interaction. Through geotextile displacement analysis, the geotextile-reinforced slope was divided into the anchoring zone and the restricting zone by a boundary that was independent of the decrease of water level. The geotextile restrained the soil in the anchoring zone and the soil restrained the geotextile in the restricting zone. The reinforcement effect was distinct only when the geotextile was long enough to cross the slip surface of the unreinforced slope under drawdown conditions.     

面板堆石坝挤压式边墙的概化数值模型及应用

基于对挤压式边墙实际结构及工作性态分析,从合理性和简单性原则出发,建立了用于面板堆石坝应力位移有限元分析的挤压式边墙概化数值模型。该概化模型由等效板和等效接触面组成,分别采用了线弹性模型和清华接触面弹塑性损伤模型加以描述,其参数易于确定。采用该模型对某面板堆石坝应力变形进行了二三维有限元分析,并与原状模拟分析结果进行了对比。结果表明,概化数值模型能够合理地描述挤压式边墙的实际力学特性,且计算量较小,适用于面板堆石坝的应力变形有限元分析。     

基于图像分析的土坡离心模型试验变形场测量

开发了离心场条件下土坡离心模型试验变形场非接触测量技术并进行了实际应用。基于图像相关分析理论,开发了新的土坡离心模型试验过程中土体位移非接触测量系统以观测离心机运行中土坡的位移。针对简单土坡进行了离心模型试验,测量了土坡的位移场变化过程。测量结果规律性好,表明该非接触测量技术能够较好地测定离心模型试验中土体侧面任意点在任意时刻的位移,适用于离心场环境中土坡变形过程的测量。加载导致土坡在某些位置出现变形集中,意味着这些位置发生了应变局部化。应变局部化的发展与土坡破坏有着密切联系。     

粗粒土与结构接触面单调力学特性的试验研究

使用新研制的大型土与结构接触面循环加载剪切仪,对粗粒土与人工粗糙钢板接触面在单调荷载作用下的力学特性进行了较系统的试验研究。从宏观和细观两个角度进行了测量,分析总结了粗粒土与结构接触面的基本力学特性和受力变形机理。试验表明:接触面的厚度约为5～6倍的平均粒径;接触面受剪时表现出明显的相对法向位移,其变化趋势与法向应力有关;接触面的变形可分解为同时发生、互相影响的土与结构交界面上的滑移变形以及结构面附近的土在结构面约束之下的剪切变形两部分,而后者是引起相对法向位移的主要原因;结构面粗糙度、土的种类和法向应力等因素对接触面的力学特性具有重要影响。     

Stream fish assemblages and basin land cover in a river network

This study focused on characterizing fish assemblages in the Adour-Garonne basin and identifying the relative influences of landscape-scale features on observed patterns in stream fish assemblages. Two different artificial neural network algorithms were used: a self-organizing map (SOM) and a multilayer perceptron (MLP). A SOM was applied to determine fish assemblage types, and a MLP was used to predict the fish assemblage types defined by the SOM. Thirty four species were collected at 191 sampling sites in a major river-system, the Adour-Garonne basin, and topographical factors, namely altitude, distance from source and surface area of drainage basin were measured. Using GIS, land cover types (agricultural land, forests and urbanized artificial surface) were calculated for each site and expressed as percentage of the surface area of basin. These variables were introduced to the MLP and factorial discriminant analysis for the prediction of assemblage types. As a result, the SOM distinguished three fish assemblage types according to the differences of species composition, and the assemblage types were better predicted with landscape-scale features by MLP than discriminant analysis. The percentages of agricultural land and the surface area of a basin showed the greatest influence on assemblage types 1 and 2, and distance from source was the most important factor to determine assemblage type 3.