开放的宇宙

本文依照出现在经典动力学框架中的面貌,描述了从不稳定性到不可逆性的途径。对于象K流(K表示Kolmogonov)那样的极不稳定的动力学系统,经典力学以为存在着一种无限的信息。正是这种无限信息概念的被淘汰才导致了从借助于群的传统动力学描述,过渡到一种依靠半群纳入了不可逆性的描述法。在这个意义上,动力学层次上时间之失的出现正好是和由无限的宇宙中脱颖而出的“有限”科学的结构一致的。     

辛拓扑

物质运动是数学概念的最丰富的泉源之一。我们可以找到一条连续的线索,从伽里略的实验和开普勒的经验定律,经过牛顿、拉格朗日以及哈密顿的光学力学相似理论,贯穿至今日数学的一大主流部分。从力学发展到微分方程、以至流形、李群和测度论。振子的正规模式导致二次型和线性代数。热传导和波动导致富利叶级数和函数分析。但是在所有数学概念中潜在的最有前景的一个概念,目前仅为数学家和理论物理家们所知晓。它受到哈密顿一般力学形式的儿柯解释的发扬,这种深奥的几何被引述为"辛"(Symplectic)几何。     

The sheddase activity of ADAM17/TACE is regulated by the tetraspanin CD9

ADAM17/TACE is a metalloproteinase responsible for the shedding of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and many other cell surface proteins involved in development, cell adhesion, migration, differentiation, and proliferation. Despite the important biological function of ADAM17, the mechanisms of regulation of its metalloproteinase activity remain largely unknown. We report here that the tetraspanin CD9 and ADAM17 partially co-localize on the surface of endothelial and monocytic cells. In situ proximity ligation, co-immunoprecipitation, crosslinking, and pull-down experiments collectively demonstrate a direct association between these molecules. Functional studies reveal that treatment with CD9-specific antibodies or neoexpression of CD9 exert negative regulatory effects on ADAM17 sheddase activity. Conversely, CD9 silencing increased the activity of ADAM17 against its substrates TNF-α and ICAM-1. Taken together, our results show that CD9 associates with ADAM17 and, through this interaction, negatively regulates the sheddase activity of ADAM17.     

SecA,a remarkable nanomachine

Biological cells harbor a variety of molecular machines that carry out mechanical work at the nanoscale. One of these nanomachines is the bacterial motor protein SecA which translocates secretory proteins through the protein-conducting membrane channel SecYEG. SecA converts chemically stored energy in the form of ATP into a mechanical force to drive polypeptide transport through SecYEG and across the cytoplasmic membrane. In order to accommodate a translocating polypeptide chain and to release transmembrane segments of membrane proteins into the lipid bilayer, SecYEG needs to open its central channel and the lateral gate. Recent crystal structures provide a detailed insight into the rearrangements required for channel opening. Here, we review our current understanding of the mode of operation of the SecA motor protein in concert with the dynamic SecYEG channel. We conclude with a new model for SecA-mediated protein translocation that unifies previous conflicting data.     

从“意向性”概念反思现象学对美学的意义——以胡塞尔现象学为例

意向性概念一直是西方学术研究的重点。目前,国内学界是在现象学视域下理解意向性概念的。寻求美学突围的学术追求尤其要反思和警惕这一概念的西方学术理路,同时努力捕捉中西文化、思维的恰切点。以实验性的态度重塑东方关学。     

Consequences of climate change on the tree of life in Europe

Many species are projected to become vulnerable to twenty-first-century climate changes, with consequent effects on the tree of life. If losses were not randomly distributed across the tree of life, climate change could lead to a disproportionate loss of evolutionary history. Here we estimate the consequences of climate change on the phylogenetic diversities of plant, bird and mammal assemblages across Europe. Using a consensus across ensembles of forecasts for 2020, 2050 and 2080 and high-resolution phylogenetic trees, we show that species vulnerability to climate change clusters weakly across phylogenies. Such phylogenetic signal in species vulnerabilities does not lead to higher loss of evolutionary history than expected with a model of random extinctions. This is because vulnerable species have neither fewer nor closer relatives than the remaining clades. Reductions in phylogenetic diversity will be greater in southern Europe, and gains are expected in regions of high latitude or altitude. However, losses will not be offset by gains and the tree of life faces a trend towards homogenization across the continent.