Enhancing Robotic-Based Propeller Blade Sharpening Efficiency with a Laser-Vision Sensor and a Force Compliance Mechanism.

The edge sharpness of a propeller blade plays a vital role in improving energy transmission efficiency and reducing the power required to propel the vehicle. However, producing finely sharpened edges through casting is challenging due to the risk of breakage. Additionally, the blade profile of the wax model can deform during drying, making it difficult to achieve the required edge thickness. To automate the sharpening process, we propose an intelligent system consisting of a six-DoF industrial robot and a laser-vision sensor. The system improves machining accuracy through an iterative grinding compensation strategy that eliminates material residuals based on profile data from the vision sensor. An indigenously designed compliance mechanism is employed to enhance the performance of robotic grinding which is actively controlled by an electronic proportional pressure regulator to adjust the contact force and position between the workpiece and abrasive belt. The system's reliability and functionality are validated using three different workpiece models of four-blade propellers, achieving accurate and efficient machining within the required thickness tolerances. The proposed system provides a promising solution for finely sharpened propeller blade edges, addressing challenges associated with the earlier robotic-based grinding studies.

A Camera-Based Position Correction System for Autonomous Production Line Inspection.

Visual inspection is an important task in manufacturing industries in order to evaluate the completeness and quality of manufactured products. An autonomous robot-guided inspection system was recently developed based on an offline programming (OLP) and RGB-D model system. This system allows a non-expert automatic optical inspection (AOI) engineer to easily perform inspections using scanned data. However, if there is a positioning error due to displacement or rotation of the object, this system cannot be used on a production line. In this study, we developed an automated position correction module to locate an object's position and correct the robot's pose and position based on the detected error values in terms of displacement or rotation. The proposed module comprised an automatic hand-eye calibration and the PnP algorithm. The automatic hand-eye calibration was performed using a calibration board to reduce manual error. After calibration, the PnP algorithm calculates the object position error using artificial marker images and compensates for the error to a new object on the production line. The position correction module then automatically maps the defined AOI target positions onto a new object, unless the target position changes. We performed experiments that showed that the robot-guided inspection system with the position correction module effectively performed the desired task. This smart innovative system provides a novel advancement by automating the AOI process on a production line to increase productivity.

DENR-MCT-1 promotes translation re-initiation downstream of uORFs to control tissue growth.

During cap-dependent eukaryotic translation initiation, ribosomes scan messenger RNA from the 5' end to the first AUG start codon with favourable sequence context. For many mRNAs this AUG belongs to a short upstream open reading frame (uORF), and translation of the main downstream ORF requires re-initiation, an incompletely understood process. Re-initiation is thought to involve the same factors as standard initiation. It is unknown whether any factors specifically affect translation re-initiation without affecting standard cap-dependent translation. Here we uncover the non-canonical initiation factors density regulated protein (DENR) and multiple copies in T-cell lymphoma-1 (MCT-1; also called MCTS1 in humans) as the first selective regulators of eukaryotic re-initiation. mRNAs containing upstream ORFs with strong Kozak sequences selectively require DENR-MCT-1 for their proper translation, yielding a novel class of mRNAs that can be co-regulated and that is enriched for regulatory proteins such as oncogenic kinases. Collectively, our data reveal that cells have a previously unappreciated translational control system with a key role in supporting proliferation and tissue growth.

PPP2R5C Couples Hepatic Glucose and Lipid Homeostasis.

In mammals, the liver plays a central role in maintaining carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis by acting both as a major source and a major sink of glucose and lipids. In particular, when dietary carbohydrates are in excess, the liver converts them to lipids via de novo lipogenesis. The molecular checkpoints regulating the balance between carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis, however, are not fully understood. Here we identify PPP2R5C, a regulatory subunit of PP2A, as a novel modulator of liver metabolism in postprandial physiology. Inactivation of PPP2R5C in isolated hepatocytes leads to increased glucose uptake and increased de novo lipogenesis. These phenotypes are reiterated in vivo, where hepatocyte specific PPP2R5C knockdown yields mice with improved systemic glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, but elevated circulating triglyceride levels. We show that modulation of PPP2R5C levels leads to alterations in AMPK and SREBP-1 activity. We find that hepatic levels of PPP2R5C are elevated in human diabetic patients, and correlate with obesity and insulin resistance in these subjects. In sum, our data suggest that hepatic PPP2R5C represents an important factor in the functional wiring of energy metabolism and the maintenance of a metabolically healthy state.

In vitro identification of DNA-binding motif for the new zinc finger protein AtYY1.

The functional characterization of novel transcription factors identified by systematic analysis remains a major challenge due to insufficient data to interpret their specific roles in signaling networks. Here we present a DNA-binding sequence discovery method to in vitro identify a G-rich, 11-bp DNA-binding motif of a novel potential transcription factor AtYY1, a zinc finger protein in Arabidopsis, by using polymerase chain reaction-assisted in vitro selection and surface plasmon resonance analysis. Further mutational analysis of the conserved G bases of the potential motif confirmed that AtYY1 specifically bound to these conserved G sites. Additionally, genome-wide target gene analysis revealed that AtYY1 was involved in diverse cellular pathways, including glucose metabolism, photosynthesis, phototropism, and stress response.

Analysis of the impact of social insurance on farmers in China: A study exploring subjective perceptions of well-being and the mechanisms of common prosperity.

Objective: Exploring common prosperity in China, this study focuses on the impact of social pension insurance on the well-being of rural communities. It explores the direct beneficiaries and policy effects of the Rural Social Pension Insurance system (RSPI), which was piloted in 2009 and achieved full coverage in 2012. It summarizes the performance and implementation of social pension insurance and the development of the rural social pension system. Methods: The article uses microdata from the four most recent periods of China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), which were undertaken in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, and uses the Order Probit model to analyze the effects of participating in insurance on rural residents in terms of their subjective well-being. The study identifies diverse effects on farmers from different age groups, genders, and regions, with a focus on subjective well-being. The article also tests the mediating effects of health status and self-rated social status on farmers' subjective well-being and their mechanisms of action. Results: Findings reveal that participating in the insurance system significantly improved the subjective well-being of rural residents. Its biggest beneficiaries were groups of rural residents with poor health status, living in good overall conditions. Taking into account the most recent aims of this policy, to promote rural revitalization and common prosperity, further optimization of the rural pension insurance system should improve the living standards of low-income groups, enabling more comprehensive coverage, and potentially helping to mitigate the risk of returning to poverty due to illness. Conclusion: Developments in basic social security and the rural basic pension system could effectively guarantee the basic standards of living of rural residents. Future development of the system should take into account the heterogeneous characteristics of rural residents and implement social pension protection policies in accordance with local conditions.

A design of red emission CDs-based aptasensor for sensitive detection of insulin via fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

We successfully designed an aptasensor based on the red emission carbon dots (R-CDs) and effectively detected insulin (INS) via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the process, the aptamer (apt) labeled with R-CDs (R-CDs@apt) was used as fluorescence donor and graphene oxide (GO) was used as fluorescence receptor. The successful detection due to the aptamer sequence has a certain affinity for Go and INS, while the affinity for INS is stronger than that of GO. When INS is not added to the detection system, the aptamer is adsorbed onto the surface of GO, shortening the distance between R-CDs@apt and GO, resulting in FRET and the quenching of fluorescence of R-CDs@apt. When INS was added to the detection system, the aptamer selectively bound INS and separated from the adsorption of GO, FRET gradually disappeared and the fluorescence of R-CDs@apt/GO/INS system was restored. By comparing the changes of fluorescence intensity before and after adding INS, the detection of INS was implemented. The aptasensor has a good linear curve with the detection limit of as low as 1.1 nM when the concentration of INS reached 1.3-150 nM. This method has excellent selectivity and anti-interference. Therefore, it is a potential method for detecting substances in biological fluids.

Real-time loop gain and bandwidth measurement of phase-locked loop.

We propose herein a simple and reliable technique to directly measure in real time the loop gain and bandwidth of a phase-locked loop (PLL). This technique can be used to make direct real-time measurements of the closed-loop gain of a PLL without breaking the locking state. We show the validity of the technique by demonstrating that the theoretical analysis is consistent to the experimental results with an actual PLL system. This simple technique with a systematic experimental configuration may easily be extended to the other PLL systems that require precise loop gain and bandwidth measurements.

A Balance of Yki/Sd Activator and E2F1/Sd Repressor Complexes Controls Cell Survival and Affects Organ Size.

The Hippo/Yki and RB/E2F pathways both regulate tissue growth by affecting cell proliferation and survival, but interactions between these parallel control systems are poorly defined. In this study, we demonstrate that interaction between Drosophila E2F1 and Sd disrupts Yki/Sd complex formation and thereby suppresses Yki target gene expression. RBF modifies these effects by reducing E2F1/Sd interaction. This regulation has significant effects on apoptosis, organ size, and progenitor cell proliferation. Using a combination of DamID-seq and RNA-seq, we identified a set of Yki targets that play a diversity of roles during development and are suppressed by E2F1. Further, we found that human E2F1 competes with YAP for TEAD1 binding, affecting YAP activity, indicating that this mode of cross-regulation is conserved. In sum, our study uncovers a previously unknown mechanism in which RBF and E2F1 modify Hippo signaling responses to modulate apoptosis, organ growth, and homeostasis.

Identification and validation of a novel major QTL for harvest index in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: Harvest index (HI) in rice is defined as the ratio of grain yield (GY) to biomass (BM). Although it has been demonstrated that HI is significantly related to yield and is considered as one of the most important traits in high-yielding rice breeding, HI-based high-yielding rice breeding is difficult due to its polygenic nature and insufficient knowledge on the genetic basis of HI. Therefore, searching for rice varieties with high HI and mapping genes associated with high HI can facilitate marker-assisted breeding for high HI in rice. RESULTS: Yuexiangzhan, a popular indica cultivar with good reputation of high HI was crossed with Shengbasimiao, an indica cultivar with lower HI to develop a recombinant inbred line population, and QTL mapping for HI and its component traits was conducted. In total, five QTLs for HI, three QTLs for GY, and six QTLs for BM were detected in two-year experiments. Among the three GY QTLs, one co-located with the HI QTL on chromosome 8, while the other two co-located with the two tightly-linked BM QTLs on chromosome 3. The co-located QTLs in each of the chromosomal regions produced additive effects in the same direction. Particularly, the HI QTL on chromosome 8, qHI-8, could be detected across two years and explained 42.8% and 44.5% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. The existence of qHI-8 was confirmed by the evaluation of the near isogenic lines derived from a residual heterozygous line, and this QTL was delimitated to a 1070 kb interval by substitution mapping. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the detected GY QTLs overlapped with both HI QTL and BM QTL, suggesting a positive relationship between GY and HI or BM, respectively. With an understanding of the genetic basis for grain yield, harvest index and biomass, it is possible to achieve higher yield through enhancing HI and BM by pyramiding the favorable alleles for the two traits via marker-assisted selection (MAS). As qHI-8 has a large phenotypic effect on HI and expresses stably in different environments, it provides a promising target for further genetic characterization of HI and MAS of high HI in rice breeding.

Spectroscopic characterization of metal bound phytochelatin analogue (Glu-Cys)4-Gly.

The metal ion binding properties of a phytochelatin (PC) analogue, (Glu-Cys)4-Gly (named as EC4), have been studied by a divalent metal ion binding assay monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy. Spectro- photometric titration with different divalent metal ions have revealed that the stiochoimetry of metal-bound EC4 was 1:1, and its metal binding affinities with different divalent metal ions in the order of Cd(II)>Cu(II)>Zn(II)>Pb(II)>Ni(II)>Co(II). UV-visible spectroscopic analysis of metal complexes indicated that four sulfur atoms in cysteine residues are attributable to ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) between divalent metal ions and EC4, and further confirmed by 1D H1 NMR study and Circular Dichroism. In addition, Circular Dichroism spectra of both free and metal-bound forms of EC4 revealed that metal coordination drives the nonapeptide chain to fold into a turned conformation. The comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic properties of the nonapeptide complexed with metal ions not only provides a fundamental description of the metal ion binding properties of PC analogue, but also shows a correlation between metal binding affinity of PC analogue and the induction activity of metal ions.

Identification of the novel recessive gene pi55(t) conferring resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae.

The elite rice cultivar Yuejingsimiao 2 (YJ2) is characterized by a high level of grain quality and yield, and resistance against Magnaporthe oryzae. YJ2 showed 100% resistance to four fungal populations collected from Guangdong, Sichuan, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang Provinces, which is a higher frequency than that shown by the well-known resistance (R) gene donor cultivars such as Sanhuangzhan 2 and 28zhan. Segregation analysis for resistance with F(2) and F(4) populations indicated the resistance of YJ2 was controlled by multiple genes that are dominant or recessive. The putative R genes of YJ2 were roughly tagged by SSR markers, located on chromosomes 2, 6, 8, and 12, in a bulked-segregant analysis using genome-wide selected SSR markers with F(4) lines that segregated into 3 resistant (R):1 susceptible (S) or 1R:3S. The recessive R gene on chromosome 8 was further mapped to an interval ≈1.9 cM/152 kb in length by linkage analysis with genomic position-ready markers in the mapping population derived from an F(4) line that segregated into 1R:3S. Given that no major R gene was mapped to this interval, the novel R gene was designated as pi55(t). Out of 26 candidate genes predicted in the region based on the reference genomic sequence of the cultivar Nipponbare, two genes that encode a leucine-rich repeat-containing protein and heavy-metal-associated domain-containing protein, respectively, were suggested as the most likely candidates for pi55(t).

Large carbon cluster anions generated by laser ablation of graphene.

The formation of large even-numbered carbon cluster anions, C(n)⁻, with n up to 500 were observed in the mass spectra generated by laser ablation of graphene and graphene oxide, and the signal intensity of the latter is much weaker than that of the former. The cluster distributions generated from graphene can be readily altered by changing the laser energy and the accumulation period in the FT-ICR cell. By choosing suitable experimental conditions, weak signals of odd-numbered anions from C125⁻ to C211⁻, doubly charged anions from C70²â» to C230²â» and triply charged cluster anions from C80³â» to C224³â» can be observed. Tandem MS was applied to some selected cluster anions. Though no fragment anions larger than C20⁻ can be observed by the process of collisional activation with N(2) gas for most cluster ions, several cluster anions can lose units of C(2), C(4), C(6) or C(8) in their collision process. The differences in their dissociation kinetics and structures require further calculations and experimental studies.

Microwave-enhanced ink staining for fast and sensitive protein quantification in proteomic studies.

A novel microwave-enhanced ink staining method was developed for rapid and sensitive estimation of protein content in sample buffers containing chaotropes, dyes, detergents, and reducing agents. Dye-based Blue-Black ink was used to quantitatively visualize proteins spotted on a nitrocellulose membrane. The total staining time was greatly reduced to 3 min by brief exposure to microwave radiation. The stained membrane was washed with distilled water, baked in a microwave oven for complete desiccation, transparentized with mineral oil, and documented by a desktop scanner or densitometer. Only 1 microL of protein sample (protein solubilized in SDS-PAGE sample buffer or IEF rehydration buffer) was used for protein spotting. The novel solid-phase protein assay gives a 500-fold dynamic range from 19.5 to 10000 ng/microL and can be scaled up for high-throughput protein quantification analysis. The fast, sensitive and low-cost microwave-enhanced ink staining procedure is ideal for protein quantification in proteomic analysis.

A proteomic analysis of cold stress responses in rice seedlings.

Using proteomic analysis, an investigation aimed at a better understanding of the molecular adaptation mechanisms of cold stress was carried out in rice (Oryza sativa). The seedlings were exposed to a progressively low temperature stress treatment from normal temperature to 15, 10, and 5 degrees C. Proteins were extracted from the leaves collected from both control and stressed seedlings. By fractionation, approximately 1700 protein spots were separated and visualized on CBB-stained 2-D gels. Sixty protein spots were found to be up-regulated in responding to the progressively low temperature stress and displayed different dynamic patterns. As an initial work, 41 of these proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF MS or ESI/MS/MS. These cold responsive proteins, besides two proteins of unknown function, include four factors of protein biosynthesis, four molecular chaperones, two proteases, and eight enzymes involved in biosynthesis of cell wall components, seven antioxidative/detoxifying enzymes, and proteins linked to energy pathway, as well as a protein involved in signal transduction. The functional proteomes illuminate the facts, at least in plant cell, that protein quality control mediated by chaperones and proteases and enhancement of cell wall components play important roles in tolerance to cold stress. Using TargetP program, the subcellular localization of the identified proteins was analyzed. Proteins (43.9%) were predicted to be located in the chloroplasts, implying that chloroplast proteome is virtually subjective to cold stress. The physiological implications, revealed from the experimental data, are discussed in context of a complex metabolic network in plant cells responsive to cold stress.