封面文章

聲學(xué)

封面介紹：蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器是國家高技術(shù)研究發(fā)展計劃支持下研制的高技術(shù)深海調(diào)查作業(yè)裝備，具有當(dāng)今國際上同類作業(yè)型載人潛水器最大工作深度，可以運載科學(xué)家和工程專家到最深7000 m的海底執(zhí)行任務(wù).以中國科學(xué)院聲學(xué)研究所朱敏為首的蛟龍?zhí)柭晫W(xué)團隊研制的聲學(xué)系統(tǒng)功能完善，綜合性能先進，先進的水聲數(shù)字通信和海底微地形地貌探測能力是蛟龍?zhí)柕募夹g(shù)亮點.蛟龍?zhí)査曂ㄐ艡C首次實現(xiàn)了7000 m級深度的彩色圖像、數(shù)據(jù)、文字和語音的水聲通信傳輸.高分辨率測深側(cè)掃聲納實現(xiàn)了7000 m級深度的海底地形地貌精細(xì)探測，成功測繪出了馬里亞納海溝附近的微地形地貌圖.1000，3000，5000和7000 m級海上試驗和試驗性應(yīng)用航次任務(wù)表明，蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器聲學(xué)系統(tǒng)的功能完善、性能先進、運行穩(wěn)定可靠.封面圖片展示了蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器完成下潛作業(yè)后起吊回收過程.詳見朱敏等人文(p3462).

蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器聲學(xué)系統(tǒng)

朱敏，張同偉，楊波，等

為實現(xiàn)通信、導(dǎo)航、定位、探測等功能，蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器的聲學(xué)系統(tǒng)由9種16部聲納組成.先進的水聲數(shù)字通信和海底微地形地貌探測能力是蛟龍?zhí)?個技術(shù)亮點之一.蛟龍?zhí)査曂ㄐ艡C首次實現(xiàn)了7000 m級深度的彩色圖像、數(shù)據(jù)、文字和語音的水聲通信傳輸.高分辨率測深側(cè)掃聲納實現(xiàn)了7000 m級深度的海底地形地貌精細(xì)探測，成功測繪出了馬里亞納海溝局部的微地形地貌圖.蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器于2009年8～10月、2010年5～7月、2011年7～8月和2012年6～7月完成了1000，3000，5000和7000 m級海上試驗，最大下潛深度達到了7062 m，并于2013年6～9月開展了長達113天的試驗性應(yīng)用航次任務(wù).試驗和應(yīng)用結(jié)果均表明，蛟龍?zhí)栞d人潛水器聲學(xué)系統(tǒng)的功能完善、性能先進、運行穩(wěn)定可靠.

載人潛水器；蛟龍?zhí)?；聲納；水聲通信機；高分辨率測深側(cè)掃聲納；超短基線；長基線

來源出版物：科學(xué)通報, 2014, 59(35): 3462–3470聯(lián)系郵箱：張同偉，walternwpu@outlook.com

化學(xué)

來源出版物：SCIENCE CHINA Chemistry, 2014, 57(12): 1696–1702聯(lián)系郵箱：LV FengTing, lvft@iccas.ac.cn

封面介紹：Titanosilicate Ti-ECNU-8 with a FER type sub-zeolite structure was post-synthesized by structural reorganization of layered silicate PLS-3 followed by solid-gas titanation with TiCl4vapor. With an exposed external surface, Ti-ECNU-8 turned out to be an active oxidation catalyst for the epoxidation of cycloalkenes with hydrogen peroxide.

Post-synthesis and catalytic performance of FER type sub-zeolite Ti-ECNU-8

Bo-Ting Yang, Peng Wu

Abstract: A titanosilicate Ti-ECNU-8 with a FER type sub-zeolite structure was developed by pots-synthesis and applied to the epoxdiation of alkenes with hydrogen peroxide. A controlled acid treatment on the pure silica layered precursor PLS-3 of FER topology gave rise to a sub-zeolite ECNU-8. Composed of a collection of FER sheets without an ordered stacking manner along layer related [1 0 0] direction, the structure of ECNU-8 was constructed by a reorientation of interlayer hydrogen bond moieties caused by partial removal of interlayer organic structure directing agent. ECNU-8 possessed an external surface area enlarged by ca. 30% in comparison to corresponding three-dimensional FER zeolite. Through a solid–gas reaction with TiCl4vapor, tetrahedral Ti active sites were introduced into the framework. The resultant Ti-ECNU-8 retained the structural properties of ECNU-8, and exhibited an excellent catalytic performance for the epoxidation of cycloalkenes owing to the accessible Ti sites located in open reaction space.

Keywords: Sub-zeolite; ECNU-8; Titanosilicate; Epoxidation

來源出版物：Chinese Chemical Letters, 2014, 25(12): 1511–1514聯(lián)系郵箱：Peng Wu, pwu@chem.ecnu.edu.cn

礦物學(xué)

Growth Pattern and Its Indication of Spheroidal Nano-Micro Crystal Aggregates of Pyrite in the Baiyunpu Pb-Zn Polymetallic Deposit, Central Hunan

GAO Shang, HUANG Fei, GU Xiangping, et al.

Abstract: The Baiyunpu deposit lies in the southwest plunging Dachengshan anticline in central Hunan, which is a large Pb-Zn polymetallic deposit. The orebodies were surrounded by the Qiziqiao Formation limestone in the Middle Devonian, and its geological occurrence is consistent with the wall rocks. A large number of spheroidal pyrite aggregates are found unevenly distributed in the ores. The spheroidal aggregates are made up of kernels and concentric rings. The kernels are composed of approximately epigranular pyrite nanocrystals, while the rings are composed of accumulated pyrite microcrystals growing along the radial direction. The spheroidal pyrite aggregate and its outer zones can be divided into five areas (A-E). The results of electron probe micro analysis (EPMA) show that from the zone A1 to B, Co/Ni <1, the sum of Co and Ni is 0.08%-0.26%, S/Fe increases from 2.06 to 2.15. While from the zone C to E, Ni cannot be detected and S/Fe decreases from 2.22 to 2.08. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis in the micro zone shows obvious crystalline characteristics in the aggregates. Moving from the inside outwards, the maximum diffraction peak intensity of the (111) and (220) crystal planes of pyrite increases, and the crystallinity improves. The degree of change in the (111) plane is the most prominent. Considering the theory of crystal growth along with the geologic features of the depositional environment where the spheroidal pyrite aggregates developed, we confirm that the spheroidal aggregates are the result of nano-micro crystalline gathering and growth occurring by the following sequence of processes: nano-crystalline nucleation and growth, gathering into a ball, oriented growth of microcrystals, continuous accumulation, and adjustment of grain boundaries. The formation of the spheroidal pyrite aggregates in the late Qiziqiao Formation of the Middle Devonian occurred in a neutral to weak alkaline and reductive sedimentary environment in the normal oxygen-rich shallow-water carbonate platform edge. The variations in the S/Fe ratio and crystallisation characteristics indicate that during pyrite crystal growth, the sulphur fugacity was high locally and rose constantly, the degree of supersaturation decreased locally and the growth environment was stable relatively.

Keywords: Baiyunpu Pb-Zn polymetallic deposit; pyrite; nano-micro crystal; spheroidal aggregates; growth pattern; indication significance

來源出版物：Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition), 2014, 88(6): 1770–1783聯(lián)系郵箱：HUANG Fei, huangfei@mail.neu.edu.cn

生物化學(xué)

封面介紹：蘇木青-伊紅染色和免疫組織化學(xué)染色觀察MEDΔLiv小鼠和MEDf1/f1小鼠肝臟組織學(xué)改變和MED1蛋白在小鼠肝臟的表達，第1116頁，F(xiàn)ig.3

高脂飲食誘導(dǎo)肝臟MED1特異性敲除小鼠呈高膽固醇血癥

李倩薇，劉芮菡，趙四海，等

摘要：為研究肝臟MED1對脂質(zhì)代謝的影響，以肝臟MED1特異性敲除(MED1ΔLiv)小鼠為模型，對其進行基因型鑒定，H&E染色觀察肝臟組織學(xué)變化，免疫組織化學(xué)染色檢測肝臟MED1蛋白表達|高脂飼料(脂肪含量為60%)飼喂小鼠，并分別在0、1、2和4周動態(tài)檢測血漿膽固醇和甘油三酯及血糖水平.結(jié)果顯示，與MED1fl/fl小鼠相比，MED1ΔLiv小鼠僅肝臟MED1 mRNA表達水平顯著降低，其它組織表達無明顯變化.高脂飼喂1周和2周，MED1ΔLiv小鼠血漿總膽固醇水平顯著升高(P<0.01).普通或高脂飼料飼喂?fàn)顟B(tài)下,與MED1fl/fl小鼠相比,MED1ΔLiv小鼠血糖水平均顯著降低(P<0.05).短期給予高脂飼料可誘導(dǎo)MED1ΔLiv小鼠呈現(xiàn)高膽固醇血癥，提示MED1在膽固醇代謝中發(fā)揮重要調(diào)控作用.

關(guān)鍵詞：MED1；肝臟；膽固醇；血糖

來源出版物：中國生物化學(xué)與分子生物學(xué)報, 2014, 30(11): 1113–1118

聯(lián)系郵箱：白亮，bailiang0922@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

預(yù)防醫(yī)學(xué)、衛(wèi)生學(xué)

封面介紹：全球一體化和現(xiàn)代交通方式促進了人群在全世界范圍快速流動，也加速了傳染病的傳播.目前，人們也擔(dān)憂西非埃博拉病毒病(Ebola Virus Disease，我國稱為“埃博拉出血熱”)疫情出現(xiàn)全球擴散，因為尼日利亞、美國、西班牙、馬里等國已相繼出現(xiàn)了埃博拉病毒感染者傳入后導(dǎo)致的輸入性疫情或本土暴發(fā).中國與西非疫區(qū)三國(幾內(nèi)亞、利比里亞和塞拉利昂)人員往來日益頻繁，利用國際民用航空客運數(shù)據(jù)和持續(xù)更新的疫情數(shù)據(jù)，可以定量評估埃博拉病毒病疫情傳入我國的風(fēng)險，為疫情的應(yīng)對準(zhǔn)備與科學(xué)防控提供重要的信息，爭取早日打贏埃博拉“比賽”的下半場.封面顯示了2013年第4季度西非三國離境民航旅客目的地全球分布.詳見賴圣杰等人文(p3572).

西非埃博拉病毒病傳入中國的可能航線和風(fēng)險估計

賴圣杰，Jennifer Miniota，王麗萍，等

摘要：2014年8月8日，世界衛(wèi)生組織宣布西非埃博拉病毒病疫情為“國際公共衛(wèi)生緊急事件”.為評估西非埃博拉病毒病傳入中國的可能航線和風(fēng)險，本研究基于2013年10～12月的國際民用航空客運數(shù)據(jù)，分析疫情最嚴(yán)重的3個西非國家(幾內(nèi)亞、利比里亞和塞拉利昂)來華旅客傳入疫情的風(fēng)險.2013年第4季度從西非三國離境旅客為107113人次，其中3167人(3.0%)將主要通過法國、比利時和阿聯(lián)酋等8個國家的機場轉(zhuǎn)機后，抵達中國大陸.入境機場分布在北京、廣州、上海、杭州、武漢、重慶和大連，目的地城市為北京、廣州、武漢、上海、杭州、重慶和溫州等.假設(shè)2014年第4季度與2013年同期出行方式和人數(shù)不變，估計相關(guān)機場口岸平均每入境和查驗國際旅客2235名就有1名來自疫區(qū)的旅客; 預(yù)測2014年10～12月可能傳入的埃博拉病毒感染者旅客為0.54人次，其中利比里亞0.35人次、塞拉利昂0.16人次、幾內(nèi)亞0.03人次.若疫區(qū)發(fā)病水平上升或來華旅客人數(shù)減少，則傳入的感染者人數(shù)呈現(xiàn)相應(yīng)程度地增加或減少.研究表明，埃博拉病毒病疫情通過民航旅客傳入我國的可能性是存在的，但風(fēng)險較低.我國可支持西非疫區(qū)國家開展離境病例篩查，及早發(fā)現(xiàn)病例，并有針對性地在我國重點入境口岸開展高風(fēng)險人群的查驗，在主要目的地城市加強監(jiān)測.

關(guān)鍵詞：埃博拉病毒??；傳染病；航線；風(fēng)險；傳入；傳播

來源出版物：科學(xué)通報, 2014, 59(36): 3280–3292聯(lián)系郵箱：余宏杰，yuhj@chinacdc.cn

農(nóng)業(yè)基礎(chǔ)科學(xué)

封面介紹: Novel promoters that confer root-specific expression would be useful for engineering resistance against problems of nutrient and water absorption by roots. To identify and characterize novel root-specific promoters in rice, we mined the microarray datasets and screened for promoters that conferred rootspecific gene expression with a low expression in all other organs under stress or normal conditions, followed by the experimental analysis of the predicted promoter sequences. The activities of the corresponding rRSP1-5 were subsequently examined in transgenic rice using a GUS reporter gene and in transient transformation of Nicotiana benthamiana using Dual-LUC assays. The exclusive root activities of rRSP1, rRSP3, and rRSP5 demonstrated that these promoters may be suitable for driving root-specific expression in transgenic plants and provided useful alternatives for root-specific transformation of rice and other cereals. See pages 1–10 by HUANG et al. for details.

Identification and validation of root-specific promoters in rice

HUANG Li-yu, ZHANG Fan, QIN Qiao, et al.

Abstract: Novel promoters that confer root-specific expression would be useful for engineering resistance against problems of nutrient and water absorption by roots. In this study, the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to identify seven genes with root-specific expression in rice. The isolation and characterization of upstream promoter regions of five selected genes rice root-specific promoter (rRSP) 1 to 5 (rRSP1-rRSP5) and A2P (the promoter of OsAct2) revealed that rRSP1, rRSP3, and rRSP5 are particularly important with respect to root-specific activities. Furthermore, rRSP1, rRSP3, and rRSP5 were observed to make different contributions to root activities in various species. These three promoters could be used for root-specific enhancement of target gene(s).

Keywords: rice; root-specific promoters; expression profile

來源出版物: Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2014, 14(1): 1–10聯(lián)系郵箱: HUANG Li-yu, lyhuang2007@163.com

工程熱物理

封面介紹：In recent years, as blade sizes increase, structural strength and failure of wind turbine blades have become more critical. To reduce the risk of blade failure in the main modes associated with local buckling, root transition region failure, and spar cap delamination, IET-Wind have proposed new structural features including a flatback design for the inboard section, thick airfoils for the inboard and mid-span sections, and transversely stepped thickness in the spar caps. These features help improve structural performance of composite blades without compromising their aerodynamic efficiency. On pages 1–8, using finite element analysis and static bending test, Chen Xiao and co-workers describe their detailed and thorough investigation of the structural response and characteristics of their modified wind turbine blades, which have been successfully incorporated and field tested on a 100 kW wind turbine. The research shows that the proposed structural features hold great potential in strengthening large composite wind turbine blades (see the article by CHEN Xiao et al. on page 1).

Numerical analysis and experimental investigation of wind turbine blades with innovative features: Structural response and characteristics

CHEN Xiao, QIN ZhiWen, YANG Ke, et al.

Abstract: Innovative features of wind turbine blades with flatback at inboard region, thick airfoils at inboard as well as mid-span region and transversely stepped thickness in spar caps have been proposed by Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IET-Wind) in order to improve both aerodynamic and structural efficiency of rotor blades. To verify the proposed design concepts, this study first presented numerical analysis using finite element method to clarify the effect of flatback on local buckling strength of the inboard region. Blade models with various loading cases, inboard configurations, and core materials were comparatively studied. Furthermore, a prototype blade incorporated with innovative features was manufactured and tested under static bending loads to investigate itsstructural response and characteristics. It was found that rotor blades with flatback exhibited favorable local buckling strength at the inboard region compared with those with conventional sharp trailing edge when low-density PVC foam was used. The prototype blade showed linear behavior under extreme loads in spar caps, aft panels, shear web and flatback near the maximum chord which is usually susceptible to buckling in the blades according to traditional designs. The inboard region of the blade showed exceptional load-carrying capacity as it survived 420% extreme loads in the experiment. Through this study, potential structural advantages by applying proposed structural features to large composite blades of multi-megawatt wind turbines were addressed.

Keywords: wind energy; rotor blade; flatback; local buckling; extreme loads

來源出版物：SCIENCE CHINA Technological Sciences, 2015, 58(1): 1–8聯(lián)系郵箱：CHEN Xiao, drchenxiao@163.com

工程材料學(xué)

封面介紹：單壁碳納米管具有結(jié)構(gòu)依賴的導(dǎo)電屬性，即碳原子排布方式的不同可使得單壁碳納米管表現(xiàn)為金屬性或半導(dǎo)體性.金屬性單壁碳納米管可用于電路連接導(dǎo)線及構(gòu)建柔性透明導(dǎo)電薄膜，半導(dǎo)體性單壁碳納米管可作為場效應(yīng)晶體管的溝道材料等.然而，通常制備的單壁碳納米管樣品中包含約1/3的金屬性和2/3的半導(dǎo)體性碳納米管，這極大制約了單壁碳納米管在電子器件中的應(yīng)用.因此，單一導(dǎo)電屬性單壁碳納米管的控制制備已成為碳納米管研究領(lǐng)域的重點和難點.近年來，采用氣相刻蝕法制備單一導(dǎo)電屬性單壁碳納米管的研究十分活躍，并取得了較大進展.封面圖片為原位生長-氣相刻蝕制備半導(dǎo)體性單壁碳納米管的示意圖.詳見侯鵬翔等人文(p3280).

氣相刻蝕選擇性制備單一導(dǎo)電屬性單壁碳納米管

侯鵬翔，劉暢，成會明

摘要：單一導(dǎo)電屬性單壁碳納米管的控制制備是目前碳納米管研究領(lǐng)域的重點和難點，也是制約其在微納電子器件中應(yīng)用的瓶頸.近年來，研究者致力于發(fā)展獲得單一導(dǎo)電屬性單壁碳納米管的方法，并取得了較大進展.其中，氣相選擇性刻蝕方法因具有工藝簡單、效果顯著、易規(guī)?；忍攸c而備受關(guān)注.本文簡要介紹了氣相選擇性刻蝕方法制備單一導(dǎo)電屬性碳納米管的原理及特點，并綜述近年來原位生長-刻蝕制備研究所取得的主要進展，最后展望其發(fā)展趨勢.

關(guān)鍵詞：單壁碳納米管；金屬性；半導(dǎo)體性；氣相刻蝕

來源出版物：科學(xué)通報, 2014, 59(33): 3280–3292聯(lián)系郵箱：劉暢，cliu@imr.ac.cn

電泳沉積時間和熱處理對碳納米管增強C/SiC復(fù)合材料力學(xué)性能的影響

梅輝，肖珊珊，白強來，等

摘要：采用電泳沉積法結(jié)合化學(xué)氣相滲透技術(shù)制備碳納米管二次增韌的連續(xù)碳纖維增韌碳化硅(CNTs-C/SiC)復(fù)合材料.通過改變熱解碳(PyC)界面上電泳沉積CNTs的時間，控制C/SiC復(fù)合材料中CNTs的含量，通過測試?yán)鞆姸群蛿嗔压?，研究了CNTs含量及熱處理對復(fù)合材料力學(xué)性能的影響.結(jié)果表明：在C/SiC復(fù)合材料PyC界面層上電沉積CNTs，能夠大幅提高材料的拉伸強度和韌性.電沉積CNTs時間為5、8和10 min時，CNTs-C/SiC復(fù)合材料的拉伸強度和斷裂功分別提高了10.7%、39.3%、45.2%和31.1%、35.9%、46.5%.對未電沉積、電沉積8和10 min的CNTs-C/SiC復(fù)合材料進行1800℃熱處理，發(fā)現(xiàn)材料的拉伸強度分別提高了64.4%、39.4%和49.5%.

關(guān)鍵詞：碳納米管；碳/碳化硅復(fù)合材料；電泳沉積；熱處理；力學(xué)性能；微結(jié)構(gòu)

來源出版物：硅酸鹽學(xué)報, 2014, 42(12): 1479–1486

聯(lián)系郵箱：梅輝，meihui@nwpu.edu.cn

化學(xué)工業(yè)

封面介紹：灰熔融溫度是確定氣流床氣化爐操作溫度的重要參數(shù).圖(a)和圖(b)分別為煤灰和稻草灰的熔融圖像，長平煤灰熔融過程中存在大量固體顆粒，形狀基本沒有發(fā)生變化.稻草灰熔融時形成了流動性熔體，熔融主要包括了收縮-熔化-氣體釋放-流動幾個過程.而煤和稻草的混合灰在熔融過程中形成低溫共熔體，使混合灰比煤灰更易發(fā)生流動而促進礦物質(zhì)反應(yīng)［圖(c)］，因此稻草的添加能夠降低煤的灰熔融溫度.詳見本期4948–4957頁.

添加秸稈類生物質(zhì)對長平煤灰熔融特性的影響

唐建業(yè)，陳雪莉，喬治，等

摘要：借助高溫?zé)崤_顯微鏡、掃描電子顯微鏡-能譜儀、灰熔點儀和X射線衍射儀考察了添加稻草和棉稈兩種秸稈對長平煤灰熔融特性的影響.研究結(jié)果表明添加兩種秸稈都能有效地降低長平煤灰的熔融溫度.在高溫弱還原性氣氛下，長平煤灰主要礦物組成為耐熔性石英和莫來石，而添加秸稈后產(chǎn)生了白榴石、尖晶橄欖石、鈣長石等低溫共熔化合物，使長平煤灰熔點降低.不同灰的高溫熔融圖像表明，煤灰在熔融過程中由于受熱而使固相持續(xù)軟化，形成了不利于難熔物分解的高黏度熔體.而煤和稻草的混合灰在熔融時形成了易發(fā)生流動的低黏度熔體，能夠促進礦物質(zhì)發(fā)生反應(yīng)而更易熔融.

關(guān)鍵詞：煤；秸稈類生物質(zhì)；灰熔融特性；礦物質(zhì)；高溫熔融圖像

來源出版物：化工學(xué)報, 2014, 65(12): 4948–4957聯(lián)系郵箱：陳雪莉，cxl@ecust.edu.cn

A qualitative study on the pulsatile flow phenomenon in a dense fly ash pneumatic conveyor

Wei Chen, Kenneth C. Williams, Isabel Jabs, et al.

Abstract: Understanding of the dynamic particulate flow structures within a dense gas-fly ash pneumatic conveyor must be improved in order to better aid its design guidance. The complex pulsatile movement of the gas-fly ash mixture dominates the flow performance within the pipeline, and historically, non-invasive measurement devices such as the electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) were often used to sufficiently capture the flow dynamics. However, inadequate studies have been conducted on the pulsatile flow phenomenon, which directly relate to the gas-fly ash two-phase flow performance. This paper aims to investigate the pulsatile flows using an ECT device. Initially, pulsatile flow patterns under various experimental conditions were obtained through ECT. Pulses within a flow were then characterised into pulse growth and decay segments, which represent the superficial fluidisation and deaeration processes during conveying. Subsequently, structural and statistical analyses were performed on the pulse growth and decay segments. Results suggested that the increasing air mass flow rate led to the decrease of the superficial fluidisation/deaeration magnitude, however, the increase of the superficial fluidisation/deaeration durations. Also, the air mass flow rate was indicated as the dominant factor in determining the pulsing statistical parameters. This research provides fundamental insights for further modelling the dense fly ash pneumatic flows.

Keywords: Pneumatic conveying; Electrical capacitance tomography; Fly ash; Pulsatile flows; Flow pattern analysis

來源出版物: Particuology, 2014, 17(6): 81–91聯(lián)系郵箱: CHEN Xueli, W.Chen@newcastle.edu.au

(編輯：張保清)

封面介紹：The emergence of multi-drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria strains has threatened the global public health. The cover picture presents a new method to screen antibiotic combinations, which takes advantage of the logic-signal output of genetically engineered drug-resistant E. coli strains expressing different fluorescent proteins. Chloramphenicol and cefotaxime taken as antibiotic combination example were added to the system of the constructed kanamycin-resistant E. coli expressing GFP and ampicillin-resistant E. coli expressing td Tomato fluorescent protein as dual-drug resistant model bacteria. By monitoring the complex logic-signal output patterns of GFP and td Tomato fluorescent proteins, the effective antibiotic combinations were identified in a simple and quantitative manner (See the article by LV FengTing, LIU LiBing & WANG Shu on page 1696–1702).

Logic-signal output of fluorescent proteins for screening antibiotic combinations

LV FengTing, LIU LiBing, WANG Shu

A new method to screen antibiotic combinations is demonstrated, which takes advantage of the logic-signal output of genetically engineered drug-resistant E. coli strains expressing different fluorescent proteins. Thirty-six antibiotic combinations for nine antibiotics were investigated. The operation of different logic gates can reveal the susceptibility, resistance, or synergistic effect of the antibiotic combinations in a rapid (7-8 h versus 24-28 h for typical growth-based assays), simple, quantitative and high-throughput manner. This logic-signal-based output patterns provide the basis for novel and reliable screening of antibiotic combinations and help us to both gain insight into the mechanisms of multi-drug action.

fluorescent proteins, drug-resistance, bacteria, antibiotic screening, logic signal