Light-field microscopy has emerged as a technique of choice for high-speed volumetric imaging of fast biological processes. However, artefacts, non-uniform resolution, and a slow reconstruction speed have limited its full capabilities for in toto extraction of the dynamic spatiotemporal patterns in samples. Here, we combined a view-channel-depth (VCD) neural network with light-field microscopy to mitigate these limitations, yielding artefact-free three-dimensional image sequences with uniform spatial resolution and high video-rate reconstruction throughput. We imaged neuronal activities across moving C. elegans and blood flow in a beating zebrafish heart at single-cell resolution with volumetric imaging rates up to 200 Hz.

The calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) represent a unique family of calcium sensors in plants. Although extensive studies and remarkable progress have been made in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) CBLs, their functions in other plant species are still quite limited. Here, we report the cloning and functional characterization of ZmCBL4, a novel CBL gene from maize (Zea mays). ZmCBL4 encodes a putative homolog of the Arabidopsis CBL4/SOS3 protein, with novel properties. ZmCBL4 has one copy in maize genome and harbors seven introns in its coding region. ZmCBL4 expressed differentially in various organs of the maize plants at a low level under normal condition, and its expression was regulated by NaCl, LiCl, ABA and PEG treatments. Expression of 35S::ZmCBL4 not only complemented the salt hypersensitivity in Arabidopsis sos3 mutant, but also enhanced the salt tolerance in Arabidopsis wild type at the germination and seedling stages. Moreover, the LiCl tolerance in all of the ZmCBL4-expressing lines increased more significantly as compared with the NaCl tolerance, and in consistent with this, it was found that the expression of Arabidopsis AtNHX8, a putative plasma membrane Li + /H + antiporter gene identified recently, was induced in these transgenic lines under LiCl stress. The ZmCBL4-expressing Arabidopsis lines accumulated less Na + and Li + as compared with the control plants. This study has identified a putative maize CBL gene which functions in the salt stress-elicited calcium signaling and thus in the tolerance to salinity.

To predict the service life of clutch sleeve, major reasons for the change of clearance between the clutch sleeve and shell in service period are analysed. A mathematical model of the clearance is established considering abrasion of the step outside sleeve caused by friction. To determine the size of abrasion, a micro‐convex body model for the friction surface is built. Based on surface fatigue abrasion theory, an abrasion model is established. A life model is established based on the entire abrasion of the sleeve. Fatigue life of sleeve is predicted using the model based on actual surface morphology parameters of the enterprise products. Major factors affecting the abrasion speed are discussed and determined after the prediction result is analysed.