Association scan of 14,500 nonsynonymous SNPs in four diseases identifies autoimmunity variants

We have genotyped 14,436 nonsynonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) and 897 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tag SNPs from 1,000 independent cases of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and breast cancer (BC). Comparing these data against a common control dataset derived from 1,500 randomly selected healthy British individuals, we report initial association and independent replication in a North American sample of two new loci related to ankylosing spondylitis, ARTS1 and IL23R, and confirmation of the previously reported association of AITD with TSHR and FCRL3. These findings, enabled in part by increased statistical power resulting from the expansion of the control reference group to include individuals from the other disease groups, highlight notable new possibilities for autoimmune regulation and suggest that IL23R may be a common susceptibility factor for the major 'seronegative' diseases.     

Identification of the Angel -related elements in cyprinid fishes and their phylogenetic implications

Angel-related element belongs to the family of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs). In this paper we report the identification of an Angel- related element in the series Leuciscini of cyprinid fishes, which is located in the second intron of the growth hormone (GH) gene. We have also found that this element is absent in orthologous locus in the series Barbini of cyprinid fishes, that provides new evidence for the monophyly of the series Leuciscini. The insertion of Angel -related element into the GH gene might take place in the common ancestor of the series Leuciscini after its divergence from the series Barbini. The high sequence divergence and relatively broad species distribution of Angel-related elements implies that they might be ancient transposons which appeared about 26 million years ago.     

基于智能虚拟环境的地铁站台仿真系统

实现了一个用于列车驾驶培训的地铁站台仿真系统.系统由一个可被感知的站台虚拟环境和虚拟乘客系统组成.站台环境由静态场景、动态场景两部分组成,可在用户控制下发生变化.虚拟乘客通过感知站台环境的变化做出行为判断与动作.乘客仿真模型采用分层结构,分别实现环境感知、决策、行为选择、动作实现与实时绘制.目前,该系统已用于地铁列车仿真器,成为培训司机站台操作的工具.     

大跨桥梁分离式三箱梁附加攻角效应研究

为研究附加攻角效应对分离式三箱梁颤振性能的影响,结合节段模型风洞试验和理论计算方法获得初始风攻角下的附加攻角,并通过计算流体动力学（Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD）数值模拟方法求解初始风攻角下的颤振临界风速. 结果表明,分离式三箱梁的初始风攻角及箱梁之间的横梁对附加攻角有较大影响,节段模型在0°~+7°风攻角下存在十分显著的附加攻角效应,且表现为扭转振幅快速增大的硬颤振. 节段模型自由振动风洞试验难以直接获得分离式三箱梁在小风攻角下的准确颤振临界风速. 对于主跨3?300?m的悬索桥,0°初始风攻角下在颤振失稳前的静风附加攻角达到+7°以上,颤振临界风速大大降低,气弹稳定性得不到充分发挥. 因此,对于采用分离式三箱梁断面的超大跨径桥梁,在抗风设计中应对其附加攻角效应予以重视.     

A new interstellar molecule: tricarbon monoxide

The cold dark interstellar Taurus Molecular Cloud One (TMC-1) is a rich source of acetylenic and polyacetylenic molecular species. As well as linear closed-shell molecules (H(C triple bond C)nCN) and symmetric rotors (CH3C triple bond CH, CH3C triple bond CCN), several radicals (C triple bond CH, C triple bond CCN, (C triple bond C2H) have also been identified, many of which had not been studied previously in the laboratory. Whether the observed abundances can be understood in terms of purely gas-phase ion-molecule chemical schemes, which produce reasonable agreement for the simplest polyatomic species, is unclear; alternative models involving the particulate interstellar grains as catalysts or sources have also been suggested. We now report the detection in TMC-1 of a new molecule, tricarbon monoxide (C3O), whose pure rotational spectrum has only very recently been studied in the laboratory. As C3O is the first known interstellar carbon chain molecule to contain oxygen, its existence places an important new constraint on chemical schemes for cold interstellar clouds. In fact, the observed abundance of tricarbon monoxide fits quite well into our model of galactochemistry.     

Construction of a genetic map with SRAP markers and localization of the gene responsible for the first-flower-node trait in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

With an F2 population from the cross of two cucumber inbred lines, S06 and S52, sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) was used to construct a genetic linkage map in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Sixty-four SRAP primer combinations generated 108 polymorphic bands in the F2 population analysis. The average of polymorphic bands produced by one primer pair was 1.5, and the maximum was 5. Using Mapmaker 3.0, a linkage map was constructed, which consisted of 77 SRAP markers distributed in nine linkage groups (LOD≥3.0) and spanned 1114.2 cM with an average interval of 14.5 cM between markers. The gene for the first-flower-node trait, termed ffn, was mapped to linkage group Ⅸ, flanked by DC1EM5 and ME7EM2A at 10.3 cM and 12.1 cM distance, respectively.     

Efficient expression of human factor Ⅸ cDNA in liver mediated by hydrodynamics-based plasmid administration

The transfection of plasmid DNA into mammalian cells is an indispensable tool in the study of gene transfer and gene function. Since the original report in 1990 on the successful expression of a reporter gene in muscle[1], plasmid DNA injection has been widely used to mediate gene transfer study. As a gene transfer vector, naked DNA has many obvious advantages. It is easy and cheap to be prepared and more safe after transfection. But the plasmid mediated gene expression is low because of t…     

Therapeutical effect of Shengmaisan is determined by the interaction among the three herbs

Shengmaisan is a recipe of traditional Chinese medicine, which is composed of three herbs. The interaction among the components from the three herbs of Shengmaisan is investigated using FT-IR, Matrix Assistant Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) and TEM observation. Interactions among various components from different herbs cause enhancement of the solubility of some component and suppression of the solubility of others. Results from MALDI-TOF MS show that some components found in the decoction from a single herb disappear when different herbs are decocted together. On the other hand, new substances are produced when two and/or three herbs of Shengmaisan are decocted together. TEM showed that vacuoles formed in the decoction from two and/or three herbs of Shengmaisan but did not occur in any decoction from a single herb. This result provides us direct evidence that the solubilized structure is formed by the interaction among the components from different herbs. This knowledge helps us to understand the therapeutical effects of traditional Chinese medicine.     

Cloning and functional analysis of chloroplast division gene NtFtsZ2-1 in Nicotiana tabacum

FtsZ protein plays an important role in the division of chloroplasts. With the finding and functional analysis of higher plant FtsZ proteins, people have deepened the understanding in the molecular mechanism of chloroplast division. Multiple ftsZ genes are diversified into two families in higher plants, ftsZ1 and ftsZ2. On the basis of the research on ftsZ1 family, we analyzed the function of NtFtsZ2-1 gene in Nicotiana tabacum. Microscopic analysis of the sense and antisense NtFtsZ2-1 transgenic tobacco plants revealed that the chloroplasts were abnormal in size and also in number when compared with wild-type tobacco chloroplasts. Our investigations confirmed that the NtFtsZ2-1 gene is involved in plant chloroplast division.