XPF nuclease-dependent telomere loss and increased DNA damage in mice overexpressing TRF2 result in premature aging and cancer

TRF2 is a telomere-binding protein that has a role in telomere protection. We generated mice that overexpress TRF2 in the skin. These mice had a severe phenotype in the skin in response to light, consisting of premature skin deterioration, hyperpigmentation and increased skin cancer, which resembles the human syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum. Keratinocytes from these mice were hypersensitive to ultraviolet irradiation and DNA crosslinking agents. The skin cells of these mice had marked telomere shortening, loss of the telomeric G-strand overhang and increased chromosomal instability. Telomere loss in these mice was mediated by XPF, a structure-specific nuclease involved in ultraviolet-induced damage repair and mutated in individuals with xeroderma pigmentosum. These findings suggest that TRF2 provides a crucial link between telomere function and ultraviolet-induced damage repair, whose alteration underlies genomic instability, cancer and aging. Finally, we show that a number of human skin tumors have increased expression of TRF2, further highlighting a role for TRF2 in skin cancer.     

Acid-base equilibrium in the heart-lung preparation

Résumé Etude de l'équilibre acide-basique de la préparation cur-poumon de l'étourneau, réalisée avec la technique habituelle et les moyens de corriger les altérations constatées. La recherche des causes de ces altérations a permis de conclure que l'alcalose respiratoire est due à la ventilation dont on se sert habituellement, tandis que l'acidose métabolique est due à une production de métabolites acides déclanchés surtout par la saignée des animaux donneurs et par la glucolyse qui se produit à partir de l'extraction du sang et jusqu'au moment de son emploi dans la préparation.

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This work has been supported by a grant from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina.     

Activation of old carbon by erosion of coastal and subsea permafrost in Arctic Siberia

The future trajectory of greenhouse gas concentrations depends on interactions between climate and the biogeosphere. Thawing of Arctic permafrost could release significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere in this century. Ancient Ice Complex deposits outcropping along the ~7,000-kilometre-long coastline of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS), and associated shallow subsea permafrost, are two large pools of permafrost carbon, yet their vulnerabilities towards thawing and decomposition are largely unknown. Recent Arctic warming is stronger than has been predicted by several degrees, and is particularly pronounced over the coastal ESAS region. There is thus a pressing need to improve our understanding of the links between permafrost carbon and climate in this relatively inaccessible region. Here we show that extensive release of carbon from these Ice Complex deposits dominates (57?±?2 per cent) the sedimentary carbon budget of the ESAS, the world’s largest continental shelf, overwhelming the marine and topsoil terrestrial components. Inverse modelling of the dual-carbon isotope composition of organic carbon accumulating in ESAS surface sediments, using Monte Carlo simulations to account for uncertainties, suggests that 44?±?10 teragrams of old carbon is activated annually from Ice Complex permafrost, an order of magnitude more than has been suggested by previous studies. We estimate that about two-thirds (66?±?16 per cent) of this old carbon escapes to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, with the remainder being re-buried in shelf sediments. Thermal collapse and erosion of these carbon-rich Pleistocene coastline and seafloor deposits may accelerate with Arctic amplification of climate warming.     

平行双裂纹应力强度因子的计算方法

为了快速、方便地估算多裂纹尖端的应力强度因子,以承受均匀拉伸载荷的含平行双裂纹的有限平板模型为研究对象,提出了一种基于裂纹最大张口位移量确定平行双裂纹尖端应力强度因子的新方法.该方法以单裂纹问题中最大张口位移与应力强度因子间的函数关系为基础,考虑了平行双裂纹的垂向、纵向裂纹间距比和裂纹长度比的影响,拟合出纵向间距比为0时不同裂纹长度比下与垂向间距比相关的修正系数表达式,并进一步分析了裂纹纵向间距比对双裂纹尖端应力强度因子的影响,最终建立了平行双裂纹应力强度因子的简便方法.     

大尺寸三维激光测量系统标定方法

研究了一种基于平面几何射影变换原理的三维激光测量系统标定方法. 根据测量系统中激光扫描平面的旋转特点,基于平面射影变换中直线不变的映射关系建立了标定对象表面被测点在不同参考系之间变换的约束关系,并采用封闭运动链思想定义系统参考系空间刚体变换关系,将系统标定问题转化为世界坐标系下系统内参数矩阵和外参数矩阵的求解. 通过空间变换关系得到上述2个矩阵的解,实现系统的标定. 该方法标定装置简单、速度快、稳定性好,能够满足实际工程应用中的需求.     

施工振动下基于黏弹性边界的地下结构动力特性模拟

结合上海市人民广场地铁换乘大厅枢纽工程,建立了基于黏弹性边界的三维有限元分析模型,利用Newmark数值方法对在拆除临时混凝土支撑振动条件下结构的动力特性进行研究,并将数值计算结果与现场监测结果进行比较.结果表明：所建立的基于黏弹性边界的数值模型不仅能够较好地模拟施工振动下结构的动力特性,消除土体与结构交界面的振动波虚假发射;而且可以预测激励荷载下结构发生共振的可能性.