Genetic variation in a human odorant receptor alters odour perception

Human olfactory perception differs enormously between individuals, with large reported perceptual variations in the intensity and pleasantness of a given odour. For instance, androstenone (5alpha-androst-16-en-3-one), an odorous steroid derived from testosterone, is variously perceived by different individuals as offensive ("sweaty, urinous"), pleasant ("sweet, floral") or odourless. Similar variation in odour perception has been observed for several other odours. The mechanistic basis of variation in odour perception between individuals is unknown. We investigated whether genetic variation in human odorant receptor genes accounts in part for variation in odour perception between individuals. Here we show that a human odorant receptor, OR7D4, is selectively activated in vitro by androstenone and the related odorous steroid androstadienone (androsta-4,16-dien-3-one) and does not respond to a panel of 64 other odours and two solvents. A common variant of this receptor (OR7D4 WM) contains two non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), resulting in two amino acid substitutions (R88W, T133M; hence 'RT') that severely impair function in vitro. Human subjects with RT/WM or WM/WM genotypes as a group were less sensitive to androstenone and androstadienone and found both odours less unpleasant than the RT/RT group. Genotypic variation in OR7D4 accounts for a significant proportion of the valence (pleasantness or unpleasantness) and intensity variance in perception of these steroidal odours. Our results demonstrate the first link between the function of a human odorant receptor in vitro and odour perception.     

Consequences of a biological invasion reveal the importance of mutualism for plant communities.

Seed-dispersal mutualisms have a fundamental role in regenerating natural communities. Interest in the importance of seed dispersal to plant communities has been heightened by worldwide declines in animal dispersers. One view, the 'keystone mutualist hypothesis', predicts that these human-caused losses will trigger a cascade of linked extinctions throughout the community. Implicitly, this view holds that mutualisms, such as seed dispersal, are crucial ecological interactions that maintain the structure and diversity of natural communities. Although many studies suggest the importance of mutualism, empirical evidence for community-level impacts of mutualists has remained anecdotal, and the central role of mutualism, relative to other species interactions, has long been debated in the theoretical literature. Here I report the community-level consequences of a biological invasion that disrupts important seed-dispersal mutualisms. I show that invasion of South African shrublands by the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) leads to a shift in composition of the plant community, owing to a disproportionate reduction in the densities of large-seeded plants. This study suggests that the preservation of mutualistic interactions may be essential for maintaining natural communities.     

Basigin is a receptor essential for erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum

Erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum is central to the pathogenesis of malaria. Invasion requires a series of extracellular recognition events between erythrocyte receptors and ligands on the merozoite, the invasive form of the parasite. None of the few known receptor-ligand interactions involved are required in all parasite strains, indicating that the parasite is able to access multiple redundant invasion pathways. Here, we show that we have identified a receptor-ligand pair that is essential for erythrocyte invasion in all tested P. falciparum strains. By systematically screening a library of erythrocyte proteins, we have found that the Ok blood group antigen, basigin, is a receptor for PfRh5, a parasite ligand that is essential for blood stage growth. Erythrocyte invasion was potently inhibited by soluble basigin or by basigin knockdown, and invasion could be completely blocked using low concentrations of anti-basigin antibodies; importantly, these effects were observed across all laboratory-adapted and field strains tested. Furthermore, Ok(a-) erythrocytes, which express a basigin variant that has a weaker binding affinity for PfRh5, had reduced invasion efficiencies. Our discovery of a cross-strain dependency on a single extracellular receptor-ligand pair for erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum provides a focus for new anti-malarial therapies.     

Structural variation of melt-crystallized PTT during the heating process revealed by FTIR and SAXS

Time-resolved FTIR,WAXD/SAXS and DSC have been used to investigate the structural variation of non-isothermally crystallized poly(trimethylene terephthalate)(PTT) during the heating process.The three-phase model:the lamellar phase,the mobile amorphous phase(MAP) and the rigid amorphous phase(RAP) between lamellae is suggested to describe the structure of meltcrystallized PTT.According to FTIR results,the conformation of RAP in the constrained state is different from that of MAP.The increased content of amorphous phase in the temperature range from 120 to 192℃ is ascribed to the relaxation of RAP,rather than the melting of defective crystals.When the PTT is heated to a temperature above 192℃,the recrystallization/crystal perfection of original defective lamellae occurs without a pre-melting process,which leads to an increase in lamellar thickness and probably connects two adjacent lamellar stacks.This is responsible for an increase in crystallinity as well as a higher major melting temperature.     

Scheduling in a meta search engine by Genetic Algorithm

The meta search engines provide service to the users by dispensing the users’ requests to the existing search engines. The existing search engines selected by meta search engine determine the searching quality. Because the performance of the existing search engines and the users’ requests are changed dynamically, it is not favorable for the fixed search engines to optimize the holistic performance of the meta search engine. This paper applies the genetic algorithm (GA) to realize the scheduling strategy of agent manager in our meta search engine, GSE (general search engine), which can simulate the evolution process of living things more lively and more efficiently. By using GA, the combination of search engines can be optimized and hence the holistic performance of GSE can be improved dramatically.     

兰州沙尘暴过程对PM_(10)组成变化的影响

为了研究兰州市2006年3月31日沙尘暴过程对大气PM_(10)组成变化的影响,利用场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)和图像分析技术研究了该沙尘暴期间及其发生前后PM_(10)中的单颗粒特征。结果表明,沙尘暴发生前后,PM_(10)主要由燃煤飞灰、烟尘集合体组成,其次是少量的矿物颗粒,而沙尘暴高峰期则相反。与沙尘暴发生前后相比,沙尘暴高峰期矿物颗粒的数量百分比(59.31%)和体积百分比(99.39%)有明显增加,而其数量和体积粒度分布则相反。根据该沙尘暴过程中PM_(10)的组成变化特征,可将其划分为四个不同的阶段:本地污染物清除阶段、新污染物携入阶段、本地新污染物吹入及外来沙尘颗粒减少阶段、沙尘颗粒基本清除阶段。     

Phase variation in Bordetella pertussis by frameshift mutation in a gene for a novel two-component system

Bordetella pertussis, the aetiological agent of whooping cough, coordinately regulates the expression of many virulence-associated determinants, including filamentous haemagglutinin, pertussis toxin, adenylyl cyclase toxin, dermonecrotic toxin and haemolysin. The coordinate regulation is apparent in the repression of synthesis of these determinants in response to environmental stimuli; a phenomenon known as antigenic or phenotypic modulation. B. pertussis also varies between metastable genetic states, or phases. There is a virulent phase in which virulence-associated determinants are synthesized, and an avirulent phase in which they are not. Previous studies have shown that a genetic locus, vir, is required for expression from many virulence-associated loci, and that replacing the cloned vir locus in trans can restore the virulent phase phenotype to spontaneously occurring avirulent phase strains. Here, we show that phase variation in one series of strains is due to a frameshift mutation within an open reading frame that is predicted to code for a Vir protein product. The deduced protein sequence is similar to both components of the 'two-component' regulatory system which control gene expression in response to environmental stimuli in a range of bacterial species.     

An experimental study on variation of thermal fields during the deformation of a compressive en echelon fault set

The temperature variations during deformation of a compressive en echelon fault set in a rock sample were measured by a surface measurement system with multi-point platinum resistance thermometers and an infrared thermal image system. The measurements obtained by the two systems were in agreement with each other, indicating a relationship between temporal-spatial variations of the thermal field and changes of stress and strain. At varied structural positions of the rock sample, the rising of the temperature was different, implying distinct stress distributions at these positions. In the experiment, the deformation process of the sample included three stages: elastic deformation, stick-slip, and rupture. Correspondingly, the variation process of temperature had also three stages, each of which had its own temperature rising profile. And the thermal radiation field showed a similar process. These phenomena mean that the dominant mechanisms of temperature rising in all stages of deformation are different. Experimental results provide a physical basis for the study of current fault activities by using data of satellite infrared images.     

人工免疫算法对遗传算法改进的仿真研究

遗传算法是一种很好的优化算法,但其本身存在着易早熟、效率低等不足.人工免疫算法是参考生物免疫系统机制的一种算法,它通常用于对其它算法的改进.论文用人工免疫算法对遗传算法进行改进,在遗传算法中引入浓度机制并从问题中提取疫苗.通过实验对比,它对遗传算法的改进取得了较好的效果.     

An experimental study on variation of thermal fields during the deformation of a compressive en echelon fault set

The temperature variations during deformation of a compressive en echelon fault set in a rock sample were measured by a surface measurement system with multi-point platinum resistance thermometers and an infrared thermal image system. The measurements obtained by the two systems were in agreement with each other, indicating a relationship between temporal-spatial variations of the thermal field and changes of stress and strain. At varied structural positions of the rock sample, the rising of the temperature was different, implying distinct stress distributions at these positions. In the experiment, the deformation process of the sample included three stages: elastic deformation, stick-slip, and rupture. Correspondingly, the variation process of temperature had also three stages, each of which had its own temperature rising profile. And the thermal radiation field showed a similar process. These phenomena mean that the dominant mechanisms of temperature rising in all stages of deformation are different. Experimental results provide a physical basis for the study of current fault activities by using data of satellite infrared images.     

分层遗传算法在DC/DC变换器中的应用

DC／DC变换器为强非线性、时变及不确定系统．由于其自身的特点,使得DC／DC变换器的控制研究工作比较困难．文中提出一种用遗传算法优化的模糊控制器,控制DC／DC变换器．对传统的遗传算法进行改进．使之优化能力更好．由仿真和实际试验证明,经过改进的遗传算法优化的模糊控制器,对DC／DC变换器的控制效果更显著,动态特性和静态特性都得到进一步改善．同时说明所介绍的自适应遗传算法的寻优能力更好,收敛速度也更快．     

利用模式生物果蝇研究人类心脏发育的基因调控

心脏病已成为威胁人类生命和健康的“第三号杀手”。研究表明,先天性心脏病的发生主要是由于控制心脏发育的基因产生突变,或是由这些基因的时空表达失误引起的。果蝇由于具有其它模式生物所不可比拟的优势,再一次成为心脏发育和基因功能研究的先驱;与此相关的研究成果使心脏发育的基因调控研究取得“零”的重大突破,从而推动了脊椎动物心脏发育基因控制研究的迅速发展。目前,对于人类心脏早期发育的调控机制仍知之甚少,本文讨论了利用果蝇模型研究人类心脏早期发育基因调控的优点与不足。     

狭边大叶藓(Rhodobryum ontariense)遗传多样性的ISSR分析

狭边大叶藓[Rhodobryum ontariense(Kindb.)Paris]为真藓科大叶藓属植物,具有治疗心血管疾病的功效。本研究选用ISSR分子标记对分布于河北、河南、四川和陕西四省的9个狭边大叶藓自然居群的遗传多样性进行研究,目的在于揭示狭边大叶藓居群的遗传结构和遗传多样性水平,为其保护和合理开发利用提供科学依据。用8个ISSR引物对9个居群共58个样品进行扩增,共获得47条清晰的扩增位点。POPGENE分析表明,狭边大叶藓居群遗传多样性水平较低(多态性位点比率为37.75%,Nei’s基因多样性为0.153 0,Shannon’信息指数为0.222 8,遗传分化指数Gst为0.299 7,居群间的基因流为1.168 2)。AMOVA分析表明,大多数遗传变异(84.07%)存在于居群内,15.93%的遗传变异存在于居群间(Φst=0.159 3)。UPGMA聚类分析表明,狭边大叶藓居群遗传距离和地理距离没有相关性(r=0.404 95,p=0.979 1)。     

3-UPU并联机床关于3D自由曲面刻字的计算机辅助几何法

基于一种新的计算机辅助变量几何法,以新型3-dof(3自由度)3-UPU并联机床为对象,加工具有任意复杂形状的工件以及在任意3D自由曲面或平面上刻字.通过几何约束和尺寸驱动技术,先建立3-UPtJ并联模拟机构,再构造任意3D自由曲面和刀具轨迹的引导平面,与3-UPU模拟并联机构合成,得到用于加工任意3D自由曲面的模拟并联机床.给定加工路径,各驱动杆长和动平台的位置能自动求解出来.通过解析的方法验证对比,得出计算机辅助变量几何法不仅简单直观,而且省去了大量的编程计算.     

Cryptic chlorination by a non-haem iron enzyme during cyclopropyl amino acid biosynthesis

Enzymatic incorporation of chlorine, bromine or iodine atoms occurs during the biosynthesis of more than 4,000 natural products. Halogenation can have significant consequences for the bioactivity of these products so there is great interest in understanding the biological catalysts that perform these reactions. Enzymes that halogenate unactivated aliphatic groups have not previously been characterized. Here we report the activity of five proteins-CmaA, CmaB, CmaC, CmaD and CmaE-in the construction of coronamic acid (CMA; 1-amino-1-carboxy-2-ethylcyclopropane), a constituent of the phytotoxin coronatine synthesized by the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. CMA derives from l-allo-isoleucine, which is covalently attached to CmaD through the actions of CmaA, a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase module, and CmaE, an unusual acyltransferase. We show that CmaB, a member of the non-haem Fe(2+), alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent enzyme superfamily, is the first of its class to show halogenase activity, chlorinating the gamma-position of l-allo-isoleucine. Another previously undescribed enzyme, CmaC, catalyses the formation of the cyclopropyl ring from the gamma-Cl-l-allo-isoleucine product of the CmaB reaction. Together, CmaB and CmaC execute gamma-halogenation followed by intramolecular gamma-elimination, in which biological chlorination is a cryptic strategy for cyclopropyl ring formation.     

Myb DNA binding inhibited by phosphorylation at a site deleted during oncogenic activation

The c-Myb nuclear oncoprotein is phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo at an N-terminal site near its DNA-binding domain by casein kinase II (CK-II) or a CK-II-like activity. This in vitro phosphorylation reversibly inhibits the sequence-specific binding of c-Myb to DNA. The site of this phosphorylation is deleted in nearly all oncogenically activated Myb proteins, resulting in DNA-binding that is independent of CK-II. Because CK-II activity is modulated by growth factors, loss of the site could uncouple c-Myb from its normal physiological regulator.     

H型钢万能轧制过程中金属流动的有限元分析

采用显示动力学有限元软件LS-DYNA,结合生产实际,对H型钢万能轧制进行了仿真计算.在仿真结果的基础上,根据轧制平面内的节点位移矢量分布情况,分析了轧件断面内金属流动规律.仿真结果显示轧件断面内在立辊和平辊压下方向上存在"零位移线",说明在H型钢万能轧制过程中,在立辊和平辊压下方向上轧件内金属流动存在"位移中性面",并伴有翼缘端部金属流动产生"内翻"的情况.