Lower Cambrian small shelly faunas from Zhejiang (China)and their biostratigraphical implications

Despite a long history of research on the Early Cambrian in China most available data on small skeletal fossils concern fossil associations of the shallow carbonate platform. Information on skeletal fossils from marginal shelf environments of the Yangtze Platform is scanty, which may reflect the rarity of fossils in deeper sedimentary environments but is also due to limitation of carbonate distribution and outcrops, difficulties in fossil extraction, and a general research focus on the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary beds on the carbonate platform. Here we present a documentation of Meishucunian to Qiongzhusian small skeletal fossils from the lower Hetang Formation and the chert unit at its base from the Jiangshan region, Zhejiang Province, representing a relatively deep shelf environment compared to the inner shelf region. The earliest association (Meishucunian) from the chert unit underlying the Hetang Formation is mainly characterized by the occurrence of Protohertzina anabarica, P. unguliformis, Fengzuella zhejiangensis, and Kaiyangites novilis, which differs somewhat in composition from SSF-associations of typical inner shelf deposits. The enigmatic skeletal fossil Fengzuella zhejiangensis, which exhibits an unusual secretional growth mode previously unrecognized from the Early Cambrian, is described in detail. A younger (Qiongzhusian) fossil association contains numerous arthropod remains, such as disarticulated spines of arthropods (Jiangshanodus- and Kijacus-type), which have previously been considered as conodont-like fossils, and bradoriid valves.     

Quick trickle permutation based on quick trickle characteristic sequence

0　IntroductionAblockcipherwithoutdataextensionorexpressionisaper mutation .Thesecurityofablockcipherschemeiscorrela tivewiththe permutations.Quicktrickle permutation[1 ] canmakethedatadisorderedwhenactingatthedataandmakeallprobabledistancebetweentwoelementsappear,soithasgoodcryptographicpropertiesandcanbeusedintheblockcipherwhichrequireshighsecurity.Aprivatekeyblockcipherisapermutationinn dimensionvectorspaceoverF2 atthecontrolofakey[2 ,3] .Moreover,manyblockciphersusepermutationstoexecuteso…     

Research on data combination for Phased-array Ground Penetrating Radar

0　IntroductionGroundPenetratingRadar (GPR)isanewandefficientex ploringmeanstodetecttheobjectinshallowsubsurface.Comparedwithotherdetectingmethods,GPRhasmanyadvan tages,suchasquickness,highresolution ,convenientoperationetc.SoGPRisappliedtonationaldefenseandnationaleconomy .IndevelopmentofGPRtechnology ,therecomeforthcontinuous waveradar,FMcontinuous waveradar,andshockpulseradar.Amongoftheseradars,shockpulseradarsendsgreatamplitudeimpulsewithperiodinns,receivingequivalentsamplingtoreali…     

Human mitochondrial tRNAs in health and disease

The human mitochondrial genome encodes 13 proteins, all subunits of the respiratory chain complexes and thus involved in energy metabolism. These genes are translated by 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), also encoded by the mitochondrial genome, which form the minimal set required for reading all codons. Human mitochondrial tRNAs gained interest with the rapid discovery of correlations between point mutations in their genes and various neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, emerging fundamental knowledge on the structure/function relationships of these particular tRNAs and an overview of the large variety of mechanisms within translation, affected by mutations, are summarized. Also, initial results on wide-ranging molecular consequences of mutations outside the frame of mitochondrial translation are highlighted. While knowledge of mitochondrial tRNAs in both health and disease increases, deciphering the intricate network of events leading different genotypes to the variety of phenotypes requires further investigation using adapted model systems.Received 3 December 2002; received after revision 14 January 2003; accepted 27 January 2003     

Isoprenoid biosynthesis in hereditary periodic fever syndromes and inflammation

Mevalonate kinase (MK) is an essential enzyme in the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway which produces numerous biomolecules (isoprenoids) involved in a variety of cellular processes. The indispensability of MK and isoprenoid biosynthesis for human health is demonstrated by the identification of its deficiency as the biochemical and molecular cause of the inherited autoinflammatory disorders mevalonic aciduria and hyperimmunoglobulinemia D and periodic fever syndrome. Since the discovery of the genetic defect, considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular, biochemical and immunological basis of MK deficiency. Important questions such as which specific protein(s) and/or signaling pathway(s) are affected, however, remain unanswered. Resolving the complete pathophysiology of this disorder is a major challenge, but eventually will give insight into the in vivo role of MK and isoprenoid biosynthesis in inflammation and fever. This may open novel options for antiinflammatory therapies in general. Here, we give a general introduction on isoprenoid biosynthesis, the regulation thereof and deficiencies therein. We review the molecular, biochemical and immunological aspects of MK deficiency and discuss the relations between isoprenoid biosynthesis and inflammation. Finally, we compare MK deficiency with other autoinflammatory syndromes.