Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data and large-scale replication identifies additional susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified multiple loci at which common variants modestly but reproducibly influence risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Established associations to common and rare variants explain only a small proportion of the heritability of T2D. As previously published analyses had limited power to identify variants with modest effects, we carried out meta-analysis of three T2D GWA scans comprising 10,128 individuals of European descent and approximately 2.2 million SNPs (directly genotyped and imputed), followed by replication testing in an independent sample with an effective sample size of up to 53,975. We detected at least six previously unknown loci with robust evidence for association, including the JAZF1 (P = 5.0 x 10(-14)), CDC123-CAMK1D (P = 1.2 x 10(-10)), TSPAN8-LGR5 (P = 1.1 x 10(-9)), THADA (P = 1.1 x 10(-9)), ADAMTS9 (P = 1.2 x 10(-8)) and NOTCH2 (P = 4.1 x 10(-8)) gene regions. Our results illustrate the value of large discovery and follow-up samples for gaining further insights into the inherited basis of T2D.     

The 2007 Census Test: evaluation of key objectives

The Office for National Statistics conducted a major census field test in May and June 2007 as part of the planning and preparation for the next census of population and housing in England and Wales in 2011. The 2007 Census Test was a large scale test covering approximately 100,000 household in five local authorities (LAs) selected to reflect a range of geographic conditions and social characteristics. Within England the Test covered parts of Bath and North East Somerset, Camden, Liverpool and Stoke on Trent. In Wales the Test took place in Carmarthenshire. The selected LAs were chosen to provide a varied cross section of the population and types of housing that would be covered in a full census. This article summarises the evaluation results and, where decided, decisions for 2011 on four key aspects of the Test: delivery method - post-out compared with hand delivery; inclusion of an income question; outsourcing recruitment, training and pay; and liaison with LAs.     

中国苏北预先导孔CCSD-PP2片麻岩中锆石的矿物包裹体及其超高压变质作用的证据

采用激光Raman及阴极发光技术,确认中国大陆科学钻探工程预选预先导孔CCSD－PP2几乎所有类型片麻岩中的锆石均保存典型的柯石英包体以及绿辉石、硬玉、石榴石、多硅白云母等矿物包体,表明片麻岩类岩石曾普遍经历了超高压变质作用,该成果对于重新探讨苏鲁超高压变质带的俯冲－折返机制和对中国大陆科学钻探工程的选址有重要的科学意义。     

柴达木山花岗岩锆石SHRIMP定年

锆石SHRIMP定年研究表明,祁连南缘柴达木山花岗岩与超高压榴辉岩是构造演化过程中不同阶段形成的,即加里东早期,该区存在洋壳－陆壳碰撞,形成榴辉岩;加里东晚期,存在陆壳－陆壳的碰撞,形成了该花岗岩体。该岩体的SHRIMP年龄为446Ma。     

具有抗艾滋病毒活性的多肽T22([T5,12yr,L7yr]-PolyphemusinⅡ)骨架构象模拟

用势能平滑搜索方法,在平滑修饰的势能面上对具有抗艾滋病毒HIV－1活性的肽T22（[Tyr^5,12,Tyr^7]-PolyphemusinⅡ）骨架结构进行了全程搜索,得到了该分子骨加结构在修饰势能面上的分子构象全集。用多构象优化方法,选择较适用于肽OPLS力场,采用GB／SA水溶剂模型,优化上述构象集,得到T22骨架结构在水溶液中优势构象集。结果表明势能平滑搜索与多构象优化相结合的构象分析方法是解决含有环结构的柔性分子构象分析中多重最小问题的有效方法。     

光子探测器在芬兰HIP和克罗地亚RBI的研发制作

该文描述了碲化镉（CdTe）探测器,硅漂移探测器和外加一层转换闪烁体硅探测器（SiS）的设计与制作方法这些硅及CdTe芯片制作工艺及其连接方法是在芬兰的Micronova中心完成的与硅工艺不同的是,CdTe工艺必须在低于150 ℃的温度下完成我们因此专门为CdTe探测器开发了一种低温原子层淀积的氧化铝（Al2O3）薄膜工艺,大小为(10×10×1) mm3的CdTe晶圆由一种无接触的光刻工艺完成.探测器性能是由电流 电压（I V）,电容 电压（C V）、瞬间电流方法和精确微质子数方法来检测的实验结果与具有材料和缺陷参数的TCAD模拟结果相符     

Exome sequencing identifies ACAD9 mutations as a cause of complex I deficiency

An isolated defect of respiratory chain complex I activity is a frequent biochemical abnormality in mitochondrial disorders. Despite intensive investigation in recent years, in most instances, the molecular basis underpinning complex I defects remains unknown. We report whole-exome sequencing of a single individual with severe, isolated complex I deficiency. This analysis, followed by filtering with a prioritization of mitochondrial proteins, led us to identify compound heterozygous mutations in ACAD9, which encodes a poorly understood member of the mitochondrial acyl-CoA dehydrogenase protein family. We demonstrated the pathogenic role of the ACAD9 variants by the correction of the complex I defect on expression of the wildtype ACAD9 protein in fibroblasts derived from affected individuals. ACAD9 screening of 120 additional complex I-defective index cases led us to identify two additional unrelated cases and a total of five pathogenic ACAD9 alleles.     

Yersinia pestis genome sequencing identifies patterns of global phylogenetic diversity

Plague is a pandemic human invasive disease caused by the bacterial agent Yersinia pestis. We here report a comparison of 17 whole genomes of Y. pestis isolates from global sources. We also screened a global collection of 286 Y. pestis isolates for 933 SNPs using Sequenom MassArray SNP typing. We conducted phylogenetic analyses on this sequence variation dataset, assigned isolates to populations based on maximum parsimony and, from these results, made inferences regarding historical transmission routes. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that Y. pestis evolved in or near China and spread through multiple radiations to Europe, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia, leading to country-specific lineages that can be traced by lineage-specific SNPs. All 626 current isolates from the United States reflect one radiation, and 82 isolates from Madagascar represent a second radiation. Subsequent local microevolution of Y. pestis is marked by sequential, geographically specific SNPs.     

Common variants at TRAF3IP2 are associated with susceptibility to psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory joint disease that is distinct from other chronic arthritides and which is frequently accompanied by psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) and seronegativity for rheumatoid factor. We conducted a genome-wide association study in 609 German individuals with PsA (cases) and 990 controls with replication in 6 European cohorts including a total of 5,488 individuals. We replicated PsA associations at HLA-C and IL12B and identified a new association at TRAF3IP2 (rs13190932, P = 8.56 × 10?1?). TRAF3IP2 was also associated with PsV in a German cohort including 2,040 individuals (rs13190932, P = 1.95 × 10?3). Sequencing of the exons of TRAF3IP2 identified a coding variant (p.Asp10Asn, rs33980500) as the most significantly associated SNP (P = 1.13 × 10?2?, odds ratio = 1.95). Functional assays showed reduced binding of this TRAF3IP2 variant to TRAF6, suggesting altered modulation of immunoregulatory signals through altered TRAF interactions as a new and shared pathway for PsA and PsV.