珠穆朗玛峰东绒布冰芯1800 AD以来的火山活动记录

通过元素Bi的含量, 研究了珠穆朗玛峰东绒布冰芯记录的1800 AD以来的9次强火山活动的信号. 结果表明, 东绒布冰芯中Bi含量的变化对关键区域的强火山活动有很好的记录, 这为山地冰芯定年提供了很好的标志层, 并为开展更长时间序列的山地冰芯火山记录研究提供了基础.     

"进化论为何是正确曲"——芝加哥大学生物学家杰里·科伊恩访谈录

今年2月是查尔斯·达尔文(Charles Darwin)诞生200周年之际,但部分美国人对这位英国博物学家的开创性理念--"物竞天择"依然持怀疑态度.     

利用ATSR数据分解土壤和植被温度的研究

欧洲遥感卫星（ＥＲＳ）上安装的ＡＴＳＲ传感器是目前惟一能在两个观测角度上提供准实时热红外测量的有效工具．相对于正在准备之中的新一代多角度卫星传感器而言,ＡＴＳＲ数据为我们提供了一个在热红外区域开发有关方向性观测信息潜力的机会．通过对一景ＡＴＳＲ图像的分析,结果显示尽管大气状况对于准确度的影响非常敏感,但是,仍然可以在可接受的范围内反演出不同方向的亮温值（地表各向异性辐射量）,为了从不同方向的亮温值同时反演出植被和土壤的温度,必须对大气状况和像元内容进行 恰当的表述,否则,这种反演将具有很大的不确定性．     

Mechanism of human immunodeficiency virus type I entry into the target cells

Based on the recent advances of the research on the mechanism of HIV-1 infection, a novel model to elucidate the mechanism of HIV entry into the target cells is proposed and the perspective about the putative receptor is discussed in this review. Understanding of the crystal structure of HIV-1 transmembrane protein gp41 and the functions of HIV-1 receptor, co-receptor and the putative receptor will lead to developing effective HIV vaccine and anti-HIV drugs.     

实验测得的C2-C6二元羧酸溶液的冻结温度: 冰核核化过程中的重要指标

由于大气气溶胶影响着地球辐射总量的平衡与能量的估算, 有机化合物作为气溶胶和云凝结核(cloud condensation nuclei, CCN)的重要组成成分, 其重要性已经越来越引起科学家们的重视. 而低分子量二元羧酸(low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids, LMWDCA)作为大气(包括云和雾)中气溶胶的重要成分,其在大气中的传输与转化过程中的作用尤其是对冰核(ice nuclei, IN)核化过程的影响已经成为当前的一个重要的前沿科学研究领域. 本研究利用麦吉尔大学的冻结核记数仪分别测量了不同pH的水溶液(超纯净水与自来水)中单纯态的与混合态的低分子量二元羧酸(C2-C6)液滴的冻结温度. 结果显示, 低分子量二元羧酸(C2-C6)自来水溶液的冻结温度明显的高于其相应的超纯净水溶液. 不同混合态的二元羧酸(C2-C6)的纯净水和自来水溶液液滴的平均冻结温度范围分别是: (-24.1±2.8)~(-21.3±3.9)℃和(-10.2±2.2)~(-9.5±2.2)℃, 而所测对照水(超纯净水与自来水)溶液液滴的平均冻结温度则分别是(-22.6±3.5)和(-11.2±2.4)℃. C2-C6二元羧酸的加入对于水溶液液滴的冻结温度增高的促进作用并不显著.     

复合材料多层板边缘效应起因分析

为分析引起复合材料多层板自由边沿效应与端部效应的物理因素,分别研究了弹性模量、泊松比和上下两层材料主轴方向夹角时对自由边沿效 应的影响,给出了相应的三维有限元层间应力解及其三维分布图。结果表明,弹性模量和上下两层材料主轴方向夹角使层合板上下两层变形不一致,引起多层板自由边沿效应与端部效应,其泊松比是直接影响因素。     

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.     

Rad51 and DNA-PKcs are involved in the generation of specific telomere aberrations induced by the quadruplex ligand 360A that impair mitotic cell progression and lead to cell death

Functional telomeres are protected from non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathways. Replication is a critical period for telomeres because of the requirement for reconstitution of functional protected telomere conformations, a process that involves DNA repair proteins. Using knockdown of DNA-PKcs and Rad51 expression in three different cell lines, we demonstrate the respective involvement of NHEJ and HR in the formation of telomere aberrations induced by the G-quadruplex ligand 360A during or after replication. HR contributed to specific chromatid-type aberrations (telomere losses and doublets) affecting the lagging strand telomeres, whereas DNA-PKcs-dependent NHEJ was responsible for sister telomere fusions as a direct consequence of G-quadruplex formation and/or stabilization induced by 360A on parental telomere G strands. NHEJ and HR activation at telomeres altered mitotic progression in treated cells. In particular, NHEJ-mediated sister telomere fusions were associated with altered metaphase-anaphase transition and anaphase bridges and resulted in cell death during mitosis or early G1. Collectively, these data elucidate specific molecular and cellular mechanisms triggered by telomere targeting by the G-quadruplex ligand 360A, leading to cancer cell death.