Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: clinicopathology and molecular alterations

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS, OMIM 175200) is an unusual inherited intestinal polyposis syndrome associated with distinct peri-oral blue/black freckling [1–9]. Variable penetrance and clinical heterogeneity make it difficult to determine the exact frequency of PJS [4]. PJS is a cancer predisposition syndrome. Affected individuals are at high risk for intestinal and extra-intestinal cancers. In 1997, linkage studies mapped PJS to chromosome 19p [10, 11], and subsequently a serine/threonine kinase gene defect (LKB1) was noted in a majority of PJS cases [12, 13]. A phenotypically similar syndrome has been produced in an LKB1 mouse knockout model [14–18]. Several PJS kindred without LKB1 mutations have been described, suggesting other PJS loci [19–22]. The management of PJS is complex and evolving. New endoscopic technologies may improve management of intestinal polyposis. Identification of specific genetic mutations and their targets will more accurately assess the clinical course, and help gage the magnitude of cancer risk for affected individuals. Received 20 February 2006; received after revision 5 May 2006; accepted 15 June 2006     

SET domain protein lysine methyltransferases: Structure, specificity and catalysis

Site- and state-specific lysine methylation of histones is catalyzed by a family of proteins that contain the evolutionarily conserved SET domain and plays a fundamental role in epigenetic regulation of gene activation and silencing in all eukaryotes. The recently determined three-dimensional structures of the SET domains from chromosomal proteins reveal that the core SET domain structure contains a two-domain architecture, consisting of a conserved anti-parallel β-barrel and a structurally variable insert that surround a unusual knot-like structure that comprises the enzyme active site. These structures of the SET domains, either in the free state or when bound to cofactor S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine and/or histone peptide, mimicking an enzyme/cofactor/substrate complex, further yield the structural insights into the molecular basis of the substrate specificity, methylation multiplicity and the catalytic mechanism of histone lysine methylation. Received 10 June 2006; accepted 22 August 2006     

Optimization of the cellular import of functionally active SH2-domain-interacting phosphopeptides

Phosphopeptides interacting with src homology 2 (SH2) domains can activate essential signaling enzymes in vitro. When delivered to cells, they may disrupt protein-protein interactions, thereby influencing intracellular signaling. We showed earlier that phosphopeptides corresponding to the inhibitory motif of Fcγ receptor IIb and a motif of the Grb2-associated binder 1 adaptor protein activate SH2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 in vitro. To study the ex vivo effects of these peptides, we have now compared different methods for peptide delivery: (i) permeabilization of the target cells and (ii) the use of cell-permeable vectors, which are potentially able to transport biologically active compounds into B cells. We found octanoyl-Arg₈ to be an optimal carrier for the delivery of phosphopeptides to the cells. With this strategy, the function of cell-permeable SHP-2-binding phosphopeptides was analyzed. These peptides modulated the protein phosphorylation in B cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Received 27 July 2006; received after revision 4 September 2006; accepted 18 September 2006     

On the self-association potential of transmembrane tight junction proteins

Tight junctions seal intercellular clefts via membrane-related strands, hence, maintaining important organ functions. We investigated the self-association of strand-forming transmembrane tight junction proteins. The regulatory tight junction protein occludin was differently tagged and cotransfected in eucaryotic cells. These occludins colocalized within the plasma membrane of the same cell, coprecipitated and exhibited fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Differently tagged strand-forming claudin-5 also colocalized in the plasma membrane of the same cell and showed fluorescence resonance energy transfer. This demonstrates self-association in intact cells both of occludin and claudin-5 in one plasma membrane. In search of dimerizing regions of occludin, dimerization of its cytosolic C-terminal coiledcoil domain was identified. In claudin-5, the second extracellular loop was detected as a dimer. Since the transmembrane junctional adhesion molecule also is known to dimerize, the assumption that homodimerization of transmembrane tight junction proteins may serve as a common structural feature in tight junction assembly is supported. Received 6 October 2005; received after revision 14 December 2005; accepted 27 December 2005 †These authors contributed equally to this work.     

战区物资调运数学模型研究

如何优化分配,合理调运,及时准确地完成后勤保障任务,是现代战争中战区物资调运面临的重要问题之一.基于运输问题,就现代战争条件下战区物资调运问题的各种情况建立了数学模型.该模型可用于后勤物资保障的决策支持系统及指挥自动化系统,为解决战时后勤保障供应问题提供了新的理论方法和思路.     

非基线对称类信号的基线扣除新算法

在分析了现有基线扣除算法的基础上,根据非基线对称类基线信号的特征提出了一种新的基线扣除算法--基于小波滤波和梯度直方图最佳分割的非基线对称类信号基线扣除新算法.考虑到信号总是存在着噪声,含噪的基线信号梯度值也较大,并且分布无规律,采用了多分辨率小波变换滤波技术.通过合理选择最佳分割阈值门限,算法可精确提取出该类信号的基线.     

引信全电子安全系统程序控制组件设计

全电子安全系统是引信设计的发展方向,程序控制组件是实现引信安全控制的重要部件.介绍了一种引信全电子安全系统程序控制组件的技术要求、基本功能和工作顺序及原理,提出了提高系统可靠性的电路模式和设计原则,同时对程序控制组件的软件设计方法进行了介绍.采用先进的在系统可编程器件,实现系统逻辑功能的集成化、小型化,且具有易于功能扩展、设计升级等优点.     

一种采用混合进制的算术编码

针对许多实际应用中需要同时编码压缩来自多种不同符号集的数据,提出一种采用混合进制的算术编码,提高编码效率的同时增强了算术编码的抗误码扩散能力.从理论上分析了该算法并给出了实现过程.处理小波零树系数以及随机混合数据的实验结果表明,该算法明显优于单一进制的编码算法.     

一种基于串行总线的智能容错飞控计算机系统

从工程技术角度出发,讨论了适用于无人驾驶飞行器的容错飞控计算机系统的实现,给出了基于串行总线的智能容错飞控计算机系统结构,将工作状态检测系统和故障预测技术应用到容错计算机系统中,可在故障发生前采取容错措施,避免故障发生和故障造成的系统失效.给出了总线接口、运算控制单元、A/D转换单元、通讯模块的结构和实现方法,指出利用CPLD和HDL语言进行电路综合具有效率高、测试方便、易修改的特点,应在实践中广泛推广.     

电梯上高峰模式下动态分区算法的研究

研究了电梯群控系统(EGCS)上行高峰时期的动态分区群控方法.动态分区是根据大楼乘客流量的大小和分布情况动态地调整楼层区域的划分;同时提出了一致的UPPINT的目标函数,将动态分区问题归结为一个最优化问题,用直接搜索法对其进行求解;并对群控的几种算法进行了仿真比较,验证了动态分区算法的良好效果.