利用Mahalanobis距离进行人脸表情的识别

提出了利用Mahalanobis距离进行人脸表情识别的方法.首先将待分类的图像样本集进行坐标变换,使得变换以后类间离散度尽可能大而类内离散度尽可能小,即使变换以后的Fisher准则函数取得极大值,在新的坐标下求每个待分类样本到各类均值向量的Mahalanobis距离,从而将待分类的样本归到Mahalanobis距离最小的类中去,通过实验得到了平均80.25%的识别率.     

Mutations in genes encoding melanosomal proteins cause pigmentary glaucoma in DBA/2J mice.

Pigmentary glaucoma is a significant cause of human blindness. Abnormally liberated iris pigment and cell debris enter the ocular drainage structures, leading to increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma. DBA/2J (D2) mice develop a form of pigmentary glaucoma involving iris pigment dispersion (IPD) and iris stromal atrophy (ISA). Using high-resolution mapping techniques, sequencing and functional genetic tests, we show that IPD and ISA result from mutations in related genes encoding melanosomal proteins. IPD is caused by a premature stop codon mutation in the Gpnmb (GpnmbR150X) gene, as proved by the occurrence of IPD only in D2 mice that are homozygous with respect to GpnmbR150X; otherwise, similar D2 mice that are not homozygous for GpnmbR150X do not develop IPD. ISA is caused by the recessive Tyrp1b mutant allele and rescued by the transgenic introduction of wildtype Tyrp1. We hypothesize that IPD and ISA alter melanosomes, allowing toxic intermediates of pigment production to leak from melanosomes, causing iris disease and subsequent pigmentary glaucoma. This is supported by the rescue of IPD and ISA in D2 eyes with substantially decreased pigment production. These data indicate that pigment production and mutant melanosomal protein genes may contribute to human pigmentary glaucoma. The fact that hypopigmentation profoundly alleviates the D2 disease indicates that therapeutic strategies designed to decrease pigment production may be beneficial in human pigmentary glaucoma.     

基质金属蛋白酶-26(MMP-26)在小鼠胚胎植入过程中的作用

基质金属蛋白酶-26（MMP-26，又称Endometase或基质水解素-2）是MMPs家族的一个新成员，它可在胎盘，子宫以及不同肿瘤细胞系中表达，采用子宫角注射，免疫组化，原位杂交，胚泡与子宫上皮单层培养，免疫印迹，RT-PCR和RNA印迹等多种体内外实验方法研究并报道了MMP-26在小鼠胚胎中的表达以及MMP-26抗体在胚胎植入中的作用，研究表明，MMP-26的mRNA与蛋白在小鼠胚泡中均有强烈的表达，此外，体内研究显示，MMP-26抗体能显著抑制小鼠胚胎的着床；在体外培养体系中，MMP-26抗体可显著抑制小鼠胚泡在子宫上皮单层上的黏附与扩展；同时，MMP-26抗体以剂量依赖关系抑制整合素αV亚基mRNA和蛋白的表达，研究提示，MMP-26可能直接或间接参与滋养层细胞侵入子宫内膜的过程，促使小鼠胚泡成功植入。     

Effects of the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin and its inactive derivative 1,9-dideoxyforskolin on insect cytochrome P-450 dependent steroid hydroxylase activity

The adenylate cyclase activator forskolin and its pharmacologically inactive derivative 1,9-dideoxyforskolin were found to inhibit in a dose-dependent fashion the ecdysone 20-monooxygenase activity associated with wandering stage larvae ofDrosophila melanogaster and fat body and midgut from last instar larvae of the tobacco hornworm,Manduca sexta. The concentrations of these labdane diterpenes required to elicit a 50% inhibition of the cytochrome P-450 dependent steroid hydroxylase activity in the insect tissues ranged from approximately 5×10^–6 to 5×10^–4 M.     

Quadruplex structure of Oxytricha telomeric DNA oligonucleotides.

The telomeres of most eukaryotes contain a repeating G-rich sequence with the consensus d(T/A)1-4G1-8, of which 12-16 bases form a 3' single-strand overhang beyond the telomeric duplex. It has been proposed that these G-rich oligonucleotides associate to form four-stranded structures from one, two or four individual strands and that these structures may be relevant in vivo. The proposed structures contain Hoogsteen base-paired G-quartets, precedent for which has been in the literature for many years. Here we use 1H NMR spectroscopy to study the conformations of the DNA oligonucleotides d(G4T4G4) (Oxy-1.5) and d(G4T4G4T4G4T4G4) (Oxy-3.5) which contain the Oxytricha telomere repeat (T4G4). We find that these molecules fold to form a symmetrical bimolecular and an intramolecular quadruplex, respectively. Both structures have four G-quartets formed from nucleotides that are alternately syn and anti along each strand. This arrangement differs from earlier models in which the strands are alternately all syn or all anti. The T4 loops in Oxy-1.5 are on opposite ends of the quadruplex and loop diagonally across the G-quartet, resulting in adjacent strands being alternately parallel and antiparallel.     

Mutations in ATP2A2, encoding a Ca2+ pump, cause Darier disease

Darier disease (DD) is an autosomal-dominant skin disorder characterized by loss of adhesion between epidermal cells (acantholysis) and abnormal keratinization. Recently we constructed a 2.4-Mb, P1-derived artificial chromosome contig spanning the DD candidate region on chromosome 12q23-24.1. After screening several genes that mapped to this region, we identified mutations in the ATP2A2 gene, which encodes the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2(+)-ATPase type 2 isoform (SERCA2) and is highly expressed in keratinocytes. Thirteen mutations were identified, including frameshift deletions, in-frame deletions or insertions, splice-site mutations and non-conservative missense mutations in functional domains. Our results demonstrate that mutations in ATP2A2 cause DD and disclose a role for this pump in a Ca(2+)-signalling pathway regulating cell-to-cell adhesion and differentiation of the epidermis.