Heritable and inducible genetic interference by double-stranded RNA encoded by transgenes

Double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective method for disrupting expression of specific genes in Caenorhabditis elegans and other organisms. Applications of this reverse-genetics tool, however, are somewhat restricted in nematodes because introduced dsRNA is not stably inherited. Another difficulty is that RNAi disruption of late-acting genes has been generally less consistent than that of embryonically expressed genes, perhaps because the concentration of dsRNA becomes lower as cellular division proceeds or as developmental time advances. In particular, some neuronally expressed genes appear refractory to dsRNA-mediated interference. We sought to extend the applicability of RNAi by in vivo expression of heritable inverted-repeat (IR) genes. We assayed the efficacy of in vivo-driven RNAi in three situations for which heritable, inducible RNAi would be advantageous: (i) production of large numbers of animals deficient for gene activities required for viability or reproduction; (ii) generation of large populations of phenocopy mutants for biochemical analysis; and (iii) effective gene inactivation in the nervous system. We report that heritable IR genes confer potent and specific gene inactivation for each of these applications. We suggest that a similar strategy might be used to test for dsRNA interference effects in higher organisms in which it is feasible to construct transgenic animals, but impossible to directly or transiently introduce high concentrations of dsRNA.     

Mutations in the gene encoding pejvakin, a newly identified protein of the afferent auditory pathway, cause DFNB59 auditory neuropathy

Auditory neuropathy is a particular type of hearing impairment in which neural transmission of the auditory signal is impaired, while cochlear outer hair cells remain functional. Here we report on DFNB59, a newly identified gene on chromosome 2q31.1-q31.3 mutated in four families segregating autosomal recessive auditory neuropathy. DFNB59 encodes pejvakin, a 352-residue protein. Pejvakin is a paralog of DFNA5, a protein of unknown function also involved in deafness. By immunohistofluorescence, pejvakin is detected in the cell bodies of neurons of the afferent auditory pathway. Furthermore, Dfnb59 knock-in mice, homozygous for the R183W variant identified in one DFNB59 family, show abnormal auditory brainstem responses indicative of neuronal dysfunction along the auditory pathway. Unlike previously described sensorineural deafness genes, all of which underlie cochlear cell pathologies, DFNB59 is the first human gene implicated in nonsyndromic deafness due to a neuronal defect.     

美国对付外星人的武器

美国国家航空航天局发布消息说,1977年发射的"旅行者1号"探测器已抵达太阳系边缘,这意味着"人类第一个星际使者"有望不久后首次脱离太阳系,进入星际空间。那让我们天马行空地想象一下,假如"人类星际使者"遭遇外星人怎么办?或者,更糟糕的情况,如果将并不友善的外星人引到地球,向人类发起袭击又该怎么办?人类在抵御外星人入侵时,是否已掌握合适的     

珠江流域盆地表层沉积物的黏土矿物及其对南海沉积物的贡献

黏土矿物以其示踪洋流变化和揭示物源区陆地同时期气候变化的能力, 近年来在南海东亚季风演化的研究中起到了重要作用. 珠江作为南海北部陆源物质输入的重要河流之一, 以往的研究还没有开展过详细的黏土矿物学工作. 运用X射线衍射方法, 系统地研究了珠江流域盆地(包括珠江主流、各支流和珠江口伶仃洋)表层沉积物的黏土矿物组合. 结果显示, 珠江流域盆地黏土矿物组合主要由高岭石(35%~65%)、绿泥石(20%~35%)和伊利石(12%~42%)组成, 蒙脱石含量一般小于5%, 区域分布上不具明显的差异性. 但是, 从珠江流域盆地到南海北部, 高岭石含量持续降低, 蒙脱石含量持续上升, 伊利石含量也不断上升, 伊利石化学指数递减, 伊利石结晶度增强, 这些特征都表明珠江流域盆地对南海北部黏土矿物的贡献主要是高岭石, 其次是伊利石和绿泥石, 基本不提供蒙脱石. 研究认为, 珠江对南海北部陆缘的黏土矿物贡献率最多为72%, 而对北部陆坡的贡献率最多仅为15%. 无论是冰期还是间冰期时期, 高岭石都指示了珠江流域的机械侵蚀能力.     

Preparation and characterization of doubly substituted microwave absorbing material by sol-gel technique for super high frequency applications

Rare earth Dy~(3+)and divalent Mn~(2+)elements substituting W-type hexagonal ferrites Ba_(1-x)Dy_xZn_2Fe_(16-y)Mn_yO_(27)(x=0,0.02,0.06,0.1 and y=0,0.1,0.3,0.5)were prepared by sol-gel method.The thermo-gravimetric analysis(TGA)and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)was carried out to find the temperature at which single phase can be obtained.XRD patterns indicate the presence of the single phase for all the synthesized samples with the absence of any extra peak due to unreacted material and secondary phases.The occurrence of absorption bands at low wave numbers(563 and 446 cm~(-1)),can be assigned to the stretching vibration of metal and oxygen ions in FTIR spectra,which also confirms the single hexagonal phase for prepared material.The grains are of platelet like structure,which enhances the microwave absorption properties of hexagonal ferrites.The synthesized material exhibits the minimum reflection loss of-20.9 dB at 11.8 GHz frequency,which reflects the applications of this material in super high frequency devices.The microwave conductivity of the material increases with frequency.     

结晶条件对聚丙烯-聚异丁烯共混物形态和性能的影响

通过WAXS,SAXS和拉伸试验对聚丙烯-聚异丁烯共混物进行了表征,讨论了结晶条件和共混物的组成对其形态和拉伸行为的影响,与室温淬火试样相比,等温结晶试样具有较高的结晶度、较厚的晶片、较高的拉伸模量及强度、较差的韧性,PIB的存在导致iPP结晶度降低,力学性能变差。     

Effect of Electromagnetic Fields and Explosions on Seismicity and Geodynamic Consequences

The change in seismicity of the Garm region in Tajikistan after an irradiation of its crust with high energy electromagnetic pulses (EP) and after the Semipalatinsk nuclear explosions (NE) is considered. It’s shown that the influence of EP, as well as NE, causes a statistically significant increase in the seismic activity and speed up the seismic energy release. Two areas of anomalous increase in seismic energy after irradiation and explosions adjoined to active faults were identified within the region. Both have a complex configuration in the form of two “petals” located in different sides of those faults. In both cases, one of the “petals” appears after EP, and the second after NE. It is shown that each of these “butterflies” constitutes as a whole anomalous area in which there are high tectonic stresses. The impact of NE has also been studied before beginning and after completion of these experiments. In both cases, those anomalous areas were not observed. Moreover after those experiments were completed, on distances of 50~70 km from the EP source no high stresses areas were observed at all. Consequently, the irradiation of the crust caused their relaxation on the area of about 3 500 km2. However,judging by the appreciable rise in seismicity caused by NE on the southwestern and southeastern margins, stresses had been increasing on periphery of the irradiated area.     

某些交错群和对称群的刻划

设G为群,π_e(G)为G中元的阶之集.在文献中作者证明了G(?)A_n当且仅当(1)π_e(G)=π_e(A_n),(2)|G|=|A_n|.对某些交错群,如A_5,A_7,A_8可以仅用上述条件(1)加以刻划.在文献中作者证明了对所有的对称群S_n,n≥2,可用上述条件(1)和(2)加以刻划.然而,对群S_i,i=2,3,…,6均不能由条件(1)单独确定.     

关于转基因食品的争论

植物的遗传操作目前在英国产生了极大的轰动效应,可谓是议论纷纷,褒贬不一。超级市场上的新型食品丰富多彩,满足了消费者的需求,感谢现代集约型农业所提供的这一切。但富余也同时带有自身的问题,这不仅是技术变化的加速。物质的丰富,寿命的延长,都对无风险环境提出了要求。和世纪初相比,当今的西方人更讲究健康食品;所以对用新法生产的同种食品,态度冷淡;尤其是对那些被怀疑有风险的食品,即使对健康稍有涉嫌,公众也不愿轻易接受。关于超级杂草fo］题英国医学会和环境保护人员,否定了对草甘脚含有抗性的GM油菜;认为一种特异…