What’s new in the renin-angiotensin system?

Activation of the type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT(1)R) is associated with the aetiology of left ventricular hypertrophy, although the exact intracellular signalling mechanism(s) remain unclear. Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has emerged as a central mechanism by which the G protein-coupled AT(1)R, which lacks intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, can stimulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways thought to mediate cardiac hypertrophy. Current studies support a model whereby AT(1)R-dependent transactivation of EGFRs on cardiomyocytes involves stimulation of membrane-bound metalloproteases, which in turn cleave EGFR ligands such as heparin-binding EGF from a plasma membrane-associated precursor. Numerous aspects of the 'triple membrane-passing signalling' paradigm of AT(1)R-induced EGFR transactivation remain to be characterised, including the identity of the specific metalloproteases involved, the intracellular mechanism for their activation and the exact EGFR subtypes required. Here we examine how 'hijacking' of the EGFR might explain the ability of the AT(1)R to elicit the temporally and qualitatively diverse responses characteristic of the hypertrophic phenotype, and discuss the ramifications of delineating these pathways for the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat cardiac hypertrophy.     

ICOS is essential for effective T-helper-cell responses

The outcome of T-cell responses after T-cell encounter with specific antigens is modulated by co-stimulatory signals, which are required for both lymphocyte activation and development of adaptive immunity. ICOS, an inducible co-stimulator with homology to CD28, is expressed on activated, but not resting T cells, and shows T-cell co-stimulatory function in vitro. ICOS binds specifically to its counter-receptor B7RP-1 (refs 5,6,7), but not to B7-1 or B7-2. Here we provide in vivo genetic evidence that ICOS delivers a co-stimulatory signal that is essential both for efficient interaction between T and B cells and for normal antibody responses to T-cell-dependent antigens. To determine the physiological function of ICOS, we generated and characterized gene-targeted ICOS-deficient mice. In vivo, a lack of ICOS results in severely deficient T-cell-dependent B-cell responses. Germinal centre formation is impaired and immunoglobulin class switching, including production of allergy-mediating IgE, is defective. ICOS-deficient T cells primed in in vivo and restimulated in vitro with specific antigen produce only low levels of interleukin-4, but remain fully competent to produce interferon-gamma.     

A multiple intelligent agent system for credit risk prediction via an optimization of localized generalization error with diversity

Company bankruptcies cost billions of dollars in losses to banks each year. Thus credit risk prediction is a critical part of a bank＇s loan approval decision process. Traditional financial models for credit risk prediction are no longer adequate for describing today＇s complex relationship between the financial health and potential bankruptcy of a company. In this work, a multiple classifier system （embedded in a multiple intelligent agent system） is proposed to predict the financial health of a company. In our model, each individual agent （classifier） makes a prediction on the likelihood of credit risk based on only partial information of the company. Each of the agents is an expert, but has limited knowledge （represented by features） about the company. The decisions of all agents are combined together to form a final credit risk prediction. Experiments show that our model out-performs other existing methods using the benchmarking Compustat American Corporations dataset.     

环氧丙烯酸酯/蒙脱土插层材料的研究

通过溶液的方法实现了环氧丙烯酸酯和蒙脱土的插层,并在紫外光作用下利用光固化反应制备了环氧丙烯酸酯/蒙脱土纳米复合材料.利用X-衍射对材料样品进行了插层表征,对有机蒙脱土的流变性进行了测试,对样品的力学性能(拉伸强度?冲击强度)进行了测试.结果表明:有机化的蒙脱土具有一定的触变性;插层后有机蒙脱土的片层被撑开剥离;少量的有机化蒙脱土的加入可较大提高材料的性能.     

从图式理论看影响阅读的因素

通过对图式理论的阐述 ,分析了在英语教学中影响阅读的因素 ,探讨了提高学生阅读水平的新途径     

Immunological activity of covalently linked T-cell epitopes.

Immune responses to proteins necessarily involve the recognition by T lymphocytes of a peptide or peptides derived from a protein complexed with a major histocompatibility antigen. The T-cell response of BALB/c mice to the bacteriophage lambda cI repressor protein (residues 1-102) is directed predominantly towards the epitope contained within a single peptide encompassing residues 12-26. Similar phenomena of immunodominance of a particular peptide have also been observed in other protein systems. The mechanisms that have been suggested to account for the focusing of the T-cell response are partial deletion in the T-cell repertoire, biased antigen processing, and competition for binding to the presenting molecule, the major histocompatibility complex encoded class II transplantation antigen. In a model system with a polypeptide containing two synthetically linked immunologically active epitopes, we now demonstrate the existence of a hierarchy between these epitopes, so that the immune response elicited is directed mainly towards the more immunogenic epitope, whereas the less immunogenic epitope elicits little or no T-cell reactivity. In addition, the same hierarchy of dominance is also apparent when the polypeptide is used to induce tolerance in the periphery in adult mice. The chimaeric peptide can induce tolerance only towards the more immunogenic epitope. These experiments indicate that the rules governing antigen processing and presentation that result in T-cell activation are apparently the same as the rules that govern the processes resulting in the induction of tolerance.     

关于旅行推销员问题的一个算法

通过圈上结点下标自足方法，给出了一个关于旅行推销员问题的算法，尽管该算法实质上无法改变问题的NP－完全性的难度，但较分支定界法的执行速度快，比一些近拟算法要好。     

独立学院本科毕业论文(设计)问卷调查分析

通过对独立学院2012届化学系学生完成毕业论文(设计)期间问卷调查分析得知,72%的是在学校规定的3~4个月完成的,文献查阅的主要途径是在学校图书馆和宿舍,他们完成毕业论文(设计)的场所多样化了,实验室、宿舍、图书馆和实习公司是主要场所,与指导教师交流方式主要有直接见面、QQ聊天和电子邮件.虽然目前各方面都得到很大的改善,但还是有很多因素造成完成毕业论文困难,主要的困难是专业知识不足、实验条件有限、文献资源不足和学生时间分配不合理.     

一种快速、经济、有效纯化人工合成寡核苷酸片段的方法

采用DEAE-52纤维紊小柱，纯化了7个人工合成的寡核苷酸引物．纯化效果栗用岛津(uy-265)分光光度计扫描，8mol／L尿素-12%聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳及自提的模板DNA经PCR检测．该法分传统的HPLC法及PAGE法相比，具有快速、经济、有效的优越性。