A defective response to Hedgehog signaling in disorders of cholesterol biosynthesis

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), desmosterolosis and lathosterolosis are human syndromes caused by defects in the final stages of cholesterol biosynthesis. Many of the developmental malformations in these syndromes occur in tissues and structures whose embryonic patterning depends on signaling by the Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins. Here we report that response to the Hh signal is compromised in mutant cells from mouse models of SLOS and lathosterolosis and in normal cells pharmacologically depleted of sterols. We show that decreasing levels of cellular sterols correlate with diminishing responsiveness to the Hh signal. This diminished response occurs at sterol levels sufficient for normal autoprocessing of Hh protein, which requires cholesterol as cofactor and covalent adduct. We further find that sterol depletion affects the activity of Smoothened (Smo), an essential component of the Hh signal transduction apparatus.     

Phylogenetic position of Schnabelia, a genus endemic to China： Evidence from sequences of cpDNA matK gene and nrDNA ITS regions

The chloroplast gene matK and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA from Schnabelia, a genus endemic to China, and 6 genera of Verbenaceae and 13 genera of Lamiaceae were sequenced. The phylogenetic signal and validity outgroups were measured and evaluated by means of the relatively apparent synapomorphy analysis (RASA). Independent and combined phylogenetic analyses for the matK and ITS sequences were performed using the maximum parsimony (MP), neighbor-joining (NJ) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods, indicating that Schnabelia oligophylla and Caryopteris terniflora form a sister-group relationship. The Caryopteris complex is not shown to be a monophyly because Trichostema, C. paniculata and C. forrestii are paraphyletic to the clade containing the remaining members of the complex. A monophyly of Ajugoideae proposed by Cantino et al., including 8 genera in this study, is strongly supported and the closest relatives of Schnabelia are in the Ajugoideae (Lamiaceae), especially near Caryopteris terniflora. The polygenetic analyses also showed that the genera of Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae sampled in this tudy are phylogenetically mixed and the genus Avicennia is distant to other genera of Verbenaceae. RASA and combined analysis can be used as effective approaches to determining the relationships among phylogenetically complex groups.     

Cloning and expressional analyses of a cinnamoyl CoA reductase cDNA from rice seedlings

Cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR: EC 1.2.1.44),the entry-point enzyme of the llgnin specific biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes the conversion of cinnamoyl CoA esters to their corresponding dnnamaldehydes. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the deduced polypeptide shared 70% similarity and 30% sequence identity at the amino acid level with defined CCR genes from other plant species and they all contain the common signature sequences thought to be the catalytic site as well as the putative NADP binding domain.Using a conserved OsCCR cDNA fragment as the probe for library screening, we isolated the genomic DNA that covered the whole coding region of OsCCR with total length of 3045bp including 4 introns and 5 exons. The open reading frame for our OsCCR gene coBtAin~ 337 amino adds. Northern blot indicated that OsCCR was expressed in different organs with the highest level found in stems. In situ hybridization results showed that OsCCR mRNA was localized mainly along the vascular bundles in stems and leaves, and also in lateral roots that was differentiating from the tiilering node. We conclude that the vascular-localized expression of OsCCR gene may suggest its possible involvement in llgnin biosynthesis. Cloning and characterization of OsCCR will help to clarify how llgniflcations in plants are regulated and will provide a physical basis for creating genetically engineered rice plants with optimal lignin contents.     

加快电子政务建设提高信息化管理水平

通过对电子政务发展瓶颈的分析,提出加快电子政务建设的思考建议:选准切入点,充分利用现有资源进行网站升级,配套进行行政体制改革,开展电子政务培训,构建科学电子政务绩效评估体系.     

基于GIS的内蒙古中部区域洪水灾害风险评价

本文综合考虑自然以及社会的作用,从洪水危险性和社会易损性两个角度出发,选取地理高程、人口密度、人均GDP和历史灾情数据为指标,采用快易的叠加分析法对研究区(内蒙古中部)进行区域洪水灾害风险评价,实现了各种指标定性与定量的组合,得出研究区洪水灾害风险评价图.结果表明,研究区南部靠近黄河的河套平原地区,由于地势较为平缓、靠近河流、经济发达,洪水灾害风险较大.在研究区北部,由于经济不发达,人口较少,洪水灾害风险较小.与实际基本相符.     

数字图书馆建设中知识产权保护问题探析

知识产权保护是数字图书馆建设的瓶颈问题.在数字图书馆建设中,首先要在全社会范围内开展合理、合法地利用信息资源的宣传教育活动,其次要充分利用法律武器保护知识产权,确立图书馆在知识经济社会中作为信息服务的中心地位.数字图书馆建设必须与知识产权保护同时进行,才能在保护知识产权的同时更有效的促进数字图书馆建设和发展.     

航空摄影科技发展成就与未来展望

在过去的一个半多世纪,航空摄影测量取得了许多重大的成就,经历了模拟摄影测量阶段、解析摄影测量阶段和数字摄影测量阶段,革新了空间数据获取的技术方法,显示出了航空摄影巨大的生命力和影响力。文章介绍了国外航空摄影近几十年在数字摄影测量工作站、胶片航空摄影仪、数字航空摄影仪等方面取得的巨大成就。在航空摄影发展的历史中,我国数字摄影测量工作站也成为其具有典型代表性的标志。因应当前航空摄影测量的发展和应用需要,本文着重对具有自主知识产权的SWDC-4数字航空数码相机进行了阐述。文章最后讨论了航空摄影的3个发展趋势,意在与广大读者一起探讨航空摄影的未来。     

中频磁控溅射法制备氧化锌钇薄膜及其性能研究(英文)

利用中频磁控溅射法,溅射氧化锌钇(ZYO)陶瓷靶材,在玻璃基底上制备ZYO透明导电薄膜。研究了氧化钇掺杂量和基底温度对薄膜的结构、电学性能和光学性能的影响。结果表明,ZYO薄膜为钎锌矿型结构,呈c轴择优取向,平均可见光透过率(400～800nm)达到80%以上。制备的ZYO薄膜具有的最低电阻率为1.18×10-3Ωcm。     

面向学生的个性化智能型教学平台的构成和应用

本文结合“电大在线”教学平台和作者开发的个性化智能学习服务系统,依据现代教学设计理论和学习理论建立了面向学生的个性化智能教学平台的组成模块,分析了各模块的特点,并设计教学平台,支持面向学生的个性化教学。     

内蒙古荒漠草原土壤微生物的分布特征及季节动态变化研究

研究了内蒙古荒漠草原土壤中主要微生物类群的数量随季节变化的规律，以及土壤中微生物的垂直分布特征．结果表明，土壤中3大类群微生物的数量关系为细菌〉放线菌〉真菌，各类群微生物的垂直分布均为0～10cm层多于10-20cm层．细菌、真菌、自生固氮菌以及微生物总数量的峰值出现在春季，而放线菌数量的峰值出现在秋季．