Non-polarized targeting of AE1 causes autosomal dominant distal renal tubular acidosis

Autosomal dominant distal renal tubular acidosis (ddRTA) is caused by mutations in SLC4A1, which encodes the polytopic chloride-bicarbonate exchanger AE1 that is normally expressed at the basolateral surface of alpha-intercalated cells in the distal nephron. Here we report that, in contrast with many disorders in which mutant membrane proteins are retained intracellularly and degraded, ddRTA can result from aberrant targeting of AE1 to the apical surface.     

The total synthesis of delphinine: A stereoselective synthesis of an advanced relay compound

Zusammenfassung Die stereoselektive Totalsynthese eines Delphininabbauproduktes wird beschrieben. Dieses Produkt, das 5 Ringe und 5 Substituenten besitzt, ist von Delphinin aus leicht zugänglich und kann deshalb als Relais-Verbindung für die Totalsynthese dieses Alkaloids dienen.

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Presented at a seminar at the Organic Chemistry Laboratory, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland on June 24, 1969.     

Experimental investigation of geologically produced antineutrinos with KamLAND

The detection of electron antineutrinos produced by natural radioactivity in the Earth could yield important geophysical information. The Kamioka liquid scintillator antineutrino detector (KamLAND) has the sensitivity to detect electron antineutrinos produced by the decay of 238U and 232Th within the Earth. Earth composition models suggest that the radiogenic power from these isotope decays is 16 TW, approximately half of the total measured heat dissipation rate from the Earth. Here we present results from a search for geoneutrinos with KamLAND. Assuming a Th/U mass concentration ratio of 3.9, the 90 per cent confidence interval for the total number of geoneutrinos detected is 4.5 to 54.2. This result is consistent with the central value of 19 predicted by geophysical models. Although our present data have limited statistical power, they nevertheless provide by direct means an upper limit (60 TW) for the radiogenic power of U and Th in the Earth, a quantity that is currently poorly constrained.     

Genesis of a highly pathogenic and potentially pandemic H5N1 influenza virus in eastern Asia

A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, H5N1, caused disease outbreaks in poultry in China and seven other east Asian countries between late 2003 and early 2004; the same virus was fatal to humans in Thailand and Vietnam. Here we demonstrate a series of genetic reassortment events traceable to the precursor of the H5N1 viruses that caused the initial human outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997 (refs 2-4) and subsequent avian outbreaks in 2001 and 2002 (refs 5, 6). These events gave rise to a dominant H5N1 genotype (Z) in chickens and ducks that was responsible for the regional outbreak in 2003-04. Our findings indicate that domestic ducks in southern China had a central role in the generation and maintenance of this virus, and that wild birds may have contributed to the increasingly wide spread of the virus in Asia. Our results suggest that H5N1 viruses with pandemic potential have become endemic in the region and are not easily eradicable. These developments pose a threat to public and veterinary health in the region and potentially the world, and suggest that long-term control measures are required.     

Simultaneous measurement of velocities of adjacent sacromere length changes in single muscle fibres

Zusammenfassung Messmethode für die Sarkomerenlänge der gestreiften Einzelmuskelfaser. Bei elektrischer Reizung verkürzen sich benachbarte Sarkomere ja nach Ausgangslänge und benachbarte Z-Linien bewegen sich mit verschiedenen Geschwindigkeiten selbst unter «isometrischen» Bedingungen.

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This study was supported in part by a grant from the China Medical Board (Grant No. 72-281) and also by a grant from the Higher Degree and Research Committee of the University of Hong Kong. We wish also to express our gratitude to Prof.K. K. Cheng for his encouragement in this study.     

Genome-wide survey of recurrent HBV integration in hepatocellular carcinoma

To survey hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration in liver cancer genomes, we conducted massively parallel sequencing of 81 HBV-positive and 7 HBV-negative hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and adjacent normal tissues. We found that HBV integration is observed more frequently in the tumors (86.4%) than in adjacent liver tissues (30.7%). Copy-number variations (CNVs) were significantly increased at HBV breakpoint locations where chromosomal instability was likely induced. Approximately 40% of HBV breakpoints within the HBV genome were located within a 1,800-bp region where the viral enhancer, X gene and core gene are located. We also identified recurrent HBV integration events (in ≥ 4 HCCs) that were validated by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and Sanger sequencing at the known and putative cancer-related TERT, MLL4 and CCNE1 genes, which showed upregulated gene expression in tumor versus normal tissue. We also report evidence that suggests that the number of HBV integrations is associated with patient survival.     

Synthesis and spectroscopy of nitridoruthenium (VI) and osmium (VI) porphyrins

Reaction of Ru (4-Cl-TPP) (CO) (MeOH) [4-Cl-TPP = meso-kis (4-chlorophenyl) porphyrinato dianion] with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) followed by treatment of the mixture with an aqueous ammonia solution afforded the first nitrido ruthenium porphyrin Ru(4-Cl-TPP) (N) (OH). Three new nitrido osmium (VI) porphyrins, Os (Por) (N) (OH) (Por=TPP, TTP, and 4-Cl-TPP), were synthesized from oxidation of Os(Por)(NH₃)₂ withm-CPBA. All these new complexes were characterized by¹H NMR, IR, UV/Visible spectra and elemental analyses. Both nitrido ruthenium (VI) and osmium (VI) porphyrins are diamagnetic. Their pyrrole proton resonances appear at slightly lower fields than those of the corresponding dioxo Ru(VI) and Os(VI) porphyrins. The {ie89-1}, or {ie89-2}, region is obscured by the strong “oxidation state marker” band. Li Zaoying: born in July 1949, associate professor. Curent research interest is in the study on synthesis and properties of macrocyclic polyamine and complexes     

利用伪随机序列相关辨识检测视觉诱发电位

诱发电位在临床诊断及中枢神经系统的研究中有重要意义。目前的诱发电位检测方法是平均法，由平均法获得的诱发电位远不能满足许多实际应用的需要。本文利用伪随机序列相关辨识技术，实现了快速检测视觉诱发电位。文中对这项技术的原理作了详细的描述，给出了检测算法，并分析了检测信噪比相对平均法的改善情况。实验结果显示，这项技术能大大缩短检测时间，对克服时变因素的影响，减少病人的痛苦，以及对诱发电位在神经外科手术中的应用都有深远意义。