Study of a new ytterbium doped phosphate laser glass

Physical, and spectral properties of a new commercial ytterbium doped phosphate laser glass with big size, NEW/Yb, was researched. Assessing from thermal mechanical property, nonlinear property, crystalline phase, micro defects and spectroscopic properties of NEW/Yb and Kigre's QX/Yb glasses, it is found that thermal-optical properties and glass internal quality of NEW/Yb glass are superior to QX/Yb glass. For NEW/Yb, the emission cross-section and fluorescent lifetime have a value of 0.53×10 pm2 and 2.2 ms, which are higher than those of QX/Yb.     

Endogenous inhibitor of ecdysone synthesis in crabs

Attempts to isolate the molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) of crustaceans from crab eyestalks (ES) resulted in the characterization of xanthurenic acid as an inhibitor of ecdysone biosynthesis in the cultured Y-organ-complex (YOC) homogenate. It was also found that 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine present in the ES is transformed into xanthurenic acid in the YOC and body fluid. Its mode of inhibitory action in ecdysone biosynthesis is probably inactivation of cytochrome P-450.     

The crystalline phase of cellulose changes under developmental control in a marine chordate

The native form of cellulose is a fibrillar composite of two crystalline phases, the triclinic I_α and monoclinic I_β allomorphs. Allomorph ratios are species-specific, and this gives rise to natural structural variations in cellulose crystals. However, the mechanisms contributing to crystal formation remain unknown. We show that the two crystalline phases of cellulose are tailored to distinct structures during different developmental stages of the tunicate chordate Oikopleura dioica. Larval cellulose consisting of I_α allomorph constitutes the body cuticle fin, whereas adult cellulose consisting of I_β allomorph frames a mucous filter-feeding device, the “house.” Both structures are secreted from the epidermis in accordance with the mutually exclusive expression patterns of two distinct putative cellulose synthase genes. We discuss a possible linkage between structural variations of the crystalline phases of cellulose and the underlying evolutionary genetics of cellulose biosynthesis.     

WAVE2 is required for directed cell migration and cardiovascular development

WAVE2, a protein related to Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, is crucial for Rac-induced membrane ruffling, which is important in cell motility. Cell movement is essential for morphogenesis, but it is unclear how cell movement is regulated or related to morphogenesis. Here we show the physiological functions of WAVE2 by disruption of the WAVE2 gene in mice. WAVE2 was expressed predominantly in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis. WAVE2-/- embryos showed haemorrhages and died at about embryonic day 10. Deficiency in WAVE2 had no significant effect on vasculogenesis, but it decreased sprouting and branching of endothelial cells from existing vessels during angiogenesis. In WAVE2-/- endothelial cells, cell polarity formed in response to vascular endothelial growth factor, but the formation of lamellipodia at leading edges and capillaries was severely impaired. These findings indicate that WAVE2-regulated actin reorganization might be required for proper cell movement and that a lack of functional WAVE2 impairs angiogenesis in vivo.     

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies common variants associated with blood pressure variation in east Asians

We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in 19,608 subjects of east Asian ancestry from the AGEN-BP consortium followed up with de novo genotyping (n = 10,518) and further replication (n = 20,247) in east Asian samples. We identified genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10(-8)) associations with SBP or DBP, which included variants at four new loci (ST7L-CAPZA1, FIGN-GRB14, ENPEP and NPR3) and a newly discovered variant near TBX3. Among the five newly discovered variants, we obtained significant replication in the independent samples for all of these loci except NPR3. We also confirmed seven loci previously identified in populations of European descent. Moreover, at 12q24.13 near ALDH2, we observed strong association signals (P = 7.9 × 10(-31) and P = 1.3 × 10(-35) for SBP and DBP, respectively) with ethnic specificity. These findings provide new insights into blood pressure regulation and potential targets for intervention.     

Immunological adjuvants IV. Relationship between adjuvant activity and antigenicity in mycobacterial adjuvant

Zusammenfassung Während sich bei Endotoxinen der Adjuvanseffekt proportional zur Antigenität verhält, ist diese Beziehung bei dem aus Tuberkelbazillen isolierten Wachs D nicht der Fall.     

Cultures in chimpanzees.

As an increasing number of field studies of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have achieved long-term status across Africa, differences in the behavioural repertoires described have become apparent that suggest there is significant cultural variation. Here we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies, which together have accumulated 151 years of chimpanzee observation. This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans. We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted. Among mammalian and avian species, cultural variation has previously been identified only for single behaviour patterns, such as the local dialects of song-birds. The extensive, multiple variations now documented for chimpanzees are thus without parallel. Moreover, the combined repertoire of these behaviour patterns in each chimpanzee community is itself highly distinctive, a phenomenon characteristic of human cultures but previously unrecognised in non-human species.