Predation on eggs of Schneider’s dwarf caiman,Paleosuchus trigonatus (Schneider, 1807), by armadillos and other predators

Nests of Schneider’s dwarf caiman, Paleosuchus trigonatus, were located in the forests around three streams that drain into the Xingu River, Brazilian Amazonia, in October 2014. Camera traps were installed at the edge of four nests to document predators and female parental care. At two nests, females unsuccessfully defended their nests against one or more giant armadillos, Priodontes maximus, and nine-banded armadillos, Dasypus novemcinctus. Both armadillo species responded to the attack by fleeing and returning on the opposite side of the nest by going around the tree under which the nest was located. Giant armadillos have never before been recorded consuming caiman eggs and their diet has been described as consisting mostly of ants and termites. Another species of armadillo, Cabassous unicinctus, was also registered digging into a nest and probably consuming eggs, though it is generally considered to be primarily insectivorous. A tayra (Eira barbara), lizard (Tupinambis teguixin) and coati (Nasua nasua) were also registered taking eggs from nests during the day, but we obtained no registers of nest defence by caimans during the day. The three nests were attacked after 60 days of incubation, when the eggs were well developed.     

含三阶色散的非线性薛定谔方程一个新的行波解

运用解析法求解含三阶色散光纤暗孤子的传输方程,得到孤子行波解,讨论含三阶色散光纤中暗孤子形成的条件以及三阶色散对暗孤子的中心位置、相位、振幅、频率的影响.     

中药肾茶对家猫夏季饮水和血清尿素含量的影响

家猫饮水、排尿较少,泌尿系统疾病高发.肾茶是一种传统中药,具有良好的利尿作用.本研究采用10只家猫进行实验,结果显示:在饲粮中添加1％(质量分数)肾茶可以显著增加家猫的饮水量,降低血清尿素氮含量,但不影响家猫的体重和采食量.这表明肾茶有增加家猫排尿量、减少其泌尿系统疾病的潜在作用.     

基于Wiener滤波器的波形比较方法及其在最坏情况分析中的应用

提出一种基于Wiener滤波器的波形比较方法,应用于数模混合电路的最坏情况分析.该方法能考虑一定的时间容限和信号容限,自动比较电路在不同的工艺参数、电压和温度(PVT)组合下的仿真波形,通过波形形状的比较来实现电路性能验证,有效地提高了电路验证效率.此方法成功地运用到波形比较软件系统中,并已在Intel技术开发(上海)公司内部推广使用.     

Generation of functional insulin-producing cells in the gut by Foxo1 ablation

Restoration of regulated insulin secretion is the ultimate goal of therapy for type 1 diabetes. Here, we show that, unexpectedly, somatic ablation of Foxo1 in Neurog3(+) enteroendocrine progenitor cells gives rise to gut insulin-positive (Ins(+)) cells that express markers of mature β cells and secrete bioactive insulin as well as C-peptide in response to glucose and sulfonylureas. Lineage tracing experiments showed that gut Ins(+) cells arise cell autonomously from Foxo1-deficient cells. Inducible Foxo1 ablation in adult mice also resulted in the generation of gut Ins(+) cells. Following ablation by the β-cell toxin streptozotocin, gut Ins(+) cells regenerate and produce insulin, reversing hyperglycemia in mice. The data indicate that Neurog3(+) enteroendocrine progenitors require active Foxo1 to prevent differentiation into Ins(+) cells. Foxo1 ablation in gut epithelium may provide an approach to restore insulin production in type 1 diabetes.     

Genome-wide association study identifies a new melanoma susceptibility locus at 1q21.3

We performed a genome-wide association study of melanoma in a discovery cohort of 2,168 Australian individuals with melanoma and 4,387 control individuals. In this discovery phase, we confirm several previously characterized melanoma-associated loci at MC1R, ASIP and MTAP-CDKN2A. We selected variants at nine loci for replication in three independent case-control studies (Europe: 2,804 subjects with melanoma, 7,618 control subjects; United States 1: 1,804 subjects with melanoma, 1,026 control subjects; United States 2: 585 subjects with melanoma, 6,500 control subjects). The combined meta-analysis of all case-control studies identified a new susceptibility locus at 1q21.3 (rs7412746, P = 9.0 × 10(-11), OR in combined replication cohorts of 0.89 (95% CI 0.85-0.95)). We also show evidence suggesting that melanoma associates with 1q42.12 (rs3219090, P = 9.3 × 10(-8)). The associated variants at the 1q21.3 locus span a region with ten genes, and plausible candidate genes for melanoma susceptibility include ARNT and SETDB1. Variants at the 1q21.3 locus do not seem to be associated with human pigmentation or measures of nevus density.     

Genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility loci for open angle glaucoma at TMCO1 and CDKN2B-AS1

We report a genome-wide association study for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) blindness using a discovery cohort of 590 individuals with severe visual field loss (cases) and 3,956 controls. We identified associated loci at TMCO1 (rs4656461[G] odds ratio (OR) = 1.68, P = 6.1 × 10(-10)) and CDKN2B-AS1 (rs4977756[A] OR = 1.50, P = 4.7 × 10(-9)). We replicated these associations in an independent cohort of cases with advanced OAG (rs4656461 P = 0.010; rs4977756 P = 0.042) and two additional cohorts of less severe OAG (rs4656461 combined discovery and replication P = 6.00 × 10(-14), OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.35-1.68; rs4977756 combined P = 1.35 × 10(-14), OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.28-1.51). We show retinal expression of genes at both loci in human ocular tissues. We also show that CDKN2A and CDKN2B are upregulated in the retina of a rat model of glaucoma.     

Profilin1 biology and its mutation,actin(g) in disease

Profilins were discovered in the 1970s and were extensively studied for their significant physiological roles. Profilin1 is the most prominent isoform and has drawn special attention due to its role in the cytoskeleton, cell signaling, and its link to conditions such as cancer and vascular hypertrophy. Recently, multiple mutations in the profilin1 gene were linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this review, we will discuss the physiological and pathological roles of profilin1. We will further highlight the cytoskeletal function and dysfunction caused by profilin1 dysregulation. Finally, we will discuss the implications of mutant profilin1 in various diseases with an emphasis on its contribution to the pathogenesis of ALS.     

基于BEMD-Copula-GARCH模型的股票投资组合VaR风险度量研究

鉴于股票波动具有显著的多尺度特征,本文引入二元经验模态分解(EMD)与二元CopulaGARCH算法,提出一种新的VaR风险度量模型,即BEMD-Copula-GARCH模型.具体地,新BEMD-Copula-GARCH模型可分为三个主要步骤:数据分析,分风险估计和总风险集成.首先,基于二元EMD模型,将复杂且相互作用的股票对分解为若干组较为简单且相互独立的分量,以降低建模难度.其次,引入二元Copula-GARCH模型,刻画各组分量间的相互关系,以度量股票投资组合在不同尺度上的分VaR值.最后,集成各分VaR值以得出最终VaR风险度量结果.实证研究以恒生指数与上证综指为数据样本构造投资组合,结果表明:本文所构建的新模型能有效度量投资组合风险,其估计精度显著优于DCC-GARCH和Copula-GARCH等现有模型.     

Na+ binding to meizothrombin desF1

Meizothrombin is the physiologically active intermediate generated by a single cleavage of prothrombin at R320 to separate the A and B chains. Recent evidence has suggested that meizothrombin, like thrombin, is a Na(+)-activated enzyme. In this study we present the first X-ray crystal structure of human meizothrombin desF1 solved in the presence of the active site inhibitor PPACK at 2.1 A resolution. The structure reveals a Na(+) binding site whose architecture is practically identical to that of human thrombin. Stopped-flow measurements of Na(+) binding to meizothrombin desF1 document a slow phase of fluorescence change with a k(obs) decreasing hyperbolically with increasing [Na(+)], consistent with the existence of three conformations in equilibrium, E*, E and E:Na(+), as for human thrombin. Evidence that meizothrombin exists in multiple conformations provides valuable new information for studies of the mechanism of prothrombin activation.