Telomeres and meiosis in health and disease

Telomeres are important segments of chromosomes that protect chromosome ends from nucleolytic degradation and fusion. At meiosis telomeres display an unprecedented behavior which involves their attachment and motility along the nuclear envelope. The movements become restricted to a limited nuclear sector during the so-called bouquet stage, which is widely conserved among species. Recent observations suggest that telomere clustering involves actin and/or microtubules, and is altered in the presence of impaired recombinogenic and chromosome related functions. This review aims to provide an overview of what is currently known about meiotic telomere attachment, dynamics and regulation in synaptic meiosis.     

The cold case: Are rhinoviruses perfectly adapted pathogens?

Rhinoviruses, which cause common cold, belong to the Picornaviridae family, small non-enveloped viruses (diameter 15-30 nm) containing a single-stranded RNA genome (about 7 kb). Over 100 different rhinoviral serotypes have been identified thus far, establishing rhinoviruses as the most diverse group of Picornaviridae. Based on receptor binding properties, rhinoviruses are divided into two classes: the major group binding to intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and the minor group binding to the very low density lipoprotein receptors. Interactions between virus and the receptor molecules cause a conformational change in the capsid, which is a prerequisite for viral uptake. Rhinoviruses trigger a chemokine response upon infection that may lead to exacerbation of the symptoms of common cold, i.e. asthma and inflammation. The following review aims to summarize the knowledge about rhinoviral infections and discusses therapeutical approaches against this almost perfectly adapted pathogen.     

From endoderm to pancreas: a multistep journey

The formation of the vertebrate pancreas is a complex process that typifies the basic steps of embryonic development. It involves the establishment of competence, specification, signaling from neighboring tissues, morphogenesis, and the elaboration of tissue-specific genetic networks. A full analysis of this multistep process will help us to understand classic principles of embryonic development. Furthermore, this will provide the blueprint for experimental programming of pancreas formation from embryonic stem cells in the context of diabetes cell-therapy. Although in the past decade many studies have contributed to a solid foundation for understanding pancreatogenesis, important gaps persist in our knowledge of early pancreas formation. This review will summarize the current understanding of the early mechanisms coming into play to pattern the "pre-pancreatic" region within the endoderm and, gradually, specify the pancreatic tissue.     

Dynamic Latent Class Model Averaging for Online Prediction

We consider the problem of online prediction when it is uncertain what the best prediction model to use is. We develop a method called dynamic latent class model averaging, which combines a state‐space model for the parameters of each of the candidate models of the system with a Markov chain model for the best model. We propose a polychotomous regression model for the transition weights to assume that the probability of a change in time depends on the past through the values of the most recent time periods and spatial correlation among the regions. The evolution of the parameters in each submodel is defined by exponential forgetting. This structure allows the ‘correct’ model to vary over both time and regions. In contrast to existing methods, the proposed model naturally incorporates clustering and prediction analysis in a single unified framework. We develop an efficient Gibbs algorithm for computation, and we demonstrate the value of our framework on simulated experiments and on a real‐world problem: forecasting IBM's corporate revenue. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

具有常余维数2k+2k-2不动点集的(Z2)k作用

设(Z2)k作用于光滑闭流形Mn,其不动点集具有常余维数r,Jn,kr是具有上述性质的未定向的n维上协边类[Mn]构成的集合.Jn,kr=∑n≥rJn,kr为未定向上协边环N*=∑n≥rNn的理想.通过构造上协边环N*的一组生成元决定了理想J2k 2k-2*,k.     

一类人口发展方程解的存在性和收敛性的研究

用线性算子的理论将人口发展的偏微分方程模型转化为抽象的Cauchy问题,并用泛函分析中的C0半群理论来研究该系统解的存在性和收敛性.     

具有给定共轭类长的有限非可解群

设G是有限非可解群且Z(G)=1.如果G的非中心共轭类长为pq,p r2,qr2,那么G同构于5次交错群A5;如果G的非中心共轭类长为15,5p,15p,5p2,3p3,那么G同构于5次对称群S5.     

湖北网湖湿地自然保护区两栖爬行动物资源调查

2004年对湖北省阳新县网湖湿地自然保护区的两栖类和爬行类进行了系统调查,分别记录到两栖类27种、爬行类38种．对它们的物种组成、地理区系特点和保护等级进行了研究,并提出了保护建议．