Common variation at 10p12.31 near MLLT10 influences meningioma risk

To identify susceptibility loci for meningioma, we conducted a genome-wide association study of 859 affected individuals (cases) and 704 controls with validation in two independent sample sets totaling 774 cases and 1,764 controls. We identified a new susceptibility locus for meningioma at 10p12.31 (MLLT10, rs11012732, odds ratio = 1.46, P(combined) = 1.88 × 10(-14)). This finding advances our understanding of the genetic basis of meningioma development.     

Zur Kinematik der Planetenbewegung in Copernicus' Commentariolus

Zusammenfassung Copernicus versucht, die Ptolemäischen Konstruktionen auf konzentrische Kreise und Epizykel zu reduzieren und aus ihnen ein wirklich einheitliches System zu schaffen. Bei der Umordnung, die er dazu vornimmt, bemüht er sich aber, so viel wie möglich vom Ptolemäischen System zu erhalten. Das punctum aequans ersetzt er bei den äußeren Planeten durch eine Näherungskonstruktion mit Hilfe eines Epizykels. Im Fall des Ptolemäischen Deferenten der Venus, der nach seinen Vorstellungen die Erdbahn wiedergibt, muß er einen dem punctum aequans annähernd gleichwertigen Epizykelmechanismus auf die Venusbahn verpflanzen. Vorgelegt von B. L. van der Waerden     

NO-independent regulatory site on soluble guanylate cyclase

Nitric oxide (NO) is a widespread, potent, biological mediator that has many physiological and pathophysiological roles. Research in the field of NO appears to have followed a straightforward path, and the findings have been progressive: NO and cyclic GMP are involved in vasodilatation; glycerol trinitrate relaxes vascular smooth muscles by bioconversion to NO; mammalian cells synthesize NO; and last, NO mediates vasodilatation by stimulating the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), a heterodimeric (alpha/beta) haem protein that converts GTP to cGMP2-4. Here we report the discovery of a regulatory site on sGC. Using photoaffinity labelling, we have identified the cysteine 238 and cysteine 243 region in the alpha1-subunit of sGC as the target for a new type of sGC stimulator. Moreover, we present a pyrazolopyridine, BAY 41-2272, that potently stimulates sGC through this site by a mechanism that is independent of NO. This results in antiplatelet activity, a strong decrease in blood pressure and an increase in survival in a low-NO rat model of hypertension, and as such may offer an approach for treating cardiovascular diseases.     

Concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs in the urban air of Dalian, China

PCDD/Fs in the urban air of Dalian,China were monitored with high-volume active sampler from November 2009 to October 2010.The concentration of Cl 4-8 DD/Fs ranged from 3065 to 49538 fg m-3,with an average of 10249 fg m-3.The international toxic equivalents(I-TEQ) value of that was 61.8 1182 fg m-3,with an average of 235 fg m-3,which was comparable to those in the other urban locations around the world.It was found that the Cl 4 8 DD/Fs appeared to be present mainly in the particle phase during winter,spring and autumn,while during summer which were dominantly in gas phase.The ratio of Cl 4-8 DD/Fs present in particle phase increased with the increasing level of chlorination.The concentrations of PCDFs and PCDDs decreased with the increase of chlorinated level,while the concentrations of 2,3,7,8-PCDDs congeners increased with the increase of chlorination level.The homolog profiles of the concentrations of PCDFs presented were higher than those of the PCDDs,which indicated the PCDD/Fs pollution source of the air in Dalian was characteristic for thermal source pollution.The correlation analysis of meteorological parameters with the concentrations of Cl 4-8 CDD/Fs was conducted using SPSS packages,and it was found that the ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure were important factors influence the concentration of PCDD/Fs in the air.The respiratory risk and intake dioxins of the residents around the sampling sites were studied in the paper.It was found that Junge-Pankow model was much more accurate in predicting the gas-particle partitioning behavior of PCDD/Fs homologues during winter,while the Harner-Bidleman model shows better agreement with the measured data during winter and summer.     

Genome-wide association analysis in primary sclerosing cholangitis identifies two non-HLA susceptibility loci

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic bile duct disease affecting 2.4-7.5% of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. We performed a genome-wide association analysis of 2,466,182 SNPs in 715 individuals with PSC and 2,962 controls, followed by replication in 1,025 PSC cases and 2,174 controls. We detected non-HLA associations at rs3197999 in MST1 and rs6720394 near BCL2L11 (combined P = 1.1 × 10?1? and P = 4.1 × 10??, respectively).