Fibulin-5/DANCE is essential for elastogenesis in vivo.

The elastic fibre system has a principal role in the structure and function of various types of organs that require elasticity, such as large arteries, lung and skin. Although elastic fibres are known to be composed of microfibril proteins (for example, fibrillins and latent transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta-binding proteins) and polymerized elastin, the mechanism of their assembly and development is not well understood. Here we report that fibulin-5 (also known as DANCE), a recently discovered integrin ligand, is an essential determinant of elastic fibre organization. fibulin-5-/- mice generated by gene targeting exhibit a severely disorganized elastic fibre system throughout the body. fibulin-5-/- mice survive to adulthood, but have a tortuous aorta with loss of compliance, severe emphysema, and loose skin (cutis laxa). These tissues contain fragmented elastin without an increase of elastase activity, indicating defective development of elastic fibres. Fibulin-5 interacts directly with elastic fibres in vitro, and serves as a ligand for cell surface integrins alphavbeta3, alphavbeta5 and alpha9beta1 through its amino-terminal domain. Thus, fibulin-5 may provide anchorage of elastic fibres to cells, thereby acting to stabilize and organize elastic fibres in the skin, lung and vasculature.     

Karyotypes of seven species of bats from Thailand (Chiroptera,Mammalia)

Summary Karyotypes ofMyotis siligorensis, Myotis mystacinus, Pipistrellus pulveratus, Tylonycteris robustula, Miniopterus schreibersi fuliginosus, Hipposideros fulvus andAselliscus stoliczkanus from Thailand are investigated.Acknowledgment. The authors are very grateful to Dr N. Ratanawarabhan, Mrs S. Sittilert, P. Noonpakdee and S. Kuanchalern of Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research for their valuable advice and assistance during our field survey in Thailand.     

新型激光多普勒微循环分析系统的研制

医疗器械正沿着无创伤、微型化、智能化的方向发展，本科研组研制的新型激光多普勒微循环分析系统正是顺应这一趋势而设计的．该系统采用先进的激光多普勒技术，成功地对传统的激光多普勒血流仪进行了改进，采用安全、稳定、小巧的半导体激光器和高灵敏达林顿光敏三极管，并使用电缆传输信号；在计算方法上，创造性地利用功率谱来计算血流参数．整个系统灵敏、稳定、成本低廉，已应用于临床和科研实践，深受用户的好评．本将详细讲述系统的硬件和软件设计．     

多功能激光血流血氧检测系统的研制

随着电子技术、激光技术和计算机技术的飞速发展，生物医学仪器亦有了长足的进步，研究无创伤、微型化和智能化的医疗器械已成为国内外学关注的热点．特别是各种无创检测设备的问世，标志着生物医学仪器的发展水平，同样也倍受广大患的青睐．本科研组在长期研究无创伤检测技术的基础上，成功地将激光多普勒血流参数、脉搏血氧和脑血氧饱和度的检测集成于一个系统中．其中的关键是：完成了多功能传感探头的设计，此探头可以根据需要准确地调节光源与接收器之间的距离，能够组成血流检测传感器、脉搏血氧和脑血氧检测传感器等，为医学与生理学研究提供了极大的便利；还明确提出了脑血氧饱和度的实用算法；优化了激光多普勒血流参数的DSP(数字信号处理)算法，即功率谱估算方法；以及尽量采用新型元器件，如用半导体激光器作为光源，达林顿光敏三极管作为信号接收器等．本较详细地阐述了系统的测量原理和软硬件设计。     

贵州安顺小黑土晚更新世古植被和古气候

小黑土剖面是黔中高原岩溶化盆地剖面,深390cm,未达基岩.采样71块,获孢粉17769粒,有71个科属,以本本花粉为主,其次为草本花粉,蕨类孢子较少.自下而上划分为二个孢粉组合带.反映出古植被变化为落叶阔叶树为主的常绿、落叶针阔叶混交林,附近山地有松林及云杉林一常绿、落叶针阔叶混交林及喜冷湿的莎草较多.古气候变化由温凉一温暧偏凉湿.其地质时代,经~(14)C测定,孔深390cm处为24500±1800a.B.P.;深310cm处为21260a.B.P.,属晚更新世.     

钢筋混凝土受弯构件的优化设计—一类离散型非线性规划

研究钢筋混凝土受弯构件的优化设计问题，建立了新的数学模型—一类离散型非线性规划，给出了计算步骤与若干算例．提出的算法容易在微机上实现，所有可行解都是整数解，而且所得最优值在一定条件下是总体最优值．     

菲涅耳半波带法公式A_K=a_1/2±a_k/2中K值的范围

本文对在点光源照明情况下,用菲涅耳半波带法求考察点P合振幅的近似公式A_k=a_1/2±a_k/2中K值的适用范围进行了讨论,纠正了某些光学书籍中对K值范围加以限制的结论     

Free fatty acids regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells through GPR40

Diabetes, a disease in which carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are regulated improperly by insulin, is a serious worldwide health issue. Insulin is secreted from pancreatic beta cells in response to elevated plasma glucose, with various factors modifying its secretion. Free fatty acids (FFAs) provide an important energy source as nutrients, and they also act as signalling molecules in various cellular processes, including insulin secretion. Although FFAs are thought to promote insulin secretion in an acute phase, this mechanism is not clearly understood. Here we show that a G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR40, which is abundantly expressed in the pancreas, functions as a receptor for long-chain FFAs. Furthermore, we show that long-chain FFAs amplify glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells by activating GPR40. Our results indicate that GPR40 agonists and/or antagonists show potential for the development of new anti-diabetic drugs.     

An increase in Sendai virus-induced cell fusion of erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium chabaudi

The extent of cell fusion induced by Sendai virus was examined in erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium chabaudi. An increase in cell fusion of erythrocytes with Ehrlich tumor cells and of erythrocytes with erythrocytes was observed with the infected erythrocytes. However, agglutination by the virus was not changed between erythrocytes of normal and malarial mice. These results indicate that the increase in cell fusion occurred in the process of membrane fusion, suggesting that some membrane property of Plasmodium-parasitized erythrocytes is changed in terms of Sendai virus-induced cell fusion.