A single amino acid defines cross-species reactivity of tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) CD1d to human invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells

P>The non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule CD1d presents lipid antigens to invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, which are an important part of the innate immune system. CD1d/iNKT systems are highly conserved in evoluti

Natural selection on EPAS1 (HIF2 alpha) associated with low hemoglobin concentration in Tibetan highlanders

By impairing both function and survival, the severe reduction in oxygen availability associated with high-altitude environments is likely to act as an agent of natural selection. We used genomic and candidate gene approaches to search for evidence of such genetic selection. First, a genome-wide allelic differentiation scan (GWADS) comparing indigenous highlanders of the Tibetan Plateau (3,200 3,500 m) with closely related lowland Han revealed a genome-wide significant divergence across eight SNPs located near EPAS1. This gene encodes the transcription factor HIF2 alpha, which stimulates production of red blood cells and thus increases the concentration of hemoglobin in blood. Second, in a separate cohort of Tibetans residing at 4,200 m, we identified 31 EPAS1 SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium that correlated significantly with hemoglobin concentration. The sex-adjusted hemoglobin concentration was, on average, 0.8 g/dL lower in the major allele homozygotes compared with the heterozygotes. These findings were replicated in a third cohort of Tibetans residing at 4,300 m. The alleles associating with lower hemoglobin concentrations were correlated with the signal from the GWADS study and were observed at greatly elevated frequencies in the Tibetan cohorts compared with the Han. High hemoglobin concentrations are a cardinal feature of chronic mountain sickness offering one plausible mechanism for selection. Alternatively, as EPAS1 is pleiotropic in its effects, selection may have operated on some other aspect of the phenotype. Whichever of these explanations is correct, the evidence for genetic selection at the EPAS1 locus from the GWADS study is supported by the replicated studies associating function with the allelic variants.

Effects of unconditioned and conditioned aversive stimuli in an intense fear conditioning paradigm on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 area in vivo

Repeated vivid recalls or flashbacks of traumatic memories and memory deficits are the cardinal features of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Here, we examined the effects of very strong fear conditioning (20 pairings of a light with a 1.5-mA, 0.5-s foot shock) and subsequent reexposure to the conditioning context (chamber A), a similar context (chamber B), and/or to the fear conditioned stimulus (CS) (a light) on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 area in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The conditioning procedure resulted in very strong conditioned fear, as reflected by high levels of persistent freezing, to both the contexts and to the CS, 24 h after fear conditioning. The induction of long-term potentiation ON was blocked immediately after fear conditioning. It was still markedly impaired 24 h after fear conditioning; reexposure to the conditioning chamber A (CA) or to a similar chamber 13 (CB) did not affect the impairment. However, presentation of the CS in the CA exacerbated the impairment of LTP, whereas the CS presentation in a CB ameliorated the impairment so that LTP induction did not differ from that of control groups. The induction of long-term depression (LTD) was facilitated immediately, but not 24 h, after fear conditioning. Only reexposure to the CS in the CA, but not reexposure to either chamber A or B alone, or the CS in chamber B, 24 h after conditioning, reinstated the facilitation of LTD induction. These data demonstrate that unconditioned and conditioned aversive stimuli in an intense fear conditioning paradigm can have profound effects on hippocampal synaptic plasticity, which may aid to understand the mechanisms underlying impairments of hippocampus-dependent memory by stress or in PTSD. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

内含子在生物信息学研究和基因工程中的应用

内含子在真核生物基因组中广泛存在。已有的研究虽揭示出内含子对基因的表达有着重要的调节作用,并参与了基因的进化,但内含子的功能还远没有弄清楚,对其本身的起源与演化问题也还存在很大争论。尽管如此,目前内含子在生物信息学研究和基因工程中的应用已蓬勃展开。本文就人们目前对内含子的基因组分析、分子进化与分子系统分析研究以及内含子在转基因工程中的应用作一概述。

动物标本的收藏及其在科学研究中的意义和作用

我国幅员辽阔，气候条件复杂，自然环境多样，野生动物丰富，蕴藏着许多珍稀种和特有种，是世界上物种最丰富的国家之一，种数占世界动物种数的１０％以上；被ＩＵＣＮ列为全球生物多样性特别丰富的国家之一（名列第八）。有哺乳类５８７种，列世界首位；鸟类１２４５种，...

亚东鲑的年龄与生长的研究

首次报道了亚东鲑在青藏高原河流中的生长特点。对1999—2002年间在亚东河共采集的462尾亚东鲑(体长范围为93—364mm)进行了年龄与生长的研究。通过鳞片对其中302尾进行年龄鉴定并建立Von Bertalanffy生长方程:雌性(♀)Lt=709.44[1-e-0.1656(t-0.0845)](R2=0.9993,n=132)和Wt=6017.46[1-e-0.1656(t-0.0845)]2.9724(R2=0.9845,n=132);雄性(♂)Lt=797.82[1-e-0.1428(t-0

三倍体萍乡肉红鲫的精子入卵及胚胎发育观察

用扫描(SEM)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)观察了天然三倍体萍乡肉红鲫成熟卵子卵壳、受精孔、精子进入区以 及卵子质膜表面的细微结构,观察了两种不同交配组合:(A组)萍乡肉红鲫(♀)×萍乡肉红鲫(♂)与(B组)萍乡肉 红鲫♀×兴国红鲤♂的受精早期精子入卵的时序,卵子质膜表面和卵子皮层的变化。结果表明,两种不同交配组 合的精子入卵时序、皮层颗粒释放和卵子表面的变化基本类似。同时观察了这两种不同组合的胚胎发育时序,水 温在16℃以上才能正常发育,最适发育水温为20-25℃。结果表明,两种不同组合在出膜时间和胚胎发

Comparison between visual and passive acoustic detection of finless porpoises in the Yangtze river, China

Recently, sonar signals and other sounds produced by cetaceans have been used for acoustic detection of individuals and groups in the wild. However, the detection probability ascertained by concomitant visual survey has not been demonstrated extensively. The finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) have narrow band and high-frequency sonar signals, which are distinctive from background noises. Underwater sound monitoring with hydrophones (B&K8103) placed along the sides of a research vessel, concurrent with visual observations was conducted in the Yangtze River from Wuhan to Poyang Lake in 1998 in China. The peak to peak detection threshold was set at 133 dB re 1 mu Pa. With this threshold level, porpoises could be detected reliably within 300 m of the hydrophone. In a total of 774-km cruise, 588 finless porpoises were sighted by visual observation and 44 864 ultrasonic pulses were recorded by the acoustical observation system. The acoustic monitoring system could detect the presence of the finless porpoises 82% of the time. A false alarm in the system occurred with a frequency of 0.9%. The high-frequency acoustical observation is suggested as an effective method for field surveys of small cetaceans, which produce high-frequency sonar signals. (C) 2001 Acoustical Society of America.

Fabrication and characterization of GaN-based LEDs grown on nanopatterned sapphire substrates

Sapphire substrates were nanopatterned by dry (inductively coupled plasma, ICP) etching to improve the performance of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). GaN-based LEDs on nanopatterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) were fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The characteristics of LEDs fabricated on NPSS prepared by dry etching were studied. The light output power and wall-plug efficiency of the LEDs fabricated on NPSS were greater than those of the conventional LEDs fabricated on common planar sapphire substrates when the injection currents were the same. The LEDs on NPSS and common planar sapphire substrates have similar I-V characteristics.

Growth and characterization of GaInNAs by molecular beam epitaxy using a nitrogen irradiation method

We propose an innovative technique, making use of the In segregation effect, referred as the N irradiation method, to enhance In-N bonding and extend the emission wavelength of GaInNAs quantum wells (QWs). After the formation of a complete In floating layer, the growth is interrupted and N irradiation is initiated. The majority of N atoms are forced to bond with In atoms and their incorporation is regulated independently by the N exposure time and the As pressure. The effect of the N exposure time and As pressure on the N incorporation and the optical quality of GaInNAs QWs were investigated. Anomalous photoluminescence (PL) wavelength red shifts after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) were observed in the N-irradiated samples, whereas a normal GaInNAs sample revealed a blue shift. This method provides an alternative way to extend the emission wavelength of GaInNAs QWs with decent optical quality. We demonstrate light emission at 1546 nm from an 11-nm-thick QW, using this method and the PL intensity is similar to that of a 7-nm-thick GaInNAs QW grown at a reduced rate. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

基于基因规划的主机异常入侵检测模型

异常检测技术假设所有的入侵行为都会偏离正常行为模式.尝试寻找一种新的异常入侵检测模型改善准确性和效率.模型利用应用程序的系统调用序列,通过基因规划建立了正常行为模式.模型的一个例程管理一个进程.当它发现进程的实际系统调用序列模式偏离正常的行为模式时,会将进程设标记为入侵,并采取应急措施.还给出了基因规划的适应度计算方法以及两个生成下一代的基本算子.通过与现有一些模型的比较,该模型具有更好的准确性和更高的效率.

A Compact Direct Digital Frequency Synthesizer for the Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard

A compact direct digital frequency synthesizer （DDFS） for system-on-chip implementation of the high precision rubidium atomic frequency standard is developed. For small chip size and low power consumption, the phase to sine mapping data is compressed using sine symmetry technique, sine-phase difference technique, quad line approximation technique,and quantization and error read only memory （QE-ROM） technique. The ROM size is reduced by 98% using these techniques. A compact DDFS chip with 32bit phase storage depth and a 10bit on-chip digital to analog converter has been successfully implemented using a standard 0.35μm CMOS process. The core area of the DDFS is 1.6mm^2. It consumes 167mW at 3.3V,and its spurious free dynamic range is 61dB.