Common non-synonymous polymorphisms in the BRCA1 Associated RING Domain (BARD1) gene are associated with breast cancer susceptibility:a case-control analysis

The BRCA1 Associated RING Domain(BARD1) gene has been identified as a high penetrance gene for breast cancer, whose germline and somatic mutations were reported in both non-BRCA1/2 hereditary site-specific and sporadic breast cancer cases. BARD1 plays a crucial role in tumor repression, along with its heterodimeric partner BRCA1. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that common non-synonymous polymorphisms in BARD1 are associated with breast cancer susceptibility in a case-control study of 507 patients with incident breast cancer and 539 frequency-matched cancer-free controls in Chinese women. We genotyped all three common(minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.10) non-synonymous polymorphisms(Pro24Ser, Arg378Ser, and Val507Met) in BARD1. We found that the BARD1 Pro24Ser variant genotypes(24Pro/Ser and 24Ser/Ser) and Arg378Ser variant homozygote 378Ser/Ser were associated with a significantly decreased breast cancer risk, compared with their wild-type homozygotes, respectively. Furthermore, a significant locus-locus interaction was evident between Pro24Ser and Arg378Ser (P-int = 0.032). Among the 378Ser variant allele carriers, the 24Pro/Pro wild-type homozygote was associated with a significantly increased breast cancer risk (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.11-2.95), but the subjects having 24Pro/Ser or Ser/Ser variant genotypes had a significantly decreased risk(adjusted OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.56-0.99). In stratified analysis, this locus-locus interaction was more evident among subjects without family cancer history, those with positive estrogen receptor (ER) and individuals with negative progesterone receptor(PR). These findings indicate that the potentially functional polymorphisms Pro24Ser and Arg378Ser in BARD1 may jointly contribute to the susceptibility of breast cancer.

Study on Speciation of Pr(III) in Human Blood Plasma by Computer Simulation

Speciation of Pr(III) in human blood plasma has been investigated by computer simulation. The speciation and distribution of Pr(III) has been obtained. It has been found that most of Pr(III) is bound to phosphate and to form precipitate. The results obtained-are in accord with experimental observations.

EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON MICROSTRUCTURE OF AROMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS

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Study on Amorphous Ni-Mo-Fe-Zn Coating Electrocatalyst forHydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Solution

Amorphous Ni-Mo-Fe-Zn quaternary alloy coatings are developed by means of electrodeposit, and after most of zinc is leached out their electrocatalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media is studied using electrochemical polarization and a.c. impedance techniques. The results show these coatings have very high electrocatalytic activity and excellent stability. This might benefit from the increased active surface area, well-pronounced synergism as well as their amorphous structures. The HER proceeds through the Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism with a rate-determination-step (RDS) of Volmer at high overpotentials and the HER is controlled by Heyrovsky in lower overpotential areas.

Ab Initio Study on the Thermal Isomerization from 1,2-Butadiene to1,3-Butadiene

Ab initio UHF/6-31G** method has been employed to study the mechanism of the thermal isomerization from 1,2-butadiene to 1,3-butadiene. The energies were corrected at MP2//6-31G**+ZPE(zero-point energy) level. The results indicate that it is a stepwise reaction via a radical intermediate. The calculated activation barriers are 65.01 and 64.16 kcal./mol., respectively.

SYNTHESES AND PROPERTIES OF POLY（N－ISOPROPYLACRYLAMIDECO－N－ACRYLOXYSUCCINIMIDE）AND ITS IgG－CONJUGATE

A series of copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide and N-acryloxysuccinimide with different active ester contents and different molecular weights and their conjugates with IgG were prepared.The properties of copolymers and IgG-bearing polymers were studied.

Interaction of Nicotine and Bovine Serum Albumin

The binding of nicotine to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by UV absorption. fluorescence, and H-1 NMR methods. With the addition of nicotine, the absorption band of BSA at about 210 nm decreased gradually, moved to longer wavelengths, and narrowed. BSA fluorescence of tryptophan residue was quenched by nicotine. The H-1 NMR peaks of nicotine moved to downfield by the addition of BSA. The experimental results showed that nicotine was capable of binding with BSA to form a 1:1 complex. BSA's high selectivity for nicotine binding suggests a unique role for this protein in the detoxification and/or transport of nicotine.

hB1F and HNF1 work syner-gistically in the regulation of the function of HBV ENⅡ

Human B1 binding factor (hB1F) is a novel transcription factor cloned in our laboratory, which has the capacity of binding the Bl region of HBV enhancer Ⅱ (EN Ⅱ) and stimulating its activity. In this report, the functional relationship between hBlF and other liver-enriched activators of EN Ⅱ was investigated. The results of CAT assay indicated that there was only additive effect between hB1F and HNF4 as well as HNF3β. On the contrary, the presence of both hBlF and HNF1 would result in significant functional synergism. Further GST pull down assay indicated that hBlF could interact with HNFl directly in vitro. This study provides the evidence that hB1F and HNF1 work syn-ergistically in the regulation of the activity of HBV EN Ⅱ.

Density inhomogeneity of upper mantle in Central Asian Region

SINCE International Lithosphere Program was implenented in the early 1980s,the studies of geoscience have focused on the field from oceans to continents.From the 1990s and a futurespan of considerable length the research into continental dynamics will be one of the most ac-tive research fields.There are inhomogeneities in the medium of upper mantle laterally andvertically known from various geophysical investigations.Evidently,density being the

Crystal structure of the complex of trichosanthin with NADPH at 0.172 nm resolution

The orthorhombic crystal structure of the complex of trichosanthin with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate has been determined by molecular replacement method using one of the molecules of the monoclinic crystal structure of trichosanthin at 0.27 nm resolution as the search model. The crystallographic refinement at 0.172 nm resolution led to a final R-factor of 17.4% with root-mean-square deviations of 0.0013 nm and 3.8 degrees from the ideal bond lengths and bond angles, respectively. The quality of the structure, the polypeptide chain fold and the comparison of it with that of the monoclinic trichosanthin structure, the location of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, the active site structure as well as the solvent structure are described.

Large scale synthesis of oligoribonucleotides on PEG by the phosphite triester approach

Large scale synthesis of oligoribonucleotides has been successfully performed on PEG support by the phosphoramidite approach using t-butyldimethylsilyl to protect the 2'-hydroxyl group of ribonucleoside. By means of this procedure, the dodecamer r(AGUGGUCUUUGU) was synthesized in 98.1% average coupling yield, and 55 mg pure product was obtained from one gram of functionalized PEG.

Recognition and implication of eclogite in the western Altun Mountains, Xinjiang

SINCE high-pressure metapelitic rocks have been discovered in the Beiketan area of eastern Al-tun Mountains,a set of eclogite has been recognized in south of Jianggesayi,western Altun.The eclogite,associated with quartz-garnet-clinopyroxenite and metamorphosed retrogradelyto garnet-amphibolite partially,is exposed in the Proterozoic meso- to hypometamorphic rocksand can be traced eastward to northwest of Mangya asbestos deposit,for about 200

New solid superbases: potassium nitrate supported on porous materials

ACCORDING to Tanabe’s definition, all materials possessing the basic strength （H-） over 26.5 are superbases. However, most of superbases known up to now, including CaO and SrO evacuated at 1173 K, K or Na metal supported on KOH/γ-Al2O3, etc. are extremely sensitive to CO2 or H2O in the atmosphere, which limits their application in industrial scale. In or-

Spectroscopic studies on interaction of hemoglobin and serum albumin with nicotine

The interactions of nicotine and Hb/SA were studied in vitro by UV/Vis, fluorescence, 1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies. The UV/Vis absorbance of Hb/SA (200nm) shifted to red and decreased gradually with the addition of nicotine, indicating that the protein conformational change resulted from the chemical interaction. With increasing nicotine concentration, incubation of SA with nicotine caused the quenching of fluorescence typical of protein tryptophan residues, which meant that the vicinity of the tryptophan residues of SA was changed because of nicotine. FT-IR spectra showed that α-helix component of Hb/SA decreased, turn and β-structure components of Hb/SA increased in the presence of nicotine. In the 1H NMR spectra of nicotine, all proton peaks on pyrrolidinyl ring moved to downfield and the resonance emanating from nicotine was preferentially broadened while the concentration of Hb/SA increased. All these results indicate that nicotine and Hb/SA in vitro interact on each other, forming a new