E/D-Mode GaN Inverter on a 150-mm Si Wafer Based on p-GaN Gate E-Mode HEMT Technology.

AlGaN/GaN E/D-mode GaN inverters are successfully fabricated on a 150-mm Si wafer. P-GaN gate technology is applied to be compatible with the commercial E-mode GaN power device technology platform and a systematic study of E/D-mode GaN inverters has been conducted with detail. The key electrical characters have been analyzed from room temperature (RT) to 200 °C. Small variations of the inverters are observed at different temperatures. The logic swing voltage of 2.91 V and 2.89 V are observed at RT and 200 °C at a supply voltage of 3 V. Correspondingly, low/high input noise margins of 0.78 V/1.67 V and 0.68 V/1.72 V are observed at RT and 200 °C. The inverters also demonstrate small rising edge time of the output signal. The results show great potential for GaN smart power integrated circuit (IC) application.

[Cloning, expression and bioinformatics analysis of cathepsin B of Echinococcus granulosus].

OBJECTIVE: To clone and express cathepsin B gene of Echinococcus granulosus (EgCatB) and analyze EgCatB protein by using bioinformatics tools and online databases. METHODS: The total RNA of E. granulosus was extracted and reversely transcribed into cDNA as the template sequence for PCR. The EgCatB gene was cloned by using the In-Fusion PCR cloning method and expressed by a wheat germ cell-free system, and then the recombinant protein was identified by Western blotting. The signal peptide, transmembrane helices and subcellular location of the EgCatB sequence were predicted by the online software SignalP 4.1, TMHMM sever v. 2.0 and TargetP 1.1 respectively. Subsequently, the homologue sequence and conserved sites were aligned by using BLASTP and GeneDoc software. Finally, the structures and the glycosylation modification site of the EgCatB encoding protein were analyzed and predicted in turn by ProtParam, SMART, Predictprotein, Swiss-model, NetOGlyc 4.0 and NetNGlyc 1.0 approaches. RESULTS: The EgCatB gene was successfully amplified from cDNA of E. granulosus and expressed in the soluble fractions. The molecular weight of the expressed protein was estimated 35 kDa. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that EgCatB was a classical secreted protein containing a Pept_C1 domain. The homology analysis indicated that the amino acid sequence of EgCatB was highly conserved in the active enzyme sites. The protein structure prediction showed a catalytic active center was formed through Gln106, Cys112, His282 and Asn302. It was found that there were nine O-glycosylation sites in the EgCatB sequence, but no N-glycosylation sites. CONCLUSIONS: The EgCatB gene is cloned and expressed successfully, and the recombinant protein is analyzed by bioinformatics approaches and structure predication. The study provides useful information for further functional study of the EgCatB protein.

[Analysis of the parental origin of MECP2 mutations in patients with Rett syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the parental origin of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene mutations in Chinese patients with Rett syndrome. METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in intron 3 of the MECP2 gene were analyzed by PCR and sequencing in 115 patients with Rett syndrome. Then sequencing of the SNP region was performed for the fathers of the patients who had at least one SNP, to determine which allele was from the father. Then allele-specific PCR was performed and the products were sequenced to see whether the allele from father or mother harbored the mutation. RESULTS: Seventy-six of the 115 patients had at least one SNP. Three hot SNPs were found in these patients. They were: IVS3+22C >G, IVS3+266C >T and IVS3+683C>T. Among the 76 cases, 73 had a paternal origin of MECP2 mutations, and the other 3 had a maternal origin. There were multiple types of MECP2 mutation of the paternal origin, including 4 frame shift, 2 deletion and 67 point (56C >T, 6C >G, 2A >G, 2G >T and 1A >T) mutations. The mutation types of the 3 patients with maternal origin included 2 frame shift and 1 point (C >T) mutation. CONCLUSION: In Chinese RTT patients, the MECP2 mutations are mostly of paternal origin.

The safety analysis of living-related kidney donors in short term after transplantation / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the safety of living related donors in short term after transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and fifty-one cases of living related donor kidney transplantation from May 2000 to July 2007 were analysed retrospectively. There were 117 male and 134 female aged from 22 to 72 years old, with a mean of 46.6 years old. The indexes were compared including serum creatinine (SCr), creatinine clearance (CCr), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and quality of life before and after donation. Surgical complications were followed-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Donors' SCr was (75.9 +/- 17.2) micromol/L before donation, (107.4 +/- 21.2) micromol/L on 7 d after donation, (130.4 +/- 58.2) micromol/L at the 1(st) month and (116.1 +/- 24.1) micromol/L at the 3(rd) month. There were significant difference between any 2 time points (P < 0.01). CCr was (94.4 +/- 17.5) ml/min before donation and (63.5 +/- 17.8) ml/min on 10 d after donation (P < 0.01). In 62 donors, total GFR was (82.4 +/- 21.8) ml/min before donation. On 10 d after donation, GFR of remaining kidney was (57.4 +/- 14.1) ml/min which was 34.7% higher than GFR of this kidney before donation (42.6 +/- 11.8) ml/min. There was no significant difference in quality of life before living related donors and non-donor populations (P = 0.116). Surgical complications included splenic rupture in 1 case, descending colon rupture in 1 case and wound infection in 5 cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Living donor kidney transplantation is safe for donors, although part of indexes would vary within normal range during the early time after donation.</p>