A regional analysis of nucleotide substitution rates along human genes and their flanking regions allows us to quantify the effect of mutational mechanisms associated with transcription in germ line...Full Text Available
This annual report describes progress in studies on hprt mutations induced by radon or Indium 111 along with the corresponding mutation frequency, cloning and molecular spectra in human T-lymphocytes. Parallel studies on the mutation susceptibility between individuals is being investigated by hprt mutation studies on ataxia telangiectasia and xeroderma pigmentosum.
Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T (PTPRT/PTPρ) is frequently mutated in human cancers including colon, lung, gastric and skin cancers. More than half of the identified tumor-derived...Full Text Available
Although the roots of Ras sprouted from the rich history of retrovirus research, it was the discovery of mutationally activated RAS genes in human cancer in 1982 that stimulated an...Full Text Available
In animal models, single-gene mutations in genes involved in insulin/IGF and target of rapamycin signalling pathways extend lifespan to a considerable extent. The genetic, genomic and epigenetic influences...Full Text Available
Cis-acting regulatory sequences are required for the proper temporal and spatial control of gene expression. Variation in gene expression is highly heritable and a significant determinant...Full Text Available
KMeyeDB () is a database of human gene mutations that cause eye diseases. We have substantially enriched the amount of data in the database, which now contains information about the mutations of 167 human genes causing eye-related diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, cone-rod dystrophy, night blindness, Oguchi disease, Stargardt disease, macular degeneration, Leber congenital amaurosis, corneal dystrophy, cataract, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and Usher syndrome. KMeyeDB is operated using the database software MutationView, which deals with various characters of mutations, gene structure, protein functional domains, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, as well as clinical data for each case. Users can access the database using an ordinary Internet browser wi...
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene alterations have been found in human lung cancers. However, there is no information on the factors inducing EGFR mutations. In rodents, K-ras mutations are frequently found in many lung carcinogenesis models, but hitherto, Egfr mutations have not been reported. Their presence was therefore investigated in representative lung carcinogenesis models with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MelQx) and ethyl carbamate (urethane), as well as X-ray irradiation. With the chemical carcinogenesis models, no mutations were detected in Egfr, which is in clear contrast to the high rates observed in either codon 12 or 61 of K-ras (21/23 of the lung tumors induced with NNK, 4/5 with MelQx, 1/4 with urethane and 7/18 with BHP). However, in the ...
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in clinical material cannot replicate efficiently in vitro until it has adapted by mutation. Consequently, wild-type HCMV differ fundamentally from the passaged strains...Full Text Available
Mutations in SPTBN2, the gene encoding β-III spectrin, cause spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 in humans (SCA5), a neurodegenerative disorder resulting in loss of motor...Full Text Available
Phenylalanine hydroxylase was purified from crude extracts of human livers which show enzyme activity by usine two different methods: (a) affinity chromatography and (b) immunoprecipitation with an...Full Text Available
Provisional mutational spectra at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) locus in vitro have been worked out for acetaldehyde (AA) and benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (BPDE) in human (T)-lymphocytes...Full Text Available
A brief overview if provided of selected reports presented at the International Symposium on Molecular Mechanisms of Radiation- and Chemical Carcinogen-Induced Cell Transformation held at Mackinac Island, Michigan on September 19-23, 1993.
Recessive inactivating mutations in human matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2, gelatinase A) are associated with syndromes that include abnormal facial appearance, short stature, and severe bone...Full Text Available
p53 is one of the most mutated tumor suppressors in human cancers and as such has been intensively studied for a long time. p53 is a major orchestrator of the cellular response to a broad array...Full Text Available
Mutations in SOX9, a gene essential for chondrocyte differentiation cause the human disease campomelic dysplasia (CD). To understand how SOX9 activates transcription, we characterized...Full Text Available
Dominant mutations in sarcomere protein genes cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited human disorder with increased ventricular wall thickness, myocyte hypertrophy, and disarray. To understand...Full Text Available
The mouse is the leading organism for disease research. A rich resource of genetic variation occurs naturally in inbred and special strains owing to spontaneous mutations. However, one can also obtain...Full Text Available
Over 200 mutations in the retina specific member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter super-family (ABCA4) have been associated with a diverse group of human retinal diseases....Full Text Available
The DNA sequences were determined for the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene from five unrelated Japanese patients with familial LPL deficiency. The results demonstrated that all five patients are homozygotes...Full Text Available
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) results from mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which encodes the protein neurofibromin. NF1 patients display diverse clinical manifestations,...Full Text Available
Human blinding disorders are often initiated by hereditary mutations that insult rod and/or cone photoreceptors and cause subsequent cellular death. Generally, the disease phenotype can be predicted...Full Text Available
BackgroundNeurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common monogenic tumor-predisposition disorder that arises secondary to mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF1....Full Text Available
Mutational inactivation of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene initiates retinoblastoma and other human cancers. RB1 protein (pRb) restrains cell proliferation by binding...Full Text Available
The pathogenic mechanisms of human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have been well known to include the mutational inactivation of PKD2. Although haploinsufficiency...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: H2-histamine receptors mediate a wide range of physiological functions extending from stimulation of gastric acid secretion to induction of human promyelocyte differentiation. We have previously...Full Text Available
Mice harboring a null mutation in Abca4/Abcr serve as a model of autosomal recessive Stargardt disease. Consistent with the human retinal disorder, deficiency...Full Text Available
Cancers are highly heterogeneous and contain many passenger and driver mutations. To functionally identify tumor suppressor genes relevant to human cancer, we compiled pools of short harpin...Full Text Available
Cultured mouse or human embryonic stem (ES) cells provide access to all of the genes required to elaborate the fundamental components and physiological systems of a mammalian cell. Chemical or insertional...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe goal of the study was to investigate the genetic and molecular basis of a novel syndrome of marked hyperglucagonemia and pancreatic α cell hyperplasia...Full Text Available
Large-scale cancer genome projects will soon be able to sequence many cancer genomes to comprehensively identify genetic changes in human cancer. Genome-wide association studies have also identified...Full Text Available
There is increasing concern for the potential adverse health effects of human exposures to chemical mixtures. To better understand the complex interactions of chemicals within a mixture, it is essential...Full Text Available
We report localization of the human cone transducin (GNAT2) gene using fluorescence in situ hybridization on chromosome 1 in band p13. The recent assignment of a gene for Stargardt disease to the same chromosomal region by linkage analysis prompted us to investigate the possible role of GNAT2 in the pathogenesis of this disease. We investigated 66 unrelated patients for mutations in the coding region of the GNAT2 gene using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) and direct sequencing. No disease-specific mutations were found, indicating that GNAT2 is probably not involved in the pathogenesis of most cases of Stargardt disease. 19 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
Abstract Crouzon syndrome is characterized by premature fusion of sutures and synchondroses. Recently, the first mouse model of the syndrome was generated, having the mutation Cys342Tyr in Fgfr2c, equivalent to the most common human Crouzon/Pfeiffer syndrome mutation. In this study, a set of micro-computed tomography (CT) scannings of the skulls of wild-type mice and Crouzon mice were analysed with respect to the dysmorphology caused by Crouzon syndrome. A computational craniofacial atlas was built automatically from the set of wild-type mouse micro-CT volumes using (1) affine and (2) non-rigid image registration. Subsequently, the atlas was deformed to match each subject from the two groups of mice. The accuracy of these registrations was measured by a comparison of manually placed landma...
We have at hand the tools for development of both a single amino acid substitution and a gene loss type assay for somatic cell mutations in human red cells. We are close to being able to assess the assays as possible means for screening the human population for individuals who may be a risk of acquiring abnormally high frequencies of mutant cells. The cause for such a high frequency of mutant cells could be a prior exposure of the individual to large amount of mutagen, or it could indicate a member of a vulnerable subpopulation that may have poor DNA repair systems. Either of these cases could well be an indication that the particular individual is at high risk that exposure to mutagens could lead to potential pathology. In the near future we expect to determine the reliability of the assays and to perform experiments to confirm the validity of flow cytometry in measuring real somatic mutagenic events that occur in vivo. ...
Mutations of ephrin B1 in humans result in craniofrontonasal syndrome. Because little is known of the role and mechanism of action of ephrin B1 in bone, we examined the function of osteoblast-produced...Full Text Available
We have observed significant differences in the response to ionizing radiation of two closely related human cell lines, and now compare the effects on these lines of both low and intermediate LET radiation. Compared to TK6, WTK1 has an enhanced X-ray survival, and is also more resistant to cell killing by {alpha}-particles. The hprt locus is more mutable in WTK1 than in TK6 by both X-rays and {alpha}-particles. WTK1 is also more mutable by {alpha}-particles than by X-rays at the hprt locus. X-ray-induced mutation at the heterozygous tk locus in WTK1 is about 25 fold higher than in TK6, while {alpha}-particle-induced mutation is nearly 50 fold higher at this locus. Also, the slowly growing tk- mutants, which comprise the majority of spontaneous and X-ray-induced tk- mutants of TK6, were not induced significantly by {alpha}-particles. Previously, we showed that TK6 has a reduced capacity for recombination compared with WTK1, ...
November 1989, marked the beginning of a new three-year cycle of DOE grant support, in connection with which the program underwent a major reorganization. This document presents the progress on the three objectives of the present program which are: to isolate by the technique of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE), proteins of special interest because of the relative mutability of the corresponding gene, establish the identity of the protein, and, for selected proteins, move to a characterization of the corresponding gene; to develop a more efficient approach, based on 2-D PAGE, for the detection of variants in DNA, with special reference to the identification of mutations in the parents of the individual whose DNA is being examined; and, to continue an effective interface with the genetic studies on the children of atomic bomb survivors in Japan, with reference to both the planning and implementation of new studies at the molecular level.
We developed mice with germline endogenous expression of oncogenic Hras to study effects on development and mechanisms of tumor initiation. They had high perinatal mortality, abnormal cranial dimensions, defective dental ameloblasts, and nasal septal deviation, consistent with some of the features of human Costello syndrome. These mice developed papillomas and angiosarcomas, which were associated with Hras(G12V) allelic imbalance and augmented Hras signaling. Endogenous expression of Hras(G12V) was also associated with a higher mutation rate in vivo. Tumor initiation by Hras(G12V) likely requires augmentation of signal output, which in papillomas and angiosarcomas is achieved via increased Hras-gene copy number, which may be favored by a higher mutation frequency in cells expressing the oncoprotein. PMID:19416908
Techniques of chemical analysis, amino acid sequencing and autoradiography are being used to study the frequency of incorporation of normally noncoded amino acids into hemoglobins and seminal fluid proteins. We are studying, by the sequencing of radiolabeled proteins followed by the recovery of ["3H] isoleucine phenylthiohydantoin by high-performance liquid chromatography, the frequency at which normally noncoded isoleucine is incorporated into hemoglobin because of base-substitution mutations versus translational errors. Irradiation increases the isoleucine content of human hemoglobin and the frequency of substitution of isoleucine for specific amino acids in rabbit hemoglobin. Studies to date indicate that these techniques have been developed sufficiently for initial analysis of the potential of drugs and environmental pollutants to induce base-substitution mutations in mammalian somatic cells.
The authors have identified a protein present only in erythroid cells that binds to two adjacent sites within an enhancer region of the chicken {beta}-globin locus. Mutation of the sites, so that binding by the factor can no longer be detected in vitro, leads to a loss of enhancing ability, assayed by transient expression in primary erythrocytes. Binding sites for the erythroid-specific factor (Eryf1) are found within regulatory regions for all chicken globin genes. A strong Eryf1 binding site is also present within the enhancer of at least one human globin gene, and proteins from human erythroid cells (but not HeLa cells) bind to both the chicken and the human sites.
The human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a closed circular, 16,569-bp double-stranded DNA, encoding 13 genes whose protein products are subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation system required for synthesis of most of the ATP consumed by eukaryotic cells. Point mutations of the mtDNA that cause multi-tissue, loss-of-energy syndromes, called mitochondrial encephalomyopathies (e.g., MERRF and MELAS), have been identified. In addition, large-scale deletions of the human mtDNA have been identified and are the molecular bases for the neonatal and adolescent onset loss-of-energy syndromes Pearson and Kearns-Sayer, respectively. 5 refs., 1 fig.
With the advent of subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicons, studies of the intracellular steps of the viral replication cycle became possible. These RNAs are capable of self-amplification in cultured human hepatoma cells, but save for the genotype 2a isolate JFH-1, efficient replication of these HCV RNAs requires replication enhancing mutations (REMs), previously also called cell culture adaptive mutations. These mutations cluster primarily in the central region of non-structural protein 5A (NS5A), but may also reside in the NS3 helicase domain or at a distinct position in NS4B. Most efficient replication has been achieved by combining REMs residing in NS3 with distinct REMs located in NS4B or NS5A. However, in spite of efficient replication of HCV genomes containing such mutations, they do not support production of infectious virus particles. By using the genotype 1b isolate ...
Jittery (ji) is a recessive mouse mutation on Chromosome 10 characterized by progressive ataxic gait, dystonic movements, spontaneus seizures, and death by dehydration/starvation before fertility. Recently, a viable neurological recessive mutation, hesitant, was discovered. It is characterized by hesitant, uncoordinated movements, exaggerated stepping of the hind limbs, and reduced fertility in males. In a complementation test and by genetic mapping we have shown here that hesitant and jittery are allelic. Using several large intersubspecific backcrosses and intercrosses we have genetically mapped ji near the marker Amh and microsatellite markers D10Mit7, D10Mit21, and D10Mit23. The linked region of mouse Chromosome 10 is homologous to human 19p13.3, to which several human ataxia loci have recently been mapped. By excluding genes that map to human 21q22.3 (Pfkl) and 12q23 (Nfyb), we ...
Transducin {alpha} subunits are members of a large family of G-proteins and play an important role in phototransduction in rod and cone photoreceptors. We report the localization of the human cone {alpha} transducin (GNAT2) gene using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on chromosome 1 in band p13. The recent assignment of a gene for Stargardt`s disease to the same chromosomal region by linkage analysis prompted us to investigate the possible role of GNAT2 in the pathogenesis of this disease. Stargardt`s disease is characterized by degeneration in late childhood or early adulthood of the macula of the retina, a region rich in cones. We screened patients with Stargardt`s disease, with or without peripheral cone involvement as monitored by the full-field ERG, for mutations in this gene. We investigated 66 unrelated patients including 22 with peripheral cone dysfunction for mutations in the coding region of the GNAT2 ...
Mutations in transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factors (HNF)-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) types 3 and 5, respectively. HNF-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# mutations are well studied in some tissues, but the mechanism by which HNF-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# mutations affect sucrase-isomaltase (SI) transcription in the small intestine is unclear. We studied the effects of 13 HNF-1#alpha# mutants and 2 HNF-1#beta# mutants on human SI gene transcription, which were identified in subjects with MODY3 and MODY5, respectively. Transactivation activity of 11 HNF-1#alpha# and 2 HNF-1#beta# mutants was significantly lower than that of wild (wt)-HNF-1#alpha# and wt-HNF-1#beta#. Furthermore, in co-expression studies with mutant (mu)-HNF-1#alpha#/ wt-HNF-1#beta# and wt-HNF-1#alpha#/mu-HNF-1#beta#, the combination of mu-HNF-1#alpha# (P379fsdelCT and ...
The E6 oncoproteins of high-risk human papillomaviruses provide important functions not only for malignant transformation but also in the productive viral life cycle. E6 proteins have been shown to bind to a number of cellular factors, but only a limited number of analyses have investigated the effects of these interactions on the viral life cycle. In this study, we investigated the consequences of HPV 31 E6 binding to E6TP1, a putative Rap1 GAP protein. HPV 16 E6 has been shown to bind as well as induce the rapid turnover of E6TP1, and similar effects were observed with HPV 31 E6. Mutation of amino acid 128 in HPV 31 E6 was found to abrogate the ability to bind and degrade E6TP1 but did not alter binding to another ?-helical domain protein, E6AP. When HPV 31 genomes containing mutations a...
The chicken extracellular matrix glycoprotein ES/130 is necessary for epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in the developing hear and is also expressed in noncardiac chicken tissues such as limb and notochord. We have identified hES, the human homology of chicken ES/130. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis (FISH) localizes hES to human chromosome 20p11.2-p12. FISH analyses of individuals with 20p12 deletions and affected by Alagille syndrome exclude hES as a candidate gene for this disorder. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction studies reveal that hES is expressed in both fetal and adult human tissues and that hES expression in the left ventricle is increased in the failing adult heart. Further studies will evaluate how hES mutations may relate to congenital human cardiac and skeletal anomalies as well as cardiac remodeling in the adult. 16 refs., 2 figs.
A series of radioactive catastrophes (from 1948 to 1967) in the Southern Urals in the USSR led to intensive environmental contamination. Radioactive wastes were dispersed over the 20000 km(2) territory of four provinces-Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen' and Kurgan-due to the activity of the military facility that was built in 1948 for the production of nuclear bomb plutonium. The results of 50 years of investigations into the consequences of these disasters allow a general picture of the events that occurred to be reconstructed and allow the medical consequences of the irradiation of about half a million residents to be depicted. However, due to the atmosphere of secrecy and inadequate medical procedures, the results of medical studies of radiation victims are scant. The current protocols present a unique opportunity to study the DNA damage at the nucleotide resolution level in the genome of inhabitants of the given region, who presumably received chronic doses of irradiation. Studies ...
Large-scale field tracer experiments have been conducted on Ulchin, Wolsung and Daeduk sites for the purpose of validating FADAS and of analyzing the environmental characteristics around the nuclear sites. The most influential factor in atmospheric dispersion is the meteorological condition. During the experiment, meteorological data were measured on the release point and the selected positions among sampling points. Once radioactive materials are released to the atmosphere, members of public may be exposed through the environmental media such as air, soil and foods. Therefore, to protect the public, adequate countermeasures should be taken at due time for those exposure pathways. both processes, of justification and optimization are applied to a countermeasure simultaneously for decision-making. The work scope of Biological research for the radiation protection had contained the search of biological microanalytic methods for assessing the health effect by {gamma}-radiation and toxic ...
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is a fundamental process that protects organismal integrity. In earlier work, we demonstrated that over-expression of either of two anti-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 family (BCL-2 or BCL-X L could elevate the frequency of radiation-induced mutations at the autosomal TK1 locus in human TK6 lymphoblasts that express wild-type TP53. Ectopic expression of BCL-X L also elevated the frequencies of double-strand break-induced gene conversion. The purpose of this study is to determine if BCL-2 family proteins promote radiation mutagenesis indirectly through their suppression of PCD, or whether the 'pro-mutagenic' function of these proteins can be separated from their anti-apoptotic function. We developed stable transfectants of TK6 cells that express a mutated form of BCL-X L with a single amino acid substitution in the BH1 domain that is known to interfere with the ability to suppress ...
Abstract SLC9A9 (solute carrier family 9, member 9, also known as Na+/H+ exchanger member (NHE9)) is a membrane protein that regulates the luminal pH of the recycling endosome, an essential organelle for synaptic transmission and plasticity. SLC9A9 has been implicated in human attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in rat studies of hyperactivity. We examined the SLC9A9 gene sequence and expression profile in prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum and hippocampus in two genetic rat models of ADHD. We report two mutations in a rat model of inattentive ADHD, the WKY/NCrl rat, which affect the interaction of SLC9A9 with calcineurin homologous protein (CHP). We observed an age-dependent abnormal expression of SLC9A9 in brains of this inattentive model and in the Spontaneous Hypertensi...
Large-scale field tracer experiments have been conducted on Ulchin and Wolsung nuclear sites for the purpose of validating FADAS and of analyzing the environmental characteristics around the nuclear site. The most influential factor in atmospheric dispersion is the meteorological condition. During the experiment, meteorological data were measured on the release point and the selected positions among sampling points. Once radioactive materials are released to the atmosphere, members of public may be exposed through the environmental media such as air, soil and foods. Therefore, to protect the public, adequate countermeasures should be taken at due time for those exposure pathways. Both processes of justification and optimization are applied to a countermeasure simultaneously for decision-making. The work scope of biological research for the radiation protection had contained the search of biological microanalytic methods for the assessment of health effect by radiation and toxic agents, ...
The loss of #alpha#-globin gene transcriptional activity rarely occurs as an acquired abnormality during the evolution of myeloproliferative disease or preleukemia. To test whether the mutation responsible for the loss of #alpha#-globin gene expression (hemoglobin H disease) in these patients is linked with the #alpha#-globin genes on chromosome 16, the authors transferred chromosome 16 from preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease to mouse erythroleukemia cells and measured the transcriptional activity of the human #alpha#-globin genes. After transfer to mouse erythroleukemia cells, the expression of human #alpha#-globin genes from the peripheral blood or marrow cells of preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease was similar to that of human #alpha#-globin genes transferred to mouse erythroleukemia cells from normal donors. These data showed that factor(s) in the mouse ...
Natural sunlight induces a genotoxic response in cultured CHO cells pre-treated with shale oil retort process water. Near ultraviolet light (NUV) component of the solar spectrum is the apparent radiation responsible for photoactivation. Cultured human skin fibroblasts are acutely sensitive to the genotoxic effects of photoactivated process water. The mutagenic potential of photoactivated process water in human cells is the same as that witnessed for an equivalent killing dose of the potent skin carcinogen FUV. DNA repair processes are involved in modulating genotoxic effects of this photo-induced process. The exact magnitude of the potential health-related and environmental risks resulting from photoactivation of retort process waters and other oil shale by-products is unassessed at this time. Our demonstration that a significant rate of mutation occurs in cultured human cells exposed to high dilutions ...
Juvenile trees of kalmia derived from shoot tip culture, and seedlings of kobus were irradiated with #gamma#-rays. In kalmia, two mutation lines were obtained which had narrowlong leaves. In kobus two mutation lines were obtained. One mutation line has flowers with 7 to 13 petals. Another mutation line has yellow-green variegated leaves. (author).
Carotenoids are highly beneficial for human nutrition and health because they provide essential nutrients and important antioxidants in our diets. However, many food crops, especially the major staple crops contain only trace to low amounts of carotenoids. Although significant progress has been made in developing food crops rich in carotenoids by altering the expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes, in many cases it has proved to be difficult to reach the desired levels of carotenoid enrichment. The recent identification and characterization of a novel gene mutation in cauliflower reveals that creating a metabolic sink to sequester carotenoids is an important mechanism to control carotenoid accumulation in plants. The successful demonstration of increased carotenoid accumulation in ass...
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) asFP499 from Anemonia sulcata is a distant homologue of the GFP from Aequorea victoria. We cloned the asFP499 gene into a mammalian expression vector and showed that this protein was expressed in the human lymphoblast cell line Ramos RA1 and in the embryonic kidney 293T cell line (HEK 293T). In HEK 293T cells, asFP499 was localized mainly in the cytoplasm, suggesting that the protein was excluded from the nucleus. We identified _1_9_4LRMEKLNI_2_0_1 as a candidate nuclear export signal in asFP499 and mutated the isoleucine at position 201 to an alanine. Unlike the wildtype form, the mutant protein was distributed throughout the cytoplasm and nucleus. This is First report of a GFP that contains a functional NES.
Research on hematological disorders relies on suitable animal models. We retrospectively evaluated the use of the hematological parameters hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), and platelet count (PLT) in the phenotype-driven Munich N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mouse mutagenesis project as parameters for the generation of novel animal models for human diseases. The analysis was carried out on more than 16,000 G1 and G3 offspring of chemically mutagenized inbred C3H mice to detect dominant and recessive mutations leading to deviations in the levels of the chosen parameters. Identification of animals exhibiting altered valu...
Data are presented to support the hypothesis that the initial step in the morphologic transformation of irradiated rodent (BALB/3T3) cells is a frequent cellular event involving a large fraction of the irradiated population. This process appears to involve DNA damage, but not to represent a targeted mutation in specific structural gene(s). Morphologic transformation and immortalization appear to be distinct steps in the overall process of transformation. In contradistinction to rodent cells, immortalization is a very rare event in human diploid cells which is induced at extremely low frequencies. The hypothesis is presented that immortality develops among clones of cells bearing stable chromosomal rearrangements which emerge during the proliferation of a population of radiation damaged cells.
Mutations or multiplications in a-synuclein gene cause familial forms of Parkinson disease or dementia with Lewy bodies (LB), and the deposition of wild-type a-synuclein as LB occurs as a hallmark lesion of these disorders, collectively referred to as synucleinopathies, implicating a-synuclein in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathy. To identify modifier genes of a-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity, we conducted an RNAi screen in transgenic C. elegans (Tg worms) that overexpress human a-synuclein in a pan-neuronal manner. To enhance the RNAi effect in neurons, we crossed a-synuclein Tg worms with an RNAi-enhanced mutant eri-1 strain. We tested RNAi of 1673 genes related to nervous system or synaptic functions, and identified 10 genes that, upon knockdown, caused severe growth/motor abnormalit...
BackgroundFamilial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is caused by germline mutations in the APC (Adenomatous Polyposis Coli) gene. The vast majority of APC mutations...Full Text Available
Hereditary hypouricemia may result from mutations in the renal tubular uric acid transporter URAT1. Whether mutation of other uric acid transporters produces a similar phenotype is unknown. We studied...Full Text Available
Mutation C1494T in mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was recently reported in two large Chinese families with aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss (AINHL) and was claimed to be pathogenic. This mutation, however, was first reported in a sample from central China in our previous study that was aimed to reconstruct East Asian mtDNA phylogeny. All these three mtDNAs formed a subclade defined by mutation C1494T in mtDNA haplogroup A. It thus seems that mutation C1494T is a haplogroup A-associated mutation and this matrilineal background may contribute a high risk for the penetrance of mutation C1494T in Chinese with AINHL. To test this hypothesis, we first genotyped mutation C1494T in 553 unrelated individuals from three regional Chinese populations and performed an extensive search ...
Recessive mutations of the early phase change (epc) gene in maize affect several aspects of plant development. These mutations were identified initially because of...Full Text Available
Mutations in the Drosophila gene drop-dead (drd) result in early adult lethality and neurodegeneration, but the molecular identity of the drd...Full Text Available
BackgroundMany difficult problems in evolutionary genomics are related to mutations that have weak effects on fitness, as the consequences of mutations with large effects are often...Full Text Available
Human erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate is normally quite stable in the presence of 10 #mu#M NADP"+. Certain glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variants lose virtually all their activity at this concentration of NADP"+ but are reactivated by 200 #mu#M NADP"+. Such variants presumably have a defect in their NADP"+-binding site. The authors analyzed the sequence of cDNA or genomic DNA from seven unrelated patients with hemolytic anemia due to the inheritance of variants that are reactivated by NADP"+. Six patients had substitutions of one of three adjacent amino acids, and the seventh patient had another amino acid substitution 23 residues downstream. These amino acids are highly conserved, all being present in rat and all but one being found also in Drosophila. The anomalous electrophoretic behavior of some of the variants can be explained by their loss of ability to bind NADP"+. The conclude that the region in which these mutations occur defines ...
We investigated the in vitro phenotypic transformation of human embryo (HE) cells that were repeatedly irradiated (7.5 cGy once a week) throughout their life-span. Irradiation was repeated until the cells had accumulated 195 cGy (equivalent to the 26th passage). Samples of cells were assayed for survival by colony formation, as well as for mutation at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus and for transformation by focus formation. The life-span (mean number of population doublings) of multiply irradiated cells with a total dose of 97.5 cGy was slightly but significantly prolonged over that of controls. After HE cells had accumulated 195 cGy, the maximum number of divisions increased to 130-160% of the number in non-irradiated control cells. Transformed foci were not observed until cells had accumulated 97.5 cGy, and then increased with the increasing accumulation of radiation. However, no cells showed immortality or ...
Attention deficit disorder (ADHD) is a complex biobehavioral phenotype which affects up to 8% of the general population and often impairs social, academic, and job performance. Its origins are heterogeneous, but a significant genetic component is suggested by family and twin studies. The murine strain, coloboma, displays a spontaneously hyperactive phenotype that is responsive to dextroamphetamine and has been proposed as a genetic model for ADHD. Coloboma is a semi-dominant mutation that is caused by a hemizygous deletion of the SNAP-25 and other genes on mouse chromosome 2q. To test the possibility that the human homolog of the mouse coloboma gene(s) could be responsible for ADHD, we have carried out linkage studies with polymorphic markers in the region syntenic to coloboma (20p11-p12). Five families in which the pattern of inheritance of ADHD appears to be autosomal dominant were studied. Segregation analysis of the traits studied suggested ...
Humoral immune response to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu or ErbB-2) has been detected in sera of breast cancer patients and shown to be an appropriate prognostic marker (Taylor et al., 2007). However, since Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a widely used monoclonal antibody as cancer therapy agent for tumors over-expressing HER-2, there is a need for an efficient way to detect host-generated antibodies against HER-2 without the confounding effect of Herceptin. Here we describe a screening method developed to decipher between host antibodies against HER-2 and that of Herceptin. By producing a series of truncation mutants within the epitope of Herceptin, we were able to inhibit this binding. We demonstrated also that by a three amino acid substitution (PPF?SSS) we were able to abrogate Herceptin binding while generating a highly conserved HER-2 extracellular domain (ECD). By producing a stable cell line that expresses this mutated ...
ATR-X (alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation, X-linked) syndrome is a human congenital disorder that causes severe intellectual disabilities. Mutations in the ATRX gene, which encodes an ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeler, are responsible for the syndrome. Approximately 50% of the missense mutations in affected persons are clustered in a cysteine-rich domain termed ADD (ATRX-DNMT3-DNMT3L, ADD{sub ATRX}), whose function has remained elusive. Here we identify ADD{sub ATRX} as a previously unknown histone H3-binding module, whose binding is promoted by lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) but inhibited by lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3). The cocrystal structure of ADD{sub ATRX} bound to H3{sub 1-15}K9me3 peptide reveals an atypical composite H3K9me3-binding pocket, which is distinct from the conventional trimethyllysine-binding aromatic cage. Notably, H3K9me3-pocket mutants and ATR-X syndrome mutants are defective in both H3K9me3 ...
Since it was introduced in the early 1940's, mutation breeding has been tested on many crops as modern plant breeding. Until now, more than seven hundred varieties have been developed by means of induced mutation, and many of them officially released and approved for registration. Hundreds of papers report the results of mutation breeding, and the characteristics of induced mutation in different kinds of crops were discussed for review purposes (Blixt and Gottschalk 1975, Gottschalk and Wolff 1983). Considering the results already obtained, it can be concluded that the kinds of induced mutation and their utilization vary from crop to crop. This paper summarizes and discusses the mutation characteristics and kinds on the induced mutants of leguminous plants that have been released.
The effectiveness of the acridines ethidium bromide (EB) and acriflavine in inducing plasmon mutations was compared with the alkylating agents ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) and diethyl sulphate and to #gamma#-rays. The growth habit (trailing versus bunch) of peanuts (A. hypogaea), controlled by genic-cytoplasmic interactions, was utilized. Breeding tests distinguishing nuclear from plasmon mutations were developed and are described in detail. Plasmon mutations were induced, but there were differences in mutation yields between the cultivars and the mutagens. (Auth.).
Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the human thyroid receptor beta gene on chromosome 3. Individuals with RTH have an increased incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to search for developmental brain malformations associated with RTH. Forty-three subjects (20 affected males [AM], 23 affected females [AF]) with resistance to thyroid hormone and 32 unaffected first degree relatives (18 unaffected males [UM], 14 unaffected females [UF]) underwent MRI brain scans with a volumetric acquisition that provided 90 contiguous 2 mm thick sagittal images. Films of six contiguous images beginning at a standard sagittal position lateral to the insula were analyzed by an investigator who was blind with respect to subject characteristics. The presence of extra or missing gyri in the parietal bank of the Sylvian fissure (multimodal association cortex) ...
The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has two major functions: interacting with the receptor to mediate virus entry and inducing protective immunity. Coincidently, the receptor-binding domain (RBD, residues 318-510) of SAR-CoV S protein is a major antigenic site to induce neutralizing antibodies. Here, we used RBD-Fc, a fusion protein containing the RBD and human IgG1 Fc, as a model in the studies and found that a single amino acid substitution in the RBD (R441A) could abolish the immunogenicity of RBD to induce neutralizing antibodies in immunized mice and rabbits. With a panel of anti-RBD mAbs as probes, we observed that R441A substitution was able to disrupt the majority of neutralizing epitopes in the RBD, suggesting that this residue is critical for the antigenic structure responsible for inducing protective immune responses. We also demonstrated that the RBD-Fc bearing R441A mutation could not ...
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent cutaneous neoplasm, with a generally favorable clinical behavior. Sometimes, indeed, it recurs after therapy and/or metastasizes. As point mutations in the coding sequence of the p53 tumor suppressor gene have been implicated in the progression of many human tumors, we studied the expression of p53 protein on this neoplasia. We tested immunohistochemically the positivity for p53 protein (NCL-p53-CM1, YLEM) on 19 cases of morphologically "non aggressive" BCC (BCC1) and on 19 "aggressive" BCC (BCC2), all with one or more relapses and 3 with distant metastases also. Results were related to clinico-pathological and follow-up data. All but one BCC2 were found positive for p53 protein. Conversely, only 2 cases of BCC1 exhibited low immunoreactivity for p53 protein, with high statistical differences between the two groups. No correlation was found between the immunoreactivity, age of patients, and site ...
Understanding risks from exposures to carcinogens and other chemicals depends upon measurement of their dose to target tissues and their reactivity with critical macromolecules. The authors have used AMS detection of radio-isotopes to assess doses and reactivities at low, environmentally relevant doses. Several biomedical investigations show the effectiveness of quantification of biologically important events at extremely high sensitivity with AMS. Specifically, they have measured the addition of environmental carcinogens such as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoaxaline (MelQx), a chemical found in cooked food, to DNA at concentrations relevant to human exposure. Other low level detection problems in biology, such as immunoassay assessment of small environmental chemicals, is being developed with attomole sensitivity. AMS also aids the assessment of genotoxic risks from chemicals by quantifying the binding of labeled chemicals to DNA. The very toxic and ...
Chemical analyses were done on the abnormal hemoglobins of the five (101 x SEC)F_1 offspring of X- irradiated adult SEC mice to determine which hemoglobin genes were expressed in each hemoglobin variant. Three offspring of irradiated SEC males did not express either of the two kinds of #alpha#-chains normally found in all SEC mice. The deficient #alpha#-chain synthesis caused these mice to exhibit an #alpha#-thalassemia similar to human #alpha#-thalassemia. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show that many erythrocytes of mice with #alpha#-thalassemia have bizarre shapes; e.g. many erythrocytes appeared flattened or had thorny projections (acanthocytes). One mutant with a tandem duplication of a segment of chromosome 7 (site of locus determining #beta#-chain structure) produced twice as much SEC as 101 #beta#-chain polypeptides. One mutant that probably arose by non-disjunction of chromosome 7's in its unirradiated 101 mother and loss of chromosome 7 from the ...
The authors have previously identified a small-cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H209) that expresses an aberrant, underphosphorylated form of the retinoblastoma protein RB1. Molecular analysis of RB1 mRNA from this cell line revealed a single point mutation within exon 21 that resulted in a nonconservative amino acid substitution (cysteine to phenylalanine) at codon 706. Stable expression of this mutant RB1 cDNA in a human cell line lacking endogenous RB1 demonstrated that this amino acid change was sufficient to inhibit phosphorylation. In addition, this cysteine-to-phenylalanine substitution also resulted in loss of RB1 binding to the simian virus 40 large tumor and adenovirus E1A transforming proteins. These results confirm the importance of exon 21 coding sequences and suggest that the cysteine residue at codon 706 may play a role in achieving a specific protein conformation essential for protein-protein interactions.
In X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) the urine of male patients is not concentrated after the administration of the antidiuretic hormone arginine-vasopressin. This disease is due to mutations...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase domain mutations hyperactivate the kinase and confer kinase addiction of the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor...Full Text Available
PurposeTo report unusual ocular manifestations of branchio-oculo-facial syndrome (BOFS) caused by a novel mutation in activating enhancer binding protein 2 alpha (TFAP2A).MethodsFull...Full Text Available
A plasmid carrying the bacteriophage lambda lysis genes under lac control was subjected to hydroxylamine mutagenesis, and mutations eliminating the host lethality of the S gene were selected. DNA sequence...Full Text Available
PurposeTo investigate whether acquired somatic mutations in the iron response element of the ferritin L-chain gene account for the age-related cataract.MethodsThe...Full Text Available
PurposeRetinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by progressive loss of vision. The aim of this study was to identify the causative mutations...Full Text Available
Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) protein initiates Ig gene mutation by deaminating cytosines, converting them into uracils. Excision of AID-induced uracils by uracil-N-glycosylase...Full Text Available
Recent preclinical and clinical data suggest that TP53 status and TP53 mutations may be important in determining tumour aggressiveness and therapy response. In this study we investigate the feasibility...Full Text Available
Carney-Stratakis syndrome, an inherited condition predisposing affected individuals to gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and paraganglioma, is caused by germline mutations in succinate dehydrogenase...Full Text Available
Fast and efficient high-throughput techniques are essential for the molecular diagnosis of highly heterogeneous hereditary diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We had previously approached RP...Full Text Available
PurposeTo analyze the contributions of cytochrome P4501B1 (CYP1B1) mutations to primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in Spanish patients.MethodsWe...Full Text Available
We describe the isolation and genetic characterization of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced mutations in the phage P22 mnt repressor gene cloned in plasmid pBR322. Mutations in the mnt repressor gene or its operator on this plasmid, pPY98, confer a tetracycline resistance phenotype, whereas the wild-type plasmid confers tetracycline sensitivity. Cells carrying pPY98 were briefly exposed to MNNG to give 20 to 40% survival and a 50- to 100-fold increase in tetracycline-resistant cells. DNA sequence analysis showed that 29 to 30 MNNG-induced mutations were GC-to-AT transitions and one was an AT-to-GC transition. About 80% of the mutations are in three hotspots. This mutation spectrum is consistent with the proposed mechanism of mutagenic action of MNNG, which involves mispairing of an alkylated base, O/sup 6/-methylguanine. The mnt gene may be a useful target ...
BackgroundSLC19A3 (solute carrier family 19, member 3) is a thiamin transporter with 12 transmembrane domains. Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in SLC19A3 cause...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe commonest pathogenic DMD changes are intragenic deletions/duplications which make up to 78% of all cases and point mutations (roughly 20%) detectable...Full Text Available
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration is a progressive neurodegenerative syndrome that is the second most common cause of early-onset dementia. Mutations in the progranulin gene are a major cause of familial...Full Text Available
During sexual development, Neurospora crassa inactivates genes in duplicated DNA segments by a hypermutation process, repeat-induced point mutation (RIP). RIP introduces C:G to T:A...Full Text Available
Purpose/Objective: The role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) as a cellular response to cancer therapy such as radiation or chemotherapy is the subject of much study, and manipulation of the apoptotic response in tumor cells may be valuable in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Both p53 dependent and independent apoptotic pathways have been identified; p53 is mutated in at least 50 % of human cancers and a majority of radiation resistant tumors contain p53 mutations. This study is designed to examine the induction of programmed cell death in a human colon carcinoma cell line that possesses two mutated p53 alleles. Ionizing radiation alone, or in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), were used to elicit the apoptotic response. This study will focus on whether these treatments can induce a significant apoptotic response in cells that have ...
BackgroundGene mutation is an important mechanism of myeloid leukemogenesis. However, the number and combination of gene mutated in myeloid malignancies is still a matter of investigation.MethodsWe...Full Text Available
In view of the findings that several Kunitz-type protein inhibitors suppress tumor invasion and metastasis, the aim of the present study is to explore whether Bungarus multicinctus protease inhibitor-like protein-2 (PILP-2) and PILP-3 exhibit anti-tumor activity. Although approximately 28% of amino acid substitutions occurred between PILP-2 and PILP-3, molecular modeling suggested that PILP-2 and PILP-3 shared similar folded structures. Unlike PILP-2, PILP-3 showed a notable activity in abolishing migration and invasion of human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The ability of PILP-3 to inhibit matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) activity was higher than that of PILP-2. Pull-down assay revealed protein-protein interaction between PILP-3 and MMP-2. In contrast to mutation on N-terminal region, replacement of amino acids at C-terminus attenuated notably the ability of PILP-3 to inhibit cell invasion, cell migration and MMP-2 activity as well as the ...
Because every cell within the body has the same genetic information, a significant problem in biology is to understand how cells within a tissue express genes selectively. A sophisticated network of physical and biochemical signals converge in a highly orchestrated manner to bring about the exquisite regulation that governs gene expression in diverse tissues. Thus, the ultimate decision of a cell to proliferate, express tissue-specific genes, or apoptose must be a coordinated response to its adhesive, growth factor, and hormonal milieu. The unifying hypothesis examined in this overview is that the unit of function in higher organisms is neither the genome nor the cell alone but the complex, three-dimensional tissue. This is because there are bidirectional connections between the components of the cellular microenvironment (growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix) and the nucl2048 These connections are made via membrane-bound receptors and transmitted to the nucleus, where ...
Heterochromatin constitutes a significant portion of the genome in higher eukaryotes; approximately 30% in Drosophila and human. Heterochromatin contains a high repeat DNA content and a low density of protein-encoding genes. In contrast, euchromatin is composed mostly of unique sequences and contains the majority of single-copy genes. Genetic and cytological studies demonstrated that heterochromatin exhibits regulatory roles in chromosome organization, centromere function and telomere protection. As an epigenetically regulated structure, heterochromatin formation is not defined by any DNA sequence consensus. Heterochromatin is characterized by its association with nucleosomes containing methylated-lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me), heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) that binds H3K9me, and Su(var)3-9, which methylates H3K9 and binds HP1. Heterochromatin formation and functions are influenced by HP1, Su(var)3-9, and the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. My thesis project ...
Mutations in the FGD1 gene have been shown to cause Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS), or facio-digito-genital dysplasia (OMIM#305400), an X-linked disorder characterized by distinctive genital and skeletal developmental abnormalities with a broad spectrum of clinical phenotypes. To date, 20 distinct mutations have been reported, but little phenotypic data are available on patients with molecularly confirmed AAS. In the present study, we report on our experience of screening for mutations in the FGD1 gene in a cohort of 60 European patients with a clinically suspected diagnosis of AAS. We identified nine novel mutations in 11 patients (detection rate of 18.33%), including three missense mutations (p.R402Q; p.S558W; p.K748E), four truncating mutations (p.Y530X; p.R656X; c.806delC; c.1620delC), one in-frame deletion (c.2020_2022delGAG) and the first reported splice ...
The penetrance of Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (Pin vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed to indicate any putatively pathogenic mutation that cosegregated with G11778A in these two pedigrees. Our results suggest that the variable penetrance of LHON in the two Chinese families is independent of both their mtDNA haplotype background and a seconda...
Active Activator (Ac) elements undergo mutations to become nonautonomous Dissociation (Ds) elements at a low frequency. To understand...Full Text Available
Hypophosphatasia is a congenital disease characterized by deficiency of serum and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase activity. The disease occurs due to mutations in the liver/bone/kidney alkaline...Full Text Available
We describe the analysis of forward mutations induced in the tetracycline resistance gene of the plasmid pBR322 by directing the reaction of the carcinogen N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-AcO-AAF) to a small restriction fragment (BamHI, SalI) that is located in the proximal part of the antibiotic-resistance gene. Mutant plasmids obtained both in wild type and excision repair deficient (uvrA) bacterial cells are compared. Preliminary data showing the distribution of the -AAF adducts along this restriction fragments are discussed in relation to the observed spectrum of mutations. 20 references, 4 figures.
Many mutations associated with retinal degeneration lead to the production of misfolded proteins by cells of the retina. Emerging evidence suggests that these abnormal proteins cause cell death...Full Text Available
... The AAT Z mutation involves a single amino acid substitution (glutamine for lysine) at position 342, resulting in abnormal folding and polymerization of the ...
Objective:? Primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is characterised by autonomous secretion of PTH from enlarged parathyroid glands leading, in most patients, to asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by inactivating mutations in the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) gene; it is characterised by lifelong and usually asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Establishing the correct diagnosis is important because surgery can be curative in HPT, but ineffective in FHH. There is overlap in the diagnostic criteria for the two disorders and some patients carrying inactivating mutations in the CaSR gene, which is suggestive of FHH, also have HPT with hyperplastic parathyroid glands or adenomas. Design and Patients:? CaSR gene mutations were analyzed and clinical and biochemical parameters evaluated in 139 consecutive out-patients presenting with hypercalcaemia and suspected ...
The Lesch-Nyhan (LN) syndrome is a severe X chromosome-linked disease that results from a deficiency of the purine salvage enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). The mutations leading to the disease are heterogeneous and frequently arise as de novo events. The authors have identified nucleotide alterations in 15 independently arising HPRT-deficiency cases by direct DNA sequencing of in vitro amplified HPRT cDNA. They also demonstrate that the direct DNA sequence analysis can be automated, further simplifying the detection of new mutations at this locus. The mutations include DNA base substitutions, small DNA deletions, a single DNA base insertion, and errors in RNA splicing. The application of these procedures allows DNA diagnosis and carrier identification by the direct detection of the mutant alleles within individual families affected by LN.
BackgroundMutations that disrupt the conversion of prelamin A to mature lamin A cause the rare genetic disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome and a group of laminopathies....Full Text Available
Mutation of the gene drop-dead (drd) causes adult Drosophila to die within 2 weeks of eclosion and is associated with reduced rates of defecation...Full Text Available
Several scientists have proposed that DNA repair deficiencies and the induction of a mutator phenotype are responsible for the generation of multiple mutagenic alterations in cancer cells. I propose...Full Text Available
What genes are related to AEC syndrome? AEC syndrome is caused by mutations in the TP63 gene. This gene provides instructions for making a protein known as p63, which plays an...
Hereditary hyperferritinemia cataract syndrome (HHCS) is a rare condition caused by mutations in the gene coding for the light chain of ferritin; it does not lead to iron overload, but it is associated...Full Text Available
Gas-insulated systems employing SF/sub 6/ are utilized in a variety of applications in power delivery systems. Because electric arcs, sparks or corona can decompose SF/sub 6/ into byproducts having chemical properties different from SF/sub 6/, environmental concerns arise regarding inadvertent human exposures to electrically-decomposed SF/sub 6/. Biological assays in our laboratory using mammalian cell culture systems have revealed that spark-decomposed SF/sub 6/ produces cell death, and the extent of cell killing increases with increasing spark energy. Chemical analysis of spark-decomposed SF/sub 6/ has identified the major decomposition pathways and byproducts, but biological testing of individual or byproduct mixtures has indicated that these major decomposition products do not contribute, in a significant fashion, to the cell lethality seen in our assays. Further experiments have suggested that S/sub 2/F/sub 10/ may be produced under our decomposition ...
Propionibacterium freudenreichii ET-3 culture, a cell-free product of whey fermentation using P. freudenreichii ET-3 (7025), has been shown to promote the growth of Bifidobacteria through the action of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA), and therefore, has potential use in the food and supplement industries. Although currently used as a food ingredient in Japan, the safety of this novel ingredient has not been previously evaluated through traditional toxicity testing. Therefore, here we report the results of standard toxicological testing performed on P. freudenreichii ET-3 culture. In a 4-week oral toxicity study, administration of 6000mg/kg body weight/day P. freudenreichii ET-3 culture was without compound-related adverse effects on clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, ophthalmology, hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, organ weights, and gross and microscopic findings in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Furthermore, in vitro mutagenicity testing ...
The objective of this research is to determine the role of DNA repair in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in mammalian cells. Use of the host-cell reactivation viral suicide enrichment procedure was initiated in the isolation of repair-deficient mutants. Lightly mutagenized BHK cells were infected with irradiated Herpes simplex virus (HSV); several radiation-sensitive strains were isolated among the survivors of the infection. The characterization of these strains is progressing and the enrichments are continuing. That alterations in the frequency of mutation of C3H/10T 1/2 cells, occurring as a result of holding the cells in a confluent state following treatment with ethylmethane sulfonate, parallel the alterations in the frequency of neoplastic transformation was found. The repair capabilities of BHK cells were found to be intermediate in comparison to repair-proficient and -deficient human cells with regard to the reactivation of HSV treated ...
Neuronal transcription factors play vital roles in the specification and development of neurons, including dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Mutations in the gene encoding the purine biosynthetic enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cause the resulting intractable and largely untreatable neurological impairment of Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND). The disorder is associated with a defect in basal ganglia DA pathways. The mechanisms connecting the purine metabolic defect and the central nervous system (CNS) phenotype are poorly understood but have been presumed to reflect a developmental defect of DA neurons. We have examined the effect of HPRT deficiency on the differentiation of neurons in the well-established human (NT2) embryonic carcinoma neurogenesis model. We have used a retrovirus expressing a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) to knock down HPRT gene expression and have examined the expression of a number of transcription factors ...
There is a lot of interest in the studies that would help to understand whether there is a casual association between cancer and various types of molecular or cytogenetic damage detected in human cells. One major oncogenesis process is activation of proto-oncogenes by point mutations or chromosomal translocation. There are substantial evidence that indicates that the loss of heterozygosity of certain chromosomes is involved in human cancerogenesis. Our study aimed to elicit the possible association between cancer and DNA and cytogenetic abnormalities induced in lymphocytes of people bearing various categories of skin cancer cells. Fresh blood was collected by venipuncture from 25 individuals (including nine prior to cancer treatment). All patients were nonsmoking males, however 42.3 % of them were former smokers. Blood samples were divided into two parts and in the first part of samples cytogenetic studies were performed ...
Previously it was shown that the host-range gene of the Bratislava strain of avain sarcoma virus (B77 virus) spontaneously mutates with a very high rate. The wild-type B77 virus called B77 virus-II,...Full Text Available
The Wnt signaling pathway is a robust regulator of skeletal homeostasis. Gain-of-function mutations promote high bone mass, whereas loss of Lrp5 or Lrp6 co-receptors decrease bone mass. Similarly, mutations...Full Text Available
Laron syndrome (LS) is an autosomal recessively inherited condition characterized by insensitivity to endogenous and exogenous GH. Affected individuals have severe episodes and other characteristic features. GH receptor gene mutations are present in all affected individuals in whom molecular studies have been reported. The GH receptor is a plasma membrane-spanning protein in which the extracellular domain binds circulating GH and the intracellular domain interacts with the JAK-2 kinase and possibly other intracellular signaling molecules. GH receptor dimerization occurs on GH binding and is thought to be required for normal signal transduction. We have studied the GH receptor genes of four unrelated individuals affected with LS from the United States, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India. We have identified four different missense mutations that alter consecutive amino acids 152 to 155 in or near the dimerization domain of the GH receptor. One of ...
AbstractThe gag p6 region of HIV-1 has various nonsubstitutionary mutations, including insertions, duplications, deletions, and premature stop codons. Studies have linked gag p6 mutations...Full Text Available
The sterile insect release technique can often be improved by removal of females before release. Rearing efficiencies can also be increased if removal of the females occurs at early developmental stages. In order to begin to develop genetic sexing strains for the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), it was necessary to determine the best dosage of radiation for induction of viable sex linked recessive lethal mutations and to see if stocks containing induced sex linked lethals could be maintained in culture. Sex linked recessive lethal mutations can be detected by distorted sex ratios in the progeny of treated adults. However, in the pink bollworm, highly distorted sex ratios are common even in the absence of induced mutations. Therefore, a visible sex linked trait, purple eye, was used as a marker for the untreated X-chromosomes in crosses. Thus, the presence of a recessive sex linked lethal ...
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal degenerations caused by mutations in at least 45 genes. Using homozygosity mapping, we identified a ∼4 Mb homozygous region...Full Text Available
Nucleotide sequence analysis of a genomic clone from an Ashkenazic Jewish patient with type 1 Gaucher disease revealed a single-base mutation (adenosine to guanosine transition) in exon 9 of the glucocerebrosidase gene. This change results in the amino acid substitution of serine for asparagine. Transient expression studies following oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of the normal cDNA confirmed that the mutation results in loss of glucocerebrosidase activity. Allele-specific hybridization with oligonucleotide probes demonstrated that this mutation was found exclusively in type 1 phenotype. None of the 6 type 2 patients, 11 type 3 patients, or 12 normal controls had this allele. In contrast, 15 of 24 type 1 patients had one allele with this mutation, and 3 others were homozygous for the mutation. Furthermore, some of the Ashkenazic Jewish type 1 patients had only one allele with ...
Spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced changeabilities of wine yeasts from the killer state to sensitive one have been studied. Observed often spontaneous changes of killer and neutral phenotypes under laboratory store conditions as well as high mutation frequency of genetic elements responsible for the killer indication on ultraviolet irradiation testify that often encounterability in nature and in the production of sensitive yeasts is attributed to high frequency of mutation changes of the killer and neutral phenotypes to the sensitive state.
We investigated the distribution and expression of mutant mtDNAs carrying the A-to-G mutation at position 8344 in the tRNA(Lys) gene in the skeletal muscle of four patients with myoclonus epilepsy and...Full Text Available
PurposeTo describe clinical data and to characterize mutations in the transforming growth factor beta-induced (TGFBI) gene in patients from three unrelated Chilean...Full Text Available
Loss-of-function mutations in the regulatory gene areA of Aspergillus nidulans prevent the utilization of a wide variety of nitrogen sources. The phenotypes of nit-2 mutants of Neurospora crassa suggest...Full Text Available
Nicotiana glutinosa compensated for a mutated tumor-morphology-shooty (tms) (auxin biosynthesis) locus of Agrobacterlum tumefaciens strain A66 and...Full Text Available
The penetrance of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (P < 0.02), respectively. Analysis of the complete mtDNA genome of the two families revealed the presence of the primary mutation G11778A and several other variants suggesting the same haplogroup status G2a. The family with higher penetrance contained a previously described secondary mutation G13708A, which presents a polymorphism in normal Chinese samples and does not affect in vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed ...
The penetrance of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (P < 0.02), respectively. Analysis of the complete mtDNA genome of the two families revealed the presence of the primary mutation G11778A and several other variants suggesting the same haplogroup status G2a. The family with higher penetrance contained a previously described secondary mutation G13708A, which presents a polymorphism in normal Chinese samples and does not affect in vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed to indicate ...
...false Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research Presidential Documents ...2009 Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research Memorandum for the Heads...scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human...
In Europe, the use of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies is restricted to Kirsten RAS (KRAS) wild-type colorectal tumors. Information on the KRAS status of the patients tumor is thus key for clinical practice; however, there is little guidance or definition on which KRAS mutations to assess and how to assess them. To ensure the consistency and the quality of KRAS test results in Europe, an interlaboratory control network needs to be set up. This pilot study aimed to identify the variables that need to be assessed in a quality control scheme and to provide a first assessment in a selected set of laboratories. Fourteen different tumor cases were circulated between 13 laboratories by a central laboratory acting as the referent for the mutation status determination. This study illustrated that of...
We have developed a cell-mediated mutagenesis assay in which cells with the appropriate markers for mutagenesis are co-cultivated with either lethally irradiated rodent embryonic cells that can metabolize carcinogenic hydrocarbons or with primary rat liver cells that can metabolize chemicals carcinogenic to the liver. During co-cultivation, the reactive metabolites of the procarcinogen appear to be transmitted to the mutable cells and induce mutations in them. Assays of this type make it possible to demonstrate a relationship between carcinogenic potency of the chemicals and their ability to induce mutations in mammalian cells. In addition, by simultaneously comparing the frequencies of transformation and mutation induced in normal diploid hamster cells by benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and one of its metabolites, it is possible to estimate the genetic target size for cell transformation in vitro.
Abstract in english Functional properties of soy proteins for food are closely related to the composition of their storage protein subunits. Using base excision sequence scanning (BESS), we show that the absence of the A4 peptide in the G4 glycinin subunit of the soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivar Enrei was caused by the same point mutation in the Gy4 gene as previously reported in the soybean cultivar Raiden. Although the genetic relationship between Raiden and Enrei is not known, the same p (more) oint mutation in their Gy4 genes may indicate that they probably share a related origin. The application of BESS to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as co-dominant markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) of a recessive null allele is also discussed.
Abstract A miniaturized spatial temperature gradient CE system with automated sample introduction for DNA mutation detection was established. Continuous electrokinetic sample injection was achieved by combining an automated slotted vial array sample introduction device to the spatial temperature gradient CE system. The temperature gradient was produced by a radiative heating system with a single graphite block heater, and the stability of the temperature gradient was investigated. The temperature variation of each measure point was 0.12 0.21% RSD (n=7) within 6 h. A 14 cm Teflon AF coated silica capillary was used both as the separation channel and as the liquid core waveguide tube of fluorescence signal. Under a temperature gradient from 54.8 to 59.5 C, a low range control mutation standa...
Aim: Several studies have investigated the expression of the cytokeratins (CKs), vimentin, the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), the oestrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone...Full Text Available
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a heterogeneous disease that is caused by defective complement regulation in over 50% of cases. Mutations have been identified in genes encoding both complement...Full Text Available
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a neurogenetic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in either the TSC1 or TSC2 genes and frequently results in...Full Text Available
BackgroundTransposons, i.e. transposable elements (TEs), are the major internal spontaneous mutation agents for the variability of eukaryotic genomes. To address the general issue...Full Text Available
BackgroundDuring the last ten years, major advances have been made in characterizing and understanding the evolution of mitochondrial DNA, the most popular marker of molecular biodiversity....Full Text Available
The p53 tumour suppressor plays a pivotal role in the prevention of oncogenic transformation. Cancers frequently evade the potent antitumour surveillance mechanisms of p53 through mutation of the TP53...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-specific monoclonal antibodies predominantly inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) growth by interfering with receptor signaling. Recent analyses have shown that patients...Full Text Available
We consider a general, neutral, dynamical model of biodiversity. Individuals have i.i.d. lifetime durations, which are not necessarily exponentially distributed, and each individual gives birth independently at constant rate \\lambda. We assume that types are clonally inherited. We consider two classes of speciation models in this setting. In the immigration model, new individuals of an entirely new species singly enter the population at constant rate \\mu (e.g., from the mainland into the island). In the mutation model, each individual independently experiences point mutations in its germ line, at constant rate \\theta. We are interested in the species abundance distribution, i.e., in the numbers, denoted I_n(k) in the immigration model and A_n(k) in the mutation model, of species represented by k individuals, k=1,2,...,n, when there are n individuals in the total population. In the immigration model, we prove that the ...
SUMMARYThe biologic and clinical significance of KIT overexpression that associates with KIT gain-of- function mutations occurring in subsets...Full Text Available
PurposeIt has been demonstrated that mutations in deafness, autosomal recessive 31 (DFNB31), the gene encoding whirlin, is responsible for nonsyndromic hearing loss...Full Text Available
A DNA sequence encoding the A chain of ricin toxin (RTA) from the castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, was placed under GAL1 promoter control and transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Induction...Full Text Available
A positive, genetic selection against the activity of the nitrogen regulatory (NTR) system was used to isolate insertion mutations affecting nitrogen regulation in Klebsiella aerogenes. Two classes...Full Text Available
In experiments designed to detect new mutations affecting hemoglobin, we irradiated the male or female parent in reciprocal crosses of two mouse strains that differ in alleles at the hemoglobin (Hba, Hbb) loci as well as at five other specific loci. Offspring were analyzed for hemoglobin properties (electrophoretic pattern, solubility, crystal pattern), serum albumin differences, erythrocyte lysis, reticulocyte count, and external appearance. Five hemoglobin variants were found among the mutants. In three, the genetic contribution from the irradiated father was not expressed with regard to the #alpha#-chain; one carried a tandem duplication (the first known case in the mouse) involving Hbb; and one probably resulted from double nondisjunction of chromosome 7. The finding that major chromosome aberratios can mimic hemoglobin mutations indicates the need, in similar experiments, to follow F_1 screening with thorough cytogenetic analysis. The ...
Some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have mutations in the lipid phosphatase, Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog on chromosome 10). Tissue...Full Text Available
With the advent of subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicons, studies of the intracellular steps of the viral replication cycle became possible. These RNAs are capable of self-amplification in cultured...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of heritable diseases that manifest as blistering and erosions of the skin and mucous membranes. In the dystrophic forms of EB (DEB), the diagnostic...Full Text Available
Mutation assay with Salmonella typhimurium enabled us to detect various types of mutagens in cooked foods. A series of mutagenic heterocyclic amines has been isolated and identified in broiled fish...Full Text Available
The majority of diseases in the retina are caused by genetic mutations affecting the development and function of photoreceptor cells. The transcriptional networks directing these processes are regulated...Full Text Available
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are thought to derive from the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) or an ICC precursor. Oncogenic mutations of the KIT or PDGFRA receptor tyrosine kinases are present...Full Text Available
BackgroundMutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial...Full Text Available
We performed genome-wide homozygosity mapping in a large consanguineous family from Morocco and mapped the autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) in this family to the DFNB79...Full Text Available
BackgroundAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a common late-onset neurodegenerative disease, is associated with fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) in 3–10% of patients....Full Text Available
In our quest for novel genes required for the development of the embryonic peripheral nervous system (PNS), we have performed three genetic screens using MAb 22C10 as a marker of terminally differentiated...Full Text Available
The genomic viral RNA (vRNA) segments of influenza A virus contain specific packaging signals at their termini that overlap the coding regions. To further characterize cis-acting signals...Full Text Available
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal dystrophies characterised ultimately by the loss of photoreceptor cells. We have recently identified a new gene (EYS) encoding...Full Text Available
BackgroundMitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and the accumulation of somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been associated with certain neurodegenerative disorders....Full Text Available
BackgroundNeuropeptide Y is a key neurotransmitter of the central nervous system which plays a vital role in the feed energy homeostasis in mammals. Mutations in the regulatory and...Full Text Available
Dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement activation, caused by mutations or polymorphisms in the genes encoding factor H, membrane co-factor protein, factor I or factor B, is associated...Full Text Available
A method has been developed to predict the effects of mutations in the p53 cancer suppressor gene. The new method uses novel parameters combined with previously established parameters. The most important...Full Text Available
The lysosomal catabolism of sulfatide requires arylsulfatase A and a specific sphingolipid activator protein, SAP-1. While most patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy have mutations in the gene...Full Text Available
One selection pressure shaping sequence evolution is the requirement that a protein fold with sufficient stability to perform its biological functions. We present...Full Text Available
A mutation in a new gene, molR, prevented the synthesis in Escherichia coli of molybdoenzymes, including the two formate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, nitrate reductase and trimethylamine-N-oxide reductase....Full Text Available
Background and AimsSulfonylurea (SU) herbicides are used extensively in cereal–livestock farming zones as effective and cheap herbicides with useful levels of residual activity....Full Text Available
BackgroundAnimals carrying genetic mutations have provided powerful insights into the role of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in motility. One classic model is...Full Text Available
The content of guanine+cytosine varies markedly along the chromosomes of homeotherms and great effort has been devoted to studying this heterogeneity and its biological implications. Already...Full Text Available
BackgroundA strong association between stress resistance and longevity in multicellular organisms has been established as many mutations that extend lifespan also show increased...Full Text Available
There are many methods for introducing random mutations into nucleic acid sequences. Previously, we described a suite of programmes for estimating the completeness and diversity of randomized DNA libraries...Full Text Available
BackgroundRecessive mutations in guanylate cyclase-1 (Gucy2d) are associated with severe, early onset Leber congenital amaurosis-1(LCA1). Gucy2d...Full Text Available
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is involved in skeletal development of the vertebrate. Gain-of-function mutations of FGF receptors (FGFR) cause craniosynostosis, premature fusion of the skull,...Full Text Available
The incidence of melanoma is increasing more than any other cancer, and knowledge of its genetic alterations is limited. To systematically analyze such alterations, we performed whole-exome...Full Text Available
Glioblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor, is among the most lethal and difficult cancers to treat. Although epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are frequent in glioblastoma,...Full Text Available
While pleiotropic adaptive mutations are thought to be central for evolution, little is known on the downstream molecular effects allowing adaptation to complex ecologically relevant environments. Here...Full Text Available
A number of aberrant morphological phenotypes were noted during propagation of the Arabidopsis thaliana DNA hypomethylation mutant, ddm1, by repeated self-pollination. Onset of a spectrum of morphological...Full Text Available
Congenital woolly hair is a disorder with structural defects of the hair shafts. Curled hairs are noticed at birth or soon after birth and often improve with age. Some cases of woolly hairs are associated...Full Text Available
N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis has led to the elucidation of several regulator genes for melanocyte and skin development. Here we characterized a mutant from ENU mutagenesis with similar phenotype as that of Splotch mutant, including exencephaly, spina bifida and abnormal limbs in homozygotes as well as white belly spotting and occasionally loop-tail in heterozygotes. This novel mutant was named as Sp(xG). Through genome-wide linkage analysis in backcross progenies with microsatellite markers, the Sp(xG) was confined to a region between D1MIT415 and D1MIT7 on chromosome 1, where notable Pax3 gene was located. Direct sequencing revealed that Sp(xG) carried a nucleotide A894G missense transition in exon 6 of Pax3 gene that resulted in Asn to Asp substitution at amino acid 269 within the highly-conserved homeodomain (HD) DNA recognition module, which was the first point mutation found in this domain in mice. This N269D mutation impaired ...
Oculo-skeletal dysplasia segregates in two canine breeds, the Labrador retriever and samoyed, in which the causative loci have been termed drd1 and drd2, respectively....Full Text Available
Familial defective apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 is a genetic disease that leads to hypercholesterolemia and to an increased serum concentration of low density lipoproteins that bind defectively to the...Full Text Available
BackgroundMutations of the amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) are found in familial forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and some lead to the elevated production...Full Text Available
PurposeTo report the clinical, ophthalmic, and genetic characteristics for lattice corneal dystrophy type I (LCDI) in a Chilean family.MethodsSix...Full Text Available
Most colorectal cancers have mutations in the tumor suppressor APC. The best-understood function of APC is its participation in a protein complex that regulates the availability of β-catenin....Full Text Available
BackgroundHistone post-translational modifications are critical for gene expression and cell viability. A broad spectrum of histone lysine residues have been identified in yeast...Full Text Available
Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide live or work in close proximity to steel mills. Integrated steel production generates chemical pollution containing compounds that can induce genetic damage...Full Text Available
The tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is mutated in the majority of colorectal cancers and is best known for its role as a scaffold in a Wnt-regulated protein complex that determines...Full Text Available
PurposeTo detail the highly variable ocular phenotypes of a French family affected with an autosomal dominantly inherited vitreoretinopathy and to identify the disease gene.MethodsSixteen...Full Text Available
Lethal yellow (A{sup y}) is a mutation at the mouse agouti locus in chromosome 2 that causes a number of dominant pleiotropic effects, including a completely yellow coat color, obesity, an insulin-resistant type II diabetic condition, and an increased propensity to develop a variety of spontaneous and induced tumors. Additionally, homozygosity for A{sup y} results in preimplantation lethality, which terminates development by the blastocyst stage. The A{sup y} mutation is the result of a 170-kb deletion that removes all but the promoter and noncoding first exon of another gene called Raly, which lies in the same transcriptional orientation as agouti and maps 280 kb proximal to the 3{prime} end of the agouti gene. The authors present a model for the structure of the A{sub y} allele that can explain the dominant pleiotropic effects associated with this mutation, as well as the recessive lethality, which is unrelated to the ...
Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and the cellular responses induced by it are essential for controlling mycobacterial infections. Most patients bearing an IFN-γ receptor ligand-binding chain...Full Text Available
Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease, which shows diverse clinical symptoms such as photosensitivity, severe mental retardation and developmental defects. CS cells are hypersensitive to killing by ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation and defective in transcription-coupled repair. Two genetic complementation groups in CS (CS-A and CS-B) have been identified. We analyzed mutations of the CSA gene in 5 CS-A patients and identified 3 types of mutations. Four unrelated CS-A patients (CS2OS, CS2AW, Nps2 and CS2SE) had a deletion including exon 4, suggesting that there is a founder effect on the CSA mutation in Japanese CS-A patients. Patient CS2SE was a compound heterozygote for this deletion and an amino acid substitution at the 106th glutamine to proline (Q106P) in the WD-40 repeat motif of the CSA protein, which resulted in a defective nucleotide excision repair. Patient Mps1 had a large deletion in the ...
Familial Angelman syndrome (AS) can result from mutations in chromosome 15q11q13 that, when transmitted from father to child, result in no phenotypic abnormality but, when transmitted from mother to child, cause AS. These mutations therefore behave neither as dominant nor as recessive mutations but, rather, show an imprinted mode of inheritance. The authors have analyzed two sibling pairs with AS and a larger family with four AS offspring of three sisters with several recently described microsatellite polymorphisms in the AS region. AS siblings inherited the same maternal alleles at the GABRB3 and GABRA5 loci, and the unaffected siblings of AS individuals inherited the other maternal alleles at these loci. In one of the AS sibling pairs, analysis of a recombination event indicates that the mutation responsible for AS is distal to locus D15S63. This result is consistent with a previously described ...
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are a significant component of a wider family of retroelements that constitute part of the human genome. These viruses, perhaps representative of previous exogenous...Full Text Available
Zoonoses are infections that are spread from animals to humans. Most often, humans are “dead-end” hosts, meaning that there is no subsequent human-to-human transmission. If one considers...Full Text Available
An antiserum was raised in a rabbit against highly purified human liver dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.7). Dihydropteridine reductase from human liver, in human cultured fibroblasts and in continuous...Full Text Available
BackgroundToday, there is a trend towards establishing the medical humanities as a component of medical education. However, medical humanities programs that exist within the context...Full Text Available
The research work carried out on mutation breeding in Egypt during the 1980s is summarized. Several mutations have been developed in bread wheat, maize, rice and barley. A higher yield, tolerance to salinity, shorter types and earliness were obtained after use of different mutagens and growth regulators. Great attention has been paid to the fababean and chickpea, particularly in improving their quality and quantity of protein, and their resistance to insect weevils such as Callosobruchus sp. Tolerance or resistance to broom rape has also been reported. Various grain legumes such as lentil, pea, cowpea, bean, fenugreek and lupin received some attention. Mutation work on fibre crops such as cotton, kenaf and flax has led to some promising results. Zero type, glandless and early maturing mutants were obtained in cotton, and early flowering, high yielding (fibre or oil) mutants in flax. Some attention has been given to oil ...
The detection of rare mutations has many important applications, including risk assessment of drugs and chemicals, measuring environmental exposures to genotoxins, and cancer cell detection. A sensitive genotypic selection method has been developed that combines two different mutant allele selection techniques, MutEx enrichment and allele-specific competitive blocker PCR (ACB-PCR). This method was developed and evaluated for the detection of a CAA --> AAA mutation at codon 61 of the mouse H-ras gene. The MutEx enrichment is based on MutS binding to a mismatched basepair in heteroduplex DNA. The bound MutS protects the mutant allele from degradation during subsequent exonuclease treatment. ACB-PCR preferentially amplifies a mutant allele in a PCR reaction using a primer that has more mismatches to the wild-type allele than the mutant allele. By combining these two approaches, the codon 61 mutation was detected at mutant ...
A mutation to tetracycline sensitivity in a resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae was shown by several criteria to be due to a point mutation in the conjugative o(cat-tet) element found in the chromosomes of strains derived from BM6001, a clinical strain resistant to tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Strains carrying the mutation were transformed back to tetracycline resistance with the high efficiency of a point marker by donor deoxyribonucleic acids from its ancestral strain and from nine other clinical isolates of pneumococcus and by deoxyribonucleic acids from Group D Streptococcus faecalis and Group B Streptococcus agalactiae strains that also carry conjugative tet elements in their chromosomes. It was not transformed to resistance by tet plasmid deoxyribonucleic acids from either gram-negative or gram-positive species, except for one that carried transposon TN916, the conjugative tet element present in the ...
Abstract Background & aims: Hepatitis B or C virus infection is considered to be the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a carcinogen associated with HCC in regions with high exposure. Mutations in codon 249, exon 7 are a hallmark of AFB1 exposure. Therefore, to clarify the role of AFB1 in hepatocarcinogenesis, we examined AFB1-DNA in liver tissue and sequenced TP53 in Japanese patients with HCC. Methods: Hepatocyte AFB1-DNA adducts were determined immunohistochemically and direct sequencing of TP53 was done to determine mutations in 188 of 279 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC. We assessed hepatitis C virus antibodies (HCV Ab) and HBSAg expression; patients without either were defined as having non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (...
Purpose: Patients with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) show greatly increased radiation sensitivity and cancer predisposition. Family studies imply that the otherwise clinically silent heterozygotes of this autosomal recessive disease run a 3.5 to 3.8 higher risk of developing cancer. In vitro studies suggest moderately increased cellular radiation sensitivity of A-T carriers. They may also show elevated clinical radiosensitivity. We retrospectively examined patients who presented with severe adverse reactions during or after standard radiation treatment for mutations in the gene responsible for A-T, ATM, considering a potential means of future identification of radiosensitive individuals prospectively to adjust dosage schedules. Material and Methods: We selected 20 cancer patients (breast, 11; rectum, 2; ENT, 2; bladder, 1; prostate, 1; anus, 1; astrocytoma, 1; Hodgkins lymphoma, 1) with Grade 3 to 4 (RTOG) acute and/or late tissue radiation side effects by reaction ...
IntroductionBreast cancer is the most diagnosed and second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. female population. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are inherited, caused by mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2). As many as 90% of all mutations are nonsense mutations, causing a truncated polypeptide product. A popular and low cost method of mutation detection has been the protein truncation test (PTT), where target regions of BRCA1/2 are PCR amplified, transcribed/translated in a cell-free protein synthesis system and analyzed for truncated polypeptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. We previously reported a novel High Throughput Solid-Phase PTT (HTS-PTT) based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format that eliminates the need for radioactivity, SDS-PAGE and subjective interpretation ...
Larsen syndrome is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by multiple joint dislocations, vertebral anomalies and dysmorphic facies. Both autosomal-dominant and autosomal-recessive forms of the disorder have been proposed. Individuals with autosomal-dominant Larsen syndrome have characteristic ''cylindrical-shape'' thumbs caused by broad, shortened phalanges. Autosomal-dominant Larsen syndrome results from heterozygosity for mutations in filamin B, a cytoskeletal protein involved in multicellular processes. We report here a patient with a duplicated or accessory distal thumb phalanx and multiple large joint dislocations who was shown to be heterozygous for a filamin B mutation predicting the amino acid substitution G1691S. This adds a new radiographic finding, duplicated or accessory distal phalanx, to the radiographic abnormalities seen in this rare dominant disorder. (orig.)
We describe the cloning and characterization of a mutated thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq) that exhibits an increased reverse transcriptase activity and is therefore designated for one-step PCR pathogen detection using established real-time detection methods. We demonstrate that this Taq polymerase mutant (Taq M1) has similar PCR sensitivity and nuclease activity as the respective Taq wild-type DNA polymerase. In addition, and in marked contrast to the wild-type, Taq M1 exhibits a significantly increased reverse transcriptase activity especially at high temperatures (>60degreeC). RNA generally hosts highly stable secondary structure motifs, such as hairpins and G-quadruplexes, which complicate, or in the worst case obviate, reverse transcription (RT). Thus, RT at hi...
Each of the three cysteine residues in the Escherichia coli RecA protein was replaced with a number of other amino acids. To do this, each cysteine codon was first converted to a chain-terminating amber codon by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. These amber mutants were then either assayed for function in different suppressor strains or reverted by a second round of mutagenesis with oligonucleotides that had random sequences at the amber codon. Thirty-three different amino acid substitutions were obtained. Mutants were tested for three functions of RecA: survival following UV irradiation, homologous recombination, and induction of the SOS response. It was found that although none of the cysteines is essential for activity, mutations at each of these positions can affect one or more of the activities of RecA, depending on the particular amino acid substitution. In addition, the cysteine at position 116 appears to be involved in the RecA-promoted cleavage of the ...
Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), the most frequent mitochondrial disorder, is mostly due to three mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in respiratory chain complex I subunit genes: 3460/ND1, 11778/ND4 and 14484/ND6. Despite considerable clinical evidences, a genetic modifying role of the mtDNA haplogroup background in the clinical expression of LHON remains experimentally unproven. We investigated the effect of mtDNA haplogroups on the assembly of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes in transmitochondrial hybrids (cybrids) harboring the three common LHON mutations. The steady-state levels of respiratory chain complexes appeared normal in mutant cybrids. However, an accumulation of low molecular weight subcomplexes suggested a complex I assembly/stability defect, which was ...
Soybean is one of the most economical and nutritious food packed with basic nutrients that combat diseases stemming from mal- and under-nutrition. Despite its rich nutritional profile, use of soybean in food has been limited because soybean proteins are often associated with compounds, which could exert a negative impact on the nutritional quality of the protein. Trypsin inhibitor (TI) is one of the important anti-nutritional factors that exert negative effect by causing growth inhibition. Soybean cultivar VLS-2 was irradiated with 250 Gy gamma rays in a gamma cell (200) with 60Co source installed at BARC to induce mutations for low trypsin inhibitor content. Three mutants with lower levels of TI content were identified and can be utilized for developing elite varieties of soybean. (author)
Abstract Hereditary primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) may develop as a solitary endocrinopathy (FIHP) or as part of multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1, multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 2A, or hereditary HPT-jaw tumor syndrome. Inactivating germline mutations of the tumor suppressor gene CDC73 account for 14 and 50% of all FIHP and HPT-JT patients, respectively, and have also been found in almost 20% of apparently sporadic parathyroid carcinoma patients. Although more than 60 independent germline mutations have been described, to date no rearrangement affecting the CDC73 locus has been identified. By means of multiplex-PCR we found a large germline deletion affecting the whole gene in a two-generation HPT-JT family. Subsequently array-CGH and specific PCR analysis determined that the muta...
Background The purpose of this study was (a) to evaluate the association between cigarette smoking and the prevalence of distal colorectal polyps and adenocarcinoma and (b) to analyse genetic alterations representing different molecular pathways of the colorectal carcinogenesis. Methods A total of 623 asymptomatic male (mean age: 53 years; 50?65) car factory workers were included. Information on smoking habits and other lifestyle factors were collected followed by a 60 cm colonoscopy. APC and KRAS mutations and microsatellite status were determined in colorectal lesions (colorectal carcinoma (CRC), hyperplastic (HP) and adenomatous polyps (AP)). Data were analysed using unconditional multiple logistic regression models. Results Smokers had a higher prevalence of AP (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.2?3.6;...
Human antibodies targeting prostate cancer cell surface epitopes may be useful for imaging and therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tumor targeting of an internalizing human...Full Text Available
IgA from normal human serum, a myeloma IgA and human colostral IgA were found to inhibit the IgG-dependent phagocytosis of Candida albicans (CA) blastospores by polymorphonuclear leucocytes...Full Text Available
Reliable characterization of locomotor dynamics of human walking is vital to understanding the neuromuscular control of human locomotion and disease diagnosis. However, the inherent oscillation and...Full Text Available
Our goal was to determine whether chlorpyrifos oxon, dichlorvos, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), and sarin covalently bind to human albumin. Human albumin or plasma was treated with organophosphorus...Full Text Available
Although humans vary in their response to chemicals, comprehensive measures of susceptibility have generally not been incorporated into human risk assessment. The U.S. EPA dose-response-based risk assessments...Full Text Available
This study addresses the mechanism of transport of the H2-receptor antagonist, cimetidine, by the human placenta. A 4-h recycling perfusion of a single placental cotyledon of normal, term, human placenta...Full Text Available
With the advent of dense maps of human genetic variation, it is now possible to detect positive natural selection across the human genome. Here we report an analysis of over 3 million polymorphisms...Full Text Available
Rodent models have been extensively utilized to identify putative human immunotoxicants; however, even when immunotoxicity is established, uncertainty remains whether the effects are predictive of human...Full Text Available
The drug-binding properties of human alpha-foetoprotein (alpha FP) were investigated by a fluorescence-spectral method. Human alpha FP was shown to bind to albumin's site I marker (warfarin, phenylbutazone),...Full Text Available
Inherited genetic variation has a critical but as yet largely uncharacterized role in human disease. Here we report a public database of common variation in the human genome: more than one million...Full Text Available
Targeted genome capture combined with next-generation sequencing was used to analyze 2.9 Mb of the DFNB79 interval on chromosome 9q34.3, which includes 108 candidate genes. Genomic...Full Text Available
The rates of synthesis of a class of both secreted and intracellular degradative enzymes in Bacillus subtilis are controlled by a signal transduction pathway defined by at least four regulatory genes:...Full Text Available
While a great deal of evidence has directly implicated the importance of O6-alkylation of guanine in the mutagenicity of alkylating agents, evidence demonstrating the oncogenic potential of this lesion...Full Text Available
BackgroundSelection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by host immunity has been suggested to give rise to variants with amino acid substitutions at or around the 'a' determinant...Full Text Available
This overview of research conducted at ORNL in 1991 presents information on the subjects of biology, physics, and the environment. Specific topics include gene mutations in kidney disease, technology assessments in thermonuclear fusion, submarine hunting technology, ozone-safe refrigerants, optical data storage via surface enhanced raman spectroscopy, and waste mitigating microbes. (GHH)
This overview of research conducted at ORNL in 1991 presents information on the subjects of biology, physics, and the environment. Specific topics include gene mutations in kidney disease, technology assessments in thermonuclear fusion, submarine hunting technology, ozone-safe refrigerants, optical data storage via surface enhanced raman spectroscopy, and waste mitigating microbes. (GHH)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2C (CMT2C) is an autosomal dominant neuropathy characterized by limb, diaphragm, and laryngeal muscle weakness. Two unrelated families with CMT2C showed significant...Full Text Available
During protein synthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) and release factors 1 and 2 (RF1 and RF2) have to bind at the catalytic center of the ribosome on the 50S subunit where they take part in peptide bond...Full Text Available
The positive control function of the bacterial enhancer-binding protein NtrC resides in its central domain, which is highly conserved among activators of ς54 holoenzyme. Previous...Full Text Available
In Streptococcus pneumoniae, CpsB, CpsC, and CpsD are essential for encapsulation, and mutants containing deletions of cpsB, cpsC, or cpsD...Full Text Available
The complete nucleotide sequence of the cap3A gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is directly responsible for the transformation of some unencapsulated, serotype 3 mutants to the encapsulated phenotype,...Full Text Available
DescriptionThis project is part of the BBSRCs special initiative on plant and microbial metabolomics. The project will primarily focus on the trichothecene mycotoxin producing Ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum (Fg) which causes ear blight disease of small grain cereals. The project aims to explore the metabolome of various wild-type and single gene deletion Fg strains and to compare some of these with the identical gene mutation in the budding yeast, S. cerevisiae (Sc) and the saprophytic filamentous [continued...
Epidemiological studies will not solve the shape of the dose effect curve for stochastic effects in the low dose range. Unicellular processes are necessary for the primary processes so that no threshold dose exists. This is evident for somatic and genetic mutations. Not clearly solved is this question for the complex carcinogenesis. These processes develop with manifold interacting molecular and cellular steps. (orig.).
Spontaneous mutation has been discovered and utilized in domestication of narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). As the result of the domestication, lupin has become a dominant grain legume crop in Western Australia. Facing the new challenge of developing herbicide tolerance cultivars, chemical mutagenesis has been used to create new tolerance to herbicide. This paper reports the characterization of two lupin mutants (Tanjil-AZ-33 and Tanjil-AZ-55) that are highly tolerant to metribuzin herbicide. A dose response study over 8 doses revealed that Tanjil-AZ-33 was 6 times more tolerant to metribuzin than the original parental cultivar Tanjil by measure of LD50. This mutant Tanjil-AZ-33 is the most tolerant germplasm in narrow-leafed lupin. Both mutants also maintain the high resistance to the disease anthracnose as cv Tanjil. Seed yield based on small field plots (3.6 m"2) under irrigation was 4.2 t/ha for Tanjil-AZ-33 and 1.9 t/ha for Tanjil when the ...
Mutagenesis of Lupinus mutabilis was started at the UNA LM (Peru) to obtain mutants with low alkaloid content and early germination. Varieties SCG 25 and Lib 020 were irradiated with gamma radiation. The optimum dose for the SCG 25 variety was 15 Krad and for Lib 020 15 to 20 Krad. The relation between the plant height and radiation dose fits the quadratic polynomial model.
Mutation breeding in one of the cultigens TMV-5 in Sesamum is undertaken with 5 kr, 10 kr, 15 kr, 20 kr, 60 kr and 80 kr, dosages of gamma-rays. 60 kr and 80 kr dosages were found to be lethal from the complete failure of seed germination. The mutagen had a heterotic effect on the different characters and the promising variants obtained in this programme are proposed to be maintained by pureline breeding for their possible release as new varieties. (author).
The periodic mode is analyzed together with two conventional boundary handling modes for particle swarm. By providing an infinite space that comprises periodic copies of original search space, it avoids possible disorganizing of particle swarm that is induced by the undesired mutations at the boundary. The results on benchmark functions show that particle swarm with periodic mode is capable of improving the search performance significantly, by compared with that of conventional modes and other algorithms.
The possible genetic (dominant lethal mutations (DLM) and cytogenetic changes in the regenerating liver) and somatic (hematopoietic stem cell changes, growth and nonspecific life time shortening) effects in mice maintained on tritiated water (HTO) over two generations was investigated. Results to date are summarized. (ACR)
Oxidized DNA bases, particularly 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), are endogenously generated in cells, being a cause of carcinogenic mutations and possibly interfering with gene expression. We found...Full Text Available
APP is a transmembrane precursor of beta-amyloid. In dominantly inherited familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), point mutations V6421, V642F and V642G have been discovered in APP695. Here we show that...Full Text Available
Mutations in full-length HBV isolates obtained from a chronic HBV-infected patient were evaluated at three time points: 1 day, 6 months, and 31 months. While 5 nucleotides variation, and an 18 bp...Full Text Available
Tow experiments were carried out in 1981 and 1982 growth seasons at the greenhouse of the department of agriculture for soils and water researches, atomic energy authority, at inshas, to investigate the responses of two mutation derived lines of sesame and the local cultivar giza 25 to the application of micro nutrients. The possible effect of radiation on germination and growth of sesame seed was also studied in a separate experiment conducted in 1985 season, at inshas.
X-linked sideroblastic anemia with ataxia (XLSA/A) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by mild anemia and ataxia. XLSA/A is caused by mutations in the ABCB7 gene, which encodes...Full Text Available
Genome sequences are essential tools for comparative and mutational analyses. Here we present the short read sequence of mouse chromosome 17 from the Mus musculus domesticus derived...Full Text Available
Mutagenic, reproductive, and toxicity effects of two closely related chemicals, ethylnitrosourea (ENU) and methylnitrosourea (MNU), were compared at equimolar and near-equimolar doses in the...Full Text Available
BackgroundATRX is a tightly-regulated multifunctional protein with crucial roles in mammalian development. Mutations in the ATRX gene cause ATR-X syndrome, an X-linked...Full Text Available
The incidence of adrenal involvement in MEN1 syndrome has been reported between 9 and 45%, while the incidence of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in MEN1 patients has been reported between 2.6 and 6%....Full Text Available
... Accession Number : AD0749455. Title : Uptake and Retention of Adenine Moiety by Stored Human Red Blood Cells. Descriptive Note : Interim rept.,. ...
Collection, analysis and quantification of human factor data are important compositions of human reliability analysis (HRA) and probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). Various human factor databases have been set up, but there are comparatively little human factor data management systems which can be uses for collection, classification, analysis, calculation and predication of the human factor data. Therefore, the human factor data management system for Daya Bay NPP is developed, with the following three modules and four databases: original data module, computing module, introduced data module, and basic database, other data source of the plant, external database and introduced database. The foundational problems about human factor data and the systemic structure and function are described. The data structure in the database is also discussed, ...
BackgroundBrucellosis is a zoonosis of veterinary, public health and economic significance in most developing countries. Human brucellosis is a severely debilitating disease that...Full Text Available
In this paper, an attempt is made to outline the priority areas for research in human nutrition in India that could be tackled by appropriate application of stable isotope technology. 10 refs.
... less humans have to do to operate a robot. ... Robots can help human operators with the increase ... important mission outlined by the UUV master plan. ...
The general methods used to complete measurements of human exposures are identified and illustrations are provided for the cases of indirect and direct methods used for exposure analysis. The application...Full Text Available
Tumour hypoxia represents a significant challenge to the curability of human tumours leading to treatment resistance and enhanced tumour progression. Tumour hypoxia can be detected by non-invasive and...Full Text Available
Our global impact is finally receiving the scientific attention it deserves. The outcome will largely determine the future course of evolution. Human-modified ecosystems are shaped by our activities...Full Text Available
This is a presentation on Human Factors in reactor operations. It discusses issues that deal with power plant operations, training and design, operational effectiveness and safety, supporting people to achieve effective and error free performance.
BackgroundPerfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are found globally in wildlife and humans and are suspected to act as endocrine disruptors. There are no previous reports of PFAA levels in...Full Text Available
The stable introduction of therapeutic transgenes into human cells can be accomplished using viral and nonviral approaches. Transduction with clinical-grade recombinant viruses offers the potential...Full Text Available
The authors describe the development of a four-dimensional atlas and reference system that includes both macroscopic and microscopic information on structure and function of the human brain in persons...Full Text Available
Human errors have been reported as one of the most significant causes of major events in nuclear power plants (NPPs). For example, Kim and Park found that about 23% of the major events that occurred at NPPs in Republic of Korea from 1986 to 2006 were caused by human errors. For this reason, a detailed analysis on human errors is an important task for increasing the safety of NPPs. Kim and Choi?2 analyzed 100 human-related unplanned reactor trip events in the Republic of Korea from 1986 to 2006 to consider the type of human errors based on the simple path model for human-induced unplanned reactor trips developed by Kim and Park. In this paper, we will investigate and perform a detailed analysis of the data to identify human-related unplanned reactor trip trends
A comparison of the results of machine and human information retrieval using MEDLARS and the printed Index Medicus indicates that at present neither method is entirely satisfactory...Full Text Available
We have developed a playmate robot system for playing the rock-paper-scissors game with humans. The playmate robot recognizes the hand motions of a human using image processing without attaching any additional units to the human. The playmate robot system consists of three parts: a game management part, a hand motion recognition part, and a robot hand control part. The system functions as follows. (1) Before the game is played, the game management part decides on the motion of the robot hand from amongst rock, paper, and scissors. After the game is played, the robot develops a reaction using speech and facial expressions depending on the result of the game. (2) The hand motion recognition part recognizes the hand motion of the human. It does not use any additional units on the human?s body...
Two overlapping cDNA clones encoding human DNA topoisomerase II were identified by two independent methods. In one, a human cDNA library in phage {lambda} was screened by hybridization with a mixed oligonucleotide probe encoding a stretch of seven amino acids found in yeast and Drosophila DNA topoisomerase II; in the other, a different human cDNA library in a {lambda}gt11 expression vector was screened for the expression of antigenic determinants that are recognized by rabbit antibodies specific to human DNA topoisomerase II. The entire coding sequences of the human DNA topoisomerase II gene were determined from these and several additional clones, identified through the use of the cloned human TOP2 gene sequences as probes. Hybridization between the cloned sequences and mRNA and genomic DNA indicates that the human enzyme is encoded by a ...
A primary goal of noninvasive studies of human vision is to identify and characterize multiple visual areas in the human brain analogous to those identified in studies of nonhuman primates. By combining functional MEG measurements with images of individual anatomy derived from MRI, the authors hope to determine the location and arrangement of multiple visual areas in human cortex and to probe their functional significance. The authors have identified several different visual areas thus far which appear to be topographically organized. This paper focuses on the retinotopic characterization of the primary visual area (V1) in humans.
Coutinho MF, Encarnao M, Gomes R, da Silva Santos L, Martins S, Sirois-Gagnon D, Bargal R, Filocamo M, Raas-Rothschild A, Tappino B, Laprise C, Cury GK, Schwartz IV, Artigals O, Prata MJ, Alves S. Origin and spread of a common deletion causing mucolipidosis type II: insights from patterns of haplotypic diversity. Mucolipidosis II (ML II alpha/beta), or I-cell disease, is a rare genetic disease in which activity of the uridine diphosphate (UDP)-N-acetylglucosamine:lysosomal enzyme N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase (GlcNAc-phosphotransferase) is absent. GlcNAc-phosphotransferase is a multimeric enzyme encoded by two genes, GNPTAB and GNPTG. A spectrum of mutations in GNPTAB has been recently reported to cause ML II alpha/beta. Most of these mutations were found to be private or rare. ...
Dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} solar cells are currently under development. Since these cells contain an electrolyte solution we reviewed the health and safety aspects in view of indoor applications, where personal contact cannot be excluded. Only small amounts of chemicals are present in each cell and so there is no danger of acute toxicity. However, long-term effects often can be caused by incidental contact with minute amounts. For this reason we have tested cis-di(thiocyanato)-bis(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)Ru(II), the sensitizer dye in the Ames test. The dye was not mutagenic in the Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay and in the Escherichia coli reverse mutation assay.
The production of cellulolytic enzymes from fungi has been extensively studied. Several mutants of Trichoderma reesei were selected. Most of the studies were carried out on T. reesei, T. viride, T. harzianum, Penicillium funiculosum, Altemaria alternata. Aspergillus phoenicis, A. ustus, A. tamarii, A. japonicus, and A. niger. T. koningii is one of the most active producers of the so-called C, factor, which is indispensable for the rapid and extensive attack on crystal-line cellulose. However, Trichodenna is known to excrete only small amounts of {beta}-glucosidase. Therefore, Trichoderma is supplemented with {beta}-glucosidase from Aspergillus to increase the saccharification rate of cellulose to glucose as the main sugar. Induction of mutations in Trichodenna spp. rather than T. viride as a tool for the enhancement of {beta}-glucosidase activity was reported. Unfortunately, T. reesei is a poor producer of {beta}-glucosidase. On the other hand, T. harzianum M{sub ...
Protocols were standardized for in vitro propagation of several elite and diverse banana accessions using shoot tip explants. Tissue culture raised plants were field planted at multiple locations. Studies were undertaken for the induction of mutations using multiple shoot cultures of six selected cultivars, Shreemanti (AAA), Basrai (AAA), Lal Kela (AAA), Rasthali (AAB), Karibale Monthan (ABB) and a wild diploid (BB). These shoot cultures were irradiated at different doses of gamma rays (0-100 Gy) and subcultured thrice (up to M_1V_3) to separate shimeras, followed by induction of rooting (M_1V_4). In general, the rate of multiplication had a negative association with the dose of gamma rays. Enhanced multiplication of shoots was noticed at lower doses. The proliferation of shoots was arrested beyond 50 Gy and a dose of 70 Gy was completely lethal for all the genotypes studied. The rooted plantlets were hardened in the green house and in the early stages of field ...
Based on studies on the genetic and molecular basis of Shigella flexneri invasive properties, we have constructed and evaluated a double mutant of S. flexneri serotype 5 for utilization as a live attenuated oral vaccine against shigellosis. The first mutation, icsA, blocks intracellular spread of bacteria as well as cell-to-cell infection. It affects the capacity of the invasive pathogen to form large abscesses in epithelia. The second mutation, iuc, eliminates production of the siderophore aerobactin thus impairing growth of the bacterium within tissues. This double mutant, SC5700 appeared safe when administered intragastrically to macaque monkeys as three doses (5 x 10(10) c.f.u. each) at weekly intervals. Protection against a challenge by the wild type isolate (M90T) was observed 4 weeks after the last vaccine inoculation. Duration of carriage was considerably reduced as compared to the control group in which all animals had developed severe ...
The heterokaryotic and vegetative diploid phases of Magnaporthe grisea, a fungal pathogen of grasses, have been characterized. Hyphal tip cells and conidia (vegetative spores) taken from these heterokaryons are auxotrophs with phenotypes identical to one or the other of the parents. M. grisea heterokaryons have completely septate hyphae with a single nucleus per cell. Heterokaryons have been utilized for complementation and dominance testing of mutations that affect nutritional characteristics of the fungus. Heterokaryons growing on minimal medium spontaneously give rise to fast-growing sectors that have the genetic properties expected of unstable heterozygous diploids. In fast-growing sectors, most hyphal tip cells are unstable prototrophs. The conidia collected from fast-growing sectors include stable and unstable prototrophs, as well as auxotrophs that exhibit a wide range of phenotypes, including many recombinant classes. Genetic linkage in meiosis has been ...
Efflux of dopamine through the dopamine transporter (DAT) is critical for the psychostimulatory properties of amphetamines, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we show that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) plays a key role in this efflux. CaMKIIalpha bound to the distal C terminus of DAT and colocalized with DAT in dopaminergic neurons. CaMKIIalpha stimulated dopamine efflux via DAT in response to amphetamine in heterologous cells and in dopaminergic neurons. CaMKIIalpha phosphorylated serines in the distal N terminus of DAT in vitro, and mutation of these serines eliminated the stimulatory effects of CaMKIIalpha. A mutation of the DAT C terminus impairing CaMKIIalpha binding also impaired amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux. An in vivo role for CaMKII was supported by chronoamperometry measurements showing reduced amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux in response to the CaMKII inhibitor KN93. Our data suggest that ...
The sodium- and potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Na+,K(+)-ATPase) maintains the transmembrane Na+ gradient to which is coupled all active cellular transport systems. The R and S alleles of the gene encoding the Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha 1 subunit isoform were identified in Dahl salt-resistant (DR) and Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats, respectively. Characterization of the S allele-specific Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha 1 complementary DNA identified a leucine substitution of glutamine at position 276. This mutation alters the hydropathy profile of a region in proximity to T3(Na), the trypsin-sensitive site that is only detected in the presence of Na+. This mutation causes a decrease in the rubidium-86 influx of S allele-specific sodium pumps, thus marking a domain in the Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha subunit important for K+ transport, and supporting the hypothesis of a putative role of these pumps in hypertension.
This paper describes the activities for improving the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) quality in the human reliability analysis (HRA) of the pre-accident human errors for the Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP). We evaluate the HRA results of the PSA for the KSNP and identify the items to be improved using the ASME PRA Standard. Evaluation results show that the ratio of items to be improved for pre-accident human errors is relatively high when compared with the ratio of those for post-accident human errors. They also show that more than 50% of the items to be improved for pre-accident human errors are related to the identification and screening analysis for them. In this paper, we develop the modeling guidelines for pre-accident human errors and apply them to the auxiliary feedwater system of the KSNP. Application results show that more than 50% of ...
This paper describes the activities for improving the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) quality in the human reliability analysis (HRA) of the pre-accident human errors for the Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP). We evaluate the HRA results of the PSA for the KSNP and identify the items to be improved using the ASME PRA Standard. Evaluation results show that the ratio of items to be improved for pre-accident human errors is relatively high when compared with the ratio of those for post-accident human errors. They also show that more than 50% of the items to be improved for pre-accident human errors are related to the identification and screening analysis for them. In this paper, we develop the modeling guidelines for pre-accident human errors and apply them to the auxiliary feedwater system of the KSNP. Application results show that more than 50% of ...
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, using the ANS low power and shutdown (LPSD) probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) Standard, evaluated the LPSD PSA model of the KSNP, Yonggwang Units 5 and 6, and identified the items to be improved. The evaluation results of human reliability analysis (HRA) of the post-accident human errors in the LPSD PSA model for the KSNP showed that 10 items among 19 items of supporting requirements for those in the ANS PRA Standard were identified as them to be improved. Thus, we newly carried out a HRA for post-accident human errors in the LPSD PSA model for the KSNP. Following tasks are the improvements in the HRA of post-accident human errors of the LPSD PSA model for the KSNP compared with the previous one: Interviews with operators in the interpretation of the procedure, modeling of operator actions, and the quantification results of human errors, ...
Abstract Neurodegenerative and neurometabolic disorders may cause significant morbidity and mortality in children. Imaging is important in early diagnosis of metabolic disorders and in determining the extent of brain injury. Especially after the development of new techniques such as diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), neuroimaging plays more important role in the diagnosis and management of these disorders. In these disorders, usually a mutation causes a clinically significant block in one or more metabolic pathways. This blockage usually results in either a deficiency of the product or in an accumulation of substrate with damage induced by either storage or toxicity. The presenting symptoms are usually nonspecific. In some of the ...
A study is made of plant sensitivity to mutagens during the processing of seeds. An examination is made of problems concerned with modification mutability, the nature of plant restoration following irradiation. Particular attention is given to mutation changes. A presentation is made of several features of mutant changes initially selected by separate indicators. An examination is made of the possible study of mutant indicator genetics. General data on the forms and varieties produced by the mutagenesis method are given. The book is designed for breeding specialists and geneticists engaged in the study of mutagenesis. 439 references, 27 figures, 66 table.
There are many methods for introducing random mutations into nucleic acid sequences. Previously, we described a suite of programmes for estimating the completeness and diversity of randomized DNA libraries generated by a number of these protocols. Our programmes suggested some empirical guidelines for library design; however, no information was provided regarding library diversity at the protein (rather than DNA) level. We have now updated our web server, enabling analysis of translated libraries constructed by site-saturation mutagenesis and error-prone PCR (epPCR). We introduce GLUE-Including Translation (GLUE-IT), which finds the expected amino acid completeness of libraries in which up to six codons have been independently varied (according to any user-specified randomization scheme). We provide two tools for assisting with experimental design: CodonCalculator, for assessing amino acids corresponding to given randomized codons; and AA-Calculator, for finding ...
A single amino acid substitution (Asp #-># Asn) at position 138 of E. coli EF-Tu was induced in the tufA gene by an M13 phage oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis protocol. The mutated tufA gene was then subcloned in a plasmid vector and expressed in maxicells. The properties of ["3"5S]methionine labelled mutant and wild type EF-Tu's were compared by in vitro assays. Mutant and wild-type EF-Tu's bound EF-Ts with approximately equal affinities. The 138-Asn mutation greatly reduced the protein's affinity for GDP; however, this mutation dramatically increased the proteins affinity for XDP. The mutant protein forms a stable complex with phe-tRNA and XTP, which binds to ribosomes; whereas, it does not form a complex with phe-tRNA and GTP. These results suggest that in EF-Tu x NDP complexes amino acid residue 138 must interact with the substituent on C-2 of the purine ring. Thus in wild-type EF-Tu Asp-138 would H-bond to ...
The Humane metropolis is a rubric to summarize and promote environmental and social quality in contemporary urban mosaics. Because cities, suburbs, and exurbs, as spatially extensive and connected socio-ecological systems, exhibit many negative features, the humane metropolis identifies a strategy to combat the ills and instill more positive and sustainable features and processes in urban systems. Because the humane metropolis as a program has arisen primarily from social motivations, there is the opportunity to articulate more explicitly the role that science can play in addressing the humane metropolis program and evaluating its success. A humane metropolis can be summarized as one that 1) protects and restores ecological services in cities and suburbs, 2) promotes physical and mental he...
Executive Order 12333, {open_quotes}United States Intelligence Activities,{close_quotes} (1) designates the Department`s intelligence element as a member of the Intelligence Community, and (2) states that no agency within the Intelligence community shall sponsor, contract for or conduct research on human subjects except in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Federal policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, which was based on Department of Health and Human Services regulations, was promulgated in Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 745 by the Department of Energy. The purpose of this inspection was to review the internal control procedures used by the Office of Nonproliferation and National Security to manage selected intelligence and intelligence-related projects that involve human subject research.
The ultimate goal of this research is to generate and apply novel technologies to speed completion and integration of the human genome map and sequence with biomedical problems. To do this, techniques were developed and genome-wide resources generated. This includes a genome-wide Mapped and Integrated BAC/PAC Resource that has been used for gene finding, map completion and anchoring, breakpoint definition and sequencing. In the last period of the grant, the Human Mapped BAC/PAC Resource was also applied to determine regions of human variation and to develop a novel paradigm of primate evolution through to humans. Further, in order to more rapidly evaluate animal models of human disease, a BAC Map of the mouse was generated in collaboration with the MTI Genome Center, Dr. Bruce Birren.
Although thee are descriptions of a range of radioimmunoassays for human prolactin in various biological fluids, only one of these is an homologous assay using human prolactin as the reference standard and tracer as well and an anti-human prolactin antiserum (Sinha, Y.N., Selby, F.W.; Lewis, U.; and Vanderlaan, W.P., 1973, J. Clin. Endocr., Vol. 36, 509). A homologous radioimmunoassay using human putuitary prolactin has been developed. The separation method is based on the double antibody solid phase system. Cross reactivity with human growth hormone (GH), placental lactogen (HPL), the pituitary protein hormones and prolactins of various species were studied as were values found in normal subjects in basal conditions and after a TRH injection. (author).
We report a whole-genome shotgun assembly (called WGSA) of the human genome generated at Celera in 2001. The Celera-generated shotgun data set consisted of 27 million sequencing reads organized in pairs...Full Text Available
The penetration by moxifloxacin of human neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMN]) and tissue-cultured epithelial cells (McCoy cells) was evaluated by a fluorometric assay. At...Full Text Available
We have previously shown that unloaded shortening velocity (V0) of human plantar flexors can be determined in vivo, by applying the “slack test”...Full Text Available
BackgroundIsoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice has been used in a number of studies to model human cardiac disease. In this study, we compared the transcriptional response...Full Text Available
The GABA-modulating and GABA-mimetic activities of the monoterpenoid thymol were explored on human GABAA and Drosophila melanogaster...Full Text Available
Recent reports confirm that, due to the presence of long-lived, latently infected cell populations, eradication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from infected patients by using antiretroviral...Full Text Available
Most of the general population is exposed to carbaryl and other contemporary-use insecticides at low levels. Studies of laboratory animals, in addition to limited human data, show an association between...Full Text Available
BackgroundXenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-related (XMRV) virus is a recently identified mouse gammaretrovirus that has the ability to infect certain human cells. In this study,...Full Text Available
VACUTAINER PPT plasma preparation tubes were evaluated to determine the effects of various handling and shipping conditions on plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load determinations. Plasmas...Full Text Available
Current views of the parietal cortex have difficulty accommodating the human inferior parietal lobe (IPL) within a simple dorsal versus ventral stream dichotomy. In humans, lesions of the right IPL...Full Text Available
The most publicly justifiable application of human cloning, if there is one at all, is to provide self-compatible cells or tissues for medical use, especially transplantation. Some have argued that...Full Text Available
The processes regulating telomere function have major impacts on fundamental issues in human cancer biology. First, active telomere maintenance is almost always required for full oncogenic transformation...Full Text Available
BackgroundGenomes store information for building and maintaining organisms. Complete sequencing of many genomes provides the opportunity to study and compare global information properties...Full Text Available
Promoters are important regulatory elements that contain the necessary sequence features for cells to initiate transcription. To functionally characterize a large set of human promoters, we measured...Full Text Available
Journal of Human Genetics. 82: 873-882. 3134. Schulz, I., Schneider, P. M., Olek, K, Rothschild, M. A., and Tsokos, M. (2006) Examination of Postmortem Animal Interference to Human...
Assessment of ethical aspects and authorization by ethics committees have become a major constraint for health research including human subjects. Ethical reference values often are extrapolated from...Full Text Available
Copy number variants (CNVs) are an important component of genomic variation in humans and other mammals. Similar de novo deletions and duplications, or copy number changes (CNCs), are now known to be...Full Text Available
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration has been shown to occur frequently in human hepatocellular carcinomas. We have investigated whether common cellular DNA domains might be rearranged, possibly...Full Text Available
The aspirin esterase activity of human plasma is due to butyrylcholinesterase and albumin. Our goal was to identify the amino acid residues involved in the aspirin esterase activity of albumin....Full Text Available
A single radial hemolysis test was developed for quantitation of specific antibody to non-hemagglutinating viruses. With the human coronaviruses as models, this test utilizes the binding properties...Full Text Available
AIM: To isolate and identify the biological characteristics of human colon cancer stem cells (SW1116 cells) and further study their proteome.METHODS: SW1116 cells were isolated and cultured with...Full Text Available
We have developed and validated a microporous poly(ethylene terephthalate) membrane-based indirect co-culture system for human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) propagation, which allows real-time...Full Text Available
Regulatory agencies currently rely on rodent carcinogenicity bioassay data to predict whether or not a given chemical poses a carcinogenic threat to humans. We argue that it is always more useful to...Full Text Available
Human longevity is in part genetically determined, and the insulin/IGF-1 signal transduction (IIS) pathway has consistently been implicated. In humans, type 2 diabetes is a frequent disease that results...Full Text Available
Orthologous positions of 55 genes associated with height in four human populations were located on the bovine genome. Single nucleotide polymorphisms close to eight of these genes were significantly...Full Text Available
Secreted human bronchial mucins, directly collected from macroscopically healthy bronchial mucosa, were prepared in the presence of six proteinase inhibitors, and analysed by electron microscopy. These...Full Text Available
The human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 is a multihost pathogen that can infect Arabidopsis. We found that PA14 pathogenesis in Arabidopsis involves the...Full Text Available
The retroviral RNA genome is dimeric, consisting of two identical strands of RNA linked near their 5′ ends by a dimer linkage structure. Previously it was shown that human foamy virus (HFV)...Full Text Available
It is generally accepted that hypoxia and recovery from oxygen deprivation contribute to the breakdown and ulceration of human skin. The effects of these stresses on proliferation, differentiation...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe expression of human virus surface proteins, as well as other mammalian glycoproteins, is much more efficient in cells of higher eukaryotes rather than yeasts. The limitations...Full Text Available
A detailed comparative assessment was made of the use of solid-phase-coupled antibodies in radioimmunoassay, by using an assay for human placental lactogen as a model system. The major advantages of...Full Text Available
Numerical calculations of static, switched, and radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) fields considering the geometry and EM properties of the human body are used increasingly in MRI to explain...Full Text Available
Erythrovirus (formerly parvovirus) B19 causes a wide range of diseases in humans, including anemia due to aplastic crisis. Diagnosis of B19 infection relies on serology and the detection of viral DNA...Full Text Available
Darwin was struck by the many similarities between humans and other primates and believed that these similarities were the product of common ancestry. He would be even more impressed by the similarities...Full Text Available
SUMMARYTwo abundant classes of mobile elements, namely Alu and L1 elements, continue to generate new retrotransposon insertions in human genomes. Estimates suggest that these...Full Text Available
BackgroundWe have previously reported that low concentrations of cigarette smoke extract induce DNA damage without leading to apoptosis or necrosis in human bronchial epithelial...Full Text Available
Background:Nicotine alters auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in rodents and humans and is an effective treatment for smoking cessation. Less is known about the effects of...Full Text Available
Human skin is a local source of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and expresses CRH and CRH receptors (CRH-R) at mRNA and protein levels. Epidermal melanocytes respond to CRH by induction...Full Text Available
A mechanistic understanding of fracture in human bone is critical to predicting fracture risk associated with age and disease. Despite extensive work, a mechanistic framework for describing how the underlying microstructure affects the failure mode in bone is lacking.
Accurate and automated methods for measuring the thickness of human cerebral cortex could provide powerful tools for diagnosing and studying a variety of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders....Full Text Available
In this study, the essential oil from lotus flower extract, including petals and stamens, was assessed with regard to its effects on melanogenesis in human melanocytes. The lotus flower essential oil...Full Text Available
BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection frequently causes neurologic disease, which is the result of viral replication and activation of macrophages and microglia...Full Text Available
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common etiologic agent of lower respiratory tract infections in humans. However, it has been reported previously that the organism has occasionally been isolated from sites...Full Text Available
A classical velocity centrifugation technique was used to study the in vitro uptake of the new ketolide ABT-773 by human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and a myelomonoblastic cell line, PLB-985,...Full Text Available
BackgroundMuch of our current understanding of the epidemiology of Ascaris lumbricoides infections in humans has been acquired by analyzing worm count data. These...Full Text Available
Insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is a key phenotype associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) for which the molecular mediators remain unclear. We therefore conducted an expression analysis of human...Full Text Available
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) packages its genomic RNA as a dimer of homologous RNA molecules that has to be selected among a multitude of cellular and viral RNAs. Interestingly, spliced...Full Text Available
Sphingomyelin (SM) is an abundant phospholipid in cell membranes and in lipoproteins. In human plasma, SM is mainly found in atherogenic lipoproteins; therefore, higher levels of SM may promote atherogenesis....Full Text Available
A Sepharose-coupled 19S human thyroglobulin has been used as an immunoadsorbent to isolate anti-thyroglobulin autoantibodies and to evaluate the antigen-antibody interactions. With the system proposed...Full Text Available
PurposeThe aim of this investigation was to exploit lens-specific glycated crystallins as an immunogen to detect human glycated crystallins and their circulating autoantibodies in...Full Text Available
Simian retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF) is a vascular fibroproliferative neoplasm which has many morphological and histological similarities to human Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Like epidemic KS in AIDS...Full Text Available
Stem cells of the human prostate gland have not yet been identified utilizing a structural biomarker. We have discovered a new prostatic epithelial cell phenotype-expressing cytokeratin 6a (Ck6a+...Full Text Available
ABSTRACTObjectivesTo test the feasibility of human immune globulin (IG, Gamimune N, 10%) as a new treatment for endophthalmitis, the ocular tolerance, distribution,...Full Text Available
Background:No recent data exist on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in Beijing, People's Republic of China.Materials and methodWe interviewed...Full Text Available
To examine the association of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection with anal squamous cell carcinoma, the authors applied the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization...Full Text Available
Increasing attention has been given to human monkeypox since the achievement of global smallpox eradication. Monkeypox, which was first described in Central Africa in 1970, resembles smallpox clinically...Full Text Available
In the State Laboratory of North Rhine-Westphalia for Food, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Chemistry (Chemisches Landesuntersuchungsamt), more than 600 individual human milk samples have been analyzed...Full Text Available
BackgroundStem cells divide to reproduce themselves and produce differentiated progeny. A fundamental problem in human biology has been the inability to measure how often stem cells...Full Text Available
SUMMARYDendritic cells (DCs) in mucosal surfaces are early targets for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). DCs mount rapid and robust immune responses upon pathogen encounter....Full Text Available
The glycolipid content of human non-seminomatous germ cell tumour cell lines correlates with their differentiation lineage. To analyse whether this reflects the situation in primary tumours, we studied...Full Text Available
The continued evolution of bacterial pathogens has major implications for both human and animal disease, but the exchange of genetic material between host-restricted pathogens is rarely considered....Full Text Available
DNA from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 17 different individuals infected with human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type II (HTLV-II) was successfully amplified by the polymerase chain reaction...Full Text Available
The genetic basis of odorant-specific variations in human olfactory thresholds, and in particular of enhanced odorant sensitivity (hyperosmia), remains largely unknown. Olfactory receptor (OR) segregating...Full Text Available
Most human diseases are related in some way to the loss or gain in gene functions. Regulation of gene expression is a complex process. In addition to genetic mechanisms, epigenetic causes are...Full Text Available
The National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize a gene signature for prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients.
The Vision for Space Exploration will guide NASA's future human and robotic space activities. The broad range of human and robotic missions now being planned will require the development of new system-level capabilities enabled by emerging new technologie...
Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize using flow cytometry cultured human primary keratinocytes isolated from the epidermis and hair follicles by different methods. Methods:...Full Text Available
The inflammatory and immune cell populations of the human lung parenchyma have not been characterized in detail. This report describes a novel and efficient procedure for their extraction. Histologically...Full Text Available
BackgroundDifferences in duration of bone healing in various parts of the human skeleton are common experience for orthopaedic surgeons. The reason for these differences is not obvious...Full Text Available
Human endometrium resists embryo implantation except during the 'window of receptivity'. A change in endometrial gene expression is required for the development of receptivity. Uterine calbindin-D28k...Full Text Available
BackgroundA goal of human genetics is to discover genetic factors that influence individuals' susceptibility to common diseases. Most common diseases are thought to result from the...Full Text Available
Chromosomal translocation, deletion, and inversion/duplication directly linked to hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integration occur frequently in host DNA of human hepatocellular carcinomas. To test the...Full Text Available
The immunogenicity of allogeneic cultured human epidermal keratinocytes (cHEKs) has been studied in several models with contradictory results. We studied human T-cell activation in an in vitro...Full Text Available
The risks to human health from small doses of ionizing radiation raise questions which remain largely unanswered. This paper begins by explaining the historical background to this subject; it goes on to discuss recent developments and concludes with a personal view of the dose-reponse relationship. (author).
The risks to human health from small doses of ionizing radiation raise questions which remain largely unanswered. This paper begins by explaining the historical background to this subject; it goes on to discuss recent developments and concludes with a personal view of the dose-reponse relationship. (author).
In-vitro experiments using 203Pb were performed to identify the lead binding components in human peripheral blood. The distribution of lead in plasma, in the red cell membrane, and within the red cell...Full Text Available
Although skin is usually exposed during human exposures to ionizing radiation, there have been no thorough examinations of the transcriptional response of skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes...Full Text Available
Several Bartonella species have now been implicated as human pathogens. The recovery of these fastidious organisms in the clinical microbiology laboratory remains difficult, and current...Full Text Available
Real-time PCR has the potential to streamline detection and identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in human clinical samples. In the present...Full Text Available
The increased transmission and geographic spread of dengue fever (DF) and its more severe presentation, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), make it the most important mosquito-borne viral disease of humans...Full Text Available
Human gingival fibroblasts were challenged with Treponema pectinovorum and Treponema denticola to test three specific hypotheses: (i) these treponemes induce different...Full Text Available
Enolase is a multifunctional enzyme that plays important roles in many biological and disease processes. α-Enolase from human liver (hENO1) was expressed as a soluble protein and purified by...Full Text Available
The three-dimensional structure of the human adenovirus-2 proteinase complexed with its 11 amino acid cofactor, pVIc, was determined at 2.6 A resolution by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The fold...Full Text Available
A photon-induced x-ray fluorescence method allowing the simultaneous determination of iron, copper, zinc, bromine and rubidium in human blood and blood plasma samples is described. The method is reliable and has a good sensitivity for a wide range of elements. (author).
A strain from human diarrhea originally identified as Campylobacter mucosalis (NCTC 12408) was examined by using 64 phenotypic characters. The similarity of this strain to 297 isolates of Campylobacter,...Full Text Available
Colour television is examined as an attempt to imitate the human visual system in image formation, spectral sensitivities, adaptation, contrast effects, signal processing, signal modulation, signal...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe southern African tick shell, Nassarius kraussianus (Dunker, 1846), has been identified as being the earliest known ornamental object used by human...Full Text Available
The functional gene and three intronless pseudogenes for human triosephosphate isomerase were isolated from a recombinant DNA library and characterized in detail. The functional gene spans 3.5 kilobase...Full Text Available
The binding interactions of four ligands differing in acid-base properties with human serum albumin (HSA) were examined as a function of temperature. Binding to HSA decreased with increasing temperature...Full Text Available
The authors' laboratory, using histochemicalmethods, previously identified two types of cholesterol-containing lipid particles in the extracellular spaces of human atherosclerotic lesions, one particle...Full Text Available
The human CYP3A subfamily is of interest due to its multiplicity, activity toward known carcinogens, and extrahepatic expression. In situ hybridisation analysis of formalin fixed, routinely processed...Full Text Available
BackgroundEvidence on human semen quality as it relates to exposure to various metals, both essential (e.g., zinc, copper) and nonessential (e.g., cadmium, lead), is inconsistent....Full Text Available
The bulbar conjunctiva is one of the few areas in which blood flow in the peripheral vasculature can be directly and noninvasively observed in the human. Although extensive literature exists describing...Full Text Available
BK virus (BKV) is a polyomavirus that ubiquitously infects the human population. Following a typically subclinical primary infection, BKV establishes a lifelong persistent infection in the kidney...Full Text Available
A technique of low-field pulsed proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin relaxation is described for assessment of age-related structural changes (dentin and pulp) of human teeth in...Full Text Available
BackgroundTrichloroethylene (TCE) is a suspected human carcinogen and a common ground-water contaminant. Chloral hydrate (CH) is the major metabolite of TCE formed in the liver by...Full Text Available
beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity in human ventricular cerebrospinal fluid was measured with a specific radioimmunoassay. The subjects were undergoing a surgical procedure for relief of chronic intractable...Full Text Available
One of the main obstacles encountered when trying to culture human seminoma (SE) cells in vitro is massive degeneration of the tumour cells. We investigated whether dissociation of tumour tissue, to...Full Text Available
Polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits by immunization with free peptides corresponding to positions 197-222 of the human beta 1-adrenergic receptor (beta 1 peptide) and the corresponding sequence...Full Text Available
Human IgG specific for beta-endorphin was identified by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and isolated by affinity chromatography. From a sample of 27 subjects, three individuals with major depression...Full Text Available
A brief letter attempts to justify the assumption in an earlier paper of an isotropic distribution of environmental gamma rays incident on humans. A second letter from the original authors responds to this in yet more detail. (UK).
The human genome contains greater than 20 actin-related sequences, six of which at least are expressed as protein. We have shown by blot hybridization the presence of actin-like sequences on both the...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe first vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer has been licensed, and in future, vaccination may be routinely offered to 10–14 year...Full Text Available
We recently reported that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) unintegrated linear DNA displays a discontinuity in its plus strand, precisely defined by a second copy of the polypurine tract...Full Text Available
We describe the Phase II HapMap, which characterizes over 3.1 million human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in 270 individuals from four geographically diverse populations and...Full Text Available
A hitherto unreported immunofluorescent staining pattern obtained from human sera is described. Serum from six patients was found to possess specific antibody activity against lining cells of loops...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVEPreimplantation factor (PIF) is a novel, 15 amino acid peptide, secreted by viable embryos. This study aims to elucidate PIF’s effects in human endometrial...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe first week of human pre-embryo development is characterized by the induction of totipotency and then pluripotency. The understanding of this delicate process will have...Full Text Available
BackgroundFew studies have yet addressed the effects of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in house dust on human nasal mucosa.ObjectivesWe investigated...Full Text Available
... 2010-10-01 false Child mental health. 1304.24 Section 1304.24 Public...HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION...AGENCIES Early Childhood Development and Health Services § 1304.24 Child...
Comparative sequence analysis of the human and the pufferfish Fugu rubripes (fugu) genomes has revealed several novel functional coding and noncoding regions in the human genome. In particular, the fugu genome has been extremely valuable for identifying transcriptional regulatory elements in human loci harboring unusually high levels of evolutionary conservation to rodent genomes. In such regions, the large evolutionary distance between human and fishes provides an additional filter through which functional noncoding elements can be detected with high efficiency.
... The realization of directional audio technology in the cockpit may reduce visual workload, enhance the presentation of flight and threat information ...
... in artificial intelligence, human physiology and biomedical prosthesis. ... central and peripheral nerve systems [1 ... CMOS circuit interface for multiplexed ...
Human BTEB cDNA clones have been isolated, sequenced, and the corresponding gene has been assigned to human chromosome 9, region q13, by fluorescent in situ hybridization and DNA blot analysis using DNAs from hybrid cell clones containing a single human chromosome. The cDNA clone encodes a polypeptide of 244 amino acids whose sequence shows a high sequence similarity with the rat BTEB (98% amino acid identity).
02.10.10 - NASA and Texas Instruments are using the theme of human space exploration to develop digital libraries of math and science problems for high ...
DescriptionThis new research programme activity on Urban Atmospheric Science will deliver aspects of the NERC strategy: Next Generation Science for Planet Earth. It has been developed as part of the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme. Research in the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme is directed at elucidating key environmental processes that form part of a causal pathway between an environmental hazard and disease outcome, and providing a predictive capability of the risk to human heal [continued...
We have isolated and sequenced cDNA clones encoding the human U1-70K snRNP protein, and have mapped this locus (U1AP1) to human chromosome 19. The gene produces two size classes of RNA, a major 1.7-kb...Full Text Available
With the aim of an experimental check on the validity of the theory of molecular recognition, the authors have carried out the chemical-enzymatic synthesis and cloning of the gene of human calcitonin and also of the genes of antisense polypeptides to human calcitonin and miniproinsulin. It has been shown that recombinant plasmids obtained on the basis of these synthetic genes are capable of ensuring the biosynthesis of the given polypeptides in E. coli cells as hybrid proteins with the IgG-binding domain of staphylococcal protein A.
We studied the effect of booster injections and the long-term immune response after injections of an anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) lipopeptide vaccine. This vaccine was injected alone...Full Text Available
We have isolated a human thrombomodulin cDNA, and a human genomic clone containing the putative promoter domain, as well as the translated and untranslated regions of the endothelial cell receptor....Full Text Available
The authors describe the various human error encountered during Daya bay refueling overhaul, and the subsequent root cause evaluation and protective measure. Authors consider transparency is the key in reducing human error and event recurrence. Additional y, event transparency will enhance the effectiveness if experience feedback and reduce event consequence
Determination of Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb in human soft tissues by radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis (using "2"3"8Pu and "1"0"9Cd sources) is described. The results of multielement XRS analysis of selected human tissues are tabulated. They are in good agreement with the literature data. It is concluded that X-ray fluorescence technique is a suitable method for trace element determination. (author).
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), and other diseases....Full Text Available
The human causal factors for all human error licensing operational events on Daya Bay nuclear power station since 1993 to 2003 are categorized, the trend of these causal factors is analyzed. The emphasis is placed on analyzing the deficiencies on complying with and executing regulations and procedures. The results provide directional reference for nuclear power station to improve human performance. (author)
A series of translocation break points found in a subset of human acute leukemias have one of the breaks on human chromosome 11q23. This region has recently been cloned and a large gene, ALL-1, with...Full Text Available
PurposeTo identify those metallothionein and α-crystallin/small heat-shock genes induced by toxic metals in human lens cells and to evaluate...Full Text Available
The structure of unintegrated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA from acutely infected human lymphoid cells was analyzed by nuclease S1 cleavage. We observed a unique, discrete single-stranded...Full Text Available
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, using the ANS Low Power /Shutdown (LPSD)PRA Standard, evaluated the LPSD PSA model of the KSNP, Younggwang (YGN) Units 5 and 6, and identified the items to be improved. The evaluation results of human reliability analysis (HRA) of the pre-accident human errors in the LPSD PSA model of the KSNP showed that 13 items among 15 items of supporting requirements for those in the ANS PRA Standard were identified as them to be improved. Thus, we newly carried out a HRA for pre-accident human errors in the LPSD PSA model for the KSNP to improve its quality. We considered potential pre-accident human errors for all manual valves and control/instrumentation equipment of the systems modeled in the KSNP LPSD PSA model except reactor protection system/ engineering safety features actuation system. We reviewed 160 manual valves and 56 control/instrumentation equipment. The number ...
The human articular cartilagineous proteoglycans (PG) R.I.A. is highly specific. The PG used as the standard and the /sup 125/I labelled molecule appear to be pure. Under these conditions, all the potential interfering substances which have been tested show no cross reaction. For instance, the Ag-Ab equilibrium is not affected by adding human IgG, human albumin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, rat type II collagen or total human serum proteins. This R.I.A. also exhibits a species spcificity since there is no cross reaction with rat PG and negligible cross section with dog PG. The results obtained after addition of enzymes to the antigen demonstrate that the antigenic sites are localized on the protein region and not on the glycosaminoglycan region of the molecule.
Culture-independent microbiological technologies that interrogate complex microbial populations without prior axenic culture, coupled with high-throughput DNA sequencing, have revolutionized the scale, speed and economics of microbial ecological studies. Their application to the medical realm has led to a highly productive merger of clinical, experimental and environmental microbiology. The functional roles played by members of the human microbiota are being actively explored through experimental manipulation of animal model systems and studies of human populations. In concert, these studies have appreciably expanded our understanding of the composition and dynamics of human-associated microbial communities (microbiota). Of note, several human diseases have been linked to alterations in th...
The Level 1 probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) for Wolsung(WS) 2/3/4 nuclear power plant (NPPs) in design stage is performed using the methodologies being equivalent to PWR PSA. Accident sequence evaluation program (ASEP) human reliability analysis (HRA) procedure and technique for human error rate prediction (THERR) are used in HRA of WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. The= purpose of this paper is to introduce the procedure and methodology of HRA in WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. Also, this paper describes the interim results of importance analysis for human actions modeled in WS 2/3/4 PSA and the findings and recommendations of administrative control of secondary control area from the view of human factors. (Author) 10 refs., 2 tabs.
The Level 1 probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) for Wolsong(WS) 2/3/4 nuclear power plant(NPPs) in design stage is performed using the methodologies being equivalent to PWR PSA. Accident sequence evaluation program (ASEF) human reliability analysis (HRA) procedure and technique for human error rate prediction (THERP) are used in HRA of WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the procedure and methodology of HRA in WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. Also, this paper describes the interim results of importance analysis for human actions modeled in WS 2/3/4 PSA and the findings and recommendations of administrative control of secondary control area from the view of human factors.
This paper introduces a parallel measurement approach for fast infrared-based human temperature screening suitable for use in a large public area. Our key idea is based on the combination of simple image processing algorithms, infrared technology, and human flow management. With this multidisciplinary concept, we arrange as many people as possible in a two-dimensional space in front of a thermal imaging camera and then highlight all human facial areas through simple image filtering, image morphological, and particle analysis processes. In this way, an individual's face in live thermal image can be located and the maximum facial skin temperature can be monitored and displayed. Our experiment shows a measured 1ms processing time in highlighting all human face areas. With a thermal imaging ca...
A clone encoding a human D{sub 2} dopamine receptor was isolated from a pituitary cDNA library and sequenced. The deduced protein sequence is 96% identical with that of the cloned rat receptor with one major difference: the human receptor contains an additional 29 amino acids in its putative third cytoplasmic loop. Southern blotting demonstrated the presence of only one human D{sub 2} receptor gene. Two overlapping phage containing the gene were isolated and characterized. DNA sequence analysis of these clones showed that the coding sequence is interrupted by six introns and that the additional amino acids present in the human pituitary receptor are encoded by a single exon of 87 base pairs. The involvement of this sequence in alternative splicing and its biological significance are discussed.
Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant is put into commercial operation in 1994 Until 1996, there are 368 human error events in operating and maintenance area, occupying 39% of total events. These events occurred mainly in the processes of maintenance, test equipment isolation and system on-line, in particular in refuelling and maintenance. The author analyses root causes for human errorievents, which are mainly operator omission or error procedure deficiency; procedure not followed; lack of training; communication failures; work management inadequacy. The protective measures and treatment principle for human error events are also discussed, and several examples applying them are given. Finally, it is put forward that key to prevent human error event lies in the coordination and management, person in charge of work, and good work habits of staffs.
Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive form of human brain tumor, which has no effective cure. Previously, we have demonstrated that overexpression of the C-terminal fragment of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERTC27) inhibits the growth and tumorigenicity of human cervical cancer HeLa cells. In this study, the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanisms of hTERTC27-mediated cancer gene therapy were further explored in vivo in established human glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. We showed that intratumoral injection of adeno-associated virus carrying hTERTC27 (rAAV-hTERTC27) is highly effective in reducing the growth of the subcutaneously transplanted glioblastoma tumors. Histological analyses showed that rAAV-hTERTC27 treatment leads to profound necrosis, apoptosi...
A new /sup 99m/Tc-phosphine-isocyanide complex with the general structure (/sup 99m/Tc (DEPE)/sub 2/(CNR)/sub 2/)/sup +/ has been synthesised and tested in animals and one human. In three animal species (rat, rabbit, dog), the complex is an efficient myocardial imaging agent, while in humans it remains in the blood pool. The complex is 100% protein bound in animals and humans, but whereas in humans it is attached to a 51.5 kdalton protein (probably prealbumin), in rabbits it appears to be bound to a larger macromolecule (M.W.>100 kdalton). The efficiency of the complex for blood pool labelling was tested in a human volunteer and compared with the standard in vivo red cell labelling technique with stannous pyrophosphate. A satisfactory radionuclide angiogram could be performed with less than 370 MBq of the complex. The count rate for the complex (cps/MBq) was 15% higher than that ...
The presence of washed or unwashed cellophane alone or together with a bleomycin, mitomycin C or hydrochlorothiazide, ('Esidrex') showed no appreciable effect on survival of either unirradiated or irradiated conidia. Irradiation for a period of 20min reduced the survival of conidia to 20%. The growth of irradiated conidia in the presence of bleomycin, mitomycin C or Esidrex is associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in the frequency of gene convertants, but was not accompanied by an increase in point mutants. When conidia were grown on cellophane but otherwise treated as before the frequency of gene convertants was increased 8-fold, but induction of point mutants was negligible. This effect was the same for irradiated and unirradiated conidia. The environment created by the cellophane in contract with the medium appears to affect the action of each of the three compounds synergistically. (author).
DFNA5 was first identified as a gene causing autosomal dominant hearing loss (HL). Different mutations have been found, all exerting a highly specific gain-of-function effect, in which skipping of exon 8 causes the HL. Later reports revealed the involvement of the gene in different types of cancer. Epigenetic silencing of DFNA5 in a large percentage of gastric, colorectal and breast tumors and p53-dependent transcriptional activity have been reported, concluding that DFNA5 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in different frequent types of cancer. Despite these data, the molecular function of DFNA5 has not been investigated properly. Previous transfection studies with mutant DFNA5 in yeast and in mammalian cells showed a toxic effect of the mutant protein, which was not seen after transfection ...
The Na+-driven bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine powered by an electrochemical potential gradient of sodium ions across the cytoplasmic membrane. The marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus has a single polar flagellum that enables it to swim in liquid. The flagellar motor contains a basal body and a stator complexes, which are composed of several proteins. PomA, PomB, MotX, and MotY are thought to be essential components of the stator that are required to generate the torque of the rotation. Several mutations have been investigated to understand the characteristics and function of the ion channel in the stator and the mechanism of its assembly around the rotor to complete the motor. In this review, we summarize recent results of the Na+-driven motor in the polar flagellum of ...
A better understanding of the immune processes in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (CaP) may point the way towards improved treatment modalities. The challenge is to amplify immune responses to combat tumour escape mechanisms. Infection and inflammation may have a role in prostate carcinogenesis, including the newly discovered xenotropic murine leukaemia virus (XMRV). These inflammatory states damage defence mechanisms and induce a high proliferative state favouring further mutation and impaired immune surveillance. With this knowledge we are able to explore the use of immunotherapy to rejuvenate the immune system in combating CaP. Recently Sipuleucel-T, an immunotherapeutic agent for metastatic androgen independent CaP, has resulted in improved survival and might be the...
More and more reforms in public administrations are being conducted that are based on the principles and instruments of ''new public management''. They have set off protest and collective actions by several professional groups in various sectors (health, education, justice, social work, research...), whence questions about the future of professional groups in public services, in particular about their autonomy, which these reforms threaten. The opposition between this new public management and certain professional groups, is not the final explanation to draw from an analysis of this situation. Should these changes be seen as the decline of professional groups and of their autonomy, as a mutation of professional models, an overhaul of professionalism, etc.? These questions, which current ev...
Summary CAG trinucleotide repeat length in the nuclear polymerase gamma gene (POLg) has been shown to be associated with men with reduced fertility. The present study investigated the frequency of CAG repeat length genotypes and three exonuclease motifs of the POLg in relation to the frequency of mitochondrial nucleotide substitutions. DNA from semen samples of 93 normozoospermic men and 192 non-normozoospermic men was isolated and the specific regions of the genes were amplified by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and sequenced to identify mutations. The genotypic frequencies of pooled POLg CAG repeat lengths, =10/!=10 heterozygotes and !=10/!=10 homozygotes, were significantly different between normozoospermic and non-normozoospermic men (p p POLg genotype. Of the 17 men with non-synonym...
Summaries are included of research contracts which expired prior to Dec. 31, 1960. The contracts were concerned with investigations of: electrophysiological responses of biological systems in nerve cells to irradiation with small doses of ionizing radiations; the mode of the protective action of certain sulfhydryl compounds against radiation effects on the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid, using tritium-labeled thymidine; development of a bubble chamber method of monitoring and dosimetry for Low fast neutron fluxes; effects of incorporated radioisotopes on the stability of genetic materials; interrelation of root and leaf absorption of radioisotopes in herbaceous plants; uptake of radioactive wastes by lowland rice from soils contaminated by irrigation water, and decontamination of the rice; and comparison between mutation rates induced by acute and chronic gamma irradiations. (B.O.G.)
Mutations in sclerostin function or expression cause sclerosing bone dysplasias, involving decreased antagonism of Wnt/Lrp5 signaling. Conversely, deletion of the VHL tumor suppressor in osteoblasts, which stabilize HIF-a isoforms and thereby enables HIF-a/b-driven gene transcription, increases bone mineral content and cross-sectional area compared to wild-type controls. We examined the influence of cellular hypoxia (1% oxygen) upon sclerostin expression and canonical Wnt signaling. Osteoblasts and osteocytes cultured under hypoxia revealed decreased sclerostin transcript and protein, and increased expression and nuclear localization of activated b-catenin. Similarly, both hypoxia and the hypoxia mimetic DFO increased b-catenin gene reporter activity. Hypoxia and its mimetics increased exp...
This study assessed the impact of the results of genetic testing for hereditary cancer from a multifactorial health psychology perspective, considering that emotional expression plays a key role in psychological adjustment. Measures of dispositional and transactional coping strategies, anxiety and alexithymia were filled out by 77 participants in a longitudinal study design. Statistical analyses were performed using general linear models and partial least squares path modelling, low-constraint methods that are particularly useful in the behavioural sciences. While anxiety levels prior to the result announcement were predictive of the distress experienced by noncarriers, considerable variability was observed for mutation carriers. Some subjects who had lower anxiety levels before the test d...
PurposeAlthough the safety and feasibility of partial adrenalectomy in patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome have been established, long-term outcomes have not been examined. In this study we evaluate the recurrence and functional outcomes in a von Hippel-Lindau syndrome cohort treated for pheochromocytoma with partial adrenalectomy with a followup of at least 5 years. Materials and MethodsWe reviewed the records of patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome treated with partial adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma at the National Cancer Institute. Demographic, germline mutation status, surgical indication, oncologic and functional outcome data were collected. Local recurrence was defined as radiographic evidence of recurrent tumor on the ipsilateral side of partial adrenalectomy. Patients ...
The presence of washed or unwashed cellophane alone or together with a bleomycin, mitomycin C or hydrochlorothiazide, ('Esidrex') showed no appreciable effect on survival of either unirradiated or irradiated conidia. Irradiation for a period of 20min reduced the survival of conidia to 20%. The growth of irradiated conidia in the presence of bleomycin, mitomycin C or Esidrex is associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in the frequency of gene convertants, but was not accompanied by an increase in point mutants. When conidia were grown on cellophane but otherwise treated as before the frequency of gene convertants was increased 8-fold, but induction of point mutants was negligible. This effect was the same for irradiated and unirradiated conidia. The environment created by the cellophane in contract with the medium appears to affect the action of each of the three compounds synergistically.
Please cite this paper as: Ectopic mineralization of connective tissue in Abcc6-/- mice: effects of dietary modifications and a phosphate binder - a preliminary study. Experimental Dermatology 2008; 17: 203-207. Abstract: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a heritable multisystem disorder, is caused by mutations in the ABCC6 gene. We have developed a murine model for PXE by targeted inactivation of the corresponding mouse gene. A feature of this mouse model is ectopic mineralization of connective tissue capsule surrounding the bulb of vibrissae. This study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary sevelamer hydrochloride (Renagel), a phosphate binder, and specific mineral modifications on ectopic mineralization of connective tissue in Abcc6-/- mice. Three groups were fed a specific di...
Abstract Background- Cyclosporine is used for treatment of transplanted patients and for immune-mediated diseases. Cyclosporine is known to cause a combination of metabolic side effects including hypertension, hyperkalemia, hypercalciuria and hypomagnesemia. These side effects except for hypomagnesemia are the cardinal features of familial hyperkalemia and hypertension (FHHt), also called pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHA II). FHHt is caused by mutations in the kinases WNK1 and WNK4 resulting in an increase in renal Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) apical distribution and function. Therefore, we studied whether cyclosporine-s metabolic side effects are mediated by WNK4 and NCC. Design- Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated by cyclosporine 25-mg-kg-1 subcutaneously for 14-days. Blood pressure, ...
Amphiphysin is a protein concentrated in neuronal synapses and peripherally associated with neurotransmitter vesicles. It is expressed in many neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the adrenal medulla, in the anterior and posterior pituitary, in cell lines of the endocrine pancreas, and in spermatocytes. Its subcellular localization and tissue distribution indicate a potential involvement in mechanisms of regulated exocytosis. A role in the dynamic organization of the membrane-associated cytoskeleton is suggested by structural homology to the products of two yeast genes, RVS161 and RVS167, whose mutation results in an abnormal actin distribution, disturbs budding morphology, and impairs cell entry into stationary phase. Limited stretches of sequence similarity, including an SH3 domain, are also shared with other actin-binding proteins. Amphiphysin is the dominant autoantigen in paraneoplastic Stiff-Man syndrome, a neurological autoimmune ...