Functions of huntingtin in germ layer specification and organogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giang D Nguyen

Full Text Available Huntington's disease (HD is a neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein (Htt. Although both Htt and the HD pathogenic mutation (mHtt are implicated in early developmental events, their individual involvement has not been adequately explored. In order to better define the developmental functions and pathological consequences of the normal and mutant proteins, respectively, we employed embryonic stem cell (ESC expansion, differentiation and induction experiments using huntingtin knock-out (KO and mutant huntingtin knock-in (Q111 mouse ESC lines. In KO ESCs, we observed impairments in the spontaneous specification and survival of ectodermal and mesodermal lineages during embryoid body formation and under inductive conditions using retinoic acid and Wnt3A, respectively. Ablation of BAX improves cell survival, but failed to correct defects in germ layer specification. In addition, we observed ensuing impairments in the specification and maturation of neural, hepatic, pancreatic and cardiomyocyte lineages. These developmental deficits occurred in concert with alterations in Notch, Hes1 and STAT3 signaling pathways. Moreover, in Q111 ESCs, we observed differential developmental stage-specific alterations in lineage specification and maturation. We also observed changes in Notch/STAT3 expression and activation. Our observations underscore essential roles of Htt in the specification of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm, in the specification of neural and non-neural organ-specific lineages, as well as cell survival during early embryogenesis. Remarkably, these developmental events are differentially deregulated by mHtt, raising the possibility that HD-associated early developmental impairments may contribute not only to region-specific neurodegeneration, but also to non-neural co-morbidities.

A series of N-terminal epitope tagged Hdh knock-in alleles expressing normal and mutant huntingtin: their application to understanding the effect of increasing the length of normal huntingtin’s polyglutamine stretch on CAG140 mouse model pathogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Shuqiu

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Huntington’s disease (HD is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease that is caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ stretch within Huntingtin (htt, the protein product of the HD gene. Although studies in vitro have suggested that the mutant htt can act in a potentially dominant negative fashion by sequestering wild-type htt into insoluble protein aggregates, the role of the length of the normal htt polyQ stretch, and the adjacent proline-rich region (PRR in modulating HD mouse model pathogenesis is currently unknown. Results We describe the generation and characterization of a series of knock-in HD mouse models that express versions of the mouse HD gene (Hdh encoding N-terminal hemaglutinin (HA or 3xFlag epitope tagged full-length htt with different polyQ lengths (HA7Q-, 3xFlag7Q-, 3xFlag20Q-, and 3xFlag140Q-htt and substitution of the adjacent mouse PRR with the human PRR (3xFlag20Q- and 3xFlag140Q-htt. Using co-immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry analyses, we detect no significant interaction between soluble full-length normal 7Q- htt and mutant (140Q htt, but we do observe N-terminal fragments of epitope-tagged normal htt in mutant htt aggregates. When the sequences encoding normal mouse htt’s polyQ stretch and PRR are replaced with non-pathogenic human sequence in mice also expressing 140Q-htt, aggregation foci within the striatum, and the mean size of htt inclusions are increased, along with an increase in striatal lipofuscin and gliosis. Conclusion In mice, soluble full-length normal and mutant htt are predominantly monomeric. In heterozygous knock-in HD mouse models, substituting the normal mouse polyQ and PRR with normal human sequence can exacerbate some neuropathological phenotypes.

Huntingtin coordinates the dynein-mediated dynamic positioning of endosomes and lysosomes

Science.gov (United States)

Caviston, Juliane P.; Zajac, Allison L.; Tokito, Mariko; Holzbaur, Erika L.F.

2011-01-01

Huntingtin (Htt) is a membrane-associated scaffolding protein that interacts with microtubule motors as well as actin-associated adaptor molecules. We examined a role for Htt in the dynein-mediated intracellular trafficking of endosomes and lysosomes. In HeLa cells depleted of either Htt or dynein, early, recycling, and late endosomes (LE)/lysosomes all become dispersed. Despite altered organelle localization, kinetic assays indicate only minor defects in intracellular trafficking. Expression of full-length Htt is required to restore organelle localization in Htt-depleted cells, supporting a role for Htt as a scaffold that promotes functional interactions along its length. In dynein-depleted cells, LE/lysosomes accumulate in tight patches near the cortex, apparently enmeshed by cortactin-positive actin filaments; Latrunculin B-treatment disperses these patches. Peripheral LE/lysosomes in dynein-depleted cells no longer colocalize with microtubules. Htt may be required for this off-loading, as the loss of microtubule association is not seen in Htt-depleted cells or in cells depleted of both dynein and Htt. Inhibition of kinesin-1 relocalizes peripheral LE/lysosomes induced by Htt depletion but not by dynein depletion, consistent with their detachment from microtubules upon dynein knockdown. Together, these data support a model of Htt as a facilitator of dynein-mediated trafficking that may regulate the cytoskeletal association of dynamic organelles. PMID:21169558

Discrepancies in reporting the CAG repeat lengths for Huntington's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quarrell, Oliver W; Handley, Olivia; O'Donovan, Kirsty

2011-01-01

Huntington's disease results from a CAG repeat expansion within the Huntingtin gene; this is measured routinely in diagnostic laboratories. The European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY project centrally measures CAG repeat lengths on fresh samples; these were compared with the original...

Frequency of nuclear mutant huntingtin inclusion formation in neurons and glia is cell-type-specific

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, Anne H. P.; van Hal, Maurik; Op den Kelder, Ilse C.; Meier, Romy T.; de Ruiter, Anna-Aster; Schut, Menno H.; Smith, Donna L.; Grit, Corien; Brouwer, Nieske; Kamphuis, Willem; Boddeke, H. W. G. M.; den Dunnen, Wilfred F. A.; van Roon, Willeke M. C.; Bates, Gillian P.; Hol, Elly M.; Reits, Eric A.

2017-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, leading to HTT inclusion formation in the brain. The mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) is ubiquitously expressed and therefore nuclear inclusions

Frequency of Nuclear Mutant Huntingtin Inclusion Formation in Neurons and Glia is Cell-Type-Specific

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, Anne H P; van Hal, Maurik; op den Kelder, Ilse C.; Meier, Romy T.; de Ruiter, Anna-Aster; Schut, Menno H.; Smith, Donna L.; Grit, Corien; Brouwer, Nieske; Kamphuis, Willem; Boddeke, H. W. G. M.; den Dunnen, Wilfred F. A.; van Roon, Willeke M. C.; Bates, Gillian P.; Hol, Elly M.; Reits, Eric A.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, leading to HTT inclusion formation in the brain. The mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) is ubiquitously expressed and therefore nuclear inclusions

Normal aging modulates the neurotoxicity of mutant huntingtin.

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Elsa Diguet

Full Text Available Aging likely plays a role in neurodegenerative disorders. In Huntington's disease (HD, a disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the protein huntingtin (Htt, the role of aging is unclear. For a given tract length, the probability of disease onset increases with age. There are mainly two hypotheses that could explain adult onset in HD: Either mutant Htt progressively produces cumulative defects over time or "normal" aging renders neurons more vulnerable to mutant Htt toxicity. In the present study, we directly explored whether aging affected the toxicity of mutant Htt in vivo. We studied the impact of aging on the effects produced by overexpression of an N-terminal fragment of mutant Htt, of wild-type Htt or of a beta-Galactosidase (beta-Gal reporter gene in the rat striatum. Stereotaxic injections of lentiviral vectors were performed simultaneously in young (3 week and old (15 month rats. Histological evaluation at different time points after infection demonstrated that the expression of mutant Htt led to pathological changes that were more severe in old rats, including an increase in the number of small Htt-containing aggregates in the neuropil, a greater loss of DARPP-32 immunoreactivity and striatal neurons as assessed by unbiased stereological counts.The present results support the hypothesis that "normal" aging is involved in HD pathogenesis, and suggest that age-related cellular defects might constitute potential therapeutic targets for HD.

The common inhaled anesthetic isoflurane increases aggregation of huntingtin and alters calcium homeostasis in a cell model of Huntington's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Qiujun; Liang Ge; Yang Hui; Wang Shouping; Eckenhoff, Maryellen F.; Wei Huafeng

2011-01-01

Isoflurane is known to increase β-amyloid aggregation and neuronal damage. We hypothesized that isoflurane will have similar effects on the polyglutamine huntingtin protein and will cause alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis. We tested this hypothesis in striatal cells from the expanded glutamine huntingtin knock-in mouse (STHdh Q111/Q111 ) and wild type (STHdh Q7/Q7 ) striatal neurons. The primary cultured neurons were exposed for 24 h to equipotent concentrations of isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane in the presence or absence of extracellular calcium and with or without xestospongin C, a potent endoplasmic reticulum inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP 3 ) receptor antagonist. Aggregation of huntingtin protein, cell viability, and calcium concentrations were measured. Isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane all increased the aggregation of huntingtin in STHdh Q111/Q111 cells, with isoflurane having the largest effect. Isoflurane induced greater calcium release from the ER and relatively more cell damage in the STHdh Q111/Q111 huntingtin cells than in the wild type STHdh Q7/Q7 striatal cells. However, sevoflurane and desflurane caused less calcium release from the ER and less cell damage. Xestospongin C inhibited the isoflurane-induced calcium release from the ER, aggregation of huntingtin, and cell damage in the STHdh Q111/Q111 cells. In summary, the Q111 form of huntingtin increases the vulnerability of striatal neurons to isoflurane neurotoxicity through combined actions on the ER IP 3 receptors. Calcium release from the ER contributes to the anesthetic induced huntingtin aggregation in STHdh Q111/Q111 striatal cells.

Inhibition of PIP4Kγ ameliorates the pathological effects of mutant huntingtin protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ramahi, Ismael; Panapakkam Giridharan, Sai Srinivas; Chen, Yu-Chi; Patnaik, Samarjit; Safren, Nathaniel; Hasegawa, Junya; de Haro, Maria; Wagner Gee, Amanda K; Titus, Steven A; Jeong, Hyunkyung; Clarke, Jonathan; Krainc, Dimitri; Zheng, Wei; Irvine, Robin F; Barmada, Sami; Ferrer, Marc; Southall, Noel; Weisman, Lois S; Botas, Juan; Marugan, Juan Jose

2017-12-26

The discovery of the causative gene for Huntington's disease (HD) has promoted numerous efforts to uncover cellular pathways that lower levels of mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt) and potentially forestall the appearance of HD-related neurological defects. Using a cell-based model of pathogenic huntingtin expression, we identified a class of compounds that protect cells through selective inhibition of a lipid kinase, PIP4Kγ. Pharmacological inhibition or knock-down of PIP4Kγ modulates the equilibrium between phosphatidylinositide (PI) species within the cell and increases basal autophagy, reducing the total amount of mHtt protein in human patient fibroblasts and aggregates in neurons. In two Drosophila models of Huntington's disease, genetic knockdown of PIP4K ameliorated neuronal dysfunction and degeneration as assessed using motor performance and retinal degeneration assays respectively. Together, these results suggest that PIP4Kγ is a druggable target whose inhibition enhances productive autophagy and mHtt proteolysis, revealing a useful pharmacological point of intervention for the treatment of Huntington's disease, and potentially for other neurodegenerative disorders.

Full-length enriched multistage cDNA library construction covering ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR TONUKARI NYEROVWO

2012-04-10

Apr 10, 2012 ... Full Length Research Paper. Full-length enriched ... complementary DNA; pfu, plaque-forming unit. ... Chinese-native tree species in Populus section Leuce ... the infected bacteria, 2 ml melted top agar was added, and the.

Analysis of proteolytic processes and enzymatic activities in the generation of huntingtin n-terminal fragments in an HEK293 cell model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew T N Tebbenkamp

Full Text Available N-terminal fragments of mutant huntingtin (htt that terminate between residues 90-115, termed cleavage product A or 1 (cp-A/1, form intracellular and intranuclear inclusion bodies in the brains of patients with Huntington's disease (HD. These fragments appear to be proteolytic products of the full-length protein. Here, we use an HEK293 cell culture model to investigate huntingtin proteolytic processing; previous studies of these cells have demonstrated cleavage of htt to cp-A/1 like htt fragments.Recombinant N-terminal htt fragments, terminating at residue 171 (also referred to as cp-B/2 like, were efficiently cleaved to produce cp-A/1 whereas fragments representing endogenous caspase, calpain, and metalloproteinase cleavage products, terminating between residues 400-600, were inefficiently cleaved. Using cysteine-labeling techniques and antibody binding mapping, we localized the C-terminus of the cp-A/1 fragments produced by HEK293 cells to sequences minimally limited by cysteine 105 and an antibody epitope composed of residues 115-124. A combination of genetic and pharmacologic approaches to inhibit potential proteases, including γ-secretase and calpain, proved ineffective in preventing production of cp-A/1.Our findings indicate that HEK293 cells express a protease that is capable of efficiently cleaving cp-B/2 like fragments of htt with normal or expanded glutamine repeats. For reasons that remain unclear, this protease cleaves longer htt fragments, with normal or expanded glutamine expansions, much less efficiently. The protease in HEK293 cells that is capable of generating a cp-A/1 like htt fragment may be a novel protease with a high preference for a cp-B/2-like htt fragment as substrate.

Discovery of novel isoforms of huntingtin reveals a new hominid-specific exon.

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Albert Ruzo

Full Text Available Huntington's disease (HD is a devastating neurological disorder that is caused by an expansion of the poly-Q tract in exon 1 of the Huntingtin gene (HTT. HTT is an evolutionarily conserved and ubiquitously expressed protein that has been linked to a variety of functions including transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial function, and vesicle transport. This large protein has numerous caspase and calpain cleavage sites and can be decorated with several post-translational modifications such as phosphorylations, acetylations, sumoylations, and palmitoylations. However, the exact function of HTT and the role played by its modifications in the cell are still not well understood. Scrutiny of HTT function has been focused on a single, full length mRNA. In this study, we report the discovery of 5 novel HTT mRNA splice isoforms that are expressed in normal and HTT-expanded human embryonic stem cell (hESC lines as well as in cortical neurons differentiated from hESCs. Interestingly, none of the novel isoforms generates a truncated protein. Instead, 4 of the 5 new isoforms specifically eliminate domains and modifications to generate smaller HTT proteins. The fifth novel isoform incorporates a previously unreported additional exon, dubbed 41b, which is hominid-specific and introduces a potential phosphorylation site in the protein. The discovery of this hominid-specific isoform may shed light on human-specific pathogenic mechanisms of HTT, which could not be investigated with current mouse models of the disease.

Transgenic animal models for study of the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease and therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Renbao; Liu, Xudong; Li, Shihua; Li, Xiao-Jiang

2015-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a genetic mutation that results in polyglutamine expansion in the N-terminal regions of huntingtin. As a result, this polyQ expansion leads to the misfolding and aggregation of mutant huntingtin as well as age-dependent neurodegeneration. The genetic mutation in HD allows for generating a variety of animal models that express different forms of mutant huntingtin and show differential pathology. Studies of these animal models have provided an important insight into the pathogenesis of HD. Mouse models of HD include transgenic mice, which express N-terminal or full-length mutant huntingtin ubiquitously or selectively in different cell types, and knock-in mice that express full-length mutant Htt at the endogenous level. Large animals, such as pig, sheep, and monkeys, have also been used to generate animal HD models. This review focuses on the different features of commonly used transgenic HD mouse models as well as transgenic large animal models of HD, and also discusses how to use them to identify potential therapeutics. Since HD shares many pathological features with other neurodegenerative diseases, identification of therapies for HD would also help to develop effective treatment for different neurodegenerative diseases that are also caused by protein misfolding and occur in an age-dependent manner.

Evaluation of full-length, cleaved and nitrosylated serum surfactant protein D as biomarkers for COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duvoix, Annelyse; Miranda, Elena; Perez, Juan

2011-01-01

. Serum levels of SP-D are raised in individuals with COPD but there is no correlation between the serum level of SP-D and the severity of airflow obstruction. Serum SP-D is present in different forms that may have more utility as a biomarker for COPD. We report here the development of new monoclonal...... antibodies to full length and cleaved SP-D. We have assessed these and existing antibodies in 98 individuals with COPD recruited to the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) cohort. Our data show that neither monoclonal antibodies to full length nor cleaved SP...

The Wnt receptor Ryk reduces neuronal and cell survival capacity by repressing FOXO activity during the early phases of mutant huntingtin pathogenicity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cendrine Tourette

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The Wnt receptor Ryk is an evolutionary-conserved protein important during neuronal differentiation through several mechanisms, including γ-secretase cleavage and nuclear translocation of its intracellular domain (Ryk-ICD. Although the Wnt pathway may be neuroprotective, the role of Ryk in neurodegenerative disease remains unknown. We found that Ryk is up-regulated in neurons expressing mutant huntingtin (HTT in several models of Huntington's disease (HD. Further investigation in Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse striatal cell models of HD provided a model in which the early-stage increase of Ryk promotes neuronal dysfunction by repressing the neuroprotective activity of the longevity-promoting factor FOXO through a noncanonical mechanism that implicates the Ryk-ICD fragment and its binding to the FOXO co-factor β-catenin. The Ryk-ICD fragment suppressed neuroprotection by lin-18/Ryk loss-of-function in expanded-polyQ nematodes, repressed FOXO transcriptional activity, and abolished β-catenin protection of mutant htt striatal cells against cell death vulnerability. Additionally, Ryk-ICD was increased in the nucleus of mutant htt cells, and reducing γ-secretase PS1 levels compensated for the cytotoxicity of full-length Ryk in these cells. These findings reveal that the Ryk-ICD pathway may impair FOXO protective activity in mutant polyglutamine neurons, suggesting that neurons are unable to efficiently maintain function and resist disease from the earliest phases of the pathogenic process in HD.

Huntingtin interacting proteins are genetic modifiers of neurodegeneration.

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Linda S Kaltenbach

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Huntington's disease (HD is a fatal neurodegenerative condition caused by expansion of the polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin (Htt protein. Neuronal toxicity in HD is thought to be, at least in part, a consequence of protein interactions involving mutant Htt. We therefore hypothesized that genetic modifiers of HD neurodegeneration should be enriched among Htt protein interactors. To test this idea, we identified a comprehensive set of Htt interactors using two complementary approaches: high-throughput yeast two-hybrid screening and affinity pull down followed by mass spectrometry. This effort led to the identification of 234 high-confidence Htt-associated proteins, 104 of which were found with the yeast method and 130 with the pull downs. We then tested an arbitrary set of 60 genes encoding interacting proteins for their ability to behave as genetic modifiers of neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of HD. This high-content validation assay showed that 27 of 60 orthologs tested were high-confidence genetic modifiers, as modification was observed with more than one allele. The 45% hit rate for genetic modifiers seen among the interactors is an order of magnitude higher than the 1%-4% typically observed in unbiased genetic screens. Genetic modifiers were similarly represented among proteins discovered using yeast two-hybrid and pull-down/mass spectrometry methods, supporting the notion that these complementary technologies are equally useful in identifying biologically relevant proteins. Interacting proteins confirmed as modifiers of the neurodegeneration phenotype represent a diverse array of biological functions, including synaptic transmission, cytoskeletal organization, signal transduction, and transcription. Among the modifiers were 17 loss-of-function suppressors of neurodegeneration, which can be considered potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Finally, we show that seven interacting proteins from among 11 tested were able to

Potent and selective antisense oligonucleotides targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the Huntington disease gene / allele-specific silencing of mutant huntingtin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carroll, Jeffrey B; Warby, Simon C; Southwell, Amber L

2011-01-01

Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG-expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT) that results in a toxic gain of function in the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). Reducing the expression of mHTT is therefore an attractive therapy for HD. However, wild...

Mutated Huntingtin Causes Testicular Pathology in Transgenic Minipig Boars

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mačáková, Monika; Bohuslavová, Božena; Vochozková, Petra; Pavlok, Antonín; Sedláčková, M.; Vidinská, Daniela; Vochyánová, Klára; Lišková, Irena; Valeková, Ivona; Baxa, Monika; Ellederová, Zdeňka; Klíma, Jiří; Juhás, Štefan; Juhásová, Jana; Kloučková, J.; Haluzík, M.; Klempíř, J.; Hansíková, H.; Spáčilová, J.; Collins, R.; Blumenthal, I.; Talkowski, M.; Gusella, J. F.; Howland, D. S.; DiFiglia, M.; Motlík, Jan

2016-01-01

Roč. 16, 3-4 (2016), s. 245-259 ISSN 1660-2854 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1609; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14308 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : Huntington´s disease * pig model * mutant huntingtin Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 2.842, year: 2016

Full length channel Pressure Tube sagging under completely voided full length pressure tube of an Indian PHWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negi, Sujay, E-mail: negi.sujay@gmail.com [Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247667 (India); Kumar, Ravi, E-mail: ravikfme@gmail.com [Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247667 (India); Majumdar, P., E-mail: pmajum@barc.gov.in [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Mukopadhyay, D., E-mail: dmukho@barc.gov.in [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2017-03-15

Highlights: • At 16 kW/m input, thermal stability was attained at 595 °C, without PT-CT contact. • At 20 kW/m step input, PT-CT contact occurred at 637 °C near bottom-center of the tube. • PT integrity was maintained throughout the experiment. - Abstract: An experimental investigation was conducted to simulate the sagging behavior of a full length Pressure Tube of a channel of 220 MWe Indian PHWR. The investigation aimed to recreate a condition resembling Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) with Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) failure in a nuclear power plant. A full length channel assembly immersed in moderator was subjected to electrical resistance heating of Pressure Tube (PT) to simulate the residual heat after shutting down of reactor. The temperature of PT started rising and the contact between PT and CT was established at the center of the tube where average bottom temperature was 637 °C. The integrity of PT was maintained throughout the experiment and the PT heat up was arrested on contact with the CT due to transfer of heat to the moderator.

A new Caenorhabditis elegans model of human huntingtin 513 aggregation and toxicity in body wall muscles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy L Lee

Full Text Available Expanded polyglutamine repeats in different proteins are the known determinants of at least nine progressive neurodegenerative disorders whose symptoms include cognitive and motor impairment that worsen as patients age. One such disorder is Huntington's Disease (HD that is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the human huntingtin protein (htt. The polyglutamine expansion destabilizes htt leading to protein misfolding, which in turn triggers neurodegeneration and the disruption of energy metabolism in muscle cells. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie htt proteotoxicity have been somewhat elusive, and the muscle phenotypes have not been well studied. To generate tools to elucidate the basis for muscle dysfunction, we engineered Caenorhabditis elegans to express a disease-associated 513 amino acid fragment of human htt in body wall muscle cells. We show that this htt fragment aggregates in C. elegans in a polyglutamine length-dependent manner and is toxic. Toxicity manifests as motor impairment and a shortened lifespan. Compared to previous models, the data suggest that the protein context in which a polyglutamine tract is embedded alters aggregation propensity and toxicity, likely by affecting interactions with the muscle cell environment.

Full-length fuel rod behavior under severe accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lombardo, N.J.; Lanning, D.D.; Panisko, F.E.

1992-12-01

This document presents an assessment of the severe accident phenomena observed from four Full-Length High-Temperature (FLHT) tests that were performed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. These tests were conducted for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of the Severe Accident Research Program. The objectives of the test were to simulate conditions and provide information on the behavior of full-length fuel rods during hypothetical, small-break, loss-of-coolant severe accidents, in commercial light water reactors

Discovery of Novel Isoforms of Huntingtin Reveals a New Hominid-Specific Exon

Science.gov (United States)

Popowski, Melissa; Haremaki, Tomomi; Croft, Gist F.; Deglincerti, Alessia; Brivanlou, Ali H.

2015-01-01

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating neurological disorder that is caused by an expansion of the poly-Q tract in exon 1 of the Huntingtin gene (HTT). HTT is an evolutionarily conserved and ubiquitously expressed protein that has been linked to a variety of functions including transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial function, and vesicle transport. This large protein has numerous caspase and calpain cleavage sites and can be decorated with several post-translational modifications such as phosphorylations, acetylations, sumoylations, and palmitoylations. However, the exact function of HTT and the role played by its modifications in the cell are still not well understood. Scrutiny of HTT function has been focused on a single, full length mRNA. In this study, we report the discovery of 5 novel HTT mRNA splice isoforms that are expressed in normal and HTT-expanded human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines as well as in cortical neurons differentiated from hESCs. Interestingly, none of the novel isoforms generates a truncated protein. Instead, 4 of the 5 new isoforms specifically eliminate domains and modifications to generate smaller HTT proteins. The fifth novel isoform incorporates a previously unreported additional exon, dubbed 41b, which is hominid-specific and introduces a potential phosphorylation site in the protein. The discovery of this hominid-specific isoform may shed light on human-specific pathogenic mechanisms of HTT, which could not be investigated with current mouse models of the disease. PMID:26010866

Direct recovery of infectious Pestivirus from a full-length RT-PCR amplicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Reimann, Ilona; Hoffmann, Bernd

2008-01-01

This study describes the use of a novel and rapid long reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for the generation of infectious full-length cDNA of pestiviruses. To produce rescued viruses, full-length RT-PCR amplicons of 12.3 kb, including a T7-promotor, were transcribed directly in vitro, and the result......This study describes the use of a novel and rapid long reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for the generation of infectious full-length cDNA of pestiviruses. To produce rescued viruses, full-length RT-PCR amplicons of 12.3 kb, including a T7-promotor, were transcribed directly in vitro......, and the resulting RNA transcripts were electroporated into ovine cells. Infectious virus was obtained after one cell culture passage. The rescued viruses had a phenotype similar to the parental Border Disease virus strain. Therefore, direct generation of infectious pestiviruses from full-length RT-PCR cDNA products...

Performance of initial full-length RHIC [Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider] dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahl, P.; Cottingham, J.; Garber, M.

1987-01-01

The first four full-length (9.7 m) R and D dipoles for the proposed Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) have been successfully tested. The magnets reached a quench plateau of approximately 4.5 T with very reasonable training - a field level comfortably above the design field of 3.45 T required for operation with beams of 100 GeV/amu gold nuclei. Measured field multipoles are considered to be quite acceptable for this series of R and D magnets

A new strategy for full-length Ebola virus glycoprotein expression in E.coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Zai, Junjie; Yi, Yinhua; Xia, Han; Zhang, Bo; Yuan, Zhiming

2016-12-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with high rates of fatality. Glycoprotein (GP) is the only envelope protein of EBOV, which may play a critical role in virus attachment and entry as well as stimulating host protective immune responses. However, the lack of expression of full-length GP in Escherichia coli hinders the further study of its function in viral pathogenesis. In this study, the vp40 gene was fused to the full-length gp gene and cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector. We showed that the VP40-GP and GP-VP40 fusion proteins could be expressed in E.coli at 16 °C. In addition, it was shown that the position of vp40 in the fusion proteins affected the yields of the fusion proteins, with a higher level of production of the fusion protein when vp40 was upstream of gp compared to when it was downstream. The results provide a strategy for the expression of a large quantity of EBOV full-length GP, which is of importance for further analyzing the relationship between the structure and function of GP and developing an antibody for the treatment of EBOV infection.

Dose-Dependent Lowering of Mutant Huntingtin Using Antisense Oligonucleotides in Huntington Disease Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

van Roon-Mom, Willeke M C; Roos, Raymund A C; de Bot, Susanne T

2018-04-01

On December 11 of 2017, Ionis Pharmaceuticals published a press release announcing dose-dependent reductions of mutant huntingtin protein in their HTTRx Phase 1/2a study in Huntington disease (HD) patients. The results from this Ionis trial have gained much attention from the patient community and the oligonucleotide therapeutics field, since it is the first trial targeting the cause of HD, namely the mutant huntingtin protein, using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). The press release also states that the primary endpoints of the study (safety and tolerability) were met, but does not contain data. This news follows the approval of another therapeutic ASO nusinersen (trade name Spinraza) for a neurological disease, spinal muscular atrophy, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency, in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Combined, this offers hope for the development of the HTTRx therapy for HD patients.

Technology development for gene discovery and full-length sequencing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marcelo Bento Soares

2004-07-19

In previous years, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, we developed methods for construction of normalized and subtracted cDNA libraries, and constructed hundreds of high-quality libraries for production of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs). Our clones were made widely available to the scientific community through the IMAGE Consortium, and millions of ESTs were produced from our libraries either by collaborators or by our own sequencing laboratory at the University of Iowa. During this grant period, we focused on (1) the development of a method for preferential cloning of tissue-specific and/or rare transcripts, (2) its utilization to expedite EST-based gene discovery for the NIH Mouse Brain Molecular Anatomy Project, (3) further development and optimization of a method for construction of full-length-enriched cDNA libraries, and (4) modification of a plasmid vector to maximize efficiency of full-length cDNA sequencing by the transposon-mediated approach. It is noteworthy that the technology developed for preferential cloning of rare mRNAs enabled identification of over 2,000 mouse transcripts differentially expressed in the hippocampus. In addition, the method that we optimized for construction of full-length-enriched cDNA libraries was successfully utilized for the production of approximately fifty libraries from the developing mouse nervous system, from which over 2,500 full-ORF-containing cDNAs have been identified and accurately sequenced in their entirety either by our group or by the NIH-Mammalian Gene Collection Program Sequencing Team.

Full-length Ebola glycoprotein accumulates in the endoplasmic reticulum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhattacharyya Suchita

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The Filoviridae family comprises of Ebola and Marburg viruses, which are known to cause lethal hemorrhagic fever. However, there is no effective anti-viral therapy or licensed vaccines currently available for these human pathogens. The envelope glycoprotein (GP of Ebola virus, which mediates entry into target cells, is cytotoxic and this effect maps to a highly glycosylated mucin-like region in the surface subunit of GP (GP1. However, the mechanism underlying this cytotoxic property of GP is unknown. To gain insight into the basis of this GP-induced cytotoxicity, HEK293T cells were transiently transfected with full-length and mucin-deleted (Δmucin Ebola GP plasmids and GP localization was examined relative to the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum (ER, Golgi, early and late endosomes using deconvolution fluorescent microscopy. Full-length Ebola GP was observed to accumulate in the ER. In contrast, GPΔmucin was uniformly expressed throughout the cell and did not localize in the ER. The Ebola major matrix protein VP40 was also co-expressed with GP to investigate its influence on GP localization. GP and VP40 co-expression did not alter GP localization to the ER. Also, when VP40 was co-expressed with the nucleoprotein (NP, it localized to the plasma membrane while NP accumulated in distinct cytoplasmic structures lined with vimentin. These latter structures are consistent with aggresomes and may serve as assembly sites for filoviral nucleocapsids. Collectively, these data suggest that full-length GP, but not GPΔmucin, accumulates in the ER in close proximity to the nuclear membrane, which may underscore its cytotoxic property.

Transgenic animal models for study of the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease and therapy

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Chang RB

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Renbao Chang,1 Xudong Liu,1 Shihua Li,2 Xiao-Jiang Li1,2 1State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA Abstract: Huntington’s disease (HD is caused by a genetic mutation that results in polyglutamine expansion in the N-terminal regions of huntingtin. As a result, this polyQ expansion leads to the misfolding and aggregation of mutant huntingtin as well as age-dependent neurodegeneration. The genetic mutation in HD allows for generating a variety of animal models that express different forms of mutant huntingtin and show differential pathology. Studies of these animal models have provided an important insight into the pathogenesis of HD. Mouse models of HD include transgenic mice, which express N-terminal or full-length mutant huntingtin ubiquitously or selectively in different cell types, and knock-in mice that express full-length mutant Htt at the endogenous level. Large animals, such as pig, sheep, and monkeys, have also been used to generate animal HD models. This review focuses on the different features of commonly used transgenic HD mouse models as well as transgenic large animal models of HD, and also discusses how to use them to identify potential therapeutics. Since HD shares many pathological features with other neurodegenerative diseases, identification of therapies for HD would also help to develop effective treatment for different neurodegenerative diseases that are also caused by protein misfolding and occur in an age-dependent manner. Keywords: transgenic animal models, Huntington’s disease, pathogenesis, therapy

A comparative phylogenetic analysis of full-length mariner elements

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Mariner like elements (MLEs) are widely distributed type II transposons with an open reading frame (ORF) for transposase. We studied comparative phylogenetic evolution and inverted terminal repeat (ITR) conservation of MLEs from Indian saturniid silkmoth, Antheraea mylitta with other full length MLEs submitted in the ...

Novel full-length major histocompatibility complex class I allele discovery and haplotype definition in pig-tailed macaques.

Science.gov (United States)

Semler, Matthew R; Wiseman, Roger W; Karl, Julie A; Graham, Michael E; Gieger, Samantha M; O'Connor, David H

2017-11-13

Pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina, Mane) are important models for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) studies. Their infectability with minimally modified HIV makes them a uniquely valuable animal model to mimic human infection with HIV and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, variation in the pig-tailed macaque major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and the impact of individual transcripts on the pathogenesis of HIV and other infectious diseases is understudied compared to that of rhesus and cynomolgus macaques. In this study, we used Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time circular consensus sequencing to describe full-length MHC class I (MHC-I) transcripts for 194 pig-tailed macaques from three breeding centers. We then used the full-length sequences to infer Mane-A and Mane-B haplotypes containing groups of MHC-I transcripts that co-segregate due to physical linkage. In total, we characterized full-length open reading frames (ORFs) for 313 Mane-A, Mane-B, and Mane-I sequences that defined 86 Mane-A and 106 Mane-B MHC-I haplotypes. Pacific Biosciences technology allows us to resolve these Mane-A and Mane-B haplotypes to the level of synonymous allelic variants. The newly defined haplotypes and transcript sequences containing full-length ORFs provide an important resource for infectious disease researchers as certain MHC haplotypes have been shown to provide exceptional control of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication and prevention of AIDS-like disease in nonhuman primates. The increased allelic resolution provided by Pacific Biosciences sequencing also benefits transplant research by allowing researchers to more specifically match haplotypes between donors and recipients to the level of nonsynonymous allelic variation, thus reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease.

Irradiation performance of full-length metallic IFR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, H.; Neimark, L.A.

1992-07-01

An assembly irradiation of 169 full-length U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel pins was successfully completed in FFTF to a goal burnup of 10 at.%. All test fuel pins maintained their cladding integrity during the irradiation. Postirradiation examination showed minimal fuel/cladding mechanical interaction and excellent stability of the fuel column. Fission-gas release was normal and consistent with the existing data base from irradiation testing of shorter metallic fuel pins in EBR-II

The function analysis of full-length cDNA sequence from IRM-2 mouse cDNA library

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Qin; Liu Xiaoqiu; Xu Chang; Du Liqing; Sun Zhijuan; Wang Yan; Liu Qiang; Song Li; Li Jin; Fan Feiyue

2013-01-01

Objective: To identify the function of full-length cDNA sequence from IRM-2 mouse cDNA library. Methods: Full-length cDNA products were amplified by PCR from IRM-2 mouse cDNA library according to twenty-one pieces of expressed sequence tag. The expression of full-length cDNAs were detected after mouse embryonic fibroblasts were exposed to 6.5 Gy γ-ray radiation. And the effect on the growth of radiosensitivity cells AT5B1VA transfected with full-length cDNAs was investigated. Results: The expression of No.4, 5 and 2 full-length cDNAs from IRM-2 mouse were higher than that of parental ICR and 615 mouse after mouse embryonic fibroblasts irradiated with γ-ray radiation. And the survival rate of AT5B1VA cells transfected with No.4, 5 and 2 full-length cDNAs was high. Conclusion: No.4, 5 and 2 full-length cDNAs of IRM-2 mouse are of high radioresistance. (authors)

A novel humanized mouse model of Huntington disease for preclinical development of therapeutics targeting mutant huntingtin alleles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Southwell, Amber L; Skotte, Niels H; Villanueva, Erika B

2017-01-01

transgenes in Hu128/21 mice match the human HTT exon 1 reference sequence. Conversely, the BACHD transgene carries a floxed, synthetic exon 1 sequence. Hu128/21 mice will be useful for investigations of human HTT that cannot be addressed in Hu97/18 mice, for developing therapies targeted to exon 1......Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. HTT is a large protein, interacts with many partners and is involved in many cellular pathways, which are perturbed in HD. Therapies targeting HTT directly are likely to provide the most global......-length, genomic human HTT transgenes heterozygous for the HD mutation and polymorphisms associated with HD in populations of East Asian descent and in a minority of patients from other ethnic groups. Hu128/21 mice display a wide variety of HD-like phenotypes that are similar to YAC128 mice. Additionally, both...

Full-length mRNA sequencing uncovers a widespread coupling between transcription initiation and mRNA processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Anvar, Seyed Yahya; Allard, Guy; Tseng, Elizabeth; Sheynkman, Gloria M; de Klerk, Eleonora; Vermaat, Martijn; Yin, Raymund H; Johansson, Hans E; Ariyurek, Yavuz; den Dunnen, Johan T; Turner, Stephen W; 't Hoen, Peter A C

2018-03-29

The multifaceted control of gene expression requires tight coordination of regulatory mechanisms at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Here, we studied the interdependence of transcription initiation, splicing and polyadenylation events on single mRNA molecules by full-length mRNA sequencing. In MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we find 2700 genes with interdependent alternative transcription initiation, splicing and polyadenylation events, both in proximal and distant parts of mRNA molecules, including examples of coupling between transcription start sites and polyadenylation sites. The analysis of three human primary tissues (brain, heart and liver) reveals similar patterns of interdependency between transcription initiation and mRNA processing events. We predict thousands of novel open reading frames from full-length mRNA sequences and obtained evidence for their translation by shotgun proteomics. The mapping database rescues 358 previously unassigned peptides and improves the assignment of others. By recognizing sample-specific amino-acid changes and novel splicing patterns, full-length mRNA sequencing improves proteogenomics analysis of MCF-7 cells. Our findings demonstrate that our understanding of transcriptome complexity is far from complete and provides a basis to reveal largely unresolved mechanisms that coordinate transcription initiation and mRNA processing.

Seismic inference of 57 stars using full-length Kepler data sets

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Creevey Orlagh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present stellar properties of 57 stars from a seismic inference using full-length data sets from Kepler (mass, age, radius, distances. These stars comprise active stars, planet-hosts, solar-analogs, and binary systems. We validate the distances derived from the astrometric Gaia-Tycho solution. Ensemble analysis of the stellar properties reveals a trend of mixing-length parameter with the surface gravity and effective temperature. We derive a linear relationship with the seismic quantity ‹r02› to estimate the stellar age. Finally, we define the stellar regimes where the Kjeldsen et al (2008 empirical surface correction for 1D model frequencies is valid.

Msh2 acts in medium-spiny striatal neurons as an enhancer of CAG instability and mutant huntingtin phenotypes in Huntington's disease knock-in mice.

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Marina Kovalenko

Full Text Available The CAG trinucleotide repeat mutation in the Huntington's disease gene (HTT exhibits age-dependent tissue-specific expansion that correlates with disease onset in patients, implicating somatic expansion as a disease modifier and potential therapeutic target. Somatic HTT CAG expansion is critically dependent on proteins in the mismatch repair (MMR pathway. To gain further insight into mechanisms of somatic expansion and the relationship of somatic expansion to the disease process in selectively vulnerable MSNs we have crossed HTT CAG knock-in mice (HdhQ111 with mice carrying a conditional (floxed Msh2 allele and D9-Cre transgenic mice, in which Cre recombinase is expressed specifically in MSNs within the striatum. Deletion of Msh2 in MSNs eliminated Msh2 protein in those neurons. We demonstrate that MSN-specific deletion of Msh2 was sufficient to eliminate the vast majority of striatal HTT CAG expansions in HdhQ111 mice. Furthermore, MSN-specific deletion of Msh2 modified two mutant huntingtin phenotypes: the early nuclear localization of diffusely immunostaining mutant huntingtin was slowed; and the later development of intranuclear huntingtin inclusions was dramatically inhibited. Therefore, Msh2 acts within MSNs as a genetic enhancer both of somatic HTT CAG expansions and of HTT CAG-dependent phenotypes in mice. These data suggest that the selective vulnerability of MSNs may be at least in part contributed by the propensity for somatic expansion in these neurons, and imply that intervening in the expansion process is likely to have therapeutic benefit.

Full length prototype SSC dipole test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, J.; Brown, B.C.; Carson, J.

1987-01-01

Results are presented from tests of the first full length prototype SSC dipole magnet. The cryogenic behavior of the magnet during a slow cooldown to 4.5K and a slow warmup to room temperature has been measured. Magnetic field quality was measured at currents up to 2000 A. Averaged over the body field all harmonics with the exception of b 2 and b 8 are at or within the tolerances specified by the SSC Central Design Group. (The values of b 2 and b 8 result from known design and construction defects which will be be corrected in later magnets.) Using an NMR probe the average body field strength is measured to be 10.283 G/A with point to point variations on the order of one part in 1000. Data are presented on quench behavior of the magnet up to 3500 A (approximately 55% of full field) including longitudinal and transverse velocities for the first 250 msec of the quench

SUMO-2 and PIAS1 Modulate Insoluble Mutant Huntingtin Protein Accumulation

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Jacqueline Gire O’Rourke

2013-07-01

Full Text Available A key feature in Huntington disease (HD is the accumulation of mutant Huntingtin (HTT protein, which may be regulated by posttranslational modifications. Here, we define the primary sites of SUMO modification in the amino-terminal domain of HTT, show modification downstream of this domain, and demonstrate that HTT is modified by the stress-inducible SUMO-2. A systematic study of E3 SUMO ligases demonstrates that PIAS1 is an E3 SUMO ligase for both HTT SUMO-1 and SUMO-2 modification and that reduction of dPIAS in a mutant HTT Drosophila model is protective. SUMO-2 modification regulates accumulation of insoluble HTT in HeLa cells in a manner that mimics proteasome inhibition and can be modulated by overexpression and acute knockdown of PIAS1. Finally, the accumulation of SUMO-2-modified proteins in the insoluble fraction of HD postmortem striata implicates SUMO-2 modification in the age-related pathogenic accumulation of mutant HTT and other cellular proteins that occurs during HD progression.

Hydrophobically Modified siRNAs Silence Huntingtin mRNA in Primary Neurons and Mouse Brain

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Julia F Alterman

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Applications of RNA interference for neuroscience research have been limited by a lack of simple and efficient methods to deliver oligonucleotides to primary neurons in culture and to the brain. Here, we show that primary neurons rapidly internalize hydrophobically modified siRNAs (hsiRNAs added directly to the culture medium without lipid formulation. We identify functional hsiRNAs targeting the mRNA of huntingtin, the mutation of which is responsible for Huntington's disease, and show that direct uptake in neurons induces potent and specific silencing in vitro. Moreover, a single injection of unformulated hsiRNA into mouse brain silences Htt mRNA with minimal neuronal toxicity. Thus, hsiRNAs embody a class of therapeutic oligonucleotides that enable simple and straightforward functional studies of genes involved in neuronal biology and neurodegenerative disorders in a native biological context.

Purification and Fibrillation of Full-Length Recombinant PrP

OpenAIRE

Makarava, Natallia; Baskakov, Ilia V.

2012-01-01

Misfolding and aggregation of prion protein (PrP) is related to several neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Creutzfeldt–Jacob disease, fatal familial insomnia, and Gerstmann–Straussler–Sheinker disease. Certain applications in prion area require recombinant PrP of high purity and quality. Here, we report an experimental procedure for expression and purification of full-length mammalian PrP. This protocol has been proved to yield PrP of extremely high purity that lac...

Multiple Word-Length High-Level Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coussy Philippe

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Digital signal processing (DSP applications are nowadays widely used and their complexity is ever growing. The design of dedicated hardware accelerators is thus still needed in system-on-chip and embedded systems. Realistic hardware implementation requires first to convert the floating-point data of the initial specification into arbitrary length data (finite-precision while keeping an acceptable computation accuracy. Next, an optimized hardware architecture has to be designed. Considering uniform bit-width specification allows to use traditional automated design flow. However, it leads to oversized design. On the other hand, considering non uniform bit-width specification allows to get a smaller circuit but requires complex design tasks. In this paper, we propose an approach that inputs a C/C++ specification. The design flow, based on high-level synthesis (HLS techniques, automatically generates a potentially pipeline RTL architecture described in VHDL. Both bitaccurate integer and fixed-point data types can be used in the input specification. The generated architecture uses components (operator, register, etc. that have different widths. The design constraints are the clock period and the throughput of the application. The proposed approach considers data word-length information in all the synthesis steps by using dedicated algorithms. We show in this paper the effectiveness of the proposed approach through several design experiments in the DSP domain.

Multiple Word-Length High-Level Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominique Heller

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Digital signal processing (DSP applications are nowadays widely used and their complexity is ever growing. The design of dedicated hardware accelerators is thus still needed in system-on-chip and embedded systems. Realistic hardware implementation requires first to convert the floating-point data of the initial specification into arbitrary length data (finite-precision while keeping an acceptable computation accuracy. Next, an optimized hardware architecture has to be designed. Considering uniform bit-width specification allows to use traditional automated design flow. However, it leads to oversized design. On the other hand, considering non uniform bit-width specification allows to get a smaller circuit but requires complex design tasks. In this paper, we propose an approach that inputs a C/C++ specification. The design flow, based on high-level synthesis (HLS techniques, automatically generates a potentially pipeline RTL architecture described in VHDL. Both bitaccurate integer and fixed-point data types can be used in the input specification. The generated architecture uses components (operator, register, etc. that have different widths. The design constraints are the clock period and the throughput of the application. The proposed approach considers data word-length information in all the synthesis steps by using dedicated algorithms. We show in this paper the effectiveness of the proposed approach through several design experiments in the DSP domain.

Purification and characterization of recombinant full-length and protease domain of murine MMP-9 expressed in Drosophila S2 cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Morten G; Lund, Ida K; Illemann, Martin

2010-01-01

MMP-9. Constructs encoding zymogens of full-length murine MMP-9 and a version lacking the O-glycosylated linker region and hemopexin domains were therefore generated and expressed in stably transfected Drosophila S2 insect cells. After 7 days of induction the expression levels of the full......-length and truncated versions were 5 mg/l and 2 mg/l, respectively. The products were >95% pure after gelatin Sepharose chromatography and possessed proteolytic activity when analyzed by gelatin zymography. Using the purified full-length murine MMP-9 we raised polyclonal antibodies by immunizations of rabbits......Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a 92-kDa soluble pro-enzyme implicated in pathological events including cancer invasion. It is therefore an attractive target for therapeutic intervention studies in mouse models. Development of inhibitors requires sufficient amounts of correctly folded murine...

Cost-effective sequencing of full-length cDNA clones powered by a de novo-reference hybrid assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroshu, Reginaldo M; Watanabe, Junichi; Sugano, Sumio; Morishita, Shinichi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Kasahara, Masahiro

2010-05-07

Sequencing full-length cDNA clones is important to determine gene structures including alternative splice forms, and provides valuable resources for experimental analyses to reveal the biological functions of coded proteins. However, previous approaches for sequencing cDNA clones were expensive or time-consuming, and therefore, a fast and efficient sequencing approach was demanded. We developed a program, MuSICA 2, that assembles millions of short (36-nucleotide) reads collected from a single flow cell lane of Illumina Genome Analyzer to shotgun-sequence approximately 800 human full-length cDNA clones. MuSICA 2 performs a hybrid assembly in which an external de novo assembler is run first and the result is then improved by reference alignment of shotgun reads. We compared the MuSICA 2 assembly with 200 pooled full-length cDNA clones finished independently by the conventional primer-walking using Sanger sequencers. The exon-intron structure of the coding sequence was correct for more than 95% of the clones with coding sequence annotation when we excluded cDNA clones insufficiently represented in the shotgun library due to PCR failure (42 out of 200 clones excluded), and the nucleotide-level accuracy of coding sequences of those correct clones was over 99.99%. We also applied MuSICA 2 to full-length cDNA clones from Toxoplasma gondii, to confirm that its ability was competent even for non-human species. The entire sequencing and shotgun assembly takes less than 1 week and the consumables cost only approximately US$3 per clone, demonstrating a significant advantage over previous approaches.

Onjisaponin B derived from Radix Polygalae enhances autophagy and accelerates the degradation of mutant α-synuclein and huntingtin in PC-12 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, An-Guo; Wong, Vincent Kam-Wai; Xu, Su-Wei; Chan, Wai-Kit; Ng, Choi-In; Liu, Liang; Law, Betty Yuen-Kwan

2013-11-15

Emerging evidence indicates important protective roles being played by autophagy in neurodegenerative disorders through clearance of aggregate-prone or mutant proteins. In the current study, we aimed to identify autophagy inducers from Chinese medicinal herbs as a potential neuroprotective agent that enhances the clearance of mutant huntingtin and α-synuclein in PC-12 cells. Through intensive screening using the green fluorescent protein-light chain 3 (GFP-LC3) autophagy detection platform, we found that the ethanol extracts of Radix Polygalae (Yuan Zhi) were capable of inducing autophagy. Further investigation showed that among three single components derived from Radix Polygalae--i.e., polygalacic acid, senegenin and onjisaponin B--onjisaponin B was able to induce autophagy and accelerate both the removal of mutant huntingtin and A53T α-synuclein, which are highly associated with Huntington disease and Parkinson disease, respectively. Our study further demonstrated that onjisaponin B induces autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway. Therefore, findings in the current study provide detailed insights into the protective mechanism of a novel autophagy inducer, which is valuable for further investigation as a new candidate agent for modulating neurodegenerative disorders through the reduction of toxicity and clearance of mutant proteins in the cellular level.

Functional characterization of a full length pregnane X receptor, expression in vivo, and identification of PXR alleles, in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bainy, Afonso C.D. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Departamento de Bioquímica, CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 (Brazil); Kubota, Akira; Goldstone, Jared V. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Lille-Langøy, Roger [Department of Biology, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen (Norway); Karchner, Sibel I. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Celander, Malin C. [Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, SE 405 30 Göteborg (Sweden); Hahn, Mark E. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Goksøyr, Anders [Department of Biology, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen (Norway); Stegeman, John J., E-mail: jstegeman@whoi.edu [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)

2013-10-15

Highlights: •Full-length pxr has been cloned from zebrafish. •Alleles of pxr were identified in zebrafish. •Full length Pxr was activated less strongly than ligand binding domain in cell-based reporter assays. •High levels of pxr expression were found in eye and brain as well as in liver. •TCPOBOP and PB did not significantly alter expression of pxr in liver. -- Abstract: The pregnane X receptor (PXR) (nuclear receptor NR1I2) is a ligand activated transcription factor, mediating responses to diverse xenobiotic and endogenous chemicals. The properties of PXR in fish are not fully understood. Here we report on cloning and characterization of full-length PXR of zebrafish, Danio rerio, and pxr expression in vivo. Initial efforts gave a cDNA encoding a 430 amino acid protein identified as zebrafish pxr by phylogenetic and synteny analysis. The sequence of the cloned Pxr DNA binding domain (DBD) was highly conserved, with 74% identity to human PXR-DBD, while the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the cloned sequence was only 44% identical to human PXR-LBD. Sequence variation among clones in the initial effort prompted sequencing of multiple clones from a single fish. There were two prominent variants, one sequence with S183, Y218 and H383 and the other with I183, C218 and N383, which we designate as alleles pxr*1 (nr1i2*1) and pxr*2 (nr1i2*2), respectively. In COS-7 cells co-transfected with a PXR-responsive reporter gene, the full-length Pxr*1 (the more common variant) was activated by known PXR agonists clotrimazole and pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile but to a lesser extent than the full-length human PXR. Activation of full-length Pxr*1 was only 10% of that with the Pxr*1 LBD. Quantitative real time PCR analysis showed prominent expression of pxr in liver and eye, as well as brain and intestine of adult zebrafish. The pxr was expressed in heart and kidney at levels similar to that in intestine. The expression of pxr in liver was weakly induced by ligands for

Simulations of The Dalles Dam Proposed Full Length Spillwall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rakowski, Cynthia L.; Perkins, William A.; Richmond, Marshall C.; Serkowski, John A.

2008-02-25

This report presents results of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling study to evaluatethe impacts of a full-length spillwall at The Dalles Dam. The full-length spillwall is being designed and evaluated as a structural means to improve tailrace egress and thus survival of juvenile fish passing through the spillway. During the course of this study, a full-length spillwall at Bays 6/7 and 8/9 were considered. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has proposed extending the spillwall constructed in the stilling basin between spillway Bays 6 and 7 about 590 ft farther downstream. It is believed that the extension of the spillwall will improve egress conditions for downstream juvenile salmonids by moving them more rapidly into the thalweg of the river hence reducing their exposure to predators. A numerical model was created, validated, and applied the The Dalles Dam tailrace. The models were designed to assess impacts to flow, tailrace egress, navigation, and adult salmon passage of a proposed spill wall extension. The more extensive model validation undertaken in this study greatly improved our confidence in the numerical model to represent the flow conditions in The Dalles tailrace. This study used these validated CFD models to simulate the potential impacts of a spillwall extension for The Dalles Dam tailrace for two locations. We determined the following: (1)The construction of an extended wall (between Bays 6/7) will not adversely impact entering or exiting the navigation lock. Impact should be less if a wall were constructed between Bays 8/9. (2)The construction of a wall between Bays 6/7 will increase the water surface elevation between the wall and the Washington shore. Although the increased water surface elevation would be beneficial to adult upstream migrants in that it decreases velocities on the approach to the adult ladder, the increased flow depth would enhance dissolved gas production, impacting potential operations of the project because of

Expression of Huntingtons disease markers in the cornea of minipig transgenic for the human mutated huntingtin

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ardan, Taras; Juhás, Štefan; Motlík, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 91, č. 252 (2013), S016-S016 ISSN 1755-375X. [European Association for Vision and Eye Research EVER 2013. 18.09.2013-21.09.2013, Nice] R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124; GA TA ČR(CZ) TA01011466 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : huntingtin Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology

Diversity, distribution and dynamics of full-length Copia and Gypsy LTR retroelements in Solanum lycopersicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, Rosalía Cristina; Kozaczek, Melisa Eliana; Rosli, Hernán Guillermo; Andino, Natalia Pilar; Sanchez-Puerta, Maria Virginia

2017-10-01

Transposable elements are the most abundant components of plant genomes and can dramatically induce genetic changes and impact genome evolution. In the recently sequenced genome of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), the estimated fraction of elements corresponding to retrotransposons is nearly 62%. Given that tomato is one of the most important vegetable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide, understanding retrotransposon dynamics can provide insight into its evolution and domestication processes. In this study, we performed a genome-wide in silico search of full-length LTR retroelements in the tomato nuclear genome and annotated 736 full-length Gypsy and Copia retroelements. The dispersion level across the 12 chromosomes, the diversity and tissue-specific expression of those elements were estimated. Phylogenetic analysis based on the retrotranscriptase region revealed the presence of 12 major lineages of LTR retroelements in the tomato genome. We identified 97 families, of which 77 and 20 belong to the superfamilies Copia and Gypsy, respectively. Each retroelement family was characterized according to their element size, relative frequencies and insertion time. These analyses represent a valuable resource for comparative genomics within the Solanaceae, transposon-tagging and for the design of cultivar-specific molecular markers in tomato.

Analysis of expressed sequence tags generated from full-length enriched cDNA libraries of melon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bendahmane Abdelhafid

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melon (Cucumis melo, an economically important vegetable crop, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which includes several other important crops such as watermelon, cucumber, and pumpkin. It has served as a model system for sex determination and vascular biology studies. However, genomic resources currently available for melon are limited. Result We constructed eleven full-length enriched and four standard cDNA libraries from fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, cotyledons, and calluses of four different melon genotypes, and generated 71,577 and 22,179 ESTs from full-length enriched and standard cDNA libraries, respectively. These ESTs, together with ~35,000 ESTs available in public domains, were assembled into 24,444 unigenes, which were extensively annotated by comparing their sequences to different protein and functional domain databases, assigning them Gene Ontology (GO terms, and mapping them onto metabolic pathways. Comparative analysis of melon unigenes and other plant genomes revealed that 75% to 85% of melon unigenes had homologs in other dicot plants, while approximately 70% had homologs in monocot plants. The analysis also identified 6,972 gene families that were conserved across dicot and monocot plants, and 181, 1,192, and 220 gene families specific to fleshy fruit-bearing plants, the Cucurbitaceae family, and melon, respectively. Digital expression analysis identified a total of 175 tissue-specific genes, which provides a valuable gene sequence resource for future genomics and functional studies. Furthermore, we identified 4,068 simple sequence repeats (SSRs and 3,073 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the melon EST collection. Finally, we obtained a total of 1,382 melon full-length transcripts through the analysis of full-length enriched cDNA clones that were sequenced from both ends. Analysis of these full-length transcripts indicated that sizes of melon 5' and 3' UTRs were similar to those of tomato, but

Expression of full-length and splice forms of FoxP3 in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryder, L R; Woetmann, A; Madsen, H O

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to compare the presence of full-length and alternative splice forms of FoxP3 mRNA in CD4 cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls. METHODS: A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) method was used to measure...... the amount of FoxP3 mRNA full-length and splice forms. CD4-positive T cells were isolated from peripheral blood from 50 RA patients by immunomagnetic separation, and the FoxP3 mRNA expression was compared with the results from 10 healthy controls. RESULTS: We observed an increased expression of full......-length FoxP3 mRNA in RA patients when compared to healthy controls, as well as an increase in CD25 mRNA expression, but no corresponding increase in CTLA-4 mRNA expression. The presence of an alternative splice form of FoxP3 lacking exon 2 was confirmed in both RA patients and healthy controls...

Generation of a reliable full-length cDNA of infectiousTembusu virus using a PCR-based protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Te; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Cui, Shulin; Qu, Shenghua; Wang, Dan; Liu, Ning; Wang, Fumin; Ning, Kang; Zhang, Bing; Zhang, Dabing

2016-02-02

Full-length cDNA of Tembusu virus (TMUV) cloned in a plasmid has been found instable in bacterial hosts. Using a PCR-based protocol, we generated a stable full-length cDNA of TMUV. Different cDNA fragments of TMUV were amplified by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and cloned into plasmids. Fragmented cDNAs were amplified and assembled by fusion PCR to produce a full-length cDNA using the recombinant plasmids as templates. Subsequently, a full-length RNA was transcribed from the full-length cDNA in vitro and transfected into BHK-21 cells; infectious viral particles were rescued successfully. Following several passages in BKH-21 cells, the rescued virus was compared with the parental virus by genetic marker checks, growth curve determinations and animal experiments. These assays clearly demonstrated the genetic and biological stabilities of the rescued virus. The present work will be useful for future investigations on the molecular mechanisms involved in replication and pathogenesis of TMUV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construction experience with Fermilab-built full length 50mm SSC dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blessing, M.J.; Hoffman, D.E.; Packer, M.D.; Gordon, M.; Higinbotham, W.; Sims, R.

1992-03-01

Fourteen full length SSC dipole magnets are being built and tested at Fermilab. Their purpose is to verify the magnet design as well as transfer the construction technology to industry. Magnet design is summarized. Construction problems and their solutions are discussed. Topics include coil winding, curing and measuring, collaring, instrumentation, end clamp installation, yoking and electrical and mechanical interconnection

3G vector-primer plasmid for constructing full-length-enriched cDNA libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dong; Zhou, Yanna; Zhang, Zidong; Li, Zaiyu; Liu, Xuedong

2008-09-01

We designed a 3G vector-primer plasmid for the generation of full-length-enriched complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries. By employing the terminal transferase activity of reverse transcriptase and the modified strand replacement method, this plasmid (assembled with a polydT end and a deoxyguanosine [dG] end) combines priming full-length cDNA strand synthesis and directional cDNA cloning. As a result, the number of steps involved in cDNA library preparation is decreased while simplifying downstream gene manipulation, sequencing, and subcloning. The 3G vector-primer plasmid method yields fully represented plasmid primed libraries that are equivalent to those made by the SMART (switching mechanism at 5' end of RNA transcript) approach.

Full-length high-temperature severe fuel damage test No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesson, G.M.; Lombardo, N.J.; Pilger, J.P.; Rausch, W.N.; King, L.L.; Hurley, D.E.; Parchen, L.J.; Panisko, F.E.

1993-09-01

Hazardous conditions associated with performing the Full-Length High- Temperature (FLHT). Severe Fuel Damage Test No. 2 experiment have been analyzed. Major hazards that could cause harm or damage are (1) radioactive fission products, (2) radiation fields, (3) reactivity changes, (4) hydrogen generation, (5) materials at high temperature, (6) steam explosion, and (7) steam pressure pulse. As a result of this analysis, it is concluded that with proper precautions the FLHT- 2 test can be safely conducted

Significance of urinary full-length megalin in patients with IgA nephropathy.

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Takuto Seki

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Megalin is highly expressed at the apical membranes of proximal tubular epithelial cells. A urinary full-length megalin (C-megalin assay is linked to the severity of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes. This study examined the relationship between levels of urinary C-megalin and histological findings in adult patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Urine samples voided in the morning on the day of renal biopsy were obtained from 73 patients with IgAN (29 men and 44 women; mean age, 33 years and 5 patients with membranous nephropathy (MN. Renal pathologic variables were analyzed using the Oxford classification of IgAN, the Shigematsu classification and the Clinical Guidelines of IgAN in Japan. The levels of urinary C-megalin were measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Histological analysis based on the Oxford classification revealed that the levels of urinary C-megalin were correlated with mesangial hypercellularity in IgAN patients (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.04-3.27, P<0.05. There was a significant correlation between the levels of urinary C-megalin and the severity of chronic extracapillary abnormalities according to the Shigematsu classification in IgAN patients (β = 0.33, P = 0.008. The levels of urinary C-megalin were significantly higher in all risk levels of IgAN patients requiring dialysis using the Clinical Guidelines of IgAN in Japan than in the control group. The levels of urinary C-megalin were significantly higher in the high risk and very high risk grades than in the low risk grade (P<0.05. The levels of urinary C-megalin were significantly higher in MN patients compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of urinary C-megalin are associated with histological abnormalities in adult IgAN patients. There is a possibility that urinary C-megalin is an independent predictor of disease progression of IgAN. In addition, our results suggest that

Different Forms of Huntingtin in the Most 
Affected Organs; Brain and Testes of Transgenic Minipigs

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vidinská, Daniela; Motlík, Jan; Ellederová, Zdeňka

2015-01-01

Roč. 78, Suppl 2 (2015), s. 66-69 ISSN 1210-7859. [Conference on Animal Models for neurodegenerative Disease s /3./. Liblice, 08.11.2015-10.11.2015] R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14308 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : Huntington´s disease * transgenic minipig model * mutant huntingtin Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 0.209, year: 2015

Construction of occluded recombinant baculoviruses containing the full-length cry1Ab and cry1Ac genes from Bacillus thuringiensis

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B.M. Ribeiro

1998-06-01

Full Text Available The administration of baculoviruses to insects for bioassay purposes is carried out, in most cases, by contamination of food surfaces with a known amount of occlusion bodies (OBs. Since per os infection is the natural route of infection, occluded recombinant viruses containing crystal protein genes (cry1Ab and cry1Ac from Bacillus thuringiensis were constructed for comparison with the baculovirus prototype Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV. The transfer vector pAcUW2B was used for construction of occluded recombinant viruses. The transfer vector containing the crystal protein genes was cotransfected with linearized DNA from a non-occluded recombinant virus. The isolation of recombinant viruses was greatly facilitated by the reduction of background "wild type" virus and the increased proportion of recombinant viruses. Since the recombinant viruses containing full-length and truncated forms of the crystal protein genes did not seem to improve the pathogenicity of the recombinant viruses when compared with the wild type AcNPV, and in order to compare expression levels of the full-length crystal proteins produced by non-occluded and occluded recombinant viruses the full-length cry1Ab and cry1Ac genes were chosen for construction of occluded recombinant viruses. The recombinant viruses containing full-length and truncated forms of the crystal protein genes did not seem to improve its pathogenicity but the size of the larvae infected with the recombinant viruses was significantly smaller than that of larvae infected with the wild type virus.

Folding Landscape of Mutant Huntingtin Exon1: Diffusible Multimers, Oligomers and Fibrils, and No Detectable Monomer.

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Bankanidhi Sahoo

Full Text Available Expansion of the polyglutamine (polyQ track of the Huntingtin (HTT protein above 36 is associated with a sharply enhanced risk of Huntington's disease (HD. Although there is general agreement that HTT toxicity resides primarily in N-terminal fragments such as the HTT exon1 protein, there is no consensus on the nature of the physical states of HTT exon1 that are induced by polyQ expansion, nor on which of these states might be responsible for toxicity. One hypothesis is that polyQ expansion induces an alternative, toxic conformation in the HTT exon1 monomer. Alternative hypotheses posit that the toxic species is one of several possible aggregated states. Defining the nature of the toxic species is particularly challenging because of facile interconversion between physical states as well as challenges to identifying these states, especially in vivo. Here we describe the use of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS to characterize the detailed time and repeat length dependent self-association of HTT exon1-like fragments both with chemically synthesized peptides in vitro and with cell-produced proteins in extracts and in living cells. We find that, in vitro, mutant HTT exon1 peptides engage in polyQ repeat length dependent dimer and tetramer formation, followed by time dependent formation of diffusible spherical and fibrillar oligomers and finally by larger, sedimentable amyloid fibrils. For expanded polyQ HTT exon1 expressed in PC12 cells, monomers are absent, with tetramers being the smallest molecular form detected, followed in the incubation time course by small, diffusible aggregates at 6-9 hours and larger, sedimentable aggregates that begin to build up at 12 hrs. In these cell cultures, significant nuclear DNA damage appears by 6 hours, followed at later times by caspase 3 induction, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death. Our data thus defines limits on the sizes and concentrations of different physical states of HTT exon1 along the

Full-length cDNA sequences from Rhesus monkey placenta tissue: analysis and utility for comparative mapping

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Lee Sang-Rae

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta are widely-used as experimental animals in biomedical research and are closely related to other laboratory macaques, such as cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis, and to humans, sharing a last common ancestor from about 25 million years ago. Although rhesus monkeys have been studied extensively under field and laboratory conditions, research has been limited by the lack of genetic resources. The present study generated placenta full-length cDNA libraries, characterized the resulting expressed sequence tags, and described their utility for comparative mapping with human RefSeq mRNA transcripts. Results From rhesus monkey placenta full-length cDNA libraries, 2000 full-length cDNA sequences were determined and 1835 rhesus placenta cDNA sequences longer than 100 bp were collected. These sequences were annotated based on homology to human genes. Homology search against human RefSeq mRNAs revealed that our collection included the sequences of 1462 putative rhesus monkey genes. Moreover, we identified 207 genes containing exon alterations in the coding region and the untranslated region of rhesus monkey transcripts, despite the highly conserved structure of the coding regions. Approximately 10% (187 of all full-length cDNA sequences did not represent any public human RefSeq mRNAs. Intriguingly, two rhesus monkey specific exons derived from the transposable elements of AluYRa2 (SINE family and MER11B (LTR family were also identified. Conclusion The 1835 rhesus monkey placenta full-length cDNA sequences described here could expand genomic resources and information of rhesus monkeys. This increased genomic information will greatly contribute to the development of evolutionary biology and biomedical research.

Full-length high-temperature severe fuel damage test No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.; Lombardo, N.J.; Hensley, W.K.; Fitzsimmons, D.E.; Panisko, F.E.; Hartwell, J.K.

1993-09-01

This report describes and presents data from a severe fuel damage test that was conducted in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL), Ontario, Canada. The test, designated FLHT-5, was the fourth in a series of full-length high-temperature (FLHT) tests on light-water reactor fuel. The tests were designed and performed by staff from the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), operated by Battelle Memorial Institute. The test operation and test results are described in this report. The fuel bundle in the FLHT-5 experiment included 10 unirradiated full-length pressurized-water reactor (PWR) rods, 1 irradiated PWR rod and 1 dummy gamma thermometer. The fuel rods were subjected to a very low coolant flow while operating at low fission power. This caused coolant boilaway, rod dryout and overheating to temperatures above 2600 K, severe fuel rod damage, hydrogen generation, and fission product release. The test assembly and its effluent path were extensively instrumented to record temperatures, pressures, flow rates, hydrogen evolution, and fission product release during the boilaway/heatup transient. Post-test gamma scanning of the upper plenum indicated significant iodine and cesium release and deposition. Both stack gas activity and on-line gamma spectrometer data indicated significant (∼50%) release of noble fission gases. Post-test visual examination of one side of the fuel bundle revealed no massive relocation and flow blockage; however, rundown of molten cladding was evident

Integrative annotation of 21,037 human genes validated by full-length cDNA clones.

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Tadashi Imanishi

2004-06-01

Full Text Available The human genome sequence defines our inherent biological potential; the realization of the biology encoded therein requires knowledge of the function of each gene. Currently, our knowledge in this area is still limited. Several lines of investigation have been used to elucidate the structure and function of the genes in the human genome. Even so, gene prediction remains a difficult task, as the varieties of transcripts of a gene may vary to a great extent. We thus performed an exhaustive integrative characterization of 41,118 full-length cDNAs that capture the gene transcripts as complete functional cassettes, providing an unequivocal report of structural and functional diversity at the gene level. Our international collaboration has validated 21,037 human gene candidates by analysis of high-quality full-length cDNA clones through curation using unified criteria. This led to the identification of 5,155 new gene candidates. It also manifested the most reliable way to control the quality of the cDNA clones. We have developed a human gene database, called the H-Invitational Database (H-InvDB; http://www.h-invitational.jp/. It provides the following: integrative annotation of human genes, description of gene structures, details of novel alternative splicing isoforms, non-protein-coding RNAs, functional domains, subcellular localizations, metabolic pathways, predictions of protein three-dimensional structure, mapping of known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, identification of polymorphic microsatellite repeats within human genes, and comparative results with mouse full-length cDNAs. The H-InvDB analysis has shown that up to 4% of the human genome sequence (National Center for Biotechnology Information build 34 assembly may contain misassembled or missing regions. We found that 6.5% of the human gene candidates (1,377 loci did not have a good protein-coding open reading frame, of which 296 loci are strong candidates for non-protein-coding RNA

High avidity antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA correlate with absence of placental malaria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tutterrow, Yeung Lo; Salanti, Ali; Avril, Marion

2012-01-01

VAR2CSA mediates sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in the placenta, increasing the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Naturally acquired antibodies (Ab) to placental parasites at delivery have been associated with improved pregnancy outcomes, but Ab levels and how early...... in pregnancy Ab must be present in order to eliminate placental parasites before delivery remains unknown. Antibodies to individual Duffy-binding like domains of VAR2CSA have been studied, but the domains lack many of the conformational epitopes present in full-length VAR2CSA (FV2). Thus, the purpose...... of this study was to describe the acquisition of Ab to FV2 in women residing in high and low transmission areas and determine how Ab levels during pregnancy correlate with clearance of placental parasites. Plasma samples collected monthly throughout pregnancy from pregnant women living in high and low...

Pulp regeneration in a full-length human tooth root using a hierarchical nanofibrous microsphere system.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiangwei; Ma, Chi; Xie, Xiaohua; Sun, Hongchen; Liu, Xiaohua

2016-04-15

While pulp regeneration using tissue engineering strategy has been explored for over a decade, successful regeneration of pulp tissues in a full-length human root with a one-end seal that truly simulates clinical endodontic treatment has not been achieved. To address this challenge, we designed and synthesized a unique hierarchical growth factor-loaded nanofibrous microsphere scaffolding system. In this system, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) binds with heparin and is encapsulated in heparin-conjugated gelatin nanospheres, which are further immobilized in the nanofibers of an injectable poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) microsphere. This hierarchical microsphere system not only protects the VEGF from denaturation and degradation, but also provides excellent control of its sustained release. In addition, the nanofibrous PLLA microsphere integrates the extracellular matrix-mimicking architecture with a highly porous injectable form, efficiently accommodating dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and supporting their proliferation and pulp tissue formation. Our in vivo study showed the successful regeneration of pulp-like tissues that fulfilled the entire apical and middle thirds and reached the coronal third of the full-length root canal. In addition, a large number of blood vessels were regenerated throughout the canal. For the first time, our work demonstrates the success of pulp tissue regeneration in a full-length root canal, making it a significant step toward regenerative endodontics. The regeneration of pulp tissues in a full-length tooth root canal has been one of the greatest challenges in the field of regenerative endodontics, and one of the biggest barriers for its clinical application. In this study, we developed a unique approach to tackle this challenge, and for the first time, we successfully regenerated living pulp tissues in a full-length root canal, making it a significant step toward regenerative endodontics. This study will make positive scientific

Full-length genomic characterization and molecular evolution of canine parvovirus in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ling; Tang, Qinghai; Shi, Lijun; Kong, Miaomiao; Liang, Lin; Mao, Qianqian; Bu, Bin; Yao, Lunguang; Zhao, Kai; Cui, Shangjin; Leal, Élcio

2016-06-01

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) can cause acute haemorrhagic enteritis in dogs and myocarditis in puppies. This disease has become one of the most serious infectious diseases of dogs. During 2014 in China, there were many cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in dogs. Some faecal samples were negative for the CPV-2 antigen based on a colloidal gold test strip but were positive based on PCR, and a viral strain was isolated from one such sample. The cytopathic effect on susceptible cells and the results of the immunoperoxidase monolayer assay, PCR, and sequencing indicated that the pathogen was CPV-2. The strain was named CPV-NY-14, and the full-length genome was sequenced and analysed. A maximum likelihood tree was constructed using the full-length genome and all available CPV-2 genomes. New strains have replaced the original strain in Taiwan and Italy, although the CPV-2a strain is still predominant there. However, CPV-2a still causes many cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in dogs in China.

A Novel mouse model of enhanced proteostasis: Full-length human heat shock factor 1 transgenic mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierce, Anson; Wei, Rochelle; Halade, Dipti; Yoo, Si-Eun; Ran, Qitao; Richardson, Arlan

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Development of mouse overexpressing native human HSF1 in all tissues including CNS. → HSF1 overexpression enhances heat shock response at whole-animal and cellular level. → HSF1 overexpression protects from polyglutamine toxicity and favors aggresomes. → HSF1 overexpression enhances proteostasis at the whole-animal and cellular level. -- Abstract: The heat shock response (HSR) is controlled by the master transcriptional regulator heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). HSF1 maintains proteostasis and resistance to stress through production of heat shock proteins (HSPs). No transgenic model exists that overexpresses HSF1 in tissues of the central nervous system (CNS). We generated a transgenic mouse overexpressing full-length non-mutant HSF1 and observed a 2-4-fold increase in HSF1 mRNA and protein expression in all tissues studied of HSF1 transgenic (HSF1 +/0 ) mice compared to wild type (WT) littermates, including several regions of the CNS. Basal expression of HSP70 and 90 showed only mild tissue-specific changes; however, in response to forced exercise, the skeletal muscle HSR was more elevated in HSF1 +/0 mice compared to WT littermates and in fibroblasts following heat shock, as indicated by levels of inducible HSP70 mRNA and protein. HSF1 +/0 cells elicited a significantly more robust HSR in response to expression of the 82 repeat polyglutamine-YFP fusion construct (Q82YFP) and maintained proteasome-dependent processing of Q82YFP compared to WT fibroblasts. Overexpression of HSF1 was associated with fewer, but larger Q82YFP aggregates resembling aggresomes in HSF1 +/0 cells, and increased viability. Therefore, our data demonstrate that tissues and cells from mice overexpressing full-length non-mutant HSF1 exhibit enhanced proteostasis.

Insertion of Introns: A Strategy to Facilitate Assembly of Infectious Full Length Clones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Ida Elisabeth; Lund, Ole Søgaard

2008-01-01

Some DNA fragments are difficult to clone in Escherichia coli by standard methods. It has been speculated that unintended transcription and translation result in expression of proteins that are toxic to the bacteria. This problem is frequently observed during assembly of infectious full-length vi...

The role of polyglutamine expansion and protein context in disease-related huntingtin/lipid interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Kathleen Anne

Huntington's Disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is defined by the accumulation of nanoscale aggregates comprised of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Aggregation is directly caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain in htt, leading to a diverse population of aggregate species, such as oligomers, fibrils, and annular aggregates. Furthermore, the length of this polyQ domain is directly related to onset and severity of disease. The first 17 amino acids on the N-terminus (N17) and the polyproline domain on the C-terminal side of the polyQ domain have been shown to further modulate the aggregation process. Additionally, N17 appears to have lipid binding properties as htt interacts with a variety of membrane-containing structures present in cells, such as organelles, and interactions with these membrane surfaces may further modulate htt aggregation. To investigate the interaction between htt exon1 and lipid bilayers, in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to directly monitor the aggregation of htt exon1 constructs with varying Q-length (35Q, 46Q, 51Q, and myc- 53Q) or synthetic peptides with different polyQ domain flanking sequences (KK-Q35-KK, KK-Q 35-P10-KK, N17-Q35-KK, and N 17-Q35-P10-KK) on supported lipid membranes comprised of total brain lipid extract. The exon1 fragments accumulated on the lipid membranes, causing disruption of the membrane, in a polyQ dependent manner. By adding N-terminal tags to the htt exon1 fragments, the interaction with the lipid bilayer was impeded. The KK-Q35-KK and KK-Q 35-P10-KK peptides had no appreciable interaction with lipid bilayers. Interestingly, polyQ peptides with the N17 flanking sequence interacted with the bilayer. N17-Q35-KK formed discrete aggregates on the bilayer, but there was minimal membrane disruption. The N17-Q35-P10-KK peptide interacted more aggressively with the lipid bilayer in a manner reminiscent of the htt exon1 proteins.

Assessment of motor function, sensory motor gating and recognition memory in a novel BACHD transgenic rat model for Huntington disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abada, Yah-se K.; Nguyen, Huu Phuc; Schreiber, Rudy; Ellenbroek, Bart

2013-01-01

Rationale: Huntington disease (HD) is frequently first diagnosed by the appearance of motor symptoms; the diagnosis is subsequently confirmed by the presence of expanded CAG repeats (> 35) in the HUNTINGTIN (HTT) gene. A BACHD rat model for HD carrying the human full length mutated HTT with 97

XenDB: Full length cDNA prediction and cross species mapping in Xenopus laevis

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Giegerich Robert

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research using the model system Xenopus laevis has provided critical insights into the mechanisms of early vertebrate development and cell biology. Large scale sequencing efforts have provided an increasingly important resource for researchers. To provide full advantage of the available sequence, we have analyzed 350,468 Xenopus laevis Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs both to identify full length protein encoding sequences and to develop a unique database system to support comparative approaches between X. laevis and other model systems. Description Using a suffix array based clustering approach, we have identified 25,971 clusters and 40,877 singleton sequences. Generation of a consensus sequence for each cluster resulted in 31,353 tentative contig and 4,801 singleton sequences. Using both BLASTX and FASTY comparison to five model organisms and the NR protein database, more than 15,000 sequences are predicted to encode full length proteins and these have been matched to publicly available IMAGE clones when available. Each sequence has been compared to the KOG database and ~67% of the sequences have been assigned a putative functional category. Based on sequence homology to mouse and human, putative GO annotations have been determined. Conclusion The results of the analysis have been stored in a publicly available database XenDB http://bibiserv.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/xendb/. A unique capability of the database is the ability to batch upload cross species queries to identify potential Xenopus homologues and their associated full length clones. Examples are provided including mapping of microarray results and application of 'in silico' analysis. The ability to quickly translate the results of various species into 'Xenopus-centric' information should greatly enhance comparative embryological approaches. Supplementary material can be found at http://bibiserv.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/xendb/.

An analysis of expressed sequence tags of developing castor endosperm using a full-length cDNA library

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Wallis James G

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Castor seeds are a major source for ricinoleate, an important industrial raw material. Genomics studies of castor plant will provide critical information for understanding seed metabolism, for effectively engineering ricinoleate production in transgenic oilseeds, or for genetically improving castor plants by eliminating toxic and allergic proteins in seeds. Results Full-length cDNAs are useful resources in annotating genes and in providing functional analysis of genes and their products. We constructed a full-length cDNA library from developing castor endosperm, and obtained 4,720 ESTs from 5'-ends of the cDNA clones representing 1,908 unique sequences. The most abundant transcripts are genes encoding storage proteins, ricin, agglutinin and oleosins. Several other sequences are also very numerous, including two acidic triacylglycerol lipases, and the oleate hydroxylase (FAH12 gene that is responsible for ricinoleate biosynthesis. The role(s of the lipases in developing castor seeds are not clear, and co-expressing of a lipase and the FAH12 did not result in significant changes in hydroxy fatty acid accumulation in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds. Only one oleate desaturase (FAD2 gene was identified in our cDNA sequences. Sequence and functional analyses of the castor FAD2 were carried out since it had not been characterized previously. Overexpression of castor FAD2 in a FAH12-expressing Arabidopsis line resulted in decreased accumulation of hydroxy fatty acids in transgenic seeds. Conclusion Our results suggest that transcriptional regulation of FAD2 and FAH12 genes maybe one of the mechanisms that contribute to a high level of ricinoleate accumulation in castor endosperm. The full-length cDNA library will be used to search for additional genes that affect ricinoleate accumulation in seed oils. Our EST sequences will also be useful to annotate the castor genome, which whole sequence is being generated by shotgun sequencing at

TERRA Expression Levels Do Not Correlate With Telomere Length and Radiation Sensitivity in Human Cancer Cell Lines

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Alexandra eSmirnova

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Mammalian telomeres are transcribed into long non-coding telomeric RNA molecules (TERRA that seem to play a role in the maintenance of telomere stability. In human cells, CpG island promoters drive TERRA transcription and are regulated by methylation. It was suggested that the amount of TERRA may be related to telomere length. To test this hypothesis we measured telomere length and TERRA levels in single clones isolated from five human cell lines: HeLa (cervical carcinoma, BRC-230 (breast cancer, AKG and GK2 (gastric cancers and GM847 (SV40 immortalized skin fibroblasts. We observed great clonal heterogeneity both in TRF (Terminal Restriction Fragment length and in TERRA levels. However, these two parameters did not correlate with each other. Moreover, cell survival to γ-rays did not show a significant variation among the clones, suggesting that, in this cellular system, the intra-population variability in telomere length and TERRA levels does not influence sensitivity to ionizing radiation. This conclusion was supported by the observation that in a cell line in which telomeres were greatly elongated by the ectopic expression of telomerase, TERRA expression levels and radiation sensitivity were similar to the parental HeLa cell line.

Full-length Dysferlin Transfer by the Hyperactive Sleeping Beauty Transposase Restores Dysferlin-deficient Muscle

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Helena Escobar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease characterized by muscle weakness and wasting for which there is no treatment. It is caused by mutations in DYSF, a large, multiexonic gene that forms a coding sequence of 6.2 kb. Sleeping Beauty (SB transposon is a nonviral gene transfer vector, already used in clinical trials. The hyperactive SB system consists of a transposon DNA sequence and a transposase protein, SB100X, that can integrate DNA over 10 kb into the target genome. We constructed an SB transposon-based vector to deliver full-length human DYSF cDNA into dysferlin-deficient H2K A/J myoblasts. We demonstrate proper dysferlin expression as well as highly efficient engraftment (>1,100 donor-derived fibers of the engineered myoblasts in the skeletal muscle of dysferlin- and immunodeficient B6. Cg-Dysfprmd Prkdcscid/J (Scid/BLA/J mice. Nonviral gene delivery of full-length human dysferlin into muscle cells, along with a successful and efficient transplantation into skeletal muscle are important advances towards successful gene therapy of dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy.

Species-Specific Expression of Full-Length and Alternatively Spliced Variant Forms of CDK5RAP2.

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John S Y Park

Full Text Available CDK5RAP2 is one of the primary microcephaly genes that are associated with reduced brain size and mental retardation. We have previously shown that human CDK5RAP2 exists as a full-length form (hCDK5RAP2 or an alternatively spliced variant form (hCDK5RAP2-V1 that is lacking exon 32. The equivalent of hCDK5RAP2-V1 has been reported in rat and mouse but the presence of full-length equivalent hCDK5RAP2 in rat and mouse has not been examined. Here, we demonstrate that rat expresses both a full length and an alternatively spliced variant form of CDK5RAP2 that are equivalent to our previously reported hCDK5RAP2 and hCDK5RAP2-V1, repectively. However, mouse expresses only one form of CDK5RAP2 that is equivalent to the human and rat alternatively spliced variant forms. Knowledge of this expression of different forms of CDK5RAP2 in human, rat and mouse is essential in selecting the appropriate model for studies of CDK5RAP2 and primary microcephaly but our findings further indicate the evolutionary divergence of mouse from the human and rat species.

Single-molecule study of full-length NaChBac by planar lipid bilayer recording.

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Andrew Jo

Full Text Available Planar lipid bilayer device, alternatively known as BLM, is a powerful tool to study functional properties of conducting membrane proteins such as ion channels and porins. In this work, we used BLM to study the prokaryotic voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav NaChBac in a well-defined membrane environment. Navs are an essential component for the generation and propagation of electric signals in excitable cells. The successes in the biochemical, biophysical and crystallographic studies on prokaryotic Navs in recent years has greatly promoted the understanding of the molecular mechanism that underlies these proteins and their eukaryotic counterparts. In this work, we investigated the single-molecule conductance and ionic selectivity behavior of NaChBac. Purified NaChBac protein was first reconstituted into lipid vesicles, which is subsequently incorporated into planar lipid bilayer by fusion. At single-molecule level, we were able to observe three distinct long-lived conductance sub-states of NaChBac. Change in the membrane potential switches on the channel mainly by increasing its opening probability. In addition, we found that individual NaChBac has similar permeability for Na+, K+, and Ca2+. The single-molecule behavior of the full-length protein is essentially highly stochastic. Our results show that planar lipid bilayer device can be used to study purified ion channels at single-molecule level in an artificial environment, and such studies can reveal new protein properties that are otherwise not observable in in vivo ensemble studies.

Highly efficient full-length hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (strain TN) infectious culture system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Yi-Ping; Ramirez, Santseharay; Jensen, Sanne B

2012-01-01

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of end stage liver disease worldwide. In the United States, most HCV-related disease is associated with genotype 1 infection, which remains difficult to treat. Drug and vaccine development was hampered by inability to culture...... full-length TN infection dose-dependently. Given the unique importance of genotype 1 for pathogenesis, this infectious 1a culture system represents an important advance in HCV research. The approach used and the mutations identified might permit culture development for other HCV isolates, thus......) culture systems in Huh7.5 cells. Here, we developed a highly efficient genotype 1a (strain TN) full-length culture system. We initially found that the LSG substitutions conferred viability to an intergenotypic recombinant composed of TN 5' untranslated region (5'UTR)-NS5A and JFH1 NS5B-3'UTR; recovered...

Assembly of Huntingtin headpiece into α-helical bundles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozgur, Beytullah; Sayar, Mehmet

2017-05-24

Protein aggregation is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders. In this group of brain-related disorders, a disease-specific "host" protein or fragment misfolds and adopts a metastatic, aggregate-prone conformation. Often, this misfolded conformation is structurally and thermodynamically different from its native state. Intermolecular contacts, which arise in this non-native state, promote aggregation. In this regard, understanding the molecular principles and mechanisms that lead to the formation of such a non-native state and further promote the formation of the critical nucleus for fiber growth is essential. In this study, the authors analyze the aggregation propensity of Huntingtin headpiece (htt NT ), which is known to facilitate the polyQ aggregation, in relation to the helix mediated aggregation mechanism proposed by the Wetzel group. The authors demonstrate that even though htt NT displays a degenerate conformational spectrum on its own, interfaces of macroscopic or molecular origin can promote the α-helix conformation, eliminating all other alternatives in the conformational phase space. Our findings indicate that htt NT molecules do not have a strong orientational preference for parallel or antiparallel orientation of the helices within the aggregate. However, a parallel packed bundle of helices would support the idea of increased polyglutamine concentration, to pave the way for cross-β structures.

Purification and Fibrillation of Full-Length Recombinant PrP.

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Makarava, Natallia; Savtchenko, Regina; Baskakov, Ilia V

2017-01-01

Misfolding and aggregation of prion protein are related to several neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, fatal familial insomnia, and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease. A growing number of applications in the prion field including assays for detection of PrP Sc and methods for production of PrP Sc de novo require recombinant prion protein (PrP) of high purity and quality. Here, we report an experimental procedure for expression and purification of full-length mammalian prion protein. This protocol has been proved to yield PrP of extremely high purity that lacks PrP adducts, oxidative modifications, or truncation, which is typically generated as a result of spontaneous oxidation or degradation. We also describe methods for preparation of amyloid fibrils from recombinant PrP in vitro. Recombinant PrP fibrils can be used as a noninfectious synthetic surrogate of PrP Sc for development of prion diagnostics including generation of PrP Sc -specific antibody.

High avidity antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA correlate with absence of placental malaria.

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Yeung Lo Tutterrow

Full Text Available VAR2CSA mediates sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in the placenta, increasing the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Naturally acquired antibodies (Ab to placental parasites at delivery have been associated with improved pregnancy outcomes, but Ab levels and how early in pregnancy Ab must be present in order to eliminate placental parasites before delivery remains unknown. Antibodies to individual Duffy-binding like domains of VAR2CSA have been studied, but the domains lack many of the conformational epitopes present in full-length VAR2CSA (FV2. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the acquisition of Ab to FV2 in women residing in high and low transmission areas and determine how Ab levels during pregnancy correlate with clearance of placental parasites. Plasma samples collected monthly throughout pregnancy from pregnant women living in high and low transmission areas in Cameroon were evaluated for Ab to FV2 and the proportion of high avidity Ab (i.e., Ab that remain bound in the presence of 3M NH(4SCN was assessed. Ab levels and proportion of high avidity Ab were compared between women with placental malaria (PM(+ and those without (PM(- at delivery. Results showed that PM(- women had significantly higher Ab levels (p = 0.0047 and proportion of high avidity Ab (p = 0.0009 than PM(+ women throughout pregnancy. Specifically, women with moderate to high Ab levels (>5,000 MFI and those with ≥ 35% high avidity Ab at 5-6 months were found to have 2.3 (95% CI, 1.0-4.9 and 7.6-fold (p = 0.0013, 95% CI: 1.2-50.0 reduced risk of placental malaria, respectively. These data show that high levels of Ab to FV2, particularly those with high avidity for FV2, produced by mid-pregnancy are important in clearing parasites from the placenta. Both high Ab levels and proportion of high avidity Ab to FV2 may serve as correlates of protection for assessing immunity against placental malaria.

Non-destructive testing of full-length bonded rock bolts based on HHT signal analysis

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Shi, Z. M.; Liu, L.; Peng, M.; Liu, C. C.; Tao, F. J.; Liu, C. S.

2018-04-01

Full-length bonded rock bolts are commonly used in mining, tunneling and slope engineering because of their simple design and resistance to corrosion. However, the length of a rock bolt and grouting quality do not often meet the required design standards in practice because of the concealment and complexity of bolt construction. Non-destructive testing is preferred when testing a rock bolt's quality because of the convenience, low cost and wide detection range. In this paper, a signal analysis method for the non-destructive sound wave testing of full-length bonded rock bolts is presented, which is based on the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT). First, we introduce the HHT analysis method to calculate the bolt length and identify defect locations based on sound wave reflection test signals, which includes decomposing the test signal via empirical mode decomposition (EMD), selecting the intrinsic mode functions (IMF) using the Pearson Correlation Index (PCI) and calculating the instantaneous phase and frequency via the Hilbert transform (HT). Second, six model tests are conducted using different grouting defects and bolt protruding lengths to verify the effectiveness of the HHT analysis method. Lastly, the influence of the bolt protruding length on the test signal, identification of multiple reflections from defects, bolt end and protruding end, and mode mixing from EMD are discussed. The HHT analysis method can identify the bolt length and grouting defect locations from signals that contain noise at multiple reflected interfaces. The reflection from the long protruding end creates an irregular test signal with many frequency peaks on the spectrum. The reflections from defects barely change the original signal because they are low energy, which cannot be adequately resolved using existing methods. The HHT analysis method can identify reflections from the long protruding end of the bolt and multiple reflections from grouting defects based on mutations in the instantaneous

Sequencing, mapping, and analysis of 27,455 maize full-length cDNAs.

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Carol Soderlund

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Full-length cDNA (FLcDNA sequencing establishes the precise primary structure of individual gene transcripts. From two libraries representing 27 B73 tissues and abiotic stress treatments, 27,455 high-quality FLcDNAs were sequenced. The average transcript length was 1.44 kb including 218 bases and 321 bases of 5' and 3' UTR, respectively, with 8.6% of the FLcDNAs encoding predicted proteins of fewer than 100 amino acids. Approximately 94% of the FLcDNAs were stringently mapped to the maize genome. Although nearly two-thirds of this genome is composed of transposable elements (TEs, only 5.6% of the FLcDNAs contained TE sequences in coding or UTR regions. Approximately 7.2% of the FLcDNAs are putative transcription factors, suggesting that rare transcripts are well-enriched in our FLcDNA set. Protein similarity searching identified 1,737 maize transcripts not present in rice, sorghum, Arabidopsis, or poplar annotated genes. A strict FLcDNA assembly generated 24,467 non-redundant sequences, of which 88% have non-maize protein matches. The FLcDNAs were also assembled with 41,759 FLcDNAs in GenBank from other projects, where semi-strict parameters were used to identify 13,368 potentially unique non-redundant sequences from this project. The libraries, ESTs, and FLcDNA sequences produced from this project are publicly available. The annotated EST and FLcDNA assemblies are available through the maize FLcDNA web resource (www.maizecdna.org.

Natural Length Scales of Ecological Systems: Applications at Community and Ecosystem Levels

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Craig R. Johnson

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The characteristic, or natural, length scales of a spatially dynamic ecological landscape are the spatial scales at which the deterministic trends in the dynamic are most sharply in focus. Given recent development of techniques to determine the characteristic length scales (CLSs of real ecological systems, I explore the potential for using CLSs to address three important and vexing issues in applied ecology, viz. (i determining the optimum scales to monitor ecological systems, (ii interpreting change in ecological communities, and (iii ascertaining connectivity between species in complex ecologies. In summarizing the concept of characteristic length scales as system-level scaling thresholds, I emphasize that the primary CLS is, by definition, the optimum scale at which to monitor a system if the objective is to observe its deterministic dynamics at a system level. Using several different spatially explicit individual-based models, I then explore predictions of the underlying theory of CLSs in the context of interpreting change and ascertaining connectivity among species in ecological systems. Analysis of these models support predictions that systems with strongly fluctuating community structure, but an otherwise stable long-term dynamic defined by a stationary attractor, indicate an invariant length scale irrespective of community structure at the time of analysis, and irrespective of the species analyzed. In contrast, if changes in the underlying dynamic are forcibly induced, the shift in dynamics is reflected by a change in the primary length scale. Thus, consideration of the magnitude of the CLS through time enables distinguishing between circumstances where there are temporal changes in community structure but not in the long-term dynamic, from that where changes in community structure reflect some kind of fundamental shift in dynamics. In this context, CLSs emerge as a diagnostic tool to identify phase shifts to alternative stable states

The full-length E1-circumflexE4 protein of human papillomavirus type 18 modulates differentiation-dependent viral DNA amplification and late gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, Regina; Ryan, Gordon B.; Knight, Gillian L.; Laimins, Laimonis A.; Roberts, Sally

2007-01-01

Activation of the productive phase of the human papillomavirus (HPV) life cycle in differentiated keratinocytes is coincident with high-level expression of E1-circumflexE4 protein. To determine the role of E1-circumflexE4 in the HPV replication cycle, we constructed HPV18 mutant genomes in which expression of the full-length E1-circumflexE4 protein was abrogated. Undifferentiated keratinocytes containing mutant genomes showed enhanced proliferation when compared to cells containing wildtype genomes, but there were no differences in maintenance of viral episomes. Following differentiation, cells with mutant genomes exhibited reduced levels of viral DNA amplification and late gene expression, compared to wildtype genome-containing cells. This indicates that HPV18 E1-circumflexE4 plays an important role in regulating HPV late functions, and it may also function in the early phase of the replication cycle. Our finding that full-length HPV18 E1-circumflexE4 protein plays a significant role in promoting viral genome amplification concurs with a similar report with HPV31, but is in contrast to an HPV11 study where viral DNA amplification was not dependent on full-length E1-circumflexE4 expression, and to HPV16 where only C-terminal truncations in E1-circumflexE4 abrogated vegetative genome replication. This suggests that type-specific differences exist between various E1-circumflexE4 proteins

The ability to form full-length intron RNA circles is a general property of nuclear group I introns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Henrik; Fiskaa, Tonje; Birgisdottir, Asa Birna

2003-01-01

at the expense of the host. The circularization pathway has distinct structural requirements that differ from those of splicing and appears to be specifically suppressed in vivo. The ability to form full-length circles is found in all types of nuclear group I introns, including those from the Tetrahymena...... ribosomal DNA. The biological function of the full-length circles is not known, but the fact that the circles contain the entire genetic information of the intron suggests a role in intron mobility....

Full length Research Article

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Ahmed

ABSTRACT. This paper considered contamination of aquifer resulting from petroleum spillage, which is a common phenomenal in the. Niger Delta area of Nigeria. We used the model given by. Bestman (1987) and assumed that some endogenous variables are built into the system. To achieve a level of desirable state, we ...

Huntingtin-associated protein-1 (HAP1) regulates endocytosis and interacts with multiple trafficking-related proteins.

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Mackenzie, Kimberly D; Lim, Yoon; Duffield, Michael D; Chataway, Timothy; Zhou, Xin-Fu; Keating, Damien J

2017-07-01

Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1) was initially identified as a binding partner of huntingtin, mutations in which underlie Huntington's disease. Subcellular localization and protein interaction data indicate that HAP1 may be important in vesicle trafficking, cell signalling and receptor internalization. In this study, a proteomics approach was used for the identification of novel HAP1-interacting partners to attempt to shed light on the physiological function of HAP1. Using affinity chromatography with HAP1-GST protein fragments bound to Sepharose columns, this study identified a number of trafficking-related proteins that bind to HAP1. Interestingly, many of the proteins that were identified by mass spectrometry have trafficking-related functions and include the clathrin light chain B and Sec23A, an ER to Golgi trafficking vesicle coat component. Using co-immunoprecipitation and GST-binding assays the association between HAP1 and clathrin light chain B has been validated in vitro. This study also finds that HAP1 co-localizes with clathrin light chain B. In line with a physiological function of the HAP1-clathrin interaction this study detected a dramatic reduction in vesicle retrieval and endocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells. Furthermore, through examination of transferrin endocytosis in HAP1 -/- cortical neurons, this study has determined that HAP1 regulates neuronal endocytosis. In this study, the interaction between HAP1 and Sec23A was also validated through endogenous co-immunoprecipitation in rat brain homogenate. Through the identification of novel HAP1 binding partners, many of which have putative trafficking roles, this study provides us with new insights into the mechanisms underlying the important physiological function of HAP1 as an intracellular trafficking protein through its protein-protein interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High yield purification of full-length functional hERG K+ channels produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Molbaek, Karen; Scharff-Poulsen, Peter; Hélix-Nielsen, Claus

2015-01-01

knowledge this is the first reported high-yield production and purification of full length, tetrameric and functional hERG. This significant breakthrough will be paramount in obtaining hERG crystal structures, and in establishment of new high-throughput hERG drug safety screening assays....

Reproductive parameters and mitochondrial function in spermatozoa of F1 and F2 minipig boars transgenic for n-terminal part of the human mutated huntingtin

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mačáková, Monika; Hansíková, H.; Pavlok, Antonín; Hajková, Z.; Sádková, J.; Juhás, Štefan; Juhásová, Jana; Baxa, Monika; Zeman, J.; Motlík, Jan

2012-01-01

Roč. 83, Suppl 1 (2012), A16-A16 ISSN 0022-3050. [European Huntington´s disease network 2012 plenary meeting. 14.09.2012-16.09.2012, Stockholm] R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TA01011466 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : huntingtin Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology

Mass spektrometry-based SRM assay for quantification of human mutant huntingtin protein in a transgenic minipig model of Huntington´s disease

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kotrčová, Eva; Suchá, Rita; Tylečková, Jiřina; Dresler, J.; Kovářová, Hana

2015-01-01

Roč. 78, Suppl 2 (2015), s. 17-17 ISSN 1210-7859. [Conference on Animal Models for neurodegenerative Diseases /3./. 08.11.2015-10.11.2015, Liblice] R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TA01011466; GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14308 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : huntingtin gene Subject RIV: FH - Neurology

Inconsistencies of genome annotations in apicomplexan parasites revealed by 5'-end-one-pass and full-length sequences of oligo-capped cDNAs

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Sugano Sumio

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Apicomplexan parasites are causative agents of various diseases including malaria and have been targets of extensive genomic sequencing. We generated 5'-EST collections for six apicomplexa parasites using our full-length oligo-capping cDNA library method. To improve upon the current genome annotations, as well as to validate the importance for physical cDNA clone resources, we generated a large-scale collection of full-length cDNAs for several apicomplexa parasites. Results In this study, we used a total of 61,056 5'-end-single-pass cDNA sequences from Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. yoelii, P. berghei, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Toxoplasma gondii. We compared these partially sequenced cDNA sequences with the currently annotated gene models and observed significant inconsistencies between the two datasets. In particular, we found that on average 14% of the exons in the current gene models were not supported by any cDNA evidence, and that 16% of the current gene models may contain at least one mis-annotation and should be re-evaluated. We also identified a large number of transcripts that had been previously unidentified. For 732 cDNAs in T. gondii, the entire sequences were determined in order to evaluate the annotated gene models at the complete full-length transcript level. We found that 41% of the T. gondii gene models contained at least one inconsistency. We also identified and confirmed by RT-PCR 140 previously unidentified transcripts found in the intergenic regions of the current gene annotations. We show that the majority of these discrepancies are due to questionable predictions of one or two extra exons in the upstream or downstream regions of the genes. Conclusion Our data indicates that the current gene models are likely to still be incomplete and have much room for improvement. Our unique full-length cDNA information is especially useful for further refinement of the annotations for the genomes of

Evidence for a Complex Mosaic Genome Pattern in a Full-length Hepatitis C Virus Sequence

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R.S. Ross

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The genome of the hepatitis C virus (HCV exhibits a high genetic variability. This remarkable heterogeneity is mainly attributed to the gradual accumulation of mutational changes, whereas the contribution of recombination events to the evolution of HCV remains controversial so far. While performing phylogenetic analyses including a large number of sequences deposited in the GenBank, we encountered a full-length HCV sequence (AY651061 that showed evidence for inter-subtype recombination and was, therefore, subjected to a detailed analysis of its molecular structure. The obtained results indicated that AY651061 does not represent a “simple” HCV 1c isolate, but a complex 1a/1c mosaic genome, showing five putative breakpoints in the core to NS3 regions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a mosaic HCV full- length sequence with multiple breakpoints. The molecular structure of AY651061 is reminiscent of complex homologous recombinant variants occurring among other members of the flaviviridae family, e.g. GB virus C, dengue virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus. Our finding of a mosaic HCV sequence may have important implications for many fields of current HCV research which merit careful consideration.

dsRNA binding characterization of full length recombinant wild type and mutants Zaire ebolavirus VP35.

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Zinzula, Luca; Esposito, Francesca; Pala, Daniela; Tramontano, Enzo

2012-03-01

The Ebola viruses (EBOVs) VP35 protein is a multifunctional major virulence factor involved in EBOVs replication and evasion of the host immune system. EBOV VP35 is an essential component of the viral RNA polymerase, it is a key participant of the nucleocapsid assembly and it inhibits the innate immune response by antagonizing RIG-I like receptors through its dsRNA binding function and, hence, by suppressing the host type I interferon (IFN) production. Insights into the VP35 dsRNA recognition have been recently revealed by structural and functional analysis performed on its C-terminus protein. We report the biochemical characterization of the Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) full-length recombinant VP35 (rVP35)-dsRNA binding function. We established a novel in vitro magnetic dsRNA binding pull down assay, determined the rVP35 optimal dsRNA binding parameters, measured the rVP35 equilibrium dissociation constant for heterologous in vitro transcribed dsRNA of different length and short synthetic dsRNA of 8bp, and validated the assay for compound screening by assessing the inhibitory ability of auryntricarboxylic acid (IC(50) value of 50μg/mL). Furthermore, we compared the dsRNA binding properties of full length wt rVP35 with those of R305A, K309A and R312A rVP35 mutants, which were previously reported to be defective in dsRNA binding-mediated IFN inhibition, showing that the latter have measurably increased K(d) values for dsRNA binding and modified migration patterns in mobility shift assays with respect to wt rVP35. Overall, these results provide the first characterization of the full-length wt and mutants VP35-dsRNA binding functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quench start localization in full-length SSC R ampersand D dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devred, A.; Chapman, M.; Cortella, J.; Desportes, A.; Kaugerts, J.; Kirk, T.; Mirk, K.; Schermer, R.; Tompkins, J.C.; Turner, J.; Bleadon, M.; Brown, B.C.; Hanft, R.; Kuchnir, M.; Lamm, M.; Mantsch, P.; Mazur, P.O.; Orris, D.; Peoples, J.; Strait, J.; Tool, G.; Caspi, S.; Gilbert, W.; Meuser, R.; Peters, C.; Rechen, J.; Royet, J.; Scanlan, R.; Taylor, C.; Zbasnik, J.

1989-04-01

Full-length SSC R ampersand D dipole magnets instrumented with four voltage taps on each turn of the inner quarter coils have been tested. These voltage taps enable accurate location of the point at which the quenches start and detailed studies of quench development in the coil. Attention here is focused on localizing the quench source. After recalling the basic mechanism of a quench (why it occurs and how it propagates), the method of quench origin analysis is described: the quench propagation velocity on the turn where the quench occurs is calculated, and the quench location is then verified by reiterating the analysis on the adjacent turns. Last, the velocity value, which appears to be higher than previously measured, is discussed

Characterization of full-length sequenced cDNA inserts (FLIcs from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar

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Lunner Sigbjørn

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sequencing of the Atlantic salmon genome is now being planned by an international research consortium. Full-length sequenced inserts from cDNAs (FLIcs are an important tool for correct annotation and clustering of the genomic sequence in any species. The large amount of highly similar duplicate sequences caused by the relatively recent genome duplication in the salmonid ancestor represents a particular challenge for the genome project. FLIcs will therefore be an extremely useful resource for the Atlantic salmon sequencing project. In addition to be helpful in order to distinguish between duplicate genome regions and in determining correct gene structures, FLIcs are an important resource for functional genomic studies and for investigation of regulatory elements controlling gene expression. In contrast to the large number of ESTs available, including the ESTs from 23 developmental and tissue specific cDNA libraries contributed by the Salmon Genome Project (SGP, the number of sequences where the full-length of the cDNA insert has been determined has been small. Results High quality full-length insert sequences from 560 pre-smolt white muscle tissue specific cDNAs were generated, accession numbers [GenBank: BT043497 - BT044056]. Five hundred and ten (91% of the transcripts were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO terms and 440 of the FLIcs are likely to contain a complete coding sequence (cCDS. The sequence information was used to identify putative paralogs, characterize salmon Kozak motifs, polyadenylation signal variation and to identify motifs likely to be involved in the regulation of particular genes. Finally, conserved 7-mers in the 3'UTRs were identified, of which some were identical to miRNA target sequences. Conclusion This paper describes the first Atlantic salmon FLIcs from a tissue and developmental stage specific cDNA library. We have demonstrated that many FLIcs contained a complete coding sequence (cCDS. This

The full-length form of the Drosophila amyloid precursor protein is involved in memory formation.

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Bourdet, Isabelle; Preat, Thomas; Goguel, Valérie

2015-01-21

The APP plays a central role in AD, a pathology that first manifests as a memory decline. Understanding the role of APP in normal cognition is fundamental in understanding the progression of AD, and mammalian studies have pointed to a role of secreted APPα in memory. In Drosophila, we recently showed that APPL, the fly APP ortholog, is required for associative memory. In the present study, we aimed to characterize which form of APPL is involved in this process. We show that expression of a secreted-APPL form in the mushroom bodies, the center for olfactory memory, is able to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL partial loss of function. We next assessed the impact on memory of the Drosophila α-secretase kuzbanian (KUZ), the enzyme initiating the nonamyloidogenic pathway that produces secreted APPLα. Strikingly, KUZ overexpression not only failed to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL loss of function, it exacerbated this deficit. We further show that in addition to an increase in secreted-APPL forms, KUZ overexpression caused a decrease of membrane-bound full-length species that could explain the memory deficit. Indeed, we observed that transient expression of a constitutive membrane-bound mutant APPL form is sufficient to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL reduction, revealing for the first time a role of full-length APPL in memory formation. Our data demonstrate that, in addition to secreted APPL, the noncleaved form is involved in memory, raising the possibility that secreted and full-length APPL act together in memory processes. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351043-09$15.00/0.

Near Full-Length Identification of a Novel HIV-1 CRF01_AE/B/C Recombinant in Northern Myanmar.

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Zhou, Yan-Heng; Chen, Xin; Liang, Yue-Bo; Pang, Wei; Qin, Wei-Hong; Zhang, Chiyu; Zheng, Yong-Tang

2015-08-01

The Myanmar-China border appears to be the "hot spot" region for the occurrence of HIV-1 recombination. The majority of the previous analyses of HIV-1 recombination were based on partial genomic sequences, which obviously cannot reflect the reality of the genetic diversity of HIV-1 in this area well. Here, we present a near full-length characterization of a novel HIV-1 CRF01_AE/B/C recombinant isolated from a long-distance truck driver in Northern Myanmar. It is the first description of a near full-length genomic sequence in Myanmar since 2003, and might be one of the most complicated HIV-1 chimeras ever detected in Myanmar, containing four CRF01_AE, six B segments, and five C segments separated by 14 breakpoints throughout its genome. The discovery and characterization of this new CRF01_AE/B/C recombinant indicate that intersubtype recombination is ongoing in Myanmar, continuously generating new forms of HIV-1. More work based on near full-length sequence analyses is urgently needed to better understand the genetic diversity of HIV-1 in these regions.

Pharmacological efficacy of anti-IL-1β scFv, Fab and full-length antibodies in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Jianying; Ye, Xianlong; Ren, Guiping; Kan, Fangming; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Mo; Zhang, Zhiyi; Li, Deshan

2014-02-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that mainly causes the synovial joint inflammation and cartilage destruction. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is an important proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of RA. In this study, we constructed and expressed anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in CHO-K1-SV, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-scFv in Rosetta. We compared the therapeutic efficacy of three anti-IL-1β antibodies for CIA mice. Mice with CIA were subcutaneously injected with humanized anti-IL-1β-scFv, anti-IL-1β-Fab or anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody. The effects of treatment were determined by arthritis severity score, autoreactive humoral, cellular immune responses, histological lesion and cytokines production. Compared with anti-IL-1β-scFv treatments, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody therapy resulted in more significant effect in alleviating the severity of arthritis by preventing bone damage and cartilage destruction, reducing humoral and cellular immune responses, and down-regulating the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and MMP-3 in inflammatory tissue. The therapeutic effects of anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibodies on CIA mice had no significant difference. However, production of anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in eukaryotic system is, in general, time-consuming and more expensive than that of anti-IL-1β-Fab in prokaryotic systems. In conclusion, as a small molecule antibody, anti-IL-1β-Fab is an ideal candidate for RA therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cocrystallization studies of full-length recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with cocaine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asojo, Oluwatoyin Ajibola; Asojo, Oluyomi Adebola; Ngamelue, Michelle N.; Homma, Kohei; Lockridge, Oksana (Nebraska-Med)

2011-09-16

Human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) is a 340 kDa tetrameric glycoprotein that is present in human serum at about 5 mg l{sup -1} and has well documented therapeutic effects on cocaine toxicity. BChE holds promise as a therapeutic that reduces and finally eliminates the rewarding effects of cocaine, thus weaning an addict from the drug. There have been extensive computational studies of cocaine hydrolysis by BChE. Since there are no reported structures of BChE with cocaine or any of the hydrolysis products, full-length monomeric recombinant wild-type BChE was cocrystallized with cocaine. The refined 3 {angstrom} resolution structure appears to retain the hydrolysis product benzoic acid in sufficient proximity to form a hydrogen bond to the active-site Ser198.

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) of the solid state full length rod control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shopsky, W.E.

1977-01-01

The Full Length Rod Control System (FLRCS) controls the power to the rod drive mechanisms for rod movement in response to signals received from the Reactor Control System or from signals generated through Reactor Operator action. Rod movement is used to control reactivity of the reactor during plant operation. The Full Length Rod Control System is designed to perform its reactivity control function in conjunction with the Reactor Control and Protection System, to maintain the reactor core within design safety limits. By the use of a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, it is shown that the FLRCS will perform its reactivity control functions considering the loss of single active components. That is, sufficient fault limiting control circuits are provided which blocks control rod movement and/or indicates presence of a fault condition at the Control Board. Reactor operator action or automatic reactor trip will thus mitigate the consequences of potential failure of the FLRCS. The analysis also qualitatively demonstrates the reliability of the FLRCS to perform its intended function

The Evidence for the Spread and Seeding Capacities of the Mutant Huntingtin Protein in in Vitro Systems and Their Therapeutic Implications

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Maria Masnata

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Neurodegenerative disorders are not only characterized by specific patterns of cell loss but the presence and accumulation of various pathological proteins—both of which correlate with disease evolution. There is now mounting evidence to suggest that these pathological proteins present with toxic, at times prion-like, properties and can therefore seed pathology in neighboring as well remotely connected healthy neurons as they spread across the brain. What is less clear, at this stage, is how much this actually contributes to, and drives, the core pathogenic events. In this review, we present a comprehensive, up-to-date summary of the reported in vitro studies that support the spreading and seeding capacities of pathological proteins, with an emphasis on mutant huntingtin protein in the context of Huntington's disease, although in vivo work remains to be performed to validate this theory in this particular disease. We have further reviewed these findings in light of their potential implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

A Novel Strategy to Engineer Pre-Vascularized Full-Length Dental Pulp-like Tissue Constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Athirasala, Avathamsa; Lins, Fernanda; Tahayeri, Anthony; Hinds, Monica; Smith, Anthony J; Sedgley, Christine; Ferracane, Jack; Bertassoni, Luiz E

2017-06-12

The requirement for immediate vascularization of engineered dental pulp poses a major hurdle towards successful implementation of pulp regeneration as an effective therapeutic strategy for root canal therapy, especially in adult teeth. Here, we demonstrate a novel strategy to engineer pre-vascularized, cell-laden hydrogel pulp-like tissue constructs in full-length root canals for dental pulp regeneration. We utilized gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels with tunable physical and mechanical properties to determine the microenvironmental conditions (microstructure, degradation, swelling and elastic modulus) that enhanced viability, spreading and proliferation of encapsulated odontoblast-like cells (OD21), and the formation of endothelial monolayers by endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). GelMA hydrogels with higher polymer concentration (15% w/v) and stiffness enhanced OD21 cell viability, spreading and proliferation, as well as endothelial cell spreading and monolayer formation. We then fabricated pre-vascularized, full-length, dental pulp-like tissue constructs by dispensing OD21 cell-laden GelMA hydrogel prepolymer in root canals of extracted teeth and fabricating 500 µm channels throughout the root canals. ECFCs seeded into the microchannels successfully formed monolayers and underwent angiogenic sprouting within 7 days in culture. In summary, the proposed approach is a simple and effective strategy for engineering of pre-vascularized dental pulp constructs offering potentially beneficial translational outcomes.

Preventing mutant huntingtin proteolysis and intermittent fasting promote autophagy in models of Huntington disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrnhoefer, Dagmar E; Martin, Dale D O; Schmidt, Mandi E; Qiu, Xiaofan; Ladha, Safia; Caron, Nicholas S; Skotte, Niels H; Nguyen, Yen T N; Vaid, Kuljeet; Southwell, Amber L; Engemann, Sabine; Franciosi, Sonia; Hayden, Michael R

2018-03-06

Huntington disease (HD) is caused by the expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) bearing a polyglutamine expansion. In HD, mHTT accumulation is accompanied by a dysfunction in basal autophagy, which manifests as specific defects in cargo loading during selective autophagy. Here we show that the expression of mHTT resistant to proteolysis at the caspase cleavage site D586 (C6R mHTT) increases autophagy, which may be due to its increased binding to the autophagy adapter p62. This is accompanied by faster degradation of C6R mHTT in vitro and a lack of mHTT accumulation the C6R mouse model with age. These findings may explain the previously observed neuroprotective properties of C6R mHTT. As the C6R mutation cannot be easily translated into a therapeutic approach, we show that a scheduled feeding paradigm is sufficient to lower mHTT levels in YAC128 mice expressing cleavable mHTT. This is consistent with a previous model, where the presence of cleavable mHTT impairs basal autophagy, while fasting-induced autophagy remains functional. In HD, mHTT clearance and autophagy may become increasingly impaired as a function of age and disease stage, because of gradually increased activity of mHTT-processing enzymes. Our findings imply that mHTT clearance could be enhanced by a regulated dietary schedule that promotes autophagy.

Assessment and optimization of theileria parva sporozoite full-length p67 antigen expression in mammalian cells

Science.gov (United States)

Delivery of various forms of recombinant Theileria parva sporozoite antigen (p67) has been shown to elicit antibody responses in cattle capable of providing protection against East Coast fever, the clinical disease caused by T. parva. Previous formulations of full-length and shorter recombinant vers...

Full length cluster level swell data at pressures from 2 to 40 bar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, K.G.

1987-11-01

This paper gives results of level swell experiments at pressures up to 40 bar, performed at Winfrith in 1981 as described elsewhere. The results have been used by a number of workers to develop voidage correlations and to assess safety codes. The experiment and experimental rig used are described. The results are tabulated. (author)

A comparative phylogenetic analysis of full-length mariner elements ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

recent study showing non-occurance of inter-subfamily excisions because of .... length shown in our figure is greater because of the gaps introduced to maintain an ... to test the feasibility of transforming silkmoths with a foreign gene of ...

Energy levels of one-dimensional systems satisfying the minimal length uncertainty relation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernardo, Reginald Christian S., E-mail: rcbernardo@nip.upd.edu.ph; Esguerra, Jose Perico H., E-mail: jesguerra@nip.upd.edu.ph

2016-10-15

The standard approach to calculating the energy levels for quantum systems satisfying the minimal length uncertainty relation is to solve an eigenvalue problem involving a fourth- or higher-order differential equation in quasiposition space. It is shown that the problem can be reformulated so that the energy levels of these systems can be obtained by solving only a second-order quasiposition eigenvalue equation. Through this formulation the energy levels are calculated for the following potentials: particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, Pöschl–Teller well, Gaussian well, and double-Gaussian well. For the particle in a box, the second-order quasiposition eigenvalue equation is a second-order differential equation with constant coefficients. For the harmonic oscillator, Pöschl–Teller well, Gaussian well, and double-Gaussian well, a method that involves using Wronskians has been used to solve the second-order quasiposition eigenvalue equation. It is observed for all of these quantum systems that the introduction of a nonzero minimal length uncertainty induces a positive shift in the energy levels. It is shown that the calculation of energy levels in systems satisfying the minimal length uncertainty relation is not limited to a small number of problems like particle in a box and the harmonic oscillator but can be extended to a wider class of problems involving potentials such as the Pöschl–Teller and Gaussian wells.

Virtually full-length subtype F and F/D recombinant HIV-1 from Africa and South America

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laukkanen, T.; Carr, J. K.; Janssens, W.; Liitsola, K.; Gotte, D.; McCutchan, F. E.; Op de Coul, E.; Cornelissen, M.; Heyndrickx, L.; van der Groen, G.; Salminen, M. O.

2000-01-01

For reliable classification of HIV-1 strains appropriate reference sequences are needed. The HIV-1 genetic subtype F has a wide geographic spread, causing significant epidemics in South America, Africa, and some regions of Europe. Previously only two full-length sequences of each of the HIV-1

Salmo salar and Esox lucius full-length cDNA sequences reveal changes in evolutionary pressures on a post-tetraploidization genome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holt Robert A

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Salmonids are one of the most intensely studied fish, in part due to their economic and environmental importance, and in part due to a recent whole genome duplication in the common ancestor of salmonids. This duplication greatly impacts species diversification, functional specialization, and adaptation. Extensive new genomic resources have recently become available for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, but documentation of allelic versus duplicate reference genes remains a major uncertainty in the complete characterization of its genome and its evolution. Results From existing expressed sequence tag (EST resources and three new full-length cDNA libraries, 9,057 reference quality full-length gene insert clones were identified for Atlantic salmon. A further 1,365 reference full-length clones were annotated from 29,221 northern pike (Esox lucius ESTs. Pairwise dN/dS comparisons within each of 408 sets of duplicated salmon genes using northern pike as a diploid out-group show asymmetric relaxation of selection on salmon duplicates. Conclusions 9,057 full-length reference genes were characterized in S. salar and can be used to identify alleles and gene family members. Comparisons of duplicated genes show that while purifying selection is the predominant force acting on both duplicates, consistent with retention of functionality in both copies, some relaxation of pressure on gene duplicates can be identified. In addition, there is evidence that evolution has acted asymmetrically on paralogs, allowing one of the pair to diverge at a faster rate.

Characterization of full-length sequenced cDNA inserts (FLIcs) from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Science.gov (United States)

Andreassen, Rune; Lunner, Sigbjørn; Høyheim, Bjørn

2009-01-01

Background Sequencing of the Atlantic salmon genome is now being planned by an international research consortium. Full-length sequenced inserts from cDNAs (FLIcs) are an important tool for correct annotation and clustering of the genomic sequence in any species. The large amount of highly similar duplicate sequences caused by the relatively recent genome duplication in the salmonid ancestor represents a particular challenge for the genome project. FLIcs will therefore be an extremely useful resource for the Atlantic salmon sequencing project. In addition to be helpful in order to distinguish between duplicate genome regions and in determining correct gene structures, FLIcs are an important resource for functional genomic studies and for investigation of regulatory elements controlling gene expression. In contrast to the large number of ESTs available, including the ESTs from 23 developmental and tissue specific cDNA libraries contributed by the Salmon Genome Project (SGP), the number of sequences where the full-length of the cDNA insert has been determined has been small. Results High quality full-length insert sequences from 560 pre-smolt white muscle tissue specific cDNAs were generated, accession numbers [GenBank: BT043497 - BT044056]. Five hundred and ten (91%) of the transcripts were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO) terms and 440 of the FLIcs are likely to contain a complete coding sequence (cCDS). The sequence information was used to identify putative paralogs, characterize salmon Kozak motifs, polyadenylation signal variation and to identify motifs likely to be involved in the regulation of particular genes. Finally, conserved 7-mers in the 3'UTRs were identified, of which some were identical to miRNA target sequences. Conclusion This paper describes the first Atlantic salmon FLIcs from a tissue and developmental stage specific cDNA library. We have demonstrated that many FLIcs contained a complete coding sequence (cCDS). This suggests that the remaining c

Fiscal 2000 report on result of the full-length cDNA structure analysis; 2000 nendo kanzen cho cDNA kozo kaiseki seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

This paper explains the results of research on full-length cDNA structure analysis for the period from April, 2000 to March, 2001. The outline of human genome sequence was published in June, 2000. In Japan, human gene analysis was such that, as the basic technology of the bio industry, a millennium project was decided in the budget of fiscal 2000. The full-length cDNA structure analysis is the core of the project. The libraries of cDNA were prepared using full-length and more than 4-5kbp-long cDNAs by oligo-capping method. It began from determining partial sequence data at end cDNA, and then, with new clones selected therefrom, full-length human cDNA sequence data were determined. The partial sequence data determined by fiscal 2000 were 1,035,000 clones while the full-length sequence data were 12,144 clones. The sequence data obtained were analyzed by homology search and translated into amino acid coding sequences, with predictions conducted on protein functions. A clustering method was examined that selects new clones from partial sequences. Database was constructed on gene expression profiles and disease-related gene sequence data. (NEDO)

Full-Length High-Temperature Severe Fuel Damage Test No. 5: Final safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.; Lombardo, N.J.; Panisko, F.E.

1993-09-01

This report presents the final safety analysis for the preparation, conduct, and post-test discharge operation for the Full-Length High Temperature Experiment-5 (FLHT-5) to be conducted in the L-24 position of the National Research Universal (NRU) Reactor at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL), Ontario, Canada. The test is sponsored by an international group organized by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The test is designed and conducted by staff from Pacific Northwest Laboratory with CRNL staff support. The test will study the consequences of loss-of-coolant and the progression of severe fuel damage

Purification and characterization of recombinant full-length and protease domain of murine MMP-9 expressed in Drosophila S2 cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Morten G; Lund, Ida K.; Illemann, Martin

2010-01-01

-length and truncated versions were 5 mg/l and 2 mg/l, respectively. The products were >95% pure after gelatin Sepharose chromatography and possessed proteolytic activity when analyzed by gelatin zymography. Using the purified full-length murine MMP-9 we raised polyclonal antibodies by immunizations of rabbits...

Thousands of primer-free, high-quality, full-length SSU rRNA sequences from all domains of life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karst, Soeren M; Dueholm, Morten S; McIlroy, Simon J

2016-01-01

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are the consensus marker for determination of microbial diversity on the planet, invaluable in studies of evolution and, for the past decade, high-throughput sequencing of variable regions of ribosomal RNA genes has become the backbone of most microbial ecology studies...... (SSU) rRNA genes and synthetic long read sequencing by molecular tagging, to generate primer-free, full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences from all domains of life, with a median raw error rate of 0.17%. We generated thousands of full-length SSU rRNA sequences from five well-studied ecosystems (soil, human...... gut, fresh water, anaerobic digestion, and activated sludge) and obtained sequences covering all domains of life and the majority of all described phyla. Interestingly, 30% of all bacterial operational taxonomic units were novel, compared to the SILVA database (less than 97% similarity...

Genetic characterization of human herpesvirus type 1: Full-length genome sequence of strain obtained from an encephalitis case from India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijay P Bondre

2016-01-01

Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that the full-length genome sequence generated from an Indian HSV-1 isolate shared close genetic relationship with the American KOS and Chinese CR38 strains which belonged to the Asian genetic lineage. Recombination analysis of Indian isolate demonstrated multiple recombination crossover points throughout the genome. This full-length genome sequence amplified from the Indian isolate would be helpful to study HSV evolution, genetic basis of differential pathogenesis, host-virus interactions and viral factors contributing towards differential clinical outcome in human infections.

Assessing the genetic diversity of Cu resistance in mine tailings through high-throughput recovery of full-length copA genes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaofang; Zhu, Yong-Guan; Shaban, Babak; Bruxner, Timothy J. C.; Bond, Philip L.; Huang, Longbin

2015-01-01

Characterizing the genetic diversity of microbial copper (Cu) resistance at the community level remains challenging, mainly due to the polymorphism of the core functional gene copA. In this study, a local BLASTN method using a copA database built in this study was developed to recover full-length putative copA sequences from an assembled tailings metagenome; these sequences were then screened for potentially functioning CopA using conserved metal-binding motifs, inferred by evolutionary trace analysis of CopA sequences from known Cu resistant microorganisms. In total, 99 putative copA sequences were recovered from the tailings metagenome, out of which 70 were found with high potential to be functioning in Cu resistance. Phylogenetic analysis of selected copA sequences detected in the tailings metagenome showed that topology of the copA phylogeny is largely congruent with that of the 16S-based phylogeny of the tailings microbial community obtained in our previous study, indicating that the development of copA diversity in the tailings might be mainly through vertical descent with few lateral gene transfer events. The method established here can be used to explore copA (and potentially other metal resistance genes) diversity in any metagenome and has the potential to exhaust the full-length gene sequences for downstream analyses. PMID:26286020

Secretory production of tetrameric native full-length streptavidin with thermostability using Streptomyces lividans as a host.

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Shuhei; Matsumoto, Takuya; Tanaka, Tsutomu; Kondo, Akihiko

2015-01-13

Streptavidin is a tetrameric protein derived from Streptomyces avidinii, and has tight and specific biotin binding affinity. Applications of the streptavidin-biotin system have been widely studied. Streptavidin is generally produced using protein expression in Escherichia coli. In the present study, the secretory production of streptavidin was carried out using Streptomyces lividans as a host. In this study, we used the gene encoding native full-length streptavidin, whereas the core region is generally used for streptavidin production in E. coli. Tetrameric streptavidin composed of native full-length streptavidin monomers was successfully secreted in the culture supernatant of S. lividans transformants, and had specific biotin binding affinity as strong as streptavidin produced by E. coli. The amount of Sav using S. lividans was about 9 times higher than using E. coli. Surprisingly, streptavidin produced by S. lividans exhibited affinity to biotin after boiling, despite the fact that tetrameric streptavidin is known to lose its biotin binding ability after brief boiling. We successfully produced a large amount of tetrameric streptavidin as a secretory-form protein with unique thermotolerance.

PCR-based isolation and identification of full-length low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit genes in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaofei; Liu, Dongcheng; Jiang, Wei; Guo, Xiaoli; Yang, Wenlong; Sun, Jiazhu; Ling, Hongqing; Zhang, Aimin

2011-12-01

Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GSs) are encoded by a multi-gene family and are essential for determining the quality of wheat flour products, such as bread and noodles. However, the exact role or contribution of individual LMW-GS genes to wheat quality remains unclear. This is, at least in part, due to the difficulty in characterizing complete sequences of all LMW-GS gene family members in bread wheat. To identify full-length LMW-GS genes, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was established, consisting of newly designed conserved primers and the previously developed LMW-GS gene molecular marker system. Using the PCR-based method, 17 LMW-GS genes were identified and characterized in Xiaoyan 54, of which 12 contained full-length sequences. Sequence alignments showed that 13 LMW-GS genes were identical to those found in Xiaoyan 54 using the genomic DNA library screening, and the other four full-length LMW-GS genes were first isolated from Xiaoyan 54. In Chinese Spring, 16 unique LMW-GS genes were isolated, and 13 of them contained full-length coding sequences. Additionally, 16 and 17 LMW-GS genes in Dongnong 101 and Lvhan 328 (chosen from the micro-core collections of Chinese germplasm), respectively, were also identified. Sequence alignments revealed that at least 15 LMW-GS genes were common in the four wheat varieties, and allelic variants of each gene shared high sequence identities (>95%) but exhibited length polymorphism in repetitive regions. This study provides a PCR-based method for efficiently identifying LMW-GS genes in bread wheat, which will improve the characterization of complex members of the LMW-GS gene family and facilitate the understanding of their contributions to wheat quality.

Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus in Brazil and synthesis of its biologically active full-length cDNA clone.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ruimin; Niu, Shengniao; Dai, Weifang; Kitajima, Elliot; Wong, Sek-Man

2016-10-01

A Brazilian isolate of Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus (HLFPV-BR) was firstly found in a hibiscus plant in Limeira, SP, Brazil. RACE PCR was carried out to obtain the full-length sequences of HLFPV-BR which is 6453 nucleotides and has more than 99.15 % of complete genomic RNA nucleotide sequence identity with that of HLFPV Japanese isolate. The genomic structure of HLFPV-BR is similar to other tobamoviruses. It includes a 5' untranslated region (UTR), followed by open reading frames encoding for a 128-kDa protein and a 188-kDa readthrough protein, a 38-kDa movement protein, 18-kDa coat protein, and a 3' UTR. Interestingly, the unique feature of poly(A) tract is also found within its 3'-UTR. Furthermore, from the total RNA extracted from the local lesions of HLFPV-BR-infected Chenopodium quinoa leaves, a biologically active, full-length cDNA clone encompassing the genome of HLFPV-BR was amplified and placed adjacent to a T7 RNA polymerase promoter. The capped in vitro transcripts from the cloned cDNA were infectious when mechanically inoculated into C. quinoa and Nicotiana benthamiana plants. This is the first report of the presence of an isolate of HLFPV in Brazil and the successful synthesis of a biologically active HLFPV-BR full-length cDNA clone.

RT-PCR and sequence analysis of the full-length fusion protein of Canine Distemper Virus from domestic dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Romanutti, Carina; Gallo Calderón, Marina; Keller, Leticia; Mattion, Nora; La Torre, José

2016-02-01

During 2007-2014, 84 out of 236 (35.6%) samples from domestic dogs submitted to our laboratory for diagnostic purposes were positive for Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), as analyzed by RT-PCR amplification of a fragment of the nucleoprotein gene. Fifty-nine of them (70.2%) were from dogs that had been vaccinated against CDV. The full-length gene encoding the Fusion (F) protein of fifteen isolates was sequenced and compared with that of those of other CDVs, including wild-type and vaccine strains. Phylogenetic analysis using the F gene full-length sequences grouped all the Argentinean CDV strains in the SA2 clade. Sequence identity with the Onderstepoort vaccine strain was 89.0-90.6%, and the highest divergence was found in the 135 amino acids corresponding to the F protein signal-peptide, Fsp (64.4-66.7% identity). In contrast, this region was highly conserved among the local strains (94.1-100% identity). One extra putative N-glycosylation site was identified in the F gene of CDV Argentinean strains with respect to the vaccine strain. The present report is the first to analyze full-length F protein sequences of CDV strains circulating in Argentina, and contributes to the knowledge of molecular epidemiology of CDV, which may help in understanding future disease outbreaks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human microcephaly protein RTTN interacts with STIL and is required to build full-length centrioles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsin-Yi; Wu, Chien-Ting; Tang, Chieh-Ju C; Lin, Yi-Nan; Wang, Won-Jing; Tang, Tang K

2017-08-15

Mutations in many centriolar protein-encoding genes cause primary microcephaly. Using super-resolution and electron microscopy, we find that the human microcephaly protein, RTTN, is recruited to the proximal end of the procentriole at early S phase, and is located at the inner luminal walls of centrioles. Further studies demonstrate that RTTN directly interacts with STIL and acts downstream of STIL-mediated centriole assembly. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated RTTN gene knockout in p53-deficient cells induce amplification of primitive procentriole bodies that lack the distal-half centriolar proteins, POC5 and POC1B. Additional analyses show that RTTN serves as an upstream effector of CEP295, which mediates the loading of POC1B and POC5 to the distal-half centrioles. Interestingly, the naturally occurring microcephaly-associated mutant, RTTN (A578P), shows a low affinity for STIL binding and blocks centriole assembly. These findings reveal that RTTN contributes to building full-length centrioles and illuminate the molecular mechanism through which the RTTN (A578P) mutation causes primary microcephaly.Mutations in many centriolar protein-encoding genes cause primary microcephaly. Here the authors show that human microcephaly protein RTTN directly interacts with STIL and acts downstream of STIL-mediated centriole assembly, contributing to building full-length centrioles.

Nucleic Acid-Based Therapy Approaches for Huntington's Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatyana Vagner

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Huntington's disease (HD is caused by a dominant mutation that results in an unstable expansion of a CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene leading to a toxic gain of function in huntingtin protein which causes massive neurodegeneration mainly in the striatum and clinical symptoms associated with the disease. Since the mutation has multiple effects in the cell and the precise mechanism of the disease remains to be elucidated, gene therapy approaches have been developed that intervene in different aspects of the condition. These approaches include increasing expression of growth factors, decreasing levels of mutant huntingtin, and restoring cell metabolism and transcriptional balance. The aim of this paper is to outline the nucleic acid-based therapeutic strategies that have been tested to date.

Molecular cloning and expression of full-length DNA copies of the genomic RNAs of cowpea mosaic virus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, P.

1987-01-01

The experiments described in this thesis were designed to unravel various aspects of the mechanism of gene expression of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV). For this purpose full-length DNA copies of both genomic RNAs of CPMV were constructed. Using powerful invitro

TypeLoader: A fast and efficient automated workflow for the annotation and submission of novel full-length HLA alleles.

Science.gov (United States)

Surendranath, V; Albrecht, V; Hayhurst, J D; Schöne, B; Robinson, J; Marsh, S G E; Schmidt, A H; Lange, V

2017-07-01

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in the discovery of novel allelic variants of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. Commonly, only the exons encoding the peptide binding domains of novel HLA alleles are submitted. As a result, the IPD-IMGT/HLA Database lacks sequence information outside those regions for the majority of known alleles. This has implications for the application of the new sequencing technologies, which deliver sequence data often covering the complete gene. As these technologies simplify the characterization of the complete gene regions, it is desirable for novel alleles to be submitted as full-length sequences to the database. However, the manual annotation of full-length alleles and the generation of specific formats required by the sequence repositories is prone to error and time consuming. We have developed TypeLoader to address both these facets. With only the full-length sequence as a starting point, Typeloader performs automatic sequence annotation and subsequently handles all steps involved in preparing the specific formats for submission with very little manual intervention. TypeLoader is routinely used at the DKMS Life Science Lab and has aided in the successful submission of more than 900 novel HLA alleles as full-length sequences to the European Nucleotide Archive repository and the IPD-IMGT/HLA Database with a 95% reduction in the time spent on annotation and submission when compared with handling these processes manually. TypeLoader is implemented as a web application and can be easily installed and used on a standalone Linux desktop system or within a Linux client/server architecture. TypeLoader is downloadable from http://www.github.com/DKMS-LSL/typeloader. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Testes mass, but not sperm length, increases with higher levels of polyandry in an ancient sex model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David E Vrech

Full Text Available There is strong evidence that polyandrous taxa have evolved relatively larger testes than monogamous relatives. Sperm size may either increase or decrease across species with the risk or intensity of sperm competition. Scorpions represent an ancient direct mode with spermatophore-mediated sperm transfer and are particularly well suited for studies in sperm competition. This work aims to analyze for the first time the variables affecting testes mass, ejaculate volume and sperm length, according with their levels of polyandry, in species belonging to the Neotropical family Bothriuridae. Variables influencing testes mass and sperm length were obtained by model selection analysis using corrected Akaike Information Criterion. Testes mass varied greatly among the seven species analyzed, ranging from 1.6 ± 1.1 mg in Timogenes dorbignyi to 16.3 ± 4.5 mg in Brachistosternus pentheri with an average of 8.4 ± 5.0 mg in all the species. The relationship between testes mass and body mass was not significant. Body allocation in testes mass, taken as Gonadosomatic Index, was high in Bothriurus cordubensis and Brachistosternus ferrugineus and low in Timogenes species. The best-fitting model for testes mass considered only polyandry as predictor with a positive influence. Model selection showed that body mass influenced sperm length negatively but after correcting for body mass, none of the variables analyzed explained sperm length. Both body mass and testes mass influenced spermatophore volume positively. There was a strong phylogenetic effect on the model containing testes mass. As predicted by the sperm competition theory and according to what happens in other arthropods, testes mass increased in species with higher levels of sperm competition, and influenced positively spermatophore volume, but data was not conclusive for sperm length.

Effects of dietary protein levels on length-weight relationships and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Feeding trial involving different protein levels on length–weight relationships and condition factor of Clarias gariepinus was conducted in floating hapa system. Fingerlings (average weight, 4.50± 0.01g and average length, 8.0±0.2 cm) were randomly stocked at 20 fish/1m3. Five diets with crude protein: 40.0, 42.5, 45.0, 47.5 ...

Cutting Whole Length or Partial Length of Internal Anal Sphincter in Managementof Fissure in Ano

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Furat Shani Aoda

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A chronic anal fissure is a common painful perianal condition.The main operative procedure to treat this painful condition is a lateral internal sphincteretomy (LIS.The aim of study is to compare the outcome and complications of closed LIS up to the dentate line (whole length of internal sphincter or up to the fissure apex (partial length of internal sphincter in the treatment of anal fissure.It is a prospective comparativestudy including 100 patients with chronic fissure in ano. All patients assigned to undergo closed LIS. Those patients were randomly divided into two groups: 50 patients underwent LIS to the level of dentate line (whole length and other 50 patients underwent LIS to the level of fissure apex (partial length. Patients were followed up weekly in the 1st month, twice monthly in the second month then monthly   for next 2 months and finally after 1 year. There was satisfactory relief of pain in all patients in both groups & complete healing of the fissure occurred. Regarding post operative incontinence no major degree of incontinence occur in both group but minor degree of incontinence persists In 7 patients after whole length LIS after one year. In conclusion, both whole length & partial length LIS associated with improvement of pain, good chance of healing but whole length LIS associated with more chance of long term  flatus incontinence. Hence,we recommend partial length LIS as treatment forchronic anal fissure.

Employment of Near Full-Length Ribosome Gene TA-Cloning and Primer-Blast to Detect Multiple Species in a Natural Complex Microbial Community Using Species-Specific Primers Designed with Their Genome Sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huimin; He, Hongkui; Yu, Xiujuan; Xu, Zhaohui; Zhang, Zhizhou

2016-11-01

It remains an unsolved problem to quantify a natural microbial community by rapidly and conveniently measuring multiple species with functional significance. Most widely used high throughput next-generation sequencing methods can only generate information mainly for genus-level taxonomic identification and quantification, and detection of multiple species in a complex microbial community is still heavily dependent on approaches based on near full-length ribosome RNA gene or genome sequence information. In this study, we used near full-length rRNA gene library sequencing plus Primer-Blast to design species-specific primers based on whole microbial genome sequences. The primers were intended to be specific at the species level within relevant microbial communities, i.e., a defined genomics background. The primers were tested with samples collected from the Daqu (also called fermentation starters) and pit mud of a traditional Chinese liquor production plant. Sixteen pairs of primers were found to be suitable for identification of individual species. Among them, seven pairs were chosen to measure the abundance of microbial species through quantitative PCR. The combination of near full-length ribosome RNA gene library sequencing and Primer-Blast may represent a broadly useful protocol to quantify multiple species in complex microbial population samples with species-specific primers.

Construction of a full-length infectious bacterial artificial chromosome clone of duck enteritis virus vaccine strain

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Duck enteritis virus (DEV) is the causative agent of duck viral enteritis, which causes an acute, contagious and lethal disease of many species of waterfowl within the order Anseriformes. In recent years, two laboratories have reported on the successful construction of DEV infectious clones in viral vectors to express exogenous genes. The clones obtained were either created with deletion of viral genes and based on highly virulent strains or were constructed using a traditional overlapping fosmid DNA system. Here, we report the construction of a full-length infectious clone of DEV vaccine strain that was cloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Methods A mini-F vector as a BAC that allows the maintenance of large circular DNA in E. coli was introduced into the intergenic region between UL15B and UL18 of a DEV vaccine strain by homologous recombination in chicken embryoblasts (CEFs). Then, the full-length DEV clone pDEV-vac was obtained by electroporating circular viral replication intermediates containing the mini-F sequence into E. coli DH10B and identified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. The infectivity of the pDEV-vac was validated by DEV reconstitution from CEFs transfected with pDEV-vac. The reconstructed virus without mini-F vector sequence was also rescued by co-transfecting the Cre recombinase expression plasmid pCAGGS-NLS/Cre and pDEV-vac into CEF cultures. Finally, the in vitro growth properties and immunoprotection capacity in ducks of the reconstructed viruses were also determined and compared with the parental virus. Results The full genome of the DEV vaccine strain was successfully cloned into the BAC, and this BAC clone was infectious. The in vitro growth properties of these reconstructions were very similar to parental DEV, and ducks immunized with these viruses acquired protection against virulent DEV challenge. Conclusions DEV vaccine virus was cloned as an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome maintaining full-length

Ser46 phosphorylation and prolyl-isomerase Pin1-mediated isomerization of p53 are key events in p53-dependent apoptosis induced by mutant huntingtin.

Science.gov (United States)

Grison, Alice; Mantovani, Fiamma; Comel, Anna; Agostoni, Elena; Gustincich, Stefano; Persichetti, Francesca; Del Sal, Giannino

2011-11-01

Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene coding for huntingtin protein. Several mechanisms have been proposed by which mutant huntingtin (mHtt) may trigger striatal neurodegeneration, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Furthermore, mHtt induces DNA damage and activates a stress response. In this context, p53 plays a crucial role in mediating mHtt toxic effects. Here we have dissected the pathway of p53 activation by mHtt in human neuronal cells and in HD mice, with the aim of highlighting critical nodes that may be pharmacologically manipulated for therapeutic intervention. We demonstrate that expression of mHtt causes increased phosphorylation of p53 on Ser46, leading to its interaction with phosphorylation-dependent prolyl isomerase Pin1 and consequent dissociation from the apoptosis inhibitor iASPP, thereby inducing the expression of apoptotic target genes. Inhibition of Ser46 phosphorylation by targeting homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2), PKCδ, or ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase, as well as inhibition of the prolyl isomerase Pin1, prevents mHtt-dependent apoptosis of neuronal cells. These results provide a rationale for the use of small-molecule inhibitors of stress-responsive protein kinases and Pin1 as a potential therapeutic strategy for HD treatment.

Generation and Analysis of Full-length cDNA Sequences from Elephant Shark (Callorhinchus milii)

KAUST Repository

Kodzius, Rimantas

2009-03-17

Cartilaginous fishes are the oldest living group of jawed vertebrates and therefore is an important group for understanding the evolution of vertebrate genomes including the human genome. Our laboratory has proposed elephant shark (C. milii) as a model cartilaginous fish genome because of its relatively small genome size (910 Mb). The whole genome of C. milii is being sequenced (first cartilaginous fish genome to be sequenced completely). To characterize the transcriptome of C. milii and to assist in annotating exon-intron boundaries, transcriptional start sites and alternatively spliced transcripts, we are generating full-length cDNA sequences from C. milii.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Hypocretin-1 (Orexin-A Level Fluctuates with Season and Correlates with Day Length.

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Kim Boddum

Full Text Available The hypocretin/orexin neuropeptides (hcrt are key players in the control of sleep and wakefulness evidenced by the fact that lack of hcrt leads to the sleep disorder Narcolepsy Type 1. Sleep disturbances are common in mood disorders, and hcrt has been suggested to be poorly regulated in depressed subjects. To study seasonal variation in hcrt levels, we obtained data on hcrt-1 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF from 227 human individuals evaluated for central hypersomnias at a Danish sleep center. The samples were taken over a 4 year timespan, and obtained in the morning hours, thus avoiding impact of the diurnal hcrt variation. Hcrt-1 concentration was determined in a standardized radioimmunoassay. Using biometric data and sleep parameters, a multivariate regression analysis was performed. We found that the average monthly CSF hcrt-1 levels varied significantly across the seasons following a sine wave with its peak in the summer (June-July. The amplitude was 19.9 pg hcrt/mL [12.8-26.9] corresponding to a 10.6% increase in midsummer compared to winter. Factors found to significantly predict the hcrt-1 values were day length, presence of snow, and proximity to the Christmas holiday season. The hcrt-1 values from January were much higher than predicted from the model, suggestive of additional factors influencing the CSF hcrt-1 levels such as social interaction. This study provides evidence that human CSF hcrt-1 levels vary with season, correlating with day length. This finding could have implications for the understanding of winter tiredness, fatigue, and seasonal affective disorder. This is the first time a seasonal variation of hcrt-1 levels has been shown, demonstrating that the hcrt system is, like other neurotransmitter systems, subjected to long term modulation.

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Full-Length cDNA of Calmodulin Gene from Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas

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Xing-Xia Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The shell of the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata mainly comprises aragonite whereas that of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas is mainly calcite, thereby suggesting the different mechanisms of shell formation between above two mollusks. Calmodulin (CaM is an important gene for regulating the uptake, transport, and secretion of calcium during the process of shell formation in pearl oyster. It is interesting to characterize the CaM in oysters, which could facilitate the understanding of the different shell formation mechanisms among mollusks. We cloned the full-length cDNA of Pacific oyster CaM (cgCaM and found that the cgCaM ORF encoded a peptide of 113 amino acids containing three EF-hand calcium-binding domains, its expression level was highest in the mantle, hinting that the cgCaM gene is probably involved in shell formation of Pacific oyster, and the common ancestor of Gastropoda and Bivalvia may possess at least three CaM genes. We also found that the numbers of some EF hand family members in highly calcified species were higher than those in lowly calcified species and the numbers of these motifs in oyster genome were the highest among the mollusk species with whole genome sequence, further hinting the correlation between CaM and biomineralization.

Stable preparations of tyrosine hydroxylase provide the solution structure of the full-length enzyme

Science.gov (United States)

Bezem, Maria T.; Baumann, Anne; Skjærven, Lars; Meyer, Romain; Kursula, Petri; Martinez, Aurora; Flydal, Marte I.

2016-01-01

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of catecholamine neurotransmitters. TH is a highly complex enzyme at mechanistic, structural, and regulatory levels, and the preparation of kinetically and conformationally stable enzyme for structural characterization has been challenging. Here, we report on improved protocols for purification of recombinant human TH isoform 1 (TH1), which provide large amounts of pure, stable, active TH1 with an intact N-terminus. TH1 purified through fusion with a His-tagged maltose-binding protein on amylose resin was representative of the iron-bound functional enzyme, showing high activity and stabilization by the natural feedback inhibitor dopamine. TH1 purified through fusion with a His-tagged ZZ domain on TALON is remarkably stable, as it was partially inhibited by resin-derived cobalt. This more stable enzyme preparation provided high-quality small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data and reliable structural models of full-length tetrameric TH1. The SAXS-derived model reveals an elongated conformation (Dmax = 20 nm) for TH1, different arrangement of the catalytic domains compared with the crystal structure of truncated forms, and an N-terminal region with an unstructured tail that hosts the phosphorylation sites and a separated Ala-rich helical motif that may have a role in regulation of TH by interacting with binding partners. PMID:27462005

Transformation of Cowpea Vigna unguiculata with a Full-Length DNA Copy of Cowpea Mosaic Virus M-RNA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hille, Jacques; Goldbach, Rob

1987-01-01

A full-length DNA copy of the M-RNA of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), supplied with either the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) or the nopaline synthase promoter from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, was introduced into the T-DNA region of a Ti-plasmid-derived gene vector and transferred to

Cells exposed to a huntingtin fragment containing an expanded polyglutamine tract show no sign of ion channel formation: results arguing against the ion channel hypothesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørremølle, Anne; Grunnet, Morten; Hasholt, Lis

2003-01-01

Ion channels formed by expanded polyglutamine tracts have been proposed to play an important role in the pathological processes leading to neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease and other CAG repeat diseases. We tested the capacity of a huntingtin fragment containing an expanded polyglutamine...... in the currents recorded in any of the two expression systems, indicating no changes in ion channel activity. The results therefore argue against the proposed hypothesis of expanded polyglutamines forming ion channels....

Global identification of the full-length transcripts and alternative splicing related to phenolic acid biosynthetic genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza

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Zhichao eXu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Salvianolic acids are among the main bioactive components in Salvia miltiorrhiza, and their biosynthesis has attracted widespread interest. However, previous studies on the biosynthesis of phenolic acids using next-generation sequencing platforms are limited with regard to the assembly of full-length transcripts. Based on hybrid-seq (next-generation and single molecular real-time sequencing of the S. miltiorrhiza root transcriptome, we experimentally identified 15 full-length transcripts and 4 alternative splicing events of enzyme-coding genes involved in the biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid. Moreover, we herein demonstrate that lithospermic acid B accumulates in the phloem and xylem of roots, in agreement with the expression patterns of the identified key genes related to rosmarinic acid biosynthesis. According to co-expression patterns, we predicted that 6 candidate cytochrome P450s and 5 candidate laccases participate in the salvianolic acid pathway. Our results provide a valuable resource for further investigation into the synthetic biology of phenolic acids in S. miltiorrhiza.

The effect of two different renal denervation strategies on blood pressure in resistant hypertension: Comparison of full-length versus proximal renal artery ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weijie; Ling, Zhiyu; Du, Huaan; Song, Wenxin; Xu, Yanping; Liu, Zengzhang; Su, Li; Xiao, Peilin; Yuan, Yuelong; Lu, Jiayi; Zhang, Jianhong; Li, Zhifeng; Shao, Jiang; Zhong, Bin; Zhou, Bei; Woo, Kamsang; Yin, Yuehui

2016-11-01

Renal denervation (RDN) is used to manage blood pressure (BP) in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT), but effectiveness is still a concern, and key arterial portion for successful RDN is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of proximal versus full-length renal artery ablation in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT). Forty-seven patients with rHT were randomly assigned to receive full-length ablation (n = 23) or proximal ablation (n = 24) of the renal arteries. All lesions were treated with radiofrequency energy via a saline-irrigated catheter. Office BP was measured during 12 months of follow-up and ambulatory BP at baseline and 6 months (n = 15 in each group). Compared with full-length ablation, proximal ablation reduced the number of ablation points in both the right (6.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.6, P renal arteries (6.2 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.8, P  0.5). Similar office BPs was reduced by -39.4 ± 11.5/-20.9 ± 7.1 mm Hg at 6 months and -38.2 ± 10.3/-21.5 ± 5.8 mm Hg at 12 months in the full-length group (P efficacy and safety profile compared with full-length RDN, and propose the proximal artery as the key portion for RDN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic deletion of muscle RANK or selective inhibition of RANKL is not as effective as full-length OPG-fc in mitigating muscular dystrophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dufresne, Sébastien S; Boulanger-Piette, Antoine; Bossé, Sabrina; Argaw, Anteneh; Hamoudi, Dounia; Marcadet, Laetitia; Gamu, Daniel; Fajardo, Val A; Yagita, Hideo; Penninger, Josef M; Russell Tupling, A; Frenette, Jérôme

2018-04-24

Although there is a strong association between osteoporosis and skeletal muscle atrophy/dysfunction, the functional relevance of a particular biological pathway that regulates synchronously bone and skeletal muscle physiopathology is still elusive. Receptor-activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK), its ligand RANKL and the soluble decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) are the key regulators of osteoclast differentiation and bone remodelling. We thus hypothesized that RANK/RANKL/OPG, which is a key pathway for bone regulation, is involved in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) physiopathology. Our results show that muscle-specific RANK deletion (mdx-RANK mko ) in dystrophin deficient mdx mice improves significantly specific force [54% gain in force] of EDL muscles with no protective effect against eccentric contraction-induced muscle dysfunction. In contrast, full-length OPG-Fc injections restore the force of dystrophic EDL muscles [162% gain in force], protect against eccentric contraction-induced muscle dysfunction ex vivo and significantly improve functional performance on downhill treadmill and post-exercise physical activity. Since OPG serves a soluble receptor for RANKL and as a decoy receptor for TRAIL, mdx mice were injected with anti-RANKL and anti-TRAIL antibodies to decipher the dual function of OPG. Injections of anti-RANKL and/or anti-TRAIL increase significantly the force of dystrophic EDL muscle [45% and 17% gains in force, respectively]. In agreement, truncated OPG-Fc that contains only RANKL domains produces similar gains, in terms of force production, than anti-RANKL treatments. To corroborate that full-length OPG-Fc also acts independently of RANK/RANKL pathway, dystrophin/RANK double-deficient mice were treated with full-length OPG-Fc for 10 days. Dystrophic EDL muscles exhibited a significant gain in force relative to untreated dystrophin/RANK double-deficient mice, indicating that the effect of full-length OPG-Fc is in part independent of the RANKL

Diurnal and stress-reactive dehydroepiandrosterone levels and telomere length in youth

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Andrew R Dismukes

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The current investigation examined the association between the aging-related biomarkers dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA and telomere length (TL in community-recruited African-American youth. The examination of DHEA included stress reactive, basal and diurnal sampling, in order to elucidate the underlying physiological process that may overlap with TL. One hundred and two participants completed the Trier Social Stressor Test for children (TSST-C. TL was obtained from all youth from buccal swabs on the same day as the TSST-C. Saliva samples from 83 participants were obtained over the course of two additional days to measure waking and diurnal levels of DHEA. DHEA diurnal slope was a robust predictor of TL (B=0.516, P<0.05, while other DHEA values were not significantly associated with TL. This study is one of the first studies to examine basal, diurnal and reactivity measurements of DHEA in youth. Furthermore, this is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate a positive association between DHEA, a putative anti-aging hormone, and TL, an indicator of cellular aging.

Human uroporphyrinogen III synthase: Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression of a full-length cDNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Shihfeng; Bishop, D.F.; Desnick, R.J.

1988-01-01

Uroporphyrinogen III synthase, the fourth enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, is responsible for conversion of the linear tetrapyrrole, hydroxymethylbilane, to the cyclic tetrapyrrole, uroporphyrinogen III. The deficient activity of URO-synthase is the enzymatic defect in the autosomal recessive disorder congenital erythropoietic porphyria. To facilitate the isolation of a full-length cDNA for human URO-synthase, the human erythrocyte enzyme was purified to homogeneity and 81 nonoverlapping amino acids were determined by microsequencing the N terminus and four tryptic peptides. Two synthetic oligonucleotide mixtures were used to screen 1.2 x 10 6 recombinants from a human adult liver cDNA library. Eight clones were positive with both oligonucleotide mixtures. Of these, dideoxy sequencing of the 1.3 kilobase insert from clone pUROS-2 revealed 5' and 3' untranslated sequences of 196 and 284 base pairs, respectively, and an open reading frame of 798 base pairs encoding a protein of 265 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 28,607 Da. The isolation and expression of this full-length cDNA for human URO-synthase should facilitate studies of the structure, organization, and chromosomal localization of this heme biosynthetic gene as well as the characterization of the molecular lesions causing congenital erythropoietic porphyria

Study of canine parvovirus evolution: comparative analysis of full-length VP2 gene sequences from Argentina and international field strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo Calderón, Marina; Wilda, Maximiliano; Boado, Lorena; Keller, Leticia; Malirat, Viviana; Iglesias, Marcela; Mattion, Nora; La Torre, Jose

2012-02-01

The continuous emergence of new strains of canine parvovirus (CPV), poorly protected by current vaccination, is a concern among breeders, veterinarians, and dog owners around the world. Therefore, the understanding of the genetic variation in emerging CPV strains is crucial for the design of disease control strategies, including vaccines. In this paper, we obtained the sequences of the full-length gene encoding for the main capsid protein (VP2) of 11 canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) Argentine representative field strains, selected from a total of 75 positive samples studied in our laboratory in the last 9 years. A comparative sequence analysis was performed on 9 CPV-2c, one CPV-2a, and one CPV-2b Argentine strains with respect to international strains reported in the GenBank database. In agreement with previous reports, a high degree of identity was found among CPV-2c Argentine strains (99.6-100% and 99.7-100% at nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively). However, the appearance of a new substitution in the 440 position (T440A) in four CPV-2c Argentine strains obtained after the year 2009 gives support to the variability observed for this position located within the VP2, three-fold spike. This is the first report on the genetic characterization of the full-length VP2 gene of emerging CPV strains in South America and shows that all the Argentine CPV-2c isolates cluster together with European and North American CPV-2c strains.

Full splitting of the first zero-field steps in the I-V curve of Josephson junctions of intermediate length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, J.B.; Divin, Y.Y.; Mygind, J.

1986-01-01

We report on the observation of full splitting of the first zero-field steps in the I-V curves of Josephson transmission lines of intermediate length Lroughly-equal(3--5)lambda/sub J/, where lambda/sub J/ is the Josephson penetration length. We study in detail how this splitting of the step into two branches depends on the temperature of the junction and on a weak applied magnetic field. We relate the splitting to excitations in the junctions whose behavior is described by the perturbed Sine-Gordon equation

Potency of full-length MGF to induce maximal activation of the IGF-I R Is similar to recombinant human IGF-I at high equimolar concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.A.M.J.L. Janssen (Joseph); L.J. Hofland (Leo); C.J. Strasburger; E.S.R.D. Van Dungen (Elisabeth S.R. Den); M. Thevis (Mario)

2016-01-01

textabstractAims To compare full-length mechano growth factor (full-length MGF) with human recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and human recombinant insulin (HI) in their ability to activate the human IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), the human insulin receptor (IR-A) and the human insulin

Copper Coordination in the Full-Length, Recombinant Prion Protein†

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Colin S.; Aronoff-Spencer, Eliah; Legname, Giuseppe; Prusiner, Stanley B.; Antholine, William E.; Gerfen, Gary J.; Peisach, Jack; Millhauser, Glenn L.

2010-01-01

The prion protein (PrP) binds divalent copper at physiologically relevant conditions and is believed to participate in copper regulation or act as a copper-dependent enzyme. Ongoing studies aim at determining the molecular features of the copper binding sites. The emerging consensus is that most copper binds in the octarepeat domain, which is composed of four or more copies of the fundamental sequence PHGGGWGQ. Previous work from our laboratory using PrP-derived peptides, in conjunction with EPR and X-ray crystallography, demonstrated that the HGGGW segment constitutes the fundamental binding unit in the octarepeat domain [Burns et al. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 3991–4001; Aronoff-Spencer et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 13760–13771]. Copper coordination arises from the His imidazole and sequential deprotonated glycine amides. In this present work, recombinant, full-length Syrian hamster PrP is investigated using EPR methodologies. Four copper ions are taken up in the octarepeat domain, which supports previous findings. However, quantification studies reveal a fifth binding site in the flexible region between the octarepeats and the PrP globular C-terminal domain. A series of PrP peptide constructs show that this site involves His96 in the PrP(92–96) segment GGGTH. Further examination by X-band EPR, S-band EPR, and electron spin–echo envelope spectroscopy, demonstrates coordination by the His96 imidazole and the glycine preceding the threonine. The copper affinity for this type of binding site is highly pH dependent, and EPR studies here show that recombinant PrP loses its affinity for copper below pH 6.0. These studies seem to provide a complete profile of the copper binding sites in PrP and support the hypothesis that PrP function is related to its ability to bind copper in a pH-dependent fashion. PMID:12779334

Beam test of a full-length prototype of the BESIII drift chamber with the readout electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, Z.H.; Chen, Y.B.; Sheng, H.Y.; Wu, L.H.; Liu, J.B.; Zhuang, B.A.; Jiang, X.S.; Zhao, Y.B.; Zhu, K.J.; Yan, Z.K.; Chen, C.; Xu, M.H.; Wang, L.; Ma, X.Y.; Tang, X.; Liu, R.G.; Jin, Y.; Zhu, Q.M.; Zhang, G.F.; Wu, Z.; Li, R.Y.; Zhao, P.P.; Dai, H.L.; Li, X.P.; Li, J.

2007-01-01

A full-length prototype of the BESIII drift chamber together with its readout electronics was built and a beam test was performed. Two different methods, namely 'single-threshold method' and 'double-threshold method' for timing measurement, were studied. Test results show that the BESIII drift chamber and its readout electronics can reach their design specifications. The 'double-threshold method' results in a better timing accuracy and noise suppression capabilities as compared with the 'single-threshold method'

Sequestration of Sup35 by aggregates of huntingtin fragments causes toxicity of [PSI+] yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaohong; Park, Yang-Nim; Todor, Horia; Moomau, Christine; Masison, Daniel; Eisenberg, Evan; Greene, Lois E

2012-07-06

Expression of huntingtin fragments with 103 glutamines (HttQ103) is toxic in yeast containing either the [PIN(+)] prion, which is the amyloid form of Rnq1, or [PSI(+)] prion, which is the amyloid form of Sup35. We find that HttQP103, which has a polyproline region at the C-terminal end of the polyQ repeat region, is significantly more toxic in [PSI(+)] yeast than in [PIN(+)], even though HttQP103 formed multiple aggregates in both [PSI(+)] and [PIN(+)] yeast. This toxicity was only observed in the strong [PSI(+)] variant, not the weak [PSI(+)] variant, which has more soluble Sup35 present than the strong variant. Furthermore, expression of the MC domains of Sup35, which retains the C-terminal domain of Sup35, but lacks the N-terminal prion domain, almost completely rescued HttQP103 toxicity, but was less effective in rescuing HttQ103 toxicity. Therefore, the toxicity of HttQP103 in yeast containing the [PSI(+)] prion is primarily due to sequestration of the essential protein, Sup35.

Assessment of adaptive evolution between wheat and rice as deduced from full-length common wheat cDNA sequence data and expression patterns

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Hayashizaki Yoshihide

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wheat is an allopolyploid plant that harbors a huge, complex genome. Therefore, accumulation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs for wheat is becoming particularly important for functional genomics and molecular breeding. We prepared a comprehensive collection of ESTs from the various tissues that develop during the wheat life cycle and from tissues subjected to stress. We also examined their expression profiles in silico. As full-length cDNAs are indispensable to certify the collected ESTs and annotate the genes in the wheat genome, we performed a systematic survey and sequencing of the full-length cDNA clones. This sequence information is a valuable genetic resource for functional genomics and will enable carrying out comparative genomics in cereals. Results As part of the functional genomics and development of genomic wheat resources, we have generated a collection of full-length cDNAs from common wheat. By grouping the ESTs of recombinant clones randomly selected from the full-length cDNA library, we were able to sequence 6,162 independent clones with high accuracy. About 10% of the clones were wheat-unique genes, without any counterparts within the DNA database. Wheat clones that showed high homology to those of rice were selected in order to investigate their expression patterns in various tissues throughout the wheat life cycle and in response to abiotic-stress treatments. To assess the variability of genes that have evolved differently in wheat and rice, we calculated the substitution rate (Ka/Ks of the counterparts in wheat and rice. Genes that were preferentially expressed in certain tissues or treatments had higher Ka/Ks values than those in other tissues and treatments, which suggests that the genes with the higher variability expressed in these tissues is under adaptive selection. Conclusion We have generated a high-quality full-length cDNA resource for common wheat, which is essential for continuation of the

Studies of nontarget-mediated distribution of human full-length IgG1 antibody and its FAb fragment in cardiovascular and metabolic-related tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidsson, Pia; Söderling, Ann-Sofi; Svensson, Lena; Ahnmark, Andrea; Flodin, Christine; Wanag, Ewa; Screpanti-Sundqvist, Valentina; Gennemark, Peter

2015-05-01

Tissue distribution and pharmacokinetics (PK) of full-length nontargeted antibody and its antigen-binding fragment (FAb) were evaluated for a range of tissues primarily of interest for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Mice were intravenously injected with a dose of 10 mg/kg of either human IgG1or its FAb fragment; perfused tissues were collected at a range of time points over 3 weeks for the human IgG1 antibody and 1 week for the human FAb antibody. Tissues were homogenized and antibody concentrations were measured by specific immunoassays on the Gyros system. Exposure in terms of maximum concentration (Cmax ) and area under the curve was assessed for all nine tissues. Tissue exposure of full-length antibody relative to plasma exposure was found to be between 1% and 10%, except for brain (0.2%). Relative concentrations of FAb antibody were the same, except for kidney tissue, where the antibody concentration was found to be ten times higher than in plasma. However, the absolute tissue uptake of full-length IgG was significantly higher than the absolute tissue uptake of the FAb antibody. This study provides a reference PK state for full-length whole and FAb antibodies in tissues related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases that do not include antigen or antibody binding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Association of day length and weather conditions with physical activity levels in older community dwelling people.

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Miles D Witham

Full Text Available Weather is a potentially important determinant of physical activity. Little work has been done examining the relationship between weather and physical activity, and potential modifiers of any relationship in older people. We therefore examined the relationship between weather and physical activity in a cohort of older community-dwelling people.We analysed prospectively collected cross-sectional activity data from community-dwelling people aged 65 and over in the Physical Activity Cohort Scotland. We correlated seven day triaxial accelerometry data with daily weather data (temperature, day length, sunshine, snow, rain, and a series of potential effect modifiers were tested in mixed models: environmental variables (urban vs rural dwelling, percentage of green space, psychological variables (anxiety, depression, perceived behavioural control, social variables (number of close contacts and health status measured using the SF-36 questionnaire.547 participants, mean age 78.5 years, were included in this analysis. Higher minimum daily temperature and longer day length were associated with higher activity levels; these associations remained robust to adjustment for other significant associates of activity: age, perceived behavioural control, number of social contacts and physical function. Of the potential effect modifier variables, only urban vs rural dwelling and the SF-36 measure of social functioning enhanced the association between day length and activity; no variable modified the association between minimum temperature and activity.In older community dwelling people, minimum temperature and day length were associated with objectively measured activity. There was little evidence for moderation of these associations through potentially modifiable health, environmental, social or psychological variables.

Xyloketal-derived small molecules show protective effect by decreasing mutant Huntingtin protein aggregates in Caenorhabditis elegans model of Huntington’s disease

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Zeng YX

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Yixuan Zeng,1,2,* Wenyuan Guo,1,* Guangqing Xu,3 Qinmei Wang,4 Luyang Feng,1,2 Simei Long,1 Fengyin Liang,1 Yi Huang,1 Xilin Lu,1 Shichang Li,5 Jiebin Zhou,5 Jean-Marc Burgunder,6 Jiyan Pang,5 Zhong Pei1,2 1Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 2Guangzhou Center, Chinese Huntington’s Disease Network, 3Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital, 4Key laboratory on Assisted Circulation, Ministry of Health, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital, 5School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 6Swiss Huntington’s Disease Center, Department of Neurology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Huntington’s disease is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder, with chorea as the most prominent manifestation. The disease is caused by abnormal expansion of CAG codon repeats in the IT15 gene, which leads to the expression of a glutamine-rich protein named mutant Huntingtin (Htt. Because of its devastating disease burden and lack of valid treatment, development of more effective therapeutics for Huntington’s disease is urgently required. Xyloketal B, a natural product from mangrove fungus, has shown protective effects against toxicity in other neurodegenerative disease models such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. To identify potential neuroprotective molecules for Huntington’s disease, six derivatives of xyloketal B were screened in a Caenorhabditis elegans Huntington’s disease model; all six compounds showed a protective effect. Molecular docking studies indicated that compound 1 could bind to residues GLN369 and GLN393 of the mutant Htt protein, forming a

Conformational change in full-length mouse prion: A site-directed spin-labeling study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inanami, Osamu; Hashida, Shukichi; Iizuka, Daisuke; Horiuchi, Motohiro; Hiraoka, Wakako; Shimoyama, Yuhei; Nakamura, Hideo; Inagaki, Fuyuhiko; Kuwabara, Mikinori

2005-01-01

The structure of the mouse prion (moPrP) was studied using site-directed spin-labeling electron spin resonance (SDSL-ESR). Since a previous NMR study by Hornemanna et al., [Hornemanna, Korthb, Oeschb, Rieka, Widera, Wuethricha, Glockshubera, Recombinant full-length murine prion protein, mPrP (23-231): purification and spectroscopic characterization, FEBS Lett. 413 (1997) 277-281] has indicated that N96, D143, and T189 in moPrP are localized in a Cu 2+ binding region, Helix1 and Helix2, respectively, three recombinant moPrP mutations (N96C, D143C, and T189C) were expressed in an Escherichia coli system, and then refolded by dialysis under low pH and purified by reverse-phase HPLC. By using the preparation, we succeeded in preserving a target cystein residue without alteration of the α-helix structure of moPrP and were able to apply SDSL-ESR with a methane thiosulfonate spin label to the full-length prion protein. The rotational correlation times (τ) of 1.1, 3.3, and 4.8 ns were evaluated from the X-band ESR spectra at pH 7.4 and 20 deg C for N96R1, D143R1, and T189R1, respectively. τ reflects the fact that the Cu 2+ binding region is more flexible than Helix1 or Helix2. ESR spectra recorded at various temperatures revealed two phases together with a transition point at around 20 deg C in D143R1 and T189R1, but not in N96R1. With the variation of pH from 4.0 to 7.8, ESR spectra of T189R1 at 20 deg C showed a gradual increase of τ from 2.9 to 4.8 ns. On the other hand, the pH-dependent conformational changes in N96R1 and D143R1 were negligible. These results indicated that T189 located in Helix2 possessed a structure sensitive to physiological pH changes; simultaneously, N96 in the Cu 2+ binding region and D143 in Helix1 were conserved

Effect of the electrostatic surface potential on the oligomerization of full-length human recombinant prion protein at single-molecule level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bin; Xu, Bingqian, E-mail: bxu@engr.uga.edu [Single Molecule Study Laboratory, College of Engineering and Nanoscale Science, and Engineering Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30605 (United States); Lou, Zhichao [Single Molecule Study Laboratory, College of Engineering and Nanoscale Science, and Engineering Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30605 (United States); College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016 (China); Zhang, Haiqian [College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016 (China)

2016-03-21

The electrostatic surface potential (ESP) of prion oligomers has critical influences on the aggregating processes of the prion molecules. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) and structural simulation were combined to investigate the molecular basis of the full-length human recombinant prion oligomerization on mica surfaces. The high resolution non-intrusive AFM images showed that the prion oligomers formed different patterns on mica surfaces at different buffer pH values. The basic binding units for the large oligomers were determined to be prion momoners (Ms), dimers (Ds), and trimers (Ts). The forming of the D and T units happened through the binding of hydrophobic β-sheets of the M units. In contrast, the α-helices of these M, D, and T units were the binding areas for the formation of large oligomers. At pH 4.5, the binding units M, D, and T showed clear polarized ESP distributions on the surface domains, while at pH 7.0, they showed more evenly distributed ESPs. Based on the conformations of oligomers observed from AFM images, the D and T units were more abundantly on mica surface at pH 4.5 because the ESP re-distribution of M units helped to stabilize these larger oligomers. The amino acid side chains involved in the binding interfaces were stabilized by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The detailed analysis of the charged side chains at pH 4.5 indicated that the polarized ESPs induced the aggregations among M, D, and T to form larger oligomers. Therefore, the hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions worked together to form the stabilized prion oligomers.

Effect of the electrostatic surface potential on the oligomerization of full-length human recombinant prion protein at single-molecule level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Bin; Xu, Bingqian; Lou, Zhichao; Zhang, Haiqian

2016-01-01

The electrostatic surface potential (ESP) of prion oligomers has critical influences on the aggregating processes of the prion molecules. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) and structural simulation were combined to investigate the molecular basis of the full-length human recombinant prion oligomerization on mica surfaces. The high resolution non-intrusive AFM images showed that the prion oligomers formed different patterns on mica surfaces at different buffer pH values. The basic binding units for the large oligomers were determined to be prion momoners (Ms), dimers (Ds), and trimers (Ts). The forming of the D and T units happened through the binding of hydrophobic β-sheets of the M units. In contrast, the α-helices of these M, D, and T units were the binding areas for the formation of large oligomers. At pH 4.5, the binding units M, D, and T showed clear polarized ESP distributions on the surface domains, while at pH 7.0, they showed more evenly distributed ESPs. Based on the conformations of oligomers observed from AFM images, the D and T units were more abundantly on mica surface at pH 4.5 because the ESP re-distribution of M units helped to stabilize these larger oligomers. The amino acid side chains involved in the binding interfaces were stabilized by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The detailed analysis of the charged side chains at pH 4.5 indicated that the polarized ESPs induced the aggregations among M, D, and T to form larger oligomers. Therefore, the hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions worked together to form the stabilized prion oligomers.

Effect of the electrostatic surface potential on the oligomerization of full-length human recombinant prion protein at single-molecule level

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Lou, Zhichao; Zhang, Haiqian; Xu, Bingqian

2016-03-01

The electrostatic surface potential (ESP) of prion oligomers has critical influences on the aggregating processes of the prion molecules. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) and structural simulation were combined to investigate the molecular basis of the full-length human recombinant prion oligomerization on mica surfaces. The high resolution non-intrusive AFM images showed that the prion oligomers formed different patterns on mica surfaces at different buffer pH values. The basic binding units for the large oligomers were determined to be prion momoners (Ms), dimers (Ds), and trimers (Ts). The forming of the D and T units happened through the binding of hydrophobic β-sheets of the M units. In contrast, the α-helices of these M, D, and T units were the binding areas for the formation of large oligomers. At pH 4.5, the binding units M, D, and T showed clear polarized ESP distributions on the surface domains, while at pH 7.0, they showed more evenly distributed ESPs. Based on the conformations of oligomers observed from AFM images, the D and T units were more abundantly on mica surface at pH 4.5 because the ESP re-distribution of M units helped to stabilize these larger oligomers. The amino acid side chains involved in the binding interfaces were stabilized by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The detailed analysis of the charged side chains at pH 4.5 indicated that the polarized ESPs induced the aggregations among M, D, and T to form larger oligomers. Therefore, the hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions worked together to form the stabilized prion oligomers.

Studies on the growth of penaeid prawns: 1. Length-weight relation and condition factor under different levels of feeding

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, S.R.S.; Iyer, H.K.; Devi, C.B.L.; Kutty, M.K.

Length-weight relation and earthworm feeding conditions under different levels for @iPenaeus indicus@@ and @iMetapenaeus dobsoni@@ were estimated. Length-weight exponent in both species was unaffected by the feeding levels and the consequent...

Caspase 3 inactivates biologically active full length interleukin-33 as a classical cytokine but does not prohibit nuclear translocation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, Shafaqat; Nguyen, Dang Quan; Falk, Werner; Martin, Michael Uwe

2010-01-01

IL-33 is a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines with dual function which either activates cells via the IL-33 receptor in a paracrine fashion or translocates to the nucleus to regulate gene transcription in an intracrine manner. We show that full length murine IL-33 is active as a cytokine and that it is not processed by caspase 1 to mature IL-33 but instead cleaved by caspase 3 at aa175 to yield two products which are both unable to bind to the IL-33 receptor. Full length IL-33 and its N-terminal caspase 3 breakdown product, however, translocate to the nucleus. Finally, bioactive IL-33 is not released by cells constitutively or after activation. This suggests that IL-33 is not a classical cytokine but exerts its function in the nucleus of intact cells and only activates others cells via its receptor as an alarm mediator after destruction of the producing cell.

Construction and characterization of a full-length cDNA library for the wheat stripe rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici

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Chen Xianming

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Puccinia striiformis is a plant pathogenic fungus causing stripe rust, one of the most important diseases on cereal crops and grasses worldwide. However, little is know about its genome and genes involved in the biology and pathogenicity of the pathogen. We initiated the functional genomic research of the fungus by constructing a full-length cDNA and determined functions of the first group of genes by sequence comparison of cDNA clones to genes reported in other fungi. Results A full-length cDNA library, consisting of 42,240 clones with an average cDNA insert of 1.9 kb, was constructed using urediniospores of race PST-78 of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. From 196 sequenced cDNA clones, we determined functions of 73 clones (37.2%. In addition, 36 clones (18.4% had significant homology to hypothetical proteins, 37 clones (18.9% had some homology to genes in other fungi, and the remaining 50 clones (25.5% did not produce any hits. From the 73 clones with functions, we identified 51 different genes encoding protein products that are involved in amino acid metabolism, cell defense, cell cycle, cell signaling, cell structure and growth, energy cycle, lipid and nucleotide metabolism, protein modification, ribosomal protein complex, sugar metabolism, transcription factor, transport metabolism, and virulence/infection. Conclusion The full-length cDNA library is useful in identifying functional genes of P. striiformis.

Centrobin-mediated Regulation of the Centrosomal Protein 4.1-associated Protein (CPAP) Level Limits Centriole Length during Elongation Stage*

Science.gov (United States)

Gudi, Radhika; Haycraft, Courtney J.; Bell, P. Darwin; Li, Zihai; Vasu, Chenthamarakshan

2015-01-01

Microtubule-based centrioles in the centrosome mediate accurate bipolar cell division, spindle orientation, and primary cilia formation. Cellular checkpoints ensure that the centrioles duplicate only once in every cell cycle and achieve precise dimensions, dysregulation of which results in genetic instability and neuro- and ciliopathies. The normal cellular level of centrosomal protein 4.1-associated protein (CPAP), achieved by its degradation at mitosis, is considered as one of the major mechanisms that limits centriole growth at a predetermined length. Here we show that CPAP levels and centriole elongation are regulated by centrobin. Exogenous expression of centrobin causes abnormal elongation of centrioles due to massive accumulation of CPAP in the cell. Conversely, CPAP was undetectable in centrobin-depleted cells, suggesting that it undergoes degradation in the absence of centrobin. Only the reintroduction of full-length centrobin, but not its mutant form that lacks the CPAP binding site, could restore cellular CPAP levels in centrobin-depleted cells, indicating that persistence of CPAP requires its interaction with centrobin. Interestingly, inhibition of the proteasome in centrobin-depleted cells restored the cellular and centriolar CPAP expression, suggesting its ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation when centrobin is absent. Intriguingly, however, centrobin-overexpressing cells also showed proteasome-independent accumulation of ubiquitinated CPAP and abnormal, ubiquitin-positive, elongated centrioles. Overall, our results show that centrobin interacts with ubiquitinated CPAP and prevents its degradation for normal centriole elongation function. Therefore, it appears that loss of centrobin expression destabilizes CPAP and triggers its degradation to restrict the centriole length during biogenesis. PMID:25616662

Full-Length Fibronectin Drives Fibroblast Accumulation at the Surface of Collagen Microtissues during Cell-Induced Tissue Morphogenesis.

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Jasper Foolen

Full Text Available Generating and maintaining gradients of cell density and extracellular matrix (ECM components is a prerequisite for the development of functionality of healthy tissue. Therefore, gaining insights into the drivers of spatial organization of cells and the role of ECM during tissue morphogenesis is vital. In a 3D model system of tissue morphogenesis, a fibronectin-FRET sensor recently revealed the existence of two separate fibronectin populations with different conformations in microtissues, i.e. 'compact and adsorbed to collagen' versus 'extended and fibrillar' fibronectin that does not colocalize with the collagen scaffold. Here we asked how the presence of fibronectin might drive this cell-induced tissue morphogenesis, more specifically the formation of gradients in cell density and ECM composition. Microtissues were engineered in a high-throughput model system containing rectangular microarrays of 12 posts, which constrained fibroblast-populated collagen gels, remodeled by the contractile cells into trampoline-shaped microtissues. Fibronectin's contribution during the tissue maturation process was assessed using fibronectin-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts (Fn-/- MEFs and floxed equivalents (Fnf/f MEFs, in fibronectin-depleted growth medium with and without exogenously added plasma fibronectin (full-length, or various fragments. In the absence of full-length fibronectin, Fn-/- MEFs remained homogenously distributed throughout the cell-contracted collagen gels. In contrast, in the presence of full-length fibronectin, both cell types produced shell-like tissues with a predominantly cell-free compacted collagen core and a peripheral surface layer rich in cells. Single cell assays then revealed that Fn-/- MEFs applied lower total strain energy on nanopillar arrays coated with either fibronectin or vitronectin when compared to Fnf/f MEFs, but that the presence of exogenously added plasma fibronectin rescued their contractility. While collagen

First full length sequences of the S gene of European isolates reveal further diversity among turkey coronaviruses.

OpenAIRE

2011-01-01

Abstract An increasing incidence of enteric disorders clinically evocative of the poult enteritis complex has been observed in turkeys in France since 2003. Using a newly designed real-time RT-PCR assay specific for the nucleocapsid (N) gene of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and turkey coronaviruses (TCoV), coronaviruses were identified in 37 % of the intestinal samples collected from diseased turkey flocks. The full length Spike (S) gene of these viruses was amplified, cloned a...

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from transgenic minipigs expressing the N-terminal part of the human mutant huntingtin - a new way to study pathogenesis of Huntington´s disease

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lišková, Irena; Vodička, P.; Juhás, Štefan; Klempíř, J.; Motlík, Jan

2015-01-01

Roč. 78, Suppl 2 (2015), s. 18-19 ISSN 1210-7859. [Conference on Animal Models for neurodegenerative Diseases /3./. 08.11.2015-10.11.2015, Liblice] R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14308 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : Huntington ´s disease * huntingtin * induced pluripotent stem cells Subject RIV: FH - Neurology

Identification of the full-length β-actin sequence and expression profiles in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri).

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yu; Yun, Chenxia; Wang, Qihui; Smith, Wanli W; Leng, Jing

2015-02-01

The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) diverges from the primate order (Primates) and is classified as a separate taxonomic group of mammals - Scandentia. It has been suggested that the tree shrew can be used as an animal model for studying human diseases; however, the genomic sequence of the tree shrew is largely unidentified. In the present study, we reported the full-length cDNA sequence of the housekeeping gene, β-actin, in the tree shrew. The amino acid sequence of β-actin in the tree shrew was compared to that of humans and other species; a simple phylogenetic relationship was discovered. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot analysis further demonstrated that the expression profiles of β-actin, as a general conservative housekeeping gene, in the tree shrew were similar to those in humans, although the expression levels varied among different types of tissue in the tree shrew. Our data provide evidence that the tree shrew has a close phylogenetic association with humans. These findings further enhance the potential that the tree shrew, as a species, may be used as an animal model for studying human disorders.

Leukocyte Telomere Length and Serum Levels of High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin and Dehydroepiandrosterone-Sulfate Could Reflect Distinct Aspects of Longevity in Japanese Centenarians

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Yuji Aoki MD, PhD

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Leukocyte telomere length and serum levels of high-molecular-weight adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S were assessed in association with nutrition and performance status (PS in Japanese centenarians. Twenty-three centenarians (five men, 18 women were classified according to their PS 1 (nearly fully ambulatory, n = 2, 2 (in bed less than 50% of daytime, n = 10, 3 (in bed greater than 50%, n = 6, and 4 (completely bedridden, n = 5. Leukocyte telomere length was determined by the hybridization protection assay, and the adiponectin and DHEA-S levels were measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Among variables of PS, body mass index (BMI, albumin, adiponectin, DHEA-S, and telomere length, there were significant correlations between PS and albumin ( r = −.694, p < .01, between telomere length and BMI ( r = .522, p < .05, between adiponectin and BMI ( r = −.574, p < .01, and between DHEA-S and albumin ( r = .530, p < .01. When excluding two cancer-bearing centenarians with short telomere, telomere length significantly correlated with PS ( r = −.632, p < .01. It was indicated that the short leukocyte telomere was associated with poor PS and cancer development and that the adiponectin or DHEA-S was associated with adiposity or nutritional status. Despite a small number of subjects, these biomarkers seemed to reflect distinct aspects of longevity in Japanese centenarians.

Umbilical cord blood glucose levels in full-term newborns

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A. L. Karpova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the investigation was to determine the umbilical cord venous blood level of glucose in full-term newborns and its relationship to the mode of delivery. The investigation included 102 full-term newborn infants, including 33 and 69 babies born via cesar-ean and vaginal delivery, respectively. Umbilical cord serum glucose levels were determined by the glucose oxidase test using a Sap-phire-400 biochemical analyzer. In healthy full-term newborns, the mean umbilical cord blood glucose levels were 4,29±0,88 mmol/1 (minimum, 2,9 mmol/1 and maximum, 5,9 mmol/1. In the babies born via cesarean delivery, the umbilical cord blood concentration of glucose was ascertained to be significantly lower than in those born vaginally (3,84+0,71 mmol/1 versus 4,51+0,87 mmol/1; /><0,0001. Abdominal delivery can be apparently considered to be a risk factor for hypoglycemia in neonatal infants.

Sequencing and analysis of full-length cDNAs, 5'-ESTs and 3'-ESTs from a cartilaginous fish, the elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii).

KAUST Repository

Brenner, Sydney

2012-10-08

Cartilaginous fishes are the most ancient group of living jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) and are, therefore, an important reference group for understanding the evolution of vertebrates. The elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii), a holocephalan cartilaginous fish, has been identified as a model cartilaginous fish genome because of its compact genome (∼910 Mb) and a genome project has been initiated to obtain its whole genome sequence. In this study, we have generated and sequenced full-length enriched cDNA libraries of the elephant shark using the \\'oligo-capping\\' method and Sanger sequencing. A total of 6,778 full-length protein-coding cDNA and 10,701 full-length noncoding cDNA were sequenced from six tissues (gills, intestine, kidney, liver, spleen, and testis) of the elephant shark. Analysis of their polyadenylation signals showed that polyadenylation usage in elephant shark is similar to that in mammals. Furthermore, both coding and noncoding transcripts of the elephant shark use the same proportion of canonical polyadenylation sites. Besides BLASTX searches, protein-coding transcripts were annotated by Gene Ontology, InterPro domain, and KEGG pathway analyses. By comparing elephant shark genes to bony vertebrate genes, we identified several ancient genes present in elephant shark but differentially lost in tetrapods or teleosts. Only ∼6% of elephant shark noncoding cDNA showed similarity to known noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). The rest are either highly divergent ncRNAs or novel ncRNAs. In addition to full-length transcripts, 30,375 5\\'-ESTs and 41,317 3\\'-ESTs were sequenced and annotated. The clones and transcripts generated in this study are valuable resources for annotating transcription start sites, exon-intron boundaries, and UTRs of genes in the elephant shark genome, and for the functional characterization of protein sequences. These resources will also be useful for annotating genes in other cartilaginous fishes whose genomes have been targeted for

Sequencing and analysis of full-length cDNAs, 5'-ESTs and 3'-ESTs from a cartilaginous fish, the elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii).

KAUST Repository

Brenner, Sydney; Kodzius, Rimantas; Tan, Yue Ying; Tay, Alice; Tay, Boon-Hui; Venkatesh, Byrappa

2012-01-01

Cartilaginous fishes are the most ancient group of living jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) and are, therefore, an important reference group for understanding the evolution of vertebrates. The elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii), a holocephalan cartilaginous fish, has been identified as a model cartilaginous fish genome because of its compact genome (∼910 Mb) and a genome project has been initiated to obtain its whole genome sequence. In this study, we have generated and sequenced full-length enriched cDNA libraries of the elephant shark using the 'oligo-capping' method and Sanger sequencing. A total of 6,778 full-length protein-coding cDNA and 10,701 full-length noncoding cDNA were sequenced from six tissues (gills, intestine, kidney, liver, spleen, and testis) of the elephant shark. Analysis of their polyadenylation signals showed that polyadenylation usage in elephant shark is similar to that in mammals. Furthermore, both coding and noncoding transcripts of the elephant shark use the same proportion of canonical polyadenylation sites. Besides BLASTX searches, protein-coding transcripts were annotated by Gene Ontology, InterPro domain, and KEGG pathway analyses. By comparing elephant shark genes to bony vertebrate genes, we identified several ancient genes present in elephant shark but differentially lost in tetrapods or teleosts. Only ∼6% of elephant shark noncoding cDNA showed similarity to known noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). The rest are either highly divergent ncRNAs or novel ncRNAs. In addition to full-length transcripts, 30,375 5'-ESTs and 41,317 3'-ESTs were sequenced and annotated. The clones and transcripts generated in this study are valuable resources for annotating transcription start sites, exon-intron boundaries, and UTRs of genes in the elephant shark genome, and for the functional characterization of protein sequences. These resources will also be useful for annotating genes in other cartilaginous fishes whose genomes have been targeted for whole

Full length articles published in BJOMS during 2010-11--an analysis by sub-specialty and study type.

Science.gov (United States)

Arakeri, Gururaj; Colbert, Serryth; Rosenbaum, Gavin; Brennan, Peter A

2012-12-01

Full length articles such as prospective and retrospective studies, case series, laboratory-based research and reviews form the majority of papers published in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS). We were interested to evaluate the breakdown of these types of articles both by sub-specialty and the type of study as well as the proportion that are written by UK colleagues compared to overseas authors over a 2 year period (2010-11). A total of 191 full length articles across all sub-specialties of our discipline were published, with 107 papers (56%) coming from UK authors. There were proportionately more oncology papers arising from the UK than overseas (60 and 30% of total respectively) while the opposite was found for cleft/deformity studies (10% and 22%). There was only one laboratory-based study published from the UK compared with 27 papers from overseas. The number of quality papers being submitted to the Journal continues to increase, and the type of article being published between UK and overseas probably reflects different practices and case-loads amongst colleagues. The relatively few UK laboratory based studies published in BJOMS compared to overseas authors are most likely due to authors seeking the most prestigious journals possible for their work. Copyright © 2012 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particle infectivity of HIV-1 full-length genome infectious molecular clones in a subtype C heterosexual transmission pair following high fidelity amplification and unbiased cloning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deymier, Martin J., E-mail: mdeymie@emory.edu [Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (United States); Claiborne, Daniel T., E-mail: dclaibo@emory.edu [Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (United States); Ende, Zachary, E-mail: zende@emory.edu [Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (United States); Ratner, Hannah K., E-mail: hannah.ratner@emory.edu [Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (United States); Kilembe, William, E-mail: wkilembe@rzhrg-mail.org [Zambia-Emory HIV Research Project (ZEHRP), B22/737 Mwembelelo, Emmasdale Post Net 412, P/BagE891, Lusaka (Zambia); Allen, Susan, E-mail: sallen5@emory.edu [Zambia-Emory HIV Research Project (ZEHRP), B22/737 Mwembelelo, Emmasdale Post Net 412, P/BagE891, Lusaka (Zambia); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Hunter, Eric, E-mail: eric.hunter2@emory.edu [Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (United States); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2014-11-15

The high genetic diversity of HIV-1 impedes high throughput, large-scale sequencing and full-length genome cloning by common restriction enzyme based methods. Applying novel methods that employ a high-fidelity polymerase for amplification and an unbiased fusion-based cloning strategy, we have generated several HIV-1 full-length genome infectious molecular clones from an epidemiologically linked transmission pair. These clones represent the transmitted/founder virus and phylogenetically diverse non-transmitted variants from the chronically infected individual's diverse quasispecies near the time of transmission. We demonstrate that, using this approach, PCR-induced mutations in full-length clones derived from their cognate single genome amplicons are rare. Furthermore, all eight non-transmitted genomes tested produced functional virus with a range of infectivities, belying the previous assumption that a majority of circulating viruses in chronic HIV-1 infection are defective. Thus, these methods provide important tools to update protocols in molecular biology that can be universally applied to the study of human viral pathogens. - Highlights: • Our novel methodology demonstrates accurate amplification and cloning of full-length HIV-1 genomes. • A majority of plasma derived HIV variants from a chronically infected individual are infectious. • The transmitted/founder was more infectious than the majority of the variants from the chronically infected donor.

Particle infectivity of HIV-1 full-length genome infectious molecular clones in a subtype C heterosexual transmission pair following high fidelity amplification and unbiased cloning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deymier, Martin J.; Claiborne, Daniel T.; Ende, Zachary; Ratner, Hannah K.; Kilembe, William; Allen, Susan; Hunter, Eric

2014-01-01

The high genetic diversity of HIV-1 impedes high throughput, large-scale sequencing and full-length genome cloning by common restriction enzyme based methods. Applying novel methods that employ a high-fidelity polymerase for amplification and an unbiased fusion-based cloning strategy, we have generated several HIV-1 full-length genome infectious molecular clones from an epidemiologically linked transmission pair. These clones represent the transmitted/founder virus and phylogenetically diverse non-transmitted variants from the chronically infected individual's diverse quasispecies near the time of transmission. We demonstrate that, using this approach, PCR-induced mutations in full-length clones derived from their cognate single genome amplicons are rare. Furthermore, all eight non-transmitted genomes tested produced functional virus with a range of infectivities, belying the previous assumption that a majority of circulating viruses in chronic HIV-1 infection are defective. Thus, these methods provide important tools to update protocols in molecular biology that can be universally applied to the study of human viral pathogens. - Highlights: • Our novel methodology demonstrates accurate amplification and cloning of full-length HIV-1 genomes. • A majority of plasma derived HIV variants from a chronically infected individual are infectious. • The transmitted/founder was more infectious than the majority of the variants from the chronically infected donor

Patient-Specific Instruments Based on Knee Joint Computed Tomography and Full-Length Lower Extremity Radiography in Total Knee Replacement

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Hua Tian

2018-01-01

Conclusions: The use of PSIs based on knee joint CT and standing full-length lower extremity radiography in TKR resulted in acceptable alignment compared with the use of conventional instruments, although the marginal advantage was not statistically different. Surgical time and clinical results were also similar between the two groups. However, the PSI group had less postoperative drainage.

An RNA-Seq strategy to detect the complete coding and non-coding transcriptome including full-length imprinted macro ncRNAs.

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Ru Huang

Full Text Available Imprinted macro non-protein-coding (nc RNAs are cis-repressor transcripts that silence multiple genes in at least three imprinted gene clusters in the mouse genome. Similar macro or long ncRNAs are abundant in the mammalian genome. Here we present the full coding and non-coding transcriptome of two mouse tissues: differentiated ES cells and fetal head using an optimized RNA-Seq strategy. The data produced is highly reproducible in different sequencing locations and is able to detect the full length of imprinted macro ncRNAs such as Airn and Kcnq1ot1, whose length ranges between 80-118 kb. Transcripts show a more uniform read coverage when RNA is fragmented with RNA hydrolysis compared with cDNA fragmentation by shearing. Irrespective of the fragmentation method, all coding and non-coding transcripts longer than 8 kb show a gradual loss of sequencing tags towards the 3' end. Comparisons to published RNA-Seq datasets show that the strategy presented here is more efficient in detecting known functional imprinted macro ncRNAs and also indicate that standardization of RNA preparation protocols would increase the comparability of the transcriptome between different RNA-Seq datasets.

An integrated PCR colony hybridization approach to screen cDNA libraries for full-length coding sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollier, Jacob; González-Guzmán, Miguel; Ardiles-Diaz, Wilson; Geelen, Danny; Goossens, Alain

2011-01-01

cDNA-Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) is a commonly used technique for genome-wide expression analysis that does not require prior sequence knowledge. Typically, quantitative expression data and sequence information are obtained for a large number of differentially expressed gene tags. However, most of the gene tags do not correspond to full-length (FL) coding sequences, which is a prerequisite for subsequent functional analysis. A medium-throughput screening strategy, based on integration of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and colony hybridization, was developed that allows in parallel screening of a cDNA library for FL clones corresponding to incomplete cDNAs. The method was applied to screen for the FL open reading frames of a selection of 163 cDNA-AFLP tags from three different medicinal plants, leading to the identification of 109 (67%) FL clones. Furthermore, the protocol allows for the use of multiple probes in a single hybridization event, thus significantly increasing the throughput when screening for rare transcripts. The presented strategy offers an efficient method for the conversion of incomplete expressed sequence tags (ESTs), such as cDNA-AFLP tags, to FL-coding sequences.

Root length and alveolar bone level of impacted canines and adjacent teeth after orthodontic traction: a long-term evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

da SILVA, Aldir Cordeiro; CAPISTRANO, Anderson; de ALMEIDA-PEDRIN, Renata Rodrigues; CARDOSO, Maurício de Almeida; CONTI, Ana Cláudia de Castro Ferreira; CAPELOZZA, Leopoldino

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the long-term effects of orthodontic traction on root length and alveolar bone level in impacted canines and adjacent teeth. Material and Methods Sample consisted of 16 patients (nine males and seven females), mean initial age 11 years and 8 months presenting with unilaterally maxillary impacted canines, palatally displaced, treated with the same surgical and orthodontic approach. Teeth from the impacted-canine side were assigned as Group I (GI), and contralateral teeth as control, Group II (GII). The mean age of patients at the end of orthodontic treatment was 14 years and 2 months and the mean post-treatment time was 5 years and 11 months. Both contralateral erupted maxillary canines and adjacent teeth served as control. Root length and alveolar bone level (buccal and palatal) were evaluated on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. The comparison of root length and alveolar bone level changes between groups were assessed by applying paired t-test, at a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). Results There were no statistically significant differences in root length and buccal and palatal bone levels of canines and adjacent teeth among groups. Conclusions Impacted canine treatment by closed-eruption technique associated with canine crown perforation, has a minimal effect on root length and buccal and palatal alveolar bone level in both canine and adjacent teeth, demonstrating that this treatment protocol has a good long-term prognosis. PMID:28198979

Pre-Steady-State Kinetic Analysis of Truncated and Full-Length Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA Polymerase Eta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica A. Brown

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Understanding polymerase fidelity is an important objective towards ascertaining the overall stability of an organism's genome. Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase η (yPolη, a Y-family DNA polymerase, is known to efficiently bypass DNA lesions (e.g., pyrimidine dimers in vivo. Using pre-steady-state kinetic methods, we examined both full-length and a truncated version of yPolη which contains only the polymerase domain. In the absence of yPolη's C-terminal residues 514–632, the DNA binding affinity was weakened by 2-fold and the base substitution fidelity dropped by 3-fold. Thus, the C-terminus of yPolη may interact with DNA and slightly alter the conformation of the polymerase domain during catalysis. In general, yPolη discriminated between a correct and incorrect nucleotide more during the incorporation step (50-fold on average than the ground-state binding step (18-fold on average. Blunt-end additions of dATP or pyrene nucleotide 5′-triphosphate revealed the importance of base stacking during the binding of incorrect incoming nucleotides.

A new set of ESTs and cDNA clones from full-length and normalized libraries for gene discovery and functional characterization in citrus

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Alamar Santiago

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interpretation of ever-increasing raw sequence information generated by modern genome sequencing technologies faces multiple challenges, such as gene function analysis and genome annotation. Indeed, nearly 40% of genes in plants encode proteins of unknown function. Functional characterization of these genes is one of the main challenges in modern biology. In this regard, the availability of full-length cDNA clones may fill in the gap created between sequence information and biological knowledge. Full-length cDNA clones facilitate functional analysis of the corresponding genes enabling manipulation of their expression in heterologous systems and the generation of a variety of tagged versions of the native protein. In addition, the development of full-length cDNA sequences has the power to improve the quality of genome annotation. Results We developed an integrated method to generate a new normalized EST collection enriched in full-length and rare transcripts of different citrus species from multiple tissues and developmental stages. We constructed a total of 15 cDNA libraries, from which we isolated 10,898 high-quality ESTs representing 6142 different genes. Percentages of redundancy and proportion of full-length clones range from 8 to 33, and 67 to 85, respectively, indicating good efficiency of the approach employed. The new EST collection adds 2113 new citrus ESTs, representing 1831 unigenes, to the collection of citrus genes available in the public databases. To facilitate functional analysis, cDNAs were introduced in a Gateway-based cloning vector for high-throughput functional analysis of genes in planta. Herein, we describe the technical methods used in the library construction, sequence analysis of clones and the overexpression of CitrSEP, a citrus homolog to the Arabidopsis SEP3 gene, in Arabidopsis as an example of a practical application of the engineered Gateway vector for functional analysis. Conclusion The new

Large normal-range TBP and ATXN7 CAG repeat lengths are associated with increased lifetime risk of depression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gardiner, S. L.; van Belzen, M. J.; Boogaard, M. W.

2017-01-01

Depression is one of the most prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disorders worldwide. Recently, we showed that both relatively short and relatively long cytosine–adenine–guanine (CAG) repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT) are associated with an increased risk of lifetime depression. However, t...

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Full-Length cDNA of Calmodulin Gene from Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xing-Xia; Yu, Wen-Chao; Cai, Zhong-Qiang; He, Cheng; Wei, Na; Wang, Xiao-Tong; Yue, Xi-Qing

2016-01-01

The shell of the pearl oyster ( Pinctada fucata ) mainly comprises aragonite whereas that of the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas ) is mainly calcite, thereby suggesting the different mechanisms of shell formation between above two mollusks. Calmodulin (CaM) is an important gene for regulating the uptake, transport, and secretion of calcium during the process of shell formation in pearl oyster. It is interesting to characterize the CaM in oysters, which could facilitate the understanding of the different shell formation mechanisms among mollusks. We cloned the full-length cDNA of Pacific oyster CaM (cgCaM) and found that the cgCaM ORF encoded a peptide of 113 amino acids containing three EF-hand calcium-binding domains, its expression level was highest in the mantle, hinting that the cgCaM gene is probably involved in shell formation of Pacific oyster, and the common ancestor of Gastropoda and Bivalvia may possess at least three CaM genes. We also found that the numbers of some EF hand family members in highly calcified species were higher than those in lowly calcified species and the numbers of these motifs in oyster genome were the highest among the mollusk species with whole genome sequence, further hinting the correlation between CaM and biomineralization.

Huntingtin-interacting protein 14 is a type 1 diabetes candidate protein regulating insulin secretion and β-cell apoptosis

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Berchtold, Lukas Adrian; Størling, Zenia Marian; Ortis, Fernanda

2011-01-01

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex disease characterized by the loss of insulin-secreting β-cells. Although the disease has a strong genetic component, and several loci are known to increase T1D susceptibility risk, only few causal genes have currently been identified. To identify disease...... genes in T1D, including the INS gene. An unexpected top-scoring candidate gene was huntingtin-interacting protein (HIP)-14/ZDHHC17. Immunohistochemical analysis of pancreatic sections demonstrated that HIP14 is almost exclusively expressed in insulin-positive cells in islets of Langerhans. RNAi...... knockdown experiments established that HIP14 is an antiapoptotic protein required for β-cell survival and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IFN-γ) that mediate β-cell dysfunction in T1D down-regulated HIP14 expression in insulin-secreting INS-1 cells and in isolated...

Characterization of near full-length genomes of HIV type 1 strains in Denmark: Basis for a universal therapeutic vaccine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, Betina S.; Vinner, Lasse; Tang, Sheila Tuyet

2007-01-01

We report here the near full-length sequence characterization of 17 Danish clinical HIV-1 strains isolated from HLA-A02 patients not in need of ART, with relatively low viral loads and normal CD4 cell counts. Sequencing was performed directly on DNA extracted from short-term cocultures of PBMCs...... of a universal immunotherapeutic vaccine construct based on these epitopes....

Binding site analysis of full-length α1a adrenergic receptor using homology modeling and molecular docking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedretti, Alessandro; Elena Silva, Maria; Villa, Luigi; Vistoli, Giulio

2004-01-01

The recent availability of crystal structure of bovine rhodopsin offers new opportunities in order to approach the construction of G protein coupled receptors. This study focuses the attention on the modeling of full-length α 1a adrenergic receptor (α 1a -AR) due to its biological role and significant implications in pharmacological treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. This work could be considered made up by two main steps: (a) the construction of full structure of α 1a -AR, through homology modeling methods; (b) the automated docking of an endogenous agonist, norepinephrine, and of an antagonist, WB-4101, using BioDock program. The obtained results highlight the key residues involved in binding sites of both agonists and antagonists, confirming the mutagenesis data and giving new suggestions for the rational design of selective ligands

Rational Design of High-Number dsDNA Fragments Based on Thermodynamics for the Construction of Full-Length Genes in a Single Reaction.

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Bhagyashree S Birla

Full Text Available Gene synthesis is frequently used in modern molecular biology research either to create novel genes or to obtain natural genes when the synthesis approach is more flexible and reliable than cloning. DNA chemical synthesis has limits on both its length and yield, thus full-length genes have to be hierarchically constructed from synthesized DNA fragments. Gibson Assembly and its derivatives are the simplest methods to assemble multiple double-stranded DNA fragments. Currently, up to 12 dsDNA fragments can be assembled at once with Gibson Assembly according to its vendor. In practice, the number of dsDNA fragments that can be assembled in a single reaction are much lower. We have developed a rational design method for gene construction that allows high-number dsDNA fragments to be assembled into full-length genes in a single reaction. Using this new design method and a modified version of the Gibson Assembly protocol, we have assembled 3 different genes from up to 45 dsDNA fragments at once. Our design method uses the thermodynamic analysis software Picky that identifies all unique junctions in a gene where consecutive DNA fragments are specifically made to connect to each other. Our novel method is generally applicable to most gene sequences, and can improve both the efficiency and cost of gene assembly.

VP1u phospholipase activity is critical for infectivity of full-length parvovirus B19 genomic clones

OpenAIRE

Filippone, Claudia; Zhi, Ning; Wong, Susan; Lu, Jun; Kajigaya, Sachiko; Gallinella, Giorgio; Kakkola, Laura; Söderlund-Venermo, Maria; Young, Neal S.; Brown, Kevin E.

2008-01-01

Three full-length genomic clones (pB19-M20, pB19-FL and pB19-HG1) of parvovirus B19 were produced in different laboratories. pB19-M20 was shown to produce infectious virus. To determine the differences in infectivity, all three plasmids were tested by transfection and infection assays. All three clones were similar in viral DNA replication, RNA transcription, and viral capsid protein production. However, only pB19-M20 and pB19-HG1 produced infectious virus. Comparison of viral sequences showe...

Differing Efficacies of Lead Group A Streptococcal Vaccine Candidates and Full-Length M Protein in Cutaneous and Invasive Disease Models

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Tania Rivera-Hernandez

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Group A Streptococcus (GAS is an important human pathogen responsible for both superficial infections and invasive diseases. Autoimmune sequelae may occur upon repeated infection. For this reason, development of a vaccine against GAS represents a major challenge, since certain GAS components may trigger autoimmunity. We formulated three combination vaccines containing the following: (i streptolysin O (SLO, interleukin 8 (IL-8 protease (Streptococcus pyogenes cell envelope proteinase [SpyCEP], group A streptococcal C5a peptidase (SCPA, arginine deiminase (ADI, and trigger factor (TF; (ii the conserved M-protein-derived J8 peptide conjugated to ADI; and (iii group A carbohydrate lacking the N-acetylglucosamine side chain conjugated to ADI. We compared these combination vaccines to a “gold standard” for immunogenicity, full-length M1 protein. Vaccines were adjuvanted with alum, and mice were immunized on days 0, 21, and 28. On day 42, mice were challenged via cutaneous or subcutaneous routes. High-titer antigen-specific antibody responses with bactericidal activity were detected in mouse serum samples for all vaccine candidates. In comparison with sham-immunized mice, all vaccines afforded protection against cutaneous challenge. However, only full-length M1 protein provided protection in the subcutaneous invasive disease model.

A new set of ESTs and cDNA clones from full-length and normalized libraries for gene discovery and functional characterization in citrus

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, M Carmen; Alonso-Cantabrana, Hugo; Forment, Javier; Arribas, Raquel; Alamar, Santiago; Conejero, Vicente; Perez-Amador, Miguel A

2009-01-01

Background Interpretation of ever-increasing raw sequence information generated by modern genome sequencing technologies faces multiple challenges, such as gene function analysis and genome annotation. Indeed, nearly 40% of genes in plants encode proteins of unknown function. Functional characterization of these genes is one of the main challenges in modern biology. In this regard, the availability of full-length cDNA clones may fill in the gap created between sequence information and biological knowledge. Full-length cDNA clones facilitate functional analysis of the corresponding genes enabling manipulation of their expression in heterologous systems and the generation of a variety of tagged versions of the native protein. In addition, the development of full-length cDNA sequences has the power to improve the quality of genome annotation. Results We developed an integrated method to generate a new normalized EST collection enriched in full-length and rare transcripts of different citrus species from multiple tissues and developmental stages. We constructed a total of 15 cDNA libraries, from which we isolated 10,898 high-quality ESTs representing 6142 different genes. Percentages of redundancy and proportion of full-length clones range from 8 to 33, and 67 to 85, respectively, indicating good efficiency of the approach employed. The new EST collection adds 2113 new citrus ESTs, representing 1831 unigenes, to the collection of citrus genes available in the public databases. To facilitate functional analysis, cDNAs were introduced in a Gateway-based cloning vector for high-throughput functional analysis of genes in planta. Herein, we describe the technical methods used in the library construction, sequence analysis of clones and the overexpression of CitrSEP, a citrus homolog to the Arabidopsis SEP3 gene, in Arabidopsis as an example of a practical application of the engineered Gateway vector for functional analysis. Conclusion The new EST collection denotes an

EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FULL-LENGTH HUMAN HEME OXYGENASE-1: PRESENCE OF INTACT MEMBRANE-BINDING REGION LEADS TO INCREASED BINDING AFFINITY FOR NADPH-CYTOCHROME P450 REDUCTASE

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Warren J.; Backes, Wayne L.

2009-01-01

Heme oxygenase (HO) is the chief regulatory enzyme in the oxidative degradation of heme to biliverdin. In the process of heme degradation, this NADPH and cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR)-dependent oxidation of heme also releases free iron and carbon monoxide. Much of the recent research involving heme oxygenase is done using a 30-kDa soluble form of the enzyme, which lacks the membrane binding region (C-terminal 23 amino acids). The goal of this study was to express and purify a full-length human HO-1 (hHO-1) protein; however, due to the lability of the full-length form, a rapid purification procedure was required. This was accomplished by use of a GST-tagged hHO-1 construct. Although the procedure permitted the generation of a full-length HO-1, this form was contaminated with a 30-kDa degradation product that could not be eliminated. Therefore, we attempted to remove a putative secondary thrombin cleavage site by a conservative mutation of amino acid 254, which replaces lysine with arginine. This mutation allowed the expression and purification of a full length hHO-1 protein. Unlike wild-type HO-1, the K254R mutant could be purified to a single 32-kDa protein capable of degrading heme at the same rate as the wild-type enzyme. The K254R full-length form had a specific activity of ~200–225 nmol bilirubin hr−1nmol−1 HO-1 as compared to ~140–150 nmol bilirubin hr−1nmol−1 for the WT form, which contains the 30-kDa contaminant. This is a 2–3-fold increase from the previously reported soluble 30-kDa HO-1, suggesting that the C-terminal 23 amino acids are essential for maximal catalytic activity. Because the membrane spanning domain is present, the full-length hHO-1 has the potential to incorporate into phospholipid membranes, which can be reconstituted at known concentrations, in combination with other ER-resident enzymes. PMID:17915953

Construction of a normalized full-length cDNA library of cephalopod Amphioctopus fangsiao and development of microsatellite markers

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yanwei; Liu, Wenfen; Xu, Xin; Yang, Jianmin; Wang, Weijun; Wei, Xiumei; Liu, Xiangquan; Sun, Guohua

2017-10-01

Amphioctopus fangsiao is one of the most economically important species and has been considered to be a candidate for aquaculture. In order to facilitate its fine-scale genetic analyses, we constructed a normalized full-length library successfully and developed a set of microsatellite markers in this study. The normalized full-length library had a storage capacity of 6.9×105 independent clones. The recombination efficiency was 95% and the average size of inserted fragments was longer than 1000 bp. A total of 3440 high quality ESTs were obtained, which were assembled into 1803 unigenes. Of these unigenes, 450 (25%) were assigned into 33 Gene Ontology terms, 576 (31.9%) into 153 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, and 275 (15.3%) into 22 Clusters of Orthologous Groups. Seventy-six polymorphic microsatellite markers were identified. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 17, and the observed and expected heterozygosities varied between 0.167 and 0.967 and between 0.326 and 0.944, respectively. Twelve loci were significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction and no linkage disequilibrium was found between different loci. This study provided not only a useful resource for the isolation of the functional genes, but also a set of informative microsatellites for the assessment of population structure and conservation genetics of A. fangsiao.

Computational Insight Into the Structural Organization of Full-Length Toll-Like Receptor 4 Dimer in a Model Phospholipid Bilayer

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Mahesh Chandra Patra

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Toll-like receptors (TLRs are a unique category of pattern recognition receptors that recognize distinct pathogenic components, often utilizing the same set of downstream adaptors. Specific molecular features of extracellular, transmembrane (TM, and cytoplasmic domains of TLRs are crucial for coordinating the complex, innate immune signaling pathway. Here, we constructed a full-length structural model of TLR4—a widely studied member of the interleukin-1 receptor/TLR superfamily—using homology modeling, protein–protein docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to understand the differential domain organization of TLR4 in a membrane-aqueous environment. Results showed that each functional domain of the membrane-bound TLR4 displayed several structural transitions that are biophysically essential for plasma membrane integration. Specifically, the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains were partially immersed in the upper and lower leaflets of the membrane bilayer. Meanwhile, TM domains tilted considerably to overcome the hydrophobic mismatch with the bilayer core. Our analysis indicates an alternate dimerization or a potential oligomerization interface of TLR4-TM. Moreover, the helical properties of an isolated TM dimer partly agree with that of the full-length receptor. Furthermore, membrane-absorbed or solvent-exposed surfaces of the toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain are consistent with previous X-ray crystallography and biochemical studies. Collectively, we provided a complete structural model of membrane-bound TLR4 that strengthens our current understanding of the complex mechanism of receptor activation and adaptor recruitment in the innate immune signaling pathway.

Retrieval of a million high-quality, full-length microbial 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequences without primer bias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karst, Søren Michael; Dueholm, Morten Simonsen; McIlroy, Simon Jon

2018-01-01

Small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes, 16S in bacteria and 18S in eukaryotes, have been the standard phylogenetic markers used to characterize microbial diversity and evolution for decades. However, the reference databases of full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences are skewed to well-studied e...

Gene organization in rice revealed by full-length cDNA mapping and gene expression analysis through microarray.

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Kouji Satoh

Full Text Available Rice (Oryza sativa L. is a model organism for the functional genomics of monocotyledonous plants since the genome size is considerably smaller than those of other monocotyledonous plants. Although highly accurate genome sequences of indica and japonica rice are available, additional resources such as full-length complementary DNA (FL-cDNA sequences are also indispensable for comprehensive analyses of gene structure and function. We cross-referenced 28.5K individual loci in the rice genome defined by mapping of 578K FL-cDNA clones with the 56K loci predicted in the TIGR genome assembly. Based on the annotation status and the presence of corresponding cDNA clones, genes were classified into 23K annotated expressed (AE genes, 33K annotated non-expressed (ANE genes, and 5.5K non-annotated expressed (NAE genes. We developed a 60mer oligo-array for analysis of gene expression from each locus. Analysis of gene structures and expression levels revealed that the general features of gene structure and expression of NAE and ANE genes were considerably different from those of AE genes. The results also suggested that the cloning efficiency of rice FL-cDNA is associated with the transcription activity of the corresponding genetic locus, although other factors may also have an effect. Comparison of the coverage of FL-cDNA among gene families suggested that FL-cDNA from genes encoding rice- or eukaryote-specific domains, and those involved in regulatory functions were difficult to produce in bacterial cells. Collectively, these results indicate that rice genes can be divided into distinct groups based on transcription activity and gene structure, and that the coverage bias of FL-cDNA clones exists due to the incompatibility of certain eukaryotic genes in bacteria.

Molecular comparisons of full length metapneumovirus (MPV genomes, including newly determined French AMPV-C and -D isolates, further supports possible subclassification within the MPV Genus.

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Paul A Brown

Full Text Available Four avian metapneumovirus (AMPV subgroups (A-D have been reported previously based on genetic and antigenic differences. However, until now full length sequences of the only known isolates of European subgroup C and subgroup D viruses (duck and turkey origin, respectively have been unavailable. These full length sequences were determined and compared with other full length AMPV and human metapneumoviruses (HMPV sequences reported previously, using phylogenetics, comparisons of nucleic and amino acid sequences and study of codon usage bias. Results confirmed that subgroup C viruses were more closely related to HMPV than they were to the other AMPV subgroups in the study. This was consistent with previous findings using partial genome sequences. Closer relationships between AMPV-A, B and D were also evident throughout the majority of results. Three metapneumovirus "clusters" HMPV, AMPV-C and AMPV-A, B and D were further supported by codon bias and phylogenetics. The data presented here together with those of previous studies describing antigenic relationships also between AMPV-A, B and D and between AMPV-C and HMPV may call for a subclassification of metapneumoviruses similar to that used for avian paramyxoviruses, grouping AMPV-A, B and D as type I metapneumoviruses and AMPV-C and HMPV as type II.

Use of Dried Blood Spots to Elucidate Full-Length Transmitted/Founder HIV-1 Genomes

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Jesus F. Salazar-Gonzalez

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Identification of HIV-1 genomes responsible for establishing clinical infection in newly infected individuals is fundamental to prevention and pathogenesis research. Processing, storage, and transportation of the clinical samples required to perform these virologic assays in resource-limited settings requires challenging venipuncture and cold chain logistics. Here, we validate the use of dried-blood spots (DBS as a simple and convenient alternative to collecting and storing frozen plasma. Methods: We performed parallel nucleic acid extraction, single genome amplification (SGA, next generation sequencing (NGS, and phylogenetic analyses on plasma and DBS. Results: We demonstrated the capacity to extract viral RNA from DBS and perform SGA to infer the complete nucleotide sequence of the transmitted/founder (TF HIV-1 envelope gene and full-length genome in two acutely infected individuals. Using both SGA and NGS methodologies, we showed that sequences generated from DBS and plasma display comparable phylogenetic patterns in both acute and chronic infection. SGA was successful on samples with a range of plasma viremia, including samples as low as 1,700 copies/ml and an estimated ~50 viral copies per blood spot. Further, we demonstrated reproducible efficiency in gp160 env sequencing in DBS stored at ambient temperature for up to three weeks or at -20ºC for up to five months. Conclusions: These findings support the use of DBS as a practical and cost-effective alternative to frozen plasma for clinical trials and translational research conducted in resource-limited settings.

Calculation of evolutionary correlation between individual genes and full-length genome: a method useful for choosing phylogenetic markers for molecular epidemiology.

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Shuai Wang

Full Text Available Individual genes or regions are still commonly used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among viral isolates. The genomic regions that can faithfully provide assessments consistent with those predicted with full-length genome sequences would be preferable to serve as good candidates of the phylogenetic markers for molecular epidemiological studies of many viruses. Here we employed a statistical method to evaluate the evolutionary relationships between individual viral genes and full-length genomes without tree construction as a way to determine which gene can match the genome well in phylogenetic analyses. This method was performed by calculation of linear correlations between the genetic distance matrices of aligned individual gene sequences and aligned genome sequences. We applied this method to the phylogenetic analyses of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2, measles virus (MV, hepatitis E virus (HEV and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV. Phylogenetic trees were constructed for comparisons and the possible factors affecting the method accuracy were also discussed in the calculations. The results revealed that this method could produce results consistent with those of previous studies about the proper consensus sequences that could be successfully used as phylogenetic markers. And our results also suggested that these evolutionary correlations could provide useful information for identifying genes that could be used effectively to infer the genetic relationships.

Ameliorative effects of curcumin on the spermatozoon tail length, count, motility and testosterone serum level in metronidazole-treated mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Karbalay-Doust, S; Noorafshan, A

2011-01-01

Metronidazole (MTZ) is used as an antiparasitic drug. Curcumin is considered as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. The ameliorative effects of curcumin on MTZ induced toxicity on mice spermatozoon tail length, count, motility and testosterone level were investigated. MTZ was administered in 500 and 165 (high and therapeutic doses) mg/kg/day, with and without curcumin (100 mg/kg/day). After 16 days the above parameters were assessed. Spermatozoon count and motility and serum testosterone level MTZ-treated (500 and 165) mice were reduced. In the mice treated with MTZ+curcumin these parameters decreased but in a lesser extent than the MTZ-treated animals. Mid-piece and total lengths of the spermatozoon tail in control animals were 31.6 ± 9.0 μm and 100.3 ± 15.0 μm and in the mice treated with high doses (500) of MTZ were reduced. The mid-piece and total spermatozoon tail length has been decreased in a lesser extent in the mice treated with high dose MTZ+curcumin than the mice treated with high dose MTZ (paverage increase in mid-piece and total lengths in comparison with the MTZ-treated (500) animals. Stereological estimation of the sperm tail length, including sampling of spermatozoa and also counting of the intersections of their tails with the stereological grids was a rapid technique and took only 5-10 minutes. It can be concluded that curcumin has an ameliorative effect on the spermatozoon, testosterone level and tail length in MTZ-treated mice.

Loss of Huntingtin stimulates capture of retrograde dense-core vesicles to increase synaptic neuropeptide stores.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulgari, Dinara; Deitcher, David L; Levitan, Edwin S

2017-08-01

The Huntington's disease protein Huntingtin (Htt) regulates axonal transport of dense-core vesicles (DCVs) containing neurotrophins and neuropeptides. DCVs travel down axons to reach nerve terminals where they are either captured in synaptic boutons to support later release or reverse direction to reenter the axon as part of vesicle circulation. Currently, the impact of Htt on DCV dynamics in the terminal is unknown. Here we report that knockout of Drosophila Htt selectively reduces retrograde DCV flux at proximal boutons of motoneuron terminals. However, initiation of retrograde transport at the most distal bouton and transport velocity are unaffected suggesting that synaptic capture rate of these retrograde DCVs could be altered. In fact, tracking DCVs shows that retrograde synaptic capture efficiency is significantly elevated by Htt knockout or knockdown. Furthermore, synaptic boutons contain more neuropeptide in Htt knockout larvae even though bouton size, single DCV fluorescence intensity, neuropeptide release in response to electrical stimulation and subsequent activity-dependent capture are unaffected. Thus, loss of Htt increases synaptic capture as DCVs travel by retrograde transport through boutons resulting in reduced transport toward the axon and increased neuropeptide in the terminal. These results therefore identify native Htt as a regulator of synaptic capture and neuropeptide storage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Rational Design of High-Number dsDNA Fragments Based on Thermodynamics for the Construction of Full-Length Genes in a Single Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Birla, Bhagyashree S; Chou, Hui-Hsien

2015-01-01

Gene synthesis is frequently used in modern molecular biology research either to create novel genes or to obtain natural genes when the synthesis approach is more flexible and reliable than cloning. DNA chemical synthesis has limits on both its length and yield, thus full-length genes have to be hierarchically constructed from synthesized DNA fragments. Gibson Assembly and its derivatives are the simplest methods to assemble multiple double-stranded DNA fragments. Currently, up to 12 dsDNA fragments can be assembled at once with Gibson Assembly according to its vendor. In practice, the number of dsDNA fragments that can be assembled in a single reaction are much lower. We have developed a rational design method for gene construction that allows high-number dsDNA fragments to be assembled into full-length genes in a single reaction. Using this new design method and a modified version of the Gibson Assembly protocol, we have assembled 3 different genes from up to 45 dsDNA fragments at once. Our design method uses the thermodynamic analysis software Picky that identifies all unique junctions in a gene where consecutive DNA fragments are specifically made to connect to each other. Our novel method is generally applicable to most gene sequences, and can improve both the efficiency and cost of gene assembly.

The length-weight and length-length relationships of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766 from Samsun, middle Black Sea region

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Melek Özpiçak

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, length-weight relationship (LWR and length-length relationship (LLR of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix were determined. A total of 125 specimens were sampled from Samsun, the middle Black Sea in 2014 fishing season. Bluefish specimens were monthly collected from commercial fishing boats from October to December 2014. All captured individuals (N=125 were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm for total, fork and standard lengths. The weight of each fish (W was recorded to the nearest 0.01 g. According to results of analyses, there were no statistically significant differences between sexes in term of length and weight (P˃0.05. The minimum and maximum total, fork and standard lengths of bluefish ranged between 13.5-23.6 cm, 12.50-21.80 cm and 10.60-20.10 cm, respectively. The equation of length-weight relationship were calculated as W=0.008TL3.12 (r2>0.962. Positive allometric growth was observed for bluefish (b>3. Length-length relationship was also highly significant (P<0.001 with coefficient of determination (r2 ranging from 0.916 to 0.988.

AAV-mediated delivery of the transcription factor XBP1s into the striatum reduces mutant Huntingtin aggregation in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuleta, Amparo; Vidal, Rene L.; Armentano, Donna; Parsons, Geoffrey; Hetz, Claudio

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The contribution of ER stress to HD has not been directly addressed. ► Expression of XBP1s using AAVs decreases Huntingtin aggregation in vivo. ► We describe a new in vivo model of HD based on the expression of a large fragment of mHtt-RFP. -- Abstract: Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by mutations that expand a polyglutamine region in the amino-terminal domain of Huntingtin (Htt), leading to the accumulation of intracellular inclusions and progressive neurodegeneration. Recent reports indicate the engagement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses in human HD post mortem samples and animal models of the disease. Adaptation to ER stress is mediated by the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), an integrated signal transduction pathway that attenuates protein folding stress by controlling the expression of distinct transcription factors including X-Box binding protein 1 (XBP1). Here we targeted the expression of XBP1 on a novel viral-based model of HD. We delivered an active form of XBP1 locally into the striatum of adult mice using adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) and co-expressed this factor with a large fragment of mutant Htt as a fusion protein with RFP (Htt588 Q95 -mRFP) to directly visualize the accumulation of Htt inclusions in the brain. Using this approach, we observed a significant reduction in the accumulation of Htt588 Q95 -mRFP intracellular inclusion when XBP1 was co-expressed in the striatum. These results contrast with recent findings indicating a protective effect of XBP1 deficiency in neurodegeneration using knockout mice, and suggest a potential use of gene therapy strategies to manipulate the UPR in the context of HD.

Expression and characterization of full-length human heme oxygenase-1: the presence of intact membrane-binding region leads to increased binding affinity for NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase.

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Warren J; Backes, Wayne L

2007-10-30

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is the chief regulatory enzyme in the oxidative degradation of heme to biliverdin. In the process of heme degradation, HO-1 receives the electrons necessary for catalysis from the flavoprotein NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), releasing free iron and carbon monoxide. Much of the recent research involving heme oxygenase has been done using a 30 kDa soluble form of the enzyme, which lacks the membrane binding region (C-terminal 23 amino acids). The goal of this study was to express and purify a full-length human HO-1 (hHO-1) protein; however, due to the lability of the full-length form, a rapid purification procedure was required. This was accomplished by use of a glutathione-s-transferase (GST)-tagged hHO-1 construct. Although the procedure permitted the generation of a full-length HO-1, this form was contaminated with a 30 kDa degradation product that could not be eliminated. Therefore, attempts were made to remove a putative secondary thrombin cleavage site by a conservative mutation of amino acid 254, which replaces arginine with lysine. This mutation allowed the expression and purification of a full-length hHO-1 protein. Unlike wild type (WT) HO-1, the R254K mutant could be purified to a single 32 kDa protein capable of degrading heme at the same rate as the WT enzyme. The R254K full-length form had a specific activity of approximately 200-225 nmol of bilirubin h-1 nmol-1 HO-1 as compared to approximately 140-150 nmol of bilirubin h-1 nmol-1 for the WT form, which contains the 30 kDa contaminant. This is a 2-3-fold increase from the previously reported soluble 30 kDa HO-1, suggesting that the C-terminal 23 amino acids are essential for maximal catalytic activity. Because the membrane-spanning domain is present, the full-length hHO-1 has the potential to incorporate into phospholipid membranes, which can be reconstituted at known concentrations, in combination with other endoplasmic reticulum resident enzymes.

Cloning and sequencing of full-length cDNAs of RNA1 and RNA2 of a Tomato black ring virus isolate from Poland.

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Jończyk, M; Le Gall, O; Pałucha, A; Borodynko, N; Pospieszny, H

2004-04-01

Full-length cDNA clones corresponding to the RNA1 and RNA2 of the Polish isolate MJ of Tomato black ring virus (TBRV, genus Nepovirus) were obtained using a direct recombination strategy in yeast, and their complete nucleotide sequences were established. RNA1 is 7358 nucleotides and RNA2 is 4633 nucleotides in length, excluding the poly(A) tails. Both RNAs contain a single open reading frame encoding polyproteins of 254 kDa and 149 kDa for RNA1 and RNA2 respectively. Putative cleavage sites were identified, and the relationships between TBRV and related nepoviruses were studied by sequence comparison.

Huntington's disease accelerates epigenetic aging of human brain and disrupts DNA methylation levels.

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Horvath, Steve; Langfelder, Peter; Kwak, Seung; Aaronson, Jeff; Rosinski, Jim; Vogt, Thomas F; Eszes, Marika; Faull, Richard L M; Curtis, Maurice A; Waldvogel, Henry J; Choi, Oi-Wa; Tung, Spencer; Vinters, Harry V; Coppola, Giovanni; Yang, X William

2016-07-01

Age of Huntington's disease (HD) motoric onset is strongly related to the number of CAG trinucleotide repeats in the huntingtin gene, suggesting that biological tissue age plays an important role in disease etiology. Recently, a DNA methylation based biomarker of tissue age has been advanced as an epigenetic aging clock. We sought to inquire if HD is associated with an accelerated epigenetic age. DNA methylation data was generated for 475 brain samples from various brain regions of 26 HD cases and 39 controls. Overall, brain regions from HD cases exhibit a significant epigenetic age acceleration effect (p=0.0012). A multivariate model analysis suggests that HD status increases biological age by 3.2 years. Accelerated epigenetic age can be observed in specific brain regions (frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and cingulate gyrus). After excluding controls, we observe a negative correlation (r=-0.41, p=5.5×10-8) between HD gene CAG repeat length and the epigenetic age of HD brain samples. Using correlation network analysis, we identify 11 co-methylation modules with a significant association with HD status across 3 broad cortical regions. In conclusion, HD is associated with an accelerated epigenetic age of specific brain regions and more broadly with substantial changes in brain methylation levels.

Aggregation of polyQ proteins is increased upon yeast aging and affected by Sir2 and Hsf1: novel quantitative biochemical and microscopic assays.

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Aviv Cohen

Full Text Available Aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases, are characterized by accumulation of protein aggregates in distinct neuronal cells that eventually die. In Huntington's disease, the protein huntingtin forms aggregates, and the age of disease onset is inversely correlated to the length of the protein's poly-glutamine tract. Using quantitative assays to estimate microscopically and capture biochemically protein aggregates, here we study in Saccharomyces cerevisiae aging-related aggregation of GFP-tagged, huntingtin-derived proteins with different polyQ lengths. We find that the short 25Q protein never aggregates whereas the long 103Q version always aggregates. However, the mid-size 47Q protein is soluble in young logarithmically growing yeast but aggregates as the yeast cells enter the stationary phase and age, allowing us to plot an "aggregation timeline". This aging-dependent aggregation was associated with increased cytotoxicity. We also show that two aging-related genes, SIR2 and HSF1, affect aggregation of the polyQ proteins. In Δsir2 strain the aging-dependent aggregation of the 47Q protein is aggravated, while overexpression of the transcription factor Hsf1 attenuates aggregation. Thus, the mid-size 47Q protein and our quantitative aggregation assays provide valuable tools to unravel the roles of genes and environmental conditions that affect aging-related aggregation.

Effect of Full-Length Carbon Fiber Insoles on Lower Limb Kinetics in Patients With Midfoot Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study.

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Yi, Taeim; Kim, Jung Hyun; Oh-Park, Mooyeon; Hwang, Ji Hye

2018-03-01

We investigated the effects of full-length carbon fiber (FCF) insoles on gait, muscle activity, kinetics, and pain in patients with midfoot osteoarthritis (OA). We enrolled 13 patients with unilateral midfoot OA (mild: Visual Analog Scale [VAS] range, 1-3; moderate, VAS range, 4-7) and healthy controls. All participants were asked to walk under two conditions: with and without FCF insole. The outcome measures were ground reaction force, quantitative gait parameters, electromyography activities and pain severity (VAS). In the patients with moderate midfoot OA, significantly longer gait cycle and higher muscle activity of lower limb during loading-response phase were observed while walking without FCF insoles. In the mild midfoot OA group, there was no significant difference in VAS score (without, 2.0 ± 1.0 vs. with, 2.0 ± 0.5) with FCF insole use. However, significantly reduced VAS score (without, 5.5 ± 1.4 vs. with, 2.0 ± 0.5) and muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and increased muscle activity of gastrocnemius were observed in the moderate midfoot OA group by using an FCF insole (P < 0.05). Full-length carbon fiber insoles can improve pain in individuals with moderate midfoot OA, which might be associated with changes in the kinetics and muscle activities of the lower limb. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that FCF insoles may be used as a helpful option for midfoot OA.

A full-length Plasmodium falciparum recombinant circumsporozoite protein expressed by Pseudomonas fluorescens platform as a malaria vaccine candidate.

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Amy R Noe

Full Text Available The circumsporozoite protein (CSP of Plasmodium falciparum is a major surface protein, which forms a dense coat on the sporozoite's surface. Preclinical research on CSP and clinical evaluation of a CSP fragment-based RTS, S/AS01 vaccine have demonstrated a modest degree of protection against P. falciparum, mediated in part by humoral immunity and in part by cell-mediated immunity. Given the partial protective efficacy of the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine in a recent Phase 3 trial, further improvement of CSP-based vaccines is crucial. In this report, we describe the preclinical development of a full-length, recombinant CSP (rCSP-based vaccine candidate against P. falciparum malaria suitable for current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP production. Utilizing a novel high-throughput Pseudomonas fluorescens expression platform, we demonstrated greater efficacy of full-length rCSP as compared to N-terminally truncated versions, rapidly down-selected a promising lead vaccine candidate, and developed a high-yield purification process to express immunologically active, intact antigen for clinical trial material production. The rCSP, when formulated with various adjuvants, induced antigen-specific antibody responses as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and immunofluorescence assay (IFA, as well as CD4+ T-cell responses as determined by ELISpot. The adjuvanted rCSP vaccine conferred protection in mice when challenged with transgenic P. berghei sporozoites containing the P. falciparum repeat region of CSP. Furthermore, heterologous prime/boost regimens with adjuvanted rCSP and an adenovirus type 35-vectored CSP (Ad35CS showed modest improvements in eliciting CSP-specific T-cell responses and anti-malarial protection, depending on the order of vaccine delivery. Collectively, these data support the importance of further clinical development of adjuvanted rCSP, either as a stand-alone product or as one of the components in a heterologous prime

Construction of a Full-Length Enriched cDNA Library and Preliminary Analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags from Bengal Tiger Panthera tigris tigris

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Changqing Liu

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In this study, a full-length enriched cDNA library was successfully constructed from Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, the most well-known wild Animal. Total RNA was extracted from cultured Bengal tiger fibroblasts in vitro. The titers of primary and amplified libraries were 1.28 × 106 pfu/mL and 1.56 × 109 pfu/mL respectively. The percentage of recombinants from unamplified library was 90.2% and average length of exogenous inserts was 0.98 kb. A total of 212 individual ESTs with sizes ranging from 356 to 1108 bps were then analyzed. The BLASTX score revealed that 48.1% of the sequences were classified as a strong match, 45.3% as nominal and 6.6% as a weak match. Among the ESTs with known putative function, 26.4% ESTs were found to be related to all kinds of metabolisms, 19.3% ESTs to information storage and processing, 11.3% ESTs to posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones, 11.3% ESTs to transport, 9.9% ESTs to signal transducer/cell communication, 9.0% ESTs to structure protein, 3.8% ESTs to cell cycle, and only 6.6% ESTs classified as novel genes. By EST sequencing, a full-length gene coding ferritin was identified and characterized. The recombinant plasmid pET32a-TAT-Ferritin was constructed, coded for the TAT-Ferritin fusion protein with two 6× His-tags in N and C-terminal. After BCA assay, the concentration of soluble Trx-TAT-Ferritin recombinant protein was 2.32 ± 0.12 mg/mL. These results demonstrated that the reliability and representativeness of the cDNA library attained to the requirements of a standard cDNA library. This library provided a useful platform for the functional genome and transcriptome research of Bengal tigers.

The Effect of Casting Ring Liner Length and Prewetting on the Marginal Adaptation and Dimensional Accuracy of Full Crown Castings.

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Haralur, Satheesh B; Hamdi, Osama A; Al-Shahrani, Abdulaziz A; Alhasaniah, Sultan

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effect of varying cellulose casting ring liner length and its prewetting on the marginal adaptation and dimensional accuracy of full veneer metal castings. The master die was milled in stainless steel to fabricate the wax pattern. Sixty wax patterns were fabricated with a uniform thickness of 1.5 mm at an occlusal surface and 1 mm axial surface, cervical width at 13.5 mm, and 10 mm cuspal height. The samples were divided into six groups ( n = 10). Groups I and II samples had the full-length cellulose prewet and dry ring liner, respectively. The groups III and IV had 2 mm short prewet and dry cellulose ring liner, respectively, whereas groups V and VI were invested in 6 mm short ring liner. The wax patterns were immediately invested in phosphate bonded investment, and casting procedure was completed with nickel-chrome alloy. The castings were cleaned and mean score of measurements at four reference points for marginal adaption, casting height, and cervical width was calculated. The marginal adaption was calculated with Imaje J software, whereas the casting height and cervical width was determined using a digital scale. The data was subjected to one-way analysis of varaince and Tukey post hoc statistical analysis with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 software. The group II had the best marginal adaption with a gap of 63.786 μm followed by group I (65.185 μm), group IV (87.740 μm), and group III (101.455 μm). A large marginal gap was observed in group V at 188.871 μm. Cuspal height was more accurate with group V (10.428 mm), group VI (10.421 mm), and group II (10.488 mm). The cervical width was approximately similar in group I, group III, and group V. Statistically significant difference was observed in Tukey post hoc analysis between group V and group VI with all the other groups with regards to marginal adaptation. The dry cellulose ring liners provided better marginal adaptation in comparison to prewet cellulose ring

Tula hantavirus isolate with the full-length ORF for nonstructural protein NSs survives for more consequent passages in interferon-competent cells than the isolate having truncated NSs ORF.

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Jääskeläinen, Kirsi M; Plyusnina, Angelina; Lundkvist, Ake; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander

2008-01-11

The competitiveness of two Tula hantavirus (TULV) isolates, TULV/Lodz and TULV/Moravia, was evaluated in interferon (IFN) -competent and IFN-deficient cells. The two isolates differ in the length of the open reading frame (ORF) encoding the nonstructural protein NSs, which has previously been shown to inhibit IFN response in infected cells. In IFN-deficient Vero E6 cells both TULV isolates survived equally well. In contrast, in IFN-competent MRC5 cells TULV/Lodz isolate, that possesses the NSs ORF for the full-length protein of 90 aa, survived for more consequent passages than TULV/Moravia isolate, which contains the ORF for truncated NSs protein (66-67 aa). Our data show that expression of a full-length NSs protein is beneficial for the virus survival and competitiveness in IFN-competent cells and not essential in IFN-deficient cells. These results suggest that the N-terminal aa residues are important for the full activity of the NSs protein.

Full-Length Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Subtype 3a Reveals Novel Hypervariable Regions under Positive Selection during Acute Infection▿

OpenAIRE

Humphreys, Isla; Fleming, Vicki; Fabris, Paolo; Parker, Joe; Schulenberg, Bodo; Brown, Anthony; Demetriou, Charis; Gaudieri, Silvana; Pfafferott, Katja; Lucas, Michaela; Collier, Jane; Huang, Kuan-Hsiang Gary; Pybus, Oliver G.; Klenerman, Paul; Barnes, Eleanor

2009-01-01

Hepatitis C virus subtype 3a is a highly prevalent and globally distributed strain that is often associated with infection via injection drug use. This subtype exhibits particular phenotypic characteristics. In spite of this, detailed genetic analysis of this subtype has rarely been performed. We performed full-length viral sequence analysis in 18 patients with chronic HCV subtype 3a infection and assessed genomic viral variability in comparison to other HCV subtypes. Two novel regions of int...

Construction and evaluation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences for rapid discovery of new genes from Sisal (Agave sisalana Perr.) different developmental stages.

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Zhou, Wen-Zhao; Zhang, Yan-Mei; Lu, Jun-Ying; Li, Jun-Feng

2012-10-12

To provide a resource of sisal-specific expressed sequence data and facilitate this powerful approach in new gene research, the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences is necessary. Four libraries were produced with RNA pooled from Agave sisalana multiple tissues to increase efficiency of normalization and maximize the number of independent genes by SMART™ method and the duplex-specific nuclease (DSN). This procedure kept the proportion of full-length cDNAs in the subtracted/normalized libraries and dramatically enhanced the discovery of new genes. Sequencing of 3875 cDNA clones of libraries revealed 3320 unigenes with an average insert length about 1.2 kb, indicating that the non-redundancy of libraries was about 85.7%. These unigene functions were predicted by comparing their sequences to functional domain databases and extensively annotated with Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Comparative analysis of sisal unigenes and other plant genomes revealed that four putative MADS-box genes and knotted-like homeobox (knox) gene were obtained from a total of 1162 full-length transcripts. Furthermore, real-time PCR showed that the characteristics of their transcripts mainly depended on the tight expression regulation of a number of genes during the leaf and flower development. Analysis of individual library sequence data indicated that the pooled-tissue approach was highly effective in discovering new genes and preparing libraries for efficient deep sequencing.

Telomere length in children environmentally exposed to low-to-moderate levels of lead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawlas, Natalia; Płachetka, Anna; Kozłowska, Agnieszka; Broberg, Karin; Kasperczyk, Sławomir

2015-01-01

Shorter relative telomere length in peripheral blood is a risk marker for some types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Several environmental hazards appear to shorten telomeres, and this shortening may predispose individuals to disease. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the effect of environmental exposure to lead on relative telomere length (rTL) in children. A cohort of 99 8-year-old children was enrolled from 2007–2010. Blood lead concentrations (B-Pb) were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, and blood rTL was measured by quantitative PCR. The geometric mean of B-Pb was 3.28 μg/dl (range: 0.90–14.2), and the geometric mean of rTL was 1.08 (range: 0.49–2.09). B-Pb was significantly inversely associated with rTL in the children (r S = − 0.25, p = 0.013; in further analyses both log-transformed-univariate regression analysis β = − 0.13, p = 0.026, and R 2 adj 4%; and β = − 0.12, p = 0.056 when adjusting for mothers' smoking during pregnancy, Apgar score, mother's and father's ages at delivery, sex and mother's education, R 2 adj 12%, p = 0.011). The effect of lead remained significant in children without prenatal tobacco exposure (N = 87, r S = − 0.24, p = 0.024; in further analyses, β = − 0.13, p = 0.029, and R 2 adj 4%). rTL was not affected by sex, the concentrations of other elements in the blood (i.e., cadmium and selenium concentrations), or oxidative injury parameters (total antioxidant status, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances). Lead exposure in childhood appears to be associated with shorter telomeres, which might contribute to diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. The inverse association between blood lead level and the telomeres in children emphasizes the importance of further reducing lead levels in the environment. - Highlights: • This cross-sectional study analyzes the association between environmental lead exposure

Telomere length in children environmentally exposed to low-to-moderate levels of lead

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pawlas, Natalia, E-mail: n-pawlas@wp.pl [Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, PL 41-200 Sosnowiec (Poland); Płachetka, Anna [Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, University of Silesia, Bankowa str. 9, 40-007 Katowice (Poland); Kozłowska, Agnieszka [Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, PL 41-200 Sosnowiec (Poland); Broberg, Karin [Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Metals & Health, Box 210, SE-171 77 Stockholm (Sweden); Kasperczyk, Sławomir [Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, SMDZ in Zabrze, 41-808 Zabrze (Poland)

2015-09-01

Shorter relative telomere length in peripheral blood is a risk marker for some types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Several environmental hazards appear to shorten telomeres, and this shortening may predispose individuals to disease. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the effect of environmental exposure to lead on relative telomere length (rTL) in children. A cohort of 99 8-year-old children was enrolled from 2007–2010. Blood lead concentrations (B-Pb) were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, and blood rTL was measured by quantitative PCR. The geometric mean of B-Pb was 3.28 μg/dl (range: 0.90–14.2), and the geometric mean of rTL was 1.08 (range: 0.49–2.09). B-Pb was significantly inversely associated with rTL in the children (r{sub S} = − 0.25, p = 0.013; in further analyses both log-transformed-univariate regression analysis β = − 0.13, p = 0.026, and R{sup 2}adj 4%; and β = − 0.12, p = 0.056 when adjusting for mothers' smoking during pregnancy, Apgar score, mother's and father's ages at delivery, sex and mother's education, R{sup 2}adj 12%, p = 0.011). The effect of lead remained significant in children without prenatal tobacco exposure (N = 87, r{sub S} = − 0.24, p = 0.024; in further analyses, β = − 0.13, p = 0.029, and R{sup 2}adj 4%). rTL was not affected by sex, the concentrations of other elements in the blood (i.e., cadmium and selenium concentrations), or oxidative injury parameters (total antioxidant status, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances). Lead exposure in childhood appears to be associated with shorter telomeres, which might contribute to diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. The inverse association between blood lead level and the telomeres in children emphasizes the importance of further reducing lead levels in the environment. - Highlights: • This cross-sectional study analyzes the association between

Production of a full-length infectious GFP-tagged cDNA clone of Beet mild yellowing virus for the study of plant-polerovirus interactions.

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Stevens, Mark; Viganó, Felicita

2007-04-01

The full-length cDNA of Beet mild yellowing virus (Broom's Barn isolate) was sequenced and cloned into the vector pLitmus 29 (pBMYV-BBfl). The sequence of BMYV-BBfl (5721 bases) shared 96% and 98% nucleotide identity with the other complete sequences of BMYV (BMYV-2ITB, France and BMYV-IPP, Germany respectively). Full-length capped RNA transcripts of pBMYV-BBfl were synthesised and found to be biologically active in Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts following electroporation or PEG inoculation when the protoplasts were subsequently analysed using serological and molecular methods. The BMYV sequence was modified by inserting DNA that encoded the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) into the P5 gene close to its 3' end. A. thaliana protoplasts electroporated with these RNA transcripts were biologically active and up to 2% of transfected protoplasts showed GFP-specific fluorescence. The exploitation of these cDNA clones for the study of the biology of beet poleroviruses is discussed.

Focal Length Affects Depicted Shape and Perception of Facial Images.

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Vít Třebický

Full Text Available Static photographs are currently the most often employed stimuli in research on social perception. The method of photograph acquisition might affect the depicted subject's facial appearance and thus also the impression of such stimuli. An important factor influencing the resulting photograph is focal length, as different focal lengths produce various levels of image distortion. Here we tested whether different focal lengths (50, 85, 105 mm affect depicted shape and perception of female and male faces. We collected three portrait photographs of 45 (22 females, 23 males participants under standardized conditions and camera setting varying only in the focal length. Subsequently, the three photographs from each individual were shown on screen in a randomized order using a 3-alternative forced-choice paradigm. The images were judged for attractiveness, dominance, and femininity/masculinity by 369 raters (193 females, 176 males. Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR was measured from each photograph and overall facial shape was analysed employing geometric morphometric methods (GMM. Our results showed that photographs taken with 50 mm focal length were rated as significantly less feminine/masculine, attractive, and dominant compared to the images taken with longer focal lengths. Further, shorter focal lengths produced faces with smaller fWHR. Subsequent GMM revealed focal length significantly affected overall facial shape of the photographed subjects. Thus methodology of photograph acquisition, focal length in this case, can significantly affect results of studies using photographic stimuli perhaps due to different levels of perspective distortion that influence shapes and proportions of morphological traits.

Pre-Steady-State Kinetic Analysis of Truncated and Full-Length Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA Polymerase Eta

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Brown, Jessica A.; Zhang, Likui; Sherrer, Shanen M.; Taylor, John-Stephen; Burgers, Peter M. J.; Suo, Zucai

2010-01-01

Understanding polymerase fidelity is an important objective towards ascertaining the overall stability of an organism's genome. Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase η (yPolη), a Y-family DNA polymerase, is known to efficiently bypass DNA lesions (e.g., pyrimidine dimers) in vivo. Using pre-steady-state kinetic methods, we examined both full-length and a truncated version of yPolη which contains only the polymerase domain. In the absence of yPolη's C-terminal residues 514–632, the DNA binding affinity was weakened by 2-fold and the base substitution fidelity dropped by 3-fold. Thus, the C-terminus of yPolη may interact with DNA and slightly alter the conformation of the polymerase domain during catalysis. In general, yPolη discriminated between a correct and incorrect nucleotide more during the incorporation step (50-fold on average) than the ground-state binding step (18-fold on average). Blunt-end additions of dATP or pyrene nucleotide 5′-triphosphate revealed the importance of base stacking during the binding of incorrect incoming nucleotides. PMID:20798853

Construction of phosphorylation interaction networks by text mining of full-length articles using the eFIP system.

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Tudor, Catalina O; Ross, Karen E; Li, Gang; Vijay-Shanker, K; Wu, Cathy H; Arighi, Cecilia N

2015-01-01

Protein phosphorylation is a reversible post-translational modification where a protein kinase adds a phosphate group to a protein, potentially regulating its function, localization and/or activity. Phosphorylation can affect protein-protein interactions (PPIs), abolishing interaction with previous binding partners or enabling new interactions. Extracting phosphorylation information coupled with PPI information from the scientific literature will facilitate the creation of phosphorylation interaction networks of kinases, substrates and interacting partners, toward knowledge discovery of functional outcomes of protein phosphorylation. Increasingly, PPI databases are interested in capturing the phosphorylation state of interacting partners. We have previously developed the eFIP (Extracting Functional Impact of Phosphorylation) text mining system, which identifies phosphorylated proteins and phosphorylation-dependent PPIs. In this work, we present several enhancements for the eFIP system: (i) text mining for full-length articles from the PubMed Central open-access collection; (ii) the integration of the RLIMS-P 2.0 system for the extraction of phosphorylation events with kinase, substrate and site information; (iii) the extension of the PPI module with new trigger words/phrases describing interactions and (iv) the addition of the iSimp tool for sentence simplification to aid in the matching of syntactic patterns. We enhance the website functionality to: (i) support searches based on protein roles (kinases, substrates, interacting partners) or using keywords; (ii) link protein entities to their corresponding UniProt identifiers if mapped and (iii) support visual exploration of phosphorylation interaction networks using Cytoscape. The evaluation of eFIP on full-length articles achieved 92.4% precision, 76.5% recall and 83.7% F-measure on 100 article sections. To demonstrate eFIP for knowledge extraction and discovery, we constructed phosphorylation-dependent interaction

Molecular Comparisons of Full Length Metapneumovirus (MPV) Genomes, Including Newly Determined French AMPV-C and –D Isolates, Further Supports Possible Subclassification within the MPV Genus

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Paul A.; Lemaitre, Evelyne; Briand, François-Xavier; Courtillon, Céline; Guionie, Olivier; Allée, Chantal; Toquin, Didier; Bayon-Auboyer, Marie-Hélène; Jestin, Véronique; Eterradossi, Nicolas

2014-01-01

Four avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) subgroups (A–D) have been reported previously based on genetic and antigenic differences. However, until now full length sequences of the only known isolates of European subgroup C and subgroup D viruses (duck and turkey origin, respectively) have been unavailable. These full length sequences were determined and compared with other full length AMPV and human metapneumoviruses (HMPV) sequences reported previously, using phylogenetics, comparisons of nucleic and amino acid sequences and study of codon usage bias. Results confirmed that subgroup C viruses were more closely related to HMPV than they were to the other AMPV subgroups in the study. This was consistent with previous findings using partial genome sequences. Closer relationships between AMPV-A, B and D were also evident throughout the majority of results. Three metapneumovirus “clusters” HMPV, AMPV-C and AMPV-A, B and D were further supported by codon bias and phylogenetics. The data presented here together with those of previous studies describing antigenic relationships also between AMPV-A, B and D and between AMPV-C and HMPV may call for a subclassification of metapneumoviruses similar to that used for avian paramyxoviruses, grouping AMPV-A, B and D as type I metapneumoviruses and AMPV-C and HMPV as type II. PMID:25036224

Full-length soluble CD147 promotes MMP-2 expression and is a potential serological marker in detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

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Wu, Jiao; Hao, Zhi-Wei; Zhao, You-Xu; Yang, Xiang-Min; Tang, Hao; Zhang, Xin; Song, Fei; Sun, Xiu-Xuan; Wang, Bin; Nan, Gang; Chen, Zhi-Nan; Bian, Huijie

2014-07-04

As a surface glycoprotein, CD147 is capable of stimulating the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) from neighboring fibroblasts. The aim of the present study is to explore the role of soluble CD147 on MMPs secretion from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and to investigate the diagnostic value of serum soluble CD147 in the HCC detection. We identified the form of soluble CD147 in cell culture supernate of HCC cells and serum of patients with HCC, and explored the role of soluble CD147 on MMPs secretion. Serum CD147 levels were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the value of soluble CD147 as a marker in HCC detection was analyzed. Full length soluble CD147 was presented in the culture medium of HCC cells and serum of patients with HCC. The extracellular domain of soluble CD147 promoted the expression of CD147 and MMP-2 from HCC cells. Knockdown of CD147 markedly diminished the up-regulation of CD147 and MMP-2 which induced by soluble CD147. Soluble CD147 activated ERK, FAK, and PI3K/Akt pathways, leading to the up-regulation of MMP-2. The level of soluble CD147 in serum of patients with HCC was significantly elevated compared with healthy individuals (P CD147 levels were found to be associated with HCC tumor size (P = 0.007) and Child-Pugh grade (P = 0.007). Moreover, soluble CD147 showed a better performance in distinguishing HCC compared with alpha-fetoprotein. The extracellular domain of soluble CD147 enhances the secretion of MMP-2 from HCC cells, requiring the cooperation of membrane CD147 and activation of ERK, FAK, and PI3K/Akt signaling. The measurement of soluble CD147 may offer a useful approach in diagnosis of HCC.

Drug resistance is conferred on the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by expression of full-length melanoma-associated human ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB5.

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Keniya, Mikhail V; Holmes, Ann R; Niimi, Masakazu; Lamping, Erwin; Gillet, Jean-Pierre; Gottesman, Michael M; Cannon, Richard D

2014-10-06

ABCB5, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, is highly expressed in melanoma cells, and may contribute to the extreme resistance of melanomas to chemotherapy by efflux of anti-cancer drugs. Our goal was to determine whether we could functionally express human ABCB5 in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in order to demonstrate an efflux function for ABCB5 in the absence of background pump activity from other human transporters. Heterologous expression would also facilitate drug discovery for this important target. DNAs encoding ABCB5 sequences were cloned into the chromosomal PDR5 locus of a S. cerevisiae strain in which seven endogenous ABC transporters have been deleted. Protein expression in the yeast cells was monitored by immunodetection using both a specific anti-ABCB5 antibody and a cross-reactive anti-ABCB1 antibody. ABCB5 function in recombinant yeast cells was measured by determining whether the cells possessed increased resistance to known pump substrates, compared to the host yeast strain, in assays of yeast growth. Three ABCB5 constructs were made in yeast. One was derived from the ABCB5-β mRNA, which is highly expressed in human tissues but is a truncation of a canonical full-size ABC transporter. Two constructs contained full-length ABCB5 sequences: either a native sequence from cDNA or a synthetic sequence codon-harmonized for S. cerevisiae. Expression of all three constructs in yeast was confirmed by immunodetection. Expression of the codon-harmonized full-length ABCB5 DNA conferred increased resistance, relative to the host yeast strain, to the putative substrates rhodamine 123, daunorubicin, tetramethylrhodamine, FK506, or clorgyline. We conclude that full-length ABCB5 can be functionally expressed in S. cerevisiae and confers drug resistance.

Higher circulating levels of IGF-1 are associated with longer leukocyte telomere length in healthy subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barbieri, Michelangela; Paolisso, Giuseppe; Kimura, Masayuki

2009-01-01

Mutations that inhibit the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) extend the lifespan of worms, flies and mice. However, it appears that relatively low circulating levels of IGF-1 in humans are associated with aging-related diseases and diminished longevity. As leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is os...

Full-length genome sequences of five hepatitis C virus isolates representing subtypes 3g, 3h, 3i and 3k, and a unique genotype 3 variant.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ling; Li, Chunhua; Yuan, Jie; Lu, Teng; Okamoto, Hiroaki; Murphy, Donald G

2013-03-01

We characterized the full-length genomes of five distinct hepatitis C virus (HCV)-3 isolates. These represent the first complete genomes for subtypes 3g and 3h, the second such genomes for 3k and 3i, and of one novel variant presently not assigned to a subtype. Each genome was determined from 18-25 overlapping fragments. They had lengths of 9579-9660 nt and each contained a single ORF encoding 3020-3025 aa. They were isolated from five patients residing in Canada; four were of Asian origin and one was of Somali origin. Phylogenetic analysis using 64 partial NS5B sequences differentiated 10 assigned subtypes, 3a-3i and 3k, and two additional lineages within genotype 3. From the data of this study, HCV-3 full-length sequences are now available for six of the assigned subtypes and one unassigned. Our findings should add insights to HCV evolutionary studies and clinical applications.

Correlated evolution of sternal keel length and ilium length in birds

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Tao Zhao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The interplay between the pectoral module (the pectoral girdle and limbs and the pelvic module (the pelvic girdle and limbs plays a key role in shaping avian evolution, but prior empirical studies on trait covariation between the two modules are limited. Here we empirically test whether (size-corrected sternal keel length and ilium length are correlated during avian evolution using phylogenetic comparative methods. Our analyses on extant birds and Mesozoic birds both recover a significantly positive correlation. The results provide new evidence regarding the integration between the pelvic and pectoral modules. The correlated evolution of sternal keel length and ilium length may serve as a mechanism to cope with the effect on performance caused by a tradeoff in muscle mass between the pectoral and pelvic modules, via changing moment arms of muscles that function in flight and in terrestrial locomotion.

Full-length model of the human galectin-4 and insights into dynamics of inter-domain communication

Science.gov (United States)

Rustiguel, Joane K.; Soares, Ricardo O. S.; Meisburger, Steve P.; Davis, Katherine M.; Malzbender, Kristina L.; Ando, Nozomi; Dias-Baruffi, Marcelo; Nonato, Maria Cristina

2016-09-01

Galectins are proteins involved in diverse cellular contexts due to their capacity to decipher and respond to the information encoded by β-galactoside sugars. In particular, human galectin-4, normally expressed in the healthy gastrointestinal tract, displays differential expression in cancerous tissues and is considered a potential drug target for liver and lung cancer. Galectin-4 is a tandem-repeat galectin characterized by two carbohydrate recognition domains connected by a linker-peptide. Despite their relevance to cell function and pathogenesis, structural characterization of full-length tandem-repeat galectins has remained elusive. Here, we investigate galectin-4 using X-ray crystallography, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, molecular modelling, molecular dynamics simulations, and differential scanning fluorimetry assays and describe for the first time a structural model for human galectin-4. Our results provide insight into the structural role of the linker-peptide and shed light on the dynamic characteristics of the mechanism of carbohydrate recognition among tandem-repeat galectins.

The Development of a Tactical-Level Full Range Leadership Measurement Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

full range leadership theory has become established as the predominant and most widely researched theory on leadership . The most commonly used survey...instrument to assess full range leadership theory is the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, originally developed by Bass in 1985. Although much...existing literature to develop a new full range leadership theory measurement instrument that effectively targets low- to mid-level supervisors, or

First full-length genome sequence of the polerovirus luffa aphid-borne yellows virus (LABYV) reveals the presence of at least two consensus sequences in an isolate from Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Knierim, Dennis; Maiss, Edgar; Kenyon, Lawrence; Winter, Stephan; Menzel, Wulf

2015-10-01

Luffa aphid-borne yellows virus (LABYV) was proposed as the name for a previously undescribed polerovirus based on partial genome sequences obtained from samples of cucurbit plants collected in Thailand between 2008 and 2013. In this study, we determined the first full-length genome sequence of LABYV. Based on phylogenetic analysis and genome properties, it is clear that this virus represents a distinct species in the genus Polerovirus. Analysis of sequences from sample TH24, which was collected in 2010 from a luffa plant in Thailand, reveals the presence of two different full-length genome consensus sequences.

A decentralised model of psychiatric care: Profile, length of stay and outcome of mental healthcare users admitted to a district-level public hospital in the Western Cape

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Eileen Thomas

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background. There is a lack of studies assessing the profile and outcome of psychiatric patients at entry-level public hospitals that are prescribed by the Mental Health Care Act to provide a decentralised model of psychiatric care. Objective. To assess the demographic and clinical profile as well as length of stay and outcomes of mental healthcare users admitted to a district-level public hospital in the Western Cape.  Method. Demographic data, clinical diagnosis, length of stay, referral profile and outcomes of patients (N=487 admitted to Helderberg Hospital during the period 1 January 2011 - 31 December 2011 were collected.  Results. Psychotic disorders were the most prevalent (n=287, 59% diagnoses, while 228 (47% of admission episodes had comorbid/secondary diagnoses. Substance use disorders were present in 184 (38% of admission episodes, 37 (57% of readmissions and 19 (61% of abscondments. Most admission episodes (n=372, 76% were discharged without referral to specialist/tertiary care.  Conclusion. Methamphetamine use places a significant burden on the provision of mental healthcare services at entry-level care. Recommendations for improving service delivery at this district-level public hospital are provided.

Gene discovery from Jatropha curcas by sequencing of ESTs from normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library from developing seeds

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Sugantham Priyanka Annabel

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Jatropha curcas L. is promoted as an important non-edible biodiesel crop worldwide. Jatropha oil, which is a triacylglycerol, can be directly blended with petro-diesel or transesterified with methanol and used as biodiesel. Genetic improvement in jatropha is needed to increase the seed yield, oil content, drought and pest resistance, and to modify oil composition so that it becomes a technically and economically preferred source for biodiesel production. However, genetic improvement efforts in jatropha could not take advantage of genetic engineering methods due to lack of cloned genes from this species. To overcome this hurdle, the current gene discovery project was initiated with an objective of isolating as many functional genes as possible from J. curcas by large scale sequencing of expressed sequence tags (ESTs. Results A normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library was constructed from developing seeds of J. curcas. The cDNA library contained about 1 × 106 clones and average insert size of the clones was 2.1 kb. Totally 12,084 ESTs were sequenced to average high quality read length of 576 bp. Contig analysis revealed 2258 contigs and 4751 singletons. Contig size ranged from 2-23 and there were 7333 ESTs in the contigs. This resulted in 7009 unigenes which were annotated by BLASTX. It showed 3982 unigenes with significant similarity to known genes and 2836 unigenes with significant similarity to genes of unknown, hypothetical and putative proteins. The remaining 191 unigenes which did not show similarity with any genes in the public database may encode for unique genes. Functional classification revealed unigenes related to broad range of cellular, molecular and biological functions. Among the 7009 unigenes, 6233 unigenes were identified to be potential full-length genes. Conclusions The high quality normalized cDNA library was constructed from developing seeds of J. curcas for the first time and 7009 unigenes coding

Crystal Structure of the Full-Length Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Capsid Protein Shows an N-Terminal β-Hairpin in the Absence of N-Terminal Proline

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Christelle Folio

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV is a member of the Retroviridae family. It is the causative agent of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS in cats and wild felines. Its capsid protein (CA drives the assembly of the viral particle, which is a critical step in the viral replication cycle. Here, the first atomic structure of full-length FIV CA to 1.67 Å resolution is determined. The crystallized protein exhibits an original tetrameric assembly, composed of dimers which are stabilized by an intermolecular disulfide bridge induced by the crystallogenesis conditions. The FIV CA displays a standard α-helical CA topology with two domains, separated by a linker shorter than other retroviral CAs. The β-hairpin motif at its amino terminal end, which interacts with nucleotides in HIV-1, is unusually long in FIV CA. Interestingly, this functional β-motif is formed in this construct in the absence of the conserved N-terminal proline. The FIV CA exhibits a cis Arg–Pro bond in the CypA-binding loop, which is absent in known structures of lentiviral CAs. This structure represents the first tri-dimensional structure of a functional, full-length FIV CA.

Efficient generation of recombinant RNA viruses using targeted recombination-mediated mutagenesis of bacterial artificial chromosomes containing full-length cDNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Risager, Peter Christian; Fahnøe, Ulrik

2013-01-01

Background Infectious cDNA clones are a prerequisite for directed genetic manipulation of RNA viruses. Here, a strategy to facilitate manipulation and rescue of classical swine fever viruses (CSFVs) from full-length cDNAs present within bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) is described....... This strategy allows manipulation of viral cDNA by targeted recombination-mediated mutagenesis within bacteria. Results A new CSFV-BAC (pBeloR26) derived from the Riems vaccine strain has been constructed and subsequently modified in the E2 coding sequence, using the targeted recombination strategy to enable...

Experimental validation of 3D reconstructed pin-power distributions in full-scale BWR fuel assemblies with partial length rods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giust, F. D. [Axpo Kernenergie, Parkstrasse 23, CH-5401 Baden (Switzerland); Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Grimm, P. [Paul Scherrer Inst., CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Chawla, R. [Paul Scherrer Inst., CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2012-07-01

Total fission rate measurements have been performed on full-size BWR fuel assemblies of type SVEA-96 Optima2 in the framework of Phase III of the LWR-PROTEUS experimental program at the Paul Scherrer Inst.. This paper presents comparisons of calculated, nodal reconstructed, pin-wise total-fission rate distributions with experimental results. Radial comparisons have been performed for the three sections of the assembly (96, 92 and 84 fuel pins), while three-dimensional effects have been investigated at pellet-level for the two transition regions, i.e. the tips of the short (1/3) and long (2/3) partial length rods. The test zone has been modeled using two different code systems: HELIOS/PRESTO-2 and CASMO-5/SIMULATE-5. The first is presently used for core monitoring and design at the Leibstadt Nuclear Power Plant (KKL). The second represents the most recent generation of the widely applied CASMO/SIMULATE system. For representing the PROTEUS test-zone boundaries, Partial Current Ratios (PCRs) - derived from a 3D MCNPX model of the entire reactor - have been applied to the PRESTO-2 and SIMULATE-5 models in the form of 2- and 5-group diagonal albedo matrices, respectively. The MCNPX results have also served as a reference, high-order transport solution in the calculation/experiment comparisons. It is shown that the performance of the nodal methodologies in predicting the global distribution of the total-fission rate is very satisfactory. Considering the various radial comparisons, the standard deviations of the calculated/experimental (C/E) distributions do not exceed 1.9% for any of the three methodologies - PRESTO-2, SIMULATE-5 and MCNPX. For the three-dimensional comparisons at pellet-level, the corresponding standard deviations are 2.7%, 2.0% and 2.1%, respectively. (authors)

Production of full length and splicing form of chymosin using pETexpression system in E-coli and investigation its enzyme activity and preplasmic secretion

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M. Ahmadi Zeydabadi

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Chymosin (Rennin EC 3.4.23.4 is an aspartyl proteinas (the major proteolyticenzyme in the fourth stomach of the unweaned calf that is formed by proteolytic activation fromzymogene prochymosin. The aim of his study was to produce the full length and splicing form ofchymosin using pETexpression system in E-coli and to assay the activity of expressed enzyme andpreplasmic secretion.Materials and Methods: The sense primer F-prochy(+ (5´-ggggccatgGCTGAGATCACCAGGAincluding NCOI restriction site. The anti sense R-prochy(- (5´-gggcggccgcGATGGCTTTGGCCAGC -3´ hybridizing to the C-terminal end of calf preprocymosincDNA and contains an additional NotI restriction site at its 5´-end . The cells were disrupted bysonication and proteins were purified by using Ni-NTA beads from Qiagen under native conditional.The preprochymosin and AS6 preprochymosin were activated at pH 4.7. The enzyme solutions werediluted 20-fold with 50 mM phosphate buffer .Results: Sequencing data analysis showed that the exon six has been spliced out and, therefore thegene product is 114 bp shorter in length, both chymosin forms were expressed together in E.coli.Under the same expression conditions, at least AS6 preprochymosin was produced 7-fold highexpression in comparison to a full-length recombinant chymosin. Following acid activation andneutralization, the purified fractions were tested in a qualitative milk clotting assay. The clottingactivity of preprochymosin and exon6-less preprochymosin were comparable.Conclusion: High expression of this alternatively expressed transcript in bacteria, and properfolding of the AS6 chymosin protein molecule in the absence of exon six are the two most importantaspects distinguished in this research.

Huntingtin-Interacting Protein 1-Related Protein Plays a Critical Role in Dendritic Development and Excitatory Synapse Formation in Hippocampal Neurons

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Lin Peng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Huntingtin-interacting protein 1-related (HIP1R protein is considered to be an endocytic adaptor protein like the other two members of the Sla2 family, Sla2p and HIP1. They all contain homology domains responsible for the binding of clathrin, inositol lipids and F-actin. Previous studies have revealed that HIP1R is highly expressed in different regions of the mouse brain and localizes at synaptic structures. However, the function of HIP1R in the nervous system remains unknown. In this study, we investigated HIP1R function in cultured rat hippocampal neurons using an shRNA knockdown approach. We found that, after HIP1R knockdown, the dynamics and density of dendritic filopodia, and dendritic branching and complexity were significantly reduced in developing neurons, as well as the densities of dendritic spines and PSD95 clusters in mature neurons. Moreover, HIP1R deficiency led to significantly reduced expression of the ionotropic glutamate receptor GluA1, GluN2A and GluN2B subunits, but not the GABAA receptor α1 subunit. Similarly, HIP1R knockdown reduced the amplitude and frequency of the miniature excitatory postsynaptic current, but not of the miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current. In addition, the C-terminal proline-rich region of HIP1R responsible for cortactin binding was found to confer a dominant-negative effect on dendritic branching in cultured developing neurons, implying a critical role of cortactin binding in HIP1R function. Taken together, the results of our study suggest that HIP1R plays important roles in dendritic development and excitatory synapse formation and function.

FLO11 gene length and transcriptional level affect biofilm-forming ability of wild flor strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Zara, Giacomo; Zara, Severino; Pinna, Claudia; Marceddu, Salvatore; Budroni, Marilena

2009-12-01

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, FLO11 encodes an adhesin that is associated with different phenotypes, such as adherence to solid surfaces, hydrophobicity, mat and air-liquid biofilm formation. In the present study, we analysed FLO11 allelic polymorphisms and FLO11-associated phenotypes of 20 flor strains. We identified 13 alleles of different lengths, varying from 3.0 to 6.1 kb, thus demonstrating that FLO11 is highly polymorphic. Two alleles of 3.1 and 5.0 kb were cloned into strain BY4742 to compare the FLO11-associated phenotypes in the same genetic background. We show that there is a significant correlation between biofilm-forming ability and FLO11 length both in different and in the same genetic backgrounds. Moreover, we propose a multiple regression model that allows prediction of air-liquid biofilm-forming ability on the basis of transcription levels and lengths of FLO11 alleles in a population of S. cerevisiae flor strains. Considering that transcriptional differences are only partially explained by the differences in the promoter sequences, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that FLO11 transcription levels are strongly influenced by genetic background and affect biofilm-forming ability.

Preparation of a differentially expressed, full-length cDNA expression library by RecA-mediated triple-strand formation with subtractively enriched cDNA fragments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hakvoort, T. B.; Spijkers, J. A.; Vermeulen, J. L.; Lamers, W. H.

1996-01-01

We have developed a fast and general method to obtain an enriched, full-length cDNA expression library with subtractively enriched cDNA fragments. The procedure relies on RecA-mediated triple-helix formation of single-stranded cDNA fragments with a double-stranded cDNA plasmid library. The complexes

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Dr Ahmed

other areas of business administration. ... mathematics, real estate, insurance, actuarial science and business administration (McCutcheon & Scott, 1989). Most textbooks written in these ..... Mathematics of Finance; Heinemann; Oxford. Murray ...

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Mbah & Amao (SWJ):11-14. Natural Foods and Feeding Habits Of The African Honey bee ... Keywords: natural food, nectar, pollen, african honeybee, Apis mellifera adansonii ..... Crailsheim, K. (1990). The Protein balance of the honeybee.

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... Solarin (SWJ):1-6. On Existence Of Control For A Class Of Uncertain Dynamical Systems ... .m We apply the Conjugate Gradient Method. (C.G.M) in ...... Numerical Technique .... Some of its Applications; Journal of Mathematical Analysis and.

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providing energy storage and metabolic fuel, acting as functional and structural ... zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases are been imported and exported in and out ..... rabbits infected with T. brucie and Gow et al., (2007) in which dog naturally ...

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In recent years, a new technique was introduced that combines both hydrolysis and ... Cassava Starch Preparation: The cassava starch used for this investigation was prepared ... One normal HCl and one normal NaOH were used to adjust the ...

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chemical oxidation and reduction, electro-chemical treatment and ion-pair extraction were extensively used ... The present study is an effort to develop a fungal-based treatment system for the cleaning of dye industrial ..... Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 178:1056-. 1063. Raju, N. S., Venkataramana ...

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SPECKLED PIGEON (Columba guinea HARTLAUB AND. FINSCH ... area of the Nigerian northern guinea savanna (Fry, 1965). The habit of the .... defined by Margolis et al., (1982). Chi-square ..... Southern Africa, Academic Press, London.. 4 ...

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Marcos

2012-08-21

Aug 21, 2012 ... Cut flowers have a very limited life after they have been cut off from the mother plant, as survival on their own reserves is ... One of the techniques used for the removal ... and vegetables (Pellegrini and Belle, 2008). There are ...

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inorganic, synthetic organic polymer and naturally occurring coagulants .... Flash fast mixing was done for 2 mins at a speed of 100rpm, followed by slow mixing for ..... Moringa leaves from germplasm to plant, to food, to health. Symposium on ...

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The isotope techniques used in hydrology may be classified into three groups: environmental ..... In that case a solution may be found in measurements of 14C content of groundwaters. ... Applied Isotope Hydrogeology. Elsevier, New. York.

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some rural communities of Zaria, Nigeria for microbial index of water quality in relation to ... These factors, together with the inadequate waste treatment facilities and ..... The Need for an Integrated Approach to Water Supply and. Sanitation in ...

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Marcos

2012-08-21

Aug 21, 2012 ... 1Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, CEP: 18601-060, Botucatu, SP, Brasil. 2Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Centro de Ciências Agrárias-CECA, Maceio, AL, Brasil. 3Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Departamento de Ciências Vegetais, Mossoró, RN, Brasil ...

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MEMUNA

markovian process could be reduced to a markovian chain with the homogenous .... x and y respectively. n= the value of the strategy i.e. number of dummies/virtual ..... Groove, CA. Feinberg, E. A. & Shwartz, A. (2002), Handbook of Markov.

The Allometry of Bee Proboscis Length and Its Uses in Ecology.

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Daniel P Cariveau

Full Text Available Allometric relationships among morphological traits underlie important patterns in ecology. These relationships are often phylogenetically shared; thus quantifying allometric relationships may allow for estimating difficult-to-measure traits across species. One such trait, proboscis length in bees, is assumed to be important in structuring bee communities and plant-pollinator networks. However, it is difficult to measure and thus rarely included in ecological analyses. We measured intertegular distance (as a measure of body size and proboscis length (glossa and prementum, both individually and combined of 786 individual bees of 100 species across 5 of the 7 extant bee families (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila. Using linear models and model selection, we determined which parameters provided the best estimate of proboscis length. We then used coefficients to estimate the relationship between intertegular distance and proboscis length, while also considering family. Using allometric equations with an estimation for a scaling coefficient between intertegular distance and proboscis length and coefficients for each family, we explain 91% of the variance in species-level means for bee proboscis length among bee species. However, within species, individual-level intertegular distance was a poor predictor of individual proboscis length. To make our findings easy to use, we created an R package that allows estimation of proboscis length for individual bee species by inputting only family and intertegular distance. The R package also calculates foraging distance and body mass based on previously published equations. Thus by considering both taxonomy and intertegular distance we enable accurate estimation of an ecologically and evolutionarily important trait.

Characterization of a Full-Length Endogenous Beta-Retrovirus, EqERV-Beta1, in the Genome of the Horse (Equus caballus

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Antoinette C. van der Kuyl

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Information on endogenous retroviruses fixed in the horse (Equus caballus genome is scarce. The recent availability of a draft sequence of the horse genome enables the detection of such integrated viruses by similarity search. Using translated nucleotide fragments from gamma-, beta-, and delta-retroviral genera for initial searches, a full-length beta-retrovirus genome was retrieved from a horse chromosome 5 contig. The provirus, tentatively named EqERV-beta1 (for the first equine endogenous beta-retrovirus, was 10434 nucleotide (nt in length with the usual retroviral genome structure of 5’LTR-gag-pro-pol-env-3’LTR. The LTRs were 1361 nt long, and differed approximately 1% from each other, suggestive of a relatively recent integration. Coding sequences for gag, pro and pol were present in three different reading-frames, as common for beta-retroviruses, and the reading frames were completely open, except that the env gene was interrupted by a single stopcodon. No reading frame was apparent downstream of the env gene, suggesting that EqERV-beta1 does not encode a superantigen like mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV. A second proviral genome of EqERV-beta1, with no stopcodon in env, is additionally integrated on chromosome 5 downstream of the first virus. Single EqERV-beta1 LTRs were abundantly present on all chromosomes except chromosome 24. Phylogenetically, EqERV-beta1 most closely resembles an unclassified retroviral sequence from cattle (Bos taurus, and the murine beta-retrovirus MMTV.

Development of three full-length infectious cDNA clones of distinct brassica yellows virus genotypes for agrobacterium-mediated inoculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao-Yan; Dong, Shu-Wei; Xiang, Hai-Ying; Chen, Xiang-Ru; Li, Da-Wei; Yu, Jia-Lin; Han, Cheng-Gui

2015-02-02

Brassica yellows virus is a newly identified species in the genus of Polerovirus within the family Luteoviridae. Brassica yellows virus (BrYV) is prevalently distributed throughout Mainland China and South Korea, is an important virus infecting cruciferous crops. Based on six BrYV genomic sequences of isolates from oilseed rape, rutabaga, radish, and cabbage, three genotypes, BrYV-A, BrYV-B, and BrYV-C, exist, which mainly differ in the 5' terminal half of the genome. BrYV is an aphid-transmitted and phloem-limited virus. The use of infectious cDNA clones is an alternative means of infecting plants that allows reverse genetic studies to be performed. In this study, full-length cDNA clones of BrYV-A, recombinant BrYV5B3A, and BrYV-C were constructed under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. An agrobacterium-mediated inoculation system of Nicotiana benthamiana was developed using these cDNA clones. Three days after infiltration with full-length BrYV cDNA clones, necrotic symptoms were observed in the inoculated leaves of N. benthamiana; however, no obvious symptoms appeared in the upper leaves. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and western blot detection of samples from the upper leaves showed that the maximum infection efficiency of BrYVs could reach 100%. The infectivity of the BrYV-A, BrYV-5B3A, and BrYV-C cDNA clones was further confirmed by northern hybridization. The system developed here will be useful for further studies of BrYV, such as host range, pathogenicity, viral gene functions, and plant-virus-vector interactions, and especially for discerning the differences among the three genotypes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Large-scale analysis of full-length cDNAs from the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cultivar Micro-Tom, a reference system for the Solanaceae genomics

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Kikuchi Mari

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Solanaceae family includes several economically important vegetable crops. The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum is regarded as a model plant of the Solanaceae family. Recently, a number of tomato resources have been developed in parallel with the ongoing tomato genome sequencing project. In particular, a miniature cultivar, Micro-Tom, is regarded as a model system in tomato genomics, and a number of genomics resources in the Micro-Tom-background, such as ESTs and mutagenized lines, have been established by an international alliance. Results To accelerate the progress in tomato genomics, we developed a collection of fully-sequenced 13,227 Micro-Tom full-length cDNAs. By checking redundant sequences, coding sequences, and chimeric sequences, a set of 11,502 non-redundant full-length cDNAs (nrFLcDNAs was generated. Analysis of untranslated regions demonstrated that tomato has longer 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions than most other plants but rice. Classification of functions of proteins predicted from the coding sequences demonstrated that nrFLcDNAs covered a broad range of functions. A comparison of nrFLcDNAs with genes of sixteen plants facilitated the identification of tomato genes that are not found in other plants, most of which did not have known protein domains. Mapping of the nrFLcDNAs onto currently available tomato genome sequences facilitated prediction of exon-intron structure. Introns of tomato genes were longer than those of Arabidopsis and rice. According to a comparison of exon sequences between the nrFLcDNAs and the tomato genome sequences, the frequency of nucleotide mismatch in exons between Micro-Tom and the genome-sequencing cultivar (Heinz 1706 was estimated to be 0.061%. Conclusion The collection of Micro-Tom nrFLcDNAs generated in this study will serve as a valuable genomic tool for plant biologists to bridge the gap between basic and applied studies. The nrFLcDNA sequences will help annotation of the

Construction of a Full-Length Enriched cDNA Library and Preliminary Analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags from Bengal Tiger Panthera tigris tigris

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Changqing; Liu, Dan; Guo, Yu; Lu, Taofeng; Li, Xiangchen; Zhang, Minghai; Ma, Jianzhang; Ma, Yuehui; Guan, Weijun

2013-01-01

In this study, a full-length enriched cDNA library was successfully constructed from Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, the most well-known wild Animal. Total RNA was extracted from cultured Bengal tiger fibroblasts in vitro. The titers of primary and amplified libraries were 1.28 × 106 pfu/mL and 1.56 × 109 pfu/mL respectively. The percentage of recombinants from unamplified library was 90.2% and average length of exogenous inserts was 0.98 kb. A total of 212 individual ESTs with sizes ranging from 356 to 1108 bps were then analyzed. The BLASTX score revealed that 48.1% of the sequences were classified as a strong match, 45.3% as nominal and 6.6% as a weak match. Among the ESTs with known putative function, 26.4% ESTs were found to be related to all kinds of metabolisms, 19.3% ESTs to information storage and processing, 11.3% ESTs to posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones, 11.3% ESTs to transport, 9.9% ESTs to signal transducer/cell communication, 9.0% ESTs to structure protein, 3.8% ESTs to cell cycle, and only 6.6% ESTs classified as novel genes. By EST sequencing, a full-length gene coding ferritin was identified and characterized. The recombinant plasmid pET32a-TAT-Ferritin was constructed, coded for the TAT-Ferritin fusion protein with two 6× His-tags in N and C-terminal. After BCA assay, the concentration of soluble Trx-TAT-Ferritin recombinant protein was 2.32 ± 0.12 mg/mL. These results demonstrated that the reliability and representativeness of the cDNA library attained to the requirements of a standard cDNA library. This library provided a useful platform for the functional genome and transcriptome research of Bengal tigers. PMID:23708105

Generation of Length Distribution, Length Diagram, Fibrogram, and Statistical Characteristics by Weight of Cotton Blends

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B. Azzouz

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The textile fibre mixture as a multicomponent blend of variable fibres imposes regarding the proper method to predict the characteristics of the final blend. The length diagram and the fibrogram of cotton are generated. Then the length distribution, the length diagram, and the fibrogram of a blend of different categories of cotton are determined. The length distributions by weight of five different categories of cotton (Egyptian, USA (Pima, Brazilian, USA (Upland, and Uzbekistani are measured by AFIS. From these distributions, the length distribution, the length diagram, and the fibrogram by weight of four binary blends are expressed. The length parameters of these cotton blends are calculated and their variations are plotted against the mass fraction x of one component in the blend .These calculated parameters are compared to those of real blends. Finally, the selection of the optimal blends using the linear programming method, based on the hypothesis that the cotton blend parameters vary linearly in function of the components rations, is proved insufficient.

The Impact of Video Length on Learning in a Middle-Level Flipped Science Setting: Implications for Diversity Inclusion

Science.gov (United States)

Slemmons, Krista; Anyanwu, Kele; Hames, Josh; Grabski, Dave; Mlsna, Jeffery; Simkins, Eric; Cook, Perry

2018-05-01

Popularity of videos for classroom instruction has increased over the years due to affordability and user-friendliness of today's digital video cameras. This prevalence has led to an increase in flipped, K-12 classrooms countrywide. However, quantitative data establishing the appropriate video length to foster authentic learning is limited, particularly in middle-level classrooms. We focus on this aspect of video technology in two flipped science classrooms at the middle school level to determine the optimal video length to enable learning, increase retention and support student motivation. Our results indicate that while assessments directly following short videos were slightly higher, these findings were not significantly different from scores following longer videos. While short-term retention of material did not seem to be influenced by video length, longer-term retention for males and students with learning disabilities was higher following short videos compared to long as assessed on summative assessments. Students self-report that they were more engaged, had enhanced focus, and had a perceived higher retention of content following shorter videos. This study has important implications for student learning, application of content, and the development of critical thinking skills. This is particularly paramount in an era where content knowledge is just a search engine away.

A genome-scale RNA-interference screen identifies RRAS signaling as a pathologic feature of Huntington's disease.

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John P Miller

Full Text Available A genome-scale RNAi screen was performed in a mammalian cell-based assay to identify modifiers of mutant huntingtin toxicity. Ontology analysis of suppressor data identified processes previously implicated in Huntington's disease, including proteolysis, glutamate excitotoxicity, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition to established mechanisms, the screen identified multiple components of the RRAS signaling pathway as loss-of-function suppressors of mutant huntingtin toxicity in human and mouse cell models. Loss-of-function in orthologous RRAS pathway members also suppressed motor dysfunction in a Drosophila model of Huntington's disease. Abnormal activation of RRAS and a down-stream effector, RAF1, was observed in cellular models and a mouse model of Huntington's disease. We also observe co-localization of RRAS and mutant huntingtin in cells and in mouse striatum, suggesting that activation of R-Ras may occur through protein interaction. These data indicate that mutant huntingtin exerts a pathogenic effect on this pathway that can be corrected at multiple intervention points including RRAS, FNTA/B, PIN1, and PLK1. Consistent with these results, chemical inhibition of farnesyltransferase can also suppress mutant huntingtin toxicity. These data suggest that pharmacological inhibition of RRAS signaling may confer therapeutic benefit in Huntington's disease.

Construction of a full-length prototype of the BESIII drift chamber and on-detector test for the BESIII drift chamber electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Zhonghua; Wu Linghui; Liu Jianbei; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Yan Zhikang; Hunan Univ., Changsha; Chen Yuanbo; Chen Chang; Xu Meihang; Wang Lan; Ma Xiaoyan; Jin Yan; Liu Rongguang; Tang Xiao; Zhang Guifang; Zhu Qiming; Sheng Huayi; Zhu Kejun

2007-01-01

A full-length prototype of the BESIII drift chamber was built. The experience gained on gas sealing, high voltage supply and front-end electronics installation should be greatly beneficial to the successful construction of the BESIII drift chamber. An on-detector test of the BESIII drift chamber electronics was carried out with the constructed prototype chamber. The noise performance, drift time and charge measurements, and electronics gains were examined specifically. The final test results indicate that the electronics have a good performance and can satisfy their design requirements. (authors)

Design features of a full-scale high-level waste vitrification system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siemens, D.H.; Bonner, W.F.

1976-08-01

A system has been designed and is currently under construction for vitrification of commercial high-level waste. The process consists of a spray calciner coupled to an in-can melter. Due to the high radiation levels expected, this equipment is designed for totally remote operation and maintenance. The in-cell arrangement of this equipment has been developed cooperatively with a nuclear fuel reprocessor. The system will be demonstrated both full scale with nonradioactive simulated waste and pilot scale with actual high-level waste

Determining the optimum length of a bridge opening with a specified reliability level of water runoff

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Evdokimov Sergey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Current trends in construction are aimed at providing reliability and safety of engineering facilities. According to the latest government regulations for construction, the scientific approach to engineering research, design, construction and operation of construction projects is a key priority. The reliability of a road depends on a great number of factors and characteristics of their statistical compounds (sequential and parallel. A part of a road with such man-made structures as a bridge or a pipe is considered as a system with a sequential element connection. The overall reliability is the multiplication of the reliability of these elements. The parameters of engineering structures defined by analytical dependences are highly volatile because of the inaccuracy of the defining factors. However each physical parameter is statistically unstable that is evaluated by variable coefficient of their values. It causes the fluctuation in the parameters of engineering structures. Their study may result in the changes in general and particular design rules in order to increase the reliability. The paper gives the grounds for these changes by the example of a bridge. It allows calculating its optimum length with a specified reliability level of water runoff under the bridge.

Cut-To-Length Harvesting of Short Rotation Eucalyptus at Simpson Tehama Fiber Farm

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce R. Hartsough; David J. Cooper

1999-01-01

A system consisting of a cut-to-length harvester, forwarder, mobile chipper and chip screen was tested in a 7-year-old plantation. Three levels of debarking effort by the harvester (minimal, partial and full), and two levels of screening (with and without) were evaluated. The harvester had the lowest production rate and highest cost of the system elements. Harvester...

Level-1 muon trigger performance with the full 2017 dataset

CERN Document Server

CMS Collaboration

2018-01-01

This document describes the performance of the CMS Level-1 Muon Trigger with the full dataset of 2017. Efficiency plots are included for each track finder (TF) individually and for the system as a whole. The efficiency is measured to be greater than 90% for all track finders.

Postnatal penile length and growth rate correlate to serum testosterone levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boas, Malene; Boisen, Kirsten A; Virtanen, Helena E

2006-01-01

in Denmark and at 0, 3 and 18 months in Finland with blood samples taken at 3 months (n = 630). Penile length and growth were registered and reproductive hormones (testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, oestradiol) were analysed. RESULTS: Penile length increased from birth (3.49+/-0.4 cm) to 3 years...... and growth. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal population-based study taking place at two large primary obstetric centres at the University Hospitals of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Turku, Finland. METHODS: Infant boys, 728 Danish and 1234 Finnish, underwent clinical examinations at 0, 3, 18 and 36 months...... of age (4.53+/-0.51 cm) with the highest growth velocity from birth to 3 months (1.0 mm/month). Penile length and growth were significantly, positively correlated to serum testosterone (r = 0.31 and 0.076, P = 0.006 and 0.001 respectively) and to free testosterone index (r = 0.385 and 0.094, P = 0...

The small FOXP1 isoform predominantly expressed in activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and full-length FOXP1 exert similar oncogenic and transcriptional activity in human B cells.

Science.gov (United States)

van Keimpema, Martine; Grüneberg, Leonie J; Schilder-Tol, Esther J M; Oud, Monique E C M; Beuling, Esther A; Hensbergen, Paul J; de Jong, Johann; Pals, Steven T; Spaargaren, Marcel

2017-03-01

The forkhead transcription factor FOXP1 is generally regarded as an oncogene in activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Previous studies have suggested that a small isoform of FOXP1 rather than full-length FOXP1, may possess this oncogenic activity. Corroborating those studies, we herein show that activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines and primary activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells predominantly express a small FOXP1 isoform, and that the 5'-end of the Foxp1 gene is a common insertion site in murine lymphomas in leukemia virus- and transposon-mediated insertional mutagenesis screens. By combined mass spectrometry, (quantative) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction/sequencing, and small interfering ribonucleic acid-mediated gene silencing, we determined that the small FOXP1 isoform predominantly expressed in activated B cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma lacks the N-terminal 100 amino acids of full-length FOXP1. Aberrant overexpression of this FOXP1 isoform (ΔN100) in primary human B cells revealed its oncogenic capacity; it repressed apoptosis and plasma cell differentiation. However, no difference in potency was found between this small FOXP1 isoform and full-length FOXP1. Furthermore, overexpression of full-length FOXP1 or this small FOXP1 isoform in primary B cells and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines resulted in similar gene regulation. Taken together, our data indicate that this small FOXP1 isoform and full-length FOXP1 have comparable oncogenic and transcriptional activity in human B cells, suggesting that aberrant expression or overexpression of FOXP1, irrespective of the specific isoform, contributes to lymphomagenesis. These novel insights further enhance the value of FOXP1 for the diagnostics, prognostics, and treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Clues to γ-secretase, huntingtin and Hirano body normal function using the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum

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Myre Michael A

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Many neurodegenerative disorders, although related by their destruction of brain function, display remarkable cellular and/or regional pathogenic specificity likely due to a deregulated functionality of the mutant protein. However, neurodegenerative disease genes, for example huntingtin (HTT, the ataxins, the presenilins (PSEN1/PSEN2 are not simply localized to neurons but are ubiquitously expressed throughout peripheral tissues; it is therefore paramount to properly understand the earliest precipitating events leading to neuronal pathogenesis to develop effective long-term therapies. This means, in no unequivocal terms, it is crucial to understand the gene's normal function. Unfortunately, many genes are often essential for embryogenesis which precludes their study in whole organisms. This is true for HTT, the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP and presenilins, responsible for early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD. To better understand neurological disease in humans, many lower and higher eukaryotic models have been established. So the question arises: how reasonable is the use of organisms to study neurological disorders when the model of choice does not contain neurons? Here we will review the surprising, and novel emerging use of the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum, a species of soil-living amoeba, as a valuable biomedical tool to study the normal function of neurodegenerative genes. Historically, the evidence on the usefulness of simple organisms to understand the etiology of cellular pathology cannot be denied. But using an organism without a central nervous system to understand diseases of the brain? We will first introduce the life cycle of Dictyostelium, the presence of many disease genes in the genome and how it has provided unique opportunities to identify mechanisms of disease involving actin pathologies, mitochondrial disease, human lysosomal and trafficking disorders and host-pathogen interactions. Secondly, I will

Full-length genome sequences of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus strain CV777; Use of NGS to analyse genomic and sub-genomic RNAs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Boniotti, Maria Beatrice; Papetti, Alice

2018-01-01

Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus, strain CV777, was initially characterized in 1978 as the causative agent of a disease first identified in the UK in 1971. This coronavirus has been widely distributed among laboratories and has been passaged both within pigs and in cell culture. To determine...... the variability between different stocks of the PEDV strain CV777, sequencing of the full-length genome (ca. 28kb) has been performed in 6 different laboratories, using different protocols. Not surprisingly, each of the different full genome sequences were distinct from each other and from the reference sequence...... the analysis of sub-genomic mRNAs from infected cells. It is clearly important to know the features of the specific sample of CV777 being used for experimental studies....

Diffusion tensor imaging of brain white matter in Huntington gene mutation individuals

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Roberta Arb Saba

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the role of the involvement of white matter tracts in huntingtin gene mutation patients as a potential biomarker of the progression of the disease. Methods We evaluated 34 participants (11 symptomatic huntingtin gene mutation, 12 presymptomatic huntingtin gene mutation, and 11 controls. We performed brain magnetic resonance imaging to assess white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging, with measurement of fractional anisotropy. Results We observed a significant decrease of fractional anisotropy in the cortical spinal tracts, corona radiate, corpus callosum, external capsule, thalamic radiations, superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus in the Huntington disease group compared to the control and presymptomatic groups. Reduction of fractional anisotropy is indicative of a degenerative process and axonal loss. There was no statistically significant difference between the presymptomatic and control groups. Conclusion White matter integrity is affected in huntingtin gene mutation symptomatic individuals, but other studies with larger samples are required to assess its usefulness in the progression of the neurodegenerative process.

Increased mRNA expression of a laminin-binding protein in human colon carcinoma: Complete sequence of a full-length cDNA encoding the protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yow, Hsiukang; Wong, Jau Min; Chen, Hai Shiene; Lee, C.; Steele, G.D. Jr.; Chen, Lanbo

1988-01-01

Reliable markers to distinguish human colon carcinoma from normal colonic epithelium are needed particularly for poorly differentiated tumors where no useful marker is currently available. To search for markers the authors constructed cDNA libraries from human colon carcinoma cell lines and screened for clones that hybridize to a greater degree with mRNAs of colon carcinomas than with their normal counterparts. Here they report one such cDNA clone that hybridizes with a 1.2-kilobase (kb) mRNA, the level of which is ∼9-fold greater in colon carcinoma than in adjacent normal colonic epithelium. Blot hybridization of total RNA from a variety of human colon carcinoma cell lines shows that the level of this 1.2-kb mRNA in poorly differentiated colon carcinomas is as high as or higher than that in well-differentiated carcinomas. Molecular cloning and complete sequencing of cDNA corresponding to the full-length open reading frame of this 1.2-kb mRNA unexpectedly show it to contain all the partial cDNA sequence encoding 135 amino acid residues previously reported for a human laminin receptor. The deduced amino acid sequence suggests that this putative laminin-binding protein from human colon carcinomas consists of 295 amino acid residues with interesting features. There is an unusual C-terminal 70-amino acid segment, which is trypsin-resistant and highly negatively charged

Large-scale analysis of full-length cDNAs from the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivar Micro-Tom, a reference system for the Solanaceae genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Koh; Yano, Kentaro; Suzuki, Ayako; Kawamura, Shingo; Sakurai, Nozomu; Suda, Kunihiro; Kurabayashi, Atsushi; Suzuki, Tatsuya; Tsugane, Taneaki; Watanabe, Manabu; Ooga, Kazuhide; Torii, Maiko; Narita, Takanori; Shin-I, Tadasu; Kohara, Yuji; Yamamoto, Naoki; Takahashi, Hideki; Watanabe, Yuichiro; Egusa, Mayumi; Kodama, Motoichiro; Ichinose, Yuki; Kikuchi, Mari; Fukushima, Sumire; Okabe, Akiko; Arie, Tsutomu; Sato, Yuko; Yazawa, Katsumi; Satoh, Shinobu; Omura, Toshikazu; Ezura, Hiroshi; Shibata, Daisuke

2010-03-30

The Solanaceae family includes several economically important vegetable crops. The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is regarded as a model plant of the Solanaceae family. Recently, a number of tomato resources have been developed in parallel with the ongoing tomato genome sequencing project. In particular, a miniature cultivar, Micro-Tom, is regarded as a model system in tomato genomics, and a number of genomics resources in the Micro-Tom-background, such as ESTs and mutagenized lines, have been established by an international alliance. To accelerate the progress in tomato genomics, we developed a collection of fully-sequenced 13,227 Micro-Tom full-length cDNAs. By checking redundant sequences, coding sequences, and chimeric sequences, a set of 11,502 non-redundant full-length cDNAs (nrFLcDNAs) was generated. Analysis of untranslated regions demonstrated that tomato has longer 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions than most other plants but rice. Classification of functions of proteins predicted from the coding sequences demonstrated that nrFLcDNAs covered a broad range of functions. A comparison of nrFLcDNAs with genes of sixteen plants facilitated the identification of tomato genes that are not found in other plants, most of which did not have known protein domains. Mapping of the nrFLcDNAs onto currently available tomato genome sequences facilitated prediction of exon-intron structure. Introns of tomato genes were longer than those of Arabidopsis and rice. According to a comparison of exon sequences between the nrFLcDNAs and the tomato genome sequences, the frequency of nucleotide mismatch in exons between Micro-Tom and the genome-sequencing cultivar (Heinz 1706) was estimated to be 0.061%. The collection of Micro-Tom nrFLcDNAs generated in this study will serve as a valuable genomic tool for plant biologists to bridge the gap between basic and applied studies. The nrFLcDNA sequences will help annotation of the tomato whole-genome sequence and aid in tomato functional

Dither Cavity Length Controller with Iodine Locking

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Lawson Marty

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A cavity length controller for a seeded Q-switched frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser is constructed. The cavity length controller uses a piezo-mirror dither voltage to find the optimum length for the seeded cavity. The piezo-mirror dither also dithers the optical frequency of the output pulse. [1]. This dither in optical frequency is then used to lock to an Iodine absorption line.

Diurnal and stress-reactive dehydroepiandrosterone levels and telomere length in youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Dismukes, Andrew R; Meyer, Vanessa J; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A; Theall, Katherine P; Esteves, Kyle C; Drury, Stacy S

2016-05-01

The current investigation examined the association between the aging-related biomarkers dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and telomere length (TL) in community-recruited African-American youth. The examination of DHEA included stress reactive, basal and diurnal sampling, in order to elucidate the underlying physiological process that may overlap with TL. One hundred and two participants completed the Trier Social Stressor Test for children (TSST-C). TL was obtained from all youth from buccal swabs on the same day as the TSST-C. Saliva samples from 83 participants were obtained over the course of two additional days to measure waking and diurnal levels of DHEA. DHEA diurnal slope was a robust predictor of TL (B=0.516, P<0.05), while other DHEA values were not significantly associated with TL. This study is one of the first studies to examine basal, diurnal and reactivity measurements of DHEA in youth. Furthermore, this is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate a positive association between DHEA, a putative anti-aging hormone, and TL, an indicator of cellular aging. © 2016 The authors.

Full-length VP2 gene analysis of canine parvovirus reveals emergence of newer variants in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Nookala, Mangadevi; Mukhopadhyay, Hirak Kumar; Sivaprakasam, Amsaveni; Balasubramanian, Brindhalakshmi; Antony, Prabhakar Xavier; Thanislass, Jacob; Srinivas, Mouttou Vivek; Pillai, Raghavan Madhusoodanan

2016-12-01

The canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is a highly contagious and serious enteric disease of dogs with high fatality rate. The present study was taken up to characterize the full-length viral polypeptide 2 (VP2) gene of CPV of Indian origin along with the commercially available vaccines. The faecal samples from parvovirus suspected dogs were collected from various states of India for screening by PCR assay and 66.29% of samples were found positive. Six CPV-2a, three CPV-2b, and one CPV-2c types were identified by sequence analysis. Several unique and existing mutations have been noticed in CPV types analyzed indicating emergence of newer variants of CPV in India. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the field CPV types were grouped in different subclades within two main clades, but away from the commercial vaccine strains. CPV-2b and CPV-2c types with unique mutations were found to be establishing in India apart from the prevailing CPV-2a type. Mutations and the positive selection of the mutants were found to be the major mechanism of emergence and evolution of parvovirus. Therefore, the incorporation of local strain in the vaccine formulation may be considered for effective control of CPV infections in India.

Structure and function of the first full-length murein peptide ligase (Mpl cell wall recycling protein.

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Debanu Das

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, an essential polymer made by enzymes in the Mur pathway. These proteins are specific to bacteria, which make them targets for drug discovery. MurC, MurD, MurE and MurF catalyze the synthesis of the peptidoglycan precursor UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine by the sequential addition of amino acids onto UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UDP-MurNAc. MurC-F enzymes have been extensively studied by biochemistry and X-ray crystallography. In gram-negative bacteria, ∼30-60% of the bacterial cell wall is recycled during each generation. Part of this recycling process involves the murein peptide ligase (Mpl, which attaches the breakdown product, the tripeptide L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelate, to UDP-MurNAc. We present the crystal structure at 1.65 Å resolution of a full-length Mpl from the permafrost bacterium Psychrobacter arcticus 273-4 (PaMpl. Although the Mpl structure has similarities to Mur enzymes, it has unique sequence and structure features that are likely related to its role in cell wall recycling, a function that differentiates it from the MurC-F enzymes. We have analyzed the sequence-structure relationships that are unique to Mpl proteins and compared them to MurC-F ligases. We have also characterized the biochemical properties of this enzyme (optimal temperature, pH and magnesium binding profiles and kinetic parameters. Although the structure does not contain any bound substrates, we have identified ∼30 residues that are likely to be important for recognition of the tripeptide and UDP-MurNAc substrates, as well as features that are unique to Psychrobacter Mpl proteins. These results provide the basis for future mutational studies for more extensive function characterization of the Mpl sequence-structure relationships.

Revised genomic consensus for the hypermethylated CpG island region of the human L1 transposon and integration sites of full length L1 elements from recombinant clones made using methylation-tolerant host strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crowther, P J; Doherty, J P; Linsenmeyer, M E

1991-01-01

preferentially from L1 members which have accumulated mutations that have removed sites of methylation. We present a revised consensus from the 5' presumptive control region of these elements. This revised consensus contains a consensus RNA polymerase III promoter which would permit the synthesis of transcripts......Efficient recovery of clones from the 5' end of the human L1 dispersed repetitive elements necessitates the use of deletion mcr- host strains since this region contains a CpG island which is hypermethylated in vivo. Clones recovered with conventional mcr+ hosts seem to have been derived...... from the 5' end of full length L1 elements. Such potential transcripts are likely to exhibit a high degree of secondary structure. In addition, we have determined the flanking sequences for 6 full length L1 elements. The majority of full length L1 clones show no convincing evidence for target site...

Three-Dimensional Dirac Oscillator with Minimal Length: Novel Phenomena for Quantized Energy

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Malika Betrouche

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We study quantum features of the Dirac oscillator under the condition that the position and the momentum operators obey generalized commutationrelations that lead to the appearance of minimal length with the order of the Planck length, ∆xmin=ℏ3β+β′, where β and β′ are two positive small parameters. Wave functions of the system and the corresponding energy spectrum are derived rigorously. The presence of the minimal length accompanies a quadratic dependence of the energy spectrum on quantum number n, implying the property of hard confinement of the system. It is shown that the infinite degeneracy of energy levels appearing in the usual Dirac oscillator is vanished by the presence of the minimal length so long as β≠0. Not only in the nonrelativistic limit but also in the limit of the standard case (β=β′=0, our results reduce to well known usual ones.

Full-length single-cell RNA-seq applied to a viral human cancer: applications to HPV expression and splicing analysis in HeLa S3 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Liang; Zhang, Xiaolong; Zhao, Zhikun; Wang, Ling; Li, Bo; Li, Guibo; Dean, Michael; Yu, Qichao; Wang, Yanhui; Lin, Xinxin; Rao, Weijian; Mei, Zhanlong; Li, Yang; Jiang, Runze; Yang, Huan; Li, Fuqiang; Xie, Guoyun; Xu, Liqin; Wu, Kui; Zhang, Jie; Chen, Jianghao; Wang, Ting; Kristiansen, Karsten; Zhang, Xiuqing; Li, Yingrui; Yang, Huanming; Wang, Jian; Hou, Yong; Xu, Xun

2015-01-01

Viral infection causes multiple forms of human cancer, and HPV infection is the primary factor in cervical carcinomas. Recent single-cell RNA-seq studies highlight the tumor heterogeneity present in most cancers, but virally induced tumors have not been studied. HeLa is a well characterized HPV+ cervical cancer cell line. We developed a new high throughput platform to prepare single-cell RNA on a nanoliter scale based on a customized microwell chip. Using this method, we successfully amplified full-length transcripts of 669 single HeLa S3 cells and 40 of them were randomly selected to perform single-cell RNA sequencing. Based on these data, we obtained a comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of HeLa S3 cells in gene expression, alternative splicing and fusions. Furthermore, we identified a high diversity of HPV-18 expression and splicing at the single-cell level. By co-expression analysis we identified 283 E6, E7 co-regulated genes, including CDC25, PCNA, PLK4, BUB1B and IRF1 known to interact with HPV viral proteins. Our results reveal the heterogeneity of a virus-infected cell line. It not only provides a transcriptome characterization of HeLa S3 cells at the single cell level, but is a demonstration of the power of single cell RNA-seq analysis of virally infected cells and cancers.

Diagnostic value of newborn foot length to predict gestational age

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Mutia Farah Fawziah

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background  Identification of gestational age, especially within 48 hours of birth, is crucial for newborns, as the earlier preterm status is detected, the earlier the child can receive optimal management. Newborn foot length is an anthropometric measurement which is easy to perform, inexpensive, and potentially efficient for predicting gestational age. Objective  To analyze the diagnostic value of newborn foot length in predicting gestational age. Methods  This diagnostic study was performed between October 2016 and February 2017 in the High Care Unit of Neonates at Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Surakarta. A total of 152 newborns were consecutively selected and underwent right foot length measurements before 96 hours of age. The correlation between newborn foot length to classify as full term and gestational age was analyzed with Spearman’s correlation test because of non-normal data distribution. The cut-off point of newborn foot length was calculated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve and diagnostic values of newborn foot length were analyzed by 2 x 2 table with SPSS 21.0 software. Results There were no significant differences between male and female newborns in terms of gestational age, birth weight, choronological age, and newborn foot length (P>0.05. Newborn foot length and gestational age had a significant correlation (r=0.53; P=0.000. The optimal cut-off newborn foot length to predict full term status was 7.1 cm. Newborn foot length below 7.1 cm had sensitivity 75%, specificity 98%, positive predictive value 94.3%, negative predictive value 90.6%, positive likelihood ratio 40.5, negative likelihood ratio 0.25, and post-test probability 94.29%, to predict preterm status in newborns. Conclusion  Newborn foot length can be used to predict gestational age, especially for the purpose of differentiating between preterm and full term newborns.

Bioinorganic Chemistry of Parkinson's Disease: Affinity and Structural Features of Cu(I) Binding to the Full-Length β-Synuclein Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Miotto, Marco C; Pavese, Mayra D; Quintanar, Liliana; Zweckstetter, Markus; Griesinger, Christian; Fernández, Claudio O

2017-09-05

Alterations in the levels of copper in brain tissue and formation of α-synuclein (αS)-copper complexes might play a key role in the amyloid aggregation of αS and the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, we demonstrated that formation of the high-affinity Cu(I) complex with the N-terminally acetylated form of the protein αS substantially increases and stabilizes local conformations with α-helical secondary structure and restricted motility. In this work, we performed a detailed NMR-based structural characterization of the Cu(I) complexes with the full-length acetylated form of its homologue β-synuclein (βS), which is colocalized with αS in vivo and can bind copper ions. Our results show that, similarly to αS, the N-terminal region of βS constitutes the preferential binding interface for Cu(I) ions, encompassing two independent and noninteractive Cu(I) binding sites. According to these results, βS binds the metal ion with higher affinity than αS, in a coordination environment that involves the participation of Met-1, Met-5, and Met-10 residues (site 1). Compared to αS, the shift of His from position 50 to 65 in the N-terminal region of βS does not change the Cu(I) affinity features at that site (site 2). Interestingly, the formation of the high-affinity βS-Cu(I) complex at site 1 in the N-terminus promotes a short α-helix conformation that is restricted to the 1-5 segment of the AcβS sequence, which differs with the substantial increase in α-helix conformations seen for N-terminally acetylated αS upon Cu(I) complexation. Our NMR data demonstrate conclusively that the differences observed in the conformational transitions triggered by Cu(I) binding to AcαS and AcβS find a correlation at the level of their backbone dynamic properties; added to the potential biological implications of these findings, this fact opens new avenues of investigations into the bioinorganic chemistry of PD.

Study on the Workspace of a 6-DOF Parallel Topology Robot Related to Binary Link Lengths

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Calin-Octavian Miclosina

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a study on the workspace of a parallel topology robot with the structure FP3+6•SPS+MP3. The variable parameters are the binary link lengths, from both upper and lower levels, and the driving kinematical joint strokes. The workspace boundary is determined by SolidWorks software simulations. For different binary link lengths, workspace volume is determined and sections through the workspace are presented.

FULL LENGTH RESEARCH ARTICLE Yoriyo et al.(2008) SWJ:35 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr. Ahmed

poultry industry to its full capacity. These factors include poor management systems and diseases. Poultry diseases are the major cause of financial loss in poultry production (Oluyemi & Rober, 1979). Intestinal parasitism is a common problem in poultry especially those reared under extensive systems. Ajayi & Ajayi (1983) ...

Neighborhood Disadvantage and Telomere Length: Results from the Fragile Families Study

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Douglas S. Massey

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences located at the ends of chromosomes that protect genetic material. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to analyze the relationship between exposure to spatially concentrated disadvantage and telomere length for white and black mothers. We find that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with shorter telomere length for mothers of both races. This finding highlights a potential mechanism through which the unique spatially concentrated disadvantage faced by African Americans contributes to racial health disparities. We conclude that equalizing the health and socioeconomic status of black and white Americans will be very difficult without reducing levels of residential segregation in the United States.

Modeling Wood Fibre Length in Black Spruce (Picea mariana (Mill. BSP Based on Ecological Land Classification

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Elisha Townshend

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Effective planning to optimize the forest value chain requires accurate and detailed information about the resource; however, estimates of the distribution of fibre properties on the landscape are largely unavailable prior to harvest. Our objective was to fit a model of the tree-level average fibre length related to ecosite classification and other forest inventory variables depicted at the landscape scale. A series of black spruce increment cores were collected at breast height from trees in nine different ecosite groups within the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario, and processed using standard techniques for maceration and fibre length measurement. Regression tree analysis and random forests were used to fit hierarchical classification models and find the most important predictor variables for the response variable area-weighted mean stem-level fibre length. Ecosite group was the best predictor in the regression tree. Longer mean fibre-length was associated with more productive ecosites that supported faster growth. The explanatory power of the model of fitted data was good; however, random forests simulations indicated poor generalizability. These results suggest the potential to develop localized models linking wood fibre length in black spruce to landscape-level attributes, and improve the sustainability of forest management by identifying ideal locations to harvest wood that has desirable fibre characteristics.

Impedance of finite length resistive cylinder

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S. Krinsky

2004-11-01

Full Text Available We determine the impedance of a cylindrical metal tube (resistor of radius a, length g, and conductivity σ attached at each end to perfect conductors of semi-infinite length. Our main interest is in the asymptotic behavior of the impedance at high frequency (k≫1/a. In the equilibrium regime, ka^{2}≪g, the impedance per unit length is accurately described by the well-known result for an infinite length tube with conductivity σ. In the transient regime, ka^{2}≫g, where the contribution of transition radiation arising from the discontinuity in conductivity is important, we derive an analytic expression for the impedance and compute the short-range wakefield. The analytic results are shown to agree with numerical evaluation of the impedance.

Isolation of full-length putative rat lysophospholipase cDNA using improved methods for mRNA isolation and cDNA cloning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, J.H.; Stratowa, C.; Rutter, W.J.

1987-01-01

The authors have cloned a full-length putative rat pancreatic lysophospholipase cDNA by an improved mRNA isolation method and cDNA cloning strategy using [ 32 P]-labelled nucleotides. These new methods allow the construction of a cDNA library from the adult rat pancreas in which the majority of recombinant clones contained complete sequences for the corresponding mRNAs. A previously recognized but unidentified long and relatively rare cDNA clone containing the entire sequence from the cap site at the 5' end to the poly(A) tail at the 3' end of the mRNA was isolated by single-step screening of the library. The size, amino acid composition, and the activity of the protein expressed in heterologous cells strongly suggest this mRNA codes for lysophospholipase

Signal sequence and keyword trap in silico for selection of full-length human cDNAs encoding secretion or membrane proteins from oligo-capped cDNA libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Otsuki, Tetsuji; Ota, Toshio; Nishikawa, Tetsuo; Hayashi, Koji; Suzuki, Yutaka; Yamamoto, Jun-ichi; Wakamatsu, Ai; Kimura, Kouichi; Sakamoto, Katsuhiko; Hatano, Naoto; Kawai, Yuri; Ishii, Shizuko; Saito, Kaoru; Kojima, Shin-ichi; Sugiyama, Tomoyasu; Ono, Tetsuyoshi; Okano, Kazunori; Yoshikawa, Yoko; Aotsuka, Satoshi; Sasaki, Naokazu; Hattori, Atsushi; Okumura, Koji; Nagai, Keiichi; Sugano, Sumio; Isogai, Takao

2005-01-01

We have developed an in silico method of selection of human full-length cDNAs encoding secretion or membrane proteins from oligo-capped cDNA libraries. Fullness rates were increased to about 80% by combination of the oligo-capping method and ATGpr, software for prediction of translation start point and the coding potential. Then, using 5'-end single-pass sequences, cDNAs having the signal sequence were selected by PSORT ('signal sequence trap'). We also applied 'secretion or membrane protein-related keyword trap' based on the result of BLAST search against the SWISS-PROT database for the cDNAs which could not be selected by PSORT. Using the above procedures, 789 cDNAs were primarily selected and subjected to full-length sequencing, and 334 of these cDNAs were finally selected as novel. Most of the cDNAs (295 cDNAs: 88.3%) were predicted to encode secretion or membrane proteins. In particular, 165(80.5%) of the 205 cDNAs selected by PSORT were predicted to have signal sequences, while 70 (54.2%) of the 129 cDNAs selected by 'keyword trap' preserved the secretion or membrane protein-related keywords. Many important cDNAs were obtained, including transporters, receptors, and ligands, involved in significant cellular functions. Thus, an efficient method of selecting secretion or membrane protein-encoding cDNAs was developed by combining the above four procedures.

The comparison between the length of vertical dimension of occlusion and the length of thumb on undergraduate Mongoloid students

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Goh Li Teng

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The Thumb Rule of Leonardo da Vinci states that many proportions of the face show relationship with the length of thumb which is measured from the proximal tip of the proximal phalanx to the distal tip of the distal phalanx. Previous studies have shown that the length of the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO is similar to the length of thumb of the Caucasoid race. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the length of VDO have correlations with the length of thumb among those of the Mongoloid race. This study took a survey method with the analytical cross-sectional approach. A total of 80 students of Faculty of Dentistry who have fulfilled all population criteria were randomly chosen to measure the length of VDO and the length of the thumb. Results analyzed with Student's t-test statistic revealed that there was a significant difference between males and females in the length of VDO and the length of the thumb, however, there was no significant difference between the length of VDO and the length of the thumb. There were very strong correlations (P<0.05 between the length of VDO and the length of the thumb. As a conclusion, the length of thumb can be suggested as an objective method to determine the length of VDO in this population.

Full-Length Sequence of Mouse Acupuncture-Induced 1-L (Aig1l Gene Including Its Transcriptional Start Site

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Mika Ohta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We have been investigating the molecular efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA, which is one type of acupuncture therapy. In our previous molecular biological study of acupuncture, we found an EA-induced gene, named acupuncture-induced 1-L (Aig1l, in mouse skeletal muscle. The aims of this study consisted of identification of the full-length cDNA sequence of Aig1l including the transcriptional start site, determination of the tissue distribution of Aig1l and analysis of the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. We determined the complete cDNA sequence including the transcriptional start site via cDNA cloning with the cap site hunting method. We then analyzed the tissue distribution of Aig1l by means of northern blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We used the semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to examine the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. Our results showed that the complete cDNA sequence of Aig1l was 6073 bp long, and the putative protein consisted of 962 amino acids. All seven tissues that we analyzed expressed the Aig1l gene. In skeletal muscle, EA induced expression of the Aig1l gene, with high expression observed after 3 hours of EA. Our findings thus suggest that the Aig1l gene may play a key role in the molecular mechanisms of EA efficacy.

The length of the male urethra

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Tobias. S. Kohler

2008-08-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Catheter-based medical devices are an important component of the urologic armamentarium. To our knowledge, there is no population-based data regarding normal male urethral length. We evaluated the length of the urethra in men with normal genitourinary anatomy undergoing either Foley catheter removal or standard cystoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male urethral length was obtained in 109 men. After study permission was obtained, the subject's penis was placed on a gentle stretch and the catheter was marked at the tip of the penis. The catheter was then removed and the distance from the mark to the beginning of the re-inflated balloon was measured. Alternatively, urethral length was measured at the time of cystoscopy, on removal of the cystoscope. Data on age, weight, and height was obtained in patients when possible. RESULTS: The mean urethral length was 22.3 cm with a standard deviation of 2.4 cm. Urethral length varied between 15 cm and 29 cm. No statistically significant correlation was found between urethral length and height, weight, body mass index (BMI, or age. CONCLUSIONS: Literature documenting the length of the normal male adult urethra is scarce. Our data adds to basic anatomic information of the male urethra and may be used to optimize genitourinary device design.

FULL LENGTH RESEARCH ARTICLE Gnut

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Ahmed

. Peanuts, Groundnuts microflora and pathogenesis of peanut pod. Root Phytopathology, 55(4):359-367. Halima, A. S. 2000. Isolation and preliminary Identification of fungi in stored groundnut. HND project. Department of Science Laboratory.

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis Reveals High Levels of Genetic Divergence Among the Light Organ Symbionts of Flashlight Fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, C J; Haygood, M G

1991-08-01

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms within the lux and 16S ribosomal RNA gene regions were used to compare unculturable bacterial light organ symbionts of several anomalopid fish species. The method of Nei and Li (1979) was used to calculate phylogenetic distance from the patterns of restriction fragment lengths of the luxA and 16S rRNA regions. Phylogenetic trees constructed from each distance matrix (luxA and 16S rDNA data) have similar branching orders. The levels of divergence among the symbionts, relative to other culturable luminous bacteria, suggests that the symbionts differ at the level of species among host fish genera. Symbiont relatedness and host geographic location do not seem to be correlated, and the symbionts do not appear to be strains of common, free-living, luminous bacteria. In addition, the small number of hybridizing fragments within the 16S rRNA region of the symbionts, compared with that of the free-living species, suggests a decrease in copy number of rRNA operons relative to free-living species. At this level of investigation, the symbiont phylogeny is consistent with the proposed phylogeny of the host fish family and suggests that each symbiont strain coevolved with its host fish species.

Binding, internalization and fate of Huntingtin Exon1 fibrillar assemblies in mitotic and nonmitotic neuroblastoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Arlandis, G; Pieri, L; Bousset, L; Melki, R

2016-02-01

The aggregation of Huntingtin (HTT) protein and of its moiety encoded by its Exon1 (HTTExon1) into fibrillar structures inside neurons is the molecular hallmark of Huntington's disease. Prion-like transmission of these aggregates between cells has been demonstrated. The cell-to-cell transmission mechanisms of these protein aggregates and the susceptibility of different kinds of neuronal cells to these toxic assemblies still need assessment. Here, we documented the binding to and internalization by differentiated and undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells of exogenous fibrillar HTTExon1 and polyglutamine (polyQ) polypeptides containing the same number of glutamines. We assessed the contribution of endocytosis to fibrillar HTTExon1 uptake, their intracellular localization and fate. We observed that undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells were more susceptible to fibrillar HTTExon1 and polyQ than their differentiated counterparts. Furthermore, we demonstrated that exogenous HTTExon1 aggregates are mainly taken up by endocytosis and directed to lysosomal compartments in both mitotic and quiescent cells. These data suggest that the rates of endocytic processes that differ in mitotic and quiescent cells strongly impact the uptake of exogenous HTTExon1 and polyQ fibrils. This may be either the consequence of distinct metabolisms or distributions of specific protein partners for amyloid-like assemblies at the surface of highly dividing versus quiescent cells. Our results highlight the importance of endocytic processes in the internalization of exogenous HTTExon1 fibrils and suggest that a proportion of those assemblies reach the cytosol where they can amplify by recruiting the endogenous protein after escaping, by yet an unknown process, from the endo-lysosomal compartments. © 2015 British Neuropathological Society.

Inactivation of the Huntington's disease gene (Hdh impairs anterior streak formation and early patterning of the mouse embryo

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Conlon Ronald A

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Huntingtin, the HD gene encoded protein mutated by polyglutamine expansion in Huntington's disease, is required in extraembryonic tissues for proper gastrulation, implicating its activities in nutrition or patterning of the developing embryo. To test these possibilities, we have used whole mount in situ hybridization to examine embryonic patterning and morphogenesis in homozygous Hdhex4/5 huntingtin deficient embryos. Results In the absence of huntingtin, expression of nutritive genes appears normal but E7.0–7.5 embryos exhibit a unique combination of patterning defects. Notable are a shortened primitive streak, absence of a proper node and diminished production of anterior streak derivatives. Reduced Wnt3a, Tbx6 and Dll1 expression signify decreased paraxial mesoderm and reduced Otx2 expression and lack of headfolds denote a failure of head development. In addition, genes initially broadly expressed are not properly restricted to the posterior, as evidenced by the ectopic expression of Nodal, Fgf8 and Gsc in the epiblast and T (Brachyury and Evx1 in proximal mesoderm derivatives. Despite impaired posterior restriction and anterior streak deficits, overall anterior/posterior polarity is established. A single primitive streak forms and marker expression shows that the anterior epiblast and anterior visceral endoderm (AVE are specified. Conclusion Huntingtin is essential in the early patterning of the embryo for formation of the anterior region of the primitive streak, and for down-regulation of a subset of dynamic growth and transcription factor genes. These findings provide fundamental starting points for identifying the novel cellular and molecular activities of huntingtin in the extraembryonic tissues that govern normal anterior streak development. This knowledge may prove to be important for understanding the mechanism by which the dominant polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin determines the loss of neurons in

Economic issues of broiler production length

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Szőllősi László

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The length of broiler production cycle is also an important factor when profitability is measured. This paper is to determine the effects of different market ages and down-time period, overall broiler production cycle length on performance and economic parameters based on Hungarian production and financial circumstances. A deterministic model was constructed to manage the function-like correlations of age-related daily weight gain, daily feed intake and daily mortality data. The results show that broiler production cycle length has a significant effect on production and economic performance. Cycle length is determined by the length of down-time and grow-out periods. If down-time period is reduced by one day, an average net income of EUR 0.55 per m2 is realizable. However, the production period is not directly proportional either with emerging costs or obtainable revenues. Profit maximization is attainable if the production period is 41-42 days.

Relativistic length agony continued

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Redžić D.V.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We made an attempt to remedy recent confusing treatments of some basic relativistic concepts and results. Following the argument presented in an earlier paper (Redžić 2008b, we discussed the misconceptions that are recurrent points in the literature devoted to teaching relativity such as: there is no change in the object in Special Relativity, illusory character of relativistic length contraction, stresses and strains induced by Lorentz contraction, and related issues. We gave several examples of the traps of everyday language that lurk in Special Relativity. To remove a possible conceptual and terminological muddle, we made a distinction between the relativistic length reduction and relativistic FitzGerald-Lorentz contraction, corresponding to a passive and an active aspect of length contraction, respectively; we pointed out that both aspects have fundamental dynamical contents. As an illustration of our considerations, we discussed briefly the Dewan-Beran-Bell spaceship paradox and the ‘pole in a barn’ paradox. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 171028

Full-length cellular β-secretase has a trimeric subunit stoichiometry, and its sulfur-rich transmembrane interaction site modulates cytosolic copper compartmentalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Liebsch, Filip; Aurousseau, Mark R P; Bethge, Tobias; McGuire, Hugo; Scolari, Silvia; Herrmann, Andreas; Blunck, Rikard; Bowie, Derek; Multhaup, Gerd

2017-08-11

The β-secretase (BACE1) initiates processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) into Aβ peptides, which have been implicated as central players in the pathology of Alzheimer disease. BACE1 has been described as a copper-binding protein and its oligomeric state as being monomeric, dimeric, and/or multimeric, but the native cellular stoichiometry has remained elusive. Here, by using single-molecule fluorescence and in vitro cross-linking experiments with photo-activatable unnatural amino acids, we show that full-length BACE1, independently of its subcellular localization, exists as trimers in human cells. We found that trimerization requires the BACE1 transmembrane sequences (TMSs) and cytoplasmic domains, with residues Ala 463 and Cys 466 buried within the trimer interface of the sulfur-rich core of the TMSs. Our 3D model predicts that the sulfur-rich core of the trimeric BACE1 TMS is accessible to metal ions, but copper ions did not trigger trimerization. The results of functional assays of endogenous BACE1 suggest that it has a role in intracellular copper compartmentalization by transferring cytosolic copper to intracellular compartments, while leaving the overall cellular copper concentration unaltered. Adding to existing physiological models, our results provide novel insight into the atypical interactions between copper and BACE1 and into its non-enzymatic activities. In conclusion, therapeutic Alzheimer disease prevention strategies aimed at decreasing BACE1 protein levels should be regarded with caution, because adverse effects in copper homeostasis may occur. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

VP1u phospholipase activity is critical for infectivity of full-length parvovirus B19 genomic clones.

Science.gov (United States)

Filippone, Claudia; Zhi, Ning; Wong, Susan; Lu, Jun; Kajigaya, Sachiko; Gallinella, Giorgio; Kakkola, Laura; Söderlund-Venermo, Maria; Young, Neal S; Brown, Kevin E

2008-05-10

Three full-length genomic clones (pB19-M20, pB19-FL and pB19-HG1) of parvovirus B19 were produced in different laboratories. pB19-M20 was shown to produce infectious virus. To determine the differences in infectivity, all three plasmids were tested by transfection and infection assays. All three clones were similar in viral DNA replication, RNA transcription, and viral capsid protein production. However, only pB19-M20 and pB19-HG1 produced infectious virus. Comparison of viral sequences showed no significant differences in ITR or NS regions. In the capsid region, there was a nucleotide sequence difference conferring an amino acid substitution (E176K) in the phospholipase A2-like motif of the VP1-unique (VP1u) region. The recombinant VP1u with the E176K mutation had no catalytic activity as compared with the wild-type. When this mutation was introduced into pB19-M20, infectivity was significantly attenuated, confirming the critical role of this motif. Investigation of the original serum from which pB19-FL was cloned confirmed that the phospholipase mutation was present in the native B19 virus.

VP1u phospholipase activity is critical for infectivity of full-length parvovirus B19 genomic clones✰

Science.gov (United States)

Filippone, Claudia; Zhi, Ning; Wong, Susan; Lu, Jun; Kajigaya, Sachiko; Gallinella, Giorgio; Kakkola, Laura; Venermo, Maria S Söderlund; Young, Neal S.; Brown, Kevin E.

2008-01-01

Three full-length genomic clones (pB19-M20, pB19-FL and pB19-HG1) of parvovirus B19 were produced in different laboratories. pB19-M20 was shown to produce infectious virus. To determine the differences in infectivity, all three plasmids were tested by transfection and infection assays. All three clones were similar in viral DNA replication, RNA transcription, and viral capsid protein production. However, only pB19-M20 and pB19-HG1 produced infectious virus. Comparison of viral sequences showed no significant differences in ITR or NS regions. In the capsid region, there was a nucleotide sequence difference conferring an amino acid substitution (E176K) in the phospholipase A2-like motif of the VP1-unique (VP1u) region. The recombinant VP1u with the E176K mutation had no catalytic activity as compared with the wild-type. When this mutation was introduced into pB19-M20, infectivity was significantly attenuated, confirming the critical role of this motif. Investigation of the original serum from which pB19-FL was cloned confirmed that the phospholipase mutation was present in the native B19 virus. PMID:18252260

Fundamental length and relativistic length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strel'tsov, V.N.

1988-01-01

It si noted that the introduction of fundamental length contradicts the conventional representations concerning the contraction of the longitudinal size of fast-moving objects. The use of the concept of relativistic length and the following ''elongation formula'' permits one to solve this problem

Effect of heated length on the Critical Heat Flux of subcooled flow boiling. 2. Effective heated length under axially nonuniform heating condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinoshita, Hidetaka; Yoshida, Takuya; Nariai, Hideki; Inasaka, Fujio

1998-01-01

Effect of heated length on the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) of subcooled flow boiling with water was experimentally investigated by using direct current heated tube made of stainless steel a part of whose wall thickness was axially cut for realizing nonuniform heat flux condition. The higher enhancement of the CHF was derived for shorter tube length. The effective heated length was determined for the tube under axially nonuniform heat flux condition. When the lower heat flux part below the Net Vapor Generation (NVG) heat flux exists at the middle of tube length, then the effective heated length becomes the tube length downstream the lower heat flux parts. However, when the lower heat flux part is above the NVG, then the effective heated length is full tube length. (author)

In vivo myograph measurement of muscle contraction at optimal length

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Ahmed Aminul

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Current devices for measuring muscle contraction in vivo have limited accuracy in establishing and re-establishing the optimum muscle length. They are variable in the reproducibility to determine the muscle contraction at this length, and often do not maintain precise conditions during the examination. Consequently, for clinical testing only semi-quantitative methods have been used. Methods We present a newly developed myograph, an accurate measuring device for muscle contraction, consisting of three elements. Firstly, an element for adjusting the axle of the device and the physiological axis of muscle contraction; secondly, an element to accurately position and reposition the extremity of the muscle; and thirdly, an element for the progressive pre-stretching and isometric locking of the target muscle. Thus it is possible to examine individual in vivo muscles in every pre-stretched, specified position, to maintain constant muscle-length conditions, and to accurately re-establish the conditions of the measurement process at later sessions. Results In a sequence of experiments the force of contraction of the muscle at differing stretching lengths were recorded and the forces determined. The optimum muscle length for maximal force of contraction was established. In a following sequence of experiments with smaller graduations around this optimal stretching length an increasingly accurate optimum muscle length for maximal force of contraction was determined. This optimum length was also accurately re-established at later sessions. Conclusion We have introduced a new technical solution for valid, reproducible in vivo force measurements on every possible point of the stretching curve. Thus it should be possible to study the muscle contraction in vivo to the same level of accuracy as is achieved in tests with in vitro organ preparations.

Effects of Conjugate Gradient Methods and Step-Length Formulas on the Multiscale Full Waveform Inversion in Time Domain: Numerical Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Youshan; Teng, Jiwen; Xu, Tao; Badal, José; Liu, Qinya; Zhou, Bing

2017-05-01

We carry out full waveform inversion (FWI) in time domain based on an alternative frequency-band selection strategy that allows us to implement the method with success. This strategy aims at decomposing the seismic data within partially overlapped frequency intervals by carrying out a concatenated treatment of the wavelet to largely avoid redundant frequency information to adapt to wavelength or wavenumber coverage. A pertinent numerical test proves the effectiveness of this strategy. Based on this strategy, we comparatively analyze the effects of update parameters for the nonlinear conjugate gradient (CG) method and step-length formulas on the multiscale FWI through several numerical tests. The investigations of up to eight versions of the nonlinear CG method with and without Gaussian white noise make clear that the HS (Hestenes and Stiefel in J Res Natl Bur Stand Sect 5:409-436, 1952), CD (Fletcher in Practical methods of optimization vol. 1: unconstrained optimization, Wiley, New York, 1987), and PRP (Polak and Ribière in Revue Francaise Informat Recherche Opertionelle, 3e Année 16:35-43, 1969; Polyak in USSR Comput Math Math Phys 9:94-112, 1969) versions are more efficient among the eight versions, while the DY (Dai and Yuan in SIAM J Optim 10:177-182, 1999) version always yields inaccurate result, because it overestimates the deeper parts of the model. The application of FWI algorithms using distinct step-length formulas, such as the direct method ( Direct), the parabolic search method ( Search), and the two-point quadratic interpolation method ( Interp), proves that the Interp is more efficient for noise-free data, while the Direct is more efficient for Gaussian white noise data. In contrast, the Search is less efficient because of its slow convergence. In general, the three step-length formulas are robust or partly insensitive to Gaussian white noise and the complexity of the model. When the initial velocity model deviates far from the real model or the

A novel copper(II) coordination at His186 in full-length murine prion protein

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Watanabe, Yasuko [Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818 (Japan); Hiraoka, Wakako [Laboratory of Biophysics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Igarashi, Manabu; Ito, Kimihito [Department of Global Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Sapporo 001-0020 (Japan); Shimoyama, Yuhei [Soft-Matter Physics Laboratory, Graduate School of Emergent Science, Muroran Institute of Technology, Muroran 050-8585 (Japan); Horiuchi, Motohiro [Laboratory of Prion Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818 (Japan); Yamamori, Tohru; Yasui, Hironobu; Kuwabara, Mikinori [Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818 (Japan); Inagaki, Fuyuhiko [Laboratory of Structural Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812 (Japan); Inanami, Osamu, E-mail: inanami@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp [Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818 (Japan)

2010-04-09

To explore Cu(II) ion coordination by His{sup 186} in the C-terminal domain of full-length prion protein (moPrP), we utilized the magnetic dipolar interaction between a paramagnetic metal, Cu(II) ion, and a spin probe introduced in the neighborhood of the postulated binding site by the spin labeling technique (SDSL technique). Six moPrP mutants, moPrP(D143C), moPrP(Y148C), moPrP(E151C), moPrP(Y156C), moPrP(T189C), and moPrP(Y156C,H186A), were reacted with a methane thiosulfonate spin probe and a nitroxide residue (R1) was created in the binding site of each one. Line broadening of the ESR spectra was induced in the presence of Cu(II) ions in moPrP(Y148R1), moPrP(Y151R1), moPrP(Y156R1), and moPrP(T189R1) but not moPrP(D143R1). This line broadening indicated the presence of electron-electron dipolar interaction between Cu(II) and the nitroxide spin probe, suggesting that each interspin distance was within 20 A. The interspin distance ranges between Cu(II) and the spin probes of moPrP(Y148R1), moPrP(Y151R1), moPrP(Y156R1), and moPrP(T189R1) were estimated to be 12.1 A, 18.1 A, 10.7 A, and 8.4 A, respectively. In moPrP(Y156R1,H186A), line broadening between Cu(II) and the spin probe was not observed. These results suggest that a novel Cu(II) binding site is involved in His186 in the Helix2 region of the C-terminal domain of moPrP{sup C}.

A novel copper(II) coordination at His186 in full-length murine prion protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Yasuko; Hiraoka, Wakako; Igarashi, Manabu; Ito, Kimihito; Shimoyama, Yuhei; Horiuchi, Motohiro; Yamamori, Tohru; Yasui, Hironobu; Kuwabara, Mikinori; Inagaki, Fuyuhiko; Inanami, Osamu

2010-01-01

To explore Cu(II) ion coordination by His 186 in the C-terminal domain of full-length prion protein (moPrP), we utilized the magnetic dipolar interaction between a paramagnetic metal, Cu(II) ion, and a spin probe introduced in the neighborhood of the postulated binding site by the spin labeling technique (SDSL technique). Six moPrP mutants, moPrP(D143C), moPrP(Y148C), moPrP(E151C), moPrP(Y156C), moPrP(T189C), and moPrP(Y156C,H186A), were reacted with a methane thiosulfonate spin probe and a nitroxide residue (R1) was created in the binding site of each one. Line broadening of the ESR spectra was induced in the presence of Cu(II) ions in moPrP(Y148R1), moPrP(Y151R1), moPrP(Y156R1), and moPrP(T189R1) but not moPrP(D143R1). This line broadening indicated the presence of electron-electron dipolar interaction between Cu(II) and the nitroxide spin probe, suggesting that each interspin distance was within 20 A. The interspin distance ranges between Cu(II) and the spin probes of moPrP(Y148R1), moPrP(Y151R1), moPrP(Y156R1), and moPrP(T189R1) were estimated to be 12.1 A, 18.1 A, 10.7 A, and 8.4 A, respectively. In moPrP(Y156R1,H186A), line broadening between Cu(II) and the spin probe was not observed. These results suggest that a novel Cu(II) binding site is involved in His186 in the Helix2 region of the C-terminal domain of moPrP C .

Blind sequence-length estimation of low-SNR cyclostationary sequences

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Vlok, JD

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Several existing direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) detection and estimation algorithms assume prior knowledge of the symbol period or sequence length, although very few sequence-length estimation techniques are available in the literature...

Stochastic Simulation of a Full-Chain Reptation Model with Constraint Release, Chain-Length Fluctuations and Chain Stretching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neergaard, Jesper; Schieber, Jay D.

1999-01-01

A self-consistent reptation model that includes chain stretching, chain-length fluctuations, segment connectivity and constraint release is used to predict transient and steady flows. Quantitative comparisons are made with entangledsolution data. The model is able to capture quantitatively all...

WebPrInSeS: automated full-length clone sequence identification and verification using high-throughput sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Massouras, Andreas; Decouttere, Frederik; Hens, Korneel; Deplancke, Bart

2010-07-01

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) is revolutionizing our ability to obtain cheap, fast and reliable sequence information. Many experimental approaches are expected to benefit from the incorporation of such sequencing features in their pipeline. Consequently, software tools that facilitate such an incorporation should be of great interest. In this context, we developed WebPrInSeS, a web server tool allowing automated full-length clone sequence identification and verification using HTS data. WebPrInSeS encompasses two separate software applications. The first is WebPrInSeS-C which performs automated sequence verification of user-defined open-reading frame (ORF) clone libraries. The second is WebPrInSeS-E, which identifies positive hits in cDNA or ORF-based library screening experiments such as yeast one- or two-hybrid assays. Both tools perform de novo assembly using HTS data from any of the three major sequencing platforms. Thus, WebPrInSeS provides a highly integrated, cost-effective and efficient way to sequence-verify or identify clones of interest. WebPrInSeS is available at http://webprinses.epfl.ch/ and is open to all users.

Leukocyte Telomere Length and Serum Levels of High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin and Dehydroepiandrosterone-Sulfate Could Reflect Distinct Aspects of Longevity in Japanese Centenarians.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Yuji; Aoki, Masato; Yamada, Kazuya

2017-01-01

Leukocyte telomere length and serum levels of high-molecular-weight adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) were assessed in association with nutrition and performance status (PS) in Japanese centenarians. Twenty-three centenarians (five men, 18 women) were classified according to their PS 1 (nearly fully ambulatory, n = 2), 2 (in bed less than 50% of daytime, n = 10), 3 (in bed greater than 50%, n = 6), and 4 (completely bedridden, n = 5). Leukocyte telomere length was determined by the hybridization protection assay, and the adiponectin and DHEA-S levels were measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Among variables of PS, body mass index (BMI), albumin, adiponectin, DHEA-S, and telomere length, there were significant correlations between PS and albumin ( r = -.694, p r = .522, p r = -.574, p r = .530, p r = -.632, p < .01). It was indicated that the short leukocyte telomere was associated with poor PS and cancer development and that the adiponectin or DHEA-S was associated with adiposity or nutritional status. Despite a small number of subjects, these biomarkers seemed to reflect distinct aspects of longevity in Japanese centenarians.

Generation and analysis of large-scale expressed sequence tags (ESTs from a full-length enriched cDNA library of porcine backfat tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Hae-Young

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genome research in farm animals will expand our basic knowledge of the genetic control of complex traits, and the results will be applied in the livestock industry to improve meat quality and productivity, as well as to reduce the incidence of disease. A combination of quantitative trait locus mapping and microarray analysis is a useful approach to reduce the overall effort needed to identify genes associated with quantitative traits of interest. Results We constructed a full-length enriched cDNA library from porcine backfat tissue. The estimated average size of the cDNA inserts was 1.7 kb, and the cDNA fullness ratio was 70%. In total, we deposited 16,110 high-quality sequences in the dbEST division of GenBank (accession numbers: DT319652-DT335761. For all the expressed sequence tags (ESTs, approximately 10.9 Mb of porcine sequence were generated with an average length of 674 bp per EST (range: 200–952 bp. Clustering and assembly of these ESTs resulted in a total of 5,008 unique sequences with 1,776 contigs (35.46% and 3,232 singleton (65.54% ESTs. From a total of 5,008 unique sequences, 3,154 (62.98% were similar to other sequences, and 1,854 (37.02% were identified as having no hit or low identity (Sus scrofa. Gene ontology (GO annotation of unique sequences showed that approximately 31.7, 32.3, and 30.8% were assigned molecular function, biological process, and cellular component GO terms, respectively. A total of 1,854 putative novel transcripts resulted after comparison and filtering with the TIGR SsGI; these included a large percentage of singletons (80.64% and a small proportion of contigs (13.36%. Conclusion The sequence data generated in this study will provide valuable information for studying expression profiles using EST-based microarrays and assist in the condensation of current pig TCs into clusters representing longer stretches of cDNA sequences. The isolation of genes expressed in backfat tissue is the

Functional PAK-2 knockout and replacement with a caspase cleavage-deficient mutant in mice reveals differential requirements of full-length PAK-2 and caspase-activated PAK-2p34.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlin, Jerry W; Chang, Yu-Wen E; Ober, Margaret; Handy, Amy; Xu, Wenhao; Jakobi, Rolf

2011-06-01

p21-Activated protein kinase 2 (PAK-2) has both anti- and pro-apoptotic functions depending on its mechanism of activation. Activation of full-length PAK-2 by the monomeric GTPases Cdc42 or Rac stimulates cell survival, whereas caspase activation of PAK-2 to the PAK-2p34 fragment is involved in the apoptotic response. In this study we use functional knockout of PAK-2 and gene replacement with the caspase cleavage-deficient PAK-2D212N mutant to differentiate the biological functions of full-length PAK-2 and caspase-activated PAK-2p34. Knockout of PAK-2 results in embryonic lethality at early stages before organ development, whereas replacement with the caspase cleavage-deficient PAK-2D212N results in viable and healthy mice, indicating that early embryonic lethality is caused by deficiency of full-length PAK-2 rather than lack of caspase activation to the PAK-2p34 fragment. However, deficiency of caspase activation of PAK-2 decreased spontaneous cell death of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and increased cell growth at high cell density. In contrast, stress-induced cell death by treatment with the anti-cancer drug cisplatin was not reduced by deficiency of caspase activation of PAK-2, but switched from an apoptotic to a nonapoptotic, caspase-independent mechanism. Homozygous PAK-2D212N primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts that lack the ability to generate the proapoptotic PAK-2p34 show less activation of the effector caspase 3, 6, and 7, indicating that caspase activation of PAK-2 amplifies the apoptotic response through a positive feedback loop resulting in more activation of effector caspases.

Performance of RC columns with partial length corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xiaohui; Liang Fayun

2008-01-01

Experimental and analytical studies on the load capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) columns with partial length corrosion are presented, where only a fraction of the column length was corroded. Twelve simply supported columns were eccentrically loaded. The primary variables were partial length corrosion in tensile or compressive zone and the corrosion level within this length. The failure of the corroded column occurs in the partial length, mainly developed from or located nearby or merged with the longitudinal corrosion cracks. For RC column with large eccentricity, load capacity of the column is mainly influenced by the partial length corrosion in tensile zone; while for RC column with small eccentricity, load capacity of the column greatly decreases due to the partial length corrosion in compressive zone. The destruction of the longitudinally mechanical integrality of the column in the partial length leads to this great reduction of the load capacity of the RC column

Zero-point length from string fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontanini, Michele; Spallucci, Euro; Padmanabhan, T.

2006-01-01

One of the leading candidates for quantum gravity, viz. string theory, has the following features incorporated in it. (i) The full spacetime is higher-dimensional, with (possibly) compact extra-dimensions; (ii) there is a natural minimal length below which the concept of continuum spacetime needs to be modified by some deeper concept. On the other hand, the existence of a minimal length (zero-point length) in four-dimensional spacetime, with obvious implications as UV regulator, has been often conjectured as a natural aftermath of any correct quantum theory of gravity. We show that one can incorporate the apparently unrelated pieces of information-zero-point length, extra-dimensions, string T-duality-in a consistent framework. This is done in terms of a modified Kaluza-Klein theory that interpolates between (high-energy) string theory and (low-energy) quantum field theory. In this model, the zero-point length in four dimensions is a 'virtual memory' of the length scale of compact extra-dimensions. Such a scale turns out to be determined by T-duality inherited from the underlying fundamental string theory. From a low energy perspective short distance infinities are cutoff by a minimal length which is proportional to the square root of the string slope, i.e., α ' . Thus, we bridge the gap between the string theory domain and the low energy arena of point-particle quantum field theory

Safety of PEGylated recombinant human full-length coagulation factor VIII (BAX 855) in the overall context of PEG and PEG conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Stidl, R; Fuchs, S; Bossard, M; Siekmann, J; Turecek, P L; Putz, M

2016-01-01

BAX 855 is a PEGylated human full-length recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) based on licensed rFVIII (ADVATE). The applied PEGylation technology has been optimized to retain functionality of the FVIII molecule, improve its pharmacokinetic properties and allow less frequent injections while maintaining efficacy. The aim of this study was to confirm that the excellent safety profile of ADVATE remains unchanged after PEGylation. Non-clinical safety studies with BAX 855 and its respective unbound polyethylene glycol (PEG) were conducted in several species. The distribution of a single dose of radiolabelled BAX 855 was further investigated in rats. Publically available safety data on PEG alone and PEGylated biomolecules were summarized and reviewed for specific safety findings attributable to PEG or PEGylated biopharmaceuticals. Safety pharmacology studies in rabbits and macaques and repeated dose toxicity studies in rats and macaques identified no safety issues. Results of a distribution study in rats administered radiolabelled BAX 855 showed that radioactivity was completely excreted; urine was the major elimination route. A 28-day study in rats dosed with the unbound PEG constituent (PEG2ru20KCOOH) of BAX 855 showed no adverse or non-adverse effects. Safety data for PEG and PEG-protein conjugates indicate no safety concerns associated with PEG at clinically relevant dose levels. Although vacuolation of certain cell types has been reported in mammals, no such vacuolation was observed with BAX 855 or with the unbound PEG constituent. Non-clinical safety evaluation of PEG and BAX 855 identified no safety signals; the compound is now in clinical development for the treatment of patients with haemophilia A. © 2015 Baxalta Innovations GmbH. Haemophilia Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Full length SSC R and D dipole magnet test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, J.; Bleadon, M.; Brown, B.C.

1989-03-01

Four full scale SSC development dipole magnets have been tested for mechanical and quench behavior. Two are of a design similar to previous magnets but contain a number of improvements, including more uniform coil size, higher pre-stress and a redesigned inner-outer coil splice. One exceeds the SSC operating current on the second quench but the other appears to be limited by damaged superconductor to a lower current. The other two magnets are of alternate designs. One trains erratically and fails to reach a plateau and the other reaches plateau after four quenches. 12 refs., 4 figs

The effect of halo-vest length on stability of the cervical spine. A study in normal subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, G J; Moskal, J T; Albert, T; Pritts, C; Schuch, C M; Stamp, W G

1988-03-01

In order to study how the efficiency of the halo vest is affected by different lengths of the vest, an experimental headband was devised that allowed the head of a normal person to be held securely in the halo attachment. The vest was then modified to allow it to be adjusted to three different lengths (Fig. 2): a full vest extended to the iliac crests, a short vest extended to the twelfth ribs, and a half vest extended to the level of the nipples. Twenty normal, healthy adult men participated in the study. For each vest length, radiographs were made of each subject demonstrating rotation, flexion-extension, and lateral bending of the cervical spine. There was no rotation of the cervical spine, regardless of the length of the vest. There was a variable degree of motion in flexion or extension of the upper part of the cervical spine with all vest lengths, but this was not statistically significant. There was definite increase of motion caudad to the level of the fifth cervical vertebra regardless of the length of the vest. We concluded that a lesion of the upper part of the cervical spine can be treated effectively by halo traction with a half vest. This will improve the comfort and care of the patient and avoid the necessity of removing the vest if emergency cardiovascular resuscitation is needed. In the treatment of lesions of the lower part of the cervical spine (caudad to the level of the fourth cervical vertebra), the use of a halo vest that extends caudad to the level of the twelfth ribs does provide additional stability.

Lyso-myristoyl phosphatidylcholine micelles sustain the activity of Dengue non-structural (NS) protein 3 protease domain fused with the full-length NS2B.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Qiwei; Li, Qingxin; Joy, Joma; Chen, Angela Shuyi; Ruiz-Carrillo, David; Hill, Jeffrey; Lescar, Julien; Kang, Congbao

2013-12-01

Dengue virus (DENV), a member of the flavivirus genus, affects 50-100 million people in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The DENV protease domain is located at the N-terminus of the NS3 protease and requires for its enzymatic activity a hydrophilic segment of the NS2B that acts as a cofactor. The protease is an important antiviral drug target because it plays a crucial role in virus replication by cleaving the genome-coded polypeptide into mature functional proteins. Currently, there are no drugs to inhibit DENV protease activity. Most structural and functional studies have been conducted using protein constructs containing the NS3 protease domain connected to a soluble segment of the NS2B membrane protein via a nine-residue linker. For in vitro structural and functional studies, it would be useful to produce a natural form of the DENV protease containing the NS3 protease domain and the full-length NS2B protein. Herein, we describe the expression and purification of a natural form of DENV protease (NS2BFL-NS3pro) containing the full-length NS2B protein and the protease domain of NS3 (NS3pro). The protease was expressed and purified in detergent micelles necessary for its folding. Our results show that this purified protein was active in detergent micelles such as lyso-myristoyl phosphatidylcholine (LMPC). These findings should facilitate further structural and functional studies of the protease and will facilitate drug discovery targeting DENV. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of ureteral length in adult cadavers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo F. F. Novaes

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction In some occasions, correlations between human structures can help planning surgical intra-abdominal interventions. The previous determination of ureteral length helps pre-operatory planning of surgeries, reduces costs of auxiliary exams, the correct choice of double-J catheter with low morbidity and fewer symptoms, and an adequate adhesion to treatment. Objective To evaluate ureteral length in adult cadavers and to analyze its correlation with anthropometric measures. Materials and Methods: From April 2009 to January 2012 we determined ureteral length of adult cadavers submitted to necropsy and obtained the following measures: height, distance from shoulder to wrist, elbow-wrist, xiphoid appendix-umbilicus, umbilicus-pubis, xiphoid appendix-pubis and between iliac spines. We analyzed the correlations between ureteral length and those anthropometric measures. Results We dissected 115 ureters from 115 adult corpses from April 2009 to January 2012. Median ureteral length didn't vary between sexes or according to height. It was observed no correlation among ureteral length and all considered anthropometric measures in all analyzed subgroups and in general population. There were no significant differences between right and left ureteral measures. Conclusions There is no difference of ureteral length in relation to height or gender (male or female. There is no significant correlation among ureteral length and the considered anthropometric measures.

Upscaling of polymer solar cell fabrication using full roll-to-roll processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krebs, Frederik C; Tromholt, Thomas; Jørgensen, Mikkel

2010-01-01

factors (excluding bus bars) of 50, 67 and 75% respectively. In addition modules with lengths of 6, 10, 20, 22.5 and 25 cm were explored. The devices were prepared by full roll-to-roll solution processing in a web width of 305 mm and roll lengths of up to 200 m. The devices were encapsulated...... with a barrier material in a full roll-to-roll process using standard adhesives giving the devices excellent stability during storage and operation. The total area of processed polymer solar cell was around 60 m2 per run. The solar cells were characterised using a roll-to-roll system comprising a solar simulator...... to the cost for electricity using existing technologies the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is expected to be significantly higher than the existing technologies due to the inferior operational lifetime. The presented devices are thus competitive for consumer electronics but ill-suited for on...

Effect of marital distance on birth weight and length of offspring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozieł Sławomir

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Marital distance (MD, the geographical distance between birthplaces of spouses, is considered an agent favouring occurrence of heterosis and can be used as a measure of its level. Heterosis itself is a phenomenon of hybrid vigour and seems to be an important factor regulating human growth and development. The main aim of the study is to examine potential effects of MD on birth weight and length of offspring, controlling for socioeconomic status (SES, mother’s age and birth order. Birth weight (2562 boys and 2572 girls and length (2526 boys, 2542 girls of children born in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski (Poland in 1980, 1983, 1985 and 1988 were recorded during cross-sectional surveys carried out between 1994-1999. Data regarding the socio-demographic variables of families were provided by the parents. Analysis of covariance showed that MD significantly affected both birth weight and length, allowing for sex, birth order, mother’s age and SES of family. For both sexes, a greater marital distance was associated with a higher birth weight and a longer birth length. Our results support the hypothesis that a greater geographical distance between the birth places of parents may contribute to the heterosis effects in offspring. Better birth outcomes may be one of the manifestations of these effects.

Divergence of host range and biological properties between natural isolate and full-length infectious cDNA clone of the Beet mild yellowing virus 2ITB.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Elodie; Brault, Véronique; Klein, Delphine; Weyens, Guy; Lefèbvre, Marc; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Gilmer, David

2014-01-01

Plant infection by poleroviruses is restricted to phloem tissues, preventing any classical leaf rub inoculation with viral RNA or virions. Efficient virus inoculation to plants is achieved by viruliferous aphids that acquire the virus by feeding on infected plants. The use of promoter-driven infectious cDNA is an alternative means to infect plants and allows reverse genetic studies to be performed. Using Beet mild yellowing virus isolate 2ITB (BMYV-2ITB), we produced a full-length infectious cDNA clone of the virus (named BMYV-EK) placed under the control of the T7 RNA polymerase and the Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoters. Infectivity of the engineered BMYV-EK virus was assayed in different plant species and compared with that of the original virus. We showed that in vitro- or in planta-derived transcripts were infectious in protoplasts and in whole plants. Importantly, the natural aphid vector Myzus persicae efficiently transmitted the viral progeny produced in infected plants. By comparing agroinoculation and aphid infection in a host range assay, we showed that the engineered BMYV-EK virus displayed a similar host range to BMYV-2ITB, except for Nicotiana benthamiana, which proved to be resistant to systemic infection with BMYV-EK. Finally, both the BMYV-EK P0 and the full-length clone were able to strongly interfere with post-transcriptional gene silencing. © 2013 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Telomeric repeat factor 1 protein levels correlates with telomere length in colorectal cancer Los niveles proteicos del factor de repetición telomérico 1 se correlacionan con la longitud del telómero en el cáncer colorrectal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Valls-Bautista

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Background: colorectal cancer is the third cancer cause of death in Spain. It is important to investigate new tumoral markers for early diagnosis, disease monitoring and prevention strategies. Telomeres protect the chromosome from degradation by nucleases and end-to-end fusion. The progressive loss of the telomeric ends of chromosomes is an important mechanism in the timing of human cellular aging. Telomeric Repeat Factor 1 (TRF1 is a protein that binds at telomere ends. Purpose: to measure the concentrations of TRF1 and the relationships among telomere length, telomerase activity, and TRF1 levels in tumor and normal colorectal mucosa. Method: from normal and tumoral samples of 83 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer we analyzed TRF1 protein concentration by Western Blot, telomerase activity, by the fluorescent-telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay and telomere length by Southern Blot. Results: high levels of TRF1 were observed in 68.7% of tumor samples, while the majority of normal samples (59% showed negative or weak TRF1 concentrations. Among the tumor samples, telomere length was significantly associated with TRF1 protein levels (p = 0.023. Conclusions: a relationship was found between telomere length and TRF1 abundance protein in tumor samples, which means that TRF1 is an important factor in the tumor progression and maybe a diagnostic factor.

Extreme telomere length dimorphism in the Tasmanian devil and related marsupials suggests parental control of telomere length.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah S Bender

Full Text Available Telomeres, specialised structures that protect chromosome ends, play a critical role in preserving chromosome integrity. Telomere dynamics in the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii are of particular interest in light of the emergence of devil facial tumour disease (DFTD, a transmissible malignancy that causes rapid mortality and threatens the species with extinction. We used fluorescent in situ hybridisation to investigate telomere length in DFTD cells, in healthy Tasmanian devils and in four closely related marsupial species. Here we report that animals in the Order Dasyuromorphia have chromosomes characterised by striking telomere length dimorphism between homologues. Findings in sex chromosomes suggest that telomere length dimorphism may be regulated by events in the parental germlines. Long telomeres on the Y chromosome imply that telomere lengthening occurs during spermatogenesis, whereas telomere diminution occurs during oogenesis. Although found in several somatic cell tissue types, telomere length dimorphism was not found in DFTD cancer cells, which are characterised by uniformly short telomeres. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of naturally occurring telomere length dimorphism in any species and suggests a novel strategy of telomere length control. Comparative studies in five distantly related marsupials and a monotreme indicate that telomere dimorphism evolved at least 50 million years ago.

Pseudo-polyprotein translated from the full-length ORF1 of capillovirus is important for pathogenicity, but a truncated ORF1 protein without variable and CP regions is sufficient for replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Hisae; Yamaji, Yasuyuki; Komatsu, Ken; Kagiwada, Satoshi; Oshima, Kenro; Okano, Yukari; Takahashi, Shuichiro; Ugaki, Masashi; Namba, Shigetou

2010-09-01

The first open-reading frame (ORF) of the genus Capillovirus encodes an apparently chimeric polyprotein containing conserved regions for replicase (Rep) and coat protein (CP), while other viruses in the family Flexiviridae have separate ORFs encoding these proteins. To investigate the role of the full-length ORF1 polyprotein of capillovirus, we generated truncation mutants of ORF1 of apple stem grooving virus by inserting a termination codon into the variable region located between the putative Rep- and CP-coding regions. These mutants were capable of systemic infection, although their pathogenicity was attenuated. In vitro translation of ORF1 produced both the full-length polyprotein and the smaller Rep protein. The results of in vivo reporter assays suggested that the mechanism of this early termination is a ribosomal -1 frame-shift occurring downstream from the conserved Rep domains. The mechanism of capillovirus gene expression and the very close evolutionary relationship between the genera Capillovirus and Trichovirus are discussed. Copyright (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The impact of cultural distance on bilateral arm's length exports

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slangen, A.H.L.; Beugelsdijk, S.; Hennart, J.-F.

2011-01-01

Prior studies have argued and regularly found that cultural distance is negatively related to bilateral export flows, which are the sum of arm’s length and intra-firm exports. However, these macro-level studies overlook the firm-level insights that arm’s length exports are a substitute for arm’s

Young Children's Understandings of Length Measurement: Evaluating a Learning Trajectory

Science.gov (United States)

Szilagyi, Janka; Clements, Douglas H.; Sarama, Julie

2013-01-01

This study investigated the development of length measurement ideas in students from prekindergarten through 2nd grade. The main purpose was to evaluate and elaborate the developmental progression, or levels of thinking, of a hypothesized learning trajectory for length measurement to ensure that the sequence of levels of thinking is consistent…

The MX/G/1 queue with queue length dependent service times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bong Dae Choi

2001-01-01

Full Text Available We deal with the MX/G/1 queue where service times depend on the queue length at the service initiation. By using Markov renewal theory, we derive the queue length distribution at departure epochs. We also obtain the transient queue length distribution at time t and its limiting distribution and the virtual waiting time distribution. The numerical results for transient mean queue length and queue length distributions are given.

Control and design of full-bridge three-level converter for renewable energy sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yao, Zhilei; Xu, Jing; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

Output voltage of renewable energy sources, such as fuel cell and PV cell, is often low and varies widely with load and environmental conditions. Therefore, the high step-up DC-DC converter is needed between renewable energy sources and the grid-connected inverter. However, voltage stress...... of rectifier diodes is high and filter is large in traditional voltage-source converters in a wide input-voltage range. In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a full-bridge (FB) three-level (TL) converter is proposed. It can operate at both two-level and three-level modes, so it is suitable for wide...

Full-length characterization of A1/D intersubtype recombinant genomes from a therapy-induced HIV type 1 controller during acute infection and his noncontrolling partner

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fomsgaard, A.; Vinner, L.; Therrien, D.

2008-01-01

To increase the understanding of mechanisms of HIV control we have genetically and immunologically characterized a full-length HIV-1 isolated from an acute infection in a rare case of undetectable viremia. The subject, a 43-year-old Danish white male (DK1), was diagnosed with acute HIV-1 infection...... and phylogenic trees were constructed and diversity and evolutionary distances were calculated. Intracellular IFN-gamma in CD8(+)CD3(+) T-lymphocyte reactions was investigated by intracellular flow cytometry (IC-FACS). Virus isolates from both patients were A1D intersubtype recombinants showing 98% sequence...

Association of murine lupus and thymic full-length endogenous retroviral expression maps to a bone marrow stem cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krieg, A.M.; Gourley, M.F.; Steinberg, A.D.

1991-01-01

Recent studies of thymic gene expression in murine lupus have demonstrated 8.4-kb (full-length size) modified polytropic (Mpmv) endogenous retroviral RNA. In contrast, normal control mouse strains do not produce detectable amounts of such RNA in their thymuses. Prior studies have attributed a defect in experimental tolerance in murine lupus to a bone marrow stem cell rather than to the thymic epithelium; in contrast, infectious retroviral expression has been associated with the thymic epithelium, rather than with the bone marrow stem cell. The present study was designed to determine whether the abnormal Mpmv expression associated with murine lupus mapped to thymic epithelium or to a marrow precursor. Lethally irradiated control and lupus-prone mice were reconstituted with T cell depleted bone marrow; one month later their thymuses were studied for endogenous retroviral RNA and protein expression. Recipients of bone marrow from nonautoimmune donors expressed neither 8.4-kb Mpmv RNA nor surface MCF gp70 in their thymuses. In contrast, recipients of bone marrow from autoimmune NZB or BXSB donors expressed thymic 8.4-kb Mpmv RNA and mink cell focus-forming gp70. These studies demonstrate that lupus-associated 8.4-kb Mpmv endogenous retroviral expression is determined by bone marrow stem cells

Investigating the effects of exam length on performance and cognitive fatigue.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie L Jensen

Full Text Available This study examined the effects of exam length on student performance and cognitive fatigue in an undergraduate biology classroom. Exams tested higher order thinking skills. To test our hypothesis, we administered standard- and extended-length high-level exams to two populations of non-majors biology students. We gathered exam performance data between conditions as well as performance on the first and second half of exams within conditions. We showed that lengthier exams led to better performance on assessment items shared between conditions, possibly lending support to the spreading activation theory. It also led to greater performance on the final exam, lending support to the testing effect in creative problem solving. Lengthier exams did not result in lower performance due to fatiguing conditions, although students perceived subjective fatigue. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to assessment practices.

Telomere length modulation in human astroglial brain tumors.

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Domenico La Torre

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Telomeres alteration during carcinogenesis and tumor progression has been described in several cancer types. Telomeres length is stabilized by telomerase (h-TERT and controlled by several proteins that protect telomere integrity, such as the Telomere Repeat-binding Factor (TRF 1 and 2 and the tankyrase-poli-ADP-ribose polymerase (TANKs-PARP complex. OBJECTIVE: To investigate telomere dysfunction in astroglial brain tumors we analyzed telomeres length, telomerase activity and the expression of a panel of genes controlling the length and structure of telomeres in tissue samples obtained in vivo from astroglial brain tumors with different grade of malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight Low Grade Astrocytomas (LGA, 11 Anaplastic Astrocytomas (AA and 11 Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM samples were analyzed. Three samples of normal brain tissue (NBT were used as controls. Telomeres length was assessed through Southern Blotting. Telomerase activity was evaluated by a telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP assay. The expression levels of TRF1, TRF2, h-TERT and TANKs-PARP complex were determined through Immunoblotting and RT-PCR. RESULTS: LGA were featured by an up-regulation of TRF1 and 2 and by shorter telomeres. Conversely, AA and GBM were featured by a down-regulation of TRF1 and 2 and an up-regulation of both telomerase and TANKs-PARP complex. CONCLUSIONS: In human astroglial brain tumours, up-regulation of TRF1 and TRF2 occurs in the early stages of carcinogenesis determining telomeres shortening and genomic instability. In a later stage, up-regulation of PARP-TANKs and telomerase activation may occur together with an ADP-ribosylation of TRF1, causing a reduced ability to bind telomeric DNA, telomeres elongation and tumor malignant progression.

Comparison of Newly Assembled Full Length HIV-1 Integrase With Prototype Foamy Virus Integrase: Structure-Function Prospective.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayer, Mohammad Reza

2016-05-01

Drug design against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase through its mechanistic study is of great interest in the area in biological research. The main obstacle in this area is the absence of the full-length crystal structure for HIV-1 integrase to be used as a model. A complete structure, similar to HIV-1 of a prototype foamy virus integrase in complex with DNA, including all conservative residues, is available and has been extensively used in recent investigations. The aim of this study was to determine whether the above model is precisely representative of HIV-1 integrase. This would critically determine the success of any designed drug using the model in deactivation of integrase and AIDS treatment. Primarily, a new structure for HIV-1 was constructed, using a crystal structure of prototype foamy virus as the starting structure. The constructed structure of HIV-1 integrase was simultaneously simulated with a prototype foamy virus integrase on a separate occasion. Our results indicate that the HIV-1 system behaves differently from the prototype foamy virus in terms of folding, hydration, hydrophobicity of binding site and stability. Based on our findings, we can conclude that HIV-1 integrase is vastly different from the prototype foamy virus integrase and does not resemble it, and the modeling output of the prototype foamy virus simulations could not be simply generalized to HIV-1 integrase. Therefore, our HIV-1 model seems to be more representative and more useful for future research.

Torsion of the bar of the round transverse section from the variable on length and the transverse section porosity

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Shlyakhov S.M.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The present article is devoted to the task of finding of level of the secondary tangent voltages arising in sections because of a variable on porosity length. The decision of such task will allow to consider secondary tangent voltages in case of determination of bearing capacity of a porous bar. Distribution of porosity on a transverse section is set rationally - pro-ceeding from early the solved tasks on selection of porosity in case of torsion of a bar of a round transverse section, on bar length – under the linear law. A research objective is to determine the level of secondary tangent voltages and to evaluate from value.

Generation and biological assessment of recombinant avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) viruses containing different length of the G gene.

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Yu, Qingzhong; Estevez, Carlos; Song, Minxun; Kapczynski, Darrell; Zsak, Laszlo

2010-02-01

Genetic variation in length of the G gene among different avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) isolates has been reported. However, its biological significance in virus replication, pathogenicity and immunity is unknown. In this study, we developed a reverse genetics system for aMPV-C and generated two Colorado (CO) strain-based recombinant viruses containing either the full-length G gene derived from a Canadian goose isolate or a C-terminally truncated G gene of the CO strain. The truncated short G (sG) gene encoded 252 amino acids (aa), which is 333 aa shorter than the full-length G (585 aa). The biological properties of these two recombinant G variants were assessed in Vero cells and in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) turkeys. In Vero cells, the short G variant displayed a similar level of growth dynamics and virus titers as the parental aMPV-CO strain, whereas the full-length G variant replicated less efficiently than the sG variant during the first 72 h post-infection. Both of the G variants induced typical cytopathic effects (CPE) that were indistinguishable from those seen with the parental aMPV-CO infection. In SPF turkeys, both of the G variants were attenuated and caused little or no disease signs, but the full-length G variant appeared to grow more readily in tracheal tissue than the sG variant during the first 5 days post-infection. Both G variants were immunogenic and induced a slightly different level of antibody response. These results demonstrated that the large portion (333 aa) of the extracellular domain of the viral attachment protein is not essential for virus viability in vitro and in vivo, but may play a role in enhancing virus attachment specificity and immunity in a natural host. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary protein level and length of fattening period on dressing percentage and carcass conformation in broiler chickens

OpenAIRE

Dosković, Vladimir; Bogosavljević-Bošković, Snežana; Škrbić, Zdenka; Đoković, Radojica; Rakonjac, Simeon; Petričević, Veselin

2017-01-01

This study analyses the effect of different protein levels in broiler feeds (supplemented with protease) and different lengths of fattening period on some parameters related to dressed carcass quality. Medium-growing Master Gris broiler chickens were used in a fattening trial lasting 63 days. At slaughter, dressing percentages and abdominal fat percentages were determined based on traditionally dressed carcass weights and abdominal fat weights of broilers at 49 and 63 days, and conformation i...

Effect of repetitive pecking at working length for glide path preparation using G-file

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Jung-Hong Ha

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives Glide path preparation is recommended to reduce torsional failure of nickel-titanium (NiTi rotary instruments and to prevent root canal transportation. This study evaluated whether the repetitive insertions of G-files to the working length maintain the apical size as well as provide sufficient lumen as a glide path for subsequent instrumentation. Materials and Methods The G-file system (Micro-Mega composed of G1 and G2 files for glide path preparation was used with the J-shaped, simulated resin canals. After inserting a G1 file twice, a G2 file was inserted to the working length 1, 4, 7, or 10 times for four each experimental group, respectively (n = 10. Then the canals were cleaned by copious irrigation, and lubricated with a separating gel medium. Canal replicas were made using silicone impression material, and the diameter of the replicas was measured at working length (D0 and 1 mm level (D1 under a scanning electron microscope. Data was analysed by one-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests (p = 0.05. Results The diameter at D0 level did not show any significant difference between the 1, 2, 4, and 10 times of repetitive pecking insertions of G2 files at working length. However, 10 times of pecking motion with G2 file resulted in significantly larger canal diameter at D1 (p < 0.05. Conclusions Under the limitations of this study, the repetitive insertion of a G2 file up to 10 times at working length created an adequate lumen for subsequent apical shaping with other rotary files bigger than International Organization for Standardization (ISO size 20, without apical transportation at D0 level.

The Effects of Two Different Deficit Irrigation Managements on the Root Length of Maize

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M. Gheysari

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The response of root to water stress is one of the most important parameters for researchers. Study of growth and distribution of root under different irrigation managements helpsresearchersto a better understanding of soil water content, and the availability of water and nutrition in water stress condition. To investigate the effects of four levels of irrigation under two different deficit irrigation managements on the root length of maize, a study was conducted in 2009. Irrigation managements included fixed irrigation interval-variable irrigation depth (M1 and variable irrigation interval-fixed irrigation depth (M2. Maize plants were planted in 120 large 110-liter containers in a strip-plot design in a randomized complete block with three replications. Root data sampling was done after root washing in five growth stages. The results showed that the effect of irrigation levels on root length was significant (P

The relationship of protein conservation and sequence length

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Panchenko Anna R

2002-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In general, the length of a protein sequence is determined by its function and the wide variance in the lengths of an organism's proteins reflects the diversity of specific functional roles for these proteins. However, additional evolutionary forces that affect the length of a protein may be revealed by studying the length distributions of proteins evolving under weaker functional constraints. Results We performed sequence comparisons to distinguish highly conserved and poorly conserved proteins from the bacterium Escherichia coli, the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus, and the eukaryotes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. For all organisms studied, the conserved and nonconserved proteins have strikingly different length distributions. The conserved proteins are, on average, longer than the poorly conserved ones, and the length distributions for the poorly conserved proteins have a relatively narrow peak, in contrast to the conserved proteins whose lengths spread over a wider range of values. For the two prokaryotes studied, the poorly conserved proteins approximate the minimal length distribution expected for a diverse range of structural folds. Conclusions There is a relationship between protein conservation and sequence length. For all the organisms studied, there seems to be a significant evolutionary trend favoring shorter proteins in the absence of other, more specific functional constraints.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-Treated Hydroponic Culture Reduces Length and Diameter of Root Hairs of Wheat Varieties

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Arif Hasan Khan Robin

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Wheat is an important cereal crop worldwide that often suffers from moisture deficits at the reproductive stage. Polyethylene glycol (PEG-treated hydroponic conditions create negative osmotic potential which is compared with moisture deficit stress. An experiment was conducted in a growth chamber to study the effects of PEG on root hair morphology and associated traits of wheat varieties. Plants of 13 wheat varieties were grown hydroponically and three different doses of PEG 6000 (w/v: 0% (control, 0.3% and 0.6% (less than −1 bar were imposed on 60 days after sowing for 20 days’ duration. A low PEG concentration was imposed to observe how initial low moisture stress might affect root hair development. PEG-treated hydroponic culture significantly decreased root hair diameter and length. Estimated surface area reduction of root hairs at the main axes of wheat plants was around nine times at the 0.6% PEG level compared to the control plants. Decrease in root hair diameter and length under PEG-induced culture decreased “potential” root surface area per unit length of main root axis. A negative association between panicle traits, length and dry weight and the main axis length of young roots indicated competition for carbon during their development. Data provides insight into how a low PEG level might alter root hair development.

Quench propagation study for the BNL-built, full-length, 50mm aperture SSC model dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muratore, J.; Anerella, M.; Cottingham, G.

1993-01-01

As part of the program to build and test SSC 50mm aperture prototype dipole magnets, a series of seven full-length dipoles were built and tested at BNL. Important part of the testing program was the study of quench propagation velocity and hot spot temperature over a range of experimental conditions in order to characterize the safety of the conductor during quenches experienced under different circumstances. Such studies are important tools in design, implementation, and verification of quench protection strategies in superconducting accelerator magnets. This investigation was facilitated by artificially inducing quenches under controlled experimental conditions with spot heaters placed at carefully chosen locations on the magnet coils. Such studies were done as part of the 15m-long magnet test program and were performed on five of the magnets in the series. All were equipped with spot heaters on an inner coil, and two of these also had spot heaters on an outer coil. Therefore, in addition to the studies in the inner coils, it was also possible to study quench propagation in the outer coils, where slower quench velocities and higher conductor temperatures are expected, in comparison to that in the inner coils. In spontaneous quenches, where there may be no voltage taps, it is not possible to measure the conductor hot spot temperature. It is straightforward to measure the number of MIITs generated, since only the magnet current and voltage need be measured. The concept of MIITs then becomes a valuable diagnostic tool which can characterize the temperature behavior of a conductor during quench and can be used to determine limits for safe operation of the coil. With spot heaters placed at known locations and closely bracketed by voltage taps, hot spot temperature can be measured. Research such as is described in this paper is therefore important in order to determine the validity of the MIITs approach and to establish a correlation between temperature and MIITs

Digitization and simulation realization of full range control system for steam generator water level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian Hong; Ye Jianhua; Qian Fei; Li Chao

2010-01-01

In this paper, a full range digital control system for the steam generator water level is designed by a control scheme of single element control and three-element cascade feed-forward control, and the method to use the software module configuration is proposed to realize the water level control strategy. This control strategy is then applied in the operation of the nuclear power simulation machine. The simulation result curves indicate that the steam generator water level maintains constant at the stable operation condition, and when the load changes, the water level changes but finally maintains the constant. (authors)

The Length-Weight, Length-Length Relationship and Condition Factor of Angora Loach, Oxynoemacheilus angorae (Steindachner, 1897 Inhabiting Kılıçözü Stream in Kızılırmak River Basin (Central Anatolia-Turkey

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Okan Yazıcıoğlu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, length-weight relationship (LWR, length- length relationship (LLR and condition factor (K of Angora loach, Oxynoemacheilus angorae were determined. A total of 103 specimens were sampled from Kılıçözü Stream in 2014. The length and weight of specimens were ranged 3.5-9.8 cm and 0.38-6.58 g, respectively. Length-weight relationships for female, male and all samples were found as W= 0.01056.TL2.896 (r²= 0.923, W= 0.00963.TL2.940 (r²= 0.978 and W= 0.00987.TL2.929 (r²= 0.963, respectively. LWRs indicated an isometric growth in female, male and all samples. The values of Fulton’s condition factor (K ranged from 0.699 to 1.246 for females and from 0.654 to 1.072 for males. All length-length relationships were statistically significant.

Single-cell telomere-length quantification couples telomere length to meristem activity and stem cell development in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

González-García, Mary-Paz; Pavelescu, Irina; Canela, Andrés; Sevillano, Xavier; Leehy, Katherine A; Nelson, Andrew D L; Ibañes, Marta; Shippen, Dorothy E; Blasco, Maria A; Caño-Delgado, Ana I

2015-05-12

Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein caps that protect chromosome ends assuring cell division. Single-cell telomere quantification in animals established a critical role for telomerase in stem cells, yet, in plants, telomere-length quantification has been reported only at the organ level. Here, a quantitative analysis of telomere length of single cells in Arabidopsis root apex uncovered a heterogeneous telomere-length distribution of different cell lineages showing the longest telomeres at the stem cells. The defects in meristem and stem cell renewal observed in tert mutants demonstrate that telomere lengthening by TERT sets a replicative limit in the root meristem. Conversely, the long telomeres of the columella cells and the premature stem cell differentiation plt1,2 mutants suggest that differentiation can prevent telomere erosion. Overall, our results indicate that telomere dynamics are coupled to meristem activity and continuous growth, disclosing a critical association between telomere length, stem cell function, and the extended lifespan of plants. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuroprotective Effects of Psychotropic Drugs in Huntington’s Disease

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Edward C. Lauterbach

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Psychotropics (antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, anxiolytics, etc. are commonly prescribed to treat Huntington’s disease (HD. In HD preclinical models, while no psychotropic has convincingly affected huntingtin gene, HD modifying gene, or huntingtin protein expression, psychotropic neuroprotective effects include upregulated huntingtin autophagy (lithium, histone acetylation (lithium, valproate, lamotrigine, miR-222 (lithium-plus-valproate, mitochondrial protection (haloperidol, trifluoperazine, imipramine, desipramine, nortriptyline, maprotiline, trazodone, sertraline, venlafaxine, melatonin, neurogenesis (lithium, valproate, fluoxetine, sertraline, and BDNF (lithium, valproate, sertraline and downregulated AP-1 DNA binding (lithium, p53 (lithium, huntingtin aggregation (antipsychotics, lithium, and apoptosis (trifluoperazine, loxapine, lithium, desipramine, nortriptyline, maprotiline, cyproheptadine, melatonin. In HD live mouse models, delayed disease onset (nortriptyline, melatonin, striatal preservation (haloperidol, tetrabenazine, lithium, sertraline, memory preservation (imipramine, trazodone, fluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, motor improvement (tetrabenazine, lithium, valproate, imipramine, nortriptyline, trazodone, sertraline, venlafaxine, and extended survival (lithium, valproate, sertraline, melatonin have been documented. Upregulated CREB binding protein (CBP; valproate, dextromethorphan and downregulated histone deacetylase (HDAC; valproate await demonstration in HD models. Most preclinical findings await replication and their limitations are reviewed. The most promising findings involve replicated striatal neuroprotection and phenotypic disease modification in transgenic mice for tetrabenazine and for sertraline. Clinical data consist of an uncontrolled lithium case series (n = 3 suggesting non-progression and a primarily negative double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of lamotrigine.

Correlation length estimation in a polycrystalline material model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonovski, I.; Cizelj, L.

2005-01-01

This paper deals with the correlation length estimated from a mesoscopic model of a polycrystalline material. The correlation length can be used in some macroscopic material models as a material parameter that describes the internal length. It can be estimated directly from the strain and stress fields calculated from a finite-element model, which explicitly accounts for the selected mesoscopic features such as the random orientation, shape and size of the grains. A crystal plasticity material model was applied in the finite-element analysis. Different correlation lengths were obtained depending on the used set of crystallographic orientations. We determined that the different sets of crystallographic orientations affect the general level of the correlation length, however, as the external load is increased the behaviour of correlation length is similar in all the analyzed cases. The correlation lengths also changed with the macroscopic load. If the load is below the yield strength the correlation lengths are constant, and are slightly higher than the average grain size. The correlation length can therefore be considered as an indicator of first plastic deformations in the material. Increasing the load above the yield strength creates shear bands that temporarily increase the values of the correlation lengths calculated from the strain fields. With a further load increase the correlation lengths decrease slightly but stay above the average grain size. (author)

How Full is Full Employment? : How Tools and Not Theory Explained Full Employment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodenburg, P.

2016-01-01

The post-war debate on full employment policy was blurred and unclear since the concept of full employment itself was theoretically unclear and un-operational. Unable to theoretically determine the unemployment level of full employment, economists tried to find more empirically based ways to

Structure and function of the first full-length murein peptide ligase (Mpl) cell wall recycling protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Debanu; Hervé, Mireille; Feuerhelm, Julie; Farr, Carol L; Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Elsliger, Marc-André; Knuth, Mark W; Klock, Heath E; Miller, Mitchell D; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A; Deacon, Ashley M; Mengin-Lecreulx, Dominique; Wilson, Ian A

2011-03-18

Bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan, an essential polymer made by enzymes in the Mur pathway. These proteins are specific to bacteria, which make them targets for drug discovery. MurC, MurD, MurE and MurF catalyze the synthesis of the peptidoglycan precursor UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine by the sequential addition of amino acids onto UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UDP-MurNAc). MurC-F enzymes have been extensively studied by biochemistry and X-ray crystallography. In gram-negative bacteria, ∼30-60% of the bacterial cell wall is recycled during each generation. Part of this recycling process involves the murein peptide ligase (Mpl), which attaches the breakdown product, the tripeptide L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelate, to UDP-MurNAc. We present the crystal structure at 1.65 Å resolution of a full-length Mpl from the permafrost bacterium Psychrobacter arcticus 273-4 (PaMpl). Although the Mpl structure has similarities to Mur enzymes, it has unique sequence and structure features that are likely related to its role in cell wall recycling, a function that differentiates it from the MurC-F enzymes. We have analyzed the sequence-structure relationships that are unique to Mpl proteins and compared them to MurC-F ligases. We have also characterized the biochemical properties of this enzyme (optimal temperature, pH and magnesium binding profiles and kinetic parameters). Although the structure does not contain any bound substrates, we have identified ∼30 residues that are likely to be important for recognition of the tripeptide and UDP-MurNAc substrates, as well as features that are unique to Psychrobacter Mpl proteins. These results provide the basis for future mutational studies for more extensive function characterization of the Mpl sequence-structure relationships.

Transgenic Parasites Stably Expressing Full-Length Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein as a Model for Vaccine Down-Selection in Mice Using Sterile Protection as an Endpoint

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Michael D.; Nicki, Jennifer; Pool, Christopher D.; DeBot, Margot; Illam, Ratish M.; Brando, Clara; Bozick, Brooke; De La Vega, Patricia; Angra, Divya; Spaccapelo, Roberta; Crisanti, Andrea; Murphy, Jittawadee R.; Bennett, Jason W.; Schwenk, Robert J.; Ockenhouse, Christian F.

2013-01-01

Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum is a protective human malaria vaccine candidate. There is an urgent need for models that can rapidly down-select novel CSP-based vaccine candidates. In the present study, the mouse-mosquito transmission cycle of a transgenic Plasmodium berghei malaria parasite stably expressing a functional full-length P. falciparum CSP was optimized to consistently produce infective sporozoites for protection studies. A minimal sporozoite challenge dose was established, and protection was defined as the absence of blood-stage parasites 14 days after intravenous challenge. The specificity of protection was confirmed by vaccinating mice with multiple CSP constructs of differing lengths and compositions. Constructs that induced high NANP repeat-specific antibody titers in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were protective, and the degree of protection was dependent on the antigen dose. There was a positive correlation between antibody avidity and protection. The antibodies in the protected mice recognized the native CSP on the parasites and showed sporozoite invasion inhibitory activity. Passive transfer of anti-CSP antibodies into naive mice also induced protection. Thus, we have demonstrated the utility of a mouse efficacy model to down-select human CSP-based vaccine formulations. PMID:23536694

Potts ferromagnet correlation length in hypercubic lattices: Renormalization - group approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curado, E.M.F.; Hauser, P.R.

1984-01-01

Through a real space renormalization group approach, the q-state Potts ferromagnet correlation length on hierarchical lattices is calculated. These hierarchical lattices are build in order to simulate hypercubic lattices. The high-and-low temperature correlation length asymptotic behaviours tend (in the Ising case) to the Bravais lattice correlation length ones when the size of the hierarchical lattice cells tends to infinity. It is conjectured that the asymptotic behaviours several values of q and d (dimensionality) so obtained are correct. Numerical results are obtained for the full temperature range of the correlation length. (Author) [pt

Full-color, large area, transmissive holograms enabled by multi-level diffractive optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammad, Nabil; Meem, Monjurul; Wan, Xiaowen; Menon, Rajesh

2017-07-19

We show that multi-level diffractive microstructures can enable broadband, on-axis transmissive holograms that can project complex full-color images, which are invariant to viewing angle. Compared to alternatives like metaholograms, diffractive holograms utilize much larger minimum features (>10 µm), much smaller aspect ratios (30 mm ×30 mm). We designed, fabricated and characterized holograms that encode various full-color images. Our devices demonstrate absolute transmission efficiencies of >86% across the visible spectrum from 405 nm to 633 nm (peak value of about 92%), and excellent color fidelity. Furthermore, these devices do not exhibit polarization dependence. Finally, we emphasize that our devices exhibit negligible absorption and are phase-only holograms with high diffraction efficiency.

Shorter Leukocyte Telomere Length in Relation to Presumed Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mexican-American Men in NHANES 1999–2002

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Janet M. Wojcicki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Leukocyte telomere length is shorter in response to chronic disease processes associated with inflammation such as diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES from 1999 to 2002 was used to explore the relationship between leukocyte telomere length and presumed NAFLD, as indicated by elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT levels, obesity, or abdominal obesity. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between telomere length and presumed markers of NAFLD adjusting for possible confounders. There was no relationship between elevated ALT levels, abdominal obesity, or obesity and telomere length in adjusted models in NHANES (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.48–2.65; OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.52–2.62, resp.. Mexican-American men had shorter telomere length in relation to presumed NAFLD (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.006–0.79 and using different indicators of NAFLD (OR 0.012, 95% CI 0.0006–0.24. Mexican origin with presumed NAFLD had shorter telomere length than men in other population groups. Longitudinal studies are necessary to evaluate the role of telomere length as a potential predictor to assess pathogenesis of NALFD in Mexicans.

Telomere Length – a New Biomarker in Medicine

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Agnieszka Kozłowska

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A number of xenobiotics in the environment and workplace influences on our health and life. Biomarkers are tools for measuring such exposures and their effects in the organism. Nowadays, telomere length, epigenetic changes, mutations and changes in gene expression pattern have become new molecular biomarkers. Telomeres play the role of molecular clock, which influences on expectancy of cell life and thus aging, the formation of damages, development diseases and carcinogenesis. The telomere length depends on mechanisms of replication and the activity of telomerase. Telomere length is currently used as a biomarker of susceptibility and/or exposure. This paper describes the role of telomere length as a biomarker of aging cells, oxidative stress, a marker of many diseases including cancer, and as a marker of environmental and occupational exposure.

EFFECTS INDUCED BY DIETHYL SULPHATE ON SOME CYTOGENETICAL PARAMETERS AND LENGTH GROWTH OF HEMP PLANTLETS

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Elena Truta

2007-08-01

Full Text Available The hemp seeds were treated with diethyl sulphate, in four concentrations (0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% and in two variants of alkylant exposure (3 and 6 hours. The length growth of plantlets, mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations were the analyzed parameters. Significant modifications were obtained at the level of parameters in variants treated with DES, comparatively with control.

The X-ray Crystal Structure of Full-Length Human Plasminogen

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Ruby H.P. Law

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Plasminogen is the proenzyme precursor of the primary fibrinolytic protease plasmin. Circulating plasminogen, which comprises a Pan-apple (PAp domain, five kringle domains (KR1-5, and a serine protease (SP domain, adopts a closed, activation-resistant conformation. The kringle domains mediate interactions with fibrin clots and cell-surface receptors. These interactions trigger plasminogen to adopt an open form that can be cleaved and converted to plasmin by tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activators. Here, the structure of closed plasminogen reveals that the PAp and SP domains, together with chloride ions, maintain the closed conformation through interactions with the kringle array. Differences in glycosylation alter the position of KR3, although in all structures the loop cleaved by plasminogen activators is inaccessible. The ligand-binding site of KR1 is exposed and likely governs proenzyme recruitment to targets. Furthermore, analysis of our structure suggests that KR5 peeling away from the PAp domain may initiate plasminogen conformational change.

Full scale demonstration of air-purifying pavement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ballari, M.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2013-01-01

Experiments concerning a full-scale demonstration of air purifying pavement in Hengelo, The Netherlands, are reported. The full width of the street was provided with concrete pavement containing TiO2 over a length of 150 m ("DeNOx street"). Another part of the street, about 100 m, was paved with

Morphometric Characteristics and Length-Weight Relationship of Russian Sturgeon Juveniles Fed with Different Ratio

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Raluca Cristina ANDREI(GURIENCU

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to analyze some morphometric characteristics and the correlation between them for Russian sturgeon juveniles (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii reared in a recirculating aquaculture system fed at different fed with different ratio: 1% body weight (BW, 1.5% BW, 2% BW and ad libitum feeding (which was around 2.8% BW.Fish, with an average body mass around 248.194 ± 1.59 g. Following biometric measurements were made for each fish, including weight (W, total length (TL, standard length (SL, fork length (FL, maximum body depth (last depth of caudal peduncle, H; preanal distance (AD, predorsal distance (PD, length of head (C, preorbital distance (PO, length of pectoral fin (LPF, interorbital distance (ID, maximum width of head (MH, width of mouth (WM, width of the head at the level of the mouth (WHM. The obtained results showed significant differences between all morphometric measurements (p<0.05 for all the experimental variants, emphasizing that in the ad libitum feeding all morphometric measurements were significantly higher than in the other experimental variants. In order to highlight more eloquent these differences, were developed some linear regressions between the morphometric measurements and significant positive correlation (p<0.05 between dependent and independent variables were found.

FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY IN THE OTOLITH WIDTH AND LENGTH OF ADULT TELEOST (Beryx splendens LOWE, 1834 (FAMILY: BERCIDAE COLLECTED FROM THE ARABIAN SEA COASTS OF SULTANATE OF OMAN

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H.K. Albusaidi

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Fluctuating asymmetry was described for the otolith width and length of adult teleost Beryx splendens. The results showed that the level of asymmetry of the otolith width was the highest among the two asymmetry values obtained for the otolith of B. splendens. For the otolith width character, the results showed that the level of asymmetry at its highest value in fish ranging in length between 191–200 mm and in its lowest value in fish ranging in length between 121–180 mm. For the otolith length, the highest value of asymmetry is noticed in fish ranging in length between 231–244 mm and the lowest value in fish within the length of 121–190 mm. The possible cause of the asymmetry in this species has been discussed in relation to different pollutants and their presence in the area. No trend of increase in the asymmetry values with the fish length was noticed for the otolith width, but there is a weak trend of increase with the fish length in case of otolith length character.

Full Length R esearch A rticle

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Germ tube tests were performed for identification of the isolates. Susceptibility ... agents for the treatment of genitourinary tract infections caused by Candida species. Keywords: ..... contraceptives, drug abuse or even due to sexual promiscuity.

Blue light-excited LOV1 and LOV2 domains cooperatively regulate the kinase activity of full-length phototropin2 from Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oide, Mao; Okajima, Koji; Nakagami, Hirofumi; Kato, Takayuki; Sekiguchi, Yuki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka; Hikima, Takaaki; Yamamoto, Masaki; Nakasako, Masayoshi

2018-01-19

Phototropin2 (phot2) is a blue-light (BL) receptor that regulates BL-dependent activities for efficient photosynthesis in plants. phot2 comprises two BL-receiving light-oxygen-voltage-sensing domains (LOV1 and LOV2) and a kinase domain. BL-excited LOV2 is thought to be primarily responsible for the BL-dependent activation of the kinase. However, the molecular mechanisms by which small BL-induced conformational changes in the LOV2 domain are transmitted to the kinase remain unclear. Here, we used full-length wild-type and mutant phot2 proteins from Arabidopsis to study their molecular properties in the dark and under BL irradiation. Phosphorylation assays and absorption measurements indicated that the LOV1 domain assists the thermal relaxation of BL-excited LOV2 and vice versa. Using small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy, we observed that phot2 forms a dimer and has a rod shape with a maximum length of 188 Å and a radius of gyration of 44 Å. Under BL, phot2 displayed large conformational changes that bent the rod shape. By superimposing the crystal structures of the LOV1 dimer, LOV2, and a homology model of the kinase to the observed changes, we inferred that the BL-dependent change consisted of positional shifts of both LOV2 and the kinase relative to LOV1. Furthermore, phot2 mutants lacking the photocycle in LOV1 or LOV2 still exhibited conformational changes under BL, suggesting that LOV1 and LOV2 cooperatively contribute to the conformational changes that activate the kinase. These results suggest that BL-activated LOV1 contributes to the kinase activity of phot2. We discuss the possible intramolecular interactions and signaling mechanisms in phot2. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Tube Length and Water Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Ruktantichoke

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this study water flowed through a straight horizontal plastic tube placed at the bottom of a large tank of water. The effect of changing the length of tubing on the velocity of flow was investigated. It was found that the Hagen-Poiseuille Equation is valid when the effect of water entering the tube is accounted for.

Effect of Submergence and Apron Length on Spillway Scour: Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungho Hong

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Large-scale water resources systems are often managed by an integrated set of hydraulic structures that are vulnerable to wider ranges of discharge and tailwater elevation than envisioned in their original design due to climate change and additional project objectives such as fostering healthy ecosystems. The present physical model study explored the performance of a spillway structure on the Kissimmee River, operated by the South Florida Water Management District, under extreme conditions of drought and flooding with accompanying low and high tailwater levels for both gate-controlled and uncontrolled spillway flow conditions. Maximum scour depths and their locations for two different riprap apron lengths downstream of the spillway stilling basin were measured along with the complex flow fields prior to scour. Effects of tailwater submergence, type of spillway flow and riprap apron length on scour results are interpreted in terms of the measured turbulent kinetic energy and velocity distributions near the bed.

ASC-J9 Suppresses Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Growth through Degradation of Full-length and Splice Variant Androgen Receptors

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Shinichi Yamashita

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Early studies suggested androgen receptor (AR splice variants might contribute to the progression of prostate cancer (PCa into castration resistance. However, the therapeutic strategy to target these AR splice variants still remains unresolved. Through tissue survey of tumors from the same patients before and after castration resistance, we found that the expression of AR3, a major AR splice variant that lacks the AR ligand-binding domain, was substantially increased after castration resistance development. The currently used antiandrogen, Casodex, showed little growth suppression in CWR22Rv1 cells. Importantly, we found that AR degradation enhancer ASC-J9 could degrade both full-length (fAR and AR3 in CWR22Rv1 cells as well as in C4-2 and C81 cells with addition of AR3. The consequences of such degradation of both fAR and AR3 might then result in the inhibition of AR transcriptional activity and cell growth in vitro. More importantly, suppression of AR3 specifically by short-hairpin AR3 or degradation of AR3 by ASC-J9 resulted in suppression of AR transcriptional activity and cell growth in CWR22Rv1-fARKD (fAR knockdown cells in which DHT failed to induce, suggesting the importance of targeting AR3. Finally, we demonstrated the in vivo therapeutic effects of ASC-J9 by showing the inhibition of PCa growth using the xenografted model of CWR22Rv1 cells orthotopically implanted into castrated nude mice with undetectable serum testosterone. These results suggested that targeting both fAR- and AR3-mediated PCa growth by ASC-J9 may represent the novel therapeutic approach to suppress castration-resistant PCa. Successful clinical trials targeting both fAR and AR3 may help us to battle castration-resistant PCa in the future.

In vitro comparison of working length determination using three different electronic apex locators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alper Kuştarci

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the apex-locating functions of DentaPort ZX, Raypex 5 and Endo Master electronic apex locators (EALs in vitro. Materials and Methods: Thirty extracted human single-rooted teeth with mature apices were used for the study. The real working length (RWL was established by subtracting 0.5 mm from the actual root canal length. All teeth were mounted in an alginate model that was especially developed to test the EALs and the teeth were then measured with each EAL. The results were compared with the corresponding RWL, which was subtracted from the electronically determined distance. Data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test, a Chi-square test and a repeated measure analysis of variance evaluation at the 0.05 level of significance. Results: Statistical analysis showed that no significant difference was found among all EALs (P > 0.05. Conclusion: The accuracy of the EALs was evaluated and all of the devices showed an acceptable determination of electronic working length between the ranges of ±0.5 mm.

Length of a Hanging Cable

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Costello

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The shape of a cable hanging under its own weight and uniform horizontal tension between two power poles is a catenary. The catenary is a curve which has an equation defined by a hyperbolic cosine function and a scaling factor. The scaling factor for power cables hanging under their own weight is equal to the horizontal tension on the cable divided by the weight of the cable. Both of these values are unknown for this problem. Newton's method was used to approximate the scaling factor and the arc length function to determine the length of the cable. A script was written using the Python programming language in order to quickly perform several iterations of Newton's method to get a good approximation for the scaling factor.

Progress in Long Scale Length Laser-Plasma Interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glenzer, S H; Arnold, P; Bardsley, G; Berger, R L; Bonanno, G; Borger, T; Bower, D E; Bowers, M; Bryant, R; Buckman, S.; Burkhart, S C; Campbell, K; Chrisp, M P; Cohen, B I; Constantin, G; Cooper, F; Cox, J; Dewald, E; Divol, L; Dixit, S; Duncan, J; Eder, D; Edwards, J; Erbert, G; Felker, B; Fornes, J; Frieders, G; Froula, D H; Gardner, S D; Gates, C; Gonzalez, M; Grace, S; Gregori, G; Greenwood, A; Griffith, R; Hall, T; Hammel, B A; Haynam, C; Heestand, G; Henesian, M; Hermes, G; Hinkel, D; Holder, J; Holdner, F; Holtmeier, G; Hsing, W; Huber, S; James, T; Johnson, S; Jones, O S; Kalantar, D; Kamperschroer, J H; Kauffman, R; Kelleher, T; Knight, J; Kirkwood, R K; Kruer, W L; Labiak, W; Landen, O L; Langdon, A B; Langer, S; Latray, D; Lee, A; Lee, F D; Lund, D; MacGowan, B; Marshall, S; McBride, J; McCarville, T; McGrew, L; Mackinnon, A J; Mahavandi, S; Manes, K; Marshall, C; Mertens, E; Meezan, N; Miller, G; Montelongo, S; Moody, J D; Moses, E; Munro, D; Murray, J; Neumann, J; Newton, M; Ng, E; Niemann, C; Nikitin, A; Opsahl, P; Padilla, E; Parham, T; Parrish, G; Petty, C; Polk, M; Powell, C; Reinbachs, I; Rekow, V; Rinnert, R; Riordan, B; Rhodes, M.

2003-01-01

The first experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) have employed the first four beams to measure propagation and laser backscattering losses in large ignition-size plasmas. Gas-filled targets between 2 mm and 7 mm length have been heated from one side by overlapping the focal spots of the four beams from one quad operated at 351 nm (3ω) with a total intensity of 2 x 10 15 W cm -2 . The targets were filled with 1 atm of CO 2 producing of up to 7 mm long homogeneously heated plasmas with densities of n e = 6 x 10 20 cm -3 and temperatures of T e = 2 keV. The high energy in a NIF quad of beams of 16kJ, illuminating the target from one direction, creates unique conditions for the study of laser plasma interactions at scale lengths not previously accessible. The propagation through the large-scale plasma was measured with a gated x-ray imager that was filtered for 3.5 keV x rays. These data indicate that the beams interact with the full length of this ignition-scale plasma during the last ∼1 ns of the experiment. During that time, the full aperture measurements of the stimulated Brillouin scattering and stimulated Raman scattering show scattering into the four focusing lenses of 6% for the smallest length (∼2 mm). increasing to 12% for ∼7 mm. These results demonstrate the NIF experimental capabilities and further provide a benchmark for three-dimensional modeling of the laser-plasma interactions at ignition-size scale lengths

The dominant acetate degradation pathway/methanogenic composition in full-scale anaerobic digesters operating under different ammonia levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fotidis, Ioannis; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Angelidaki, Irini

2014-01-01

Ammonia is a major environmental factor influencing biomethanation in full-scale anaerobic digesters. In this study, the effect of different ammonia levels on methanogenic pathways and methanogenic community composition of full-scale biogas plants was investigated. Eight full-scale digesters...... operating under different ammonia levels were sampled, and the residual biogas production was followed in fed-batch reactors. Acetate, labelled in the methyl group, was used to determine the methanogenic pathway by following the 14CH4 and 14CO2 production. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation was used...... to determine the methanogenic communities’ composition. Results obtained clearly demonstrated that syntrophic acetate oxidation coupled with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant pathway in all digesters with high ammonia levels (2.8–4.57 g NH4 +-N L−1), while acetoclastic methanogenic pathway...

CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: Length-weight and length-length relationship of three species of snakehead fish, Channa diplogramma, C. marulius and C. striata from the riverine reaches of Lake Vembanad, Kerala, India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Ali

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The length-weight relationship (LWR and length-length relationships (LLR of three snakehead fishes, Channa diplogramma, C. marulius and C. striata, exploited by small-scale fishers in the riverine reaches of Lake Vembanad, Kerala were studied using the allometric growth equation Y = aXb. Our analysis shows that the LWR of C. diplogramma and C. marulius is nonisometric with exponents much smaller than the cubic value (b = 3, while that of C. striata is isometric. Channa marulius showed a definite change in LWR with size, with smaller fish growing with positive allometric exponents (b greater than 3 and larger individuals having negative allometric relationship (b less than 3, indicating a possible age-related change in growth pattern. In the case of LLR, all three snakehead species showed non-isometric growth patterns. The caudal fin did not grow substantially with increasing fish length.

Motivation, amount of interaction, length of residence and ESL learners’ pragmatic competence

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Zohre R Eslami

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined how motivation for learning English, the amount of contact with English, and length of residence in the target language area affects Korean graduate students’ English pragmatic skills. The study attempted to account for differential pragmatic development among 50 graduate-level Korean students in relation to individual factors mentioned above. The data were collected using three types of elicitation instruments: a written background questionnaire, a discourse completion test, and the mini-Attitude/Motivation Test Battery. Descriptive and inferential statistics (correlation coefficients, and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study revealed that (a the level of motivation had a positive and moderate relationship with the ESL learners’ L2 pragmatic competence and (b the amount of L2 contact and length of residence had only a weak and insignificant impact on the participants’ pragmatic competence.

discouraged by queue length

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P. R. Parthasarathy

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The transient solution is obtained analytically using continued fractions for a state-dependent birth-death queue in which potential customers are discouraged by the queue length. This queueing system is then compared with the well-known infinite server queueing system which has the same steady state solution as the model under consideration, whereas their transient solutions are different. A natural measure of speed of convergence of the mean number in the system to its stationarity is also computed.

The full-length microRNA cluster in the intron of large latency transcript is associated with the virulence of pseudorabies virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Zhang, Mei-Mei; Yan, Kai; Tang, Qi; Wu, Yi-Quan; He, Wen-Bo; Chen, Huan-Chun; Liu, Zheng-Fei

2018-07-01

Pseudorabies virus (PRV), the etiological pathogen of Aujeszky's disease, belongs to the Alphaherpesvirus subfamily. Large latency transcript (LLT), the most abundant PRV transcript, harbors a ~ 4.6 kb microRNA (miRNA) cluster-encoding intron. To investigate the function of the LLT miRNA cluster during the life cycle of PRV, we generated a miRNA cluster mutation virus (PRV-∆miR cluster) and revertant virus. Analysis of the growth kinetics of PRV-ΔmiR cluster-infected cells revealed significantly smaller plaques and lower titers than the wild-type and revertant viruses. The mutation virus exhibited increased IE180 and decreased EP0 expression. The clinical symptoms observed in mice infected with PRV-ΔmiR cluster revealed that the miRNA cluster is involved in the pathogenesis of PRV. Physical parameters, virus shedding assays, and the SN 50 titers revealed that the miRNA cluster enhances PRV virulence in pigs. Collectively, our findings suggest that the full-length miRNA cluster is involved in PRV replication and virulence. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A New Concept of Full Employment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Delsen, L.W.M.

1997-01-01

The target of full employment depends upon the goals regarding labour force participation rates, the length of the work week and frictional unemployment. Although nearly all social groups agree that stronger economic growth would contribute most to solving the unemployment problem, the prospects for

Minimal Length Scale Scenarios for Quantum Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Hossenfelder

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We review the question of whether the fundamental laws of nature limit our ability to probe arbitrarily short distances. First, we examine what insights can be gained from thought experiments for probes of shortest distances, and summarize what can be learned from different approaches to a theory of quantum gravity. Then we discuss some models that have been developed to implement a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. These models have entered the literature as the generalized uncertainty principle or the modified dispersion relation, and have allowed the study of the effects of a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, thermodynamics, black-hole physics and cosmology. Finally, we touch upon the question of ways to circumvent the manifestation of a minimal length scale in short-distance physics.

The Length of Maternity Leave and Family Health

OpenAIRE

Beuchert, Louise Voldby; Humlum, Maria Knoth; Vejlin, Rune Majlund

2014-01-01

We study the relationship between the length of maternity leave and the physical and psychological health of the family. Using a reform of the parental leave scheme in Denmark that increased the number of weeks of leave with full benefit compensation,we estimate the effect of the length of maternity leave on a range of health indicators including the number of hospital admissions for both mother and child and the probability of the mother receiving antidepressants. The reform led to an increa...

Area, length and thickness conservation: Dogma or reality?

Science.gov (United States)

Moretti, Isabelle; Callot, Jean Paul

2012-08-01

The basic assumption of quantitative structural geology is the preservation of material during deformation. However the hypothesis of volume conservation alone does not help to predict past or future geometries and so this assumption is usually translated into bed length in 2D (or area in 3D) and thickness conservation. When subsurface data are missing, geologists may extrapolate surface data to depth using the kink-band approach. These extrapolations, preserving both thicknesses and dips, lead to geometries which are restorable but often erroneous, due to both disharmonic deformation and internal deformation of layers. First, the Bolivian Sub-Andean Zone case is presented to highlight the evolution of the concepts on which balancing is based, and the important role played by a decoupling level in enhancing disharmony. Second, analogue models are analyzed to test the validity of the balancing techniques. Chamberlin's excess area approach is shown to be on average valid. However, neither the length nor the thicknesses are preserved. We propose that in real cases, the length preservation hypothesis during shortening could also be a wrong assumption. If the data are good enough to image the decollement level, the Chamberlin excess area method could be used to compute the bed length changes.

Origin of the X-Hal (Hal = Cl, Br) bond-length change in the halogen-bonded complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Weizhou; Hobza, Pavel

2008-05-01

The origin of the X-Hal bond-length change in the halogen bond of the X-Hal...Y type has been investigated at the MP2(full)/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory using a natural bond orbital analysis, atoms in molecules procedure, and electrostatic potential fitting methods. Our results have clearly shown that various theories explaining the nature of the hydrogen bond cannot be applied to explain the origin of the X-Hal bond-length change in the halogen bond. We provide a new explanation for this change. The elongation of the X-Hal bond length is caused by the electron-density transfer to the X-Hal sigma* antibonding orbital. For the blue-shifting halogen bond, the electron-density transfer to the X-Hal sigma* antibonding orbital is only of minor importance; it is the electrostatic attractive interaction that causes the X-Hal bond contraction.

Mitochondrial DNA levels in Huntington disease leukocytes and dermal fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Jędrak, Paulina; Krygier, Magdalena; Tońska, Katarzyna; Drozd, Małgorzata; Kaliszewska, Magdalena; Bartnik, Ewa; Sołtan, Witold; Sitek, Emilia J; Stanisławska-Sachadyn, Anna; Limon, Janusz; Sławek, Jarosław; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Barańska, Sylwia

2017-08-01

Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the huntingtin gene. Involvement of mitochondrial dysfunctions in, and especially influence of the level of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) on, development of this disease is unclear. Here, samples of blood from 84 HD patients and 79 controls, and dermal fibroblasts from 10 HD patients and 9 controls were analysed for mtDNA levels. Although the type of mitochondrial haplogroup had no influence on the mtDNA level, and there was no correlation between mtDNA level in leukocytes in HD patients and various parameters of HD severity, some considerable differences between HD patients and controls were identified. The average mtDNA/nDNA relative copy number was significantly higher in leukocytes, but lower in fibroblasts, of symptomatic HD patients relative to the control group. Moreover, HD women displayed higher mtDNA levels in leukocytes than HD men. Because this is the largest population analysed to date, these results might contribute to explanation of discrepancies between previously published studies concerning levels of mtDNA in cells of HD patients. We suggest that the size of the investigated population and type of cells from which DNA is isolated could significantly affect results of mtDNA copy number estimation in HD. Hence, these parameters should be taken into consideration in studies on mtDNA in HD, and perhaps also in other diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction occurs.

Amplification and pyrosequencing of near-full-length hepatitis C virus for typing and monitoring antiviral resistant strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Trémeaux, P; Caporossi, A; Ramière, C; Santoni, E; Tarbouriech, N; Thélu, M-A; Fusillier, K; Geneletti, L; François, O; Leroy, V; Burmeister, W P; André, P; Morand, P; Larrat, S

2016-05-01

Directly acting antiviral drugs have contributed considerable progress to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, but they show variable activity depending on virus genotypes and subtypes. Therefore, accurate genotyping including recombinant form detection is still of major importance, as is the detection of resistance-associated mutations in case of therapeutic failure. To meet these goals, an approach to amplify the HCV near-complete genome with a single long-range PCR and sequence it with Roche GS Junior was developed. After optimization, the overall amplification success rate was 73% for usual genotypes (i.e. HCV 1a, 1b, 3a and 4a, 16/22) and 45% for recombinant forms RF_2k/1b (5/11). After pyrosequencing and subsequent de novo assembly, a near-full-length genomic consensus sequence was obtained for 19 of 21 samples. The genotype and subtype were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis for every sample, including the suspected recombinant forms. Resistance-associated mutations were detected in seven of 13 samples at baseline, in the NS3 (n = 3) or NS5A (n = 4) region. Of these samples, the treatment of one patient included daclatasvir, and that patient experienced a relapse. Virus sequences from pre- and posttreatment samples of four patients who experienced relapse after sofosbuvir-based therapy were compared: the selected variants seem too far from the NS5B catalytic site to be held responsible. Although tested on a limited set of samples and with technical improvements still necessary, this assay has proven to be successful for both genotyping and resistance-associated variant detection on several HCV types. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Full-Length Recombinant Calflagin and Its C Fragment for Improvement of Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection†

Science.gov (United States)

Marcipar, Iván S.; Roodveldt, Cintia; Corradi, Gerardo; Cabeza, María L.; Brito, Maria Edileuza F.; Winter, Lucile M. Floeter; Marcipar, Alberto J.; Silber, Ariel M.

2005-01-01

Serological diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection is hampered by issues related to test specificity due to the cross-reactivity of most antigens with proteins of related parasites such as Leishmania spp. The recombinant calflagins are considered relevant antigens for the diagnosis of infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. In the present work, we describe two genes coding for putative calflagins in Leishmania major with the N-terminal moieties presenting high similarity with T. cruzi genes. This fact raised questions about their role in some cross-recognition of this antigen by sera from Leishmania spp.-infected individuals. The complete T. cruzi calflagin and two fragments of the protein, consisting of 146 amino acids of the N-terminal and 65 amino acids of the C-terminal regions, were expressed and evaluated against a panel of sera, which included well-characterized samples from T. cruzi, and Leishmania-infected patients. We were able to show that sera from Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis-infected individuals recognized the recombinant full-length calflagin. Both the N-terminal and the complete protein presented the same high sensitivity (98.5% of sera from T. cruzi-infected patients was detected) but different specificities (94% and 98%, respectively, when evaluated against sera from people not infected by T. cruzi, including 15 sera from people infected with L. braziliensis). The C-terminal fragment presented low sensitivity (70%) but 100% specificity. We propose the use of these antigens in two sequential assays to optimize the serological diagnosis of T. cruzi infection in humans in geographic areas where Leishmania spp. infection is coendemic. PMID:16272476

A simple strategy for the purification of native recombinant full-length human RPL10 protein from inclusion bodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Larissa M; Silva, Luana R; Alves, Joseane F; Marin, Nélida; Silva, Flavio Sousa; Morganti, Ligia; Silva, Ismael D C G; Affonso, Regina

2014-09-01

The L10 ribosomal protein (RPL10) plays a role in the binding of the 60 S and 40 S ribosomal subunits and in mRNA translation. The evidence indicates that RPL10 also has multiple extra-ribosomal functions, including tumor suppression. Recently, the presence of RPL10 in prostate and ovarian cancers was evaluated, and it was demonstrated to be associated with autistic disorders and premature ovarian failure. In the present work, we successfully cloned and expressed full-length human RPL10 (hRPL10) protein and isolated inclusion bodies containing this protein that had formed under mild growth conditions. The culture produced 376mg of hRPL10 protein per liter of induced bacterial culture, of which 102.4mg was present in the soluble fraction, and 25.6mg was recovered at approximately 94% purity. These results were obtained using a two-step process of non-denaturing protein extraction from pelleted inclusion bodies. We studied the characteristics of this protein using circular dichroism spectroscopy and by monitoring the changes induced by the presence or absence of zinc ions using fluorescence spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the protein obtained using these non-conventional methods retained its secondary and tertiary structure. The conformational changes induced by the incorporation of zinc suggested that this protein could interact with Jun or the SH3 domain of c-yes. The results suggested that the strategy used to obtain hRPL10 is simple and could be applied to obtaining other proteins that are susceptible to degradation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cervical Length and Androgens in Pregnant Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Has Metformin Any Effect?

Science.gov (United States)

Shetelig Løvvik, Tone; Stridsklev, Solhild; Carlsen, Sven M; Salvesen, Øyvind; Vanky, Eszter

2016-06-01

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased risk of preterm delivery. Shortening of the cervix is a sign of preterm delivery. This study aimed to investigate potential effect of metformin on cervical length and whether androgen levels correlate with cervical length in PCOS pregnancies. This was a sub-study of a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter study (The PregMet study) performed at 11 secondary or tertiary centers from 2005 to 2009. Two-hundred sixty-one pregnancies of 245 women with PCOS, age 18-42 years participated. Participants were randomly assigned to metformin or placebo from first trimester to delivery. We compared cervical length and androgen levels in metformin and placebo groups at gestational weeks 19 and 32. We also explored whether cervical length correlated with androgen levels. We found no difference in cervical length between the metformin and the placebo groups at gestational week 19 and 32. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) tended to be higher in the metformin group. There were no correlations between androgens and cervical length at week 19. At gestational week 32, androstenedione (P = .02) and DHEAS (P = .03) showed a trend toward negative correlation to cervical length. High androstenedione level correlated with shortening of cervical length from week 19 to 32 when adjusted for confounders (P = .003). T (P = .03), DHEAS (P = .02), and free testosterone index (P = .03) showed a similar trend. Metformin in pregnancy did not affect cervical length in women with PCOS. High maternal androgen levels correlated with cervical shortening from the second to the third trimester of pregnancy, as a sign of cervical ripening.

Short fetal leukocyte telomere length and preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramkumar Menon

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Rupture of the fetal membranes is a common harbinger of imminent labor and delivery. Telomere shortening is a surrogate for oxidative stress (OS and senescence. Fetal leukocyte and placental membrane DNA telomere lengths were evaluated to determine their association with preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (pPROM or spontaneous preterm births with intact membranes (PTB, compared to term birth. METHODS: Telomere lengths were quantified in cord blood leukocytes (n = 133 from three major groups: 1 pPROM (n = 28, 2 PTB (n = 69 and 3 uncomplicated full term births (controls, n = 35, using real-time quantitative PCR. Placental membrane specimens (n = 18 were used to correlate fetal leukocyte and placental telomere lengths. Telomere length differences among the groups were analyzed by ANOVA. Pearson correlation coefficients determined relationships between leukocyte and placental membrane telomere lengths. RESULTS: In pregnancies with intact membranes, fetal leukocyte telomere length was inversely proportional to gestational age. The mean telomere length decreased as gestation progressed, with the shortest at term. pPROM had telomere lengths (9962 ± 3124 bp that were significantly shorter than gestational age-matched PTB (11546 ± 4348 bp, p = 0.04, but comparable to term births (9011 ± 2497 bp, p = 0.31. Secondary analyses revealed no effects of race (African American vs. Caucasian or intraamniotic infection on telomere length. A strong Pearson's correlation was noted between fetal leukocyte and placental membrane telomere lengths (ρ = 0.77; p<0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal leukocyte telomere length is reduced in pPROM compared to PTB but is similar to term births. pPROM represents a placental membrane disease likely mediated by OS-induced senescence.

Minimal Length Effects on Tunnelling from Spherically Symmetric Black Holes

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Benrong Mu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate effects of the minimal length on quantum tunnelling from spherically symmetric black holes using the Hamilton-Jacobi method incorporating the minimal length. We first derive the deformed Hamilton-Jacobi equations for scalars and fermions, both of which have the same expressions. The minimal length correction to the Hawking temperature is found to depend on the black hole’s mass and the mass and angular momentum of emitted particles. Finally, we calculate a Schwarzschild black hole's luminosity and find the black hole evaporates to zero mass in infinite time.

Utility of telomere length measurements for age determination of humpback whales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morten Tange Olsen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study examines the applicability of telomere length measurements by quantitative PCR as a tool for minimally invasive age determination of free-ranging cetaceans. We analysed telomere length in skin samples from 28 North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, ranging from 0 to 26 years of age. The results suggested a significant correlation between telomere length and age in humpback whales. However, telomere length was highly variable among individuals of similar age, suggesting that telomere length measured by quantitative PCR is an imprecise determinant of age in humpback whales. The observed variation in individual telomere length was found to be a function of both experimental and biological variability, with the latter perhaps reflecting patterns of inheritance, resource allocation trade-offs, and stochasticity of the marine environment.

Effects of the Utterance length on Fluency of Conversational Speech in Stuttering Persian-Speaker Children and Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tabassom A'zimi

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: recently, researchers have increasingly turned to study the relation between stuttering and utterance length. This study investigates the effect of utterance length on the amount of speech dysfluency in stuttering Persian-speaking children and adults in conversational speech. The obtained results can pave the way to reach a better understanding of stuttering of child and adults, as well as finding more appropriate treatments. Materials & Methods: in this descriptive- analysis study, the participants were 15 stuttering Persian- speaker adults, upper from 15 years old, and 15 stuttering Persian- speaker children in the age range of 4-6. In this study, first 30 minutes sample of adults and child's spontaneous speech was provided and then utterances of each person studied for the amount of dysfluency and utterance length. The obtained information intered to computer via spss software and analyzed using paired T test. Results: In both groups of stuttering children and adults, with increase of utterance length, there was a significant increase in the amount of dysfluency. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that by increase of utterance length at the spontaneous speech level, stuttering children and adults had more dysfluency amount. Also, by increase of utterance length, dysfluency amount of stuttering children and adults increased samely.

The telomere length dynamic and methods of its assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Kah-Wai; Yan, Ju

2005-01-01

Human telomeres are composed of long repeating sequences of TTAGGG, associated with a variety of telomere-binding proteins. Its function as an end-protector of chromosomes prevents the chromosome from end-to-end fusion, recombination and degradation. Telomerase acts as reverse transcriptase in the elongation of telomeres, which prevent the loss of telomeres due to the end replication problems. However, telomerase activity is detected at low level in somatic cells and high level in embryonic stem cells and tumor cells. It confers immortality to embryonic stem cells and tumor cells. In most tumor cells, telomeres are extremely short and stable. Telomere length is an important indicator of the telomerase activity in tumor cells and it may be used in the prognosis of malignancy. Thus, the assessment of telomeres length is of great experimental and clinical significance. This review describes the role of telomere and telomerase in cancer pathogenesis and the dynamics of the telomeres length in different cell types. The various methods of measurement of telomeres length, i.e. southern blot, hybridization protection assay, fluorescence in situ hybridization, primed in situ, quantitative PCR and single telomere length analysis are discussed. The principle and comparative evaluation of these methods are reviewed. The detection of G-strand overhang by telomeric-oligonucleotide ligation assay, primer extension/nick translation assay and electron microscopy are briefly discussed.

Short Rayleigh length free electron lasers

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W. B. Colson

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Conventional free electron laser (FEL oscillators minimize the optical mode volume around the electron beam in the undulator by making the resonator Rayleigh length about one third to one half of the undulator length. This maximizes gain and beam-mode coupling. In compact configurations of high-power infrared FELs or moderate power UV FELs, the resulting optical intensity can damage the resonator mirrors. To increase the spot size and thereby reduce the optical intensity at the mirrors below the damage threshold, a shorter Rayleigh length can be used, but the FEL interaction is significantly altered. We model this interaction using a coordinate system that expands with the rapidly diffracting optical mode from the ends of the undulator to the mirrors. Simulations show that the interaction of the strongly focused optical mode with a narrow electron beam inside the undulator distorts the optical wave front so it is no longer in the fundamental Gaussian mode. The simulations are used to study how mode distortion affects the single-pass gain in weak fields, and the steady-state extraction in strong fields.

RiceFOX: a database of Arabidopsis mutant lines overexpressing rice full-length cDNA that contains a wide range of trait information to facilitate analysis of gene function.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Tetsuya; Kondou, Youichi; Akiyama, Kenji; Kurotani, Atsushi; Higuchi, Mieko; Ichikawa, Takanari; Kuroda, Hirofumi; Kusano, Miyako; Mori, Masaki; Saitou, Tsutomu; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Sugano, Shoji; Suzuki, Makoto; Takahashi, Hideki; Takahashi, Shinya; Takatsuji, Hiroshi; Yokotani, Naoki; Yoshizumi, Takeshi; Saito, Kazuki; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Oda, Kenji; Hirochika, Hirohiko; Matsui, Minami

2011-02-01

Identification of gene function is important not only for basic research but also for applied science, especially with regard to improvements in crop production. For rapid and efficient elucidation of useful traits, we developed a system named FOX hunting (Full-length cDNA Over-eXpressor gene hunting) using full-length cDNAs (fl-cDNAs). A heterologous expression approach provides a solution for the high-throughput characterization of gene functions in agricultural plant species. Since fl-cDNAs contain all the information of functional mRNAs and proteins, we introduced rice fl-cDNAs into Arabidopsis plants for systematic gain-of-function mutation. We generated >30,000 independent Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing rice fl-cDNAs (rice FOX Arabidopsis mutant lines). These rice FOX Arabidopsis lines were screened systematically for various criteria such as morphology, photosynthesis, UV resistance, element composition, plant hormone profile, metabolite profile/fingerprinting, bacterial resistance, and heat and salt tolerance. The information obtained from these screenings was compiled into a database named 'RiceFOX'. This database contains around 18,000 records of rice FOX Arabidopsis lines and allows users to search against all the observed results, ranging from morphological to invisible traits. The number of searchable items is approximately 100; moreover, the rice FOX Arabidopsis lines can be searched by rice and Arabidopsis gene/protein identifiers, sequence similarity to the introduced rice fl-cDNA and traits. The RiceFOX database is available at http://ricefox.psc.riken.jp/.

Intersubunit distances in full-length, dimeric, bacterial phytochrome Agp1, as measured by pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR) between different spin label positions, remain unchanged upon photoconversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Kacprzak, Sylwia; Njimona, Ibrahim; Renz, Anja; Feng, Juan; Reijerse, Edward; Lubitz, Wolfgang; Krauss, Norbert; Scheerer, Patrick; Nagano, Soshichiro; Lamparter, Tilman; Weber, Stefan

2017-05-05

Bacterial phytochromes are dimeric light-regulated histidine kinases that convert red light into signaling events. Light absorption by the N-terminal photosensory core module (PCM) causes the proteins to switch between two spectrally distinct forms, Pr and Pfr, thus resulting in a conformational change that modulates the C-terminal histidine kinase region. To provide further insights into structural details of photoactivation, we investigated the full-length Agp1 bacteriophytochrome from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium fabrum using a combined spectroscopic and modeling approach. We generated seven mutants suitable for spin labeling to enable application of pulsed EPR techniques. The distances between attached spin labels were measured using pulsed electron-electron double resonance spectroscopy to probe the arrangement of the subunits within the dimer. We found very good agreement of experimental and calculated distances for the histidine-kinase region when both subunits are in a parallel orientation. However, experimental distance distributions surprisingly showed only limited agreement with either parallel- or antiparallel-arranged dimer structures when spin labels were placed into the PCM region. This observation indicates that the arrangements of the PCM subunits in the full-length protein dimer in solution differ significantly from that in the PCM crystals. The pulsed electron-electron double resonance data presented here revealed either no or only minor changes of distance distributions upon Pr-to-Pfr photoconversion. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Environmental health risk assessment of ambient lead levels in Lisbon, Portugal: A full chain study approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casimiro, E.; Philippe Ciffroy, P.; Serpa, P.

2011-01-01

to calculate the Pb levels in the various body systems. Our results showed a low health risk from Pb exposures. It also identified that ingestion of leafy vegetables (i.e. lettuce, cabbage, and spinach) and fruits contribute the most to total Pb blood levels. This full chain assessment approach of the 2FUN...

Minimal Length, Measurability and Gravity

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Alexander Shalyt-Margolin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The present work is a continuation of the previous papers written by the author on the subject. In terms of the measurability (or measurable quantities notion introduced in a minimal length theory, first the consideration is given to a quantum theory in the momentum representation. The same terms are used to consider the Markov gravity model that here illustrates the general approach to studies of gravity in terms of measurable quantities.

The length of the glaciers in the world

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Machguth, Horst; Huss, M.; Huss, M.

2014-01-01

a fully automated method based on glacier surface slope, distance to the glacier margins and a set of trade-off functions. The method is developed for East Greenland, evaluated for the same area as well as for Alaska, and eventually applied to all ∼ 200000 glaciers around the globe. The evaluation...... highlights accurately calculated glacier length where DEM quality is good (East 10 Greenland) and limited precision on low quality DEMs (parts of Alaska). Measured length of very small glaciers is subject to a certain level of ambiguity. The global calculation shows that only about 1.5% of all glaciers...... are longer than 10km with Bering Glacier (Alaska/Canada) being the longest glacier in the world at a length of 196 km. Based on model output we derive global and regional area-length scaling laws. Differences among regional scaling parameters appear to be related to characteristics of topography and glacier...

Production of enzymatically active recombinant full-length barley high pI alpha-glucosidase of glycoside family 31 by high cell-density fermentation of Pichia pastoris and affinity purification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Næsted, Henrik; Kramhøft, Birte; Lok, F.

2006-01-01

Recombinant barley high pI alpha-glucosidase was produced by high cell-density fermentation of Pichia pastoris expressing the cloned full-length gene. The gene was amplified from a genomic clone and exons (coding regions) were assembled by overlap PCR. The resulting cDNA was expressed under contr...... nM x s(-1), and 85 s(-1) using maltose as substrate. This work presents the first production of fully active recombinant alpha-glucosidase of glycoside hydrolase family 31 from higher plants. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved....

Visual performance in cataract patients with low levels of postoperative astigmatism: full correction versus spherical equivalent correction

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Lehmann RP

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Robert P Lehmann1, Diane M Houtman21Lehmann Eye Center, Nacogdoches, TX, 2Alcon Research Ltd, Fort Worth, TX, USAPurpose: To evaluate whether visual performance could be improved in pseudophakic subjects by correcting low levels of postoperative astigmatism.Methods: An exploratory, noninterventional study was conducted using subjects who had been implanted with an aspheric intraocular lens and had 0.5–0.75 diopter postoperative astigmatism. Monocular visual performance using full correction was compared with visual performance using spherical equivalent correction. Testing consisted of high- and low-contrast visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and reading acuity and speed using the Radner Reading Charts.Results: Thirty-eight of 40 subjects completed testing. Visual acuities at three contrast levels (100%, 25%, and 9% were significantly better using full correction than when using spherical equivalent correction (all P < 0.001. For contrast sensitivity testing under photopic, mesopic, and mesopic with glare conditions, only one out of twelve outcomes demonstrated a significant improvement with full correction compared with spherical equivalent correction (at six cycles per degree under mesopic without glare conditions, P = 0.046. Mean reading speed was numerically faster with full correction across all print sizes, reaching statistical significance at logarithm of the reading acuity determination (logRAD 0.2, 0.7, and 1.1 (P , 0.05. Statistically significant differences also favored full correction in logRAD score (P = 0.0376, corrected maximum reading speed (P < 0.001, and logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution/logRAD ratio (P < 0.001.Conclusions: In this study of pseudophakic subjects with low levels of postoperative astigmatism, full correction yielded significantly better reading performance and high- and low-contrast visual acuity than spherical equivalent correction, suggesting that cataractous patients may benefit from surgical

Meiotic gene-conversion rate and tract length variation in the human genome.

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Padhukasahasram, Badri; Rannala, Bruce

2013-02-27

Meiotic recombination occurs in the form of two different mechanisms called crossing-over and gene-conversion and both processes have an important role in shaping genetic variation in populations. Although variation in crossing-over rates has been studied extensively using sperm-typing experiments, pedigree studies and population genetic approaches, our knowledge of variation in gene-conversion parameters (ie, rates and mean tract lengths) remains far from complete. To explore variability in population gene-conversion rates and its relationship to crossing-over rate variation patterns, we have developed and validated using coalescent simulations a comprehensive Bayesian full-likelihood method that can jointly infer crossing-over and gene-conversion rates as well as tract lengths from population genomic data under general variable rate models with recombination hotspots. Here, we apply this new method to SNP data from multiple human populations and attempt to characterize for the first time the fine-scale variation in gene-conversion parameters along the human genome. We find that the estimated ratio of gene-conversion to crossing-over rates varies considerably across genomic regions as well as between populations. However, there is a great degree of uncertainty associated with such estimates. We also find substantial evidence for variation in the mean conversion tract length. The estimated tract lengths did not show any negative relationship with the local heterozygosity levels in our analysis.European Journal of Human Genetics advance online publication, 27 February 2013; doi:10.1038/ejhg.2013.30.

Maximum length scale in density based topology optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lazarov, Boyan Stefanov; Wang, Fengwen

2017-01-01

The focus of this work is on two new techniques for imposing maximum length scale in topology optimization. Restrictions on the maximum length scale provide designers with full control over the optimized structure and open possibilities to tailor the optimized design for broader range...... of manufacturing processes by fulfilling the associated technological constraints. One of the proposed methods is based on combination of several filters and builds on top of the classical density filtering which can be viewed as a low pass filter applied to the design parametrization. The main idea...

Allometry of sexual size dimorphism in turtles: a comparison of mass and length data.

Science.gov (United States)

Regis, Koy W; Meik, Jesse M

2017-01-01

The macroevolutionary pattern of Rensch's Rule (positive allometry of sexual size dimorphism) has had mixed support in turtles. Using the largest carapace length dataset and only large-scale body mass dataset assembled for this group, we determine (a) whether turtles conform to Rensch's Rule at the order, suborder, and family levels, and (b) whether inferences regarding allometry of sexual size dimorphism differ based on choice of body size metric used for analyses. We compiled databases of mean body mass and carapace length for males and females for as many populations and species of turtles as possible. We then determined scaling relationships between males and females for average body mass and straight carapace length using traditional and phylogenetic comparative methods. We also used regression analyses to evalutate sex-specific differences in the variance explained by carapace length on body mass. Using traditional (non-phylogenetic) analyses, body mass supports Rensch's Rule, whereas straight carapace length supports isometry. Using phylogenetic independent contrasts, both body mass and straight carapace length support Rensch's Rule with strong congruence between metrics. At the family level, support for Rensch's Rule is more frequent when mass is used and in phylogenetic comparative analyses. Turtles do not differ in slopes of sex-specific mass-to-length regressions and more variance in body size within each sex is explained by mass than by carapace length. Turtles display Rensch's Rule overall and within families of Cryptodires, but not within Pleurodire families. Mass and length are strongly congruent with respect to Rensch's Rule across turtles, and discrepancies are observed mostly at the family level (the level where Rensch's Rule is most often evaluated). At macroevolutionary scales, the purported advantages of length measurements over weight are not supported in turtles.

Normal standards for kidney length as measured with US in premature infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlesinger, A.E.; Hedlund, G.L.; Pierson, W.P.; Null, D.M.

1986-01-01

In order to develop normal standards for kidney length in premature infants, the authors measured kidney length by US imaging in 39 (to date) premature infants less than 72 hours old and without known renal disease. Kidney length was compared with four different parameters of body size, including gestational age, birth weight, birth length, and body surface area. Similar standards have been generated previously for normal renal length as measured by US imaging in full-term infants and older children. These standards have proven utility in cases of congenital and acquired disorders that abnormally increase or decrease renal size. Scatter plots of kidney length versus body weight and kidney length versus body surface area conformed well to a logarithmic distribution, with a high correlation coefficient and close-fitting 95% confidence limits (SEE = 2.05)

The length-weight and length-length relationships of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766) from Samsun, middle Black Sea region

OpenAIRE

Özpiçak, Melek; Saygın, Semra; Polat, Nazmi

2017-01-01

In this study, length-weight relationship (LWR) and length-length relationship (LLR) of bluefish,Pomatomus saltatrix were determined. A total of 125 specimens were sampled from Samsun, themiddle Black Sea in 2014 fishing season. Bluefish specimens were monthly collected fromcommercial fishing boats from October to December 2014. All captured individuals (N=125) weremeasured to the nearest 0.1 cm for total, fork and standard lengths. The weight of each fish (W)was recorded to the nearest 0.01 ...

Adaptive Reference Levels in a Level-Crossing Analog-to-Digital Converter

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Andrew C. Singer

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Level-crossing analog-to-digital converters (LC ADCs have been considered in the literature and have been shown to efficiently sample certain classes of signals. One important aspect of their implementation is the placement of reference levels in the converter. The levels need to be appropriately located within the input dynamic range, in order to obtain samples efficiently. In this paper, we study optimization of the performance of such an LC ADC by providing several sequential algorithms that adaptively update the ADC reference levels. The accompanying performance analysis and simulation results show that as the signal length grows, the performance of the sequential algorithms asymptotically approaches that of the best choice that could only have been chosen in hindsight within a family of possible schemes.

Generation and analysis of a large-scale expressed sequence Tag database from a full-length enriched cDNA library of developing leaves of Gossypium hirsutum L.

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Min Lin

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. is one of the world's most economically-important crops. However, its entire genome has not been sequenced, and limited resources are available in GenBank for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf development and senescence. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, 9,874 high-quality ESTs were generated from a normalized, full-length cDNA library derived from pooled RNA isolated from throughout leaf development during the plant blooming stage. After clustering and assembly of these ESTs, 5,191 unique sequences, representative 1,652 contigs and 3,539 singletons, were obtained. The average unique sequence length was 682 bp. Annotation of these unique sequences revealed that 84.4% showed significant homology to sequences in the NCBI non-redundant protein database, and 57.3% had significant hits to known proteins in the Swiss-Prot database. Comparative analysis indicated that our library added 2,400 ESTs and 991 unique sequences to those known for cotton. The unigenes were functionally characterized by gene ontology annotation. We identified 1,339 and 200 unigenes as potential leaf senescence-related genes and transcription factors, respectively. Moreover, nine genes related to leaf senescence and eleven MYB transcription factors were randomly selected for quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR, which revealed that these genes were regulated differentially during senescence. The qRT-PCR for three GhYLSs revealed that these genes express express preferentially in senescent leaves. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These EST resources will provide valuable sequence information for gene expression profiling analyses and functional genomics studies to elucidate their roles, as well as for studying the mechanisms of leaf development and senescence in cotton and discovering candidate genes related to important agronomic traits of cotton. These data will also facilitate future whole-genome sequence

A novel method for length of chirped fiber Bragg grating sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenwei; Wei, Peng; Liu, Taolin

2018-03-01

Length of chirped fiber Bragg grating sensor is very important for detonation velocity. Different from other ways, we proposed a novel method based on the optical frequency domain reflection theory to measure the length of chirped fiber grating sensor in non-contact condition. This method adopts a tunable laser source to provide wavelength scanning laser, which covers the Full Width at Half Maximum of spectrum of the chirped fiber Bragg grating sensor. A Michelson interferometer is used to produce optical interference signal. Finally, the grating's length is attainable by distance domain signal. In theory, length resolution of chirped fiber Bragg grating sensor could be 0.02 mm. We perform a series of length measurement experiments for chirped fiber grating sensor, including comparison experiments with hot-tip method. And the experiment results show that the novel method could accurately measure the length of chirped fiber Bragg grating sensors, and the length differences between the optical frequency domain reflection method and the hot-tip probe method are very small.

Cross-dimensional mapping of number, length and brightness by preschool children.

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Maria Dolores de Hevia

Full Text Available Human adults in diverse cultures, children, infants, and non-human primates relate number to space, but it is not clear whether this ability reflects a specific and privileged number-space mapping. To investigate this possibility, we tested preschool children in matching tasks where the dimensions of number and length were mapped both to one another and to a third dimension, brightness. Children detected variation on all three dimensions, and they reliably performed mappings between number and length, and partially between brightness and length, but not between number and brightness. Moreover, children showed reliably better mapping of number onto the dimension of length than onto the dimension of brightness. These findings suggest that number establishes a privileged mapping with the dimension of length, and that other dimensions, including brightness, can be mapped onto length, although less efficiently. Children's adeptness at number-length mappings suggests that these two dimensions are intuitively related by the end of the preschool years.

Molecular markers. Amplified fragment length polymorphism

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Pržulj Novo

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism molecular markers (AFLPs has been developed combining procedures of RFLPs and RAPDs molekular markers, i.e. the first step is restriction digestion of the genomic DNA that is followed by selective amplification of the restricted fragments. The advantage of the AFLP technique is that it allows rapid generation of a large number of reproducible markers. The reproducibility of AFLPs markers is assured by the use of restriction site-specific adapters and adapter-specific primers for PCR reaction. Only fragments containing the restriction site sequence plus the additional nucleotides will be amplified and the more selected nucleotides added on the primer sequence the fewer the number of fragments amplified by PCR. The amplified products are normally separated on a sequencing gel and visualized after exposure to X-ray film or by using fluorescent labeled primers. AFLP shave proven to be extremely proficient in revealing diversity at below the species level. A disadvantage of AFLP technique is that AFLPs are essentially a dominant marker system and not able to identify heterozygotes.

D-β-hydroxybutyrate is protective in mouse models of Huntington's disease.

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Soyeon Lim

Full Text Available Abnormalities in mitochondrial function and epigenetic regulation are thought to be instrumental in Huntington's disease (HD, a fatal genetic disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine track in the protein huntingtin. Given the lack of effective therapies for HD, we sought to assess the neuroprotective properties of the mitochondrial energizing ketone body, D-β-hydroxybutyrate (DβHB, in the 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP toxic and the R6/2 genetic model of HD. In mice treated with 3-NP, a complex II inhibitor, infusion of DβHB attenuates motor deficits, striatal lesions, and microgliosis in this model of toxin induced-striatal neurodegeneration. In transgenic R6/2 mice, infusion of DβHB extends life span, attenuates motor deficits, and prevents striatal histone deacetylation. In PC12 cells with inducible expression of mutant huntingtin protein, we further demonstrate that DβHB prevents histone deacetylation via a mechanism independent of its mitochondrial effects and independent of histone deacetylase inhibition. These pre-clinical findings suggest that by simultaneously targeting the mitochondrial and the epigenetic abnormalities associated with mutant huntingtin, DβHB may be a valuable therapeutic agent for HD.

Telomere length analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Canela, Andrés; Klatt, Peter; Blasco, María A

2007-01-01

Most somatic cells of long-lived species undergo telomere shortening throughout life. Critically short telomeres trigger loss of cell viability in tissues, which has been related to alteration of tissue function and loss of regenerative capabilities in aging and aging-related diseases. Hence, telomere length is an important biomarker for aging and can be used in the prognosis of aging diseases. These facts highlight the importance of developing methods for telomere length determination that can be employed to evaluate telomere length during the human aging process. Telomere length quantification methods have improved greatly in accuracy and sensitivity since the development of the conventional telomeric Southern blot. Here, we describe the different methodologies recently developed for telomere length quantification, as well as their potential applications for human aging studies.

Telomere length and long-term endurance exercise: does exercise training affect biological age? A pilot study.

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Ida Beate Ø Østhus

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Telomeres are potential markers of mitotic cellular age and are associated with physical ageing process. Long-term endurance training and higher aerobic exercise capacity (VO(2max are associated with improved survival, and dynamic effects of exercise are evident with ageing. However, the association of telomere length with exercise training and VO(2max has so far been inconsistent. Our aim was to assess whether muscle telomere length is associated with endurance exercise training and VO(2max in younger and older people. METHODS: Twenty men; 10 young (22-27 years and 10 old (66-77 years, were studied in this cross-sectional study. Five out of 10 young adults and 5 out of 10 older were endurance athletes, while other halves were exercising at a medium level of activity. Mean telomere length was measured as telomere/single copy gene-ratio (T/S-ratio using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. VO(2max was measured directly running on a treadmill. RESULTS: Older endurance trained athletes had longer telomere length compared with older people with medium activity levels (T/S ratio 1.12±0.1 vs. 0.92±0.2, p = 0.04. Telomere length of young endurance trained athletes was not different than young non-athletes (1.47±0.2 vs. 1.33±0.1, p = 0.12. Overall, there was a positive association between T/S ratio and VO(2max (r = 0.70, p = 0.001. Among endurance trained athletes, we found a strong correlation between VO(2max and T/S ratio (r = 0.78, p = 0.02. However, corresponding association among non-athlete participants was relatively weak (r = 0.58, p = 0.09. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that VO(2max is positively associated with telomere length, and we found that long-term endurance exercise training may provide a protective effect on muscle telomere length in older people.

Full counting statistics of level renormalization in electron transport through double quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Junyan; Shen Yu; Cen Gang; He Xiaoling; Wang Changrong; Jiao Hujun

2011-01-01

We examine the full counting statistics of electron transport through double quantum dots coupled in series, with particular attention being paid to the unique features originating from level renormalization. It is clearly illustrated that the energy renormalization gives rise to a dynamic charge blockade mechanism, which eventually results in super-Poissonian noise. Coupling of the double dots to an external heat bath leads to dephasing and relaxation mechanisms, which are demonstrated to suppress the noise in a unique way.

Length of urethra in the Indian adult male population

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Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The urethral length has not been measured in the Indian population. Even the international literature in this arena is very sparse. This paper is an attempt to develop a simple anatomical database for urethral length. Materials and Methods: Between January 2010 and April 2011, the urethral lengths of 422 adult male patients who required catheterization as part of regular treatment at our hospital, were recorded after obtaining consent from the patients and from the scientific and ethics review boards of the institution. Patients with history of prostatic or urethral abnormalities were excluded. The balloon of a sterile Foley′s catheter was inflated using 10 cc of saline. The length from the junction of the balloon to the ′Y′ junction of the Foley was measured. The catheter was then passed into the bladder and re-inflated to same volume. The penis was gently straightened and the length of the catheter outside the penis was measured till the premarked point at the ′Y′ junction. Subtracting this from the original length gave the length of the urethra. Results: The mean length of the urethra was 17.55 + 1.42 cm with a range between 14 and 22.5 cm. Conclusions: Literature in which the length of the normal adult male urethra is recorded for a significant sample size is very scarce. Our data adds to basic anatomic information of the male urethra specific to the Indian population. Statistical Methods: Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The non-linear regression analysis was employed to find the normative values of urethral length according to age class.

Age differences in the required coefficient of friction during level walking do not exist when experimentally-controlling speed and step length.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Dennis E; Franck, Christopher T; Madigan, Michael L

2014-08-01

The effects of gait speed and step length on the required coefficient of friction (COF) confound the investigation of age-related differences in required COF. The goals of this study were to investigate whether age differences in required COF during self-selected gait persist when experimentally-controlling speed and step length, and to determine the independent effects of speed and step length on required COF. Ten young and 10 older healthy adults performed gait trials under five gait conditions: self-selected, slow and fast speeds without controlling step length, and slow and fast speeds while controlling step length. During self-selected gait, older adults walked with shorter step lengths and exhibited a lower required COF. Older adults also exhibited a lower required COF when walking at a controlled speed without controlling step length. When both age groups walked with the same speed and step length, no age difference in required COF was found. Thus, speed and step length can have a large influence on studies investigating age-related differences in required COF. It was also found that speed and step length have independent and opposite effects on required COF, with step length having a strong positive effect on required COF, and speed having a weaker negative effect.

The Impact of Cultural Distance on Bilateral Arm's Length Exports An International Business Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slangen, Arjen H. L.; Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd; Hennart, Jean-Francois

2011-01-01

Prior studies have argued and regularly found that cultural distance is negatively related to bilateral export flows, which are the sum of arm's length and intra-firm exports. However, these macro-level studies overlook the firm-level insights that arm's length exports are a substitute for arm's

Determinants for Labour Contract Length: A French Microeconometric Study

OpenAIRE

Ben Halima, Mohamed; Ben Halima, Bassem

2008-01-01

International audience; Two types of analyses are conducted to explain the determinants of labour contracts length. The first analysis emphasizes on the contracting costs and the level of uncertainty. The second analysis focuses on the incentive and selection effect of the contract length. This paper test the determinants for contract duration by means of econometric duration models. The estimates are carried out from French data (TDE). An econometric treatment of the endogeneity of the labou...

Tidal Response to Sea-Level Rise in Different Types of Estuaries: The Importance of Length, Bathymetry, and Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Jiabi; Shen, Jian; Zhang, Yinglong J.; Ye, Fei; Liu, Zhuo; Wang, Zhengui; Wang, Ya Ping; Yu, Xin; Sisson, Mac; Wang, Harry V.

2018-01-01

Tidal response to sea-level rise (SLR) varies in different coastal systems. To provide a generic pattern of tidal response to SLR, a systematic investigation was conducted using numerical techniques applied to idealized and realistic estuaries, with model results cross-checked by analytical solutions. Our results reveal that the response of tidal range to SLR is nonlinear, spatially heterogeneous, and highly affected by the length and bathymetry of an estuary and weakly affected by the estuary convergence with an exception of strong convergence. Contrary to the common assumption that SLR leads to a weakened bottom friction, resulting in increased tidal amplitude, we demonstrate that tidal range is likely to decrease in short estuaries and in estuaries with a narrow channel and large low-lying shallow areas.

Frequency Characteristics of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotube Resonator with Different Length

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Jun-Ha LEE

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we have conducted classical molecular dynamics simulations for DWCNTs of various wall lengths to investigate their use as ultrahigh frequency nano-mechanical resonators. We sought to determine the variations in the frequency of these resonators according to changes in the DWCNT wall lengths. For a double-walled carbon nanotube resonator with a shorter inner nanotube, the shorter inner nanotube can be considered to be a flexible core, and thus, the length influences the fundamental frequency. In this paper, we analyze the variation in frequency of ultra-high frequency nano-mechnical resonators constructed from DWCNTs with different wall lengths.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.2.12951

Spontaneous Emission Enhancement at Finite-length Metal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Filonenko, K.; Willatzen, Morten; Bordo, V.

2013-01-01

We study spontaneous emission enhancement of a two-level atomic emitter placed in a dielectric medium near a finite-length cylindrical metal nanowire. We calculate the dependence of the Purcell factor and the normalized decay rate to a continuous spectrum on the nanowire radius for several emitter...

Relationships of body lengths with mouth opening and prey length of nemipterid fishes (Regan, 1913 in the Gulf of Thailand

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Mithun Paul

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims to investigate the relationship among total length (TL of fish with mouth opening namely horizontal opening (MH, vertical opening (VH, mouth area (MA and fork length (FL of seven sympatric nemipterid fish species and to know the relationship between total length and consumed prey length of five sympatric species sampled from the Gulf of Thailand in 2015. A total 883 fish were investigated collected from both cruise surveys and fishing port survey. TL was linearly and log-linearly related with both MV and MH for three and four species, respectively. MA’s were always the log linear relation of TL and shapes were nearly oval for all species. FL in all TL-FL relationships were proportional to the TL’s in all species (r2 = 0.94, P  .5 and in invertebrate prey items for N. tambuloides (P > .5. So, this study clearly confirms that nemipterid fishes of different sizes feed on all different specific prey items according to its own body size and feed according to size class for prey items available nearby.

Construction of cold mass assembly for full-length dipoles for the SSC [Superconducting Super Collider] accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahl, P.; Cottingham, J.; Garber, M.

1986-10-01

Four of the initial six 17m long demonstration dipole magnets for the proposed Superconducting Super Collider have been constructed, and the first one is now being tested. This paper describes the magnet design and construction of the cold mass assembly. The magnets are cold iron (and cold bore) 1-in-1 dipoles, wound with partially keystoned current density-graded high homogeneity NbTi cable in a two-layer cos θ coil of 40 mm inner diameter. The magnetic length is 16.6 m. The coil is prestressed by 15 mm wide stainless steel collars, and mounted in a circular, split iron yoke of 267 mm outer diameter, supported by a cylindrical yoke (and helium) containment vessel of stainless steel. The magnet bore tube assembly incorporates superconducting sextupole trim coils produced by an industrial, automatic process akin to printed circuit fabrication

Length-weight and length-length relationships of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces

Science.gov (United States)

Al-jebory, Taymaa A.; Das, Simon K.; Usup, Gires; Bakar, Y.; Al-saadi, Ali H.

2018-04-01

In this study, length-weight and length-length relationships of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces were determined. Fish specimens were procured from seven provinces from July to December, 2015. A negative and positive allometric growth pattern was obtained, where the total length (TL) ranged from 25.60 cm to 33.53 cm, and body weight (BW) ranged from 700 g to 1423 g. Meanwhile, the lowest of 1.03 and highest of 3.54 in "b" value was recorded in group F and group C, respectively. Therefore, Fulton condition factor (K) range from 2.57 to 4.94. While, relative condition factor (Kn) was in the ranged of 0.95 to 1.01. A linear relationship between total length (TL) and standard length (SL) among the provinces for fish groups was obtained. The variances in "b" value ranged from 0.10 to 0.93 with correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.02 to 0.97. This research could be used as a guide to study the ecology and biology of common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the middle and southern Iraq provinces.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and vitamin D deficiency are associated with shorter telomere length among African Americans: a case-control study.

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Brett M Hoffecker

Full Text Available Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects African American females. The causes of SLE are unknown but postulated to be a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the possible environmental triggers. In this study we evaluated relationships between vitamin D status, cellular aging (telomere length and anti-telomere antibodies among African American Gullah women with SLE. The study population included African American female SLE patients and unaffected controls from the Sea Island region of South Carolina. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured using a nonchromatographic radioimmunoassay. Telomere length was measured in genomic DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs by monochrome multiplex quantitative PCR. Anti-telomere antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Patients with SLE had significantly shorter telomeres and higher anti-telomere antibody titers compared to age- and gender-matched unaffected controls. There was a positive correlation between anti-telomere antibody levels and disease activity among patients and a significant correlation of shorter telomeres with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in both patients and controls. In follow-up examination of a subset of the patients, the patients who remained vitamin D deficient tended to have shorter telomeres than those patients whose 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were repleted. Increasing 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in African American patients with SLE may be beneficial in maintaining telomere length and preventing cellular aging. Moreover, anti-telomere antibody levels may be a promising biomarker of SLE status and disease activity.

Modelling length of hospital stay in motor victims

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Mercedes Ayuso-Gutiérrez

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective. To analyze which socio-demographic and other factors related to motor injuries affect the length of hospital recovery stay. Materials and methods. In the study a sample of 17 932 motor accidents was used. All the crashes occurred in Spain between 2000 and 2007. Different regression models were fitted to data to identify and measure the impact of a set of explanatory regressors. Results. Time of hospital stay for men is on average 41% larger than for women. When the victim has a fracture as a consequence of the accident, the mean time of hospital stay is multiplied by five. Injuries located in lower extremities, the head and abdomen are associated with greater hospitalization lengths. Conclusions. Gender, age and type of victim, as well as the location and nature of injuries, are found to be factors that have significant impact on the expected length of hospital stay.

Evaluation of Efficient Line Lengths for Better Readability

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Zahid Hussain

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the major findings of a formal experiment about onscreen text line lengths are presented. The experiment examined the effects of four different line lengths on the reading speed and the reading efficiency. Efficiency is defined as a combination of reading speed and accuracy. Sixteen people between the age of 24 and 36 participated at the experiment. The subjects had to read four different texts with an average line length around 2000 characters. The texts contained substitution words, which had to be detected by the subjects to measure reading accuracy. Besides objective measures like reading speed and accuracy, the subjects were asked to subjectively vote on their reading experience. The results from our objective measures show strong similarities to those of the work done previously by different researchers. The absolute reading speed grows when the line length grows from CPL (Characters Per Line 30-120. The measured reading efficiency, however, doesn\\\\\\'t grow steadily, although a growing trend can be seen. This is due to the fact, that the test persons found in average more substitution words from the 60 CPL text than they did from the 30 and 90 CPL texts. The reading speed seems to increase while the line length increases but the overall comprehension seems to peak at medium line lengths. As in the previous studies, our test persons also prefer the medium (60 and 90 CPL line lengths, although they perform better when reading longer lines. In the overall subjective opinion 13 out of 16 test persons selected the 60 or 90 CPL line length as their favorite. The literature doesn\\\\\\'t truly provide a scientific explanation for the difference between the objective performance and the subjective preference. A natural hypothesis would be that the line length that is the fastest to read would also feel most comfortable to the readers but in the light of this and the earlier research it seems like this is not the case.

The Communication Level Of Woman Footballers With Coach And Success Motivation Relationship

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Uğur ABAKAY

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between level of communication of women footballers with their coaches and achievement motivation with respect to some variables such as educational status, the length of time is doing sports, and the length of time studying with the same coach. Female footballers who were active during the 2007-2008 football season in Ankara Region are selected for the study sample. In the study, “Communication Scale for Coaches in Football” and “Achievement Motivation Scale for Sport” were used for the purpose of data collecting. Analysis of the data, SPSS 16.0 programme was used, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis and Spearman’s rho correlation analysis were used. At the end of the research it is determined that as aducational status , the length of time in sports, and the length of studying with the same coach increases level of communication also increases. Moreover, it is identified that for women footballers there is a positive correlation between level of communication and demonstrating power and motivation of reaching success

Musculoskeletal pain and posture decrease step length in young adults

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Maria Regina Rachmawati

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Pain of the musculoskeletal system, especially low back pain, is one of the most frequent problems with a high risk of disability. The aim of this research study was to determine the existence of an association between low back pain on one hand, posture and step length on the other. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 77 healthy young adult subjects. Step length was measured with the Biodex Gait Trainer 2 (230 VAC. The study results indicate that 62.3% of the young adult subjects had suffered from low back pain. There was no significant association between gender and pain. In male subjects no significant association was found between pain on one hand and mean difference in step length and posture on the other. However, in female subjects with abnormal posture, there was a highly significant difference in left step length between subjects with back pain and those without (p=0.007. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicate that posture has the greatest influence on left step length (B=4.135; 95% Confidence Interval 0.292-7.977. It is recommended that in the examination of low back pain an assessment be made of posture, step length and difference in step lengths.

Musculoskeletal pain and posture decrease step length in young adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Regina Rachmawati

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Pain of the musculoskeletal system, especially low back pain, is one of the most frequent problems with a high risk of disability. The aim of this research study was to determine the existence of an association between low back pain on one hand,  posture and step length on the other. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 77 healthy young adult subjects. Step length was measured with the Biodex Gait Trainer 2 (230 VAC. The study results indicate that 62.3% of the young adult subjects had suffered from low back pain. There was no significant association between gender and pain. In male subjects no significant association was found between pain on one hand and mean difference in step length and posture on the other. However, in female subjects with abnormal posture, there was a highly significant difference in left step length between subjects with back pain and those without (p=0.007.  The results of a multiple regression analysis indicate that posture has the greatest influence on left step length (B=4.135; 95% Confidence Interval 0.292-7.977. It is recommended that in the examination of low back pain an assessment be made of posture, step length and difference in step lengths.

Relation of Stump Length with Various Gait Parameters in Trans-tibial Amputee

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Koyel Majumdar

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is evaluating the impact of stump length of unilateral below knee amputees (BKA on different gait parameters. Nine unilateral BKA were chosen and divided into three groups comprising patients with short, medium, and long stump length. Each of them underwent gait analysis test by Computer Dynography (CDG system to measure the gait parameters. It was found that the ground reaction force is higher in the patients with medium stump length whereas the velocity, step length both for the prosthetic and sound limb and cadence were high in longer stump length. Statistical analysis shows a significant difference (p<0.05 between the gait parameters of BKA with medium and longer stump length. The patients with longer stump length were more efficient than medium and short stump patients as they consumed comparatively lesser energy while walking with self-selected velocity and conventional (Solid ankle cushioned heel SACH foot.

Association of cadmium and arsenic exposure with salivary telomere length in adolescents in Terai, Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fillman, Toki, E-mail: tokif@humeco.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 (Japan); Shimizu-Furusawa, Hana, E-mail: hana-shimizu@umin.ac.jp [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 (Japan); Ng, Chris Fook Sheng, E-mail: chrisng-tky@umin.ac.jp [Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (Japan); Parajuli, Rajendra Prasad, E-mail: rp.parajuli@mcgill.ca [Basu Laboratory, CINE Building, Macdonald Campus, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Watanabe, Chiho, E-mail: chiho@humeco.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 (Japan)

2016-08-15

Background: Cadmium and arsenic are ubiquitous metals commonly found in the environment which can harm human health. A growing body of research shows telomere length as a potential biomarker of future disease risk. Few studies have examined the effects of metals on telomere length and none have focused on adolescents. Objectives: In this study, the impact of cadmium and arsenic on salivary telomere length was studied in adolescents in Terai, Nepal. Methods: Adolescents aged 12–16 years old (n=351)were recruited where questionnaire interviews and both saliva and urine collection took place. Telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction using DNA extracted from saliva. Urinary cadmium and arsenic concentration were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between urinary metals and salivary telomere length. Results: The geometric means and standard deviations of cadmium and arsenic were 0.33±0.33 μg/g creatinine and 196.0±301.1 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Urinary cadmium concentration was negatively associated with salivary telomere length after adjustment for confounders (β=−0.24, 95% CI −0.42,−0.07). Arsenic showed positive associations with telomere length but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that cadmium may shorten adolescent telomeres, even at exposure levels that may be considered low. These results agree with prior experimental and adult epidemiological studies, and also help identify the mechanism of DNA damage by cadmium. This study expanded current evidence on the harmful effects of cadmium exposure on telomere length even to adolescents. - Highlights: • This is the first study examining metal exposure on telomere length in adolescents. • Urinary cadmium levels were similar to non-industrially polluted levels in Asia. • Urinary arsenic levels were as high as groundwater

Association of cadmium and arsenic exposure with salivary telomere length in adolescents in Terai, Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fillman, Toki; Shimizu-Furusawa, Hana; Ng, Chris Fook Sheng; Parajuli, Rajendra Prasad; Watanabe, Chiho

2016-01-01

Background: Cadmium and arsenic are ubiquitous metals commonly found in the environment which can harm human health. A growing body of research shows telomere length as a potential biomarker of future disease risk. Few studies have examined the effects of metals on telomere length and none have focused on adolescents. Objectives: In this study, the impact of cadmium and arsenic on salivary telomere length was studied in adolescents in Terai, Nepal. Methods: Adolescents aged 12–16 years old (n=351)were recruited where questionnaire interviews and both saliva and urine collection took place. Telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction using DNA extracted from saliva. Urinary cadmium and arsenic concentration were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between urinary metals and salivary telomere length. Results: The geometric means and standard deviations of cadmium and arsenic were 0.33±0.33 μg/g creatinine and 196.0±301.1 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Urinary cadmium concentration was negatively associated with salivary telomere length after adjustment for confounders (β=−0.24, 95% CI −0.42,−0.07). Arsenic showed positive associations with telomere length but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that cadmium may shorten adolescent telomeres, even at exposure levels that may be considered low. These results agree with prior experimental and adult epidemiological studies, and also help identify the mechanism of DNA damage by cadmium. This study expanded current evidence on the harmful effects of cadmium exposure on telomere length even to adolescents. - Highlights: • This is the first study examining metal exposure on telomere length in adolescents. • Urinary cadmium levels were similar to non-industrially polluted levels in Asia. • Urinary arsenic levels were as high as groundwater

Emerging and Submerging Shorelines: Impacts of Physical Change on Bioband Length

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, L. E.; Johnson, A. C.; Gregovich, D.; Buma, B.; Noel, J.

2017-12-01

We approximated shifts in coastal benthic species for shoreline length units undergoing both sea level rise and relative sea level lowering (often post-glacial, termed isostatic rebound) where subsistence-based, southeast Alaska Natives reside. From six community centers, we examined 30 km radii shoreline reaches by merging relevant portions of the NOAA ShoreZone database with near shore bathymetry and measures of mean global sea level rise with local global positioning system information (GIS) of tectonic shift and isostatic rebound. For our analysis, we estimated change for 9,868 assessed shoreline length units having uniform substrate and biologic type over a 100-yr time span (2008-2108) using geometric analysis of shoreline attributes. For each shoreline length unit we assessed relationships among substrate, slope, exposure, and presence of five benthic species including eel grass (Zostera marina), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), butter clams (Saxidomus gigantean), bull kelp (Nereocytis leutkeana), and foliose red algae including ribbon kelp (Palmaria sp.). Our research indicates that both emergence, up to 1.8 m, and submergence, up 0.2 m, of the land will result in disportionately larger shoreline length segment alterations for habitats in protected low-slope gradient bays and estuaries (dominated by eelgrass and butter clam habitats) with less change for rocky steep-gradient exposed penninsulas (red algae and canopy kelp). This trend, holding true regardless of isostatic rebound, tectonic shift or sea level rise rate, highlights the importance of initial geomorphology-based assessments serving to improve bio-physical, chemical, and socially-related coastal research. Where shorelines are emerging 30% decreases in estuary lengths are predicted, but where shorelines are submerging up to 3% increases in estuaries are expected. Our research results are consistent with anthropology studies assessing past coastal change. Coastal change, influencing subsistance foods

The Optimization of the Data Packet Length in Adaptive Radio Networks

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Anatolii P. Voiter

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background. Development of methods and means of the adaptive management of the radio networks bandwidth with competitive access to the radio channel. Objective. The aim of the paper is to determine the packet length effect on the effective radio networks transmission rate with taking into account the parameters, formats, and procedures of the physical and link levels at using the MAC protocol with a rigid strategy of competitive access to the radio channel. Methods. The goal is achieved by creating and analyzing the mathematical model of the effective transmission rate in radio networks. The model is described by the equation for the effective transmission rate, which is the function of both the probability of the conflict-free transmission of the MAC protocol and the coefficient of the data packet size deviation from the optimal for LLC protocol. Results. It is proved that there is the optimal deviation of the data packet length for each MAC protocol traffic intensity value, which provides the most effective transfer rate. This makes the possibility for adaptive management of the radio bandwidth by applying a pre-calculated deviation of the data packet size in dependence on the traffic intensity. Conclusions. The proposed mathematical model is the tool for calculation of both the radio bandwidth network capacity and the optimal deviation of the data packet length at adaptive management of competitive access to a radio channel with a rigid strategy at conditions of the significant fluctuation in traffic intensity.

Anatomic and functional leg-length inequality: A review and recommendation for clinical decision-making. Part I, anatomic leg-length inequality: prevalence, magnitude, effects and clinical significance

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Knutson Gary A

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Leg-length inequality is most often divided into two groups: anatomic and functional. Part I of this review analyses data collected on anatomic leg-length inequality relative to prevalence, magnitude, effects and clinical significance. Part II examines the functional "short leg" including anatomic-functional relationships, and provides an outline for clinical decision-making. Methods Online database – Medline, CINAHL and MANTIS – and library searches for the time frame of 1970–2005 were done using the term "leg-length inequality". Results and Discussion Using data on leg-length inequality obtained by accurate and reliable x-ray methods, the prevalence of anatomic inequality was found to be 90%, the mean magnitude of anatomic inequality was 5.2 mm (SD 4.1. The evidence suggests that, for most people, anatomic leg-length inequality does not appear to be clinically significant until the magnitude reaches ~ 20 mm (~3/4". Conclusion Anatomic leg-length inequality is near universal, but the average magnitude is small and not likely to be clinically significant.

RESEARCH ARTICLE Full length sequencing and novel ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Navya

2016-12-16

Dec 16, 2016 ... TOLONE, ANNA MARIA SUTERA, MARIA TERESA SARDINA, BALDASSARE ... finding of novel SNPs that might be important in future studies and laid the .... power, precision and quality to assess the relationship between ...

FULL LENGTH RESEARCH ARTICLE Adamu & Babatunde (2008 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr. Ahmed

standards which now appear in BS 1006 (standard method 1978). These properties are fundamental in the ... to increase its affinity for disperse colours and make it possible to dye the fibre easily. Determination of dye ... Colour fastness to washing test results are shown in Table 4. The procedure was also repeated for dye ...

FULL LENGTH RESEARCH ARTICLE Onuh & Ohazurike (2008 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr. Ahmed

flasks containing 50 ml of Reese and Levinson's solution, consisting of Sodium Polypectate (NaPP) as carbon source, and incubated for 7 days at 38oC. ... containing 50ml of Reese and Levinson's medium with Carboxylmethyl. Cellulose (CMC) as the .... from the brown rot fungus Postia placenta. Applied Microbiology and.

Technology status of spray calcination--vitrification of high-level liquid waste for full-scale application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keeley, R.B.; Bonner, W.F.; Larson, D.E.

1977-01-01

Spray calcination and vitrification technology for stabilization of high-level nuclear wastes has been developed to the point that initiation of technology transfer to an industrial-sized facility could begin. This report discusses current process and equipment development status together with additional R and D studies and engineering evaluations needed. Preliminary full-scale process and equipment descriptions are presented. Technology application in a full-scale plant would blend three distinct maintenance design philosophies, depending on service life anticipated: (1) totally remote maintenance with limited viewing and handling equipment, (2) totally remote maintenance with extensive viewing and handling equipment, and (3) contact maintenance

The Length of the Day: A Cosmological Perspective

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Arbab A. I.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We have found an empirical law for the variation of the length of the Earth’s day with geologic time employing Wells’s data. We attribute the lengthening of the Earth’s day to the present cosmic expansion of the Universe. The prediction of law has been found to be in agreement with the astronomical and geological data. The day increases at a present rate of 0.002 sec / century. The length of the day is found to be 6 hours when the Earth formed. We have also found a new limit for the value of the Hubble constant and the age of the Universe.

Telomere Length Reprogramming in Embryos and Stem Cells

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Keri Kalmbach

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Telomeres protect and cap linear chromosome ends, yet these genomic buffers erode over an organism’s lifespan. Short telomeres have been associated with many age-related conditions in humans, and genetic mutations resulting in short telomeres in humans manifest as syndromes of precocious aging. In women, telomere length limits a fertilized egg’s capacity to develop into a healthy embryo. Thus, telomere length must be reset with each subsequent generation. Although telomerase is purportedly responsible for restoring telomere DNA, recent studies have elucidated the role of alternative telomeres lengthening mechanisms in the reprogramming of early embryos and stem cells, which we review here.

Does Reproductive Investment Decrease Telomere Length in Menidia menidia?

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Jin Gao

Full Text Available Given finite resources, intense investment in one life history trait is expected to reduce investment in others. Although telomere length appears to be strongly tied to age in many taxa, telomere maintenance requires energy. We therefore hypothesize that telomere maintenance may trade off against other life history characters. We used natural variation in laboratory populations of Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia to study the relationship between growth, fecundity, life expectancy, and relative telomere length. In keeping with several other studies on fishes, we found no clear dependence of telomere length on age. However, we did find that more fecund fish tended to have both reduced life expectancy and shorter telomeres. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that there is a trade-off between telomere maintenance and reproductive output.

Crystal structure of full-length Zika virus NS5 protein reveals a conformation similar to Japanese encephalitis virus NS5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Upadhyay, Anup K.; Cyr, Matthew; Longenecker, Kenton; Tripathi, Rakesh; Sun, Chaohong; Kempf, Dale J. (AbbVie)

2017-02-21

The rapid spread of the recentZika virus(ZIKV) epidemic across various countries in the American continent poses a major health hazard for the unborn fetuses of pregnant women. To date, there is no effective medical intervention. The nonstructural protein 5 ofZika virus(ZIKV-NS5) is critical for ZIKV replication through the 5'-RNA capping and RNA polymerase activities present in its N-terminal methyltransferase (MTase) and C-terminal RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains, respectively. The crystal structure of the full-length ZIKV-NS5 protein has been determined at 3.05 Å resolution from a crystal belonging to space groupP2₁2₁2 and containing two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit. The structure is similar to that reported for the NS5 protein fromJapanese encephalitis virusand suggests opportunities for structure-based drug design targeting either its MTase or RdRp domain.

The queue-length in GI/G/s queues

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Le Gall Pierre

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The distribution of the queue-length in the stationary symmetrical GI/G/s queue is given with an application to the M/G/s queue, particularly in the case of the combination of several packet traffics, with various constant service times, to dimension the buffer capacity.

Telomere Length and Mortality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kimura, Masayuki; Hjelmborg, Jacob V B; Gardner, Jeffrey P

2008-01-01

Leukocyte telomere length, representing the mean length of all telomeres in leukocytes, is ostensibly a bioindicator of human aging. The authors hypothesized that shorter telomeres might forecast imminent mortality in elderly people better than leukocyte telomere length. They performed mortality...

Association between increased blood interleukin-6 levels on emergency department arrival and prolonged length of intensive care unit stay for blunt trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Masashi; Nakada, Taka-Aki; Shinozaki, Koichiro; Mizushima, Yasuaki; Matsuoka, Tetsuya

2016-01-01

Systemic immune response to injury plays a key role in the pathophysiological mechanism of blunt trauma. We tested the hypothesis that increased blood interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of blunt trauma patients on emergency department (ED) arrival are associated with poor clinical outcomes, and investigated the utility of rapid measurement of the blood IL-6 level. We enrolled 208 consecutive trauma patients who were transferred from the scene of an accident to a level I trauma centre in Japan and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Blood IL-6 levels on ED arrival were measured by using a rapid measurement assay. The primary outcome variable was prolonged ICU stay (length of ICU stay > 7 days). The secondary outcomes were 28-day mortality, probability of survival and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores. Patients with prolonged ICU stay had significantly higher blood IL-6 levels on ED arrival than the patients without prolonged ICU stay (P tool to improve assessment of injury severity and prediction of clinical outcomes in the initial phase of trauma care.

Activation of IGF-1 and insulin signaling pathways ameliorate mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in Huntington's Disease human lymphoblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Naia, Luana; Ferreira, I Luísa; Cunha-Oliveira, Teresa; Duarte, Ana I; Ribeiro, Márcio; Rosenstock, Tatiana R; Laço, Mário N; Ribeiro, Maria J; Oliveira, Catarina R; Saudou, Frédéric; Humbert, Sandrine; Rego, A Cristina

2015-02-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion in the huntingtin protein. Mitochondrial dysfunction associated with energy failure plays an important role in this untreated pathology. In the present work, we used lymphoblasts obtained from HD patients or unaffected parentally related individuals to study the protective role of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) versus insulin (at low nM) on signaling and metabolic and mitochondrial functions. Deregulation of intracellular signaling pathways linked to activation of insulin and IGF-1 receptors (IR,IGF-1R), Akt, and ERK was largely restored by IGF-1 and, at a less extent, by insulin in HD human lymphoblasts. Importantly, both neurotrophic factors stimulated huntingtin phosphorylation at Ser421 in HD cells. IGF-1 and insulin also rescued energy levels in HD peripheral cells, as evaluated by increased ATP and phosphocreatine, and decreased lactate levels. Moreover, IGF-1 effectively ameliorated O2 consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in HD lymphoblasts, which occurred concomitantly with increased levels of cytochrome c. Indeed, constitutive phosphorylation of huntingtin was able to restore the Δψm in lymphoblasts expressing an abnormal expansion of polyglutamines. HD lymphoblasts further exhibited increased intracellular Ca(2+) levels before and after exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and decreased mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation, being the later recovered by IGF-1 and insulin in HD lymphoblasts pre-exposed to H2O2. In summary, the data support an important role for IR/IGF-1R mediated activation of signaling pathways and improved mitochondrial and metabolic function in HD human lymphoblasts.

Comparisons between Arabidopsis thaliana and Drosophila melanogaster in relation to Coding and Noncoding Sequence Length and Gene Expression

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Rachel Caldwell

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is a continuing interest in the analysis of gene architecture and gene expression to determine the relationship that may exist. Advances in high-quality sequencing technologies and large-scale resource datasets have increased the understanding of relationships and cross-referencing of expression data to the large genome data. Although a negative correlation between expression level and gene (especially transcript length has been generally accepted, there have been some conflicting results arising from the literature concerning the impacts of different regions of genes, and the underlying reason is not well understood. The research aims to apply quantile regression techniques for statistical analysis of coding and noncoding sequence length and gene expression data in the plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, and fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to determine if a relationship exists and if there is any variation or similarities between these species. The quantile regression analysis found that the coding sequence length and gene expression correlations varied, and similarities emerged for the noncoding sequence length (5′ and 3′ UTRs between animal and plant species. In conclusion, the information described in this study provides the basis for further exploration into gene regulation with regard to coding and noncoding sequence length.

First Exon Length Controls Active Chromatin Signatures and Transcription

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Nicole I. Bieberstein

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Here, we explore the role of splicing in transcription, employing both genome-wide analysis of human ChIP-seq data and experimental manipulation of exon-intron organization in transgenic cell lines. We show that the activating histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K9ac map specifically to first exon-intron boundaries. This is surprising, because these marks help recruit general transcription factors (GTFs to promoters. In genes with long first exons, promoter-proximal levels of H3K4me3 and H3K9ac are greatly reduced; consequently, GTFs and RNA polymerase II are low at transcription start sites (TSSs and exhibit a second, promoter-distal peak from which transcription also initiates. In contrast, short first exons lead to increased H3K4me3 and H3K9ac at promoters, higher expression levels, accuracy in TSS usage, and a lower frequency of antisense transcription. Therefore, first exon length is predictive for gene activity. Finally, splicing inhibition and intron deletion reduce H3K4me3 levels and transcriptional output. Thus, gene architecture and splicing determines transcription quantity and quality as well as chromatin signatures.

Importance of Viral Sequence Length and Number of Variable and Informative Sites in Analysis of HIV Clustering.

Science.gov (United States)

Novitsky, Vlad; Moyo, Sikhulile; Lei, Quanhong; DeGruttola, Victor; Essex, M

2015-05-01

To improve the methodology of HIV cluster analysis, we addressed how analysis of HIV clustering is associated with parameters that can affect the outcome of viral clustering. The extent of HIV clustering and tree certainty was compared between 401 HIV-1C near full-length genome sequences and subgenomic regions retrieved from the LANL HIV Database. Sliding window analysis was based on 99 windows of 1,000 bp and 45 windows of 2,000 bp. Potential associations between the extent of HIV clustering and sequence length and the number of variable and informative sites were evaluated. The near full-length genome HIV sequences showed the highest extent of HIV clustering and the highest tree certainty. At the bootstrap threshold of 0.80 in maximum likelihood (ML) analysis, 58.9% of near full-length HIV-1C sequences but only 15.5% of partial pol sequences (ViroSeq) were found in clusters. Among HIV-1 structural genes, pol showed the highest extent of clustering (38.9% at a bootstrap threshold of 0.80), although it was significantly lower than in the near full-length genome sequences. The extent of HIV clustering was significantly higher for sliding windows of 2,000 bp than 1,000 bp. We found a strong association between the sequence length and proportion of HIV sequences in clusters, and a moderate association between the number of variable and informative sites and the proportion of HIV sequences in clusters. In HIV cluster analysis, the extent of detectable HIV clustering is directly associated with the length of viral sequences used, as well as the number of variable and informative sites. Near full-length genome sequences could provide the most informative HIV cluster analysis. Selected subgenomic regions with a high extent of HIV clustering and high tree certainty could also be considered as a second choice.

Inertial Effects on Finite Length Pipe Seismic Response

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Virginia Corrado

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A seismic analysis for soil-pipe interaction which accounts for length and constraining conditions at the ends of a continuous pipe is developed. The Winkler model is used to schematize the soil-structure interaction. The approach is focused on axial strains, since bending strains in a buried pipe due to the wave propagation are typically a second-order effect. Unlike many works, the inertial terms are considered in solving equations. Accurate numerical simulations are carried out to show the influence of pipe length and constraint conditions on the pipe seismic strain. The obtained results are compared with results inferred from other models present in the literature. For free-end pipelines, inertial effects have significant influence only for short length. On the contrary, their influence is always important for pinned pipes. Numerical simulations show that a simple rigid model can be used for free-end pipes, whereas pinned pipes need more accurate models.

Application of Displacement Height and Surface Roughness Length to Determination Boundary Layer Development Length over Stepped Spillway

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Xiangju Cheng

2014-12-01

Full Text Available One of the most uncertain parameters in stepped spillway design is the length (from the crest of boundary layer development. The normal velocity profiles responding to the steps as bed roughness are investigated in the developing non-aerated flow region. A detailed analysis of the logarithmic vertical velocity profiles on stepped spillways is conducted through experimental data to verify the computational code and numerical experiments to expand the data available. To determine development length, the hydraulic roughness and displacement thickness, along with the shear velocity, are needed. This includes determining displacement height d and surface roughness length z0 and the relationship of d and z0 to the step geometry. The results show that the hydraulic roughness height ks is the primary factor on which d and z0 depend. In different step height, step width, discharge and intake Froude number, the relations d/ks = 0.22–0.27, z0/ks = 0.06–0.1 and d/z0 = 2.2–4 result in a good estimate. Using the computational code and numerical experiments, air inception will occur over stepped spillway flow as long as the Bauer-defined boundary layer thickness is between 0.72 and 0.79.

Sonographic Measurement of Fetal Ear Length in Turkish Women with a Normal Pregnancy

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Mucize Eriç Özdemir

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Abnormal fetal ear length is a feature of chromosomal disorders. Fetal ear length measurement is a simple measurement that can be obtained during ultrasonographic examinations. Aims: To develop a nomogram for fetal ear length measurements in our population and investigate the correlation between fetal ear length, gestational age, and other standard fetal biometric measurements. Study Design: Cohort study. Methods: Ear lengths of the fetuses were measured in normal singleton pregnancies. The relationship between gestational age and fetal ear length in millimetres was analysed by simple linear regression. In addition, the correlation of fetal ear length measurements with biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length were evaluated.Ear length measurements were obtained from fetuses in 389 normal singleton pregnancies ranging between 16 and 28 weeks of gestation. Results: A nomogram was developed by linear regression analysis of the parameters ear length and gestational age. Fetal ear length (mm = y = (1.348 X gestational age-12.265, where gestational ages is in weeks. A high correlation was found between fetal ear length and gestational age, and a significant correlation was also found between fetal ear length and the biparietal diameter (r=0.962; p<0.001. Similar correlations were found between fetal ear length and head circumference, and fetal ear length and femur length. Conclusion: The results of this study provide a nomogram for fetal ear length. The study also demonstrates the relationship between ear length and other biometric measurements.

Static correlation lengths in QCD at high temperatures and finite densities

CERN Document Server

Hart, A; Philipsen, O

2000-01-01

We use a perturbatively derived effective field theory and three-dimensional lattice simulations to determine the longest static correlation lengths in the deconfined QCD plasma phase at high temperatures (T\\gsim 2 Tc) and finite densities (\\mu\\lsim 4 T). For vanishing chemical potential, we refine a previous determination of the Debye screening length, and determine the dependence of different correlation lengths on the number of massless flavours as well as on the number of colours. For non-vanishing but small chemical potential, the existence of Debye screening allows us to carry out simulations corresponding to the full QCD with two (or three) massless dynamical flavours, in spite of a complex action. We investigate how the correlation lengths in the different quantum number channels change as the chemical potential is switched on.

Dividing the Force Concept Inventory into two equivalent half-length tests

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Jing Han

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The Force Concept Inventory (FCI is a 30-question multiple-choice assessment that has been a building block for much of the physics education research done today. In practice, there are often concerns regarding the length of the test and possible test-retest effects. Since many studies in the literature use the mean score of the FCI as the primary variable, it would be useful then to have different shorter tests that can produce FCI-equivalent scores while providing the benefits of being quicker to administer and overcoming the test-retest effects. In this study, we divide the 1995 version of the FCI into two half-length tests; each contains a different subset of the original FCI questions. The two new tests are shorter, still cover the same set of concepts, and produce mean scores equivalent to those of the FCI. Using a large quantitative data set collected at a large midwestern university, we statistically compare the assessment features of the two half-length tests and the full-length FCI. The results show that the mean error of equivalent scores between any two of the three tests is within 3%. Scores from all tests are well correlated. Based on the analysis, it appears that the two half-length tests can be a viable option for score based assessment that need to administer tests quickly or need to measure short-term gains where using identical pre- and post-test questions is a concern.

Probiotics supplementation and length of hospital stay in neonates with gastrointestinal surgery

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Veronica Mugarab-Samedi

Full Text Available Any manipulation on open bowel causes interventional impact on gut microbiome, and surgical stress triggers bacterial translocation; thus, it will be fundamental to determine gut microbiome after surgery. Monitoring dynamic changes in microbiome of post-surgical infants who received probiotics and placebo could provide with important information about gut colonization and potential bacterial overgrowth.The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of probiotics supplementation on length of hospital stay, duration of parenteral nutrition, and feed tolerance in neonates after gastrointestinal surgery. Keywords: Neonates, Surgery, Probiotics, Microbiome, Length of hospital stay, Full enteral feeds

Foot length measurements of newborns of high and low risk pregnancies

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Ana Karina Marques Salge

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE Comparing foot length measurements of newborns in high and low risk pregnancies at a public hospital in Goiânia, GO, Brazil. METHOD A cross-sectional study carried out between April, 2013 and May, 2015, with a sample consisting of 180 newborns; 106 infants of women from high-risk pregnancies and 74 of women from low-risk pregnancies. Data were descriptively analyzed. Foot length measurement was performed using a stiff transparent plastic ruler, graduated in millimeters. The length of both feet was measured from the tip of the hallux (big toe to the end of the heel. RESULTS A statistically significant relationship was found between the foot length and newborn’s weight, between the cephalic and thoracic perimeters in the high-risk group and between the cephalic perimeter in the control group. CONCLUSION There is a need for creating cut-off points to identify newborns with intrauterine growth disorders using foot length.

Why the Length of a Quantum String Cannot Be Lorentz Contracted

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Antonio Aurilia

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a quantum gravity-extended form of the classical length contraction law obtained in special relativity. More specifically, the framework of our discussion is the UV self-complete theory of quantum gravity. We show how our results are consistent with (i the generalized form of the uncertainty principle (GUP, (ii the so-called hoop-conjecture, and (iii the intriguing notion of “classicalization” of trans-Planckian physics. We argue that there is a physical limit to the Lorentz contraction rule in the form of some minimal universal length determined by quantum gravity, say the Planck Length, or any of its current embodiments such as the string length, or the TeV quantum gravity length scale. In the latter case, we determine the critical boost that separates the ordinary “particle phase,” characterized by the Compton wavelength, from the “black hole phase,” characterized by the effective Schwarzschild radius of the colliding system.

Determination of Onramp Weaving Length for Resolving Merging Dilemma

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Chiu Liu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available It is physically known that onramp merging may turn out to be difficult if the onramp (weaving/merging length is too short because a driver under certain driving circumstances may find that either merging ahead or merging behind a neighboring vehicle on the adjacent highway lane cannot be completed. Various existing guidelines or design manuals provide no clear physical understanding and explanations to the design onramp weaving length but often based on evolved empirical experiences. By integrating human factors, vehicle dynamic characteristics, roadway surface condition, and the onramp weaving design into a single unified analytic framework, the onramp length required for a driver to merge into the highway traffic successfully is determined exactly with formulas and physical solutions to avoid the merging dilemma and enhance driving safety at highway interchanges. The design onramp weaving length is examined and evaluated with various foreseeable merging scenarios and physical examples. This analytic framework sheds light on the understanding of the onramp weaving the first time strictly on a physical human-vehicle-roadway interaction setting. Practitioners can easily apply these user friendly formulae and equations derived from the unified framework to calculate the onramp weaving length to resolve the merging dilemma and enhance driving safety for any highway interchanges.

Compliant walking appears metabolically advantageous at extreme step lengths.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jaehoon; Bertram, John E A

2018-05-19

Humans alter gait in response to unusual gait circumstances to accomplish the task of walking. For instance, subjects spontaneously increase leg compliance at a step length threshold as step length increases. Here we test the hypothesis that this transition occurs based on the level of energy expenditure, where compliant walking becomes less energetically demanding at long step lengths. To map and compare the metabolic cost of normal and compliant walking as step length increases. 10 healthy individuals walked on a treadmill using progressively increasing step lengths (100%, 120%, 140% and 160% of preferred step length), in both normal and compliant leg walking as energy expenditure was recorded via indirect calorimetry. Leg compliance was controlled by lowering the center-of-mass trajectory during stance, forcing the leg to flex and extend as the body moved over the foot contact. For normal step lengths, compliant leg walking was more costly than normal walking gait, but compliant leg walking energetic cost did not increase as rapidly for longer step lengths. This led to an intersection between normal and compliant walking cost curves at 114% relative step length (regression analysis; r 2  = 0.92 for normal walking; r 2  = 0.65 for compliant walking). Compliant leg walking is less energetically demanding at longer step lengths where a spontaneous shift to compliant walking has been observed, suggesting the human motor control system is sensitive to energetic requirements and will employ alternate movement patterns if advantageous strategies are available. The transition could be attributed to the interplay between (i) leg work controlling body travel during single stance and (ii) leg work to control energy loss in the step-to-step transition. Compliant leg walking requires more stance leg work at normal step lengths, but involves less energy loss at the step-to-step transition for very long steps. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EFFECT OF MUSIC EXPOSURE ON THE WEIGHT AND BODY-LENGTH OF RAT-LITTERS

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Ria Puspitawati

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Music is related to stress reduction and increased levels of growth hormone. In rats, music exposure since prenatal period was found to increase body weight of 7-days-old litters and brain cells. Somatic growth was primarily influenced by growth hormone and supported by psycho-physic condition. The objective of this study was to analyze whether music exposure since prenatal until 35 days post-natal period could affect the weight and body-length of the rat-pups. Four pregnant Wistar rats were daily exposed to one hour classic music (Mozart every 17.30 pm since gestation period day one until the 22 litters were 35 days old. Controls were 5 pregnant rats and their 36 litters caged in a different room with no music. Weighing and measuring the body-length (the most anterior point of the nasal septum to the base of the tail were conducted at day 7, 25, and 35. Data were analyzed using Multivariate General-Linear-Modem (α = 0.05. It was revealed that the mean weight of the experimental litters was significantly higher than those of the controls either at day 7 (p = 0.00, day 25 (p = 0.012 or 35 (p = 0.006. Difference of the body-length of the experiment and control animals only significant at day 25 (p = 0.012. Conclusion: Music exposure since prenatal period has significant influences on the weight of the rat-litters aged 7, 25 and 35 days and on the body-length of the 25-days-old litters.

Full Len gth Res earc h Arti cle Full Length Research Article

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Does length or neighborhood size cause the word length effect?

Science.gov (United States)

Jalbert, Annie; Neath, Ian; Surprenant, Aimée M

2011-10-01

Jalbert, Neath, Bireta, and Surprenant (2011) suggested that past demonstrations of the word length effect, the finding that words with fewer syllables are recalled better than words with more syllables, included a confound: The short words had more orthographic neighbors than the long words. The experiments reported here test two predictions that would follow if neighborhood size is a more important factor than word length. In Experiment 1, we found that concurrent articulation removed the effect of neighborhood size, just as it removes the effect of word length. Experiment 2 demonstrated that this pattern is also found with nonwords. For Experiment 3, we factorially manipulated length and neighborhood size, and found only effects of the latter. These results are problematic for any theory of memory that includes decay offset by rehearsal, but they are consistent with accounts that include a redintegrative stage that is susceptible to disruption by noise. The results also confirm the importance of lexical and linguistic factors on memory tasks thought to tap short-term memory.

Role of Fiber Length on Phagocytosis & Inflammatory Response

Science.gov (United States)

Turkevich, Leonid; Stark, Carahline; Champion, Julie

2014-03-01

Asbestos fibers have long been associated with lung cancer death. The inability of immune cells (e.g. macrophages) to effectively remove asbestos leads to chronic inflammation and disease. This study examines the role of fiber length on toxicity at the cellular level using model glass fibers. A major challenge is obtaining single diameter fibers but differing in length. Samples of 1 micron diameter fibers with different length distributions were prepared: short fibers (less than 15 microns) by aggressive crushing, and long fibers (longer than 15 microns) by successive sedimentation. Time-lapse video microscopy monitored the interaction of MH-S murine alveolar macrophages with the fibers: short fibers were easily internalized by the macrophages, but long fibers resisted internalization over many hours. Production of TNF- α (tumor necrosis factor alpha), a general inflammatory secreted cytokine, and Cox-2 (cyclo-oxygenase-2), an enzyme that produces radicals, each exhibited a dose-dependence that was greater for long than for short fibers. These results corroborate the importance of fiber length in both physical and biochemical cell response and support epidemiological observations of higher toxicity for longer fibers.

Fundamental length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradhan, T.

1975-01-01

The concept of fundamental length was first put forward by Heisenberg from purely dimensional reasons. From a study of the observed masses of the elementary particles known at that time, it is sumrised that this length should be of the order of magnitude 1 approximately 10 -13 cm. It was Heisenberg's belief that introduction of such a fundamental length would eliminate the divergence difficulties from relativistic quantum field theory by cutting off the high energy regions of the 'proper fields'. Since the divergence difficulties arise primarily due to infinite number of degrees of freedom, one simple remedy would be the introduction of a principle that limits these degrees of freedom by removing the effectiveness of the waves with a frequency exceeding a certain limit without destroying the relativistic invariance of the theory. The principle can be stated as follows: It is in principle impossible to invent an experiment of any kind that will permit a distintion between the positions of two particles at rest, the distance between which is below a certain limit. A more elegant way of introducing fundamental length into quantum theory is through commutation relations between two position operators. In quantum field theory such as quantum electrodynamics, it can be introduced through the commutation relation between two interpolating photon fields (vector potentials). (K.B.)

A cryogenic test stand for full length SSC magnets with superfluid capability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, T.J.; Mazur, P.O.

1989-02-01

The Fermilab Magnet Test Facility performs testing of the full scale SSC magnets on test stands capable of simulating the cryogenic environment of the SSC main ring. One of these test stands, Stand 5, also has the ability to operate the magnet under test at temperatures from 1.8K to 4.5K with either supercritical helium or subcooled liquid, providing at least 25 Watts of refrigeration. At least 50 g/s flow is available from 2.3K to 4.5K, whereas superfluid operation occurs with zero flow. Cooldown time from 4.5K to 1.8K is 1.5 hours. A maximum current capability of 10,000 amps is provided, as is instrumentation to monitor and control the cryogenic conditions. This paper describes the cryogenic design of this test stand. 8 refs., 6 figs

Diffusion length in nanoporous TiO2 films under above-band-gap illumination

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J. D. Park

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We determined the carrier diffusion lengths in TiO2 nanoporous layers of dye-sensitized solar cells by using scanning photocurrent microscopy using an ultraviolet laser. Here, we excited the carrier directly in the nanoporous layers where the diffusion lengths were found to 140 μm as compared to that of visible illumination measured at 90 μm. The diffusion length decreased with increasing laser modulation frequency, in which we determined the electron lifetimes and the diffusion coefficients for both visible and UV illuminations. The diffusion lengths have been studied in terms of the sintering temperatures for both cells with and without binding molecules. We found a strong correlation between the diffusion length and the overall light-to-current conversion efficiency, proving that improving the diffusion length and hence the interparticle connections, is key to improving cell efficiency.

Characterization of a new full length TMPRSS3 isoform and identification of mutant alleles responsible for nonsyndromic recessive deafness in Newfoundland and Pakistan

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Shotland Lawrence I

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mutant alleles of TMPRSS3 are associated with nonsyndromic recessive deafness (DFNB8/B10. TMPRSS3 encodes a predicted secreted serine protease, although the deduced amino acid sequence has no signal peptide. In this study, we searched for mutant alleles of TMPRSS3 in families from Pakistan and Newfoundland with recessive deafness co-segregating with DFNB8/B10 linked haplotypes and also more thoroughly characterized the genomic structure of TMPRSS3. Methods We enrolled families segregating recessive hearing loss from Pakistan and Newfoundland. Microsatellite markers flanking the TMPRSS3 locus were used for linkage analysis. DNA samples from participating individuals were sequenced for TMPRSS3. The structure of TMPRSS3 was characterized bioinformatically and experimentally by sequencing novel cDNA clones of TMPRSS3. Results We identified mutations in TMPRSS3 in four Pakistani families with recessive, nonsyndromic congenital deafness. We also identified two recessive mutations, one of which is novel, of TMPRSS3 segregating in a six-generation extended family from Newfoundland. The spectrum of TMPRSS3 mutations is reviewed in the context of a genotype-phenotype correlation. Our study also revealed a longer isoform of TMPRSS3 with a hitherto unidentified exon encoding a signal peptide, which is expressed in several tissues. Conclusion Mutations of TMPRSS3 contribute to hearing loss in many communities worldwide and account for 1.8% (8 of 449 of Pakistani families segregating congenital deafness as an autosomal recessive trait. The newly identified TMPRSS3 isoform e will be helpful in the functional characterization of the full length protein.

Dorsal Phalloplasty to Preserve Penis Length after Penile Prosthesis Implantation

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Osama Shaeer

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Following penile prosthesis implantation (PPI, patients may complain of a decrease in visible penis length. A dorsal phalloplasty defines the penopubic junction by tacking pubic skin to the pubis, revealing the base of the penis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a dorsal phalloplasty in increasing the visible penis length following PPI. Methods: An inflatable penile prosthesis was implanted in 13 patients with severe erectile dysfunction (ED at the Kamal Shaeer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, from January 2013 to May 2014. During the surgery, nonabsorbable tacking sutures were used to pin the pubic skin to the pubis through the same penoscrotal incision. Intraoperative penis length was measured before and after the dorsal phalloplasty. Overall patient satisfaction was measured on a 5-point rating scale and patients were requested to subjectively compare their postoperative penis length with memories of their penis length before the onset of ED. Results: Intraoperatively, the dorsal phalloplasty increased the visible length of the erect penis by an average of 25.6%. The average length before and after tacking was 10.2 ± 2.9 cm and 13.7 ± 2.8 cm, respectively (P <0.002. Postoperatively, seven patients (53.8% reported a longer penis, five patients (38.5% reported no change in length and one patient (7.7% reported a slightly shorter penis. The mean overall patient satisfaction score was 4.9 ± 0.3. None of the patients developed postoperative complications. Conclusion: A dorsal phalloplasty during PPI is an effective method of increasing visible penis length, therefore minimising the impression of a shorter penis after implantation.

Improvement of genome assembly completeness and identification of novel full-length protein-coding genes by RNA-seq in the giant panda genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Meili; Hu, Yibo; Liu, Jingxing; Wu, Qi; Zhang, Chenglin; Yu, Jun; Xiao, Jingfa; Wei, Fuwen; Wu, Jiayan

2015-12-11

High-quality and complete gene models are the basis of whole genome analyses. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) genome was the first genome sequenced on the basis of solely short reads, but the genome annotation had lacked the support of transcriptomic evidence. In this study, we applied RNA-seq to globally improve the genome assembly completeness and to detect novel expressed transcripts in 12 tissues from giant pandas, by using a transcriptome reconstruction strategy that combined reference-based and de novo methods. Several aspects of genome assembly completeness in the transcribed regions were effectively improved by the de novo assembled transcripts, including genome scaffolding, the detection of small-size assembly errors, the extension of scaffold/contig boundaries, and gap closure. Through expression and homology validation, we detected three groups of novel full-length protein-coding genes. A total of 12.62% of the novel protein-coding genes were validated by proteomic data. GO annotation analysis showed that some of the novel protein-coding genes were involved in pigmentation, anatomical structure formation and reproduction, which might be related to the development and evolution of the black-white pelage, pseudo-thumb and delayed embryonic implantation of giant pandas. The updated genome annotation will help further giant panda studies from both structural and functional perspectives.

Age-related declines and disease-associated variation in immune cell telomere length in a wild mammal.

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Christopher Beirne

Full Text Available Immunosenescence, the deterioration of immune system capability with age, may play a key role in mediating age-related declines in whole-organism performance, but the mechanisms that underpin immunosenescence are poorly understood. Biomedical research on humans and laboratory models has documented age and disease related declines in the telomere lengths of leukocytes ('immune cells', stimulating interest their having a potentially general role in the emergence of immunosenescent phenotypes. However, it is unknown whether such observations generalise to the immune cell populations of wild vertebrates living under ecologically realistic conditions. Here we examine longitudinal changes in the mean telomere lengths of immune cells in wild European badgers (Meles meles. Our findings provide the first evidence of within-individual age-related declines in immune cell telomere lengths in a wild vertebrate. That the rate of age-related decline in telomere length appears to be steeper within individuals than at the overall population level raises the possibility that individuals with short immune cell telomeres and/or higher rates of immune cell telomere attrition may be selectively lost from this population. We also report evidence suggestive of associations between immune cell telomere length and bovine tuberculosis infection status, with individuals detected at the most advanced stage of infection tending to have shorter immune cell telomeres than disease positive individuals. While male European badgers are larger and show higher rates of annual mortality than females, we found no evidence of a sex difference in either mean telomere length or the average rate of within-individual telomere attrition with age. Our findings lend support to the view that age-related declines in the telomere lengths of immune cells may provide one potentially general mechanism underpinning age-related declines in immunocompetence in natural populations.

SYMBOL LEVEL DECODING FOR DUO-BINARY TURBO CODES

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Yogesh Beeharry

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the performance of three different symbol level decoding algorithms for Duo-Binary Turbo codes. Explicit details of the computations involved in the three decoding techniques, and a computational complexity analysis are given. Simulation results with different couple lengths, code-rates, and QPSK modulation reveal that the symbol level decoding with bit-level information outperforms the symbol level decoding by 0.1 dB on average in the error floor region. Moreover, a complexity analysis reveals that symbol level decoding with bit-level information reduces the decoding complexity by 19.6 % in terms of the total number of computations required for each half-iteration as compared to symbol level decoding.

Reading Level and Length of Written Research Consent Forms

Science.gov (United States)

Foe, Gabriella; Lally, Rachel

2015-01-01

Abstract In 100 Institutional Review Board approved consent forms (CFs), we assessed pages, reading levels, and whether they included essential elements. CF page numbers ranged from 3 to 28 (mean, 10.3) and readability ranged from grades 5.6 to 28.9 (mean, 11.6). The CF mean score for including essential elements was 90.8% (range: 63.5–100%). There were no significant differences by specialty in number of pages (p = 0.053), but surgical specialties had the highest readability (mean, 13.1), and pediatrics the lowest (10.5), p = 0.008. While approved CFs generally included the Office for Human Research Protections recommended essential elements, they were very long, and even pediatric forms, which had the lowest reading levels, were written on average at a tenth grade level. Researchers need guidance to resolve pressure between regulatory mandates and guidelines and “keeping it simple and clear.” PMID:25580939

Unusual structures are present in DNA fragments containing super-long Huntingtin CAG repeats.

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Daniel Duzdevich

2011-02-01

Full Text Available In the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD, expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat length beyond about 300 repeats induces a novel phenotype associated with a reduction in transcription of the transgene.We analysed the structure of polymerase chain reaction (PCR-generated DNA containing up to 585 CAG repeats using atomic force microscopy (AFM. As the number of CAG repeats increased, an increasing proportion of the DNA molecules exhibited unusual structural features, including convolutions and multiple protrusions. At least some of these features are hairpin loops, as judged by cross-sectional analysis and sensitivity to cleavage by mung bean nuclease. Single-molecule force measurements showed that the convoluted DNA was very resistant to untangling. In vitro replication by PCR was markedly reduced, and TseI restriction enzyme digestion was also hindered by the abnormal DNA structures. However, significantly, the DNA gained sensitivity to cleavage by the Type III restriction-modification enzyme, EcoP15I."Super-long" CAG repeats are found in a number of neurological diseases and may also appear through CAG repeat instability. We suggest that unusual DNA structures associated with super-long CAG repeats decrease transcriptional efficiency in vitro. We also raise the possibility that if these structures occur in vivo, they may play a role in the aetiology of CAG repeat diseases such as HD.

Heritable circadian period length in a wild bird population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Helm, B.; Visser, M.E.

2010-01-01

Timing is essential, but circadian clocks, which play a crucial role in timekeeping, are almost unaddressed in evolutionary ecology. A key property of circadian clocks is their free-running period length (τ), i.e. the time taken for a full cycle under constant conditions. Under laboratory

Direct Numerical Simulations of a Full Stationary Wind-Turbine Blade

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, Adnan; Zhang, Wei; Gao, Wei; Samtaney, Ravi

2014-11-01

Direct numerical simulation of flow past a full stationary wind-turbine blade is carried out at Reynolds number, Re = 10,000 placed at 0 and 5 (degree) angle of attack. The study is targeted to create a DNS database for verification of solvers and turbulent models that are utilized in wind-turbine modeling applications. The full blade comprises of a circular cylinder base that is attached to a spanwise varying airfoil cross-section profile (without twist). An overlapping composite grid technique is utilized to perform these DNS computations, which permits block structure in the mapped computational space. Different flow shedding regimes are observed along the blade length. Von-Karman shedding is observed in the cylinder shaft region of the turbine blade. Along the airfoil cross-section of the blade, near body shear layer breakdown is observed. A long tip vortex originates from the blade tip region, which exits the computational plane without being perturbed. Laminar to turbulent flow transition is observed along the blade length. The turbulent fluctuations amplitude decreases along the blade length and the flow remains laminar regime in the vicinity of the blade tip. The Strouhal number is found to decrease monotonously along the blade length. Average lift and drag coefficients are also reported for the cases investigated. Supported by funding under a KAUST OCRF-CRG grant.

Analysis, scale modeling, and full-scale tests of low-level nuclear-waste-drum response to accident environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huerta, M.; Lamoreaux, G.H.; Romesberg, L.E.; Yoshimura, H.R.; Joseph, B.J.; May, R.A.

1983-01-01

This report describes extensive full-scale and scale-model testing of 55-gallon drums used for shipping low-level radioactive waste materials. The tests conducted include static crush, single-can impact tests, and side impact tests of eight stacked drums. Static crush forces were measured and crush energies calculated. The tests were performed in full-, quarter-, and eighth-scale with different types of waste materials. The full-scale drums were modeled with standard food product cans. The response of the containers is reported in terms of drum deformations and lid behavior. The results of the scale model tests are correlated to the results of the full-scale drums. Two computer techniques for calculating the response of drum stacks are presented. 83 figures, 9 tables

Trehalose Alters Subcellular Trafficking and the Metabolism of the Alzheimer-associated Amyloid Precursor Protein.

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Tien, Nguyen T; Karaca, Ilker; Tamboli, Irfan Y; Walter, Jochen

2016-05-13

The disaccharide trehalose is commonly considered to stimulate autophagy. Cell treatment with trehalose could decrease cytosolic aggregates of potentially pathogenic proteins, including mutant huntingtin, α-synuclein, and phosphorylated tau that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we demonstrate that trehalose also alters the metabolism of the Alzheimer disease-related amyloid precursor protein (APP). Cell treatment with trehalose decreased the degradation of full-length APP and its C-terminal fragments. Trehalose also reduced the secretion of the amyloid-β peptide. Biochemical and cell biological experiments revealed that trehalose alters the subcellular distribution and decreases the degradation of APP C-terminal fragments in endolysosomal compartments. Trehalose also led to strong accumulation of the autophagic marker proteins LC3-II and p62, and decreased the proteolytic activation of the lysosomal hydrolase cathepsin D. The combined data indicate that trehalose decreases the lysosomal metabolism of APP by altering its endocytic vesicular transport. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Influence of the length of institutionalization on older adults' postural balance and risk of falls: a transversal study

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Wagner Oliveira Batista

2014-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to ascertain the influence of the length of institutionalization on older adults' balance and risk of falls.METHOD: to evaluate the risk of falls, the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Get Up and Go test were used; and for measuring postural balance, static stabilometry was used, with acquisition of the elliptical area of 95% and mean velocities on the x and y axes of center of pressure displacement. Parametric and nonparametric measures of association and comparison (α<0.05 were used.RESULTS: there was no significant correlation between the length of institutionalization and the tests for evaluation of risk of falling, neither was there difference between groups and within subgroups, stratified by length of institutionalization and age. In the stabilometric measurements, there was a negative correlation between the parameters analyzed and the length of institutionalization, and difference between groups and within subgroups.CONCLUSION: this study's results point to the difficulty of undertaking postural control tasks, showing a leveling below the clinical tests' reference scores. In the stabilometric behavior, one should note the reduction of the parameters as the length of institutionalization increases, contradicting the assumptions. This study's results offer support for the development of a multi-professional model for intervention with the postural control and balance of older adults living in homes for the aged.

Electron bunch length measurement with a wakefield radiation decelerator

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