Characterization and structure of the mitochondrial small rRNA gene of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

HCV infection and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy have been associated with autoimmunity. To assess whether chronic liver disease (CLD) due to HCV infection or its treatment with IFN-alpha cause autoimmune manifestations, the prevalence of tissue autoantibodies in 51 children with chronic HCV infection and 84 with other CLD was analysed by standard techniques. Sixty-five percent of patients with chronic HCV infection, 66% with chronic hepatitis B infection and 60% with Wilson's disease were positive for at least one autoantibody. In the 51 subjects with chronic HCV infection (29 treated with IFN-alpha, 22 untreated), tested on 165 occasions over a median of 9 months (range 5-42 months), autoantibodies to nuclei (ANA), smooth muscle (SMA), gastric parietal cell (GPC) and/or liver kidney microsomal type 1 (LKM-1) were similarly prevalent in treated and untreated patients (90% versus 68%, P = 0.12). Positivity for SMA was present in 67%, GPC in 32%, ANA in 10%, LKM-1 in 8% of cases. Treatment with IFN-alpha had to be suspended due to transaminase elevation in one SMA-positive, one ANA-positive but in three of four LKM-1-positive patients. Our results show that: (i) autoantibodies are common in viral-induced hepatitis and Wilson's disease; (ii) positivity for SMA, GPC, ANA is part of the natural course of chronic HCV infection, their prevalence being unaffected by IFN-alpha; and (iii) IFN-alpha should be used cautiously in the treatment of LKM-1/HCV-positive patients.     

The structures of pyridovericin and pyridomacrolidin, new metabolites from the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The development of sensitive screening methods to identify at-risk individuals before emergence of clinical disease would permit early intervention that could decrease this mortality. Our previous studies have shown that cells with trisomy 7 can be detected in bronchial epithelium from cancer-free smokers and former uranium miners. However, the use of more than one molecular marker could increase the chance of identifying at-risk individuals. Trisomy 20, which is found in 43-57% of non-small cell lung cancers, is a candidate marker. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine the percentage of cells with trisomy 20 in persons with a high risk for lung cancer. Bronchial epithelial cells that had been assayed for trisomy 7 were assayed for trisomy 20 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Trisomy 20 was detected in bronchial epithelial cells from lung cancer patients and from smokers and ex-uranium miners without lung cancer. In some cases, patients who were negative for trisomy 7 exhibited trisomy 20. Consequently, more people with field cancerization were identified using both markers. However, the two markers combined did not appear to stratify the risk for lung cancer.     

Pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycetes) to Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is highly pathogenic to the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Spore concentrations of 10(8)/ml for engorged larvae and 10(7)/ml for engorged females resulted in 100% tick mortality, 2 wk postinfection. The LC50 value for engorged larvae (concentration to kill 50% of ticks) was 10(7) spores/ml. Metarhizium anisopliae shows considerable potential as a microbial control agent for the management of Ixodes scapularis.     

Use of low-temperature plasma for the production of ultrafine copper powders

Conclusions In an investigation of the hydrogen reduction of copper chloride in a stream of arc-discharge argon plasma ultrafine (d<0.1 m) copper powders of spherical particle shape were obtained characterized by comparatively narrow particle size distribution functions. Their oxygen content was 0.1 wt. %. It was found by experiment that the mean particle size of such a copper powder and its particle size distribution vary as functions of the rate of supply of copper chloride, but are independent of the rate of feed of the plasma-forming gas, which is in accord with the proposed model of frontal reaction of copper chloride with hydrogen on the scale of turbulent globules. Ultrafine copper powders produced by the method described can be pressed at room temperature to a residual porosity of not more than 5%.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 11(263), pp. 23–28, November, 1984.     

Use of a multileaf collimator for the production of intensity-modulated beams

The continuous release of nitric oxide (NO) from the constitutive, endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS) serves mainly to keep the vasculature in a continuous state of active vasodilation. Although it has been suggested that NO production from e-NOS might also be affected by hemorrhagic shock (HS), this relationship is still controversial. Therefore, the roles of NO in the pathophysiology in hemorrhagic shock were reviewed. According to the previous reports, NO might play an important role in the pathophysioliogy of HS. In the early phase of HS, it may be possible that NO delivered from e-NOS serves a cytoprotective function in preventing shock-induced organ injury. This opinion suggests that endothelial NO production has a significant modulatory effect on vascular tone during hemorrhage, and that inhibition of NO production permits greater vasconstrictor influences leading to organ injury. NO production in the late phases of HS has an adverse effect on survival rate in the HS model. Moreover, the findings from an animal study of prolonged periods of HS suggest that excessive NO formation, including those produced from i-NOS, induces vascular hypoactivity and they have suggested that NOS inhibitors may improve the therapeutic outcome for patients suffering from HS. Therefore, it may be suggested that NO might play a biphasic role, cytoprotective during the early phase and cytotoxic late in HS.     

A holistic approach for determining the entomopathogenic potential of Bacillus thuringiensis strains

The cry gene content of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai HD-133 was analyzed by a combination of high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and exclusive PCR. A total of six cry genes were detected in genomic DNA purified from HD-133, four from the cry1 family (cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cry1C, and cry1D) as well as a gene each from the cry2 (cry2B) and the cry1I families. To directly determine which genes were expressed and crystallized in the purified parasporal inclusions, solubilized and trypsinized HD-133 crystals were subjected to chromatographic separation by HPLC. Only three proteins, Cry1Ab, Cry1C, and Cry1D, were found, in a 60/37/3 ratio. Dot blot analysis of total mRNA purified from HD-133 showed that both the cry2B and cry1I genes, but not the cry1Aa gene, were transcribed. Cloning and sequencing of the cry1Aa gene revealed an inserted DNA sequence within the cry coding sequence, resulting in a disrupted reading frame. Taken together, our results show that combining crystal protein analysis with a genetic approach is a highly complementary and powerful way to assess the potential of B. thuringiensis isolates for new insecticidal genes and specificities. Furthermore, based on the number of cryptic genes found in HD-133, the total cry gene content of B. thuringiensis strains may be higher than previously thought.     

Use specificity of cognitive skills: Evidence for production rules?

The principle of use specificity proposes that "compiled" knowledge encapsulates the knowledge use in the acquisition context. Transfer between different uses of conceptual knowledge should decrease with increasing practice. This position is challenged by the hypothesis of conceptual integration, supposing that conceptually integrated knowledge can be used flexibly. The probability of integrating a feature is assumed to depend on its relevance within the acquisition context. Transfer between different knowledge uses should increase with increasing practice. In Experiment 1, transfer performance was compared at 2 levels of practice within I day. In Experiment 2, transfer after practice on I day was compared with transfer after practice on 2 consecutive days. The findings indicate that flexible knowledge use based on conceptual integration is possible, but limited usability of acquired knowledge is the rule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of simulation modeling to determine the process parameters for the production of large-diameter aluminum shells

This article describes a process for obtaining sized seamless shells with waffled internal finning. The process employs thermoelastic stamping in the superplastic state, and the sizing operation is performed while the product is being pneumatically separated from the die. The process is used to make 0.5–2-m-diam. shells of aluminum and aluminum-magnesium alloys for aircraft structural elements, engines, and a large number of domestic products that are made to above-normal standards. The technology is based on the use of the possibilities of simulation modeling.     

Larvicidal activity of the entomopathogenic fungus Tolypocladium cylindrosporum (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) on the mosquito Aedes triseriatus and the black fly Simulium vittatum (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Laboratory bioassays evaluated the pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Tolypocladium cylindrosporum against Aedes triseriatus. All larval instars were found to be susceptible at temperatures from 18 to 25 degrees C. Blastoconidia were more virulent than conidia. Mortality was proportional to exposure time in assays using blastoconidia. Blastoconidia and exposure time appear to be a more adequate method for bioassay of T. cylindrosporum virulence than the standard procedure of using conidia and continuous exposure. Tolypocladium cylindrosporum was also active against Simulium vittatum black fly larvae, but the mortality recorded was much lower than with mosquito larvae.