Semi-quantitative RT-PCR for comparison of mRNAs in cells with different amounts of housekeeping gene transcripts

There is a need for more information about research utilization and other related research activities among nurses in the U.K. This article reports on data from a large scale survey of nurses in Northern Ireland, in particular their self-reported extent of research utilization, their attitudes to research, research projects carried out and their frequency of accessing research information. A questionnaire was administered to a convenient sample of 2600 nurses from 23 hospitals in 14 Trusts. The number of responses was 1368 (52.6%). The findings show that although respondents held positive attitudes to research, only about a third reported utilizing research 'frequently/all the time' and less than 40% reported that they had implemented research findings in the two years prior to the survey. These figures were, however, higher for degree nurses. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.     

A role for RAD51 in the generation of immunoglobulin gene diversity in rabbits

Ig VDJ genes in rabbit somatically diversify by both hyperpointmutation and gene conversion. To elucidate the mechanism of gene conversion of IgH genes, we cloned a rabbit homologue of RAD51, a gene involved in gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), and tested whether it could complement a yeast rad51 mutant deficient in recombination repair. We found that rabbit RAD51 partially complemented the defect in switching mating types by gene conversion as well as in DNA double-strand break repair after gamma-irradiation. Further, by Western blot analysis, we found that levels of Rad51 were higher in appendix-derived B lymphocytes of 6-wk-old rabbits, a time at which IgH genes diversify by somatic gene conversion. We suggest that Rad51 is involved in somatic gene conversion of rabbit Ig genes.     

Effects of 3-deazaadenosine on apoptosis-related gene transcripts in HL-60 cells

The paper analyzes the consumption of mass-produced preparations of teas from the viewpoint of the sort and the group of indication. The packed plant drugs and teas were classified into the groups of indication according to Wichtl's pharmacodynamic system and the consumption was expressed in physical and financial indices. It follows from the results that mass-produced teas represent on average 6.6% of total sales of OTC drugs and supplementary assortment per month. The highest average monthly consumption was achieved by packed plant drugs and teas from group VI, miscellaneous teas for external and internal use, group I, diseases of the stomach and intestines, and group II, diseases of the respiratory tract.     

反倾断裂面在边坡稳定分析中的作用

本文根据块体理论使用矢量分析方法结合全平面赤平投影方法对某矿的边坡稳定性进行了分析,着重讨论了反倾断裂面时,在边坡稳定性分析中所起的作用.结果表明,当坡体内同时存在顺坡和反倾断裂面在开采过程的有限时间内,相对仅有从而顺坡断裂面存在的条件,可改善边坡的稳定性.定量的计算表明可提高边坡角7°～8°,描述了反倾断裂面对边坡稳定性的改善程度和特征.     

A role for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATX1 gene in copper trafficking and iron transport

The ATX1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was originally identified as a multi-copy suppressor of oxidative damage in yeast lacking superoxide dismutase. We now provide evidence that Atx1p helps deliver copper to the copper requiring oxidase Fet3p involved in iron uptake. atx1Delta null mutants are iron-deficient and are defective in the high affinity uptake of iron. These defects due to ATX1 inactivation are rescued by copper treatment, and the same has been reported for strains lacking either the cell surface copper transporter, Ctr1p, or the putative copper transporter in the secretory pathway, Ccc2p. Atx1p localizes to the cytosol, and our studies indicate that it functions as a carrier for copper that delivers the metal from the cell surface Ctr1p to Ccc2p and then to Fet3p within the secretory pathway. The iron deficiency of atx1 mutants is augmented by mutations in END3 blocking endocytosis, suggesting that a parallel pathway for intracellular copper trafficking is mediated by endocytosis. As additional evidence for the role of Atx1p in iron metabolism, we find that the gene is induced by the same iron-sensing trans-activator, Aft1p, that regulates CCC2 and FET3.     

Molecular analysis of gene conversion in spermatids from transgenic mice

Investigations into the mechanisms and properties of gene conversion in mammals are greatly restricted by the inability to recover all the products of a meiosis. Additionally, the study of this process has been hampered by the lack of visible markers to detect gene conversion, especially when the events are rare. In previous work, we developed a transgenic system for detection and quantitation of gene conversion events in the germline of mice (Murti, J.R., Bumbulis, M., Schimenti, J.C., 1992. High frequency germline gene conversion in transgenic mice. Mol. Cell. Biol. 12, 2545-2552) that could be exploited as an assay for recombinogenic chemicals (Murti, J.R, Schimenti, K.J., Schimenti, J.C., 1994. A recombination-based transgenic mouse system for genotoxicity testing. Mutat. Res. 307, 583-595). A specific intrachromosomal gene conversion event between two complementarily defective lacZ genes resulted in the production of beta-galactosidase in spermatids, enabling a measurement of conversion frequency. Here, we report that the anticancer drug, cisplatin, increased gene conversion in meiotic stage cells in these transgenic mice. Furthermore, a method was developed for direct molecular analysis of transgene conversion events in single or pooled lacZ-positive spermatids. The ability to identify gametes that have undergone a rare gene conversion event, followed by molecular amplification of the recombinant gene, should make it possible to investigate the mechanisms of genetic recombination in mammals in greater detail than previously possible.