Inversin, a novel gene in the vertebrate left-right axis pathway, is partially deleted in the inv mouse

A DNA fragment containing the recA gene of Gluconobacter oxydans was isolated and further characterized for its nucleotide sequence and ability to functionally complement various recA mutations. When expressed in an Escherichia coli recA host, the G. oxydans recA protein could efficiently function in homologous recombination and DNA damage repair. The recA gene's nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a protein of 344 amino acids with a molecular mass of 38 kDa. We observed an E. coli-like LexA repressor-binding site in the G. oxydans recA gene promoter region, suggesting that a LexA-like mediated response system may exist in G. oxydans. The expression of G. oxydans recA in E. coli RR1, a recA+ strain, surprisingly caused a remarkable reduction of the host wild-type recA gene function, whereas the expression of both Serratia marcescens recA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa recA gene caused only a slight inhibitory effect on function of the host wild-type recA gene product. Compared with the E. coli RecA protein, the identity of the amino acid sequence of G. oxydans RecA protein is much lower than those RecA proteins of both S. marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This result suggests that the expression of another wild-type RecA could interfere with host wild-type recA gene's function, and the extent of such an interference is possibly correlated to the identity of the amino acid sequence between the two classes of RecA protein.     

Parent-child relationships, partner relationships, and emotional adjustment: A birth-to-maturity prospective study.

This study examined whether detrimental childhood relationships with parents were related to partner relationship quality and emotional adjustment in adulthood. The authors tested a theoretical model in which (a) low-quality parent-child relationships were related to conflict and low-quality communication with parents in adolescence, (b) parent-adolescent conflict and low-quality communication were linked to low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood, and (c) low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood were predictive of low-quality partner relationships as well as depression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction with life at midlife. Multi-informant data were used from 212 Swedish individuals who were followed from birth into adulthood. Results demonstrated that, as hypothesized, negative parent-child bonds were indirectly related to low-quality partner relationships and dissatisfaction with life in adulthood (but not anxiety and depression) through conflictual parent-adolescent communication and low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fate and activity of microorganisms introduced into soil

Gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage during compromised liver function is known to precipitate portal-systemic encephalopathy (PSE). Hypothetically, the induced hyperammonemia depletes cerebral glutamate pools. To investigate this hypothesis, rats were studied 14 days after portacaval shunt (PCS) or sham surgery (SHAM). Rats received 3 mL bovine erythrocytes or saline at t = 0, 1, 2, and 3h via a previously placed gastrostomy catheter. At t = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8h arterial blood and at t = 8h cerebral cortex were sampled for determination of ammonia and amino acids. Control rats (NORM) were sampled without previous surgery. Repeated intragastric blood administration increased the already elevated arterial ammonia levels in PCS rats further. This resulted in higher cerebral cortex ammonia and glutamine levels after blood administration. Despite the accumulation of ammonia and glutamine, cerebral cortex glutamate concentrations remained unaltered. Yet, PCS rats became more encephalopathic after blood gavages, suggesting that there is not a clear-cut relation between cerebral cortex glutamate concentrations and degree of PSE. Interestingly, cerebral cortex concentrations of GABA, tyrosine and phenylalanine were markedly increased. Whether these observations are pathogenetically related to PSE remains to be established. The present model of simulated GI hemorrhage in PCS rats seems to be a suitable, clinically valid model for future research regarding hepatic encephalopathy.     

Derivation of efficient parallel programs: An example from genetic sequence analysis

Implementation issues such as synchronization, implementation of abstract data types, and scheduling of processes are usually not addressed in the formal derivation of parallel programs. We seek to redress the situation by considering these issues in the context of developing an efficient implementation of an actual parallel program. The computational problem that we proceed by developingan algorithm in Unity and investigating the issues that arise in producing an efficient C implementation of the resulting algorithm. Along the way, we develop some theorems about program refinements, and illustrate the usefulness of the theorems in the context of refining the original Unity program.Work supported in part by ONR Grants N00014-86-K-0763 and N00014-87-K-0510 while the author was at The University of Texas at Austin.     

Supercritical gas extraction of Victorian brown coals: The effect of coal properties

A selection of fifteen Victorian brown coals, which varied in lithotype but only slightly in rank, were subjected to supercritical gas extraction with toluene. Seven of these coals were also extracted with 5% tetralin/toluene under the same conditions of temperature and pressure (400 °C and 10 MPa). The overall conversion, the extract yield and the yield of toluene solubles (oil and asphaltene) were correlated with more easily obtained coal properties using simple linear regression analysis. Good correlations were obtained between the total conversions and the volatile matter content of the coals, and for the toluene extractions between both the extract yield and the yield of toluene solubles and the H/C atomic ratio. For the toluene solubles from the toluene extractions, the aromaticity decreased and the molecular weight increased as the H/C atomic ratio of the coal increased. Inorganic constituents of the coals did not appear to have a marked effect on total conversion and liquid yields. Removal of the cations from two coals increased conversion and liquid yields in one case and decreased these in the other, but in both instances the changes were not large.