Body temperature, rate of biosynthesis, and evolution of genome size

An optimality model relating the rate of biosynthesis to body temperature and gene duplication is presented to account for several observed patterns of genome size variation. The model predicts (1) that poikilotherms living in a warm climate should have a smaller genome than poikilotherms living in a cold climate, (2) that homeotherms should have a small genome as well as a small variation in genome size relative to their poikilothermic ancestors, (3) that cold geological periods should favor the evolution of poikilotherms with a large genome and that warm geological periods should do the opposite, and (4) that poikilotherms with a small genome should be more sensitive to changes in temperature than poikilotherms with a large genome. The model also offers two explanations for the empirically documented trend that organisms with a large cell volume have larger genomes than those with a small cell volume. Relevant empirical evidence is summarized to support these predictions.

[Disease-free survival of acute leukemia patients receiving autologous bone marrow transplant following intensive chemotherapy--a report of 11 cases]

Eleven cases of acute leukemia patients were treated with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) following intensive chemotherapy with TACC protocol. Among them, eight were in first remission, three in second remission. The median age was 38 years (24-45 years). Bone marrow was purged in vitro before transplantation with procaine and hyperthermia in three cases with acute promyelocytic leukemia. In all patients, ABMT was successful. The results of treatment are as follows: as of May, 1994, the median remission and disease-free survival period was 31 months (6-57), seven cases have been in complete remission for 6-57 months (median 42 months) after treatment and are still alive. In four cases, ABMT was complicated by infection but it was controlled by antibiotics.

Molecular genetic analysis of the response of three soil microbial communities to the application of 2,4-D

The responses of three different soil microbial communities to the experimental application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were evaluated with a variety of molecular genetic techniques. Two of the three soil communities had histories of prior direct exposure to 2,4-D, and one had no prior direct application of any herbicide. Dominant 2,4-D degrading strains isolated from these soils the previous year were screened for hybridization with three catabolic genes (tfdA, tfdAII, and tfdB) cloned from the well-studied 2,4-D degradative plasmid, pJP4, revealing varying degrees of similarity with the three genes. Hybridization of total community DNA from the three soils with the tfd gene probes also indicated that pJP4-like tfd genes were not harboured by a significant percentage of the community. Community level response was evaluated by the comparison of different treatments by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints and by community DNA cross-hybridization. No differences between treatments within the same soil were detected in any of the RAPD fingerprints generated with 17 primers. Community DNA cross-hybridization also indicated that the application of 2,4-D at the applied rates did not quantitatively affect the structure of the soil microbial communities present in the three soils during the time-frame studied.

Genomic organization of the canrep repetitive DNA in Brassica juncea

Canrep is a heterogeneous, tandemly repeated, 176 bp nucleotide sequence that contains a single Hind III site and is present in high copy numbers in the genomes of many Brassica species. Complete clusters of repeats of this DNA were cloned from the nuclear DNA of Brassica juncea. Restriction-fragment dimers and higher multimers of the 176 bp sequence have arisen by mutations within the Hind III recognition sequence. Adjacent repeats from within the same cluster usually have different nucleotide sequences with features indicating that diversity is generated by a mechanism that causes site-specific base substitutions. While most of the units of canrep DNA are clustered in long arrays of tandem repeats, some are dispersed throughout the genome as isolated copies or in small clusters. Regardless of the size of the arrays, each cluster begins and ends with a variable-length, truncated repeat and is flanked by inverted copies of the sequence 5'-ATCTCAT3'-, which is not part of the basic sequence of the canrep family of DNAs. Furthermore, some clusters are located close to nucleotide sequences related to those of known plant transposons. Thus, canrep elements may be dispersed by transposition. There are two distinct subfamilies of canrep sequences in B. juncea, and one of these is closely related to one of the two subfamilies of this type of DNA from B. napus, indicating that it originated from B. campestris, the common diploid ancestor of both amphidiploid species. Neither the repetitive DNA nor nucleotide sequences flanking canrep clusters are transcribed in seedlings, suggesting that even small arrays of repeats are located in heterochromatic regions and might be involved in chromatin condensation and/or chromosome segregation.

Expression of mitochondrial genes and DNA-repair-related nuclear genes is altered in xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblasts

Differential hybridization was used to detect repair defects in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) that are not amenable to current analyses. cDNA libraries were constructed from cytoplasmic RNA of normal and XP fibroblast strains (complementation groups A and D) and analyzed for differential gene expression. More than 40,000 lambda gt10 cDNA clones were differentially screened with in vitro transcripts made from cDNA in the pBluescript vector. Six differential clones were detected in the libraries of the XP group A and D strains which caused stronger or weaker signals when probed with transcripts from XP strains than with those from the normal strains. Two clones coded for mitochondrial genes: mitochondrial 16 S rRNA and ATPase 6L. Overexpression of mitochondrial genes in XP may indicate that functions of the ATP-generating system are impaired since such functions are intensified whenever they become insufficient, for example as a consequence of DNA damage. It is tempting to assume that abnormal mitochondria are one of the causes for the neurological malfunctions in XP. Furthermore, densitometric analysis of Northern blots revealed that mRNA of lactate dehydrogenase, chain M, was less abundant in four XP group A strains (extent of reduction: 70%) and in two XP group D strains (extent of reduction: 58%). Enzyme activity was also diminished. In addition, mRNA of the gene for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was less expressed in the same XP group A and D fibroblast strains investigated (reduction in both complementation groups: 50%). Both glycolytic enzymes have nuclear functions apart from their role in sugar metabolism. Lactate dehydrogenase, chain M, is identical to a helix-destabilizing protein; it is closely associated with chromatin and unfolded DNA, suggesting a role in DNA synthesis and transcription. The 37-kDa subunit of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is involved in transcription and was shown to be identical to uracil-DNA glycosylase, a base-excision repair enzyme. We presume that the nuclear functions of these glycolytic enzymes may be thwarted in the XP strains investigated and may account for malfunctions in XP, particularly for neurological disturbances.

Myocardial velocity gradients detected by Doppler imaging

Using a scanner whose colour Doppler mode has been adapted to display tissue motion (instead of blood flow), velocity gradients have been detected across the myocardium. A velocity gradient is a gradual spatial change in the value of velocity estimates. Velocity gradients have potential for assessing regional myocardial contractility. 28 M-mode scans were performed on nine normal volunteers at different locations in the left-ventricle posterior wall. In each case simultaneous Doppler M-mode and pulse-echo M-mode images were obtained. Doppler velocity gradient (DVG) was calculated from Doppler M-mode images and rate of change of wall thickness (RCWT) was calculated from pulse-echo M-mode images. In all Doppler M-mode images statistically significant velocity gradients were observed. In all but one scan, cyclically consistent peaks in DVG occur relative to the electrocardiogram waveform. 99% of systolic and 89% of early diastolic peaks in RCWT have a corresponding peak in DVG. Velocity gradients are consistent with wall thickness changes, suggesting that they have potential for assessment of myocardial contractility.

An AT-rich satellite DNA sequence, E180, in alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

A DNA fragment of approximately 750 bp was cloned from EcoRI-digested nuclear DNA of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Southern blot and sequence analysis showed that the cloned DNA fragment represents a tetramer of a highly tandemly repeated DNA sequence of 185-188 bp (E180). The consensus sequence deduced from the four repeating units is 189 bp in length with an AT content of 67%. The copy number of the satellite DNA was estimated to be approximately 1.8 x 10(5) per genome and constitutes about 1% of the alfalfa genome. Sequence comparison revealed no identity to any repetitive DNA sequences that have been published to date. Digestion with HpaII and MspI indicated a high degree of methylation at the internal C of the restriction site CCGG within E180.

Optoelectronic implementation of a compression-attraction-sphere associative memory using an optical spatial pattern-encoding method

A compression-attraction-sphere associative-memory model is proposed. An optoelectronic implementation of its inner-product architecture using an optical spatial pattern-encoding method is demonstrated bycomputer simulations and preliminary experiments.

Structure and evolution of a highly repetitive DNA sequence from Brassica napus

A Hind III family of highly repetitive DNA sequences, canrep (canola repeat), was cloned from the nuclear DNA of canola (Brassica napus cv. Westar). The basic units of this family of repeats consists of 176 bp and are arranged in clusters of tandem direct repeats. Each canrep repeat is composed of three related subrepeats of ca. 60 bp. Each subrepeat contains two inverted repeats of about 23 bp and another unrelated sequence of about 12 bp. Based on the internal structure, a possible scheme for the evolution of canrep is proposed. At least two subfamilies of the canrep sequences are present in the genome, as revealed by sequence analyses. In situ hybridization showed that canrep sequences are mainly clustered at centromeric regions of chromosomes. Northern hybridizations indicate that there are no transcripts related to canrep in the total RNAs extracted from plant seedlings.

A priori evaluation of aqueous polarization effects through Monte Carlo QM-MM simulations

A Monte Carlo quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical (QM-MM) simulation method was used to determine the contributions of the solvent polarization effect to the total interaction energies between solute and solvent for amino acid side chains and nucleotide bases in aqueous solution. In the present AM1-TIP3P approach, the solute molecule is characterized by valence electrons and nucleus cores with Hartree-Fock theory incorporating explicit solvent effects into the total Hamiltonian, while the solvent is approximated by the three-point charge TIP3P model. The polarization energy contributes 10 to 20 percent of the total electrostatic energy in these systems. The performance of the hybrid AM1-TIP3P model was further validated by consideration of bimolecular complexes with water and by computation of the free energies of solvation of organic molecules using statistical perturbation theory. Excellent agreement with ab initio 6-31G(d) results and experimental solvation free energies was obtained.

Human recombinant IL-3 is a growth factor for normal B cells

IL-3 is a well known hemopoietic cell growth and differentiation factor. However, its functional role in normal B cell differentiation has not been established. We have investigated the effect of IL-3 on the growth and differentiation of human B cells. IL-3 enhanced the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 strain-stimulated B cells. The optimal time of IL-3 to stimulate B cell growth was on day 2 to day 3, suggesting that IL-3 was a B cell growth factor acting in the late stage. IL-3 synergized with IL-2 to enhance B cell proliferation and differentiation. Pretreatment of B cells with IL-3 for more than 3 days increased the expression of IL-2R on B cells. However, pretreatment of B cells with IL-2 did not alter the subsequent response to IL-3, suggesting that the synergy between IL-2 and IL-3 may be attributed to the up-regulation of IL-2 response by IL-3. In addition, pretreatment of B cells with IL-4 decreased subsequent response of B cells to IL-3 as well as IL-2, suggesting that IL-3- and IL-2-responding cells passed a similar way during the early stage of B cell activation. It appears that IL-3 and IL-6 mediate normal B cell differentiation via separate mechanisms. IL-3-induced B cell differentiation was mainly mediated by increasing cell growth, whereas IL-6 induced B cell differentiation without affecting proliferation.

Human recombinant IL-3 is a growth factor for normal B cells

IL-3 is a well known hemopoietic cell growth and differentiation factor. However, its functional role in normal B cell differentiation has not been established. We have investigated the effect of IL-3 on the growth and differentiation of human B cells. IL-3 enhanced the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 strain-stimulated B cells. The optimal time of IL-3 to stimulate B cell growth was on day 2 to day 3, suggesting that IL-3 was a B cell growth factor acting in the late stage. IL-3 synergized with IL-2 to enhance B cell proliferation and differentiation. Pretreatment of B cells with IL-3 for more than 3 days increased the expression of IL-2R on B cells. However, pretreatment of B cells with IL-2 did not alter the subsequent response to IL-3, suggesting that the synergy between IL-2 and IL-3 may be attributed to the up-regulation of IL-2 response by IL-3. In addition, pretreatment of B cells with IL-4 decreased subsequent response of B cells to IL-3 as well as IL-2, suggesting that IL-3- and IL-2-responding cells passed a similar way during the early stage of B cell activation. It appears that IL-3 and IL-6 mediate normal B cell differentiation via separate mechanisms. IL-3-induced B cell differentiation was mainly mediated by increasing cell growth, whereas IL-6 induced B cell differentiation without affecting proliferation.

[Preparation of compound membrane of traditional Chinese medicine for mouth ulcer]

The compound membrane of traditional Chinese medicine for mouth ulcer, which is made of drug-containing membrane and covering membrane, is a new type of preparation of traditional Chinese medicine. The comparison of different prescriptions and membrane materials in the preparation, adhesion and drug release of the membrane has shown that that PVA17-88-CMCNa (1:1) and PVA17-88 act best as the base of drug-containing membrane and covering membrane material respectively.

[An epidemiologic survey on a type E hepatitis (HE) outbreak]

This article deals with a HE outbreak, which occurred in Sulagong Village, Pan-jin Township, Yining County, Xinjiang. There was a total of 214 patients involved in the village, with an attack rate of 6.15 percent. Among the patients young people formed the majority. The attack rate between 20 to 24 years of age reached 17.9 percent. Attack rate of pregnant women between 18 to 35 years of age was significantly higher than that of the non-pregnant ones. The condition in pregnant patients was rather severe. Their case fatality rate was 5.88 percent and abortion rate was 17.64 percent. By epidemiological investigation, it was shown that the chief contributing cause of the HE outbreak was probably contaminated drinking water, and direct or indirect contact with the patients in the infectious stage was also a risk factor.