Genetic mapping of clubroot resistance genes in oilseed rape

Clubroot caused by the obligate biotrophic protist Plasmodiophora brassicae is a major disease of Brassica species. Clubroot resistances introduced from B. oleracea var. 'Böhmerwaldkohl' and resistance from B. rapa ECD-04 were genetically mapped in oilseed rape (B. napus L.). A doubled haploid (DH) population of rape seed was developed by crossing a resistant DH-line derived from a resynthesized B. napus with the susceptible cultivar 'Express'. The DH population was tested in the greenhouse against seven P. brassicae isolates showing low and high virulence toward B. oleracea or/and B. rapa. DH-lines with highest or lowest disease scores were used in a bulked segregant analysis (BSA), and 43 polymorphic AFLPs were identified. A genetic map of the whole genome was constructed using 338 AFLP and 156 anchored SSR markers. Nineteen QTL were detected on chromosomes N02, N03, N08, N13, N15, N16 and N19 giving resistance to seven different isolates. Race-specific effects were observed for all QTL, none of the QTL conferred resistance to all isolates. The phenotypic variance explained by the respective QTL ranged between 10.3 and 67.5%. All QTL could be assigned to both ancestral genomes of B. napus. In contrast to previous reports, a clear differentiation into major QTL from B. rapa and minor QTL from B. oleracea could not be found. Composite interval mapping confirmed the linkage relationships determined by BSA, thus demonstrating that markers for oligogenic traits can be selected by merely testing the distributional extremes of a segregating population.

Neutral-kaon mixing from (2+1)-flavor domain-wall QCD

We present the first results for neutral-kaon mixing using (2+1)-flavors of domain-wall fermions. A new approach is used to extrapolate to the physical up and down quark masses from our numerical studies with pion masses in the range 240-420 MeV; only SU(2)_{L}xSU(2)_{R} chiral symmetry is assumed and the kaon is not assumed to be light. Our main result is B_{K};{MS[over ]}(2 GeV)=0.524(10)(28) where the first error is statistical and the second incorporates estimates for all systematic errors.

Sugar beet contains a large CONSTANS-LIKE gene family including a CO homologue that is independent of the early-bolting (B) gene locus

Floral transition in the obligate long-day (LD) plant sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) is tightly linked to the B gene, a dominant early-bolting quantitative trait locus, the expression of which is positively regulated by LD photoperiod. Thus, photoperiod regulators like CONSTANS (CO) and CONSTANS-LIKE (COL) genes identified in many LD and short-day (SD)-responsive plants have long been considered constituents and/or candidates for the B gene. Until now, the photoperiod response pathway of sugar beet (a Caryophyllid), diverged from the Rosids and Asterids has not been identified. Here, evidence supporting the existence of a COL gene family is provided and the presence of Group I, II, and III COL genes in sugar beet, as characterized by different zinc-finger (B-box) and CCT (CO, CO-like, TOC) domains is demonstrated. BvCOL1 is identified as a close-homologue of Group 1a (AtCO, AtCOL1, AtCOL2) COL genes, hence a good candidate for flowering time control and it is shown that it maps to chromosome II but distant from the B gene locus. The late-flowering phenotype of A. thaliana co-2 mutants was rescued by over-expression of BvCOL1 thereby suggesting functional equivalence with AtCO, and it is shown that BvCOL1 interacts appropriately with the endogenous downstream genes, AtFT and AtSOC1 in the transgenic plants. Curiously, BvCOL1 has a dawn-phased diurnal pattern of transcription, mimicking that of AtCOL1 and AtCOL2 while contrasting with AtCO. Taken together, these data suggest that BvCOL1 plays an important role in the photoperiod response of sugar beet.

Overexpression of VEGF-C and -D may predict unfavorable outcome in resected non-small cell lung cancer

21114

Background: Correlation of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D and/or VEGF receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) with lymphatic spread, tissue invasion and poor clinical outcomes has been observed in various cancers. Nodal metastasis is known to one of poor prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated the correlation of VEGF-C,-VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 with clinicopathologic parameters and patient survival in NSCLC. Methods: Using immunohistochemial staining, we analyzed the protein expressions of VEGF-C, VEGFD and VEGFR-3 on the tissue array specimens from 180 patients with completely resected NSCLC. A 0 to +1 immunohistochemical staining (IHCS) of the cancer cell was defined as negative, +2 to +3 IHCS was as positive. Results: The expressions of VEGF-C, VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 were observed in 28.9%, 32.8% and 30.6% of cases, respectively. In the Cox regression-based multivariate analysis, it was proved that VEGF-C and D proved to be an independent prognostic factors as well as known prognostic factors, such as tumor size and lymph node metastases (VEGF-C, p=0.001; VEGF-D, p=0.014). VEGF-C expression showed statistically significant correlation with the expression of VEGFR-3 (p=0.02). Conclusion: To be taken, the present study revealed that VEGF-C and D expression may predict poor prognosis in resected NSCLC patients. Therefore, these results seems to be worth developing promising targeting inhibitors on lymphangiogenesis which plays major role in locoregional recurrence for surgically NSCLC patinets.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Heterotic patterns in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.): I. Crosses between spring and Chinese semi-winter lines

Chinese semi-winter rapeseed is genetically diverse from Canadian and European spring rapeseed. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of semi-winter rapeseed for spring rapeseed hybrid breeding, to assess the genetic effects involved, and to estimate the correlation of parental genetic distance (GD) with hybrid performance, heterosis, general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) in crosses between spring and semi-winter rapeseed lines. Four spring male sterile lines from Germany and Canada as testers were crossed with 13 Chinese semi-winter rapeseed lines to develop 52 hybrids, which were evaluated together with their parents and commercial hybrids for seed yield and oil content in three sets of field trials with 8 environments in Canada and Europe. The Chinese parental lines were not adapted to local environmental conditions as demonstrated by poor seed yields per se. However, the hybrids between the Chinese parents and the adapted spring rapeseed lines exhibited high heterosis for seed yield. The average mid-parent heterosis was 15% and ca. 50% of the hybrids were superior to the respective hybrid control across three sets of field trials. Additive gene effects mainly contributed to hybrid performance since the mean squares of GCA were higher as compared to SCA. The correlation between parental GD and hybrid performance and heterosis was found to be low whereas the correlation between GCA((f + m)) and hybrid performance was high and significant in each set of field trials, with an average of r = 0.87 for seed yield and r = 0.89 for oil content, indicating that hybrid performance can be predicted by GCA((f + m)). These results demonstrate that Chinese semi-winter rapeseed germplasm has a great potential to increase seed yield in spring rapeseed hybrid breeding programs in Canada and Europe.

Monitoring fluorescence of individual chromophores in peridinin-chlorophyll-protein complex using single molecule spectroscopy

Single molecule spectroscopy experiments are reported for native peridinin-chlorophyll a-protein (PCP) complexes, and three reconstituted light-harvesting systems, where an N-terminal construct of native PCP from Amphidinium carterae has been reconstituted with chlorophyll (Chl) mixtures: with Chl a, with Chl b and with both Chl a and Chl b. Using laser excitation into peridinin (Per) absorption band we take advantage of sub-picosecond energy transfer from Per to Chl that is order of magnitude faster than the Förster energy transfer between the Chl molecules to independently populate each Chl in the complex. The results indicate that reconstituted PCP complexes contain only two Chl molecules, so that they are spectroscopically equivalent to monomers of native-trimeric-PCP and do not aggregate further. Through removal of ensemble averaging we are able to observe for single reconstituted PCP complexes two clear steps in fluorescence intensity timetraces attributed to subsequent bleaching of the two Chl molecules. Importantly, the bleaching of the first Chl affects neither the energy nor the intensity of the emission of the second one. Since in strongly interacting systems Chl is a very efficient quencher of the fluorescence, this behavior implies that the two fluorescing Chls within a PCP monomer interact very weakly with each other which makes it possible to independently monitor the fluorescence of each individual chromophore in the complex. We apply this property, which distinguishes PCP from other light-harvesting systems, to measure the distribution of the energy splitting between two chemically identical Chl a molecules contained in the PCP monomer that reaches 280 cm(-1). In agreement with this interpretation, stepwise bleaching of fluorescence is also observed for native PCP complexes, which contain six Chls. Most PCP complexes reconstituted with both Chl a and Chl b show two emission lines, whose wavelengths correspond to the fluorescence of Chl a and Chl b. This is a clear proof that these two different chromophores are present in a single PCP monomer. Single molecule fluorescence studies of PCP complexes, both native and artificially reconstituted with chlorophyll mixtures, provide new and detailed information necessary to fully understand the energy transfer in this unique light-harvesting system.

Aseptic meningitis after embolization of cerebral aneurysms using hydrogel-coated coils: report of three cases

SUMMARY

We report the development of aseptic meningitis in 3 patients with aneurysms treated with hydrogel-coated coils. Patients presented with febrile meningeal syndromes during the 24 hours following the procedures and responded to corticosteroids. One of them developed delayed hydrocephalus that required treatment with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Aseptic meningitis is one of the important complications related to hydrogel-coated coils that should be recognized. More information based on the posttreatment surveillance after use of hydrogel-coated coils is required.

Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum activated by the low affinity Ca2+ chelator TPEN in ventricular myocytes

The Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of cardiac myocytes is thought to play a role in the regulation and termination of SR Ca2+ release through the ryanodine receptors (RyRs). Experimentally altering the amount of Ca2+ within the SR with the membrane-permeant low affinity Ca2+ chelator TPEN could improve our understanding of the mechanism(s) by which SR Ca2+ content and SR Ca2+ depletion can influence Ca2+ release sensitivity and termination. We applied laser-scanning confocal microscopy to examine SR Ca2+ release in freshly isolated ventricular myocytes loaded with fluo-3, while simultaneously recording membrane currents using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Following application of TPEN, local spontaneous Ca2+ releases increased in frequency and developed into cell-wide Ca2+ waves. SR Ca2+ load after TPEN application was found to be reduced to about 60% of control. Isolated cardiac RyRs reconstituted into lipid bilayers exhibited a two-fold increase of their open probability. At the low concentration used (20-40microTPEN did not significantly inhibit the SR-Ca2+-ATPase in SR vesicles. These results indicate that TPEN, traditionally used as a low affinity Ca2+ chelator in intracellular Ca2+ stores, may also act directly on the RyRs inducing an increase in their open probability. This in turn results in an increased Ca2+ leak from the SR leading to its Ca2+ depletion. Lowering of SR Ca2+ content may be a mechanism underlying the recently reported cardioprotective and antiarrhythmic features of TPEN.

Phaeochromocytoma in pregnancy

Hypertension during pregnancy is a common problem, causing significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Pre-eclampsia is by far the most common cause, affecting 5-10% of primigravid women. Phaeochromocytoma is a rare endocrine tumour causing hypersecretion of noradrenaline, adrenaline and/or dopamine. It is extremely rare during pregnancy and may be misdiagnosed with potentially catastrophic consequences. Delayed diagnosis remains a significant source of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Recognition is critical, as the majority of maternal deaths have occurred when the diagnosis has been overlooked. Diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma is achieved by detecting increased catecholamines and metabolites (metanephrine and normetanephrine) on 24-h urine collection, as these levels are unaffected by pregnancy or pre-eclampsia. Definitive treatment of phaeochromocytoma is surgical and the laparoscopic approach has been shown to be safe and is preferred for most phaeochromocytomas. Medical preparation and treatment of hypertension is essential for safe surgery. Timing of adrenalectomy is either during the second trimester or as a staged procedure after Caesarean section delivery.

Introgression of genomic components from Chinese Brassica rapa contributes to widening the genetic diversity in rapeseed (B. napus L.), with emphasis on the evolution of Chinese rapeseed

In spite of its short history of being an oil crop in China, the Chinese semi-winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L., 2n = 38, AACC) has been improved rapidly by intentional introgression of genomic components from Chinese B. rapa (2n = 20, AA). As a result, the Chinese semi-winter rapeseed has diversified genetically from the spring and winter rapeseed grown in the other regions such as Europe and North America. The objectives of this study were to investigate the roles of the introgression of the genomic components from the Chinese B. rapa in widening the genetic diversity of rapeseed and to verify the role of this introgression in the evolution of the Chinese rapeseed. Ten lines of the new type of rapeseed, which were produced by introgression of Chinese B. rapa to Chinese normal rapeseed, were compared for genetic diversity using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) with three groups of 35 lines of the normal rapeseed, including 9 semi-winter rapeseed lines from China, 9 winter rapeseed lines from Europe and 17 spring rapeseed lines from Northern Europe, Canada and Australia. Analysis of 799 polymorphic fragments revealed that within the groups, the new type rapeseed had the highest genetic diversity, followed by the semi-winter normal rapeseed from China. Spring and winter rapeseed had the lowest genetic diversity. Among the groups, the new type rapeseed group had the largest average genetic distance to the other three groups. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis, however, could not separate the new type rapeseed group from Chinese normal rapeseed group. Our data suggested that the introgression of Chinese B. rapa could significantly diversify the genetic basis of the rapeseed and play an important role in the evolution of Chinese rapeseed. The use of new genetic variation for the exploitation of heterosis in Brassica hybrid breeding is discussed.

DER KLINISCHE FALL: Hämaturie bei einem Hengst

Gegenstand: Ein 13-jähriger Friesenhengst wurde mit reduziertem Allgemeinbefinden, Hämaturie und einer mittelgradigen Anämie vorgestellt. Material und Methoden: Der Patient wurde klinisch, ul- trasonographisch und labordiagnostisch untersucht. Nach der Euthanasie erfolgte eine Sektion inklusive histologischer Untersuchung von Gewebeschnitten. Ergebnisse: Bei der transrektalen Untersuchung konnte eine medizinballgroße, derbe Umfangsvermehrung im Becken des Pferdes ertastet werden. Ultrasonogra- phisch wies die Struktur fokal nierenartiges Gewebe auf, andere Lokalisationen zeigten sich kavernös. Aufgrund der fraglichen Prognose wurden dem Besitzer die Euthanasie und eine Sektion vorgeschlagen. Bei der pathologischen Untersuchung zeigte sich ein 40 x 40 x 30 cm großer Tumor mit Hämatom im Bereich der rechten Niere, die in die Umfangsvermehrung einbezogen war. Durch Ruptur des Bauchfells war der retroperitoneale Raum mit der Bauchhöhle verbunden und es bestand ein Hämaskos. Die linke Niere war unverändert. Bei der histologischen Untersuchung erwies sich die Zubildung als Renalzellkarzinom. Schlussfolgerung: Das Symptom der Hämaturie kann auch beim Pferd durch ernsthafte und lebensbedrohliche Ursachen ausgelöst werden, sodass zur frühzeitigen Diagnosefindung und eventuell möglichen kausalen Therapie unverzüglich weiterführende Untersuchungen veranlasst werden sollten. Klinische Relevanz: Renalzellkarzinome sind bei Pferden selten beschrieben. Zudem wurden sie in der deutschsprachigen Literatur nach Kenntnis der Autoren bei dieser Tierart bislang nicht als Ursache eines Hämaskos genannt.

Partitioning the phase space in a natural way for scattering systems

In this paper, we demonstrate a recent procedure for the construction of a symbolic dynamics for open systems by applying it to a model potential, the driven inverted Gaussian, which has proven very useful in describing laser-atom interaction. The symbolic dynamics and the corresponding partition of the Poincaré map are natural from the point of view of an asymptotic observer since the resulting branching tree coincides with the one extracted from the scattering functions. In general, the whole procedure is approximate because it only describes the globally unstable part of the chaotic invariant set, that is, the part that can be seen by an asymptotic observer in scattering data. It ignores Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser islands and their fractal surroundings.

Multi-frequency EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on freeze-quenched reaction intermediates of nitric oxide synthase

It is believed by analogy to chloroperoxidase (CPO) from Caldariomyces fumago that the electronic structure of the intermediate iron-oxo species in the catalytic cycle of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) corresponds to an iron(IV) porphyrin-pi -cation radical. Such species can also be produced by the reaction of ferric NOS with external oxidants within the shunt pathway. We present multi-frequency EPR (9.6, 94, 285 GHz) and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on freeze-quenched intermediates of the oxygenase domain of nitric oxide synthase which has reacted with peroxy acetic acid within 8-200 ms. The intermediates of the oxygenase domain of both the cytokine inducible NOS (iNOSox) and the neuronal NOS (nNOSox) show an organic radical signal in the 9.6-GHz spectrum overlapping with the spectrum of an unknown species with g-values of 2.24, 2.23 and 1.96. Using 94- and 285-GHz EPR the organic radical signal is assigned to a tyrosine radical on the basis of g-values (i.e. Tyr*562 in nNOSox and Tyr*341 in iNOSox). Mössbauer spectroscopy of (57)Fe-labeled unreacted nNOSox shows a ferric low-spin heme-iron (delta = 0.38 mms(-1), deltaE(Q) = 2.58 mms(-1)). The reaction of nNOSox with peroxy acetic acid for 8 ms leads to the disappearance of the magnetic background characteristic for native nNOSox and a new species with delta = 0.27 mms(-1) and deltaE(Q) = 2.41 mms(-1) is detected at 4.2 K which does not resemble the parameters typical for a Fe(IV) center. It is proposed that this intermediate species corresponds to a ferric low-spin species which magnetically couples to an amino acid radical (presumably Trp*409).

HOXB13 is downregulated in colorectal cancer to confer TCF4-mediated transactivation

Mutations in the Wnt signalling cascade are believed to cause aberrant proliferation of colorectal cells through T-cell factor-4 (TCF4) and its downstream growth-modulating factors. HOXB13 is exclusively expressed in prostate and colorectum. In prostate cancers, HOXB13 negatively regulates β-catenin/TCF4-mediated transactivation and subsequently inhibits cell growth. To study the role of HOXB13 in colorectal tumorigenesis, we evaluated the expression of HOXB13 in 53 colorectal tumours originated from the distal left colon to rectum with their matching normal tissues using quantitative RT–PCR analysis. Expression of HOXB13 is either lost or diminished in 26 out of 42 valid tumours (62%), while expression of TCF4 RNA is not correlated with HOXB13 expression. TCF4 promoter analysis showed that HOXB13 does not regulate TCF4 at the transcriptional level. However, HOXB13 downregulated the expression of TCF4 and its target gene, c-myc, at the protein level and consequently inhibited β-catenin/TCF-mediated signalling. Functionally, forced expression of HOXB13 drove colorectal cancer (CRC) cells into growth suppression. This is the first description of the downregulation of HOXB13 in CRC and its mechanism of action is mediated through the regulation of TCF4 protein stability. Our results suggest that loss of HOXB13 may be an important event for colorectal cell transformation, considering that over 90% of colorectal tumours retain mutations in the APC/β-catenin pathway.

Construction of a natural partition of incomplete horseshoes

We present a method for constructing a partition of an incomplete horseshoe in a Poincare map. The partition is based only on the unstable manifolds of the outermost fixed points and eventually their limits. Consequently, this partition becomes natural from the point of view of asymptotic scattering observations. The symbolic dynamics derived from this partition coincides with the one derived from the hierarchical structure of the singularities of the scattering functions.

Impact of Newly Available Drugs on Clinical Progression in Patients with Virological Failure after Exposure to Three Classes of Antiretrovirals

Objective

To study the prognosis of HIV-infected patients with virological failure after exposure to three classes of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).

Design

Cohort study. Setting: French Hospital Database on HIV.

Patients

Patients previously exposed to at least two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), two protease inhibitors and one non-NRTI, with viral load (VL) values of >5000 copies/ml after the exposure criteria were met and a new treatment initiated between 1998 and 2001 with VL >5000 copies/ml.

Main outcome measures

Risk of new AIDS-defining-events (ADEs) or death from first introduction of a drug never used before occurring between 1998 and 2001 defined as baseline.

Results

The main baseline characteristics of the 1092 patients were: previous ADE in 49% of cases, median CD4 cell count 181 μl, median VL 4.9 log10 copies/ml, median duration of ARV therapy 5.0 years and previous exposure to a median of nine ARVs. The crude progression rates were 20.1/100 patient-years among patients included in 1998, 15.1 in 1999, 11.1 in 2000 and 8.6 in 2001. After adjustment for baseline characteristics, the calendar year of inclusion was associated with the risk of clinical progression ( P<0.001). When the types of newly available drugs used at baseline or during follow-up were introduced into the model, year of inclusion was no longer associated with the risk of clinical progression ( P=0.42), while exposure to amprenavir/r, lopinavir/r, abacavir or tenofovir was associated with a lower risk.

Conclusions

The clinical prognosis of heavily pretreated patients experiencing virological failure improved between 1998 and 2001, mainly thanks to the use of newly available drugs with more favourable resistance profiles.

[The cochlear implant. Molecular arguments favouring early implantation]

BACKGROUND

An important factor in the clinical outcome of cochlear implantation is the age of the patient. Compared to older patients, children with congenital deafness have a better outcome when the implantation is made before the age of 2 years. The cause may lie in the molecular biology of the brain, which changes during postnatal maturation.

METHODS

Protein probes were obtained from tissue of the rat inferior colliculus at different ages. The probes were analyzed using 2-dimensional SDS electrophoresis.

RESULTS

The expression of GAP-43, a protein expressed by neurons during axonal outgrowth and synaptogenesis, and the total number of the protein species showed a significant reduction during ontogenesis. This shows that while neurons gradually assume their specific function, they downregulate GAP-43 and the molecular complexity decreases.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to a lack of neuronal pluripotency at later developmental stages, the flexibility to adapt to the afferent activation provided by a cochlear implant is increasingly limited.

Bacterial artificial chromosome-derived molecular markers for early bolting in sugar beet

Early bolting in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is controlled by the dominant gene B. From an incomplete physical map around the B gene, 18 bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) were selected for marker development. Three BACs were shotgun-sequenced, and 61 open reading frames (ORFs) were identified. Together with 104 BAC ends from 54 BACs, a total number of 55,464 nucleotides were sequenced. Of these, 37 BAC ends and 12 ORFs were selected for marker development. Thirty-one percent of the sequences were found to be single copy and 24%, low copy. From these sequences, 15 markers from ten different BACs were developed. Ten polymorphisms were determined by simple agarose gel electrophoresis of either restricted or non-restricted PCR products. Another five markers were determined by tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-PCR. In order to select candidate BACs for cloning the gene, genetic linkage between seven markers and the bolting gene was calculated using 1,617 plants from an F2 population segregating for early bolting. The recombination values ranged between 0.0033 and 0.0201. In addition, a set of 41 wild and cultivated Beta accessions differing in their early bolting character was genotyped with seven markers. A common haplotype encompassing two marker loci and the b allele was found in all sugar beet varieties, indicating complete linkage disequilibrium between these loci. This suggests that the bolting gene is located in close vicinity to these markers, and the corresponding BACs can be used for cloning the gene.

In vitro culture decreases the expression of TGF(beta), Hsp47 and type I procollagen and increases the expression of CTGF in avian tendon explants

Weight-bearing tendons in many species, including humans, chickens and horses, are prone to failure, in many cases without a discernible cause. The normal function of the tendon depends on the proper assembly of fibrils of type I collagen, the main structural component of the tendon. We studied the effect of in vitro culture, temperature (37 degrees C vs. 43 degrees C) and wounding on the expression of mRNAs for several collagen regulators, transforming growth factor beta (TGF(beta)), heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), in chicken embryonic gastrocnemius tendon explants. The expression of mRNAs for TGF(beta) and Hsp47, a chaperone of collagen assembly, remained strong during the first day of in vitro culture, but then it decreased, slightly more at higher temperature. Additional injury in selected tendons had no significant effect on the levels of TGF(beta) and Hsp47 mRNAs. Likewise, the level of immunostained type I procollagen also decreased with the length of culture. The expression of CTGF gradually increased from 0 at the time of tendon removal with the duration of culture to strong after three days of culture when the expression of TGF(beta) and Hsp47 was low. We conclude that in vitro culture over the period of several days rather than an increase in temperature or additional wounding decreases the expression of TGF(beta), Hsp47 and type I procollagen and increases the expression of CTGF.

A genetic linkage map of Lens sp. based on microsatellite and AFLP markers and the localization of fusarium vascular wilt resistance

Microsatellites have currently become the markers of choice for molecular mapping and marker-assisted selection for key traits such as disease resistance in many crop species. We report here on the mapping of microsatellites which had been identified from a genomic library of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). The majority of microsatellite-bearing clones contained imperfect di-nucleotide repeats. A total of 41 microsatellite and 45 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were mapped on 86 recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross ILL 5588 x L 692-16-1(s), which had been previously used for the construction of a random amplified polymorphic DNA and AFLP linkage map. Since ILL 5588 was resistant to fusarium vascular wilt caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum Shlecht. Emend. Snyder & Hansen f.sp. lentis Vasud. & Srini., the recombinant inbreds were segregating for this character. The resulting map contained 283 markers covering about 751 cM, with an average marker distance of 2.6 cM. The fusarium vascular wilt resistance was localized on linkage group 6, and this resistance gene was flanked by microsatellite marker SSR59-2B and AFLP marker p17m30710 at distances of 8.0 cM and 3.5 cM, respectively. These markers are the most closely linked ones known to date for this agronomically important Fw gene. Using the information obtained in this investigation, the development and mapping of microsatellite markers in the existing map of lentil could be substantially increased, thereby providing the possibility for the future localization of various loci of agronomic interest.

Low-temperature FTIR spectra and hydrogen bonds in polycrystalline adenosine and uridine

FTIR spectra of polycrystalline samples of adenosine and uridine, pure and containing small (<10%) quantity of N(O)H or N(O)D groups, were measured in KBr pellets from 4000 to 400 cm(-1) at temperatures from 300 to 20 K. For the first time, the bands of narrow isotopically decoupled proton stretching vibration nu1 mode of NH- and OH- groups were found and assigned to ordered hydrogen bonds according to crystal structural data for both nucleosides. The FTIR adenosine spectra in the out-of-plane bending proton nu4 mode range (lower than 1000 cm(-1)) of N(O)H groups revealed at low temperature at least twice more bands, than in the nu1 range, which are influenced by isotopic exchange and (or) cooling. Almost all of them have their counterparts in the N(O)D substance spectrum with an isotopic frequency ratio of 1.30-1.40. These bands were assigned to the differently H-bound disordered NH and OH protons, which could not be seen with crystal structural methods. The energy and length of different H-bonds were estimated from peak positions of both mode bands (as the red shift of nu1 or blue shift of nu4 relatively free molecules) with well-established empirical correlations between spectral, thermodynamic and structural parameters of hydrogen bonds. The results were compared with independent experimental data.

AIDS, multicentric Castleman's disease, and plasmablastic leukemia: report of a long-term survival

Plasmablastic leukemia (PL) as a complication of human herpes virus 8 (HHV8)-associated Castleman's disease is marked by a rapid and fatal outcome. In patients with AIDS, survival of 7 to 14 days after diagnosis has been reported. Prompt splenectomy and chemotherapy might lead to a significant survival benefit. Here we report a case of long-term survival in a patient with AIDS and multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) complicated by PL.

Symmetry properties of periodic orbits extracted from scattering data

Discrete symmetries of a system are reflected in the properties of the shortest periodic orbits. By applying a recent method to extract these from the scaling of the fractal structure in scattering functions, we show how the symmetries can be extracted from scattering data simultaneously with the periods and the Lyapunov exponents. We pay particular attention to the change of scattering data under a small symmetry breaking.

Qualitätskriterien für ambulante Schulungsprogramme für übergewichtige und adipöse Kinder und Jugendliche

BACKGROUND

In Germany, 9 to 12 % of all children between five and seven years of age have been shown to be overweight at school entry; 2.5 to 3.5 % of them are obese. Therapeutic intervention for obese children and adolescents is considered to be indicated especially in cases where an increased body mass index (BMI) is accompanied by a disease the effective treatment of which requires weight loss. Furthermore, the child and its family must be willing to actively change their habits.

OBJECTIVE

A multitude of health care providers have begun to offer multidisciplinary group programme for prevention and treatment of obesity to affected individuals and their families. The Medical Service of the Statutory Health Insurance (MDK) has therefore developed a list of quality and assessment criteria for such programme.

METHODS

A systematic search for information in international and national publications was performed using standard methodology of evidence-based medicine. Data were extracted and assessed according to pre-defined criteria taking into consideration previously published clinical guidelines and opinions of expert panels.

RESULTS

Nearly all available studies were of low internal validity and mostly of poor methodological quality. Therefore, no binding recommendations for the design of health education programme for overweight and obese children and adolescents can be given. Potentially successful intervention should combine the following 4 modules: nutrition, physical activity, change of eating habits, physical activity habits and life style using methods of behavioural therapy, and involvement of parents. Such combinations may have the potential to reduce or stabilise the BMI at least during a defined period of time. In younger children, the beneficial effect will be more pronounced if the parents are actively involved.

CONCLUSION

Up to now informative studies have not reliably shown that the effect of ambulatory health education programmes for overweight and obese children and adolescents and their parents may last for more than one or two years. Therefore, a controlled clinical trial determining the long-term effectiveness of such programme is imperative. The decision whether a defined programmes should be included in such a study could be taken on the basis of the quality indicators and assessment criteria described here.

Electron-vibron coupling in high-resolution X-Ray absorption spectra of organic materials: NTCDA on Ag(111)

We report additional rich fine structures in high-resolution near-edge x-ray-absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra of large organic molecules using NTCDA on Ag(111) as an example. These fine structures are completely interpreted as vibronic coupling to electronic core excitations. The coupling is mode selective; predominantly one vibronic mode couples to each excitation. The fit results suggest the occurrence of a Davydov splitting, first observed for core excitons. Morphological differences substantially influence the electron-vibron coupling, indicating a strong intermolecular interaction. Thus NEXAFS becomes a more subtle probe for organic solids.

Low temperature FTIR spectra and hydrogen bonds in polycrystalline cytidine

FTIR spectra of polycrystalline samples of cytidine, pure and containing a small quantity of N(O)H or N(O)D groups (<20%), were measured in KBr pellets from 4000 to 400 cm(-1) at temperatures from 300 to 20K. For the first time the bands of the narrow isotopically decoupled proton stretching vibration mode (nu(1)) of OH- and NH- groups were found; their number corresponds to the number of H-bonds in crystal according to structural data. The FTIR spectra at low temperature in the out-of-plane bending nu(4) proton mode range (lower than 1000 cm(-1)) of N(O)H groups revealed narrow bands, which correspond to nu(1) bands together with several "extra" bands, which are influenced by the isotopic exchange and (or) cooling. All of them have their counterparts in the N(O)D-substance spectrum with an isotopic frequency ratio of 1.30-1.40. The "extra" bands are assigned to the H-bound OH and NH protons, which are disordered and cannot be seen with X-ray crystal structure analysis. The peak positions of both mode bands (expressed as the red shift of nu(1) or blue shift of nu(4) modes relatively free molecules) were used for the estimation of the energy of different H-bonds using previously established empirical correlations between spectral and thermodynamic parameters of hydrogen bonds. The correlation of the red shift and H-bond length is also confirmed for all five H-bonds of cytidine.

Thoracic Ultrasonography Technique in Newborn Calves and Description of Normal and Pathological Findings

The aim of this study was to establish whether thoracic ultrasonography is a viable screening method for detecting respiratory disorders in newborn calves. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed on 66 newborn calves. There were 10 normal control animals with healthy lungs and 56 newborn calves suffering from respiratory disorders such as lung atelectasis, aspiration of amniotic fluid, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, and lung abscesses. Ultrasonography of the lung enabled rapid classification of the severity, extent and type of pulmonary lesion found, thus supplementing the clinical examination. Processes deep to the pleura were not amenable to thoracic diagnosis by ultrasonography. This is due to the inability of sound waves to penetrate normally ventilated lung. Despite this problem, ultrasonography of the lung is suitable for assessment of clinically unclear respiratory disorders in calves.

High pressure fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies on inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase active site: a comparison to cytochrome p450CAM

High pressure Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is performed for the first time to analyse the active site of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOSox) using the carbon monoxide (CO) heme iron ligand stretch mode (nuCO) as spectroscopic probe. A membrane-driven sapphire anvil high-pressure cell is used. Three major conformational substates exist in substrate-free iNOSox which are characterized by nuCO at approximately 1936, 1945 and 1952 cm(-1). High pressure favors the 1936 cm(-1) substate with a volume difference to the 1945 substate of approximately -21 cm3/mol. The pressure induced cytochrome P420 formation with a reaction volume of approximately -80 cm3/mol is observed. Arginine binding produces a very low nuCO at approximately 1905 cm(-1) caused by the H-bond from the substrate to CO. nuCO for the substates in the substrate-free and arginine-bound proteins shift linearly with pressure which is qualitatively similar to the observation on cytochrome P450cam. The slightly smaller positive slope of the shift in substrate-free iNOSox compared to substrate-free P450cam is interpreted as a slightly lesser compressible heme pocket. In contrast, the significant slower negative slope for arginine-bound iNOSox compared to camphor-bound P450cam results from the different kind of interactions to the CO ligand (electrostatic interaction in P450cam, H-bond in iNOSox).

BAC-derived diagnostic markers for sex determination in asparagus

A HindIII BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) library of asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis L.) was established from a single male plant homozygous for the male flowering gene ( MM). The library represents approximately 5.5 haploid genome equivalents with an average insert size of 82 kb. A subset of the library (2.6 haploid genome equivalents) was arranged into DNA pools. Using nine sex-linked amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and two sequence-tagged site (STS) markers, 13 different BAC clones were identified from this part of the library. The BACs were arranged into a first-generation physical map around the sex locus. Four PCR-derived markers were developed from the BAC ends, one of which could be scored in a co-dominant way. Using a mapping population of 802 plants we mapped the BAC-derived markers to the same position close to the M gene as the corresponding AFLP and STS markers. The markers are useful for further chromosome walking studies and as diagnostic markers for selecting male plants homozygous for the M gene.

Spectroscopic interpretation: The high vibrations of CDBrClF

We extract the dynamics implicit in an algebraic fitted model Hamiltonian for the deuterium chromophore's vibrational motion in the molecule CDBrClF. The original model has four degrees of freedom, three positions and one representing interbond couplings. A conserved polyad allows in a semiclassical approach the reduction to three degrees of freedom. For most quantum states we can identify the underlying motion that when quantized gives the said state. Most of the classifications, identifications, and assignments are done by visual inspection of the already available wave function semiclassically transformed from the number representation to a representation on the reduced dimension toroidal configuration space corresponding to the classical action and angle variables. The concentration of the wave function density to lower dimensional subsets centered on idealized simple lower dimensional organizing structures and the behavior of the phase along such organizing centers already reveals the atomic motion. Extremely little computational work is needed.

Classical scattering for a driven inverted Gaussian potential in terms of the chaotic invariant set

We study the classical electron scattering from a driven inverted Gaussian potential, an open system, in terms of its chaotic invariant set. This chaotic invariant set is described by a ternary horseshoe construction on an appropriate Poincaré surface of section. We find the development parameters that describe the hyperbolic component of the chaotic invariant set. In addition, we show that the hierarchical structure of the fractal set of singularities of the scattering functions is the same as the structure of the chaotic invariant set. Finally, we construct a symbolic encoding of the hierarchical structure of the set of singularities of the scattering functions and use concepts from the thermodynamical formalism to obtain one of the measures of chaos of the fractal set of singularities, the topological entropy.