A STUDY OF BIOETHICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS IN KOREA

This study assessed the knowledge and perception of human biological materials (HBM) and biorepositories among three study groups in South Korea. The relationship between the knowledge and the perception among different groups was also examined by using factor and regression analyses. In a self‐reporting survey of 440 respondents, the expert group was found more likely to be knowledgeable and positively perceived than the others. Four factors emerged: Sale and Consent, Flexible Use, Self‐Confidence, and Korean Bioethics and Biosafety Action restriction perception. The results indicate that those who are well aware of the existence of biobanks were more positively inclined to receive the Sale and Consent perception. As a result of the need for high quality HBMs and the use of appropriate sampling procedures for every aspect of the collection and use process, the biorepository community should pay attention to ethical, legal, and policy issues.     

Conformational changes in the P site and mRNA entry channel evoked by AUG recognition in yeast translation preinitiation complexes

The translation preinitiation complex (PIC) is thought to assume an open conformation when scanning the mRNA leader, with AUG recognition evoking a closed conformation and more stable P site interaction of Met-tRNA_i; however, physical evidence is lacking that AUG recognition constrains interaction of mRNA with the 40S binding cleft. We compared patterns of hydroxyl radical cleavage of rRNA by Fe(II)-BABE tethered to unique sites in eIF1A in yeast PICs reconstituted with mRNA harboring an AUG or near-cognate (AUC) start codon. rRNA residues in the P site display reduced cleavage in AUG versus AUC PICs; and enhanced cleavage in the AUC complexes was diminished by mutations of scanning enhancer elements of eIF1A that increase near-cognate recognition in vivo. This suggests that accessibility of these rRNA residues is reduced by accommodation of Met-tRNA_i in the P site (P_IN state) and by their interactions with the anticodon stem of Met-tRNA_i. Our cleavage data also provide evidence that AUG recognition evokes dissociation of eIF1 from its 40S binding site, ejection of the eIF1A-CTT from the P-site and rearrangement to a closed conformation of the entry channel with reduced mobility of mRNA.     

Insecticide susceptibility and resistance of larvae of the Anopheles sinensis Group (Diptera: Culicidae) from Paju, Republic of Korea

The susceptibility of members of the Anopheles sinensis Group in Korea to insecticides was evaluated under laboratory conditions using 15 insecticides currently used by local public health centers in Korea. The insecticides included eight pyrethroids, six organophosphates and a pyrazol analogue. Based on their LC₅₀ values, the order of susceptibility of An. sinensis larvae to the insecticides was bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, α-cypermethrin and λ-cyhalothrin, with values of 0.009, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08 p.p.m., respectively. The least susceptibility was obtained with fenitrothion, with an LC₅₀ of 7.7 p.p.m. In the comparative resistance test, the resistance ratios (RR) of 14 insecticides were compared to each other using two strains of members of the An. sinensis Group collected in the locality in 2001 and 2008. Anopheles spp. demonstrated higher RR to organophosphates such as fenthion, and low RR for the pyrethroids. Among the organophosphates, fenthion had the highest RR of 33.3 and 270.0 fold differences for LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values, respectively. Among the pyrethroids, permethrin was observed to have the highest RR of 3.8 and 1.8 fold differences for LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values, respectively. However, there were no significant differences in susceptibility to chlorfenapyr, chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin and fenitrothion. An. sinensis s. l. was more susceptible to the six insecticides bifenthrin, λ-cyhalothrin, α-cypermethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin and pyridafenthion, showing 0.03, 0.06, 0.3, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.4 fold differences in resistance rates (RR LC₅₀), respectively.     

Sequence Analysis of the Bacillus subtilis 168 Chromosome Region between the sspC and odhA Loci (184{degrees}-180{degrees})

The nucleotide sequence of 45,389 bp in the 184°-;180°region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome, containing the cgecluster, which is controlled by the sporulation regulatory proteinGerE, was determined. Fifty-four putative ORFs with putativeribosome-binding sites were recognized. Seven of them correspondto previously characterized genes: cgeB, cgeA, cgeC, cgeD, cgeE,ctpA, and odhA. The deduced products of 25 ORFs were found todisplay significant similarities to proteins in the data banks.We have identified genes involved in detoxification, cell walls,and in the metabolism of biotins, purines, fatty acids, carbohydratesand amino acids. The remaining 22 ORFs showed no similarityto known proteins. Both an attachment site of the SPßprophage and 2 new putative DNA replication terminators wereidentified in this region.