A SNP/microsatellite genetic linkage map of the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

A first genetic linkage map of the Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua ) was produced, based on segregation data from 12 full-sib families of Norwegian origin. The map contained 174 single nucleotide polymorphism markers and 33 microsatellites, distributed on 25 linkage groups and had a length of 1225 cM. A significant difference in recombination rates between sexes was found, the average ratio of female:male recombination rates being 1.78 ± 1.62 (SD).     

Focus: Addiction: Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery

There are four main ideas in relapse prevention. First, relapse is a gradual process with distinct stages. The goal of treatment is to help individuals recognize the early stages, in which the chances of success are greatest. Second, recovery is a process of personal growth with developmental milestones. Each stage of recovery has its own risks of relapse. Third, the main tools of relapse prevention are cognitive therapy and mind-body relaxation, which are used to develop healthy coping skills. Fourth, most relapses can be explained in terms of a few basic rules. Educating clients in these rules can help them focus on what is important: 1) change your life (recovery involves creating a new life where it is easier to not use); 2) be completely honest; 3) ask for help; 4) practice self-care; and 5) don’t bend the rules.     

COVID-19 and “natural” experiments arising from physical distancing: a hypothetical case study from chronobiology

ABSTRACT

With countless “natural” experiments triggered by the COVID-19-associated physical distancing, one key question comes from chronobiology: “When confined to homes, how does the reduced exposure to natural daylight arising from the interruption of usual outdoor activities plus lost temporal organization ordinarily provided from workplaces and schools affect the circadian timing system (the internal 24 h clock) and, consequently, health of children and adults of all ages?” Herein, we discuss some ethical and scientific facets of exploring such natural experiments by offering a hypothetical case study of circadian biology.     

Obesity in Older Adults: Technical Review and Position Statement of the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO,The Obesity Society

Obesity causes serious medical complications and impairs quality of life. Moreover, in older persons, obesity can exacerbate the age‐related decline in physical function and lead to frailty. However, appropriate treatment for obesity in older persons is controversial because of the reduction in relative health risks associated with increasing body mass index and the concern that weight loss could have potential harmful effects in the older population. This joint position statement from the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO, The Obesity Society reviews the clinical issues related to obesity in older persons and provides health professionals with appropriate weight‐management guidelines for obese older patients. The current data show that weight‐loss therapy improves physical function, quality of life, and the medical complications associated with obesity in older persons. Therefore, weight‐loss therapy that minimizes muscle and bone losses is recommended for older persons who are obese and who have functional impairments or medical complications that can benefit from weight loss.     

The analysis of planktonic rotifer populations: A plea for long-term investigations

Short-term species succession, and long-term community development, of planktonic rotifer populations of the temperate zone and factors influencing species' abundance (ie., physical and chemical limitations, food and exploitative competition, mechanical interference competition, predation, parasitism) are described and discussed. The long-term development of plankton communities in three European lakes is described and the major events are discussed in relation to ecological interactions. Frequently, the shortcomings of our knowledge about population ecology and ecophysiology of rotifers prevent explanations of short-term and, especially, of long-term developments of these plankton organisms. The need for qualitative and quantitative observations in the field and in the laboratory over long periods becomes obvious.     

Revision of the plant geographical territories of Israel and Sinai

The phytogeographical territories of Israel and Sinai are revised using a large mass of species distribution data. With the help of chorotype frequencies for 25 km² individual squares in Israel, territories were defined on the basis of the first two most frequent chorotypes. The similarity of boundaries in the resulting phytogeographical map with a physiognomic map suggests that the latter may be used in preliminary stages of the preparation of plant geographical maps.     

Complete maps of IS1, IS2, IS3, IS4, IS5, IS30 and IS150 locations in Escherichia coli K12

Summary In this paper complete distribution maps are presented of the seven IS elements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 30 and 150. These maps were obtained during the construction of an almost complete restriction map of the Escherichia coli genome of K12 strain BHB2600. The positions of IS elements were correlated to this map. The distribution of integration sites of all IS types is nonrandom. Besides a large gap from 79 min to 96 min, there is a pronounced IS cluster at 6 min and another at 97 min, map locations that have low gene incidences on the classical map. One cluster coincides with a region of IS induced rearrangements. The IS distribution pattern was compared to patterns of strains W3110 and HB101.     

A chromosomal genetic map of Rhizobium sp. NGR234 generated with Tn5-Mob

Summary Rhizobium sp. NGR234 in a fast-growing Rhizobium strain with a broad host range. The location and role of chromosomal genes involved in cellular metabolism or in the legume symbioses is unknown. We isolated a series of auxotrophic and antibiotic resistant mutants of NGR234 and utilized a chromosome mobilization system based on Tn5-Mob and pJB3JI; Tn5-Mob donor strains behaved like Hfr strains, transferring the chromosome polarly at high frequency from a fixed point of insertion. The use of four different strains with Tn5-Mob located at different nutritional loci in crosses with double auxotrophic recipients, allowed us to build up a circular linkage map of NGR234 based on relative recombination frequencies. Also, symbiotically important genes identified by site-directed mutagenesis, such as hemA and ntrA, could be located and mapped on the chromosome.Abbreviations Tc tetracycline - Sp spectinomycin - Rif rifampicin - Km kanamycin     

Physical map of chloroplast DNA of aerial yam,Dioscorea bulbifera L.

Summary A physical map of chloroplast DNA (ctDNA) of aerial yam, Dioscorea bulbifera L. was constructed using three restriction endonucleases, PstI, SalI, and SmaI. In addition, a clone bank of the BamHI-digested fragments were generated, and the locations of most BamHI fragments on the map were also determined. The ctDNA of D. bulbifera was found to be a circular molecule with a total size of ca. 152 kb involving two inverted repeats of ca. 25.5 kb, and small and large single copy regions of ca. 18.5 and 83.4 kb, respectively. The genes for the large subunit of the ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) and the ATP-synthase subunits and (atpB/atpE) were mapped.Contribution from the Plant Germ-plasm Institute and the Laboratory of Genetics (No. 504), Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Japan. The work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid (No. 60400005) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan