Selecting high-dimensional mixed graphical models using minimal AIC or BIC forests

Background  

Chow and Liu showed that the maximum likelihood tree for multivariate discrete distributions may be found using a maximum weight spanning tree algorithm, for example Kruskal's algorithm. The efficiency of the algorithm makes it tractable for high-dimensional problems.     

Bacterial organomercurial lyase: overproduction, isolation, and characterization

Organomercurial lyase mediates the first of two steps in the microbial detoxification of organomercurial salts. This enzyme encoded on the plasmid R831 obtained from Escherichia coli J53-1 has been overproduced to the level of 3% of the soluble cell protein in E. coli by a construction using the T7 promoter. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity in quantity in three steps. It is a monomer of Mr 22,400 with no detectable cofactors or metal ions. It catalyzes the protonolysis of the C-Hg bond in a wide range of organomercurial salts (primary, secondary, tertiary, alkyl, vinyl, allyl, and aryl) to the hydrocarbon and mercuric ion with turnover rates in the range of 1-240 min-1.     

The scl gene product is required for the generation of all hematopoietic lineages in the adult mouse.

Homozygosity for a null mutation in the scl gene causes mid-gestational embryonic lethality in the mouse due to failure of development of primitive hematopoiesis. Whilst this observation established the role of the scl gene product in primitive hematopoiesis, the death of the scl null embryos precluded analysis of the role of scl in later hematopoietic development. To address this question, we created embryonic stem cell lines with a homozygous null mutation of the scl gene (scl-/-) and used these lines to derive chimeric mice. Analysis of the chimeric mice demonstrates that the scl-/- embryonic stem cells make a substantial contribution to all non-hematopoietic tissues but do not contribute to any hematopoietic lineage. These observations reveal a crucial role for the scl gene product in definitive hematopoiesis. In addition, in vitro differentiation assays with scl-/- embryonic stem cells showed that the scl gene product was also required for formation of hematopoietic cells in this system.     

Congenital deficiency of human R-type binding proteins of cobalamin.

A family expressing the congenital absence of the R-type binders of cobalamin (Cbl), vitamin B-12, was restudied. The capacity to bind Cbl to R type binders was absent from serum, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, gastric juice granulocytes, and granulocyte output of the propositus. Serum R did not carry Cbl in vivo. There was no immunological R binder in his saliva, but cross reacting material was detected in his serum. Evidence of a partial expression of the defect was observed in offspring of two affected persons. There were no obvious clinical consequences of the defect.     

The metabolism of cobalamin bound to transcobalamin II and to glycoproteins that bind Cbl in HepG2 cells (human hepatoma)

The binding, internalization, processing and release of labeled cyanocobalamin (CN[57Co]Cbl) bound to human transcobalamin II (TC II) were studied in HepG2 cells, a line of hepatocytes derived from a human hepatoma. The cells bound the TC II-Cbl by specific, high affinity receptors. Within the cell, the CN-Cbl was promptly freed from TC II and the CN-Cbl converted to more active forms including adenosyl Cbl (AdoCbl) and methyl Cbl (MeCbl). Whereas free labeled Cbl was still present at 72 hours after entry, the cells also bound Cbl to an intracellular binder (ICB) presumed to represent the holo enzymes dependent on Cbl. At levels of TC II that saturated the receptors for TC II-Cbl, much of the Cbl entering the cells remained free and was converted to AdoCbl. Under these circumstances the cells released free Cbl, mostly AdoCbl. Human R type binders of Cbl, which are glycoproteins and some having a terminal galactose, were bound by the HepG2 cells. The binding was characteristic of the receptor system responsive to a terminal galactose, or asialoglycoproteins, but was inconsistent and of low affinity. Cbl bound to R binder was internalized and converted to coenzyme forms of Cbl, but the process was much less effective than when the Cbl entered via the TC II receptor system. It was concluded that the receptors for R-Cbl were unlikely to contribute to the physiologic transport of Cbl in man, but may function in some yet unknown way.     

Cytidine derivatives as IspF inhibitors of Burkolderia pseudomallei

Published biological data suggest that the methyl erythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, a non-mevalonate isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, is essential for certain bacteria and other infectious disease organisms. One highly conserved enzyme in the MEP pathway is 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (IspF). Fragment-bound complexes of IspF from Burkholderia pseudomallei were used to design and synthesize a series of molecules linking the cytidine moiety to different zinc pocket fragment binders. Testing by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) found one molecule in the series to possess binding affinity equal to that of cytidine diphosphate, despite lacking any metal-coordinating phosphate groups. Close inspection of the SPR data suggest different binding stoichiometries between IspF and test compounds. Crystallographic analysis shows important variations between the binding mode of one synthesized compound and the pose of the bound fragment from which it was designed. The binding modes of these molecules add to our structural knowledge base for IspF and suggest future refinements in this compound series.     

Bacterial colonization of Hydra hatchlings follows a robust temporal pattern

Animals are colonized by complex bacterial communities. The processes controlling community membership and influencing the establishment of the microbial ecosystem during development are poorly understood. Here we aimed to explore the assembly of bacterial communities in Hydra with the broader goal of elucidating the general rules that determine the temporal progression of bacterial colonization of animal epithelia. We profiled the microbial communities in polyps at various time points after hatching in four replicates. The composition and temporal patterns of the bacterial communities were strikingly similar in all replicates. Distinct features included high diversity of community profiles in the first week, a remarkable but transient adult-like profile 2 weeks after hatching, followed by progressive emergence of a stable adult-like pattern characterized by low species diversity and the preponderance of the Betaproteobacterium Curvibacter. Intriguingly, this process displayed important parallels to the assembly of human fecal communities after birth. In addition, a mathematical modeling approach was used to uncover the organizational principles of this colonization process, suggesting that both, local environmental or host-derived factor(s) modulating the colonization rate, as well as frequency-dependent interactions of individual bacterial community members are important aspects in the emergence of a stable bacterial community at the end of development.     

Does small-sided-games’ court area influence metabolic,perceptual, and physical performance parameters of young elite basketball players?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of court size on physiological responses and physical performance of young elite basketball players. Twelve male basketball players (18.6 ± 0.5 years; 88.8 ± 14.5 kg; 192.6 ± 6.5 cm) from an under-19 team performed two small-sided games (matches) with different court areas (28x15 m and 28x9 m; 28x15 and 28x9 protocols). The number of players (3x3) was kept the same in each protocol. The players performed a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test before and after each match. Blood lactate concentration was collected before (pre) and after (post) the matches, and the session rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE) was determined 30 minutes after the match. Best and mean time in the RSA test were not different between the 28x15 and the 28x9 match protocols (p > 0.05). A significant difference was observed for lactate concentration from pre- to post-match (p < 0.05) in both protocols (28x15 and 28x9); however, there was no significant interaction between protocols. A similar session-RPE mean score (28x15: 7.2 ± 1.4 and 28x9: 6.6 ± 1.4) was detected for both protocols (p > 0.05, ES=0.41). In summary, the results of the current study suggest that the different court areas induced similar responses. Although there was no significant difference in effort perception, players tended to perceive a greater effort in the larger court size.     

Functional Expression of P-Glycoprotein in an Immortalised Cell Line of Rat Brain Endothelial Cells, RBE4

Abstract: The presence of P-glycoprotein in the cell plasma membrane limits the penetration of many cytotoxic substances into cells that express the gene product. There is considerable evidence also to indicate that P-glycoprotein is expressed as part of the normal blood-brain barrier in the luminal membranes of the cerebral capillary endothelial cells, where it presumably performs a protective function for the brain. This report describes the functional expression of P-glycoprotein in an immortalised cell line, RBE4, derived from rat cerebral capillary endothelial cells. The expression of P-glycoprotein is demonstrated by western immunoblotting and by immunogold and fluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies. The cellular accumulation of [³H]colchicine and [³H]vinblastine is investigated and shown to be enhanced by the presence of azidothymidine, chlorpromazine, verapamil, cyclosporin A, and PSC 833 ([3'-keto-Bmt¹]-[Val²]-cyclosporin) at 50 or 100 µ M concentration. It is concluded that the RBE4 cell line is a valuable tool for investigating the mechanisms of P-glycoprotein activity both in the blood-brain barrier and in multidrug resistance in general.