Effect of neurotensin on pancreatic function in man

The effect of neurotensin on submaximally-stimulated hepatobiliary and pancreatic secretion was studied in 6 healthy subjects. An intravenous infusion of neurotensin 1.4 ± 0.3 pmol/kg/min, designed to reproduce plasma neurotensin immunoreactivity levels within the physiological range, produced a significant increase in pancreatic bicarbonate output. Plasma concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide rose by 83 ± 16 pmol/l and were associated with a small reduction in trypsin, but no significant change in bilirubin outputs.     

Trans-chromosomal methylation

The epigenome plays a vital role in helping to maintain and regulate cell functions in all organisms. Alleles with differing epigenetic marks in the same nucleus do not function in isolation but can interact in trans to modify the epigenetic state of one or both alleles. This is particularly evident when two divergent epigenomes come together in a hybrid resulting in thousands of alterations to the methylome. These changes mainly involve the methylation patterns at one allele being changed to resemble the methylation patterns of the other allele, in processes we have termed trans-chromosomal methylation (TCM) and trans-chromosomal demethylation (TCdM). These processes are primarily modulated by siRNAs and the RNA directed DNA methylation pathway. Drawing from other examples of trans-allelic interactions, we describe the process of TCM and TCdM and the effect such changes can have on genome activity. Trans-allelic epigenetic interactions may be a common occurrence in many biological systems.     

Localisation of the gene coding for the haemopoietic stem cell antigen CD34 to chromosome 1q32

Summary Using in situ hybridisation, we have localised the CD34 gene to chromosome 1 in the region q32.     

The maximum average bite force for a given jaw length

Major osteological landmarks were used to prepare idealized drawings of mammalian and reptilian lower jaws. Measurements from these drawings allowed the average output or bite force, along the entire jaw, to be calculated for many different anteroposterior positions of the input or muscle force. In the mammalian drawing, the maximum average bite force is exerted when the resultant force is located at about 30% of the way along the jaw from the joints. Because of geometric differences in the reptilian drawing, a resultant positioned at 20% of the way along the jaw exerts the maximum average bite force; a maximum force that is smaller than that in the mammalian case. The estimated location of the muscle resultant in actual cases corresponds to these calculated positions. Therefore, in real animals, the muscles are located in the position that produces the largest average force for any jaw length. The geometric changes necessary to transform the idealized reptilian drawing, with a smaller maximum average bite force, into that of the mammalian drawing, with a larger maximum force, are the same as those changes seen in the fossil record of the reptile/mammal transition. This finding suggests that the morphological changes that occurred in the jaws increased the average bite force in the primitive mammals.     

Identification of an S-locus glycoprotein allele introgressed from B. napus ssp. rapifera to B. napus ssp. oleifera.

We have previously described a developmentally regulated mRNA in maize that accumulates in mature embryos and is involved in a variety of stress responses in the plant. The sequence of the encoded 16 kDa protein (MA16) predicts that it is an RNA-binding protein, since it possesses a ribonucleoprotein consensus sequence-type RNA-binding domain (CS-RBD). To assess the predicted RNA binding property of the protein and as a starting point to characterize its function we have used ribohomopolymer-binding assays. Here we show that the MA16-encoded protein binds preferentially to uridine- and guanosine-rich RNAs. In light of these results a likely role for this protein in RNA metabolism during late embryogenesis and in the stress response is discussed.