Neural tissues express high levels of the cellular src gene product pp60c-src.

Chicken embryo tissues were examined for the expression of pp60c-src, the normal cellular homolog of the transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus. Three assays, including a solid-phase radioimmunoassay, a competitive radioimmunoprecipitation assay, and an immune complex protein kinase assay, were employed. Elevated levels of pp60c-src were detected in lysates from several neural tissues, including brain, retina, and spinal ganglia. Other tissues contained 8- to 10-fold-lower levels of pp60c-src, levels comparable to those found in chicken embryo fibroblasts. Expression of pp60c-src in brain tissues was also shown to vary with the developmental stage of the embryo.     

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Emphysema—Is Exercise Beneficial?

Following a six-week program of training in a series of exercises, a significant number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema showed decided improvement in functional activity. Subjective improvement also was noted and kept the patient motivation high.Preliminary observations indicated that the improvement could be maintained long after the end of the training period.     

Investigation of the diversity of effector genes in the banana pathogen,Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense,reveals evidence of horizontal gene transfer

It is hypothesized that the virulence of phytopathogenic fungi is mediated through the secretion of small effector proteins that interfere with the defence responses of the host plant. In Fusarium oxysporum, one family of effectors, the Secreted In Xylem (SIX) genes, has been identified. We sought to characterize the diversity and evolution of the SIX genes in the banana‐infecting lineages of F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). Whole‐genome sequencing data were generated for the 23 genetic lineages of Foc, which were subsequently queried for the 14 known SIX genes (SIX1–SIX14). The sequences of the identified SIX genes were confirmed in a larger collection of Foc isolates. Genealogies were generated for each of the SIX genes identified in Foc to further investigate the evolution of the SIX genes in Foc. Within Foc, variation of the SIX gene profile, including the presence of specific SIX homologues, correlated with the pathogenic race structure of Foc. Furthermore, the topologies of the SIX gene trees were discordant with the topology of an infraspecies phylogeny inferred from EF‐1α/RPB1/RPB2 (translation elongation factor‐1α/RNA polymerase II subunit I/RNA polymerase II subunit II). A series of topological constraint models provided strong evidence for the horizontal transmission of SIX genes in Foc. The horizontal inheritance of pathogenicity genes in Foc counters previous assumptions that convergent evolution has driven the polyphyletic phylogeny of Foc. This work has significant implications for the management of Foc, including the improvement of diagnostics and breeding programmes.     

Ear examination

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the single most common form of spinal deformity seen in orthopedic practice. Our knowledge about the epidemiology, etiology, natural history, and treatment has recently increased dramatically. The incidence of small curves is rather high (2% of the population), whereas severe curves are much less common (<0.1%), but we cannot always predict which curve will progress. Abnormalities of the neuromuscular system and of calcium metabolism, and certain growth, genetic, and mechanical factors may all play roles in the pathogenesis of the disorder. The physiologic secondary effects of severe scoliosis relate to restrictive lung disease, but most patients do not have a deformity great enough to affect their cardiorespiratory function. The psychological and social effects of scoliosis are significant for patients but difficult to quantitate. For most patients with moderate scoliosis—that is, more than 25 to 30 degrees—treatment with an underarm brace or electrical stimulation is adequate to “control” progression of the curve. Surgical fusion allows actual correction of the curve but is indicated in only a small percentage of patients—usually those with more than 50 degrees of deformity.     

New Insights into Muscle Function during Pivot Feeding in Seahorses

Seahorses, pipefish and their syngnathiform relatives are considered unique amongst fishes in using elastic recoil of post-cranial tendons to pivot the head extremely quickly towards small crustacean prey. It is known that pipefish activate the epaxial muscles for a considerable time before striking, at which rotations of the head and the hyoid are temporarily prevented to allow energy storage in the epaxial tendons. Here, we studied the motor control of this system in seahorses using electromyographic recordings of the epaxial muscles and the sternohyoideus-hypaxial muscles with simultaneous high-speed video recordings of prey capture. In addition we present the results from a stimulation experiment including the muscle hypothesised to be responsible for the locking and triggering of pivot feeding in seahorses (m. adductor arcus palatini). Our data confirmed that the epaxial pre-activation pattern observed previously for pipefish also occurs in seahorses. Similar to the epaxials, the sternohyoideus-hypaxial muscle complex shows prolonged anticipatory activity. Although a considerable variation in displacements of the mouth via head rotation could be observed, it could not be demonstrated that seahorses have control over strike distance. In addition, we could not identify the source of the kinematic variability in the activation patterns of the associated muscles. Finally, the stimulation experiment supported the previously hypothesized role of the m. adductor arcus palatini as the trigger in this elastic recoil system. Our results show that pre-stressing of both the head elevators and the hyoid retractors is taking place. As pre-activation of the main muscles involved in pivot feeding has now been demonstrated for both seahorses and pipefish, this is probably a generalized trait of Syngnathidae.     

Induced feeding preferences in dicofol-resistant two-spotted spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Preadult rearing conditions affected the behavior of dicofol-resistant two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae). Resistant spider mites reared on dicofol-treated leaves initiated a significantly greater number of feeding bouts on dicofol-treated leaves than did genetically identical spider mites reared on residue-free leaves. Therefore the prior exposure of resistant spider mites resulted in induced feeding preferences that could exacerbate the potential outcome of the resistance by resulting in greater amounts of feeding by resistant individuals on dicofol-treated areas. Since resistant individuals that had not experienced dicofol in their lifetime did not display this feeding preference, avoidance of this phenomenon of induced feeding preference may be an undescribed value of rotations of pesticides.     

Expression of glucoamylase gene usingSUC2 promoter inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary The cloning of glucoamylase geneSTA using theSUC2 promoter intoSaccharomyces cerevisiae was performed. The signal sequence ofSTA gene was used for the secretion of glucoamylase protein. The plasmid constructed in this way was named YEpSUCSTA and its expression was identified. The expression of YEpSUCSTA was repressed in the presence of glucose in growth medium, but derepressed when glucose became depleted. YEpSUCSTA showed the similar efficiency of glucoamylase secretion as YEpSTA-F which has the entireSTA gene. Glucoamylase activity in starch-glucose medium was largely increased because cell mass and plasmid stability were high in biosynthesis phase compared to extracellular glucoamylase activities in media which starch or glucose was the only carbon source.