Osteometry by computer-aided image analysis: application to the human atlas

Computer-assisted image-analysis having almost not been applied to macroscopical anatomy, particularly to osteometry, we used it for the automatic measurement of 8 osteological parameters on a series of 150 human atlases. From these measured parameters, 5 parameters have been directly calculated. The values obtained by image analysis and by measurement with vernier calliper are identical and similar to the data of the literature. The accuracy, the sources of error, and the great advantages of the image analysis method are then discussed.     

I-SceI Meganuclease-mediated transgenesis in the acorn worm, Saccoglossus kowalevskii

Hemichordates are a phylum of marine invertebrate deuterostomes that are closely related to chordates, and represent one of the most promising models to provide insights into early deuterostome evolution. The genome of the hemichordate, Saccoglossus kowalevskii, reveals an extensive set of non-coding elements conserved across all three deuterostome phyla. Functional characterization and cross-phyla comparisons of these putative regulatory elements will enable a better understanding of enhancer evolution, and subsequently how changes in gene regulation give rise to morphological innovation. Here, we describe an efficient method of transgenesis for the characterization of non-coding elements in S. kowalevskii. We first test the capacity of an I-SceI transgenesis system to drive ubiquitous or regionalized gene expression, and to label specific cell types. Finally, we identified a minimal promoter that can be used to test the capacity of putative enhancers in S. kowalevskii. This work demonstrates that this I-SceI transgenesis technique, when coupled with an understanding of chromatin accessibility, can be a powerful tool for studying how evolutionary changes in gene regulatory mechanisms contributed to the diversification of body plans in deuterostomes.     

Growth on an arteriovenous malformation: a case report

A case of an intracerebral arteriovenous malformation that grew is presented. On the initial arteriogram only one early filling vein was seen in the region where a large arteriovenous malformation was present eight years later. The patient''s headaches were relieved by antihypertensive medications. The authors speculate that distension of the AVM caused the headaches.     

Role for poliovirus protease 2A in cap independent translation.

Viral protein synthesis in poliovirus infected cells was found to be influenced by mutations in part of the viral 5'-non-coding region (NCR) in a temperature dependent manner. At elevated temperatures these mutations resulted in virus titre reductions that allowed selection of revertant viruses. Some revertants were found to have retained the 5'-NCR mutations but had compensating mutations in the 2A protease gene that were responsible for the suppression of the temperature sensitive phenotypes. The mutations in 2A enhanced viral protein synthesis at a stage when cap dependent translation was already abolished, suggesting that the virally encoded protein 2A is directly involved in the process of cap independent translation in addition to its role in abolishing cap dependent translation.     

Extracellular glycoprotein specific for Saccharomyces sensu stricto

Abstract Using affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibodies against an extracellular mannoprotein (gp400) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the presence of immunohomologic proteins with similar electrophoretic mobility was shown in the culture medium of S. bayanus, S. paradoxus and S. pastorianus . Cross-reactive bands with different electrophoretic behaviour were observed for S. dairensis, S. exiguus, S. kluyveri, S. unisporus and also for the species moved from Sacchromyces to Arxiozyma, Kluyveromyces, Pachytichospora, Torulaspora and Zygosaccharomyces , in contrast to ascosporous yeasts of other genera in which these proteins were not found.