Patterns of characterization in folktales across geographic regions and levels of cultural complexity

Literary scholars are generally suspicious of the concept of universals: there are presently no candidates for literary universals that a high proportion of literary scholars would accept as valid. This paper reports results from a content analysis of patterns of characterization in folktales from 48 culture areas, aimed at identifying patterns of characterization that apply across regions of the world and levels of cultural complexity. The search for these patterns was guided by evolutionary theory and the findings are consistent with previous research on patterns of altruism, sex differences in mate preferences, sex differences in reproductive strategy, and differing emphases on male and female physical attractiveness. World literature, especially originally oral literature, represents a vast and neglected repository of information that researchers can use to more precisely map the contours of human nature. Jonathan Gottschall received his Ph.D. in English from Binghamton University and now teaches at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. His research focuses on integrating Darwinian approaches to human behavior and psychology with literary studies. The other authors are undergraduate students at St. Lawrence University.     

Demonstration of CRISPR/Cas9/sgRNA-mediated targeted gene modification in Arabidopsis,tobacco, sorghum and rice

The type II CRISPR/Cas system from Streptococcus pyogenes and its simplified derivative, the Cas9/single guide RNA (sgRNA) system, have emerged as potent new tools for targeted gene knockout in bacteria, yeast, fruit fly, zebrafish and human cells. Here, we describe adaptations of these systems leading to successful expression of the Cas9/sgRNA system in two dicot plant species, Arabidopsis and tobacco, and two monocot crop species, rice and sorghum. Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used for delivery of genes encoding Cas9, sgRNA and a non-fuctional, mutant green fluorescence protein (GFP) to Arabidopsis and tobacco. The mutant GFP gene contained target sites in its 5′ coding regions that were successfully cleaved by a CAS9/sgRNA complex that, along with error-prone DNA repair, resulted in creation of functional GFP genes. DNA sequencing confirmed Cas9/sgRNA-mediated mutagenesis at the target site. Rice protoplast cells transformed with Cas9/sgRNA constructs targeting the promoter region of the bacterial blight susceptibility genes, OsSWEET14 and OsSWEET11, were confirmed by DNA sequencing to contain mutated DNA sequences at the target sites. Successful demonstration of the Cas9/sgRNA system in model plant and crop species bodes well for its near-term use as a facile and powerful means of plant genetic engineering for scientific and agricultural applications.     

The RNA Domain Vc1 Regulates Downstream Gene Expression in Response to Cyclic Diguanylate in Vibrio cholerae

In many bacterial species, including the aquatic bacterium and human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, the second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) modulates processes such as biofilm formation, motility, and virulence factor production. By interacting with various effectors, c-di-GMP regulates gene expression or protein function. One type of c-di-GMP receptor is the class I riboswitch, representatives of which have been shown to bind c-di-GMP in vitro. Herein, we examined the in vitro and in vivo function of the putative class I riboswitch in Vibrio cholerae, Vc1, which lies upstream of the gene encoding GbpA, a colonization factor that contributes to attachment of V. cholerae to environmental and host surfaces containing N-acetylglucosamine moieties. We provide evidence that Vc1 RNA interacts directly with c-di-GMP in vitro, and that nucleotides conserved among this class of riboswitch are important for binding. Yet the mutation of these conserved residues individually in the V. cholerae chromosome inconsistently affects the expression of gbpA and production of the GbpA protein. By isolating the regulatory function of Vc1, we show that the Vc1 element positively regulates downstream gene expression in response to c-di-GMP. Together these data suggest that the Vc1 element responds to c-di-GMP in vivo. Positive regulation of gbpA expression by c-di-GMP via Vc1 may influence the ability of V. cholerae to associate with chitin in the aquatic environment and the host intestinal environment.     

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy syndrome maps to chromosome 22q13.32-qter.

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) syndrome is a rare, multisystem disorder characterized clinically by ptosis, progressive external ophthalmoplegia, gastrointestinal dysmotility, leukoencephalopathy, thin body habitus, and myopathy. Laboratory studies reveal defects of oxidative-phosphorylation and multiple mtDNA deletions frequently in skeletal muscle. We studied four ethnically distinct families affected with this apparently autosomal recessive disorder. Probands from each family were shown, by Southern blot, to have multiple mtDNA deletions in skeletal muscle. We mapped the MNGIE locus to 22q13.32-qter, distal to D22S1161, with a maximum two-point LOD score of 6.80 at locus D22S526. Cosegregation of MNGIE with a single chromosomal region in families with diverse ethnic backgrounds suggests that we have mapped an important locus for this disorder. We found no evidence to implicate three candidate genes in this region, by using direct sequence analysis for DNA helicase II and by assaying enzyme activities for arylsulfatase A and carnitine palmitoyltransferase.     

Image analysis, neural networks, and the taxonomic impediment to biodiversity studies

The taxonomic impediment to biodiversity studies may be influenced radically by the application of new technology, in particular, desktop image analysers and neural networks. The former offer an opportunity to automate objective feature measurement processes, and the latter provide powerful pattern recognition and data analysis tools which are able to 'learn' patterns in multivariate data. The coupling of these technologies may provide a realistic opportunity for the automation of routine species identifications. The potential benefits and limitations of these technologies, along with the development of automated identification systems are reviewed.     

EUV spectroscopy of plasmas created in the final anode-cathode gap of the Z-Machine high-current pulsed generator (SNL)

The effect of short-circuit across the final anode-cathode gap of powerful pulsed current generators could hamper efficient power delivery to the Z-pinch plasma. To study this effect, a novel EUV diagnostics of plasmas created in the final section of the transmission line (the anode-cathode gap near the main load) of the Z-Machine high-current generator (Sandia National Laboratories, United States) was developed. The work included developing spectroscopic instruments, theoretical and experimental studies of EUV spectra of iron ions in well-diagnosed laser-produced plasmas, and a comparison of these spectra with those of plasmas created in the final anode-cathode gap of the transmission line. The EUV spectra of highly charged Fe ions in the spectral range λ ～ 20–800 Å were investigated. In experiments performed at Sandia National Laboratories, spectra of FeXIII-FeXVII ions were observed. A comparison of the measured and calculated spectra shows that the electron plasma temperature in the anode-cathode gap is T _e ～ 200 eV.