A Comparison of the Ovulation Method With the CUE Ovulation Predictor in Determining the Fertile Period

The purpose of this study was to compare the CUE Ovulation Predictor with the ovulation method in determining the fertile period. Eleven regularly ovulating women measured their salivary and vaginal electrical resistance (ER) with the CUE, observed their cervical-vaginal mucus, and measured their urine for a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge on a daily basis. Data from 21 menstrual cycles showed no statistical difference (T= 0.33, p= 0.63) between the CUE fertile period, which ranged from 5 to 10 days (mean = 6.7 days, SD = 1.6), and the fertile period of the ovulation method, which ranged from 4 to 9 days (mean = 6.5 days, SD = 2.0). The CUE has potential as an adjunctive device in the learning and use of natural family planning methods

Antigenic modulation of mammary tumour virus envelope antigen or GR thymic lymphoma cells in relation to expressions of H-2, TL cell-surface antigens and THY1.

The MLr antigen, a mammary tumour virus-induced antigen on the surface of GR thymic lymphoma cells (GRSL) can be modulated from the cell surface upon incubation with specific antiserum for 1-2 h at 37 degrees C, followed by washing the cells. In contrast, a number of other cell-surface antigens on these GRSL cells cannot be modulated under similar conditions. These antigens include histocompatibility antigens of the H-2 complex (H-2.8 of the K-end and H-2dx(D) of the H-2dx haplotype) and two thymic markers, TL1.2 and Thy1.2. Antigenic modulation of MLr as tested by trypan-blue exclusion and by chromium51 release does not lead to a measurable change in the expression of H-2K, H-2D, TL and Thy1.2 antigens. These results could be confirmed by absorption analysis. The latter analysis showed that the number of antigenic sites per cell are about the same for MLr and the two H-2 antigens, while TL antigens are scarcer and Thy1.2 antigens are more abundant. The procedure of antigenic modulation showed that the MLr antigen resides on MTVgp52, the major protein of the envelope. There was no evidence of internal proteins, such as MTVp27, on the surface of GRSL cells

Thermal UAS survey of reactivated hot spring activity in Waiwera, New Zealand

The utilization of geothermal reservoirs as alternative energy source is becoming increasingly important worldwide. Through close-range aerial photogrammetry realized by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), this study investigates the surface expression of a leaking warm water reservoir in Waiwera, New Zealand, that has been known for many centuries but remained little explored. Due to overproduction during the 1960s and 1970s the reservoir has suffered significant pressure reduction, which resulted in the loss of artesian conditions and led to the desiccation of the hot springs in close succession. However, shortly after the recent shutdown of the primary user (Waiwera Thermal Resort & Spa) renewed artesian activity was reported by locals but no hot spring activity has been observed so far. Therefore, this study was carried out in October 2019 to assess the actual conditions of thermal activity in the area of the former hot springs. UAS with coupled thermal infrared cameras were used for thermal mapping and the obtained data show renewed activity of the hot springs on the beachfront of Waiwera. Faults and fractures were identified as important fluid pathways, as well as individual fluid conducting lithologies

Repression of the Hox gene abd-A by ELAV-mediated Transcriptional Interference

Intergenic transcription is a common feature of eukaryotic genomes and performs important and diverse cellular functions. Here, we investigate the iab-8 ncRNA from the Drosophila Bithorax Complex and show that this RNA is able to repress the transcription of genes located at its 3’ end by a sequence-independent, transcriptional interference mechanism. Although this RNA is expressed in the early epidermis and CNS, we find that its repressive activity is limited to the CNS, where, in wild-type embryos, it acts on the Hox gene, abd-A, located immediately downstream of it. The CNS specificity is achieved through a 3’ extension of the transcript, mediated by the neuronal-specific, RNA-binding protein, ELAV. Loss of ELAV activity eliminates the 3’ extension and results in the ectopic activation of abd-A. Thus, a tissue-specific change in the length of a ncRNA is used to generate a precise pattern of gene expression in a higher eukaryote

Relationship between the procoagulatory activity and the lung maturity in amniotic fluid

Peer Reviewe

Molecular regulation of alternative polyadenylation (APA) within the Drosophila nervous system

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a widespread gene regulatory mechanism that generates mRNAs with different 3′-ends, allowing them to interact with different sets of RNA regulators such as microRNAs and RNA-binding proteins. Recent studies have shown that during development, neural tissues produce mRNAs with particularly long 3′UTRs, suggesting that such extensions might be important for neural development and function. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying neural APA are not well understood. Here, we investigate this problem within the Drosophila nervous system, focusing on the roles played by general cleavage and polyadenylation factors (CPA factors). In particular, we examine the model that modulations in CPA factor concentration may affect APA during development. For this, we first analyse the expression of the Drosophila orthologues of all mammalian CPA factors and note that their expression decreases during embryogenesis. In contrast to this global developmental decrease in CPA factor expression, we see that cleavage factor I (CFI) expression is actually elevated in the late embryonic central nervous system, suggesting that CFI might play a special role in neural tissues. To test this, we use the UAS/Gal4 system to deplete CFI proteins from neural tissue and observe that in this condition, multiple genes switch their APA patterns, demonstrating a role of CFI in APA control during Drosophila neural development. Furthermore, analysis of genes with 3′UTR extensions of different length leads us to suggest a novel relation between 3′UTR length and sensitivity to CPA factor expression. Our work thus contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of APA control within the developing central nervous system