Methylation Status of Imprinted Genes and Repetitive Elements in Sperm DNA from Infertile Males

Stochastic, environmentally and/or genetically induced disturbances in the genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming processes during male germ-cell development may contribute to male infertility. To test this hypothesis, we have studied the methylation levels of 2 paternally (H19 and GTL2) and 5 maternally methylated (LIT1, MEST, NESPAS, PEG3, and SNRPN) imprinted genes, as well as of ALU and LINE1 repetitive elements in 141 sperm samples, which were used for assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including 106 couples with strictly male-factor or combined male and female infertility and 28 couples with strictly female-factor infertility. Aberrant methylation imprints showed a significant association with abnormal semen parameters, but did not seem to influence ART outcome. Repeat methylation also differed significantly between sperm samples from infertile and presumably fertile males. However, in contrast to imprinted genes, ALU methylation had a significant impact on pregnancy and live-birth rate in couples with male-factor or combined infertility. ALU methylation was significantly high-er in sperm samples leading to pregnancy and live-birth than in those that did not. Sperm samples leading to abortions showed significantly lower ALU methylation levels than those leading to the birth of a baby. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Silvered and Gilded Copper Metalwork from Loma Negra: Manufacture and Aesthetics

Los Moche, pobladores de la costa norte del Perú durante el período Intermedio Temprano, tuvieron una rica producción metalúrgica para la cual emplearon principalmente láminas martilladas de varios metales que unieron por medios mecánicos. Los artesanos que produjeron los bienes metálicos depositados en los entierros Moche de Loma Negra, usaron un procedimiento de plateado por reemplazo electroquímico para aplicar capas de metal precioso a superficies de cobre. Este método es único para el de Piura donde se localiza el sitio de Loma Negra, lejos del corazón de la tierra Moche, al otro lado del formidable desierto Sechura. Aquí se consideran dos tipos de objetos del corpus de Loma Negra - ornamentos en forma de discos y adornos para la cabeza con forma de cabezas zorros-, ensamblados a partir de láminas de cobre plateadas por medio de este notable método, que permitió la depositación de niveles muy delgados de oro y plata de cualquier composición. Además de considerar el método de manufactura y tratamiento superficial de los artefactos este trabajo tiene en cuenta cómo el colorido y animación de estos ornamentos tri -dimensionales, pudieron ser percibidos por el antiguo observador

The Ursinus Weekly, May 3, 1954

Jack Westerhoff elected assistant head waiter • Y officers begin duties at retreat • Honor system advances • Meistersingers present last scheduled concert • Tilton Barron to transfer to Clark Univ. • Pi Gamma Mu honors 11 with membership • The real Man who came • May Day festivities will be held this Saturday • Eugene P. Bertin spoke to F.T.A. • Dr. Rice presents model O train display in Library • Band will present twilight concert at Ursinus May Day • Rosicrucians elect officers for 1954-55 • Your obligation • Letter to the editor • Pre-med story • Average student • Professor says • Collegeville-Trappe story: Today • Batsmen still roll on glory road; Track injuries plague Eshbach, Ruth • Bryn Mawr defeats tennisettes by 3-2 • UC Varsity Club to fete outstanding senior athlete • Ehlers edges powerful Delaware, 2-1: Art wins 4th on 7 hitter; Slotter hurls 3rd shutout • Brodbeck I, Curtis II softballers lead interdorm diamond pack • Racketgals cop 5-0 court win in straight sets • Albright falls tennis victim to Ursinus, 6-3 • Lehigh takes 12 firsts; Crush tracksters 92-33https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1496/thumbnail.jp

Sensitivity analysis and reduction of a dynamic model of a bioproduction of fructo-oligosaccharides

Starting from a relatively detailed model of a bioprocess producing fructo-oligosaccharides, a set of experimental data collected in batch and fed-batch experiments is exploited to estimate the unknown model parameters. The original model includes the growth of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans which produces the enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis and transfructosylation reactions, and as such contains 25 kinetic parameters and 16 pseudo-stoichiometric coefficients, which are not uniquely identifiable with the data at hand. The aim of this study is, therefore, to show how sensitivity analysis and quantitative indicators based on the Fisher information matrix can be used to reduce the detailed model to a practically identifiable model. Parametric sensitivity analysis can indeed be used to progressively simplify the model to a representation involving 15 kinetic parameters and 8 pseudo-stoichiometric coefficients. The reduced model provides satisfactory prediction and can be convincingly cross validated.The authors thank the financial support from the F.R.S.-FNRS, the Belgium National Fund for the Scientific Research (Research Project 24643.08). C. Nobre thanks the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia for the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469 /2013 unit.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Genome-Scale DNA Repair RNAi Screen Identifies SPG48 as a Novel Gene Associated with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

We have identified a novel gene in a genome-wide, double-strand break DNA repair RNAi screen and show that is involved in the neurological disease hereditary spastic paraplegia