Tandem repetitive transgenes and fluorescent chromatin tags alter local interphase chromosome arrangement in Arabidopsis thaliana

Fluorescent protein chromatin tagging as achieved by the lac operator/lac repressor system is useful to trace distinct chromatin domains in living eukaryotic nuclei. To interpret the data correctly, it is important to recognize influences of the tagging system on nuclear architecture of the host cells. Within an Arabidopsis line that carries lac operator/lac repressor/GFP transgenes, the transgene loci frequently associate with each other and with heterochromatic chromocenters. Accumulation of tagged fusion protein further enhances the association frequency. Independent experiments with a transgenic plant carrying another multi-copy transgene also revealed, independent of its transcriptional state, unusually high frequencies of association with each other and with heterochromatin. From these results we conclude that the lac operator/lac repressor chromatin tagging system may alter the spatial chromatin organization in the host nuclei (in particular when more than one insertion locus is present) and also that loci of homologous transgenic repeats associate more often with each other and with endogenous heterochromatin than normal euchromatic regions

Learning Search Algorithms: An Educational View

Artificial intelligence methods find their practical usage in many applications including maritime industry. The paper concentrates on the methods of uninformed and informed search, potentially usable in solving of complex problems based on the state space representation. The problem of introducing the search algorithms to newcomers has its technical and psychological dimensions. The authors show how it is possible to cope with both of them through design and use of specialized authoring systems. A typical example of searching a path through the maze is used to demonstrate how to test, observe and compare properties of various search strategies. Performance of search methods is evaluated based on the common criteria

Encapsulation system for the immunoisolation of living cells

The present invention is drawn to a composition of matter comprising high viscosity sodium alginate, cellulose sulfate and a multi-component polycation. Additionally, the present invention provides methods for making capsules, measuring capsule permeability to immunologically-relevant proteins and treating disease in an animal using encapsulated cells. Over one thousand combinations of polyanions and polycations were examined as polymer candidates suitable for encapsulation of living cells and thirty-three pairs were effective. The combination of sodium alginate, cellulose sulfate, poly(methylene-co-guanidine) hydrochloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride produced the most desirable results. Pancreatic islets encapsulated in this multicomponent capsule demonstrated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in vitro and reversed diabetes without stimulating immune reaction in mice. The capsule formulation and system of the present invention allows independent adjustments of capsule size, wall thickness, mechanical strength and permeability, and offers distinct advantages for immunoisolating cells

Aportaciones al estudio reológico de pastas y morteros de cemento portland

The concrete could be considered as a thick solid particles suspension in fine particles suspension. The rhealogy of the last one influences very hardly the concrete behaviour, so that the importance to realize an study concerning the mortars and pastes rheology. The first objective of this work has been to determine the more adequated rheometer to characterize this kind of samples, considering the difficulty of the rheologic study of high concentration suspensions who tends towards the development of shear phenomena in the walls of the sensor system. Between the equipments with placa-placa sensor, coaxial cylinders and helicoidal band shaker, the first ones were discarded due to the high relationship between particle diameter and measure cavity that makes de viscose properties scarcely repetitive, whereas the last set doesn´t present this problem, in view of which we choose to use it to the obtention of rheologic properties of the samples studied. Secondly, we have try to describe the viscose behaviour of different pastes and mortars with different agregates and relations water/cement. For this purpose some sweeping of shake speed were realized as well as tests at constant speed, relating the viscosity evolution with the setting time. The analyse of the rheologic behaviour is affected by the fact of applying a shake that conduces to the system break who tends towards to be structured during the setting time. This specificity concerning the time, joined with the heterogeneity of the samples, makes difficult to obtain results with a good repeatability.El hormigón se puede considerar como una suspensión de partículas sólidas gruesas en una suspensión de partículas finas. La reología de esta última influye sustancialmente sobre el comportamiento del hormigón, de ahí la importancia de realizar un estudio sobre la reología de pastas y morteros. El primer objetivo de este trabajo ha consistido en determinar el tipo de reómetro más adecuado para caracterizar este tipo de muestras, considerando la dificultad que conlleva el estudio reológico de suspensiones de concentración elevada que tienden a desarrollar fenómenos de deslizamiento en las paredes del sistema sensor. Entre los equipos con sensor placa-placa, con cilindros coaxiles y con agitador de cinta helicoidal, fueron desechados los primeros debido a la alta relación diámetro de partícula/hueco de medida que presentan y que hace que las propiedades viscosas sean escasamente repetitivas, mientras que el último aparato no presenta este problema, por lo que se optó por su utilización para la obtención de las propiedades reológicas de las muestras en estudio. En segundo lugar, se ha tratado de describir el comportamiento viscoso de distintas pastas y morteros con diferentes agregados y relaciones agua/cemento. Para ello se realizaron barridos de velocidad de agitación y ensayos a velocidad constante, relacionando la evolución de la viscosidad con los períodos del fraguado. El análisis del comportamiento reológico se ve afectado por el hecho de aplicar una agitación que provoca la ruptura de un sistema que tiende a estructurarse durante el proceso de fraguado, por lo que esta especificidad en función del tiempo, unida a la heterogeneidad de las muestras, dificulta la obtención de resultados con una buena repetibilidad

Rybp, a polycomb complex-associated protein, is required for mouse eye development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rybp (Ring1 and YY1 binding protein) is a zinc finger protein which interacts with the members of the mammalian polycomb complexes. Previously we have shown that Rybp is critical for early embryogenesis and that haploinsufficiency of <it>Rybp </it>in a subset of embryos causes failure of neural tube closure. Here we investigated the requirement for <it>Rybp </it>in ocular development using four <it>in vivo </it>mouse models which resulted in either the ablation or overexpression of <it>Rybp</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results demonstrate that loss of a single <it>Rybp </it>allele in conventional knockout mice often resulted in retinal coloboma, an incomplete closure of the optic fissure, characterized by perturbed localization of <it>Pax6 </it>but not of <it>Pax2</it>. In addition, about one half of <it>Rybp-/- <-> Rybp+/+ </it>chimeric embryos also developed retinal colobomas and malformed lenses. Tissue-specific transgenic overexpression of <it>Rybp </it>in the lens resulted in abnormal fiber cell differentiation and severe lens opacification with increased levels of <it>AP-2α </it>and <it>Sox2</it>, and reduced levels of <it>βA4-crystallin </it>gene expression. Ubiquitous transgenic overexpression of <it>Rybp </it>in the entire eye caused abnormal retinal folds, corneal neovascularization, and lens opacification. Additional changes included defects in anterior eye development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These studies establish <it>Rybp </it>as a novel gene that has been associated with coloboma. Other genes linked to coloboma encode various classes of transcription factors such as <it>BCOR</it>, <it>CBP</it>, <it>Chx10</it>, <it>Pax2</it>, <it>Pax6</it>, <it>Six3</it>, <it>Ski</it>, <it>Vax1 </it>and <it>Vax2</it>. We propose that the multiple functions for <it>Rybp </it>in regulating mouse retinal and lens development are mediated by genetic, epigenetic and physical interactions between these genes and proteins.</p

Palm is expressed in both developing and adult mouse lens and retina

BACKGROUND: Paralemmin (Palm) is a prenyl-palmitoyl anchored membrane protein that can drive membrane and process formation in neurons. Earlier studies have shown brain preferred Palm expression, although this protein is a major water insoluble protein in chicken lens fiber cells and the Palm gene may be regulated by Pax6. METHODS: The expression profile of Palm protein in the embryonic, newborn and adult mouse eye as well as dissociated retinal neurons was determined by confocal immunofluorescence. The relative mRNA levels of Palm, Palmdelphin (PalmD) and paralemmin2 (Palm2) in the lens and retina were determined by real time rt-PCR. RESULTS: In the lens, Palm is already expressed at 9.5 dpc in the lens placode, and this expression is maintained in the lens vesicle throughout the formation of the adult lens. Palm is largely absent from the optic vesicle but is detectable at 10.5 dpc in the optic cup. In the developing retina, Palm expression transiently upregulates during the formation of optic nerve as well as in the formation of both the inner and outer plexiform layers. In short term dissociated chick retinal cultures, Palm protein is easily detectable, but the levels appear to reduce sharply as the cultures age. Palm mRNA was found at much higher levels relative to Palm2 or PalmD in both the retina and lens. CONCLUSION: Palm is the major paralemmin family member expressed in the retina and lens and its expression in the retina transiently upregulates during active neurite outgrowth. The expression pattern of Palm in the eye is consistent with it being a Pax6 responsive gene. Since Palm is known to be able to drive membrane formation in brain neurons, it is possible that this molecule is crucial for the increase in membrane formation during lens fiber cell differentiation

Evaluation of joint effect of factors of small intensity of production environment and labor process on work ability and error of action of operators of high-tech energy complexes

Increase in complexity and speed of production processes puts forward strong requirements for accuracy of operators' actions, quick decision-making in performance of management functions. Statistical analysis of data on the oil refining industry showed that a refinery with a capacity of 10 million tons of oil per year loses in average $ 4 million only from accidents caused by operator's errors. Around 40 % of accidents and incidents occur due to operator's errors. Reasons for such errors are related to personal qualities, lack of education, training, as well as to factors of low intensity of production environment. A complex of factors of low intensity can lead to hidden up to a certain time “compensated” homeostatic disturbances or modify harmful effect with demonstration of inadequate reactions. The article presents results of study of operators of central control room of two technological departments of high-tech and hazard production (oil and gas) complex to assess combined influence of factors of low intensity of production environment and labor process on work ability and error of actions during labor process. Studies have showed that a long intense functional load on body's systems with influence of factors of low intensity of production environment and labor process lead to development of fatigue and increased tension that operators suffer during day and night shifts. Significant tension of sensory and intellectual systems of the organism with fatigue determines high physiological cost of labor of high-tech production operators. That indicates a need to develop preventive innovative methods to correct a physiological state of operators to improve their performance and take errors off labor, which reduce risk of physical illness