Cellular fusion induced in vitro by the mouse scrapie agent]

A method is described to demonstrate and measure the cell-fusion in vitro induced by viruses. This technique has been established using Sendai virus. It has been used to study the fusing ability of the Scrapie agent which is responsible of a slowly progressing spongiform encephalopathy in Mice. In Vero cells, the Scrapie agent induces a fusion which appears slowly and remains moderate. This test can help to detect the human spongiform encephalopathies.     

The birth of classical genetics as the junction of two disciplines: Conceptual change as representational change

The birth of classical genetics in the 1910's was the result of the junction of two modes of analysis, corresponding to two disciplines: Mendelism and cytology. The goal of this paper is to shed some light on the change undergone by the science of heredity at the time, and to emphasize the subtlety of the conceptual articulation of Mendelian and cytological hypotheses within classical genetics. As a way to contribute to understanding how the junction of the two disciplines at play gave birth to a new way of studying heredity, my focus will be on the forms of representation used in genetics research at the time. More particularly, I will study the design and development, by Thomas H. Morgan's group, of the technique of linkage mapping, which embodies the integration of the Mendelian and cytological forms of representation. I will show that the design of this technique resulted in a genuine conceptual change, which should be described as a representational change, rather than merely as the introduction of new hypotheses into genetics.     

Prospects for NMR imaging in the study of biological morphogenesis

Small objects can be visualised with a spatial resolution that approaches microscopic dimensions using the technique of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. Some important features of the method are described and the prospects for using the technique to study morphogenesis are discussed. It is concluded that NMR imaging, in conjunction with the related method of localised spectroscopy, is capable of producing novel structural information.     

Prospects for NMR imaging in the study of biological morphogenesis

Summary Small objects can be visualised with a spatial resolution that approaches microscopic dimensions using the technique of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. Some important features of the method are described and the prospects for using the technique to study morphogenesis are discussed. It is concluded that NMR imaging, in conjunction with the related method of localised spectroscopy, is capable of producing novel structural information.     

Ultrastructural identification of the nucleolus organizer by the silver staining technic]

The nucleolus organizer regions can be selectively stained in metaphase chromosome preparations by the Goodpasture and Bloom's technique which was adapted to electron microscopy analysis of cells during interphase. Using this technique, a selective accumulation of silver grains was observed over nucleolus light areas. This selective accumulation allows the identification of the interphase fibrillar centers as the nucleolus organizer regions. Ultrastructural relationships between fibrillar centers and dense fibrillar component are discussed.     

A comparison of models for forecasting the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits

There are many geologic resource assessment techniques available that can be used to estimate the hydrocarbon potential of frontier basins. The techniques do not, however, produce discovery rate forecasts, which are critical to government and industry planners. Various methods of predicting the discovery rate in frontier basins are reviewed and appraised within the context of the drilling history of Canada's Scotian Shelf. The reviewed models include a mean historical discovery rate technique, the exponential decline model, a logistic curve technique and a class of models based on a sampling without replacement approach to prediction. Models are found to perform best over the longer forecast horizons, with those models based on the sampling without replacement technique tending to perform best.     

Rat pancreatic islet cells in primary culture: occurrence of giant cells amenable to patch clamping

Neonatal and adult rat pancreatic islet cells were maintained in dissociated cell culture for up to three weeks. The unexpected occurrence of giant (40-50 micron) cells was noted, some of which reacted positively to an insulin antiserum, indicating the presence of insulin. The giant cells were amenable to study using the extracellular patch clamp technique, which was used to demonstrate a population of membrane channels gating outwardly directed current in these cells.     

Application of the ion-thinning methods to the high-resolution study of human dental enamel crystals]

Ion thinning technique applied to high resolution T.E.M. study of human dental enamel crystallites makes it possible to visualize a great number of dislocations. Dislocations proved not to be due to artifacts induced by the ultramicrotome diamond knife. They are related to the crystal apartite structure.     

Using the bootstrap for improved ARIMA model identification

This paper presents a new method of identifying ARIMA time-series models. We use the bootstrap technique in estimating the distribution of sample autocorrelations both separately and in a simultaneous inference setting. The bootstrap has the advantage of being nonparametric and thus free of reliance on asymptotic normality, which may not hold for short or medium-size series. The simultaneous procedure is unique, as it has no feasible parametric alternatives. An application to exchange rates illustrates our methodology. In the example chosen, we are able to produce better forecasts using the model identified via the bootstrap technique.     

Effect of the gas phase of cigarette smoke on the rate of sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes in vitro]

A technique of differential staining of chromatids after BudR treatment enabled us to study the influence of the gas phase of cigarette smoke on human lymphocytes. We ascertained that the number of exchanges increased in proportion to the concentration of gas phase extant in the medium. Moreover, the base-line exchange rate was a little higher in smokers than in nonsmokers.     

Complete correction of the tetralogy of Fallot without right ventriculotomy

The authors present an improved technique for operative treatment of tetralogy of Fallot. Developed by Edmund's technique it complets and improves it in several ways making it suitable for nearly all forms of tetralogy of Fallot. The transatrial approach is intended by it's author to only selected cases of the malformation, namely with large pulmonary arteries a correct pulmonary annulus and moderate infundibular hypertrophy. The combined approach which we propose (transatrial and transpulmonary) gives us very good post-operative and short term results.     

基于Inline Hook的Windows Rootkit技术研究

Rootkit是恶意软件用于隐藏自身及其他特定资源和活动的程序集合,深入研究RootKit技术,对保护敏感信息,减少网络破坏损失有重要意义.该文分析了基于Inline Hook的Windows Rootkit技术原理,并结合实例分析了Inline Hook技术的实现过程,展望了Rootkit隐藏技术未来的发展趋势.     

Science and the romantic movement

Several authors have used the expression ‘formal asymmetry’ to characterize Einstein's method of introducing conceptual innovations. Prior to his use of formal asymmetries, however, Einstein relied upon analogy to introduce his major concepts, but without satisfactory results. He gradually refined another technique, reflection upon empirical problems, into the method of formal asymmetries, with impressive results. This historical study, based upon a textual analysis of Einstein's publications, raises a series of questions regarding the place of formal asymmetries in his work.     

Gastric acid secretory responses of acute gastric fistula preparation in anesthetized young chickens

Summary A reliable technique which permits quantitative determination of the gastric acid secretory responses to drugs was developed in anesthetized young chickens.The present study was supported by a Grant from the Ministry of Education of Japan. We are indebted to Mr.M. Murakami, Mr.S. Kojima and MissU. Kariya, for their technical assistance.     

A rapid electrophoretic method for the separation of hydroxyproline from proline

Summary A rapid, sensitive procedure is described which uses custom made apparatus to separate radioactive imino acids. This technique provides a simple measurement of the distribution of newly synthesized collagen in different fractions.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by grants from the International Wool Secretariat.     

Nucleolar structure during the prophase of Physarum polycephalum]

With Sugihara's fixation technique, electron microscopic study of early-prophase nucleolus in the Physarm polycephalum showed the existence of particular fibrillar structures. The characteristic feature of these spherical structures is an electron-lucid center surrounded by a dense fibrillar component. Their relationships between the "fibrillar centers" and between the rate of ribosomal RNA synthesis are studied.     

Solubility of the neurosecretory products of Crepidula fornicata Phil., a prosobranch mullusk]

Study of solubility of neurosecretory products in Crepidula fornicata shows that the presence of ethanol in the fixative is incompatible with good fixation. This character permits the choice of a more effective extraction technique. An experimental study in organ culture shows that the action of differentiation of brain appears in the extract obtained by this method.     

Carnosine-like immunoreactivity in the primary olfactory neuron of the rat

Summary Using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical technique, carnosine-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated to localize specifically within the primary olfactory neuron.This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan (No. 61218016). Reprint requests to I. N., Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Fujita-Gakuen Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-11, Japan.     

A simple method for counting nuclei in the preimplantation mouse embryo

An easy and rapid method of counting the number of cells in the preimplantation mouse embryo is described. The procedure increases the speed with which large numbers of embryos can be processed using a simple squash technique. Cell numbers are determined by exposing the embryos to the fluorescent DNA-binding dye, Hoechst 33258, removing the zona pellucida and simply squashing the embryo and counting the number of fluorescent nuclei. An increase in fluorescent intensity and maintenance of nuclear conformation of the squashed preparations are greatly improved by the use of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. Viability of dye-treated fertilized one-cell and blastocyst stage embryos is maintained at least up to day 13 of pregnancy following transfer of the embryos to the uteri of pseudopregnant recipients. Additional uses for this staining technique are discussed.     

Dynamics of proteins in Golgi membranes: comparisons between mammalian and plant cells highlighted by photobleaching techniques

In less than a decade the green fluorescent protein (GFP) has become one of the most popular tools for cell biologists for the study of dynamic processes in vivo. GFP has revolutionised the scientific approach for the study of vital organelles, such as the Golgi apparatus. As Golgi proteins can be tagged with GFP, in most cases without altering their targeting and function, it is a great substitute to conventional dyes used in the past to highlight this compartment. In this review, we cover the application of GFP and its spectral derivatives in the study of Golgi dynamics in mammalian and plant cells. In particular, we focus on the technique of selective photobleaching known as fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, which has successfully shed light on essential differences in the biology of the Golgi apparatus in mammalian and plant cells.