Magnitude and distribution of linkage disequilibrium in population isolates and implications for genome-wide association studies

The genome-wide distribution of linkage disequilibrium (LD) determines the strategy for selecting markers for association studies, but it varies between populations. We assayed LD in large samples (200 individuals) from each of 11 well-described population isolates and an outbred European-derived sample, using SNP markers spaced across chromosome 22. Most isolates show substantially higher levels of LD than the outbred sample and many fewer regions of very low LD (termed 'holes'). Young isolates known to have had relatively few founders show particularly extensive LD with very few holes; these populations offer substantial advantages for genome-wide association mapping.     

火炸药燃烧与爆轰产物的非理想普适状态方程

本文研究火炸药燃烧与爆轰反应产物的非理想状态方程的建立和应用。通过对载短维里方程、Haar—Shenker方程和BKW状态方程的评估,用“多方程组合法”建立的普适方程适用于从理想气体到类固体气体宽广的密度范围。该方程用于燃烧转爆轰研究。与过去使用的方程比较表明,燃烧转爆轰理论预测的准确性得到了提高。文中提供了奥克托金炸药反应产物的大量数据和方程的参数值。     

Serotonin and neuropeptide F have opposite modulatory effects on fly aggression

Both serotonin (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y have been shown to affect a variety of mammalian behaviors, including aggression. Here we show in Drosophila melanogaster that both 5-HT and neuropeptide F, the invertebrate homolog of neuropeptide Y, modulate aggression. We show that drug-induced increases of 5-HT in the fly brain increase aggression. Elevating 5-HT genetically in the serotonergic circuits recapitulates these pharmacological effects, whereas genetic silencing of these circuits makes the flies behaviorally unresponsive to the drug-induced increase of 5-HT but leaves them capable of aggression. Genetic silencing of the neuropeptide F (npf) circuit also increases fly aggression, demonstrating an opposite modulation to 5-HT. Moreover, this neuropeptide F effect seems to be independent of 5-HT. The implication of these two modulatory systems in fly and mouse aggression suggest a marked degree of conservation and a deep molecular root for this behavior.     

The value of data

Data citation and the derivation of semantic constructs directly from datasets have now both found their place in scientific communication. The social challenge facing us is to maintain the value of traditional narrative publications and their relationship to the datasets they report upon while at the same time developing appropriate metrics for citation of data and data constructs.     

Macrophage activity of thymectomized mice infected withLeishmania donovani

Resumen Fagocitosis y destrucción deLeishmania donovani por macrófagos in vivo o in vitro es igual en macrofagos de ratones timectomizados e infectados que en macrófagos de ratones no timectomizados e infectados. Se concluye que la resistencia natural contra infección conL. donovani no es disminuida por la timectomía. Además, los datos indican que la actividad de los macrófagos es independiente del timo.

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Guest Worker, NIAID. Fellowship holder from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas de la Argentina and holder of award No. 5 F05 TW 1468-02 from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Public Health Service.     

Nitroglycerin on the carotid artery and femoral artery of the dog

Résumé In vitro, la nitroglycérine antagonise aisément la contraction de l'artère carotidienne du chien provoquée par la noradrénaline, ce qui n'est pas le cas pour l'artère fémorale. In vivo cependant les différences de comportement de ces deux artères envers la nitroglycérine ne semblent pas être liées à des propriétés intrinsèques des vaisseaux, mais bien à des reflexes sympathiques.     

Functional profiling of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome

Determining the effect of gene deletion is a fundamental approach to understanding gene function. Conventional genetic screens exhibit biases, and genes contributing to a phenotype are often missed. We systematically constructed a nearly complete collection of gene-deletion mutants (96% of annotated open reading frames, or ORFs) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. DNA sequences dubbed 'molecular bar codes' uniquely identify each strain, enabling their growth to be analysed in parallel and the fitness contribution of each gene to be quantitatively assessed by hybridization to high-density oligonucleotide arrays. We show that previously known and new genes are necessary for optimal growth under six well-studied conditions: high salt, sorbitol, galactose, pH 8, minimal medium and nystatin treatment. Less than 7% of genes that exhibit a significant increase in messenger RNA expression are also required for optimal growth in four of the tested conditions. Our results validate the yeast gene-deletion collection as a valuable resource for functional genomics.