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PubMed2003

Assessing the redundancy of MADS-box genes during carpel and ovule development.

Carpels are essential for sexual plant reproduction because they house the ovules and subsequently develop into fruits that protect, nourish and ultimately disperse the seeds. The AGAMOUS (AG) gene is necessary for plant sexual reproduction because stamens and carpels are absent from ag mutant flowers. However, the fact that sepals are converted into carpelloid organs in certain mutant backgrounds even in the absence of AG activity indicates that an AG-independent carpel-development pathway exists. AG is a member of a monophyletic clade of MADS-box genes that includes SHATTERPROOF1 (SHP1), SHP2 and SEEDSTICK (STK), indicating that these four genes might share partly redundant activities. Here we show that the SHP genes are responsible for AG-independent carpel development. We also show that the STK gene is required for normal development of the funiculus, an umbilical-cord-like structure that connects the developing seed to the fruit, and for dispersal of the seeds when the fruit matures. We further show that all four members of the AG clade are required for specifying the identity of ovules, the landmark invention during the course of vascular plant evolution that enabled seed plants to become the most successful group of land plants.

AGAMOUS Protein, Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2003

Transcription regulation and animal diversity.

Whole-genome sequence assemblies are now available for seven different animals, including nematode worms, mice and humans. Comparative genome analyses reveal a surprising constancy in genetic content: vertebrate genomes have only about twice the number of genes that invertebrate genomes have, and the increase is primarily due to the duplication of existing genes rather than the invention of new ones. How, then, has evolutionary diversity arisen? Emerging evidence suggests that organismal complexity arises from progressively more elaborate regulation of gene expression.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Plasma devices to guide and collimate a high density of MeV electrons.

The development of ultra-intense lasers has facilitated new studies in laboratory astrophysics and high-density nuclear science, including laser fusion. Such research relies on the efficient generation of enormous numbers of high-energy charged particles. For example, laser-matter interactions at petawatt (10(15) W) power levels can create pulses of MeV electrons with current densities as large as 10(12) A cm(-2). However, the divergence of these particle beams usually reduces the current density to a few times 10(6) A cm(-2) at distances of the order of centimetres from the source. The invention of devices that can direct such intense, pulsed energetic beams will revolutionize their applications. Here we report high-conductivity devices consisting of transient plasmas that increase the energy density of MeV electrons generated in laser-matter interactions by more than one order of magnitude. A plasma fibre created on a hollow-cone target guides and collimates electrons in a manner akin to the control of light by an optical fibre and collimator. Such plasma devices hold promise for applications using high energy-density particles and should trigger growth in charged particle optics.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Patenting race.

As genetic databases continue to yield new insights and inventions, the commercial incentive to conflate race and genetics may be hard to resist.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed1995

Witches, multiple personalities, and other psychiatric artifacts.

Contemporary psychiatric misdirections derived primarily from standard medical errors of oversimplification, misplaced emphasis, and invention are reviewed. These particular errors, however, were in part prompted and sustained by the sociocultural fads and fashions of the day. The results have been disastrous for everyone--patients, families, the public and psychiatry itself.

Dissociative Identity Disorder↗
PubMed2005

Pressing on: the legacy of Percy W. Bridgman.

A hundred years ago, Percy Bridgman invented mechanical devices that dramatically expanded the high-pressure range available for carrying out physics and chemistry experiments into an unprecedented regime of high densities. His pioneering work revolutionized condensed matter research. His spirit remains alive today as researchers continue to push back the boundaries of high-pressure science.

Biocompatible Materials↗
PubMed2005

Splitting hairs.

A dual-transgenic mouse with localized expression of two different fluorescent markers is the foundation for an inventive strategy for dissecting hair follicles and isolating their component cell populations.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Impact of genetic diagnostics on drug development strategy.

Innovation in diagnostics will be essential for the successful adoption of personalized medicine and will also have a major impact on the success of drug development strategies. To remain competitive, companies will need to embrace the rapid innovation in the diagnostic market, utilize diagnostic tools concurrently with research and development, and re-invent how new drugs are brought to market. In this article, specific examples of targeted oncology drugs are used to illustrate the general impact of genetic diagnostics on drug development.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2006

Decoding the research exemption.

While debate continues as to whether genetic sequences, which many argue represent natural phenomena rather than inventions, should be subject to standard patent protections, issuance of patents that claim DNA sequences remains common practice. In an attempt to insulate researchers from patent claims that could hinder scientific progress, many countries have provided general exemptions for scientific research. However, there is no international consensus about the extent of required protections, and even existing exemptions vary widely in clarity and are limited in practical application. We believe that gene patents raise several unique issues that are inadequately handled by the current research exemptions.

Animals↗
PubMed2025

Guidelines for T cell nomenclature.

Advances in T cell biology have revealed heterogeneity among T cell populations that is not captured by existing general nomenclature. This issue has caused an ad hoc broadening of core T cell subset definitions and the invention of new subset designations that have not been uniformly delineated. To address this issue, in this Consensus Statement, we propose guidelines that serve three goals. First, they advocate that primary research reports define the experimental basis by which relevant subsets are designated in the methods section of each study. Second, they provide standardized definitions for existing subset designations in popular use, and common experimental criteria for defining each subset are noted. Last, they present an alternative 'modular nomenclature' paradigm. The newly proposed modular nomenclature eschews conceptualization of antigen-experienced T cells as belonging to a few idealized subsets, and the nomenclature instead simply indicates individual biological properties present in a T cell population with brief descriptors. Collectively, these guidelines intend to enhance transparency in the literature while facilitating clearer communication of findings and concepts to researchers, students and clinicians.

Terminology as Topic↗
PubMed1999

Electro-chemically activated water in dental unit water lines.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electro-chemically activated water on biofilm contamination in dental unit water lines. DESIGN: Thirteen dental units fitted with independent water systems and used for 12 years with distilled water were divided into two groups, A and B. At the start, one week later, and again four weeks later, the bacterial counts in water from all units were determined. Also specimens of tubing were taken from the units at the beginning and at the end of the study for SEM investigation. In Group A distilled water was replaced with electrochemically activated water (a Russian invention), and used continuously for the duration of the study. In group B, distilled water was used as before, until confirmed to be contaminated. For ethical reasons group B was treated, one week into the study with conventional disinfectants. SETTING: The project was carried out in a clinic of a department of periodontology of a faculty of dentistry during 1998. RESULTS: Both groups showed a marked reduction in bacterial counts. Under SEM Group A showed a total elimination of the biofilm and Group B a partial removal. CONCLUSIONS: Distilled water was ineffective in controlling bacterial counts and biofilm. Electrochemically activated water was effective for this purpose.

Biofilms↗
PubMed2000

Dentine caries excavation: a review of current clinical techniques.

Since the invention and application of rotary instruments, the operative treatment of carious lesions has often resulted in considerable removal of tooth structure. More recently, newer techniques for removal of carious dentine have been developed in an attempt to minimise this excessive tissue loss. The following article reviews and discusses some of the techniques available to excavate demineralised dentine clinically. These methods can be classified as mechanical and non-mechanical, rotary and non-rotary and include: dental handpieces/burs, manual excavators, air-abrasion, air-polishing, ultrasonication, sono-abrasion, chemo-mechanical methods, lasers and enzymes. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed.

Air↗
PubMed2002

Microarray, SAGE and their applications to cardiovascular diseases.

The wealth of DNA data generated by the human genome project coupling with recently invented high-throughput gene expression profiling techniques has dramatically sped up the process for biomedical researchers on elucidating the role of genes in human diseases. One powerful method to reveal insight into gene functions is the systematic analysis of gene expression. Two popular high-throughput gene expression technologies, microarray and Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) are capable of producing large amounts of gene expression data with the potential of providing novel insights into fundamental disease processes, especially complex syndromes such as cardiovascular disease, whose etiologies are due to multiple genetic factors and their interplay with the environment. Microarray and SAGE have already been used to examine gene expression patterns of cell-culture, animal and human tissues models of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we will first give a brief introduction of microarray and SAGE technologies and point out their limitations. We will then discuss the major discoveries and the new biological insights that have emerged from their applications to cardiovascular diseases. Finally we will touch upon potential challenges and future developments in this area.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2005

Hox, ParaHox, ProtoHox: facts and guesses.

The Hox gene cluster has captivated the imagination of evolutionary and developmental biologists worldwide. In this review, the origin of the Hox and ParaHox gene clusters by duplication of a ProtoHox gene cluster, and the changes in their gene numbers in major Metazoan Transitions are reviewed critically. Re-evaluation of existing data and recent findings in Cnidarians, Acoels, and critical stages of vertebrate evolution suggest alternative scenarios for the origin, structure, and changes in Hox gene numbers in relevant events of Metazoan evolution. I discuss opposing views and propose that (i) the ProtoHox cluster had only two genes, and not four as commonly believed: a corollary is that the origin of Bilaterians was coincident with the invention of new Hox and ParaHox gene classes, which may have facilitated such a transition; (ii) the ProtoHox cluster duplication was a cis duplication event, rather than a trans duplication event, as previously suggested, and (iii) the ancestral vertebrate cluster possessed 14 Hox genes, and not the 13 generally assumed. These hypotheses could be verified or refuted in the near future, but they may help critical discussion of the evolution of the Hox/ParaHox family in the metazoan kingdom.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Obesity through the ages of man.

From before birth and onwards there is the potential for obesity. Many of the predisposing factors can be prevented or minimised through educational and preventative strategies that support healthier diet and lifestyles, but the need for active treatment and management of obesity has never been greater. Childhood and adolescence are crucial times for prevention, and treatment in middle age confers important health and quality of life benefits. As obesity becomes more prevalent and the population ages, new and inventive strategies are required to tackle this ubiquitous health problem also in older age groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Room temperature sterilization of surfaces and fabrics with a one atmosphere uniform glow discharge plasma.

We report the results of an interdisciplinary collaboration formed to assess the sterilizing capabilities of the One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma (OAUGDP). This newly-invented source of glow discharge plasma (the fourth state of matter) is capable of operating at atmospheric pressure in air and other gases, and of providing antimicrobial active species to surfaces and workpieces at room temperature as judged by viable plate counts. OAUGDP exposures have reduced log numbers of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and endospores from Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis on seeded solid surfaces, fabrics, filter paper, and powdered culture media at room temperature. Initial experimental data showed a two-log10 CFU reduction of bacteria when 2 x 10(2) cells were seeded on filter paper. Results showed > or = 3 log10 CFU reduction when polypropylene samples seeded with E. coli (5 x 10(4)) were exposed, while a 30 s exposure time was required for similar killing with S. aureus-seeded polypropylene samples. The exposure times required to effect > or = 6 log10 CFU reduction of E. coli and S. aureus on polypropylene samples were no longer than 30 s. Experiments with seeded samples in sealed commercial sterilization bags showed little or no differences in exposure times compared to unwrapped samples. Plasma exposure times of less than 5 min generated > or = 5 log10 CFU reduction of commercially prepared Bacillus subtilis spores (1 x 10(5)); 7 min OAUGDP exposures were required to generate a > or = 3 log10 CFU reduction for Bacillus stearothermophilus spores. For all microorganisms tested, a biphasic curve was generated when the number of survivors vs time was plotted in dose-response cures. Several proposed mechanisms of killing at room temperature by the OAUGDP are discussed.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1998

Managing genetic material to protect intellectual property rights.

One of the most important policy instruments for the promotion of further biotechnology development is intellectual property right (IPR) protection. However, one cannot improve upon a biotechnological invention without physical access to the germplasm, making exchanges of genetic material necessary. A formal transfer agreement, which addresses the key issues of ownership, access, use, and equitable benefit-sharing, is a powerful legal instrument for intellectual property. Other restrictions are generally imposed as a result of national and international safety regulations. Forming strategic alliances, such as joint ventures, collaborative research agreements, joint research and development agreements, and manufacturing and distribution alliances to exploit the economic value of genetic material, provides scientists with the mechanisms they need to bring their research material and products to the marketplace.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed2004

DNA microarray analysis of natural killer cell-type lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes with purified CD3-CD56+ fractions.

Natural killer (NK) cell-type lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (LDGL) is characterized by the outgrowth of CD3(-)CD16/56(+) NK cells, and can be further subdivided into two distinct categories: aggressive NK cell leukemia (ANKL) and chronic NK lymphocytosis (CNKL). To gain insights into the pathophysiology of NK cell-type LDGL, we here purified CD3(-)CD56(+) fractions from healthy individuals (n=9) and those with CNKL (n=9) or ANKL (n=1), and compared the expression profiles of >12 000 genes. A total of 15 'LDGL-associated genes' were identified, and a correspondence analysis on such genes could clearly indicate that LDGL samples share a 'molecular signature' distinct from that of normal NK cells. With a newly invented class prediction algorithm, 'weighted distance method', all 19 samples received a clinically matched diagnosis, and, furthermore, a detailed cross-validation trial for the prediction of normal or CNKL status could achieve a high accuracy (77.8%). By applying another statistical approach, we could extract other sets of genes, expression of which was specific to either normal or LDGL NK cells. Together with sophisticated statistical methods, gene expression profiling of a background-matched NK cell fraction thus provides us a wealth of information for the LDGL condition.

Adolescent↗