Using plastid transformation, we have integrated different versions of the Escherichia coli IS element IS150 into the plastid genome of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants. We show that IS150 is
faithfully mobilized inside the chloroplast, and that enormous quantities CBL0137 concentration of transposition intermediates accumulate. As synthesis of the IS150 transposase is dependent upon programmed ribosomal frame shifting, our data indicate that this process also occurs in chloroplasts. Interestingly, all insertion events detected affect a single site in the plastid genome, suggesting that the integration of IS150 is highly sequence dependent. In contrast, the initiation of the transposition process was found to be independent of the sequence context. Finally, our data also demonstrate that plastids lack the capacity to repair double-strand breaks in their genomes by non-homologous end joining, a finding that has important implications for genome
stability, and which may explain the peculiar immunity of the plastid to invading promiscuous DNA sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial origin.”
“Background: The optimal strategy for promoting self-care for heart failure (HF) is unclear.
Methods and Results: We conducted a randomized trial to determine whether a “”teach to goal”" (TTG) educational and behavioral Nepicastat inhibitor support program provided incremental benefits to a brief (1 hour) educational intervention (BEI) for knowledge,
self-care GS-7977 inhibitor behaviors, and HF-related quality of life (HFQOL). The TTG program taught use of adjusted-dose diuretics and then reinforced learning goals and behaviors with 5 to 8 telephone counseling sessions over 1 month. Participants’ (n = 605) mean age was 61 years; 37% had marginal or inadequate literacy; 69% had ejection fraction <0.45; and 31% had Class III or IV symptoms. The TTG group had greater improvements in general and salt knowledge (P < .001) and greater increases in self-care behaviors (from mean 4.8 to 7.6 for TTG vs. 5.2 to 6.7 for BEI; P < .001). HFQOL improved from 58.5 to 64.6 for the TTG group but did not change for the BEI group (64.7 to 63.9; P < .001 for the difference in change scores). Improvements were similar regardless of participants’ literacy level.
Conclusions: Telephone reinforcement of learning goals and self-care behaviors improved knowledge, health behaviors, and HF-related QOL compared to a single education session. (J Cardiac Fail 2011;17:789-796)”
“Methylmercury (MeHg), a known neurotoxin, has been reported to alter glutamate homeostasis in the neuronal environment resulting in excitotoxicity. This study was conducted to investigate whether, and if so, under what conditions, that low dose MeHg would enhance the toxicity of glutamate and to what extent that blockade of NMDA receptors would alter MeHg and glutamate’s toxicity in cultured neuroblastoma cells.