Aarne-Thompson Research Articles

Augmenting tomato functional genomics with a genome-wide induced genetic variation resource.

Induced mutations accelerate crop improvement by providing novel disease resistance and yield alleles. However, the alleles with no perceptible phenotype but have an altered function remain hidden in mutagenized plants. The whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of mutagenized individuals uncovers the complete spectrum of mutations in the genome. Genome-wide induced mutation resources can improve the targeted breeding of tomatoes and facilitate functional genomics. In this study, we sequenced 132 doubly ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-mutagenized lines of tomato and detected approximately 41 million novel mutations and 5.5 million short InDels not present in the parental cultivar. Approximately 97% of the genome had mutations, including the genes, promoters, UTRs, and introns. More than one-third of genes in the mutagenized population had one or more deleterious mutations predicted by Sorting Intolerant From Tolerant (SIFT). Nearly one-fourth of deleterious genes mapped on tomato metabolic pathways modulate multiple pathway steps. In addition to the reported GC>AT transition bias for EMS, our population also had a substantial number of AT>GC transitions. Comparing mutation frequency among synonymous codons revealed that the most preferred codon is the least mutagenic toward EMS. The validation of a potato leaf-like mutation, reduction in carotenoids in ζ-carotene isomerase mutant fruits, and chloroplast relocation loss in phototropin1 mutant validated the mutation discovery pipeline. Our database makes a large repertoire of mutations accessible to functional genomics studies and breeding of tomatoes.

The Witch in Flight

The Witch in Flight

The Angel and the Cholent: Food Representation from the Israel Folktale Archives

The Angel and the Cholent: Food Representation from the Israel Folktale Archives

Hungarian Animation, Folklore, and The Soviet Government

Abstract This study will use rhetorical criticism to analyze eleven Hungarian animation films and four TV shows from the Soviet-era to discover how Hungarian animation in this period utilized folktales to criticize the government. The Thompson Motif Index will be used as a point of comparison. Results from the study show that multiple animation films utilized folktale elements to criticize the government, leaving it open for further study to explore other ideologies that may be reflected in Hungarian animation in the Soviet-era.

Mechanism and outcomes of atrial tachycardia ablation in patients with mitral valve surgery

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Atrial tachycardia (AT) is a common rhythm disorder after mitral valve surgery which may comprise both atria. Most of atrial arrhythmias are refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation is usually required in cases with mitral valvular prosthesis. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the ablation outcomes of AT in patients with previous mitral valve (MV) surgery. Methods A total of 60 symptomatic patients with AT were enrolled. Activation mapping was performed during tachycardia in all patients as well as entrainment mapping when needed. Scar analysis was also performed when left atrial tachycardia detected. Results In 79 procedures, a total of 101 ATs were documented [35 (34.6%) ATs were right-sided, 65 (64.3%) ATs were left-sided and 1(0.9%) AT was biatrial]. Mean number of ATs per procedure was 1.4 ± 0.6. Macroreentry was the primary mechanism in right and left atrium (97% and 66.1%, respectively). Localization and mechanisms of ATs were demonstrated in Figure-1. Anterior wall [53.2%(17.9%-74.6%)], septum [53.7% (34.7%-80.0%)] and roof [40.1% (21.3%-72.5%)] were the left atrial sites with highest ratio of low voltage areas . The mean follow-up duration was 33.4 ± 17.7 months. Freedom from ATa after index procedure was 78.3% at 12 months and 65.9 % at 24 months. After multiple procedures, freedom from ATa was 80%, during the follow-up. Conclusion Left ATs are more common compared to the right ATs and macroreentry is the major mechanism in both right- & left ATs. RF ablation of ATs had favourable long-term outcomes in patients with MV surgery.

A preconditioned landweber iteration scheme for the limited-angle image reconstruction.

The limited-angle reconstruction problem is of both theoretical and practical importance. Due to the severe ill-posedness of the problem, it is very challenging to get a valid reconstructed result from the known small limited-angle projection data. The theoretical ill-posedness leads the normal equation AT Ax = AT b of the linear system derived by discretizing the Radon transform to be severely ill-posed, which is quantified as the large condition number of AT A. To develop and test a new valid algorithm for improving the limited-angle image reconstruction with the known appropriately small angle range from [0,π3]∼[0,π2]. We propose a reweighted method of improving the condition number of AT Ax = AT b and the corresponding preconditioned Landweber iteration scheme. The weight means multiplying AT Ax = AT b by a matrix related to AT A, and the weighting process is repeated multiple times. In the experiment, the condition number of the coefficient matrix in the reweighted linear system decreases monotonically to 1 as the weighting times approaches infinity. The numerical experiments showed that the proposed algorithm is significantly superior to other iterative algorithms (Landweber, Cimmino, NWL-a and AEDS) and can reconstruct a valid image from the known appropriately small angle range. The proposed algorithm is effective for the limited-angle reconstruction problem with the known appropriately small angle range.

Randomized comparison of two methods of the epidural space identification during regional labour analgesia.

Conventional loss of resistance (LOR) technique for identifying the epidural space (EDS) predominantly depends on experience of the anaesthetist. A technique using automated syringe for EDS identification was invented as an alternative to the traditional method. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and risk for complications between automatic LOR syringe - Epimatic® (Vygon, Ecouen, France) and conventional LOR - Perifix® (B.Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany) techniques for EDS identification. A total of 170 patients were enrolled into the study and 153 cases were analysed. Number of at- tempts, time to EDS identification, ease of EDS identification, complication rate and patient procedure-related discomfort were evaluated and compared. No statistically significant differences were found in the number of needle insertion attempts (1.3 in both groups), time to EDS identification (31 sec. vs. 27 sec.), efficacy of epidural analgesia (100% in both groups), or complication rate between both groups. The automatic and the conventional LOR techniques are comparable in terms of efficacy and safety for the epidural space identification.

B Chromosomes of the Asian Seabass (Lates calcarifer) Contribute to Genome Variations at the Level of Individuals and Populations.

The Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is a bony fish from the Latidae family, which is widely distributed in the tropical Indo-West Pacific region. The karyotype of the Asian seabass contains 24 pairs of A chromosomes and a variable number of AT- and GC-rich B chromosomes (Bchrs or Bs). Dot-like shaped and nucleolus-associated AT-rich Bs were microdissected and sequenced earlier. Here we analyzed DNA fragments from Bs to determine their repeat and gene contents using the Asian seabass genome as a reference. Fragments of 75 genes, including an 18S rRNA gene, were found in the Bs; repeats represented 2% of the Bchr assembly. The 18S rDNA of the standard genome and Bs were similar and enriched with fragments of transposable elements. A higher nuclei DNA content in the male gonad and somatic tissue, compared to the female gonad, was demonstrated by flow cytometry. This variation in DNA content could be associated with the intra-individual variation in the number of Bs. A comparison between the copy number variation among the B-related fragments from whole genome resequencing data of Asian seabass individuals identified similar profiles between those from the South-East Asian/Philippines and Indian region but not the Australian ones. Our results suggest that Bs might cause variations in the genome among the individuals and populations of Asian seabass. A personalized copy number approach for segmental duplication detection offers a suitable tool for population-level analysis across specimens with low coverage genome sequencing.

Review

Reviewed by: A Catalogue of Khoisan Folktales of Southern Africa. Part I: Introduction, Types, Indices, Sources; Part II: The Tales (Analyses) by Sigrid Schmidt Robert Cancel (bio) A Catalogue of Khoisan Folktales of Southern Africa. Part I: Introduction, Types, Indices, Sources; Part II: The Tales (Analyses). By Sigrid Schmidt. Köln, Germany: Rüdiger Köppe, 2013. 841pp. Anyone who has worked with African oral traditions probably was intrigued by the fabulous tales of the Khoisan peoples of Southern Africa. The beginning point of this engagement was most likely the seminal work of missionary-scholar Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and his family members and collaborators. Most of this work focused on the Xam and Naron groups and was collected and then published throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century. The tales felt substantially different from those of the neighboring Bantu-speaking peoples. Plots and characters often verged on the surreal and the awkward, and stilted English translations furthered the exotic feel of the narrative texts. Researchers from the area and from Europe and the United States have produced further scholarship and collections of oral traditions from numerous Khoisan groups, over regions covering several national boundaries, including South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. Given that these linguistically related societies have relatively small populations, the scale of scholarly attention paid to them testifies to their enduring presence in the imaginations of academics in various fields. Indeed, the broader appeal of these cultures is often perpetuated by romantic constructions of pristine peoples “unspoiled” by contact with other more “developed” societies. Sigrid Schmidt does an immense service to scholars of Khoisan verbal arts by producing an impressive and seemingly exhaustive two-volume catalog and index of oral narratives from this cluster of ethnic groups. As someone who rarely refers to folk literature indexes in my own work, I maintain a healthy respect for the prodigious effort entailed in compiling and organizing this material. There is also a commensurate difficulty in trying to evaluate this sort of scholarly effort, especially one so comprehensive as these volumes seem to be. It is not the kind of work that one would usually read cover to cover. The greatest value of this particular project is its multitude and breadth of sources [End Page 357] and the obvious care with which these tales have been categorized and cataloged. As such, I save any suspense by proclaiming this collection to be astoundingly detailed, clearly organized, and most impressive in the obvious care that went into its production. It is an invaluable resource for any scholar working on Khoisan cultural production and for researchers who want to do comparative work with neighboring African oral traditions. Schmidt provides a brief but helpful introduction to the catalog. She first specifies the three main groups that are covered by the index: “the Bushmen (San, Masarwa), the Khoekhoe(a) (Khoikoi, Hottentots) and the Damara (Dama, Bergdama)” (1: 1). She rightly refers to the problems with the names historically given to some of these groups and their derogatory nature. There is a brief but precise discussion of the interactions between these groups and neighboring peoples, mostly Bantu-speaking societies. In some cases these interactions have had long-lasting effects as far as the sharing of language traits and cultural practices. The catalog includes narrative traditions of numerous genres, “myths, trickster, animals and fairytales,” and “anecdotes and legends,” including “novelistic tales and legends” (1: 2). Schmidt explains that her volumes differ significantly from the classic Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) type classification “because many of the Khoisan tales do not belong to these types” (1: 2). Further, and more significantly, whereas the ATU catalog is more of an overview of world folk literature, Schmidt’s Khoisan catalog strives to be an exhaustive and all-inclusive indexing of all available Khoisan narratives, many of them heretofore unpublished. Schmidt provides a thorough explanation of how the catalog is arranged, particularly illustrating how the types and motifs are numbered and indexed and identifying a number of other valuable abbreviations and symbols that tie each item to its source and context. “Arrangement of the Tales,” divided into headings such as “Celestial Bodies and Natural Phenomena,” “The Anthropomorphous Tricksters . . .,” and “Man and Animals...

The Master-Slave Dialectic in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

To know who we are, where we are, and where we are going, we need stories and storytellers to attain self-consciousness-but not just ordinary stories and storytellers. We need storytellers who are consciousness raisers and stories that are consciousness raising. Otherwise, living in the world is but an illusion and delusion. Otherwise, we are controlled by self-serving masters who are not aware of how blind they are and try to lead us blindly along paths of destruction and self-destruction. Otherwise, we will be controlled by authoritarian magicians who cast spells with words of deception and self-aggrandizement that celebrate nothing but their powers to dominate, if not mutilate and annihilate, other human beings.Bearing this in mind, I continue to ponder why J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels and all the similar and imitative narratives, films, plays, and works of art about duels to the death fought between magicians and their apprentices have appealed to millions of readers and viewers throughout the world and why they have achieved such astounding popularity. After much reflection about this popularity, I want to propose that the Harry Potter novels and their variants and imitations hark back to stories told and written about magicians and their apprentices during and before the Greco-Roman period in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Such great dissemination was noted already in the nineteenth century by the great British folklorist, William Alexander Clouston (413). Indeed, these tales were widely disseminated over centuries by word of mouth and script until they became memetic. They formed a memeplex in Western cultural memory, expressing and touching upon core human dispositions and drives for self-consciousness, knowledge, and power in struggles related to the adaptation and survival of the human species.1 Underlying my thesis is the notion that black and white magic are two sides of the same coin of knowledge gained from an intense scientific study of the material universe, and the powerful holders of knowledge of the very basic elements of our world-the magicians, sorcerers, wizards, witches, inventors, shamans, scientists, medicine men, priests/priestesses, and politicians-have discovered miraculous ways to use black and white magic to transform themselves and their environments in ways that most people cannot. In seeking to gain total self-consciousness, omniscience, and absolute truth, sorcerers reveal that their success depends morally on whether they will share their magic (knowledge) to benefit the people who serve them and want to learn from them or whether they will use their magic (knowledge) to dominate and destroy the people of the world, especially young people, who are humiliated if they do not comply with the commands of the sorcerers. These sorcerers are all powerful shape-shifters, and they represent what we all want-namely self-consciousness and recognition as independent human beings-but cannot obtain unless we realize how to negate the sorcerers in the stories and fairy tales that we create and project.I focus here mainly on the dialectic in the tale type underlying the Harry Potter novels as a fairy tale, for it is in these novels viewed as a gigantic fairy tale that we can see its relationship to the Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) 325 tale type, Magician and His Pupil, as noted by Hans-Jorg Uther in The Types of International Folktales, a very useful catalogue that helps researchers trace the historical origins and dissemination of tales with similar plots. I briefly note how this tale type of Magician and His Pupil has been deeply rooted in European, Middle Eastern, and Asian folklore since the fourth century BC, if not earlier, and was adapted as part of the staple of children's literature mainly in America and Europe some time during the late nineteenth century, thanks to the transformation of the Grimms' tales as tales for children and later thanks to Disney's 1940 film Fantasia and book version of Sorcerer's Apprentice. …

Variations on Witches: a Proposal for Catalogation

AbstractStories of witches are difficult to catalogue because they tend to fall somewhere between folktales and legends. In the context of the RondCat project on Catalan folktales and the classification of tale types that do not correspond with the Aarne/Thompson/Uther (ATU) international index, this paper makes a proposal for cataloguing legends of witches collected by the Catalan folklorist Cels Gomis i Mestre (1841-1915) and published posthumously in 1987 under the title La bruixa catalana.

Effects of Arsenite Resistance on the Growth and Functional Gene Expression ofLeptospirillum ferriphilumandAcidithiobacillus thiooxidansin Pure Culture and Coculture

The response of iron-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferriphilum YSK and sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans A01 to arsenite under pure culture and coculture was investigated based on biochemical characterization (concentration of iron ion and pH value) and related gene expression. L. ferriphilum YSK and At. thiooxidans A01 in pure culture could adapt up to 400 mM and 800 mM As(III) after domestication, respectively, although arsenite showed a negative effect on both strains. The coculture showed a stronger sulfur and ferrous ion oxidation activity when exposed to arsenite. In coculture, the pH value showed no significant difference when under 500 mM arsenite stress, and the cell number of At. thiooxidans was higher than that in pure culture benefiting from the interaction with L. ferriphilum. The expression profile showed that the arsenic efflux system in the coculture was more active than that in pure culture, indicating that there is a synergetic interaction between At. thiooxidans A01 and L. ferriphilum YSK. In addition, a model was proposed to illustrate the interaction between arsenite and the ars operon in L. ferriphilum YSK and At. thiooxidans A01. This study will facilitate the effective application of coculture in the bioleaching process by taking advantage of strain-strain communication and coordination.

Situation in the Polish housing market compared to other EU countries

Q e aim of this study is to analyse situation in the Polish housing market in 20092013 against the background of other EU countries. Q is article describes a de! cit situation in the housing market, housing resources, the number of ats built per year and governmental programmes to support housing. Q e study examines the problems of ats for rent by comparing their percentage in Poland with the percentage of ats in the European Union. Q e situation in the Polish housing market was analysed from the standpoint of the vision of social market economy for Europe of the 21 century.

Substance abuse and the HIV situation in Malaysia

Heroin continues to be the main drug used in Malaysia, whereas amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs, such as ecstasy, syabu, and yaba) have been recently identified as a growing problem. A cumulative total of 300,241 drug users were detected between 1988 and 2006. It is also estimated that Malaysia has 170,000 injecting drug users. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence among drug users in the country ranges from 25% to 45%. Currently, there are approximately 380 general medical practice offices that offer agonist maintenance treatments for approximately 10,000 patients. There are 27,756 active patients in 333 general medical practice offices and government-run methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) centers. The needle syringe exchange program reached out to 34,244 injection drug users in 2011. In the past 2 years (2011 and 2012) the number of detected drug addicts decreased from 11,194 to 9015. The arrests made by the police related to opiate and cannabis use increased from 41,363 to 63,466 between the years 2008 and 2010, but decreased since 2010. An almost four-fold increase in the number of ATS and ketamine users was detected from 2006 (21,653 users) to 2012 (76,812). Between 2004 and 2010, the yearly seizures for heroin ranged from 156 kg to 270 kg. However, in 2010 and 2011, heroin seizures showed a significant increase of 445 kg and 410.02 kg, respectively. There has been a seizure of 600–1000 kg of syabu yearly from 2009 to 2012. Similar to heroin, increased seizures for yaba have also been observed over the past 2 years. A significant increase has also been recorded for the seizures of ecstasy pills from 2011 (47,761 pills) to 2012 (634,573 pills). The cumulative number of reported HIV infections since 1986 is 94,841. In 2011, sexual activity superseded injection drug use as the main transmission factor for the epidemic. HIV in the country mainly involves males, as they constitute 90% of cumulative HIV cases and a majority of those individuals are IDUs. However, HIV infection trends are shifting from males to females. There are 37,306 people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment, and 14,002 people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral treatment in 2011. The decreasing trend of heroin users who have been detected and arrested could be due to the introduction of medical treatments and harm reduction approaches for drug users, resulting in fewer drug users being arrested. However, we are unable to say with certainty why there has been an increase in heroin seizures in the country. There has been an increasing trend in both ATS users and seizures. A new trend of concurrent opiate dependence and ATS underscores the need to develop and implement effective treatments for ATS, concurrent opiate and ATS, and polysubstance abuse disorders. The low numbers of needle syringe exchange program clients being tested for HIV underscores our caution in interpreting the decline of HIV infections among drug users and the importance of focusing on providing education, prevention, treatment, and outreach to those who are not in treatment.

Computational Selection, Identification and Structural Analysis of ω-Aminotransferases with Various Substrate Specificities from the Genome Sequence ofMesorhizobium lotiMAFF303099

ω-Aminotransferase (ω-AT) is an important class of enzymes for the synthesis of chiral amines or β-amino acids. Family profile analysis was applied to screen putative ω-ATs from Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099, a nitrogen fixation bacterium that has a larger number of ATs than other microorganisms. By family profile analysis, we selected 10 putative ω-ATs according to E-value. The functions of the putative ω-ATs were investigated by examining activities towards amines and/or β-amino acids. 10 putative proteins were found to have ω-AT activity with narrow or broad substrate specificity. Structure analysis using crystal structure of mll7127 and homology models of mll1632 and mll3663 indicated that the structures of active sites of the enzymes were very similar and highly conserved, but their substrate specificities appeared to be determined by residues positioned at the entrance region of the active site binding pockets.

Mutagenesis and Repair Induced by the DNA Advanced Glycation End Product N2-1-(Carboxyethyl)-2′-deoxyguanosine in Human Cells

Glycation of biopolymers by glucose-derived α-oxo-aldehydes such as methylglyoxal (MG) is believed to play a major role in the complex pathologies associated with diabetes and metabolic disease. In contrast to the extensive literature detailing the formation and physiological consequences of protein glycation, there is little information about the corresponding phenomenon for DNA. To assess the potential contribution of DNA glycation to genetic instability, we prepared shuttle vectors containing defined levels of the DNA glycation adduct N(2)-(1-carboxyethyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine (CEdG) and transfected them into isogenic human fibroblasts that differed solely in the capacity to conduct nucleotide excision repair (NER). In the NER-compromised fibroblasts, the induced mutation frequencies increased up to 18-fold relative to background over a range of ∼10-1400 CEdG adducts/10(5) dG, whereas the same substrates transfected into NER-competent cells induced a response that was 5-fold over background at the highest adduct density. The positive linear correlation (R(2) = 0.998) of mutation frequency with increasing CEdG level in NER-defective cells suggested that NER was the primary if not exclusive mechanism for repair of this adduct in human fibroblasts. Consistent with predictions from biochemical studies using CEdG-substituted oligonucleotides, guanine transversions were the predominant mutation resulting from replication of MG-modified plasmids. At high CEdG levels, significant increases in the number of AT → GC transitions were observed exclusively in NER-competent cells (P < 0.0001). This suggested the involvement of an NER-dependent mutagenic process in response to critical levels of DNA damage, possibly mediated by error-prone Y-family polymerases.

DNA base-pair flipping with fluorescent perylenediimide pincers

The synthesis, structure, and electronic spectra of a series of DNA hairpins possessing two perylenediimide (PDI) base pair surrogates are reported. The PDI chromophores are located in opposite strands of the hairpin base pair domain opposite abasic sites and are either adjacent to each other or separated by a variable number of AT or GC base pairs. Molecular modeling of the conjugate having adjacent PDI chromophores shows that they adopt a slipped, pi-stacked geometry with an angle of 40 degrees between the PDI long axes. The electronic absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism of this conjugate are consistent with a stacked PDI structure. Conjugates having one or two GC base pairs between the PDI chromophores display spectra that are consistent with isolated PDIs. Conjugates having 1-4 AT base pairs have more complex spectra, suggestive of an equilibrium between base paired and flipped structures having stacked PDIs. Heating of the conjugates possessing isolated PDI chromophores results in base pair flipping. The free energy for PDI stacking is greater than that for a single AT base pair and comparable to that for a single GC base pair or two AT base pairs.

Adherence to Drug-Dispensation and Drug-Administration Laws and Guidelines in Collegiate Athletic Training Rooms: A 5-Year Review

To both ensure athletes' safety and avoid legal penalties, athletic trainers' (ATs') handling of medications in the athletic training room should conform with federal and state statutes. To revisit drug dispensation and administration in collegiate athletic training rooms 5 years after the initial study. Survey study. College and university athletic training rooms. All 4627 certified ATs employed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions I, II, and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics institutions, as listed by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, were surveyed. The survey was created for the 2001 study based on federal laws. We used analyses of variance to study compliance by division (I, II, or III) and sex and by sex and employment status (head or assistant AT). A total of 2330 ATs (N = 4627, 50%) provided 1535 usable responses. For comparison with the 2001 data, only head ATs' responses were included (n = 670). In general, drug distribution compliance scores among head ATs were low (mean = 6.37 +/- 0.15, range = 0-25 points). The ATs were less compliant when handling over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Only 55.5% of ATs stored medications in a locked cabinet, compared with 67.1% in 2001. A large number of ATs administered OTC drugs in any amount necessary (n = 689, 44%), and 3.6% (n = 55) allowed athletes access without any consultation, compared with 53.8% and 4.9%, respectively, in 2001. However, prescription medication practices improved since the first study. Also, we noted a main effect of employment status (F(1,934) = 5.57, P < .05): head ATs were less compliant than assistant ATs. Compared with 5 years ago, ATs appear to be more compliant with federal statutes regarding prescription drug regulation. A thorough understanding of appropriate OTC medication administration practices still appears to be lacking.

Size ofAT(n)Insertions in Promoter Region ModulatesGmhsp17.6-LmRNA Transcript Levels

During earlier experiments, an SSR molecular marker (176 Soy HSP) showing high correlation (70%) with resistance/susceptibility to javanese root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica was identified in soybean. After being sequenced, results indicated that the SSR 176 Soy HSP marker was inserted in the promoter region of Gmhsp17.6-L gene. It was also detected in this region that resistant genotypes presented insertions between AT(31) and AT(33) in size and susceptible genotypes, AT(9). Gmhsp17.6-L gene coding region presented a perfect match in amino acid sequence in all soybean genotypes. A ribonuclease protection assay showed that Gmhsp17.6-L gene mRNA transcripts were present in all genotypes. A real-time relative quantification (qPCR) indicated in the resistant individuals higher mRNA transcripts levels, which presented in the sequencing more AT(n) insertions. These results suggest that the number of AT(n) insertions inside this promoter region could modulate up or down gene levels. Those findings can lead to the possibility of manipulating, between some limits, the mRNA transcripts levels using different sizes of AT(n) insertions.

The Alveolar Epithelium and Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) are a heterogeneous group of diffuse pulmonary parenchymal diseases that are comprised of seven distinct clinical and pathological entities. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) represent two of the most prevalent members of the disease group with major differences in their pathogenesis, clinical course and prognosis. IPF is a refractory and lethal IIP characterized by fibroblast prolifera- tion, deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and progressive lung scarring. The incidence of IPF is estimated at 15 to 40 cases per 100,000 per year, and the mean survival from the time of diagnosis is 3 to 5 years regardless of treatment. While its pathogenesis is incompletely understood, the currently accepted paradigm proposes that injury of the alveolar epithe- lium is followed by a burst of pro-inflammatory and fibroproliferative mediators that invoke responses associated with dysregulated repair of the damaged alveolar epithelium. Recently, there have been studies suggesting that the activation of the alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) may play an active role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we review the advances in recent studies on the role of the alveolar epithelium in pulmonary fibrosis. AECS: A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS Two types of AECs populate the alveolar epithelium in normal adult lungs, alveolar epithelial type I (AT I) and al- veolar epithelial type II (AT II) cells. AT I pneumocytes comprise 40% of the AECs and cover 90% of the internal surface area of the lung. AT I cells are highly attenuated and form an interface with pulmonary capillaries that are inti- mately involved in gas exchange. These cells also take part in peptide and amino acid transportation across the lung by pinocytosis and transporter-mediated transport (1). Recently, AT I cells have been shown to be also important in the trans- portation of water and sodium across the lung (2, 3). AT II cells, on the other hand, AT II cells make up 16% of the parenchymal cells in the lung and account for only 5% of the alveolar surface. These cells are cuboidal cells that are situated between AT I cells and they contain characteristic lamellar bodies and apical microvilli. AT II cells synthesize, store and secrete the pulmonary surfactant (PS), which con- sists of lipids and their associated proteins and whose func- tion is to reduce the surface tension of the lung alveolus and prevent it from collapse or overdistension with respiration. AT II cells also regulate alveolar fluid balance in normal lungs and during the resolution of pulmonary edema (4) and the pathogenesis of acute lung injury with pulmonary edema is associated with an insufficient number of AT II cells and transportation of water into the lung alveolus. Recently, AT II cells have been shown to synthesize and secrete immuno- modulatory proteins important for host defense, including surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) (5). SP-A can combine with lipid A in the lipopolysaccharide on the sur- face of bacterium and it also regulates the activities of