Sampling and repeatability in the evaluation of hepatitis C virus genetic variability.
Among the experimental techniques available to study the genetic variability of RNA virus populations, the most informative involve reverse transcription (RT), amplification, cloning and sequencing. The effects of several aspects of these techniques on the estimation of genetic variability in a virus population were analysed. Hepatitis C virus populations from four patients were examined. For each patient, ten series of data derived from independent PCR amplifications of a single RT reaction were obtained. The sample size of each data set was 10 sequences (in nine series) and 100 sequences (in one series). An additional data set derived from an independent RT reaction (about 10 sequences) p…
Prephenate dehydratase from the aphid endosymbiont (Buchnera) displays changes in the regulatory domain that suggest its desensitization to inhibition by phenylalanine.
ABSTRACT Buchnera aphidicola , the prokaryotic endosymbiont of aphids, complements dietary deficiencies with the synthesis and provision of several essential amino acids. We have cloned and sequenced a region of the genome of B. aphidicola isolated from Acyrthosiphon pisum which includes the two-domain aroQ/pheA gene. This gene encodes the bifunctional chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase protein, which plays a central role in l -phenylalanine biosynthesis. Two changes involved in the overproduction of this amino acid have been detected. First, the absence of an attenuator region suggests a constitutive expression of this gene. Second, the regulatory domain of the Buchnera prephenate de…
5th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound
Introduction Breast fibroadenomata (FAD) are benign lesions which occur in about 10 % of all women. Diagnosis is made by triple assessment (physical examination, imaging and/or histopathology/cytology). For a definitive diagnosis of FAD, the treatment is conservative unless the patient is symptomatic. For symptomatic patients, the lumps can be surgically excised or removed interventionally by vacuum-assisted mammotomy (VAM). Ablative techniques like high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), cryo-ablation and laser ablation have also been used for the treatment of FAD, providing a minimally invasive treatment without scarring or poor cosmesis. This review summarises current trials using mini…