'Take Ten' improving the surgical post-take ward round: a quality improvement project.

Background: The surgical post-take ward round is a complex multidisciplinary interaction in which new surgical patients are reviewed and management plans formulated. Its fast-paced nature can lead to poor communication and inaccurate or incomplete documentation with potential detriment to patient safety. Junior team members often do not fully understand the diagnosis and management plan.

Differential proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes exhibiting resistance or susceptibility to the insect herbivore, Plutella xylostella.

A proteomic study was conducted to investigate physiological factors affecting feeding behaviour by larvae of the insect, Plutella xylostella, on herbivore-susceptible and herbivore-resistant Arabidopsis thaliana. The leaves of 162 recombinant inbred lines (Rils) were screened to detect genotypes upon which Plutella larvae fed least (P. xylostella-resistant) or most (P.

Effect of low storage temperature on some of the flavour precursors in garlic (Allium sativum).

Garlic (Allium sativum) cloves were stored at ambient temperature and 4 degrees C for periods up to six months to establish the effect of position of the individual clove within the bulb and of low storage temperature on the composition of several flavours precursors and other organic sulphur compounds, measured by gradient High Pressure Liquid Chromatography. Levels of alliin, gamma glutamyl allyl cysteine sulphoxide and gamma glutamyl isoallyl cysteine sulphoxide were statistically significantly higher in outer than in inner cloves. There was no statistically significant change in levels of alliin, the major flavour precursor, in cloves stored at 4 degrees C, remaining in the average range 17.

The alc-GR system: a modified alc gene switch designed for use in plant tissue culture.

The ALCR/alcA (alc) two-component, ethanol-inducible gene expression system provides stringent control of transgene expression in genetically modified plants. ALCR is an ethanol-activated transcription factor that can drive expression from the ALCR-responsive promoter (alcA). However, the alc system has been shown to have constitutive expression when used in plant callus or cell suspension cultures, possibly resulting from endogenous inducer produced in response to lowered oxygen availability.

Characterization of the ethanol-inducible alc gene expression system in tomato.

The efficacy of the ethanol-inducible alc transgene expression system, derived from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, has been demonstrated in transgenic tomato. Two direct comparisons have been made. First, this study has utilized two transgenic lines carrying distinct reporter genes (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and beta-glucuronidase) to distinguish aspects of induction determined by the nature of the gene/gene product rather than that of the plant.

Synthesis of the flavour precursor, alliin, in garlic tissue cultures.

The path of synthesis of alkyl cysteine sulphoxides, or flavour precursors, in the Alliums is still speculative. There are two proposed routes for alliin biosynthesis, one is from serine and allyl thiol while the other is from glutathione and an allyl source via gamma glutamyl peptides. The routes have been investigated by exposing undifferentiated callus cultures of garlic and onion to potential pathway intermediates.

Biosynthesis of the flavour precursors of onion and garlic.

Onion (Allium cepa), garlic (A. sativum) and other Alliums are important because of the culinary value of their flavours and odours. These are characteristic of each species and are created by chemical transformation of a series of volatile sulphur compounds generated by cleavage of relatively stable, odourless, S-alk(en)yl cysteine sulphoxide flavour precursors by the enzymes alliinase and lachrymatory-factor synthase.

Long-memory analysis of time series with missing values.

The estimation of long memory is often restricted by missing data. We examine the effects on the estimation of long memory of three simple gap-filling techniques: interpolation, random, and mean filling. Numerical simulations show that the gap-filling techniques introduce significant deviations from the expected scaling behavior for both persistent and antipersistent time series.

Characterization of the ethanol-inducible alc gene-expression system in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Controlled expression of transgenes in plants is key to the characterization of gene function and the regulated manipulation of growth and development. The alc gene-expression system, derived from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, has previously been used successfully in both tobacco and potato, and has potential for use in agriculture. Its value to fundamental research is largely dependent on its utility in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Nutrition and growth in relation to severity of renal disease in children.

Practical joint medical/dietetic guidelines are required for children with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). Nutritional status and growth were compared in 95 children (59 male) > 2 years age with CRI, grouped following [51Cr]-labelled EDTA glomerular filtration rate (GFR, ml/min/1.73 m2) estimations into 'normal' kidney function [GFR > 75 (mean 104 (SD 18.

Structure-function analysis of NADPH:nitrate reductase from Aspergillus nidulans: analysis of altered pyridine nucleotide specificity in vivo.

Nitrate reductase (NaR) catalyses the reduction of nitrate to nitrite via a two-electron transfer. In fungi, the electron donor for NaR is NADPH whereas plants can have two enzymes, NADH:NaR and a bispecific NAD(P)H:NaR. PCR mutagenesis was employed to introduce mutations into the niaD gene of Aspergillus nidulans in order to identify residues involved in co-enzyme specificity.

An ethanol inducible gene switch for plants used to manipulate carbon metabolism.

Many transgenic plant studies use constitutive promoters to express transgenes. For certain genes, deleterious effects arise from constant expression in all tissues throughout development. We describe a chemically inducible plant gene expression system, with negligible background activity, that obviates this problem.

The isolation and characterization of type II metallothionein-like genes from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.).

Two cDNAs encoding putative metallothionein (MT)-like peptides have been isolated from tomato (L. esculentum L.).

Site-directed mutagenesis of nitrate reductase from Aspergillus nidulans. Identification of some essential and some nonessential amino acids among conserved residues.

Nitrate reductase is a multiredox enzyme possessing three functional domains associated with the prosthetic groups FAD, heme iron, and molybdopterin. In Aspergillus nidulans, it is encoded by the niaD gene. A homologous transformation system has been used whereby a major deletion at the niiAniaD locus of the host was repaired by gene replacement.

Metallothionein genes from the flowering plant Mimulus guttatus.

In response to excess metal, higher plants produce metal-binding peptides [( gamma EC]nG) whose biosynthesis is believed to be mediated by enzymes involved in glutathione (gamma ECG) metabolism. In contrast, animals synthesize metallothioneins, gene-encoded low molecular weight cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins. In an investigation of copper-regulated genes in the copper-tolerant flowering plant Mimulus guttatus, we have isolated a series of cDNA clones identifying two genes which encode a protein with class I metallothionein domains.

Glutamate synthase levels in Neurospora crassa mutants altered with respect to nitrogen metabolism.

Glutamate synthase catalyzes glutamate formation from 2-oxoglutarate plus glutamine and plays an essential role when glutamate biosynthesis by glutamate dehydrogenase is not possible. Glutamate synthase activity has been determined in a number of Neurospora crassa mutant strains with various defects in nitrogen metabolism. Of particular interest were two mutants phenotypically mute except in an am (biosynthetic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-glutamate dehydrogenase deficient, glutamate requiring) background.

The genetics of dopa decarboxylase in Drosophila melanogaster. IV. The genetics and cytology of the 37B10-37D1 region.

Of 204 mutations located in the 8-12 band Df(2L)130 region, 37B9-C1,2;37D1-2, 199 have been assigned to twelve lethal genes and one visible gene (hook). The 13 genes are not evenly distributed. Twelve, (possibly all thirteen) are in the seven band region 37B10-C4 giving a gene-to-band ratio of almost two.

Biochemical analysis of mutants defective in nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa: evidence for autogenous control by nitrate reductase.

A biochemical analysis of mutants altered for nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa is described. Mutant alleles at each of the nine nit (nitrate-nonutilizing) loci were assayed for nitrite reductase activity, for three partial activities of nitrate reductase, and for nitrite reductase activity. In each case, the enzyme deficiency was consistent with data obtained from growth tests and complementation tests in previous studies.

The regulation of nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa: biochemical analysis of the nmr-1 mutants.

Neurospora crassa nmr-1 mutants, selected on the basis of their sensitivity to chlorate in the presence of glutamine, have elevated levels of the nitrate assimilation enzymes, NADPH-nitrate reductase and NAD(P)H-nitrite reductase. Immunoelectrophoretic determinations show that the higher nitrate reductase activities in nmr-1 mutants are due to greater enzyme concentrations. The half-life of nitrate reductase in these mutants is unaltered.

The regulation of nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa: the isolation and genetic analysis of nmr-1 mutants.

Four mutants of Neurospora crassa have been isolated which have altered regulation of nitrate reductase. They each carry a mutation which results in derepressed synthesis of nitrate reductase even in the presence of glutamine. They map to a single locus which has been designated nmr-1 and which is located between am and gln on linkage group VR.

The isolation and characterization of mutants defective in nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa.

The isolation and characterization of mutants altered for nitrate assimilation in Neurospora crassa is described. The mutants isolated can be subdivided into five classes on the basis of growth test that correspond to the growth patterns of existing mutants at six distinct loci. Mutants with growth characteristics like those of nit-2, nit-3 and nit-6 are assigned to those loci on the basis of noncomplementation and lack of recombination.