Enhanced mental image mapping in autism.

The formation and manipulation of mental images represents a key ability for successfully solving visuospatial tasks like Wechsler's Block Design or visual reasoning problems, tasks where autistics perform at higher levels than predicted by their Wechsler IQ. Visual imagery can be used to compare two mental images, allowing judgment of their relative properties. To examine higher visual processes in autism, and their possible role in explaining autistic visuospatial peaks, we carried out two mental imagery experiments in 23 autistic and 14 age and IQ matched, non-autistic adolescents and adults. Among autistics, 11 had significantly higher Block Design scores than predicted by their IQ. Experiment 1 involved imagining a letter inside a circle, followed by a decision concerning which of two highlighted portions of the circle would contain the greater proportion of the letter. Experiment 2 involved four classic mental rotation tasks utilizing two- and three-dimensional geometric figures, hands and letters. Autistics were more accurate in the formation and comparison of mental images than non-autistics. Autistics with a Block Design peak outperformed other participants in both speed and accuracy of mental rotation. Also, Performance IQ and Block Design scores were better predictors of mental rotation accuracy in autistic compared to non-autistic participants. The ability to form, access and manipulate visual mental representations may be more developed in autistics. We propose two complementary mechanisms to explain these processing advantages: (1) a global advantage in perceptual processing, discussed in the framework of the enhanced perceptual functioning model, and (2) particular strengths in veridical mapping, the ability to efficiently detect isomorphisms among entities and then to use these mappings to process stimulus characteristics, thereby facilitating judgments about their differences.

Expression pattern of Rhizobium etli ccmIEFH genes involved in c-type cytochrome maturation.

In different bacterial species, ccmIEFH genes have been suggested to code for subunits of a bacterial haem-lyase catalyzing the covalent attachment of haem to c-type apoproteins. In Rhizobium etli CE3 there are two copies of ccmIEFH: one in the chromosome and the other located in plasmid pf. However, the null phenotype of chromosomal ccmF mutant indicates that the gene locus of plasmid pf is not functional. Two ccmI chromosomal mutants, previously isolated, produced detectable levels of c-type cytochromes under certain culture conditions in contrast with the ccmF mutant, suggesting that ccmF could be transcribed independently. The transcriptional organization of ccmIEFH operon was established. Two promoters from the chromosomal locus were mapped by primer extension, one located upstream of ccmI and the second located upstream of ccmF. The regulation of the expression of both promoters was studied using appropriate lacZ gene fusions (ccmI-lacZ and ccmEF-lacZ). The ccmI-lacZ gene fusion was expressed in complex medium, during exponential growth, under microaerobic conditions and in a R. etli mutant that accumulates reducing power, conditions where a higher respiration rate could be limited by c-type cytochrome content. The ccmEF-lacZ fusion was also primarily expressed in complex medium and under microaerophilic conditions. The finding of two independent promoters in this gene locus could suggest that the step catalyzed by CcmFH could be a rate-limiting step for c-type cytochrome assembly under certain culture conditions.

Gene amplification in Rhizobium: identification and in vivo cloning of discrete amplifiable DNA regions (amplicons) from Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli.

A genetic element that allows the positive selection of different genomic rearrangements was used to analyze DNA amplification in Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli. Discrete amplifiable DNA regions (amplicons) were detected in different regions of the genome of the model strain CFN42, including the chromosome and several large plasmids. Amplicons were mobilized into Escherichia coli using a genetic approach that involves the introduction of an origin of replication active in E. coli and an origin of conjugal transfer into the amplifiable DNA regions of the Rhizobium genome. The strategy can be a valuable tool for studies on genome organization and function. We propose that amplicons define a structural characteristic of the genome that may play an important biological role.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the recA gene of Rhizobium phaseoli and construction of recA mutants.

The Rhizobium phaseoli recA gene has been cloned by interspecific complementation of the Fec phenotype of bacteriophage lambda. The cloned gene restored the recombination proficiency and conferred resistance to DNA-damaging agents (methyl methanesulfonate and nitrofurantoin) to an Escherichia coli recA mutant. The direction of transcription and the localization of the recA gene were determined by mutagenesis with phage MudIIPR13 and heterologous hybridization with an E. coli recA probe. An R. phaseoli recA::Spcr mutation was introduced in two R. phaseoli strains by homogenotization. The R. phaseoli recA mutants were more sensitive to DNA-damaging agents and exhibited a 100-fold reduction in recombination frequency as compared with their parental strains. A deletion of the symbiotic plasmid abolishing nodulation was found at high frequency (10(-2)) in R. phaseoli CNF42. This event was recA dependent. In R. phaseoli CFN285, two events of symbiotic instability were found at high frequency (10(-3]: one was a deletion in the symbiotic plasmid, and the other was the loss of whole symbiotic plasmid. In the CFN285 recA::Spcr mutant, only the loss of the symbiotic plasmid was observed.

Structural complexity of the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli.

The complete physical map of the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli strain CFN42 was established. The data support the concept that Rhizobium symbiotic genes are part of a complex genomic structure which contains a large amount of reiterated DNA sequences. This plasmid is a circular structure of 390 kb with approximately 10 families of internally reiterated DNA sequences of two to three elements each. One family includes two directly oriented nitrogenase operons situated 120 kb apart. We also found several stretches of pSym that are reiterated in other replicons of the cell. Localization of symbiotic gene sequences by heterologous hybridization revealed that nodABC sequences are separated in two regions, each of which contains a nod boxlike element, and it also suggested the presence of two copies of the nifA and nodD gene sequences. We propose that the complex structure of the symbiotic plasmid allows interactions between repeated DNA sequences which, in turn, might result in frequent rearrangements.

Amplification and deletion of a nod-nif region in the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium phaseoli.

One remarkable characteristic of the genomes of some Rhizobium species is the frequent occurrence of rearrangements. In some instances these rearrangements alter the symbiotic properties of the strains. However, no detailed molecular mechanisms have been proposed for the generation of these rearrangements. To understand the mechanisms involved in the formation of rearrangements in the genome of Rhizobium phaseoli, we have designed a system which allows the positive selection for amplification and deletion events. We have applied this system to investigate the stability of the symbiotic plasmid of R. phaseoli. High-frequency amplification events were detected which increase the copy number of a 120-kb region carrying nodulation and nitrogen fixation genes two to eight times. Deletion events that affect the same region were also found, albeit at a lower frequency. Both kinds of rearrangements are generated by recombination between reiterated nitrogenase (nifHDK) operons flanking the 120-kb region.

[Contribution of Jacques Canal in the field of lipoproteins]. / Contribution apportée par Jacques Canal dans le domaine des lipoprotéines.

The scientific works of J. Canal have essentially related to low density lipoproteins (L.D.L.), between 1.025 and 1.050. By using proteolytic enzymes and phospholipases, he is able to obtain informations on the accessibility of apolipoprotein B and phospholipids. So, as early as 1975, he expresses the hypothesis that only 30 p. cent of Apo B occupy a superficial position. In addition, he proposes the fact that Apo B has at least four antigenic determinants; this hypothesis formulated by J. Canal, almost 10 years ago, was recently confirmed by using monoclonal antibodies. At the same time, using phospholipases, J. Canal reaches the conclusion that phospholipids are localized on the surface of L.D.L. He demonstrates that phospholipids play a major role in the precipitation of L.D.L. by sulfate polysaccharides in the presence of L.D.L. by sulfated polysaccharides in the presence of divalent cations (Reaction of Burnstein). He proposes a mechanism for this reaction. This research on the mechanism of Burnstein's reaction will receive in clinical biochemistry an important application with the development of a completely original technique of dosage of total lipids in the serum.

[Influence of phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol molar ratios in liposomes on cholesterol reactivity with cholesterol:oxygen oxidoreductase]. / Influence du rapport molaire phosphatidylcholines/cholestérol des liposomes sur la réactivité du cholestérol à la cholestérol : oxygène oxydorèductase.

The reactivity of sonicated phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol liposomes with cholesterol : oxygene oxydoreductase, an enzyme which catalyses the oxidation of the 3 beta hydroxyl group of cholesterol to a ketone group, is compared with that of ternary system phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol-Thesit. Regardless to the phosphatidylcholines nature and the phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol molar ratio (R), the enzymatic oxidation rate of liposomal cholesterol is slower than when the reaction is developed in the present of Thesit, a surfactif agent which destroyes the lamellar particles. This is true whether Thesit is added during preparation of dispersions or during incubation with cholesterol oxydase. The enzymatic oxydation rate of cholesterol of ternary systems phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol-Thesit is independent of the (R) value and the phosphatidylcholine fatty acid unsaturation, whereas that of phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol dispersions depends on these two parameters. The reaction rate increases in the order: dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine to yolk egg phosphatidylcholines, and dioleylphosphatidylcholine. The optimal conditions for cholesterol oxidation were found to be R = 0.5. This result is not affected by the phosphatidylcholines nature. In order to explain these data, various hypotheses are considered. In particular, the weak liposomal cholesterol reactivity with cholesterol oxidase could result from an inhibitory effect on the enzyme-substrate combination due to the polar phosphorylcholine groups.

[A simple method for evaluation of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio in amniotic fluid. Variation in normal and abnormal pregnancies (138 cases) (author's transl)]. / Evaluation simple du rapport lécithines/sphingomyélines du liquide amniotique. Variations au cours des grossesses normales et pathologiques (a propos de 138 cas)

The determination of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio in amniotic fluid is a useful index for assessing fetal pulmonary maturity. The authors propose a simple and specific method : the amniotic lipids are extracted and thin layer chromatography is carried out in an acetic acid containing medium. The L/S ratio was studied and discussed in 138 normal and pathological cases.

[Study of the specificity of action of cholesterol oxygen oxidoreductase on various sterols and related substances]. / Etude de la spécificité d'action de la cholestérol oxygène oxydoréductase sur certains stérols et substances apparentées

The authors studied the action of oxygen cholesterol oxidoreductase (E.C. 1.1.3.6) extracted from Nocardia erythropolis on different sterols following simultaneously:--the disappearance of the substrate by chromatography on thin layers of silic acid, the formation of hydrogen peroxide by Röschlau's reaction, changes in the absorption spectrum between 220 and 320 nm. The results obtained show that sterol oxidase presents a broad spectrum of activity. It catalyses the transformation into ketone of the secondary alcohol group at the 3 beta position of sterols which possess in the C17 position a lateral chain of at least two carbon atoms. In the other hand, the reaction does not take place if there exists in the C5 position, an H in the cis position or if two hydrogen atoms linked to carbon 4 are substituted. Finally, only oxidation products derived from sterols possess a double bond situated in the 4-5 or 5-6 position presenting an absorption band between 240 and 250 nm.

[Role of phosphorylcholine group on inhibiting capacity of lecithin-cholesterol liposomes on streptolysin O]. / Rôle du groupement phosphorylcholine sur le pouvoir inhibiteur des liposomes lécithines-cholestérol vis-à-vis de la streptolysine O

Cholesterol inhibition of the hemolytic activity of streptolysin O was used for testing the presence of cholesterol on the surface of lecithin-cholesterol liposomes. Cholesterol as a liposome component is not available for streptolysin inhibition when the molar ratio lecithin-cholesterol greater than 1,25. Incubation of such liposomes with phospholipase C, which converts the phosphadylcholine group into neutral diglycerides, restores an inhibiting activity of cholesterol parallel to the phosphatid degradation. Incubation of the liposomes with phospholipase D, which converts the phosphatidylcholine group into phosphatidic acid, also restores the inhibiting capacity of cholesterol on the hemolysin. The accessibility of liposome cholesterol to streptolysin O appears to mainly depend upon the cholin group of lecithin.

[Strontium and calcium metabolism. Interaction of strontium and vitamin D]. / Strontium et métabolisme calcique. Interaction strontium - vitamine D

Oral administration of strontium to calcium wellfed rats blocks the intestinal absorption of calcium. When high doses of vitamine D are given over long period, the inhibition of calcium intestinal absorption disapears. Under these conditions the absorption of strontium is increased. It is suggested that there is only one absorption mechanism for these two cations. An overdose of the vitamine D increases the renal elimination of strontium but under these conditions the plasma concentration of the strontium is unchanged. Vitamine D brings about the some action on the bone fixation of the strontium as it does on the bone fixation of calcium. The bone fixation is increased with low dosages. The bone fixation is decreased with high dosages.