Time‐shifted reproductive behaviours among fall armyworm (Noctuidae: Spodoptera frugiperda) host strains: evidence for differing modes of inheritance

The noctuid moth Spodoptera frugiperda consists of two strains associated with different larval host plants (most notably corn and rice). These strains exhibit differential temporal patterns of female calling and copulation during scotophase, with the corn strain more active earlier in the night. We investigated strain‐specific constraints in reproductive timing, mating interactions between the two strains, and the mode of inheritance of timing of female calling, male calling, copulation and oviposition. We observed an allochronic shift of all reproductive behaviours by approximately 3 h and a parallel shift of nonreproductive locomotor activity, suggesting involvement of the circadian clock. The corn strain was more variable in the timing of calling and copulation than the rice strain. Rice strain females were more restricted in the timing of copulation than rice strain males, while such differences between the sexes were not apparent in the corn strain. There were significant interactions between the strains affecting onset times of copulation and male calling. The four investigated reproductive traits differed in their modes of inheritance: timing of female and male calling exhibited strong maternal effects, timing of copulation was controlled by a combination of maternal effects and corn strain dominant autosomal factors, and timing of oviposition was inherited in a corn strain dominant fashion. We conclude that the allochronic separation of reproduction between fall armyworm strains is asymmetric, less pronounced than previously thought, and under complex genetic control.     

Mental patients in prisons

Mental conditions usually affect cognitive, emotional and volitional aspects and functions of the personality, which are also functions of interest in law, as they are essential at the time of adjudicating guilt, labeling the accused a criminal, and proffering a sentence. A relationship between mental illness and criminality has, thus, been described and given as one of the reasons for the large number of mental patients in prisons. Whether this relationship is one of causality or one that flows through many other variables is a matter of debate, but there is no debating that prisons have become a de facto part, and an important one, of mental health systems in many countries. This paper deals with the issue of the relationship and provides estimates of prevalence of mental patients in prisons culled from many studies in different countries. It also provides some direction for the management of mental patients as they crowd correctional systems.     

Genetic heterogeneity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency revealed by single-strand conformation and sequence analysis.

We have carried out a systematic study of the molecular basis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency on a sample of 53 male subjects from Calabria, in southern Italy. Our sequential approach consisted of the following steps: (1) Partial biochemical characterization was used to pinpoint candidate known variants. The identity of these was then verified by restriction-enzyme or allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization analysis of the appropriate PCR-amplified fragment. (2) On samples for which there was no obvious candidate mutation, we proceeded to amplify the entire coding region in eight fragments, followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of each fragment. (3) The next step was M13 phage cloning and sequencing of those individual fragments that were found to be abnormal by SSCP. Through this approach we have identified the molecular lesion in 51 of the 53 samples. In these we found a total of nine different G6PD-deficient variants, five of which (G6PD Mediterranean, G6PD A-, G6PD Coimbra, G6PD Seattle, and G6PD Montalbano) were already known, whereas four are new (G6PD Cassano, G6PD Cosenza, G6PD Sibari, and G6PD Maewo). G6PD Mediterranean is the commonest variant, followed by G6PD Seattle. At least seven of the variants are present, at polymorphic frequencies, in the Calabria region, and some have a nonrandom distribution within the region. This study shows that the genetic heterogeneity of G6PD deficiency in Calabria, when analyzed at the DNA level, is even greater than had been anticipated from biochemical characterization. The sequential approach that we have followed is fast and efficient and could be applied to other populations.     

Mutations in the cilia gene ARL13B lead to the classical form of Joubert syndrome

Joubert syndrome (JS) and related disorders are a group of autosomal-recessive conditions sharing the "molar tooth sign" on axial brain MRI, together with cerebellar vermis hypoplasia, ataxia, and psychomotor delay. JS is suggested to be a disorder of cilia function and is part of a spectrum of disorders involving retinal, renal, digital, oral, hepatic, and cerebral organs. We identified mutations in ARL13B in two families with the classical form of JS. ARL13B belongs to the Ras GTPase family, and in other species is required for ciliogenesis, body axis formation, and renal function. The encoded Arl13b protein was expressed in developing murine cerebellum and localized to the cilia in primary neurons. Overexpression of human wild-type but not patient mutant ARL13B rescued the Arl13b scorpion zebrafish mutant. Thus, ARL13B has an evolutionarily conserved role mediating cilia function in multiple organs.     

The effects of tin (Sn) additions on the growth of spinach plants

An increase in bioavailable tin in the environment could result in bioaccumulation thereof in agricultural crops, and therefore, have adverse health consequences on humans that eat these crops. The aims of the current study were thus to assess the uptake of Sn by spinach plants, and the subsequent effects this will have on the uptake of Na, Zn, K, Ca, and Mg as well as the growth of spinach plants. Spinach plants were grown in sand culture and received tin at concentrations of 0.02, 0.2, 2 and 20 mg/L along with a nutrient solution. The uptake of tin at detectible concentrations only occurred at the highest concentrations (2 and 20 mg/L), and it was mostly retained in the roots of the plants. Tin additions also resulted in no visual toxicity symptoms, and might be beneficial to biomass production. Further field trials are needed to ensure that these experimental results remain true under field conditions.     

β3-Adrenergic receptor Trp64Arg polymorphism does not predict incident CHD or carotid intima-media thickness in a community-based sample of whites: the ARIC study

The beta3-adrenergic receptor (beta3-AR) is expressed in adipose tissue and plays a significant role in controlling energy expenditure through the regulation of lipolysis and thermogenesis. The possible clinical importance of the beta3-AR Trp64Arg polymorphism has prompted us to investigate the association between it and the extent of atherosclerosis and risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD). The ability of the beta3-AR Trp64Arg polymorphism to predict the extent of atherosclerosis and incident CHD has been evaluated in participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Incident CHD cases (n=271) were compared with a stratified random sample of the ARIC cohort (n=700). Comparisons were also made between a group with increased intimamedia thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery walls, but without prevalent CHD (n=324), and a thin-walled control group (n=407). The frequency of the Arg64 allele was 0.081 and 0.069 in the incident CHD cases and cohort sample, respectively, and 0.062 and 0.057 in the IMT cases and thin-walled controls, respectively. Comparison of incident CHD cases and the cohort sample by Cox proportional hazards modeling indicated that the Arg64 allele was not a significant predictor of incident CHD, either alone (RR=0.99, P=0.98) or after inclusion of body mass index (BMI) and fasting insulin and glucose measurements (RR=1.02, P=0.93). A comparison of IMT cases and thin-walled controls by multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that the Arg64 allele was not a significant predictor of carotid artery intima-media thickness when evaluated alone (OR=1.32, P=0.29) or after BMI and fasting insulin and glucose measurements were added to the model (OR=1.28, P=0.35). We infer that the beta3-AR Trp64Arg polymorphism is not a major predictor of atherosclerosis or incident CHD in this sample of middle-aged white Americans.     

A single strand conformation polymorphism-based carrier test for spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder with a newborn prevalence of 1 in 10,000, and a carrier frequency of 1 in 40-60 individuals. The SMA locus has been mapped to chromosome 5q11.2-13. The disease is caused by a deletion of the SMN gene, often encompassing other genes and microsatellite markers. The SMN gene is present in two highly homologous copies, SMN1 and SMN2, differing at five nucleotide positions. Only homozygous SMN1 mutations cause the disease. The sequence similarity between the SMN1 and SMN2 genes can make molecular diagnosis and carrier identification difficult. We developed a sensitive and reliable molecular test for SMN1 carrier identification, by setting up a nonradioactive single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-based method, which allows for the quantification of the amount of the SMN1 gene product with respect to a control gene. The assay was validated in 56 obligate (ascertained) carriers and 20 (ascertained) noncarriers. The sensitivity of the test is 96.4%, and its specificity, 98%. In addition, 6 of 7 SMA patients without homozygous deletions presented with a heterozygous deletion, suggesting a concomitant undetected point mutation on the nondeleted SMN1 allele. Therefore, the present test is effective for detecting compound hemizygote patients, for testing carriers in SMA families, and for screening for SMA heterozygotes in the general population.