Expression of Multiple Sexual Signals by Fathers and Sons in the East-Mediterranean Barn Swallow: Are Advertising Strategies Heritable?

The level of expression of sexually selected traits is generally determined by genes, environment and their interaction. In species that use multiple sexual signals which may be costly to produce, investing in the expression of one sexual signal may limit the expression of the other, favoring the evolution of a strategy for resource allocation among signals. As a result, even when the expression of sexual signals is condition dependent, the relative level of expression of each signal may be heritable. We tested this hypothesis in the East-Mediterranean barn swallow (Hirundo rustica transitiva), in which males have been shown to express two uncorrelated sexual signals: red-brown ventral coloration, and long tail streamers. We show that variation in both signals may partially be explained by age, as well as by paternal origin (genetic father-son regressions), but that the strongest similarity between fathers and sons is the relative allocation towards one trait or the other (relative expression index), rather than the expression of the traits themselves. These results suggest that the expression of one signal is not independent of the other, and that genetic strategies for resource allocation among sexual signals may be selected for during the evolution of multiple sexual signals.     

Modified Clonidine Testing for Growth Hormone Stimulation Reveals α2-Adrenoreceptor Sub Sensitivity in Children with Idiopathic Growth Hormone Deficiency

Introduction

The association between short stature and increased risk of ischemic heart disease has been subject to studies for decades. The recent discussion of cardiovascular risk during growth hormone therapy has given new importance to this question. We have hypothesized that the autonomic system is a crucial element relating to this subject.

Methods

Heart rate variability calculated from 24-hour electrocardiogram data is providing insight into the regulatory state of the autonomous nervous system and is an approved surrogate parameter for estimating cardiovascular risk. We have calculated heart rate variability during clonidine testing for growth hormone stimulation of 56 children. As clonidine is a well-known effector of the autonomous system, stimulating vagal tone and decreasing sympathetic activity, we compared the autonomous reactions of children with constitutional growth delay (CGD), growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and former small for gestational age (SGA).

Results

During clonidine testing children with CGD showed the expected α₂-adrenoreceptor mediated autonomous response of vagal stimulation for several hours. This vagal reaction was significantly reduced in the SGA group and nearly non- existent in the GHD group.

Discussion

Children with GHD show a reduced autonomous response to clonidine indicating α₂-adrenoreceptor sub sensitivity. This can be found prior to the start of growth hormone treatment. Since reduction of HRV is an approved surrogate parameter, increased cardiovascular risk has to be assumed for patients with GHD. In the SGA group a similar but less severe reduction of the autonomous response to clonidine was found. These findings may enrich the interpretation of the data on growth hormone therapy, which are being collected by the SAGhE study group.     

Response to Therapeutic Plasma Exchange as a Rescue Treatment in Clinically Isolated Syndromes and Acute Worsening of Multiple Sclerosis: A Retrospective Analysis of 90 Patients

Objectives

Experience with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) for acute relapses in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has been derived from small and inhomogeneous patient populations so far. In the present study, we retrospectively evaluated features associated with TPE response in a larger cohort of CIS and MS patients with acute worsening of disease.

Participants

Ninety CIS and MS patients with acute relapses or acute worsening of symptoms were firstly treated with TPE. The population consisted of 62 women and 28 men with a median age of 38 years (range 18–69 years).

Outcome Measures

Primary endpoint was the clinical response to TPE, focused on the functional improvement of the target neurologic deficit. Secondary endpoint was an improvement in expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scoring.

Results

A clinical response to TPE was observed in 65 out of 90 patients (72.2%), with marked improvement in 18 (20.0%) and moderate improvement in 47 out of 90 patients (52.2%). The median EDSS was reduced from 3.75 before to 3.0 after TPE (p = 0.001). Response to TPE was significantly more frequent in patients with relapsing courses of disease (CIS, RR-MS, p = 0.001), no disease modifying drugs (p = 0.017), gadolinium-positive (Gd⁺) MRI lesions (p = 0.001) and EDSS ≤ 5.0 before TPE (p = 0.014). In the multiple logistic regression analysis only the detection of Gd⁺ MRI lesions was significantly altered (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Clinical response to TPE was achieved in the majority of our patients. We identified clinical and diagnostic features in CIS and MS relapses that might be helpful to identify patients responding to TPE. Gd⁺ MRI lesions before treatment were the best predictor of the response to TPE in our cohort.     

In vivo and in vitro SAR of tetracyclic MAPKAP-K2 (MK2) inhibitors. Part II

Spirocyclopropane- and spiroazetidine-substituted tetracycles 13D–E and 16A are described as orally active MK2 inhibitors. The spiroazetidine derivatives are potent MK2 inhibitors with IC₅₀ <3 nM and inhibit the release of TNFα (IC₅₀<0.3 μM) from hPBMCs and hsp27 phosphorylation in anisomycin stimulated THP-1 cells. The spirocyclopropane analogues are less potent against MK2 (IC₅₀ = 0.05–0.23 μM), less potent in cells (IC₅₀ <1.1 μM), but show good oral absorption. Compound 13E (100 mg/kg po; bid) showed oral activity in rAIA and mCIA, with significant reduction of swelling and histological score.     

A Predominant Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Saintpaul Clonal Line in German Turkey and Related Food Products

Recently, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Saintpaul has increasingly been observed in several countries, including Germany. However, the pathogenic potential and epidemiology of this serovar are not very well known. This study describes biological attributes of S. Saintpaul isolates obtained from turkeys in Germany based on characterization of their pheno- and genotypic properties. Fifty-five S. Saintpaul isolates from German turkeys and turkey-derived food products isolated from 2000 to 2007 were analyzed by using antimicrobial agent, organic solvent, and disinfectant susceptibility tests, isoelectric focusing, detection of resistance determinants, plasmid profiling, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and hybridization experiments. These isolates were compared to an outgroup consisting of 24 S. Saintpaul isolates obtained from humans and chickens in Germany and from poultry and poultry products (including turkeys) in Netherlands. A common core resistance pattern was detected for 27 German turkey and turkey product isolates. This pattern included resistance (full or intermediate) to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, gentamicin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, spectinomycin, and sulfamethoxazole and intermediate resistance or decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC, 2 or 1 μg/ml, respectively) and several third-generation cephalosporins (including ceftiofur and cefoxitin [MIC, 4 to 2 and 16 to 2 μg/ml, respectively]). These isolates had the same core resistance genotype, with bla_TEM-1, aadB, aadA2, sul1, a Ser83→Glu83 mutation in the gyrA gene, and a chromosomal class 1 integron carrying the aadB-aadA2 gene cassette. Their XbaI, BlnI, and combined XbaI-BlnI PFGE patterns revealed levels of genetic similarity of 93, 75, and 90%, respectively. This study revealed that a multiresistant S. Saintpaul clonal line is widespread in turkeys and turkey products in Germany and was also detected among German human fecal and Dutch poultry isolates.Over the last few decades, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial agent-resistant zoonotic bacteria has become a serious public health concern (2, 23). The widespread use of antimicrobial agents for disease control, including at the farm level, has increased selection of antimicrobial agent-resistant Salmonella isolates (1, 23, 44). Food animals are considered an important reservoir for resistant bacteria. These animals and food products derived from them are traded worldwide, which contributes to the global spread of zoonotic agents and antimicrobial resistance. In the last few years, several monitoring activities were initiated in order to generate baseline data on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from livestock and food derived from animals that could be used in future assessments of the risk of antimicrobial resistance (10).According to European Union (EU) Zoonoses Regulation (EC) no. 2160/2003 on the control of Salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents, a European Community target for reducing the prevalence of Salmonella in turkey flocks had to be established. Consequently, EU Commission decision 2006/662/EC was released, and a baseline survey of the prevalence of Salmonella in turkey flocks was carried out in all European countries, including Germany, over a 1-year period starting on 1 October 2006 (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178706574172.htm). The main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella in commercial flocks of turkeys. The data showed that at the EU level Salmonella enterica serovar Bredeney was the serovar reported most frequently for fattening turkey flocks and occurred in 17.2% of the samples from Salmonella-positive flocks (1,084 of 3,702 flocks were positive), followed by S. enterica serovar Hadar, S. enterica serovar Derby, and then S. enterica serovar Saintpaul (14.0%, 11.3%, and 10.4% of the samples from positive flocks, respectively). In this study, S. Saintpaul was detected in fattening turkeys in 12 countries, reflecting the wide spread of this serovar. Recently, S. Saintpaul has been increasingly observed in several countries, including Germany. According to Enter-Net reports (data on Salmonella human isolates identified by European national reference centers), for the last quarter of the year 2006 S. Saintpaul was the fourth most common serovar (1.6%) and, in contrast to the data for previous years, was one of the most frequent causes of human salmonellosis in Europe. After this, its prevalence was 1.2% and 0.6% in the first quarters of 2007 and 2008, respectively, among the Salmonella serotypes implicated in human disease (http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Pages/Surveillance_Reports.aspx). During the period from 2001 to 2009 in Germany, 463 cases of human salmonellosis related to S. Saintpaul (0.09% of all cases; the maximum prevalence was 0.15% in 2008, the prevalence was 0.1% in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2009 and 0.06% in 2004, and the minimum prevalence was 0.05% in 2007) were reported to the Robert Koch Institute (Berlin, Germany) (www3.rki.de/SurvStat). In Germany, S. Saintpaul attracted public attention particularly in 1993, when it caused a nationwide food-borne outbreak (27). This serotype has often been related to outbreaks in other countries, and in 2008 it was implicated in a large multistate human outbreak associated with various vegetables in the United States (4).Previous studies showed that isolates of S. Saintpaul are often multidrug resistant (33, 35), but little is known about the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance or about the pathogenic potential and epidemiology of isolates belonging to this serotype. The goals of this study were to obtain information about the resistance characteristics of isolates collected between 2000 and 2007 in Germany and to assess possible clonal relationships. The isolates used originated from turkey feces collected during the German Salmonella baseline study (in 2006 and 2007) or from diagnostic samples, including samples of turkey feces and turkey-related food products. These isolates were compared with German strains isolated from humans and chickens and with poultry strains isolated in Netherlands.     

Microbial responses to P addition in six South African forest soils

Forests growing on highly weathered soils are often phosphorus (P) limited and competition between geochemical and biological sinks affects their soil P dynamics. In an attempt to elucidate the factors controlling the relative importance of these two sinks, we investigated the relationship of between soil microbial growth kinetics and soil chemical properties following amendments with C, N and P in six South African forest soils. Microbial growth kinetics were determined from respiration curves derived from measurements of CO₂ effluxes from soil samples in laboratory incubations. We found that microbial growth rates after C + N additions were positively related to NaOH-extractable P and decreased with soil depth, whereas the lag time (the time between substrate addition and exponential growth) was negatively related to extractable P. However, the growth rate and lag time were unrelated to the soil’s sorption properties or Al and Fe contents. Our results indicate that at least some of the NaOH-extractable inorganic P may be biologically available within a relatively short time (days to weeks) and might be more labile than previously thought. Our results also show that microbial utilization of C + N only seemed to be constrained by P in the deeper part of the soil profiles.     

Tumor necrosis factor and norepinephrine lower the levels of human neutrophil peptides 1-3 secretion by mixed synovial tissue cultures in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction  

Neutrophils and monocytes play an important role in overt inflammation in chronic inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) inhibits many neutrophil/monocyte functions and macrophage tumor necrosis factor (TNF), but because of the loss of sympathetic nerve fibers in inflamed tissue, sympathetic control is attenuated. In this study, we focused on noradrenergic and TNF regulation of human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP1-3), which are proinflammatory bactericidal α-defensins.