Heavy Hymenolepis nana Infection Possibly Through Organic Foods: Report of a Case

We encountered a patient with heavy Hymenolepis nana infection. The patient was a 44-year-old Korean man who had suffered from chronic hepatitis (type B) for 15 years. A large number of H. nana adult worms were found during colonoscopy that was performed as a part of routine health screening. The parasites were scattered throughout the colon, as well as in the terminal ileum, although the patient was immunocompetent. Based on this study, colonoscopy may be helpful for diagnosis of asymptomatic H. nana infections.     

Low serum interleukin-6 levels as a predictive marker of recurrence in patients with hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent curative treatment

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the use of novel serum biomarkers for predicting the recurrence and survival of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatic resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA).MethodsOne hundred and five patients with HBV-related HCC, who fulfilled the Milan criteria without vascular invasion and underwent hepatic resection or RFA, were followed-up for a median duration of 52 months. Pretreatment serum concentrations of 16 cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by using a Luminex 200 system. The measured serum cytokines and several clinical factors were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsUnivariate analysis showed that patients with lower pretreatment serum levels of IL-10, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α had significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) than those with higher levels. Multivariate analysis revealed that a low serum IL-6 level (⩽33.00 pg/mL; hazard ratio [HR] = 5.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27–22.93; P = 0.022), low platelet count (<100 × 10⁹/L; HR = 2.23; 95% CI = 1.28–3.89; P = 0.005), and low serum albumin level (⩽3.5 g/L; HR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.28–3.97; P = 0.005) had a negative prognostic impact on DFS. In the analysis for overall survival, a low serum platelet level (<100 × 10⁹/L; HR = 2.80; 95% CI = 1.31–5.99; P = 0.008) and multiple tumor (⩾2; HR = 4.05; 95% CI = 1.56–10.48; P = 0.004) showed a negative prognostic impact on the overall survival.ConclusionA low serum IL-6 level is, in addition to low platelet count and low serum albumin level, an independent prognostic factor for DFS in patients with HBV-related early HCC who underwent hepatic resection or RFA with curative intention.     

Unequivocal determination of sire allele origin for multiallelic microsatellites when only the sire and progeny are genotyped

The effect of a segregating economic trait locus (ETL) can be detected with the aid of a linked genetic marker, if specific alleles of each locus are in association among the individuals genotyped for the genetic marker. For dairy cattle this can be achieved by application of the ‘granddaughter design’. If only the sires and their sons are genotyped for the genetic markers, then the allele origin of sons having the same genotypes as their sires cannot be determined. Seven sires and 101 sons were genotyped for five microsatellites. The mean frequency of heterozygous sires was 77%. The mean number of alleles per locus was 8.2. Frequency of informative sons per locus ranged from 60% to 80% with a mean of 72%. With highly polymorphic microsatellites, at least 60% more grandsire families can be included in the analysis, and the number of sons assayed can be reduced by 40%, as compared to diallelic markers.     

Dynamic features of cells expressing macrophage properties in tissue cultures of dissociated cerebral cortex from the rat

Summary Two previously identified forms of macrophage were investigated in primary cultures of cerebral cortical cells. Dynamic features were revealed through time-lapse video recording and aspects of macrophage function were assessed. The two cell forms were shown to be different pre-mitotic stages of a single cell type. The cell cycle for these cells involved an initial large, flat, quiescent cell which retracted to yield a slightly rounded form with numerous processes. This latter form lost processes and developed profuse filopodia as it became very rounded just prior to division; both resulting daughter cells then regained the initial large flat appearance. These cells possessed several properties of macrophages, including phagocytosis, nucleoside diphosphatase enzyme, and CR3 receptors. These properties were transient, expressed just before and after mitosis, but subsequently down-regulated in the flat daughter cells. Because of this feature, it was difficult to determine the exact size of this cell population; however, the observed rate of proliferation suggests it may be substantial. It is suggested that these cells correspond to non-microglial macrophages of brain tissue and, because of their significant down-regulation, they may be difficult to detect. This may be important in studies of brain accessory immune cells in tissue culture.     

Genetic diversity and restoration of a recalcitrant clonal sedge (Tetraria capillaris Cyperaceae)

The genetic diversity of a clonal sedge (Tertraria capillaris) was assessed using isozyme analysis of 11 loci. Of 29 enzyme systems tested, eight were selected which gave interpretable bands with consistently good resolution. Though seedlings of the species are rarely observed in nature, isozyme analysis showed that for the study transects containing 100 sample plants, the majority of plants at the site were sexually rather than clonally derived. Young plants generated from embryos grown in vitro from excised seeds showed a high level of genetic diversity which could account for the genetic diversity measured in the parent population. In terms of restoration of the species, 85% of the assessed genetic diversity at the study site could be retained if 25 T. capillaris plants were taken at random. The study illustrates how genetic assessment coupled with tissue culture methods provides a feasible model for the recovery of most of the assessed local genetic diversity of a clonal species.     

Fate of transformed Trichoderma harzianum in the phylloplane of tomato plants

A propiconazole-resistant Trichoderma harzianum strain with high phylloplane survival capability was transformed with the E. coli hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene (hph), coding for hygromycin B resistance. Four transformants were analysed for survival ability on the phylloplane of tomato plants grown under glasshouse conditions in comparison with their prototype and a yellow, hygromycin B-sensitive mutant. Over 2 weeks, the four transformants showed higher survival rates in comparison with the wild-type strain. The yellow mutant TF3/973 did not significantly differ in survival from the transformants. Both hygromycin B resistance and mitotic stability of transformants were evaluated during growth in vitro and after reisolation from tomato phylloplane. Hybridization patterns with the complete plasmid indicated that all four transformants were mitotically stable after several rounds of vegetative growth without selective pressure and during 2 weeks on tomato plants. None of the transformants had lost the ability to grow in the presence of both propiconazole and hygromycin B after growth under the same conditions. The results are discussed in relation to risk assessment of the release of transgenic fungi.     

The impact of hybrids between genetically modified crop plants and their related species: general considerations

Factors influencing the fate and impact of hybrids between crop plants and their related species operate from the early zygote, through to plant establishment in different habitats, to their ability to form self-sustaining populations. Many of the classes of genes being introduced by modern methods of genetic modification are similar to those manipulated by conventional plant breeding. In assessing the impact of transgenes in hybrids between crops and related species, therefore, it is important to be informed about the consequences of hybridization between conventionally bred varieties and their relatives. Some transgenes will have novel effects (e.g. production of pharmaceutical substances or certain fatty acids) on plants, and are likely to need specific assessment studies to determine their impact on hybrids. This will be particularly important if there is the possibility of these transgenes becoming established in wild populations. Some recommendations for further research are outlined.     

Genetic and allelopathic differences between populations of daisy fleabane Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. (Asteraceae) from disturbed and stable habitats

The interactions between invasive plants and their habitats may vary at different phases of the invasion process and depend on the phenotypic plasticity or local adaptations of each species. In this study, we investigated whether habitat changes during the invasion process are related to variations in the physiological traits (allelopathic properties) and genetic differentiation of daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers.). E. annuus is a winter annual invasive species that originated in North America and is now distributed throughout Europe. Genetic and genotypic diversity analyses were performed for 37 populations of E. annuus based on inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphisms. In total, 684 plants were analyzed; 342 were from stable habitats and 342 were from disturbed habitats. The genetic differences among the populations from the different habitats were studied using a Bayesian cluster analysis and an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and by calculating the genetic and genotypic diversity parameters. A germination test using the juglone index was employed to examine the potential allelopathic properties of the plants from the different habitats. Bayesian cluster analysis, AMOVA and allelopathic effects evaluation revealed differences in the allelopathic potential and genetic structure of the E. annuus populations from the disturbed and stable habitats. This differentiation of populations could be associated with founder effects or with different selection pressures among habitats.