Science,medicine, and the future. Hypertension.

The abundance of drugs now available for treating hypertension, and evidence that small reductions in blood pressure reverse the associated risk of stroke have shifted clinical concerns away from hypertension. However, we do not understand the cause of hypertension in 95% of patients, fail to achieve a normal blood pressure in 50% of patients, and are unable fully to reverse the cardiac and vascular changes that predate the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Consequently, hypertension remains the commonest cause of strokes in Britain and of renal failure in the United States. Essential hypertension is a polygenic disease whose understanding can now be advanced through molecular genetic analyses. Several different syndromes are likely to be recognised; most will be due to interactions between genetic and environmental factors, but there are also likely to be further monogenic syndromes in families with multiple affected members. Recognition of these syndromes will permit accurate genetic prediction of prognosis and optimal treatment and perhaps lead to new and more powerful classes of antihypertensive treatment.     

Age, growth, and reproductive biology of the blackbelly rosefish from the Carolinas, U.S.A.

Otoliths and gonads of blackbelly rosefish Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus were collected from the commercial fishery off the Carolinas in 1994–1997. Opaque bands on transverse sections of otoliths were determined to be annuli by analysis of marginal increments. Opaque zone formation occurs between July and January. Ages ranged from 7 to 30 years. Blackbelly rosefish have intraovarian gestation. Fertilization is internal, as free spermatozoa were found primarily in resting ovaries from July through early December with peak occurrence in September through November. There was a delay of 1–3 months before fertilization, as oocyte development did not begin until December. Occurrence during January through April of early-celled embryos, the most advanced stage observed, and postovulatory follicles indicated that oocyte development was rapid. Egg development occurs in a clear gelatinous matrix secreted into the ovarian cavity. The reproductive mode is a zygoparous form of oviparity, intermediate between oviparity and viviparity. Population sex ratio departed markedly from 1: 1 for most length intervals. Males were more abundant at lengths >250 mm L _T and the overall male: female ratio was 1 : 0·60.     

The historical dendroarchaeology of the Green Hotel,Cave Spring,Georgia, U.S.A.

The lands including Cave Spring and most of northwest Georgia were held by the Cherokee until Cherokee removal in 1838. In 2010, a two-story pine structure that was encased inside the Green Hotel in downtown Cave Spring, Georgia, was revealed during renovation. Local Cave Spring historians insist the log structure was built by Avery Vann in 1810, making it a Cherokee structure. However, the Gold Lottery maps of 1832 show no structure on lot 871, which today contains the Green Hotel. A construction date also cannot be verified by historical documents, maps, or artifacts discovered around the Green Hotel. The purpose of this research was to determine the construction date of the Green Hotel log structure. Archaeological dating of the window glass thickness of the hotel gave dates of 1810 or 1823. However, the dendroarchaeological dating of the wood indicates cutting dates during the late spring/early summer of 1839. This would indicate that the log structure inside the Green Hotel was not built by Avery Vann or any Cherokee, but by later Euro-American settlers.     

Forest communities of the northern whitefish range, rocky mountains, Montana, U.S.A.

The montane and subalpine forests of a mountain range in northwestern Montana were investigated using phytosociological and numerical methods. Twelve associations and two subassociations were identified, of which eight are described here for the first time. The forest vegetation of valleys and lower slopes is strongly affected by repeated fire and is placed in the new orderCalamagrostio-Pseudotsugetalia glaucae, which includes temperate, low elevation forests in inland regions of northwestern North America. These forests bear only weak resemblance to forests traditionally assigned to the classVaccinio-Piceetea, and occupy the habitats filled by broad-leaved forests elsewhere at temperate latitudes. Montane and subalpine forest vegetation is moister and has longer snow duration and a shorter growing season. Upper montane vegetation more closely resembles that of other temperate montane forests of the classVaccinio-Piceetea.     

Populations of the spinach wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae, in the root tissues, rhizosphere, and soil in the field.

Populations of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae in root tissues and rhizosphere soil of diseased spinach plants were higher than in the root tissues and rhizosphere soil of healthy plants. Populations in soil rhizosphere were higher than in nonrhizosphere soil. The fungus populations were very low in the root tissues of the nonsusceptible strawberry, broccoli, chinese cabbage, and mustard grown in the infested field. The populations were low at the beginning of the season, increased, and remained high during the summer, then dropped in the fall. The fungus populations ranged from 1600 to 2600 propagules/g in the top 10 cm of soil, declined sharply between 11 and 20 cm, and were nondetectable between 41 and 60 cm.     

Migrational swimming speeds of the American shad, Alosa sapidissima, in the Connecticut River, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Of 91 sonic-tagged American shad, 78 were tracked upriver to their spawning grounds. The remaining 13 tagged shad dropped back downstream over a dam or moved downstream through the adjacent canal system. Sonic-tagged shad swam upstream individually. 'Apparent' swimming speeds (the time to travel between two points) during daylight hours ranged from 11 to 93 cm s⁻¹ when water temperatures were below 20°C and from 9.8 to 64 cm s⁻¹ when water temperatures exceeded 20°C. Swimming speeds at night ranged from 8 to 53 cm s⁻¹. As the flow rate increased, shad swam faster. A major flood, producing flows reaching 300 cm s⁻¹, flushed all sonic-tagged shad away.     

Confirmation of the presence of schelly, Coregonus lavaretus, in Brotherswater, U.K.

The presence of the nationally-rare schelly. Coregonus lavaretus , in Brotherswater, a small lake in the English Lake District, was confirmed in the summer of 1992. However, pronounced deepwater oxygen depletion may pose a threat to the continued survival of this seventh U.K. population.     

Longitudinal qPCR Study of the Dynamics of L. crispatus,L. iners,A. vaginae, (Sialidase Positive) G. vaginalis,and P. bivia in the Vagina

Background

To obtain more detailed understanding of the causes of disturbance of the vaginal microflora (VMF), a longitudinal study was carried out for 17 women during two menstrual cycles.

Methods

Vaginal swabs were obtained daily from 17 non-pregnant, menarchal volunteers. For each woman, Gram stains were scored, the quantitative changes of 5 key vaginal species, i.e. Atopobium vaginae, Lactobacillus crispatus, L. iners, (sialidase positive) Gardnerella vaginalis and Prevotella bivia were quantified with qPCR and hydrogen-peroxide production was assessed on TMB+ agar.

Results

Women could be divided in 9 subjects with predominantly normal VMF (grades Ia, Ib and Iab, group N) and 8 with predominantly disturbed VMF (grades I-like, II, III and IV, group D).VMF was variable between women, but overall stable for most of the women. Menses were the strongest disturbing factor of the VMF. L. crispatus was present at log7–9 cells/ml in grade Ia, Iab and II VMF, but concentrations declined 100-fold during menses. L. crispatus below log7 cells/ml corresponded with poor H₂O₂-production. L. iners was present at log 10 cells/ml in grade Ib, II and III VMF. Sialidase negative G. vaginalis strains (average log5 cells/ml) were detected in grade I, I-like and IV VMF. In grade II VMF, predominantly a mixture of both sialidase negative and positive G. vaginalis strains (average log9 cells/ml) were present, and predominantly sialidase positive strains in grade III VMF. The presence of A. vaginae (average log9 cells/ml) coincided with grade II and III VMF. P. bivia (log4–8 cells/ml) was mostly present in grade III vaginal microflora. L. iners, G. vaginalis, A. vaginae and P. bivia all increased around menses for group N women, and as such L. iners was considered a member of disturbed VMF.

Conclusions

This qPCR-based study confirms largely the results of previous culture-based, microscopy-based and pyrosequencing-based studies.     

Development of the small intestine in the hypophysectomized rat. II. Influence of cortisone, thyroxine, growth hormone, and prolactin.

The intestinal deficiencies caused by hypophysectomy of rats at 6 days of age can be repaired to varying degrees by thyroxine or cortisone but not by growth hormone or prolactin. Administration of daily doses of thyroxine alone from 19–22 days raises duodenal alkaline phosphatase activity to normal levels at 24 days; it has a strong effect on jejunal sucrase and maltase, although these activities remain below those of controls. Thyroxine causes a marked increase in rough endoplasmic reticulum and restores the Golgi complexes to their normal appearance. It also elicits an intensification of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stainability of the brush border. Cortisone acetate given from 19 to 22 days elevates sucrase and maltase to normal levels but does not fully restore phosphatase activity. Like thyroxine, cortisone causes intensification of PAS staining of the brush border and also increases rough endoplasmic reticulum. It seems to stimulate Golgi activity, but results in the appearance of a variety of abnormal forms. The defects in Golgi configuration, brush border carbohydrate content, and activity of glycoprotein enzymes that are bound to the brush border may all reflect impaired glycosylation in the hypophyseoprivic state; the results of thyroxine or cortisone administration suggest that both hormones may affect glycosylation but in different ways.     

Nervostroma, gen. nov. in the Sclerotiniaceae, the teleomorph of Cristulariella, and Hinomyces anam. gen. nov. to accommodate the anamorph of Grovesinia: reassessment of the genus Cristulariella

Taxonomy of the genus Cristulariella is revised, retaining Cristulariella (Crist.) depraedans as the type. Two new species, Crist. cercidiphylli and Crist. corni, are additionally described under the genus. The new anamorphic genus Hinomyces is erected to accommodate Botrytis (Cristulariella) moricola and Cristulariella pruni. A new genus and species, Nervostroma depraedans, is erected in the Sclerotiniaceae to accommodate the teleomorph of Crist. depraedans, with an additional species, Nervostroma cercidiphylli.     

Wheeler, E.A. and Manchester, S.R. Woods of the Eocene nut beds flora, Clarno Formation, Oregon, USA. IAWA Journal, Supplement 3

IAWA (International Asso ciation of Wood Anato mists) publishesa high quality journal in four parts, comprising about 500 pagesa year. Every so often they publish supplements that are muchlonger and more comprehensive than traditional scientific papers.The first two were Bibliography of systematic wood anatomy ofdicotyledons (265 pages) by Mary Gregory (1994) and Wood anatomyof Sapindaceae (214 pages) by René Klaasen (1999). Thisthird supplement is on a fossil flora which has many well-preservedwoods that have now been studied in detail. The only minor criticismI have is that the title of