Entering the Field: New Perspectives on World Football

Entering the Field: New Perspectives on World Football. Gary Armstrong and Richard Giulianotti. eds. New York: New York University Press, 1997.320 pp.     

Africa's Ogun: Old World and New

Africa's Ogun: Old World and New. Second edition. Sandra T. Barnes. ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997. 390 pp.     

Ancient Middle Niger: Urbanism and the Self-Organizing Landscape

Ancient Middle Niger: Urbanism and the Self-Organizing Landscape . Roderick J. McIntosh. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. 261 pp.     

Crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormone Family: Old Paradigms and New Perspectives

I present an overview of recent research on the isolation andcharacterization of members of the crustacean hyperglycemichormone (CHH) neuropeptide family. Members of this arthropod-specificfamily include CHH, molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH), vitellogenesis-inhibitinghormone (VIH), and mandibular organ-inhibiting hormone (MOIH).There are two subfamilies of this neuropeptide group, basedupon the presence or absence of a C-terminal CHH precursor-relatedpeptide. There are also sequence motif differences between thesesubfamilies. Most of the peptides comprising this neuropeptidefamily are synthesized and released by the eyestalk X-organ/sinusgland complex. Recent experiments have demonstrated the presenceof extra-eyestalk cells that produce CHH and the assignmentof additional functions to this hormone family.     

Old World and New World Cupressus pollen: morphological and cytological remarks

The aim of this work was to collect new information about pollen morphology and pollen wall structure comparing Cupressus species from the Old World and New World. Cupressus is a nonmonophyletic genus that includes species that appear to be divided into Old World and New World clades. Observations in this study on cypress pollen indicate that grain size and composition of intine β-glucans are different between the considered Old World and New World species. Different from all the other American cypress species, pollen of C. macrocarpa reacted to dying in a similar manner to Old World species. Rehydrated pollen grains collected from 20 Asian, Afro-Mediterranean and American cypress species were measured under a light microscope. The size of the pollen grains and the percentage of intine in relation to the pollen grain diameter were significantly different between Old World and New World species. Pollen wall composition was tested after addition of different dyes to the hydration solution, and subsequent observations were carried out by light and fluorescence microscopy. Lugol and calcofluor staining showed differences in composition of the middle and inner intine layers between New World and Old World species.     

Different mechanisms of cell entry by human-pathogenic Old World and New World arenaviruses

The Old World arenavirus Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of severe viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in humans and is the most prevalent human pathogen among arenaviruses. The present study investigated the largely unknown mechanisms of cell entry of LASV, a process know to be mediated solely by the virus envelope glycoprotein (GP). To circumvent biosafety restrictions associated with the use of live LASV, we used reverse genetics to generate a recombinant variant of the prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) expressing the LASV GP (rLCMV-LASVGP). The rescued rLCMV-LASVGP grew to titers comparable to that of LCMV and showed the receptor binding characteristics of LASV. We used rLCMV-LASVGP to characterize the cellular mechanisms of LASV entry in the context of a productive arenavirus infection. The kinetics of pH-dependent membrane fusion of rLCMV-LASVGP resembled those of the human-pathogenic New World arenavirus Junin virus (JUNV) and other enveloped viruses that use clathrin-mediated endocytosis for entry. However, rLCMV-LASVGP entered cells predominantly via a clathrin-, caveolin-, and dynamin-independent endocytotic pathway similar to the one recently described for LCMV. Productive infection of rLCMV-LASVGP was only mildly affected by a dominant negative mutant of Rab5 and was independent of Rab7, suggesting an unusual mechanism of delivery to endosomes. In addition, rLCMV-LASVGP infection was independent of actin but required intact microtubules. Our data indicate that LASV enters cells via a pathway distinct from the one used by human-pathogenic New World arenaviruses.     

New taxa and combinations in Old World Urticaceae

In anticipation of the publication of full revisions, a diagnosis of a new species of Droguetia is presented together with two new combinations for subspecies of Droguetia iners , a new combination for a species and a variety on Didymodoxa and a new combination for a subspecies of Australina pusilla . The name Elatostema trinerve Hochst. (1845) is shown to be conspecific with and antedate Urera cameroonensis Wedd. (1869). The new combination Urera trinervis is therefore made.     

Retrovirus restriction by TRIM5alpha variants from Old World and New World primates

The TRIM5alpha proteins of humans and some Old World monkeys have been shown to block infection of particular retroviruses following virus entry into the host cell. Infection of most New World monkey cells by the simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques (SIVmac) is restricted at a similar point. Here we examine the antiretroviral activity of TRIM5alpha orthologs from humans, apes, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys. Chimpanzee and orangutan TRIM5alpha proteins functionally resembled human TRIM5alpha, potently restricting infection by N-tropic murine leukemia virus (N-MLV) and moderately restricting human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Notably, TRIM5alpha proteins from several New World monkey species restricted infection by SIVmac and the SIV of African green monkeys, SIVagm. Spider monkey TRIM5alpha, which has an expanded B30.2 domain v3 region due to a tandem triplication, potently blocked infection by a range of retroviruses, including SIVmac, SIVagm, HIV-1, and N-MLV. Tandem duplications in the TRIM5alpha B30.2 domain v1 region of African green monkeys are also associated with broader antiretroviral activity. Thus, variation in TRIM5alpha proteins among primate species accounts for the observed patterns of postentry restrictions in cells from these animals. The TRIM5alpha proteins of some monkey species exhibit dramatic lengthening of particular B30.2 variable regions and an expanded range of susceptible retroviruses.     

Color vision variations in Old and New World primates

It has long been recognized that there are significant individual variations in color vision among humans. Recently, even more widespread individual variation in color vision has been found to occur in members of several genera of New World monkeys. This article addresses the question of whether a representative genus of Old World monkeys, Macaca, expresses individual variations in color vision. The principal approach was to compare behavioral measurements of increment-threshold spectral sensitivity for large samples of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sp.) and macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta, M. fascicularis). We conclude that, if they occur at all, individual variations in color vision among macaque monkeys must be rare.     

Studies on two strains of Plasmodium cynomolgi in New World and Old World monkeys and mosquitoes

Infections that cause the Gombak and Smithsonian strains of Plasmodium cynomolgi were induced in Macaca mulatta, Aotus lemurinus griseimembra, Aotus nancymai, and Saimiri boliviensis monkeys. Transmission of the Gombak strain to Aotus spp. monkeys was obtained by the injection of sporozoites dissected from the salivary glands of experimentally infected Anopheles dirus and by the bites of infected An. dirus and Anopheles farauti mosquitoes. Two S. boliviensis monkeys were infected via the injection of sporozoites dissected from An. dirus. Prepatent periods in New World monkeys ranged from 14 to 44 days, with a median of 18 days. The Smithsonian strain was transmitted via sporozoites to 1 A. lemurinus griseimembra and 9 A. nancymai monkeys. Prepatent periods ranged from 12 to 31 days.