Tuberculosis morbidity in Primor'e region

The present epidemiological situation in tuberculosis in the Maritime Territory is described, including the spread of this infection among the population and the prognosis for the next year. Tuberculosis morbidity in HIV-infected patients is specially emphasized, with high growth rate of morbidity in these mixed infections. The conclusion has been made on the necessity of improving the diagnostic and prophylactic measures among the population of the Maritime Territory.     

Zooplankton of the northern Benguela region in a quiescent upwelling period

The general features of the horizontal and vertical distributionof the main zooplankton groups in the northern Benguela upwellingregion during a period of abated upwelling in April 1986 arediscussed. Three different types of water were detected: (i)an inshore strip of recently upwelled water; (ii) oceanic waterover the slope; and (iii) Angola Current water penetrating fromthe north. Abundance of the most representative zooplanktongroups, as well as of the total volume of zooplankton, was highestin the shelf region, particularly south of Walvis Bay. Zooplanktonwas most abundant in areas where phytoplankton concentrationswere high and offshore transport was low. There were significantdifferences between the abundance levels of copepods, euphausiids,chaetognaths, and fish eggs and larvae in the different layersof the water column sampled, with the highest concentrationsin the surface layers. The sharpest vertical gradients wereobserved at stations affected by Angolan water, where the thermoclinewas very strong. In contrast, inshore, where stratificationwas low, no such vertical gradients existed.     

Main tendencies in syphilis morbidity in the Sverdlovsk region

Tends in the spread of syphilis in the Sverdlovsk region, as well as new social and demographic risk groups, have been determined. A sharp rise in syphilis morbidity among children under 14 years old, including children with congenital forms of syphilis, has been registered. While the tendency to some decrease in morbidity is noted, its level still remains high, and in a number of administrative territories the morbidity is ever growing for this reason prophylaxis and control of this infection remain a highly topical problem.     

A TNF region haplotype offers protection from typhoid fever in Vietnamese patients

The genomic region surrounding the TNF locus on human chromosome 6 has previously been associated with typhoid fever in Vietnam (Dunstan et al. in J Infect Dis 183:261–268, 2001). We used a haplotypic approach to understand this association further. Eighty single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning a 150 kb region were genotyped in 95 Vietnamese individuals (typhoid case/mother/father trios). A subset of data from 33 SNPs with a minor allele frequency of >4.3% was used to construct haplotypes. Fifteen SNPs, which tagged the 42 constructed haplotypes were selected. The haplotype tagging SNPs (T1–T15) were genotyped in 380 confirmed typhoid cases and 380 Vietnamese ethnically matched controls. Allelic frequencies of seven SNPs (T1, T2, T3, T5, T6, T7, T8) were significantly different between typhoid cases and controls. Logistic regression results support the hypothesis that there is just one signal associated with disease at this locus. Haplotype-based analysis of the tag SNPs provided positive evidence of association with typhoid (posterior probability 0.821). The analysis highlighted a low-risk cluster of haplotypes that each carry the minor allele of T1 or T7, but not both, and otherwise carry the combination of alleles *12122*1111 at T1–T11, further supporting the one associated signal hypothesis. Finally, individuals that carry the typhoid fever protective haplotype *12122*1111 also produce a relatively low TNF-α response to LPS.     

Experience in dividing Tyumen Province into districts according to typhoid morbidity based on sanitary demographic factors

For the first time the territory of Tyumen Province has been zoned according to situation in typhoid fever morbidity by means of a complex of methods for computerized statistical data processing in combination with extensive epidemiological analysis. As a result, 43 administrative districts have been grouped in 5 zones having similar epidemiological, sanitary, hygienic, and demographic characteristics. For these zones territorially differentiated measures for decreasing typhoid fever morbidity have been worked out.     

Variation in quality of Golden Eagle territories and a management strategy for wind farm projects in northern Sweden

Capsule Breeding productivity of 86 occupied Golden Eagle territories in northern Sweden varied greatly, with the upper quartile of the most productive territories being responsible for 44% of the total productivity of the studied territories. This information is used in a regional strategy for managing wind farm project proposals in areas inhabited by Golden Eagles, whereby the more productive territories are provided with a greater degree of protection than their less productive counterparts.     

Fundholding in northern region: the first year.

OBJECTIVE--To describe the experiences of 10 fundholding practices in the Northern region during 1991-2 and to elicit subjective assessments of the impact of their change in status on practice management and patient care. DESIGN--Semistructured interviews were conducted with clinicians and practice managers; other staff in the practices were asked to fill in questionnaires. Questions were asked about the preparatory year, the impact of fundholding on clinical practice and practice management, perceptions of the costs and benefits of fundholding, and views about the future of the scheme. SETTING--10 of the 28 first wave fundholding practices in the Northern region, March-July 1992. RESULTS--Two interviews were conducted in nine practices and one interview in the tenth practice. Replies to the questionnaire were received from 35 general practitioners (73%) and 89 (58%) nonmedical staff. Practices sought independence in applying for fundholding status and found the preparatory year challenging and time consuming. General practitioners thought that the greatest change had occurred in relationships with consultants and the least change in relationships with patients. Most respondents thought that fundholding had changed the way they worked. The perceived benefits of fundholding were mentioned more often than the perceived costs. CONCLUSIONS--The results offer some encouragement to the proponents of fundholding, but more longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the misgivings of critics of the scheme. Fundholders are uncertain about their ability to make savings year after year, particularly in an increasingly cost contained environment.     

A new species,new combinations,and a new name in Acanthaceae from northern South America

A new species of Acanthaceae (Ruellia saülensis) is described and illustrated from French Guiana, and three new combinations (Justicia potarensis, J. flaviflora, andJ. tobagensis) and one new name (Justicia coppenamensis) are proposed. The new species is compared to its closest relative (Ruellia rubra), and a justification of the transfers is provided.     

Exploring a new biodiversity frontier: subterranean ants in northern Australia

Although it is common for ant surveys to uncover previously uncollected species, a recent study of subterranean ants in Amazonian Ecuador has indicated that an entire ant fauna may remain largely undiscovered. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of subterranean ants in northern Australia, in order to assess the extent to which the high abundance and diversity of subterranean ants in Amazonia is apparent in tropical Australia. We use a novel sampling technique that combines elements of an attractant bait and a pitfall trap, and allows many traps to be deployed simultaneously. Our main study was conducted at three closely approximated sites in Darwin, where the local ant fauna has been intensively surveyed using conventional (above-ground) sampling techniques. The 720 traps deployed resulted in 421 species records, representing 29 species from 17 genera. Sixteen of these species have cryptobiotic morphology, with four recorded here for the first time. Remarkably, one of these four (a blind species of Solenopsis) was the second most frequently caught species in subterranean traps, with 70 records. Ant abundance, species richness and composition varied markedly between sites, despite site similarity in soils and vegetation. Total ant records were greater in the middle compared with start of the wet season, declined with depth, and were greater after 4 days than one. Sampling at six sites in the Mitchell Falls area of the northern Kimberley region, 1,200 km southwest of Darwin, also revealed several cryptobiotic species new to science, including a new genus record (Pseudolasius) for Western Australia. Our underground sampling has therefore revealed an abundant and diverse subterranean ant fauna in northern Australia, containing many cryptobiotic species not previously collected. We use our results to provide methodological guidelines for most effectively sampling this fauna. Combined with the Amazonian study, our findings indicate that a specialist subterranean ant fauna, including numerous species remaining to be discovered, might be a feature of tropical landscapes throughout the world.     

Pythium carbonicum,a new species isolated from a spoil heap in northern France,the ITS region,taxonomy and comparison with related species

Pythium carbonicum (F-72) sp. nov. was found in soil samples taken on the top of a spoil heap in northern France. The morphology of this new species resembles that of a recently described species: Pythium megacarpum. However, the antheridial and oogonial characteristics of this new species are unique, and the comparison of its ITS region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA indicates that this species is also related to the genus Phytophthora. The fungus does not sporulate, the sporangia germinate directly into mycelium through germ tubes. The oogonia of P. carbonicum are smooth-walled and also papillated, and are provided with monoclinous and diclinous antheridia that wrap around, forming a complicated knot. Morphological features of this new species, together with the sequences of the ITS region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA and its comparison with related species are discussed here.     

The identification of a new actin-binding region in p57

The actin-binding protein p57 is a member of mammalian coronin-like proteins. The roles of this protein in phagocytic processes conceivably depend on its interactions with F-actin. Two regions, p57^1-34 and p57^111-204, were previously reported to be actin-binding sites. In this study, we found that the C-terminal region of p57 ,p57^297-461 , also possessed F-actin binding activity. Furthermore, the leucine zipper domain at the C-terminus of p57^297-461 was essential for this actin-binding activity. The F-actin cross-linking assay revealed that the region contained in p57^297-461 was sufficient to cross-link actin filaments. Our results strongly suggested that there was a new actin-binding region at the C-terminus of p57.