The future of cervical cancer prevention in Europe

Cervical cancer remains a significant source of disease and death in Europe. However, we now have the means to prevent virtually every case of cervical cancer through comprehensive, population-based, organised cervical cancer prevention programmes that effectively integrate cervical screening with the new technologies and vaccines that are now available. Given the potential health benefits of these programmes in reducing disease incidence and mortality, their establishment is now an ethical imperative for all European countries.     

Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis: examination of chemokine and chemokine receptor families

Fibrosis is a common outcome of chronic inflammation or injury. Pulmonary fibrosis may be the result of abnormal repair after an acute inflammatory response. The process of repair initiated by a tissue insult is largely a function of the activation of cells to produce important biological mediators such as cytokines, growth factors and chemokines, which orchestrate most aspects of the inflammatory response. Consequently, altered regulation of the production of inflammatory cell cytokines and chemokines after injury and repair likely contributes to the fibrosis. Our hypothesis is that chronic expression of specific chemokine and chemokine receptors during the fibrotic phase induced by thoracic irradiation may perpetuate the recruitment and activation of lymphocytes and macrophages, which may contribute to the development of fibrosis. Fibrosis-sensitive (C57BL/6) and fibrosis-resistant (C3H/HeJ) mice were irradiated with a single dose of 12.5 Gy to the thorax. Total lung RNA was prepared and hybridized using microarray analysis and RNase protection assays. At 26 weeks postirradiation, messages encoding the chemokines BLC (now known as Scyb13), C10 (now known as Scya6), IP-10 (now known as Scyb10), MCP-1 (now known as Scya2), MCP-3 (now known as Scya7), MIP-1gamma (now known as Scya9), and RANTES (now known as Scya5) and the chemokine receptors Ccr1, Ccr2, Ccr5 and Ccr6 were elevated in fibrosis-sensitive (C57BL/6) mice. In contrast, only the messages encoding SDF-1alpha (now known as Sdf1) and Ccr1 were elevated 26 weeks postirradiation in fibrosis-resistant (C3H/HeJ) mice. Our results point to the CC and CCR family members as the predominant chemokine responders during the development of fibrosis. These studies suggest that monocyte/macrophage and lymphocyte recruitment and activation are key components of radiation-induced fibrosis.     

Whisker-mediated plant transformation: An alternative technology

A number of different methods, involving direct DNA delivery are now available for plant transformation. Here we review the most recently developed technique which involves the mixing of silicon carbide whiskers with plant cells and plasmid DNA. Fertile transgenic plants have now been produced using whisker-mediated transformation, and this method can now be considered as a simple, inexpensive alternative for plant transformation. A brief review on transformation of animal cells andChlamydomonas using whiskers technology is also included.     

The Novel Coronavirus – Latest Findings

What was initially a lung infection epidemic in the metropolitan area of Wuhan followed by a now contained extension to mainland China has now spread to all continents as a major pandemic with current hotspots in Europe and the USA. This minireview is an update of an earlier report on this novel coronavirus infection (Brüssow, 2020, Microb Biotech 13, 607). I am now summarizing the research literature published between end of February to mid-April 2020.     

Milestones in directed enzyme evolution

Directed evolution has now been used for over two decades as an alternative to rational design for protein engineering. Protein function, however, is complex, and modifying enzyme activity is a tall order. We can now improve existing enzyme activity, change enzyme selectivity and evolve function de novo using directed evolution. Although directed evolution is now used routinely to improve existing enzyme activity, there are still only a handful of examples where substrate selectivity has been modified sufficiently for practical application, and the de novo evolution of function largely eludes us.     

Caveolae--from ultrastructure to molecular mechanisms

Almost 50 years after the first sighting of small pits that covered the surface of mammalian cells, investigators are now getting to grips with the detailed workings of these enigmatic structures that we now know as caveolae.     

Utility of protein electrophoretic analysis in the characterization of malignant tissues

High-resolution electrophoresis of samples from malignant tissues and tumour cells has developed from a simple analytical tool to a high-tech system requiring a lot of satellite techniques. Though this developmental history now demands additional expensive instrumentation and a detailed knowledge of protein chemistry, the usefulness of this technique in tumour biology has been dramatically enhanced. Consequently, electrophoretic techniques combined with additional high-resolution and sensitive analytical tools can now be used to elucidate a particular phenotype of a cancer cell; moreover, the chemical nature of this phenotype can be revealed. The way from the protein backwards to the gene is now open!     

Edward Grey Institute Of Field Ornithology Annual Report (May 1960 to April 1961)

The Wren and other small resident birds continue to increase, and the Goldcrest is now ten times commoner than it was a decade ago. Some summer visitors, however, have now reached their lowest ‘index’ since the Common Birds Census began.     

Actual treatment with insulin in children and adolescents with diabetes type 1

A significant progress in the therapy of type 1 diabetes has been achieved. This was mainly because glucometers are now introduced in the majority of patients, better pens for insulin injections are now available. A progress was done in the methods of education and insulin analogues like Humalog were introduced. Therefore it is now possible to achieve a better metabolic compensation because of a more physiologic insulin action. A further progress is the introduction of long acting analogues and personal insulin pumps for the therapy. There are a lot of examinations about the epidemiology and prophylaxis of diabetes.     

Evolutionary genetics: changed sex determination in honeybees

In several insects and fish, and probably some mammals, the gene controlling the male-female switch has changed during evolution. It now seems that this has also happened in honeybees, where the sex-determining gene has now been shown to be a duplicate of another Hymenopteran sex-determining gene.     

Unraveling algal lipid metabolism: Recent advances in gene identification

Microalgae are now the focus of intensive research due to their potential as a renewable feedstock for biodiesel. This research requires a thorough understanding of the biochemistry and genetics of these organisms’ lipid-biosynthesis pathways. Genes encoding lipid-biosynthesis enzymes can now be identified in the genomes of various eukaryotic microalgae. However, an examination of the predicted proteins at the biochemical and molecular levels is mandatory to verify their function. The essential molecular and genetic tools are now available for a comprehensive characterization of genes coding for enzymes of the lipid-biosynthesis pathways in some algal species. This review mainly summarizes the novel information emerging from recently obtained algal gene identification.     

Photosynthesis of ATP-electrons,proton pumps,rotors, and poise

Light-driven electron transport is coupled to ATP synthesis in chloroplasts. While the nature of the coupling and the structures of key components are now known, there has long been disagreement over pathways of electron transport. Recent results now put an old idea back on the agenda-cyclic electron transport around photosystem I.     

Adenosine receptors.

With the recent purification and cloning of the A1AR and the cloning of the A2AR in association with the development of selective radioligands, we are now poised to begin to understand at the most fundamental level the structure, function, and regulation of adenosine receptors. Although adenosine's physiological effects have been appreciated for more than 60 years, we are only now ready to address questions at the biochemical and molecular biological levels. We are likely to begin to see evidence for a whole group of adenosine receptors undetected by previous technology. One era of adenosine receptor research has just ended, and we now enter the new with anxious anticipation.     

A kingdom's progress: Archezoa and the origin of eukaryotes

The taxon Archezoa was proposed to unite a group of very odd eukaryotes that lack many of the characteristics classically associated with nucleated cells, in particular the mitochondrion. The hypothesis was that these cells diverged from other eukaryotes before these characters ever evolved, and therefore they represent ancient and primitive eukaryotic lineages. The kingdom comprised four groups: Metamonada, Microsporidia, Parabasalia, and Archamoebae. Until recently, molecular work supported their primitive status, as they consistently branched deeply in eukaryotic phylogenetic trees. However, evidence has now emerged that many Archezoa contain genes derived from the mitochondrial symbiont, revealing that they actually evolved after the mitochondrial symbiosis. In addition, some Archezoa have now been shown to have evolved more recently than previously believed, especially the Microsporidia for which considerable evidence now indicates a relationship with fungi. In summary, the mitochondrial symbiosis now appears to predate all Archezoa and perhaps all presently known eukaryotes. BioEssays 20:87–95, 1998. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Analyte specific reagents: FDA final rule and implications for your clinical flow cytometry laboratory

In summary, the FDA Final Rule on Analyte Specific Reagents has provided clarity and simplification for manufactures to develop and market products. The burden of establishing performance characteristics is now the responsibility of the clinical flow cytometry laboratory. The FDA now requires a disclaimer to be included in every lab report utilizing these products.     

Basal ganglia: insights into origins from lamprey brains

The lamprey brain has now been shown to have basal ganglia circuitry, with an output that acts tonically on midbrain and brainstem motor centers and is modulated by ascending dopaminergic input. This condition was believed to represent the tetrapod condition, but now appears to be far more ancient.