Analysis of Erwinia chrysanthemi EC16 pelE::uidA, pelL::uidA, and hrpN::uidA mutants reveals strain-specific atypical regulation of the Hrp type III secretion system

The plant pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi produces a variety of factors that have been implicated in its ability to cause soft-rot diseases in various hosts. These include HrpN, a harpin secreted by the Hrp type III secretion system; PelE, one of several major pectate lyase isozymes secreted by the type II system; and PelL, one of several secondary Pels secreted by the type II system. We investigated these factors in E. chrysanthemi EC16 with respect to the effects of medium composition and growth phase on gene expression (as determined with uidA fusions and Northern analyses) and effects on virulence. pelE was induced by polygalacturonic acid, but pelL was not, and hrpN was expressed unexpectedly in nutrient-rich King's medium B and in minimal salts medium at neutral pH. In contrast, the effect of medium composition on hrp expression in E. chrysanthemi CUCPB1237 and 3937 was like that of many other phytopathogenic bacteria in being repressed in complex media and induced in acidic pH minimal medium. Northern blot analysis of hrpN and hrpL expression by the wild-type and hrpL::omegaCmr and hrpS::omegaCmr mutants revealed that hrpN expression was dependent on the HrpL alternative sigma factor, whose expression, in turn, was dependent on the HrpS putative sigma54 enhancer binding protein. The expression of pelE and hrpN increased strongly in late logarithmic growth phase. To test the possible role of quorum sensing in this expression pattern, the expI/expR locus was cloned in Escherichia coli on the basis of its ability to direct production of acyl-homoserine lactone and then used to construct expI mutations in pelE::uidA, pelL::uidA, and hrpN::uidA Erwinia chrysanthemi strains. Mutation of expI had no apparent effect on the growth-phase-dependent expression of hrpN and pelE, or on the virulence of E. chrysanthemi in witloof chicory leaves. Overexpression of hrpN in E. chrysanthemi resulted in approximately 50% reduction of lesion size on chicory leaves without an effect on infection initiation.     

Afterword: Primitivist Encounters: Articulations and Asymmetries

ABSTRACT

This afterword presents a view of key contributions of the issue's articles, positions those contributions in relation to precedent work, and suggests the need to place heightened emphasis on fundamental asymmetry and differential power to determine context on the part of participants to primitivist tourist encounter.     

Focus: Rare Disease: Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis: A Brief Review

Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA) is a destructive pulmonary disease caused by a fungal infection, affecting mainly individuals with prior or concurrent pulmonary conditions. It has a global prevalence of 42 per 100,000 population, but in the US and Europe, prevalence is less than 1 per 100,000. The clinical definition of CPA is based on various factors accounting for comorbidities, clinical presentation, and duration. It may be categorized into five subtypes that the disease may evolve between over time. Based on global consensus covering the spectrum of low-resource to high-resource settings, diagnosis is a multi-factorial process that involves a combination of clinical presentation persisting over 3 months, radiological findings, positive culture growth, and serological tests. CPA remains underdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness and is often misdiagnosed due to the comorbidities present. Treatment options are limited due to a lack of research. Furthermore, associated comorbidities and drug interactions further complicate treatment plans. Follow-up throughout treatment should be based on understanding the predictors of mortality. Identification of potential relapse or resistance to antifungal therapy is crucial to limit the low long-term survival rate. Awareness surrounding this devastating disease needs to be raised further to enable earlier identification, improve understanding of patient factors associated with prognosis, and the future potential for targeted therapies. This review aims to raise awareness of this rare condition among practitioners, by providing an overview of common risk factors influencing the prevalence and incidence of the disease. We further discuss current approaches and recent advancements in CPA diagnosis and treatment.     

Unexpected distribution patterns of Carduiceps feather lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) on sandpipers (Aves: Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae)

The louse genus Carduiceps Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1939 is widely distributed on sandpipers and stints (Calidrinae). The current taxonomy includes three species on the Calidrinae (Carduiceps meinertzhageni, Carduiceps scalaris, Carduiceps zonarius) and four species on noncalidrine hosts. We estimated a phylogeny of four of the seven species of Carduiceps (the three mentioned above and Carduiceps fulvofasciatus) from 13 of the 29 hosts based on three mitochondrial loci, and evaluated the relative importance of flyway differentiation (same host species has different lice along different flyways) and flyway homogenization (different host species have the same lice along the same flyway). We found no evidence for either process. Instead, the present, morphology‐based, taxonomy of the genus corresponds exactly to the gene‐based phylogeny, with all four included species monophyletic. Carduiceps zonarius is found both to inhabit a wider range of hosts than wing lice of the genus Lunaceps occurring on the same group of birds, and to occur on Calidris sandpipers of all sizes, both of which are unexpected for a body louse. The previously proposed family Esthiopteridae is found to be monophyletic with good support. The concatenated dataset suggests that the pigeon louse genus Columbicola may be closely related to the auk and diver louse genus Craspedonirmus. These two genera share some morphological characters with Carduiceps, but no support was obtained for grouping these three genera together. Based on mitochondrial data alone, the relationships among genera within this proposed family cannot be properly assessed, but some previously suggested relationships within this proposed family are confirmed.     

Focus: Addiction: Marijuana for Glaucoma: A Recipe for Disaster or Treatment?

Marijuana has been shown to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) but with limited duration of action and numerous adverse effects. Use of marijuana to lower IOP as a means of glaucoma treatment would require frequent use throughout the day, leading to significant adverse effects, possible progression toward Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD), and/or withdrawal symptoms. The treatment of glaucoma based on the cannabis plant or drugs based on the cannabinoid molecule should be considered carefully before being prescribed. Considerations should include the adverse physical and psychological adverse effects, including substance abuse. Currently, the deleterious effects of marijuana outweigh the benefits of its IOP-lowering capacity in most glaucoma patients. Under extremely rare circumstances, a few categories of glaucoma patients may be potential candidates for treatment with medical marijuana. Further studies on alternate routes and more focused means of cannabinoid molecule delivery to the eye for glaucoma treatment are needed.     

Preventive Medicine and Public Health: Escherichia coli O 157:H7: Infections

The Council on Scientific Affairs of the California Medical Association presents the following epitomes of progress in preventive medicine and public health. Each item, in the judgment of a panel of knowledgeable physicians, has recently become reasonably firmly established, both as to scientific fact and clinical importance. The items are presented in simple epitome, and an authoritative reference, both to the item itself and to the subject as a whole, is generally given for those who may be unfamiliar with a particular item. The purpose is to assist busy practitioners, students, researchers, and scholars to stay abreast of progress in medicine, whether in their own field of special interest or another.The epitomes included here were selected by the Advisory Panel to the Section on Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the California Medical Association, and the summaries were prepared under the direction of Dr Thom and the Scientific Advisory Panel to the Section on Preventive Medicine and Public Health.     

d(CGGTGGT) forms an octameric parallel G-quadruplex via stacking of unusual G(:C):G(:C):G(:C):G(:C) octads

Among non-canonical DNA secondary structures, G-quadruplexes are currently widely studied because of their probable involvement in many pivotal biological roles, and for their potential use in nanotechnology. The overall quadruplex scaffold can exhibit several morphologies through intramolecular or intermolecular organization of G-rich oligodeoxyribonucleic acid strands. In particular, several G-rich strands can form higher order assemblies by multimerization between several G-quadruplex units. Here, we report on the identification of a novel dimerization pathway. Our Nuclear magnetic resonance, circular dichroism, UV, gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry studies on the DNA sequence dCGGTGGT demonstrate that this sequence forms an octamer when annealed in presence of K(+) or NH(4)(+) ions, through the 5'-5' stacking of two tetramolecular G-quadruplex subunits via unusual G(:C):G(:C):G(:C):G(:C) octads.     

警惕椰子织蛾Opisina arenosella Walker （鳞翅目：织蛾科）传入中国

【背景】椰子织蛾是棕榈植物上的主要害虫。该害虫在印度和斯里兰卡危害严重,现已入侵泰国。【方法】在收集、整理椰子织蛾原产地或已知入侵地的生物学、生态学、地理学等信息的基础上,介绍了椰子织蛾的主要形态特征、寄主、分布、生物特性,并对该有害生物入侵我国的风险及后果进行综合分析。【结果】椰子织蛾幼虫通常为5龄,大多在棕榈植物叶背面为害。卵期约为5 d,幼虫期约为42 d,蛹期约为12 d,成虫产卵约为137粒。从适生性风险角度看,目前椰子织蛾在南亚和东南亚棕榈植物分布区危害严重,我国南方棕榈植物产区具有相似的生物气候,是椰子织蛾潜在的地理分布区;从传入扩散风险角度看,椰子织蛾成虫能够飞翔,且我国与该害虫发生国家特别是东盟国家的贸易日益频繁,加大了该害虫传入我国的可能性;从经济与生态风险角度看,椰子织蛾入侵我国后将危害椰子等棕榈植物,给相关产业带来损失,影响从业人员收入,同时影响本地生态环境,可能导致生态灾害。【结论与意义】椰子织蛾有入侵我国的可能,有效的检疫管理措施是防范其入侵的主要手段。生物防治是治理该害虫的重要措施之一。     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Comment on Anthropology: Why it Matters

We, the Editors and Publisher of Anthropological Forum, have retracted the following article:

Maurice Godelier (2019) Comment on Anthropology: Why it Matters, Anthropological Forum, DOI:10.1080/00664677.2019.1615255

Due to some communication issues, another version of this review has been published elsewhere. Accordingly, this version of the review has been retracted from publication.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.     

Endogenous opiates: 1980

Vast amounts of research have been done that have attempted to delineate the pharmacological and physiological effects of the endogenous opiate peptides. A great deal of knowledge has also been accumulated in a limited time span concerning the types and locations of the opiate receptors and peptides, as well as their functions. In 1980, reports were made concerning the effects of these peptides on analgesia, on tolerance and dependence, on activity, on learning and memory, on schizophrenia and other types of emotional disturbances, and on physiological responses such as eating and drinking, cardiovascular responses, and sexual function. Additional understanding was also gained concerning their interactions with neurotransmitters, other neuropeptides, and hormones. These and other studies published only in 1980 are reviewed in this paper, which is the third of an annual series.     

Antennulary sensory organs in cyprids of Octolasmis and Lepas (Crustacea: Thecostraca: Cirripedia: Thoracica): a scanning electron microscopic study

Cypris larvae of the pedunculate barnacles Octolasmis angulata (Poecilasmatidae), Lepas australis, L. pectinata, and Dosima fascicularis (Lepadidae) were studied with scanning electron microscopy, focusing on the sensory setae and the attachment disc on the antennules. The antennules of O. angulata did not exhibit any remarkable trait, but carry the same number of setae as seen in most other thoracicans. The third segment is bell-shaped and quite distinct from the second and its attachment disc is surrounded by a skirt. We found several potential synapomorphies in antennulary morphology between cyprids of the lepadid species but none of them were shared with the cyprids of Octolasmis; the list of unique lepadid characters includes: one additional, preaxial seta on the second segment; multiple similar (up to eight) postaxial setae (PS3) on the third segment, unlike all other thoracicans, where there is only a single PS3; the third segment consists almost entirely of the attachment disc, which is distended and surrounded by two parallel rows of radial setae; on the fourth segment the terminal seta E is diminutive. We found no traits in cyprids of Octolasmis that seem to be adaptations to their attachment site within the branchial chamber of swimming crabs and, in particular, no similarities with cyprids of rhizocephalan barnacles, many of which also attach in the gill chamber. The synapomorphies between cyprids of the lepadid species may be adaptations to their life in the neuston.     

The transglutaminase family: an overview: Minireview article

Summary. The knowledge that very different processes such as normal and neoplastic cell growth, reproduction and death are dependent on the presence of adequate levels of transglutaminases (TGase: EC 2.3.2.13) and that they are capable of affecting the differentiation and proliferative capability of several cell types, has prompted a multitude of researchers to study these fascinating molecules. In the following overview we intend to summarize the currently known information on the biological significance of these enzymes.     

PLGA:poloxamer and PLGA:poloxamine blend nanoparticles: new carriers for gene delivery

The main objective of the present work was the development of new nanoparticulate carrier systems for the delivery of plasmid DNA. These new carriers consist of a blend matrix formed by a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) copolymer and polyoxyethylene derivatives. More specifically, we have prepared nanostructures with different PLGA:poloxamer and PLGA:poloxamine compositions by an optimized emulsification-solvent diffusion technique and studied the potential of these carriers for the encapsulation and controlled release of plasmid DNA. Depending on the particle composition, the encapsulation efficiency of the model plasmid pEGFP-C1 varied between 30% and 45%. All formulations provided continuous and controlled release of the plasmid with minimal burst effect. In addition, the release rate and duration was dependent on the composition of the particle matrix. Moreover, gel electrophoresis and cell culture (MCF-7 cell line) assays allowed us to confirm that the biologically active form of the plasmid was preserved during the particle preparation process and also during its release. Cell culture experiments also indicated that the new nanoparticles do not exhibit toxic effects on these cells at concentrations up to 5 mg/mL. Altogether, these results indicate that these composite nanostructures present a promising approach for the delivery of plasmid DNA.     

Focus: Vaccines: The Cost of Ignoring Vaccines

This perspectives piece focuses on the detrimental cost of ignoring vaccines and refusing vaccination against COVID-19 in the United States. Much of the existing literature regarding the consequences of the unvaccinated emphasizes the impact to population health; however, few academic articles have explored the burden the unvaccinated pose to various sectors of society. This paper analyzes the impact that the unvaccinated have on healthcare systems, the US economy, and global health. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, unvaccinated populations were found to have put significant strain on healthcare systems, depleting medical resources and contributing to high rates of healthcare worker shortages. Furthermore, research suggests that between November and December 2021, over 692,000 preventable hospitalizations occurred in unvaccinated individuals, costing the US economy over $13.8 billion. Lastly, it is proposed that the strong international presence of the US, when coupled with high levels of disease transmissibility in the unvaccinated, provides a significant threat to global health. In conclusion, the unvaccinated have caused impacts far beyond that of population health; they have also posed a burden to healthcare systems, the economy, and global public health.     

Focus: Personalized Medicine: Precision in Addiction Care: Does It Make a Difference?

This perspective article explores the possibilities of precision in addiction care — even better individually fitted or tailor-made care — and examines what changes we need to make in order to realize sensible progress in epidemiological key figures. The first part gives a short review on the development of addiction care and tries to answer the question of where we stand now and what has been achieved in addiction science through the development and evaluation of interventions in the past decades. Following this analysis, attention will be paid to what lies ahead. This second part focuses on the question of how addiction care can deal with the consequences of the emerging paradigm of personalized or precision medicine, which is based on the fundamental assumption that individual differences matter. Finally, some limitations and conditions as well as tasks and goals for progress are raised. In conclusion, it is argued that integration of addiction care in (mental) health care in the future is desirable.     

Thermoluminescence: theory

Thermoluminescence (TL) probes the emission of luminescence associated with the de-trapping of a radical pair as the temperature is increased. This technique has proved useful for characterizing the energetic arrangement of cofactors in photosynthetic reaction centers. In the original TL theory, stemming from solid-state physics, the radical pair recombination was considered to coincide with the light-emitting process. In photosynthetic systems, however, recombination takes place through various routes among which the radiative pathway generally represents a relatively minor leak, and the theoretical framework must be modified accordingly. The radiative route is the one with the largest activation energy and is thus (still) more disfavored at low temperature, so that during the heating process, the TL peak tends to lag behind the decay of the radical pair. A consequence is that the integrated luminescence emission increases with the heating rate. In this article, we examine how the characteristics of the TL emission depend on the redox potentials of the cofactors, showing good agreement between theory and experimental studies on Photosystem (PS) II mutants. We also analyze the effect on (thermo-) luminescence of the connectivity of the light-harvesting pigment antenna, and show that while this should affect significantly luminescence kinetics at room temperature, the effect on TL is expected to be small.     

Bioethics: power and injustice: IAB presidential address

A major focus within the modern bioethics debate has been on reshaping power relationships within the doctor-patient relationship. Empowerment of the vulnerable has been achieved through an emphasis on human rights and respect for individual dignity. However, power imbalances remain pervasive within healthcare. To a considerable extent this relates to insufficient attention to social injustice. Such power imbalances together with the development of new forms of power, for example through new genetic biotechnology, raise the spectre of increasing social injustice. Attention will be drawn to the need to extend the bioethics debate to include ethical considerations regarding public health. Changes in political philosophy will also be required to reshape international power relations and improve population health.     

Effects of three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P stoichiometry: a global synthesis

Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing number of controlled‐manipulative experiments to investigate how plants and soils might respond to global change. These experiments typically examined the effects of each of three global change drivers [i.e., nitrogen (N) deposition, warming, and elevated CO₂] on primary productivity and on the biogeochemistry of carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) across different terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we capitalize on this large amount of information by performing a comprehensive meta‐analysis (>2000 case studies worldwide) to address how C:N:P stoichiometry of plants, soils, and soil microbial biomass might respond to individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers. Our results show that (i) individual effects of N addition and elevated CO₂ on C:N:P stoichiometry are stronger than warming, (ii) combined effects of pairs of global change drivers (e.g., N addition + elevated CO₂, warming + elevated CO₂) on C:N:P stoichiometry were generally weaker than the individual effects of each of these drivers, (iii) additive interactions (i.e., when combined effects are equal to or not significantly different from the sum of individual effects) were more common than synergistic or antagonistic interactions, (iv) C:N:P stoichiometry of soil and soil microbial biomass shows high homeostasis under global change manipulations, and (v) C:N:P responses to global change are strongly affected by ecosystem type, local climate, and experimental conditions. Our study is one of the first to compare individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P ratios using a large set of data. To further improve our understanding of how ecosystems might respond to future global change, long‐term ecosystem‐scale studies testing multifactor effects on plants and soils are urgently required across different world regions.     

Focus: Zoonotic Disease: The Tragedy of Names

The naming of pathogens and their associated syndromes is a thorny process which unfolds in a complex geopolitical environment. This brief piece offers perspective on the multitude of forces that shape the name of a pathogen and summarizes the story of Sin Nombre Virus, with some reference to the ongoing saga of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A monopoly on names and circulating monikers rarely exists, and certain communities become disproportionately impacted by misunderstandings or stigmatization. By acknowledging these processes, we can better serve as allies to affected communities dealing with both pandemic and prejudice.     

Phylogeny of Bembidion and related ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae: Bembidiini: Bembidiina)

The phylogeny of the large genus Bembidion and related genera is inferred from four nuclear protein-coding genes (CAD, wingless, arginine kinase, and topoisomerase I), ribosomal DNA (28S and 18S), and the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI). 230 of the more than 1200 species of Bembidion are sampled, as well as 26 species of five related genera, and 14 outgroups. Nuclear copies (numts) of COI were found sparsely scattered through sampled species. The resulting phylogeny, based upon individual gene analyses and combined analyses using maximum likelihood and parsimony, is very well supported at most nodes. Additional analyses explored the evidence, and corroborate the phylogeny. Seven analyses, each with one of the seven genes removed from the combined matrix, were also conducted, and yielded maximum likelihood bootstrap trees sharing over 92% of their nodes with the original, well-resolved bootstrap trees based on the complete set of seven genes. All key nodes were present in all seven analyses missing a single gene, indicating that support for these nodes comes from at least two genes. In addition, the inferred maximum likelihood tree based on the combined matrix is well-behaved and self-predicting, in that simulated evolution of sequences on the inferred tree under the inferred model of evolution yields a matrix from which all but one of the model tree's clades are recovered with bootstrap value >50, suggesting that internal branches in the tree may be of a length to yield sequences sufficient to allow their inference. All likelihood analyses were conducted under both a proportion-invariable plus gamma site-to-site rate variation model, as well as a simpler gamma model. The choice of model did not have a major effect on inferred phylogenies or their bootstrap values. The inferred phylogeny shows that Bembidarenas is not closely related to Bembidiina, and Phrypeus is likely distant as well; the remaining genera of Bembidiina form a monophyletic group. Lionepha, formerly considered a subgenus of Bembidion, is shown to be outside of the clade of Asaphidion+Bembidion, and is separated as its own genus. B. (Phyla) obtusum is quite isolated within Bembidion, and there is some evidence that the remaining Bembidion form a clade. Within Bembidion, there are three large clades that are well-supported, the Bembidion, Odontium, and Ocydromus Series. The Bembidion Series contains Bembidion (s. str.), Notaphus, Furcacampa, Emphanes, Trepanedoris, Diplocampa, and related Holarctic species; all species from South America, Australia, New Zealand; and most species from southern Africa and Madagascar. All species in South America, except for members of Notaphus and Nothocys, form a clade, the Antiperyphanes Complex, which has independently radiated into body forms and niches occupied by multiple, independent Northern-Hemisphere forms. All species from New Zealand, including Zecillenus, and Australian species formerly placed in Ananotaphus together form a clade. Bembidion (s. str.) and Cyclolopha are in a clade with the Old World, Southern Hemisphere lineages Notaphocampa, Sloanephila, and Omotaphus. The large subgenus Notaphus appears to have originated in South America, with all Northern Hemisphere Notaphus arising from within a south-temperate grade. All major variation in frontal furrows on the head is contained within the Bembidion Series. The Odontium Series contains subgenera Hirmoplataphus and Hydriomicrus, which together are the sister clade of Odontium, Bracteon, Ochthedromus, Pseudoperyphus, and Microserrullula. The very large Ocydromus Series, dominant in the Holarctic region, includes the Ocydromus Complex, with many subgenera, including Hypsipezum and Leuchydrium; the phylogeny within this group is notably at odds with the current classification. Also included in the Ocydromus Series are Nepha and Bembidionetolitzkya, as well as the Princidium Complex, in which the intertidal B. (Cillenus) laterale falls. Outside these three series are a number of smaller groups, including the Plataphus Complex (containing Blepharoplataphus, Plataphus, the latter including Plataphodes); the Hydrium Complex (Metallina, Chlorodium, and Hydrium, which contains Eurytrachelus), whose sister group might be subgenus Andrewesa; Trechonepha and Liocosmius, which might be sisters; and B. (Melomalus) planatum, which is not close to Plataphus. There is some evidence that these groups plus the Ocydromus and Odontium Series form a clade. A few enigmatic groups were harder to place. The sister group of the pair Philochthus plus Philochthemphanes might be B. wickhami; Eupetedromus is well outside the three major series and not related to Notaphus; the high-elevation Asian group Hoquedela is a very isolated lineage. Notaphiellus is removed from synonymy with Nothocys, and placed in synonymy with Notaphus; Plataphodes is synonymized with Plataphus, as Plataphus is paraphyletic otherwise; Eurytrachelus is synonymized with Hydrium. A new subgenus, Lindrochthus, is described to house the distinctive B. wickhami. The implications of the inferred phylogeny for some morphological characters used in Bembidiina systematics are explored, and some of the most widely used (e.g., location of discal seta ed3 on the elytron, and shape of the shoulder) are shown to be notably homoplastic. For example, the location of elytral seta ed3 has undergone at least nine transitions between two states.