Parsimony, likelihood, and simplicity

The latest charge against parsimony in phylogenetic inference is that it involves estimating too many parameters. The charge is derived from the fact that, when each character is allowed a branch length vector of its own (instead of the homogeneous branch lengths assumed in current likelihood models), the results for likelihood and parsimony are identical. Parsimony, however, can also be derived from simpler models, involving fewer parameters. Therefore, parsimony provides (as many authors had argued before) the simplest explanation of the data, or the most realistic, depending on one's views. If (as argued by likelihoodists) phylogenetic inference is to use the simplest model that provides sufficient explanation of the data, the starting point of phylogenetic analyses should be parsimony, not maximum likelihood. If the addition of new parameters (which increase the likelihood) to a parsimony estimation is seen as desirable, this may lead to a preference for results based on current likelihood models. If the addition of parameters is continued, however, the results will eventually come back to the same place where they had started, since allowing each character a branch length of its own also produces parsimony. Parsimony can be justified by very different types of models—either very complex or very simple. This suggests that parsimony does have a unique place among methods of phylogenetic estimation.     

LBL, a novel, developmentally regulated, laminin-binding lectin.

A 190/220-kDa complex found in integrin preparations was purified, and monoclonal antibodies were raised against it. The immunoaffinity-purified complex appears to be a trimer of very similar or identical 70-kDa subunits. It is a novel extracellular matrix molecule as determined by its subunit composition, N-terminal amino acid sequence, and in vivo localization. It is distributed widely in basement membranes including those from muscle, nerve, and kidney. It is also present in connective tissue regions such as perineurium and perimysium. It has the unusual property that it is initially expressed very late in avian development near the time of hatching. This protein is found to copurified with integrin because it binds to the carbohydrate support in Sepharose. Hemagglutination assays with mono- and disaccharides show that it functions as a lectin with galactoside-binding specificity. This protein is also found to bind strongly and specifically to laminin at a site distinct from its lectin activity, but does not bind to fibronectin or type IV collagen. The protein appears to be conserved and is a common contaminant of many laminin preparations. We call this novel protein "LBL" for laminin-binding lectin.     

Hereditary cancer: family history, diagnosis, molecular genetics, ecogenetics, and management strategies

The translation of knowledge about hereditary breast cancer and its improved control, as well as prevention through prophylactic surgery, has been significantly accelerated through the veritable explosive discoveries in molecular genetics inclusive of BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations. Needed however, among the physician community, medical geneticists, and genetic counselors, is a raised level of knowledge about hereditary breast cancer syndromes. Particular attention needs to be given to their extant genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity, their natural history, and foremost, the requirement of a sufficiently detailed family history, with knowledge as to how to interpret its significance so that hereditary cancer syndrome can be diagnosed, should it, in fact, exist in the particular family. Collectively, surveillance and management programs can then be developed for the patient and his or her high-risk relatives. We believe very firmly that this knowledge needs to be extended to the individual patient(s), first- and second-degree relatives so that they can benefit from this knowledge.     

Acrylamide: its metabolism, developmental and reproductive effects, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity

Monomeric acrylamide is an important industrial chemical primarily used in the production of polymers and copolymers. It is also used for producing grouts and soil stabilizers. Acrylamide's neurotoxic properties have been well documented. This review will focus on pertinent information concerning other, non-neurotoxic, effects observed after exposure to acrylamide, including: its genotoxic, carcinogenic, reproductive, and developmental effects. It will also cover its absorption, metabolism, and distribution. The data show that acrylamide is capable of inducing genotoxic, carcinogenic, developmental, and reproductive effects in tested organisms. Thus, acrylamide may pose more than a neurotoxic health hazard to exposed humans. Acrylamide is a small organic molecule with very high water solubility. These properties probably facilitate its rapid absorption and distribution throughout the body. After absorption, acrylamide is rapidly metabolized, primarily by glutathione conjugation, and the majority of applied material is excreted within 24 h. Preferential bioconcentration of acrylamide and/or its metabolites is not observed although it appears to persist in tests and skin. Acrylamide can bind to DNA, presumably via a Michael addition-type reaction, which has implications for its genotoxic and carcinogenic potential. The available evidence suggests that acrylamide does not produce detectable gene mutations, but that the major concern for its genotoxicity is its clastogenic activity. This clastogenic activity has been observed in germinal tissues which suggest the possible heritability of acrylamide-induced DNA alterations. Since there is 'sufficient evidence' of carcinogenicity in experimental animals as outlined under the U.S. EPA proposed guidelines for carcinogen risk assessment, acrylamide should be categorized as a 'B2' carcinogen and therefore be considered a 'probable human carcinogen.' The very limited human epidemiological data do not provide sufficient evidence to enable one to judge the actual carcinogenic risk to humans. Acrylamide is able to cross the placenta, reach significant concentrations in the conceptus and produce direct developmental and post-natal effects in rodent offspring. It appears that acrylamide may produce neurotoxic effects in neonates from exposures not overtly toxic to the mothers. Acrylamide has an adverse effect on reproduction as evidenced by dominant lethal effects, degeneration of testicular epithelial tissue, and sperm-head abnormalities.     

An Alien Species,Sisymbrium orientale (Brassicaceae) , Emerged in Yunnan,China

A alien plant species , Sysimbrium orientale L . (Brassicaceae ) is recorded in Yunnan , China in the paper . The species has been found invading the ecosystems of croplands and grasslands in Australia . Although it was previously recorded in China, there′s no alert report about it .Because the very small and mass-produced seed in siliques was dispersed by wind , the species can be potentially invasive . The result of our investigation indicated that there was a spreading trend of S. orientale in suburbs of Kunming, Central Yunnan . The biological characteristics and current status in Kunming were reported. We appealed to relevant government departments to make efforts to make a further investigation of its distribution and its invasion route . Assessment of its invasiveness in China is needed to eradicate it as early as possible to avoid its diffusion .     

Legal requirements, quality criteria, therapeutic interest and dietetics of mineral waters: study of the case of the natural mineral water of Evian

The considerable increase in mineral water sales as a daily drink reflects more or less the continued confidence in spa treatments, and this has caused the Public Authorities to set up very strict regulations in this field. We explain the main provisions of these regulations, compare mineral water with ordinary drinking water and complete this report with a study on the representative case of Evian Mineral water since it is the most exported water in the world. We emphasize the key points regarding the origin of the water which must be very well protected, its mineralization leading to its part played in dietetics and daily consumption, its use in spas and the research on its therapeutic effects, its bottling and the controls enabling its original high quality to be maintained. The conclusion reviews the motivations for the mineral water consumer: taste, quality, favorable effects on health. These motivations linked together have a varying importance according to the persons or situations involved. They result in precise requirements to be met by the producing companies in three fields: quality, advertising, credibility and scientific research.     

Allophycocyanin 1 as a near-infrared fluorescent tracer: isolation, characterization, chemical modification, and use in a homogeneous fluorescence resonance energy transfer system

Allophycocyanin 1 (APC1), isolated from Mastigocladus laminosus, retains the same (alpha-beta)(3) trimeric structure as allophycocyanin (APC), but incorporates a peptide linker in its core leading to a 28% increase in its fluorescence quantum yield compared to APC. Moreover, APC1 exhibits an unexpectedly good stability at very low concentrations, at extreme pHs, or diluted in a low ionic strength medium whereas, under the same conditions, APC dissociates into an (alpha-beta) monomer, indicating that the peptide linker acts as a stabilizer of its trimeric structure. APC1 crosslinking experiments performed using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide gave a high reaction yield (95%) and showed a similar crosslinking process as previously described for APC. Fluorescence quantum yields of crosslinked APC1 or APC decrease by 20% after labeling on antibody or streptavidin. However, quantum yields of the crosslinked APC1 conjugates remain 25% higher than those of crosslinked APC conjugates. Associated with a europium trisbipyridine cryptate as donor, crosslinked APC1 was compared with crosslinked APC as acceptor in homogeneous time resolved fluorescence technology based on a fluorescence resonance energy transfer process. Using crosslinked APC1, assay performances were increased by 20%, showing that APC1 could be considered as a very promising near infrared fluorescent probe to replace APC in its biological applications.     

Cypripedium subtropicum,a New Species Related to Selenipedilum

Cypripedium subtropicum S. C. Chen et K. Y. Lang is a phytogeographycally significant new species with its habit, inflorescence and column very similar to those of Selenipedilum of tropical America. It is found in Mêdog of southeastern Xizang, China. Its slender leafy stem bears at the summit a many-flowered raceme, amounting to 1.5 m in height. Although its ovary is unilocular—this is the reason why we place it in Cypripedium, the column characters resemble those of Selenipedilum. For example, the staminode is rather small and its long stalk is very similar in texture and color to the filament of the fertile stamens. Obviously, it is a primitive new species related to Selenipedilum based on the similarities mentioned above. In the subfamily Cypripedioideae, as generally recognized, Selenipedilum is the most primitive genus, from which or whose allies Cypripedium is derived. Of phytogeographical significance is the fact that Selenipedilum occurs in Central America and northern South America, while a cypripedium akin to it is discontinuously distributed in subtropical Asia. This suggests that Selenipedilum or Selenipedilum-like form be once continually distributed in North America and eastern Asia when the climate there was warmer, as it is in the subtropics today. The floristic relationship between Central America and subtropical Asia appears to be closer than expected, as shown by the distribution patterns of Tropidia, Erythrodes, etc. Based on the occurrence of all six sections and particularly the most primitive form in eastern Asia, Cypripedium seems to be of Asian, rather than Central American, origin. Selenipedilum possesses some very primitive characters, such as trilocular ovary, vanilla-scented fruit, seed with sclerotic testa, simple column and more or less suffrutescent habit. The latter is considered by Dahlgren & Clifford (1982) to be one of ancestral characters of monocotyledons, which is now very rare not only in Orchidaceae but also in all monocotyledons. It is indeed necessary to make further investigations on Selenipedilum and also the new species pub-lished here, as well as a detailed comparison between them.     

Dynamin GTPase,a force-generating molecular switch

Dynamin is a GTPase that regulates late events in clathrin-coated vesicle formation. Our current working model suggests that dynamin is targeted to coated pits in its unoccupied or GDP-bound form, where it is initially distributed uniformly throughout the clathrin lattice. GTP/GDP exchange triggers its release from these sites and its assembly into short helices that encircle the necks of invaginated coated pits like a collar. GTP hydrolysis, which is required for vesicle detachment, presumably induces a concerted conformation change, tightening the collar. Unlike most of its GTPase cousins that serve as molecular switches, dynamin has a low affinity for GTP, a very high intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis and functions as a homo-oligomer. A concerted conformational change resulting from coordinated GTP hydrolysis by the dynamin oligomer might be sufficient to generate force. In this case, dynamin would be the first GTPase identified that acts as a structural protein with mechano-chemical function.     

Recent advances in curdlan biosynthesis,biotechnological production,and applications

Curdlan is a water-insoluble β-(1,3)-glucan produced by Agrobacterium species under nitrogen-limited condition. Its heat-induced gelling properties render curdlan to be very useful in the food industry initially. Recent advances in the understanding of the role curdlan plays in both innate and adaptive immunity lead to its growing applications in biomedicine. Our review focuses on the recent advances on curdlan biosynthesis and the improvements of curdlan fermentation production both from our laboratory and many others as well as the latest advances on the new applications of curdlan and its derivatives particularly in their immunological functions in biomedicine.     

外来植物西亚大蒜芥在云南出现并定居

报道了云南省一新记录的外来植物——西亚大蒜芥(Sisymbrium orientaleL.)。该物种在澳大利亚入侵农田、草场,在我国虽已有分布记录,但未见到相关预警性研究报道,目前为止尚未引起重视。西亚大蒜芥种子细小,易随风传播,具有形成大面积扩散的潜力。本次调查发现该物种在云南昆明有扩大分布的趋势。建议对该物种在我国的分布进行全面调查,查清其分布状况和入侵途径,并进行种群动态监测,适时清除,避免不必要的入侵发生。     

Delphinium nortonii Dunn的重新描述

通过检查藏南翠雀花Delphinium nortonii 的主模式标本,发现《中国植物志》、《西藏植物志》和《Flora of China》中对该种的鉴定和描述有误。该种的花的退化雄蕊黑褐色,属于翠雀亚属的密花翠雀花组subgen. Delphinastrum sect. Elatopsis, 而上述几种植物志中长1以来将其置于退化雄蕊为蓝色或蓝紫色的翠雀组sect. Delphinastrum中。这几种植物志中记载的D. nortonii 实际上代表一个新种,即李恒翠雀花D. lihengianum。     

An Anti-plasmin Inhibitor,Eckol, Isolated from the Brown Alga Ecklonia kurome Okamura

The biological activities of eckol, a novel phlorotannin with a dibenzo-β-dioxine skeleton, were examined. Eckol inhibited the antiplasmin activity of a₂-plasmin inhibitor very efficiently (IC₅₀; 1.6 μg/ml) as well as those of α₂-macroglobulin and -antitrypsin. However, its inhibitory effect on the antithrombin III-heparin complex was very weak. Eckol also showed inhibitory activity on thrombin (IC₅₀; 12 μg/ml), but not on plasmin. Its inhibitory activity was reduced in whole human plasma, but at concentrations of above 200 μg/ml it enhanced urokinase-induced fibrinolysis in human plasma. Studies on the inhibitory spectra of several derivatives of eckol showed that the dibenzo-l,4-dioxane skeleton was necessary for inhibition of plasmin inhibitor. These observations suggest that eckol or its derivatives may be useful clinically for potentiating thrombolytic activity.     

Possibilities,limits and prospects in Paleopathology of the human skeleton

Without intending to minimize the importance of the study of mummies, especially those performed by our American colleagues, one must be aware that, for the foreseeable future consideration of skeletal material will be the mai source of information in Paleopathology. Therefore, it seems interesting to define the present state of our discipline, at the very time when it is coming back into favour, and is stated as an exact science. Three aspects of Paleopathology will be discussed: its possibilities, its limits and its prospects.     

Resveratrol: distribución,propiedades y perspectivas

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol which can be found in many plants and fruits, such as peanuts, mulberries, blueberries and, above all, in grapes and red wine. Its synthesis is regulated by the presence of stressful factors, such as fungal contamination and ultra-violet radiation. In plants, it plays a role as a phytoalexin, showing a capacity to inhibit the development of certain infections. Plant extracts which contain resveratrol have been employed by traditional medicine for more than 2000 years. Resveratrol was first isolated, and its properties were initially studied with scientific methods, thirty years ago. Its in vitro properties have been extensively studied and demonstrated. It is worth highlighting its activity as an anti-cancer agent, platelet anti-aggregation agent, anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic, etc. The activity of its in vivo properties are not so clear. There are many studies that report benefits on the cardiovascular system, illnesses such as diabetes, and in longevity. However, other authors did not find any agreement between in vitro and in vivo studies. This discrepancy is due to the bioavailability of resveratrol. After an oral dose, it has been demonstrated that the absorption is very high, but the metabolic pathways leave just a little free resveratrol in blood, therefore the bioavailability in the target tissues is very low and the concentrations used in in vitro studies are not found in these tissues. Thus, resveratrol is a very active molecule for maintaining health, but due to the low bioavailability not all the in vitro effects can be translated to in vivo. This opens a new potential approach, seeking derivatives of resveratrol that can be measured in the desired tissues     

Effects of serum amyloid A protein on lymphocytes, HeLa, and MRC5 cells in culture

A major human acute phase protein, the serum amyloid A protein, has been tested in vitro for its effect on lymphocyte proliferation, the formation of E-stable rosettes, as well as the growth of HeLa and MRC5 cell cultures. Serum amyloid A protein has been found to be markedly inhibitory at 30, 100, 200, and 300 micrograms/mL, and is a very potent inhibitor of in vitro biological functions.     

Morphometry,Bite-Force,and Paleobiology of the Late Miocene Caiman Purussaurus brasiliensis

Purussaurus brasiliensis thrived in the northwestern portion of South America during the Late Miocene. Although substantial material has been recovered since its early discovery, this fossil crocodilian can still be considered as very poorly understood. In the present work, we used regression equations based on modern crocodilians to present novel details about the morphometry, bite-force and paleobiology of this species. According to our results, an adult Purussaurus brasiliensis was estimated to reach around 12.5 m in length, weighing around 8.4 metric tons, with a mean daily food intake of 40.6 kg. It was capable of generating sustained bite forces of 69,000 N (around 7 metric tons-force). The extreme size and strength reached by this animal seems to have allowed it to include a wide range of prey in its diet, making it a top predator in its ecosystem. As an adult, it would have preyed upon large to very large vertebrates, and, being unmatched by any other carnivore, it avoided competition. The evolution of a large body size granted P. brasiliensis many advantages, but it may also have led to its vulnerability. The constantly changing environment on a large geological scale may have reduced its long-term survival, favoring smaller species more resilient to ecological shifts.     

Expression, purification, and characterization of deglycosylated human pro-prostate-specific antigen

Wild-type and deglycosylated forms of human prostate-specific antigen were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as zymogens. ProPSA was collected from conditioned medium and purified using a single cation-exchange chromatographic step for the deglycosylated form and cation-exchange followed by gel filtration chromatography for the wild-type form. Recombinant wild-type proPSA produced in CHO cells has an average MW of 34.5 kDa, whereas the deglycosylated proPSA has a MW of 32.4 kDa. Both forms of proPSA were activated in vitro and the kinetic properties measured for the deglycosylated PSA are very similar to those of the wild-type recombinant PSA and the native PSA isolated from seminal fluid. These results suggest that deglycosylated PSA is likely to be very similar to native PSA with respect to its three-dimensional structure and will provide a homogeneous protein preparation necessary for X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Enuresis: Causes,Cures and Cautions

Enuresis is a common benign condition that affects up to 10 percent of school children. Innumerable causes have been proposed: emotional disturbances, small bladders, infections, allergies, polyuria and deep sleep. In an effort to modify abnormal sleep, drugs such as amphetamine or imipramine are frequently prescribed. Imipramine is often very effective but its acute toxicity is not fully appreciated by many patients or their parents. Since accidental imipramine overdose is a serious matter, strict rules regarding its storage and use must be enforced.     

XpsE oligomerization triggered by ATP binding, not hydrolysis, leads to its association with XpsL

GspE belongs to a secretion NTPase superfamily, members of which are involved in type II/IV secretion, type IV pilus biogenesis and DNA transport in conjugation or natural transformation. Predicted to be a cytoplasmic protein, GspE has nonetheless been shown to be membrane-associated by interacting with the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of GspL. By taking biochemical and genetic approaches, we observed that ATP binding triggers oligomerization of Xanthomonas campestris XpsE (a GspE homolog) as well as its association with the N-terminal domain of XpsL (a GspL homolog). While isolated XpsE exhibits very low intrinsic ATPase activity, association with XpsL appears to stimulate ATP hydrolysis. Mutation at a conserved lysine residue in the XpsE Walker A motif causes reduction in its ATPase activity without significantly influencing its interaction with XpsL, congruent with the notion that XpsE-XpsL association precedes ATP hydrolysis. For the first time, functional significance of ATP binding to GspE in type II secretion system is clearly demonstrated. The implications may also be applicable to type IV pilus biogenesis.