Ulnar polydactyly

A retrospective review of 148 patients with ulnar polydactyly was conducted to analyze the types, patterns of involvement, associated anomalies, treatments, and outcomes of this malformation. The hands only were involved in 123 patients, both hands and feet in 20 patients, and five patients had mixed radial and ulnar polydactyly. Ulnar polydactyly was more prevalent among males. Among African Americans, the condition was often bilateral. When unilateral, ulnar polydactyly occurred more often on the left side. The racial distribution was 103 African Americans (70 percent), 37 Caucasians (25 percent), four Native Americans, three Latin Americans, and one Asian. Five types were encountered: type I cutaneous nubbin, type II pedunculated digit, type III articulating digit with fifth metacarpal, type IV fully developed digit with sixth metacarpal, and type V polysyndactyly. The distribution of types in order of frequency was type II, III, V, I, and IV. Types I and II ulnar polydactyly combined were more prevalent (82 percent) than types III, IV, and V (18 percent). Types I and II were more common among African Americans. Types III, IV, and V ulnar polydactyly occurred more frequently among Caucasians, but these were slightly less prevalent than types I and II in this racial group. Five patients were syndromic; four were Caucasians, and one Asian. Most cases of ulnar polydactyly of the hand were treated by ligation (71 percent) in the nursery, whereas polydactyly of the foot was more often referred to a specialist to be treated by surgical ablation (92 percent). Treatment complications occurred more frequently in the hands than in the feet. The complication rate after ligation of ulnar polydactyly of the hand was 23.5 percent. The two main complications were tender or unacceptable nubbins and infections.     

Sporadic familial polydactyly

Polydactyly is one of the most common congenital deformities of the hands. It can occur as an Isolated disorder, in association with other malformations of the hands or feet, or as part of a syndrome. It can occur sporadically but it can also be inherited with a mainly autosomal dominant inheritance. We present a family with three out of four members of the last generation with no previous history of polydactyly. Although the affected children presented different phenotypes of polydactyly, probably all three cases were the result of the same mutation seen in one of the parents. In addition no syndromic association could be found. Our experience with the management of this family's members is presented and possible etiological factors and treatment modalities are discussed.     

Apert syndrome with partial preaxial polydactyly.

Acrocephalosyndactyly type I or Apert syndrome is characterized by craniosynostosis, particular dysmorphic features and abnormalities of the hands and feet. Rarely, polydactyly of the toes has been reported, and in this event the diagnosis of Carpenter syndrome must be discussed. A case of atypical Acrocephalosyndactyly type I syndrome with partial preaxial polydactyly is reported. Despite this preaxial polydactyly a diagnosis of Apert syndrome consecutive to a new mutation was made, and the possibility of recurrence considered to be highly improbable.     

Refined crystal structures of "aged" and "non-aged" organophosphoryl conjugates of gamma-chymotrypsin

"Aged" organophosphoryl conjugates of serine hydrolases differ from the corresponding "non-aged" conjugates in their striking resistance to nucleophilic reactivation. The refined X-ray structures of "aged" and "non-aged" organophosphoryl conjugates of gamma-chymotrypsin were compared in order to understand the molecular basis for this resistance of "aged" conjugates. "Aged" and "non-aged" crystalline organophosphoryl-gamma-chymotrypsin conjugates were obtained by prolonged soaking of native gamma-chymotrypsin crystals with appropriate organophosphates. Thus, a representative "non-aged" conjugate, diethylphosphoryl-gamma-chymotrypsin, was obtained by soaking native crystals with paraoxon (diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate), and a closely related "aged" conjugate, monoisopropyl-gamma-chymotrypsin, was obtained by soaking with diisopropylphosphorofluoridate. In both crystalline conjugates, the refined structures clearly reveal a high occupancy of the active site by the appropriate organophosphoryl moiety within covalent bonding distance of Ser195 O gamma. Whereas in the "non-aged" conjugate both ethyl groups can be visualized clearly, in the putative "aged" conjugate, as expected, only one isopropyl group is present. There is virtually no difference between the "aged" and "non-aged" conjugates either with respect to the conformation of the polypeptide backbone as a whole or with respect to the positioning of the side-chains within the active site. In the "aged" conjugate, however, close proximity (2.6 A) of the negatively charged phosphate oxygen atom of the dealkylated organophosphoryl group to His57 N epsilon 2 indicates the presence of a salt bridge between these two moieties. In contrast, in the "non-aged" conjugate the DEP moiety retains its two alkyl groups; thus, lacking a negative oxygen atom, it does not enter into such a charge-charge interaction and its nearest oxygen atom is 3.6 A away from His57 N epsilon 2. It is suggested that steric constraints imposed by the salt bridge in the "aged" conjugate lie at the basis of its resistance to reactivation.     

蕲州地区的蕲艾、青蒿、黄花蒿与茵陈的考订

<正> 蕲州是我国中药材主要产地之一,是湖北省蕲春县的一个集镇,,是我国中医药大师李时珍的家乡。该地区生长的菊科蒿属植物Artemisia Linn。颇多,其中入药的有十余种,并在李时珍《本草纲目》中曾有记载。这里仅对该地区常见入药的蕲艾、青蒿、黄花蒿与茵陈结合《本草纲目》记载的材料作初步的考订。     

Orienting reflex: "targeting reaction" and "searchlight of attention"

The concept of orienting reflex based on the principle of vector coding of cognitive and executive processes is proposed. The orienting reflex to non-signal and signal stimuli is a set of orienting reactions: motor, autonomic, neuronal, and subjective emphasizing new and significant stimuli. Two basic mechanisms can be identified within the orienting reflex: a "targeting reaction" and a "searchlight of attention". In the visual system the first one consists in a foveation of a target stimulus. The foveation is performed with participation of premotor neurons excited by saccadic command neurons of the superior colliculi. The "searchlight of attention" is based on the resonance of gamma-oscillations in the reticular thalamus selectively enhancing responses of cortical neurons (involuntary attention). The novelty signal is generated in novelty neurons of the hippocampus, which are selectively tuned to a repeatedly presented standard stimulus. The selective tuning is caused by the depression of plastic synapses representing a "neuronal model" of the standard stimulus. A mismatch of the novel stimulus with the established neuronal model gives rise to a "novelty signal" enhancing the novel input. The novelty signal inhibits current conditioned reflexes (external inhibition) contributing to redirecting the behavior. By triggering the expression of early genes the novelty signal initiates the formation of the long-term memory connected with neoneurogenesis.     

Circumventing the polydactyly 'constraint': the mole's 'thumb'

Talpid moles across all northern continents exhibit a remarkably large, sickle-like radial sesamoid bone anterior to their five digits, always coupled with a smaller tibial sesamoid bone. A possible developmental mechanism behind this phenomenon was revealed using molecular markers during limb development in the Iberian mole (Talpa occidentalis) and a shrew (Cryptotis parva), as shrews represent the closest relatives of moles but do not show these conspicuous elements. The mole's radial sesamoid develops later than true digits, as shown by Sox9, and extends into the digit area, developing in relation to an Msx2-domain at the anterior border of the digital plate. Fgf8 expression, marking the apical ectodermal ridge, is comparable in both species. Developmental peculiarities facilitated the inclusion of the mole's radial sesamoid into the digit series; talpid moles circumvent the almost universal pentadactyly constraint by recruiting wrist sesamoids into their digital region using a novel developmental pathway and timing.     

Congenital scalp defects associated with postaxial polydactyly

Summary A family is reported, several members of which had congenital scalp defects and postaxial polydactyly type A, with wide variability of expression. The hypothesis is formulated that this association is not fortuitous, but is a distinct malformation complex in which congenital scalp defects are associated with distinct malformation of the limbs.     

Binding of lectins to "young" and "old" human erythrocytes

"Old" human erythrocytes showed a 21.2% decrease in cell surface area and a 2% decrease in the number of WGA receptor sites, but a 27% increase in the distribution density of the WGA (lectin) receptor site, when compared with "young" human erythrocytes. For a list of lectin abbreviations, see Materials and methods). Both "young" and "old" erythrocytes exhibited very weak binding activity for 125I-labeled PNA, but there was no difference in binding activity for PNA between "young" erythrocytes and "old" ones. Compared with "young" erythrocytes, decreases in the number and distribution density of receptor sites for five lectins including LPA, Con A, RCA-II, SBA and BPA on the cell surface were observed in aged erythrocytes. "Old" erythrocytes also showed a decrease in the number of PHA-E receptor sites, while the distribution density of the same receptor site remained unchanged. In view of these and other observations, it is thought that human erythrocyte aging is accompanied by elimination of some glycoconjugates which have affinity for six lectins, LPA, Con A, RCA-II, PHA-E, SBA and BPA, whereas no WGA receptor-containing glycoconjugates are released from erythrocyte membranes. Elimination of the glycoconjugates results in shrinkage of erythrocytes to reduce their cell surface areas.     

Chinchilla "big" and "little" gastrins

Gastrin heptadecapeptides (gastrins I and II which differ in the presence of sulfate on the tyrosine of the latter) have been purified and sequenced from several mammalian species including pig, dog, cat, sheep, cow, human and rat. A 34 amino acid precursor ("big" gastrin), generally accounting for only 5% of total gastrin immunoreactivity, has been purified and sequenced only from the pig, human, dog and goat. Recently we have demonstrated that guinea pig (GP) "little" gastrin is a hexadecapeptide due to a deletion of a glutamic acid in the region 6-9 from its NH2-terminus and that GP "big" gastrin is a 33 amino acid peptide. The chinchilla, like the GP, is a New World hystricomorph. This report describes the extraction and purification of "little" and "big" gastrins from 31 chinchilla antra. Chinchilla "little" gastrin is a hexadecapeptide with a sequence identical to that of the GP and its "big" gastrin is a 33 amino acid peptide with the following sequence: (See text)     

Rethinking Ancient Maya Social Organization: Replacing "Lineage" with "House"

Long-standing disagreements concerning prehispanic Maya kinship and social organization have focused on the nature of their corporate groups, generally presumed to have been lineages. Specific debates center on whether the lineages were patrilineal or incorporated some kind of double-descent reckoning, how descent was combined with locality to define a group, and the status of lineage-outsiders within a group. It is argued here that Maya social organization is better approached within the contemporary critique of kinship, replacing "lineage" with Lévi-Strauss's model of the "house"—a corporate group maintaining an estate perpetuated by the recruitment of members whose relationships are expressed "in the language" of kinship and affinity and affirmed by purposeful actions. In this perspective, the operation of corporate groups is the primary concern, and relationships construed in terms of consanguinity and affinity are seen as strategies pursued to enhance and perpetuate the group, [ancestor veneration, house society, kinship, Maya, social organization]     

Genetical and epidemiological studies of polydactyly in Hungary

Polydactyly is one of the most frequently observed human congenital limb malformations. Sporadic cases of polydactyly have been described, but most show an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of polydactyly among children born between 1980 and 1997 in Hungary. The predominance of the postaxial type over the preaxial one was less than expected. These malformations affected significantly more boys than girls. The proportion of children with low birth weight affected by polydactyly was higher than expected. Among mothers giving life to offspring with polydactyly, the prevalence was high in the older age group. We analysed the regional distribution in Hungary and the twin frequency in connection with polydactyly. From our results comparing it to the current literature data we made conclusions about the possible causes of the development of polydactyly.     

Reducing ambiguity in describing plant–insect interactions: "preference", "acceptability" and "electivity"

Ecologists and evolutionary biologists have a common interest in plant–insect interactions. Ecologists develop terminology describing patterns of association between plants and insects, while evolutionary biologists use the same words to denote potentially heritable traits of individuals. Use of the same terms to describe both traits of the interaction and traits of the organisms hinders communication. An example is "preference", often used by ecologists to denote properties of the plant–insect interaction and by behavioural or evolutionary biologists to denote insect traits. The existing term "electivity" could be incorporated into the lexicon of plant–insect interactions to supplant the ecological use of "preference". The term "preference" would then denote a behavioural trait of the insect. The mirror-image trait of the plant would be "acceptability". This could be a step towards a common terminology that would be usable by both ecologists and evolutionists.     

"Timers" and "scanners" among orientation detectors in cat visual cortex

Experiments were carried out on immobilized cats to determine whether, among visual cortical neurons, besides the "scanners" described by the writers previously, which are responsible for a dynamic shift of preferred orientation, there exist also "timer" cells, which do not change the temporal parameters of their responses during rotation of a flashing stimulus. The existence of such cells is postulated on the basis of the previous hypothesis on the spatiotemporal principle of orientational coding. Of 76 neurons tested 27, i.e., 36%, were classed as "timers." They differed significantly from the "scanners" (64%) by the following properties: shorter latent periods, shorter time to the peak and duration of responses, more rapid rise of discharge frequently in the volley. The "timers" had less sharp orientational tuning and a low ratio between values of responses to presentation of preferred and worst stimuli (on account of a considerable increase in responses to unpreferred orientations). The set of preferred orientations of the "timers" was found to be highly selective and additional relative to the corresponding distribution for "scanners."The difference in frequency-temporal properties of responses and orientational tuning of the "timers" and "scanners" and their possible mutually complementary role in orientational coding at the visual cortical level are discussed.Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 35–43, January–February, 1985.     

The Slide-Sealing Compound "Glyceel"

"Glyceel" has been considered for many years to be the best sealant for whole mounts of soil, plant-parasitic, freshwater, and marine nematodes. However, "Glyceel" has not been available since the mid 1980s when its production was halted. Currently available substitutes are inadequate. The original formula for "Glyceel" has been found in the literature and is given here with a method of preparation. "Glyceel" prepared in this way by the author has been used and appears to function well.     

Effectiveness of evaluating bulls according to their progeny by the "daughters-mothers" and "daughters-peers" methods

The repeatability coefficient of sire evaluation by daughters performance in different lactations was 0.38-0.70, that suggests the necessity to specify annually the previous sire evaluation on receiving new daughters performance data. When using the "daughters-mothers" method the repeatability coefficients of sire evaluation by dairy indexes, milk fat content and total milk fat production (0.41, 0.52 and 0.45 respectively) were significantly higher than those obtained by the "daughters-herdmates" method (0.25, 0.30 and 0.28 respectively). Thus, sire progeny testing evaluation should be carried out simultaneously by both methods. Nevertheless, the "daughters-mothers" method is preferable.     

Specific congenital heart defects in RSH/Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome: postulated involvement of the sonic hedgehog pathway in syndromes with postaxial polydactyly or heterotaxia

BACKGROUND

RSH/Smith‐Lemli‐Opitz syndrome is an autosomal recessive syndrome due to an inborn error of cholesterol metabolism and is characterized by developmental delay, facial anomalies, hypospadias, congenital heart defect (CHD), postaxial polydactyly, and 2–3 toe syndactyly. CHD is found in half of the propositi, and a specific association with atrioventricular canal defect (AVCD) and anomalous pulmonary venous return has been demonstrated.

METHODS

We report on an additional patient with RSH/SLOS presenting with complete AVCD and anomalous pulmonary venous return, and discuss the possible relationship of the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathway as causative factor of these CHDs and those in heterotaxia patients with postaxial polydactyly syndromes.

RESULTS

Anatomic similarities between heterotaxia and CHDs of several syndromes with postaxial polydactyly have been noted previously, considering the frequent association of AVCD with common atrium in these conditions. It is known that both CHDs of heterotaxia and postaxial polydactyly can be related to abnormalities of the SHH pathway. Cholesterol has a critical role in the formation of normally active hedgehog proteins. It could be hypothesized that specific types of CHDs in RSH/SLOS can be caused by modifications of the SHH protein related to the defect of cholesterol biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

The specific association of AVCD and anomalous pulmonary venous return in patients with RSH/SLOS and the finding of AVCD ± common atrium in several syndromes with polydactyly leads to the hypothesis that heterotaxia due to SHH anomalies could be involved in a large spectrum of conditions. Perturbations in different components of the SHH pathway could lead to several developmental errors presenting with partially overlapping clinical manifestations. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 67149–153, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

     

"Ischemia/reperfusion" for stem cells of two "critical" cell renewal systems of organism

In this article is presented the result of the experiments on mice-hybrids F1(CBA x C57B1/6), which indicates the presence of the reaction of "ischemia/reperfusion" for stem cells of two "critical" cell renewal systems of organism (bone marrow and intestinal epithelium) during the irradiation under the conditions of hypoxic radioprotector application. The additional injection of the source of nitric oxide radicals-sodum nitroprusside (SNT) to the mice right after the irradiation under the conditions of hypoxic protection by serotonin, resulted the substantial increase of the survival rate of hematopoietic stem cells (registered by the methods of endogenous and exogenous colony forming in spleen) and stem cells of intestinal epithelium (registered by the method of intestinal "microcolonies"). The similar radioprotective effect was also registered during the test of survival rate of mice under tests of "bone marrow" and "intestinal" forms of radiation lethality that is evidence of the importance of the realization of phenomenon "ischemia/reperfusion" in the reaction of whole organism on the acute radiation injury. As SNP weakens the manifestation apoptosis and necrosis through competition with active forms of oxygen (AFO) during the period of "reperfusion" on basis of the found out phenomenon experimental model for studying mechanisms of stem cells damage in vivo induced by AFO and for the search of the modifiers weakening or strengthening such damage can be developed.     

Response to "The anglerfish deception"

The correspondents argue that “The anglerfish deception” contains omissions, errors, misunderstandings and misinterpretations.EMBO reports (2012) advanced online publication; doi: 10.1038/embor.2012.71EMBO reports (2012) 13 2, 100–105; doi: 10.1038/embor.2011.254The commentary [1] on aspects of genetically modified organism (GMO) regulation, risk assessment and risk management in the EU contains omissions, errors, misunderstandings and misinterpretations. As background, environmental risk assessment (ERA) of genetically modified (GM) plants for cultivation in the EU is conducted by applicants following principles and data requirements described in the Guidance Document (ERA GD) established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [2], which follows the tenets of Directive 2001/18/EC. The ERA GD was not referenced in [1], which wrongly referred only to EFSA guidance that does not cover ERA. Applications for cultivation of a GM plant containing the ERA, submitted to the European Commission (EC), are checked by the EFSA to ensure they address all the requirements specified in its ERA GD [2]. A lead Member State (MS) is then appointed to conduct the initial evaluation of the application, requesting further information from the applicant if required. The MS evaluation is forwarded to the EC, EFSA and all other MSs. Meanwhile, all other MSs can comment on the application and raise concerns. The EFSA GMO Panel carefully considers the content of the application, the lead MS Opinion, other MSs'' concerns, all relevant data published in the scientific literature, and the applicant''s responses to its own requests for further information. The Panel then delivers its Opinion on the application, which covers all the potential environmental areas of risk listed in 2001/18/EC. This Opinion is sent to the EC, all MSs and the applicant and published in the EFSA journal (efsa.europa.eu). Panel Opinions on GM plants for cultivation consider whether environmental harm might be caused, and, if so, suggest possible management to mitigate these risks, and make recommendations for post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM). The final decision on whether to allow the cultivation of GM plants, and any specific conditions for management and monitoring, rests with the EC and MSs and is not within the remit of the EFSA.Against this background we respond to several comments in [1]. Regarding the Comparative Safety Assessment of GM plants and whether or not further questions are asked following this assessment, the Comparative Safety Assessment, described fully in [2], is not a ‘first step''. It is a general principle that forms a central part of the ERA process, as introduced in section 2.1 of [2]. Each ERA starts with problem formulation and identification, facilitating a structured approach to identifying potential risks and scientific uncertainties; following this critical first step many further questions must be asked and addressed. In [2] it is clearly stated that all nine specific areas of risk listed in 2001/18/EC must be addressed—persistence and invasiveness; vertical gene flow; horizontal gene flow; interactions with target organisms; interactions with non-target organisms; human health; animal health; biogeochemical processes; cultivation, management and harvesting techniques. Under the Comparative Safety Assessment, following problem formulation, each of these areas of risk must be assessed by using a six-step approach, involving hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, risk characterization, risk management strategies and an overall risk evaluation and conclusion. Indeed, far from asking “no further questions” [1], the EFSA GMO Panel always sends a sequence of written questions to the applicant as part of the ERA process to achieve a complete set of data to support the ERA evaluation (on average about ten per application).The principle of comparative analysis in ERA—sometimes referred to as substantial equivalence in the risk assessment of food and feed—is not discredited. The comparative approach is supported by all of the world''s leading national science academies [for example, 3]; none has recommended an alternative. The principle is enshrined in risk assessment guidelines issued by all relevant major international bodies, including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Critics of this approach have failed to propose any credible alternative baseline to risk assess GMOs. The comparative analysis as described in [2] is not a substitute for a safety assessment, but is a tool within the ERA [4] through which comparisons are made with non-GM counterparts in order to identify hazards associated with the GM trait, the transformation process and the associated management systems, which are additional to those impacts associated with the non-GM plant itself. The severity and frequency of these hazards are then quantified in order to assess the levels of risks associated with the novel features of the GM plant and its cultivation.European Parliament (EP) communications include that “the characteristics of the receiving environments and the geographical areas in which GM plants may be cultivated should be duly taken into account”. We agree, and the ERA GD [2] recognizes explicitly that receiving environments differ across the EU, and that environmental impacts might differ regionally. Therefore, the ERA GD [2] demands that such differences be fully accounted for in cultivation applications and that receiving environments be assessed separately in each of the nine specific areas of risk (see section 2.3.2). Furthermore, [2] states in section 3.5 that the ERA should consider scenarios representative of the diversity of situations that might occur and assess their potential implications. The EP communications state that “the long-term environmental effects of GM crops, as well as their potential effects on non-target organisms, should be rigorously assessed”. This is covered explicitly in section 2.3.4 of [2], and developed in the recent guidance on PMEM [5].The EFSA is committed to openness, transparency and dialogue and meets regularly with a wide variety of stakeholders including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) [6] to discuss GMO topics. That the EFSA is neither a centralized nor a singular voice of science in the EU is clear, because the initial report on the ERA is delivered by a MS, not the EFSA; all MSs can comment on the ERA; and EFSA GMO Panel Opinions respond transparently to every concern raised by each MS. Following publication, the EFSA regularly attends the SCFCAH Committee (comprising MS representatives) to account for its Opinions. The involvement of all MSs in the evaluation process ensures that concerns relating to their environments are addressed in the ERA. Subsequently, MSs can contribute to decisions on the management and monitoring of GM plants in their territories if cultivation is approved.In recent years, several MSs have used the ‘safeguard clause'', Article 23 of 2001/18/EC, to attempt to ban the cultivation of specific GM plants in their territories, despite earlier EFSA Panel Opinions on those plants. But the claim that “the risk science of the EFSA''s GM Panel has been publicly disputed in Member State''s justifications of their Article 23 prohibitions” needs to be placed into context [1]. When a safeguard clause (SC) is issued by a MS, the EFSA GMO Panel is often asked by the EC to deliver an Opinion on the scientific basis of the SC. The criteria on which to judge the documentation accompanying a SC are whether: (i) it represents new scientific evidence—and is not just repetition of information previously assessed—that demonstrates a risk to human and animal health and the environment; and (from the guidance notes to Annex II of 2001/18/EC) (ii) it is proportionate to the level of risk and to the level of uncertainty. It is pertinent that on 8 September 2011, the EU Court of Justice ruled that ‘with a view to the adoption of emergency measures, Article 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 requires Member States to establish, in addition to urgency, the existence of a situation which is likely to constitute a clear and serious risk to human health, animal health or the environment''. Scientific literature is monitored continually by the Panel and relevant new work is examined to determine whether it raises any new safety concern. In all cases where the EFSA was consulted by the EC, there has been no new scientific information presented that would invalidate the Panel''s previous assessment.Throughout [1] the text demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the distinction between ERA and risk management. ERA is the responsibility of the EFSA, although it is asked for its opinion on risk management methodology by the EC. Risk management implementation is the responsibility of the EC and MSs. Hence, the setting of protection goals is an issue for risk managers and might vary between MSs. However, the ERA GD [2], through its six-step approach, makes it mandatory for applications to relate the results of any studies directly to limits of environmental concern that reflect protection goals and the level of change deemed acceptable. Indeed, the recent EFSA GMO Panel Opinions on Bt-maize events [for example, 7] have been written specifically to provide MSs and risk managers with the tools to adapt the results of the quantified ERA to their own local protection goals. This enables MSs to implement risk management and PMEM proportional to the risks identified in their territories.The EFSA GMO Panel comprises independent researchers, appointed for their expertise following an open call to the scientific community. The Panel receives able support from staff of the EFSA GMO Unit and numerous ad hoc members of its working groups. It has no agenda and is neither pro- or anti-GMOs; its paramount concern is the quality of the science underpinning its Guidance Documents and Opinions.     

On the Other "Phylogenetic Systematics"

De Queiroz and Gauthier, in a serial paper, argue that biological taxonomy is in a sad state, because taxonomists harbor "widely held belief" systems that are archaic and insufficient for modern classification, and that the bulk of practicing taxonomists are essentialists. Their paper argues for the scrapping of the current system of nomenclature, but fails to provide specific rules for the new "Phylogenetic Systematics"—instead we have been presented with a vague and sketchy manifesto based upon the assertion that "clades are individuals" and therefore must be pointed at with proper names, rather than diagnosed by synapomorphies. They claim greater stability for "node pointing," yet even their own examples show that the opposite is true, and their node pointing system is only more stable in a purely metaphysical sense detached from characters, evidence, usage of names, and composition of groups. We will show that the node pointing system is actually far LESS stable than the existing Linnaean System when stability is measured by the rational method of determining the net change in taxa (species) included in a particular group under different classifications.