Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relations of salmon trematode Nanophyetus japonensis

Nanophyetiasis is the severe zoonotic disease caused by parasitic worms from the genus Nanophyetus. Humans and carnivorous animals become infected when they ingest raw fish containing metacercariae, especially Pacific salmonids. Nanophyetiasis is detected in limited geographical areas which include the coastal regions of the North Pacific: the United States of America, Russian Federation and Japan. Despite the epidemiological significance, Nanophyetus species have not been well studied genetically. In this research, we for the first time explored genetic diversity of Nanophyetus japonensis from Japan in comparison with those of related species, N. salmincola from North America and N. schikhobalowi from the Russian Far East, based on sequence variation in the nuclear ribosomal gene family (18S, ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 and 28S) and mitochondrial nad1 gene, encoding subunit I of the respiratory chain NADH dehydrogenase. The results confirmed the independent species status for the compared flukes, demonstrated a greater genetic similarity of Asian species between themselves than each of them with the North American one, suggesting that N. japonensis and N. schikhobalowi are close sister species, and also revealed discrepancy between the levels of morphological and genetic differentiation.     

Organ transplantation in Bulgaria

The transplantation program in Bulgaria started in 1968 with renal transplantations to a child and adult woman. In 1986 the first heart transplantation was performed. To date a total of 10 heart transplants have been performed, including one combined heart/lung. A liver transplantation program was launched in 2005 with a total number of 16 transplantations—7 from living donors and 9 from deceased donors. The highest transplantation activity is registered in the field of renal transplantation. During the period 1980–2006, 462 Bulgarian recipients of kidney were transplanted in Bulgaria. The ratio between transplantations from deceased and living related donors is approximately 1:0.9. Annual transplantation activity varies among the years from 1 to 12 renal transplantations p.m.p./per year. The 1- (80.7% vs. 63.1%), 5- (57.86% vs. 39.0%) and 10-year (42.65% vs. 23.62%) graft survival rates are higher for recipients of living donor kidneys compared to those of deceased donor. In 1983 a National kidney waiting list was established. Currently the number of the registered patients eligible for renal transplantation is 885. The proportion of sensitized patients in the waiting list is 20.45% and 4.34% of them are hyperimmunized. Recently HLAMatchmaker program has been implemented not only for sensitized patients but also for those with rare alleles and haplotypes. Post-transplant immunological monitoring showed a strong association between alloantibody presence and delayed graft function (Chi-square = 10.73, P < 0.001), acute rejection (Chi-square = 14.504, P < 0.001), chronic rejection (Chi-square = 12.84, P < 0.001) and graft loss (Chi-square = 20.283, P < 0.001). Based on the experience in our transplant center a strategy for improvement of long-term renal graft survival was developed and implemented.     

The peculiarities of the morphogenesis of some forms of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus angustifolius</Emphasis> L.: III. The peculiarities of branching and sooting

The conducted research has shown that acrotony characterizes the sort Nemchinovsky 846 and bazitony is usual for the sorts with unlimited branching. Concerning the sort Nemchinovsky 846, its auxiliary buds and shoots unfolded from them twice outnumber the auxiliary buds and shoots of the sort Ladny and 1.5 outnumber the sort Dikaf 14. The realization of buds into the shoots depended both on their location in the shoot system and on the weather conditions.     

NLStradamus: a simple Hidden Markov Model for nuclear localization signal prediction

Background  

Nuclear localization signals (NLSs) are stretches of residues within a protein that are important for the regulated nuclear import of the protein. Of the many import pathways that exist in yeast, the best characterized is termed the 'classical' NLS pathway. The classical NLS contains specific patterns of basic residues and computational methods have been designed to predict the location of these motifs on proteins. The consensus sequences, or patterns, for the other import pathways are less well-understood.     

Natural products and their derivatives as inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase: potential treatment for type 2 diabetes

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) (EC 2.4.1.1) is an important therapeutic target for the potential treatment of type 2 diabetes. The search for potent, selective and drug-like GP inhibitors which may eventually lead to hypoglycaemic agents has to date uncovered a number of natural product inhibitors with both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential. GP is an allosteric protein with at least six different ligand binding sites that modulate its enzymatic activity. Hence, inhibitors with considerable structural diversity can be designed. This review is focused on advances in the discovery of natural products and their derivatives as GP inhibitors.     

Fungi from Geothermal Soils in Yellowstone National Park

Geothermal soils near Amphitheater Springs in Yellowstone National Park were characterized by high temperatures (up to 70°C), high heavy metal content, low pH values (down to pH 2.7), sparse vegetation, and limited organic carbon. From these soils we cultured 16 fungal species. Two of these species were thermophilic, and six were thermotolerant. We cultured only three of these species from nearby cool (0 to 22°C) soils. Transect studies revealed that higher numbers of CFUs occurred in and below the root zone of the perennial plant Dichanthelium lanuginosum (hot springs panic grass). The dynamics of fungal CFUs in geothermal soil and nearby nongeothermal soil were investigated for 12 months by examining soil cores and in situ mesocosms. For all of the fungal species studied, the temperature of the soil from which the organisms were cultured corresponded with their optimum axenic growth temperature.