Phylogeny and Systematic Position of Zosterodasys (Ciliophora, Synhymeniida): A Combined Analysis of Ciliate Relationships Using Morphological and Molecular Data

ABSTRACT. The Synhymeniida is characterized both by a band of somatic dikinetids, the synhymenium, extending across the surface of the cell and by a ventral cell mouth lacking specialized feeding cilia but subtended by a well-developed cyrtos. The synhymeniids have been hypothesized to be members of the class Nassophorea but our previous ultrastructural study of the synhymeniid genus Zosterodasys did not show any clear synapomorphies that would permit definitive placement in the Nassophorea or as a sister taxon to any of the other ciliate groups possessing a cyrtos. In the present study, simultaneous analysis of morphological and small subunit rDNA molecular data indicates that the Synhymeniida are sister to the class Phyllopharyngea and that this clade is, in turn, sister to the remaining Nassophorea, although this result is sensitive to dataset inclusion and alignment parameters. While this suggests that taxa with a ventral cyrtos might be united into a named taxon (e.g. resurrecting the Hypostomata), additional data are needed to reach a definitive conclusion.     

HIV risk behaviors among outpatients with severe mental illness in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

We conducted the first study to examine rates of sexual activity, sexual risk behaviors, sexual protective behaviors, injection drug use (IDU), needle sharing, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among outpatients with severe mental illness (SMI) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using a measure with demonstrated reliability, we found that 42% of 98 patients engaged in vaginal or anal sex within the past three months. Comorbid substance use disorder was significantly associated with sexual activity. Only 22% of sexually active patients used condoms consistently, despite having better HIV knowledge than those who were sexually abstinent. Overall, 45% of patients reported not engaging in any HIV protective behaviors. There were no reports of drug injection. Adults with SMI in Brazil are in need of efficacious HIV prevention programs and policies that can sustain these programs within mental health treatment settings.     

Studies on the Action of the Nuclear Factor Promoting Actinomycin D-Binding Capacity of Chromatin

It is well known that actinomycin D binds to C-G pairs of DNA. The amount of actinomycin D bound to chromatin thus depends directly on the demasked sites of chromatin DNA. The actinomycin D binding of rat liver chromatin, obtained by the method of Dingman and Sporn, was studied in the presence and absence of liver and kidney nuclear extracts (NE). The actinomycin D binding of liver chromatin increases greatly under the action of liver nuclear extract. No changes occur in liver chromatin actinomycin D binding capacity after the action of kidney NE. The removal of protein or RNA from liver NE removes its ability to change the actinomycin D binding capacity of the liver chromatin. According to the obtained results it may be assumed that the nuclear extract contains the factor which plays a role in controlling cell differentiation.     

Protein, lipid and carbohydrate use during metamophosis in the fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni

Abstract. Concentrations of total sugars, lipids and soluble proteins were measured in prepupae and pupae of a native fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni W. M. wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Changes in the concentratons of these reserves were examined over the course of metamorphosis, in response to starvation, and in relation to body size. During metamorphosis, only lipid concentrations changed during the prepuapal period, dropping slightly. During the pupal state, however, approximately 75% of total sugars, 45% of lipids and 40% of soluble proteins were used. Starvation immediately prior to metamorphosis greatly decreased the quantity of carbohydrate detected at the beginning of the prepupal stage. Soluble protein levels were also slightly reduced. In contrast, lipid concentrations in prepupae increased in individuals that had been starved for 2–4 days immediately before metamorphosis. The relationship between body size and amount depended on the type of reserve. Lipid concetrations decreased with increasing size, while carbohydrate levels tended to increase slightly. Overall, soluble protein concentration did not change with size. Gel electrophoresis showed that two major polypeptides account for most of the soluble protein and one on these decreased sharply over the pupal period.     

Effects of growing resistant potatoes with gene H1 from Solarium tuberosum ssp. andigena on populations of Heterodera rostochiensis British pathotype A

Pure pathotype A populations of Heterodera rostochiensis produce a few females on ex andigena hybrids with the H₁ gene for resistance. As the proportion of larvae able to become female on ex andigena hybrids was not increased by reproducing the nematodes on such hybrids for 3 years, these females seem not to be genetically different from the rest of the population. The proportion increased rapidly when the initial population contained a few pathotype (species) E nematodes but again no increase in the proportion of pathotype (species) A larvae able to become female on ex andigena was detected and pathotype E replaced pathotype A.     

Determinants of the domiciliary density of Triatoma infestans, vector of Chagas disease

In two heavily infested rural villages of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, where no indoor-spraying with residual insecticides had ever been carried out by official control services, we studied the influence of roof and wall structure, domestic use of insecticide, family size and the number of domestic dogs, on the domiciliary density of Triatoma infestans (Klug). Bug density was significantly associated with (1) the interaction between insecticide use and type of roof, (2) the structure of indoor walls, (3) the number of dogs sharing sleeping areas of people (room-mate dogs), and (4) the number of people plus room-mate dogs, but not with just the number of people resident in the house. The interaction between insecticide use and a roof made of 'simbol', a locally available grass (Pennisetum sp.), also reflected a younger age structure of domestic bug populations. In infested houses, the density of bugs infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas was significantly correlated with overall bug density. Our data suggest that the application of environmental management measures by the affected people, such as plastering of walls and modification of roofs, coupled with keeping dogs away from bedrooms and application of insecticides, should limit the domestic population density of T. infestans and thus reduce the transmission of T. cruzi to people.     

The effects of dazomet, fenaminosulf, and soil ridges on red core disease of strawberry

Fenaminosulf applied as a single soil drench soon after planting and growing plants on ridges 305 mm high decreased the incidence and severity of red core (Phytophthora fragariae). Pre-plant treatment with dazomet and growing plants on raised rows 100 mm high were ineffective. The % number of diseased roots was the most useful estimate of disease in evaluating the efficacy of treatments and the interaction of disease and yield. The relationship between disease and yield was highly significant, negative and apparently linear. Disease accounted for a higher proportion of the variation in yield in the first fruiting year than in the second. There was a close correlation between plant size in June and yield in July.     

The Structural Organization of Ribonucleic Acid Associated with Soybean Microsomes

The microsomal fraction of soybean (Glycine max) hypocotylswas characterized using analytical and electron microscope techniques.Two microsomal sub-fractions (smooth and rough vesicles) wereseparated by untracentrifugation. Analysis showed that the ribonucleicacid (RNA) of the microsomal fraction cannot be completely accountedfor by the ribosomes, and that some of the RNA is associatedwith the membranes in a non-ribosomal form. A similar conclusionwas reached by using ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA)to disperse the ribosomal material. Although no visible robosomesremained after the treatment with EDTA, the microsomal fractionretained a quarter of its RNA. Ribonuclease removed all themocrosomal RNA without visibly altering the membrane structureexamined in cross section. When hypocotyl tissue sections wereincubated with ¹⁴C amino-acids, the microsomes incorporatedthe radioactive label more rapidly than any other subcellularfraction. This was especially true in the rapidly growing zoneof the hypocotyl. Smooth microsomes were 75 per cent as activeas rough microsomes. These observations are discussed with referenceto the structural organization of the microsomal RNA and itsrole in protein synthesis.