The effects of beta acids from hops (Humulus lupulus) on mortality of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae)

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) beta acids (HBA) were tested for miticidal effects on varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman, a parasitic mite of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). When varroa were placed on bees that had topical applications of 1?% HBA, there was 100?% mite mortality. Bee mortality was unaffected. Cardboard strips saturated with HBA and placed in colonies resulted in mite drop that was significantly greater than in untreated hives. HBA was detected on about 60?% of the bees in colonies during the first 48?h after application. Mite drop in colonies lasted for about 7?days with the highest drop occurring in the first 2–3?days after treatment. There was a reduction in the percentages of bees with HBA and in the amounts on their bodies after 7?days. Bee and queen mortality in the colonies were not affected by HBA treatments. When cardboard strips saturated with HBA were put in packages of bees, more than 90?% of the mites were killed without an increase in bee mortality. HBA might have potential to control varroa when establishing colonies from packages or during broodless periods.     

Ascorbic acid, cognitive function, and Alzheimer's disease: a current review and future direction

This narrative review appraises the human and animal studies implicating ascorbic acid (AA) in normal cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease. A research framework for how nutrition affects brain aging is proposed with emphasis on AA intake, status, metabolism, and transport into brain tissue. A final synopsis highlights areas for future research regarding AA nourishment and healthy brain aging.     

Hypomethylated sequences: Characterization of the duplicate soybean genome

Soybean is believed to be a diploidized tetraploid generated from an allotetraploid ancestor. In this study, we used hypomethylated genomic DNA as a source of probes to investigate the genomic structure and methylation patterns of duplicated sequences. Forty-five genomic clones from Phaseolus vulgaris and 664 genomic clones from Glycine max were used to examine the duplicated regions in the soybean genome. Southern analysis of genomic DNA using probes from both sources revealed that greater than 15% of the hypomethylated genomic regions were only present once in the soybean genome. The remaining ca. 85% of the hypomethylated regions comprise duplicated or middle repetitive DNA sequences. If only the ratio of single to duplicate probe patterns is considered, it appears that 25% of the single-copy sequences have been lost. By using a subset of probes that only detected duplicated sequences, we examined the methylation status of the homeologous genomes with the restriction enzymes MspI and HpaII. We found that in all cases both copies of these regions were hypomethylated, although there were examples of low-level methylation. It appears that duplicate sequences are being eliminated in the diploidization process. Our data reveal no evidence that duplicated sequences are being silenced by inactivation correlated with methylation patterns.     

Selenium Supplementation Alters Gene Expression Profiles Associated with Innate Immunity in Whole-Blood Neutrophils of Sheep

Footrot (FR) is a common, contagious bacterial disease of sheep that results in lameness and significant economic losses for producers. We previously reported that sheep affected with FR have lower whole-blood (WB) selenium (Se) concentrations and that Se supplementation in conjunction with routine control practices accelerates recovery from FR. To determine whether oral Se-yeast administered at supranutritional levels (>4.9 mg Se/week) alters the ability of sheep to resist or recover from FR infection, 60 ewes with and 60 ewes without FR were drenched once weekly for 62.5 weeks with 0, 4.9, 14.7, or 24.5 mg organic Se-yeast (30 ewes per treatment group). Footrot prevalence and severity were measured at 0, 20, 28, 40, and 60 weeks of Se supplementation. Genomic expression of eight WB-neutrophil genes for selenoproteins and seven WB-neutrophil genes for proteins involved in innate immunity was determined at the end of the treatment period using SYBR Green and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methodology. Supranutritional Se-yeast supplementation successfully increased Se status in sheep but did not prevent FR. Supranutritional Se-yeast supplementation increased WB-neutrophil expression of genes involved in innate immunity: l-selectin, interleukin-8 receptor, and toll-like receptor 4, which were or tended to be lower in ewes affected with FR. Furthermore, supranutritional Se-yeast supplementation altered the expression of selenoprotein genes involved in innate immunity, increasing selenoprotein S and glutathione peroxidase 4 and decreasing iodothyronine deiodinases 2 and 3. In conclusion, supranutritional Se-yeast supplementation does not prevent FR, but does alter WB-neutrophil gene expression profiles associated with innate immunity, including reversing those impacted by FR.     

Design and synthesis of potent antagonists containing rigid spirocyclic privileged structures for the CGRP receptor

We report the synthesis of rigid spirocyclic systems as conformationally constrained variants of the Ala-Phe-NH(2) dipeptide amide C-terminus of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP receptor antagonists containing these moieties displayed potent affinity, functional antagonism and excellent oxidative stability. Structure-activity relationship studies demonstrated the relative importance of hydrogen bond donor/acceptor functionalities and the preferred orientation of an aromatic ring. Antagonists showed potent and full reversal of CGRP-induced dilation of ex vivo human intracranial arteries.     

Natural variation in life history and aging phenotypes is associated with mitochondrial DNA deletion frequency in Caenorhabditis briggsae

Background  

Mutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in aging processes has been the lack of model systems with relevant, naturally occurring mitochondrial genetic variation. Toward the goal of developing such a model system, we studied natural variation in life history, metabolic, and aging phenotypes as it relates to levels of a naturally-occurring heteroplasmic mitochondrial ND5 deletion recently discovered to segregate among wild populations of the soil nematode, Caenorhabditis briggsae. The normal product of ND5 is a central component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and integral to cellular energy metabolism.     

‘Random coil’ 1H chemical shifts obtained as a function of temperature and trifluoroethanol concentration for the peptide series GGXGG

Summary Proton chemical shifts of a series of disordered linear peptides (H-Gly-Gly-X-Gly-Gly-OH, with X being one of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids) have been obtained using 1D and 2D ¹H NMR at pH 5.0 as a function of temperature and solvent composition. The use of 2D methods has allowed some ambiguities in side-chain assignments in previous studies to be resolved. An additional benefit of the temperature data is that they can be used to obtain ‘random coil’ amide proton chemical shifts at any temperature between 278 and 318 K by interpolation. Changes of chemical shift as a function of trifluoroethanol concentration have also been determined at a variety of temperatures for a subset of peptides. Significant changes are found in backbone and side-chain amide proton chemical shifts in these ‘random coil’ peptides with increasing amounts of trifluoroethanol, suggesting that caution is required when interpreting chemical shift changes as a measure of helix formation in peptides in the presence of this solvent. Comparison of the proton chemical shifts obtained here for H-Gly-Gly-X-Gly-Gly-OH with those for H-Gly-Gly-X-Ala-OH [Bundi, A. and Wüthrich, K. (1979) Biopolymers, 18, 285–297] and for Ac-Gly-Gly-X-Ala-Gly-Gly-NH₂ [Wishart, D.S., Bigam, C.G., Holm, A., Hodges, R.S. and Sykes, B.D. (1995) J. Biomol. NMR, 5, 67–81] generally shows good agreement for CH protons, but reveals significant variability for NH protons. Amide proton chemical shifts appear to be highly sensitive to local sequence variations and probably also to solution conditions. Caution must therefore be exercised in any structural interpretation based on amide proton chemical shifts.     

A fossil record of developmental events: variation and evolution in epidermal cell divisions in ostracodes

The carapaces of some ostracode taxa bear reticulate skeletal ridges that outline underlying epidermal cells. This anatomy allows one to identify homologous cells across individuals, to infer the modal sequence of cell divisions that occurs over ontogeny, and to identify individuals with variant cell patterns (e.g., additional or missing cell divisions), even in fossils. Here we explore the variational properties and evolutionary history of this developmental system in the deep-sea ostracode genus Poseidonamicus. Using a sample of over 2000 specimens to capture variation in cell division sequence, we show that phenotypic variation in this system is highly structured: some variants, regions of the carapace, and lineages are much more variable than others. Much of the differences in variation among cells can be attributed to the molt stage in which cells take their final form-cell divisions occurring later in ontogeny are more variable than those earlier. Despite ample variation, only two evolutionary changes in the sequence of cell divisions occur over the 40 Myr history of this clade. The evolutionary changes that do occur parallel the two most common intraspecific variants, suggesting that developmental structuring of variation can have long-term evolutionary consequences. Analysis of the most common variant over the last two molt stages suggests that it suffers a fitness disadvantage relative to the modal form. Such normalizing selection may contribute to the evolutionary conservativeness of this developmental system in the Ostracoda.     

Trisomy 17 in a baboon (Papio hamadryas) with polydactyly, patent foramen ovale and pyelectasis

Trisomy 13 in humans is the third most common autosomal abnormality at birth, after trisomy 21 and trisomy 18. It has a reported incidence of between 1:5,000 and 1:30,000 live births. It is associated with multiple abnormalities, many of which shorten lifespan. We describe here the first reported case of a baboon (Papio hamadryas) with trisomy of chromosome 17, which is homologous to human chromosome 13. The trisomic infant was born to a consanguineous pair of baboons and had morphological characteristics similar to those observed in human trisomy 13, including bilateral polydactyly in the upper limbs, a patent foramen ovale, and pyelectasis. Molecular DNA analysis using human chromosome 13 markers was consistent with the affected infant inheriting two copies of chromosome 17 derived from the same parental chromosome. This trisomy was, therefore, due to either an error in meiosis II or the result of postzygotic nondisjunction. The parental origin, however, could not be determined.