Electing a candidate: a speculative history of the bacterial phylum OP10

In 1998, a cultivation‐independent survey of the microbial community in Obsidian Pool, Yellowstone National Park, detected 12 new phyla within the Domain Bacteria. These were dubbed ‘candidate divisions’ OP1 to OP12. Since that time the OP10 candidate division has been commonly detected in various environments, usually as part of the rare biosphere, but occasionally as a predominant community component. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, OP10 comprises at least 12 class‐level subdivisions. However, despite this broad ecological and evolutionary diversity, all OP10 bacteria have eluded cultivation until recently. In 2011, two reference species of OP10 were taxonomically validated, removing the phylum from its ‘candidate’ status. Construction of a highly resolved phylogeny based on 29 universally conserved genes verifies its standing as a unique bacterial phylum. In the following paper we summarize what is known and what is suspected about the newest described bacterial phylum, the Armatimonadetes.     

Croatian national reference Y-STR haplotype database

A reference Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) haplotype database is needed for Y-STR match interpretation as well as for national and regional characterization of populations. The aim of this study was to create a comprehensive Y-STR haplotype database of the Croatian contemporary population and to analyze substructure between the five Croatian regions. We carried out a statistical analysis of the data from previously performed genetic analyses collected during routine forensic work by the Forensic Science Centre "Ivan Vu?eti?". A total of 1,100 unrelated men from eastern, western, northern, southern and central Croatia were selected for the purpose of this study. Y-STRs were typed using the AmpFISTR Yfiler PCR amplification kit. Analysis of molecular variance calculated with the Y chromosome haplotype reference database online analysis tool included 16 population samples with 20,247 haplotypes. A total of 947 haplotypes were recorded, 848 of which were unique (89.5%). Haplotype diversity was 0.998, with the most frequent haplotype found in 9 of 1,100 men (0.82%). Locus diversity varied from 0.266 for DYS392 to 0.868 for DYS385. Discrimination capacity was 86.1%. Our results suggested high level of similarity among regional subpopulations within Croatia, except for mildly different southern Croatia. Relative resemblance was found with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Whit Atheys' Haplogroup Predictor was used to estimate the frequencies of Y-chromosome haplogroups. I2a, R1a, E1b1b and R1b haplogroups were most frequent in all Croatian regions. These results are important in forensics and contribute to the population genetics and genetic background of the contemporary Croatian population.     

Croatian children's views towards importance of health care information

The aim of research was to investigate: the need for health care information of Croatian adolescents aged from 13 to 18 years; the difference in evaluation of the frequency of receiving information between hospitalized and healthy children; if the hospitalized children expectations about the frequency of receiving health care information differed significantly from information they have actually received; whose information was most comprehensible to the hospitalized children (doctors, parents, other health care givers). The children were either hospitalized in the pediatrics departments or were high schools pupils (healthy children). The hospitalized children "Completely agreed" (92.7%) with the statement "When I am sick, I should receive information about my health" in comparison to the healthy children (85.1%). In comparison to healthy children, the hospitalized children assessed that doctors, other health care givers and parents should give them information more frequently. The experience of hospitalized children indicate that they received less information then they have actually excepted. The information received from doctors was mostly in correlation with the understanding of this information. We concluded that the children want to be informed about their health, especially hospitalized children. Health care professionals should offer understandable health care information according to the children's expectation.     

Dermatoglyphics in patients with hypothyreosis

About 15% of all females and 3% of all males suffers from hypothyreosis. The thyroid disease is the most frequent cause of hypothyreosis, and among people in Croatia who are suffering from that disease 90% have been affected by its autoimmune form. The thyroid diseases are supposed to be caused by the influence of various genetic and external factors and some forms of genetic influences have not yet been studied. Analysis of digito-palmar dermatoglyphics has been used in the research of the role of genetic predisposition in many various diseases. We have analyzed correlation of qualitative and quantitative traits between the group of 50 females suffering from hypothyreosis and a control group of 100 phenotypically healthy females. Quantitative statistical analysis using t-test has indicated only few significantly different variables, while the discriminant analysis has shown 76.9% correctly classified samples. The factor analysis has shown a high percentage of total variance within patients suffering from hypothyreosis, as well as the different structure of individual factors. Qualitative analysis has shown the heterogeneity between the two examined groups. The results of the research have proved that the qualitative characteristics are more unstable than the quantitative ones and they have also shown the instability of genes taking part in hypothyreosis development implying genetic predisposition of the disease.     

Central action of peripherally applied botulinum toxin type A on pain and dural protein extravasation in rat model of trigeminal neuropathy

Background

Infraorbital nerve constriction (IoNC) is an experimental model of trigeminal neuropathy. We investigated if IoNC is accompanied by dural extravasation and if botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) can reduce pain and dural extravasation in this model.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Rats which developed mechanical allodynia 14 days after the IoNC were injected with BoNT/A (3.5 U/kg) into vibrissal pad. Allodynia was tested by von Frey filaments and dural extravasation was measured as colorimetric absorbance of Evans blue - plasma protein complexes. Presence of dural extravasation was also examined in orofacial formalin-induced pain. Unilateral IoNC, as well as formalin injection, produced bilateral dural extravasation. Single unilateral BoNT/A injection bilaterally reduced IoNC induced dural extravasation, as well as allodynia (lasting more than 2 weeks). Similarly, BoNT/A reduced formalin-induced pain and dural extravasation. Effects of BoNT/A on pain and dural extravasation in IoNC model were dependent on axonal transport through sensory neurons, as evidenced by colchicine injections (5 mM, 2 µl) into the trigeminal ganglion completely preventing BoNT/A effects.

Conclusions/Significance

Two different types of pain, IoNC and formalin, are accompanied by dural extravasation. The lasting effect of a unilateral injection of BoNT/A in experimental animals suggests that BoNT/A might have a long-term beneficial effect in craniofacial pain associated with dural neurogenic inflammation. Bilateral effects of BoNT/A and dependence on retrograde axonal transport suggest a central site of its action.     

Hyperleptinemia--non-haemodynamic risk factor for the left ventricular hypertrophy development in hypertensive overweight females

Obesity is directly and strongly associated with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Development of LVH is multifactorial, caused both by haemodynamic and non-haemodynamic factors. Hypertension is the main haemodynamic factor. Humoral mechanisms, as a non-haemodynamic factor for LVH development, have not been completely explained. The aim of this study is to determine whether hyperleptinemia can be one of humoral--non-haemodynamic factor inducing LVH together with haemodynamic factors in overweight females. The study was done on thirty six adult, overweight female patients, body mass index in range 25-30 kg/m2. Patients are nondiabetic with regular renal function. Twenty one female patients were hypertensive with left ventricular hypertrophy. Control group included fifteen hypertensive female patients without left ventricular hypertrophy. In all patients was determined glucose profile and creatinine clearance, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL. Weight, high, circumference of the waist and hips was taken. Cardiovascular determination was done applying two-dimensional ultrasound. Serum leptin level was measured using radioimmunoassay method (RIA). Results showed that serum leptin level was significantly higher in hypertensive, overweight females with LVH. This suggests that non-haemodynamic factors, such as hyperleptinemia, participate in left ventricular hypertrophy development together with haemodynamic factors in adult hypertonic, overweight females.     

Influence of keeping pheasants in captivity vs. nature on the biological value of meat and its use in human nutrition

The life of game birds (pheasants) in nature is coupled with a number of difficulties in all seasons of the year. This refers to finding food, breeding, laying eggs, raising the young, fleeing from their natural enemies and lack of protection from unfavorable climatic conditions. The pheasants that live in captivity--aviaries for pheasants--do not have such difficulties--they are fed regularly by quality feed for pheasants, they are protected from bad weather and natural enemies. Our research was aimed at determining the biological value of meat of pheasants grown in the two different settings--in captivity and in nature. The highest weight achieved wild pheasant males (1232.4 +/- 147.36 g). The differences between tested pheasant groups were statistically very high significant (P < 0.001). The differences between groups related to breast weight and tights with drumsticks weight were statistically very high significant (P < 0.001). Between breast parts (%) and legs parts (%) were notified very high (P < 0.001) i.e. high (P = 0.002) differences. The highest weight breast muscles and tights with drumsticks had wild pheasants (282.6 +/- 63.53 g i.e. 206.2 +/- 37.88g). Wilde pheasants had lower part (%) and lighter (g) skin with subcutaneous fatty tissue on breasts. Female pheasants cultivated on both ways had higher skin part (%) and subcutaneous fatty tissue in tights with drumsticks. Related to chemical composition of breast muscles is established statistically significant differences (P < 0.001 i.s. P = 0.040)) in part of Ca (%) and P (%). In wild pheasant tights with drumsticks muscles established statistically very significant (P < 0.001) higher part of moisture, protein and Ca, i.e. statistically very high significant (P < 0.001) lower part of fat and energetic value. Research results indicate that the quality of meat of pheasants grown in nature has higher biological value than the meat of pheasants kept in aviaries, which means it has advantages in human nutrition.     

Application of advanced virtual reality and 3D computer assisted technologies in tele-3D-computer assisted surgery in rhinology

The real-time requirement means that the simulation should be able to follow the actions of the user that may be moving in the virtual environment. The computer system should also store in its memory a three-dimensional (3D) model of the virtual environment. In that case a real-time virtual reality system will update the 3D graphic visualization as the user moves, so that up-to-date visualization is always shown on the computer screen. Upon completion of the tele-operation, the surgeon compares the preoperative and postoperative images and models of the operative field, and studies video records of the procedure itself Using intraoperative records, animated images of the real tele-procedure performed can be designed. Virtual surgery offers the possibility of preoperative planning in rhinology. The intraoperative use of computer in real time requires development of appropriate hardware and software to connect medical instrumentarium with the computer and to operate the computer by thus connected instrumentarium and sophisticated multimedia interfaces.     

Recent improvements to the SMART domain-based sequence annotation resource

SMART (Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool, http://smart.embl-heidelberg.de) is a web-based resource used for the annotation of protein domains and the analysis of domain architectures, with particular emphasis on mobile eukaryotic domains. Extensive annotation for each domain family is available, providing information relating to function, subcellular localization, phyletic distribution and tertiary structure. The January 2002 release has added more than 200 hand-curated domain models. This brings the total to over 600 domain families that are widely represented among nuclear, signalling and extracellular proteins. Annotation now includes links to the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database in cases where a human disease is associated with one or more mutations in a particular domain. We have implemented new analysis methods and updated others. New advanced queries provide direct access to the SMART relational database using SQL. This database now contains information on intrinsic sequence features such as transmembrane regions, coiled-coils, signal peptides and internal repeats. SMART output can now be easily included in users’ documents. A SMART mirror has been created at http://smart.ox.ac.uk.