Structure and stereochemistry of dimeric proteracacinidins possessing the rare C-4(C) --> C-5(D) interflavanyl linkage

The rare series of (4-->5)-linked proteracacinidins is extended by identification of oritin-(4alpha-->5)-epioritin-4beta-ol, ent-epioritin-(4alpha-->5)-epioritin-4beta-ol, epioritin-(4beta-->5)-epioritin-4alpha-ol and ent-oritin-(4beta-->5)-epioritin-4alpha-ol from the heartwoods of Acacia galpinii and Acacia caffra.     

Phylogenetic relationships among Phialocephala species and other ascomycetes

Phialocephala was established for species in the Leptographium complex that produce conidia from phialides at the apices of dark mononematous conidiophores. Some species previously included in Phialocephala were re-allocated to Sporendocladia because they resembled Thielaviopsis in having ring-wall-building conidial development and conidia with two attachment points that emerge in false chains. Despite this significant realignment of the genus, a great deal of morphological heterogeneity remains in Phialocephala. The objective of this study was to consider the heterogeneity among Phialocephala spp. based on comparisons of sequence data derived from the large and small subunits (LSU and SSU) of the rRNA operon of species in Phialocephala. Phialocephala dimorphospora, the type species of the genus, and P. fortinii grouped with genera of the Helotiales in phylogenetic trees generated based on the LSU and SSU datasets. Phialocephala xalapensis and P. fusca clearly are unrelated to Phialocephala sensu stricto and should represent a new genus in the Ophiostomatales. Phialocephala compacta resides with representatives of the Hypocreales, and we believe that it represents a distinct genus. Phialocephala scopiformis and P. repens are not closely related to the other Phialocephala species and group within the Dothideales. The morphological heterogeneity among species of Phialocephala clearly is reflected by phylogenetic analysis of sequence data from two conserved rRNA gene regions. Appropriate genera now need to be found to accommodate these fungi.     

Advances in the study of Anopheles funestus, a major vector of malaria in Africa

The recent literature on cytogenetic and molecular studies of Anopheles funestus, a major vector of malaria in Africa, is reviewed. Molecular data from West and Central Africa suggest a new species in the group closely allied to Anopheles rivulorum. Cytogenetic and molecular studies of populations from West, Central, East and southern Africa indicate considerable genetic structuring within An. funestus itself, which may well restrict the spread of pyrethroid resistance that has been demonstrated in southern Africa.     

Paleoenvironmental history of the Popayán area since 27 000 yr BP at Timbio, Southern Colombia

A pollen record from Timbio, located at an elevation of 1750m on the high plain of Popayán (2 degrees 24'N, 76 degrees 36'W) is presented. This forms the basis for reconstructing the vegetation and climate history for the periods from 27000 to 9200 radiocarbon years before the present (14Cyr BP) and 2100 14Cyr BP to sub-recent. The 5m sediment core has time control based on seven AMS radiocarbon dates. Four pollen assemblage zones (TIM-1 to TIM-4) are recognized. During the period of 27200 to 26000 14Cyr BP, an Andean forest was near the site. The vegetation consisted of forest and open herb-rich vegetation, climatic conditions were moist and temperatures some 6 degrees C lower than compared to those of today. During the period of 26000 to 16000 14Cyr BP forest was less open. The observed succession from a Podocarpus-Weinmannia dominated forest to a Hedyosmum dominated forest, and finally to a forest with Ilex, Myrica and ferns indicates a progressive decrease of temperature during this period, with a maximum temperature depression of ca. 5-7.5 degrees C compared to present-day conditions. During the period of 16000 to 9200 14Cyr BP, temperature decrease is estimated at ca. 7.5 degrees C and the climate was the driest. During the period of 2100 to 600 14C2600m altitude (ca. 8 degrees C) and those at sea-level (2.5-6 degrees C) and supports the observation that glacial lapse rates were higher than in modern times.     

The vocal expression of feeding motivation and frustration in the domestic laying hen, Gallus gallus domesticus

Thwarting of feeding behaviour in the laying hen results in an increase in stereotyped pacing, displacement preening, and the gakel-call. These behaviours therefore reflect the frustration arousal caused by the thwarting of feeding behaviour. This raises the question whether the level of frustration also varies with the intensity of the motivation to perform the thwarted behaviour. This study investigated the relationship between the intensity of the motivation and level of frustration on the one hand and the gakel-call on the other hand. In Experiment 1, the strength of the motivation to feed was varied by thwarting hens in their feeding behaviour in an operant procedure after different durations of food deprivation (0, 8, 23 and 47 h). Trend analysis showed that with increasing hunger state, an increasing number of gakel-calls was given. No effect of treatments on temporal characteristics of the gakel-call was found. In Experiment 2, the level of frustration was varied by reducing or increasing the duration of access to food for food-deprived hens compared to the duration of access during training. It was assumed that a shorter duration of access to food compared to training would elicit frustration, which in turn would affect the performance of behaviours indicative of thwarting. However, we found neither a relation between the number of gakel-calls nor the temporal features of the gakel-call and the duration of access to food. Possibly, the differences between treatments were not large enough to induce differences in frustration level. Also, other factors that might have influenced the motivation are discussed.     

De novo production of the flavonoid naringenin in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background

Specific strains of Lactobacillus plantarum are marketed as health-promoting probiotics. The role and interplay of cell-wall compounds like wall- and lipo-teichoic acids (WTA and LTA) in bacterial physiology and probiotic-host interactions remain obscure. L. plantarum WCFS1 harbors the genetic potential to switch WTA backbone alditol, providing an opportunity to study the impact of WTA backbone modifications in an isogenic background.

Results

Through genome mining and mutagenesis we constructed derivatives that synthesize alternative WTA variants. The mutants were shown to completely lack WTA, or produce WTA and LTA that lack D-Ala substitution, or ribitol-backbone WTA instead of the wild-type glycerol-containing backbone. DNA micro-array experiments established that the tarIJKL gene cluster is required for the biosynthesis of this alternative WTA backbone, and suggest ribose and arabinose are precursors thereof. Increased tarIJKL expression was not observed in any of our previously performed DNA microarray experiments, nor in qRT-PCR analyses of L. plantarum grown on various carbon sources, leaving the natural conditions leading to WTA backbone alditol switching, if any, to be identified. Human embryonic kidney NF-κB reporter cells expressing Toll like receptor (TLR)-2/6 were exposed to purified WTAs and/or the TA mutants, indicating that WTA is not directly involved in TLR-2/6 signaling, but attenuates this signaling in a backbone independent manner, likely by affecting the release and exposure of immunomodulatory compounds such as LTA. Moreover, human dendritic cells did not secrete any cytokines when purified WTAs were applied, whereas they secreted drastically decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-12p70 and TNF-α after stimulation with the WTA mutants as compared to the wild-type.

Conclusions

The study presented here correlates structural differences in WTA to their functional characteristics, thereby providing important information aiding to improve our understanding of molecular host-microbe interactions and probiotic functionality.

     

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD): clinical presentation and guidelines for diagnosis, follow-up and management

Background

Pompe disease (Glycogen storage disease type II, GSD II, acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency, acid maltase deficiency, OMIM # 232300) is an autosomal-recessive lysosomal storage disorder due to a deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA, acid maltase, EC 3.2.1.20, Swiss-Prot P10253). Clinical manifestations are dominated by progressive weakness of skeletal muscle throughout the clinical spectrum. In addition, the classic infantile form is characterised by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Methods

In a cross-sectional single-centre study we clinically assessed 3 patients with classic infantile Pompe disease and 39 patients with non-classic presentations, measured their acid alpha-glucosidase activities and analysed their GAA genes.

Results

Classic infantile patients had nearly absent residual enzyme activities and a typical clinical course with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy until the beginning of therapy. The disease manifestations in non-classic patients were heterogeneous. There was a broad variability in the decline of locomotive and respiratory function. The age of onset ranged from birth to late adulthood and correlated with enzyme activities. Molecular analysis revealed as many as 33 different mutations, 14 of which are novel. All classic infantile patients had two severe mutations. The most common mutation in the non-classic group was c.-32-13?T?>?G. It was associated with a milder course in this subgroup.

Conclusions

Disease manifestation strongly correlates with the nature of the GAA mutations, while the variable progression in non-classic Pompe disease is likely to be explained by yet unknown modifying factors. This study provides the first comprehensive dataset on the clinical course and the mutational spectrum of Pompe disease in Germany.     

Electroejaculation increased vocalization and plasma concentrations of cortisol and progesterone, but not substance P, in beef bulls

Electroejaculation is a reliable method of obtaining a semen sample for a bull breeding soundness examination, but is sometimes regarded as painful. Substance P is a neuropeptide involved in the integration of pain, stress, and anxiety. We hypothesized that substance P is a measure of pain in bulls following electroejaculation. The specific objective was to compare vocalization and plasma concentrations of cortisol, progesterone, and substance P immunoreactivity in bulls following electroejaculation. Nine Angus bulls (501.9 ± 14.3 kg) were used. Blood samples were collected at −60, −30, 0, 2, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120 min relative to treatment. At Time 0, bulls were subject to electroejaculation, rectal probe insertion without electroejaculation, or no manipulation. Treatments were administered contemporaneously to three bulls. Treatments were repeated weekly until each bull had received each treatment in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. More bulls (P = 0.0147) in the electroejaculation group vocalized (5 of 9 bulls; 55.6%) when compared to controls (0 of 9 bulls; 0%). Mean plasma cortisol and progesterone concentration following electroejaculation in bulls were higher (P < 0.05) than concentrations in probed and control bulls through the 45 min sample. However, mean plasma substance P concentration following electroejaculation in bulls (77.2 ± 17.2 pg/mL) was not different (P = 0.6264) from probed (79.1 ± 17.2 pg/mL) or control bulls (93.4 ± 17.2 pg/mL). A significant increase in vocalization and plasma cortisol and progesterone concentrations in bulls following electroejaculation was likely owing to acute stress. However, the lack of a difference in plasma concentrations of substance P after electroejaculation was interpreted as a lack of pain associated with nociception.     

A Cross‐Cultural Comparison of Population‐Specific Face Shape Preferences (Homo sapiens)

A substantial number of studies indicate that human facial features such as symmetry and averageness are preferred in human mate choice. Little is known, however, about face preferences in intrapopulation or between‐cultural settings as only a few studies have addressed this topic. One hypothesis is that people prefer faces that resemble faces from their own population as a result of visual adaptation. Here, we present results of an internet‐based experiment in which male and female participants from two European nations, Poland and Scotland, were asked to choose between ‘Polish‐modified’ and ‘Scottish‐modified’ faces (i.e. face portraits modified along one of ten different dimensions to resemble faces of the respective populations) of both sexes while being unaware of the origins of the portraits. The results show that the preferences of Polish judges for Polish‐shaped faces were significantly stronger than the preferences of Scottish judges for the Scottish‐shaped faces. Moreover, both Polish and Scottish judges preferred Polish‐shaped faces to Scottish‐shaped faces. These results suggest that natural visual experience acquired in everyday interpersonal interactions may have limited influence on aesthetic preferences in these particular intrapopulation settings.