Air Pollution in China: Mapping of Concentrations and Sources

China has recently made available hourly air pollution data from over 1500 sites, including airborne particulate matter (PM), SO₂, NO₂, and O₃. We apply Kriging interpolation to four months of data to derive pollution maps for eastern China. Consistent with prior findings, the greatest pollution occurs in the east, but significant levels are widespread across northern and central China and are not limited to major cities or geologic basins. Sources of pollution are widespread, but are particularly intense in a northeast corridor that extends from near Shanghai to north of Beijing. During our analysis period, 92% of the population of China experienced >120 hours of unhealthy air (US EPA standard), and 38% experienced average concentrations that were unhealthy. China’s population-weighted average exposure to PM_2.5 was 52 μg/m³. The observed air pollution is calculated to contribute to 1.6 million deaths/year in China [0.7–2.2 million deaths/year at 95% confidence], roughly 17% of all deaths in China.     

A SAS-6-Like Protein Suggests that the Toxoplasma Conoid Complex Evolved from Flagellar Components

SAS-6 is required for centriole biogenesis in diverse eukaryotes. Here, we describe a novel family of SAS-6-like (SAS6L) proteins that share an N-terminal domain with SAS-6 but lack coiled-coil tails. SAS6L proteins are found in a subset of eukaryotes that contain SAS-6, including diverse protozoa and green algae. In the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, SAS-6 localizes to the centriole but SAS6L is found above the conoid, an enigmatic tubulin-containing structure found at the apex of a subset of alveolate organisms. Loss of SAS6L causes reduced fitness in Toxoplasma. The Trypanosoma brucei homolog of SAS6L localizes to the basal-plate region, the site in the axoneme where the central-pair microtubules are nucleated. When endogenous SAS6L is overexpressed in Toxoplasma tachyzoites or Trypanosoma trypomastigotes, it forms prominent filaments that extend through the cell cytoplasm, indicating that it retains a capacity to form higher-order structures despite lacking a coiled-coil domain. We conclude that although SAS6L proteins share a conserved domain with SAS-6, they are a functionally distinct family that predates the last common ancestor of eukaryotes. Moreover, the distinct localization of the SAS6L protein in Trypanosoma and Toxoplasma adds weight to the hypothesis that the conoid complex evolved from flagellar components.     

"Whey" proteins of milk of the red (Macropus rufus) and eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) kangaroo

1. A comparison is made of gel electrophoretic patterns of the "whey" proteins of the milk of red (Macropus rufus) and eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) kangaroos at various stages of lactation. Qualitative and quantitative changes occur with time during the mature phase of lactation of both types. Their onset is related solely to the stage of lactation. "Whey" proteins are isolated and characterised and the nature of protein changes determined for the first time. 2. The anodic electrophoretic pattern is divided into 6 main zones (designated A F in order of decreasing mobility) and 2 cathodic zones (G and H) that are only detected in the milk of M. giganteus. 3. Zones A, B and C are milk specific. Zone B is present throughout lactation in both species and is an alpha-lactalbumin. Zones A and C are present only in late lactation, zone C, usually, but not always, appearing first. Zone A is an alpha-lactalbumin in M. giganteus, but is not an alpha-lactalbumin in M. rufus. Zone C appears to be the same protein in both species and is possibly a beta-lactoglobulin. 4. Zone D is kangaroo serum albumin and zone E is possibly a beta 2-microglobulin. Zone F contains three main iron (III) binding bands whose relative intensity varies with stage of lactation. Their intensity differs from the corresponding blood serum transferrin bands. 5. Zone H of Macropus giganteus is a lysozyme. 6. Lactose is present in the milk, but is not the principal sugar. 7. The significance of the results is discussed.     

Clear and independent associations of several HLA-DRB1 alleles with differential antibody responses to hepatitis B vaccination in youth

To confirm and refine associations of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes with variable antibody (Ab) responses to hepatitis B vaccination, we have analyzed 255 HIV-1 seropositive (HIV⁺) youth and 80 HIV-1 seronegatives (HIV^?) enrolled into prospective studies. In univariate analyses that focused on HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 alleles and haplotypes, the DRB1*03 allele group and DRB1*0701 were negatively associated with the responder phenotype (serum Ab concentration ≥ 10 mIU/mL) (P = 0.026 and 0.043, respectively). Collectively, DRB1*03 and DRB1*0701 were found in 42 (53.8%) out of 78 non-responders (serum Ab <10 mIU/mL), 65 (40.6%) out of 160 medium responders (serum Ab 10–1,000 mIU/mL), and 27 (27.8%) out of 97 high responders (serum Ab >1,000 mIU/mL) (P < 0.001 for trend). Meanwhile, DRB1*08 was positively associated with the responder phenotype (P = 0.010), mostly due to DRB1*0804 (P = 0.008). These immunogenetic relationships were all independent of non-genetic factors, including HIV-1 infection status and immunodeficiency. Alternative analyses confined to HIV⁺ youth or Hispanic youth led to similar findings. In contrast, analyses of more than 80 non-coding, single nucleotide polymorphisms within and beyond the three HLA class II genes revealed no clear associations. Overall, several HLA-DRB1 alleles were major predictors of differential Ab responses to hepatitis B vaccination in youth, suggesting that T-helper cell-dependent pathways mediated through HLA class II antigen presentation are critical to effective immune response to recombinant vaccines.     

Honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foraging in response to preconditioning with onion flower scent compounds

Onion (Allium cepa L.) seed production has long been plagued with yield problems because of lack of pollination by the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. To attempt to attract more pollinators to the onion seed production field, honey bees were conditioned to associate onion floral odor components with a reward. Isolated nucleus hives of honey bees were fed 30% sucrose solutions scented with a 0.2% solution of onion floral odor compounds. After feeding on these solutions for 6 wk, bees were not found to prefer onion flowers to two competing food sources, carrot and alfalfa flowers, at the 5% significance level. However, there was an overall trend indicating a change in honey bee behavior, with fewer "trained" bees visiting alfalfa and carrot and more visiting onion. Thus, it may be possible to alter honey bee behavior with preconditioning but probably not to a degree that would be economically significant.     

Small proline-rich protein 1A is a gp130 pathway- and stress-inducible cardioprotective protein

The interleukin-6 cytokines, acting via gp130 receptor pathways, play a pivotal role in the reduction of cardiac injury induced by mechanical stress or ischemia and in promoting subsequent adaptive remodeling of the heart. We have now identified the small proline-rich repeat proteins (SPRR) 1A and 2A as downstream targets of gp130 signaling that are strongly induced in cardiomyocytes responding to biomechanical/ischemic stress. Upregulation of SPRR1A and 2A was markedly reduced in the gp130 cardiomyocyte-restricted knockout mice. In cardiomyocytes, MEK1/2 inhibitors prevented SPRR1A upregulation by gp130 cytokines. Furthermore, binding of NF-IL6 (C/EBPbeta) and c-Jun to the SPRR1A promoter was observed after CT-1 stimulation. Histological analysis revealed that SPRR1A induction after mechanical stress of pressure overload was restricted to myocytes surrounding piecemeal necrotic lesions. A similar expression pattern was found in postinfarcted rat hearts. Both in vitro and in vivo ectopic overexpression of SPRR1A protected cardiomyocytes against ischemic injury. Thus, this study identifies SPRR1A as a novel stress-inducible downstream mediator of gp130 cytokines in cardiomyocytes and documents its cardioprotective effect against ischemic stress.