Satellite DNA repeat sequence variation is low in three species of burying beetles in the genus Nicrophorus (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Three satellite DNA families were identified in three species of burying beetles, Nicrophorus orbicollis, N. marginatus, and N. americanus. Southern hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis of individual randomly cloned repeats shows that these satellite DNA families are highly abundant in the genome, are composed of unique repeats, and are species-specific. The repeats do not have identifiable core elements or substructures that are similar in all three families, and most interspecific sequence similarity is confined to homopolymeric runs of A and T. Satellite DNA from N. marginatus and N. americanus show single-base-pair indels among repeats, but single-nucleotide substitutions characterize most of the repeat variability. Although the repeat units are of similar lengths (342, 350, and 354 bp) and A + T composition (65%, 71%, and 71%, respectively), the average nucleotide divergence among sequenced repeats is very low (0.18%, 1.22%, and 0.71%, respectively). Transition/transversion ratios from the consensus sequence are 0.20, 0.69, and 0.70, respectively.      

Differential responsiveness to immunoablative therapy in refractory rheumatoid arthritis is associated with level and avidity of anti-cyclic citrullinated protein autoantibodies: a case study

In order to identify pathogenic correlates of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA), antibodies against anti-cyclic citrullinated protein (ACPAs) were investigated in RA patients in whom the dysregulated immune system had been ablated by high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Six patients with refractory RA were extensively characterized in terms of levels of total immunoglobulins, RA-specific autoantibodies (ACPAs and rheumatoid factor) and antibodies against rubella, tetanus toxoid (TT) and phosphorylcholine before and after HDC plus HSCT. Additionally, the avidity of ACPAs was measured before and after treatment and compared with the avidity of TT antibodies following repeated immunizations. Synovial biopsies were obtained by arthroscopy before HDC plus HSCT, and analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In the three patients with clinically long-lasting responses to HDC plus HSCT (median 423 days), significant reductions in ACPA-IgG levels after therapy were observed (median level dropped from 215 to 34 arbitrary units/ml; P = 0.05). In contrast, stable ACPA-IgG levels were observed in three patients who relapsed shortly after HDC plus HSCT (median of 67 days). Clinical responders had ACPA-IgG of lower avidity (r = 0.75; P = 0.08) and higher degree of inflammation histologically (r = 0.73; P = 0.09). Relapse (after 38 to 530 days) in all patients was preceded by rising levels of low avidity ACPA-IgG (after 30 to 388 days), in contrast to the stable titres of high avidity TT antibodies. In conclusion, humoral autoimmune responses were differentially modulated by immunoablative therapy in patients with synovial inflammation and low avidity ACPA-IgG autoantibodies as compared with patients with high levels of high avidity ACPA-IgG. The distinct clinical disease course after immunoablative therapy based on levels and avidity of ACPA-IgG indicates that refractory RA is not a single disease entity.     

Polarized light based scheme to monitor column performance in a continuous foam fractionation column

Background  

A polarized light scattering technique was used to monitor the performance of a continuously operated foam fractionation process. The S ₁₁ and S ₁₂ parameters, elements of the light scattering matrix, combined together (S ₁₁ +S ₁₂) have been correlated with the bubble size and liquid content for the case of a freely draining foam. The performance of a foam fractionation column is known to have a strong dependence on the bubble size distribution and liquid hold up in foam. In this study the enrichment is used as a metric, representative of foam properties and column performance, and correlated to the S ₁₁ +S ₁₂ parameter.     

Antibiotic activity and synergistic effect of antimicrobial peptide against pathogens from a patient with gallstones

HP (2-20) is a peptide derived from the N-terminus of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 that has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against various species of bacteria. When we tested the effects of HP (2-20), we found that this peptide displayed strong activity against pathogens from a patient with gallstones, but it did not have hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. We also found that HP (2-20) had potent activity against cefazolin sodium-resistant bacterial cell lines, and that HP (2-20) and cefazolin sodium had synergistic effects against cell lines resistant to the latter. To investigate the mechanism of action of HP (2-20), we performed fluorescence activated flow cytometry using pathogens from the patient with gallstones. As determined by propidium iodide (PI) staining, pathogenic bacteria treated with HP (2-20) showed higher fluorescence intensity than untreated cells, similar to melittin-treated cells, and that HP (2-20) acted in an energy- and salt-dependent manner. Scanning electron microscopy showed that HP (2-20) caused significant morphological alterations in the cell surface of pathogens from the patient with gallstones. By determining their 16S rDNA sequences, we found that both the pathogens from the patient with gallstones and the cefazolin sodium-resistant cell lines showed 100% homology with sequences from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Taken together, these results suggest that HP (2-20) has antibiotic activity and that it may be used as a lead drug for the treatment of acquired pathogens from patients with gallstones and antibiotic-resistant cell lines.     

Design of novel analogues with potent antibiotic activity based on the antimicrobial peptide, HP(2-9)-ME(1-12)

To develop novel antibiotic peptides useful as therapeutic drugs, a number of analogues were designed to increase the hydrophobic helix region either by Trp-substitution or net positive charge increase by Lys-substitution, from HP(2-9)-ME(1-12). The antibiotic activities of these peptides were evaluated using bacterial (Salmonella tryphimurium, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichosporon beigelii and Candida albicans), tumor and human erythrocyte cells. The substitution of Lys for Thr at position 18 and 19 of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12) (HM5) increased activity against Proteus vulgaris and fungal strains without hemolysis. In contrast, substitution of Trp for Lys and Thr at positions 2, 15 and 19 of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12), respectively (HM3 and HM4), decreased activity but increased hemolysis against human erythrocytes. This suggests that an increase in positive charge increases antimicrobial activity whereas an increase in hydrophobicity by introducing Trp residues at C-terminus of HP(2-9)-ME(1-12) causes a hemolytic effect. Circular dichroism spectra suggested that the alpha-helical structure of these peptides plays an important role in their antibiotic effect but that the alpha-helical property is not connected with the enhanced antibiotic activity.     

Potential hosts of Prostephanus truncatus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) among native and agroforestry trees in Kenya

This study was carried out to establish the extent to which an invasive stored products pest, Prostephanus truncatus Horn exploits wood as a feeding and breeding resource in Kenya. Twenty seven out of 84 native and agroforestry trees and shrubs supported the breeding of P. truncatus under laboratory conditions. Adult survival (<1% to 18%) for 8 weeks was recorded on 51 tree species that did not support breeding. The breeding success of this beetle varied widely between host tree species and showed no obvious trends based on tree systematics or wood hardness. Studies of P. truncatus survival on two host tree species found that the greatest increase in the P. truncatus population occurred on stem sapwood, whilst the smallest population increase was on twigs. Breeding also varied greatly from season to season; studies on ten selected host species showed that reproduction was often greatest in wood samples collected and tested during the dry season in September. The implications of these findings for the management of P. truncatus infestations in farm stored maize are discussed.     

Assessment of post extraction complications in Indians

Extraction is one of the commonest procedures in dentistry. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the post extraction complications in patients undergoing extractions of permanent teeth. A total of 70 adult patients who had undergone dental extractions and presented with post -operative complications were included in the study and evaluated. Data collected was statistically analyzed using SPSS software and results obtained. Most of the patients with post extraction complications were in the age group of 31-40 years (21.6%), followed by 21-30 (20.2%) and 61-70 years (20.2%). Dry socket (39.19%) was the common post extraction complication in our study especially in the age group of 31-40 years. There was a statistically significant association between age of the patients and the post extraction complications (p<0.001). In our study, post extraction complications were commonly observed in age group of 31-40 years with a predilection for males. Dry socket was the most common post extraction complication. Age of the patient has a significant effect on post extraction complications. However, gender, smoking habits and systemic diseases have no influence on post extraction complications.     

Low temperature solution structures and base pair stacking of double helical d(CGTACG)(2)

Solution structures and base pair stacking of a self- complementary DNA hexamer d(CGTACG)(2) have been studied at 5, 10 and 15 degrees C, respectively. The stacking interactions among the center base pair steps of the DNA duplex are found to improve when the terminal base pairs became less stable due to end fraying. A new structural quantity, the stacking sum (Sigma(s)), is introduced to indicate small changes in the stacking overlaps between base pairs. The improvements in the stacking overlaps to maintain the double helical conformation are probably the cause for the observed temperature dependent structural changes in double helical DNA molecule. A detailed analysis of the helical parameters, backbone torsion angles, base orientations and sugar conformations of these structures has been performed.     

Evaluation of four methods of assigning species and genus to medically important bacteria using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis

The four methods for assigning bacterial species are the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), modified CLSI (mCLSI), phylogenetic analysis (PA) and closest match (CM) methods, these are used to identify the genus and species using 16S rRNA gene sequence results. In this study, the results of identification by these four methods of 37 aerobic reference strains, 30 anaerobic reference strains, 15 Acinetobacter reference strains and 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains were compared. The rates of accurate identification to the species level using the CLSI, mCLSI, PA and CM methods were as follows: 24.3, 86.5, 86.5 and 89.2%, respectively, for the 37 aerobic reference strains; 73.3%, 96.7%, 90.0% and 93.3%, respectively, for the 30 anaerobic reference strains; 40.0%, 93.3%, 100% and 93.3%, respectively, for the 15 Acinetobacter reference strains; and 53.9%, 90.4%, 95.8% and 90.4%, respectively, for the 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains. The rates of accurate identification to the genus level using the CLSI, mCLSI, PA, and CM methods were as follows: 91.9%, 91.9%, 94.6% and 91.9%, respectively, for the 37 aerobic reference strains; 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for all of the 30 anaerobic reference strains, 15 Acinetobacter reference strains and the 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains. The mCLSI is the most practical and pragmatic method for identification of species based on 16S rRNA sequences for hospital, research or industry laboratories because it performs well and involves a simple procedure.