Identification of a novel risk locus for progressive supranuclear palsy by a pooled genomewide scan of 500,288 single-nucleotide polymorphisms

To date, only the H1 MAPT haplotype has been consistently associated with risk of developing the neurodegenerative disease progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). We hypothesized that additional genetic loci may be involved in conferring risk of PSP that could be identified through a pooling-based genomewide association study of >500,000 SNPs. Candidate SNPs with large differences in allelic frequency were identified by ranking all SNPs by their probe-intensity difference between cohorts. The MAPT H1 haplotype was strongly detected by this methodology, as was a second major locus on chromosome 11p12-p11 that showed evidence of association at allelic (P<.001), genotypic (P<.001), and haplotypic (P<.001) levels and was narrowed to a single haplotype block containing the DNA damage-binding protein 2 (DDB2) and lysosomal acid phosphatase 2 (ACP2) genes. Since DNA damage and lysosomal dysfunction have been implicated in aging and neurodegenerative processes, both genes are viable candidates for conferring risk of disease.     

Lack of epifaunal response to the application of salt for managing the noxious green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caulerpa taxifolia</Emphasis> in a coastal lake

Since the discovery of the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in Lake Macquarie (New South Wales, Australia) in 2001, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) has attempted various control methods, including covering the alga with granulated sea salt to induce osmotic shock and cell lysis. In Lake Macquarie, C. taxifolia often occurs in patches within beds of the native seagrass Zostera capricorni. Although the effects of the salt treatment on blades of Z. capricorni and infauna have been shown to be minimal, there have been no tests of any effects on other native biota, including seagrass epifauna. In this study, we tested the general hypothesis that the abundance and diversity of epifauna would be reduced by salting. We used a ‘Beyond BACI’ experimental design whereby epifaunal invertebrates were sampled 3 months, 6 weeks and 6 days before and then again after salting. Epifaunal abundances at the putatively impacted (salted) location were compared to those at 4 control locations (where no salt was applied). Abundances of most organisms varied significantly among times and locations with no evidence of the consistent effect of salting on diversity or abundance of epifauna. The study represents an example of the use of large-scale managerial action as a scientific experiment. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available for this article at <> and accessible for authorised users     

Development and characterization in vitro of a catalase-based biosensor for hydrogen peroxide monitoring

There is increasing evidence that hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) may act as a neuromodulator in the brain, as well as contributing to neurodegeneration in diseased states, such as Parkinson's disease. The ability to monitor changes in endogenous H₂O₂ in vivo with high temporal resolution is essential in order to further elucidate the roles of H₂O₂ in the central nervous system. Here, we describe the in vitro characterization of an implantable catalase-based H₂O₂ biosensor. The biosensor comprises two amperometric electrodes, one with catalase immobilized on the surface and one without enzyme (blank). The analytical signal is then the difference between the two electrodes. The H₂O₂ sensitivity of various designs was compared, and ranged from 0 to 56 ± 4 mA cm⁻² M⁻¹. The most successful design incorporated a Nafion^® layer followed by a poly-o-phenylenediamine (PPD) polymer layer. Catalase was adsorbed onto the PPD layer and then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The ability of the biosensors to exclude interference from ascorbic acid, and other interference species found in vivo, was also tested. A variety of the catalase-based biosensor designs described here show promise for in vivo monitoring of endogenous H₂O₂ in the brain.     

Indo-Fijian Children’s BMI

Health research has shown that overweight and obesity in children and adults are becoming significant public health problems in the developing world. Evidence suggests that this phenomenon is more marked in urban than rural areas and may be associated with modernization. However, the underlying reasons for this nutrition transition remain unclear. Dietary shifts, often in conjunction with income and time constraints in urban environments, may entail a greater reliance on more convenient sugar and fat-dense food. Also, the necessity of labor-intensive agricultural work to meet rural subsistence needs is supplanted in urban environments by sedentary work. This paper extends the application of human behavioral ecology theory into the realm of international development and policy by applying Kaplan’s embodied capital theory to explore differences in food habits and nutritional status of Indo-Fijian children within the context of urbanization. Urban high-embodied-capital women demonstrate higher rates of wage-earning employment than urban low-embodied-capital or rural women. Findings indicate that urban high-embodied-capital households spend significantly more on food purchases, purchase a greater proportion of processed foods, and have children with higher body mass indexes (BMI) than do urban low-embodied-capital or rural households. This suggests that urban high-embodied-capital mothers, who tend to be employed, may be making trade-offs between income and food choices.

Multi‐gene phylogenetic analyses of New Zealand coralline algae: Corallinapetra Novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. and recognition of the Hapalidiales ord. nov.

Coralline red algae from the New Zealand region were investigated in a study focused on documenting regional diversity. We present a multi‐gene analysis using sequence data obtained for four genes (nSSU, psaA, psbA, rbcL) from 68 samples. The study revealed cryptic diversity at both genus and species levels, confirming and providing further evidence of problems with current taxonomic concepts in the Corallinophycidae. In addition, a new genus Corallinapetra novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. is erected for material from northern New Zealand. Corallinapetra is excluded from all currently recognized families and orders within the Corallinophycidae and thus represents a previously unrecognized lineage within this subclass. We discuss rank in the Corallinophycidae and propose the order Hapalidiales.     

Three novel species of Stemphylium from Sinkiang, China: their morphological and molecular characterization

Three new species of Stemphylium were isolated from diseased leaves of Luffa cylindrica, Lycium chinense and Cucumis melo growing in the Sinkiang province of Northwest China. Stemphylium luffae, S. lycii and S. cucumis are described by morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The principal morphological characteristics of these three species are congruent with those of Stemphylium. They are distinguished from morphologically similar Stemphylium species based on characteristics of their conidia and conidiophores. In order to establish the molecular phylogenetic status of these species, DNA loci including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nuclear rDNA region and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) genes were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses using Maximum-Parsimony (MP) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) were performed on the combined DNA sequences of ITS and gpd gene regions. Both morphological observations and molecular analyses support S. luffae, S. lycii and S. cucumis as three new taxa.     

Impact of control for air pollution and respiratory epidemics on the estimated associations of temperature and daily mortality

We assessed the influence of control for air pollution and respiratory epidemics on associations between apparent temperature (AT) and daily mortality in Mexico City and Monterrey. Poisson regressions were fit to mortality among all ages, children (ages 0–14 years) and the elderly (ages 65 years). Predictors included mean daily AT, season, day of week and public holidays for the base model. Respiratory epidemics and air pollution (particulate matter <10 m in aerodynamic diameter and O₃) were added singly and then jointly for a fully adjusted model. Percent changes in mortality were calculated for days of relatively extreme temperatures [cold (10–11°C) for both cities and heat (35–36°C) for Monterrey], compared to days at the overall mean temperature in each city (15°C in Mexico City, 25°C in Monterrey). In Mexico City, total mortality increased 12.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 10.5%, 14.5%] on cold days (fully adjusted). Among children, the adjusted association was similar [10.9% (95% CI: 5.4%, 16.7%)], but without control for pollution and epidemics, was nearly twice as large [19.7% (95% CI: 13.9%, 25.9)]. In Monterrey, the fully adjusted heat effect for all deaths was 18.7% (95% CI: 11.7%, 26.1%), a third lower than the unadjusted estimate; the heat effect was lower among children [5.5% (95% CI: –10.1%, 23.8%)]. Cold had a similar effect on all-age mortality as in Mexico City [11.7% (95% CI: 3.7%, 20.3%)]. Responses of the elderly differed little from all-ages responses in both cities. Associations between weather and health persisted even with control for air pollution and respiratory epidemics in two Mexican cities, but risk assessments and climate change adaptation programs are best informed by analyses that account for these potential confounders.