Justified concern or exaggerated fear: the risk of anaphylaxis in percutaneous treatment of cystic echinococcosis-a systematic literature review

Percutaneous treatment (PT) emerged in the mid-1980s as an alternative to surgery for selected cases of abdominal cystic echinococcosis (CE). Despite its efficacy and widespread use, the puncture of echinococcal cysts is still far from being universally accepted. One of the main reasons for this reluctance is the perceived risk of anaphylaxis linked to PTs. To quantify the risk of anaphylactic reactions and lethal anaphylaxis with PT, we systematically searched MEDLINE for publications on PT of CE and reviewed the PT-related complications. After including 124 publications published between 1980 and 2010, we collected a total number of 5943 PT procedures on 5517 hepatic and non-hepatic echinococcal cysts. Overall, two cases of lethal anaphylaxis and 99 reversible anaphylactic reactions were reported. Lethal anaphylaxis occurred in 0.03% of PT procedures, corresponding to 0.04% of treated cysts, while reversible allergic reactions complicated 1.7% of PTs, corresponding to 1.8% of treated echinococcal cysts. Analysis of the literature shows that lethal anaphylaxis related to percutaneous treatment of CE is an extremely rare event and is observed no more frequently than drug-related anaphylactic side effects.     

Vertical Clinging and Leaping Revisited: Locomotion and Habitat Use in the Western Tarsier, <Emphasis Type=Italic>Tarsius bancanus</Emphasis> Explored Via Loglinear Modeling

Napier and Walker’s (1967) locomotor category of vertical clinging and leaping (VC&L) is one of the most familiar in primatology, and tarsiers are probably the most morphologically specialized of its membership. However, the link between vertical clinging and leaping remains unelucidated. We attempt to do so by reanalysis of Crompton’s 1985 and 1986 field observations of locomotion and habitat use in Tarsius bancanus, using loglinear modeling. Loglinear modeling is better suited to the categorical variables used in many field studies than more traditional statistics, such as ANOVA, developed for continuous variables. We show that climbing, as well as leaping, is one of the predominant forms of locomotion, and that all other things being equal, tarsiers tend to take off from, and land on, similar sized supports, which suggests that the following findings are not likely to be a result of substrate availability alone. Small body size lead to a prediction that tarsiers should leap down but climb up: this was not sustained: rather leaps tend to be level, and climbing accounts for more height loss than randomly expected. However, a prediction that to avoid energy loss to the substrate, the tarsiers should show a preference for large diameter supports for takeoff when leaping longer distances was supported, although tarsiers do not avoid moderately compliant supports. The prediction from ballistic principles that the longest leaps should start from high-angled supports was only weakly sustained, but low-angled supports tend to be strongly associated with short leaps, suggesting that such supports do not facilitate 45° takeoff trajectories. However, tarsiers displayed a preference for landing on medium-sized supports when leaping long distances, suggesting a preference for balancing the need for stability with minimizing musculoskeletal shock.     

Detection and characterization of the Gloeosporium gloeosporioides growth inhibitory compound iturin A from Bacillus subtilis strain KS03

The Bacillus subtilis strain KS03 was isolated, and identified as a biological control agent that inhibits the anthracnose disease fungus Gloeosporium gloeosporioides. The antifungal compound was purified from its culture broth through butanol extraction, diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) Sepharose CL-6B chromatography, and preparative thin layer chromatography. Tandem mass spectrometric analyses (MS/MS), with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-fight/time-of-flight (TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry, showed that the antifungal compound was iturin A, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic. The major compound, with a molecular mass of 1042 Da, was identified as iturin A(2).     

Litter loss triggers estrus in a nonsocial seasonal breeder

Sexually selected infanticide (SSI) is often presumed to be rare among seasonal breeders, because it would require a near immediate return to estrus after the loss of an entire litter during the mating season. We evaluated changes in reproductive strategies and the reproductive fate of females that experienced litter loss during the mating season in a seasonal breeder with strong evidence for SSI, the brown bear. First, we used a long‐term demographic dataset (1986–2011) to document that a large majority of females (>91%) that lose their entire litter during the mating season in fact do enter estrus, mate, and give birth during the subsequent birthing season. Second, we used high‐resolution movement data (2005–2011) to evaluate how females changed reproductive strategies after losing their entire litter during the mating season. We hypothesized that females would shift from the sedentary lifestyle typical for females with cubs‐of‐the‐year to a roam‐to‐mate behavior typical for receptive females in no more than a few (~3) days after litter loss. We found that females with cubs‐of‐the‐year moved at about 1/3 of the rate and in a less bimodal diurnal pattern than receptive females during the mating season. The probability of litter loss was positively related with movement rate, suggesting that being elusive and sedentary is a strategy to enhance cub survival rather than a relic of cub mobility itself. The movement patterns of receptive females and females after litter loss were indistinguishable within 1–2 days after the litter loss, and we illustrate that SSI can significantly reduce the female interbirth interval (50–85%). Our results suggest that SSI can also be advantageous for males in seasonally breeding mammals. We propose that infanticide as a male reproductive strategy is more prevalent among mammals with reproductive seasonality than observed or reported.     

Complete genome sequence of Mahella australiensis type strain (50-1 BON)

Mahella australiensis Bonilla Salinas et al. 2004 is the type species of the genus Mahella, which belongs to the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae. The species is of interest because it differs from other known anaerobic spore-forming bacteria in its G+C content, and in certain phenotypic traits, such as carbon source utilization and relationship to temperature. Moreover, it has been discussed that this species might be an indigenous member of petroleum and oil reservoirs. This is the first completed genome sequence of a member of the genus Mahella and the ninth completed type strain genome sequence from the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae. The 3,135,972 bp long genome with its 2,974 protein-coding and 59 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.     

Non-contiguous finished genome sequence of the opportunistic oral pathogen Prevotella multisaccharivorax type strain (PPPA20)

Prevotella multisaccharivorax Sakamoto et al. 2005 is a species of the large genus Prevotella, which belongs to the family Prevotellaceae. The species is of medical interest because its members are able to cause diseases in the human oral cavity such as periodontitis, root caries and others. Although 77 Prevotella genomes have already been sequenced or are targeted for sequencing, this is only the second completed genome sequence of a type strain of a species within the genus Prevotella to be published. The 3,388,644 bp long genome is assembled in three non-contiguous contigs, harbors 2,876 protein-coding and 75 RNA genes and is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.     

The host selects mucosal and luminal associations of coevolved gut microorganisms: a novel concept

Along the human gastrointestinal tract, microorganisms are confronted with multiple barriers. Besides selective physical conditions, the epithelium is regularly replaced and covered with a protective mucus layer trapping immune molecules. Recent insights into host defense strategies show that the host selects the intestinal microbiota, particularly the mucosa-associated microbial community. In this context, humans coevolved with thousands of intestinal microbial species that have adapted to provide host benefits, while avoiding pathogenic behavior that might destabilize their host interaction. While mucosal microorganisms would be crucial for immunological priming, luminal microorganisms would be important for nutrient digestion. Further, we propose that the intestinal microorganisms also coevolved with each other, leading to coherently organized, resilient microbial associations. During disturbances, functionally redundant members become more abundant and are crucial for preserving community functionality. The outside of the mucus layer, where host defense molecules are more diluted, could serve as an environment where microorganisms are protected from disturbances in the lumen and from where they can recolonize the lumen after perturbations. This might explain the remarkable temporal stability of microbial communities. Finally, commensals that become renegade or a decreased exposure to essential coevolved microorganisms may cause particular health problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity or allergies.     

Evolution of Influenza B Virus in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, between 1995 and 2008

Influenza B virus causes significant disease but remains understudied in tropical regions. We sequenced 72 influenza B viruses collected in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 1995 to 2008. The predominant circulating lineage (Victoria or Yamagata) changed every 1 to 3 years, and these shifts were associated with increased incidence of influenza B. We also found poor lineage matches with recommended influenza virus vaccine strains. While most influenza B virus lineages in Malaysia were short-lived, one circulated for 3 to 4 years.