Association of Helicobacter pylori and gastric autoimmunity: A population-based study

Abstract Based on clinical studies, a negative association between Helicobacter pylori and autoimmune corpus gastritis is described. In the present investigation of an unselected population of 1461 adults we can state, however, that there exists a relationship between H. pylori infection and the development of gastric corpus autoimmunity. As confirmation for the gastric autoantibody development through molecular mimicry, a high homology (72% in 25 amino acid overlap) between the beta subunit of H. pylori urease and that of H + K + ATPase, the gastric parietal cell autoantigen, was revealed.     

Thelodonts and distribution of associated conodonts from the Llandovery–lowermost Lochkovian of the Welsh Borderland

Thelodont scales from the Middle Llandovery–lowermost Lochkovian of southern Britain are described with three new taxa, Loganellia? unispinata sp. nov., Nethertonodus prodigialis gen. et sp. nov. and Paralogania tarranti sp. nov. established, and Paralogania kaarmisensis Märss identified for the first time from Britain. Thelodonts are rare in the Llandovery and Wenlock series where predominantly Loganellia cf. aldridgei Turner, Loganellia scotica (Traquair) and Thelodus sp. are accompanied by coniform conodonts Panderodus Ethington, Decoriconus Cooper and Dapsilodus obliquicostatus (Branson and Mehl). The majority of the material has been recovered from the Ludlow and P?ídolí series. Thelodus laevis (Pander) and Paralogania martinssoni (Gross) occur in the lower Gorstian. Paralogania kaarmisensis and Phlebolepis elegans Pander come from the Upper Gorstian–Lower Ludfordian and are associated with the zonal conodont Polygnathoides siluricus Branson and Mehl in the upper Gorstian. Thelodus parvidens Agassiz and T. trilobatus Hoppe dominate in the Upper Ludfordian in association with the rarer zonal conodonts Ozarkodina snajdri (Walliser), O. crispa (Walliser) and O. remscheidensis eosteinhornensis (Walliser). The basal P?ídolí Series indicates a change to a thelodont fauna dominated by Paralogania ludlowiensis (Gross) and including Nethertonodus prodigialis. Higher in the P?ídolí Series, a succession in faunas includes Katoporodus cf. timanicus (Karataju¯te‐Talimaa), Paralogania tarranti, Loganellia? unispinata and Goniporus alatus (Gross). In the highest P?ídolí beds Paralogania kummerowi (Gross) and Loganellia cuneata (Gross) can be traced before the incoming of the lowermost Devonian taxon Turinia pagei (Powrie) along with Nikolivia gutta Karataju¯te‐Talimaa. Correlations with the Baltic are suggested from the Lower Ludlow, Upper Silurian, up to the Lower Lochkovian, Lower Devonian.     

Role of contact in bacterial degradation of cellulose

Abstract Bacterial cells can adhere to cellulose fibres, but it is not known if cell-to-fibre contact is necessary for cellulose degradation. This problem was explored using aerobic cellulolytic bacteria, including known species and new isolates from soil. These were tested on plates containing Avicel, Solka floc, CF11 cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, or phosphoric acid-treated cellulose. Cellulose degradation was measured both by formation of clearing zones and by growth when cellulose was the only carbon source. The bacteria tested were either inoculated directly on the cellulose-containing agar, or separated from it by a pure agar layer or by membrane filters (not containing cellulose). Even when separated from the cellulose-containing agar all strains grew well. Clearing zones, best seen in phosphoric acid-treated cellulose, were larger under colonies separated from cellulose by an agar layer than under those in direct contact with cellulose. Such zones could also appear under filters. Our results show that bacterial degradation of cellulose does not depend on cell-to-fibre contact and suggest that when cellulose is at a greater distance from the cell, the removal of end products reduces catabolite repression of cellulose formation.     

Origin of phytoplankton and the environmental factors governing the structure of microalgal communities in lowland streams

Information on the structure of microalgal assemblages in the epiphyton and epilithon is necessary to understand the origin of phytoplankton in lowland rivers. To this end, we carried out concurrent investigations on phytoplankton, epiphyton and epilithon in 18 reaches of three Estonian rivers during the midsummers of 2002 and 2003. A total of 251 taxa was recorded, of which 192 were epiphyton species, 158 were epilithon species and 150 were phytoplankton species. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), based on the 31 most abundant taxa, indicated differences in the structure of the algal assemblages between the different biotopes (phytoplankton, epiphyton and epilithon) as well as between the studied rivers. The composition of the phytoplankton clearly differed from that of the other biotopes, with prevailing small flagellates, a chrysophyte (Synura uvella) and cryptophytes (Rhodomonas lacustris and Cryptomonas erosa). The epiphyton was characterized by a large number of diatoms, while the epilithic community contained filamentous cyanobacteria (Phormidium tergestinum and Planktolyngya sp.) and a green alga (Stigeoclonium tenue) in addition to diatoms. Based on redundancy analysis (RDA), phosphorous was the most relevant parameter determining the distribution of species in the phytoplankton assemblages. Shading by trees on the river bank, dissolved oxygen concentration and water temperature as well as river width determined the distribution of species in the epiphyton. The data set on the epilithon did not reveal any significant relationships between species distribution and the measured environmental parameters.     

Highly variable flowering time in Orchis ustulata (Orchidaceae): consequences for population dynamics

Two subspecies of Orchis ustulata differ considerably in their flowering time, but in only a few morphometric parameters; this makes the rank of these taxa problematic. The flowering time was not affected by replanting individuals to another habitat, including to the habitat of the other subspecies. In this study, populations from both subspecies were studied, measuring 464 marked genets during 5–6 years. Populations with different flowering times exhibited notable differences in their local distribution areas and the mean height of specimens. In the late-flowering populations the proportion of dormant plants is higher and the proportion of vegetatively propagated shoots lower than in the early-flowering ones. Going to (or staying) dormant is the biggest possibility in all stage groups. Flowering is more likely to be followed by dormancy than vegetative stage, but setting fruit does not affect the possibility. Vegetative propagation may play an important role in keeping the populations viable. Vegetative growth is more pronounced on stony soils.     

Enhanced islet expansion by β‐cell proliferation in young diabetes‐prone rats fed a protective diet

Type 1 diabetes is inhibited in diabetes‐prone BioBreeding (BBdp) rats fed a low‐antigen hydrolyzed casein (HC) diet. In cereal‐fed BBdp rats, islet expansion is defective accompanied by a futile upregulation of islet neogenesis without increased islet mass, due to a subtle blockage in islet cell cycle. We hypothesized that islet growth is enhanced before insulitis in HC‐fed young BBdp rats and that islet neogenesis could be stimulated by a trophic factor, islet neogenesis‐associated protein (INGAP). β‐Cell homeostasis was analyzed using immunohistochemistry, morphometry, laser capture microdissection and RT‐PCR in BBdp rats fed HC or cereal diets. β‐cell proliferation in small and medium islets, and the number and area fraction of medium and large islets were increased in HC‐fed animals. In situ islet cell cycle analysis revealed an increased proportion of proliferating S + G2 cells in medium and large islets of 25–45 day HC‐fed rats. Expression of the cell cycle inhibitor, p16^INK4a correlated with islet size and the percentage of p16^INK4a+ β‐cells increased in HC‐fed BBdp rats, likely reflecting an increase in large islet area fraction. In HC‐fed rats, extra‐islet insulin⁺ clusters (EIC), insulin⁺ duct cells, large islet area fraction, and β‐cell mass were increased. Neurogenin‐3 and Pdx‐1, markers of β‐cell progenitors, were increased in EIC of weanling HC‐fed rats. Daily injection of INGAP (30–45 days) increased the number of small islets, total islets, and insulin⁺ cells in small ducts. Thus, in BBdp rats fed a protective HC diet, β‐cell expansion is enhanced through increased β‐cell proliferation and stimulation of islet neogenesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 501–508, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Distribution trends of rare vascular plant species in Estonia

On the basis of quantitative analysis of the vascular plant distribution maps for Estonia, we specified the list of rare species which occur in less than 5% of grid quadrangles, and studied the possible correlations between their rarity and habitat preference, distribution, and sensitivity to human impact. Rare species occur statistically more often among species that are at the limit of their geographical range. The proportion of rare species was significantly higher among arctomontane and disjunct circumpolar taxa. Among apophytes, there were less rare taxa than would be expected according to the common native flora, but among hemerophobes, there were significantly more rare species than would be expected. The number of rare species was in strong positive correlation with the species richness of the region. Besides the western part of Estonia, where the greatest number of rare species occur, some small areas rich in rare species also lie in East and North Estonia.