The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cystovirus</Emphasis> phi6 as a simulant for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus

Innocuous organisms able to simulate the properties of pathogens are necessary so that the behaviour of pathogenic microorganisms in the environment may be understood. This is essential if we are to understand the epidemiology and consequence management of airborne infection, whether natural or the result of a deliberate release. The coliphage MS2 has been widely used as a simulant for mammalian viruses, although it bears little structural or biochemical similarity to the agents of interest. The well-characterised bacteriophage phi6 (host Pseudomonas syringae) is closer in size and complexity to pathogenic viruses, notably the Alphavirus Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) because the virion has surface structures and is bounded by a lipid envelope. Here, we show for phi6 that the assay is simple and precise and that the infectivity is stable in buffers and under conditions used for aerobiology experiments, it is retained after aerosolisation and sampling. Finally, phi6 aerosol was generated into a re-circulating wind tunnel where a stable and acceptable level of viability was maintained. Phi6 may prove a useful simulant for VEEV and possibly for other lipid-containing viruses as well.     

BAC- and oligo-FISH mapping reveals chromosome evolution among Vigna angularis,V. unguiculata,and Phaseolus vulgaris

Chromosoma - Cytogenomic resources have accelerated synteny and chromosome evolution studies in plant species, including legumes. Here, we established the first cytogenetic map of V. angularis (Va,...     

Localization of the amino phospholipids in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes revealed by trinitrobenzene-sulfonate and fluorodinitrobenzene

The chemical probes for amino compounds 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate (TNBS) and 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB) were utilized to determine the localization of the amino phospholipids in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. At low concentrations (<1 mM), TNBS does not penetrate the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, while FDNB readily penetrates it. The results show that about 70% of the total phosphatidylethanolamine is located on the external surface of the membrane, about 20% is on the internal surface and 10% is probably strongly interacting with the proteins since it is not accessible to the probes. In contrast, most of the phosphatidylserine is located on the inner surface of the membrane. This molecular distribution of the amino phospholipids supports a structural assymmetry of the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane.     

A framework for prospective,adaptive meta-analysis (FAME) of aggregate data from randomised trials

BackgroundThe vast majority of systematic reviews are planned retrospectively, once most eligible trials have completed and reported, and are based on aggregate data that can be extracted from publications. Prior knowledge of trial results can introduce bias into both review and meta-analysis methods, and the omission of unpublished data can lead to reporting biases. We present a collaborative framework for prospective, adaptive meta-analysis (FAME) of aggregate data to provide results that are less prone to bias. Also, with FAME, we monitor how evidence from trials is accumulating, to anticipate the earliest opportunity for a potentially definitive meta-analysis.MethodologyWe developed and piloted FAME alongside 4 systematic reviews in prostate cancer, which allowed us to refine the key principles. These are to: (1) start the systematic review process early, while trials are ongoing or yet to report; (2) liaise with trial investigators to develop a detailed picture of all eligible trials; (3) prospectively assess the earliest possible timing for reliable meta-analysis based on the accumulating aggregate data; (4) develop and register (or publish) the systematic review protocol before trials produce results and seek appropriate aggregate data; (5) interpret meta-analysis results taking account of both available and unavailable data; and (6) assess the value of updating the systematic review and meta-analysis. These principles are illustrated via a hypothetical review and their application to 3 published systematic reviews.ConclusionsFAME can reduce the potential for bias, and produce more timely, thorough and reliable systematic reviews of aggregate data.

Jayne Tierney and coauthors discuss FAME, an approach for adaptive meta-analysis of data from randomised trials.     

Synthetic corticotropin-releasing factor stimulates secretion of immunoreactive beta-endorphin/beta-lipotropin and ACTH by human fetal pituitaries in vitro

Synthetic ovine CRF, in an amount approximating that found in pituitary portal plasma of the rat, induced a significant increase in the secretion of both ACTH and immunoreactive beta-endorphin/beta-LPH (i beta-END/LPH) by human fetal hemipituitaries in an in vitro superfusion system. This finding suggests that a molecule similar to synthetic ovine CRF may be a physiologic hypothalamic releasing factor in man.     

Oral Zinc Supplementation May Improve Cognitive Function in Schoolchildren

Zinc is an important micronutrient for humans, and zinc deficiency among schoolchildren is deleterious to growth and development, immune competence, and cognitive function. However, the effect of zinc supplementation on cognitive function remains poorly understood. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of oral zinc supplementation (5 mg Zn/day for 3 months) on the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), Verbal Intelligence Quotient (VIQ), and Performance Intelligence Quotient (PIQ) using a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). We studied 36 schoolchildren aged 6 to 9 years (7.8?±?1.1) using a nonprobability sampling method. The baseline serum zinc concentrations increased significantly after zinc supplementation (p?<?0.0001), with no difference between sexes. Tests were administered under basal conditions before and after zinc supplementation, and there was no difference in FSIQ according to gender or age. The results demonstrated that zinc improved the VIQ only in the Information Subtest (p?=?0.009), although the supplementation effects were more significant in relation to the PIQ, as these scores improved for the Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Block Design, and Object Assembly Subtests (p?=?0.0001, for all subtests). In conclusion, zinc supplementation improved specific cognitive abilities, thereby positively influencing the academic performance of schoolchildren, even those without marginal zinc deficiency.     

Delving into the loss of heterostyly in Rubiaceae: Is there a similar trend in tropical and non-tropical climate zones?

Heterostyly is a specialised floral polymorphism consisting in the presence within the populations of two or three morphs that differ reciprocally in sexual organ position. The function of heterostyly has usually been related to the promotion of cross-pollination fostered by the perfect adjustment between pollinators and flower morphologies. Rubiaceae is the largest family in which this polymorphism is present. Nevertheless, just a few studies on the evolution of heterostyly have been carried out in this family.To investigate the appearance and maintenance of heterostyly we select the subfamily Rubioideae as study group. Rubioideae occur in both tropical and temperate regions and since the tropics are known to contain higher biodiversity and greater ecological specialisation than temperate areas, we characterise the taxa as tropical, non-tropical or mixed distributed (when they are present in tropical and non-tropical areas) and explored whether the heterostyly, as a specialised system, is more stable in tropical regions than in other climates of the world.Ancestral nodes in Rubioideae present heterostyly, which also is maintained along most evolutionary lineages of this group. Although we do not find a significant correlation between the presence of heterostyly and the climate zones along the whole subfamily, our results show that two of the main clades in the Spermacoceae alliance where heterostyly is lost are distributed in non-tropical areas or, at least, they are not restricted to tropical distributions.These results partially support the hypothesis that plant lineages when exposed to different pollination scenarios may evolve towards divergent pollination systems and different degrees of specialisation. However, a more detailed analysis at the species level is suggested for future studies.