HLA-DR2 dose effect on susceptibility to multiple sclerosis and influence on disease course

Models of disease susceptibility in multiple sclerosis (MS) often assume a dominant action for the HLA-DRB1*1501 allele and its associated haplotype (DRB1*1501-DQB1*0602 or DR2). A robust and phenotypically well-characterized MS data set was used to explore this model in more detail. A dose effect of HLA-DR2 haplotypes on MS susceptibility was revealed. This observation suggests that, in addition to the role of HLA-DR2 in MS, two copies of a susceptibility haplotype further increase disease risk. Second, we report that DR2 haplotypes modify disease expression. There is a paucity of benign MS and an increase of severe MS in individuals homozygous for DR2. Concepts of the molecular mechanisms that underlie linkage and association of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region to MS need to be revised to accommodate these data.     

Comparison and validation of novel pyrogen tests based on the human fever reaction

The Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) test has replaced about 80% of the use of the rabbit pyrogen test. Ideally, human-based in vitro tests are needed, to replace the remaining use of the rabbit test and the use of the LAL test. The progress of an EU-funded project is described, in which a number of in vitro tests, based on the human fever reaction are passing through a prevalidation study on the way to evaluation in a formal validation study.     

Advanced high school biology in an era of rapid change: a summary of the biology panel report from the NRC Committee on Programs for Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in American High Schools

A recently released National Research Council (NRC) report, Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools, evaluated and recommended changes in the Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and other advanced secondary school science programs. As part of this study, discipline-specific panels were formed to evaluate advanced programs in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Among the conclusions of the Content Panel for Biology were that AP courses in particular suffer from inadequate quality control as well as excessive pressure to fulfill their advanced placement function, which encourages teachers to attempt coverage of all areas of biology and emphasize memorization of facts rather than in-depth understanding. In this essay, the Panel's principal findings are discussed, with an emphasis on its recommendation that colleges and universities should be strongly discouraged from using performance on either the AP examination or the IB examination as the sole basis for automatic placement out of required introductory courses for biology majors and distribution requirements for nonmajors.     

Likelihood of attending bowel screening after a negative genetic test result: the possible influence of health professionals

This study was undertaken to determine the extent to which the reported likelihood of attending future bowel screening following negative genetic testing results for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) varies between the type of health professional providing care and the country of testing. The study subjects were 103 unaffected adults at risk for FAP who received negative results following predictive DNA testing. Our study indicates that the reported likelihood of attending bowel screening was higher in those given results by nongenetics physicians, rather than by genetics professionals; the reported likelihood of attending bowel screening under these circumstances was also higher in the UK than in Australia. Both of these results were affected by the perceived chances of developing FAP, and, in the case of the country of testing, by the perceived accuracy of the genetic test result and the perceived seriousness of the disease. How and what health professionals communicate with patients about genetic testing may explain the differences between type of health professional and country of testing and attitudes toward bowel screening. If this is the case, training in communication may change patients' perceptions and, in turn, their behavioral intentions and actions following a negative test result.     

Mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades in plants: a new nomenclature

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are universal signal transduction modules in eukaryotes, including yeasts, animals and plants. These protein phosphorylation cascades link extracellular stimuli to a wide range of cellular responses. In plants, MAPK cascades are involved in responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses, hormones, cell division and developmental processes. Completion of the Arabidopsis genome-sequencing project has revealed the existence of 20 MAPKs, 10 MAPK kinases and 60 MAPK kinase kinases. Here, we propose a simplified nomenclature for Arabidopsis MAPKs and MAPK kinases that might also serve as a basis for standard annotation of these gene families in all plants.     

Variation in mitochondrial DNA of Vietnamese pigs: relationships with Asian domestic pigs and Ryukyu wild boars

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences (574 bp) of 30 Vietnamese pigs (large and small) were examined and compared with those of 61 haplotypes from wild boars and domestic pigs from various locations in Asia. The large Vietnamese pigs had genetic links to Ryukyu wild boars in southern Japan. The small Vietnamese pigs were closely related to other East Asian domestic pigs. These results indicate that Vietnamese pigs are genetically diverse and may be descendents of wild and domestic pigs from other regions of Asia.