A new role for PGRP-S (Tag7) in immune defense: lymphocyte migration is induced by a chemoattractant complex of Tag7 with Mts1

PGRP-S (Tag7) is an innate immunity protein involved in the antimicrobial defense systems, both in insects and in mammals. We have previously shown that Tag7 specifically interacts with several proteins, including Hsp70 and the calcium binding protein S100A4 (Mts1), providing a number of novel cellular functions. Here we show that Tag7–Mts1 complex causes chemotactic migration of lymphocytes, with NK cells being a preferred target. Cells of either innate immunity (neutrophils and monocytes) or acquired immunity (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes) can produce this complex, which confirms the close connection between components of the 2 branches of immune response.     

Production of DON-related trichothecenes byFusarium graminearum Schw from Krasnodarski krai of the USSR

34Fusarium graminearum Schw isolates produced 4-deoxynivalenol to form significant amounts of 4, 7 — dideoxynivalenol and lesser amounts of 4 — deoxynivalenol monoacetates on grain substratesin vitro. This is the first report on the capability a large group of naturally occurring isolates to produce 4,7-dideoxynivalenol. The average levels of 4,7-dideoxynivalenol on rice, corn, barley, and wheat as a substrate were respectively 26.8, 14.0, 12.8, and 10.5% of the level of 4-deoxynivalenol. 4, 7 — dideoxynivalenol was present in all examined naturally contaminated wheat kernel samples at levels of 1.7 to 7.9% of the level of 4-deoxynivalenol. These findings suggest that more attention should be given to the occurrence of 4,7-dideoxynivalenol in cereals.     

Indices of iron and copper status during experimentally induced,marginal zinc deficiency in humans

This study examined the effect of diet-induced, marginal zinc deficiency for 7 wks in 15 men (aged 25.3 +/- 3.3 yrs; mean +/- SD) on selected indices of iron and copper status. The regimen involved low-zinc diets based on egg albumin and soy protein with added phytate and calcium such that mean [phytate]/[Zn] and [phytate] X [Ca]/[Zn] molar ratios were 209 and 4116, respectively, for 1 wk, followed by 70 and 2000, respectively, for 6 wks. Subjects were then repleted with 30 mg Zn/d for 2 wks. Plasma copper, Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) activity in plasma and red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and serum ferritin were determined weekly on fasting blood samples. Significant reductions (p less than 0.05) after 7 wks in RBC Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (49.5 +/- 7.2 vs 33.6 +/- 6.3 U/mg Hb) and serum ferritin (69.2 +/- 38.7 vs 53.8 +/- 33.7 micrograms/L) occurred; no comparable decline was noted for plasma Cu, hemoglobin, or hematocrit. Significant (p less than 0.05) but less consistent changes were also observed in plasma superoxide dismutase activity. None of the changes were associated with the decreases in plasma, urinary and hair zinc concentrations, and alkaline phosphatase activity in RBC membranes. Results indicate that the biochemical iron and copper status of the subjects was marginally impaired, probably from the dietary regimen that induced marginal zinc deficiency.     

Conservation,propagation, and redistribution (CPR) of Hill’s thistle: paradigm for plant species at risk

Cryopreservation is a valuable tool that could potentially create an alternate plant preservation strategy for species at risk such as Hill’s thistle. The present study is focused on a successful paradigm involving conservation, propagation and redistribution (CPR), emaphasizing the usefulness of cryopreservation techniques for plant conservation using Hill’s thistle (Cirsium hillii. (Canby) Fernald). A cryopreservation protocol was established using the droplet-vitrification method for 5-week-old shoot tips of in vitro grown cultures. More than 90% of shoot tips showed regrowth and nearly all regenerated plants were able to survive in the greenhouse. The survival, growth, and development of plants from cryopreserved shoot buds and their performance in field conditions were all comparable or better than the plants from non-cryopreserved buds. Reintroduced plants flowered following overwintering and the magnitude of flowering was site dependent with ca. 80% flowering observed in one site. The site dependent flowering patterns were assessed using phytohormone profiling and compared to herbivory, a common biotic stressor of these plants. Lower tryptophan concentrations led to higher flowering except in alvars, where the limestone resisted root penetration resulting in poor flowering. The presence of tryptamine in the greenhouse acclimatized or alvar field leaves suggested the preparedness of the plants for herbivory/grazing. Serotonin and melatonin concentrations were lower in flowering plants and in sites where the biotic/abiotic stress was minimal. This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of the CPR model in species recovery programs for endangered species. Physiological characterization of plants developed from cryopreserved tissues can be useful for fundamental and applied research in stress adaptation and reproductive biology of plants.

     

Somatoform disorders among patients attending walk-in clinics in Trinidad: prevalence and association with depression and anxiety

Objectives Somatoform disorders are common in international primary care settings, but have been little studied in the developing world. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of severe undifferentiated somatoform disorder, and its relationship to depression and anxiety, among patients attending walk-in clinics in Trinidad.Methods The study participants, who were all aged 18 years or older and attending walk-in clinics at 16 randomly selected health centres, were surveyed between May and August 2007 using the PRIME-MD questionnaire.Results There were 594 participants (the response rate was 92%), of whom 72.7% were female. Their ages ranged from 18 to 93 years, and 54.5% were over 50 years of age. In total, 37.2% were married and 25.9% were single. Indo-Trinidadians represented 43.1% and Afro-Trinidadians represented 36% of the study sample; 56.5% of the participants reported that their income was less than US$ 400 per month, and 65.7% were unemployed. At walk-in clinics in Trinidad, the estimated prevalence of severe undifferentiated somatoform disorder was 10.3% (95% CI: 7.86–12.74), that of hypochondriasis was 28.5% (95% CI: 24.9–32.1), and that of body dysmorphic disorder was 15.8% (95% CI: 11.9–18.7). Severe undifferentiated somatoform disorder was statistically significantly associated with gender and ethnicity but not with age, level of education, employment status or income. Chi-square testing found significant associations between the presence of severe undifferentiated somatoform disorder and both depression and anxiety (P < 0.05), between hypochondriasis and both anxiety and depression (P < 0.05), and between body dysmorphic disorder and depression (P < 0.05) but not anxiety. Regression analysis suggested that the demographic features that predicted severe undifferentiated somatoform disorder were being female or Indo-Trinidadian.Conclusions Walk-in clinics in Trinidad that serve older patients on a lower income have a high proportion of patients with somatoform disorders as measured by the PRIME-MD scale. These patients exhibit many features of anxiety and depression. These findings have implications for medical training and service delivery.     

Inter-familial relationships of the shorebirds (Aves: Charadriiformes) based on nuclear DNA sequence data

Background  

Phylogenetic hypotheses of higher-level relationships in the order Charadriiformes based on morphological data, partly disagree with those based on DNA-DNA hybridisation data. So far, these relationships have not been tested by analysis of DNA sequence data. Herein we utilize 1692 bp of aligned, nuclear DNA sequences obtained from 23 charadriiform species, representing 15 families. We also test earlier suggestions that bustards and sandgrouses may be nested with the charadriiforms. The data is analysed with methods based on the parsimony and maximum-likelihood criteria.     

Safeguarding marine life: conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries - Marine ecosystems and their associated biodiversity sustain life on Earth and hold intrinsic value. Critical marine ecosystem services include maintenance of...     

Lymphoid tissue damage in HIV-1 infection depletes naïve T cells and limits T cell reconstitution after antiretroviral therapy

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can suppress HIV-1 replication and normalize the chronic immune activation associated with infection, but restoration of na?ve CD4+ T cell populations is slow and usually incomplete for reasons that have yet to be determined. We tested the hypothesis that damage to the lymphoid tissue (LT) fibroblastic reticular cell (FRC) network contributes to na?ve T cell loss in HIV-1 infection by restricting access to critical factors required for T cell survival. We show that collagen deposition and progressive loss of the FRC network in LTs prior to treatment restrict both access to and a major source of the survival factor interleukin-7 (IL-7). As a consequence, apoptosis within na?ve T cell populations increases significantly, resulting in progressive depletion of both na?ve CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations. We further show that the extent of loss of the FRC network and collagen deposition predict the extent of restoration of the na?ve T cell population after 6 month of HAART, and that restoration of FRC networks correlates with the stage of disease at which the therapy is initiated. Because restoration of the FRC network and reconstitution of na?ve T cell populations are only optimal when therapy is initiated in the early/acute stage of infection, our findings strongly suggest that HAART should be initiated as soon as possible. Moreover, our findings also point to the potential use of adjunctive anti-fibrotic therapies to avert or moderate the pathological consequences of LT fibrosis, thereby improving immune reconstitution.     

Early resolution of acute immune activation and induction of PD-1 in SIV-infected sooty mangabeys distinguishes nonpathogenic from pathogenic infection in rhesus macaques

Primate lentiviruses are typically apathogenic in their evolutionarily coadapted host species but can be lethal when transferred to new host species. Why such infections are pathogenic in humans and rhesus macaques (RMs) but not in sooty mangabeys (SMs), a natural host, remains unclear. Studies of chronically infected animals point to the importance of diminished immune activation in response to the infection in SMs. In this study, we sought the causes and timing of the differences in immune activation in a comparative study of acute SIV infection in RMs and SMs. Surprisingly, we show that in acute infection immune activation is comparable in SMs and RMs but thereafter, SMs quickly resolve immune activation, whereas RMs did not. Early resolution of immune activation in SMs correlated with increased expression of PD-1 and with preservation of CD4(+) T cell counts and lymphatic tissue architecture. These findings point to early control of immune activation by host immunoregulatory mechanisms as a major determinant of the different disease outcomes in SIV infection of natural vs non-natural hosts.