Haemostasis and oral contraceptives

Selected hemostasis parameters were assayed in 131 women ingesting different kinds of oral contraceptives and 36 control women. No differences were noted in the plasma levels of fibrinogen, antithrombin III, prekallikrein, alpha 2 antiplasmin, fibrinopeptide A, platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin. Protein C and plasminogen levels were significantly higher in pill users (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.01) and fibronectin levels were lower (p less than 0.05). Canonical correlation, performed between clinical parameters and hemostasis data, revealed a negative correlation between antithrombin III levels and family history for thromboembolic diseases. A positive correlation was noted between fibrinogen and fibronectin levels in obese OC users. The data suggest that women taking OCs are not in a state of "hypercoagulability."     

Characterization oftrans-acting regulatory elements affecting the expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase (sodA) inEscherichia coli

Escherichia coli strains harboringtrans-acting mutations affecting the expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene (sodA) were used to studysodA regulation. Complementation studies revealed that eitherarc (aerobic respiratory control) orfur (ferric uptake regulation) loci independently complemented anaerobic expression of asodA::lacZ protein fusion in one mutant strain (UV16). This mutant exhibited phenotypes (i.e., elevated outer membrane proteins, enzyme activity, and dye sensitivity) typical offur andarc mutants. When these mutations were introduced into an otherwise wild-type background, anaerobicsodA expression occurred only when botharc andfur mutations were present simultaneously, suggesting cooperative roles of Fur and Arc insodA repression. The reconstructedfur arcA andfur arcB double mutants were still inducible by iron chelators, suggesting the possible involvement of another iron-containing repressor protein. A second independent mutant strain harboring atrans-acting regulatory mutation (UV14) was only partially complemented by multicopy plasmids carryingfur ⁺ orarc ⁺ genes, implicating other genetic elements insodA regulation.     

Unexpected inactivation of acceptor consensus splice sequence by a −3 C to T transition in intron 2 of the CFTR gene

Human Genetics - Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR). Analysis of DNA from a pancreatic sufficient patient by means of...     

Early increase in lymphocyte cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity upon mitogenic activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was significantly increased following a short (30 min) incubation with the mitogenic lectin Concanavalin A. Con A stimulated phosphodiesterase activity to the same extent whatever the subcellular compartment (homogenate, cytosol or pellet). Further separation of the Con A-activated mononuclear cells into lymphocyte-enriched and monocyte-enriched populations showed that the Con A-induced increase of phosphodiesterase activity exclusively affected the lymphocyte-enriched population. In lymphocytes, cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity was more importantly enhanced by Con A (+275%) than cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity (+75%). The increase of both activities occurred as early as from 10 min of Con A incubation and proved to be maximal with Con A doses of 2.5 and 5 micrograms per 10(6) cells, lower and higher doses being less effective. Inhibition experiments with reference inhibitors suggested that, among the high affinity phosphodiesterase isoforms, the cyclic GMP-inhibited enzyme might be more selectively enhanced by Con A than the cyclic AMP-specific, Rolipram-sensitive one. The non-mitogenic lectin Helix pomatia hemagglutinin, was not able to enhance cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity of human mononuclear cells whereas anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, although being less effective than Con A, exhibited a significant stimulatory effect. Putting together these results suggest that the early increase in phosphodiesterase activity might be a normal step involved in the mitogenic activation of human lymphocyte.     

Paternity tests support a diallelic self‐incompatibility system in a wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei,Oleaceae)

Self‐incompatibility (SI) is the main mechanism that favors outcrossing in plants. By limiting compatible matings, SI interferes in fruit production and breeding of new cultivars. In the Oleeae tribe (Oleaceae), an unusual diallelic SI system (DSI) has been proposed for three distantly related species including the olive (Olea europaea), but empirical evidence has remained controversial for this latter. The olive domestication is a complex process with multiple origins. As a consequence, the mixing of S‐alleles from two distinct taxa, the possible artificial selection of self‐compatible mutants and the large phenological variation of blooming may constitute obstacles for deciphering SI in olive. Here, we investigate cross‐genotype compatibilities in the Saharan wild olive (O. e. subsp. laperrinei). As this taxon was geographically isolated for thousands of years, SI should not be affected by human selection. A population of 37 mature individuals maintained in a collection was investigated. Several embryos per mother were genotyped with microsatellites in order to identify compatible fathers that contributed to fertilization. While the pollination was limited by distance inside the collection, our results strongly support the DSI hypothesis, and all individuals were assigned to two incompatibility groups (G1 and G2). No self‐fertilization was observed in our conditions. In contrast, crosses between full or half siblings were frequent (ca. 45%), which is likely due to a nonrandom assortment of related trees in the collection. Finally, implications of our results for orchard management and the conservation of olive genetic resources are discussed.     

Native drivers of fish life history traits are lost during the invasion process

Rapid adaptation to global change can counter vulnerability of species to population declines and extinction. Theoretically, under such circumstances both genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity can maintain population fitness, but empirical support for this is currently limited. Here, we aim to characterize the role of environmental and genetic diversity, and their prior evolutionary history (via haplogroup profiles) in shaping patterns of life history traits during biological invasion. Data were derived from both genetic and life history traits including a morphological analysis of 29 native and invasive populations of topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva coupled with climatic variables from each location. General additive models were constructed to explain distribution of somatic growth rate (SGR) data across native and invasive ranges, with model selection performed using Akaike's information criteria. Genetic and environmental drivers that structured the life history of populations in their native range were less influential in their invasive populations. For some vertebrates at least, fitness‐related trait shifts do not seem to be dependent on the level of genetic diversity or haplogroup makeup of the initial introduced propagule, nor of the availability of local environmental conditions being similar to those experienced in their native range. As long as local conditions are not beyond the species physiological threshold, its local establishment and invasive potential are likely to be determined by local drivers, such as density‐dependent effects linked to resource availability or to local biotic resistance.     

Evolutionary profile of the family Calliphoridae,with notes on the origin of myiasis

The family Calliphoridae is a group of heterogenous calyptrate flies with a worldwide distribution including species of ecological, veterinary, medical, and forensic importance. Notorious for their parasitic habits, the larvae of many blowflies are characterised – like some other dipteran larvae – by their ability to develop in animal flesh. When parasitism affects a living host, it is termed “myiasis”. This has led the Calliphoridae to be considered as a pivotal family in its relationship with a man. Nevertheless, even after more than 50 years of research, the phylogenetic relationships among calliphorid subfamilies together with the evolutionary origin of myiasis remain unclear. In order to elucidate these problems, we constructed three phylogenetic trees by using nucleotide sequence data from cytochrome oxidase subunit one (COI), representing a mitochondrial conservative gene, and nuclear 28S subunit of ribosomal RNA gene (28S rRNA) in order to interpret the evolutionary profile of myiasis in the family Calliphoridae. The sequenced data represented species associated with ectoparasitic life-styles, either saprophagy or facultative and obligate parasitism. A total number of 50 accessions were collected for 28S rRNA, 56 for COI, and 38 for combined sequences phylogeny. Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software was used to align 2197 nucleotide positions of 28S rRNA and 1500 nucleotide positions of COI with a gap opening penalties and gap extension penalties equalling 20 and 0.1 respectively. The results reveal the non-monophyly of the family Calliphoridae despite the stable monophyletic status of the Chrysomyinae, Luciliinae, and Auchmeromyiinae. Also, our findings recommend ranking the Toxotarsinae as a separate family. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the phylogenetic trees shows that the habit of obligatory myiasis originated independently more than five times. This strengthens our hypothesis that the origin of eating fresh meat is a case of convergent evolution that has taken place after speciation events millions of years ago. Finally, estimating the divergence dates between lineages from molecular sequences provides a better chance of understanding their evolutionary biology.     

Bio-seismic and sequence stratigraphy of the Neogene of the Northwest Damietta Concession,Nile Delta,Egypt

The stratigraphic framework of the Neogene sequence drilled by two offshore wells located in the north-eastern shore of the Nile Delta (the wells Sekhmet-1 and Sekhmet-2) has been established. The lithostratigraphic units with their sequences, from older to younger, are as follows: the Sidi Salim Formation (including Sr1 SB, Sr2 SB, Sr2 MFS, Sr3 SB and Sr3 MFS), a sequence representing the uppermost part of the Sidi Salim and most of the lower part of the Qawasim Formations (including Tor 1.1 SB, Tor 1.2 SB, Tor 1.3 SB, Tor 1.4 SB and ?Tor 2 SB), a sequence representing the uppermost part of Qawasim and the lower part of the Abu Madi Formations (including ?Me1 SB, Me2 SB and Me2 MFS), the Kafr El Sheikh Formation (including alternatively Za 1 and 2 SB and MFS and Ge 1 SB and MFS), the El Wastani Formation (including Ge 2 SB and MFS) and a Quaternary sequence represented by the topmost part of El Wastani and Mit Ghamr/Bilqas Formation (including alternatively ?Cala 1 and 2 SB and MFS and ?Io 2 SB). The lower part of the Qawasim in well Sekhmet-2 includes two LST: Tor 2 LST and Me 1 LST.     

Segregostat: a novel concept to control phenotypic diversification dynamics on the example of Gram-negative bacteria

Controlling and managing the degree of phenotypic diversification of microbial populations is a challenging task. This task not only requires detailed knowledge regarding diversification mechanisms but also advanced technical set-ups for the real-time analyses and control of population behaviour on single-cell level. In this work, set-up, design and operation of the so called segregostat are described which, in contrast to a traditional chemostat, allows the control of phenotypic diversification of microbial populations over time. Two exemplary case studies will be discussed, i.e. phenotypic diversification dynamics of Eschericia coli and Pseudomonas putida based on outer membrane permeabilization, emphasizing the applicability and versatility of the proposed approach. Upon nutrient limitation, cell population tends to diversify into several subpopulations exhibiting distinct phenotypic features (non-permeabilized and permeabilized cells). Online analysis leads to the determination of the ratio between cells in these two states, which in turn triggers the addition of glucose pulses in order to maintain a predefined diversification ratio. These results prove that phenotypic diversification can be controlled by means of defined pulse-frequency modulation within continuously running bioreactor set-ups. This lays the foundation for systematic studies, not only of phenotypic diversification but also for all processes where dynamics single-cell approaches are required, such as synthetic co-culture processes.