Recurrence after surgical treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa.

From six to 89 months after surgery 82 patients who had been treated by radical surgery (118 excisions) for intractable hidradenitis suppurativa were reviewed. Local recurrence rates varied greatly with the disease site, being low after axillary (3%) and perianal surgery (0%) and high after inguinoperineal (37%) and submammary (50%) excision. Recurrence results from inadequate excision or an unusually wide distribution of apocrine glands, but physical factors such as obesity, local pressure, and skin maceration played a part in a few patients. Recurrence due to inadequate surgery tended to be the most troublesome. At follow up 75 (91%) of the patients were pleased with the results of their operation. A quarter of the patients developed disease at a new anatomical site after operation. Radical surgery gives good symptomatic control of severe hidradenitis suppurativa of the axilla, inguinoperineal, and perianal regions but is less satisfactory for submammary disease.     

Ethephon and auxin induce mycorrhiza-like changes in the morphology of root organ cultures of Mugo pine

The effects of ethylene and auxin on the morphology and anatomy of root organ cultures of Pinus mugo Turra var. mugo were investigated to test the hypothesis that changes in root morphology associated with formation of ectomycorrhizae may be related to ethylene produced by ectomycorrhizal fungi or by host plant roots in response to fungus-produced auxin. Morphological changes characteristic of mycorrhizal infection include dichotomous branching of lateral roots, inhibition of root hair formation and enlargement of cortical cells. Lateral roots on non-mycorrhizal root organ cultures, grown in a defined medium, underwent dichtotomous branching while root hair formation was inhibited in response to the ethylene released by 50 and 100 μ M ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid), but no effect on cortical cell dimensions was observed. The auxin, naphthaleneacetic acid (1 and 10 μ M ) also stimulated dichotomous branching and inhibited root hair formation, but to a lesser extent and with a greater lag time than ethephon. Auxin-stimulated ethylene production by root organ cultures was demonstrated. This appeared to be responsible, at least in part, for the auxin-induced dichotomous branching since the ethylene action inhibitor, silver thiosulfate (0.1 m M ) inhibited the response to auxin by 35%.     

Microsatellite Analysis of Oil Palms and their Progenies Bred in Papua New Guinea

Our aim was to assess parental and population genetic variability in a partially nested set of breeding populations from the breeding program at Dami Research Station (West New Britain, PNG). Twenty microsatellite markers were tested for their ability to characterize genetic variation in oil palm populations bred at Dami Research Station. One hundred and twenty six individuals, including 100 F₁ tenera hybrids of Dami Deli crossed with either AVROS, Ghana or AVROS/Ghana breeding lines were analysed. Eighteen of these markers were polymorphic within and among populations, amplifying 103 alleles in oil palm. Three individuals of other palm species (Cocos nucifera and two Phoenix spp.) were included as outliers. With these markers we have the power to distinguish individual palms, hence we conclude that they will facilitate association of markers with important phenotypic traits to streamline future breeding and selection.     

Current status of antisense DNA methods in behavioral studies

The antisense DNA method has been used successfully to block the expression of specific genes in vivo in neuronal systems. An increasing number of studies in the last few years have shown that antisense DNA administered directly into the brain can modify various kinds of behaviors. These findings strongly suggest that the antisense DNA method can be used as a powerful tool to study causal relationships between molecular processes in the brain and behavior. In this article we review the current status of the antisense method in behavioral studies and discuss its potentials and problems by focusing on the following four aspects; (i) optimal application paradigms of antisense DNA methods in behavioral studies; (ii) efficiencies of different administration methods of antisense DNA used in behavioral studies; (iii) determination of specificity of behavioral effects of antisense DNA; and (iv) discrepancies between antisense DNA effects on behaviors and those on protein levels of the targeted gene.      

DNA Is Taken Up by Root Hairs and Pollen,and Stimulates Root and Pollen Tube Growth

Phosphorus (P) enters roots as inorganic phosphate (P_i) derived from organic and inorganic P compounds in the soil. Nucleic acids can support plant growth as the sole source of P in axenic culture but are thought to be converted into P_i by plant-derived nucleases and phosphatases prior to uptake. Here, we show that a nuclease-resistant analog of DNA is taken up by plant cells. Fluorescently labeled S-DNA of 25 bp, which is protected against enzymatic breakdown by its phosphorothioate backbone, was taken up and detected in root cells including root hairs and pollen tubes. These results indicate that current views of plant P acquisition may have to be revised to include uptake of DNA into cells. We further show that addition of DNA to P_i-containing growth medium enhanced the growth of lateral roots and root hairs even though plants were P replete and had similar biomass as plants supplied with P_i only. Exogenously supplied DNA increased length growth of pollen tubes, which were studied because they have similar elongated and polarized growth as root hairs. Our results indicate that DNA is not only taken up and used as a P source by plants, but ironically and independent of P_i supply, DNA also induces morphological changes in roots similar to those observed with P limitation. This study provides, to our knowledge, first evidence that exogenous DNA could act nonspecifically as signaling molecules for root development.Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient that limits plant growth in many situations due to a low availability in soils (for review, see Schachtman et al., 1998; Raghothama, 1999; Vance et al., 2003; Lambers et al., 2008). P enters plant roots as orthophosphates (P_i) via active transport across the plasma membrane (Smith et al., 2003; Park et al., 2007; Xu et al., 2007). Concentrations of P_i in soil solution are generally very low (<10 μm; Bieleski, 1973) and plants have evolved root specializations to access P from inorganic and organic sources (Raghothama, 1999; Hinsinger, 2001; López-Bucio et al., 2003; Vance et al., 2003; Lambers et al., 2008). Roots exude enzymes and chemicals to mobilize P directly from soil compounds or indirectly via enhanced activity of soil microbes, and form symbioses with P-mobilizing mycorrhizal fungi (Schachtman et al., 1998; Raghothama, 1999; Bucher, 2007).However, similar to other nutrients, notably nitrogen, research on P nutrition of plants has focused on inorganic sources although organic P (P_org) in soil can account for 40% to 80% of the total P pool of mineral and organic soils, respectively (Bower, 1945; Raghothama, 1999; Vance et al., 2003). P_org compounds in soils are derived from plant residues, soil biota, and from synthesis by soil microbes (Jencks et al., 1964). Soil P_org is composed primarily of phospholipids, nucleic acids, and phytin (Dyer and Wrenshall, 1941). Phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate) and its salts phytate, account for a large proportion of the P_org pool of soils (Anderson, 1980). Nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) represent approximately 1% to 2% of the soil P_org pool (Dalal, 1977). It can be released from prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells after death and protected against nuclease degradation by its adsorption on soil colloids and sand particles (Pietramellara et al., 2009).Although P_org can be a substantial constituent of the soil P pool, its contribution to the P nutrition of plants is poorly understood. P_org can be converted to P_i via root-exuded enzymes (Tarafdar and Claassen, 1988; Marschner, 1995; Vance et al., 2003). Secretion of nucleolytic enzymes and breakdown of nucleic acid were considered the reason for the observed growth of axenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) on nucleic acid substrates as the sole P source (Chen et al., 2000; Richardson et al., 2000).Whether plants take up intact DNA has not been reported. We recently showed that roots take up protein, possibly via endocytosis (Paungfoo-Lonhienne et al., 2008). We hypothesized that roots may take up DNA by a similar process and grew Arabidopsis in the presence of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (S-DNA) labeled with Cy3-fluorescent dye. S-DNA has a sulfur backbone and cannot be digested by plant nucleases, allowing tracking DNA of known size into cells (Spitzer and Eckstein, 1988). We examined if S-DNA of 25 nucleotides in length enters root hairs and pollen tubes as both types of cells are strongly elongated and have similar polarized growth (Schiefelbein et al., 1993; Hepler et al., 2001). We also assessed if addition of DNA to the growth medium affects the morphology of roots and pollen tubes. Here, we present evidence that plants take up DNA and demonstrate that the presence of DNA in the growth medium enhances lateral branching of roots, and the length of root hairs and pollen tubes, irrespective of P_i supply.     

Plasma proteome analysis in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis

Background

A new subgroup of HIV-1, designated Group P, was recently detected in two unrelated patients of Cameroonian origin. HIV-1 Group P phylogenetically clusters with SIVgor suggesting that it is the result of a cross-species transmission from gorillas. Until today, HIV-1 Group P has only been detected in two patients, and its degree of adaptation to the human host is largely unknown. Previous data have shown that pandemic HIV-1 Group M, but not non-pandemic Group O or rare Group N viruses, efficiently antagonize the human orthologue of the restriction factor tetherin (BST-2, HM1.24, CD317) suggesting that primate lentiviruses may have to gain anti-tetherin activity for efficient spread in the human population. Thus far, three SIV/HIV gene products (vpu, nef and env) are known to have the potential to counteract primate tetherin proteins, often in a species-specific manner. Here, we examined how long Group P may have been circulating in humans and determined its capability to antagonize human tetherin as an indicator of adaptation to humans.

Results

Our data suggest that HIV-1 Group P entered the human population between 1845 and 1989. Vpu, Env and Nef proteins from both Group P viruses failed to counteract human or gorilla tetherin to promote efficient release of HIV-1 virions, although both Group P Nef proteins moderately downmodulated gorilla tetherin from the cell surface. Notably, Vpu, Env and Nef alleles from the two HIV-1 P strains were all able to reduce CD4 cell surface expression.

Conclusions

Our analyses of the two reported HIV-1 Group P viruses suggest that zoonosis occurred in the last 170 years and further support that pandemic HIV-1 Group M strains are better adapted to humans than non-pandemic or rare Group O, N and P viruses. The inability to antagonize human tetherin may potentially explain the limited spread of HIV-1 Group P in the human population.