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.     

Long-term effect of retrobulbar hematomas on the vision of cynomolgus monkeys.

Using the monkey model previously developed, we investigated the long-term effects of retrobulbar hematoma-induced retinal ischemia on functional vision and retinal histology. In this experimental model, ischemic periods of up to 120 minutes did not cause permanent visual deficits, as measured by flashed evoked visual potentials. Similarly, retinal histology showed no evidence of ischemic injury. From this we conclude that blindness after blepharoplasty is not due to retrobulbar hematomas alone and that additional predisposing factors are involved. The most likely additional factor is preexisting occult vascular ocular pathology.     

Biocompatibility of radiolucent breast implants

Current implants for breast augmentation containing silicone gel, saline, or both are radiopaque on mammographic examination and can totally obscure microcalcifications and soft-tissue masses. The effect of these implants on the detection of early breast cancers in patients who have undergone augmentation mammaplasty remains unproven and controversial. Implants filled with medium-chain triglycerides (peanut oil) are radiolucent on mammographic examination and allow visualization of both soft-tissue masses and microcalcifications. To investigate the biocompatibility of radiolucent implants, 10 cc of sterile, nonpyrogenic peanut oil was injected subcutaneously into rats using silicone gel as a control. Twenty-one rabbits had two 125-cc silicone shell implants inserted on either side of the chest wall. The right-sided shell was filled with 125 cc of sterile saline, and the left-sided shell was filled with 125 cc of sterile, nonpyrogenic peanut oil. Results were determined by both histologic and radiographic examination. Rats injected with peanut oil equivalent to 7 percent of their body weight rapidly absorbed the freely injected oil without detriment. Histologic examination of the lungs, liver, kidneys, and tissues adjacent to the injection sites demonstrated no abnormalities. There was no evidence of allergic, toxic, inflammatory, or neoplastic response. Eighteen of 21 rabbits survived more than 3 months. Radiographs showed the oil-filled implants to be radiolucent, whereas the saline-filled controls obscured the surrounding soft and bony tissues. Histologic examination demonstrated a fibrous capsule surrounding both types of implants. Histologic examination of the lungs, liver, and kidneys showed no significant abnormalities. These and previous studies have shown peanut oil to be biocompatible when freely injected either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. This study demonstrates that a radiolucent, peanut oil-filled implant is biocompatible in animals and that further long-term studies for its use in humans are merited.     

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.     

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.     

Bird diversity: a predictable function of satellite-derived estimates of seasonal variation in canopy light absorbance across the United States

Aim  To investigate the relationships between bird species richness derived from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and estimates of the average, minimum, and the seasonal variation in canopy light absorbance (the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, fPAR) derived from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
Location  Continental USA.
Methods  We describe and apply a 'dynamic habitat index' (DHI), which incorporates three components based on monthly measures of canopy light absorbance through the year. The three components are the annual sum, the minimum, and the seasonal variation in monthly fPAR, acquired at a spatial resolution of 1 km, over a 6-year period (2000–05). The capacity of these three DHI components to predict bird species richness across 84 defined ecoregions was assessed using regression models.
Results  Total bird species richness showed the highest correlation with the composite DHI [ R ² = 0.88, P  < 0.001, standard error of estimate (SE) = 8 species], followed by canopy nesters ( R ² = 0.79, P  < 0.001, SE = 3 species) and grassland species ( R ² = 0.74, P  < 0.001, SE = 1 species). Overall, the seasonal variation in fPAR, compared with the annual average fPAR, and its spatial variation across the landscape, were the components that accounted for most ( R ² = 0.55–0.88) of the observed variation in bird species richness.
Main conclusions  The strong relationship between the DHI and observed avian biodiversity suggests that seasonal and interannual variation in remotely sensed fPAR can provide an effective tool for predicting patterns of avian species richness at regional and broader scales, across the conterminous USA.     

Conservation of Forest Birds: Evidence of a Shifting Baseline in Community Structure

Background

Quantifying changes in forest bird diversity is an essential task for developing effective conservation actions. When subtle changes in diversity accumulate over time, annual comparisons may offer an incomplete perspective of changes in diversity. In this case, progressive change, the comparison of changes in diversity from a baseline condition, may offer greater insight because changes in diversity are assessed over longer periods of times. Our objectives were to determine how forest bird diversity has changed over time and whether those changes were associated with forest disturbance.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used North American Breeding Bird Survey data, a time series of Landsat images classified with respect to land cover change, and mixed-effects models to associate changes in forest bird community structure with forest disturbance, latitude, and longitude in the conterminous United States for the years 1985 to 2006. We document a significant divergence from the baseline structure for all birds of similar migratory habit and nest location, and all forest birds as a group from 1985 to 2006. Unexpectedly, decreases in progressive similarity resulted from small changes in richness (<1 species per route for the 22-year study period) and modest losses in abundance (−28.7–−10.2 individuals per route) that varied by migratory habit and nest location. Forest disturbance increased progressive similarity for Neotropical migrants, permanent residents, ground nesting, and cavity nesting species. We also documented highest progressive similarity in the eastern United States.

Conclusions/Significance

Contemporary forest bird community structure is changing rapidly over a relatively short period of time (e.g., ∼22 years). Forest disturbance and forest regeneration are primary factors associated with contemporary forest bird community structure, longitude and latitude are secondary factors, and forest loss is a tertiary factor. Importantly, these findings suggest some regions of the United States may already fall below the habitat amount threshold where fragmentation effects become important predictors of forest bird community structure.