Changes in land use affect anuran helminths in the South Brazilian grasslands.

Degradation and habitat loss of natural grasslands in Southern Brazil has a negative impact on native organisms, potentially including the composition of anuran helminth communities. Here, we characterized the richness, abundance, taxonomic composition, prevalence and intensity of helminth infection in four anuran species. Host anurans were collected in 34 ponds (19 in native grasslands with livestock and 15 in agricultural cultivation) from the highland grasslands in the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Paraná. Our results showed a significant difference between native grasslands with livestock and agricultural cultivation regarding the structure of helminth communities for the hosts Aplastodiscus perviridis and Pseudis cardosoi. We also found a greater prevalence and intensity of infection in anurans in areas of agricultural cultivation than in native grasslands with livestock. We found that the environmental descriptors (local and landscape) seem to explain most of the differences in anuran parasitism recorded between native grasslands with livestock and agricultural areas. Thus, we emphasized that the loss of grassy habitat due to conversion to agricultural cultivation can alter helminth communities in anurans, with further work needed to understand the mechanisms involved.

Evaluation of oncogenic cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 2 as a therapeutic target for uveal melanoma.

Uveal melanoma is a rare, but deadly, form of eye cancer that arises from melanocytes within the uveal tract. Although advances have emerged in treatment of the primary tumour, patients are still faced with vision loss, eye enucleation and lethal metastatic spread of the disease. Approximately 50% of uveal melanoma patients develop metastases, which occur most frequently in the liver. Metastatic patients encounter an extremely poor prognosis; as few as 8% survive beyond 2 years. Understanding of the genetic underpinnings of this fatal disease evolved in recent years with the identification of new oncogenic mutations that drive uveal melanoma pathogenesis. Despite this progress, the lack of successful therapies or a proven standard-of-care for uveal melanoma highlights the need for new targeted therapies. This review focuses on the recently identified CYSLTR2 oncogenic mutation in uveal melanoma. Here, we evaluate the current status of uveal melanoma and investigate how to better understand the role of this CYSLTR2 mutation in the disease and implications for patients harbouring this mutation.

Predictors of short- and long-term recurrence of suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of suicidal outcomes and risk factors for short- and long-term recurrence of suicidal behavior (SB) among high-risk borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients during a 24-month prospective follow-up period. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was designed to compare data obtained from 136 patients admitted to the emergency department for current suicidal ideation (SI) or a recent suicide attempt (SA). Subjects were clinically evaluated and monitored for a new SA or suicide. RESULTS: The incidence of a new SA was 25.63 events/100 persons-year, and one patient died by suicide. Child sexual abuse (CSA) was the only significant predictor throughout the complete follow-up period. The absence of prior psychiatric treatment predicts the recurrence of SB in the first 6 months of follow-up. Patient age, poor psychosocial functioning before hospitalization, age at first SA, and having multiple suicide attempts increased risk of SB recurrence at the long-term period (24th months). In addition, there was an interaction between CSA and poor psychosocial functioning that increased risk of SB. CONCLUSION: The risk of recurrence was higher during the first 6 months. Risk factors at 6 and 24 months vary. These findings are important for implementing suicide strategies.

Effects of growth differentiation factor-9 and FSH on in vitro development, viability and mRNA expression in bovine preantral follicles.

The present study investigated the role of growth differentiation factor (GDF)-9 and FSH, alone or in combination, on the growth, viability and mRNA expression of FSH receptor, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and proteoglycan-related factors (i.e., hyaluronan synthase (HAS) 1, HAS2, versican, perlecan) in bovine secondary follicles before and after in vitro culture. After 12 days culture, sequential FSH (100 ng mL⁻¹) from Days 0 to 6 and 500 ng mL⁻¹ from Days 7 to 12) increased follicular diameter and resulted in increased antrum formation (P<0.05). Alone, 200 ng mL⁻¹ GDF-9 significantly reduced HAS1 mRNA levels, but increased versican and perlecan mRNA levels in whole follicles, which included the oocyte, theca and granulosa cells. Together, FSH and GDF-9 increased HAS2 and versican (VCAN) mRNA levels, but decreased PCNA mRNA expression, compared with levels in follicles cultured in α-minimum essential medium supplemented with 3.0 mg mL⁻¹ bovine serum albumin, 10 µg mL⁻¹ insulin, 5.5 µg mL⁻¹ transferrin, 5 ng mL⁻¹ selenium, 2 mM glutamine, 2mM hypoxanthine and 50 µg mL⁻¹ ascorbic acid (α-MEM⁺). Comparisons of uncultured (0.2 mm) and α-MEM⁺ cultured follicles revealed that HAS1 mRNA expression was higher, whereas VCAN expression was lower, in cultured follicles (P<0.05). Expression of HAS1, VCAN and perlecan (HSPG2) was higher in cultured than in vivo-grown (0.3 mm) follicles. In conclusion, FSH and/or GDF-9 promote follicular growth and antrum formation. Moreover, GDF-9 stimulates expression of versican and perlecan and interacts positively with FSH to increase HAS2 expression.

[Interventionnal bronchoscopy for the treatment of tracheobronchomalacia]. / Place de la bronchoscopie interventionnelle dans la prise en charge des trachéobronchomalacies.

Tracheobronchomalacia is usually characterized by more than 50% expiratory narrowing in diameter of the trachea and the bronchi. The expiratory collapse includes two entities: (1) the TBM related to the weakness of the cartilaginous rings, and (2) the Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse (EDAC) due to the excessive bulging of the posterior membrane. Patients have nonspecific respiratory symptoms like dyspnea and cough. Diagnosis is confirmed by dynamic tests: flexible bronchoscopy and/or computed tomographic scan of the chest. There are different forms of tracheobronchomalacia in adults: primary (genetic, idiopathic) or secondary to trauma, tracheotomy, intubation, surgery, transplantation, emphysema, infection, inflammation, chronic bronchitis, extrinsic compression; or undiagnosed in childhood vascular rings. Some management algorithms have been proposed, but no specific recommendation was established. Only symptomatic patients should be treated. Medical treatments and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation should be the first line therapy, after evaluation of various quality measures (functional status, performance status, dyspnea and quality of life scores). If symptoms persist, therapeutic bronchoscopy permits: (1) patient's selection by stent trial to determine whether patient benefit for surgical airway stabilization; (2) malacic airways stenting in patients who are not surgical candidates, improving QOL despite a high complication rate; (3) the management of stent-related complication (obstruction, plugging, migration granuloma); (4) alternative therapeutics like thermo-ablative solution. Lasty, the development of new types of stents would reduce the complication rates. These different options remained discussed.

Correction: CpG island hypermethylation-associated silencing of non-coding RNAs transcribed from ultraconserved regions in human cancer.

In the original article the authors have noted that the wrong image was used to illustrate the Uc.346 + Lu1-Lu2-Lu3 subpanel of Figure 5a. The correct image is now provided as Figure 1 in this article. This change does not affect the legend of the figure, the results, or conclusions reported in the manuscript. The authors apologize for the error, and regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

Do intrauterine growth restriction and overweight at primary school age increase the risk of elevated body mass index in young adults?

Obesity is one of the rising public health problems characterized as a risk factor for many chronic diseases in adulthood. Early life events such as intrauterine growth restriction, as well as life style, are associated with an increased prevalence of this disease. The present study was performed to determine if intrauterine growth restriction interacts with overweight at primary school age to affect body mass index (BMI) in young adults. From June 1, 1978 to May 31, 1979, 6827 singleton liveborns from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil, corresponding to 98% of all births at the 8 maternity hospitals, were examined and their mothers were interviewed. Samples from the initial cohort were examined again at primary school age (8 to 11 years of age) and at the time of military service (18 years of age). There were 519 male individuals with complete measurements taken in the three surveys. Intrauterine growth-restricted individuals had a BMI 0.68 kg/m(2) lower than that of individuals who were not restricted (95%CI = -1.34 to -0.03) and overweight at primary school age showed a positive and strong effect on BMI at 18 years of age (coefficient 5.03, 95%CI = 4.27 to 5.79). However, the increase in BMI was much higher--6.90 kg/m(2)--when the conscript had been born with intrauterine growth restriction and presented overweight at primary school age (95%CI = 4.55 to 9.26). These findings indicate that the effect of intrauterine growth restriction on BMI at 18 years of age is modified by later weight gain during school age.

[A case of mediastinum actinomycosis by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans]. / Un cas d'actinomycose médiastinale à Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

The actinomycosis is a suppurative infection due to an anaerobic and microaerophillic bacteria called actinomyces. Only few case reports are described for the mediastinal locations of this rare entity. We report a new case of inflammatory pseudotumor in the mediastinum due to Aggregatibacte actinomycetemcomitans revealed by hemoptysis. The mediastinoscopy procedure with biopsy was needed to confirm the definitive bacteriological diagnosis by a positive culture. During the postoperative course, a cutaneous fistula was found which had a favourable evolution after appropriate antibiotherapy. Through this case report, the authors insist upon the importance of considering the diagnosis of mediastinal actinomycosis when facing non-specfic mediastinal mass symptoms and also about the interest of systematic bacterioscopic examination and histopathologic examination on nodes' biopsies to avoid to be lost on pathology of mediastinal tumor or tuberculosis. In practise, we caution the non-expert during biopsies because of this lesion's invasive characteristic especially in the confined space of the mediastinum.

Global priority setting for Cochrane systematic reviews of health promotion and public health research.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews of health promotion and public health interventions are increasingly being conducted to assist public policy decision making. Many intra-country initiatives have been established to conduct systematic reviews in their relevant public health areas. The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organisation established to conduct and publish systematic reviews of healthcare interventions, is committed to high quality reviews that are regularly updated, published electronically, and meeting the needs of the consumers. AIMS: To identify global priorities for Cochrane systematic reviews of public health topics. METHODS: Systematic reviews of public health interventions were identified and mapped against global health risks. Global health organisations were engaged and nominated policy-urgent titles, evidence based selection criteria were applied to set priorities. RESULTS: 26 priority systematic review titles were identified, addressing interventions such as community building activities, pre-natal and early infancy psychosocial outcomes, and improving the nutrition status of refugee and displaced populations. DISCUSSION: The 26 priority titles provide an opportunity for potential reviewers and indeed, the Cochrane Collaboration as a whole, to address the previously unmet needs of global health policy and research agencies.

The quasispecies (extremely heterogeneous) nature of viral RNA genome populations: biological relevance--a review.

We review evidence that cloned (or uncloned) populations of most RNA viruses do not consist of a single genome species of defined sequence, but rather of heterogeneous mixtures of related genomes (quasispecies). Due to very high mutation rates, genomes of a quasispecies virus population share a consensus sequence but differ from each other and from the consensus sequence by one, several, or many mutations. Viral genome analyses by sequencing, fingerprinting, cDNA cloning etc. indicate that most viral RNA populations (quasispecies) contain all possible single and double genomic site mutations and varying proportions of triple, quadruple, etc. site mutations. This quasispecies structure of RNA virus populations has many important theoretical and practical implications because mutations at only one or a few sites may alter the phenotype of an RNA virus.

Nucleotide sequence of the fusion and phosphoprotein genes of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus Long strain: evidence of subtype genetic heterogeneity.

The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the fusion (F) and phosphoprotein (P) genes of the Long strain of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus have been determined from cDNA copies cloned into pBSV9 shuttle vector. Comparison of these sequences with their counterparts of other strains reveals genetic heterogeneity within the same subtype. The percentage of nucleotide and amino acid changes occurring in both proteins is similar. Thus, the Long F and P proteins share 97.9% and 98.3% amino acid identity, respectively, with their homologs of the A2 strain. Nevertheless the F2 subunit of the fusion protein accumulates 3.1 times more amino acid changes than the F1 subunit. In addition, the percentage of nucleotide changes in the 3' extracistronic sequences is 6 times higher in the P than in the F gene. These results are discussed in terms of selective pressures operating in the evolution of RS virus in nature.

Rescue of synthetic RNAs into thogoto and influenza A virus particles using core proteins purified from Thogoto virus.

The ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes of Thogoto virus (THOV), a tick-borne orthomyxovirus, have been purified from detergent-lysed virions. The purified RNPs were then disrupted by centrifugation through a CsCl-glycerol gradient to obtain fractions highly enriched in nucleoprotein (NP) and virtually devoid of viral genomic RNA. When these NP-enriched fractions were incubated with a synthetic THOV-like RNA, and the mixtures were transfected into THOV-infected cells, the synthetic RNA was expressed and packaged into THOV particles. Similarly, hybrid mixtures containing purified THOV NP and influenza A virus synthetic RNAs (either a model CAT RNA or a gene encoding the viral neuraminidase), were prepared and transfected into influenza A virus-infected cells. The synthetic CAT RNA, was shown to be expressed and packaged into virus particles, and the neuraminidase gene was rescued into influenza virions. These data are discussed in terms of the similarities observed between THOV and influenza A virus and the potential application of the THOV purified proteins for rescuing synthetic genes into infectious viruses.

Oriented synthesis and cloning of influenza virus nucleoprotein cDNA that leads to its expression in mammalian cells.

The influenza virus nucleoprotein gene has been cloned by a procedure that involves direct cDNA synthesis onto the primer-vector pBSV9, a pBR322-SV40 recombinant plasmid. dT-tailed pBSV9 was used to prime the synthesis of cDNA on a template of in vitro synthesized viral mRNA. The synthesis of ds-cDNA was initiated by a specific oligodeoxynucleotide and the resulting recombinant was circularized by intramolecular ligation. Recombinant pSVa963 contained the viral nucleoprotein gene directly fused to the SV40 early promoter region included in pBSV9 and followed by a dA:dT tail and the SV40 polyadenylation signal. When pSVa963 was used to transfect COS-1 cells, the presence of three NP-specific mRNAs of 1600, 1900 and 2500 nucleotides in length could be detected. Pulse labelling experiments of COS-1 transfected cells and immunobinding to a nucleoprotein monoclonal antibody indicated the synthesis of nucleoprotein. This nucleoprotein accumulated in the nucleus of transfected cells at a level similar to that found in infected cells. The vector and method described may be useful for the specific cloning and expression of any mRNA for which a 5'-terminal sequence is known.

Nuclear transport of influenza virus polymerase PA protein.

The subcellular distribution of influenza polymerase PA subunit has been studied using a SV40-recombinant virus (SVPA76), which allows the expression and accumulation of this protein in COS-1 cells. In contrast to the complete nuclear localization observed for the PA subunit several hours after influenza virus infection, when COS-1 cells were infected with the SVPA76 recombinant, the PA protein accumulated either in the nucleus, in the cytoplasm or was distributed throughout the cell. When cells were infected with the SVPA76 recombinant and superinfected with influenza virus, a clear increase in the proportion of cells showing nuclear localization of the PA protein was observed, suggesting that some trans-factor may be required to allow complete nuclear accumulation of the protein. Double infections using SVPA76 recombinant and either SVPB1 or SVNS recombinant viruses showed a complete correlation between expression of polymerase PB1 subunit or NS1 protein and nuclear localization of polymerase PA subunit. However, no such correlation was observed in the double infections of SVPA76 and SVNP recombinants. These results suggest that polymerase PB1 subunit and the non-structural proteins could be involved in the nuclear targeting or nuclear retention of influenza polymerase PA protein.

Epitope mapping of cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies specific for the influenza A virus PA and PB2 polypeptides.

Characterization of the epitopes recognized by 21 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the influenza A virus PA (13 MAbs) and PB2 (8 MAbs) polypeptides (Bárcena et al. (1994) J. Virol. 68, 6900-6909) raised against denatured polypeptides produced in E. coli is described. MAbs were characterized by: (1) competitive binding ELISAs; (2) mapping of the protein regions that specify their binding sites; and (3) analyses of their ability to recognize the corresponding viral protein in a number of viral isolates. Five and three non-overlapping antigenic areas were defined by the anti-PA and anti-PB2 MAbs, respectively. Five of the anti-PA MAbs recognized antigenic determinants located within the amino-terminal 157 amino acids of the PA protein, and 6 others reacted strongly with a PA fragment comprising the first 236 amino acids. All 8 anti-PB2 antibodies reacted strongly with a polypeptide fragment containing amino acids 1-113 of the PB2 protein. Analyses of the reactivities of 4 anti-P antibodies with 23 influenza A virus reference strains isolated over a period of 61 years and recovered from humans, pigs, birds and horses, showed that the epitopes were conserved among all viral isolates. The application of these antibodies as research and diagnostic tools is discussed.

In vivo reconstitution of active Thogoto virus polymerase: assays for the compatibility with other orthomyxovirus core proteins and template RNAs.

Tick-borne Thogoto virus (THOV), the prototype of a new genus in the Orthomyxoviridae family, contains six single-stranded RNA segments of negative polarity. Four of them encode gene products that correspond to the influenza virus PB1, PB2, PA and NP core proteins. Here we describe an in vivo system in which the expression of a THOV model RNA is driven by THOV core proteins synthesized from cloned cDNAs. Our results demonstrated the biological activity of our cloned genes and showed that the three polymerase subunits and the NP are required for gene expression. For comparison, we also used the in vivo reconstituted systems of the influenza A and B viruses. None of the polymerase or NP proteins was active in a heterologous orthomyxovirus core, indicating a high specificity in core assembly and/or function. Interestingly, the THOV polymerase did not recognize the influenza A virus promoter and vice versa.

The circadian rhythm of cortisol in the saliva of young pigs.

Single and population-mean cosinor analyses document a circadian rhythm in salivary cortisol of pigs (p < 0.001). The midline estimated statistic of rhythm, the MESOR (M), is 1.50 +/- 0.07 ng/ml. For the group of 14 pigs studied there was a predictable variation of 64% around this mean in salivary cortisol within a day: the double circadian amplitude, 2A, was 0.96 ng/ml, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.60 to 1.32 ng/ml. A measure of timing, the acrophase, phi, was 10 h 52 min from the phase reference (0030, the middle of the daily dark span of the 24-h light-dark cycle in which the pigs were kept). The 95% confidence interval of phi extended from 9 h 48 min to 12 h 12 min from the reference time. The chronobiologic approach provides indispensable quantitive characteristics as reference standards for future basic or applied work.