An unexpected legacy and its contribution to early Indian typography

Reprinted from Matrix 7 (Winter 1987) with revisions

Changes in quantum efficiency of Photosystem II of symbiotic dinoflagellates of corals after heat stress, and of bleached corals sampled after the 1998 Great Barrier Reef mass bleaching event Ross J. Jones , Selina Ward, Affendi Yang Amri and Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Pulse-amplitude-modulation chlorophyll fluorometry was used to examine changes in dark-adapted F-v/F-m of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate microalgae within the tissues of the temperate coral Plesiastrea versipora exposed to elevated seawater temperature. The F-v/F-m was markedly reduced following exposure of corals to 28 degrees C for 48 h. When corals were returned to ambient (24 degrees C) conditions, F-v/F-m increased in an initial rapid and then secondary slower phase. Tissue discolouration (coral bleaching), caused by a significant decrease in the density of algae, was observed during the first 2-3 days of the recovery period. After 14 days, F-v/F-m was still significantly lower than in control corals. The recovery of F-v/F-m is discussed in terms of repair processes within the symbiotic algae, division of healthy algae and also the selective removal of photo-damaged dinoflagellates. Under field conditions, bleached corals sampled at Heron Island Reef during a bleaching event had significantly lower F-v/F-m than non-bleached colonies; four months after the bleaching event, there were no differences in F-v/F-m or algal density in corals marked as having bleached or having shown no signs of colour loss. The results of this laboratory and field study are consistent with the hypothesis that an impairment of photosynthesis occurs during heat-stress, and is the underlying cause of coral bleaching.

The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

To understand the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to about sevenfold coverage. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 orthologs shared among seven mammalian species of which 1217 are absent or undetected in noneutherian (marsupial or monotreme) genomes. Cattle-specific evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes have a higher density of segmental duplications, enrichment of repetitive elements, and species-specific variations in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism are generally highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human orthologs. The cattle genome sequence thus provides a resource for understanding mammalian evolution and accelerating livestock genetic improvement for milk and meat production.

Ross River virus transmission, infection, and disease: a cross-disciplinary review

Ross River virus (RRV) is a fascinating, important arbovirus that is endemic and enzootic in Australia and Papua New Guinea and was epidemic in the South Pacific in 1979 and 1980. Infection with RRV may cause disease in humans, typically presenting as peripheral polyarthralgia or arthritis, sometimes with fever and rash. RRV disease notificatïons in Australia average 5,000 per year. The first well-described outbreak occurred in 1928. During World War II there were more outbreaks, and the name epidemic polyarthritis was applied. During a 1956 outbreak, epidemic polyarthritis was linked serologically to a group A arbovirus (Alphavirus). The virus was subsequently isolated from Aedes vigilax mosquitoes in 1963 and then from epidemic polyarthritis patients. We review the literature on the evolutionary biology of RRV, immune response to infection, pathogenesis, serologic diagnosis, disease manifestations, the extraordinary variety of vertebrate hosts, mosquito vectors, and transmission cycles, antibody prevalence, epidemiology of asymptomatic and symptomatic human infection, infection risks, and public health impact. RRV arthritis is due to joint infection, and treatment is currently based on empirical anti-inflammatory regimens. Further research on pathogenesis may improve understanding of the natural history of this disease and lead to new treatment strategies. The burden of morbidity is considerable, and the virus could spread to other countries. To justify and design preventive programs, we need accurate data on economic costs and better understanding of transmission and behavioral and environmental risks.

Mosquito isolates of Ross River virus from Cairns, Queensland, Australia

During 1996-1998 60,619 mosquitoes were collected around Cairns, Australia and processed for Alphavirus isolation. Thirty-three isolates of Ross River (RR) virus were made from 9 species, Aedes imprimens, Aedes kochi, Aedes notoscriptus, Aedes vigilax, Culex annulirostris, Culex gelidus, Mansonia septempunctata, Verrallina (formerly Aedes) carmenti, and Verrallina lineatus. Attempts to isolate RR virus from 121 Aedes aegypti were unsuccessful. Twenty six (79%) of the isolates came from within 1 km of a colony of spectacled flying-foxes, Pteropus conspicillatus. The minimum infection rate for these mosquitoes was 1.0 compared with 0.2 per 1,000 for mosquitoes trapped at all other sites. Ross River virus has not previously been isolated from Ae. imprimens, Cx. gelidus, Ma. septempunctata, Ve. carmenti, or Ve. lineatus. This is also the first isolation of an arbovirus from Cx. gelidus in Australia. In conclusion, the vector status of Ve. carmenti, Ae. aegypti and Mn. septempunctata warrants further study. This study also provides evidence that P. conspicillatus may be a reservoir host.