Genetic analysis of the breeding system of an invasive subterranean termite, Reticulitermes santonensis, in urban and natural habitats.

Reticulitermes santonensis is a subterranean termite that invades urban areas in France and elsewhere where it causes damage to human-built structures. We investigated the breeding system, colony and population genetic structure, and mode of dispersal of two French populations of R. santonensis. Termite workers were sampled from 43 and 31 collection points, respectively, from a natural population in west-central France (in and around the island of Oleron) and an urban population (Paris). Ten to 20 workers per collection point were genotyped at nine variable microsatellite loci to determine colony identity and to infer colony breeding structure. There was a total of 26 colonies, some of which were spatially expansive, extending up to 320 linear metres. Altogether, the analysis of genotype distribution, F-statistics and relatedness coefficients suggested that all colonies were extended families headed by numerous neotenics (nonwinged precocious reproductives) probably descended from pairs of primary (winged) reproductives. Isolation by distance among collection points within two large colonies from both populations suggested spatially separated reproductive centres with restricted movement of workers and neotenics. There was a moderate level of genetic differentiation (F(ST) = 0.10) between the Oleron and Paris populations, and the number of alleles was significantly higher in Oleron than in Paris, as expected if the Paris population went through bottlenecks when it was introduced from western France. We hypothesize that the diverse and flexible breeding systems found in subterranean termites pre-adapt them to invade new or marginal habitats. Considering that R. santonensis may be an introduced population of the North American species R. flavipes, a breeding system consisting primarily of extended family colonies containing many neotenic reproductives may facilitate human-mediated spread and establishment of R. santonensis in urban areas with harsh climates.

Experimental Infection of Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus and Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti with Wuchereria bancrofti

A study was conducted to determine the susceptibility of local strains of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti to infection with the strain of Wuchereria bancrofti that occurs in Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil. Cx. quinquefasciatus blood fed simultaneously on the same microfilariae carrier ingested more blood and 2-3x more microfilariae than Ae. aegypti. Survival rates of both species of insects living for 21 days after blood feeding on microfilaraemic patients were not significantly different from the survival rates of mosquitoes that blood fed on amicrofilaraemic individuals. W. bancrofti parasites underwent normal development in Cx. quinquefasciatus, with third stage larvae first being recorded on the 11th day post infection, and their numbers increasing thereafter. Development of filariae in Ae. aegypti did not proceed beyond the first larval stage, and there was a progressively increasing number of non-viable larvae with the passage of time. It is concluded that Ae. aegypti is not involved in the transmission of W. bancrofti in Maceió.

Ultrastructural study of the TG180 murine sarcoma cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii: comparison between in vivo and in vitro cell cultures

Infection of non-adherent TG180 murine sarcoma cells with Toxoplasma gondii was compared, at the ultrastructural level, in both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Suspensions of 3.0 x 10(6) TG180 cells infected in vitro with 1.0 x 10(6) parasites of the RH strain were harvested between the first and 6th day post-infection and processed for transmission electron microscopy. In vivo infection was made by intraperitoneal inoculation in mice of 1.0 x 10(6) TG180 cells, that were co-inoculated with a parasite suspension at the same cell concentration. Cells were harvested 10, 20, 30 min and 24, 48 h post-inoculation and processed for transmission electron microscopy at the same conditions of the in vitro culture. It was observed TG180 murine sarcoma cells with intense and equivalent intracellular parasitism in both conditions. Host cells with parasitophorous vacuoles containing up to 16 parasites, as well as parasites undergoing mitoses or presenting a bradyzoite-like morphology, were frequently seen in both culture methods.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis and experimental infection of Sarasinula marginata II: elimination routes

Angiostrongylus costaricensis intermediate hosts are terrestrial mollusks mostly belonging to the Veronicellidae family. In the present investigation we focused on the mechanisms of larval expulsion from Sarasinula marginata infected with A. costaricensis. Twenty-five mollusks were individually infected with 5000 L1 and sacrificed at 30 min and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h post-infection and at days 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, and 30 post-infection; the mollusks were then fixed and stained. Diverse organs involved throughout the course of the migratory routes of larvae from oral penetration on were specified and the mechanisms of larval access to the fibromuscular layer through the kidney, rectum, and vascular system were defined. The elimination of L3, derived from oral and/or cutaneous infections, appears to depend on granulomas located close to the excretory ducts of mucous cells.

Regulation of stem cell factor expression in inflammation and asthma

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a major mast cell growth factor, which could be involved in the local increase of mast cell number in the asthmatic airways. In vivo, SCF expression increases in asthmatic patients and this is reversed after treatment with glucocorticoids. In vitro in human lung fibroblasts in culture, IL-1beta, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, confirms this increased SCF mRNA and protein expression implying the MAP kinases p38 and ERK1/2 very early post-treatment, and glucocorticoids confirm this decrease. Surprisingly, glucocorticoids potentiate the IL-1beta-enhanced SCF expression at short term treatment, implying increased SCF mRNA stability and SCF gene transcription rate. This potentiation involves p38 and ERK1/2. Transfection experiments with the SCF promoter including intron1 also confirm this increase and decrease of SCF expression by IL-1beta and glucocorticoids, and the potentiation by glucocorticoids of the IL-1beta-induced SCF expression. Deletion of the GRE or kappaB sites abolishes this potentiation, and the effect of IL-1beta or glucocorticoids alone. DNA binding of GR and NF-kappaB are also demonstrated for these effects. In conclusion, this review concerns new mechanisms of regulation of SCF expression in inflammation that could lead to potential therapeutic strategy allowing to control mast cell number in the asthmatic airways.

Cleaning up neighbourhoods - Environmental Problems and Service Provision in Deprived areas

There has been growing concern that the quality of public services can be affected by the nature and scale of problems in deprived neighbourhoods and that poor services can contribute to a widening gap۪ between deprived and non-deprived neighbourhoods. There is also an increased emphasis within national policy on the quality of neighbourhood environments the so-called liveability۪ agenda. This report explores the challenges of delivering street scene۪ environmental services such as street sweeping and refuse collection in deprived and less deprived areas and examines the gap in environmental amenity between these different neighbourhoods. It also contributes to our understanding of the interplay between poor services and neighbourhood decline. The research involved a telephone survey of chief officers in local authority environmental service departments across the UK and detailed case studies of policy and practice in environmental service provision in four local authorities with significant levels of deprivation. Each case study involved work in three neighbourhoods within the authority two deprived and one less deprived as well as focus groups with residents and frontline environmental operatives, interviews with senior council staff and observation on the ground

Desenvolupament d'un Controlador de Processos de Llarga Durada mitjançant tecnologia J2EE

El projecte final de carrera objectiu del present document, inclou l'anàlisi, disseny, implementació i documentació d'una aplicació mitjançant tecnologia J2EE la finalitat de la qual és la gestió dels processos o tasques de llarga durada que formen part dels fluxos de negoci de moltes organitzacions.

Development of Schistosoma mansoni worms in mice analyzed by bright field and confocal microscopy

The blood flukes of mammals (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) are among trematodes unique whose adult worms have separeted sexes which are dissimilar in appearance. The developmental features, growth and organogenesis of Schistosoma mansoni were studied in Swiss Webster mice by a digital system for image analysis and confocal microscopy. Data so far obtained showed two phases with significative morphological changes at 3-4 weeks post-infection, and a gradual similar development onwards in the reproductive system and tegument. Our male-dependent phase demonstrated that mating occurs before sexual maturing. At week three, the majority of male worms (59%) had formed the gynaecophoric canal although testicular lobes and tegumental tubercles were absent. By this time, 33% females had an incipient ovary (without cellular differentiation). At week four, 77.2% males presented testicular lobes with few germinative cells while 26% had developing tegumental tubercles. The immature ovary was observed in 69% females. Suckers followed different pattern of growth between male and females. The size of oral and ventral suckers from six-week-old male worms grew abruptly (3.0 fold) more than that of three-week-old. In female worms, maximum growth was attained at week four, reducing in size thereafter. From sixth week onwards, all specimens showed the fully developed reproductive system. Probably, these features are morphological traits which schistosome has experienced from hermaphrodite to dioecy.

Anatomical correlates for category-specific naming of objects and actions: A brain stimulation mapping study.

The production of object and action words can be dissociated in aphasics, yet their anatomical correlates have been difficult to distinguish in functional imaging studies. To investigate the extent to which the cortical neural networks underlying object- and action-naming processing overlap, we performed electrostimulation mapping (ESM), which is a neurosurgical mapping technique routinely used to examine language function during brain-tumor resections. Forty-one right-handed patients who had surgery for a brain tumor were asked to perform overt naming of object and action pictures under stimulation. Overall, 73 out of the 633 stimulated cortical sites (11.5%) were associated with stimulation-induced language interferences. These interference sites were very much localized (<1 cm(2) ), and showed substantial variability across individuals in their exact localization. Stimulation interfered with both object and action naming over 44 sites, whereas it specifically interfered with object naming over 19 sites and with action naming over 10 sites. Specific object-naming sites were mainly identified in Broca's area (Brodmann area 44/45) and the temporal cortex, whereas action-naming specific sites were mainly identified in the posterior midfrontal gyrus (Brodmann area 6/9) and Broca's area (P = 0.003 by the Fisher's exact test). The anatomical loci we emphasized are in line with a cortical distinction between objects and actions based on conceptual/semantic features, so the prefrontal/premotor cortex would preferentially support sensorimotor contingencies associated with actions, whereas the temporal cortex would preferentially underpin (functional) properties of objects. Hum Brain Mapp 35:429-443, 2014. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Recommendations for locus-specific databases and their curation.

Expert curation and complete collection of mutations in genes that affect human health is essential for proper genetic healthcare and research. Expert curation is given by the curators of gene-specific mutation databases or locus-specific databases (LSDBs). While there are over 700 such databases, they vary in their content, completeness, time available for curation, and the expertise of the curator. Curation and LSDBs have been discussed, written about, and protocols have been provided for over 10 years, but there have been no formal recommendations for the ideal form of these entities. This work initiates a discussion on this topic to assist future efforts in human genetics. Further discussion is welcome.

Preserving memories on-line : the exhibition 'Memories of our childhood' and the Catalan Immigration History Museum

Gràcies a la introducció d'Internet, les institucions de la memòria poden anar ara un pas endavant i proporcionar narratives i documentació en línia. La present comunicació intenta descobrir com poden ser utilitzades les memòries en línia basant-se en dues experiències: una exposició de nens de la guerra i un portal d'immigració.

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of schistosomiasis mansoni patients in Brazilian endemic areas

A total of 60% of the territory of Alagoas (AL) is considered endemic for the occurrence of schistosomiasis and the classification of clinical forms of the disease are not known. This paper aimed to evaluate an endemic schistosomiasis population in AL, taking into account the prevalence, classification of the clinical forms and the results of laboratory analyses. The sample consisted of residents in endemic areas. The participants were submitted to a stool examination by the Kato-Katz technique and the diagnosis was based on the reading of two microscopic slides for each sample. The patients whose examinations were positive for schistosomiasis mansoni were submitted to a clinical examination and blood collection. Based on this examination, 8.11% of the study population were positive for schistosomiasis. The medium parasite load was 79.1 ± 174.3 eggs. The intestinal (90.57%) and hepatointestinal (9.43%) forms were found at statistically significant levels (p < 0.001). The results of the present study update information on schistosomiasis in the city of Rio Largo. These data, although referring only to three locations in that city, suggest a decrease either in the parasite load or in the severity of clinical forms.

Randomized trial of pacemaker and lead system for safe scanning at 1.5 Tesla.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pacemakers is a relative contraindication because of the risks to the patient from potentially hazardous interactions between the MRI and the pacemaker system. Chest scans (ie, cardiac magnetic resonance scans) are of particular importance and higher risk. The previously Food and Drug Administration-approved magnetic resonance conditional system includes positioning restrictions, limiting the powerful utility of MRI. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the safety and effectiveness of a pacemaker system designed for safe whole body MRI without MRI scan positioning restrictions. METHODS: Primary eligibility criteria included standard dual-chamber pacing indications. Patients (n = 263) were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to undergo 16 chest and head scans at 1.5 T between 9 and 12 weeks postimplant (n = 177) or to not undergo MRI (n = 86) post-implant. Evaluation of the pacemaker system occurred immediately before, during (monitoring), and after MRI, 1-week post-MRI, and 1-month post-MRI, and similarly for controls. Primary end points measured the MRI-related complication-free rate for safety and compared pacing capture threshold between MRI and control subjects for effectiveness. RESULTS: There were no MRI-related complications during or after MRI in subjects undergoing MRI (n = 148). Differences in pacing capture threshold values from pre-MRI to 1-month post-MRI were minimal and similar between the MRI and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized trial demonstrates that the Advisa MRI pulse generator and CapSureFix MRI 5086MRI lead system is safe and effective in the 1.5 T MRI environment without positioning restrictions for MRI scans or limitations of body parts scanned.

The RNA-binding protein HuR regulates DNA methylation through stabilization of DNMT3b mRNA

The molecular basis underlying the aberrant DNA-methylation patterns in human cancer is largely unknown. Altered DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity is believed to contribute, as DNMT expression levels increase during tumorigenesis. Here, we present evidence that the expression of DNMT3b is post-transcriptionally regulated by HuR, an RNA-binding protein that stabilizes and/or modulates the translation of target mRNAs. The presence of a putative HuR-recognition motif in the DNMT3b 3'UTR prompted studies to investigate if this transcript associated with HuR. The interaction between HuR and DNMT3b mRNA was studied by immunoprecipitation of endogenous HuR ribonucleoprotein complexes followed by RT-qPCR detection of DNMT3b mRNA, and by in vitro pulldown of biotinylated DNMT3b RNAs followed by western blotting detection of HuR. These studies revealed that binding of HuR stabilized the DNMT3b mRNA and increased DNMT3b expression. Unexpectedly, cisplatin treatment triggered the dissociation of the [HuR-DNMT3b mRNA] complex, in turn promoting DNMT3b mRNA decay, decreasing DNMT3b abundance, and lowering the methylation of repeated sequences and global DNA methylation. In summary, our data identify DNMT3b mRNA as a novel HuR target, present evidence that HuR affects DNMT3b expression levels post-transcriptionally, and reveal the functional consequences of the HuR-regulated DNMT3b upon DNA methylation patterns.

Codeine and breastfeeding: cases and STIS position

Codeine is commonly used in North America in the postpartum period for pain associated with episotomyand caesarean section. Analgesic properties of codeine are mainly due to its metabolisation intomorphine (5-10%) via CYP2D6. This enzyme is subject to genetic variability, which can alter theamount of active narcotic excreted into breastmilk. A recent case report highlighted this issue, reportingfatal consequences in a newborn whose mother was taking codeine for episiotomy-related pain (1-2). New-born's blood (post-mortem) and mother's milk showed high morphine concentrations. Genotypeanalysis classified the mother as a CYP2D6 ultrarapid metabolizer, a genotype associated withenhanced formation of morphine from codeine. The authors concluded "clinical and laboratory picturewas consistent with opioid toxicity leading to neonatal death". Subsequent comments expressed reasonnabledoubts on this conclusion, though (3-4). Since, anxiety increased about the safety of codeineduring breastfeeding and genetic screening was proposed as a prevention strategy.STIS position:? Codeine with paracetamol is not a usual pain prescription in the postpartum period in Switzerland.This markedly reduces codeine use during lactation in our country, and may partly explain why webarely collected 3 codeine exposures through breastmilk in 15 years at the STIS (all reported afterabove case's publication and without side effects).? Other centrally acting analgesics are not considered safer (5) than codeine during lactation andrequire close observation for somnolence in both the mother and the infant in case of repeated maternaldosage. A lack of monitoring was salient in the case reported above (1).? If the incidence of CYP2D6 polymorphism (1-10% of individuals in Western Europe) (6) can beconsidered of clinical significance, it is not the exclusive predisposing factor to toxic effects. Healthynewborns can be particularly sensitive to even usual doses of narcotic analgesics because of immaturedrug disposition (7). Conditions leading to impaired clearance or increased susceptibility inthe infant (e.g. preterm birth, metabolic diseases) represent further risk factors for opioid toxicity,regardless of the molecule.In conclusion, when prescribed on a large scale, codein can be rarely associated with adverse drugreactions in breastfed infants (8-9). However, other central acting analgesics cannot be considered asinvariably safer. Therefore, paracetamol and well documented NSAID should be used in 1st choiceduring lactation. In case of severe pain, codeine (with paracetamol) remains an acceptable choice butrequires close monitoring, and breastfeeding mothers should be educated regarding risks related toaccumulation in the newborn. Finally, it is doubtful whether CYP2D6 genetic screening would preventall toxic effects, as other risk factors exist for opioids toxicity