Genetic variation analysis of apple chlorotic leaf spot virus coat protein reveals a new phylogenetic type and two recombinants in China

In this study, we generated sequences of the apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) coat protein (CP) gene. Genetic variation and phylogenetic analyses were carried out on these sequences along with others reported previously. ACLSV populations clustered into four types: in three of the four types, combinations of three amino acids at positions of 40, 75 and 79 were conserved. The fourth phylogenetic type, newly identified here, was characterized by co-variation of Ser⁴⁰-Tyr⁷⁵-Ser⁷⁹. Statistically significant genetic differentiation and infrequent gene flow were detected among the four types. Two natural recombinants were detected for the first time among ACLSV isolates/genotypes from China.     

Psychological techniques in the management of pain

Pain is experienced as a threat to a person's physical and emotional integrity, the more so when it is prolonged and unexplained. Often the fear patients have of doing anything that might worsen the pain or presumed damage is taken as a lack of motivation. For the clinician, there is a dilemma about how far to pursue investigation and attempts at treatment before concluding that the pain is persistent. Careful assessment of pain, of the problems it causes for the patient, and of the patient's thoughts about it provide valuable information for the diagnostician and convey to patients that their difficulties are taken seriously. This article provides simple pain scales. Assessment of mood is also important because the combination of unhappiness and somatic symptoms does not necessarily indicate primary clinical depression. The doctor is in a good position to help the person with pain to understand what is and what is not wrong, to identify suitable targets for functional improvement and to engage the patient in efforts towards recovery or rehabilitation. Pain management techniques, applicable in combination with medical and physical treatments, or when these have been exhausted, are described.     

A geminivirus-related DNA mycovirus that confers hypovirulence to a plant pathogenic fungus

Mycoviruses are viruses that infect fungi and have the potential to control fungal diseases of crops when associated with hypovirulence. Typically, mycoviruses have double-stranded (ds) or single-stranded (ss) RNA genomes. No mycoviruses with DNA genomes have previously been reported. Here, we describe a hypovirulence-associated circular ssDNA mycovirus from the plant pathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The genome of this ssDNA virus, named Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirulence-associated DNA virus 1 (SsHADV-1), is 2166 nt, coding for a replication initiation protein (Rep) and a coat protein (CP). Although phylogenetic analysis of Rep showed that SsHADV-1 is related to geminiviruses, it is notably distinct from geminiviruses both in genome organization and particle morphology. Polyethylene glycol-mediated transfection of fungal protoplasts was successful with either purified SsHADV-1 particles or viral DNA isolated directly from infected mycelium. The discovery of an ssDNA mycovirus enhances the potential of exploring fungal viruses as valuable tools for molecular manipulation of fungi and for plant disease control and expands our knowledge of global virus ecology and evolution.     

Ag85b/ESAT6-CFP10 adjuvanted with aluminum/poly-IC effectively protects guinea pigs from latent mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

The high global burden of tuberculosis (TB) underscores the urgent need for an effective TB vaccine since the only licensed Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is ineffective in preventing adult pulmonary TB and affords no protection against latent TB infection (LTBI). Herein we investigated the potential of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigen proteins AEC comprised of Ag85b and ESAT6-CFP10 proteins in conjunction with aluminum (Al) and polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly-IC) as a novel subunit vaccine against TB. The immunogenicity and protection induced by the adjuvanted vaccine were evaluated in two animal models. Mice vaccinated with AEC/Al/poly-IC exhibited significant antigen-specific humoral immune responses and cell-mediated immunity as determined by immunoassay and multicolor flow cytometric assay, and the protective effect of the vaccine was demonstrated in a guinea pig model of latent Mtb infection. Compared to the control group, the mean pathological scores and bacterial loads in lungs and spleens of AEC/Al/poly-IC-immunized guinea pigs were significantly reduced. These data indicate that the AEC/Al/poly-IC is highly immunogenic in mice and can effectively protect guinea pigs against latent Mtb infection; it may represent a promising candidate vaccine for the control of latent TB.     

Comparative Analysis of the Prion Protein Open Reading Frame Nucleotide Sequences in Peacock and Parakeet

The open reading frame of peacock and parakeet prion protein (PrP) genes was cloned and sequenced. The peacock and parakeet PrP genes consisted of 833 and 866 nucleotides encoding 266 and 277 amino acids, respectively (GenBank Accession numbers AY365065 and AY365066). Sequence analysis showed that the peacock and parakeet PrP genes had 93.67% homology to each other, 94.04% and 99.64% homology to the chicken PrP gene and 46.0% and 42.1% similarity to the mammalian PrP genes, respectively. The structural features of all known mammalian and avian PrPs, including N-terminal signal peptides, tandem repeats, conserved hydrophobic region, disulfide bridges and glycoinositol phospholipid anchor, were also found in peacock and parakeet PrPs. The parakeet and peacock PrPs, however, differed in the hexarepeat region, with the peacock having six and the parakeet having seven hexarepeats. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the PrP genes in 52 species were clustered into 2 distinct lineages, the avian and the mammalian. The peacock and parakeet PrP genes belonged to the same lineage but the peacock PrP was sub-classed with the pigeon PrP and the parakeet PrP was sub-classed with the duck and chicken PrPs. The present work added two more species data to the collection of the PrP genes and supported the previous findings that the PrP genes are highly conserved across species.     

Avian-origin H3N2 canine influenza A viruses in Southern China

This study reports four sporadic cases of H3N2 canine influenza in Southern China, which were identified from sick dogs from May 2006 to October 2007. The evolutionary analysis showed that all eight segments of these four viruses are avian-origin and phylogenetically close to the H3N2 canine influenza viruses reported earlier in South Korea. Systematic surveillance is required to monitor the disease and evolutionary behavior of this virus in canine populations in China.     

Effects of soyasaponin I and soyasaponins-rich extract on the Alternariol-induced cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells

Alternariol (AOH) is a mycotoxin produced by Alternaria spp. Soyasaponin I (Ss-I) is present naturally in legumes, and it has antioxidant properties. Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of AOH have been demonstrated previously in vitro. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of AOH, Ss-I, and soyasaponins-rich extract from lentils was investigated; as well as, the cytoprotective effects of Ss-I and lentil extracts against AOH induced-cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. Cytotoxicity was carried out using MTT and PC assays (AOH: 3.125–100 µM, Ss-I: 3.125–50 µM, and lentil extracts: 1:0–1:32) during 24 h of exposure. Only AOH showed cytotoxic effect. The reduction in cell proliferation ranged from 25% to 47%. Simultaneous combination of Ss-I with AOH (1:1) increased cell proliferation (35%) compared to AOH tested alone. The Ss-I and extracts showed synergistic cytoprotective effects against cytotoxicity induced by AOH on Caco-2 cells. Food commodities containing Ss-I could contribute to diminish the toxicological risk that natural contaminant as AOH in diet can produce to humans.     

Histopathologic challenges: The second OPINION issue

Classification and definition criteria for rare cancer is still an open issue in clinical practice due to several factors, which include the limited available molecular data to better defining specific tumor groups or “families” of interest. An important issue related to the proper management of these entities is the correct diagnosis and subtyping of a given entity. The high complexity associated with the histopathologic diagnosis and eventual molecular analysis may suggest the use of a histopathologic second opinion from a specialized pathologist. Diagnostic inaccuracies and difference between primary diagnosis and second opinion are expected at the population level: however, the magnitude of this difference is remarkably high and calls for implementation of second opinion in routine practice outside reference centers.