The Bactrocera tryoni homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster sex-determination gene doublesex

A homologue of the bifunctional sex-determining gene, doublesex (dsx), has been identified in the tephritid fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, and has been found to be expressed in a sex-specific manner in adult flies. The male- and female-specific cDNAs are identical at their 5′ ends but differ at their 3′ ends and appear to be the products of alternate splicing. The level of identity of the sex-specific DSX proteins of B. tryoni with the D. melanogaster DSX proteins, across the region corresponding to the DNA binding domain and the oligomerization domains, is greater than 85%. Four sequence motifs which are ten to thirteen bases identical to the TRA/TRA-2 binding sites (thirteen-nucleotide repeat sequences) are present in the female-specific exon of the B. tryoni dsx gene.     

A galE via (Vi antigen-negative) mutant of Salmonella typhi Ty2 retains virulence in humans.

We have recently described the construction of a galE derivative of Salmonella typhi Ty2 (Ty2H1) which had a 0.4-kilobase deletion in the galE gene and was sensitive to galactose-induced lysis when cultured with greater than or equal to 0.06 mM galactose (D. M. Hone, R. Morona, S. Attridge, and J. Hackett, J. Infect. Dis. 156:167-174, 1987). We now report the selection of a rifampin-resistant, via derivative of Ty2H1, EX462. Compared with the Ty2 parent strain, EX462 was serum sensitive and highly attenuated in the mouse mucin virulence assay. When four human volunteers ingested 7 X 10(8) viable EX462, two became ill and developed a typhoidlike disease with fever and bacteremia. Blood isolates from these individuals were indistinguishable from the vaccine strain by a variety of criteria. We concluded that, even in a via background, the galE mutation was not attenuating for S. typhi in humans.     

A factor present in human milk, but not colostrum, which is cytotoxic for human lymphocytes

This study reports the presence of a factor in human milk which is cytotoxic to both autologous and heterologous human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The cytotoxic effect was measured by the release of 51Cr from labelled cells or by the inability of PBMC to exclude trypan blue following exposure to milk. The cytotoxic factor was not dialysable or sensitive to heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, and could not be adsorbed from milk by PBMC. It lysed lymphocytes harvested from colostrum and from autologous or heterologous milk. The cytotoxic factor in the milk was different from the factor found in colostrum which inhibits the proliferation of mitogen stimulated PBMC, but which is not cytotoxic. Testing of serial samples of milk from the same mother indicated that the factor could be detected in the milk after 3-4 days post partum. We conclude that factors cytotoxic for human PBMC appear in human milk early in lactation.     

Specific immune response in the human respiratory tract following oral immunization with live typhoid vaccine

Specific antibody responses in the lower respiratory tract of human subjects to orally administered Salmonella typhi Ty21a are reported. These responses, predominantly of the immunoglobulin G class, were determined to be a transudate from serum. These results were supported by the similarity in responses to parenteral administration of heat-killed typhoid vaccine. Specific immunoglobulin A antibody was a poor contributor to the respiratory antibody response to either vaccine.     

Generalization tests with intraventricularly applied pro-enkephalin B-derived peptides in rats trained to discriminate the opioid kappa receptor agonist ethylketocyclazocine

Rats were trained in a two-lever food-reinforced procedure to discriminate between the effects of saline and the opioid kappa receptor agonist ethylketocyclazocine. After acquisition of this discrimination, generalization tests with opioid peptides such as -endorphin, -neoendorphin, dynorphin A and some dynorphin-derived peptides were conducted. The rats dose-dependently generalized the effects of intracerebroventricularly injected ethylketocyclazocine but not -endorphin, -neoendorphin, dynorphin A_1–8, dynorphin A_1–13, D-Cys²-L-Cys⁵-dynorphin A_1–13 or dynorphin A. D-Cys²-L-Cys⁵-dynorphin A_1–13, in contrast to dynorphin A itself, dose-dependently caused analgesia and catatonia that was reversible with naloxone. Studies into the receptor preference of this derivative, using the technique of selective tolerance, revealed that this dynorphin derivative is almost devoid of kappa-receptor activity.     

Estrogen receptor beta polymorphisms are associated with bone mass in women and men: the Framingham Study.

ESR2 is expressed in bone cells, yet few studies have tested its variation for association with BMD, an important determinant of osteoporotic fractures. This was investigated in 723 men and 795 women from the Framingham study. Results show association of variation in this gene with BMD in both women and men. INTRODUCTION: Osteoporotic fracture risk is highly dependent on bone density, a quantitative multifactorial trait with a substantial genetic component. In contrast to the growing body of evidence that estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) plays a role in bone metabolism, few studies have examined the estrogen receptor beta (ESR2) gene for association with BMD. An ESR2 CA repeat polymorphism, D14S1026, was associated with BMD in two small studies, each with <200 women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The objective of this investigation was to assess whether D14S1026 or four other intronic polymorphisms were associated with BMD in 723 men and 795 women (mean age, 60 years) from the offspring cohort of the population-based Framingham Study. BMD was measured at the femur (neck, trochanter, and Ward's area) and the lumbar spine (L(2)-L(4)). RESULTS: In both women and men, there was significant association of D14S1026 genotype with measures of femoral but not spinal BMD. In addition, genotypes of two common single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs1256031 and rs1256059, in strong linkage disequilibrium with one another but not with D14S1026, were associated with measures of femoral BMD in men. The rs1256031 genotypes had up to a 4.0% difference in mean femoral BMD. An inferred rs1256031-D14S1026-rs1256059 haplotype C-23CA-T was significantly associated with reduced femoral BMD in women (p = 0.03, 0.003, and 0.01 for neck, trochanter, and Ward's area, respectively). Haplotype-based BMD differences ranged from 3.0% to 4.3%. CONCLUSIONS: We have observed significant association of common ESR2 variants with measures of femoral BMD in both men and women.     

Acute coronary syndromes

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. Key points Coronary artery disease accounts for >30% ofdeaths in Western society. The diagnosis of myocardial infarctionshould be qualified by size, causation and time from occurrence. Mortalityis reduced by immediate or ‘primary’ percutaneouscoronary intervention or thrombolysis within the first 24 hof onset of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Strategiesto reduce platelet activation (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptorantagonists, or clopidogrel) are now recommended in the treatmentof high-risk non-ST-segment myocardial infarction/unstable angina. Elevatedserum troponins may be the result of non-ischaemic myocardialdamage, especially in critical illness.