Positive selection is a general phenomenon in the evolution of abalone sperm lysin

Lysin is a 16kDa acrosomal protein used by abalone sperm to create a hole in the egg vitelline envelope (VE). The interaction of lysin with the VE is species-selective and is one step in the multistep fertilization process that restricts heterospecific (cross-species) fertilization. For this reason, the evolution of lysin could play a role in establishing prezygotic reproductive isolation between species. Previously, we sequenced sperm lysin cDNAs from seven California abalone species and showed that positive Darwinian selection promotes their divergence. In this paper an additional 13 lysin sequences are presented representing species from Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Europe. The total of 20 sequences represents the most extensive analysis of a fertilization protein to date. The phylogenetic analysis divides the sequences into two major clades, one composed of species from the northern Pacific (California and Japan) and the other composed of species from other parts of the world. Analysis of nucleotide substitution demonstrates that positive selection is a general process in the evolution of this fertilization protein. Analysis of nucleotide and codon usage bias shows that neither parameter can account for the robust data supporting positive selection. The selection pressure responsible for the positive selection on lysin remains unknown.     

Fetoplacental vascular tone during fetal circuit acidosis and acidosis with hypoxia in the ex vivo perfused human placental cotyledon

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine the effects of acidosis and acidosis-hypoxia on fetoplacental perfusion pressure and its response to angiotensin II. STUDY DESIGN: Perfused cotyledons from 14 placentas were studied with either an acidotic fetal circuit perfusate (n = 7) or an acidotic-hypoxic fetal circuit perfusate (n = 7). Each cotyledon's fetal vasculature was initially perfused under standard conditions and bolus injected with 1 x 10(-10) moles of angiotensin II. Fetoplacental perfusate was then replaced with either an acidotic medium (pH 6.90 to 7.00 and Po2 516 to 613 mm Hg) or an acidotic-hypoxic medium (pH 6.90 to 7.00 and Po2 20 to 25 mm Hg) followed by an angiotensin II injection. The vasculature was subsequently recovered with standard perfusate and again injected with angiotensin II. Perfusion pressures within each group were compared by one-way analysis of variance, and results were expressed as mean pressure +/- SEM. RESULTS: Resting fetoplacental perfusion pressure did not change when the fetal circuit perfusate was made acidotic (28 +/- 1 mm Hg vs 25 +/- 2 mm Hg) or acidotic-hypoxic (26 +/- 2 mm Hg vs 25 +/- 2 mm Hg). The maximal fetoplacental perfusion pressure achieved in response to angiotensin II did not differ with an acidotic perfusate (41 +/- 2 mm Hg vs 38 +/- 1 mm Hg) or with an acidotic-hypoxic perfusate (39 +/- 2 mm Hg vs 36 +/- 2 mm Hg). CONCLUSIONS: In the perfused placental cotyledon fetoplacental perfusion pressure and pressor response to angiotensin II are not affected by fetal circuit acidosis or acidosis-hypoxia. This suggests that neither fetal acidosis nor fetal acidosis combined with hypoxia has a direct effect on fetoplacental vascular tone.     

Hepatitis C viral infection is associated with fibrillary glomerulonephritis and immunotactoid glomerulopathy

The most common form of glomerular disease seen in association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, with or without associated cryoglobulinemia. This study examines four cases of fibrillary glomerulonephritis and two cases of immunotactoid glomerulopathy in association with HCV infection. Findings at presentation included proteinuria, renal insufficiency, and hematuria. Renal biopsy revealed a membranoproliferative pattern of glomerular disease in five cases, and a membranous glomerulopathy with mesangial proliferative features in one. On immunofluorescence, all cases stained with IgG and C3. Electron microscopy revealed fibrils of the expected diameter, 16 to 28 nm in fibrillary glomerulonephritis and 33 to 45 nm in immunotactoid glomerulopathy. In only one case were cryoglobulins detected (at low titer and on only one of three assays). Antiviral therapy was not given in any of the six cases. Outcomes were mixed, with progression to renal failure occurring in two patients and persistent proteinuria with stable or improved renal function in three. Follow-up is not available on the sixth case. Both fibrillary glomerulonephritis and immunotactoid glomerulopathy have features that overlap with cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis. The relatedness of these three entities in a subset of patients with HCV infection suggests a common pathogenic mechanism of glomerular deposition of organized deposits.     

Sulpiride in the prophylactic treatment of migraine

The aim of the work was investigation of both efficacy of sulpiride, atypical neuroleptic drug with pronounced antidepressive activity, and its influence on central nervous system. The study was performed in the course of prophylactic treatment of migraine using contingent negative variation (CNV) index. It is demonstrated that sulpiride is effective in prophylactic treatment of migraine complicated with psychologic disorders and autonomic dysfunctions. Such effect may be caused by the drug's influence on depression, anxiety, autonomic symptoms, tension-type headaches. This conclusion was confirmed by CNV data, change of which after sulpiride administration have indicated normalization of mental performance and increase of active adaptive abilities.     

An improvement in the methods for the microbiological study of the blood from patients with suppurative-septic infections

The new method for microbiological analysis of blood in patients with pyoseptic infections is based on separate inoculations of plasma, erythrocyte mass, and leukocyte layer in nutrient medium providing conditions for growth of a wide spectrum of aerobes and obligate anaerobes. The method in general ensures a more rapid result and permits differentiation between true and false-positive bacteremia and between stages of septic process (bacteremia and septicemia).     

Perinatal hospice: a response to partial birth abortion for infants with congenital defects

This article discusses decisions involving whether to terminate late-term pregnancies when fetal anomalies have been detected. Partial-birth abortion performed on fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, while performed under the guise of reducing suffering, threatens the best interests of the mother and infant. An alternative for parents faced with the decision to terminate their pregnancy is perinatal hospice. Perinatal hospice recognizes the value of bringing these infants to term by treating them as beings conceived with a tangible future. This alternative is preferred because of post-termination psychological distress and because biblical teachings emphasize the dignity and worth of each fetus. Perinatal hospice supports parents through their grief when their infant dies and maximizes the opportunity for authentic mourning.     

Development of novel 19F NMR pH indicators: synthesis and evaluation of a series of fluorinated vitamin B6 analogues

Phytochemicals such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and sulforaphane are components of cruciferous vegetables which exhibit antitumorigenic activity associated with altered carcinogen metabolism and detoxification. Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a major acid-catalyzed metabolite of I3C formed in the gut that binds to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and treatment of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with 10-50 microM DIM resulted in rapid formation of the nuclear AhR complex and induction of CYP1A1 gene expression was observed at concentrations >50 microM. Previous studies have demonstrated that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a high affinity AhR ligand, inhibits 17beta-estradiol (E2)-induced responses in MCF-7 cells and growth of E2-dependent 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Results of this study show that like TCDD, DIM inhibits E2-induced proliferation of MCF-7 cells, reporter gene activity in cells transiently transfected with an E2-responsive plasmid (containing a frog vitellogenin A2 gene promoter insert) and down-regulates the nuclear estrogen receptor. Moreover, DIM (5 mg/kg every other day) also inhibits DMBA-induced mammary tumor growth in Sprague-Dawley rats and this was not accompanied by induction of hepatic CYP1A1-dependent activity. Thus, DIM represents a new class of relatively non-toxic AhR-based antiestrogens that inhibit E2-dependent tumor growth in rodents and current studies are focused on development of analogs for clinical treatment of breast cancer.