Systematic relationships of some members of the genera Oesophagostomum and Chabertia (Nematoda: Chabertiidae) based on ribosomal DNA sequence data

The present study characterised seven species of the Chabertiidae (Nematoda: Strongyloidea) belonging to either the subfamily Oesophagostominae (Oesophagostomum radiatum, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Oesophagostomum dentatum, Oesophagostomum quadrispinulatum, Oesophagostomum columbianum, Oesophagostomum bifurcum) or to the subfamily Chabertiinae (Chabertia ovina) by their second internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequence, assessed the extent of intraspecific variation and interspecific differences in the sequence, and inferred the phylogenetic relationship of C. ovina with respect to members of the Oesophagostominae. In both the phenetic and cladistic analyses of the sequence data, Chabertia was nested within Oesophagostomum, suggesting either that the species examined represent members of the same genus, or alternatively, that Oesophagostomum may represent more than one genus.     

Brain mass estimation by head circumference and body mass methods in neonatal glycaemic modelling and control

Introduction

Hyperglycaemia is a common complication of stress and prematurity in extremely low-birth-weight infants. Model-based insulin therapy protocols have the ability to safely improve glycaemic control for this group. Estimating non-insulin-mediated brain glucose uptake by the central nervous system in these models is typically done using population-based body weight models, which may not be ideal.

Method

A head circumference-based model that separately treats small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants is compared to a body weight model in a retrospective analysis of 48 patients with a median birth weight of 750 g and median gestational age of 25 weeks. Estimated brain mass, model-based insulin sensitivity (S_I) profiles, and projected glycaemic control outcomes are investigated. SGA infants (5) are also analyzed as a separate cohort.

Results

Across the entire cohort, estimated brain mass deviated by a median 10% between models, with a per-patient median difference in S_I of 3.5%. For the SGA group, brain mass deviation was 42%, and per-patient S_I deviation 13.7%. In virtual trials, 87–93% of recommended insulin rates were equal or slightly reduced (Δ < 0.16 mU/h) under the head circumference method, while glycaemic control outcomes showed little change.

Conclusion

The results suggest that body weight methods are not as accurate as head circumference methods. Head circumference-based estimates may offer improved modelling accuracy and a small reduction in insulin administration, particularly for SGA infants.     

Properties of the glycerol acylating enzymes in microsomal preparations from the developing seeds of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and turnip rape (Brassica campestris) and their ability to assemble cocoa-butter type fats

Microsomal membrane preparations from the developing seeds of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius, var. Gila) and turnip-rape (Brassica campestris, var. Bele) catalyzed the assembly of triacylglycerols (triglycerides) from sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and acyl-CoA. The membrane preparations were used to assess the acyl specificity properties of the initial acylating enzymes—glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) and 1-acylglycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, LPAAT)—that are responsible for the fatty acids at positions sn-1 and sn-2 of the sn-triacylglycerol, respectively. In spectrophotometric assays it was possible to evaluate, to some extent, how these enzymes will utilize unusual and foreign fatty acids that are not normally found in these particular plant species. The acylating enzymes from both plants used, to varying extents, a comprehensive range of acyl-CoA donor species and some kinetic properties of the substrates involved are presented. The enzymes from safflower, however, were generally the more selective, whereas the turnip-rape was less particular and could utilize a range of acyl substrates. The enzymes from both plants hardly utilized erucate (C22∶1), and the significance of this is discussed in terms of mechanisms which have evolved in order to exclude certain, perhaps detrimental, fatty acids from structural membrane lipids and dedicate them to storage lipid assembly. The ability of the microsomal preparations, from the developing seeds of both plants, to synthesize cocoabutter type fats was investigated. Microsomal membranes were incubated with glycerol 3-phosphate and equimolar amounts of palmitate, oleate and stearate. Safflower preparations catalyzed the construction of sn-triacylglycerol with largely palmitate, oleate and stearate in positions sn-1, 2 and 3, respectively. The selectivity for acyl species in rape was less pronounced, however, substantial saturated-unsaturated-saturated oils were still produced. The results are discussed in terms of the acyl selectivity properties of the glycerol acylating enzymes. It is evident that given the correct composition of fatty acids, the plant can produce cocoabutter or other exotic fats.     

The effect of time of day on injury patterns amongst adolescents in Australia

Labour force participation of adolescents in Australia is growing at an unprecedented rate. This increased participation is coupled with a growing realisation of the vulnerability of adolescents in the labour market in terms of occupational injury. Despite recent evidence that time of day may be an important determinant of adolescent injuries, the impact of non-standard and night work on adolescent injury rates has received scant attention to date. The current study addresses this shortcoming by examining injury patterns of 3201 working adolescents in Queensland. Results revealed that female adolescents are 2.5 times more likely to sustain an injury on day shift and 4.71 times more likely to sustain an injury on night shift than their adult counterparts when total work hours are taken into consideration. Similar results were found for male adolescents with an injury to work hours ratio of 2.19 on day shift and 3.05 on night shift. These findings point to the value of considering the temporal pattern of adolescent work in future research aimed at minimising injuries at work and improving the work experience of tomorrow's workforce.     

Subjects presented at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meetings, 1967-90

The subject matter and trends of presentations made at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meetings (MCMs) were studied. A computerized database of information from MCM and Annual Meeting (AM) program and abstract books was created. The data were analyzed to determine the distribution of MCM presentations by subject and by author for the period 1967 to 1990, determine if there were differences in subjects covered between MCMs and AMs, explore the proposition that there has been duplication of material in MCM presentations, and evaluate the frequency with which MCM presentations have been published in ASHP journals. The total number of presentations made at MCMs from 1967 through 1990 was 8180, while the total for the AMs was 1547 for the two periods (1962-71 and 1985-90) studied. The most common keywords in titles were "pharmacy," "drug," "patient," "hospital," and "service." All International Pharmaceutical Abstracts subject categories and two other categories were represented; presentations in the institutional pharmacy practice category were the most frequent, while pharmacognosy-related presentations were least frequent. The overwhelming number of authors made only one presentation and were listed as the first author. The subjects of presentations were similar between AMs and MCMs. A tendency toward duplication of material was found. Of the 8180 MCM presentations, at least 1005 were published in an ASHP journal. Between 1967 and 1990, presentations at MCMs covered a wide range of subjects but were sometimes duplicative or not on the cutting edge.     

Real time flood disaster monitoring based on energy efficient ensemble clustering mechanism in wireless sensor network

In this article, energy efficient ensemble clustering method (EECM) with black widow optimization (EECM-BWO) algorithm is proposed for effective data transmission with the help of real time flood disaster monitoring wireless sensor network (WSN). Initially, unified scalable ensemble clustering algorithm based on ensemble generation and consensus function is proposed for selecting the optimal routing path among the node using BWO algorithm. Then, biologically inspired routing black widow spiders optimization algorithm is proposed to trade off the nodes energy level, self-organization, and self-configuration in the WSN. The simulation is performed using NS2 simulator for validating the performance of the proposed EECM-BWO method. Here, in node, low delay achieves 24.07%, 72.58%, 51.36%, 81.75%, 77.74%, high packet delivery ratio achieves 70.83%, 53.93%, 90.23%, 43.58%, 24.58%, low packet drop attains 77.93%, 72.76%, 61.56%, 51.87%, 34.35%, low energy consumption attains 75.9%, 52.94%, 65.81%, 58%, 41.2% compared with existing energy-efficient clustering approach consolidated game theory as well as dual-cluster-head mode for WSNs energy-aware clustering by cuckoo optimization approach (EECM-COA), energy-aware clustering-based routing using multi-path reliable transmission with routing and control board (EECM-RCB-MRT), adaptive repair algorithm with temporally ordered routing algorithms for flood control strategy (EECM-AR-TORA-FCS), passive multi-hop clustering algorithm (EECM-PMC), dynamic source routing protocol based on genetic algorithm-bacterial foraging optimization (DSR-GA-BFO).     

Reduced brain serotonin transporter availability in major depression as measured by [123I]-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane and single photon emission computed tomography

BACKGROUND: Prior research has suggested reductions in the density of serotonin transporter (SERT) binding sites in blood platelets and post-mortem brain tissue of depressed patients. We sought to determine whether patients with unipolar major depression have diminished SERT availability as assessed by both brainstem [123I] beta-CIT SPECT and platelet [3H]paroxetine binding. METHODS: Drug-free depressed and healthy subjects were injected with 211 +/- 22 MBq [123I] beta-CIT and imaged 24 +/- 2 h later under equilibrium conditions. A ratio of specific to nonspecific brain uptake (V3" = (brainstem-occipital)/occipital), a measure proportional to the binding potential (Bmax/Kd), was used for all comparisons. RESULTS: Results showed a statistically significant reduction in brainstem V3" values in depressed as compared to healthy subjects (3.1 +/- .9 vs. 3.8 +/- .8, p = .02). Platelet [3H]paroxetine binding was not altered (Bmax = 2389 +/- 484 vs. 2415 +/- 538 fmol/mg protein, p = .91) and was not significantly correlated with brainstem [123I] beta-CIT binding (r = -0.14, p = .48). CONCLUSIONS: These data are the first to suggest reductions in the density of brain SERT binding sites in living depressed patients. These findings provide further support for a preeminent role for alterations in serotonergic neurons in the pathophysiology of depression.     

Domain flexibility in retroviral proteases: structural implications for drug resistant mutations

Rigid body rotation of five domains and movements within their interfacial joints provide a rational context for understanding why HIV protease mutations that arise in drug resistant strains are often spatially removed from the drug or substrate binding sites. Domain motions associated with substrate binding in the retroviral HIV-1 and SIV proteases are identified and characterized. These motions are in addition to closure of the flaps and result from rotations of approximately 6-7 degrees at primarily hydrophobic interfaces. A crystal structure of unliganded SIV protease (incorporating the point mutation Ser 4 His to stabilize the protease against autolysis) was determined to 2.0 A resolution in a new space group, P3221. The structure is in the most "open" conformation of any retroviral protease so far examined, with six residues of the flaps disordered. Comparison of this and unliganded HIV structures, with their respective liganded structures by difference distance matrixes identifies five domains of the protease dimer that move as rigid bodies against one another: one terminal domain encompassing the N- and C-terminal beta sheet of the dimer, two core domains containing the catalytic aspartic acids, and two flap domains. The two core domains rotate toward each other on substrate binding, reshaping the binding pocket. We therefore show that, for enzymes, mutations at interdomain interfaces that favor the unliganded form of the target active site will increase the off-rate of the inhibitor, allowing the substrate greater access for catalysis. This offers a mechanism of resistance to competitive inhibitors, especially when the forward enzymatic reaction rate exceeds the rate of substrate dissociation.