Variable cross-resistance to Cry11B from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan in Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) resistant to single or multiple toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

A novel mosquitocidal bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan, and one of its toxins, Cry11B, in a recombinant B. thuringiensis strain were evaluated for cross-resistance with strains of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus that are resistant to single and multiple toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. The levels of cross-resistance (resistance ratios [RR]) at concentrations which caused 95% mortality (LC95) between B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan and the different B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis-resistant mosquito strains were low, ranging from 2.3 to 5.1. However, the levels of cross-resistance to Cry11B were much higher and were directly related to the complexity of the B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis Cry toxin mixtures used to select the resistant mosquito strains. The LC95 RR obtained with the mosquito strains were as follows: 53.1 against Cq4D, which was resistant to Cry11A; 80.7 against Cq4AB, which was resistant to Cry4A plus Cry4B; and 347 against Cq4ABD, which was resistant to Cry4A plus Cry4B plus Cry11A. Combining Cyt1A with Cry11B at a 1:3 ratio had little effect on suppressing Cry11A resistance in Cq4D but resulted in synergism factors of 4.8 and 11.2 against strains Cq4AB and Cq4ABD, respectively; this procedure eliminated cross-resistance in the former mosquito strain and reduced it markedly in the latter strain. The high levels of activity of B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan and B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, both of which contain a complex mixture of Cry and Cyt proteins, against Cry4- and Cry11-resistant mosquitoes suggest that novel bacterial strains with multiple Cry and Cyt proteins may be useful in managing resistance to bacterial insecticides in mosquito populations.     

Solution structure of glutathione bound to human glutathione transferase P1-1: comparison of NMR measurements with the crystal structure

The conformation of the bound glutathione (GSH) in the active site of the human glutathione transferase P1-1 (EC 2.5.1.18) has been studied by transferred NOE measurements and compared with those obtained by X-ray diffraction data. Two-dimensional TRNOESY and TRROESY experiments have been performed under fast-exchange conditions. The family of GSH conformers, compatible with TRNOE distance constraints, shows a backbone structure very similar to the crystal model. Interesting differences have been found in the side chain regions. After restrained energy minimization of a representative NMR conformer in the active site, the sulfur atom is not found in hydrogen-bonding distance of the hydroxyl group of Tyr 7. This situation is similar to the one observed in an "atypical" crystal complex grown at low pH and low temperature. The NMR conformers display also a poorly defined structure of the glutamyl moiety, and the presence of an unexpected intermolecular NOE could indicate a different interaction of this substrate portion with the G-site. The NMR data seem to provide a snapshot of GSH in a precomplex where the GSH glutamyl end is bound in a different fashion. The existence of this precomplex is supported by pre-steady-state kinetic experiments [Caccuri, A. M., Lo Bello, M., Nuccetelli, M., Nicotra, M., Rossi, P., Antonini, G., Federici, G., and Ricci, G. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 3028-3034] and preliminary time-resolved fluorescence data.     

ROMANSEVAL: Results for Italian by SENSE

The paper describes SENSE, a word sense disambiguation system thatmakes use of different types of cues to infer the most likelysense of a word given its context. Architecture and functioning ofthe system are briefly illustrated. Results are given for theROMANSEVAL Italian test corpus of verbs.     

Evolutionary morphogenesis for multi-cellular systems

With a gene required for each phenotypic trait, direct genetic encodings may show poor scalability to increasing phenotype length. Developmental systems may alleviate this problem by providing more efficient indirect genotype to phenotype mappings. A novel classification of multi-cellular developmental systems in evolvable hardware is introduced. It shows a category of developmental systems that up to now has rarely been explored. We argue that this category is where most of the benefits of developmental systems lie (e.g. speed, scalability, robustness, inter-cellular and environmental interactions that allow fault-tolerance or adaptivity). This article describes a very simple genetic encoding and developmental system designed for multi-cellular circuits that belongs to this category. We refer to it as the morphogenetic system. The morphogenetic system is inspired by gene expression and cellular differentiation. It focuses on low computational requirements which allows fast execution and a compact hardware implementation. The morphogenetic system shows better scalability compared to a direct genetic encoding in the evolution of structures of differentiated cells, and its dynamics provides fault-tolerance up to high fault rates. It outperforms a direct genetic encoding when evolving spiking neural networks for pattern recognition and robot navigation. The results obtained with the morphogenetic system indicate that this “minimalist” approach to developmental systems merits further study.

DNA barcoding as a new tool for food traceability

Food safety and quality are nowadays a major concern. Any case of food alteration, especially when reported by the media, has a great impact on public opinion. There is an increasing demand for the improvement of quality controls, hence addressing scientific research towards the development of reliable molecular tools for food analysis. DNA barcoding is a widely used molecular-based system, which can identify biological specimens, and is used for the identification of both raw materials and processed food. In this review the results of several researches are critically analyzed, in order to exploit the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in food traceability, and to delineate some best practices in the application of DNA barcoding throughout the industrial pipeline. The use of DNA barcoding for food safety and in the identification of commercial fraud is also discussed.     

High Performance, Low-Dose Radiography Systems for Space and Remote Site Applications

Medical imaging applications using X- and gamma-rays have reached outstanding levels of complexity and performance, thanks to technology achievements in the fields of radiography, tomography and high resolution synchrotron devices. The operability of the related instrumentation resides in the availability of highly qualified specialists, as well as of medical doctors for diagnoses and treatment. This is a problem for personnel working in difficult ambient conditions as can be found in remote sites like Arctica, Antarctica and under-populated, desolated or mountainous regions on Earth. Astronauts, during long permanence at the Space Station or on future mission to Mars are potentially subject to risks such as traumas, fractures or diseases which would require semi-automated, easy-to-handle application of X-ray radiographic devices. For this purpose, the possible use of imaging instrumentation based on solid state detectors is discussed with special regard to CdZnTe pixel devices, now available with sub-mm resolution. The use of these semiconductor detectors will also allow to perform image diagnostics at much lower doses compared to the current plate-based radiographic techniques.     

Inactivation of Mucor plumbeus by the combined actions of chitinase and high hydrostatic pressure

Sporangiospores were treated with high hydrostatic pressure and/or fungal chitinase in order to study the inhibition of germination and growth of the food spoiling mold Mucor plumbeus. Total fungal inhibition was obtained either at 4.0 kbar or by 10 U/ml of chitinase from Penicillium janthinellum. A pretreatment with 1 U/ml of the same chitinase reduced the pressure necessary to obtain complete spore inhibition to 3 kbar.     

Review of Generalized anxiety disorder: From science to practice.

Reviews the book, Generalized anxiety disorder: From science to practice by Michel J. Dugas and Melisa Robichaud (2006). The reviewers commend the authors for providing a comprehensive overview of GAD. Chapters include information on diagnosis, assessment techniques and treatment modules. Dugas and Robichaud refer to their treatment as primarily cognitive and emphasize the difference between their approach and other cognitive and cognitive-behavioural treatments for GAD. The treatment presented does not employ relaxation training or other strategies to reduce physical tension and overarousal. Rather, this treatment makes use of specific cognitive interventions with the understanding that physical and affective symptoms will decrease with corresponding reductions in excessive worry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of acquired von Willebrand syndrome in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance: comparison of three different therapeutic approaches

Patients with monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance (MGUS) may develop an acquired bleeding disorder similar to congenital von Willebrand disease, called acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS). In these patients, measures to improve hemostasis are required to prevent or treat bleeding episodes. We diagnosed 10 patients with MGUS and AvWS: 8 had IgGkappa (3) or lambda (5) MGUS and 2 IgM-kappa MGUS. Three therapeutic approaches were compared in them: (1) desmopressin (DDAVP), (2) factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIII/vWF) concentrate, and (3) high-dose (1 g/kg/d for 2 days) intravenous Ig (IVIg). In patients with IgG-MGUS, DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrate increased factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in plasma, but only transiently. IVIg determined a more sustained improvement of the laboratory abnormalities and prevented bleeding during surgery (short-term therapy). In addition to the standard 2-day infusion protocol, a long-term IVIg therapy was performed in 2 patients with IgG-MGUS: repeated (every 21 days) single infusions of IVIg did improve laboratory abnormalities and stopped chronic gastrointestinal bleeding. On the other hand, IVIg failed to correct laboratories abnormalities in patients with IgM-MGUS. These comparative data obtained in a relative large and homogeneous group of patients with AvWS and MGUS confirm that DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrates improve the bleeding time (BT) and FVIII/vWF measurements only transiently, whereas IVIg provides a sustained treatment of AvWS associated with IgG-MGUS, but not with IgM-MGUS.     

Mn‐peroxidase production by Panus tigrinus CBS 577.79: response surface optimisation and bioreactor comparison

This study reports the statistical optimisation through response surface methodology of the growth medium for Panus tigrinus manganese‐dependent peroxidase (MnP) production in shaken culture. Three crucial variables, including carbon source, malonic acid and Mn²⁺, were optimised in a nitrogen‐limited medium. Sucrose was the best carbon source for MnP production. Mn²⁺ ions and malonic acid significantly stimulated MnP production at an optimal concentration of 53 mg dm^?3 and 8.2 mmol dm^?3, respectively, resulting in 0.83 U cm^?3. Further experiments were performed in lab‐scale stirred tank (STR) and bubble‐column (BCR) reactors using the previously optimised liquid medium. BCR proved to be more adequate than STR in supporting MnP production, leading to 3700 U dm^?3 after 144 h with a productivity of 25.7 U dm^?3 h^?1. On a comparative basis with other production data in lab‐scale reactors, these results appear to be compatible with scale transfer. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry