Tetracycline resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from water, human stool, and fish gills from the Lake Sevan basin

The ecological state of Lake Sevan, the largest drinking water reservoir for the South Caucasus, formed under the influence of climatic and social changes. This study assesses the bacteriological quality of water in the rivers of the Lake Sevan basin and tetracycline-resistant bacteria isolated from fish and people living near the rivers of the Lake Sevan basin in Armenia in autumn 2019 and spring 2020. No differences have been shown for the tetracycline resistance of the investigated E. coli isolated from the human gut and the Masrik, Argichi, and Gavaraget Rivers. Horizontal gel electrophoresis revealed the same plasmid bands in most of the investigated E. coli with the same tetracycline resistance from the different sources of the Argichi River (obtained from people/fish/water sources where the fish were caught). The results also showed that most of the waters carried Edwardsiella spp., Erwinia spp., Morganella spp., and Proteus spp. in addition to E. coli; the coliform index did not exceed the standard level of 5 × 104 CFU mL-1 there. These findings highlight the importance of multidisciplinary studies of bacteria from "interacting" ecosystems, which might serve as a basis for the suggestion of microbial antibiotic resistance as another indicator of water pollution.

Blood protein polymorphisms and the gut bacteria: impact of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus Narine on Salmonella carriage in sheep

Related to previous reports on correlations between an animal's genotype, its commensal microbiota, and the ability to resist infections, the aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between sheep genotype and 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) DNA methylation patterns, sheep genotype and cell surface hydrophobicity of sheep gut commensal bacteria. In addition, the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus strain INMIA 9602 Er 317/402 (probiotic formulation Narine) on Salmonella carriage in sheep at Armenian farms was also investigated. Allelotypes and genotypes of different pathogen-sensitive sheep breeds from Armenian farms were studied based on genetic markers of blood transferrin, albumin, and ceruloplasmin. Additionally, the differences between the breeds of Mazekh, Balbas, and Mazekh/Balbas hybrids were reported. The relationship between host sheep blood transferrin and albumin polymorphisms and cell surface hydrophobicity/5-mC DNA methylation patterns from the predominant gut commensal bacteria was shown. The Narine probiotic eliminates Salmonella from the sheep gut microbiota. At the same time, no significant changes in the percentage of 5-mC DNA methylation of predominant gut bacteria after probiotic administration were observed. The evaluation of bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity, the most significant factor affecting bacterial adhesion, as well as 5-mC DNA methylation, might be used for specific sheep husbandry/breeding programs. This study suggests that the commercial probiotic Narine could potentially be used to reduce Salmonella carriage in sheep.

Method of preparation, visualization and ultrastructural analysis of a formulation of probiotic Bacillus subtilis KATMIRA1933 produced by solid-phase fermentation

Probiotic preparations are used in medical treatment and in agricultural practice. They modulate numerous activities in eukaryotic hosts, such as: inhibition of pathogenic microbiota; stimulation of immunological responses; and production of antioxidants, anti-mutagens, and DNA protectors. Also, probiotic bacteria are used as a preventive measure to prevent bacterial diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Solid-phase fermentation is reported as being used in the production of probiotic formulations where a solid substratum, such as soy and oil meal, is utilized for the growth of beneficial microorganisms. However, there are insufficient reports in the literature related to methodological approaches enabling evaluation of the final products of solid-phase fermentation. We suggest a novel method enabling evaluation of probiotic solid-state fermentation dry powders and observation of their morphology, ultrastructure, and elucidation of the quantitative distribution of probiotic microorganisms in solid substrates using electron microscopy. •The method is intended for ultrastructure microphotography of dry substances - for example, ultrastructure of solid-phase fermentation products.•The method allows preserving the ultrastructure of substrates that are damaged when soaking.•The method does not require additional equipment and reagents and can be used in all laboratories using electron microscopy.

Effect of Bacillus subtilis KATMIRA1933 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B-1895 on the productivity, reproductive aging, and physiological characteristics of hens and roosters

The study aims at investigating the effect of preparations of two bacilli strains on laying hens and roosters. Preparations were based on the strains Bacillus subtilis KATMIRA1933 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B-1895. Several groups of roosters and hens received a preparation based on either strain, or a mixture of both, from the first day to the last day of poultry in production. These preparations improved egg production, quality of sperm production, quality/hatchery of eggs, and slowed down the reproductive aging of hens. These observations were confirmed by the mathematical model proposed herein. At the molecular level, the slowing down of aging was confirmed by a decrease in the amount of mitochondrial DNA damage. Monitoring the physiological parameters of the experimental and control groups of birds showed that live weight gain in all experimental groups was higher than in the control group, and the reproductive organs of hens were more developed. There was also an improvement in the biochemical parameters of blood, the quality of the sperm of roosters, the laying of laying hens, and the morphological and biochemical parameters of the eggs. One of the most significant results is an increase in egg fertilization and a decrease in embryo death during the first 7 days of incubation.

Implementation strategies for systematic conservation planning

The field of systematic conservation planning has grown substantially, with hundreds of publications in the peer-reviewed literature and numerous applications to regional conservation planning globally. However, the extent to which systematic conservation plans have influenced management is unclear. This paper analyses factors that facilitate the transition from assessment to implementation in conservation planning, in order to help integrate assessment and implementation into a seamless process. We propose a framework for designing implementation strategies, taking into account three critical planning aspects: processes, inputs, and context. Our review identified sixteen processes, which we broadly grouped into four themes and eight inputs. We illustrate how the framework can be used to inform context-dependent implementation strategies, using the process of 'engagement' as an example. The example application includes both lessons learned from successfully implemented plans across the engagement spectrum, and highlights key barriers that can hinder attempts to bridge the assessment-implementation gap.

Strategies in scheduling marine protected area establishment in a network system

Instantaneous implementation of systematic conservation plans at regional scales is rare. More typically, planned actions are applied incrementally over periods of years or decades. During protracted implementation, the character of the connected ecological system will change as a function of external anthropogenic pressures, local metapopulation processes, and environmental fluctuations. For heavily exploited systems, habitat quality will deteriorate as the plan is implemented, potentially influencing the schedule of protected area implementation necessary to achieve conservation objectives. Understanding the best strategy to adopt for applying management within a connected environment is desirable, especially given limited conservation resources. Here, we model the sequential application of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in the central Philippines within a metapopulation framework, using a range of network-based decision rules. The model was based on selecting 33 sites for protection from 101 possible sites over a 35-yr period. The graph-theoretic network criteria to select sites for protection included PageRank, maximum degree, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, minimum degree, random, and historical events. We also included a dynamic strategy called colonization-extinction rate that was updated every year based on the changing capacity of each site to produce and absorb larvae. Each rule was evaluated in the context of achieving the maximum metapopulation mean lifetime at the conclusion of the implementation phase. MPAs were designated through the alteration of the extinction risk parameter. The highest ranked criteria were PageRank while the actual implementation from historical records ranked lowest. Our results indicate that protecting the sites ranked highest with regard to larval supply is likely to yield the highest benefit for fish abundance and fish metapopulation persistence. Model results highlighted the benefits of including network processes in conservation planning.

Methodology and effects of repeated intranasal delivery of DNSP-11 in awake Rhesus macaques

BACKGROUND

To determine if the intranasal delivery of neuroactive compounds is a viable, long-term treatment strategy for progressive, chronic neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), intranasal methodologies in preclinical models comparable to humans are needed.

NEW METHOD

We developed a methodology to evaluate the repeated intranasal delivery of neuroactive compounds on the non-human primate (NHP) brain, without the need for sedation. We evaluated the effects of the neuroactive peptide, DNSP-11 following repeated intranasal delivery and dose-escalation over the course of 10-weeks in Rhesus macaques. This approach allowed us to examine striatal target engagement, safety and tolerability, and brain distribution following a single ¹²⁵I-labeled DNSP-11 dose.

RESULTS

Our initial data support that repeated intranasal delivery and dose-escalation of DNSP-11 resulted in bilateral, striatal target engagement based on neurochemical changes in dopamine (DA) metabolites-without observable, adverse behavioral effects or weight loss in NHPs. Furthermore, a ¹²⁵I-labeled DNSP-11 study illustrates diffuse rostral to caudal distribution in the brain including the striatum-our target region of interest.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS

The results of this study are compared to our experiments in normal and 6-OHDA lesioned rats, where DNSP-11 was repeatedly delivered intranasally using a micropipette with animals under light sedation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this proof-of-concept study support the utility of our repeated intranasal dosing methodology in awake Rhesus macaques, to evaluate the effects of neuroactive compounds on the NHP brain. Additionally, results indicate that DNSP-11 can be safely and effectively delivered intranasally in MPTP-treated NHPs, while engaging the DA system.

Research priorities for conservation and natural resource management in Oceania's small-island developing states

For conservation science to effectively inform management, research must focus on creating the scientific knowledge required to solve conservation problems. We identified research questions that, if answered, would increase the effectiveness of conservation and natural resource management practice and policy in Oceania's small-island developing states. We asked conservation professionals from academia, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations across the region to propose such questions and then identify which were of high priority in an online survey. We compared the high-priority questions with research questions identified globally and for other regions. Of 270 questions proposed by respondents, 38 were considered high priority, including: What are the highest priority areas for conservation in the face of increasing resource demand and climate change? How should marine protected areas be networked to account for connectivity and climate change? What are the most effective fisheries management policies that contribute to sustainable coral reef fisheries? High-priority questions related to the particular challenges of undertaking conservation on small-island developing states and the need for a research agenda that is responsive to the sociocultural context of Oceania. Research priorities for Oceania relative to elsewhere were broadly similar but differed in specific issues relevant to particular conservation contexts. These differences emphasize the importance of involving local practitioners in the identification of research priorities. Priorities were reasonably well aligned among sectoral groups. Only a few questions were widely considered answered, which may indicate a smaller-than-expected knowledge-action gap. We believe these questions can be used to strengthen research collaborations between scientists and practitioners working to further conservation and natural resource management in this region.

Incorporating seascape connectivity in conservation prioritisation

In conservation prioritisation, it is often implicit that representation targets for individual habitat types act as surrogates for the species that inhabit them. Yet for many commercially and ecologically important coral reef fish species, connectivity among different habitats in a seascape may be more important than any single habitat alone. Approaches to conservation prioritisation that consider seascape connectivity are thus warranted. I demonstrate an approach that can be implemented within a relatively data-poor context, using widely available conservation planning software. Based on clearly stated assumptions regarding species’ habitat usage and movement ability, this approach can be adapted to different focal species and contexts, or refined as further data become available. I first derive a seascape connectivity metric based on area-weighted proximity between juvenile and adult habitat patches, and then apply this during spatial prioritisation using the decision-support software Marxan. Using a case study from Micronesia, I present two applications: first, to inform prioritisation for a network of marine protected areas to achieve regional objectives for habitat representation; and second, to identify nursery habitat patches that are most likely to supply juveniles to adult populations on reefs within existing protected areas. Incorporating seascape connectivity in conservation prioritisation highlights areas where small marine protected areas placed on coral reefs might benefit from proximity to other habitats in the seascape, and thus be more effective. Within the context of community tenure over resources, identification of critical nursery habitats to improve the effectiveness of existing marine protected areas indicates where collaboration across community boundaries might be required. Outputs from these analyses are likely to be most useful in regions where management is highly decentralised, imposing spatial constraints on the size of individual protected areas.

Sympathy for the Devil: Detailing the Effects of Planning-Unit Size, Thematic Resolution of Reef Classes, and Socioeconomic Costs on Spatial Priorities for Marine Conservation

Spatial data characteristics have the potential to influence various aspects of prioritising biodiversity areas for systematic conservation planning. There has been some exploration of the combined effects of size of planning units and level of classification of physical environments on the pattern and extent of priority areas. However, these data characteristics have yet to be explicitly investigated in terms of their interaction with different socioeconomic cost data during the spatial prioritisation process. We quantify the individual and interacting effects of three factors—planning-unit size, thematic resolution of reef classes, and spatial variability of socioeconomic costs—on spatial priorities for marine conservation, in typical marine planning exercises that use reef classification maps as a proxy for biodiversity. We assess these factors by creating 20 unique prioritisation scenarios involving combinations of different levels of each factor. Because output data from these scenarios are analogous to ecological data, we applied ecological statistics to determine spatial similarities between reserve designs. All three factors influenced prioritisations to different extents, with cost variability having the largest influence, followed by planning-unit size and thematic resolution of reef classes. The effect of thematic resolution on spatial design depended on the variability of cost data used. In terms of incidental representation of conservation objectives derived from finer-resolution data, scenarios prioritised with uniform cost outperformed those prioritised with variable cost. Following our analyses, we make recommendations to help maximise the spatial and cost efficiency and potential effectiveness of future marine conservation plans in similar planning scenarios. We recommend that planners: employ the smallest planning-unit size practical; invest in data at the highest possible resolution; and, when planning across regional extents with the intention of incidentally representing fine-resolution features, prioritise the whole region with uniform costs rather than using coarse-resolution data on variable costs.

Improved determination of particulate absorption from combined filter pad and PSICAM measurements

Filter pad light absorption measurements are subject to two major sources of experimental uncertainty: the so-called pathlength amplification factor, β, and scattering offsets, o, for which previous null-correction approaches are limited by recent observations of non-zero absorption in the near infrared (NIR). A new filter pad absorption correction method is presented here which uses linear regression against point-source integrating cavity absorption meter (PSICAM) absorption data to simultaneously resolve both β and the scattering offset. The PSICAM has previously been shown to provide accurate absorption data, even in highly scattering waters. Comparisons of PSICAM and filter pad particulate absorption data reveal linear relationships that vary on a sample by sample basis. This regression approach provides significantly improved agreement with PSICAM data (3.2% RMS%E) than previously published filter pad absorption corrections. Results show that direct transmittance (T-method) filter pad absorption measurements perform effectively at the same level as more complex geometrical configurations based on integrating cavity measurements (IS-method and QFT-ICAM) because the linear regression correction compensates for the sensitivity to scattering errors in the T-method. This approach produces accurate filter pad particulate absorption data for wavelengths in the blue/UV and in the NIR where sensitivity issues with PSICAM measurements limit performance. The combination of the filter pad absorption and PSICAM is therefore recommended for generating full spectral, best quality particulate absorption data as it enables correction of multiple errors sources across both measurements.

Planning Marine Reserve Networks for Both Feature Representation and Demographic Persistence Using Connectivity Patterns

Marine reserve networks must ensure the representation of important conservation features, and also guarantee the persistence of key populations. For many species, designing reserve networks is complicated by the absence or limited availability of spatial and life-history data. This is particularly true for data on larval dispersal, which has only recently become available. However, systematic conservation planning methods currently incorporate demographic processes through unsatisfactory surrogates. There are therefore two key challenges to designing marine reserve networks that achieve feature representation and demographic persistence constraints. First, constructing a method that efficiently incorporates persistence as well as complementary feature representation. Second, incorporating persistence using a mechanistic description of population viability, rather than a proxy such as size or distance. Here we construct a novel systematic conservation planning method that addresses both challenges, and parameterise it to design a hypothetical marine reserve network for fringing coral reefs in the Keppel Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. For this application, we describe how demographic persistence goals can be constructed for an important reef fish species in the region, the bar-cheeked trout (Plectropomus maculatus). We compare reserve networks that are optimally designed for either feature representation or demographic persistence, with a reserve network that achieves both goals simultaneously. As well as being practically applicable, our analyses also provide general insights into marine reserve planning for both representation and demographic persistence. First, persistence constraints for dispersive organisms are likely to be much harder to achieve than representation targets, due to their greater complexity. Second, persistence and representation constraints pull the reserve network design process in divergent directions, making it difficult to efficiently achieve both constraints. Although our method can be readily applied to the data-rich Keppel Islands case study, we finally consider the factors that limit the method's utility in information-poor contexts common in marine conservation.

Systematic conservation planning within a Fijian customary governance context

Although conservation planning research has influenced conservation actions globally in the last two decades, successful implementation of systematic conservation plans in regions where customary marine tenure exists has been minimal. In such regions, local community knowledge and understanding of socioeconomic realities may offer the best spatially explicit information for analysis, since required socioeconomic data are not available at scales relevant to conservation planning. Here we describe the process undertaken by the Kadavu Yaubula Management Support Team, a team of researchers from The University of the South Pacific and the local communities to assess whether systematic conservation planning tools can be effectively applied and useful in a customary governance context, using a case study from Fiji. Through a participatory approach and with the aim of meeting local-scale conservation and fisheries needs, a spatial conservation planning tool, Marxan with Zones, was used to reconfigure a collection of locally designed marine protected areas in the province of Kadavu in order to achieve broader objectives. At the local scale, the real value of such tools has been in the process of identifying and conceptualising management issues, working with communities to collate data through participatory techniques, and in engaging communities in management decision making. The output and use of the tool has been of secondary value. The outcome was invaluable for developing marine protected area network design approaches that combine traditional knowledge with ecological features in a manner appropriate to a Melanesian context.

FASCIATED EAR4 encodes a bZIP transcription factor that regulates shoot meristem size in maize

Plant architecture is dictated by precise control of meristematic activity. In the shoot, an imbalance in positive or negative maintenance signals can result in a fasciated or enlarged meristem phenotype. fasciated ear4 (fea4) is a semidwarfed mutant with fasciated ears and tassels as well as greatly enlarged vegetative and inflorescence meristems. We identified FEA4 as a bZIP transcription factor, orthologous to Arabidopsis thaliana PERIANTHIA. FEA4 was expressed in the peripheral zone of the vegetative shoot apical meristem and in the vasculature of immature leaves and conspicuously excluded from the stem cell niche at the tip of the shoot apical meristem and from incipient leaf primordia. Following the transition to reproductive fate, FEA4 was expressed throughout the entire inflorescence and floral meristems. Native expression of a functional YFP:FEA4 fusion recapitulated this pattern of expression. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing to identify 4060 genes proximal to FEA4 binding sites, including ones that were potentially bound and modulated by FEA4 based on transcriptional changes in fea4 mutant ears. Our results suggest that FEA4 promotes differentiation in the meristem periphery by regulating auxin-based responses and genes associated with leaf differentiation and polarity, potentially in opposition to factors such as KNOTTED1 and WUSCHEL.

Ten things to get right for marine conservation planning in the Coral Triangle

Systematic conservation planning increasingly underpins the conservation and management of marine and coastal ecosystems worldwide. Amongst other benefits, conservation planning provides transparency in decision-making, efficiency in the use of limited resources, the ability to minimise conflict between diverse objectives, and to guide strategic expansion of local actions to maximise their cumulative impact. The Coral Triangle has long been recognised as a global marine conservation priority, and has been the subject of huge investment in conservation during the last five years through the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security. Yet conservation planning has had relatively little influence in this region. To explore why this is the case, we identify and discuss 10 challenges that must be resolved if conservation planning is to effectively inform management actions in the Coral Triangle. These are: making conservation planning accessible; integrating with other planning processes; building local capacity for conservation planning; institutionalising conservation planning within governments; integrating plans across governance levels; planning across governance boundaries; planning for multiple tools and objectives; understanding limitations of data; developing better measures of progress and effectiveness; and making a long term commitment. Most important is a conceptual shift from conservation planning undertaken as a project, to planning undertaken as a process, with dedicated financial and human resources committed to long-term engagement.

Locally-managed marine areas: multiple objectives and diverse strategies

Community-based management and co-management are mainstream approaches to marine conservation and sustainable resource management. In the tropical Pacific, these approaches have proliferated through locally-managed marine areas (LMMAs). LMMAs have garnered support because of their adaptability to different contexts and focus on locally identified objectives, negotiated and implemented by stakeholders. While LMMA managers may be knowledgeable about their specific sites, broader understanding of objectives, management actions and outcomes of local management efforts remain limited. We interviewed 50 practitioners from the tropical Pacific and identified eight overarching objectives for LMMA establishment and implementation: (1) enhancing long-term sustainability of resource use; (2) increasing shortterm harvesting efficiency; (3) restoring biodiversity and ecosystems; (4) maintaining or restoring breeding biomass of fish or invertebrates; (5) enhancing the economy and livelihoods; (6) reinforcing customs; (7) asserting access and tenure rights; and (8) empowering communities. We reviewed outcomes for single or multiple objectives from published studies of LMMAs and go on to highlight synergies and trade-offs among objectives. The management actions or ʻtoolsʼ implemented for particular objectives broadly included: permanent closures; periodically-harvested closures; restrictions on gear, access or species; livelihood diversification strategies; and participatory and engagement processes. Although LMMAs are numerous and proliferating, we found relatively few cases in the tropical Pacific that adequately described how objectives and management tools were negotiated, reported the tools implemented, or empirically tested outcomes and seldom within a regional context. This paper provides some direction for addressing these research gaps.

Effects of errors and gaps in spatial data sets on assessment of conservation progress

Data on the location and extent of protected areas, ecosystems, and species' distributions are essential for determining gaps in biodiversity protection and identifying future conservation priorities. However, these data sets always come with errors in the maps and associated metadata. Errors are often overlooked in conservation studies, despite their potential negative effects on the reported extent of protection of species and ecosystems. We used 3 case studies to illustrate the implications of 3 sources of errors in reporting progress toward conservation objectives: protected areas with unknown boundaries that are replaced by buffered centroids, propagation of multiple errors in spatial data, and incomplete protected-area data sets. As of 2010, the frequency of protected areas with unknown boundaries in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) caused the estimated extent of protection of 37.1% of the terrestrial Neotropical mammals to be overestimated by an average 402.8% and of 62.6% of species to be underestimated by an average 10.9%. Estimated level of protection of the world's coral reefs was 25% higher when using recent finer-resolution data on coral reefs as opposed to globally available coarse-resolution data. Accounting for additional data sets not yet incorporated into WDPA contributed up to 6.7% of additional protection to marine ecosystems in the Philippines. We suggest ways for data providers to reduce the errors in spatial and ancillary data and ways for data users to mitigate the effects of these errors on biodiversity assessments.

Genome-wide distribution of transposed Dissociation elements in maize

The maize (Zea mays) transposable element Dissociation (Ds) was mobilized for large-scale genome mutagenesis and to study its endogenous biology. Starting from a single donor locus on chromosome 10, over 1500 elements were distributed throughout the genome and positioned on the maize physical map. Genetic strategies to enrich for both local and unlinked insertions were used to distribute Ds insertions. Global, regional, and local insertion site trends were examined. We show that Ds transposed to both linked and unlinked sites and displayed a nonuniform distribution on the genetic map around the donor r1-sc:m3 locus. Comparison of Ds and Mutator insertions reveals distinct target preferences, which provide functional complementarity of the two elements for gene tagging in maize. In particular, Ds displays a stronger preference for insertions within exons and introns, whereas Mutator insertions are more enriched in promoters and 5'-untranslated regions. Ds has no strong target site consensus sequence, but we identified properties of the DNA molecule inherent to its local structure that may influence Ds target site selection. We discuss the utility of Ds for forward and reverse genetics in maize and provide evidence that genes within a 2- to 3-centimorgan region flanking Ds insertions will serve as optimal targets for regional mutagenesis.

Effectiveness of marine protected areas in the Philippines for biodiversity conservation

Quantifying the extent to which existing reserves meet conservation objectives and identifying gaps in coverage are vital to developing systematic protected-area networks. Despite widespread recognition of the Philippines as a global priority for marine conservation, limited work has been undertaken to evaluate the conservation effectiveness of existing marine protected areas (MPAs). Targets for MPA coverage in the Philippines have been specified in the 1998 Fisheries Code legislation, which calls for 15% of coastal municipal waters (within 15 km of the coastline) to be protected within no-take MPAs, and the Philippine Marine Sanctuary Strategy (2004), which aims to protect 10% of coral reef area in no-take MPAs by 2020. We used a newly compiled database of nearly 1000 MPAs to measure progress toward these targets. We evaluated conservation effectiveness of MPAs in two ways. First, we determined the degree to which marine bioregions and conservation priority areas are represented within existing MPAs. Second, we assessed the size and spacing patterns of reserves in terms of best-practice recommendations. We found that the current extent and distribution of MPAs does not adequately represent biodiversity. At present just 0.5% of municipal waters and 2.7-3.4% of coral reef area in the Philippines are protected in no-take MPAs. Moreover, 85% of no-take area is in just two sites; 90% of MPAs are <1 km(2). Nevertheless, distances between existing MPAs should ensure larval connectivity between them, providing opportunities to develop regional-scale MPA networks. Despite the considerable success of community-based approaches to MPA implementation in the Philippines, this strategy will not be sufficient to meet conservation targets, even under a best-case scenario for future MPA establishment. We recommend that implementation of community-based MPAs be supplemented by designation of additional large no-take areas specifically located to address conservation targets.

MMPI personality profiles in patients with primary chronic daily headache: a case-control study

We assessed the psychological profile of a large sample of patients with chronic daily headache (CDH) seen in tertiary care. We used a case-control design to study 791 patients who fell into the following categories: ARH group, chronic migraine with analgesic overuse (analgesic rebound headache, ARH), n=399; CM group, chronic migraine (CM) without analgesic overuse, n=158; and new daily persistent headache (NDPH) group, n=69. These groups were compared to two control groups: 1, migraine, n=100; 2, chronic posttraumatic headache (CPTH), n=65. We assessed personality and psychopathology with the Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI)-2. The number of patients with Tscores > or =65 and < or =40 were analyzed by the two-sided Fischer's exact test. The ARH and CM groups had a higher number of subjects with T-scores > or =65, when compared to the migraine group, on the following scales: 1 (hypochondrias), 2 (depression), 8 (schizophrenia) and 0 (social introversion). No differences were observed between the NDPH and migraine groups. Considering CPTH as the control group, the pattern we found was quite the opposite of that described above: NDPH group presented a higher number of subjects with T-scores > or =65 on the following scales: 1, 2, 7 (psychasthenia) and 8. ARH and CM groups had significantly higher T-scores for scale 7 alone. NDPH showed T-scores < or =40 in scale 9 when compared to both control groups. We conclude that: (1) psychopathological factors are common in CDH patients, and appear to be a consequence of the chronification process; (2) low scores on scale 9 (hypomania) may relate to the development of NDPH; (3) psychopathological profiles differ among the subgroups of CDH and the MMPI-2 is reliable in identifying such patterns; and (4) psychological assessment is an essential step in the evaluation and treatment of patients with CDH.

A positron emission tomographic study of auditory localization in the congenitally blind

We have used positron emission tomography (PET) to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in sighted and congenitally blind subjects performing auditory localization tasks. During scanning, the spectral and binaural cues of localized sound were reproduced by a sound system and delivered via headphones. During tasks that required auditory localization both the sighted and blind subjects strongly activated posterior parietal areas. In addition, the blind subjects activated association areas in the right occipital cortex, the foci of which were similar to areas previously identified in visual location and motion detection experiments in sighted subjects. The blind subjects, therefore, demonstrated visual to auditory cross-modal plasticity with auditory localization activating occipital association areas originally intended for dorsal-stream visual processing. To determine the functional connectivity of pre-selected brain regions in primary and non-primary auditory and posterior parietal cortex in the two cohorts, we performed an inter-regional correlation analysis on the rCBF data set. During auditory localization in the blind subjects, rCBF activity in the right posterior parietal cortex was positively correlated with that in the right occipital region, whereas in sighted subjects correlations were generally negative. There were no significant positive occipital correlations in either cohort when reference regions in temporal or left parietal cortex were chosen. This indicates that in congenitally blind subjects the right occipital cortex participates in a functional network for auditory localization and that occipital activity is more likely to arise from connections with posterior parietal cortex.

Montelukast in the prophylaxis of migraine: a potential role for leukotriene modifiers

OBJECTIVE

Clinical observation of a decrease in migraine frequency in patients with comorbid asthma taking montelukast, a specific D4 leukotriene receptor antagonist, or zafirlukast, another leukotriene receptor antagonist, prompted us to explore a possible role for leukotriene modifiers in the treatment of migraine. (A further prompt was a pharmacist colleague's observation that a number of patients on these agents reported a decreased sensitivity to perfume triggers and improvement in migraine.)

BACKGROUND

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents have been used widely in the treatment of migraine. Another class of anti-inflammatory agents, known as leukotriene modifiers, have not been studied to date with regard to their possible role in the treatment of migraine. The name "leukotriene is derived both from the parent molecule, which was originally isolated from leukocytes, and from its three double-bond carbon backbone or triene structure. Both prostaglandins and leukotrienes are derived from the metabolism of arachidonic acid, with prostaglandins coming off the cyclooxygenase pathway and leukotrienes derived via the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Both prostaglandins and leukotrienes mediate inflammatory responses. The latter have been studied with regard to their role in the pathophysiology of asthma.

METHODS

A prospective, open-label study evaluating the efficacy of montelukast, 10 mg or 20 mg, in the prophylaxis of migraine in 17 patients is presented in this paper. All 17 patients completed the study that consisted of a 2-month baseline run-in period and a 3-month treatment phase.

RESULTS

Montelukast was extremely well tolerated, and no adverse events were reported by any of the patients. Fifty-three percent showed a reduction of greater than 50% (P<.025) in the frequency of severe attacks, with 41% showing a reduction of greater than 60%. Responders, including modest responders, rated the drug as excellent.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude, given the limitations of an open-label study design and the small sample size, that montelukast shows potential as an effective, well-tolerated prophylactic agent in migraine. Double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies are warranted. In addition, the leukotrienes, as suggested previously in the literature, may play a role in the pathogenesis of migraine.

Virus reduction in the preparation of intravenous immune globulin: in vitro experiments

BACKGROUND

While immune globulins for intravenous administration (IGIV) have an excellent record with respect to virus safety, concern regarding these preparations has been raised by reports of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to patients treated with IGIV and the presence of genetic material for HCV in IGIV preparations.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This in vitro study evaluated the effectiveness of several manufacturing steps, including ethanol precipitation and pasteurization, in reducing HIV and model viruses including encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus, pseudorabies virus (PRV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), Sindbis virus, vaccinia virus, and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), as well as HCV RNA, in IGIV.

RESULTS

Ethanol precipitation carried out after pasteurization resulted in virus reductions (log10) of >3.97 for HIV, 1.95 for EMC virus, >5.39 for PRV, and 3.52 for BVDV. Pasteurization inactivated EMC virus by 4.52 log10 and resulted in a log10 reduction of >6.54 for HIV, >5.39 for PRV, >6.64 for BVDV, >7.78 for Sindbis virus, >5.84 for vaccinia virus, and >6.99 for VSV. All viruses except EMC virus were reduced below the limit of detection within 6 hours of the beginning of pasteurization. Cohn processing of Fraction II + III paste and the 4.5-percent alcohol precipitation step prior to pasteurization provided additional virus removal. Studies using the polymerase chain reaction technique found that HCV RNA was detectable in the starting fraction of Cohn Fraction II paste, but not in the final IGIV preparation.

CONCLUSION

These findings strongly support the viral safety of IGIV prepared by this method and show a significant added measure of virus safety associated with pasteurization of this preparation.

The management of inferior vena cava obstruction complicating metastatic germ cell tumors

BACKGROUND

Inferior vena cava obstruction (IVCO) is a poorly characterized complication of metastatic germ cell tumor (GCT). The authors identified 31 cases to describe the clinical features, radiologic findings, complications, and treatment of this clinical entity.

METHODS

Patients with GCT and IVCO were identified from case records of a GCT database. The records of 333 male patients with metastatic GCT (27% with seminoma and 73% with nonseminomatous GCTs) were screened for either clinical or computed tomography (CT) scan evidence of inferior vena cava compression or involvement.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients were identified (9.3% of patients with metastatic GCT). Common presenting symptoms were leg swelling and dilated abdominal wall veins. Approximately 29% of patients had thromboembolic complications and there was a single case of fatal pulmonary embolism. Nine patients had no clinical features at presentation but either had CT scan evidence of IVCO or developed symptoms during treatment. Right-sided testicular primary tumors were associated more frequently with IVCO compared with left-sided primary tumors (14% vs. 4% of cases of metastatic GCT, respectively). All patients had an abdominal mass measuring > 5 cm in maximum transverse dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors recommend careful clinical and radiologic evaluation for the presence of IVCO in cases of bulky metastatic GCT. A high index of suspicion must accompany the evaluation of a patient with a right-sided primary testicular tumor and a paracaval abdominal mass measuring > 5 cm in maximum transverse dimension. When IVCO is identified, prophylactic anticoagulation is recommended.

Isolation and expression of an isoform of human CDP-diacylglycerol synthase cDNA

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a phospholipid involved in signal transduction and in glycerolipid biosynthesis. CDP-diacylglycerol synthase (CDS) or CTP:phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.41) catalyzes the conversion of PA to CDP-diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG), an important precursor for the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin. We describe in this study the isolation and characterization of a human cDNA clone that encodes amino acid sequences homologous to Escherichia coli, yeast, and Drosophila CDS sequences. Expression of this human cDNA under the control of a GAL1 promoter in a null cds1 mutant yeast strain complements its growth defect and produces CDS activity when induced with galactose. Transfection of this cDNA into mammalian cells leads to increased CDS activity in cell-free extracts using an in vitro assay that measures the conversion of [alpha-32P]CTP to [32P]CDP-DAG. This increase in CDS activity also leads to increased secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 from endothelial ECV304 cells upon stimulation with interleukin-1beta, suggesting that CDS overexpression may amplify cellular signaling responses from cytokines.

Pharmacological inhibition of gelatinase B induction and tumor cell invasion

The 92 kDa matrix metalloproteinase (gelatinase B, MMP-9) plays a major role in the facilitation of tumor metastasis and in inflammatory disorders characterized by excessive matrix protein destruction. MMP-9 is transcriptionally induced in multiple cell types by exposure to the inflammatory mediators bacterial endotoxin, interleukin-1 (IL-1) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). CT-2519, (1-(5-isothiocyanatohexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine), a synthetic small molecule from an anti-inflammatory compound library, was evaluated for its effect on endotoxin and cytokine-induced MMP-9 synthesis by a monocytic leukemic cell line, THP-1, and a monocyte/macrophage line, RAW 264.7. CT-2519 dose-dependently inhibited endotoxin and cytokine-induced synthesis of MMP-9 by these cells. Furthermore, both MMP-9 secretion and matrix invasion by cells of a human fibrosarcoma cell line, HT-1080, were inhibited by CT-2519 in a dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analyses and studies utilizing MMP-9 promoter constructs indicated that the inhibitory action of CT-2519 occurs at the level of transcriptional suppression. Given the observation that cellular activation by endotoxin, IL-1 and TNF-alpha may be mediated, at least in part, through induction of certain species of phosphatidic acid (PA), the effect of CT-2519 on lipid levels was analyzed. CT-2519 effectively reduced endotoxin-mediated increases in particular cellular lipid levels. Pharmacologic modulation of cytokine-dependent gene products, such as MMP-9, may offer an important therapeutic approach to the treatment of neoplastic and inflammatory disorders.

Analgesic rebound headache in clinical practice: data from a physician survey

BACKGROUND

Frequent, excessive use of over-the-counter or prescription analgesics may lead to analgesic rebound headache. Little is known about the magnitude of the health problem posed by analgesic rebound headache, its epidemiology, the characteristics of analgesic rebound headache sufferers, or about physicians' approaches to treatment.

METHODS

Four hundred seventy-three practitioners, who had previously expressed an interest in the treatment of headache, were mailed a questionnaire designed to capture information about the frequency and management of analgesic rebound headache and about the characteristics of analgesic rebound headache sufferers.

RESULTS

Completed questionnaires were returned by 174 practitioners (37%) from 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. More than 40% of respondents indicated that analgesic rebound headache was present in at least 20% of their patients. On average, the physicians reported that 73% of patients with analgesic rebound headache were women. Analgesic rebound headache was most likely to occur in patients aged 31 to 40 years. No one analgesic was consistently identified as causative, although acetaminophen, butalbital + aspirin + caffeine, and aspirin were commonly used by patients. Eighty percent of respondents indicated that depression was commonly observed in analgesic rebound headache sufferers; 77% indicated that physical conditions (especially gastrointestinal symptoms) were commonly observed. A variety of therapeutic strategies, including pharmacotherapy, were used in the management of analgesic rebound headache.

CONCLUSION

Analgesic rebound headache was recognized as a distinct entity and a substantive component in more than 40% of the practices of 174 surveyed practitioners. General practitioners, who see a wide variety of patient types with a spectrum of complaints, need to be able to diagnose analgesic rebound headache by taking a good history.

Striatal D1 and D2 receptor binding in patients with Huntington's disease and other choreas. A PET study

We have used PET to study striatal D1 and D2 receptor binding in 10 patients with either the choreic or akinetic-rigid variants of Huntington's disease and in three patients with other causes of chorea. Background rigidity and bradykinesia in choreic patients were scored with a four-point scale. PET studies showed a severe and parallel reduction of both striatal D1 and D2 receptor binding in Huntington's disease patients irrespective of their predominant phenotype (mean reduction 60%). Huntington's disease patients with rigidity showed more pronounced reduction of striatal D1 and D2 binding compared with those without rigidity. A case of chorea associated with systemic lupus erythematosus had normal D2 binding. These results suggest that the presence of chorea per se may not be determined by alterations in striatal dopamine receptor binding, but that rigidity in Huntington's disease is associated with severe striatal D1 and D2 receptor loss.

CT-2576, an inhibitor of phospholipid signaling, suppresses constitutive and induced expression of human immunodeficiency virus

Viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) require cellular activation for expression. Cellular activation in lymphoid cells is associated with augmented accumulation of certain phosphatidic acid (PA) species derived from the hydrolysis of glycan phosphatidylinositol (GPI). This suggests that activation of a phospholipid pathway may play a role in initiation of viral replication. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of tat gene expression on the production of cellular PA species, as the Tat protein is essential for HIV expression and has been implicated in activating the expression of multiple host cellular genes. Expression of tat increased the expression of PA. We then tested whether synthetic inhibitors of PA metabolism would inhibit activation of the HIV long terminal repeat by Tat and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). CT-2576 suppressed both PA generation induced by Tat and HIV long terminal repeat-directed gene expression in response to Tat or TNF-alpha at a posttranscriptional step. CT-2576 also inhibited constitutive as well as TNF-alpha- and interleukin 6-induced expression of HIV p24 antigen in chronically infected U1 cells and in peripheral blood lymphocytes acutely infected with a clinical isolate of HIV. Pharmacological inhibition of synthesis of selected PA species may therefore provide a therapeutic approach to suppression of HIV replication.

Potential role for phosphatidic acid in mediating the inflammatory responses to TNF alpha and IL-1 beta

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), and endotoxin (LPS) are potent pro-inflammatory mediators which induce multiple and diverse biological responses in a wide variety of cell types. However, these pro-inflammatory mediators also have significant overlap and redundancy in their biological effects. This suggests that there is significant diversity in second messenger signal transduction systems induced by these stimuli to explain the diversity in biological responses, as well as significant redundancy. Here we show that one such second messenger common to several proinflammatory stimuli may be phosphatidic acid (PA). Intracellular PA species, which may have intracellular signaling functions, are rapidly induced in P388 monocytic leukemia cells by TNF alpha, IL-1 beta, or LPS. These PA species vary according to the bond type (i.e., sn-1 ester vs. ether vs. vinyl ether), acyl chain length, and the degree of saturation in the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. Although PA itself may have direct second messenger activities, many of the PA species induced are converted to diacylglycerol species (DG), which are structurally distinct from the DGs generated by phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC). Lisofylline [(R)-1-(5-hydroxyhexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine; LSF] selectively inhibits generation of selected species of PA in P388 cells induced by TNF alpha, IL-1 beta or LPS. TNF alpha-induced sphingomyelin hydrolysis, PLC-mediated PC hydrolysis, and DG kinase-mediated PA formation or TNF alpha-induced NF-kappa B activation and apoptosis are not inhibited by LSF. LSF has a marked protective effect in a variety of acute inflammatory animal models that may be due to inhibition of this shared second messenger pathway involving PA.

PET studies of the presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic system in Tourette's syndrome

Dysfunction of the dopaminergic pathway has been postulated to underlie the symptomatology of Tourette's syndrome. Presynaptic functional integrity of dopaminergic terminals was assessed with 18F-dopa PET in 10 patients with Tourette's syndrome, three of whom were drug free and seven of whom were on neuroleptic treatment. Dopamine D2 receptor site density was measured with 11C-raclopride PET in a further group of five drug free patients with Tourette's syndrome. Mean caudate and putamen 18F-dopa influx constants were similar in patients with Tourette's syndrome and controls, and there was no difference in striatal 18F-dopa uptake between the treated and untreated Tourette's syndrome groups. Mean caudate and putamen 11C-raclopride binding potentials in patients with Tourette's syndrome were also similar to control values. The findings suggest that striatal metabolism of exogenous levodopa and the density of striatal D2 receptors are both normal in patients with Tourette's syndrome and that Tourette's syndrome does not arise from a primary dysfunction of dopaminergic terminals.

CT-1501R selectively inhibits induced inflammatory monokines in human whole blood ex vivo

The effect of (R)-1-(5-hydroxyhexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine (CT-1501R; the nonproprietary name for CT-1501R approved by the United States Name Council is lisofylline), an inhibitor of second messenger signaling through phosphatidic acid, on release of endogenous mediators important in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was studied using the human whole blood ex vivo assay system. Human blood was stimulated with various endotoxin preparations, zymosan, or protein A, and the levels of secreted monokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CT-1501R inhibited tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), and IL-6 release in a dose-dependent manner and was active with all stimuli tested including Salmonella and Escherichia coli-derived endotoxin, endotoxin from both rough and smooth E. coli strains, as well as zymosan and protein A. CT-1501R inhibited monokine release by approximately 50% at 200 microM and 30% at 50 microM and was independent of the relative potency of stimulus. CT-1501R also inhibited IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta induction of either TNF-alpha or IL-1 beta and inhibited the synergistic effects of stimulation with both human IL-1 beta and murine TNF-alpha on release of human TNF-alpha. Inhibition of monokine release following stimulation with monokine(s) was, in general, greater than that achieved with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Northern blot analysis showed decreased mRNA accumulation of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in CT-1501R-treated samples following LPS stimulation suggesting that CT-1501R acts at least in part, at the pretranslational level. In contrast, CT-1501R does not inhibit LPS-stimulated IL-8 or IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) release in human whole blood or IL-1 alpha-induced release of PGE2 in human foreskin fibroblast cells. These data suggest that CT-1501R may be of use for clinical intervention in SIRS.

Influence of Planter Type and Seeding Rate on Yield and Disease Incidence in Peanut1

Variability of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seedling spacing, and yield were compared for a conventional and a vacuum-type planter in field studies conducted in 1991 and 1992. Vacuum-type planters have an improved seed metering system and are considered to be more precise. This added precision may serve to compensate for lower than normal seeding rates. Seeding rates evaluated decreased in a step-wise manner from the normal range of 123 to 101 kg/ha, to a minimum of 34 kg/ha. Spacing between individual seedlings was measured after emergence. The occurrence of tomato spotted wilt (TSWV) and southern stem rot were also determined. In 1991 and across all seeding rates, variability in seedling spacing (i.e. standard deviation) was identical between the two planters. In 1992, at 3 of the five seeding rates (34,56, and 101 kg/ha) standard deviation was less with the vacuum planter. In both years yield and disease occurrence was influenced only by seeding rate, and was independent of planter type. TSWV was inversely related to seeding rate, the opposite relationship occurred with southern stem rot. Maximum yield was achieved with a seeding rate of 101 kg/ha.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intranasal capsaicin for cluster headache

It has been suggested that treatment of cluster headache (CH) patients with topical capsaicin may desensitize sensory neurons by depleting the nerve terminals of substance P. We attempted to determine whether capsaicin is effective in aborting CH attacks. Patients in acute cluster were randomized to receive either capsaicin or placebo in the ipsilateral nostril for 7 days. Patients recorded the severity of each headache for 15 days. Headaches on days 8-15 of the study were significantly less severe in the capsaicin group vs the placebo group. There was also a significant decrease in headache severity in the capsaicin group on days 8-15 compared to days 1-7, but not in the placebo group. Episodic CH patients appeared to benefit more than chronic CH patients. These results indicate that intranasal capsaicin may provide a new therapeutic option for the treatment of this disease.