Dengue hemorrhagic fever in Cuba, 1981: a retrospective seroepidemiologic study

In Cuba, 2 epidemics of dengue virus occurred: 1 caused by DEN-1 in 1977 and 1 caused by DEN-2 in 1981. The latter was associated with cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). To study viral risk factors for DHF/DSS, a retrospective seroepidemiological survey was conducted in Cerro, a densely populated district in Havana City. The prevalence of plaque reduction neutralizing antibodies to DEN-1 and DEN-2 viruses was measured in 1,295 individuals (children and adults). Of these, 43.7% were immune to DEN-1 virus and 23.6% to DEN-2 virus. Of those individuals who were immune, 26.1% were immune to DEN-1 virus only, 6% to DEN-2 virus only, and 17.6% to both viruses. The DEN-2 virus infection rate in DEN-1 immune individuals was 3.8 times higher than in non-immune individuals. The 5 DHF/DSS cases in the sample had evidence of DEN-1 virus plus DEN-2 virus infections. Three were children and 2 were young adults. No cases were found in individuals infected with DEN-1 virus or DEN-2 virus only. Children infected by DEN-1 virus followed by DEN-2 virus had a high risk of acquiring DHF/DSS. Blacks and whites were equally infected with DEN-1 and DEN-2 viruses.

Single-molecule magnets: preparation and properties of mixed-carboxylate complexes

Methods are reported for the preparation of mixed-carboxylate versions of the [Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CR)(16)(H(2)O)(4)] family of single-molecule magnets (SMMs). [Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CCHCl(2))(8)(O(2)CCH(2)Bu(t))(8)(H(2)O)(3)] (5) and [Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CHCl(2))(8)(O(2)CEt)(8)(H(2)O)(3)] (6) have been obtained from the 1:1 reaction of the corresponding homocarboxylate species. Complex 5.CH(2)Cl(2).H(2)O crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with, at -165 degrees C, a = 15.762(1), b = 16.246(1), c = 23.822(1) A, alpha = 103.92(1), beta = 104.50(1), gamma = 94.23(1) degrees, Z = 2, and V = 5674(2) A(3). Complex 6.CH(2)Cl(2) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with, at -158 degrees C, a = 13.4635(3), b = 13.5162(3), c = 23.2609(5) A, alpha = 84.9796(6), beta = 89.0063(8), gamma = 86.2375(6) degrees, Z = 2, and V = 4207.3(3) A(3). Complexes 5 and 6 both contain a [Mn(12)O(12)] core with the CHCl(2)CO(2-) ligands ordered in the axial positions and the RCO(2-) ligands (R = CH(2)Bu(t) (5) or Et (6)) in equatorial positions. There is, thus, a preference for the CHCl(2)CO(2-) to occupy the sites lying on the Mn(III) Jahn-Teller axes, and this is rationalized on the basis of the relative basicities of the carboxylate groups. Direct current magnetic susceptibility studies in a 10.0 kG field in the 2.00-300 K range indicate a large ground-state spin, and fitting of magnetization data collected in the 10.0-70.0 kG field and 1.80-4.00 K temperature range gave S = 10, g = 1.89, and D = -0.65 K for 5, and S = 10, g = 1.83, and D = -0.60 K for 6. These values are typical of [Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CR)(16)(H(2)O)(4)] complexes. Alternating current susceptibility studies show the out-of-phase susceptibility (chi(M)' ') signals characteristic of the slow relaxation in the millisecond time scale of single-molecule magnets. Arrhenius plots obtained from chi(M)' ' versus T data gave effective barriers to relaxation (U(eff)) of 71 and 72 K for 5 and 6, respectively. (1)H NMR spectra in CD(2)Cl(2) show that 5 and 6 are the main species present on dissolution, but there is evidence for some ligand distribution between axial and equatorial sites, by intra- and/or intermolecular exchange processes.

Antitumor activity of a small-molecule inhibitor of the histone kinase Haspin

The approval of histone deacetylase inhibitors for treatment of lymphoma subtypes has positioned histone modifications as potential targets for the development of new classes of anticancer drugs. Histones also undergo phosphorylation events, and Haspin is a protein kinase the only known target of which is phosphorylation of histone H3 at Thr3 residue (H3T3ph), which is necessary for mitosis progression. Mitotic kinases can be blocked by small drugs and several clinical trials are underway with these agents. As occurs with Aurora kinase inhibitors, Haspin might be an optimal candidate for the pharmacological development of these compounds. A high-throughput screening for Haspin inhibitors identified the CHR-6494 compound as being one promising such agent. We demonstrate that CHR-6494 reduces H3T3ph levels in a dose-dependent manner and causes a mitotic catastrophe characterized by metaphase misalignment, spindle abnormalities and centrosome amplification. From the cellular standpoint, the identified small-molecule Haspin inhibitor causes arrest in G2/M and subsequently apoptosis. Importantly, ex vivo assays also demonstrate its anti-angiogenetic features; in vivo, it shows antitumor potential in xenografted nude mice without any observed toxicity. Thus, CHR-6494 is a first-in-class Haspin inhibitor with a wide spectrum of anticancer effects that merits further preclinical research as a new member of the family of mitotic kinase inhibitors.

Hypertension and hormone-related neoplasms in women

The relation between hypertension and the risk of selected hormone-related neoplasms in women was investigated in a network of case-control studies conducted in Italy during 1983-1996. Cases were women younger than 75 years with histologically confirmed cancer of the breast (n=3406), endometrium (n=745), ovary (n=970), and thyroid (n=145). Controls were 3054 women admitted in the same geographic area for acute, nonneoplastic, non-hormone-related diseases. Odds ratios (ORs) of treated hypertension were computed after allowance for sociodemographic factors, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, parity, menopausal status, and body mass index (BMI) by means of unconditional logistic regression. The ORs were 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1 to 1.4) for breast cancer and 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3 to 1.9) for endometrial cancer, and the elevated ORs persisted after >/=5 years since diagnosis of hypertension. No significant association was observed for ovarian and thyroid cancer. For breast cancer, the association was apparently stronger at age 55 years or over and consequently after menopause. No appreciable effect modification was evident for endometrial cancer. Allowance for BMI did not explain the association of postmenopausal breast cancer and endometrial cancer with hypertension. The OR of postmenopausal breast cancer was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1 to 2.0) in hypertensive women with BMI >/=30 kg/m(2) compared with normotensive women with BMI <25 kg/m(2). The corresponding figure for all endometrial cancers was 4.9 (95% CI, 3. 4 to 6.9). Even in the absence of a clear understanding of biological mechanisms, the definition of a role of hypertension on female hormone-related cancers can have relevant implications on individual risk assessment.

Human vascular smooth muscle cells but not endothelial cells express prostaglandin E synthase

In a previous work, we postulated that endothelial cells possess only the following 2 enzymes involved in prostanoid synthesis: cyclooxygenase and prostacyclin synthase. The present work focused on investigating the expression of prostaglandin (PG) E synthase (PGES) in vascular cells. After incubation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with [(14)C]arachidonic acid, the profile of prostanoid synthesis was assessed by HPLC. Untransformed PGH(2) released by the cells was evaluated as the difference in the formation of PGF(2alpha) in the incubations performed in the presence and in the absence of SnCl(2). Resting SMCs and SMCs stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin (IL)-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha formed PGE(2) and PGI(2) (evaluated as 6-oxo-PGF(1alpha)), and in the presence of SnCl(2) only a small amount of PGE(2) was deviated toward PGF(2alpha). In contrast, resting and stimulated HUVECs produced PGI(2), PGE(2), PGF(2alpha), and PGD(2), and SnCl(2) completely diverted PGE(2) and PGD(2) toward PGF(2alpha). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis shows that mRNA encoding for PGES was not present in HUVECs and in endothelial cells from saphenous vein. Nevertheless, PGES was expressed in SMCs and induced by IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, and by PMA and LPS, although to a lesser extent. Whereas SMC stimulation led to an increase in the synthesis of PGE(2) and PGI(2) but not of untransformed PGH(2), stimulation of endothelial cells resulted in an enhanced release of the vasoconstricting prostanoid PGH(2).

Refined-cereal intake and risk of selected cancers in italy

BACKGROUND

Although consumption of whole-grain foods seems to reduce the risk of several types of neoplasms, the potential influence of a diet rich in starches and refined grains is less clear.

OBJECTIVE

We studied the relation between the frequency of consumption of refined cereals (bread, pasta, or rice) and the risk of selected neoplasms.

DESIGN

This was an integrated series of case-control studies conducted in northern Italy between 1983 and 1993. The subjects were patients admitted to the major teaching and general hospitals in Milan and Pordenone with incident, histologically confirmed cancers: 343 with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 94 with cancer of the esophagus, 146 with cancer of the larynx, 745 with cancer of the stomach, 955 with cancer of the colon, 625 with cancer of the rectum, and 428 with cancer of the thyroid. The control subjects were 3526 patients admitted to the same network of hospitals for acute nonneoplastic conditions unrelated to long-term modification of diet. Odds ratios (ORs) for consecutive tertiles of refined-cereal consumption were computed after allowance for sociodemographic variables, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole-grain foods.

RESULTS

The ORs for the highest tertile of refined-cereal intake were 1.6 for cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, or larynx; 1.5 for stomach cancer; 1.5 for colon cancer; 1.3 for cancer of the rectum; and 2.0 for thyroid cancer. The trends in risk were significant for all neoplasms considered.

CONCLUSION

Consumption of refined cereals was associated with an increased risk of cancers of the large bowel, the stomach, and other selected digestive and nondigestive sites.

Incidence of pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum in patients with aspiration pneumonia requiring ventilatory support

In a prospective study of patients with ventilatory support, six (38 percent) of 16 patients who had ventilatory support because of aspiration pneumonia developed pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum. In contrast, the incidence of barotrauma in the entire group of patients who had ventilatory support during a year was 4 percent (22/553) (P less than 0.001). This greater incidence in the group with aspiration pneumonia was also observed when patients who were receiving ventilatory support with positive end-expiratory pressure were excluded.

Diet, alcohol, coffee and pancreatic cancer: final results from an Italian study

The relation between selected indicator foods, alcohol and coffee intake, and the risk of pancreatic cancer was evaluated in a case-control study conducted between 1983 and 1992 in northern Italy on 362 patients with histologically confirmed, incident cancers of the pancreas, and 1,552 controls in hospital for acute, non-neoplastic diseases. Odds ratios (ORs) for subsequent tertiles of intake were computed after allowance for sociodemographic factors and tobacco smoking. Pancreatic cancer risk was directly associated with consumption of meat (OR for the highest frequency tertile = 1.43), liver (OR = 1.43) and ham and sausages (OR = 1.64), and inversely with consumption of fresh fruit (OR = 0.59), fish (OR = 0.65) and olive oil (OR = 0.58). No appreciable association was found with coffee (OR = 1.21) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.20). A summary score was derived by summing the six related food items; compared to the lowest level, the OR was 2.7 for the highest quintile, and the population attributable risk was 36% (95% confidence interval, 15-57%), indicating the scope of diet for the prevention of this common neoplasm in the Italian population.

Glycocalyx modulation is a physiological means of regulating cell adhesion

Here we present experimental evidence that phagocytic cells use modulation of specific components of their glycocalyx to regulate their binding capacity. Particles coated with antibodies specific for the CD32 medium affinity IgG receptor were driven along human monocytic THP-1 cells (expressing CD32) in a flow chamber operated at low shear rate. Surprisingly, only minimal adhesion was observed. However, when cells were activated by exposure to fibronectin-coated surfaces and/or soluble γ interferon, adhesion efficiency was dramatically increased, whereas the apparent glycocalyx thickness displayed 20% decrease, and the surface density of CD43/leukosialin carbohydrate epitopes displayed 30–40% decrease on activated cells. The existence of a causal link between adhesion increase and glycocalyx alteration was strongly supported by the finding that (i) both phenomena displayed similar kinetics, (ii) an inverse relationship between THP-1 cell binding capacity and glycocalyx density was demonstrated at the individual cell level, and (iii) adhesion enhancement could not be ascribed to an increased binding site density or improved functional capacity of activated cells. Additional experiments revealed that cell-to-particle adhesion resulted in delayed (i.e. more than a few minutes) egress of CD43/leukosialin from contact areas. Since the time scale of particle attachment was less than a second, surface mobility should not affect the potential of CD43 to impair the initial step of adhesion. Finally, studies performed with fluorescent lectins suggested that THP-1 cell activation and increased adhesive potential were related to a decrease of O-glysosylation rather than N-glycosylation of surface glycoproteins.

Infection with a novel human DNA virus (TTV) has no pathogenic significance in patients with liver diseases

BACKGROUND/AIMS

A recently identified DNA virus, termed TT virus (TTV), has been associated with post-transfusional hepatitis, and a high prevalence of TTV infection in patients with acute or chronic liver disease of unknown etiology has been reported from Japan, but few data are available about TTV infection in other countries.

METHODS

Using hemi-nested-PCR amplification to detect TTV-DNA sequences in serum, we investigated TTV infection in blood donors and in patients with liver diseases of varied etiology.

RESULTS

The prevalence of TTV infection was 13.7% in blood donors (23/168), 18.6% in chronic hepatitis C (19/102), 28.6% in chronic hepatitis B (16/56), 29.9% in hepatocellular carcinoma (20/67), 9.1% in cryptogenic chronic liver disease (2/22) and 39.6% in fulminant hepatitis (19/48). The prevalence of TTV infection in patients with virus-induced or idiopathic fulminant hepatitis was similar. Comparison of TTV-infected and non-infected patients did not reveal significant differences concerning demographic, epidemiological or histopathological features. In patients with hepatitis C, response to interferon therapy was not related to TTV infection. Phylogenetic analysis of TTV isolates showed that at least three different types of TTV are present in Spain.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that TTV infection is frequent among blood donors and patients with acute liver disease. However, pathogenic effects associated with TTV infection were not observed.

Fiber intake and the risk of oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancer

The relation between various types of fiber and oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancer was investigated using data from a case-control study conducted between 1992 and 1997 in Italy. Cases were 271 hospital patients with incident, histologically confirmed oral cancer, 327 with pharyngeal cancer and 304 with esophageal cancer. Controls were 1,950 subjects admitted to the same network of hospitals as the cases for acute, nonneoplastic diseases. Cases and controls were interviewed during their hospital stay using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) were computed after allowance for age, sex, and other potential confounding factors, including alcohol, tobacco consumption, and energy intake. The ORs for the highest vs. the lowest quintile of intake of oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancer combined were 0.40 for total (Englyst) fiber, 0.37 for soluble fiber, 0.52 for cellulose, 0.48 for insoluble non cellulose polysaccharide, 0.33 for total insoluble fiber and 0.38 for lignin. The inverse relation were similar for vegetable fiber (OR = 0.51), fruit fiber (OR = 0.60) and grain fiber (OR = 0.56), and were somewhat stronger for oral and pharyngeal cancer than for esophageal cancer. The ORs were similar for the two sexes and strata of age, education, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and total non-alcohol energy intake. Our study indicates that fiber intake may have a protective role on oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancer.

Acute intoxication with verapamil

A healthy 18-year-old man was admitted to our unit two hours after a suicidal ingestion of 2 gm of verapamil. There was mild hypotension, depression of the sinus node, atrioventricular dissociation, changes of repolarization, and first-degree intranodal atrioventricular block (the His bundle electrogram revealed an atrio-His [A-H] interval of 155 msec). Twenty-four hours after ingestion, the patient was well, and the electrocardiogram was completely normal. This case gave us a good opporturnity to study the electrocardiologic effects of a huge oral dose of verapamil on a healthy young heart.

IL-1beta induces VEGF, independently of PGE2 induction, mainly through the PI3-K/mTOR pathway in renal mesangial cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) could play a relevant role in angiogenesis associated with chronic allograft nephropathy. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) has a key role in inflammatory response. It induces prostaglandin (PG) E2, which is involved in VEGF release by some normal and tumor cells. In the present work, we studied the effect of IL-1beta on VEGF release by rat mesangial cells, the transduction signal, and whether or not PGE2 is involved in this effect. IL-1beta induced a time-dependent formation of VEGF (analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and PGE2 (analyzed by enzyme immunoassay). The latter correlated with microsomal-PGE-synthase (mPGES)-1 expression rather than with cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in terms of protein, determined by Western blotting. No effect of IL-1beta on COX-1, cytosolic PGES, or mPGES-2 expression was observed. Indomethacin exerted a nonsignificant effect on IL-1beta-induced VEGF, and exogenously added PGE2 exhibited a nonsignificant stimulatory effect on VEGF formation. SB 203580, a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, weakly inhibited the induction of VEGF by IL-1beta in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas LY 294002, a phosphoinoside 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, and rapamycin, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, strongly inhibited both IL-1beta- and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced VEGF formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Rapamycin also decreased glomerular VEGF levels in the anti-Thy1.1 model of experimental glomerulonephritis. In conclusion, the PI3-K-mTOR pathway seems to be essential in cytokine-induced release of VEGF in mesangial cells.

Reliability and validity of an HIV-specific health-related quality-of-life measure for use with injecting drug users

OBJECTIVE

To assess the reliability and validity of an HIV-specific quality of life (QoL) questionnaire for use with injecting drug users (IDU).

METHOD

One hundred IDU with HIV infection (27 asymptomatic, 48 symptomatic, 25 with AIDS) completed the HIV adaptation of the Medical Outcomes Study questionnaire (MOS-HIV). Validity of the scale was assessed by comparing the scores on the MOS-HIV with measures of health and psychological status. Measures of health status used included Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stage, CD4 cell count and number of HIV-related illnesses. Psychological status was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Sociodemographic data and information on illegal drug consumption were also collected.

RESULTS

The MOS-HIV showed a good internal reliability on all scales and the factor structure was comparable with that reported from previous studies. The psychological scales from the MOS-HIV showed good concurrent validity. For the physical aspects of QoL, however, some scales were poor at discriminating between different HIV disease stages. One reason for this may have been that factors associated with a history of injecting drug use had a significant negative impact on QoL, particularly for asymptomatic patients. It was notable that QoL in asymptomatic infection was found to be substantially lower than has been reported for gay/bisexual men using the same instruments and was more strongly associated with factors related to drug use rather than to HIV disease status.

CONCLUSION

The MOS-HIV is a reliable and valid measure, but in patients with a history of injecting drug use some of the scales measuring the physical aspects of QoL may be relatively insensitive to changes in health.

Characterization of the VPg-dsRNA linkage of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus

By the use of strong denaturing agents, a genome-linked protein (VPg)-RNA complex was purified from infectious pancreatic necrosis virus. Ribonuclease treatment of 125I-labelled VPg-RNA released a 90K polypeptide identical to the minor structural polypeptide VP1 (the putative RNA polymerase), as determined by peptide mapping. The polypeptide is linked to the RNA by a serine-5' GMP phosphodiester bond. The results identify birnaviruses as the only dsRNA viruses with a VPg, the size of which is the largest of the VPgs of RNA viruses.

Great spotted cuckoos improve their reproductive success by damaging magpie host eggs

Adult great spotted cuckoos, Clamator glandariusdamage the eggs of their magpie, Pica picahost without removing or eating them. The number of damaged magpie eggs was recorded in 360 parasitized nests of which 62.2% contained between one and eight damaged magpie eggs. Egg-destroying behaviour may be adaptive if it reduces nestling competition and/or enhances the hatching success of the cuckoo. To clarify the role of egg destruction for the reproductive success of great spotted cuckoos, unparasitized magpie nests were experimentally parasitized (without egg damage) by introducing cuckoo eggs or chicks. Egg damage was common in parasitized nests but the eggs were not damaged by the hosts. Egg damage increased the breeding success of the cuckoos, by both reducing the number of competing host chicks in the nest and increasing the likelihood that late-laid cuckoo eggs would hatch.Copyright 1997 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour1997The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Dengue haemorrhagic fever in Cuba. II. Clinical investigations

Clinical and serological studies were carried out on 114 patients admitted to hospital in Havana, Cuba with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DHF/DSS). Serological confirmation of dengue was obtained in 90% of cases, with 5% of cases primary and 95% secondary. Fever, haemorrhagic manifestations, vomiting and headache were the most frequent signs and symptoms. Among haemorrhagic manifestations, petechiae and vaginal bleeding were reported in a larger number of patients. 21 patients presented shock and, of these, 20 were secondary infections. The disease appeared more frequently in white persons and in women. The aetiopathogenicity of the syndromes is discussed. 95% of the cases could be explained on the basis of the secondary infection hypothesis.

New vectors for combinatorial deletions in yeast chromosomes and for gap-repair cloning using 'split-marker' recombination

New tools are needed for speedy and systematic study of the numerous genes revealed by the sequence of the yeast genome. We have developed a novel transformation strategy, based on 'split-marker' recombination, which allows generation of chromosomal deletions and direct gene cloning. For this purpose, pairs of yeast vectors have been constructed which offer a number of advantages for large-scale applications such as one-step cloning of target sequence homologs and combinatorial use. Gene deletions or gap-repair clonings are obtained by cotransformation of yeast by a pair of recombinant plasmids. Gap-repair vectors are based on the URA3 marker. Deletion vectors include the URA3, LYS2 and kanMX selection markers flanked by I-Scel sites, which allow their subsequent elimination from the transformant without the need for counter-selection. The application of the "split-marker' vectors to the analysis of a few open reading frames of chromosome XI is described.

The importance of clinical factors in parenteral nutrition-associated hypertriglyceridemia

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to establish the relevance of several clinical factors associated with parenteral nutrition (PN) hypertriglyceridemia and to construct a predictive model for this complication.

METHOD

This multicenter study included all patients with initial serum triglyceridemia <3 mmol and receiving a minimum of 7 days' PN therapy. The study ended for each patient when hypertriglyceridemia developed or PN was terminated. Two multivariate models were constructed, one to study the clinical factors and the second to predict plasma triglyceridemia. A total of 22 clinical factors studied as independent variables were included in the multiple-step regression models only when they showed a P-value over 0.1. Statistical significance was determined by the confidence interval of the odds ratio (OR) and the partial regression coefficient (b).

RESULTS

The study included 260 patients from 14 hospitals. Lipid administration was 0.83+/-0.37 g/kg/day. Among the total, 68 patients (26.2%) showed hypertriglyceridemia. Variables included in both models were serum glucose (OR, 2.63; b, 0.06), renal failure (OR, 10.56; b, 1.70), corticoid administration >0.5 mg/kg (OR, 7.98; b, 0.97), pancreatitis (OR, 4.38; b, 0.64), sepsis (OR, 4.48; b, 0.24), lipids infused (OR, 3.03; b, 0.24) and heparin administration >3 mg/kg/day (OR, 0.11; b, -1.21).

CONCLUSION

Although the rate of lipid infusion was low, certain clinical factors modified triglyceridemia. Nevertheless, relatively fast plasma clearance of lipids infused indicates that a reduction in lipid supply could be a quick, effective measure for controlling hypertriglyceridemia. Thus, careful monitoring of patients with clinical factors predicting risk in the model studied, with adjustment of lipid perfusion rates accordingly, is suggested to avoid hypertriglyceridemia.

A quantitative trait locus for recognition of foreign eggs in the host of a brood parasite

Avian brood parasites reduce the reproductive output of their hosts and thereby select for defence mechanisms such as ejection of parasitic eggs. Such defence mechanisms simultaneously select for counter-defences in brood parasites, causing a coevolutionary arms race. Although coevolutionary models assume that defences and counter-defences are genetically influenced, this has never been demonstrated for brood parasites. Here, we give strong evidence for genetic differences between ejector and nonejectors, which could allow the study of such host defence at the genetic level, as well as studies of maintenance of genetic variation in defences. Briefly, we found that magpies, that are the main host of the great spotted cuckoo in Europe, have alleles of one microsatellite locus (Ase64) that segregate between accepters and rejecters of experimental parasitic eggs. Furthermore, differences in ejection rate among host populations exploited by the brood parasite covaried significantly with the genetic distance for this locus.

MAGPIE HOST MANIPULATION BY GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOOS: EVIDENCE FOR AN AVIAN MAFIA?

Why should the hosts of brood parasites accept and raise parasitic offspring that differ dramatically in appearance from their own? There are two solutions to this evolutionary enigma. (1) Hosts may not yet have evolved the capability to discriminate against the parasite, or (2) parasite-host systems have reached an evolutionary equilibrium. Avian brood parasites may either gain renesting opportunities or force their hosts to raise parasitic offspring by destroying or preying upon host eggs or nestlings following host ejection of parasite offspring. These hypotheses may explain why hosts do not remove parasite offspring because only then will hosts avoid clutch destruction by the cuckoo. Here we show experimentally that if the egg of the parasitic great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius is removed from nests of its magpie Pica pica host, nests suffer significantly higher predation rates than control nests in which parasite eggs have not been removed. Using plasticine model eggs resembling those of magpies and observations of parasites, we also confirm that great spotted cuckoos that have laid an ejected egg are indeed responsible for destruction of magpie nests with experimentally ejected parasite eggs. Cuckoos benefit from destroying host offspring because they thereby induce some magpies to renest and subsequently accept a cuckoo egg.

Medication requirements and house dust mite exposure in mite-sensitive asthmatics

To better understand the clinical consequences of exposure to house dust mites (HDM), we investigated the relationship between treatment requirements to control symptoms in mite-allergic asthmatic patients and HDM-allergenic levels in their mattresses. This study included 49 asthmatic subjects recruited from an outpatient clinic. The protocol consisted of a questionnaire about the number of asthma attacks and treatment requirements in the last 3 months. Patients provided a sample of house dust collected from their mattresses by a standardized vacuum cleaning procedure. Mean antigen P1 equivalent defined as the sum of major allergens Der pI and Der fI (Ag P1 Eq) level was 1.34 micrograms/g dust in patients who had no treatment, 5.4 micrograms/g dust in patients who took puffs of beta 2-agonists only when required and 17.8 micrograms/g dust in patients who required daily long-term treatment. Similar relationships were demonstrated between mean Ag P1 Eq levels and the number of asthma attacks. These data support the clinical role of allergenic exposure in HDM-allergic asthmatics.

2nd to 4th digit ratio and offspring sex ratio

There is evidence that the ratio of the length of the 2nd and 4th digit (2D:4D) is negatively related to prenatal and adult concentrations of testosterone. It has also been reported that high levels of testosterone at conception in both fathers and mothers are associated with an increased sex ratio (proportion of males at birth). It follows from these observations that low values of 2D:4D may be related to high sex ratio. We present evidence from three populations (English, Spanish and Jamaican) that 2D:4D is negatively related to sex ratio, independent of the sex and ethnicity of the parents.

Visceral involvement of dialysis amyloidosis

Carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral arthropathy, erosive spondyloarthropathy and lytic bone lesions have all been associated with dialysis amyloidosis. Recent studies indicate that beta 2-microglobulin is the major constituent protein in this new form of amyloidosis. Dialysis amyloidosis was reported to have a local rather than a systemic involvement, although its full extent is yet to be determined. We investigated 3 patients on maintenance hemodialysis with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and amyloid arthropathy and found amyloid depositions in several organs. These findings suggest that, in contrast to what had been thought previously, dialysis amyloidosis could have systemic as well as visceral distribution. The amyloid deposits found were resistant against potassium permanganate treatment and reacted with anti-human beta 2-microglobulin antibody.