Single- and double-stranded viral RNA generate distinct cytokine and antiviral responses in human fetal membranes

There has been growing interest in the role of viral infections and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, little is known about the impact viral infections have on the fetal membranes (FM). Toll-like receptors (TLR) are thought to play a role in infection-associated inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the cytokine profile and antiviral response in human FMs exposed to viral dsRNA, which activates TLR3, and viral ssRNA, which activates TLR8; and to determine the mechanisms involved. The viral dsRNA analog, Poly(I:C), induced up-regulated secretion of MIP-1α, MIP-1β, RANTES and TNF-α, and down-regulated interleukin (IL)-2 and VEGF secretion. In contrast, viral ssRNA induced a broader panel of cytokines in the FMs by up-regulating the secretion of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, G-CSF, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, RANTES, TNF-α and GRO-α. Using inhibitory peptides against TLR adapter proteins, FM secretion of MIP-1β and RANTES in response to Poly(I:C) was MyD88 dependent; MIP-1α secretion was dependent on MyD88 and TRIF; and TNF-α production was independent of MyD88 and TRIF. Viral ssRNA-induced FM secretion of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, G-CSF, MIP-1α, RANTES and GRO-α was dependent on MyD88 and TRIF; MIP-1β was dependent upon TRIF, but not MyD88; and TNF-α and MCP-1 secretion was dependent on neither. Poly(I:C), but not ssRNA, induced an FM antiviral response by up-regulating the expression of IFNβ, myxovirus-resistance A, 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like 3G. These findings demonstrate that human FMs respond to two viral signatures by generating distinct inflammatory cytokine/chemokine profiles and antiviral responses through different mechanisms.

Correlational selection does not explain the evolution of a behavioural syndrome

Correlated suites of behaviours, or behavioural syndromes, appear to be widespread, and yet few studies have explored how they arise and are maintained. One possibility holds that correlational selection can generate and maintain behavioural syndrome if certain behavioural combinations enjoy greater fitness than other combinations. Here we test this correlational selection hypothesis by comparing behavioural syndrome structure with a multivariate fitness surface based on reproductive success of male water striders. We measured the structure of a behavioural syndrome including dispersal ability, exploration behaviour, latency to remount and sex recognition sensitivity in males. We then measured the relationship between these behaviours and mating success in a range of sex ratio environments. Despite the presence of some significant correlational selection, behavioural syndrome structure was not associated with correlational selection on behaviours. Although we cannot conclusively reject the correlational selection hypothesis, our evidence suggests that correlational selection and resulting linkage disequilibrium might not be responsible for maintaining the strong correlations between behaviours. Instead, we suggest alternative ways in which this behavioural syndrome may have arisen and outline the need for physiological and quantitative genetic tests of these suggestions.

Insects perceive local sex ratio in the absence of tactile or visual sex-specific cues

Numerous studies have demonstrated adaptive behavioral responses of males and females to changes in operational sex ratio (the ratio of potentially receptive males to receptive females; OSR), and theory often assumes that animals have perfect instantaneous knowledge about the OSR. However, the role of sensory mechanisms in monitoring the local sex ratio by animals and whether animals can perceive local sex ratio in a manner consistent with model assumptions have not been well addressed. Here, we show that mating water striders Gerris gracilicornis respond to local sex ratio even when visual and physical contact with other individuals were experimentally prohibited. Our study shows that insects are able to estimate local population’s sex ratio and adjust their behavior based on nonvisual cues perceived at a distance or released to the habitat. Hence, the frequent theoretical assumption that individuals have knowledge about their local sex ratio regardless of their direct behavioral interactions may be an acceptable approximation of reality.

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of prenatal surgery for myelomeningocele: a decision analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether prenatal myelomeningocele repair is a cost-effective strategy compared to postnatal repair.

METHODS

Decision-analysis modeling was used to calculate the cumulative costs, effects and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of prenatal myelomeningocele repair compared with postnatal repair in singleton gestations with a normal karyotype that were identified with myelomeningocele between T1 and S1. The model accounted for costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in three populations: (1) myelomeningocele patients; (2) mothers carrying myelomeningocele patients; and (3) possible future siblings of these patients. Sensitivity analysis was performed using one-way, two-way and Monte Carlo simulations.

RESULTS

Prenatal myelomeningocele repair saves $ 2 066 778 per 100 cases repaired. Additionally, prenatal surgery results in 98 QALYs gained per 100 repairs with 42 fewer neonates requiring shunts and 21 fewer neonates requiring long-term medical care per 100 repairs. However, these benefits are coupled to 26 additional cases of uterine rupture or dehiscence and one additional case of neurologic deficits in future offspring per 100 repairs. Results were robust in sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Prenatal myelomeningocele repair is cost effective and frequently cost saving compared with postnatal myelomeningocele repair despite the increased likelihood of maternal and future pregnancy complications associated with prenatal surgery.

Universal cervical-length screening to prevent preterm birth: a cost-effectiveness analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether routine measurement of second-trimester transvaginal cervical length by ultrasound in low-risk singleton pregnancies is a cost-effective strategy.

METHODS

We developed a decision analysis model to compare the cost-effectiveness of two strategies for identifying pregnancies at risk for preterm birth: (1) no routine cervical length screening and (2) a single routine transvaginal cervical length measurement at 18-24 weeks' gestation. In our model, women identified as being at increased risk (cervical length < 1.5 cm) for preterm birth would be offered daily vaginal progesterone supplementation. We assumed that vaginal progesterone reduces preterm birth at < 34 weeks' gestation by 45%. We also assumed that a decreased cervical length could result in additional costs (ultrasound scans, inpatient admission) without significantly improved neonatal outcomes. The main outcome measure was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.

RESULTS

Our model predicts that routine cervical-length screening is a dominant strategy when compared to routine care. For every 100,000 women screened, $12,119,947 can be potentially saved (in 2010 US dollars) and 423.9 quality-adjusted life-years could be gained. Additionally, we estimate that 22 cases of neonatal death or long-term neurologic deficits could be prevented per 100,000 women screened. Screening remained cost-effective but was no longer the dominant strategy when cervical-length ultrasound measurement costs exceeded $187 or when vaginal progesterone reduced delivery risk at < 34 weeks by less than 20%.

CONCLUSION

In low-risk pregnancies, universal transvaginal cervical length ultrasound screening appears to be a cost-effective strategy under a wide range of clinical circumstances (varied preterm birth rates, predictive values of a shortened cervix and costs).

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene polymorphisms and mirtazapine responses in Koreans with major depression

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a candidate molecule for influencing the clinical response to antidepressant treatment. The aims of this study were to determine the relationship between the Val66Met polymorphism in the BDNF gene and the response to mirtazapine in 243 Korean subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD). The reduction in the Hamilton Depression score over the 8-week treatment period was not influenced by BDNF V66M genotypes. A marginal effect of genotype on somatic anxiety score was observed at baseline (P = 0.047 in the dominant model). However, genotype-time interaction had no effect on somatic anxiety score after the 8-week a treatment period. Plasma BDNF levels tended to increase during mirtazapine treatment, although without statistical significance (P = 0.055). After 8 weeks of mirtazapine treatment, plasma BDNF levels were higher in Met allele homozygotes (1499.7 ± 370.6 ng/mL) than in Val allele carriers (649.7 ± 158.5 ng/mL, P = 0.049). Our results do not support the hypothesis that the Val66Met promoter polymorphism in the BDNF gene influences the therapeutic response to mirtazapine in Korean MDD patients. However, our data indicate that this polymorphism results in increased plasma BDNF after mirtazapine treatment.

Size-assortative mating and sexual size dimorphism are predictable from simple mechanics of mate-grasping behavior

BACKGROUND

A major challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand the typically complex interactions between diverse counter-balancing factors of Darwinian selection for size assortative mating and sexual size dimorphism. It appears that rarely a simple mechanism could provide a major explanation of these phenomena. Mechanics of behaviors can predict animal morphology, such like adaptations to locomotion in animals from various of taxa, but its potential to predict size-assortative mating and its evolutionary consequences has been less explored. Mate-grasping by males, using specialized adaptive morphologies of their forelegs, midlegs or even antennae wrapped around female body at specific locations, is a general mating strategy of many animals, but the contribution of the mechanics of this wide-spread behavior to the evolution of mating behavior and sexual size dimorphism has been largely ignored.

RESULTS

Here, we explore the consequences of a simple, and previously ignored, fact that in a grasping posture the position of the male's grasping appendages relative to the female's body is often a function of body size difference between the sexes. Using an approach taken from robot mechanics we model coercive grasping of females by water strider Gerris gracilicornis males during mating initiation struggles. We determine that the male optimal size (relative to the female size), which gives the males the highest grasping force, properly predicts the experimentally measured highest mating success. Through field sampling and simulation modeling of a natural population we determine that the simple mechanical model, which ignores most of the other hypothetical counter-balancing selection pressures on body size, is sufficient to account for size-assortative mating pattern as well as species-specific sexual dimorphism in body size of G. gracilicornis.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate how a simple and previously overlooked physical mechanism common in many taxa is sufficient to account for, or importantly contribute to, size-assortative mating and its consequences for the evolution of sexual size dimorphism.

Malignant myoepithelioma of the humerus with a satellite lesion: a case report and literature review

We report an extremely rare case of malignant myoepithelioma presenting as a cortical osseous lesion on the humeral shaft with a satellite lesion. A 21-year-old man presented with persistent pain of the right upper arm after local trauma that had occurred 2 months earlier. Radiological examination revealed an expansile osseous tumour based on the cortex of the humeral shaft as well as a satellite lesion. En bloc resection was performed. Microscopic examination with immunohistochemical staining was used to establish a diagnosis of malignant myoepithelioma. Osseous malignant myoepithelioma occurring in long tubular bones rather than in bony structures with salivary tissue is extremely rare. Here, we demonstrate radiological and pathological features of a malignant myoepithelioma that developed in the cortex of the humeral shaft and review previously reported cases.

Male water striders attract predators to intimidate females into copulation

Despite recent advances in our understanding of sexual conflict and antagonistic coevolution between sexes, the role of interspecific interactions, such as predation, in these evolutionary processes remains unclear. In this paper, we present a new male mating strategy whereby a male water strider Gerris gracilicornis intimidates a female by directly attracting predators as long as she does not accept the male's coercive copulation attempt. We argue that this male strategy is a counteradaptation to the evolution of the female morphological shield protecting her genitalia from coercive intromission by water strider males. The G. gracilicornis mating system clearly represents an effect expected from models of the coevolutionary arms race between sexes, whereby one sex causes a decrease in the fitness component of the other sex. Moreover, our study demonstrates a crucial role that interspecific interactions such as predation can have in the antagonistic coevolution between sexes.

Female water striders have evolved a strategy to control the frequency of copulation. In this article, male water striders are shown to attract predators during copulation to coerce the female into yielding more quickly. These findings demonstrate how adaptive behaviour may be influenced by predation.

Measurement of the thermal conductivity of a water-based single-wall carbon nanotube colloidal suspension with a modified 3- omega method

A modified 3-omega method applied to a suspended platinum microwire was employed to measure the thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer coefficient of a water-based single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) solution (metallic single-wall nanotubes with 1.33 nm diameter and 1.14 wt% concentration), and an expression for calculating the convective heat transfer coefficient in such a free convective fluid was introduced. The measurement technique was validated for three model systems including vacuum, air and deionized water. It is found that there is excellent agreement between these three model systems with theoretical predictions. In addition, the frequency dependence on the third harmonic response measured in deionized water reveals the existence of a very low working frequency below 60 mHz. The thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid (water-based single-wall CNT solution) were determined to be 0.73 +/- 0.013 W m(-1) K(-1) and 14 900 +/- 260 W m(-2) K(-1), respectively, which correspond to an enhancement of 19.4% in thermal conductivity and 18.9% in convective heat transfer as compared to water.

Female genitalia concealment promotes intimate male courtship in a water strider

Violent coercive mating initiation is typical for animals with sexual conflict over mating. In these species, the coevolutionary arms-race between female defenses against coercive mating and male counter-adaptations for increased mating success leads to coevolutionary chases of male and female traits that influence the mating. It has been controversial whether one of the sexes can evolve traits that allow them to “win” this arms race. Here, we use morphological analysis (traditional and scanning electron micrographs), laboratory experiments and comparative methods to show how females of a species characterized by typical coercive mating initiation appear to “win” a particular stage of the sexual conflict by evolving morphology to hide their genitalia from direct, forceful access by males. In an apparent response to the female morphological adaptation, males of this species added to their typically violent coercive mounting of the female new post-mounting, pre-copulatory courtship signals produced by tapping the water's surface with the mid-legs. These courtship signals are intimate in the sense that they are aimed at the female, on whom the male is already mounted. Females respond to the signals by exposing their hidden genitalia for copulatory intromission. Our results indicate that the apparent victory of coevolutionary arms race by one sex in terms of morphology may trigger evolution of a behavioral phenotype in the opposite sex.

Ultrasound in the evaluation of twin pregnancy

Multiple gestations account for approximately 3% of all live births, but contribute to a disproportionate 15% of the overall perinatal mortality. Ultrasound evaluation of twin pregnancies serves an important role in surveillance, early detection, and invasive treatment of complications in twin pregnancies, including spontaneous abortion, abnormalities in placentation, preterm labor, growth restriction, congenital abnormalities, fetal demise, fetal mal-presentation, and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. A review of literature regarding the indications and use of ultrasound in twin pregnancy is presented.

Titin-cap (TCAP) polymorphisms associated with marbling score of beef

Marbling score (MS) is the major qualitative trait that affects carcass quality in beef cattle. In this study, we examined the association between genetic polymorphisms of the titin-cap gene (TCAP) and carcass traits in Korean native cattle (also known as Hanwoo). By direct DNA sequencing in 24 unrelated Korean cattle, we identified five sequence variants in 1.2kb of TCAP. Among them, four common polymorphic sites were selected for genotyping in the beef cattle (n=437). Pair-wise linkage analysis with four polymorphisms showed strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), and three major haplotypes (freq.>0.1) were constructed. Statistical analysis revealed that polymorphisms in intron1 (g.346G>A) and exon2 (g.592-597CTGCAG[Leu-Gln]insdel) showed significant association with marbling score (P(cor.)=0.003 and 0.02, respectively). One haplotype, ht2[C-G-G-del], also showed significant association with MS (P(cor.)=0.0004). Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in TCAP might be among the important genetic factors involved in carcass quality in beef cattle.

VEGF, bFGF and their receptors at the fetal-maternal interface of the rhesus monkey

Placental development involves trophoblast outgrowth and a coordinated angiogenesis in the implantation site. In this study, expression of angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), VEGF receptors, kinase insert domain-containing region (KDR), and bFGF receptor Flg was characterized at the maternal-embryonic boundary of the rhesus monkey on Day 17, 19, 28 and 34 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization showed that VEGF mRNA and protein were both strongly expressed in the cytotrophoblast, the blood vessels and certain immunocytes. These sites were also immunopositive for KDR. In addition to the vascular endothelial cells and the vascular smooth muscle cells, the protein and mRNA for bFGF were also detected in cyto/syncytiotrophoblast bilayer, whereas the staining for Flg protein was mainly localized in the cytotrophoblast cells. The staining degree of VEGF and bFGF in the villi gradually decreased with the development of placenta. Strong expression of bFGF, Flg and KDR was also detected in the decidual cells. These data suggest that VEGF and bFGF may be involved in angiogenesis, cytotrophoblast proliferation and migration during early stage of placentation in the rhesus monkey.

Low incidence of genetic alterations of the p16CDKN2a in clear cell chondrosarcoma

Mutational inactivation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) (p16CDKN2a) tumor suppressor gene has been found in a variety of human tumor types. To investigate the involvement of CDKI abnormality in clear cell chondrosarcoma, alterations of CDKIs were examined in clear cell chondrosarcoma tissues using a quantitative DNA/PCR, PCR-SSCP. Two of 38 specimens (5.2%) we analyzed showed abnormally low levels of p16CDKN2a amplification, suggesting that the allelic deletion of the gene might be low frequent event in progression of this tumor. For detection of subtle sequence alterations such as point mutations, we performed SSCP analysis of the entire coding region of the p16CDKN2a gene. No altered SSCP patterns were found in 38 clear cell chondrosarcoma specimens. This study reflects the very low incidence of genetic alterations of the p16CDKN2a gene in clear cell chondrosarcoma. Therefore, we conclude that the alteration of the p16CDKN2a gene is not involved significantly in the development of clear cell chondrosarcoma.

Effects of emitted Qi on in vitro natural killer cell cytotoxic activity

The present study investigated the effects of Korean Qi-therapy, ChunSoo Energy Healing, on natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity in vitro depending on Qi-treatment time and the types of cells treated. NK cell cytotoxicity was assayed by measuring LDH release from tumor target cells (K562 cell lines). NK activity was significantly increased by emitted-Qi treatment of 30 sec duration. Three and 5 minutes of Qi projection created the greatest increase in NK cell activity when mixtures of NK cells and K562 cells were treated (1.81 and 2.12 fold for 4 hr culture; 1.54 and 1.36 for 16 hr culture, respectively). NK cell activity increased significantly in Qi-treated K562 cells alone (1.13 fold, p<0.05) compared to control. These results are consistent with in vivo Qi-therapy on humans and suggests that emitted-Qi has an acute stimulatory effect on NK cell activity. This study provides direct scientific support that Qi as such may positively affect human cellular immunity.

Antiviral activities of the soluble extracellular domains of type I interferon receptors

Alternative splicing leads to the expression of multiple isoforms of the subunits (IFNAR1 and IFNAR2) of the type I IFN receptor. Here we describe two transcripts representing extracellular forms of ovine IFNAR1 and show that soluble extracellular forms of both IFNAR2 and IFNAR1, prepared in recombinant form in Escherichia coli, have antiviral (AV) activity in the absence of IFN. Exposure of Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells to the extracellular domain (R2E) of IFNAR2 at concentrations as low as 10 nM afforded complete protection against vesicular stomatitis virus and led to the rapid activation of the transcription factors ISGF3 and GAF. Although R2E can bind IFN (K(d) approximately 70 nM), activity was observed irrespective of whether or not ligand was present. R2E was inactive on mouse L929 cells but active on L929 cells expressing a membraneanchored, ovine/human chimeric IFNAR2 with an ovine extracellular domain. The data suggest that AV activity is conferred by the ability of soluble R2E to associate with the transfected IFNAR2 subunit rather than resident murine IFNAR1. Soluble extracellular forms of IFNAR1 have lower AV activity than R2E on Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells but are less species-specific and protect wild-type L929 cells as efficiently as the transfected cell line, presumably by interacting with one of the murine receptor subunits.

Production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates by high-cell-density cultivation of Pseudomonas putida under phosphorus limitation

High-cell-density fed-batch cultures of Pseudomonas putida were carried out for the production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) using oleic acid as a carbon source. By employing an optimal feeding strategy without the limitation of any nutrient, a high cell concentration of 173 g/L was achieved, but the PHA concentration and PHA content were only 32.3 g/L and 18.7 wt%, respectively. To increase the PHA concentration and content, phosphorus limitation was applied during fed-bath culture by reducing the initial KH(2)PO(4) concentration. When the initial KH(2)PO(4) concentration was reduced to 4 g/L, cell concentration, PHA concentration, and PHA content obtained in 38 h were 141 g/L, 72. 6 g/L, and 51.4 wt%, respectively, resulting in a high productivity of 1.91 g PHA/L per hour.