NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a very aggressive and lethal type of squamous epithelial cell cancer caused due to fusion of BRD4and NUT genes. The gene fusion results into a new fusion protein that promotes oncogenesis. The detailed molecular mechanismsunderlying the NMC are still not clear and new findings are urgently required to complement the current efforts. AbnormalmicroRNAs (miRNA) expression promotes tumour formation by modulating the functional expression of critical genes other than theparent genes involved in tumour cell proliferation or survival. Here, using Insilco methods, miRNA targeting the transcripts of parentgenes (BRD4 and NUT) and the BRD4-NUT fusion gene were predicted. We investigated a situation, wherein abnormal miRNAexpression in malignant cells could arise due to deletion and fusion of genomic regions encompassing the target site of miRNAgenes. A set of 48 dysregulated miRNAs targeting the critical genes other than the parent genes (BRD4 and NUT) was identified.Functional enrichment analysis of KEGG pathways of target genes of these Ex-miRNAs implicates their role in cancer pathways.Amplification in the expression level of these miRNAs can be used for NMC diagnosis and prognosis. NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a fatal form of undifferentiatedepithelial cancer affecting both children and adults .CommonlMicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in regulating targetgenes and are involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. miRNAs Here, we have idetified the miRNA targeting the transcripts ofparent genes (BRD4 and NUT) and the BRD4-NUT fusion gene.We hypothesize that some of the miRNAs regulating theirrespective BRD4 and NUT gene expression may not be requiredafter the BRD4-NUT gene fusion, as the regions targeted by thesemiRNAs are deleted. This may lead to an apparent amplificationin the miRNAs, which in turn may regulate the pathways leadingto cancer. A comparative study of miRNAs regulating fused geneand its parent gene was performed and their target genes werediscovered. A functional enrichment analysis of KEGG pathway of target genes of these Ex-miRNAs shows its role in cancerpathways.BRD4 gene (Refseq: NM_058243.2), NUT gene (GenBank:AF482429.1) and BRD4-NUT fusion gene (GenBank: AY166680.1)transcript sequences were retrieved from the NCBI Nucleotidedatabase. In order to locate the deleted regions in the fusion genetranscript, the mRNA sequences of parent (BRD4 and NUT) werecompared against the fusion gene (BRD4-NUT) using align twosequences option of NCBI- BlastN tool. Prediction of miRNAstargeting the BRD4, NUT and BRD4-NUT fusion gene transcriptswas performed using MIRDB (http://mirdb.org/miRDB) [It is generally accepted that fusion genes are translated intofusion proteins, which are drivers of cancer pathway activation.On the other hand, it is well established that alterations inmiRNA expression promote tumour formation. The dysregulatedmiRNAs modulate the functional expression of critical genesother than the parent genes involved in tumour cell proliferationor survival . Recent We predicted and compared the miRNA targeting the BRD4and NUT transcripts region before and after the gene fusionevents. Sequence alignment of parent BRD4, NUT and fusionBRD4-NUT mRNA sequences, using NCBI Blast tool, revealedthat 2818 bases (54%) from 3׳ region of BRD4 and 170 bases from5׳ region of NUT were deleted in the BRD4-NUT gene fusiontranscript . miRNAs In order to predict the Ex-miRNA, BRD4 (1-2830 region) andNUT (170-3795 region) of fused gene were subjected to miRNAprediction using miRDB. Out of 34 miRNAs of BRD4, 28 miRNAwere no more required to target the same gene, when comparedto its fused form. This situation arises because of the deletion of2818 bases from 3׳end of BRD4 . SimilarA set of 18, 33, and 34 miRNAs were predicted to target theBRD4-NUT fusion gene transcript, BRD4 and NUT mRNArespectively. Comparative analysis of these miRNAs andfunctional enrichment of pathway revealed that a set of 48miRNA might be dysregulated to target the critical genes otherthan the parent genes (BRD4 and NUT), causing the cancer.Amplification in the expression level of these miRNAs can beused for NMC diagnosis and prognosis.


This article contains the data on farmers' determinants of binary choices for manure use  and fertiliser use  at their fields in semi-arid northern Ethiopian Rift Valley. The data includes (i) a schematic diagram that represents local farmers' distinctions of the crop field types in terms of the distance from their houses and soil fertility and (ii) a table that describes a representative farmer's crop sequences and soil fertilisation methods in two consecutive years. Details about the literature review of the previous case studies on farmers' determinants of manure application technique adoption conducted in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa where cattle dung is used for manure are also summarized in a table. A table shows descriptive statistics of the independent variables used in the empirical analyses. Summary statistics of 4 binomial logit models and 4 multinomial logit models are indicated in a table, which represent model fit. Last two tables exhibited in this article show the logit analyses. Specifications TableValue of the data•The data include the figure that describes local farmers' distinctions of the crop field types in terms of the distance from their houses and soil fertility in semi-arid northern Ethiopian Rift Valley.•The data include the table that shows a representative farmer's crop sequences and soil fertilisation methods.•These data are a benchmark for farmers' determinants of manure application and fertiliser use at their crop fields in Ethiopian lowlands including semi-arid Ethiopian Rift Valley.•These data can be compared to the similar type of analyses conducted in other areas.1This article includes a schematic diagram representing local farmers' distinctions of the crop fields in terms of the distance from their houses and soil fertility , table t22.1Adama and Boset districts in Oromia region, Ethiopia, are classified into five agroecological sub-zones  2.2The following two-step procedures were used to select sample plots: in the first step, we set a goal to select 150 households from each maize growing sub-area. The target numbers of households were equally split by the number of sub-zones in each sub-area: four and two sub-zones in the MD and MM sub-areas, respectively, and were allocated to each sub-zone. Semi-structured questionnaires were prepared for interviewing randomly selected household heads in November and December 2012. After eliminating questionnaires with invalid data, we had data from 146 and 173 household heads living in the MD and MM sub-areas, respectively. It was found these 146 and 173 household heads had 313 continuous maize cropping fields  and 302 other than maize cropping fields . In the second step, we randomly selected 262 CMCFs (131 for MD and 131 for MM sub-areas) and 262 OCMFs (131 for MD and 131 for MM sub-areas) from these 313 CMCFs and 302 OCMFs to match the numbers of the plot data between CMCFs and OCMFs and between MD and MM sub-areas. The total number of the plot data became 524 (262 CMCFs+262 OCMFs).2.3n=262) had three fertilisation options: (i) no fertilisation (n=39), (ii) manure application (n=220), and (iii) fertiliser use (n=3), while the OCMFs (n=262) had three fertilisation options: (i) no fertilisation (n=4), (ii) fertiliser use (n=153), and (iii) both compost and fertiliser use (n=105). The following two empirical exercises were conducted by using different econometric models:(i)manure: 1=used, 0=not used), two binomial logit models were formulated for CMCF and OCMF subdatasets . Another two binomial logit models were created with and without variable crop  for the pooled dataset ; andTo analyse farmers' determining factors in binary manure use options fertilisation: 1=no fertilisation, 2=manure application, 3=fertiliser use, 4=both manure and fertiliser use), two multinomial logit models were built for the CMCF and OCMF subdatasets . Another two multinomial logit models were formulated with variable crop (model B3) and without variable crop (model B4) for the pooled dataset. Hausman test or Small-Hsiao test To assess the farmers' determinants of four fertilisation options , Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and the % correctly estimated values were examined. To test the validity of the subsampling method, the sum of squared residuals obtained from the pooled dataset and subdatasets to test the equality of coefficients were compared between the models Independent variables selected in this study were based upon the literature on technology adoption studies of manure/fertiliser use , Table 32.4Summary statistics  showed t


Severe bacterial infections can lead to both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. Innate immunity is the first defense mechanism employed against invading bacterial pathogens through the recognition of conserved molecular patterns on bacteria by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), especially the toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs recognize distinct pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that play a critical role in innate immune responses by inducing the expression of several inflammatory genes. Thus, activation of immune cells is regulated by cytokines that use the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway and microbial recognition by TLRs. This system is tightly controlled by various endogenous molecules to allow for an appropriately regulated and safe host immune response to infections. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of proteins is one of the central regulators of microbial pathogen-induced signaling of cytokines, principally through the inhibition of the activation of JAK/STAT signaling cascades. This review provides recent knowledge regarding the role of SOCS proteins during bacterial infections, with an emphasis on the mechanisms involved in their induction and regulation of antibacterial immune responses. Furthermore, the implication of SOCS proteins in diverse processes of bacteria to escape host defenses and in the outcome of bacterial infections are discussed, as well as the possibilities offered by these proteins for future targeted antimicrobial therapies. Cytokines are signaling molecules secreted by cells to elicit a particular effect on the behavior and communication of surrounding cells  family of proteins apparently are modulators of a variety of diseases including those with autoimmune etiologies, inflammation, allergies, bacteria, and cancer. SOCS regulate signaling pathways on an intracellular level to potently and specifically inhibit cytokine and growth factor signaling      that have evaded detection by complement or antibody   and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are negative regulators that activate the JAK/STAT pathway effectors of PRRs , led to the blockage of cytokine expression. In addition to IFN-β signaling, which is involved in the GAS-induced SOCS1, the TLR4/MyD88 pathway was observed to play a crucial role in stimulating SOCS1 by forming a complex with JAK1/STAT1  and E. faecalis stimulated an increase in SOCS1 and SOCS3 mRNA transcripts in mouse macrophages by triggering NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways to regulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines   and arabinogalactan, and an external layer of hydrophobic mycolic acids   and NLRs  via TLR2/MyD88-activation of macrophages augment SOCS3 expression, and dislocation of the MyD88/TLR2 pathway modulated SOCS3 expression  T3SS and its encoded virulence factor SpiC trigger SOCS3 up-regulation via the ERK1/2 pathway for inhibition of the JAK/STAT inflammatory signaling cascades for its continued survival in macrophages. GAS, which causes various systemic diseases induced SOCS1 that participates in the GAS' evasion of host immune responses in murine macrophages by dampening cytokine expression leading to rapid bacterial infection , the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, stimulates the expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 in macrophages to possibly control its inflammatory disorders (Khor et al., B. burgdorferi via CD14 signaling induced SOCS1, SOCS3, and CIS as mediated by the p38 MAPK pathway to control the development of chronic inflammatory etiologies (Dennis et al., Results from studies by Uchiya and Nikai (Uchiya and Nikai, M. tuberculosis, M. avium, and M. bovis (Gao et al., M. bovis infection stimulated SOCS1 and SOCS3 in mouse macrophages, which mediated the inhibition of IFN-γ-stimulated phosphorylation of STAT1 and thereby the subsequent inhibition of growth and activation of macrophages required for the control of this intracellular pathogen (Gao et al., M. tuberculosis (Sahay et al., Various mycobacteria manipulate IFN-γ-driven immunity by inducing SOCS1 and SOCS3 to evade the immune response or hamper the disease control. Augmentation of SOCS1 and SOCS3 levels and their subsequent inhibition of IFN-γ-induced STAT1 were found to alleviate the immune response for several mycobacterial species like in vitro and in vivo (Galm et al., SOCS proteins regulate cytokine signal transduction for maintaining immune functions but still contribute to the onset of immunological diseases and inflammation (Yoshimura et al., in vitro by interacting with the IFN-γ signaling complex and functionally reducing the phosphorylation of STAT1, which further resulted in inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (Jo et al., The regulation of the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by the immune system is critical in limiting or modulating the host defense against invading pathogens. SOCS proteins as negative regulators of JAK/STAT represent a promising target for anti-inflammatory therapies (Turkson and Jove, Staphylococcus aureus (Hennessy et al., The exploitation of host SOCS proteins and manipulation of their functions by bacterial pathogens make them particularly attractive therapeutic targets. Therapeutic approaches targeting host-directed immunomodulatory components against bacterial infections have already been described (Finlay and Hancock, A better understanding of the control mechanisms involved in SOCS modulation of immune responses and inflammation is key to developing effective targeted therapeutics and vaccines. Each SOCS protein contributes either to the negative regulation of cytokine signaling or the regulation of many biological processes. The expression of SOCS proteins can define host susceptibility to infection by facilitating accelerated bacterial growth or protecting the host from severe inflammation. However, the direct action of the SOCS-mediated inhibition in inflammatory response is yet to be fully elucidated, thus limiting the progress being made scientifically and clinically by microbiologist and immunologists. Additionally, factors such as increased virulence, mutations and antibiotic resistance over time pose recurring challenges in the control of epidemic bacterial diseases worldwide. Admittedly, SOCS-targeted therapy for bacterial-induced inflammation is provocative, but yet one that should be considered exploring. So far, inhibiting the action of JAKs by small composites or drugs show reparative potential (DiGiandomenico et al., SD did the literature search and exploration and wrote the manuscript. DB and RS helped with writing and reading the manuscript. SS read and edited the manuscript. VD edited the manuscript and coordinated the project. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The last confirmed wild poliovirus (WPV) case in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had paralysis onset in December 2011  (1–6). AVDPVs are classified as circulating (cVDPVs) when there is evidence of community transmission; immunodeficiency-associated VDPVs (iVDPVs) when isolated from persons with primary immunodeficiency ; or ambiguous (aVDPVs ) when the identity is uncertain    is held in a global stockpile for response to poliovirus type 2 outbreaks after the switch , 11 of DRC’s 26 provinces reported 118 cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with VDPVs isolated in stool samples  (1–6). UHistorically, the routine immunization program in DRC has not met global standards . TheThe first cVDPV2 patient in Maniema province had paralysis onset on March 26, 2017, in Kindu health zone  (6). TheThe Advisory Group approved the release of mOPV2 for two SIAs targeting 276,076 children aged <5 years in eight health zones surrounding and including Kindu and Kunda in June and July  (6). ResThe first patient in the cVDPV2 outbreak in the Haut Lomami outbreak area had paralysis onset on February 20, 2017 in Malemba-Nkulu health zone  (6). TheThe Advisory Group recommended mOPV2 for two SIAs targeting 513,820 children aged <5 years in 12 health zones , including and surrounding the health zones where cases were reported (6). The SIAs were conducted in June and July  (6). ResJust after the Advisory Group’s approval in October 2017, the first of 13 additional, genetically linked cVDPV2 cases were confirmed in Ankoro and Manono health zones in Tanganyika province, with paralysis onset from September 14 to December 22, 2017 . In-deptAfter the December 2017 SIAs, two new VDPV2 emergences were confirmed in Haut Lomami and Tanganyika provinces. The first was in an AFP case with paralysis onset 15 November 2017 in Lwamba health zone (Haut Lomami province); this case has been classified as an aVDPV2 and the occurrence a VDPV2 event  (8). TheThe emergence and circulation of VDPVs during many years and over a broad geographical area is evidence of widespread suboptimal poliovirus immunity in major portions of DRC  were of insufficient geographic scope to confine the outbreak  was established in late 2017 in Kindu (Maniema province) and in Lubumbashi (Haut Katanga province adjacent to Haut Lomami) and will continue. The risk for VDPV emergence in DRC will remain until population immunity is increased and maintained. The immediate goal is to interrupt VDPV transmission in the outbreak areas so that efforts can be turned toward improving polio vaccination and surveillance in other high risk areas in DRC.Democratic Republic of the Congo has had cases of polio caused by vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs) documented since 2004. The emergence of these VDPVs, which cause paralysis similar to wild polioviruses, can occur where population immunity to poliovirus is suboptimal. After an outbreak of 30 circulating VDPV type 2 (cVDPV2) cases during 2011–2012, only five VDPV2 cases were reported during 2013–2016. In 2017 , 25 cases of VDPV were reported from three provinces, Haut Lomami, Maniema, and Tanganyika. Among the 25 VDPV cases, 22 were classified as cVDPV2, with 20 associated with an emergence that started in Haut Lomami province and spread to Tanganyika province and two associated with a separate emergence in Maniema province. Despite response efforts, transmission of these VDPVs has not yet been interrupted.Risk for VDPV emergence in DRC will remain unless population immunity to poliovirus is increased and maintained. Efforts are being made as part of the current VDPV outbreak response to overcome long-standing constraints to polio vaccination. Such efforts will be extended to other regions of the country once transmission in the current outbreak areas is interrupted.


In 12 patients, this approach was not applied because of cardiac insufficiency. Videothoracoscopy and decortication after thoracotomy ensured the recovery of functions.Our study shows the different therapeutic procedures in 64 patients with pleural effusion due to MRSA pneumonia. The thoracostomy tube associated with pleural washing was decisive in 10 simple effusion patients. Video-assisted thoracic surgery allowed a complete resolution of the disease in 22 complex parapneumonic effusion patients. In 20 of 32 patients with frank pus in the pleural cavity, the videothoracoscopic insufflation of carbon dioxide (CO


The anatomical and functional information of a cardiac mass collected by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging could be clinically important by affecting diagnosis, management and prognosis. Whether CMR impacts clinical care in those with known or suspected cardiac masses is not entirely clear.We identified consecutive patients referred to the University of Minnesota Medical Center ("Minnesota" cohort) between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between October1, 2009 and May 30, 2014 ("Pittsburgh" cohort) who were diagnosed with a potential cardiac mass before or after CMR. Final diagnoses were defined by clinician's opinion of histopathology or clinical evidence. Significant clinical impact was defined as CMR establishing a new diagnosis, affecting surgical procedures, or causing medication change as documented in the medical record.We identified 34 patients  with masses in the Minnesota cohort n = 1621) and 58 patients  in the Pittsburgh cohort (n = 3358). Overall, CMR resulted in significant impact in 71% (24/34) of the patients in the Minnesota cohort and 72% (42/58) in the Pittsburgh cohort (Table 621 and 5CMR of cardiac masses significantly impacts clinical management by facilitating accurate diagnosis and directing clinical management in a substantial percent of patients who had undergone prior evaluations with traditional imaging such as echocardiography. In addition, it also led to avoidance of surgical interventions in masses deemed to be benign or identified as thrombus. CMR is an essential step in the evaluation of majority of patients with cardiac masses or those suspected to be at high risk for developing cardiac masses.


The development of novel targeted agents aimed at selective inhibition of dysregulated oncogenic pathways has been a major focus and advancing area in translational oncology research. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) the first successes have been in targeting mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3. Small molecule inhibitors targeting FLT3 have been in clinical use for the past two decades with many patients showing favorable initial responses; however, development of resistance occurs almost universally. Here we describe mechanisms of resistance to FLT3 inhibitors and ongoing studies aimed at overcoming it.Mutations in FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common genetic alteration in patients with AML occurring in approximately 30% of adult and 15% of pediatric patients at the time of diagnosis ; howeverPreclinical studies demonstrating robust anti-leukemic effects of FLT3 inhibition lead to development of ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting mutated FLT3 for clinical use. First generation agents with activity against FLT3 such as sunitinib, sorafenib, and midostaurin were multi-kinase inhibitors that also targeted related receptors such as PDGFR and KIT. Given the multi-kinase nature of these compounds, their use was limited due to poor potency against FLT3 and increased toxicity due to off-target activity. To address these concerns, the second-generation TKI, quizartinib (AC220) was developed with increased potency against and selectivity for FLT3. Initial responses to treatment with single-agent quizartinib were promising with 44% of relapsed or refractory FLT3-ITD AML patients achieving a composite complete remission in a phase II study ; howeverFurther analysis of patient samples to better understand mechanisms of relapse revealed secondary point mutations in the FLT3 kinase domain in patients who relapsed during quizartinib monotherapy.The most common quizartinib-resistance conferring mutations occur at the D835 and F691 loci and confer cross-resistance to the first-generation inhibitor sorafenib –19. MutaDevelopment of secondary point mutations represent the best characterized mechanism of acquired resistance to FLT3 inhibition; however, resistant FLT3-ITD cells lacking secondary point mutations have been frequently identified  indicatiActivation of parallel signaling pathways independent of the FLT3 receptor also plays a role in resistance to FLT3 inhibition. For example, upregulation of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL has been implicated in resistance to TKIs in a number of tumor types –31. SimiThe above findings highlight some of the challenges to successful translation of FLT3 inhibition to clinical application. A number of new inhibitors and dual inhibition strategies have been developed to overcome these barriers. Two of the newer generation FLT3 inhibitors that have advanced the furthest in clinical development are crenolanib and gilteritinib. Crenolanib is a type 1 TKI that is highly selective for FLT3 and PDGFR and retains a high level of activity against D835 mutant FLT3 and to a lesser degree against the F691 gatekeeper mutation . In clinThe ongoing struggles to translate the preclinical promise of FLT3 inhibition into successful clinical use underscore the importance of a deep understanding of the biology of target receptors when developing translational strategies. As it is unlikely that FLT3 inhibition alone will be sufficient to induce durable remissions, ongoing research should be aimed at devising rational combination strategies with other targeted agents based upon understanding of the molecular mechanisms at play. Other promising preclinical lines of investigation include combination with MEK inhibitors  or targe


In late August and early September of 2017, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma swept through the Caribbean and made landfall in the continental United States. As Texas and Florida readied for direct impacts of the storms, nearby states prepared for the arrival of internally displaced persons. During the weeks surrounding the storms, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) supported all-hazards situational awareness for public health partners by enhancing syndromic surveillance activities, i.e., the monitoring of symptom combinations or other indicators within a population to inform public health action  data from 70 hospitals across Tennessee using the Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE)  patient visits by Texas residents and 1,041 (0.4%) visits by Florida residents. The number of ED visits by patients from Texas remained stable during the monitoring period (average 7.3 per day). In contrast, there was an increase in patients from Florida visiting Tennessee EDs beginning 3 days before Hurricane Irma made landfall in the continental United States. The increase peaked on the day of impact in Florida (September 10) at 116 ED visits, and returned to baseline levels (between 10–20 patients per day) within 1 week . The incSyndromic surveillance data are often used to identify clusters of illness based on geography or time (At TDH, ESSENCE is the only easily accessible information source capable of rapidly collecting health information on out-of-state patients. This initiative allowed TDH to observe where and when out-of-state patients were seeking ED care in Tennessee and to monitor the need for targeted messaging and resources to heavily affected areas. Additionally, close surveillance of chief complaints among out-of-state patients provided assurance that no unusual patterns in illness or injury were occurring.Enhancing syndromic surveillance during these storms was an important strategy for improving situational awareness among public health stakeholders and will be incorporated into future response activities by TDH.


MMWR Recommendations and Reports, “Prevention of Measles, Rubella, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, and Mumps, 2013: Summary of Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),” an error occurred in the third sentence of the first paragraph under the heading “Measles Component” on page 8. That sentence should read:In the 1967), live attenuated vaccines containing the Edmonston B (available in the United States from 1963 through 1975), and Schwarz strain (available in the United States from 1965 through 1976).“Because of increased efficacy and fewer adverse reactions, the vaccine containing the Enders-Edmonston vaccine strain replaced previous vaccines: inactivated Edmonston vaccine (available in the United States from 1963 through


Odocoileus virginianus) in Illinois, USA, to investigate the potential effect of landscape on social network structure by weighting the edges of seasonal social networks with association rate (based on proximity inferred from GPS collar data). At the local level, we found that sociality among female deer in neighboring social groups (n = 36) was mainly explained by their home range overlap, with two exceptions: 1) during fawning in an area of mixed forest and grassland, deer whose home ranges had low forest connectivity were more social than expected; and 2) during the rut in an area of intensive agriculture, deer inhabiting home ranges with high amount and connectedness of agriculture were more social than expected. At the global scale, we found that deer populations (n = 7) in areas with highly connected forest-agriculture edge, a high proportion of agriculture, and a low proportion of forest tended to have higher weighted network closeness, although low sample size precluded statistical significance. This result implies that infectious disease could spread faster in deer populations inhabiting such landscapes. Our work advances the general understanding of animal social networks, demonstrating how landscape features can underlie differences in social behavior both within and among wildlife social networks.Intraspecific social behavior can be influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. While much research has focused on how characteristics of individuals influence their roles in social networks, we were interested in the role that landscape structure plays in animal sociality at both individual  and population  levels. We used female white-tailed deer ( Loxodonta africana) ) density ,20, pred density , and hun density ,23. The  was low , African drought , oribi . Female white-tailed deer represent an interesting model to explore social behavior because they form matrilineal social groups )S1 FigWe randomly selected an increasing number of locations for each dyad, calculated association rate, and repeated this 100 times. The solid line represents the seasonal association rate . The dashed lines represent the association rate that we would expect for a dyad with one more or one less association than what we observed for our focal dyad across the entire season; if the mean subsampled association rate was within these bounds, then the error associated with the number of locations should not interfere with our rank order of association rates. The value in the upper right corner is the number of locations at which the association rate was within the dashed lines.(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S2 FigBoxes represent the median (centre line) and the first and third quartiles (the range that contains 50% of the data). Whiskers represent the highest (lowest) value that is within 1.5*interquartile range. Points represent outliers and vertical lines delineate seasons. Data were pooled over study area  and year (2004–2009).(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S3 FigThe upper map is a conductance surface, where white represents forest  and black represents absence of forest . The lower map represents current density (white is high current and black is low current) across the forest conductance surface between pairs of sites . The white box outlines the study area; the map outside of the box was later clipped to remove current density that was likely biased high due to the arbitrary placement of the 50 sites.(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S4 FigWhite represents high current density of forest, agriculture, or the edge between forest and agriculture, and black represents low current density. Current density is analogous to random walkers moving across the landscape between sites located around the perimeter of the buffered study areas .(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S5 FigWe used a Box-Cox power transformation on the dependent variable  to redu(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S6 FigWe estimated home range overlap as the volume of intersection (VI) of 95% kernel utilization distributions  for each(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S7 FigAn example of a) the configuration of forest  and non-forest , and b) the corresponding current density of forest  in a portion of the Carbondale, IL study area. Areas of high current density (the probability of movement through a cell) tend to be where corridors of forest are surrounded by non-forest .(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S1 Appendix(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S2 Appendix(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S3 Appendix(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S1 Table(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S2 Table(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S3 Table(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S4 TableCoefficients with 95% CI that did not overlap zero are in bold font.(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.S5 TableCoefficients with 95% CI that did not overlap zero are in bold font.(DOCX)Click here for additional data file.


This article provides descriptive detailed (pre and post) values of physical capacity variables, NT-proBNP, physical activity levels and quality of life in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH)  by New York Heart Association (NYHA) class before and after an 8-month exercise intervention. The data are supplemental to our original Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) entitled “Benefits of skeletal-muscle exercise training in pulmonary arterial hypertension: The WHOLEi+12 trial”  [1]. Specifications TableValue of the data•Data presented here provide the descriptive overview of the PH patients by NYHA class involved in an exercise RCT.•We describe the changes in physical capacity-related primary outcomes (peak watts in leg and bench press) and the changes in physical capacity-related secondary outcomes  of the PAH patients by NYHA class involved in the RCT (control vs. intervention).•We describe values of physical activity (PA) levels (min/day in inactivity and moderate-vigorous PA) of PH patients by NYHA class involved in the RCT (control vs. intervention).•We show the values of health related quality of life  of PH patients by NYHA class involved in the RCT (control vs. intervention).•This data could be useful to physicians to make comparisons with other cohort datasets and so to contribute to the knowledge of the PA effect in PH patients by NYHA class.1NCT02288442) conducted from January 2015 to June 2016 at the Hospital 12 de Octubre  following the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines Descriptive values of physical capacity-related variables, NT-ProBNP, cardiopulmonary exercise capacity, PA levels and HRQoL of PAH patients involved in the RCT 220 PH patients were involved in the intervention group of the RCT and 20 PH patients in the control group. The RCT intervention lasted 8 weeks and included 3 main components: aerobic and muscle resistance, and specific inspiratory muscle training. All sessions were supervised by experienced fitness instructors. Data outcome (by order of aquisition) were: i) blood sampling for NT-proBNP determination, PImax, 6MWD, muscle power, 5-STS, and distribution of HRQoL questionnaire (1st day); ii) cardiopulmonary exercise testing ; and iii) seven days of accelerometry recording for objective PA determination. Please see Gonzalez-Saiz et al. (2017)


Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains the most common infection affecting organ transplant recipients. Despite advances in the prophylaxis and acute treatment of CMV, it remains an important pathogen affecting the short- and long-term clinical outcome of solid organ transplant recipient. The emergence of CMV resistance in a patient reduces the clinical efficacy of antiviral therapy, complicates therapeutic and clinical management decisions, and in some cases results in loss of the allograft and/or death of the patient. Common mechanisms of CMV resistance to ganciclovir have been described chiefly with the UL97 mutations. Here we evaluate Incidence of ganciclovir resistance in 144 CMV-positive renal transplant recipients and its association with UL97 gene mutations. Active CMV infection was monitored by viral DNA quantification in whole blood, and CMV resistance was assessed by UL97 gene sequencing. Six mutations in six patients were detected. Three patients (2.6%) of 112 patients with history of ganciclovir (GCV) treatment had clinical resistance with single UL97 mutations at loci known to be related to resistance . three patients who were anti-CMV drug naïve had single UL97 mutations (D605E) without clinical resistance. Our results confirm and extend our earlier findings on the specific mutations in the UL97 phosphotransferase gene in loci that have established role in ganciclovir resistance and also indicate that clinical ganciclovir resistance due to UL97 gene mutations is an issue in subjects with history of with ganciclovir treatment. D605E mutations remains a controversial issue that needs further investigations.  Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the Betaherpesviridae subfamily that belongs to Herpesviridae family, a significant human pathogen . The preIn immunocompetent individuals, primary infections are mostly subclinical and self-limited. In contrast, infections in immunocompromised persons including organ transplant recipients are accompanied by some important morbidity and mortality . CMV remIt was in the 1980s that Resistance of CMV to antiviral agents was first observed in the laboratory. OccurreAmong The 3 common antiviral drugs, ie, GCV, foscarnet, and cidofovir, ganciclovir targets both UL97 and the UL54 gene where foscarnet and cidofovir target just UL54 gene , 13. In Since GCV is the first-line treatment for CMV infections in immunocompromised patients , and ComPatients and methodsPatient population and CMV isolates0C until tested. In accordance with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences law, only patients who consented to the review of their medical records were included.The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of GCV resistance in CMV-positive renal transplant recipients and its association with UL97 gene mutations. We utilized clinical specimens submitted to one of the private Virology Laboratory in Tehran for CMV quantitative measurement. A total of 144 post kidney transplant patients (from different transplant centers in Tehran), with quantitative PCR > 2000 copies/mL were included in the study for UL97 sequencing. After obtaining whole blood from patients’ plasma viral DNA was extracted using QIAamp DNA Minikit (Qiagen), in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Viral DNA purification efficiency was analyzed by means of a dual-color detection system supplied with the kit and then they were stored at -20 UL97 gene analysisDrug resistance was evaluated for the UL97 region only by a readily available assay using detection methods previously reported , BrieflyPatients and virus isolates3 to 8×106 copies/mL serum) were studied. One hundred and forty-four CMV isolates , from 144 immunocompromised patients (post kidney transplantation) with viral load >2000 copies/mL . Clinical data and results of genotypic studies are summarized in Definition of drug resistance and UL97 gene mutation Definition of drug resistance: (no improvement (or with relapses) in CMV viremia or clinical disease during prolonged antiviral therapy especially in the presence of risk factors. Generally, prolonged therapy means 6 or more weeks of cumulative antiviral drug exposure, including more than 2 weeks of ongoing full dose therapy at the time of evaluation). Analysis of CMV DNA by sequencing revealed the presence of 6 single UL97 gene mutations in six patients who had received treatment with GCV .Three patients (2.6%) of 112 patients with history of GCV treatment had clinical resistance with single UL97 mutations at loci known to be related to resistance including an Ala-to-Val mutation at codon 594, MET-to-Thr mutation at codon 460 , and His-to-Gln mutation at codon 520. 3 patients had UL97 mutation without clinical resistance. No clinical resistance or UL97 mutation were observed among patients who were anti-CMV drug naïve. The 6 patients with UL97 mutations were followed for 6 month to see the outcomes.Ganciclovir resistance and clinical outcomeDemographic and clinical characteristics and the outcomes of the 3 patients with UL97 confirmed mutations without clinical resistance and 3 patients with UL97 mutations and clinical drug-resistant are presented in In 3 patients with UL97 mutations without clinical resistance no relapses were seen.Our goal in this study was to determine incidence of ganciclovir resistance in CMV-positive renal transplant recipients and its association with UL97 gene mutations in Iranian post kidney transplant patients. In this study, we analyzed viral DNA in the blood of 144 post kidney transplantation patients (32 patients were anti-CMV drug naïve) with CMV (> 2000 copies/mL) in order to determine incidence of GCV resistance and identify mutations in the CMV UL97 gene associated with clinical resistance to GCV. Clinical GCV resistance with UL97 conformed mutations were detected in 3 of 112 patients (2.6%) with history of GCV treatment. No clinical resistance or UL97 mutation were observed among patients who were anti-CMV drug naïve. GCV has been the drug of choice for treatment of systemic CMV disease. However, long-term therapy, ongoing active viral replication due to factors such as the lack of prior CMV immunity (D+/R-), high levels of immunosuppressive therapy, and suboptimal drug concentrations increase the risk of development of GCV resistance. The UL97 gene is by far the most frequent site of mutations conferring GCV resistance, and extensive work by a number of groups established that nucleotide changes associated with GCV resistance are clustered at codons 460, 520, and 590 to 607. These mutations are A594V, M460T, and H520Q , 15. In The outcome of patients with CMV disease because of ganciclovir-resistant CMV is generally poor, manifested by a high rate of allograft loss as illustrated in our study and those of others -30. In oIn conclusion, CMV disease caused by drug resistant virus is not an uncommon consequence of widespread and increasing rate of GCV use and increase in the incidence of drug-resistant CMV could be subsequent issue. The observations in this study may therefore foreshadow the emergence of drug-resistant CMV as an entity that could threaten the outcome of transplantation. The morbidity of clinical disease because of drug-resistant CMV, the complexity of its treatment, and the poor outcome of patients should be taken into consideration in the determination of concise role of different mutations and their association with clinical resistance and afterword development of optimized strategies for prevention of drug-resistant CMV and also development of drugs with less toxicity.


Bencao (materia medica) literature review is the very first step in the standard authentication procedure of Chinese medicinals. As an important part of China’s cultural heritage, these various bencao (materia medica) texts represent centuries of accumulated wisdom in combating disease and preserving health. In this short review, bencao (materia medica) classics of China are broadly divided into three major categories in our routine practice: mainstream bencao (materia medica), thematic bencao (materia medica) and regional bencao (materia medica). The overall significance and current situation of exploration of bencao (materia medica) literature are summarized as well.Books that record the sources and applications of medicinal materials are commonly known as  The Chinese term “bencao”, which literally means “rooted in herbs”, reflects the fact that most medicinal materials are derived from botanical sources. Bencao (materia medica) texts of past dynasties primarily describe three aspects of Chinese medicinals: medicinal materials, medicinal properties, and medicinal principles. As an important part of China’s cultural heritage, these various bencao (materia medica) texts represent centuries of accumulated wisdom in combating disease and preserving health. The Complete Collection of Traditional Texts on Chinese Materia Medica, a 410-volume and 246,000-page collection complied by the Association of Chinese Culture Research, includes more than 800 bencao (materia medica) classics from 220 BC to 1911 AD. This collection highlights the value of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a rich source for knowledge-based medical rediscovery due to its documentation of clinical experiences over thousands of years, and also illustrates the monumental challenge of selecting the best parts of TCM for modern innovation bencao (mbencao (materia medica) literature is uniquely developed in Chinese medicine, and represents a tremendous historical and cultural resource as well as an important reference point for clinicians, medical historians, and scientists in disciplines such as new drug discovery and Chinese medicinal authentication. Authentication is fundamental for Chinese medicinal standardization, and bencao (materia medica) literature review is the very first step in the standard authentication procedure of Chinese medicinals bencao (mbencao (materia medica) classics of China are broadly divided into three major categories: (a) mainstream bencao (materia medica): the most influential bencao (materia medica) classics from key historical periods, (b) thematic bencao (materia medica): specialized bencao (materia medica) texts dedicated to specific topics, and c) regional bencao (materia medica): bencao (materia medica) texts focused on medicinal materials from specific regions.In practice, bencao (materia medica) literature. They are the most influential classics from key historical periods.The Divine Husbandman’s Classic of Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing) This is the earliest extant bencao (materia medica) text, compiled in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD). This text records 365 medicinals and summarizes medicinal experiences up to the Han Dynasty. Medicinals are classified into three categories  based on their medicinal effects and toxicity. Entries for each medicinal substance include nomenclature, properties, compatibilities, and medical applications. Descriptions of production regions and the ecological environment of some medicinal plants are also recorded briefly.Collection of Commentaries on the Classic of the Materia Medica (Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu) Tao Hongjing, a physician of the North and South Kingdoms period (420–589 AD), compiled this text by preserving and annotating The Divine Husbandman’s Classic of Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing) and adding another 365 medicinals. It records 730 medicinals and established the framework of bencao (materia medica) compilations adopted by later generations. In this book, medicinal substances are further classified into seven categories based on their natural properties: jades/stones, herbs, trees, insects/beasts, fruits/vegetables, crops, and medicinals with names but without actual applications.Newly Revised Materia Medica (Xin Xiu Ben Cao) In 659 AD, commissioned by the government of the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), this text records 850 medicinals and is considered to be the earliest national pharmacopoeia in China.Materia Medica Arranged According to Pattern (Zheng Lei Ben Cao) Compiled by a physician named Tang Shenwei and published in 1108 AD, this is the most praiseworthy bencao (materia medica) of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) as it comprehensively summarizes herbal knowledge up to that time. There are three versions of this book  currently in circulation. It records 1746 medicinals and is the only bencao (materia medica) text from the Song and previous dynastic periods that survived intact. It features clearly preserved quotations from previous works and stands out as an important reference point for bencao (materia medica) knowledge leading up to the Song Dynasty.Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) Written by Li Shizhen, a physician of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), this text was first published in 1596. It records 1892 medicinal substances. This massive and influential compilation represents the highest academic achievement among all the ancient Chinese bencao (materia medica). It not only comprehensively summarized medical knowledge up to the sixteenth century in China, but also contributed greatly to the development of natural sciences in the world.Over the past 2000 years, five monumental works stand out in the genre of bencao (materia medica) refer to specialized bencao (materia medica) texts dedicated to specific topics, such as medicinal processing, authentication, dietary therapy, and medicinal properties. Examples include Grandfather Lei’s Treatise on Herbal Processing (Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun) and Origins of the Materia Medica (Ben Cao Yuan Shi). The former is the first monograph on Chinese medicinal processing, written in about 500 AD in the North and South Kingdoms period; it summarizes the literature and experiences of the ancient practice of processing. The latter stands out in the history of bencao (materia medica) as an outstanding monograph on macroscopic identification, written by Li Zhongli in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD). It is characterized by detailed illustrations and descriptions of diagnostic features of raw medicinal materials. Other examples of thematic bencao texts include the Materia Medica of Dietary Therapy (Shi Liao Ben Cao) of the Tang Dynasty and the Materia Medica for Decoctions (Tang Ye Ben Cao) of the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368 AD). The former was dedicated to the theory and practice of dietary therapy, and the latter to the theory of medicinal properties and clinical experience.Thematic bencao (materia medica) texts record knowledge related to medicinal substances derived from specific local regions. Examples include the Materia Medica from Steep Mountainsides (Lu Chan Yan Ben Cao) and the Essentials of Raw Herbs in Lingnan (Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao). The former was the first regional bencao (materia medica) with color illustrations dedicated to local medicinal plants; compiled in 1220 AD in the Song Dynasty, it focused on the area around modern-day Hangzhou. The latter was compiled in 1711 AD in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD); it records botanical medicinals used in the Lingnan region, a geographic area located in the southern part of China.Regional Bencao (materia medica) tradition provides a rich record of knowledge that has been gradually refined for centuries, opening a window into the cultural tradition of scholarship and textual research that defines TCM. Bencao (materia medica) literature such as the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) illustrates important developments in the broader history of natural sciences in China, and this text has been translated into European languages since 1735 AD. In recent decades, exploration of bencao (materia medica) literature has facilitated dramatic medical discoveries, such as the anti-malarial drug artemisinin from sweet wormwood  [bencao (materia medica) literature remains underestimated outside of the TCM community. Therefore, in addition to other aspects of TCM, attention is needed to preserve the cultural resources that lie at the heart of bencao (materia medica).However, at present, the overall significance of daodi medicinal materials, medicinal authentication and Chinese medicinal processing are closely connected to bencao (materia medica) literature [bencao (materia medica) research depends upon a multidisciplinary approach that protects the past while embracing the future.Although our research efforts related to terature –9, the f


Oxytocin and vasopressin mediate a range of physiological functions that are important for osmoregulation, reproduction, social behaviour, memory and learning. The origin of this signalling system is thought to date back ~600 million years. Oxytocin/vasopressin-like peptides have been identified in several invertebrate species and they appear to be functionally related across the entire animal kingdom. There is little information available about the biology of this peptide G protein-coupled receptor signalling system in insects. Recently over 200 insect genome/transcriptome datasets were released allowing investigation of the molecular structure and phylogenetic distribution of the insect oxytocin/vasopressin orthologue – inotocin peptides and their receptors. The signalling system is present in early arthropods and representatives of some early-diverging lineages. However, Trichoptera, Lepidoptera, Siphonaptera, Mecoptera and Diptera, lack the presence of inotocin genes, which suggests the peptide-receptor system was probably lost in their common ancestor ~280 million-years-ago. In addition we detected several losses of the inotocin signalling system in Hemiptera , and the complete absence in spiders (Chelicerata). This unique insight into evolutionarily patterns and sequence diversity of neuroendocrine hormones will provide opportunities to elucidate the physiology of the inotocin signalling system in one of the largest group of animals. Insects  constitute the largest and most diverse group of organisms on earth, contributing to at least half of the global species diversity1a-, V1b- and V2-receptors. Oxytocin and vasopressin signalling is involved in a variety of vital functions both in the periphery and the central nervous system. Oxytocin plays crucial roles in reproduction including uterine contraction or milk ejection, and functions as neurotransmitter in complex social behaviour such as bonding, stress or anxiety66910Here we took advantage of this opportunity to investigate the repertoire of oxytocin/vasopressin-like peptides, namely inotocin peptide hormone precursors, and their cognate family of receptors. Although this peptide G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling system is thought to date back more than 600 million yearsIn the present study we analysed over 260 invertebrate species of insects and other arthropods for the presence of the inotocin peptide GPCR signalling system. By sequence mining of publicly available genome and transcriptome datasets it was possible to identify and annotate peptide precursor and receptor coding sequences. Furthermore we carried out sequence analyses for conserved motifs on the sequences that were found and performed a phylogenetic analysis of the inotocin receptors. This revealed a unique insight into the phylogenetic distribution and aspects of the evolution of the oxytocin/vasopressin-like peptide GPCR signalling system in arthropods.in 12 out of these 23 species that contain partial sequences we found putative inotocin receptor sequences as well; in the 11 remaining species we cannot exclude the possibility that these inotocin precursor sequences may have been derived as artefacts or sequencing errors] that shared similarity to the neurophysin domain of oxytocin/vasopressin-like precursors (Scolopendra subspinipes (centipede), Atelura formicaria (silverfish) and Leptinotarsa decemlineata (beetle) and three different precursor genes/transcripts in Calanus finmarchicus (crustacean)  . The twoX4CPXG  contain an alanine or serine residue instead of glycine in position 9; in addition we identified three sequences of putative decapeptides that contain a 4-residue tail before the processing site, i.e. CYIINCIDND in Scolopendra subspinipes, CFITNCPVGG within Lepeophtheirus salmonus and CFITNCPVGS within Caligus rogercresseyi. One unusual sequence had neither an amidated glycine nor a typical amidation processing site (Speleonectes cf. tulumensis - CFILDCPLM-IRN) and hence it remains doubtful whether this precursor will actually be processed to a mature inotocin-like peptide.Sequence analysis of all putative inotocin precursors revealed that there is some degree of conservation within parts of the cysteine-rich C-terminal neurophysin domain . HoweverX4CPXG  whereof X4CPXG . NotablyLimulus polyphemus (3 subtypes), Ixodes scapularis (3 subtypes), Metaseiulus occidentalis (2 subtypes), Varroa destructor (2 subtypes), Achipteria coleoptrata (2 subtypes), Platynothrus peltifer (5 subtypes) and Strigamia maritima (2 subtypes). Additionally we found 4 different subtypes in crustaceans, e.g. Daphnia magna , appear to be conserved, which allows distinguishing them from CCAP receptors that contain alanine and valine/leucine/phenylalanine, respectively (AXNPV/L/F) in these two positions (To distinguish inotocin receptors from closely related crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) receptors, which share a high degree of sequence similarity and evolved by gene duplication before Protostomia and Deutorostomia have separated, we aimed to identify sequence motifs exclusively present in the inotocin receptors. Firstly we prepared an alignment of 68 CCAP receptors of insects available at NCBI and 68 invertebrate and vertebrate oxytocin/vasopressin-like receptors that have been previously analysedositions . To confositions .in silico mining strongly relies on raw sequence data quality, completeness of genomes and sampling size, some orders (for instance Mantophasmatodea and Strepsiptera) only contained a few sampled species and hence the apparent absence of the inotocin signalling system in these orders should be treated carefully. Furthermore we identified inotocin precursor and receptor sequences in one species (Arachnocampa luminosa) of the order Diptera (flies), which most likely was due to a contamination of the dataset (FITNCPXG (with some exceptions) is distributed among Chelicerata, Myriapoda, Crustaceans and early-diverging lineages of Hexapoda; the putative peptide CLITNCPKG is almost exclusively present in the monophyletic insects group Polyneoptera (inclusive orders of Zoraptera to Isoptera), and the putative peptide CLITNCPRG is prevalent amongst the latest diverged lines of insects (orders Thysanoptera to Coleoptera).Having identified both inotocin peptides and receptors it was of interest to map their presence across all sampled arthropod species. In 105 species we were able to identify both an inotocin-like precursor as well as the cognate receptor, and in another 64 species we could establish evidence for the presence of the inotocin peptide GPCR signalling system by identification of either peptide or receptor. In addition there are 100 species that showed no evidence for the presence of inotocin precursor sequences or receptors . Bearing dataset . The tax dataset . For exaHalyomorha halys (both inotocin precursor and receptor) and the large milkweed bug Oncopelcus fasciatus (inotocin precursor only); in Auchenorrhyncha it was found in the plant/leaf/froghoppers, but not in cicadas. In a total of 62 analysed species of Hymenoptera, all sawflies, wasps (30 species) and ants (20 species) were identified to contain components of the inotocin signalling system. In agreement with the scientific literature10There are some heterogeneous groups of which some species do and others don’t contain components of the inotocin signalling system; for instance in Hymenoptera and Hemiptera there appear to be losses of inotocin precursor and receptor genes . In Hemi1617Tribolium castaneum11Locusta migratoria22Oxytocin and vasopressin peptide ligands and their cognate receptors comprise one of the oldest and best-studied peptide GPCR signalling systems. Being present across a range of distantly-related animal species and dating back more than 600 million years in evolution, it has been an intriguing model system for comparative endocrinology and neurophysiology199C. elegans, possess oxytocin/vasopressin-like precursor and receptorsIn this project, we analysed the presence or absence of ligands and receptors of the inotocin signalling system in Arthropoda and compared these data to the recently established phylogeny10Speleonectes cf. tulumensis we did not find the dibasic amidation signal between the peptide and neurophysin domain. There are a few exceptions, for instance the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) which has two copies of inotocin prepropeptides that encode two different inotocin-like peptides (CLITNCPKG and CLITNCPIG) while all other analysed beetle datasets showed evidence only for one copy of the prepropeptide encoding for the putative mature inotocin peptide CLITNCPRG. Interestingly, six of the identified multi-copy receptor species were found within the subphylum Chelicerata and one in Myriapoda, but not a single species within the Hexapoda. We also analysed four different Daphnia magna transcripts of inotocin receptors, which are probably the result of alternative splicing since these sequences are almost identical except for minor deletions/insertions in intracellular loop 3 as well transmembrane domains 3 and 5. The presence of multiple copies in some of the species could be explained by whole genome or large scale duplication events, which have been reported for Limulus polyphemus26Ixodes scapularisCalanus finmarchicusStrigamia maritima3133343534After defining a global map for the phylogenetic distribution of inotocin peptide GPCR signalling system in insects and other arthropods, we aimed to analyse the molecular structure of inotocin peptides and receptors. The vast majority of all sampled species contain one gene encoding for the inotocin receptor and one for the precursor (referred to as prepropeptide). All of the identified prepropeptides have a similar structure containing a signal peptide, a mature inotocin domain, an amidation/processing signal and a neurophysin domain . Only wiin silico mining approaches10Scolopendra subspinipes, Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus rogercresseyi are decapeptides. Such unusual ‘longer’ oxytocin/vasopressin-like analogues have previously been identified in C. elegans39Ciona intestinalisStyela plicataXIXNC) and are similar to the ancestral vasotocin sequence  were used to perform off-line database searches using tblastn and blastp (version 2.2.31) with an E-value cut-off of 10 e−4 and default parameters −4) were discarded and other hits were manually annotated and verified.Selected published oxytocin/vasopressin-like and inotocin precursor amino acid sequences (Accessions: −4) were assigned and confirmed based on two unique sequence criteria: (i) presence of a conserved motif at the end of transmembrane domain 2 and at the beginning of extracellular loop 1 (XPQX2WX5-6F), and (ii) presence of a CXNPW motif in transmembrane domain 7  was used to perform alignments analysis of peptides, precursor proteins and receptor sequences. Signal peptides, mature peptide domain, amidation signal and neurophysin domain were assigned based on homology to query sequences. For the preparation of sequence logos the free WebLogo tool (http://weblogo.berkeley.edu/) was used.ClustalO .Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.


Specifications TableValue of the data•The data presents specific surface area and pore size distribution of vanadium oxides hollow microspheres.•The SEM images of the solvothermal reaction products using different volume ratio of isopropanol/ethylene glycol was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy  and showed an appropriate amount of ethylene glycol is important for the formation of uniform microspheres structure.•The FESEM images and TEM images of the microspheres prepared with different solvothermal reaction time were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy  and transmission electron microscopy  and showed the morphology of core-shell microspheres.12 adsorption-desorption isotherm and the corresponding pore size distribution curves (inset) data. The SEM image in The 22.1Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) absorption and the pore size distribution were measured on an Xtended Pressure Sorption Analyzer  at 77 K. The specific surface area and pore diameter distribution of the samples were analyzed by BET and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) methods. The morphology of the sample was determined using field emission scanning electron microscopy  and transmission electron microscopy .


The data presented in this paper shows the spatiotemporal expansion of Dire Dawa City (eastern Ethiopia) and the ensuing land use land cover changes in its peri-urban areas between 1985 and 2015. The data were generated from satellite images of Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper-Plus (ETM+) and OLI  with path/raw value of 166/053 by using Arc GIS 10.1 software. The precision of the images was verified by geolocation data collected from ground control points by using Geographic Positioning System (GPS) receiver. Four LULC classes  with their respective spatiotemporal dimensions were clearly identified in the analysis. Built up area had shown an overall annual increment of 15.8% (82 ha per year) from 517 ha in 1985 to 2976 ha in 2015. Expansion took place in all directions but it was more pronounced along the main road towards other nearby towns, recently established business/service areas and the Industrial Park. Barren land, farmland and vegetation areas showed speedy decline over the years. Specifications TableValue of the data•The data is helpful to Dire Dawa City administrators to speculate the extent of the spatiotemporal expansion of Dire Dawa and its potential impacts on the surround areas.•The data provides information on the status of urban expansion towards rural peri-urban areas around Dire Dawa City.•The data is vital to model urban expansion towards rural peri-urban areas surrounding Dire Dawa City to mitigate its adverse impacts on the livelihoods of the people inhabiting the area and the ecosystem.•The data is useful to researchers, urban planners and experts working in the field.1The data in this article provides information on the spatiotemporal expansion of Dire Dawa City (eastern Ethiopia) and the ensuing LULC changes in its peri-urban areas between 1985 and 2015. 2landsat images of 30 m spatial resolution and path/row values of 166/053 as well as GPS-based ground survey records were vital data sources for this data article. The images were geo-referenced with World Geodetic System (WGS) 1984 datum and Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection system zone 37 North. The analysis comprised of layer stacking, radiometric correction, image enhancement, haze reduction, band combination and false color combination. Google earth maps of each year were used for GPS-based ground verification with a minimum of 20 spatially distributed ground control points in the area. Reconnaissance survey and researchers׳ experience of the study area were also vital. With this pre-assessment, four LULC classification schemes such as built up area, farmland, vegetation and barren land were identified considering the standard classes defined by the US Geological Survey as well as the study detail and objectives TM (1985), ETM+ (2005) and OLI (2015) dry season


Global efforts to eradicate polio began in 1988, and four of the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions currently have achieved poliofree certification. Within the remaining two regions with endemic poliomyelitis (African and Eastern Mediterranean), Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan have never interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus (WPV). The primary means of detecting poliovirus transmission is surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) among children aged <15 years, combined with collection and testing of stool specimens for detection of WPV and vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs)Two principal indicators measure the quality of AFP surveillance. The first is the nonpolio AFP (NPAFP) rate ; an NPAFP rate ≥2 is considered sufficiently sensitive to detect WPV or VDPV cases if poliovirus is circulating. The second indicator is the collection of adequate stool specimens from ≥80% of patients with AFP  cases were reported in AFR in 2017. The four WPV1 cases that occurred in AFR in 2016 were reported from Borno state in Nigeria . Among tAmong the 21 EMR countries, 15,951 AFP cases were reported in 2016, and 19,035 in 2017. Two EMR countries (Afghanistan and Pakistan) reported WPV1 cases in 2016 (33) and 2017 (22). The number of WPV1 cases reported by Afghanistan remained constant (13 in 2016 and 14 in 2017); the number reported from Pakistan declined from 20 (2016) to eight (2017). In 2016, one cVDPV2 case was reported in EMR, in Pakistan. In contrast, during 2017, 74 cVDPV cases were reported from EMR. All cases were type 2 and occurred in Syria; the most recent case occurred in September 2017 , resultiSewage sample testing supplements AFP surveillance by identifying poliovirus transmission that might occur in the absence of detected AFP cases  isolate and identify poliovirus, 2) conduct intratypic differentiation (ITD) to identify WPV or screen for Sabin (vaccine) poliovirus and VDPV  genotype was the only WPV1 genotype circulating globally and was detected in Afghanistan and Pakistan. West Africa B1 (WEAF-B1) genotype was last detected in Nigeria in 2016. Sequence analysis associated with the SOAS genotype indicates that WPV1 cases might have been missed by AFP surveillance in 2017; orphan WPV1 isolates (those with less genetic relatedness [≤98.5% in VP1 gene] to other circulating viruses) were associated with three of 22 WPV1 cases reported from Afghanistan and Pakistan, indicating possible gaps in AFP surveillance. In 2017, cVDPV viruses with extended divergence from the parental Sabin strain were also isolated from stool specimens of AFP cases and from environmental samples in three countries.The number of reported WPV cases declined to the lowest point ever in 2017; however, reported cVDPV cases increased from 2016 to 2017 because of major cVDPV2 outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria. Although most national-level surveillance quality indicators improved in 2017, considerable variation exists at subnational levels, particularly in inaccessible areas, and timely detection of circulating polioviruses can be hampered if active surveillance efforts are not rigorous. Repeated detection of WPV and cVDPV from sewage samples in locations where poliovirus cases have not been detected or where sewage detections have preceded detection in persons can provide early evidence of viral circulation within a community  . Strong supervision and monitoring of surveillance performance, especially at subnational levels, is important to achieve high-quality surveillance that can detect poliovirus transmission. Environmental surveillance has been an important supplement to AFP surveillance and, when carefully conducted in populations covered by sewage networks, can improve detection of circulating virus, particularly in high-risk areas with suboptimal AFP surveillance , the fewest number ever reported globally. Polio cases caused by circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses increased from four in 2016 to 96 in 2017 because of large outbreaks in Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although surveillance performance indicators are improving at the national level, gaps remain, including at subnational levels. As polio cases decline, sensitive and timely surveillance becomes even more important. As long as polioviruses circulate in any country, all countries remain at risk.


Heredity: The gene family that cheats Mendel. Published 20, June 2017sp (spore killing) and rsp (resistant to sp) genes in Neurospora bread molds" with the sentence: "Example: sk (spore killer) and rsk (resistant to sk) genes in Neurospora bread molds" on panel B of Figure 1. Please note that this correction does not affect the results and conclusions of the original paper.The gene names in the example of the two-gene model provided on panel B of Figure 1 were incorrectly spelled and abbreviated. We have corrected this error by replacing the sentence "Example: The corrected Figure 1 is shown here:The originally published Figure 1 is also shown for reference:The article has been corrected accordingly.


Introduction. Postoperative pancreatic fistula formation remains the major complication after distal pancreatectomy. At our institution, we have recently developed a novel bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde sealed hand sutured fish-mouth closure technique of the pancreatic remnant during distal pancreatectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of this approach with regard to technical feasibility and overall postoperative outcome. Patients and Methods. 32 patients who underwent a bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde sealed hand sutured fish-mouth closure of the pancreatic remnant during distal pancreatectomy between 2012 and 2014 at our institution were analyzed for clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula formation (Grades B and C according to ISGPF definition) and overall postoperative morbidity. Results. Three out of 32 patients (9.4%) developed Grade B pancreatic fistula, which could be treated conservatively. No Grade C pancreatic fistulas were observed. Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient (3.1%). Overall postoperative complications > Clavien II were observed in 5 patients (15.6%). There was no postoperative mortality. Conclusion. The performance of a bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde sealed hand sutured fish-mouth closure of the pancreatic remnant was shown to be technically feasible and may lead to a significant decrease of postoperative pancreatic fistula formation after distal pancreatectomy.  Distal Pancreatectomy (DP) is performed as the standard procedure in patients with malignant, cystic, or neuroendocrine tumors and/or chronic pancreatitis in the body and tail of the pancreas . ContinuWe retrospectively analyzed 33 consecutive patients who underwent a bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde (BioGlue) sealed fish-mouth closure of the pancreatic remnant during distal pancreatectomy for primary malignant or cystic tumors of the pancreas as well as for chronic pancreatitis at the Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow, between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2015. All operations were performed by five experienced visceral surgeons who were all educated about the technical steps of this novel procedure as part of the inclusion criteria of this study. This study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and its amendments and approved by the institutional ethic committee.DP was performed as open surgery in each patient. The extent of the pancreatic resection, as well as the need for additional lymphadenectomy and splenectomy, was determined based on the underlying disease and/or cancer stages. The pancreatic resection was performed in all cases using electrocautery in an incision line, which creates a fish-mouth shaped cutting surface of the pancreatic remnant . After aThe levels of amylase and/or lipase in the blood and in the intra-abdominal drains were routinely measured on the 2nd and 5th postoperative day or immediately in the presence of laboratory or clinical signs of infection. Oral food intake was usually begun on the second postoperative day depending on the patient condition and bowel function. The drains were usually removed within 6 postoperative days if the output was clear and if there were no signs or symptoms of infection. We did not perform a standardized Somatostatin analogue  prophylaxis for POPF prevention and pancreatic enzyme were only supplemented in the event of clinical signs of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.We also did not use a standardized protocol for POPF treatment. The drains were left in situ or replaced interventionally and continuous rinsing of the drain was initiated until the drain secretion was clear and the amylase/lipase had declined back to normal values. A cessation of oral food intake and/or eventually octreotide administration during POPF treatment was decided on individual basis in each patient.The patients who had undergone an additional splenectomy received haemophilus, pneumococcal, and meningococcal vaccination according to current guidelines .All patients were observed in our outpatient department for a postoperative period of at least 30 days.Data collection in all patients included relevant information on their medical history, the pathological examination with regard to the underlying disease and resection margin status and the overall postoperative clinical outcome with documentation of any significant procedure related morbidity, the need for reintervention or reoperation, and the length of hospital stay. Postoperative morbidity was classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification . POPF anBesides a general analysis of the technical feasibility of this novel approach the primary outcome of our study was to investigate the rate of clinically relevant POPF equivalent to POPF Grades B and C. All other complications within 30 days of the operation were also recorded.Statistical analysis was performed using PASW statistics 19 . Continuous variables were reported using mean or median values where appropriate with range, whereas categorical variables were described using frequencies and percent.Between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2015, 32 consecutive patients underwent a bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde sealed fish-mouth closure of the pancreatic remnant during distal pancreatectomy.There were 15 males (47%) and 17 females (53%) with a median age of 62 years (32–77). The indication for distal pancreatectomy was pancreatic adenocarcinoma in 11 patients (34%), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas in 7 patients (22%), chronic pancreatitis in 3 patients (9%), neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of the pancreas in 2 patients (6%), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) of the pancreas in 3 patients (9%), cyst adenoma in 4 patients (13%), cyst adenocarcinoma in 1 patient (3%), and leiomyosarcoma in 1 patient (3%). Two of the 32 patients (6%) underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic papillotomy (EPT) and endoscopic pancreas stent placement prior to the operation .A splenectomy was performed in 27 of the 32 patients (84%). Seven patients (22%) underwent an additional multivisceral resection with partial or total gastrectomy in 4 patients (13%), colon resection in 5 patients (16%), and/or partial adrenalectomy in 3 patients (9%). The mean operation time was 199 minutes (116–282 minutes). No patient required intraoperative administration of packed red blood cells. The pancreas tissue texture was found to be soft in 13 patients (41%) and hard in 19 patients (59%) according to the intraoperative assessment of the operating surgeon. Major postoperative morbidity > Clavien II occurred in 5 of the 32 patients (16%). Three patients (9%) developed a clinically relevant POPF Grade B. Each of the three patients could be treated conservatively with a however prolonged hospital stay of 40, 71, and 93 days. No Grade C pancreatic fistulas were observed. Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage Grade A occurred in one patient (3%) as an intraluminal bleeding, which did not require therapeutic consequences. Two patients underwent reoperations, due to an insufficiency of a colon anastomosis in one patient and an abdominal fascial dehiscence in another patient. There was no postoperative mortality. The median length of hospital stay was 12 days (7–93) .Postoperative pancreatic fistula formation remains the most relevant complication after distal pancreatectomy with a major impact on postoperative quality of life as well as on health care costs. In patients with an underlying malignant disease POPF may in addition lead to a delayed onset of further essential adjuvant treatment which has been identified as an independent risk factor for early peritoneal recurrence and decreased overall survival .Numerous surgical techniques have therefore been described in an attempt to possibly decrease the incidence and impact of POPF. However, even two recent prospective randomized trials failed to identify an ideal technique for the procedure with the pancreatic remnant. The DISPACT trial compared a stapler versus hand-sewn closure of the pancreatic remnant and the incidence of clinically relevant POPF Grades B and C was reported with 20% and 21% in each group . AnalogoThe creation of a fish-mouth shaped cutting margin of the pancreatic remnant may of course be challenging especially in a rather thin gland and may also be associated with an increased bleeding tendency . Also thThe use of bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde (BioGlue) as a sealant is of course rather expensive especially in comparison to widely used fibrin glue. However, several studies showed that the use of fibrin for sealing the cutting surface after PD or DP as well as for occlusion of the main pancreatic duct was not associated with a reduction of POPF , 35. In Complications of bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde (BioGlue) application reported in cardiovascular and pulmonary surgery include nerve damage, local or embolic vascular obstruction, and foreign body reactions , 37. LämIt should of course be noted that any kind of additional physical barrier may lead to a delayed onset or at least clinical presentation of POPF . As partA reduction in the incidence of POPF may of course not just be achieved by restricting on surgical technical factors alone. Several studies have reported an improved postoperative outcome if EPT or pancreatic stent placement were performed prior to DP . This po


We report the results of pathologic examinations of 2 fetuses from women in Colombia with Zika virus infection during pregnancy that revealed severe central nervous system defects and potential associated abnormalities of the eye, spleen, and placenta. Amniotic fluid and tissues from multiple fetal organs tested positive for Zika virus. In October 2015, Colombia confirmed its first case of autochthonous Zika virus infection  with brain tissue loss, including absence of cerebral hemispheres . Amniotic fluid sampled at 17 weeks was positive for Zika virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR). The fetus was at 20 weeks of gestation when evaluated.Case 2 involved a 15-year-old pregnant resident of Bogotá who reported symptoms compatible with Zika virus disease, including generalized rash for 2 days and myalgia, after travel to a municipality with prevalent Zika virus infections, with onset occurring at 16–20 weeks of gestation. She had an uncomplicated obstetric history with 1 prior live birth. Prenatal care started in week 26; an ultrasound at that time showed a fetus with abnormal clefts in the cerebral hemispheres of the brain , with cleft walls separated and filled with cerebrospinal fluid (open lip). Follow-up ultrasound indicated large regions of parietal and temporal brain parenchymal loss. The fetus was evaluated and Zika virus diagnosis confirmed at 27 weeks of gestation.Autopsies of fetal organs and placenta with anatomic pathology and microscopic evaluation were performed for both fetuses. Tissue samples were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin and fixed in paraffin; 4-μm-thick cuts were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for morphologic analysis with light microscopy. RNA was extracted from fresh tissue by using a TRIzol plus RNA purification kit . We used rRT-PCR for the detection of Zika virus (NS5) and 1-step RT-PCR for the detection of the envelope protein–coding region (360 bp) were performed as previously described , which highlights the potentially long window of vulnerability to adverse outcomes among pregnant women with Zika virus infection.–Persistent viremia in maternal serum has been previously reported (Given the epidemic levels of Zika virus disease being reported in Colombia and the severe outcomes associated with congenital infection, we call attention to the importance of healthcare providers reporting cases of Zika virus disease for adequate public health surveillance. Recommendations might include enhanced surveillance of acute cases among pregnant women and stillbirths and abortions related to Zika virus disease during pregnancy, as well as adverse outcomes among live births. Collecting information on congenital Zika virus infection is important to helping public health authorities effectively address this new health threat and make evidence-based decisions, which will benefit Colombia and other countries throughout the world.


Energy Information Administration׳s International Energy Statistics (http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/IEDIndex3.cfm?tid=44&pid=44&aid=2) and the Barro-Lee Educational Attainment Dataset (http://www.barrolee.com). These data can be used to examine the relationships between economic growth and different forms of energy consumption.The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled ‘Economic Growth, Fossil Fuel and Non-Fossil Consumption: A Pooled Mean Group Analysis using Proxies for Capital’  The dataset is made publicly available to promote further analyses. Specifications TableValue of the data•The data are useful for analysing the relationship between economic growth and different forms of energy consumption.•The data are publicly available, but are dispersed within several different sources.•The data are collected for 53 countries with varying levels of economic development.•Other researchers may find the data useful for different types of analysis in areas such as environmental and development economics.1The data comprises real gross domestic product (GDP) and physical capital from the World Bank, fossil fuel and non-fossil fuel consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and human capital from the Barro-Lee Educational Attainment Dataset for 53 countries over the period 1990–2012. Real GDP and physical capital stock are in millions of 2005 US dollars, fossil and non-fossil fuel consumption are both measured in trillions of British thermal units and human capital is in millions.2The data on real GDP were obtained from the World Bank׳s World Development Indicators (WDI) The data on physical capital were constructed by accumulating real gross fixed capital formation (obtained from the WDI) assuming a constant depreciation rate using the perpetual inventory method Hit) were constructed as follows:Lit=total labour force sit=average years of schooling (obtained from r=return to education, set at 10% following The data on human capital (All the data were converted into logarithms for the purposes of the analysis


Maintaining genome stability is essential for preventing various human diseases including cancer. Previous studies have elucidated multiple cellular mechanisms for genome maintenance, which can be classified into two major groups: one that deals with replication-associated abnormalities, and the other that repairs various DNA lesions. The replication fidelity maintenance mechanisms involve DNA polymerases and the DNA mismatch repair pathway. While replicative DNA polymerases and the mismatch repair system are responsible for correcting mispairs generated during DNA replication , 2, tranCell and Bioscience presents a series of reviews attempting to provide an overview of the latest breakthroughs and developments in the field. Specifically, this series focuses on (1) novel regulation of DNA damage response by ubiquitinating and deubiquitinating enzymes ; (2) the impact of bulky DNA lesions on error-prone or error-free transcription ; (3) the genome maintenance function of Fanconi anemia proteins ; (4) new factors and mechanisms of DNA break end joining (Wang and Xu); (5) mutagenic and tumorigenic activities of APOBEC3B ; and (6) nonsense RNA-mediated cellular surveillance pathway .Building on the previous discoveries, recent investigations in the field have revealed new insights into the mechanisms of the genome maintenance systems. In this thematic series, It is our sincere hope that this thematic series brings our readers enlightenment and offers sufficient introductory information to help them appreciate the new breakthroughs and developments in the field.


Arabidopsis thaliana. The first analysis was of two gene families with key roles in regulation of oil quality and in particular the accumulation of oleic acid, namely stearoyl ACP desaturases (SAD) and acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterases (FAT). In both cases, these were found to be large gene families with complex expression profiles across a wide range of tissue types and developmental stages. The detailed classification of the oil palm SAD and FAT genes has enabled the updating of the latest version of the oil palm gene model. The second analysis focused on disease resistance (R) genes in order to elucidate possible candidates for breeding of pathogen tolerance/resistance. Ortholog analysis showed that 141 out of the 210 putative oil palm R genes had homologs in banana and rice. These genes formed 37 clusters with 634 orthologous genes. Classification of the 141 oil palm R genes showed that the genes belong to the Kinase (7), CNL (95), MLO-like (8), RLK (3) and Others (28) categories. The CNL R genes formed eight clusters. Expression data for selected R genes also identified potential candidates for breeding of disease resistance traits. Furthermore, these findings can provide information about the species evolution as well as the identification of agronomically important genes in oil palm and other major crops.Comparative genomics and transcriptomic analyses were performed on two agronomically important groups of genes from oil palm versus other major crop species and the model organism,  Elaeis guineensis, is a major global crop that can benefit considerably from the application of modern genomic advances. According to recent industry statistics, the annual global production of palm oil increased by almost 600% over the period 1990–2017, from 10.5 to 62.9 million tonnes  Alignment of two oil palm FATBs with orthologs from A. thaliana and Z. mays. [C] Protein sequence alignment of the orthologous cluster OG1.5_1281 of stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturases (SAD) aligned using MUSCLE to produce more than 70% identity between oil palm and A. thaliana and maize proteins.[A] Alignment of two oil palm FATAs with orthologs from (PDF)Click here for additional data file.


The role of the diet as well as the impact of the dietary habits on human health and disease is well established. Apart from its sleep regulatory effect, the indoleamine melatonin is a well-established antioxidant molecule with multiple health benefits. Convincing evidence supports the presence of melatonin in plants and foods with the intake of such foods affecting circulating melatonin levels in humans. While numerous actions of both endogenous melatonin and melatonin supplementation are well described, little is known about the influence of the dietary melatonin intake on human health. In the present review, evidence for the cardiovascular health benefits of melatonin supplementation and dietary melatonin is discussed. Current knowledge on the biological significance as well as the underlying physiological mechanism of action of the dietary melatonin is also summarized. Whether dietary melatonin constitutes an alternative preventive treatment for cardiovascular disease is addressed. The role of the diet as well as the impact of the dietary habits on human health and disease has been described since the antiquity , A strong inverse relationship exists between endogenous melatonin levels and cardiovascular disease  reduces BP values of hypertensive men , intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) while it increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), catalytic glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLC) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a rat model of a smoke-induced vascular injury  play an important role in the pathological process of pulmonary hypertension and subsequent heart failure   which, in turn, activates tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)/STAT3 pathway  hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis with the hallmarks of the heart failure  administration or other forms of preparations  ; FN: conception, literature choice, figures and tables, revised the final draft manuscript.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the most important vaccine-preventable cause of encephalitis in the Asia-Pacific region. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends integration of JE vaccination into national immunization schedules in all areas where the disease is a public health priority . TInformation on JE surveillance and immunization programs was obtained from several sources. Health officials from 18 WHO countries with endemic JE who attended the 7th Biregional Meeting on Prevention and Control of JE in 2016 were surveyed; abbreviated surveysRepresentatives from all 24 countries with JE virus transmission risk completed the surveys.During 2015, WHO received reports of 4,087 JE cases from 20 (83%) of 24 countries; 3,549 (87%) of these cases were reported from four countries . No other country reported more than 115 cases.Twelve (50%) of the 24 countries had a JE immunization program in 2016 ; 10  virus is a leading cause of encephalitis in Asia. The World Health Organization recommends integration of JE vaccination into national immunization schedules in all areas where the disease is a public health priority.A review of surveillance and immunization program data in the 24 countries with JE virus transmission risk found that in 2016, 22 countries conducted at least some surveillance for JE, and 12 had implemented a JE immunization program. This represents substantial progress in JE prevention and control measures, but challenges remain, including incomplete case reporting, misclassification of cases, lack of immunization program monitoring data, and inadequate monitoring of JE vaccination coverage following vaccine introduction.Strengthened surveillance, continued commitment, and adequate resources for JE vaccination should help maintain progress toward prevention and control of JE.


The correct sentence should read: Left ventricular mass index (LVMi) was calculated using the Devereux-modified cube formula based on linear measurements of interventricular septum thickness, left ventricular cavity diameter and posterior wall thickness as assessed by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) method and indexed to body surface area (in m