The Yeast Spore Wall Enables Spores to Survive Passage through the Digestive Tract of Drosophila

In nature, yeasts are subject to predation by flies of the genus Drosophila. In response to nutritional starvation Saccharomyces cerevisiae differentiates into a dormant cell type, termed a spore, which is resistant to many types of environmental stress. The stress resistance of the spore is due primarily to a spore wall that is more elaborate than the vegetative cell wall. We report here that S. cerevisiae spores survive passage through the gut of Drosophila melanogaster. Constituents of the spore wall that distinguish it from the vegetative cell wall are necessary for this resistance. Ascospores of the distantly related yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe also display resistance to digestion by D. melanogaster. These results suggest that the primary function of the yeast ascospore is as a cell type specialized for dispersion by insect vectors

Novel features of ARS selection in budding yeast Lachancea kluyveri

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The characterization of DNA replication origins in yeast has shed much light on the mechanisms of initiation of DNA replication. However, very little is known about the evolution of origins or the evolution of mechanisms through which origins are recognized by the initiation machinery. This lack of understanding is largely due to the vast evolutionary distances between model organisms in which origins have been examined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study we have isolated and characterized autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) in <it>Lachancea kluyveri </it>- a pre-whole genome duplication (WGD) budding yeast. Through a combination of experimental work and rigorous computational analysis, we show that <it>L. kluyveri </it>ARSs require a sequence that is similar but much longer than the ARS Consensus Sequence well defined in <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</it>. Moreover, compared with <it>S. cerevisiae </it>and <it>K. lactis</it>, the replication licensing machinery in <it>L. kluyveri </it>seems more tolerant to variations in the ARS sequence composition. It is able to initiate replication from almost all <it>S. cerevisiae </it>ARSs tested and most <it>Kluyveromyces lactis </it>ARSs. In contrast, only about half of the <it>L. kluyveri </it>ARSs function in <it>S. cerevisiae </it>and less than 10% function in <it>K. lactis</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings demonstrate a replication initiation system with novel features and underscore the functional diversity within the budding yeasts. Furthermore, we have developed new approaches for analyzing biologically functional DNA sequences with ill-defined motifs.</p

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Bijwerkingen van vaccinaties van het Rijksvaccinatieprogramma in Nederland. Nummers III - IV Rapportages in 1996 en 1997

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) in the National Vaccination Programme of the Netherlands (RVP) have been monitored through an enhanced passive surveillance system by RIVM since 1962. From 1984 onwards evaluation is done in close collaboration with National Health Council. Reports from Health Care workers are recieved mainly by telephone through the operating vaccine information and advisory service. Further data are obtained, if necessary, from parents, general practitioners, peadiatricians etc. After supplementation and verification of data a (working) diagnosis is made and causality assessed. In this report on 1996 and 1997 an overview of all received AEFI is presented with classification according to case definitions and causality. Reporting bias, background rates of specific events and possible pathophysiology of symptoms are discussed. On a total of approximately 2 million vaccinations per year 732 and 822 AEFI were submitted in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Of these 1,6% (12) and 2% (17) were unclassifiable because of missing information. In 78% (565) and 80% (642) of the 22% (155) and 20% (163) the events were judged to be coincidental. Compared to 1995 the number of reports stabilised, with similar distribution and causality

Postavaccinale gebeurtenissen na vaccinaties van het Rijksvaccinatieprogramma. Deel VIII - Meldingen in 2001

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) in the National Vaccination Programme of the Netherlands (RVP) have been monitored through an enhanced passive surveillance system by RIVM since 1962. From 1984 onwards evaluation was done in close collaboration with the Dutch Health Council. Reports are received mainly from child health care professionals, primarily by telephone through the vaccine information and advisory service. Further data are obtained, if necessary, from such sources as parents, general practitioners and paediatricians. After supplementation and verification of data, a (working) diagnosis is made and causality assessed. This annual report for 2001 presents an overview of all reported AEFIs with classification according to case definitions and causality. Trend analysis, reporting bias, background rates of specific events and possible pathophysiology of symptoms are discussed. From a total of nearly 2.5 million vaccinations 1331 AEFIs were reported, of which 17 (1.3%) were unclassifiable because of missing information. In 82% (1091) of the classifiable events a possible causal relationship with vaccination was established, and in 18% (223) the events were judged as coincidental. The increase in the number of notifications in 2001 (17% more than in 2000) is also discussed.Sinds 1962 bewaakt het RIVM de veiligheid van het Rijksvaccinatieprogramma. Vanaf 1964 gebeurt dat in nauwe samenwerking met de Gezondheidsraad. Het merendeel van de meldingen van vermoede bijwerkingen komt binnen via de telefoondienst van het RIVM, waarbij de meeste meldingen afkomstig zijn van de Jeugdgezondheidszorg. Nadere informatie wordt zonodig verkregen van ouders en behandelende artsen. Na aanvulling en verificatie wordt aan de hand van de (werk)diagnose de causaliteit beoordeeld. Alle in 2001 binnengekomen meldingen zijn in dit rapport opgenomen en gerubriceerd naar aard van de gebeurtenis en naar causaal verband. Onderrapportage, vertekening en specifieke beelden worden besproken, met aandacht voor effecten van de vervroeging van het vaccinatieschema. Er zijn 1331 meldingen binnengekomen, op een totaal van bijna 2,5 miljoen vaccinaties. Hiervan waren 17 (1,3%) meldingen niet te beoordelen vanwege ontbrekende informatie. Bij 82% (1091) van de meldingen werd een mogelijk causaal verband vastgesteld en bij 223 meldingen (18%) werd een oorzakelijk verband onwaarschijnlijk of afwezig geacht. De stijging van het aantal meldingen in 2001 (17% meer dan in 2000) wordt besproken

Bijwerkingen van vaccinaties van het Rijksvaccinatieprogramma in Nederland. Nummer V Rapportage in 1998

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) in the National Vaccination Programme of the Netherlands (RVP) have been monitored through an enhanced passive surveillance system by RIVM since 1962. From 1984 onwards evaluation is done in close collaboration with the National Health Council. Reports from Health Care workers are received mainly by telephone through the operating vaccine information and advisory service. Further data are obtained, if necessary, from parents, general practitioner, paediatrician etc. After supplementation and verification of data a (working) diagnosis is made and causality assessed. In this report on 1998 an overview of all received AEFI is presented with classification according to case definitions and causality. Reporting bias, background rates of specific events and possible pathophysiology of symptoms are discussed. On a total of approximately 2 million vaccinations 1100 AEFI were submitted. Of these 1.5% (16) was unclassifiable because of missing information. In 80% (877) of the classifiable events a possible causal relation with vaccination was established and in 18% (197) the events were judged to be coincidental. Compared to 1997 there was again a rise in the number of notifications. This increase is thought to be due, both to decreased underreporting, increased awareness and apprehension as possibly also to some increase in true side effects, mainly fever and crying.Sinds 1962 bewaakt het RIVM de veiligheid van het Rijksvaccinatieprogramma. Vanaf 1984 gebeurt dat in nauwe samenwerking met de Gezondheidsraad. Het merendeel van de meldingen komt binnen via de telefonische informatiedienst van het RIVM, waarbij de meeste meldingen afkomstig zijn uit de jeugdgezondheidszorg.Nadere informatie wordt zo nodig verkregen van ouders en behandelende artsen. Na aanvulling en verificatie wordt aan de hand van de (werk)diagnose de causaliteit beoordeeld. Alle in 1998 binnengekomen meldingen zijn in dit rapport opgenomen en gerubriceerd naar aard van de gebeurtenis en naar causaal verband. Onderrapportage, vertekening en specifieke beelden worden besproken. Er zijn 1100 meldingen binnengekomen, op ongeveer twee miljoen vaccinaties. Hiervan waren er 16 (1,5%) niet te beoordelen vanwege ontbrekende informatie. Bij 80% (877) van de meldingen werd een mogelijke causaal verband vastgesteld en bij 197 meldingen (18%) werd een oorzakelijk verband onwaarschijnlijk of afwezig geacht. Vergeleken met 1997 was er opnieuw een stijging in het aantal meldingen. Deze stijging kan deels worden veroorzaakt door verdere afname van onderrapportage, verhoogde aandacht en bezorgdheid. Mogelijk is er ook enige toename in frequentie van werkelijke bijwerkingen, vooral van beelden met koorts en huilen

Anomalous AFMR in some quasi-one-dimensional Mn2+ compounds

Antiferromagnetic resonance experiments in the range 10< nu <60 GHz have been performed on a series of quasi-one-dimensional Mn2+ compounds with varying anisotropy. Pronounced deviations from classical AFMR theory are observed, in accordance with the experiments at higher frequencies reported by Tuchendler et al. (1981). These deviations show a substantial temperature dependence and seem to be related to the amount of anisotropy between the preferred and next-preferred direction of spin alignment. The experimental evidence will be compared with the results of a renormalised spin wave calculation