Synthesis and Activity of Six-Membered Cyclic Alkyl Amino Carbene–Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

Ru–cyclic alkyl amino carbene (Ru–CAAC) olefin metathesis catalysts perform extraordinarily in metathesis macrocyclization and ethenolysis, but previous studies have been limited to the use of five-membered CAAC (CAAC-5) ligands. In this work, we synthesized a different group of ruthenium catalysts with more σ-donating and π-accepting six-membered CAAC (CAAC-6) ligands, and their metathesis activity was probed through initiation studies, ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross-metathesis, and ethenolysis. These catalysts display higher initiation rates than analogous Ru–CAAC-5 complexes but demonstrate lower activity in RCM and ethenolysis

Quick Sex-Determination of the Asiatic Garden Beetle, Maladera castanea (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The orientation of the posterior abdominal sternite and pygidium allows for quick sex-determination of Maladera castanea (Arrow) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) adults with a dissecting microscope or hand lens. Maladera castanea (the Asiatic garden beetle) is an emerging pest of field crops and this information will help researchers to conduct studies more easily on its biology and ecology

The role of drug resistance in poor viral suppression in rural South Africa: findings from a population-based study.

BACKGROUND:Understanding factors driving virological failure, including the contribution of HIV drug resistance mutations (DRM), is critical to ensuring HIV treatment remains effective. We examine the contribution of drug resistance mutations for low viral suppression in HIV-positive participants in a population-based sero-prevalence survey in rural South Africa. METHODS:We conducted HIV drug resistance genotyping and ART analyte testing on dried blood spots (DBS) from HIV-positive adults participating in a 2014 survey in North West Province. Among those with virologic failure (> 5000 copies/mL), we describe frequency of DRM to protease inhibitors (PI), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI), report association of resistance with antiretroviral therapy (ART) status, and assess resistance to first and second line therapy. Analyses are weighted to account for sampling design. RESULTS:Overall 170 DBS samples were assayed for viral load and ART analytes; 78.4% of men and 50.0% of women had evidence of virologic failure and were assessed for drug resistance, with successful sequencing of 76/107 samples. We found ≥1 DRM in 22% of participants; 47% were from samples with detectable analyte (efavirenz, nevirapine or lopinavir). Of those with DRM and detectable analyte, 60% showed high-level resistance and reduced predicted virologic response to ≥1 NRTI/NNRTI typically used in first and second-line regimens. CONCLUSIONS:DRM and predicted reduced susceptibility to first and second-line regimens were common among adults with ART exposure in a rural South African population-based sample. Results underscore the importance of ongoing virologic monitoring, regimen optimization and adherence counseling to optimize durable virologic suppression

Synthesis and Activity of Six-Membered Cyclic Alkyl Amino Carbene–Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

Ru–cyclic alkyl amino carbene (Ru–CAAC) olefin metathesis catalysts perform extraordinarily in metathesis macrocyclization and ethenolysis, but previous studies have been limited to the use of five-membered CAAC (CAAC-5) ligands. In this work, we synthesized a different group of ruthenium catalysts with more σ-donating and π-accepting six-membered CAAC (CAAC-6) ligands, and their metathesis activity was probed through initiation studies, ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross-metathesis, and ethenolysis. These catalysts display higher initiation rates than analogous Ru–CAAC-5 complexes but demonstrate lower activity in RCM and ethenolysis

CD4 intragenic SNPs associate with HIV-2 plasma viral load and CD4 count in a community-based study from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

OBJECTIVES: The human genetics of HIV-2 infection and disease progression is understudied. Therefore, we studied the effect of variation in 2 genes that encode products critical to HIV pathogenesis and disease progression: CD4 and CD209. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study consisted of 143 HIV-2, 30 HIV-1 + HIV-2 and 29 HIV-1-infected subjects and 194 uninfected controls recruited from rural Guinea-Bissau. METHODS: We genotyped 14 CD4 and 4 CD209 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were tested for association with HIV infection, HIV-2 plasma viral load (high vs. low), and CD4 T-cell count (high vs. low). RESULTS: The most significant association was between a CD4 haplotype rs11575097-rs10849523 and high viral load [odds ratio (OR): = 2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35 to 4.19, P = 0.001, corrected for multiple testing], suggesting increased genetic susceptibility to HIV-2 disease progression for individuals carrying the high-risk haplotype. Significant associations were also observed at a CD4 SNP (rs2255301) with HIV-2 infection (OR: = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.19 to 4.65, P = 0.01) and any HIV infection (OR: = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.34 to 4.69, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support a role of CD4 polymorphisms in HIV-2 infection, in agreement with recent data showing that CD4 gene variants increase risk to HIV-1 in Kenyan female sex workers. These findings indicate at least some commonality in HIV-1 and HIV-2 susceptibility

Alendronate and Resistive Exercise Countermeasures Against Bed Rest-Induced Bone Loss: Biochemical Markers of Bone and Calcium Metabolism

Weightlessness-induced bone loss must be counteracted to ensure crew health during extendedduration space missions. Studies were conducted to assess two bone loss countermeasures in a ground-based model: horizontal bed rest. Following a 3-wk ambulatory adaptation period, male and female subjects (aged 21-56 y) completed a 17-wk bed rest protocol. Subjects were assigned to one of three treatments: alendronate (ALEN; 10 mg/d, n=6), resistive exercise (RE; 1.5 h/d, 6 d/wk, n=8), or control (CN; no countermeasure, n=8). Dietary intake was adjusted to maintain body weight. Endocrine and biochemical indices were measured in blood and urine using standard laboratory methods. All data reported are expressed as percent change from individual pre-bedrest data. Serum calcium changed little during bed rest, and tended to decrease (4-8%) in ALEN subjects. In RE subjects, bone alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were increased >65 and >30%, respectively, during bed rest, while these were unchanged or decreased in ALEN and CN subjects. Urinary calcium was increased 50% in CN subjects, but was unchanged or decreased in both ALEN and RE groups. Urinary n-telopeptide excretion was increased 40-50% in CN and RE subjects, but decreased 20% in ALEN subjects. Pyridinium crosslink and deoxypyridinoline excretion were increased 20-50% during bed rest. These data suggest that RE countermeasures are effective at increasing markers of bone formation in an analog of weightlessness, while ALEN reduces markers of bone resorption. Counteracting the bone loss of space flight may require both pharmacologic and exercise countermeasures

Preliminary Feeding Assessments for Asiatic Garden Beetle, Maladera formosae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Grubs and Adults

The Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera formosae (Brenske) (syn. M. castanea [Arrow]), is an annual white grub species that was unintentionally introduced from east Asia to North America in 1921 in New Jersey, and has since spread to at least 25 states and two Canadian provinces. Grub populations in the Great Lakes region have recently emerged as significant early-season pests of field crops, particularly field corn, grown in sandy soils. Asiatic garden beetle has also recently become established in other regions including Alabama. Prior research on this species was conducted mainly in the 1930s in horticultural and turfgrass systems of New York and New Jersey. In this study, we document Asiatic garden beetle preference and performance on previously un-investigated food resources, in populations from Ohio and Alabama. The objectives of these experiments were to a) understand if grubs show preference to potential diet choices present in a typical Ohio corn-soybean rotation, and gained mass when provided a single diet, and b) to conduct a preliminary assessment on the development, survival, and fecundity of field-collected beetles on different diets present in suburban Alabama. In general, grubs were more likely to be found at corn and marestail and they significantly increased in body mass when subjected to those diets. However, they were also able to survive and gain mass when provided soybean, crop residues or bare soil. Adults consumed more rose flower petals than floral tissue of white clover and Queen Anne’s lace. In no-choice trials, only females that were fed a diet of rose petals laid eggs, and diet consumption rates were similar among males and females. These findings provide insight into the feeding behaviors of Asiatic garden beetle grubs and adults collected from novel environments