Unusually Long Palindromes Are Abundant in Mitochondrial Control Regions of Insects and Nematodes

BACKGROUND: Palindromes are known to be involved in a variety of biological processes. In the present investigation we carried out a comprehensive analysis of palindromes in the mitochondrial control regions (CRs) of several animal groups to study their frequency, distribution and architecture to gain insights into the origin of replication of mtDNA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Many species of Arthropoda, Nematoda, Mollusca and Annelida harbor palindromes and inverted repeats (IRs) in their CRs. Lower animals like cnidarians and higher animal groups like chordates are almost devoid of palindromes and IRs. The study revealed that palindrome occurrence is positively correlated with the AT content of CRs, and that IRs are likely to give rise to longer palindromes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study attempts to explain possible reasons and gives in silico evidence for absence of palindromes and IRs from CR of vertebrate mtDNA and acquisition and retention of the same in insects. Study of CRs of different animal phyla uncovered unique architecture of this locus, be it high abundance of long palindromes and IRs in CRs of Insecta and Nematoda, or short IRs of 10–20 nucleotides with a spacer region of 12–14 bases in subphylum Chelicerata, or nearly complete of absence of any long palindromes and IRs in Vertebrata, Cnidaria and Echinodermata

Assessment of liver cirrhosis severity in 1015 patients of the Euricterus database with Campbell-Child, Pugh-Child and with ascites and ascites-nutritional state (ANS) related classifications

Background/Aims: The assessment of disease stage in cirrhosis is important for the individual patient (prognosis, timing and risk for requiring surgical intervention) and also for population comparisons and trials. There are several established methods, and we have aimed at comparison of the methods within a large cirrhosis population. Methodology: In the European Union Euricterus database, there are 1015 patients with a ''certain'' diagnosis of cirrhosis, each of whom in one session had a protocol work-up of history, physical examination and all laboratory investigations needed for this study. The Child-Turcotte (CT), Campbell-Child (C) and Pugh-Child (P) classifications, as well as ascites/no ascites, ascites 1, 2, 3 (no, therapy responsive, nonresponsive) and ascites/nutritional state (ANS, 1-9) scores were used. CT and C have the same 5 variables, P has prothrombin, time instead of nutritional state. CT, C and P variables score 1-3 each. C and P furthermore have variable range scores of 5-15. CT, C and P have classes A-C. The variables used were ascites, nutritional state, encephalopathy, bilirubin, albumin and prothrombin. time. Results: Only 53 patients (5%) fit within the CT criteria. C and P variable range scores (5-15) correlated strongly (r=0.84). Cross-over calculation showed slightly different results in the P and C choice of variables, while the variable ranges (1-3) did not matter. Different selection of score ranges for the A-C classes in C and P resulted in 69% class C in P (35% in C) and 3% A in P (19% in C). The patients with ascites (70%) had worse bilirubin, albumin, nutritional states and C and P 5-15 scores (p Conclusions: Campbell and Pugh 5-15 scores correlated closely and can be used interchangeably. As C does not contain the more elaborate prothrombin time determination, it probably can be used anywhere in. the world. Ascites (degree) and Ascites/Nutritional State (ANS) scoring only use history and physical examination and are, or remain, although Less refined clinically relevant