Telomere length and telomerase activity in malignant lymphomas at diagnosis and relapse

Telomere length maintenance, in the vast majority of cases executed by telomerase, is a prerequisite for long-term proliferation. Most malignant tumours, including lymphomas, are telomerase-positive and this activity is a potential target for future therapeutic interventions since inhibition of telomerase has been shown to result in telomere shortening and cell death in vitro. One prerequisite for the suitability of anti-telomerase drugs in treating cancer is that tumours exhibit shortened telomeres compared to telomerase-positive stem cells. A scenario is envisioned where the tumour burden is reduced using conventional therapy whereafter remaining tumour cells are treated with telomerase inhibitors. In evaluating the realism of such an approach it is essential to know the effects on telomere status by traditional therapeutic regimens. We have studied the telomere lengths in 47 diagnostic lymphomas and a significant telomere shortening was observed compared to benign lymphoid tissues. In addition, telomere length and telomerase activity were studied in consecutive samples from patients with relapsing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Shortened, unchanged and elongated telomere lengths were observed in the relapse samples. The telomere length alterations found in the relapsing lymphomas appeared to be independent of telomerase and rather represented clonal selection random at the telomere length level. These data indicate that anti-telomerase therapy would be suitable in only a fraction of malignant lymphomas. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Abundance and Species Richness of Leafhoppers and Planthoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae and Delphacidae) in Brazilian Maize Crops

Fil: De Oliveira, Charles Martins. Embrapa Cerrados. Planaltina. Brasília/DF; BrazilFil: De Oliveira, Elizabeth. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo. Sete Lagoas/MG; BrazilFil: Prazeres De Souza, Isabel Regina. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo. Sete Lagoas/MG; BrazilFil: Alves, Elcio. DuPont do Brazil S.A. DivisÆo Pioneer Sementes. Itumbiara/GO; BrazilFil: Dolezal, William. Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Itumbiara/GO; BrazilFil: Paradell, Susana Liria. División Entomología. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marino de Remes Lenicov, Ana María. División Entomología. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Frizzas, Marina Regina. Universidade de Brasília. Departamento de Zoologia. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Brasília/DF; Brazi

OA011-03. Clusterin, a natural ligand of DC-SIGN present in human semen inhibits HIV capture and transmission by dendritic cells

International audiencen.

Difusión del Corn Stunt Spiroplasma del maíz (Spiroplasma kunkelii) y del vector (Dalbulus maidis) en la República Argentina

Among the most important diseases that affect the corn crops (Zea mays L.) is “Corn Stunt Spiroplasm” (CSS). It is caused by Spiroplasm kunkelii and transmitted by a cicadelid Dalbulus maidis (De Long & Wolcott, 1923), the only vector known up to the present in Argentina. Corn crop were monitored in 10 provinces of Argentina during 1991/1992, 1994/1995, 1996/2000. This provided information about the growth of this disease since its detection in the year 1990/1991 up to the present in Argentina as well as the distribution of D. maidis, its vector. The detection of the pathogen was performed on plants with symptoms that are characteristic of CSS using the technique of NC-ELISA. The vector was captured by sweeping plants of corn with symptoms. A increase in the areas affected by CSS was shown in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, Chaco, Corrientes and Santiago del Estero as well as its recent detection in the provinces of Córdoba, San Luis and La Pampa. Based on the 83 places monitored, D. maidis was present in 80 % of the samples and the pathogen was detected in 96%. In the provinces Corrientes, Córdoba, San Luis and La Pampa, D. maidis was not registered.Entre las enfermedades más importantes que afectan al cultivo de maíz (Zea mays L.), se encuentra el achaparramiento o Corn Stunt Spiroplasma (CSS), causado por Spiroplasma kunkelii, trasmitido por el cicadélido Dalbulus maidis (De Long & Wolcott, 1923), único vector conocido hasta el presente en Argentina. Sobre la base de monitoreos realizados en lotes cultivados de maíz en 10 provincias de Argentina durante las campañas 1991/1992; 1994/1995; 1996/2000 se aporta información de esta enfermedad y del agente vector desde su detección en el año 1990/1991. La identificación del patógeno se realizó sobre plantas con síntomas característicos del CSS mediante la técnica de NCELISA. La presencia del vector se registró mediante capturas con red entomológica de arrastre sobre plantas de maíz con síntomas. Se demostró un incremento de la superficie afectada por el Corn Stunt Spiroplasma en las provincias de Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, Chaco, Corrientes, Santiago del Estero y la reciente aparición en las provincias de Córdoba, San Luis y La Pampa. De las 83 localidades monitoreadas, D. maidis estuvo presente en 80 % de las localidades y en 96% se detectó el patógeno. En las provincias de Corrientes, Córdoba, San Luis y La Pampa no se registró a D. maidis

Age-Related Differences in Functional Nodes of the Brain Cortex – A High Model Order Group ICA Study

Functional MRI measured with blood oxygen dependent (BOLD) contrast in the absence of intermittent tasks reflects spontaneous activity of so-called resting state networks (RSN) of the brain. Group level independent component analysis (ICA) of BOLD data can separate the human brain cortex into 42 independent RSNs. In this study we evaluated age-related effects from primary motor and sensory, and, higher level control RSNs. One hundred sixty-eight healthy subjects were scanned and divided into three groups: 55 adolescents (ADO, 13.2 ± 2.4 years), 59 young adults (YA, 22.2 ± 0.6 years), and 54 older adults (OA, 42.7 ± 0.5 years), all with normal IQ. High model order group probabilistic ICA components (70) were calculated and dual-regression analysis was used to compare 21 RSN's spatial differences between groups. The power spectra were derived from individual ICA mixing matrix time series of the group analyses for frequency domain analysis. We show that primary sensory and motor networks tend to alter more in younger age groups, whereas associative and higher level cognitive networks consolidate and re-arrange until older adulthood. The change has a common trend: both spatial extent and the low frequency power of the RSN's reduce with increasing age. We interpret these result as a sign of normal pruning via focusing of activity to less distributed local hubs

The need to promote behaviour change at the cultural level: one factor explaining the limited impact of the MEMA kwa Vijana adolescent sexual health intervention in rural Tanzania. A process evaluation

Background - Few of the many behavioral sexual health interventions in Africa have been rigorously evaluated. Where biological outcomes have been measured, improvements have rarely been found. One of the most rigorous trials was of the multi-component MEMA kwa Vijana adolescent sexual health programme, which showed improvements in knowledge and reported attitudes and behaviour, but none in biological outcomes. This paper attempts to explain these outcomes by reviewing the process evaluation findings, particularly in terms of contextual factors. Methods - A large-scale, primarily qualitative process evaluation based mainly on participant observation identified the principal contextual barriers and facilitators of behavioural change. Results - The contextual barriers involved four interrelated socio-structural factors: culture (i.e. shared practices and systems of belief), economic circumstances, social status, and gender. At an individual level they appeared to operate through the constructs of the theories underlying MEMA kwa Vijana - Social Cognitive Theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action – but the intervention was unable to substantially modify these individual-level constructs, apart from knowledge. Conclusion - The process evaluation suggests that one important reason for this failure is that the intervention did not operate sufficiently at a structural level, particularly in regard to culture. Recently most structural interventions have focused on gender or/and economics. Complementing these with a cultural approach could address the belief systems that justify and perpetuate gender and economic inequalities, as well as other barriers to behaviour change

Pyrophagus tigrinus Remes Lenicov & Varela (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a new vector of the Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV, Fijivirus) under experimental conditions

El Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV), agente causal de la enfermedad más importante del maíz en la Argentina, es transmitido principalmente por Delphacodes kuscheli. La presencia de otros delfácidos en áreas con la virosis, permite suponer que éstos podrían tener un rol en su epidemiología. Pyrophagus tigrinus fue hallada por primera vez en 1997 en Jesús María (Córdoba) sobre cultivos de triticale afectados con el MRCV. El objetivo fue demostrar la capacidad de P. tigrinus para transmitir el MRCV a triticale en condiciones experimentales. Se inició la cría en condiciones controladas y se realizaron transmisiones a triticale, empleando el mismo cereal como fuente de inóculo. Los síntomas observados y el patrón electroforético del dsRNA viral se correspondieron con el del MRCV en transmisiones con D. kuscheli. Se observaron agregados de partículas virales en células floemáticas. La capacidad de P. tigrinus para transmitir el MRCV tiene importantes implicaciones en la epidemiología de esta enfermedad.Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV), causal agent of the most important disease that affects maize in Argentina, is spread under natural conditions by Delphacodes kuscheli. The presence of other delphacid species in areas infected with this virus suggests that those species could have a function in the epidemiology of disease. Pyrophagus tigrinus was first found by chance in 1997 in Jesús María (Córdoba) in triticale crops affected by MRCV. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the capacity of P. tigrinus to transmit the MRCV to triticale under experimental conditions. The culture of P. tigrinus under controlled conditions was initiated and Mentransmissions to triticale using this cereal as source of inoculum were carried out. The symptoms observed and the electrophoretic pattern of viral dsRNA were corresponded with the MRCV using D. kuscheli as vector. Aggregates of MRCV-like particles in phloem tissue cells were also observed. The vector capacity of P. tigrinus has very important implications in the epidemiology of this disease.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse