Complete sequences of mitochondria genomes of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus and comparative analysis of mitochondrial DNA fragments inserted in the nuclear genomes

We present complete sequences of the mitochondrial genomes for two important mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, that are major vectors of dengue virus and lymphatic filariasis, respectively. The A. aegypti mitochondrial genome is 16,655 bp in length and that of Culex quinquefasciatus is 15,587 bp, yet both contain 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, one 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, one 16S rRNA gene and a control region (CR) in the same order. The difference in the genome size is due to the difference in the length of the control region. We also analyzed insertions of nuclear copies of mtDNA-like sequences (NUMTs) in a comparative manner between the two mosquitoes. The NUMT sequences occupy ˜0.008% of the A. aegypti genome and ˜ 0.001% of the C. quinquefasciatus genome. Several NUMTs were found localized in the introns of predicted protein coding genes in both genomes (32 genes in A. aegypti but only four in C. quinquefasciatus). None of these NUMT-containing genes had an ortholog between the two species or had paralogous copies within a genome that was also NUMT-containing. It was further observed that the NUMT-containing genes were relatively longer but had lower GC content compared to the NUMT-less paralogous copies. Moreover, stretches of homologies are present among the genic and non-genic NUMTs that may play important roles in genomic rearrangement of NUMTs in these genomes. Our study provides new insights on understanding the roles of nuclear mtDNA sequences in genome complexities of these mosquitoes

Applying a systems model of training to a patient with coronary artery disease

Contains fulltext : 155049.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Safety and immunogenicity of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in patients with childhood systemic lupus erythematosus: a real-world interventional multi-centre study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccination in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) patients.MethodsVolunteer cSLE patients aged 9-20 years and healthy controls (HC) were enrolled to receive a two- or three-dose qHPV vaccination schedule from March 2014 to March 2016. Study visits were performed before the first dose, one month after the second and third doses and one year after the first dose. In each study visit, disease activity and adverse events following vaccination were analyzed, and a serum sample was collected for testing antibody concentrations. Participant recruitment was conducted in 15 Brazilian paediatric rheumatology units. Of the 256 cSLE patients included, 210 completed the two- or three-dose schedules; 15 had previously received one dose, and 18 had received two doses of the vaccine. The analysis was based on intention-to-treat so that participants who did not complete the entire study protocol were also included.ResultsNo severe adverse events were related to the vaccination. Disease activity was generally low and remained stable or even improved. The HC presented 100% seropositivity to HPV16 and HPV18, whereas the two- and three-dose cSLE groups presented 93% and 83% versus 97% and 91%, respectively. One year after the first dose, seropositivity of the three-dose cSLE group was 91% to HPV16 and 84% to HPV18.ConclusionsHPV vaccination in cSLE patients is safe and immunogenic. Since the seropositivity to HPV16 and HPV18 was higher for the three-dose schedule group, this regimen should be recommended for cSLE patients.Experimental cancer immunology and therap

Mudanças na circulação atmosférica sobre a América do Sul para cenários futuros de clima projetados pelos modelos globais do IPCC AR4 Changes in the atmospheric circulation pattern over South America in future climate scenarios derived from the IPCC AR4 model climate simulations

Neste trabalho são analisadas as mudanças no padrão de circulação que possam vir a acontecer no clima da América do Sul (AS), como conseqüência do aumento nas concentrações dos gases de efeito estufa. Para isto utilizam-se cinco modelos globais do IPCC AR4 (CCCMA, GFDL, HadCM3, MIROC e GISS), para o clima do século XX (1961-1990 - 20C3M) e para o cenário futuro SRES_A2 (2011-2100). As características em comum que os modelos apresentaram (a exceção do MIROC) para as três climatologias futuras (2011-2040, 2041-2070 e 2071-2100), principalmente, no verão e na primavera, foram o deslocamento da baixa continental (associada à baixa do Chaco) para o sudoeste da sua posição climatológica (1961-1990), e da Alta da Bolívia para o noroeste. Além disso, os cinco modelos simularam, para o clima presente, uma Alta do Pacífico Sul (APS) menos intensa em relação à Reanálise do NCEP, sugerindo menor subsidência sobre a sua região de atuação. Para cenários futuros os modelos GISS e HadCM3 simularam a APS menos intensa. Por outro lado, para a alta do Atlântico Sul, não existiu um consenso nos modelos. Em geral foi simulada mais intensa (a exceção do GISS), sobretudo no outono e no inverno. O modelo HadCM3 simulou a circulação de verão e primavera mais próxima à Reanálise, com uma ZCAS melhor definida, e uma área menor de anomalias negativas de chuva sobre a Amazônia, em relação aos outros modelos. Já para o cenário futuro este modelo modificou seu padrão de chuvas, e anomalias positivas, sobre a costa norte do Peru e Equador, e negativas sobre o Nordeste e leste da Amazônia, foram observadas, associadas a uma APS enfraquecida e deslocada para o sul, o que reforçou a ZCIT do Pacífico sobre 5ºS. Uma diminuição da convergência de umidade sobre a Amazônia também foi observada.<br>In this paper changes in the atmospheric circulation that may occur in the South America (SA) as a consequence of climate change were studied for various emission scenarios. Five global models from IPCC AR4 (CCCMA, GFDL, HadCM3, MIROC and GISS) are used, for 1961-1990 (present climate) from the 20C3M model run, and for 2011-2100 for the SRES A2 high emission scenario. For the future, (2011-2040, 2041-2070 and 2071-2100 time periods), in most of the models (except the MIROC), the thermal continental low (Chaco low) is shifted to the southwest while the Bolivian High is northwest shifted during in the summer and spring. All the models show, for present climate simulation a weak subtropical southeast Pacific anticyclone (SPA), which would induce a reduction atmospheric subsidence. When the anticyclone is shifted southward, it would be linked with a stronger and more southward Pacific ITCZ. For the future climate, only two models (HadCM3 and GISS) showaweakerSPAascomparedtothepresent. Ontheotherhand,thesubtropicalsouthwestAtlantic anticyclone (SAA) seems to be more intense during fall and winter in almost all models (with the exception of the GISS model). Among the different models, the HadCM3 simulates the summer and spring circulation close to NCEP Reanalysis. This model does exhibit a relatively well simulated SACZ, contributing with a decrease of precipitation over Amazon. Moreover, for the future scenarios the HadCM3 model shows changes in rainfall patterns, with positive anomalies over the West Coast of Peru and Equator and negative anomalies over Northeast of Brazil, and Eastern of Amazon, linked to weaker and southward shifted South Pacific High, enforcing the ITCZ over 5ºS, as a consequence of a decrease of the moisture convergence over Amazon

The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Anopheles gambiae is the principal vector of malaria, a disease that afflicts more than 500 million people and causes more than 1 million deaths each year. Tenfold shotgun sequence coverage was obtained from the PEST strain of A. gambiae and assembled into scaffolds that span 278 million base pairs. A total of 91% of the genome was organized in 303 scaffolds; the largest scaffold was 23.1 million base pairs. There was substantial genetic variation within this strain, and the apparent existence of two haplotypes of approximately equal frequency ("dual haplotypes") in a substantial fraction of the genome likely reflects the outbred nature of the PEST strain. The sequence produced a conservative inference of more than 400,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms that showed a markedly bimodal density distribution. Analysis of the genome sequence revealed strong evidence for about 14,000 protein-encoding transcripts. Prominent expansions in specific families of proteins likely involved in cell adhesion and immunity were noted. An expressed sequence tag analysis of genes regulated by blood feeding provided insights into the physiological adaptations of a hematophagous insect