DNA Barcoding to Improve the Taxonomy of the Afrotropical Hoverflies (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae)

The identification of Afrotropical hoverflies is very difficult because of limited recent taxonomic revisions and the lack of comprehensive identification keys. In order to assist in their identification, and to improve the taxonomy of this group, we constructed a reference dataset of 513 COI barcodes of 90 of the more common nominal species from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria (W Africa) and added ten publically available COI barcodes from nine nominal Afrotropical species to this (total: 523 COI barcodes; 98 nominal species; 26 genera). The identification accuracy of this dataset was evaluated with three methods (K2P distance-based, Neighbor-Joining (NJ) / Maximum Likelihood (ML) analysis, and using SpeciesIdentifier). Results of the three methods were highly congruent and showed a high identification success. Nine species pairs showed a low ( 0.03) maximum intraspecific K2P distance was observed in eight species and barcodes of these species not always formed single clusters in the NJ / ML analayses which may indicate the occurrence of cryptic species. Optimal K2P thresholds to differentiate intra- from interspecific K2P divergence were highly different among the three subfamilies (Eristalinae: 0.037, Syrphinae: 0.06, Microdontinae: 0.007–0.02), and among the different general suggesting that optimal thresholds are better defined at the genus level. In addition to providing an alternative identification tool, our study indicates that DNA barcoding improves the taxonomy of Afrotropical hoverflies by selecting (groups of) taxa that deserve further taxonomic study, and by attributing the unknown sex to species for which only one of the sexes is known

Allorecognition in the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), an Endangered Marsupial Species with Limited Genetic Diversity

Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) are on the verge of extinction due to a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). This tumour is an allograft that is transmitted between individuals without immune recognition of the tumour cells. The mechanism to explain this lack of immune recognition and acceptance is not well understood. It has been hypothesized that lack of genetic diversity at the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) allowed the tumour cells to grow in genetically similar hosts without evoking an immune response to alloantigens. We conducted mixed lymphocyte reactions and skin grafts to measure functional MHC diversity in the Tasmanian devil population. The limited MHC diversity was sufficient to produce measurable mixed lymphocyte reactions. There was a wide range of responses, from low or no reaction to relatively strong responses. The highest responses occurred when lymphocytes from devils from the east of Tasmania were mixed with lymphocytes from devils from the west of Tasmania. All of the five successful skin allografts were rejected within 14 days after surgery, even though little or no MHC I and II mismatches were found. Extensive T-cell infiltration characterised the immune rejection. We conclude that Tasmanian devils are capable of allogeneic rejection. Consequently, a lack of functional allorecognition mechanisms in the devil population does not explain the transmission of a contagious cancer

Treatment adherence in multiple sclerosis: a survey of Belgian neurologists

Danny Decoo,1 Mathieu Vokaer2 1Department of Neurology and Neurorehab, AZ Alma, Sijsele, Belgium; 2Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, Edith Cavell Hospital, CHIREC group, Brussels, Belgium Background: Poor treatment adherence is common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This survey evaluated neurologists’ perception of treatment adherence among MS patients.Materials and methods: This questionnaire-based survey of Belgian neurologists treating MS patients was conducted between June and July 2014. Face-to-face interviews with the neurologists were based on a semistructured questionnaire containing questions regarding the perception of the treatment-adherence level.Results: A total of 41 neurologists participated in the survey. Of these, 88% indicated frequent discussions about treatment adherence as beneficial for treatment efficacy. The mean time spent on the treatment-adherence discussion during the initial consultation was 11 minutes, with 24% of doctors spending 5 minutes and 24% of doctors spending 10 minutes discussing this issue. The majority of neurologists (56%) perceived the adherence level in MS as good, and 12% perceived it as excellent. The majority of neurologists (64%) indicated intolerance as a main cause of poor adherence, and all neurologists reported insufficient efficacy as a consequence of nonadherence. The importance of adherence in the neurologists’ practice was evaluated on a scale of 1–10, with 1= “not very important” and 10= “very important”: 44% of doctors indicated a score of 10, and the mean score was 9.0.Conclusion: Belgian neurologists consider treatment adherence in MS as essential for the benefits of therapies. However, although neurologists are aware of the consequences of nonadherence, they generally spend limited time discussing the importance of treatment adherence with their patients. Keywords: multiple sclerosis, treatment adherence, physician surve

Effects of levodopa on upper limb mobility and gait in Parkinson's disease

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between dopa induced gait improvement and upper limb motor improvement using a rapid and simple method; and to evaluate the correlation between gait improvement and UPDRS III improvement. Methods: A finger tapping test and a simple walking test were used to measure the OFF-ON variations of upper limb motor function and gait in 23 patients with Parkinson's disease. The UPDRS motor score and the Hoehn and Yahr stage were measured in the OFF and the ON state. Results: There was no correlation between OFF-ON variation of the number of hits with the finger tapping test and OFF-ON variation in the gait variables. OFF-ON variation in the UPDRS motor score was not correlated with OFF-ON variation in the gait variables. Conclusions: There was a dissociation between the effect of levodopa on upper limb and gait. The findings suggest that simple measures like the finger tapping test and a walking test should be included in the usual evaluation of patients with Parkinson's disease

Role of IL17 in allograft rejection

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Natalizumab induced freedom from disease activity after failure to previous therapy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: To analyze the efficacy of natalizumab after switching relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients from other disease modifying treaments (DMTs). Background: Natalizumab (Tysabri) is a monoclonal antibody directed against VLA4 that was recently approved for the treatment of RRMS. Due to safety concerns, the use should be restricted to highly active patients and/or patients with insufficient response to other DMTs. The pivotal trials were not designed to examine the effect of natalizumab as an escalation monotherapy. Methods: Prospective, open label, observational study. All patients initiating natalizumab had experienced at least 1 relapse in the previous year under DMTs and had at least 1 Gd-enhancing lesion on their brain MRI. Previous treatment with interferon-beta (IFN-beta) or glatiramer acetate (GA) were stopped at least one week and azathioprine or mitoxantrone at least 3 months before switching. The minimum therapy duration with natalizumab was 6 months for all patients. 21 RRMS patients were included in this analysis. The mean age of the patients was 25,5 yo with mean disease duration of 6,8 years. All patients were under IFN-beta (17) or GA (4) during at least the previous year before starting natalizumab therapy. Four patients had also received azathioprine and 1 patient mitoxantrone. Results: The mean relapse rate in the previous year was 2.15 (1-4), the mean EDSS at baseline was 3.3 (1,0-6.0), the mean number of Gd+ lesions at baseline 2,58 (1-6). Under tysabri treatment the annualized relapse rate dropped to 0,20. Eleven patients improved their EDSS (0,5 to 1,5 steps down), others remained stable at 6 months. The mean number of Gd+ T1 lesions dropped to 0,23 and the mean number of new T2 lesions was 0.25 on the control MRI at 6 months. 55% of patients were free from disease activity, i.e. had no relapses, no EDSS progression, no new T2 lesion and no Gd+ T1 lesions after 6 months of Tysabri. 5 patients experienced minor adverse events (1 zona, 2 flu-like symptoms, 1 gastroenteritis, 1 allergic reaction). Conclusion: Natalizumab was well tolerated and safe as escalation therapy when previous DMTs had failed to control disease progression in this group of highly active RRMS patients. These results suggest comparable efficacy to the phase III AFFIRM trial of natalizumab when the drug is used in a context of breakthrough disease. Although data from preliminary analyses are promising, long term investigations are warranted

Focal cortical presentations genetically proven Alzheimer disease

Chapitre 4info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe