Molecular Identification, Phylogenetic Status, and Geographic Distribution of Culicoides oxystoma (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Israel

Culicoides oxystoma (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is an important vector species, reported mainly from Asia, with high potential to transmit viral diseases affecting livestock. In Japan, many arboviruses have been isolated from C. oxystoma, suggesting it as a key player in the epidemiology of several Culicoides-borne diseases. Over the years, C. oxystoma has also been reported in the Middle East region, including Israel. In this region, however, C. oxystoma cannot be easily distinguished morphologically from its sibling species included in the Culicoides schultzei complex. We therefore used genomic data for species identification and phylogeny resolution. Phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA and the mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) showed that C. oxystoma from Israel is closely related to C. oxystoma from Japan. Using differential probing PCR, we showed that C. oxystoma is distributed all over the country, especially in Mediterranean climate regions. Culicoides oxystoma is less common or even absent in arid regions, while the other genetic cluster of C. schultzei complex was found only in the east of the country (mostly arid and semiarid regions). The molecular finding of C. oxystoma in wide geographical regions, together with its high proportion in the general Culicoides population and its vectoring potential, imply that it may be an important vector species in the Middle East

Managing formalization to increase global team effectiveness and meaningfulness of work in multinational organizations

Global teams may help to integrate across locations, and yet, with formalized rules and procedures, responsiveness to those locations’ effectiveness, and the team members’ experiences of work as meaningful may suffer. We employ a mixed-methods approach to understand how the level and content of formalization can be managed to resolve these tensions in multinationals. In a sample of global teams from a large mining and resources organization operating across 44 countries, interviews, observations, and a quantitative 2-wave survey revealed a great deal of variability between teams in how formalization processes were enacted. Only those formalization processes that promoted knowledge sharing were instrumental in improving team effectiveness. Implementing rules and procedures in the set-up of the teams and projects, rather than during interactions, and utilizing protocols to help establish the global team as a source of identity increased this knowledge sharing. Finally, we found members’ personal need for structure moderated the effect of team formalization on how meaningful individuals found their work within the team. These findings have significant implications for theory and practice in multinational organizations

First Report of 13 Species of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Mainland Portugal and Azores by Morphological and Molecular Characterization

The genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) contains important vectors of animal and human diseases, including bluetongue, African horse sickness and filariosis. A major outbreak of bluetongue occurred in mainland Portugal in 2004, forty eight years after the last recorded case. A national Entomological Surveillance Plan was initiated in mainland Portugal, Azores and the Madeira archipelagos in 2005 in order to better understand the disease and facilitate policy decisions. During the survey, the most prevalent Culicoides species in mainland Portugal was C. imicola (75.3%) and species belonging to the Obsoletus group (6.5%). The latter were the most prevalent in Azores archipelago, accounting for 96.7% of the total species identified. The Obsoletus group was further characterized by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction to species level showing that only two species of this group were present: C. obsoletus sensu strictu (69.6%) and C. scoticus (30.4%). Nine species of Culicoides were detected for the first time in mainland Portugal: C. alazanicus, C. bahrainensis, C. deltus, C. lupicaris, C. picturatus, C. santonicus, C. semimaculatus, C. simulator and C. subfagineus. In the Azores, C. newsteadi and C. circumscriptus were identified for the first time from some islands, and bluetongue vectors belonging to the Obsoletus group (C. obsoletus and C. scoticus) were found to be widespread

Molecular, clinical, and muscle studies in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) associated with novel variant CCG expansions

We assessed clinical, molecular and muscle histopathological features in five unrelated Italian DM1 patients carrying novel variant pathological expansions containing CCG interruptions within the 3'-end of the CTG array at the DMPK locus, detected by bidirectional triplet primed PCR (TP-PCR) and sequencing. Three patients had a negative DM1 testing by routine long-range PCR; the other two patients were identified among 100 unrelated DM1 cases and re-evaluated to estimate the prevalence of variant expansions. The overall prevalence was 4.8 % in our study cohort. There were no major clinical differences between variant and non-variant DM1 patients, except for cognitive involvement. Muscle RNA-FISH, immunofluorescence for MBNL1 and RT-PCR analysis documented the presence of ribonuclear inclusions, their co-localization with MBNL1, and an aberrant splicing pattern involved in DM1 pathogenesis, without any obvious differences between variant and non-variant DM1 patients. Therefore, this study shows that the CCG interruptions at the 3'-end of expanded DMPK alleles do not produce qualitative effects on the RNA-mediated toxic gain-of-function in DM1 muscle tissues. Finally, our results support the conclusion that different patterns of CCG interruptions within the CTG array could modulate the DM1 clinical phenotype, variably affecting the mutational dynamics of the variant repeat

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and academic entrepreneurial preference: is there an association?

Although commercialization of research activities has drawn some research attention, more studies are warranted to clearly understand the drivers behind academic entrepreneurship. The present paper investigates the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and academic entrepreneurial preference. ADHD symptoms have typically been associated with impaired occupational functioning among wage employees. Recent studies, however, indicate that the same symptoms of ADHD that are a liability for wage employees may work out differently for entrepreneurs. Building on previous studies that link ADHD symptoms to entrepreneurship, and using the theoretical lens of person-environment fit, we hypothesize that ADHD symptoms (at the so-called subclinical level) are associated with academic entrepreneurial preference. Results of our data from academic researchers in France, Spain, and Italy (N = 534) show that there is a negative association between attention-deficit symptoms and academic entrepreneurial preference. However, there is no link between hyperactivity symptoms and academic entrepreneurial preference

Syndecan 4 Is Involved in Mediating HCV Entry through Interaction with Lipoviral Particle-Associated Apolipoprotein E

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide and HCV infection represents a major health problem. HCV associates with host lipoproteins forming host/viral hybrid complexes termed lipoviral particles. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a lipoprotein component that interacts with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) to mediate hepatic lipoprotein uptake, and may likewise mediate HCV entry. We sought to define the functional regions of apoE with an aim to identify critical apoE binding partners involved in HCV infection. Using adenoviral vectors and siRNA to modulate apoE expression we show a direct correlation of apoE expression and HCV infectivity, whereas no correlation exists with viral protein expression. Mutating the HSPG binding domain (HSPG-BD) of apoE revealed key residues that are critical for mediating HCV infection. Furthermore, a novel synthetic peptide that mimics apoE's HSPG-BD directly and competitively inhibits HCV infection. Genetic knockdown of the HSPG proteins syndecan (SDC) 1 and 4 revealed that SDC4 principally mediates HCV entry. Our data demonstrate that HCV uses apoE-SDC4 interactions to enter hepatoma cells and establish infection. Targeting apoE-SDC interactions could be an alternative strategy for blocking HCV entry, a critical step in maintaining chronic HCV infection

Stress-Induced Activation of Heterochromatic Transcription

Constitutive heterochromatin comprising the centromeric and telomeric parts of chromosomes includes DNA marked by high levels of methylation associated with histones modified by repressive marks. These epigenetic modifications silence transcription and ensure stable inheritance of this inert state. Although environmental cues can alter epigenetic marks and lead to modulation of the transcription of genes located in euchromatic parts of the chromosomes, there is no evidence that external stimuli can globally destabilize silencing of constitutive heterochromatin. We have found that heterochromatin-associated silencing in Arabidopsis plants subjected to a particular temperature regime is released in a genome-wide manner. This occurs without alteration of repressive epigenetic modifications and does not involve common epigenetic mechanisms. Such induced release of silencing is mostly transient, and rapid restoration of the silent state occurs without the involvement of factors known to be required for silencing initiation. Thus, our results reveal new regulatory aspects of transcriptional repression in constitutive heterochromatin and open up possibilities to identify the molecular mechanisms involved

Integrated Mapping of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Epidemiological Findings and Control Implications for Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State, Southern Sudan

Integrated control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is being scaled up in a number of developing countries, because it is thought to be more cost-effective than stand-alone control programmes. Under this approach, treatments for onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection, and trachoma are administered through the same delivery structure and at about the same time. A pre-requisite for implementation of integrated NTD control is information on where the targeted diseases are endemic and to what extent they overlap. This information is generated through surveys that can be labour-intensive and expensive. In Southern Sudan, all of the above diseases except onchocerciasis require further mapping before a comprehensive integrated NTD control programme can be implemented. To determine where treatment for which disease is required, integrated surveys were conducted for schistosomiasis, STH infection, LF, and loiasis, throughout one of ten states of the country. Our results show that treatment is only required for urinary schistosomiasis and STH in a few, yet separate, geographical area. This illustrates the importance of investing in disease mapping to minimize overall programme costs by being able to target interventions. Integration of survey methodologies for the above disease was practical and efficient, and minimized the effort required to collect these data