Developmental disturbances associated with agenesis of the permanent maxillary lateral incisor

The aim of this study was to characterise the intra and extra-oral phenotype associated with agenesis of the permanent maxillary lateral incisor. We compared three groups: (1) subjects with agenesis of one or both permanent maxillary lateral incisors (n=80); (2) first and second degree relatives of group 1 with no agenesis of the permanent maxillary lateral incisor and (3) subjects with no agenesis of the maxillary lateral incisor or family history of it (n=49). For each of the 201 subjects detailed clinical information was reviewed and panoramic radiographs were analysed. Considering only the sample with unilateral agenesis, microdontia of the contralateral permanent maxillary lateral incisor was significantly more frequent in group 1 (82.4%) than in group 2 (25%) and the control group (2%). This supports the theory that microdontia is a variable expression of the same developmental disturbance that causes tooth agenesis. The absence of third molars occurred more often in group 1 (36.2%) than in groups 2 and 3 (18.6% and 18.9% respectively), confirming that agenesis of third molars was markedly associated with the agenesis of the permanent maxillary lateral incisor. Agenesis of teeth other than third molars was not significantly different among subjects with agenesis of the permanent maxillary lateral incisor and their relatives. The frequencies of supernumerary teeth, permanent maxillary canine impaction, general health condition and minor anomalies were not significantly different between the three groups

Parainfluenza virus infection associated with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a clinical and radiological entity. The most accepted theory of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a loss of autoregulation in cerebral blood flow with a subsequent increase in vascular permeability and leakage of blood plasma and erythrocytes, producing vasogenic edema. In infection-associated posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, a clinical pattern consistent with systemic inflammatory response syndrome develops. Parainfluenza virus has not been reported in the medical literature to be associated with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report herein the case of a 54-year-old Caucasian woman with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome associated with parainfluenza virus infection who presented with generalized headache, blurring of vision, new-onset seizure and flu-like symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Infection-associated posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome as well as hypertension-associated posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome favor the contribution of endothelial dysfunction to the pathophysiology of this clinicoradiological syndrome. In view of the reversible nature of this clinical entity, it is important that all physicians are well aware of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in patients presenting with headache and seizure activity. A detailed clinical assessment leading to the recognition of precipitant factors in posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is paramount.</p

Can Oxygen Set Thermal Limits in an Insect and Drive Gigantism?

Contains fulltext : 111575.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Health service needs and perspectives of remote forest communities in Papua New Guinea: study protocol for combined clinical and rapid anthropological assessments with parallel treatment of urgent cases

Introduction Our project follows community requests for health service incorporation into conservation collaborations in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea (PNG). This protocol is for health needs assessments, our first step in coplanning medical provision in communities with no existing health data. Methods and analysis The study includes clinical assessments and rapid anthropological assessment procedures (RAP) exploring the health needs and perspectives of partner communities in two areas, conducted over 6 weeks fieldwork. First, in Wanang village (population c.200), which is set in lowland rainforest. Second, in six communities (population c.3000) along an altitudinal transect up the highest mountain in PNG, Mount Wilhelm. Individual primary care assessments incorporate physical examinations and questioning (providing qualitative and quantitative data) while RAP includes focus groups, interviews and field observations (providing qualitative data). Given absence of in-community primary care, treatments are offered alongside research activity but will not form part of the study. Data are collected by a research fellow, primary care clinician and two PNG research technicians. After quantitative and qualitative analyses, we will report: ethnoclassifications of disease, causes, symptoms and perceived appropriate treatment; community rankings of disease importance and service needs; attitudes regarding health service provision; disease burdens and associations with altitudinal-related variables and cultural practices. To aid wider use study tools are in online supplemental file, and paper and ODK versions are available free from the corresponding author. Ethics and dissemination Challenges include supporting informed consent in communities with low literacy and diverse cultures, moral duties to provide treatment alongside research in medically underserved areas while minimising risks of therapeutic misconception and inappropriate inducement, and PNG research capacity building. Brighton and Sussex Medical School (UK), PNG Institute of Medical Research and PNG Medical Research Advisory Committee have approved the study. Dissemination will be via journals, village meetings and plain language summaries

Bio-Repository of DNA in stroke (BRAINS): A study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stroke is one of the commonest causes of mortality in the world and anticipated to be an increasing burden to the developing world. Stroke has a genetic basis and identifying those genes may not only help us define the mechanisms that cause stroke but also identify novel therapeutic targets. However, large scale highly phenotyped DNA repositories are required in order for this to be achieved.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The proposed Bio-Repository of DNA in Stroke (BRAINS) will recruit all subtypes of stroke as well as controls from two different continents, Europe and Asia. Subjects recruited from the UK will include stroke patients of European ancestry as well as British South Asians. Stroke subjects from South Asia will be recruited from India and Sri Lanka. South Asian cases will also have control subjects recruited.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We describe a study protocol to establish a large and highly characterized stroke biobank in those of European and South Asian descent. With different ethnic populations being recruited, BRAINS has the ability to compare and contrast genetic risk factors between those of differing ancestral descent as well as those who migrate into different environments.</p

Development of an In Vitro Compartmentalization Screen for High-Throughput Directed Evolution of [FeFe] Hydrogenases

BACKGROUND: [FeFe] hydrogenase enzymes catalyze the formation and dissociation of molecular hydrogen with the help of a complex prosthetic group composed of common elements. The development of energy conversion technologies based on these renewable catalysts has been hindered by their extreme oxygen sensitivity. Attempts to improve the enzymes by directed evolution have failed for want of a screening platform capable of throughputs high enough to adequately sample heavily mutated DNA libraries. In vitro compartmentalization (IVC) is a powerful method capable of screening for multiple-turnover enzymatic activity at very high throughputs. Recent advances have allowed [FeFe] hydrogenases to be expressed and activated in the cell-free protein synthesis reactions on which IVC is based; however, IVC is a demanding technique with which many enzymes have proven incompatible. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we describe an extremely high-throughput IVC screen for oxygen-tolerant [FeFe] hydrogenases. We demonstrate that the [FeFe] hydrogenase CpI can be expressed and activated within emulsion droplets, and identify a fluorogenic substrate that links activity after oxygen exposure to the generation of a fluorescent signal. We present a screening protocol in which attachment of mutant genes and the proteins they encode to the surfaces of microbeads is followed by three separate emulsion steps for amplification, expression, and evaluation of hydrogenase mutants. We show that beads displaying active hydrogenase can be isolated by fluorescence-activated cell-sorting, and we use the method to enrich such beads from a mock library. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: [FeFe] hydrogenases are the most complex enzymes to be produced by cell-free protein synthesis, and the most challenging targets to which IVC has yet been applied. The technique described here is an enabling step towards the development of biocatalysts for a biological hydrogen economy

Haptic spatial configuration learning in deaf and hearing individuals

The present study investigated haptic spatial configuration learning in deaf individuals, hearing sign language interpreters and hearing controls. In three trials, participants had to match ten shapes haptically to the cut-outs in a board as fast as possible. Deaf and hearing sign language users outperformed the hearing controls. A similar difference was observed for a rotated version of the board. The groups did not differ, however, on a free relocation trial. Though a significant sign language experience advantage was observed, comparison to results from a previous study testing the same task in a group of blind individuals showed it to be smaller than the advantage observed for the blind group. These results are discussed in terms of how sign language experience and sensory deprivation benefit haptic spatial configuration processing

9-Genes Reinforce the Phylogeny of Holometabola and Yield Alternate Views on the Phylogenetic Placement of Strepsiptera

Background: The extraordinary morphology, reproductive and developmental biology, and behavioral ecology of twisted wing parasites (order Strepsiptera) have puzzled biologists for centuries. Even today, the phylogenetic position of these enigmatic “insects from outer space” [1] remains uncertain and contentious. Recent authors have argued for the placement of Strepsiptera within or as a close relative of beetles (order Coleoptera), as sister group of flies (order Diptera), or even outside of Holometabola.Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we combine data from several recent studies with new data (for a total of 9 nuclear genes and ∼13 kb of aligned data for 34 taxa), to help clarify the phylogenetic placement of Strepsiptera. Our results unequivocally support the monophyly of Neuropteroidea ( = Neuropterida + Coleoptera) + Strepsiptera, but recover Strepsiptera either derived from within polyphagan beetles (order Coleoptera), or in a position sister to Neuropterida. All other supra-ordinal- and ordinal-level relationships recovered with strong nodal support were consistent with most other recent studies. Conclusions/Significance: These results, coupled with the recent proposed placement of Strepsiptera sister to Coleoptera, suggest that while the phylogenetic neighborhood of Strepsiptera has been identified, unequivocal placement to a specific branch within Neuropteroidea will require additional study.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog