The MHC2TA -168A>G gene polymorphism is not associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Austrian patients

An association between susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a common -168A>G polymorphism in the MHC2TA gene with differential major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II molecule expression was recently reported in a Swedish population. The objective of the present study was to replicate this finding by examining the -168A>G polymorphism in an Austrian case–control study. Three hundred and sixty-two unrelated RA cases and 351 sex-matched and age-matched controls as well as 1,709 Austrian healthy individuals were genotyped. All participants were from the same ethnic background. Genotyping was performed using 5' allelic discrimination assays. The association between susceptibility to RA and the -168A>G single nucleotide polymorphism was examined by chi-square test. Comparison was made assuming a dominant effect (AG + GG genotypes versus AA genotype). In contrast to the primary report, the frequency of MHC2TA -168G allele carriers was not significantly different between patients and controls in the Austrian cohort. The homozygous MHC2TA -168 GG genotype was more frequent in matched controls than in Austrian RA patients. There was no association between the presence of RA-specific autoantibodies and the MHC2TA -168 GG genotype. In this cohort of Austrian patients, no association between the MHC2TA polymorphism and RA was found

Pathologie der Mamillenregion: I. Morbus Paget der Mamille, Varianten und Differentialdiagnosen

Der klassische M. Paget der Mamille ist histologisch charakterisiert durch eine intraepidermale Tumorinfiltration, die von einem intraduktalen oder invasiven Mammakarzinom ausgeht, immunhistologisch durch eine regelhafte Überexpression von HER2 und klinisch durch ekzemartige Veränderungen von Mamille und Areola. Zu den Varianten mit davon abweichenden histologischen, immunhistologischen und klinischen Erscheinungsformen gehören der isolierte M. Paget der Mamille, der anaplastische M. Paget, der M. Paget mit Invasion und der pigmentierte M. Paget der Mamille. Differentialdiagnostisch ist der M. Paget der Mamille abzugrenzen gegenüber benignen Veränderungen, insbesondere der Tokerzellhyperplasie, dem Mamillenekzem und seltenen Dermatosen

Lipid transfer from plants to arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbioses contribute to global carbon cycles as plant hosts divert up to 20% of photosynthate to the obligate biotrophic fungi. Previous studies suggested carbohydrates as the only form of carbon transferred to the fungi. However, de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis has not been observed in AM fungi in absence of the plant. In a forward genetic approach, we identified two Lotus japonicus mutants defective in AM-specific paralogs of lipid biosynthesis genes (KASI and GPAT6). These mutants perturb fungal development and accumulation of emblematic fungal 16:1 omega 5 FAs. Using isotopolog profiling we demonstrate that C-13 patterns of fungal FAs recapitulate those of wild-type hosts, indicating cross-kingdom lipid transfer from plants to fungi. This transfer of labelled FAs was not observed for the AM-specific lipid biosynthesis mutants. Thus, growth and development of beneficial AM fungi is not only fueled by sugars but depends on lipid transfer from plant hosts

Beryllium isotopes in central Arctic Ocean sediments over the past 12.3 million years: Stratigraphic and paleoclimatic implications

The upper 200 m of the sediments recovered during IODP Leg 302, the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX), to the Lomonosov Ridge in the central Arctic Ocean consist almost exclusively of detrital material. The scarcity of biostratigraphic markers severely complicates the establishment of a reliable chronostratigraphic framework for these sediments, which contain the first continuous record of the Neogene environmental and climatic evolution of the Arctic region. Here we present profiles of cosmogenic 10Be together with the seawater-derived fraction of stable 9Be obtained from the ACEX cores. The down-core decrease of 10Be/9Be provides an average sedimentation rate of 14.5 ± 1 m/Ma for the uppermost 151 m of the ACEX record and allows the establishment of a chronostratigraphy for the past 12.3 Ma. The age-corrected 10Be concentrations and 10Be/9Be ratios suggest the existence of an essentially continuous sea ice cover over the past 12.3 Ma

Fundulus as the premier teleost model in environmental biology : opportunities for new insights using genomics

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2007. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics 2 (2007): 257-286, doi:10.1016/j.cbd.2007.09.001.A strong foundation of basic and applied research documents that the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus and related species are unique laboratory and field models for understanding how individuals and populations interact with their environment. In this paper we summarize an extensive body of work examining the adaptive responses of Fundulus species to environmental conditions, and describe how this research has contributed importantly to our understanding of physiology, gene regulation, toxicology, and ecological and evolutionary genetics of teleosts and other vertebrates. These explorations have reached a critical juncture at which advancement is hindered by the lack of genomic resources for these species. We suggest that a more complete genomics toolbox for F. heteroclitus and related species will permit researchers to exploit the power of this model organism to rapidly advance our understanding of fundamental biological and pathological mechanisms among vertebrates, as well as ecological strategies and evolutionary processes common to all living organisms.This material is based on work supported by grants from the National Science Foundation DBI-0420504 (LJB), OCE 0308777 (DLC, RNW, BBR), BES-0553523 (AW), IBN 0236494 (BBR), IOB-0519579 (DHE), IOB-0543860 (DWT), FSML-0533189 (SC); National Institute of Health NIEHS P42-ES007381(GVC, MEH), P42-ES10356 (RTD), ES011588 (MFO); and NCRR P20 RR-016463 (DWT); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery (DLM, TDS, WSM) and Collaborative Research and Development Programs (DLM); NOAA/National Sea Grant NA86RG0052 (LJB), NA16RG2273 (SIK, MEH,GVC, JJS); Environmental Protection Agency U91620701 (WSB), R82902201(SC) and EPA’s Office of Research and Development (DEN)

PISA geht auch an den Universitäten nicht spurlos vorüber

Der Autor diskutiert zunächst die Aufgaben von Hochschulen und Wissenschaft gegenüber der Wirtschaft und stellt die Entwicklung der Studenten- und Professorenzahlen in zwei Schaubildern gegenüber. Angesichts der schlechten Ergebnisse zweier der PISA-Studie entnommenen Mathematik-Aufgaben, die ein Professor seinen Studenten bei einer Vordiplomprüfung vorgelegt hat, geht der Autor der Frage nach, was die universitäre Ausbildung leisten soll. Neben dem allgemeinen Bildungsrückstand, der insbesondere auch an Hochschulen und Universitäten zu spüren ist, geht der Autor des weiteren auf den Bedarf an Lehrern ein. Er schließt seine Diskussion mit den Folgen des allgemeinen Bildungsrückstandes für die Universitäten. (DIPF/ ssch

Multi-objective stochastic project portfolio selection using metaheuristics

Reiter P, Gutjahr WJ, Katzensteiner S, Stummer C. Multi-objective stochastic project portfolio selection using metaheuristics. In: Proceedings of the 7th Metaheuristics International Conference (MIC). 2007: 1-3