Lantana: Current Management Status and Future Prospects

Crop Production/Industries,

Severity of Psoriasis Associates With Aortic Vascular Inflammation Detected by FDG PET/CT and Neutrophil Activation in a Prospective Observational Study.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Heart Association via http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.115.306460OBJECTIVE: To understand whether directly measured psoriasis severity is associated with vascular inflammation assessed by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography. APPROACH: In-depth cardiovascular and metabolic phenotyping was performed in adult psoriasis patients (n=60) and controls (n=20). Psoriasis severity was measured using psoriasis area severity index. Vascular inflammation was measured using average aortic target-to-background ratio using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography. RESULTS: Both the psoriasis patients (28 men and 32 women, mean age 47 years) and controls (13 men and 7 women, mean age 41 years) were young with low cardiovascular risk. Psoriasis area severity index scores (median 5.4; interquartile range 2.8-8.3) were consistent with mild-to-moderate skin disease severity. Increasing psoriasis area severity index score was associated with an increase in aortic target-to-background ratio (β=0.41, P=0.001), an association that changed little after adjustment for age, sex, and Framingham risk score. We observed evidence of increased neutrophil frequency (mean psoriasis, 3.7±1.2 versus 2.9±1.2; P=0.02) and activation by lower neutrophil surface CD16 and CD62L in blood. Serum levels of S100A8/A9 (745.1±53.3 versus 195.4±157.8 ng/mL; P<0.01) and neutrophil elastase-1 (43.0±2.4 versus 30.8±6.7 ng/mL; P<0.001) were elevated in psoriasis. Finally, S100A8/A9 protein was related to both psoriasis skin disease severity (β=0.53; P=0.02) and vascular inflammation (β=0.48; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis severity is associated with vascular inflammation beyond cardiovascular risk factors. Psoriasis increased neutrophil activation and neutrophil markers, and S100A8/A9 was related to both skin disease severity and vascular inflammation.JMT is supported by a Wellcome Trust research training fellowship (104492/Z/14/Z) and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. JHFR is part-supported by the HEFCE, the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, the British Heart Foundation, and the Wellcome Trus

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Molecular analyses suggest a need for a significant rearrangement of Rutaceae subfamilies and a minor reassessment of species relationships within Flindersia

DNA sequencing has been used to construct two molecular phylogenies at the intra-family and intrageneric level within the Rutaceae. Analysis of trnL-trnF sequence data for five Rutaceae subfamilies has shown that there is no molecular support for the current subfamily classifications within the Rutaceae. The Dictyolomatoideae and Spathelioideae belong to a clade separate from the clades containing the remaining Rutaceae subfamilies. Rutoideae and Citroideae do not form discrete clades which suggests a reassessment of the subfamily classification is necessary, particularly as Ruta falls within the majority Citroideae clade. Flindersioideae forms a clade within the Rutaceae and does not form a separate family or form a clade with Meliaceae. Sequencing of 17 Flindersia species produces a similar phylogeny to that proposed by other authors using morphological methods with two exceptions. The molecular phylogeny indicates F. amboinensis is associated with F. fournieri and F. laevicarpa and, in addition, F. oppositifolia and F. pimenteliana were found to be genetically identical

Population ecology and genetics of the vulnerable Acacia attenuata (Mimosaceae) and their significance for its conservation, recovery and translocation

Acacia attenuata Maiden and Blakely, is a vulnerable shrub, endemic to south-east Queensland, Australia. The population ecology and genetics of the species were examined throughout its range to assist with conservation and recovery of the species. South-east Queensland is experiencing massive population expansion and the associated housing and infrastructure development is having an impact on the remnant vegetation in the region. Population sizes differed significantly (PST=0.101). Populations were effectively inbred (F=0.482); however, inbreeding was not correlated with population size, density, isolation or reproductive activity. Uniform high levels of genetic diversity and low population differentiation suggest that A. attenuata once had a more continuous distribution. A population that was due to be translocated because of a development decision was also assessed as part of the research. The population at the development site (AA14-Bundilla) was the largest and one of the most genetically variable sites, thus the genetic diversity of the population needs to be conserved within the translocation. The translocation process is reported here and occurred based on the information on genetics and ecology provided by this study. Population density and the proportion of seedlings and juveniles were significantly negatively correlated with time since fire. Fire regimes of 5-10 years are optimal for A. attenuata population regeneration and persistence, thus active fire management will be required for both the translocated population and for other populations within the urban and peri-urban areas, where competing demands make fire management controversial and difficult.</p