Rice Bacterial Leaf Blight in West Africa: Preliminary Studies on Disease in Farmers’ Fields and Screening Released Varieties for Resistance to the Bacteria

As little information is available in Africa on Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae, a highly destructive pathogen of rice, and its relationship with released rice varieties, a disease survey and samplings were carried out in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali which indicated a wide spread of Bacterial Leaf blight (BLB) in farmers’ fields. Sixty pure BLB isolates cultures were obtained. Pathogenecity of 4 Malian isolates against four important rice varieties revealed differences in pathogenecity among isolates and resistance of the varieties tested. The results obtained in these initial studies revealed the future research directions to increasing rice production in West Africa

Familial pericentric inversion chromosome 3 and R448C mutation of CYP11B1 gene in Turkish kindred with 11β-hydroxylase deficiency

11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency is the second most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). This isoenzyme is coded by two highly homologous genes of cytochrome P450: CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 which were mapped to the chromosomal band 8q24. The aim of this study was to perform a series of molecular and cytogenetic analyses in two families with 11 P-hydroxylase deficiency of the Turkish kindred. Mutational analysis was carried out by directly sequencing the PCR products of CYP11B1 gene. We performed fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) experiments with consecutive bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones to map the breakpoints of the inversion of chromosome 3 which was detected during the karyotypic analysis of the propositus. Homozygous R448C mutations were detected in 2 individuals with 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency. Interestingly, karyotypic change of pericentric inversion [inv(3)(p13q24)] was detected in both individuals who are cousins, one transmitted paternally and the other maternally. The breakpoint at 3p included one interesting gene PPP4R2. Here we present the data of two Turkish families' members having 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency coupled with the familial chromosomal aberration of inv(3)(p13q24). Our data suggest that codon 448, which is a mutational hot spot in CYP11B1 causing 11 beta-hydroxylase cleficiency, is not restricted to Jews of Moroccan origin. Phenotypic variations observed in former studies in patients homozygous for R448H were stated to be due to other factors outside the CYP11B1 locus. The breakpoint in 3p might be a candidate region affecting variations in phenotypes of 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency

Structure-activity studies of peptides from the "hot-spot" region of human CD2 protein: Development of peptides for immunomodulation

10.1021/jm0503547Journal of Medicinal Chemistry48206236-6249JMCM

Effect of sibutramine on cardiovascular outcomes in overweight and obese subjects.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effects of sibutramine treatment on the rates of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death among subjects at high cardiovascular risk have not been established. METHODS: We enrolled in our study 10,744 overweight or obese subjects, 55 years of age or older, with preexisting cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or both to assess the cardiovascular consequences of weight management with and without sibutramine in subjects at high risk for cardiovascular events. All the subjects received sibutramine in addition to participating in a weight-management program during a 6-week, single-blind, lead-in period, after which 9804 subjects underwent random assignment in a double-blind fashion to sibutramine (4906 subjects) or placebo (4898 subjects). The primary end point was the time from randomization to the first occurrence of a primary outcome event (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, resuscitation after cardiac arrest, or cardiovascular death). RESULTS: The mean duration of treatment was 3.4 years. The mean weight loss during the lead-in period was 2.6 kg; after randomization, the subjects in the sibutramine group achieved and maintained further weight reduction (mean, 1.7 kg). The mean blood pressure decreased in both groups, with greater reductions in the placebo group than in the sibutramine group (mean difference, 1.2/1.4 mm Hg). The risk of a primary outcome event was 11.4% in the sibutramine group as compared with 10.0% in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.31; P=0.02). The rates of nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke were 4.1% and 2.6% in the sibutramine group and 3.2% and 1.9% in the placebo group, respectively (hazard ratio for nonfatal myocardial infarction, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.57; P=0.02; hazard ratio for nonfatal stroke, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.77; P=0.03). The rates of cardiovascular death and death from any cause were not increased. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with preexisting cardiovascular conditions who were receiving long-term sibutramine treatment had an increased risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke but not of cardiovascular death or death from any cause. (Funded by Abbott; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00234832.