a network connectivity-based approach

The spread of dengue through global human mobility is a major public health concern. A key challenge is understanding the transmission pathways and mediating factors that characterized the patterns of dengue importation into non-endemic areas. Utilizing a network connectivity-based approach, we analyze the importation patterns of dengue fever into European countries. Seven connectivity indices were developed to characterize the role of the air passenger traffic, seasonality, incidence rate, geographical proximity, epidemic vulnerability, and wealth of a source country, in facilitating the transport and importation of dengue fever. We used generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to examine the relationship between dengue importation and the connectivity indices while accounting for the air transport network structure. We also incorporated network autocorrelation within a GLMM framework to investigate the propensity of a European country to receive an imported case, by virtue of its position within the air transport network. The connectivity indices and dynamical processes of the air transport network were strong predictors of dengue importation in Europe. With more than 70% of the variation in dengue importation patterns explained. We found that transportation potential was higher for source countries with seasonal dengue activity, high passenger traffic, high incidence rates, high epidemic vulnerability, and in geographical proximity to a destination country in Europe. We also found that position of a European country within the air transport network was a strong predictor of the country's propensity to receive an imported case. Our findings provide evidence that the importation patterns of dengue into Europe can be largely explained by appropriately characterizing the heterogeneities of the source, and topology of the air transport network. This contributes to the foundational framework for building integrated predictive models for bio-surveillance of dengue importation.publishersversionpublishe

Assessing present and future suitability of European cities to the Asian Tiger mosquito, a vector of dengue and Zika

The Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is already established in many countries of Europe and cities are particularly vulnerable to the spread of vector-borne diseases. We evaluated the suitability of 62 large urban areas in Europe to the establishment of this mosquito, based on the level of agreement between published predictions of its potential distribution. We classified levels of suitability and uncertainty according to the number of matching models at a 25 km cell size and retrieved the predominant class within the boundaries of each urban area. We analysed 7 independent predictions for current conditions and 5 for future conditions (2050-2080), as well as changes in classes between the two timeframes. Currently, 60% of the cities are suitable to the mosquito, 8% are unsuitable and 32% show high uncertainty. In the future, 87% will be suitable and none will be unsuitable, including cities in the British Isles and Scandinavia, which will have to adapt their public health policies.publishe

Limited genomic divergence between intraspecific forms of Culex pipiens under different ecological pressures

Abstract Background: Divergent selection can be a major driver of ecological speciation. In insects of medical importance, understanding the speciation process is both of academic interest and public health importance. In the West Nile virus vector Culex pipiens, intraspecific pipiens and molestus forms vary in ecological and physiological traits. Populations of each form appear to share recent common ancestry but patterns of genetic differentiation across the genome remain unknown. Here, we undertook an AFLP genome scan on samples collected from both sympatric and allopatric populations from Europe and the USA to quantify the extent of genomic differentiation between the two forms. Results: The forms were clearly differentiated but each exhibited major population sub-structuring between continents. Divergence between pipiens and molestus forms from USA was higher than in both inter- and intra-continental comparisons with European samples. The proportion of outlier loci between pipiens and molestus (≈3 %) was low but consistent in both continents, and similar to those observed between sibling species of other mosquito species which exhibit contemporary gene flow. Only two of the outlier loci were shared between inter-form comparisons made within Europe and USA. Conclusion: This study supports the molestus and pipiens status as distinct evolutionary entities with low genomic divergence. The low number of shared divergent loci between continents suggests a relatively limited number of genomic regions determining key typological traits likely to be driving incipient speciation and/or adaptation of molestus to anthropogenic habitats

Screening a variable germplasm collection of Cucumis melo L. for seedling resistance to Macrophomina phaseolina

[EN] We evaluate the seedling resistance to charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina in ninety-seven Cucumis melo accessions, from different geographical origins and five F1 generations, derived from crosses of five accessions selected for their resistance. Artificial inoculations with the toothpick method, previously reported to be useful for predicting shoot resistance, were performed, and plants were scored using a scale of disease severity. The average disease severity was calculated for each accession and was used to cluster the accession in five reaction classes. The screening revealed that sources of natural resistance to this fungus are limited. However, seedlings of seven accessions of different botanic groups displayed a resistant response to the stem inoculation, one cantaloup from Israel, one conomon accession from Korea, two wild agrestis and one acidulus from Africa, and two dudaim accessions from Middle East. The response of the F1 progenies varied from susceptibility to high resistance, the latter in progenies from the two agrestis wild types. These results suggest differences in the genetic basis of the resistance in the different selected sources. The resistant accessions are suggested to be screened under field conditions to confirm the level of resistance at adult plant stage and under stressful conditions.This work has been partially funded by the Project No 294/13 of the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior CAPES (Brazil). M. M. Q. Ambrosio and A. C. A. Dantas thank CAPES for their research fellowships. B.Pico thanks the Programa Hispano-Brasileno de Cooperacion Universitaria HBP2012-008 and PHBP14/00021 and to the MINECO project AGL2014-53398-C2-2-R.Ambrosio, MM.; Dantas, AC.; Martinez Perez, EM.; Medeiros, AC.; Sousa Nunes, GHD.; Picó Sirvent, MB. (2015). Screening a variable germplasm collection of Cucumis melo L. for seedling resistance to Macrophomina phaseolina. Euphytica. 206(2):287-300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-015-1452-xS2873002062Aegerter BJ, Gordon TR, Davis RM (2000) Occurrence and pathogenicity of fungi associated with melon root rot and vine decline in California. Plant Dis 84:224–230Almeida AMR, Abdelnoor RV, Arias CAA, Carvalho VP, Jacoud Filho DS, Marin SRR, Benato LC, Pinto MC, Carvalho CGP (2003) Genotypic diversity among Brazilian isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina revealed by RAPD. Fitopatol Bras 28:279–285Almeida AMRA, Seixas CDSS, Farias JRBF, Oliveira MCN, Franchini JC, Debiasi H, Costa JM, Gaudêncio CA (2014) Macrophomina phaseolina em soja. Embrapa Soja, Londrina, p 30pAmbrósio MMQ, Bueno CJ, Padovani CR, Souza NL (2009) Sobrevivência de fungos fitopatogênicos habitantes do solo, em microcosmo, simulando solarização com prévia incorporação de materiais orgânicos. 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In vitro and in vivo performance of methacrylated gellan gum hydrogel formulations for cartilage repair

Methacrylated gellan gum (GGMA) formulation is proposed as a second‐generation hydrogel for controlled delivery of cartilage‐forming cells into focal chondral lesions, allowing immediate in situ retention of cells and 3D filling of lesion volume, such approach deemed compatible with an arthroscopic procedure. Formulation optimization was carried out in vitro using chondrocytes and adipose mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (ASCs). A proof‐of‐concept in vivo study was conducted using a rabbit model with induced chondral lesions. Outcomes were compared with microfracture or non‐treated control. Three grading scores were used to evaluate tissue repair after 8 weeks by macroscopic, histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Intense collagen type II and low collagen type I gene and protein expression were achieved in vitro by the ASC + GGMA formulation, in light with development of healthy chondral tissue. In vivo, this formulation promoted significantly superior de novo cartilage formation compared with the non‐treated group. Maintenance of chondral height and integration with native tissue was further accomplished. The physicochemical properties of the proposed GGMA hydrogel exhibited highly favorable characteristics and biological performance both in vitro and in vivo, positioning itself as an attractive xeno‐free biomaterial to be used with chondrogenic cells for a cost‐effective treatment of focal chondral lesions

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and risk factors in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2008-2009

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related risk factors. METHODS:A population-based cross-sectional study with 1,441 individuals of both sexes aged 40 years or more was conducted in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. A two-stage (census tract, household) cluster random sampling stratified by sex and age was used and data was collected through home interviews. Multiple Poisson regression was used in the adjusted analysis. RESULTS: Of all respondents, 4.2% (95%CI: 3.1;5.4) reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. After adjustment the following factors were found independently associated with self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: number of cigarettes smoked in their lifetime (>1,500 vs. none) (PR=3.85; 95%CI: 1.87;7.94); easily fatigued (yes vs. no) (PR=2.61; 95%CI: 1.39;4.90); age (60;69 vs. 50;59) (PR 3.27; 95%CI: 1.01;11.24); age (70 and over vs. 50;59) (PR 4.29; 95%CI: 1.30;11.29); health conditions in the last 15 days (yes vs. no) (PR=1.31; 95%CI: 1.02;1.77); leisure-time physical activity (yes vs. no) (PR-0.57; 95%CI: 0.26;0.97). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is high in the population studied and is associated with smoking and age over 60. Frequent health conditions and low leisure-time physical activity are a consequence of the disease.45588789

Probing the O-glycoproteome of gastric cancer cell lines for biomarker discovery

Circulating O-glycoproteins shed from cancer cells represent important serum biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. We have recently shown that selective detection of cancer-associated aberrant glycoforms of circulating O-glycoprotein biomarkers can increase specificity of cancer biomarker assays. However, the current knowledge of secreted and circulating O-glycoproteins is limited. Here, we used the COSMC KO "Simple- Cell" (SC) strategy to characterize the O-glycoproteome of two gastric cancer SimpleCell lines (AGS, MKN45) as well as a gastric cell line (KATO III) which naturally expresses at least partially truncated O-glycans. Overall, we identified 499 O-glycoproteins and 1236 O-glycosites in gastric cancer SimpleCells, and a total 47 O-glycoproteins and 73 O-glycosites in the KATO III cell line. We next modified the glycoproteomic strategy to apply it to pools of sera from gastric cancer and healthy individuals to identify circulating O-glycoproteins with the STn glycoform. We identified 37 O-glycoproteins in the pool of cancer sera, and only nine of these were also found in sera from healthy individuals. Two identified candidate O-glycoprotein biomarkers (CD44 and GalNAc-T5) circulating with the STn glycoform were further validated as being expressed in gastric cancer tissue. A proximity ligation assay was used to show that CD44 was expressed with the STn glycoform in gastric cancer tissues. The study provides a discovery strategy for aberrantly glycosylated O-glycoproteins and a set of O-glycoprotein candidates with biomarker potential in gastric cancer.This work was supported by The Danish Research Councils, The Mizutani Foundation, The Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF107) and Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and COMPETE (Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade, comparticipado pelo fundo comunitário europeu FEDER) in the framework of the projects: PTDC/BBB-EBI/0786/2012; EXPL/CTM-BIO/0762/2013. Grants were received from FCT (SFRH/BD/73717/2010 to DC), (SFRH/BPD/75871/2011 to AM), (SFRH/BPD/96510/2013 to CG) and (SFRH/BPD/66288/2009 to JAF). IPATIMUP is an Associate Laboratory of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, and is partially supported by FCT