Detection of genetically modified plant products by protein strip testing: an evaluation of real-life samples

The determination of the presence of genetically modified plant material by the detection of expressed genetically engineered proteins using lateral flow protein strip tests has been evaluated in different matrices. The presence of five major genetically engineered proteins (CP4-EPSPS, CryIAb, Cry9C, PAT/pat and PAT/bar protein) was detected at low levels in seeds, seed/leaf powder and leaf tissue from genetically modified soy, maize or oilseed rape. A comparison between &quot;protein strip test&quot; (PST) and &quot;polymerase chain reaction&quot; (PCR) analysis of genetically modified food/feed samples demonstrates complementarities of both techniques. -® Springer-Verlag 2007</p

Dinocampus coccinellae as a parasitoid of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis in Europe

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Improved detection of RNA foci in C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis post-mortem tissue using BaseScope™ shows a lack of association with cognitive dysfunction

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank: (i) the Medical Research Council Edinburgh Brain Bank (ethics approval from East of Scotland Research Ethics Service, 16/ES/0084)) for supplying all post-mortem brain material and the Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Register (SMNDR)/Care Audit Research and Evaluation for Motor Neurone Disease (CARE-MND) consortium for all clinical and demographic data (ethical approval from Scotland A Research Ethics Committee 10/MRE00/78 and 15/SS/0216); (ii) The Scottish MND Clinical Specialist team for obtaining consent from patients with MND for inclusion in these studies; (iii) MND Scotland and the Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust for funding CS to help to establish the MND Tissue Bank. The authors would also like to thank Advanced Cell Diagnostics for gifting the C9orf72 probe (BaseScopeTM Probe - BA-GGGGCCn-3zz-st, Cat Code: 704181), prior to it being made commercially available. Funding A.R.M. is a Lady Edith Wolfson Clinical Fellow and is jointly funded by the Medical Research Council and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MR/R001162/1). He also acknowledges support from the Rowling Scholars scheme, administered by the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. The Chandran laboratory is supported by the Euan MacDonald Centre and the UK Dementia Research Institute, which receives its funding from UK DRI Ltd, funded by the UK Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. J.M.G. is funded by a starter grant for clinical lecturers from the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS: 210JMG 3102 R45620) and C.S. is supported by a Medical Research Council grant (MR/L016400/1).Peer reviewe

The Role of Maternal Smoking in Effect of Fetal Growth Restriction on Poor Scholastic Achievement in Elementary School

Fetal growth restriction and maternal smoking during pregnancy are independently implicated in lowering intellectual attainment in children. We hypothesized that only reduction of fetal growth that is attributable to extrinsic causes (e.g., maternal smoking) affects intellectual development of a child. Cross-sectional survey of 3,739 students in Nova Scotia (Canada) in 2003 was linked with the perinatal database, parental interviews on socio-demographic factors and the performance on standardized tests when primarily 11–12 years of age, thereby forming a retrospective cohort. Data was analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression with correction for clustering of children within schools. The risk of poor test result among children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) to mothers who smoked was 29.4%, higher than in any other strata of maternal smoking and fetal growth. The adjusted odds ratio among SGA children born to mothers who smoked was the only one elevated compared to children who were not growth restricted and born to mothers who did not smoke (17.0%, OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.02, 2.09). Other perinatal, maternal and socio-demographic factors did not alter this pattern of effect modification. Heterogeneity of etiology of fetal growth restriction should be consider in studies that address examine its impact on health over life course

Are mice good models for human neuromuscular disease? Comparing muscle excursions in walking between mice and humans

The mouse is one of the most widely used animal models to study neuromuscular diseases and test new therapeutic strategies. However, findings from successful pre-clinical studies using mouse models frequently fail to translate to humans due to various factors. Differences in muscle function between the two species could be crucial but often have been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare muscle excursions in walking between mice and humans

A Novel Mouse Synaptonemal Complex Protein Is Essential for Loading of Central Element Proteins, Recombination, and Fertility

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous, meiosis-specific structure that is highly conserved in evolution. During meiosis, the SC mediates synapsis of homologous chromosomes. It is essential for proper recombination and segregation of homologous chromosomes, and therefore for genome haploidization. Mutations in human SC genes can cause infertility. In order to gain a better understanding of the process of SC assembly in a model system that would be relevant for humans, we are investigating meiosis in mice. Here, we report on a newly identified component of the murine SC, which we named SYCE3. SYCE3 is strongly conserved among mammals and localizes to the central element (CE) of the SC. By generating a Syce3 knockout mouse, we found that SYCE3 is required for fertility in both sexes. Loss of SYCE3 blocks synapsis initiation and results in meiotic arrest. In the absence of SYCE3, initiation of meiotic recombination appears to be normal, but its progression is severely impaired resulting in complete absence of MLH1 foci, which are presumed markers of crossovers in wild-type meiocytes. In the process of SC assembly, SYCE3 is required downstream of transverse filament protein SYCP1, but upstream of the other previously described CE–specific proteins. We conclude that SYCE3 enables chromosome loading of the other CE–specific proteins, which in turn would promote synapsis between homologous chromosomes

Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Cures Adenosine Deaminase 2 Deficiency: Report on 30 Patients

PURPOSE: Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is an inherited inborn error of immunity, characterized by autoinflammation (recurrent fever), vasculopathy (livedo racemosa, polyarteritis nodosa, lacunar ischemic strokes, and intracranial hemorrhages), immunodeficiency, lymphoproliferation, immune cytopenias, and bone marrow failure (BMF). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) blockade is the treatment of choice for the vasculopathy, but often fails to reverse refractory cytopenia. We aimed to study the outcome of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in patients with DADA2. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on the outcome of HCT in patients with DADA2. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Thirty DADA2 patients from 12 countries received a total of 38 HCTs. The indications for HCT were BMF, immune cytopenia, malignancy, or immunodeficiency. Median age at HCT was 9 years (range: 2-28 years). The conditioning regimens for the final transplants were myeloablative (n = 20), reduced intensity (n = 8), or non-myeloablative (n = 2). Donors were HLA-matched related (n = 4), HLA-matched unrelated (n = 16), HLA-haploidentical (n = 2), or HLA-mismatched unrelated (n = 8). After a median follow-up of 2 years (range: 0.5-16 years), 2-year OS was 97%, and 2-year GvHD-free relapse-free survival was 73%. The hematological and immunological phenotypes resolved, and there were no new vascular events. Plasma ADA2 enzyme activity normalized in 16/17 patients tested. Six patients required more than one HCT. CONCLUSION: HCT was an effective treatment for DADA2, successfully reversing the refractory cytopenia, as well as the vasculopathy and immunodeficiency. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: HCT is a definitive cure for DADA2 with > 95% survival

Endothelial function and urine albumin levels among asymptomatic Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background-</p> <p>Mexican-Americans (MA) exhibit increases in various cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), yet are reported to have lower CVD mortality rates. Our aim was to help explain this apparent paradox by evaluating endothelial function and urine albumin levels in MA and NHW.</p> <p>Methods-</p> <p>One hundred-five MA and 100 NHW adults were studied by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), blood and urine tests. Participants were studied by ultrasound-determined brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), blood and urine tests, at a single visit.</p> <p>Results-</p> <p>Despite higher BMI and triglycerides in MA, MA demonstrated higher FMD than did NHW (9.1 ± 7.3% vs. 7.1 ± 6.3%, p < 0.04). Among MA, urinary albumin was consistently lower in participants with FMD ≥ 7% FMD versus < 7% FMD (p < 0.006). In multivariate analyses in MA men, urinary albumin was inversely related to FMD (r = -0.26, p < 0.05), as were BMI and systolic blood pressure. In MA women, urinary albumin:creatinine ratio was an independent inverse predictor of FMD (p < 0.05 ).</p> <p>Conclusion-</p> <p>To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze, in asymptomatic adults, the relation of MA and NHW ethnicity to FMD and urine albumin levels. The findings confirm ethnic differences in these important subclinical CVD measures.</p

Ultrasound settings significantly alter arterial lumen and wall thickness measurements

Background. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT), measured by ultrasound, are widely used to test the efficacy of cardioprotective interventions. Although assessment methods vary, automated edge-detecting image analysis software is routinely used to measure changes in FMD and CIMT. We aimed to quantify the effect that commonly adjusted ultrasound settings have on arterial lumen and wall thickness measurements made with CIMT measurement software. Methods. We constructed phantom arteries from a tissue-mimicking agar compound and scanned them in a water bath with a 10 MHz multi-frequency linear-array probe attached to a high-resolution ultrasound machine. B-mode images of the phantoms were recorded with dynamic range (DR) and gain set at five decibel (dB) increments from 40 dB to 60 dB and -10 dB to +10 dB respectively. Lumen diameter and wall-thickness were measured off-line using CIMT measurement software. Results. Lumen measurements: there was a strong linear relationship between DR and gain and measured lumen diameter. For a given gain level, a 5 dB increase in DR reduced the measured lumen diameter by 0.02 ± 0.004 mm (p \u3c 0.001). For a given DR level, a 5 dB increase in gain reduced measured lumen diameter by 0.04 ± 0.004 mm (p \u3c 0.001). A 5 mm increase in distance between the ultrasound probe and the artery reduced measured lumen diameter by 0.04 ± 0.03 mm (p \u3c 0.001). CIMT measurements: For a fixed gain level, a 5 dB increase in DR increased measured wall thickness by 0.003 ± 0.002 mm (p \u3c 0.001). The effects of increasing gain were not consistent and appeared to vary depending on the distance between the artery and the ultrasound probe and the thickness of the artery wall. Conclusion. DR, gain and probe distance significantly alter lumen diameter and CIMT measurements made using image analysis software. When CIMT and FMD are used to test the efficacy of cardioprotective interventions, the DR, gain and probe position used to record baseline scans should be documented and replicated in post-treatment scans in individual trial subjects. If more than one sonographer or imaging centre is used to collect data, the study protocol should document specific DR and gain settings to be used in all subjects