Search

Burkholderia mallei, the aetiologic agent of glanders, causes a variety of illnesses in animals and humans ranging from occult infections to acute fulminating septicaemias. To better understand the role of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the pathogenesis of these diseases, studies were initiated to characterize the structural and biological properties of lipid A moieties expressed by this organism. Using a combination of chemical analyses and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, B. mallei was shown to express a heterogeneous mixture of tetra- and penta-acylated lipid A species that were non-stoichiometrically substituted with 4-amino-4-deoxy-arabinose residues. The major penta-acylated species consisted of bisphosphorylatedd-glucosamine disaccharide backbones possessing two amide linked 3-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids, two ester linked 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acids [C14:0(3-OH)] and an acyloxyacyl linked tetradecanoic acid, whereas, the major tetra-acylated species possessed all but the 3′-linked C14:0(3-OH) residues. In addition, although devoid of hexa-acylated species, B. mallei LPS was shown to be a potent activator of human Toll-like receptor 4 complexes and stimulated human macrophage-like cells (THP-1 and U-937), monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells to produce high levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and RANTES. Based upon these results, it appears that B. mallei LPS is likely to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of human disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) is a major pest of soybean [Glycine mar (L.) Merr.] in the USA. Soybean plant introduction (PI) 404198A is one of the newly identified sources that can provide a broad spectrum of resistance to SCN. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to SCN races 1, 2, and 5 in PI 404198A. Linkage groups (LGs) G and A2 were found to be associated with resistance to race 1. QTL on LG G was located on the Satt309-Satt688 region, and it explained a larger proportion of the total variation (20.2%). QTL on LG A2 was located at the Satt424-Satt632-Sat-406 region, and it accounted for a smaller proportion (9%). LGs G and B1 were shown to be associated with resistance to race 2. QTL on LG G was located on the Satt688-Satt309-Satt663 region, and it explained 12.5% of the total variation. Molecular marker Satt453 on LG B1 was found to be associated with resistance to race 2, and it explained 11% of the total variation. LGs G, B1, and N were found to be associated with resistance to race 5. QTL on LG G was located on the Satt688-Satt309-Satt163 region, and it explained 6.3% of the total variation. Molecular marker Satt453 on LG B1 was found to be associated with resistance to race 5, and it explained a larger proportion of the total variation (13%). QTL on IC N was mapped on the Satt584-Sat-280- Satt549, and it explained 9.5% of the total variation. In conclusion, soybean PI 404198A may carry rhg1 on LG G, Rhg4 on LC A2, and a QTL on LC B1. Further studies are needed to lend credibility for QTL on LG N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil water-logging can cause severe damage to soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and results in significant yield reduction. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that condition water-logging tolerance (WLT) in soybean. Two populations with 103 and 67 F6:11 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from A5403 × Archer (Population 1) and P9641 × Archer (Population 2), respectively, were used as the mapping populations. The populations were evaluated for WLT in manually flooded fields in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Significant variation was observed for WLT among the lines in the two populations. No transgressive tolerant segregants were observed in either population. Broad-sense heritability of WLT for populations 1 and 2 were 0.59 and 0.43, respectively. The tolerant and sensitive RILs from each population were selected to create a tolerant bulk and a sensitive bulk, respectively. The two bulks and the parents of each population were tested with 912 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to select candidate regions on the linkage map that were associated with WLT. Markers from the candidate regions were used to genotype the RILs in both populations. Both single marker analysis (SMA) and composite interval mapping (CIM) were used to identify QTL for WLT. Seventeen markers in Population 1 and 15 markers in Population 2 were significantly ( p <0.0001) associated with WLT in SMA. Many of these markers were linked to Rps genes or QTL conferring resistance to Phytophthora sojae Kaufmann and Gerdemann. Five markers, Satt599 on linkage group (LG) A1, Satt160, Satt269, and Satt252 on LG F, and Satt485 on LG N, were significant ( p <0.0001) for WLT in both populations. With CIM, a WLT QTL was found close to the marker Satt385 on LG A1 in Population 1 in 2003. This QTL explained 10% of the phenotypic variation and the allele that increased WLT came from Archer. In Population 2 in 2002, a WLT QTL was located near the marker Satt269 on LG F. This QTL explained 16% of the phenotypic variation and the allele that increased WLT also came from Archer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a major soybean pest throughout the soybean growing regions in the world, including the USA. Soybean PI 90763 is an important SCN resistance source. It is resistant to several SCN populations including races 2, 3 and 5. But its genetics of resistance is not well known. The objectives of this study were to: (1) confirm quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance to SCN race 3 in PI 90763 and (2) identify QTLs for resistance to SCN races 2 and 5. QTLs were searched in Hamilton × PI 90763 F2:3populations using 193 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) covering 20 linkage groups (LGs). QTLs for resistance to SCN were identified on LGs A2, B1, E, G, J and L. The same QTL was suggested for resistance to different SCN races where their 1-LOD support intervals of QTL positions highly overlapped. The QTL on LG G was associated with resistance to races 2, 3 and 5. The QTL on LG B1 was associated with resistance to races 2 and 5. The QTL on LG J was associated with resistance to races 2 and 3. The QTLs on LGs A2 and L were associated with resistance to race 3. The QTL on LG E was associated with resistance to race 5. We conclude that LGs A2 and B1 may represent an important distinction between resistance to SCN race 3 and resistance to SCN races 2 and 5 in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A precipitation method using deoxycholate/HCI has been applied successfully to separate unconjugated free polysaccharide from carrier protein-bound material in meningococcal polysaccharide-diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccines. The method effectively separated free and bound polysaccharide in conjugate vaccines prepared from Neisseria meningitidis serotypes A, C, W135 and Y. Free polysaccharide remained in the supernatant after deoxycholate treatment while protein-bound polysaccharide was fully precipitated. Testing by both colorimetric assay and high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) has confirmed the selective loss of protein-bound polysaccharide in samples of conjugate vaccine or conjugate vaccine mixed with known amounts of free polysaccharide. This rapid separation method requires minimum sample handling and is specific, reproducible, and allows assessment of free polysaccharide levels in vaccines at final container concentration.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic state of excessive blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which may result from many environmental and genetic factors, often acting jointly. The major regulator of glucose concentration in the blood is insulin. It is known that about 50% of the insulin is taken up by the liver on passing through it after secretion from the pancreas. The precise value of this fractional uptake is not known, so the prehepatic insulin secretion rates cannot be readily estimated from the plasma insulin concentration levels. By utilizing the equimolar secretion of insulin and connecting peptide (C-peptide) from the pancreas, a noninvasive method has been formulated. This was based on a compartmental model which involved the pancreas, liver, and plasma. The resulting differential equation yielded a gamma variate solution which could be readily linearized. The model was then tested on 56 normal (51 nonobese and 5 obese) subjects, and three groups of subjects with diabetes who could be labelled as mild, moderate, and severe (based on the fasting plasma glucose concentration) with 83, 88, and 64 subjects respectively. We have focused on the human patient environment of the clinician to produce a distinct model which gave a consistent pattern within all four groups with good fits between observed and theoretical values of the plasma insulin levels. The consequent rates for insulin secretion were consistent across the groups and were clinically meaningful.

The rate at which red blood cells fall in vitro is used as a common clinical test, amongst others, for a number of pathological conditions. The use of this test is cast into doubt when one finds flaws in the underlying models and confusion over fundamental issues such as the aggregation of the red blood cells. Both of these deficiencies are evident in an otherwise innovative publication by Huang et al. (1971). In examining the mathematics of this relatively unknown study, it is found that the Huang model resembles certain moving-boundary problems. The consequences of this observation are discussed.

One hundred and twenty-nine (97 M, 32 F) previously untreated non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients were studied. Meal and glucose (75 g) tolerance tests were performed on two separate days with glucose, C-peptide and insulin levels estimated during each with the inclusion of growth hormone during the meal test. In addition glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) and plasma creatinine levels were determined. Clinical evaluation included detailed ophthalmological examination following mydriasis. Differences between retinopaths (n = 21) and non-retinopaths (n = 108) were FPG 13.7 vs 11.6 (mmol/l) (p less than 0.01); HbA1: 12.9 vs 11.3 (%) (p less than 0.01); BMI: 25.2 vs 29.4 (kg/m2) (p less than 0.001); age 56.8 vs 52.4 (yr) (ns); creatinine: 91.2 vs 88.4 (mumol/l) (ns); systolic blood pressure: 152.4 vs 143.9 mmHg (ns); diastolic blood pressure 87.9 vs 87.7 mmHg (ns); fasting growth hormone: 4.6 +/- 0.9 vs 2.4 +/- 0.3 (mU/1) (p less than 0.01). Multivariate logistic analysis however revealed that systolic blood pressure in conjunction with the insulin response gave the most significant correlation with retinopathy. No significant correlation was observed with age, sex, diastolic blood pressure, creatinine, family history or smoking. The effect of disease duration could not be evaluated. B-cell function appears central to microvascular complications in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.