Application of assays for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in a colony of woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha).

Toxoplasma gondii infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in New World primate species. Clinical abnormalities associated with toxoplasmosis can be nonspecific, making it difficult to make a definitive antemortem diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. Toxoplasmosis in New World primates can have a rapid clinical course, which may lessen the diagnostic utility of antemortem tests. However, while there are a variety of T. gondii serum antibody tests and T. gondii polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays available that are not species specific, these assays have not been comparatively applied to New World primate cases. Woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha), a species of New World primate, are highly susceptible to fatal toxoplasmosis. Archived serum samples from 15 living and deceased woolly monkeys housed at the Louisville Zoological Garden (Louisville, Kentucky) were tested for T. gondii antibodies by a commercially available latex agglutination kit, a commercially available indirect hemagglutination kit, and the modified agglutination test. In addition, aliquots of the sera were assayed for T. gondii DNA using a PCR assay. Both woolly monkeys that died of disseminated toxoplasmosis were positive in all four assays, indicating that each could be used to aid in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in this species. We suspect that these assays have applications to other species of New World primates.     

Neuronal diversity and temporal dynamics: the unity of hippocampal circuit operations

In the cerebral cortex, diverse types of neurons form intricate circuits and cooperate in time for the processing and storage of information. Recent advances reveal a spatiotemporal division of labor in cortical circuits, as exemplified in the CA1 hippocampal area. In particular, distinct GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid-releasing) cell types subdivide the surface of pyramidal cells and act in discrete time windows, either on the same or on different subcellular compartments. They also interact with glutamatergic pyramidal cell inputs in a domain-specific manner and support synaptic temporal dynamics, network oscillations, selection of cell assemblies, and the implementation of brain states. The spatiotemporal specializations in cortical circuits reveal that cellular diversity and temporal dynamics coemerged during evolution, providing a basis for cognitive behavior.     

CTLA-4 control over Foxp3+ regulatory T cell function

Naturally occurring Foxp3+CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for maintaining immunological self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. Here, we show that a specific deficiency of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) in Tregs results in spontaneous development of systemic lymphoproliferation, fatal T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, and hyperproduction of immunoglobulin E in mice, and it also produces potent tumor immunity. Treg-specific CTLA-4 deficiency impairs in vivo and in vitro suppressive function of Tregs-in particular, Treg-mediated down-regulation of CD80 and CD86 expression on dendritic cells. Thus, natural Tregs may critically require CTLA-4 to suppress immune responses by affecting the potency of antigen-presenting cells to activate other T cells.     

Highly conserved protective epitopes on influenza B viruses

Identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza A viruses has raised hopes for the development of monoclonal antibody-based immunotherapy and "universal" vaccines for influenza. However, a substantial part of the annual flu burden is caused by two cocirculating, antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses. Here, we report human monoclonal antibodies, CR8033, CR8071, and CR9114, that protect mice against lethal challenge from both lineages. Antibodies CR8033 and CR8071 recognize distinct conserved epitopes in the head region of the influenza B hemagglutinin (HA), whereas CR9114 binds a conserved epitope in the HA stem and protects against lethal challenge with influenza A and B viruses. These antibodies may inform on development of monoclonal antibody-based treatments and a universal flu vaccine for all influenza A and B viruses.     

Corresponding patterns of site quality,decline and tree growth in a sessile oak stand

This study focuses on two rarely studied aspects of oak decline: relations with site characteristics and effects on tree growth. The study was carried out in a 5.5 ha stand in Hungary which is strongly affected by oak decline. The nearly pure sessile oak (Quercus petraea) stand of mostly coppice origin was 90 years old at the beginning of the study. Within-stand site heterogeneity was described by the herbaceous vegetation. Four ecological site types were distinguished by the species composition of herbs, and characterized by the ecological indicator values of the species. Tree growth between 1987 and 1993 was measured, and tree vigour was estimated from visual characteristics five times between 1987 and 1993. Potential volume increment of declining trees was estimated with the growth rates of healthy trees of the same size. Volume increment loss caused by oak decline was also assessed. Significant positive relationships were found between tree vigour and tree size and between tree vigour and tree growth. The growth of seriously declining trees dropped to almost one-half of that of healthy ones. Growth reduction of living trees at the stand level amounted to 5.4%, whereas growth reduction of all trees, including those that died during the observation period, amounted to 19.9% of the potential growth. Tree size and growth were greater on better sites. A strong relationship was also found between tree vigour and site type, but sessile oak was more susceptible to decline at better sites.     

Non‐spherical pearl layers in the Polynesian ‘black‐lipped’ Pinctada margaritifera: The non‐nacreous deposits compared to microstructure of the shell growing edge

Cultivated pearls frequently exhibit morphological irregularities making obvious that mineral deposition was irregularly distributed onto nucleus surface. Taking advantage of experimental cultivations with short durations (from 10 days to few months), these irregular deposits predating occurrence of the nacre were investigated in Polynesian pearls by biochemical characterizations and a series of physical methods. Diversity in the resulting data suggests that various in‐depth alterations of the biomineralization mechanism may have occurred during the grafting process, leading to diversity in the biochemical pathways to nacreous deposition. This allows a precise discussion of current views about pearl formation. The “reversed shell theory” is formally disproved through point to point comparison with development of the shell growing edge. Similarity of pearl formation with “regeneration” or “shell repair” is also discussed, emphasizing the differences between these concepts.     

Generalized functions of biomass expansion factors for conifers and broadleaved by stand age,growing stock and site index

Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and/or the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are required to account for their direct human-induced carbon emissions and removals including those from forestry and other land use related activities. In most European countries, the forestry related greenhouse gas inventories are largely or exclusively based on converting tree volume data from national forest inventories to biomass using biomass conversion and expansion factors (BCEFs). However, country specific data for many species are often lacking, which considerably increases the uncertainties of the greenhouse gas inventories. The focus of this research was to develop, using internationally published datasets that cover a large geographical area, an extended set of generalized curves of such biomass expansion factors for several species or species groups by age, growing stock and site index.     

Diagnostic Approaches for the Assessment of Equine Chronic Pulmonary Disorders

Even though the respiratory system is one of the most accessible organs for diagnostic testing, it is not always easy to define chronic lower airway disease in the horse. Diagnostic procedures performed by first opinion veterinarians in the field are often restricted to taking the history and performing clinical examination. Respiratory tract endoscopy, tracheal or bronchoalveolar lavage, and blood sampling are sometimes used but other specific ancillary examinations are seldom performed in stable settings. Therefore, our objectives were to evaluate the diagnostic value of different techniques and examination types routinely used in the diagnostic workup of chronic equine lower airway cases in both stable and clinical circumstances. Another aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of different chronic pulmonary disorders among horses admitted to a Hungarian referral clinic. According to the conditional inference tree method, age of the horse, history, clinical examination, respiratory tract endoscopy, and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology proved to be the most valuable tools to define pathology. It was also concluded that in 22% of cases, more specific ancillary diagnostic modalities, unavailable for the field veterinarian, were needed to establish the final diagnosis. According to our study, the most frequently diagnosed chronic pulmonary disorders in Hungary are of noninfectious origin, principally recurrent airway obstruction. Regardless of the cause, and interestingly including recurrent airway obstruction as well, these diseases occur primarily during the warm months.     

Postprandial glycemia, insulinemia, and satiety responses in healthy subjects after whole grain rye bread made from different rye varieties. 1

Rye products typically induce low insulin responses and appear to facilitate glucose regulation. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in postprandial glucose, insulin, and satiety responses between breads made from five rye varieties. Breads made from whole grain rye (Amilo, Rekrut, Dankowski Zlote, Nikita, and Haute Loire Pop) or a white wheat bread (WWB) were tested in a randomized cross-over design in 14 healthy subjects (50 g available starch). Metabolic responses were also related to the composition of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds in the breads and to the rate of in vitro starch hydrolysis. The Amilo and Rekrut rye breads induced significantly lower insulin indices (II) than WWB. Low early postprandial glucose and insulin responses (tAUC 0-60 min) were related to higher amounts of caffeic, ferulic, sinapic, and vanillic acids in the rye breads, indicating that the phenolic acids in rye may influence glycemic regulation. All rye breads induced significantly higher subjective feelings of fullness compared to WWB. A low II was related to a higher feeling of fullness and a lower desire to eat in the late postprandial phase (180 min). The data indicate that some rye varieties may be more insulin-saving than others, possibly due to differences in dietary fiber, rate of starch hydrolysis, and bioactive components such as phenolic acids.