Hox10 and Hox11 genes are required to globally pattern the mammalian skeleton

Mice in which all members of the Hox10 or Hox11 paralogous group are disrupted provide evidence that these Hox genes are involved in global patterning of the axial and appendicular skeleton. In the absence of Hox10 function, no lumbar vertebrae are formed. Instead, ribs project from all posterior vertebrae, extending caudally from the last thoracic vertebrae to beyond the sacral region. In the absence of Hox11 function, sacral vertebrae are not formed and instead these vertebrae assume a lumbar identity. The redundancy among these paralogous family members is so great that this global aspect of Hox patterning is not apparent in mice that are mutant for five of the six paralogous alleles.     

Three-dimensional plasmon rulers

Plasmon rulers can be used to determine nanoscale distances within chemical or biological species. They are based on the spectral shift of the scattering spectrum when two plasmonic nanoparticles approach one another. However, the one-dimensionality of current plasmon rulers hampers the comprehensive understanding of many intriguing processes in soft matter, which take place in three dimensions. We demonstrated a three-dimensional plasmon ruler that is based on coupled plasmonic oligomers in combination with high-resolution plasmon spectroscopy. This enables retrieval of the complete spatial configuration of complex macromolecular and biological processes as well as their dynamic evolution.     

Erasing the world's slow stain: strategies to beat multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR) is perceived as a growing hazard to human health worldwide. Judgments about the true scale of the problem, and strategies for containing it, need to come from a balanced appraisal of the epidemiological evidence. We conclude in this review that MDR is, and will probably remain, a locally severe problem; that epidemics can be prevented by fully exploiting the potential of standard short-course chemotherapy (SCC) based on cheap and safe first-line drugs; and that best-practice SCC may even reduce the incidence of MDR where it has already become endemic. On the basis of the available, imperfect data, we recommend a three-part response to the threat of MDR: widespread implementation of SCC as the cornerstone of good tuberculosis control, improved resistance testing and surveillance, and the careful introduction of second-line drugs after a sound evaluation of cost, effectiveness, and feasibility.     

Sediment-dispersed extraterrestrial chromite traces a major asteroid disruption event

Abundant extraterrestrial chromite grains from decomposed meteorites occur in middle Ordovician (480 million years ago) marine limestone over an area of approximately 250,000 square kilometers in southern Sweden. The chromite anomaly gives support for an increase of two orders of magnitude in the influx of meteorites to Earth during the mid-Ordovician, as previously indicated by fossil meteorites. Extraterrestrial chromite grains in mid-Ordovician limestone can be used to constrain in detail the temporal variations in flux of extraterrestrial matter after one of the largest asteroid disruption events in the asteroid belt in late solar-system history.     

Oral administration of tepoxalin in the horse: a PK/PD study

Tepoxalin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties and has been recently introduced into veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile of tepoxalin to assess whether it would be suitable for clinical use in horses. Six female fasting/fed horses were given 10mg/kg tepoxalin orally in a cross-over study. After administration, tepoxalin underwent rapid and extensive hydrolytic conversion to its carboxylic acid metabolite RWJ-20142. In animals that had been fed, the plasma concentrations of tepoxalin were undetectable, whereas in fasting animals they were close to the limit of quantification of the method. No differences between the fasting/fed groups in RWJ-20142 plasma concentrations were shown. Tepoxalin showed a strong and long-lasting ex vivo inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, mainly due to its main metabolite RWJ-20142. Tepoxalin and RWJ-20142 do not seem to possess either COX-2 or 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity in the horse. These features suggest that the drug is a selective COX-1 inhibitor in horses, with no significant anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, its long term use in equine practice could be of concern.     

Duodenal perforation caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat

CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 7-month-old female Persian cat presented with gastrointestinal (GI) necrosis and perforation caused by Rhizomucor species. Unfortunately, the cat died of bacterial peritonitis and sepsis before a definitive diagnosis, based on histopathology and fungal culture, was achieved. PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: This appears to be the first reported case of GI disease caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat. Mucorales infections typically cause acute and rapidly progressive disease. As illustrated by this case, clinicians should be alert to the potentially fatal consequences of an opportunistic Rhizomucor species infection in their feline patients.     

Effect of cropping systems and crop successions on fumonisin levels in corn from Northern Paraná State,Brazil

In this study the effect of different cropping systems and crop successions was evaluated on natural Fusarium sp. contamination and fumonisin levels in corn. The cropping systems consisted of a conventional and no-tillage area cultivated with corn in the summer following either oats or fallow in the winter (2006 and 2007 growing seasons). In addition, the effect of applying nitrogen fertilizer (0, 22.5, 45.0, 90.0 and 90.0 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen supplemented with potassium oxide) on fumonisin contamination was evaluated in the 2006 growing season. Fusarium sp. was detected in 90% samples in 2006 and in 100% samples in 2007. In both growing seasons, no-till corn following oats showed the highest mean fumonisin levels and differed significantly (P < 0.05) from all the others (2006) and from conventional till corn following either oats or fallow in the winter (2007). Fumonisin levels ranged from 0.13 to 19.52 μg g⁻¹ (mean 6.97 μg g⁻¹) and from 3.70 to 7.75 μg g⁻¹ (mean 6.29 μg g⁻¹) in no-till corn following oats from the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons, respectively. Plots treated with 0 kg ha⁻¹ and 22.5 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen showed the highest mean fumonisin levels and differed significantly from those with 45.0 and 90 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen. Fumonisin levels correlated negatively (P < 0.05) with the nitrogen fertilization rates. Although no-till is advantageous from a soil conservation standpoint, it may enhance the potential for fumonisin contamination in corn.     

pH modulation of zopfiellin antifungal activity to Colletotrichum and Botrytis

Zopfiellin, a novel cyclooctanoid natural product isolated from Zopfiella curvata No. 37-3, was evaluated in a 96-well microtiter assay for fungicidal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum acutatum, Colletotrichum fragariae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Fusarium oxysporum. Zopfiellin exhibited pH-dependent activity, with the most mycelial growth inhibition demonstrated at pH 5.0. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies indicated that zopfiellin undergoes structural changes with changes in pH. At pH 5.0, zopfiellin showed the greatest activity against B. cinerea (IC(80) = 10 microM), C. gloeosporioides (IC(80) = 10 microM), and C. fragariae (IC(80) = 10 microM) and intermediate activity against C. acutatum (IC(80) = 30 microM), and was not active against F. oxysporum (IC(80) > 100 microM).