Exome sequencing of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma reveals inactivating mutations in NOTCH1

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. To explore the genetic origins of this cancer, we used whole-exome sequencing and gene copy number analyses to study 32 primary tumors. Tumors from patients with a history of tobacco use had more mutations than did tumors from patients who did not use tobacco, and tumors that were negative for human papillomavirus (HPV) had more mutations than did HPV-positive tumors. Six of the genes that were mutated in multiple tumors were assessed in up to 88 additional HNSCCs. In addition to previously described mutations in TP53, CDKN2A, PIK3CA, and HRAS, we identified mutations in FBXW7 and NOTCH1. Nearly 40% of the 28 mutations identified in NOTCH1 were predicted to truncate the gene product, suggesting that NOTCH1 may function as a tumor suppressor gene rather than an oncogene in this tumor type.     

Different mycorrhizal fungal strains determine plant community response to nitrogen and water availability

Most research on the mycorrhizal positive–negative responsiveness continuum (or “mutualism–parasitism continuum”) has focused on individual plant species growing at different levels of P availability. Here, we explore this continuum in an experimental plant community inoculated with three arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal strains (both single and mixed) growing under four resource availability scenarios. These scenarios are a factorial combination of two levels of water and N availability. Each AM fungal strain had a different origin: an arid ecosystem, a farmland, and a mine. We hypothesized that the response of the plant community to mycorrhizal inoculum would depend on the associated AM fungal strain and would be negatively related with increased nitrogen and water availability. Our results showed that mixed‐strain AM fungal inoculation had more positive effects along a wider range of water and N availability scenarios than single‐strain inoculation. In contrast, mycorrhizal growth response of plants inoculated with a single AM fungal strain shifted from positive to neutral and negative depending on resource availability. Adaptation of each strain to its local conditions might confer different properties to the mycorrhizal symbiosis. Therefore, we conclude that AM fungal origin and environmental limiting resources are crucial factors to predict plant community mycorrhizal growth response in changing ecosystems.     

Encapsulation of Carlina acaulis essential oil and carlina oxide to develop long-lasting mosquito larvicides: microemulsions versus nanoemulsions

Journal of Pest Science - Carlina acaulis root essential oil (EO) is one of the most potent mosquito larvicides (LC50?<?2 ppm). This EO is mainly composed of carlina...     

Safety of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Modified Live Virus (MLV) vaccine strains in a young pig infection model

The objective of this study was to compare the safety of all modified live virus vaccines commercially available in Europe against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) under the same experimental conditions. For this purpose, one hundred and twenty three-week-old piglets, divided into five groups, were used. On day 0 of the experiment, nine pigs per group were removed and the remaining fifteen were vaccinated with the commercial vaccines Ingelvac PRRS MLV, Amervac PRRS, Pyrsvac-183 and Porcilis PRRS by the IM route or were mock vaccinated and used as controls. On day 3, the nine unvaccinated pigs were re-introduced into their respective groups and served as sentinel pigs. Clinical signs were recorded daily and lung lesions were determined on days 7, 14 and 21, when 5 vaccinated pigs per group were euthanized. Blood samples and swabs were taken every three days and different organs were collected at necropsy to determine the presence of PRRSV. None of the vaccines studied caused detectable clinical signs in vaccinated pigs although lung lesions were found. Altogether, these results indicate that all vaccines can be considered clinically safe. However, some differences were found in virological parameters. Thus, neither Pyrsvac-183 nor Porcilis PRRS could be detected in porcine alveolar macrophage (PAM) cultures or in lung sections used to determine PRRSV by immunohistochemistry, indicating that these viruses might have lost their ability to replicate in PAM. This inability to replicate in PAM might be related to the lower transmission rate and the delay in the onset of viremia observed in these groups     

Nosema spp. infection and its negative effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera iberiensis) at the colony level

Nosemosis caused by the microsporidia Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are among the most common pathologies affecting adult honey bees. N. apis infection has been associated with a reduced lifespan of infected bees and increased winter mortality, and its negative impact on colony strength and productivity has been described in several studies. By contrast, when the effects of nosemosis type C, caused by N. ceranae infection, have been analysed at the colony level, these studies have largely focused on collapse as a response to infection without addressing the potential sub-clinical effects on colony strength and productivity. Given the spread and prevalence of N. ceranae worldwide, we set out here to characterize the sub-clinical and clinical signs of N. ceranae infection on colony strength and productivity. We evaluated the evolution of 50 honey bee colonies naturally infected by Nosema (mainly N. ceranae) over a one year period. Under our experimental conditions, N. ceranae infection was highly pathogenic for honey bee colonies, producing significant reductions in colony size, brood rearing and honey production. These deleterious effects at the colony level may affect beekeeping profitability and have serious consequences on pollination. Further research is necessary to identify possible treatments or beekeeping techniques that will limit the rapid spread of this dangerous emerging disease.     

Best practices for veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology,with emphasis on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

The purpose of this paper by the Regulatory Affairs Committee (RAC) of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) is to review the current regulatory guidances (eg, guidelines) and published recommendations for best practices in veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and to utilize the combined experience of ASVCP RAC to provide updated recommendations. Discussion points include (1) instrumentation, validation, and sample collection, (2) routine laboratory variables, (3) cytologic laboratory variables, (4) data interpretation and reporting (including peer review, reference intervals and statistics), and (5) roles and responsibilities of clinical pathologists and laboratory personnel. Revision and improvement of current practices should be in alignment with evolving regulatory guidance documents, new technology, and expanding understanding and utility of clinical pathology. These recommendations provide a contemporary guide for the refinement of veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology best practices.     

Classical swine fever virus isolates from Cuba form a new subgenotype 1.4

Identification and classification of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) on the basis of nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis have become an important tool to study the epidemiology and to control CSF disease. According to phylogenetic analyses of short sequences from the 5′nontranslated region (150 nt) and the E2 (190 nt), most CSFV isolates from South and Central America have been assorted to the subgenotypes 1.1 and 1.3, while CSFV isolates from Cuba have been allocated to subgenotype 1.2. Here we demonstrate that determination and comparison of full-length E2 sequences as well as of the sequences encoding for N^pro, C, E^rns, E1 and E2 (3361 nt) do not support segregation of Cuban CSFV isolates to subgenotype 1.2. In fact, our analysis revealed that the Cuban isolates are more divergent from other so far known CSFV subgenotype 1 isolates and form a novel separate subgenotype that is proposed to be designated subgenotype 1.4.