Climate and host-plant associations shaped the evolution of ceutorhynch weevils throughout the Cenozoic.

Using molecular phylogenetic data and methods we inferred divergence times and diversification patterns for the weevil subfamily Ceutorhynchinae in the context of host-plant associations and global climate over evolutionary time. We detected four major diversification shifts that correlate with both host shifts and major climate events. Ceutorhynchinae experienced an increase in diversification rate at ∼53 Ma, during the Early Eocene Climate Optimum, coincident with a host shift to Lamiaceae.

Tissue- and tumor-specific targeting of murine leukemia virus-based replication-competent retroviral vectors.

Replication-competent retrovirus vectors based on murine leukemia virus (MLV) have been shown to effectively transfer therapeutic genes over multiple serial infections in cell culture and through solid tumors in vivo with a high degree of genomic stability. While simple retroviruses possess a natural tumor selectivity in that they can transduce only actively dividing cells, additional tumor-targeting strategies would nevertheless be advantageous, since tumor cells are not the only actively dividing cells. In this study, we used the promiscuous murine cytomegalovirus promoter, a chimeric regulatory sequence consisting of the hepatitis B virus enhancer II and the human alpha1-antitrypsin (EII-Pa1AT) promoter, and a synthetic regulatory sequence consisting of a series of T-cell factor binding sites named the CTP4 promoter to generate replicating MLV vectors, whereby the last two are transcriptionally restricted to liver- and beta-catenin/T-cell factor-deregulated cells, respectively.

Cytotoxicity testing with three-dimensional cultures of transfected pulp-derived cells.

SV40 large T-antigen-transfected bovine pulp-derived cells were grown three-dimensionally on polyamide meshes. For optimal cell growth, various cell numbers and mesh coatings were tested. Next the three-dimensional cultures were used in a dentin barrier test device, and the system was evaluated by testing a set of dental filling materials.