Transparency in risk-disproportionate regulation of modern crop-breeding techniques.

Despite over 25 years of safe deployment of genetically engineered crops, the number, complexity, and scope of regulatory studies required for global approvals continue to increase devoid of adequate scientific justification. Recently, there have been calls to further expand the scope of study and data requirements to improve public acceptance. However, increased regulation can actually generate consumer distrust due to the misperception that risks are high.

Risk-Only Assessment of Genetically Engineered Crops Is Risky.

The risks of not considering benefits in risk assessment are often overlooked. Risks are also often evaluated without consideration of the broader context. We discuss these two concepts in relation to genetically engineered (GE) crops.

Changes in gene expression during male meiosis in Petunia hybrida.

We analyzed changes in gene expression during male meiosis in Petunia by combining the meiotic staging of pollen mother cells from a single anther with cDNA-AFLP transcript profiling of mRNA from the synchronously developing sister anthers. The transcript profiling experiments focused on the identification of genes with a modulated expression profile during meiosis, while premeiotic archesporial cells and postmeiotic microspores served as a reference. About 8000 transcript tags, estimated at 30% of the total transcriptome, were generated, of which around 6% exhibited a modulated gene expression pattern at meiosis.

The phytopathogen Rhodococcus fascians breaks apical dominance and activates axillary meristems by inducing plant genes involved in hormone metabolism.

SUMMARY Rhodococcus fascians is a Gram-positive bacterium that interacts with many plant species and induces multiple shoots through a combination of activation of dormant axillary meristems and de novo meristem formation. Although phenotypic analysis of the symptoms of infected plants clearly demonstrates a disturbance of the phytohormonal balance and an activation of the cell cycle, the actual mechanism of symptom development and the targets of the bacterial signals are unknown. To elucidate the molecular pathways that are responsive to R.

Meiosis: inducing variation by reduction.

A brief introduction is presented with some thought on the origin of meiosis. Subsequently, a sequential overview of the diverse processes that take place during meiosis is provided, with an eye to similarities and differences between the different eukaryotic systems. In the final part, we try to summarize the available core meiotic mutants and make a comprehensive comparison for orthologous genes between fungal, plant, and animal systems.

Forward genetics and map-based cloning approaches.

Whereas reverse genetics strategies seek to identify and select mutations in a known sequence, forward genetics requires the cloning of sequences underlying a particular mutant phenotype. Map-based cloning is tedious, hampering the quick identification of candidate genes. With the unprecedented progress in the sequencing of whole genomes, and perhaps even more with the development of saturating marker technologies, map-based cloning can now be performed so efficiently that, at least for some plant model systems, it has become feasible to identify some candidate genes within a few months.

[Adult-onset acute rheumatic fever: 4 cases in Guadeloupe].

Objective: Rheumatic fever has become infrequent in developed countries. Recent regional epidemics, particularly in North America, brought our attention to this disease in our area. In the French Caribbean Islands, rheumatic fever remains an important health problem despite much progress in the last 15 years.

[Cowden disease: treatment with acitretine].

Introduction: Cowden's disease is a rare hereditary skin disease which is important to recognize due to the risk of cancer.

Case Report: A 40-year-old man was hospitalized for psoriasis. He presented florid papillomatous lesions involving the lip and the buccal cavity, a thyroid adenoma and polyposis of the gut.

[Peusoxanthoma elasticum with multiple calcinosis and hyperphosphoremia].

Introduction: Subcutaneous and vascular calcifications are classical manifestations of pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Visceral calcifications sometimes associated with unbalanced phosphocalcium leels are uncommon.

Case Report: We observed pseudoxanthoma elasticum in a French Caribbean patient who had extensive acneiform skin lesions with transepidermal elimination.

[Cerebrovascular accidents and AIDS].

A number of pathological and clinical data suggest that AIDS could be an underestimated cause of cerebro-vascular disease, especially in young individuals. Eight retrospective cases of stroke in AIDS patients are reported. Mean age was 39 years, mean CD4 cells count 57/mm3.

[Tropical sprue: diagnostic difficulties. Apropos of 2 cases in Guadeloupe].

The authors report two cases of tropical sprue occurring in Guadeloupe, in the French Lesser Antilles, a region in which this disease had previously been reported only once. One of the patients was treated with quinolone (ofloxacin).

Seroepidemiology, viral isolation, and molecular characterization of human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I from La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean.

Data indicate the presence in the Seychelles Islands of a high level of human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) endemicity as well as the presence of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). We present here the results of an hospital survey performed since 1988 in La Réunion Island, located in the Indian Ocean southeast of the Seychelles archipelago, aimed at evaluating HTLV-I endemicity, detecting HTLV-I-associated diseases, and characterizing viral isolates. Seven individuals were found to have HTLV-I-specific antibodies in their sera.

[Digestive histoplasmosis in a patient with AIDS from Guadeloupe].

The authors report the case of a 45-year-old HIV and HTLV1 antibody positive male patient form French West-Indies who was infected by disseminated histoplasmosis presenting as acute diarrhea. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed gastric mass and colonoscopy patchy erythematous mucosa. The diagnosis was made by histology of bone marrow specimens, upper gastrointestinal tract and colon biopsies, and late skin lesions.

[A rare peritoneal tumor: malignant mesothelioma].

A peritoneal mesothelioma is described. The diagnosis was established by histological study. The clinical and radiological presentation are nonspecific.

[Blind ureter associated with a dysplastic kidney and ureterocele. Apropos of a case and review of the literature].

The association of a blind ureter with dysplastic kidney and ureterocele is known in children but are in adults. This paper presents one case, and provides simple diagnostic clues which help to recognize the malformation.