Association of Little cherry virus 1 (LChV1) with the Shirofugen stunt disease and characterization of the genome of a divergent LChV1 isolate.

Double-stranded RNAs purified from the V2356 ('Successa') sour cherry source of the Shirofugen stunt disease (SSD) were sequenced using a 454 pyrosequencing multiplex approach. The 15,646 reads obtained were assembled into 279 contigs, 5 of which, totaling almost 16.9 kbp and 5,332 reads (34% of sample reads), showed high Blast scores and homology to Little cherry virus 1 (LChV1).

The impact of partial and complete loss-of-function mutations in endothelial lipase on high-density lipoprotein levels and functionality in humans.

Background: Endothelial lipase is a phospholipase with activity against high-density lipoprotein. Although a small number of mutations in LIPG have been described, the role of LIPG in protection against atherosclerosis is unclear.

Methods And Results: We identified 8 loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in LIPG in individuals with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Approaching the prevalence of the full spectrum of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in a South African population-based study.

Background: The prevalence and characteristics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) were determined in this fourth study of first-grade children in a South African community.

Methods: Active case ascertainment methods were employed among 747 first-grade pupils. The detailed characteristics of children within the continuum of FASD are contrasted with randomly selected, normal controls on (i) physical growth and dysmorphology; (ii) cognitive/behavioral characteristics; and (iii) maternal risk factors.

Tooth development from mouse embryonic stem cells and jaw ectomesenchyme.

Introduction: Mouse embryonic stem cells are known to differentiate into odontoblasts when combined with embryonic oral epithelium. However, this inductive potential has not been studied in jaw ectomesenchyme.

Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether mouse embryonic jaw ectomesenchyme could induce mouse embryonic stem cells to participate in tooth formation.

Efficacy and safety of a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study.

Background: Patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia respond inadequately to existing drugs. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor lomitapide in adults with this disease.

Methods: We did a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study of lomitapide for treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Different lipid profiles according to ethnicity in the Heart of Soweto study cohort of de novo presentations of heart disease.

Background: Historically, sub-Saharan Africa has reported low levels of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). However as these populations undergo epidemiological transition, this may change.

Methods: This was an observational cohort study performed at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa.

COMPARISON OF BASELINE DRINKING PRACTICES, KNOWLEDGE, AND ATTITUDES OF ADULTS RESIDING IN COMMUNITIES TAKING PART IN THE FAS PREVENTION STUDY IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) has been identified as among the most serious consequences associated with hazardous and harmful drinking in the Western Cape province, South Africa. Community surveys were conducted in two wine growing regions in this province to assess drinking behaviour, guide interventions and serve as a baseline for assessing the impact of population-level interventions. As part of a cross-sectional comparative study interviews were conducted with 384 and 209 randomly selected adults in the prevention (PC) and comparison communities (CC) respectively.

Dabigatran and dabigatran ethyl ester: potent inhibitors of ribosyldihydronicotinamide dehydrogenase (NQO2).

Recent studies have revealed that compounds believed to be highly selective frequently address multiple target proteins. We investigated the protein interaction profile of the widely prescribed thrombin inhibitor dabigatran (1), resulting in the identification and subsequent characterization of an additional target enzyme. Our findings are based on an unbiased functional proteomics approach called capture compound mass spectrometry (CCMS) and were confirmed by independent biological assays.

First Report of Apricot pseudo-chlorotic leaf spot virus Infecting Plum (Prunus domestica) in the Czech Republic.

Apricot pseudo-chlorotic leaf spot virus (APCLSV) is a novel, still poorly known Trichovirus in the family Betaflexiviridae. It is most closely related to Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) (2,4) and infects stone fruit trees of the Prunus genus. Its presence has so far been detected in apricot, plum, Japanese plum, and peach trees in Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan, and Australia (1,2,4).

Decoherence-assisted transport in a dimer system.

The dynamics of a dimer coupled to two different environments, each in a spin star configuration under the influence of decoherence, is studied. The exact analytical expression for the transition probability in the dimer system is obtained for different situations, i.e.

Strategies to facilitate the development of uncloned or cloned infectious full-length viral cDNAs: Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus as a case study.

Background: Approaches to simplify and streamline the construction of full-length infectious cDNA clones (FL-cDNAs) are needed. Among desirable improvements are the ability to use total nucleic acids (TNA) extracts from infected hosts (to bypass viral purification limitations) for the direct one-step amplification of large FL-cDNAs, the possibility to inoculate plants with uncloned FL-cDNAs and the simplified cloning of these large molecules.

Results: Using the 7.

Reduction in mortality in subjects with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia associated with advances in lipid-lowering therapy.

Background: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited disorder caused by mutations in both low-density lipoprotein receptor alleles, which results in extremely elevated plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and very early morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease.

Methods And Results: To evaluate the impact of advances in lipid-lowering (predominantly statin) therapy on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in a large cohort of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, the records of 149 patients (81 females, 68 males) from 2 specialized lipid clinics in South Africa were evaluated retrospectively. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed by confirmation of mutations in genes affecting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or by clinical criteria.

First Report of Chrysanthemum stunt viroid in Various Cultivars of Argyranthemum frutescens in France.

Described for the first time in Chrysanthemum indicum in the United States, Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) was reported to naturally infect species in the Asteraceae family (1,3), as well a few hosts in other families. In May 2010 in a nursery in southwest France, the occurrence of stunted A. frutescens plantlets of cv.

Ecosystem screening approach for pathogen-associated microorganisms affecting host disease.

The microbial community in which a pathogen evolves is fundamental to disease outcome. Species interacting with a pathogen on the host surface shape the distribution, density, and genetic diversity of the inoculum, but the role of these species is rarely determined. The screening method developed here can be used to characterize pathogen-associated species affecting disease.

Maternal risk factors predicting child physical characteristics and dysmorphology in fetal alcohol syndrome and partial fetal alcohol syndrome.

Background: Previous research in South Africa revealed very high rates of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), of 46-89 per 1000 among young children. Maternal and child data from studies in this community summarize the multiple predictors of FAS and partial fetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS).

Method: Sequential regression was employed to examine influences on child physical characteristics and dysmorphology from four categories of maternal traits: physical, demographic, childbearing, and drinking.

Characterization of Prunus-infecting apricot latent virus-like Foveaviruses: evolutionary and taxonomic implications.

The complete genomic sequences of four Prunus-infecting Apricot latent virus (ApLV) like isolates were determined and used to analyze the taxonomic position and variability of these viruses. The results indicate that all isolates show a typical Foveavirus genetic organization. Despite an average 23% nucleotide divergence, they show strong colinearity with only three regions of significant indel variability, in the internal and 3' non-coding regions and variable N-terminal half of the coat protein (CP).

Preliminary report of transfrontier disease surveillance in free-ranging buffalo in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia.

A capture operation to ascertain the health status of free-ranging buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from six areas in the Caprivi Strip in the north-east corner of Namibia is described. In-depth reports on buffalo capture operations and their cost, with detailed descriptions of diseases for research purposes, sampling techniques, field processing of samples and laboratory-related costs are still lacking in the literature. This paper describes materials, methods and the related costs of a disease surveillance operation conducted among buffalo in Namibia.

Cell cycle-dependent regulation of the forkhead transcription factor FOXK2 by CDK·cyclin complexes.

Several mammalian forkhead transcription factors have been shown to impact on cell cycle regulation and are themselves linked to cell cycle control systems. Here we have investigated the little studied mammalian forkhead transcription factor FOXK2 and demonstrate that it is subject to control by cell cycle-regulated protein kinases. FOXK2 exhibits a periodic rise in its phosphorylation levels during the cell cycle, with hyperphosphorylation occurring in mitotic cells.

Carotid atherosclerosis progression in familial hypercholesterolemia patients: a pooled analysis of the ASAP, ENHANCE, RADIANCE 1, and CAPTIVATE studies.

Background: Until recently, patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) were considered the best subjects for the assessment of changes in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in randomized intervention trials. Our aims were to investigate whether contemporary statin-treated HeFH patients still show accelerated cIMT increase and to assess the impact of statin treatment, before and after random assignment, on atherosclerosis progression.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively evaluated cIMT change, and prior statin treatment and postbaseline LDL-C change as predictors of cIMT change, in 1513 HeFH patients who were randomly assigned to the statin arms of the early ASAP and more recent RADIANCE 1, CAPTIVATE, and ENHANCE studies.

First Report of Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid in Tomato in France.

Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) is a pospiviroid found naturally infecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) (3) and several ornamentals such as Brugmansia, petunia (1), and trailing verbena (4). Initially identified in North America (3), it has been reported from India, Europe (the Netherlands and United Kingdom), and Japan.

First Report of Nasturtium as a Natural Host of Cherry leaf roll virus on Amsterdam Island.

Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) is a well-known virus belonging to the genus Nepovirus, but unlike most members of this genus, it is not known to be transmitted by nematodes but only through seeds and pollen. Since its first description in 1955 on Prunus avium L. in England (1), CLRV has been shown to have a worldwide distribution and a wide natural host range.

Mipomersen, an apolipoprotein B synthesis inhibitor, for lowering of LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia is a rare genetic disorder in which both LDL-receptor alleles are defective, resulting in very high concentrations of LDL cholesterol in plasma and premature coronary artery disease. This study investigated whether an antisense inhibitor of apolipoprotein B synthesis, mipomersen, is effective and safe as an adjunctive agent to lower LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients with this disease.

Methods: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study was undertaken in nine lipid clinics in seven countries.

Multiple coat protein mutations abolish recognition of Pepino mosaic potexvirus (PepMV) by the potato rx resistance gene in transgenic tomatoes.

Despite the fact that Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and Potato virus X (PVX) share less than 40% identity in their coat proteins (CP), the known PVX elicitor of Rx, transgenic tomato (cv. Microtom) plants expressing a functional potato Rx resistance gene showed resistance toward PepMV. However, in a low percentage of plants, PepMV accumulation was observed and back inoculation experiments demonstrated that these plants contained resistance-breaking PepMV variants.