Pseudogenes are commonly encountered during investigation of the genomes of a wide range of life forms. This review concentrates on vertebrate, and in particular mammalian, pseudogenes and describes their origin and subsequent evolution. Consideration is also given to pseudogenes that are transcribed and to the unusual group of genes that exist at the interface between functional genes and non-functional pseudogenes. As the sequences of different genomes are characterised, the recognition and interpretation of pseudogene sequences will become more important and have a greater impact in the field of molecular genetics.z 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, insidious disease caused by areca nut use, and is associated with both significant morbidity (including pain and reduced oral opening) and an increased risk for malignancy. This systematic review explored and updated the current medical (i.e., non-surgical) interventions available for the management of OSF. Of the 27 published medical interventions, there were four randomized controlled trials. The overall quality of these randomized controlled studies was assessed using the GRADE approach and significant limitations that challenged the conclusions were found. However, this review was valuable in terms of identifying opportunities to provide recommendations for future research, in terms of the populations to research, the types of interventions needed, the types of outcomes to be measured, the study designs needed, and the infrastructure required to conduct studies. The next step is to initiate a pathway for a low-cost research plan leading to the development of a brief protocol for future clinical trials in this field, with an emphasis on conducting studies in regions of the world where OSF is prevalent.