Dramatic Ecological Changes After an Unusual Winter Cold Snap

Power spectral analysis of fetal heart rate variability has been proposed to provide a non-invasive estimate of autonomic balance. However, there are few systematic data before birth. We therefore examined developmental changes in the frequency power spectrum at very low (0-0.04 Hz), low (0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequencies (0.15-0.4 Hz), as well as the ratio of low- to high-frequency power (LF/HF), in chronically catheterized, healthy fetal sheep at 0.6 (n = 8), 0.7 (n = 7) and 0.8 gestational age (ga; n = 11). In a second study, 0.8 ga fetuses received either atropine (4.8 mg bolus, then 4.8 mg h(-1) for 30 min, n = 6) or 6-hydroxydopamine (20 mg ml(-1) at 2.5 ml h(-1) for 3 h; n = 9). Data were analysed by sleep state, defined by low-voltage-high-frequency (LV) or high-voltage-low-frequency (HV) EEG. Total spectral power increased with gestational age (P < 0.05), while LF/HF decreased from 0.6 to 0.7 ga. At 0.8 ga, heart rate and LF/HF were significantly higher during HV than LV sleep (P < 0.05). Consistent with this, although total spectral power was not significantly greater during HV sleep, there was a significant interaction between sleep state and frequency band (P = 0.02). Both atropine (P = 0.05) and 6-hydroxydopamine (P < 0.05) were associated with an overall reduction in spectral power but no significant effect on the LF/HF ratio. This study does not support substantial, consistent differences between the frequencies of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity in late-gestation fetal sheep.

By presenting antigenic peptides on major histocompatibility complex class (MHC) II determinants to CD4(+) T cells, macrophages help to direct the establishment of adaptive immunity. We found that in these cells, lipopolysaccharide stimulates the expression of MHC II genes via the activation of Erk1/2, which is mediated by Toll-like receptor 4. Erk1/2 then phosphorylates the serine at position 357, which is located in a degron of CIITA isoform 1 that leads to its monoubiquitylation. Thus modified, CIITA isoform 1 binds P-TEFb, which mediates the elongation of RNA polymerase II and co-transcriptional processing of nascent transcripts. This induction leads to the expression of MHC II genes. Subsequent polyubiquitylation results in the degradation of CIITA isoform 1. Thus, the signaling cascade from Toll-like receptor 4 to CIITA isoform 1 represents one connection between innate and adaptive immunity in macrophages.

IntroductionPatient-reported experience metric (PREM) questionnaires are important tools used to evaluate patient experience but have yet to be widely used for patients undergoing cardiovascular procedures. Validated PREM tools may assist...

Chemokine Receptor CCR5 Mediates AlloImmune Responses in Graft-versus-Host Disease

Decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability underlies a number of cardiovascular pathologies, including hypertension. The shear stress exerted by flowing blood is the main determinant of NO release. Rap1 promotes integrin- and cadherin-mediated signaling. Here, we show that Rap1 is a critical regulator of NO production and endothelial function. Rap1 deficiency in murine endothelium attenuates NO production and diminishes NO-dependent vasodilation, leading to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension, without deleterious effects on vessel integrity. Mechanistically, Rap1 is activated by shear stress, promotes the formation of the endothelial mechanosensing complex-comprised of PECAM-1, VE-cadherin and VEGFR2- and downstream signaling to NO production. Our study establishes a novel paradigm for Rap1 as a regulator of mechanotransduction.

Computational analyses of in-vivo cerebral activity show that gamma oscillations in the olfactory cortex originate from local feedback inhibition following each sniff and serve to segregate competing odor representations through a winner-take-all process, providing an optimal window to decode odor.

Assessment and Analysis of Roundness Error in Drilling GFRP- Armour Steel Sandwich Composites

Upon detecting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, the unfolded protein response (UPR) orchestrates adaptive cellular changes to reestablish homeostasis. If stress resolution fails, the UPR commits the cell to apoptotic death. Here we show that in hematopoietic cells, including multiple myeloma (MM), lymphoma, and leukemia cell lines, ER stress leads to caspase-mediated cleavage of the key UPR sensor IRE1 within its cytoplasmic linker region, generating a stable IRE1 fragment comprising the ER-lumenal domain and transmembrane segment (LDTM). This cleavage uncouples the stress-sensing and signaling domains of IRE1, attenuating its activation upon ER perturbation. Surprisingly, LDTM exerts negative feedback over apoptotic signaling by inhibiting recruitment of the key proapoptotic protein BAX to mitochondria. Furthermore, ectopic LDTM expression enhances xenograft growth of MM tumors in mice. These results uncover an unexpected mechanism of cross-regulation between the apoptotic caspase machinery and the UPR, which has biologically significant consequences for cell survival under ER stress.

Cervical cancers transformed by high risk human papilloma virus (HPV) express the E7 oncoprotein, which accelerates the degradation of the retinoblastoma protein (Rb). Here we show that the E7-mediated degradation of Rb requires the calcium-activated cysteine protease, calpain. E7 bound and activated mu-calpain and promoted cleavage at Rb(810), with mutation of this residue preventing E7-mediated degradation. The calpain cleavage product, Rb(1-810), was unable to mediate cell cycle arrest but retained the ability to repress E6/E7 transcription. E7 also promoted the accelerated proteasomal degradation of Rb(1-810). Calpain inhibitors reduced the viability of HPV-transformed cells and synergized with cisplatin. Calpain, thus, emerges as a central player in E7-mediated degradation of Rb and represents a potential new drug target for the treatment of HPV-associated lesions.

Calmodulin plays a critical role in regulation of renal collecting duct water permeability by vasopressin. However, specific targets for calmodulin action have not been thoroughly addressed. In the present study, we investigated whether Ca2+/calmodulin regulates adenylyl cyclase activity in the renal inner medullary collecting duct. Rat inner medullary collecting duct suspensions were incubated in the presence or absence of 0.1 nM vasopressin and the calmodulin inhibitors, monodansylcadaverine, W-7, and trifluoperazine, followed by measurement of cAMP. Vasopressin-stimulated cAMP elevation was significantly attenuated in the presence of calmodulin inhibitors. Analysis of transglutaminase 2 knock-out mice confirmed that these compounds were not acting through inhibition of transglutaminase 2 activity. Calmodulin inhibitors also blocked both cholera toxin- and forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation. In isolated perfused tubules, W-7 reversibly blocked vasopressin-stimulated urea permeability, a process that requires a rise in intracellular cAMP but does not appear to involve protein trafficking to the apical plasma membrane. These results suggest that calmodulin is required for vasopressin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in the intact inner medullary collecting duct. Reverse transcription-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of the calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase type 3 in the rat collecting duct, an isoform previously not known to be expressed in the collecting duct. Long-term treatment of Brattleboro rats with a vasopressin analog markedly decreased adenylyl cyclase type 3 protein abundance, providing an explanation for long-term down-regulation of vasopressin response in the collecting duct. These studies demonstrate the importance of calmodulin in the regulation of collecting duct adenylyl cyclase activity and transport function.

고분자(polymer), 금속(metal), 세라믹(ceramic), 합성물(composite) 등과 같은 바이오소소재(Biomaterials)는 그들의 물리화학적 성질 때문에 의료용섬유(medical fibers), 인공혈관(artificial blood vessels), 인공관절(artificial joints), 임플란트(implants), 연조직(soft tissue), 인공성형물(plastic surgery materials) 등 의료용으로 많이 사용되며, 개발연구도 활발히 진행되고 있다. 그러나, 필름(film)이나 판(plate)형태의 바이오소재에 대한 생체적합성(biocompatibility)이나 독성(toxicity)을 포유동물세포를 이용하여 평가하는 것은 적절한 평가용 장치가 없기 때문에 매우 어려운 상황이다. 따라서 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해서, 본 연구에서는 고분자필름이나 금속판에 유용하게 적용할 수 있는 실리콘링, 상판(top panel), 하판(bottom panel)으로 구성된 새로운 포유동물배양시스템을 개발하고, 이를 실제 적용하고자 하였다. 개발된 시스템은 평가하고자 하는 시료를 상판과 하판사이에 조립하는 샌드위치시스템을 기반으로 한다. 세포배양장치의 조립 후, SK-MEL-2세포를 3가지 시료; Styela Clava Tunic (SCT)- PF, NaHCO₃-added SCT (SCTN)-PF, magnesium MP (MMP)에 적용하고 37&#x2103; 이산화탄소 배양기에서 24시간과 48시간 동안 배양하였다. MTT분석결과에서, 세포생존율(cell viability)은 24시간과 48시간 동안 SCT-PF배양그룹에서 정상적으로 유지되었지만 48시간 동안 SCTN-PF배양그룹에서는 급격하게 감소되었다. 더불어, MMP배양그룹에서 세포생존율은 24시간과 48시간 배양 후에 대조군과 유사하게 유지되었다. 이러한 결과는 본 연구에서 새롭게 개발된 샌드위치형태의 포유동물세포배양장치는 고분자필름이나 금속판형태의 바이오소재에 대한 독성이나 생체적합성을 평가하기 위한 우수한 잠재력을 보유하고 있음을 제시하고 있다. Biomaterials including polymer, metal, ceramic, and composite have been widely applied for medical uses as medical fibers, artificial blood vessels, artificial joints, implants, soft tissue, and plastic surgery materials owing to their physicochemical properties. However, the biocompatibility and toxicity for film- and plate-form biomaterials is difficult to measure in mammalian cells because there is no appropriate incubation system. To solve these problems, we developed a novel mammalian cell culture system consisting of a silicone ring, top panel, and bottom panel and we applied two polymer films (PF) and one metal plate (MP). This system was based on the principal of sandwiching a test sample between the top panel and the bottom panel. Following the assembly of the culture system, SK-MEL-2 cells were seeded onto Styela Clava Tunic (SCT)-PF, NaHCO₃-added SCT (SCTN)-PF, and magnesium MP (MMP) and incubated at 37&#x2103; for 24 hr and 48 hr. An MTT assay revealed that cell viability was maintained at a normal level in the SCT-PF culture group at 24 or 48 hr, although it rapidly decreased in the SCTN-PF culture group at 48 hr. Furthermore, the cell viability in the MMP culture group was very similar to that of the control group after incubation for 24 hr and 48 hr. Together, these results suggest the sandwich-type mammalian culture system developed here has the potential for the evaluation of the biocompatibility and toxicity of cells against PF- and MP-form biomaterials.

Akt-Mediated Phosphorylation of Argonaute 2 Downregulates Cleavage and Upregulates Translational Repression of MicroRNA Targets

<h3>Background</h3> Proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) is characterized by robust glomerular and tubulo- interstitial inflammation, sub-endothelial deposits of immunoglobulin, and increased endothelial cell permeability. Sphingosine 1- Phosphate Receptor 1 (S1PR1) has...

ObjectiveTo visualize the incidence of notifiable infectious diseasesspatially and interactively, we aimed to provide a friendly interfaceto access local epidemic information based on open data for healthprofessionals and the public.IntroductionTransparency of information on infectious disease epidemicsis crucial for not only public health workers but also the residentsin the communities. Traditionally, disease control departmentscreated official websites for displaying disease maps or epi-curveswith the confirmed case counts. The websites were usually veryformal and static, without interaction, animation, or even the aid ofspatial statistics. Therefore, we tried to take advantage of open dataand use a lightweight programming language, JavaScript, to createan interactive website, named “Taiwan Infectious Disease Map(http://ide.geohealth.tw/)“. With the website, we expect to providereal-time incidence information and related epidemiological featuresusing interactive maps and charts.MethodsThis study used infectious-disease-related open data from Taiwan’sopen data platform (http://data.gov.tw) maintained by the TaiwanCDC. It covers 70 types of infectious diseases starting from 2004, andthe latest status is updated every day. We then automatically bridgethis data into our database and calculate the age-adjusted incidencerate by annual census data and 2000 WH0 standard population.The spatial resolution is mostly at the township level, except thatresolution for sexually-transmitted infectious diseases is at the citylevel. The temporal resolution is month and year, except for denguefever, which is by week.We used R software to automatically compute incidence everyday, and also used its package named “spdep” to compute the spatialclusters of the selected infectious diseases online. In addition, weused JavaScript language, PHP, OpenLayers 3 and Highcharts toimplement interactive maps and charts. All the data and graphicalfigures from the charts viewed in this website can be downloadedfreely. The temporal animation slider can be played and paused atany time point. The health education button can directly link to anintroduction to the selected infectious disease maintained by theTaiwan CDC.ResultsThe website of the Taiwan Infectious Disease Map is displayedin Figure 1. The users can select the temporal precision, types ofinfectious diseases, spatial precision and the gender at the beginning.In this case, the left map is the spatial distribution of the cumulativeincidence of tuberculosis (TB) in 2016. The darker red color representshigher incidence. The right top panel is the ranking of TB incidenceamong 368 townships. The right middle panel is the ranking of TBincidence among 22 cities or counties. The right bottom panel is theannual TB incidence from 2004 to the current date. The highest TBincidence was 67.47 per 100,000 in 2004, and this declined sharply to15.92 per 100,000 in 2015.ConclusionsWith this user-friendly web application, the public and localpublic health workers can easily understand the current risk for theirtownships. The application can provide relevant health education forthe public to understand diseases and how to protect themselves. Thespatial clusters, gender distribution, age distribution, epi-curve andtop ten infectious diseases are all practical and important informationprovided from this website to assist in preventing and mitigating nextepidemic.

&lt;p&gt;Figure S5: Validation of nCounter signature genes in a qRT-PCR-based cohort. Relative expression of miRNA identified on the nCounter panel as being high in AITL (top panel), PTCL-TBX21 (middle panel), or PTCL-GATA3 (bottom panel). Data are expressed by the median centered Ct value and lower values correspond to higher expression.&lt;/p&gt;