Secretome of Mesenchymal Progenitors from the Umbilical Cord Acts as Modulator of Neural/Glial Proliferation and Differentiation

It was recently shown that the conditioned media (CM) of Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular Cells (HUCPVCs), a mesenchymal progenitor population residing within the Wharton Jelly of the umbilical cord, was able to modulate in vitro the survival and viability of different neuronal and glial cells populations. In the present work, we aimed to assess if the secretome of HUCPVCs is able to 1) induce the differentiation of human telencephalon neural precursor cells (htNPCs) in vitro, and 2) modulate neural/glial proliferation, differentiation and survival in the dentate gyrus (DG) of adult rat hippocampus. For this purpose, two separate experimental setups were performed: 1) htNPCs were incubated with HUCPVCs-CM for 5 days after which neuronal differentiation was assessed and, 2) HUCPVCs, or their respective CM, were injected into the DG of young adult rats and their effects assessed 7 days later. Results revealed that the secretome of HUCPVCs was able to increase neuronal cell differentiation in vitro; indeed, higher densities of immature (DCX+ cells) and mature neurons (MAP-2(+) cells) were observed when htNPCs were incubated with the HUCPVCs-CM. Additionally, when HUCPVCs and their CM were injected in the DG, results revealed that both cells or CM were able to increase the endogenous proliferation (BrdU(+) cells) 7 days after injection. It was also possible to observe an increased number of newborn neurons (DCX+ cells), upon injection of HUCPVCs or their respective CM. Finally western blot analysis revealed that after CM or HUCPVCs transplantation, there was an increase of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and, to a lesser extent, of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the DG tissue. Concluding, our results have shown that the transplantation of HUCPVCs or the administration of their secretome were able to potentiate neuronal survival and differentiation in vitro and in vivo.Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian for funds under the scope of the Gulbenkian Programme to Support Cutting Edge Research in Life Sciences; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for Ciência 2007 program and IF Development Grant (A.J. Salgado), and pre-doctoral fellowship to F.G. Teixeira (SFRH / BD / 69637 / 2010); John E. Davies for kindly providing the HUCPVCs used in this workinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trading nitrogen for carbon: Nitrogen and carbon translocation in a plant/fungal (Metarhizium spp.) symbiosis

While nitrogen is critical for all plants, they are unable to utilize organically bound nitrogen in soils. Therefore, the majority of plants obtain useable nitrogen through nitrogen fixing bacteria and the microbial decomposition of organic matter. In the majority of cases, symbiotic microorganisms directly furnish plant roots with inorganic forms of nitrogen. More than 80% of all land plants form intimate symbiotic relationships with root colonizing fungi. These common plant/fungal interactions have been defined largely through nutrient exchange, where the plant receives limiting soil nutrients, such as nitrogen, in exchange for plant derived carbon. Fungal endophytes are common plant colonizers. A number of these fungal species have a dual life cycle, meaning that they are not solely plant colonizers, but also saprophytes, insect pathogens, or plant pathogens. By using 15N labeled, Metarhizium infected, wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) in soil microcosms, I demonstrated that the common endophytic, insect pathogenic fungi Metarhizium spp. are able to infect living soil borne insects, and subsequently colonize plant roots and furnish ts plant host with useable, insect-derived nitrogen. In addition, I showed that another ecologically important, endophytic, insect pathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana, is able to transfer insect-derived nitrogen to its plant host. I demonstrated that these relationships between various plant species and endophytic, insect pathogenic fungi help to improve overall plant health. By using 13C-labeled CO2, added to airtight plant growth chambers, coupled with nuclear magnetic resosnance spectroscopy, I was able to track the movement of carbon from the atmosphere, into the plant, and finally into the root colonized fungal biomass. This indicates that Metarhizium exists in a symbiotic partnership with plants, where insect nitrogen is exchanged for plant carbon. Overall these studies provide the first evidence of nutrient exchange between an insect pathogenic fungus and plants, a relationship that has potentially useful implications on plant primary production, soil health, and overall ecosystem stability

Remote Sensing, A Tool for Managing the Marine Environment: Eight Case Studies

Case studies suggest the variety of ways in which remote sensing can be useful in studying the coastal and marine environment. It is hoped that the diversity of applications described, of data sources and platforms used (satellite/aircraft), as well as the high- quality photographs that resulted, may identify potential applications. -from STAR, 21(1), 198

Effects of wildfire disaster exposure on male birth weight in an Australian population

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Maternal stress can depress birth weight and gestational age, with potential health effects. A growing number of studies examine the effect of maternal stress caused by environmental disasters on birth outcomes. These changes may indicate an adaptive response. In this study, we examine the effects of maternal exposure to wildfire on birth weight and gestational age, hypothesising that maternal stress will negatively influence these measures. METHODOLOGY Using data from the Australian Capital Territory, we employed Analysis of Variance to examine the influence of the 2003 Canberra wildfires on the weight of babies born to mothers resident in fire-affected regions, while considering the role of other factors. RESULTS We found that male infants born in the most severely fire-affected area had significantly higher average birth weights than their less exposed peers and were also heavier than males born in the same areas in non-fire years. Higher average weights were attributable to an increase in the number of macrosomic infants. There was no significant effect on the weight of female infants or on gestational age for either sex. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our findings indicate heightened environmental responsivity in the male cohort. We find that elevated maternal stress acted to accelerate the growth of male fetuses, potentially through an elevation of maternal blood glucose levels. Like previous studies, our work finds effects of disaster exposure and suggests that fetal growth patterns respond to maternal signals. However, the direction of the change in birth weight is opposite to that of many earlier studies.This work was funded by an Australian Postgraduate Award from the Australian Government Department of Education

Taxonomic Tapestries: The Threads of Evolutionary, Behavioural and Conservation Research

This volume explores the complexity, diversity and interwoven nature of taxonomic pursuits within the context of explorations of humans and related species. It also pays tribute to Professor Colin Groves, whose work has had an enormous impact on this field. Recent research into that somewhat unique species we call humankind, through the theoretical and conceptual approaches afforded by the discipline of biological anthropology, is showcased. The focus is on the evolution of the human species, the behaviour of primates and other species, and how humans affect the distribution and abundance of other species through anthropogenic impact. Weaving together these three key themes, through the considerable influence of Colin Groves, provides glimpses of how changes in taxonomic theory and methodology, including our fluctuating understanding of speciation, have recrafted the way in which we view animal behaviour, human evolution and conservation studies

Buckets to Disaster: What to Avoid in Making Critical Decisions

PresentationThis paper offers an approach to the development of techniques and tools to teach risk-based decision analysis and complex decision analysis to minimize the disastrous outcomes of critical decisions taking in the worlds of plant operations and engineering. Risk Based Decision Management (RBDM) and critical decision analyses are not taught in the curricula of the engineering programs at any major university. Engineers and other technical staff are promoted based on their abilities and the assumption that their experience will guide them to make robust decisions when needed particular in the heat of the moment when time is of the essence. The historical incident record brings this assumption into question. Decisions made by individuals or teams on behalf of companies can lead to disastrous outcomes and significant consequences that have the potential to cause significant losses. This paper proposes a basis for the development of materials to prepare curricula to teach RBDM as part of undergraduate and graduate courses in a very structured and logical manner. RBDM techniques draw on the sports world in which elite teams have developed programs to teach decision making based on reading and reacting in game situations to enhance the chances of positive outcomes. These high-performing teams learn, through many hours of focused practice, how to apply risk-reward paradigms to take decisions in very dynamic and stressful game situations. We all can learn from the sports techniques and processes and apply them in other fields. Based on the analyses of several incidents with disastrous outcomes, the common themes that reoccur in decision making are identified as “buckets” which must be avoided to reduce the possibility of negative outcomes from decisions. The definition and rationale behind these buckets provide the basis of an approach to assist decision makers in taking more rational decisions during engineering projects or operations. Another benefit of analyzing incidents through the eyes of risk (i.e. the decisions implicated in the disastrous consequences) is a better understanding of “what went wrong” and hence an improved ability to more effectively learn from past incidents. Learning from incidents in a global sense has not proven to be effective in the past

Taxonomic Tapestries: The Threads of Evolutionary, Behavioural and Conservation Research

This volume explores the complexity, diversity and interwoven nature of taxonomic pursuits within the context of explorations of humans and related species. It also pays tribute to Professor Colin Groves, whose work has had an enormous impact on this field. Recent research into that somewhat unique species we call humankind, through the theoretical and conceptual approaches afforded by the discipline of biological anthropology, is showcased. The focus is on the evolution of the human species, the behaviour of primates and other species, and how humans affect the distribution and abundance of other species through anthropogenic impact. Weaving together these three key themes, through the considerable influence of Colin Groves, provides glimpses of how changes in taxonomic theory and methodology, including our fluctuating understanding of speciation, have recrafted the way in which we view animal behaviour, human evolution and conservation studies