Measures of oxidative state are primarily driven by extrinsic factors in a long-distance migrant

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the Royal Society via the DOI in this recordData accessibility: Data are available from the Dryad Digital Repository: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j4k3t6f/1 [20].Oxidative stress is a likely consequence of hard physical exertion and thus a potential mediator of life-history trade-offs in migratory animals. However, little is known about the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic stressors on the oxidative state of individuals in wild populations. We quantified the relationships between air temperature, sex, body condition and three markers of oxidative state (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity) across hundreds of individuals of a long-distance migrant (the brent goose Branta bernicla hrota) during wintering and spring staging. We found that air temperature and migratory stage were the strongest predictors of oxidative state. This emphasizes the importance of extrinsic factors in regulating the oxidative state of migrating birds, with differential effects across the migration. The significance of abiotic effects demonstrates an additional mechanism by which changing climates may affect migratory costs.European Commissio

Template-free 13-protofilament microtubule–MAP assembly visualized at 8 A resolution

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are essential for regulating and organizing cellular microtubules (MTs). However, our mechanistic understanding of MAP function is limited by a lack of detailed structural information. Using cryo-electron microscopy and single particle algorithms, we solved the 8 Å structure of doublecortin (DCX)-stabilized MTs. Because of DCX’s unusual ability to specifically nucleate and stabilize 13-protofilament MTs, our reconstruction provides unprecedented insight into the structure of MTs with an in vivo architecture, and in the absence of a stabilizing drug. DCX specifically recognizes the corner of four tubulin dimers, a binding mode ideally suited to stabilizing both lateral and longitudinal lattice contacts. A striking consequence of this is that DCX does not bind the MT seam. DCX binding on the MT surface indirectly stabilizes conserved tubulin–tubulin lateral contacts in the MT lumen, operating independently of the nucleotide bound to tubulin. DCX’s exquisite binding selectivity uncovers important insights into regulation of cellular MTs

Preliminary Multiphysics Analyses of HFIR LEU Fuel Conversion using COMSOL

The research documented herein was performed by several individuals across multiple organizations. We have previously acknowledged our funding for the project, but another common thread among the authors of this document, and hence the research performed, is the analysis tool COMSOL. The research has been divided into categories to allow the COMSOL analysis to be performed independently to the extent possible. As will be seen herein, the research has progressed to the point where it is expected that next year (2011) a large fraction of the research will require collaboration of our efforts as we progress almost exclusively into three-dimensional (3D) analysis. To the extent possible, we have tried to segregate the development effort into two-dimensional (2D) analysis in order to arrive at techniques and methodology that can be extended to 3D models in a timely manner. The Research Reactors Division (RRD) of ORNL has contracted with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering Department (MABE) to perform a significant fraction of this research. This group has been chosen due to their expertise and long-term commitment in using COMSOL and also because the participating students are able to work onsite on a part-time basis due to the close proximity of UTK with the ORNL campus. The UTK research has been governed by a statement of work (SOW) which clearly defines the specific tasks reported herein on the perspective areas of research. Ph.D. student Isaac T. Bodey has focused on heat transfer, fluid flow, modeling, and meshing issues and has been aided by his major professor Dr. Rao V. Arimilli and is the primary contributor to Section 2 of this report. Ph.D student Franklin G. Curtis has been focusing exclusively on fluid-structure interaction (FSI) due to the mechanical forces acting on the plate caused by the flow and has also been aided by his major professor Dr. Kivanc Ekici and is the primary contributor to Section 4 of this report. The HFIR LEU conversion project has also obtained the services of Dr. Prashant K. Jain of the Reactor & Nuclear Systems Division (RNSD) of ORNL. Prashant has quickly adapted to the COMSOL tools and has been focusing on thermal-structure interaction (TSI) issues and development of alternative 3D model approaches that could yield faster-running solutions. Prashant is the primary contributor to Section 5 of the report. And finally, while incorporating findings from all members of the COMSOL team (i.e., the team) and contributing as the senior COMSOL leader and advocate, Dr. James D. Freels has focused on the 3D model development, cluster deployment, and has contributed primarily to Section 3 and overall integration of this report. The team has migrated to the current release of COMSOL at version 4.1 for all the work described in this report, except where stated otherwise. Just as in the performance of the research, each of the respective sections has been originally authored by the respective authors. Therefore, the reader will observe a contrast in writing style throughout this document

Treating Colon Cancer With a Melanoma Vaccine? Preposterous?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41422/1/10434_2001_Article_386.pd

Correlation between CD105 expression and postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is one of the mechanisms most critical to the postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, finding the molecular markers associated with angiogenesis may help identify patients at increased risk for recurrence and metastasis of HCC. This study was designed to investigate whether CD105 or CD34 could serve as a valid prognostic marker in patients with HCC by determining if there is a correlation between CD105 or CD34 expression and postoperative recurrence or metastasis. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for the CD105, CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies was performed in 113 HCC tissue specimens containing paracarcinomatous tissue and in 14 normal liver tissue specimens. The quantitation of microvessels identified by anti-CD105 and anti-CD34 monoclonal antibodies and the semiquantitation of VEGF expression identified by anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody were analyzed in conjunction with the clinicopathological characteristics of the HCC and any available follow-up information about the patients from whom the specimens were obtained. RESULTS: CD105 was not expressed in the vascular endothelial cells of any normal liver tissue or paracarcinomatous liver tissue but was expressed in the vascular endothelial cells of all HCC tissue. In contrast, CD34 was expressed in the vascular endothelial cells of normal liver tissue, paracarcinomatous tissue, and HCC tissue in the following proportions of specimens: 86.7%, 93.8%, and 100%, respectively. The microvascular densities (MVDs) of HCC determined by using an anti-CD105 mAb (CD105-MVD) and an anti-CD34 mAb (CD34-MVD), were 71.7 ± 8.3 (SD) and 106.3 ± 10.4 (SD), respectively. There was a significant correlation between CD105-MVD and CD34-MVD (r = 0.248, P = 0.021). Although CD34-MVD was significantly correlated with VEGF expression (r = 0.243, P = 0.024), CD105-MVD was more closely correlated (r = 0.300, P= 0.005). The correlation between microscopic venous invasion and CD105-MVD, but not CD34-MVD, was also statistically significant (r = 0.254, P = 0.018). Univariate analysis showed that CD105-MVD was significantly correlated with the 2-year overall survival rate (P = 0.014); CD34-MVD was not (P = 0.601). Multivariate analysis confirmed that CD105-MVD was an independent prognostic factor and that CD34-MVD was not. CONCLUSION: The anti-CD105 mAb is an ideal instrument to quantify new microvessels in HCC as compared with anti-CD34 mAb. CD105-MVD as compared with CD34-MVD is relevant a significant and independent prognostic indicator for recurrence and metastasis in HCC patients

Plant Vaccines: An Immunological Perspective.

The advent of technologies to express heterologous proteins in planta has led to the proposition that plants may be engineered to be safe, inexpensive vehicles for the production of vaccines and possibly even vectors for their delivery. The immunogenicity of a variety of antigens of relevance to vaccination expressed in different plants has been assessed. The purpose of this article is to examine the utility of plant-expression systems in vaccine development from an immunological perspective

Correlating Local Volumetric Tissue Strains with Global Lung Mechanics Measurements

The mechanics of breathing is a fascinating and vital process. The lung has complexities and subtle heterogeneities in structure across length scales that influence mechanics and function. This study establishes an experimental pipeline for capturing alveolar deformations during a respiratory cycle using synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-micro-CT). Rodent lungs were mechanically ventilated and imaged at various time points during the respiratory cycle. Pressure-Volume (P-V) characteristics were recorded to capture any changes in overall lung mechanical behaviour during the experiment. A sequence of tomograms was collected from the lungs within the intact thoracic cavity. Digital volume correlation (DVC) was used to compute the three-dimensional strain field at the alveolar level from the time sequence of reconstructed tomograms. Regional differences in ventilation were highlighted during the respiratory cycle, relating the local strains within the lung tissue to the global ventilation measurements. Strains locally reached approximately 150% compared to the averaged regional deformations of approximately 80-100%. Redistribution of air within the lungs was observed during cycling. Regions which were relatively poorly ventilated (low deformations compared to its neighbouring region) were deforming more uniformly at later stages of the experiment (consistent with its neighbouring region). Such heterogenous phenomena are common in everyday breathing. In pathological lungs, some of these non-uniformities in deformation behaviour can become exaggerated, leading to poor function or further damage. The technique presented can help characterize the multiscale biomechanical nature of a given pathology to improve patient management strategies, considering both the local and global lung mechanics

Geolocator tracking seabird migration and moult reveal large-scale temperature-driven isoscapes in the NE Atlantic

This is the final version. Available op open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordRationale By combining precision satellite-tracking with blood sampling, seabirds can be used to validate marine carbon and nitrogen isoscapes, but it is unclear whether a comparable approach using low-precision light-level geolocators (GLS) and feather sampling can be similarly effective. Methods Here we used GLS to identify wintering areas of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) and sampled winter grown feathers (confirmed from image analysis of non-breeding birds) to test for spatial gradients in δ13C and δ15N in the NE Atlantic. Results By matching winter-grown feathers with the non-breeding location of tracked birds we found latitudinal gradients in δ13C and δ15N in neritic waters. Moreover, isotopic patterns were best explained by sea surface temperature. Similar isotope gradients were found in fish muscle sampled at local ports. Conclusions Our study reveals the potential of using seabird GLS and feathers to reconstruct large-scale isotopic patterns

Endochondral Growth Defect and Deployment of Transient Chondrocyte Behaviors Underlie Osteoarthritis Onset in a Natural Murine Model

OBJECTIVE:To explore whether aberrant transient chondrocyte behaviors occur in the joints of STR/Ort mice (which spontaneously develop osteoarthritis [OA]) and whether they are attributable to an endochondral growth defect.METHODS:Knee joints from STR/Ort mice with advanced OA and age-matched CBA (control) mice were examined by Affymetrix microarray profiling, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, and immunohistochemical labeling of endochondral markers, including sclerostin and MEPE. The endochondral phenotype of STR/Ort mice was analyzed by histologic examination, micro-computed tomography, and ex vivo organ culture. A novel protocol for quantifying bony bridges across the murine epiphysis (growth plate fusion) using synchrotron x-ray computed microtomography was developed and applied.RESULTS:Meta-analysis of transcription profiles showed significant elevation in functions linked with endochondral ossification in STR/Ort mice (compared to CBA mice; P < 0.05). Consistent with this, immunolabeling revealed increased matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13) and type X collagen expression in STR/Ort mouse joints, and multiplex quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR showed differential expression of known mineralization regulators, suggesting an inherent chondrocyte defect. Support for the notion of an endochondral defect included accelerated growth, increased zone of growth plate proliferative chondrocytes (P < 0.05), and widespread type X collagen/MMP-13 labeling beyond the expected hypertrophic zone distribution. OA development involved concomitant focal suppression of sclerostin/MEPE in STR/Ort mice. Our novel synchrotron radiation microtomography method showed increased numbers (P < 0.001) and mean areal growth plate bridge densities (P < 0.01) in young and aged STR/Ort mice compared to age-matched CBA mice.CONCLUSION:Taken together, our data support the notion of an inherent endochondral defect that is linked to growth dynamics and subject to regulation by the MEPE/sclerostin axis and may represent an underlying mechanism of pathologic ossification in OA