445 research outputs found
Towards Integrative Systematics of Anthozoa (Cnidaria): Evolution of Form in the Order Zoanthidea
A decade of research inferring evolutionary relationships from nucleotide sequences has demonstrated a fundamental misconception of the evolution of form in Zoanthidea. Morphological features that define current taxa are plesiomorphic or homoplastic and do not circumscribe clades of species delineated by ecological and molecular characters. Although molecular data have been critical in exposing this deficiency, their parataxonomic application to Zoanthidea has created a barrier to comprehensive revision within the order. Species descriptions and higher taxon definitions based on nucleotide sequences isolate new taxa from the existing taxonomic system and restrict the application of novel systematics hypotheses to a fraction of the known diversity of taxa. This creates competing taxonomic systems that do not benefit from the knowledge contained in the opposing system. To enable the integration of modern molecular data with more than a century of morphological research, characters that can simultaneously span the parataxonomy barrier, existing taxonomic system and historical record must be identified. Here, we test the utility of morphological characters for integrative systematics by reviewing commonly described and novel morphological characters, assessing independence of character components and analysing character homoplasy and ancestral states on the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny available. The results indicate a rich diversity of form that span the full range of homoplasy values, including more than a dozen independent characters useful to systematics or differentiating closely related species. The least homoplasious characters include traditionally targeted (fifth mesenteries, marginal muscle arrangement, encircling sinus) and novel (fissure morphology, basal canals of the mesenteries) features. These analyses represent a first step in identifying characters necessary for reunification and revision of Zoanthidea systematics
An ethanolic extract of artemisia scoparia inhibits lipolysis in vivo and has antilipolytic effects on murine adipocytes in vitro
© 2018, American Physiological Society. All rights reserved. An ethanolic extract of Artemisia scoparia (SCO) has metabolically favorable effects on adipocyte development and function in vitro and in vivo. In diet-induced obese mice, SCO supplementation significantly reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels. Given the importance of adipocyte lipolysis in metabolic health, we hypothesized that SCO modulates lipolysis in vitro and in vivo. Free fatty acids and glycerol were measured in the sera of mice fed a high-fat diet with or without SCO supplementation. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the effects of SCO on lipolysis were assessed by measuring glycerol and free fatty acid release. Microarray analysis, qPCR, and immunoblotting were used to assess gene expression and protein abundance. We found that SCO supplementation of a high-fat diet in mice substantially reduces circulating glycerol and free fatty acid levels, and we observed a cell-autonomous effect of SCO to significantly attenuate tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced lipolysis in cultured adipocytes. Although several prolipolytic and antilipolytic genes were identified by microarray analysis of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue from SCO-fed mice, regulation of these genes did not consistently correlate with SCO’s ability to reduce lipolytic metabolites in sera or cell culture media. However, in the presence of TNFα in cultured adipocytes, SCO induced antilipolytic changes in phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase and perilipin. Together, these data suggest that the antilipolytic effects of SCO on adipose tissue play a role in the ability of this botanical extract to improve whole body metabolic parameters and support its use as a dietary supplement to promote metabolic resiliency
High-resolution age modelling of peat bogs from northern Alberta, Canada, using pre- and post-bomb 14 C, 210 Pb and historical cryptotephra
High-resolution studies of peat profiles are frequently undertaken to investigate natural and anthropogenic disturbances over time. However, overlapping profiles of the most commonly applied age-dating techniques, including 14C and 210Pb, often show significant offsets (>decadal) and biases that can be difficult to resolve. Here we investigate variations in the chronometers and individual site histories from six ombrotrophic peat bogs in central and northern Alberta. Dates produced using pre- and post-bomb 14C, 210Pb (corroborated with 137Cs and 241Am), and cryptotephra peaks, are compared and then integrated using OxCal's P_Sequence function to produce a single Bayesian age model. Environmental histories for each site obtained using physical and chemical characteristics of the peat cores, e.g. plant macrofossils, humification, ash content and dry density, provide important constraints for the models by highlighting periods with significant changes in accumulation rate, e.g. fire events, permafrost development, and prolonged surficial drying. Despite variable environmental histories, it is possible to produce high-resolution age-depth models for each core sequence. Consistent offsets between 14C and 210Pb dates pre-1960s are seen at five of the six sites, but tephra-corrected 210Pb data can be used to produce more coherent models at three of these sites. Processes such as permafrost development and thaw, surficial drying and local fires can disrupt the normal processes by which chronological markers and environmental records are incorporated in the peat record. In consequence, applying standard dating methodologies to these records will result in even greater uncertainties and discrepancies between the different dating tools. These results show that using any single method to accurately date peat profiles where accumulation has not been uniform over time may be unreliable, but a comprehensive multi-method investigation paired with the application of Bayesian statistics can produce more robust chronologies. New cryptotephra data for the Alberta region are also reported here, including the historical Novarupta-Katmai 1912 eruption, White River Ash (East), and glass from Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Churchill, and probable Aleutian sources
Structure-Activity Relationship for the Oxadiazole Class of Antibacterials
A structure-activity relationship (SAR) for the oxadiazole class of antibacterials was evaluated by syntheses of 72 analogs and determination of the minimal-inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against the ESKAPE panel of bacteria. Selected compounds were further evaluated for in vitro toxicity, plasma protein binding, pharmacokinetics (PK), and a mouse model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Oxadiazole 72c shows potent in vitro antibacterial activity, exhibits low clearance, a high volume of distribution, and 41% oral bioavailability, and shows efficacy in mouse models of MRSA infection.Fil: Boudreau, Marc A.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Ding, Derong. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Meisel, Jayda E.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Janardhanan, Jeshina. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Spink, Edward. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Peng, Zhihong. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Qian, Yuanyuan. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Yamaguchi, Takao. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Testero, Sebastian Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientÃficas y Técnicas. Centro CientÃfico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de QuÃmica Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias BioquÃmicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de QuÃmica Rosario; Argentina. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: O'Daniel, Peter I.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Leemans, Erika. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Lastochkin, Elena. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Song, Wei. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Schroeder, Valerie A.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Wolter, William R.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Suckow, Mark A.. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Mobashery, Shahriar. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Chang, Mayland. University of Notre Dame; Estados Unido
Structure-Activity Relationship for the Oxadiazole Class of Antibiotics
The structure-activity relationship (SAR) for the newly discovered oxadiazole class of antibiotics is described with evaluation of 120 derivatives of the lead structure. This class of antibiotics was discovered by in silico docking and scoring against the crystal structure of a penicillin-binding protein. They impair cell-wall biosynthesis and exhibit activities against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant and linezolid-resistant S. aureus. 5-(1H-Indol-5-yl)-3-(4-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy)phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (antibiotic 75b) was efficacious in a mouse model of MRSA infection, exhibiting a long half-life, a high volume of distribution, and low clearance. This antibiotic is bactericidal and is orally bioavailable in mice. This class of antibiotics holds great promise in recourse against infections by MRSA.Fil: Spink, Edward. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Ding, Derong. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Peng, Zhihong. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Boudreau, Marc A.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Leemans, Erika. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Lastochkin, Elena. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Song, Wei. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Lichtenwalter, Katerina. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: O’Daniel, Peter I.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Testero, Sebastian Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientÃficas y Técnicas. Centro CientÃfico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de QuÃmica Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias BioquÃmicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de QuÃmica Rosario; Argentina. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Pi, Hualiang. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Schroeder, Valerie A.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Wolter, William R.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Antunes, Nuno T.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Suckow, Mark A.. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Vakulenko, Sergei. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Chang, Mayland. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados UnidosFil: Mobashery, Shahriar. University of Notre Dame-Indiana; Estados Unido
The exposure of autoantigens by microparticles underlies the formation of potent inflammatory components: the microparticle-associated immune complexes
Immunoglobulins, antigens and complement can assemble to form immune complexes (IC). ICs can be detrimental as they propagate inflammation in autoimmune diseases. Like ICs, submicron extracellular vesicles termed microparticles (MP) are present in the synovial fluid from patients affected with autoimmune arthritis. We examined MPs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using high sensitivity flow cytometry and electron microscopy. We find that the MPs in RA synovial fluid are highly heterogeneous in size. The observed larger MPs were in fact MP-containing ICs (mpICs) and account for the majority of the detectable ICs. These mpICs frequently express the integrin CD41, consistent with platelet origin. Despite expression of the Fc receptor FcγRIIa by platelet-derived MPs, we find that the mpICs form independently of this receptor. Rather, mpICs display autoantigens vimentin and fibrinogen, and recognition of these targets by anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies contributes to the production of mpICs. Functionally, platelet mpICs are highly pro-inflammatory, eliciting leukotriene production by neutrophils. Taken together, our data suggest a unique role for platelet MPs as autoantigen-expressing elements capable of perpetuating formation of inflammatory ICs
A model for uranium, rhenium, and molybdenum diagenesis in marine sediments based on results from coastal locations
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73 (2009): 2938-2960, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2009.02.029.The purpose of this research is to characterize the mobilization and
immobilization processes that control the authigenic accumulation of uranium (U),
rhenium (Re) and molybdenum (Mo) in marine sediments. We analyzed these redox–
sensitive metals (RSM) in benthic chamber, pore water and solid phase samples at a site
in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, U.S.A., which has high bottom water oxygen
concentrations (230–300 mol/L) and high organic matter oxidation rates (390 mol
C/cm2/y). The oxygen penetration depth varies from 2–9 mm below the sediment–water
interface, but pore water sulfide is below detection (< 2M). The RSM pore water
profiles are modeled with a steady–state diagenetic model that includes irrigation, which
extends 10–20 cm below the sediment–water interface. To present a consistent
description of trace metal diagenesis in marine sediments, RSM results from sediments in
Buzzards Bay are compared with previous research from sulfidic sediments (Morford et
al., GCA 71).
Release of RSM to pore waters during the remineralization of solid phases occurs
near the sediment–water interface at depths above the zone of authigenic RSM formation.
This release occurs consistently for Mo at both sites, but only in the winter for Re in
Buzzards Bay and intermittently for U. At the Buzzards Bay site, Re removal to the solid
phase extends to the bottom of the profile, while the zone of removal is restricted to ~2–9
cm for U and Mo. Authigenic Re formation is independent of the anoxic
remineralization rate, which is consistent with an abiotic removal mechanism. The rate
of authigenic U formation and its modeled removal rate constant increase with increasing
anoxic remineralization rates, and is consistent with U reduction being microbially
mediated. Authigenic Mo formation is related to the formation of sulfidic
microenvironments. The depth and extent of Mo removal from pore water is closely
associated with the balance between iron and sulfate reduction and the consumption of
pore water sulfide via iron sulfide formation. Pore water RSM reach constant asymptotic
concentrations in sulfidic sediments, but only pore water Re is constant at depth in
Buzzards Bay. The increases in pore water U at the Buzzards Bay site are consistent with
addition via irrigation and subsequent upward diffusion to the removal zone. Deep pore
water Mo concentrations exceed its bottom water concentration due to irrigation–induced
oxidation and remobilization from the solid phase. In sulfidic sediments, there is no
evidence for higher pore water U or Mo concentrations at depth due to the absence of
irrigation and/or the presence of more stable authigenic RSM phases.
There are good correlations between benthic fluxes and authigenic accumulation
rates for U and Mo in sulfidic sediments. However, results from Buzzards Bay suggest
irrigation ultimately results in the partial loss of U and Mo from the solid phase, with
accumulation rates that are 20–30% of the modeled flux. Irrigation can augment (Re,
possibly U) or compromise (U, Mo) authigenic accumulation in sediments, and is
important when determining burial rates in continental margin sediments.The authors also acknowledge financial support from the National Science Foundation
(JLM, WRM: OCE–0220892), Research Corporation (JLM, CMC), Franklin & Marshall
College, and the Hackman Summer Research Program at F&M
Creation of an NCI comparative brain tumor consortium: informing the translation of new knowledge from canine to human brain tumor patients
On September 14–15, 2015, a meeting of clinicians and investigators in the fields of veterinary and human neuro-oncology, clinical trials, neuropathology, and drug development was convened at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland. This meeting served as the inaugural event launching a new consortium focused on improving the knowledge, development of, and access to naturally occurring canine brain cancer, specifically glioma, as a model for human disease. Within the meeting, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) assessment was undertaken to critically evaluate the role that naturally occurring canine brain tumors could have in advancing this aspect of comparative oncology aimed at improving outcomes for dogs and human beings. A summary of this meeting and subsequent discussion are provided to inform the scientific and clinical community of the potential for this initiative. Canine and human comparisons represent an unprecedented opportunity to complement conventional brain tumor research paradigms, addressing a devastating disease for which innovative diagnostic and treatment strategies are clearly needed
Peat Bogs Document Decades of Declining Atmospheric Contamination by Trace Metals in the Athabasca Bituminous Sands Region
Peat
cores were collected from five bogs in the vicinity of open
pit mines and upgraders of the Athabasca Bituminous Sands, the largest
reservoir of bitumen in the world. Frozen cores were sectioned into
1 cm slices, and trace metals determined in the ultraclean SWAMP lab
using ICP-QMS. The uppermost sections of the cores were age-dated
with <sup>210</sup>Pb using ultralow background gamma spectrometry,
and selected plant macrofossils dated using <sup>14</sup>C. At each
site, trace metal concentrations as well as enrichment factors (calculated
relative to the corresponding element/Th ratio of the Upper Continental
Crust) reveal maximum values 10 to 40 cm below the surface which shows
that the zenith of atmospheric contamination occurred in the past.
The age-depth relationships show that atmospheric contamination by
trace metals (Ag, Cd, Sb, Tl, but also V, Ni, and Mo which are enriched
in bitumen) has been declining in northern Alberta for decades. In
fact, the greatest contemporary enrichments of Ag, Cd, Sb, and Tl
(in the top layers of the peat cores) are found at the control site
(Utikuma) which is 264 km SW, suggesting that long-range atmospheric
transport from other sources must be duly considered in any source
assessment
Uranium diagenesis in sediments underlying bottom waters with high oxygen content
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73 (2009): 2920-2937, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2009.02.014.We measured U in sediments (both pore waters and solid phase) from three
locations on the middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) from the eastern margin of the United
States: a northern location on the continental shelf off Massachusetts (OC426, 75 m water
depth), and two southern locations off North Carolina (EN433-1, 647 m water depth and
EN433-2, 2648 m water depth). These sediments underlie high oxygen bottom waters
(250-270 μM), but become reducing below the sediment-water interface due to the
relatively high organic carbon oxidation rates in sediments (EN433-1: 212 μmol C/cm2/y;
OC426: 120±10 μmol C/cm2/y; EN433-2: 33 μmol C/cm2/y). Pore water oxygen goes to
zero by 1.4-1.5 cm at EN433-1 and OC426 and slightly deeper oxygen penetration depths
were measured at EN433-2 (~4 cm).
All of the pore water profiles show removal of U from pore waters. Calculated
pore water fluxes are greatest at EN433-1 (0.66±0.08 nmol/cm2/y) and less at EN433-2
and OC426 (0.24±0.05 and 0.13±0.05 nmol/cm2/y, respectively). Solid phase profiles
show authigenic U enrichment in sediments from all three locations. The average
authigenic U concentrations are greater at EN433-1 and OC426 (5.8±0.7 nmol/g and
5.4±0.2 nmol/g, respectively) relative to EN433-2 (4.1±0.8 nmol/g). This progression is
consistent with their relative ordering of ‘reduction intensity’, with greatest reducing
conditions in sediments from EN433-1, less at OC426 and least at EN433-2. The
authigenic U accumulation rate is largest at EN433-1 (0.47±0.05 nmol/cm2/y), but the
average among the three sites on the MAB is ~0.2 nmol/cm2/y. Pore water profiles
suggest diffusive fluxes across the sediment-water interface that are 1.4-1.7 times greater
than authigenic accumulation rates at EN433-1 and EN433-2. These differences are
consistent with oxidation and loss of U from the solid phase via irrigation and/or
bioturbation, which may compromise the sequestration of U in continental margin
sediments that underlie bottom waters with high oxygen concentrations.
Previous literature compilations that include data exclusively from locations
where [O2]bw < 150 μM suggest compelling correlations between authigenic U
accumulation and organic carbon flux to sediments or organic carbon burial rate.
Sediments that underlie waters with high [O2]bw have lower authigenic U accumulation
rates than would be predicted from relationships developed from results that include
locations where [O2]bw < 150 μM.The
authors appreciate the financial support from NSF (JLM, WRM: OCE-0220892; and
OCE-0526389 to WRM), Research Corporation (JLM, CMC), Franklin & Marshall
College, and the Hackman Summer Research Program (CMC) at F&M
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