Viral Gene Delivery Selectively Restores Feeding and Prevents Lethality of Dopamine-Deficient Mice

AbstractDopamine-deficient mice (DA−/−), lacking tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in dopaminergic neurons, become hypoactive and aphagic and die by 4 weeks of age. They are rescued by daily treatment with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA); each dose restores dopamine (DA) and feeding for less than 24 hr. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses expressing human TH or GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH1) were injected into the striatum of DA−/− mice. Bilateral coinjection of both viruses restored feeding behavior for several months. However, locomotor activity and coordination were partially improved. A virus expressing only TH was less effective, and one expressing GTPCH1 alone was ineffective. TH immunoreactivity and DA were detected in the ventral striatum and adjacent posterior regions of rescued mice, suggesting that these regions mediate a critical DA-dependent aspect of feeding behavior

An infrared survey of brightest cluster galaxies: Paper I

We report on an imaging survey with the Spitzer Space Telescope of 62 brightest cluster galaxies with optical line emission. These galaxies are located in the cores of X-ray luminous clusters selected from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. We find that about half of these sources have a sign of excess infrared emission; 22 objects out of 62 are detected at 70 microns, 18 have 8 to 5.8 micron flux ratios above 1.0 and 28 have 24 to 8 micron flux ratios above 1.0. Altogether 35 of 62 objects in our survey exhibit at least one of these signs of infrared excess. Four galaxies with infrared excesses have a 4.5/3.6 micron flux ratio indicating the presence of hot dust, and/or an unresolved nucleus at 8 microns. Three of these have high measured [OIII](5007A)/Hbeta flux ratios suggesting that these four, Abell 1068, Abell 2146, and Zwicky 2089, and R0821+07, host dusty active galactic nuclei (AGNs). 9 objects (including the four hosting dusty AGNs) have infrared luminosities greater than 10^11 L_sol and so can be classified as luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). Excluding the four systems hosting dusty AGNs, the excess mid-infrared emission in the remaining brightest cluster galaxies is likely related to star formation.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ

The Extended Blue Continuum and Line Emission around the Central Radio Galaxy in Abell 2597

We present results from detailed imaging of the centrally dominant radio elliptical galaxy in the cooling flow cluster Abell 2597, using data obtained with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This object is one of the archetypal "blue-lobed" cooling flow radio elliptical galaxies, also displaying a luminous emission-line nebula, a compact radio source, and a significant dust lane and evidence of molecular gas in its center. We show that the radio source is surrounded by a complex network of emission-line filaments, some of which display a close spatial association with the outer boundary of the radio lobes. We present a detailed analysis of the physical properties of ionized and neutral gas associated with the radio lobes, and show that their properties are strongly suggestive of direct interactions between the radio plasma and ambient gas. We resolve the blue continuum emission into a series of knots and clumps, and present evidence that these are most likely due to regions of recent star formation. We investigate several possible triggering mechanisms for the star formation, including direct interactions with the radio source, filaments condensing from the cooling flow, or the result of an interaction with a gas-rich galaxy, which may also have been responsible for fueling the active nucleus. We propose that the properties of the source are plausibly explained in terms of accretion of gas by the cD during an interaction with a gas-rich galaxy, which combined with the fact that this object is located at the center of a dense, high-pressure ICM can account for the high rates of star formation and the strong confinement of the radio source.Comment: Astrophysical Journal, in press, 34 pages, includes 6 PostScript figures. Latex format, uses aaspp4.sty and epsf.sty file

Galaxy Cluster Pressure Profiles as Determined by Sunyaev Zel’dovich Effect Observations with MUSTANG and Bolocam. II. Joint Analysis of 14 Clusters

We present pressure profiles of galaxy clusters determined from high resolution Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect observations of fourteen clusters, which span the redshift range $0.25 < z < 0.89$. The procedure simultaneously fits spherical cluster models to MUSTANG and Bolocam data. In this analysis, we adopt the generalized NFW parameterization of pressure profiles to produce our models. Our constraints on ensemble-average pressure profile parameters, in this study $\gamma$, $C_{500}$, and $P_0$, are consistent with those in previous studies, but for individual clusters we find discrepancies with the X-ray derived pressure profiles from the ACCEPT2 database. We investigate potential sources of these discrepancies, especially cluster geometry, electron temperature of the intracluster medium, and substructure. We find that the ensemble mean profile for all clusters in our sample is described by the parameters: $[\gamma,C_{500},P_0] = [0.3_{-0.1}^{+0.1}, 1.3_{-0.1}^{+0.1}, 8.6_{-2.4}^{+2.4}]$, for cool core clusters: $[\gamma,C_{500},P_0] = [0.6_{-0.1}^{+0.1}, 0.9_{-0.1}^{+0.1}, 3.6_{-1.5}^{+1.5}]$, and for disturbed clusters: $[\gamma,C_{500},P_0] = [0.0_{-0.0}^{+0.1}, 1.5_{-0.2}^{+0.1},13.8_{-1.6}^{+1.6}]$. Four of the fourteen clusters have clear substructure in our SZ observations, while an additional two clusters exhibit potential substructure.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, accepted to Ap

1997 Wild Blueberry Progress Reports

The 1997 edition of the Wild Blueberry Progress Reports was prepared for the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine and the Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include: 1. Investigation of processing damage of IQF blueberries 2. Use of sorter rejects and wild blueberry puree to prevent warmed over flavor in processed beef patties 3. Factors affecting the quality of IQF wild blueberries 4. Determination of pesticide residue levels in fresh and processed wild blueberries 5. Pollination ecology of wild blueberries in Maine 6. Control tactics for wild blueberry pest insects 7. IPM Strategies 8. Pest Biology 9. Effect of antidessication treatments on wild blueberry cold temperature tolerance 10. Phosphorus/nitrogen fertilizer ratio 11. Effect of boron application methods on boron uptake in wild blueberries 12. Effect of foliar zinc application on growth and yield of wild blueberries 13. Effect of soil pH on nutrient uptake 14. Crop year fertilization of wild blueberry 15. Effect of Photomag® on growth and yield of wild blueberries 16. Evaluation of Pronone MG® spot treatments for control of St. Johnswort, dogbane, bracken fern, witch grass/fall panicum and bunchberry 17. Effect of hexazinone formulation on movement through the soil profile 18. Effect of time of fall pruning on wild blueberry fruit set and yield 19. Effect of pre and postemergence herbicide applications on control of grasses 20. Hexazinone groundwater survey 21. Effect of plant source and density on spread of wild blueberry 22. Effect of surfactant and ammonium sulfate on glyphosate activity 23. Effect of crop year application of hexazinone on weed control, yield and hexazinone residue. 24. Long term effects of tribenuron methyl on wild blueberries and weed species composition 25. Effect of Velpar® DF/MAP on wild blueberry fruit set and yield. 26. Effect of reduced volume lmidan® 2.5 EC UL V applications on wild blueberry residue and efficacy 27. Wild blueberry extension education progra

1998 CSREES Wild Blueberry Project Results

The 1998 edition of the CSREES Wild Blueberry Project Results was prepared for the Maine Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include: 1. Separation of Maggot Infested Blueberries in the IQF Processing Line 2. Assessment of Preharvest Treatments on Wild blueberry Fruit Quality 3. Blueberries as a Natural Colorant for Breakfast Cereals 4. Factors Affecting Quality of IQF Wild Blueberries 5. Control Tactics for Wild blueberry Pest Insects 6. Biology and Ecology of Wild blueberry Pest Insects 7. Sustainable Pollination of Wild blueberry 8. Evaluation of Foliar Fungicides for Control of Mummy Berry 9. Phosphorus/Nitrogen Fertilizer Ratio 10. Effect of Boron Application Methods on Boron Uptake in Wild Blueberries 11. Effect of Zinc Application on Growth and Yield of Wild Blueberries 12. Effect of Soil pH of Nutrient Uptake 13. Crop Year Fertilization of Wild blueberry 14. Effect of Fertilizer Timing on Wild blueberry Growth and Productivity 15. Alternative Methods of Grass Control 16. Cultural Weed Management Using pH 17. Investigation of Hexazinone Alternatives for Weed Control 18. Evaluation of Hexazinone Applications in the Cropping Year 19. Effect of Surfactant and Ammonium Sulfate on Glyphosate Activity 20. Evaluation of Pronone MG® Spot Treatments for Control of St Jobnswort, Dogbane, Bracken Fem, Witch Grass/Fall Panicum and Bunchberry 21. Hexazinone Groundwater Surve

Identification of novel subgroup a variants with enhanced receptor binding and replicative capacity in primary isolates of anaemogenic strains of feline leukaemia virus

&lt;b&gt;BACKGROUND:&lt;/b&gt; The development of anaemia in feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)-infected cats is associated with the emergence of a novel viral subgroup, FeLV-C. FeLV-C arises from the subgroup that is transmitted, FeLV-A, through alterations in the amino acid sequence of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the envelope glycoprotein that result in a shift in the receptor usage and the cell tropism of the virus. The factors that influence the transition from subgroup A to subgroup C remain unclear, one possibility is that a selective pressure in the host drives the acquisition of mutations in the RBD, creating A/C intermediates with enhanced abilities to interact with the FeLV-C receptor, FLVCR. In order to understand further the emergence of FeLV-C in the infected cat, we examined primary isolates of FeLV-C for evidence of FeLV-A variants that bore mutations consistent with a gradual evolution from FeLV-A to FeLV-C.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;RESULTS:&lt;/b&gt; Within each isolate of FeLV-C, we identified variants that were ostensibly subgroup A by nucleic acid sequence comparisons, but which bore mutations in the RBD. One such mutation, N91D, was present in multiple isolates and when engineered into a molecular clone of the prototypic FeLV-A (Glasgow-1), enhanced replication was noted in feline cells. Expression of the N91D Env on murine leukaemia virus (MLV) pseudotypes enhanced viral entry mediated by the FeLV-A receptor THTR1 while soluble FeLV-A Env bearing the N91D mutation bound more efficiently to mouse or guinea pig cells bearing the FeLV-A and -C receptors. Long-term in vitro culture of variants bearing the N91D substitution in the presence of anti-FeLV gp70 antibodies did not result in the emergence of FeLV-C variants, suggesting that additional selective pressures in the infected cat may drive the subsequent evolution from subgroup A to subgroup C.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;CONCLUSIONS:&lt;/b&gt; Our data support a model in which variants of FeLV-A, bearing subtle differences in the RBD of Env, may be predisposed towards enhanced replication in vivo and subsequent conversion to FeLV-C. The selection pressures in vivo that drive the emergence of FeLV-C in a proportion of infected cats remain to be established

Wild Blueberries 1999 CSREES Progress Reports

The 1999 edition of the Wild Blueberries CSREES Progress Reports was prepared for the Maine Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include: 1. Effects of QF Processing on Microbiological Quality of Maine Wild Blueberries 2. Separation of Maggot-Infested Blueberries in the IQF Processing Line 3. Determination of Pesticide Residue Levels in Fresh and Processed Wild Blueberries 4. Control Tactics for Blueberry Pest Insects 5. IPM Strategies 6. Biology and Ecology of Blueberry Pest Insects 7. Survey of Stem Blight and Leaf Spot Diseases in Lowbush Blueberry Fields 8. Phosphorus/Nitrogen Fertilizer Ratio 9. Effect of Fertilizer Timing on Lowbush Blueberry Growth and Productivity 10. Effect of Soil pH on Nutrient Uptake 11. Effect of Boron Application Methods on Boron Uptake in Lowbush Blueberries 12. Effect of Nutri-Phite P+K on growth and yield of lowbush blueberry 13. Effect of Crop-Set on growth and yield of lowbush blueberry 14. Crop year fertilization of lowbush blueberry 15. Alternative Methods of Grass Control 16. Cultural Weed Management Using pH 17. Investigation of Hexazinone Alternatives for Weed Control 18. Comparison of Sulfosate and Glyphosate for Weed Control 19. Evaluation of VC1447 for Weed Control in Wild blueberries 20. Blueberry/ Cranberry Extension Education Program in 1999 21. Effect of Rate, Formulation and Application Method on Efficacy and Phytotoxicity of Granular Hexazinone in Wild Blueberry Fields 22. 1999 Fungicide Evaluation Field Trial 23. 1999 Hexazinone Groundwater Survey Pollination 24. Sustainable Pollination of Wild Blueberr