Longitudinal patterns in an Arkansas River Valley stream: an Application of the River Continuum Concept

The River Continuum Concept (RCC) provides the framework for studying how lotic ecosystems vary from headwater streams to large rivers. The RCC was developed in streams in eastern deciduous forests of North America, but watershed characteristics and land uses differ across ecoregions, presenting unique opportunities to study how predictions of the RCC may differ across regions. Additionally, RCC predictions may vary due to the influence of fishes, but few studies have used fish taxa as a metric for evaluating predictions of the RCC. Our goal was to determine if RCC predictions for stream orders 1 through 5 were supported by primary producer, macroinvertebrate, and fish communities in Cadron Creek of the Arkansas River Valley. We sampled chlorophyll a, macroinvertebrates, and fishes at five stream reaches across a gradient of watershed size. Contrary to RCC predictions, chlorophyll a did not increase in concentration with catchment size. As the RCC predicts, fish and macroinvertebrate diversity increased with catchment size. Shredding and collecting macroinvertebrate taxa supported RCC predictions, respectively decreasing and increasing in composition as catchment area increased. Herbivorous and predaceous fish did not follow RCC predictions; however, surface-water column feeding fish were abundant at all sites as predicted. We hypothesize some predictions of the RCC were not supported in headwater reaches of this system due to regional differences in watershed characteristics and altered resource availability due to land use surrounding sampling sites

Stellar mass as a galaxy cluster mass proxy: application to the Dark Energy Survey redMaPPer clusters

We introduce a galaxy cluster mass observable, μ⋆, based on the stellar masses of cluster members, and we present results for the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 (Y1) observations. Stellar masses are computed using a Bayesian model averaging method, and are validated for DES data using simulations and COSMOS data. We show that μ⋆ works as a promising mass proxy by comparing our predictions to X-ray measurements. We measure the X-ray temperature–μ_{⋆} relation for a total of 129 clusters matched between the wide-field DES Y1 redMaPPer catalogue and Chandra and XMM archival observations, spanning the redshift range 0.1 < z < 0.7. For a scaling relation that is linear in logarithmic space, we find a slope of α = 0.488 ± 0.043 and a scatter in the X-ray temperature at fixed μ_{*} of σ1nT_{x}|μ_{*} = 0.266_{-0.020}^{+0.019} for the joint sample. By using the halo mass scaling relations of the X-ray temperature from the Weighing the Giants program, we further derive the μ⋆-conditioned scatter in mass, finding σ1nM|μ_{*} = 0.26_{-0.10}^{+0.15}. These results are competitive with well-established cluster mass proxies used for cosmological analyses, showing that μ_{⋆} can be used as a reliable and physically motivated mass proxy to derive cosmological constraints

μ⋆ masses: weak-lensing calibration of the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 redMaPPer clusters using stellar masses

We present the weak-lensing mass calibration of the stellar-mass-based μ⋆ mass proxy for redMaPPer galaxy clusters in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1. For the first time, we are able to perform a calibration of μ⋆ at high redshifts, z > 0.33. In a blinded analysis, we use ∼6000 clusters split into 12 subsets spanning the ranges 0.1 ≤ z < 0.65 and μ⋆ up to ∼5.5×1013M⊙⁠, and infer the average masses of these subsets through modelling of their stacked weak-lensing signal. In our model, we account for the following sources of systematic uncertainty: shear measurement and photometric redshift errors, miscentring, cluster-member contamination of the source sample, deviations from the Navarro–Frenk–White halo profile, halo triaxiality, and projection effects. We use the inferred masses to estimate the joint mass–μ⋆–z scaling relation given by ⟨M200c|μ⋆,z⟩=M0(μ⋆/5.16×1012M⊙)Fμ⋆((1+z)/1.35)Gz⁠. We find M0=(1.14±0.07)×1014M⊙ with Fμ⋆=0.76±0.06 and Gz = −1.14 ± 0.37. We discuss the use of μ⋆ as a complementary mass proxy to the well-studied richness λ for: (i) exploring the regimes of low z, λ < 20 and high λ, z ∼ 1; and (ii) testing systematics such as projection effects for applications in cluster cosmology

μ* masses: weak-lensing calibration of the dark energy survey year 1 redMaPPer clusters using stellar masses

We present the weak-lensing mass calibration of the stellar-mass-based μ mass proxy for redMaPPer galaxy clusters in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1. For the first time, we are able to perform a calibration of μ at high redshifts, z > 0.33. In a blinded analysis, we use ∼6000 clusters split into 12 subsets spanning the ranges 0.1 ≤ z < 0.65 and μ up to ∼5.5 × 1013 M, and infer the average masses of these subsets through modelling of their stacked weak-lensing signal. In our model, we account for the following sources of systematic uncertainty: shear measurement and photometric redshift errors, miscentring, cluster-member contamination of the source sample, deviations from the Navarro-Frenk-White halo profile, halo triaxiality, and projection effects. We use the inferred masses to estimate the joint mass-μz scaling relation given by M200c|μ, z = M0(μ5.16 × 1012 M)Fμ ((1 + z)/1.35)Gz. We find M0 = (1.14 ± 0.07) × 1014 M with Fμ= 0.76 ± 0.06 and Gz = −1.14 ± 0.37. We discuss the use of μ as a complementary mass proxy to the well-studied richness λ for: (i) exploring the regimes of low z, λ < 20 and high λ, z ∼ 1; and (ii) testing systematics such as projection effects for applications in cluster cosmology

Stellar mass as a galaxy cluster mass proxy: application to the Dark Energy Survey redMaPPer clusters

We introduce a galaxy cluster mass observable, μ⋆, based on the stellar masses of cluster members, and we present results for the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 (Y1) observations. Stellar masses are computed using a Bayesian model averaging method, and are validated for DES data using simulations and COSMOS data. We show that μ⋆ works as a promising mass proxy by comparing our predictions to X-ray measurements. We measure the X-ray temperature–μ⋆ relation for a total of 129 clusters matched between the wide-field DES Y1 redMaPPer catalogue and Chandra and XMM archival observations, spanning the redshift range 0.1 < z < 0.7. For a scaling relation that is linear in logarithmic space, we find a slope of α = 0.488 ± 0.043 and a scatter in the X-ray temperature at fixed μ⋆ of σlnTX|μ⋆=0.266+0.019−0.020 for the joint sample. By using the halo mass scaling relations of the X-ray temperature from the Weighing the Giants program, we further derive the μ⋆-conditioned scatter in mass, finding σlnM|μ⋆=0.26+0.15−0.10⁠. These results are competitive with well-established cluster mass proxies used for cosmological analyses, showing that μ⋆ can be used as a reliable and physically motivated mass proxy to derive cosmological constraints

Macrophage response is delayed in diabetic skin tissue.

<p>Skin tissues from normal (C57) and diabetic (db/db) wounds were harvested at indicated time-points post wounding (day 0), fixed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (<b>A</b>) or with CD68 antibody which primarily stains macrophages (<b>B</b>). The corresponding tabulated data for macrophage cell counts are shown as the mean ± SEM in (<b>C</b>) (N = 3 mice for H&E staining in <b>A</b>; n = 18 for <b>B-C.</b> 3 mice per group, 6 random fields per mouse from underneath the wound extending into the provisional matrix in the dermis region, all <i>p</i>-values were significant ranging from 0.0111 to 0.0321). Black arrows point to the original sites of incision. Blue arrows point to leading edges of diabetic wounds on day 10. For clarity and to enhance magnification, representative cropped regions from underneath the wounds extending in the dermis are shown. Combined, the data indicate that inflammatory response is delayed in diabetic tissues. Blue scale bar  =  1 mm, black scale bar  =  25 μm.</p

Pro-Inflammatory Chemokine CCL2 (MCP-1) Promotes Healing in Diabetic Wounds by Restoring the Macrophage Response

<div><p>Prior studies suggest that the impaired healing seen in diabetic wounds derives from a state of persistent hyper-inflammation characterized by harmful increases in inflammatory leukocytes including macrophages. However, such studies have focused on wounds at later time points (day 10 or older), and very little attention has been given to the dynamics of macrophage responses in diabetic wounds early after injury. Given the importance of macrophages for the process of healing, we studied the dynamics of macrophage response during early and late phases of healing in diabetic wounds. Here, we report that early after injury, the diabetic wound exhibits a significant delay in macrophage infiltration. The delay in the macrophage response in diabetic wounds results from reduced Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) expression. Importantly, one-time treatment with chemoattractant CCL2 significantly stimulated healing in diabetic wounds by restoring the macrophage response. Our data demonstrate that, rather than a hyper-inflammatory state; the early diabetic wound exhibits a paradoxical and damaging decrease in essential macrophage response. Our studies suggest that the restoration of the proper kinetics of macrophage response may be able to jumpstart subsequent healing stages. CCL2 chemokine-based therapy may be an attractive strategy to promote healing in diabetic wounds.</p></div

CCL2 treatment stimulates healing in diabetic wound.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Wound healing in the mock and CCL2-treated diabetic wounds was monitored by digital photography and wound areas were determined by tracing. Representative images from days 0 and 10 are shown in (<b>A</b>) and the tabulated results are shown as mean ± SEM in (<b>B</b>) (* signifies significance with <i>p</i><0.0001, n = 4). Skin tissues from mock- or CCL2-treated diabetic wounds were harvested on day 10 after treatment, stained with monocyte/macrophage antibody (CD68) (<b>C</b>) or H&E (<b>E</b>). The corresponding tabulated data for (<b>C</b>) and (<b>E</b>) are shown in (<b>D</b>) and (<b>F</b>) as mean ± SEM (N = 18, 3 mice, 6 random fields from the dermal region, <i>p</i><0.0001 for <b>D</b> and <i>p</i> = 0.0002 for <b>F</b>). As indicated, day 10 CCL2-treated diabetic wounds exhibit enhanced healing, complete re-epithelization, epidermal thickening, increased granulation tissue (as indicated by gt), and reduced inflammation compared to mock-treated diabetic wounds which are partially re-epithelized and are highly inflamed. For clarity and to enhance magnification, representative cropped regions from underneath the wounds extending in the dermis are shown. Blue scale bar  =  1 mm, black scale bar  =  25 μm.</p

µ* masses: weak-lensing calibration of the dark energy survey year 1 redMaPPer clusters using stellar masses

We present the weak-lensing mass calibration of the stellar-mass-based µ mass proxy for redMaPPer galaxy clusters in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1. For the first time, we are able to perform a calibration of µ at high redshifts, z > 0.33. In a blinded analysis, we use ~6000 clusters split into 12 subsets spanning the ranges 0.1 = z < 0.65 and µ up to ~5.5 × 1013 M, and infer the average masses of these subsets through modelling of their stacked weak-lensing signal. In our model, we account for the following sources of systematic uncertainty: shear measurement and photometric redshift errors, miscentring, cluster-member contamination of the source sample, deviations from the Navarro-Frenk-White halo profile, halo triaxiality, and projection effects. We use the inferred masses to estimate the joint mass-µz scaling relation given by M200c|µ, z = M0(µ5.16 × 1012 M)Fµ ((1 + z)/1.35)Gz. We find M0 = (1.14 ± 0.07) × 1014 M with Fµ= 0.76 ± 0.06 and Gz = -1.14 ± 0.37. We discuss the use of µ as a complementary mass proxy to the well-studied richness ? for: (i) exploring the regimes of low z, ? < 20 and high ?, z ~ 1; and (ii) testing systematics such as projection effects for applications in cluster cosmology

CCL2 treatment enhances monocytes infiltration in diabetic wound.

<p>Diabetic wounds were treated with PBS (Mock) or PBS + CCL2 (CCL2). Treated wound tissues were harvested on day 1 after treatment and stained with a macrophage/monocyte-specific antibody (CD68) in (<b>A</b>) or H&E in (<b>C</b>). The corresponding tabulated data for (<b>A</b>) and (<b>C</b>) are shown in (<b>B</b>) and (<b>D</b>) as mean ± SEM (N = 18, 3 mice, 6 random fields from the dermal region, <i>p</i> = 0.0024 for B and <i>p</i> = 0.0195 for D). For clarity and to enhance magnification, representative cropped regions from underneath the wounds extending in the dermis are shown. Blue scale bar  =  1 mm, black scale bar  =  25 μm.</p