Seasonal abundance of small cladocerans in Lake Mangakaware, Waikato, New Zealand

The seasonal changes in the dynamics and life histories of the Cladocera in Lake Mangakaware, North Island, New Zealand, were studied over 19 months by sampling at weekly or 2-weekly intervals. Lake Mangakaware is a 13.3 ha polymictic lake with high nutrient status, low Secchi disc transparencies, and an unstable thermal regime. The four planktonic cladoceran species (Bosmina longirostris, B. meridionalis, Ceriodaphnia pulchella, and C. dubia) exhibited disjunct population maxima. Only B. longirostris was perennially present. All species exhibited low fecundities and low lipid content, indicating that food resources were limited and that competitive interactions and resistance to starvation were probably important in determining species success. Increases in body size in cooler seasons were unrelated to clutch size, giving further support for the view that available food was limited. These results are consistent with previous experimental findings that subtle differences in life history can determine seasonal success and the outcome of competition between similar species

Simple messages to improve dietary quality: A pilot investigation

Public health recommendations for a healthy diet often involve complex messages, requiring in-depth knowledge for understanding and compliance. The present study compared the feasibility and initial efficacy of two simple messages (a high fiber diet or a low saturated fat diet) to a combination message (high fiber and low saturated fat) on the potential to impact dietary quality and metabolic health. Conclusions: A simple dietary message appears to improve overall dietary quality and aid in weight management. Simple messages are a novel approach which could make a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of chronic disease as well as weight management. Results support the need for a larger randomized controlled trial that is powered to examine the efficacy of a simplified dietary recommendation for dietary quality and metabolic health. It would be worth exploring the impact of simple messages in a larger trial to determine their usefulness as simple public health messages as an alternative the current complex recommendations

Multiple Projection Optical Diffusion Tomography with Plane Wave Illumination

We describe a new data collection scheme for optical diffusion tomography in which plane wave illumination is combined with multiple projections in the slab imaging geometry. Multiple projection measurements are performed by rotating the slab around the sample. The advantage of the proposed method is that the measured data can be much more easily fitted into the dynamic range of most commonly used detectors. At the same time, multiple projections improve image quality by mutually interchanging the depth and transverse directions, and the scanned (detection) and integrated (illumination) surfaces. Inversion methods are derived for image reconstructions with extremely large data sets. Numerical simulations are performed for fixed and rotated slabs

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Regulates the Expression of Alveolar Macrophage Macrophage Colony- Stimulating Factor

Macrophage CSF (M-CSF) regulates monocyte differentiation, activation, and foam cell formation. We have observed that it is elevated in human pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and in the GMCSF knockout mouse, a murine model for PAP. A potential regulator of M-CSF, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), is severely deficient in both human PAP and the GM-CSF knockout mouse. To investigate the role of PPARγ in alveolar macrophage homeostasis, we generated myeloidspecific PPARγ knockout mice using the Lys-Cre method to knock out the floxed PPARγ gene. Similar to the GM-CSF-deficient mouse, absence of alveolar macrophage PPARγ resulted in development of lung pathology resembling PAP in 16-wk-old mice, along with excess M-CSF gene expression and secretion. In ex vivo wild-type alveolar macrophages, we observed that M-CSF itself is capable of inducing foam cell formation similar to that seen in PAP. Overexpression of PPARγ prevented LPS-stimulated M-CSF production in RAW 264.7 cells, an effect that was abrogated by a specific PPARγ antagonist, GW9662. Use of proteasome inhibitor, MG-132 or a PPARγ agonist, pioglitazone, prevented LPS-mediated M-CSF induction. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found that PPARγ is capable of regulating M-CSF through transrepression of NF-κB binding at the promoter. Gel-shift assay experiments confirmed that pioglitazone is capable of blocking NF-κB binding. Taken together, these data suggest that M-CSF is an important mediator of alveolar macrophage homeostasis, and that transcriptional control of M-CSF production is regulated by NF-κB and PPARγ

Hepatitis B assays in serum, plasma and whole blood on filter paper

BACKGROUND: Screening and determining the immune status of individuals for hepatitis B is usually done by detecting hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen-specific antibodies (HBsAb). In some countries with the highest viral burden, performing these assays is currently impractical. This paper explores the use of filter paper as a blood specimen transport medium. METHODS: Samples, chosen from routine clinical laboratory pool, were applied and dried onto filter paper. Eluates, from the paper samples, were analyzed as routine clinical specimens on ADVIA Centaur 5634® immunoassay analyzers using the standard HBsAg and HBsAb kits. Dried blood samples were subjected to a range of environmental conditions in order to assess stability. RESULTS: After drying and elution the assays showed linearity and precision comparable to clinical assays performed on fresh serum. Elutions at various times during a 149 day incubation period showed very little variability in the Index numbers. All analytes were temperature stable except for a decrease in the HBsAg signal at 42°C. CONCLUSIONS: Filter paper is an acceptable storage and transport medium for serum to be used in the detection of hepatitis B markers if atmospheric variability can be controlled. HBsAg, HBsAb and HBcAb are all stable for at least five months under storage conditions below room temperature. Drying specimens, particularly serum, on filter paper at remote locations, offers a reasonable solution to the problem of hepatitis surveillance in underdeveloped regions, although some attempt at temperature control might be desirable

POS1247 CLINICAL FEATURES AND OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH IGG4-RELATED DISEASE. A COLLABORATIVE EUROPEAN MULTI-CENTRE STUDY

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic-spread systemic infectious disease with prominent respiratory manifestations and significant associated morbidity and mortality. Elderly people are most significantly affected with mortality ranging from 2.4% (age 60-69) to 19.6% (age>80) in European Countries. The prevalence of COVID-19 and of its complications in patients with immune-mediated disorders, remains unclear. The frequency and impact of COVID-19 on patients with IgG4-related diease (IgG4-RD), many of whom are on concurrent immunosuppression has not been addressed.Objectives:To assess the epidemiological and clinical relevance of COVID-19 in patients with IgG4-RD.Methods:This is a multi-centre retrospective observational study of IgG4-RD patients from France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Demographics, comorbidities, IgG4-RD features, current and past treatment along with COVID-19-suggestive symptoms and COVID-19 diagnoses from February 2020 to January 2021 were recorded by means of direct or phone interviews. Patients with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction-confirmed (cCOVID) or presumed COVID-19 based on clinical, serological or imaging features (pCOVID) were pooled for analysis (totCOVID) and compared to patients who were not diagnosed with COVID-19. Inter-group comparison of categorical and quantitative variables were performed by using the chi-square test with Fisher's correction and the Mann-Whitney's test respectively. Data are expressed as median (interquartile range) unless otherwise specified.Results:A total of 305 patients [71% males, median age 64 (54-74) years] were studied. Pancreato-biliary disease was the most frequently observed IgG4-RD phenotype (39%). Fifty-one percent of patients were taking corticosteroids at time of interview and 30% were on biological or conventional immunosuppressants. Thirty-two totCOVID cases (23 cCOVID, nine pCOVID) were identified: 11/32 were hospitalised, two needed intensive care and four (13%; 3/4 aged >80 years) died. Having one or more infected family members was a risk factor for COVID-19 in patients with IgG4-RD (OR=19.9; p20mg) or rituximab administration.Conclusion:The prevalence and course of COVID-19 in IgG4-RD patients are similar to those of the general population of the same age, with no evident impact of disease- or treatment-related factors to the basal infectious risk. Effective public health countermeasures might be beneficial for patients with IgG4RD.References:[1]European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): https://covid19-surveillance-report.ecdc.europa.eu/[2]Yang H, Ann Rheum Dis, 2021Disclosure of Interests:Giuseppe Alvise Ramirez: None declared, Marco Lanzillotta: None declared, Mikael Ebbo: None declared, Andreu Fernandez-Codina Consultant of: consulting fees from Atheneum Consulting, Gaia Mancuso: None declared, Fernando Martínez-Valle: None declared, Olimpia Orozco-Galvez: None declared, Nicolas Schleinitz: None declared, Lorenzo Dagna Consultant of: Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, BristolMyers Squibb, Celltrion, Galapagos, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Genzyme, and SOBI, Grant/research support from: The Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR) received unresctricted research/educational grants from Abbvie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, GlaxoSmithKline,Janssen, Merk Sharp & Dohme, Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, and SOBI, Emma L. Culver: None declared, Emanuel Della Torre: None declare

The influence of distributed leadership on teachers' organizational commitment: a multilevel approach

In the present study the effects of a cooperative leadership team, distributed leadership, participative decision-making, and context variables on teachers' organizational commitment are investigated. Multilevel analyses on data from 1522 teachers indicated that 9% of the variance in teachers' organizational commitment is attributable to differences between schools. The analyses revealed that especially the presence of a cooperative leadership team and the amount of leadership support played a significantly positive key role in predicting teachers' organizational commitment. Also, participative decision-making and distribution of the supportive leadership function had a significant positive impact on teachers' organizational commitment. In contrast, distribution of the supervisory leadership function and teachers' job experience had a significant negative impact