Eaten out of house and home:impacts of grazing on ground-dwelling reptiles in Australian grasslands and grassy woodlands

Large mammalian grazers can alter the biotic and abiotic features of their environment through their impacts on vegetation. Grazing at moderate intensity has been recommended for biodiversity conservation. Few studies, however, have empirically tested the benefits of moderate grazing intensity in systems dominated by native grazers. Here we investigated the relationship between (1) density of native eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus, and grass structure, and (2) grass structure and reptiles (i.e. abundance, richness, diversity and occurrence) across 18 grassland and grassy Eucalyptus woodland properties in south-eastern Australia. There was a strong negative relationship between kangaroo density and grass structure after controlling for tree canopy cover. We therefore used grass structure as a surrogate for grazing intensity. Changes in grazing intensity (i.e. grass structure) significantly affected reptile abundance, reptile species richness, reptile species diversity, and the occurrence of several ground-dwelling reptiles. Reptile abundance, species richness and diversity were highest where grazing intensity was low. Importantly, no species of reptile was more likely to occur at high grazing intensities. Legless lizards (Delma impar, D. inornata) were more likely to be detected in areas subject to moderate grazing intensity, whereas one species (Hemiergis talbingoensis) was less likely to be detected in areas subject to intense grazing and three species (Menetia greyii, Morethia boulengeri, and Lampropholis delicata) did not appear to be affected by grazing intensity. Our data indicate that to maximize reptile abundance, species richness, species diversity, and occurrence of several individual species of reptile, managers will need to subject different areas of the landscape to moderate and low grazing intensities and limit the occurrence and extent of high grazing

Mapping alterations to the endogenous elemental distribution within the lateral ventricles and choroid plexus in brain disorders using X-ray fluorescence imaging

The choroid plexus and cerebral ventricles are critical structures for the production of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and play an important role in regulating ion and metal transport in the brain, however many aspects of its roles in normal physiology and disease states, such as psychiatric illness, remain unknown. The choroid plexus is difficult to examine in vivo, and in situ ex vivo, and as such has typically been examined indirectly with radiolabeled tracers or ex vivo stains, making measurements of the endogenous K+, Cl-, and Ca+ distributions unreliable. In the present study, we directly examined the distribution of endogenous ions and biologically relevant transition metals in the choroid plexus and regions surrounding the ventricles (ventricle wall, cortex, corpus callosum, striatum) using X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI). We find that the choroid plexus was rich in Cl- and Fe while K+ levels increase further from the ventricle as Cl- levels decrease, consistent with the known role of ion transporters in the choroid plexus CSF production. A polyI:C offspring displayed enlarged ventricles, elevated Cl- surrounding the ventricles, and intraventricular calcifications. These observations fit with clinical findings in patients with schizophrenia and suggest maternal treatment with polyI:C may lead to dysfunctional ion regulation in offspring. This study demonstrates the power of XFI for examining the endogenous elemental distributions of the ventricular system in healthy brain tissue as well as disease models

Life-History Evolution on Tropidurinae Lizards: Influence of Lineage, Body Size and Climate

The study of life history variation is central to the evolutionary theory. In many ectothermic lineages, including lizards, life history traits are plastic and relate to several sources of variation including body size, which is both a factor and a life history trait likely to modulate reproductive parameters. Larger species within a lineage, for example tend to be more fecund and have larger clutch size, but clutch size may also be influenced by climate, independently of body size. Thus, the study of climatic effects on lizard fecundity is mandatory on the current scenario of global climatic change. We asked how body and clutch size have responded to climate through time in a group of tropical lizards, the Tropidurinae, and how these two variables relate to each other. We used both traditional and phylogenetic comparative methods. Body and clutch size are variable within Tropidurinae, and both traits are influenced by phylogenetic position. Across the lineage, species which evolved larger size produce more eggs and neither trait is influenced by temperature components. A climatic component of precipitation, however, relates to larger female body size, and therefore seems to exert an indirect relationship on clutch size. This effect of precipitation on body size is likely a correlate of primary production. A decrease in fecundity is expected for Tropidurinae species on continental landmasses, which are predicted to undergo a decrease in summer rainfall

Immature and Maturation-Resistant Human Dendritic Cells Generated from Bone Marrow Require Two Stimulations to Induce T Cell Anergy In Vitro

Immature dendritic cells (DC) represent potential clinical tools for tolerogenic cellular immunotherapy in both transplantation and autoimmunity. A major drawback in vivo is their potential to mature during infections or inflammation, which would convert their tolerogenicity into immunogenicity. The generation of immature DC from human bone marrow (BM) by low doses of GM-CSF (lowGM) in the absence of IL-4 under GMP conditions create DC resistant to maturation, detected by surface marker expression and primary stimulation by allogeneic T cells. This resistence could not be observed for BM-derived DC generated with high doses of GM-CSF plus IL-4 (highGM/4), although both DC types induced primary allogeneic T cell anergy in vitro. The estabishment of the anergic state requires two subsequent stimulations by immature DC. Anergy induction was more profound with lowGM-DC due to their maturation resistance. Together, we show the generation of immature, maturation-resistant lowGM-DC for potential clinical use in transplant rejection and propose a two-step-model of T cell anergy induction by immature DC

GDNF Secreting Human Neural Progenitor Cells Protect Dying Motor Neurons, but Not Their Projection to Muscle, in a Rat Model of Familial ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by rapid loss of muscle control and eventual paralysis due to the death of large motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Growth factors such as glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are known to protect motor neurons from damage in a range of models. However, penetrance through the blood brain barrier and delivery to the spinal cord remains a serious challenge. Although there may be a primary dysfunction in the motor neuron itself, there is also increasing evidence that excitotoxicity due to glial dysfunction plays a crucial role in disease progression. Clearly it would be of great interest if wild type glial cells could ameliorate motor neuron loss in these models, perhaps in combination with the release of growth factors such as GDNF.Human neural progenitor cells can be expanded in culture for long periods and survive transplantation into the adult rodent central nervous system, in some cases making large numbers of GFAP positive astrocytes. They can also be genetically modified to release GDNF (hNPC(GDNF)) and thus act as long-term 'mini pumps' in specific regions of the rodent and primate brain. In the current study we genetically modified human neural stem cells to release GDNF and transplanted them into the spinal cord of rats over-expressing mutant SOD1 (SOD1(G93A)). Following unilateral transplantation into the spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) rats there was robust cellular migration into degenerating areas, efficient delivery of GDNF and remarkable preservation of motor neurons at early and end stages of the disease within chimeric regions. The progenitors retained immature markers, and those not secreting GDNF had no effect on motor neuron survival. Interestingly, this robust motor neuron survival was not accompanied by continued innervation of muscle end plates and thus resulted in no improvement in ipsilateral limb use.The potential to maintain dying motor neurons by delivering GDNF using neural progenitor cells represents a novel and powerful treatment strategy for ALS. While this approach represents a unique way to prevent motor neuron loss, our data also suggest that additional strategies may also be required for maintenance of neuromuscular connections and full functional recovery. However, simply maintaining motor neurons in patients would be the first step of a therapeutic advance for this devastating and incurable disease, while future strategies focus on the maintenance of the neuromuscular junction

Auswirkung von Lagerungsbedingungen auf das Muttermilch Peptidom

Frauenmilch ist die beste Nahrung in den ersten sechs Lebensmonaten. Bioaktive Peptide in der Muttermilch scheinen eine große Rolle bezüglich deren präventiver Wirkung zu spielen. In den letzten Jahren hat sich die Methode der Massenspektrometrie zur Erforschung des Peptidoms rasant entwickelt. Aber es fehlt noch an Grundlagenforschung und einheitlichen Protokollen zur präanalytischen Verarbeitung der Muttermilchproben. Studien sind daher nur bedingt vergleichbar. Nicht nur für die Wissenschaft, sondern auch im klinischen Kontext ist es für den Einsatz von Spenderfrauenmilch erforderlich, den Einfluss verschiedener Lagerungsbedingungen auf das Muttermilchpeptidom zu kennen. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie wurden anhand der Muttermilchproben von vier Spenderinnen vier verschiedene Lagerungsbedingungen mit anschließender Lagerung bei –80 °C, die im klinischen Alltag (Lagerung bei –20 °C für 120 h), beim Transport von Muttermilchproben (Lagerung bei 4 °C für 6 h) oder in der häuslichen Umgebung der Frauen (Lagerung bei Raumtemperatur für 24 h bzw. 4 h) vorkommen, untersucht. Die Pro-ben wurden mit direkt bei –80 °C gelagerten Proben verglichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine sinkende Anzahl an identifizierbaren Proteinen mit steigender Temperatur. Vor allem nach der Lagerung bei Raumtemperatur über 24 h nahm die Signalintensität vieler Peptide entweder ab oder die Peptide verschwanden komplett. Eine Erklärung könnte sein, dass die in der Muttermilch enthaltenen Proteasen bei Raumtemperatur weiterhin aktiv sind und zur proteolytischen Spaltung der Proteine führen. Aufgrund der vorliegenden Ergebnisse ist zu empfehlen, Frauenmilch für Peptidomstudien direkt bei mindestens –20 °C zu lagern und im Anschluss bei –80 °C einzufrieren. Im klinischen Umgang mit Muttermilch müssen zusätzlich die negativen Einflüsse der Lagerung bei niedrigen Temperaturen berücksichtigt werden. Von einer bis zu 24-stündigen Lagerung bei Raumtemperatur, ist dringend abzuraten.Human donor milk (HDM) provides appropriate nutrition and others protective functions in preterm infants. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of different storage conditions on the stability of the human breast milk peptidome. HDM was directly frozen at −80 ◦C or stored at −20 ◦C (120 h), 4 ◦C (6 h), or room temperature (RT for 6 or 24 h). The milk peptidome was profiled by mass spectrometry after peptide collection by ultrafiltration. Profiling of the peptidome covered 3587 peptides corresponding to 212 proteins. The variance of the peptidome increased with storage temperature and time and varied for different peptides. The highest impact was observed when samples were stored at RT. Smaller but significant effects were still observed in samples stored at 4 ◦C, while samples showed highest similarity to those immediately frozen at −80 ◦C when stored at −20 ◦C. Peptide structures after storage at RT for 24 h point to the increased activity of thrombin and other proteases cleaving proteins at lysine/arginine. The results point to an ongoing protein degradation/peptide production by milk-derived proteases. They underline the need for immediate freezing of HDM at −20 ◦C or −80 ◦C to prevent degradation of peptides and enable reproducible investigation of prospectively collected samples

Practical considerations for conducting ecotoxicity test methods with manufactured nanomaterials: what have we learnt so far?

This review paper reports the consensus of a technical workshop hosted by the European network, NanoImpactNet (NIN). The workshop aimed to review the collective experience of working at the bench with manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs), and to recommend modifications to existing experimental methods and OECD protocols. Current procedures for cleaning glassware are appropriate for most MNMs, although interference with electrodes may occur. Maintaining exposure is more difficult with MNMs compared to conventional chemicals. A metal salt control is recommended for experiments with metallic MNMs that may release free metal ions. Dispersing agents should be avoided, but if they must be used, then natural or synthetic dispersing agents are possible, and dispersion controls essential. Time constraints and technology gaps indicate that full characterisation of test media during ecotoxicity tests is currently not practical. Details of electron microscopy, dark-field microscopy, a range of spectroscopic methods (EDX, XRD, XANES, EXAFS), light scattering techniques (DLS, SLS) and chromatography are discussed. The development of user-friendly software to predict particle behaviour in test media according to DLVO theory is in progress, and simple optical methods are available to estimate the settling behaviour of suspensions during experiments. However, for soil matrices such simple approaches may not be applicable. Alternatively, a Critical Body Residue approach may be taken in which body concentrations in organisms are related to effects, and toxicity thresholds derived. For microbial assays, the cell wall is a formidable barrier to MNMs and end points that rely on the test substance penetrating the cell may be insensitive. Instead assays based on the cell envelope should be developed for MNMs. In algal growth tests, the abiotic factors that promote particle aggregation in the media (e.g. ionic strength) are also important in providing nutrients, and manipulation of the media to control the dispersion may also inhibit growth. Controls to quantify shading effects, and precise details of lighting regimes, shaking or mixing should be reported in algal tests. Photosynthesis may be more sensitive than traditional growth end points for algae and plants. Tests with invertebrates should consider non-chemical toxicity from particle adherence to the organisms. The use of semi-static exposure methods with fish can reduce the logistical issues of waste water disposal and facilitate aspects of animal husbandry relevant to MMNs. There are concerns that the existing bioaccumulation tests are conceptually flawed for MNMs and that new test(s) are required. In vitro testing strategies, as exemplified by genotoxicity assays, can be modified for MNMs, but the risk of false negatives in some assays is highlighted. In conclusion, most protocols will require some modifications and recommendations are made to aid the researcher at the bench. [Authors]]]> Nanostructures; Toxicity Tests; Ecotoxicology/methods; Guidelines; eng https://serval.unil.ch/resource/serval:BIB_5FCE25CBF6A9.P001/REF.pdf http://nbn-resolving.org/urn/resolver.pl?urn=urn:nbn:ch:serval-BIB_5FCE25CBF6A95 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/urn/urn:nbn:ch:serval-BIB_5FCE25CBF6A95 info:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersion info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Copying allowed only for non-profit organizations https://serval.unil.ch/disclaimer application/pdf oai:serval.unil.ch:BIB_5FCE8EA1AD9C 2022-02-19T02:22:28Z <oai_dc:dc xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd"> https://serval.unil.ch/notice/serval:BIB_5FCE8EA1AD9C Apprendre à suivre une règle : jeux d'alternance et constitution du sujet moral Erard, Y. info:eu-repo/semantics/bookPart incollection 2007 Morale et évolution biologique oai:serval.unil.ch:BIB_5FC219D991AA 2022-02-19T02:22:28Z <oai_dc:dc xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd"> https://serval.unil.ch/notice/serval:BIB_5FC219D991AA Réflexion sur la réduction de peine en cas de détention illicite Parein, Loïc info:eu-repo/semantics/article article 2015 Revue de l'avocat, vol. 4, no. 15, pp. 166-170 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/1422-5778 fre https://serval.unil.ch/resource/serval:BIB_5FC219D991AA.P001/REF.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Restricted: indefinite embargo Copying allowed only for non-profit organizations https://serval.unil.ch/disclaimer application/pdf oai:serval.unil.ch:BIB_5FC2874DDD0E 2022-02-19T02:22:28Z <oai_dc:dc xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd"> https://serval.unil.ch/notice/serval:BIB_5FC2874DDD0E Radial Ultrasound-Assisted Transbronchial Biopsy: A New Diagnostic Approach for Non-Resolving Pulmonary Infiltrates in Neutropenic Hemato-Oncological Patients. info:doi:10.1007/s00408-016-9947-3 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1007/s00408-016-9947-3 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/27704258 Bernasconi, M. Casutt, A. Koutsokera, A. Letovanec, I. Tissot, F. Nicod, L.P. Lovis, A. info:eu-repo/semantics/article article 2016-12 Lung, vol. 194, no. 6, pp. 917-921 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/1432-1750 urn:issn:0341-2040 <![CDATA[The role of radial-endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) assisted transbronchial biopsy (TBB) for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions is well established. However, no study has addressed its safety and value in hemato-oncological patients presenting with non-resolving infiltrates during persistent febrile neutropenia. To assess safety and feasibility of R-EBUS assisted TBB in severe thrombocytopenic and neutropenic patients. Over a period of 18 months, eight patients were assessed with R-EBUS assisted TBB after adequate platelet transfusion. This technique allowed precise localisation and sampling of the pulmonary lesions in seven of eight patients. In the seven patients, R-EBUS assisted TBB enabled treatment optimization. Invasive fungal infection was diagnosed in four patients, idiopathic acute fibrinous and organising pneumonia in three patients, and a granulomatous inflammation of undetermined origin in one patient. Importantly, no complications, such as bleeding, were observed. R-EBUS assisted TBB is a promising and safe procedure for the evaluation of nonresolving pulmonary infiltrates in febrile neutropenic hemato-oncological patients