Developmental and tissue-specific expression of the Q5k gene

Expression of the Q5k gene was examined by northern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the AKR mouse and various cell lines, each of the H-2k haplotype. Our results show that Q5k mRNA is present during the whole postimplantational development of the AKR embryo/fetus (gestation day 6 to 15). In the juvenile mouse (week 2 to 4) transcription of the Q5k gene persisted in all organs examined. In contrast, in the adult animal expression of the Q5k gene was limited to the thymus and uterus of the pregnant mouse. Upon malignant transformation, the amount of Q5k-specific mRNA increased dramatically in thymus and could also be observed in the spleen of thymoma bearing animals. Expression of the Q5k gene was also detectable in several transformed mouse cell lines. Mitogen stimulation or treatment with cytokines induced Q5k expression in primary spleen cell cultures. A possible explanation for the tissue-restricted expression in the adult AKR mouse is discussed

The acoustic field on the forehead of echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Author Posting. © Acoustical Society of America, 2010. This article is posted here by permission of Acoustical Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 128 (2010): 1426-1434, doi:10.1121/1.3372643.Arrays of up to six broadband suction cup hydrophones were placed on the forehead of two bottlenose dolphins to determine the location where the beam axis emerges and to examine how signals in the acoustic near-field relate to signals in the far-field. Four different array geometries were used; a linear one with hydrophones arranged along the midline of the forehead, and two around the front of the melon at 1.4 and 4.2 cm above the rostrum insertion, and one across the melon in certain locations not measured by other configurations. The beam axis was found to be close to the midline of the melon, approximately 5.4 cm above the rostrum insert for both animals. The signal path coincided with the low-density, low-velocity core of the melon; however, the data suggest that the signals are focused mainly by the air sacs. Slight asymmetry in the signals were found with higher amplitudes on the right side of the forehead. Although the signal waveform measured on the melon appeared distorted, when they are mathematically summed in the far-field, taking into account the relative time of arrival of the signals, the resultant waveform matched that measured by the hydrophone located at 1 m.This work was supported by the U.S. Office of Naval Research

High overtone Bulk Acoustic Resonators: application to resonators, filters and sensors

International audienceAcoustelectric devices have been used now for several decade to stabilize oscillators, to filter radio-frequency signals or to allow for physical and even chemical detection and measures.Among all the structures that have been developed in that purpose, one has been revealing particularly interesting for the development of high quality factor resonator on an extended range of frequency. It is based on the generation of high overtones in bulk acoustic wave resonant structure and therefore are currently called HBARs. These devices may be fabricated along various approaches but they always consist of a thin (or thinned) piezoelectric layer deposited or bonded onto a high quality single crystal material. The spectral response of this kind of device exhibit a periodic comb of peaks modulated by the transducer response, yielding resonances on a very large spectrum with various characteristics and properties. We present here the basic principles of such devices, their remarquable properties, the etchnologies required to manufacture them and the various applications they can be applied for. A focus is partcularly dedicated to oscillator stabilization and to wirelss sensor development

Statin-induced expression of CD59 on vascular endothelium in hypoxia: a potential mechanism for the anti-inflammatory actions of statins in rheumatoid arthritis

Hypoxia, which leads to dysfunctional cell metabolism, and complement activation both play central roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies have reported that mice deficient for the complement-inhibitory protein CD59 show enhanced susceptibility to antigen-induced arthritis and reported that statins have anti-inflammatory effects in RA. We hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory effect of statins in RA relates in part to their ability to increase CD59 expression in hypoxic conditions and therefore to reduce complement activation. Flow-cytometric analysis showed that CD59 expression on endothelial cells (EC) was unaffected by atorvastatin in normoxia (21% O(2)), whereas in hypoxic conditions (1% O(2)) an up to threefold dose-dependent increase in CD59 expression was seen. This effect of hypoxia was confirmed by treatment of EC with chemical mimetics of hypoxia. The upregulation of CD59 protein expression in hypoxia was associated with an increase in steady-state mRNA. L-Mevalonate and geranylgeraniol reversed the response, confirming a role for inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and geranylgeranylation. Likewise, inhibition by N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester confirmed that CD59 upregulation in hypoxia was nitric oxide dependent. The expression of another complement-inhibitory protein, decay-accelerating factor (DAF), is known to be increased by atorvastatin in normoxia; this response was also significantly enhanced under hypoxic conditions. The upregulation of CD59 and DAF by atorvastatin in hypoxia prevented the deposition of C3, C9 and cell lysis that follows exposure of reoxygenated EC to serum. This cytoprotective effect was abrogated by inhibitory anti-CD59 and anti-DAF mAbs. The modulation of EC CD59 and DAF by statins under hypoxic conditions therefore inhibits both early and late complement activation and may contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of statins in RA

Empirical Comparisons of Different Statistical Models To Identify and Validate Kernel Row Number-Associated Variants from Structured Multi-parent Mapping Populations of Maize

Advances in next generation sequencing technologies and statistical approaches enable genomewide dissection of phenotypic traits via genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Although multiple statistical approaches for conducting GWAS are available, the power and cross-validation rates of many approaches have been mostly tested using simulated data. Empirical comparisons of single variant (SV) and multi-variant (MV) GWAS approaches have not been conducted to test if a single approach or a combination of SV and MV is effective, through identification and cross-validation of trait-associated loci. In this study, kernel row number (KRN) data were collected from a set of 6,230 entries derived from the Nested Association Mapping (NAM) population and related populations. Three different types of GWAS analyses were performed: 1) single-variant (SV), 2) stepwise regression (STR) and 3) a Bayesian-based multi-variant (BMV) model. Using SV, STR, and BMV models, 257, 300, and 442 KRN-associated variants (KAVs) were identified in the initial GWAS analyses. Of these, 231 KAVs were subjected to genetic validation using three unrelated populations that were not included in the initial GWAS. Genetic validation results suggest that the three GWAS approaches are complementary. Interestingly, KAVs in low recombination regions were more likely to exhibit associations in independent populations than KAVs in recombinationally active regions, probably as a consequence of linkage disequilibrium. The KAVs identified in this study have the potential to enhance our understanding of the genetic basis of ear development

Marine mammals and sonar : dose-response studies, the risk-disturbance hypothesis and the role of exposure context

This manuscript was written following the Behavioral Response Research Evaluation Workshop (BRREW), jointly sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research, US Navy Living Marine Resources, and US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - National Marine Fisheries Service. PLT acknowledges funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions.1. Marine mammals may be negatively affected by anthropogenic noise. Behavioural response studies (BRSs) aim to establish a relationship between the exposure dose of a stressor and associated behavioural responses of animals. A recent series of BRSs have focused on the effects of naval sonar on cetaceans. Here we review the current state of understanding of the impact of sonar on marine mammals and highlight knowledge gaps and future research priorities. 2. Many marine mammal species exhibit responses to naval sonar. However, responses are highly variable between and within individuals, species and populations, highlighting the importance of context in modulating dose-response relationships. 3. There is increasing support for the risk-disturbance hypothesis as an underlying response mechanism. This hypothesis proposes that sonar sounds may be perceived by animals as a threat, evoking an evolved anti-predator response. An understanding of responses within both the dose-response and risk-disturbance frameworks may enhance our ability to predict responsiveness for unstudied species and populations. 4. Many observed behavioural responses are energetically costly, but the way in which these responses may lead to long-term individual and population level impacts is poorly understood. Synthesis and Applications Behavioural response studies have greatly enhanced our understanding of the potential effects of navy sonar on marine mammals. Despite data gaps, we believe a dose-response approach within a risk-disturbance framework will enhance our ability to predict responsiveness for unstudied species and populations. We advocate for (1) regulatory frameworks to utilise recent peer-reviewed research findings when making predictions of impact (where feasible within assessment cycles), (2) regulatory frameworks to account for the inherent uncertainty in predictions of impact, and (3) investment in monitoring programmes that are both directed by recent research and offer opportunities for validation of predictions at the individual and population level.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Exploring contested authenticity among speakers of a contested language: the case of ‘Francoprovençal'

This paper explores the notion of speaker authenticity in the context of obsolescent ‘Francoprovençal’: a highly fragmented grouping of Romance varieties spoken in parts of France, Italy, and Switzerland by less than 1% of the total regional population. While Francoprovençal has long been losing ground to the dominant language(s) with which it is in contact, new speakers have begun to emerge within the context of revitalisation movements and activities geared more favourable language planning policies and increased literacy. The emergence of these new speakers has polarised native-speaker communities, and has blurred the lines associated with the traditional view of sociolinguistic authenticity. Through an analysis of qualitative data collected in 2012, this article argues in particular that it may not be sufficient to simply examine contested authenticities from a native–non-native perspective, but rather it is important to consider how new speakers might themselves form a complex spectrum of speaker types with new sets of tensions as has been argued elsewhere

Ocean weather, biological rates, and unexplained global ecological patterns.

As on land, oceans exhibit high temporal and spatial temperature variation. This ocean weather contributes to the physiological and ecological processes that ultimately determine the patterns of species distribution and abundance, yet is often unrecognized, especially in tropical oceans. Here, we tested the paradigm of temperature stability in shallow waters (<12.5 m) across different zones of latitude. We collated hundreds of in situ, high temporal-frequency ocean temperature time series globally to produce an intuitive measure of temperature variability, ranging in scale from quarter-diurnal to annual time spans. To estimate organismal sensitivity of ectotherms (i.e. microbes, algae, and animals whose body temperatures depend upon ocean temperature), we computed the corresponding range of biological rates (such as metabolic rate or photosynthesis) for each time span, assuming an exponential relationship. We found that subtropical regions had the broadest temperature ranges at time spans equal to or shorter than a month, while temperate and tropical systems both exhibited narrow (i.e. stable) short-term temperature range estimates. However, temperature-dependent biological rates in tropical regions displayed greater ranges than in temperate systems. Hence, our results suggest that tropical ectotherms may be relatively more sensitive to short-term thermal variability. We also highlight previously unexplained macroecological patterns that may be underpinned by short-term temperature variability