Disruption of cytokeratin 18-containing intermediate filaments in bovine luteal cells: Effects on Fas expression, progesterone secretion, and FasL-induced apoptosis

In the current study, the possibility that cytokeratin 18 (CK18)---containing intermediate filaments (IFs) protect bovine luteal cells from FasL-induced apoptosis was explored. Bovine corpora lutea (CL) from early and late stages of the luteal phase were collected and prepared for cell culture. The cultures were exposed to culture medium without (control) or with 5mM acrylamide for 4 hr to disrupt CK18 IFs. Subsequently, the cultures were exposed to fresh medium without (control) or with FasL (50ng/mL) for 24 hr to induce apoptosis. Acrylamide disrupted CK18 IFs without affecting microtubules, progesterone secretion (P\u3e0.05), or cell viability (P\u3e0.05). Surface expression of Fas receptor was relatively high on luteal cells from early and late stage CL (84% and 61% of cells, respectively). Disruption of CK18 IFs did not enhance this (P\u3e0.05), nor did it augment FasL-induced cell death (P\u3e0.05). The results indicate CK18 IFs do not protect bovine luteal cells from FasL-induced apoptosis

Throat and rectal swabs may have an important role in MRSA screening of critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major problem in intensive care units (ICU). International guidelines recommend screening patients for MRSA on admission, although consensus on sites required for optimum detection has not been reached. Our aim was to determine whether throat and rectal swabs identified a significant number of additional MRSA-colonised patients not captured by swabbing at keratinized skin carriage sites (anterior nares, perineum and axillae). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: 30-Bed medical and surgical ICU in a tertiary teaching hospital. PATIENTS: One thousand four hundred and eighty adult patients consecutively admitted over 15 months. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Swabs from carriage sites (anterior nares, perineum, axillae, throat and rectum), wounds and clinical samples taken within 48 h of ICU admission were analysed to identify patients admitted with MRSA. A complete set of carriage swabs were received from 1,470 patients. 105 (7%) patients were admitted with MRSA of which 63 (60%) were detected by a pooled keratinized skin swab (anterior nares, perineum, axillae). A further 36 (34%) patients were detected only by throat or rectal swabs. Indeed, throat and rectal swabs combined had a higher sensitivity than pooled keratinised skin swabs (76 vs. 60% P = 0.0247). Swabs from all carriage sites together detected 95% (100) of MRSA positive patients, with five patients being positive at wound sites only. CONCLUSIONS: The throat and rectum are important and potentially hidden sites of MRSA carriage in critically ill patients. These findings prompt the need for larger studies to determine the most cost-effective screening strategy for MRSA detection. DESCRIPTOR: Non-pulmonary nosocomial infections

Estrous cycle-dependent changes of Fas expression in the bovine corpus luteum: influence of keratin 8/18 intermediate filaments and cytokines

Background Fas expression and Fas-induced apoptosis are mechanisms attributed to the selective destruction of cells of the corpus luteum (CL) during luteal regression. In certain cell-types, sensitivity to these death-inducing mechanisms is due to the loss or cleavage of keratin-containing intermediate filaments. Specifically, keratin 8/18 (K8/K18) filaments are hypothesized to influence cell death in part by regulating Fas expression at the cell surface. Methods Here, Fas expression on bovine luteal cells was quantified by flow cytometry during the early (Day 5, postovulation) and late stages (Days 16–18, postovulation) of CL function, and the relationship between Fas expression, K8/K18 filament expression and cytokine-induced cell death in vitro was evaluated. Results Both total and cell surface expression of Fas on luteal cells was greater for early versus late stage bovine CL (89% vs. 44% of cells for total Fas; 65% vs.18% of cells for cell surface Fas; respectively, P0.05, n=4 CL/stage), despite evidence these conditions increased Fas expression on HepG2 cells (P0.05) or stage of CL (P\u3e0.05, n= 4 CL/stage) on this outcome. Conclusion In conclusion, we rejected our null hypothesis that the cell surface expression of Fas does not differ between luteal cells of early and late stage CL. The results also did not support the idea that K8/K18 filaments influence the expression of Fas on the surface of bovine luteal cells. Potential downstream effects of these filaments on death signaling, however, remain a possibility. Importantly, the elevated expression of Fas observed on cells of early stage bovine CL compared to late stage bovine CL raises a provocative question concerning the physiological role(s) of Fas in the corpus luteum, particularly during early luteal development

QYMSYM: A GPU-Accelerated Hybrid Symplectic Integrator That Permits Close Encounters

We describe a parallel hybrid symplectic integrator for planetary system integration that runs on a graphics processing unit (GPU). The integrator identifies close approaches between particles and switches from symplectic to Hermite algorithms for particles that require higher resolution integrations. The integrator is approximately as accurate as other hybrid symplectic integrators but is GPU accelerated.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Responding to ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) in the UK: woodland composition and replacement tree species

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is an important timber species that is widespread in broadleaved woodlands across Europe, where it is currently declining due to the fungal pathogen (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (T. Kowal) Baral et al., 2014) causing ash dieback. Using the UK as our case study, we assess: (1) likely woodland composition following ash dieback and (2) choice of replacement species for production planting. The greatest impacts on woodland composition will occur where ash forms a larger proportion of the canopy. In such woodlands, larger gaps formed from the loss of ash, are likely to be filled by sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) under current climatic conditions and where there is little management intervention. Native woodland policy regarding sycamore and beech may need to be reviewed in UK-designated woodlands where these species are considered non-native. For actively managed production woodlands, 27 replacement tree species for ash are considered, some of these are non-native and present options for continuing production forestry objectives on former ash sites. An assessment of replacement species shows there is no single species that can substitute for the wide range of site conditions associated with the good growth of ash. In deciding to replace ash with another tree species, the decision on selection should be made based on particular site conditions and woodland objectives

Learning from Learning Disruption: A Resource for Schools

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020 schools across the globe were forced to close. Since then, on a stop-start basis, schools have reopened. Many schools, however, are still experiencing the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on pupil and teacher absence as well as the social, emotional, physical and academic impact on the entire school community. While the world has experienced global pandemics like Spanish flu before, the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented. In May 2020 United Kingdom Research Innovation(UKRI) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) awarded a team of researchers at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society with funding to explore the challenges the COVID-19 crisis set primary school teachers. One part of this research was to conduct a review of research on previous learning disruptions to see if we could learn anything from these events that might match with the COVID-19 pandemic. This booklet summarises: What we did and why we did it What we found and educators’ reflections on how it aligned with the COVID-19 learning disruption What we recommended based on our findings and educators’ recommendations for schools and policy makers We have shared these findings with educators to combine their reflections on our findings with their experiences

Openness about Sexual Orientation and Exposure to Workplace Bullying

Previous studies of workplace bullying have not investigated whether Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) employees experience bullying in similar or different ways to their heterosexual counterparts. This study reports on how and to what extent sexuality or sexual orientation influences the experience of workplace bullying and whether openness about sexual orientation elevates risks and shapes exposure to bullying. Using a large and rigorously compiled sample of the British working population comprising 500 non-heterosexuals and 722 heterosexuals (N = 1,222) and applying latent Class Cluster Analysis, a similar behavioural pattern of bullying for LGB employees emerged as for heterosexuals, although LGB employees were 1.34 times more likely to be bullied, and not being open about their sexual orientation elevated the risk of bullying. LGB employees were also more likely to be exposed to intrusive, sexualized behaviours and behaviours of an exclusionary nature. Altogether, this suggests that prejudices and stereotyping towards LGB people persist. Whilst being open about their sexual orientation did not make LGB people more likely to become a target of bullying as hypothesized, those who only reveal their sexual orientation when asked, were significantly more likely to be exposed to negative acts than those who were totally open. This indicates that non-disclosure does not prevent others at work making assumptions of sexual orientation, indicating that stereotyping of LGBs plays a greater part in disclosure than has previously been acknowledged.publishedVersio

Creek habitats as sources for the spread of an invasive herb in a New Zealand mountain landscape

Landscapes typically comprise various habitats that differ in their susceptibility to invasion by exotic species. Highly invasible habitats such as riparian corridors can act as a conduit for rapid movement across the landscape and as a propagule source to facilitate spread into adjacent, less invasible habitats. If this is so, there should be a decline in invader frequency and/or abundance with distance away from the source; the local abundance of invasive species in the source habitat should be positively correlated with local abundance in the adjacent habitat; and, having accounted for variation in local source population size, the slope of the decline in invader abundance with distance away from the source habitat should reflect the ease with which adjacent habitat can be invaded. Here, we test these predictions to assess whether creek habitats function as a source to facilitate the spread of the invasive plant Hieracium lepidulum Stenstr. (Asteraceae) in upland catchments of the South Island, New Zealand, by surveying H. lepidulum abundance in creek margin and adjacent beech forest and subalpine habitat in 17 creek catchments. Our results imply that propagule pressure from populations in creek margins and other disturbed areas is driving catchment-wide H. lepidulum invasion, but forest and subalpine habitats currently differ in the way H. lepidulum spreads from source populations. Our results suggest that H. lepidulum invasion is at an earlier stage in subalpine areas, that there are few barriers to invasion across this habitat, and that subalpine habitats will become more heavily invaded than forests. These findings can be used to underpin monitoring strategies and management prioritisation for this invader

Research evidence to support primary school inspection post-COVID

This policy briefing is intended to inform discussion on how Ofsted inspections might best resume at an appropriate time, given the extensive disruption COVID has brought and continues to bring to English primary schools. The briefing draws on findings from a series of research projects based at the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society and conducted between May 2020 and September 2021, using surveys, systematic literature reviews and case study methods. The research projects have highlighted just how much schools’ experiences have varied. They also show just how resourceful and resilient schools and their communities have been in navigating a way through the many difficult dilemmas the pandemic has raised, even when there have been no obvious roadmaps to follow. The research evidence we present and the recommendations that follow are intended to inform conversations in the field about the best ways forward in education. They build on the knowledge and experience that primary schools have acquired from dealing with the pandemic first hand