Association of Canine Osteosarcoma and Monocyte Phenotype and Chemotactic Function

BACKGROUND: Monocytes/macrophages are likely key cells in immune modulation in dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA). Increased peripheral monocyte counts are negatively correlated with shorter disease-free intervals in dogs with OSA. Understanding the monocyte/macrophage's modulatory role in dogs with OSA can direct further studies in immunotherapy development for OSA. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: That OSA evades the immune response by down-regulating monocyte chemokine receptor expression and migratory function, and suppresses host immune responses. ANIMALS: Eighteen dogs with OSA that have not received definitive treatment and 14 healthy age-matched controls METHODS: Clinical study-expression of peripheral blood monocyte cell surface receptors, monocyte mRNA expression and cytokine secretion, monocyte chemotaxis, and survival were compared between clinical dogs with OSA and healthy control dogs. RESULTS: Cell surface expression of multiple chemokine receptors is significantly down-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes of dogs with OSA. The percentage expression of CCR2 (median 58%, range 2-94%) and CXCR2 expression (median 54%, range 2-92%) was higher in control dogs compared to dogs with OSA (CCR2 median 29%, range 3-45%, P = 0.0006; CXCR2 median 23%, range 0.2-52%, P = 0.0007). Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) (OSA, median 347.36 pg/mL, range 103.4-1268.5; control, 136.23 pg/mL, range 69.93-542.6, P = .04) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (P = .02) levels are increased in OSA monocyte culture supernatants compared to controls. Peripheral blood monocytes of dogs with OSA exhibit decreased chemotactic function when compared to control dogs (OSA, median 1.2 directed to random migration, range 0.8-1.25; control, 1.6, range of 0.9-1.8, P = .018). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs with OSA have decreased monocyte chemokine receptor expression and monocyte chemotaxis, potential mechanisms by which OSA might evade the immune response. Reversal of monocyte dysfunction using immunotherapy could improve survival in dogs with OSA

CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells from FIV+ cats induce a unique anergic profile in CD8+ lymphocyte targets

Abstract Background Using the FIV model, we reported previously that CD4+CD25+ T regulatory (Treg) cells from FIV+ cats are constitutively activated and suppress CD4+CD25- and CD8+ T cell immune responses. In an effort to further explore Treg-mediated suppression, we asked whether Treg cells induce anergy through the alteration of production of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and their inhibitors. Results Lymphocytes were obtained from control or FIV+ cats and sorted by FACS into CD4+CD25+ and CD8+ populations. Following co-culture with CD4+CD25+ cells, CD8+ targets were examined by Western blot for changes in cyclins D3, E and A, retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, as well as the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p21cip1. Following co-culture with CD4+CD25+cells, we observed up-regulation of p21cip1 and cyclin E, with down-regulation of cyclin D3, in CD8+ cells from FIV+ cats. As expected, CD8+ targets from control cats were quiescent with little up-regulation of p21cip1 and cyclin E. There was also a lack of Rb phosphorylation in CD8+ targets consistent with late G1 cell cycle arrest. Further, IL-2 mRNA was down regulated in CD8+ cells after co-culture with CD4+CD25+ Treg cells. Following CD4+CD25+ co-culture, CD8+ targets from FIV+ cats also had increased Foxp3 mRNA expression; however, these CD8+Foxp3+ cells did not exhibit suppressor function. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggest that CD4+CD25+ Treg cells from FIV+ cats induce CD8+ anergy by disruption of normal G1 to S cell cycle progression.</p

Compression load failure of aluminum plates due to fire

An experimental study was performed to quantify the response and failure of 5083-H116 and 6082-T6 aluminum plates under compression load while being subjected to a constant heat flux representing a fire exposure. Using an intermediate scale loading frame with integrated heating, the study evaluated the effects of geometry, aluminum type, fire exposure, load, and fire protection. Intermediate scale aluminum panels which were more than 0.7 m high and 0.2 m wide were used to gain insights into the structural behavior of large structural sections exposed to fire. Failure temperatures were measured to range from 100 to 480 C and were dependent on applied stress and aluminum type. This indicates that the use of a single temperature criterion in fire resistance without load as typically done is not sufficient for evaluating structural response during fire. An empirical failure model was developed to account for fire exposure conditions, aluminum type, and geometr

Water Quality Impacts of Naturals Riparian Grasses Part 2: Modeling Effects of Channelization on Sediment Trapping

A methodology is developed to determine expected sediment trapping in riparian vegetative filter strips considering channelization of flow. The framework consists of defining the channel network stochastically, with deposition/detachment in each channel being modeled deterministically. The two approaches were then combined to develop a model which could predict expected trapping efficiencies for vegetative filters under known field conditions. The model was then extended to include conditions such as rainfall on the filter so as to make it applicable to generic field situations. Field and laboratory studies were conducted to collect and estimate data to develop and evaluate the model. sediment concentrations were measured for natural vegetative filters located on a slope of 8.7%, subjected to inflows from upslope bare soil plots. Surface elevations were measured for the filter. Flow networks and channel shapes were defined by applying the digital elevation model to the micro-relief data. Actual distributions and standard fitted distributions for channel flows and channel shapes were developed. Model evaluation was done for selected values of Manning\u27s n to give predicted filter trapping efficiencies within 2% of the observed, indicating model validity. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the general model and the fitted probability distributions

Magnetic field dependence of galfenol elastic properties

Elastic shear moduli measurements on Fe100−xGax (x = 12–33) single crystals (via resonant ultrasound spectroscopy) with and without a magnetic field and within 4–300 K are reported. The pronounced softening of the tetragonal shear modulus c′ is concluded to be, based on magnetoelastic coupling, the cause of the second peak in the tetragonal magnetostriction constant λ100 near x = 28. Exceedingly high ΔE effects ( ∼ 25%), combined with the extreme softness in c′ (c′\u3c10 GPa), suggest structural changes take place, yet, gradual in nature, as the moduli show a smooth dependence on Ga concentration, temperature, and magnetic field. Shear anisotropy (c44/c′) as high as 14.7 was observed for Fe71.2Ga28.8

GeneLab: Omics Database for Spaceflight Experiments

Motivation - To curate and organize expensive spaceflight experiments conducted aboard space stations and maximize the scientific return of investment, while democratizing access to vast amounts of spaceflight related omics data generated from several model organisms. Results - The GeneLab Data System (GLDS) is an open access database containing fully coordinated and curated "omics" (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) data, detailed metadata and radiation dosimetry for a variety of model organisms. GLDS is supported by an integrated data system allowing federated search across several public bioinformatics repositories. Archived datasets can be queried using full-text search (e.g., keywords, Boolean and wildcards) and results can be sorted in multifactorial manner using assistive filters. GLDS also provides a collaborative platform built on GenomeSpace for sharing files and analyses with collaborators. It currently houses 172 datasets and supports standard guidelines for submission of datasets, MIAME (for microarray), ENCODE Consortium Guidelines (for RNA-seq) and MIAPE Guidelines (for proteomics)

Water Quality Impacts of Natural Riparian Grasses Part 1: Empirical Studies

Studies were conducted on the effectiveness of natural riparian grass buffer strips in removing sediment and ag chemicals from surface runoff. No till and conventional tillage erosion plots served as the sediment and chemical source area. Runoff from the plots was directed onto 15, 30, and 45 foot filter strips where the inflow and outflow concentrations and sediment size distributions. Trapping percentages for sediment and ag chemicals typically ranged near or above 90%. An evaluation was made of the distribution of trapped chemicals among infiltrated mass and mass stored in the surface layer and on plant surfaces. The analysis showed that most of the chemicals were trapped by infiltration onto the soil matrix

Tetragonal magnetostriction and magnetoelastic coupling in Fe-Al, Fe-Ga, Fe-Ge, Fe-Si, Fe-Ga-Al, and Fe-Ga-Ge alloys

This paper presents a comparative study on the tetragonal magnetostriction constant,λγ,2, [ = (3/2)λ100] and magnetoelastic coupling, b1, of binary Fe100-xZx (0 \u3c x \u3c 35, Z = Al, Ga, Ge, and Si) and ternary Fe-Ga-Al and Fe-Ga-Ge alloys. The quantities are corrected for magnetostrains due to sample geometry (the magnetostrictive form effect). Recently published elastic constant data along with magnetization measurements at both room temperature and 77 K make these corrections possible. The form effect correction lowers the magnetostriction by ∼10 ppm for high-modulus alloys and by as much as 30 ppm for low-modulus alloys. The elastic constants are also used to determine the values of the magnetoelastic coupling constant, b1. With the new magnetostriction data on the Fe-Al-Ga alloy, it is possible to show how the double peak magnetostriction feature of the binary Fe-Ga alloy flows into the single peak binary Fe-Al alloy. The corrected magnetostriction and magnetoelastic coupling data for the various alloys are also compared using the electron-per-atom ratio, e/a, as the common variable. The Hume-Rothery rules link thee/a ratio to the regions of phase stability, which appear to be intimately related to the magnetostriction versus the solute concentration curve in these alloys. Using e/a as the abscissa tends to align the peaks in the magnetostriction and magnetoelastic coupling for the Fe-Ga, Fe-Ge, Fe-Al, Fe-Ga-Al, and Fe-Ga-Ge alloys, but not for the Fe-Si alloys for which the larger atomic size difference may play a greater role in phase stabilization. Corrections for the form effect are also presented for the rhombohedral magnetostriction,λɛ,2, and the magnetoelastic coupling, b2, of Fe100-xGax (0 \u3c x \u3c 35) alloys

Rhombohedral magnetostriction in dilute iron (Co) alloys

Iron is a well-utilized material in structural and magnetic applications. This does not mean, however, that it is well understood, especially in the field of magnetostriction. In particular, the rhombohedral magnetostriction of iron, λ111 , is anomalous in two respects: it is negative in sign, in disagreement with the prediction of first principles theory, and its magnitude decreases with increasing temperature much too rapidly to be explained by a power law dependence on magnetization. These behaviors could arise from the location of the Fermi level, which leaves a small region of the majority 3d t2g states unfilled, possibly favoring small internal displacements that split these states. If this view is correct, adding small amounts of Co to Fe fills some of these states, and the value of λ111 should increase toward a positive value, as predicted for perfect bcc Fe. We have measured the magnetostriction coefficients (λ111 and λ100) of pure Fe, Fe97Co3, and Fe94Co6 single crystals from 77 K to 450 K. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy has been used to check for anomalies in the associated elastic constants, c 44 and c′. The additional electrons provided by the cobalt atoms indeed produced positive contributions to bothmagnetostriction constants, λ111 and λ100, exhibiting an increase of 2.8 × 10−6 per at. % Co for λ111 and 3.8 × 10−6 per at. % Co for λ100