Bacterial, Archaeal and Fungal Succession in the Forefield of a Receding Glacier

Glacier forefield chronosequences, initially composed of barren substrate after glacier retreat, are ideal locations to study primary microbial colonization and succession in a natural environment. We characterized the structure and composition of bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities in exposed rock substrates along the Damma glacier forefield in central Switzerland. Soil samples were taken along the forefield from sites ranging from fine granite sand devoid of vegetation near the glacier terminus to well-developed soils covered with vegetation. The microbial communities were studied with genetic profiling (T-RFLP) and sequencing of clone libraries. According to the T-RFLP profiles, bacteria showed a high Shannon diversity index (H) (ranging from 2.3 to 3.4) with no trend along the forefield. The major bacterial lineages were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria. An interesting finding was that Euryarchaeota were predominantly colonizing young soils and Crenarchaeota mainly mature soils. Fungi shifted from an Ascomycota-dominated community in young soils to a more Basidiomycota-dominated community in old soils. Redundancy analysis indicated that base saturation, pH, soil C and N contents and plant coverage, all related to soil age, correlated with the microbial succession along the forefiel

Nuclear expression of FLT1 and its ligand PGF in FUS-DDIT3 carrying myxoid liposarcomas suggests the existence of an intracrine signaling loop

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The FUS-DDIT3 fusion oncogene encodes an abnormal transcription factor that has a causative role in the development of myxoid/round-cell liposarcomas (MLS/RCLS). We have previously identified <it>FLT1 </it>(<it>VEGFR1</it>) as a candidate downstream target gene of FUS-DDIT3. The aim of this study was to investigate expression of FLT1 and its ligands in MLS cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells were transiently transfected with <it>FUS-DDIT3</it>-GFP variant constructs and FLT1 expression was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, <it>FLT1</it>, <it>PGF, VEGFA and VEGFB </it>expression was measured in MLS/RCLS cell lines, MLS/RCLS tumors and in normal adiopocytes. We analyzed nine cases of MLS/RCLS and one cell line xenografted in mice for FLT1 protein expression using immunohistochemistry. MLS/RCLS cell lines were also analyzed for FLT1 by immunofluorescence and western blot. MLS/RCLS cell lines were additionally treated with FLT1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors and assayed for alterations in proliferation rate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>FLT1 </it>expression was dramatically increased in transfected cells stably expressing FUS-DDIT3 and present at high levels in cell lines derived from MLS. The FLT1 protein showed a strong nuclear expression in cells of MLS tissue as well as in cultured MLS cells, which was confirmed by cellular fractionation. Tissue array analysis showed a nuclear expression of the FLT1 protein also in several other tumor and normal cell types including normal adipocytes. The FLT1 ligand coding gene <it>PGF </it>was highly expressed in cultured MLS cells compared to normal adipocytes while the other ligand genes <it>VEGFA </it>and <it>VEGFB </it>were expressed to lower levels. A more heterogeneous expression pattern of these genes were observed in tumor samples. No changes in proliferation rate of MLS cells were detected at concentrations for which the kinase inhibitors have shown specific inhibition of FLT1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results imply that <it>FLT1 </it>is induced as an indirect downstream effect of FUS-DDIT3 expression in MLS. This could be a consequence of the ability of FUS-DDIT3 to hijack parts of normal adipose tissue development and reprogram primary cells to a liposarcoma-like phenotype. The findings of nuclear FLT1 protein and expression of corresponding ligands in MLS and normal tissues may have implications for tissue homeostasis and tumor development through auto- or intracrine signaling.</p

Klassbegreppets återkomst

Klassanalysen är tillbaka – samtidigt som världen är förändrad. Om kvinnor i västerlandet tidigare klassificerades utifrån makens yrke och klasstillhörighet så är tillvaron idag betydligt mer komplex. Kvinnor arbetar i hög utsträckning. Ändå är det svårt att bestämma klass i en och samma familj. Detta beror bland annat på att kvinnors och mäns arbetsvillkor och positioner kan vara helt olika. Likaså kan deras klassmässiga bakgrunder se helt olika ut

Living with malignant fungating wounds : A literature study

Upplevelsen av att leva med maligna tumörsår är unik för varje patient och fysiska symtom som smärta, lukt, läckage, blödning och klåda kan ge upphov till depression och social isolering. Syftet med litteraturstudien var att belysa patienters upplevelse av att leva med maligna tumörsår. En allmän litteraturstudie genomfördes med sju vetenskapliga resultatartiklar som tolkades i en innehållsanalys. Tre teman kunde urskiljas: Leva med en förlorad kropp, Leva med strategier för att hantera lidandet och Leva med en förändrad självbild och livsvärld. Resultatet påvisade en förnekelse över sårets existens hos patienten och ett behov av att dölja såret för sin omgivning. En ständig oro för att såret skulle synliggöras gjorde att patienten medvetet valde bort att uppsöka vård. Upplevelser av skam och att förlora kontrollen över den fysiska kroppen gav upphov till en förändrad självbild hos patienten. Genom samtal kunde patienten återta kontrollen över sin livssituation och bryta isoleringen från omvärlden. Hopp var en stark strategi som bidrog till att patienten återfick sin livskraft. Inom vetenskapen omvårdnad kan sjuksköterskan öka kunskapsunderlaget om existentiella mänskliga behov och begär i patienters levda värld med maligna tumörsår genom akademisk utbildning och forskning som minskar patienters lidande och främjar en evidensbaserad omvårdnadsprocess.Living with malignant fungating wounds is a unique experience and physical symptoms can lead to depression and social isolation. The aim of the study was to illuminate patients' experiences of living with malignant fungating wounds. A general literature study was conducted by content analysis of seven qualitative articles. Three themes emerged: Living with a lost body, Living with strategies to deal with suffering and Living with a new identity and lifeworld. The result showed a denial of the wound's existence and a need to conceal the wound from its surroundings. A constant concern that the wound would be made visible meant that the patient deliberately chose not to seek care. Experiences of shame and loss of control of the physical body gave rise to a change in the patient's self-identity. Through conversations, the patient was able to regain control over their life situation and break the isolation from the outside world. Hope was a strategy that helped restore the patient's vitality. Within the nursing tradition, the registered nurse can require more knowledge and increase understanding on the existential human needs in these patients' unique lifeworld through further research and academic education to alleviate suffering and promote an evidence-based nursing process

How Behavior Change Strategies are Used to Design Digital Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Among Patients With Hypertension : Systematic Review

Background: Information on how behavior change strategies have been used to design digital interventions (DIs) to improve blood pressure (BP) control or medication adherence (MA) for patients with hypertension is currently limited. Objective: Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and can be controlled with appropriate medication. Many interventions that target MA to improve BP are increasingly using modern digital technologies. This systematic review was conducted to discover how DIs have been designed to improve MA and BP control among patients with hypertension in the recent 10 years. Results were mapped into a matrix of change objectives using the Intervention Mapping framework to guide future development of technologies to improve MA and BP control. Methods: We included all the studies regarding DI development to improve MA or BP control for patients with hypertension published in PubMed from 2008 to 2018. All the DI components were mapped into a matrix of change objectives using the Intervention Mapping technique by eliciting the key determinant factors (from patient and health care team and system levels) and targeted patient behaviors. Results: The analysis included 54 eligible studies. The determinants were considered at two levels: patient and health care team and system. The most commonly described determinants at the patient level were lack of education, lack of self-awareness, lack of self-efficacy, and forgetfulness. Clinical inertia and an inadequate health workforce were the most commonly targeted determinants at the health care team and system level. Taking medication, interactive patient-provider communication, self-measurement, and lifestyle management were the most cited patient behaviors at both levels. Most of the DIs did not include support from peers or family members, despite its reported effectiveness and the rate of social media penetration. Conclusions: This review highlights the need to design a multifaceted DI that can be personalized according to patient behavior(s) that need to be changed to overcome the key determinant(s) of low adherence to medication or uncontrolled BP among patients with hypertension, considering different levels including patient and healthcare team and system involvement. © Kobra Etminani, Arianna Tao Engström, Carina Göransson, Anita Sant’Anna, Sławomir Nowaczyk

Bacterial, Archaeal and Fungal Succession in the Forefield of a Receding Glacier

ISSN:1432-184XISSN:0095-362

The Myxoid/Round Cell Liposarcoma Fusion Oncogene FUS-DDIT3 and the Normal DDIT3 Induce a Liposarcoma Phenotype in Transfected Human Fibrosarcoma Cells

Myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MLS/RCLS) is the most common subtype of liposarcoma. Most MLS/RCLS carry a t(12;16) translocation, resulting in a FUS-DDIT3 fusion gene. We investigated the role of the FUS-DDIT3 fusion in the development of MLS/RCLS in FUS-DDIT3- and DDIT3-transfected human HT1080 sarcoma cells. Cells expressing FUS-DDIT3 and DDIT3 grew as liposarcomas in severe combined immunodeficient mice and exhibited a capillary network morphology that was similar to networks of MLS/RCLS. Microarray-based comparison of HT1080, the transfected cells, and an MLS/RCLS-derived cell line showed that the FUS-DDIT3- and DDIT3-transfected variants shifted toward an MLS/RCLS-like expression pattern. DDIT3-transfected cells responded in vitro to adipogenic factors by accumulation of fat and transformation to a lipoblast-like morphology. In conclusion, because the fusion oncogene FUS-DDIT3 and the normal DDIT3 induce a liposarcoma phenotype when expressed in a primitive sarcoma cell line, MLS/RCLS may develop from cell types other than preadipocytes. This may explain the preferential occurrence of MLS/RCLS in nonadipose tissues. In addition, development of lipoblasts and the typical MLS/RCLS capillary network could be an effect of the DDIT3 transcription factor partner of the fusion oncogene