Electromagnetic properties of LaCa[3]Fe[5]O[12] in the microwave range

The X-ray diffraction analysis of the LaCa[3]Fe[5]O[12] ferrite (lanthanum ferrite) prepared through high-temperature synthesis via ceramic technology was performed. It was found that ferrites belong to tetragonal system. The electromagnetic response from a flat layer of the composite based on this material under electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range of 0.01-18 GHz was investigated. It is shown that the developed material effectively interacts with electromagnetic radiation. The interaction effectiveness is directly proportional to ferrite concentration. Increased concentration of ferrite leads to growth of the reflection coefficient due to high conductivity of the material and visible decrease in the transmission coefficient in the frequency range of 4-14 GHz

Acrocephalus orinus: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Recent discovery of the Large-billed Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orinus) in museums and in the wild significantly expanded our knowledge of its morphological traits and genetic variability, and revealed new data on geographical distribution of the breeding grounds, migration routes and wintering locations of this species. It is now certain that A. orinus is breeding in Central Asia; however, the precise area of distribution remains unclear. The difficulty in the further study of this species lies in the small number of known specimens, with only 13 currently available in museums, and in the relative uncertainty of the breeding area and habitat of this species. Following morphological and genetic analyses from Svensson, et al, we describe 14 new A. orinus specimens from collections of Zoological Museums of the former USSR from the territory of Central Asian states. All of these specimens were erroneously labeled as Blyth's Reed Warbler (A. dumetorum), which is thought to be a breeding species in these areas. The 14 new A. orinus specimens were collected during breeding season while most of the 85 A. dumetorum specimens from the same area were collected during the migration period. Our data indicate that the Central Asian territory previously attributed as breeding grounds of A. dumetorum is likely to constitute the breeding territory of A. orinus. This rare case of a re-description of the breeding territory of a lost species emphasizes the importance of maintenance of museum collections around the world. If the present data on the breeding grounds of A. orinus are confirmed with field observations and collections, the literature on the biology of A. dumetorum from the southern part of its range may have to be reconsidered

NetrinA and Frazzled in regulation of wing disc epithelia

© 2017 Dr. Sofya GolenkinaThe chemotrophic factor Netrin and its receptors play a critical role during axon outgrowth, organogenesis and cancer progression. In my PhD I have found that Drosophila NetrinA and its receptor Frazzled also control epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key process of embryogenesis, regeneration and tumor metastasis. Using wing imaginal disc eversion as a genetic model, I have demonstrated that both loss of netrinA and elevation of frazzled expression in the peripodial epithelium suppress zonula adherens dissociation and alter cytoskeleton organization, but do not affect basement membrane degradation. Loss-of-function and overexpression analysis of frazzled in the disc proper epithelium shown that Frazzled controls localisation of junctional proteins (E-Cadherin and β-catenin), F-actin polymerization and cellular contractility. A key question is whether the Frazzled signaling pathways that regulate cell motility are distinct from those that control epithelial phenotypes. To address this I have conducted a structure function analysis to determine which intracellular domains of Frazzled are required for inhibiting wing eversion, and which are required for regulating E-Cadherin, F-Actin and cell shape. I shown that P1 domain is responsible for eversion disruption, E-Cadherin delocalization and cellular contractility, but not for formation of the F-actin protrusions. P3 domain is required for cell motility. Finally, I performed an RNAi screen to identify components acting downstream of NetrinA/Frazzled signaling. I have found that the apical polarity protein Par6 is required for inhibiting EMT and partly for E-Cadherin delocalization. The results establish a new role for Netrin signaling in a developmental EMT and highlight the complexity of NetrinA/Frazzled pathway regulation of epithelial cells

Netrin-dependent downregulation of Frazzled/DCC is required for the dissociation of the peripodial epithelium in Drosophila

Netrins are secreted chemoattractants with roles in axon guidance, cell migration and epithelial plasticity. Netrin-1 also promotes the survival of metastasized cells by inhibiting the pro-apoptotic effects of its receptor Deleted in Colorectal Carcinoma (DCC). Here we report that Netrins can also regulate epithelial dissociation during Drosophila wing eversion. During eversion, peripodial epithelial cells lose apico-basal polarity and adherens junctions, and become migratory and invasive--a process similar to an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Loss of netrinA inhibits the breakdown of cell-cell junctions, leading to eversion failure. In contrast, the Netrin receptor Frazzled blocks eversion when overexpressed, whereas frazzled RNAi accelerates eversion in vitro. In peripodial cells Frazzled is endocytosed, and undergoes NetA-dependent degradation, which is required for eversion. Finally, we provide evidence that Frazzled acts through the ERM-family protein Moesin to inhibit eversion. This mechanism may also help explain the role of Netrin and DCC in cancer metastasis.Rosemary Manhire-Heath, Sofia Golenkina, Robert Saint and Michael J. Murra

Frazzled can act through distinct molecular pathways in epithelial cells to regulate motility, apical constriction, and localisation of E-Cadherin

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Netrin receptors of the DCC/NEO/UNC-40/Frazzled family have well established roles in cell migration and axon guidance but can also regulate epithelial features such as adhesion, polarity and adherens junction (AJ) stability. Previously, we have shown that overexpression of Drosophila Frazzled (Fra) in the peripodial epithelium (PE) inhibits wing disc eversion and also generates cellular protrusions typical of motile cells. Here, we tested whether the molecular pathways by which Fra inhibits eversion are distinct from those driving motility. We show that in disc proper (DP) epithelial cells Fra, in addition to inducing F-Actin rich protrusions, can affect localization of AJ components and columnar cell shape. We then show that these phenotypes have different requirements for the three conserved Fra cytoplasmic P-motifs and for downstream genes. The formation of protrusions required the P3 motif of Fra, as well as integrins (mys and mew), the Rac pathway (Rac1, wave and, arpc3) and myosin regulatory light chain (Sqh). In contrast, apico-basal cell shape change, which was accompanied by increased myosin phosphorylation, was critically dependent upon the P1 motif and was promoted by RhoGef2 but inhibited by Rac1. Fra also caused a loss of AJ proteins (DE-Cad and Arm) from basolateral regions of epithelial cells. This phenotype required all 3 P-motifs, and was dependent upon the polarity factor par6. par6 was not required for protrusions or cell shape change, but was required to block eversion suggesting that control of AJ components may underlie the ability of Fra to promote epithelial stability. The results imply that multiple molecular pathways act downstream of Fra in epithelial cells.This work was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP120104443 to RS and National Health and Medical Research Council Australia Project Grant APP1107123 to MJM. SG was supported by a International Postgraduate Research Scholarship

Frazzled can act through distinct molecular pathways in epithelial cells to regulate motility, apical constriction, and localisation of E-Cadherin

<div><p>Netrin receptors of the DCC/NEO/UNC-40/Frazzled family have well established roles in cell migration and axon guidance but can also regulate epithelial features such as adhesion, polarity and adherens junction (AJ) stability. Previously, we have shown that overexpression of <i>Drosophila</i> Frazzled (Fra) in the peripodial epithelium (PE) inhibits wing disc eversion and also generates cellular protrusions typical of motile cells. Here, we tested whether the molecular pathways by which Fra inhibits eversion are distinct from those driving motility. We show that in disc proper (DP) epithelial cells Fra, in addition to inducing F-Actin rich protrusions, can affect localization of AJ components and columnar cell shape. We then show that these phenotypes have different requirements for the three conserved Fra cytoplasmic P-motifs and for downstream genes. The formation of protrusions required the P3 motif of Fra, as well as integrins (<i>mys</i> and <i>mew</i>), the Rac pathway (<i>Rac1</i>, <i>wave</i> and, <i>arpc3</i>) and myosin regulatory light chain (<i>Sqh</i>). In contrast, apico-basal cell shape change, which was accompanied by increased myosin phosphorylation, was critically dependent upon the P1 motif and was promoted by <i>RhoGef2</i> but inhibited by <i>Rac1</i>. Fra also caused a loss of AJ proteins (DE-Cad and Arm) from basolateral regions of epithelial cells. This phenotype required all 3 P-motifs, and was dependent upon the polarity factor <i>par6</i>. <i>par6</i> was not required for protrusions or cell shape change, but was required to block eversion suggesting that control of AJ components may underlie the ability of Fra to promote epithelial stability. The results imply that multiple molecular pathways act downstream of Fra in epithelial cells.</p></div

Ceruloplasmin-derived peptide is the strongest regulator of oxidative stress and leukotriene synthesis in neutrophils

Ceruloplasmin, an acute-phase protein, can affect the activity of leukocytes through its various enzymatic activities and protein-protein interactions (with lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, serprocidins, and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), among others). However, the molecular mechanisms of ceruloplasmin activity are not clearly understood. In this study, we tested the ability of two synthetic peptides, RPYLKVFNPR (883â 892) (P1) and RRPYLKVFNPRR (882â 893) (P2), corresponding to the indicated fragments of the ceruloplasmin sequence, to affect neutrophil activation. Leukotriene (LT) B4 is the primary eicosanoid product of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs, neutrophils).We studied leukotriene synthesis in PMNLs upon interaction with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Priming of neutrophils with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) elicited the strong regulatory function of P2 peptide as a superoxide formation inducer and leukotriene synthesis inhibitor. Ceruloplasmin-derived P2 peptide appeared to be a strong inhibitor of 5-LOX product synthesis under conditions of oxidative stress.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

<i>par6</i> knockdown rescues <i>fra</i>-associated mislocalisation of DE-Cad.

<p>(A, B) A <i>ptc>fraFL-myc</i>, <i>par6</i>.<i>IR</i>, <i>GFP</i> wing disc immunostained for Fra and DE-Cad. (A) DP of <i>ptc>fraFL-myc</i>, <i>par6</i>.<i>IR</i>, <i>GFP</i> disc. Dashed boxes indicate magnified area depicted in B. (B) The <i>ptc>fraFL-myc</i>, <i>par6</i>.<i>IR</i> cells display typical basal expansion (double-headed arrows, B) and basal protrusions (arrows, B'). The intensity of basolateral DE-Cad in <i>ptc>FraFL-myc</i>, <i>par6</i>.<i>IR</i> cells (yellow arrowhead and yellow arrows, B'') is comparable with wild type cells (green arrowhead and green arrows, B'')). ZA are indicated by double arrowheads (B''). A furrow (white arrow) also formed along the GFP-positive (green) stripe. Scale bars 10 μm.</p

Overexpression of <i>fra</i> reduces DE-Cad in basolateral regions of the DP epithelium.

<p><i>ptc>fra</i>,<i>GFP</i> wing discs (GFP shown in green) immunostained for DE-Cad (grayscale). Dashed lines (A-E, red) indicate region shown in cross-sections (F-J). (A) In control discs, DE-Cad is strongly localised to the ZA (A’, F’, double-arrowheads), and on the basal (arrowheads) and lateral (arrows) sides of DP cells. (B) Expression of <i>fraFL-myc</i> significantly reduces DE-Cad in the basal (yellow arrowhead) and lateral sides (yellow arrows). (C-J) Expression of the <i>fra∆P-myc</i> transgenes does not affect DE-Cad localization. (K) Quantification of change in mean basolateral DE-Cad intensity. (L) Mean intensity of DE-Cad in <i>ptc</i>-GFP domain relative to adjacent non-GFP areas in wing discs for different genotypes. Error bars show mean ± SEM of multiple discs. Significance values based on two-tailed students t-test: ns not significant, * p-val<0.05, ** pval<0.01. Scale bars 10 μm.</p