52 research outputs found
Using Discussion to Promote Learning in Undergraduate Biology
Summary and Comments from Workshop 40: âLooks Who\u27s Talking! Using Discussion as an Effective Learning Toolâ presented at the 100th Ecological Society of America Meetin
Primary Literature Across the Undergraduate Curriculum: Teaching Science Process Skills and Content
Multi-Discipline Modeling of Complete Hypersonic Vehicles Using CFD Surrogates
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143103/1/6.2017-0182.pd
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Integrative genomic analyses of neurofibromatosis tumours identify SOX9 as a biomarker and survival gene
Understanding the biological pathways critical for common neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) peripheral nerve tumours is essential, as there is a lack of tumour biomarkers, prognostic factors and therapeutics. We used gene expression profiling to define transcriptional changes between primary normal Schwann cells (n = 10), NF1-derived primary benign neurofibroma Schwann cells (NFSCs) (n = 22), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) cell lines (n = 13), benign neurofibromas (NF) (n = 26) and MPNST (n = 6). Dermal and plexiform NFs were indistinguishable. A prominent theme in the analysis was aberrant differentiation. NFs repressed gene programs normally active in Schwann cell precursors and immature Schwann cells. MPNST signatures strongly differed; genes up-regulated in sarcomas were significantly enriched for genes activated in neural crest cells. We validated the differential expression of 82 genes including the neural crest transcription factor SOX9 and SOX9 predicted targets. SOX9 immunoreactivity was robust in NF and MPSNT tissue sections and targeting SOX9 â strongly expressed in NF1-related tumours â caused MPNST cell death. SOX9 is a biomarker of NF and MPNST, and possibly a therapeutic target in NF1
Integrative genomic analyses of neurofibromatosis tumours identify SOX9 as A biomarker and survival gene
Understanding the biological pathways critical for common neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) peripheral nerve tumours is essential, as there is a lack of tumour biomarkers, prognostic factors and therapeutics. We used gene expression profiling to define transcriptional changes between primary normal Schwann cells (n - 10), NF1-derived primary benign neurofibroma Schwann cells (NFSCs) (n = 22), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) cell lines (n = 13), benign neurofibromas (NF) (n = 26) and MPNST (n = 6). Dermal and plexiform NFs were indistinguishable. A prominent theme in the analysis was aberrant differentiation. NFs repressed gene programs normally active in Schwann cell precursors and immature Schwann cells. MPNST signatures strongly differed; genes up-regulated in sarcomas were significantly enriched for genes activated in neural crest cells. We validated the differential expression of 82 genes including the neural crest transcription factor SOX9 and SOX9 predicted targets. SOX9 immunoreactivity was robust in NF and MPSNT tissue sections and targeting SOX9 - strongly expressed in NF1-related tumours - caused MPNST cell death. SOX9 is a biomarker of NF and MPNST, and possibly a therapeutic target in NF1
Natural climate solutions for the United States
© The Author(s), 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Science Advances 4 (2018): eaat1869, doi:10.1126/sciadv.aat1869.Limiting climate warming to <2°C requires increased mitigation efforts, including land stewardship, whose potential in the United States is poorly understood. We quantified the potential of natural climate solutions (NCS)â21 conservation, restoration, and improved land management interventions on natural and agricultural landsâto increase carbon storage and avoid greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. We found a maximum potential of 1.2 (0.9 to 1.6) Pg CO2e yearâ1, the equivalent of 21% of current net annual emissions of the United States. At current carbon market prices (USD 10 per Mg CO2e), 299 Tg CO2e yearâ1 could be achieved. NCS would also provide air and water filtration, flood control, soil health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience benefits.This study was made possible by funding from the Doris Duke Charitable
Foundation. C.A.W. and H.G. acknowledge financial support from NASAâs Carbon Monitoring
System program (NNH14ZDA001N-CMS) under award NNX14AR39G. S.D.B. acknowledges
support from the DOEâs Office of Biological and Environmental Research Program under the
award DE-SC0014416. J.W.F. acknowledges financial support from the Florida Coastal
Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under National Science Foundation grant
no. DEB-1237517
Two Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates Obtained From a Fatal Necrotizing Fasciitis Infection Display Distinct Genomic and Phenotypic Characteristics in Comparison to Type Strains
Acinetobacter baumannii has been recognized as a critical pathogen that causes severe infections worldwide not only because of the emergence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) derivatives, but also because of its ability to persist in medical environments and colonize compromised patients. While there are numerous reports describing the mechanisms by which this pathogen acquires resistance genes, little is known regarding A. baumannii's virulence functions associated with rare manifestations of infection such as necrotizing fasciitis, making the determination and implementation of alternative therapeutic targets problematic. To address this knowledge gap, this report describes the analysis of the NFAb-1 and NFAb-2 XDR isolates, which were obtained at two time points during a fatal case of necrotizing fasciitis, at the genomic and functional levels. The comparative genomic analysis of these isolates with the ATCC 19606T and ATCC 17978 strains showed that the NFAb-1 and NFAb-2 isolates are genetically different from each other as well as different from the ATCC 19606T and ATCC 17978 clinical isolates. These genomic differences could be reflected in phenotypic differences observed in these NFAb isolates. Biofilm, cell viability and flow cytometry assays indicate that all tested strains caused significant decreases in A549 human alveolar epithelial cell viability with ATCC 17978, NFAb-1 and NFAb-2 producing significantly less biofilm and significantly more hemolysis and capacity for intracellular invasion than ATCC 19606T. NFAb-1 and NFAb-2 also demonstrated negligible surface motility but significant twitching motility compared to ATCC 19606T and ATCC 17978, likely due to the presence of pili exceeding 2 ”m in length, which are significantly longer and different from those previously described in the ATCC 19606T and ATCC 17978 strains. Interestingly, infection with cells of the NFAb-1 isolate, which were obtained from a premortem blood sample, lead to significantly higher mortality rates than NFAb-2 bacteria, which were obtained from postmortem tissue samples, when tested using the Galleria mellonella in vivo infection model. These observations suggest potential changes in the virulence phenotype of the A. baumannii necrotizing fasciitis isolates over the course of infection by mechanisms and cell processes that remain to be identified
EarthFinder Probe Mission Concept Study: Characterizing nearby stellar exoplanet systems with Earth-mass analogs for future direct imaging
EarthFinder is a NASA Astrophysics Probe mission concept selected for study
as input to the 2020 Astrophysics National Academies Decadal Survey. The
EarthFinder concept is based on a dramatic shift in our understanding of how
PRV measurements should be made. We propose a new paradigm which brings the
high precision, high cadence domain of transit photometry as demonstrated by
Kepler and TESS to the challenges of PRV measurements at the cm/s level. This
new paradigm takes advantage of: 1) broad wavelength coverage from the UV to
NIR which is only possible from space to minimize the effects of stellar
activity; 2) extremely compact, highly stable, highly efficient spectrometers
(R>150,000) which require the diffraction-limited imaging possible only from
space over a broad wavelength range; 3) the revolution in laser-based
wavelength standards to ensure cm/s precision over many years; 4) a high
cadence observing program which minimizes sampling-induced period aliases; 5)
exploiting the absolute flux stability from space for continuum normalization
for unprecedented line-by-line analysis not possible from the ground; and 6)
focusing on the bright stars which will be the targets of future imaging
missions so that EarthFinder can use a ~1.5 m telescope.Comment: NASA Probe Mission concept white paper for 2020 Astrophysics National
Academies Decadal Surve
EarthFinder Probe Mission Concept Study: Characterizing nearby stellar exoplanet systems with Earth-mass analogs for future direct imaging
EarthFinder is a NASA Astrophysics Probe mission concept selected for study as input to the 2020 Astrophysics National Academies Decadal Survey. The EarthFinder concept is based on a dramatic shift in our understanding of how PRV measurements should be made. We propose a new paradigm which brings the high precision, high cadence domain of transit photometry as demonstrated by Kepler and TESS to the challenges of PRV measurements at the cm/s level. This new paradigm takes advantage of: 1) broad wavelength coverage from the UV to NIR which is only possible from space to minimize the effects of stellar activity; 2) extremely compact, highly stable, highly efficient spectrometers (R>150,000) which require the diffraction-limited imaging possible only from space over a broad wavelength range; 3) the revolution in laser-based wavelength standards to ensure cm/s precision over many years; 4) a high cadence observing program which minimizes sampling-induced period aliases; 5) exploiting the absolute flux stability from space for continuum normalization for unprecedented line-by-line analysis not possible from the ground; and 6) focusing on the bright stars which will be the targets of future imaging missions so that EarthFinder can use a ~1.5 m telescope
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