Seminal fluid and cytokine control of regulatory T-cells in murine pregnancy.

For successful pregnancy, the maternal immune system must tolerate the presence of a fetus that expresses alloantigens. The appropriate and timely acquisition of this state of tolerance is critical and emerging evidence suggests that it needs to be present from the time the embryo implants into the uterus. Recently it has been demonstrated that a subpopulation of lymphocytes termed CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are required for immune tolerance of the fetus during pregnancy. Despite their importance the factors that control regulatory T cells during pregnancy, and in particular in the peri-implantation period, are poorly understood. Using mouse models we have assessed the role of the ejaculate and its components (sperm and seminal plasma) in coordinating Treg cells in the period prior to embryo implantation. We have also used mice with a null mutation in the interleukin 10 (IL-10) gene to assess the role of this cytokine in coordination of Treg cell populations in later pregnancy. Experiments in the peri-implantation period just prior to implantation (day 3.5 postcoitum) showed that there was a significant increase (approximately 2-fold; p<0.05) in the total number of (CD4⁺Foxp3⁺) Treg cells in the iliac lymph nodes (LNs) that drain the uterus, but not in the distal inguinal LNs. This appeared not to be the result of a selective expansion in Treg cells but due to expansion of the entire CD4⁺ cell pool, since the percent of CD4+ cells expressing Foxp3 in any of the lymphoid tissues studied did not increase in response to mating. In addition, there was a similar increase in the density of these cells in the uterus just prior to implantation at day 3.5pc (p<0.05). By using males deficient in the sperm or seminal plasma components of the ejaculate we could show that the increase in both the lymph node and uterine Treg cell populations occurred in response to seminal plasma. The role of seminal plasma in regulating expression of mRNAs encoding migratory molecules in the peri-implantation uterus, and the involvement of these genes in recruiting Treg cells following mating, was then assessed. We analysed the mRNAs for the chemokines Ccl4, Ccl5, Ccl19, Ccl22, the chemokine receptors Ccr4, Ccr5, Ccr7 and the integrin Cd103 using qRT-PCR. We showed a significant elevation in Ccl19 and Ccr5 mRNA at day 3.5pc following mating to intact males. However the increase in mRNA was independent of factors associated with seminal fluid and might instead be regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. Using IL-10 null mutant (IL-10-/-) mice it was then shown that the cytokine IL-10 is involved in controlling Treg cell numbers in mid gestation. At gestational day (gd) 9.5, in IL-10-/- mice, there was an approximate 40% elevation in the proportion of CD4⁺ cells expressing Foxp3 compared with wild‐type control mice (p<0.01). This was seen in both the iliac LNs and inguinal LNs. In addition, there was a greater than 10-fold increase (p<0.0001) in the total number of Treg cells in the uterine-draining iliac LNs of IL-10-/- mice compared to wild-type mice. This was not seen in the inguinal LNs. Experiments comparing allogeneic and syngeneic mated mice showed that the proportional changes seen in the CD4⁺ cell population was dependent on fetal alloantigens, although the elevation in total numbers still occurred in the absence of fetal alloantigens. This study begins to unravel the process by which Treg cell populations are expanded and recruited into the uterus prior to embryo implantation and later in gestation. A greater understanding of this process may aid in the diagnosis and prevention of a range of pregnancy pathologies associated with immune dysregulation, such as preeclampsia and recurrent spontaneous abortion.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 201

Gymnostoma tasmanianum sp nov., a fossil Casuarinaceae from the Early Oligocene of Little Rapid River, Tasmania, Australia

Int. J Plant Sci. 164(4):629–634. 2003. © 2003 by The University of ChicagoMacrofossils of Casuarinaceae from Early Oligocene sediments at Little Rapid River, Tasmania, are assigned to a new species, Gymnostoma tasmanianum. This is only the second species of fossil Gymnostoma to be formally described and the first species of Gymnostoma to be described from Tasmania. The species is known from both vegetative and reproductive organs. The new taxon is distinguished from other known species by its small stomata, short article length and tooth width, small length:width ratio of articles, glabrous articles, stomata in two to five rows, and teeth elongate with acute apices and sinuses. The fossil record shows that Gymnostoma once had a much wider distribution in Australia than its current occurrence in far north Queensland.Greg Guerin and Robert S. Hil

Arbitrary state controlled-unitary gate by adiabatic passage

We propose a robust scheme involving atoms fixed in an optical cavity to directly implement the universal controlled-unitary gate. The present technique based on adiabatic passage uses novel dark states well suited for the controlled-rotation operation. We show that these dark states allow the robust implementation of a gate that is a generalisation of the controlled-unitary gate to the case where the control qubit can be selected to be an arbitrary state. This gate has potential applications to the rapid implementation of quantum algorithms such as of the projective measurement algorithm. This process is decoherence-free since excited atomic states and cavity modes are not populated during the dynamics.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev.

CNOT gate by adiabatic passage with an optical cavity

We propose a scheme for the construction of a CNOT gate by adiabatic passage in an optical cavity. In opposition to a previously proposed method, the technique is not based on fractional adiabatic passage, which requires the control of the ratio of two pulse amplitudes. Moreover, the technique constitutes a decoherence-free method in the sense that spontaneous emission and cavity damping are avoided since the dynamics follows dark states.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted to EPJ

Alien Registration- Guerin, Aliette R. (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/28428/thumbnail.jp

Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer Competency-Based Education Modeling

The importance of continuing education for professionals cannot be understated. This importance is doubly true for Air Force Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers who are members of not only the profession of engineering, but also the profession of arms. Air Force senior leaders understand this importance and required an update to the existing developmental education model, with a paradigm shift toward competency-based education and credentialing. Unfortunately, the Air Force Civil Engineer career field does not currently possess the required information to create a model in compliance with the senior leader directives. This research aims at establishing the required characteristics of a competency-based education model for Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers, including: an enumerated list of competencies, a development timeline, and appropriate proficiency types for each competency. The research was guided by four research questions: 1) What are the required capabilities/competencies for Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers? 2) When should Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers achieve competence in the identified areas? 3) What are the temporal influences on the Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer’s career? 4) How would a Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer educational model incorporate Civil Engineer competencies? The methodology used to collect and analyze data was divided into four components. The first component was an Educational Working Group aimed at identifying a preliminary list of performance characteristics expected of Civil Engineer Company Grade Officers. The second component was a position analysis using position allocation data and published research to identify commonly advertised capabilities. The third component was a career field survey which operated as a stakeholder analysis. The fourth and final method was a Delphi Study, in which 18 experts were asked open ended questions to refine and validate acquired data, perform gap analysis, and ensure the model encompassed future developments for the career field. The end model was comprised of eighteen Civil Engineer Company Grade Officer competencies, development timelines, and types of proficiency for each