Can Geographical Factors Determine the Choices of Farmers in the Ethiopian Highlands to Trade in Livestock Markets?

Proximity and affiliation to the local market appear to be two of the most relevant factors to explain farmer's choices to select a particular trading point. Physical barriers may limit the options , especially in developing countries. A network of villages linked by traders/farmer-traders sharing livestock markets was built with field data collected in 75 villages from 8 kebelles in the Wassona Werna wereda of the Ethiopian Highlands. Two exponential random graph models were fitted with various geographical and demographic attributes of the nodes (dyadic independent model) and three internal network structures (dyadic dependent model). Several diagnostic methods were applied to assess the goodness of fit of the models. The odds of an edge where the distance to the main market Debre Behran and the difference in altitude between two connected villages are both large increases significantly so that villages far away from the main market and at different altitude are more likely to be linked in the network than randomly. The odds of forming an edge between two villages in Abamote or Gudoberet kebelles are approximately 75% lower than an edge between villages in any other kebelles (p<0.05). The conditional log-odds of two villages forming a tie that is not included in a triangle, a 2-star or a 3-star is extremely low, increasing the odds significantly (p<0.05) each time a node is in a 2-star structure and decreasing it when a node is in a 3-star (p<0.05) or in a triangle formation (p<0.05)), conditional on the rest of the network. Two major constraining factors, namely distance and altitude, are not deterrent for the potential contact of susceptible small ruminant populations in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Unique reporter-based sensor platforms to monitor signalling in cells

Introduction: In recent years much progress has been made in the development of tools for systems biology to study the levels of mRNA and protein, and their interactions within cells. However, few multiplexed methodologies are available to study cell signalling directly at the transcription factor level. &lt;p/&gt;Methods: Here we describe a sensitive, plasmid-based RNA reporter methodology to study transcription factor activation in mammalian cells, and apply this technology to profiling 60 transcription factors in parallel. The methodology uses two robust and easily accessible detection platforms; quantitative real-time PCR for quantitative analysis and DNA microarrays for parallel, higher throughput analysis. &lt;p/&gt;Findings: We test the specificity of the detection platforms with ten inducers and independently validate the transcription factor activation. &lt;p/&gt;Conclusions: We report a methodology for the multiplexed study of transcription factor activation in mammalian cells that is direct and not theoretically limited by the number of available reporters

Intermediate predator naïveté and sex-skewed vulnerability predict the impact of an invasive higher predator

The spread of invasive species continues to reduce biodiversity across all regions and habitat types globally. However, invader impact prediction can be nebulous, and approaches often fail to integrate coupled direct and indirect invader effects. Here, we examine the ecological impacts of an invasive higher predator on lower trophic groups, further developing methodologies to more holistically quantify invader impact. We employ functional response (FR, resource use under different densities) and prey switching experiments to examine the trait- and density-mediated impacts of the invasive mosquitofish Gambusia affinis on an endemic intermediate predator Lovenula raynerae (Copepoda). Lovenula raynerae effectively consumed larval mosquitoes, but was naïve to mosquitofish cues, with attack rates and handling times of the intermediate predator unaffected by mosquitofish cue-treated water. Mosquitofish did not switch between male and female prey, consistently displaying a strong preference for female copepods. We thus demonstrate a lack of risk-reduction activity in the presence of invasive fish by L. raynerae and, in turn, high susceptibility of such intermediate trophic groups to invader impact. Further, we show that mosquitofish demonstrate sex-skewed predator selectivity towards intermediate predators of mosquito larvae, which may affect predator population demographics and, perversely, increase disease vector proliferations. We advocate the utility of FRs and prey switching combined to holistically quantify invasive species impact potential on native organisms at multiple trophic levels

CMR Assessment of endothelial damage and angiogenesis in porcine coronary arteries using gadofosveset

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endothelial damage and angiogenesis are essential for atherosclerotic plaque development and destabilization. We sought to examine whether contrast enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) using gadofosveset could show endothelial damage and neovessel formation in balloon injured porcine coronary arteries.</p> <p>Methods and Results</p> <p>Data were obtained from seven pigs that all underwent balloon injury of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) to induce endothelial damage and angiogenesis. Between one - 12 days (average four) after balloon injury, in vivo and ex vivo T1-weighted coronary CMR was performed after intravenous injection of gadofosveset. Post contrast, CMR showed contrast enhancement of the coronary arteries with a selective and time-dependent average expansion of the injured LAD segment area of 45% (p = 0.04; CI₉₅= [15%-75%]), indicating local extravasation of gadofosveset. Vascular and perivascular extravasation of albumin (marker of endothelial leakiness) and gadofosveset was demonstrated with agreement between Evans blue staining and ex vivo CMR contrast enhancement (p = 0.026). Coronary MRI contrast enhancement and local microvessel density determined by microscopic examination correlated (ρ = 0.82, p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Contrast enhanced coronary CMR with gadofosveset can detect experimentally induced endothelial damage and angiogenesis in the porcine coronary artery wall.</p

Poor glycaemic control is associated with reduced exercise performance and oxygen economy during cardio-pulmonary exercise testing in people with type 1 diabetes

BackgroundTo explore the impact of glycaemic control (HbA1c) on functional capacity during cardio-pulmonary exercise testing in people with type 1 diabetes.MethodsSixty-four individuals with type 1 diabetes (age: 34 ± 8 years; 13 females, HbA1c: 7.8 ± 1% (62 ± 13 mmol/mol), duration of diabetes: 17 ± 9 years) performed a cardio-pulmonary cycle ergometer exercise test until volitional exhaustion. Stepwise linear regression was used to explore relationships between HbA1c and cardio-respiratory data with p ≤ 0.05. Furthermore, participants were divided into quartiles based on HbA1c levels and cardio-respiratory data were analysed by one-way ANOVA. Multiple regression analysis was performed to explore the relationships between changes in time to exhaustion and cardio-respiratory data. Data were adjusted for confounder.ResultsHbA1c was related to time to exhaustion and oxygen consumption at the power output elicited at the sub-maximal threshold of the heart rate turn point (r = 0.47, R2 = 0.22, p = 0.03). Significant differences were found at time to exhaustion between QI vs. QIV and at oxygen consumption at the power output elicited at the heart rate turn point between QI vs. QII and QI vs. QIV (p < 0.05). Changes in oxygen uptake, power output and in oxygen consumption at the power output elicited at the heart rate turn point and at maximum power output explained 55% of the variance in time to exhaustion (r = 0.74, R2 = 0.55, p < 0.01).ConclusionsPoor glycaemic control is related to less economical use of oxygen at sub-maximal work rates and an earlier time to exhaustion during cardio-pulmonary exercise testing. However, exercise training could have the same potential to counteract the influence of poor glycaemic control on functional capacity

Differential Disclosure Across Social Network Ties Among Women Living with HIV

Women’s disclosure of their HIV serostatus across social network ties was examined in a sample of women living in Los Angeles (n = 234), using multivariate random intercept logistic regressions. Women with disclosure-averse attitudes were less likely to disclose, while women with higher CD4+ counts were significantly more likely to disclose, regardless of relationship type. Relative to all other types of relationships, spouses/romantic partners were greater than four times more likely to be the targets of disclosure. Women were more than 2.5 times more likely to disclose to a given network member if that target provided the woman with social support. Social network members whom women believed to be HIV-positive were more than 10 times more likely to be the targets of disclosure. The implications for how social roles and social identities are manifest in these results are discussed, including the implications such an interpretation has for future prevention research

Age-Related Comparisons of Evolution of the Inflammatory Response After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Rats

In the hours to days after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), there is an inflammatory response within the brain characterized by the infiltration of peripheral neutrophils and macrophages and the activation of brain-resident microglia and astrocytes. Despite the strong correlation of aging and ICH incidence, and increasing information about cellular responses, little is known about the temporal- and age-related molecular responses of the brain after ICH. Here, we monitored a panel of 27 genes at 6 h and 1, 3, and 7 days after ICH was induced by injecting collagenase into the striatum of young adult and aged rats. Several molecules (CR3, TLR2, TLR4, IL-1β, TNFα, iNOS, IL-6) were selected to reflect the classical activation of innate immune cells (macrophages, microglia) and the potential to exacerbate inflammation and damage brain cells. Most of the others are associated with the resolution of innate inflammation, alternative pathways of macrophage/microglial activation, and the repair phase after acute injury (TGFβ, IL-1ra, IL-1r2, IL-4, IL-13, IL-4Rα, IL-13Rα1, IL-13Rα2, MRC1, ARG1, CD163, CCL22). In young animals, the up-regulation of 26 in 27 genes (not IL-4) was detected within the first week. Differences in timing or levels between young and aged animals were detected for 18 of 27 genes examined (TLR2, GFAP, IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-1r2, iNOS, IL-6, TGFβ, MMP9, MMP12, IL-13, IL-4Rα, IL-13Rα1, IL-13Rα2, MRC1, ARG1, CD163, CCL22), with a generally less pronounced or delayed inflammatory response in the aged animals. Importantly, within this complex response to experimental ICH, the induction of pro-inflammatory, potentially harmful mediators often coincided with resolving and beneficial molecules

Systematic identification of conserved motif modules in the human genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The identification of motif modules, groups of multiple motifs frequently occurring in DNA sequences, is one of the most important tasks necessary for annotating the human genome. Current approaches to identifying motif modules are often restricted to searches within promoter regions or rely on multiple genome alignments. However, the promoter regions only account for a limited number of locations where transcription factor binding sites can occur, and multiple genome alignments often cannot align binding sites with their true counterparts because of the short and degenerative nature of these transcription factor binding sites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To identify motif modules systematically, we developed a computational method for the entire non-coding regions around human genes that does not rely upon the use of multiple genome alignments. First, we selected orthologous DNA blocks approximately 1-kilobase in length based on discontiguous sequence similarity. Next, we scanned the conserved segments in these blocks using known motifs in the TRANSFAC database. Finally, a frequent pattern mining technique was applied to identify motif modules within these blocks. In total, with a false discovery rate cutoff of 0.05, we predicted 3,161,839 motif modules, 90.8% of which are supported by various forms of functional evidence. Compared with experimental data from 14 ChIP-seq experiments, on average, our methods predicted 69.6% of the ChIP-seq peaks with TFBSs of multiple TFs. Our findings also show that many motif modules have distance preference and order preference among the motifs, which further supports the functionality of these predictions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our work provides a large-scale prediction of motif modules in mammals, which will facilitate the understanding of gene regulation in a systematic way.</p