Adjuvant Immunotherapy Is Dependent on Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

Rodents immunized with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) are resistant to subsequent attempts to induce autoimmune disease, while animals immunized with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) remain susceptible. Mycobacterial extracts can stimulate inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) gene transcription. Robust expression of NOS2 has been linked to suppression of T cell proliferation and alterations in immune responses. Our studies investigated the hypothesis that the immunoprotective effect of CFA before immunization requires functional NOS2. NOS2 gene expression is chronically elevated in lymph nodes and spleens of CFA-immunized mice. Maximal expression of NOS2 after CFA immunization requires the presence of functional type I tumor necrosis factor α receptor (TNFR1) and interferon γ. Groups of nontreated and CFA-preimmunized male C57BL/6J or C57BL/6NOS2−/− mice were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide 35–55 in CFA to induce experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were protected from the development of symptoms of EAE, while the NOS2−/− mice failed to be protected. NOS2-dependent effects of CFA included an augmentation of the MOG-specific IgG1 response, a decrease in interleukin 6 production by MOG-reactive lymphocytes, and a marked decrease in mononuclear cell infiltrates in the central nervous system. These studies support the hypothesis that CFA immunization modulates immune responses through a nitric oxide–dependent mechanism

Variation in Mating Dynamics across Five Species of Leiobunine Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opliones)

The study of mating choices often focuses on correlates of traits to the overall outcome of a mating interaction. However, mating interactions can proceed through a series of stages, with opportunities for assessment at each stage. We compared whether male or female size predicted mating interaction outcome across several stages of mating in five species of North American leiobunine harvestmen (commonly known as daddy longlegs). Leiobunine harvestmen have been previously shown to exhibit incredible morphological diversity consistent with a spectrum of male–female antagonism. Across all of the species, we found a general progression of female size predicting the outcome (success and timing) of early stages of interactions, and male size or male size relative to female size predicting the outcome and timing of later stages of interactions. We also found that size was not a strong predictor of outcome in the two species on the lower end of the antagonism spectrum. The variation in how female and male size predicted outcomes across species and stages of mating suggests that multiple mechanisms may operate to shape mating dynamics within and across species. Given the close relatedness of the species studied, the patterns we uncovered suggest a rapid evolution of the traits and processes predicting the outcome of mating interactions

Constructing a Man-Made Oyster Reef in the Little Hellgate Salt Marsh, Randall\u27s Island, New York: A Project Overview

Atlantic oyster beds provide instrumental estuarine infrastructure, shaping waterways and mediating the impacts of storm surge. In addition, the reefs provide habitat for numerous species. The oysters themselves are expert filter feeders, remediating poor water quality at little cost to the organism. As the free-swimming oyster larvae (spat) only settle on the shells of their forbears, the reefs are essential in perpetuation of the species, as well as for the continuation of such invaluable ecosystem services. Oyster reefs of the New York City waterway system have long been subject to environmental degradation, from water pollution and sedimentation to dredging. Randall’s Island Park Alliance’s Natural Areas crew received a donation of six hundred oysters from the New York Harbor School to conduct a test for the viability of a manmade oyster garden in 2014. Three hundred oysters were placed in each cage, which were then established in different parts of Randall’s Island Park’s Harlem River shoreline. One was hung by the 103rd Street footbridge seawall and the other was placed on the seawall by the Little Hellgate Salt Marsh inlet. The cages were monitored monthly for oyster growth and mortality rate, and water quality was tested as well. After a year of monitoring, it was determined that the Little Hellgate Salt Marsh was the ideal site for a man-made oyster reef—oysters had shown significantly more growth and a lower mortality rate than those in the cage at the 103rd St. Bridge, most likely due to the protective shape of the salt marsh inlet. The cages that will serve as the reef framework were constructed in the spring of this year and await the placement of oyster shells, which are being treated and sterilized (completion is projected to be late fall 2015). Future monitoring of oyster colonization and growth are expected, with the aim that water quality will measurably improve

Model Simulations of a Shock-Cloud Interaction in the Cygnus Loop

We present optical observations and 2D hydrodynamic modeling of an isolated shocked ISM cloud. H$\alpha$ images taken in 1992.6 and 2003.7 of a small optical emission cloud along the southwestern limb of the Cygnus Loop were used to measure positional displacements of $\sim$ 0 \farcs 1 yr$^{-1}$ for surrounding Balmer dominated emission filaments and 0\farcs025 - \farcs055 yr$^{-1}$ for internal cloud emission features. These measurements imply transverse velocities of $\simeq$ 250 km s$^{-1}$ and $\simeq$ 80 -- 140 km s$^{-1}$ for ambient ISM and internal cloud shocks respectively. The complex shock structure visible within the cloud indicates that the cloud's internal density distribution is two phased: a smoothly varying background density which is populated by higher density clumps. We present model results for a shock interacting with a non-uniform ISM cloud. We find that this cloud can be well modeled by a smoothly varying power law core surrounded by a low density envelope with a Lorentzian profile. The lack of sharp density gradients in such a model inhibits the growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, consistent with the cloud's appearance. Our model results also suggest that cloud clumps have densities $\sim$ 10 times the ambient ISM density and account for $\sim$ 30% of the total cloud volume. Moreover, the observed spacing of internal cloud shocks and model simulations indicate that the distance between clumps is $\sim$ 4 clump radii.Comment: To be published in Ap

Trauma Team Activation for Geriatric Trauma at a Level II Trauma Center: Are the Elderly Under-triaged?

Abstract Geriatric patients often sustain life-threatening injuries from minor trauma. A growing body of research suggests that these patients are often under-triaged in the emergency setting.The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether or not geriatric trauma patients are under-triaged at a community based level II trauma center. 1434 trauma patients over the age of 65 presenting from 2010-2015 were retrospectively reviewed from the Cabell Huntington Hospital trauma registry and analyzed for age, gender, arrival type, ED response, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), injury cause, ICD-9 diagnosis codes, and mortality. Under-triage and over-triage rates were determined using the Cribari method (under-triage = ISS ≥ 16 without full trauma team activation [TTA]; Over-triage = ISS ≤ 15 with full TTA). The under-triage rate was 9.5% (132/1393) with the majority of under-triaged patients having head trauma (n=423). There were 371 head trauma patients with a recorded GCS and analysis shows those with a GCS ≥ 13 had a 1.2% mortality risk (n=326; ISS 10.2), but that risk drastically increases to 60% with GSC ≤ 12 (n=45; ISS 21.5). Of the 45 patients with GSC ≤ 12, only 4% had priority 1 TTA using the current protocol (2/45). The American College of Surgeons-Committee of Trauma (ACS-COT) recommends an acceptable under-triage rate of \u3c 5%. In order to improve geriatric care and reduce under-triage rates, we recommend that an age-based criteria be added to our TTA protocol at our community based Level II trauma center: priority 1 TTA for all patients 65 years or older sustaining head trauma with a GCS ≤ 12 or suspicion of intracranial hemorrhage

Cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia: An expert group paper on the current state of the art.

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia represents one of the main obstacles to clinical and functional recovery. This expert group paper brings together experts in schizophrenia treatment to discuss scientific progress in the domain of cognitive impairment to address cognitive impairments and their consequences in the most effective way. We report on the onset and course of cognitive deficits, linking them to the alterations in brain function and structure in schizophrenia and discussing their role in predicting the transition to psychosis in people at risk. We then address the assessment tools with reference to functioning and social cognition, examining the role of subjective measures and addressing new methods for measuring functional outcomes including technology based approaches. Finally, we briefly review treatment options for cognitive deficits, focusing on cognitive remediation programs, highlighting their effects on brain activity and conclude with the potential benefit of individualized integrated interventions combing cognitive remediation with other approaches

Laboratory Measurements of Iron L-Shell Emission: 3→2 Transitions of Fe XXI-XXIV between 10.5 and 12.5 Å

Using the electron beam ion trap EBIT-II facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, we have measured the iron L-shell spectrum between 10.5 and 12.5 Å for Fe XXI-XXIV with a spectral resolution of ~30 mÅ. The relative line intensities of strong 3 → 2 transitions for each charge state are measured as functions of electron energy and compared to distorted wave (DW) calculations. The contributions of resonant processes, namely, resonant excitation (RE) and spectroscopically unresolved dielectronic recombination (DR) satellites, are investigated. The RE contributions are shown to be less than the experimental and theoretical uncertainties for plasma in collisional ionization equilibrium. The unresolved DR satellites, however, enhance the emissivities of almost all lines, some by as large as 15%, consistent with our earlier measurements for Fe XXIV. The DW results agree with our measurements to better than 20% under the condition of collisional ionization equilibrium. The line emissivities in the widely used spectral synthesis model, MEKAL, are also compared to our measurements and are found to be discrepant at a greater than 20% level for some lines

Simulating a Maxwellian plasma using an electron beam ion trap

We describe a technique for producing a Maxwell–Boltzmann electron energy distribution using an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). The technique was implemented on the Lawrence Livermore EBIT to simulate Maxwellian plasmas. We discuss technical and experimental issues related to these simulations. To verify the fidelity of the quasi-Maxwellian, we have measured line emission due to dielectronic recombination (DR) and electron impact excitation (EIE) of heliumlike neon, magnesium, and argon for a range of simulated electron temperatures. The ratio of DR to EIE lines in heliumlike ions is a well understood electron temperature diagnostic. The spectroscopically inferred quasi-Maxwellian temperatures are in excellent agreement with the simulated temperatures