Identification of differential pharyngeal cytokine profiles during HIV infection

Poster Presentation: no. P90BACKGROUND: Significantly higher pharyngeal shedding of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is observed during HIV infection. Increased EBV shedding in pharynx is not affected even during highly active antiretroviral theyrapy (HAART). EBV positive monocyte populations have been shown to carry EBV to pharyngeal mucosa. Human cytokine profiles are often altered to facilitate herpes virus infection. Thus pharyngeal cytokine profiles may influence EBV reactivation and shedding during HIV infection. Our objective was to compare 37 pharyngeal cytokine profiles of HIV-seropositive patients who were or were not receiving HAART therapy …published_or_final_versio

Pistons modeled by potentials

In this article we consider a piston modelled by a potential in the presence of extra dimensions. We analyze the functional determinant and the Casimir effect for this configuration. In order to compute the determinant and Casimir force we employ the zeta function scheme. Essentially, the computation reduces to the analysis of the zeta function associated with a scalar field living on an interval $[0,L]$ in a background potential. Although, as a model for a piston, it seems reasonable to assume a potential having compact support within $[0,L]$, we provide a formalism that can be applied to any sufficiently smooth potential.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX. A typo in eq. (3.5) has been corrected. In "Cosmology, Quantum Vacuum and Zeta Functions: In Honour of Emilio Elizalde", Eds. S.D. Odintsov, D. Saez-Gomez, and S. Xambo-Descamps. (Springer 2011) pp 31

Coupled ocean-atmosphere modeling and predictions

Key aspects of the current state of the ability of global and regional climate models to represent dynamical processes and precipitation variations are summarized. Interannual, decadal, and globalwarming timescales, wherein the influence of the oceans is relevant and the potential for predictability is highest, are emphasized. Oceanic influences on climate occur throughout the ocean and extend over land to affect many types of climate variations, including monsoons, the El Niño Southern Oscillation, decadal oscillations, and the response to greenhouse gas emissions. The fundamental ideas of coupling between the ocean-atmosphere-land system are explained for these modes in both global and regional contexts. Global coupled climate models are needed to represent and understand the complicated processes involved and allow us to make predictions over land and sea. Regional coupled climate models are needed to enhance our interpretation of the fine-scale response. The mechanisms by which large-scale, low-frequency variations can influence shorter timescale variations and drive regionalscale effects are also discussed. In this light of these processes, the prospects for practical climate predictability are also presented.AJMwas supported by theNSFEarth System Modeling Program (OCE1419306) and the NOAA Climate Variability and Prediction Program (NA14OAR4310276). HS thanks the Office of Naval Research for support under N00014-15-1-2588. LPP was supported by “Advanced Studies in Medium and High Latitudes Oceanography” (CAPES 23038.004304/2014-28) and “National Institute of Science andTechnology of the Cryosphere” (CNPq/PROANTAR704222/2009). VM was supported by NOAA grant NA12OAR4310078. TGJ was supported by the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory 6.2 project “Fresh Water Balance in the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere System” (BE-435-040-62435N-6777) YHT was supported by the MOST grant 106-2111-M-002-001, Taiwan

Gad65 is recognized by t-cells, but not by antibodies from nod-mice

Since the 64kDa-protein glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is one of the major autoantigens in T-cell mediated Type 1 diabetes, its relevance as a T-cell antigen needs to be clarified. After isolation of splenic T-cells from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a useful model for human Type 1 diabetes, we found that these T-cells proliferate spontaneously when incubated with human GAD65, but only marginally after incubation with GAD67, both recombinated in the baculovirus system. No effect was observed with non-diabetic NOD mice or with T-cells from H-2 identical NON-NOD-H-2g7 control mice. It has been published previously that NOD mice develop autoantibodies against a 64kDa protein detected with mouse beta cells. In immunoprecipitation experiments with sera from the same NOD mice and 33S-methionine-labelled GAD, no autoantibody binding could be detected. We conclude firstly that GAD65 is an important T-cell antigen which is relevant early in the development of Type 1 diabetes and secondly that there is an antigenic epitope in the human GAD65 molecule recognized by NOD T-cells, but not by NOD autoantibodies precipitating conformational epitopes. Our results therefore provide further evidence that GAD65 is a T-cell antigen in NOD mice, being possibly also involved in very early processes leading to the development of human Type 1 diabetes

Multicompartment and cross-species monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern in an estuarine habitat

Supplementary data to this article can be found online athttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116300.Biotechnologyand Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) iNVERTOX proj-ect (Reference BB/P005187/1); Universityof Essex

Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases

There is increasing evidence that high consumption of fruit and vegetables is beneficial for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention

Mapping species distributions: A comparison of skilled naturalist and lay citizen science recording

To assess the ability of traditional biological recording schemes and lay citizen science approaches to gather data on species distributions and changes therein, we examined bumblebee records from the UK’s national repository (National Biodiversity Network) and from BeeWatch. The two recording approaches revealed similar relative abundances of bumblebee species but different geographical distributions. For the widespread common carder (Bombus pascuorum), traditional recording scheme data were patchy, both spatially and temporally, reflecting active record centre rather than species distribution. Lay citizen science records displayed more extensive geographic coverage, reflecting human population density, thus offering better opportunities to account for recording effort. For the rapidly spreading tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), both recording approaches revealed similar distributions due to a dedicated mapping project which overcame the patchy nature of naturalist records. We recommend, where possible, complementing skilled naturalist recording with lay citizen science programmes to obtain a nation-wide capability, and stress the need for timely uploading of data to the national repository

I-TRAP: A method to identify transcriptional regulator activated promoters

BACKGROUND: The differential expression of virulence genes is often used by microbial pathogens in adapting to the environment of their host. The differential expression of such sets of genes can be regulated by RNA polymerase sigma factors. Some sigma factors are differentially expressed, which can provide a means to identifying other differentially expressed genes such as those whose expression are controlled by the sigma factor. METHODS: To identify sigma factor-regulated genes, we developed a method, termed I-TRAP, for the identification of transcriptional regulator activated promoters. The I-TRAP method is based on the fact that some genes will be differentially expressed in the presence and absence of a transcriptional regulator. I-TRAP uses a DNA library in a promoter-trap vector that contains two reporter genes, one to allow the selection of active promoters in the presence of the transcriptional regulator and a second to allow screening for promoter activity in the absence of the transcriptional regulator. RESULTS: To illustrate the development and use of the I-TRAP approach, the construction of the vectors, host strains, and library necessary to identify SigmaE-regulated genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is described. CONCLUSION: The I-TRAP method should be a versatile and useful method for identifying and characterizing promoter activity under a variety of conditions and in response to various regulatory proteins. In our study, we isolated 360 clones that may contain plasmids carrying SigmaE-regulated promoters genes of M. tuberculosis

Damage control operations in non-trauma patients: Defining criteria for the staged rapid source control laparotomy in emergency general surgery

Background: The staged laparotomy in the operative management of emergency general surgery (EGS) patients is an extension of trauma surgeons operating on this population. Indications for its application, however, are not well defined, and are currently based on the lethal triad used in physiologically-decompensated trauma patients. This study sought to determine the acute indications for the staged, rapid source control laparotomy (RSCL) in EGS patients. Methods: All EGS patients undergoing emergent staged RSCL and non-RSCL over 3years were studied. Demographics, physiologic parameters, perioperative variables, outcomes, and survival were compared. Logistic regression models determined the influence of physiologic parameters on mortality and postoperative complications. EGS-RSCL indications were defined. Results: 215 EGS patients underwent emergent laparotomy; 53 (25%) were staged RSCL. In the 53 patients who underwent a staged RSCL based on the lethal triad, adjusted multivariable regression analysis shows that when used alone, no component of the lethal triad independently improved survival. Staged RSCL may decrease mortality in patients with preoperative severe sepsis / septic shock, and an elevated lactate (≥3); acidosis (pH ≤ 7.25); elderly (≥70); male gender; and multiple comorbidities (≥3). Of the 162 non-RSCL emergent laparotomies, 27 (17%) required unplanned re-explorations; of these, 17 (63%) had sepsis preoperatively and 9 (33%) died. Conclusions: The acute physiologic indicators that help guide operative decisions in trauma may not confer a similar survival advantage in EGS. To replace the lethal triad, criteria for application of the staged RSCL in EGS need to be defined. Based on these results, the indications should include severe sepsis / septic shock, lactate, acidosis, gender, age, and pre-existing comorbidities. When correctly applied, the staged RSCL may help to improve survival in decompensated EGS patients