Interferon gamma regulates platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 expression and neutrophil infiltration into herpes simplex virus-infected mouse corneas.

In a mouse model of herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 corneal infection, tissue destruction results from a CD4+ T cell-mediated chronic inflammation, in which interleukin 2 and interferon (IFN) gamma are requisite inflammatory mediators and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) are the predominant infiltrating cells. In vivo neutralization of IFN-gamma relieved inflammation at least in part through a specific block of PMN extravasation into HSV-1-infected corneas. Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1 and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) 1 were upregulated on the vascular endothelium of inflamed corneas. Reduced PMN extravasation in anti-IFN-gamma-treated mice was associated with a dramatic reduction of PECAM-1 but not ICAM-1 expression on vascular endothelium. PMN accumulated in the lumen of corneal vessels after in vivo IFN-gamma neutralization. PECAM-1 was readily detectable on PMN inside the vessels but was not detectable on PMN that extravasated into the infected cornea. Moreover, flow cytometric analysis revealed reduced PECAM-1 expression but elevated major histocompatibility complex class I expression on PMN that recently extravasated into the peritoneal cavity when compared with PMN in the peripheral blood. We conclude that IFN-gamma contributes to HSV-1-induced corneal inflammation by facilitating PMN infiltration; this appears to be accomplished through upregulation of PECAM-1 expression on the vascular endothelium; and PMN downregulate PECAM-1 expression during the process of extravasation

Patrones de distribución de los bosques subtropicales perennifolios de hoja ancha del suroeste de China en comparación con aquellos de las regiones subtropicales del este de China

This paper analyzes the geographic distribution patterns of the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests of southwestern China, and compares with other subtropical regions in the east of China in terms of forest types, pertinent species, and spatial distribution along latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal gradients. In general, for both the western and the eastern subtropical regions, the evergreen broad-leaved forests are dominated by species of Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae), Machilus, Cinnamomum (Lauraceae), Schima (Theaceae), Manglietia, and Michelia, (Magnoliaceae), while in southwestern China there are more diverse forest types including semi-humid, monsoon, mid-montane moist and humid evergreen broad-leaved forests, but only monsoon and humid forests in the east. The Yunnan area has more varied species of Lithocarpus or Cyclobalanopsis or Castanopsis as dominants than does eastern China, where the chief dominant genus is Castanopsis. The upper limits of the evergreen broad-leaved forests are mainly 2400–2800 m in western Yunnan and western Sichuan, much higher than in eastern China (600–1500, but 2500 m in Taiwan). Also discussed are the environmental effects on plant diversity of the evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystems exemplified by Yunnan and Taiwan.En este trabajo se analiza los patrones de distribución geográfica de los bosques subtropicales perennifolios de hoja ancha del suroeste de china, y se comparan con los de otras regiones subtropicales del este de China en términos de tipología de bosque, especies relevantes, y distribución espacial a lo largo de un gradiente latitudinal, longitudinal y altitudinal. De manera general, los bosques perennifolios de hoja ancha de la regiones subtropicales tanto orientales como occidentales presentan dominancia de especies de Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, Cyclobalanopsis (Fagaceae), Machilus, Cinnamomum (Lauraceae), Schima (Theaceae), Manglietia y Michelia (Magnoliaceae); sin embargo, mientras que en el suroeste de China hay más diversidad de tipos de bosques perennifolios de hoja ancha —húmedos, semi-húmedos, monzónicos y montanos húmedos—, en el este del país la variedad de tipos se limita a dos: monzónicos y húmedos. El área de Yunnan tiene una mayor variedad de especies dominantes de los géneros Lithocarpus, Cyclobalanopsis y Castanopsis, mientras que en este de China el género dominante es casi invariablemente Castanopsis. El límite altitudinal superior de los bosques perennifolios de hoja ancha se sitúa en 2400-2800 m para el oeste de las provincias de Yunnan y Sichuan, muy superior a lo que sucede en el este del país (entre 600 y 1500 m, aunque para Taiwan el límite alcanza los 2500 m). En último lugar se discuten los efectos medioambientales sobre la diversidad de especies vegetales de los bosques perennes de hoja ancha, y se proporcionan ejemplos de Yunnan y Taiwan

Supernova Blastwaves in Low-density Hot Media: a Mechanism for Spatially Distributed Heating

Most supernovae are expected to explode in low-density hot media, particularly in galactic bulges and elliptical galaxies. The remnants of such supernovae, though difficult to detect individually, can be profoundly important in heating the media on large scales. We characterize the evolution of this kind of supernova remnants, based on analytical approximations and hydrodynamic simulations. We generalize the standard Sedov solution to account for both temperature and density effects of the ambient media. Although cooling can be neglected, the expansion of such a remnant deviates quickly from the standard Sedov solution and asymptotically approaches the ambient sound speed as the swept-up thermal energy becomes important. The relatively steady and fast expansion of the remnants over large volumes provides an ideal mechanism for spatially distributed heating, which may help to alleviate the over-cooling problem of hot gas in groups and clusters of galaxies as well as in galaxies themselves. The simulations were performed with the FLASH code.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for ApJ, uses aaste

A long-lived spin-orbit-coupled degenerate dipolar Fermi gas

We describe the creation of a long-lived spin-orbit-coupled gas of quantum degenerate atoms using the most magnetic fermionic element, dysprosium. Spin-orbit-coupling arises from a synthetic gauge field created by the adiabatic following of degenerate dressed states comprised of optically coupled components of an atomic spin. Because of dysprosium's large electronic orbital angular momentum and large magnetic moment, the lifetime of the gas is limited not by spontaneous emission from the light-matter coupling, as for gases of alkali-metal atoms, but by dipolar relaxation of the spin. This relaxation is suppressed at large magnetic fields due to Fermi statistics. We observe lifetimes up to 400 ms, which exceeds that of spin-orbit-coupled fermionic alkali atoms by a factor of 10-100, and is close to the value obtained from a theoretical model. Elastic dipolar interactions are also observed to influence the Rabi evolution of the spin, revealing an interacting fermionic system. The long lifetime of this weakly interacting spin-orbit-coupled degenerate Fermi gas will facilitate the study of quantum many-body phenomena manifest at longer timescales, with exciting implications for the exploration of exotic topological quantum liquids.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, one appendi