A julid milliped in Chilean Patagonia, and a compilation of ordinal representatives in South America and associated islands (Diplopoda: Julida)

An adventive female Julidae (Julida), discovered in a moist, grassy depression in the Peninsula de Brunswick south of Punta Arenas, Chile, and assigned to Cylindroiulus Verhoeff, 1894, is the fi rst vouchered milliped from southern Patagonia. The southernmost milliped ever collected in Chile, South America, and the Western Hemisphere, it may also constitute the southernmost in the world as the site is only ~1,176 km (735 mi) northwest of the Antarctic Peninsula. Records are consolidated of the two families, three genera, and fi ve species of this Holarctic order that are known from South America. They are documented from Argentina, Chile, and southern Peru and Brazil; three species are known from the Juan Fernandez Islands

Reviews

The following publications have been reviewed by the mentioned authors;Ideas Bank Design Technology: Designing & Making Book 1 - reviewed by Robert BowenAztecs - Your Move - reviewed by Bridget A. EganChanging Technology - reviewed by John Hill & Elizabeth WrightElectronic Circuits and Components/ The Parts Gallery - reviewed by Mark HudsonGCSE Design and Technology: Resistant Materials - reviewed by John DurrellGlobal contexts: an introduction for design and technology teachers - reviewed by Anne RiggsScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Technology - reviewed by Richard AgerScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Health - reviewed by Richard AgerScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Materials/Transport/Environment - reviewed by Robert BowenTechnology an Enterprising Approach - reviewed by Dr Ron RichieUnderstanding Electronic Circuits CD-ROM - reviewed by Dr Rowland Dye and Phil NormanTextiles and Technology - reviewed by Jillian MellorArt and Design 97 - reviewed by Andy Brecko

Rosa26-GFP Direct Repeat (RaDR-GFP) Mice Reveal Tissue- and Age-Dependence of Homologous Recombination in Mammals In Vivo

Homologous recombination (HR) is critical for the repair of double strand breaks and broken replication forks. Although HR is mostly error free, inherent or environmental conditions that either suppress or induce HR cause genomic instability. Despite its importance in carcinogenesis, due to limitations in our ability to detect HR in vivo, little is known about HR in mammalian tissues. Here, we describe a mouse model in which a direct repeat HR substrate is targeted to the ubiquitously expressed Rosa26 locus. In the Rosa26 Direct Repeat-GFP (RaDR-GFP) mice, HR between two truncated EGFP expression cassettes can yield a fluorescent signal. In-house image analysis software provides a rapid method for quantifying recombination events within intact tissues, and the frequency of recombinant cells can be evaluated by flow cytometry. A comparison among 11 tissues shows that the frequency of recombinant cells varies by more than two orders of magnitude among tissues, wherein HR in the brain is the lowest. Additionally, de novo recombination events accumulate with age in the colon, showing that this mouse model can be used to study the impact of chronic exposures on genomic stability. Exposure to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, an alkylating agent similar to the cancer chemotherapeutic temozolomide, shows that the colon, liver and pancreas are susceptible to DNA damage-induced HR. Finally, histological analysis of the underlying cell types reveals that pancreatic acinar cells and liver hepatocytes undergo HR and also that HR can be specifically detected in colonic somatic stem cells. Taken together, the RaDR-GFP mouse model provides new understanding of how tissue and age impact susceptibility to HR, and enables future studies of genetic, environmental and physiological factors that modulate HR in mammals.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Program Project Grant P01-CA026731)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (R33-CA112151)National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30-ES002109)Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology CenterNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (P41-EB015871)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (P30-CA014051

A Monoclonal Antibody Against V 3 Integrin Inhibits Development of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Diabetic Pigs

Atherosclerotic lesions develop and progress more rapidly in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic individuals. This may be caused by accelerated lesion formation in the high-glucose environment of diabetes. Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) cultured in high glucose are more responsive to growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor–1 (IGF-1). This enhanced response to IGF-1 is due in part to increased activation of the αVβ3 integrin. We tested whether αVβ3 integrin activation was increased in diabetic animals and whether an antibody to β3 would inhibit IGF-1 action and development of atherosclerosis. Eight male pigs were made diabetic with streptozotocin and fed a high-fat diet. A F(ab)2 antibody fragment directed at β3 was infused into one femoral artery, whereas the other artery received control F(ab)2 for 3.5 months. There was a 65 ± 8% reduction in atherosclerotic lesion area in the arteries treated with F(ab)2 antibody to β3. Phosphorylation of β3 was reduced by 75 ± 18% in vessels treated with the antibody. Shc and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, which are required for IGF-1–stimulated SMC proliferation, were also significantly reduced. We conclude that activation of IGF-1 receptor and αVβ3-linked signaling pathways accelerates atherosclerosis in diabetes and that administration of an antibody to β3 to diabetic pigs inhibits αVβ3 activation, IGF-1–stimulated signaling, and atherosclerotic lesion development. This approach offers a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of this disorder

Prospects for terahertz imaging the human skin cancer with the help of gold-nanoparticles-based terahertz-to-infrared converter

The design is suggested, and possible operation parameters are discussed, of an instrument to inspect a skin cancer tumour in the terahertz (THz) range, transferring the image into the infrared (IR) and making it visible with the help of standard IR camera. The central element of the device is the THz-to-IR converter, a Teflon or silicon film matrix with embedded 8.5 nm diameter gold nanoparticles. The use of external THz source for irradiating the biological tissue sample is presumed. The converter's temporal characteristics enable its performance in a real-time scale. The details of design suited for the operation in transmission mode (in vitro) or on the human skin in reflection mode {in vivo) are specified.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the FANEM2018 workshop - Minsk, 3-5 June 201

Effect of Once-Weekly Azithromycin vs Placebo in Children With HIV-Associated Chronic Lung Disease: The BREATHE Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance - HIV-associated chronic lung disease (HCLD) in children is associated with small airways disease, is common despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), and is associated with substantial morbidity. Azithromycin has antibiotic and immunomodulatory activity and may be effective in treating HCLD through reducing respiratory tract infections and inflammation. Objective - To determine whether prophylactic azithromycin is effective in preventing worsening of lung function and in reducing acute respiratory exacerbations (AREs) in children with HCLD taking ART. Design, Setting, and Participants - This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial (BREATHE) was conducted between 2016 and 2019, including 12 months of follow-up, at outpatient HIV clinics in 2 public sector hospitals in Malawi and Zimbabwe. Participants were randomized 1:1 to intervention or placebo, and participants and study personnel were blinded to treatment allocation. Participants included children aged 6 to 19 years with perinatally acquired HIV and HCLD (defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] z score Intervention - Once-weekly oral azithromycin with weight-based dosing, for 48 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures - All outcomes were prespecified. The primary outcome was the mean difference in FEV1 z score using intention-to-treat analysis for participants seen at end line. Secondary outcomes included AREs, all-cause hospitalizations, mortality, and weight-for-age z score. Results - A total of 347 individuals (median [interquartile range] age, 15.3 [12.7-17.7] years; 177 boys [51.0%]) were randomized, 174 to the azithromycin group and 173 to the placebo group; 162 participants in the azithromycin group and 146 placebo group participants had a primary outcome available and were analyzed. The mean difference in FEV1 z score was 0.06 (95% CI, −0.10 to 0.21; P = .48) higher in the azithromycin group than in the placebo group, a nonsignificant difference. The rate of AREs was 12.1 events per 100 person-years in the azithromycin group and 24.7 events per 100 person-years in the placebo groups (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.93; P = .03). The hospitalization rate was 1.3 events per 100 person-years in the azithromycin group and 7.1 events per 100 person-years in the placebo groups, but the difference was not significant (hazard ratio, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.06 to 1.07; P = .06). Three deaths occurred, all in the placebo group. The mean weight-for-age z score was 0.03 (95% CI, −0.08 to 0.14; P = .56) higher in the azithromycin group than in the placebo group, although the difference was not significant. There were no drug-related severe adverse events. Conclusions and Relevance - In this randomized clinical trial specifically addressing childhood HCLD, once-weekly azithromycin did not improve lung function or growth but was associated with reduced AREs; the number of hospitalizations was also lower in the azithromycin group but the difference was not significant. Future research should identify patient groups who would benefit most from this intervention and optimum treatment length, to maximize benefits while reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance

CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (CD26/DPPIV) is highly expressed in peripheral blood of HIV-1 exposed uninfected Female sex workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Design of effective vaccines against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) continues to present formidable challenges. However, individuals who are exposed HIV-1 but do not get infected may reveal correlates of protection that may inform on effective vaccine design. A preliminary gene expression analysis of HIV resistant female sex workers (HIV-R) suggested a high expression CD26/DPPIV gene. Previous studies have indicated an anti-HIV effect of high CD26/DPPIV expressing cells in vitro. Similarly, high CD26/DPPIV protein levels in vivo have been shown to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We carried out a study to confirm if the high CD26/DPPIV gene expression among the HIV-R were concordant with high blood protein levels and its correlation with clinical type 2 diabetes and other perturbations in the insulin signaling pathway.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A quantitative CD26/DPPIV plasma analysis from 100 HIV-R, 100 HIV infected (HIV +) and 100 HIV negative controls (HIV Neg) showed a significantly elevated CD26/DPPIV concentration among the HIV-R group (mean 1315 ng/ml) than the HIV Neg (910 ng/ml) and HIV + (870 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Similarly a FACs analysis of cell associated DPPIV (CD26) revealed a higher CD26/DPPIV expression on CD4+ T-cells derived from HIV-R than from the HIV+ (90.30% vs 80.90 p = 0.002) and HIV Neg controls (90.30% vs 82.30 p < 0.001) respectively. A further comparison of the mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) of CD26/DPPIV expression showed a higher DPP4 MFI on HIV-R CD4+ T cells (median 118 vs 91 for HIV-Neg, p = 0.0003). An evaluation for hyperglycemia, did not confirm Type 2 diabetes but an impaired fasting glucose condition (5.775 mmol/L). A follow-up quantitative PCR analysis of the insulin signaling pathway genes showed a down expression of NFκB, a central mediator of the immune response and activator of HIV-1 transcription.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HIV resistant sex workers have a high expression of CD26/DPPIV in tandem with lowered immune activation markers. This may suggest a novel role for CD26/DPPIV in protection against HIV infection in vivo.</p

Representing the function and sensitivity of coastal interfaces in earth system models

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Ward, N. D., Megonigal, J. P., Bond-Lamberty, B., Bailey, V. L., Butman, D., Canuel, E. A., Diefenderfer, H., Ganju, N. K., Goni, M. A., Graham, E. B., Hopkinson, C. S., Khangaonkar, T., Langley, J. A., McDowell, N. G., Myers-Pigg, A. N., Neumann, R. B., Osburn, C. L., Price, R. M., Rowland, J., Sengupta, A., Simard, M., Thornton, P. E., Tzortziou, M., Vargas, R., Weisenhorn, P. B., & Windham-Myers, L. Representing the function and sensitivity of coastal interfaces in earth system models. Nature Communications, 11(1), (2020): 2458, doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16236-2.Between the land and ocean, diverse coastal ecosystems transform, store, and transport material. Across these interfaces, the dynamic exchange of energy and matter is driven by hydrological and hydrodynamic processes such as river and groundwater discharge, tides, waves, and storms. These dynamics regulate ecosystem functions and Earth’s climate, yet global models lack representation of coastal processes and related feedbacks, impeding their predictions of coastal and global responses to change. Here, we assess existing coastal monitoring networks and regional models, existing challenges in these efforts, and recommend a path towards development of global models that more robustly reflect the coastal interface.Funding for this work was provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Laboratory Directed Research & Development (LDRD) as part of the Predicting Ecosystem Resilience through Multiscale Integrative Science (PREMIS) Initiative. PNNL is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830. Additional support to J.P.M. was provided by the NSF-LTREB program (DEB-0950080, DEB-1457100, DEB-1557009), DOE-TES Program (DE-SC0008339), and the Smithsonian Institution. This manuscript was motivated by discussions held by co-authors during a three-day workshop at PNNL in Richland, WA: The System for Terrestrial Aquatic Research (STAR) Workshop: Terrestrial-Aquatic Research in Coastal Systems. The authors thank PNNL artist Nathan Johnson for preparing the figures in this manuscript and Terry Clark, Dr. Charlette Geffen, and Dr. Nancy Hess for their aid in organizing the STAR workshop. The authors thank all workshop participants not listed as authors for their valuable insight: Lihini Aluwihare (contributed to biogeochemistry discussions and development of concept for Fig. 3), Gautam Bisht (contributed to modeling discussion), Emmett Duffy (contributed to observational network discussions), Yilin Fang (contributed to modeling discussion), Jeremy Jones (contributed to biogeochemistry discussions), Roser Matamala (contributed to biogeochemistry discussions), James Morris (contributed to biogeochemistry discussions), Robert Twilley (contributed to biogeochemistry discussions), and Jesse Vance (contributed to observational network discussions). A full report on the workshop discussions can be found at https://www.pnnl.gov/publications/star-workshop-terrestrial-aquatic-research-coastal-systems