NEW NATIONAL CENTER FOR VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE

Farm Management,

Developing cardiac and skeletal muscle share fast-skeletal myosin heavy chain and cardiac troponin-I expression

Skeletal muscle derived stem cells (MDSCs) transplanted into injured myocardium can differentiate into fast skeletal muscle specific myosin heavy chain (sk-fMHC) and cardiac specific troponin-I (cTn-I) positive cells sustaining recipient myocardial function. We have recently found that MDSCs differentiate into a cardiomyocyte phenotype within a three-dimensional gel bioreactor. It is generally accepted that terminally differentiated myocardium or skeletal muscle only express cTn-I or sk-fMHC, respectively. Studies have shown the presence of non-cardiac muscle proteins in the developing myocardium or cardiac proteins in pathological skeletal muscle. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that normal developing myocardium and skeletal muscle transiently share both sk-fMHC and cTn-I proteins. Immunohistochemistry, western blot, and RT-PCR analyses were carried out in embryonic day 13 (ED13) and 20 (ED20), neonatal day 0 (ND0) and 4 (ND4), postnatal day 10 (PND10), and 8 week-old adult female Lewis rat ventricular myocardium and gastrocnemius muscle. Confocal laser microscopy revealed that sk-fMHC was expressed as a typical striated muscle pattern within ED13 ventricular myocardium, and the striated sk-fMHC expression was lost by ND4 and became negative in adult myocardium. cTn-I was not expressed as a typical striated muscle pattern throughout the myocardium until PND10. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that gene and protein expression patterns of cardiac and skeletal muscle transcription factors and sk-fMHC within ventricular myocardium and skeletal muscle were similar at ED20, and the expression patterns became cardiac or skeletal muscle specific during postnatal development. These findings provide new insight into cardiac muscle development and highlight previously unknown common developmental features of cardiac and skeletal muscle. © 2012 Clause et al

Seeded Native Shrub Establishment on Disturbed Sites in Southwestern Wyoming

Critical wildlife habitat supporting mule deer, antelope, and sage grouse in high elevation rangeland and sagebrush ecosystems of southwest Wyoming is threatened by an expanding population and energy exploration and development. Our objective was to evaluate native shrub species establishment for restoration after disturbance. In October 2005, on a well-pad disturbance, 16 accessions of 12 native shrub species were drill-seeded in single species plots in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Also, two seed mixtures (Bridger and Shell) of grass, forb, and shrub species were broadcast- or drill-seeded, and one seed mixture (Shell) was hydro-seeded to separate areas outside of the replicated plots. Densities were sampled in September 2007. By 2007, nine of the 16 shrub accessions established in the replicated plots. Atriplex aptera had the greatest establishment at six plants/m2 followed by Atriplex canescens at four plants/m2. Establishment of the other seven accessions was similar and ranged from two to 0.4 plants/m2. Where the Bridger mix was broadcast seeded, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Atriplex aptera, and Krascheninnikovia lanata establishment was estimated at 10,000, 6,770, and 1,120 plants/ha, respectively. Where drill seeded, establishment of the three shrubs was 0, 4,480, and 2,240 plants/ha, respectively. Where the Shell mix was broadcast seeded, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Krascheninnikovia lanata, and Atriplex canescens establishment was estimated at 21,300, 4,500, and 4,500 plants/ha, respectively. Where drill seeded, establishment for the three species was 7,800, 10,000, and 1,100 plants/ha, respectively. Where the Shell mix was hydro-seeded, only Krascheninnikovia lanata established at 1,100 plants/ha

Processing real-world waste plastics by pyrolysis-reforming for hydrogen and high-value carbon nanotubes

Producing both hydrogen and high-value carbon nanotubes (CNTs) derived from waste plastics is reported here using a pyrolysis-reforming technology comprising a two-stage reaction system, in the presence of steam and a Ni-Mn-Al catalyst. The waste plastics consisted of plastics from a motor oil container (MOC), commercial waste high density polyethylene (HDPE) and regranulated HDPE waste containing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The results show that hydrogen can be produced from the pyrolysis-reforming process, but also carbon nanotubes are formed on the catalyst. However, the content of 0.3 wt.% polyvinyl chloride in the waste HDPE (HDPE/PVC) has been shown to poison the catalyst and significantly reduce the quantity and purity of CNTs. The presence of sulfur has shown less influence on the production of CNTs in terms of quantity and CNT morphologies. Around 94.4 mmol H g plastic was obtained for the pyrolysis-reforming of HDPE waste in the presence of the Ni-Mn-Al catalyst and steam at a reforming temperature of 800 C. The addition of steam in the process results in an increase of hydrogen production and reduction of carbon yield; in addition, the defects of CNTs, for example, edge dislocations were found to be increased with the introduction of steam (from Raman analysis)

Towards a Framework for Planning and Designing of Rural Knowledge Centres

Exponential growth in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and establishment of telecentres1 have been fast spreading across the globe. Telecentres equipped with ICTs have become new ways of reaching the people and delivering services in the developing countries [3]. In the continuous process, these centres have been acknowledged as new institutions in the global rural milieu, to empower the rural communities by bringing the benefits of contemporary ICTs in their reach such as e-governance, telemedicine, digital literacy, e-agriculture....

Clinical Trial Readiness in Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R1 (LGMDR1): A GRASP Consortium Study

\ua9 2025 The Author(s). Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association.Objective: Identifying functional measures that are both valid and reliable in the limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) population is critical for quantifying the level of functional impairment related to disease progression in order to establish clinical trial readiness in the context of anticipated therapeutic trials. Methods: Through the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP-LGMD) Consortium, 42 subjects with LGMDR1 were enrolled in a 12-month natural history study across 11 international sites. Each subject completed a battery of clinical outcome assessments (COA), including the North Star Assessment for Limb Girdle-Type Dystrophies (NSAD), 10-m walk/run, and Performance of the Upper Limb (PUL), in addition to several patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). Results: In this baseline cross-sectional analysis, significant correlations were found between COAs and PROMs, with significant differences in the performance of assessments based on subjects\u27 ambulatory status and genetic variant classification. Interpretation: The study has determined that the NSAD and other assessments are valid and reliable measures for quantifying the level of disease impairment in individuals with LGMDR1

Determinants of racial/ethnic differences in blood pressure management among hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND: Prior literature has shown that racial/ethnic minorities with hypertension may receive less aggressive treatment for their high blood pressure. However, to date there are few data available regarding the confounders of racial/ethnic disparities in the intensity of hypertension treatment. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 1,205 patients who had a minimum of two hypertension-related outpatient visits to 12 general internal medicine clinics during 7/1/01-6/30/02. Using logistic regression, we determined the odds of having therapy intensified by patient race/ethnicity after adjustment for clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Blacks (81.9%) and Whites (80.3%) were more likely than Latinos (71.5%) to have therapy intensified (P = 0.03). After adjustment for racial differences in the number of outpatient visits and presence of diabetes, there were no racial differences in rates of intensification. CONCLUSION: We found that racial/ethnic differences in therapy intensification were largely accounted for by differences in frequency of clinic visits and in the prevalence of diabetes. Given the higher rates of diabetes and hypertension related mortality among Hispanics in the U.S., future interventions to reduce disparities in cardiovascular outcomes should increase physician awareness of the need to intensify drug therapy more agressively in patients without waiting for multiple clinic visits, and should remind providers to treat hypertension more aggressively among diabetic patients

Impact of Tail Loss on the Behaviour and Locomotor Performance of Two Sympatric Lampropholis Skink Species

Caudal autotomy is an anti-predator behaviour that is used by many lizard species. Although there is an immediate survival benefit, the subsequent absence of the tail may inhibit locomotor performance, alter activity and habitat use, and increase the individuals' susceptibility to future predation attempts. We used laboratory experiments to examine the impact of tail autotomy on locomotor performance, activity and basking site selection in two lizard species, the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata) and garden skink (L. guichenoti), that occur sympatrically throughout southeastern Australia and are exposed to an identical suite of potential predators. Post-autotomy tail movement did not differ between the two Lampropholis species, although a positive relationship between the shed tail length and distance moved, but not the duration of movement, was observed. Tail autotomy resulted in a substantial decrease in sprint speed in both species (28–39%), although this impact was limited to the optimal performance temperature (30°C). Although L. delicata was more active than L. guichenoti, tail autotomy resulted in decreased activity in both species. Sheltered basking sites were preferred over open sites by both Lampropholis species, although this preference was stronger in L. delicata. Caudal autotomy did not alter the basking site preferences of either species. Thus, both Lampropholis species had similar behavioural responses to autotomy. Our study also indicates that the impact of tail loss on locomotor performance may be temperature-dependent and highlights that future studies should be conducted over a broad thermal range