206 research outputs found
Transplantation of Human Neuroblastoma Cells, Catecholaminergic and Non-Catecholaminergic: Effects on Rotational Behavoir in Parkinson's Rat Model
Cultured human catecholaminergic and noncatecholaminergic
donor cells were used in
neural transplantation experiments in a rat
model of Parkinson's disease. Using two different
human catecholaminergic neuroblastoma cell
lines, one control non-catecholaminergic neuroblastoma
cell line, and one sham control (tissue
culture medium), transplants were made into the
striatum using a modified Ungerstedt
hemiparkinsonian rat model. Significant
decreases in apomorphine-induced rotational
behavior were produced by two of three
catecholaminergic cell lines. Grafted cells staining
positively for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and
catecholamine fluorescence indicated viable catecholamine
activity in the two cell lines which produced
reductions in rotational behavior.
Catecholamine fluorescence was not detected in
either of the two controls. These data suggest a
link between catecholamine secretion by transplanted
cells and motor improvement using a rat
rotational behavior model
Decoding of Superimposed Traces Produced by Direct Sequencing of Heterozygous Indels
Direct Sanger sequencing of a diploid template containing a heterozygous insertion or deletion results in a difficult-to-interpret mixed trace formed by two allelic traces superimposed onto each other. Existing computational methods for deconvolution of such traces require knowledge of a reference sequence or the availability of both direct and reverse mixed sequences of the same template. We describe a simple yet accurate method, which uses dynamic programming optimization to predict superimposed allelic sequences solely from a string of letters representing peaks within an individual mixed trace. We used the method to decode 104 human traces (mean length 294 bp) containing heterozygous indels 5 to 30 bp with a mean of 99.1% bases per allelic sequence reconstructed correctly and unambiguously. Simulations with artificial sequences have demonstrated that the method yields accurate reconstructions when (1) the allelic sequences forming the mixed trace are sufficiently similar, (2) the analyzed fragment is significantly longer than the indel, and (3) multiple indels, if present, are well-spaced. Because these conditions occur in most encountered DNA sequences, the method is widely applicable. It is available as a free Web application Indelligent at http://ctap.inhs.uiuc.edu/dmitriev/indel.asp
Decidual natural killer cell receptor expression is altered in pregnancies with impaired vascular remodeling and a higher risk of pre-eclampsia.
During pregnancy, a specialized type of NK cell accumulates in the lining of the uterus (decidua) and interacts with semiallogeneic fetal trophoblast cells. dNK cells are functionally and phenotypically distinct from PB NK and are implicated in regulation of trophoblast transformation of the uterine spiral arteries, which if inadequately performed, can result in pregnancy disorders. Here, we have used uterine artery Doppler RI in the first trimester of pregnancy as a proxy measure of the extent of transformation of the spiral arteries to identify pregnancies with a high RI, indicative of impaired spiral artery remodeling. We have used flow cytometry to examine dNK cells isolated from these pregnancies compared with those from pregnancies with a normal RI. We report a reduction in the proportion of dNK cells from high RI pregnancies expressing KIR2DL/S1,3,5 and LILRB1, receptors for HLA-C and HLA-G on trophoblast. Decreased LILRB1 expression in the decidua was examined by receptor blocking in trophoblast coculture and altered dNK expression of the cytokines CXCL10 and TNF-α, which regulate trophoblast behavior. These results indicate that dNK cells from high RI pregnancies may display altered interactions with trophoblast via decreased expression of HLA-binding cell-surface receptors, impacting on successful transformation of the uterus for pregnancy
Perceptions of trekking tourism and social and environmental change in Nepal's Himalayas
The Himalayas are among the world’s youngest mountain ranges. In addition to the geologic processes of mountain building and erosion, they are also highly vulnerable to human influenced change, occurring at local, national, regional, and international scales. A photo-elicitation methodology is employed to show how residents perceive those changes from historical perspectives, as well as their current conditions and impacts on their daily lives. Nepal’s Khumbu region has undergone major social and environmental transformations since the 1960s when international trekking first began to influence the area's economy. The current perceptions of Khumbu residents of these changes is assessed through photo-elicitation interviews. Their responses are placed in the historical context of: (i) institutional and political changes, much of which have been driven by national government policies; (ii) social and economic changes, for which the tourism economy has been central; and (iii) environmental changes, reflecting the impacts of resource management and climate change. The mostly positive perceptions of Khumbu residents toward how their region has changed reflects general improvements in the physical and cultural landscapes of the Khumbu over time, as well as its continuing geographic isolation, which has helped to slow the rate of globalization, while also keeping the region a dynamic and popular tourist destination
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