Regulation of CD8+ T Cell Responses to Retinal Antigen by Local FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells

While pathogenic CD4 T cells are well known mediators of autoimmune uveoretinitis, CD8 T cells can also be uveitogenic. Since preliminary studies indicated that C57BL/6 mice were minimally susceptible to autoimmune uveoretinitis induction by CD8 T cells, the basis of the retinal disease resistance was sought. Mice that express β-galactosidase (βgal) on a retina-specific promoter (arrβgal mice) were backcrossed to mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and diphtheria toxin (DTx) receptor (DTR) under control of the Foxp3 promoter (Foxp3-DTR/GFP mice), and to T cell receptor transgenic mice that produce βgal-specific CD8 T cells (BG1 mice). These mice were used to explore the role of regulatory T cells in the resistance to retinal autoimmune disease. Experiments with T cells from double transgenic BG1 × Foxp3-DTR/GFP mice transferred into Foxp3-DTR/GFP × arrβgal mice confirmed that the retina was well protected from attempts to induce disease by adoptive transfer of activated BG1 T cells. The successful induction of retinal disease following unilateral intraocular administration of DTx to deplete regulatory T cells showed that the protective activity was dependent on local, toxin-sensitive regulatory T cells; the opposite, untreated eye remained disease-free. Although there were very few Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the parenchyma of quiescent retina, and they did not accumulate in retina, their depletion by local toxin administration led to disease susceptibility. We propose that these regulatory T cells modulate the pathogenic activity of βgal-specific CD8 T cells in the retinas of arrβgal mice on a local basis, allowing immuno regulation to be responsive to local conditions

Relationship of somatosensory evoked potentials and cerebral oxygen consumption during hypoxic hypoxia in dogs

The effects of hypoxic hypoxia on cerebral hemodynamics and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) were studied in 10 pentobarbital anestheteized dogs. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using the venous outflow technique and cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO2) was calculated from the arterio-cerebro-venous oxygen difference times CBF. SEP was evaluated by percutaneous stimulation of an upper extremity nerve and was recorded over the contralateral somatosensory cortex. The latencies of the initial negative wave (N1), second positive wave (P2) and the amplitude of the primary complex (P1N1) were measured. Animals were breathed sequentially with oxygen concentrations of 21, 10, 6, 5, and 4.5% for five minutes each. Animals were returned to room air breathing when the amplitude of the SEP decreased to less than 20% of control and were observed for 30 minutes following reoxygenation. Severe hypoxia (4.5% O2) increased CBF to 200% of control, decreased CMRO2 to 45% of control, decreased amplitude and increased latency of SEP. Following reoxygenation, as CMRO2 increased toward control, latency of SEP decreased and amplitude increased and CBF returned to baseline within 30 min. During hypoxia and reoxygenation, the latencies of N1 and P2 and the amplitude of P1N1 were correlated with CMRO2 in individual animals. We conclude that changes in SEP amplitude and latency reflect changes in CMRO2 despite high CBF during rapidly progressive hypoxic hypoxia and following reoxygenation

Fruit Quality And Consumption By Songbirds During Autumn Migration

Seasonal fruits are an important food resource for small songbirds during autumn migration in southern New England. Therefore, conservation and management of important stopover sites used by migrating birds requires knowledge about nutritional requirements of songbirds and nutritional composition of commonly consumed fruits. We measured nutrient composition and energy density of nine common fruits on Block Island, Rhode Island, and conducted a field experiment to estimate consumption rates of three of these fruits by birds during autumn migration. Most common fruits on Block Island contained primarily carbohydrates (41.3–91.2% dry weight), and little protein (2.6–8.6%) and fat (0.9–3.7%), although three contained more fat: Myrica pennsylvanica (50.3%), Viburnum dentatum (41.3%), and Parthenocissus quinquefolia (23.6%). Bird consumption of high-fat, high-energy V. dentatum fruit and high-carbohydrate, low-energy Phytolacca americana fruit was greater than consumption of Aronia melanocarpa, a high-carbohydrate, low-energy fruit. We estimated that migratory birds on Block Island must eat up to four times their body mass in fruit wet weight each day to satisfy their energy requirements when eating low-energy fruits such as P. americana, and they cannot satisfy their protein requirements when eating only certain high-energy fruits such as V. dentatum. Our results suggest that many migratory birds must eat both fruits and insects to meet their dietary needs. Thus, shrubland habitat at important migratory stopover sites such as Block Island should be managed so that it contains a variety of preferred fruit-bearing shrubs and an adequate abundance of insects

Review of Acanthocephala (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae) of America north of Mexico with a key to species

A review of Acanthocephala of America north of Mexico is presented with an updated key to species. A. confraterna is considered a junior synonym of A. terminalis, thus reducing the number of known species in this region from five to four. New state and country records are presented

Octupole strength in the neutron-rich calcium isotopes

Low-lying excited states of the neutron-rich calcium isotopes $^{48-52}$Ca have been studied via $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy following inverse-kinematics proton scattering on a liquid hydrogen target using the GRETINA $\gamma$-ray tracking array. The energies and strengths of the octupole states in these isotopes are remarkably constant, indicating that these states are dominated by proton excitations.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Spectroscopy of 54^{54}Ti and the systematic behavior of low energy octupole states in Ca and Ti isotopes

Excited states of the $N=32$ nucleus $^{54}$Ti have been studied, via both inverse-kinematics proton scattering and one-neutron knockout from $^{55}$Ti by a liquid hydrogen target, using the GRETINA $\gamma$-ray tracking array. Inelastic proton-scattering cross sections and deformation lengths have been determined. A low-lying octupole state has been tentatively identified in $^{54}$Ti for the first time. A comparison of $(p,p')$ results on low-energy octupole states in the neutron-rich Ca and Ti isotopes with the results of Random Phase Approximation calculations demonstrates that the observed systematic behavior of these states is unexpected.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Spectroscopy of 54^{54}Ti and the systematic behavior of low energy octupole states in Ca and Ti isotopes

Excited states of the $N=32$ nucleus $^{54}$Ti have been studied, via both inverse-kinematics proton scattering and one-neutron knockout from $^{55}$Ti by a liquid hydrogen target, using the GRETINA $\gamma$-ray tracking array. Inelastic proton-scattering cross sections and deformation lengths have been determined. A low-lying octupole state has been tentatively identified in $^{54}$Ti for the first time. A comparison of $(p,p')$ results on low-energy octupole states in the neutron-rich Ca and Ti isotopes with the results of Random Phase Approximation calculations demonstrates that the observed systematic behavior of these states is unexpected.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Bridging Alone: Religious Conservatism, Marital Homogamy, and Voluntary Association Membership

This study characterizes social insularity of religiously conservative American married couples by examining patterns of voluntary associationmembership. Constructing a dataset of 3938 marital dyads from the second wave of the National Survey of Families and Households, the author investigates whether conservative religious homogamy encourages membership in religious voluntary groups and discourages membership in secular voluntary groups. Results indicate that couples’ shared affiliation with conservative denominations, paired with beliefs in biblical authority and inerrancy, increases the likelihood of religious group membership for husbands and wives and reduces the likelihood of secular group membership for wives, but not for husbands. The social insularity of conservative religious groups appears to be reinforced by homogamy—particularly by wives who share faith with husbands