471 research outputs found
The Response of Zooplankton Communities in Montane Lakes of Different Fish Stocking Histories to Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Simulations
Freshwater ecosystems are subject to a wide variety of stressors, which can have complex interactions and result in ecological surprises. Non-native fish introductions have drastically reduced the number of naturally fishless lakes and have resulted in cascading food web repercussions in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Additional anthropogenic influences that result from increases in global airborne emissions also threaten wildlife habitat. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has been recognized as an anthropogenic contributor to acidification and eutrophication of wilderness ecosystems. Planktonic communities have shown declines in response to predation and shifts in composition as a result of nutrient inputs and acidification, both of which are potential fates of nitrogen deposition. This study identified the response of zooplankton communities from two lakes (fish present vs. absent) in Mount Rainier National Park to manipulations simulating an episodic disturbance event in mesocosms. The experiment used a 2 x 2 factorial design with acid and nitrogen treatments. Treatments resulted in significantly elevated nitrogen and decreased pH conditions from control mesocosms over 42 days, indicating that the treatment effects were achieved. Results indicate that zooplankton communities from lakes with different food web structure respond differently to the singular effects of acid and nitrogen addition. Surprisingly, the interaction of the two stressors was related to increases in community metrics (e.g., abundance, biomass, body size, richness, and Shannon-Weiner diversity) for both lake types. This work can aid management decisions as agencies look to restore more aquatic montane habitats to their historic fishless states, and assess their abilities to recover and afford resistance to atmospheric pollution
The reaction of Escherichia coli cytochrome bo with H202: Evidence for the formation of an oxyferryl species by two distinct routes
AbstractWe have re-examined the reaction of fast oxidised cytochrome bo with H2O2 in a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. Monitoring the reaction at 582 nm allows us to observe the formation and decay of a spectroscopically distinct intermediate which accumulates transiently prior to the formation of an oxyferryl species previously characterised in this laboratory (Watmough, N.J., Cheesman, M.R., Greenwood, C. and Thomson, A.J. (1994) Biochem. J. 300, 469–475 [1]). The reaction shows three distinct phases of which the fast and intermediate phases are bimolecular and show a marked pH dependence. Initially these results appeared incompatible with the report that only one equivalent of H2O2 is required to generate the oxyferryl species (Moody, A.J. and Rich, P.R. (1994) Eur. J. Biochem. 226, 731–737 [2]). However, these data can be reconciled by a branched reaction mechanism whose contributions differ according to the peroxide concentration used
Neuroglobin protects nerve cells from apoptosis by inhibiting the intrinsic pathway of cell death
In the past few years, overwhelming evidence has accrued that a high level of
expression of the protein neuroglobin protects neurons in vitro, in animal
models, and in humans, against cell death associated with hypoxic and amyloid
insult. However, until now, the exact mechanism of neuroglobin's protective
action has not been determined. Using cell biology and biochemical approaches
we demonstrate that neuroglobin inhibits the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in
vitro and intervenes in activation of pro-caspase 9 by interaction with
cytochrome c. Using systems level information of the apoptotic signalling
reactions we have developed a quantitative model of neuroglobin inhibition of
apoptosis, which simulates neuroglobin blocking of apoptosome formation at a
single cell level. Furthermore, this model allows us to explore the effect of
neuroglobin in conditions not easily accessible to experimental study. We found
that the protection of neurons by neuroglobin is very concentration sensitive.
The impact of neuroglobin may arise from both its binding to cytochrome c and
its subsequent redox reaction, although the binding alone is sufficient to
block pro-caspase 9 activation. These data provides an explanation the action
of neuroglobin in the protection of nerve cells from unwanted apoptosis.Comment: 11 page
The Effect of Volunteers on the Job Satisfaction and Life Adjustment of Emotionally Disturbed, Hard-Core Unemployed Persons.
Improving readiness for recruitment through simulated trial activation: the Adjuvant Steroids in Adults with Pandemic influenza (ASAP) trial
Background: Research in public health emergencies requires trials to be set up in readiness for activation at short notice and in anticipation of limited timelines for patient recruitment. We conducted a simulated activation of a hibernating pandemic influenza clinical trial in order to test trial processes and to determine the value of such simulation in maintaining trial readiness.
Methods: The simulation involved the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, one participating hospital, one manufacturing unit and the Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP) supplier. During the exercise, from 15 September 2015 to 2 December 2015, clinical staff at the participating site completed the trial training package, a volunteer acting as a patient was recruited to the study, ‘dummy’ IMP was prescribed and follow-up completed.
Results: Successful activation of the hibernating trial with patient recruitment within 4 weeks of ‘arousal’ as planned was demonstrated. A need for greater resilience in anticipation of staff absenteeism was identified, particularly in relation to key trial procedures where the potential for delay is high. A specific issue relating to the IMP Stock Control System was highlighted as a potential source of error that could compromise the randomisation sequence. The simulation exercise was well received by site investigators and increased their confidence in being able to meet the likely demands of the trial when activated. The estimated cost of the exercise was £1995; 90% of this being staff costs.
Conclusions: Simulated activation is useful as a means to test, and prepare for, the rapid activation of ‘hibernating’ research studies. Whether simulation exercises can also help reduce waste in complex clinical trial research deserves further exploration
V1647 ORIONIS: Keck/Nirspec 2 MICRON Echelle Observations
We present new Keck II NIRSPEC high-spectral resolution 2 um echelle
observations of the young eruptive variable star V1647 Orionis. This star went
into outburst in late 2003 and faded to its pre-outburst brightness after
approximately 26 months. V1647 Orionis is the illuminating star of McNeil's
Nebula and is located near M 78 in the Lynds 1630 dark cloud. Our spectra have
a resolving power of approximately 18,000 and allow us to study in detail the
weak absorption features present on the strong near-IR veiled continuum. An
analysis of the echelle orders containing Mg I (2.1066 um) and Al I (2.1099
um), Br-gamma (2.1661 um), the Na I doublet (2.206 and 2.209 um), and the CO
overtone bandhead (2.2935 um) gives us considerable information on the physical
and geometric characteristics of the regions producing these spectral features.
We find that, at high-spectral resolution, V1647 Orionis in quiescence
resembles a significant number of FU Orionis type eruptive variables and does
not appear similar to the quiescent EX Lupi variables observed. This
correspondence is discussed and implications for the evolutionary state of the
star are considered.Comment: 37 pages, 3 Tables, 17 Figure
Quantification of hepatic steatosis with 3-T MR imaging: Validation in ob/ob mice
Purpose: To validate quantitative imaging techniques used to detect and measure steatosis with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in an ob/ob mouse model of hepatic steatosis. Materials and Methods: The internal research animal and resource center approved this study. Twenty-eight male ob/ob mice in progressively increasing age groups underwent imaging and were subsequently sacrificed. Six ob /+ mice served as control animals. Fat fraction imaging was performed with a chemical shift-based water-fat separation method. The following three methods of conventional fat quantification were compared with imaging: lipid extraction and qualitative and quantitative histologic analysis. Fat fraction images were reconstructed with single- and multiple-peak spectral models of fat and with and without correction for T2* effects. Fat fraction measurements obtained with the different reconstruction methods were compared with the three methods of fat quantification, and linear regression analysis and two-sided and two-sample t tests were performed. Results:Lipid extraction and qualitative and quantitative histologic analysis were highly correlated with the results of fat fraction imaging (r2 = 0.92, 0.87, 0.82, respectively). No significant differences were found between imaging measurements and lipid extraction (P = .06) or quantitative histologic (P = .07) measurements when multiple peaks of fat and T2* correction were included in image reconstruction. Reconstructions in which T2* correction, accurate spectral modeling, or both were excluded yielded lower agreement when compared with the results yielded by other techniques. Imaging measurements correlated particularly well with histologic grades in mice with low fat fractions (intercept, -1.0% ± 1.2 [standard deviation ]). Conclusion: MR imaging can be used to accurately quantify fat in vivo in an animal model of hepatic steatosis and may serve as a quantitative biomarker of hepatic steatosis. © RSNA, 2010
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