αvβ3 integrin expression up-regulates cdc2, which modulates cell migration

The αvβ3 integrin has been shown to promote cell migration through activation of intracellular signaling pathways. We describe here a novel pathway that modulates cell migration and that is activated by αvβ3 and, as downstream effector, by cdc2 (cdk1). We report that αvβ3 expression in LNCaP (β3-LNCaP) prostate cancer cells causes increased cdc2 mRNA levels as evaluated by gene expression analysis, and increased cdc2 protein and kinase activity levels. We provide three lines of evidence that increased levels of cdc2 contribute to a motile phenotype on integrin ligands in different cell types. First, increased levels of cdc2 correlate with more motile phenotypes of cancer cells. Second, ectopic expression of cdc2 increases cell migration, whereas expression of dominant-negative cdc2 inhibits migration. Third, cdc2 inhibitors reduce cell migration without affecting cell adhesion. We also show that cdc2 increases cell migration via specific association with cyclin B2, and we unravel a novel pathway of cell motility that involves, downstream of cdc2, caldesmon. cdc2 and caldesmon are shown here to localize in membrane ruffles in motile cells. These results show that cdc2 is a downstream effector of the αvβ3 integrin, and that it promotes cell migration

China–Africa cooperation initiatives in malaria control and elimination

Malaria has affected human health globally with a significant burden of disease, and also has impeded social and economic development in the areas where it is present. In Africa, many countries have faced serious challenges in controlling malaria, in part due to major limitations in public health systems and primary health care infrastructure. Although China is a developing country, a set of control strategies and measures in different local settings have been implemented successfully by the National Malaria Control Programme over the last 60 years, with a low cost of investment. It is expected that Chinese experience may benefit malaria control in Africa. This review will address the importance and possibility of China–Africa collaboration in control of malaria in targeted African countries, as well as how to proceed toward the goal of elimination where this is technically feasible.China UK Global Health Support Programme (grant no.GHSP-CS-OP1, OP2, OP3).http://www.elsevier.com/books/book-series/advances-in-parasitologyhb201

Extending the Behavioral Geography within the Context of Forest Restoration: Research on the Geographical Behaviors of Northern-Migrating Asian Elephants (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) in Southwest China

In 2021, the northward migration of Asian elephants in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province attracted significant public attention. Exploring the behavior of Asian elephants will help to better protect this endangered species and further realize the harmonious coexistence of humans and elephants. Based on the news texts regarding the northward migration of Asian elephants, this study used network text analysis, social network analysis, and grounded theoretical research methods to explore the behavioral characteristics and internal motivations of Asian elephants during their northward migration. The results indicate that: (1) during the northward migration of Asian elephants, moving and foraging are their most frequent behaviors, and foraging may be the chief purpose of the migration. (2) Different behaviors of Asian elephants hide their behavioral choice preferences, including environmental, time, and behavioral preferences. During the migration, Asian elephants mostly move in low-altitude areas, often foraging or migrating around farmland in the afternoon or at night, returning to the mountains to rest in the early morning. Corn, rice, and other crops are their primary food; the change in their eating habits is influenced by the lack of herbs and woody plants inside the protected area. (3) The northward migration behavior of elephant herds is influenced by various factors, such as elephant population expansion, habitat change, and species migration characteristics, and the relationship between conservation and development needs to be balanced

Simulation-based assessment of variable message signs route guidance information under congestion condition

The benefits of the route guidance information from variable message signs (VMS) and the congestion shifting phenomenon owing to the inappropriate offering of route guidance information were discussed using the simulation software, VISSIM. The important conclusions are; (1) the location of VMS has great impacts on the effect of the route guidance information. If VMS route guidance information is disseminated appropriately, the performance improvement of the road network could be up to 23.7% (delay reduction), 31.8% (accumulated stop time reduction) and 38.7% (stop frequency reduction). (2) The performance improvement of the road network depends on the quality of the recommended alternative route. If the alternative route quality is not satisfying, the congested area would not be ameliorated but deteriorated and new congestion would be produced at the alternative route. (3) The frequency of the left turns and their capacity are two critical factors signifying the quality of the alternatives. This implies that the criteria should include the frequency of the left turns and their capacity besides travel time, travel distance and so on when the alternatives are selected

SV 40 induced cellular immortalization: phenotypic changes associated with the loss of proliferative capacity in a conditionally immortalized cell line

International audienceImmortalization of rodent embryo fibroblasts by SV 40 is dominantly maintained by the large T antigen. The aim of this work is to characterize some of the events associ ated with the Joss of proliferative capacity in a rat cell line, called REtsAF, which is conditionally immortalized by the tsA58 allele of SV 40 large T antigen. DNA repli cation is arrested Jess than 24 h after the shift to the restrictive temperature (39°C). This arrest occurs without specificity relative to the cell cycle stage, which suggests that a fonction essential throughout the cell cycle is affected. A two-dimensional SOS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of proteins shows that, although the global rate of protein synthesis is only slightly affected at 39°C, the rate of accumulation of specific pro teins is either increased or decreased. Finally we present biochemical and electron microscopy data showing that alterations of the mitochondria occur upon shift to 39°C

SV 40 induced cellular immortalization: phenotypic changes associated with the loss of proliferative capacity in a conditionally immortalized cell line

International audienceImmortalization of rodent embryo fibroblasts by SV 40 is dominantly maintained by the large T antigen. The aim of this work is to characterize some of the events associ ated with the Joss of proliferative capacity in a rat cell line, called REtsAF, which is conditionally immortalized by the tsA58 allele of SV 40 large T antigen. DNA repli cation is arrested Jess than 24 h after the shift to the restrictive temperature (39°C). This arrest occurs without specificity relative to the cell cycle stage, which suggests that a fonction essential throughout the cell cycle is affected. A two-dimensional SOS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of proteins shows that, although the global rate of protein synthesis is only slightly affected at 39°C, the rate of accumulation of specific pro teins is either increased or decreased. Finally we present biochemical and electron microscopy data showing that alterations of the mitochondria occur upon shift to 39°C

SV 40 induced cellular immortalization: phenotypic changes associated with the loss of proliferative capacity in a conditionally immortalized cell line

International audienceImmortalization of rodent embryo fibroblasts by SV 40 is dominantly maintained by the large T antigen. The aim of this work is to characterize some of the events associ ated with the Joss of proliferative capacity in a rat cell line, called REtsAF, which is conditionally immortalized by the tsA58 allele of SV 40 large T antigen. DNA repli cation is arrested Jess than 24 h after the shift to the restrictive temperature (39°C). This arrest occurs without specificity relative to the cell cycle stage, which suggests that a fonction essential throughout the cell cycle is affected. A two-dimensional SOS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of proteins shows that, although the global rate of protein synthesis is only slightly affected at 39°C, the rate of accumulation of specific pro teins is either increased or decreased. Finally we present biochemical and electron microscopy data showing that alterations of the mitochondria occur upon shift to 39°C

Dynamic traffic path optimization algorithm based on mnemonic mechanism

The analysis of the traditional traffic path optimization algorithms showed that their realtime capability appear insufficient under the large-scale road network conditions. Comparing the path optimization algorithm in the road traffic with that in seeking path for the robot, a new path optimization algorithm was proposed based on the D* Lite path planning algorithm of the robot and the mnemonic mechanism. The proposed algorithm was tested and analyzed comparatively. The results show that the proposed algorithm reduces the calculation time by 26%-50% with almost the same optimized paths generated

Causes and preventive technologies of traffic congestion shift

In order to study the influence of traffic guidance information on driver's behavior, the causes of traffic congestion shift under real-time guidance were analyzed from the aspects of guidance proportion, the number of alternative routes, the rationality of alternative route and the traffic distribution of road network, three methods were proposed to prevent from congestion shift, which included escalating guidance proportion, adding disturbance to linkcost data and providing K alternative routes to driver, and the methods were evaluated and compared by using traffic simulation software named Vissim. Simulation result shows that in a road network with local congestions, the methods have the ability to alleviate or eliminate congestion shift, the performance of providing K alternative routes is the best; the performance of escalating guidance proportion is the second; although the performance of adding disturbance to linkcost data is the third, it is much better than the conditions of completely guiding driver and adopting no guiding measurement. 3 tabs, 2 figs, 11 refs