Interleukin-11 Drives Early Lung Inflammation during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Genetically Susceptible Mice

IL-11 is multifunctional cytokine whose physiological role in the lungs during pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is poorly understood. Here, using in vivo administration of specific antibodies against IL-11, we demonstrate for the first time that blocking IL-11 diminishes histopathology and neutrophilic infiltration of the lung tissue in TB-infected genetically susceptible mice. Antibody treatment decreased the pulmonary levels of IL-11 and other key inflammatory cytokines not belonging to the Th1 axis, and down-regulated IL-11 mRNA expression. This suggests the existence of a positive feedback loop at the transcriptional level, which is further supported by up-regulation of IL-11 mRNA expression in the presence of rIL-11 in in vitro cultures of lung cells. These findings imply a pathogenic role for IL-11 during the early phase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-triggered disease in a genetically susceptible host

Isotopic composition of mud-volcanic waters from the Taman Peninsula (Russia) and from Kakheti (Eastern Georgia)

d18O and dD values in mud-volcanic waters of the Taman Peninsula and Kakheti vary from +0.7 to +10.0 per mil and from -37 to -13 per mil, respectively. These values increase as the Greater Caucasus is approached. Increase in d18O and dD also positively correlates with fluid generation temperatures based on hydrochemical geothermometers. This is accompanied by changes in chemical composition of waters, in which concentrations of alkali metals, HCO3- ion, and boron increase, while concentrations of halogen ions (Cl-, Br-, J-) decrease. Changes in isotopic composition of water are also accompanied by increase of d13C in methane and decrease of d11B in clays. Analysis of formal models of evolution of isotopic composition of mud-volcanic waters shows that mud volcanoes are recharged by freshened water from the Maikop paleobasin with inferred isotopic composition of dD~-40 per mil and d18O~-6 per mil. Based on this assumption, d18O and dD values observed in mud-volcanic waters can be explained not only by processes of distillation and condensation in a closed system, but also by combined processes of isotopic re-equilibration in the water-illite-methane system

δD, δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C concentrations in water samples of the East Siberian Sea from cruise AMK69 in 2017

Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon isotope data with the [DIC] concentrations were analyzed in water samples collected in the East Siberian Sea along the Kolyma and Indigirka sub-meridian profile in route 69 of R/V "Akademik Mstislav Keldysh" in 2017. Sampling was done using the Rosette SBE 32. Isotope analysis was performed in the laboratory of Isotope Geochemistry and Geochronology of IGEM RAS (Moscow) in 2017. Oxygen isotope composition of water samples determined by CF IRMS using the Delta V+ with the GasbenchII option (Thermo, Germany). Hydrogen isotope composition of water samples determined by DI IRMS using the DeltaPlus with H/Device option (Thermo, Germany). The δD and δ¹⁸O values were determined with an accuracy of 0.3 and 0.05 per mill correspondently. The δ¹³C(DIC) and DIC concentrations were analyzed using the Delta V+ with the GasbenchII option (Thermo, Germany). The δ¹³C(DIC) and [DIC] values were determined with an accuracy of 0.05 per mill and 5 rel. % correspondently

Chemical and isotopic compositions of rocks and minerals from the Palenyi Island, Por'ya Guba (Bay), White Sea

Hypersthene-garnet-sillimanite-quartz enclaves were studied in orthopyroxene-plagioclase and orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene crystalline schists and gneisses from shear zones exposed in the Palenyi Island within the Early Proterozoic Belomorian Mobile Belt. Qualitative analysis of mineral assemblages indicates that these rocks were metamorphosed to the granulite facies (approximately 900°C and 10-11 kbar). Oxygen isotopic composition was determined in rock-forming minerals composing zones of the enclaves of various mineral and chemical composition. Closure temperatures of the isotopic systems obtained by methods of oxygen isotopic thermometry are close to values obtained with mineralogical geothermometers (garnet-orthopyroxene and garnet-biotite) and correspond to the high-temperature granulite facies (860-900°C). Identified systematic variations in d18O values were determined in the same minerals from zones of different mineral composition. Inasmuch as these zones are practically in contact with one another, these variations in d18O cannot be explained by primary isotopic heterogeneity of the protolith. Model calculations of the extent and trend of d18O variations in minerals suggest that fluid-rock interaction at various integral fluid/rock ratios in discrete zones was the only mechanism that could generate the zoning. This demonstrates that focused fluid flux could occur in lower crustal shear zones. Preservation of high-temperature isotopic equilibria of minerals testifies that the episode of fluid activity at the peak of metamorphism was very brief