Annotated List of Crane Flies (Diptera: Tipulidae) From Mentor Marsh, Lake County, Ohio

Sixty-one species of Tipulidae, one species of Ptychopteridae, two species of Trichoceridae, and one species of Anisopodidae are recorded for Mentor Marsh and adjacent woodlands

Chironomidae (Diptera) of Cedar Bog, Champaign County, Ohio

Author Institution: Ohio Environmental Protection AgencyChironomidae (Diptera) were collected from Cedar Bog, Champaign County, OH. Cedar Bog is an alkaline fen formed by numerous springs that collect to form Cedar Run. An attempt was made to collect all life history stages and to rear late instar larvae and pupae under laboratory conditions. Ninety-six taxa were collected from the fen. Twelve taxa were recognized as new species. Taxa for which this study represent a significant range extension are: Bethbilbeckiafloridensis Fittkau & Murray, Paramerina smithae (Sublette), Radotanypus florens (Johannsen) n. comb., Odontomesa ferringtoni Saether, and Rheocricotopus (s.s.) effusoides Saether

In Stark Contravention of Its Purpose : Federal Communications Commission Enforcement and Repeal of the Fairness Doctrine

This Note analyzes current FCC policy to determine whether the agency violated its statutory purpose and acted unlawfully by restricting and later repealing the fairness doctrine. Because the Commission\u27s attack on the doctrine has been based, in part, on conclusions drawn from the doctrine\u27s history, Part I examines prior FCC enforcement of the fairness doctrine. Part II views the Commission\u27s contemporary enforcement and repeal of the doctrine. Finally, Part III assesses Commission action in light of its legislative mandate and administrative law standards of judicial review to conclude that the FCC both violated its administrative responsibilities by deemphasizing enforcement of the fairness doctrine and acted illegally in repealing it

Bored pile design in stiff clay II:Mechanisms and uncertainty

The soil mechanics related to pile design in clay has been the subject of substantial engineering research. In a companion paper, various codes of practice were reviewed showing the effect on pile capacity of the different global factors of safety that emerge from the various partial factor combinations for the ultimate limit state. Factors of safety are generally specified based on the opinions of experts. In this paper an assessment will be made of various objective procedures that can be used to reduce uncertainty in the design process, especially regarding the adoption of a pile resistance model and the selection of a soil strength profile as part of a ultimate limit state check, and the estimation of pile head settlement in the context of a serviceability limit state check. It is shown that both total stress and effective stress calculation methods are applicable in London Clay. Estimates of settlement using a non-linear soil stress–strain relationship are made and compared with published data. It is shown that the compression of the concrete dominates the settlement of long piles. Given the low settlements observed, recommendations are made for a reduction in standard factors of safety for bored pile design in stiff clays. </jats:p

Sequence similarity between the erythrocyte binding domain 1 of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein and the V3 loop of HIV-1 strain MN reveals binding residues for the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The surface glycoprotein (SU, gp120) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) must bind to a chemokine receptor, CCR5 or CXCR4, to invade CD4+ cells. <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>uses the Duffy Binding Protein (DBP) to bind the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) and invade reticulocytes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Variable loop 3 (V3) of HIV-1 SU and domain 1 of the <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>DBP share a sequence similarity. The site of amino acid sequence similarity was necessary, but not sufficient, for DARC binding and contained a consensus heparin binding site essential for DARC binding. Both HIV-1 and <it>P. vivax </it>can be blocked from binding to their chemokine receptors by the chemokine, RANTES and its analog AOP-RANTES. Site directed mutagenesis of the heparin binding motif in members of the DBP family, the <it>P. knowlesi </it>alpha, beta and gamma proteins abrogated their binding to erythrocytes. Positively charged residues within domain 1 are required for binding of <it>P. vivax </it>and <it>P. knowlesi </it>erythrocyte binding proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A heparin binding site motif in members of the DBP family may form part of a conserved erythrocyte receptor binding pocket.</p

Sequence similarity between the erythrocyte binding domain of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein and the V3 loop of HIV-1 strain MN reveals a functional heparin binding motif involved in binding to the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The HIV surface glycoprotein gp120 (SU, gp120) and the <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) bind to chemokine receptors during infection and have a site of amino acid sequence similarity in their binding domains that often includes a heparin binding motif (HBM). Infection by either pathogen has been found to be inhibited by polyanions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Specific polyanions that inhibit HIV infection and bind to the V3 loop of X4 strains also inhibited DBP-mediated infection of erythrocytes and DBP binding to the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC). A peptide including the HBM of PvDBP had similar affinity for heparin as RANTES and V3 loop peptides, and could be specifically inhibited from heparin binding by the same polyanions that inhibit DBP binding to DARC. However, some V3 peptides can competitively inhibit RANTES binding to heparin, but not the PvDBP HBM peptide. Three other members of the DBP family have an HBM sequence that is necessary for erythrocyte binding, however only the protein which binds to DARC, the <it>P. knowlesi </it>alpha protein, is inhibited by heparin from binding to erythrocytes. Heparitinase digestion does not affect the binding of DBP to erythrocytes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The HBMs of DBPs that bind to DARC have similar heparin binding affinities as some V3 loop peptides and chemokines, are responsible for specific sulfated polysaccharide inhibition of parasite binding and invasion of red blood cells, and are more likely to bind to negative charges on the receptor than cell surface glycosaminoglycans.</p

14-3-3 theta binding to cell cycle regulatory factors is enhanced by HIV-1 Vpr

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite continuing advances in our understanding of AIDS pathogenesis, the mechanism of CD4+ T cell depletion in HIV-1-infected individuals remains unclear. The HIV-1 Vpr accessory protein causes cell death, likely through a mechanism related to its ability to arrest cells in the G₂,M phase. Recent evidence implicated the scaffold protein, 14-3-3, in Vpr cell cycle blockade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that in human T cells, 14-3-3 plays an active role in mediating Vpr-induced cell cycle arrest and reveal a dramatic increase in the amount of Cdk1, Cdc25C, and CyclinB1 bound to 14-3-3 θ during Vpr_v-induced G₂,M arrest. By contrast, a cell-cycle-arrest-dead Vpr mutant failed to augment 14-3-3 θ association with Cdk1 and CyclinB1. Moreover, G₂,M arrest caused by HIV-1 infection strongly correlated with a disruption in 14-3-3 θ binding to centrosomal proteins, Plk1 and centrin. Finally, Vpr caused elevated levels of CyclinB1, Plk1, and Cdk1 in a complex with the nuclear transport and spindle assembly protein, importin β.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thus, our data reveal a new facet of Vpr-induced cell cycle arrest involving previously unrecognized abnormal rearrangements of multiprotein assemblies containing key cell cycle regulatory proteins.</p> <p>Reviewers</p> <p>This article was reviewed by David Kaplan, Nathaniel R. Landau and Yan Zhou.</p

The use of the practice walk test in pulmonary rehabilitation program: National COPD Audit Pulmonary Rehabilitation Workstream

Our aim was to evaluate the use and impact of the practice walk test on enrolment, completion, and clinical functional response to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) using the 2015 UK National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Pulmonary Rehabilitation audit data. Patients were assessed according to whether a baseline practice walk test was performed or not. Study outcomes included use of the practice walk test, baseline and change in incremental shuttle walk test distance (ISWD) or 6-minute walk test distance (6MWD), and enrolment to and completion of PR program. Of 7,355 patients, only 1,666 (22.6%) had a baseline practice test. At baseline, the practice walk test group walked further as compared to the no practice walk test group: ISWD, 17.9 m [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.2–27.5 m] and 6MWD, 34.8 m (95% CI 24.7–44.9 m). The practice walk test group were 2.2 times (95% CI 1.8–2.6) more likely to enroll and 17% (95% CI 1.03–1.34) more likely to complete PR. Although the change in ISWD and 6MWD with PR was lower in the practice walk test group, they walked further at discharge assessment. Only 22.6% of the patients in the 2015 National PR audit had a practice walk test at assessment. Those who did had better enrolment, completion, and better baseline walking distance, from which the prescription is set