Life History, Resource Allocation, and Phenology of Diploid Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) Collected from Populations in Ohio and New York

Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) is an invasive wetland perennial monocot that is native to eastern Europe that invaded north America in the early 1900’s. Flowering rush made its way to the Great Lakes in the mid-1950’s and has now invaded lake and wetland systems along the U.S. – Canadian border causing a host of issues related to water quality and water use. Within the current invaded range two cytotypes, a diploid and a triploid, have been documented which much of the current research and developed management strategies have been largely on the triploid. Research presented here is on the diploid cytotype which is considerably understudied compared to its triploid counterpart. One study was aimed at understanding the phenology and resource allocation of diploid flowering rush from three study sites: Mentor Marsh, OH; Tonawanda, NY; and Unity Island, NY. It was found that diploid flowering rush had the aboveground tissue peak in early to mid-summer with little resource investment. Once the aboveground tissue peaked, the generated carbohydrate content was then diverted to the rhizome and rhizome bud tissues for long-term storage as starch and vegetative reproduction which peaks right before wintertime. Along with sexual reproduction occurring in the flowers, diploid flowering rush produces rhizome buds, which act as vegetative propagules, on a scale almost twenty times higher than the triploid cytotype. With high reproductive output, diploid flowering rush presents itself as a threat for further spread in the U.S. Alongside understanding the phenological patterns of diploid flowering rush, abiotic factor influences were analyzed using ecological niche modeling. This was done to model site specific abiotic effects as well as the potential for further spread within the U.S. Diploid flowering rush displayed plastic responses to its environment with each study site being affected by different abiotic variables from levels of soil organic carbon content to precipitation seasonality. From ecological niche modeling, diploid flowering rush was determined to have high suitability along the east coast of the U.S. Records from the U.S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database were used to determine that numerous populations of flowering rush occupy areas of high suitability based on the generated ecological niche models. Research done on diploid flowering rush suggests that management should be aimed to control the aboveground tissue using herbicide treatments. This management should be done early in the growing season for effective control, otherwise, flowering rush will be minimally affected by ill-timed management. However, further research should be done to optimize management strategies further for populations of diploid flowering rush

Transcript expression of vesicular glutamate transporters in lumbar dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord of mice – Effects of peripheral axotomy or hindpaw inflammation

Using specific riboprobes, we characterized the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT)1–VGLUT3 transcripts in lumbar 4–5 (L4–5) dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and the thoracolumbar to lumbosacral spinal cord in male BALB/c mice after a 1- or 3-day hindpaw inflammation, or a 7-day sciatic nerve axotomy. Sham animals were also included. In sham and contralateral L4–5 DRGs of injured mice, VGLUT1-, VGLUT2- and VGLUT3 mRNAs were expressed in ∼45%, ∼69% or ∼17% of neuron profiles (NPs), respectively. VGLUT1 was expressed in large and medium-sized NPs, VGLUT2 in NPs of all sizes, and VGLUT3 in small and medium-sized NPs. In the spinal cord, VGLUT1 was restricted to a number of NPs at thoracolumbar and lumbar segments, in what appears to be the dorsal nucleus of Clarke, and in mid laminae III–IV. In contrast, VGLUT2 was present in numerous NPs at all analyzed spinal segments, except the lateral aspects of the ventral horns, especially at the lumbar enlargement, where it was virtually absent. VGLUT3 was detected in a discrete number of NPs in laminae III–IV of the dorsal horn. Axotomy resulted in a moderate decrease in the number of DRG NPs expressing VGLUT3, whereas VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 were unaffected. Likewise, the percentage of NPs expressing VGLUT transcripts remained unaltered after hindpaw inflammation, both in DRGs and the spinal cord. Altogether, these results confirm previous descriptions on VGLUTs expression in adult mice DRGs, with the exception of VGLUT1, whose protein expression was detected in a lower percentage of mouse DRG NPs. A detailed account on the location of neurons expressing VGLUTs transcripts in the adult mouse spinal cord is also presented. Finally, the lack of change in the number of neurons expressing VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 transcripts after axotomy, as compared to data on protein expression, suggests translational rather than transcriptional regulation of VGLUTs after injury.Fil: Malet, Mariana. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Vieytes, C. A.. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Lundgren, K. H.. University of Cincinnati; Estados UnidosFil: Seal, R. P.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Tomasella, María Eugenia. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Seroogy, K. B.. University of Cincinnati; Estados UnidosFil: Hökfelt, T.. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Gebhart, G. F.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Brumovsky, Pablo Rodolfo. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. University of Pittsburgh; Estados Unido

Nonopioid Actions of U50,488 Enantiomers Contribute to Their Peripheral Cutaneous Antinociceptive Effects

ABSTRACT The ability of arylacetamide -opioid receptor agonists (-ORAs) to block sodium channels by a nonopioid mechanism has been previously documented. The present experiments were undertaken to test whether two enantiomers of the aryla

Luminal hypertonicity and acidity modulate colorectal afferents and induce persistent visceral hypersensitivity

Carbohydrate malabsorption such as in lactose intolerance or enteric infection causes symptoms that include abdominal pain. Because this digestive disorder increases intracolonic osmolarity and acidity by accumulation of undigested carbohydrates and fermented products, we tested whether these two factors (hypertonicity and acidity) would modulate colorectal afferents in association with colorectal nociception and hypersensitivity. In mouse colorectum-pelvic nerve preparations in vitro, afferent activities were monitored after application of acidic hypertonic saline (AHS; pH 6.0, 800 mosM). In other experiments, AHS was instilled intracolonically to mice and behavioral responses to colorectal distension (CRD) measured. Application of AHS in vitro excited 80% of serosal and 42% of mechanically-insensitive colorectal afferents (MIAs), sensitizing a proportion of MIAs to become mechanically sensitive and reversibly inhibiting stretch-sensitive afferents. Acute intracolonic AHS significantly increased expression of the neuronal activation marker pERK in colon sensory neurons and augmented noxious CRD-induced behavioral responses. After three consecutive daily intracolonic AHS treatments, mice were hypersensitive to CRD 4-15 days after the first treatment. In complementary single fiber recordings in vitro, the proportion of serosal class afferents increased at day 4; the proportion of MIAs decreased, and muscular class stretch-sensitive afferents were sensitized at days 11-15 in mice receiving AHS. These results indicate that luminal hypertonicity and acidity, two outcomes of carbohydrate malabsorption, can induce colorectal hypersensitivity to distension by altering the excitability and relative proportions of colorectal afferents, suggesting the potential involvement of these factors in the development of abdominal pain.Fil: La, Jun Ho. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Feng, Bin. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Schwartz, Erica S.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Brumovsky, Pablo Rodolfo. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gebhart, G. F.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados Unido

Performance Analysis of Throughput Efficient Switch-over between FSO and mmW Links

Free Space Optics (FSO) links provide usage of high bandwidth and the flexibility of wireless communication links. However, weather patterns like fog and heavy snow fall limit the availability of FSO. Another technology providing similar properties regarding offered data rates and flexibility of setup is Millimeter Wave Technology (mmW), operating at several tens of GHz. In this case, heavy rain limits mmW link availability. A combination of both technologies had been proved to be very effective to achieve very high availability. Different hybrid architectures of these two links and switch-over techniques had been proposed in the recent years. All of these techniques require redundant transmission on either both transmission links or waste bandwidth of backup link when main FSO link is operational. In this paper, a switch-over between these technologies is proposed, to maintain high availability without the loss of transmission bandwidth. The performance of this switch-over has been simulated for more than one year measured availability data for hybrid network of mmW link and FSO link. The switch over behavior has also been simulated for fog, rain and snow events. It has been shown that the availability with switch-over reaches the redundant link availability but switchover can save more than 90% redundant transmission and increase the hybrid network throughput significantly

Expression of vesicular glutamate transporters in sensory and autonomic neurons innervating the mouse urinary bladder

Purpose: Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs), essential for loading glutamate into synaptic vesicles, are present in various neuronal systems. However, the expression of VGLUTs in neurons innervating the urinary bladder has not yet been analyzed. Here, we study the presence of VGLUTs type-1, -2 and -3 (VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and VGLUT3, respectively) in mouse urinary bladder neurons. Materials and Methods: Expression of VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in retrogradely labeled primary afferent and autonomic neurons of BALB/C mice after injecting Fast Blue in the urinary bladder wall. To study VGLUT3, retrograde tracing of the urinary bladder was performed in transgenic mice where VGLUT3 is identified by detection of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Results: Most urinary bladder DRG neurons expressed VGLUT2. A smaller percentage of neurons also expressed VGLUT1 or VGLUT3. Coexpression with CGRP was only observed for VGLUT2. Occasional VGLUT2-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were seen in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG). Abundant VGLUT2-IR nerves were detected in the urinary bladder dome, trigone and also the urethra; VGLUT1-IR nerves were discretely present. Conclusions: We present novel data on the expression of VGLUTs in sensory and autonomic neurons innervating the mouse urinary bladder. The frequent association of VGLUT2 and CGRP in sensory neurons suggests interactions between glutamatergic and peptidergic neurotransmissions, potentially influencing commonly perceived sensations in the urinary bladder, such as discomfort and pain.Fil: Brumovsky, Pablo Rodolfo. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. University of Pittsburgh. Department of Anesthesiology. Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research; Estados UnidosFil: Seal, Rebecca P.. University of Pittsburgh. Department of Anesthesiology. Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research; Estados UnidosFil: Lundgren, Kerstin H.. University of Cincinnati. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Seroogy, Kim B.. University of Cincinnati. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Watanabe, Masahiko. Hokkaido University School of Medicine. Department of Anatomy; JapónFil: Gebhart, G. F.. University of Pittsburgh. Department of Anesthesiology. Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research; Estados Unido

Interpretable Subgroup Discovery in Treatment Effect Estimation with Application to Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

The dearth of prescribing guidelines for physicians is one key driver of the current opioid epidemic in the United States. In this work, we analyze medical and pharmaceutical claims data to draw insights on characteristics of patients who are more prone to adverse outcomes after an initial synthetic opioid prescription. Toward this end, we propose a generative model that allows discovery from observational data of subgroups that demonstrate an enhanced or diminished causal effect due to treatment. Our approach models these sub-populations as a mixture distribution, using sparsity to enhance interpretability, while jointly learning nonlinear predictors of the potential outcomes to better adjust for confounding. The approach leads to human-interpretable insights on discovered subgroups, improving the practical utility for decision suppor

Russell Lecture: Dark Star Formation and Cooling Instability

Optically thin cooling gas at most temperatures above 30K will make condensations by pressure pushing material into cool dense regions. This works without gravity. Cooling condensations will flatten and become planar/similarity solutions. Most star formation may start from cooling condensations - with gravity only important in the later stages. The idea that some of the dark matter could be pristine white dwarfs that condensed slowly on to planetary sized seeds without firing nuclear reactions is found lacking. However, recent observations indicate fifty times more halo white dwarfs than have been previously acknowledged; enough to make the halo fraction observed as MACHOS. A cosmological census shows that only 1% of the mass of the Universe is of known constitution.Comment: 32 Pages, Latex (uses aastex & natbib), 5 eps figures, submitted to ApJ April 200

Collecting Service-Based Maintainability Metrics from RESTful API Descriptions: Static Analysis and Threshold Derivation

While many maintainability metrics have been explicitly designed for service-based systems, tool-supported approaches to automatically collect these metrics are lacking. Especially in the context of microservices, decentralization and technological heterogeneity may pose challenges for static analysis. We therefore propose the modular and extensible RAMA approach (RESTful API Metric Analyzer) to calculate such metrics from machine-readable interface descriptions of RESTful services. We also provide prototypical tool support, the RAMA CLI, which currently parses the formats OpenAPI, RAML, and WADL and calculates 10 structural service-based metrics proposed in scientific literature. To make RAMA measurement results more actionable, we additionally designed a repeatable benchmark for quartile-based threshold ranges (green, yellow, orange, red). In an exemplary run, we derived thresholds for all RAMA CLI metrics from the interface descriptions of 1,737 publicly available RESTful APIs. Researchers and practitioners can use RAMA to evaluate the maintainability of RESTful services or to support the empirical evaluation of new service interface metrics.Comment: Accepted at CSE/QUDOS workshop (collocated with ECSA 2020