Pierid Butterflies, Legume Hostplants, and Parasitoids in Urban Areas of Southern Florida

Are parasitoids less likely to find their Lepidoptera hosts on non-native hostplants than native hostplants? We predicted that with longer periods of coevolution between herbivores and the plants they consume, the parasitoids that provide top-down control would be more attuned to finding their hosts on native plants. To test this hypothesis, we collected immature stages of sulfur butterflies (the cloudless sulfur (Phoebis sennae) and the orange-barred sulfur (Phoebis agarithe) over a three-year period (2008-2011) from native and ornamental hostplants in the genus Senna in three different parts of the urban landscape of Miami, Florida, USA. We reared the immature specimens to pupation and either eclosion of adults or emergence of parasitoids and compared the levels of parasitization among the three areas, and among native vs. exotic hostplants. We found, contrary to our prediction, that caterpillars feeding on non-native leguminous hostplant species were more likely to be parasitized than those feeding on native hostplants. We discuss this surprising finding in the light of recent findings in other plant/herbivore/parasitoid systems.

Larissimusnigricans sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a new reared species of a rare neotropical genus recovered through biodiversity inventory in Ecuador

A new species of the rarely collected neotropical microgastrine braconid wasp genus Larissimus Nixon, represented previously by only a single described species, L.cassander Nixon, was recovered by the Caterpillars and Parasitoids of the Eastern Andes in Ecuador inventory project. Larissimusnigricanssp. nov. was reared from an unidentified species of arctiine Erebidae feeding on the common bamboo species Chusqueascandens Kunth at the Yanayacu Biological Station near Cosanga, Napo Province, Ecuador. The new species is described and diagnosed from L.cassander using both morphological and DNA barcode data.

Real-world deployment of lateral flow SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection in the emergency department to provide rapid, accurate and safe diagnosis of COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Point-of-care (POC) SARS-CoV-2 lateral-flow antigen detection (LFD) testing in the emergency department (ED) could inform rapid infection control decisions but requirements for safe deployment have not been fully defined.

METHODS

Review of LFD test results, laboratory and POC-RT-PCR results and ED-performance metrics during a two-week high SARS-CoV-2 prevalence period followed by several months of falling prevalence.

AIM

Determine whether LFD testing can be safely deployed in ED to provide an effective universal SARS-CoV-2 testing capability.

FINDINGS

93% (345/371) of COVID-19 patients left ED with a virological diagnosis during the 2-week universal LFD evaluation period compared to 77% with targeted POC-RT-PCR deployment alone, on background of approximately one-third having an NHS Track and Trace RT-PCR test-result at presentation. LFD sensitivity and specificity was 70.7% and 99.1% respectively providing a PPV of 97.7% and NPV of 86.4% with disease prevalence of 34.7%. ED discharge-delays (breaches) attributable to COVID-19 fell to 33/3532 (0.94%) compared with the preceding POC-RT-PCR period (107/4114 (2.6%); p=<0.0001). Importantly, LFD testing identified 1 or 2 clinically-unsuspected COVID-19 patients/day. Three clinically-confirmed LFD false positive patients were appropriately triaged based on LFD action-card flowchart, and only 5 of 95 false-negative LFD results were inappropriately admitted to non-COVID-19 areas where no onward-transmission was identified. LFD testing was restricted to asymptomatic patients when disease prevalence fell below 5% and detected 1-3 cases/week.

CONCLUSION

Universal SARS-CoV-2 LFD testing can be safely and effectively deployed in ED alongside POC-RT-PCR testing during periods of high and low disease prevalence.

Relative expression of the p75 neurotrophin receptor, tyrosine receptor kinase A, and insulin receptor in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and hippocampi from Alzheimer's disease patients

We have previously shown in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells that the expressions of basal (75 kDa) and high molecular weight (HMW; 85 kDa) isoforms of the p75 neurotrophic receptor (p75NTR) are stimulated by amyloid-β peptide1-42 oligomers (AβOs) via the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R). On the other hand, it is known that AβOs inhibit insulin receptor (IR) signaling. The purpose of the present study was to determine the involvement of IR signaling in the regulation of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) protein isoform expression in cultured SH-SY5Y cells and in hippocampi from late-stage human Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Interestingly, insulin induced the expression of basal and HMW p75NTR isoforms in SH-SY5Y cells, suggesting the presence of cross-talk between the IR and IGF-1R for the regulation of p75NTR expression. Reducing IR signaling with an IR kinase inhibitor (AG 1024) or IR-targeted siRNAs increased HMW p75NTR expression and reduced tyrosine receptor kinase-A (Trk-A) expression as well as postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) expression in SH-SY5Y cells. Both basal and HMW p75NTR isoforms were increased in the hippocampi of post-mortem late-stage human AD brains (relative to non-AD brains), and the protein expression of HMW p75NTR was negatively associated with Trk-A expression, PSD95 expression, and IR expression. Thus, increased p75NTR expression, specifically an increased p75NTR-to-Trk-A ratio, is likely to play a role in synaptic loss and neuronal cell death in late-stage AD. Collectively, these findings suggest that increased expression of the p75NTR due to IR signaling inhibition by AβOs might be involved in the pathology of AD.

Beetroot juice supplementation reduces whole body oxygen consumption but does not improve indices of mitochondrial efficiency in human skeletal muscle

KEY POINTS

Oral consumption of nitrate (NO3(-)) in beetroot juice has been shown to decrease the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise; however, the mechanism of action remains unresolved. We supplemented recreationally active males with beetroot juice to determine if this altered mitochondrial bioenergetics. Despite reduced submaximal exercise oxygen consumption, measures of mitochondrial coupling and respiratory efficiency were not altered in muscle. In contrast, rates of mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) emission were increased in the absence of markers of lipid or protein oxidative damage. These results suggest that improvements in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism are not the cause of beetroot juice-mediated improvements in whole body oxygen consumption.

ABSTRACT

Ingestion of sodium nitrate (NO3(-)) simultaneously reduces whole body oxygen consumption (V̇O2) during submaximal exercise while improving mitochondrial efficiency, suggesting a causal link. Consumption of beetroot juice (BRJ) elicits similar decreases in V̇O2 but potential effects on the mitochondria remain unknown. Therefore we examined the effects of 7-day supplementation with BRJ (280 ml day(-1), ∼26 mmol NO3(-)) in young active males (n = 10) who had muscle biopsies taken before and after supplementation for assessments of mitochondrial bioenergetics. Subjects performed 20 min of cycling (10 min at 50% and 70% V̇O2 peak) 48 h before 'Pre' (baseline) and 'Post' (day 5 of supplementation) biopsies. Whole body V̇O2 decreased (P < 0.05) by ∼3% at 70% V̇O2 peak following supplementation. Mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized muscle fibres showed no change in leak respiration, the content of proteins associated with uncoupling (UCP3, ANT1, ANT2), maximal substrate-supported respiration, or ADP sensitivity (apparent Km). In addition, isolated subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondria showed unaltered assessments of mitochondrial efficiency, including ADP consumed/oxygen consumed (P/O ratio), respiratory control ratios and membrane potential determined fluorometrically using Safranine-O. In contrast, rates of mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) emission were increased following BRJ. Therefore, in contrast to sodium nitrate, BRJ supplementation does not alter key parameters of mitochondrial efficiency. This occurred despite a decrease in exercise V̇O2, suggesting that the ergogenic effects of BRJ ingestion are not due to a change in mitochondrial coupling or efficiency. It remains to be determined if increased mitochondrial H2O2 contributes to this response.

Omega-3 supplementation alters mitochondrial membrane composition and respiration kinetics in human skeletal muscle

Studies have shown increased incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into whole skeletal muscle following supplementation, although little has been done to investigate the potential impact on the fatty acid composition of mitochondrial membranes and the functional consequences on mitochondrial bioenergetics. Therefore, we supplemented young healthy male subjects (n = 18) with fish oils [2 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1 g docosahexanoic acid (DHA) per day] for 12 weeks and skeletal muscle biopsies were taken prior to (Pre) and following (Post) supplementation for the analysis of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid composition and various assessments of mitochondrial bioenergetics. Total EPA and DHA content in mitochondrial membranes increased (P < 0.05) ∼450 and ∼320%, respectively, and displaced some omega-6 species in several phospholipid populations. Mitochondrial respiration, determined in permeabilized muscle fibres, demonstrated no change in maximal substrate-supported respiration, or in the sensitivity (apparent Km) and maximal capacity for pyruvate-supported respiration. In contrast, mitochondrial responses during ADP titrations demonstrated an enhanced ADP sensitivity (decreased apparent Km) that was independent of the creatine kinase shuttle. As the content of ANT1, ANT2, and subunits of the electron transport chain were unaltered by supplementation, these data suggest that prolonged omega-3 intake improves ADP kinetics in human skeletal muscle mitochondria through alterations in membrane structure and/or post-translational modification of ATP synthase and ANT isoforms. Omega-3 supplementation also increased the capacity for mitochondrial reactive oxygen species emission without altering the content of oxidative products, suggesting the absence of oxidative damage. The current data strongly emphasize a role for omega-3s in reorganizing the composition of mitochondrial membranes while promoting improvements in ADP sensitivity.

Sequential Cdk1 and Plk1 phosphorylation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B promotes mitotic cell death

Mitotic cell death following prolonged arrest is an important death mechanism that is not completely understood. This study shows that Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) undergoes phosphorylation during mitotic arrest induced by microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) in chronic myeloid leukaemia cells. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) or polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) during mitosis prevents PTP1B phosphorylation, implicating these kinases in PTP1B phosphorylation. In support of this, Cdk1 and Plk1 co-immunoprecipitate with endogenous PTP1B from mitotic cells. In addition, active recombinant Cdk1-cyclin B1 directly phosphorylates PTP1B at serine 386 in a kinase assay. Recombinant Plk1 phosphorylates PTP1B on serine 286 and 393 in vitro, however, it requires a priming phosphorylation by Cdk1 at serine 386 highlighting a novel co-operation between Cdk1 and Plk1 in the regulation of PTP1B. Furthermore, overexpression of wild-type PTP1B induced mitotic cell death, which is potentiated by MTAs. Moreover, mutation of serine 286 abrogates the cell death induced by PTP1B, whereas mutation of serine 393 does not, highlighting the importance of serine 286 phosphorylation in the execution of mitotic cell death. Finally, phosphorylation on serine 286 enhanced PTP1B phosphatase activity. Collectively, these data reveal that PTP1B activity promotes mitotic cell death and is regulated by the co-operative action of Cdk1 and Plk1 during mitotic arrest.

Hippocampal membrane-associated p75NTR levels are increased in Alzheimer's disease

The pan-specific p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is involved in mediating amyloid-β (Aβ) toxicity and stimulating amyloidogenesis. In addition, we have recently shown that stimulating cultured SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells with Aβ(42) increases the level of membrane-associated p75(NTR) and that Aβ(42)-accumation in two strains of transgenic AD model mice is accompanied by an increased level of hippocampal membrane-associated p75(NTR) (Chakravarthy et al. J Alzheimers Dis 19, 915-925, 2010). This raised an important question whether accumulating Aβ(42) in human AD is also accompanied by an increased hippocampal membrane-associated p75(NTR). In this study, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against the p75(NTR) receptor's intra- and extracellular domains, we show that indeed the mean level of membrane-associated p75(NTR) in the hippocampal formation is significantly higher (~two-fold, p < 0.03) in human AD brains than in identical samples of hippocampal formation in age-matched non-AD human brains. The possible relation of this elevated hippocampal p75(NTR) to AD cognitive decline is discussed.

Reduction of the immunostainable length of the hippocampal dentate granule cells' primary cilia in 3xAD-transgenic mice producing human Aβ(1-42) and tau

The hippocampal dentate gyrus is one of the two sites of continuous neurogenesis in adult rodents and humans. Virtually all dentate granule cells have a single immobile cilium with a microtubule spine or axoneme covered with a specialized cell membrane loaded with receptors such as the somatostatin receptor 3 (SSTR3), and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)). The signals from these receptors have been reported to stimulate neuroprogenitor proliferation and the post-mitotic maturation of newborn granule cells into functioning granule cells. We have found that in 6-24-months-old triple transgenic Alzheimer's disease model mice (3xTg-AD) producing both Aβ(1-42) and the mutant human tau protein tau(P301L,) the dentate granule cells still had immunostainable SSTR3- and p75(NTR)-bearing cilia but they were only half the length of the immunostained cilia in the corresponding wild-type mice. However, the immunostainable length of the granule cell cilia was not reduced either in 2xTg-AD mice accumulating large amounts of Aβ(1-42) or in mice accumulating only a mutant human tau protein. Thus it appears that a combination of Aβ(1-42) and tau protein accumulation affects the levels of functionally important receptors in 3xTg-AD mice. These observations raise the important possibility that structural and functional changes in granule cell cilia might have a role in AD.

Wolbachia and DNA barcoding insects: patterns, potential, and problems

Wolbachia is a genus of bacterial endosymbionts that impacts the breeding systems of their hosts. Wolbachia can confuse the patterns of mitochondrial variation, including DNA barcodes, because it influences the pathways through which mitochondria are inherited. We examined the extent to which these endosymbionts are detected in routine DNA barcoding, assessed their impact upon the insect sequence divergence and identification accuracy, and considered the variation present in Wolbachia COI. Using both standard PCR assays (Wolbachia surface coding protein – wsp), and bacterial COI fragments we found evidence of Wolbachia in insect total genomic extracts created for DNA barcoding library construction. When >2 million insect COI trace files were examined on the Barcode of Life Datasystem (BOLD) Wolbachia COI was present in 0.16% of the cases. It is possible to generate Wolbachia COI using standard insect primers; however, that amplicon was never confused with the COI of the host. Wolbachia alleles recovered were predominantly Supergroup A and were broadly distributed geographically and phylogenetically. We conclude that the presence of the Wolbachia DNA in total genomic extracts made from insects is unlikely to compromise the accuracy of the DNA barcode library; in fact, the ability to query this DNA library (the database and the extracts) for endosymbionts is one of the ancillary benefits of such a large scale endeavor – for which we provide several examples. It is our conclusion that regular assays for Wolbachia presence and type can, and should, be adopted by large scale insect barcoding initiatives. While COI is one of the five multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) genes used for categorizing Wolbachia, there is limited overlap with the eukaryotic DNA barcode region.

Involvement of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor signaling in the amyloid-β peptide oligomers-induced p75 neurotrophin receptor protein expression in mouse hippocampus

The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) has been thought to play a critical role in amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)-mediated neurodegeneration and Aβ metabolism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Our previous report showed that membrane-associated p75NTR protein expression was significantly increased in the hippocampi of two different strains of transgenic AD mice and was associated with the age-dependent elevation of Aβ1-42 levels. Here, we provide evidence that the Aβ1-42 oligomers known as ADDLs (Aβ-derived diffusible ligands) induce p75NTR protein expression through insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) phosphorylation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. An in vivo microinjection study demonstrated that microinjected ADDLs increased the p75NTR protein expression by 1.4-fold in the ipsilateral hippocampus compared to the contralateral hippocampus. In addition, ADDLs microinjected into mouse hippocampi facilitated IGF-1R phosphorylation within 30 min and the co-administration of picropodophyllin, an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor, blocked ADDLs-induced p75NTR expression. We examined the possible involvement of IGF-1R in the increased p75NTR protein expression in the hippocampi of 6-month-old AβPPswe/PS1dE9 AD model mice that had accumulated significant amounts of Aβ1-42 and showed significantly higher p75NTR expression than age-matched wild-type mice. We found that IGF-1R phosphorylation in these transgenic mice was higher than that in the wild-type mice. These findings indicate that Aβ1-42 oligomers stimulate the p75NTR protein expression in the hippocampus through IGF-1R signaling. Thus, Aβ1-42 oligomers-mediated IGF-1R activation may trigger an increase in p75NTR protein expression in the hippocampus of AD brain during the early stages of disease development.

Evolution of vacuolar proton pyrophosphatase domains and volutin granules: clues into the early evolutionary origin of the acidocalcisome

Background

Volutin granules appear to be universally distributed and are morphologically and chemically identical to acidocalcisomes, which are electron-dense granular organelles rich in calcium and phosphate, whose functions include storage of phosphorus and various metal ions, metabolism of polyphosphate, maintenance of intracellular pH, osmoregulation and calcium homeostasis. Prokaryotes are thought to differ from eukaryotes in that they lack membrane-bounded organelles. However, it has been demonstrated that as in acidocalcisomes, the calcium and polyphosphate-rich intracellular "volutin granules (polyphosphate bodies)" in two bacterial species, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Rhodospirillum rubrum, are membrane bound and that the vacuolar proton-translocating pyrophosphatases (V-H⁺PPases) are present in their surrounding membranes. Volutin granules and acidocalcisomes have been found in organisms as diverse as bacteria and humans.

Results

Here, we show volutin granules also occur in Archaea and are, therefore, present in the three superkingdoms of life (Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya). Molecular analyses of V-H⁺PPase pumps, which acidify the acidocalcisome lumen and are diagnostic proteins of the organelle, also reveal the presence of this enzyme in all three superkingdoms suggesting it is ancient and universal. Since V-H⁺PPase sequences contained limited phylogenetic signal to fully resolve the ancestral nodes of the tree, we investigated the divergence of protein domains in the V-H⁺PPase molecules. Using Protein family (Pfam) database, we found a domain in the protein, PF03030. The domain is shared by 31 species in Eukarya, 231 in Bacteria, and 17 in Archaea. The universal distribution of the V-H⁺PPase PF03030 domain, which is associated with the V-H⁺PPase function, suggests the domain and the enzyme were already present in the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA).

Conclusion

The importance of the V-H⁺PPase function and the evolutionary dynamics of these domains support the early origin of the acidocalcisome organelle. In particular, the universality of volutin granules and presence of a functional V-H⁺PPase domain in the three superkingdoms of life reveals that the acidocalcisomes may have appeared earlier than the divergence of the superkingdoms. This result is remarkable and highlights the possibility that a high degree of cellular compartmentalization could already have been present in the LUCA.

Reviewers

This article was reviewed by Anthony Poole, Lakshminarayan Iyer and Daniel Kahn

Amyloid-β(25-35), an amyloid-β(1-42) surrogate, and proinflammatory cytokines stimulate VEGF-A secretion by cultured, early passage, normoxic adult human cerebral astrocytes

Cerebrovascular angiopathy affects late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) brains by possibly increasing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A expression, thereby stimulating endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Indeed, VEGF-A gene upregulation, with increased VEGF-A protein content of reactive astrocytes and microglia, occurs in LOAD brains, and neovascularization was observed one week after injecting amyloid-β (Aβ)(1-42) into rat hippocampus. We have now found, with cultured 'normoxic' normal adult human astrocytes (NAHAs), that fibrillar Aβ(25-35) (an active Aβ(1-42) fragment) or a cytokine mixture (the (CM)-trio (interleukin [IL]-1β+interferon [IFN]-γ+tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α), or pair (IFN-γ+TNF-α) like those produced in LOAD brains) stimulates the nuclear translocation of stabilized hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein and its binding to VEGF-A hypoxia-response elements; the mRNA synthesis for three VEGF-A splice variants (121, 165, 189); and the secretion of VEGF-A165. The CM-trio was the most powerful stimulus, IFN-γ+TNF-α was less potent, and other cytokine pairs or single cytokines or Aβ(35-25) were ineffective. While Aβ(25-35) did not change HIF-1β protein levels, the CM-trio increased both HIF-1α and HIF-1β protein levels, thereby giving an earlier and stronger stimulus to VEGF-A secretion by NAHAs. Thus, increased VEGF-A secretion from astrocytes stimulated by Aβ(1-42) and by microglia-released cytokines might restore angiogenesis and Aβ(1-42) vascular clearance.

The p75 neurotrophin receptor is localized to primary cilia in adult murine hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells

The densely ciliated granule cell layer of the adult murine hippocampal dentate gyrus is one of two sites of adult neurogenesis. The granule cells have already been proven to localize their SSTR3 (somatostatin receptor 3) receptors to their so-called primary cilia. Here we show for the first time that 70-90% of these cells in 7-18 months-old wild-type and 3×Tg-AD (Alzheimer disease transgenic) mice also load p75(NTR) receptors into the structures containing SSTR3, i.e., their primary cilia. On the other hand, p75(NTR')s TrkA co-receptors were not localized to cilia but conventionally distributed throughout the cell surface. Significantly fewer cells (20-40%) in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions and cerebral cortex have p75(NTR) containing cilia. While we don't know what the impact of the cilial localization of p75(NTR) on dentate gyral adult neurogenesis and memory encoding might be, the cilia's amyloid β-activatable p75(NTR) receptors could be damaging or lethal to the hippocampal functioning of amyloid β-accumulating Alzheimer brain.

The phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, strongly protects primary rat cortical neurons from lethal oxygen-glucose deprivation

The protein kinase-mediated actions of peptide growth factors such as IGF-1 and bFGF protect cultured neurons from being killed by the oxygen and glucose deprivations (OGD) that prevail in the 'stroked brain'. Here, we show that neuroprotection by IGF-1 is mediated by PI-3K/Akt, whereas that of bFGF is mediated by MAPK. IGF-1 and bFGF together did not further increase protection suggesting a downstream convergence of their pathways. Since protein kinases mediated the protection, a phosphatase inhibitor such as okadaic acid (OA) might be as protective as the growth factors against OGD. Here, we show that OA is actually a much more effective protector. It increased the phosphorylation of both PI-3K/Akt and MAPK, and stimulated new protein synthesis. OA also acted independently of the CREB activation and FKHRL1 and GSK-3 inactivation which have been implicated in IGF-1 actions.

Complementary sex determination in the parasitoid wasp Cotesia vestalis (C. plutellae)

In the Hymenoptera, single locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD) describes a system where males develop either from unfertilized haploid eggs or from fertilized diploid eggs that are homozygous at a single polymorphic sex locus. Diploid males are often inviable or sterile, and are produced more frequently under inbreeding. Within families where sl-CSD has been demonstrated, we predict that sl-CSD should be more likely in species with solitary development than in species where siblings develop gregariously (and likely inbreed). We examine this prediction in the parasitoid wasp genus Cotesia, which contains both solitary and gregarious species. Previous studies have shown that sl-CSD is absent in two gregarious species of Cotesia, but present in one gregarious species. Here, we demonstrate CSD in the solitary Cotesia vestalis, using microsatellite markers. Diploid sons are produced by inbred, but not outbred, females. However, frequencies of diploid males were lower than expected under sl-CSD, suggesting that CSD in C. vestalis involves more than one locus.

Near-threshold production of the multistrange Xi- hyperon

The yield for the multistrange Xi(-) hyperon has been measured in 6A GeV Au+Au collisions via reconstruction of its decay products pi(-) and Lambda, the latter also being reconstructed from its daughter tracks of pi(-) and p. The measurement is rather close to the threshold for Xi(-) production and therefore provides an important test of model predictions. The measured yield for Xi(-) and Lambda are compared for several centralities. In central collisions the Xi(-) yield is found to be in excellent agreement with statistical and transport model predictions, suggesting that multistrange hadron production approaches chemical equilibrium in high baryon density nuclear matter.

Comparison of source images for protons, pi-'s, and lambda's in 6A GeV Au+Au collisions

Source images are extracted from two-particle correlations constructed from strange and nonstrange hadrons produced in 6A GeV Au+Au collisions. Very different source images result from pp vs p Lambda vs pi(-)pi(-) correlations. Scaling by transverse mass can describe the apparent source size ratio for p/pi(-) but not for Lambda/pi(-) or Lambda/p. These observations suggest important differences in the space-time emission histories for protons, pions, and neutral strange baryons produced in the same events.

The effects of parathyroid hormone fragments on bone formation and their lack of effects on the initiation of colon carcinogenesis in rats as indicated by preneoplastic aberrant crypt formation

The parathyroid hormone (PTH) and some of its fragments and analogs stimulate bone growth in various animal models and humans and one of them (hPTH-(1-34)) has been approved by the USFDA for treating osteoporosis. However, there are reports that PTH can stimulate the PI-3 kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinases-mediated proliferation of rat enterocytes and that primary hyperparathyroidism in humans is associated with an increased incidence of colon cancer. Here we have investigated the ability of two PTH fragments, hPTH-(1-34)NH(2) and [Leu(27)]cyclo(Glu(22)-Lys(26))hPTH-(1-31)NH(2) to initiate colon carcinogenesis or increase the initiatory activity of the widely used colon carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM). The initiation of colon carcinogenesis by AOM was indicated by the very early appearance of aberrant crypt foci. While both PTH peptides strongly stimulated femoral bone formation, they did not cause the appearance of ACFs or affect the number or the distribution along the colon of AOM-induced ACFs. Nor did AOM affect the PTHs' ability to stimulate bone formation. Thus, a relatively short PTH treatment that is long enough to strongly stimulate bone formation does not initiate colon carcinogenesis in rats.

Longitudinal flow of protons from (2-8)A GeV central Au+Au collisions

Rapidity distributions of protons from central 197Au+197Au collisions measured by the E895 Collaboration in the energy range from (2-8)A GeV at the Brookhaven AGS are presented. Longitudinal flow parameters derived using a thermal model including collective longitudinal expansion are extracted from these distributions. The results show an approximately linear increase in the longitudinal flow velocity, <betagamma>(L), as a function of the logarithm of beam energy.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) mediates Schwann cell death in vitro and in vivo: examination of c-Jun activation, interactions with survival signals, and the relationship of TGFbeta-mediated death to Schwann cell differentiation

In some situations, cell death in the nervous system is controlled by an interplay between survival factors and negative survival signals that actively induce apoptosis. The present work indicates that the survival of Schwann cells is regulated by such a dual mechanism involving the negative survival signal transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), a family of growth factors that is present in the Schwann cells themselves. We analyze the interactions between this putative autocrine death signal and previously defined paracrine and autocrine survival signals and show that expression of a dominant negative c-Jun inhibits TGFbeta-induced apoptosis. This and other findings pinpoint activation of c-Jun as a key downstream event in TGFbeta-induced Schwann cell death. The ability of TGFbeta to kill Schwann cells, like normal Schwann cell death in vivo, is under a strong developmental regulation, and we show that the decreasing ability of TGFbeta to kill older cells is attributable to a decreasing ability of TGFbeta to phosphorylate c-Jun in more differentiated cells.