Integrating data types to estimate spatial patterns of avian migration across the Western Hemisphere

For many avian species, spatial migration patterns remain largely undescribed, especially across hemispheric extents. Recent advancements in tracking technologies and high-resolution species distribution models (i.e., eBird Status and Trends products) provide new insights into migratory bird movements and offer a promising opportunity for integrating independent data sources to describe avian migration. Here, we present a three-stage modeling framework for estimating spatial patterns of avian migration. First, we integrate tracking and band re-encounter data to quantify migratory connectivity, defined as the relative proportions of individuals migrating between breeding and nonbreeding regions. Next, we use estimated connectivity proportions along with eBird occurrence probabilities to produce probabilistic least-cost path (LCP) indices. In a final step, we use generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) both to evaluate the ability of LCP indices to accurately predict (i.e., as a covariate) observed locations derived from tracking and band re-encounter data sets versus pseudo-absence locations during migratory periods and to create a fully integrated (i.e., eBird occurrence, LCP, and tracking/band re-encounter data) spatial prediction index for mapping species-specific seasonal migrations. To illustrate this approach, we apply this framework to describe seasonal migrations of 12 bird species across the Western Hemisphere during pre- and postbreeding migratory periods (i.e., spring and fall, respectively). We found that including LCP indices with eBird occurrence in GAMMs generally improved the ability to accurately predict observed migratory locations compared to models with eBird occurrence alone. Using three performance metrics, the eBird + LCP model demonstrated equivalent or superior fit relative to the eBird-only model for 22 of 24 species-season GAMMs. In particular, the integrated index filled in spatial gaps for species with over-water movements and those that migrated over land where there were few eBird sightings and, thus, low predictive ability of eBird occurrence probabilities (e.g., Amazonian rainforest in South America). This methodology of combining individual-based seasonal movement data with temporally dynamic species distribution models provides a comprehensive approach to integrating multiple data types to describe broad-scale spatial patterns of animal movement. Further development and customization of this approach will continue to advance knowledge about the full annual cycle and conservation of migratory birds.

Aluminum-induced generation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the human gastrointestinal (GI)-tract microbiome-resident Bacteroides fragilis

Gram-negative bacteria of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract microbiome: (i) are capable of generating a broad-spectrum of highly neurotoxic, pro-inflammatory and potentially pathogenic molecules; and (ii) these include a highly immunogenic class of amphipathic surface glycolipids known as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis), a commensal, Gram negative, non-motile, non-spore forming obligatory anaerobic bacillus, and one of the most abundant bacteria found in the human GI tract, produces a particularly pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic LPS (BF-LPS). BF-LPS: (i) is known to be secreted from the B. fragilis outer membrane into the external-medium; (ii) can damage biophysiological barriers via cleavage of zonula adherens cell-cell adhesion proteins, thereby disrupting both the GI-tract barrier and the blood-brain barrier (BBB); (iii) is able to transit GI-tract barriers into the systemic circulation and cross the BBB into the human CNS; and (iv) accumulates within CNS neurons in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). This short communication provides evidence that the incubation of B. fragilis with aluminum sulfate [Al₂(SO₄)₃] is a potent inducer of BF-LPS. The results suggest for the first time that the pro-inflammatory properties of aluminum may not only be propagated by aluminum itself, but by a stimulation in the production of microbiome-derived BF-LPS and other pro-inflammatory pathogenic microbial products normally secreted from human GI-tract-resident microorganisms.

Early insight into the potential contribution of aluminum to neurodegeneration - A tribute to the research work of Robert D. Terry, Igor Klatzo, Henryk M. Wisniewski and Donald R.C. Mclachlan

The first successful attempt to obtain purified aluminum metal was accomplished by the Danish physicist and chemist Hans Christian Orsted in 1824, however it was not until about ~140 years later that aluminum's capacity for neurological disruption and neurotoxicity was convincingly established. The earliest evidence of the possible involvement of this biosphere-rich metallotoxin in Alzheimer's disease (AD) originated in the early-to-mid-1960's from animal and human research investigations that arose almost simultaneously from independent laboratories in the United States and Canada. This short communication pays tribute to the pioneering research work on aluminum in susceptible species, in AD animal models and in AD patients by the early investigators Drs. Robert D. Terry, Igor Klatzo and Henryk M. Wisniewski with special acknowledgement to the late Dr. Donald RC McLachlan, and their contemporary physician-scientist colleagues and collaborators. Together these researchers established the groundwork and foundation towards our understanding of the potential contribution of aluminum to progressive, age-related and lethal neurodegenerative diseases of the human central nervous system.

Migratory patterns and connectivity of two North American grassland bird species

Effective management and conservation of migratory bird populations require knowledge and incorporation of their movement patterns and space use throughout the annual cycle. To investigate the little-known migratory patterns of two grassland bird species, we deployed 180 light-level geolocators on Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) and 29 Argos-GPS tags on Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) at Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA, and six US Department of Defense (DoD) installations distributed across the species' breeding ranges. We analyzed location data from 34 light-level geolocators and five Argos-GPS tags attached for 1 year to Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks, respectively. Grasshopper Sparrows were present on the breeding grounds from mid-April through early October, substantially longer than previously estimated, and migrated on average ~2,500 km over ~30 days. Grasshopper Sparrows exhibited strong migratory connectivity only at a continental scale. The North American Great Lakes region likely serves as a migratory divide for Midwest and East Coast Grasshopper Sparrows; Midwest populations (Kansas, Wisconsin, and North Dakota; n = 13) largely wintered in Texas or Mexico, whereas East Coast populations (Maryland and Massachusetts, n = 20) wintered in the northern Caribbean or Florida. Our data from Eastern Meadowlarks provided evidence for a diversity of stationary and short- and long-distance migration strategies. By providing the most extensive examination of the nonbreeding movement ecology for these two North American grassland bird species to date, we refine information gaps and provide key insight for their management and conservation.

The dilation aided single-line-of-sight x-ray camera for the National Ignition Facility: Characterization and fielding

Crystal x-ray imaging is frequently used in inertial confinement fusion and laser-plasma interaction applications as it has advantages compared to pinhole imaging, such as higher signal throughput, better achievable spatial resolution, and chromatic selection. However, currently used x-ray detectors are only able to obtain a single time resolved image per crystal. The dilation aided single-line-of-sight x-ray camera described here was designed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and combines two recent diagnostic developments, the pulse dilation principle used in the dilation x-ray imager and a ns-scale multi-frame camera that uses a hold and readout circuit for each pixel. This enables multiple images to be taken from a single-line-of-sight with high spatial and temporal resolution. At the moment, the instrument can record two single-line-of-sight images with spatial and temporal resolution of 35 μm and down to 35 ps, respectively, with a planned upgrade doubling the number of images to four. Here we present the dilation aided single-line-of-sight camera for the NIF, including the x-ray characterization measurements obtained at the COMET laser, as well as the results from the initial timing shot on the NIF.

High-resolution tide projections reveal extinction threshold in response to sea-level rise

Sea-level rise will affect coastal species worldwide, but models that aim to predict these effects are typically based on simple measures of sea level that do not capture its inherent complexity, especially variation over timescales shorter than 1 year. Coastal species might be most affected, however, by floods that exceed a critical threshold. The frequency and duration of such floods may be more important to population dynamics than mean measures of sea level. In particular, the potential for changes in the frequency and duration of flooding events to result in nonlinear population responses or biological thresholds merits further research, but may require that models incorporate greater resolution in sea level than is typically used. We created population simulations for a threatened songbird, the saltmarsh sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus), in a region where sea level is predictable with high accuracy and precision. We show that incorporating the timing of semidiurnal high tide events throughout the breeding season, including how this timing is affected by mean sea-level rise, predicts a reproductive threshold that is likely to cause a rapid demographic shift. This shift is likely to threaten the persistence of saltmarsh sparrows beyond 2060 and could cause extinction as soon as 2035. Neither extinction date nor the population trajectory was sensitive to the emissions scenarios underlying sea-level projections, as most of the population decline occurred before scenarios diverge. Our results suggest that the variation and complexity of climate-driven variables could be important for understanding the potential responses of coastal species to sea-level rise, especially for species that rely on coastal areas for reproduction.

Progressive inflammatory pathology in the retina of aluminum-fed 5xFAD transgenic mice

At least 57 murine transgenic models for Alzheimer's disease (Tg-AD) have been developed to overexpress the 42 amino acid amyloid-beta (Aβ42) peptide in the central nervous system (CNS). These 'humanized murine Tg-AD models' have greatly expanded our understanding of the contribution of Aβ42 peptide-mediated pro-inflammatory neuropathology to the AD process. A number of independent laboratories using different amyloid-overexpressing Tg-AD models have shown that supplementation of murine Tg-AD diets and/or drinking water with aluminum significantly enhances Aβ42 peptide-mediated inflammatory pathology and AD-type cognitive change compared to animals receiving control diets. In humans AD-type pathology appears to originate in the limbic system and progressively spreads into primary processing and sensory regions such as the retina. In these studies, for the first time, we assess the propagation of Aβ42 and inflammatory signals into the retina of 5xFAD Tg-AD amyloid-overexpressing mice whose diets were supplemented with aluminum. The two most interesting findings were (1) that similar to other Tg-AD models, there was a significantly accelerated development of Aβ42 and inflammatory pathology in 5xFAD Tg-AD mice fed aluminum; and (2) in aluminum-supplemented animals, markers for inflammatory pathology appeared in both the brain and the retina as evidenced by an evolving presence of Aβ42 peptides, and accompanied by inflammatory markers - cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The results indicate that in the 5xFAD Tg-AD model aluminum not only enhances an Aβ42-mediated inflammatory degeneration of the brain but also appears to induce AD-type pathology in an anatomically-linked primary sensory area that involves vision.

Occupancy patterns of regionally declining grassland sparrow populations in a forested Pennsylvania landscape

Organisms can be affected by processes in the surrounding landscape outside the boundary of habitat areas and by local vegetation characteristics. There is substantial interest in understanding how these processes affect populations of grassland birds, which have experienced substantial population declines. Much of our knowledge regarding patterns of occupancy and density stem from prairie systems, whereas relatively little is known regarding how occurrence and abundance of grassland birds vary in reclaimed surface mine grasslands. Using distance sampling and single-season occupancy models, we investigated how the occupancy probability of Grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's Sparrows (A. henslowii) on 61 surface mine grasslands (1591 ha) in Pennsylvania changed from 2002 through 2011 in response to landscape, grassland, and local vegetation characteristics . A subset (n = 23; 784 ha) of those grasslands were surveyed in 2002, and we estimated changes in sparrow density and vegetation across 10 years. Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrow populations declined 72% and 49%, respectively from 2002 to 2011, whereas overall woody vegetation density increased 2.6 fold. Henslow's Sparrows avoided grasslands with perimeter-area ratios ≥0.141 km/ha and woody shrub densities ≥0.04 shrubs/m(2). Both species occupied grasslands ≤13 ha, but occupancy probability declined with increasing grassland perimeter-area ratio and woody shrub density. Grassland size, proximity to nearest neighboring grassland (x = 0.2 km), and surrounding landscape composition at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 km were not parsimonious predictors of occupancy probability for either species. Our results suggest that reclaimed surface mine grasslands, without management intervention, are ephemeral habitats for Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrows. Given the forecasted decline in surface coal production for Pennsylvania, it is likely that both species will continue to decline in our study region for the foreseeable future.

Habitat availability is a more plausible explanation than insecticide acute toxicity for U.S. grassland bird species declines

Grassland bird species have experienced substantial declines in North America. These declines have been largely attributed to habitat loss and degradation, especially from agricultural practices and intensification (the habitat-availability hypothesis). A recent analysis of North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) “grassland breeding” bird trends reported the surprising conclusion that insecticide acute toxicity was a better correlate of grassland bird declines in North America from 1980–2003 (the insecticide-acute-toxicity hypothesis) than was habitat loss through agricultural intensification. In this paper we reached the opposite conclusion. We used an alternative statistical approach with additional habitat covariates to analyze the same grassland bird trends over the same time frame. Grassland bird trends were positively associated with increases in area of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands and cropland used as pasture, whereas the effect of insecticide acute toxicity on bird trends was uncertain. Our models suggested that acute insecticide risk potentially has a detrimental effect on grassland bird trends, but models representing the habitat-availability hypothesis were 1.3–21.0 times better supported than models representing the insecticide-acute-toxicity hypothesis. Based on point estimates of effect sizes, CRP area and agricultural intensification had approximately 3.6 and 1.6 times more effect on grassland bird trends than lethal insecticide risk, respectively. Our findings suggest that preserving remaining grasslands is crucial to conserving grassland bird populations. The amount of grassland that has been lost in North America since 1980 is well documented, continuing, and staggering whereas insecticide use greatly declined prior to the 1990s. Grassland birds will likely benefit from the de-intensification of agricultural practices and the interspersion of pastures, Conservation Reserve Program lands, rangelands and other grassland habitats into existing agricultural landscapes.

Effects of altered estuarine submerged macrophyte bed cover on the omnivorous Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi

The ecological importance of submerged macrophyte beds to fishes within estuaries was investigated through the example of the ubiquitous Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi, an omnivorous, vegetation and estuary-dependent species, using stable-isotope techniques and long-term abundance (catch-per-unit-effort) data from the East Kleinemonde Estuary, South Africa. Outputs from a Bayesian mixing model using δ(13) C and δ(15) N signatures indicated that the submerged macrophytes Ruppia cirrhosa and Potamogeton pectinatus were not a primary source of nutrition for R. holubi, confirming previous work that revealed that macrophytes are consumed but not digested. Long-term seine netting data showed reduced abundance of R. holubi during a prolonged period of macrophyte senescence, suggesting that submerged macrophyte habitats provide shelter that reduces mortality (predation risk) and a food-rich foraging area.

The utility of uric acid assay in dogs as an indicator of functional hepatic mass

Uric acid was used as a test for liver disease before the advent of enzymology. Three old studies criticised uric acid as a test of liver function. Uric acid, as an end-product of purine metabolism in the liver, deserved re-evaluation as a liver function test. Serum totalbile acids are widely accepted as the most reliable liver function test. This study compared the ability of serum uric acid concentration to assess liver function with that of serum pre-prandial bile acids in dogs. In addition, due to the renal excretion of uric acid the 2 assays were also compared in a renal disease group. Using a control group of healthy dogs, a group of dogs with congenital vascular liver disease, a group of dogs with non-vascular parenchymal liver diseases and a renal disease group, the ability of uric acid and pre-prandial bile acids was compared to detect reduced functional hepatic mass overall and in the vascular or parenchymal liver disease groups separately. Sensitivities, specificities and predictive value parameters were calculated for each test. The medians of uric acid concentration did not differ significantly between any of the groups, whereas pre-prandial bile acids medians were significantly higher in the liver disease groups compared with the normal and renal disease group of dogs. The sensitivity of uric acid in detecting liver disease overall was 65% while the specificity of uric acid in detecting liver disease overall was 59%. The sensitivity and specificity of uric acid in detecting congenital vascular liver disease was 68% and 59%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of uric acid in detecting parenchymal liver disease was 63% and 60%, respectively. The overall positive and negative predictive values for uric acid in detecting liver disease were poor and the data in this study indicated uric acid to be an unreliable test of liver function. In dogs suffering from renal compromise serum uric acid concentrations may increase into the abnormal range due to its renal route of excretion.

Upregulation of micro RNA-146a (miRNA-146a), a marker for inflammatory neurodegeneration, in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome

A mouse- and human-brain-abundant, nuclear factor (NF)-кB-regulated, micro RNA-146a (miRNA-146a) is an important modulator of the innate immune response and inflammatory signaling in specific immunological and brain cell types. Levels of miRNA-146a are induced in human brain cells challenged with at least five different species of single- or double-stranded DNA or RNA neurotrophic viruses, suggesting a broad role for miRNA-146a in the brain's innate immune response and antiviral immunity. Upregulated miRNA-146a is also observed in pro-inflammatory cytokine-, Aβ42 peptide- and neurotoxic metal-induced, oxidatively stressed human neuronal-glial primary cell cocultures, in murine scrapie and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. In AD, miRNA-146a levels are found to progressively increase with disease severity and co-localize to brain regions enriched in inflammatory neuropathology. This study provides evidence of upregulation of miRNA-146a in extremely rare (incidence 1-10 per 100 million) human prion-based neurodegenerative disorders, including sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS). The findings suggest that an upregulated miRNA-146a may be integral to innate immune or inflammatory brain cell responses in prion-mediated infections and to progressive and irreversible neurodegeneration of both the murine and human brain.

Increased expression of miRNA-146a in Alzheimer's disease transgenic mouse models

A mouse and human brain-enriched micro-RNA-146a (miRNA-146a) is known to be important in modulating the innate immune response and inflammatory signaling in certain immunological and brain cell types. In this study we examined miRNA-146a levels in early-, moderate- and late-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) neocortex and hippocampus, in several human primary brain and retinal cell lines, and in 5 different transgenic mouse models of AD including Tg2576, TgCRND8, PSAPP, 3xTg-AD and 5xFAD. Inducible expression of miRNA-146a was found to be significantly up-regulated in a primary co-culture of human neuronal-glial (HNG) cells stressed using interleukin1-beta (IL-1β), and this up-regulation was quenched using specific NF-кB inhibitors including curcumin. Expression of miRNA-146a correlated with senile plaque density and synaptic pathology in Tg2576 and in 5xFAD transgenic mouse models used in the study of this common neurodegenerative disorder.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in twin sisters following ten years of hyperglobulinemic purpura (Waldenström)

Uniovular twin sisters have been diagnosed 10 years ago as having hyperglobulinemic purpura (Waldenström) at age 12. The diagnosis was documented by purpura of the lower extremities, increased gamma-globulin after serum electrophoresis, and increased 7S component upon ultracentrifugation. In addition, there was an elevated ESR, a positive rheumatoid arthritis latex test, and their LE prep. was negative at that time. At a later date, however, both of them developed polyarthritis. After 9 years for the one and 10 years for the other, their LE prep. became strongly and constantly positive, while their gamma-globulin remained within abnormal limits.

Ex vivo expansion of non-MHC-restricted cytotoxic effector cells as adoptive immunotherapy for myeloma

BACKGROUND

PBMC can be expanded ex vivo into aggressive cytotoxic effector cells (CEC) comprising T, NK and NKT cells. We identified the phenotype, cytotoxicity and mechanisms of killing of these CEC.

METHODS

CY- and G-CSF-mobilized PBMC from myeloma patients were placed in Aim-V serum-free medium, IL-2 (50 IU/mL) and OKT-3 (50 ng/mL). Cytotoxicity was evaluated by selectively blocking the TCR, MHC class I or NKG2D receptor.

RESULTS

The CEC expanded three-fold by day 7 and aggressively lysed myeloma cells (41.9%) compared with day 0 (4%; P=0.012). CD8+ CD56+ NKT cells performed the majority of lysis. The CD8+ cells greatly increased NKG2D expression during culture (P=0.005). Cytotoxicity correlated with target NKG2D ligand expression (P=0.0002). Blocking the TCR or MHC class I did not affect cytotoxicity (P>0.22). CD8+ cell-mediated lysis dropped 48% when the NKG2D receptor was blocked. Day 7 CEC aggressively lysed myeloma cells in an MHC- and non-MHC-restricted fashion, through the NKG2D receptor.

DISCUSSION

Because MHC expression is often down-regulated on tumor cells and the NKG2D ligands are generally specific to malignant cells, the adoptive transfer of CEC that kill through different pathways may circumvent tumor-resistant mechanisms and improve outcomes.

Congenital dilatation of the large and segmental intrahepatic bile ducts (Caroli's disease) in two Golden retriever littermates : clinical communication

Two, sibling, male Golden retriever puppies, 13 weeks of age, were presented with congenital biliary cysts of the liver involving both hepatic and segmental bile ducts, as well as bilateral polycystic kidney disease. Ultrasonography of the livers of both pups demonstrated segmental cystic lesions that were contiguous with the bile ducts. Histopathology revealed cystic ectatic bile duct hyperplasia and dysplasia with variable portal fibrosis in the liver, while in the kidneys there were radially arranged, cylindrically dilated cysts of the collecting ducts, which extended through the medulla and cortex. This pathology was compatible with that of congenital dilatation of the large and segmental bile ducts (Caroli's disease) described in humans, dogs and rats. In humans Caroli's disease has an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, while in rats activation of the MEK5/ERK cascade initiates the biliary dysgenesis of Caroli's disease in this species. However, the exact mode of inheritance and pathogenesis of Caroli's disease in dogs is as yet unknown. Previous reports on congenital hepatic cystic diseases of the dog have described Caroli's disease like lesions in various breeds, but these are believed to be the 1st reported cases in the Golden retriever breed.

FADD self-association is required for stable interaction with an activated death receptor

Receptor-mediated programmed cell death proceeds through an activated receptor to which the death adaptor FADD and the initiator procaspases 8 and/or 10 are recruited following receptor stimulation. The adaptor FADD is responsible for both receptor binding and recruitment of the procaspases into the death-inducing signaling complex. Biochemical dissection of the FADD death effector domain and functional replacement with a coiled-coil motif demonstrates that there is an obligatory FADD self-association via the DED during assembly of the death-inducing signaling complex. Using engineered oligomerization motifs with defined stoichiometries, the requirement for FADD self-association through the DED can be separated from the caspase-recruitment function of the domain. Disruption of FADD self-association precludes formation of a competent signaling complex. On this basis, we propose an alternative architecture for the FADD signaling complex in which FADD acts as a molecular bridge to stitch together an array of activated death receptors.

Senile plaques in Alzheimer's diseased brains: possible association of beta-amyloid with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) L-particles

The characteristic insoluble, senile (neuritic) plaques found extracellularly in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) contain the fibrillar form of beta-amyloid (Abeta42). A substantial proportion of autopsied elderly brains have demonstrated DNA evidence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infiltration. HSV-1-infected cells produce significant quantities of non-infectious, non-DNA-containing light particles (L-particles) comprised of viral envelope and tegument proteins. HSV-induced L-particles can be exocytosed out of their host cells. This report advances the hypothesis that (1) Abeta binds to L-particles; (2) Abeta permeabilizes L-particles, destroying the integrity of the envelope and allowing the contained tegument proteins to spill into the extracellular space; and (3) these events are followed by a conformational shift of Abeta into its fibrillar form, physically trapping the L-particle-derived substances and resulting in the plaques characteristic of AD. These hypotheses are supported by reports of biomolecular changes and pathophysiologies which have been simultaneously observed in both AD- and HSV-infected brains.

Can a herpes simplex virus type 1 neuroinvasive score be correlated to other risk factors in Alzheimer's disease?

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is latent in the nervous system of most humans. Ball [Can J Neurol Sci 9 (1982) 303] first suggested the hypothesis that HSV-1 could be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by noting that regions of the brain particularly and earliest affected in AD were the same as those most damaged during HSV encephalitis. Data from Itzhaki's research suggests that HSV-1 in the brain and the carriage of an apolipoprotein E allele 4 (ApoE e4) together confer risk for AD [J Pathol 97 (2002) 395], [Mol Chem Neuropathol 28 (1996) 135], [Alzheimer's Rep 1 (1998) 173], [Biochem Soc Trans 26 (1998) 273]. Of the two other studies based on Itzhaki's findings, one showed similar results [Lancet 349 (1997) 1102], and the other showed a similar trend [Lancet 351 (1998) 1330], [Lancet 352 (1998) 1312]. To further examine the role of HSV-1 in the etiology of AD, we have formulated a Neuroinvasive Score that quantifies the presence and viral load of HSV-1 in eight brain regions. These regions are: entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, pons, cerebellum, and neocortex (temporal, parietal, occipital, and frontal). We hypothesize that the Neuroinvasive Score that encompasses the presence, amount, and extent of HSV-1 spreading (neuroinvasiveness), will correlate with the genetic risk factor, ApoE e4, in the assessment of autopsy samples from AD patients. If the neuroinvasive score can be directly correlated to the different stages of AD (mild, moderate, severe), this will strengthen the hypothesis that HSV-1 is involved in AD and that ApoE e4 also confers risk for the development and progression of AD.

K(alpha) fluorescence measurement of relativistic electron transport in the context of fast ignition

Electron transport within solid targets, irradiated by a high-intensity short-pulse laser, has been measured by imaging K(alpha) radiation from high- Z layers (Cu, Ti) buried in low- Z (CH, Al) foils. Although the laser spot is approximately 10 microm [full width at half maximum (FWHM)], the electron beam spreads to > or =70 microm FWHM within <20 microm of penetration into an Al target then, at depths >100 microm, diverges with a 40 degree spreading angle. Monte Carlo and analytic models are compared to our data. We find that a Monte Carlo model with a heuristic model for the electron injection gives a reasonable fit with our data.

Wide variations in herpes simplex virus type 1 inoculum dose and latency-associated transcript expression phenotype do not alter the establishment of latency in the rabbit eye model

The latency-associated transcript (LAT) is required for efficient reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 from latent infection in the rabbit eye model, but LAT's mechanism of action is unknown. In addition to reactivation, the LAT region seems to correspond to multiple functions, with some LAT deletion mutants exhibiting increased virulence, increased neuronal death, and restricted establishment of latency. While a LAT promoter deletion mutant (17DeltaPst) seems to be primarily restricted in reactivation in the rabbit, subtle effects on virulence or the establishment of latency cannot be precluded at the normal high levels of virus inoculum used in the rabbit model. Since such additional LAT phenotypes may be more evident with lower doses of virus, we evaluated the influence of initial viral inoculum and LAT expression on the progression of acute infection and the establishment of latency. We have assayed both virus recovery rates and viral genome loads in rabbit corneas and trigeminal ganglia. Our results show that (i) in the corneas and trigeminal ganglia, the maximum amount of virus present during acute infection is independent of the LAT genotype and inoculum dose, although greater viral yields are obtained earlier with higher inoculum doses, and (ii) the range in numbers of latent genomes detected in the ganglia is independent of the inoculum dose and the LAT genotype and therefore no difference in establishment of latency is observed.

A series of heterocyclic inhibitors of phenylalanyl- t RNA synthetases with antibacterial activity

A series of novel heterocyclic analogues have been synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit phenylalanyl-t-RNA synthetases and act as antibacterial agents. Several analogues have good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

A series of spirocyclic analogues as potent inhibitors of bacterial phenylalanyl- t RNA synthetases

We have identified a series of spirocyclic furan and pyrrolidine inhibitors of Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases. The most potent analogue 1b showed IC50=5 nM (E. faecalis PheRS) and IC50=2 nM (S. aureus PheRS) with high selectivity over the human enzyme. The crystal X-ray structure of analogue 1b was determined.

Role of spinal NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in the pressor reflex response to abdominal ischemia

Abdominal ischemia induces a pressor reflex caused mainly by C-fiber afferent stimulation. Because excitatory amino acids, such as glutamate, bind to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA [dl-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA)] receptors and serve as important spinal neurotransmitters, we hypothesized that both receptors play a role in the abdominal ischemia pressor reflex. In chloralose-anesthetized cats, NMDA receptor blockade with 25.0 mM dl-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate did not alter the pressor reflex (33 +/- 9 to 33 +/- 7 mmHg, P > 0.05, n = 4), whereas AMPA receptor blockade with 4.0 mM 6-nitro-7-sulfamylbenzo(f)quinoxaline-2,3-dione significantly attenuated the reflex (29 +/- 5 to 16 +/- 4 mmHg, P < 0.05, n = 6). Because several studies suggest that anesthesia masks the effects of glutamatergic receptors, this experiment was repeated on decerebrate cats, and in this group, NMDA receptor blockade with 25.0 mM dl-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate significantly altered the pressor reflex (36 +/- 3 to 25 +/- 4 mmHg, P < 0.05, n = 5). Our combined data suggest that spinal NMDA and AMPA receptors play a role in the abdominal ischemia pressor reflex.

A novel leucine-rich repeat protein (LRR-1): potential involvement in 4-1BB-mediated signal transduction

4-1BB, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, is induced on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells upon engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR)/ CD3 complex with the antigen bound to MHC. 4-1BB plays an important role in transmitting costimulatory signal during T cell activation. However, 4-1BB-mediatded signal transduction pathways have remained elusive. We conducted the yeast two-hybrid screening to identify intracellular signaling molecules that associate with 4-1BB. A novel leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing protein, herein named LRR-1, was found to specifically interact with the cytoplasmic domain of 4-1BB. Overexpression of LRR-1 suppressed the activation of NF-KB induced by 4-1BB or TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 2. In addition, LRR-1 down-regulated JNK1 activity was induced by 4-1BB. These results indicate that LRR-1 negatively regulates the 4-1BB-mediated signaling cascades which result in the activation of NF-kappaB and JNK1.

Gene expression analyzed by microarrays in HSV-1 latent mouse trigeminal ganglion following heat stress

An understanding of the cellular genes whose expression is altered during HSV reactivation will enable us to better understand host responses and biochemical pathways involved in the process. Furthermore, this knowledge could allow us to develop gene-targeted inhibitors to prevent viral reactivation. Mice latent with HSV-1 strain McKrae and uninfected control mice were subjected to hyperthermic stress (43 degrees C for 10 min) and their trigeminal ganglia (TG) collected 1 h later. Two additional groups included HSV-1 latently infected and uninfected mice not subjected to hyperthermic stress. Poly A+ mRNA was enriched from total mouse TG RNA and reverse transcribed using MMLV RT. Radioactively labeled cDNAs were analyzed by microarray analysis. A stress/toxicology array of 149 mouse genes on a nylon membrane was used. The labeled cDNAs prepared from latently infected, stressed mice demonstrated 3-fold or greater increases in certain mRNA-early response genes (ERGs) compared to cDNAs from uninfected, stressed control mice. The ERG mRNAs that showed increases included two heat shock proteins (HSP60 and HSP40), a basic transcription factor (BTF T62), a DNA repair enzyme, two kinases [MAP kinase and a stress-induced protein kinase (SADK)], an oxidative stress-induced protein, a manganese superoxide dismutase precursor-2 (SOD-2), and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). The gene expression in unstressed, infected TGs was similar to the gene expression in unstressed, uninfected controls. These results suggest that there is a significant difference in the ERG expression profile in latently infected TGs undergoing stress-induced reactivation compared to uninfected TGs.

Spirometric surveillance in hazardous materials firefighters: does hazardous materials duty affect lung function?

We analyzed spirometry results for 351 male hazardous materials firefighters from 1996 to 1999 who underwent one or more annual medical surveillance/fitness for duty examinations: 276 (79%) technicians and 75 (21%) support members. Support members had a very limited potential for hazardous materials exposure and served as referents. In cross-sectional comparisons, the technicians' average forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were either statistically better or not significantly different from that of the support members at all four examinations. Longitudinally, no statistically significant differences were seen for forced vital capacity. The mean percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second decreased by 3% for technicians (P = 0.029), support controls (P = 0.433), and the total cohort (P = 0.014). Although respiratory irritants are the most common type of exposure in hazardous materials releases, the results suggest that hazardous materials technicians do not lose pulmonary function at a more accelerated rate than support team firefighters.

Increase in the discharge of muscle spindles during diaphragm fatigue

The discharge of 18 single unit spindles located in the right crural diaphragm was recorded during rhythmic diaphragmatic contractions before the onset of and during fatigue. Spindle discharge was significantly greater (P<0.05) during rhythmic exercise when the diaphragm was fatigued than spindle discharge during rhythmic exercise when the diaphragm was not fatigued. The increase in spindle discharge during diaphragmatic fatigue is inconsistent with the notion that spindles comprise the afferent arm of a fatigue-induced inhibitory reflex originating in the diaphragm.

Murine keratocytes function as antigen-presenting cells

Keratocytes express MHC class I molecules constitutively, and keratocytes stimulated with IFN-gamma express MHC class II molecules. Unstimulated keratocytes constitutively express B7-1 and ICAM-1, as well as low levels of CD40 and 4-1BBL. These findings indicate that keratocytes may deliver both antigen-specific and costimulatory signals to CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. To demonstrate that keratocytes expressing B7-1 provide a costimulatory signal to T cells, CD4(+) or CD8(+) mouse T cells were incubated with anti-CD3 mAb and irradiated keratocytes. Enhanced proliferation of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells occurred, and could be inhibited by anti-B7-1 mAb, indicating T cell costimulatory activity by B7-1 on the keratocytes. To demonstrate that keratocytes can deliver an antigen-specific signal, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from herpes-infected mice were incubated with HSV-1-infected, irradiated keratocytes. The resulting T cell proliferation and production of Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma) indicated T cell activation by antigens presented by the infected keratocytes. These results show that keratocytes in the corneal stroma of the mouse can function as antigen-presenting cells and, thus, may play a role in immune-mediated stromal inflammation such as herpetic stromal keratitis.

Quantitative analysis of the principle soy isoflavones genistein, daidzein and glycitein, and their primary conjugated metabolites in human plasma and urine using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

Soy isoflavones are becoming of increasing interest as nutritional agents which can be used to combat osteoporosis and hyperlipidemia, and are also being considered as potential cancer chemopreventive compounds. However, prior to their formulation and distribution as therapeutic agents, thorough pharmacokinetic and toxicological assessment needs to be completed in men and women in a variety of health conditions in order to ensure their therapeutic efficacy and safety. At this time, studies of purified soy isoflavones are possible, and are being designed to fully evaluate the pharmacological utility of these preparations. In support of these studies, quantitative analysis of soy isoflavones in biological fluids can be accomplished with a wide variety of methods and analytical instrumentation. However, the relatively ubiquitous presence of high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) in most analytical laboratories, the relative ease of its operation, and the lesser expense of this instrumentation as compared to more sophisticated techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, offers some distinct advantages for its use in pharmacokinetic studies. In this manuscript, the development and validation of an HPLC-UV method for the quantitation of the principal soy isoflavones, genistein, daidzein, and glycitein, and their primary metabolites, in human plasma and urine is described. This analytical approach allows for pharmacologically relevant concentrations of the analytes and their principle metabolites to be detected, and has been validated in close agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration's guidelines for the validation of methods to be used in support of pharmacokinetic studies.

IGF-I as a mediator of VIP/activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-stimulated embryonic growth

IGF-I and the IGF-I receptor are necessary for normal embryonic growth. VIP is an important regulator of early postimplantation growth and acts indirectly through the release of other factors, including activity-dependent neurotrophic factor. The relationship of IGF-I growth regulation to VIP/activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-stimulated growth was examined with whole cultured embryonic d 9.5 mouse embryos. Somite numbers and DNA and protein contents were measured in embryos treated with IGF-I, anti-IGF-I, VIP, activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, and anti-activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-14 (antiserum to an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor agonist). IGF-I mRNA content was measured after incubation with and without VIP for 30 and 60 min using competitive RT-PCR. IGF-I induced a significant, dose-dependent increase in growth as measured by somite number, DNA levels, and protein content. Furthermore, anti-IGF-I inhibited embryonic growth and also prevented exogenous IGF-mediated growth. Both VIP- and activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-stimulated growth were blocked by anti-IGF-I, whereas anti-activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-14 had no detectable effect on IGF-I-induced growth. Treatment with VIP resulted in a 2-fold increase in embryonic IGF-I mRNA. These data suggest that IGF-I is a downstream mediator of VIP and activity-dependent neurotrophic factor in a regulatory pathway coordinating embryonic growth and that VIP may function as a regulator of IGF-I gene expression in the embryo.

Effect of famciclovir on herpes simplex virus type 1 corneal disease and establishment of latency in rabbits

Famciclovir (FCV) is efficacious in the treatment of acute herpes zoster and recurrent genital infections but has not been used to treat ocular herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. We evaluated the efficacy of orally administered FCV in treating HSV-1 epithelial keratitis and determined its effects on the establishment of latency and subsequent reactivation. Rabbits were inoculated with HSV-1 strain 17 syn+ and treated twice daily with increasing concentrations of FCV (60 to 500 mg/kg of body weight). This resulted in a significant, dose-dependent improvement in keratitis scores, as well as prolonged survival. Regardless of the dose of drug used, all groups exhibited the high rates of spontaneous and induced reactivation characteristic of 17syn+. The efficacy of 250 mg of FCV per kg was also compared to topical treatment with 1% trifluorothymidine (TFT). Although TFT treatment was more effective at reducing eye disease, FCV-treated rabbits had a better survival rate. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of rabbit trigeminal ganglia (TG) demonstrated that FCV significantly reduced the HSV-1 copy number compared to that after treatment with TFT or the placebo but not in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, oral FCV treatment significantly reduces the severity of corneal lesions, reduces the number of HSV-1 genomes in the TG, improves survival, and therefore may be beneficial in reducing the morbidity of HSV keratitis in the clinic.

Firefighters' hearing: a comparison with population databases from the International Standards Organization

We investigated firefighters' hearing relative to general population data to adjust for age-expected hearing loss. For five groups of male firefighters with increasing mean ages, we compared their hearing thresholds at the 50th and 90th percentiles with normative and age- and sex-matched hearing data from the International Standards Organization (databases A and B). At the 50th percentile, from a mean age of 28 to a mean age of 53 years, relative to databases A and B, the firefighters lost an excess of 19 to 23 dB, 20 to 23 dB, and 16 to 19 dB at 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz, respectively. At the 90th percentile, from a mean age of 28 to a mean age of 53 years, relative to databases A and B, the firefighters lost an excess of 12 to 20 dB, 38 to 44 dB, 41 to 45 dB, and 22 to 28 dB at 2000, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz, respectively. The results are consistent with accelerated hearing loss in excess of age-expected loss among the firefighters, especially at or above the 90th percentile.

A cAMP response element within the latency-associated transcript promoter of HSV-1 facilitates induced ocular reactivation in a mouse hyperthermia model

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) recombinant strain 17CRE contains a site-directed mutation in the 7-bp CRE consensus sequence located 38 nucleotides upstream of the transcription start site. Scarified mouse corneas received inoculations of 17syn+ (parent), 17CRE, and rescue 17CREr. Slit lamp examination of herpetic lesions and tear film swabs containing infectious virus showed that 17CRE had the same acute phenotype as 17syn+ and 17CREr. At 4 weeks, when the corneas had healed and latency was established, mice received hyperthermic shock. Eye swabs taken 24 h after hyperthermia showed that 17CRE reactivated significantly less than 17syn+ and 17CREr, while no significant differences were found in HSV-1 DNA genome copy numbers and latent virus in the trigeminal ganglia. These results are evidence that this CRE site in the LAT promoter facilitates ocular HSV-1 reactivation in mice.

Long-term results of total shoulder arthroplasty following bone-grafting of the glenoid

BACKGROUND

The marked loss of glenoid bone volume or alteration of glenoid version can affect glenoid component fixation in patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results associated with the use of bone-grafting for restoration of glenoid volume and version at the time of total shoulder arthroplasty.

METHODS

Twenty-one shoulders received an internally fixed, corticocancellous bone graft for the restoration of peripheral glenoid bone stock at the time of total shoulder arthroplasty between 1980 and 1989. Grafting was indicated when glenoid bone stock was insufficient to maintain adequate version or fixation of the prosthesis. Seventeen shoulders were available for follow-up; the average duration of follow-up for the thirteen shoulders that did not have prosthetic failure within the first two years was seventy months. Total shoulder arthroplasty was performed because of osteoarthritis in five shoulders, chronic anterior fracture-dislocation in five, capsulorrhaphy arthropathy in three, inflammatory arthritis in two, recurrent dislocation in one, and failure of a previous arthroplasty in one. All patients had some form of anterior or posterior instability preoperatively. There were five anterior and twelve posterior glenoid defects. Bone from the resected humeral head was used for grafting in fifteen shoulders, and bicortical iliac-crest bone was used in two.

RESULTS

The average glenoid version after grafting was 4 degrees of retroversion, with an average correction of 33 degrees. The graft failed to maintain the original correction in three shoulders due to nonunion, dissolution, or shift. Five total shoulder replacements failed, necessitating glenoid revision at two to ninety-one months postoperatively. The failures were associated with recurrent massive cuff tears (one shoulder), persistent instability (two shoulders), improper component placement (one shoulder), and loss of graft fixation (one shoulder). There were no humeral component failures. According to the criteria of Neer et al., the functional result was rated as excellent in three shoulders, satisfactory in six, and unsatisfactory in eight.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the finding that eight shoulders had an unsatisfactory functional result at the time of longterm follow-up, corticocancellous grafting of the glenoid successfully restored glenoid version and volume in fourteen of the seventeen shoulders in the present study. Patients with glenoid deficiency often have associated glenohumeral instability, which may affect the results of total shoulder arthroplasty. Bone-grafting of the glenoid is a technically demanding procedure that can restore bone stock in patients with structural defects.

Prevention of fetal demise and growth restriction in a mouse model of fetal alcohol syndrome

Two peptides [NAPVSIPQ (NAP) and SALLRSIPA (ADNF-9)], that are associated with novel glial proteins regulated by vasoactive intestinal peptide, are shown now to provide protective intervention in a model of fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal demise and growth restrictions were produced after intraperitoneal injection of ethanol to pregnant mice during midgestation (E8). Death and growth abnormalities elicited by alcohol treatment during development are believed to be associated, in part, with severe oxidative damage. NAP and ADNF-9 have been shown to exhibit antioxidative and antiapoptotic actions in vitro. Pretreatment with an equimolar combination of the peptides prevented the alcohol-induced fetal death and growth abnormalities. Pretreatment with NAP alone resulted in a significant decrease in alcohol-associated fetal death; whereas ADNF-9 alone had no detectable effect on fetal survival after alcohol exposure, indicating a pharmacological distinction between the peptides. Biochemical assessment of the fetuses indicated that the combination peptide treatment prevented the alcohol-induced decreases in reduced glutathione. Peptide efficacy was evident with either 30-min pretreatment or with 1-h post-alcohol administration. Bioavailability studies with [(3)H]NAPVSIPQ indicated that 39% of the total radioactivity comigrated with intact peptide in the fetus 60 min after administration. These studies demonstrate that fetal death and growth restriction associated with prenatal alcohol exposure were prevented by combinatorial peptide treatment and suggest that this therapeutic strategy be explored in other models/diseases associated with oxidative stress.