Simple Methods for the Calibration of Light Measuring Equipment

Simple methods are described for

• a) absolute calibration of thermal radiation detectors (thermopiles, bolometers);
• b) absolute calibration at various wavelengths of photoelectric devices;
• c) obtaining the relative spectral sensitivity of the detector systems of spectrofluorimeters.

The procedures require no special standard lamp or other exotic equipment. The methods depend on the computation of the radiation characteristics of an ordinary tungsten lamp at various measured voltages and currents.     

The ciliated epidermis of Xenoturbella bocki (Platyhelminthes, Xenoturbellida) with some phylogenetic considerations

The epidermis of Xenoturbella bocki Westblad was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Two cell types predominate in the epidermis: multiciliated epidermal cells and non-ciliated or monociliated gland cells. A conspicuous feature is the dense ciliary coverage and the numerous gland cell openings. Xenoturbella has a characteristic pattern of axonemal filament termination in the distal tips of their cilia. Each epidermal cilium has the typical 9 + 2 patten through the major part of its shaft. Near the tip there is a shelf at which doublets 4–7 terminate. Doublets 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9 continue into the thinner distal part of the cilium. A similar shelf in cilia is known only from the turbellarian orders Nemertodermatida and Acoela, and hence may be an apomorphic feature which indicates a close relationship between Xenoturbellida, Nemertoder-matida and Acoela. The basal body is provided with a so-called basal foot which has a cross-striated appearance and an expanded distal plate that seems to act as a microtubule organizing center. Approximately 15–25 microtubuli radiate from the endplate of the basal foot to the basal bodies caudally. The arrangement of basal foot and ciliary rootlets in Xenoturbella differs from that of Acoela and related orders in that there are two striated rootlets only (an anterior and a posterior one), rather than one main rootlet and two lateral rootlets.     

Molecular evolution of rodent insulins

Several trees of amino acid sequences of rodent insulins were derived with the maximum-parsimony procedure. Possible orthologous and paralogous relationships were investigated. Except for a recent gene duplication in the ancestor of rat and mouse, there are no strong arguments for other paralogous relationships. Therefore, a tree in agreement with other biological data is the most reasonable one. According to this tree, the capacity to form zinc-binding hexamers was lost once in the ancestor of the hystricomorph rodents, followed by moderately increased evolutionary rates in the lineages to African porcupine and chinchilla but highly increased rates in at least three independent lines to other taxa of this suborder: guinea pig, cuis, and Octodontoidea (coypu and casiragua).      

Stimulation via the CD3 and CD28 molecules induces responsiveness to IL-4 in CD4+CD29+CD45R- memory T lymphocytes

Although both IL-2 and IL-4 can promote the growth of activated T cells, IL-4 appears to selectively promote the growth of those helper/inducer and cytolytic T cells which have been activated via their CD3/TCR complex. The present study examines the participation of CD28 and certain other T cell-surface molecules in inducing T cell responsiveness to IL-4. Purified small high density T cells were cultured in the absence of accessory cells with various soluble anti-human T cell mAb with or without soluble anti-CD3 mAb and their responsiveness to IL-4 was studied. None of the soluble anti-T cell mAb alone was able to induce T cell proliferation in response to IL-4. A combination of soluble anti-CD3 with anti-CD28 mAb but not with mAb directed at the CD2, CD5, CD7, CD11a/CD18, or class I MHC molecules induced T cell proliferation in response to IL-4. Anti-CD2 and anti-CD5 mAb enhanced and anti-CD18 mAb inhibited this anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 mAb-induced T cell response to IL-4. In addition, anti-CD2 in combination with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAb induced modest levels of T cell proliferation even in the absence of exogenous cytokines. IL-1, IL-6, and TNF were each unable to replace either anti-CD3 or anti-CD28 mAb in the induction of T cell responsiveness to IL-4, but both IL-1 and TNF enhanced this response. The anti-CD3 + anti-CD28 mAb-induced response to IL-4 was exhibited only by cells within the CD4+CD29+CD45R- memory T subpopulation, and not by CD8+ or CD4+CD45R+ naive T cells. When individually cross-linked with goat anti-mouse IgG antibody immobilized on plastic surface, only anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAb were able to induce T cell proliferation. These results indicate that the CD3 and CD28 molecules play a crucial role in inducing T cell responsiveness to IL-4 and that the CD2, CD5, and CD11a/CD18 molecules influence this process.     

Genotypic differences in embryonic life history traits of Folsomia quadrioculata (Collembola: Isotomidae) across a wide geographical range

1. Life history traits play a central role in adaptation to specific environmental conditions. Egg development time, hatchling, and egg batch size in 10 populations of the soil‐dwelling collembolan species Folsomia quadrioculata (Tullberg, 1871) from diverse habitats across arctic and temperate regions, ranging in latitude from 43 to 81°N were studied. 2. For all traits, 15 °C was used as the reference temperature. Phenotypic plasticity was studied by changing temperature to 10 and 20 °C in hatchling size, and to 20 °C in egg development time. The effect of latitude, climatic zone, and summer temperature at their sites of sampling was tested to address the hypotheses that populations from cooler areas would have (i) a faster temperature‐dependent egg development, (ii) a larger hatchling size, (iii) smaller egg batches and (iv) higher phenotypic plasticity 3. The first and fourth hypothesis were not supported, whereas the second and third were partly supported when including the whole latitudinal gradient, but not within regions. Plasticity showed a complex pattern, including large differences between populations from similar macroclimates and considerable similarity between some populations from contrasting climates. Small effects of latitude and macroclimatic variables emphasised that local climate and microhabitat should be taken into account when evaluating thermal conditions as possible drivers of population‐specific differences in soil‐dwelling ectotherms. 4. There was a trade‐off between egg batch and hatchling sizes. A weak correlation between the population mean egg development time and the mean hatchling size suggested that the populations are, or have been, exposed to differential selection.     

Rewiring of sIgM-Mediated Intracellular Signaling through the CD180 Toll-like Receptor

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) development and progression are thought to be driven by unknown antigens/autoantigens through the B cell receptor (BCR) and environmental signals for survival and expansion including toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. CD180/RP105, a membrane-associated orphan receptor of the TLR family, induces normal B cell activation and proliferation and is expressed by approximately 60% of CLL samples. Half of these respond to ligation with anti-CD180 antibody by increased activation/phosphorylation of protein kinases associated with BCR signaling. Hence CLL cells expressing both CD180 and the BCR could receive signals via both receptors. Here we investigated cross-talk between BCR and CD180-mediated signaling on CLL cell survival and apoptosis. Our data indicate that ligation of CD180 on responsive CLL cells leads to activation of either prosurvival Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK)/phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT-mediated, or proapoptotic p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)-mediated signaling pathways, while selective immunoglobulin M (sIgM) ligation predominantly engages the BTK/PI3K/AKT pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment of CLL cells with anti-CD180 redirects IgM-mediated signaling from the prosurvival BTK/PI3K/AKT toward the proapoptotic p38MAPK pathway. Thus preengaging CD180 could prevent further prosurvival signaling mediated via the BCR and, instead, induce CLL cell apoptosis, opening the door to therapeutic profiling and new strategies for the treatment of a substantial cohort of CLL patients.     

Miocene methane‐derived carbonates from southwestern Washington,USA and a model for silicification at seeps

Kuechler, R.R., Birgel, D, Kiel, S, Freiwald, A, Goedert, J.L., Thiel, V & Peckmann, J. 2011: Miocene methane‐derived carbonates from southwestern Washington, USA and a model for silicification at seeps. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 259–273. Exotic limestone masses with silicified fossils, enclosed within deep‐water marine siliciclastic sediments of the Early to Middle Miocene Astoria Formation, are exposed along the north shore of the Columbia River in southwestern Washington, USA. Samples from four localities were studied to clarify the origin and diagenesis of these limestone deposits. The bioturbated and reworked limestones contain a faunal assemblage resembling that of modern and Cenozoic deep‐water methane‐seeps. Five phases make up the paragenetic sequence: (1) micrite and microspar; (2) fibrous, banded and botryoidal aragonite cement, partially replaced by silica or recrystallized to calcite; (3) yellow calcite; (4) quartz replacing carbonate phases and quartz cement; and (5) equant calcite spar and pseudospar. Layers of pyrite frequently separate different carbonate phases and generations, indicating periods of corrosion. Negative δ¹³C_carbonate values as low as ?37.6‰ V‐PDB reveal an uptake of methane‐derived carbon. In other cases, δ¹³C_carbonate values as high as 7.1‰ point to a residual, ¹³C‐enriched carbon pool affected by methanogenesis. Lipid biomarkers include ¹³C‐depleted, archaeal 2,6,10,15,19‐pentamethylicosane (PMI; δ¹³C: ?128‰), crocetane and phytane, as well as various iso‐ and anteiso‐carbon chains, most likely derived from sulphate‐reducing bacteria. The biomarker inventory proves that the majority of the carbonates formed as a consequence of sulphate‐dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane. Silicification of fossils and early diagenetic carbonate cements as well as the precipitation of quartz cement – also observed in other methane‐seep limestones enclosed in sediments with abundant diatoms or radiolarians – is a consequence of a preceding increase of alkalinity due to anaerobic oxidation of methane, inducing the dissolution of silica skeletons. Once anaerobic oxidation of methane has ceased, the pH drops again and silica phases can precipitate. □Biomarkers, carbonates, isotopes, methane, Miocene, silicification, Washington.     

Nuclear-mitochondrial cross-talk in global myocardial ischemia. A time-course analysis

There is an ongoing concern regarding the biocompatibility of nanoparticles with sizes less than 100 nm as compared to larger particles of the same nominal substance. In this study, we investigated the toxic properties of magnetite stabilized with polyacrylate sodium. The magnetite was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction analysis, and the mean particle diameter was calculated using the Scherrer formula and was found to be 9.3 nm. In this study, we treated lung epithelial cells with different concentrations of magnetite and investigated their effects on oxidative stress and cell proliferation. Our data showed an inhibition of cell proliferation in magnetite-treated cells with a significant dose-dependent activation and induction of reactive oxygen species. Also, we observed a depletion of antioxidants, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase, respectively, as compared with control cells. In addition, apoptotic-related protease/enzyme such as caspase-3 and -8 activities, were increased in a dose-dependent manner with corresponding increased levels of DNA fragmentation in magnetite-treated cells compared to than control cells. Together, the present study reveals that magnetite exposure induces oxidative stress and depletes antioxidant levels in the cells to stimulate apoptotic pathway for cell death.     

Co-expression tools for plant biology: opportunities for hypothesis generation and caveats

Gene co‐expression analysis has emerged in the past 5 years as a powerful tool for gene function prediction. In essence, co‐expression analysis asks the question ‘what are the genes that are co‐expressed, that is, those that show similar expression profiles across many experiments, with my gene of interest?’. Genes that are highly co‐expressed may be involved in the biological process or processes of the query gene. This review describes the tools that are available for performing such analyses, how each of these perform, and also discusses statistical issues including how normalization of gene expression data can influence co‐expression results, calculation of co‐expression scores and P values, and the influence of data sets used for co‐expression analysis. Finally, examples from the literature will be presented, wherein co‐expression has been used to corroborate and discover various aspects of plant biology.