Analysis of functional domains of angiotensin II type 2 receptor involved in apoptosis.

We previously demonstrated that the intracellular third loop (i3 loop) of angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) plays a key role in mediating the biological functions of this receptor. To determine which residues are important for AT2 signaling, mutated receptors with serial deletions within the i3 loop were stably expressed in PC12 cells. Deletion of residues 240-244 within the intermediate portion of the i3 loop resulted in a complete loss of AT2-mediated apoptosis, inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), and SHP-1 activation. In contrast to well characterized heptahelical receptors, the AT2 functions were not affected by deletions of the amino- or carboxyl-terminal portions of the i3 loop. Alanine substitutions further demonstrated that lysine 240, asparagine 242, and serine 243 are key residues for AT2-induced apoptosis, ERK inhibition, and SHP-1 activation. To examine whether a functional link exists between activation of SHP-1 and apoptosis, we used a catalytically inactive SHP-1 mutant and demonstrated that preventing SHP-1 activation strongly attenuates AT2-induced ERK inhibition and apoptosis. Our data demonstrate that the intermediate portion of the i3 loop is important for AT2 function and that SHP-1 is a proximal effector of the AT2 receptor that is implicated in the inhibition of ERKs and in the apoptotic effect of this receptor.     

Action of cytochalasin B on cytoplasmic streaming systems and morphogenesis in Micrasterias torreyi (Conjugatophyceae)

The effects of cytochalasin B on the development and morphology of the Micrasterias cell vary according to different developmental stages. CB (especially 5–6 μm/ml) does not stop the growth of a developing semicell during early developmental stages and allows the formation of a three–lobed form, which is a kind of a basic form preceding the actual morphogenesis, further growth and development still being totally prevented by the same concentration. This is due to the occurrence of two separate cytoplasmic streaming systems in the developing semicell, one being cortical, more CB sensitive, the other being more central, not as sensitive to CB, both being microfilament based. The cortical streaming system supports tip growth, and many observations indicate that this system is also associated with the intermediation of the nuclear control regulating morphogenesis in Micrasterias. The effects of CB are specific: it has not been found to have distinct effects on the ultrastructure of the cell, on cell wall material production, or on the turgor pressure of the cell.     

Continent‐scale global change attribution in European birds ‐ combining annual and decadal time scales

Species attributes are commonly used to infer impacts of environmental change on multiyear species trends, e.g. decadal changes in population size. However, by themselves attributes are of limited value in global change attribution since they do not measure the changing environment. A broader foundation for attributing species responses to global change may be achieved by complementing an attributes‐based approach by one estimating the relationship between repeated measures of organismal and environmental changes over short time scales. To assess the benefit of this multiscale perspective, we investigate the recent impact of multiple environmental changes on European farmland birds, here focusing on climate change and land use change. We analyze more than 800 time series from 18 countries spanning the past two decades. Analysis of long‐term population growth rates documents simultaneous responses that can be attributed to both climate change and land‐use change, including long‐term increases in populations of hot‐dwelling species and declines in long‐distance migrants and farmland specialists. In contrast, analysis of annual growth rates yield novel insights into the potential mechanisms driving long‐term climate induced change. In particular, we find that birds are affected by winter, spring, and summer conditions depending on the distinct breeding phenology that corresponds to their migratory strategy. Birds in general benefit from higher temperatures or higher primary productivity early on or in the peak of the breeding season with the largest effect sizes observed in cooler parts of species' climatic ranges. Our results document the potential of combining time scales and integrating both species attributes and environmental variables for global change attribution. We suggest such an approach will be of general use when high‐resolution time series are available in large‐scale biodiversity surveys.     

North by north‐west: climate change and directions of density shifts in birds

There is increasing evidence that climate change shifts species distributions towards poles and mountain tops. However, most studies are based on presence–absence data, and either abundance or the observation effort has rarely been measured. In addition, hardly any studies have investigated the direction of shifts and factors affecting them. Here, we show using count data on a 1000 km south–north gradient in Finland, that between 1970–1989 and 2000–2012, 128 bird species shifted their densities, on average, 37 km towards the north north‐east. The species‐specific directions of the shifts in density were significantly explained by migration behaviour and habitat type. Although the temperatures have also moved on average towards the north north‐east (186 km), the species‐specific directions of the shifts in density and temperature did not correlate due to high variation in density shifts. Findings highlight that climate change is unlikely the only driver of the direction of species density shifts, but species‐specific characteristics and human land‐use practices are also influencing the direction. Furthermore, the alarming results show that former climatic conditions in the north‐west corner of Finland have already moved out of the country. This highlights the need for an international approach in research and conservation actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.     

Myofibroblast expression in airways and alveoli is affected by smoking and COPD

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by structural changes in alveoli and airways. Our aim was to analyse the numbers of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive cells, as a marker of myofibroblasts, in different lung compartments in non-smokers and smokers with normal lung function or COPD.

Methods

α-SMA, tenascin-C (Tn-C) and EDA-fibronectin in alveolar level and airways were assayed by immunohistochemistry and quantified by image analysis. Immunohistochemical findings were correlated with clinical data. α-SMA protein was also analysed by Western blotting from fibroblastic cells cultured from peripheral lung of non-smokers, smokers without COPD and smokers with COPD.

Results

In many cases, the endings of the detached alveolar walls were widened, the structures of which were named as widened alveolar tips. Widened alveolar tips contained α-SMA positive cells, which were obviously myofibroblasts. There were less alveolar tips containing positive cells for α-SMA in alveoli and α-SMA positive cells in bronchioles in smokers and in COPD compared to non-smokers. The quantity of α-SMA positive cells was increased in bronchi in COPD. Tn-C was elevated in bronchi in COPD and smokers’ lung. The α-SMA protein level was 1.43-fold higher in stromal cells cultured from non-smokers than in those of smokers.

Conclusions

Myofibroblasts are localized variably in normal and diseased lung. This indicates that they have roles in both regeneration of lung and pathogenesis of COPD. The widened alveolar tips, these newly characterized histological structures, seemed to be the source of myofibroblasts at the alveolar level.     

How do trees respond to species mixing in experimental compared to observational studies?

For decades, ecologists have investigated the effects of tree species diversity on tree productivity at different scales and with different approaches ranging from observational to experimental study designs. Using data from five European national forest inventories (16,773 plots), six tree species diversity experiments (584 plots), and six networks of comparative plots (169 plots), we tested whether tree species growth responses to species mixing are consistent and therefore transferrable between those different research approaches. Our results confirm the general positive effect of tree species mixing on species growth (16% on average) but we found no consistency in species‐specific responses to mixing between any of the three approaches, even after restricting comparisons to only those plots that shared similar mixtures compositions and forest types. These findings highlight the necessity to consider results from different research approaches when selecting species mixtures that should maximize positive forest biodiversity and functioning relationships.