Tumorigenic transformation of NIH 3T3 cells by the autocrine synthesis of transforming growth factor alpha

A variety of cancer cells overexpress transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), a mitogenic peptide. A cDNA sequence coding for the full-length human TGF alpha precursor protein was subcloned into a retroviral expression vector and introduced into clone 7 NIH 3T3 cells, which have low numbers of endogenous epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). The autocrine synthesis of TGF alpha by these cells resulted in their focal transformation. In contrast, control NIH 3T3 cells treated in a paracrine manner with exogenous, saturating concentrations of the mature form of TGF alpha, though stimulated to divide, remained morphologically untransformed. The addition of saturating quantities of soluble, mature TGF alpha to NIH 3T3 cells expressing the transferred TGF alpha gene actually suppressed their growth and focal transformation. The transformation induced by the TGF alpha gene remained an EGFR-dependent process, since the degree of transformation was correlated with EGFR expression in NIH 3T3 cells and since NR6 cells, which are Swiss 3T3 cells devoid of endogenous EGFRs, were transformed by the TGF alpha vector only when exogenous EGFR genes were also introduced. When inoculated into nude mice, the TGF alpha-expressing cells rapidly gave rise to tumors that grew progressively, whereas control cells did not form tumors. We conclude that in certain circumstances autocrine TGF alpha can be more oncogenic than paracrine and that paracrine TGF alpha can suppress this effect.     

Plant economy at a late Neolithic lake dwelling site in Slovenia at the time of the Alpine Iceman

We present the results of a plant macroremain study of the late Neolithic lakeshore settlement Stare gmajne (SG) at Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia, with cultural horizons that ended around 3330 and 3110 cal. b.c., as obtained by dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of the most frequent construction timbers of Quercus sp. (oak) and Fraxinus sp. (ash). Fourteen systematically taken samples were investigated, using standard methods for studying waterlogged plant remains, which had been developed during lake dwelling research north of the Alps. Most of the remains were preserved in a waterlogged state, and we identified a total of 93 taxa. The most important cultivated plants were Triticum dicoccum (emmer), Hordeum vulgare (six-rowed naked barley), T. monococcum (einkorn), Linum usitatissimum (flax) and Papaver somniferum (opium poppy). The numerous possibly gathered plants also included Trapa natans (water chestnut) and Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris (wild grapevine). Chenopodium album (goosefoot) and Brassica rapa (turnip) with seeds/fruits rich in oil and starch were probably gathered as well. Comparisons of the Stare gmajne results with contemporary north Alpine sites (NA) showed, among other things, that Triticum durum/turgidum (tetraploid naked wheat), frequent at NA, was not found at SG. Trapa natans (water chestnut) was rare and Vitis (grapevine) was not found at NA. The observed differences in the wild plant spectra may have ecological causes, for example a warmer climate south of the Alps, but differences in cultivar spectra are more likely for cultural-historical reasons.     

Multi-proxy analysis of waterlogged preserved Late Neolithic canine excrements

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - Multi-proxy analysis of the coprolites which were found during excavations at two Late Neolithic (fourth millennium bc) pile-dwelling sites (Črnelnik and...     

Homophily and the Speed of Social Mobilization: The Effect of Acquired and Ascribed Traits

Large-scale mobilization of individuals across social networks is becoming increasingly prevalent in society. However, little is known about what affects the speed of social mobilization. Here we use a framed field experiment to identify and measure properties of individuals and their relationships that predict mobilization speed. We ran a global social mobilization contest and recorded personal traits of the participants and those they recruited. We studied the effects of ascribed traits (gender, age) and acquired traits (geography, and information source) on the speed of mobilization. We found that homophily, a preference for interacting with other individuals with similar traits, had a mixed role in social mobilization. Homophily was present for acquired traits, in which mobilization speed was faster when the recuiter and recruit had the same trait compared to different traits. In contrast, we did not find support for homophily for the ascribed traits. Instead, those traits had other, non-homophily effects: Females mobilized other females faster than males mobilized other males. Younger recruiters mobilized others faster, and older recruits mobilized slower. Recruits also mobilized faster when they first heard about the contest directly from the contest organization, and decreased in speed when hearing from less personal source types (e.g. family vs. media). These findings show that social mobilization includes dynamics that are unlike other, more passive forms of social activity propagation. These findings suggest relevant factors for engineering social mobilization tasks for increased speed.     

Cereal chaff used as temper in loom-weights: new evidence from a Slovenian Eneolithic pile-dwelling site (ca. 3100 cal <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">bc</Emphasis>)

We present new evidence of the intentional use of cereal by-products at Stare gmajne, an Eneolithic pile-dwelling site in Slovenia, dated approximately 3160–3100 cal bc. The chaff material, which had been used for tempering, was discovered inside one of the largest discovered loom-weights and analysed. Clay, which was used by the dwellers to make the weight, was tempered with cereal chaff to reinforce it. The practice of tempering, not necessarily for loom weights, has already been proven for earlier settlements, mostly in arid areas where firewood, grazing and building material were scarce. However, tempering has rarely been found in European prehistoric sites. More than 1,800 carbonised and half-carbonised, excellently preserved and well identifiable cereal plant macroremains in less than 1 l of waterlogged clayey material were sorted and counted. Among the recognized plant macroremains, barley rachis fragments and glume wheat (emmer and einkorn) by-products such as spikelet forks and glume bases prevailed. A few grains were also found. Cultivation of the main crops of emmer, einkorn and barley at Slovenian Eneolithic pile-dwelling sites was confirmed again. Among the chaff, a new “strange type” of Triticum dicoccum (emmer) spikelet forks was discovered. The size of the weight and the intentional local use of cereal by-products as temper suggest that late Neolithic (Eneolithic) pile-dwelling societies all around the Alps were highly organized and developed due to expansion of crop production and processing.     

Loss of IL-17-producing CD8 T cells during late chronic stage of pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus infection

Progressive disease caused by pathogenic SIV/HIV infections is marked by systemic hyperimmune activation, immune dysregulation, and profound depletion of CD4(+) T cells in lymphoid and gastrointestinal mucosal tissues. IL-17 is important for protective immunity against extracellular bacterial infections at mucosa and for maintenance of mucosal barrier. Although IL-17-secreting CD4 (Th17) and CD8 (Tc17) T cells have been reported, very little is known about the latter subset for any infectious disease. In this study, we characterized the anatomical distribution, phenotype, and functional quality of Tc17 and Th17 cells in healthy (SIV-) and SIV+ rhesus macaques. In healthy macaques, Tc17 and Th17 cells were present in all lymphoid and gastrointestinal tissues studied with predominance in small intestine. About 50% of these cells coexpressed TNF-α and IL-2. Notably, ～50% of Tc17 cells also expressed the co-inhibitory molecule CTLA-4, and only a minority (<20%) expressed granzyme B suggesting that these cells possess more of a regulatory than cytotoxic phenotype. After SIV infection, unlike Th17 cells, Tc17 cells were not depleted during the acute phase of infection. However, the frequency of Tc17 cells in SIV-infected macaques with AIDS was lower compared with that in healthy macaques demonstrating the loss of these cells during end-stage disease. Antiretroviral therapy partially restored the frequency of Tc17 and Th17 cells in the colorectal mucosa. Depletion of Tc17 cells was not observed in colorectal mucosa of chronically infected SIV+ sooty mangabeys. In conclusion, our results suggest a role for Tc17 cells in regulating disease progression during pathogenic SIV infection.     

Culturing the fairy shrimp Streptocephalus dichotomus Baird using livestock waste – a reclamation study

The present study describes a defined culturetechnique for the fairy shrimp, Streptocephalusdichotomus. It emphasizes reclamation of low-cost organiclive-stock waste(cow-dung), lime powder, and urea. These compounds wereused to enrich algal and diatom populations in themedium. These algae and diatoms were fed to filter feedingfairy shrimps to yield anostracanbiomass. A production of 262 ± 6 animals l^–1was obtained in an experimental tank compared to 36 ± 4animals l^–1 in the controls. Interestingly,the total number of clutches in experimentalfemales (12 ± 2), relative to the control (7 ± 1),increased too.