Polyplex-embedding in polyelectrolyte multilayers for gene delivery

In this work, incorporation of plasmid DNA, pre-complexed with PEI, into polyelectrolyte multilayers has been studied to further develop platforms for local gene delivery. Polyplex embedding in synthetic and naturally degradable architectures was efficient for transfection of human hepato-cellular carcinoma cells.     

Increased abundance of the non-indigenous zooplanktivore, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bythotrephes longimanus</Emphasis>, is strongly correlated with greater spring prey availability in Canadian Shield lakes

The non-indigenous zooplanktivore, Bythotrephes longimanus, is a large Palaearctic cladoceran that is spreading rapidly in the Great Lakes watershed in North America. As a voracious predator, Bythotrephes can reduce herbivorous cladoceran abundance and diversity; however, the variables that affect its abundance are not well understood. To determine what bottom-up factors are associated with the abundance and seasonal dynamics of established Bythotrephes populations, two Bythotrephes datasets from lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada, were analysed using multiple regression and multivariate analyses: a multi-lake dataset of nine lakes sampled in 2003 and a multi-year dataset of one of these lakes, Harp Lake, sampled from 1994–1998 and 2001–2004. Bottom-up variables tested were Secchi disk depth, epilimnetic temperature, cladoceran (prey) density, total phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon and Chlorophyll a, as well as maximum depth for the multi-lake dataset. In both analyses and datasets, springtime abundance of herbivorous cladocerans was consistently found to be a significant factor associated with Bythotrephes (June–September) abundance; Bythotrephes annual abundance was significantly and positively associated with mean May and June prey abundance, along with mean Secchi disk depth for the multi-lake dataset, and groups of lakes or years with similar Bythotrephes seasonal abundance patterns were predicted by June prey abundance. Additionally, prey availability was the dominant contributor towards changes in weekly Bythotrephes birth rates calculated for two of the study lakes. Our study suggests that prey availability influences Bythotrephes abundance, which provides evidence that Bythotrephes establishment success is affected by the abundance of its prey.     

VEGF-C attenuates renal damage in salt-sensitive hypertension

Salt-sensitive hypertension is a major risk factor for renal impairment leading to chronic kidney disease. High-salt diet leads to hypertonic skin interstitial volume retention enhancing the activation of the tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP) within macrophages leading to vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) secretion and NOS3 modulation. This promotes skin lymphangiogenesis and blood pressure regulation. Whether VEGF-C administration enhances renal and skin lymphangiogenesis and attenuates renal damage in salt-sensitive hypertension remains to be elucidated. Hypertension was induced in BALB/c mice by a high-salt diet. VEGF-C was administered subcutaneously to high-salt-treated mice as well as control animals. Analyses of kidney injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and biochemical markers were performed in vivo. VEGF-C reduced plasma inflammatory markers in salt-treated mice. In addition, VEGF-C exhibited a renal anti-inflammatory effect with the induction of macrophage M2 phenotype, followed by reductions in interstitial fibrosis. Antioxidant enzymes within the kidney as well as urinary RNA/DNA damage markers were all revelatory of abolished oxidative stress under VEGF-C. Furthermore, VEGF-C decreased the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio and blood pressure as well as glomerular and tubular damages. These improvements were associated with enhanced TonEBP, NOS3, and lymphangiogenesis within the kidney and skin. Our data show that VEGF-C administration plays a major role in preserving renal histology and reducing blood pressure. VEGF-C might constitute an interesting potential therapeutic target for improving renal remodeling in salt-sensitive hypertension.     

Ultrathin-layer microelectrophoretic determination of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in corneal and conjunctival epithelium of the cow

In order to evaluate the impact of tissue oxygenation on the distribution pattern of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, activities of the isoenzymes were measured in microdissected samples of bovine tissue. A highly sensitive ultrathin-layer electrophoretic technique was used to determine the distribution pattern of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in basal, intermediate and superficial layers of the epithelium of central and peripheral cornea and in the epithelium of the bulbar conjunctiva. Measurements revealed almost homogeneous intraepithelial distribution patterns of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in both tissues. In the cornea the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes 4 and 5, which are regarded to be specialized for anaerobic glucose metabolism, were found to predominate. In the well-oxygenated conjunctival epithelium most of the activity could be ascribed to the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 3. In contrast to the isoenzymatic activities, total activity of lactate dehydrogenase was inhomogeneously distributed; maximum activities were found in the basal layer of corneal epithelium and in the intermediate layer of conjunctival epithelium. The results indicate that oxygen supply is relevant rather for the intraepithelial distribution of total enzyme activity than for the expression of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes.Parts of this study were presented as an inaugural dissertation to the Medical Faculty of the University of Basel by K. Krieger     

Nutritional and gonadal effects on the intra-acinar profiles of low-Km and high-Km aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in rat liver

Summary Total and low-K_m aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity was measured in 50–150 ng microdissected liver tissue samples of the entire sinusoidal length. High-K_m ALDH activity was calculated by subtracting the low-K_m ALDH values from the total ALDH activity. Enzyme activity was measured by a microchemical assay, using the oil-well technique with luminometric determination of NADH.The intra-acinar profiles of high-K_m and low-K_m ALDH activity could be demonstrated graphically for both male and female rats after 84 h of starvation, and after starvation and refeeding for 6 nights. In addition, the ALDH distribution patterns of juvenile, castrated, and castrated and testosterone-treated rats were determined. It could be demonstrated that starvation, and starvation followed by refeeding, lead to changes in enzyme activity which parallel the loss and regain of liver- and body-weight. The nutritional factors do not essentially alter the normal intra-acinar profiles. In juvenile rats, ALDH is lower by 30% in comparison with the controls, but sex-differences in the distribution profiles are not yet present. Castration has no effect on the amount of enzyme activity but the sex specific distribution profiles are less marked. The main effect of testosterone treatment is an elevation of low-K_m ALDH in the perivenous zone. The characteristics of the intra-acinar profiles of high-K_m and low-K_m ALDH activity are discussed with respect to hepatic acetaldehyde oxidation and alcoholic liver damage.Dedicated to Professor Dr. T.H. Schiebler on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Histochemische Untersuchungen zum Energie- und Pentosephosphatstoffwechsel bei der epithelialen Wundheilung

Zusammenfassung Im Verlauf des epithelialen Wundverschlusses können zwei Phasen unterschieden werden. In der ersten Phase (0–48 Std) kommt es zur Glykogeneinlagerung in das Epithel des Wundrandes; bei hohen Aktivitäten der Enzyme SDH, LDH, G-6-P-DH und 6-P-G-DH steigt der RNS-Gehalt in den basalen Zellen an. Im Verlauf der zweiten Phase (60–114 Std) nehmen sowohl der Glykogengehalt als auch die Aktivitäten von LDH, G-6-P-DH und 6-P-G-DH ab. Im gleichen Zeitraum bildet sich eine Epithelschicht in der Wundmitte, deren anfänglicher Glykogenreichtum gegen Ende der Wundheilung wieder verschwindet. Hier ist bei hohen Aktivitäten der LDH, G-6-P-DH und 6-P-G-DH ebenfalls ein Anstieg der RNS-Konzentration nachweisbar. Die Befunde zeigen, daß bei der Wundheilung ein Teil der verfügbaren Glucose über den Pentosephosphat-Zyklus für die Nucleinsäuresynthese verwendet wird.

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Histochemical studies of energy and pentosephosphate metabolism during epithelial wound healing

Summary During epithelial wound healing two periods can be distinguished. In the first period (0–48 h) glycogen is accumulated in the epithelium of the peripheral wound zone, and increasing activities of SDH, LDH, G-6-P-DH and RNA concentrations especially in the basal cells can be detected. In the second period (60–114 h) the glycogen content as well as the activities of LDH, G-6-P-DH and 6-P-G-DH decrease. At the same time an epithelial layer is built up in the central wound zone, the glycogen content of which disappears till the end of wound healing. In this layer high activities of LDH, G-6-P-DH and 6-P-G-DH and an increase of RNA concentration can be demonstrated. The findings illustrate, that during wound healing the available glucose partially is metabolized by the pentose-phosphateshunt and is used for the synthesis of nucleic acids.

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Herrn Professor Dr. Dr. F. Timm zum 75. Geburtstag zugeeignet.

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Wesentliche Teile dieser Untersuchung werden von Herrn R. Schroll dem Fachbereich Theoretische Medizin der Universität Tübingen als Inauguraldissertation vorgelegt.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

The role of tower height and guy wires on avian collisions with communication towers

Every year an estimated 4–5 million migratory birds collide with communication towers in the United States. We examined the relative risks that tower support systems and tower height pose to migrating and other birds. We collected data comparing tower support systems (guyed vs. unguyed) and tower height categories in Michigan during 20 days of the peak of songbird migration at 6 towers in September–October 2003, 23 towers in May 2004, 24 towers in September 2004, and 6 towers in both May and September 2005. We systematically and simultaneously searched for bird carcasses under each tower and measured carcass removal and observer detection rates each season. Of those towers, 21 were between 116 and 146 m above ground level (AGL, medium) and 3 were >305 m AGL (tall). During the five 20-day sample periods we found a mean of 8.2 bird carcasses per guyed medium tower and a mean of 0.5 bird carcasses under unguyed medium towers. During four 20-day sample periods we detected a mean of 34.7 birds per guyed tall tower. Using both parametric and nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U-test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference multiple comparison procedure) we determined that unguyed medium towers were involved in significantly fewer fatalities than guyed medium towers. We detected 54–86% fewer fatalities at guyed medium towers than at guyed tall towers. We found 16 times more fatalities at guyed medium towers than at unguyed medium towers. Tall, guyed towers were responsible for 70 times as many bird fatalities as the unguyed medium towers and nearly five times as many as guyed medium towers. These findings will provide managers and regulators, such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with quantitative data; thereby, allowing them to effectively work with the Federal Communications Commission in siting and authorizing tower placement. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.