Mechanisms and development of self–other distinction in dyads and groups

This opinion piece offers a commentary on the four papers that address the theme of the development of self and other understanding with a view to highlighting the important contribution of developmental research to understanding of mechanisms of social cognition. We discuss potential mechanisms linking self–other distinction and empathy, implications for grouping motor, affective and cognitive domains under a single mechanism, applications of these accounts for joint action and finally consider self–other distinction in group versus dyadic settings.     

Identification of psychrotrophic pseudomonads from goats'milk by computer-assisted analysis of carbon source assimilation data

The results of carbon source assimilation tests on a group of psychrotrophic pseudomonas were compared with published data for established Pseudomonas taxa, using computer-assisted numerical taxonomic analysis and a modified diagnostic computer program. Several phenons were not grouped at the biovar level by numerical taxonomic analysis. Identification of strains by the diagnostic program revealed heterogeneity among those in the unassigned phenons, and supported a continuum concept among the fluorescent pseudomonads.     

High Rates of Obesity and Chronic Disease Among United Methodist Clergy

We used self‐reported data from United Methodist clergy to assess the prevalence of obesity and having ever been told certain chronic disease diagnoses. Of all actively serving United Methodist clergy in North Carolina (NC) 95% (n = 1726) completed self‐report height and weight items and diagnosis questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). We calculated BMI categories and diagnosis prevalence rates for the clergy and compared them to the NC population using BRFSS data. The obesity rate among clergy aged 35–64 years was 39.7%, 10.3% (95% CI = 8.5%, 12.1%) higher than their NC counterparts. Clergy also reported significantly higher rates of having ever been given diagnoses of diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, angina, and asthma compared to their NC peers. Health interventions that address obesity and chronic disease among clergy are urgently needed.     

Interleukin‐37 improves T‐cell‐mediated immunity and chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy in aged backgrounds

Aging‐associated declines in innate and adaptive immune responses are well documented and pose a risk for the growing aging population, which is predicted to comprise greater than 40 percent of the world''s population by 2050. Efforts have been made to improve immunity in aged populations; however, safe and effective protocols to accomplish this goal have not been universally established. Aging‐associated chronic inflammation is postulated to compromise immunity in aged mice and humans. Interleukin‐37 (IL‐37) is a potent anti‐inflammatory cytokine, and we present data demonstrating that IL‐37 gene expression levels in human monocytes significantly decline with age. Furthermore, we demonstrate that transgenic expression of interleukin‐37 (IL‐37) in aged mice reduces or prevents aging‐associated chronic inflammation, splenomegaly, and accumulation of myeloid cells (macrophages and dendritic cells) in the bone marrow and spleen. Additionally, we show that IL‐37 expression decreases the surface expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) and augments cytokine production from aged T‐cells. Improved T‐cell function coincided with a youthful restoration of Pdcd1, Lat, and Stat4 gene expression levels in CD4⁺ T‐cells and Lat in CD8⁺ T‐cells when aged mice were treated with recombinant IL‐37 (rIL‐37) but not control immunoglobin (Control Ig). Importantly, IL‐37‐mediated rejuvenation of aged endogenous T‐cells was also observed in aged chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cells, where improved function significantly extended the survival of mice transplanted with leukemia cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate the potency of IL‐37 in boosting the function of aged T‐cells and highlight its therapeutic potential to overcome aging‐associated immunosenescence.     

Efficient flow cytometric assay for platelet-leukocyte aggregates in whole blood using fluorescence signal triggering.

BACKGROUND: Platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLAs) may be important in thrombotic and inflammatory disease states, but accurate assessment of PLA formation in vivo is hampered by the propensity for in vitro artefacts caused by sample manipulation. A whole blood flow cytometric assay for circulating PLAs, based on minimal sample manipulation, was thus developed. METHODS: Citrated whole blood was labeled with a RPE-CD45 MAb (leukocyte marker) and an FITC-CD42a (GPIX) MAb (platelet marker). The latter was used to avoid possible influences of platelet glycoprotein proteolysis by neutrophil-derived proteases. The samples were mildly fixed with 0.5% formaldehyde saline. The cytometer was triggered by RPE-CD45 fluorescence. Leukocyte subpopulations were separated according to their typical light scattering and CD45 expression. RESULTS: Minimal sample manipulation and mild sample fixation resulted in minor in vitro artefacts and good sample stability. Fluorescence triggering increased the efficiency of the flow cytometric analysis approximately 5-fold compared with triggering with light scatter, and allowed discrimination of leukocyte subpopulations. The majority of PLAs involved monocytes and neutrophils, rather than lymphocytes, both without and with in vitro stimulation by ADP or thrombin. A cocktail of blocking MAbs to CD62P, CD15, GPIIb/IIIa and the CD11b/CD18 complex had no effect on unstimulated samples, whilst totally inhibiting aggregation induced by 10(-5) M ADP, suggesting that the PLAs in unstimulated blood were preformed in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: This whole blood flow cytometric assay for PLAs is simple and efficient, and appears to reflect closely platelet-leukocyte aggregates in circulating blood in vivo.     

Mechanism and dynamics of conformational ordering in xanthan polysaccharide

The thermally induced order-disorder transition of xanthan (extracellular bacterial polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestris) has been investigated by optical rotation, differential scanning calorimetry, stopped-flow reaction kinetics and low-angle laser light scattering, and the results have been analysed in terms of Zimm -Bragg helix-coil transition theory. The reciprocal of the transition midpoint temperature (Tm) varies linearly with the logarithm of cation (K+) the salt dependence of Tm, is in agreement with Manning polyelectrolyte theory the ordered structure. The associated increase in cation binding, calculated from the salt dependence of tm, is in agreement with the Manning polyelectrolyte theory for one of the candidate structures from X-ray diffraction, a 5(1) single helix stabilized by packing of side-chains along the polymer backbone, but not for the alternative double-helix structure that has also been proposed. At each salt concentration, the two fundamental parameters of the Zimm -Bragg theory, s and sigma, were calculated. The equilibrium constant for growth of the ordered structure (s) is derived directly from calorimetric measurement of transition enthalpy (delta Hcal ), and sigma, which quantifies the relative instability of the helix nucleus, is derived from the ratio of delta Hcal to the apparent transition enthalpy (delta Happ ) obtained by van't Hoff analysis of the optical rotation data. The temperature course of conformational ordering calculated theoretically is in good quantitative agreement with experimental results from both optical rotation and scanning calorimetry. The calculated average length of stable, ordered chain-sequences increases with decreasing temperature, but equals or exceeds the total chain length from light scattering only at temperatures more than approximately equal to 70 K below Tm, suggesting that ordered and disordered regions may co-exist within the same xanthan molecule. Consistent with this interpretation, the observed rate of conformational ordering increases sharply under conditions where the starting solution for dynamic measurements is partially ordered, suggesting that ordered sequences within each chain may act as helix nuclei for adjacent disordered regions, so that helix growth, rather than the slower nucleation process, becomes rate limiting.