Mathematical modeling of cancer–immune system,considering the role of antibodies

A mathematical model for the quantitative analysis of cancer–immune interaction, considering the role of antibodies has been proposed in this paper. The model is based on the clinical evidence, which states that antibodies can directly kill cancerous cells (Ivano et al. in J Clin Investig 119(8):2143–2159, 2009). The existence of transcritical bifurcation, which has been proved using Sotomayor theorem, provides strong biological implications. Through numerical simulations, it has been illustrated that under certain therapy (like monoclonal antibody therapy), which is capable of altering the parameters of the system, cancer-free state can be obtained.     

The Vera Causa of Endangered Species Legislation: Alfred Newton and the Wild Bird Preservation Acts, 1869–1894

Journal of the History of Biology - During the mid-nineteenth century, the eminent British zoologist Alfred Newton recognized that some of the ideas embedded in Origin of Species provided new...     

The census of heronries, 1960–61

Capsule Eleonora's Falcons wintering in Madagascar selected degraded humid forests and cultivated areas close to pristine humid forest.

Aims To identify the habitat preferences of Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae on their wintering grounds in Madagascar, and to use this information to gain insights into the conservation priorities of this species.

Methods A total of 11 Eleonora's Falcons were captured in Spain in 2007 and 2008 and equipped with solar-powered satellite transmitters. We obtained information on five complete wintering events for three birds, two of them tracked for two consecutive years. Data were analyzed using geographic information system-based cartography.

Results The analyses showed a preference for degraded humid forests and cultivated lands within areas where pristine humid forests were the most abundant habitat type.

Conclusions Eleonora's Falcons could be taking advantage from a spill-over edge effect of their insect prey into cultivated and more open areas close to humid forests. However, the importance of humid forests for Eleonora's Falcons seems to be high. The current loss of this habitat in Madagascar is a cause for concern with respect to the conservation of this long-distance migratory falcon species.     

Xenoreactive natural antibodies and induced antibodies — their effects on beating cardiomyocytes as a model of a xenograft

Xenotransplantation has been complicated by hyperacute rejection reactions, which are supposedly triggered by preformed natural antibodies (PNAb) of the recipient organism, whereas the role of antibodies specifically induced by previous antigen contact (IAb) is less clear.Primary cultures of spontaneously beating neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were used as a model of the heart to elaborate the effects of both PNAb and IAb from xenogeneic species and to investigate into their mechanisms of action. An experimental setup allowing for rapid medium exchange under continuous observation was employed.Sera containing PNAb reproducibly bring about a stereotype pattern of altered contractility including an initial increase in beating frequency followed by a temporary cessation of beating within the first minutes after administration. After recovery of spontaneous contractions, the cells within the monolayer exhibited a dissociation of the synchronicity of the beating persisting for several hours. The temporary pause in beating was prevented by a very high extracellular calcium concentration, but not by extracellular electrical stimulation sufficient to trigger contractions in control cells. Electrophysiological measurements carried out in adult ventricular guinea pig heart muscle cells under the same experimental conditions revealed an increase of the excitation threshold of the cells after application of sera containing PNAb due to an enhanced input resistance. These results indicate that the effect of PNAb is the consequence rather of a generally reduced excitability of the cell than of the inhibition of a singular ionic conductance. After specific absorption of PNAb directed against rat antigens beating of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes ensued without interruption. Sera specimens devoid of complement produced similar effects on contractility, although the duration of the standstill period was significantly shorter. The increase in input resistance visualized in guinea pig myocytes was absent after removing PNAb against guinea pig antigens but not after absorbing PNAb directed against rat epitopes.Signs of a permanent cytotoxicity after the administration of PNAb were lacking in all experiments.IAb against rat heart tissue raised in rabbits stopped the contractions of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes within 30 min after administration irreversibly and lead concentration-dependently to a destruction of the cells. (Mol Cell Biochem 160/161: 315–324, 1996)     

Biosynthesis,properties and potential of natural–synthetic hybrids of polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyethylene glycols

Chemical conjugation with poly(ethylene glycols) (PEGs) are established procedures to facilitate solubilisation of hydrophobic compounds. Such techniques for PEGylation have been applied to polyhydroxybutyrate. ‘BioPEGylation’ of such polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) to form natural–synthetic hybrids has been demonstrated through the addition of PEGs to microbial cultivation systems. The strategic addition of certain PEGs not only supports hybrid synthesis but may also provide a technique for control of PHA composition and molecular mass, and by extension, their physico-mechanical properties. PHA composition and molecular mass control by PEGs is dependent upon the polyethers’ molecular mass, loading in the cultivation system, time of introduction and microbial species. Hybrid characterisation studies are in their infancy, but results to date suggest that PHA–PEG hybrids have subtle, but significant, differences in their physiochemical and material properties as a consequence of the PEGylation.     

The nature of natural: defining natural character for the New?Zealand context

New?Zealand has a long-standing statutory policy goal to preserve the natural character of the coastal environment and various freshwater environments and their margins. In the absence of an authoritative definition, it has not been possible to develop a method to measure natural character and its change, nor the outcomes of the long-standing national policy goal. Here we develop a definition of natural character that is relevant and useful in the New?Zealand environmental, cultural and legal/policy context. Literature-derived interpretations of natural character and equivalent concepts are evaluated as to their potential suitability for developing a biophysical definition of natural character. Using a set of carefully designed criteria a subset of interpretations are condensed into a definition of natural character. The application of this definition is qualified following consideration of the literature addressing human perception and experiences of natural character. Appropriate reference conditions and baselines for evaluating natural character in different contexts are discussed.     

The natural history of Myrmarachne melanotarsa,a social ant‐mimicking jumping spider

Abstract

Myrmarachne melanotarsa, an ant‐like jumping spider (Salticidae) from East Africa, is an accurate mimic of Crematogaster sp. and associates unusually closely with its models. M. melanotarsa is remarkable in that it forms dense aggregations and builds large nest complexes (numerous individually‐occupied nests connected to each other by silk). Other salticids (Pseudicius spp., Menemerus spp.) live with M. melanotarsa in the same nest complex. These aggregations, which can exceed 50 conspecific individuals per colony, are considerably larger than those few previously described, and seem to have primarily a protective function. We provide baseline information on the natural history of M. melanotarsa, paying particular attention to predatory behaviour and association with Crematogaster sp., and fit this within current theory on the function of sociality in spiders. Other unusual behaviour of M. melanotarsa includes “mouthing”, in which the spider opens and closes its chelicerae while pressing its mouthparts against nest silk. We investigated the role of prior presence of Crematogaster sp. on nest silk in eliciting this previously unreported behaviour.     

The concept of potential natural vegetation: an epitaph?

We discuss the usefulness of the concept of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV), which describes the expected state of mature vegetation in the absence of human intervention. We argue that it is impossible to model PNV because of (i) the methodological problems associated to its definition and (ii) the issues related to the ecosystems dynamics.We conclude that the approach to characterizing PNV is unrealistic and provides scenarios with limited predictive power. In places with a long‐term human history, interpretations of PNV need to be very cautious, and explicit acknowledgement made of the limitations inherent in available data.     

The Spread of Dengue in an Endemic Urban Milieu–The Case of Delhi,India

Background

Dengue is a major international public health concern, one of the most important arthropod-borne diseases. More than 3.5 billion people are at risk of dengue infection and there are an estimated 390 million dengue infections annually. This prolific increase has been connected to societal changes such as population growth and increasing urbanization generating intense agglomeration leading to proliferation of synanthropic mosquito species. Quantifying the spatio-temporal epidemiology of dengue in large cities within the context of a Geographic Information System is a first step in the identification of socio-economic risk factors.

Methodology/Principal Findings

This Project has been approved by the ethical committee of Institut Pasteur. Data has been anonymized and de-identified prior to geolocalisation and analysis. A GIS was developed for Delhi, enabling typological characterization of the urban environment. Dengue cases identified in the Delhi surveillance system from 2008 to 2010 were collated, localised and embedded within this GIS. The spatio-temporal distribution of dengue cases and extent of clustering were analyzed. Increasing distance from the forest in Delhi reduced the risk of occurrence of a dengue case. Proximity to a hospital did not increase risk of a notified dengue case. Overall, there was high heterogeneity in incidence rate within areas with the same socio-economical profiles and substantial inter-annual variability. Dengue affected the poorest areas with high density of humans, but rich areas were also found to be infected, potentially because of their central location with respect to the daily mobility network of Delhi. Dengue cases were highly clustered in space and there was a strong relationship between the time of introduction of the virus and subsequent cluster size. At a larger scale, earlier introduction predicted the total number of cases.

Conclusions/Significance

DENV epidemiology within Delhi has a forest fire signature. The stochastic nature of this invasion process likely smothers any detectable socio-economic risk factors. However, the significant finding that the size of the dengue case cluster depends on the timing of its emergence emphasizes the need for early case detection and implementation of effective mosquito control. A better understanding of the role of population mobility in contributing to dengue risk could also help focus control on areas at particular risk of dengue virus importation.     

Vaccines and the induction of functional antibodies: time to look beyond the molecules of natural infection?

Infection with some pathogens induces weak functional antibody responses that are non-protective, and there has been some skepticism about a role for antibodies in vaccine design. However, newer data show that antibodies can protect against infection with these pathogens, and new methods to elicit production of functional antibodies should be sought.