Neural coding in antennal olfactory cells of tsetse flies (Glossina spp.)

Spike trains from individual antennal olfactory cells of tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) obtained during steady-state conditions (spontaneous as well as during stimulation with 1-octen-3-ol) and dynamic stimulation with repetitive pulses of 1-octen-3-ol were investigated by studying the spike frequency and the temporal structure of the trains. In general, stimulation changes the intensity of the spike activity but leaves the underlying stochastic structure unaffected. This structure turns out to be a renewal process. The only independently varying parameter in this process is the mean interspike interval length, suggesting that olfactory cells of tsetse flies may transmit information via a frequency coding. In spike records with high firing rates, however, the stationary records had significant negative first- order serial correlation coefficients and were non-renewal. Some cells in this study were capable of precisely encoding the onset of the odour pulses at frequencies up to at least 3 Hz. Cells with a rapid return to pre-stimulus activity at the end of stimulation responded more adequately to pulsed stimuli than cells with a long increased spike frequency. While short-firing cells process information via a frequency code, long-firing cells responded with two distinctive phases: a phasic, non-renewal response and a tonic, renewal response which may function as a memory of previous stimulations.      

Prairie dog presence affects occurrence patterns of disease vectors on small mammals

Wildlife disease is recognized as a burgeoning threat to imperiled species and aspects of host and vector community ecology have been shown to have significant effects on disease dynamics. The black‐tailed prairie dog is a species of conservation concern that is highly susceptible to plague, a flea‐transmitted disease. Prairie dogs (Cynomys) alter the grassland communities in which they exist and have been shown to affect populations of small rodents, which are purported disease reservoirs. To explore potential ecological effects of black‐tailed prairie dogs on plague dynamics, we quantified flea occurrence patterns on small mammals in the presence and absence of prairie dogs at 8 study areas across their geographic range. Small mammals sampled from prairie dog colonies showed significantly higher flea prevalence, flea abundance, and relative flea species richness than those sampled from off‐colony sites. Successful plague transmission likely is dependent on high prevalence and abundance of fleas that can serve as competent vectors. Prairie dogs may therefore facilitate the maintenance of plague by increasing flea occurrence on potential plague reservoir species. Our data demonstrate the previously unreported ecological influence of prairie dogs on vector species assemblages, which could influence disease dynamics.     

Three-dimensional cancer cell culture in high-yield multiscale scaffolds by shear spinning

Polymeric scaffolds comprising two size scales of microfibers and submicron fibers can better support three-dimensional (3D) cell growth in tissue engineering, making them an important class of healthcare material. However, a major manufacturing barrier hampers their translation into wider practical use: scalability. Traditional production of two-scale scaffolds by electrospinning is slow and costly. For day-to-day cell cultures, the scaffolds need to be affordable, made in high yield to drive down cost. Combining expertise from academia and industry from the United Kingdom and United States, this study uses a new series of high-yield, low-cost scaffolds made by shear spinning for tissue engineering. The scaffolds comprise interwoven submicron fibers and microfibers throughout as observed under scanning electron microscopy and demonstrate good capability to support cell culturing for tumor modeling. Three model human cancer cell lines (HEK293, A549 and MCF-7) with stable expression of GFP were cultured in the scaffolds and found to exhibit efficient cell attachment and sustained 3D growth and proliferation for 30 days. Cryosection and multiphoton fluorescence microscopy confirmed the formation of compact 3D cell clusters throughout the scaffolds. In addition, comparative growth curves of 2D and 3D cultures show significant cell-type-dependent differences. This work applies high-yield shear-spun scaffolds in mammalian tissue engineering and brings practical, affordable applications of multiscale scaffolds closer to reality. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2750, 2019.     

Centrosome defects cause microcephaly by activating the 53BP1‐USP28‐TP53 mitotic surveillance pathway

Mutations in centrosome genes deplete neural progenitor cells (NPCs) during brain development, causing microcephaly. While NPC attrition is linked to TP53‐mediated cell death in several microcephaly models, how TP53 is activated remains unclear. In cultured cells, mitotic delays resulting from centrosome loss prevent the growth of unfit daughter cells by activating a pathway involving 53BP1, USP28, and TP53, termed the mitotic surveillance pathway. Whether this pathway is active in the developing brain is unknown. Here, we show that the depletion of centrosome proteins in NPCs prolongs mitosis and increases TP53‐mediated apoptosis. Cell death after a delayed mitosis was rescued by inactivation of the mitotic surveillance pathway. Moreover, 53BP1 or USP28 deletion restored NPC proliferation and brain size without correcting the upstream centrosome defects or extended mitosis. By contrast, microcephaly caused by the loss of the non‐centrosomal protein SMC5 is also TP53‐dependent but is not rescued by loss of 53BP1 or USP28. Thus, we propose that mutations in centrosome genes cause microcephaly by delaying mitosis and pathologically activating the mitotic surveillance pathway in the developing brain.     

Quirks of dye nomenclature. 10. Eosin Y and its close relatives

The long history of eosin Y, eosin B and the methyl and ethyl eosins is recounted as well as their synthesis, the variety of their molecular species and some of the myriad applications of these dyes. Chromatographic techniques are described that reveal the purity or lack of it in commercial samples. Toxicological studies are discussed that suggest that the eosins are virtually non toxic, but efforts to remove them from the environment imply that there may be some risk.