Increased lipolysis but diminished gene expression of lipases in subcutaneous adipose tissue of healthy young males with intrauterine growth retardation

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with a central fat distribution and risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adults when exposed to a sedentary Western lifestyle. Increased lipolysis is an early defect of metabolism in IUGR subjects, but the sites and molecular mechanisms involved are unknown. Twenty IUGR and 20 control (CON) subjects, aged 20-30 years, were studied before and after 10 days of bed rest using the glucose clamp technique combined with measurements of in vivo metabolism by microdialysis technique and blood flow by (133)Xe washout technique in subcutaneous abdominal (SCAAT) and femoral (SCFAT) adipose tissue. Additionally, mRNA expression of lipases was evaluated in biopsies from SCAAT. Lipolysis in SCAAT was substantially higher in IUGR than in CON subjects despite markedly lower mRNA expression of lipases. Blood flow was higher in IUGR compared with CON in both SCAAT and SCFAT. Whole body insulin sensitivity did not differ between groups and decreased after bed rest. After bed rest, SCAAT lipolysis remained higher in IUGR compared with CON, and SCFAT lipolysis decreased in CON but not in IUGR. Prior to the development of whole body insulin resistance, young men with IUGR are characterized by increased in vivo adipose tissue lipolysis and blood flow with a paradoxically decreased expression of lipases compared with CON, and 10 days of physical inactivity underlined the baseline findings. Subjects with IUGR exhibit primary defects in adipose tissue metabolism.     

Improving odour assessment in LCA—the odour footprint

Purpose

Odour is an important aspect of systems for human and agricultural waste management and many technologies are developed with the sole purpose of reducing odour. Compared with greenhouse gas assessment and the assessment of toxicity, odour assessment has received little attention in the life cycle assessment (LCA) community. This article aims to redress this.

Methods

Firstly, a framework for the assessment of odour impacts in LCA was developed considering the classical LCA framework of emissions, midpoint and endpoint indicators. This suggested that an odour footprint midpoint indicator was worth striving for. An approach to calculating an areal indicator we call “odour footprint”, which considers the odour detection threshold, the diffusion rate and the kinetics of degradation of odourants, was implemented in MATLAB. We demonstrated the use of the characterisation factors we calculated in a case study based on odour removal technology applied to a pig barn.

Results and discussion

We produced a list of 33 linear characterisation factors based on hydrogen sulphide equivalents, analogous to the linear carbon dioxide equivalency factors in use in carbon footprinting, or the dichlorobenzene equivalency factors developed for assessment of toxic impacts in LCA. Like the latter, this odour footprint method does not take local populations and exposure pathway analysis into account—its intent is not to assess regulatory compliance or detailed design. The case study showed that despite the need for materials and energy, large factor reductions in odour footprint and eutrophication potential were achieved at the cost of a smaller factor increase in greenhouse emissions.

Conclusions

The odour footprint method is proposed as an improvement on the established midpoint method for odour assessment in LCA. Unlike it, the method presented here considers the persistence of odourants. Over time, we hope to increase the number of characterised odourants, enabling analysts to perform simple site-generic LCA on systems with odourant emissions.     

Landscape genomics and a common garden trial reveal adaptive differentiation to temperature across Europe in the tree species Alnus glutinosa

The adaptive potential of tree species to cope with climate change has important ecological and economic implications. Many temperate tree species experience a wide range of environmental conditions, suggesting high adaptability to new environmental conditions. We investigated adaptation to regional climate in the drought‐sensitive tree species Alnus glutinosa (Black alder), using a complementary approach that integrates genomic, phenotypic and landscape data. A total of 24 European populations were studied in a common garden and through landscape genomic approaches. Genotyping‐by‐sequencing was used to identify SNPs across the genome, resulting in 1990 SNPs. Although a relatively low percentage of putative adaptive SNPs was detected (2.86% outlier SNPs), we observed clear associations among outlier allele frequencies, temperature and plant traits. In line with the typical drought avoiding nature of A. glutinosa, leaf size varied according to a temperature gradient and significant associations with multiple outlier loci were observed, corroborating the ecological relevance of the observed outlier SNPs. Moreover, the lack of isolation by distance, the very low genetic differentiation among populations and the high intrapopulation genetic variation all support the notion that high gene exchange combined with strong environmental selection promotes adaptation to environmental cues.     

A Mammalian Cell Based FACS-Panning Platform for the Selection of HIV-1 Envelopes for Vaccine Development

An increasing number of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bnMAb) against the HIV-1 envelope (Env) protein has been discovered recently. Despite this progress, vaccination efforts with the aim to re-elicit bnMAbs that provide protective immunity have failed so far. Herein, we describe the development of a mammalian cell based FACS-panning method in which bnMAbs are used as tools to select surface-exposed envelope variants according to their binding affinity. For that purpose, an HIV-1 derived lentiviral vector was developed to infect HEK293T cells at low multiplicity of infection (MOI) in order to link Env phenotype and genotype. For proof of principle, a gp145 Env model-library was established in which the complete V3 domain was substituted by five strain specific V3 loop sequences with known binding affinities to nMAb 447-52D, respectively. Env genes were recovered from selected cells by PCR, subcloned into a lentiviral vector (i) to determine and quantify the enrichment nMAb binders and (ii) to generate a new batch of transduction competent particles. After 2 selection cycles the Env variant with highest affinity was enriched 20-fold and represented 80% of the remaining Env population. Exploiting the recently described bnMAbs, this procedure might prove useful in selecting Env proteins from large Env libraries with the potential to elicit bnMAbs when used as vaccine candidates.     

Effect of weight loss and exercise on angiogenic factors in the circulation and in adipose tissue in obese subjects

Background:

Vascular growth is a prerequisite for adipose tissue (AT) development and expansion. Some AT cytokines and hormones have effects on vascular development, like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF‐A), angiopoietin (ANG‐1), ANG‐2 and angiopoietin‐like protein‐4 (ANGPTL‐4).

Methods:

In this study, the independent and combined effects of diet‐induced weight loss and exercise on AT gene expression and proteins levels of those angiogenic factors were investigated. Seventy‐nine obese males and females were randomized to: 1. Exercise‐only (EXO; 12‐weeks exercise without diet‐restriction), 2. Hypocaloric diet (DIO; 8‐weeks very low energy diet (VLED) + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet) and 3. Hypocaloric diet and exercise (DEX; 8‐weeks VLED + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet combined with exercise throughout the 12 weeks). Blood samples and fat biopsies were taken before and after the intervention.

Results:

Weight loss was 3.5 kg in the EXO group and 12.3 kg in the DIO and DEX groups. VEGF‐A protein was non‐significantly reduced in the weight loss groups. ANG‐1 protein levels were significantly reduced 22‐25% after all three interventions (P < 0.01). The ANG‐1/ANG‐2 ratio was also decreased in all three groups (P < 0.05) by 27‐38%. ANGPTL‐4 was increased in the EXO group (15%, P < 0.05) and 9% (P < 0.05) in the DIO group. VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, and ANGPTL‐4 were all expressed in human AT, but only ANGPTL‐4 was influenced by the interventions.

Conclusions:

Our data show that serum VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, ANG‐2, and ANGPTL‐4 levels are influenced by weight changes, indicating the involvement of these factors in the obese state. Moreover, it was found that weight loss generally was associated with a reduced angiogenic activity in the circulation.     

Hidden biodiversity in the Arctic – a study of soil seed banks at Disko Island,Qeqertarsuaq, West Greenland

Seed dispersal is a key process in plant community dynamics, and soil seed banks represent seed dispersal in time rather than in space. Despite their potential importance, seed bank dynamics in the Arctic are poorly understood. We investigated soil seed banks and corresponding plant community composition in three contrasting vegetation types in West Greenland, viz. dwarf shrub heaths, herb slopes and fell‐fields. Through germination testing, 31 species were documented in soil seed banks. All of these were herbaceous, while no dwarf‐shrub species, which represents the dominating growth form in the above‐ground vegetation, were emerging from the seed bank. Consequently, across vegetation types, the lowest similarity between seed bank and above‐ground vegetation was found in dwarf shrub heath. Nine plant species were exclusively found in seed bank, all of which were non‐clonal forbs. Seed bank size (total number of seeds) and species richness seemed to increase with the level of natural disturbance. Additionally, we examined the effect of different experimental light and temperature conditions on the quantity and diversity of germinating seeds. The difference in diversity in vegetation and seed bank at the species level will impact population dynamics, regeneration of vegetation after disturbances and its potential to respond to climate change.     

Development of a Fetal Weight Chart Using Serial Trans-Abdominal Ultrasound in an East African Population: A Longitudinal Observational Study

Objective

To produce a fetal weight chart representative of a Tanzanian population, and compare it to weight charts from Sub-Saharan Africa and the developed world.

Methods

A longitudinal observational study in Northeastern Tanzania. Pregnant women were followed throughout pregnancy with serial trans-abdominal ultrasound. All pregnancies with pathology were excluded and a chart representing the optimal growth potential was developed using fetal weights and birth weights. The weight chart was compared to a chart from Congo, a chart representing a white population, and a chart representing a white population but adapted to the study population. The prevalence of SGA was assessed using all four charts.

Results

A total of 2193 weight measurements from 583 fetuses/newborns were included in the fetal weight chart. Our chart had lower percentiles than all the other charts. Most importantly, in the end of pregnancy, the 10^th percentiles deviated substantially causing an overestimation of the true prevalence of SGA newborns if our chart had not been used.

Conclusions

We developed a weight chart representative for a Tanzanian population and provide evidence for the necessity of developing regional specific weight charts for correct identification of SGA. Our weight chart is an important tool that can be used for clinical risk assessments of newborns and for evaluating the effect of intrauterine exposures on fetal and newborn weight.     

Niche divergence facilitated by fine‐scale ecological partitioning in a recent cichlid fish adaptive radiation

Ecomorphological differentiation is a key feature of adaptive radiations, with a general trend for specialization and niche expansion following divergence. Ecological opportunity afforded by invasion of a new habitat is thought to act as an ecological release, facilitating divergence, and speciation. Here, we investigate trophic adaptive morphology and ecology of an endemic clade of oreochromine cichlid fishes (Alcolapia) that radiated along a herbivorous trophic axis following colonization of an isolated lacustrine environment, and demonstrate phenotype‐environment correlation. Ecological and morphological divergence of the Alcolapia species flock are examined in a phylogenomic context, to infer ecological niche occupation within the radiation. Species divergence is observed in both ecology and morphology, supporting the importance of ecological speciation within the radiation. Comparison with an outgroup taxon reveals large‐scale ecomorphological divergence but shallow genomic differentiation within the Alcolapia adaptive radiation. Ancestral morphological reconstruction suggests lake colonization by a generalist oreochromine phenotype that diverged in Lake Natron to varied herbivorous morphologies akin to specialist herbivores in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi.     

Monosomy for the centromeric and juxtacentromeric region of chromosome 21

Summary A boy with partial monosomy 21 is described. The child has an unbalanced 20/21 translocation with deletion of the centromeric and juxtacentromeric region of chromosome 21. Examination by C-banding technique shows that the translocation is of maternal origin. Investigation of a number of genetic marker systems shows that the HL-A, AcP, and GPT loci are not located in the deleted segment.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird ein Junge mit partieller Monosomie Nr. 21 beschrieben. Das Kind hat eine unbalancierte 20/21-Translokation mit einer Deletion der Zentromer-und Juxtazentromer-Region des Chromosomes Nr. 21. Untersuchung mit der C-Band-Technik zeigt, daß die Translokation mütterlichen Ursprungs ist. Untersuchung einer Reihe genetischer Markersysteme zeigt, daß die HL-A-, AcP- und GPT-Loci nicht in dem deletierten Segment liegen.

     

Structure of casein micelles studied by small-angle neutron scattering

The structure of casein micelles has been studied by small-angle neutron scattering and static light scattering. Alterations in structure upon variation of pH and scattering contrast, as well as after addition of chymosin, were investigated. The experimental data were analyzed by a model in which the casein micelle consists of spherical submicelles. This model gave good agreement with the data and gave an average micellar radius of about 100–120 nm and a submicellar radius of about 7 nm both with a polydispersity of about 40–50%. The contrast variation indicated that the scattering length density of the submicelles was largest at the center of the submicelles. The submicelles were found to be closely packed, the volume fraction varying slightly with pH. Upon addition of chymosin the submicellar structure remained unchanged within the experimental accuracy. Correspondence to: S. Hansen