Macroalgae and nutrients promote algal turf growth in the absence of herbivores

Coral Reefs - Closely cropped algal turfs are characteristic of healthy coral reefs, but unchecked growth can cause transitions into long sediment-laden turfs, which may be an alternative degraded...     

Heterogeneous genetic invasions of three insecticide resistance mutations in Indo‐Pacific populations of Aedes aegypti (L.)

Nations throughout the Indo‐Pacific region use pyrethroid insecticides to control Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of dengue, often without knowledge of pyrethroid resistance status of the pest or origin of resistance. Two mutations (V1016G + F1534C) in the sodium channel gene (Vssc) of Ae. aegypti modify ion channel function and cause target‐site resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, with a third mutation (S989P) having a potential additive effect. Of 27 possible genotypes involving these mutations, some allelic combinations are never seen whereas others predominate. Here, five allelic combinations common in Ae. aegypti from the Indo‐Pacific region are described and their geographical distributions investigated using genome‐wide SNP markers. We tested the hypothesis that resistance allele combinations evolved de novo in populations versus the alternative that dispersal of Ae. aegypti between populations facilitated genetic invasions of allele combinations. We used latent factor mixed‐models to detect SNPs throughout the genome that showed structuring in line with resistance allele combinations and compared variation at SNPs within the Vssc gene with genome‐wide variation. Mixed‐models detected an array of SNPs linked to resistance allele combinations, all located within or in close proximity to the Vssc gene. Variation at SNPs within the Vssc gene was structured by resistance profile, whereas genome‐wide SNPs were structured by population. These results demonstrate that alleles near to resistance mutations have been transferred between populations via linked selection. This indicates that genetic invasions have contributed to the widespread occurrence of Vssc allele combinations in Ae. aegypti in the Indo‐Pacific region, pointing to undocumented mosquito invasions between countries.     

Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 2 Induces Autophagy To Promote Abnormal Acinus Formation

Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) induces many characteristics of carcinoma, including transformation, migration, invasion, and impaired differentiation. The MCF10A cell line differentiates to form hollow acini when grown in Matrigel, and expression of LMP2A inhibited differentiation and anoikis induced by loss of matrix attachment. LMP2A-infected cells formed large, lobular structures rather than hollow acini. Autophagy inhibitors impaired this abnormal growth and induced caspase 3 activation and acinus formation. LMP2A also increased autophagosome formation and expression of proteins in the autophagosome pathway. These findings suggest that LMP2A may inhibit anoikis and luminal clearance in acini through induction of autophagy.     

Nitrogen uptake in two frontal areas in the Greenland Sea

Summary During late spring, 1987, observations were made of nitrate and ammonium uptake in two regions of the Greenland Sea, the Arctic Front and the Polar Front. In the area of the Arctic Front, mixed layers were relatively deep (generally below 100m), and the 1% isolume averaged 35 m. Ambient nitrate concentrations were always greater than 6 M, whereas ammonium levels were always less than 0.6 M. Surface nitrate and ammonium specific uptake rates averages 4.4 and 2.3×10^–3 h^–1, respectively. The Polar Front generally coincided spatially with the location of the ice edge, and vertical mixed layers were shallow (pycnocline depth ranged from 8–14 m), and the 1 % isolume averaged 37 m. Nitrate concentrations were somewhat lower than in the Arctic Front, but remained above 3 M at all times. Ammonium levels reached 1.2 M. Nitrate and ammonium specific uptake rates at the surface averaged 4.8×10^–3 and 10×10^–3 h^–1, respectively. Integrated water column f-ratios for the Arctic and Polar Front regions averaged 0.63 and 0.31, and the ammonium relative preference indices at all depths within each study area were always greater than 8, indicating that ammonium remained the preferred nitrogen source for phytoplankton. New production in the two regions was approximately equal, but the Polar Front had a substantially greater amount of regenerated production, and hence total production as well. Irradiance (and not nutrient concentration) seems to be the most important environmental factor in controlling nitrogen uptake. The spatial variability observed within the Greenland Sea suggest that inclusion of this region in global carbon models will require increased spatial resolution of both the models and the data included.     

Atypical memory phenotype T cells with low homeostatic potential and impaired TCR signaling and regulatory T cell function in Foxn1Delta/Delta mutant mice

Foxn1Delta/Delta mutants have a block in thymic epithelial cell differentiation at an intermediate progenitor stage, resulting in reduced thymocyte cellularity and blocks at the double-negative and double-positive stages. Whereas naive single-positive thymocytes were reduced >500-fold in the adult Foxn1Delta/Delta thymus, peripheral T cell numbers were reduced only 10-fold. The current data shows that Foxn1Delta/Delta peripheral T cells had increased expression of activation markers and the ability to produce IL-2 and IFN-gamma. These cells acquired this profile immediately after leaving the thymus as early as the newborn stage and maintained high steady-state proliferation in vivo but decreased proliferation in response to TCR stimulation in vitro. Single-positive thymocytes and naive T cells also had constitutively low alphabetaTCR and IL7R expression. These cells also displayed reduced ability to undergo homeostatic proliferation and increased rates of apoptosis. Although the frequency of Foxp3+CD4+CD25+ T cells was normal in Foxn1Delta/Delta mutant mice, these cells failed to have suppressor function, resulting in reduced regulatory T cell activity. Recent data from our laboratory suggest that T cells in the Foxn1Delta/Delta thymus develop from atypical progenitor cells via a noncanonical pathway. Our results suggest that the phenotype of peripheral T cells in Foxn1Delta/Delta mutant mice is the result of atypical progenitor cells developing in an abnormal thymic microenvironment with a deficient TCR and IL7 signaling system.     

Excess mortality in persons with severe mental disorders: a multilevel intervention framework and priorities for clinical practice,policy and research agendas

Excess mortality in persons with severe mental disorders (SMD) is a major public health challenge that warrants action. The number and scope of truly tested interventions in this area remain limited, and strategies for implementation and scaling up of programmes with a strong evidence base are scarce. Furthermore, the majority of available interventions focus on a single or an otherwise limited number of risk factors. Here we present a multilevel model highlighting risk factors for excess mortality in persons with SMD at the individual, health system and socio‐environmental levels. Informed by that model, we describe a comprehensive framework that may be useful for designing, implementing and evaluating interventions and programmes to reduce excess mortality in persons with SMD. This framework includes individual‐focused, health system‐focused, and community level and policy‐focused interventions. Incorporating lessons learned from the multilevel model of risk and the comprehensive intervention framework, we identify priorities for clinical practice, policy and research agendas.     

Adenovirus-mediated hepatic overexpression of scavenger receptor class B type I accelerates chylomicron metabolism in C57BL/6J mice

The function of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in mediating the selective uptake of HDL cholesteryl esters is well established. In SR-BI-deficient mice, we recently observed a delayed postprandial triglyceride (TG) response, suggesting an additional role for SR-BI in facilitating chylomicron (CM) metabolism. Here, we assessed the effect of adenovirus-mediated hepatic overexpression of SR-BI (Ad.SR-BI) in C57BL/6J mice on serum lipids and CM metabolism. Infection of 5 x 10(8) plaque-forming units per mouse of Ad.SR-BI significantly decreases serum cholesterol (>90%), phospholipids (>90%), and TG levels (50%), accompanied by a 41.4% reduction (P < 0.01) in apolipoprotein B-100 levels. The postprandial TG response is 2-fold lower in mice treated with Ad.SR-BI compared with control mice (area under the curve = 31.4 +/- 2.4 versus 17.7 +/- 3.2; P < 0.05). Hepatic mRNA expression levels of genes known to be involved in serum cholesterol and TG clearance are unchanged and thus could not account for the decreased plasma TG levels and the change in postprandial response. We conclude that overexpression of SR-BI accelerates CM metabolism, possibly by mediating the initial capture of CM remnants by the liver, whereby the subsequent internalization can be exerted by additional receptor systems such as the LDL receptor (LDLr) and LDLr-related protein 1.