Sampling efficacy for the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Cost-effective detection of invasive ant colonies before establishment in new ranges is imperative for the protection of national borders and reducing their global impact. We examined the sampling efficiency of food-baits and pitfall traps (baited and nonbaited) in detecting isolated red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) nests in multiple environments in Gainesville, FL. Fire ants demonstrated a significantly higher preference for a mixed protein food type (hotdog or ground meat combined with sweet peanut butter) than for the sugar or water baits offered. Foraging distance success was a function of colony size, detection trap used, and surveillance duration. Colony gyne number did not influence detection success. Workers from small nests (0- to 15-cm mound diameter) traveled no >3 m to a food source, whereas large colonies (>30-cm mound diameter) traveled up to 17 m. Baited pitfall traps performed best at detecting incipient ant colonies followed by nonbaited pitfall traps then food baits, whereas food baits performed well when trying to detect large colonies. These results were used to create an interactive model in Microsoft Excel, whereby surveillance managers can alter trap type, density, and duration parameters to estimate the probability of detecting specified or unknown S. invicta colony sizes. This model will support decision makers who need to balance the sampling cost and risk of failure to detect fire ant colonies.     

7-Azaindole-3-acetic acid derivatives: Potent and selective CRTh2 receptor antagonists

High throughput screening identified a 7-azaindole-3-acetic acid scaffold as a novel CRTh2 receptor antagonist chemotype, which could be optimised to furnish a highly selective compound with good functional potency for inhibition of human eosinophil shape change in whole blood and oral bioavailability in the rat.     

Advancing cervical cancer prevention initiatives in resource-constrained settings: insights from the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia

Groesbeck Parham and colleagues describe their Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia, which has provided services to over 58,000 women over the past five years, and share lessons learned from the program's implementation and integration with existing HIV/AIDS programs.     

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea is associated with changes in the luminal environment in the DA rat

The microflora of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are a complex ecosystem, performing a number of beneficial functions. Irinotecan causes both early and late diarrhea, the latter possibly caused, in part, by changes in the microflora of the GIT. Female DA rats were given atropine subcutaneously, prior to a single 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of irinotecan. Animals were monitored for diarrhea and killed at 30 and 60 mins, 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hrs after chemotherapy administration. Control rats received no treatment. Fecal samples and stomach, jejunum, and colon samples were collected and stored at -70 degrees C until required. Standard microbiological culture techniques were used to grow and isolate the flora. Biochemical tests were used to identify the bacteria. The level of growth was noted for relative comparison between time points and graded accordingly. Early diarrhea was observed in the rats from 2-6 hrs after treatment, after which time the diarrhea resolved. Late onset diarrhea was apparent 72 hrs after treatment. Changes were seen in the flora of the stomach, jejunum, colon and feces. The majority of microflora changes were seen 6, 12, and 24 hrs after treatment, with a relative increase or decrease in the presence of bacteria in comparison with control rats. In some rats bacteria were not observed at all time points, and different bacteria not seen in control animals were identified in rats treated with irinotecan. These changes were observed up to 72 hrs after treatment. In conclusion, irinotecan treatment causes changes in the flora of the stomach, jejunum, colon, and feces of rats and is associated with the development of diarrhea. These changes in flora may have systemic effects and in particular may contribute to the development of chemotherapy-induced mucositis.     

Purification and characterization of ribulose-5-phosphate kinase from spinach

An efficient purification procedure utilizing affinity chromatography is described for spinach ribulose-5-phosphate kinase, a light-regulated chloroplastic enzyme. Gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme reveal a dimeric structure of 44,000 Mr subunits. Chemical crosslinking with dimethyl suberimidate confirms the presence of two subunits per molecule of native kinase, which are shown to be identical by partial NH2-terminal sequencing. Based on sulfhydryl titrations and on amino acid analyses, each subunit contains four to five cysteinyl residues. The observed slow loss of activity during spontaneous oxidation in air-saturated buffer correlates with the intramolecular oxidation of two sulfhydryl groups, presumably those involved in thioredoxin-mediated regulation.     

Identification and characterization of a diamine exporter in colon epithelial cells

SLC3A2, a member of the solute carrier family, was identified by proteomics methods as a component of a transporter capable of exporting the diamine putrescine in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells selected for resistance to growth inhibition by high exogenous concentrations of putrescine. Putrescine transport was increased in inverted plasma membrane vesicles prepared from cells resistant to growth inhibition by putrescine compared with transport in inverted vesicles prepared from non-selected cells. Knockdown of SLC3A2 in human cells, using short hairpin RNA, caused an increase in putrescine uptake and a decrease in arginine uptake activity. SLC3A2 knockdown cells accumulated higher polyamine levels and grew faster than control cells. The growth of SLC3A2 knockdown cells was inhibited by high concentrations of putrescine. Knockdown of SLC3A2 reduced export of polyamines from cells. Expression of SLC3A2 was suppressed in human HCT116 colon cancer cells, which have an activated K-RAS, compared with their isogenic clone, Hkh2 cells, which lack an activated K-RAS allele. Spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SAT1) was co-immunoprecipitated by an anti-SLC3A2 antibody as was SLC3A2 with an anti-SAT1 antibody. SLC3A2 and SAT1 colocalized on the plasma membrane. These data provide the first molecular characterization of a polyamine exporter in animal cells and indicate that the diamine putrescine is exported by an arginine transporter containing SLC3A2, whose expression is negatively regulated by K-RAS. The interaction between SLC3A2 and SAT1 suggests that these proteins may facilitate excretion of acetylated polyamines.     

Modelling the transition from simple to complex Ca2+oscillations in pancreatic acinar cells

A mathematical model is proposed which systematically investigates complex calcium oscillations in pancreatic acinar cells. This model is based on calcium-induced calcium release via inositol trisphosphate receptors (IPR) and ryanodine receptors (RyR) and includes calcium modulation of inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate (IP₃) levels through feedback regulation of degradation and production. In our model, the apical and the basal regions are separated by a region containing mitochondria, which is capable of restricting Ca²⁺ responses to the apical region. We were able to reproduce the observed oscillatory patterns, from baseline spikes to sinusoidal oscillations. The model predicts that calcium-dependent production and degradation of IP₃ is a key mechanism for complex calcium oscillations in pancreatic acinar cells. A partial bifurcation analysis is performed which explores the dynamic behaviour of the model in both apical and basal regions.     

Refixation of xylem sap CO2 in Populus deltoides

Vascular plants have respiring tissues which are perfused by the transpiration stream, allowing solubilization of respiratory CO₂ in the xylem sap. The transpiration stream could provide a conduit for the internal delivery of respiratory CO₂ to leaves. Trees have large amounts of respiring tissues in the root systems and stems, and may have elevated levels of CO₂ in the xylem sap which could be delivered to and refixed by the leaves. Xylem sap from the shoots of three Populus deltoides trees had mean dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations (CO₂+H₂CO₃+HCO^?₃) ranging from 0. 5 to 0. 9 mM. When excised leaves were allowed to transpire 1 mM[¹⁴C]NaHCO₃, 99. 6% of the label was fixed in the light. Seventy-seven percent of the label was fixed in major veins and the remainder was fixed in the minor veins. Autoradiography confirmed that label was confined to the vasculature. In the dark, approximately 80% of the transpired label escaped the leaf, the remainder was fixed in the major veins, slightly elevating dark respiration measurements. This indicates that the vascular tissue in P. deltoides leaves is supplied with a carbon source distinct from the atmospheric source fixed by interveinal lamina. However, the contribution of CO₂ delivered to the leaves in the transpiration stream and fixed in the veins was only 0. 5% of atmospheric CO₂ uptake. In the light 90% of the label was found in sugar, starch and protein, a pattern similar to that found for atmospheric uptake of[¹⁴C]CO₂. Compared with leaves labelled in the light, leaves labelled in the dark had more label in organic acid, amino acid and protein and less label in sugar and starch. After a 5-s pulse the majority of the label fed to petioles in both the light and the dark was found in malate. The majority of the label was found in malate at 120 s in the dark; only 2% of the label was found in phosphorylated compounds at 120 s. The proportion of label found in phosphorylated compounds increased from 17% at 5 s to 80% at 120 s in the light. This suggests that CO₂ delivered to leaves in the light via the transpiration stream is fixed in the veins, a small portion through dark fixation into malate, the remainder by C-3 photosynthesis.