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Objectives: We report the effect of quality of therapy delivery on outcomes in a randomized, controlled trial of behavioural activation (BA) and guided self-help (GSH) for depression in adults with intellectual disabilities., Methods: A study specific measure of quality was used in a linear mixed effect model to determine the effects therapy and therapy quality on therapy outcome., Results: There was a significant interaction between quality and treatment type, with lower quality therapy associated with better outcome for GSH but poorer outcome for BA, with little difference in outcomes at higher levels of therapy quality., Conclusions: Factors suggesting high quality in individualized BA may indicate problematic engagement for GSH. More research into processes in therapy for people with intellectual disabilities is required., (© 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Clinical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)

Mercury (Hg) is a serious concern for aquatic ecosystems because it may biomagnify to harmful concentrations within food webs and consequently end up in humans that eat fish. However, the trophic transfer of mercury through the aquatic food web may be impacted by several factors related to network complexity and the ecology of the species present. The present study addresses the interplay between trophic ecology and mercury contamination in the fish communities of two lakes in a pollution‐impacted subarctic watercourse, exploring the role of both horizontal (feeding habitat) and vertical (trophic position) food web characteristics as drivers for the Hg contamination in fish. The lakes are located in the upper and lower parts of the watercourse, with the lower site located closer to, and downstream from, the main pollution source. The lakes have complex fish communities dominated by coregonids (polymorphic whitefish and invasive vendace) and several piscivorous species. Analyses of habitat use, stomach contents, and stable isotope signatures (δ15N, δ13C) revealed similar food web structures in the two lakes except for a few differences chiefly related to ecological effects of the invasive vendace. The piscivores had higher Hg concentrations than invertebrate‐feeding fish. Concentrations increased with size and age for the piscivores and vendace, whereas habitat differences were of minor importance. Most fish species showed significant differences in Hg concentrations between the lakes, the highest values typically found in the downstream site where the biomagnification rate also was higher. Mercury levels in piscivorous fish included concentrations that exceed health authorization limits, with possible negative implications for fishing and human consumption. Our findings accentuate the importance of acquiring detailed knowledge of the drivers that can magnify Hg concentrations in fish and how these may vary within and among aquatic systems, to provide a scientific basis for adequate management strategies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:873–887. © 2023 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food webs are the physical foundations of ecosystems. Visualisations help to find and present structural patterns of these weighted networks and are essential in research, conservation practice and education. There has been no open‐source library drawing weighted food webs with fractional trophic levels clearly. The existing approaches are scattered across separate libraries and programming languages.We provide an ensemble of mutually complementary visualisation methods that enable a general overview of the system, as well as a clear presentation of its details: https://github.com/ibs‐pan/foodwebviz. We use colours, sizes, positions, zoom and movement for precise identification of flows, their magnitudes and connectivity patterns. Vertical positions of nodes highlight the fractional trophic level as the most significant structural variable in a food web. The visualisations are in the form of modular and extensible python functions. Jupyter notebooks display them interactively in HTML.A heat map of food web flows or diet proportions shows their general pattern at a glance while retaining their precise identification. An interactive graph allows tracing the flow of matter over subsequent links. The user can select nodes, zoom, adjust layout parameters and manually drag‐and‐drop nodes. An intuitive animation of particles moving between the nodes uses colours and time dimension to trace connections better. It shows the multivariate food web aspects in one graph, together with a structural indicator, the trophic level. A bar plot and a heat map summarise exchanges of matter between the trophic levels.We bring several complementary and customisable methods together to facilitate accompanying every food web publication and analysis with its visualisation. Users can tinker with the interactive output and method parameters to reach the desired effect. Aesthetically appealing images presenting empirical data help to communicate the importance of species interconnectedness and ecosystem complexity to the broader public. Visualisation tools facilitate incorporating real‐world examples in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquired and inherited dysfunction in voltage‐gated sodium channels underlies a wide range of diseases. In addition to defects in trafficking and expression, sodium channelopathies are caused by dysfunction in one or several gating properties, for instance activation or inactivation. Disruption of channel inactivation leads to increased late sodium current, which is a common defect in seizure disorders, cardiac arrhythmias skeletal muscle myotonia and pain. An increase in late sodium current leads to repetitive action potentials in neurons and skeletal muscles, and prolonged action potential duration in the heart. In this Topical Review, we compare the effects of late sodium current in brain, heart, skeletal muscle and peripheral nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Subsequent to their introduction in the 1950s, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus have been able to establish a self‐sustaining population that has adapted to the unique conditions of the sub‐Antarctic Kerguelen Islands. Here, 48 individuals (198–415 mm) were caught with gillnets and their basic biology and feeding ecology were examined using stable isotope analysis. The Lac des Fougères population split use of littoral and pelagic resources evenly, although larger fish relied more heavily on littoral production and appear to follow the size‐dependent life history habitat template seen in many Scandinavian lakes where smaller sized individuals occupy the pelagic zone and larger individuals dominate the littoral habitat. In Kerguelen, Arctic charr mature at the same ages (5.6 years) as Arctic charr in both sub‐Arctic and Arctic lakes. Although mortality was average in comparison to comparator sub‐Arctic lakes, it was high in comparison to Arctic lakes. Maximal age (>7+) was at the lower end of the range typically seen in sub‐Arctic lakes. Although they inhabit a resource‐poor environment, Kerguelen Arctic charr showed no evidence of cannibalism. Thus, while Arctic charr can survive and reproduce in the relatively unproductive Kerguelen lake environments, survival and growth nevertheless appear to be traded off against survival and longevity. The uniqueness of the population location and the recency of its introduction suggest that further monitoring of the population has the potential to yield valuable insights into both the adaptability of the species and its likely responses to ongoing large‐scale environmental change as represented by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies targeting aberrantly glycosylated proteins are ineffective in treating cancer. Antibody‐drug conjugates have emerged as effective alternatives, facilitating tumor‐specific drug delivery. Previous studies have assessed the aberrantly glycosylated tandem repeat region of MUC1 glycoprotein as three site‐specific glycosylated neoantigen peptide motifs (PDTR, GSTA, and GVTS) for binding with a monoclonal antibody. This study aimed to develop an antibody‐drug conjugate for cancer treatment based on monoclonal antibodies against the aforementioned three neoantigen peptide motifs. Internalization of monoclonal antibodies was assessed via immunofluorescence staining and colocalization with lysosomal markers in live cells. Antibody positivity in tumor and peritumoral tissue samples was assessed via immunohistochemistry. The efficacy of anti‐MUC1 ADCs was evaluated using various cancer cell lines and a mouse tumor xenograft model. An anti‐MUC1 ADC was synthesized by conjugating GSTA neoantigen‐specific 16A with monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), which displayed potent antitumoral efficacy with an IC50 ranging 0.2–49.4 nM toward various cancer cells. In vivo, 16A‐MMAE inhibited tumor growth in a dose‐dependent manner in a mouse xenograft model established using the NCI‐H838 NSCLC cell line, at a minimum effective dose of 1 mg/kg. At 3 mg/kg, 16A‐MMAE did not cause significant toxicity in a transgenic mouse expressing human MUC1. The high antitumoral efficacy of 16A‐MMAE suggests that aberrant glycosylated MUC1 neoantigen is a potential target for the development of ADCs for treating various cancers. Personalized therapy may be achieved through such glycosite‐specific ADCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: This is a case study about a man with learning disabilities who has mental health issues.The case study describes the way that he told a researcher about his life.Thirty years of his earlier life were spent in a long‐stay hospital in England, UK and more recently he has lived in a community setting with five other people.This research is important as it assists us to understand the experiences of people with learning disabilities who have mental health needs. Background: Historically, the emotional lives and mental health needs of adults with learning disabilities received scant attention, especially when the policy of institutionalisation was at its zenith in the UK. Materials and Methods: This case study employed biographical narrative interviews based on a psychosocial approach. The main sources of data production were two loosely structured, audio‐taped, interviews with a man with learning disabilities. This approach uses free association to elicit an individual's stories about his lived experiences. Additional information was acquired from consultations with key care staff and clinical records maintained by the man's service provider. Results: Data revealed insights into the biography of this man who had a diagnosed mental health disorder. These data recall his personal journey through the care system which took place during an important historical period encompassing both long‐term institutionalisation in segregated settings, and the subsequent implementation of the policy of community care in the UK. He recalls positive and negative experiences while residing in a long‐stay hospital, and the related thoughts and feelings about his life in a community setting in more recent years. Conclusion: This case study contributes to an increasing body of studies that perceive the use of in‐depth interviewing of individuals with learning disabilities as having high ecological validity in the development of authentic knowledge, not readily available through other methods used in the co‐production of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Santa Barbara Channel, offshore California, contains several submarine landslides and ample evidence for incipient failure. This region hosts active thrust and reverse faults that accommodate several mm/yr of convergence, yet the relationships between tectonic deformation and slope failure remain unclear. We present 3‐D and 2‐D multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) data sets, multibeam bathymetry, and chronostratigraphic constraints to investigate the controls on slope failure. Splay faulting along the North Channel Deformation Trend (NCDT) coincides with a distinct zone of compressional uplift and onlapping of steeply dipping Quaternary strata. The NCDT is spatially correlated with seafloor fissures, and 3‐D seismic analyses reveal an intricate system of en echelon reverse faults that offset sediments younger than ~25 ka. Localized uplift zones are located between faults, one of which underlies the Gaviota landslide headscarp. We observe a direct relationship between slope failure and along‐strike variations in the tectonostratigraphic framework. Based on geophysical properties at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 893, we predict a trend in compaction and porosity reduction in the basin that drives pore fluids up‐dip, toward the zone of onlap above the NCDT, thus reducing slope stability. This interplay between tectonic, sedimentary, and fluid‐flow processes along the NCDT has created a confluence of preconditioning factors, with Gaviota and Goleta landslides being distinguished from the surrounding slopes by their position above the NCDT. The distribution of seafloor fissures suggests sections of the slope remain unstable and are prone to future landsliding. These results provide insights into the processes and 3‐D feedbacks that lead to slope instability along other convergent margins. Key Points: This study uses a suite marine geophysical data to examine the structural controls on slope failure in the Santa Barbara ChannelWe identify undocumented en echelon faults that form a distinct structural trend that coincides with areas of slope failureCompaction of sediments onlapping the structural trend promotes pore‐fluid overpressure, preconditioning the slope for failure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a critically endangered medium‐size crocodilian endemic to Southeast Asia. Extirpated from much of its natural range, conservation efforts in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia include the release of captive‐reared juveniles and sub‐adults into river reaches known to support adult C. siamensis populations. Despite conservation concerns, the biology of wild C. siamensis is not well studied and the ecology of ecosystems at release locations is poorly understood.Fish are thought to comprise a major component of the diet of C. siamensis. Here, the aim was to characterize fish communities within three potential C. siamensis release locations, focusing on community composition, density, size class structure and food web dynamics. The survey sites varied in both C. siamensis density and human fishing pressure, and the results are interpreted in light of these drivers.Genomic interrogation of fishes of the Cardamom Mountains distinguished 13 distinct fish species, contributing to genetic databases and adding to the documented taxon list for the region. The presence of two previously unconfirmed fish genera in the region is confirmed. The first estimates of fish density, biomass and size class distribution for three rivers in the Cardamom Mountains are provided.The three potential C. siamensis release reaches that were sampled showed clear differences in fish community composition, structural and trophic dynamics. Fish density and biomass were highest in the high‐density C. siamensis survey reach and lowest in the high human fishing pressure reach. Survey reaches with food webs that were more reliant on autochonously driven food webs supported higher densities and biomass of fish. These results have important implications for future C. siamensis conservation efforts in Cambodia and contribute valuable ecological information on a relatively unexplored region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endangered species that exist in small isolated populations are at elevated risk of losing adaptive variation due to genetic drift. Analyses that estimate short‐term effective population sizes, characterize historical demographic processes, and project the trajectory of genetic variation into the future are useful for predicting how levels of genetic diversity may change. Here, we use data from two independent types of genetic markers (single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] and microsatellites) to evaluate genetic diversity in 17 populations spanning the geographic range of the endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus). First, we use SNP data to confirm previous reports that these populations exhibit high levels of genetic structure (overall Fst = 0.25). Second, we show that most populations have contemporary Ne estimates <50. Heterozygosity–fitness correlations in these populations provided no evidence for a genetic cost to living in small populations, though these tests may lack power. Third, model‐based demographic analyses of individual populations indicate that all have experienced declines, with the onset of many of these declines occurring over timescales consistent with anthropogenic impacts (<200 years). Finally, forward simulations of the expected loss of variation in relatively large (Ne = 50) and small (Ne = 10) populations indicate they will lose a substantial amount of their current standing neutral variation (63% and 99%, respectively) over the next 100 years. Our results argue that drift has a significant and increasing impact on levels of genetic variation in isolated populations of this snake, and efforts to assess and mitigate associated impacts on adaptive variation should be components of the management of this endangered reptile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of genetic diversity has serious conservation consequences (e.g., loss of adaptive potential, reduced population viability), but is difficult to evaluate without developing long‐term, multigenerational datasets. Alternatively, historical samples can provide insights into changes in genetic diversity and effective population size (Ne). Kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) are a species of conservation concern across much of their range. In western Utah, kit fox abundance has declined precipitously from historical levels, causing concern about population persistence. We analyzed genetic samples from museum specimens and contemporary scats to evaluate temporal changes in (a) genetic diversity and (b) Ne for kit foxes in western Utah, and (c) discuss our findings with respect to population risk and conservation. The Ne of kit foxes in western Utah has decreased substantially. When compared to established conservation thresholds for Ne (e.g., the 50/500 rule), observed levels suggest the population may be at risk of inbreeding depression and local extinction. In contrast, we found no significant decrease in genetic diversity associated with declining Ne. We detected evidence of low levels of immigration into the population and suspect genetic diversity may have been maintained by this previously undescribed gene flow from adjacent populations. Low or intermittent immigration may serve to temper the potential short‐term negative consequences of low Ne. We recommend that kit fox conservation efforts focus on evaluating and maintaining landscape connectivity. We demonstrate how historical specimens can provide a baseline of comparison for contemporary populations, highlighting the importance of natural history collections to conservation during a period of declining funding and support. Loss of genetic diversity has serious conservation consequences, but is difficult to evaluate without developing long‐term, multigenerational datasets. We analyzed genetic samples from museum specimens and contemporary scats to evaluate temporal changes in genetic diversity and Ne for kit foxes in western Utah. We found significant declines in effective population size, but not genetic diversity; genetic diversity was likely maintained by low levels of immigration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The receptive uterine endometrium specifically expresses certain glycosyltransferases, and the corresponding oligosaccharides play important roles in accepting the embryo. The sialyltransferase β‐galactoside‐α2,3‐sialyltransferase III (ST3Gal3) is the key enzyme responsible for sialyl Lewis X (sLeX) oligosaccharide biosynthesis, but the expression and function of ST3Gal3 in the receptive endometrium is still elusive. Here, we found that human endometrial tissues at secretory phase expressed a 4‐fold higher ST3Gal3 level relative to the tissues at proliferative phase. Meanwhile, downregulation of ST3Gal3 or sLeX epitope blockage significantly impaired the receptive ability of human endometrial RL95‐2 cells to trophoblastic cells in vitro and inhibited implantation in pregnant mice. This study suggests that ST3Gal3 facilitates endometrial receptivity through increasing sLeX oligosaccharide, which gives a better understanding of the glycobiology of implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study evaluates the protective effect of α‐lipoic acid (LA) against arsenic‐induced testicular and epididymal oxidative damage in rats. Arsenic caused significant reduction in the reproductive organ weights, serum testosterone levels, testicular daily sperm count, epididymal sperm count, sperm motility, sperm viability, and sperm membrane integrity. Significant reduction in the activity levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione levels with a concomitant increase in the lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content in the testis and the cauda epididymis of arsenic‐exposed rats. Arsenic intoxication also enhanced the testicular caspase‐3 mRNA levels, disorganization of testicular and cauda epididymal architecture as well as increased arsenic content in the testis and the cauda epididymis of rats. Arsenic exposure also deteriorated fertility ability in male rats over controls. Conversely, α‐LA negated the testicular and cauda epididymal oxidative stress and restored the male reproductive health in arsenic‐exposed rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations on the marine feeding of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) in the Northwest Atlantic are limited compared with the Northeast Atlantic. Climate-induced changes to food webs in Atlantic salmon feeding areas have been noted, alongside increased mortality despite a cessation of most marine fisheries. As forage efficiency may be hampering survival, it was important to address this knowledge gap. Atlantic salmon were sampled at three sites on the West Greenland coast (Sisimiut, Nuuk and Qaqortoq) between 2009 and 2011. Gut content and stable isotope analyses were combined to assess spatial and temporal differences in feeding. Capelin ( Mallotus villosus) dominated the diet at Nuuk and Qaqortoq, whereas boreoatlantic armhook squid ( Gonatus fabricii) was the dominant prey at Sisimiut. Hyperiid amphipods ( Themisto spp.) and sand lance ( Ammodytes spp.) were also important. Significant differences were found among sites for both gut contents and stable isotope analyses, with fewer differences evident temporally. Dietary differences were also evident across larger scales, with little overlap demonstrated with Northeast Atlantic diets and the emergence of boreoatlantic armhook squid as an important prey item over time. Atlantic salmon diets are frequently anchored on one or two prey items, on which they appear to specialize, but they will diversify to consume other available pelagic prey. Thus, Atlantic salmon are an opportunistic, generalist predator within the pelagic food web. The variability evident in diet suggests that the limited data available are insufficient to appropriately understand potential vulnerabilities that the species may have to ecosystem changes, and suggest further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feasible label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor that uses an Au-nanoparticle-functionalized g-C3N4 nanohybrid (Au-g-C3N4 NH) as the luminophore was constructed for highly sensitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) detection. The sensor was fabricated by successively modifying a glassy carbon electrode with Au-g-C3N4 NH and thiol-modified AChE-specific aptamers. In the presence of AChE, the ECL signal decreased significantly, because AChE could hydrolyze the substrate acetylthiocholine to generate acetic acid, which could react with the co-reactant triethylamine (Et3N), leading to evident consumption of the co-reactant. The ECL response of the aptasensor was linearly proportional to the concentration of AChE ranging from 0.1 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 42.3 fg/mL ( S/ N=3). This novel ECL sensing strategy demonstrated a highly sensitive and selective method for AChE detection and was expected to possess potential applications in clinical diagnosis and biomedical technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many freshwater systems receive substantial inputs of terrestrial organic matter. Terrestrially derived dissolved organic carbon (t-DOC) inputs can modify light availability, the spatial distribution of primary production, heat, and oxygen in aquatic systems, as well as inorganic nutrient bioavailability. It is also well-established that some terrestrial inputs (such as invertebrates and fruits) provide high-quality food resources for consumers in some systems., In small to moderate-sized streams, leaf litter inputs average approximately three times greater than the autochthonous production. Conversely, in oligo/mesotrophic lakes algal production is typically five times greater than the available flux of allochthonous basal resources., Terrestrial particulate organic carbon (t-POC) inputs to lakes and rivers are comprised of 80%-90% biochemically recalcitrant lignocellulose, which is highly resistant to enzymatic breakdown by animal consumers. Further, t-POC and heterotrophic bacteria lack essential biochemical compounds that are critical for rapid growth and reproduction in aquatic invertebrates and fishes. Several studies have directly shown that these resources have very low food quality for herbivorous zooplankton and benthic invertebrates., Much of the nitrogen assimilated by stream consumers is probably of algal origin, even in systems where there appears to be a significant terrestrial carbon contribution. Amino acid stable isotope analyses for large river food webs indicate that most upper trophic level essential amino acids are derived from algae. Similarly, profiles of essential fatty acids in consumers show a strong dependence on the algal food resources., Primary production to respiration ratios are not a meaningful index to assess consumer allochthony because respiration represents an oxidised carbon flux that cannot be utilised by animal consumers. Rather, the relative importance of allochthonous subsidies for upper trophic level production should be addressed by considering the rates at which terrestrial and autochthonous resources are consumed and the growth efficiency supported by this food., Ultimately, the biochemical composition of a particular basal resource, and not just its quantity or origin, determines how readily this material is incorporated into upper trophic level consumers. Because of its highly favourable biochemical composition and greater availability, we conclude that microalgal production supports most animal production in freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosylation is one of the major posttranslational modifications of proteins. N-glycosylation (Asn-linked) and O-glycosylation (Ser/Thr-linked) are the two main forms. Abnormal O-glycosylation is frequently observed on the surface of tumor cells, and is associated with an adverse outcome and poor prognosis in patients with cancer. O-glycans (Tn, sTn, and T antigen) can be synthesized in the Golgi apparatus with the aid of several glycosyltransferases (such as T-synthase and ST6GalNAc-I) in a suitable environment. The unique molecular chaperone of T-synthase is Cosmc, which helps T-synthase to fold correctly in the endoplasmic reticulum. Dysregulation of these glycosyltransferases, molecular chaperones, or the environment is involved in the dysregulation of O-glycans. Tn, sTn, and T antigen neo- or over-expression occurs in many types of cancer including gastric, colon, breast, lung, esophageal, prostate, and endometrial cancer. This review discusses the major synthetic pathway of O-glycans and the mechanism by which Tn, sTn, and T antigens promote tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small percentage of healthy donors identified in the Western population carry antibodies in their peripheral blood which convey cytotoxic activity against certain human melanoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. We measured the cytotoxic activity of sera and plasmas from healthy donors on the human neuroblastoma cell line Kelly and various melanoma cell lines. Antibodies of IgM isotype, presumably belonging to the class of naturally occurring antibodies, exerted cytotoxic activity in a complement-dependent fashion. Apart from complement-dependent tumor cell lysis, we observed C3 opsonization in all tumor cell lines upon treatment with cytotoxic plasmas. Cell lines tested primarily expressed membrane complement regulatory proteins (mCRP) CD46, CD55 and CD59 to various extents. Blocking of mCRPs by monoclonal antibodies enhanced cell lysis and opsonization, though some melanoma cells remained resistant to complement attack. Epitopes recognized by cytotoxic antibodies were represented by gangliosides such as GD2 and GD3, as evidenced by cellular sialidase pretreatment and enhanced expression of distinct gangliosides. It remains to be clarified why only a small fraction of healthy persons carry these antitumor cytotoxic antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour-associated autoantibodies may be promising biomarkers that could facilitate breast cancer ( BC) diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. This review aims to identify the tumour-associated autoantibodies with the greatest diagnostic potential. Systematic searches were conducted using PubMed and Web of Science. The most studied tumour-associated autoantibody was included in a meta-analysis, and its clinical value was determined using Fagan's nomogram. The analysis included 84 studies regarding tumour-associated autoantibodies with the diagnostic value. Anti-p53 antibody was the most frequently studied autoantibody, followed by autoantibodies against MUC1, HER2 and cyclin B1. Although individual tumour-associated autoantibodies showed low diagnostic sensitivity, combinations of autoantibodies offered relatively high sensitivity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) was the most common detection method, and nucleic acid programmable protein microarrays appeared preferable to common protein microarrays. As the most commonly studied autoantibody, anti-p53 antibody was included in a meta-analysis. When it had been detected using ELISA and cut-off values were defined as the mean +2 or 3 standard deviations, the summary area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the presence of BC was 0.78. Fagan's nomogram showed post-test probabilities of 32% and 6% for positive and negative results, respectively. Mammography might be supplemented by the use of tumour-associated autoantibodies as biomarkers for BC diagnosis in younger women with increased risks of BC. Even though several studies have investigated the diagnostic use of tumour-associated autoantibodies as biomarkers for BC detection, a high-quality prospective study is needed to validate their diagnostic value in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new and burgeoning area following genomics and proteomics, glycomics has become a hot issue due to its pivotal roles in many physiological and pathological processes. Glycans are much more complicated than genes or proteins since glycans are highly branched and dynamic. Antibodies and lectins are the two major molecular tools applied for glycan profiling. Though the study of antibodies and lectins started at almost the same time in 1880s, lectins gained much less attention than the antibodies until recent decades when the importance and difficulties of glycomics were realized. The present review summarizes the discovery history of lectins and their biological functions with a special emphasis on their various applications as biological tools. Both older techniques that had been developed in the last century and new technologies developed in recent years, especially lectin microarrays and lectin-based biosensors, are included in this account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral envelope glycoproteins are major targets for antibodies that bind to and inactivate viral particles. The capacity of a viral vaccine to induce virus-neutralizing antibodies is often used as a marker for vaccine efficacy. Yet the number of known neutralization target epitopes is restricted owing to various viral escape mechanisms. We expand the range of possible viral glycoprotein targets, by presenting a previously unknown type of viral glycoprotein epitope based on a short peptide stretch modified with small O-linked glycans. Besides being immunologically active, these epitopes have a high potential for antigenic variation. Thus, sera from patients infected with EBV develop individual IgG responses addressing the different possible glycopeptide glycoforms of one short peptide backbone that reflect individual variations in the course of virus infection. In contrast, in HSV type 2 meningitis patients, CSF antibodies are focussed to only one single glycoform peptide of a major viral glycoprotein. Thus, dependent on the viral disease, the serological response may be variable or constant with respect to the number of targeted peptide glycoforms. Mapping of these epitopes relies on a novel three-step procedure that identifies any reactive viral O-glycosyl peptide epitope with respect to (i) relevant peptide sequence, (ii) the reactive glycoform out of several possible glycopeptide isomers of that peptide sequence, and (iii) possibly tolerated carbohydrate or peptide structural variations at glycosylation sites. In conclusion, the viral O-glycosyl peptide epitopes may be of relevance for development of subunit vaccines and for improved serodiagnosis of viral diseases. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behaviour of innovative Li-containing (AA2198) and Ag-containing (AA2139) aluminium alloys was investigated by means of electrochemical techniques in neutral media (sulphate and chloride solutions). Li presence caused a more active corrosion potential in the initial immersion times, but successively, the corrosion potentials of AA2198 became about 100 mV more positive than those of AA2139. Although in chloride media these alloys presented the same cathodic polarization curves, the passivity interval of AA2198 was characterized by lower passive currents and more positive pitting potentials than AA2139. Such differences were attributed to different amounts of intermetallic dispersoids between these aluminium alloys [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bromophenol blue (BPB) was electropolymerized onto a Au substrate. The effects of voltammetric cycle number, BPB concentration, and pH on film thickness, density, optical absorption, and electrochemical susceptibility were evaluated, and favorable deposition conditions were identified. Quantitative measurement of the film mass via quartz crystal microbalance enabled determination of the molar volume and revealed a strong dependence of film density with deposition pH. Finally, electrochemical control of the optical properties of BPB films was demonstrated via in situ spectroelectrochemistry. We believe this is the first demonstration of electropolymerization of pure BPB on Au, and thus the first demonstration of poly(BPB) as an electrochemically switchable optical coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for the six-membered ring 1,4-(CH2)2(PtBu)4 ( 1), the dimer (PtBu2)2 ( 2) and the 2,5-chalcogenated derivatives of 1, 3a (E = S) and 3b (E = Se), and the corresponding cation radicals and dications predict significant structural changes upon oxidation. The formation of a transannular P-P single bond (ca. 2.25 Å) in the three cyclic dications 12+, 3a2+, and 3b2+ is indicated by geometry and consideration of the frontier orbitals. The calculations also indicate a weak transannular interaction in the cyclic cation radicals. The nature of these transannular P-P bonding interactions is analyzed through a consideration of the molecular orbitals involved. Cyclic Voltammetry studies of 1 and 2 reveal two well-separated oxidation processes. Both processes are irreversible for 1 at normal scan rates, whereas for 2 the first process is quasi-reversible. The cation radical 1+• could not be detected by in situ electron paramagnetic resonance studies of the first electrochemical oxidation, but a spectrum for the radical cation 2+• could be observed. The difference in the redox behavior of 1 and 2 is considered with respect to the structural parameters and DFT calculations. Chemical oxidation of 1 with NO+[Al(ORF)4]− (RF = C(CF3)3) in CH2Cl2 led to a complex mixture; the protonated cation H 1+ (1,4-(CH2)2(PtBu)3(HPtBu)+) was identified as one of the major products on the basis of multinuclear NMR spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of literature on substratrumassociated microbiotia from 2013 covers topics on benthic algae, bacteria and viruses from a range of aquatic environments, but focuses on freshwater ecosystems. Advances in laboratory, field, and assessment methods are highlighted as are updates in taxonomy and systematics. Aspects of water quality, waste-water treatment, biofuels, nutrient cycling, food-web interactions, land use changes, and environmental challenges such as climate change, pollutants, and impacts of medical substances are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given large differences in species diversity across latitudinal gradients, it has been suggested that certain structural and functional attributes of fresh waters may differ over a latitudinal range, an important consideration for poorly known tropical systems undergoing major changes caused by human activities., Two key features of aquatic ecosystems, the contribution of in situ production (periphyton) to community biomass and size structuring (individual body size versus trophic position), were measured in stream invertebrate food webs across a gradient of 15 degrees of latitude in Australia from the wet tropics to a temperate island., Consistent with earlier work, crustaceans ( Atyidae and Palaemonidae) were responsible for a large fraction of the community biomass at tropical and subtropical sites. Periphyton supported a large proportion of the biomass at intermediate latitudes (79% in the subtropics and 95% at temperate mainland sites), with lower contributions both in more northerly (51% in the tropics) and more southerly (31% on a temperate island) sites. These lower contributions were driven by the high biomass of large crustaceans in the tropics and by shredding and filtering insects on the temperate island and may have also been the result of local nutrient-limitation., Although these taxonomic differences between regions did not translate into a latitudinal gradient in size structure, the larger individual body size of crustaceans compared with insects at a given trophic position suggests that the distribution of biomass in tropical and temperate food webs will differ, with implications for predators near the top of the web., These results suggest that differences in species composition do not necessarily entail differences in stream food-web structure and function and that local environmental factors are likely to be as important as broad-scale biogeography and climate in driving food-web patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial adhesion is necessary for the hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells. However, the metastatic breast tumor cell MDA-MB-231 does not bind to the endothelium under physiological flow conditions, suggesting alternate mechanisms of adhesion. Since monocytes are highly represented in the tumor microenvironment, and also bind to endothelium during inflammation, we hypothesized that the monocytes assist in the arrest of MDA-MB-231 on the endothelium. Using in vitro models of the dynamic shear environment of the vasculature, we show that TNF-α-activated THP1/primary human monocytes and MDA-MB-231 cells form stable aggregates, and that the monocytes in these aggregates mediate the adhesion of otherwise nonadherent MDA-MB-231 cells to inflamed endothelium under flow (55±2.4 vs. 1.7±0.82 at a shear stress of 0.5 dyn/cm², P<0.01). We also show that the hydrodynamic forces determine the size and orientation of aggregates adhered to the endothelium, and strongly favor the attachment of small aggregates with tumor cells downstream of flow (74-86% doublets at 0.5-2 dyn/cm², P<0.01). The 5-fold up-regulation of ICAM-1 on TNF-α-activated MDA-MB-231 cells through the Nf-κB pathway was found to be critical in MDA-MB-231-monocyte aggregation and endothelial adhesion. Our results demonstrate that, under inflammatory conditions, monocytes may serve to disseminate tumor cells through circulation, and the tumor-monocyte-endothelial axis may represent a new therapeutic target to reduce cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectins are capable of recognizing specific glycan structures and serve as invaluable tools for the separation of glycosylated proteins from nonglycosylated proteins in biological samples. We report on the optimization of native multi-lectin affinity chromatography, combining three lectins, namely, concanavalin A, jacalin, and wheat germ agglutinin for fractionation of cellular glycoproteins from MCF-7 breast cancer lysate. We evaluated several conditions for optimum recovery of total proteins and glycoproteins such as low pH and saccharide elution buffers, and the inclusion of detergents in binding and elution buffers. Optimum recovery was observed with overnight incubation of cell lysate with lectins at 4°C, and inclusion of detergent in binding and saccharide elution buffers. Total protein and bound recoveries were 80 and 9%, respectively. Importantly, we found that high saccharide strength elution buffers were not necessary to release bound glycoproteins. This study demonstrates that multi-lectin affinity chromatography can be extended to total cell lysate to investigate the cellular glycoproteome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]