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The gut microbiome produces vitamins, nutrients, and neurotransmitters, and helps to modulate the host immune system—and also plays a major role in the metabolism of many exogenous compounds, including drugs and chemical toxicants. However, the extent to which specific microbial species or communities modulate hazard upon exposure to chemicals remains largely opaque. Focusing on the effects of collateral dietary exposure to the widely used herbicide atrazine, we applied integrated omics and phenotypic screening to assess the role of the gut microbiome in modulating host resilience in Drosophila melanogaster. Transcriptional and metabolic responses to these compounds are sex-specific and depend strongly on the presence of the commensal microbiome. Sequencing the genomes of all abundant microbes in the fly gut revealed an enzymatic pathway responsible for atrazine detoxification unique to Acetobacter tropicalis. We find that Acetobacter tropicalis alone, in gnotobiotic animals, is sufficient to rescue increased atrazine toxicity to wild-type, conventionally reared levels. This work points toward the derivation of biotic strategies to improve host resilience to environmental chemical exposures, and illustrates the power of integrative omics to identify pathways responsible for adverse health outcomes., Brown et al. apply integrated omics and phenotypic screening to assess the role of the gut microbiome in modulating host resilience in Drosophila melanogaster. They find that Acetobacter tropicalis in gnotobiotic animals, is sufficient to rescue increased atrazine toxicity, which could pave the way for biotic strategies to improve host resilience to environmental chemical exposure.

Mutation or disruption of the SH3 and ankyrin repeat domains 3 (SHANK3) gene represents a highly penetrant, monogenic risk factor for autism spectrum disorder, and is a cause of Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Recent advances in gene editing have enabled the creation of genetically engineered non-human-primate models, which might better approximate the behavioural and neural phenotypes of autism spectrum disorder than do rodent models, and may lead to more effective treatments. Here we report CRISPR-Cas9-mediated generation of germline-transmissible mutations of SHANK3 in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and their F1 offspring. Genotyping of somatic cells as well as brain biopsies confirmed mutations in the SHANK3 gene and reduced levels of SHANK3 protein in these macaques. Analysis of data from functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed altered local and global connectivity patterns that were indicative of circuit abnormalities. The founder mutants exhibited sleep disturbances, motor deficits and increased repetitive behaviours, as well as social and learning impairments. Together, these results parallel some aspects of the dysfunctions in the SHANK3 gene and circuits, as well as the behavioural phenotypes, that characterize autism spectrum disorder and Phelan-McDermid syndrome.

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is considered a transcriptional process that induces a switch in cells from a polarized state to a migratory phenotype. Here, we show that KSR1 and ERK promote EMT-like phenotype through the preferential translation of Epithelial-Stromal Interaction 1 (EPSTI1), which is required to induce the switch from E- to N-cadherin and coordinate migratory and invasive behavior. EPSTI1 is overexpressed in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Disruption of KSR1 or EPSTI1 significantly impairs cell migration and invasion in vitro, and reverses EMT-like phenotype, in part, by decreasing the expression of N-cadherin and the transcriptional repressors of E-cadherin expression, ZEB1 and Slug. In CRC cells lacking KSR1, ectopic EPSTI1 expression restored the E- to N-cadherin switch, migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth. KSR1-dependent induction of EMT-like phenotype via selective translation of mRNAs reveals its underappreciated role in remodeling the translational landscape of CRC cells to promote their migratory and invasive behavior., eLife digest The majority of cancer deaths result from tumor cells spreading to other parts of the body via a process known as metastasis. 90% of all cancers originate in epithelial cells that line the inner and outer surface of organs in our bodies. Epithelial cells, however, are typically stationary and must undergo various chemical and physical changes to transform in to migratory cells that can invade other tissues. This transformation process alters the amount of protein cells use to interact with one another. For example, epithelial cells from the colon produce less of a protein called E-cadherin as they transition into migrating cancer cells and make another protein called N-cadherin instead. A protein called KSR1 is a key component of a signaling pathway that is responsible for generating the proteins colon cancer cells need to survive. But it is unknown which proteins KSR1 helps synthesize and whether it plays a role in the metastasis of colon cancer cells. To investigate this, Rao et al. studied the proteins generated by cancerous colon cells cultured in the laboratory, in the presence and absence of KSR1. The experiment showed that KSR1 increases the levels of a protein called EPSTI1, which colon cancer cells need to transform into migratory cells. Depleting KSR1 caused cancer cells to generate less EPSTI1 and to share more features with healthy cells, such as higher levels of E-cadherin on their surface and reduced mobility. Adding EPSTI1 to the cancer cells that lacked KSR1 restored the traits associated with metastasis, such as high levels of N-cadherin, and allowed the cells to move more easily. These findings suggest that KSR1 and EPSTI1 could be new drug targets for reducing, or potentially reversing, the invasive behavior of colon cancer cells. However, further investigation is needed to reveal how EPSTI1 is generated and how this protein helps colon cancer cells move and invade other tissues.

Background The role of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis is becoming increasingly important, as activation of these cell types likely contributes to both pathological and protective processes associated with all phases of the disease. During early AD pathogenesis, one of the first areas of degeneration is the locus coeruleus (LC), which provides broad innervation of the central nervous system and facilitates norepinephrine (NE) transmission. Though the LC-NE is likely to influence microglial dynamics, it is unclear how these systems change with AD compared to otherwise healthy aging. Methods In this study, we evaluated the dynamic changes of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the LC-NE system in the brain and spinal cord of APP/PS1 mice and aged WT mice using immunofluorescence and ELISA. Results Our results demonstrated increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and microglial activation observed in the cortex, hippocampus, and spinal cord of APP/PS1 compared to WT mice. LC-NE neuron and fiber loss as well as reduced norepinephrine transporter (NET) expression was more evident in APP/PS1 mice, although NE levels were similar between 12-month-old APP/PS1 and WT mice. Notably, the degree of microglial activation, LC-NE nerve fiber loss, and NET reduction in the brain and spinal cord were more severe in 12-month-old APP/PS1 compared to 12- and 24-month-old WT mice. Conclusion These results suggest that elevated neuroinflammation and microglial activation in the brain and spinal cord of APP/PS1 mice correlate with significant degeneration of the LC-NE system.

Animals have tails for many reasons, such as helping with balance, providing shade, for use in defence, for dealing with skin irritations, as a means of locomotion and to aid in marking territory. They are also a part of the animal’s behavioural display, and, alongside changes in whole-body posture, can communicate states of greeting, aggression, sexual receptivity and so on. As a result of domestication, beginning in the eighth and seventh millennia BC, sheep have very long tails – natural populations rarely have more than 10 tail vertebrae, whereas domesticated sheep may have as many as 35 – and a woolly fleece.1,2 As such, the tails of sheep in many countries are routinely docked to reduce faecal soiling and urine staining – thus reducing susceptibility to flystrike – and facilitate husbandry practices such as shearing. However, tail docking also has implications for the animal, and there is no shortage of studies on the impacts of tail docking.3-6 Many describe the impact that pain from docking has on lambs’ welfare, while others explore the consequences of different tail lengths on, for example, flystrike (sheep with very long or very short tails appear to be most …

A gene expression-based siRNA screen was used to evaluate functional similarity between genetic perturbations to identify functionally similar proteins. A siRNA library (siGenome library, Dharmacon) consisting of multiple siRNAs per gene that have been pooled in to one well per gene was arrayed in a 384-well format and used to individually target 14,335 proteins for depletion in HCT116 colon cancer cells. For each protein depletion, the gene expression of eight genes was quantified using the multiplexed Affymetrix Quantigene 2.0 assay in technical triplicate. As a proof of concept, six genes (BNIP3, NDRG1, ALDOC, LOXL2, ACSL5, BNIP3L) whose expression pattern reliably reflect the disruption of the molecular scaffold KSR1 were measured upon each protein depletion. The remaining two genes (PPIB and HPRT) are housekeeping genes used for normalization. The gene expression signatures from this screen can be used to estimate the functional similarity between any two proteins and successfully identified functional relationships for specific proteins such as KSR1 and more generalized processes, such as autophagy., Measurement(s)gene expression • KSR1 pathway regulationTechnology Type(s)Microarray • RNA interferenceFactor Type(s)target RNASample Characteristic - OrganismHomo sapiens Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.11418018

Bonefish (Albula vulpes) support a world-renowned fishery in South Florida, USA. However, fishing guides and anglers have been reporting significant declines in bonefish angling quality over that past three decades. In the absence of any long-term bonefish stock and ecosystem assessments, the cause of this decline in the fishery is unclear. Here we summarize our current knowledge of bonefish ecology in Florida and discuss potential causes of fishery decline. Reductions and alterations in freshwater flows from the Everglades have caused major changes in bonefish habitat, including acute (anoxic conditions) and chronic (changes in benthic flora and fauna) effects in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay. Various pollutants from agricultural and urban runoff may also be impacting bonefish population(s) directly and/or indirectly throughout their range. Efforts to locate juvenile A. vulpes in Florida have been largely unsuccessful to date, suggesting abundances may be low, and/or juveniles have unknown habitat requirements in Florida. Further, bonefish larvae may be sourced from adult individuals outside of Florida in areas such as Cuba or Mexico, in which case bonefish conservation in other regions is highly relevant to the Florida population. Extreme weather events may have also contributed to the decline; an extreme cold spell in 2010 caused significant bonefish mortality and coincided with documented declines in the fishery. The fishery may also be impacting the population. We outline research needs and potential approaches to better understand the causes of the bonefish decline in Florida and restore populations of this ecologically and socioeconomically important species.

Active coping is an adaptive stress response that improves outcomes in medical and neuropsychiatric diseases. To date, most research into coping style has focused on neurotransmitter activity and little is known about the intrinsic excitability of neurons in the associated brain regions that facilitate coping. Previous studies have shown that HCN channels regulate neuronal excitability in pyramidal cells and that HCN channel current (Ih ) in the CA1 area increases with chronic mild stress. Reduction of Ih in the CA1 area leads to antidepressant-like behavior, and this region has been implicated in the regulation of coping style. We hypothesized that the antidepressant-like behavior achieved with CA1 knockdown of Ih is accompanied by increases in active coping. In this report, we found that global loss of TRIP8b, a necessary subunit for proper HCN channel localization in pyramidal cells, led to active coping behavior in numerous assays specific to coping style. We next employed a viral strategy using a dominant negative TRIP8b isoform to alter coping behavior by reducing HCN channel expression. This approach led to a robust reduction in Ih in CA1 pyramidal neurons and an increase in active coping. Together, these results establish that changes in HCN channel function in CA1 influences coping style.

The model organism Encylopedia of Regulatory Elements (modERN) project was designed to generate genome-wide binding profiles for the majority of transcription... To develop a catalog of regulatory sites in two major model organisms, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans, the modERN (model organism Encyclopedia of Regulatory Networks) consortium has systematically assayed the binding sites of transcription factors (TFs). Combined with data produced by our predecessor, modENCODE (Model Organism ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements), we now have data for 262 TFs identifying 1.23 M sites in the fly genome and 217 TFs identifying 0.67 M sites in the worm genome. Because sites from different TFs are often overlapping and tightly clustered, they fall into 91,011 and 59,150 regions in the fly and worm, respectively, and these binding sites span as little as 8.7 and 5.8 Mb in the two organisms. Clusters with large numbers of sites (so-called high occupancy target, or HOT regions) predominantly associate with broadly expressed genes, whereas clusters containing sites from just a few factors are associated with genes expressed in tissue-specific patterns. All of the strains expressing GFP-tagged TFs are available at the stock centers, and the chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data are available through the ENCODE Data Coordinating Center and also through a simple interface (http://epic.gs.washington.edu/modERN/) that facilitates rapid accessibility of processed data sets. These data will facilitate a vast number of scientific inquiries into the function of individual TFs in key developmental, metabolic, and defense and homeostatic regulatory pathways, as well as provide a broader perspective on how individual TFs work together in local networks and globally across the life spans of these two key model organisms.

Current prognostic indicators are ineffective for identifying advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with high risk of recurrence after surgical resection. We investigated the prognostic value of p53, Ki-67, and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in 254 patients with stage II and III CRC. The expression of p53 was positive in 63% of cases. Up-regulation of p53 was associated with smaller tumor size (P=.001) and higher Ki-67 labeling index (LI) (P=.031). The tumor Ki-67 LI was high (≥20%) in 197 (78%) of the patients. High Ki-67 LI was associated with higher TNM stage (P=.031), positive p53 expression (P=.031), and negative PD-L1 expression (P=.003). The 5-year relapse-free survivals (RFS) were 53% and 89%, respectively, for the p53-positive and Ki-67 LI-high patients and the p53-negative and Ki-67 LI-low patients (P

PUMILIO 2 (PUM2) is a member of Pumilio and FBF (PUF) family, an RNA binding protein family with phylogenetically conserved roles in germ cell development. The Drosophila Pumilio homolog is also required for dendrite morphogenesis and synaptic function via translational control of synaptic proteins, such as glutamate receptors, and recent mammalian studies demonstrated a similar role in neuronal culture with associated motor and memory abnormalities in vivo. Importantly, transgenic mice with PUM2 knockout show prominent epileptiform activity, and patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy and mice with pilocarpine-induced seizures have decreased neuronal PUM2, possibly leading to further seizure susceptibility. However, how PUM2 influences synaptic function in vivo and, subsequently, seizures is not known. We found that PUM2 is highly expressed in the brain, especially in the temporal lobe, and knockout of Pum2 (Pum2-/- ) resulted in significantly increased pyramidal cell dendrite spine and synapse density. In addition, multiple proteins associated with excitatory synaptic function, including glutamate receptor 2 (GLUR2), are up-regulated in Pum2-/- mice. The expression of GLUR2 protein but not mRNA is increased in the Pum2-/- mutant hippocampus, Glur2 transcripts are increased in mutant polysome fractions, and overexpression of PUM2 led to repression of reporter expression containing the 3'Untranslated Region (3'UTR) of Glur2, suggesting translation of GLUR2 was increased in the absence of Pum2. Overall, these studies provide a molecular mechanism for the increased temporal lobe excitability observed with PUM2 loss and suggest PUM2 might contribute to intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.

Responding to Zika virus infections in Houston, Texas, USA, presented numerous challenges across the health system. As the nation’s fourth-largest city, in a subtropical region with high travel volume to Latin America and the Caribbean, Houston was an ideal location for studying experiences encountered by clinicians and public health officials as they responded to the Zika virus crisis. To identify the challenges encountered in the response and to explore strategies to improve future responses to emerging infectious diseases, we interviewed 38 key stakeholders who were clinical, scientific, operational, and public health leaders. From the responses, we identified 4 key challenges: testing, travel screening, patient demographics and immigration status, and insufficient collaboration (between public health officials and clinicians and among clinical providers). We also identified 5 strategic areas as potential solutions: improved electronic health record support, specialty centers and referral systems, standardized forms, centralized testing databases, and joint academic/public health task forces.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) are important mediators of tissue repair and fibrosis, with CCN2 functioning as a downstream mediator of TGFβ-1. Substance P (SP) is also linked to collagen production in tenocytes. A link between SP, TGFbeta-1 and CCN2 has yet to be established in tenocytes or fibrogenic processes. We sought to determine if SP induces tenocyte proliferation, CCN2 or collagen production via TGFbeta-1 signaling or independently in rat primary tenocytes. Tenocytes were isolated from rat tendons, cultured and stimulated by SP and/or TGFbeta-1. Cultured cells expressed proteins characteristic of tenocytes (vimentin and tenomodulin) and underwent increased proliferation dose-dependently after SP and TGFbeta-1 treatments, alone or combined (more than SP alone when combined). SP induced TGFbeta-1 expression in tenocytes in both dose- and time-dependent manners. SP and TGFbeta-1, alone or combined, stimulated CCN2 expression in tenocytes and their supernatants after both 24 and 48 hours of stimulation; a response blocked with addition of a TGFbeta-1 receptor inhibitor. In contrast, SP potentiated collagen type I secretion by tenocytes, a response abrogated by the TGFbeta-1 receptor inhibitor after 48 hours of stimulation, but not after the shorter 24 hours of stimulation. Our findings suggest that both SP and TGFbeta-1 can stimulate tenocyte fibrogenic processes, albeit differently. TGFbeta-1 pathway signaling was involved in CCN2 production at all time points examined, while SP induced collagen type I production independently prior to the onset of signaling through the TGFbeta-1 pathway.

Previous studies have shown that the fastidious bacterial plant pathogen ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (CLso) is transmitted circulatively and propagatively by the potato psyllid (PoP) Bactericera cockerelli. In this study, the temporal and spatial interrelationships between CLso PoP were investigated by scanning electron microscopy of the digestive system of PoP immature and adult instars and salivary glands of adults post CLso ingestion. CLso biofilms were not detectable on the outer midgut surface of the first and second instars; however, for third to fifth instars and teneral and mature adults, biofilms were observed in increasing numbers in each successive developmental stage. In adult PoP midguts, CLso cells were observed between the basal lamina and basal epithelial cell membranes; in basal laminar perforations, on the outer basal laminar surface, and in the ventricular lumen, epithelial cytosol, and filter chamber periventricular space. CLso were also abundantly visible in the salivary gland pericellular spaces and in the epidermal cell cytosol of the head. Collectively, these results point to an intrusive, systemic invasion of PoP by CLso that employs an endo/exocytosis-like mechanism, in the context of a propagative, circulative mode of transmission.

Temperature has been shown to have a significant effect on development of liberibacter species associated with citrus Huanglongbing disease. ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ and ‘Ca. L. americanus’ are both heat sensitive, whereas ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ is heat tolerant. The recently described ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ is associated with zebra chip (ZC), a newly emerging and economically important disease of potato worldwide. This psyllid-transmitted liberibacter species severely affects several other solanaceous crops and carrot. Experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of temperature on development of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ and ZC disease. Potato plants were inoculated with ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ by briefly exposing them to liberibacter-infective potato psyllids at various temperatures under laboratory conditions. Following insect exposure, the plants were maintained at selected temperature regimes in growth chambers, monitored for ZC symptom development, and later tested for liberibacter by polymerase chain reaction to confirm infection. Results indicated that temperatures below 17°C appear to slow development of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ and ZC symptoms, whereas temperatures above 32°C are detrimental to this liberibacter. Compared to Huanglongbing liberibacters, ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ appears heat sensitive. The sensitivity of this bacterium and its insect vector to temperature may partially explain incidence, severity, and distribution of ZC in affected regions.

Identification and characterization of survival pathways active in tumor cells but absent in normal tissues provide opportunities to develop effective anticancer therapies with reduced toxicity to the patient. We show here that, like kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1), EPH (erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma) receptor B4 (EPHB4) is aberrantly overexpressed in human colon tumor cell lines and selectively required for their survival. KSR1 and EPHB4 support tumor cell survival by promoting the expression of downstream targets, Myc and the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1β (PGC1β). While KSR1 promotes the aberrant expression of Myc and the PGC1β protein via a posttranscriptional mechanism, EPHB4 has a greater effect on Myc and PGC1β expression via its ability to elevate mRNA levels. Subsequent analysis of the posttranscriptional regulation demonstrated that KSR1 promotes the translation of Myc protein. These findings reveal novel KSR1- and EPHB4-dependent signaling pathways supporting the survival of colorectal cancer cells through regulation of Myc and PGC1β, suggesting that inhibition of KSR1 or EPHB4 effectors may lead to selective toxicity in colorectal tumors.

T1a prostate cancers (cancer found incidentally in transurethral resection

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric condition with limited therapeutic options beyond monoaminergic therapies. Although effective in some individuals, many patients fail to respond adequately to existing treatments, and new pharmacologic targets are needed. Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels regulate excitability in neurons, and blocking HCN channel function has been proposed as a novel antidepressant strategy. However, systemic blockade of HCN channels produces cardiac effects that limit this approach. Knockout (KO) of the brain-specific HCN-channel auxiliary subunit tetratricopeptide repeat-containing Rab8b-interacting protein (TRIP8b) also produces antidepressant-like behavioral effects and suggests that inhibiting TRIP8b function could produce antidepressant-like effects without affecting the heart. We examined the structural basis of TRIP8b-mediated HCN-channel trafficking and its relationship with antidepressant-like behavior using a viral rescue approach in TRIP8b KO mice. We found that restoring TRIP8b to the hippocampus was sufficient to reverse the impaired HCN-channel trafficking and antidepressant-like behavioral effects caused by TRIP8b KO. Moreover, we found that hippocampal expression of a mutated version of TRIP8b further impaired HCN-channel trafficking and increased the antidepressant-like behavioral phenotype of TRIP8b KO mice. Thus, modulating the TRIP8b-HCN interaction bidirectionally influences channel trafficking and antidepressant-like behavior. Overall, our work suggests that small-molecule inhibitors of the interaction between TRIP8b and HCN should produce antidepressant-like behaviors and could represent a new paradigm for the treatment of MDD.

Side-notched arrowpoints, a knapping tool made of bone, perforated stone beads, Dentalium beads, a probable Olivella bead, and decorated and perforated mollusc shell pendants and scrap were found associated with a Late Precontact Period Native American skeleton. This individual, an adult male about 27–33 years old, had been interred in sand beneath a sandstone caprock near the top of a low ridge in a desiccated, open plains setting in Eastern Montana. The arrowpoints are of the Avonlea side-notched type. A detached 3rd maxillary molar from the weathered, fragmentary skeleton yielded an AMS radiocarbon age of 1,190 ± 40 B.P. The expertly crafted arrowpoints and knapping tool suggest that this individual's stone-tool production skills might have been highly valued by his compatriots. Contemporaneity among the arrowpoints is established by their association with this primary interment, and affords an opportunity to examine intra-assemblage morphology and variation among arrowpoints made by one or a few indiv...

The formation of reactive metabolites through biotransformation is the suspected cause of many adverse drug reactions. Testing for the propensity of a drug to form reactive metabolites has increasingly become an integral part of lead-optimization strategy in drug discovery. DNA reactivity is one undesirable facet of a drug or its metabolites and can lead to increased risk of cancer and reproductive toxicity. Many drugs are metabolized by cytochromes P450 in the liver and other tissues, and these reactions can generate hard electrophiles. These hard electrophilic reactive metabolites may react with DNA and may be detected in standard in vitro genotoxicity assays; however, the majority of these assays fall short due to the use of animal-derived organ extracts that inadequately represent human metabolism. The current study describes the development of bacterial systems that efficiently detect DNA-damaging electrophilic reactive metabolites generated by human P450 biotransformation. These assays use a GFP reporter system that detects DNA damage through induction of the SOS response and a GFP reporter to control for cytotoxicity. Two human CYP1A2-competent prototypes presented here have appropriate characteristics for the detection of DNA-damaging reactive metabolites in a high-throughput manner. The advantages of this approach include a short assay time (120-180 min) with real-time measurement, sensitivity to small amounts of compound, and adaptability to a microplate format. These systems are suitable for high-throughput assays and can serve as prototypes for the development of future enhanced versions.

Studies were carried out to evaluate the resistance of Pakistani populations of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera litura (F) to several commonly used insecticides. Different field populations of S. litura from four districts of the Punjab were monitored from 2009 to 2011 for resistance to insecticides using a standard leaf dip bioassay method. For organophosphates and pyrethroids, resistance ratios compared with a susceptible Lab-Pk population were in the range of 8–109 fold for deltamethrin, 11–139 fold for cypermethrin, 19–143 fold for chlorpyrifos and 39–162 fold for profenofos. For new chemistry insecticides, resistance levels were 2–74 fold for spinosad, 4–216 fold for abamectin, 7–87 fold for indoxacarb, 2–77 fold for emamectin benzoate, 1.9–58 fold for lufenuron and 4–43 fold for methoxyfenozide. Pairwise correlation coefficients of LC50 values showed a positive correlation with cross-resistance among deltamethrin, cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos, while resistance to profenofos showed correlations with resistances to other insecticides except chlorpyrifos. New chemistry insecticides showed no correlations between any of the tested insecticides. There were high to very high levels of resistance to organophosphates in most of the population, which suggested that the use of these should be avoided against this pest. Selective use of pyrethroids in several areas, including Bahawalpur and Lodhran, where the pest showed a low level of resistance, would appear to be acceptable, the new chemistry insecticides, lufenuron, methoxyfenozide, emamectin and indoxacarb had no, very low, low and moderate resistance levels against populations, respectively. These are considered to be safe to the environment and safer to natural enemies.

Background The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is among the 100 worst invasive species in the world. As one of the most important crop pests and virus vectors, B. tabaci causes substantial crop losses and poses a serious threat to global food security. Results We report the 615-Mb high-quality genome sequence of B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), the first genome sequence in the Aleyrodidae family, which contains 15,664 protein-coding genes. The B. tabaci genome is highly divergent from other sequenced hemipteran genomes, sharing no detectable synteny. A number of known detoxification gene families, including cytochrome P450s and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, are significantly expanded in B. tabaci. Other expanded gene families, including cathepsins, large clusters of tandemly duplicated B. tabaci-specific genes, and phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs), were found to be associated with virus acquisition and transmission and/or insecticide resistance, likely contributing to the global invasiveness and efficient virus transmission capacity of B. tabaci. The presence of 142 horizontally transferred genes from bacteria or fungi in the B. tabaci genome, including genes encoding hopanoid/sterol synthesis and xenobiotic detoxification enzymes that are not present in other insects, offers novel insights into the unique biological adaptations of this insect such as polyphagy and insecticide resistance. Interestingly, two adjacent bacterial pantothenate biosynthesis genes, panB and panC, have been co-transferred into B. tabaci and fused into a single gene that has acquired introns during its evolution. Conclusions The B. tabaci genome contains numerous genetic novelties, including expansions in gene families associated with insecticide resistance, detoxification and virus transmission, as well as numerous horizontally transferred genes from bacteria and fungi. We believe these novelties likely have shaped B. tabaci as a highly invasive polyphagous crop pest and efficient vector of plant viruses. The genome serves as a reference for resolving the B. tabaci cryptic species complex, understanding fundamental biological novelties, and providing valuable genetic information to assist the development of novel strategies for controlling whiteflies and the viruses they transmit. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-016-0321-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Renal elimination and the resulting clearance of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from the serum exhibit pronounced sex differences in the adult rat. The literature suggests that this is largely due to hormonally regulated expression of organic anion transporters (OATs) on the apical and basolateral membranes of the proximal tubule cells that facilitate excretion and reabsorption of PFOA from the filtrate into the blood. Previously developed PBPK models of PFOA exposure in the rat have not been parameterized to specifically account for transporter-mediated renal elimination. We developed a PBPK model for PFOA in the male and female rat to explore the role of Oat1, Oat3, and Oatp1a1 in sex-specific renal reabsorption and excretion of PFOA. Descriptions of the kinetic behavior of these transporters were extrapolated from in vitro studies and the model was used to simulate time-course serum, liver, and urine data for intravenous (IV) and oral exposures in both sexes. Model predicted concentrations of PFOA in the liver, serum, and urine showed good agreement with experimental data for both the male and female rat indicating that in vitro derived physiological descriptions of transporter-mediated renal reabsorption can successfully predict sex-dependent excretion of PFOA in the rat. This study supports the hypothesis that sex-specific serum half-lives for PFOA are largely driven by expression of transporters in the kidney and contributes to the development of PBPK modeling as a tool for evaluating the role of transporters in renal clearance.

The widespread use and high abuse liability of tobacco products has received considerable public health attention, in particular for youth, who are vulnerable to nicotine addiction. In this study, adult and adolescent squirrel monkeys were used to evaluate age-related metabolism and pharmacokinetics of nicotine after intravenous administration. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was created to characterize the pharmacokinetic behaviors of nicotine and its metabolites, cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3'-OH cotinine), and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine glucuronide (3'-OH cotinine glucuronide) for both adult and adolescent squirrel monkeys. The PBPK nicotine model was first calibrated for adult squirrel monkeys utilizing in vitro nicotine metabolic data, plasma concentration-time profiles and cumulative urinary excretion data for nicotine and metabolites. Further model refinement was conducted when the calibrated adult model was scaled to the adolescents, because adolescents appeared to clear nicotine and cotinine more rapidly relative to adults. More specifically, the resultant model parameters representing systemic clearance of nicotine and cotinine for adolescent monkeys were approximately two- to three-fold of the adult values on a per body weight basis. The nonhuman primate PBPK model in general captured experimental observations that were used for both model calibration and evaluation, with acceptable performance metrics for precision and bias. The model also identified differences in nicotine pharmacokinetics between adolescent and adult nonhuman primates which might also be present in humans.

The cell cycle is under circadian regulation. Oncogenes can dysregulate circadian-regulated genes to disrupt the cell cycle, promoting tumor cell proliferation. As a regulator of G2/M arrest in response to DNA damage, the circadian gene Timeless Circadian Clock (TIMELESS) coordinates this connection and is a potential locus for oncogenic manipulation. TIMELESS expression was evaluated using RNASeq data from TCGA and by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis in a panel of colon cancer cell lines. TIMELESS expression following ERK inhibition was examined via western blot. Cell metabolic capacity, propidium iodide, and CFSE staining were used to evaluate the effect of TIMELESS depletion on colon cancer cell survival and proliferation. Cell metabolic capacity following TIMELESS depletion in combination with Wee1 or CHK1 inhibition was assessed. TIMELESS is overexpressed in cancer and required for increased cancer cell proliferation. ERK activation promotes TIMELESS expression. TIMELESS depletion increases γH2AX, a marker of DNA damage, and triggers G2/M arrest via increased CHK1 and CDK1 phosphorylation. TIMELESS depletion in combination with Wee1 or CHK1 inhibition causes an additive decrease in cancer cell metabolic capacity with limited effects in non-transformed human colon epithelial cells. The data show that ERK activation contributes to the overexpression of TIMELESS in cancer. Depletion of TIMELESS increases γH2AX and causes G2/M arrest, limiting cell proliferation. These results demonstrate a role for TIMELESS in cancer and encourage further examination of the link between circadian rhythm dysregulation and cancer cell proliferation.

Background KMT2/MLL proteins are commonly overexpressed or mutated in cancer and have been shown to support cancer maintenance. These proteins are responsible for methylating histone 3 at lysine 4 and promoting transcription and DNA synthesis; however, they are inactive outside of a multi-protein complex that requires WDR5. WDR5 has been implicated in cancer for its role in the COMPASS complex and its interaction with Myc; however, the role of WDR5 in colon cancer has not yet been elucidated. Methods WDR5 expression was evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Cell viability and colony forming assays were utilized to evaluate the effects of WDR5 depletion or inhibition in colon cancer cells. Downstream effects of WDR5 depletion and inhibition were observed by western blot. Results WDR5 is overexpressed in colon tumors and colon cancer cell lines at the mRNA and protein level. WDR5 depletion reduces cell viability in HCT116, LoVo, RKO, HCT15, SW480, SW620, and T84 colon cancer cells. Inhibition of the WDR5:KMT2/MLL interaction using OICR-9429 reduces cell viability in the same panel of cell lines albeit not to the same extent as RNAi-mediated WDR5 depletion. WDR5 depletion reduced H3K4Me3 and increased phosphorylation of H2AX in HCT116, SW620, and RKO colon cancer cells; however, OICR-9429 treatment did not recapitulate these effects in all cell lines potentially explaining the reduced toxicity of OICR-9429 treatment as compared to WDR5 depletion. WDR5 depletion also sensitized colon cancer cells to radiation-induced DNA damage. Conclusions These data demonstrate a clear role for WDR5 in colon cancer and future studies should examine its potential to serve as a therapeutic target in cancer. Additional studies are needed to fully elucidate if the requirement for WDR5 is independent of or consistent with its role within the COMPASS complex. OICR-9429 treatment was particularly toxic to SW620 and T84 colon cancer cells, two cell lines without mutations in WDR5 and KMT2/MLL proteins suggesting COMPASS complex inhibition may be particularly effective in tumors lacking KMT2 mutations. Additionally, the ability of WDR5 depletion to amplify the toxic effects of radiation presents the possibility of targeting WDR5 to sensitize cells to DNA-damaging therapies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4580-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Identifying functional enhancers elements in metazoan systems is a major challenge. For example, large-scale validation of enhancers predicted by ENCODE reveal false positive rates of at least 70%. Here we use the pregrastrula patterning network ofDrosophila melanogasterto demonstrate that loss in accuracy in held out data results from heterogeneity of functional signatures in enhancer elements. We show that two classes of enhancer are active during earlyDrosophilaembryogenesis and that by focusing on a single, relatively homogeneous class of elements, over 98% prediction accuracy can be achieved in a balanced, completely held-out test set. The class of well predicted elements is composed predominantly of enhancers driving multi-stage, segmentation patterns, which we designate segmentation driving enhancers (SDE). Prediction is driven by the DNA occupancy of early developmental transcription factors, with almost no additional power derived from histone modifications. We further show that improved accuracy is not a property of a particular prediction method: after conditioning on the SDE set, naïve Bayes and logistic regression perform as well as more sophisticated tools. Applying this method to a genome-wide scan, we predict 1,640 SDEs that cover 1.6% of the genome, 916 of which are novel. An analysis of 32 novel SDEs using wholemount embryonic imaging of stably integrated reporter constructs chosen throughout our prediction rank-list showed >90% drove expression patterns. We achieved 86.7% precision on a genome-wide scan, with an estimated recall of at least 98%, indicating high accuracy and completeness in annotating this class of functional elements.Significance StatementWe demonstrate a high accuracy method for predicting enhancers genome wide with > 85% precision as validated by transgenic reporter assays inDrosophilaembryos. This is the first time such accuracy has been achieved in a metazoan system, allowing us to predict with high-confidence 1640 enhancers, 916 of which are novel. The predicted enhancers are demarcated by heterogeneous collections of epigenetic marks; many strong enhancers are free from classical indicators of activity, including H3K27ac, but are bound by key transcription factors. H3K27ac, often used as a one-dimensional predictor of enhancer activity, is an uninformative parameter in our data.

To determine the ability of sheep to mobilise their body reserves after being deprived of feed prior to transport for slaughter.A total of 240 3- and 4-year-old cull ewes were held off pasture for 0, 9, 18 or 30 hours (n=60 per group) then transported 1 hour by road, unloaded and washed, held in lairage for 3 hours then slaughtered. Blood samples were collected from a subsample of 60 unfasted ewes 1 week earlier, and from all ewes at exsanguination to determine concentrations of serum metabolites indicative of adaptation to fasting. In addition, several attributes of carcass quality were measured.At slaughter, increased time off pasture prior to transport resulted in no change in glucose concentrations in serum (p=0.140). There were differences (p0.001) between the group fasted for 30 compared with 0 hours in mean concentrations of free fatty acids (0.98 (SD 0.32) vs. 0.58 (SD 0.23) mmol/L), β-hydroxybutyrate (0.69 (SD 0.17) vs. 0.42 (SD 0.11) mmol/L), triglycerides (0.29 (min 0.13, max 0.83) vs. 0.22 (min 0.06, max 0.96) mmol/L) and urea (10.17 (SD 1.80) vs. 6.94 (SD 2.03) mmol/L). Different periods of feed deprivation had no effect (p0.05) on carcass weights (mean 22.7, min 13.2, max 32.9 kg) or dressing out percentages (mean 40.9, min 27, max 49%). Meat ultimate pH was unaffected (p0.05) by the period of feed deprivation but meat became darker (p0.05) and had reduced redness (p0.001) with increasing time off feed.The results suggest that sheep in variable body condition adapted to the periods of feed deprivation by mobilising their energy reserves without any evidence of metabolic depletion (e.g. depleted blood glucose or high meat pH). However, being deprived of feed they probably experience a degree of hunger.

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted protein involved in most aspects of tumor progression and metastasis development. Elevated OPN expression has been reported in multiple types of cancer including glioblastoma (GBM), the highest grade and most aggressive brain tumor. GBMs contain a subpopulation of glioma-initiating cells (GICs) implicated in progression, therapeutic resistance and recurrence. We have previously demonstrated that OPN silencing inhibited GBM cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, activation of CD44 signaling upon OPN ligation has been recently implicated in the acquisition of a stem cell phenotype by GBM cells. The present study is aimed to explore OPN autocrine function using shRNA silencing strategy in GICs enriched from GBM cell lines and a human primary GBM grown in EGF and bFGF defined medium. The removal of these growth factors and addition of serum induced a significant loss of OPN expression in GICs. We showed that OPN-silenced GICs were unable to grow as spheres and this capacity was restored by exogenous OPN. Importantly, the expression of Sox2, Oct3/4 and Nanog, key stemness transcription factors, was significantly decreased in GICs upon OPN targeting. We identified Akt/mTOR/p70S6K as the main signaling pathway triggered following OPN-mediated EGFR activation in GICs. Finally, in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model, the tumorigenic potential of U87-MG sphere cells was completely abrogated upon OPN silencing. Our demonstration of endogenous OPN major regulatory effects on GICs stemness phenotype and tumorigenicity implies a greater role than anticipated for OPN in GBM pathogenesis from initiation and progression to probable recurrence.

Distinguishing follicular carcinoma from follicular adenoma, based on cytomorphological features, has always been challenging to cytopathologists. Identification of biomarkers for improving diagnostic accuracy is important for clinical management. Meanwhile, it is critical to identify therapeutic target candidates for treatment of follicular carcinoma. Currently, no reliable diagnostic protein biomarkers and therapeutic targets are available. To explore novel protein biomarker and therapeutic target candidates, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach was applied to analyze control, follicular adenoma, and follicular carcinoma using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. The proteomics analysis revealed 80 protein biomarker candidates for diagnosis of thyroid follicular carcinoma. The candidates were prioritized into three categories and ranked within each category. Using the proteomics data and bioinformatics results, the top seven biomarker candidates were coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain-containing protein 2, mitochondrial (CHCHD2), succinyl-CoA ligase [GDP-forming] subunit beta, mitochondrial (SUCLG2), stomatin-like protein 2, mitochondrial (STOML2), ES1 protein homolog, mitochondrial (C21orf33), fumarate hydratase, mitochondrial (FH), 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase type-2 (HSD17B10), and electron transfer flavoprotein subunit beta (ETFB); and the top seven therapeutic target candidates were insulin receptor (INSR), Myc proto-oncogene protein (MYC), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PPARGC1A), gastrin (GAST), N-myc proto-oncogene protein (MYCN), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFB1), and interleukin-4 (IL4). Immunohistochemical staining of SUCLG2 and ETFB is highly consistent with the discovery of proteomics, revealing that SUCLG2 has a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 80% to distinguish follicular carcinoma from follicular adenoma based on a specific cut-off score calculated from the IHC staining percentage and intensity. Biological significance Distinguishing follicular carcinoma from follicular adenoma, based on cytomorphological features, has always been challenging to cytopathologists. Fourteen biomarker candidates were identified. Two of them were validated with Immunohistochemical staining. The Identification of biomarkers for improving diagnostic accuracy is important for clinical management.

Older patients can be especially susceptible to antipsychotic-induced side effects, and the pharmacodynamic mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. We hypothesized that age-related epigenetic alterations lead to decreased expression and functionality of the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R), contributing to this susceptibility. In this study, we treated young (2–3 months old) and aged (22–24 months old) C57BL/6 mice with the D2R antagonist haloperidol (HAL) once a day for 14 days to evaluate HAL-induced motor side effects. In addition, we pretreated separate groups of young and aged mice with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) or entinostat (MS-275) and then administered HAL. Our results show that the motor side effects of HAL are exaggerated in aged mice as compared to young mice and that HDAC inhibitors are able to reverse the severity of these deficits. HAL-induced motor deficits in aged mice are associated with an age- and drug-dependent decrease in striatal D2R protein levels and functionality. Further, histone acetylation was reduced while histone tri-methylation was increased at specific lysine residues of H3 and H4 within the Drd2 promoter in the striatum of aged mice. HDAC inhibitors, particularly VPA, restored striatal D2R protein levels and functionality and reversed age- and drug-related histone modifications at the Drd2 promoter. These results suggest that epigenetic changes at the striatal Drd2 promoter drive age-related increases in antipsychotic side effect susceptibility, and HDAC inhibitors may be an effective adjunct treatment strategy to reduce side effects in aged populations.

Targeting downstream effectors required for oncogenic Ras signaling is a potential alternative or complement to the development of more direct approaches targeting Ras in the treatment of Ras-dependent cancers. Areas covered: Here we review literature pertaining to the molecular scaffold Kinase Suppressor of Ras (KSR) and its role in promoting signals critical to tumor maintenance. We summarize the phenotypes in knockout models, describe the role of KSR in cancer, and outline the structure and function of the KSR1 and KSR2 proteins. We then focus on the most recent literature that describes the crystal structure of the kinase domain of KSR2 in complex with MEK1, KSR-RAF dimerization particularly in response to RAF inhibition, and novel attempts to target KSR proteins directly. Expert opinion: KSR is a downstream effector of Ras-mediated tumorigenesis that is dispensable for normal growth and development, making it a desirable target for the development of novel therapeutics with a high therapeutic index. Recent advances have revealed that KSR can be functionally inhibited using a small molecule that stabilizes KSR in an inactive conformation. The efficacy and potential for this novel approach to be used clinically in the treatment of Ras-driven cancers is still being investigated.

Most of the proposed extracellular biomineralization processes include the secretion of proteins that interact with mineral ions and/or mineral surfaces. Typically these proteins are acidic or have acidic domains that interact with multivalent cations in the extracellular environment. We propose that most acidic, Ca(2+)-binding proteins challenge the cell's mechanisms for trafficking through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen due to lumenal mM calcium that cause them to form large aggregates. We have recently shown that >95% of the DSPP mutations that cause non-syndromic genetic dentin diseases start their dominant negative affects by failing to rapidly exit the ER likely by forming complexes that cannot be normally trafficked to the Golgi. The complexes of mutant DSPP then capture more (severe disease) or less (mild disease) of the DSPP translated from the normal allele. After searching genomic databases as well as the published literature, we found the IleProVal (IPV)-like motif at the predicted amino terminus of many acidic proteins made in the mineralizing as well as non-mineralizing tissues of many species including vertebrates, echinoderms, mollusks, and yeast. While we often focused on acidic proteins reported associated with mineralizing structures, proteins associated with hormones and their storage/secretion, digestion, blood functions, as well as milk and other secreted fluids started with variations of the motif. Our hypothesis is that the IPV-like motif interacts with a highly conserved cargo receptor in the ER that efficiently traffics the acidic proteins out of the organelle before they can form harmful aggregates in the Ca(2+)-rich lumen.

Gene expression signature-based inference of functional connectivity within and between genetic perturbations, chemical perturbations, and disease status can lead to the development of actionable hypotheses for gene function, chemical modes of action, and disease treatment strategies. Here, we report a FuSiOn-based genome-wide integration of hypomorphic cellular phenotypes that enables functional annotation of gene network topology, assignment of mechanistic hypotheses to genes of unknown function, and detection of cooperativity among cell regulatory systems. Dovetailing genetic perturbation data with chemical perturbation phenotypes allowed simultaneous generation of mechanism of action hypotheses for thousands of uncharacterized natural products fractions (NPFs). The predicted mechanism of actions span a broad spectrum of cellular mechanisms, many of which are not currently recognized as "druggable." To enable use of FuSiOn as a hypothesis generation resource, all associations and analyses are available within an open source web-based GUI (http://fusion.yuhs.ac).

Mammalian estrogen receptors modulate many physiological processes. Chemicals with structural features similar to estrogens can interact with estrogen receptors to produce biological effects similar to those caused by endogenous estrogens in the body. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a structural analogue of estrogen that binds to estrogen receptors. Exposure to BPA in humans is virtually ubiquitous in industrialized societies, but BPA is rapidly detoxified by metabolism and does not accumulate in the body. Whether or not serum concentrations of BPA in humans are sufficiently high to disrupt normal estrogen-related biology is the subject of intense political and scientific debate. Here we show a convergence of robust methods for measuring or calculating serum concentrations of BPA in humans from 93 published studies of more than 30,000 individuals in 19 countries across all life stages. Typical serum BPA concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than levels measurable by modern analytical methods and below concentrations required to occupy more than 0.0009% of Type II Estrogen Binding Sites, GPR30, ERα or ERβ receptors. Occupancies would be higher, but ≤0.04%, for the highest affinity receptor, ERRγ. Our results show limited or no potential for estrogenicity in humans, and question reports of measurable BPA in human serum.

Bromate (BrO3 −), a by-product of ozonation of drinking water, induces nephrotoxicity in male rats at much lower doses than in female rats. This difference appears to be related to the development of α-2u-globulin nephropathy in males. To determine sex-dependent changes in mRNA and protein expression in the renal cortex attributable to α-2u-globulin nephropathy, we performed microarray and immunohistochemical analyses in proximal renal tubules of male and female F344 rats treated with KBrO3 for 28 days. Particular attention was paid to molecular biomarkers of renal tubular injury. Microarray analysis of male and female rats treated with BrO3 − at low doses (125 mg/L KBrO3) displayed marked sex-dependent changes in renal gene expression. The greatest differences were seen in genes encoding for cellular differentiation, apoptosis, ion transport, and cell proliferation. Differences by sex were especially prominent for the cell cycle checkpoint gene p21, the renal injury protein Kim-1, and the kidney injury and cancer biomarker protein osteopontin. Dose-related nephrotoxicity, assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, was greater in males compared to female rats, as was cellular proliferation, assessed by bromodeoxyuridine staining. The fraction of proximal renal cells with elevated 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) was only increased at the high dose and did not differ by sex. Dose-dependent increases in the expression of osteopontin were detected immunohistochemically only in male rats and were localized in proximal tubule cells. Similarly, BrO3 − treatment increased clusterin and Kim-1 staining in the proximal tubules; however, staining for these proteins did not differ appreciably between males and females. These data demonstrate both qualitative and quantitative differences in the response of male versus female kidneys to BrO3 −-treatment. These sex-dependent effects likely contribute to renal carcinogenesis of BrO3 − in the male rat.

Past archaeological investigations into the impact of shellfish gathering by hunter-gatherers on shellfish stocks, particularly on shellfish size, generally have emphasized long-term change visible in stratigraphic sequences. We propose that short-term exploitation of shellfish by Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers who briefly inhabited the Dunefield Midden (DFM) campsite on the Atlantic Coast of South Africa had impacts, at time scales measured likely in days or weeks, that are expressed by spatial variability in the size and relative proportions of two species of limpet across a horizontally large excavated area encompassing a refuse dump and a likely domestic area. We link variability to choices by the site occupants to collect the largest limpets first and gather the smallest individuals late in an occupation event when only small shellfish remained available. Environmentally driven change in shellfish size or species proportions is unlikely at DFM given the short occupation span of the site. B...

The significance of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer remains to be determined. We assessed the levels of PD-L1 expression in tumor-infiltrating immune cells as well as tumor cells, and evaluated the association between PD-L1 expression and clinical outcome in 262 colorectal cancer patients. In univariate analysis, TNM stage (p

To assess current practices on sheep and beef farms that deprive sheep of feed prior to transport to facilitate effluent management and processing at slaughter.A national telephone survey of 122 sheep and 346 sheep and beef farmers was conducted in March and April 2010. They were asked how long sheep were held off green feed prior to transport and why, what environment the sheep were held in, and if that period ever varied.Of the 468 respondents, 303 (65%) removed their sheep from green feed 3-12 h before transport for slaughter, with longer periods reported in the South than North Island. The main reasons given were to reduce the volume of effluent for transport operators (n=174), to prevent wool staining during transport (n=173), and that sheep were better suited to load and travel empty (n=171). Water was provided during feed deprivation by 313 farmers. The period of food deprivation could be altered in response to requirements of transporters and processors, the weather, and by the class of stock involved, although 115/468 (25%) farmers stated that they never changed their normal protocol.Amongst survey respondents, common practices compared favourably with recommendations to reduce effluent during transportation. Previous studies have investigated the effects of fasting lambs whilst in lairage prior to slaughter and focussed on carcass quality such as carcass weight and tenderness. Changes in liveweight and gastrointestinal tract contents suggest feed deprivation reduces the risk of defaecation and urination contributing to the accumulation of effluent during transport and of carcass contamination during processing. However, the point at which that risk is acceptable to transport and processing is unclear. Fasting results in physiological changes indicative of altered metabolism but it is not clear when those changes are indicative of adaptation to food deprivation or metabolic depletion and compromised welfare. There may be opportunities to improve the logistics of livestock preparation, transport and processing.

Please cite this paper as: He et al. (2012) Mucosal antibody responses are directed by viral burden in children with acute influenza infection. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.00346.x. Background Influenza infection causes excess hospitalizations and deaths in younger patients, but susceptibility to severe disease is poorly understood. While mucosal antibodies can limit influenza-associated infection and disease, little is known about acute mucosal antibody responses to influenza infection. Objectives These studies characterize mucosal antiviral antibody production in children during lower respiratory infection (LRI) with H1N1 influenza versus other viral LRI and examine the relationship between mucosal antiviral antibodies and protection against severe disease. Methods B lymphocytes were assessed by immunohistochemistry in lung tissue from infants with fatal acute seasonal influenza infection. Nasopharyngeal secretions (NPS) were obtained at presentation from children with acute respiratory illness, including H1N1 (2009) influenza infection. Total and antiviral antibodies, and inflammatory and immune mediators, were quantified by ELISA. Neutralizing activity in NPS was detected using a pseudotyped virus assay. Viral burden was assessed by qPCR. Results and conclusions B lymphocytes were abundant in lung tissue of infants with fatal acute influenza LRI. Among surviving children with H1N1 infection, only a small subset (11%) demonstrated H1N1 neutralizing activity in NPS. H1N1 neutralizing activity coincided with high local levels of antiviral IgM, IgG and IgA, greater detection of inflammatory mediators, and higher viral burden (P = 0·016). Patients with mucosal antiviral antibody responses demonstrated more severe respiratory symptoms including greater hypoxia (P = 0·0018) and pneumonia (P = 0·038). These patients also trended toward younger age, longer duration of illness and longer hospital stays. Prophylaxis strategies that heighten neutralizing antibody production in the mucosa are likely to benefit both older and younger children.

Zebra chip (ZC), a new and serious disease of potatoes, has caused millions of dollars in losses to the potato industry in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. The disease has been associated with the bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” transmitted to potato by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc). The most characteristic symptoms of ZC develop in potato tubers and include browning of vascular tissue concomitant with necrotic flecking of internal tissues and streaking of the medullary ray tissues, all of which can affect the entire tuber. Upon tuber frying, these symptoms become more pronounced and potato chips or fries processed from ZC-affected tubers show very dark blotches, stripes, or streaks, rendering them commercially unacceptable. Field experiments were conducted to determine how rapidly ZC symptoms develop in potato tubers following plant exposure to liberibacter-infective potato psyllids and to assess how the disease affects the overall potato yield and tuber processing quality over time. Results indicated that ZC symptoms developed in potato tubers 3 weeks following plant exposure to psyllids. Tuber development ceased upon the onset of ZC symptoms, resulting in substantial yield loss. Levels of tuber solids decreased as soon as initial disease symptoms were observed. In contrast, reducing sugar levels in tubers increased dramatically upon the onset of ZC symptoms, significantly affecting potato processing quality. This information, in combination with effective psyllid monitoring and control, will assist potato producers make harvest timing decisions following infestations of potato psyllids in their fields to minimize damage caused by ZC.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for bisphenol A (BPA) in adult rhesus monkeys using intravenous (iv) and oral bolus doses of 100 μg d6-BPA/kg (Doerge et al., 2010). This calibrated PBPK adult monkey model for BPA was then evaluated against published monkey kinetic studies with BPA. Using two versions of the adult monkey model based on monkey BPA kinetic data from Doerge et al. (2010) and Taylor et al. (2011), the aglycone BPA pharmacokinetics were simulated for human oral ingestion of 5 mg d16-BPA per person (Völkel et al., 2002). Völkel et al. were unable to detect the aglycone BPA in plasma, but were able to detect BPA metabolites. These human model predictions of the aglycone BPA in plasma were then compared to previously published PBPK model predictions obtained by simulating the Völkel et al. kinetic study. Our BPA human model, using two parameter sets reflecting two adult monkey studies, both predicted lower aglycone levels in human serum than the previous human BPA PBPK model predictions. BPA was metabolized at all ages of monkey (PND 5 to adult) by the gut wall and liver. However, the hepatic metabolism of BPA and systemic clearance of its phase II metabolites appear to be slower in younger monkeys than adults. The use of the current non-human primate BPA model parameters provides more confidence in predicting the aglycone BPA in serum levels in humans after oral ingestion of BPA.

Zebra chip (ZC), an emerging and serious disease of potato has caused millions of dollars in losses to the potato industry in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. The disease has recently been associated with a previously undescribed species of liberibacter tentatively named “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” transmitted to potato by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc). At present, applications of insecticides targeted against the potato psyllid are the only means to manage ZC. Given the low psyllid density and short inoculation access period required to induce the disease, insecticides may not act fast enough to prevent transmission of liberibacter to potato by the psyllid and development of ZC. Identification and development of ZC-resistant or tolerant varieties may offer the most efficient and sustainable way to manage this potato disease. Susceptibility of selected potato varieties to ZC was evaluated under controlled field cage conditions in 2009 and 2010 in WA by inoculating potato plants with “Ca. L. solanacearum” using infective potato psyllids and monitoring them for ZC symptom development. All potato varieties evaluated in both years of the study were determined to be very susceptible to the disease, with almost 100% of the inoculated plants developing severe ZC foliar and tuber symptoms. Potato yield in all tested varieties was significantly affected by ZC, with yield losses ranging from 49.9% to 87. 2%. Information from this research suggests that there is an urgent need to develop new potato varieties that are resistant or tolerant to this damaging potato disease.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes a vesiculopustular rash illness resembling smallpox in humans and produces a similar disease in nonhuman primates. To enhance the ability of researchers to study experimental MPXV infections, we inserted a gene encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) into Monkeypox virus Zaire-79. Wild-type and MPXV-GFP replicated with similar kinetics in cell culture and caused a similar disease when injected intravenously into cynomolgus macaques. In MPXV-GFP-infected animals, examination under fluorescent light facilitated the identification of skin lesions during disease development and internal sites of replication at necropsy. MPXV-GFP could improve the quantitative assessment of antiviral therapy and vaccine efficacy.

Kinase suppressor of ras 1 (KSR1) is a molecular scaffold of the Raf/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade that enhances oncogenic Ras signaling. Here we show KSR1-dependent, but ERK-independent, regulation of metabolic capacity is mediated through the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC1α) and estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα). This KSR1-regulated pathway is essential for the transformation of cells by oncogenic Ras. In mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) expressing H-Ras(V12), ectopic PGC1α was sufficient to rescue ERRα expression, metabolic capacity, and anchorage-independent growth in the absence of KSR1. The ability of PGC1α to promote anchorage-independent growth required interaction with ERRα, and treatment with an inhibitor of ERRα impeded anchorage-independent growth. In contrast to PGC1α, the expression of constitutively active ERRα (CA-ERRα) was sufficient to enhance metabolic capacity but not anchorage-independent growth in the absence of KSR1. These data reveal KSR1-dependent control of PGC1α- and ERRα-dependent pathways that are necessary and sufficient for signaling by oncogenic H-Ras(V12) to regulate metabolism and anchorage-independent growth, providing novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

Three haplotypes of the recently discovered bacterium species “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” are described and related to geographic ranges. The first two are associated with Zebra Chip/Psyllid Yellows of potatoes and other solanaceous plants, vectored by the tomato/potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli in North and Central America and New Zealand. The third is associated with diseased carrots in Finland and vectored by the carrot psyllid Trioza apicalis. The haplotypes are described by SNPs on the 16s rRNA, 16s/23s ISR and 50s rplJ and rplL ribosomal protein genes. These SNPs are inherited as a package across the three genes. Haplotype “a” has been found primarily from Honduras and Guatemala through western Mexico to Arizona and California, and in New Zealand. Haplotype “b” is currently known from eastern Mexico and northwards through Texas to south central Washington. These haplotypes show some range overlap in Texas, Kansas and Nebraska. The haplotypes are not yet known to elicit biological differences in the plant or insect hosts. These apparently stable haplotypes suggest separate bacterial populations of long standing.

Since first being proposed as a tandem gene family in 2001, the relatedness of the 5 SIBLING proteins (BSP, DMP1, DSPP, MEPE, and SPP1/OPN) has predominantly depended on arguments involving shared intron/exon properties as well as conserved protein biochemical properties (e.g. unstructured and acidic) and specific peptide motifs (e.g. phosphorylation and integrin-binding RGD). This report discusses the evidence that an ancient DMP1 gene underwent a simple duplication in the common ancestor of mammals and reptiles and then separately evolved into DSPP-like paralogs in the 2 classes. Genomic sequence analyses show that different copies of the original DMP1 duplication process were selected by mammalian and reptilian (anole lizard) classes to acquire genetically different but biochemically similar phosphoserine-rich repeat domains by convergent evolution. Mammals, for example, expanded phosphoserine motifs encoded exclusively using motifs containing AGC/T serine codons while the reptile line’s repeats also used TCN-encoding serine codons. A similar analysis of the origins of the other 4 SIBLINGs will require even more detailed analysis as genome sequences of various fish and amphibia become available.