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North Campus Open Space (NCOS) is a large-scale restored habitat in the historic Devereaux slough in Goleta, California. Forty-four plywood cover boards measuring 3’ x 4’ were dispersed across NCOS in four distinct habitats (grassland, woodland, coast sage scrubland, and marshland). For over 4 years, researchers have tracked the presence of animals under these coverboards, mostly small rodents and herpetofauna, following the area’s habitat restoration. Patterns of their distribution are increasingly understood as surveys continue; however, little is known about the patterns of invertebrate distribution and the factors influencing them. Invertebrates provide essential ecosystem functions as they break down organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem, and they can serve as insightful bioindicators of ecosystem health. Previous studies documented that in agricultural systems, mean annual precipitation and soil pH are the largest predictors of soil invertebrate richness. In this study, we test whether these variables accurately predict patterns of invertebrate richness in a restored ecosystem. We focused on two diverse macroinvertebrate taxa, Coleoptera (beetles) and Arachnida (spiders). By collecting, curating, and identifying beetles and spiders under each coverboard we were able to establish what species reside in the various habitats. We took measurements of the soil pH under each board as well as the humidity in the interspace between the soil and the board as a proxy for mean annual precipitation. Our preliminary data suggest that soil pH and relative humidity partially contribute to the distribution of macroinvertebrates within habitats. However, other factors such as cohabitation, soil type, adjacent vegetation, or other factors involved in nutrient cycling, could have larger effects on the distribution patterns of these taxa.This poster was presented at the UCSB undergraduate research colloquium 2024.

The rocky intertidal zone is a paradigmatic ecosystem found along the coastline where the land meets the sea. It holds a plethora of unique animals that fill various niches, creating an atmosphere of constant interactions among both biotic and abiotic factors. The intertidal sea anemone, Anthopleura sola, (A. sola) is dispersed throughout our coastline, making it a widely abundant animal with — surprisingly — limited research done on the species. Our research proposes to examine the ecology of intraspecific aggression among A. sola and how their behaviors influence biological organization at both the individual and population levels. To further understand how habitat-specific factors influence spatial distribution, we will investigate agonistic behaviors that are likely to occur across two different habitats: cobble and bench. We define a cobble habitat as being of loose cobblestone and a bench habitat as a flat, continuous rock substrate. Previous analysis of these habitats from Coal Oil Point, Santa Barbara County, California, suggests that the spatial distribution is influenced by environmental factors and other population-specific characteristics (e.g. density) which may contextualize behavioral traits. A comparative analysis of agonistic behaviors and dietary components will be conducted to better understand how resource availability influences spatial competition. With this information, our study can provide ways to better mitigate the intertidal ecosystems as we experience an increase in environmental changes. This poster was presented at UCSB's 2024 undergraduate research symposium for the department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, and received a best poster award.

PurposeRadiopharmaceutical therapy is changing the standard of care in prostate cancer and other malignancies. We previously reported high CD46 expression in prostate cancer and developed an antibody-drug conjugate and immunoPET agent based on the YS5 antibody, which targets a tumor-selective CD46 epitope. Here, we present the preparation, preclinical efficacy, and toxicity evaluation of [225Ac]DOTA-YS5, a radioimmunotherapy agent based on the YS5 antibody.Experimental design[225Ac]DOTA-YS5 was developed, and its therapeutic efficiency was tested on cell-derived (22Rv1, DU145), and patient-derived (LTL-545, LTL484) prostate cancer xenograft models. Biodistribution studies were carried out on 22Rv1 tumor xenograft models to confirm the targeting efficacy. Toxicity analysis of the [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 was carried out on nu/nu mice to study short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) toxicity.ResultsBiodistribution study shows that [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 agent delivers high levels of radiation to the tumor tissue (11.64% ± 1.37%ID/g, 28.58% ± 10.88%ID/g, 29.35% ± 7.76%ID/g, and 31.78% ± 5.89%ID/g at 24, 96, 168, and 408 hours, respectively), compared with the healthy organs. [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 suppressed tumor size and prolonged survival in cell line-derived and patient-derived xenograft models. Toxicity analysis revealed that the 0.5 μCi activity levels showed toxicity to the kidneys, likely due to redistribution of daughter isotope 213Bi.Conclusions[225Ac]DOTA-YS5 suppressed the growth of cell-derived and patient-derived xenografts, including prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive and prostate-specific membrane antigen-deficient models. Overall, this preclinical study confirms that [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 is a highly effective treatment and suggests feasibility for clinical translation of CD46-targeted radioligand therapy in prostate cancer.

Glucose uptake by peripheral organs is essential for maintaining blood glucose levels within normal range. Impaired glucose uptake is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome and is characterized by insulin resistance. Male sex is an independent risk factor for the development of T2D. We tested whether sex and diet are independent variables for differential glucose uptake by various organs. Here, in a longitudinal study, we used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) to determine baseline differences in whole-body glucose uptake in young male and female mice on chow and high-fat diets. We report that sex and diet are important independent variables that account for differential glucose uptake in brown fat, skeletal muscle, liver, heart, kidney, and the stomach, but not the brain, lungs, pancreas, small intestine, or perigonadal adipose. Of the seven organs analyzed, two organs, namely brown fat, and the heart had the highest concentrations of FDG, followed by the brain, kidneys, and skeletal muscle on chow diet. Young female mice had 47% greater FDG uptake in the brown fat compared to male mice, whereas skeletal muscle FDG uptake was 49% greater in male mice. The high-fat diet inhibited FDG uptake in brown fat, skeletal muscle, and the heart, three major organs involved in uptake, whereas brain uptake was enhanced in both sexes. These foundational and groundbreaking findings suggest that mechanisms of glucose homeostasis are context- and organ-dependent and highlight the need to study sex-specific outcomes and mechanisms for diseases such as T2D, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Lymphocytes and innate immune cells are key drivers of multiple sclerosis (MS) and are the main target of MS disease-modifying therapies (DMT). Ex vivo analyses of MS lesions have revealed cellular heterogeneity and variable T cell levels, which may have important implications for patient stratification and choice of DMT. Although MRI has proven valuable to monitor DMT efficacy, its lack of specificity for cellular subtypes highlights the need for complementary methods to improve lesion characterization. Here, we evaluated the potential of 2'-deoxy-2'-18F-fluoro-9-β-d-arabinofuranosylguanine (18F-FAraG) PET imaging to noninvasively assess infiltrating T cells and to provide, in combination with MRI, a novel tool to determine lesion types. Methods: We used a novel MS mouse model that combines cuprizone and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis to reproducibly induce 2 brain inflammatory lesion types, differentiated by their T cell content. 18F-FAraG PET imaging, T2-weighted MRI, and T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI were performed before disease induction, during demyelination with high levels of innate immune cells, and after T cell infiltration. Fingolimod immunotherapy was used to evaluate the ability of PET and MRI to detect therapy response. Ex vivo immunofluorescence analyses for T cells, microglia/macrophages, myelin, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity were performed to validate the in vivo findings. Results: 18F-FAraG signal was significantly increased in the brain and spinal cord at the time point of T cell infiltration. 18F-FAraG signal from white matter (corpus callosum) and gray matter (cortex, hippocampus) further correlated with T cell density. T2-weighted MRI detected white matter lesions independently of T cells. T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI indicated BBB disruption at the time point of T cell infiltration. Fingolimod treatment prevented motor deficits and decreased T cell and microglia/macrophage levels. In agreement, 18F-FAraG signal was decreased in the brain and spinal cord of fingolimod-treated mice; T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI revealed intact BBB, whereas T2-weighted MRI findings remained unchanged. Conclusion: The combination of MRI and 18F-FAraG PET enables detection of inflammatory demyelination and T cell infiltration in an MS mouse model, providing a new way to evaluate lesion heterogeneity during disease progression and after DMT. On clinical translation, these methods hold great potential for stratifying patients, monitoring MS progression, and determining therapy responses.

The relationship between regional innovation and foreign direct investment (FDI) has been extensively examined, but the impact of regional innovation on FDI retention has received scant attention. Drawing on the logic of place-based approaches, the paper investigates this impact by conducting survival analyses on data collected across 31 provinces of China. We find that regional technician supply (RTS) and regional intellectual property flexibility (RIPF) help regions retain foreign ventures. However, RTS is less likely to retain the foreign investments of multinational enterprises with large research and development expenditure, while RIPF is more likely to retain them. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]