Abstract
Background
The involvement of the peripheral immune system in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases has recently been emphasized. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have recently ...identified several candidate immune genes linked to development of both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and depression.
TBX21 (T-bet)
which drives the Th1 immune response, is linked to the major depressive disorder (MDD) phenotype. This study investigated the association between the
TBX21
immune gene and the possibility of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) incidence in 194 LOAD and 200 control subjects using the real-time qPCR and the Tetra-ARMS-PCR methods. We also used an in silico approach to analyze the potential effects imparted by
TBX21 rs17244587
and
rs41515744
polymorphisms in LOAD pathogenesis.
Results
We found that the
TBX21
“immune gene” had significantly elevated mRNA expression levels in the leukocytes of peripheral blood in patients with LOAD (
P
< 0.0001). We also found an upward trend in TBX21 expression with increasing age in LOAD patients compared to the control group (
P
< 0.05; CI = 95%). We noticed that the TT genotype of
rs41515744
plays a protective role in LOAD incidence, as it attenuates the expression of
TBX21
in the control group. We observed that the dominant model of
rs41515744
represented a substantial association with LOAD (
P
= 0.019).
Conclusions
Our results show for the first time the likely impact of the
TBX21 (T-bet)
immune gene in LOAD development and that the elevated
TBX21
mRNAs in the WBCs of LOAD patients may represent a new easy diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease.
Abstract The successful realization of the EIC scientific program requires the design and construction of high-performance particle detectors. Recent developments in the field of scientific computing ...and increased availability of high performance computing resources have made it possible to perform optimization of multi-parameter designs, even when the latter require longer computational times (for example simulations of particle interactions with matter). Procedures involving machine-assisted techniques used to inform the design decision have seen a considerable growth in popularity among the EIC detector community. Having already been realized for tracking and RICH PID detectors, it has a potential application in calorimetry designs. A SciGlass barrel calorimeter originally designed for EIC Detector-1 has a semi-projective geometry that allows for non-trivial performance gains, but also poses special challenges in the way of effective exploration of the design space while satisfying the available space and the cell dimension constraints together with the full detector acceptance requirement. This talk will cover specific approaches taken to perform this detector design optimization.
Ovarian hormones drive invivo generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) during pregnancy. Little is known about the therapeutic potential of invitro hormone-derived Tregs in pregnancy loss. We ...investigated the effects of hormone-induced Tregs in a murine model of abortion. CD4+CD25- T cells were isolated from the spleens of CBA/J mice and stimulated with either 17β-oestradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) or transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFB1) plus retinoic acid (RA) for 4 days to generate induced Tregs (iTregs). On Days 1-4 of gestation, DBA/2-mated pregnant CBA/J female mice (abortion prone) were injected intravenously with iTregs or Tregs isolated from normal BALB/c-mated pregnant CBA/J mice (np-Tregs). On Day 14, the number of resorbed fetuses was assessed. Serum interferon (IFN)-γ and uterine forkhead box p3 (Foxp3) expression was analysed by ELISA and immunohistochemistry respectively. Using a 3H-thymidine incorporation assay, isolated CD4+CD25+ Tregs induced by the different treatments suppressed the proliferation of CD4+CD25- T cells. Adoptive transfer of iTregs (from all induction groups) significantly decreased fetal resorption in abortion-prone mice. There were no significant changes in serum IFN-γ concentrations after the adoptive transfer of iTregs or np-Tregs. Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly higher Foxp3 expression in gravid uteri from mice injected with np-Tregs and P4-induced iTregs than in the phosphate-buffered saline-treated group. The findings of this study indicate a potential therapeutic benefit of invitro-induced Tregs in patients with recurrent abortion.
Estimates of aboveground biomass and nutrient stocks are commonly derived using equations that describe tree dimensional relationships. Despite the widespread use of this approach, there is little ...information about whether equations specific to stand age are necessary for accurate biomass predictions. We developed equations for small trees (2–12 cm diameter) of six species in four young northern hardwood stands. We then compared our equations with equations used frequently in the literature that were developed in mature stands (Whittaker et al. 1974. Ecol. Monogr. 44: 233–252). Our equations for yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) predicted 11%–120% greater stem wood for individual trees compared with the equations from Whittaker et al. and, on average, 50% greater aboveground yellow birch biomass in the four stands that we studied. Differences were less pronounced for sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.); our equations predicted, on average, 9% greater aboveground stand biomass for sugar maple and 3% lower biomass for American beech compared with Whittaker et al. Our results suggest that stand age may be an important factor influencing the aboveground allometry and biomass of small yellow birch trees in these developing northern hardwood stands.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BF, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The sagittae otolith morphology of marine fishes has been used in many ecomorphological studies to explain certain ecological adaptations of species to habitat. Our study compares the sagittal ...otolith shapes of ten species of snappers (Family Lutjanidae) inhabiting the Persian Gulf. We used a morphometric analysis of the otolith measurements (length, height, perimeter, area and weight) and of the ratio between the area of the sulcus acusticus and the area of the otolith (S:O). The otolith contour was also analysed using wavelets as a mathematical descriptor. Morphological variations in the otoliths were associated with the morphology and external colouration of snappers as well as ecological traits. An analysis of the interspecific S:O ratio suggested that the highest ratios occurred in snappers inhabiting shallower waters. A categorical multivariate analysis, including morphological, ecological and otolith size factors, showed that the species adapted to dim light conditions had a greater otolith perimeter. An analysis of variance of the otolith contour revealed zones with a higher interspecific variability, although only the antero-dorsal zone showed differing patterns. Although the otolith patterns appear to have a phylogenetic component, they might also be related to diel activity rhythms or to the light conditions in the habitat. The results of the study showed that variation in otolith morphology can be used to explain the coexistence of sympatric species.
In the present investigation, we aimed to study diversity and cell abundance of phytoplankton in the southwest of the Caspian Sea. This survey included 4 transects and 12 stations. A total of 48 ...samples were collected during spring 2012 and spring 2013. Finally, 72 species of phytoplankton were identified including phyla Diatoms (29 species), Chlorophyta (17 species), Pyrrophyta (16 species), Cyanophyta (6 species), and Euglenophyta (4 species). The total average of cell abundance was approximately 43.55 ± 5.10 × 104 cells/m
3
. The number of recorded species in spring, summer, autumn, and winter was 46, 50, 41 and 39, respectively. Diatoms had the highest species diversity and cell abundance in winter related to
Thalassionema nitzschiodes
at a depth of 10 m. Seasonal changes in diversity of phytoplankton significantly differed, showing maximum in autumn with high diversity index (2.532) and minimum in spring (2.201) on Shannon Diversity Index. Finally, the quality of water is classified according to this index in the middle level.
Total and methylmercury concentrations were assessed in muscle and liver of 141 fish samples from the northern part of the Persian Gulf. All fish samples belonged to five different species: grunt, ...flathead, greasy grouper, tiger-tooth croaker, and silver pomfret. In addition, Hg and methylmercury were analyzed in scalp hair of 19 fishermen living in the same coastal stations of the Persian Gulf and consuming several fish meals a week. Total mercury concentrations in fish muscle and liver ranged from 0.01 to 1.35 μg g ⁻ ¹ w.w. and from 0.02 to 1.30 μg g ⁻ ¹ w.w., respectively. In fish muscle, 3% of the Hg concentrations were higher than 0.5 μg g ⁻ ¹ w.w., which corresponds to the maximum acceptable WHO level, while 9% were in the range of polluted fish (between 0.3 and 0.5 μg g ⁻ ¹ w.w.). The highest mercury concentrations in fish muscle were observed in flathead fish at Abadan (average of 0.68 μ g g ⁻ ¹ w.w.). Methylmercury fractions in fish muscle and liver amount to 34-99% (median 64%) and 24-70% (median 43%), respectively. The mean total Hg concentration in the fishermen's scalp hair amounted to 2.9 ± 2.2 μ g g ⁻ ¹, with 68% in the form of methylmercury. Ninety-five percent of the Hg levels in the fishermen's hair were below 10 μ g g ⁻ ¹, which is the WHO warning limit. In addition, relationships between the mercury levels in hair, on the one hand, and exposure-related factors such as Hg levels in specific fish species, regional differences, and number of fish meals, on the other hand, are discussed. It appears that a significant correlation for example exists between Hg levels human hair and fish muscle or human hair and age and that mean mercury levels in fish muscle and human hair decreased from western (Abadan) to eastern (Abbas port) coastal sites.
We report the measurement of the beam-vector and tensor asymmetries A_{ed}^{V} and A_{d}^{T} in quasielastic (eover →,e^{'}p) electrodisintegration of the deuteron at the MIT-Bates Linear Accelerator ...Center up to missing momentum of 500 MeV/c. Data were collected simultaneously over a momentum transfer range 0.1<Q^{2}<0.5 (GeV/c)^{2} with the Bates Large Acceptance Spectrometer Toroid using an internal deuterium gas target polarized sequentially in both vector and tensor states. The data are compared with calculations. The beam-vector asymmetry A_{ed}^{V} is found to be directly sensitive to the D-wave component of the deuteron and has a zero crossing at a missing momentum of about 320 MeV/c, as predicted. The tensor asymmetry A_{d}^{T} at large missing momentum is found to be dominated by the influence of the tensor force in the neutron-proton final-state interaction. The new data provide a strong constraint on theoretical models.
Hippocampus, amygdala and dorsal raphe nucleus are the cerebral main structures involved in learning, memory and anxiety. Ghrelin increases the level of several hormones in these structures and ...affects learning, memory and anxiety-like behaviors. This study was performed to investigate the effect of ghrelin agonist on passive avoidance learning and anxiety in adult female rats in the presence and absence of ovary hormones. Five groups of rats, including control group with no injections, ovariectomized groups; one group receiving normal saline and other group receiving ghrelin agonist solution, surgery shocked (sham operated) groups; one group receiving saline and other group ghrelin agonist solution, were tested. Inside stereotaxis apparatus, two sided CA1 cannulae were used and 1 microL of saline or ghrelin agonist solution, at 3 nmol microL(-1) concentration, was injected into each cannula. Passive avoidance learning was measured by using shuttle box and anxiety by elevated plus- maze. Ghrelin agonist increased the level of learning in surgery shocked group in comparison with control group. Anxiety-like behavior was seen in both ovariectomized and surgery shocked groups. Ghrelin agonist binds its own receptors in the hippocampus, thereby increases learning capability and induces anxiety-like behaviors. Proper management of these behaviors might be useful in controlling some forms of nervous system diseases in humans.
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