Influence of sow dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid source on the immunoglobulin profile of piglets

To examine the effect of different n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) sources in sow diets on piglets’ immunoglobulin (Ig) profile, two groups of twelve sows each were fed different diets from day 45 of pregnancy and during lactation on two commercial farms. On farm I, a palm oil diet (25 g/kg; PALM) and a linseed oil containing diet (20 g/kg; LIN) were fed. On farm II, the same PALM diet and a fish oil containing diet (20 g/kg; FISH) were fed. All diets contained equal amounts of C18:2n-6 (13 g/kg). One day before parturition, blood (for serum) was taken and shortly after parturition, colostrum was taken from the sows (not from sows on farm I) for determination of Ig levels. On day 5 post partum and the day before weaning, blood (for serum) was taken from 4 piglets of six sows per group (24 piglets in total per group; for 5-d old piglets on farm II, only 6 piglets of the FISH group were sampled). In all samples total IgG, IgA, IgM concentration and specific F4-IgG, -IgA and -IgM titer (Log2 titer) against E. coli were determined. On farm I, the sows of the LIN group showed a trend towards lower IgG titers compared to the PALM group around farrowing (P<0.1). On farm II, the sows on the FISH diet showed a significantly (P<0.05) lower F4-IgG titer compared to the sows fed PALM. The colostrum samples on farm II showed no differences between both groups. On farm I, the 5-d old piglets from the LIN group had significantly higher IgA and IgM concentrations and higher F4-IgA and F4-IgM titers (P<0.05). F4-IgA and F4-IgG titers were also significantly higher at weaning in the LIN group compared to the PALM group. On farm II, the piglets of the FISH group had a significantly higher IgG concentration and F4-IgA titer (P<0.05) and a trend towards a higher IgM concentration (P<0.1) around weaning compared to the PALM group. It seems that fish oil in the maternal diet increases total IgG concentration, while linseed oil reduces total IgG and increases total IgA compared to a palm fat containing diet. Both fish and linseed oil seem to have a positive effect on total IgM concentration compared to the palm diet

Fate specification and tissue-specific cell cycle control of the <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> intestine

Coordination between cell fate specification and cell cycle control in multicellular organisms is essential to regulate cell numbers in tissues and organs during development, and its failure may lead to oncogenesis. In mammalian cells, as part of a general cell cycle checkpoint mechanism, the F-box protein β-transducin repeat-containing protein (β-TrCP) and the Skp1/Cul1/F-box complex control the periodic cell cycle fluctuations in abundance of the CDC25A and B phosphatases. Here, we find that the Caenorhabditis elegans β-TrCP orthologue LIN-23 regulates a progressive decline of CDC-25.1 abundance over several embryonic cell cycles and specifies cell number of one tissue, the embryonic intestine. The negative regulation of CDC-25.1 abundance by LIN-23 may be developmentally controlled because CDC-25.1 accumulates over time within the developing germline, where LIN-23 is also present. Concurrent with the destabilization of CDC-25.1, LIN-23 displays a spatially dynamic behavior in the embryo, periodically entering a nuclear compartment where CDC-25.1 is abundant

Стратегії проповідницького дискурсу І. Галятовського: антропологічний аспект

How cells in developing organisms interpret the quantitative information contained in morphogen gradients is an open question. Here we address this question using a novel integrative approach that combines quantitative measurements of morphogen-induced gene expression at single-mRNA resolution with mathematical modelling of the induction process. We focus on the induction of Notch ligands by the LIN-3/EGF morphogen gradient during vulva induction in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that LIN-3/EGF-induced Notch ligand expression is highly dynamic, exhibiting an abrupt transition from low to high expression. Similar transitions in Notch ligand expression are observed in two highly divergent wild C. elegans isolates. Mathematical modelling and experiments show that this transition is driven by a dynamic increase in the sensitivity of the induced cells to external LIN-3/EGF. Furthermore, this increase in sensitivity is independent of the presence of LIN-3/EGF. Our integrative approach might be useful to study induction by morphogen gradients in other systems

Resonance scattering at lyman-alpha by an atomic hydrogen cell

Hydrogen cell and ion chamber for obtaining photoelectric data on resonance scattering at lyman alpha lin

The \u3cem\u3elet-7\u3c/em\u3e MicroRNA Family Members \u3cem\u3emir\u3c/em\u3e-48, \u3cem\u3emir\u3c/em\u3e-84, and mir-241 Function Together to Regulate Developmental Timing in \u3cem\u3eCaenorhabditis elegans\u3c/em\u3e

The microRNA let-7 is a critical regulator of developmental timing events at the larval-to-adult transition in C. elegans. Recently, microRNAs with sequence similarity to let-7 have been identified. We find that doubly mutant animals lacking the let-7 family microRNA genes mir-48 and mir-84 exhibit retarded molting behavior and retarded adult gene expression in the hypodermis. Triply mutant animals lacking mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 exhibit repetition of L2-stage events in addition to retarded adult-stage events. mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 function together to control the L2-to-L3 transition, likely by base pairing to complementary sites in the hbl-1 3′ UTR and downregulating hbl-1 activity. Genetic analysis indicates that mir-48, mir-84, and mir-241 specify the timing of the L2-to-L3 transition in parallel to the heterochronic genes lin-28 and lin-46. These results indicate that let-7 family microRNAs function in combination to affect both early and late developmental timing decisions

Structural Requirements for the Tissue-Specific and Tissue-General Functions of the Caenorhabditis elegans Epidermal Growth Factor LIN-3

Caenorhabditis elegans lin-3 encodes a homolog of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family of growth factors. LIN-3 is the inductive signal for hermaphrodite vulval differentiation, and it is required for animal viability, hermaphrodite fertility, and the specification of anterior cell fates in the male B cell lineage. We describe the cloning of a lin-3 homolog from C. briggsae, sequence comparison of C. elegans lin-3 with C. briggsae lin-3, and the determination of molecular lesions in alleles of C. elegans lin-3, including three new alleles. We also analyzed the severity of phenotypes caused by the new and existing alleles of lin-3. Correlation of mutant phenotypes and their molecular lesions, as well as sequence comparison between two species, reveal that the EGF motif and the N-terminal portion of the cytoplasmic domain are important for the functions of LIN-3 in all tissues, while the C-terminal portion of the cytoplasmic domain is involved in the tissue-specific functions of lin-3. We discuss how the structure of lin-3 contributes to its functions in multiple developmental processes

Ariel - Volume 2 Number 2

Editors Delvyn C. Case, Jr. Paul M. Fernhoff News Editors Richard Bonanno Daniel B. Gould Ronald A. Hoffman Lay-Out Editor Carol Dolinskas Sports Editor James J. Nocon Contributing Editors MichaeI J. Blecker Lin Sey Edwards Jack Guralnik W. Cherry Light Features Editor Donald A. Bergman Stephen P. Flynn Business Manager Nick Grego Public Relations Robin A. Edward

Granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor mobilizes bone marrow stem cells in patients with subacute ischemic stroke: the Stem Cell Trial of Recovery EnhanceMent After Stroke (STEMS) Pilot Randomized, Controlled Trial (ISRCTN 16784092)

Background and Purpose - Loss of motor function is common after stroke and leads to significant chronic disability. Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and of differentiating into multiple cell types, including neurones, glia, and vascular cells. We assessed the safety of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) after stroke and its effect on circulating CD34 stem cells. Methods - We performed a 2-center, dose-escalation, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial (ISRCTN 16784092) of G-CSF (6 blocks of 1 to 10 g/kg SC, 1 or 5 daily doses) in 36 patients with recent ischemic stroke. Circulating CD34 stem cells were measured by flow cytometry; blood counts and measures of safety and functional outcome were also monitored. All measures were made blinded to treatment. Results - Thirty-six patients, whose mean SD age was 768 years and of whom 50% were male, were recruited. G-CSF (5 days of 10 g/kg) increased CD34 count in a dose-dependent manner, from 2.5 to 37.7 at day 5 (area under curve, P0.005). A dose-dependent rise in white cell count (P0.001) was also seen. There was no difference between treatment groups in the number of patients with serious adverse events: G-CSF, 7/24 (29%) versus placebo 3/12 (25%), or in their dependence (modified Rankin Scale, median 4, interquartile range, 3 to 5) at 90 days. Conclusions - ”G-CSF is effective at mobilizing bone marrow CD34 stem cells in patients with recent ischemic stroke. Administration is feasible and appears to be safe and well tolerated. The fate of mobilized cells and their effect on functional outcome remain to be determined. (Stroke. 2006;37:2979-2983.

Energetic particle flux experiment (IMP F and G)

The data reduction procedures and programs for analysis of the IMP F and G energetic particle flux experiments are summarized. The IMP-F experiment contained two thin-window Geiger-Mueller detectors and an ionization chamber. There were two IMP-G experiments: one with six Geiger-Mueller detectors and an ionization chamber, and the other with two funnel mouthed channeltrons in a parallel plate electrostatic analyzer. These experiments measured particles in the energy range above 20 keV (IMP-F) and above approximately 5 keV (IMP-G). A bibliography is presented of papers containing the scientific results. These data were predominantly used for the study of low energy solar particles from flares