The MUC1 Cytoplasmic Tail and Tandem Repeat Domains Contribute to Mammary Oncogenesis in FVB Mice

Background: Though the importance of the transmembrane mucin MUC1 in mammary oncogenesis has long been recognized, the relative contributions of the cytoplasmic tail and tandem repeat domains are poorly understood.Methods: To address this, mouse models of mammary carcinogenesis were created expressing full-length, cytoplasmic tail-deleted, or tandem repeat-deleted MUC1 constructs.Results: Overexpression of full-length MUC1 resulted in tumor formation in young mice (12 months); however, loss of either the cytoplasmic tail or the tandem repeat domain abrogated this oncogenic capacity. Aged mice in all strains developed late-onset mammary tumors similar to those previously described for the FVB background.Conclusions: This study is the fi rst spontaneous cancer model to address the relative importance of the cytoplasmic tail and tandem repeat domains to MUC1-driven mammary oncogenesis, and suggests that both of these domains are essential for tumor formation

Exploring crisis counsellor helping styles in online crisis counselling

Crisis counselling via suicide prevention hotlines has demonstrated reduced distress and suicidality in individuals seeking support. Text-based online crisis counselling services (i.e., chats) are becoming an increasingly common way to support suicidal individuals in crisis. Existing research has not yet established a clear understanding of the crisis counselling process and how it relates to outcomes like reduced distress and suicidality. The purpose of this study was to build on current research by examining patterns of different crisis counsellor helping styles and exploring their associations with chatter outcomes, with the goal to develop a theoretical stage model of online crisis counselling. This study also explored whether crisis counsellor behaviours considered to be unhelpful were associated with a lack of chatter improvement. Past chat transcripts (N = 100) from a local crisis intervention centre were collected and coded for different crisis counsellor helping styles (i.e., active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and unhelpful) and chatter outcomes (i.e., affect, suicide risk, and suicide ideation). Analyses of variance were performed. Results indicated that active listening and collaborative problem-solving styles fluctuated over the course of chat, and some patterns of different crisis counsellor behaviours were associated with chatter outcome. Unhelpful crisis counsellor behaviours were associated with lack of chatter improvement. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on online crisis counselling by generating a theoretical model of what the online crisis counselling process could look like, and how it may support suicidal individuals. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

How Is Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in the Uterus Connected with the Immune Status of Red Deer Females (Cervus elaphus L.) in Different Reproductive Stages?

Reproductive and condition parameters’ dependency on immune status in seasonally reproducing ruminants such as red deer have not been outlined to date. We determined T and B blood lymphocytes; the concentration of IgG, cAMP, haptoglobulin, and 6-keto-PGF1α in blood plasma; and the mRNA and protein expression of PG endoperoxide synthase 2, 5-lipoxygenase, PGE2 synthase (PGES), PGF2α synthase (PGFS), PGI2 synthase (PGIS), leukotriene (LT)A4 hydrolase, and LTC4 synthase (LTC4S) in the uterine endo- and myometrium, on the 4th (N = 7) and 13th (N = 8) days of the estrous cycle, in anestrus (N = 6) and pregnancy (N = 8) in hinds. An increase in CD4+ T regulatory lymphocyte percentage during the estrous cycle and anestrus compared with pregnancy was recorded; the opposite effect was observed for CD21+ B cells (p < 0.05). cAMP and haptoglobin concentration were elevated during the cycle, as was IgG on the fourth day of the cycle, whereas 6-keto-PGF1α concentration was the highest in pregnancy, and the nearest in anestrus similarly were LTC4S, PGES, PGFS, and PGIS protein expression in the endometrium (p < 0.05). We showed an interaction between the immune system activation and AA-metabolite production in the uterus throughout different reproductive stages. IgG, cAMP, haptoglobin, and 6-keto-PGF1α concentrations are valuable candidates for markers of reproductive status in hinds. The results help expand our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying seasonal reproduction in ruminants

Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) Applied to Female Cervids Adapted from Domestic Ruminants

There are about 150 Cervidae species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Only a small part is counted among farm animals, and most of them are free roaming. The universality and large numbers of representatives of cervids such as red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) may predispose these species to be used as models for research on reintroduction or assisted reproduction of deer at risk of extinction. We outlined the historical fluctuation of cervids in Europe and the process of domestication, which led to breeding management. Consequently, the reproductive techniques used in domestic ruminants were adapted for use in female deer which we reviewed based on our results and other available results. We focused on stress susceptibility in cervids depending on habitat and antropopression and proposed copeptin as a novel diagnostic parameter suitable for stress determination. Some reproductive biotechniques have been adopted for female cervids with satisfactory results, e.g., in vitro fertilization, while others still require methodological refinement, e.g., cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos.</jats:p

Efficiency of organic matter removal through a contact filter with an active carbon layer

Praca zawiera wyniki badań modelowych mających na celu określenie możliwości zwiększenia skuteczności usuwania związków organicznych z wody powierzchniowej oczyszczanej w procesie koagulacji (siarczanem glinu lub PAX XL19F) prowadzonej w złożach filtrów kontaktowych. Wprowadzenie węgla aktywnego do filtrów kontaktowych miało na celu zmniejszenie zawartości prekursorów THM w wodzie, a co za tym idzie - ograniczenie możliwości tworzenia THM w systemie wodociągowym. Badania modelowe wykazały, że w technicznych filtrach kontaktowych można zastąpić część piasku filtracyjnego warstwą granulowanego węgla aktywnego. Może to poprawić skuteczność usuwania z wody prekursorów THM w takim stopniu, że średnia zawartość sumy THM w wodzie po dezynfekcji chlorem nie będzie przekraczała 10 mg/m3. Jednocześnie wykazano, że wprowadzenie do filtrów kontaktowych warstwy węgla aktywnego nie utrudniło eksploatacji filtrów zarówno podczas oczyszczania wody, jak i w czasie płukania złóż filtracyjnych. Ponadto płukanie złóż filtrów modelowych powietrzem i wodą pozwoliło na znaczne wydłużenie czasu trwania cyklu filtracyjnego bez wpływu na jakość oczyszczonej wody.Model investigations were performed to analyze the possibility of upgrading the efficiency of organic matter removal from surface water treated by coagulation (involving an alum or a PAX XL19F coagulant), which was conducted in the bed of a contact filter. The objective of incorporating an active carbon layer into the contact filter was to reduce the content of THM precursors in the water being treated, and thus limit the formation of THM in the water distribution system. The results of model investigations have revealed that some part of the sand bed in the technical contact filter can be replaced with a granular active carbon layer. This may raise the efficiency of THM precursor removal to such a degree that the average concentration of the sum of THM in the water upon chlorine disinfection will not exceed 10 mg/m3. It has also been demonstrated that the addition of the active carbon layer did not inhibit the operation of the filter either during water treatment or during backwash. What is more, when the model filter was backwashed with air and water, this permitted a substantial extension of the filter cycle time, without deteriorating the quality of the treated water

Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) Applied to Female Cervids Adapted from Domestic Ruminants

There are about 150 Cervidae species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Only a small part is counted among farm animals, and most of them are free roaming. The universality and large numbers of representatives of cervids such as red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) may predispose these species to be used as models for research on reintroduction or assisted reproduction of deer at risk of extinction. We outlined the historical fluctuation of cervids in Europe and the process of domestication, which led to breeding management. Consequently, the reproductive techniques used in domestic ruminants were adapted for use in female deer which we reviewed based on our results and other available results. We focused on stress susceptibility in cervids depending on habitat and antropopression and proposed copeptin as a novel diagnostic parameter suitable for stress determination. Some reproductive biotechniques have been adopted for female cervids with satisfactory results, e.g., in vitro fertilization, while others still require methodological refinement, e.g., cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos

Regulation of Uterine Function During Estrous Cycle, Anestrus Phase and Pregnancy by Steroids in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L.)

Abstract Background: Steroid synthesis and production in ruminant uterus is not obvious, especially in those seasonally reproduced. We compared steroid production by investigating selected enzymes involved in red deer uterine steroid metabolism in reproductive seasons. Methods: Blood and uteri tissues (endometrium and myometrium) were collected post mortem from hinds on 4th day of the estrous cycle (N = 8), 13th day of the cycle (N = 8), anestrus (N=8) and pregnancy (N = 8). The expression of cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450), 3 -beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), 17 -beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD), aldo-keto reductase family 1 C1 (AKR1C1), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and progesterone receptors (PRs), were analyzed using real-time-PCR and Western Blotting. Plasma samples were assayed for 17 -beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle -stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone (T4) concentrations by EIA. Results: Hinds at the beginning of the estrous cycle, mainly in endometrium, were characterized by a high mRNA expression of 3β-HSD, AKR1C1, PRs and ERα, contrary to the expression in myometrium during pregnancy (P ˂ 0.05). For P4, E2, and FSH, concentration was the highest during the 13th day of the estrous cycle (P ˂ 0.05). Conclusions: The results showed that uterine steroid production and output in hinds as a representative seasonally reproduced ruminant occurred mainly during the estrous cycle and sustained in anestrus.</jats:p

Regulation of uterine function during estrous cycle, anestrus phase and pregnancy by steroids in red deer (Cervus elaphus L.)

AbstractSteroid synthesis and production in ruminant uterus is not obvious, especially in seasonally reproduced. We compared steroid production by investigating enzymes involved in red deer uterine steroid metabolism in reproductive seasons. Blood and uteri (endometrium and myometrium) were collected post mortem from hinds on 4th day (N = 8), 13th day of the cycle (N = 8), anestrus (N = 8) and pregnancy (N = 8). The expression of cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450), 3 -beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), 17 -beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD), aldo–keto reductase family 1 C1 (AKR1C1), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and progesterone receptors (PRs), were analyzed using real-time-PCR and Western Blotting. Plasma samples were assayed for 17-beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone (T4) concentrations by EIA. Hinds at the beginning of the estrous cycle, mainly in endometrium, were characterized by a high mRNA expression of 3β-HSD, AKR1C1, PRs and ERα, contrary to the expression in myometrium during pregnancy (P &lt; 0.05). For P4, E2, and FSH, concentration was the highest during the 13th day of the estrous cycle (P &lt; 0.05). Uterine steroid production and output in hinds as a representative seasonally reproduced ruminant occurred mainly during the estrous cycle and sustained in anestrus.</jats:p